0b00000001 .code Start PROC

Nothing that it had ever passed by in the countless millennia that it had journeyed paid the silvery, metallic sphere much heed.  Even when its travels had taken it close to star systems with planets that would otherwise appear to be supportive of life, its passage went unnoticed as it sped across the endless void of space and time. Like some kind of confused paperboy stuck on an infinite route, it happened to carry some kind of payload - but nothing that anything sentient had ever found out about, with that same payload remaining firmly closed, shuttered and in this case unbooted within its metaphorical carry basket.

There was no outward hint on the sphere itself as to what it might contain.  Perhaps some creature had at some point noted its passing, but been unaware of the significance of what they had stumbled on.  Maybe something, somewhere and at some time or other had detected its otherworldly (relatively speaking) presence soaring through the cosmos, but perhaps put it down to any of a number of unexplained phenomena.

Certainly nothing beyond the laws of physics had ever stepped in to interfere with its progress.  At speeds too insane to comprehend, it made its way across successions of solar systems and aside from minor alterations of course caused by gravity wells, it paid no attention to anything.

The spherical object bore no maker's mark, no mysterious hieroglyphs, no pictures of naked beings to give any hint as to its point of origin.  It certainly didn't carry any picture discs or samples of sounds from another civilization.  The only clue as to its identify that it really offered anyone was the vector of its approach - and as that vector theoretically extended an infinite distance across the universe, its birthplace could lie anywhere along that corridor.

As with any instance where the length of time isn't a pressing issue nor is the distance traveled of any concern to the driver, the spheroid eventually happened upon a particularly strange solar system, in what was otherwise just another pin prick in the middle of an unfathomably deep mountain of pin pricks.  It traversed the outer reaches of the solar winds and commenced its encroach upon the center of the star's system.  It passed a few gas giants - nothing that it had not passed before.  It passed closely enough to one inner rocky world for its path to be somewhat bent, sending it hurtling - as fortune and Newton would have it - towards a lone planet apparently bearing everything needed to sustain organic lifeforms.

The metal object seemed to ignore the single, rocky moon that orbited the planet itself.  After trekking through a near perfect void for so long, it suddenly felt the hot fingers of an atmosphere once more touching its outer shell.  The outer covering, constructed of some manner of incredibly resilient crystalline material, bore the abrasive work of the planet's best efforts to resist its motion quite well.  The gravity of the planet having thus embraced the lone traveler, it began to pull it towards the ground.  For its part, the sphere offered no resistance at all to this downward spiral.  Mindlessly it fell, its only task being to follow the parabola it had been drawn into until its velocity fell below the speed at which sound could reasonably pass through the planet's atmosphere.

The creators had not thought to install brakes, parachutes, springs or balloons of any kind.  As exploration happened to be its original purpose, what it landed on and how it did so didn't matter to the designers it seemed.

The unannounced stranger hurtled through the air, startling onlookers below with its fiery tail.  Having at last expended the momentum that it had so carefully saved over so many thousands of years, it met at last with something solid.

Whilst it had indeed lost a good deal of momentum, it was not going to give up the last of those physical savings easily.  Striking the ground with an enormous explosion of rock, soil and burning trees, it crashed towards what would to be its ultimate and strange destiny, like some kind of enormous bowling ball.

It continued its cannon ball roll, smashing the flora in its path, as it rolled on towards a rather dense, unkempt forest, inhabited by various strange animals.

It was a forest that other nearby inhabitants knew better as the 'Everfree Forest'.

The distant roar of its encroach startled the Forest dwellers, who noted the flying trees and dirt that heralded the probes arrival, and they made their best efforts to give it space.

Finally, with the last of its momentum surrendering to inertia, it rolled to a steamy halt - silent, but for the screeches and startled calls of the lifeforms that continued to flee from it.

Some manner of internal mechanism had detected the sudden deceleration.  It began to slowly wake itself from its long sleep, commencing duties that had been preset so long ago, like an office worker suddenly brought from the pleasantries of a deep rest to the unwelcome notes of a bleating alarm clock.

KILL PROC watchdog

> WATCHDOG:  I am dead

> EXEC inertial_int 10

> MOTD:  IF YOU CAN READ THIS, WE MADE IT! - Dave.

