Space Race

Dearest Twilight,

Thank you for your series of letters informing me of your latest magical and scientific pursuits. I always enjoy hearing from you, especially when your missives are on a topic of which you clearly care very deeply about, and it pleases me that you are still learning and growing as a result of your experiences.

As a leader, it does not escape me that I may not always receive a balanced or unbiased perspective on events that transpire, especially if said events are not widely publicized. As such, I take it upon myself to take input from as many direct sources as possible, so that I may build as complete of a stance as I can. Unfortunately, there are times when a conflict, no matter how public or well known, and no matter how accurately reported, cannot be simplified to a single logical conclusion. Because of this, I have occasionally been forced into choosing a path to resolution that may not seem entirely fair to all involved. Sadly, the recent spaceflight incident you informed me of in your last message seems to have resulted in one of those instances.

I am sure you are aware of the recent international struggles Equestria has been having; in fact, they seem to be the primary motivators behind a few of your recent endeavors. Your opponents on this issue seem to have interpreted the destruction of their property as an extension of these conflicts, and are unwilling to either send or receive monetary compensation. This rigidity forces my response to be one of increased military action. A rather unfavorable repercussion of this, as I'm sure you will recognize, due to your newfound managerial experience, is that I must find a way to support these magnified expenditures. I have already made my choice as to how I will handle this budgetary stress, so, as a result of my decision, a large portion of this challenge has been passed to you. You are one of the most intelligent ponies of this generation, and I have no doubt in your ability to rise up to this adversity; however, my personal recommendation is that you refocus your current studies onto a more theoretical subject.

Warmest Regards,

Celestia