The Imperial Dream and Impediments
Empress Celestia softly opened her eyes, her dream being interrupted as she heard a choir sing. A choir that song something that she could identify as human music. She thought that she banned those sounds, but this seemed different. Her surroundings were similar…It was in the country that the humans know as Greece, and mostly colonized by her little ponies. It was a temple of some sorts, and the choir got louder as she got closer.
She noticed what appeared to be three human women in robes of various colors who were singing. What made her sink was the sight of Cadence? Shining Armor? They were singing along with the choir? She could also see ponies, and they were wearing the robes of that Order whose secrets she appropriated, the same Order who built the ship that brought them here. The same Order whose science allowed them to escape the death of Old Equus. The same Order she thought to have seized the title of Grand Master.
The three women began to sing.
Chasing your tail
You’re DOOMED to fail
The alicorn took this with indignity, the Earth will be hers, it will belong to Ponykind. It will belong to them. This planet will become New Equus! And no one will deny her that! Not the human gods! Not the Fates! Not even the traitors! Can they not see what she is trying to do for them!? Can they not see what is being sacrificed for them?
To have a world free of predators! Free of dark magic users! Free of violence! Free of every problem!
Now it was Cadence’s turn to sing.
Just like your nephew prior
Tears were shed. She cursed herself for not being there for Prince Blueblood. She watched the footage of his Warbird over and over. As his fighter spiraled out of control, his final tear-stained words haunted her to this day.
“HELP ME AUNTIE CELESTIA!” Were his final words, followed by an explosion. A PMC fighter delivered the killing blow, ensuring that his craft would forever be made into pieces. The combat happened in the Himalayas. So much for occupying the area and poisoning the waters with the serum to ponify those who got their water from the mountains.
That operation was a massive failure.
Now the women sang.
Vermin under my heel
A mere disgrace
Now everyone sang.
Contractors versus Equestria
Who will rule supreme?
Now a red dragon wearing a foustanella with two curved swords on his waste walked in, along with a Chinese tigress, a Hellhound, and other beasts of human mythology.
Cry and neigh as leave my mark on time and space.
Keen to get on our way, but this is the end
Allow us to dig your grave
No one will stop us
From hunting you down
Now she was looking at Equestria in flames as several former Equestrian Sky Fleet vessels, modified by human hands rained destruction all over the country. Shells of various calibers flew, exploding violently. Missiles and anti-aircraft guns fired, mowing down Warbirds and Pegasi. Plumes of smoke arose everywhere as the human and traitor-controlled airships continued to move.
Everyone sang loudly.
SHELLS AWAY!
Now it was the dragon’s turn, and his curved blades out.
Here I stand as the final shield to your victory
[Take down the strong dragon!]
Now they were in the throne room. She blocked the curved blades, sparks coming out as both were trying to break the lock they had on each other.
There was a flash of white.
It all felt familiar.
The bridge of the Wings. They were orbiting the Earth.
The blades danced in all directions as she blocked them with her horn. She could see the blue world, a world that wanted for her ponies, a world that is rightfully theirs. A world free of the evils from back home.
No more rules in this deadly duel
Now your tale can’t end without me!
No running from this hunt
I’ll GUT you, useless mare
True to the words, she felt a pain as one curved blade went into her insides. She screamed in pain and rage as the blade was pulled out. All she could do was collapse, a pool of blood forming as she struggled to cling on to life.
Everyone sang.
Chasing your tail
You’re DOOMED to fail
Now the dragon sang as he sheathed his swords, looking at the dying alicorn.
Always having your ponies at your command
But where do you stand without your herd?
Nobody to save you from my attack
[Don’t hold back!]
It ended, the dream ended. She was not dead. She was not in a pool of her own blood waiting for the end to arrive. No, she was alive and in her bedroom in Canterlot Castle. She looked outside the window, Sol was rising on this part of the Earth.
The only thing about here was that here, she did not have to raise the sun, and Luna did not have to raise the moon. This world was perfect, it was, but the only impediments were the humans and their nations that refused to convert. But sooner or later, they will.
But the thorn on her side were the PMCs that the human governments hired. PMCs…Private Military Companies.
A nice way of saying mercenaries.
It was an irony because once Equestria was settled in the Earth, the Changelings broke the truce that would give them autonomy and a seat in the Federation High Council. The only ones who ended the rebellion where the PMCs that she hired. And now many of them were fighting against her.
She knew which ones were major thorns on her side, and could name them all.
