Arrangements for those found guilty of severe enough crimes for death were made. Public executions had long since faded as a concept, but the definition of a private one often included access to watching to the victims and families. How did one reconcile that with the victims being such a wide spread of people from across the world, some human and some not?

They would have to televise it.

"Why do you cling to the past?"

Roland looked around the starry field. He was standing on a well-cobbled walkway that wove through the void.

"Even your people know many languages as a curse."

"Who is this?" demanded Crane, failing to find the source of the voice that seemed to come from everywhere at once.

"I am not a single person, but a concept given thought," gently counseled the voice. "Do you not wish for harmony? You worked so hard to ensure it. Your actions spared a kind species an unkind end, despite their foolishness at the time."

"Those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it," Crane quoted with a frown. "It isn't right. It isn't ethical to force it."

"Is it not?" The voice was suddenly behind him. "To force peace in such a gentle way?"

He turned quickly, bringing a ghostly version of Twilight into view, watching him with eyes that did not seem to properly focus on him, as if gazing out into infinity.

"Twilight? Princess Twilight?"

"I am not her. I am taking a form you know." The aspect of harmony dipped her head towards Crane. "I am pleased to know you. You are a good person, a bringer of me, but now you struggle."

"And you are?" Was he dreaming? As dreams went, it felt too... distinct. "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage."

"Harmony," spoke the Twilight with the distant stare. "So much torment has visited the world, perhaps now we can have a moment of peace. Can you not enjoy that?"

Harmony rose up to two legs, her eyes suddenly even with Crane, though he was certain Twilight wasn't quite that long normally. "The world has more immediate need of you."

His right hand clenched. "What do you mean?"

"This war has been long and terrible... They need you to help soothe their hurts, not dig into the past they have largely left behind." She circled him, walking as a human might despite her pony anatomy, hooves swaying to and fro as a human might have swung their hands. "Queen Ruddertail weeps when she is not watched. Perhaps you could afford her the swim you denied her long ago."

He frowned, trying to imagine the vivacious ruler brought to tears. "Was it that bad?"

"Worse." The entity turned to look at him directly. "Those friends you made have need of you. They knew you, do not forget them."

Roland Crane awoke with a start, the vision bright in his mind.

"The first to be executed, the head tactician of the former council, is being brought in... He looks as proud as ever," spoke a commenter as a camera fixed in the corner watched impassively the progress of the bull. "His last meal was a simple one, one slice of toast, cut diagonal, with butter and scrambled eggs. He wanted the same breakfast he had always had."

A stoic bull was by a medical gurney, speaking soft words of passing. "As you can see here," continued the commenter. "Religious services have been allowed. Though the people of the council do not acknowledge a specific god, they do have a spiritual life and even the condemned are granted this final rite of passage."

Of course, neither bull, nor the humans or other creatures physically present could hear the commentator. He was but a man streaming what the room was putting out, for the rest of the world who happened to be watching his channel or streaming site or whatever else he had.

A human gestured to the gurney and the bull to be killed sat down on it, allowing himself to be strapped into place. "You will be given an injection," explained the human. "You will become tired, and go to sleep, then you will die. Do you understand this?"

"I haven't much choice." The tactician's jaw was set, matching the human's look. "Go on."

"We will not be permitted to watch the final moments," explained the commentator just before the stream switched to viewing a room full of important people. "We will be allowed to witness the witnesses." The leaders of the EFC were present, as were other world leaders, some from the dissolved TSDI.

Queen Ruddertail was in attendance, scowling at the window. "Good. Good. Die quiet, die slow. Fitting."

Chrysalis was wheeled in. She was already on a gurney, struggling and hissing, but there was no escape. She pulled. She tried magic, she was shocked for her trouble, but they were going to kill her, so she kept trying, struggling against the current to try and break free, but she just couldn't get out of the gurney.

"It seems Queen Chrysalis is attempting to force their hands, opting for electrocution instead." Not that she was likely to kill herself with it, as the feed was still on her.

"Release me," she roared. "I am above this!" She shook her head, which was enough to bring another person into her line of sight. "You!"

Thorax stepped towards her on soft hooves. "I am as close as we have to... a spiritual leader, so they let me come and give last... rites." He glanced away and back at her. "Are you sure?"

"Am I sure what, traitor?" She hissed like a kettle left on too long.

"Does it have to end, like this? You're still... my mother." He worried his forehooves together, sitting on his haunches. "I'm so sorry..."

"When... I get..." She pulled and struggled, but she was held firmly and securely. There would be no escape. "When..."

Thorax set a hoof gently on her shoulder. "I'll be here until the end. Sleep well, Mother. I... hope you can find the peace you never had in life."

"I don't need your damned comfort!" Her tone had shifted. Desperation and realization were starting to come. "Release me and I'll forgive you." She reached impotently towards him. "Don't..." She hissed as the human operator right there inserted the needle to begin. "Don't let them do this," she breathed out in a desperate sigh. "This isn't how this is supposed to end."

