Out of the Old, Into the New

by SentientHydra

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, Human, Main 6, Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Spike, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Adventure
Length: 71020

Follow the spaceship 'New Dawn' as its crew explores a new universe.

The year is 2154, Humanity is on the cusp of interstellar travel, with the earth united under a single banner. Then an anomaly is detected, 0.75 light years from the sun a Wormhole has formed, large enough to swallow a planet and stable enough to stay open for years at a time, in a rush of scientific progress a vessel is built and crewed with the cream of humanity, the best astronauts from around the solar system.
Then it sets out across the stars, a physics defying engine driving the ship towards this gateway to places and times unknown.

A universe away, a purple coated unicorn trains her telescopes to the night sky, and notices a strange object in the sky. A hole in the endless dark between stars, through which another dimension can be seen.

Published 2012-07-28 19:04:02 UTC
Last updated 2013-02-01 00:50:53 UTC

Prologue: In the Void Between Stars *Re-Write*

Prologue: In the Void Between Stars *Re-Write*

Crew Member #1049 - Audio Log 81
Mark CXIV Exploration vessel New Dawn
July 1st, 2159

-log begins-

Hello log, this is Chief Medical Officer Susan McConnell aboard the New Dawn, though of course you already know that. As of 3 minutes ago, it has officially been 1 year and 6 months since the Dawn left the dockyards around Mars! Now that might not sound like a significant number, but it will when you remember that it means we're only 2 weeks of travel away from the anomaly this ship set out to explore! I can't wait to get there, not only because the captain promised to break out the champagne; but also that would mean we can finally get the Athena set up, turn this tub around and head home! See you all soon.
-log ends-
*Transmitted on frequency 2.02333345. Estimated pick-up - 0.74 solar years*

* 0.75 light years from the Sun *

The vacuum of Deep Space is almost completely empty, formless and dark in a way that a thing defined by its non-existence can be, barren but for the lights that flicker and gleam so very far away, telling of distant worlds and stellar reaches untouched by mortal eyes. But were eyes watching this stretch of space for this moment in endless march of time, they might see one of those flickering lights glow bright, the luminescence building to a painful burn that stuck on the retinas before fading again, the golden light's-source flashing past in a soundless roar of disturbed celestial dust.

The mind's eye might turn to follow this bubble as it flew through the inky void, stars streaking with speed as they went by.

The 'New Dawn' floated neutral inside the golden bubble of exotic matter, silver surfaces gleaming with reflected light all along the length of the 5.5 kilometre hull; a long angular nose-cone comprised the five decks of the command bridge, going from the captain's suite at the very tip, down to the sensors and communication hub at base. from there the ship deepened and widened into the barracks, 20 decks encased in titanium-alloy plating, designed to house every one of the ship's 3,500 crew, at the back the belly of the ship bulged still wider to accommodate the canteen, AI core and security hub. All followed by the medical, scientific and engineering centres.

Along the very back rode the fusion reactors that powered the ship, along with their fuel-tanks.

For the last two kilometres of hull the vessel shrank down into a long cylinder only 50 metres across, with thick docking spokes coming off and connecting with the six vast cargo modules, accompanying bulk lifter shuttles and the two scouting ships.

At the very end of the ship were arguably the two most important part of the whole expedition, the first being the 'Super-nova' engines, a prototype set of space warping engines that brought the 'New Dawn' up to .5 of light-speed, spewing out a bubble of hyper-agitated plasma and converting it into a shell of exotic matter, allowing the vessel to break several laws of physics as it ripped through the nothingness of space's vacuum.

The second set of equipment resembled little more than a folded silver umbrella, tightly held against the long tube at the back.

Up on the bridge of the ship, old eyes gazed out at the rippling surface of the bubble, watching the tiny ripples zip over the surface as the exotic matter fought valiantly against the laws of the universe that attempted to tear it asunder, with a sniff of pride the old man turned away from the window, tapping out a report on his personal computer

'Observation Log No#567: Visual inspection of Exotic Matter Field, no visible fluctuation.'

Sending the report down to be stored in the black box Captain C. T. Morgan stood up from his reclining chair and tapped another button; closing the panoramic window's shutters and sealing the room against any harmful radiation that came off the high energy field outside, a low enough risk that it was nearly negligible - but at 69 & a half years old you could never be too careful.

Coming around the side of his real-wood desk the Captain opened up the personal intercom and opened a line to the sensor deck to get a full spectrum confirmation of the engine's continued function, holding back the smile in his voice as jubilant tones infected the voices of everyone on that deck, without exception nearly all personnel on the ship were excited to finally pass the 18 month mark, they could practically smell the champagne. Sending off the full-spectrum report with a smile as another day passed without incident, the captain decided to act on that celebratory air; he tapped the intercom again and opened up every channel save the emergency line.

"Hello crew, this is your captain speaking. The last few weeks have been a trying time, what with fusion reactor 3 going critical, a few breaks in the field that let that micrometeorite swarm in and the hull breaches that followed.”

Morgan paused to allow the sombre line to sink in before switching to a happier note.

“But as you are no doubt aware, less than 5 minutes ago we officially passed the 18 month milestone in our voyage, in another week our tech-boys expect the anomaly to come into visual range, then we'll drop out of the bubble and go the rest of the way on our standard drives. Only 90 billion miles to go until the champagne is out people, make me proud and keep this thing going that much longer"

Morgan had to turn down the volume on the intercom as the ship filled with cheers and shouts of exultation. Moving silently across the room and sinking into his cushy chair the old veteran snickered to himself as reports came in from security teams, confiscating a few contraband alcoholic drinks and low-level narcotics... nothing worth disciplining on this happy occasion.

* A universe away from The Sun *

"Spike, take a note. There's something in the sky I want to ask Princess Luna about"
Twilight called out the side of her mouth, her gaze glued to the eye-piece of her telescope. Moments later the light patter of feet on the stairs behind her signalled the arrival of her assistant with quill and notepad in claw and an ink-pot held between his teeth, the portly little guy was a little out of breath from the run but he sounded happy, if a bit muffled, as he tried to speak round the ink-pot.

"You might want to put the ink down first" Twilight commented, failing to hold back a giggle as her assistant continued trying to talk.

Once the ink-pot had been placed carefully on a nearby side-table Spike tried again "I said, 'Sure thing Twi, What are you asking Luna about?" He got ready to write, flicking Twilight with ink to stop her giggling.

She shrieked in protest and flailed her hooves at him as the black droplets splattered her from top to tail. "I'll stop, I'll stop!"

Spike stopped flicking with a smirk on his face and held the quill as it was meant to be used, Twilight stuck her - now splotchy- tongue out at him and spat out a little wayward ink into a plant-pot, turning back to the telescope she dictated.

"Right then, get this down if you have any ink left. Dear Princess Luna,

I'm writing today to ask about a strange phenomena I spotted in the night sky. I'm sure it's nothing, but I can't help but be curious. What exactly is the object at NCP 050, 200? It looks like a spatial distortion, or a... Spike, you need to note this down." Twilight raised an eyebrow at her assistant, who was looking back in abject confusion with the quill resting just above the page.

He queried "uh.. How d'you spell 'phenomena'?" Twilight sighed a little and spelled it out, waited for Spike to catch up writing, and began to speak again when he stopped once more with confusion again etched on his face, hesitating and
crossing something out before asking "um... 'spatial distortion?'"

Twilight face-hoofed and spelled the two words out slowly, rolling her eyes as the little dragon with the quill stuck his forked tongue out to concentrate on memorising the new vocabulary, once the difficult words were scrawled out she continued her dictation. "... or a dimensional tear perhaps"

The quill ceased scratching and the look of confusion returned. Twilight repressed a growl of frustration and asked. "What?" flatly.

Spike looked sheepish "Sorry Twi, 'Dimensional?" The purple unicorn patted the shoulder of her purple scaled friend. giving him a reassuring smile.

She felt a little guilty for making him nervous. "It's fine, you're just a baby after all. 'D-I-M-E-N-S-I-O-N-A-L'."

The dragon nodded and went back to writing, when the rest of the letter passed without incident, Spike handed the scroll over to Twilight to sign her name, seal it with wax and enchant it with a spell; he took it back with a smile and huffed flames onto the paper, watching as the sparkling smoke flew up and out the window on the way to its destination.

Luna was bored to tears and frustrated beyond reason as more and more of her time was wasted. How did her sister do this every day? How did she stop herself going mad? The nobles were arrayed against her, hooves clacking on the floor as they all vied for her attention on whatever trivial matter they decided to bring to the Night Court, with all the common petitions and truly important decisions made during the day, the night was filled with the boring minutiae that her bigger sister overlooked.

Lounging on her throne with a glazed look in her eyes Luna tried unsuccessfully to separate any one voice from the incessant babbling, she could always use the Royal Canterlot Voice or call in her
guards to force some order upon the rabble, but the nobles would be outraged and the scandal would be unbearable; still it would be nice to finally tell Celestia that she had got all the business of the court done, instead of sitting through yet another smirk as the paperwork and requests piled up on the breakfast/supper table.

But luck saved the day, just when one indignant noble forced his way to the head of the pack and began his demands, just when Luna's patience finally snapped and the goddess stood and began calling for the guards, there was a gentle 'POP' as a puff of smoke that floated inside swirled into a ball of flame, vanished with a flash and left a wax sealed scroll in its place.

All eyes in the room followed the roll of paper when it dropped onto the floor in front of a startled Luna, rolling slowly away from the throne. The foremost noble raised his perfectly trimmed eyebrow and flared his horn, picking up the scroll in a mauve magical aura and raising it up to his eyes. "To Princess Luna, From Twilight Sparkle?"

He read the scribbled text aloud, and seemed about to form a question when the scroll was suddenly enshrouded in a dark blue aura and pulled quickly away, the stallion winced at the pain in his horn as his magic was overwhelmed. But his indignant protest was cut off as Luna calmly stated "Mine Sister's pupil, Twilight Sparkle, has written me a letter! It is bound to be important, we declare Court closed until further notice"

Court forgotten and scroll clutched under a wing like a prized treasure Luna trotted out of the room without another glance towards the enraged crowd, when the now furious nobles trotted after her to raise a complaint they were promptly cut off by two of Luna's guards, flaring their wings and putting out a hoof to block his path. Before any of the nobles could begin ranting a dozen of the black-armoured, bat-winged guards emerged and herded them from the court with cold efficiency

"Night Court is closed, bring any complaints you have to Princess Celestia in the morning."

Inside her study Luna tossed her crown into its case and pulled her glimmering shoes off with a quick spark of her horn before pulling herself giddily into a chair at the desk, a letter opener shot from the drawer and flashed across the scroll to break the wax seal, in her excitement Luna simply released her magic mid-flow and let the tiny dagger bury itself up to the hilt in a nearby wall as she unrolled the letter.

She read quickly, murmuring to herself as her eyes drank in the cursive and quite elegant hoof/claw-writing, a few words scratched out and rewritten with the correct spelling.
As the Night Princess read on her eyes went from giddy excitement and inquisitive curiosity, to mild concern and befuddled confusion "at higher magnification, the anomaly appears to be nothing less than a hole in the sky?"

Luna read aloud, her mind reeling with consternation. With a flash her horn ignited and objects flew to her as she ran to the balcony, letter tucked back under her wing while her mind focused on the task at hand, aligning her telescope (A birthday gift from Celly, it was the very best optical telescope the astronomers could provide, the already magnificent spell-work reinforced with enchantments personally cast by Luna's older sister) to the North Celestial Pole and focusing on the coordinates given, she gasped in both outrage and wonder as she spotted the 'hole in the sky', a swirling whirlpool of light above Polaris; Luna cranked the magnification up to the maximum, bringing the hole into sharper focus and seeing that it was what she feared, at the very centre of the whirling rainbow lights she could see the glimmer of stars that were not her own.

The Alicorn backed away from the telescope with nothing but worry in her eyes, she bit her lip and thought carefully on her options. She hesitated only a little before deciding on the easiest, galloping out of the room without a care for shoes nor crown and her guards jumping in shock when she bulled past them, turning the corner while they gave chase she opened her mouth and shouted with the full power of the Royal Canterlot Voice behind her "TIAAA!!!"

New DawnMed-bay, CMO(Chief Medical Officer)'s Office

Soft white light glinted off the tiled carpet, gleamed off the varnished synthetic oak of the desk, glittered on the array of doctorates and certificates covering one wall and gently glistened in the bottle on the desk. Susan smiled as she rounded her desk, finger flicking out to trace the neck of the object before picking it up, she sat on the edge of her desk and re-read the label again 'Three Oaks Finest - Premium Brandy - Brewed Sept. 2099 ' before holding the clear container up to the light and examining the liquid inside, Her eyes flicking absently to track a few tiny air-bubbles rolling around the inside.

She was interrupted in her examination by a feminine voice from the door. "I wouldn't think you the type to be a booze-hound Suzy, I've never seen you drink anything stronger than an Irish Coffee"

Susan lowered the bottle a bit quickly back to the desk and smiled a little guiltily at the newcomer, a smartly dressed woman in a red jumpsuit. raven black locks growing out of one side of her head, the other half nearly bald and dusted with stubbly new growth

The slightly flustered officer answered quickly "Well the Captain was very generous with the one and a half year milestone gifts Madeleine, it would be a shame if I didn't appreciate mine." Hoping that would be the end of it.

'Madeleine' saw to that, stepping forward and sliding herself onto the desk, picking the brandy bottle back up and
tossed it from hand to hand as she spoke. "Really did go all out with the gifts didn't he? I mean this is the real deal brandy, not that synthetic crap you usually get. Did you see that suit of power armour he got the CSO*? It looks like a tank with legs."

Susan smiled at the memory, then swiftly moved to change the subject. "Now I'd like not to forget the real reason you're here Madeleine. Put the bottle down and let me get a proper look"

Madeleine sighed, setting down the bottle and sliding off the desk "Okay okay... Can you call me 'Madox'? Madeleine is a stupid name."

She didn't even close her eyes when Susan leaned in so very close to examine a pale line of discolouration on the other woman's head, a region covering half her face where the skin was much paler and newer looking, sharing none of the tan or weathered look the other side displayed. "Looks like the skin graft is doing well Madeleine, You're very lucky that you weren't closer to the reactor when it blew, if you had been that half of the face would not have been recoverable."

'Madox' winced at the memory, her skin twitching with phantom pain "They're still finding chips of shrapnel in the wall I was been leaning on"

After a reassuring glance from Suzy Madeleine let out a tiny sigh of relief. "That's awesome to hear, I wasn't looking forward to getting 'borged' if you couldn't get my face back, Chrome and wires don't suit me." She chuckled " And I'm serious Suzy... Call. Me. Madox." The smile turned into a frown and her tone took on a serious air when enunciating the last three words, but the grump never reached her eyes, which sparkled still.

Susan just tutted and gently shooed the woman from the room "Come back if you have any problems Madeleine." When the red-suited woman had been gone for a minute Susan sat at her desk and began sorting out paperwork, trawling through medical records and filling in forms to deal with the last few patients from a minor depressurisation.
The CMO couldn't help but keep glancing at the brandy, eventually leaning over and stowing the thing in a secure drawer on her desk.

*= 'Chief Security Officer' (CSO)

Canterlot Royal Observatory

Despite being rudely awoken from her slumber at an ungodly hour by the booming voice of her younger sibling, Princess Celestia still maintained a warmly enigmatic smile as she walked calmly along, there had only been time to slip her crown haphazardly atop her royal head before Luna had unceremoniously shunted her from the royal bedchamber, babbling something about holes in the sky and angry nobles.

Celestias' unshod hoofs clopped on the marble floor in a slow rhythm in contrast to the nervous tip-tap of Luna's own, still maintaining a calm tone (with a tiny tremble of irritation) the older alicorn asked a little sleepily "As much as I do love you sister, perhaps this would be made simpler if we all calmed down, and you explained exactly what made you abandon your courtly duties and rush to drag me from my bed at this hour?"

Luna danced in place with a mix of impatience and worry as her sister made her slow way down the corridor towards the observatory, at times the sedate pace at which the sun princess approached problems irritated her. "It is terrible sister, something or someone has been playing tricks with my sky"

Celestia quirked an eyebrow "Playing tricks? I have been awoken from my slumber for somepony's skyward jokes?" Though her voice betrayed nothing but calm bemusement, the goddesses' eyes gave away no small annoyance.

Pushing her sister the rest of the way Luna quickly adjusted one of the royal telescopes to the right angle and focus, near enough shoving her sister into the viewing screen in her haste. "Nay Tia, it is no jest or jape that causes my worry. See there just above Polaris, a hole hast been opened where before there was naught, in its centre thou can see stars that are not mine. I might never have noticed were it not for thine student's letter"

Celestia's eyebrow quirked again, Luna pulled the letter from under her wing and held it in front of the other alicorn for her to read. Glancing between Twilight's letter and the optical screen she ran a few quick calculations and tested a few theories in her head whilst her counterpart of the night stood watching anxiously. Finally she hummed and spoke

"Do not fret Luna... Everything is fine. This 'hole' is nothing but a dimensional tear, a wormhole. As Twilight guessed"

Luna gaped in shock "A Wormhole!? I shall indeed 'fret' sister, thou speaks naught but idiocy if I am expected to be calm when mine own sky is pierced by some monstrous worm!"

Celestia couldn't help it, she laughed then at the sheer naivety of her younger sibling, peals of humour washing away her exhausted irritation and her mask of indifference"Oh Lu-Lu, you know just how to make me laugh"

Luna's outrage only grew "Stop this! Thou shows annoyance at but the suggestion of a joke, but then laugh when I attempt to be serious?"

"It is nothing to be serious about sister, for all your endless studies and intellectual prowess, you are ignorant of a millennium's progress in the study of the sky. A 'wormhole' is but a nickname for this 'hole' you have seen, a small rip in the fabric of the universe that allows you to see to distant places and other worlds beyond our own" The giggle in her voice died away and her face resumed its mask before Celestia went back to her explanation, Luna sitting silent and fuming with indignant anger. "I am quite serious now sister, I will admit that I have never seen one grow quite so large or remain quite so stable, but a wormhole is nothing to worry about; the magic surrounding our solar system wears the dimensional barrier thin in places, so they crop up quite often. It will no doubt collapse in its own time."

Luna sat back on her haunches, lip stuck out in a tiny pout as her thunder and fury was stolen, picked apart by her sister's calm logic. Her voice quavered slightly when she protested "But if this 'Wormhole' doth pierce through to another world, could some monstrous creature not come through and wreak havoc?"

Celestia smiled gently again “Given that this one seems to open up into deep space, I would guess not. But if you are so worried sister, then I will pen a letter to the Royal Astronomers Society and ask them to watch this wormhole until it collapses, if anything comes through then we will know”

Luna brightened up then, springing onto her hooves “Huzzah! I shall fetch your quill and ink and-”

Celestia cut her off. “In the morning, I will pen the letter in the Morning. Good Night Sister”

She finished with an air of finality, turning away and teleporting away before Luna could raise a protest.
The younger alicorn simply wagged her chin soundlessly for a moment, sighed in resignation, and trotted from the room with Twilight's letter left on the floor behind her.

Perhaps she could catch up on her paperwork... Maybe apologise to the nobility before they brought the scandal to the newspapers.

Chapter 1: Prelude to Celebration *Rewrite*

Chapter 1: Prelude to Celebration *Rewrite*

Chapter 1

Crew Member #1049 - Audio Log 82
Mark CXIV Exploration vessel 'New Dawn'
July 15th, 2159

-log begins-
Hello log!

This is Chief Medical Officer Susan McConnell aboard the New Dawn, though of course you already know that... In any case, by the end of this log we will have fifty nine short minutes to go, until the bubble bursts and this crew will become the first living things in history to see a stable wormhole with the naked eye.

The Captain called all non-essential personnel up to the observation deck on the Command Bridge to watch the show, but being a chief of staff means I'm designated essential; so I'm stuck back here watching over the last few patients from the reactor accident. I don't mind, really... Madeleine promised to record the whole thing for me, and I suppose I can always go up when everyone else is back to work.
-log ends-

*30 light-minutes from the anomaly*

Susan let go of the record button with a resigned sigh, she truly didn't mind having to stay down in the depths of the ship with the sleeping patients, this was what her contract demanded of her and this was where the truest passion in any doctor's life should shine through... still, It would have been nice to see such a sight.

Standing up from her desk with a quick glance at her wall of qualifications, Susan breathed in and out slowly to calm her nerves as the seconds ticked by into minutes that drew the moment of triumph closer with every step the officer took towards the door of her office. A surprised expression crossed her face briefly as footsteps came from just outside, the surprise was quickly subsumed under matronly annoyance as her clear voice rang out “If that's you out of bed again Private Mekong I swear to all the gods that I will have the restraints brought out. You are in no condition to...”

Susan's fire and authority died alongside her voice when she flung open the door to reveal Captain Morgan, standing there with an eyebrow raised and a 'gotcha' smile on his weathered face. There was a small beat of furious thought before The medical officer Jumped to attention, her hand leaping off the door-knob as if burnt to slap against her face in a hasty salute “C-c-captain, I wasn't expecting you down here” She managed to stammer out, a guilty teenager under Morgan's steady gaze.

The old man held her there for only a moment before returning the salute and putting her at ease, speaking calmly with only the tiniest hint of amusement in his tone “I am designated as 'essential personnel' CMO McConnell, so even on momentous occasions such as today it is still within my duties to inspect the ship and crew for faults." Morgan's tone was the weathered iron of well earned command, slipping past a disarmingly gentle smile.

Susan didn't know whether to sigh in relief or shake in terror, she was only promoted months before being selected for the Dawn, what if she had made errors? This could just be a blanket inspection, but what if it wasn't? She glanced back quickly at her desk, brandy bottle still out? No. Everything in order? Good.

Morgan began “Being that all the other personnel are up in the bridge getting ready to celebrate, I thought it prudent...”

For Susan, time may have slowed down a little as Captain Morgan reached into his jacket to bring something out, her eyes were waiting for him to pull out a demotion notice, or a disciplinary form.

“...that we join them. I've already sent Henry to go and gather Li from the engine room, while Conroy sets up a snack table on the bridge with Pamela” he finished, pulling out a small bottle of champagne

Susan was so confused she couldn't think straight “Captain? I thought that all the Chiefs are supposed to remain at their stations. I still have patients down here”

But Morgan just smiled, guiding her out to walk alongside him with a few hand motions, he explained
“They'll be fine for an hour or two. Regulations only state that the Chiefs must remain 'on alert' and 'capable of duty' during events like this, the whole thing about remaining on station is just an official guideline, for the sake of appearances. That's why I came to gather you in person, rather than use the intercom.”

Susan nodded, she kept a muted smile on her face to hide the joyous fireworks beneath. “Permission to speak freely Captain”

“Granted, as always” Morgan smirked

The fireworks shone through like, well, Fireworks “Thank you Sir!” She looked about ready to hug the veteran

Morgan laughed genuinely “Nobody should miss this event McConnell. Each and every member of this crew has worked tirelessly for one & a half years to make this possible" he smiled proudly, declaring "An hour or two away from the constant work to watch the greatest scientific wonder within a hundred light-years is the very least I can do to thank them, and all of my chiefs”

Susan nodded again, her smile less muted and more open while she walked in the Captain's wake towards the elevators. A thought occurred to her just as the door closed "What about the researchers from the science centre?"

Morgan smirked again, just a teeny-weeny bit " Scientists are people too CMO, they're all at the staff party on observation deck. Dr. Bent However, is on sensor deck calibrating the equipment for the umpty-millionth time." He rolled his eyes.

50 minutes to go...

*A universe and a bit away*

The weeks since Twilight's little discovery had passed practically without incident; aside from a Pinkie-Pie Party and a small identity crisis for Spike, -who spent all of 3 days in constant angst over the fact that he didn't have wings- Plus Applejack's barn being painted bright green overnight, but that wasn't an incident so far as it was inexplicably weird.

In all the boredom and relative monotony of Ponyville that morning it was hardly surprising that Twilight was excited to receive a letter during breakfast, addressed to one 'Ms T. Sparkle – Ponyville Library'. It was mildly annoying that the cross-eyed mail-mare decided the best place to drop this piece of post was directly through a window and into Spike's bowl of gems, with only a quick horn and a well practised shield spell saved the piece of paper from being torched by the baby dragon's surprised flames; but Mail-Mare Doo had already long since vanished by the time Twilight turned her baleful glare towards the window, so the purple unicorn simply sighed in resignation before turning to the letter at hand.

The envelope flipped open and let out a short, official looking sheet of paper, Twilight's eyes flickered from left to right while she silently absorbed the information, but she read it out loud for the benefit of Spike (Who wasn't actually listening, too engrossed in eating his gems undisturbed).

“Dear Ms Sparkle, Holder of the Element of magic, Student of celestia, yadda-yadda-yadda... It has come to our attention that you have discovered a large wormhole, -The largest thus far on record- that has for some reason eluded our own optics. In light of this fine discovery, we have decided to accept your application to our society, on grounds of 'Serious contribution to Astronomical Science'! Hoping to hear back from you soon, Kind regards – Starry Skies, Head of the Royal Astronomy & Telescopic Society!” The letter ended with a high pitched 'Squee' from Twilight, and Spike's meal was once again interrupted when a purple magical aura seized him and started spinning him around the room in tandem with his skipping sister.

Who began singing happily “I'm a Royal Astronomer, I'm a Royal Astronomer!” Over and over again, until her captured reptile made his on the fourth pass of the room, whereon he reached out his claw to flick her horn and disrupt her magic, dropping to the floor with a thump, and shakily stumbling over to the bin

“I think I'm gonna hurl!" he managed to blurt, before shoving his head into the bin and making some ghastly wretching noises.

Twilight smiled a little sheepishly at that, still rubbing her horn where it was sore from his flick “Sorry Spike. I'm just excited, I've been applying to the Royal Astronomy Society for weeks now, the wormhole we spotted for Princess Luna must have tipped them in my favour!”

Spike raised a scaly eyebrow and tilted his head to look at her “Applying, you? Couldn't you just ask one of the Princesses to let you in.."

His sister just shook her head with a determined smile “Nuh-uh, this time I wanted to do it the hard way, earn it on my own merits. So I didn't mention anything about knowing either princess in my application.” She looked at the long list of titles on her letter "Though they found out anyway, it seems."

Spike nodded thoughtfully, standing up fully and heading back to the table, plopping himself back down he returned to his gems, asking around a mouthful “So are you going to tell the others now, or make it a surprise?”

Twilight went to answer as she trotted to the sink with her plate, but leapt back and dropped the crockery with a shriek of shock as a pink mass erupted from the sink in a fountain of soapy water

“Did somepony say SURPRISE!!!”

30 minutes to go...

Chapter 2: Worlds Intersect *Re-Write*

Chapter 2: Worlds Intersect *Re-Write*

'New Dawn' Command Bridge, Captain's Suite Elevator.

Susan was both nervous and jubilant on the way to the suite. If her enigmatic Captain read the turmoil roiling beneath the CMO's face, he said and indicated nothing while they stood in the short ride up to the Bridge, letting the short ride pass by in silence.

Then the door opened and the grizzled old man stepped away into the suite beyond, where The ancient desk was covered by table-cloth, loaded down with canapés, finger-food and a few generously poured glasses of (Non-Alcoholic) wine. but when she stepped from the elevator with a smile on her face Susan's view was suddenly obscured, and she gasped for air as thick, pillow-like arms swept her up into a rib-crushing bear hug.

“Suzy! I haven't seen you in weeks.” Her large-framed captor sternly admonished the other Officer with a mock frown before letting a red faced Susan down to the floor, smirking just a little as 'Suzy' drew in a gulp of sweet oxygen and wheezed before answering.

“Sorry about that Andy, I've been busy” Susan apologised quietly, rubbing the back of her head and scuffing a shoe on the carpet, her embarrassed blush not helped by the Captain standing just behind Andrea, laughing silently while he loaded up a small plate of snacks.

Conroy was visibly not amused with the half-hearted apology, but she lost the frown after an eye-roll more and smiled broadly, stepping back to let her friend into the room proper. “Don't make me laugh Susan, you ain't that busy, you're just scared to leave your team alone for five minutes, "A pointed glance was made at the very prominent Comms on her collar, "or let that damn paperwork alone for an hour.” Another was thrown at Some 'damn paperwork', tightly folded in a breast pocket.

The Medical officer defended herself vehemently, “The paperwork's important Andy, and I need to supervise my team to make sure there's no mistakes. That reactor incident really caught us by surprise” Susan stepped with her friend, swiping a synth-cheese roll and nibbling silently

The big bodied chef just shook her head a little sadly, but perked up when she spotted the time, and heard the music begin

25 minutes to go...

A universe away

After helping Twilight resuscitate Spike from his shock induced faint, Pinkie Pie put together a party in record time, nopony questioned why or even how there was a fully loaded party cannon under the sink, you couldn't get a straight answer from Pinkie when she was busy firing streamers around to decorate the library, calling Rainbow Dash in to gather up all the others and ordering in 'emergency party snack supplies' from Sugarcube corner.

In under fifteen minutes, all of the mane 6 had been gathered in varying states of morning drowsiness to attend the sudden party. From her seat on a the thick rug Fluttershy, who had been wide awake with her animals, quirked her head and asked, “So.. What is the occasion Twilight? Not that I mind of course, but Rainbow didn't explain much on the way”

Twilight sat back onto a chair and smiled a little proudly, “Oh nothing much really, I just got accepted into the Royal Astronomy Society" she looked ready to explode again with glee, "after I discovered a wormhole”

An appreciative round of applause went around the room, each of the girls accepting a glass of punch from Spike and raising them in a small toast, led by Rainbow Dash, “To the egghead, watching giant worms in space.” A -slightly confused- cheer began, but was undermined by an explosive fit of giggling from Twilight.

The eggheaded mare wilted a little under her friend's confused looks, rallying quickly and turning to Rainbow Dash, “I'm really sorry girls, but giant worms in space?” She covered her mouth to hold a 'snerk' back, "What?"

The cyan speedster made an 'o' face of understanding quickly went to explain her train of thought, “Well I was just thinking, astronomy is just nerd-talk for 'staring at stars and stuff' right?”
Twilight grudgingly assented while Rainbow spoke on, eyes on the ceiling, hoof waving in vague gestures, “and to get a wormhole, you need a worm..”

With his librarian sister busy facehoofing, Spike raised a claw, holding his giggles back, just barely, “but what about giant? Worms are tiny."

Rainbow nodded, but countered smugly “ordinary worms are, but the higher up you go, the smaller things look right? And space is the highest up you can go, even I can't go up that far. So if you wanted to see something in space from the ground,even with a telescope, it'd need to be huge.” She ended it with a hint of smugness in her tone, confident that she had, for once, outsmarted her librarian friend.

All the other girls nodded between themselves -the line of logic did make sense- but Twilight sighed with a smile and stood, nodding at the hovering pegasus to concede the point. “I can kinda see where you're coming from Rainbow, but you're off, just a bit. The Wormhole is big. Big enough to swallow our entire planet, without touching the sides"

There was a certain glazed look to the eyes of everyone as they tried to comprehend something of that scale, until at last Fluttershy broke the tension with a quavering “Oh my”

Twilight nodded “'Oh my' indeed... Luckily for us this particular wormhole formed far away, outside the orbit of Mares and just inside the asteroid belt”Twilight explained, making her way to the centre of the room for some more punch. "But 'Worm? No, 'Wormhole' is just a term used to describe it. There are no Worms of any kind involved."

Rarity nodded as if in understanding, but then asked tentatively “Lovely as that is darling, if this 'wormhole' was not made by a worm. What exactly is it formed by?”

From the look on her face, Rarity might just have made Twilight's day for the second time. With a click of her hooves and a flare of her horn a chalkboard was suddenly summoned, a piece of chalk already held in a telekinetic grip by the grinning unicorn “well it's a relatively simple concept, so I think the short explanation should suffice.”

Rarity was already regretting her query by the nervous smile on her face, that did very little to shield her from a few glares directed at her by the rest of the room, who settled themselves in for what was sure to be a 'fun and interesting' lecture.

Spike in particular stood up and left the room, face-palming and muttering “I thought I burned that chalkboard...” darkly on his way out.

15 minutes...

It was smiles all round in the captain's suite, Belle Pamela had long since arrived, set up some music equipment and put some archaic dance tunes on, even in her twilight years -she was the oldest member of the crew, at well over 100- the Chief of Recreation was still a bubbling pot of joyous energy, her cybernetic implants keeping her jigging and jamming with the best of them.

Susan had joined the dance nervously at first, but soon loosened up when the silver and neon-green haired old woman smiled that infectious smile, glowing lines of cyber-tattoos shifting and flickering under slightly wrinkled, tan skin.

The captain mockingly glowered at his oldest friend when she tried to get him to dance “And you were always an out of control party animal, I've still got aches from our last shore leave together."

Pamela snorted "The one where you stayed on the ship the whole time? Or the time you confiscated my drink?"

The banter and playful insults went back and forth between the two for a while, each telling an increasingly red-faced Susan embarrassing anecdotes and lewd stories about the other. The laughter from Andy and the by-now quite loud match of wits between the Captain and the Chief died away when the elevator dinged open.

There were few people in the world or outside it who could make Captain Morgan flinch; high among those stood the person unfolding out of the elevator, Chief of Security Barry 'Big Dog' Henry, an already heavily built 6' 8” frame was boosted by muscle augments, gene treatments and bone reinforcement to a titanic 8' 11”, cybernetic eyes glowing green in their deep sockets.

The CSO stepped, silent as a cat, to the side of the elevator door and motioned for the other passenger to step inside the room, watching with an unreadable expression as Chief Engineer Li walked calmly past, then falling in behind.

“It's nice to get away from work, if only for a while” Li commented to The captain before taking a chair, the voice sounding unnatural and vaguely robotic through his speakers - If you listened to the rumours aboard the ship, Li had not removed his opaquely visored spacesuit once during the whole one and a half year trip, and there was a betting pool among the crew as to whether he was human at all.

Morgan just nodded, trying to hide a wince when Henry engulfed his digits in a bone-crushing handshake, the giant smiling gently.

Salvation came from an unlikely angel after all too many agonizing moments, Henry being distracted from his handshake by a punch to his side and a chirping tone “Big Dog! It's been way too long." Susan had came across the room in record time, abandoning her half-nibbled roll. "Security so hectic you can only talk on comms?"

Barry Dropped the captain's hand and stood up tall, smiling back toothily -His lengthened, reinforced canines on prominent display- "You're one to talk Dove. I can't get in to your office past the great wall of paper you're building" He chuckled, a meaty hand sliding round and planting on Susan's back.

As the giant and the dove strolled off to their own little chat, Li glanced at the captain and spoke in hushed tones, “I still do not understand how those two can be friends...” The suit helmet tilted to watch them, "CMO McConnell is nervous when she sees her own shadow, whereas I am sure the CSO does not know the meaning of the word 'Fear'."

Morgan smiled, chuckling, “Well it's simple enough if you keep in mind, Who installed all those implants?”

Li Quirked his head to watch the captain, helmet lighting up as his inbuilt computer activated "Medical records indicate that all active implantation was carried out by.." He paused, then flicked the computer off "Oh.. I see"

The Captain smiled “Yep. Susan's one of the best surgeons in the fleet. One of the very few people Barry trusts to poke him with needles and fiddle around with his insides." He nodded to the pair, where Susan had her portable scanner running over the Security Chief's arm, "she get confidence out of it I guess. When Susan's got Barry aroun-"

Conversation all around the room died away when a buzzing tone rang from speakers around the room, just before a voice echoed through; “All hands be prepared, 5 minutes until arrival. Repeat, 5 minutes until Arrival."

The Window-screen of the captain's suite sprang into life, a countdown lighting up.

A universe away...

“...and that's how wormholes are made... Any questions?” Twilight turned round with chalk still held in her magical grip, the black board behind her covered by mathematical equations, charts, diagrams and a few snippets of text. The assembled audience were jolted out of varying stages of bored paralysis (aside from Fluttershy, who had been listening politely the whole time) when the chalk slammed into the chalkboard.

“None of you were listening!?” Twilight barked exasperatedly “Do I have to go through it all again?”
A roomful of shamefaced mares all spoke nearly at once. Spike would likely join in, but had long since abandoned the room, in favour of his private gem stash.

“N-no Darling..”

“Course not sugarcube...”

“No more egghead stuff, Please...”

“What're we talking about again?..”

“I was listening...”

Twilight sighed, shaking her head, “Fine” then turned, teleporting the board and chalk away with a flare of her horn.

Pinkie Let Twilight mope for precisely Three seconds, then started a food-fight.

60 seconds...

A universe away, the room was hushed in expectant silence. Bell and Morgan had taken to some armchairs, Andy and Li were seated by the buffet table, Susan was comfortably curled up in her Big Dog's lap, content to sit there and watch the show unfold.

Outside the panoramic windows, the golden bubble was in uproar, ripples and fluctuations dancing with growing intensity across the surface while the Supernova engines powered slowly down, letting physics win the battle.

The collapse of an exotic matter bubble was a spectacular thing. To stop all the occupants being liquefied/vaporised when the vessel went from a significant fraction of light-speed to a dead stop, momentum from the manoeuvre was transferred into the bubble, Still going at full speed but trapped in the thick magnetic fields from the engines, all of exotic matter is forced to the front and compressed into a space about the size of a pea; The compression holding for mere nanoseconds before the magnetic field broke.

