Cold Fire

by blackcat

Letters from the desk of King Thorax

Recipient: King Thorax of Brood 1061-C
Sender: Visitor's Guild Director Bumblebee of Brood 1060-A
Subject: Tourism in Maredor
Date: Xalsday, Megtridec 17, 1084^th Year of Unified Shadows

I would like to preface this with a thank you for entrusting this great duty to me and my team, earning the trust of the outside world will be no mean feat but I have every confidence that we can do it. I have assembled a team of experts on foreign cultures, tourism and selfrestraint culled from across the Collective. We're settled in at the new offices and had a minimum of fighting over the internal pecking order. I've tried to cultivate an environment where we are all equals and free to offer ideas.

It is a new day for the changeling race and we are proud to lead the way! After you of course, Lord Thorax!

We should focus on the ponies first, sadly they seem the most receptive to the idea. But once the others see that they return from the 'land of no return' without harm, that should change! We will not neglect them in our plans of course, but right now the Visitors Guild is small and inexperienced, we must focus on where we will see results.

Good news is that our review has revealed adapting will be easier than first thought. You can rest a little easier sir, I know how much that worried you. A large amount of our infrastructure and training can be repurposed for peaceful ends. We've been pretending to be tourists to cover our recon operations for so long we have a pretty good grasp on how it actually works.

The first and easiest will be the Monarch Migration Travel Agency, we've used this front company for nearly a century to provide cover for our recon operations. It has holdings in a dozen countries and hundreds of ponies on staff, it's value to us has never been greater. The question is should we reveal that we control the company? Coming clean potentially gives us good will but could cause most of the non-changeling staff to leave and force us to start from scratch. If they ask what crimes the front was used for or how many other fronts we have, well those aren't questions they want answers to. Not if they like sleeping at least.

Keeping it secret has it's own risks, namely that discovery will be worse than admission. Suspicion that a travel agency working with us is in fact controlled by us will be high, it might not be possible to hide our control. But it occurs to me that telling the Equestrian government and telling the Equestrian public are not necessarily the same thing. With their help everything could be made much smoother. At the very least we should ask them for assistance on this.

The guild is divided on this matter and we would very much like your input. As our King the final choice is yours and yours alone.

We can use the border outposts and storage depots as caravansaries for travelers in the wasteland. This will make it easier for travelers to come here as well as improve trade in the region. They will need modifications such as visible entrances and guest quarters that don't have restraints and torture devices in them first, of course. At the risk of over stepping my bounds, I have spoken to Timber about this, his input has proven invaluable. By the time you get this he should have already sent out inspectors to our main outposts to assess how to upgrade them. We should have preliminary plans within the week.

It would be best if our guests are housed away from the Main Hive. Ponies don't lodge their tourists inside the Canterlot Palace or in the industrial sections of Manehattan, same principals apply. Too likely they'll get underhoof or see something they shouldn't (we also want to keep the temptation to snack on them to a minimum). As to where they should go, I'm thinking the Red Hive, with the Myrmidon Legion all imprisoned it's currently empty. Even if when they come around, we still have no more use for a collection of bloodthirsty berserkers and we have too many barracks and storage depots as it is. It's centrally placed and distinctive, ideal to turn into a hotel.

As for the color, Timber says that removing it would likely damage it's structural integrity but that, without fresh blood, it should fade on it's own in a decade or two. At that point it might be wise to maintain it (without the blood obviously) since they will be used to it by then. If we "colorize" some of the other hive complexes we can just pretend it's normal and just swear everyling to secrecy about the former occupants of the Red Hive and what they did in their off time. We're not asked awkward questions and they don't have nightmares for the rest of their lives, everyone wins with a well crafted lie!

Repurposing our air fleet will be trivial, since most of our airships are stolen or scavenged from prey outsiders in the first place. I'm not sure how many are in a useful state of repair though, we have more than we can reasonably maintain and the ones that do work are already in use as cargo transports. Between our saboteurs no longer sabotaging and the fact we can just ask for spare parts now, that shouldn't be a big a problem in the long run but it is something we should keep a few ommatidia on.

The fleets two crown jewels are definitely going to be a great deal of trouble. The Platinum's Pride is on the surface a blessing, a massive cruise air liner is perfect for our needs, but we've gutted it to turn it into a troop transport we never used and now never will. After all that work to capture it in the first place, she just leaves it to rust in the desert. What a waste. I'm not sure if we can fully restore it, I haven't found any records of what it is supposed to be like in the archives and we don't have the best grasp of luxury comforts for the fleshlings. (Now what makes them uncomfortable, that we have down pat.) That's not even getting into it's design flaws, the original pipes are just worthless, they would melt under any kind of bathing acid. What were they supposed to pump? Water?

