DARING DO AND THE COMPASS OF DISCORD

Chapters

Chapter 1 : A Meeting with Eris
Chapter 2 Withers
Chapter 3 A Meeting at the Adventures Guild
Chapter 4 On the Road to . . .?
Chapter 5 Aboard the Malachite
Chapter 6 Farewell to Milestago
Chapter 7 Voyage to Kuduspar
Chapter 8 Import License
Chapter 9 On The Eland Veldt
Chapter 10 A True Discordian
Chapter 11 The Battle at Spinel Drift
Chapter 12 Spinel Drift
Chapter 13 The War Begins
Chapter 15 It's Only Gold
Chapter 16 Ruins
Chapter 17 Discordians Found
Chapter 18 In the Discordian Camp
Chapter 19 Clues in the Ruins
Chapter 20 Parade Unrest
Chapter 14 How Diamond Dogs Fight

Chapter 1 : A Meeting with Eris

Author's Note

This tale takes place in an AU some years advanced from the regular MLP timeline.
There have been advances in both practical magic, technology and a blend of the two known as Mage/Tech, or MT.
This tale also touches on the real purpose of Eris/Discord. It is far more complex than simply sowing chaos, though that is often a side effect of her/his real goal.

Chapter 1 : A Meeting with Eris

Tapping the letter on the table between them, Daring Do said, “Tell me again, why the Princesses themselves wrote to me asking me to meet with you?”

Daring Do stared directly into the red, unequal irised eyes of her visitor, sitting across the table from her in the Private Dining room of the Adventures Guild.

Eris, the Dragonequis Discord in female form, took a cup of the Rom Black tea in her claw. She sipped delicately before answering, “They are my friends. They do know what my real purpose is and how important it is that my work go forward smoothly.”

Daring Do returned, “Spreading Chaos is important work?”

Cyrene, a lovely looking mare with a mane of so deep a blue that it almost looked black except for the highlights in it, looked earnestly at Daring Do with her single, perfectly centered eye and replied, “If it is done properly, it is not just important, it is absolutely necessary.”

Eris nodded, her horn and antler bobbing. “Cy is right. I don’t think that I can tell you exactly what it is that I do, but the whole spreading Chaos bit is only a small symptom of the real work.”

Cy nodded, and sipped from the tangerine nectar and pomegranate cocktail in front of her. “The problem is, that the Discordians, ponies with no clue about what they are doing, are finding the places that Eris is working. They rush in and “Spread Chaos”, thinking that they are helping. Actually, they are ruining the Mistress’ work and in some cases, making it impossible to undo their damage.”

Daring Do looked down at the letter of introduction. Over the three kingdom seals was written in Luna’s unmistakable personal script:

“Celestia and I both entreat you to assist our dear friend Eris in the task that she needs done. As when you found and conserved the tomb of Im Farst, money and any needful travel documents will be underwritten in total, along with a worthwhile personal fee for your efforts, whether you succeed or not.

Yours with the deepest respect,
Princess Luna
Princess Celestia”

Daring Do nibbled around the edges of her asparagus salad before pointing out, “The letter and you both have been clear that you want me to do something for you, Eris. What is totally unclear is exactly WHAT it is that you want done.”

Cyrene filled in, “Have you, as an Antiquarian, heard of the Compass of Discord?”

Daring Do almost spit out her mouthful of salad as she choked back a laugh! “Heard of it!? Yes. I have even seen drawings of it. Huge thing mounted to an altar in the hidden Temple of Discord. The only problem is, nopony but Discordians know where that is!”

Grimly, Eris stated, “I do know where the Temple of Discord is. Those idiots worship me as a god of some sort. I wish that I was a god. Then, I could just MAKE them stop messing with my work.

“The problem is stated very simply. I am not omniscient or Cy and I could just go and get the Compass and that would be the end of the affair. I know where the Temple is. What you have seen drawings of is a show piece for the worshipers. The true Compass is not there. It is actually a little thing, about this size.”

She gestured with paw and claw, showing a circle about ten centimeters across.

“The original use of the Compass, thousands of years ago, was to point to me, so that they could pray in my direction. Somehow, quite recently, they have learned to use it to locate the places where I am doing my work. That is when they rush in to “help” and spoil everything.”

Daring Do stared about the small private dining room of the Adventures Guild, where she kept her rooms when she was in Canterlot. She considered deeply before asking, “Do you even know for sure which continent of Equestria the Compass is on?”

Cy looked down and shook her head slowly. “I am afraid not, Doctor Do. Does that mean that you can’t help us?”

Daring Do, deep in thought, looked at the many souvenirs of various adventures that the Guild had been involved in over the years of its existence. “Perhaps, Cy. I hope that I can. As you both know far better than I, magic is not instant. Possibly we can use that knowledge to narrow the search.

“I will need a list of all of the places where Eris’ work has been disrupted. Each one should have a note of exactly when the work was begun and, as closely as possible, when it was disrupted.

“I have a friend at the Royal University who does statistical work. Perhaps Withers can sort out an idea of where the disruptions are originating, if his data are accurate enough.

“After that, I will have something to take to the Great Library for some deep research. That is the best that I can offer right now. It may give us some leads.”

Eris relaxed all over, and asked, “Do you need to know what I was doing at those places?”

Daring Do shook her head. “Not necessary. If the Princesses think that it is important I will assume it is. I need the locations, the times of initiation and the times of disruption, all as closely as possible. For the analysis, that should be enough.

“It may only show us where the orders to disrupt your work are coming from, and not where the Compass is. Still, it is all that we have to go on.”

As she resumed her asparagus salad and mixed fruit juice cocktail, Cy pulled out paper and a writing kit. Cy wrote busily for a short while and hoofed the list to Daring Do.

Eris smiled a warm and genuine smile as she placed a small pile of golden bits on the table. “Let me pay for this meeting, Doctor Do. This should cover everything, including a goodly tip for the Guild’s most discrete service staff.”

Chapter 2 Withers

Daring Do sat across the cluttered desk from Withers. The washed out yellow unicorn with a mane and tail to match but even paler, looked over the list of locations, comparing the written notes to many maps. He had a nervous habit of scratching behind his right ear, which he was doing now.

“You are working for DISCORD?” he asked, incredulous.

Daring Do nodded, “Basically so, yes. Actually, she was in her female form as Eris. Still, the same being.”

Withers shook his head in puzzlement. “Why would you want to do ANYTHING for Discord, even if it is Eris in form?”

Daring Do grinned lopsidedly and fished in her briefcase. “Here is why. The Princesses both asked me to.”

She laid out her letter from the joint Crowns of Equestria.

Withers took one look and pointed out, “They do not say what the task is, do they? Did Eris bother to tell you what these places and times mean?”

Daring Do shrugged both shoulders and wings at once. “Partly. We all know that magic is not instantaneous. Especially, long range magic can have quite noticeable delays. The places and first times are where Eris began to do some unspecified task. The second time is when she encountered disruption of her work.

“I hope that you can reduce this data to give me a search area for the source of the disturbances.”

Withers looked up and nodded slowly. “I see.”

He pulled down a well worn volume from the crammed shelves of his office. He opened it and flipped through with practiced ease.

“Let me see, variables and constants of magic, humm, speed of propagation. Here we are. 6000 meters per second, roughly. That will give us a starting point.”

He began to click beads and move a sliding rule back and forth, adjusting a hairline and reading results. Those he entered into a neat table.

Looking up with a bit of a grin, his nervous ear scratching at a total standstill, Withers announced, “This could become a fascinating exercise in spherical trigonometry, or we could just make a few measurements on the world globe in the University Library!”

Daring Do snickered and pointed out, “Much as I would love to sit and watch you calculate for the next week, I think that the library is our best option!”

As she was opening the door to the office, Daring Do heard hooves scurrying down the hall. Checking quickly only allowed her to see a bit of a black tail vanishing around a corner of the hallway.

As they were crossing the tree lined University Commons, Withers commented, “There is a Rom band camped down at the fairgrounds. The commissary found out that they were there and bought a bunch of their famous Ka'check pastries and flavored coffees to go with the Rom tea that they always stock.”

Daring Do almost slid to a stop. “We are going the wrong way! Saving the world can wait! Rom pastries await us!”

She turned onto the path for the Royal University Commissary, almost sprinting! Withers was not far behind!

As they entered the big building, a glossy chestnut colored mare with a single perfectly centered eye, a mane and tail that were so deep a blue as to seem almost black, raised a hoof and called out, “Doctor Do! Professor Withers! Over here! I took the liberty of getting us all big tray full of pastries and got us some of the Rom coffees to wash them down!”

They dodged through the maze of dining tables. As Daring Do pulled up her seat, she snagged the nice hot caramel flavored coffee and an apricot filled Ka'chek roll to dip into it.

She sighed happily and said, “This is how I should be treated! Thank you Cy.” Turning to Withers, Daring Do introduced, “Withers, I would like you to meet Cyrene Yvonne Clopes, special assistant to Eris. Cy, this is Professor Withers, a brilliant statistician. He may have a handle on the problem that you suggested that I work on.” She finished her introduction by dunking her apricot roll into the coffee and munching serenely.

Withers helped himself to one with apple filling and took a simple honey cream coffee for himself. As he was dunking his pastry into his coffee, he asked, “Is it alright if I call you Cy?”

Cy nodded and offered, “If I can call you Withers, sure.” Before he could ask, she replied to his thought, “I am a third generation spell fallout pony from the Great South Bay Invasion Mage/Tech blast. The first generation, the ones exposed to the spell fallout, showed no overt ill effects. About eighty percent of their foals died before or soon after birth from fatal magical mutations. The foals of the third generation, mostly lived, though many were severely affected. I am one of the lucky ones who was affected but not too severely.”

Withers looked down, a bit ashamed, but forged ahead, “I know about the spell fallout issue. I did a major statistical work on the survivors. I never heard of your particular case before this. I am sorry. Seeing you, sort of brings home the abstract numbers.”

Cy reached across the table and touched Withers gently. “It is quite alright. I am used to those who stare because of my appearance. It pleases me in a mean sort of way to know that I make far more than most of them. Eris regards me highly and rewards me accordingly.”

Withers looked up, dunked his pastry in coffee and spoke around a mouthful of goodness, “Thank you for that. Now, I am quite sure that you did not come all the way from the Eris Inc. enclave outside of Ponyville just to get us pastries and coffee, however good those are.”

Cy sobered down. “True. I have three more data points for you and I brought Doctor Do a few things too.” She pushed sealed envelopes across the table.

Daring Do looked to Cy for permission to open hers. At her nod, Daring Do opened the envelope and examined the drawing within, minutely.

Cy nibbled at some of the pastries too, while the others were working. Withers looked up first, frowning slightly.

“Either all this data is wrong, the ones giving the orders are not on the world of Equestria, or the orders being given are going through a relay. To solve this, we are going to need to locate the relay point. It would be a big help if I knew whether the detection at the initiation point was active or passive.”

Cy pulled out a Magic Net mirror and tapped codes. They could see her speaking but a mute spell kept them from hearing either Cy or the speaker at the other end of the connection.

Giving Withers a calculating look, Cy suggested, “Doctor Do, I think that if he is willing to go with you, not only will Withers be a valuable asset, we could risk telling you two what it is that Eris does.

“First, though, the Compass tracks Eris passively. It is somehow being abused to locate where she is doing her works. Does that help, Professor Withers?”

Scratching his ear as he thought, his eyes brightened. His smile was nearly angelic. His pen nearly flew as he added columns to his present table.

Looing up to Cy’s single eye confidently, he stated, “It does make it absurdly simple. The link from the Compass to where the orders are being relayed is approximately a constant.

“The detection leg and the order leg will vary by their relationship to the work site. We will plot the work sites on the globe and measure arcs based on the difference between detection and action legs.

“It will take a few trials but we should have the length of the constant relay leg in only an hour or two. Arcs drawn based on the speed of magic propagation will pin down the areas where the Compass is and where the relay point is.

“It won’t be too accurate, but it will give us useful areas to search, depending on what it is that you want to do.”

Cy sucked in her cheeks as she thought. “We wish to recover the Compass of Discord or, in the worst case, destroy it.

“That last should be reserved as an option of desperation. There is enough non equine magic wrapped up in it that doing so will rival the Circle Lake blast at the end of the Nightmare Wars.

“We do not care about the Discordians as such. Whether some are killed or not is of no consequence.”

Withers mulled that over while they finished off the pastries and coffee. Finally he suggested, “Let us repair to the Library and start plotting this data on the world globe there. Now that we have done justice to these goodies, it is time to save the world!”

As she got up from the table, Cy remarked dryly, “That is more literal than you may think.”

Entering the Library, they were greeted by the silence and the scent of books and manuscripts. With assurance, Withers strode up to the main desk.

“Hello, Morail! I need to use the big world globe again. I have a commission in geographical statistics that I wish to demonstrate to Doctor Do and Cyrene, here.”

Morail gave Withers an almost adoring stare as she replied, “Certainly, Sir! I know that it is not officer training class, but I want you to know that I have burst fire on the MT84 held to fifteen centimeters at 60 meters.”

Withers responded, “That is excellent, Morail! I believe that it is a unit record. I can’t wait to see you shoot when it is time for class!”

To the others, Withers said modestly, “I am a retired Major in the Equestrian Army. I teach both reserves and the officer training program, besides statistics.”

Morail opened a door and they were faced with a room that had five globes of the world in it. The largest was almost two meters across. Withers strode confidently up to the big one, picking up a rack of objects with tags attached, a cloth measure tape and a marker.

He began placing the objects on the globe and filling in the tags. From each object he measured and marked off an arc.

He commented, “These are wrong. They assume that the relay/action is one half and detection is one half. They will give us a rough cut for the action center.”

Daring Do noted, “That rough cut puts things into the Selene Mountains on the border of the Zebra Confederation and the Eland Republic.”

Cy consulted with her Magic Net mirror for a moment. She picked up one of the sticky things with a tag and put it into the Selenes at a specific spot. “Mistress Eris has ordered me to reveal the location of the Hidden Temple of Discord. If they had remained basically harmless nut cases like they were in the past, she would never have done so, no matter how much she detests them.”

Withers took one look and erased his old lines and arcs. He drew new lines directly from each place to the Hidden Temple, carefully measuring each one and entering it into a new table. He began to subtract the new entries from entries in his old table. In only minutes, he smiled.

Withers measured carefully from the Hidden Temple and struck an arc across the Selene Mountains. From each of the other points he struck arcs that intersected his first one. They all came together in one small space.

Confidently, he pointed and stated, “There it is. The Detection center is in that spot. Of course at this scale, that is about a twenty five kilometer circle.”

Cy observed, “That is about twenty five kilometers better than we knew it before. The problem remains, that Eris and I cannot go to get it. They will detect us and move it before we can get there.

“Doctor Do, it is up to you. Can you go to the Zebra Confederation and get the Compass of Discord for us?”

Withers nodded, “Hate to put you on the spot, Doctor Do but if you go, I would be honored to accompany you.”

Daring Do Took a sheet of paper and drew a few small runes on it and laid it over the Selene Mountains. The paper conformed neatly to the globe. A perfect copy of the globe surface with Withers’ intersecting arcs appeared on it. She removed the paper and flattened it out on a table, then folded it neatly and put it into her saddle bag.

Finally she commented, “Can’t go without at least some sort of map! At least now I have some idea of where I am going!”

Chapter 3 A Meeting at the Adventures Guild

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Morail grinned as she watched Daring Do read the account.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“At six. See you then, Amber.”

