///LOCATION - NLTT-512-3A/EQUESTRIA/CANTERLOT///TIME - 08:30 LMT///DATE - 14-05-2232///

Lightning Sky was waiting outside his house, just as they had planned. They had agreed to meet at Lightning's house, as it was on Solar Streak's way to the palace. Their plan was to go to the palace, and meet with Solar's CO, or commanding officer. They would tell him about the things that Solar saw when he was using the telescope, and most importantly, the strange object.

"Hey Solar, are you ready to go?" Lightning asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be." he said with a sigh. He was not looking forward to telling his CO that he had entered a restricted area, but he was curious about telling him all about what he saw. Maybe his CO could even tell him exactly what he saw that night, so he could finally put it to rest. He was starting to get tired of constantly thinking about it. He knew he should have just forgotten about it, but he couldn't do it. Something made him feel like it was important.

"Good, let's go!" he said with joy.

Solar stopped Lightning just in time to stop him from jumping directly towards the palace: "Listen Lightning, I know I've told you all about my job as a Royal Guard, but the problem is, that you know barely anything about the inner workings of the Royal defence. You can't just march into there all you want, you need special permission."

"Then how are we going to get in there?"

Solar showed his ID-card to Lightning. "I can get in there without a problem, being in the Royal Guard and all. I'll have to see if I can take you along as a visitor. We sometimes have people who want to see their relatives who are serving in the military, and they then receive a special visitor's ID-card. You'll have to act like you're my brother or something like that if you want to come along."

"Wow, I didn't know that there were such strict rules around the palace!" Lightning said, his voice becoming slightly more serious. "Sure, I can act like I'm your brother. Can we just go now?"

"Sure, let's go."

///LOCATION - NLTT-512-3A/EQUESTRIA/PALACE ENTRANCE///TIME - 16:11 LMT///DATE - 14-05-2232///

It had taken them many hours to get Lightning Sky into the palace, which seemed more like a fortress than a royal residence. They had changed their plans on the way to the palace, after Solar Streak remembered that the guards at the entrance would be asking for identifications. If they didn't provide, there would be no entry. If they did provide, the guards would instantly know that they weren't actually brothers. Therefore, they decided to simply come clean at the gate, and hope for the best.

"Alright, everything checks out. You are allowed to be on palace-grounds for today, as long as you are wearing this ID-card in a way that is visible to anyone that passes by." The guard gave the ID-card to Lightning, who seemed somewhat taken back by the sheer amount of security that had been put in place. "Also, you must be escorted by a member of the Royal Guard at all times. If you do not abide by these rules, you will be taken into custody. Understood?"

Lightning was quick to respond: "Y-y-yeah, I got it! D-d-don't worry!"

"Don't worry Lieutenant. I told you, I'll take care of him. We'll be out of there within the hour!" Solar said in an attempt to comfort both the lower-ranked guard and Lightning Sky. "Oh, and thanks again for allowing him in. If you get into trouble, just send them to me, and I'll take the fall!"

"Sure you will, Captain."

Whilst walking towards the entrance fo the office building where his CO, Major Bladed Sword, would be waiting for them, Lightning noticed all the Guards running around with weapons everywhere around him. "I didn't know the Royal Guard was this busy. I thought you would all just be sitting around at your own spot, and just yell if enemies came?" he asked.

"Well, that's roughly what the military used to do some fifty years back. But nowadays, things have changed." Solar explained. "With electricity, a lot of new technologies were invented. For example, the rifle on my back! With things like these, each soldier can now defend themselves and others."

Lightning looked at the rifle with curiosity in his eyes. "How does it work?" he asked. "Can you show me?"

"I wish I could, but we're already at the office. I'll show you later, okay?"

"Sure, sounds good! Now, let's go!" He opened the front door, and walked into the building. After sighing once more, Solar had finally gathered enough courage to enter aswell.

They first walked towards the front-desk, where they told the receptionist that they wanted to speak to Major Bladed Sword. After checking a few papers, she told them that he was busy discussing the new regulations with General Shining Armor. Solar was about to tell the receptionist that they would be okay with waiting for him to finish, when Lightning quickly interupted him: "We have to talk to him, it's REALLY important! He HAS to know!"

"Okay then, you can enter, but only if it is indeed as important as you say it is." the receptionist replied. "He's in room 15, 2nd floor. I'll let him know you're coming."