In the span of only seconds, a hundred kilometer plume of million-degree plasma flares out from the ship's front, the light from it so bright it threatened to burn retinas, before the glass automatically darkened; The temperature held for only a few seconds, then faded and cooled into ice, revealing the wormhole in all its majesty.

Even the Captain let himself get carried away in the rising cheers from below.

They were the cream of humanities crop, but for at least a while, they had done their work and it was time to celebrate.

The Party was in full swing at the library, a few residents of the surrounding area joining the fun.

Then Twilight's eye's lit up along with her horn, and the music cut out. over the milling confusion she asked "Does anyone want to see my wormhole?!" A white cloth appeared in the air in a burst of magic, along with a her glossy black telescope.

The assembled revelers all glanced between themselves, before a general murmur of assent went up, the ponies all gathering to look curiously at the screen.

Twilight turned to the telescope, glass of punch still floating in her field while she adjusted the device "I've been working on a modified illusion spell for quite a while. It should project an image of the 'Sparkle Space-time Anomaly' onto the screen." A corona of magic appeared around her horn, a double layer growing over it as the Telescope flickered into life.

The seeking eyes of the telescope's spell played out on the screen, showing a black expanse covered by dots of light, with the occasional flare of a comet's tail, or the floating shadow of an asteroid floating by. A red-brown world passed by, the haze of the wispiest of atmosphere, clinging grimly to its surface, before onwards the eyes flew, showing but more blackness, more stars.

The starfield swept by until a swirl of colour began to grow in the bleak void. a splash of new light on the canvas of black; a whirlpool of vast, cosmic proportions erupting into view. The stars around it bent impossibly at the whirlpool's periphery, a rainbow of colour showed the edge the hole in the stars; though if you looked past the glow you could see the gentle twinkle of other dots.

… For minutes the ponies simply stood, drinking the beauty of this window to another universe, took in the impossible colours dancing around the ring, the awed silence was broken by Pinkie

“That's so pretty... But what's that?” The Puffy Pink Pony leaned in close, tapping a hoof on the centre of the swirling hole.

Twilight pushed her gently to the side to let the light shine unimpeded and asked “What's what?”

“That little gold-ish light in the middle” Pinkie's face lit up "It's getting bigger! Maybe it's a balloon!!!"

The librarian didn't answer, she was barely listening at all. “...I don't know, but that wasn't there yesterday...” She dashed to the telescope and plugged her eye to the eyepiece, hooves working quickly to zoom in as close as was possible to the quickly growing golden orb. “Spike! Letter!” Spike -who had only just returned, to sneak a glass of punch- was almost knocked over by a roll of parchment, ink & quill.

The dot in the blackness grew at a rapid pace, but not for long. After a single moment, it shrank to almost nothing.

Then exploded in a flare of almost pure white light

For the ponies watching the screen the flash was bright enough, each letting out a little exclamation as the tiny golden bubble in the centre of the wormhole suddenly flared.
Twilight was not so lucky, staring down the barrel of the telescope, the light was focused, intensified and amplified until it was fired straight into her retina. The unicorn Screeched in pain pain and jolted her head back, hooves clutching at her eye.

The whole party sprang into action in a second, a crowd of concerned friends swarming the librarian in an instant, until she had to push them gently away and raise her voice over the concerned babble
“It's fine, I'm fine! My eye's just a little bur-.” Before the words were fully out of her mouth Rainbow Dash's hooves warrped around her, and the athlete's body tensed to launch.

“Oh no you don't, you're going to the doctor right now. I am not getting stuck reading nerd books in hospital cause I let you go blind” Before any protest could leave Twilight's lips, the pegasus had already pistoned her powerful wings down, and Twilights breath was stolen away by the G forces of take-off. The door was shattered off it's hinges by their exit.

Spike looked to the screen, where the plume of blinding light had faded to black, leaving a tiny silver speck in its place. “I'd better let Princess Luna know, she asked us to look out for things like this” he mumbled, scratching on the scroll with his quill.

In Canterlot

Luna was happy for today, all her trivial duties were over with and the night court was shut, time for supper and some well earned sleep. Stepping into the well used dining room she smiled at Celestia, who returned the gesture in between mouthfuls of oats.

As she slipped her haunches down onto a seating pillow Luna asked “I take thine rest was well sister? I worked to keep the night peaceful” her mouth hardened into a thin frown for a second “despite the.. blemish, that sits upon it.” she sounded disgruntled to speak of it, a tone that did not slip by unnoticed by her older sister, who merely smiled “It was restful Luna, I slept very well.”

The meal passed in silence for a moment, but then both alicorns turned their heads to watch a wisp of sparkling smoke curl in through a window, Celestia flared her horn ready to catch the message that was surely addressed to her, but her eyebrow raised slightly as the cloud floated quietly over towards Luna, the scroll appeared with a pop and fell towards the bowl of milk, apples and oats only to be caught at the very last second.

“Another scroll from Twilight? I knew you and my student would get along” Celestia spoke gently, happy for her reclusive little sister.

The white furred diarch's happy expression abated somewhat when Luna's letter opener came low and fast through the corridors, giving one guard's tail a buzz-cut, shearing through the scroll's seal and embedding itself in a stone wall, not more than an inch from a guard's ear. Luna shrugged off Celestia's disapproving glare, unrolling the letter and reading it aloud.

“Dear Princess Luna,

I am not writing this letter for Twilight, it's just me Spike.
Me and the girls were all having a party for Twilight, because we had just heard about her getting into the Astronomy Society.
Something really weird happened with that wormhole while we were looking at it during the party, there was this really bright light, and now there's a silver thing on the other side, it looks really weird and none of the girls know what it is. Apart from Pinkie, who keeps saying something about aliens, but that's just Pinkie being Pinkie.

Yours Faithfully
Spike the Dragon

P.S. Twilight hurt her eye pretty bad, she was looking at the light when it got bright. You should probably let Celestia know.”

She finished slowly, a smile growing slightly on her face. Her hoof raised itself slightly before being brought down heavily with a gigantic “HAH!” Before anyone could comment her horn flared and the Night Princess teleported away.

The Day Princess stood slowly, her benign smile still on her face as she walked slowly out of the room, giving orders while she walked “Have a few guards head to the Observatory please, my sister is up to mischief no doubt.

She glanced over the fallen scroll once more, then sparked her horn to life, opening a window "Please send my apologies to the petitioners, I'm afraid I have a hospital visit to attend and Day Court will be delayed." She spoke as always with a benign neutrality, though you might imagine a tremble at the very end.

Chapter 4: Repercussions

Aboard the New Dawn
Captain C. T. Morgan sat at his desk, holding an ice pack to the side of his head, he had been the last man evacuated from the engine section when reactor 7 cracked open, the concussion wave had thrown him clear of the superheated plasma that flooded the corridor moments later, but steel bulkheads to the face hurt even at non-lethal speeds.

He was jerked out of his musing by a nervous knocking on the elevator door, putting on his the best smile he could despite the pain the old man called out “Come in.” At the beckon the elevator doors slid open and a nervous member stepped in, clutching a folder in-front of him like a shield, the Captain took in the newcomers rank and sighed “and you are Private Perkin, from sensor deck correct?”

Perkins relaxed a little, but not much “Yes Sir, We've finished comparing star-charts, and we're pretty sure that we know our location.”

Morgan was evidently delighted but restrained himself with practiced ease “That's lovely, but I know that they never send up Privates unless it's bad news. Let me guess, the wormhole took us to another Galaxy?” Perkins placed the folder on the desk and slid it across, stammering “N-not exactly Sir”

Morgan read the folder and the small smile vanished like oil down a plughole, the grizzled voice rang with calmly restrained annoyance when he spoke “please tell me that because of how hard I hit my head, that I am reading this wrong. That you have not spent 2 hours looking at every star we know of, and then come up to tell me that we are in fact currently orbiting Sol”

Perkins found his voice “I wish I could Sir, but the computer came back with an 89% match”

The Captain pinched the bridge of his nose “Cradle of humanity Sol? 8 planets, 4 rocky and 4 gas?”

Perkins looked a little shamefaced “Yes Sir” he looked about to finish, but then perked up a little
“Well there is one anomalous reading Sir... “

the perk disappeared when Morgan's eyes snapped up “Yes?”

“Well, the stars don't match up exactly Sir. The major constellations are all still there, but to find the closest match in placement, we had to wind back the clock.”

“Wind back the clock?”

“By simulating Galactic drift and star movement Sir. The closest match is near enough to 2012, maybe 15.”

Morgan clutched at the ice pack as if for comfort, and then asked exasperatedly “So not only are we back where we started, we've also gone a century and a half back in time?!”

Perkins flinched a little, but couldn't help correcting “Closer to one hundred and forty. Sir.”

Morgan nodded, then waved a hand “Okay. Just wanted to be sure that I knew how screwed up this mission has gone.” he pulled off a little salute “Dismissed” Perkins returned the salute gratefully and scampered out.

Morgan waited for a few seconds, mulling over the developments. Then he sighed and clicked the intercom “Captain to Engineering. Send CEO Li up to my office.” letting go of the button he just sank back into his chair and hissed in pain as the icepack shifted, the old officer muttered half angrily “a hundred and forty years...”

400 million kilometres away

Luna sat in her room, bandages on her wings, a sullen expression on her face and an icepack held to her head, she had been thrown across the room by the feedback from her spell after Celestia had smashed a telescope over Luna's head, breaking her concentration. Luna was so terribly busy feeling sorry for herself that she didn't even hear when a knock came at the door, it took another three attempts before the alicorn lifted her ears and looked to the portal “I beckon thee enter” she called out, reaching out with her magic to open the door, only to find that her horn didn't flare.

Celestia opened the door with her wing to find her sister becoming increasingly frustrated, heaping insults and swearing oaths of vengeance upon her malfunctioning horn, the smaller alicorn stopped as the larger entered the room and cried out in mild panic “Celly, mine horn does not answer me! What trickery hast thou wrought!?”

Celestia raised her eyebrow and spoke firmly “I've placed magic restraining bands on your horn Luna, you were acting very irresponsibly.”

Luna scowled, feeling up her horn to find 3 rings of rune-engraved iron sitting there “Surely thou jest sister? I acted as a Diarch should! That silver creature dared to blind thine student and besmirch mine night sky, surely you do not suggest I should allow such brazen insult to go unchalle- Ow!”

Luna's little rant was cut short when a pulse of Celestia's golden magic whipped up and across her sister's cheek, while the younger alicorn stammered and clutched at her reddening face the elder spoke again. “Stop Luna. I don't enjoy seeing you in pain, but it seems you cannot listen to reason otherwise. You acted as a foal might today, a powerful and immortal foal, you should have thought of the consequences before exercising your might so very brutishly.”

Luna stood, wings flared and mouth opening in protest, but found her haunches once again on the bed as Celestia's magical aura caught her starry tail and yanked it sharply down, The Solar goddess towered over the Lunar with wings flared while she continued her tirade. “You have terrified everyone Luna. I have had to cancel Day court today, after the Griffin, Dragon and Zebra ambassadors all stormed in, demanding to know why a certain alicorn decided today was the day to show the world just how powerful she really is”

Luna again opened her mouth to speak, now less angry and more ashamed, but again Celestia stopped her before her breath could even form words “The palace is going to have to be repaired, a group of dog-like creatures burrowed into the throne room after the ambassadors left, plying me with gems and pleading with me not to collapse any more of their tunnels.”

Luna wagged her chin soundlessly for a wile, but eventually sat down in defeat and sighed “okay, thou hast won. I am truly sorry for using my magic in such a silly way, may I have these damnable bands removed?”

Celestia shook her head “No, I will manage both Moon and Sun for the next few days while you are busy”
Luna raised her eyebrows and asked cautiously "Busy with what?”

Her bigger sister turned her head and flared her horn once again, on a bed of magic several dozen quills floated through, followed by a stack of scroll-paper that stood higher than Celestia's head “Busy writing letters. You are not to leave the palace until you have finished writing personal apology letters for every one of our citizens that were harmed or traumatized during your little stunt” she levitated a scroll of names in-front of Luna. “Then you are to go on a tour of the Griffin, Dragon, and Zebra lands and ask forgiveness from each of their leaders. After you have returned, you will have to track down the leader of these 'diamond dogs' and ask whether you can recompense him in any way for any loss of life his race has suffered from the cave-ins”

Words failed Luna for a moment, but by the time her voice found her breath and she raised an outcry Celestia had already gone, locking the door behind her. The moon Princess looked around the room, banged her hoof on the desk in frustration and finally sighed in resignation, trotting to her writing desk and fumbling a quill into her mouth, pulling over the first sheet of many.

New Dawn – Captain's Suite

Li sat across from the captain, flicking through a few documents on a holographic screen. He looked up occasionally, nodding, but for the most part the suited engineer simply let his Captain vent, the old veteran had been through a lot in the last 3 hours 15 minutes, a few minutes of ranting about the nonsensical situation they found themselves in certainly helped.

After 12 minute, 36 seconds of shouting and a sneaky gulp of scotch that Li pointedly ignored Captain C. T. Morgan sat down in his chair and smoothed out his jacket “Thanks for listening Li” he huffed gratefully, resting his head on the desk for a second.

Li took the opportunity to speak “It is no trouble Captain, you needed to let it out.” the engineer's voice carried no emotion or tone “This situation is most unusual.”

Morgan nodded, then sat up straight again “It is, we don't even have a plan for this situation, and I thought we planned for just about anything. I mean I'm damn sure I saw a plan of action to take 'in the event of space zombies' in the files” he let out an unconvincing chuckle “now can you give me any good news? Any at all?” he was pleading slightly, nothing so far had convinced him of anything but the fact that they were screwed.

Li surprised him, stating mechanically “Yes, I can give 3 pieces of positive information pertaining to the current crisis.” Morgan hurriedly motioned for him to go on “The first is that the engines are easily fixed. We have far more than enough replacement parts to get the ship up to full speed with minimal effort, reactor 7 is also functioning once again, reactor 3 is still open, but 9 of 10 reactors active is more than enough to keep the ship running with a surplus of energy." he paused to let it sink in"Second, we have recovered most of the leaked fuel lost through the reactors, a simple excursion allowed us to recover most of the frozen fuel for reprocessing. The third fact will require explanation, so if you have any questions it would be best to ask them now.”
Morgan was visibly sagging in relief from the first two positive facts “So we're not stranded, good. No questions so far.”

Li nodded, first stating “The third positive fact is. I have traced the energy field that captured us” Morgan nodded, but said nothing to allow Li to continue “I reviewed the sensor data from when we were dragged through the Wormhole, the electromagnetic distortion made it hard to track the trajectory, but traced the beam back to the source. As far as my calculations can tell, the capturing field came from the Earth. That is assuming that the sensor deck is correct in calling this the Sol system. I have unfortunately not succeeded in identifying the energy type.”

Morgan was exultant, but reserved “I don't recall the earth ever having a tractor beam capable of firing into deep space, especially not a century back”

The hole in Li's hypothesis only made the engineer shrug “I only state what I can extrapolate from the data.”
Morgan nodded and stood, as the CEO got to his feet the Captain dismissed him with a sharp salute “Thanks Li, I needed that. Get to engineering and see what you can do about that reactor.”

As soon as the man left, C. T. Morgan leaned down and pressed the intercom “Captain to all hands, bunker down and prepare for transit. Navigation, set course for the Third Planet.” waiting for an affirative before releasing the button, he thought for a moment more and leaned down again “Also, Captain to Security, roll out the armory, from now on consider the ship on high alert, I want us ready to fight at a moment's notice”

Canterlot Observatory

Celestia sat at the newly repaired telescope, gazing up towards Polaris. As she watched, the silver beast Luna had dragged from its universe wrapped itself in golden light, rapidly getting closer, and larger.

The white Diarch stepped back from the optical port and stepped from the room, slight worry in her eyes “What manner of beast have you called down upon us Luna?” she murmured, half to herself.

Chapter 5: Arrival

Seconds passed like minutes for Celestia, minutes like hours went by as she stood on her balcony, watching the sunny sky. With Day Court cancelled while the throne room floor was repaired, all the paperwork handled, petitions signed and unofficial business taken care of there was precious little to do but wait for this silver monster to arrive in orbit above her nation.

She was not scared of the beast for herself, she was immortal, her mind worried for her ponies, and those creatures not under the blanket of her protection, how much damage could a beast like that do before it was stopped? 5 and a half kilometres long and capable of surviving in the depths of space, the immortal Goddess pondered whether it could be reasoned with. Whatever it was, it was certainly intelligent, tracing magic back to the source and then casting some great magic of its own, propelling itself at speeds nothing else Celestia had ever seen was capable of matching.
She had taken precautions, Shining armour and the rest of the Unicorn guard had all been sent out, ready to put shield-spells over major population centres should the thing attack, Cloudsdale was mass producing lightning clouds for the Pegasi Corps, every single wonderbolt still capable of getting airborne had been called up. the elements of harmony, Celestia had sent Twilight a scroll just moments ago, giving her instructions to...

… “Hide!? Celestia wants us to go hide in the Everfree?!” Rainbow Dash shouted furiously, her wings flared in annoyance and her face stuck up in Twilight's , the Librarian backed away, flustered and trying to stammer out something to calm her friend down, she was saved by Applejack, who stepped between the furious pegasus and the unicorn

“Whoah there girl , no need to go flying off the handle at Twilight. Ain't her fault what the princess asks” she spoke calmly, then turned to Twilight “Though it is mighty queer that Celestia's trying to get us to go running an' hiding like a bunch a cowards, what with everypony else with any lick of backbone is helping get the town ready fer whatever is happening” there was no hiding the annoyance in her tone. Twilight wilted slightly, but rallied back with the letter held prominently

“We're not 'hiding', the Princess just wants us safe. We are the Elements of Harmony after all, if Celestia or Luna can't stop this thing from getting angry, we need to be ready to fight back.”
Her reasoning did temper Applejack's annoyance, even getting Rainbow to take a step back and calm down a little.

Then Rarity stepped forward “Well I'm glad we're all in agreement about following the Princess's instructions. But I don't feel it has ever been properly explained what this 'thing' is.”

Twilight suddenly looked a little embarrassed, rubbing a hoof behind her head and mumbling inaudibly “the Princess said that it might be some kind of giant space worm...” The girls all leaned in and Applejack asked

“Uh mind repeating that Twi? you came of a mite quiet.

She mumbled again“It's a giant, space worm..”

Applejack rolled her eyes and leaned in really close

“Say again partner?”

More mumbles “Giant Space worm”

Rainbow dash flared her wings in annoyance and shot forward

“Will you just spit it out already!?”

Twilight bit her lip for a moment, but blurted out “It's a giant space worm okay!?”
As her friends looked on in confusion, she rubbed the back of her head and explained “A giant space worm, just like Rainbow said. The princess thinks it might of caused that wormhole, but then Luna cast a spell on it to try and drag it to Equestria, Celestia stopped her before she could get it very far, but now it's coming here anyway and the Princess thinks it might be angry.” There was a long, pregnant silence between the six friends; then A chuckle escaped Rainbow Dash, which evolved in fits and starts into a full on gale of infectious laughter that quickly spread to everyone apart from Twilight, who began to get mildly annoyed.

After a while the gale slowed to fits of giggles, the cyan speedster looked up from where she lay on the floor, wiped her tear filled eyes, and chuckled “Oh Celestia, you sure know how to get worked up egghead, we're doing all this because of some stupid worm?”

Twilight's mouth was an angry line “It's not 'stupid' Rainbow, this is serious. It's giant enough to make her call in the wonder-bolts”

Applejack held her ribs and made an attempt to look serious, patting her barrel to get the giggles to stop before asking “Okay sugarcube, I'll be serious. Just how 'giant' is this critter anyhow?”

The librarian dead-panned “approximately 3.5 miles in length, or five and a half kilometres in metric”

All laughter ceased, after a moment of silent digestion Fluttershy spoke up from her seat by the window “Oh my, that is a big worm”

There was another long pause, which went on for several long minutes before Rainbow Dash broke the silence tentatively “So... The Everfree it is then. Glad I packed my bags”

New Dawn Observation Deck

Captain Morgan held the floor in-front of the assembled crew, a thousand space marine, five hundred auxiliary security personnel. He had put them at ease for the coming talk

“Alright Crew, you may know the situation, you may not. That doesn't matter, what does matter is that in approximately 40 minutes we will be arriving in orbit around a planet that we think, and I cannot stress that fact that we are not sure enough, that we think is earth, maybe in the past, maybe a parallel version of it.

Once we have arrived in orbit, and established a stable altitude, we will have one goal; to establish a beachhead base, to that end I will be sending scout teams of marines down in teams of two, your mission will be to scope out a decent landing and base establishment area, dealing with any threats as necessary, and then calling down a team of engineers to prepare a runway for the bulk lifters, after that the rest of you will be sent down to defend our new surface base. We will need it functioning if we ever hope to get home, it will be a testing facility to see if we can open our own wormhole.

I will also need another team of 10 volunteers for a special operations. The energy field that dragged us through the wormhole originated on the surface of this planet, I intend to find that source, and eliminate it's capability to threaten us”

He finished with an “Am I understood?!”, when the affirmative rang loud and clear in the air he spoke again

“Good, now for the actual details of the mission, I will be handing the floor to CSO Henry. If you want to sign up for the special operations, speak to the CSO after his presentation.” His piece done, the Captain left the floor as the giant security chief mounted it, his booming voice calling out names and assignments.

The old man's clean exit was spoiled somewhat by the CMO ambushing him outside the door, very clearly excited about something, so much so that she near enough forgot to salute.
Before he could ask, Susan blurted “I've identified the Energy Field.” Morgan stumbled back a bit, he blinked a little cautiously, but motioned for her to explain (deciding it was best to ignore the smell of brandy on her breath), she pulled out a holographic computer and began flicking through documents, talking as she searched

“Well I was looking at the sensor deck's wavelength analysis, and the number reminded me of something I had seen once in the medical archives.” she found what she had been looking for and held it up for the captain, holding it up for him to glance through, the veteran muttered as he read, then turned and asked

“Are you serious?”

She smiled “absolutely sir, the problem is that we've been assuming that some sort of machine did this. Something, instead of someone”
The slate she held so proudly was projecting a single article, from an ancient medical journal dating all the way back to 2070. “It turns out sir, that psychic abilities are not only real Sir, but quantifiable. Something like five percent of the population is born with latent talent, caused by the formation of tiny crystalline structures in their brains” Susan explained giddily, pulling up images of old MRI scans showing a human brain, focused in on what looked like gossamer thin lines that wrapped around the two frontal lobes.

Morgan looked at them all with dawning realisation, he couldn't help questioning “And the rest of us have never heard of this why?”

The CMO hesitated, if only for a second before launching back into it
“Because it was a dead end Sir. The structures that formed were never developed enough to do anything useful, no telekinetic was ever found to be capable of lifting more than a piece of paper for longer than a few milliseconds, telepaths were barely able to pick up on strong emotions, let alone read thoughts.

Studies were made into accelerating their growth, but they were too slow; these structures took years and years to form, they could be developed to make their abilities stronger, but estimates all said that it would take a decade or longer for anyone to develop them enough to actually do anything. Eventually the funding stopped, researchers moved on and the project faded into obscurity.”

The captain just stood still, taking all this in. Then The CMO began walking, making a gesture for the Captain to follow, as he walked Morgan asked “Okay, suppose that this planet is full of 'psychics' how does this help us? If this energy field was made by a bunch of psychics down on this version of earth, does that mean we have to be worried about them pulling the ship out of orbit?”

Susan seemed a little discomforted by the idea, but shook her head “No sir, because now that we know what we're dealing with, we can defend against it.” she came to a set of double doors, they swished open to reveal the corridor heading towards the armoury “During the studies back then, they found that psychics, while they are potentially powerful, are relatively easy to disable.”

Coming to another set of doors, she pushed them open to reveal an expansive hall, usually the training hall for the marines. Today the large room only contained one crew member, standing in-front of a table which held 3 different device. Susan walked over, still talking

“Right in here Sir, this is Corporal Anders” the standing crewman saluted “ and these are three gadgets I asked Li to whip up quickly, just quick modifications of some equipment we already have.” she picked up the first and tossed it to the Captain.

Morgan caught it easily and inspected the device from all angles, then he said slowly
“This is just a sonic grenade. Used them for riot control during the Martian rebellion, why do we even have these?” he queried, genuinely confused.

Susan nodded “We're prepared for nearly everything sir, but I edited that particular grenade. You see, the crystalline structures that gave psychics their abilities have a very specific harmonic frequency, if you play a sound at just the right tone then you can cause them quite a bit of discomfort. Imagine a thousand tiny wires, each as thick as a human hair, vibrating at high speed inside your skull. The best part is because the frequency needed is ultrasonic, so people without the latent ability won't be aware of any sound at all”

Morgan and Anders both winced at the imagery, The captain hurriedly tossed the grenade back to Susan, who placed it down on the table before picking up the next gadget, a bulky tripod, mounted with what resembled loudspeakers. After hearing how much sounds could hurt, the two men were apprehensive as the medical officer moved on

“This is a sonic barrier, used to control perimeters, Li altered it to play the same frequency as the grenade, but at a much lower level, with one of these set up, the psychics won't feel anything above an annoying tingle, but they won't be able to use their abilities, if they try, then they'll be in quite a lot of pain”

Morgan was interested now, though a glint in his old eyes told that he was quickly reassessing how dangerous his 'little dove' of a CMO really was.

CMO McConnell moved on to the last device, which she had to get Anders to help her lift, it was little more than a big black chunk of metal. Morgan helpfully pointed out “That's.. just a section of hull plating.”

Susan smiled and spoke past her grunts of exertion as she struggled to keep the metal balanced “Yes Sir, it is; but I've had Li alter it, the emitters that usually put out the EM shield that keeps us safe from meteors and debris are now putting out an exact opposite wavelength to that of the energy field that captured us, and a few micrometers in either direction down the range too Sir, each psychic's energy projection has a unique wavelength, varying just a few nanometres from any other, so we had to cover a wide range.”

Morgan nodded, his smile growing back “So if we alter all of our hull like this, these psychics won't be able to touch us, or at least not that specific group?”

Susan's smile faltered slightly “Yes Sir... But I think you might have the wrong idea slightly, that energy field wasn't projected by a group of psychics, from what I can tell, it was just one.”

The Captain's smile stopped, and began a rapid retreat “Just one? We were pulled sixty million miles through a space-time rip, from over four hundred million miles away. By just one psychic?”

At the CMO's nod, he tried to calm himself down, failing a bit “Okay, that's brilliant, lets just say that that one psychic is anomalously powerful, just for the sake of sanity. At least we'll be immune to it's attacks inside the ship?”

Susan nodded, and Morgan gave a sigh of relief.
“Alright, I've heard enough, you're dismissed. Go find Li, get that shield in place asap, and we'll need a few of those grenades as soon as he has time. I need to go back to the observation deck. There's a few things need editing in the CSO's plan.” he ordered calmly, though his smile betrayed his joy, finally something was going right.

author's note – Sorry for the OP 'anti-magic shield', I just feel the story would be rather short if Celestia, Luna or Twilight ever got annoyed enough to yank their ship out of orbit, they would be powerful enough to do so (in my head-canon at least =3)

Crew Member #1049 - Audio Log 84
Mark CXIV Exploration vessel 'New Dawn'
July 15th, 2159

-log begins-
I was useful! Where'd I put that brandy?
-log ends-

Equestria

The world waited, all around the planet, creatures looked to the sky in anticipation. The griffins in their eyrie's highest heights scanned the darkening skies, the ponies flocks to observatories set up in the underground shelters. In the Zebra Savannah, the herds stargazed endlessly.

The world watched, Equestria waited for the arrival of the star travelling beast, the gigantic monster that the Lunar Princess had called to their world.

They were not disappointed. The silver beast arrived in spectacular fashion, a golden bubble flashed across the skies, made small by the distance. But there was nothing small to what happened next, the bubble snapped to a stop, but a plume of golden light came off the front. Across the world below night became day as the bright light filled the sky. As the plasma plume met the atmosphere it began to fall, the watchers on the ground and in the skies were treated to a meteor shower like no other, where the falling stars seemed to shimmer and burn with sunlight before fading from view.

Aboard the New Dawn

The bridge was a hive of activity, voices buzzing back and forth

“Bubble's burst, momentum transferred with no problems”

“Engines 1, 2, 3, 4 online, getting up to speed.”
“Reactors holding. Capacitors full in five”

“Radio's picking up no chatter, scanning low-band.”

“sensors online, searching for energy signature”

Captain Morgan stood in his suite, watching the crew and belting out orders. As soon as scanners found out where this 'psychic' was, they were go.

Every space marine on the crew, regardless of gender or age, was 6' foot 6 inches in height, each and every one received gene treatments and surgery on sign-up to the corps; bringing them up to perfect physical health, bulking out their muscles, and installing several implants to make life in the forces easier. The Mark XIV 'Legionnaire' power armour augmented their height up to an imposing 8 foot, giving the men inside a 10:1 strength increase.

In the armoury, 10 Marines stood at attention, kitted out in their power armour, with standard issue heavy assault rifles held high (the gauss rails inside could accelerate 'hard' -3 inch spikes of high carbon steel with an osmium core- rounds at speeds of up to Mach 3, or switch out to use 'soft' -high penetration hypodermic darts filled with a potent mix of tranquilizers- , 3 of the newly edited and dubbed 'psych-out' sonic grenades were stuck on each hip.

One marine had an officer's pip on his helmet, he carried a hand-held scanner, keyed to look out for the energy signature of their target -Just head towards the arrow and they would find the psychic in no time at all- and 3 marines were carrying the tripods of 'scramblers' on their backs.

CSO Henry put the men at ease and gave final orders
“Alright squad, standard insertion procedure. Orbital drop, low opening, head straight for the target. This is a capture mission, we need whoever it is alive if we're ever going to find out why they dragged us through that wormhole.

Keep casualties to a minimum, kill shots only if there is no other option. When the target is tagged and bagged, pop a radio flare and we'll send in the extraction vehicle.”

The marines saluted with a resounding “Sir Yes Sir!”

Henry smiled his big dog smile at them “Good, head to the airlock and get your chutes. As soon as dusk arrives over the area, you drop”

Castle of the Pony sisters, Everfree Forest

Twilight and her friend all sat on the throne room floor, Spike had perched himself atop the statue that had once held the elements of harmony, so very long ago. Sleeping bags had been broken out, and a picnic had been pulled from nowhere by everyone's favourite party pony. While the light in the sky faded, the seven friends all traded stories and jokes, laughing and smiling to dispel the hanging sense of foreboding that had weighed down on them ever since leaving Ponyville. Twilight had brought her telescope, but nopony had the heart to have a look a the silver creature that hung over Equestria.

It took many minutes and a dozen stolen glances, but eventually Rainbow Dash stood up and growled “This is stupid!” with a flap of her powerful wings, she shot over to the telescope and rammed her eye into the view-port. Her hooves fumbled with the knobs and dials all over the device, she got more frustrated as her efforts got no results “How do you work this thing? I need to know what that thing is doing.”

Twilight teleported over, she carefully pulled the speedster pegasi's hooves away from the controls, without saying a word her horn flared up and adjusted the telescope to look directly at the silver creature. Then she finally spoke, reassuringly gentle “it's okay Rainbow, we're all worried.”

Rainbow said nothing, glaring through the eyepiece as the picture came more an more into focus, showing a side on view of the beast for the first time. Her expression went from anger to confusion, and she spoke up In a questioning tone “Uhh, Twi. Are you sure that this thing is a worm?”
The librarian was made hesitant by the sudden change in her friend, but answered after a moment

“Well... No, nopony's actually got a good enough look at it to see what it really is”

The weather pegasus grunted “Well I'm getting a pretty good look right now Twi, and it doesn't look like any kind of worm. I don't think it's even alive.” she suddenly found herself wrapped in a purple aura, and forced away from the telescope as the unicorn interposed herself, looking through the aperture.

“What?” She adjusted the controls, bringing the object into sharper focus still

“That.. That's not anything natural. The angles, the structure.” she backed away a little “It's not a space-beast. It's a space-craft.” turning back around, she looked to Rainbow Dash “Go wake Spike, we need to tell the Princess.” The pegasus saluted before shooting off to the far end of the hall.

By bad luck or bad timing, Twilight had missed a critical juncture. Had she kept eyes glued to her telescope but a moment longer, she might have seen 10 tiny dots fall from the bottom of the craft, or 1 larger speck break away from the main ship, veering sharply towards the Everfree where they stayed

High above Canterlot

Ten men feel through the void above the atmosphere, each with arms tucked to their sides and legs held straight out.

The vacuum around them began to fill, for minutes the metal suits were encased in fire with trails of wispy smoke left behind.

It was only a few minutes, but by the time the flames faded the heads of the armoured suits already glowed white hot.

The red-pipped marine opened up comms “ Entering atmosphere proper. Sound off, two to ten. Check radio.”

“Two. Loud and Clear”

“Three. Loud and Clear”

“Four. Loud and Clear”

“Five. Loud and Clear”

“Six. Loud and Clear”

“Seven. Loud and Clear”

“Eight. Loud and Clear”

“Nine. Loud and Clear”

“Ten. Loud and Clear”

The Mission commander tapped fingers against the side of his suit, using a virtual keyboard to log a clip of that audio exchange for the mission log.
Checking on the marines then tilting his head to look towards the ground again he opened comms once more
“adjust your angle Eight, you're drifting out of formation”

Eight acknowledged, One didn't have to look to know that the marine was very slowly moving his limbs to change the airflow around him, at these speeds and in the thin air they had to be careful, a sharp movement could send them spinning out of control. The rifles and anything that could produce drag had been carefully stowed inside a heat-proof case on the back of their armour. The scrambler tripods remained out, they would be deployed as soon as they landed to make a 'safe-zone' for extraction.

As they cleared the topmost layer of clouds and the target area came into view One opened the mike

“Aim for red mark, Castle courtyard north is the mark”

All 9 other marines tilted their helmets to see what One had marked, the holographic displays in their visors displayed all the information they could need in combat, right now they all could see a tiny red x floating over the northern-most courtyard of a castle on the mountain below. Following One's lead the team adjusted their angle, keeping the motion slow to maintain formation.

Chapter 6: Adventures

A few metres from Fluttershy's cottage sat a large hill, old and grassy with a gnarled willow tree sat atop it, for more than a century it had sat watching over the town of Ponyville as it grew and prospered. For several years now this particular hill had been home to a bear, who made his den in between the old roots of the oak, in the last few months this bear had been carefully introduced to a three excitable young fillies.

Today, the hulking form of the bear slept in a shaggy pile in the corner of his den while those same fillies held hushed conversation, the great grizzly ursine had received a large gift of berries and fish (liberated cautiously from Fluttershy's stores) in exchange for the quiet use of his little hole in the hill.

So long as the tiny ponies kept themselves to a reasonable volume, he was more than content to let them get on with whatever they wanted. Little did he know that these particular ponies were keeping quiet for reasons beyond letting the bear sleep.

Applebloom was first to speak “Ya sure you ain't been followed Scoots?”

The orange filly stting across from the bow-haired farm-filly made a dismissive wave “Sure I'm sure Applebloom, I just climbed out of the window when nobody was looking and got my scooter. Nobody could've followed me” she finished a little proudly, nodding towards the red scooter and cart that sat idly against a wall.

Sweetie Belle was less sure “I don't know about that Scootaloo, my sister was awfully set on me staying in the shelter. What if she got Miss Sparkle to cast a tracking spell on your scooter?”

All three fillies looked warily at the red contraption for a minute, until Scootaloo spoke up again “They would've found us already if she had. Did you two bring the stuff?”

The other two nodded, Sweetie Belle unslung her little saddlebags and pulled out their CMC capes along with jar of cookies. Applebloom set down a burlap sack and let a few of the shiny apples inside roll out “Weren't easy getting all this past Ma brother and Granny, they were guarding the stairs, so I had to climb up into the attic and get out through the barn.” She smiled as the other two nodded sagely, acknowledging her efforts.

With their supplies ready Scootaloo pounded her hoofs together loudly, the other two crusaders put their hooves over her mouth to stop the shout that followed escaping. With a few quick glances to check that their host was still sleeping the little pegasus continued in a low whisper “Right then, get it loaded up into the wagon and we can get going”

All three fillies worked in tandem, moving in harmony as close friends could until the little red wagon was loaded up to the brim, with two spaces left for the passengers. The Cutie Mark Crusaders suited up in their emblazoned capes and climbed onto their vehicle, then with a buzz of wings they were off, Scootaloo's wings humming like a fan as they propelled the team of fillies off along the road.

They curved right and then left, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle working to keep their cargo of apples and cookies from falling out of the cart as the cart turned onto the bumpy dirt road that lead towards the Everfree Forest.

But before they entered the forest proper the driver suddenly put on the brakes, scraping and grinding to a halt before the looming shadow of the wild trees enveloped them. Scootaloo looked back to her friends, who gazed back with questions in their eyes

“A-are you sure sneaking out to see what Rainbow Dash and the others are doing is such a good idea girls?” The pegasus pilot asked hesitantly, rubbing the back of her messy mane in embarrassment.

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other for a moment, then looked back. The farmer-filly spoke with just as much hesitancy lacing her tone “Ah.. Ah dunno, mah sister was pretty worked up about that there thing in the sky. She'd probably get real annoyed about me sneaking out”

Unsure of their next actions, the three fillies climbed from their craft and sat on the grassy track-side, breaking out the cookie jar to share.