As for the Black Omen, while undeniably impressive, it's the pinnacle of changeling engineering and probably the largest airship to ever fly, it's also a floating siege battery designed to single hoofedly destroy fortifications. I doubt we can pretend the main guns are fireworks, monoforms aren't that gullible. Si and Wriis are build to only work in the Black Omen, we can't just put them in a fort and expect them to work. More than once at least. Since we're at peace now, i suppose that's not a big deal. Then there's the matter of the crew...

This doesn't mean we can't start now, just that we will have to limit it to smaller groups. Which is just as well, realistically we won't be having a packed opening day, so might as well start small and work from there. Besides we need the help figuring out what we need to improve. Even better this will make it seem exclusive and therefore more desirable, this combined with a low price will provide demand. We have to charge something, they'll be suspicious if it's free, we have no use for bits but the beetles and any ponies we hire will. Now that we can't just steal things we have to start paying for what we need. (Do you know why they like gold, sir? I'm dying to know why they value such a useless metal.)

You should invite your pony friends as soon as possible, we'll probably get the best feedback from them since they are less afraid of us than most others. Maybe Daring Do as well, we need to apologize for all the trouble we've put her through over the years. Why would we invite over heroes, the ponies most likely to see through and stop any ruse? Precisely what the public will be thinking! Simply coming back alive and with their free will intact will prove our sincerity.

The key to attracting visitors will be making them want to come. Really want to come, not mind control them. That would be hard to pull off, though not impossible. Especially if Lemon Zest is ever brought into the fold. (I'm surprised the ponies haven't found her yet, for a changeling with so much mental power, she's not the sharpest knife in the torture pit.) No, we have to convince them that they always wanted to see the hidden jewel of Maredor. They already know we aren't their enemy anymore from their newspapers but they don't know we need them to visit. That is our job.

To that end we have spent the week since the guilds formation brainstorming ideas for posters, brochures and slogans to convince the ponies they have always secretly wanted to see the Changeling Heartland. Enclosed with this status update are several first drafts for advertising the wonders of our home for you to judge. Be brutal! (Seriously thought, you could afford to be more critical of us, the constant smiling is getting creepy.)

Signed
Your loyal servant: Bumblebee of Brood 1060-A

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Do you want explore new lands? Immerse your self in a truly unique culture? Than visit the Changeling Kingdom today! See stunning vistas never before seen by pony eyes! Tour the lair of the living shadows! And return alive! We promise!

Sign up for a tour of the mysterious Changeling Kingdom today! Exclusive to Monarch Migration. We don't bite! Anymore!

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Take a leisurely trot through our home as we show you all the sights from the terrifying beautiful Crackshell Falls and the Hanging Hive to the metal melting wonders of Industrial Hive G-Prime. Climb to our mountain strongholds or navigate the depths of our tunnel network. Visit all seventeen of the Queen's steles during your stay and win a prize! A big, beautiful shiny rock! (Seriously, why do they like shiny rocks?)

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Visit the evermoving mountain! The black peak Tryptic!

Mt. Tryptic, a giant mass of magically charged obsidian that guards what was once the largest pass into the Heartland. The only successful invasions came thought this pass until, in the second century of her rule, Queen Chrysalis the Cruel and the greatest changeling mages of the day raised the mountain splitting the pass into two smaller, more defensible ones. Drawing energy from the volcanoes of Maredor to constantly rearrange itself, it is impossible for non-changelings to navigate it's interior or climb it's surface. They say, if you niss careful, you can feel the despair of those that tried, still trapped inside it's walls! It's not nourishing or energizing but it sure is funny!

Warning: We're pretty sure the mountain is alive and evil. We can't guarantee your safe rescue if you get trapped inside, so stay with your guides at all times.

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Underground rivers are rare! We have lots! Come see them!

There is just as much to see underneath Maredor as on it! Follow the many tunnels that criss-cross the Kingdom with only the dim glow of the Eyelight Shrooms and the loud crashing of the inky water for company!

Be sure to visit Lake Shadewater! The training grounds of the fearless Black Shark Squadron! The best and only changeling aquatic infiltration and assault unit! They're like the Wonderbolts but with water and violence!

Note: We haven't gotten their permission to let anyling near Shadewater, never mind fleshlings. Could you do that for us? Captain Guillotine scares me.

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Tour the centerpiece of the Changeling Shadow Empire, the Royal Hive! The tallest and lowest structure in Maredor. See the site of the Queen's defeat by Thorax the Kind! Experience the heights of changeling culture in the Firstborn Memorial Colosseum. The Dance of Embers, The Tales of The First War, The Rise of The Great Queen, The Fall of Baabylon, The Saga of The First Thirteen, all grand epics never before seen by non-compound eyes. If those aren't your thing just wait and enjoy the brutal gladiatorial combat between performances.

