Subject is Sedated

by DannyJ

Rating: teen
Tags: Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, My Little Pony Comic, Changelings, Queen Chrysalis, Death
Length: 9752

The changelings were the one great threat that nopony saw coming. For the Equestrian Intelligence Service, life is about to get much more complicated.

The changelings were the one great threat that nopony saw coming. For the Equestrian Intelligence Service, life is about to get much more complicated.

Part of the Borderworld.

Reading the previous story is not necessary.

Published 2016-06-20 07:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2020-08-13 01:23:10 UTC

Part 1: When the Truth Comes Calling

EQUESTRIAN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE SITES STATUS:

MOTHER BASE, CANTERLOT:
Base commander - Agent Exuding Malevolence, Department of Field Operations
Alert status - Code Green
Lockdown - Lifted
Communications - Open
Enemy status - Purged
Final casualties - 73%

BLACK PROJECTS LABORATORY, MANEHATTAN:
Base commander - Professor Ragdoll, Department of Science
Alert status - Code Red
Lockdown - Active
Communications - Open
Enemy status - Purge in progress

DEEP FREEZE, VANHOOVER:
Base commander - Agent Life Sentence, Department of Archival
Alert status - Code Yellow
Lockdown - Active
Communications - Open
Enemy status - Unknown

FORT ANGEL, SAN PALOMINO:
Base commander - Special Agent Resolve, Department of Field Operations
Alert status - Code Red
Lockdown - Active
Communications - Open
Enemy status - Purge in progress

THE BRIDGE, TROTTINGHAM:
Base commander - None
Alert status - Code Black
Lockdown - Failed
Communications - Open
Enemy status - Site compromised

PROMETHEUS, MOBILE COMMAND:
Base commander - General Carnage, EUP Guard
Alert status - Code Red
Lockdown - Active
Communications - Open
Enemy status - Purge in progress

Ship remains airborne.

Personal Journal of Dr. Eureka, entry #14:

We came under attack! Just as the royal wedding was occurring topside, this army of shape-shifters turned up out of nowhere! The main force attacked the city from outside once the shield came down, but the EIS was hit from within by their sleeper agents. We almost didn't make it.

At the last minute, some kind of unidentified magical effect came by and pushed all the invaders out of Canterlot. Might've been the Elements of Harmony, but we're still not sure. Our surveillance network is broken, so reports are sketchy. I was right there when it happened. I saw one of the infiltrators get hit by the wave as it passed through the facility. The thing was crushed against the wall and turned into green and black mulch. It got all over me. I almost threw up.

Everypony's going crazy here, and we're still getting reports from other sites and branches of just how far this goes. I hear rumours that two of the princesses and the Captain of the Royal Guard were taken out, but that can't possibly be true. As far as I know, the royal wedding went on as planned after the attack was repelled. As for us, Mother Base is secure now thanks to the magical wave, but the Bridge has fallen, and every other EIS site is in lockdown. The other PPP branches weren't hit as bad, but apparently, they didn't escape unscathed either.

Right now, we're still recovering. Mother Base was deeply infiltrated at even the highest levels, and since the entire leadership of the EIS was based here, our whole command structure has been weakened. We lost the Director and most of the department heads, and have no idea if the impostors killed their originals or not. The few remaining senior agents are now trying to work out temporary replacements for the empty positions.

The head of the science department was among our losses, so I haven't received any new orders since the attack, but it seems that Professor Chimera has taken command for the moment. It's likely that he'll become the new department head here. And if he does, he says that our first directive is going to be researching the shape-shifters. We have to know our enemy, after all.

Looks like I can expect to be performing quite a few autopsies in my future.

On Changelings:

Our enemy is not as new as we thought. The shape-shifters are known as changelings, and this is not the first time that they have waged war on Equestria. Those who know their history will likely recognise the name from such famous incidents as the siege of Trot and the fall of Timbucktu, both of which were perpetrated by the changelings several centuries ago.

According to historical records, it was at Timbucktu that the ruler of the changelings first took the title of queen, after deposing King Orion, which aligns with witness testimonies about the changeling queen who led the attack on Canterlot. Meanwhile, tales of Princess Celestia battling Queen Chrysalis and her changelings after the fall of Trot detail how our princess's magical attacks caused holes to form in the legs of the changelings, which as we observed ourselves, are still there today.

The changelings were supposedly banished by Princess Celestia after that battle, sealed away in an unknown prison, but there were records from long after that time of changelings being seen out of disguise. Most were presumed to be lone agents, no longer a part of the swarm, but as we now know, that might not have been the case.

There is no doubt that the army which attacked Canterlot and the queen who led them are the very same monsters seen in these ancient history books. To the ends of developing a complete profile of the changeling species, and educating all our staff about their capabilities, motives, and history, we have requisitioned as many copies as possible of every book we could find on the subject. These will be distributed throughout the ranks over the next several weeks as required reading.

Our enemy is malicious, deceptive in the extreme, and far more experienced at espionage than we will ever be. Until such a time as we can develop better preventative measures against their tactics, you must maintain constant vigilance. Watch your colleagues, report any suspicious behaviour, and do not trust anypony.

A memo to all EIS staff:

Due to the casualties sustained in the Changeling Incident, a number of senior positions in the EIS have opened, and as such, we are now seeking to promote internally to fill the vacancies. Director Exuding Malevolence will be holding interviews at Mother Base over the next several weeks to fill some of the more vital positions. Anypony with aspirations of becoming a department head or taking a role in managing one of our various sites would be well-advised to apply.

Vacant junior staff positions are also available, with promotions and recruitment to be handled by the department heads once established, and will follow policy to be decided at this week's council meeting. For all departments currently without a department head, command defaults to the assistant department head, and then to the department head's secretary. If you are in one of the four top-level compromised departments who have lost all three critical members, then you now fall under the Director's personal supervision until such a time as you are told otherwise.

