I had never tried attending a concert after a mission before. Most of the contracts I had gotten were in remote wastelands or war torn cities. Hiro put on a show that was as beautiful as ever. Even more wonderful was actually getting to see and hear him perform in person, though on the heels of fighting for my life it seemed unreal. The civility and the luxury of attending a concert struck me as false. Maybe that was Rolf’s emergency reserve vodka. Maybe that was the head injury.

Hiro put together a list of sad songs. He told me that they were generally songs of longing and loss. It seemed to really affect the crowd. I know that as I listened I felt calmer, but there was more to it. For the first time, while listening to his music, I felt affected by the mood. Hiro was technically very talented though I confess I heard him make a few mistakes. He was out of practice. I knew these songs, having listened to recordings of his concerts before hiring the guy to keep me alive, but I actually felt them for once. He had entitled the concert ‘The Death of Innocence’. I suspect he was referring both to himself and to the locals.

I spent the evening in a haze of concussion, booze, melancholy, and fading adrenaline. Many of the finely dressed ponies in attendance either asked who I was in relation to the performer or asked me to pass on their praise for Hiro's skill. I did my best to be polite, but thinking was too difficult to play the crowd like I should have been. I wandered back to the castle in a daze, traded some of the spending money I had been given to the head of the kitchen staff for a fine bottle of sake, and drank myself to sleep.

---

"Why is your virtuoso a scout?"

I was dreaming. I could tell that much. I had been dreaming for a while. I answered. "He wishes to honor his family."

"Is music not an honorable trade?" Princess Luna was the one asking the questions. Had been for a while.

"The oldest child is expected to defend the family name. His brother was killed in the clan wars. He gave up his music to honor his parents and brother."

Princess Luna nodded sadly. "Are you angry at them for taking him from that life? Or are you angry at the world for the strife that drives such fates?"

"What? I'm not angry."

"I think you are, Commander Black. I know anger when I see it."

---

When I woke up I could recall little of the night long exchange with the goddess of the night. I could specifically remember my fear when I realized she could feel my anger. I wasn't sure what I was angry at.

I did know three things. Luna was a frightening god, I had a headache, and I wanted words with my prisoner of war. If I was angry at anyone, it was definitely him.

---

The dungeons of Canterlot Castle were amazingly true to every fantasy trid I had ever watched. It took a few minutes of clever wordplay with Princess Celestia, but Shining Armor led me down the carved stone steps by torchlight. "Feel free to ask him questions. Princess Celestia seems to think you can figure out something that we can't." He paused and looked me in the eyes. "Don't hurt him."

"You have my word, Captain." Not that I was going to let anyone hear, anyway.

He glared in response, and continued.

The cell was a few hallways away, iron bars set into stonework. The prince was the only pony in the cells, except for one at the end in a palace guard uniform, snoring. I nodded curiously to the end and Shining Armor sighed. "Not your concern, Commander, " he answered with less anger and more resignation.

"Of course.” Drunk on duty, probably. Wouldn’t upset my plan. “I imagine I will be done within the hour."

"You had better be." I nodded, and took a moment to calm myself and get into character.

The prince looked up at the sound of talking, half curious, half angry. Shining Armor nodded at me and walked away without ever meeting the prisoner’s look. "The failed titan," he spat as he saw my face.

I grimaced. "If you can't be civil, your majesty, we will have to stop treating you civilly."

"You kill my ponies and want me to be civil?!" He yelled the last word as he slammed his front hooves into the bars.

I startled, probably as he had expected, and I let my hand fly to my sidearm. "And you expect me to stand there after you lie to my fucking face?!" I screamed the last part of that with pent up rage as I gripped my pistol. We both stood silent for a moment, his expression flipping between defiance and fear. When I realized that I was holding my sidearm and seriously considering using it, I took a step back and willed myself to calm down.

I had let my anger show for a moment. As much as the audacity of this supposed royal made me see red, I needed him alive. I made a show of calming myself down and letting go of my gun, opening my hands and taking a deep breath. The prince glanced very briefly at my gun, then up at me. He was taken back long enough for me to continue. I made a show of looking around the empty corridor, and then just sat down on the cold stone floor. I lowered my voice so that it wouldn’t echo down the corridor. "Look, we got off on the wrong foot. We need you, Prince..."

He took a moment before answering, either missing or ignoring the implied request for a name. "You need me for information, titan,” he replied cooly.