Take part in the daily burning knife throwing competition and then take a relaxing bath in the Hygiene Sector and let your worries and epidermal parasites melt away. Have a chat with the savior of changelingdom himself, King Thorax! (Presumptuous of me to presuppose your direct involvement like this, but we both know you'd be meeting them even if we tried to stop you, so may as well schedule it, right?) Join the crafts tables and make your own souvenirs from rocks and slime and corpses!

There's always something to do in the Royal Hive!

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Tired of normal cites with their boring logical design and consistent architecture? Have you ever wanted to turn a corner in Filly-delphia and be in New Tambelon? Ever wanted to see Equestria's Cantorlot Castle next to Yakyakistan's Perfect Palace?

Visit All-The-World, the main training compound for the Actors Guild today! Watch as Fluxfire, the primal Fire of Creation transforms soaring Cloudsdale into subterranean Krunchgrad! You could learn the secrets of the best changeling spies but then we would have to kill you. Just kidding! We don't do that anymore!

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Float gracefully above the desolate Maredor desert in the largest airship ever constructed, the Black Omen! See all the sights! Like the giant rock that looks like a dead sheep, the site where we massacred the sheep army for the fist time or the other giant rock that looks like a dead sheep. Visit the oases and play every patrol-lings second favorite game: Poison, ambush or landmines! Also shuffle board and karaoke! Fun for the whole family!

All under the crazed watchful eyes of the completely insane charmingly mad eccentric unique Captain Charnage! You'll be perfectly safe! Who would dare attack a ship crewed by more than five hundred changeling air pirates?

Warning: Don't bring anything you can't afford to lose with you. It is highly recommended that any non-flying passengers stay near the ones that can at all times in case the captain gets bored. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience and keelhauling.

Sir, I have to be serious about this, Charnage is a violent nut even by our standards and leaving him in charge of a massive siege engine is asking for trouble. I have no earthly idea why the wannabe pirate is playing along with us, maybe he's upset that the Omen's first voyage outside Maredor was only as a transport to the Cantorlot Attack and he thinks you'll let him use the guns on something other than sand, but it won't last forever. If you don't want to arrest him at least reasign him somewhere safer for the rest of us. I know, promote him to commander of the air fleet, that's technically a promotion over captaining the only part of it that is vaguely respected and is one of the few things we can trust him with. We can then stick him in an office in the hive or better yet, literally anywhere else.

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To: Bumblebee
From: Thorax
Subject: Reply: Tourism in Maredor
Date: Logosday, Megtridec 18, 1084^th Year of Unified Shadows

I'm happy to hear you have settled in and are hard at work, though I should I remind you not to overwork yourselves. We don't have an embassy or formal recognition yet, I suspect we need that before tourism can happen. The ideas all seem sound for the most part and they have my blessing. The choice about Monarch Migration has already been made, I recalled all the spies working at our fronts days ago. I'll send the ones that worked at Monarch to you unless they go rouge.

I guess I'll have to make this clearer at the next council meeting but you have no bounds to overstep, the Visitors Guild is one of the most important organs of our new collective. If we are to earn love instead of taking it we need them to come and see what we are like, that means the Visitors and Diplomatic Guilds are now two of the most important Royal Guilds and should be treated accordingly.

I want to focus on the Platinum's Pride over the Black Omen, I'm considering giving the stolen parts of our fleet back to their former owners and it will look better for us if they are well maintained. Even if they let us keep it, it will be far more useful to us than the Black Omen ever will. Bluntly I'm considering scrapping the Omen, it was a massive waste of time and energy to build and it's constant drain to maintain it. It's a symbol of Chrysalis' rule, a giant weapon that does nothing but weigh us down. It goes without saying I've ordered an end to the construction of the It's clutchmate ship the Dark Cloud, we're not working twenty years to build another useless super warship.

As for Charnage, I won't arrest someling just because he might commit a crime. That's how the Queen did things and I will not repeat her mistakes. You forget that Charnage was considered the Queen's court jester, I doubt he has fond memories of her rule. Why else would he spent all his time away from the Hive working on the giant boondoggle that is the Black Omen? If it will calm you the Omen is having it's stock of shells reduced to a minimum as we speak, and it only has that many to console the more paranoid in the council. I will see about having a complement of Reformed among the crewlings during the next rotation, to keep an eye on him and discourage this pirate act of theirs. It's probably an act of rebellion against the Queen, once they see a way that doesn't involve cutlasses and clothes they should mellow out.

I will visit the Visitors Guild at the first opportunity, see if I can help with the brochures. I like the general ideas but some of the details need work. Don't get discouraged! It's always hardest at the start, but we will adapt as we always do.

Sighed, your friend:
Thorax