They closed the Magic Net call.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Turning to the waiter she bowed the bow of equals as she asked in X'ibian, “”

Placing his hooves together and bowing back a bow of deepest respect he replied, “”

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

“”

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

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

“Is this all correct?”

Daring Do nodded. “It is.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jump to top

Chapter 4 On the Road to . . .?

They were sitting in the compartment of the railroad car, looking out the dark wood framed windows at the scenery while the train made its way south from Canterlot.

Morail kept looking down to her lap and shaking her head. “I can’t get used to the idea. I mean, I know that my family are all dead. It is this.”

She held up a copy of the Okapitan News folded open to the Obituary page. There, for the world to see, were the obituaries of her family. Among them, an obituary for her, too.

Withers leaned over and took the paper, though they had all read the items before. “The Downitall party does not really like their poni … zebras to disagree with them. You were not there to be massacred with the rest, so they just declared you to be dead. That clears the way for them to seize the farm and give it to some crony.”

Amber smirked, “Besides, that also cleared the way for me to formally declare you to be a Diamond Dog! I now have all of your papers to prove it too! A few stripes? Merely a color variety!”

She reached into her own valise and produced Morail’s old Zebra Confederation travel and identity documents. Across them she carefully wrote, “Deceased. See attached documentation.” Along with the documents she had copies of the death notices, including an official Death Certificate from the Okapitan District Vital Records office.

Amber also pulled out a small folder of Diamond Dog citizenship and travel papers. Those, she offered to Morail. “There, Morail! Welcome back to the land of the living! So, tell us, what was it like, being dead?”

Morail snickered as she replied, “To quote that old donkey that the Rom so revere, it was just a nap! I think that I would have noticed it if I had died!”

Just then, the compartment door slammed open on its slides!

~~ ~~ ~~

Princess Luna made a point of sitting her throne in her full royal regalia to coolly greet the Zebra Confederation Ambassador.

After the herald had announced, “His Excellency, Otar Stippen, Ambassador of the Zebra Confederation to our Realm of Equestria!” the portly zebra began to simply walk up the rich carpet runner to the thrones of Equestria.

A Royal Guard stopped him at a distance. “Sir, you must wait here until recognized and bidden to approach by the Thrones.”

He started to push past the guard, snapping, “Do you have any idea who I am? I am the Ambassador of …”

Luna’s voice from her throne snapped back, “The Zebra Confederation! We did hear our herald! YOU WILL STAY where the guard has placed you!”

“What is the meaning of this insult!?”

Luna retorted, “That is what I am trying to find out! You sent a request that we have Morail Blum Fauntin report to your Embassy.

“That request led me to discover that, in spite of her studies being fully paid for this entire year, Morail put all of her classes into suspension and left the Royal University.

“I then requested her file from your Embassy. I found from YOUR files that she had left Equestria on the Zebra Confederation packet ship Mon Pretor. After her arrival in the Zebra Confederation, she was killed in the same attack that wiped out the rest of her family.”

Ambassador Otar frowned, “That is what we are trying to resolve! Apparently an impostor is using her travel documents. It is certain, ascertained by autopsy, that she was killed by the Discordians in the Blum Fauntin raid.”

Luna glared at him. “That is why you are stopped short. We are certain that she was HERE at the University when that attack took place. Yet, I have in YOUR EMBASSY FILE both news accounts, an obituary, and a death certificate all issued by the Zebra Confederation and filed as deceased.

“The only issue is this. Since she WAS HERE, in school, she could not have been there to be murdered. The use of her magically locked student ID, turned in or supervised work, testimonials of her instructors and fellow students all prove it. What do you say to that?”

Backed into a corner, the Ambassador tried to switch the topic. “If she was here and safe, why did she suspend her studies and flee?”

Luna promptly turned it back by pointing out, “Flee? She did not flee. The Zebra Confederation has declared her dead and canceled her travel documents. This legally made her both a stateless being and an orphan. We offered her Equestrian citizenship.

“Supreme Matriarch Amber of the Diamond Dog Enclaves heard of the situation and also offered her an Enclave citizenship. Morail first verified that becoming a Diamond Dog would not hurt her scholarship opportunities and chose to become a Diamond Dog by adoption.”

The Ambassador jumped on the one thing left. He scoffed, “Scholarship opportunities? What scholarship could a mere zebra, a total foreigner with no connections of any importance possibly have?”

Luna glared down at him from her throne. Icily, she replied, “In return for doing field work on one of Doctor Do’s expeditions, she will receive a fully paid scholarship, with all fees and a living stipend. This has been done before.”

Otar smirked meanly as he stated, “Then she has no scholarship! We have forbidden Doctor Do’s expedition!”

Luna rubbed her forehead with a hoof in exasperation. “Do you really think that a trivial expedition to your land is so vital that an Antiquarian of Doctor Do’s reputation would stop her career over it? A Diamond Dog enclave in the Eland Republic has found something that they wish to have examined in situ.”

Ambassador Otar waived a hoof dismissively. “Just get us the arrest warrant for Morail Blum Fauntin! Order it now!”

Princess Luna glared at him through slitted eyes and declared, “It is NOT POSSIBLE unless your government LIES in OFFICIAL documents!”

She hurled the file at his feet, scattering Morail’s documents across the floor! “You want US to give you a warrant to arrest a being that YOU HAVE NOT ONLY DECLARED DEAD and BURIED, according to YOU, she is buried in YOUR LAND! There is no living pony or zebra to arrest!

“Go! We are done here!”

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

As the compartment door slammed open, Major Hoofinmaw found himself staring like a bird hypnotized by a snake at the 13 mm barrel of Daring Do’s Spiderly revolver! As he tried to avert his eyes, he almost wished that he had not.

Amber had her big combat knife out at his throat level. If he had entered any further, he would have driven it into his own throat.

Withers had a big military sidearm aimed, not at his head, but at the junction of his throat and torso.

Morail had a smaller semiautomatic pistol aimed at the same place. In her other hoof she was holding up a copy of her death certificate from the Zebra Confederation.

He tried to sound official as he pronounced, “Morail Blum Fanutin, I arrest you in the name of the Zebra Confederation!”

It was Amber who replied, “That is quite impossible, Major. For starters, you need an Equestrian arrest warrant, which I know that you do not have. Secondly, Morail Blum Fauntin is already dead. She was murdered along with her family on their farm. Before doing such stupid things as you have just done, you should have checked your own Embassy files. You would already know it and have been saved this embarrassing incident.

“We have an official copy of Morail Blum Fauntin’s death files here. We were requested by the Princesses to deliver the physical file to the consulate in Milestago. They have already been notified by magic net.”

A pony in the blue uniform of the Royal Road Police interrupted, “Sir! Is it true that you do not have a Royal Warrant for this arrest?”

Turning his head and backing out of the compartment door, Major Hoofinmaw replied, “Well, yes. It is just a formality. The Embassy has applied for it already.”

The Royal Road Police pony responded, “That is NOT a formality. We will verify all that you have told us at the RRP Station.” They heard his voice fading down the car after the compartment door was shut.

The rest of the trip to Milestago was uneventful. Daring Do drew in a deep breath of the salt air and watched the wheeling sea gulls playing in the wind. Amber interrupted her reverie by saying, “Let’s get this death file to the Zebra Confederation consulate. They actually are waiting for it.”

Withers, looking down to the harbor basin pointed, “Look at that! There is warship out in the roadstead! Four turrets with three guns apiece!”

Amber disagreed, “That is not a warship. The Malachite is going to be our ride to the Eland Republic. She is one of our Enclave Fast Gem Distribution packets. Capable of high speed, fairly light armor, lots of teeth. Built for repelling pirates, except for the Chineighese Pirates of Qusi Han Lee.”

Seeing Wither’s look of confusion, Daring Do put a hoof on his shoulder and told him, “The Chineighese Pirates of Qushi Han Lee ARE the Chineighese Navy. I know that it sounds odd, but it really does make sense. When I get the chance, I will tell you how it happened. It is a great story.”

The Zebra Confederation consulate was a rambling, low laying structure. It had large pots holing plane trees in the courtyard. Entering the front, they were greeted by a violet pony behind the service counter.

She called out cheerfully, “Hi! Welcome to the Zebra Confederation consulate! What can I do for you?”

“I am Supreme Matriarch of the Diamond Dog Council of Enclaves. I was requested by my friends Celestia and Luna to deliver this file for your records. You were notified by Magic Net that the file was coming.”

The violet pony’s face fell just a little. “I heard about that. It was awful how that whole big farm in Okapitan was just wiped out. Poor Morail. If she had just stayed at the University, she would have been spared.”

She took the time to sort the papers and copy some. Then she filed the lot of them. As she was doing it, she commented, “If the Major had just seen these while he was at the Embassy, he would not be in such trouble now.”

Morail, with a very good Diamond Dog accent, asked curiously, “In trouble? What happened? I mean a major did barge into our compartment on the train but I had no idea what he was trying to do.”

Kind of ruefully, the violet pony replied, “He got himself censured by BOTH Princesses for disturbing the trip of Supreme Matriarch Amber in an attempt to arrest a zebra that he should have known was dead for over a month. After the Royal Censure, he was ordered home as persona non-grata. He did get permission to go back to Canterlot and pack his goods.”

Turning to Amber, Morail spoke Diamond Dog as she inquired, “”

Amber, eyes twinkling with humor, repeated what the counter pony had said. In Diamond Dog.

Besides the counter pony, a zebra had entered the room and he was listening closely. He commented, “Why do you speak Diamond Dog?”

Morail smiled ruefully but replied in Equestrian, “It is my native tongue. I speak Zebra as a second language and Equestrian is still a bit difficult for me.”

The zebra and the counter pony both blinked and looked puzzled. Amber filled in, “Morail, here is a Diamond Dog! Morail, my puppy, tell them about it. Practice your Equestrian while you are at it.”

“Yes, Matriarch Amber.

“I am not sure when I was orphaned. I became a …” searching for a word, she chose a Zebra one, “veldtratten.

“I almost fell down one of Ruby Drift’s air shafts. The enclave took me in when they understood my situation. I think that they were going to use me for a mascot or other pet.

“I got into the mines almost by accident. They found out that I was GOOD at both tunneling and following ore or gem drifts. As I got older, I became a drift supervisor and explosives expert.

“The whole Ruby Drift Enclave voted to adopt me. That went to the Council of Enclave Matriarchs and Amber, Supreme Matriarch, ratified my adoption.”

The zebra skeptically said, “Quite the tale. How do you explain this?” He slapped down a copy of a Zebra Confederation wanted poster with Morail’s picture.

The counter pony replied first. “She doesn’t have to, Karl. That is bureaucratic foul up. See? It is for Morail Blum Fauntin. She was murdered back in the Confederation, over a month ago. Here, let me attach the document links.”

Karl examined the file, nodded and stated, “That is pretty conclusive, all right. I will use the mirror in my office to cancel this thing and kill the reward.”

He turned to Morail and requested, “Do you have any sort of ID? I am not familiar with Diamond Dog identification systems.”

Amber prodded Morail and said, “We don’t need them much underground in the enclaves but now is the time for your ID tag.”

Managing to look blank for a moment, Morail fished in her saddlebag for a bit and produced a worn looking ID tag with her picture.

Karl’s eyebrows rose. “Spell locked? That is absolute. Here, let me put it into the reader.” He inserted the tag. It produced a mellow chime of identification.

He handed back the tag saying, “Sorry about the mixup, Miss Ruby Drift. I did hear about it. Most of us did. Poor Major Hoofinmaw. He was just working from erroneous records.”

As they were walking down to the Rusty Barnacle to spend their last night in Equestria, Withers chortled, “That was some story that you fed them, Morail.”

Morail looked about, biting her lip and struggling not to cry. “It was told to make them think something false but except for Zebra being my second language, and having trouble with Equestrian, it was all true.” She swallowed hard. “I spent so much time in the Ruby Drift Enclave that my Zebra got a serious Diamond Dog accent. Vatter used to tease me about …”

She broke down and bawled. “Vatter will never tease me about my accent again!! I miss them all so badly!”

Amber hugged the weeping Morail and whispered in Diamond Dog, “”

Morail got back in control of her raging emotions and they went on down to the waterfront.

Daring Do had called ahead on her Magic Net Mirror and dinner was waiting for them on the tables of the Rusty Barnacle.

Morail was amused to note that she had, besides her clover steak, a bowl of Diamond Dog meat sauce and a basket of crunchy maize chips.

They were in the middle of the dinner sharing jokes and laughter when they heard it. Coming in through the Rusty Barnacle’s front door was a loud moan that rose to a sustained scream!

Amber shoved away from the table and called, “We have to go and NOW! That is the Malachite’s Battle Station Siren!”

Daring Do tossed golden bits on the table to pay for the dinner that they had no chance to finish and ran after the others, heading for the Malachite’s steam launch at the dock!

Jump to top

Chapter 5 Aboard the Malachite

As Daring Do leaped down the gangway, Amber was up by the launch’s controls, conferring with the pilot. Lines cast off, the stern pushed down in the water as the powerful screws shoved the boat toward the Malachite at the head of an arrow like wake!

Amber inquired, “What is our situation, Midshipdog?”

“Supreme Matriarch, the Zebra Confederation warship, Das Capitin, a light cruiser, has refused to acknowledge signals from the Harbor Authority. Her main guns are all rotated to fire starboard. She is maintaining a fifteen knot speed in civilian waters near to a charted harbor in violation of maritime law. Her present course will require her to make a port turn across the harbor mouth, bringing her guns to bear on our position.”

Soberly, Amber stated, “Very concise. Do not waste time trying to load the launch. You and your mate take it back to the docks.”

She was using a mounted Magic Net mirror on the launch’s dash to call ahead. “Captain! This is Amber. If you have not already done so, jettison the anchor. We do not have the time to lift the hook.

“Set flank speed in a starboard turn toward the center of the harbor basin. Be anywhere but at your anchorage when Das Capitin crosses the harbor mouth. Leave the boarding stair down for now. We will catch you and board. The launch and crew are returning to dock!”

Turning to her companions, Amber told them, “Doctor Do, Morail, Withers, we are going to have to jump for the boarding stair while both ship and boat are in motion. If you do not wish to try it, stay here and return to the dock with the launch.”

A crewdog of the Malachite was down on the landing stage of the boarding stair. He had a rope with float and harness attached. He cast it across the gap between vessels with practiced skill.

Amber quickly strapped herself into the harness and jumped! She crossed the space of roiling water and landed on the stage. She doffed the harness and began to sprint up the stairs, calling over her shoulder as she went, “Morail next! This is her vengeance!”

Withers and Daring Do swiftly buckled Morail in to the harness and steadied her for her leap. She hit the landing stage and bounced off the side of the ship, nearly falling into the water! The crewdog caught her and quickly stripped off the harness.

As Morail was charging up the boarding stair, the harness was cast back to the launch. Daring Do demanded, “You take this jump, Withers! I have a better way!”

While Withers was leaping, Daring Do spread her wings and flew up to the Malachite’s deck. She greeted Withers as he came to the top of the stair and a crewdog led them into the ship.

Up in the bridge, Amber absently greeted Morail. “”

Amber was wearing a set of things looking like earmuffs. One had a strip with a knob on it that was placed just below Amber’s mouth. The whole set was connected by a wire to the complex panel in front of her. There was a glowing, ever changing, diagram on what appeared to be a large Magic Net mirror. Amber was touching parts of the diagram fleetingly.

