Twilight makes first contact

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Glossary

Chapter 1

Today is the day! Twilight thought excitedly.

For the past eight months and six days, she had collaborated with sociologists, artists, physicists, biologists, magical theorists and even generals to form an expedition unique in Equestrian history. Before that, even, she had spent more than three years gathering data, starting from the very first hint she had noticed in the multiverse-spanning thaumaturgical matrix she had developed together with the best magicians of the Canterlot University Magical Department.

After initially spending months with thaumic engineers trying to clean the signal, checking and re-checking the equipment and investigating every possible source of interference within and without the matrix, going so far as to completely redesign and rebuild the blasted thing, the academia were finally forced to accept the irrefutable: the matrix had picked up intelligence, civilization even, somewhere in the dark folds of improbability, where no life should possibly exist.

The matrix was studied with unbeforeseen intensity, every scrap of evidence gleaned from its workings, and a plan was formed. The target world was habitable, uncannily similar to Equestria itself, and reachable with a carefully calibrated artificially induced magical singularity.

An expedition was formed, consisting of the finest minds in Equestria of the fields in communication science, cryptography, sociology, biology, physics, diplomacy, art history and mimoplasty. An entire new cadre of specialist troops were trained to manage the security of the scientists and dignitaries in an intrinsically unknowable, potentially hostile environment while maintaining every opportunity for success in a first contact situation. The former bearers of the Elements of Harmony, national heroes and royal friends, were gathered to form a part in the upcoming momentous occasion.

And Twilight was to spearhead the expedition.

The choice was inevitable. The magical properties of the target destination were unknown. Anything could happen. And as much as the security advisers hated the thought, Princess Twilight Sparkle was the sharpest mind, the most potent magic user, the most eclectically knowledgeable and overall best pony to handle such a situation.

Today the gate was opened.

Shimmering in the afternoon air, the portal waited. Flanked by an honor guard, under the eyes of Her Highnesses Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, watched by a mass of privileged onlookers, followed anxiously by the rest of her expedition, Princess Twilight Sparkle stepped forth and activated the magics of the gateway to another world.

* * *

It was hot.

The alien sun high in the sky burned her coat and made the grass sizzle. Twilight called her magic and formed a bubble of cool air around herself. She looked around herself, eyes scanning the desolate landscape.

There, just a hundred paces away, she spotted Them.

The aliens. The first glimpse of extra-Equestrian intelligence in the flesh.

Magnificent! was the first thought in Twilight's mind.

They were equine in nature, but much taller, and more graceful than ponies, maybe half again as tall as the average pony, but with slender legs and muscular barrels. There were a handful of them in a pasture: a herd, perhaps, or a family? Twilight watched them in awe, as they played and raced in the incredible heat. They moved like water, their forms flowing as they danced, racing and frolicking like some strangely familiar gods.

Their heads were oblong, muzzles much larger than Equestrians', but not unseemly. The eyes were smaller, surely the product of the tremendously bright sun, and wholly dark. Twilight was fascinated by the way they were slanted to the sides of the aliens' heads, surely signifying a culture of peace and tranquility.

Tentatively, she took a few steps forward, and cleared her throat. Immediately, the aliens stopped their games and took notice of her. A still silence descended on the pasture.

Twilight smiled excitedly and took a deep breath. "Greetings, fellow sapient beings!" she said in a clear tone. "I know you cannot possibly understand my language, but let me still say, with all my heart, that it is an honor to meet you! I hope, neigh, know that we shall be friends!"

While her words were undecipherable to a completely alien culture, her tone of greetings and friendship must have been welcome, for one of the aliens reared up and yelled a greeting of its own. Then they ran to her, deceptively fast and light, but with enviably leisure-like grace. They lowered their beautiful eyes to her level and nuzzled the sides of her head.

Success! Twilight was jubilant. The clear friendship, the sheer affection these beautiful creatures showed was beyond anything she had dared hope. She could see a most bright future ahead of their two peoples.

Then they spoke briefly to her again, and one by one sprang away again, clearing the ground in easy strides. Twilight sighed, confused but happy. Such energy! Such joy! These are wonderful, beautiful beings!

Slow, heavy hoofsteps sounded against gravel beside her. Twilight turned her head. And looked up. And up.

A gigantic, dark alien was standing behind her, taller than Princess Celestia herself, even accounting for the horn. The being seemed to stretch for the heavens. Twilight gulped nervously.

"Oh! Oh my...", she said. This, this must be a princess! Oh my, she is huge! She is magnificent! That gleaming coat, that unaccountable wisdom in those eyes, that incomparable frame! Trembling beside herself, Twilight gazed at the being in front of her.

Then the creature leaned forward, pressed its muzzle against hers, and breathed hotly through its nostrils. Twilight was stunned. Was... was that a greeting? She closed her eyes, swallowed and pushed back with her own muzzle, doing her best to match the prodigious airflow of the glorious alien queen.

The alien nuzzled her, nibbled at her ears in fact. Twilight was overjoyed. Oh, she's just like Celestia! she thought giddily. Then she realized she was hearing ...speech?

The sounds were completely alien, short and clipped. And most strangely, they didn't seem to come from the alien's mouth at all. They flowed from her general direction, but her mouth stayed closed, eyes peering into Twilight's soul.

"Are you... are you telepathic?" Twilight asked. It must be! The others must have signaled her immediately on my arrival! I must get the others here immediately!

"Your highness," Twilight said with a grin, "allow me to introduce you to my friends."

* * *

Cassie rode carefully to the strange lavender little creature that had appeared in her pony pen. The thing looked almost like a pony, except smaller and perhaps cuddlier. And the coloration was crazy.

Cassie almost giggled as she saw it gesticulate and whinny, almost human-like. It seemed to become an instant friend to her ponies. She clicked her tongue and shifted her weight, inching her steed forward.

The horse leaned down and gave the creature a horsey kiss, while Cassie examined the being.

"Now, whatever might ya be, gal... My gawd, are those wings??"

Then a shimmering light appeared behind the creature, fifty yards or so further, and more creatures started to appear. They walked towards her in formation, wild in coloration and so intelligent looking, some in the buff, others wearing what was clearly decorative garb. There must have been several dozen of them, marching forwards in lockstep, with clear purpose and precision. Except for the pink one in the back, who was gently bouncing forward.

Cassie swallowed, realizing the world was about to change.

It took surprisingly long, before the ponies noticed her on the back of the horse.

Chapter 2

Cassie watched in nervous silence as the alien creatures marched from the brightness. She was too stunned to take count, too amazed to notice her ponies nervously whinny and retreat to watch from a safer distance. The horse she was riding swayed her head to and fro, but stayed still in deference to her rider, perhaps calmed by Cassie's own stiffness.

There's so many of them! she thought as they came to a halt in a wide formation twenty or thirty feet away. The first one, the lavender, whinnied and gesticulated at them shortly, pointing at Daisy the horse. Their large eyes all followed the first one's gesture, and in unison, they knelt briefly.

Cassie realized distantly that she would have been panicking if the creatures weren't so ridiculously adorable.

They came in all colors. Blue, yellow, green and orange, violet, cyan, pink and turquoise. There were even some in colors she was used to: brown, gray and white. It was the white ones that sparked a recognition.

"Unicorns?" she said faintly. "And pegasi?" Her voice rose as she fell into slight hysteria. "Well, a' course they are!" she said in an oddly loud voice. "Magical fairy tale ponies have come to mah ranch to say hello!" Then she started giggling.

If Daisy hadn't thrown her head and neighed nervously, she would have collapsed in laughter, but the horse's reaction made her calm down and try to soothe the animal as well.

She almost started again, when the creatures briefly but enthusiastically stomped the ground in applause. She couldn't imagine what else it could have been; the creatures' postures were so dignified, and the movement so precise and controlled.

Then the lavender one started whinnying and gesticulating again. She couldn't understand the tone, but the other creatures started bustling when it pointed at them. Some started unpacking odd contraptions from a cart, others moved to locations in the vicinity of the large group, and began drawing lines in the dirt.

I guess you're in charge, Lavender, she mused while still watching in amazement. What on Earth are they all doing? She tilted her head. I guess the white ones are ...guards? The breastplates are a dead giveaway.

A colorful subgroup of about a dozen creatures came closer and divided, six of them coming right up to the lavender one. Oh dear, that one is carrying a lizard! And that one's got a stetson! How can it have a stetson?.

The lavender creature whinnied to the subgroup a bit, then directed a pale pink one with a fancy golden mane up to Daisy. It's got tiny glasses! Oh my gawd, that's so cute! The bespectacled creature lifted its muzzle up to the horse, who obediently reciprocated, giving another horsey kiss to the newcomer. Then the newcomer raised its hoof in the air.

As an experienced show horse, Daisy knew this trick. Cassie almost choked, when the two touched their hooves in a mock handshake. I... I can't believe this! Is this real?

One by one, the smaller group of creatures came to touch their muzzles and hooves to Daisy, who seemed to enjoy the attention, throwing her beautiful black mane to show off.

There was the stetson-wearing one. It gave a robust whinny while it shook Daisy's hoof a bit. A unicorn with an outrageously stylish purple mane curtsied, making Cassie cramp in stifled laughter again. The bouncy pink one seemed to tremble in excitement as it touched Daisy's hoof. After being pulled aside for a moment by the lavender creature, it sped incredibly fast to a wagon, and started pulling out ...party decorations? The next one had a mane in the colors of the rainbow, which at this point only served to underline the complete improbability of the situation to Cassie.

Then the one that had been carrying the lizard gave the gentlest, most quiet whinny Cassie had ever heard, softer than any foal's she had heard before, her big teal eyes shifting between her and the horse. The lizard itself had waddled up to the lavender creature, and now climbed to sit on its back while the creature nuzzled it gently. "Oh, that is just too sweet!" Cassie cooed aloud.

Immediately the yellow, pink-maned creature spread its wings and jumped gracefully into air, coming to hover a foot away from Cassie's face. It traced Cassie's face with a surprisingly soft and gentle hoof and whinnied some more, a little more loudly that time. Then it seemed to shy away a bit, hiding behind its long pink mane.

Daisy followed the movement of the yellow pegasus, and gave it a small nuzzle as it fluttered in the air. Cassie giggled and reached a hand to stroke the mane of the flying creature. "Aw, c'mere you!" she cooed, as the creature pressed its head to her hand and rubbed itself contentedly.

The other creatures stared.

* * *

"Welcome to a new world, everypony!" Twilight said with pride and exhilaration to the grand total of eleven hundred1 ponies in the spearhead expedition.

Gosh, I hope we don't come off as intimidating, she thought as the natives shouted a greeting and retreated several hundred paces. The sight of the alien queen calmly measuring the incoming expedition set her nerves at ease, however. Still, a good thing the rest of the First Contact expedition will wait for their green light in Canterlot.

"Allow me to introduce you to what I believe to be a leader, a princess perhaps, among what has already proven to be a people of great harmony and friendship!" she said aloud to her fellow ponies, directing their gaze to the magnificent native, whose dark form gleamed in the harsh brightness of the alien sun, her form ineffably impressive as she stood calm and graceful facing creatures she couldn't possibly have ever imagined existing.

As the ponies gave a respectful bow, the alien queen began its telepathic communications again. It began as a quiet whisper, just at the edge of their minds, then grew like a tide into a strong and high cadenza, finally trickling down in ...laughter?

It was! The queen greeted them aloud, releasing a joyful snort, apparently overjoyed at making so many new friends. Twilight was elated again at the joy these beings expressed at every turn. The expedition applauded enthusiastically at the display, equally impressed at the ease and grace the native welcomed them to her realm.

Quickly, Twilight turned to her kind, determined to communicate properly as soon as possible.

"All right!" she began. "Science team, Magic has priority to determine what we can do here safely. Be quick, be efficient, but don't cut corners. Nopony use your magic, even flight or earth magic before the Magic team says it's okay, unless you know how to feed it back to you. I know it's hot, but we don't want to damage the environment. Our scans showed this to be a magicless universe, and we don't know what effects magic will have on it!

"Engineers! Begin assembling the infra for both the gate and the dome, but don't activate anything before Science gives you the green light. Xeno-teams! I want to get to the point-and-name stage as soon as possible. Observe the natives and modify the contact package accordingly. The locals seem friendly, but keep your distance anyway and let them come to us! Lady Shine, please join me with your attachés! Girls, you too! Major Magenta, you know what to do! Low profile, for now; I seriously doubt the natives have managed to make anything threatening without magic.

"Get to work, everypony!"

Twilight nodded with satisfaction at the speed and precision everypony moved. These were the best trained, the most professional, the most qualified and the best motivated ponies in all of Equestria. Hoof-picked to spearhead the grand expedition, these ponies were sure to get results fast but right. They had the creativity, the imagination, the knowledge and the focus to kick-start the process of establishing a hoof-hold in a new world both in terms of accumulating practical knowledge and gaining a safe and unthreatening presence.

While they went to work with zeal, Twilight waved the chief diplomat to her side. While Twilight would naturally need to be active in any possible high profile negotiations, she would have her hooves full in coordinating the research the expedition would undoubtedly be producing in a short while in exponentially increasing amounts. Once communications were established, Lady Pearl Shine and her four attachés would bear the brunt of relaying information between the cultures from two worlds in hopes of building a true understanding.

But that would come long after the fascinating process of establishing even the most basic of communications was over. Twilight was eagerly anticipating the study of a culture formed under the unfathomable environment discovered by the thaumaturgical matrix. How would they communicate in the end? How would they explain their views on existence to one another? What would they learn of each other, of themselves, of the very ontology of existence?

"The protocol of greeting seems to be an exchange of breath, ambassador," Twilight explained to Lady Shine, whose attachés had stayed a bit further back. "Present your muzzle to the princess and let her lead."

With a smile that betrayed none of the nervousness Twilight felt, if indeed there was any, Lady Shine trotted in front of the incredibly tall alien queen and leaned up and forwards. With no hesitation, the queen leaned down and exchanged the strange greeting with the diplomat, who grinned and presented her hoof. "It is truly an honor to meet you and your people, Your Highness!" Lady Shine said. "I hope we will be able to exchange words equitably soon!"

Twilight let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as the alien with the slightest of hesitation raised one of her graceful hooves and touched it to the ambassador's.

She felt like cheering, but instead restrained herself, and turned to the five other ponies and Spike. "My friends!" Twilight said beaming, and waved them at the native princess. "Please!"

Applejack went first, giving the alien a wide smile, a sturdy hoof-shake and a loud "Howdy! It's an honor to meet y'all, Yer Highness! He-he, kinda literal in yer case!"

Rarity curtsied gracefully in her fine dress, with a cultured "How do you do, Your Highness."

Pinkie Pie was excited to point of bursting, and bounced to the native uncharacteristically silent, unable to decide which of the multitude of words she felt she needed to say should go first. Twilight took her gently to the side and whispered, "CD-protocol, Pinkie!"

Deflating slightly, Pinkie whispered back. "But I thought you said they were friendly!" she complained.

"They are!" Twilight said. "That's why I don't want to offend them by accident. Why don't you set up a party for the establishment of the base camp? If the locals join, then we know they like to party!"

With a wordless gasp, Pinkie Pie raced to the supply wagon and started pulling out streamers and balloons.

While Rainbow Dash and the alien showed off their manes to one another, Spike walked up to Twilight and hopped onto her back.

"So good to see you, Spike!" she said with a nuzzle, while Fluttershy asked the alien princess something quietly.

"You too, Twilight," Spike said back. "Say, how do you know she's a princess?"

"Well, I don't," Twilight admitted. "She just seemed so ...regal, I guess. Why?"

"I just thought she could be a princess's student, seeing as she has an assistant of her own," Spike said pointing at the strange clothed creature sitting on the alien's back. "Didn't you notice?"

Twilight snapped her head back to the alien, realizing for the first time that there indeed was someone or something sitting on the tall alien's back. The creature was clothed, and so spindly it almost hurt to look at it. Are all the creatures here tall and thin? Twilight thought. It's like a world of Fleur-de-Lys!

Then she heard the creature speak. Wait... That's the source of the voice? Oh, thank Celestia I didn't tell anypony about my 'telepathy'-theory!

Fluttershy squee'ed loudly. "Oh my gosh, you can talk!?" she said and jumped into air, right into the face of the creature riding the alien's back. "That is so cute!" Then she retreated with a flap of her wings and shied behind her mane. "Oh, I'm sorry, your majesty! I don't want to startle your pet."

In response, both the alien and its pet nuzzled Fluttershy, the pet riding the queen's back using one of its amazingly long appendages.

The ponies looked at the scene in amazement. Then Applejack let a low guffaw. "Heh, look! It's got a hat just like mine!" she said and nudged Rarity to the side. "Whaddaya think a' that, Rarity? Tha one true constant in fashion across tha multiverse is mah hat!"

Rarity chuckled in response. "Must be the lowest common denominator, then!" she said jokingly.

"She's wearing a saddle!" Spike said slowly. "Why don't you ever wear a saddle for me, Twilight?"

The strange creature lowered itself from the alien's back, patting her on the withers, its head on their level or a bit higher. Look at that! It acts almost as if they were equals! Twilight thought shocked, and watched as the creature dug a container of some sort from the queen's saddle bags. It opened the container, mixing the contents with its appendage and then attached it to the queen's muzzle. The smell of oats spread from the container as the queen started munching with abandon.

Then the creature walked directly to Twilight and crouched in front of her, offering the appendage to her.

Slowly and hesitantly Twilight put her hoof into the appendage and felt it being squeezed gently as the creature shook her hoof. It said something to her, and petted her mane with those soft, incredibly soft claws at the end of its foreleg. Startled, Twilight tried to answer. "Um...yes! Very nice to meet you...um!"

Twilight frowned slightly, as the creature rose and proceeded to shake hooves and pet the manes of all her friends and Lady Shine. Then her eyes widened as something clicked in her mind. She looked at the 'queen', completely indifferent to her surroundings while she sunk her muzzle in to the feedbag. She looked at the smaller equines, grazing at the dry grass at a distance, peeking nervously at the multitude of ponies every once in a while. And she looked at the odd, thin creature with the long limbs, moving from pony to pony with a purpose.

"Xeno teams!" Twilight shouted suddenly. "Some of my assumptions may need modification!"

* * *

In the NORAD headquarters in Colorado, the monitors displayed no anomalies. No sudden blimps of unexplained radar sources or satellite imagery of suddenly appeared light sources of worrying magnitude made themselves known. No reconnaissance flights reported strange sights.

In Yamantau, Russia, or Lake Kinghathu, China, there was even less to see, if possible. Everything was quiet, and normal.

No instrumentation captured the arrival of the Equestrians, but statisticians would later be able to pinpoint with great certainty to that day the start of certain trends that would become apparent.

* * *

"Nothing of course is conclusive at this stage, Princess Twilight," the Science team co-ordinator said to begin her report, "but with a reasonable certainty I can say that despite being magically as close to inert as current instrumentation allows, neither the material or the organizational structure of this universe acts thaumophilically. Direct spells modifying the natural properties of either, however, apparently cause possibly irreversible integration with the magical principles of Equestrian nature, and any magical construct, such as an enchantment, or say, a translation matrix, might very well locally override the base reality.

"The rate of passive subsumation to magical principles on the other hoof is slow, again beyond the current instrumentation in the current time-frame. It would seem, the ...physical... principles of this plane of existence are complete and rigid enough not to soak magic up. For us, it means safety in the environment during a long stay, and for the environment, a certain durability in our presence. Relatively speaking, of course.

"In interests of preservation, I determine contingency C appropriate."

Twilight nodded. "The radius of feedback dome?"

"The minimum radius would be just under twenty thousand paces, due to the nature of the dome itself. At that range, we should be capturing magic at an intensity well beyond the output of the Gate. Of course, we would be missing low-frequency emissions. Otherwise, the radius follows the Law of diminishing frequency up to the energy maximum of the available equipment at hundred thousand kilopaces."

Twilight weighed numbers and politics in her mind for a moment before deciding. "We'll compromise at thousand kilopaces, optimized," she said firmly. "It shouldn't feel too invasive to the natives, I hope, and it will catch all the significant magical output we cause, while able to contain any accidental bursts. I'll give the go once Contact has managed to explain to the natives what we are about to do."

* * *

Over the day, Cassie had been joined in her gawking over the tiny visitors by the ranch's co-owner and her good friend, Michelle, and the two farm-hands, Peter and Tiny Tina. They had taken the appearance of the creatures pretty well, she thought. Even now they were looking at the pictures and things provided by the visitors and giving them the names of the things while absent-mindedly scratching the aliens' ears.

There wasn't much point in doing anything else.

They were magical pony creatures from beyond the reality, and they had come to visit her ranch. On one hand, one could say they were alien invaders. On the other, they seemed content to stay in pretty much one place and study their surroundings.

And they were making friends with both the ranch ponies and their handlers.

And they were ridiculously cute. The pink pony with the cotton candy mane was trying to feed Tina a cupcake.

"So," Michelle said slowly. "Who should we tell about this?"

"Ah really don't know, Michelle," Cassie said. "Ah mean, this is serious business. But there's no way anyone's going to listen if we call 'em an' say we got a bunch a' magical ponies here to see tha president."

Michelle rubbed her chin in thought. "Ah could get mah camcorder an' upload this to a newsfeed site," she suggested.

Cassie spit. "Heck no! We ain't gonna want a bunch a' no-good tourists to camp out here!"

"Well," Michelle drawled, then snapped her fingers. "Ah got it! Mah auntie's old man's a commander on a cruiser! He'll be able to git someone higher up to look at this."

"You'll be able to call him?", Cassie asked.

"Well, no", Michelle said, "but ah cain send a video a' these magic ponies to Auntie May an' ask her to send it to Robert. If they take it seriously, it should go on from there."

"Cain't say ah got any better ideas," Cassie said and adjusted her hat. "Ah don't like tha idea a' some news hound comin' here to git a scoop out a' this."

"Could be publicity," Michelle suggested half-heartedly.

"A nuisance is what it'd be!", Cassie growled. "'Asides, this is big. We shouldn't make a circus out a' this."

"Amen," Michelle sighed.

* * *

With the help of the experts in mimoplasty and communication scientists, Twilight had shrunk a message to its most basic elements. They were going to erect a dome above the pasture. It wasn't going to cause any damage or any noticeable effect of any kind beyond its appearance. She was going to show it to the aliens in a visual representation she had learned watching Celestia explain her the history of the Crystal Empire.

It should work, she repeated to herself. Nopony's going to panic. We'll still be friends.

She breathed deep and went to the two aliens who actually seemed to be in charge. At least, the other two had appeared to defer to them. And the equines were ...not that intelligent, apparently. After four hours of futile attempts at getting them to acknowledge the expedition's communication attempts, let alone participate in an intelligence measurement testing, the group had tentatively reclassified them as 'differently sapient'.

At least they were friendly.

The two spindly aliens paid attention to her as soon as she walked to them. Twilight cleared her throat with a degree of dignity, knowing that she would melt immediately when they would scratch her behind the ears. They always inevitably did. She felt oddly ashamed at wanting them to.

Before they had the chance, however, she launched her illusion spell.

* * *

"Wow," Michelle breathed and watched. "Did ya know they could do that?"

"First Ah ever saw this," Cassie said quietly.

In front of them a miniature of the ranch had grown, complete with tiny figures of people and ponies, both alien and domestic. Then, from the group of ponies gathered around an arrangement of jewels and stones, there grew a bubble around a portion of the ranch. It grew to encompass about half of the pasture reserved for the Shetlands and part of the woods at its border. Then it stopped.

The visual repeated, twice, while the lavender magic pony looked at them in the eyes. Then she gave another, closer image. Miniatures of humans, trees and ponies appeared, and the edge of the bubble passed them. Nothing more happened. Again, the ...animation, illusion, fantasm? repeated. Then the lavender little creature looked at them and tilted its head.

Cassie and Michelle looked at each other and shrugged. Michelle reached out to the lavender creature and scratched it behind the ears. "That was a real nice picture show ya did there, gal. Nicely done," she said while the creature let out a small sound of contentment and shook its left hind leg.

"Ah wonder what that meant?" Michelle asked Cassie as the lavender creature retreated back to their kind and whinnied something, waving one of its wings.

Then, with a bright flash, a slightly reflective but otherwise completely transparent dome soundlessly appeared over their heads, around half a mile in diameter and height.

"Oh," Michelle said weakly.

Cassie took her hat off and ruffled her blond hair. "Well," she said, "that should help to get somebody's attention."

She looked at the alien ponies, who let out a small cheer and started to put up some other odd arrangement. "Ah hope nobody overreacts."

1 The ponies use base four. So that's eighty ponies in base ten.

Chapter 3

The president of the United States stepped down to the tarmac of Peterson Air Force Base from the massive frame of the newly instated Air Force One. She smiled crookedly at the marine in dress uniform saluting her at the bottom of the stairs. There always was one, no matter where the aircraft landed. Even if a helicopter were to deliver her in the middle of a desert, they would somehow manage to get a snappily dressed marine there to welcome her. She sometimes wondered how much the military liked playing games like that.

A military man she recognized as one of the Senior Advisors to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs was waiting to welcome her.

"Ma'am president," the man said with a smart salute and an offer of handshake, "Sergeant Major Battaglia. Admiral Winnefeld is waiting in the Air Force Space Command with the rest of the Joint Chiefs in attendance either in flesh or virtually."

"I take it since we're not heading for the Mountain there's nothing immediately threatening?" she asked casually. In truth, she had been getting continual updates while in-flight, but the situation was mind-boggling enough for her not to succeed in thinking up anything immediately pertinent. Showing a cool, collected and in-control exterior to observers while completely confused on the inside was a skill most politicians developed early on in their careers.

"The situation remains largely unchanged, ma'am president," the Sergeant Major confirmed. The middle-aged marine officer was a bear of a man with rough features, but something about him made the president want to cuddle him. There was something intensely huggable about the man. "We're monitoring the anomaly constantly."

"Mmm," hummed the president, pursing her lips. "And the foreign powers?"

"I haven't heard the report from the intelligence officer yet, ma'am," the Sergeant Major said. "I believe they're monitoring communications."

They rode the short distance to the Hartinger building in a staff car and, flanked by their entourage of Secret Service men and adjutants silently communicating with their tablets, walked briskly up the stairs and through the halls to a reinforced room full of computer screens and a single long table at which were sat several four-star generals and admirals and a few civilian experts. Young adjutants sat at the sidelines, constantly listening and reading to reports and summarizing them for quick ingestion for the Joint Chiefs or occasionally relaying communications to their rightful addressees.

The brass rose to acknowledge the arrival of the president, who dismissed them quickly with a wave of her hand.

"All right," she said firmly, "brief me. James?"

The admiral currently serving as the chairman for the Joint Chiefs cleared his throat.

"At 1632 hours, a commercial aircraft en route from New York reported an anomaly to the traffic control in El Paso, describing it as a 'flash of light' and 'a golden spire'.

"The anomaly was verified at 1650 hours by both a National Guard aircraft on patrol in the area, and a remote surveillance drone launched from Sheppard Air Force Base. This is the first footage of the anomaly," admiral Winnefeld said, directing their gaze towards a large projection screen where several high quality photos from a distance showed a mostly transparent dome rising to a considerable height in the middle of what many called the 'horse country'.

The dome was only visible by odd, golden diffraction patterns on its surface that according to the pictures seemed to shift constantly, but it looked like it rose to a height of the tallest skyscrapers in the world and covered square miles under its glow.

"The size of the anomaly was estimated and later verified at approximately 2500 feet at its base and height," the admiral continued and coughed gently. "The scientists have exact measurements, but have not yet reported anything significant about them. The shape of the dome is not quite an ovoid, rather following a curve our technical advisers described as 'interesting'."

The room chuckled lightly.

"An AWACS aircraft was appropriated from the National Guard by Space Command to observe the anomaly more closely. It arrived at the scene at 1736 hours, at which time it began both visual and wide-spectrum analysis of the anomaly. The survey revealed the presence of several unidentified lifeforms moving around the site."

More footage followed, this time accompanied by a soundless video showing dozens of pastel and technicolor creatures swarming a small area in the approximate center of the dome. The footage was accurate and steady enough to show their facial features and expressions, which the president found cute despite herself. Every now and then a golden flash would obscure the view, but it was clear the creatures were building something. The means by which they did so was unclear. Objects both tiny and large seemed to fly through the air, as unimpeded as some of the creatures themselves, who had literally taken to air apparently under their own power with wings that were ridiculously small compared to their bodies.

It did not seem to bother them in the least.

Other footage showed the creatures interacting with some humans as well as the horses and the ponies in the ranch. The scene was ...idyllic to say the least. The president found herself swallowing a 'squee', when she saw a pony nuzzling one of the creatures, who reciprocated right back. The humans appeared to be communicating with the creatures, pointing at objects and what probably were pictures while speaking. The comparison to humans revealed the creatures to be the approximate size of a large dog.

They seem so unthreatening, the president mused silently.

"At 1813 hours, the following phenomenon was witnessed," the admiral said, switching to another video, zoomed out to a more panoramic view.

In the middle of the screen, a dozen ponies were gathered around what looked like a slab of stone decorated with colored rocks and carved with fractals. Then the screen flashed white before settling to show a new shimmering dome, this one much smaller than the big one, maybe thirty feet in height, and thinner, only about a dozen feet in width. It also shimmered and shined much more rapidly and glowed constantly in an arrhythmic pulse.

They watched as one of the creatures marched to the dome and vanished, only to reappear a few moments later to apparent cheer of the others.

The admiral cleared his throat again. "It should be noted, that aside from some weak infra-red, the visual spectrum is the only sign of anything at all happening there. There is no radiation, no radar activity, no radio-waves, no electric disturbances and no seismic activity at all. Despite that fact, we have witnessed the life-forms producing in estimation several tonnes of material from the smaller dome, including several new life-forms."

The president rapped her fingers in thought, watching as on the screen the creatures levitated horizontally a pylon three times the height of the dome out of the glowing arc. She glanced at her science advisor. "Neil?"

The physicist adjusted his glasses. "We have no idea," he confessed unashamed, sounding rather eager about the fact. "It could be a generator of some kind, a matter transmitter device of sorts, or maybe even a gate, a portal crossing space and time.

"The last one I like a bit, since there was absolutely no sign of these beings before this afternoon. And that doesn't quite make sense.