Hellhound Company
Tiger Solutions
Phoenix Military Contracting
Cerberus Group
Iron Musketeers PMC
Dragon Tactical
There were others, but these were the major ones. The human nations and their exiled communities relied on them to do their dirty work. No doubt that there were also traitors in their ranks who assisted them. Especially the remnants of that Order. Only they could have provided them with the technology and the means to fight them. She understood why their had modified her Sky Fleet’s ships to their standards.
But she had all the cards on the table.
The humans will never find the Palladium Wings. It was her ace in the hole. The colony ship can become a weapon once it's under control. She first hand experienced its destructive power when they entered an asteroid field back when they cruised through the Cloud. Its defense systems were aggressive, anything that dared get too close would be destroyed by swarms of tendrils that would not stop until nothing remained.
She remembered that the plasma engines could be used as weapons in case problems arose in the surface. All it would take was to position the ship in low orbit and bring punishment to the surface. But as she was warned, such usage could damage or even destroy the engines. There was still some hope that they will return to Old Equus.
Our stay isn’t meant to be permanent, Princess. We are guests on their world.
She could only scoff at that sentiment. Return home? How long has it been since they left Old Equus? They had a home now here, Earth. Soon it shall be New Equus, once the Human Problem has been dealt with.
Many of them were converted, those who were, a new term was given to them; Newfoals. While she deemed it a success, many of her ponies did not like what was happening. Such a move was not received well by the humans who did everything possible to hinder then. Could they not see that this was for their own good? Could they not see that she offered them salvation? Salvation from greed, their violent tendencies, from their path of self-destruction?
Could they not see that what she offered was nothing but a way out? Could they not understand that this is all for their own good?
But in her dream…The bridge of the Palladium Wings…Merely a dream? Or a sign of things yet to come?
Somewhere over the Adriatic Sea
A lone Princess Luna-class Frigate that was modified to human standards gently cruised the skies of this part of Europe. A little more to the south and they would be entering Equestrian-occupied Greece, which covered most of the Peninsula. The Greek Government escaped to Crete where they hold the line against Equestrian incursions that were trying to access the Mediterranean Sea. Something that could not happen at all, the Mediterranean could not be lost to the Federation’s forces at all, if not, all of Southern Europe would feel the tip of the Equestrian sword on their throat.
This lone ship belonged to the Dragon Tactical PMC, which was Greek in origin but had all people from the Balkans composing its crew and fighting forces. Many have lost relatives or lost it all when the Conversion Bureau opened, and then Celestia ordered the Rain of Steel so many years ago which was a declaration of war against humanity as a whole. In its modified state, it gave the Equestrian Sky Fleet nightmares as many of its vessels were shot down or raided.
Chimera was its name, and it had the Greek mythological beast on its bow, ready to attack. Its cannons pointed ahead at all times, along with the various anti-air guns though they could be moved to engage enemies at all sides. The flags of the Balkan nations and the PMC it belonged to flapped against the wind, letting friendlies and hostiles know who they were and their intentions were.
And to not mess with them.
In the bridge, loud rock and roll music played loudly from the jukebox as only four were present.
“ An old woman shouted, calling someone in accented Greek. “”
The captain’s chair turned around, revealing a Greek man of 5’9’’ of black hair and green eyes. He wore nothing but combat clothing, heavy-duty boots, and a baseball cap with his crew’s logo.
This is Nikolaos Anastasio Drakonakos, the commander of Dragon Tactical and the one who inherited the PMC from his father after he was killed during a conflict long before the Rain of Steel. He was also one of Equestria’s most wanted human as he was part of the war machine that raged against Equestria’s imperialist goals.
He even got infamy as he appeared on a playing card deck along with his bounty information. 500,000 Bits to the pony who managed to slay him. Ponification was out of the question for he had something that made him immune to it. Something that most human militaries and PMCs had to prevent ponification-It was the standard if you wanted to join the fight against Equestria and her followers.
While he looked like a normal human, he and the rest of his crew had small mutations on their spinal cords. They were what Celestia feared, she called them the Untouchables as the Ponification serum had no effect on them.
The Vaccine…
An injectable serum composed of Equestrian DNA. Taking the Vaccine was the one thing that could prevent Ponification. Sadly, the effects were not reversible and were permanent, but it would be worth it as they were fighting a long war against her forces. This is why Celestia wanted them dead, if humanity can perfect and mass-produce the Vaccine, then the war will turn to humanity’s favor.
