“Report,” ordered Garrus as he burst into the high-security wing of the Mordin Solus Memorial hospital. The drell doctor who was standing nearest looked up, and her eyes widened- -if the already massive dark eyes of a drell could even be considered to grow wider.

“Councilor,” she said, surprised by his sudden presence. “I was not aware that I could be expecting you. This really is something that C-Sec- -”

“An alien ship just crashed into my Citadel,” snapped Garrus. “We have casualties on three decks. I am damn-well making this my concern.”

The drell seemed taken aback, but nodded. She led Garrus deeper into the secure wing.

“We did recover a survivor,” said the doctor. “We think.”

“You think?”

The drell looked at Garrus. “My experience in xenobiology is extensive, but I’ve never seen anything like this.”

They reached the inner door of the facility, and the drell put her hand against a biometric scanner. Her omnitool activated, linking her to the locking mechanism. There was a click from within, and the door separated.

The sound of running hooves approached Garrus from behind. He turned to see Rarity and her hanar guard approaching quickly. The mercenary was simply floating lazily, as hanar was apt to do, but Rarity had been running and was winded.

“Councilor Garrus!” she gasped, trying to catch her breath. “I simply must- -demand that you- -oh my, oh no- -I’M SWEATING!”

“Madame Ambassador,” said the hanar, offering her a tentacle. “Are you in need of assistance?”

Rarity swatted the tentacle away. “I’m fine. It’s just…you all have such long legs…” She shook her head. “But I simply must insist that you stop this at once! You have no idea what you are dealing with!”

“Frankly, ambassador, this is out of your jurisdiction.”

“What? How dare you- -”

“I’m sorry. I really am- -but the way I see it, this can go two ways. And one of them is that we were just attacked.”

“That is what I am saying! You can’t just- -”

“This is a negative pressure lab,” said the drell. “You’re letting the air in.”

“I’m going in,” said Garrus, stepping past the door. “You can stay out here if you- -”

“I will certainly not!” said Rarity, holding her head high as she walked past the threshold with her hanar in tow. “If you are going to be an absolute moron, I am certainly going to be there when you make a fool of yourself!”

She continued to walk haughtily beside Garrus, but he largely ignored her. He instead directed his attention to the drell, who led him to a bed where a number of doctors and machines were linked to its occupant.

“What the hell?” whispered Garrus when he saw what was lying there, and he immediately understood why they had quickly moved it into a restricted part of the hospital.

It was essentially a pony, except that instead of being made of flesh covered in thin, soft-looking fur, it was made of solid crystal. It did not seem to be a coating either- -the crystal was translucent, and there appeared to be almost no clear organs within it.

“We’ve attempted surgery,” said the drell. “But we had nothing that could cut through the exoskeleton. As far as we can tell, at least part of it is some kind of artificial coating- -but we can’t tell where the suit ends and the occupant begins.”

“You mean there’s something alive under there?”

“That’s the thing. By all accounts, no. There is no pulse, no respiration, nothing of the sort. At the same time…”

“What?”

“We are detecting brain waves, and a powerful signature characteristic of biotic energy, despite the fact that it does not even contain trace amounts of element zero.”

“Is that even possible?”

“Yes. Apparently.”

Garrsus looked down at the crystalline pony. It looked inert, but the doctors and researchers surrounding it did were not treating it that way. They approached it nervously, attaching and electrodes and medical systems that were not designed for a creature with such a biology in a desperate attempt to determine what exactly it was that they were looking at.

“A body made out of crystal…that explains how it survived the impact.”

Rarity appeared beside Garrus’s knee. “Sweet Celestia,” she said, looking at the creature. “I never thought I would see one with my own eyes.”

“One what?” Garrus looked down at her. “You know what this is?”

Rarity nodded solemnly. “This is a crystal pony.”

“I already know that.”

“No. You don’t understand. It’s not actually a pony. Not really. At least…we don’t think they are.”

“Where is it from?”