"We have to get out of here," I corrected with a bit of panic, "your majesty. These ponies don't have access to the magic that brought us here, and you are the only link we have to those that do. It's all well and good that you want a war with another kingdom, but we are under contract with an employer who will get very angry if we do not show up." When he glared at me and opened his mouth, I cut him off. “And I don’t mean Celestia and Luna.”

He stared at me, then straightened up. "I am Prince Proud Stride. You have assaulted and injured me along with killing a hoof - chosen unit of my best ponies. I do not see why I should do anything you ask."

I kept my voice low. "Your highness, if you can get us home, we will not be on the defense of Canterlot when your army attacks. I will have no choice but but to deploy if we are still here."

The prince looked thoughtful, speaking mostly to himself. "I will need to negotiate with the leader of the Earth." That sounded like an important name to pass along.

"There's not enough time to get you out of here and us there before the battle, much less get the spell prepared," I argued.

He nodded thoughtfully. "That may be true." He was horrifyingly terrible at this. That meant they were days out, not weeks.

"Look, your majesty, if we just roll up to the Everfree Forest, will they send us back? I suppose that would look bad, four metal titans striding up to your infantry army."

He shook his head. "The titans would defend the army against you, even if our best unicorns could not. But the priest would never hear it without me to negotiate."

"Is there anything we can do to get out of this before the day comes? Look, just get me away from these idiots, I don't care how.”

Prince Proud Stride shook his head, then sat in silence for a moment. "Deliver a message containing the number of units in the Equestrian Royal Guard to the edge of the forest in two days, abandon the defense, and I will make certain that you are sent home."

I bowed and stood up. "Thank you your highness." I turned and marched away.

---

Shining Armor unlocked the door to the dungeon when I knocked. "That was quick. No screaming," he commented.

"His name is Proud Stride. The attack is in three days at the least, a week on the outside. He called the cult ‘The Earth’. Infantry, casters, and more than one titan, and the titans are already there," I reported. Shining Armor looked at me with surprise. "Torture doesn't work. Everyone knows that, Captain."

He looked at me with appropriate suspicion. “How do you know he’s telling the truth?”

I grinned as we walked away. “Because he thinks we’re defecting.”

---

I had to admit, the four of us looked sharp in our suits. Rarity did good work. There were unexpected but good looking personal touches on each suit with ties that represented our call signs. Hiro had a stylized throwing star, Rolf a bear and Dan the silhouette of a spectre. Mine had the greek letter Omega. We all had opal and marble tie pins and cufflinks with the company logo, four black go pieces surrounding another. The suits themselves were almost flamboyantly baggy, but the effect was striking. Even Hiro looked intimidating.

Rarity was dancing around us with a tape measure and pins, checking for some imagined imperfection. When she finally found none, she put her supplies down on her workbench. "Well, how do they look?" She asked, with equal parts nerves and pride.

Dan spoke up first. "I haven't been very respectful of your skills, but you are one hell of a tailor."

Rolf nodded. Hiro admired the suit.

I was stunned. "This is ten thousand cbill work apiece easily, miss Rarity."

"I don't intend to show off mediocre work at the gala." She moved quickly over to a closet with several dresses hanging in it. "Now if you gentlecolts will excuse me, I need to prepare the girls for the evening."

"Alright, back to your rooms Atari. Don't wreck your suit."

---

We actually held drills with our battlemechs for the soldiers of Canterlot that day. The captain I had worked with before, Silver Spear, was happy to work with us again, and he kept good control over his troops. We worked for a while, marching next to the ponies, scaring them with weapons fire, generally trying to get them used to the concept of us being around. We needed a few weeks of this. It was too bad we had days.

I noticed the elements of harmony watching about an hour into our exercises, which wouldn’t have been a surprise except for when Rainbow Dash dived into the fray and began showing off around us. She was doing a pretty good job of keeping close to us in the air without being near our lines of fire, and eventually coaxed one of the pegasus wings into joining her. I was still mad at her for my fading headache, but that was really a good thing for our timetable. The ponies on the ground just needed to stay out from under our feet, the air wings would have to learn to work with us. Before the bragging blue pegasus dived in, none of them would dare. Not that I blamed them. By the end of our morning we had two wings flying with us, practicing taking dives at our cockpit entrance doors to keep out would-be invaders.