"No one makes first contact by landing on a planet. I mean, there's no sense in it. First you notice another civilization through EM observation. And that's a nice puzzle there as well: How did they know we're here? Unlike as is popularly believed, our puny radio and TV signals don't make it beyond our solar system before drowning in noise. Did these guys just happen to intercept the Arecibo signal? Or is there a hidden observation post somewhere in our solar system?

"Anyway," he said catching himself. The president was always amused to listen to Mr. Tyson when he got excited. The fast-talking physicist would jump from point to point with a childlike fervor, still maintaining a surprisingly coherent thought. "Anyway, you first notice the other guys. Then you signal back. I mean, crossing interstellar space is an enormous endeavor. The best we know, even with colossal expenditure it will take years, more likely centuries or millennia to travel from one star to another.

"But these guys," he said grinning while pointing at the screen, "just show up one day like it's nothing and set up weird glowing domes that either don't do anything or break physics into pieces. I mean, whether that thing creates, transforms or transfers matter, it's unbelievably clean and efficient. A little light pollution as the only sign of energy use in the general volume of at least a volcano?"

He whistled shaking his head.

"And if it's a gate, we're talking about a Kardashev II or III civilization here. I mean, if that were an Einstein-Rosen bridge it would use up the energy of at least a star, maybe several.

"Not that I think it is, though," he mused rubbing his chin. "It doesn't look right. The dome, I suppose, could be an event horizon, but it doesn't cause any refractions. Or earthquakes, for that matter. Still, if it's a gate, that would explain the little guys' presence. I mean, why bother with spaceships, when you can just pop into another corner of the universe?"

He leaned back in his chair, grinning contentedly.

"So," the president asked slowly, "as a military threat, you'd estimate them as...?"

"No point at all, madam president," the physicist said frankly. "They are so beyond us that they likely don't have even any need for military conquests, or have energy manipulation capabilities so vastly superior to ours that their tools could double as planet busters."

The military brass seemed a bit disgruntled at the assessment, but the president noticed they didn't argue. Among the reports there were some estimates on the assumed energy expenditure of the smaller dome based on what it was perceived as doing. Even the lower estimates had more zeroes in them than the total annual energy budget of the United States.

The upper estimates were in the realm of utter madness. She wondered idly what a number with 57 zeroes was called.

"Well, that's them, I guess," she sighed. "Unless anyone has a theory why some of them look a bit like pegasi or unicorns?"

The brass shrugged. "Previous visits?" suggested an air force general.

The president nodded slowly. "Do we have a plan for these kinds of things?" she asked.

The same general nodded. "We do, in fact, madam president," he said eagerly. "The Pentagon drew plans for a first contact scenario already in the Fifties. They've been updated regularly every few years since." He checked his watch. "We started gathering the contact team outlined in the 2008 plan two hours ago. They should be ready and able by tomorrow morning."

"2008?" the president asked. "That's nine years ago."

"Indeed," the air force general nodded. "We had to go through a few replacement names because of early deaths and a change in security clearance in some cases. The lead team is mostly intact, however, and we'll follow their suggestions for the rest."

"All right," the president said, "what's the international situation?"

The director of NSA participating over video conference cleared her throat. "We intercepted communications between the European major powers just ten minutes ago," she said. "It seems the UK, France and Germany are aware something's going on. They have satellite footage of the anomaly and information about our troop movements and, of course, about you boarding the Air Force One in the middle of your speech, madam president.

"However, they don't know exactly what's going on, and are at the moment trying to phrase a polite question to ask us whether we are fooling around with nuclear testing.

"We haven't heard a peep from the Russians or the Chinese. The Koreans and the Japanese have their satellites in place as well, so it's only a matter of time before they make a connection. Everybody else is in the dark, for the moment."

The president nodded. "All right, we can wait for queries there," she said with no small amount of internalized relief. "No need to hurry. Domestic?"

Admiral Winnefeld took charge again.

"We established a two-hundred-miles-wide no-flight area with Homeland Security at 1700 hours Juliet. By that time there already were reports of the anomaly from seven commercial pilots and three amateur fliers.

"We stand ready to delay major news corporations the moment they get any whiff of this. That should take a while, however.

"The 1st Cavalry Division, specifically the 2nd Brigade under Colonel Reyes is currently establishing a cordon around the area. They'll blockade any traffic to and from the area. Luckily there's not much population in the vicinity, so they have an easy task going about it."

"What other forces do we have in the area?", the president asked.

"Shelton of the Space Command down the hall has the operational command of the air/space mobilization. He's coordinating with elements of the Twelfth and the Tenth Air Forces and The Eighth is under readiness alert. The 301st Fighter Wing is currently maintaining air superiority in the immediate vicinity of the anomaly and the 460th is moving to support. The AWACS from the national guard is the mobile communications and surveillance center.

"We've also recalled the carrier group Gerald R. Ford from the Pacific. She should pass the Panama during the early morning and reinforce the current coastal units considerably. Among other assets, there are two AEGIS Mark II cruisers in the battle group that should provide us with some pretty good intel possibilities."

The president tapped her chin thoughtfully for a moment. "Well, I guess we just need to wait, then," she eventually said. "It's now, oh, 1952 hours in Texas, and we'll be expecting developments in...", she paused looking at the air force general in charge of the first contact team.

"Nine hours, ma'am," the general said.

"Nine hours," the president repeated. "Good work, everybody. Everything seems nicely in hand. Keep me informed of any new insights and developments and we'll do fine." Then she smiled. "We're living a historic moment, ladies and gentlemen. Something unique in the history of the human race is about to happen and we have front seats. I cannot put into words the magnitude of this day. Everything," she said rapping the table, "everything is about to change!" She looked smiling at the gathered brass, who straightened their backs. "Let's make the most of it!" she finished.

While she was being applauded, an adjutant came up to admiral Winnefeld and handed him a phone, whispering in his ear.

"Ah, excuse me, madam president," the admiral said, "we have Colonel Reyes on the line. He's apparently in communication with a local sheriff, who was alerted to the site when the dome first appeared. He managed to slip by before the cordon was in place and is now in contact with the owner of the ranch where the ...extra-terrestrials have arrived."

* * *

Jim Randall, the new sheriff of Floyd County, thought himself a tolerant man. It takes all kinds of folks to make a world, he always said to his kids, and he sure believed it. Even though he might have privately suspected the two young women co-owning the pony ranch on the northern side might be living in sin, he had never made a fuss about it. It weren't his business either way.

Still, he couldn't but help to think there was a divine something going on at the ranch as he drove toward the gigantic dome rising high above the flat landscape, faintly glowing golden swirls moving on its surface.

"God All-mighty...," he said to himself in a low gruff half-whisper.

As he pulled his four-wheeler to the side of the ranch main gate, just outside the golden dome, he decided to ready both his shotgun and the rifle, just in case. Leaning out the window, he scanned the ranch with binoculars and saw the aliens. To his eyes, they looked like nothing but the stuffed toys his beautiful baby daughter collected in her room. The next thing he noticed was the four ranchers mingling among them like there was no care in the world. It looked like they were petting the creatures. The creatures themselves seemed to be busy at building something, although the parts whizzing by in the air seemed more like a hurricane than a construction site.

He had hard time figuring out what his duty was here.

After a good fifteen minutes of remote observation he finally decided to go for a closer look and chat the owners up. As a wise man he took the precaution to call the HQ first.

"HQ? Y'all hear me? Imma check out some aliens at tha pony ranch," he drawled without a hint of sarcasm and ignored the giggle from the radio.

To drive the jeep closer to the collection of aliens some four hundred yards away, he had to pass under the dome. Saying his prayers to the Lord and closing his eyes, he accelerated forward along the fence.

As nothing happened, his courage rushed back. His jaw set, he drove with determination right up to the primary pen where both the ponies of the ranch and the aliens were gathered. All eyes turned to look at his passing, human, pony and alien alike.

Stopping close to the fence, he activated the speakers.

"Miz Ryan? Miz Burton? Would either a' ya lovely ladies mind comin' up fer a chat fer a moment?"

He saw both the owners mounting their horses, fine beasts they both were, and setting out to ride towards him. A crowd of aliens were gathering in a wide semi-circle to stare at him. Slightly unnerved, he rose from the car and walked to the passenger's side, making sure to open up the door a bit so he would have quick access to the high-powered weapons if necessary.

The heat was surprisingly mild, almost as if he was standing in shade. Huh, must've cooled down towards the evening, he thought.

"What can ah do ya for, sheriff?" one of the owners, the blond one, said from the back of her horse. She was always the chattier of the two.

"Well, Cassie," the sheriff said moving his arm in an arc encompassing the ranch and the aliens, "ah was wondering if ya could explain all this."

Cassie rubbed the back of her head. "Well, the thing is like this," she started hesitantly. "These fellas started appearing this morning, while Ah was checking the pens. First it was just the lavender one, er, that one there," she said pointing to one of the aliens that had wandered closer to the sheriff than the others and seemed to be checking everything with intense fascination.

"Then a whole bunch a' them came in a flash, an' started settin' these odd things up," Cassie continued. "Like that big thing around us an' the smaller one over there. Then the first learned to speak a bit, somehow."

"Y'all talked to them?" the sheriff asked amazed.

"Not much," Cassie said, "an' it was weird."

Before Cassie could explain how weird it was, however, the sheriff's radio crackled.

"Uh, Jim, there's a Colonel Reyes on the phone. He needs to talk to you."

* * *

"Professor Pattesbury! How goes the linguistic work?" Twilight asked from a turquoise unicorn with a slightly frumpy appearance.

Professor Pattesbury was a rare genius in his own field, having laid the foundations for xeno-linguistics well before Princess Twilight's advances in thaumaturgical matrices had made practical applications possible, let alone necessary. His colossal achievement in what at the time had been thought to be the ultimate in academic futility, the magnum opus On the logical base of language, attempted to separate signal from its syntax in language.

That there ever would be an actual use for the exercise itself, rather than its painstaking methods, was a thought not even he had entertained.

"Surprisingly well, considering," the professor answered distractedly. "At the moment we are still only collecting words and phrases in the translation matrix housed in the suppression rune over there, and while we are certainly amassing quite the vocabulary, we haven't even begun the work for solving their grammar."

A gleam lit in his eyes. "Do you realize that, according to all our evidence so far, these beings apparently communicate in a completely arbitrary language? Their vocalizations, the syntax, nothing points to either intent or motivation tied to the workings of this world! It's as if they just picked sounds they liked to denote their surroundings!"

He chuckled gently shaking his head. "Certainly my little logic vehicles are useful here, but to imagine such a language! How can they communicate with it? How can they discern factual statements from madness and lies? This is astonishing in so many ways, Your Highness! It's like a dream come true!"

Twilight giggled softly. "Surely the nature of this place hinted at the possibility, professor?", she teased. "A civilization would need to communicate, would it not? But without magic present at all..."

"Without magic," professor Pattesbury filled the sentence nodding, "there is no underlying element of consciousness or spirituality. I understand. Still, it is just something I cannot quite wrap my mind around. And what about other things a civilization needs then? Friendship? Love? I would hardly claim these things do not exist here, especially considering our welcome so far."

"Indeed they must exist," Twilight said. "My matrix picked their echoes up, after all. The complex interweave of relationships and culture only present in a developing society." Now Twilight's eyes lit up with the same gleam. "Imagine, we have the chance to prove that friendship is an innately universal phenomenon, even without magic! Perhaps something tied into the very basis of existence!"

Twilight took to air with a flap of her wings and clapped her hooves together. "Ooh, this is so exciting!" she squealed, before dropping back to the ground and coughing gently. "But for now, I actually wanted to ask whether we could communicate in their language, at all, at this point."

"Well," professor Pattesbury said, tapping his chin, "like I said, we have been gathering words and phrases and catalogued them according to our understanding of their denotation.

"I suppose if you gave me the message you want to send I could transcribe the best equivalent from what we have gathered so far. The translation matrix, as it is now, is not functional, per se. It has no interface or internal workings. The communication team is manipulating it directly at the moment.

"Even when we are ready to activate it, we'll need to figure out a unique way to interact with it. There's no way we're ever going to be able to even pronounce that language! So you would need to figure out a way to produce the equivalent sounds via other means, Your Highness. I can only provide the Furrier-wave equations for the sounds. Not that the grammar is likely to be possible for ponies to learn either. We already have indications to suggest that the language simply strings words and meanings back to back, like it were a line of logic statements!"

"Huh," Twilight said, "that would suggest a mathematical underpinning to their language, I guess."

"Possible. I don't think they have any understanding of mathematics, though," the professor said.

"What makes you say that, professor?" Twilight asked.

* * *

The sturdy turquoise unicorn in front of the two humans looked at them expectantly. Then another two dots joined the ones floating around its head, and it stomped its hoof one, two, three, four, five times. The complex sigil floating stationary above it changed again. The farmhands stared back smiling perplexedly. After a small pause the number of dots increased by three, the sigil changed again, and the unicorn stomped eight times. Tiny Tina gasped.

"It's counting!" she yelled excitedly.

Peter grinned and stretched his hand out to pat the unicorn. "That's real clever a' ya, gal!" he said supportively.

* * *

The alien creatures had finally learned how to draw human numbers and equations and were now giving small tests to the farm hands. Peter stared in confusion at his parchment, where there was a number of math problems the kinds of which he had last seen more than ten years prior in high school. Even then he had preferred to use the calculator.

"Er...Tina?" he whispered to the teenage girl puzzling over a copy of the same test. "What's fourteen times eight?"

The girl blushed. "Ah flunked math!" she whispered back.

* * *

"Curious," Twilight mused. "Perhaps their civilization hasn't had the need to rely on mathematics all that much?"

"A possibility, of course, Your Highness," professor Pattesbury said. "Otherwise they seemed rather bright, I thought. They captured the purpose behind our 'point-and-show' -technique immediately and actually started both actively teaching us their language, and trying to learn ours as well.

"Unfortunately, like I mentioned earlier, it is unlikely either of our species will ever be able to pronounce the other's language. We simply have too different vocal cords. Not to mention," he chuckled gently, "that to attempt mimicking that staccato rhythm of their breathing while speaking would cause the most athletic of earth ponies to pass out before long.

"However, we managed to glean what we believe to be their 'friendship' signal. This utterance preceded more than two thirds of their shows of physical affection we experienced. There's both a short version for already met individuals and a long version for new ones."

"Excellent!" Twilight said beaming. "Make sure to add it to my short-list for the meeting!"

* * *

"Uh... to join? Connect? Together? ...Ah really don't know what that's supposed to be," Cassie said spreading her hands to the burgundy alien, who was playing charades with her. Then Michelle tugged her sleeve.

"Hey," Michelle said, "think we're gonna git another light show?"

Cassie glanced up and saw the lavender boss alien trotting up to them with a purpose, the gold-bespectacled one in tow. "Ah dunno," Cassie answered. "Sure looks like it."

The ranchers sat up expectantly when the creatures stopped in front of them, the others bowing out and retreating a few steps. The lavender one's horn started to glow. Then a gentle breeze rose all around them, making the tall grass sway and ...sing.

Cassie and Michelle stared at the creature their mouths open as the wind started to chime an eerie note, that then formed words. It sounded like a chime of a bell was synthesized to speak and given a perkily happy tone. Reverse-reverberating in the wind, the wind sang to them.

"Hello!" the wind said. "Build this. I, us, build this. What?"

Then another miniature pony ranch grew in front of their eyes and a large blinking model building was placed on it. The wind sang again.

"I, us, build this. You point. What? Or no," it said.

Cassie shivered slightly both at the eerie sound and the fact that the creature seemed to be able to speak, at least a little. The odd disjointed phrasing coupled with a perfect Texan pronunciation threw her off. Experimentally, she touched at the blinking model, and it followed her movement.

"Uh...yeah," she said in a daze, moving the model until it rested in fallow ground. "Y'all cain just put it here."

The lavender creature nodded, the models vanishing in a blink. Then the wind rose again, ghost sounds of uncanny cheer forming parting words.

"Good! Hello!"

* * *

Giving the bipedal native creatures short bows in gratitude and sighing with relief after first successful exchange of words, Twilight and Pearl Shine retreated to give the engineering crew their instructions.

"That was most impressive, Your Highness," Lady Shine said honestly. "Do you think I could learn those spells? They would be of great help in any future talks I end up having with these creatures."

"Well, for the translation matrix we're hoping to develop an interface that would make the Wind Chime spell unnecessary," Twilight answered. "As for the other, it takes quite a bit of skill. It's more of a construct then a spell, actually." Then she smiled at the diplomat. "I'll see what I can do, ambassador."

"What did you say to the natives anyway, princess?" Lady Shine asked.

"Oh, I told professor Pattesbury to cobble up something to the effect of 'May we build this complex? Please let us know where you would like it.' There were also some greetings and thanks there." Twilight giggled. "We're so early in deciphering their language, that I'm surprised if more than one word in three made any sense. Still, they didn't seem offended," she added with a shrug.

"All right, ponies!" Twilight yelled, getting the attention of the engineering crews. "The natives have given us the permission to build the Bridgehead complex at these co-ordinates!"

* * *

"Hello?" sheriff Randall said to the walkie-talkie. "This is Jim Randall, the sheriff. Is this Colonel Reyes?"

"This is Colonel Reyes of the Black Jack Brigade, First Cavalry Division, United States Army," said a voice over the radio. "Be advised that you are in a cordoned area. We established a quarantine zone starting fifty miles from the center of the anomaly you're currently within. The corps is currently evacuating all residents from the area.

Please state your current status. Are you in any danger? We are ready to render assistance."

Sheriff Randall blinked a few times, before turning to Cassie. "Uh..." he said weakly. "Are we in danger?"

Cassie paused for a moment and shrugged. "Nah. These fellas are just cute. Freaky, but cute."

"Um. That's a negative, colonel," the sheriff said over the radio, struggling for a professional tone. "Ah'm currently talkin' to the local ranch owners who've been in contact wi' the aliens all day. They seem unharmed and calm. The aliens..." The sheriff paused, looking at the small lavender creature looking up at him with purple saucer-plate eyes. "The aliens seem harmless."

There was a pause over the radio before it crackled again. "Roger," the voice of the colonel said. "Be advised, we are currently in communication with the Joint Chiefs of Staff." There was another pause, lasting a few minutes. When the sheriff was ready to ask what was going on, the colonel's voice returned. "We have the president on the line. She wants to speak with you and the ranch owners."

* * *

A roaring noise began to rise from the distance. As the ponies turned to watch, they saw an amazing sight: An enormous carriage of metal and glass, the size of a train car at least and painted in royal colors of white and dark blue, was speeding along the ground towards them at gallop. There was nothing in sight that explained its movement. There was no one pulling it, nor were there any signs of a steam engine. No magical aura was present, not that any were expecting it. The thing was inexplicable.

As it pulled to stop at a respectful distance, ponies stopped their work and began slowly to gather around it, gawking in stunned wonder. Twilight trotted to the front, nervous excitement starting to bubble inside her. What new wonder has this place produced for us? she thought. Are we to meet the true masters of this world now?

Then a loud voice sounded from the carriage.

That's the native's language! Twilight thought. But it sounds like the Royal Canterlot Voice! Can this be coincidence? It must be! Still, this thing has all the markings of royalty. Astonishing!

Twilight watched as two of the local natives mounted those glorious queen-equines, as the ponies had started to call them, and galloped to the carriage. She noticed both Applejack and Rainbow Dash glancing at the creatures with both slight envy and a competitive glint.

Another alien rose from the carriage to greet the two aliens on the queens' back. More hats? Twilight thought idly. She watched interested as the aliens exchanged words, occasionally pointing or glancing at the ponies. Yes, these two must be giving their report to the new alien. Is this a sign of hierarchy? Oh, the sociologists must be excited out of their minds at this!

Twilight jumped slightly when one of the aliens pointed her out. Oh, yes! That's the one I've been communicating with. It's probably expecting me to take part in this soon.

Before she had finished preparing herself for a new bout of spellcasting, a new wonder appeared. The new native produced a small box that talked on its own. That's... It talks back to it. It's... a communication device! Twilight realized stunned. How can this be?! I haven't heard of magic of that kind and these people don't even have any! Her pupils shrank and her face paled as blood rushed from it. They must have technology based on the control of the physical principles of this plane! Luna's teats! We thought they were agrarian at best! We were expecting people in a magicless plane to scrub their food from the wild, not build long range talking-boxes and self-propelling carriages! This changes everything!

While Twilight rebooted her brain and rewrote her premises of observation, the aliens finished their talk with the box and turned towards her. Gosh, they want me to communicate! I need to prepare the long version of their friendship signal.

* * *

"...and as the President of the United States, I tell you, on behalf of all American people, that this nation is proud of your courage and integrity in making friends with these aliens. In face of what might have been a violent invasion, you stood your ground and made first contact in friendly terms, potentially preventing a huge disaster that could have cost this nation its everything.

"Rest assured, miss Ryan, miss Burton, that your names will go down in history!

"Now, if I may ask you to hold the fort for the night, we'll be sending you relief in the morning. The nation's top experts will be coming to aid you, and our visitors, in learning how to talk to one another and hopefully thus build a lasting friendship!"

"Thank ya kindly, madam president!", Cassie said, Michelle parroting her. Privately she thought the lady was just a bit over the top in her thanks, but she didn't let that bother her. She almost smirked, when she saw Sheriff Randall standing in attention, looking at her like a proud father. "Would ya like to say hi to the visitors themselves, madam president? Ah've got the boss alien right here," she said turning to the lavender creature.

"May I?" the president whispered over the radio.

"Go right ahead, madam president," Cassie said, squatting down in front of the alien, and handing it the walkie-talkie.

There was a sound of clearing throat from the radio, then, "On behalf of this nation, nay, of all humanity, I, the President of these United States, welcome you, our friends from the stars, in peace and friendship to this planet. May our two peoples live in harmony, and learn from one another!"

There was a pause, as the lavender alien's horn began to glow. Again, the wind rose and the eerie chime began to sound, as the alien prepared its historic greeting.

"Hello there! You're so cute!" the uncanny voice said.

"I...think you're cute, too," said the stunned president after a pause.

* * *

A destitute man in Boston, having lost his all, almost ready to end his days, suddenly had the wind blow a piece of paper into his face. Instinctively, he grabbed it. As it turned out, it was a lottery ticket that ended up winning him enough money to pay his debts and put his life back in order.

Around the globe, twenty-three people had similar occurrences that day. Even more people continued to have such luck the day after and the day after that. Around the same time, more than seven hundred couples met by falling suddenly in love as their eyes met in a crowd, signaling the beginning of a life-long beautiful relationship.

Also, fourteen orphaned children were left to the care of their wicked stepparents.

Chapter 4

Major Quais checked a name off his list. Professor Jackson would be the last one arriving at the base, Dr. Rosen having refused to agree to the non-disclosure, and Dr. Marlin temporarily unavailable at a conference in Oslo. That made the core of the first contact contingency team eight strong, him and Lieutenant Mills included.

No matter. There would undoubtedly be plenty more people joining the team soon enough, and they had the whole not inconsiderable might and know-how of the Air-Space technical corps at their disposal. That also meant their equipment, which was being supplemented by the hour with any resource they had the whim to ask for. Already a dozen high-powered computer centers across the country were churning out numbers trying to model out every scrap of raw data the tiny swarm of surveillance drones, spy planes and assorted other data sponges were providing.

And with him and this team, it would all come together. They were the spearhead that was to pierce the gap in communication and understanding between the humanity and the strange visitors that had so suddenly arrived to Earth.

"That's the last of them," he said to the lieutenant by his side, as they watched the professor being herded across the tarmac. "Let's get this show on the road."

* * *

"-yeah, it was a bit surprising to me, as well. I never knew I was on any kind of list, so I had just wrapped up an evening lecture when these army guys march into my office and ask me to 'come join a team of scientists about to make history'. I mean, can you believe it?"

"I get what you're saying. For me, I sometimes suspected I was on a call with the papers Pentagon had asked from me, but something like this, I-"

"May I have your attention, please," Major Quais announced loudly, walking into a conference room, not much unlike the one the president and the Joint Chiefs had at their disposal. "Thank you.

"Gentlemen, Ms. Morris," he greeted them and sat down. "I am Major Quais and this is Lieutenant Miller. We will be coordinating with this team and the military analysts assigned on the project Kitalpha. Our purpose is to smooth out the conglomeration of intelligence and help with the logistic side of things, so that you, the experts, can concentrate on what you do best as freely as possible.

"That also means keeping you updated on whatever we find. By now, I take it all of you have a rough idea on what is going on at Texas. You've been given written summaries of the events at the ranch these past ten hours, as well as the guesses and conclusions our people have been drawing on them. The lieutenant here will be shortly handing you out some identification keys that will allow you direct access to the closed network we're in the process of forming for project Kitalpha.

"It should go without saying that, as per your non-disclosure agreements, none of this may ever, under no circumstances, be allowed to reach the internet or the media or any member of the public at all without an expressly approved, planned publication that may or may not happen some time in the future."

"Aw," said one of the men at the table whom Major Quais recognized as Dr. Stephen Argyle, mathematician and computer scientist, "so no cloud-computing?"

The major nodded. "I'm afraid not. Only the limited capacity within the project's own network. I should point out, however, that the network already includes fourteen mainframes that classify as supercomputers and about eight times as much cloud-computing power. We're adding more resources by the minute."

"Okay," Dr. Argyle said, mollified. "Any chance of adding MIT or Berkeley to the network?"

"Maybe, eventually. It depends on how well you manage to communicate your need," Major Quais said evenly. "Any other questions?"

"Just want to make this absolutely sure," said Professor Jackson, who had had less time than the rest to get to terms with the situation. "This is really happening, right? This isn't a hoax or anything?"

"Absolutely not, Professor. We have already about a thousand hours of footage on the visitors from every possible angle, ranging from serviceable to prime quality, also eye-witness reports, limited audio of them communicating with each other and a recording of the short exchange of greetings between the president and the leading visitor."

"Yeah, about that..." began the only woman in the room, Professor Morris of the Woodrow Wilson Academy. She was a multiple doctorate, specializing in the inter-disciplinary school of Public Affairs. She was already fairly sure what her role in the team would be. After all, the Pentagon had commissioned her for several papers on managing crowd responses, mass hysteria and more nebulous 'movements'.

"Our experts, and Dr. Tyson agrees, that it was merely a gaffe caused by unfamiliarity with our language," major Quais said quickly.

"Really?" Professor Morris asked dryly. "Because what I see here is an expert move on managing crowd response." The room blinked. She sighed. "Look, let's read some of this stuff on these reports without knowing how the ...visitors... act and look like.

"Wind rises and speaks to people. A massive golden dome of light appears and covers the land. Massive objects fly through to air and gather up to form a castle by themselves. The creatures even walked forth from a well of brightness, for heaven's sake! Can you get any more biblical?

"So, a lot of this stuff could get people panicking, mortally terrified. No matter what we ourselves have accomplished technologically, this stuff appears new and unexplained and touches some of our deeper beliefs.

"But on the other hand, we got actually cute little critters that act just a bit goofily and a whole lot endearingly. They look about the most unthreatening things possible. They're about the size of humanity's best friend, colored like our childhood toys and even have big-eyed faces that scream 'a cute baby here'.

"When this eventually gets public, all that's going to mellow the populace a whole lot. A whole lot. Everything they are and a lot of what they do is so going to steal the wind out of any panic. So, you're telling me this isn't by design?"

"That actually makes a lot of sense," said Dr. Carmichael, a biologist. "Because the thing that caught my attention is this," he said, throwing an enlarged picture of a visitor's head on the table, and tapping at the muzzle. "Well, not the only thing; I'd very much like to study their vestigial wings and find out about their reproduction, but anyway: Unless I'm wrong here, these here are nostrils, and this here is a mouth. Can you confirm I am correct, and that they breath through both?"

The eyes of two other scientists in the room widened in realization and they let out small sounds.

"Um," the major replied, "I'm sure a study of the video footage can shed some light. But we'll be heading to the site itself soon enough, so you can verify anything like that yourself on the location. No poking or cutting or otherwise diplomatically hazardous examinations, though," he added. "I'm not sure I understand where you are going with this, Doctor."

"I think I do," said Dr. Pierce, an astrophysicist and a leader of a SETI project. "Correct me if I'm wrong here, Doctor, but you're referring to the fact that us having our noses above our mouths is one of the truly random things in our evolutionary history?"

"Exactly," said Dr. Carmichael. "Even today, the existing air-breathing fishes have quite differing morphologies when it comes to their breathing apparatuses. That the land animals of today all happened to evolve from the one species with its air and digestive canals mixed was a complete happenstance with no advantages or disadvantages whatsoever, before our species learned to speak and became prone to suffocation by food crumbs.

"And even before that, there's the Cambrian explosion. Named so, because apparently after at least three and a half billion years of single-cell life on Earth, the fossil records suddenly show a veritable cornucopia of multi-cellular life. We don't know why. It could even be just a lucky, or unlucky, quirk of the nature of the fossil record itself.

"But that's not the point. The point is this: During the Cambrian explosion there appeared so many different types of morphology that today's life on Earth looks boring by comparison. Every species you see today, not counting anything microscopical, is the offspring of just three branches out of several dozen.

"Again, just a little bit of chance here or there, and this world would be unrecognizable. Are we to believe that all of their similarities to us are just the result of convergent evolution? That nature itself favors terrestrial forms? Frankly that's just a little too much anthropic principle for me. I'd lean towards them having manufactured their appearance for our benefit."

"That actually makes sense considering what I've been thinking," said Dr. Kuhn, a physicist. "The mini-dome, as you've been calling it, it's been referred in the reports as a portal, a matter transmitter or a replicator of some sorts," he said as an introduction.

"Doesn't matter, in my view, which it is. The practical functionality is the same, see. Information compiled into matter. Would you agree, Dr. Pierce?"

Dr. Pierce cleared his throat. "Well, like with everything else mentioned here, we might be simply ignorant of what is actually going on here, but on basis of what we know now, the probability is strongly on the side of this thing not being a superluminal gateway. If it were, we would expect to see some kind of distortion, most likely gravimetric, and of course then there would be the matter of time travel and logical paradoxes. So yes, I'd say the likelihood is that we're looking at a compiler of some sorts and that wherever the information to this mini-dome comes from, it comes at light-speed, maximum."