Finally, she spoke, seemingly to nodog. “”

Turning to Morail, Amber pointed to a bank of pushbuttons next to the mirror with the diagram on it. “<This is the first piece of your vengeance for your family. When I give the order to fire, you hit that red button. It will trigger our whole broadside. The buttons banked below it trigger the single turrets and the ones below them, single guns in each turret.

“”

Morail nodded, then spoke when she realized that Amber’s whole attention was on the diagram before her. “” She took her place beside the Supreme Matriarch of all Diamond Dogs.

Daring Do and Withers were shown into a large wardroom deep in the Malachite’s hull. There, a waiting crewdog assisted them to get into flotation gear like all of the other assembled non combatant crew. All eyes were on a chalk board at the end of the room. A ranking crewdog was updating a diagram of the position of the ships. The harbor and adjacent coastline were indicated as well.

The crewdog was listening to an earmuff like headset. He nodded and started to re draw the location of the Das Capitin. Even through the thick layers of the Malachite’s steel, they heard the deep booming roar of heavy guns that were not their own!

~~ ~~ ~~

The Royal Guard seated Otar, Ambassador of the Zebra Confederation, politely but firmly not allowing any other action. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia sat across the polished expanse of the conference table.

He returned their glare with one of his own. “Your guards violated our Embassy and dragged me here! What is the meaning of this outrage?”

Princess Celestia replied coolly, “We are trying to avoid simply declaring war on the Zebra Confederation. Your instant presence was required. The Equestrian Defense Bureau has been put onto war alert. We have launched three Hunter Destroyer ships of our navy from the Baltimare naval base with orders to stop or sink a vessel of your navy.”

The Ambassador’s jaw dropped. “This is insane! What possible cause have you and which ship is it?”

Grimly, Princess Celestia informed him, “It is the light cruiser Das Capitin, bow number 17. She entered the Harbor Control Zone of our port Milestago at a speed of over 15 knots, driving straight in on this course. All of her main guns are aimed for a point blank starboard broadside.”

Princess Luna pushed two papers over to the Ambassador. “Here, Otar. One is the Milestago control area chart with the current course and position of the Das Capitin. The other declares that the ship bearing that name and bow number 17 is a stateless pirate, subject to all lawful penalties of piracy.

“If you sign it and the ship does not fire into our territory, we will cancel it. If the ship fires into our territory we WILL destroy it by any means necessary. If that paper is NOT SIGNED BEFORE IT FIRES, our two nations will be at war. It is that simple.”

Jaw set in anger, Otar slashed his signature across the bottom of the sheet. Looking up, he stated, “Because of political problems that we are having with them, our consulate in Milestago has been watching the Diamond Dog vessel Malachite. She is at anchor in the roadstead and does not appear to have steam up. I fear that she will not be able to maneuver to safety in time if she is the target of this strike.”

Celestia gave him a calculating glare and stated in flat tones, “We are about to find out. Das Capitin has initiated her port turn that will bring her guns to bear on our harbor entrance.”

Luna, still concentrating on a Magic Net mirror, reported, “I have ordered our Coastal Defense Fortress at Milestago to open fire.” She paused. “The first salvo missed. They are reloading now but will not be in time to prevent the Das Capitin from firing into the port.”

Otar was gazing at the chart, which showed the potentially deadly provocation. He shuddered. This cold, calculating, near war on his nation was more than he had bargained for.

Celestia was checking a Magic Net mirror too. She declared, “Das Capitin has fired into our roadstead inside of the harbor. We have severe damage reports coming in.”

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Amber was waiting with false calm for the action to begin. She explained, “We must let them fire first, Morail. The instant that they do, hit our broadside button.”

“I understand, Amb…” Morail interrupted herself by hitting the firing button! The Das Capitin’s guns flared and then hid her in smoke! The roar of the point blank broadside reached them and then came back, echoing off the hills around Milestago!

The Malachite rolled under the recoil as her broadside roared out to the enemy! Amber was cursing quietly because the smoke was making it difficult to ascertain damage. She reached over and hit a button on the control board.

Into her headset thing she spoke, “All turrets! Independent fire. 200s go for their turrets. Try to get those guns out of action! 125s, aim for the bridge or any other targets of opportunity.”

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Luna looked up with haunted eyes. “They fired at the Malachite’s moorage position. Malachite, in spite of no smoke, apparently had steam up. She jettisoned her anchor and moved. The Das Capitin’s broadside hit our port facilities. At least one shell ricocheted upward and landed in a residential area, where it exploded.

“It appears that the Malachite fired back but due to gunsmoke and haze in the battle zone, we have no damage reports for either vessel. Wait, um, I have a report of severe damage to a ship, I am not sure yet which one.”

Celestia replied, “I am getting preliminary civilian damage reports. The Cormorant was tied up to a dock and was hit. She is in a sinking condition. We have three docks damaged and two warehouses. We are certain of six dead in the dock area but more are expected.

“The wild shell hit an apartment complex. It is burning. Efforts are being made to contain the fire. We have no reports of how many civilian casualties there are, only that we are certain that there are some.”

Otar hid his head in his hooves and said, “Things like this are not supposed to happen.”

~~ ~~ ~~

Luna looked across the table with some compassion. “We know that all too well. This is WHY there are laws and treaties between nations.”

A Guard Sargent entered and gave the Princesses a sheaf of papers. In a voice shaking with emotion, the Sargent requested, “Ma'ams, may I be given detached duty to Milestago? I have family there. I cannot reach them by Magic Net. I fear the worst.”

Celestia regarded him quietly for a moment before replying, “Not yet, Sargent Thornburn. The reason that you cannot contact them is that we have ordered the Magic Net shut down except for military and diplomatic codes. Wait until the attack is over and communications are back. If you still cannot reach them, then, of course you may. I will see to your orders personally.”

He withdrew, nodding, “I understand, Princess. Thank you.”

Luna was sorting through the papers, which had a number of images. She showed Celestia. Look, Sister. Two turrets out of action, the bridge looks to be destroyed.”

Celestia pointed to another, “Look at the size of that hull breach! That is not smoke coming out of it. Steam. They have lost at least one boiler. It looks like they are taking water.”

Luna took a deep breath. “I have a realtime report. They have started a starboard turn at flank speed. They are trying to ground the ship before it goes down. That means that they have no time to abandon ship.”

The Zebra Confederation Ambassador looked up. “We have political differences with the Diamond Dogs, that is true. I know that Supreme Matriarch Amber was aboard. I hope that she survives because I also know that she was your friend.”

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Amber was nearly glowing with excitement as she gave her orders to keep the Das Capitin in sight. The Malachite was not only rolling to the recoil of main guns, the ship was charging across the harbor entrance, but not entering that trap.

The Das Capitin fired a second full broadside! As the ship rolled from the recoil, a gaping hole in her side was revealed! Suddenly one of her stern turrets jolted hugely, its gun barrels flying up and the tips slamming down onto the deck. Fire bloomed as the bridge erupted from a hit just under it!

The Malachite shuddered from a hit by one of the Das Capitin’s shells! The rest of the broadside screamed across the bay and into Milestago!

Amber coolly spoke into her headset, “Damage Contol, report! How bad are we hit?” As a background to her request and its answer, the Malachite’s turret guns continued to rain shells at the crippled Das Capitin!

Morail reported, “Amber! Das Capitin is turning towards shore! We are losing sight of her!” The Malachite’s guns fell silent.

Morail asked quietly, “Is it over? How badly were we hit? How many casualties do we have?”

Amber hugged Morail and replied, “It is over. I have just reported through the Magic Net to Canterlot. From the Princesses, I learned that the Das Capitin hit a shingle beach at flank speed and broke in two. The Princesses already have Pegatroopers securing the prisoners and assisting the survivors off of the wreck.

“We were hit in unoccupied crew quarters. The shell, due to improper seating of the fuse, failed to explode. Damage Control is starting to repair the damage. We were very lucky. We do have two injured crew in the infirmary.”

She paused and gave Morail an enormous grin. “The Zebra Confederation Ambassador already signed a paper declaring the Das Capitin to be a stateless pirate in order to avoid war with Equestria. Guess who has already filed a salvage claim on her?”

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Chapter 6 Farewell to Milestago

The lightly damaged Malachite was tied up to a dock while her damage control crewdogs were working to free the potentially deadly shell embedded in her superstructure.

While others were getting clear of the ship until the shell was removed, Withers wandered down to the crew quarters where the shell was embedded part way through a bulkhead.

One of the Damage Control crewdogs looked up from their efforts to loosen the shell from the petaled steel wall and said, “Sir, you should not be here. This is very dangerous. It could explode at any moment.”

Withers smiled at that and replied, “Not that shell. It is about as dangerous as a box of rocks. See that gap between the edge of the exploder fuse and the shell? It got cross threaded and failed to seat. Rupp RA250’s are notorious for this problem. The RA series of shell can be fitted with two different exploder fuses.

“Bean counters always go for the RA2-L, like this one, because it is five copper bits cheaper. It is common for RA2-L’s to cross thread like this. If they had got the slightly more expensive RA2-M, this shell would have exploded properly.”

The Crewchief observed thoughtfully, “Withers is not that common a name. I have heard of a Major Withers with many decorations. He held Grayshire pass against a two division attack with only a platoon. Are you that Major Withers?”

Withers nodded. “Indeed I am.”

The Crewchief stood back and told the others, “Withers here, besides what I mentioned, has qualifications in Unexploded Ordinance Disposal. Let him guide us. He knows more about this than we do.”

Withers stepped over to examine the shell closely. Nodding to himself, he commented, “Not too bad. I need a pin spanner with hardened pins and a non sparking mallet. Bronze or a big wooden mallet would be best.”

One of the crewdogs offered an adjustable pin spanner and told him, “We will have to send to Engineering for the hammer. We did not bring one up here. Didn’t really look forward to hammering on a shell full of TNT or the like!”

Withers chuckled as he adjusted the spanner to fit around part of the fuse. A few expert raps with the bronze hammer on the spanner handle soon had the fuse loose.

Cradling the deadly exploder, Withers explained, “I am taking this up to the deck for Crowns Evidence. The rest of this removal will be pretty standard damage control work. I will leave it to you.”

Up on deck, he found Amber, Princess Luna and the terribly shaken Zebra Confederation Consul conferring over the battle and the port damage.

~~ ~~ ~~

Otar Stippen sat across the table from Celestia. From his cringing posture it was plain that the Zebra Confederation Ambassador did not like what he was about to say.

“First, Princess Celestia, I wish to thank you for allowing me to return to the Embassy and confer with my government. I understand that Princess Luna is now in Milestago, doing a personal survey of the recent damage.”

Celestia nodded, “She is indeed. The Das Capitin’s fire sank a peaceful freighter, the Cormorant, at the dock. Our Repair Docks and the only dry dock in Milestago have been, for practical purposes, destroyed.

“Over one half of the docks and associated loading warehouses have been damaged. The civilian apartment complex was totally destroyed by blast and fire, which spread to three other residential buildings before it was contained.”

Otar swallowed hard and put his head in his hooves. “When I called my government, on the World Wide Magic Net, I spoke directly to Nils Downitall. I could not believe what I heard from him. He both contradicts himself and denies direct evidence.

“Nils denied that there was any attack on Equestrian soil by any ship of our navy. When I told him that the Das Capitin was grounded on a beach only seven kilometers from the harbor entrance, he immediately demanded that I have the ship returned to us.”

Almost sympathetically, Celestia inquired, “Did you see fit to mention that Das Capitin broke in half when she hit the shingle on a high tide at flank speed?”

Otar looked about at the modest ornamentation of the room and drew a deep breath. “Both our Milestago consul and I tried to tell him that. He would not believe us, even when showed realtime images of the Das Capitin wreck. Worse, he is blaming your coastal defense fortress for damaging the Das Capitin, which he insists, is not and has not been in Equestrian waters.

“In any case, collateral damage to your port is due to harboring the Malachite, a ship of the now proscribed Diamond Dog Enclaves. Therefore damage from a battle with her is not our responsibility.

“I have now said what I was required to say by my government. I should not say this, but I fear that we may have put a mad zebra in control of our nation.”

Rather grimly, Celestia agreed. “We have thought so for some time. Do you have any good news to give us?”

Otar smiled ruefully. “One small thing. I have managed to resolve the Morail Blum Fauntin mess. As your sister Princess did say, our own embassy files showed her to have been slain in the Discordian raid on her family farm. I still do not know why she dropped her studies and returned to her family farm but the records are clear that she did.

“The confusion that we all had was caused by a near identical Morail Ruby Drift. Oddly, Miss Ruby Drift is a zebra who was orphaned and, through strange circumstances, wound up being raised and adopted by the Diamond Dogs of the Ruby Drift Enclave.

“After I was done speaking to Nils Downitall, I put a call through to the Ruby Drift Matriarch. She confirmed that Morail was a part of their Enclave, an expert in mining explosives, and a drift supervisor. She has been with them since fillyhood.

“To make matters more complicated, she knew Morail Blum Fauntin, who also visited the Enclave frequently. I am told that due to their close appearance, they played many tricks on both the Enclave and the Blum Fauntin farm.

“Morail Ruby Drift is presently attached to Supreme Matriarch Amber in a staff capacity. My consulate in Milestago has met her. She is presently serving as a translator and liaison for the Diamond Dogs of the Malachite’s crew. Most of them are presently involved in the rescue work in your port.”

Celestia paused and looked sideways at the zebra across the table from her. Carefully she said, “I will communicate that interesting information to my sister Princess. It will both please and sadden her. It appears that the two Morails played a trick on the University to cover Miss Bulm Fauntin’s return to the Confederation.”

Otar nodded. “Such is our conclusion too.

“I have one other thing to offer. My government has forbidden either a formal apology or aid from Embassy funds in regard to this mess.”

He pushed a draft across the table to Celestia. “We, the Embassy and consular staffs all across Equestria, have raised this out of our personal funds. Please accept, not from the Zebra Confederation, but from the hearts of honest zebras and ponies who live with us, this money. It is 89,764 golden bits to use for the aid and assistance of Milestago.”

Celestia actually smiled as she took it. “Do you have a list of the donors, Otar? We should like to thank them for their good hearts.”

~~ ~~ ~~

Daring Do, Withers, and Morail were helping several Diamond Dogs to shift a fallen timber from a lavender pony trapped in the wreckage that had been his Chandlery business on the waterfront. Amber joined them, her strength giving them the needed leverage to free the injured pony.

They were joined by the Zebra Confederation Consul and three of his staff. They pulled the victim free of the ruin.

It was the Consul who told him, “Easy there, we need to get you onto this stretcher. A beam like that can do internal injury that you don’t feel. We are taking you to the Equestrian Defense Bureau’s field horspital.”

Amber, free of the need to help lift the beam, let it fall. She turned to Morail and grinned enormously. “I have just heard from Princess Celestia in Canterlot. Ambassador Otar, besides contacting his government about this mess, checked out what he had heard from his consulate here. They bought your story hooves, mane and tail!

“Besides their own documents, Otar contacted Matriarch Topaz of the Ruby Drift Enclave. She sensed that something was in the wind and confirmed that you have been in the Drift since fillyhood. That you have been a Diamond Dog all your life.

“Just to sweeten the pie, she told him about some of the tricks that you and Morail Blum Fauntin used to pull by looking so much alike and being friends.”