I stayed behind to talk details for the next day’s drills with Silver Spear and sent the other three guys back to our hangar. What I found when I returned was Rainbow Dash and Dan. Together. Having a serious discussion. Dan seated on a workbench and Rainbow Dash standing on the thing next to him. “Right, so if you cross in front of me less than two seconds after I’ve fired, you won’t slow me down.” Dan was maneuvering his hands, pretending to be a pegasus and a battlemech. Rainbow Dash was nodding while listening intently.

“But behind is safe,” she clarified.

“Unless I turn, and that’ll take a couple seconds as well. You’ll be in and gone long before I can swing around.”

“Hah, yeah,” she grinned. “Alright, I’ll tell the scout wing. I thought they did pretty good. Not great, but good.”

“It’s a start. Gotta have someone reliable watching my back out there, not three complete chickens oh hello Commander,” Dan said as he looked up at my arrival, the mock surprise on his face not doing a very good job of hiding his cheeky grin.

Rainbow Dash looked up at me, startled by my sudden appearance somehow despite having walked up while facing her and arrived in a walking tank. She smiled nervously. I smiled politely back. “Briefing the locals on how to save your ass, Dan?”

“Someone’s gotta teach the pegasi how to work with us. Don’t see you doing it.” And suddenly you’re the responsible one? I didn’t buy it for a second. I did let him off the hook though.

“Alright, carry on. Nice flying, Rainbow Dash,” I added as I turned around and headed back for our rooms in the castle.

“Thanks Chris,” she added, happy but confused. They continued to talk, and I wondered how much longer I was going to keep that picture private. Probably until the next time Dan tried to make me look bad. Oh well.

Keep the brash idiots of both our groups on my good side, check. Start training the Equestrian military to not freak out at the sight of laser-spewing steel titans, check. Next I had to attend a slightly more reasonable after lunch briefing, get cleaned up, and attend a royal ball. Which left me the entire afternoon to wonder when Dan had made the transition from ‘screw these hippies’ to ‘for our glorious pony overlords’. That would have to be a mystery for another day, but I could still be happy he wasn’t bitching them out.

---

We walked up to the steps of the palace as the sun began to set. I looked up at the towers for the princesses, but couldn't find them. Two guards greeted us at the door.

"Welcome to the Grand Galloping Gala, Commander Black."

We were not the first to arrive, but there were not many others talking yet. I realized why when I looked around the room. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stood at the top of the steps, performing the the nightly ritual of lowering the sun and raising the moon. We were gently stopped by a well dressed pony at the bottom is the stairs. When they finished, Pristine Scroll smiled at us and waved us forward. I hadn’t recognized him in formal duds.

"Commander Christophe Black, Daniel Wilks, Rolf Hansf, and Hiro Suzuki, Atari Company," he called to the room as we ascended the steps. Now we were a spectacle.

"Good evening Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Ambassador Sparkle."

Princess Celestia smiled at us. "Good evening Commander. Thank you for joining us."

"Oh, our pleasure. Thank you for inviting us."

"The refreshments are in the main ballroom through the double doors, and the courtyard is open for your enjoyment as well."

"Thank you Princess."

"Commander Black, would you stay with us for a moment?"

"Certainly Princess." I glanced at the boys who nodded and continued into the party. Dan gave me a subtle eyebrow waggle. I walked around to between the Princesses.

I was introduced to several local prominent families, a handful of foreign dignitaries, several members of the military, and a zebra. The Wonderbolts were in attendance, and we promised to speak later. Mostly I looked pretty while the Princesses played hosts. Occasionally princess Celestia would glance at me out of the corner of her eye or give a particular pony a particularly big smile, and I would follow suit. We had very little time for small talk when the line of fancily dressed ponies packed the stairs.

The ambassador looked almost bored, but at least she looked at me with wary curiosity and not burning rage anymore.

After a good twenty minutes of this, princess Celestia apologized for taking up so much of my time and wished me enjoyment of the evening. I said something equally gracious and meaningless and wandered into the ballroom.

It was a fancy royal ball. Dancing, upper crust nobles, boring music, a buffet where every dish cost more than several weeks of food. Hiro was dancing with Pinky Pie, who apparently knew human ballroom dance. And was leading. Rolf was nowhere to be seen so I assumed outside away from the crowd. Dan was also out of sight, but that concept worried me far more.

"Excuse me, but would you be Commander Black?"

I turned to see a well dressed white pony in a monocle and top hat. Years of working with royalty from different sectors of the galaxy let me flow directly into an apology and greeting while I silently balked at the oddity of the sight. It was the vest that set it off. Why even bother with the vest?