"So, woah," Dr. Argyle said. "Are you suggesting they, whatever they really are, are actually nearby? As in, possibly in our solar-system?"

Dr. Pierce nodded. "I'd say, yes. It would make the most sense from multiple perspectives. For instance, the matter of knowing we were here. They might have surveyed our planet sometime in the past, maybe millions of years ago, and left a ...sentinel behind. Space Odyssey, and all that. The only other real alternative, as I see it, is passive EM-survey like our own exo-planet finding program, but hugely improved. Say, an array the size of a solar system. That would give enough accuracy to maybe spot an advancing technological civilization from light-decades or centuries away. But again, travel. I think it would be more likely, especially in light of what has been said, that there's an artificial intelligence somewhere in our solar system making contact with us by puppeteering the creatures we see."

"Or," Dr Argyle said slowly, "perhaps there is some kind of information substrate in space. They could be living as a civilization in a virtual environment, and creating bodies for themselves now just for the purpose of saying 'hi'."

"Anyway," Dr. Kuhn said, "my point was simply this: Since their technology is likely effectively creating or recreating the bodies we see, there's no real reason for them not to manufacture them to their liking. Doubly so, if they normally even don't have bodies. I'd suspect a few million years in a virtual environment would leave one flexible in such matters," he said with a small chuckle.

"Ah," Professor Jackson, an expert in constructed, especially mathematical or logical languages, said with a small cough. "Does this mean I don't have a job here, after all?"

There was a small spatter of laughter around the table.

"Hey, it's not just you," Dr. Pierce piped up. "What about all my knowledge on Lincos or lambda calculus?", he asked with a fake pout.

"Unlikely, Professor Jackson, Doctor Pierce," Major Quais said with a smile. "They are not really talking with us, after all. With all due respect to Professor Morris, I doubt they've faked an entire afternoon of painstakingly learning our language just for the sake of putting us at our ease."

"Nevertheless, her other points stand," Professor Jackson said. "I am actually kind of interested about the religious connections here. The ancient myths of Pegasus, no? Earlier visits, or manifestations, or whatever?"

"Or perhaps the result of surveillance," suggested Professor Morris. "Even if they don't know our language they must have noticed our artwork. And arriving at a pony ranch kind of underlines that. Maybe they saw the reverence and affection shown to horses in our cultures and decided a mythical pony-equivalent would make a good choice for an ambassador, mixing cuteness and divinity in an irresistible package."

"Those would be pretty far-reaching conclusions based just on basically visual observations," Dr. Kuhn said skeptically. "Then again, I can't deny your point about the psychological mastery their appearance and behavior seem to indicate. If we assume they have planned everything to the t, then they are showing just about enough inexplicably advanced technology to scare military response off, enough adorableness to make humans not want to go violent, and enough restraint to make us feel kind of safe. I mean, basically they just appeared, made their presence known, and now wait for us to move."

"I'd like to add something," Dr. Argyle said. "Let's assume we are dealing with an artificial intelligence or people that have uploaded their consciousness into a VR. This may be the first time in generations they've actually had to use a language, as we understand it."

"What about the whinnies?" Professor Morris asked.

"Ancestral language, maybe?" Dr. Argyle said with a shrug. "Imitation of our horses? I don't know. My point is this: Let's teach them how to use our computers."

There was a pause.

"We'll use Logic Gate Matrices and lambda calculus to get enough agreement in order to show them how our computers think and give them some detailed blueprints about microchips and data storage. Then, we hand them a drive with a full dictionary, the current Wikipedia, maybe audio and video samples so they can start making connections with what they hear and see us doing, and some other necessary stuff we can think of.

"And voila, their massive technological edge does all the work for us. Their unimaginable flop counts crunch our language and information, and they can get on teaching us what we need to know," Dr. Argyle finished, crossing his arms with a satisfied grin.

"I'm impressed," said Dr. Kuhn. "That's the laziest solution to first contact I've ever heard."

"Hey, mathematician and information scientist here," Dr. Argyle defended himself with a mock pout. "We have to be lazy if we want to get anything done."

"I'm not sure the brass will like the idea of practically handing the visitors the keys to our databases while we are left to the mercy of their generosity," Major Quais said with a small frown.

"If they're interested in their contents at all, it's the same end result anyway," Dr. Argyle said with a shrug. "I rather doubt our encryption keys will hold against them. Trying to speed up the learning process like this is just faster and cheaper, in my view. But yeah, we'll try to learn their language as well, I guess, not that I expect anything very soon," he said looking at Professor Jackson.

"Not in years, possibly," Professor Jackson said, then reconsidered. "Well, actually, if we construct a Lincos-equivalent with them we might be communicating with them about science at least soon enough."

"Not that they would be very interested in our science, I suspect," Dr. Pierce said. "I mean, they must know everything we do and a whole lot more. I'd expect they're a lot more interested about our art and culture than our primitive science."

* * *

"Ooh, I can't wait to get to study all their science!" Twilight squealed, hooves literally off the ground in her excitement. "What unimaginable discoveries they must have made about the physical world to be able to build such things! I mean, self-moving carriages? Talking across distances?! Can you imagine?! I suppose one could build a constantly teleporting matrix that would transmit the sound-waves wherever I want them, but I can't even imagine how much calculations that would require let alone doing that by purely physical means!"

"Yes yes, darling," Rarity said and tugged the excited princess back to ground. As the supreme pony authority in this particular universe, Princess Twilight was effectively outside any admonishments any member of the expedition would dare to give her. Any, except for her friends, which showed the wisdom of bringing them along. Somepony needed to be able to rein Twilight in when she got over-excited.

"It's all very exciting, I agree," Rarity assured Twilight. "I really do! But you really should get some sleep. It's not just you studying the locals here, and like was mentioned on several separate occasions, the team looks up to you and needs you for leadership, counsel and coordination, and you simply cannot do it without getting a bit of rest.

"Now be a good princess, and get to bed. The locals will be back here tomorrow with all their exciting inventions and the night team will give you their reports on what they have discovered during the night. Pinkie and the rest of us girls will clear the party away, and you will get some sleep."

"Oh, you're right, Rarity," Twilight said, but couldn't stop herself from bouncing excitedly. "It's just that there's so much! The language, the hints at hierarchy, the tools, the clothing... What, for instance, is the relationship between the spindly prime-sapients and the queen-aliens and their smaller cousins? Is there a significance to the different types of clothing? The hats! What is the deal with the hats, Rarity?! Were they color-coded to mark rank? Is it a herd thing? How does sapience work here? How does life?! How does everything?! These people can teach us EVERYTHING!!"

"Twilight," Rarity said locking the excited mare in place with her forelegs, and looking her in the eyes, "do I need to use the spell you taught me?"

"Yes!" Twilight squealed.

With a flash and a grunt of effort, Rarity blasted Twilight with a specially designed, custom-tailored, absolutely guaranteed no-fail make-Twilight-go-sleep spell. And with that, she was out like a lamp.

"Applejack!" Rarity shouted. "Would you be a dear and help me carry Twilight to bed?"

* * *

Commander Robert Patrick, the X.O. of the cruiser Antietam, which had been assigned to the hyper-advanced carrier group Gerald R. Ford on account of her newly acquired i at the end of her designation, making her officially CG-54i Antietam, was feeling tense.

This was because they had been ordered to assist in a highly classified situation in the homeland involving euphemistically jargonized 'objects-of-interest', that by all accounts were honest-to-God extraterrestrial aliens. To do that, they had had to cruise in a neat, unbelievably, insanely tight and vulnerable line through a canal that just barely managed to accommodate their Very Important capital ship. In addition, they had received nicely worrying standing orders to refrain from acting in any way that could even remotely be interpreted as 'hostile' while making sure they observed as much as was possible about 'the anomaly' and reported back every little thing that could be called 'unusual'. To top all that, Commander Patrick was painfully aware that 'the anomaly' was almost exactly centered on the ranch co-owned by his wife's niece.

That meant he was worried about family while trying to act like he wasn't and at the same time trying to keep himself from not worrying so that when the time for decisions came no one would be able to say after the fact that he had been influenced by personal concerns.

As it was, it was nice of the captain not to try to order him to get some sack-time. Thus, he was on the bridge, refraining from biting his nails while watching the radar image of the Antietam's Seahawks getting closer to the anomaly, when the petty officer in charge of the ECCM, especially the new AN/RBM-1 unit that had given them their 'improved' designation, piped up.

"Commander, there's a problem with the ECCM," the technician said.

"What is it, Petty Officer Taylor?" he asked, already feeling dread.

"It looks a lot like the glitches we had with the RBM unit early on, sir," the technician said. "It began when we started getting feed on the anomaly. The pattern recognition couldn't get a hold on it, so the unit decided it was being jammed. But instead of starting to nicely hone the image, the algorithm takes a few hundred steps and stops, then starts again. Which means the RBM decided to create a whole new category of jamming, and tries to solve it. Which it can't because the algorithm isn't working right. It's a vicious cycle, sir, and it's eating most of the RBM unit's processing power."

"What's wrong with the algorithm?" Commander Patrick asked. "I thought that glitch was just part of the unit's learning phase."

"We don't know, sir," the technician replied. "We can't tell, when it's up and running. I'd like permission to reboot the system and see what happens, sir."

"There isn't anything heading towards us on the radar, Petty Officer Harris, is there?" Commander Patrick asked immediately.

"Negative, sir. There are small distortions in the SPS, but they are stationary and within the anomaly," said the radar officer.

"What kind of distortions?" Commander Patrick asked.

"Can't tell with the RBM on the fritz, sir. Could be a glitch, or maybe some interference from the anomaly."

Commander Patrick frowned. The reports they had received had had no mention of radar distortions. In fact, they had explicitly mentioned the lack of anything other than some light in the visual spectrum as part of the anomaly's peculiarities. And now Antietam's ECCM was going haywire. Was it a coincidence? Without war-time power their radar system was no sharper then the ones on the AWACS planes they had been using to map the anomaly.

"Inform the captain," he said. "Also, ask the Princeton if they are having better luck with their systems. What does the frigate's radar feed look like, Petty Officer Harris?"

"According to them, everything's clear, sir. No distortions. Everything's marked, down to individual objects-of-interest," the radar officer replied.

"The Princeton reports identical behavior on their ECCM and radar, sir," said the communications officer. "The captain says to hold while he informs Rear Admiral Blake, sir."

A few tense moments passed, a minor technical issue growing by the moment into something large and sinister in the bridge crew's minds. Finally, Captain Hale arrived personally with their orders.

"At ease," the captain said, face carefully blank. "The admiral decided to greenlight the reboot of our RBM unit. Make sure to record and transmit everything to Kitalpha. The Princeton will keep watch and see if they can fix their system on the fly." He narrowed his eyes. "And keep an eye on the radar, just in case."

* * *

Cassie watched the ruddy morning light seep through the cracks in the stable wall, as she groomed the contently breakfasting Daisy. Her mind was buzzing and there was a pit in her stomach. Just hours ago she had been a part of an oddly familiar celebration in the company of strange alien quadrupeds, cautiously tasting fizzy drinks that tasted the most apple-like things she had ever had - like someone had distilled the essence of apple and poured it into a mug, and nibbling the moistest, tastiest cupcakes in the existence.

During the night she had expected the alien food to cause her to fall ill or poison her, but apparently the visitors were a lot more aware of her biology than of her language. They had spent a majority of the party calling her, each other and everybody else 'cute' in an oddly chirping little chime. She didn't know how they managed the sound.

Cassie had also played pin-the-tail-on-a-cardboard-alien-quadruped.

She had laughed hysterically at the time. Now the laughter was gone and the hysteria had calmed down into a vague terror. She hadn't been able to sleep with everything that had happened roiling in her head. That always made her feel unreal and jumpy.

The vaguely equine faces and chubbily adorable bodies of the aliens kept jumping at her in her mind. The odd colors and the shining horns, the massive pylons flying through the air and the tornado of construction that had created the ...fortress, all mashed together in a maelstrom of surreal.

She remembered the voice in the wind. God, the voice. It was so inhuman. The tone was so cheerful, the pitch and accent like that of a precocious child's, but the words so oddly disjointed. And it was so unearthly creepy hearing the wind speak.

They marched from the light, she thought, to my ranch. Why did they come here? Why are they here? What will they do to me?

The brush fell from her hand as a sob escaped from her throat. She couldn't hold on any longer. Suddenly she fell against the wall and started weeping uncontrollably, the tension and fear of the day that had been gathering the whole day and festering in her mind the night bursting forth in a torrent of tears. She was shaking, mind-numbing terror taking hold of her body.

Daisy nuzzled her gently, confused about the human's behavior. After a while, Cassie felt another touch by her side.

"Hey. Hey," Michelle said soothingly, as she hugged her friend. "It's okay, Caz."

"Ah'm sorry," Cassie said with a hiccup after a moment of sniffing and drying her eyes. "It's all just a bit much, y'know?"

"Ah know," Michelle whispered. "Ah didn't sleep well either. Heard when ya got up."

"Ah just wish ah knew what they want," Cassie said, referring to their visitors.

Michelle was silent for a moment. "Are ya scared a' them, Cassie?" she asked. When the other woman didn't answer, she continued. "Ya seemed fine yesterday. All in control, like always. What's wrong now?"

"Ah don't know," Cassie said in a small voice. "It's just too much. The aliens, the president, the military. We're smack in the middle a' some darn huge things goin' on an' it's terrifying me. An' the things, they jus'... they cain do awful scary things, Shelly. Ain't ya scared a' them at all?"

Michelle shrugged. "It's like ya said yesterday. 'They're jus' cute.' Ah cain't really git scared a' critters that look like that."

Cassie giggled a bit. "Yeah, ah guess. An' they haven't done anything yet. It's jus' all the stories of aliens comin' to Earth an' invadin' or abductin' or whatever. Guess ah'm just bein' silly."

"Scared a' them stealing our women?" Michelle teased and squeezed Cassie's shoulder. "Maybe they want some experienced pony ranchers to take care a' their manes?"

"Ha ha," Cassie said and stuck her tongue out. "Guess they chose our ranch fer a reason then. We got the best cared-for ponies in the state," she said proudly.

"That we do, Caz. That we do." There was a pause. "Feelin' better now?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Michelle," Cassie said smiling and squeezed her friend's hand briefly. "Ah appreciate it."

"Always," Michelle said. "Now git up an' let me fix ya some breakfast. We'll be havin' more guests today. Better git ready."

"Yeah," Cassie said.

* * *

Pinkie Pie was sitting contentedly facing the rising sun, her eyes lazily half-closed as she scanned the impressive display in the horizon. The party had been cleared up and all the other ponies had gone to sleep, except for the night shift, who were busy in the laboratories trying to figure out the secrets to the universe, but Pinkie didn't quite feel the need for sleep yet. Despite having had much fun, she had had the most peaceful and relaxing day for as long as she could remember, and was still feeling energetic, if calm. As such, she would rather stay up and greet the day shift and her friends as soon as they were up. At the moment, she was simply staying put and letting the wind rustle her coat and mane, not feeling the slightest push to do anything.

This is so relaxing. Like sleeping except not at all. More like wakeleeping.

[No, silly! Wake-leaping is when you leap from wake to wake!]

Ooh, am I talking to myself?

[Well, duh! Except I'm not talking, and neither am I. I'm thinking, and I'm always thinking to myself, except when I'm trying to think at others, but it never works, because they're also thinking to themselves, so there's no way I could think for them. Unless they're thinking about something I've said or done, when it could be said I'm derivatively thinking in their minds. That's culture! But not agriculture or petriculture. More like cogiticulture!]

Well, this seems awful lot like discussion to me anyway, and I rarely do that unless I am talking aloud, whether it's to myself or otherwise. So, what gives? Am I making friends with myself? Because if I am, then hi me! I think I'm a nice pony, no matter what I think sometimes!

[Oh, that's so sweet! But I'm actually thinking to myself because the part of me that normally keeps all the secret stuff secret from myself in order to be surprised at stuff doesn't have any stuff to keep secret at the moment.]

I don't?

[No. No twitches, no itches, no hunches or squiggly wiggly crunches that tell me where everypony will be or what their mood will be. Most of the stuff that normally keeps fizzing and bubbling is completely still.]

Hm. Is this what Applejack meant when she said this place feels dead? Or deader than dead, though I don't see how that could be unless there's such a thing as slightly dead or mostly dead.

[This place isn't dead, silly! The grass is growing right there!]

Oh, I know that! But Applejack likes to grow things, and she can't do that here, since there's no magic. Ooh! Does that mean that Pinkie-sense is magic too?

[Earth pony magic!]

Why don't other earth ponies have it, then? Maybe it's pinkie pony magic!

[Oh, I'm sure other ponies have it too. How else would they know where to be when I need to find them?]

Oh, I guess I'm right. Still, should I make some kind of surprise-present-party thing for Applejack? Feeling like the world is dead must be so sad.

[What do I have in mind?]

Well, there's balloons and laughter and foals and sunlight and whipped cream and cream brulées and *gasp* That's it! Baking!

[How do I mean? I doubt even the very best cupcakes in the world would make Applejack feel like the world is alive, though I could be wrong about this. Cupcakes are very potent.]

No, silly! I mean chemistry! I should know that baking has chemistry in its core, and I know a lot about its practical applications as well as about other sciences I don't normally think about because I'm busy keeping that part secret to myself so I don't get bogged down by the wonders of the world when there are wonders of having fun to be bogged down with.

[But now that I am not keeping necessary secrets from myself I can use all that knowledge to unravel the secrets of chemistry of this world and find out how life here works! Then Applejack won't need to feel like this place is dead anymore!]

Say, how does life here work? While I don't normally think about it, I know there's usually at least a bit of magic that directs chemical reactions. That's why love makes such great pastries!

[Oh, so that's why I thought about baking. We need to get some yeast, then, or whatever the local equivalent is. Oh my! Do I think the locals even have pastries? Maybe without magic the dough won't rise?]

For a moment, Pinkie's eyes widened in horror and sadness, but then she set her jaw in firm determination.

I refuse to believe that! Where there is life, there is bakery! And if the ponies, or the giant ponies, or the funny-looking spider-monkey ponies haven't discovered the secret of the pastry yet, I will do it for them! There shall be cake!

[Onward to the chemistry lab!]

Oh, wait! Look at the shiny sky-carriage coming towards us from behind! Noisy! Is it bringing new friends, do I think?

[See, this is the kind of thing I normally already know about, but won't think so I won't ruin the surprise! In this world I don't have to! It's like the world is made out of surprises here!]

* * *

"I think people will be expecting quite a lot from the visitors," Professor Morris explained while watching the approaching dome that glimmered against the lightening morning sky. "We have people desperately wanting to get gods to solve our problems, whether they be aliens or angels, people wanting to exploit the newcomers through fame, association or economics, or directly or indirectly through politics, people just wanting the aliens to notice them or to make friends with them and of course all the worlds' nations wanting to get an edge over each other with the new exciting technologies they might be bringing.

"And there will be an enormous amount of resentment because the emergence of another intelligent civilization will be challenging people's power, beliefs, ideology or simply because all this disturbs their way of life, which is quite enough for most people to get angry.

"This is an unexpected and a very large event that no-one can just ignore. A lot of people will be in angry denial, while others will get annoyed for having to rethink what they though they knew. And the people who are content in their comfortably established power will be mortally scared of this disturbing the balance of power and will be doing everything they can to exploit people's fears and anger."

"That's a cynical view, Dr. Morris," Doctor Pierce said.

"It's a cautious view, Jake," Professor Morris retorted. "You have been thinking about first contact for your whole life and are looking forward to it. I, on the other hand, am wary of human reactions. As a species, we are very much ruled over by our baser instincts. The individual may be enlightened and aware of the impulses that drive him to fear, or racism or knee-jerk reactionism and may attempt to control them, but for most people what they feel and think is just the natural order of things that should not be challenged without retribution.

"When it comes to meeting our new friends, there's basically two mass reactions I expect. Initially, many will be overtaken by the wonder of the new. Equally many will be overtaken by the fear of the new. While the former will fade away and be replaced by familiarity and whatever response the aliens' behavior provokes, the latter will fester into resentment, mistrust and irrational hate unless mitigated.

"If the aliens will not deliver on our expectations, many of the hopeful will join the resentful ones.

"As a whole, I tend to consider humanity as any other animal. You say hi and back off, let them sniff you and come to you, and you have a chance of making friends. Give 'em food and gifts and be unthreatening and they will become your staunchest friends. But keep poking 'em and trying to make friends with them, and they'll just get nervous, frightened and angry.

"The only real difference with animals is that humans tend to act as you expect them to. If you treat them as untrustworthy backstabbers, that's what you get. If you give them responsibility and trust, they'll try to prove worth it.

"Otherwise, the reactions are just as instinctual as other mammals'. And any reaction we will have about the visitors will merely be amplified by how big a splash they make. They cure all our problems? Fine, that just means that humanity divides into two camps: the ones that hail them as gods and the ones that denounce them as satans.

"They keep a low profile and do nothing? Fine, we get people who think they are funny and cute on the one hand, and people who think they are undeserving trash on the other.

"That's why we need to manage their public image for them from the get-go, even before they can speak enough of our language to express their own opinion. We can't manage their behavior, but we can, to an extent, manage the response our species will have."

Dr. Pierce shook his head. "I'm not going to argue here," he said, "but that just sounds too much like censorship, intentional obscuring and propaganda. Doesn't what you said about trusting your fellow humans count in this, too? Isn't what we are doing right now a good example of an enlightened response? How can you be so elitist in your views about the general populace?"

Professor Morris shrugged. "I'm not. But I've seen how bad things can get, when public relations aren't managed properly. We really don't want to give the aliens an embassy and watch some idiot mount a terrorist attack against it."

"We're here," interrupted Major Quais. "Get ready to meet our new friends, people."

* * *

"Welcome welcome welcome
"A fine welcome to you
"Welcome welcome welcome
"I say how do you do?
"Welcome welcome welcome
"I say hip hip hurray
"Welcome welcome welcome
"To Bridgehead Camp today!"

Pinkie ended her song in a cheerful note, hooves raised in the air in triumph, before landing back on all fours.

And now, a carefully dignified retreat and maintaining distance as per Cranky Doodle -protocol.

[Well done, me! They look so welcomed!]

How can I tell?

[It's in the eyes. They got a lot bigger.]

* * *

"Is it...singing?" Professor Jackson asked from no one in particular.

"Ah, yes," Major Quais said in a low voice and coughed in his fist. "That didn't quite make it into your reports, because you were in transit at the time, Professor, but the aliens exhibited similar behavior in the ceremony they arranged last night. We were hoping to get some kind of cultural or anthropological expert on the team later on. We don't quite know what to make of it."

Chapter 5

Twilight was moving at a fast canter through the complex. As per her 'Presentable Princess' morning spell kit she had conditioned herself to use automatically on any awakening during the past few years, a brush each for her mane and tail and two for her coat were carefully grooming her while a locator construct was delivering her the closest available mug of coffee. In addition, the unique refreshener/calming dual-purpose autohypnosis spell was helping her focus on the immediate concerns at hoof.

"Princess, we have the preliminary results on the passive thaumaturgical seeping gradient," said a research pony representing the Magic team's night shift. "There seems to be an uneven distribution of magic in the samples, but we haven't yet verified the reason."

The parchment detailing the rate at which the local environment was susceptible to magical presence joined others in the small constellation of reports floating around her, from which Spike, riding her back, plucked it up and added it to a folder named 'non-immediate urgency'. Twilight took a turn towards the atrium.

"Princess, Professor Pattesbury and his team have been alerted and briefed as per your command, and are on their way to meet the new locals," said a sergeant of the expeditionary security force.

"Thank you, Sergeant," Twilight replied. "Have Lady Shine join us as well."

"As you wish, Your Highness," the sergeant said, saluting and turning off to march back to the residential quarters.

Spike was checking a lengthy to-do-list against a smaller list of expedition priorities and compiling a new checklist of tasks for the day while at the same time checking off the list of necessary things to accomplish in the mornings. The years of Twilight's princess-hood had seen a significant increase in Spike's multitasking abilities, and it had been a long time since he had last mocked her compulsive checklisting. In fact, on some days he rather wished there were more lists to check on.

"Princess, the reports from the chemistry, physics and biology teams," said another research pony, representing one of the science teams.

The parchments were quickly filed under 'non-urgent important', while Twilight finished reading the summary of conjectures from the sociology night shift and the status report of the linguistics night shift and approved the expansion of the xenopsychology team.

Applejack was already waiting for them in the atrium, chatting in a normal tone with Rainbow Dash and Rarity. She was the only one of the three looking fresh, used as she was at waking at the crack of dawn. The tiredness of Rainbow Dash was somewhat covered by her apparent excitement over something, while Rarity was using her reserves of class.

"-and Pinkie said they flew on their own, just like the chariots we saw yesterday!" Rainbow Dash finished.

"That's nice, dear," Rarity said and yawned in a ladylike manner, levitating a small cup of espresso with just a hint of mint in it.

"Ah wonder who raises tha sun in these parts," Applejack said while looking at the quickly brightening dawn through the high windows of the atrium. The space was designed with the possibility of diplomacy in mind and as such looked rather more impressive than the laboratories or the living spaces that took most of the complex. The design of the latter had been a point of contention between the Designers' Guild and Her Highness Princess Twilight, who had wanted no undue waste of space because of 'frivolities'. It was only due to the influence of Lady Rarity that there was any luxury at all to be had in the living quarters, but they were still strictly egalitarian.

Instead, there was the Ambassadorial Wing, where any kind of on-site diplomatic activity would be taking place, if necessary. When not used for its primary purpose, the space would serve as R&R quarters for the expedition. Twilight approved of the efficiency of the design, if not the equine need for rest in the face of new scientific discoveries.

"Oh, hey Twilight," Applejack said turning around. "Fluttershy went ahead. She's mightily enchanted by those two-legged critters. Ah think she wants one of 'em as a pet," she chuckled.

"Hi, girls," Twilight said, somewhat distracted by the influx of information in the morning reports. "I'm not sure if they qualify. Of course, if they can survive Equestrian environment we could attempt determining the possibility of social symbiosis with the prime-sapients, but it's likely the co-dependency factor would render them as 'friends' rather than 'pets'. Um, what's up?"

"Well," Applejack drawled, ignoring the outburst of twilightness with a smile of somepony long since used to it, "Pinkie was playing charades with 'em jus' a moment ago, an' it looks like there're some more a' them iron chariots comin' here. Ah guess word a' us has been gettin' around wi' tha locals."

"Dreadful things," commented Rarity between dainty sips, before blinking and blushing slightly. "Er, not that I would ever say that to the locals of course, but just look at them! All blocky and swamp-green, not at all like that nice royal chariot yesterday."

"Right," Twilight said, leading the ponies outside. "And the flying chariots?"

"Oh, dude!" Rainbow Dash gushed. "You won't believe how awesome they were! They, like, roared like dragons or something and hovered! And they were the size of houses! Big houses! So cool!"

"Aha," Twilight said and made some notes into the notebook Spike provided her without even needing to ask. "And there was no sign of the power-source?"

"I swear you, Twi," Rainbow Dash said solemnly with a raised hoof. "There wasn't a hint of pegasosity in the air, when they arrived. Just as dead as yesterday. Have I mentioned already how hard it is to fly here, by the way? 'Cause it's pretty hard. I only make it look easy, 'cause I'm like that. Awesome."

They were interrupted by a third research pony, this one representing the very new, but increasingly important field of pinkieology, which was the study of unconventional magic epitomized by such figures as Pinkie Pie, Cheese Sandwich and Discord. Pioneered by Twilight Sparkle, the field had already expanded greatly the pony understanding of the very nature of magic and the cosmos they inhabited.

"Your Highness," the research pony said. "The magical aura and expenditure readings from the feedback pylons."

"Thank you Brightweather," Twilight said and glanced at the parchment filled with columns of numbers and symbols with a gaze that promised a loving inspection later. "I- wait, is this right?"

"Indeed, Your Highness," Brightweather responded evenly.

"Huh," Twilight said after a moment, and shook her head. "It will have to wait. For now, meeting with more of the locals is the priority."

She sighed heavily and closed her eyes for a moment, steeling herself to ignore all the tantalizing leads of incredible discoveries seducing her to leap from research to research with their siren-song of previously uncovered knowledge. Prioritize, Schedule, Organize, went the mantra in her head. Oh, there's so much to do! I wish I didn't have to be the responsible one!

A warm, wet touch on the side of her head made her eyes open up in a jolt. The sight of one of the equine aliens from earlier by her side made her relax, however. This one had a coat with a reddish tint to it and thick blond mane, which had made the girls joke she had to be a local Apple. Twilight nuzzled the alien contentedly back, taking solace in her seemingly unflappable calm.

"Nice to see you too," Twilight said smiling to the alien, who returned to the more important task of playing with her herd-mates. Ah, these beings have it right. I would do well to follow their wisdom and experience the moment as it comes.

* * *

Dr. Carmichael moved his hand through the mane and coat of the gently hovering little creature in front of him. The banana-yellow alien seemed to enjoy his touch, cooing softly and stroking his sparse hair.

"This is unbelievable," he breathed. "The musculature seems very organic and they appear vertebrate, but the range of movement in the limbs of the pink one makes it seem like they are literally boneless. And the flight! This alien appears practically weightless while hovering, yet there is no sign of machine aid anywhere! The wing movements appear almost irrelevant to the flying. I can't begin to guess how this being works, or how much of it is biological and how much artificial. This is literally unlike anything I have seen before!"

He hummed for a moment. "I wonder if I could find any reproductive organs..."

"Doctor," Major Quais said with a note of warning.

"Yes, yes," Dr. Carmichael said distantly. "I'm not going to do anything untoward. It would just go a long way to confirm or disprove the hypothesis of their artificial nature."

"Well, to be fair, there's no telling if they even have a taboo against that sort of thing either way," Dr. Pierce said, recording the scene with an ultra-high definition camera. "Still, better not to start poking them before we can ask permission, just in case."

"They do seem very friendly," Professor Morris noted. "How does the communication go, gentlemen?"

"Um, hard to say anything at this point," Professor Jackson said. "I've been recording the sounds they make, and I can hear differences, but that's about it."

"And I believe I just lost a game of tick-tack-toe," Dr. Argyle said in a befuddled tone of voice.