They all heard the voice, soft as a dream. Princess Luna had come upon them unnoticed. “What is this? Two of you, Morail? Is that how you were at the University and in the Confederation to be murdered at the same time?”

Noticing that the Zebra Confederation consul was coming their way, Morail sort of hung her head as she replied, “I am afraid so, Your Highness. We did not anticipate the Discordian attack.”

Luna bored in, as if somewhat irritated, “And that is also why you took Amber’s offer of Diamond Dog citizenship? I mean, that you already were a Diamond Dog?”

Morail made a production of watching a seagull scooping up some of the bounty of dead fish floating near where high explosive shells had detonated. “I apologize for deceiving you, Your Highness, but yes. That was the reason.”

Amber grinned just a little. “I have attached Morail to my staff. When we came to Equestria for diplomatic reasons, I allowed her leave to visit her friend Morail Blum Fauntin at the Royal University.

“It appears that my Morail’s education in the Ruby Drift was excellent. They pulled off the switch without any noticeable change in her grades.”

Withers pointed a hoof at Morail and said, “Not quite. Her already impressive shooting scores in the ROTC went UP. Especially with the MT84 portable automatic cannon.”

Amber “noticed” the Zebra Confederation consul waiting patiently for Princess Luna'a attention. She smiled and offered, “Consul Norin, I have been watching you and your staff. You are all doing a hero’s job at rescue work. What can we do for you?”

Diffidently he said, “I hate to interrupt, but I wish to appeal Major Hoofinmaw’s expulsion from Equestria. His arrest error while on the train was due to a bureaucratic error in the papers that he had.”

Consul Norin gazed miserably at the ruins of the Milestago waterfront and the collumn of smoke still rising back in the city’s residential area. He added, “The Major was on the train to here when the attack happened. Since he got off the train he has been engaged in organizing rescue parties and clearing safe passage for emergency vehicles in damaged areas.”

Princess Luna regarded the Consul carefully for a few moments before stating, “While that all seems to be true, the paperwork to require his expulsion was already being processed. The offense was his witnessed attempt to kidnap Supreme Matriarch Amber of the Diamond Dog Enclaves.”

The Consul said quietly, “I am speaking out of turn and violating some of our laws to say this.” He stared about to make sure that he was not being overheard before going on, “The Major did that over protest because his family was threatened with kidnap or execution. I can provide you with proof but not now.”

Amber asked urgently, “Who ordered it?”

The Consul stated miserably, “Nils Downitall himself.”

Amber made a sideways face as she said, “I see that you are taking quite a risk for him. Can you reach his family without it coming to the attention of Nils or his government?”

“Yes. That is not hard, at least not yet.”

In a blunt voice, Amber stated, “Tell them to flee to the nearest Diamond Dog Enclave at once. We will take them in as refugees. If Equestria cannot take the Major in, have him go to the Chalk Hill Drift. It is the nearest Enclave to here.”

Turning to Princess Luna, Amber suggested, “I believe, Luna, that we need to recall my crew and get this expedition and the Malachite out of Milestago.”

Shortly the Malachite cast off and made her way out of the harbor and onto the high seas, headed for adventure.

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Chapter 7 Voyage to Kuduspar

The reality was slightly different. As Amber pointed out over a complex game of cards and dice which Morail was winning, “When ships have adventurous voyages, bad things have been happening! We want a nice, quiet voyage.

“We will be making for Kuduspar, on the north coast of the Eland Republic. We are not going all the way to Degrate, on the Forgotten River, in the Zebra Confederation.”

Daring Do discarded. Both Amber and Withers rolled dice. Withers picked up the card and added it to the layout in front of him. Morail promptly laid her entire hand across his layout and, grinning, raked in the chips from the pot!

As Daring Do watched Morail in bemusement, she offered, “The way that you play this would convince anypony that you are a Diamond Dog, for sure. You have to grow up playing this game to be as good as you are, and only Diamond Dogs do that.”

Morail grinned. “”

Amber grinned too. She dealt the next hand. Dice rolled and cards were laid down, picked up or added to growing layouts in front of each player.

Leaning on the railing and watching sea and sky as the Malachite sliced through the waves was another pastime. Out on the open sea there were few birds but they did occasionally see one.

Pointing with excitement, Morail exclaimed, “Look at the size of the wings on that one! What is it called, Doctor Do?”

Smiling at Morail’s excitement, Daring Do replied, “That is called an albatross. Some sailors claim that they never land, except to nest and raise their young. They do dive for fish to eat. Whether they land for anything else, you would need to ask somepony besides me. I have only seen them flying or on the water.”

Morail was almost bouncing with her present freedom. “Amber has released me from studying the ship’s operations for the next two days!”

Interested, Daring Do and Withers asked her, “What does she have you studying, Morail? Can you tell us?”

Smiling, she replied, “Some of it, anyway. I have been learning modern fire control systems! These bigger guns and being on a ship make it all really tricky!

“Besides that, she has me studying the theory of modern Mage/Tech ship engines. I really can’t tell you much about them. The history of them is fun, though. The Mage/Tech interface and first engines were invented by the Equestrian Rom, of all beings! They used them to power prostheses for their sick or injured Horses so that they could still pull their caravans!”

Withers nodded. “I can easily believe that, Morail. They invented the modern Magic Net too. Rather their foals did, so that they could stay in touch when bands were far apart. Old Marchhare claims that they used it to, and I quote, Plot against their elders, end quote. When their elders found out about it, they used it too, but made sure that the youngsters had a private part of it so that they could still plot and scheme!”

Daring Do chuckled, “That sounds so like the Rom! They say that the young have to get away with things. It builds character.”

The Malachite made her way from the Eastern Sea, south, just past the Equator, into the Stonewall Strait. The land fell away north to the continent of Epona. To the south, the land was the northern coast of the continent of Sorica, home, among other nations, of the Zebra Confederation. Separating the two continents was the Medial Sea, leading on through the Poniesian Isles to the Great Western Ocean.

The days of the voyage passed without incident until they raised the lighthouse of Kuduspar in the Eland Republic. A swift, lightly armored patrol vessel flying the Zebra Confederation banner tried to intercept them. It had a small 50 mm cannon in a forward turret and fired a warning shot across their bows.

The Zebra ship demanded, “You must divert to the port of Degrate to have all of your cargo and goods evaluated and taxed. Any beings aboard who do not have Zebra Confederation travel documents must pay a fine and have proper documents issued before they can be permitted to travel further!”

Amber returned, “Nils Downitall does not own the Medial Sea! We are going to Kuduspar and you will need to learn to swim if you try to stop us!”

Morail was operating the fire control board. The Malachite’s forward turret of 125 mm guns swung to bear on the Zebra ship. Morail was wearing the headpiece and speaking softly through it to the ship’s turrets. Each of the three guns of the forward turret shifted their aim a little.

The captain of the Zebra Confederation apparently failed to notice, or he was following a script! He demanded, “Apparently our warning shot was not enough! Prepare to be boarded and all of your cargo seized!”

Amber’s paw dropped in a slicing motion! Morail tapped her fire control board. The forward turret’s guns blazed with flame and smoke! The ship shuddered under the recoil of the heavy shells blasting out to the opposing vessel!

Almost instantly, the small turret of the Zebra patrol ship erupted! A huge hole from an exploding shell tore apart the forward superstructure, just under the flying bridge! The third shell made a hole in the side of the boat, just below the smokestack! A sudden roaring wash of mixed steam and smoke back out the hole and bursting up out the stack told of the end of the patrol vessel’s engines.

Amber sent back by Magic Net, “Apparently, OUR warning shot was enough! You were warned that are going into Kuduspar. You have only three choices.

“First, you may abandon ship and we will sink the hulk.

“Second, we can tow your vessel into Kuduspar. By staying aboard, you retain a claim to the ship after paying us for the tow.

“Thirdly, you may abandon ship and we will claim the wreck as a prize of combat.

“We will pick up your survivors in either abandonment scenario.”

Sourly, the captain of the damaged Zebra vessel decided, “We will take your tow to Kuduspar. How will you get the tow line to us?”

Amber answered, “We have a pegasus traveling with us as a passenger. She will deliver you a light line to pull over a hawser for the tow.”

Soon Daring Do was bridging the gap between the two vessels trailing a light heaving line to the now wrecked Zebra Patrol boat. She dropped the line across the bows and left the rest to the crew of the boat.

In short order, the convoy of ship and hulk was back underway, headed into Kuduspar.

At the harbor entrance, the Malachite was taken by a harbor pilot and the wreck was taken under tow by a tug.

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Chapter 8 Import License

In the harbormaster’s office, Daring Do was explaining the ostensible purpose of the expedition and the reason for some of their more “unusual” supplies.

She offered, “You see, Sir, what the Spinel Drift Enclave, near the southern end of the Selene Mountains, has found appears to be ruins of what may be the root civilization for the famous Nil Eya civilization. The news of this possibility has severely upset the Downitall Party. They hold, as a core belief, that it was a ZEBRA civilization that sprang full blown with brilliant writing systems, stone work, and architecture due to the pure genius of the superior Zebra kind.

“If this find bears out, as the true Nil Eya root civilization, it will totally destroy one of the basic claims by which the Downitalls hold power.”

Daring Do made a twisted face as she observed, “For some MYSTERIOUS REASON, they don’t like that and do not want us to succeed.

“The Downitalls totally fail to grasp what success is to an Antiquarian. It will not matter whether what we find is the root beginnings of the Nil Eya civilization, a later thing built by survivors of the Nil Eya slave revolt, or something else entirely. The only real gauge of success will be uncovering the truth of an ancient civilization.”

The window pane frames made a fine shadow play with the harbormaster’s tall spiraled horns as he gazed out at the Zebra Confederation’s shot up patrol boat being maneuvered into a drydock. He gestured out at his nearly empty harbor and replied, “I see. Look what their declaration of the Medial Sea being a Zebra Pond has done to our trade. Under the circumstances, I am granting the import license to you directly and noting that it has the formal backing of both the Supreme Matriarch of the Diamond Dog Council of Enclaves and the Joint Crowns of Equestria as well.”

He pushed a small stack of papers across his desk. Daring Do began to fill out and sign where necessary. He took the packet and sorted out sheets which he neatly folded and sealed, returning them to Daring Do.

“Best of fortune on your expedition, Doctor Do. There is a fair amount of Discordian activity in the area that you will be investigating. I hope that they do not cause you too much trouble.”

Dryly, Daring Do replied, “I fear them far less than the Downitalls. That is why we have the special equipment that you have just authorized. We thank you.”

She gathered up her papers and fit everything neatly into her saddle bags and left.

She had barely closed the door than she was confronted by a bulky zebra resplendent in a Downitall Party uniform! He demanded, “I am war trained! I am a big zebra and you are a mere pegasus, so don’t get any funny ideas! Just hoof over those papers for a Zebra Confederation stamp on each page! Fifty bits gold for each stamp and any page I don’t like gets torn up AFTER I stamp it, so you still owe, got it?”

Daring Do wasted no time on chit-chat! A fast poke at the zebra’s nose caused him to shy away sideways! As he was shifting his weight, she kicked the foreleg that was taking his weight, up high, dropping the stripy on his side, like a broken sack of oats! She followed up with a double buck to his exposed gut, driving the wind out of him!

Turning to the door, she informed the harbor master, “There appears to be some black and white garbage out here. It is obstructing your walkway.”

“I see it, Doctor Do! Thanks! I will make sure that it is taken care of!”

Happily humming the Funeral March for Kings from the ancient Nil Eya civilization, Daring Do went down to the Malachite’s dock. The head stevedore examined the papers and ordered his crew, “Begin off loading everything! It has all been cleared! Be careful with those ammo boxes!”

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Chapter 9 On The Eland Veldt

The buildings of Kuduspar were far behind. The surrounding farms, managed by the many industrious kinds of antelope that made up the population of the Eland Republic, gave way to semi open veldt with large patches of woodlands.

Morail was watching all in fascination. “I was just getting used to the idea of ponies with one horn! Now there are all of these antelope with TWO horns! This whole area is so different from the veldt across the Selenes, where my Drift is!”

Withers looked up curiously, from the map that he was studying. “Your Drift? Morail, how much of what we have heard is real and how much is Amber taking advantage of this expedition to further her own plans for the Diamond Dogs?”

Morail, continued to look out the window eagerly as she replied, “My spell locked ID as Morail Ruby Drift pretty well nails part of it. I was not really a Veldratten. I was Morail Blum Fauntin and did go down into the Ruby Drift so much that they DID adopt me.

“Sometimes I would spend as much as a week or more down in the Drift. The Diamond Dogs took really good care of my education and taught me. I earned my mining and explosives certifications.

“My family sent me to the Royal University but the Ruby Drift was paying half of my education costs.

“The Downitall Party killed the rest of my surface family and claimed WITH DOCUMENTS TO PROVE IT, that I was killed too. That let them seize the farm for one of their hacks.

“This is where the story gets really funny! You see, I did play tricks on zebras above, about being a Diamond Dog adoptee that did not even know how to speak Zebra. Tried to buy things with Diamond Dog gems and pretended not to know about Confederation Marks!

“The ZC Ambassador called Ruby Drift's Matriarch Topaz and she confirmed that I have been a Diamond Dog since fillyhood and knew Morail Blum Fauntin. She told him about some of “our” tricks. He bought it all.

“Nils Downitall actually had the story checked. Since I did do those tricks, there were lots of good Zebra witnesses to the Zebra orphan raised by the Ruby Drift. Now, that is the official line!”

Daring Do spared a glance from her driving to flash a grin. “So, you did tell Princess Luna the truth, that you already were a Diamond Dog! How old were you when the Drift adopted you?”

Morail snorted cheerfully, “About six! Vater was both proud and mortified at the same time!”

Glancing back, Morail suggested, “Pull off the road in the next patch of trees, Doctor Do. We are being followed by a truck flying Zebra ensigns. We need to set up our special equipment.”

Daring Do simply nodded and began watching the road sides as they entered the shade of the patch of woods. The truck swerved, bounced fiercely and skidded to a stop!

Morail and Withers leaped out and pulled the canvass top clear of the back. Withers, with practiced ease, opened the crates holding parts and began the assembly.

Morail opened another case and began to remove blocks about five centimeters on a side. She was affixing things to them and setting them aside. In moments, she was out near to the road, stabbing a tool into the sod, prying it up, setting a block in the hole and stomping it snug, then repeating the procedure.

Daring Do checked the action of a semiautomatic rifle and loaded in a big curved magazine. She made sure that her throwing and combat knives were ready and that her big Spiderly 13 mm revolver was loose in its holster.

Seeing that Withers was done setting up the MT84 quickfire cannon, she passed him the rifle. Cannon set up, Withers made way for Morail to take the big gun's aiming handles and took cover where he could aim back the way that they had come.

They had only a small wait. The big boxy black and white saloon style car roared almost past their position, screeching to a stop and backing up. The Zebra Confederation flags on little staffs on each front fender fluttered in the breeze. It crossed the roadside ditch at the same place that they had, bumping to a stop as soon as it was clear of the roadway.

Sitting quietly up by the MT84, Morail smiled and pulled out a small device. It looked a bit like a Magic Net mirror.

The car's doors opened and two soldiers in Zebra Confederation Army Uniforms hopped out. They held the door for a portly Zebra in his Downitall Party uniform.

Daring Do pulled a tight smile of recognition. This was the same Zebra that she had walloped flat back there by the harbormaster's office! She also, and very ostentatiously, pulled her big 13 mm Spiderly revolver.