*Author's Note* :trollestia: I bet you thought that they were going to go on crazy adventures.Of course not XD. What kind of person would I be if I let small children play near men with guns?

Flying high and silent on ultra-jet engines, the scout lander kept to the very high edge of the atmosphere while it flew over the village far below. When it passed over the forest the craft rolled into a steep descent, .

Inside the metal walls of the lander craft ten marines sat restrained by flight harnesses, they were not dressed in their power armour, instead they wore the un-powered but considerably lighter, 'Nomad' Mark II scout armour; a newly designed suit made of flexible polymer plates joined by super-silk webbing, all covered by a tight weave of 'smart fabric' -Polymer strands laced with electronics, the fabric shifted colour and texture to match that of its surroundings.

Each of the marines also wore a breather mask and thermal goggles, and instead of their standard heavy rifles they were armed with sniper rifles (able to accurately fire the standard 'hard' or 'soft' ammo at ranges of more than five miles) and hand-cannon pistols.

The pilot's voice rang through the speakers on the walls “Okay boys, I've spotted a clearing in the forest, I'll set you down there and let you grunts get on with the search. I have four more trips to go so forgive me if I don't hang around. Landing in five, get locked and loaded.”

The marines all checked their weapons over, counting out their ammo supplies as the craft leveled out its descent and began to slow to subsonic speeds.

The three fillies were halfway to the bottom of the cookie jar when Sweetie Bell cocked an ear to the sky, she looked to her friends "Uh girls... Do you hear that?" she asked curiously, motioning to the open night sky.

Both Applebloom and Scootaloo abandoned the sugary treats and pointed their ears up.

They all kept silent while they listened, until Applebloom broke the tenuous stillness "Yeah.. Ah hear it. Sounds kinda like a thunderclap, cept it ain't fading away like one."

Six eyes glared up towards the noise, trying to pick out the source of it past the darkness and the light cloud cover, then Scootaloo make an incoherent gasp of shock, keen pegasi eyes picking something out that neither of the other two could see.

While they stared wide-eyed in the direction she pointed the orange feathered filly got on the scooter, buckling in tight she yelled over the roar "Well come on!?"

At their confused looks she growled in exasperation and snapped "There was something weird flying over the forest, going really fast, but I think it was slowing down for a landing. I say we check it out."

Sweetie Belle shrunk a little and dug at the loam with her hoof "I dunno Scoots, the forest looks real creepy at night"

Scootaloo grunted and tapped a hoof on the wagon "Oh come on. It's not that scary... We'll just scoot over to Zecora's if she says that it's too dangerous, then we'll go back"

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle glanced at each other, then back. Moving slowly they both picked up the cookie jar and climbed back in the wagon "Alright, but only out to Zecora. No further" Applebloom said firmly.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes, but said nothing and nodded.

With a buzz of wings the three friends headed out into the deep dark forest depths

*Authors note - Hah
You thought that the CMC were going to be sensible for once XD

Chapter 7: Kidnap

Inside Canterlot Castle

Canterlot's court chambers were in uproar once again, this time over the revelation that the 'beast' hanging above them was not anything of the sort, but rather it was some sort of titanic space-faring vessel, no doubt crewed by an alien race. Some councillors and nobles thought this news good, a crew of relatively small aliens could surely be handled far easier than a gigantic beast, far more of the assembled ponies were prepared to think the worst.

In the epicentre of this maelstrom of raised voices sat Princess Celestia, waiting with the patience of an immortal for the noise to die down, set alongside the first alicorn was the ambassadors for those races outside Equestria that held an interest in this affair; the Griffin ambassador lounged easily on a cushion preening his feathers and occasionally clicking his long talons in annoyance at the omnipresent noise, on the Princess's other side the vast bulk of the dragon clan's speaker blotted out much of the light with his canopy-like wings, finally the Zebra's representative sat with ears folded back and eyes closed with a calming mantra rolling in monotonous repetition off his tongue.

The noise of the room served the purpose of one group this night. With the din from that room echoing all throughout the castle, nopony heard the gentle clink of metal-shod feet touching the ground inside the North Courtyard.

Canterlot, North Courtyard

One held a hand up for silence the moment that the last marine touched ground, hearing no alarm raised the hand made another signal, with efficient silence the other members of the squad tapped buttons on their chest-plates, deactivating their grav-chutes (a simple anti-grav pack that slowed their descent to a non lethal speed) and letting their weaponry and gear pop out of the back panels and into the marine's waiting hands.

Once all the marines had got locked and loaded One again held a hand up for silence, when augmented hearing picked up no alarms the officer risked breaking radio silence to give out orders

“9, 10 stand guard. Set up those scramblers and keep the area clear for evac, if this op goes south we need a safe point” Waiting for their acknowledgement One continued “The rest of you with me, 3 and 5 are on point. Soft rounds only, we are not here to make a bloodbath.”

Again waiting for acknowledgement, the red-pipped officer made a signal and the squad moved out while two remained behind, setting up the scramblers but leaving them silent for now, if there were as many psychics her as orbital scans suggested, the noise would only serve to ruin the stealthy approach they were taking.

Following the gently pulsing holographic arrow arrow fo the scanner, the marine squad moved far more silently than their large frames and metallic armour might suggest is possible, only the occasional squelch of damp soil, or scrape of wood on alloy ever gave away their position, in a matter of metres the eight marines had faded into the shadows of the courtyard's trees, the lenses of their thermal goggles ever so lightly luminous in the gloom of the new moon.

They encountered their obstacle at the courtyard entrance, the point-men held up fists to halt the advance, explaining in silent symbols that the holographic visors automatically translated into text – Four watchers, courtyard exit, Non-human shape, armoured. One moved up slowly to check their sighting, He nodded in confirmation as he saw, two non-humans in armour sat watch at the gate, with his thermal goggles picking up the blobby shapes of two more over the wall.

With a few sharp hand-movements One gave the order, when 3, 6, 7 and 5 raised their rifles neither hesitated for even a moment at the strange sight that greeted them, with the prevalence of surgical augments and gene treatments on Sol, these furred quadrepeds were not even close to the strangest they had seen.

4 shots rang out, the distinctive buzz of gauss rails followed milliseconds later by the crack of their supersonic projectiles, the armour of the first two guards did little to nothing to stop the darts from slamming into the guard's necks, the potent cocktail of tranquillizers and paralytics immobilizing them before a cry of alarm could get any further than the first syllable.

Across the wall, two holes and the sounds of two bodies slumping to the ground showed that the thin hedge-wall that surrounded the courtyard was little defence against the marines rifles. One held the marines in silence for moments before letting them advance, as they came upon the dozing equines they reached down and collected the darts, stowing the now empty hypodermics inside panels on their chest.

The squad advanced out from the courtyard room by room, pausing at every door to listen for alarms, checking the for corners of each to make sure they were clear before moving on, most were either empty or filled with sleeping ponies, which were ignored so long as they did not wake.

Canterlot servant's quarters

In the kitchens below the main castle Feather duster was finally finishing for the day, just two more rooms to clean and then she could rest easy in her comfy bed, humming while she worked the grey-feathered pegasus moved slowly around the workspace, her duster held in one hoof and a wipe-cloth on each wing.

Still humming she stepped inside the ice-room of the pantry, after carefully checking the temperature -the old head chef was so liable to forget these days, it was a kindness to make sure that he hadn't let the dial climb too high- the maid spent a few seconds just enjoying the cool air, the brisk chill always reminded her of her youth, resting lazily on the wisps of high altitude clouds and just watching the world go by below.

Hearing a clink of metal outside the nostalgia faded and her face took on its usual demure air, but something stopped her from slamming the ice-room door open, some primeval shiver ran down her spine and made the maid slow down, stepping up ever so carefully and peering through the crack in the ajar door.

The sight that greeted her eyes almost made her knees buckle in fright, a royal guard in his resplendent golden armour, rearing backwards through the door as if in shock, but before the stallion could get out the call of alarm there was a sound like the crack of a whip, and a dart zipped through the door only to slam into the guard's meaty neck, the sound died in the pony's throat and he suddenly fell backwards, collapsing to the ground like a puppet with cut strings.

Feather Duster closed the ice-room door as silently as she could and huddled behind a frozen shelf in fright there was the tip-tap of metal shoes on the stone floor just outside, then silence. The oppressive silence of a predator being very quiet hung like a fragile cobweb in the freezing air, Feather Duster staying as still as she could.

Then the silence shattered, there was the clink of metal outside, an alien voice -too deep and too high up to belong to any pony- rang in the maid's ears, and the tip tap of metal shoes died away with the creak of a door opening and shutting.

Feather Duster stayed still as a statue for a minute after, not daring to move a hoof. Then she huffed in relief, standing up and shakily making her way out of the ice-room. She paused by the still unmoving guard to check on him, he was but sleeping, the maid slid a folded apron under the unconcious stallion's head as a makeshift pillow.

Standing up again, the pegasus huffed out, took in a deep breath. Calmed her nerves one last time. Then she screamed, screamed for the guards, screamed for the princess, screamed blue bloody murder until her lungs burned and her throat was raw. Her dainty hooves carrying her at record pace in the exact opposite direction to that of the invaders.

Canterlot – Royal Bedrooms

So close, One watched the little arrow as it tilted, pointing finally up towards the tip of a nearby tower, that is where their target was. Just across a little clearing. Raising his fist, One motioned the squad to the edge of the shadow they lurked in, each marine lining up shots on visible guards. One raised his fist, watching as each barrel steadied and settled into position, two tracking side to side to follow the walks of two patrolling guards.

One nearly swore into the radio as the scream pierced the night behind them, they must have missed someone. As the guards surrounding the tower snapped round to look he gave the 'fire' signal before the strange quadrupeds could see the marines, 7 whipcracks broke the still night air as the scream faded, 7 guards reared in surprise and then slumped to the ground or fell from the balconies on which they stood. But an eighth , hidden behind a wall, stood up and gave a cry of alarm, the armoured thing raised its horn and sparked up, sending a flare of light high into the sky.

Now One swore, breaking radio silence at the same moment that he raised his own rifle and took down the eighth guard with a dart “Stealth section's over squad, Move!” all seven marines broke into a sprint across the open ground, armoured boots tearing up patches of soil. More of the quadreped guards appeared from all around, the horned ones levitating spears alongside them while the winged ones carried crossbows.

The marines didn't glance up, they kept shoulders down and legs pounding in their run at the tower, the winged guards fired a volley of bolts at the intruders, shock registering on their too-human faces as the heavy crossbow bolts splintered and ricocheted off the plates of the marines armour, magically thrown spears made the heavily built soldiers stumble, but the spears bounced off and the marines never checked their pace.

One got to the tower door first, there was a doorknob, but no point in using it. The heavy oak door splintered, buckled and finally was smashed inwards as the marines threw themselves at it. Standing at the base of a long set of stairs One gave orders “3, 4 hold the door. The rest of you with me” he didn't wait for acknowledgement this time, taking the spindly stairs 3 at once in his haste.

One and the five following him arrived at the top of the tower, only to be faced with a long hallway. One checked the reader, it pointed straight ahead. Before the marine squad could take a step, more guards dropped from the ceiling and melted out of shadows all around them, blue-armoured and bat-winged with mouths full of long fangs. The marine squad and the obstructing guards stared each other down for a moment, then One made a simple hand signal and the hallway was filled with the sound of whips and the screeches of these strange new guards. Battle was joined.
Canterlot, Luna's room

Inside her room the Moon princess was busy, working with a brow furrowed in concentration as she strapped on plates of ancient battle armour. The sounds of her night guard valiantly fighting to slow this enemy down sped her hooves and gave strength to her limbs. “My horn is unusable and mine wings are bound, but I am a warrior with or without them” she reassured herself, strapping the last leg-plate in place over its coat of mail and lowering her helm into place atop her head.

Determination lighting fire in her eyes, Luna turned to the door, wincing slightly every time a thud or a thump signified one of her guards hitting the floor, she kept glancing towards the balcony, expecting -hoping- to see her sister, or a squadron of Pegasi arrive to lend aid; but all she saw was any pegasus that approached being swatted from the sky by the darts of the intruders.
Calming her breathing and steadying her hooves, the lunar princess lowered her horn and set her stance, ready to charge.

Canterlot Court chambers

The raucous noise began to die down, finally a few nobles calmed enough to take their seats and discuss matters at a reasonable volume. Celestia sipped her fresh tea and gently began working through the tangle of idiocy, babble, bias, conspiracy and genuine solutions that each of her advisers presented. This was her element.

Then the air broke open as the terrified scream rent the air, there was a clatter of noise to drown out the approaching scream as guards, gentlestallions and Celestia herself stood and looked towards the door. Then the doors flung themselves open and a pegasus charged in, screaming all the way until she ground to a halt in the centre of the room and finally paused to take her breath. Seeing Celestia approach with worry on her face, the maid sucked in a high-speed unintelligible babble, pointing back the way she came and gesturing wildly, her face showing little but fear.

The Diarch alicorn gave a nod to the guards, who immediately began forcing the crowds of nobles back to give the princess and the maid room, then she sat down next to the panicking pegasus, shushing her gently and wrapping a wing around her subject “It's okay Feather Duster. You're safe now, calm down and please explain what has panicked you so”

Feather Duster calmed down slowly, quieting down to a little whimper. She looked up to the princess and breathed slow, taking in a breath and starting again “Intruders. There's intruders in the castle”

At the alicorn's raised eyebrow the maid explained further. “I was in the kitchens, cleaning out the ice-room. I paused to enjoy the chilly air and was about to step out when a royal guard came in, he was stumbling backwards as if somepony surprised him, then there was a crack like a whip. A dart stuck in the guards neck and he fell to the ground” her voice trembled “i-I was so scared, I just pulled the door closed and hid behind a shelf. Then when whoever It was had gone, I came out and screamed and ran all the way here”

Celestia nodded “I am glad you did, were it not for your presence of mind I might have never found out” she stood, only to find another pegasus storming the room, this one in the uniform of the palace guards.

The mare in armour skidded to a halt before announcing “Intruders Princess! They've broken into Luna's tower. We tried to stop them, but they keep firing these, syringe... things?” she struggled to find words.

Celestia found them for her “Darts?”

The guard was surprised, but recovered quickly and nodded “yes Princess, punches through our armour like it was tinfoil. Loaded with some sort of sleep-toxin, knocks us out faster than I can wink”

The sun goddess nodded, then began a quickfire round of orders, sending her surrounding guards off to summon reinforcements and find shining armour, a bubble shield over the castle to stop the intruders escaping was needed. Finally she tunred to the guard and the maid, she nodded towards the saluting guard “Private.. Bolt?”

The pegasus guard beamed at the recognition “Yes Princess. Private Thunderclap Buzzer Bolt at your service”

Celestia nodded “I need you to organise the defence of this room, gather any noble who is willing and hold the door here, the ambassadors are more than capable of defending themselves, but if these intruders are targeting our government, they would likely come here”

Pvt Bolt nodded with determination, saluting solemnly before jetting off to rouse the huddled nobles, the dragon, zebra and griffin ambassadors were ready for the defence, the looming shadow of the draconic speaker throwing the whole room into shadow under his wings.

Nodding to herself, Celestia flared her horn and teleported away.

Canterlot – Luna's bedroom

12 darts, it had taken 12 darts to take their target down, the thing had speared 5 in the arm the moment he opened the door, the long horn on its head going through the armour plates like butter, two blows from the fore-legs had shattered the left lens on 6's helmet and buckle 7's chest-plate. One had ended the fight with a thrown psych-out grenade, the blue-furred thing had screamed in agony, clutching at it's head and writhing on the floor. The darts that sent it into a deep sleep seemed almost a mercy.

Now the marines carried the strange quadreped through the corridor and down the stairs. Picking a careful path through the still bodies of more than two dozen of those strange blue-armoured guards, all baring injuries from the battle (if it could be called that, the spears and short-swords barely scratched the paintwork on marine armour)

3 and 4 waited at the bottom, leaning out of the door frame occasionally to take pot shots at the guards that now surrounded the tower. They glanced at the limp form being borne between 6 and 7 and the battle scars on the bearers.

3 queried “Are we making a run for the evac zone sir?” She sounded unsure about the idea.

One held the marines gaze for a few seconds, then nodded “stick close to the captive, I'm willing to bet they won't try anything if we have a hostage”

The squad formed up around the limp captive, tensed and ran, One popping the cap off a radio flare as he went.

High above Canterlot, a scout lander pilot smiled as the red blip she had been waiting for suddenly flashed up. With a pulse of the engines the craft rolled into a screaming power-dive

Celestia stood on a rooftop overlooking her sister's tower, she had felt Luna fall, all the guard had heard her agonised scream. Much as the alicorn wished to rush in, her own personal guard had stopped her. Now they waited for these intruders to emerge.

Shining Armour joined her, ready to give an attack signal to the army of guards massed below.

Suddenly there was movement, 8 things with Luna held between two of them.

Celestia's expression went through many changes as she gazed at her sister, finally settling on neutrality. With a snap of her wing she interrupted Shining's signal “Wait”

The commander looked up at his ruler silently.

Celestia took a deep breath and closed her eyes “Let them through” she ordered

The ripple of shock going through the ranks was palpable, nobody moved a muscle, prompting the alicorn to repeat herself “Pull the guards back, let the intruders through. I will not risk injuring my sister.”

Shining spluttered incredulously, the intruders were getting closer “B-but Princess, Luna's immortal. We couldn't inj-” he got no further.

Celestia flared magic through her horn and ordered in power-laced tones “Do not question me Commander. Pull the guard back, take down the shield, let the intruders through. I will explain my reasons in due time”

Shining held the Diarch's gaze for moments, on the verge of rebellion. But he crumbled eventually and flared his horn, sending up the retreat symbol just as the intruders reached the first guards.

The marines charged the mass of quadrupeds with determination, all trace of doubt washed from them by the cocktail of drugs their implants pumped into their bloodstream. But just as they reached the first of the armoured creatures and raised their rifles to fire, the guards retreated. They pulled away, gazing at a symbol in the sky and bolting out of the marines path.

Spirits bolstered by this strange development, the marines poured on the speed and made their way back at a sprint. Holding their captive high to avoid banging its head on the floor, the guarding quadrupeds followed at a distance, lead by a giant white one, with horns and wings just as their dozing capture had.

The path to the courtyard was lined with the golden armoured things, the marines slowed down for the final stretch, even One was feeling a little nonplussed by the docility of their foe.

That hesitancy was washed away with a roar of jets, all of the quadrupeds save the giant white beast ducking as the lander screamed by overhead, circling the palace once to bleed off speed before coming down with a cloud of dust.

Shining armour followed Celestia, but every time he tried to ask why they were letting the intruders go was met with silence. The alicorn walked far ahead, letting nopony see her eyes, finally pausing just outside the courtyard.

The white alicorn didn't flinch or waver as the strange craft made a pass over the castle, not looking away from her sister for even an instant.

The reason she paused at the courtyard entrance was made apparent when Shining armour attempted to enter, there was horrific buzzing sound in the air just beyond the gate, it made his horn feel as if it was coming out of its socket, he winced and stumbled back with eyes watering.

As soon as Luna was loaded into the craft the buzzing stopped, the intruders climbed in, looking like insects in their black armour, and pulled the hatch-door shut.

The craft began to lift away and Shining heard Celestia speak again, her voice barely above a whisper “What have you wrought upon us sister?”

Chapter 8: Meanwhile,with the CMC

High above the three fillies, the scout lander soared through the wispy upper atmospshere, flying high and almost silent on ultra-jet engines, it kept its speed subsonic while it flew over the forest far below. With a tilt of control fins the craft rolled over and began a steep descent.

Inside the metal walls of the lander craft ten marines sat restrained by flight harnesses, they were not dressed in their power armour, instead they wore the un-powered but considerably lighter, 'Nomad' Mark II scout armour; a newly designed suit made of flexible polymer plates joined by super-silk webbing, all covered by a tight weave of 'smart fabric' -Polymer strands laced with electronics, the fabric shifted colour and texture to match that of its surroundings.

Each of the marines wore a breather mask and thermal goggles, and instead of their standard heavy rifles they were armed with sniper rifles (able to accurately fire the standard 'hard' or 'soft' ammo at ranges of more than five miles) and hand-cannon pistols.

The pilot's voice rang through the speakers on the walls “Okay boys, I've spotted a clearing in the forest, I'll set you down there and let you get on with the search. I have four more trips to go, so forgive me if I don't hang around. Landing in five, get locked and loaded.”

Everfree Forest – Zecora's house

In the wild tangle of the Everfree woods there sat a mud-walled hut with masks and fetishes hanging off and leaning on the outside. It was a zone of silence in the otherwise noisy night, save for the crackle of fire inside and the sound of a gentle voice, seeping out through the wood-panel door

“I am sorry to bring your journey to an end, but if I did not, I would not be a friend” Zecora spoke apologetically “the forest at night is a danger to all, especially to fillies that are so cute and small” moving about her hut slowly and picking through the bundles and jars of dried herbs and plants that adorned her shelves.

Scootaloo wore a sulk while she fidgeted on her seat “It's not that dangerous...”

The zebra picked a bundle of dried leaves off the shelf, clicking in annoyance and chiding the pegasus foal “Your little tongue speaks nothing but lies, the truth is betrayed by the fear in your eyes.
The beasts of the forest could gobble you up with room to spare, so sit silent foolish filly until you are out of my hair.”

Scootaloo stilled, but grumbled “That was a terrible rhyme”

Zecora tossed the bundle into a bubbling pot and stirred the water with a stick, replying with haste, irritation laid on thick “I am sorry dear Scootaloo, if I seem tired and stressed. Unexpected guests have burst in and disturbed my night's rest”

The orange filly looked indignant and was about to respond, but her mouth was suddenly plugged by both of her friend's hooves. Applebloom looked apologetic and embarrassed, her voice was laden with the same tone “We're sorry Zecora. We didn't mean to wake you up. We were just wondering what the thing that landed in the forest was.”

Zecora stopped stirring and walked off again, this time plucking four bowls off their hook, balancing them on her head she turned to the filly with a curious look “I admit Applebloom that I now want to know, what is this 'thing' that intrigued you so? Whatever it was must have made quite the mark, if you took leave of your senses, to enter Everfree in the dark”

Applebloom rubbed the back of her head sheepishly “Ah dunno what it looked like, Scootaloo's the only one that saw the thing. But ah do know that it made a noise a like a lightning-storm, 'cept it went on longer”

Before Zecora could respond Scootaloo finally managed to yank her friend's hooves from her mouth, glaring at them both before answering “It looked like a really huge bird made out of metal, with stubby wings. There were four big flames coming out of the bottom when it started to slow down”

Zecora hummed thoughtfully, unable to speak while her mouth was holding a long ladle to pour out steaming tea into the bowls from the pot.

Passing out the aromatic brew with spoonful's of honey to sweeten it, she sipped her own and wondered “I was asleep and content in my dreams, safe from the thunderous noise it seems. I know not anything like it in myth or in history, what you describe is a true mystery. If it sounds like a storm a thunder-bird seems to fit, but to shoot flames as well changes it a bit.”

Sweetie Belle glanced to her compatriots, they traded smile over there tea bowls before the little unicorn queried “So.. you want to know what it is?”

Zecora watched the little exchange of glances with half curiosity, half suspicion before agreeing hesitantly “Yes little filly I am intrigued to say the least. I know this forest too well to not know of such a beast.”

Scootaloo smiled wider, sipping the cooling tea appreciatively she spoke suggestively “Well if you want to go see it. Then we don't have to go alone”

The striped herbalist shook her head, chuckling “I see now your plan my little friend, but I must say that you pursue a dead end. Even I am afraid to enter the forest at night, so I-” she paused, looking at the pegasus foal, who was suddenly staring wide-eyed at one wall.

“Little Scootaloo, does my wall somehow bother you?” she placed her bowl down and trotted over, but as the zebra raised her hoof to tap Scootaloo, the tiny orange filly held her own up in a 'shush' gesture

“Can't you hear it?” Scootaloo growled, leaping off her stool and spilling her tea in her haste to press one ear to the wall “That sound.. It's the creature again!”

As silence filled the hut they could all hear it. Noise like a growling beast, growing in volume and backed by a slowly rising whine, the three fillies abandoned their chairs and their bowls to rush to the window, jostling for position.

Zecora walked to the door and unlocked it with her key, taking up a long heavy staff the zebra stepped out of the hut to stare into the sky, her long mane bending in the wind. After a moment the three fillies joined her, clustering around the larger mare's legs as the storm-cloud roar came closer, heading towards them faster and faster with the whine that rode under it building to a banshee wail..

The crusaders were hidden from sight momentarily when the thing passed over as Zecora clamped down in fear, instinct taking over to make her cover the three protectively with her body, letting a near scream of shock escape her lips. The 'thing' was big, the shadow against the stars was larger than Zecora's home thrice over, four tongues of near invisible flame spat from four tubes on the stubby wings as it screamed and roared across the sky only a few dozen feet from the tree-tops.

Then it was gone, when the girls had struggled from under the shivering zebra's bulk they all looked up, to where the giant thing was but a bright speck high up in the sky, the sound of thunder dying on the wind.
All four ponies ducked and yelped again as a thunderous crack of noise split night, the speck of the thing igniting in iridescence, smoke and fire pouring from it. Higher and higher he thing flew on its pillar of smoke, until the bright light faded into the clouds.

Zecora stopped her shivering, and let herself breath in more deeply. Leaning on her staff she closed her eyes “I think it would be best if we went inside, from such a thing we can but hide. Come on girls.. Girls?” Zecora opened her eyes and glanced around in panic when she realised that the three fillies were no longer clustered by her legs, they were in fact over there, disappearing into the dark forest towards wherever that thing took off from.

Applebloom stopped and turned, a smile on her face “C'mon Miss Zecora! It came from over here!” she called back briefly before turning around and running off into the shadows.

Zecora called them back three times before giving in, she stamped her foot in annoyance and scribbled a quick note on her door; she dumped the tea onto the fire to put it out, grabbed her heavy cloak and hooked a lamp on the end of her staff before hurrying off in pursuit, swearing under her breath in Zebrican

Forest landing zone

A marine sat perched in the limbs of a tree, watching the lander's burn for orbit through the scope of a rifle, when the secondary thrusters flared into life for the main boost the marine had to turn away, the light getting too bright to safely watch.

“How's the weather up there?” a voice came through the marine's implanted communicator, the sound being transmitted straight into her auditory nerve. Twitching her head in irritation the watcher in the tree snapped off a twig and flung it towards the ground

“Weather's fine Corp” she responded, opening the mic with a thought. Smirking slightly as the twig bounced off her Corporal's red pipped helmet “Though my mood might have been better if my squad-leader hadn't 'volunteered' me for sentry duty.”

The officer didn't move, his kneeling camouflaged form barely visible against the dense undergrowth. “I don't see what is quite so bad about sentry duty, it's important to keep the LZ clear.”

The arboreal marine shifted slightly on the branch, leaves rustled and fell but didn't reveal her outline “Important but boring Corp, I don't see why I have to stay up in this tree while the other boys get to have fun in the forest, I mean I have the best marksmanship scores out of our whole squad!” The sound baffling mouthpiece of the stealth helmet restrained the marine's outburst to a tiny whisper.

“But you also have the worst navigation, tracking and wilderness survival scores out of the whole platoon, you're a damn good sniper, but you suck at scouting.” The Corporal explained calmly, still unmoving.

The tree-marine grunted, swivelling around to look behind her “Yeah yeah whatever, I grew up on Mars, there isn't much call for wilderness survival when the planet's made out of barren rock, steel corridors and dry dust.”

The corporal was silent for a moment before speaking up “well what if you got stuck outside the colony with no supplies?”

“Then you're dead Sir. Mars isn't covered in all that 'tamed wilderness' stuff like earth. If you get lost on the red plains, you're dead.” She near enough growled.

There was an awkward silence in the air, the corporal shifted slightly, scanning the surroundings with his own rifle, the blackened and painted barrel perfectly camouflaged against the shrubbery.

A minute passed before the Corporal spoke up again “See anything in the area?”

The martian marine scanned all around, her heat sensitive goggles glowing slightly red in the darkness as she activated them “No, looks em- Wait yeah, Heat signatures approaching from 1000 metres at 1:00” her rifle came up in a snap, bringing the red blobs into higher magnification “Looks like three maybe four, one medium and two or three smaller. Non-Human outline”

The corporal's rifle whipped up to scan the same direction. He held the pose for a while as the targets got closer “Keep a bead on the lead signatures. Might just be an animal.” He ordered, watching the blobs of heat wind their way through the trees.

It was only moments before the three smaller shapes crashed through the undergrowth and stopped in the dark clearing. They were short quadrupeds, perhaps 3 foot tall, the things were brought to a halt by the leader of the three (who had twin tufts of feathers decorating its back), who glanced back to the followers with huge glimmering eyes and spoke in a high pitched voice “I think it came down around here, lets get searching” the group fell about searching the clearing

The tree-marine watched the scene and heard the words, her eyes went wide behind her goggle “they're adorable!” she exclaimed loudly, thankful for the sound-baffling on her mouthpiece, she lowered her rifle to her side and giggled “If they weren't sentient and doing so wouldn't break regulations I'd hop out of this tree right now and go hug one”

The corporal chuckled at the marines sudden attack of girlishness “They are cute little things huh. But I'm not so sure that's gibberish. I swear I've heard it before, just need to hear some more to be sure”

As if on cue, the last one on the scene (no feathers, but a bow was tied into its ponytail) stopped only a few feet from the hidden officer and yelled out “Ah found something, ah've found something!” the other two all hurried over.

The last of the quadrupeds (this one had pale fur and no feathers, a short horn jutted from its forehead) peered at where the bow-haired one pointed and asked “What is it?”

“It's a big scorch-mark, see where them plants is burned? A bet that's where that there creature landed.” the bowed one exclaimed with happy tones to her voice.

The group dissolved into a babble of voices, each debating about what the bow-haired one had found. The corporal listened carefully, as did the tree-bound marine, until the watcher in the branches broke the radio silence “Uh.. Still sounds like gibberish to me.”

The hidden corporal moved forward slightly, his movement only noticeable by the shifting of plants against the wind and the bickering quadrupeds didn't notice, though the feathered one did cock an ear and glance over. The officer spoke thoughtfully “No, not gibberish at all. Its a language from old earth, from before the United Solar Council invented standard. English”

The arboreal marine was silent for a few moments, watching the tiny creatures finally finish their argument and move away, only to converge once again on a set of marine footprints in the mud
“So the extra-dimensional aliens speak a language from Earth, I guess that's a vote for the 'Parallel Dimension' theory, weird but why should I care?”

The officer sounded pleased at the question “Simple, I know enough English from my history lessons to be at least understandable. Our mission is to gather information on the area, where better than a local to get information.” There was silence on the radio, so the corporal smiled “Here goes nothing” he stood up tall, making sure to make lots of rustling and noise as he straightened up and slung the heavy rifle on his back.

The attention of the three quadrupeds suddenly snapped to the now looming silhouette of the marine officer, the smart-fabric camouflage deactivating at the press of a switch, rendering the man completely visible. The little things shrunk back in fear at the glowing red eyes of the thermal goggles, but relaxed slowly when the corporal simply stood there, one hand reaching up and peeling away his mouthpiece to show the pale skin and smiling mouth underneath. Eventually, after much prodding from the companions, the feathered creature stood forward, gulping audibly before walking slowly towards the silent corporal.

Eventually it got within arm's reach, a limb was extended and the piccolo pipe of its voice came out in a stammer “H-hey there.. My name's Scootaloo, what's yours?”

The tiny Scootaloo nearly jumped out of its skin when the corporal knelt down and extended a gloved hand to softly wrap around the offered limb, his english speech was stilted and simplistic “Hello Scootaloo... I are Corporal Howard Hansen. Of star-boat 'New Dawn'. Happy to meet you”

The other two had grown more bold when Scootaloo had not immediately been eaten, they came up behind it and stood staring at the marine. After a moment, bow-hair giggled and said “Y'all talk funny mister, yer like one of them foals that can't talk right yet. Mah name's Applebloom by the way.”

While the Corporal tried to digest bow-hair's quick and heavily accented speech, Scootaloo took the opportunity to ask “Sorry about Applebloom Mister Hansen, she can be a bit rude. But what do you mean 'Starboat?' is that like a spaceship?”

Applebloom grumbled under her breath about being called rude, but didn't interrupt as Cpl Hansen found the words “no trouble for Applebloom, I are not good talker. For Space Ship.. Yes. New Dawn is 'Space-ship', we are travelling space.” He pointed up through the opening in the forest canopy, towards the distant silver glimmer in the night sky. “Can I ask Scootaloo and friend Are you Boy, or Girl? Calling you 'it' all time will be coming annoying”

Scootaloo looked confused at the terminology, looking grateful when horn-head came in with an answer “We're girls Mister Hansen, but I don't think many ponies use 'boy' or 'girl', most call it 'colt' or 'filly'”

Cpl Hansen nodded, but kept silent as Scootaloo spoke up again “you travel in space? You're an alien! That's so cool!”

The marine made to answer, but Applebloom interrupted “Are there more of you? Do you have a laser gun? Do you abduct cows? Because Daisy May has been getting real worried what with all them stories in the paper. Have you ever probed anyp-”

Her torrent of questions stopped when the officer raised his hand for silence and Scootaloo promptly plugged her friend's mouth with a hoof. Nodding thankfully the slightly beleaguered marine answered “Yes, there is more of us. No, Have no lasers. Not abduct cows No probes”

Sweetie Belle looked around the clearing “There are more aliens? Where?”

Hansen held up a finger for silence, then spoke Standard into his throat-mic “Private Kirk, get down here”

The radio erupted with a chuckle “Sorry sir, no can do. I'll just hang up here and provide backup sir”

“Backup? For what? I thought you were all for coming down to meet them”

“I am sir, but I have to provide backup for the thing you forgot”

The corporal scratched his head, there was a patter of feet behind him, but the marine ignored it “Forgot? What have I forgotten”

The three fillies behind Hansen all called out in a sing-song English “Hi Miss Zecora. Miss Zecora?”

The corporal whirled round, mouth open to ask who 'Miss Zecora' is.

The last thing he heard before the heavy end of a wooden staff smashed into the bridge of his nose was Private Kirk “There were four targets sir, this one looks a bit angry”

Chapter 9: Meetings

Aboard the New Dawn

Captain Morgan couldn't repress a smile as he walked down the corridor towards the Medical Centre, the old man snapped off quick salutes to crew members as he passed them, stepping smartly to let a group of white-uniformed medical staff run past in the same direction, followed by a small crowd of red security.

A shadow fell across Morgan and a deep and familiar voice rumbled "Heading to watch Little Dove at work?" CSO Henry caught up with a few long strides and walked level with the Captain, smiling without exposing his wolf-teeth.

Captain Morgan carefully suppressed a shiver at the sight of the heavily augmented marine, instead smiling back and nodding "I wouldn't miss it, I take it that CMO McConnell was excited to have this chance?"

Barry laughed, long fangs glinting in the light "It was like Year's end festival come early. Dove was giddy enough when the footage came in of the quadrupeds, what with them being extra-dimensional aliens, her smile near enough took off the top of her head when she found out she'd be able to study one up close."

As the grey of the corridor faded into the white tiling of the Medical centre, the Captain raised an eyebrow at his giant companion "I would have thought that the CMO would at least hesitate to perform a vivisection, especially on a restrained and unwilling prisoner. I actually came here with the intention of convincing her, she has always has such a moral outlook."

The CSO looked slightly troubled by that "Well.."

Barry was cut off before he could find an answer, by a soft tone from the air-lock of quarantine theatre one "Ordinarily sir, I wouldn't" The captain and CSO both looked towards the voice, where the CMO leaned against the frame of the open airlock hatch, dressed in a tight-fitting surgeon's coat and rubber apron, with silver stained medical gloves on her fingers, mirrored goggles on her eyes and -perhaps the strangest thing the Captain had seen her with- a lollipop stick jutting from her lips. she took a breath before continuing "and the day you force me to perform something so morally reprehensible, is the day I lose all respect for you as a captain."

Captain Morgan turned around fully now "but this time was different because...?" He left the question hang in the air, the old man's eyes glanced over the lollipop stick, a spark of confusion in his eyes, but he didn't bring it up.

Susan sounded a little sheepish "Well, it's because it's not human..." The CSO narrowed his eyes, a curl of anger flaring in his eyes, the CMO spotted the look and quickly continued, her hands waving with a placative motion "Not like that BD!" I don't mean 'not human' in the same way that gene-augmented or natural mutants aren't human, or surgical implants can render your shape non-human" the CSO snorted, but the anger left slowly and his face resumed its neutrality "I mean Completely non-human, at first I was about to refuse to perform the op, I just couldn't put her under the knife"

There was a glance of surprise between Morgan and Henry, before Susan continued " I was just about to call the intercom and apologise, when the gene-tester got back with the results, they were a bit strange..."

Morgan waited a minute after the CMO trailed off, after she just stood there trying to avoid his eye, the CSO barked with a sudden flare of temper "Out with it Dove! I don't think I'll find anything strange at this point"

Susan jumped a little and stammered bit as she continued "Well, the gene-tests came pack negative for human, or even primate DNA, whatever this is, it's never been close to human. Strange enough on its own the tests did find one genetic match though Sir, it came back with an 83% positive match for equine DNA."