“They are from the Crystal Galaxy, the domain of the Dark Goddess Cadence. We have been at war with them for millennia…or had been. We’re currently in an armistice. But the fact that one is here does not bode well. They are not like us. They are brutal, destructive killers.” Rarity looked up at Garrus, her eyes steely and serious. “You NEED to eliminate it immediately. Before it wakes up.”

“You can’t be serious- -”

“Oh, I am.”

“It just survived an impact with the Citadel at several thousand kilometers per hour,” noted the drell doctor. “I don’t think we have a means to kill it.”

“You were actually considering it?” snapped Garrus. “What about the Hippocratic Oath, doctor?”

The drell blinked. “I’m not a human, Councilor.”

“I was being sarcastic. I know what a human looks like. But that doesn’t matter. We’re not going to kill the pony.”

“It’s not a pony,” said Rarity. “It’s living crystal.”

“I don’t care if it’s made of Ryncol and brandy! Half of my friends are ‘brutal, destructive killers’. Besides.” Garrus entered the white, cordoned-off area around the bed. “I have to know what happened.

“You can’t go in there,” said the drell doctor. “And besides, everything we’ve tried has failed to bring it out of unconsciousness- -the state may be permanent.”

Garrus ignored her. He walked up to the crystal pony, and paused for just a moment. Then he slapped it’s crystal face as hard as he could. “Wake the hell up, dammit!”

The crystal pony suddenly lurched, rising suddenly. Its relatively featureless face blinked to life as an internal light scanned the room.

“Holy crap!” cried Garrus, accidentally using a human interjection and backing away quickly. “I didn’t actually think that would work!”

The doctors immediately descended upon the pony, attempting to hold it back as it tried to stand and escape. It threw them off easily, sending one unfortunately small salarian flying.

“Viel- -vok tanar!” it cried, its voice almost mechanical and musical at the same time.

“Calm down!” boomed Garrus. “Just calm down!”

The pony suddenly paused, the roving light on its faceplate focusing on Garrus. “Equestrian- -you speak Equestrian,” it said with a heavy accent.

“You can talk,” said Garrus, both relieved and oddly disturbed.

“Of course I can talk, even if it is in this hideous language of heathen,” snapped the crystal pony. “Are you Equestrian? Where am I?”

“I’m not Equestrian,” explained Garrus, slowly. “You’re on the Citadel- - this is Council space.”

“This name is not recognized. I do not understand. Unless…unless it worked.”

“Unless what worked, exactly?”

Before the crystal pony could answer, Rarity stepped into the light beside Garrus, transfixed by the appearance of the crystal pony. The crystal pony, however, did not share her enthusiasm.

“Equestrian traitor!” it cried, raising one of its hooves. The crystal morphed, shifting where there were no apparent moving parts into some kind of device. Garrus did not know exactly what the crystal pony was doing, but his instincts took over.

He jumped sideways, shielding Rarity with his body as the particle beam went off. His shield ignited and shattered, drained on the first hit. Despite this, he did not hesitate. He took Rarity in his arms and used her as leverage to turn around, drawing a concealed pistol from beneath his Councilor’s robes. He fired three proton rounds in rapid succession into the crystal pony’s hoof, and it screamed as its right foreleg shattered into tiny crystal shards.

Rarity’s hanar mercenary was almost as quick. With the crystal pony disabled, he crossed the room with unexpected speed and wrapped his tentacles around the crystal pony.

“Aren’tok! RELEASE ME!” cried the crystal pony, struggling futilely against the hanar’s surprisingly strong grip.”

“This one recommends that the bizarre and horribly rude quadruped CALM DOWN,” said the hanar. With his one free tentacle, he reached for one of his guns- -and Garrus felt his breath catch when the hanar picked the M-920 and press it against the crystal pony’s chest. “This one has fired zero rounds, and had one round in the chamber- -as the M-920 Cain only holds one- -but asks the bizarre pony: are you feeling fortunate? Huh, nerdowell?”

“STOP!” yelled Garrus. “Don’t even THINK about using that indoors! Everybody just calm down!”