In truth, the war has always turned to humanity’s favor. What Celestia failed to realize that this was a natural state. She may have declared war against humanity, but she was in for a surprise. And she’s going to realize that wars can be expensive. How long before her treasury is empty? How long before she decides to raise taxes to finance Equestria’s expansion and her mad goal of world domination?
“” The old woman called again.
“” The Greek man said as he looked at the Equestrian unicorn mare who clad in a white and gold suit of some sorts along with strange runic tattoos on her face. “Steamer! Turn it off! Dzeneta’s complaining!”
“Mwreh mwreh mwreh.” The unicorn mare, Gear Steamer simply lit up her horn and threw her wrench to the jukebox.
“HEY!” Nikolaos did not like that the jukebox was silenced that way. “Gear! That jukebox was hard to find, and tonight is smooth jazz night.”
“Relax,” The regal-looking mare chuckled. “I’ll have it fixed before nightfall.”
“” The old Bosniak woman said. “”
“” Gear Steamer began, and in fluent Greek. “”
“Commander!” A woman from the communications station called. “We are receiving a message from the U.S. Atlantic Remnant.”
“The Atlantic Remnant?” Nikolaos raised a brow. “Doesn’t Hellhound deal with them?”
“Well you might want to read it, Commander.” The communications officer said.
Nikolaos walked to the communications station. He took the paper, then scanned through it. “Shit…”
“What’s the matter?” Gear Steamer asked.
“The Panama Canal is under attack.” Nikolaos tried to remain calm.
“If Celestia takes over the Panama Canal, all supplies going through both oceans will be blocked. She can literally strangle several economies if she controls it.” Dzeneta said. “Now I understand why they want us there.”
“Gear.” Nikolaos looked at the unicorn mare.
“On it.” Gear’s horn lit up, followed by a flash of gold and blue.
Nikolaos opened the PA system.
“Attention all hands! We are heading to Panama and at full speed! The U.S. Atlantic Remnant needs us to help them to ensure that Celestia does not put her filthy hooves on the Canal. The Canal cannot fall or she will slowly strangle the world into submission, and that means that our supplies will take longer to arrive. It’s time to prove to her again that this world, our planet is not hers to conquer and do whatever she wants! We are the shields to her final victory!”
Everyone in the ship cheered, now they were going to see action after a break.
“And we will not rest until we shoot her star out of the sky!”
Author's Note
The first chapter of the reborn Palladium Wings. I don't know what else to say.
I will say that this story will be updated randomly. If anyone wants to discuss this story or pitch ideas, ask for my discord.
Lyrics adapted from here: https://youtu.be/v3AbzNHnIWQ
If you like what you see, send me a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/kitsune633
The floating crystal screens gave Empress Celestia a look at what was going on at the contested battle site of the Panama Canal, an area that she wanted to control-Once the Canal is under Equestrian control, she could choke supplies coming and out, and Central America will become ponified, adding more land to the Federation. Perhaps she can have the new lands as her personal property and use the Newfoal labor to increase her personal coffers. There were so many ideas coursing through her head. Ideas of what she could do next with the new lands that will become settled.
But, the human problem still remains-Especially the Atlantic Remnants that were giving it their all to ensure that the Canal does not fall to her. They were a mere nuisance, who are they compared to her? She who commands a vastly superior nation? And these humans, they reject her salvation? She is not only saving them from themselves, she is making them better. Their struggle is futile, in her mind, the human gods abandoned them, and yet they still fight as if they were promised an afterlife of rewards.
Somehow, time felt like it has stopped. What was happening? What was going on? She felt that she was in a black void, but she was neither falling nor anything.
“Ah, there you are.” A familiar voice said. “It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it Celestia?”
“Discord?” The alicorn Empress asked. “Show yourself! Reveal yourself. I am not in the mood for games.”
“Is this how you greet someone after millennia?” Discord made himself known, not as a draconequus, but as a human or trying to pass off as human. His sclera was yellow, and his pupils were red, which was a dead giveaway. He wore a brown and red business suit with blue gloves. His hair was a silvery gray, a sign of aging. In his hands, he carried a very ornate cane.
“And you take a human form?” Celestia felt nothing but disgust. “How dare you mock me, you appearing as a human.”
“Ah yes, how could I have forgotten, you currently have such a venomous hatred for humanity as a whole.” Discord smirked a bit. “I knew that I coming in this form would get a rise out of you.”
“What is it that you want?” Celestia asked.