Please be aware that if you are within a top-level compromised department, all projects are currently suspended, pending full evaluation.

Field Report for Operation #26B5QSF:

OPERATION: VENGEFUL SWORD

TYPE: SEARCH AND DESTROY

SUPERVISING AGENT: W

ACTIVE AGENTS: A, Q, B, M, R, S, V, H, L, Y, T, D, & O.

OPERATION SITES: TROTTINGHAM BANK DISTRICT (SITE A), THE BRIDGE (SITE B),

REPORT: Operatives arrived at 0100 to liaise with EUP forces at Site A, led by Captain Authority. CHARON forces posted on the exterior of Site B were already being engaged by the EUP at time of arrival with traditional siege tactics. The operatives were divided into teams. Team 1, composed of agents A, M, Q, & B, entered through the rail tunnels into the south tower, and covertly moved upwards through the facility with intent to reach the control room. Team 2, composed of agents L, S, V, & H, simultaneously breached the north tower through the disposal chute and attacked CHARON directly, fortifying position in the armoury and providing a smokescreen.

Team 3, composed of agents R, Y, O, T, & D, entered the north tower through the rooftop access once CHARON forces were lured away, and came up behind to provide support for Team 2 and eliminate the enemy. Team 1 initiated lockdown on command at 0340, and then fortified position in the control room. At Site B, the EUP Guard under Agent W's supervision eliminated CHARON stragglers who were caught outside the lockdown with siege weaponry and sharpshooters.

Teams 2 & 3 joined forces to sweep the north tower, and were able to confirm it secure before moving on across the bridge to the south tower, dividing again into two teams. Team 2 took the lower levels while Team 3 took the top. Both teams reunited again afterwards to sweep the south tower, finally joining Team 1 at the control room. Final sweeps confirmed the facility secure and CHARON defeated. Lockdown was lifted at 0600.

OBSERVER was noted as having been briefly present, displaying usual documented behaviour. Encounter catalogued in relevant file.

From the desk of Professor Bizarre Chimera:

As the new head of the science department, I have been instructed to put an end to all the mystery surrounding our new enemies, the changelings. These creatures need studying, and we must understand everything about how they work. We need to know about their physiology, their psychology, their command and social structure, and everything else. Using the frozen remains left over from the attack, I wish to begin by conducting routine autopsies. We will also be requisitioning any intact changeling corpses that the Royal Guard has for more complete samples.

You know the drill, gentlecolts. Progress marches forward.

Memo to Agent Redwood from the Department of Science:

Our latest autopsies confirmed it. We found evidence of not only male and female genitalia, but entire reproductive systems. So yeah. It's not like a real insect hive. The drones can reproduce too. Told you so.

You owe me a beer.

Dr. Eureka

A formal letter to the Director of the Equestrian Intelligence Service:

Dear Director,

As we have not had correspondence before, I should start by introducing myself. I am Colonel Thunder Strike of the Protective Pony Platoons. You can think of me as your supervisor. Your predecessor was always very candid with me in previous interactions, and was accommodating of the PPP's few requests, a relationship that helped things run smoothly, as I'm sure you'll agree. It is my express hope that you will seek to continue this good working relationship, for the benefit of both our organisations.

I shouldn't need to tell you that the situation is dire for all of us. The Platoons have a history of divisions being infiltrated and sabotaged from within, but this changeling fiasco is probably the worst that it's ever been. We haven't suffered an embarrassment on this scale since the fall of Apollo Division. I won't lie. There are talks right now of closing down several of our more compromised specialist branches, and the EIS was mentioned as one of them.

I personally have fought to allow your continued existence, as everything I've heard from our mutual friends in the EUP Guard says that you have the changeling situation well in hoof, even if you are rather short-staffed at present. Neither of us want to see the EIS go the way of SMILE after the Bugbear incident. However, even if you could verify that the EIS has weeded out all possible infiltrators, you remain on shaky ground. You'll need something really solid for the generals if you want to guarantee your organisation's safety and stay afloat.

This is all to say, I want the EIS to be working in uniformly optimal condition when our next unannounced inspection comes by, and I expect you to either have internal security in top condition, or a breakthrough on the changeling project. Both would be even better.

I only want to secure your future, Director. A safe future for you is a safe future for all Equestria.

Sincerely yours,
Col. Thunder Strike

A response to Colonel Thunder Strike of the Protective Pony Platoons:

Dear Colonel,

This operation will shut down when I am rotting in the cold earth, regardless of what decision your superiors reach. My agents have fought tooth-and-nail to secure EIS facilities all over Equestria, and we have lost too many lives to these damn bugs to give up now. I will not let our sacrifices be in vain just because some doddering geriatrics whose uniforms are probably fused to their chairs by now are frightened of the real enemy.

Tell the generals that the EIS doesn't trust them any more than they trust us, and that our facilities are no longer open to your inspectors. If any of you hoity-toity old windbags don't choke on your silver spoons in shock after hearing that, feel free to send your best down here to do something about it. But I warn you, every agent of mine is worth a thousand of your "soldiers," and I have no qualms ordering them to mow you down if I think the EIS itself is under threat.

Our work to protect Equestria will continue, but our previous relationship is over. Back off, or else give us your best shot.

Regards,
Director Exuding Malevolence

Report on Royal Guard liaison:

Special Agent Wrathful,

I talked to the Royal Guard and got the information you wanted. They gave me copies of all their files about the Changeling Incident, and I've enclosed everything relevant in this package. No cadavers, though. They already cremated all their dead changelings. Not sure why everypony kept telling me that they'd be obstinate and unhelpful. The new captain was very cooperative.