The Captain nodded in understanding with eyes wide in shock, but Henry growled "Spare the science terms Dove. Speak plain standard please"

Susan nodded, mute for a moment before moving on "Equines are Horses, Our super-powerful psychic prisoner is a horse, a walking talking,ornament wearing and 100% sentient. Horse." She sighed "I performed the op after that, after I ran her through the MRI, just because I was so curious; the chance to study the result of a completely divergent evolutionary path, an intelligent species that is almost entirely removed from humanity.” the CMO gushed, an excited giggle exiting her lips.

Remembering herself, Susan slowed her breathing and calmed herself before continuing “She turned out to be a normal horse in most respects, ovaries and mammary glands in all the usual places, full digestive system and all the basics, they're vegetarian by the way sir, I found plant matter in the stomach and along her tract. The strange things that stood out though sir, apart from the horn and the wings, are very strange."

She held up a hand, turning the gloved digits left and right "Her blood is silver, with only tiny flecks of red, it was luminescent in the dark, like fluorescent fluid under black-light. Then I cut down to the bone, and I couldn't believe it Sir" Susan lowered her hands "I think I know why she's so powerful. Her bones weren't just made of bone. You know the crystalline structures, from those medical journals? This thing's bones are nearly 60% crystal, her muscles are laced with strands of it, that horn on her head, it's closer to 90% crystal, with structures woven right through the skull and all around the brain."

She let that sink in, after a moment of silent contemplation, the captain ventured "So that.. 'horse' is a giant psychic battery...?"

Susan nodded "And capacitor Sir. I don't quite know she couldn't stop ten Marines from capturing her. with the sheer amount of potential psychic energy all that crystal could generate and store she should have been able to crush a hundred times that number. It may be something to do with those engraved iron bands that were wrapped around her horn, I think those were locking away her powers, along with the restraints on her wings"

The captain nodded "So this is definitely the one that attacked us? She's dangerous?"

The CMO nodded vigorously "Absolutely, same energy signature. If she exerted what I calculate to be her true strength, even with our shield in place, she'd probably be able to crush this entire ship like a tin can. Her regenerative capacity is absolutely insane to boot, I had to dose her with tranquilizer three times just to keep her unconscious, and I nearly wore out 5 scalpels keeping her open"

The CSO and Captain glanced at each other, then Morgan spoke "I think we'll have to revise the precautions for her cell in that case. we'll have to have scramblers in place constantly"

CSO Henry nodded " Psych-out grenades ready to go off just in case"

They looked about to get into a more serious discussion, when Susan blurted "NO!"

Under their curious stares the CMO wilted, but rallied quickly and explained "No Sir. She may not be human, but you can't. The scramblers and the grenades get more painful and damaging the more powerful the psychic. The prisoner already had hairline fractures on quite a few bones and a compound inside the horn, just from the grenades and scrambler exposure on the ground. I turned off the scrambler in the operation theatre just to stop it getting worse, in small doses her regeneration took care of the damage, but after a minute or so even that couldn't keep up. On something this powerful the sonic devices aren't suppressants, they're torture devices " she swirled the lollipop from one side to the other, her eyes sad "I couldn't live with putting her through that 24/7”

Barry and Morgan considered this carefully considered this, then the Captain spoke slowly "In that case, I guess we can't do that. I guess we'll have to jury-rig up some modified shield emitters, the energy field would stop the prisoner generating any energy. I'll have to talk to Li" The two men began walking back down the corridor, with Susan coming alongside after a moment

Barry nodded "Right." he tried a smile "what flavour?"

Susan looked confused for a moment, but then let the tension dispel with her own smile, she popped the lollipop out of her mouth and held it up "strawberry" she let him see the glistening red orb for a moment before putting it back in. The big CSO nodded, his smile returning.

The captain watched the exchange, puzzlement written all over his wrinkles. At the officer's befuddlement, both chiefs chuckled, and CSO Henry explained "Old tradition Dove keeps. A lollipop for every op"

CMO McConnell nodded "My teacher in med-school taught me the rhyme, usually I give one to the patient too. Since she isn't awake yet, I had mine first."

Captain Morgan pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed before asking "I'm almost afraid to ask, but is the flavour important?"

Henry caught the question "Yeah, it's a red one if the operation's going well, blue if she's unsure, Yellow if it's going badly"

Susan commented "Because I hate Lemons" she patted Barry on the back before peeling away, heading back towards the theatre with a tiny spring in her step.

Canterlot

Celestia sat in one of her private dining room, gently sipping on a steaming cup of tea. The calm look on her face betrayed nothing but serenity, her horn moving the china teapot smoothly over to refill her cup. One ear perked up and pointed towards the doorway behind her as the loud click and clop of armoured horseshoes hammered down the corridor, The snow white alicorn turned her head gently, only glancing at the door before turning back to the aromatic brew.

Taking a sip, she set the cup down and began counting under her breath “5. 4. 3. 2. 1”

A second passed after one, and the door was thrown open with a blast of magic to reveal a fuming Shining Armour in full uniform sans helmet, a short-sword sheathed at his side and horn aglow. He stamped his way inside with his hooves clacking like gunshots on the stone floor, the Unicorn barely remembered to salute before speaking “Princess! We've been looking everywhere for you.” His nostrils flared in annoyance.

Celestia let a moment pass before her reply came, head turning to look at the storm-cloud expression on her guard's face “Good evening Captain Armour, five minutes enquiry to any of my maids would have directed you here” she spoke calmly, her benevolent expression never changing “If there is anything I can help you with, please don't hesitate to ask”

Shining Armour's glower never wavered, stepping round to the other side of the table he demanded “One thing. Why?” the question was sharpened by apparent frustration.

The alicorn raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of her tea before setting the cup down with a clink she answered “Because.” her tone of amusement did nothing to appease the furious unicorn facing Celestia, so she continued “Perhaps it would be best if you were just a bit more specific dear. There are many 'Why' questions.”

Shining Armour growled out “Why did you let them take Luna? Why didn't you let me do my job?”

Celestia sighed a little, her smile slipping for a moment before reasserting itself “Such simple questions, but such complex answers” she sipped her tea once more, leaving a little less than half the cup remaining “Perhaps it would be best to wait for the mo-”

She was interrupted as the heavily built guard reared up to slam his hooves into the table, cracking the wood around him and bouncing the teacup off onto the floor where it smashed into a thousand tinkling shards “No!” he barked, temper flaring “Enough stalling. The entire palace guard was humiliated tonight, the whole of Canterlot saw us fail. I need to know why.”

Celestia sat silent for a moment, her smile had faded into a neutral line with corners tilted ever so slightly towards irritation. Her horn flared into life, the scattered shards of teacup and saucer glowing with golden light as she floated them up, a twitch of the horn reforming the cup and setting it down in-front of the goddess.

Shining Armour snorted with impatience while the princess carefully refilled her cup, stirring it with a silver spoon and tipping a tiny amount of cream and honey into the amber liquid.
Apparently satisied with the mixture, Celestia tapped her teaspoon on the edge of the cup and finally looked back up to the Unicorn with her eyes once again radiating benevolence and serenity.

“As you wish Captain” her voice neither wavered nor shifted even the tiniest fraction of an octave from its usual kind tone “Do sit” the request was punctuated by a flick of her horn.

The Guard took his fore-hooves off the woodwork slowly, his face still stormy. “I'd prefer to stand.”

Celestia's tone gained a backing of steel “Yet I insist that you sit” her horn flared with the punctuating flick, the unicorn let out a grunt of surprise when his rump was gripped in a magical aura and firmly pushed to meet the ground, he shifted uncomfortably but found himself unable to stand.

Shining Armour glowered, his mouth open to protest, but was cut short and made silent when yet another aura gripped his muzzle, sealing the lips together and holding the head so that it faced Celestia.

The Diarch stood slowly, her horn glowing slightly as the guard finally gave up struggling “Captain, I would appreciate it if you would listen carefully. The hour grows late and I wish to sleep before the dawn.” the flare around the alicorn's horn increased ever so slightly and the table infront of her was suddenly gone, a flash of light and puff of smoke in its place.

Celestia took a step forward, her eyes watching her captive audience appraisingly, her face a mask “First, a question. What do you see me as?” she opened her wings and walked slowly towards the Unicorn.

“A god?” her voice dripped with power for a second, the benevolence in her eyes was replaced for the merest moment with the fury of the sun and her white wings briefly flamed with ethereal light.

“A ruler?” Her eyes went cold and hard, but now she stood imperiously over the -now nervous- Shining armour, the great expanse of her flared wings casting the smaller pony into shadow.

“a friend?” The wings dropped down and the hard eyes softened and warmed, tickling brushing across the white fur of Shining's Face as Celestia began a slow circle around him, her magic keeping the stallion's face pointed forwards.

“Something... more?” the whispered words were spoken softly, slowly, seductively as warm breath played over a twitching ear. Silken lips sank down to plant a gentle kiss just to the side of the electric blue mane, lingering for but a second before the alicorn stood back up to her full height and walked slowly out into the centre of the room, wings half-flared and an unreadable expression in her eyes.

Turning around as she reached them middle of the space Celestia looked back to her thoroughly confused captain “Regardless of what you think of me my little pony, One fact remains. I am Immortal” Shining Armour's eyes flicked to the side when a drawer slid out of a cabinet, his pupils shrank slightly as a long, thin and definitely sharp knife floated from the confines of the drawer. The blade hissed through the air towards the white Diarch, swerving away at the last second before falling into an slow orbit.

Celestia watched her captive's eyes closely while her voice rose again, it's tone reset to the calm default “Whatever occurs my dear Shining Armour. I will live on.”

The knife sped up in it's orbit, coming closer and closer to the alicorn's snowy fur with every second “wounds will fade, pain will pass, indignity can be forgotten and transgressions forgiven. I will live on.”

There was a silver collar around her neck, the blade skimming by just millimetres above the skin “My sister is the same, my equal and counterpart. Whatever tortures she suffers, whatever these creatures do to her. We will live on.”

The restrained Unicorn could only let out a gurgled cry of shock as the knife left it's orbit, shooting out with a stream of silver light and looping back around. This time it did not swerve nor falter as it aimed for the heart, the long blade plunging deep into Celestia's chest. Golden blood flowed in a long, thin rivulet from the wound and the alicorn twitched in pain, her teeth gritting against it. After a few long moments Celestia's breathing grew regular once again, her eyes taking back their calm “Pain is always fresh, but old as I am, it always fades.

The knife made a wet, slick sound when it was drawn out, a fresh stream of golden blood following the blade. Celestia ignored the bleeding to speak “You wished to protect me, did you not?” her hold on the stallion's muzzle released just enough to allow him to nod, tears in the corners of his eyes “You think it wrong to see me in pain?” another nod “But what would you give to spare me pain or injury?” The knife floated across the room, hovering just above Shining armour's skin, the tip aimed for a gap in the metal plates.

The alicorn was not smiling as she let the blade dig ever so slightly into the Captain's skin “Would you give your blood?” A nod, the blade shifted to dig at a muscle.

“Your strength?” Hesitation was there but a nod came regardless, the knife drifted up, to hover over the heart.

“Your Life?” A long pause, a nod.

Celestia's eyes saddened, a tear rolled off her cheek and the knife clattered to the floor. “That is why. My captain, that is why I let them take my sister.” Her horn stopped flaring.

Shining armour found himself free once again, his own horn flared to pick up the fallen weapon, his eyes lost in bewilderment and anguish when they met the sight of his princess's golden blood crusted on the blade. “I... I don't understand.” he breathed, watching the Diarch of the Sun turn away from him, wings raised to block her face from view.

There was a shake to the Immortal Sun's voice “Answer me this, Captain. What worth is a god's pain, when compared to that of a mortal?”

The unicorn took a faltering step towards Celestia, his voice pausing only a moment before coming clear and confident “Incalculable, mortal pain is worth little, when put against a god's”

Celestia turned then, her eyes older than history, filled with sadness. She looked on the verge of weeping “Oh my little pony, you are wrong” she put a gentle hoof on his armoured shoulder “So very, very wrong.” Shining Armour was taken aback, but was allowed no room to object before the alicorn spoke again “Tell me who the guards guard my captain” she queried, her voice softening and eyes drying.

The unicorn saw the trap, but plunged on ahead “The princesses?”

Celestia shook her head and sighed “We need no protectors.”

So he tried again “Canterlot?”

The sun god shook her head “closer Captain, but no”

Shining Armour gulped down his irritation at the vagueness of the hint, answering after a minute of thought “...Ponies?”

Celestia's returning smile was a ray of sun peeking over the horizon “Yes dear Shining. I task my guards not with protecting a god, or a city, but with guarding pony-kind itself. I ask you to keep the people safe, to shield them from harm and pain when I cannot.”

The guard ventured shakily “but what of your own pain princess?”

The white alicorn shook her head with an old smile “My pain is worthless Captain. Worthless.” her hoof cut short the unicorn's incensed outcry “I would spill an ocean of my own blood my pony, to spare my subjects but an hour of pain. I would bear any indignity or burden, no matter how vile, to keep a single pony alive.” She hooked her hoof under his chin to bring him a bit closer and nuzzle his suddenly reddened cheek “I would do so with a smile on my lips, so long as my people are safe”

She leaned back but kept her hoof in place while her horn charged a spell “My sister brought her fate upon herself Shining Armour. I will not allow her hubris, her damnable pride or her foolish actions to bring harm to my ponies while I can prevent it. If these creatures must exact justice upon Luna for her crimes against them, let them. We will live on.”

Seeing the coming teleport spell, Shining pushed away and asked “B-but what if they are so advanced, that they find a way to hurt Luna permanently?”

Celestia's smile never faltered, but her wings flapped out to cast them both into shadow, all the better to see the glow in her eyes “Do not think me so heartless Captain” her voice held echoes of might, her eyes aglow with the light of a nuclear inferno “If my sister were truly in danger, I would tear apart the sun itself to save her” there was nothing but fire and steel to that voice, sending a shiver down the unicorn's spine.

The god's voice faded to a friend's tone, the fire faded away “Give Cadence my love dear” she leaned in to give the burning cheek another nuzzle.

Shining armour was left alone then, in a flash of golden light Celestia disappeared, leaving behind nothing but a golden puddle and the bloody knife.

Everfree Forest

“Well I think that went well.” Kirk commented, sitting relaxed upon a fallen log. A bare hand stroking gently through the fur of a snoozing Scootaloo, occasionally stopping to toy with the tiny wings that stuck out from her spine.

“How exactly did you come to that conclusion?” Hansen growled from his seat on the forest floor, his own hand holding a pad of gauze to his bloody nose while the other rested on the slumbering beast behind him for support. The black-white barrel of the larger quadruped rose and fell gently, a single dart stuck into the flank.

Kirk tilted her little captives head to the side, watching the mouth fall open to show those blunt teeth, a tiny strand of green plant was stuck in a gap between the white pillars “We met some new friends, found out a little bit about the locals.” behind the mask her smile turned to a grin “I got to watch you get your face bashed in by some stripy thing with a stick”

The Corporal glanced over to the private and took the gauze from his scabbed up nose, letting a tiny trickle of blood work its way out of the wound, “I've been meaning to ask you about that Private Kirk. Why didn't you intervene sooner? As I recall, you are supposed to deal with threats before they become a danger like that.”

Kirk shrugged, kicking at a clump of dirt by her foot “I don't really think that classes as a 'threat' Corp. It's an angry local with a stick, you're wearing full armour and packing heat.” You could hear the smirk “Not my fault you took off your mouthpiece.” Hansen was silent for a while, Kirk could find little to say, beyond “These things are even cuter when they're asleep. When do you reckon they'll wake up?”

Hansen leaned back on the larger creature's rhythmically moving chest, resting his head on the warm fur to think for a while before responding “Well you only gave them half a dose each. Shouldn't be more than a few hours."

Kirk wilted, her hand pulling away and pushing the filly off her lap and onto the log, where she joined her sleeping friends in a fuzzy pile "I was hoping to talk to them a little. The next lander of marines is due any minute now, I don't think I'll have time after that.

As if on cue, the rumble of jet engines began to grow in the dark distance, both marines turned their heads to look.

The corporal went to push himself up "Come on, lets get them out of the LZ." he grumbled with a sigh, apparently.
reluctant to leave the warm 'pillow' the quadruped provided.

Standing, stretching and ever so slightly sulking, the two sentinels put back on their gear, the Corporal hissing in pain as the vacuum seals inside the breather mask clamped down on the newly scabbed cut on his nose. The floppy bodies of the sleeping quadrupeds were picked up and deposited in a neat pile just outside the clearing, hidden by the shrubbery.
The roar of the lander's jets rumbled louder and louder until the craft itself swung into view, the four engines swiveled down into VTOL position for the final approach.

As the large scout craft sunk towards the ground, Kirk and Hansen picked up their rifles and set off at a jog to meet it.
Both showed nothing of their shock however when the bay door swung open, to reveal not the black gleam of scout marines, but the yellow and orange suits of engineers, before the two marines could utter protest however, a red-pipped engineer stepped forward and opened his comm

"Change of plan Marines. We've found the perfect site, a mountain-side twenty clicks south-by-south-west . Captain ordered the engineering team down early, he wants a landing strip mapped out by dawn, ready by midday. All scout teams are being recalled to help secure the area. That includes you two, hop in" he sounded slightly impatient, this was clearly little more than an annoying diversion.

Hansen made to enter, but Kirk held the Corporal's arm "No, wait. if we're leaving, we have something to take with us" she motioned with her head back towards the edge of the LZ.

Corporal Hansen followed her nod, he quickly opened a private cahnnel and barked "Are you insane! Touching them without your armour on is a serious breach of regulations, why do you want to break any more by bringing them onto the lander!?"

The pipped engineer watched with both curiosity and annoyance, trying to hear the muted exchange through the baffling on the stealth armour. Kirk ignored the engineer and growled back "They're a pile of drugged herbivores, in the middle of a forest at night. We can't just leave them to get eaten by whatever predators are hanging about."

Hansen was silent, thinking carefully before answering curtly "Fine. But If I get demoted, this is your fault."

Kirk didn't say anything, instead jogging off towards the hiding place, motioning for the Corporal to follow her.

Kirk took the juveniles under her arms, juggling them around to keep the sniper rifle from bumping into them. Hansen simply slung the striped adult over his shoulders, walking back towards the craft and trying to hide a happy spring in his step, something that Kirk didn't bother to do, bouncing along like a child on winter festival day.

As they approached the ship however, the pipped engineer stepped down the ramp and intercepted them "Stop right there. What are those?"

Hansen answered first, hefting the limp quadruped higher on his shoulder "Some locals we had to tranquilize. We can't leave them out in the forest at night, they'll die"

The engineer shook his head "Tough. They can't come inside the lander, it'd break quarantine procedures."

Kirk felt compelled to speak up, moving a step forward "But they're sentient, it'd be murder"

The engineer moved to block her access, his voice cold "Like I said. Tough luck. I don't care if they're genii with degrees in advanced quantum field theory, they aren't coming aboard."

Hansen sighed and turned away "Fine, we'll go dump them-"

There came an interrupting voice and booming footsteps as the pilot came through the hatch door into the lander's compartment "What the flying f**kery is the hold up! We were supposed to be on route 5 minutes ago!" the red-suited marine woman snapped, her half-tone face tight with irritation.

The engineer snapped off a nervous salute "Lieutenant Madox... The marines here were trying to bring contraband cargo aboard.

The marines in question nearly dropped their sleeping cargo right there as they pulled off their own salutes. Kirk stammered an explanation as the lieutenant's burning eyes bore twin holes in her skull "S-s-sorry Ma'am, but I can't leave them behind to die in the forest. They're sentient."

The diamond-hard glare turned to the Corporal "They're sentient? Are they going to die?"

Hansen held up well under the glare, but still had a tremble to his voice "Yes Ma'am. Walking, talking, the whole nine yards. If we leave them in the middle of the forest while they're drugged like this, they will die"

If Madox was angry then, she was an incandescent font of rage now as she turned on the engineer "If they can walk and talk, what in Titan's name is the problem here. Get them aboard and get ready to go!"

The pipped engineer spoke quickly "But Lieutenant. Regulations state that-"

The Engineer suddenly found himself unable to speak, caught under the fiery stare of the senior officer, the livid Lieutenant leaning in close and growling " oh don't you dare start quoting regulations at me you weaselly pile of crap. I will deal with the bureaucratic bull once we are back on schedule. We are already late enough, if you don't like the way I;m speeding the situation along, you can have fun hiking twenty miles"

The engineer sputtered idignantly, but was promptly ignored by Madox, who moved quickly to near enough drag Hansesn and Kirk inside, barking orders "Private Kirk, sit there. Corporal Hansen, there" While the marines hurried to their seats, their living cargo dropped softly into the cargo netting and quickly buckled in, Madox headed towards the pilot's pit and the Lander began to rise off the ground, engines beginning their warming rumble.

The engineer sat down, grumbling angrily to himself as his protests were trampled over.

With a hiss of pistons, the door of the lander sld closed, the aircraft beginning its journey south

Chapter 10: Captured Conversations

New dawn, Medical Centre.

The still white room was new and fresh; the reinforced bed only recently bolted to the floor, as was a steel table and matching chairs, the 'toilet' (a bevelled hole with a thick curtain around it) was stainless steel, its edges flush with the toughened tile surface of the floor. The metal walls were smooth and featureless aside from a gigantic mirror that stretched floor to ceiling across half of one wall.

The cell held only one occupant behind its heavy door. A black coated alicorn, half covered with the thick blanket, her visible body shrouded in tight white bandages, the velvet coat marred here and there by a few long rows of neatly stitched incisions. The chest of the winged unicorn rose and fell in gentle rhythm, hitching here and there the lips on her muzzle moved constantly, mumbling nonsensical phrases in a language that was long dead. Long hooves twitched and pawed at the air as some phantasmal dream drove through the mare's mind. The horned horse fell silent after long minutes of motion, her breathing steadying and her mumbling lips falling still. Silence reigned over the white room once again.

Eventually one eye cracked open slightly, a blue rimmed pupil contracting into a pinprick in the bright light that filled the room, then the lids closed again and a groan escaped from dry lips.

The blanket covering Luna's prone form slid away as the mare struggled to get shaking legs under herself, using wings to help the forelimbs push. The protracted groan turned into a yelp of surprise as her left side faltered and the mare tumbled from the mattress to fall heavily on the tiled floor, her long limbs tangled in the blanket. Unshod hooves found little purchase on the polished ceramics, skittering and scraping as the now silent goddess struggled to her feet.

Finally finding her balance, Luna inspected herself with tired eyes, her frown deepening a the sight of bandages and the stitches. "So t'was no dream of mine, I am captured. At least they saw fit to keep me healthy" Her voice was resigned, but a sigh escaped when she looked back towards her rump and up towards where her mane should be; instead of long flowing hair resplendent with the shimmer of stars, black with the mysteries of night, there was instead little to see, her tail had been shaven down to the dock, her mane had been roached from forelock to withers "Mine dignity however, seems unimportant"

But then her eyes travelled upwards once more, towards her horn, her long, thin and tightly bandaged horn "Surely tis but a jest..."

Her intact, undamaged, and wholly unrestrained, horn.

She giggled inwardly, then laughed out loud. Luna smiled and then smirked "Mine captors hath signed thine own death warrants." The Alicorn Goddess stood up tall as she could and flared her wings.

She locked eyes at the wall, raised her horn high into the air, and shut her eyes in concentration...

...Minutes passed in near silence, the only sound being Luna's gentle breathing....

...Slowly, the smirk began to fade into a neutral line that became a grim frown of frustration.
Her eye cracked open, glaring at her un-glowing horn before closing once again....

...Minutes more went by, the Lunar Princess's expression becoming ever more frustrated and yet more angry...

Eventually her rage bubbled to the surface in a shout that shook the mirrored wall "DAMNABLE HORN!" Her eyes snapped open and she began to paw at the ground in anger "THOU SHALT OBEY ME!" her hooves wheeled, punching at the air as she reared and bucked, back-hooves pounding twin kinks in the bed's steel frame. Muscles rippled under her scarred hide while Luna bucked, again and again lashing out with both hooves at the bed.
The goddess slowed after many minutes to a stop, a single leg of the bed was nearly ripped from the floor and the side nearest the alicorn bent sharply where it had been kicked. Her fur was slick with sweat and shiny with trickles of blood, half a dozen exposed stitches had ripped open from the exertion, and spreading silver stains on her bandages told of a few more hidden by the gauze, her wings drooped to her side.

"All done?" the question was asked in a sing-song happy voice. Luna's eyes snapped towards the sound, her wings flaring once again and her entire body shifting back into a defensive posture. Her burning eyes found the source, a pink-suited woman, flanked by a trio of armoured marines with assault rifles gripped in their gauntlets. The woman smiled back at the growling princess, her manner and voice bright and happy "We've been been informed by our scouts that your kind speak this language. Can you understand me?"

Luna chose to respond in an angry roar "WHAT HAST THOU DONE TO MINE HORN!" She slammed a hoof into the ground and scraped it back, her posture shifting from defense to attack, heedless of the marine guard.

The woman's smile neither faltered nor faded, she ignored the imminent charge to talk brightly "I'll take that as a definite yes, wonderful. Would you like to take a seat?" A wave of her hand motioned to the table.

An angry snort escaped the enraged mare's nose, but nothing more save a roar as she surged upwards and forwards with horn lowered...

...Only to slam into the ground two steps later, her legs buckling and her body crashing to the floor as if struck by a gigantic hammer, her thunderous roar faded to frustrated grunts as the godly alicorn strained to move. A gentle thrum coming from the floor.

The woman inspected her nails, tutting through her smile as if at a small child "Now now, none of that. It's lucky that I've had the gravity generators rigged to stop you, someone might have been hurt if you had gotten much further, and then where would we be hmm?"

Luna snarled back, a few more stitches popping open as she struggled to lift herself off the floor "HAPPY!" she managed to push herself further off the ground, almost standing fully up...

....Only to be slammed back down, the thrumming under the floor getting louder. The woman shook her head "Well if you're going to be like that dear, I'll be doing something a bit more drastic. I'd much prefer you calm down so we can talk." her voice remained cheerful, her eyebrow raised but smile in place.

Luna strained and struggled again, ignorant of her wounds.

The pink-suited woman tutted again "You'll do yourself nothing good if you don't stop fighting dear." She nodded to one of the marines next to her, the armoured giant gave a small nod of acknowledgment and walked forward.

The thrum beneath the floor stopped suddenly, The growling alicorn surged to her hooves with a bellow on her lips, but her resurgence was cut short when the marines strode in, armoured gauntlets grabbing hold of Luna and their combined weight forcing her down again; her wings beat uselessly for a moment before they were pinned to her side and her horn failed to find purchase before a heavy hand grabbed hold, forcing a scream of pain from the struggling Princess.

Eventually the trio of marines had the alicorn held down with her mouth covered and muzzle held to face the woman, who walked over and lowered herself down to look her captive in the eye. "If you won't listen to reason dear, this is what you can expect." receiving nothing but a death glare in return, she reached into her suit pocket and pulled out a small black object "Do you recognize this? This is a grenade." She waved the psych-out grenade in-front of Luna, tilting it to give her a good view.

All the fight left he princess, her eyes filled with fear and the echoes of agony while her limbs went limp, whimpering into the Marine's gauntlet. The woman waved a hand and the Marine released his grip on the alicorn's mouth.

Luna pleaded in hoarse whisper "No.. Not again.. Please." she struggled weakly as the grenade was brought marginally closer before taken away.

The woman maintained her happy smile as she tucked the grenade back into her pocket "Much better dear." she patted the princesses muzzle affectionately, pulling away as Luna tried to shrink back. "Now if you're a good little 'filly' as I think your species might say, you'll never see one of those again." She waved her hand at the Marines as she stood.

The marines released their captive and stood well back, hands flying to grip their assault rifles again. The black alicorn stood up slowly, limbs trembling and her posture shrunken. Her gaze flickered over the pocket where the grenade hid, and she suppressed a shiver

The pink-suited woman watched Luna rise carefully, her eyebrow shooting up when she noted a suppressed wince cross the mare's face “Are you in pain?” The woman asked, her own ice-blue eyes scanning over the rivulets of silver blood that streaked the black furred hide.

When the alicorn nodded with eyes downcast there came the tutting again, before the woman spoke up in a mix of motherly concern and hard-edged annoyance, all curling from her omnipresent smile. “Well of course you are, the emitters must be stopping your regeneration. Chief McConnell's going to be very annoyed with you ruining all her hard work.”

Luna mumbled an apology, stepping towards the table at the woman's gesture, she couldn't help but hiss in pain as her back legs finally decided that they were injured, one of them buckling outright under the alicorn's weight while the other shook violently in a sudden spasm. Her fall was arrested by the intervention of a nearby marine, the giant supporting the princess with surprising gentleness despite his large frame. Luna stammered her thanks, but the marine didn't respond.

The woman laughed a little “They don't speak the language I'm afraid. I'm one of a few that do” she watched Luna struggle into the short legged chair, still smiling brightly while the captive alicorn struggled to find a position that didn't press on her numerous wounds or trap her injured legs, failing miserably.

Luna finally settled into place, though her wings twitched in discomfort. She was still downcast and sad as the Pink-Suited woman settled into her own chair with ease, apparently comfortable despite the cold steel and straight backed chair.

The woman let the silence hang for a moment before speaking “Well now dear, introductions first before anything else.” she motioned to herself and then each of the marines in turn “My name's Sergeant Jenny Mako, from the Recreation and Leisure division of the Logistics Corps. The Marine behind me is Corporal Chao Chen, 5th Company, 3rd Platoon. To your left is Private Jeanne Zithers, 2nd Company, 1st Platoon. Last but not least we have Private Ethan Blue, 4th Company, 8th Platoon.”

The marines saluted, their armour clattering, before returning to ready positions as Jenny went on “You might recognise two of them dear, Corporal Chen and Private Blue were both on the mission to capture you.”

Private blue spoke up when Luna looked back at him “Yeah, I was first through the door. Still have the shoulder wound where you stabbed me.” he couldn't help a growl tingeing his voice with anger for the last few words.

The princess shrank back a little, a spark of fear back in her eyes “S-sorry” she stammered out, turning away to look at Sgt. Mako “My name's Luna. Princess Luna of Canterlot, I co-rule alongside my sister.”

Jenny smiled all the brighter “No need to be scared Luna, just behave and we'll all be best of friends.” she leaned forward onto her elbows “You say you're a princess dear? How exciting to finally meet some royalty. What's your sister's name? Is she a princess too?”

Luna looked a little hesitant, but she attempted a half-smile “Yes, Princess Celestia is my older sister. She is the sun, I am the moon. Together we rule over our kingdom.”

Sgt. Mako nodded “That's lovely Luna dear” she waggle her finger with a sudden smirk “Though technically you don't have a kingdom if it's two princesses ruling, that's a Diarchal Principality” Noting Luna's miffed expression, Mako moved swiftly on with her warm smile back in place “Moving on dear. Do you know why you're here?”

Luna scuffed her hoof on the chair, a little downtrodden “No..”

Mako smiled and waved a hand “Oh well, it's no trouble dear. You'll find out soon enough. Do you know where you are?”

Luna answered without hesitation “22,336 miles above Zebrica, orbital trajectory will take us above Canterlot in 5 hours” she blinked, glancing around at her captors and shrinking back from the shocked expression on the Sergeant's face “A-am I wrong? Sorry.”

Sgt. Mako blinked away her shock and resumed her smile, speaking comfortingly “Nothing to be sorry for dear. You're not wrong, I think, but that's... that's an impressively accurate approximation.”

Luna smiled fully, confidence restored a bit by the implied complement “Tis no approximation Sergeant, I am a goddess, I do not guess, I know. If I cannot know where I am at all times, then what hope do I have of guiding the moon across the sky?”

Jenny raised an eyebrow, though her smile didn't fade “You guide the moon?”

Luna nodded “As my sister moves the sun across the sky to create day, I do with the moon at night”

Mako's smile didn't falter, pressing on regardless “That's... Interesting my dear, very interesting. How can you do that?”

Again Luna answered without hesitation “Magic”

Jenny once again struggled to keep her face locked in its smile “Magic?”

It was Luna's turn to snort in mild annoyance, her confidence boosted by familiar waters “Yes Magic, what other explanation is required? We float thousands of miles above the planet, and thou dares to imply that magic is insufficient as an explanation?”

Sgt. Mako thought for a moment, then her smile lit up again “I think I know what you mean Luna, but not everything is 'Magic' dear. We humans don't have any magic, just technology.”

Luna's confident stance faltered “Technology? Thee floats above the planet without magic, using technology?”

The smile widened “Ridiculously advanced technology my dear, by the apparent technological level of your species society. Don't you wonder why this 'magic' of yours aren't working? Why your muscles seem less powerful”

Luna was not confident now and more nervous than anything, she glanced around the room “Mayhaps I do wonder...” realisation dawning, she put on a tone of incredulity, and glared at the woman “Art thou suggesting that thine technology is the reason mine horn no longer obeys me? That it is sufficient to contain a goddess?”

Mako leaned in, her smile a toothy grin “I'm not suggesting anything, I'm telling. Our tech was good enough to catch you, it's good enough to hold you.” she saw the disbelief in Luna's eyes and went on “I'll prove it too. “

The princess narrowed her eyes and turned her nose up at Jenny“Thine tongue speaks naught but lies, perhaps your surgeon bumbled their work and mine horn was damaged. But no mere technology, no matter how advanced, can contain the magical might of an alicorn”

Mako shook her head “Your little horn is perfectly fine dear. You'll learn eventually that I'm no liar” She smiled again “Now, shall we move on? Are you Hungry? Thirsty?”

The alicorn smacked her dry lips and fidgeted uncomfortably, hesitating to admit any weakness “...Yes..”

Mako smiled warmly “Well we'll soon solve that. I'll send word to the galley to get you some food and drink, and a medic will be along soon to see to your injuries, though I suspect CMO McConnell will be coming herself. Can I get a promise that you won't try to attack anyone else? They'll all be carrying those nasty grenades, and not all of them will be as nice as me.”

Luna shook at the memory, but kept her expression neutral “I promise.”

Mako stood “Wonderful. Well I must be going dear, make yourself at home” she snapped her fingers at the waiting marines, there was a cacophony of clinks and clanks as they filed out of the room, going out through a door that opened seamlessly in the mirror-wall.

Luna watched them go with old eyes; old, nervous eyes, unsure and unknowing. As the last of the armoured men left, she shuddered and laid her head on the table, her whole being sagging down.

It began as a whimper, descending slowly into sobs.

Unheeding or unknowing of the watching cameras, Luna broke down and cried in frustration, sobbed in fear, wept in pain and cried just for the sake of getting her emotions out into the cold white room.

Chapter 11: Spin on

Everfree Forest – Mountain plateau

“I think the pink one's seen me” The marine commented, peering down his scope, towards the edge of the plateau where the woods began.

His partner snapped his head round and brought their own rifle up “What? Where?”

The first marine guided the second's barrel to point down the mountainside they perched on, to the spot his own aimed at “One of those things at the edge of the clearing”

“Oh.. Wait a minute, how can you tell it's pink?” The second Marine asked incredulously.

The first turned away from his scope “Huh?”

“It's night, we're wearing heat-vision goggles. How can you tell what colour this thing is?” The questioning marine asked, still disbelieving.

Marine number one went back to the scope “I dunno Corporal. It just looks... Pink” His partner seemed about to make a point before number one spoke again quickly “It's not important anyway. I think it's seen me, that pi-poofy haired one in the middle, by the the horn-head with curtains. It keeps pointing up here and looking right at us.”

The corporal snorted “Pink.” quietly as he settle down to look himself, finding the target and then muttering “It does look kinda pink.” Before starting up in normal tones. “Even if it could see us private, why would it be looking? There's a lot more activity down there”

They both looked down to the plateau below, where two dozen engineers were working hard to prepare the landing strip, clearing the sparse trees with power-saws and diggers, flattening the ground with gravity rollers and laying down a rock-foam base for the tarmac. A few other engineers were all working to erect tents and simple structures to store the tools and tide the crew over, until the heavy machinery was brought down from orbit, to begin digging out a base.

The private shrugged. Putting an eye back to his scope and focusing in on the 'pink' blob at the edge of their perimeter, who had pulled out a pair of what resemble binoculars, poking her curtain-haired friend and saying...

“I think it's seen me!” Pinkie exclaimed, poking Twilght in the side repeatedly and babbling “I kept pointing and pointing, and then it looked right at me with that shiny stick. I wonder if it wants to say hi? I'll go ask.” She sprang forward, only to be cut short and dragged back by her poofy tail, a glowing aura around it.

“Hold up Pinkie, I don't think that's such a good idea” Twilight said, not turning her head away from watching the strange aliens at work “they put up a fence for a reason.” The unicorn pointed a hoof at the 'fence', a long line of two metre tall metal posts, topped with lights and with luminescent yellow cable connecting them.

Pinkie made a sad pout, which failed thanks to her constantly recurring smile “Aww. But what if that mountain-climber guy wants to say hi? It looks cold up there, he must need a hug” she made to get away...

Only to bump straight into a steadfast Applejack, who pinned the pink pony much more firmly “not a chance sugarcube. Twilight's right, them creatures have staked out their patch, they might not take too kindly to us trespassing.”