The hanar did not respond, but he likewise did not fire. Of course, with his position behind the crystal pony, the weapon was also pointed at his own body. Garrus doubted that he would fire- -but he knew better than to assume anything when it came to hanar or really anyone who quoted Blasto movies while holding one of the most ridiculously devastating and pointless heavy weapons available on the civilian market.

The crystal pony also seemed to calm down, if only because of the pain of having lost a leg and because he was trapped by the hanar’s surprisingly strong grip. The room fell silent.

Garrus looked down at Rarity, who was cradled in one arm against his chest. She was staring up at him with her enormous blue eyes. “Are you unhurt, ambassador?”

“Oh my,” she whispered, and Garrus felt her forelegs lightly close around him. “I should say not…”

Garrus put her down and approached the restrained crystal pony. “Are you calm enough to talk?”

“I have no words for the allies of Equestrian scum! Not after what they have done!”

“I’m not sure if it’s clear or not, but look around you.” Garrus gestured to the room. “Do we look like ponies?”

“No, but SHE IS. And I intend to kill her.” He looked at Rarity. “And every one of the traitors I can get my hooves around.”

“Well, then,” said Garrus. “We have nothing to talk about. Si’y, was it? Go ahead.”

“Really?” said the hanar. Garrus had never heard one sound so incredulous- -or frighteningly gleeful. The doctors and nurses had only watched, even when Garrus made his threat- -but upon hearing the hanar’s reaction, they sprinted away as quickly as their respective legs could carry them.

“Your insignificant weapon will have no effect against my armor- -”

“I’ve seen what one of those can do. Trust me, it makes effect. A whole LOT of effect.”

“It fires with the force of a small atomic warhead,” noted Si’y- -making Garrus even more doubtful of his sanity by the fact that he actually seemed to be fully aware of what he was doing. “If several proton rounds can have such a substantial impact on your leg, this will, well…”

“Destroy the entire hospital and most of the city block?” said the drell doctor, who was now crouched and peeking from behind a nearby utensil cart.

“You wouldn’t.”

“No. This one SHOULDN’T. But will. It would not be the first time that this one has fired this weapon at a pony.”

Then, to Garrus’s horror, the hanar actually started to squeeze the trigger. The crystal pony seemed to notice this, though, and cried out. “WAIT! STOP!” The crystal around his body morphed again, this time dividing and retracting, pushing away the hanar’s tentacles from the center of his body. The external armor cracked open, pulling apart, and a small pony tumbled out onto the floor.

Garrus blinked. Although the creature that had emerged was still obviously made of solid crystal, he was far smaller than his exoskeleton had made him look. At the same time, he also looked much more pony-like, complete with a tiny- -and adorably angry- -face and large eyes.

“You’re just a little colt!” cried Rarity.

“Don’t laugh!” snapped the colt, stamping his feet. “I am a Class IV Tactical Commander in the Crystal Empire Defensive Fleet! At least I’m not an old HAG!”

Rarity gasped deeply. “How dare you!” She rushed toward the crystal pony, but Garrus held her back.

“I do not know how you can stomach to touch that filth, alien,” said the colt. “I would sooner delve into box of waste cuttings than even LOOK at such an abomination.”

“I will end you!” cried Rarity, struggling uselessly against Garrus’s grip. Garrus expected ponies to be somewhat stronger than they were; Rarity’s body was surprisingly soft and non-muscular. Most concerningly, though, her horn was glowing, indicating that she was preparing a biotic attack.

“Ambassador!” cried Garrus. “This is certainly improper behavior, don’t you think!”

Rarity squeaked and stopped struggling immediately. “You’re- -you’re RIGHT!” She walked over to the corner of the room dejectedly. “I’m…I’m UNCOUTH!”

“Being couth is overrated,” said the Hanar, lowering his weapon and releasing his grip on the crystal armor- -but still keeping his other tentacles close to his shotgun and assault rifle, in case the crystal pony attempted to return to it.

“Now,” said Garrus. “Can you tell us what is going on here? Do you have any idea how much damage you caused?”

“It is not my fault,” said the crystal pony. “My ship was already badly damaged, and you opened fire on me and destroyed my braking system. I had lost most of my stabilizers and was forced to bail. It is part of my standard training.”

