The thick square of parchment appeared in a puff of green fire, just a few inches above the tabletop. Princess Luna plucked it from the air with her magic before it could drift onto the combat map.

"It has heft," commented Luna.

"Your highness?" General Firefly stood watching, her wings at attention. Aside from the princess and the general, the situation room was empty. All remaining senior staff were pinned to the battlefield.

In most cases, literally.

Luna placed the parchment onto the smooth surface of the table, temporarily cancelling the holoprojection spell. A pictorial representation of Equestria wasn't particularly useful at the moment. It was easy enough to remember the cities that hadn't fallen.

The princess rubbed her sore left temple with an ankle. "I refer to the missive from my sister, General. The material is heavy, and appears to have survived a fire," she said, gesturing toward the paper. It had a mottled sepia tone, and it looked burnt around the edges. Luna squinted. "The color makes it difficult to read in this light."

"It must have been burned in transit," suggested Firefly.

Luna shook her head. "The dragonfire spell does not work in that manner," she said, and ran the tip of her hoof across the smooth, darkened writing surface. "Never before have I seen paper of this quality. It must be an ancient form of parchment, one designed to withstand the elements. It would seem my sister wishes to preserve what she has written here for future generations."

It was a rare and humbling experience for the princess to lay hoof upon something older than herself, and she had the uncanny sense she was doing so right now.

Firefly noisily cleared her throat and toed at the floor.

"My apologies, General," said Luna, snapping back to attention. "I shall read it aloud."

[quote][i]Manehattan has fallen but for a few pockets of resistance. I have done what is necessary to prevent Tirek from draining my magic, and I remain hidden. I lack the strength to mount another attack.[/i]

[i]Luna, you must approach Scorpan and beg for his aid. When he sees the horrors his brother has wrought, perhaps his heart will soften and he will elect to join forces with Harmony. Act now, but please wait for the second half to arrive before leaving the bunker.[/i][/quote]

Two confused faces stared at the paper.

"Wait for the second half?" said General Firefly. "The page she sent you is mostly blank."

Luna's brow knitted together. "She knows I am stationed in the safest stronghold in all of Equestria. Nothing she sends to this room can fall into enemy hooves," said Luna. "The second part must be a large map, or perhaps a spell."

"We already know where to find Scorpan—" the general began to say.

Another puff of green flame, and the second sheet appeared. It looked just like the previous one. Luna yanked it down to the surface of the table with her magic.

"What does it say?" asked General Firefly.

There were only three words on the page. Luna spoke them aloud, but she used a tone of voice that made the tiny statement sound like a question.

[quote][i]Good luck, Sister.[/i][/quote]

"That is all?" said Luna, her voice rising with frustration. "What in Tartarus does Celestia mean with this cryptic nonsense?"

Princess Luna lifted both parchments up into the air to examine them more closely, side by side. Then she heard a soft choking sound coming from across the table. In the space between the two pages, Luna could see General Firefly's face. The general wore an expression that Luna had never before witnessed on a senior officer. She was frozen in a state of shock.

"General Firefly, are you all right?" asked Luna.

The general leaned to one side of the table and vomited onto the floor.

Princess Luna flipped both pieces of parchment over and gasped, then shut her eyes tightly and released her magic grasp. The two papers fell quietly onto the table. Luna waited a few moments before opening her eyes.

"Do not bother cleaning the mess," she said to the general. "Prepare my chariot for departure as soon as you are able." Luna trotted briskly out of the room. General Firefly gasped, wiped the sick from her chin with a greave, and followed her liege.

Resting gently on the table lay two patches of cooked hide, an unmistakeable royal sun emblazoned upon each one.