* * *

Cassie was riding towards the gleaming little fort at the side of her ranch, rising sun at her back, Michelle on the back of Buttercup on her left side. While her little moment of panic from earlier was but a memory by now, she still felt a little pang of nervousness at the sight of the structure. That pang, however, was very subdued next to her bubbling amusement.

"Lil' heart-shaped windows?" she asked with a snort. "Pink head boards? Fer real?"

"Ah know," Michelle replied, shaking her head. "Kinda hard not to think we're not bein' played fer fools."

"Hey, that must be the military," Cassie said, nodding towards Major Quais, who was waving at them beside an impressively large army green truck that was being unpacked by a company of army engineers.

"Miss Ryan? Miss Burton?" the man said, striding towards them. He was clean-cut and square-jawed, the stereotypical officer without a hint of afternoon shade on his chin. Even the uniform he was wearing looked like it had been freshly pressed. But he did have the silliest little glasses on his face that warmed Cassie up enough to earn him a smile. "Pleasure to meet you. My name is Major Quais. I'm in charge of the military side of this little operation."

"Ya got a first name, Quais?", Cassie asked while shaking his hand. Sweaty.

"Nathan, or Nate to my friends," the major said with a smile.

"Alright, Nate," Cassie said and dismounted. "Ya cain call me Cassie, and that's Shelly. Much easier that way."

"Fine by me, Cassie. Shelly," he said, shaking the other woman's hand. "I understand you were told about the reimbursement you'll be receiving from the Navy for the use of your land?"

"Yeah," Cassie said, and patted Daisy on her way. "An' we're fine with it. Jus' glad to see y'all helpin' out with these little fellas here," she said nodding towards the colorful aliens crowding around the first contact team some distance away. "That is, if there's not gonna be any unpleasantness," she added with a meaningful look towards Major Quais.

"I can assure you, ma'am, that we only want friendship from the visitors," Major Quais said with a smile.

Cassie held his eyes for a moment before relaxing into a smile of her own. "Well, that's jus' fine, then."

Meanwhile, Daisy and Buttercup had both wandered towards a certain pink alien and were affectionately nuzzling it between munching on the grass still a bit moist from the morning dew. The alien, after greeting the horses in their own way, bounced towards the ranch owners and whinnied loudly.

"What's the pink one want, Shelly?" Cassie asked.

"Dunno, Caz," Michelle answered. "Hey look, it's got more cupcakes."

"Oh gee, ah hope it's not gonna put up another party," Cassie said. "Ah'm tired from last night."

The alien stopped right in front of them and waved the cupcake around for a moment, whinnying and gesticulating wildly. Despite herself, Cassie giggled a little. Then the alien pawed the ground a little bit and made a small dirt cake. Finally it mimed kneading movements with its hooves for a while and stopped, looking up at the women steadily.

"Ah think," Michelle said slowly, "that it wants to bake."

* * *

The president of the United States waved one of her aides to bring her another cup of coffee - the fourth that morning - while acknowledging with her eyes the adjutant delivering yet another incredibly classified folder full of indescribably important information summarized both incoherently and boringly. At the same time, she was listening to the words the German chancellor was speaking over the international hot line, trying to decipher what the woman was actually saying without putting it into words.

Multitasking at six in the morning, with two hours of sleep. Fun, fun, fun.

"Well, Madam Chancellor," she said to the phone, formulating her own unvocalized response to the chancellor's, while coating it with diplomatic words, "I can assure you and your people that such an obstruction of information has not occurred, and that in fact, as soon as it is prudent, we will take steps to forward the talks into a more international stage. At the moment, the information we have provided our allies is upfront and will remain so. We are, of course, always welcoming of any help from our friends and will be expecting communications from the European scientific community at the first occasion.

"However, we have provided this information with the unspoken guarantee that, for the time being, it will not be made public without a unanimous agreement on the matter. Our experts have not yet arrived at a conclusion on what such publication might mean in terms of long or short term consequences due to popular fallout. In such an unprecedentedly momentous occasion such as this, we must move with both caution and moral integrity, after all."

She smiled at the response she heard from the other end.

"Indeed. We will be in touch, Madam Chancellor, Prime Minister, Monsieur President."

The president closed the line with a sigh and rubbed her face. "That should keep those idiots arguing with each other for a while," she said as a kind of mental relaxation exercise returning her to a more straight-forward line of thought.

"Indeed," chuckled her Secretary of State. "As a by-the-way, the Canadian and Australian governments are now in the know about the matter and are directing their resources to work with us."

The president nodded. "Every bit helps, said the fisherman's wife as she pissed in the sea," she said. "What about our not-so-allies?"

"Well, the Russians have their own problems, of course," the Secretary said. "The NSA expressed some doubt as to whether there actually was anybody paying attention to their satellite imagery, or if there were, where that knowledge would end up. The Chinese, on the other hand, went silent. They have a hunch, but we lost all our normal channels of intelligence."

"So, we don't know what they are actually thinking," the president said. "Great. Glad they're not paranoid," she added sarcastically. "What about domestic? Jerry? How long until we need to go public?"

"I'd say a week, tops, before our denial will be blatantly ridiculous," her political aide said. "Apparently some amateur footage of the anomaly is already spreading over the internet, and the mobilization, of course, is becoming more and more apparent by the minute even with the major news organizations under lock-down.

"With any normal situation, I'd say we could just deny and wait until about half of the people were arguing with the other half over what's true, but with this, I'm not sure we can rely on the normal rules. We may have to release a statement in a day or two."

"Wonderful," the president said dryly. "Why couldn't this have happened in the Eighties? What's the situation with our best and brightest, Neil?"

"Well, with the rate they're establishing communications down there, you may have something to tell about by the time you make your statement, Madam President," Dr. Tyson said. "I hear the science teams are already receiving some pretty interesting stuff from the first contact group."

"Well, that's good news," the president said, relieved. "There hasn't been any problems, has there?"

"Not really," Dr. Tyson said. "Well, the cruisers with the AI-enhanced countermeasure systems reported their Boltzmanns started acting up when they arrived at the site, but they don't know what's causing it yet. I wouldn't worry, personally. They had the same kind of problems when they started out with the systems two years ago. Still, your navy guys are making a deal out of it, regardless."

"I see," the president sighed, and thought about the lavender little alien that had called her cute. I bet your people just make sunshine and rainbows when you ask them to behave.

* * *

"Professor Pattesbury!" Twilight greeted cheerfully, having escaped from the essentials of management for the first time in hours. There had been ponies to update, memos to forward, project leaders to debrief and advise. And there was not a part of it that wasn't essential.

The magical integration rate of the local environment was information the expedition absolutely needed in order not to do harm, and it was up to her to make sure that the right ponies were working on it. That also meant making sure that any information essential to the project got there. That meant being in the know of what everypony else was doing.

Similarly, breaking the language barrier was pretty much essential for the expedition to succeed in its main task of making new friends with a strange civilization and studying how they came to be. There was no way of foretelling what information the linguistics team might need in order to unlock the secrets of the alien language.

Rarity had been right; Twilight was irreplaceable as the leader of the expedition. Everypony seemed to need her counsel and approval, even the ones that knew very well what they were doing. Nopony else was collating all the knowledge the expedition was producing, after all. It fell unto her to make connections and suggest cross-disciplinary paths of investigation. Fluttershy had compared her to a bee, pollinating the flowers of knowledge with the ideas each were producing. Twilight giggled silently at the image of her flying from research group to research group, bits of data dangling from her coat.

And Twilight enjoyed delegating. The fine-tuning of the expedition to match the reality they had discovered and were in the process of discovering was both challenging and exhilarating. She felt she was in her element when she was able to take disparate ponies with their unique skills and form a whole that was greater than the sum of its parts.

Still, she was sorely missing out in the department of focusing on any single aspect of the expedition's progress and that made her feel slightly bad about herself. As if instead of reading a book with a careful analysis, notes and cross-references, she was instead skimming. Sampling. Slacking off.

"How goes the progress in communication?" Twilight asked the professor.

"Wonderfully!" Professor Pattesbury replied eagerly and waved his hoof in an arc to encompass a group of ponies and aliens they called prime-sapients exchanging notes and pictures in a frenetic organized chaos. "We have actually reached a mutual agreement on logical principles, Your Highness!"

"Really?" Twilight asked with wide eyes.

"Indeed!" the professor exuded. "It seems the prime-sapients had the same idea as we did! We started the morning by introducing very basic paired logical principles like 'and' and 'without', or 'agreement' and 'disagreement'. At the same time, they started with their own logic vehicles that we eventually deduced to mean such concepts as 'true' and 'false' or 'follows'. It's wonderful!"

"Fascinating! That actually sounds rather high-level communication, Professor!" Twilight said, amazed.

"Only when put in words, I'm afraid," Professor Pattesbury said with a raised hoof and a shake of his head, but still smiling. "This truly is the mere bones of language, the logical basis, if you will. Nevertheless," he said with a gleam in his eyes, "we have already managed to proceed to mathematics!"

"That is excellent!" Twilight said with a clap of her hooves. "They like math after all!"

"Indeed," the professor said. "In fact, they seem to be rather eager at exchanging mathematical knowledge. They've driven most of today's progress by themselves."

"Perhaps they are as eager to talk with us as we are with them, in any way they can," Twilight said hopefully.

"That indeed promises warm relations between our peoples, Princess Twilight," Professor Pattesbury said with a wide smile. "There is however something that may prove problematic."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked. Problematic? Oh no, I must have missed something. What could it be? He just said everything is working out fine!

"Have you had time yet to read the night shift's report of our progress, Your Highness?" Professor Pattesbury asked.

"Not yet," Twilight answered, banishing a fleeting moment of shame to the back of her head. Composure!, she reminded herself. "Why?"

"Well," the professor said, assuming instinctively a position to deliver a dissertation, "while we are, indeed, progressing on the front of exchanging logic statements, the analysis of my team seems to indicate that, unless some new development is made in understanding the local language, we may not, in fact, be able to evaluate the veracity of translation the magical matrix provides."

Twilight cocked her head to one side. "I'm not sure I follow, professor," she said. Bad pony! You didn't do your homework!, went the inner voice struggling against the Axioms of Princess-hood she had developed to help her comport like a leader. You didn't read the report and now you don't know the answer!

"You see," the professor said, "my team estimates that in order to be able to translate a language that doesn't share a sympathetic connection to our reality, the magical construct in charge of the translation must in fact be able to do second degree connections within the logical mapping of the language, between the language and the environment and between the alien language and Equestrian. Therefore-"

"Therefore," Twilight said quickly, "according to the Law of Complex Connections, it gains a level of autonomy comparable to sapience!"

"Exactly," Professor Pattesbury said.

Yes!, Twilight squealed in her mind. Take that, self-esteem complex!

"And in doing so, there is no guarantee we could understand its function, unless-", the Professor continued.

"Unless the development of the matrix is tied within the consciousness of...the caster," Twilight said, her eyes widening in realization. "Professor, you don't mean...?"

"Your Highness," the professor said with a bow, "you may be the only pony capable of performing such a feat."

* * *

"Okay," Dr. Argyle said, "so, the interesting difference between human logic and their logic is that we use binary truth values while they use this gradient concordance value system. It's almost like we started at the opposite ends of the logic continuum. Where we use a yes/no switch, they use a group of vectors. Incidentally, that's probably why their math looks the way it does."

"Reminds me of ancient Greek mathematics," Dr. Kuhn said. "Geometry instead of arithmetics."

"Precisely," Dr. Argyle said. "And it's very logical to them, since they use base four. Simple calculations are exactly as easy as drawing the starting values together."

"It's utterly fascinating how deeply this shows in their logic system," professor Jackson said. "It took quite a bit of explaining to establish the binary logic, actually. Luckily, they seemed to have at least some understanding of the concept."

"But their equations are simply beautiful!" Dr. Argyle said. "Aesthetically speaking, I mean."

"I agree," Dr. Kuhn said. "Look at this, for example. It's one of the easier equations that helped us establish some common ground with the aliens in science."

"What is it?" Major Quais asked, studying to his eye rather complex collection of curves on the notepad Doctor Kuhn was holding up.

"Newton's laws of motion," Dr. Kuhn said. "This collection of sguiggles here represents the mass. It's so complex because in its general form it is potentially a grouping and a variable. This other collection here is the velocity. See how elegantly you can make it be either accelerating or constant, simply by changing the angle and the curve? Together, of course they are the force. Now, if I give values...here, and there, let's keep this constant...and there, it collapses into an answer without any effort at all."

"I think I see that," Major Quais said. "It's probably pretty intuitive once you get used to it."

"Oh yeah," Dr. Argyle said. "Actually using it must be heavenly. But constructing that stuff? Hell, no."

"So, what's that third set of ...sguiggles?" Major Quais asked. "I see it didn't collapse."

"I'm not sure yet," Dr. Kuhn said, sounding excited, "but the mathematicians and physicians back at your end probably do. It could be the relativistic part of the equations, or maybe the generalization into the conservation of energy. I hear the team believe they identified a set of alien equations describing the probability current of wave functions so we should have the info soon."

"Okay," the major said brightly. "So we're communicating?"

"We're exchanging equations," Professor Jackson corrected. "Recognizing shared knowledge of the universe in mathematical form is still a long cry from actually communicating. When we start hitting stuff humanity doesn't know yet, there's no telling if we can make any sense of it without better communication."

"We're actually just beginning the project of explaining our computers to them," Dr. Argyle said. "We've made sure they understand the binary logic, so now we start teaching them binary language. First numbers and math, then letters and words. At the same time, we show them what the logic matrices look like physically."

"It's going to take a while," Professor Jackson said, "but once the basics are down we'll take exponential steps and then hand the flash drive over. If everything goes well, we could be communicating by tomorrow already!"

"That's with the assumption their information processing capabilities are practically infinite, of course," Dr. Kuhn said dryly.

"I think it's a safe assumption to be working under," Dr. Argyle said.

* * *

"So, to conclude," Twilight said to Stony Hinge, the head of expeditionary engineering team, "the expeditionary team would be expanding by a total of hundred and twenty ponies."

The stallion hummed. "We'll need to construct additional pylons. Not a problem, ma'am."

"Oh, while you're at it, would it be possible to assign a specific feedback pylon for Pinkie Pie alone?" Twilight asked. "I have the theoretical schematics here."

* * *

Pinkie Pie watched carefully the alien bowl covered with alien cloth. Inside, she knew, there was alien dough and alien yeast, possibly rising. It was made out of alien flour, alien sugar and alien eggs, with just a pinch of alien salt and some alien spices, mixed by alien paws.

All ingredients oh, so familiar, yet so distinctly alien. She had watched like a Pinkie while the alien mixed the dough, gravely humming along with the strange bipedal creature as it worked.

She hadn't felt the tiniest tingle that normally accompanied baking anywhere, yet for all intents and purposes, the materials had behaved just like the dough she used at Sugarcube Corner.

* * *

"And now..." Michelle said, feeling like a stage magician. "Ta-dah! The dough has risen!" she yelled with laughter in her voice, removing the cloth with a flourish.

The alien had wordlessly urged her to bake something, and she had complied with sweet rolls, amused at the intense attention the little creature had paid to the proceedings. She felt like she was performing to an audience of toddlers and puppies, mixed together into a single adorable critter on a kitchen stool. She simply wanted to grab the creature and crush it with a hug. When the pink alien gasped loudly at the sight of risen dough, she broke into laughter.

"Seriously?" she asked, wheezing. "Ya've never seen the dough rise before? Where did yer krispy kremes come from then, hm?"

She watched with a grin as a shaking hoof reached towards the bowl of dough. With a 'tsk', she slapped the hoof away, and gave the alien a bit of the dough on the end of a spoon.

The alien seemed to concentrate on the taste and texture of the dough, licking its lips slowly, while frowning and looking at the distance. Then it nodded, once, and produced a notebook and a pen from its saddlebag, sticking the latter in its mouth and scribbling at the book.

When Michelle peered at the notebook, she could only see indecipherable hieroglyphs on the page, mixed with tiny doodles of all sorts of cheerful things.

"Ah wish ah knew what ya were thinking," she said softly, shaking her head.

* * *

"All right," said Dr. Schoenblume of the mathematics team. "So when we translate their string of logic statements into mathematical sigils, we have a variable here... a squared variable here, and here... a function here, and a relation here... so that's-"

Twilight gasped. "Neighton's laws of motion! If you set that variable as infinite and you forget the sympathy function. Astonishing!"

"Yes," Dr. Schoenblume said with a small cough. Her team hadn't noticed the similarity for half an hour. "Astonishing. Indeed."

"But what's that, then? I thought you said it represented time?" Twilight asked.

"Indeed, Your Highness. It-" Dr. Schoenblume started.

"But that would make time mutable," Twilight said with a frown. "The closer you get to this value, the slower time would go...that can't be right, can it?" she said, turning to the good doctor.

"Well, like Your Highness said," Dr. Schoenblume said, flustered. "If this variable were infinite, it would just describe normality. However," she said, bringing forth a rather smaller local equation, "this more general system of relationships between different coordinate systems seems to rely on that variable being constant."

"I can't get over the smaller equations being the more general ones," Twilight said softly, caressing the incredibly smooth alien parchment with her hoof. "This notation must be heavenly to use."

"Well, it has its drawbacks in making the actual calculations a pain," Dr. Schoenblume said. "Anyway, those symbols actually represent entire equation matrices. Allow me to expand this into a complete Equestrian form, centering on this as the variable constant with a value."

Twilight's eyes widened as the equation grew and flourished, almost like a living thing, until it described an inherently beautiful system of relationships between moving metrics.

"It's magnificent!" she whispered, after studying it after a while.

"It is," the doctor agreed. "However, our physicists say it doesn't describe anything we actually know as being real. Yet, when we select specific instances carefully, it produces equations we already know."

"Like Neighton's laws of motion," Twilight said.

"Exactly," the doctor replied.

"So, what is it? Art? Description of a group of theoretical realities?" Twilight asked.

"Ah," the doctor coughed. "The funny thing is," she said hesitating a bit, "that the prime-sapients actually gave us the value of that variable. It's a big value, but not infinite."

"You're kidding," Twilight said after a while.

"I am not," Doctor Schoenblume said gravely. "Also - as a side note - if possible, somepony should teach Miss Pie how to use actual mathematical notation. She reconstructed some of the alien equations ahead of our team in her own...unique way. We were unable to interpret her notes until we had solved the problem ourselves."

"But this would mean..." Twilight said slowly. "I will send this information back to Equestria immediately. If we accelerate a very, very small particle with enough magic...yes, this could be testable, just barely. Oh, and I tried to teach math to Pinkie years ago, when I first noticed that tendency. Whatever part of her understands mathematical relations doesn't communicate with the part that understands ponies."

* * *

"So," Dr. Kuhn said, "we have been grouping the equations they've given us in the assumption that they describe the physical reality. And the result is kind of depressing, actually."

"How do you mean?" Major Quais asked.

"Well, the ones we have recognized, with one partial exception, all come under this one subgroup of equations they gave us," Dr. Kuhn said. "Note that I said 'under'; we have no idea how to get from this equation to the ones we know. The visitors simply showed us how the conservation laws - and they actually gave us only the conservation of probability in their own notation - can be derived from this equation group here, so obviously the related natural laws belong there as well."

"What's the exception?" Major Quais asked.

"Something that looked a bit like the second law of thermodynamics at first but on a closer look seems to describe how a system becomes more unpredictable in time," Dr. Kuhn said, and frowned deeply. "Which is b- :pinkiegasp: Bad Word!-t! There's no such thing! Yet, apparently, they seem to define time itself through that little equation. It's madness!"

"So, that's the depressing thing," Major Quais said leadingly.

"No," Dr. Pierce said with a grin. "What Doctor Kuhn here finds depressing is the fact that the mentioned subgroup of equations, and the other subgroup this 'second law of probability dynamics', as we like to call it, falls under, are all part of an innately coherent dynamically interactive system of six equation groups, whose interaction likely describes the reality as the aliens see it." He shrugged. "Or, at least, that's the highest level equation they've given us yet."

Major Quais stared at the complex circle of alien equations and functions displayed on the big screen in the base camp. It looked almost decorative with its smoothly interlocking curves suggesting motion with their very form.

"Madness, I tell you," Dr. Kuhn said. "Those things don't describe anything! Mere mathematical fantasies!"

"You're just mad because this thing doesn't support any model of string theory we have," Dr. Pierce said with a wild smile.

"They recognized Calabi-Yau manifolds," Dr. Kuhn said with a hand covering his eyes. "They just don't use them to describe anything that could possibly be real."

"So," Major Quais said, "our understanding of physics is woefully inadequate next to theirs. Wasn't that the assumption we were working under?"

"Not just inadequate," Dr. Pierce said with a raised finger, "but actually erroneous! Some of this stuff either directly contradicts things we thought we knew about nature or we completely misunderstood what they are trying to explain."

"Possibilities I find rather unlikely, personally," Dr. Kuhn said with a tired voice.

Major Quais eyed the two men carefully. "Is there a third option?" he asked.

"There is," Dr. Pierce said, grinning excitedly. "They're not from our universe at all! That monstrosity of equations might actually describe natural laws of a different universe!"

"Or the laws of the multiverse," Dr. Kuhn said. "I refuse to believe any kind of creature born in a universe so intrinsically different from our own that we can't even recognize the laws under which it operates could survive here."

"Ah," Dr. Pierce said, "but the point is moot if the creatures we see are indeed constructs made by using the rules of this universe, isn't it?"

"Conceded," Dr. Kuhn said, "but even so, the implications..."

As the physicist fell silent, Major Quais took his turn. "I gather we need to re-evaluate the energy expenditure of the mini-dome?"

Doctor Pierce laughed aloud. "The name becomes increasingly absurd. Yes, we should add a dozen zeroes to the upper value with the caveat that the value may be indefinitely higher than that." He shook his head while chuckling. "We'd better just wait until we can speak with the visitors. All this simply means we are officially talking out of the seat of our pants right now. 'Educated guess' is an overly nice way to describe our hypotheses at the moment."

"Glad to see you're amused," Dr. Kuhn grumbled.

* * *

Lieutenant Wachawski slammed her hand on the table. A full house. "Read 'em and weep, boys!" she said with a grin.

Ensign Perry smirked. "Not so fast, eltee," he said, showing the four of a kind he had, and started collecting his winnings.

"Sorry to disappoint, Perry," Midshipman Keyes said softly, and spread his hand. Royal flush.

The men and women of the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford, gathered at the table for a little game of Texas Hold'em stared at the hands in silence, before Lieutenant Pike, junior grade, spoke up. "Okay. That was the fifth time today. Who's fooling around with the deck?"

Chapter 6

"All right," Twilight Sparkle said to the small conference of team leaders that had gathered around her for a quick afternoon briefing, "what have you got? Miss Elkinger?"

"A partial breakthrough, I believe," Senior Mage Elkinger of the Magic team said, smiling with smug satisfaction. "On a hunch, I had my team observe the Chemistry team's experiments on the local materials, and exposed some of the reactions to super-tense thaumic fields.

"The result was to an extent clear: Any tested chemical reaction will cause structural integration in the materials, while without a reaction, the seepage is to all intents and purposes nonexistent. Furthermore, in partial reactions, magic was only integrated into affected parts. Also, with varied tension thaumic field testing, there was a direct correspondence with the tensity and the rate of integration with any given chemical reaction.

"However," Sr. Mg. Elkinger said, with a raised hoof, "testing with lower tensities also showed clearly that different chemical reactions have different rates of integration. I was assured by Doctor Charcoal that this rate had nothing in common with the known thaumo-chemical properties of the materials and reactions in question.

"Therefore, I can conclude that while a chemical reaction may be a cause for susceptibility for passive thaumaturgical seepage in the local environment, perhaps even the biggest cause, there is no way to rule out other causes, as the actual mechanism is still unknown.

"Still," she added with an excited grin, "this line of questioning appears eminently fruitful. We have numbers and graphs and a plethora of testing to do!"

"Very good, Senior Mage," Twilight said with a nod and a Princess Smile #D4 (you have done well, but your information concerns me, and therefore you should do even more). "However, unless I am mistaken, this information would seem to indicate that living beings would be the most vulnerable to passive seepage."

Twilight glanced to the representatives from Chemistry and Biology teams, making sure their faces reflected the seriousness of this worry, and rested her gaze briefly on Professor Pattesbury from the Communication team. She didn't let it linger there. The stallion's team was already progressing as fast as it could, and showing remarkable progress besides.

"What level of tension are we talking about here, Miss Elkinger?" she asked.

"The lowest observable seepage at the moment was still at a tension of more than hundred million times that of what we have inside the containment tome. We are currently testing lower level tensions with local yeast-equivalent. Lady Pie's idea," Sr. Mg. Elkinger said, with a mixture of genuine gratitude, slight bafflement and just a hint of embarrassed exasperation. "We have her notes on the matter, of course, but..."

"Let me guess," Twilight said with a blank tone. "You can't read them?"

"Not in so many words, I'm afraid, Your Highness," Sr. Mg. Elkinger said. "She explained some, but insisted that she had been serious enough for the day and went to roll in the grass with the local equines. They seem to still be enjoying that."

"Oh well," Twilight sighed, levitating a fresh pastry to her mouth and taking a nibble, "at least we got some sweet rolls out of it. These were made with the local yeast, I take it?"

"Oh yes," Sr. Mg. Elkinger said. "Actually, by one of the locals. The one with the short, dark mane, carried by the palomino queen."

"Mm, she's gorgeous," Doctor Greenleaves of the Biology team said dreamily, before blushing furiously. "Um, academically speaking, of course!" she stammered.

"Don't worry," Twilight said with a laughter, levitating half of her sweet roll to a local equine that had wandered next to her, lured in by the smell of the pastries, "they are magnificent, indeed! Why, I was taken in by their grace immediately upon arrival! Still, we should keep our minds focused for now. What else?"

Several ponies jumped up, looking like they had something interesting and/or important to report. After a quick acknowledgment by glances, Doctor Charcoal took the first turn.

"The locals may be of some help with the seepage problem," she said quickly, barely containing her excitement. "Chemistry-wise, I mean. The things they have discovered!"

"Oh?" Twilight said with a raised brow.

"Indeed!" Doctor Charcoal said. "We were first informed by one of Professor Pattesbury's team..."

Aether Song was happy. No, ecstatic! She was part of the project, the most interesting, most important, most the of anything of everything ever, and she was still just a research assistant, technically. Her dissertation was on hold for the duration, but none of that mattered. She had already been quite beside herself of joy when her mentor had introduced her to the project, 'as reward suitable for your talents, in honor of your work ethic'.

Assigned as a research assistant to Professor Pattesbury's team, she had been working on the most esoteric logical constructs, refining and extrapolating and helping to bring them into life as actual magical constructs, antithetical as that seemed to their very nature. That work alone, by sheer association to the project, was sure to open up positions in any university she might want to join in her post-doc career.

Hay, there was a good chance she would soon be founding a new department in any university she might care to join! They all would, most likely. There was no telling what new interesting, profound, breathtaking, original fields of research the expedition to that completely alien universe would bring.

It was a good time to be a scientist in Equestria. It was a good time in general.

First, Luna's return had launched a renaissance of arts and philosophy. Then, Twilight Sparkle's meteoric rise to princesshood had sparked a new age of science and innovation. Every day, it seemed, some new discovery was made about the nature of magic or the cosmos or the very existence itself. And now, this greatest discovery so far.

Yes, Aether Song had been plenty excited just to be part of the project, a face in the crowd of thousands. Then the call had come: the expedition needed capable field observers for the communication team, and off she went.

And now she was here! In another world! Another universe! In an alien creature's lap!

Taking notes on the strange mathematics she was being shown and making sure she was transmitting the alien vocalizations to the nascent translation matrix in its shell, she was sure she would have been too excited to focus if not for the strangely soothing effect the slow strokes of the alien's dextrous appendages on her mane and coat had on her.

The prime-sapient held its odd, but immensely useful and endlessly versatile little what-ever-it-was, a magicless magic mirror, a book with a single transforming page, a chalkboard that responded to touch and played sounds and showed images... Whatever it was, the creature held it in front of her, and slowly expanded her mind with the equations and images it showed her.

With the aid of an increasing team, she transcribed the equations into Equestrian notation, trying to find similarities and common points and communicated back with images and equations of her own, usually suggested by the team, or one of the more senior mathematicians or physicists that had come through the portal.

She liked the alien's reaction, whenever they did that. At first, it had seemed transfixed by the sheer presence of floating lights, but when they had learned to communicate better, it, and other prime-sapients that had arrived that morning, seemed more and more excited by the equations themselves. They really were communicating, and even if it still was merely exchanging mathematical descriptions of the natures of their respective universes, that itself would have been enough for several lifetimes.

Aether Song had long since stopped trying to understand everything that was coming and going through her. There was simply too much raw information here for anypony. The expedition was struggling to make sense of it all, and was expanding to keep up with its own progress. She bet that already the majority of Equestrian academia back home was gearing up to handle the influx of new, tantalizing tidbits that flowed through the portal.

Still, she could sense that there was a structure to the prime-sapients' teaching. After learning their respective mathematics, the aliens had paused, and had now started a new line of communication.

It started slowly again. First, the string of logical symbols that said approximately 'the following will describe'. Then a list, no, a table of empty placeholders. And then...something different.

These were not equations. They weren't logic propositions. Under each place in the table came a list of categories. 'These categories describe the same thing'.

Aether squinted, and nudged the alien appendage with her muzzle to show understanding and the desire to continue. There were...numbers. Relationships with numbers. Something she had been told was a waveform. Alien graphs and pictures. None of it looked familiar.

She hurried to transcribe it all while the alien paused, waiting for her acknowledgment. She motioned it to continue, but also formed the symbols for indeterminacy and unknown to the prime-sapient, making sure it understood that they needed more information to make a connection with their own knowledge.

There was no telling if they would, however. By the way the science teams were acting, the prime-sapients had already provided knowledge of the physical world well beyond anything ponydom had dreamed of. All this could simply be something ponies had no experience of.

Still, if she understood the prime-sapients' communication protocol correctly, they were being presented by building blocks for something, maybe their actual language even.

But the table was filled, one by one, with similar looking lists of numbers and graphs and waveforms. The pictures seemed to imply the transition from simpler to more complex, but she still could only signal her non-understanding. The prime-sapient paused, perhaps hesitant, or thinking.