"I wish it was almost any other way," sadly agreed Thorax. He took her hoof between both of his own, gently rubbing it. "I won't leave, promise. I'm here..." Tears stung as his eyes. Even if his mother was a psychotic murderer that had sent millions to their ends, she was still his mother. He did not move to stop them, but he would not leave her until all was complete.

The feed switched to the witnesses, denying people at home the chance to watch those final moments. Somber expressions were worn across the room. She was not the first to die, nor would she be the last. The injection was beginning, and they all watched, for that was their duty, to bear witness.

Ruddertail was on her feet suddenly. "What?!"

Others were rousing in a similar fashion, alarmed voices and pointing fingers past the window the camera couldn't see through from the angle it was positioned. Something had happened.

"Not sure what's going on," admitted the commentator. "Waiting for word..."

Chrysalis had suddenly evaporated. Was that normal for a changeling? Thorax insisted that was not how they normally went, but was in no particular condition to give much more information. "M-maybe it was the drugs," he sniffled, worrying his empty hooves together. There was no Chrysalis to hold. "She's gone..." He had to go, unable to stop himself from shedding tears for his criminal of a mother.

Hoku watched as workers of varied species worked to clear the debris and remnants of an old building. It was his current duty to ensure that they were able to work without being bothered. This meant the young bull that approached without the appropriate badge on his problem.

He moved to intercept. "What do? Not belong here."

The bull came up short. "O-oh, I just bought a gift." He held up a basket towards Hoku.

A basket could mean many things... "Put down. Check, then give."

The bull slowly set the basket down. "Okay... They look hungry."

Hoku hiked a thumb towards the workers. "Know them?"

"No." The young bull smiled at the otter soldier. "But they're doing good work. I don't have a lot, but it's good work, you know? I hope everything's put together again soon."

Hoku had learned gift-giving was considered a cultural norm among the bulls. To outright deny a gift was quite rude, so he hadn't done that. "Good work," he agreed, sharing the soft smile. "Check, then give. Promise."

"Thank you." The boy started to turn, but hesitated. "Did you fight? In the... war?"

"Make a new friend?" Lucky was approaching at a casual pace. "Hey there, little guy."

"O-oh! Hello..." The bull dipped his head towards Lucky. "I brought lunch, for them." He pointed to the workers.

"Yeah? That's nice of ya." He lifted his shoulders in an easy-going shrug. "They're really busy right now though. We'll get it over there when they take a break."

That logic seemed to hold up in the young bull's mind. "Alright! Thank you." He scurried off back into the broken city that he had come from.

Lucky swatted his mildly-superior friend on the shoulder. "You're not good at the talking part of things."

"Use too many words," snapped Hoku with a huff. "Check for trouble?"

"I doubt there's trouble." Lucky lowered his gun and stepped back. "Little kid was running around with this, right?"

"Yes."

"So it can't be that sensitive." Lucky flicked the covering off with the very tip of his gun, sending the thin cloth fluttering to the side. Inside was a collection of sandwiches and fruits. "Looks harmless."

"Not for us." Hoku hiked a thumb towards the workers. "For them."

"Yeah yeah, Mister Proper. I'll bring it over." Hoku watched him rush off with the basket.

Pharynx nodded towards each changeling in a row. None of them were reformed. "You came here expecting soft creatures. You were expecting a lack of discipline, simpering fools, and a complete void of purpose."

The changelings nodded softly but stiffly, agreeing with soft mutterings.

"Too bad!" He thumped the ground with his hoof, colorful as it was compared to theirs, muted compared to the other reformed changelings. "I do not run a ship powered by heartwarming feelings here! You have two choices." His hoof was suddenly cloven, allowing for two digits. "You can settle down, learn to be a loving caring creature. Or: You can help defend them."

He smiled, sharp teeth in display. "I'll be your boss if you take the second, and I will work you. You will earn your keep, but you'll never go hungry. You'll learn to love like a grown person, the love between brothers and sisters, not the adorable but laughable at times love that my broodmate displays."

Soft snickers spread through the group, imagining Thorax's goofy smile.

"Hey. It's my job to laugh at him. You want to replace me?" Pharynx leaned forward with a scowl. "You're welcome to try. He's with your former queen right now, seeing her off. He's doing a hard thing, being there, through it. I know, I talked to him. He wanted to be anywhere but there, but he did it anyway, and do you know why?"

One changeling raised a holed hoof. "Because the humans told him to?"

Another raised a hoof. "Because you told him to?"

Pharynx rolled his eyes. "I told him she can rot and we don't owe her a damn thing, but he went anyway, because that was his duty. He is doing this because he is a damn fine changeling."

Author's Notes:

I wept for Thorax, imagining being in that situation. That's just a place no person should ever have to be in. No matter how vile she was, she was still his mother, and being there as they killed her...

But was she killed?

Crane gets a visitor urging him to redirect his efforts. What would you do?

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