He did stop, as he stared down the unwavering barrel of the big pistol in Daring Do's grip. Arrogantly, he gestured toward her and one of the uniformed Zebras went to one knee, starting to aim his rifle at Daring Do.

From the brush off to one side, there was the crack of a rifle firing! The Zebra fell squalling his pain! He had facial cuts and one fore hoof was bleeding! His rifle lay in two shattered fragments! The other uniformed Zebra sprinted for the roadside ditch!

Morail, grinning ear to ear, barked in Diamond Dog, “Mistake!”

She tapped her mirror like device!

Along the ditch and several places closer, explosions tore craters and scattered sod, tossing the second Zebra to the middle of the road! The exploding mine under the Zebra Confederation car lifted its rear end up almost two meters! The right side rear wheels went flying, to crash into the brush as the car flipped up! It fell heavily onto its left side, the undercarriage starting to burn!

The aghast Downitall Party uniformed Zebra picked himself up from where the blast from Morail's mine under the car had thrown him. He gave a wild look at his fallen soldiers and the wrecked car, now ablaze.

Faced with massively superior firepower, he still tried to assert his “authority!” “Doctor Do! You must give over this expedition! It has been forbidden by Nils Downitall himself!”

Daring Do raised her eyebrows and, incidentally, her big Spiderly revolver. That last, she brought to bear on the second button of the Downitall Party uniform, just over his heart.

“For starters, sirrah, your precious Nils has overreached himself for a second time. This is the Eland Republic, not the Zebra Confederation.

“Additionally, we are not even interested in the origins of the Nil Eya Civilization. We know, from wall paintings and from written evidence that has survived, that the Zebras did play an important part in building it. AS SLAVE LABOR. The genius that guided the labor was not Zebras.

“What we are now going to check out is an apparent temple complex found by workers from the Spinel Drift, here in the Eland Republic.

“You may tell Nils that his minuscule navy has upset the Chineighese Empire with the interruption of free trade from Equestria, Prance, Saddle Arabia, Epona and parts of Sorica.

“Qushi Han Lee, the Pirate Queen, has dispatched a fleet to take care of the matter.”

He started to scoff, “Pirate Queen? Our modern gunboats ...”

From her vantage point behind the MT84, Morail interrupted in her heavily Diamond Dog accented Zebra, “Qushi Han Lee's yards built the Malachite, our delivery packet. You know, the ship that sank your light cruiser Das Capitin and blew the engines out of your patrol ship. She is sending two battle ships, four heavy cruisers, six Hunter Destroyers and a pegasus carrier strike ship.

“They have been ordered to sink your entire navy and destroy every ship yard in the Confederation.”

The official drew himself up and snapped, “They cannot do that! It violates International Law!”

Daring Do, tilted here head and scratched an ear, while suppressing a chuckle. “Really? And your criminal blockade of the Medial Sea does not violate the same laws?”

He snarled, “Not at all!! Nils Downitall has declared the entire Medial Sea to be our waters to regulate as we see fit!”

Morail barked, “Then he can have no recourse to International Law! Setting aside Free Passage in the Medial Sea breaks those same laws!”

She brought the barrel of the MT84 to bear on him too.

Daring Do pointed north. “Kuduspar is only about two to three day's walk that way. I suggest that you gather your fallen zebras and start walking. Since it is illegal for them to carry those guns in the Eland Republic, I would suggest leaving them behind unless you want to spend time in a Republic jail.”

Gathering his uniformed zebras and starting to walk, he shouted back, “You have not heard the last of ONDER OTTARHOOF!”

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Chapter 10 A True Discordian

Chapter 10 A True Discordian

The expanse of the Eland Veldt passed behind Daring Do’s party. They entered a range of broken, upheaved strata ruptured by the speckled gray of granite. The road began to twist and double back as they climbed the gray broken rock of the hills. Smaller brush and tall trees began to dominate the area. The road led into a defile that opened out to a small valley with a tiny town.

It was a simple “wide spot in the road” sort of place. There were only seven buildings, including a little store and an Eland Republic Government Station.

In a small cloud of dust, they pulled up in front of the Government Station. Their hooves resounded hollowly on the dry, knotholed boards of the porch as they trooped inside.

The antelope behind the counter looked up at them with interest. Daring Do noted a modern, desk mounted Magic Net mirror in its frame. There were papers stuck onto three standing spikes and some stacked into In and Out baskets.

He looked up and mildly stated, “I am Meridian Courser. May the Path of Chaos bless you all. Are you the famous Doctor Daring Do?”

Daring Do stopped cold. “I am she. Are you really a Discordian?”

He nodded, his long spiraled horns making short arcs as he did so. “I am indeed. Following Discord or Eris, as she often is, is a lawful and proper religious choice here in the Eland Republic.

“I did have a reason for asking your identity, Doctor Do. A number of complaints have been lodged against you by Ondar Ottarhoof, Chief Consul of the Zebra Confederation.”

Daring Do nodded. “I expect so. He seems to think that this is the Zebra Confederation. At least, he acts as though the word of Nils Downitall is law here.

“Have you any means to verify the truth or falsehood of statements?”

The station master smiled as he busied himself doing some unobtrusive things to a document on his desk. “I have, Doctor Do. I have applied a non equine magical truth test to this document. It contains the accusations against you.

“Your replies will appear as shades of color according to the truth of your answers.”

He turned to Morail and offered, “You appear to be a Zebra and might have to answer to the Confederation courts of law for some of the accusations in this case.”

Morail shook her head negatively. “Appearances are deceiving. I am a Diamond Dog.” She held out her spell locked ID for the Station Master to examine. “I will be happy to explain my part in the recent action against Ondar Ottarhoof. That way, it will be a part of your truth tested documentation.”

He returned her ID and observed, “I will want your information as a part of this investigation. It sounds like it will be of interest.”

By the time that Meridian’s questions were done, the document of accusations was showing the yellows and oranges of evasions or half truths and the brilliant red of outright lies.

The answers of Daring Do, Withers and Morail showed the clear green of truth. A few of the questions about the origin and reasons for the expedition showed the yellow green of incomplete but true answers.

After Meridian closed his official questioning, he asked, “Doctor Do, are you aware that the followers of Discord are no more monolithic than, say, followers of Celestia or Luna? There are many sects of us. True Discordians respect life, just as Discord him/her self does.

“We are not so arrogant as to think that we understand the subtleties of his/her Chaos. What we do is observe the Chaos and record both its nature and its results. To us, it appears that his/her Chaos is a major driving force for beings of wisdom to develop both in mind and civilization.”

Morail asked him, “What of those Discordians who think that they have found where Eris is creating her Chaos and rush in, often violently, to 'help her spread Chaos’. What of those who killed my friends in the Blum Fauntin farm, over in the Zebra Confederation?”

Meridian leaned back and steepled his split hooves. “Those are actually two questions. First, those who rush in to 'help’ Discord, whether violent or not, are not ones that we count as True Discordians. They are so arrogant that they believe that they can grasp and assist the plans of a being more than three thousand years of age, with experience, cleverness and subtlety to match.

“Second, the Blum Fauntin attack, in spite of appearances, was not done by any sort of Discordians. We used to buy a good deal of our supplies across the mountains, especially from the Blum Fauntins. The killers used automatic weapons, a thing that is anathema to all Discordians. Since the farm was hoofed over to Downitall cronies, I personally suspect the Downitall Party of those murders.”

He shrugged. “I have no real proof of that, however. I wish that I did. Whoever it was blackened the name of all Discordians and that of Eris/Discord itself.”

Daring Do offered, “Meridian, sir, I have spoken to Eris herself and to her trusted assistant, Cyrene. She feels as you do, about the Blum Fauntin attack. I do think that she would not mind your sort of worship.”

Meridian smiled and said, “You were blessed indeed. You may go on your way unhindered by the Eland Republic and, according to the documents sent to me, with the blessing of Amber, Supreme Matriarch of the Diamond Dog Council of Enclaves.

“May such Chaos as you encounter further your goals.”

As they drove away, Morail pointed to a lesser used road. “Let’s go up there, Doctor Do. That way will take us to the northern most entrance to the Spinel Drift. I will feel far safer, once we are underground.”

They only got a few kilometers up the road. Daring Do stopped the truck. They could hear rifle and light artillery fire up ahead.

Saying only, “Those are my friends that are being attacked,” Morail got out of the cab and went around to the back of the truck. The vehicle rocked some as she climbed up into the bed. Daring Do and Withers nodded to each other and began loading and checking their pistols and rifles.

When Morail tapped on the truck’s roof to let them know that the MT84 was ready, they began to advance cautiously up the road. Rounding a bend, they found the way blocked by a Zebra Confederation military half track truck.

(To Be Continued)

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Chapter 11 The Battle at Spinel Drift

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Chapter 12 Spinel Drift

Morail leaped down from the back of the truck and embraced one of the armed and armored Diamond Dogs! Daring Do could easily follow her barking now.

“Matriarch Moonstone! It is so good to see you! Did you get Amber’s dispatches about this expedition?”

The Matriarch replied, “I did. Besides this little war problem, we have some real trouble in Shaft 73. We were following a pegmatite seam that was loaded with first rate emeralds. It has either petered out or we somehow lost it.

“Could you find the time to take a look? Your skill at following gem drifts is legendary.”

Morail nodded in full understanding of what was important. To Diamond Dogs. She turned to Daring Do and requested, “Can we spare the time to look over this problem for the Matriarch? It will give us a lot of good will with the Drift.”

Daring Do smiled. “I do understand that the Drift has priorities that are different from us on the surface. If it won’t hold us up for more than a few days, I can’t see how it will be a problem.”

The Matriarch’s relief was obvious. Her response was generous. “We will see to the repair of your truck, Doctor Do. We will replace your ammunition and restore your supplies of explosives and detonators too. Anything else that you need to further your expedition’s aims, just let us know. If we can do it, we will.”

In spite of the many places that Daring Do had been to, seeing the inside of a Diamond Dog Drift was a new experience for her. It was obvious that Morail was right at home. She was utterly relaxed and barking jokes and light banter with the others around her.

They had hitched Diamond Dogs to pull the truck into the drift. Matriarch Moonstone explained, “Engines like yours can be really noisy inside our tunnels. We will see to it that your truck gets to the proper exit as soon as it is repaired.

“It would be a good idea to get out any personal things that you will need for the next few days. We can easily provide you with food appropriate to zebra and antelope kinds. We do quite a lot of trade with the surface and often entertain trade delegations.”

Daring Do and Withers promptly gathered packs with notes, note taking supplies and clothes. Daring Do had no expectation of needing it but packed along her beloved 13mm Spiderly revolver and a box of ammunition. She was mildly surprised to see Matriarch Moonstone nodding with approval.

Morail and the Diamond Dogs were leading the way, deeper into the Spinel Drift. Daring Do was half expecting a place of darkness or torch lighted gloom. It was nothing of the sort.

Clear light shone like the daylight above them, illuminating the whole underground complex. The source was panes like large magic net mirrors. Looking into one showed blue sky and some clouds drifting by.

Fascinated, Daring Do asked Matriarch Moonstone, “Is that really the sky overhead that you are transmitting down here for light?”

She nodded agreeably, “Yes. As soon as we found out about the magic net sending images, we adapted it to lighting. We use it for a lot besides communications. I am sure that Supreme Matriarch Amber would appreciate your not mentioning this in your book on this expedition.”

Daring Do thought that over for only a moment. “I shall run the manuscripts past her to be sure that they remain both accurate and preserve anything that you wish kept secret.”

Matriarch Moonstone paused in deep thought for a bit and offered, “If you wish, you may accompany our party to Shaft 73 and watch Morail at her real work. Depending on how that idiotic business with the Oathbreaker Downitall plays out, some of what you see may have to be kept secret. That will be Supreme Matriarch Amber’s call and since you have already agreed to her approval of the manuscript, I can see no reason to keep you from it.”

The party set out deeper into the drift. Everywhere that she looked, Daring Do saw walls and pillars that had been exquisitely finished, the stone’s natural colors and forms lovingly enhanced. No compromise with strength had been tolerated. Besides the unexpected light, she was surprised at how quiet so many Diamond Dogs could be.

Soon they passed out of the residential and industrial areas and into tunnels that were rough hewn from the native stone. There was none of the careful decoration of the other areas. Rails laid along the floor allowed carts full of stone to be removed or empty carts to return to the various work faces of the extensive mine.

Matriarch Moonstone stopped, gesturing at an area of shaft wall that had a deep cut into its side. “See, Morail? This whole fine seam of pegmatite just seems to peter out.”

Morail held out a hoof for a mirror that was shining a good beam of light. She put her head into the cut and shined the light around some. She backtracked up the tunnel to where the seam appeared to start out over a meter thick. She wriggled into the starting area of the whitish pegmatite. Using a small one hoofed pick, she dug into the several faces of the stone around her.

Backing out, she put a fairly large broken emerald into the Matriarch’s hooves. All smiles, she announced, “No use following the seam further down shaft from where it ended. However, if you dig DOWN along this fault,” she pointed with an educated hoof, “you should encounter the other half of the seam where it was split by the fault. I would guess, about two to three meters down should do it. You will be following it back that way.”

She paused and looked around at the collection of diamond dogs before asking, “Would you like me to help with setting charges?”

All smiles, Matriarch Moonstone wagged her heavy tail as she replied, “You have had a long shift and more exciting than it needed to be. Now that we know how to proceed, our miners can take care of it.

“I will show you all to a trade delegation mess hall, where you can dine at your leisure on the best that we have to offer. Then we will show you to sleeping rooms. You have earned it.”

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Chapter 13 The War Begins

Well rested, the next morning the expedition found another already at table. Meridian Courser smiled at them all and pointed out, “These flowering tops are lovely, a bit spicy but a fine flavor. This hay, I am sure that you have already found. The grass for it only grows here in the Selene Mountains, making it a wonderful exotic export. They have several different preparations of Maize, from this, almost a porridge, to these crisp chips. Mistress Moonstone informed me that Morail loves these with this sauce, which, I think must be an acquired taste!”

As they were falling to on the plentiful and tasty food, Morail was happily scooping up the meat sauce with her maize chips! She asked around a mouthful of crunching maize chips, “What has brought you here to the Spinel Drift, Meridian?”

He sipped an excellent and robustly brewed coffee for a moment before answering, “You folks, I am afraid, Adjutant Morail. You have done nothing wrong. Even if your weapons are a violation of my religious views, you have used them with care, precision and to good effect.

“Your surprise attack from the rear of the Zebra Confederation Army Unit brought them the majority of their casualties. It led to the capture of their orders and, most importantly, their maps. I am here to interrogate prisoners and verify through truth testing spells the veracity of the captured documents and maps. Especially the maps.”

With a sinking feeling, Daring Do inquired, “Maps?” She drew a deep breath before adding, “What do they show that is so important that you need to be here in person?”

He looked at her almost hopelessly, “Boundaries. The maps claim all of the Selene Mountains and nearly a quarter of the Eland Republic beyond them. If they are true, the Republic's Trirectory will recommend War with the Zebra Confederation. It has fallen to me to verify the maps.”

Daring Do took a shuddering breath and put a comforting wing over Meridian. “With your religious beliefs, that must be a hard thing to do indeed. I am sorry.”

He lifted his horns up proudly, “It is difficult, yes. Nevertheless, it is not hard. Both my religion and my nation's needs are aligned in this. By whatever means, Nils Downitall must be stopped. I do hope that the loss of innocent lives will be as small as possible. He is a monster in a Zebra skin.”