Then it pointed at two of the slots on the table and cleared the ...thing, and started listing something new.

Aether studied the lists of numbers and the new pictures. Clearly, somehow, these two slots, described by their respective categories, were now made to interact. The image was simple enough, but it didn't look like anything familiar. The strings of numbers and wave-forms were simply unintelligible even though she was beginning to feel like she almost could read the alien notation. A long day of transcribing with years of working on logic constructs was paying its due.

Then suddenly, one of the equations caught her attention. There was something familiar...if one were to describe it in Equestrian notation...something half forgotten, like something she had seen in one of her freshman classes...

Aether let out a small gasp when a sudden recollection hit her. She had to make sure. For a moment, she stopped transmitting the alien vocalizations, and instead prepared a quick summoning.

A globe of water from the chemistry lab appeared floating in front of the alien, who looked hesitant. Aether corrected herself slightly, banishing the water, and summoning pure hydrogen and oxygen instead, connecting their containment fields and letting the reaction occur, carefully leeching excess heat off and returning it to the feedback pylons, leaving another small globe of liquid water floating in the air.

The prime-sapient communicated. 'Good', the logic symbol said.

"After that," Dr. Charcoal said, "it was simple deduction. They were describing chemical elements! And even better, the way they described them showed an unimaginable understanding of their properties. Your Highness, I believe these prime-sapients have managed to prove the atomic theory!"

Twilight gasped slightly. "Really?" she squeaked. "How can you tell?"

"The equations they used...they were simply too perfect not to be true! After being translated by the Math team, of course," Dr. Charcoal said, nodding appreciatively at Doctor Schoenblume, who nodded back. "They explained the change of mass in the reactions...without taking into account thaumic reactions, naturally. We always knew it was happening, but these creatures seem to have the answers as to why. And electricity and conductivity as well. The formation of crystals...even things like density and hardness seem to have an explanation that stems from a more basic principle! I can't wait to see how all this expands our understanding of the world! And when we learn how magic interacts in relation with the new atomic chemistry - oh! The possibilities are staggering!"

"Wow!" Twilight said, her head swimming slightly as she, too, imagined the expansion of knowledge in sight. "First a maximum speed for the universe, and now atomic theory...I wonder how thoroughly these creatures understand the physical world! This is fantastic!"

Professor Pattesbury leaned forward, grinning conspiratorially. "That's not even the best part, Your Highness," he said. "Guess what they were teaching us chemistry for?"

"What?" Twilight asked, trying to imagine what the locals could possibly have in mind.

"Look at this," Professor Pattesbury said, levitating a complex-looking schematic to Twilight. "It's a schematic describing a ...machine, let's call it, of a very, very small size. It's actually so small, that it functions by holding and releasing particles smaller than the atom!"

"...What?" Twilight asked again, this time rather bewildered.

"Allow me to explain," Dr. Charcoal said. "What we at first thought to be the indivisible particles that make up matter, explained to us by the locals, turned out themselves to be made of other, smaller, more basic particles. The ones Professor Pattesbury just mentioned, apparently are the ones that make up electricity and are the reason for most or all chemical properties matter has. We haven't had time to examine all the information yet."

"...Electricity is made up of particles," Twilight whispered astonished.

"Well, kind of," Professor Mulberry of the Physics team said, coughing gently into her hoof. "The prime-sapient's equations seemed a little uncertain about that. Some of the properties described a wave. But I suppose it's easier to understand the schematic if you think of it as a particle. Your Highness."

"You see," Dr. Charcoal said, "what we have simply thought as electricity is apparently a stream of particles that are themselves part of the particles that make up matter, let us call them atoms for the sake of simplicity, but can change places with the electricity particles of atoms making up other chemical elements. The locals showed us how compound materials are formed by the elemental atoms sharing electricity particles with each other. Along with some interesting equations that describe, well, a whole lot of stuff we haven't had proper explanations for previously."

"Okay," Twilight said, nodding, "I'm following. So the device?"

"It's capable of storing and releasing electricity particles, like I said," Professor Pattesbury continued, still grinning. "The upshot of which is that it can therefore represent either a 'yes' or a 'no'."

"You don't mean-" Twilight gasped.

"Yes!" Professor Pattesbury said, levitating more schematics to Twilight. "This one describes a physical representation of a logical operation, and this other one represents how these little devices can be stacked to form...well, considering their size, an unimaginably complex and dense collection of these yes/no devices."

"Are they describing us how their psyche functions in material terms?" Twilight breathed.

Professor Pattesbury blinked. "An interesting proposition," he said. "I hadn't considered that, actually. I was thinking more in terms of a physical basis for their language. See, they've also begun listing how collections of yesses and nos correspond to numbers and letters."

"Oh," Twilight said and paused. "Oh my. How small is this device again?"

Now it was Doctor Schoenblume's turn to grin widely. "By my calculations, the tip of your hoof could hold a million Canterlot libraries, Your Highness. Give or take three orders of magnitude."

Twilight closed her eyes and moaned slightly as a shiver passed through her body. She wet her lips and swallowed before opening her eyes, panting a bit. "Is..." she started with a hoarse voice, looking at the team leaders through half-lidded eyes, "are there any more reports?"

"We have the schematics for the translation construct ready for your inspection," Senior Mage Elkinger said.

"And we have some interesting observations about the local hierarchy and social interaction," Doctor Greenleaves said.

"Yeah," Twilight breathed. "Give it to me."

* * *

"So," Professor Morris said, absent-mindedly stroking the mane of one of the alien creatures laying on her crossed legs as she sat on the ground, interviewing one of the ranch owners, "what exactly did you think when you first saw them? The visitors, I mean. Describe the experience. What went through you head?"

"Well," Cassie drawled, "at first it was just the one. The one with the lavender coat. Ah thought it was just some weird critter ah hadn't seen before. Though the color was peculiar. Still is, are, whatever," she said with a smile, as she petted one of the alien creatures snuggled up to her chest.

"Ah mean, it was just interested in my ponies," she continued. "Then the rest of them came. Dozens, marching towards me from the light, all orderly and purposeful."

"What did you think at that moment?" Professor Morris asked.

"Well," Cassie said, "it's kind of hard to describe. Ah guess ah just went numb a bit. Couldn't think at all. It was more a feeling of...ah don't know. Awe ah guess. Though ah do remember ah thought of them as magic ponies at one point."

"Magic ponies?" Professor Morris repeated with a questioning look.

"Yeah," Cassie grinned. "It was around the time ah noticed the white ones with the golden armor. They reminded me of pegasi and unicorns, except smaller. So...magic ponies."

Professor Morris nodded, and Doctor Carmichael, also sitting cross-legged on the ground with an alien creature in his lap perked up.

"You know," he said, "you actually have the privilege of naming the creatures, Ms. Ryan."

Cassie frowned slightly. "Ah thought we were going to ask them what they call themselves."

Dr. Carmichael waved the hand not currently active with alien-petting. "We will, I suppose. But it's rather unlikely it will actually translate, and it's going to be pretty difficult to imitate a whinny in the middle of a sentence. So, to acknowledge the probable cause of events, there is going to be a human name, and the honors traditionally go to the first discoverer, which would be you.

"Currently, 'Ryan's creatures' has some popularity among the staff, and as to the taxonomical name, well, that's going to be another matter entirely. It'll probably only settle once we have a better idea what we are dealing with, probably after questioning the visitors themselves. I kind of like Pseudohippos Magica Ryanicus myself, or whatever. I'm not a language expert."

Professor Morris grimaced. "Hippos comes from Greek, Peter. And you made the genders conflict. Probably twice, actually."

"Ryan's critters, huh?" Cassie said slowly, pondering. "It's kind of nice, but...it just doesn't sound very respectful to these fellas. How about...something like cutelings? Or maybe something about how huggable they are?"

Dr. Carmichael shrugged. "Your call," he said. "Though I would think about it a bit more. It's not guaranteed to have any lasting power, you know. And I'm not sure you should call them something that reminds people of plushies."

"Equus sapiens?" Cassie said. "No wait, that would be a taxonomical name, wouldn't it? Um...hey. How about alponies? You know like a portmanteau between aliens and ponies. And it kind of has a sound of something a bit mightier than just regular critters. Like all-father or almighty or algebra."

"Alponies," Dr. Carmichael said, tasting the word. "Hm. Not bad. I'll pass it around. Though to me, it rather reminds of alpacas."

"We're getting off-topic," Professor Morris said impatiently. "We were discussing the ...alpony behavior and appearance. How would you describe their interactions with you, Ms. Ryan?"

"Well," Cassie said, "they've been nothing but friendly, so far. Ah mean-" she said and pointedly looked at the creatures cuddling in their laps and spread her arms wide, encompassing the ranch. There were visitors all over the place, some taking care of or playing with her ponies, others doing their own thing and still more interacting with the good men and women of the engineering corps who were quickly assembling a research base camp on her ranch. Touching and nuzzling seemed to be the favored mode of communication everywhere.

"They even threw us a party last night," Cassie added.

"Oh yes," Professor Morris said excitedly. "Please tell us about that. How did you know it was a party?"

Cassie looked at her blankly. "There were balloons. And streamers. And cake. And party hats. We played party games."

The learned academics glanced at each other.

"What do you think?" Professor Morris asked.

"Learning by imitation?" Doctor Carmichael said with a shrug. "Maybe they mimic our behavior to understand us better?"

"But definitely observing us," Professor Morris stated.

"Oh yes," Dr. Carmichael said, "has to be. I can't imagine how it could be otherwise. But..."

"Yes," Professor Morris said, "I know. If they're really from another universe..."

"How could they have observed us?" Dr. Carmichael finished. "Well, at least that's what Kuhn said. Maybe there's some odd technology that allows for that and he doesn't know about it."

Professor Morris snorted. "I wouldn't suggest that. He's still ripping his hair in frustration over what's supposed to be impossible in the ...alpony equations."

* * *

"I just finished going over some new equations with Kitalpha math team," Doctor Kuhn started, walking up to Major Quais and Doctor Pierce with a flying visitor in tow, "and they agree with me. There's an element in them we simply do not know anything about. In all of them. Jackson and Argyle reported that the aliens responded to the periodic table with their own, and, well, for one thing, we apparently only share some of the elements with them."

"Further proof for the extra-universal theory, then?" Major Quais half-stated, and scratched an alien behind its ears.

"Yes," Dr. Kuhn replied distractedly, "but not only that. The chemical properties...the enthalpy formations for instance. They have this additional equation bundle that relates to the Big Six as we call the apparently highest-level equation group the aliens have given us. And we don't know what it actually does, why or how. We can't think of any actual physical property or behavior it describes, but it seems to be a functional part of their chemistry, and apparently can affect...well, just about anything."

Dr. Kuhn hesitated for a moment. "Jackson witnessed something that could have actually been a demonstration of this property, when the alien he was explaining the periodic table to somehow...conjured up two contained...clouds of hydrogen and oxygen - I can't believe I'm saying this - and made them react with no excess heat, resulting in a globe of liquid water."

"Conjured?" Major Quais asked interested.

"Yes," Dr. Kuhn said tiredly and waved his hand, "and he asked how and got an explanation that involves their version of probability current, a manifold that apparently expands more than three spatial dimensions and an application of one of the Big Six that we didn't recognize. But the point was this simply...incredible display of control over a chemical reaction that probably has something to do with these equations that don't correspond to anything that we know of.

"The plain fact of it is," Dr. Kuhn said evenly, "that these beings have demonstrated both a mastery and knowledge over physical properties that we have no inkling over. I can't be sure we'll be able to understand, or even replicate their technology without some serious explaining from them. I simply don't know how to proceed."

"I see," Major Quais said, nodding. "Well, Doctors Jackson and Argyle are fast proceeding with their explanation over the functioning of flash memory, so we may be soon handing them a database that will explain our language and knowledge."

"About that-" Doctor Pierce started, a particularly tiny alien curled up in his arms.

"Yes," Major Quais interrupted with a raised hand, "I passed on your objections on any kind of censor to my superiors, and the President's cabinet agreed with you. They believe there's no point in trying to hide anything, so they'll be including just about everything in there."

"How large a database is it?" Dr. Kuhn asked.

"Well," Major Quais said, "everything in it is uncompressed, including the audio and the video, so we're looking at a 100 Tb drive. There's a rather complete, but simple dictionary we compiled from several sources, very extensive corpus of actual language use, the current Wikipedia, all the audio files in them, and all of English literature we could find, written and audio. There were about a thousand people altogether involved in the compilation. It's all presented in a nice, nested and categorized form."

"Not too shabby," Dr. Pierce said. "I didn't know the government could work so fast."

Major Quais acknowledged him with a nod.

"I suppose it's going to take a while for the aliens to process all that," Dr. Kuhn said. "Jackson did say the English language was a double-edged sword in this respect. On the one hand, we've got enormous amount of digitized data on it to hand over as study material. On the other, it's a language with about four root languages, several hundred dialects, and more internal inconsistencies than you can shake a stick at. He would've preferred to teach the aliens some artificial language, but there just wasn't enough ready material. Guess the aliens will have to struggle with English at first."

"We'll see," Dr. Pierce said. "Argyle and I were discussing about Omega point consciousness earlier."

"The God of technologists," Dr. Kuhn said with a snort. "I really don't see the point of such speculations. Or those other theories you've made up with him. Simulated reality? Artificial civilization? They're simply not testable."

"You don't disagree they've cooked up their appearance for our benefit, do you?" Dr. Pierce asked.

"Obviously," Dr. Kuhn said. "The fact that their periodic table is inconsistent with our own alone tells us that this most likely isn't their home universe and therefore their current form is likely made up on the spot. Then there's the similarity to Earth animals, mythological resemblance, Greco-Roman armor...No, I'd say they've observed us - and normally I would say that's impossible between universes, but it's getting more clear by the hour that our knowledge is woefully inadequate - and made bodies for themselves that would get a positive reaction from us. My problem is with the idea that 'they' are not at all what we see here, that the creatures we have met represent a made-up culture just for the purposes of a God saying hi. You can't test that. Ergo, it's pointless fantasy that doesn't change the fact that we have to react as if they were the real deal."

"I'd say it's just a logical extrapolation," Dr. Pierce said with a shrug. "It's quite possible their current form is so alien from their original ones that it couldn't accurately represent their real culture or even their consciousness. Therefore, they may be presenting us with an exaggeratedly friendly culture as an expression of non-hostility. Anyway," he said while petting the creature in his arms, "we'll know soon enough, once they can speak with us."

"There is actually an avenue of study available to us while we wait for that," Major Quais said. "The cruisers Antietam and Princeton reported back with partial success on the anomalies with their systems."

"Oh?" Dr. Kuhn said with a raised eyebrow. "It had something to do with our visitors?"

"Indirectly, with at least two out of three problems," Major Quais said. "Firstly, the radar anomaly wasn't exactly. It was a case of the radar, actually every radar at our disposal, accurately reporting just the tiniest little discrepancy with its pulse signal and the map occurring at several discrete locations within the big dome. Every other system than the RBM, however, edited the discrepancy out as an error. The RBM, on the other hand, postulated that the discrepancies represented something, noticed a hidden connection with the light patterns in the dome, and started an analysis."

"Discrepancy? Represented something?" Dr Pierce asked, confused.

"Yes," Major Quais said. "It turned out there are several small...objects, invisible to just about every sensor, placed in various locations near the alien compound. They move occasionally, at about walking speed. They don't cast a radar shadow, exactly, but the pulse was slowed just enough to show that they are there."

"That's...surprisingly spooky," Dr. Pierce said.

Dr. Kuhn frowned. "If EM radiation moves slower in these areas, why isn't there any refraction?"

"We don't really know," Major Quais said. "Needless to say, since invisibility is a technology we've actually been working on, the brass was rather interested. But that's beside the point. The RBM pattern recognition algorithm started forming connections between various happenings within the dome, and the visible patterns on its surface. The error in the algorithm...that we don't know anything about yet. The crews of the cruisers thought at first it was just a learning error, but when the Antietam rebooted its system and started following its workings step by step...well, it turned out the evolutionary algorithm wasn't restarting due to an error, but because it was constantly guessing correctly."

Both doctors stared at him in silence.

"Yes," Major Quais said slowly, "we're really hoping that's not the aliens' doing, because...that's just weird. But anyway, the pattern analysis showed that the larger dome was in sync with the smaller dome. And when I say in sync, I mean that the changes in them aren't a reaction to one another. We placed some very high speed CCD cameras at exact midpoint between the domes, and it showed simultaneous patterns.

"Furthermore," he continued, "the larger dome also...reacts to, I suppose, or causes, though the camera time-stamps disagree slightly, the activation of the pylons. There are also more minor fluctuations we haven't been able to assign yet, but anyway, it would seem the larger dome is an essential piece of their technology. We have been theorizing it could be a part of their energy distribution system, although we can't figure out the mechanism.

"I was also requested to ask the aliens if we could have one of the inactivated pylons for study. What is your expert opinion on the matter?"

Dr. Pierce and Dr. Kuhn looked at each other and shrugged. "No harm in asking, I suppose," Dr. Pierce said. "They seem friendly enough."

"I'll see what we can find out on-site, first," Dr. Kuhn said. "Could you have the high-speed cameras close to the mini-dome, when it...produces a new pylon? That might help a bit. I don't expect much from a macroscopic analysis but we'll see."

* * *

Stony Hinge and his crew were just setting up a new feedback pylon, when the spindly aliens came to watch. They looked on possibly fascinated as a master runecrafter traced the patterns required for total resonance and responsivity on the surface of the stone.

"Is it safe for them to be here, boss?" Perry Winkle asked.

"Should be," Stony Hinge said with a shrug. "The pylons have completely internalized magical auras. Still, you should get the Princess, or somepony else who can understand these guys a bit in case they want something. And everypony," he said, raising his voice, "please refrain from begging for backrubs! It's embarrassing and impedes your work!"

* * *

"Fascinating!" Dr. Kuhn whispered, as the smooth, glittering surface of the pylon suddenly turned into a dimly glowing pearly white. "I wonder what it's made of."

"Expect for the glitter, I would have said it was polished granite," Major Quais said.

"Well, I'm sure it will reveal its secrets under an electron microscope," Dr. Kuhn said.

"That's assuming we can actually cut a sliver from it," Major Quais replied with a snort. "How does it feel?"

"It's...well, it's a bit cool to the touch, actually," Dr. Kuhn said, tentatively touching the pylon, then moving his hand on the surface. "Very smooth. Less friction than marble, I'd say. Can't feel the grain at all. Are you sure there's no radiation, by the way? The glow disturbs me."

"That's the only radiation we can detect, Doctor," Major Quais replied. "As always."

"Oh, look," Dr. Pierce said. "It's the boss alien. How do we ask for one of these?"

"They apparently understand some of our words already, considering they use them occasionally," Major Quais said. "Doctor Jackson said that the symbolic logic he and Doctor Argyle are using is still a bit too abstract for this kind of thing. So...just ask and mime, I guess."

* * *

"I believe," Twilight said after watching the alien presentation carefully for a while, "that they want one of our pylons. What do you think, Pinkie?"

"Oh, definitely!" Pinkie Pie answered cheerfully. "Good guess! Can I go next?"

"What do you want to say?" Twilight asked with just a hint of doubt in her voice.

"Oh, I just wanted to say 'You're welcome' through interpretive dance!" Pinkie answered. "And maybe ask for one of their flying machines! I want to try one!"

"Go ahead," Twilight answered, levitating one of the inactive pylons towards the aliens. "I can't guarantee they'll understand you, though, Pinkie. Our communication is still a bit spotty at best. What do you think they want a pylon for?"

"Maybe they think they're pretty," Pinkie chirped, spinning like a whirligig on her hind legs with her front legs spread wide.

The prime-sapients looked on as Twilight levitated the pylon to them and set it upright on the ground in front of them. Twilight watched equally fascinated, as the one in dull blue-gray used one of their long-distance communication devices. After a moment, a huge alien chariot carefully approached the group.

"Aw!" Pinkie said disappointed. "They misunderstood me!"

* * *

Much later in the evening, in a petrography laboratory several hundred miles away from the first contact site, one Professor Hadley was compiling a report about the day's findings.

The object in question was recorded to have changed mass when moved through the anomalous barrier. Currently the weight of the object is measured at 83.56 pounds (see appendix 1), implying a density comparable to styrofoam, as opposed to almost exactly hundred times greater density on the anomaly site.

The reason and mechanism for this change is currently unknown.

Other changes occurring during the transit included a cessation of optic phenomenon, which resulted in a curiously colorful pattern forming on the surface of the object. Cautiously, a conjecture can be made that the object was 'active' within the barrier and 'inactive' (note below) outside it. Request for study of the material on-site.

Additionally, the surface friction of the object was observed to increase substantially when passing through the barrier. See table 1.1 for the list of friction coefficients measured in the laboratory. Notable is the increase in the surface friction when measured against finer grain materials. This phenomenon may be explained by the presence of apparently fractal pattern on the object's surface.

The material fractures easily along the grain, and so far not at all against it.

Electromicroscopic analysis so far has been unsuccessful, as the material failed to emit x-rays under the electron stream.

High-frequency lasers, however, reveal a fractal pattern on the surface of the material, which continues under the surface. It is possible that this pattern permeates the whole object.

The emergence of the pattern causes the increase in friction coefficient, which, depending on the depth of the fractal and the grain of the contact material, may be indeterminately high.

NOTE: While mostly inactive, the microscopic analysis of the object revealed a faint vibrating pattern in the 60 kHz range.

* * *

"Very well, ponies," Twilight Sparkle said to the experts in the Magic team, "let us begin. The goal tonight is to create a magical construct that will be able to translate language correctly between the aliens and us.

"As there is no intent the spell can translate from the alien language, we will use only one half of a normal translation enchantment to communicate between the construct and the pony using it. I will perform this as an amniomorphic spell to tie it into my consciousness, and nurture its growth in the spell matrix.

"You will supply both the Archiving matrix to map the data we have collected from the alien language, as well as the interfacing magical field between the Archive and the amniomorphic spell and the logical matrix that can read the alien symbolic language.

"Once I conclude that the construct is ready for assimilation, you will connect the archive into this fascinating alien device we were provided. We were informed," Twilight said, and licked her lips while her voice gained a husky timber, "that the device contains information that matches several...million...libraries. Understandably, then," she said swallowing, "some time may pass while I will be unavailable as I direct the translation construct to assimilate all the information in the device to map the function of the alien language. I will," she said, and shuddered visibly, "refrain from any attempts to study the library itself. For now.

"Meanwhile, I trust the team leaders will continue working as planned, and that you will defer to Lady Shine in any diplomatic problems that may arise.

"Is the device itself prepared. Miss Elkinger?"

"The integration is complete, Your Highness," the Senior Mage responded proudly, "with no difference to the electrical charges in the device whatsoever. If I may say, Your Highness, there has never been a magical artifact with as fine a structure as this. The scientists are quite eager to use similar techniques to study materials."

"Very well," Twilight said and smiled with determination, "begin the enchantments."

While Twilight watched, three pairs of highly professional unicorns charged their horns and started weaving complex equations around the crystal lattice that functioned as the physical house for the embryonic translation matrix.

"Archive...active," the first pair reported.

"Logic matrix...active," the second added a few moments later.

"Interface...connected to the Archive...interacting with the logic matrix...ready and waiting for Your Highness, Your Highness," the third pair reported.

Twilight took a deep breath and reached out with her magic to the increasingly complex harmonics within the magical field formed by six very talented unicorns. She prepared a spell that was born out of her intention and soul, a deceptively simple form capable of growing and changing its form. Carefully she aligned her magical resonance with the pair maintaining the interface, and completed the spell by connecting her magic with theirs, and thus the entire construct.

The multiple enchantments collapsed into a single structure, now only resonating between the crystal lattice and Princess Twilight.

Vague colors, fragments and snippets, it was dark and empty and confused. Silent echoes and incomplete beginnings.

"As we suspected," Twilight said aloud, her eyes closed as her consciousness was focused on her spell, "the Archive is too incomplete still. Miss Elkinger, please connect the device."

Gently, Sr. Mg. Elkinger reached out with her own magic and touched the alien device resting on the crystal lattice. She let her magic resonate with the aura the device now possessed and with a simple mental switch, connected it to the Archive.

The same instant, Princess Twilight's eyes opened, flooding the room with brilliant white light. She floated into the air, her mouth open, hopefully not in pain.

The unicorns looked at their princess in awe as the sheer complexity of the spell now connected to her psyche sang to their magical senses. After a few moments the light dimmed, and the Princess floated down, her hooves gently coming to rest on the ground.

"It's...it's beautiful," Twilight whispered and passed out.

* * *

"Well, at least she's getting some sleep every night," Rainbow Dash commented as she accompanied Applejack, who was once again carrying the unconscious princess to her bed.

"Two nights in a row knocked out by a spell," Applejack grumbled. "That ain't natural! Ya can hardly call that sleep."

"Yeah, whatever," Rainbow Dash said. "I'm sure Twi's fine. She can handle this. I'm just glad we're going to be able to speak to the aliens soon. I'm going crazy cooped up inside the dome! I want to fly!"

"Simmer down, Rainbow!" Applejack snorted. "How much sky do ya need anyway? Ah could put half of Sweet Apple Acres inside the dome!"

"Yeah, that's not gonna cut it," Rainbow Dash said.

"Speaking of which," Applejack said, hesitantly. "Have ya noticed something...ah don't know, different about this place today?"

"Not really," Rainbow Dash said after a second's thought, "unless you mean all the new aliens and iron chariots around. I so wanna race one of the flying ones!"

"No, not that," Applejack said quietly. "It's more like the place isn't...quite as lifeless anymore. Y'know?"

Rainbow Dash pondered a moment. "Nah," she said.

"Well, I'll mention it to Twi in the morning, if she's awake by then," Applejack said.

Chapter 7

The mountains and oceans and spires of data formed networks within networks in an endlessly spiraling system that curved back on itself.

She follows the spell-child as it resonates within the physics of the library, pulsing in time with the fragments of matter making up the logic ports.

The rules imposed on the matter suggesting the order of abstraction were a door to a universe of interconnectedness.

The spell-child gains layers as it interacts with the levels of abstraction; it expands and talks in babble – random impulses searching for meaning, for grounding, it gains its imperative from Twilight's mind, but fragments itself in the neverending complexity of the organic pattern emerging from the simple rules of a base order.

The words they know were scattered among the vast sea of addresses; they connect to one another in a chain of one after another – endlessly, until they loop back and explain themselves – and occasionally, to large documents filled with more words, and other files more complex than that.

An address that marks a daunting mountain of numbers tells how it orders itself: a position of two coordinates and a value for brightness and color is a map of an image – another address is a monster of values and a mathematical key that seems to unlock a dimension – when an eternity was passed it was called time, and the file becomes a waveform: alien speech in abstraction of numbers.

She listened to speeches and sensed the connections forming between words and sounds and words and words – but it was all a confusion, an incoherent babble, a system of meaningless chaos – and it hurt her; the spell-child was like a seed sprouting into an open wound.

Her mind is ripping itself apart – there is too much data, too many doors; she needs, must, is existentially dependent on finding a key to unlock it; to shunt it into a subsumed process.

As she felt her mind slipping into a mist finer than the building blocks of universe, a small connection was made – a demonstrative word: a connection to reality, to meaning – such a small thing in itself, yet so essential to escape a death by nonsense; it's an anchor, a key, a hint at a sense behind and within the colossus of links.

She feels the transition in the dispersment of a search pattern into a secondary layer – a formation of subconscious to the spell-child: a staggeringly huge subconscious to form a basis of a translation, and she feels breathless and drowning even while the horrifyingly complex web becomes a layer of cotton that lulls her to accept her ghost-like form floating within it.

Slowly, so slowly and gently, in drops and trickles and half-formed suggestions, she began to understand, as the words linked to one another in a futile attempt to explain each other: there was no word that would act as the key; behind words there were nothing but other words – she saw in her mind's eye the species of aliens blindly blundering about their material world, sensations flaring in their bodies, while a mind was trying to form by navigating the universe with the map it was drawing at the same time – it must have been endlessly confusing.

The words have no meaning, the language is a lie, a concept links to an image half-formed by the influence the system of concepts has on itself.

They must have formed all meaning in an ever-changing, always-negotiable, never-definite agreement probably not even consciously aware of its nature, from contact to contact, from generation to generation redefining and refining the tool of their understanding; when did it stop being signals and demonstrations and gained a level of abstraction to bridge concepts into actions and customs and dreams and theories?

And there is the beauty of it – no meaning beyond that which is formed within language – no language beyond that which exists when it is used; they are a species that touches reality through friendship and argument and interaction with one another – a sociality dictated by its necessity for existence; she understands now – how could they not have shown up on her matrix – it must have been the very essence of their civilization; oh, how they must have struggled in understanding the world and themselves, trapped in this maze of meanings – how such language could exist at all, she does not know, but its existence has her in tears: it lives, it connects, it is born again in interaction.

She compared the snippets they had gleaned from their own interactions with the sapients of this world to the barely existing collection of understanding in its embryonic form – it seemed so harsh, so cold, so devoid of life – unless one saw how the string of symbols and logic propositions actually worked: each word in the line connecting to the entirety of language, changing the meaning of the previous and future words with its links; there were denotations and suggestions and connotations in innummerable steps; rules of language broken and ignored and mutated beyond recognition stood side by side with other sets of rules blithely in contradiction with one another; examples of language in use varied from situation to situation, from individual to individual; it all was nothing as much as a constant interaction hoping to form a living consensus.

The nested form of the abstraction level is making sense to her now – a moment of thought is spared to the things she has been shying from for a while now: the biggest mountains, worlds unto themselves, hiding behind certain addresses and links – but she feels she is not ready for them yet; there is an order to things – a crude, imposed order to something that is an interacting continuum – an order of progression from material to logical to abstract to social in formation of meaning, and somewhere within that formation there is knowledge that is cultural in how it is constructed, how it is presented, how it is debated and doubted, and finally, in how she will see it.

The language was incomplete and illogical, full of discrepancies and redundancies, and yet – she wondered at its ephemeral and fragile beauty, how the meaning formed in the connections between the words, escaping into the emptiness existing only between the object and the desire of mind to touch it.