I found myself sucked into a string of pleasant conversations with the local nobility, or what counted for it in this kingdom. All of them wanted privileged military information about the possible upcoming attack. I did my best to give each group a slightly different false story just to keep the gossip interesting for the evening. Between nods and apologies I kept trying to keep an eye out for my unit. Dan was still nowhere to be found. I eventually excused myself when the game of 'shake the foreigner down for intel' became boring to me, and set off in search of my hothead.

The Colonel and I almost bumped into each other. "Excuse me sir, so sorry."

"Not at all Mr. Black. Enjoying yourself?" He seemed almost distracted.

"Oh yes." I glanced around for a moment. "No updates?"

"No change in the schedule."

I nodded. "The locals are hungry sir, watch yourself."

"Oh?" He asked with a knowing grin. "Then I won't delay. Have a good evening!" He was gone behind a conga line of ponies a moment later. Led by Pinky Pie. Followed by Hiro. Hiro gave me his worst 'caught in the act' smile, but I laughed and hit his shoulder as I walked away. The room appeared split in decision about the conga, but both young and old were joining so I assumed the element of laughter knew what she was doing.

"Omega, come in," my ear vibrated with Rolf's urgent bass.

"Movement?"

"Neg, Reaper engaging the civvies. Balcony."

"Fuu." I managed to cut myself off and made my way to the giant glass doors.

A snooty male voice dominated the courtyard. "Frankly I do not see the point of enlisting unproven outsiders in a private Equestrian matter," condescended a white unicorn with a royal coat. I had heard there were princes in the kingdom, obviously with no chance at the throne while it was occupied by gods. From the way this one was acting it seemed like he was trying to provoke a fight. To Dan's credit, the prince was untouched and Dan wasn't yelling.

"Bear, Omega. On it, break off." I didn’t have too long to break this up, but Dan would react badly if I sicced the rest of the lance on him.

"Roger, out." I wasn't sure where Rolf had been observing from, but I didn't see him.

Dan pulled a handkerchief out of his jacket pocket and draped it over one arm. "My good prince, I assure you that I am proven in many different professions. I simply do not wish to step on the feet of the actual servers who I am sure know the kitchen much better than I do. But please, I would never seek to displease your highness, what would you ask of me?" The sarcasm dripped off his words even as he straightened like a board and took up the classic butler pose. Several nearby ponies mostly held back laughter.

"I cannot see why else a...foreigner such as yourself would be working in the castle. No event could possibly be dire enough to be beyond the reach of my guards." Now I wanted to punch him, and that was just for the cocky ownership he proclaimed over the royal guard. He knew exactly what we were hired for. He was either baiting out information, a fight, or both. However Dan was too in character.

"You wound me your highness. I only wish to serve as well as I can. Surely you can tell me what matter it is that you need taken care of, and I will see to it before you can blink."

"There is no matter, unless you know of one. Which should be your job, as should also be your job to keep me informed." This one was sloppy. Already falling for the bait. Didn't they teach royalty around here how to manipulate?

"I am afraid that your highness has found a lowly errand boy, allow me to find my boss and request the appropriate information for you, Prince..."

"Blueblood!" He snapped. "My family has run the royal guard flawlessly for generations. No errand boy will tell me what I am and am not privy to!"

"Then I am sure that your highness has been informed to the extent that is necessary for you to continue your impeccable service, Prince Blueblood." Dan was getting tired of this. I moved forward casually. The setup had been delivered, and the smack down was coming if I didn't stop him.

"Then your boss is as incompetent a hired soldier as you are!" I had a single momentary lapse in judgement, in which my only thought was 'Ah, fuck him'. I hesitated, wanting to see Dan finish this, which was all it took for two more ponies to get between me and the exchange. I regained my composure and looked for another opening in the crowd that wouldn't involve impolite shoving.

"Well then, surely your highness knows about the information we obtained from the prisoner that the royal guard could not catch. Surely your highness is not an untalented, magically inept busybody like the prisoner who simply wishes to worm his way into power." A gap on the right, near the edge of the balcony. Titters and gasps about the implications rippled through the crowd. The prince sputtered and Dan took a step forward. "Surely your highness has more worth than a courtesan to this kingdom, unlike the prisoner, and has better uses of his time than to be reduced to gathering rumors from outsiders."

"You...! How dare..." The prince sputtered, turning red in the face. Dan’s face shifted to something much more neutral.