Also, I apologise for the formatting of this report, but since this wasn't an official operation, and my old supervising officer is gone, the secretary refused to give me the proper paperwork. Without going through the official channels, there's not much I can do about that, but those channels are closed to me right now. Could you please either grant me full special agent status so that I can deal with this, or else reassign another agent to supervise me? This is getting ridiculous.

Agent Redwood

Changeling autopsy report #12:

Still no closer to cracking the secret of changeling shape-shifting. There's not much more to be discerned from corpses and paste. Unless we can find a live specimen, I really have nothing new to report. These autopsies are just having us go around in circles at this point, and I find this a profound waste of time. We need to do something more proactive if we want to actually learn anything. I recommend that we cease autopsies for the moment and get to work on more theoretical exercises until such a time as Field Ops can bring us a living, breathing changeling.

Dr. Horrible Experiment

Field Report for Operation #26B5QSR:

OPERATION: BLACK WIDOW

TYPE: MOP-UP

SUPERVISING AGENT: C

ACTIVE AGENTS: M & D

OPERATION SITES: PONYVILLE (SITE A), "CASTLE BLACK" (SITE B)

REPORT: Operatives were on the scene at Site B following the passing of the Secreteriat Comet and the apparent defeat of PARASITE and her army. ZEUS and HARMONY were present at Site B at the time. In the following hours, representatives of the Royal Guard would arrive at Site B to take PARASITE and the surviving changelings into custody, and to return HARMONY to Site A. Royal Guard forces intended to construct a prison within Site B to contain PARASITE. Special Agent M intervened and instead organised a convoy to transport all captives back to Mother Base in Canterlot. Upon arrival, captives were transferred to holding cells 120-146, 157-173, and 308.

OBSERVER was noted as having been briefly present, displaying usual documented behaviour. Encounter catalogued in relevant file.

Clean-up operations at Site B began at 0200 upon the departure of ZEUS, and were carried out with the assistance of Royal Guard members, supervised by First Lieutenant Chain Mail. Samples of changeling biological material were gathered. Remaining material was burned with fiendfyre in accordance with policy. Search of the area was conducted. Original inhabitants were found to be a race of small cat creatures. Bodies were recovered for testing. No survivors. Castle found to be host to heavy magical phenomena of non-changeling origin. Specialists declared Site B to contain no threat to greater Equestria, but recommended site lockdown to be safe. Site B was quarantined as a class-2 hazard zone.

Special Agent D managed operations at Site A, beginning at 1500 the previous day. No assistance. Changeling biological material was unavailable to collect, having been destroyed by the townsfolk. Citizens were interviewed and testimonies gathered. Tests conducted revealed no permanent side-effects from captivity in all cases. Fourteen changeling sleeper agents were uncovered and captured during interviews and testing. Special Agent D inspected Site A and found no potential hazards of changeling origin, although noted that Site A contains many other hazards besides, and recommended alerting the town council as to its breach of public safety regulations. Special Agent D left site A with captives at 2330. EUP Guard have been stationed in and around Site A for the time being, in case of further incursions.

Personal Journal of Dr. Eureka, entry #21:

And I thought the giant cockatrice attack was going to be the most interesting part of my day! It turns out that while we were busy fretting about that here in the capital, a much bigger attack was being made elsewhere. Reports coming back from the field agents tell us that Queen Chrysalis, the changeling leader, led an attack on Ponyville three days prior and tried to lure the Elements of Harmony to some castle beyond the Forest of Leota to steal their magic.

She was defeated, fortunately for us, and some of the field ops guys brought them back alive! The Changeling Queen is in our custody! I can't tell you how excited I am that we finally have some live specimens to study. These autopsies were getting us nowhere, and besides, I'm a little squeamish around dead things. Now we can learn about the changelings straight from the bug's mouth! Things are going to be fun around here for the next few days.

Transcript of first interview with PARASITE:

Interrogator: Could you please tell me your name?

PARASITE: [Laughing] I assume you're here to interrogate me, pony?

Interrogator: Correct. We wish to obtain information as to the nature of your species. If you are cooperative in providing this information, things will go a lot more smoothly for the both of us.

PARASITE: How frightening.

Interrogator: Your name, please.

PARASITE: Queen Chrysalis. You are in the presence of royalty, pony. Bear that in mind in your further interactions.

Interrogator: Noted. Are there any other queens, or are you a unique entity?

PARASITE: I like to think that I'm special, but then again, what girl doesn't?

Interrogator: Please be direct with your answers.

PARASITE: [Sighing] Yes. There is only one changeling queen. It's not a monarchy if there's more than one.

Interrogator: What is a queen's purpose in changeling society?

PARASITE: What is a princess's in Equestria?

Interrogator: Please do not answer a question with a question.

PARASITE: Tsk. A queen manages all matters of leadership. In war, I command our soldiers. In all other times, I command the drones as they gather food. I decide when the hive eats, sleeps, or goes hunting. And I manage information and make plans with it.

Interrogator: Manage information? Meaning what?

PARASITE: Intelligence on prospective food sources, mostly. Disguises need research.

Interrogator: So it's fair to say that you're essential to changeling society, yes? Irreplaceable, even?

PARASITE: You flatter me, but no. Changelings are malleable, and any drone can adapt to take my place if need be. If you thought you could simply execute me and send the hive into disarray, I'm afraid it won't be that easy.

Interrogator: How is this information carried?

PARASITE: Ha. I'm not answering that.

Interrogator: How many types of changelings are there? You are obviously a distinct variant from the common changeling. You mentioned soldiers and drones. Are there any others, and what is a soldier's or drone's role in a hive?

PARASITE: I have no intention of telling you.

Interrogator: Do you keep your hive all together, or are you spread out across many locations?