All three mares turned their head at an annoyed snort from one corner, where a cyan pegasus leaned up against a tree. “So what if we trespass, What're they gonna do, throw those shiny sticks at us? We can't just leave Scootaloo in there, or Sweetie Belle or Applebloom, those freaky things could do anything to 'em.”

Applejack took the binoculars from Pinkie and held them up, gazing out across the clearing “Ah don't like leaving those fillies there either. But they look okay”

Out across the long plateau, three tiny forms slept peacefully inside their enclosure, a simple four metre by four metre square of wire fencing. A single armoured alien stood watch, standing tall as he had been for the past hour with a weird weapon clutched in its claws. They knew it was a weapon by the way the alien held it, occasionally sighting along the thing much like a guard would with his crossbow.

Applejack took her eyes from the binoculars “'sides, Zecora's with them, they'll be fine until the morning.”

The mention of the zebra drew another snort from Rainbow Dash “Oh yeah, Zecora's done so much to protect them so far.” the speedster pointed into the clearing, towards a lone boulder where the striped mare was held; the healer was slumped from her restraints, having been knocked out and taken away from the filly's enclosure after assaulting the guard.

Twilight scratched her head “Well I'm sure Zecora meant for the best. She was just a bit...”

Pinkie supplied “Crazy? Bonkers? Screw-loose? Round the Be-” before an orange hoof firmly plugged the babbling pink mouth, to let Twilight finish.

“...Angry, I was going to say. I think she might have a teensy problem with these alien's appearance, if the curses she kept yelling in zebrican were any indication.“

Applejack nodded “Whatever these things are, ah hope they're reasonable. Ah expect Applebloom and her little friends were doing something silly some-place they shouldn't be” she smiled “A little time-out won't do no harm. Eh Pin- Pinkie?!” The cowpony looked down in shock at where the pink party pony was pinned previously, promptly finding that Pinkie Pie had been replaced with a small sack of flour.

All five ponies looked around, finding Pinkie poised atop a fence post, balanced perfectly upside-down on one hoof. The candy-mane mare made a mocking face back towards her friends, giggling “You almost had me there AJ, I'm just lucky Madame LeFlour was ready to be my decoy tonight, or I might have been stuck.”

Twilight spoke warningly, flaring her horn for a spell “Pinkie... Get off that fence.”

Pinkie tried her pout again, immediately ruining it with a cheery voice “Aw, you're no fun Twilight.” then she shrugged “Okay” The other mare's sighs of relief began as Pinkie hopped off the fence, but were cut short when they all noticed that the pink mare had come down on the wrong side.

“Perimeter breach sir” the Private dead-panned, charging up the gauss rails on his rifle.

The Corporal nodded “Soft rounds, two warnings. Then proceed to disable. Fire one”

The private affirmed, aimed and fired.

Five mares recoiled in shock and Twilight snapped “Pinkie! I meant get down on this side of the fence!”

Pinkie giggled, blowing a cheeky raspberry “You never said that. You just said 'get off'” She stopped and gasped “Twitchy twitch!”

All six ponies and one dragon hit the deck as a bull-whip crack rent the air, a split-second before a clup of earth near Pinkie's hoof warn torn up with a soft thump.

The Party mare bent down to examine the object in its tiny crater “Oooh, a present!” Picking the hot dart up carefully, she examined the tiny ceramic cylinder, wound round with a metal thread .
Her smile dropped a little when she put a hoof near the front of the dart, a conical front springing open like flower petals to reveal the hypodermic needle concealed within “Oh.. Uhh” she cringed a tiny bit when a bit of gel dripped from the hollow point “I'm not that sort of party pony.”

Pinkie dropped the dart “Thanks but no thanks” she peered up at the distant glint on the mountain side with a smile “Okay?”

“it isn't leaving sir”

“Fire two”

There was another whip crack, Pinkie didn't flinch as the dart whistled past her hoof, sinking into the dirt just behind it. Her eyes flamed “Hey, I said no!” she kicked the dart away “Users are Losers!”

Applejack spoke low, still cowering slightly “Pinky, fer hay's sake, git off their land!”

Twilight watched the mountainside “I think those are a bit more than sticks”

All across the clearing, more and more of the creatures were slowing in their tasks, turning to stare at the intruding Pinkie, their faces hidden behind the reflective visors of their suits.

Pinkie stood firm “No, I'm not leaving if they want to be rude.”

The Corporal watched through his own scope “That's it, take the thing down.”

Pinkie waited a moment, then nodded “that's better” she almost turned to leave, but then another whip lashed the air and she dodged back, her smile faltering for a split second.

Time slowed down for the party pony as the dart passed by, had she not dodged, it would be lodged into her neck.
As the spinning ceramic cone approached her skin it sprang open to reveal the needle, but Pinkie pulled herself out of it's path and the edge of the dart's 'flower' just clipped her, sending it spinning out of control, the tip of the needle glinting in the moonlight while it went past. She held the pose “Want to play tag huh?” Her smile was a little grim, but her voice was chirpy.

Up on the mountain, the private swore softly “Quick little bugger. Firing”

The air was broken again and again by crack of the bull-whip, the darts flying in quick succession as Pinkie ducked, span, flipped & slipped around, over or under them. Sixteen darts later and she was barely breathing heavy, but the darts were getting closer and closer, it was clearly getting harder for pinkie to maintain her poise and her smile as the seventeenth grazed her shoulder. “This isn't fun any more” she bent over backwards to avoid an eighteenth, the needle almost hitting her nose.

Pinkie rolled onto her fore-hooves and made a sudden run for it, hooves dancing to avoid the onslaught. The whips crackled like popcorn as more snipers up the mountainside joined in.

The six friends couldn't help but cheer the pink pony on as the baker made the final few steps and leapt up, somersaulting thrice before landing lightly on the fencepost, two back-hooves sticking the landing.

Spike held up a scorecard with 9.8 written on it in big bold letters, while the others clapped appreciatively.

Pinkie was indignant “9.8!? that was at least a perfect teeee...” she faded away, then slumped forward, almost faceplanting into the dirt before Twilight caught her with a magical aura.

Spike twanged the dart sticking out of Pinkie's flank with a claw “9.8, totally a 9.8” he yawned, putting the placard down and heading for the tent the group had set up, just a few metres away.

Up on the mountainside

The private snickered “Nice dancing with you miss” watching the pink thing float away with it's friends

The corporal raised an eyebrow. “'How'd you know it's a girl?”

The private looked up to the corporal and shrugged “Believe me sir, I got a good enough view to know.”

Aboard the New Dawn

“I am not entirely sure why this is necessary Captain” Li stated mechanically, his voice somehow carrying light annoyance despite the robotic monotone. The engineer didn't stop working however, his hands moving with inhuman speed over the holographic terminal.

Morgan tapped away at his own, around the two men the deck was a hive of activity “Well our guest has told us that she has an older sister, that sister is probably more powerful accordingly, I'd like to assume that you've been tinkering with the shields?”

The CEO nodded, still working "Yes sir, based on the figures the CMO was able to extrapolate, our shielding should be able to withstand a sustained attack from the 'Princess Luna' for 15.46666665 seconds at her maximum power output. You still have not explained why I am away from my station, should I not continue 'tinkering' as you put it, to increase our defenses?"

The captain shook his head "No, your engineers can handle the shield systems from here on, I need you down here because you're the best at aiming. I'm pretty sure we'll only get one shot at this, so I want it on target.

Li grunted, finishing without flourish and said in monotonic fashion "Very well Captain, I will stay on this deck, but if anything goes wrong, do not lay the blame on me."

Morgan laughed "CEO, when dawn touches that castle, three bulk lifters are going to buzz the capital city of an extremely powerful alien race at mach two, mere hours after capturing one of its rulers. If this package isn't delivered on target, then I am pretty damn sure that laying the blame will be the absolute last of our problems."

Outside the window, the bulk lifters -gigantic shuttles with four VTOL engines on each of their four wings, they were capable of ferrying vast amounts of material from the ground to orbit and back, flying through the worst conditions from the acid clouds on Venus to the giant storms of in the upper atmosphere of Jupiter, so long as there was a capable landing strip there to meet them- drifted through the void, thrusters firing in sequence to carry them away from the main ship, gravity gradually taking them down towards the planet below.

The Dawn was approaching. it had been a tiring night, but the world span on.

Deep in forest, seven friends slept uneasy, their thoughts clouded with doubt.

Meters away three fillies slept silent, while around them the sounds of industry filled the air.

In Canterlot's Castle a princess slept not a wink, her eyes on the sky outside, and the silver glimmer it held.

High above the atmosphere, another princess slept with eyes still filled with tears.

Around the black alicorn a crew of thousands slept, ate and worked. The buzz of organisation clearing their minds.

Miles above the planet, three giant craft began their descent.

The Dawn was approaching, and on it's break the world would change. For better or worse, the world would spin on.

*edited* Chapter 12: The Subtle Art

*edited* Chapter 12: The Subtle Art

Dawn had arrived.

An amethyst eye watched the sky, travelling from star-speckled pole to the cloud streaked horizon. Powerful lungs breathed out an ancient sigh of release, for the god of the sun the dawn was a time of calm.

Celestia stood on her balcony, her face calm and content as the cool breeze ruffled her feathers and twitched her fur. The expansive white wings stretched out and up, catching the air and billowing out. With a contented sigh the great sun goddess stepped forward onto open air, dropping down with wings tucked to her sides.

A guard reared up in shock when his ruler pulled out of her power-dive mere inches from the end of his muzzle, the alicorn winked to him and his companion guard before beating her wings and disappearing in a swirl of dust. Celestia climbed up and away, then swooping towards the throne room for the sun-raising ceremony.

New Dawn Sensor Bridge

Private Karen Mackenze watched the planet below through electronic eyes, the lenses of the hull cameras painting the verdant planet below in a dappled glow of red and white. The engineer leaned on her cybernetic arm, the meat and blood companion on her other side typing her observations into a holographic keyboard.

“You look excited” Another engineer droned sarcastically as her walked over, a corporal's red pip shining brightly atop his peaked cap “Usually you're so very bright-eyed this early in the cycle.” the officer walked over and stood behind the private, hands clasped behind him and a smirk on his face.

Makenze sighed, pushing herself up from the desk and turning her head to face the Corporal, a glow from her artificial eyes giving the officer's smiling face a green tint. “Very funny sir. ” The corporal did nothing but snicker, prompting the private to turn back to her screen, tracing the fluctuating pulses of energy with her metal finger whilst her organic digits went back to dancing on the keyboard, her placid expression marred by annoyance.

The officer came up alongside the irritated cyborg and spoke in an apologetic tone, his own arm curling round her waist “Oh come on Karen, I didn't mean anything by it. I really want to know what's making you down” the annoyed expression faltered for but a moment before returning, the private lightly slapping the corporal's hand and growling

“If you really want to know sir, it might be an idiotic corporal who won't take a hint” but a creeping smile took all the anger from her voice and turned her frown into a smirk.

The corporal bopped Karen's nose with a finger “Could be. Isn't.” He pulled her closer, taking his own look at the screen “now come on grumpy, where's the problem? Looks fine to me”

Karen sighed “That's exactly the problem Giles. From what I've seen, this planet is bathed 24/7 in this 'psychic' energy field, and so far it's done nothing anomalous besides that”

Corporal Ben Giles raised his eyebrow “That's a problem?”

Makenze looked about to slap Giles “Yes” she swept a hand across the screen, zooming in on one particular region “It is, I'm supposed to be looking for this sister of our guest right? Well I can't, either she doesn't exist, or she's just not using her powers, because there's nothing to see.

Giles looked a little closer at the screen, nodding.

“With 'Luna' it was easy, that b***h was using her abilities so much it was hard not to see her, she was a damn beacon.” Makenze growled “But this Celestia is really playing hard to get, I've spotted one or two spikes that might be her, but apart from that nothing worth mentioning, certainly nothing high enough on the scale to be this 'god' we're supposed to be finding.

Canterlot Court

Celestia stood before the crowd, smiling as she always did. With a flourish towards the sky, she ignited her horn.

Makenze stood away from the console, her back turned to the screen “It's just so irritating” she half-growled, half sighed.

Then Giles tapped the screen “Spike”

The private was over there in the blink of an eye “What? Where?”

The corporal smiled at her “Right there, one big spike. Still growing”

On the screen of dancing black and blue, a ball was growing, passing red and then yellow, distorting the whole pattern around it with it's immensity..

Makenze swore, a smile and a frown fighting on her face “Holy Titan...” the frown won “I think we've found our Princess” she stood and went to the comm.

White wings beat slowly at the air as the horn's corona grew, Celestia closing her eyes and losing herself to the power that flowed in, out and through her snowy frame. Her wings didn't need to move as she rose into the air, the dawning sun shining bright behind the alicorn.

Morgan's eyes grew from controlled to worried as the Computer read out times, calculating how long their shields would last against the 'sister', the time getting shorter as the ball of psychic energy grew in intensity.

Then there came the surge, a brilliant pulse of energy screaming out into the space towards the distant moon. Alarms sprang up all over the Dawn as the ship was put into a desperate evasive maneuver the crew on sensor deck watching in mystified awe as another energy wave spread all around the planet.

And then it was over.

Celestia smiled as she came down, tucking her great wings to her sides and watching the assembled crowd, her eyes twinkled slightly as she spoke “Another night gone, the sun shines anew, dawn is here, let the day court begin. ” she seated herself upon the throne while the first petitioner stepped forward.

Morgan stood in silence as the energy pulse faded from the view-screen. The power shown had rendered the scale previously set by Luna obsolete, their shields wouldn't last a nano second under an assault of that magnitude.

All eyes snapped to the console while a metallic voice came up in a chuckle, a brief trickle of monotonous amusement, for the CEO this brief spurt of laughter was like a marching band of emotion.

When the Chief eventually petered out, the Captain coughed to gain some attention “Care to share the joke Li?”

Li giggled in robotic fashion before answering “Of course sir, sorry. It is merely amusing, this 'god' did nothing with all that power”

The CMO spoke up from her seat “Sure seemed like something.”

The CEO nodded “It looked that way, but nothing has happened.” he brought up his own holo-screen to show off the data “Sol has not moved a single metre out of place, the planet remains as it was, the moon is orbiting as usual. If that is the full extent of this Celestia's powers she could have swatted the 'Dawn' from the sky with no effort at all, flung us into deep-space or the heart of the sun. With that much force she could have thrown a mountain into orbit, snapped this ship in half and dragged her sister to safety in under an hour. All that brawn but no will to use it, the situation is hilarious.”

The captain nodded, smiling a little “Perhaps it is a little funny." he turned his gaze to the windows and beyond to the world turning below “I thinks it's time to practice the subtle art. Li, have a firing solution yet?”

The CEO nodded again “trajectory plotted, window to fire in twenty minutes”

“Good, I'll head up to my suite and get ready, wait for my signal, and comm the Bulk-lifters, they are not to drop and buzz the capital until my mark.”

Salutes were passed around, and Morgan headed off.

*A note on USC Gunnery*

The standard multi-purpose heavy gun equipped on all USC vessels above frigate weight is the Mark XV 'Maus' High velocity rail-gun, a long barreled, anti-ship/ground support gun, capable of accelerating a metric ton of 'bullet' at high-hypersonic speeds through the void.

The standard ammunition used by the 'maus' is the so named 'black arrow', a long projectile that more resembles a missile than a bullet -including control fins and thrusters in addition to the interchangeable warhead- the arrow is capable of being controlled while in-flight. Skilled operators can perform complex maneuvers to confuse point-defense turrets and hit in unprotected locations.

One infamous incident from the Martian rebellions had a flight of arrows (launched from the battle-ship 'Gaian Fist' in high orbit) being steered in a complete 270 degree arc through the martian upper atmosphere before slamming into the underside of the rebelling dock-yards, destroying their grav-engines to send the entire structure, 3 docked cruisers and all 2.7 million inhabitants tumbling out of orbit.

Such was the gun aimed towards the equestrian capital

Everfree Forest

“Move it Shy. I didn't get up at dawn for nothing” Rainbow grunted, shunting her reluctant friend towards the fence, the other pegasus resisted with all her might, digging up a furrow in the loam as her rump was shoved along.

“I don't want to.. what if they get angry at me?” Fluttershy whimpered softly, trying to dig her hooves in further “What if they shoot at me?”

Rainbow growled throatily as she pushed, muscles straining “Oh come on, they won't shoot at you if you don't cross the fence, we just need to get one of the alien's attention and make them come over. Twilight said that these things look like monkeys standing upright, you like monkeys right?”

The yellow pegasus lost her grip on the soil as she turned to smile at the cyan “Of course I like monkeys Rainbow, they're so funny and furry and cute” but the smile was lost when Fluttershy realised she was almost to the fence, the meek pegasus found a hidden reserve of strength, clamped her hind-quarters down atop her friend's head whiler her voice cried shrilly “But these aren't monkeys! They're bigger and scarier and they don't have tails!”

The speedster scrambled to extract her head, pushing with her fore-hooves and pulling back with her hind limbs and wings. Eventually the spectral mane and blue ears emerged with the wet schlick of damp mud, Rainbow Dash recoiled back before hacking up a clod of earth, grass and wet leaves. She was still spitting out tiny grains of dirt as she complained angrily “And? I've seen you talk to manticores and dragons before!” The blue pony glared at Fluttershy, who crossed her hooves and made ready to be difficult again.

“I-i know, but it's different” Fluttershy stammered “dragons are still scary, I only talked to it because it was being naughty, and that manticore was just a big softy really. I don't want to talk to the aliens, they shot Pinkie.” she set her hooves firmly into the soft ground as Rainbow tried to shunt her the last dozen yards.

Past her grunts of exertion Rainbow Dash spoke with muffled annoyance, the brunt of her forehead jammed into the small of her friend's back “I. Don't blame them. Pinkie can be annoying... sometimes...” The athletic pegasus set her shoulder to the task, freeing up her mouth to say “But it doesn't matter Shy. We need to get the crusaders back, no matter what else.”

Fluttershy's face fell slightly, her ears drooping a little. With a jolt she stood up and walked forward a step, ignoring Rainbow's yelp of shock as the blue speedster pitched forward and got another mouthful of damp soil “I guess you're right. We can't leave the fillies in there” she turned back to where her cyan companion was cleaning off her tongue “But why me?"

Rainbow finished cleaning out her mouth and stood up, spitting a blade of grass into the ground before sighing "Because you're mumble mumble mumble..." her voice trailed off into nothing, the speedster kicking at the loam with her front hoof and avoiding Fluttershy's eye.

Fluttershy quirked her head "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you Rainbow. Could you say that again?"

"Mumble mumble mumble mumble mumble mumble mumble... Mumble" a cyan hoof dug at the soil, eyes up at the sky.

Fluttershy smiled a little, flapping over to her friend's side and wrapping a wing around the other mare's barrel in comfort "It's okay. If you don't want to say something, you don't have to" she nuzzled Dash's neck affectionately "We'll go get those fillies"

Rainbow bit her lip and adopted a scowl before blurting "I said 'Because you're better than me!" She cringed with the outburst, looking into Fluttershy's confused eyes "I mean you're better at this whole talking thing. I just screw it up and end up kicking someone. With Twilight and Applejack heading back to Ponyville to let everyone know where the fillies are and Rarity looking after Pinkie with Spike I thought... I thought it might be better if you go and talk to them alone."

Fluttershy nearly recoiled, but fought through it and merely shivered "A-alone?" she stammered

Rainbow waved a hoof to placate her fellow pegasus "Not like alone alone, I'll still be right here, but it might be better if only you speak to these things. You're at least twenty percent better than me at the whole 'diplomacy' thing"

The pink mane flowed down to cover her eyes for a moment, but after a moment the blue eyes emerged, filled with new light and determination. "I'll do it"

Mountainside

"Perimeter breach" The private droned, staring down his rifle scope.

The corporal swivelled round, his own gun following "Hmm, where?"

Once again the private guided the corporal in, to where a winged 'horse' flew just above the perimeter fence "Right there sir, another one of the horse-things"

The officer grunted "Not exactly a perimeter breach private, it's on the fence." the marine started to look away, but came back when the private exclaimed

"what is she doing?" he shifted forward on the ledge to get a better view.

The officer began to answer, paused and then snapped "Wait.. 'she'? Were you staring at it's arse again?"

The private's rifle barrel moved up slightly "No sir... It just looks like a girl, pink hair and all" he moved his rifle again and spoke before the officer could interrupt "Anyway sir, I think she's trying to get an engineer's attention, failing miserably at it to boot"

Below the pair, the winged creature flitted in the air above the fence, calling out to the busy engineers and waving her forelimbs. None of the suited men and women working below even glanced up.

Rainbow Dash watched with increasing frustration plain on her face as her nervous friend flew back and forth, waving at passing aliens and calling "Um hello... I'm sorry but could you... If you don't mind please...." her voice losing strength as the suited creatures continued in their work without pause.

Eventually the future wonderbolt could take it no more, with a thump of powerful wings the cyan speedster swooped up to join Fluttershy, scooping up a clod of dirt as she went. Bracing herself on a fencepost she wound back her hoof and yelled "HEY" at the top of her lungs before sending the muddy projectile on it's way.

The lump of brown earth flew fast and true across the now silent clearing, falling down to smack a heavily armoured creature on the visor, splattering the entire helmet in damp loam.

In the hushed silence that followed, as the mud-lump slowly dripped down off the alien's face Rainbow Dash pushed Fluttershy forward, hissing "There, I got it's attention, go and talk"

The yellow pegasus was too terror-stricken to do much other than squeak and obey, flying ever so slowly over towards the creature, who now wiped away some of the dirt from it's vision, staring at it's claws and the filth that covered them. Her nervous demeanor was not helped by the way all the other creatures were slowly backing away from the armoured one, as if it were about to explode.

Up on the moutainside the Private carefully suppressed a snicker "Perimeter breached sir, permission to fire?"

The corporal patted his fellow's shoulder "Permission denied. That thing's friend just hocked a dirt-ball at Sergeant 'rage-machine' Madox, I want to see how many limbs the thing has left by the end, I bet three."

The private made a grunt and zoomed in with his scope "That's Madox?! I thought she was a lieutenant?"

The officer made his own snicker "She was, that cow's always getting promoted, her and the big dog's 'little dove' go way back. But she's too much of a nutjob to ever keep the position, always breaking regulations and getting into yelling matches with people. I hear she once got demoted all the way down to private after she had a violent row with the fucking CSO himself."

The private paused a moment to reflect "She sounds nice..."

Fluttershy was cowering even before the creature looked up at her, but when that red visor tilted up to gaze at her the pegasus quivered and managed to squeak "H-hello" before her trembling wings locked up, sending her to the ground with a heavy thump.

The creature looked slowly between it's muddy gauntlet and the petrified Fluttershy twice, silent as if in thought.

Then a feminine voice sounded out from speakers on the helmet (as the mud dripped away, a white dot could be seen on the top), made sharp and taut by restrained anger, made slow by the unfamiliar language it spoke "Can you understand me?" the equestrian was stumbled and badly accented, but understandable

Fluttershy nodded mutely, her eyes misting slightly and her cower more pronounced as the armoured creature moved, bending down with metal claw outstretched. The yellow pegasus whimpered as she was gripped by the neck and lifted up into the air, but didn't resist. The alien repeated it's question louder with a punctuating shake, the anger less restrained and the voice demanding.

"Y-yes" Fluttershy stammered out quickly, cringing away.

The alien's voice grew calmer again, the fury back on it's hair-trigger "Good..." It's free gauntlet came up and held it's muddy fingers in-front of it's captive's eyes "Tell me, why throw mud?"

Fluttershy answered quickly, her voice thick with fear "N-no, that wasn't me! It was Rainbow Dash." When silence met her answer she continued slower "she did it to get your attention."

The alien leaned in slightly "you have it..."

Fluttershy nodded, breathing deeply to calm herself before responding "O-okay... My name's Fluttershy. I was hoping that we could have our friends back" she tried a little smile "...please?"

The alien queried "Friends?" it followed Fluttershy's glance over to the still sleeping fillies and the zebra. When it looked back, a grunt emanated from the speakers "Oh, those."

Fluttershy made another squeak when she was suddenly dropped, the alien gazing to the sleeping three with a gauntlet tapping it's helmet's bottom as if in thought. The pegasus recovered and spoke up, a little confidence returning to her voice. "Yes, um... we're very sorry if they caused any trouble, but they're just fillies and I'm sure they didn't mean it..." her following sentence died away under the alien's returning gaze, but further silence prompted her on "And I'm sure Zecora's sorry too, so me and my friends would really like them back, if it's not too much trouble."

The alien considered this carefully before saying "Hmm... I am still top active security for base, I could release them all. So long as-"

"What is this?" a mechanical voice echoed out in fast standard as an alien in a yellow jumpsuit (a white pip on the helmet marking it out) marching over, flanked by two others.

The armoured creature growled low in standard "Oh great, it's newly promoted sergeant stick-up-his-ass"

Fluttershy cowered a little as the yellow alien stood forward and demanded while pointing at her "I ask again, Sergeant Madeleine, what is that thing doing on the base. You're security, that's a perimeter breach, get rid of it"

'Madeleine' made a heavy step forward, putting itself between the yellow pegasus and the yellow alien "It's name is Fluttershy. Just a concerned local asking for it's kids back."

"I don't care what it's called or what it is here to do. It is a contamination risk and a trespasser, If it wants the prisoners released then it will have to follow proper channels, after the captain has opened diplomatic relations." the yellow suited alien replied, making a move to step around Madeleine. "If you won't do your job, I will"

The armoured bulk of Madeleine moved again to block, anger growling from the speakers "Oh that's a load of crap and you know it. I'm still the ranking security officer here, I have the authority to release any captives, so long as I decide they aren't a security risk" The cowering Fluttershy was indicated "Does that look like a risk to you?"

The yellow suit stepped back, the voice now smug " you do have that authority, unless your decision is questioned by another officer of equal or higher rank. At which point the CSO is to be contacted, so he can verify your judgement"

Madeleine barked, fury sparking "Don't you dare try t-" she was interrupted midshout by a thunderous BANG

All eyes turned to the sky as a light streaked down from the sky

Madeleine uttered in disbelief "I'd recognize that trail anywhere. A black arrow..."

Her words were lost when the light came down on the distant castle. Moments later another, smaller clap of thunder rolled over the group.

The yellow suit breathed "Where's the boom? where's the smoke-cloud?"

Canterlot castle

The court was in silence, every occupant was held in a position of shock as dust filled the room.

Eventually the clouds of stinging dust cleared to reveal a long black cylinder, rammed deep into the stone of the courtroom, still smoking slightly. The white-hot metal cooled off with a gentle *ping* and crackle.

After a moment, Shining armour approached the giant tube, horn flared with a shield spell ready "I think there's lettering on the side. It says..." he peered closely as the paint became visible, crude white lettering spelling out ",,,'The subtle art of diplomacy'?" in just legible Equestrian.

Celestia coughed out a little dust and put her smile back in place "Well at least now we know what their idea of 'subtle' is." she chuckled, eyeing the device as it began to shift and change, the shell cracking open and panelling falling away to reveal...

An alien, standing bold as brass atop a white panel.

Even as the room gasped in shock, the alien looked around and began to speak in perfect equestrian.

"Good morning, can I presume that I speak to Princess Celestia?" It addressed the alicorn directly with hands clasped behind his back and eyes locked on the alicorn's, after the still smiling god nodded the alien continued on.
"My name is Captain C.T. Morgan, of the USC cruiser 'New Dawn'"

Celestia half flared her wings, meeting Morgan's old eyes with her own, the benevolent gaze never faltering or wavering. "Greetings Captain, how lovely of you to drop in. Though I might prefer you make an appointment next time."

The captain did not smile, but he didn't frown "I would have, but I felt that we urgently needed to chat. I do apologize for the roof" he glanced up, to where the sunlight was filtering in through the still smoking hole.

Celestia laughed lightly, tinkling bells on the wind "Don't worry Captain, I've always rather wanted a skylight there." She stretched her wings out to full size before tucking them neatly to her sides. "Allow me a moment with my court before our chat, if you would."

Morgan nodded "But of course, I'll be back" he turned to the left and spoke to the empty air, in a language most alien "Cut the feed, reconnect in five. Get the Chiefs on the horn, I want their thou-" the alien captain vanished, flickering out of existence.

Silence lasted but a moment before the room exploded into noise, the petitioners talking among themselves and either trying to make themselves heard to Celestia or touch the alien device

Celestia stepped forward off her throne, smiling easily at Shining Armour, who was trying to bore twin holes in the air where the alien stood with his stare

The alicorn spoke, not loudly but with all the weight of her authority, power and age "Captain Armour." For a moment, no other sound existed but Celestia's voice, her soft, deceptively quiet tone cutting through all other noise as a knife could go through butter.

Shining Armour turned around and snapped to attention in one smooth movement "Princess?"

The princess kept her smile and ordered calmly "The throne room is to be cleared, I will speak with Captain Morgan alone, no guards." She paused to let her captain speak

"No guards? But what if he..." the stallion's voice died away, fading under the gentle gaze of his ruler, her eyes -a single eyebrow cocked- stealing away the argument in his own with soft power and understanding, her smile eroding his will to fight her command. "O-of course princess." He finally nodded, resigned, before turning to begin clearing the now silent room.

Celestia warmed her smile and lowered the errant brow "Thank you Captain, do try to remember our little talk."

Chapter 13: The Talk

Celestia watched her ponies file out, from an arrogant Blueblood and a worried Cadenza to the chatting citizenry and the silent guards. The white ruler waited until the door creaked closed before she allowed her smile to falter.

The alicorn paced the length of her throne room, bands of shadow and light playing on her glowingly pristine coat, for a moment throwing the god's face into shadow before blazing sunlight flared across it once again. The goddess sat herself down in the throne once again, tucking her wings tight in to her side and flaring her horn.

With a tiny pop and puff of smoke, the cracked old teacup appeared in the air ahead of the Alicorn's muzzle, along with her ancient teapot, silver spoon, pot of honey and cup of cream. Steam rose as the ancient ritual was followed; tea to cup, stir, two spoons of cream, one of honey, stir-stir-stir and a tiny tap on the rim of the cup.

A flick of the horn sent the paraphernalia away in another pop and puff of smoke, leaving only the steaming cup.

Celestia smiled warmly, sighing slightly as she lowered her lips for a sip “Hello old friend” she whispered.

… Minutes passed in gentle silence, though tension mounted with every sip. the eyes of the alicorn glancing up again and again at the cold metal cylinder and the shards of rubble it had dug from her floor. Breathing out slowly to calm herself Celestia raised her cup. For a moment blocking her eyes from view.

“Princess Celestia?” The question came softly, but the interruption was enough to make Celestia jump, a gentle smash and tinkle as the old teacup bounced and shattered off the foot of the throne echoing around the room.

A brief shadow crossed the god's face once again, the amethyst eyes sparkling with annoyance as they beheld the broken cup, but the irritation faded into gentle neutrality when the eyes turned up to spot the alien captain standing there, an eyebrow quirked.

“I suppose I should apologise” he glanced towards the splatter of tea and the shards of porcelain. “I hope that's not expensive”.

Celestia sighed, flaring her horn “Valuable beyond measure Captain.” The shards were encompassed and floated gently up in her aura “But least said” the pieces began to fuse together, the ancient vessel coming together with a few new cracks in it's surface “Soonest mended as I believe the saying goes” her smile floated back into place when she caught the shocked look on the alien's face.

Morgan recovered quickly, a small smile coming to his own face “That's quite the skill”

“A simple spell” she set the cup carefully on the arm of the throne before standing again “Now then my dear Captain, I do believe we need to chat.”

Captain Morgan put his hands behind his back and nodded, his face fading to seriousness “We do.” The old alien took a deep breath “A few days ago, my ship came into visual range of a wormhole” he paused and thought for a moment before explaining “A 'wormhole' is a colloquial term my species uses for a space-time rip Princess, try to think of it as a 'hole' betwe-” his explanation was forestalled by Celestia holding up a hoof

“I am perfectly aware of what a 'Wormhole' is Captain, though I will admit my little sister has a better grasp of the math involved” The alicorn carefully suppressed a smirk as disbelief flared up in the alien's eyes

“That's quite impressive.” was all he could manage.

Celestia half opened her wings and took a tiny bow, saying with a trace of humility “When one has lived for as long as I, one has time to learn many things. There have been a few truly brilliant ponies over the millennia, I have had the pleasure of studying under many of them.” she laughed lightly, the tinkling tone echoing gaily around the empty throne room “Though I will admit, my little sister has always had a better grasp of the sciences”

Morgan cupped a hand over his chin “Sorry to stick on a point Princess, but you said 'millennia' just there.”

“I did indeed. The pure-blood members of my species are immortal, or at least incredibly long lived” Celestia spoke calmly, her wings flared slightly for effect.

Morgan was not impressed “That's impossible, nothing lives that long”

The god smiled, a little sadness infecting her tone “Yet here I stand Captain, I am a god, immortal and eternal. The Sun rises and sets, the mortal world moves on, but I remain.”

The alien hummed under his breath “We'll have to come back to that point later, but for now let's move on. As I was saying, my ship came into visual range of the aforementioned wormhole. We came with the intent of studying it, to try and replicate the phenomena for the benefit of my species.”

Celestia smiled “A noble cause. Can I assume that something went wrong?”

Captain Morgan looked a little uncomfortable under the ruler's gaze “Yes. Something did” the discomfort faded in moments as the old human comported himself “Minutes after we came to a halt, our ship was captured in an energy field of unknown origin, and dragged forcibly through the wormhole. We traced this energy field, and found it led straight to this planet. Straight to this castle."

It as the alicorn's turn to look discomforted "Directly to my sister, I can imagine."

The captain nodded "Yes..." after a moment of awkward silence he continued "Please understand Princess, my hands were tied by protocol in this matter. My ship is by all rights a member of the USC military, our ship being damaged by an unknown energy field while inside our home system, as our sensors told us at that moment, was simply not acceptable." he held his face in stony neutrality "Given your sister's sovereign status, what she did could justifiably be called an act of war."

Celestia didn't lose her composure, but her voice was slightly less confident "Ah" she nearly stood up, but decided against it "That... That is unfortunate to hear captain, I hope there is still hope for peace" The snow white pony finally bridled her nervous tone and regained the gentle sense of power "I am sure that my sister would never have done what she did if she knew that-"

Morgan cut the ruler off with a hand "If she knew that we could retaliate so effectively?" The old alien gave the princess no time to gather a response before continuing "I'm afraid that your sister 'Luna' has quite the temper problem, when my medical staff went in for a visit we had to have Luna physically restrained and eventually put to sleep with tranquilizers."

Celestia looked troubled "I do not know what to say captain, other than I'm sorry. Is she okay?"

The captain nodded "Perfectly fine. We have allowed her access to her 'magic' while she sleeps, natural regeneration seems to be taking care of most things." He took in the slight relaxation of Celestia's posture and let his features soften slightly "Don't worry Princess. I don't want a war. My ship simply doesn't have the resources or the motive for any large-scale conflict"

The alicorn finally stood "That is good to hear Captain, I would hope to put all this behind us as soon as is possible."
She made her gentle way down the steps "What say you Captain, to a face-to-face meeting, instead of this trickery of light? I would very much like to negotiate for my sister's return."

Morgan unclasped his hands to stand more at ease "You can have her back as soon as she stops being a threat." he chuckled then glanced off to his right, reading something unseen before turning back " a face-to-face meeting does sound like a good idea however, how about the day after tomorrow?"

Celestia's smile warmed with the atmosphere "My place or yours captain?"

The alien smirked, then composed his stony neutrality "I would feel safer Princess, if you would come aboard my ship for any negotiations. Is there anybody else that should be present?"

Celestia matched the expression, save for her twinkling eyes and her motherly voice, turning thoughtful "I will of course try to make you feel safe Captain,aboard your star-vessel it is." she tapped a hoof to her chin in mockery of solemn contemplation "The griffin ambassador will have to be invited, as will the zebra. If there is room in your transport then the dragon ambassador will be of course coming. I would imagine that my guard captain will insist on coming, as will the Buffalo ambassador."

Morgan smiled "I'll have a Bulk-lifter come by in the afternoon"

"I look forward to it Captain, I hope this ends well for all of us" Celestai smiled.

The alien captain nodded. Then his smile faded slightly, his posture shifting back to attention "It will... you have my word"

As the connection was severed, Celestia let her own serenity falter "I'll hold you to that captain."

Up in the New Dawn, CMO McConnell leaned away from the comm unit and made a face of utter confusion. "Did she just say 'dragon'?"

Chapter 14: Bedroom Conversations

Soft white silk on softer white fur, bed springs creaking inaudibly with every shift in weight. Princess Celestia rested gently on her worn old mattress, a book splayed out on it's broken old spine, occasionally turning a yellowed page. The Diarch's eyes moved slowly over the scribbled lines of handwritten text. Occasionally she would chuckle and laugh, her eyes twinkling like stars as some joke from the pages of her book caught hold; other moments a tear would seek to fall on the pages below, only to be caught in trap of magic and swiftly boiled away.

A languid stretch of the billowing wings blotted shadows on the wall, the shimmering sunlight bouncing up into a shining band on the ceiling, the white light playing across the moons and stars that dominated one half of the dome, making the sun and sky of the other glow in bright splendor. The small crystal chandelier hanging from the centre caught the radiant sunbeams and split it into rainbows, the angled crystals spreading the bands of spectral light across the cream floor and the soft rug in the centre. The room was filled with light, but for the shadows cast by the Alicorn's stretching wings.