"You want me to dare?” Dan asked, the accent and subservient attitude instantly gone. “Fuck you, you worthless whore. If you had another job I'm sure you'd suck at that too." The arm-based handkerchief was whipped expertly into the prince's gaping mouth. Dan swiveled on a toe and stormed through the crowd.

"Atari, fall back. Party's over." I turned to follow Dan. He caught me out of the corner of his eye but continued for the entrance. We made it inside and turned to head for the steps, when I was hit in the back of the head with a cake. I staggered forward a few steps, stood up slowly while holding back a laugh from the sudden shock of adrenaline, and turned around to see Prince Blueblood standing frozen in fear at the buffet table.

"Commander under fire!" Hiro whimpered into the comm.

"Incoming nine o'clock," Rolf growled.

I didn't have time to react as two banana cream pies slammed into the prince from the side. I looked to see Miss Rarity with her horn glowing, looking like she was ready to rip him apart. Rolf stood next to her with two other ponies. Each was offering another pie from the dessert table to the enraged Rarity.

"You insolent wretch!” she screamed into the suddenly silent dance hall. “That was my finest work!" She glared and snorted angrily at the pastry covered prince who looked at her with confusion and rage, and then suddenly flipped to primal fear. I didn't know why he would be afraid of her, perhaps the elements carried some sway in high society. Rarity hurled a chocolate pie and a fruit at the unicorn prince’s head with extreme prejudice. And good aim. He dodged the first, but not the second.

I heard a scream of "FOOD FIGHT" in a pitch that could have come from Pinky Pie before all hell broke loose. Caviar cluster munitions rained from the skies. I ducked for a table and found myself back to back with our purple ambassador.

"Not again, I am so sorry Commander."

Wait, again? I said nothing but my moment of confusion left me open for the fondue missile that sailed past us. The ambassador was quicker than I gave her credit for and the chocolate mess splattered against a purple energy field.

"Protocol in this situation, ambassador?"

She gave a defeated laugh. "Make it out without needing a week long shower."

I looked at her, rather confused at this reaction. Finger sandwich shrapnel bounced around us. Screams of dismay, joy and fear echoed through the great hall, on top of thrumming dubstep which had replaced the orchestral dance at some point. I scanned for an opening.

"There, table, pillars, to the staircase." I pointed out the path of our escape.

"Got it."

I picked up a silver serving platter to defend myself as the ambassador dropped her shield. She looked at me, I nodded, and we ran.

"Every man for himself!" I yelled into the comm as we ran. Indiscriminate yelling followed my words.

"Bug out Atari!"

"For the Commander!"

"For the suit!"

---

I woke the next morning and put on my dress uniform. Someone was going to have to try to put our relationship back together enough to finish this contract. Since our Ambassador was barely competent and the three clowns I worked with were too busy laughing about the events of the evening, it was going to have to be me. I knew that even if things went well, it was going to be intensely unpleasant. I straightened up my uniform and walked my ass into the throne room. Finding a spare small laser to shove up Dans ass sideways would have to come later. Only a small one though, the prince deserved every second of the dressing down he gave.

"Commander Christophe Black, Atari Mercenary Operations," the squire announced. I marched into the room and took one knee in front of Princess Celestia's throne. I heard the great doors close behind me.

"Good morning Commander," the princess said pleasantly.

"Good morning Princess."

"Please rise Commander."

I stood at my best impression of military attention. "Your highness, I must formally apologize for the actions of my unit."

"Oh?"

"I have insulted this kingdom. Should the crown wish to renegotiate our contract, I will be available."

"You may drop the act, Commander," Princess Celestia commented. I was expecting some manner of dressing down or fake acceptance. I certainly wasn’t expecting the princess to start acting human. "I am several thousand years old, Christophe Black, I know when I am being handled. I assure you it's not necessary anymore." She sounded...amused.

"I don't mean to be insulting, Princess, I am sorry if I have offended you."

The Princess laughed. Actually laughed, not proper-princess laughed. I smiled and attempted to be comforted by the gesture. "No, not at all Commander, I just know a level headed individual when I meet one. You can think on your feet, and I do tire of yes-ponies." The prim and proper royal demeanor was instantly gone from her voice. She stood up and walked to the back of the room, and continued when I didn't respond. When I chanced a look around, we were the only two in the entire throne room. "I know words that have been run through the 'do not make the princess mad' filter when I hear them. Do you take me for an idiot?" She asked, as sweetly as possible.