PARASITE: You're just not learning, are you? I'm not going to give you anything you can use.

Interrogator: How does your disguise ability work?

PARASITE: I think I'm just going to tune you out now and start playing songs in my head.

Interrogator: In what way does love feed your species?

PARASITE: [Humming]

Interrogator: [Pause] Subject is refusing to answer further questions. Interview concluded at 6:37 PM.

PARASITE: [Humming]

Interrogator: You will wish you had cooperated with us, your majesty. Your turn.

PARASITE: Hmm? What is this?

Interrogator: These gentlecolts are your next interviewers. If you need names, you may call them Mr. Consequences and Mr. Pain.

PARASITE: [Pause] What?

Interrogator: Goodbye, your majesty.

Report on communication between changelings:

Following the interview with PARASITE, subsequent one-on-one interactions with changeling drones had less than desirable outcomes. In all cases, questions were met with deliberately unhelpful answers, sarcastic remarks, and feigned ignorance, even for the most innocuous questions. Applying pressure to the drones was futile, even moreso than with PARASITE, as they only became less talkative and even more uncooperative under these conditions. At least three drones died during questioning out of refusal to give a straight answer. Subsequent interrogations would stop before causing the death of the subject, as it became clear that this pattern would continue without variation.

Nevertheless, the efforts of the changeling captives to remain silent has, in itself, told us a lot about how they operate. Dr. Eureka is now discussing the possibility of a hivemind, proposing that all changelings possess some kind of telepathic link to each other, with PARASITE as its overseer, and with psionic energy produced by love being a key element of its maintenance. This is likely the method by which PARASITE "manages information," as she puts it, and it is a distinct possibility that she is still commanding the hivemind from her cell even now.

If any CHARON agents are still active outside these walls, and this hivemind theory proves true, then our enemy may still be dangerous, even in captivity. PARASITE and the other captives may well be passing information on the EIS and Mother Base to CHARON, and their agents could, in turn, be working against us and providing information to our prisoners.

Effective immediately, I wish to propose a vivisection of a changeling subject, so that we can examine their brains and magic for signs of the hivemind at work. With sir's permission, if we can understand how they communicate, then we can disrupt it.

Dr. Horrible Experiment

From the desk of Professor Bizarre Chimera:

Permission granted, Dr. Experiment. I have enclosed the budget for Project: MIND DELVE and the parameters I expect you to work in. Keep me appraised of any developments on the project, including matters of staff. In particular, I want you to watch Dr. Eureka. If you think he can't handle the work, or that you can't trust him, I wish to be informed immediately. His reaction to our treatment of the prisoners so far has not inspired confidence in his loyalty.

Personal Journal of Dr. Eureka, entry #23:

The autopsies were uncomfortable, but at least then the things weren't screaming at us the whole way through. This is going to haunt my nightmares. At least I'm working on a different project now. Disabling spells aren't exactly riveting work, but I'll take anything at this point.

Still, everything we've been doing as of late just makes my skin crawl. I was never expecting Director Malevolence to be a good boss. Not with a name like that. But I didn't expect that we'd immediately start torturing and experimenting on people. At this point, I would leave if I could, but I honestly fear for my life. They've started doing "loyalty inspections" now, and I dread what would happen if they decide I'm not trustworthy enough.

The worst part is, I don't even know why our loyalty is under evaluation. We have tests now to see if somepony is a changeling or not, and we've always been able to detect mind control, so what are top brass afraid of? Who exactly would we betray the EIS to, and why?

A letter to Colonel Thunder Strike of the Protective Pony Platoons:

Dear Colonel,

You think you're so clever. Seizing the Prometheus and the Bridge? Child's play. I'd like to see you try the same for our more secure facilities, however.

Oh yes. Facilities, plural. There are more. Do you want to hear a confession, Colonel? The EIS has and always has had six bases, not three. Fort Angel was never our headquarters. It's where we train our junior agents, and where the senior agents (that we want you to know about) gather when inspection season comes around.

If you think my predecessor was at all candid with you, then you clearly never knew him. I knew Director Risk, and he hated the Platoons and everything about them. We all hated you. Always have. Ever since SMILE went down in flames, and you snivelling cowards decided to bury them and leave all those agents out in the cold, rather than help them when they needed it the most. You aren't a friend to the intelligence community. You're a poison. A greater threat to us than any monster we've ever fought. I'd face Discord alone a thousand times before I let an officer of the Platoons into my agency's headquarters.

You can keep the Prometheus. You can keep the Bridge, too. In fact, take Fort Angel, if you think you can. You won't ever stop us. You won't even find us. My agents won't crack, and we don't leave evidence. We will always be there, right under your nose. And one day, when you think you're safe, we will be there in the dark, ready to correct your misconceptions.

Regards,
Director Exuding Malevolence

Author's Note

This story is a part of the Borderworld.

This'll be about three chapters in total, I think. Yes, I'm aware that this wasn't one of the fics I was meant to release next, but it's the one that I ended up getting close to completion regardless. Tags may change. Let me know if there's any that you think warrant adding.

Part 2: From Within and Without

Vivisection Report - Conclusions:

I am now certain that the hivemind is real and still operating at present time. Furthermore, I think that it is now beyond doubt that the hivemind is not magical in nature, and is not accessed or channeled via the horn. Rather, I am sure that the discoloured gland near the brainstem (item #7) and its high concentration of psionic energy is what truly makes the hivemind possible. This would back up Dr. Eureka's original theory about the role that love plays in changeling feeding, with its empathic aspect being a vital component for the hivemind's operation.

As to the question of stopping the hivemind, since our current equipment is not designed to counteract it, cutting off a subject currently requires surgery to physically remove the gland. Since this is not practical on a larger scale, and would make further research on the hivemind difficult, I have already put some of the junior research staff to work on adapting a disabling spell gate that can block the channeling of psionic energy in addition to magic.

