>>157922“I appreciate that.” She says. She looks to him, and gives a weak smile, before looking away.
“I’ll go into a bar, a restaurant, start as a factory line worker - go sons place I can encounter the mark. This works best if the mark is a pony or zebra stallion, and even better if more than one mark will do. For obvious reasons. I try to look as pretty as possible, give him a smile, or flip my tail, or do something else to suggest I’m interested in him. I’ll even strike up a conversation if he doesn’t first. I’ll talk to him about all of the problems in his marriage. But most of all, I’ll ask open ended questions about his line of work. Or his plans. Or what he’s done. I’ll let him impress me. Try to impress me. So I’ll smile, I’ll laugh. I’ll let him think I am receptive to him. But not
too receptive to me. Let him try a little harder. Let him see what he tells me. Or even better, what he shows me. If he doesn’t tell me at least a little of what I need to hear, I’ll just walk away. But if he does, I’ll have sex with him. And if I’m really lucky he’ll start telling me things after that that are useful. And then I’ll tell him that he is going to tell me more, or else I’ll tell his wife and children that he is sleeping with another mare. I’ll tell his partners in their underground printing press that he showed off their machinery to a mare to try to get sex, and that is the reason they have been all arrested. And once he understands this… I have a new informant who will keep me updated on the whereabouts of his confederates and superiors. Money helps.
Now of course it doesn’t always go exactly like that, but more or less change a few details and that is the process. Pose as a pretty face, see who will take a bribe, who will sell their own state-issued weapons, and if anyone knows where the rebels go to drink because this mare is
really looking for one. Most of the time no one dies, though they can if something goes wrong, or if an arrest doesn’t go right. But I know it isn’t what everyone would consider honorable.
The targets aren’t those everyone would consider bad. Labor organizers. Those looking for a autonomy for some ethnic group or tribe… but to me they are threats to order. To unity.
The thing is, I love it. I love doing it. I love every successful bit of uncovered information. I love the resulting arrests. I love the princess. I even love it when it goes wrong. And I wouldn’t spend my life any other way. I don’t really agree with the Blackhooves’ political program. But I despise their enemies. And I am grateful to be a part of this.”