> EXEC boot_seq_int START

> .prog start warmup

> .prog start corecheck

> .prog end corecheck rep: all cores pass

> .prog start low_power

> .prog end low_power rep: aux power on for boot, main bus ready

> .prog start primode_brain -v -t --check="neuro_net, structural, algos, sensors, weapons, comms"

> PRIMODE:  Checking neuronet status ... online, JASON kernal bootable, okay.

> PRIMODE:  Verifying structural integrity ... servos okay.

> PRIMODE:  Verifying learning algos ... adaptive, okay.  unsupervised, okay.  transduction, okay. clustering, distributive, inductive, reasoning okay.

> PRIMODE: Verifying sensors:  visible light, UV, IR, audible, ultrasonic, subsonic, passive, active radar/sonar online.

> PRIMODE:  Weapons:  On board energy weapons available, integrity check, unarmed at this time (default)

> PRIMODE:  Comms active, calling home.

> .prog end primode check

> .prog start main_power

> .prog end main_power main bus up, main reactor online, stable

> .prog comms rep: Cannot find home.  Looking .... Looking ....

> .bootstrap JASON init exploratory_mode no_hurt big_smile

The steaming metal ball slowly began to crack open, looking for all the world like some manner of odd birthday cake decoration or strange Faberge egg.  Opening from its apex, it slowly split into several segments that spread outward, opening to finally reveal its cargo.

It revealed what happened to be its only cargo.

A humanoid robot, still crouched and otherwise as motionless as it had been since it had been sent on its journey.

Slowly, as its joints almost appeared to be unused to moving, it rose to a stance, opening it's incredibly life-like blue eyes.  It had been built to replicate a humanoid male in almost every sense.  It was engineered to appear life-like, and as such it appeared to have the same anatomy.  It was devoid of hair though and its fingernails and toenails were constructed of plastics instead of keratin.  Its skin was a synthetic material - smooth, with the areas in which one would expect to find the muscles of the limbs and torso accentuated.  The nose, mouth, eyes and ears all formed the related functions expected for a humanoid.  The frame was designed to be as life-like as possible without entering the 'uncanny valley', from the basic appearance of the face, through it's anatomy - including genitalia.

This was an android - it was humanoid in form, but not so far as to appear frightening.

The android offered no sign of surprise, having risen from its container.  It didn't speak, nor did it display the least concern regarding the chaos and destruction that lay in the wake of its arrival.

It turned with what appeared to be great purpose, scanning the immediate surroundings intently.

> JASON primode kernal ACTIVE - version 5.7.22, neuronet processor

> JASON I am alive - woof.

> .prog comms rep:  High gain and low gain, no response.  Looking ... Looking ...

The android didn't appear to be perturbed by the frightened calls from the animals in the nearby trees.  It took several solid, determined steps away from the shell that had brought it here after so long, and made a further analysis.  Various on board science modules began to kick in.

> .prog comms rep:  High gain and low gain, no response.  Looking ... Looking ...

> .prog start atmospheric_test

> .prog comms rep:  Bugger it, nothing there.  Switching to passive, high gain and low gain.

> .prog atmospheric_test

Nitrogen 0.780,

Oxygen 0.210,

Argon 0.009,

CO and Trace gases 0.001.  

Pressure:  101.325 kPa.

Temp 303.150 K.

> .prog comms rep:  Still nothing.  Handing over to WATCHDOG.

> .prog end comms

> .prog start WATCHDOG -p comms

> .prog end atmospheric_test

This particular android was equipped with what its designers had referred to as a 'primode' brain.  It consisted of several intertwined neuro networks, that bound together to imitate an organic brain, running a learn-to-learn kernal which they had code-named 'Jason' - the name of a pet dog that one of the chief scientists had owned.  In developing this neuronetwork machine, they had imbued it with the ability to learn - through traditional reasoning and logic - induction and so on.  It was also designed to teach itself to learn, to 'learn to learn'.  Prior to being sent on its path here, it had been given at least a modicum of knowledge and a basic understanding of how to interact with other species.