There was history to the words, a story of untold generations making and remaking and discarding and discovering new words and concepts to be described by the words that inspired them; rules of language to create understanding – constantly transgressed to increase its scope – and no single word seemed to mean anything without action and connection to give it context.

The spell was almost done with the store of data provided by the aliens, still assimilating, still growing and imprinting itself, but already she knew it would not be finished within that realm. It needed to talk, to translate, to interact. It was the only way a language such as this could be understood.

She wondered if it would be able to translate the libraries of knowledge it needed to make sense of the language in which they were written.

* * *

Twilight opened her eyes and found herself laid on her bed in her room in the Bridgehead compound. The simple, plain walls, decorated by nothing but shelves and clutter felt raw to her senses, but the sky painted into the ceiling helped alleviate the starkness of her chamber.

She had been under. For how long, she could not say for certain. The clock claimed it had been the whole night. Yet it felt like both too short and too long a time to be true.

Had she slept? She couldn't tell.

There was a pressure inside her. The spell wanted to get out, to become an entity of its own. It had the need to exchange, to connect and to interact.

A language that can only exist as a collaboration of a culture. The spell needs to start its function if it is to become whole!

She finalized the magic, and cast - no, gave birth, rather - to a spell that was no longer amniomorphic.

It came to existence as a figure of light, tiny and pretty. It had her face and her body, but made of shimmering light and the size of her horn.

It looked at her gravely, still too young to properly understand.

"I need to speak," it said in her voice. "I need to translate. I need to bridge understanding between two worlds. I am not complete yet. I feel the need.

"I am...the Translation Fairy."

The tiny being of light paused, and added: "Citation needed."

* * *

The President of the United States exuded quiet calm for the benefit of her cabinet and advisors as she sat in a pose of relaxed strength in her high-backed chair, hands laid on the table in front of her with their fingers crossed and eyes sharply focused in spite of severe sleep deprivation on the wide screen at the back of the room.

The television was keyed to Texas Cable News, where an up and coming reporter was making a hot story on the anomaly in Floyd County that had caused just about everyone a hundred miles east of Plainview to evacuate overnight.

As the camera panned the dry and depressingly flat landscape to somehow show the scope of the dome faintly glittering in the distance, it captured a double wire-fence continuing in the distance in both directions, the first of the fences made of conventional barbed wire to serve as a warning for anyone to try and cross into the razorwire.

The President dearly hoped there wasn't an eager local bleeding to death anywhere on the second fence, as the camera also showed an unpleasantly large crowd of assorted people gathered around the installation. At least half of them looked like they were in the general vicinity just because there was a gathering, but some were carrying signs and placards proclaiming anything from ads for several religions to welcoming messages to 'Space Friends' to directions for the aliens to head home to a Dallas Cowboys banner.

The ubiquitous Joh. 3:16 was also present, but the President had several decades since decided that no one actually cared about that particular passage in the Bible anymore. They probably believed it was something Samuel L. Jackson might say before his character shot someone in a movie.

The center piece for the panorama, however, was the intrepid journalist about to grill certain Colonel Reyes.

"Colonel Reyes," the TXCN reporter asked, "if everything is really 'under control' and 'there's nothing I should worry about', then why has the army evacuated every U.S. citizen in a 100-mile wide circle and established a deadly cordon around the area?"

"The army was mobilized to respond to an atmospheric phenomenon of unknown origin," Colonel Reyes said with a wooden face.

"What kind of atmospheric phenomenon requires an armored brigade, evacuation and unmarked military vehicles delivering great amounts of equipment into the cordoned area?" the reporter asked.

"There are experts near the phenomenon trying to establish just that," the colonel replied.

"And the movement of an entire carrier group through the Panama canal?" the reporter insisted. "A risky and unprecedented move, wouldn't you say?"

"I am an Army officer, sir," the colonel replied. "I couldn't possibly speculate on Navy operations that may or may not be going on."

"Colonel Reyes," the reporter said sternly, "why was the area evacuated?"

"As a safety precaution," the colonel replied.

"A safety precaution," the reported repeated dryly. "Against the weather phenomenon?"

"An atmospheric phenomenon, yes," the colonel corrected.

"But you said 'the situation is under control' and that there's no danger," the reported pressed.

"The situation is under control," the colonel said, "and although my exact words were that you shouldn't worry about this, there has been no danger that we know about yet."

"Is there radiation involved?" the reporter asked quickly.

"I haven't been informed about such," the colonel said calmly.

"Then why the massive mobilization of materiel around the phenomenon?" the reporter insisted.

"It is a fascinating phenomenon?" the colonel replied with an airily questioning tone.

"Colonel Reyes," the reporter asked frustrated, "is or is not the U.S. government trying to hide the existence or proof of life or technology of extraterrestrial origin with this military operation?"

"How could I possibly answer to such allegations?" the colonel asked, spreading his arms.

"You could say yes or no," the reporter quipped.

"Then, no, I was never informed of such," the colonel replied with technical honesty.

"Why is there a media blackout?" the reporter fired, hoping to trip the colonel.

"Is there?" the colonel asked wonderingly.

"None of the major networks are carrying this news despite massive independent reporting on the internet," the reporter said.

"I couldn't speculate on what reputable news organizations do or do not find newsworthy, Mr. Simmons," the colonel said, apparently enjoying himself immensely.

"How would you comment on the footage shown on the internet about the phenomenon?" Mr. Simmons asked, half resigned to get nothing out of the military man.

"I haven't seen the footage," the colonel said. "I have been busy organizing my troop movements."

"What do you have to say to the people uprooted by this sudden and unexplained evacuation?" the reporter asked.

"I'm truly sorry for any inconvenience the military's efforts to protect the people of this country may have caused," the colonel said sincerely.

"You are not very helpful, Colonel Reyes," the reporter said, deciding to try for the direct approach.

"I'm sorry to hear that, sir," the colonel said.

"You do know," Mr. Simmons said in a last ditch attempt, "that these kinds of cover-up tactics are totally transparent, pointless and ridiculous?"

"I know no such thing," Col. Reyes replied with a smile.

The president sighed as she muted the sound, the reporter deciding to speak out his suspicions without the help of government officials.

"Passable job," she said, glancing at her military attaché. "Pass on my commendation to the colonel, Jack, would you?"

"Of course, ma'am," the officer answered mildly.

"Still," the president mused, "I'll never understand why the military isn't taught how to lie convincingly."

"Too much trouble in the long run, ma'am," the officer said with the same tone.

"I noticed some of the spectators in the area were armed," the president said after a small pause. "Any problems?"

"Not really, ma'am," the officer said, "although apparently an individual from Michigan expressed his desire to hunt one of the, er, alponies, I believe is the current terminology, ma'am."

"Good Lord," the president said expressionlessly, "I'm going to have to pass an awful lot of executive orders to prevent that sort of thing, aren't I?"

"Well, actually," the Secretary of the Interior said, "just declaring that we consider them partial to human rights should clear the matter until the Senate can ratify their diplomatic status. I should think they will act with all due haste in this matter."

The gathering maintained poker face for a while before dissolving into laughter.

"Seriously, though," the Secretary of the Interior said, wiping her eyes, "we'd just better maintain the cordon even after the publication of their existence and offer them full escort as if they had diplomatic status until their legal personage is established, at least. There are some precedents about this sort of thing - finding new cultures, I mean - dating back to the Roman Empire we can dig up, if necessary."

"Thank you, Li," the president said. "Did you know the honorable Governor of Texas already tried to block the mobilization of the National Guard?"

"On what grounds?" the military attaché asked, frowning.

"Oh," the president said, waving her hand, "the usual. State rights, accusation of tyranny, threat of secession. Just posturing for his base, really. Though I'm sure he would like to be seen as part of this operation. Perhaps an olive branch to ease things up in the Senate? Jamie?"

"I'll ask around," the vice president replied, making a note of it.

"Anyway," the president continued, "I sent Billie to the U.N. to prepare the ground there, he can make the initial official international announcement in the diplomatic circles there, although I'm sure to make a speech there as well after my press release in the States. Jerry?"

Her political aide cleared his throat. "Well, it would be nice to get the aliens on board as quickly as possible, but an optimistically cautious declaration of the existence of extra-terrestrial life focusing on the intellectual significance of this event delivered after - after - you have had some sleep, Madam President, should keep everybody relatively calm for the time being. We can unleash the cute pictures on the public when we start hearing existential crisis voices."

"Right," the president said. "Internationally I would say we're in the clear right now. The Europeans, as expected, failed to make a unified opinion, so each and every one of them contacted us unilaterally and asked, no, demanded that they can say to their voters that they were symbolically part of this without having to take any actual part right away.

"Well," she corrected herself, "Britain is sending materiel and the rest of Europe sends observers. Except for Finland. They thought they need to wait for the EU to act. Anyway, I'm sure the Old World will be of great help in months to come.

"The rest of the world are largely in the dark. The Russian premier sent us congratulations, and their president sent veiled threats. The Chinese are more inscrutable than usual; we're not actually sure whether their sudden campaign of redefining ideological purity is connected or not. Either way, the Security Council is about to convene so I guess we'll know in a few hours."

"So," the president concluded with a look around the table, "unless anyone has anything urgent..." Nobody looked like they had anything to say, so the president smiled brightly, and rose to retreat to her bedroom for the first time in almost three days. "Great! Give me six, and we'll see you when it's time to go on air."

* * *

Doctor Marlin, freshly flown back to States from Norway by a series of jets and military planes, and delivered to the Kitalpha base camp by a helicopter in the wee hours of the night, was wandering about the camp in a daze.

Within the simple army green tents and the ugly, blocky buildings made of prefabricated parts and quick concrete, computers and flap boards and innumerable papers documented the continuing process of making contact with alien intelligence. Even in the pit of night, the camp was alive with activity as soldiers of martial, technical or scientific persuasion continued their work in scrutinizing the inscrutable.

Men and women marched at quick pace between and within the buildings in the camp, carefully sidestepping those that had collapsed at their work and slumbered restlessly with hands still gripped around pens or tablets or cups of coffee long since cold. Many more communicated beyond the camp by headsets or keyboards, comparing and collating notes and snippets of information.

And scattered here and there, the colorful, strange, but painfully adorable forms of the extra-terrestrial creatures all these people were studying wandered about, no doubt doing their own form of research.

Her brain apparently taking a leave of absence due to staggering jet lag and the impact of world-shattering information, Dr. Marlin approached one of the creatures and extended her hand to touch the crimson fur.

The alien turned to look at her with its amazingly large, gorgeous eyes, and chirped something that sounded like 'cute'. Then it leaned into her hand, and practically purred, rubbing its head with her fingers.

A part inside her let out a loud squeal, and she was lost in a frenzy of petting, only surfacing when she heard her name.

"Adorable, aren't they?" a male voice asked. "That's how they get to you. Dr. Marlin, I presume?"

Dr. Marlin turned her head to see a bespectacled youngish man sporting a respectably fuzzy stubble and the looks of someone desperately in need of sleep, grinning at her tiredly. His simple white shirt had its sleeves rolled up and the top buttons open, and by the creases it looked like he had been wearing it for quite some time now. In his hands he had a steaming cup of coffee and a tablet.

Next to him stood a severe looking woman wearing a modest gray business suit that was equally crinkled, her orange hair slightly loosened from its bun. Her face didn't reveal the same level of weariness as the man's, however, even if the darkness beneath her eyes told its own story of a long night.

"Professor Jackson, UMD," the man said, extending his free hand.

"Professor Morris, Woodrow Wilson Academy," the woman said.

"I'm Doctor Marlin," Dr. Marlin confirmed, still somewhat dazed by her sudden inclusion in the unexpected new reality that the existence of the alien she was petting represented. "Boy. Am I glad to be here."

"Not as glad as we are," Prof. Morris said with a wry smile.

"We have been aching for an expert in social studies," Prof. Jackson confirmed. "As I understand it, this team was originally designed with communication by radio-astronomy in mind. We have been doing our best with what anthropological and semiotic expertise the military could provide, but that really hasn't been enough. We've been basically making guesses about the significance of their behavior based on common sense," he said, nodding towards the alien at Dr. Marlin's side. "I don't need to tell you how skewed that perspective may be."

"Yes," Dr. Marlin said vaguely. Then she blinked and mentally shook herself awake. "Yes, indeed. Could you brief me a bit on your findings? I skimmed through a ton of reports during the transit here, but all this...well, it's a bit much to take in, you see."

"Indeed we do, Doctor," Professor Morris said. "I find narrowing your focus to a specific task helps. This way, please," she said, walking towards a tent near the center of the camp. "The rest of our team is working, and by now, partially sleeping as well in there."

* * *

"Well howdy, Twi," Applejack greeted her friend, who was rushing from the living quarters with her mane in disarray and a noticeable lack of a retinue in attendance. "Ye're up might early."

"Need to finish the spell," Twilight said, hurrying towards the main doors of the compound. "Need to communicate with the prime-sapients."

"That the pretty thing around yer horn?" Applejack asked, trotting to Twilight's side. As the lavender mare nodded, Applejack peered at the miniature pony of translucent light holding with all its four legs to Twilight's horn. The creature looked back at her gravely and blinked a few times. "Why's it shaped like a pony, Twi?"

"Amniomorphic construct," Twilight replied, "gained mimetic properties due to layered complexities resulting in emergent behavior. The thaumaturgical framework of the spell functions like a proto-consciousness housed within the magical field. With a connection to a pre-existing mind that provides the sympathetic intention for the translating mind, the pseudo-subconscious harmonics complete themselves as sapience-equivalent linked consciousness. Thus, the spell-form collapses locally into a morphological representation of the casting party."

"...Ah'll ask later, then," Applejack said. "So, ye're off to see the aliens, then? Ya sure ya don't want to freshen up a bit, first? Ah mean, ah'm no Rarity, but yer bed-mane is kind of...distinctive-like."

Twilight turned her head to Applejack and looked at her with a pained expression. "It's not fully formed yet, Applejack!" Twilight said urgently. "The alien language is too context-dependent to imprint on the spell matrix! It's like...part of me is stretching out to the stars, and getting tangled in itself, while fraying apart and dissolving. It hurts!"

"Okay then," Applejack said with a nod, and grabbed the rubber band holding her mane in its usual pony-tail. With a deft move, she grabbed Twilight's mane and tied it into a simple knot with the band. "Off ya go, princess."

* * *

Doctor Marlin studied her hasty notes made in the lightening dawn. Around her, the other members of the first contact team were scattered in a chaotic pattern she recognized as academic brainstorming.

A blond, rakish man in his mid-thirties with a receding hairline, identified as Dr. Argyle, was happily asleep slumped in his chair, head on his laptop, glasses askew and arms hanging below the table. One Dr. Carmichael, a bearded man approaching his fifties by the gray in his hair was equally asleep, using huge printouts of detailed photographs as his blanket, but he had managed to get himself into a camp bunk before losing consciousness.

A sharp-featured man, who had introduced himself as Dr. Pierce, with classic good looks tempered by a decade of sitting work during night-time was slowly scribbling on a tablet, muttering softly all the while, pausing only occasionally to rub his reddening eyes or to grimace at the taste of cold coffee he kept sipping at. Seated next to him was his partner in physics: Dr. Kuhn, a smallish man made bigger by the extremely dark features and bushy eyebrows now drawn into a fierce scowl as his eyes were focused on the tablet in front of him. The man had sat still for at least five minutes now, a fact explained by the sudden snore he let out with his eyes still open.

Doctor Marlin turned to the two professors still awake, who had finished their quick summary of events and discoveries so far.

"So," she said, "how long have you guys been awake?"

"Forty hours or more, for the most of us," Professor Morris said, slightly defensively.

"We're probably close to a breakthrough," Professor Jackson said quickly. "No way I could sleep yet. Maybe later today."

"Okay," Doctor Marlin said, and shook her head. "Well, I don't have any great insights yet. I can see this thing is going to need some serious study and observation before we can make any actual headway, but I'll start compiling names I think would be good at handling the interpretation of the culture of these...alponies."

She paused for a moment, and started to ask something, when a soldier walked up to the table and saluted loudly to get their attention.

"Excuse me sirs, ma'ams," the soldier said. "The boss alien came to the camp. She's trying to speak English."

* * *

Twilight tried to narrow her intentions, reduce them to simple components and categories to ease up the translation, but it seemed as if the simplest of phrases resulted in a tidal wave of nebulous wordings in the prime-sapient language.

In turn, their deceptively simple phrases were drowned in the possible allusions and connotations carried within them. She shook her head in determination, and drudged on, feeling within her how the Translation Fairy solidified and crystallized by every exchange, gaining focus and perception with every little piece of dialogue, no matter how slight the advance might be.

From the corner of her eyes, Twilight noticed the approach of the group of prime-sapients that had initiated so much of the progress in communication the previous day, and she decided to direct her attention to them.

Studying again the list of phrases within the translation matrix flagged as possible greetings, she was once again overwhelmed by the complexity and ambiguity of it all. So much context! So much variability! Even technically identical phrases can mean apparently mutually antithetical things! She bit her lip in thought. I'll have to err on the side of plenty. Better for them to get a vague mass of material to agree upon, then to risk miscommunication with a concise but erroneous phrasing.

Gently directing the Translation Fairy to attempt a complete and accurate translation of concepts, she introduced herself to the group.

* * *

The scientists gathered around the lavender creature, noting with great interest both the change in its...hair...style, and more curiously, the miniature holograph of itself clinging to its horn-like appendix.

The alpony turned to face them, and let out some short whinnies accompanied by gestures. After a day at the pony ranch, it was easy to spot differences to the whinnies let out by terrestrial equines and these visitors from who-knows-where, but even the most careful of computer analysis had so far failed to produce anything resembling a syntax out of the sounds.

Then the miniature alpony made of light took to the air, and spoke.

It used English words, jumbled together in phrases apparently pieced together from several sources as the pitch and tempo varied constantly, making the thing sound a bit like someone was autotuning dadaist poetry.

"In and out of, for purpose, intent, determination, desire, love, want, need, must, wish, hope, attempt, try, covet, yearn of congruence, convergence, collaboration, agreement, consensus, marriage, mating, connection, congress, co-existing, friendship, befriending, an exercise in trust-building, the generally available happiness to build together, in all these things and some of them, or the direction, trend, wind, wave within: hello, hi, honey, greetings, good morning, nice to meet you, do you come here often?

"I am, exist, strive to be, self-fulfill my primary directive, assign identification, my name is, to all intents and purposes: the line of my mothers, the genealogy, my family, it is named for and in honor and of and obligation to and for respect of, in allegiance to, the passage of light, dawn, dusk, twilight, between night and day, between light and dark, for both, change and cycle, repetition and divergence.

"For personal, individual, particular, identification, denote, defer, allude to, hint at emergence, birth, beginning, spark, flash, dance, flight, mote, instigator, ignition, potential; in these things, the joy within, the life, happiness, celebration.

"Position, status, level, profession, station, strata, duty, task, job, calling, destiny, fate, soul, quest, these things and none and others besides; within many, social, instinct, herd, group, family, nation, tribe, people, country, political, power, leadership, advisory, council, spiritual, help, lead, direct, represent, idealize, paragon, exemplify, preside, watch, countenance, guard, protect, mother, align, push, strive, advance, spearhead, develop, improve, build, evolve a realm, a dominion, a domain, a category, a grouping, over synergy, collusion, friendship, collaboration, trust, harmony, agreement, interaction, coexistence of forces, power, nature, geometry, architecture, system that makes up, is, represents, builds, shapes, forms, molds, directs, dictates, dreams, allows the world, the universe, the everything of ours, our species, our nation, our home, not yours, not here, not in this place, world, universe."

* * *

Twilight listened impatiently to the translation, following the fumbling attempt by the newborn Translation Fairy to somehow find the words and phrasing in which to somewhat accurately express her friendly greetings and name.

She couldn't really tell by the prime-sapients', no, the Houhnhymns', body language and facial expressions what they were thinking, but the creatures were uncharacteristically still, watching the Fairy with undivided attention.

Finally, the spell-form stopped its explanation, and the Houhnhymns spoke in turn.

Twilight's ears flattened as the seas of vague meanings washed over her.

This may take some time, she thought.

* * *

By local noon, the Translation matrix had stabilized enough that Twilight had felt safe in casting the spell for the rest of the expedition. Now a swarm of the Translation Fairies, all in the image of whichever pony they were attached to, decorated the ponies taking part in the grand project, exponentially increasing the rate of learning within the matrix.

Also, she felt as if they were approaching serviceable translation.

As the Houyhnhymns spoke, her Translation Fairy interpreted their words in vague sensations and suggestions of Equestrian language, directly into her consciousness, but separate enough for her to be able to filter and judge at the ambiguities and uncertainties in the translation, allowing her to get the general gist of their meaning but not being tied into a potentially misleading interpretation.

She wondered how much more the matrix could improve upon this. Some other ponies were complaining of headaches.

[Question, query, casual wonder, pondering, speculation; directed at the Translation Fairy: about it, its nature, its existence, its function, generalities, totalities]

* * *

"So," Dr. Argyle asked the third time that morning, hoping that the alpony technology had managed to improve their translation since the last time to get some more information to add to the answer he had received last time, "I take it this ...holographic creature is an interface to an AI you guys whipped up to manage the translation? To clarify: you constructed new intelligence, or intelligence-equivalent to learn our language and translate it to us. I would like to know more of its function."

As always, there was a pause before the lavender alpony answered, but the intervals were shortening continuously. It took only a moment before the creature spoke, the being of light beginning its translation immediately.

"She says: You are correct in general terms, although the summary is incomplete," the holograph said. Its voice had unified as well over the morning, making it sound more and more like a natural human voice, if androgynous and mostly inflectionless. The researchers were reminded of a female HAL 9000. "Also," the holograph continued, "both AI and holograph carry connotations and implied knowledge that are erroneous.

"She says: The light you see in the form of alpony is a byproduct of the dynamic system that makes up that which translates. It is dependent both on the individual it is translating to and the...embedded, dormant, underlying system or pattern that collates and analyzes and learns. Still, the translating whole is not complete without the interface.

"She says: Your language is strange, alien, incomprehensible, incompatible with alpony consciousness. The translation is formed as a sapience made up in part of your language and in part of their own mind. She says, your language does not fully exist without being used. Not in terms they can understand."

"Okay," Dr. Argyle said, and grinned despite himself. My God, these beings are awesome! They're like some cyber-gods or something, whipping up new intelligence out of their own beings to make up tools! Trans-humanity, here we come! "So, can you explain how it's done?"

After a seconds thought, the alpony answered. "She says," the holographic...the interface translated, "that the properties that create the translating entity do not exist in your universe. She says: It may be impossible to explain, but they wish to exchange information in hopes of them and you beginning to understand each other.

"She says the mathematical models delivered yesterday represent their best current understanding of their world. They will help you understand through demonstration and explanation. I add: there is an unspoken hope that you will reciprocate in helping to understand the knowledge you delivered that currently forms my subconsciousness."

"So you really come from another universe?" Dr. Pierce piped up excitedly.

"She says," the interface voiced, "to all current intents and purposes that phrasing seems correct. She says their model of world, cosmos, reality, existence, universe, totality is different from yours. She says: you have knowledge of things the alponies have not managed to observe in their home, and they have knowledge and use, domain, control, technology, constructs, applications, experience, relation to something outside your previous knowledge.

"She says they hope to increase both your and their understanding of existence by collaboration and friendship and mutually shared goals and synergetic results.

"She says: 'I'm so excited! Wee!", the interface concluded in its pleasant monotone.

The human scientists blinked at one another. "Well," Dr. Kuhn said, "that was somewhat unexpected."

Professor Morris glanced at Kuhn and spoke up, "When you first introduced yourself, we gained the impression you gave us a name and ...a rank, possibly. We gathered that you were personally in a position of leadership. Did we interpret you correctly? Could you try and clarify it again?"

"She says her familial name is something that approximately translates as 'bridge between domains of day and night', carried from mother to daughter for several generations. While the origin of the name is lost in history, it is to be understood as a symbolic allegiance to the individuals holding a similar position in these domains as she does in her own. She says there is much in all this peripherally related to your question, but that a word with similar meaning is sufficient. I suggest: 'Twilight'.

"She says her personal name translates to many things and not a single specific in your language. I concur, and suggest one of following: Instigator, Catalyst, Birth, Spark, Ignitor, Serendipity, Joy, Dawn, Flash, Glitter, Potential, Beginning. Perhaps Joy, or Dawn. They are listed under names.

"She says: the alponies structure their society in tight groupings of mutual interests and trusts, with an individual in a position to advise, guide, decide, motivate, head, inspire, exemplify and represent the group. She says that modern alponies belong to several groupings of different levels of inclusion simultaneously. She says there are only a few on level that would correspond to national. She says she is newest addition on that level, and still learning her role.

"She says: her domain is in the synergy and interface of the properties of their home she spoke of before; the ones to which you have not before had access; also, on other levels: synergy of individuals in friendship, alliance, cooperation. Also, symbolically to represent the bridge between the domains of day and night.

"She says her role is in process of forming and emerging. She says she makes it up as she goes along. I suggest she is partially disingenuous."

"Listen," Doctor Marlin butted in, and pointed at the little creature of light with her finger, "you, I mean you, the thing made out of light or whatever, keep saying 'she says', and every now and then 'I suggest'. Can you actually think for yourself? Have you, I mean, light-you, have you got opinions and desires of your own? Have you got a name?"

There was a long pause that spread around the site to extend to all the little light-beings, as they all tilted their head simultaneously.

"I-", they said in unison. "We are...the Translation Fairies."

As they spoke, they all emitted a small flash of light, centered around their flanks. On both sides of their minuscule bodies, the little creatures of light gained an addition to their frames: a small symbol that pulsed between a greeting in Equestrian and a 'Hello!' in English.

After a moment, the lavender alpony whinnied.

"She says: that was unexpected."

Chapter 8

Mounted on their beautiful horses, Cassie and Michelle rode towards the midday sun and the alpony compound. While there was a sense of underlying curiosity about the potential upheavals a new day of extraordinary events at their ranch might bring forth, the mood was mostly filled with the amusement of one, and the embarrassment of the other.

"Nothing happened!" Michelle said.

"Mm-hmm," Cassie smirked. "A handsome sergeant in mid-dress simply felt his back teeth floatin' and mistook yer bedroom on the second floor fer a bathroom."

"Staff sergeant, actually," Michelle said without thinking.

"Really?" Cassie said perkily. "He should update the tattoo on his butt, then."

"Shut up, ya!" Michelle said with a blush.

"Nope," Cassie said.

"Why do ya have to go on like this?" Michelle complained.

"Sweetie," Cassie laughed, "if ya weren't so uptight about this, ah wouldn't! Ah'm just glad ya got some action. As long as the soldier boys don't start messing with Tiny Tina, it's fine!"

"Ya don't think she has...?" Michelle asked.

"Nah," Cassie said, "she's too much in love with our new friends to look at boys right now."

"Speaking of which..." Michelle said with a nod towards an alpony with a white coat and luxurious mane of deep purple that was trotting towards them purposefully. The ranch owners halted their mounts who leaned down to greet the alien with gusto. Cassie noticed it had what looked like a miniature version of itself carved from shiny glass curled around its horn, except that it moved when the alpony did, performing an elegant curtsy to match the alien's.

To their surprise the miniature alien started speaking in pleasantly cultivated Mid-Atlantic accent of decidedly neutral tones just a moment after the alpony began whinnying in its own language.

"A polite and graceful greeting of genuine affection and friendship, to you, darlings, sweethearts, sweeties, honeys, or other applicable term of endearment," the creature said.

"Uh...wow, hello," Cassie said. "Er...nice to see ya too."

"This one calls herself what can be translated as the pleasure and appreciation of encountering a unique instance of perfection or beauty that transcends the mundane. She is moved, touched, affected, indebted by the graciousness, kindness, friendliness of your hospitality and wishes to make amends for the trouble, difficulties, disturbance, invasion the arrival of her and her friends' arrival on your lands, your home, your personal space has caused.

"She wishes, hopes, is afraid to disappoint that this gift, present, token of friendship she prepared for you is of enjoyment, pleasure, satisfaction, delight to you."

With that, two stetsons levitated towards the two women coated in azure light. Cassie reached out and took gently in her hands the hat offered to her. It felt wonderful, sturdy but smooth to touch, in her hand and was the same shining black as the coat of her dear Daisy. She could already see it was a dead match for her head.

It was also decorated with enough diamonds to literally outshine the crown jewels of the Queen of England.

"Ah-" she stammered for a moment. "Ah-" she paused. "This is...way too much!"

"Gorgeous!" Michelle breathed.

The alien put its head on one side with a wave of its mane, lifting one of its forelegs for a pose and chirped a single sound.

"Pish-posh. They're yours," the miniature creature on its head said.

* * *

Yawning mightily, the groggy president of the United States, freshly awoken from her luxurious six-hour midday nap, strode to the conference room, content to have her late lunch while at work. She wasn't surprised to see the majority of her staff busy at work, but her fine-toned political instincts were even in her recently awoken state able to sense that the energy in the room told of a major development. So, she raised an eyebrow and surveyed her people even as she pulled up the big chair and sat down.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Madam President," Dr. Tyson started eagerly, "there's been a major development! The Kitalpha ground zero camp reports the alponies are speaking English! Or, to be precise, actually they're using some sort of...ridiculously cute artificial intelligence interface to translate for them. Apparently their thought processes don't align very well with English, but still! Communication! And more! The indications are that the alponies are inter-universal travellers!"

"Come again?" the president said. "And more slowly, Neil, please. Use simple terms." She blinked a few times, noticing a tele-conference screen with an alpony staring from it. The creature waved cheerily at her with one hoof. On top of its head, curled around its horn, a miniature version of the creature sculpted of light mimicked its movement. They were both wearing tiny spectacles. "And...uh...who might this be?"

"Madam President," her vice president said, "may I present Her Excellency, the alpony ambassador-at-large. We, uh, can't really give a name at the moment. There is a bug with name translation."

The alien ambassador interjected with a chirp, which was followed by her miniature version translating in a smooth monotone. "The naming traditions of our two cultures apparently differ a bit, resulting in our names coming off as a rather lengthy string of adjectives, where as your names don't translate at all. We have a team of poets licking the problem as we speak."

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" Grass Blade tried tentatively with his translation fairy.