Capellan diplomacy all over again, I thought to myself. "It takes considerable intellect and insight to run a kingdom."

The princess laughed. Threw her head back and laughed while leaning against the cabinets she was looking through. "Oh you are good,” she said, sounding impressed. “How many assassination attempts have you survived? Or is it missions you aren't expected to live through?" she added with sudden insight.

"Mostly the second," I responded, unsure of where this was going. This was usually where the guard unit burst through the door, but they had that opportunity long ago.

"We are both products of a different time, Commander,” she continued as I glanced back at the door and then at the various alcoves around the room. “The ponies outside do not know a world of war. Combat, dark powers, certainly. We have monster attacks, but danger here is color coded, the bad ones come in black with evil laughter. Not with smiles and platitudes." She stared into my soul and my smile faded. "There is no struggle for power here, not anymore." Then she sighed and gazed sadly out the window. The silenced lapsed long enough for me to assume that either she had forgotten I was there, or that she was hinting I speak next. I really wasn't sure. I had yet to meet a politician quite like her.

"Will you at least forgive me for showing extra caution to a goddess, Princess?"

"Please, just Celestia. I am tired of the incessant fanfare." Both her voice and her body emphasized the word 'tired'.

"Celestia, then."

"Of course. Your caution is what makes you good at your job." I breathed a silent sigh of relief and tried to figure out what game she was playing. "But please, you don't need to placate me by worrying yourself with local politics." She waved me over to a table with chairs and tea with a wing. I followed and prepared for the explanation.

“One of my men met with one Prince Blueblood at the Gala. I’m afraid that was when the...food fight broke out.” I couldn’t believe I was saying those words. Nor could I believe the gleeful smile that the Princess broke out in and then fought down.

“Yes...Prince Blueblood. Did you know that Rarity had a similar run-in with him some years ago? Last year?” She shrugged, halfway between sips. “The years run together, you understand.”

“She seemed particularly annoyed at him.”

“He is a beast, and a busybody. I know,” she said as my eyes went wide, “I shouldn’t speak ill of my family, but it is the truth. He has been poking his nose into this whole titan affair when the general and the captain need to be doing their jobs. If the letter he wrote me this morning is accurate, he deserved no less than half of what your...what did you call them, lancemates?” I nodded. “Lancemate gave him. The pie to the head is simply…” she giggled. “Icing on the cake.” She snorted and laughed, eventually recovering with a sip of tea.

Her laughter was contagious. However, I have more self control than that. “Still. I apologise for my unit making a mockery of your ball.”

“No apologies necessary, Commander. The ball made a mockery of itself decades ago. Pinky Pie is one of the first ponies I’ve been able to find with the ability to begin steering it back onto its rightful path.” I opened my mouth again and she interrupted. “Please, no more on that Commander. I assure you that I place no blame on yourself or your unit. So tell me.” She leaned forward in her chair. “What do you really think of the army?”

I had to restrain myself from looking for the hidden camera crew. “Really?”

“Really.”

I leaned forward in my seat. “They’re outdated and rusty. They’re going by a book out of sheer habit without understanding the meanings.”

She nodded. “I figured as much.”

“There are ponies within it that are very promising soldiers, your Majesty, but they lack the training of those with experience. I do not doubt their loyalty or their effort, but without knowledge and experience those can only take one so far. They are trained, and we will simply have to do our best to work with them.”

“But?”

Her ability to read me was all the scarier because that was when I realized she had been doing so since we arrived. “But I worry about how they will react when the actual fighting breaks out.”

She leaned back and grinned. "That is true, they have yet to be tested. The army is voluntary, Commander. We may not have the time to train them properly with your unit, or prepare them for the brutality of open field combat, but they will defend their homeland. I believe in them, my sister knows their hearts, and we will be there to lead them. But I have misled you, that is not the real question." I steeled myself. She turned around and stared deeply into my eyes. "Do you actually like the tea, Commander?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"Honestly." She looked honest.

I managed to only laugh once. "I could go for good coffee right now." This was so far outside my dealing with royalty experience.

"Ooh, and some doughnuts," she added, eyes going wide with sudden interest, focusing on the not-yet-existing doughnuts on the table in front of her. The teacup dropped to the table and a small bell near it lifted up and rang. "The tea isn't anything special today anyway."

"Know a good place?" As impossible as it seemed at the time, that was the only thing I could think to say.