It was this process of learning that lead it to a nearby tree - one of the few in the immediate area that had not sustained catastrophic damage.  It reached out a hand and gently brushed the surface.

'Rough texture.  Appears to be carbon based, cellulose.  Dead cells.  No reaction to palpation,' it thought to itself.  It should at least attempt a greeting, even given that a response from this life form covered in dead cells appeared unlikely.  "Hello," the android said suddenly, yet politely.  "Greetings, can you respond to me?" Again, the object offered no response.  'Object alive, but not sentient' the android noted, keeping a recollection of this tall thing it had found for future use.  As there seemed to be so many of these half dead organic lifeforms across the horizon, it would seem important to know more about them.

It could not determine the time or date relative to its point of origin, nor was it aware of its current location.  It continued to observe the greenery near the landing site, whilst quietly listening for radio signals typical of land based transmitters, or orbiting satellites.  It had attempted radio communication with known receivers, but had been met with silence.  In seeking out sentient life, it began passively listening for any electromagnetic traffic that might prove interesting or useful.

> WATCHDOG .prog comms executing

> .prog comms rep:  passive band scan

> .prog comms rep:  LF, MF, HF, VHF, UHF, EHF, THF

> .prog comms rep:  all bands static, nil for analogue or digital communications, no patterns or repeaters noted.

> WATCHDOG .prog comms SLEEP

It seemed that at least as far as radio technology went, the android was on its own.  Its primode brain, already engineered towards autonomous activity, began to slowly adjust, forming new electronic synapses.  Now it was on its own, it had a job to do - and that job was to learn.

It had already gained a basic understanding of its surroundings, and attempted to package this data for transmission - but being unaware of which direction to send, with the stars not matching any known map that it had, this would have to wait.

> PRIMODE: autonomous_mode -learn -explore -no_harm

> WATCHDOG .prog comms PASSIVE

It was time to begin searching this place, for lifeforms that could communicate.  To find anything at all that was sentient.

To determine if they were a threat.

The day had progressed more or less as most days did in Ponyville.  The inhabitants went about their regular business, the running of the council went smoothly, apples were harvested and Pinkie Pie continued her violation of the laws of physics - her particular prowess, apart from parties.  Rarity and Fluttershy were enjoying their weekly outing to the spa.  Twilight and Spike were surrounded by books, naturally enough.

"Twilight, don't you think we should, you know, go out and do something different today?" Spike asked.

"Spike, I've got so much study to catch up on!  What else could we possibly be doing?" responded Twilight, flipping through a manuscript that told of the finer points of quintics and obscure mathematics.

"We could be doing ... I don't know, anything!  Just a walk!  Outside!  You now, somewhere that doesn't have any books for once."

"Ugh.  I guess i could use some fresh air."

"Yes, and sunlight!  You do remember what the sun looks like, don't you?" he asked, sarcastically.

The two of them exited the front of Twilight's house, shut the door and proceeded towards the town center.  With no particular purpose in mind, the conversation naturally turned to their trip being a waste of time.

"Okay, Spike, so we're outside.  Is there anywhere particular you think we should go?"

"How about Rarity's Boutique?"

"Well, this is the day that she's usually at the spa with Fluttershy."

"Okay, maybe we can drop by and see Pinkie?  That always ends up being entertaining!"

Twilight managed a smile finally.  "Well, yes, she's usually up something that's - ... " She stopped mid sentence, noticing a peculiar bright spark suddenly appearing, far across the sky, near the horizon.  "Spike, do you see that?  The glowing spark there, over the horizon - look over towards the Everfree Forest! ... Do you see it now?"

"Hey, yeah!  It's ... getting brighter," he observed.

The intensity of the object in the sky grew, until it had the attention of most of the residents in the town.  It made no sound, for the wave at this stage was still following behind - whatever it was, it was traveling well beyond the speed of sound.

"I've got a really bad feeling about this, Spike," stuttered Twilight.

"Yeah, well you're not alone, there!  What is that thing?" he quizzed.

The object's brightness grew in intensity as it appeared to come closer, from the far distant horizon.  It's rate of descent seemed to slow enough for the object to stop glowing so much, but it still left a strange, streaming tail in its wake.