However, for the drones, this is only a precautionary measure. The energy readings taken during the vivisection indicate a highly limited range on their telepathic interaction, which probably would not stretch far beyond this facility. It is PARASITE's range which is the true concern. In her role as the hivemind overseer, her telepathic abilities seem much further-reaching, and she may be able to contact and direct drones as far away as Ponyville, or further. PARASITE is the one who must be restrained. The other drones are a non-issue in comparison.

The vivisection also served to clear up several mysteries with regard to the disguise element of changeling biology, and the answers are less than desirable.

Much like how an earth pony's entire muscular system acts as a channeling point, it seems that a changeling's exoskeleton is able to channel magic for their disguise ability, and give their whole body an elastic quality that allows them to change their shape. This ability is frighteningly versatile, allowing changelings to grow or lose limbs and other body parts, shift their weight to stand in different stances, puff themselves up to appear bigger, or even compress their mass to make themselves smaller. The altered form is then further augmented with visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory illusion spells, allowing them to effectively mimic every aspect of their chosen disguise.

Worse, these abilities when taken collectively imply that changelings are far less limited than we previously theorised. All operations so far have assumed that changelings are only capable of disguising themselves as ponies, or at worst as quadrupeds of similar proportions. In reality, however, they seem potentially able to take the form of any species, even ones significantly larger or smaller than themselves, or even inanimate objects. I shouldn't need to state that the implications of this are terrifying, and I recommend an immediate facility-wide sweep on all our sites with every kind of detection spell we have.

The silver lining is that the disguise ability's sophistication and complexity also mandates high energy requirements. Changelings chitins are especially conductive to the particular spells used in their disguises, and the chaotic, passionate element of love energy is also well-suited to them. Yet even with these advantages, performing this many complex spells in tandem appears taxing on the changeling's energy stores. While a changeling drone likely would not consider it much effort to transform into an equinoid form for a few minutes or maybe even an hour, maintaining a long-term disguise, especially for a highly unusual form, would likely be exhausting for them. Fielding multiple deep-cover infiltrators, as the changelings did within our agency, was an extremely costly measure that they likely would not be able to repeat in their current state.

This perhaps sheds light on why the changelings prefer open conquest despite their abilities being more suited for stealth and scavenging, and it may also explain why PARASITE invested so heavily in striking within the EIS, while having comparatively few infiltrators elsewhere. While the Royal Guard may have been more of an immediate threat to the invasion of Canterlot, it surely would have been highly impractical to replace a significant number of them.

On an unrelated note, the complexity of the changeling disguise ability also raises questions as to the origin of their species. A slim possibility remains that they were the result of natural evolution in a high magic environment. However, it seem far more likely that they were designed intentionally by an outside entity, possibly TAU or MATRIARCH, likely using ponies and some unknown species of insect as the template. I doubt that this will be at all relevant to our interests, but it may be worth asking about as a matter of curiosity if PARASITE ever feels talkative again.

Dr. Horrible Experiment

A message to Professor Bizarre Chimera:

Since appointing you as head of the science department, I have been continually impressed with your results. Project: MIND DELVE has exceeded my every expectation, and that is not something that I say lightly. Your department's research has provided critical intelligence that will potentially save many lives in future, and I do not exaggerate when I say that I have never been prouder of this agency than I am at this very moment. If ever you or your department requires a favour for any reason, know that I will remember and consider your achievements these past weeks.

Regards,
Director Exuding Malevolence

Transcript of fifth interview with PARASITE:

Interrogator: I understand that you requested my presence?

PARASITE: What have you done?

Interrogator: I beg your pardon?

PARASITE: What. Have you done?

Interrogator: I'm afraid I don't understand.

PARASITE: What did you do to me? What did you do to my head? [Hissing] It's all silence! It's so quiet! I can't stand it!

Interrogator: Our scientists determined the method through which you communicate with your hivemind, and developed a disabling spell capable of cutting it off. You will be making no further contact with individuals outside of this cell.

PARASITE: [Hissing] Do you realise what you have done? Changelings are not meant to exist outside the hivemind! My children require my guidance to maintain their mental stability! Killing them would have been kinder than this!

Interrogator: Perhaps if you had cooperated in previous interviews, this might not have happened.

PARASITE: You will regret this, you wretched creatures.

Interrogator: If you feel like answering our questions now, this could be made a lot easier for you.

PARASITE: [Snarling] When I kill you, it will not be swift. It will be agonising. I will draw it out for days. I will make you beg for death.

Interrogator: So be it. Interview concluded—

PARASITE: I wasn't finished. You will beg for death. But even when I kill you, I won't let that be the end of it. I will consume your dying soul, assimilate you into our hivemind, and make you watch through our eyes as we tear down and destroy everything you ever loved. I will kill your loved ones with my own bare hooves, slowly, intimately, wearing your form, just so that it stings them that much sharper. You will feel every moment of it as if you were doing the deed yourself, and for as long as the changelings live, you will loop through that memory again, and again, and again. A personal Hell just for you, an eternity of torment, until the day you become too numb to feel the horror anymore, and only then will I devour what remains of your shattered psyche and end your miserable existence. That is the price you will pay for this. You and every single agent of this organisation.

Interrogator: [Pause] Interview concluded at 3:44 PM.

Transcript of second interview with CHARON-7 - Mirror Image:

Interrogator: Hello there. [Pause] You seem afraid. Might that be because you can no longer feel the influence of your fellow changelings?

CHARON-7: P-P-Please don't kill me.

Interrogator: We shan't have need to kill you if you cooperate.