Eventually the feathered limbs tucked themselves neatly down to Celestia's barrel, her nostrils flaring and mouth opening for a slow nostalgic sigh. The book began to glow, picking itself up and flying across the room to rest on a bookshelf, the spine facing outwards with the words in bold "Commentaria Luna."

The white alicorn moved without haste on the bed, shuffling around and laying herself down, the horn on her head flared up and the crown floated to a rack along with her regalia and shiny shoes. With a final flick of the long horn Celestia drew her curtains and settled down atop the silk sheets.

Footsteps echoed outside, the ruler closed her eyes and feigned sleep, counting slowly under her breath as the fast clack of unshod hooves came up the stairs.

"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2..1"

On one the door burst inwards, spoiling the shadowed room with light and silhouetting the shape of the intruder against the bright light of the hall behind.

The moment hung there still, for a long beat and a short few minutes the two figures played the game, Celestia feigning sleep, and the intruding silhouette watching. Eventually the figure spoke, the voice of an angel made strained by nerves and a backdrop of anger "Something more!?" the mare in the hall questioned "Don't ignore me Auntie, I know you can hear me." she demanded, her horn flaring up.

Celestia roused herself in slothful slowness, pushing herself up on her forelegs and twisting her neck around to face Cadence, the curtains pulling themselves open to let in the sun "Hmm?" was all the alicorn let out, her godly white face the perfect picture of drowsy befuddlement and sleepy contentment.

The pink alicorn stepped into the room, fully, her wings half open and annoyance plain on her muzzle "Don't play dumb auntie. I just want to know why" she breathed in, out. "Why?" her face was a mix-bag of broiling emotions, but anger set her eyes still and cold.

The god-ruler shuffled round to lay more comfortably , her face serene and still drowsy "Ah, one of these questions again. So many whys in the world, so litt-"

She was cut off by Cadence "No games auntie. I just want to know why you're trying to seduce my husband?" she shivered involuntarily under the gentle bemusement of the white alicorn, the raised eyebrow and the tiny smile, but Cadence held fast and glared back "he told me what you said. I can look past all the brush-pasts and lidded looks you give him, your tiny signs and the little flicks of your tail, but outright telling my Shining that he can have something 'more' I can't stand!"

Celestia held her niece's gaze for a minute, blinking once or twice, then she sighed and looked away "Because I am a silly old mare, far too fond of her plans and schemes." She smiled a little sadly and shifted forward, slipping sedately off the bed and stretching out her wings a moment for balance. "Tell me" the godess took a few small steps to come closer to the smaller alicorn "Do you really believe I would be so wanton dear Cadence?" her smile was fixed but sincere, as was the query on her tone.

The pink alicorn scratched her fore-hoof against the carpet nervously as Celestia approached, Cadence's anger withering away under the rulers serene smile "N-no, not really. But I couldn't ignore it any longer. I just had to ask"

The great white horse came within a hoove's width of the other and gently nuzzled her unresisting muzzle before speaking soothingly, as a mother to a child "As well you should dearest. Never be afraid to confront me on any issues you may have, I rely on you especially to keep my behavior in check." Celestia's aura of absolute control and serenity faltered for only a moment "And I will admit, I may have gone too far my dear."

Cadence's anger, her outrage and annoyance all cooled and shrank away at the ruler's moment of weakness, finally vanishing as the smile and the benevolent air returned to her aunt, the pink mare nickered "No auntie, you haven't..." she trailed off, her voice fading while she struggled to find words, soundlessly she moved forwards and twirled on the spot, nuzzling the side of Celestias neck and placing her side against the larger mare's in a supportive gesture.

"Forgive me my games, you are far too kind" Celestia smiled, opening her wing and enclosing Cadence in a soft embrace, leading with gentle steps back towards the bed "Shining Armour is a wonderful stallion, I would never try and steal him away."

Cadence didn't resist getting onto the be, instead getting comfortable on the soft mattress and asking "then why?"

Celestia craned her head to look back at Cadence "Because you would not come to me otherwise" she answered, chuckling while confusion flared across the little alicorn's face "there is more to your nervousness Cadence, than the lascivious smiles of your lecherous old aunt, that much I know."

The billowing white wing went from soft to steel as Cadence suddenly tried to stand, the muscles in the god's limb barely moving to pin down the discomforted princess. Cadence flared her horn, making to teleport.

The spell fizzled, Celestia's horn tapping against her niece's and breaking the pink alicorn's concentration "I am sorry for the trickery my dear. You are so strong these days, so independent. You wouldn't come to me unless you were forced to, so gave you a reason to come and confront me." She chuckled, nuzzling Cadence's nose and giving her a slow, nearly motherly lick "As a plus, the look on Shining's face when I kissed him was priceless."

The smaller alicorn strained hard to break the larger's iron hold "Let me go auntie, I don't want t-"

"But we are. We need to talk silly filly, whether you want to or not." Cadence slowly gave up the fight, settling down as Celestia continued "I am not senile yet dear, I can see that something else is bothering you. We are going to sit here until you tell me what that something is." the wing-hold tightened, pressing her prisoner closer.

Cadence struggled a little, pulling and pushing to break the hold, her horn flared and fizzled three times. Her face darkened with blood as she pushed to escape "I don't want to talk about it auntie" another bout of frenzied struggling followed, until finally she broke down to cry, weep and sob "I-i, Im scared." she wailed, with her defenses finally dissolving into nothingness on a flood of repressed tears Cadence burrowed her muzzle into her aunt's shoulder and let it all come out in one big rush. Celestia lay there and the let the torrent soak into her fur, caring nothing for the spreading stain, instead craning round to whisper gentle reassurances and soft nothings, nuzzling and cuddling the smaller mare in close.

Eventually the torrent slowed to a sniffling trickle, which was licked away with motherly care, forcing a blush onto the damp cheeks as Cadence explained in stops and starts "I'm scared auntie *sniff* I, just can't help it." she breathed in shakily, resting her head on the mattress "Shining's got so tense lately, with the changelings and now this, I just can't help but get scared that something will happen to him. That he'll do something stupid and get himself hurt, o-or killed" the thought or the word threatened to bring back the flood, tears welling in the bottom of her eyes "You must think I'm a foal." the princess croaked reproachfully, avoiding her aunt's eyes.

Celestia cooed and fussed over the shrinking Cadence, speaking reassuringly "Oh stop" she nosed a wayward hair back into place "Everyone's a foal to me dear. Silly, rambunctious, wonderful foals. Now look at me." a golden aura shrouded Cadences chin and pulled it up to look at Celestia "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, Look at me." The rulers voice was suddenly serious. "I will never, I repeat Never think less of you, or anypony on this planet, for loving one another." the voice warmed up again "Your husband is a dedicated, loyal and all around delightful stallion, he is in a delicate situation and you are scared for him." the aura let go, but Cadence kept watching.

The pink princess bit her lip "I can't help it"

Celestia nuzzled the burning cheek, smiling warmly "I know, and I am all the prouder of you for that fact. Everyone should have someone to be scared for them, so that they know they are loved." the wing-prison softened and moved to gentle rub Cadence's barrel, brushing in slow circles "But you needn't be scared dear. No matter what else happens while I speak with Captain Morgan, I will not allow Shining Armour to be hurt."

Cadence sighed in relief "I knew that. But I feel better for hearing it" she lifted her head to return her aunt's nuzzle, with a neck-hug for interest "Thanks auntie, you always know what to say"

Celestia smiled a little broader and raised her wings "I dunno Cadence, you still look a little sad." her tone curled suggestively, a waggle forming in her eyebrows.

Cadence raised an eyebrow and answered tentatively "A little I suppose... why?" Her eye tracked her aunt with a healthy degree of suspicion, her delicate hooves gently raising her off the bed.

"Oh nothing dear, you just look a little sad, and I never can never stand to see you sad, ever since you were a little filly" The great alicorn raised up to match her niece, slipping forward and around with wings half raised, her entire body and her very movements slightly predatory.

The princess's face began to take on a more suspicious air. her voice laden with the same "Auntie.." with the god between her and the door she backed up a step. realization dawned as the ruler stalked closer and Cadence stiffened in apprehension "auntie.. No, I know what you're planning, no" another step brought her flank to the wall.

Celestia smiled a little wider and spoke ominously "There is no auntie here sad little filly. there is only THE TICKLE MONSTER!!" she roared, cackling wildly and launching forward as Cadence shrieked and reared in protest, only to be knocked over onto her back and mercilessly tickled, the larger pony using both fore-hooves to tease panicked laughter and screams of protest from her prey, her wings spread wide to support the weight weight and trap Cadence further.

"NO AUNTIE NONONOEEEEEEE!" Cadence managed to squeak while practiced hoofs dug out all her most vulnerable spots. Everything after dissolved into flailing hoofs and uncontrollable laughter.

Celestia let up and giggled while her smiling victim gasped for breath "You always make the funniest faces dear, but I know what always really made you squeal." , Celestia switched tactics to something more foalish, bending her muzzle down and blowing long wet raspberries into her nieces unprotected stomach *thhhppppptttt*

Cadence tried to resist, but the smile was already on her face, and a foalish squeal followed soon after.

Outside the door, one guard perked up his ears as screams, laughter and a series of thumps echoed through the door.

"Uh... shouldn't we check on them?" the young pegasi stallion asked, eyes dancing between the door and his grizzled old partner. his armoured hooves danced nervously on the floor, his entire demeanour spoke of his relative inexperience..

The gray-haired mare looked to her partner and kept her face carefully neutral "Depends on one question."

"Uh.. what?"

The older mare smirked "Do you really want Celestia to start tickling you until your ribs hurt?"

The stallion considered the question thoughtfully, finally deciding that "No, no I don't. but still..."

The door opened a little creakily, the guard poking his head in just as the squealing started. Looking around the edge the hesitant guard queried tremulously "Princesses, are you okay in here...?" The stallion's voice trailed off as he took in the scene.

The covers were rumpled and spoiled as the pink alicorn writhed, squealed and laughed uncontrollably under the great white god, what exactly occurred under the canopy of wings was hidden by the flowing alicorn's tail, but it sounded disturbingly wet. With a careful sense of awkward intrusion building, the guard made his silent excuses and went to leave.

Too late, Cadence in her gyrations spotted the retreating guard and fought for breath, seeing freedom. Horn flaring she called out in a reasonable copy of the Royal Canterlot Voice "GuardHahahh ahhahah. Defend Me!"

The guard's flailed his limbs uselessly for a moment, but was helpless to stop himself being gripped in a magical aura and flung towards his god and ruler, who just managed a half-turn before the airborne stallion slammed into her.

Celestia and the hapless pegasi tumbled in a tangle of limbs, fur and feathers off the bed, landing with a heavy thump, Celestia splayed on her back with wings out to each side, the dazed guard laid atop her with muzzle almost touching. It took only scant half-seconds for the god-princess to find her smirk and say "Corporal Thunderstrike I do believe? As much as I don't mind being swept of my feet dear, I would prefer you take your armour off in the bedroom." her tone was perfectly chosen, enough of a seductive curl to make the recovering guard stammer and blush, enough light-hearted informality to render any implications almost entirely innocent.

Cadence rolled shakily off the bed, shook the last jitters from her limbs and made for the door, calling to the bewildered guard as she passed "Hold her there Corporal until I make my escape!" The pegasi paused in his efforts to recover and scramble off his ruler and gave her a look halfway between 'Are you serious?' and 'wtf?'.

The pause in concentration however, allowed Celestia the upper-hand. With only a laugh for warning the Alicorn exploded into movement, simultaneously rolling over to pin the stallion beneath her and flaring her horn to catch hold of her fleeing niece's tail. "Ohoho, A mutiny is it? Treason most foul in my own bedchambers? Celestia giggled with mock evil, slowly dragging her niece back.

While the guard tried to stammer a response and the smaller alicorn scrabbled furiously against her aunt's steely magical grip Celestia looked up and called "Captain Magelight. Close the door if you would, I will not be disturbed while dealing with the traitors."

With a dreadfully slowness, the lights dimmed, the curtains pulled closed and the door creaked shut, the shadow of a god falling over the trembling captives.

They tried to resist, the guard was staunch and the princess jaded, but Celestia had had thousands of years to hone her craft and gain mastery over the tools of her trade.

There was no stopping the laughter, no mercy to the tickles.

Captain Magelight smirked as the room behind began to fill with that familiar sound.
The grey mare sniffed and smiled "I love the smell of newbies in the morning" she chuckled to herself

Chapter 15: Time to Game

Soft white light filled the blank room, spilling from sterile fluorescent tubes that hung from the low ceiling tiles. The air was still, but for the tones of a bored alicorn that lay in the centre, her dark wings splayed out to balance her on her back.

“eighteen thousand twenty two, eighteen thousand twenty three, eighteen thousand twenty four, eighteen thousand twenty five, eighteen thousand twenty six...”

The counting went on for quite some time, until the perpetual series was broken by synthetic voice broke the repetition.

“What are you doing Prisoner Luna?” the voice seemed to come from all directions at once, the sound having no discernible source.

Luna didn't even flinch, nor did she look up or respond, instead continuing her count.

It took five more repetitions of the question, each identical in tone to the last, for the princess to look away from her chosen spot and glance around the room, answering angrily “I am counting, is it not obvious ghost?” with that Luna went back to her count, her eyes narrowed in annoyance.

The synthetic-voice chuckled, though the sound was hollow and emotionless “It is obvious enough Prisoner Luna, but I am no ghost.”

Luna snapped her head round then, eyes scanning warily about “Oh? What are thee then, if not a spectre? You speak from nowhere, and are unseen even to my godly eye. That speaks of nothing but a ghost.” the god did not return to her count, instead twisting her ears around to listen for an answer.

The voice held it's silence for a moment before responding, its tones still dead. “I am no ghost or spectre Prisoner Luna, I am the ship's 'Intelligent Control and Assistance Network', though most of the crew know me by the shortened moniker 'ICaAN” the vessel paused as if thinking before speaking again “your name of ghost, while wholly inaccurate, may be useful as an analogy. If it helps you to comprehend me Prisoner Luna, please think of me as a 'ghost' possessing this ship, watching over the crew and the vessel's secondary systems”

Luna peered about for a few moments more and then sighed “Okay then ICaAN, nice to meet you.” she turned back and began her count...

...Two thousand counts later, the voice came back

“Why are you counting Prisoner Luna?”

Luna stopped her count and stilled, but otherwise said nothing

Just as the voice went to repeat the question, Luna rolled on her side and huffed “I'm bored, there is naught to this cell but bare white walls and simple furniture. There is nothing to occupy my mind, So I count the seconds while my mind can play on abstract theory and equations.”

ICaAN held it's silence for a moment, just long enough for Luna to nearly lose interest before it's voice rang out, this time from a specific point in space; directly behind and below the alicorn as it were “If you are bored Prisoner Luna then it is my duty, no, my pleasure to help.” there was no hint of pleasure, nor other emotion in IcaAN's voice.

The voice had come from right behind and below Luna's back legs, so she tucked her shaven dock instinctively and had to twist and turn to see from her laid down position. There on the ground was a very strange looking creature; in some ways IcaAN's body looked like a gigantic silver disk about two meters around, with six chrome spider legs sprouting from underneath it, The top of the bulbous disk was dotted with a dozen black globes. There was something unnatural in the stillness of this new creature however, it didn't twitch or move in any fashion, not adjusting weight or seeming to breathe.

Luna regarded the creature with hesitant eyes and an unsure throat “ICaAN?” she queried, waving a wing and shifting around to try and get the apparent source of the voice to react. Slipping shakily off her bed the alicorn approached the arachnid-thing and bent her muzzle close, twisting her head and walking round it to get a view from all angles. There was a body of sorts underneath the giant disk, a simple body that was a quarter of the thing's size, the 'body' of the creature held four glowing lenses, and it was the place the legs sprouted from, making the huge silver disk seem more like the bulky back end of this insect. The thing didn't move, didn't react. Luna bit her lip and raised a hoof, moving with glacial slowness and a surgeons care the ruler placed her hoof on it's side, shoved the thing over, then settled back to watch.

There was no movement for a moment, nothing to see. A half minute passed before the insect twitched, whirred, and finally moved, it's six limbs moving with liquid smoothness to right itself. After a pause to adjust it's weight ICaAN spoke again, the voice coming not from the insect's 'body', but it's bulky backside. “Hello Prisoner Luna, I am sorry for the silence but I was simply setting up the game.”

Luna sat down in-front of the spider and looked at it with suspicion “Game?” She trotted her front legs nervously “what game?

ICaAN spoke once again from the giant disk, it's voice still emotionless and mechanical “The game currently on is an action game that is used recreationally by the crew. I understand that they are planning a tournament in a few days.”

Luna lost a bit of suspicion as she sat there, watching the motionless insect “As thee wishes Icaan. Anything is preferable to tedium, how is this game played? Will it be dangerous?”

ICaAN laughed hollowly the insect shifted on the spot, legs splaying out a little to the back as the disk tilted, letting the tiny body underneath look at Luna with it's small lenses “Of course not Prisoner Luna, the game is entirely virtual. All sensations and experiences will be illusory. It would not be healthy for the crew to constantly be engaging in real combat.”

Luna raised her eyebrow, in a manner reminiscent of her sister “Combat? A game about fighting?” she sounded apprehensive, but a little excited, reflected by her half smile.

ICaAN moved the insect back into it's old position, it's voice now coming from all around once again “Yes...” impossible a it was to parse any hint of emotion from the robotic tones of the 'ghost' there seemed to be some element of sadness, perhaps shame riding underneath the thing's voice “My masters, for all that they are wonderful, are a naturally aggressive species, constantly prone to competition and argument if they cannot vent their petty frustrations.”

It should not be possible for a voice that emotionless to sigh, and it didn't, but you could feel the sigh hanging in that moment of silence before ICaAN carried on “Thus they invent these games of combat and violence, to let them play out their anger and their more destructive tendencies in a safe environment.”

Luna stood and smiled slightly “That sounds... Entertaining.” she walked slowly around the insect, her wigs extended and she smiled while she stretched, hissing in satisfaction as joints popped up and down her body “It hast been far too long since I was last in a brawl. Let the game begin.”

The insect did not turn to look at Luna while she finished stretching and working the kinks out of her muscles. Instead it waited patiently for her to be done before speaking “As you wish Prisoner Luna. Please lay on your back on the bed, and I will insert you into the game.”

Luna did as she was told, watching out of the corner of her eye as the insect-thing jumped into motion, scuttling to and up the nearest wall, crawling until it hung directly above her. Luna looked a little nervous and a bit self-conscious, covering herself with her wings as the bulbous disk swung slightly, positioning itself directly over the princess.

The godly pony suppressed a squeak as the insect-device-thing sprang into action. The black globes that dotted the disk suddenly sprouting tentacles, long silver hoses sliding out and undulating through the air towards the reluctant alicorn. IcaAN's metallic voice rang out, somehow soft despite the mechanical harshness “Please remain calm Prisoner Luna. You may experience some slight discomfort as you are taken from the actual into the virtual world.”

Luna seemingly remembered herself then, stiffening her resolve while her form relaxed, not even blinking as the front-most tentacles split open to reveal a disconcertingly organic, membranous 'suction cup' device that planted itself firmly over her eyes, moulding to their shape, not even breathing as a third split open and encompassed her muzzle, the bulges of a respiration tube visible as it went down her throat.

The lunar princess couldn't held a spasmodic jump though, when the rest of the insect's appendages slid down to latch onto her limbs, her torso and base of her cranium. The twitching stopped suddenly then, Luna's body going as limp as a puppet with cut strings, her breathing hitching for but a moment before starting up again.

There was blackness. A void of nothingness so complete that the mind could not comprehend, Luna wanted to scream, but she had no mouth, no breath, nothing but the utter nothingness.

Then the world came back, spiralling into view in the form of dots and lines of light, tiny specks of sensation appearing and eventually forming a complete picture, one of blank whiteness and a cold stone floor, of still air and nothing to smell.

Luna shifted and groaned, slowly shifting her hands underneath her and pushing herself up on shaking arms, the shifting folds of a cotton robe falling loose off her frame. The princess opened her eyes then, reaching a hand up to brush a stray hair from her face, the silky blue-black strand falling back without fuss into place with the rest.

Hands... Luna suddenly seemed to notice her hands for the first time then, after noting the completely blank room, the former alicorn regarded the back of her extremity with something between confusion and annoyance, turning it slowly round to note how the dusky skin that covered it turned a gentle pink on the palm. Her face held nothing but befuddlement when her eyes moved from the hand to go down the arm, gazing at her arm as if she had never seen it before, even bringing her other hand to brush at the tiny hairs that grew all over the muscle-bound limb.

It was only when her stare had reached her covered shoulder, and from there her lithe, beautifully proportioned body, that Luna dared to make a sound “What..?” the word stumbled out unsure, as a child might walk into the den of something dark and scary. Her hands gently traced the curves of her body for a moment before swinging up to feel at her flat, all too human face, perhaps noting the distinct lack of horn. With something like desperation, edged and hardened by a growing anger, she felt at her back, twisting her head and shoulders to look at her shoulder-blades, probably marking the complete absence of wings.

The anger came bubbling up, finding purchase in her throat with all the ease of an old friend, boiling and billowing up into a booming bellow that echoed like rolling thunder off the blank white walls “ICAAN! What hast thou done to me!?” She stood with limbs askew, her chest heaving and face contorted in a snarl of wrath.

There the princess stood for some time, gazing about for some sign of her captor, just as she gathered breath for another shout a voice rang out, it sounded something like ICaAN, but it was happy, chirpy, like a mother watching their child's first Nightmare Night “Hello Luna, lovely to meet you. You sound unhappy, is there anything I can do to help?”

Luna snapped round to glare at this newest apparition, an androgynous human in a long white robe, smiling faintly at her from across the wide expanse of the white room. The former alicorn growled out loudly “Yes, thou can tell me what idiocy Icaan hast wrought! I entrust him to play a game, but instead I wake to find he has stolen my body! Of course I am unhappy”

The apparition's laugh was light, designed and shaped to make Luna relax and let her anger simmer down a notch despite her best efforts. After her laugh the apparition spoke again, her voice seeming to come from an inch away from the princess's ear “Stolen your body?” when the angry equestrian whirled to face left, there the strange human stood with white robe floating in a non-existent breeze “That doesn't sound like something Icaan would do, but I suppose this is your first time in virtual space, it's okay if you're a little confused.”

Luna stumbled back, way from the apparition, only to bump into the thing as it appeared behind her, the one in front fading into nothingness “Virtual space?” she queried, whirling around with anger still plain on her face, but ebbing slowly “Who art thou?” She added, backing up a step.

The apparition smiled gently, eyes a neutral grey around the iris. “I am the Entertainment Virtual Assistant, or Eva, for short. This is the Virtual Space, a waiting room for your consciousness before you are inserted into the game. Because this is your first time, please feel free to take as long as you need to get used to your new form.”

Luna's anger fought back again “What, pray tell, was wrong with my old body, that I may not play your game with it?”

Eva shook her head “Nothing is wrong with your equine form, but the game software is not equipped with non-human body shapes, so you have been matched to a default human model. If the cosmetic appearance is not pleasing to you, please feel free to edit your skin colour, hair, body and facial proportions. Simply think on what you want to change, and you will be able to choose from a catalogue, cybernetic implants and low-level surgical alterations are also available.”

Luna listened to this with something approaching complete confusion, but eventually nodded. She held up her arm to look at it and said aloud “So, if I were too wish my arm changed, I simply think it, an-” she was cut off as a shimmering screen appeared in the air in front of her, displaying a list of different arm models, from the default human, to ones made entirely of metal, covered in chitin, scales, fur or feathers.

On a whim Luna reached out, and tapped an arm-model that seemed much like a normal humans, but for an exposed biceps muscle that seemed to be made of silver steel cable, and a thick tube of blueish fluid running down from the shoulder into it. With the care of a practised Diarch the princess suppressed a squeak as her arm shifted and changed to match the model perfectly, except for the skin tone, which matched hers.

Luna spent the next five minutes playing with the various catalogues, editing her new virtual body's hair, eyes and limbs; she shed the loose robe soon after to start messing around with the proportions of her form, inflating and deflating some parts while she stretched and shrank her limbs. Eventually Luna settled on an average, but slightly taller than usual form, with skin a few shades darker and short cut black hair with a few specks of luminescent silver dotted through it, her arm had a line of implanted bio-lights and a starry sky was tattooed down the back of her leg. Her eyes had a distinct cat-like slant to their pupils.

Eva watched patiently while the alicorn finished the final few touches, standing with a faint smile as the last few changes settled into place. The imprisoned princess had seemingly forgotten her earlier animosity by now, and was smiling genuinely as she walked up to the apparition and smiled “Okay, ready to game now. Am I allowed arms and armour, or is this a contest of unarmed skill?” she seemed up for both, clearly having been hyping herself up.

Eva put a hand on Luna's shoulder and answered calmly “It is an Arena Combat game, named 'Blood-pit', you will be allowed to choose from a range of weapons, war-gear and armour before being assigned your team and entering the arena.

Half an hour later, Luna stepped from the shadows of the preparation area and took in her team, a pair of glimmering hand-axes clutched in her hands, a pair of cybernetic wings sprouting from beneath her antiquated scale-mail armour. Her smile was half smirk, half nervous energy “Let us game” was all she could think to say.

Captain Morgan gazed through the one-way glass at the twitching alicorn as she hung from the cables, her limbs spasmodically moving as her body picked up phantom signals from her deadened nerves. The old man smiled a little at the screen that showed her antics, he turned to the watching engineers “Think she'll stay hooked up?” he asked.

The engineer nearest nodded “Should do, looks like she's having fun. No issues yet” from a mounted speaker system shots echoed, a scream of anger was suddenly cut off “aside from her inability to duck... Should keep her occupied for a while.”

Morgan nodded “Good. With that sister coming aboard we won't be able to keep her 'magic' contained. When the time comes for the older sister to arrive, send in the droid again, keep her distracted in game-land.”

As the old officer left, the men and women turned back to watch the games begin, without a word a bag of popcorn was produced and passed round.

Fluttershy and Rainbow dash looked in need of popcorn themselves, sitting on a tree-stump whole the argument went back and forth, both sides refusing to back down. More and more of the heavily armoured aliens had joined in, as had more of the yellow-suited ones.

Biting her lip, Fluttershy turned to her friend "Um... should we just take the crusaders and go? I don't think this is going to end any time soon." she got too her hooves and fluttered her wings nervously.

The cyan speedster smirked back "I like your thinking" she stood up, going into an easy hover almost immediately.

The two ponies crept silently through the air towards the crusader's pen, Fluttershy keeping an eye on the developing argument, Rainbow Dash watching the guard at the cage. Neither semed to nootice as the pegasi flew gently up oover the pen's walls, pausing in the air above it.

"Okay Flutters,we'll get Zecora first, then head back for the crusaders" Rainbow ordered, looking towards where the zebra still hung limp on her ropes. the knots were big and complex, but nobody around the clearing seemed to notice or care, all the aliens were either watching the shouting match or looking off to the north.

"30 from LZ. Prepping to land"

"Switching to VTOL in 3...2...1..."

They were working furiously at the first knot when the sky, the air and the ground seemed to vibrate with a cacophonous roar and a shadow blotted out the sun, trees being blown nearly flat and charred by the downdraft of heated air that spilled from it's four wings. Fluttershy's wings locked and Rainbow choked as the gigantic thing came towards them, bulbous body large enough to swallow buildings, the wingspan large enough to rival that of the most titanic dragon.

Both pegasi made for the ground as it came over, both trembling as the shadow passed over

All around the plateau the argument was forgotten as the yellow-suits rushed away to prep the landing zone.

The gargantuan creature came down, the giant frame swinging around to land on a rock square in the plateau's centre, the ear-splitting roar of it dying slowly away to a dull rumble backed by a low whine. then came the creak and groan of strained metal as the back en of the beast split open, opening like a gigantic set of mandibles to allow a huge ramp down.

The security marines all watched as the Bulk-Lifter settled down onto it's concrete landing pad, the eight engine cooling down. From the cavernous cargo opening spilled robots, hundreds of metal disks, floating on air-jet engines or scuttling on long spider-legs.

As the droids spilled out into the open air, one marine stopped a passing engineer and asked "That's the cargo? Robots?"

The engineer sounded testy, but deigned to answer "Uh.. yeah, construction robots, the next two lifters are bringing down the materials." he tried to walk away, only to be pulled back.

"I thought those were only for deep space construction, for the Athena?" the marine was joined by one or two others, who agreed with the first, all watching as the silver disks spread out in a careful grid pattern.

Hemmed in by the armoured bodies, the engineer sighed "They are, but we don't exactly have any proper earth-movers or drills, we'll just have to make do."

the marines looked between each other and then asked "Why not? We have all that military stuff, we have some seriously heavy ordinance in storage." the others all agreed, gathering more marines, and a few medics

"I saw a jeep in there once." one volunteered.

"That's nothing, I was on watch, and I saw a guy walk by with a flamethrower" a marine remarked, leading a pack of robots by.

The engineer stumbled over his words "I-I'm not sure.. I think it-"

"it's because the 'New Dawn' is a publicity stunt" the new voice broke the babble's back as the newcomer strode closer, clad in light gear with a lieutenant's pip decorating the visored helmet

The marines all saluted at once "Lt. Redmond sir, nice to see you on the ground Sir!"

Redmond set them at ease with a returned salute, smiling slightly "Thank you gents. CSO sent me down to oversee things down here. As to that, can anyone explain what exactly those things are doing messing with that prisoner?" he pointed towards the still-shivering pegasi next to the zebra.

The assembled marines all looked slightly sheepish then.

You could hear the lieutenant's smile behind the mirrored visor. "No? Alright then, soft rounds please gents, one for each should do. Gather up all the aliens and dump them over the border fence. No reason too keep them any longer, might buy us some brownie points during negotiations."

Mumbling apologies through their mics the marines began to hustle towards the trespassing ponies, who had noticed and were attempting to fly, well one of them was, the butter coloured horse was apparently having a lot of trouble getting her wings to work.

Five minutes later there was a series of thumps as six ponies were dropped carefully over the barrier fence, two with darts sticking from their flanks.

Another five minutes passed before more equines approached, a nervous dragon leading the group, flanked by Twilight, Rarity and one newcomer, who was still babbling animatedly at the sight of the alien's enormous flying machine.

Chapter 16: Plans and Strategy

this chapter contains a guest character from a fan. XD

Inside the tent the air was filled with the gentle snores of pinkie and the slow breathing of the zebra and two pegasi, their sleeping forms laid carefully in a pile of fur and feathers in one corner of the room, the hollow-boned pegasi atop the heavy striped mare.

Twilight and Applejack sat in the centre with spike and rarity, all four facing the other side of the smokeless 'fire' (a stone, heated white hot by dragon-fire and magic) where Pinkie stood stretching and running on the spot.

Twilight spoke first “Are you sure you don't want to sit down Pinkie? We stopped by Sweet Apple Acres on the way into Ponyville and picked up two spare barrels of apples.” she smiled at Applejack and held up a shiny apple in her magic aura.

Pinkie smiled her best, but didn't stop her exercise, bending over backwards into a wheel pose “Sorry Twi but I can't, I need to get ready for round two.”

Applejack shook her head and sighed “Ya sure 'bout that Pinkie? It's a nice apple, ah'm sure Spike would roast it if ya asked nicely. We even have some cinnamon and chocolate chips to go in 'em” when the orange cow-mare cleared her throat meaningfully, Spike looked his roasting of his own apple and gave a hasty thumbs up before returning to his task.

Pinkie's resolve wavered for a moment, but her smile lost it's edge and she dropped into a rapid series of push-ups to distract herself from the mouthwatering scent of cinnamon and apple that pervaded the air, backed by the heady aroma of melting chocolate “no” she answered between huffs of breath “Nopony beats Pinkie Pie at tag *huff* Especially meanie-bo-beanie *huff-huff* aliens who cheat *huff* and make ponies take drugs *huff* when they don't want to.” snorting through her nostrils and pushing up onto her hind-hooves, Pinkie went into a shadow-boxing bout “I'm not going easy on them this time. No more Miss Nice-as-Pie”

Rarity sat nibbling daintily on her own perfectly roasted apple (courtesy of a smitten young dragon) and rolled her eyes as she watched the atmosphere grow heavy with an oncoming argument. Brushing her mane away from her eyes the perfect porcelain pony stood and said politely “I would not expect you to go easy Pinkie dear, forcing you to take anything without consent Is most uncouth” as she walked over.

The fashionista made an easy smile, laying a pristine hoof across the Pink Party Pony's withers and offering a bite of apple, which was taken with enthusiasm before continuing on “But I wonder if you might be taking the wrong path with this dear. If these 'humans' are so determined to cheat your little game of tag, they probably will again hmm?” Rarity chuckled lightly, encouraging Pinkie to play along as she was guided gently to sit by the hot-rock.

Pinkie accepted an apple-stick from Spike with a smile on her face, but bit her lip when answering her friend “I-I guess so...”

Rarity beamed, taking her seat back again and having another nibble on her apple “Well then darling, Wouldn't it be better to wait until the princess has negotiated with them before attempting another game? That way you will have more time to prepare, and thus you may well get away without another dose of those horrid drugs.”

Pinkie bounced back to her bubbly state after a moment of thought, absently covering her apple with cinnamon and chocolate as she spoke “Okay Rares, I guess I was being a silly-pony huh?”

There was a brief round of chuckles before everyone settled back to their apples.

A few minutes passed in delicious silence before anypony spoke.

Spike broke the quiet first, twirling his apple-stick between thumb and fore-claw as he watched the skin brown and cook. “Hey Twilight” he called, turning to look at the purple unicorn.

“Yeah Spike?” the librarian looked up from her book (Zoology of Zebrica – A study of Apes and their evolutionary cousins) and raised an eyebrow.

The dragon stood slowly, putting a hand on the white-hot rock to lean on as he got his legs under him “Should I take that pony you brought back from Ponyville an apple? I don't think she's moved away from the fence in like an hour.”

Twilight nodded without a moment's hesitation “Of course Spike. You should probably re-heat her rock while you're there, it must be getting chilly by now.” she smiled gently as the dragon nodded and dashed from the room with three fresh apple-sticks in tow -one with just cinnamon, one with just chocolate, one with both.

Chuckling at their scaled friend's enthusiasm, Applejack tucked her hat down over her eyes and smirked “Ain't that little guy just a perfect gentle-drake eh Twi? You sure raised him good.”

Twilight blushed and laughed nervously “Oh stop Applejack, the princess did most of the work. I don't want to be a bragger”

Rarity couldn't help but join in then, laughing good naturedly “Oh do stop being so very modest darling, you should feel proud of moulding young Spike into such a handsome little dragon” her voice had just the right tone to set Twilights blush off again, so the fashion queen and all the rest chuckled while their purple friend's cheeks blazed with embarrassment.

After the laughter died down Applejack waved a forehoof and stopped herself snickering with no little effort before asking “Anyway Twi, enough ribbing. Mind telling me who exactly that mare you brought with you is? I think I saw her round the village a couple times, but ah don't think ah've ever talked to her proper.

Pinkie Pie put up her hoof like a foal at school and waved it frantically, obviously wanting to tell, but she let Twilight explain first.

“That's Technia, Applejack, an inventor from Detrot. When I mentioned all the technology these humans possess, she made a face like Sweetie-Belle in a sweet-shop and I couldn't keep her from following me.” The purple unicorn glanced around the group “Surely you must have heard of her?”

Both ponies shook their head (apart from Pinkie, who was bouncing up and down to get Twilight's attention)

The student attempted to narrow it down “Technia? Her dad was the Inventor of Equestria's first manalectric dam?” another shake of the head from the fashionista and the farmer.

“Her workshop is down the road from Bon-Bon's shop?” More shakes

“Her house explodes occasionally?” enough shakes to bring the boys to the yard.

“She tried to give you that automatic plough last month Applejack?” at that the orange mare's eyes lit up with recognition.

“Oh that Technia. Now ah remember” she chuckled “That plough went two rows afore it exploded, still haven't managed to get the share dislodged from that oak-tree. Made good firewood though.”

Rarity nodded “Oh yes, I heard that from my boutique, It gave Opalescence quite the scare.” another nibble of the apple passed before the pernicious unicorn lowered her voice scandalously “Though frankly my dears, I'm more surprised that Miss Heartstrings, Bon-Bon's beau, didn't take it upon herself to follow you here Twilight, from the way she rants on about aliens, I would have thought she'd be the first.”

Pinkie couldn't contain herself any-more then, just as Applejack was crinkling her muzzle and opening her mouth -no doubt to make some comment about 'gossiping behind other mare's backs- the party pony cried “Ooh, I know Technia! She helped me design my party-cannon! Before she helped all the confetti kept coming out burnt.”

While the three sat in silence to process this revelation, there came a tremendous burp from the entrance to the tent, and a cloud of smoke floated up across the ceiling. Twilight looked over and smiled “Speaking of burnt. Got a letter for me Spike?”

The baby dragon grinned proudly and held out the tightly bound scroll for perusal, waiting until the magic aura took it away to turn and let out a smaller belch off to his side, thumping his chest contently with a clawed fist.