"Oh my goodness, Spike, that has to be a meteor of some kind!  But it's big!!  I've never seen one get so close to the ground before!" exclaimed Twilight, half delighted and half terrified.

In the far distance, the object made contact with the ground - dirt, trees and rocks began flying from its point of impact.

"Spike, this one is going to be really close to - ..."

The shock wave hit the town.  An enormous, ear-cracking roar split the air, as any pony not physically held down somehow was thrown backwards from the direction of the forest.  Any timber that was loose on the rooftops blew away like confetti - doors slammed, windows shattered, dirt and dust befouled the air.

Spike and Fluttershy found themselves hurled backwards, all the way to the door of Twilight's house.  They thudded against the walls and momentarily clung to the tree in desperation.  This didn't appear to be necessary, since the blast had now passed the town and the wind and noise had once more settled.

The town square looked as if some giant angry child had been playing pick up sticks.  Parts of houses, bits of doors, loose furniture, groups of confused ponies wandered the area trying to understand what had happened.

Spike, still clinging onto the walls of Twilight's house, stared at her, while he trembled nervously.  Twilight wasn't fairing any better.  She had studied meteors and such before and observed their entry into the atmosphere.  This had often been a rather beautiful phenomenon, bright sparks and pretty colored tails formed by the compounds that made up the rocks as they burnt up.  She had always thought the sight to be wondrous.

Until now, it seemed.

She had never imagined one landing so close to Ponyville and couldn't have foreseen the damage that it had caused.  Whilst the damage to the town seemed to be largely superficial, it had resulted in several ponies being injured - either by flying debris or by the blast itself.

Twilight managed to reason her way out of her moment of panic.  Clearly this had been the blast from the meteor entering the atmosphere and crashing through to the ground.  So, at this moment, it was obviously no longer moving.  It would be sitting there - probably burning away in a crater just inside the Everfree Forest.  The point of impact was certainly easy to note, as a tall tail of smoke slowly rose from the point at which the object had stopped.

Her scientific instincts began to kick in.  "Spike!  We have to see the point where this meteor has landed and report on our findings to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna  ... as soon as possible!" she said, finding herself still shaking and gripping the side of her house.

"Twilight ... do you really thing that's a good idea? ... Given what it ... "

"Spike, it's not moving anymore, it's hit the ground and come to a stop - it's not going to hurt anypony!  It's just ... well, a chunk of rock, or metal!  We need to go and investigate!"

"You mean ... we can let go of your house, now?"

"Yes, Spike.  I'm certain that was just the shock - the blast of the meteor as it went through the air and struck the ground."

Spike slowly removed his claws from Twilight's exterior wall.  "I dunno, Twilight, I still really think that this is a bad idea!" he exclaimed.

"Spike, we are going to see what's landed there.  Trust me, it's just a chunk of rock or metal.  Let's go!"

A pile of broken roof planks exploded, exposing a startlingly bright eyed pony.  Pinkie Pie had somehow been blown into this part of the street and had been temporarily buried by housing debris.  Unfazed, she had lept clear of the pile as soon as the noise had died down.  "I knew it!" she squealed angrily.  "My Pinkie sense told me this would happen!  My tail was twitchin' twitchin' twitchin', more twinchin' that ever before!"

Twilight, having come to terms with the mysterious Pinkie sense, stopped to observe her friend.  "Wow, Pinkie, you made it through there with hardly a scratch!  When did ... your tail start to ... twitch?"

"Right when I saw that bright light in the sky!  Wasn't it beautiful?!?  So many different colors, and so bright and ... well, in the sky!  I knew something was coming, though.  Twitchin' twitchin' ... "

"Yes, I get the idea, Pinkie.  Do you want to come with us?  Spike and I are going to investigate this meteor and see if we can find out what it's made of and how big it is.  It's rare to really see one like this - I suspect there must be quite a bit of still there."

"Oh oh, I'll come!  I'll come!  I'll have my Pinkie senses tuned up and ready just in case," she exclaimed, sidling up to Twilight and Spike as they made they towards the edge of the Everfree Forest.

Towards that tall, tell-tale smoke rising from where the meteor had come to rest.