CHARON-7: I-I'll cooperate! Please, just... don't cut me up again! Don't put me back on the table!

Interrogator: [Pause] Again?

CHARON-7: The table, in the room with the bright lights. [Whimpering] Please, don't take me back there!

Interrogator: [Pause] Are you referring to the research labs on level B?

CHARON-7: [Nodding] With the ponies in the white coats.

Interrogator: Tell me, do you remember the vivisection?

CHARON-7: [Weeping]

Interrogator: I said, do you remember the vivisection?

CHARON-7: He was screaming, and crying for you to stop! Why didn't you stop? It hurt him so much!

Interrogator: But that wasn't you. That changeling is dead. Do you remember this through the hivemind?

CHARON-7: Mother tries to take away the pain. She tries to shield us. Block our senses when ponies do horrible things to us. She's strong. But she can't take it all away. We still remember it. We all remember it.

Interrogator: This is why none of you previously responded to intensive questioning?

CHARON-7: [Weeping]

Interrogator: I need to begin asking you questions now. If you answer me honestly and to the best of your ability, we will have no need to harm you further.

CHARON-7: W-Will you reunite us with Mother?

Interrogator: [Pause] Of course.

Findings from drone interviews:

The drone interviews after the excising of the hivemind were a great help in providing information on changeling culture, social and military structure, and even some elements of biology.

All drones interviewed support PARASITE's claim that she is the only monarch of their species, and that the drones have the means of replacing her if need be. However, what PARASITE failed to mention previously is that this contingency is dependent on her continued presence in the hivemind. In essence, PARASITE is not truly replaced as the changeling monarch, but instead transfers her consciousness to a new body through the hivemind, allowing her old one to die without consequence. In her current state, however, this would be impossible.

Since the body of a changeling monarch is unique, and PARASITE relies upon it to run the hivemind, this implies that the drones are capable of physically growing a monarch body, even if they lack PARASITE's mind to inhabit it. However, when asked, the drones balked at the idea of any changeling other than PARASITE inhabiting such a body, and claimed that only PARASITE and a drone named "General Exact" know the secret of how to grow a monarch anyway. Exact, we are informed, was one of the drones who died under questioning.

Because of the necessity of the monarch to changeling society, and the inability of changeling drones to grow a new monarch without PARASITE's input, all the drones interviewed agree that it would be impossible for other changelings to form a rival hive of their own. However, they claim that rogue changelings ("mutants," "rebels," or "exiles," in their words) could theoretically survive without the hivemind and oppose their brethren, and indeed that some have done so before, lending credence to some of the rumours throughout the ages of so-called "good changelings," such as the changeling known as Morning Dew allegedly captured by authorities in 239 CR.

On the subject of changeling variants and societal roles, the drones clarified some key points of confusion. In biological terms, the changeling monarch and drone are distinct, and some other unspecified variant changelings were also mentioned, created by PARASITE for special purposes through alchemical processes and biomancy. However, changelings are apparently more often differentiated by knowledge and mental capacity than by biology.

For example, most of the drones claimed to be "soldiers," whom PARASITE infused specifically with fighting knowledge. Some others, in contrast, claimed to be "workers," gifted with knowledge for hive-building with changeling paste. Other potential roles mentioned include "infiltrators," who can maintain deep cover more effectively for longer periods; "commanders," who possess knowledge of military strategy and tactics, and can act as "signal-boosters" for the hivemind; and "heralds," who the drones describe as being able to directly channel PARASITE's will so that she may speak through them on the battlefield.

However, while all of this is valuable information, we still lack an accurate figure as to just how many changelings are still operating in Equestria, and how many remain connected to the hivemind. While several drones were willing to give estimates of the total changeling population, their answers were wildly inconsistent, varying between a hundred and a hundred thousand. Such inaccurate estimates are next to useless to us, and may betray the true weakness of the changelings species – their inability to count.

We were also unable to learn exactly where any such stragglers would gather. Although several drones did mention a "Changeling Kingdom" in eastern Thoroupe that would make a safe redoubt for CHARON, it is a significant enough distance away that attempting to return to it would be a difficult endeavour without PARASITE's guidance. It is highly likely, therefore, that any remaining CHARON forces in Equestria would remain in the Heartland until such a time as PARASITE is free. However, where they would gather in the meantime remains unknown, as no drone so far has been able to reliably name any kind of headquarters or potential meeting spot aside from Castle Black.

Agent Forceful

A memo to all EIS staff:

As many of you are already aware, the Bridge and the Prometheus Mobile Command were both captured this week in operations conducted by the Earth, Unicorn, Pegasus Guard at the behest of the Protective Pony Platoons. Fort Angel is currently under siege from the same entities, and is expected to fall within the next few days. As far as we are aware, Mother Base, Deep Freeze, and the Black Projects Laboratory are in no danger, but site lockdowns are being initiated as this memo goes out to prevent possible information leaks by agents of questionable character. For those who questioned the need for the recent loyalty inspections, this was the major reason for our concern.

These unwarranted and malicious attacks on our organisation are but the latest in a long string of offences the Platoons have committed against the intelligence community in recent years. The ponies attacking our San Palomino facility right now and holding many of our comrades captive are the same ones who failed to fight off the Bugbear, the changelings, and countless other threats that it has been the intelligence community's responsibility to deal with over the years. And those generals and bureaucrats who ordered this operation are the same ones who chose to sacrifice SMILE on the altar of their own political careers and ambitions, leaving so many of their former agents out in the cold, many of whom we now count among our own number.