"Thank you..." Solar was not looking forward to confessing. He had entered a restricted area after all. He tried not to think about it too much, and together with Lightning, they walked trough the hallway. Halfway down that hallway, they found the staircase, and the walked to the next floor, where most of the offices for the higher-ranking ponies were located. They continued walking to the end of the hallway, and found room 15. The could overhear a conversation, but Lightning didn't hestitate, and knocked on the door.

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

They could hear the sudden stop in the conversation as soon as they knocked, followed by someone telling them to enter from the inside of the room. They opened the door, Solar entering the room first, and quickly followed by Lightning, who suddenly seemed a lot less comfortable now that he was in the vicinity of 2 of the kingdom's highest ranking ponies.

"So, how can we help you gentlecolts?" the pegasus Major asked, wondering why they were there. "We are actually a bit busy here, as you might have seen." He pointed at the table covered with papers, all of them with defensive plans.

Solar gulped, and then responded: "Sir, I actually have something that might be of vital importance to the war. Last night, while I was on break, I went into the Royal Astronomy Wing, and I used the telescope there to watch the stars."

He was interupted by the General: "You do know that the only ponies allowed in the Astronomy Wing are scientists, right?"

"I know, but there was nobody there, and I did my best to touch as few things as possible. Anyway, whilst I was watching the stars, I suddenly saw a bright flash. It reminded me of a lightning strike, with how bright it was. When I was finally able to see again, I saw a dark thundercloud out in space, and when it dissapeared, a black object with a red light was left there."

Bladed Sword was interrested by this: "What did the object look like?" he asked. "Was it something the changelings built?"

"I don't know, I couldn't really see any details. It was quite small, and REALY far away! Later that night though, when I looked again, it started glowing, and then it dissapeared again. We thought you should be informed about this, eventhough I know that what I did was in violation of the rules. I'm sorry sir."

"It's fine, though you should know that what you did is illegal. Then again, whatever you have found, it would justify what you did. Now we must figure out what it was. Do you, by any chance, have an idea?"

"Sorry sir, I'm afraid I don't." Solar replied.

"Well then, I guess we should try to find an explanation. Thank you for sharing this information with us. You are dismissed for the day, but remember: You are not allowed to enter the Royal Astronomy Wing, or any other restricted area. You will not be proscecuted this time, but next time, I won't be so mild!" Major Bladed Sword said, with a stern voice. "Now, if you gentlecolts could please leave the two of us to handle the rest, that would be great."

"Ofcourse sir, we will be on our way!" Solar left the room, taking Lightning with him, who was quite impressed by the strong voice of the Major and General. They started to walk back to the stairs, when all the windows suddenly shattered, throwing glass everywhere, and shaking the building in the process. They could hear an incredibly load roar, louder than anything they've ever heard.

Whilst the roaring sound was lowering in volume, and the shaking had stopped, Solar instinctively ran back to the room to check if everyone was okay. "IS EVERYONE ALRIGHT IN HERE?!" he shouted, afraid of what it could have been. Perhaps it was a changeling-attack? No, they couldn't make bombs of that size, and they would have been spotted, even if they had disguised themselves. Solar was anxiously looking around the room, but luckily, when the dust cleared, he saw both the General and the Major standing, coughing, and whiping the dust of their faces.

"By Celestia's beard, what the tartarus was that?!" the Major shouted, somewhat dazed by the blast. They looked out the window, and saw a long trail of fire, striking from the heavens. They had no idea what it was, but Solar was quick to notice that the trail was lead by that same object that he had seen with the telescope.

"THAT'S THAT THING I SAW!" he yelled, desperatly trying to make himself heard over the sound of what can only be described as a rocket being launched just meters away from him.

"STOP SHOUTING!" the General yelled.

"Sorry sir, must've been the shock!" Solar replied. "But as I was saying, I'm pretty sure that was the same thing that I saw with the telescope."

"Well, what do you suppose we do then?"

Looking at the horizon, they noticed that the object had probably reached the ground. The sound had stopped, and so ha dthe shaking.

"Well, I'd suggest we go out and find it."

Author's Note

Names, locations, ships, technologies and events are inspired by various sources, including: Games - Elite: Dangerous, Star Citizen | TV - MLP:FiM, The Expanse | Companies/Organizations - NASA/JPL (Alcubierre Drive)

If you want your character to be featured as a human soldier, pilot, politician or civilian, or a pony civilian, politician or royal guard, please send me a message with the character's name, looks, characteristics, and role if you have any preference. All featured characters will be credited.

Featured Characters:
Lightning Sky - Oskar