Morail nodded, “In this, for sure, the Council of Enclaves is in total agreement with your Trirectory. I know that it is hard for you to make such a declaration or even give the information that will lead to it. Not so with us. The Full Council of Enclaves has Declared War. Our first attack began four days ago. It should be bearing fruit this morning.”

Idly, Withers asked, “As a point of interest, may I inquire as to the nature of the attack?”

Nearly snorting chips and sauce out her nose, Morail laughed, “We sold them full charges of fuel, iron ore and limestone for all ten of the blast furnaces in the Degrate Iron and Steel production complex!”

“Um, that almost sounds like the reverse of an attack. I assume that there is some sort of nasty hook in there somewhere.”

Clearly enjoying herself, Morail nodded, ears up in delight! “It started with a Downitall attack on our Blast Furnace #2! They captured a diamond dog Blast Furnace operations manual! Fortunately, no lives on our side were lost, just some operational records and the manual.

“The coal that we sold them, from Ancient Trees Drift, was perfectly sized, coked and rinsed for the fastest and hottest possible fires!

“The limestone for flux came from Endless Caves Drift. It too was rinsed, but about half the normal size, just as the captured manual said was best!

“The ore cobbles from Ironstone Drift were a bit over twice normal size and rinsed, just like the captured manual and production records said was best!

“They initiated a massive war production run with all ten furnaces of the complex this morning. Nils Downitall even gave a stirring speech!”

Meridian was listening intently. “What in all of that constitutes an attack?”

Morail looked about the room with care. “Everybeing here has Amber's Clearance. Doctor Do, I apologize to you for not revealing my place in her staff as Personal Adjutant to Supreme Matriarch Amber but diplomatically the situation was delicate.

“The oversized iron ore cobbles were soaked for a whole day under pressure in water with a bit of soap to help the water penetrate deeply.

Withers suddenly sat up in shock! Ears up and spread, he looked up from a doodle of a blast furnace, showing the loading layers of coal, ore and limestone for flux. Each set repeated three times! “How hot do those furnaces get?”

“About 2,000 to 2,500 degrees C,” Morail replied, ears flickering in diamond dog type laughter!

Withers sat and looked at his sketch again. “How many tonnes of water are trapped in the ore cobbles of each furnace?”

Barking a little, Morail nodded, “You have got it! About twelve to fifteen tonnes of the ore load is water!”

She pulled her Magic Net mirror out and tapped codes. Matriarch Moonstone looked up from a chart, delight in every line of her body! “You did it, Morail! You saved shaft 73! We hit the pocket just where you said, this morning! We have already recovered twenty eight first rate emeralds! Our cutters are going to be really busy now!

“I see by the code group that you are calling on diplomatic business, but I just had to tell you! What can I do?”

“You know of the War against the Zebra Confederation.” That was a statement, not a question. “I wish to have the attack result, as Magic Net broadcast from Degrate, put to my mirror, if it has happened yet.”

That brought a different and more feral smile from Matriarch Moonstone! “It did quite well. Sadly, Nils himself simply gave his speech and left. He was not hurt when the Presidential Palace got hit by a two and a half tonne debris chunk! He was inside, though!

“Here, putting the whole thing on your mirror now. Set to record, this is priceless!”

They all crowded around the mirror to watch! The ten tall blast furnaces stood billowing out huge columns of smoke. One suddenly cracked! Incandescent material beginning to pour out was suddenly obscured by a huge blast of whitish vapor, lit from below by the raging coke fed fires at the base of the Blast Furnace! In less time than it takes to say it, the tall furnace was ripped to flying fragments! Some hit two nearby furnaces, the impact setting them off! No cracks had time to appear! The furnaces simply ripped themselves to shreds, setting off the remaining eight furnaces literally simultaneously! The force of the blast flattened everything near it! Buildings, heavy metal working equipment, anything at all, was reduced to mere rubble!

For nearly a half kilometer about the furnace complex there was nothing at all! Some concrete slabs remained but nothing was left standing on them. Further out, there were ruins, collapsed buildings and the few that had been strong concrete had huge holes in them where heavy objects had blasted through them!

Panning out to the city of Degrate, the image showed ruin and devastation almost everywhere. The Presidential Palace had a huge hole shattered through it, taking away most of one wing and caving in the ornate dome.

Even the harbor had been hit! Two heavy cruisers at anchor had severe damage but remained afloat. A dock was hit badly enough that it was hard to tell how many ships or boats had been there! The famous Degrate lighthouse had been hit a glancing blow but remained standing.

Withers nodded, “Even worse than I thought. Tonnes of superheated steam all letting go at once like that was amazing to see. And not a speck of magic used at all. How hard was it to provoke the Downitalls into attacking your furnace and 'capturing' the documents that set this up?”

Morail herself was a bit in shock at the sheer devastation as she mumbled, “Not hard at all. We knew that they were planning the raid so we just let them do it.”

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Chapter 15 It's Only Gold

Watching Morail happily scouting the old tunnel face, taking small samples with her pick and examining them in good light, cast by her mirror, was an education in itself. She marked out an area somewhat low on the wall and even including some of the floor of the old working. Inside the marked area, she made new marks.

Withers noted, “Those marks are not really a grid, are they?”

Morail nodded cheerfully, “Correct and wrong at the same time. I am taking advantage of some small faults and differing properties of the rock. The result will be a neat removal of the waste. Some of it will need sorting because there are some minerals of interest here.”

Conversation became difficult for a while, as Morail drove a rock drill with a heavy hammer. Under her skilled drilling, the holes at her marked points appeared far quicker than Daring Do expected, and she was used to having to work stone in the documenting and recovery of ancient sites.

Morail showed some of her samples to Matriarch Moonstone, whose face lit up in delight! “Chrome for our steel! Where is it, Morail?”

Morail, mane and ears standing up to accompany her smile pointed to a part of her hole layout and downward at an angle. “We will know better after this blast. I need six #4 cylindricals, five #2 cylindricals and four #7 cubes! We are going to need an ore recovery team and carts to clear this one!”

With the Matriarch on her mirror, Daring Do asked, “The carts, I understand. What is special about an ore recovery team?”

Morail patronizingly patted Daring Do on top of her pith helmet as she answered, “Most of the rubble will be dross for the tailings cart. Some of it will be valuable minerals. The recovery team is experienced in knowing the difference and separating them.”

Soon a team arrived pulling a stoutly built cart. They handed Morail a heavy box, even by Diamond Dog standards. She went to work with a will, pushing charges into holes, adding small devices and tamping the holes tight with a clay.

Dragging the box with her, she led the way back in the tunnel to a fairly big pocket in one side. She herded everybody into it.

Saying, “Cover your ears!” she began to wind the crank on a big cylindrical object with an open bell at the other. The warning siren's scream split the silence of the tunnels!

Morail let the siren wind down to silence and flipped over a timing glass. As the last of the fine sand in it ran out, she tapped a swift code on a mirror like device.

The thunder of the charges going off filled the air like a solid hammer blow!

The recovery team leaped forward, huge shovels clearing the way to the main rubble for the cart! As they pulled to a stop, they unfolded a stout sorting table next to it! Several of the team lined up alongside the table. The rest went back and scooped up the blast rubble that had been thrown from the work face, and piled it onto the sorting table.

The busy sorters were shunting most of the rubble into the cart. They sorted a surprising amount into boxes that were set aside and replaced!

One chortled, “Oh, the steel makers are going to love this, as soon as the refiners are done!”

Meridian asked, head tilted in curiosity, “What of the gold ore?”

One of the sorters pointed with his tail to a box. “It's there. Gold is nice and all, but the minerals to make up good quality steel for tools is what is really valuable! Good steel for mining tools is the foundation of any drift!”

The rubble cart was soon filled properly and hauled off. A fresh one had been brought and was put into place with almost no pause.

Daring Do was suddenly hit by what she had not seen! “Matriarch Moonstone? What happens to your mine tailings? Even smaller shafts make a lot of tailings.”

Moonstone chuckled at the question. “We sell them. We grade them for size and color. Surface dwelling builders buy them for construction material.”

Meridian snorted! With a giggle, he bleated, “You really don't waste anything, do you?”

The rubble from the blast, cleared from the work area by the recovery team, Morail was busy marking new places for drilling to set charges. While watching her wield her hammer, Daring Do remarked, “You know, the first Mage/Tech devices were invented by the Rom in Equestria. They were power assistance for Horses whose legs were injured or weakened by age. They were quiet enough not to interfere with their road songs. Since they just pushed out and pulled back, maybe you could see if they could help you with hammering tasks.”

She was surprised when Matriarch Moonstone pulled out her Magic Net mirror and tapped codes. “Tool Development shop? This is Moonstone. Look into Rom MT leg prostheses power units as possible hammering assistance. Thank you, Tool Development.”

Shortly Morail ordered, “Everydog back to the blast refuge, charges are set!”

As they all crowded into the alcove, the leader of the ore recovery team told Matriarch Moonstone, “What we have seen so far, might justify bringing in permanent rails for the carts. We should know after this blast.”

She nodded, “If the chrome is a seam and not simply a pocket, it would justify it. We will see what Morail asesses after this charge is fired.”

All conversation ended as Morail cranked the warning siren! That was followed quickly by the underground thunder of her explosives detonating!

The ore recovery team was first out, clearing the way to get their sorting station set up! Several, every line of their bodies showing their excitement, were working with pick and shovel to clear the work face for Morail to examine!

She eagerly swung a heavy pick! Broken bits of rock flying from her assault, to the hammering tune of an experienced miner, Morail was obviously in her element! Laying aside the pick, she jammed a stout prybar into the fractured but still in place stone. A fast, hard heave had a substantial block ripped loose. As fast as it was removed, Morail was head down in the hole that it came out of!

She leaped in delight! “It's a seam!”

Matriarch Moonstone was on her mirror that fast! Looking up with a grin, her heavy clublike tail wagging she exclaimed, “I just put out the call for a mining team! When they heard that there was chrome, we had so many volunteers you would not believe it! We have track layers coming in, too!”

Wrapping Morail in a hug, Matriarch Moonstone offered, “How do you want your mine share to be paid?”

Without hesitation, Morail replied, “Put half to Drift prosperity. A third should go to the miners, including cart teams, divided between best provisions and best tools, which will be given to them. The balance can go to my account in Matriarch Amber's care.”

Turning to Daring Do, Withers and Meridian, she pointed out, “Our part is done and we are overdue for lunch! Let's go back to the dining hall!”

Withers commented, “Sounds great, but what about the gold? Did you find it?”

Morail gestured negligently with a hoof, “It's there. See that area of purple stone a bit above and to the left of where they are working. That's the gold ore. We will get to it but, I mean, it's only gold. Mainly valuable for surface trade. Not important like chrome to alloy into our steel.”

They all walked away towards the dining hall.

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Chapter 16 Ruins

Matriarch Moonstone was as good as her word. The four found a veritable feast laid on for them! The famous Highland Harar Coffee was there in quantity, both hot and iced. There were several sorts of sweet breads, topped with the tan of caramel, the dark brown or light brown of fine chocolate. There were pull apart loaves of wheaten or rye breads and drawn butter to dip the pieces in.

There were a variety of vegetables and melons, as well as fine salads. One long dish proved to have a substantial baked fish on it.

Morail looked to Meridian with concern, “Will it bother you if I have this lovely pike?”

Meridian shook his horns. “That one? Not at all. That is pond raised and sold to Diamond Dogs, the Hyena packs, and Lion Prides. The Dik Dik Hills region is famous for raising them and several other kinds as well. The fish are raised as a crop and are a major contributor to the over all peace of the Republic.”

All happy smiles, Morail set about separating nice fillets and saucing them. As she was delightedly devouring everything but the bones, Daring Do looked up from her artichoke salad to point a hoof at Morail and pronounce. “Equis Sapiens Carnivora!”

They were all giggling but Morail who snorted! “You should not say things like that when I am eating! I nearly got fish sauce in my nose!”

They were just settling in to after dinner games. With a wicked grin, Daring Do produced a traveling Mah Jongg set and rule book!

Meridian perked up at first, exclaiming, “Mah Jongg! We love evening tournaments in . . .” He broke down, weeping, ears drooped. “I am sorry. For a moment I forgot that all of those that I played with were murdered.”

Daring Do started to recover the tiles and counters. Meridian's split hoof stopped her. Smiling around his pain, he explained, “Let us play. Doctor Do, will you take North Wind?”

Looking uncertainly to the others, Daring Do replied, “Of course, Meridian, if you are sure that you want to go on.”

“I am sure. Their evil bullets may have taken all else from me, but the Path of Chaos has left me this which is a good memory.”

The tiles shuffled, the group began building their walls.

The game was barely underway when Morail's Magic Net mirror chimed. Looking up with a diabolically innocent curl to her lips, she suggested, “We can return to the game in a bit. They have a tug taking the other damaged heavy cruiser out to their other naval yard at Sarese. It should be fun to watch, for us.”

The mirror showed the severely damaged ship being towed by one heavy tug and its stern being pushed and pulled by another to keep it following true behind the tow boat. Morail took the moment to enlarge the name plate at the stern for them all to read. “Capitain das Maria,” Daring Do read for them, “Captain of the Seas.”

Without incident, the big ship was maneuvered into the harbor channel. The mines took out the lead tug! She was slowly rolling, as frantic Zebras raced to the life boat! They got free just in time as the tug went under! While they were clambering to the safety of the jetty's big rocks, the untended Capitain das Maria, still pushed from behind, swung majestically to the side and smashed her bow into the jetty's stones!

Due to the angle of the wreck, her sheer mass was still trying to go forward, in spite of the bow pinned solidly to the rocks. The stern of the Capitain was forced to swing like a huge, multi tonne gate! As the ship's stern grated against the opposite jettey from the nose, she was solidly grounded across the channel, blocking it totally!

As Withers was complimenting, “That ought to take care of things for a few months . . .”

Morail pointed out, “We had DAYS to set this up! The good part is yet to come!”

Withers quietly nodded, “Diamond Dogs can swim and have diving gear.”

Morail was snorting quietly, “Correct. The tide is going out. That will really solidly seat the ends and put the maximum strain on the center area. Ought to provide some amusement in a few more minutes.”

While they watched, they could see the ship's center section settling some, though neither end could settle at all. Morail tapped some codes into her mirror.

The detonation, a few seconds later, blasted water and steel fragments out from under both sides of the ship! Slowly, almost majestically, great cracks began spreading up as the massive ship's own monster weight finished breaking her almost in two! She sat, blocking the channel and solidly sunk to the bottom!

Morail was about to close the mirror when she caught part of a Degrate Magic Net news broadcast! Nils Downitall had been minorly injured! A part of the surviving Presidential Palace had collapsed! He had bruises and a few cuts, not worse.

Deaming the Palace unsafe, he was taking a motorcade to the Presidential Summer Residence.

Their game paled compared to what they had just watched. They carefully put away the pieces and retired for the night.

The morning's breakfast included piles of wheaten waffles and a sweet syrup that Daring Do had never before encountered. There were multiple sorts of toast and a mass of scrambled eggs. Altogether a most satisfactory meal.

Matriarch Moonstone came into the dining hall as they were finishing up. All smiles, she led them several big tunnels over. Daring Do mounted the boarding ladder at the end of the big low sided heavy ore transport cart that squatted on the iron rails. Radiating delight, she called to the others, “They fixed it all! Our truck is as good as new!”