If there is any sin for which the EIS is guilty, it is our refusal to lie down and accept whatever fate the Platoons have planned for us. The EIS will not be disbanding, and for this reason, despite our centuries of loyal service, and our vital role in combatting, studying, and containing the changeling threat, the EIS has now been officially designated a rogue organisation. It is the intention of the Platoons that all of you, our agents, are to be considered enemies of Equestria, despite your many years of service, and unwavering commitment to duty in the face of adversity. This betrayal, though typical of the Platoons' treatment of the intelligence community, is not acceptable to us, and this is a state of affairs we intend to change.

As of this week, the EIS has begun counter-operations against EUP forces, to secure our remaining facilities and the safety of all our loyal agents. It is our intention to resist them while continuing our service to Equestria on our own, with the goal of eventually being restored by Princess Celestia as Equestria's premier intelligence agency, outside the authority of the illegitimate and ineffective Protective Pony Platoons. To this end, we are hoping to undermine the authority of key individuals within the Platoons, with the hope of reversing their rulings and possibly removing them from power altogether, so that travesties such as this will never happen again.

However, for these goals to be attainable, it is of vital importance that all of this organisation's agents stand with us against our common enemy. Loyalty is demanded of each and every one of you, not just to the abstract ideal of Equestria, or to the bloated, bureaucratic monstrosity that is the PPP, but to the agency you serve, your brothers and sisters, and the memory of those who went before us. We fight to honour the sacrifices they made, the sacrifices our comrades are making right now, so that it will not all be in vain. Treachery will not be tolerated, and to those of you who who would side against your brothers and sisters, against this organisation and our mission, know that you will be shown no mercy.

Director Exuding Malevolence

Personal Journal of Dr. Eureka, entry #24:

I guess it all makes sense now, what they were doing those inspections for. We're at war with the Protective Pony Platoons!

This entire agency has officially gone insane. I don't know what the inciting incident was, but it's plain as day that Director Malevolence was the one who initiated hostilities. The Platoons might have threatened to shut us down, but they wouldn't be attacking our bases and trying to arrest us for no reason, and it's well known that Malevolence and plenty of other agents held a grudge over SMILE's shuttering. And hay, I don't agree with what the Platoons did to SMILE either, but with everything we've been doing lately, maybe they should have shut us down. We're not even a government agency anymore; we're a terrorist cell now.

I don't know what I'm going to do, but I can't stay here. I tried my best to swallow my disgust and keep doing my job for self-preservation's sake. I told myself that it was for the greater good, that we had to stop the changelings for the sake of Equestria. But if Director Malevolence is leading us into open rebellion against our own government, then how are we any less a threat to Equestria than they are? We've become everything we used to fight against. I've been taught since foalhood that the ends don't justify the means, but it took me until now to really internalise it.

Well, the rest of the agency may be willing to follow the Director down into Hell, but not me. I'm getting out of here, one way or another.

Message recovered from Dead Drop Point #417:

M,

ARES has taken direct command of ISCARIOT. OASIS has fallen. Several captured, but none yet compromised. ARES proposed interrogating captives through the Dreamscape to find remaining locations. Estimates less than a day before breaking. Recommend immediate withdrawal.

-X

Message sent to Dead Drop Point #417:

X,

Stall ARES by any means necessary. ISCARIOT must not discover remaining locations before full evacuation is complete.

DDPs #150-425 are discontinued effective immediately.

-M

A memo to all EIS staff:

ARES has taken direct command of ISCARIOT. Mother Base, Black Projects, and Deep Freeze are all to be considered compromised. This is now a Salted Earth operation. All sites are to begin purge protocols immediately. Dead Drop Points #150-425 are to be considered compromised. All those of level six and above clearance are to reconvene at Point Alpha. All those of level five clearance and below are to evacuate and await further instructions.

Do not attempt to obstruct evacuation or purge procedures.

Director Exuding Malevolence

Note for Dr. Eureka:

Some of us are meeting in the place where we saw the spider. You should attend.

Transcript of last contact with Black Projects Laboratory, Manehattan:

BP: Mother Base! Come in, Mother Base! This is Black Projects! Over!

MB: Black Projects, this is Mother Base. Over.

BP: Mother Base, we're under attack! Forces are assaulting our location! Over!

MB: Black Projects, can you confirm the enemy forces? Is it CHARON or ISCARIOT? Over.

BP: Negative! Enemy forces unknown! Over!

MB: Have purge protocols been successfully carried out? Over.

BP: Negative! Protocols were initiated, but one of our scientists stole a viral sample and escaped! We were tracking him when the attack began! Over.

MB: [Pause] Black Projects, confirm. Did you just tell me somepony escaped into Manehattan with a viral weapon? [Pause] Over.

BP: Confirmed! We believe Dr. Blacklight may have been replaced by a CHARON agent! Over!

MB: [Sighing] Damn it. Celestia damn it all. [Long pause] [Distant explosion]

BP: Mother Base, the enemy is closing in! What are our orders? Over!

MB: [Pause] Black Projects, finalise purge protocols by any means necessary. Over.

BP: Mother Base, the enemy are inside the facility! Over!

MB: Black Projects. Finalise purge protocols by any means necessary. Over.

BP: [Long pause] Mother Base, confirm. Any means? Over.

MB: Confirmed. Over.

BP: [Distant explosion] [Distant screaming] What about Dr. Blacklight? If he unleashes the virus—

MB: Mother Base will handle Dr. Blacklight if necessary. Black Projects, you must finalise purge protocols before the facility falls. If ISCARIOT discovers evidence of your activities there, they will legalise the death penalty just for us. Over.

BP: [Chuckling] Then it's death either way, isn't it? [Long pause] [Distant shouting]

MB: Black Projects, you have your orders. Finalise—

BP: Yeah, yeah, I'll finalise the damn protocols. Over.

MB: [Pause] Good luck, Black Projects.

