It had been about two weeks since landfall. General Klask adjusted his wide brimmed hat then his goggles as he looked out on to the frozen wasteland. He hoped that the rest of the planet was not like this and that they came down on one of of the planets polar regions. So far they saw no signs of intelligent life, so that was good, it meant they where isolated from the population.

The reports of finding a river with fish in it was also good, as it meant a steady food source for them. The engineering crews managed to salvage quite a few roids and even some of the cargo loading exo-suits, which helped the refit of the ship in to a base of operation faster. Though current plans noted it would still be a month before it would be completed.

The best news came when they managed to salvage a intact shield generator, which they where currently retrofitting in to a shield dome for there base of operations. Klask like the admiral had a fondness of cigars and he puffed on one as he looked over some of what could be considered bad news.

The high scouts had reported that beyond the mountains south of them, where green lands, but signs of farmlands, even a city in the distance. There was even evidence of actual pegasi in the area. Klask while not much to believe in the more mythological aspects of the monarchy still didn't like this one bit. He noted though that in all cases they found no evidence that they stood and walked like them... the planets populace seemed to be all ferals from what the scout crafts cameras could tell.

They even reported spotting what might be a city or a fortress made of clouds. The religious caste members that survived took these reports as signs that there scriptures of a holy land of magic users could be true. If so Klask hoped that didn't extend in to the presence of shape-shifting demons, among other things as well. Not to mention the harbinger of chaos eternal.

Klask then turned form the wall and headed back down in what was now a small town. While more like a military fortress in design with the surviving four thousand crew members it had become more like a town. Schools where being constructed along with a more modern looking hospital should they have to stay here long term so relationships could build before rescue could be done.

Klask didn't want to mention it to the general population, but the crystals for anything but local planet and system communications where destroyed in the crash. They had no way to send out a emergency beacon or even communicate with home, which was thousands of light years away. He knew many among the the survivors would have a hard time adapting to life here as they where not colonists... so he opted to try and keep them busy and make them adapt.

The two unicorns dressed in white parkas and had on silted visors for the colder regions north of the crystal mountains. They had left from Vanhoover not that long ago with instructions from Canterlot to investigate a metor that crashed there not that long ago. One blue unicorn with a ice pick for a cutie mark spoke up, “should just be 1 more day till we get clear enough to get a better idea of where we are going Malsa.”

The other unicorn, a brown mare, with a map over a spot of white nodded as she spoke, “Thank Celestia for that Picks. It will be nice to cross over in to some snow and ice then these harsh mountains.” Both of them had prepared for this, with packs for almost everything they could need in arctic weather.

It wasn't there first trip in to the frozen north after all. They actually liked the snow and the isolation. Picks levitated a compass from his pack and looked at it then towards the ridge up a head, “If I remember right Malsa, we should be able to see at the least where we are going when we get there in a hour. Though we will still be a ways before we clear the Crystal Mountains.” The said mountain range loomed to there sides as they walked between two of the peeks in the range.

“Race you then,” Malsa shouted as she started to take of to the ridge.

“Hey no fair,” Picks took off after here, the stallion snorted a bit to himself as he thought. Of all the ponies I had to marry....

When she reached the ridge however she came to a stop and her mouth dropped open, “Picks you need to see this!”

Picks came to a trot, as he came up beside her, “What is so.... for Celestia's sake!”

There in the distance, they could make out what appears to be a small city, or large down depending on how one gauges such things. Sitting at the end trail of something that obviously crashed and dug a swath of land to that point.

As they stared at this, Malsa floated a quill, some ink, and paper to start drawing the site before her and noted it on the map they brought with them. Picks just kept staring till his ears twitched, I thought I heard...

It was then two figures rose out o the snow. They where dressed all in white, and stood on two legs like some kind of Minotaur. Anything that suggested there species was covered by there white clothing, save the black slits they had for eyes. They both points strange staffs at them. Held in a manner suggesting they should shoot something from them.

Then one of them spoke, “SoH pa' hal! bach vIH 'ej! “

The ponies didn't need a translation spell to get the idea. Pinks just nodded to the speaker, “We... um.. come in peace?”

Malsa just rolled here eyes, then put down a candle and lit it. The candle left off a purple flame, “Just trying to stay warm...” She then reared up slighlty as if startled by something and cropped the map, and drawing in to the flame, “Whoops,' she said with a slight smile, 'My mistake.”

One of them just tilted his head as the other pointed to them with it's staff like weapon, then to city in the distance they found, “vIH, vIH! “

They both turned and started to walk to the city, not sure what to do next. Pick looked a bit worried, but Malsa smiled as she knew what she did, and with luck help might arrive soon.

Author's Note

What will become of our exploring heroes?

Will the bakery have Celestia's cake order done on time?

Will Luna ever beat Celestia in smash brothers?

Who knows...

Bonus points for any geeks in this fandom that know the language I used at the end.