Withers retorted, “Amazing! It was second hand when we bought it!”

That brought a good natured chuckle from Meridian!

Matriarch Moonstone called, “Morail thinks that you will want to watch this before you go to the far south entrance! Nils Downitall is hard at work in his new office in the Summer Residence!”

Daring Do joined them with a leap and glide! As she alighted, she commented, “I have no idea what you are going to do, Morail, but I suspect that when it is done, Nils might begin to feel persecuted!”

Whistling the Funeral March for Kings, from the ancient Nil Eya civilization, some hundreds of kilometers to the east, along the Forgotten River, Morail set her mirror where they could all see.

The view showed the impressive Summer Residence, with its two story high portico all around it, set with cheap copies of Nil Eya pillars supporting the roof. The whole place was surrounded by a tall stone wall, set with spikes. The front gate was guarded by two heavy armored brush cars, their seventy millimeter cannon watching menacingly down the road!

Morail, with inate showmanship, let them all get a good look. While they were staring, she whispered, “Thanks for teaching me that particular tune, Doctor Do.”

Whistling again, she tapped codes into her mirror.

At first, nothing notable appeared to be happening. Withers spotted it first! “Look at the center of the roof!” It was dropping, slowly at first, and then suddenly the whole roof dropped down, dragging the walls in after it! Pillars toppled towards the wreck, striking the remains of still infalling walls and rebounding like concrete nine pins!

As they all watched the unfolding disaster at the Summer Residence, the ground fell away under the armored cars and the front gate, blocking the only way in or out!

It appeared that Nils Downitall had escaped the destruction by diving out a window! He was limping on a foreleg. Not all that many had got out. A good many troops had been camped on the lawns and were now heroically digging into the rubble for survivors!

Morail noted with an angelic smile, “All trace of our tunneling is gone too. Those sink holes might as well be natural in origin, except that they aren't! Shall we go to the far south entrance?”

At the far south entrance, expert Diamond Dogs lowered one side of the big ore transport and set ramps. With almost no problem at all, they off loaded the truck.

With the portal opened, they pushed the truck that last bit to the outside. Matriarch Moonstone pointed to several high points. “We have guards and weapons already in place, should you need them, Doctor Do. Be careful out there. There are some Discordians who are not of Meridian's sort.”

They had to work carefully, clearing brush and sometimes rocks from the truck's path. It was early afternoon when they rounded an outcrop. Morail heard Daring Do's sudden intake of breath! As she let it out, she muttered to herself, “EARLY Nil Eya! Perhaps completely before the River civilization!”

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Chapter 17 Discordians Found

Daring Do halted the truck and swung out of the cab, ordering, “Everyone, we go on foot now, until we can be sure that the truck won't damage anything! We all take mirrors with us to get images of everything, just as we find it. We do not move anything yet, not even brush to get a better image.

“We will work our way from the western end of the complex to the eastern end. We want a total documentation of the whole complex, exactly as we have found it.

“Just in case of either dangerous wildlife or Zebras who don't want this find to get out, take the weapons of your choice with you. Withers, you take that high stone formation, not only for a full site survey, also watch for any problems.”

Turning to Meridian, who was looking at the site in awe, she asked quietly, “We may have to defend this site against other Discordians. Will that give you any problems?”

He turned to her, his long nearly vertical horns casting a V shaped shadow as he replied, “The Path of Chaos has brought me here to see that this truth is revealed. What is needed, that I will do.”

She smiled, “I had hoped that would be your answer. Besides what is here, we need to scout the whole area to see what else we may find. It is likely that there is more to find here than this complex.

“Finding the quarries where they cut the stone for the colored pillar plinths and capitals, or the pillars and such blocks as we see is important too. The shops and living quarters of the workers and the fields that supported them, these are all, in the end, vital parts of the whole complex.”

Meridian looked about, eyes opened to new possibilities. “So, this wonderful collection of structures did not spring up from nothing. We seek the whole of the place, for highborn and lowborn alike.

“Such a place as this, by its very existence, tells us that such a social separation had to exist. Doctor Do, I salute you that you see such things as valuable.”

“Meridian, they are vital. However much the temples and palaces may dominate the world's view, it is those who did the work to build and feed all the priests and nobles who are the root of the whole civilization. We are here for those palaces and temples yes, but what we really want is the whole of the civilization, those who directed it all and those that supported them.”

Withers commented, as he was finishing the loading and checking out of his rifle, “Doctor Do is infamous for her persnickety documentation. She has effectively ended the 'Neat Artifact! Grab it and Run!' style of Antiquities study.

“The odd part is, that on rare occasions, she has done just that!”

Daring Do shrugged her wings as she replied, “If you are talking about the Pyramid of Keychops and legendary golden necklace of Pharow Underrock, there were some other things to be considered, like the gang of eleven tomb robbers trying to steal it and the other artifacts for the black market!

“I used the tomb's traps and other devices to cut them down to only two by the time that we got out! The Matradin government of the Zebra Confederation would not allow me to carry firearms, so it was a two to one sword fight to get away at all! I did go back and make proper documentation of the pyramid later.”

That brought a snicker from Morail, “OTHER DEVICES? Like what?”

Daring Do gave a sideways smile as she recounted, “Like leading them to a pit full of deadly vipers that I avoided on the way in. I have wings. They did not. I kicked away some shoring that was supporting my expedition's access tunnel through the sand under the pyramid. Dropped some roof and caved in the sides of the shaft on them.”

Morail grinned, “You should have been a Diamond Dog! Now, when we take a mirror image, we make sure to get one of these meter long black and white sticks in the image too, to get proper scale?”

“Correct. The black and white spaces are ten centimeters long, making scale work easier. Wherever you can, set the mirror into one of these tripods to make it totally stable while getting the image. We are going to live by these sticks and the smaller ones done every centimeter.”

They all disbursed to the starting points that Daring Do showed them. Withers started to climb up to his high perch. He quietly turned back before he got to his planned location.

Taking Daring Do aside, he reported, “We are not alone. There are some well beaten tracks and a substantial camp area just over the rise. There were some folks there, but I could not make out who they are due to the distance.”

She cast a sad look to the wonderful ruins that had waited so long for her to find them. With a sigh, she called, “We must stop for now. There are others near here. We must see how they feel about our work before going on. Leave your measure sticks and tripods where they are and let us go to see these other folks. The ones who live here.”

They picked their way past thorny brush and stones upthrust by time and frost. Their way became somewhat easier and in places the stones seemed to have been laid.

Daring Do pointed out a section of ancient pavement and chuckled, “Look! This is what is left of a road! Since the complex is back in that canyon area, this was likely an important supply road. It may have carried more than simply supplies. When we know more, it will be interesting to know the relationship of this road and the temple complex.”

Pulling a springy branch aside to allow the others to pass, Meridian inquired, “How sure are you that these ruins were temples?”

“Thank you, Meridian. At this stage, I am guessing but the capitals on the standing pillars are of a style that the Nil Eya civilization used for religious structures.”

As they toiled up the low pass, Daring Do explained, “We know a good deal about the Nil Eya religions from their temples. What we do not know is what the rulers of that civilization looked like or what kind of beings they were.

“After the Zebra slave revolt, every inscription that mentioned them was defaced, every wall painting or fresco showing them was chiseled away to bare stone, and every statue or carved relief was destroyed.

“We know that the guiding genius of the masters was there. After the slave revolt, the whole civilization collapsed fairly swiftly without their control. Many of the slave races were literate and left us pretty accurate descriptions of the collapse and the many regional wars that finished it.”

They topped the rise and saw before them the land open up into a wide plain surrounded by old granite mountains. The plain was rich in a fine mixture of taller and shorter grasses, smaller flowering plants, some broad leaf plants of several sorts. It was a clear mix of pure wild prairie.

Not far from them, was a group of low stone ring walls, about a meter or so tall and each of a unique shape. Each one had an opening facing a central area that was carefully irregular, as was the fundamental shape of each of the whole group. Two of them had roofs of some sort of thick fabric with poles that supported it and a combination of stakes and weights securing the fabric over the wall top. A wisp of smoke arose from an opening in the top of one of the structures.

Meridian nodded with pleasure as he saw the place. He stepped to the fore of the group and greeted a stately eland who came from the structure that had smoke rising from it.

“In the name of Discord, may the paths of Chaos guide you well.”

Bobbing his horned head, the other replied, “Be welcome in the name and wisdom of Discord. The path of Chaos has led you strangely, Meridian Courser. We shall be most interested to hear of it.”

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Chapter 18 In the Discordian Camp

Holding aside a hanging over the dooway to his abode, the eland invited them into his dwelling. Daring Do noticed that not only was the entrance upheld by unequal supports, the hanging was not centered either. The fire ring was only nearly round and carefully cemented in its uneven shape. With that observation, it became clear that their seating should be equally uneven. She unobtrusively assisted her group to a slightly disordered seating.

Seeing that, the eland said gently, “It is a pleasure to see such fine manners in one from realms that prize order. I am Honorly Homesort. You, I believe are the world famous antiquarian Doctor Daring Do.”

Smiling, she doffed her pith helmet and replied, “I do have that honor. Meridian Courser has made me aware that your peoples do watch and study the ways of Discord’s chaos. That must be a huge undertaking. How far into the past does your knowledge go?”

He chuckled as he bobbed his horns. “It is indeed a large undertaking. Why did you ask of our knowledge, rather than records? Is it because we live this austere life style or some other thing?”

Daring Do spread her wings a little as she bowed to him. “It is the other thing, as you say it. Without records of some sort, you cannot study the chaos of Discord to find what it has done and understand it. However, records can get lost in far too many ways. For those who study deeply, as you must, carefully trained memory can carry much knowledge that was in lost records. Thus, I ask how far into the past your knowledge goes.

“If that knowledge has become legend, it may still harbor truth within it, and thus must not be simply cast aside.

“What I seek is the truth, above all else. I have chosen to dedicate my life to finding the truth of what ponies and other civilized kinds have done in the past and making that forgotten truth known again.”

“That was well said, Miss Do. Why have you come here?”

With direct honesty, she replied, “I have two reasons for being here. Over the divide, in the other half of the canyon are ruins of an ancient folk. They were found by the Diamond Dogs of the Spinel Drift who want them surveyed and documented properly. Amber, Supreme Matriarch of the Diamond Dogs wants it done enough that she is financing much of our expedition and has loaned us the help of her personal adjutant, Morail Ruby Drift.

“The second reason is that Eris, Discord in her female form, personally requested that I investigate this very same area. In that, I am serving her chaos in some fashion. I hope that the two tasks are connected, but do not know that for certain.”

He shifted uncomfortably on his cushion, lips quirked in curiosity. “Did Lady Amber’s assistant come with you?”

Morail’s lips lifted in a smile as she held out her Diamond Dog ID. “I am here and appearances are deceiving. I am a Diamond Dog. Adopted, it is true, but a Diamond Dog nonetheless.”

Honorly nearly toppled from his cushion for the giggles that brought! “Dear Discord! What a lovely Path of Chaos has brought you here. We must have a record of your life to learn from! A Zebra who is a Diamond Dog must have a life marvelously twisted by the Claw of Discord!”

Morail nodded, “I shall be most happy to tell you of my life but for now, our purpose is to be sure that in recording the ruin just over the way we do not offend you or your your religious ways. Most or all of what we do will be quite orderly.”

Honorly regained his dignity as he replied, “That can in no way bother us or our bretheren. Of a necessity, beneath all of your order lies a basic Chaos created by the passage of ages. Any order that you follow or create will be based thereon and thus serve the Chaos of Discord. If it be practical, we would appreciate copies of your findings for our archives. Doctor Do has already contributed much, even to a previous direct service to Eris which occurred in X'ibia.”

Daring Do quietly vowed, “Honorly, it will be a pleasure to share our expedition’s direct finding notes and images as well as a copy of my report based on those notes.

“One thing does worry me, though. Even though the Blum Fauntin Farm and Granite Hills raids were blamed on Discordians, they were actually carried out by Zebras of the Confederation’s military. However, there ARE Discordians who do use violence. They have located places where Eris is doing her vital work and rush in to 'Spread Chaos.’ Those Discordians and you seem to be very different. Do you know of any like that hereabouts?”

Honorly drew a deep breath and let it out in a sigh, “I know of such. They are based in the Hidden Temple. All that I can tell you of them is that they are dangerously ignorant fools. We do see some of them occasionally, here at this end of the mountains. You must be most careful of them. They have even tried to do us harm on occasion.”

Looking downcast, Daring Do shook her monochrome grey locks as she replied, “I feared that there might be some in the area. We shall make a practice of being armed at all times, a thing that I hate but have had to do before.”

Honorly also looked downcast as he made the offer, “Your work must be vital to Discord as Eris or she would not have sent you to this remote place. Meridian must stay with you. He knows how to contact us quickly. Should you be beset, we will do our best to aid you.”

Daring Do flared her wings wide as she bowed to Honorly. “I know how hard that decision was for you to make, Sir. We can all hope that such a sacrifice will not be asked of you. While we are here, such aid as you may need, we will try to provide.”

He smiled with good humor as he replied, “Go then, and start getting us those notes on your work for our archive!”

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Chapter 19 Clues in the Ruins

Daring Do smiled at that and commented, “We shall indeed return to documenting those ruins. They have waited for possibly as much as two thousand years. It will not harm them to wait a few more minutes, I hope.

“I do believe that your assorted antelopes do share a liking for tea? We have brought a package of what is known in Equestria as Rom black tea. It is much favored in my homeland, if you would not mind taking the time to share a cup in friendship?”

Honorly smiled in delight! “Most unexpected and therefore most welcome! Together we shall share this moment of chaos and the friendship that it has brought!”

Daring Do proffered the package to him. He carefully opened it and sniffed the aroma of the contents. He used a measure to place some into a tea pot along with water from a jug. He placed the pot over the fire on a grille that, though carefully level, was uneven in the placement of its bars.

While the tea was heating, Honorly asked, “You stated that you have met Eris in person. What can you share of that?”

“Of that meeting, I can only say that she set me this task and sent me here. However, I have had occasion to speak with both she and Princess Luna over the Magic Net and that call confirmed that she once did marry a mortal and loves him to this day. Our call interrupted her while she was in Memorial Meditation. She was dressed in the royal robes of the ancient first dynasty of X'ibia. On the wall behind her was the original Weeping Dragon scroll eulogy to Im Farst, the first emperor of ancient X'ibia. Before the scroll, on a small table, were offerings of incense and tea. For nearly four thousand years, she has loved and mourned the loss of him.”

Honorly nodded gravely, his horns making arcs as he thought. At last he asked, “Pardon my ignorance, but what sort of being was this Im Farst?”

Daring Do smiled and replied, “Without the admission of ignorance, learning is impossible. Im Farst was a dromedary, as were most of the beings of ancient X'ibia. Eris was the famous Dragon Queen of X'ibia. In their written language, her name was Wisdom.”

“I see by your face, Doctor Do, that there is some small but amusing thing yet to learn.”

“Indeed. In the ancient language of X'ibia gender played no part except in names of persons. For a female’s name, it was indicated by a silent character called a shi. This character was added to a female name character by a strict rule. The Dragon Queen was no exception. However, adding a shi to her name had the coincidence of creating the character word Wisdom. Without the shi, her name character is the word for Chaos or Discord!”

