"I'm back!" cried Skystar as she burst into the room, a basket hooked around one leg, laden with all manner of plants and coral. "Now you can start?"

"Now I can finish." Meadowbrook swam over with a flip of her tail and took one coral and a few plants from the basket. She tossed them in a bowl and ground them up to a mushy paste. "Your mother will be fine, I got here in time. She may be weak, but you should encourage her to move anyway. The more she moves, the faster she'll recover and the better she'll feel in the end."

Skystar watched Meadowbrook with some confusion. "What about the rest of--"

"I'll leave some instructions for some tea she should drink three times a day to help her get her strength faster." Meadow gently dabbed and rubbed the ointment in. The slumbering Novo was no longer wrapped in seaweed, exposed, but there was a little more color in her cheeks. "Your mother will be fine, repeat that."

"Repeat what?"

"Say 'My mother will be fine." She worked gently, not facing Skystar.

"My mother... will be fine..." Tears began to spill from her eyes. "Do you mean it?"

"She's past the worst of it." She turned in place with a swirl of her fins. "Idly, being a seapony is fun, but I really should move on. There are too many other creatures in need of what I can offer. You watch over her, and get her moving as soon as she wakes up. She'll be mad, and complain and maybe try to ground you forever, but be strong, and keep her moving."

"Thank you so much!" Skystar made a swimming tackle of the pony healer, squeezing her tightly. "Thank you thank you!"

"You're very welcome," gently accepted Meadow, patting the shivering Skystar on the back. "It'll be alright, but let me go, so I can help other creatures be alright too."

"Oh, yes, of course." Skystar swam back a little. "Good luck..."

"Blame me when she gets angry. Doctor's orders." Meadow gathered her things back into a bag that she tucked away. "Swim straight."

"Swim safe!"

Meadow darted out a window, making for the surface. The blockade of fish was there, just as she had left them. Most of their eyes were on her and she readied to be stopped again. They closed in around her, but there was no malice in their eyes.

"Is she alright?" asked one fish-person.

"She'll get better, right?"

"She is recovering." Meadow nodded softly. "If you care so much about her, why are you keeping her people here?"

The one that seemed to be in charge rubbed behind his scaled head. "It wasn't safe for them, but we couldn't say why... We didn't mean for anycreature to get hurt..."

"Not safe?"

The fish glanced sidelong at one another with soft grumbles. One raised a hand. "You'll see when you get back... We didn't like the idea, but we for sure didn't want the Seaquestrians mixed up in it."

Meadow did not like the sound of that, and she left as quickly as she could. The fish did not stop her.

"Thank you for agreeing to see us."

John looked across at the sharply dressed human. FBI? CIA? Something like that, he assumed. "I didn't have much real choice, but I wouldn't have said no anyway. How can I help?"

"You've been adamant about being loyal to the country." His voice was even, careful.

"Yes."

"Despite not being born here."

"Yes."

"Despite not being a citizen."

"...Yes... I know... I owe America nothing... But that is how I feel. I have learned to love this country, and its people, as crazy as they are. I love America, and I feel loyal to it. I know that doesn't make sense from the outside. Do you think it makes sense from the inside? It doesn't, but it's just as true."

"Are you..." He set his suitcase down flat on the table. "...willing to demonstrate this, for the good of the country?"

John Rason's ears went up quickly. "How can I be of service?"

"We want to find your previous employer--"

"--Queen. Not that she is mine anymore, but she's a queen."

"Yes, your former queen. We've tried tracking her, but, as you've recently demonstrated." He popped open the suitcase slowly. "When a changeling wishes to not be found, it is basically impossible to force the issue... Unless we can present them with something they cannot resist."

John sat up tall, looking curious. "And you've thought up bait you believe could work, or you wouldn't be here. How do I fit in?"

"You are, or will be, that bait." John tensed harshly. "Tell us, what would her reaction be, if she were to reacquire you?"

"She would... probably kill me, likely slowly." He ran his tongue over his lips. "You would, however, know where she is, and the other rogues..."

"Precisely so. If you could do this, and give the signal expediently, we will make our move. We can capture her and any criminals in her employ." He turned the suitcase towards John, revealing a collection of tools. "We can track your position. Are you willing?"

"If I'm going to die... I'd rather do it doing something good." He stepped down from his chair. "I will find her and tell her I escaped during the commotion. That was true. She doesn't need to know the parts after that."

"America thanks you." He waited for John to approach and began fitting him with the trackers, working it uncomfortably under his shells so they weren't visible easily. "This is a very important task."

"I understand that. Oh, if you can, get word to the president that we have a real hero that deserves a commendation." He glanced in the direction of Sunburst's room. "Made himself deaf protecting this place, basically on his own, and keeping extremely powerful weaponry out of enemy hands."

