++Astropathic Choir Intercept ZY007, Kyne's Fury 3.717.873.M39++

++Message to Inquisitor Tas Rovini++

++ Transcript Appended++

Thought for the Day: Ruthlessness is the kindness of the wise.

My Lord,

The xenos is beginning to regain some of her nerve. It appears that the earlier phenomena were at least in part a reaction to psychic imprints left on her home planet. She grows somewhat more relaxed the farther we go from it. She has also demonstrated a greater level of courage when in realspace, despite the fact that she doesn't consciously sense the difference (or at least doesn't tell me if she does). If not for the current streak of bad luck (another Ork attack, a pirate raid) afflicting the Imperial planets with which we have attempted to rendezvous, I would have given her a prolonged interrogation in the Materium. Now that we are some distance from Equis III, it is my hope that she might prove up to recalling useful intelligence within the comforting confines of natural reality.

Our work with her world's cultural objects seems to back up my theories on the origin of the xenos species. They used primitive tools such as hammers, saws, forks, and other such things with little to no modification, in spite of the manifest unsuitability of these objects to their fingerless bodies. Much of "their" culture appears to have been directly appropriated from a backwards human society. When questioned about this, the xenos seemed more interested than offended. She commented that the idea sounded fascinating, and that she wished to participate in these studies. For the first time, she requested to be let out of her cell. I denied the request, of course, but she does not seem to have given up. It is in this context that the below interview should be taken.

++Interrogation the Fifty Eighth++

Setting: Cell 59XBA. Cell remains brightly lit. Xenos is batting game pieces around on the table absentmindedly.

Kylara: *enters cell*

Twilight Sparkle: *looks up, bored tone* Hey there Ky. What's up?

K: *friendly smile* Hi Twilight. Oh, nothing too much is new. How are you?

TS: Fine… Fine… *waves hoof in the air* Don't worry about me, I'm just peachy in here! *forced-looking smile*

K: *concerned look* You're not feeling well, are you?

TS: *wince* Too much?

K: You're not very good at subtlety.

TS: Maybe I need to work on that.

K: *smiles* Perhaps. Now tell me, what's wrong?

TS: It's just… *looks around nervously* All this… *waves hoof around cell* is great and all. But I'm just… I'm just… *sighs* getting tired of this place. I've been in here for one month, one week, five days, fourteen hours Equestrian time. I know it's to help me, but why can't I go out? I can help you. I'd like to meet your scientists, talk with them about their theories. Who knows, maybe our species did meet before. Maybe we did borrow stuff from you. I'd like to get out and do something again.

K: *long pause* Really?

TS: *nods, enthusiastic expression* Yeah! I can learn about you and teach you more about us! And we can go out and see other planets and catalogue what we find and everything! [I have understandably been reluctant to let her know what my actual profession is. She has been led to believe that we are more of a group of explorers and scientists.]

K: Very well. *walks up to cell door, inputs code*

TS: *claps hooves in anticipatory manner*

*door opens*

K: *gestures into hallway* Go on.

TS: *walks to doorway, looks out into darkness* NO! NO PLEASE! *flies to opposite end of the cell, cowers* Please, make it stop! They'll get you! They'll get me! HAVE MERCY! *sobbing* [Just as anticipated.]

K: *smiles, exits room* Coming? *beckons*

TS: *incoherent screaming*

K: *seals door*

++Interrogation Ends++

++Thoughts++

My Lord, this is becoming unacceptable. The xenos is increasingly asserting her own wishes into my attempts at interrogation. I may have dissuaded her from leaving her cell at this juncture, but my instincts tell me it will not be long before she simply requests more light out there, and then freedom. Her mind is too sharp to be fooled by any obvious lies about inadequate ability to light up the corridors. If I give in to this, she will start asking for more and more. Thus far I have declined to reveal official Imperial policy on xenos, due to the strong sense of betrayal and moral outrage this would cause in the xenos. If that were to happen, all my work at "befriending" her would almost certainly be for naught, and I would be forced to start from scratch with a much more hostile subject. On the other hand, a refusal to allow her out might also cause her to lose faith in me, similarly making my efforts in vain. Now that she believes me her friend, she is expecting certain things from me.

Of course, I will admit that I was the one who fostered this idea in the first place by my attempts to use more gentle persuasive techniques. I now question my own methodology in this case. Have I inadvertently spoiled the xenos so much that she will refuse to talk until she gets what she want? In such case, I may be forced to break her the old fashioned way. Gaining the information on the menace to our Imperium is too important to leave to the whims of a pony seemingly out of some children's animation. Still, you have given orders to preserve her if at all possible. Beyond that, there remains the risk of destroying her mind in the process and making interrogation of any kind utterly untenable. Despite all our efforts to acquire one, we have no backup specimen to speak to. If this xenos dies, any chance of learning about the dire threat you have spoken of dies with her.

Therefore, Lord Rovini, I must seek your guidance. Do I have your permission to go to more forcible methods if she does not crack soon?

Your servant,

Interrogator Kylara

++Message Ends++