“I just wanted to pay you a visit after all these years. I see that the colonization project has gone well. But tell me, was it necessary to leave the Large Magellanic Cloud to the Milky Way?” Discord asked. “And was it necessary to come to Earth? What for?”
“That reason is for me and me alone.” Celestia said coldly. “I don’t know what you are thinking Discord. You left us when we needed you the most and-”
“I left you?” Discord suppressed a snarl. “Says the one who sent the Elements to their deaths, your final gambit to prevent the fall of Equus. Tell me Celestia, was it worth it? Sending your student and of course, poor Fluttershy to their deaths? Victory was assured yes, but I did not expect it that you were desperate. The invasion of our own world was horrible and devastating. It left scars on the world and there was no way to restore it, even with my magic.”
“I did not send Fluttershy to her death. She knew her role and what to be done.” Celestia said, her voice hiding a sinister truth.
“You’re lying.” Discord said as he raised his cane in a threatening motion, as much as he wanted to strike her, he could not. “You’re lying to me, and to yourself. You know well of what you did. You took Fluttershy from me, you took Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie from their families, from their friends, from everything. All because you wanted victory, victory at ANY COST.”
“And allow the invaders to take over and enslave us? You saw the horrors that they did! You saw what they did to everyone. They were not going to stop, they were going to either enslave us or kill us for nourishment. Something had to be done! I had no choice!”
“No choice? How did you explain it to Princess Cadance and Shining Armor? That you sent your star pupil, a sister, a sister-in-law to her death? Please, spare me the lies because you know well what you did. You know so well what you did that you lie to yourself.”
“Sacrifices had to be made.” Celestia said. “And they knew well of what had to be done.”
“And tell me, did you really expect that only Ponykind would be allowed to leave Equus while you gave the Griffons and everyone else a ruined world? Without you and your sister, the planet would be forever locked in one place. Was it also planned that you leave them to burn or freeze to death?”
Celestia raised a brow. “The Palladium Wings were a secret, I ensured that it became a state secret. If all of Equus found out, the post-invasion peace would have been shattered and everyone would have struggled to become master of the colony ship.”
“And yet, you were so blind when the Order betrayed you. The Steamers had no love for you. They hated you, so they built colony ships for the others. You thought you were so smart, and yet, the Steamers were five trots ahead. All that just to spite you! You really are a villain Celestia.”
“Villain!? I have done only what must be done to ensure the safety of my ponies.” Celestia countered. “How dare you say I am black-hearted.”
“Ahh, taking the title of Empress sounds black-hearted to me.” Discord argued. “Putting your sister and adopted niece beneath you. You came to this world to seize it from their rightful masters.”
“Masters? The humans? They are nothing but dangerous. They have ruined this planet, all they have done is bring war and chaos to it. I am actually saving it from them. I am saving the humans from themselves too.”
“Let me tell you something Celestia,” Discord snapped his fingers, a table appearing along with a tea set. He poured cups for the two, adding the proper amounts of sugar for him and her. “What you want, what your entitlement issues desire. You think that you are doing something good. You claim to be saving them from chaos? It is natural to them. Chaos is a natural part of the human experience. It is something that you will never understand.”
“I understand enough.” Celestia refused to touch the tea provided by Discord. “I have seen their history, I have seen the worst that they have done to themselves.”
“And yet, you are the one who is doing the same to them. What is the justification for coming after them? That they need to become soulless ponies that praise you no matter what? That the only way to enter Equestria is to surrender their humanity? That this planet should be yours and not theirs?”
“That will be enough of from you, Discord. Now leave and never come back.” Celestia said with venom in her voice.
“I will leave,” Discord finished his tea. “As much as I wanted to have a nice conversation. As much as I wanted to strike you with my cane…That would be something that my Employers would dislike. It would be a breach of my employment contract.”
“You? Employed? By whom?” Celestia wanted to know.
“I can only say that they are powerful interests far beyond your ability and reach.” Discord grinned as he got up. “Interests that wish that humanity wins and that you are defeated at any cost. They do not like what you are doing. They do not like that you just go anywhere and do as you wish without any regard to the outcomes of your actions.”
Celestia made an expression of confusion.
“Coming to this world to invade and colonize it for your little ponies? A master plan. I get why-No predators, no dark magic users, an entire planet for them, for you. You did not want to start from the beginning. No, you knew that Earth existed all this time. You had options back at the Cloud. There were many worlds suitable for colonization. It would have taken generations to bring a new planet up to your standards but, you wanted a planet that is already developed and subjugated for you. All you need to do is wipe out the humans, the rightful masters of this world via Ponification or this war that you launched.”