"The best." The steward opened the door respectfully. She started talking before he could open his mouth. "I am taking the day off to...discuss matters of the protection of Equestria."

"Of course your Highness." I got the impression that this had happened before.

The princess rose with youthful excitement. "Come on Christophe, to doughnuts!"

"Sure. Doughnuts." When in Rome...

---

Pony Joe's was a 24 hour diner and doughnut shop not a stones throw from the castle. By the time we arrived, Celestia had told me of some of the odder bits of history of the kingdom. The Princess knew every pony on the street. There were plenty of startled ponies, but whether they were more startled by the alien or the princess, or both together, I wasn't sure.

I ordered myself some coffee and stared at the menu for a while, trying to figure out what could possibly be in the biscuits and gravy.

"So do you get many cults declaring war on the kingdom?" I asked once our doughnuts had arrived.

"No!” Celestia replied between bites in unbridled exasperation. “I haven't heard from these fools in centuries! The titans were horrifying and destructive. No pony who actually knows history would ever want them back. It boggles the mind."

"Nobles who want more power won't stop at anything," I commented, shaking my head. "It's ridiculous!"

"I know!"

I adopted my best nasal mocking voice. "Oh, the Franklins have ten more acres..."

Celestia dropped her voice comically. "And that riverfront summer house!"

"The Duke won't even listen when I tell him how they lord over everyone..."

"They must think they're better than everypony!"

We both sighed and laughed at the same time.

"God. Job security," I said.

"Of the most depressing order."

"Truth. I usually get the jobs from the peasants caught in the crossfire. Noble houses hate when I show up and ask for surrender instead of a job," I chuckled.

"Do you like that?" She asked with the same demeanor as a lancemate. I responded in kind.

"Putting assholes with no manners or scruples in their place? Hell yes."

The princess sipped her coffee and nodded.

My sudden decision to go with the flow seemed like a bad idea. "Does that bother you?"

"I suppose what bothers me is that there is a market for it," she said thoughtfully as her cup lowered itself to the table, neither angry nor annoyed by my lack of professional demeanor. "I have worked for a thousand years to fix the problems that led to my sister..." She sighed. "My sister tried to usurp the throne a thousand years ago. She went mad and was fueled by dark magic," she said in response to my questioning look. "I had no choice but to banish her, but Twilight Sparkle and her friends were able to wield the elements of harmony properly. They saved her, Christophe." Her grief and subsequent relief were obvious on her face.

I nodded appreciatively. "She gave me a glimpse into that, just not the story. But you were telling me about the kingdom."

She nodded. "Yes. After she was banished, I turned a more critical eye to the kingdom. I made myself a more prominent presence in their daily lives and tried to figure out what would drive a pony to such depths. I've done all I can to make this a kingdom of harmony."

I shrugged. "It's the most harmonious kingdom I've ever seen."

"Coming from your world, that's not a high bar,” she said with a grin.

I chuckled. "Still."

"Well thank you for that. We have no need for mercenaries like yourself here now, but I remember when your kind found ready employment." She picked up her coffee again and bit into a sprinkled chocolate donut. "I may be a goddess, but I can't run everything. I wish I could fix these other places you speak of."

"Trust me, where I'm from, there are much deeper problems."

She nodded. "At least there are donuts."

"Amen to that."

---

The princess and I talked until sunset, when she paused to lower the sun. She told me of the nobles she’d had to deal with. The busybodies who felt it their task in life to rule through her. I had vented my frustration at working with militia leaders for short term contracts, backstabbing clients willing to use me as a bargaining chip between leaders, and working with unreliable parts refurbishers. I got to witness magic that moved the heavens and the earth. It seemed easy for her, but it made sense that the sun goddess and the sun would get along. I watched as the moon rose a few moments later. "That is the work of your sister?"

"Yes, Princess Luna controls the moon and has domain over the night."

"Do you two get along?"

"The magic that consumed my sister was responsible for her actions."

I gave her a look of disapproval. "That sounds rehearsed."

She snorted. "Yes, you've caught me." She shook her head. "Sometimes I don't even know when I'm doing it. We do now. Thanks to Twilight Sparkle and her friends, we do now. We did before, but...she went mad. The power of dreams and night is...shall we say, mercurial."

"Meaning?" After today, she wasn’t getting away with sidesteps like that.

"It does what it wants." I nodded.

"So it was out of control."