“Damaged? What were you damaged by?”

The colt glared at Rarity. “Why don’t you ask HER?”

Garrus turned to Rarity. She looked dumbfounded. “I- -I have no idea what he is talking about!”

“Don’t lie, unicorn filth! Equestria has violated the ceasefire agreement! Your side has ended the armistice!”

That seemed to draw Rarity out of her partial uncouthness stupor. “We most certainly did not! I will not tolerate these wild accusations!”

“Stop!” said Garrus. “Crystal pony- -”

“Wing. My name is Jade Wing.”

Garrus blinked. “Are you female?”

“What did you just say?”

“N…never mind. Your ship took some punishment, whatever attacked you must have had some serious firepower.” That, of course, did not removed the Equestrian navy from suspicion- -if anything, they were cast in greater doubt; their firepower was, in fact, more likely to have damaged Wing’s ship than anything else. “You said you were attacked.”

Wing nodded. “I was on a deep-space recon mission. I was field-testing a new system to utilize the recently discovered relay network architecture. The mission was supposed to be simple: I would take the relay to an alien system, perform some basic maneuvers, and survey some planets. But then I was attacked by an Equestrian vessel.”

“Lies!” cried Rarity.

“I was there!” snapped Wing. “It came out of nowhere! My remote units were destroyed, and I barely managed to get away. It read positive for a Core signature- -and the only known civilization that uses Core ponies is Equestria!”

“Cores are not ponies!” snapped Rarity. “And this is absurd! Councilor, you cannot seriously believe this little- -”

“I’m not making any judgements yet,” said Garrus, putting his hand to his forehead. He was beginning to develop a headache.

“It is worse than that,” said Wing. “We placed survey units in the upper atmospheres of the planets in the region. Indications are that shortly after the Equestrian vessel destroyed the relay node, it immediately set course toward the Crystal Galaxy. They are attacking us.”

“Wait- -a mass relay was destroyed?” Garrus groaned. “What is it with you ponies and destroying our mass relays?! You do realize we don’t have the technology to rebuild them, right?”

“Blame her,” said Wing, pointing. He looked up at Garrus. “I am afraid that an alien instillation was lost in the attack as well.”

“Wait. What installation?”

“I do not know its name. But scans showed beings on it that looked like you.”

“Damn it.” Garrus turned to Rarity, but did not say anything. If the Equestrians were responsible, things had just gotten a whole lot worse- -and within the first hour of negotiations. He decided not to confront her, though. Not yet. “And you came here?”

“I approached the largest node of the architecture. I prayed to the Goddess that I might find aid there. And I have. I know I have been somewhat insulting, but please, if I might speak to your leader…”

“Even this one knows that is cliché,” suggested the hanar.

“I’m already here,” said Garrus.

The crystal pony blinked. “What?”

“I’m the turian Councilor. You can’t get much higher than me.” That, of course, was a lie- -but it was true enough for this situation.

“Oh. Well, that makes this easier. I have come to request your aid. Or, rather, the aid of your people. Please. We share a mutual enemy in this threat, and after witnessing its might, I fear we may not be prepared to defeat it alone. We request your aid in the oncoming battle.”

The room once again fell silent. Garrus could not think of anything to say. Of all the ways this could have gone, it went like this. The one outcome Garrus could never have expected, and what turned out to be the worst possible.

“Crap…” he said. “Just…crap…”

By the time Garrus had finished his report, Councilor Kalejen had blanched at least five shades to pale, dull brown.

“You…you realize the implications of this, don’t you?” she said, her voice barely steady.

“It means nothing,” said Falere. “We are not obligated to do anything that this crystal-pony asks us for.”

“It’s not that simple,” sighed Garrus. “According to him, he has royal authority to request assistance on behalf of his government. An request from him has the full weight of a request from their queen.”

“Princess,” corrected Rarity, who was standing beside the Council podiums. “A ruling monarch is called a Princess.”

“It doesn’t matter what we call her,” said Kalejen. She turned to Garrus. “Why did you have to engage with it?!”