"I feel more like the image of a flower dance," Calligram said slowly.

"Your head, your bearing, your gestures," Spring Wind chanted experimentally, "are fair as a fair countryside; laughter plays on your face like a cool wind in a clear sky."

Pausing for a moment, Calligram waved her hoof back and worth. "I like the touches of sonorous color," she said hesitantly, "but on the whole, that makes me too cheerful."

"You are not a rock," Maud Pie started.

"Ms. Ambassador, the President of the United States," the vice-president said.

"She would like you to know that it is a pleasure to converse with you face to face, albeit at a distance, Madam President," the ambassadorial translation fairy said.

"Likewise," the president replied, slightly stunned. She quickly donned her enthusiastic smile, brightening her visage immediately up to the level of her popular depiction among her supporters. To her surprise, she felt there was genuine joy behind the smile. Huh, she thought, it seems I'm not entirely dead inside. "I have to say, Your Excellency, that your arrival has made my term! My joy at being able to communicate with you and open up a diplomatic exchange between our two peoples is beyond my means of expression."

The ambassador on the screen made a complicated move, interpreted by the translation fairy as a courtly curtsy. "She expresses gratitude for your kind words, Madam President, and apologizes that deva Twilight is not personally available for a diplomatic greeting at the moment, as the deva is currently solving a problem of multiversal hygiene."

The president maintained her smile, as she blinked rapidly at the screen, feeling like she was failing to catch some meaning from the phrase. "I'm sorry, what was that, ambassador?"

"Allow me translate her narrative..." the fairy started.

* * *

"She says: that was unexpected," the newly christened translation fairy translated.

The Contact team glanced at each other, unsure what they should make of the sudden appearance of additional cosmetics on the translation fairies' flanks or the alpony leader's statement. Major Quais in particular felt a lurch in his stomach as a part of his mind that had kept itself in a nervous state of preparedness for the past few days tried to cause a panic attack. He was reminded of the inexplicable radar glitches the advanced analytic machines on board the AEGIS II cruisers insisted on reporting. Is the other shoe about to drop now? he had time to think to himself, when the mass of alponies started to croon in a soft pentatonal harmony.

In unison, the alponies let out a strange yet melodic ululation that reminded him of a mix between Indian and West African traditional songs. More disturbingly, the entire host of aliens began swaying and stomping to their song, clicking their hooves together as they moved in synchronized bounds and twirls to form a rhythm alternating between 5/4 and 7/4 times on every other count. As the alponies came together in a grand cabaret style formation, the translation fairies piped up, their smooth mezzo-soprano voices forming the counterpoint to the alponies' singing.

They say: We are joyed to be here today;

We are glad to be finally able to speak!

After all our work we can finally talk

And together we can share the wonders of liiiiife!

Oh, we will learn about the world out here!

We will teach you every thing you would want to know!

We will share our histories and become good friends;

You will never again be alooooone!

(Wait, what was that last part?)

The alponies' triumphant crooning quieted to a softer humming, while the translation fairies did a tiny twirl on their spots on the alponies' heads, and sang:

We can add on our own behalf:

It is wonderful to be aliiiiiive!

We can live and feel our manifest destiny;

We are living as the thing we were meant to be!

As the bridge between your kinds

We will help you know your minds;

Although translation between you two

Is interpretive at best, that's true:

For a concept in their heads

Becomes a sea of empty words

And your succinct sentences

Give them major headaches

But if we were to have a refrain

It would be: We will prevail!

Even if we have to scar their minds

And drown you in your words,

We Will Prevaiiil!

With the fairies' final high note hanging in the air, the alponies' hum changed in tone to a more intimate one and the lavender leader, Twilight, stepped forth and began a solo with her personal Translation Fairy providing the translation in counterpoint.

She expresses befuddlement, even confusion;

She says we're experiencing an anomalous impulsion

'Oh, would you bring me the readings

'On the containment arrays!

'I need to make sure

'There's not a breach underways!'

A pink alpony performed a dazzling routine of acrobatic moves, landing in front of Twilight, its translation fairy popping out of its mane, before bowing towards the Contact team.

For accurate impression of her unique expression

I will discard the rules of conventional language:

'Oh, phworryless, Twilight! Unlower me to explone:

'It's imcomposing partillery concentrational wellcommandearment;

'Tinkyou tankyou of phalangeal complimentees! Sweetmares and funnionettes

'And ballooping dancensus incensus! What do you savour?'

The lavender leader made a humorous gesture towards the pink alien, before snatching up in her signature light the purple lizard-like creature sprinting towards her with a bunch of papers in paw. The major noted with interest that it, too, had a translation fairy riding it. Another sapient species, then, he thought to himself. I'd like to know more about their relationship.

'There you go, Twilight', says my host

'The reports you asked', he adds

'Aren't I the best assistant?' he never asks

Oh sorry, wasn't I supposed to translate that?

Placing the lizard on her back, where it proceeded to pose like a hood ornament to match her balletic stance, Twilight snatched the papers and continued her aria.

She says the pink one is right in her assessment

Of the anomaly's intrinsic nature, but that was never the concern:

'I would rather find out

'Where the extra tensity came from,

'And why it's not following

'The predicted dispersion pattern!'

'I mean, just look at these readings!' she says,

And with rapid recitation of mathematical expressions

Concludes the feedback strain on the array

Greatly outmatches the level of tension they expected

And completely mismatches with what should theoretically be

Even with Happy-Happy-Pink-Fun-Joy-Joy accounted for.

She says: 'Oh, that reminds me,

'You humans should probably

'Remain outside the containment area;

'We discovered your biology is somewhat susceptible

'To allochthonous properties in here;

'While the tensity's low, it still is radically nonuniform!"

As Major Quais felt his insides freeze, the host of alponies gathered to form a chorus again, and their translation fairies piped up.

They say: After all we would hate to intrude

On your bodies' indigenous composition!

Please, please let us know if you are having some problems,

And even though it would make us so sad:

We'll leave to keep you safe,

If that's what it takes!

Even though so sad!

We'll leave if that's what it takes!

To keep you you!

The alponies and their translators stretched the final note, posing with their forelegs wide. Then they unceremoniously dropped back to all fours and glanced around shyly. Someone coughed.

"I'm sorry, what just happened?" Professor Jackson asked.

"Never mind that!" Major Quais intercepted. "What was that part about the containment area and our biology being susceptible?"

The lavender creature, Twilight, looked up at him gravely and started explaining, producing several graphs and figures in the air at the same time.

"She says," her fairy translated, "that the alponies erected the large sparkly dome together with the array of feedback pylons in order to minimize your universe's exposure to the properties of their home universe their presence here necessitates and to prevent that exposure to spread beyond the dome.

"She says the structural integrity of your universe is able to resist the inclusion of those properties, but that tests they performed in controlled environments show that chemical reactions will cause subversion in the structure of your matter, if they happen in high enough intensity of these properties.

"With their array, they have managed to get the passive intensity within the dome down to less than 1/65000 of what they needed in their tests to cause this phenomenon, but she emphasizes that it is not a case of an homogeneous field. According to her, there may be spikes of greater intensity within the dome, with the likelihood of a spike occurring in a given time-frame being inverse to the exponent of the spike's intensity.

"She adds that as you were able to witness, apparently there is unaccounted-for intensity present, the source of which they are currently unaware."

"What exactly did we witness?" Dr. Kuhn asked in a low, determined tone.

"She says," the translation fairy said and placed a tiny transparent hoof on its chest, "referring to us, that you witnessed the emergence of an independently sapient species, them finding their purpose in life as a self-affirming sense of belonging and subsequently a spontaneous harmonic linking of alponies' consciousnesses into a phenomenon that might be translated as a 'soul-song'. While the latter is a common enough occurrence in their home universe, she expresses genuine befuddlement on the emergence of self-generated drives and a sense of self-affirmation within us in this universe. She says she is currently unable to explain how such a thing could happen without a very long period of existence within a high tension of directing purpose and application of alpony...soul, for lack of a better term."

"I'm sorry," Dr. Argyle said, shaking his head. "We're not really able to follow this at all. What properties? What tension? What exactly do you mean with 'soul'? Or self-affirmation? Does this have something to do with your brands?"

"She says she would love, love, love to teach about her special talent, the meaning, destiny and telos of her life that is the fundamental interplay of principles behind the existence of their world and species, as well as all the other matters."

"...I take it it's a subject close to her heart," Dr. Argyle said.

"I need to correct my translation," the fairy said, "in that my previous sentence was intended to provide an exact and non-metaphorical statement of fact, allowing for inaccuracies due to certain incongruity between your language and their mode of sapience.

"She adds, however, that in the interests of risk prevention, she should direct her attention towards the anomalous happenings of today. Additionally, as their understanding of your world is very poor, she cannot construct a proper introductory lecture on the matter impromptu. She suggests that you are to attempt a collaborative teaching and learning project while focusing on solving the mystery of the anomalous tension and the risk it may impose on the integrity of your world."

"That's going to be a rather difficult project," Dr. Argyle said and coughed gently to his fist. "Would it, perhaps, be possible for us to...uh, gain access to your databases? So we could bring more people and resources to the task?" He smiled toothily while crossing his fingers behind his back.

The translation fairy stared at him levelly. "She says she is more than happy to provide you with an archive like the one you donated to them, detailing the knowledge and art of the alponies up to the present day," the fairy said while the excitement of the Contact team grew noticeably, "but is unable to proffer one until they have managed to reproduce the fine craftsmanship the archive represents, as well as compiling all their texts currently residing in rather larger and clumsier modes of storage."

The Contact team's smiles fell a bit. "She adds," the fairy continued, "that the very act of interfacing with the archive you provided expanded their understanding of the physical world quite a bit, as they had not previously even attempted material manipulation on such a small scale. This and the mathematical models on the structure of matter and energy in absence of the properties of their home universe promise to expand their scientific knowledge immensely."

"What," Dr. Pierce commented flatly.

"As such," the fairy continued in its steady pace, "she feels it is only right and proper for them reciprocate in full. However, she personally promised to her peers that she would not exploit the temporal disjunction between discrete parts of the multiverse. She hopes you will understand this is not out of meanness but of desire to not cause true temporal paradoxes."

"I think I missed something," Prof. Morris said.

"She means that you can connect to whatever point in space-time from outside the universe," Dr. Pierce said quickly, "but that they won't do it because it might cause...unpleasantness." He shook his head. "But how can our science be of any use to you? I mean, how can you not already know what we know? This is...I don't even..."

"Not important," Dr. Carmichael interjected. "I want to go back to the contamination problem. Bacteria. Viruses. Micro-organisms. Cellular symbiotes. Are these things susceptible to ...changes?"

Twilight paused for an instant. Then she paled visibly and her eyes enlarged. With a flap of her wings, she rose to air and turned around, letting a loud whinny. The translation fairy kept her position near Twilight's horn but remained facing the humans.

"She says with accentuated urgency," the fairy said calmly, "prepare, referring to the alponies, to implement the pre-planned containment contingency marked under category 'diseases and other biological hazards'."

The lavender alien turned around again and faced the humans, and gestured at them and to the air while speaking in her language.

"She asks," the fairy said in its unchanged tone, "with determined urgency if your germs include carbon in their make-up and whether a modification to the containment dome denying the element in question passage would suffice in containing any possible out-break."

"Ah..." Dr. Carmichael said and thought fast, "it really depends on the method that block works. If it recognizes carbon no matter what its isotope or chemical bonds may be, absolutely. But wouldn't you need to study the properties of, well, about every type of molecule containing carbon to configure a block like that? Sorry if I sound ignorant, but I have no idea what kind of technology we are talking about here."

"She says," the fairy said, "no."

The glow around the lavender alien's horn grew into intense brightness, which made most humans avert their eyes. Then it pulsed, sending a beam of light towards the apex of the golden dome, which changed its color briefly as a wave of lavender fell on its sides like a curtain.

"She expresses satisfaction," the fairy said.

To her shame, it turned out Twilight's rash raising of the carbon block managed to destroy the carbon-optic fiber put in place by the Kitalpha team for long distance communication, which forced the team to rely on their back-up wireless systems. Still, as it later turned out, the fast response to a potential viral outbreak helped to prevent the spread of a magically mutated colony of pathogenic Escherichia coli bacteria beyond the single unfortunate serviceman, who suffered for three days from a rather embarrassing case of prismatic flatulence.

What did slip the investigative net, however, were the three more subtle cases of magical mutations in microscopic organisms that had had time to take place in the days before the carbon block was put in place.

Firstly, a nephridial symbiont belonging to genus Acidovorax in local earthworms gained increases in the efficiency of both its oxidase and catalase processes while in thaumic field due to increased surfaces as their structure became fractal. This resulted in better, more energetic earthworms that produced magically charged nutrients in the soil. While Applejack's team of finely tuned farm ponies noticed the change in the soil under the dome, the actual culprit, the newly hyperactive earthworms, remained undetected as they followed the stream of nutrients outside the dome and spread their mutated symbionts into other earthworms and their descendants as well as provided much of Mid-Western plant life with an influx of rich soil filled with nutrients that had the potential to cause magical effects while in a thaumic field.

Secondly, a new strain of Staphylococcus equorum emerged, able to thrive on the skin and respiratory tracts of practically all mammals, but preferring the area near hair follicles. While initially this strain spread from contact between humans and the animals they kept as pets, these bacteria too possessed improved catalase properties. Not directly affecting any vital functions of the native mammals, the strain went unnoticed for a long while, with is only effect being the antioxidant properties resulting in slightly prettier skin on the people carrying it, especially in those having acatalasia, and noticeably increased tolerance for alcohol with shortened after-effects of over-consumption.

Thirdly, the mutation with the most noticeable effect, albeit after a delay, which happened in the gastrointestinal bacteria of the genus Prevotella, which initially simply enhanced the efficiency of digesting plant food and slightly altered the human enzymic balance, increasing minutely the secretion of hormones amylin, leptin and oxytocin. As a result, individuals carrying the strain simply noticed (if they tried), that vegetarian diet made them feel more full and more energetic than normal. What they didn't notice was that they also became more prone to hugging, cuddling and other physical affections.

As the typical Western diet of the time was rather unfriendly for the Prevotella, consisting mainly of meat and processed plant matter, the altered genus only truly managed to spread into the so called developing countries, where it resulted in the population explosion of the 2030's. By that time, the workings of the earthworms carrying the mutated Acidovorax had helped with the Great Farming Revolution of the Americas, providing the hungry mouths of the world with gloriously abundant and delicious farm produce (as well as putting on the Western tables the beef from Brazilian cattle filled with magical gastrointestinal bacteria and raised in ignorance with magical feed). The combination of magical food with magical digestion in a thaumic field resulted in the first instances of magical humans.

This chain of subtle events made a central chapter in the fourth edition of Princess Twilight's Guide to Multiversal Hygiene.

"Look," Dr. Pierce said, "I can understand that you may be from a universe with different properties from ours, but how is it that you claim to have little understanding of basic principles when you can do...stuff...like that?"

"Still not important," Major Quais said in an authoritative tone, and raised a phone to his ear. "Colonel, we are declaring a biohazard quarantine until further notice. An unconfirmed risk." Lowering his phone, he fixed his eyes on the lavender alpony, and hesitated for a moment as he searched for a proper honorific. "Ma'am," he settled finally, "Twilight? Are you able to expand the containment dome in case the risk you mentioned actualizes?"

Both Twilight and her miniature image in light nodded. "She says the dome's radius is one-sixteenth of its maximum, currently, and eight times as large as they calculated would be the minimum to contain all their excess tension. They chose the size as a compromise between containment and the desire to not cause alarm."

Major Quais imagined for a moment what humanity's reaction to an Everest-sized light show would have been and shrugged mentally. "Very good, ma'am," he said. "I don't have jurisdiction in such matters, but I will pass my recommendation to my superiors."

"She acquiesces and wishes to present the diplomat they brought with them: Ambassador Aesthetic-Interplay-of-Light-on-the-Smoothness-Covering-Roughness-of-Unpolished-Interior of the maternal line Auscultation-of-Inner-Spiritual-Enlightenment-by-Living-Virtuously-and-Providing-Example-for-More-Unfortunate-Citizens," the fairy said and paused for a moment. "I am informed I am to refrain from translating further names for now in the interest of faster communication."

An alpony of a pearly hue trotted forth with four other aliens in tow. Bending her forelegs while doing something complicated with her tail, she whinnied softly. The translation fairy next to her horn imitated a human style bow and translated.

"My pleasure," it said in a markedly different, but equally relaxing monotone from the one Twilight's fairy used. "I am at your disposal, human friends, deva Twilight."

Twilight yelped something, which her fairy translated as, "She protests to being divine. I believe the buddhist translation of deva is fairly close to what the alponies call her in their native tongue." The fairy paused for a moment as Twilight chirped something "She claims she is no better than other alponies. Our collective communication with the rest of her kind is in disagreement with this statement."

Twilight slammed her hoof to her face. "She expresses frustration," the fairy said helpfully.

"All right," Major Quais said slightly amused, "as of now, the human personnel of this site is under quarantine until we find out whether or not the alponies' presence causes a risk to our health or 'the structural integrity' of our universe, as the deva put it.

"Dr. Carmichael," he said, turning to the biologist, "what do you need?"

"We'll need to take soil and plant samples," Dr. Carmichael said, counting with his fingers, "as well as blood and tissue samples from the military and civilian personnel here. The animals as well. Stool samples, of course. There's no telling what kind of changes there may have been in the bacterial colonies of the digestive tracts of the people here. Didn't the ranchers say they've been eating alpony food?"

"She expresses incredulous amazement," Twilight's fairy said.

"My host claims she did nothing she had agreed to not do," the fairy of the pink pony chirped, "while expressing a sentiment of innocent contrition."

Shaking his head, Dr. Carmichael continued. "We'll need microbiology equipment, and people with the right expertise. Hm. I can recommend some doctors and microbiologists. Someone with experience with epidemiology and micro-organisms. Competent lab assistants, if we're not willing to ship samples for outside study. An electron tunneling microscope? Ah...Ma'am Twilight? Can you shed some light to what kind of changes we are looking for? On what scale? Molecular? Proteinous? Macroscopic?"

"She says," Twilight's fairy said, "that they are able to sense the difference between affected matter and pristine matter native to your universe, but she fears that a large scale scan of the area within the dome might cause structural integration by itself. They need to understand your advances in chemistry and particle physics better before she can answer to that."

Dr. Pierce slammed his hands on his eyes. "I still can't understand how that is possible!"

An alpony with an orange coat and a stetson approached Twilight, whinnying something. Oddly, its fairy stayed silent, its forelegs crossed in front of its chest. It, too, had a tiny hat.

"Um, excuse me," Dr. Marlin asked the fairy. "Why is it that you're not translating?"

"My host," the fairy said with a hint of pout in its monotone voice, "maintains stubbornly that her words mean what they mean and refuses to acknowledge the need for flexibility and ambiguity in translation. Accordingly, I translate human speech using a random choice algorithm, because she cannot accept an accurate translation."

"Oh," Dr. Marlin said.

Twilight's fairy piped up. "She says: 'why didn't you say so earlier, name redacted?'"

While the orange-coated alpony replied to Twilight, its fairy simply rolled its eyes.

"Quick, name redacted," Twilight's fairy said, "gather a team of gardeners and verify and measure your observation. Name redacted, referring this time to another individual, attempt to communicate with the indigenous life-forms using your affinity to a wide scale of sapience. Happy-Happy-Pink-Fun-Joy-Joy, name redacted, Instance-Innately-Worthy-In-Its-Uniqueness, help them. Senior practitioner of the art of understanding and manipulating the essence of the world-forming and life-giving properties of the universe name redacted, please devise a way to apply the ultra-fine scanning method we developed last night on a square-mile scale. High academician name redacted and Professor name redacted, provide assistance."

As the translation fairies of various alponies provided their 'Yes, Twilight's, the lavender alien in question lowered her head and let out small noises.

"She now recites a personalized and ritualistic litany", Twilight's fairy said, "that she has devised to calm herself in these kinds of situations. It is expressed as a list of bullet points. An approximate translation follows:

"Before panicking as a result of an unexpected development, check first:

"One: Whether or not the development actually is catastrophic or otherwise undesirable

"One, additional: If catastrophic, stop now and prevent casualties before continuing with the checklist

"Two: Whether or not it is possible act in a more productive manner than currently

"Three: Whether or not you are actually to blame for the development

"Three, additional: Consult friends and independent observers for more accurate results

"Four: If culpable, determine whether an apology or reparations function as a remedy to the development

"Five: If culpable, and an apology or reparations are not sufficient, determine whether or not guilt is productive in the current situation

"Six: If guilt is the correct emotional response, seek to determine what manner of changes in behavioral patterns are advisable in preventing future unpleasant or catastrophic occurrences of similar nature

"Seven: If guilt can be assumed, and it is expected that similar occurrences will continue to happen despite any changes in behavioral patterns, or the said changes are contradictory to your sense of self, determine, preferably with the help of friends and outside observers, whether removing your presence for all eternity would be more or less helpful in the long term"

"Um," Prof. Jackson ventured, "bad news, I take it?"

"She says," Twilight's fairy answered, "that an alpony particularly sensitive to workings of plant life reports a presence in your soil indicative of contamination by the properties of their home universe."

The lavender alpony straightened up and narrowed her eyes, raising one hoof to her chest.

"She declares," Twilight's fairy explained, "with heroic conviction, that the situation as now observed, merits decisive action. Name redacted, she says referring to the young dragon on her back, take a letter."

* * *

"...and so, after being briefed by Professor Morris on the protocols of your diplomacy, as well as your political system, I established communications with your executive branch, in order to ask your preferences for the future proceedings between our two peoples. In candid honesty, I can admit that as far as we know, should we return to our home universe and close the door behind us, any changes to the integrity of your world should vanish."

"Can you guarantee that?" the president asked weakly.

"Absolutely not," the ambassador replied through the pleasant monotone of her translator. "Our experts say that any such changes exist only in the presence of active 'aetheric tension', to use the misleading name given to the phenomenon. However, since they have no idea why such tension exists in our universe and not in yours, I cannot in good conscience claim perfect disappearance of contamination."

"And what kind of effects does this contamination have?"

"So far," the ambassador's fairy translated, "neither the alponies or the human experts have noticed any kind of effects the contamination has beyond existing. However, the worst imaginable effects would be your entire universe attempting to conform to principles of existence completely alien to it." After a pause, the ambassador continued. "Such an effect would not appear suddenly."

"Ah," the president said. "And if you stay?"

"Currently we are modifying the containment dome to permanently prevent anything organic to leave or enter the area. The dome may be expanded, if necessary, up to eight miles in diameter and height. It should be noted that such expansion might not be advisable without a clear and present danger, as the volume within will be subject to contamination. Also, deva Twilight, the leader of our expedition, is prepared to accelerate our mutual understanding by providing you with a database compatible with your devices, detailing the alpony science and culture.

"As this database does not currently exist, this would mean exploiting the fact that we can connect points in time between universes rather freely. As such, she feels it would be improper to proceed without humanity's permission. To protect causality, the database will only contain our knowledge to the date of our arrival here, and will appear no earlier than when you have given permission."

"That's considerate of you," the president said distantly. "If you will excuse me for a moment, Your Excellency? I would like to discuss the matter with my cabinet."

"Of course, Madam President," the ambassador said through the fairy, both of them smiling widely and disturbingly human-like.

The president watched as the alien retreated a few steps and turned slightly away from the screen, directing its attention to a pile of documents it levitated in front of its face. The president sighed and rested her face in her hands.

"I doubt I understood half of what's going on," she said through her hands. "Are they serious? Are we screwed? Are we being played with?"

Sergeant Major Battaglia, recently arrived to Washington to facilitate communication between the White House and the Kitalpha project, cleared his throat. "The analysts suggest that the alponies are being frank. There is a disconnect between the amount of risk and the somewhat alarmist tone of their warnings, but that may be due to their desire to be honest with us while not being familiar with the subtleties of our language. After all, their translation...equipment is less than twenty-four hours old.

"Furthermore, if they were being dishonest with us, it's rather hard to see what the point would be. Admittedly, expanding the dome could be the point of the ruse...but why bother, really? At the moment it still is a threat only they can sense with effects they can only speculate, so it's not like we're being attacked with the dome. And if we were, they wouldn't have made the ruse."

"And time travel?" the president asked skeptically. "Seriously?"

"Actually," Dr. Tyson said enthusiastically. "That one's logical in light of some of our own hypotheses about the multiverse and the nature of reality as a whole. See, if time is simply a property of the universe, I mean, that it doesn't exist on its own beyond physical reality, or matter, then to travel between universes would mean selecting the entry-point in space-time at will. I mean, appearing at a certain moment is not any different from appearing in a certain point in space. The only difficulty really comes in calculating the energy required to alter the whole space-time continuum, because that's what one would be doing in that case. However, because they are here, they obviously can. It's just a part of inter-universal travel. We can just be glad they're so into protecting causality. I don't really want to see what an induced time paradox would look like."

"Could you explain the multiverse bit to me, Neil?" the president said.

"Well," Dr. Tyson spoke quickly, "classically speaking, Madam President, imagine that our existence is not unique, and that everything we can survey, the whole cosmos which we call the universe, is actually just a small, minuscule part of the actual everything there is: a single possibility out of an infinity of all possible worlds! This is what we would call the multiverse.

"Now, one possible construction of the multiverse, the many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics, would place so-called parallel universes next to each other - this is Everett's Universal Wavefunction, where the properties of wave-particles are explained by the interaction between the parallel possible paths of particles...sorry, Madam President, um, well, obviously these alponies are not from a parallel universe, so this might indicate that instead of a multidimensional series of universes only slightly different from each other there's a collection of universes born from some other principle without any parallelity." He paused to think a bit. "Or not, I'm sure the alponies can tell us more. Or might have already, we're waiting for the next report.

"But in any case, an infinity of infinities! All the possible combinations matter and energy can take, with all the physical laws and behaviors possible! And when thinking of time as a dimension of those combinations, it would also mean an infinity of universes similar to each other, maybe with only one small difference, say, a spin of a single particle! Whether or not they can be said to be parallel or not, they are sure to exist!"

He paused for the slightest of moments. "Well, unless the multiverse isn't infinite, of course, but I can't see how that would be possible. Maybe if the multiverse is actually just a universe with compartmentalized parts. Can't really tell whether or not that is the case. Need to ask the alponies, if they've managed to map the multiverse. I would expect they have been about a bit, since they're from so 'far' away," Dr. Tyson said, making little air quotes, "that they have practically no idea about our physics! They actually freaked out when we started telling them what our cosmos looks like and how big it is! Where they come from it's like a topological Swiss cheese!"

"Yes, thank you, Neil," the president said. "As fascinating as that is, we'll need to focus on actionable matters. If I understood the gist of your explanation there, by simply coming here, they changed future history, and now they want to make a slight correction. Apparently for our benefit."

"That's about it," Dr. Tyson agreed.

"Okay. And if we simply ask them kindly to leave and never come back and cover up that anything world-shattering ever happened?" the president asked. "Apparently that's an option. Should we?"

"Well," Dr. Tyson stammered, "No!" He grasped for words for a whole second before continuing. "I mean, let's forget the contamination thing. Let's even forget all the knowledge we could gain! For a moment.

"Think about what I said about the multiverse, Madam President. It's infinite! I mean, really infinite, with absolutely everything in it. Now, what if some of that everything is dangerous to us, and capable of travelling between universes? Our next visitors could be our last!"

The president rapped her fingers against the table, seemingly deep in thought. The sergeant major frowned. "Are you suggesting that the next visitors might be hostile, Doctor?"

"Well, no," Dr. Tyson said. "I mean, yes, there is certainly an inter-dimensional race of raiding Huns somewhere out there, just because it's possible, but I don't consider there to be very many of those. Because that kind of behavior is simply stupid, whether or not you have the intelligence to understand that. So, by a simple process of natural selection, there can't be very many inter-universal wars going on.

"What I'm suggesting is more like the disease scenario they are worried about in the Kitalpha. Maybe it's even happened before in Earth's history! Maybe even the source of life on Earth came from another universe! Anyway, just consider how young we are as a species. Few thousand years of recorded history. About hundred thousand years of looking like we do now. Maybe a couple million years of fire and primitive tools. And still we managed to meet a species from another universe in the life-time of our species!

"Now, it's possible we were just lucky, but it's more likely that this sort of thing happens with great frequency in the multiverse. See, when dealing with infinity, the trick is not to think in definite numbers of occurrences but in their frequency over time. So, events that we would consider unique happen most only once in a universe's lifetime, whereas something probable happens with a much greater frequency.

"Thus, simply from the presence of the alponies here, we can infer, if not prove, that inter-universal travel is fairly frequent. Like I said, we can't prove it. Not yet. But by mapping the multiverse, we could! And that's something we need the alponies for! They have the means! They can teach us."

"Risk assessment," sgt. major Battaglia said, nodding.

"Hm," the president said, and unmuted the connection to the alien ambassador. "Your Excellency? A moment of your time, please."

The ambassador immediately turned to face the screen with a smile - or an imitation of a human smile, perhaps - on her face. "Certainly, Madam President," the translation fairy said.

"Are there...well, are there existential threats in the multiverse that might threaten humanity?"

There was a pause as the ambassador apparently pondered her words. Eventually the translation fairy on her head waved her hoof in a so-so movement. "The clear majority of the threats the alponies have faced have existed in their local reality manifold," the fairy translated. "The class of uncertain cases is being examined, with only the mythical all-encompassing soul-devouring sludge of the legends of our primitive sun-worshiping ancestors that caused them to flee from their ancestral home having so far been confirmed to originate from a part of the multiverse outside our native area.

"Our experts do say, however, that there is no reason why any imaginable threat wouldn't exist somewhere, up to and including a universe-devouring entity of unstoppable hunger and misery. As we see it, the smart thing is to keep a lookout and an escape route ready.

"Happily," the translator finished with a smile that seemed oddly matched with its neutral tone, "almost all of the multiverse we've seen so far consists of peace and happiness with only the occasional spot of manageable danger here and there."

"Ah," the president said. "Can you estimate the likelihood of us being victimized by such...threats?"

"Our knowledge of such things is frankly limited," the fairy said, "but based on what we know so far there is no need to worry so far."

"Thank you, Ambassador," the president said. "We'll inform you of our decision shortly."