Carefully ignoring the disgusted snort from Rarity's direction Twilight broke the wax seal and unrolled the scroll before reading aloud

“Dear Twilight and Friends,

I hope this letter finds you well, I would hope that you have remained true to my instructions and stayed in hiding within my old castle.” A few guilty looks between the few friends showed their unease before the librarian was motioned to continue.

“If you have chosen to ignore my request, and follow the alien craft to their landing site, then I am a little disappointed but not entirely unsurprised or worried, though I would hope you have managed to keep Rainbow Dash and Pinkie from doing anything that might jeopardise the coming talks. If not, then please feel free to consider me deeply concerned, I beg you to at least stay safe.” Twilight coughed uncomfortably with a glance at the slumbering speedster before reading on.

“In any case my dear student and favoured subjects, to business I must move. I would request most firmly that you and your friend move to a high elevation at your earliest convenience, taking care to site yourselves far from the human encampment, Make sure to bring the Elements of Harmony with you and keep them on your person. A few days hence, you may be aware that I and a host of ambassadors from Equestria's various species will be making the trip up to the alien's star-vessel, to conduct peace talks.” Twilight nodded in understanding, her eyes concerned as they read ahead of her mouth.

“In the event that I or any of the ambassadors are attacked while on board, I will send you a message via dragon-fire (so far as I know it is unstoppable by any known means). On receiving the message, I would ask that you and your friends activate and use the elements, targeting them at the alien's vessel. For the safety of Equestria Twilight, I beg you all to heed my request on this day, I cannot force you to do this, and I will admit that I am unsure of what effect the elements will have if used, but if I am felled or disabled by these creatures then I will use any measures I can think of to help ensure Equestria's survival.

From the desk of Princess Celestia.

Stay safe.”

There was an uneasy silence for a moment as the friends brooded over the message.

Then Applejack stood and rolled her neck to crack the joints “Aright then. Ah guess it's to the mountain we go? Ah'll get rainbow if one a y'all 'll get Flutters” The cow-mare trotted over without waiting for a response to grab the comatose pegasi and sling her across her barrel.

“I suppose Technia will be fine to stay and watch Zecora and the Crusaders whilst we're gone. Good thing I packed an extra tent, even if it is less fabulous than this one.” with a flick of her elegant horn, a pair of bulging saddlebags flew to rest on the white unicorn's back, completed by a matching scarf, earmuffs and fluffy hat.

Twilight flipped her book into her own bags and took up both her and Applejack's bags, earning a grateful nod from the mare “Big Mac promised to head out with the cart to pick them all up, so they'll be back in Ponyville before night falls.”

Pinkie was strangely muted, a thoughtful smile on as she picked up the drugged up butter-shy and slung her over her back, picking up twin sets of saddle-bags in her teeth.

Acting on some unseen cue, Spike hitched up the party cannon to it's harness and placed it over Pinkie's shoulders, the bouncy pony giving him a little nod. Lifting the large apple barrel onto his back with surprising ease the tiny drake bit his lip (forgetting his fangs and causing a small trickle of blood to trickle down) before asking nervously. “She's just being safe isn't she? Nopony could hurt Celestia. Right?”

The mares looked between themselves before turning and doing the same to the little reptile, all speaking with reassuring surety.

“Of course not Spike.”

“Don't be silly partner, Old gal's the toughest there is.”

“Perish the thought darling.”

“Mff Hmm. Mf Mf hmfff. *muffled giggle*”

With a final moment taken to, write an explaining note and dump water over the hot rock, turning it from a hot yellow to cooling red with a hiss, crackle and pop, the group left, all of them glancing over to where mare sat by the perimeter fence, twelve pages into her huge note/sketchpad and accelerating, half a roasted apple-stick stuck into the ground next to her flank, alongside the remains of two others.

Zis is an outrage!” the griffin screeched, his chest puffed out and wings spread in a threatening posture as he reared in the centre of the throne-room floor, his eyes locked on the cowering pony clerk before him, claws clenching tightly at the stone.

Behind him the dragon ambassador loomed like a shadowed monolith against the sun. his wings not spread, but tense enough that they might at any moment “I am forced to agree with Monsieur Guisarme, this is most unwelcome” the rumbling voice of the huge dragon wasn't angry, or particularly annoyed, it didn't need to be. “By what right does Celestia presume to call these talks? I would like to know.”

The zebra ambassador spoke next from his seat in the dragon's shadow, his tones neutral as always, but with an edge that spoke of hidden turmoil “I also question Celestia's judgement in this matter. I will cede the need for peace talks with this alien species, their level of technological advancement makes them impossible to ignore, but to let the talks take place upon the aliens own vessel? That speaks of little but foolish arrogance.”

The clerk panicked under their glares and gazes, but before his trembling lips could stammer, the calm tones of a god rang from the throne behind him “Then consider me an arrogant fool Ambassador Hekima. I would prefer that when you have concerns to voice, that you take them to me first, before trying to intimidate my staff” Celestia smiled faintly while all eyes snapped to her and the zebra blustered, she inclined her head serenely to nod at the trembling clerk “You are dismissed Mr. Time-Table, please give your wife my congratulations on your new daughter, I have heard she is quite the cute one.”

The clerk bowed so low his muzzle brushed the flagstones before dashing from the room, breathing out a desperate gasp of thanks.

The dragon ambassador raised his leg to let the stallion pass, before looking to the Diarch on her throne “I apologize on my own behalf Princess, I would have come to you sooner, but I was unable to locate you.” A smile let his fangs show while his nostrils flared “Though perhaps that is just as well, I would hate to interrupt whatever you were doing with that stallion” Celestia had the decency to look slightly embarrassed while the dragon laughed with all the rumble of a landslide “To say nothing of the mare.” he finished, snorting smoke as the next few chuckles turned into another bout of wall-shaking laughter.

The griffin was not amused, even as the Zebra joined the dragon in merriment, with a tone more aggressive than the last he squawked “There are Aliens invading your country, and you forgo your duties to dally in the bedroom!” the enraged chimera took a step forward “Is zis whole situation a joke to you Celestia!?”

Celestia turned her eye to the fuming ambassador and smiled, apparently ignoring his obvious aggression “I assure you Ambassador Guisarme, my activities were entirely innocent, though I had hoped a shower would cover up the scent.” she tittered faintly before stopping and switching to a more serious version of her standard smile “I can understand your concern Ambassador, please do not think me so ignorant as to think that I can order any of you to do anything. But I would hope that you will at least consider that my many years in office count for something. These aliens are powerful, that much I know. For that reason, and many others, we as a planet need to earn their trust.”

The griffin made a dismissive snort and looked away, leaving the ruler to continue “Trust is important, as any of you know. These aliens have been wronged by my sister, they have every right too mistrust me, That is why I ceded to their request for the talks to take place on their ship, they are scared of what they do not know, and being in a familiar setting will help ease their minds.”

The dragon spoke then, his craggy face thoughtful “hmm, there is wisdom in your speech Celestia, as there always is. But what if these alien's fear, their nervous front, is but that, a front? What if we are betrayed whilst we talk, there will be no escape from their ship, even I would be afraid to fall from such a height.”

The alicorn nodded, allowing the giant the point before she rebuked “A fair point Ambassador Shinescale, but one I have considered. As we speak, the Elements of Harmony are preparing themselves to fire, and the unicorns of my guard stand ready to lend aid. The alien's ship is high up, but a thousand unicorns cannot be ignored, even if the ship cannot be attacked directly, there are ways to affect it indirectly, so long as you can think outside the box. Equestria is pacifistic, this you well know ambassadors, but my little ponies are far from defenseless.”

Guisarme snorted again, his beak clacking “Of course Princess, I am sure you have a plan for everything, but have you considered us that are not immortal? You may be able to take whatever the aliens do and recover, the dragon's hide is nigh impregnable, what of myself and Hekima?”

Celestia appeared to consider this for a moment, then turned her radiant smile upon the beaked speaker again “Oh of course my dear Guisarme, how could I forget. I have considered this however, and my plan is rather simple. I have managed to talk the good captain into allowing my commander of the royal guard, Shining Armour, to accompany us. In the event of any trouble, he is under orders to teleport yourself and ambassador Hekima down to a predesignated spot on the surface, should he be taken out then I will put every thaum of power I can into doing the spell myself.”

She turned to look up at the dragon ambassador, floating an oversized pendant on a chain to him “I would not forget you ambassador Shinescale, so I have had this charmed necklace commissioned, it is enchanted to create a forcefield of air, large enough to contain yourself and any three pony sized creatures you enfold in your wings. Your natural magic resistance makes it a short lived spell, but should you feel in true danger, simply make your way to the outside of the alien vessel, and it will protect you long enough to survive the fall.

The ambassadors all looked sated with this, the dragon turning the pendant over in his claws, until the zebra finally broke the uneasy silence to ask. “Clearly Princess, our judgement was marred by our tempers in this matter, you have once again proven your mind to be a match for any. What of yourself? Have you no plans to escape?”

Celestia smiled with joy as each of the ambassadors expressed seemingly genuine concern for her, choosing to wait and bask in the flow of feeling for a moment before speaking calmly “I have no plans to save myself Ambassador Hekima, I do not need any protection. Whatever tortures these aliens devise, I will survive them, should they choose to try and hurl me from their ship into the voids of space, then that is their own loss, I have no real need to breath, and the cold of the vacuum or the burn of the sun hold no terrors for me. I will make my way back to Equestria in time.

Chapter 17: There goes the Sun

In Canterlot, in the forest, atop the near mountains and in orbit above, the world prepared, for there was a day and a half to go, and so much to do.

In the courts and rooms of the Castle City, Celestia sat through her staffs ministrations with a calm smile, sipping a cup a tea and moving as they indicated, being primped and polished and fed a careful diet (with a cautious helping of cake to help it all down) before being sent to an early bed.

As the alicorn walked along the corridor to her chambers, followed and surrounded by her accompaniment of guardsmen and servants, she mused aloud, finishing her tea and placing it on a presented tray “It is amusing no? For most of the year I guide and watch over all my ponies to ensure their safety, but in the days before an official function the roles are reversed. I am the child to be fussed over and made presentable, not even allowed to polish my own horn.” she laughed, the sound light as dewdrop bells on gossamer string.

The servants joined her, a little nervously, but were silenced when they reached the door, where Celestia swept her wings up to wrap around the servants (the guards smartly sidestepping the net) and pulled them all into her side, the powerful muscles drawing them inescapably closer to where the alicorn could deliver a chaste kiss to each trembling forehead.

She cooed in motherly tones “Oh my wonderful little ponies, you are so good to your silly old princess, I do not know how I would function without you” she let them all go, tittering at the blazes of embarrassed red on each muzzle, which only got fiercer when each flank received a gentle shove from a great white wing “Now my dears, I shall leave my shoes and regalia outside the door, please let the night staff know so they can polish them overnight. But for the rest of you it's early nights all round, we have a busy day tomorrow, preparing for the alien's arrival, and I want all of us rested. Consider this an official decree, get some sleep.”

Not waiting for them to stammer a reply Celestia set her shoes along with regalia down on a convenient stand and pounded her wings to send herself shooting backwards, horn flaring up to close the doors gently behind her. The great alicorn fairly back-flipped into bed and splayed out before suddenly remembering something that made her glance towards the setting sun, giggling as she watched it kiss the horizon.

Oh. Right. Lowering the Sun... Have to lower the Sun, raise Moon” she slapped her horn mockingly “Bad Celestia, forgetting to make the night.” she laughed, a giggle that descended into a sob. “Oh sister... I miss thee already.”

But just as she rolled to get out of bed, the Great Monarch saw something else that made her eyes widen. The Moon was rising, the sun was setting. Without her.

The wrath of gods and judgement of demons would have been swept aside then as Celestia twisted and leapt across her room, landing with a crack of hooves on the balcony, her horn already flaring as she cast the simplest of cantrips, a mana detection spell. Sure enough, up there in orbit above her, there was the familiar tang of Luna's magic at work.

A few minutes earlier

“KNEEL BEFORE ME WHELPS!”

Jenson bolted from cover, his machine gun forgotten in the churned mud behind him as the screams of his dying companions got nearer and nearer. The spattering of desperate shots and ending wails almost overwhelmed by the bellowing victory shouts of their conqueror.

“PROSTRATE THYSELF IN TERROR!”

“OFFER UP THINE VIRGINS FOR CONSUMPTION!”

There ahead, shelter and supplies, a fresh weapon and an ammo case lay just inside that bunker, a mere five hundred meters ahead. With fresh resolve steadying his limbs, Jenson piled on the speed and gave silent prayer to Titan that he had thought to take the upgraded sprinting augment.

“COWER MEWLING BABES, RUE THE DAY THEE DARED STRAY FROM THY MOTHER'S TEAT”

Another scream cut mercifully short echoed through the trees behind him, from the sound it was probably Lt. Sandra, fighting to the last with her trusty shotgun. Jenson couldn't help but smile, Just a few more metres to safety, just a few more paces until the warm concrete walls of the bunker.

Just a fe- “AAAGH!” Jenson cried out in agony as the back of his legs exploded in pain, sending him to the ground hard, mud splattering him as he struggled to get his arms to support him.

With a straining of muscle and gritted teeth he finally managed to shove his chest free of the sucking mud, twisting round to look behind him. His eyes growing wide as they saw the moon...

… Reflected in her eyes as she stalked towards him, her steps calm as a jungle cat stalking a wounded deer fawn, the smirk on her lips that of a demon while she watched Jenson's desperate glance towards his burning leg, to where her axe had buried itself in the hamstring, it's blood soaked twin hanging from her belt.

Luna came upon her prey in perfect silence, swaying her hips loosely in her easy stride, her dainty feet barely sticking in the mud. The Princess was splattered from head to ankle in thick drops of blood, mud and effluent, the occasional leave stuck on from her trip through the forest foliage.

She placed a filthy boot on Jenson's back to hold him in place while she drew the axe from his leg, making sure he was watching when she licked the blade. At first she was smiling as if it were a piquant wine, but then her face scrunched up, tasting something horrible in the blood, that she then spat straight into her captive's face. When he cringed away her demeanour broke for but a moment for her to apologise “Sorry. Once a herbivore, always a herbivore.”

Before the situation got more awkward, or Jenson could comment, Luna reset her face and brought her arm around in a wide arc, sinking the back-spike into the side of her prey's cranium with a grisly *Crack* of splintering bone, spraying blood in a thin geyser onto her shins.

Even as she dropped her axes and exulted in victory, the world began to dissolve around her, the scenery, her clothes and her weapons breaking up into a thick cloud of specks, fading away into nothing. As virtual normalcy returned Luna found herself caught in the middle of a warm group bear-hug, her ears assaulted by the cheers of her team.

Eventually the embrace ended and the cheers faded away, the six members of her team standing back and grinning. One giant man who closely resembled a boulder with arms and legs chiseled out of it laid a heavy paw (a true paw, shaped and clawed like a fur-less grizzly bear) on her shoulder and let out a deep belly laugh while he shook her “Ha! I knew you had it in you. I told 'em and told 'em, Pony-girl got game.”

Luna kicked her heel at the compliment and smiled, sheepish in the face of such open adoration “Twas nothing really, I just did not want to let you all down.”

The only other female in the group stepped up then, smiling with two rows of shark's teeth “Well don't let it go to your head pony-girl, but you really did good back their. When this idiot” she paused to slap the boulder round the ear, earning a growl, before going on “Got us all taken out in that ambush I thought the match was over. Would have been too, if you hadn't gone all 'angel of death' on their asses.”

The team settled down for the rest period between games, letting a few minutes pass in easy chit-chat -mostly on the subject of Equestria, and how it differed from Earth- before Luna paused to some unseen signal and asked the air

“Eva?” she asked, surety and slight familiarity in her voice.

The apparition that was Eva appeared without fuss or ceremony, as if she had always been there “Yes, Prisoner Luna?” Luna didn't blink at the title, but a few of her team-mates shared uneasy glances at the reminder of their new friend's status on board.

“Can thou inform me of the sun's position on mine planet, in relation to the Castle Canterlot?” She asked, her face thoughtful.

“That is beyond my knowledge Prisoner Luna, I will query ICaAN to find out.” Eva smiled, looking away and beyond, her virtual eyes gaining a thousand-league stare while her lips moved in rapid conversation with a silent being. It was a matter of moments befoore she turned back and said

Dusk will arrive over Canterlot Castle, in precisely three point six minutes” For hat jarring moment, Icaan's emotionless tones came out in place of Eva's usual happy lilt.

Luna nodded at the news and stood, nodding to her companions “I am afraid I will not be around for the next match my compatriots, I must leave.”

Eva sighed as a mother might, hearing their child run off to school “You wish to stop playing Prisoner Luna?”

Luna nodded, her face suddenly stone cold serious.

The apparition's smile gained a sadly happy edge as she waved a hand, Luna's form dissolving away “I hope we meet again soon Prisoner Luna, I have so many games to play with you.”

Luna's final sense of the virtual world were her team waving goodbye with a general chorus of “Till next time Pony-Girl.”

Luna came to consciousness with a jolt, rolling over and gagging as a thick tube slickly slid from her throat, slimy with mucus, lubricant and saliva.

Shaky limbs went to support her limp body while she coughed up a wad of phlegm and examined her hooves and wing. Finding them satisfactory, the Princess looked to her horn and smiled at it's unadorned nature. Tilting her head and glazing her eyes to check some internal clock, Luna steadied herself, horn lowered in ready position.

She muttered low, her voice a stage whisper in the white cell “Even through your magical shield humans I felt the rage of Celestia's dawn.” she slowed and paced her breathing, focusing on a deep in and out. ”Your defences are nigh impregnable, but I am a god. You may have my dignity, my blood, my magic and freedom, but you will never take the moon from me. I will have my dusk.”

With some unseen signal, Luna began to concentrate, her body tightening slowly as some tension built up inside.

In the observation booth both monitoring engineers and medic watched with rapt attention as the alicorn began to strain.

“What's she trying to do? Overload the emitters?” One asked

An engineer by a different screen nodded “Apparently so” he tapped a button on the keyboard, bringing up a chart “Good effort too, get five or six more of her doing that for another ten minutes she'd break out easy”

A medic cut in with his own screen “Or have a heart attack. If she keeps at it much longer and we'll need to dart her. Dumb bitch is killing herself out there."

On sensor deck, there was a small crowd gathered to watch the light-show at Mackenze's station, much to her annoyance.

“Will you lot bog off? I'm trying to watch for spikes here!” she barked, waving a cybernetic hand at the assembled crew. Including one Chief Medical officer.

They completely ignored her request however, and smiled.

Growling threats under her breath the Sensor's officer turned back to the screen to watch for the expected spike.

There it was... But different, the dawn spike had been smooth and sharp, something done with obvious ease, this one sputtered and rose slowly, as if it were being dragged up by something under great strain. And it was rising, rising faster and faster right towards them.

Without hesitation or pause for thought Mackenze grabbed the emergency line on the comms

Captain Morgan always found dusk coming over a planet's horizon relaxing, a. Less so when sensors deck rang up on the emergency comms and screamed in his ear

“SIR! Massive energy wave heading straight for us. Big Sister Celestia level surge.” the voice sounded panicked.

Morgan sat bolt upright, letting his glass of nightcap spill all over the carpet. He asked with more than a little edge to his voice “She's attacking?!”

“No sir, chimeric frequency, millions of variants. We're getting attacked by a whole bloody army of them. No time to evade.”

The energy surge hit the Dawn as the world's largest storm surge might hit a child's sandcastle.

Their energy shields crumpled like paper under the assault, breaking as ash before a gale.

But doom did not come, instead the surge flowed to one point in the ship. All the condensed raw power of those millions of variant frequencies pouring into one space on the ship, right into the form of a straining alicorn.

A god was born in the white walled cell, unseen energies blasting through the walls and filling the air with the scent of ozone and burning copper.

Luna's eyes glowed like twin stars in their sockets as the power lifted her hooves from the ground, aches and discomfort washing away a water off duck's back. Her mane and tail growing to their fullest in an instant of glorious expansion, becoming the night-sky in all it's glory.

Luna's smile in this was not vengeful nor angry, no hint of aggression found root in her most genuine of joys. With a flourish of her horn and spread of her great wings -as the incandescent energy flew into her, Luna and her wings seemed to grow several sizes until they matched her sister's in expanse- as the surge reached it's peak Luna poured her magic into one great spell, her most base of sorceries and that which she was born for.

...For long moments there was just her and the spell, revelling in the exultant fulfilment of her most primal purpose...

It faded, the power slowly stopped, her form seemed to shrink as she came down to the floor, her mane and tail shed their dissipating glory until they were but curtains of ordinary hair.

Luna was contented, to judge by her expression, and tone of voice “I am restored.” She sighed happily “Now to escape” if a little maliciously “and teach these apes a lesson in humility before a god.”

With a flourish and a grin Luna lowered her horn too face where she knew the observation wall to be, chuckling darkly before closing her eyes and concentrating...

A minute passed, a familiar look of annoyance took hold and the alicorn growled “Traitorous horn! Thou shall obey and serve me!”

Another minute, followed by vigorous horn shaking and an annoyed roar of “I. SAY. THEE. WORK !”

Annoyance gone, only rage now. “Thou Hast GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!”

The would-be god proceeded to reel off every swearword in every dialect from every language she knew, punctuating each one with a kick to her bed.

Five thousand words, two bleeding hooves and one very battered bed later, Luna's hind hooves gave out under her, flopping like a rag-doll's under her weight. Gasping in exhaustion Luna growled “Traitorous limbs *wheeze* thou truly join mine horn in rebellion? *Cough-Cough*So be it.” Unable to fight her body any longer, Luna sand into an uneasy unconsciousness, barely moving as a white suited medical team came through the hidden door.

The observation room was rife with relief as the engineers wiped their collective brows, some gasping for air and clutching their knees.

“Thirty seconds to change all the fuses on all twenty emitters. I am impressed” The CEO spoke from the entrance.

One of the engineers thumped his heart a few times and recovered long enough to say. “Impending annihilation is a wonderful motivator sir.”

The CEO nodded “A fair point. Perhaps we could make that into an inspirational poster of sorts.”

Up on observation deck, CMO McConnell couldn't stop laughing, apart from to say “I was right”, “I knew it” and words to that effect.

She finally calmed down enough to explain when the captain entered and raised his eyebrow, being silent at her.

She wiped away a tear and explained following her salute. “Sorry sir. I just couldn't help it, after all this time my most outlandish theory was proven correct.”

The silence was deafening.

The CMO smiled nervously and explained, pulling out a holo-screen “Alright sir, I'll explain. My theory was based on what I found out from Luna, essentially explaining how this bigger sister, and now Luna, have broken the theoretical upper limit to their powers.” she pulled up a profile image of Luna, with the 'magic' crystal structures superimposed over “this is an image of Luna as you may recognise, here used as a control subject to extrapolate from”

Another tap brought up a chart, with four bars on it, two low and two high. “This chart indicates on the left the upper limit to their powers that I and the CEO calculated, based on body size and an assumed similar crystalline density; the bars on the right here indicate a theoretical upper limit, if the two of them were made entirely out of compressed crystal. Even at the extreme impractical level, this is the far upper limit of what they could generate.”

More silence, but more thoughtful than deafening.

The CMO tapped the screen once more, spawning two more bars on the chart, both utterly dwarfing the older four, going literally off the screen. “This is the power level recorded just now. Impossible, they simply can't generate this much psychic energy, it's completely beyond them.” the medical officer smiled “So they don't..”

The captain's silence was broken just long enough for him to ask “then wh-?” and be interrupted.

By the CMO, as she swept back to make a sweepingly dramatic gesture, indicating the globe below “That does!” She turned back and spread her arms in revelation. “By the look of thing, every single creature capable of it donates their power to these princesses every dawn and dusk. The entire planet is a gigantic psychic generator!” She pointed to the picture of Luna “That's where they get their power from. They're not generating all that power, they're two big fucking focusing lenses, taking all that raw energy, distilling it, amplifying it and shaping it into something useful.”

Morgan had the look of a man far out of his scientific league “okay..” With a few glances about to the stunned crew he stiffened his resolve and asked “.. How do they do it?”

The CMO coughed at that, scuffing her boot “I have no idea yet sir. The way these crystals work should make what they're doing impossible, Luna and Celestia are breaking the rules.” A light lit behind her eyes “But come Titan or Tartarus I will find out how and why.”

Chapter 17-a: Here it comes again.

For a Celestial princess, waking came with the sensation of a tiny muzzle pushing gently against her side and a soft mare's voice murmuring into her ear

“Princess? Princess... You need to get up.” a hoof found purchase on her great white shoulder and gave it a hesitant shove.

Celestia shifted slightly, muttering something unintelligible with an irritated edge and trying to curl up into her warm little spot, trapping her body heat under the billowing snowy canopy of her wings.

The insistent pony alarm clock did not relent, her next shove being far less hesitant. In return for her efforts the dutiful mare got a wing to her face, slapping the smaller creature away with the strength of a god's granite muscle wrapped in softness like that of a giant feather pillow.

New voices spoke up, the stallion's tenor muffled by the muggy fog of pre-dawn sleepiness, then came the mare's high in disbelief and laden with disgust, but again fuzzy beyond the range of comprehensibility. Snorting with irritation at the violation of her private sanctum the alicorn burrowed her head down until only her ears remained visible, long legs tucked neatly under a wing.

Then came the gentle tip-tap of nervous hooves, the hot breath of the mare on the nape of her neck. Then the slimy sensation of a tongue, worming it's way deep into an exposed ear.

“Euuugh!” The Diarchical god bolted upright as the irritated shout ripped itself from her throat, her wings throwing themselves wide as her face contorted into a snarl of revulsion.

The servant threw herself prostrate with hooves and wings over her head, ears flat to stave off the force of Celestia's bellow, even as the white alicorn rubbed her saliva laden ear on a snow-white shoulder the terrified pegasus was letting a babbling stream of nervous apology flow from under her slate-grey feathers “SorryprincesssososorryIdidn'tmeantoputmytongueinsodeepsorry-”

“Oh no...” Celestia said regretfully when she realised how she was posed, how she must have appeared. The greater alicorn shrinking almost visibly in her shame as she crossed the room to lay at her trembling servant's side, with a gentle wing she pulled the shivering maid under her pinions and nuzzled her with mellow care, shushing and licking at the smaller horse maternally until the tears stopped and the shaking slowed to nothing “Nothing to apologise for Feather-duster, nothing at all.”

Feather-duster sniffed, her muzzle glowing red as she realised how the situation had developed“I'm sorry about it anyway P-princess, I only did it because the guards said that's how you usually get woken up.”

The divine equine was careful to hide her glow from the maid when the two snickering guards, that had no doubt escorted the pegasus, let out small chuckles, her eyes letting out a glare that would put a cockatrice to shame. “Oh really? I suppose then that they won't mind getting woken up in the same manner every day for the next week or two?” her tone was light and bubbly, in stark contrast to the expression on her lips, which was grave enough to show the two nervous guards that they would be getting rude awakenings for the next seven days at the very least.

The pegasi maid couldn't help but giggle as the bulky stallions in their plate armour gulped and stammered out apologies for misleading her. Both guards made a show of bowing to both mares before making their way from the room.

As soon as the doors closed Celestia turned to her servant and raised an eyebrow “now then my dear, why am I awakened so early? It is an hour before the dawn s due, and there is no ceremony planned today, so I need not get ready just yet.”

Feather duster shuffled a little uncomfortably under the wing, but didn't make to move away “Head maid Starch-white sent me up to wake you, apparently the aliens have sent a message through the device in the throne room floor. Words keep appearing in the air above it.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow and stood slowly, flapping her wing and stretching it out before tucking it back to her barrel “what was the message?”

The maid had stopped shaking now, but bit her lip before responding “I don't know Princess, Captain Armour closed off the throne room as soon as it started playing, he called it a security risk.

With a single nod of her graceful head the alicorn trotted toward her window “Good, I would hope the message is still playing then.” she turned with one hoof on the railing “ooh and Feather Duster, I would be grateful if you would tidy up my room for me. Ordinarily only I clean my private sanctum, but I fear this will be a tiring day of preparation.”

The pegasi looked about the room and nodded, but couldn't help but stammer out a protest “B-but I usually only clean the kitchens, Sudsy will get annoyed if she has to do it by herself.” she twiddled her wings nervously.

Celestia laughed “Then I shall have to send a message down that you are excused from your duties by royal request, I'm sure that they can find someone to replace you for now, perhaps Clean-Slate from the floor below? Think of this as a day off my dear, a gift for twice now bringing me important news; simply finish my room and then spend the day in the clouds”

Duster perked up a little, but didn't look entirely convinced, half-heartedly moving to began cleaning.

The Diarch smiled faintly and raised her wings ready for take-off, with a *SNAP* of displayed air she powered into the skies with a passing remark “I'd hurry dear, the weather team have just put up a lovely sheet of Cirrostratus, those ice crystals won't be there forever...” even as her powerful wing-beats carried the deity up and up and away from the balcony, she could hear the sounds of rapidly increased activity, the little winged pony below spurred into action by the thought of all that frigidly refreshing cloud.

Celestia flew with urgency and incredible swiftness toward her throne-room, the down-strokes of her wings blurred with speed, the upstrokes efficiently tight and militarily precise. With an arcing swoop she flew in through the main gate and headed through the corridors at breakneck pace.

There was a small crowd of ponies outside the throne-room, each a member of the early waking day-staff or last of the night-cleaners. Between the irate staff and the doors of the throne stood a tight band of day and night guard-stallions.

All the the crowd turned however as Celestia's voice boomed across the square “MAKE WAY” her voice was soft as always, but backed by diamond hardness that carried with it the steel strength of her unquestionable authority.

Every pony in the square ducked instinctively when the ruler of their kind swept low over them, the wash of air from her outspread wings more than enough to blow off any unsecured hats before they snapped down and pushed the alicorn up into the sky once more, where she twirled to face the other way with all the grace of a dancer, landing between a pair of guards with surprising silence from her unshod hooves.

“What seems to be the problem my little ponies?” she spoke softly once again, her smile gentle and genuine, one eyebrow half-raised while she gazed at the crowd.

Several of the foremost ponies in the proto-mob shuffled their hooves and looked away, before a larger stallion forced his way to the front, his cleaner uniform crisp and unstained “Princess, these guards won't let us go in to clean. I and the masons was just getting started on repairing the floor. It's a mess in there.” Several other ponies grumbled their assent, a few even daring to shout out their own complaints.

“There's stone-dust everywhere!”

“I was in the middle of mopping up a spill!

“I left my favourite broom in there!”

“My lunch is in there!”

Celestia cut off the rest of the complaints with a stomp of her hoof, the gun-shot loud report audible even over the noise of the clamouring crowd. With a serene blink and a careful smile she spoke “Shining Armour has my full support in his decisions, I will be swift in dealing with the situation, until then I simply ask you to be patient. If you wish to go home, you will be reimbursed for any time you have been forced to wait. Any hours you choose to stay and work are to be considered overtime, with an appropriate rise in pay.”

There was a paused as the mob-mind digested this, then came a general nodding and collective shrug before the assembled herd moved to disperse, though some ponies sat outside, pulling out books to read or cards to play.

Celestia nodded to herself, turning and walking to the doors with a small smile to the nearest guard “If you would allow me inside Sergeant Steadfast?”

The Guard-stallion returned the smile with a salute before turning to the door and giving a series of knocks in a distinctive pattern. There was a long pause and the sound of armoured hooves on the stone floor before the great oak doors creaked open.

Shining Armour poked his head through the door and took in the scene, then turning with horn aglow as the door swung open. Celestia gave the ponies outside a final glance before heading in.

The captain fell into step beside the princess as they walked through the antechamber “I'm glad you're here princess, it's been crazy since the message came through.” His eye strayed up and down the princess “sorry to ask Princess, but where's your regalia?” his ear twitched at the clop-clop of her unshod hooves when they passed between rugs “Where are your shoes?”

The solar Princess looked down as if just noticing now and chuckled “Oh hay, I forgot to put everything on before rushing over. One moment.” The alicorn halted just before the doors and flared her horn, encompassing her entire form in the glowing aura, in a moment's passing her crown and regalia appeared along with her shoes, materialising out of nothingness with the sound of bells.

Shining Armour watched with a wide eye as the spell seemed to clean her coat to perfection, a glossy healthy shine to her fur and an unseen brush running through her mane and tail before seeming to move to her face, applying the faintest dusting of make-up to accentuate her features.

Celestia let the glow die and caught the stallion's eye with a light laugh “Ordinarily I love to let my maids and servants take care of me, they do enjoy their work, but if I must then grooming myself is no trouble.”

Shining nodded, his eyes lingering on his Diarch for a half-moment more before looking to the throne-room's inner doors, putting his hoof on them and pushing “In any case princess, the message was simple enough. It's been on repeat since two this morning, asking for everyone who's going up into the alien vessel to gather in the throne-room.”

The doors swung open to show the Throne room in a state of frozen chaos, the detritus of the cleaning staff still visible, from the scaffolding of a crane with the alien device wrapped up in it's ropes to an abandoned broom and a battered green lunch-box. On the other side from the main doors stood the griffin, freshly woken with feathers ruffled, the zebra, his fur brushed and alert eyes glimmering in the pre-dawn murk. Just to the side was the dragon ambassador, looming large on hs hind legs, the sand of sleep still visible in his half-lidded eyes.

Celestia got a few tired mumbles and muffled greetings from the ambassadors, each clearly still half asleep, then she saw the message. Glowing green letters spelled out a simple request in the air above the alien device, asking 'Assemble those who would go on our ship' over and over again, in every language Celestia knew to be spoken around the world, and a few more besides.

The alicorn watched the letters and symbols dance for a few seconds before walking towards it and speaking clearly “We have fulfilled your request. What would you have of us?”

There was a tiny buzzing noise from the device, then a brief click as the white disk that capped it stopped glowing, the green letters suddenly disappearing. Another moment passed before the device began to hum again, but instead of letters or symbols there now stood the alien Captain Morgan, prim and alert with hands tucked behind him, the well fitted uniform crisp as if freshly pressed and cleaned.

The alien looked from face to face with a smile, from the intrigued griffin to the zebra, who wore a mask of careful polite curiosity over an inner surface of boiling rage. “Greetings Princess, a pleasure to talk again. I take it that these are the ones you would take aboard my vessel?” The smile lasted for as long as it took to get to the dragon ambassador, who looked back from near the ceiling with his old eyes filled with unreadable reptilian neutrality. The alien's smile faded, replaced with something halfway between concern, and intense curiosity “I would also take it for granted that you're the 'dragon ambassador' mentioned earlier?”

The dragon turned fully, dropping to all fours and making slow languid stride towards the device “That much I am creature. Does my appearance surprise you?” the look on the gigantic lizard muzzle was approaching a sharp-toothed smile.

“No” Morgan's smile was easy, despite the proximity of the giant dragon “You look pretty much exactly as I'd expect a dragon to look.” the conversation seemed about to close when the old man remembered something and tilted his head to query “out of curiosity, can you breath fire, or eat rocks?”

The dragon laughed at the question, breathed in deeply and reared up, roaring a pillar of light gold flame towards the ceiling as if in answer. When a few drops of molten glass from a half-built skylight dripped down Shinescale caught them on his tongue and dropped down again, winking at the startled human before swallowing the still red-hot liquid as another creature might eat a few grains of rice. “Does that answer your question creature?”

Morgan recovered with a cough, a strange smile on his face “Yes, rather dramatically” Morgan let out a sudden chuckle at some unseen joke and then turned his professional face back on.

The griffin broke the silence next, his scratchy tones rife with annoyance “So mon ami, is zere any reason you 'ave called us all to meet you, or is zis just a pointless chit-chat?”

Morgan turned to regard the half-bird half-mammal with his polite smile firmly in place “Of course there's a reason Mr... Griffin?”

“Ambassador Guisarme S'il vous plait.” The griffin corrected, yawning into a clenched claw.

“I need to get your measurements, I'm having Celestia's suit made as we speak, I'll need to have the CEO begin manufacture immediately on yours. Just stand still and the cameras will measure you automatically.”

A look of confusion passed between the group save for the Zebra, who was glaring at the Captain with ice-cold hatred. Ignoring the baleful gaze of the striped horse Morgan felt prompted to explain “On any USC starship, safety always comes first. As such it is of utmost importance that everyone on board have access to at least one spacesuit. By observation my crew and I have determined that your society is not technologically advanced enough to make one for yourselves, in that instance I am obligated by section 89, article 16 of the 'USC regulations and protocols hand-book' to provide one.”

The dragon stood again on his hind legs and crossed his craggy fore-arms, his rumbling landslide voice laden with a tone not unlike curiosity “If you will forgive some ignorance from an ancient dragon, why would a suit of any kind make your vessel more safe?”

“Nothing to forgive Ambassador...”

“Shinescale”

“Shinescale, there is nothing to forgive.” Morgan smiled “Space is a dangerous place. There is no place more deadly to natural life, as my species has found through millions of accidental deaths. To protect ourselves from exposure too the vacuum we invented the space-suit, designed to keep us alive in the void.”

Shining Armour felt compelled to say “M-millions of deaths?” his tone was half apologetic, half disbelieving “How can your species keep going after such a loss?”