“Me? Don’t try to pin this on- -”

“If you hadn’t talked to it, we wouldn’t have this problem!”

“That doesn’t even make sense!”

“You should have killed it when you had the chance,” said Rarity, darkly.

“What- -you’ve got to be kidding. It’s a child!”

“It is a walking weapon. It may look like a real colt, but it isn’t. It’s the enemy. And now look what it’s done…”

“I will suggest that we grant its request,” said Falere. She was the only one that appeared to be remaining calm.

“I admire your compassion in this regard,” said Rarity, dismissively, “but you simply can’t be serious.”

“I most certainly am, Ms. Rarity.”

Kalejen put her elbows on her podium and put her head into her hands, taking a long sigh. “Don’t be an idiot. Do you even know what you’re saying?”

“We can’t turn him away.”

“You have to,” said Rarity. “Equestria may currently be at peace with the Crystal Empire, but they ARE our enemy. From a diplomatic standpoint, providing material support to our rival would be…well, improper. Besides, you can’t seriously believe that his request is real.”

“Why would he be lying?” asked Garrus.

“Isn’t it obvious? This is no doubt a plan to disrupt the diplomatic deliberations- -it is simply too great of a coincidence that he ‘crashed’ into your Citadel moments after I arrived. Imagine this, if you will.” Rarity stepped forward, toward the Councilors. “Say you believe him. Being generous and kind and foolish, you send a fleet to the Crystal Galaxy- -and your primitive spacecraft are blown out of the sky. The Crystal Empire claims that I was sent here to convince you into a third-party attack, and the war starts again with them taking the moral high ground.”

“I don’t think morality has anything to do with it,” said Falere. “In war, nobody can take the moral high ground.”

“The various factions in Equestria will not see it that way. Civil strife may result. And the war…” Rarity trailed off. “We have barely had peace for ten years. I am old enough to remember the war. I lost a lot of friends to it. We all did. Things were said, and done…terrible things.” She looked up at them. “And I won’t let you start it again.”

“Is that a threat?” asked Garrus.

“I wish it did not have to be. I truly hoped- -and still hope- -that we can be friends. But if you aid the Crystal Empire…I’m afraid that will be taken off the table.”

“But then there’s the catch,” said Kalejen, her voice accelerating as she hyperventilated. “If we deny this Crystal Empire aid, we make THEM our enemy.”

“Technically,” noted Falere, “we were already doing that by allying ourselves with Equestria.”

“We can offer you protection,” said Rarity.

“No,” said Falere. “You can offer an occupation.”

“Your technology is simply not advanced enough to defend yourselves,” said Rarity, defensively. “Your society has only the most minimal concept of magic. I am offering help.”

“We don’t want it.”

“That may be true, but you need it.”

“Maybe not,” said Garrus.

“Garrus?” said Falere.

“I think we should send them help.”

“You clearly are either a fool or a poor listener,” said Kalejen. “Oh wait, you’re a turian. Nevermind. We JUST WENT OVER THIS. We can’t do that!”

“That wasn’t very professional,” said Rarity. “You should apologize for that.”

“I’m used to it,” said Garrus. “And I was listening. It’s not like we can afford to send a fleet anyway- -but what if we just sent one ship?”

“You mean a fact-finding mission,” said Falere. “To determine if the crystal-pony’s story is true?”

“Exactly. To see if there really is a threat- -and what exactly they expect us to do about it.” He looked down at Rarity. “And you’re already here. We can pull you into the negotiations to maintain our neutrality.”

“I don’t know how possible that will be,” said Rarity. “Even one ship- -”

“What can one ship hurt? It doesn’t even have to be Council. We can hire a contractor.”

“And deny responsibility if it is…eliminated,” suggested Kalejen, suddenly becoming excited. “That…that might actually work.”

“It’s still not a good idea,” said Rarity. “The crystal ponies are xenophobic and aggressive. They will not take kindly to an alien approaching them, even in just one ship.”

“What if it wasn’t an alien?” said Garrus.

Rarity looked confused. “What are you implying?”

“I’m implying that I think I know somebody that could help.”