"Yes. But that was a long time ago, and I can't be happier to have her by my side again." Her limited smile said as much but hinted at other problems.

"That's good."

"Meaning?" She grinned at me, and I laughed. I must not have hidden my reaction to the smile.

"I'm probably getting tired, I've got too many contingency plans in my head, and I'm itching for this battle to start. Meaning I can tell you’re still worried about something.” I smiled in apology. “Sorry I slipped into 'placate royalty' mode for a moment there."

She laughed. "Apology accepted, Christophe. I should get back to the preparations myself." She sighed and looked out the window at the fading twilight. "I only hope the guard and the army are as ready for this conflict as they claim. I hope we are all ready. There are going to be a lot of devastated families by the time this is over."

I finished my coffee and stood up. "And that is why I stay out of politics."

"You are wise beyond your years Commander," the Princess said as she rose.

"May I escort you back to the castle, Princess Celestia?"

"Why thank you Commander Black."

We made it two steps out the door before she stopped. "Commander," she said quietly, looking down, "Christophe...please keep me informed." I looked at her curiously. There was a vulnerability in her emotion that I had not heard from her. "I don't need another yes-pony right now."

I put a hand on her back, and absentmindedly started scritching between her front shoulders. "I know Celestia. You’ll know what I know."

"Thank you. And," she looked around conspiratorially, "don't do that." She eyed my hand for a moment.

I blushed. "Sorry." I withdrew my hand quickly. Too personal. Seriously, I was treating a goddess like a dog.

"In public." She winked at me. "I should find a griffin masseuse. Fingers you called them, right?"

"Yeah, and fingernails."

"This way, Commander." She straightened up, shook her royal flowing mane and took a step forward with royal grace. The Princess was back, as abruptly as she had left.

"Of course, your highness."

---

I had not taken a personal day in some time. I enjoy my work. Tinkering with Battlemech load outs is relaxing for me. Still, an afternoon spent in the company of a wise, if capricious, immortal while bitching about the idiocy of our daily lives was put on my list of greatest work days ever. Something about her demeanor made me feel so at ease. At least, I confirmed my suspicions that I was being played, just as I was playing her. It was this feeling of a solved mystery and companionship that left me smiling and riding high when I walked into the hangar to be greeted by an accusing look from Dan.

"Either you swindled our contact out of more money or you just got laid."

"Have I ever mentioned that you are incorrigible?"

"Dude, you wanna bump uglies with horses, whatever,” he held his hands up as if to stave off the details, “I just want more money if we're getting it."

"No bestiality for you sadly. You'll have to get it yourself." I smiled at him. No amount of Dan ribbing could erase the day I’d had.

"Really, either way I should be getting more money if you wrote our contract right."

"How much fucking do you think is involved in being...a diplo-ok, yes, but not this time." I realized where he had gotten that impression halfway through saying it.

"Deny it all you want, you're glowing."

"Keep dreaming."

Dan went all faux-dreamy eyed and faked a falsetto. "Oh Commander, what is underneath those strange clothes?"

Hiro stepped into the hangar in time to catch half of this, raised an eyebrow with his mouth half open, and slowly backed out. Dan followed my gaze.

I got some peace and quiet while Dan chased Hiro, screaming denial and obscenities.

---

My team and I seemed to settle into a routine.

I would get up and make myself presentable but ever so slightly disheveled and meet with princess Celestia, seeing how many nobles I could get to look at me in disgust but not say anything. We would talk over breakfast. We would score a point for every pony that reacted, but lose two for every one that spoke up. Occasionally Princess Luna would join us and we would talk of happier times.

I made a show of inspecting the hangar and our machines, just as my lance made a show of testing the systems, but they really wouldn't break in a day of sitting turned off. The colonel would invite me to the pre-lunch briefing and I would accept while wondering why they couldn't hold it well before lunch again so that it didn't leave everyone hungry and angry when it ran long.

Hiro abused his newfound musical stardom to spend most of the day practicing the koto. Dan would run simulated missions in the atlas, or sample the wonders of the castle kitchen while discussing the finer points of comfort food with the cooks. He would seem ever so slightly more restless than the previous day, but I would have no way to do much about it. The four of us would spend the afternoon running basic maneuvers with a unit of the royal guard, and that seemed to calm Dan down a bit.

The waiting was the hard part, knowing that we were as ready as we were going to get, and no amount of training we could squeeze into a week would prepare the Equestrian military for what was coming. Fortunately we didn’t have long to wait.