Celestia started to tremble from anger. “Silence!”
“But what you didn’t expect was that so many ponies would defect to them, and amongst those ponies were members of the Order that you declared yourself Grand Master, when the true Grand Master is Gear Steamer. You did not also expect that humanity would fight back, you thought if you could cause the Rain of Steel-When you deliberately made their satellites crash all over the Earth. You manipulated their sun with your magic, you caused the Rain and you took pleasure in the destruction you caused. You planned this since the beginning, you planned this when the Wings arrived on Earth. You hid your intentions so well that not even Luna or Cadance found out about it until it was too late.”
“Silence!” Celestia ordered. “Silence!”
“You thought that the Rain would fragment humanity, poised for the kill. If willful Ponification could not do it, years of trying to convince them that the only way to immigrate to Equestria is through that. But you forget a little something years back-You hired human mercenaries to solve your Changeling problem. So these mercenaries were exempt? Why? Oh, they had specialized skills that your ponies lack. But it didn’t matter, none of your speeches about friendship and harmony mattered. You just wanted to remove them because they are unfit to live in this world, THEIR world. This world is not yours to conquer Celestia. No matter what you do or try, they will fight until their last dying breath.”
“We will see about that.” Celestia said with confidence. “Once I am fully attuned to their sun, it will be mine to control. The same with their moon once Luna has control of it. Once the ritual is complete, we will-”
“So overconfident in your magical rituals, that’s where you are wrong.” Discord kept his smile. “You may notice that the Earth lacks the powerful magic veins that were found on Equus. The ritual to enslave Helios and Cynthia to you and your sister will be an expensive venture. Have you noticed that when you caused the Rain, hundreds of unicorns died, they just dropped and had no life signs?”
Celestia remained quiet. She always wondered why that happened.
“You see Celestia, what happened was that you used a spell from the Old Magic. Yes, the Old Magic. I was there when it was written. You see, nature does not like it when you try to bend or twist it to your will. What you wanted had a price and you paid for it. When you use the Old Magic, the first rule of it is that everything has a price. The Old Magic works via transactions, you cannot have something for nothing. You must pay to be granted that amount of power. So you wish to enslave Helios and Cynthia to your wills? That will accrue a debt you and your sister will never pay in full.”
“You are lying.” Celestia wanted to cast a spell to be done with this. “You are lying!”
“I was there when it was written, it was a long time ago. Now? I see you are so willing to have victory at any cost that you want Helios and Cynthia enslaved to you and Luna? The same desperation that made you send the Elements to their deaths. You got your victory. Now? I am afraid to tell you that this time, you will not have it.”
“I find it funny that you are against me. I was hoping that you could join me. Flutter-”
“Don’t you dare utter her name or use her memory against me.” Discord slowly became incensed by the choice of words. “The wounds in my heart have not fully healed, but if you dare open them…I promise you that I will make your life, as the humans say a living Hell. My contract has made it clear that I am to only operate by certain restrictions. Torturing you until you beg for the release of Death? It will be so worth it.”
“And what have your Employers offered you? If you join me, I can bring her back.” Celestia’s voice oozed honey.
“You and I know well that Death does not like it when someone tries to trample on its domain.” Discord hissed. He then calmed himself. “When I left Equus, I did some wandering across time and space. I did dabble in necromancy and other magics that are far beyond your abilities, only things you can see in your dreams and fantasies. I tried it myself, I tried to bring her back, but she is gone to me. She is gone, even if I could make her a body of flesh and bone, or a body of clay, or even a body of steel, even if the rituals were successful, it was only temporary. She is gone, I cannot bring her back…Neither can you Celestia.”
“You doubt my abilities, Discord.” Celestia tried to sound convincing. “If you help me in conquering this world then I can-”
“Good luck with that Palpatine.” Discord said dryly. “It may have worked with Skywalker, but it won’t work with me.” He materialized a pocket watch, looking at it. “Well, it seems that this is all the time I have to spare. I wish I could stay but I am needed elsewhere.”
With that said, everything returned to normal.
“Sister. Sister!” Luna barged in.
“Luna? What is it?” Celestia asked in worry.
“Prepare…” Luna said coldly, her voice repeating words that were implanted in her mind. “For unanticipated repercussions.”