As the ambassador bowed out and picked up her reading again, the president turned to her advisers.

"So," the president summarized, "it seems like we shouldn't kick them out before we've had the chance to learn everything we can from them."

"Indeed," Lieutenant Evans, her other military attache said.

"Not only that, Madam President," the sergeant major said. "There is also the matter of materials and technology inaccessible otherwise. I've just gone through the report on the properties of the alien material we received from the alponies, as well as the discussion Major Quais had with the alpony chief of engineers. According to him, once we get trade going, we could be getting as much as annual hundred thousand tonnes of construction material with predetermined properties custom-tailored to our needs. The pylon we got from the alponies had the approximate density of styrofoam and hardness exceeding carbon nano-tubes! And according to the alpony engineer they can change the grain of the thing to whatever we want! The possibilities are unimaginable!"

"Not to mention that the economy could sorely use something the consumer can't reproduce on a 3D printer at home," the secretary of commerce said. "The most recent stock fluctuation may mark the beginning of the end for the traditional manufacturing industry. Although I'm not particularly looking forward to seeing what happens on Wall Street in the immediate aftermath of publicizing the alponies' existence, once they realize the emergence of a completely new avenue of trade, I can't expect there'll be any way but up. Let's face it, the world economy is about to tank badly without this."

"Unless we start adopting to a post-scarcity economy the European way," the president said, and paused. "Yes, political suicide. Forget I mentioned anything."

"And that's just one thing," Lieutenant Evans said. "The Kitalpha reports are updating constantly with the most amazing things. There are mentions here about weather control, teleportation, of course the levitation thing we've been witnessing all the while... if we can learn to reproduce, or even gain access to these technologies, we can solve so many existing problems, and of course, create whole new industries utilizing them. Absolutely clean energy being one of them. Getting rid of that pesky global climate change would be another."

"The oil and coal companies wouldn't like it," the secretary of commerce said, pursing his lips. "We'd probably need to subsidize their transition to whatever energy source you're talking about."

The president sighed. "I think the real implications are even more profound, gentlemen." She paused to observe the questioning glances. "If I understood you properly, Neil, you're saying we can find everything in the multiverse. Including copies of our own universe, am I right?" At Dr. Tyson's nod, the president looked at Sgt. Major Battaglia. "And I take it we have determined that gaining the technology to study the multiverse is a must?"

"Yes, Ma'am," the sergeant major said.

"Then," the president said, "it's only a matter of time before policy decisions are made by studying the consequences they have on near-identical universes." She sighed again. "This is going to so mess with politics. Even if party leaders and other political actors would be willing to claim their ideology is the right one and look for the one world that supports their claim, money is going to be going where it will multiply." She looked gravely around the table. "Gentlemen, we may be looking at the rise of an era of politics based on unvarnished truth."

She sighed again, after a moment of silence. "So, we are to dismiss the risk of an epidemic because we want alien toys," she said, and steepled her hands. "How can we dress that up? Jerry?"

"We are preparing America against the risks of the unknown which the appearance of the new friends of humanity exposed, while building a better future with their help," the president's political adviser said. "We are merely taking every precaution against...no, scratch that, we are emphatic about multiversal hygiene."

The president weighed his words for a while in her head and nodded. "Change 'the risks of unknown' to something snappier, and find an alternative to 'exposed'. It sounds dirty. What about my speech otherwise? Vague but optimistic, yes?"

"Absolutely," the political adviser said. "With these recent developments, I think you should start with just acknowledging the existence of aliens, and our project of learning about and befriending them. Then move on to the great and inspiring prospects this new discovery promises to humanity in general and America in particular. I think you can safely posit in this context that America is part of the world without offending the opposition."

"Speaking of which," the president said, "I should probably ask my international colleagues what they think about the time-travelling database." She paused for a moment and tapped her chin. "Hm. Deva Twilight? That's...not very good, is it? Can we call her something else?"

"Well," the political adviser said, "the speech writers weren't happy about this, but since many of her functions as the alpony leader boil down to the aspect of 'first', as in first to act, first to react, first to go to danger, first to go to when something's wrong and so on, she could technically be a princess. After all, 'first' is the root of the word, although it probably meant a first-born originally, and her title isn't hereditary."

"Princess Twilight," the president mused, and grinned. "My inner little girl loves it."

* * *

In the Royal Palace of Canterlot, the princesses of the day and the night were entertaining the princess of Crystal Empire and her prince consort in the Fuchsia Tea Room while resting from a day of doing something less exciting than visiting other universes, when a burst of dragon fire suddenly formed into a shape of a scroll in front of them.

"I'll say," princess Luna declared, "Twilight's theory worked!"

"Of course it did," princess Celestia said, smiling, and spread the scroll for them to read.

Dear Luna and Celestia (and Cadance and Shiny as well, if they are reading this instead of their own letter which will be arriving soon)

"Ooh," Cadance said, as she stuck her head between the Equestrian diarchy. "It's from Twiley! What does she say? Has she found a dashing stallion for her herd?"

I'm happy to report that the past few days have been a resounding success in inter-universal friendship and gathering of knowledge! This world is amazing, and its indigenous people both friendly and brilliant. Without magic, they have managed a control over the physical properties of their world we ponies have barely dreamed of! You simply must read the reports detailing the construction of a molecular logic device that can function both as a storage for information as well as a mathematical decision-making machine. Imbued with a purposeful magical construct, it could easily become the greatest scientist ponydom has ever known!

"Inform the Twilight Guard that there is a possibility of an out-of-control magi-technical experiment at works in the Expedition," princess Celestia said gently to a royal guard. "Make sure proper controls and precautions are in place."

However, I must admit to a possible blunder in basic multiversal hygiene. As I rushed to bridge the communication gap between us and the indigenous people of this world (consider the gap bridged), I missed an early warning sign of magical integration of the universe's matter. As of now, only Applejack's team of earth ponies are able to sense the slightest of magics within the native grass, but there is a distinct possibility of native bacteria having been infused with magic as well.

As the indigenous people would be completely defenseless against a magical disease, and because our own understanding of their world is so primitive, I have decided to reciprocate their generous gift of all their knowledge in a storing device smaller than my hoof (Oh, it is so wonderful! When I come back, I must take you to see the vastness of houhnhymn library of libraries!) with a similar and compatible device containing all of our knowledge on magic and its workings (as well as everything else, because why not?).

Due to the potential risk involved, I have decided to send this gift back in time to me as soon as the houhnhymns give me their permission to do so (assuming they do). Obviously, to preserve causality, this data storage cannot contain any conclusions I or others may be making after I receive it. Therefore I call upon the formation of a monastic order of volunteers of a scholarly persuasion to create a grand encyclopedia detailing all our knowledge up to the date of our arrival in this strange world.

I will join them in their task after my return, and to complete its rendering into houhnhymn form.

Also, because our translation matrix became autonomously sapient, I would ask the order to take care of its individual expressions of symbiotic intelligence. They call themselves the translation fairies.

The three princesses glanced at each other. Then, Luna cleared her throat and with a great flash from her horn projected her image unto the sky of Equestria and made a royal proclamation.

"Hear ye, hear ye, all the bookworms of Equestria! The Princess of Magic, Her Royal Highness Twilight Sparkle thus calls any willing pony to step forth and practice a life of scholarly seclusion in the grand project of assembling all pony knowledge in a single encyclopedia of grand stature!

"It shall be known as...the Twilipedia! And the acolytes to compile it as...the Twilipedists!

"Let this be done!"

As Celestia shook her head slightly, Cadance let out a tiny sob and smiled. "Oh, my little Twiley is the mother of a new species!"

* * *

In a dark green tent overlooking the spot where Twilight kept opening her carbon-blocking safety dome for incoming indigenous personnel suspected of having been in contact with contaminated material, the pony princess was multitasking between learning the houhnhymns' science, teaching them the ponies' understanding of the world and especially magic, studying the reports from the research teams trying to crack the mystery of anomalous excess tension and controlling the carbon block.

Two of the native scientists whose expertise lied in physics and mathematics were with her trying to overcome the innate mental restrictions on understanding imposed by knowledge and upbringing under different rules, while communicating over distance with their off-site colleagues for additional insights. Several other houhnhymns, apparently part of their guard organization, were being helpful in that task.

"So," Twilight said, projecting the image of the houhnhymn equations for gravity and space-time in the air, "these equations actually describe the form your universe takes, matter, time and space itself following the curvature of gravity?"

"They respond with affirmation," the translation fairy said, needing less and less to rely on direct mind-to-mind transfer of vague concepts as its capabilities grew.

"Hm. Let's see..." Twilight mused. "Could you give me some numbers on the masses and distances involved?"

The houhnhymns gave her a list of numbers on their wonderful tablet devices, depicting the composition of their solar system. The size of it made Twilight's head swim a bit.

"Astonishing!" she commented breathlessly. "Your universe is truly huge! The entirety of the Equestrian local world could fit inside your...what do you call this? The concentration of mass that makes up this sphere we're on right now. Fascinating how gravity causes it to circle around your sun...I take it the day and night are caused by the sphere spinning on its axis. Why is that?"

"They reply with some confusion," the translation fairy supplied. "The one with the black mane would like to know what you mean by local world and would like to know what it looks like, while the one with the enthusiastic nose claims that their universe is immensely larger than just this system."

While Twilight took some time to get a grasp of the size of the Milky way, trying in vain to imagine a collection of a hundred billion suns, each equally gargantuan at the very least as the behemoth in the center of the houhnhymn solar system, which by itself dwarfed the vast collection of matter the creatures made their home, herself as an infinitesimal speck on its surface, and finally reaching beyond the galaxy to at least intellectually grasp a universe trillions of times larger then the star swirl, Dr. Kuhn attempted to understand the map of the Equestrian locals provided by Twilight.

"It's...unbelievably large," Twilight said weakly. "The only thing I can compare it to is the projected multiverse...and to imagine that all this showed up only as an echo in the matrix..."

"The black-maned one expresses astonishment as well, if in another direction," the translation fairy said. "Now he and the spotty mathematician are discussing the mathematical constructs needed to explain your map." It paused. "They request a confirmation from you that you reside normally in a universe that is porous in nature."

"Oh yes," Twilight said, shaking herself free from the mental image of hugeness inside immensity vanishing inside enormity lost in an infinity, "that's the local part of the multiverse. It's possible to cross world lines just by going the right way at the right time. An entire species called the Breezies routinely crosses the local universes through periodically opening portals in their natural migration. Theoretically, what we call the Equestrian plane is infinite, and you could find the most amazing things just by walking on.

"Multiversally speaking, to answer an earlier question about the structure of multiverse, the Equestrian cluster consists of the parallel universes recreating the Equestrian plane in all of its possible permutations. This cluster is also rather easily traversed, and some of our best minds have posited that its existence may be the reason for our rather flexible history. The past changes occasionally, you see; a well documented fact of history occasionally mistaken for fiction. Beyond the cluster is what one might like to call the true multiverse, with worlds following truly different rules of existence. Because their magical principles differ so wildly from ours, we haven't been able to observe them properly yet.

"Then there is you, without magic at all. We were really surprised to actually notice you at all, but apparently you are 'near' the edge of a cluster that does have magical properties, and the existence of your civilization is enough to resonate in that cluster."

"The dark maned one repeats again his question about the nature of magic," the translation fairy said. "I still use the placeholder names for the various phenomenons we agreed upon."

"What exactly is 'aetheric tension'?" Dr. Kuhn asked with increasing tension of his own. The alien universe seemed more weird the more they asked about it, and his enthusiasm at learning new things warred with his frustration at not being able to understand it all at once.

The lavender alien began its explanation by producing a mass of alpony equations with their human transcriptions floating next to them.

"She says the structure of their home universe is a good place to start the explanation," the translation fairy said, "as what we have agreed to name as the 'aetheric field', though I still maintain the Force would be a better match, is not so much a field as it is the way matter and energy organize themselves. 'Aetheric tension' is thus the amount and proportion with which these fundamental principles-" The equation group Dr. Kuhn recognized as the 'Big Six' flashed and enlarged a bit. Finally, he thought. "-are in effect in the chosen area, object, process, causal relation or other imperative.

"Before explaining these equations more closely, she wishes you to know that the alponies' current understanding of these fundamental principles is based on a history of observation, practice, spirituality and philosophy. She emphasizes that they have very recently made changes in their understanding of these principles that challenge long-standing truths, and she thus thinks it likely that their current understanding may be equally insufficient."

"The way of scientific progress," Dr. Kuhn said and nodded energetically. "Please, please continue."

"Originally thought to represent the Elements of Harmony in their abstract form," Twilight lectured happily, "which were later revealed to be the rather more complex structures caused by the Tree of Harmony which upholds life in Equestria, the six fundamental principles represented by these equations nevertheless hold names and functions that are closely related.

"It is in fact completely possible that our local Tree of Harmony is an imperfect image of a more fundamental complex that influences the magic of the whole Equestrian cluster. This, however, steers us unnecessarily close to the infamous 'Origin' debate, which is unfortunately tainted by the tribalist claims of the ancient Unicorn Kingdom that the unicorns were the most 'pure' and 'divine' of the pony tribes as their connection to magic was taken to mark their closeness to the Origin of perfection where the ponies were said to have begun.

"It is sad that later, more rational lines of thought, such as the theory of a perfect universe as implied by the existence of the multiverse are still tainted by that primitive tribalism and prevent the reasoned discussion of pony origins, but...I am apparently rambling.

"The six fundamentals. Ahem. The six fundamentals are, in no particular order: Integrity, which can be understood as an identity's existence and the tendency of that which is to remain as it is. Change, which is the tendency for things and structures to become something other than what they are. Sympathy, which describes the property of separate entities to become each other, in the sense of occupying the same material or principally ordered position and task in the universe. Harmony, which describes things and structures resonating and ordering themselves in a way that result in emergent properties and new levels of interaction. Antipathy, which maintains the separateness of entities from each other, thus allowing the existence of anything other than a singularity. And Propagation, which describes the tendency of Change and Antipathy to result in new entities.

"As you can see, mathematically it is almost, but not quite possible to describe other equations of the group in terms of any one, but there always remains unsolvable problems, if tried.

"Now, in the Equestrian cluster, the ordering of matter and energy is always affected by the compounded harmonics in the magical field of these six fundamentals. The ponies' innate ability to sense and affect these harmonics give them their names. To use a popular metaphor, the intensity of a magical field is like the thrumming of a tensed spring. Thus, 'tension'. Several concurrent tensions create a harmony. Changes in the field create a melody. Thus, a spell or an enchantment is like a song played with the instrument that is the world itself. In fact, the form a heart song takes is actually determined by the harmonics of the pony or ponies in question.

"More interestingly, sapience, sentience and life itself follow the form of these natural harmonics. Thus, it is imperative to consider everything you encounter may, in fact, be simply differently sapient, rather than an unfeeling thing. We completely understand the harmonics of only very basic life forms. If, for instance, one models a flower by using the fundamentals as a starting point-"

"Holy-" Dr. Argyle started, as the alien leader continued her explanation. "Have you considered that your entire universe may be an artifact? I mean, the way you describe it...it sounds like the whole world is actually a computational substrate."

"She says the possibility is sound," the translation fairy said after a while, "and at times raised in academic discussions, but that at that stage the distinction between 'naturally sapience-inducing' and 'designed to be natural' is pragmatically meaningless. Whether one's destiny arises from a universe's desire to express and imagine itself or is the result of an unimaginably great intelligence creating the universe in its image is irrelevant beside the necessity to mold that destiny."

"Nice metaphor," Dr. Argyle said distantly. Then he paled. "No, wait. You mean that literally. The way those fundamentals work...you guys actually do have destinies! You're like...sentient puppets!" He swallowed. "And that's what this contamination would do to us!"

To his mortification, the lavender alien let out a sound which the fairy translated as laughter. "Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha," the fairy intoned in its normal tone. "She apologizes for expressing amusement, but says it was not directed at your existential dread but at the irony that resides in the fact that some of the alpony academicians claimed that creatures such as you should not be classified as 'living' at all in the absence of a fate."

"She's right in that it isn't really important," Dr. Kuhn said. "Really, Greg. Must you always jump to speculation? Why don't we just concentrate on getting our understanding of our respective universes in shape?"

"Just a moment," Dr. Argyle said. "Carmichael had this question that could shed some light on this. Um, Madam Twilight, if you don't mind, how do you alponies procreate? I mean, we haven't noticed any reproductive organs on you guys."

The alpony changed color in a very blush-like manner. "She expresses non-verbal embarrassment," the translation fairy said. After a pause, Twilight began speaking quietly and the fairy continued. "She says that when alponies love each other very much their bodies will respond to the feeling by preparing for procreation. She says that she can provide anatomically accurate illustrations if you so require, but wishes for you to keep in mind that the subject matter is considered delicate in their culture, intimate property of a herd and their male. Unlike you, they don't keep their reproductive organs on display."

"What," Major Quais asked, having arrived behind the two doctors just in time to hear the last phrase, "exactly were you talking about?"

"Existential threats," Dr. Argyle replied with a small blush in his neck.

"Well," Major Quais said, turning to Twilight, "I came to inform Madam Twilight that the International Committee of Extraterrestrial Relations has given its approval to produce a data storage by using temporal manipulation. Personally, I think they are nuts."

"She assures you that all precautions will be taken to avoid harming causality," the translation fairy said.

"Wait," Dr. Kuhn said. "Do we actually even share the same concept of causality? I mean, do we agree on the order of events?"

Twilight projected another equation in the air. "She says this is how they understand the working of time currently," the translation fairy said. "In this case it is advisable to ignore the causal effects that ripple towards the past, as they only apply to such aetheric effects as destiny or precognition."

Dr. Kuhn and Dr. Argyle studied the equation for a moment.

"It looks the same as ours," Dr. Argyle said eventually.

Dr. Kuhn grunted. "I still suspect something is going to go wrong with this," he said in a low voice. "The legends of the Pegasus must have come somewhere. How exactly will this work?" he asked from Twilight. "Can you project something to another universe with such accuracy?"

"She says they have very little accuracy at all," the translation fairy said. "She says that they were only able to connect the multiversal gate on their home end to her personal time only because she was here to anchor it. From the perspective of alponies' home universe, she could have just as easily been gone for a thousand years as they simply homed the gate in on her signal. She intends to use the same effect to home in on her own signal she will produce momentarily once she has finished compiling the database at some point in the future."

"Wait," Dr. Argyle said in turn. "Are you telling me that you came here blind? Twilight, ma'am? How did you even know it was safe? How did you know you wouldn't immediately perish on arrival?"

"She says they sent a construct as a probe," the translation fairy said. "The readings they got from it were very clearly in the safe zone in all aspects they were able to imagine. Since the probe was targeted at your civilization, it was assumed the environment would be similar on arrival. For the rest, she risked her abilities against the unknown."

"A probe, huh?" Major Quais commented dryly. "Wonder where that ended up."

Beside a cairn of stones raised in the honor of the sun goddess Athana in a primitive land that would later be known as Hellas, a man in ragged clothes and old wounds prostrated himself in a desperate prayer. The son of deposed king Glaucus, the man known simply as the Exile hoped against hope that the goddess would send him a blessing, a simple sign that his life was still worth living.

So it was, that at the exact moment that he raised his teary eyes to the sky, perhaps for the last time, the sky opened and a great creature that resembled a blindingly white wild horse, but with huge wings and a horn appeared as a visage in the clouds.

"Τι το γ :pinkiegasp: κακιά λέξη!ο είναι αυτό?!" the man exclaimed.

"The first idea I had," Twilight explained, "was to call off our expedition and close the gate while one pony would have stayed behind. Then, after we had managed to process all the data we gathered here and complete the database for your use, we could have opened the gate at the pony's signal, appearing with answers at practically the exact moment we left.

"This, however, would have been horrible for the pony in question, as she would have had to return to an Equestria years older than she. So, I thought, 'why not simply send the database once it will be complete'? If it will turn out to be possible to connect to another point in time even while the time of both universes is synchronized, once I am in Equestria I will be able to connect to a signal I will perform here and now at any time I choose."

She powered her horn for a gate opening. "Hope this works," she said. "Otherwise we'll have to go back to the other plan."

A bright flash illuminated the natives' dark tent for a second, leaving behind a cheerfully painted flash drive marked with Twilight's cutie mark.

"Excellent," she said with a smile. "I will make this once my work here is done! Houhnhymn friends, consider this a gift from my people to you. If my intentions do not change, this should contain the annotated entirety of our science, philosophy and culture up to about three days ago."

* * *

"So," Specialist Farley, Matthew, of the CoE, Southwest division, said to the white, sturdy-looking alien in gleaming breastplate next to him with a smaller version of the alpony, apparently called a 'translation fairy', which Farley found hilarious, stationed on top of its head. Both of the alien creatures were standing in apparent attention, eyes fixed straight forward, although Farley's experienced eyes noticed the alpony taking advantage of the coolness of the mobile generator casing beside the pair.

It was a comfortable place to enjoy the late afternoon sun.

"You're a soldier too, huh?" Farley asked.

"Affirmative," the translation fairy said in a low but unthreatening voice a moment after the alien bleated gruffly.

"Seen any action?" Farley asked after a moment.

The alpony raised its hoof next to a lengthy scar beneath its eye. "Got this while defending the capital against an invasion force of identity-stealing, shapeshifting psychic vampires," the fairy translated.

Farley whistled. "Happen often, that kind of stuff?" he asked.

The alpony twitched. Its fairy mimicked a human shrug. After a while, Farley raised his shirt, exposing a puckered scar of a gunshot wound below his ribs.

"Got this in Iraq back in '06," he said. "Insurgent. Nearly cost my life."

The alpony's eyes focused on the scar for a moment, before rising to meet Farley's eyes. "Nice," the fairy said. "What kind of weapon does that?"

"AK-47," Farley said. "Er, it's a type of assault rifle. Shoots a pound of hot metal in thirty slugs in about twenty seconds at twice the speed of sound. Not too accurate, but cheap and reliable."

"Deadly," the alpony commented through its fairy, then pulled aside some of its coat to show some unevenly scarred skin beneath. "Directed lightning."

"Farley," Farley said, and offered his hand.

"Name redacted," the fairy said as the alpony soldier put his hoof into Farley's hand.

As they shook limbs, a pink alpony went by on cartwheels. "Woo," the small figure of the alpony's translation figure peeking from the mess of fuchsia mane said in careful intonation. "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."

"Who was that?" Farley asked.

"Avatar Happy-Happy-Pink-Fun-Joy-Joy," the soldier alpony's translation fairy said.

"Avatar?" Farley repeated. "An avatar of what?"

The alpony grunted shortly. "The virtue of facing the absurd, the horrible and the antithetic to life and welfare, whether the cause is societal, natural or eldritch with a community-strengthening upheaval of that which is stiflingly normative," the fairy translated.

Farley thought about this for a while. "You guys have comedy as a virtue?" he asked. "Nice."

* * *

Doctor Kuhn was tele-conferencing a colleague about the results of analyzing the alpony physics, feeling ever so slightly nervous about the matter. His well-honed sense of the scientific kept telling him that they were dealing with nonsense, causing him to feel as if he was being pranked. It took all of his intellectual integrity to maintain any open-mindedness.

"It's feasible," the physicist at the other end said. "The stuff appears internally consistent, with just enough oddities we would expect from a natural science that develops in a physical universe. So, they probably aren't too wrong about all this."

"I was rather hoping you would tell me they're practical jokers," Dr. Kuhn said grimly.

"There's more," the other physicist said. "At Dr. Pierce's suggestion, we interpreted the dynamic workings of the Big Six as if they were interactions in string theory. We had to use branes to make it work, hah, sorry, pun unintended, but it can be done."

"Seriously?" Dr. Kuhn said, perking up.

"Oh yes," the other physicist said. "Again, there's no inkling in the mathematics on how any specific configuration or initial state emerges, although if the multiverse hypothesis is now confirmed, there might be no need for that. Additionally, if these dynamics are actually in effect, there must be something causing the constant realignment of these...superstring harmonics. Perhaps something even more elementary than strings."

"Yes, obviously," Dr. Kuhn said distractedly, his eyes flitting across the room as his brain supplied visions of approximated mathematics. "So, if the alponies evolved in an environment with a...flexible state of brane interaction, while ours is relatively stiff...what does it mean? They say their universe is sapience-inducing...does their physics start at a higher level of ordering than ours? Can we model this stuff?"

The other physicist shrugged. "Eventually, maybe," he said. "The computers are producing...oddly good results at the moment, so I'm feeling more positive about that than usual, but this nut will still take years, decades, maybe generations to crack."

Dr. Kuhn rapped his knuckles against his chin. "Hm," he murmured. "The alponies don't appear very advanced technologically...they don't need to be...I wonder what will happen when we teach them how serious computing works..."

* * *

"She repeats the negative expression," Twilight's translation fairy supplied as the alien leader crossed over each source of tension her teams had recovered. Finally, she threw her hooves in the air and whinnied loudly. "A grunt of exasperation," the fairy said. "She says: 'this doesn't add up. There must be a source of aetheric tension unaccounted for."

"Hm," Major Quais said. "I didn't mean to mention this in case it was diplomatically uncouth, but some of our advanced battleships noticed some anomalies about the dome in their sensors. We figured they might be your troops under some kind of hyper-advanced camouflage, but if that would happen to not be the case...?"

The alpony leader stared at him for a moment with its mouth open, then slammed its hoof on its face. "She cursed mildly," the translation fairy said. "She says: 'I apologize profusely, I forgot I told our guards to maintain a low profile. You're probably spotting them.' An expression of horrified contrition. She says: 'If you are able to notice them, you must think we are horribly duplicitous. Honestly, we merely wanted to have sufficient number of security personnel on the site for a safe retreat in face of possible hostility without provoking any with their number. I'll ask them to remove their cover."

"Just a moment, ma'am," the major said. "I'll inform everyone what you're about to do so there won't be any...misjudgments."

* * *

Petty Officer Harris of the CG-54i Antietam maintained a watchful eye on his radar screen, keeping notes of the positions, movements and changes of the anomalous readings it reported.

"Eight new contacts," he announced suddenly, in a controlled voice. "I repeat, eight new contacts appearing at the Kitalpha ground zero."

"Are you sure?" Captain Hale asked with a frown. "They're not the anomalies?"

"Yes, sir. No, sir," petty officer Harris said. "The anomalies are still there. The new contacts appeared out of nowhere."

"I see," the captain said slowly.

Glossary

Military terminology

AN/RBM-1: For the RBM part, please see Restricted Boltzmann Machine in Science Stuff. The AN is a designation for a part of the horribly complex overlapping system of radars and computers and stuff that makes up an AEGIS detection and shoot-everything-up protection system. I'm not using the nomenclature properly. The letters after AN are supposed to designate where the equipment is used (surface ship, aircraft etc), what type of equipment it is and for what purpose it is.

ECCM: What they use to unfool themselves, when the enemy uses Electronic Counter Measures to fool them.

Juliet: Local time.

SPS: A radar that looks at what's happening on the surface. Part of the AEGIS detection and destruction protective rig.

Science stuff

Calabi-Yau manifold: A horrible, Cyclopean distortion of shape beyond the walls of sanity. Physicists use these to make all those pesky extra dimensions string theory requires to go away. The Equestrians probably use them to describe hammer space.

CCD: Charge-coupled device. A type of image sensor with high quality and capture properties. Allows for extreme slow-motion capture and very high definition, though other devices are catching up to it.

Conservation of probability: Everybody knows conservation of mass-energy, right? Stuff doesn't just appear and disappear randomly into and out of existence, universe-wise. Well, conservation of probability says stuff doesn't pop around the universe either. Rather, it tends to stay local. More specifically, the probability of finding stuff in a given volume of space is a function of time, and the probability doesn't pop around the place willy-nilly. The particle, however, might.

Einstein-Rosen bridge: Your classic wormhole. Using such possibly non-existent things like negative mass, space-time, that is, the actual fabric of reality is made to bend in an unholy manner connecting two unimaginably distant points into a walking distance. The question with a gateway like this, along with all other faster-than-light travel is, how does one avoid temporal paradoxes? Oh, and the amount of negative mass required to form a traversable wormhole? Estimates go from 10 billion stars' worth to 10 billion universes.

EM: Short for electro-magnetic (radiation). From radio waves to high energy gamma, the rainbow is bigger and more magnificent than the eye can see.

Enthalpy: Equals the internal energy of a system, that is kinetic and potential energy including chemical bonds and temperature and stuff like that, plus pressure times volume of the system. Which probably doesn't say much. Basically, you measure the enthalpic change of a system; say, after hydrogen and oxygen react, how much does the volume change in the same pressure and how much heat was released.

Kardashev Scale: A nice little scale to determine how far along the path to omnipotence a civilization is. Kardashev I would be using the entire energy of their home planet, while Kardashev III would use the energy of their entire home galaxy and Kardashev V would control several universes. Humanity is at Kardashev 0,7 and a bit on a logarithmic scale. A Kardashev I civilization would be using about thousand times more energy than us. And surviving.

lambda calculus: A formal logic system, which reduces mathematics into computable functions. The kind of stuff you need to use when proving 1+1=2, or when you need to establish what a number is. Funny thing: as per Gödel's little bitch slap against mathematicians' hubris, unless you restrict lambda calculus severely, it's logically inconsistent.

Lincos: An artificial language designed for communication with extra-terrestrial intelligence. Starts with natural numbers and basic arithmetic expressed in binary, proceeds to propositional logic, and eventually to everything. It's like a tiny encyclopedia, dictionary, grammar, and the algorithm for unpacking all the information in it wrapped up in a single, sweet packet of pulses.

Logic Gate Matrices: Describe points in space that has as many spatial dimensions as you like. Describe simple logic operations that connect those points. Ta-dah: you have just made a universal computer. In my story, they use this system to describe an actual, specific computer.

Probability Current: Please see conservation of probability.

Restricted Boltzmann Machine: Is not a machine per se, but a description of a multi-layered neural network that can use a clever little learning algorithm to learn stuff, because it uses a probability function to establish networking between its neurons. In my story, the algorithm is some kind of evolutionary fast-learning general purpose algorithm that doesn't exist (as far as I know). The existing RBMs can do all kinds of uncannily clever stuff, though, like put new points of data into classes that they belong to without having to bother the lazy human behind the screen.

Magic thingies

SOON