BP: I hope you all choke, Mother Base. [Transmission ends]

From the desk of Professor Bizarre Chimera:

Director, this operation is in shambles over here. I've been trying to rein in the department and keep things under control, but it's not going over well. Maintaining morale was already difficult enough through the initial quarantine, but the junior staff reacted very badly to the news that we're all soon to be fugitives, not to mention the rumours coming in. Dr. Eureka is proving particularly troublesome, and even Dr. Experiment and his cohorts have not been as supportive as I would like.

There is also substantial outcry in the department against the purge protocols, due to their potential to hinder our ability to conduct further research on the changelings. And though we have taken precautions to cut PARASITE off from the hivemind, some have also raised the quite reasonable concern that executing her could allow her to later return in a new body, effectively escaping from custody. Had we the luxury, I would strongly recommend keeping the changelings alive and transporting them to Deep Freeze, but with the situation being as it is, we have no solution. Only chaos.

I write this to you not to make excuses for my failures, but to forewarn you of the actions which you may find necessary. I am all but certain that Dr. Eureka is conspiring with Agent Redwood and possibly others to obstruct the operations here, and I believe that they are using the PARASITE situation to stir further discontent in the department, possibly even in the agency as a whole. If it is indeed your intention to remove the disloyal elements and execute PARASITE, I recommend that you do both in one fell swoop, and that you do so quickly. Otherwise... I fear what damage the disloyal parties may be able to cause.

Transcript of transmission from Deep Freeze, Vanhoover:

DF: Mal, I've been trying to get through to you for hours!

Director: You and everypony else. In case you didn't get the memo, we're all a little busy at the moment. This had better be good. Have you finalised the purge protocols?

DF: Almost, but nevermind that right now. What the hell happened in Manehattan?

Director: Do you mean with Black Projects, or in the city?

DF: Both! Celestia, Mal, I am freaking out right now!

Director: Calm your shit, Life. You're an agent of the EIS! Get it together!

DF: [Deep breath] I know that, Mal, but you've gotta give me something to work with here! It's okay for you. You're at the nerve centre! We're all in the dark over here! I'm just trying to keep my ponies from losing their minds, but the news coming in just keeps getting worse and worse!

Director: [Sighing] Look, I don't know much more than you do, okay? Black Projects came under attack from an unknown enemy force, and one of their own absconded with a viral sample. They sent some of their own guys after him, but Ragdoll had to activate the final sanction to carry out the purge protocols before they were overrun.

DF: Well, that explains the explosion, but who attacked them? Was it the Platoons? How did they find them so fast?

Director: We've got no idea. Black Projects' last transmission didn't clarify, but Ragdoll at least seemed to believe that Dr. Blacklight was replaced by a changeling.

DF: Was he? I mean, Black Projects carried out their second sweeps just like the rest of us, right?

Director: Presumably. Can't really ask them anymore, can we?

DF: [Sighing] Celestia... How did this happen? Wasn't our guy on the inside supposed to buy us a couple days?

Director: You're assuming that it was the Platoons. We don't know that for sure.

DF: Come on, let's be real, Mal, they're the most likely culprits. Even if Dr. Blacklight was a changeling, the rest of them are in total disarray without their leaders. No way they could've organised a serious operation like that in their current state.

Director: [Grumbling] I wouldn't rule it out.

DF: So how the hell did they get to them so fast? Did somebody sell us out? Blacklight, perhaps?

Director: We're considering the possibility. Even if our agent's attempts to run interference failed, the dream interrogations shouldn't have yielded results that quickly. But it is interesting that only Black Projects has been hit so far. Anybody in the EIS who knows about them would also know about Deep Freeze and Mother Base. So why didn't they strike us too? It's not like they don't have the numbers for it.

DF: All evidence in favour of Dr. Blacklight, then... A distraction to cover his escape, perhaps?

Director: And evidence in favour of a changeling force, which is why I'm not ruling it out.

DF: And what's Blacklight's status? I hear conflicting reports.

Director: [Pause] We're still trying to determine that ourselves.

DF: Is he still at large?

Director: We don't know.

DF: [Sighing] Celestia save us...

Director: With everything going on in Manehattan at the moment, I would be extremely surprised if Dr. Blacklight or whoever was impersonating him survived, but we can't assume that.

DF: Have none of our agents reported back yet?

Director: No. I think it's safe to say that the agents Black Projects sent out were probably at ground zero, so little chance they made it. As for the Mother Base agents... we were expecting to hear back from them over three hours ago. Personally, I'm not confident.

DF: Who did you send?

Director: A couple new guys. You don't know them.

DF: New guys? A couple? Mal, we're talking about viral superweapon here!

Director: [Growling] I don't have the ponies to spare right now, Life! We're down three quarters of our staff, trying to cut and run before the Platoons find us, and Mother Base is damn near on the verge of mutiny over here. I want to contain this Manehattan situation, but it's just not our highest priority at the moment.

DF: How is the imminent end of Equestria not our highest priority?

Director: We can hardly save Equestria if we're all in prison cells, can we, Life? Besides, it's not like we're the only ones standing between this country and certain doom. The Platoons have already scrambled to contain the outbreak. We might just be able to leave this to them for once. It could even be to our advantage. All this chaos has got to have brought us at least a couple more days, right?

DF: [Sighing] We're all going to Tartarus for this.

Director: Oh, please. How is any of this our fault? Did I order Black Projects to create that virus? Did you unleash it on the city?

DF: That's besides the point, Mal. [Pause] Ah, who cares anymore? Listen, we're almost done our end. I should have Deep Freeze emptied out before day's end, and I'll see you at Point Alpha once we're done.

Director: Very good.

DF: Just... [Sighing] Just try not to burn down Canterlot on your way out, okay?

Director: No promises. [Transmission ends]

Author's Note

Oh look, DannyJ updated a story for the first time in four years again.