Honorly’s face lit with delight! “That was most amusing and indeed shows that our Eris possessed and still does possess both a sense of humor and Wisdom! Thank you, Doctor Do.”

As they made their way back to the ruins, in the afternoon light, Meridian and Morail were chatting cheerfuly. Morail told him of the ending of Daring Do’s adventure in X'ibia!

He nearly stumbled, he laughed so hard! “A counterfeit Heart of Discord for the thieves and it got stolen from them by none other than Carmen Pondiego herself! How wonderful!”

Finally, back to the ruins, their work resumed. It was dull, but a first survey with proper scaled images was necessary as a foundation to all of the work that would come. The ruin was, fortunately, not too extensive. Their first rough imaged survey was done before afternoon tea of the next day.

The evening campfire lit the scene of Daring Do carefully sorting their many images while the others watched. They could easily see her excitement rising with each image bearing the marks of ancient carved characters.

“See this? This is Nil Eya Heiratiac writing that was later used only for day to day use! You can see some of the development of the Hieroglyphic writing for monumental works showing here! Even though this is not the exact root, this clearly predates any of the Nil Eya civilization!”

Morail gloated, “And being here, we have proof that it did not start down by the Forgotten River!”

Withers quietly wondered, “Who was it that did build this place and later, found the Nil Eya civilization? I found some badly weathered wall paintings. Some look like they might have had zebras in them.”

Daring Do advised, “Patience, my friend. We have not gone into any of these structures or carved rooms. Those will be better for preserving such things as wall paintings or frescoes. In the images that we have, I count twenty two different doorways of varying importance, based on whether they are large enough for processional events or other large gatherings.”

It was Meridian who pointed out, “I am most curious about those smaller dooways. They are too small for most zebras or many kinds of antelopes.”

Daring Do nodded, “Me too, Meridian. Those smaller doorways show up in some Nil Eya buildings too. We have no solid clue to why they are there at all.

“There is one other thing that bothers me a great deal. Several of these ordinary sized doorways show some signs of recent use.”

Morail added another stir to the developing stew by pointing out, “These are a whole lot like the ruins that I played in as a filly. They aren’t those, however. There are more of these complexes to find.”

She paused before adding, “We might want to break early for lunch tomorrow.” She grinned, “Nils Downitall is holding a big military parade down Central Way in Al Swana. Lots of tanks, self propelled guns and other such hardware. It could be interesting to watch!”

“We will make it a point to do that, Morail, but just now, I need to sort out all of these carved texts that we have found.”

The next morning Daring Do took care to examine the entrance to one of the smaller doorways that were such a mystery. While the others looked on, she nodded and carefully marked a paving stone just inside with a soft bag filled with chalk dust. She suddenly chuckled and marked two more stones just beyond the larger one! She wandered on into the chamber beyond it.

Her voice called out cheerfully, “Come on in, the Ruin is fine! Just hopscotch past the marked trap stones! We have something really interesting in here!”

As the others hopped past the old trap stones, Morail asked, “How likely are those old traps to still be working after all these ages?”

Daring Do answered, “That is something that we will assess later and with great care. Some old traps have simply been ruined by age and rot or corrosion. Some of them remain working with deadly efficiency. Until we know which is which, we treat them all as dangerous.”

The others were now looking at ancient wall paintings surrounding a moderately large altar with old but stout looking bronze shackles.

Sucking in his breath, Withers shuddered slightly as he said, “I think that we may have found them. If I am seeing this correctly, these are the ancient masters of the zebra slaves.”

Before Daring Do could speak, an arrogant voice from the entrance snapped in Zebra, “That is impossible! Only Zebras created the ancient civilization of Nil Eya! Nils Downitall has proclaimed it true!”

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Chapter 20 Parade Unrest

Daring Do turned to Morail, winked, and remarked, “You were just wondering about those traps? I know the perfect test!”

Turning to the entrance, she called out, “Why not simply come down here, Onder? You will see for yourself what an amazing part your ancestors played in both this place and the start of the Nil Eya civilization!”

The light from the small entrance tunnel was blocked by the entry of a bulky being. There was a nearly silent “SHING!” That was followed by a loud squall of pain!

Daring Do quietly stepped over to the tall narrow stone that covered the trap's reset mechanism. She pulled the reset lever and there followed a squelching noise as the deadly blades retracted to their hidden pockets in the wall.

Smiling grimly, she pronounced, “Those ancient ones did first rate work! All three of the traps that he tripped worked perfectly, even after somewhere around two thousand to two thousand five hundred years!”

Morail snorted, “Subtle of them to trip two traps but have nothing happen until the third releases them all at once! I think that I need to take your Tomb Traps and Other Dangers, 406, Doctor Do.”

Daring Do cheerfully replied, “It is certainly a help in situations like this one! In my whole career I have only seen that type of set up once before.”

Outside, they heard a spattering of irregular small arms fire interspersed with the heavier bark of their MT84. It was firing single shots, some short two round bursts and once three at a time!

Daring Do led them out through a short door that opened to become a taller door when she heaved on an ancient lever. It opened into a high and wide corridor that would have been comfortable for zebras or other large herbivors. Meridian and Morail were covering all of the passage that they could see with mirror images taken as swiftly but carefully as they could.

Withers in the lead, Daring Do following, both had their rifles at the ready and pistols free in their holsters as they advanced towards the light at the end of the tunnel!

Withers joked, “At least we know that the light at the end of this tunnel is not an oncoming train!”

Morail pointed out dryly, “Depending on who won that fire fight, we might prefer an oncoming train!”

They heard the start of an MT engine, followed by a single shot from their MT84! That was followed almost instantly by a violent explosion! They nearly lost their footing to the ground shock of the blast!

Withers crawled to where he could see out through the entrance. Giggling, he stood up and waived the rest forward! They beheld what seemed to be the bizarrest sight possible! There was Honorly, the Discordian, standing in the back of their truck, holding the aiming and firing handles of their MT84!

There were several other Discordians from his camp with him, all armed. They were calmly cleaning their weapons, accounting for the sound of small arms fire. Among them was one, who though clearly also a Discordian, was no sort of antelope or other grazer.

Daring Do paused and made a bow of respect to them all, saying, “May the path of Chaos bring to your lives unexpected joys.”

As Honorly dismounted from their truck, he exclaimed, “Doctor Do! We were bringing you this fine friend of ours from up north and west of here. His folk raise fish that sell popularly, especially to Diamond Dogs!

“Besides that Hrowl is one of our Masters of Ancient Lores. You may wish to speak to him of this place and others scattered about here in the Southern Selene Mountains.”

Hrowl made a bow to Daring Do and said in excellent but accented Eland, “This is a wondrous Path of Chaos that has brought us together, Doctor Do. I have read with great interest all of your expedition reports.

“For now though, I must report that there were no survivors of the Zebra Confederation's current expedition, but for one that we have not accounted for. This lot were led by one Onder Otterhoof, who we have not yet found.”

Morail snickered and replied, “I fear that his Path of Chaos was ended here by none other than your ancestors! Those traps that Doctor Do's skill allowed us to avoid worked perfectly on him!”

The Hyena nodded his muzzle and gave a fang bearing grin as he replied, “They did? After all of these ages, what our ancestors built still functions?”

“They not only worked, they worked perfectly! Doctor Do has reset them and secured a safety catch so removing Onder's carcass should not be too difficult.

“Now though, you might want to watch things happening over in the Zebra Confederation. Nils is presiding over a big military parade. You know, lots of troops, tanks, mobile artillery, and such like hardware.” Sarcastically she added, “I love watching parades!”

Withers, looking at the parade route shown in Morail's mirror noticed, “Hum, the big fountain in that park over to one side is not working. It was recently, there is still some water in its basin.”

Morail gave a snort as she commented, “Very observant, Withers!”

They all watched as the lead marching bands passed the big, bunting draped and flag flying reviewing stand. Row after row of uniformed marching Zebra troops stamped past in an impressive show of marching skill. The first of the heavy armor rolled past, in rows of two, big guns slightly elevated! Artillery and caissons followed by Armored Personnel Carriers followed. The Parade had only about half passed the Reviewing stand when it suddenly went horribly wrong!

The wide paved street collapsed under the weapons and armor, crashing down with a huge splash into a water filled hole that expanded sideways, dragging the reviewing stand over to topple into the developing disaster! Like rows of dominoes falling, the cave in proceeded swiftly in both directions up and down the road! Heavy vehicles and weapons helplessly sliding down into the now vast and rapidly propagating cleft, rapidly filling with water!

Now that they were exposed, broken mains and sewers could be seen pouring their floods of water and worse into the ghastly tangle of troops and equipment!

Heroic troops dove into the tangled mass of wreckage to pull their leader, Nils Downitall, from where he had been plunged into the outfall of a large broken sewer line! Visibly still alive, he was carried away on a stretcher!

Honorly giggled as he watched the whole debacle and commented, “I must remind my many brethren not to really piss off Diamond Dogs!”

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Chapter 14 How Diamond Dogs Fight

Brightening up, Morail snickered, “That attack went off perfectly! We are not just mining one seam, but I really can't tell you what is coming. I promise that I will show them to you on my mirror. They should be amusing!”

Withers nearly blew tea out his nose as he choked on his laughter! “I look forward to seeing them, Morail! I like your idea of amusing!”

Matriarch Moonstone joined them later. She was barking Diamond Dog laughter as she informed them, “I am taking the whole morning off! The whole drift is laughing so hard that nodog is getting anything worthwhile done!”

Her mood shifting to one of sorrow she added,“I wish that I had better news for you, Meridian. The Downitalls got wind of your report being a trigger for the Trirectory of the Republic to recommend war. They attacked your office and village. I have Magic Net images of the remains for you to see.”

Grim of face, ears flat back, he held out his small mirror and ordered, “Give me the images. They will be made a part of my report.” He stared at his mirror, allowing Morail, Daring Do and Withers to see the destroyed outpost that they had been through less than two days ago.

Withers harumphed, “They tried to make it look like another Discordian attack by painting slogans!” His expert hooves pointed out details, “There were at least two fully automatic weapons used. That track of hits is from a fifteen millimeter and this one is from a twenty five, possibly an MT81.”

Meridian turned his sad face, ears drooping, eyes filled with tears, to Withers and shuddered out, “My friend, I do trust you and believe what you have just said. May I have you write it out and subject it to truth testing?”

“For your report? Most certainly.” Withers took up a pen and swiftly and neatly wrote his opinion of the whole attack, after seeing all of the images. Attached to it were several of the images that he referenced in the opinion. Each point was circled and numbered to key to the written note.

The whole document showed the clear green of truth when the non equine magic test was applied.

Meridian's shoulders slumped as he sent the whole report by Magic Net. With sobs, he sniffled, “Those bodies in the images were my friends and family. I have done my duty, as needed by both my belief and my government. I have no place to return to. I was raised in these mountains, in that small village. What shall I do now?”

Morail returned his bleak stare. “Does your belief allow you to seek a revenge that does not involve killing, unless necessary to defend lives?”

“Yes, it does but how? What do you mean by revenge?”

Signaling Matriarch Moonstone to join them, Morail told them the whole truth of her past double life as Morail Blum Fauntin and as Morail Ruby Drift.

She wound it up by adding, “Matriarch Amber has given me detached duty with Doctor Do to see if those old ruins really are a source civilization for the Nil Eya civilization down along the banks of the Forgotten River. If it is, I will have helped to destroy the philosophical base of the Downitall Party, which bases their claim to Zebra Superiority on what we do know is the false claim that the Nil Eya civilization, architecture, art and writing systems were the invention of brilliant Zebras.

“They have been able to ignore the evidence that we have because there is no source, no root civilization known anywhere. The civilization along the banks of the Forgotten River has no root but Zebra lands all around it. We stand to smash that by this find, if we are lucky.”

Smiling and holding out a hoof, she offered, “Join us and see if we can't bring down Downitall!”

Nodding slowly, Meridian agreed, “It appears that the path of Chaos, which, when seen rightly, is always true, favors this. This expedition is founded on finding and proving what is true. I rejoice that this might end an evil but remain heartsore for my friends and family, murdered needlessly.”

Morail, quiet for a moment, face twisted with grief, replied, “That, Meridian, I understand and feel perfectly.”

Matriarch Moonstone offered, “You all need to stay here for another day, Doctor Do. Your truck repair is coming along nicely but won't be ready until about noon tomorrow.

“Morail, we have a fascinating problem that we would like you to look at. Knowing that the big fault that you found is there, we have been searching old drift records for anything that might have been missed at the time. We have turned up several interesting possibilities! Would you like to take a look?”

Morail's ears popped up! “Sounds like fun! Do you have the drift maps and records?”

A smile accompanied, “I thought that you might be wanting them!” She pulled a small folio out of a pouch. Along with it was a large folded paper.

Morail's eyes lighted up and she smoothed out the paper on a table! Taking the folio, she began to leaf through it expertly, eyes flickering from book to paper! Her lips curled up like a Diamond Dog about to bite as her ears belied the fierce face! She popped a hoof down on the sheet of marks that were unintelligible to the rest of the party!

“Here! I would bet that it is only a little way into this face!”

Matriarch Moonstone looked on in delight! “This is your find, Morail! Want to plant the charges?”

“I thought that you would never ask! YES!”

Withers was looking at the strange nest of marks on the paper and shaking his head. “Never saw a map like that before! How can you read it?”

Morail looked at him for a moment before asking, “How many cardinal directions are there?”

“That is a trick question, I guess. According to my compass there are four, North, South, East and West.”

Morail nodded, “A common mistake. We are underground. There is also Up and Down. This map shows you that, if you know how to read it. It also has designations for many features and the like. Very few surface folk can read one of these.”

Turning to Matriarch Moonstone, Morail asked politely, “This is just a gold ore seam, can my friends come to see the work?”

Matriarch Moonstone giggled, “Sure. We can all use a laugh!”

As they were all following Morail, the Matriarch's Magic Net mirror chimed for attention. Taking one look, she stopped them all!

“Morail, set your mirror to record! They are taking the heavy cruiser Kaisar das Maria into the main dry dock! This should be good!”

They all watched the slow progress of the blast furnace blast damaged ship as it was hitched to donkey engines and inched into the huge floating dock. It was about half way into the massive and essential repair facility when an underwater explosion rocked the ship! Water blasted out from under it on both sides! The impact of the detonation tore the lock doors of the dry dock from their hinges!

The huge ship was obviously taking on water! She was settling visibly as they watched! Worse for the shipyard, the portside of the huge working dry dock was sinking too! Close examination showed a huge two or three meter rip in the steel inside plate of the dock that was letting water swirl in!

The sinking vessel hit the now steeply slanted bottom of the dry dock and slowly rolled onto her side! Her mass added to the already sinking portside float of the enormous dock and finished dragging it to the harbor bottom! Now that the Kiasar Das Maria was on her side, the ghastly buckled and shattered hole in her bottom could be plainly seen!

Morail was chortling happily! “Did not expect that one so soon! Marvelous!” To Wither's inquiring look, she explained, “Diamond Dogs can dig really fast in dirt. Like right into the Degrate Naval Yard. We can swim too. We even have diving gear for flooded shafts.”

Withers looked at the image again and commented, “Shaped charges too. And hydrostatic shock finished the job. Very nicely done!”

They were surprised when Meridian complimented, “Well done indeed. Massive damage, a whole Capital ship lost and very few actually hurt or killed due to your care in designing the attack. For a war strike, very well done indeed.

“May we now go to see if you strike a different sort of gold?”

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