"I'll pass that on." He stood up, looking over John, checking for hints of the tracking devices. "All sounds will be broadcasted and recorded. I won't insult you by assuming you couldn't remove the tracker, if you wanted to."

"Which I don't. Let's... find her." John fought against his fear, knowing just how much danger he was signing himself up for. "Whether I'm alive or not, you catch her and make her pay."

"That's the plan." He put out a hand and it was met by a hoof, the two shaking.

Other creatures began to emerge, most bulls, but some not. The Council had been, at the time, before humans, one of the more forward-thinking nations. Like Equestria, with more forethought, they had members of other species living among them, and they were still there, looking to Celestia with so many emotions.

Fear. Anger. hope... "People of the Council," she called to them. "I am not here to bring you further hurting than you have already suffered. This has endured for too long. All I seek is the location of Commander Force."

A new rock came flying at her, and she caught it just as she had the others, but another was coming, and another. She could not catch them all, and she vanished in a flare of light, appearing high over their heads. "I am sorry," she softly whispered, and took flight away from them. Her presence was only making it worse, and she had someone she needed to see.

A thin rainbow soared just inches to the left of her face. Turning her eyes down, she saw a lone guard, or soldier, or whatever they were. They had a hand cannon, a large one that needed both hands used, firing up at her.

Another noise was distracting her. A human helicopter was approaching. She tensed, realizing it likely saw her being attacked. It would react, with extreme violence. That guard would be dead shortly. "No!" She had seen enough death. She vanished, appearing just behind the guard an instant later, diving at him and driving him to the ground with a surprised call from the bull.

He thrashed and twisted around to face her, ready to fight, but she focused on tossing his gun far away in her magic. "No more fighting!"

She was rewarded with a stiff punch across the face, knocking her back just enough for him to scramble to his hooves. "You've brought them here. I won't just sit down and die."

"Then... don't die at all." Celestia shook her bruised head. "Enough death has already happened. Please... Please, just, talk."

"There isn't a lot to talk about." He was glancing towards his discarded gun, likely weighing its distance.

"Our people, all of our people, have suffered enough... There is no more honor, or glory, or anything to be gained with more bloodshed." She reached with a wing towards the bull. "I would share words with your commander. I come with no weapons. May I speak to him?"

"So you can kill him?" He sneered at the idea. "Why would I do that?"

"Because I am not that. For all my years as ruler of Equestria, I have never been that... Surely you can accept this simple truth. I will not harm a hair on his head. I will speak, and that is all that I will do." Celestia breathed softly, becoming calm as she watched the guard. "Surely the TSDI can tolerate the presence of a lone ambassador."

"Ambassador..." He looked up at the helicopter that drew close. The humans inside were obviously watching them, floating right in striking range. "An ambassador with armed friends."

"As ambassadors do at times," confessed Celestia with a smile. "But they will not come with me. I will walk alone. Simply tell me where I must go." She raised a hoof at the helicopter, waving them away. "This is a chance for peace, do we not both want that?"

"Peace... yeah..." He sagged a bit in place, his entire body heavy with fatigue. "Yeah... Look, I can't take you to him..."

"What can you do?" Her tone was not judgmental.

"I can take you to my commander, and he can direct you from there. Alright?"

"Lead the way." She gestured for him to go, and began to follow.

Hoku raged. There was no better word for it. Anything he could find that did not have immediate value to his force, he tore into, screaming and fuming. Word of the crippling attack on his home had reached him. They had been slaughtered, fighting bravely, as was their want, but he hadn't been there to help.

He threw a rock to skid along the ground, screaming at the setting sun. He had fought so long and so hard, just for his people to suffer for lack of warriors. Where was the justice in that?

"Private."

Hoku looked up sharply at his commanding officer. Still trembling, he snapped to attention and saluted, drawing his rage back inside.

"Private Hoku, the act visited on our nations will not be forgotten. We are being deployed to end this. Can you serve?"

"Of course I can serve, Sir!" he barked, frowning with rebuilding fury. "Why would I not be able to serve, Sir?"

"Because you are a barrel of powder that's ready to set itself on fire," calmly explained his superior. "Can we trust that you'll show us that calm head that has seen you advanced and decorated this far?"

"Yes, Sir." He began to dust himself off. "It's... just a lot to take, Sir."

"There isn't a person on this base that wasn't affected by this." He firmly slapped a hand down on Hoku's shoulder. "But discipline is how we'll end this. Let's show them we're made of better stuff."

"Of course, Sir."

"Good." He hiked a thumb. "Now clean up the mess you made, and make the latrine spotless while you're at it. We'll be moving out at 0600. See that you and your people are ready to start marching at the bell."

Author's Notes:

Hey, Hoku, you've been missing a few chapters.
Wonder what Roland is up to...
Celestia saves the life of one desperate bull guard/soldier/cop/guy.
Novo will live, yay!

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