Morgan's tone dropped a few giggles into the realms of solemnity as he looked to the unicorn “With blood, sweat and tears. Human civilisation goes back ten thousand years, our species goes forty thousand further, millions die for the sake of billions. Death has never stopped us before.” As if noticing his hard expression, and the stunned and (in the case of Celestia) slightly tearful expressions on most of the group -save for the zebra, who maintained his death glare- The alien turned away for a moment to compose himself.

The griffin finally broke through the awkward silence that had suddenly descended “SO... Are zere any more rules we must follow on your vessel?”

Morgan spun back then, his hands back behind him and smile raised by 6 kilogiggles. “yes, we have plenty of rules. But there are three very important ones” his hand raised and he counted them off on his fingers “one, if one of my crew yells at you to do something. Do it, my ship is a very delicately balanced machine, things break and people die if they do not follow the right procedures. I do not want any of you getting hurt because of any hesitation.”

He waited for nods before he continued “two, while you are on board my ship I expect a modicum of good behaviour, I don't mind if you feel the need to insult or disrespect something, frankly I'm an old man who has seen enough to let that sort of thing slide. But assault or endanger the lives of anyone on my crew, and I will see you blown out of the nearest airlock.”

Without pausing Morgan moved on “Three, and this is the most important. Do Not Press anything” his giggle level had fallen into the bedrock “My ship is very complex machine, with dozens of components. If you for some reason feel the urge to press any one of the many millions of shiny buttons, don't. Not even if it's a big red one, Especially if it's a big red one.”

Celestia smiled back at the glowering captain and spoke for everyone “I should think those terms are acceptable. Rest assured that I and My captain will be following them.” she looked questioningly at the assembled ambassadors.

Shinescale chuckled “I shall attempt to restrain my curiosity and temper.”

Gusiarme inspected his talons in feigned boredom “Oui Oui, I promise not to touch shiny buttons”.

Hekima did not speak, instead crossing his hooves and hardening his glare.

Morgan held the zebra's eye for few few moments, then nodded “So be it, until you agree to my rules Mr Zebra, I will be withholding permission for you to board my ship. As for the rest of you, I'll deliver your suits via air-drop one hour before pick-up.” With a single salute the alien vanished, flickering out of existence.

There passed a full minute of silence, before Ambassador Hekima deigned to speak

“I do not trust him” The zebra growled, glaring daggers at the alien device as it hung from it's ropes.

Guisarme jumped in to respond, his hackles raised and tone aggressively sarcastic “Oh really!? I barely noticed, perhaps it was the way you were so completely rude, or the way you ignored all ze 'ospitality he was offering you?”

Shinescale scratched his chin, lying down on his side with a thudding boom and rumbling “You were abysmally bad mannered Hekima. I would expect such prejudice from Guisarme, but I would hardly call you the type to be so horrid.”

Hekima snorted and spoke hotly “I still do not trust him, and neither should any of you. I know his species well.”

Celestia raised her eyebrow and asked “How so? Captain Morgan and his crew are intra-dimensional aliens, they only arrived in this universe a few days hence.”

Hekima laughed at that “Hah. He has fooled your eyes and ears with his serpents tongue and magical tricks. That thing was no alien. His skin may be paler than I might expect, with less hair than any I have seen, but I can recognise a laughing ape, no matter his disguise.”

Most looked confused a t the name Hekima spoke so hatefully, but Shinescale began to laugh, a deep crackling bellow of a belly-laugh that made dust fall from the ceiling and smoke billow from the drake's lungs “Laughing ape? You think that was a laughing ape? You have spent far too long in the company of old mares and witch-doctors if you believe those old ghost stories.”

Celestia coughed and flapped her wings too clear the low hanging smoke before addressing the dragon “What in mother's name is a 'laughing ape' Shine-scale, and why-ever would something of that name cause Hekima to react so negatively?”

Shinescale scraped a few boiling tears from the corner of his eye and chuckled his last before answering “The laughing apes are an old mare's tale told in some places on the Zebrican plains, usually in the more southerly regions near the jungle. They're phantasmal bogeymen that prey on those who stray too far into the darkness at night. It's a superstitious piece of nonsense used to scare small foals into staying close to the herd.”

Hekima stamped his hooves “They are real creatures Softscale! Hairless apes that lurk in the dark forests, waiting for any who get lost in the shadows. They eat Zebra and Wildebeest , Antelope and Buffalo, even lions fear to tread where the laughing apes hunt. They chase you down, cut your legs so you cannot run, then your tongue so you cannot talk, then your throat. They laugh as you bleed out onto the forest floor.

Shining Armour held up a hoof “Uh, not to poke holes in your ghost story ambassador Hekima, but which one of these 'laughing ape' stories tell you that they appear in the sky with silver ships and hyper-advanced technology. I think that smashing their way into the the princess's throne-room in broad daylight is quite a big leap for something that 'lurks in the dark forests' of lower Zebrica” there was a round of agreement and a couple of chuckles as the zebra grew more irate.

“You are all fools, the laughing apes invite you into their lair and you willingly go, like lambs to the wolf's den.” He turned to Celestia “I would expect better from you, sun-god. They already have your sister, who no doubt screams as we speak for their amusement. I will enjoy hearing myself proved right, when you fail to return from their trap.” With a stamp of his hoof and flick of his tail, the Zebra thundered from the room, leaving the ambassadors in stunned and slightly amused silence.

Aboard the New Dawn

Morgan leaned on the desk, gazing over the crewman's shoulders at the view-screen “Did you get all that?”

The crewman nodded, tapping at the screen as the remaining group began to filter from the room, all save for Celestia, who mounted the throned to raise the dawn. “Yes sir. Saved to logs, and a hard-copy being printed for archiving.”

The captain stood up then, turning away and cupping his chin “So.. Laughing Apes huh? A hominid analogy, if I guess right.”

The crewman stretched back and whirled on his chair “Maybe this universe's 'Homo Sapiens' equivalent sir. With all these other species floating about, maybe they never got the chance to migrate out of Africa and reach the fertile crescent. Human Civilisation might never have taken off.”

Morgan nodded “So they've become some sort of myth. One with a bad reputation it seems, perhaps if we're staying here a while, we might take a chance to set that right. Pay a visit to our extra-dimensional cousins.”

Chapter 18: A meeting in Canterlot

The day passed like a raging river under a haze of frantic activity, held fast by the steady rock that was Celestia. Orders were passed via form and bellow, the stamp of hooves filling the pathways with thunder as the staff of Canterlot prepared to do without their ruler; a council of nobles was formed to handle the day-to-day paperwork and minutiae that would pile up, even in the short absence of leadership, there were forms to stamp with the royal seal, crowds to reassure and guards to assign.

The white alicorn moved through this torrent of busy-work and tedium like a fish through still water, her calm smile never faltered nor hesitated, nor did her voice tremble or stray from it's soft motherly tones as she slowly drew order out from the anarchy.

In the New dawn the situation was that of quiet order, all the crew were hard at work preparing for Celestia's arrival, panels were being stripped and walls replaced as the engineering team moved to plant anti-psychic emitters in every spot they could, to keep control of their soon to be guests.

Captain Morgan stalked the corridors with the iron authority of command ringing in his voice and a heavy step to his stride, his face was calm but grim, the old eyes in his wrinkled face inspecting every part of his ship as he passed it. For a few minutes the aged officer paused inside the observation room of Luna's cell, smiling slightly as the princess had fun in a virtual playground. The team of five that played with her were apparently growing quite fond of the captive 'god', even so far as to request a real-world meeting with the 'Berserker Angel ' -as she had been nicknamed- Watching the screens and hearing the game Morgan could quite see where the name came from.

Her twin axes ( now augmented by a super-diamond edge and heating coils) cut glittering arcs through the dark air of the 'nightfall' arena, the princess showing a near complete lack of self-preservation instinct as she leapt into the centre of a bloody melee, then hurling herself through hails of gunfire to throw grenades into bunker windows before posing atop the corpses of her opponents, bellowing a victory cry in a fashion that was quickly growing to become legend among the ship's circle of arena combat enthusiasts.

“FLEE CRETINS! THOU ART BUT WHELPS, MEWLING LAMBS AWAITING SLAUGHTER.”

Morgan smirked at the watching crew, who were all failing to hide their packets of popcorn and synth-nectar bottles “It seems our guest has some anger issues to work out. Is there anything less violent she can play? I'd hate for her sister to think us a corrupting influence.”

The medical officer in charge shook her head “EVA let her try her hand at strategy and some of the other sims, but she always got bored and went back to the blood-pit. I think she's planning to take part in the tourney.”

The captain nodded, his eye straying to the screen just in time to watch Luna scream out as a burst of auto-cannon fire tore one of her wings to shreds“I hope she learns to duck first” he couldn't help comment, the princess finally falling to a few well placed sniper rounds.

Chuckling morbidly at the frustration on the captive alicorn's face Morgan moved on...

The marine on the mountain gazed down his scope at the pony in the distance, the barrel of his gun following the movement of her pencil across a pad of paper as she sketched out what seemed to be a suit of marine armour.

After half an hour or so of careful drawing the horse was apparently happy with her art and placed it down to the side, where a stack of several dozen sheets fluttered in the breeze under an anchoring stone.

“Is the horn-head still spying on us?” The officer walked up and placed a hand on the privates shoulder.

“Yep, just got finished sketching a suit of marine armour.” Rolling slightly the marine looked back up at the older man “Any word from the CSO yet? I'm ready to take the shot.”

The officer raised his own rifle and gazed down at the distant unicorn “CSO says to leave the local alone, if she wants to draw us so badly, then let 'er draw”

The sniper nodded, then swiveled on the spot to point down range “What about the other one?”

Down the range there stood another unicorn, this one lime-green with a streak of white through her mane. She was trying to garner the attention of a nearby marine, all the while pointing desperately at his gauntlet, apparently excited about some aspect of the limb by the way she babbled near incoherently at another pony (this one without horn or wing, a beige colour with a two-tone purple-pink mane).

“Leave her, so long as she doesn't cross the fence, disrupt the bots or annoy the engineers then she's fine” the officer grunted, settling back in his perch.

“Okay then, what about all the rest of them?” the private queried, zoning in on some distant point.

“Rest of them..?” the officer turned on his knee, scope springing up to his eye.

Looking to the far edge of the clearing, there a small crowd of ponies had gathered to watch the humans at work, including a crowd of foals and their magenta chaperon. A larger stallion clad in red fur and orange mane stood at the front of the crowd, waving a hoof and shouting...

“Y'all had better head on back!” Big Mac glared at the host of towns-ponies that had followed him out to gather the crusaders -who had since joined what seemed like half the town's foals in an excited gaggle. “Ain't safe to stay here!”

Cheerilee, who was trying her level best to stop the horde of excited young ones from rushing the fence, grimaced at the big male's bellow “Sorry Mac, I had to keep an eye on all these little rebels, they were very insistent on coming to check on their friends.”

Colgate stood forward and scratched the back of her head “Yeah.. we were all curious.” she brightened up despite Big Mac's level gaze, his manner back to a more reserved nonchalance “Besides Mr. Macintosh, didn't you read the paper today?”

“Eenope”

The blue pony lost some steam but recovered quickly “Well if you had you'd know that the princess is going to negotiations tomorrow! These aliens can't be that dangerous if the princess is giving them a chance, right?” she looked to the crowd behind her for support, who all nodded and made general noises of consent.

The farmpony looked about to soften, when a voice rose up behind him, speaking with a somber grimness and a backing of anger “You are all fools, to stray so near, I know what they are, and you are right to fear. I shall warn you now, even with the great Big Mac, I am afraid for our lives if they decide to attack.” Zecora stepped down from the back of the cart, her mane disheveled and only half spiked up.

Big Mac looked at the Zebra shaman queerly, but said nothing

The shaman stamped the ground, glaring at the distant aliens with venom in her eyes “These aliens are not so far from their home as they seem, I have seen them before in the darkest of dream.” She turned with the flare of a dramatic story gathering in her voice “In my homeland of Zebrica, they are known by many a name, but everywhere they are feared, putting even lions to shame.” She fumbled at where her powder-pouch usually sat, but swore in foreign when her hoof found nothing, recovering her poise she elaborated “Laughing apes and Forest shades, Jolly demons and their hidden glades. They are told of to foals as the moon starts to rise, but to think them mere stories is to invite your demise.”

Cheerilee spoke from the back of the herd of foal's, who had all sat down to listen “So you're saying that these aliens are some sort of 'demon' from Zebrica?”

Zecora nodded, looking to where Lyra still stood with Bon-Bon holding onto her tail to stop the unicorn from climbing the fence “They are monsters and evil of most disgusting sort, with Discord himself did their ancestors cavort. If they catch you alone your life they will end, laughing and chuckling as your innards they rend. “

The foals and some of the adults looked certainly frightened, but Apple-bloom raised her hoof “Uhh, Miss Zecora, that's a scary story and all but they didn't hurt us. Not even when they had you all tied up, or after you kicked that one between his legs."

A few stallions and colts cringed, then all the assembled ponies looked to the Zebra.

Zecora's anger faltered for but a moment “Of why I am unharmed I am not sure, but whatever their intentions they are not pure” She began to walk away, throwing back “I do not care if you take my advice, but know that in dealing with those creatures, with death you do dice.”

Up on the mountain the private watched as the crowd began to mill around, some heading away with the striped pony, some moving closer in while others simply made ready to settle where they stood.

“Hey Corp” he called back over his shoulder, eyes still on his scope.

“Yes Private?”

“Have you ever noticed that the striped one is nearly the only horse without a tattoo on her ass?”

“...”

“Corp?”

“Will you Stop staring at their backsides!”

“I wasn't even... yes Corp.”

“...” The officer gazed through his own lens “Besides Private, the striped one does have a tattoo, it's just hard to spot.”

The day passed swiftly on.

At the cusp of dusk the surge of power once again headed for the New Dawn, aimed for it's captive princess. This time however, the anti-'magic' shields were turned off, a split second before the energy impacted, thereby allowing it unfettered access to the alicorn. As soon as the energy surge left however, the shields and restraining emitters were re-activated, once gain taking Luna's power away from her.

Luna reportedly kicked several dents in her wall immediately following this.

On the ground, the 'Ponyville Expeditionary Force' settled in for a night in the ever-free, with a few pegasi darting between the base outside the alien landing zone and the town, picking up supplies, clothing and tents for everyone.

Just metres away from the developing camp, the work on the planet-side base was going well, with the first two bulk-lifter hangars dug out of the mountainside, a central shaft sunk deep into the ground, and the first of four above-ground manufacturing facilities laid out.

Private O' Malley and Corporal Britten were still on the mountainside, with a small betting pool developing among their friends as to how long the CSO was going to leave them there.

In Canterlot, the final preparations were made, with the alien artifacts safely hidden in plain sight at the Canterlot museum's 'Ancient Aliens and Zebrican legends' exhibition.

Then came the dawn over Canterlot Castle, and with it came a sound of thunder.

Five lights fell down on the castle, streaking down with the speed of lightning, leaving a ribbon of silver smoke in the early morning air.

With a clap of metal on stone they crashed down in the throne room of Princess Celestia, entering in a diamond pattern around the hole their predecessor had made, only two days before.

There was silence in the room as the dust and smoke cleared away, once more revealing white-hot cylinders of alien design.

Celestia shook the grey stone-dust from her mane and sighed “At least they are punctual, if nothing else.” she looked to Shining Armour “Captain, approach them, if you would.”

The unicorn guard nodded, throwing up a salute.

He approached the foremost device nervously, as one might approach a sleeping bear that has thus far proven amiable. As the metal cooled to cherry red a white scrawl of graffiti on the casing came into view, stating in bold stencil font 'SUIT FOR CAPTAIN SHINING ARMOUR, CANTERLOT CASTLE, EQUESTRIA. ' Captain Armour read the address out with uncertainty, stepping closer just as a red glass bulb popped out of an unseen hatch, a red line of light springing from the globe and scanning over the surprised unicorn's face
.

Even as the stallion reared back in shock at the light there came a sharp robotic voice. “ID CONFIRMED. SHINING ARMOUR.”

The court room reared back as the casing of the cylinder began to split open like a flower, four petals slowly coming apart with a hiss of hydraulics and equalizing pressure, the interior was lit from below and above, the base of the projectile supported in the air by a thin strip of metal, letting the whole room see...

The suit; shaped like a unicorn in white, blue and chrome, a suit of hard plates and soft joints, with mirrored visor and steel hooves, tubing running from stream-lined saddle-bags (each made of plastic, with shiny readout screens and wide, hoof-friendly buttons) to the neck and each of it's limbs, along the back of the neck and at the base of the spine were bulges, space for tails and manes it seemed. The suit was posed in a bipedal fashion, standing unsupported in mid-air between the base and top.

With a sound like a gentle sigh the suit moved of it's own accord, shifting down to match the stance of a regular pony, the chest clearly emblazoned with Shining Armour's rank and title.

Celestia watched the scene from her throne, smiling at her spell-bound captain of the guard. With a gentle voice she urged him “What a wonderful gift my captain, perhaps you should try it on?”

Shining saluted crisply and shook himself from his stupor, taking another step towards the alien device and his suit. As he approached the base of the tall cylinder the four petals sank down to form a ramp that he could climb, when his hoof stepped upon the ramp a screen sprang into existence and floated to his side, the colourful pane of light showing through simple images how to put on the suit.

While the stallion was occupied with his suit, the Diarch stepped off her throne and smiled to the stunned audience in her throne-room “Do not be alarmed my ponies, I assure you that this is for the best.”

The centre most cylinder was addressed to her, and split open as soon as the grating voice confirmed that the god before it was indeed the princess it was looking for.

Celestia's suit was different. It had space for both wing and horn, where Shining Armour was white, chrome and enamel blue hers was purest white with gold highlights, the visor mirrored gold to match.

Guisarme arrived in a storm of feathers and clacking beak, his talons scratching the stone as the bird of prey ground to a halt. He watched the alicorn mount her cylinder and begin to dress, with an edge of panic Guisarme screeched screeched “What is zis your majesty?! I came expecting attack, I thought zat ze 'umans might 'ave reneged on our agreement.”

Celestia chuckled at him, her magic raising the last piece of her suit (the helmet) up to her head “Not so Ambassador. They were simply delivering our clothing as promised.” the hard shell slid easily onto her horn and over her eyes, automatic clasps snapping to lock it in place. When she spoke again it came out metallic, as if filtered and echoed through a steel tube “I think that one there is for you” she motioned to the rightmost cylinder with a swish of her horn.
.

Guisarme's suit was red and brass, with black trimming and only a small bulge for his tail. The shell of his helmet swooped to match the curve of his bill, even so far as to include a hook at the end, Guisarme's visor was split in two unlike that of Shining Armour or Celestia, the lensed glass of his bubbled lenses tinted red to match his identification badge and saddlebags.

The griffin dressed quickly then tried to stretch his wings, but found that instead the suit had only lumps to house them, making it impossible to move them much inside the suit. “I would wish zat they included zer wings. I do hate it when clothing restricts movement" he grumbled, inspecting the steel talons that housed his own.

Celestia nodded silently, glancing to where her own pinions sat beneath the suit.

“When they mentioned suits, I thought they would make something that looks a little less like battle armour.” Shinescale rumbled like an earthquake when he strode into the throne-room, his eyes half watching the alicorn, half gazing towards a cylinder that was clearly marked for him.

Shining Armour spoke up from where he stood, turning around to examine his own suit “Yeah, they do kinda look like armour, but this isn't metal.” With a few sharp raps the guard struck his own chest-plate “feels pretty tough though”

Shinescale's cylinder contained a segmented plate suit of massive proportions, divided into pieces. Unlike the other's suits, who had hard plastic suits with fabric over the top and electronics along the inside, the dragon's suit was made mostly out of hard white ceramics, with electronics built into shielded purple compartments. Also notable was the connection of a thick hose from the front of the helmet to a large device that was mounted on the chest.

The draconic ambassador put on the suit with great care, grumbling slightly at the weird device that no one else possessed, but it went on swiftly, and fitted very well, the inside expanding slightly to hug the drake's form more snugly. When the helmet was fitted carefully on Shinescale grunted “I will have to ask the purpose of this strange device” he poked at the hose with a claw, the shiny tube being made of shimmering fabric.

The crowd that still occupied the throne room made their way forward to examine the newly suited four, some were a little nervous at the cool touch of the enclosing material, the rest were fascinated.

Then came the sound of rampant hooves and panicked breaths. All the crowd turned to watch as the zebra ambassador came charging past the doors, flanked and preceded by his guards in their armour, all the striped ponies carried spears at the ready as they ground to a halt, speechless at the scene before them.

Celestia hopped down off her cylinder, the metal boots of her suit making a hard CRACK on the stone floor “Good morning Ambassador Hekima, nice of you to join us. Your suit has arrived."

Hekima dropped his spear to a resting position, but didn't order his guards to do the same “Foals” he snorted, his voice loud and abrasive in the hushed silence “You are all foals, stumbling towards the lion's den with hooves held wide and throats bared. You agree to come aboard their vessel, you would wear the cursed armour they send? How can you trust them?!”

Shining Armour stepped forward, his face hidden but voice rife with annoyance “Watch your tone ambassador, We are perfectly safe. If they mean to attack us as you claim, why would they send us armoured suits?”

Hekima snapped back “Because they care not for armour you foal. Perhaps they lie about the dangers of 'space' if that is where they truly take you, perhaps you walk right into their trap by relying on their tainted air for sustenance. I tell you now, that armour they send is cursed. The only gifts the laughing apes send are lies and death.”

Guisarme could not hold his tongue any longer “oh be quiet you ignorant lache, I will hear no more of your nonsense.”

Hekima crinkled his nose “What did you call me?”

“Un lache. A coward.” Guisarme stated, inspecting the back of his gauntlet with an idle air.

“You tread dangerous ground raptor, I am no coward” Hekima growled angrily, spear leaning back towards ready.

The griffin snorted dismissively “Of course you are 'ekima, you are a cowardly cub hiding behind your idiotic superstition and ignorance. Cowering away from a simple meeting because of zer bogeyman.”

The zebra raged, his body tense “I am afraid of nothing!”

Celestia finally spoke, cutting the argument off “Prove it ambassador. Though he may be blunt in his delivery, Ambassador Guisarme is right, your continued hatred of Captain Morgan does strike of cowardice. I would propose you wear your suit, and try to at least act civil. If you are proven correct about these 'laughing apes', then I will be sure to smash them from my sky. If you are wrong, I will expect an apology to the good captain.”

The room agreed, though the Zebrican bodyguards seemed alarmed at the mention of laughing apes, after a moment the Zebra ambassador looked from left to right with thinned eyes, snorted and stamped “Fine.” His anger faded into apprehension though, as his steps took him closer to the towering alien cylinder. Hekima visibly cringed as the red light ran over him, his ears flattening when the voice rang out his name.

The cylinder slowly opened to reveal a pure white suit, shaped with smooth lines and clear cut angles to match Hekima's muzzle. There was even room for his mohican and tail to expand to their full size, though both were the same blank white. The zebra examined the suit critically as he made his way up the steps and took the suit out of it's suspension, one hoof slipping the gold rings off his neck and the horse-shoes from his hooves.

It began as the first piece went on. Where the others had their colours fixed in place, the nervous ambassador's chest-piece flared with light as it went into place,and then faded to show a pattern of stripes, identical to those that covered the startled pony below the material. Each piece did the same, until the entire suit was covered in a pattern identical to the ambassador's fur, tail and mane. The split visors changed colour too, matching their hue to that of the ambassador's irises. The identification badge was a bright gold to contrast, as were the 'saddlebags' on his sides.

Shinescale looked up from his efforts, still trying to get his tail-piece on the right way “If I didn't know better Ambassador Hekima, I would say that Captain Morgan is making an extra effort to impress you. There came a grunt of victory when the tail-piece latched into place with a hiss of meeting seals.

Hekima's face was hidden beneath the mask, but his scathing tone told of his emotion “whatever trick they wish to pull, they will not fool me. A magic suit is not enough to hide their true nature, I will laugh as they do when I am proven right." With a stamp of his leg the zebra swept up his ornaments and shoes, making a rapid retreat down the ramp to where his guards stood, a mixture of awe and disgust playing across each face as they inspected the 'laughing ape' suit, there were harsh words in Zebrican passed before they all left.

There was a pause before Celestia spoke “I hope he doesn't do anything silly.” she smiled brightly while making her gentle way back to her throne. With a whirl and snap of metal she sat down, horn flaring to take her helmet off and place it to her side, the tiara of office floating back into place “Day court is opened again my ponies, at least until we hear once more from Captain Morgan.”

Shining Armour might have been smiling beneath his mask when he came to stand at the base of the throne, trying with some success to fit his sword-belt on over his new suit.

“Final prep”

“Chocks away, Check engines.”

“Engines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 online and stable. VTOL ready, flaps good.”

“Check pumps, check radiator.”

“Pumps online, radiator holding, below peak.”

“Check nav-com, check orbit-burners.”

“Nav-com online, flight path loaded. Orbit-burners ready.”

The loader had arrived during the night, got loaded and ready. They wanted to make a show, they could go on VTOLs until they reached altitude and switched onto main engines, but that wouldn't be very nice to watch, so it was time for a conventional take-off.

The runway faced the gaggle of watching ponies, or rather the runway had been facing to the east, pointed far away from the pony camp, but the ponies had moved to the end of it for a better view. A few were beginning to get nervous as the whine of eight engines grew to ear-hurting intensity.

Then came the roar, like the wrath of a god came the cacophonous clamor , flame and smoke billowing from behind the lifter until it cleared away into heat distortion. Ponies began to move away as the gigantic machine began to get larger, they reared and bolted as it got faster. As it came like a shadow of flame, thunder and monstrous size over their heads a few screamed, diving to cover up foals with their bodies until the shadow passed and the rumble of head-splitting noise faded to a dull throb of fading thunder.

While it flew across the forest, lifting up past the clouds, a blur of cyan came alongside with rainbow trailing behind.

Inside the cockpit of the lifter, one pilot turned to another, and pointed to the pegasus flying at their side as if her life depended on it, her wings a blur. “What's our speed?” he asked, watching as she drew level and hung there.

The other pilot glanced to a dial and then to the flying horse “500 kph and accelerating. How in the name of Tartarus..?”

The co-pilot shrugged “dunno. That's what I love about this world, you can just say 'magic' and act like it explains everything. Annoys the Titan out of the engineers” he glanced out at the pegasus, who was fighting to stay level as the lifter swung into a turn, heading on a long lazy curve up towards Canterlot. “We got a minute before we get out of the forest, take us up to just below mach 1. See if little blue can keep up.”

Rainbow Dash pushed herself hard against the burning cold of altitude, her wings little more than wavers in the air as she kept up with the behemoth flier. Her voice was lost to the wind as she let out a “Heh... Not so fast.” Then the flame spewing engines flared again, and the beast pulled away once more. Suppressing the urge to shake with exertion Rainbow pushed herself to the cusp, a cone of air beginning to build around her.

“She's keeping up”

“speedy thing ain't she. As soon as we lose the forest punch past to mach one.”

The cone tightened, she was going to lose it...

There went the forest, and here came the
BOOM

This is what she lived for, the speed, the rush and howl of wind in her ear. The world was a blur of riotous colour but for her and the black beast floating at her side, the gigantic thing flying with no effort it seemed.

The trip to Canterlot took only moments at this velocity, and then the beast was gone, arcing it's flight up and over the white city, it's back hatch opening to let a dozen dots and one blob falling out.

That was Rainbow Dash to the core, a beast from beyond the stars came to visit the skies, and her first instinct was to race it.

Celestia watched her city cringe at the giant's passing, including the crowd assembled to watch their world's first 'equinauts' fly.

They stood in the gardens in a murmuring mass, watching as the Ponyville speedster twirled her rainbow around the falling aliens then streaked away, flying back towards the forest. High up in the sky above the great beast was slowly doing a back-flip in the clouds, arcing back down with the graceful ease of titanic size. The dots became bodies, became armour, became blurs of speed that slammed into the paving before the crowd, sending out cracks from their kneeling forms.

Then there was a titanic thud and crackle as a greater alien landed, a titan among giants. The gigantic armoured alien stood past sixteen feet as it straightened up, the other aliens standing with it. Their armour gleamed in the mid-morning sun, all shined to perfection, their posture at perfect attention

Their boxy weapons popped from compartments on their backs, all them catching their tools with robotic precision and a near harmonic clatter. They all turned their heads to face towards the stunned and silent crowd, then turning with a click and thump of metal feet to face the giant among them with a salute, who saluted in turn, leading a series of motions in silent parade.

As the little march and stamp ended it was replaced by a roar, the lifter sinking into view with the rush of VTOL air-jets kicking up a cloud of dust.

The unsuited crowd coughed and spluttered at the dust, turning away in the moments it took the few pegasi present to clear the cloud.

I hope you'll forgive the marines. They do love to make a spectacle, and it has been a few years since they got to show off.” Captain Morgan's voice was unmistakable, even through the whine and buzz of cooling aircraft engines. The man strode through the wisps of dust with hands behind his back, his polished silver suit decorated with a single officer's pip, dozens of medals and many more bars of colour.

Celestia smiled with her voice, her face unreadable through the mask “It was entertaining Captain, you are forgiven. Though my cleaners may disagree when they see the dust your great flyer has kicked up.

The garden was covered in a thick layer of dirt and dust, a bush had been knocked over.

The captain smiled through his see-through full face visor, speaking apologetically “heh, sorry about that.” He turned to look at the alicorn's four companions “so, this must be Ambassador Guisarme” the Griffin nodded, his beak clacking inside the suit's covering. “Ambassador Shinescale” the giant dragon rumbled from inside his plate covering “Ambassador Hekima, I'm glad you decided to come.” The striped suit growled, jerking back as if offended “And the infamous Captain Armour.” The unicorn nodded, his sword clinking against his side with the motion.

Hekima barked his question, steeping forward aggressively “How do you know my name monster?! What dark magic have you been using to spy on me?”

The captain seemed delighted by the question, indeed he found it funny enough to chuckle -drawing a fearful step back from Hekima- before he recovered to explain “No magic Mr Hekima, us laughing apes aren't capable of it.” He smiled as several striped members of the crowd stepped back “but let me just say, that just because something closes it's mouth, doesn't mean it's eyes or ears do too”

The captain waited for a few eyes too light up in understanding before he explained “those devices I sent down? They've been recording whatever they see or hear, every minute of every hour of every day since they touched down. We've learned an enormous amount about your history and culture, especially since we got moved into the museum.”

Celestia seemed half amused, a little disturbed by this revelation. “Well, that is interesting Captain, I would hope to learn the same about your species.”

The captain seemed about to respond, when Hekima leaped forward “So you admit it! You are the creatures of nightmare, you are laughing apes!” he seemed about to attack, but neither the armoured marines or the great titan behind them moved a servo.

The captain didn't stop his smile, but it dropped a few giggles “Whelp, might as well get this out of the way.” he sighed “No. We are not laughing apes. We are not even from this version of earth.”

Hekima seemed mollified, but still irate.

“But I suppose honesty is the best policy here, so back in our dimension, there was a species of ape that rose above the rest, that developed tools to hunt, fire to cook , culture and art to make our thoughts run beyond simple needs to the night sky above. We started in the forests and savannah of southern Africa, then spread north to conquer our planet.” The old man's eyes had a slightly misty look to them.

“That ape later named itself as 'Homo Sapiens', an arrogant name that simply means 'wise man'... No Mr Hekima, we are not your laughing apes, but they might well be our distant cousins.”

There was silence for a moment with the weight of the crowd's focus falling on the striped ambassador. Eventually the zebra looked away, and stepped back. Through gritted teeth behind the faceless mask he spoke, repressed anger wavering his voice. “I apologize for my rashness. I shall attempt to keep an open mind about your species” his voice recovered it's fury for but a moment “But do not think this makes us friends alien! I will not trust you, not now, not ever.”

The captain smiled “I wouldn't expect you to Ambassador, us humans can be a scary bunch.” with a sigh he turned to the ship “Now come on aboard. Time's wasting.”

/Author's Note/ the second half of this should be posted soon, if it is not, please feel free to take away my internet cookies /end Author's Note/

Chapter 19: Shadows of the Past

The lifter filled in orderly fashion, the click of metal foot, hoof and paw striking the grated surface of the cavernous hold audible even over the whine of idling engines. The group entering was filled with excitement as more of the gigantic interior came to light, a dozen engineers in yellow suits scurrying to and fro, checking machinery and electronics. Even Shinescale, the titanic dragon, looked dwarfed by the beastly lifter's size, his reptilian eyes roving around the cargo chamber with unashamed curiosity.

All the group were intrigued by the alien technology, all except the striped one. Who hung far to the rear of the five, but not so far back that he would come within five hoof-paces of the following marine squad and their giant leader. Hekima hung his head with a sullen air, a storm-cloud of repressed rage simmering over his high-ridged helmet.

The group ground to a halt when Captain Morgan held his fist up, turning to face the assembled Equinauts “alright, everyone ready to get locked and launched? Once we get the engines flared we'll have maybe a half hour flight before we punch the burners for orbit, so if any of you have questions about me, my species, or anything you want to know please hold them until we get going, there'll be plenty of time to talk, or turn round if someone gets scared.”

There was a few shared glances between four of the five, then a general nod and a few noises of assent (plus one screech of mock offence from Guisarme, who firmly asserted that he was no coward). After a long period of silence, the group turned to the zebra, who was standing with legs tense, apparently fighting with his own voice.

“I-I” he trotted back, then reared and bolted “I cannot do this!” Head lowered in a desperate charge the ambassador didn't wait for the marines to part and allow him out, instead he leapt like a panicked springbok, clearing their eight foot frames with relative ease even with his suit weighing him down.

Outside the lifter the raging stallion tore the helmet from his head and hurled it away, allowing the tears streaming from his eyes to meet the dawning sun and the eyes of the crowd. Then he ran, bulling past where he could and leaping over where he could not, not even allowing his own guards to slow his sprint towards the looming walls of the inner garden.

Morgan watched the little horse run with a slight frown “fast little guy, ain't he? Anyone going after him?”

Celestia nodded “I must go Captain, Hekima's peace of mind is my responsibility” without another word the alicorn set off at a gallop, through the marine ranks and after the distant zebra.

There was silence for a moment after the drum of metal hooves faded into the distance.

Then Shinescale turned to Captain Morgan “while we wait for them to return, perhaps you could explain the purpose of this device?” He motioned with a claw to the strange tube assembly on his suit.

Morgan smiled “oh that? It's nothing really, just a fire-suppression system we built in.”

The dragon paused, then rumbled “I hardly see why...”

Celestia didn't have too look hard to find the fleeing zebra, the trail of abandoned suit pieces (all of which were dutifully gathered up in a cloud of magic) led straight to the central fountain, where a white and black shape slumped, a boot still fitted over one leg. “Ambassador Hekima?” The princess queried, stepping carefully closer.

The answer came in smooth Zebrican, weighed down with emotion [“I can not face them Celestia. I will not walk into the lair of demons so boldly.”]

The white alicorn didn't come near him, keeping a respectable distance from the slumped ambassador. She spoke softly in the Zebrican tongue as she mounted the fountain's rim, shifting around to get comfy in her hard suit [“I understand Hekima, I really do.”]

[“You say you understand, how? How can the great Princess Celestia, 'She of the dawn' and 'Sun Incarnate' possibly understand?”] His tone was bitter, bordering on spiteful [“I am scared Princess. Something I doubt you have felt as us mere mortals do.”] The zebra glanced at the god to his right with tears in his eyes, then looked away and snorted, absently kicking the metal boot off his hoof.

Celestia caught the boot in her magic cloud, her eyes watching the disparate pieces float in slow orbit around each other [“You are correct Hekima, I have never felt fear as mortals do. I have never been scared for my own life, terror has rarely stopped me from putting myself in harms way”] she spoke softly, manipulating the floating suit to reform it, the now blank white sections lining up to once again resemble a colourless zebra. [“But I do understand the challenge you face Ambassador, I can see how you fight so valiantly against centuries of cultural fear. You struggle against your superstitions even as anger and dread grip your heart.”]

Hekima growled angrily, stamping at the ground and pacing away. With his back to the white alicorn he spoke [“they are not superstitions Celestia. The laughing apes are real, very real.”] he whirled to face the god, fast enough to catch the ghost of an incredulous look flitting across her face [“You don't believe me do you? You think me a fool!”] Not giving the alicorn time to respond his tone turned mocking [“'look at the savage zebra' you think, 'let us laugh at his warnings and ignore his advice!' Just because you think yourself more 'civilised' Princess, you find it easy to trivialize my knowledge as superstition and the lies of old mares!”]

The white alicorn tried to speak with a placating tone [“please calm yourself Ambassador, I mean no offe-”] but she found herself cut off when Hekima barked

[“Shut up! I have had enough of your pandering, if my words will not convince you of the truth, perhaps my memories will!”] Stepping quickly, the striped equine stormed closer, lowering his head [“Look into my mind and I will show you my laughing apes”]

Celestia reeled back, here eyes nervous despite her unwavering tone [“mind magic is a dangerous thing Hekima. If it goes wrong...”] she trailed off, letting the implications float in the air.

“If it goes wrong, then you have no right to call yourself a god Celestia. I trust you.” the Ambassador spoke in equestrian then, letting iron back his proclamation, his anger burning out into the ashen husk of regret in the face of the alicorn's nervousness. “Despite all I have said Princess, there is nopony on this world better at magic than you. In matters of magic I trust you with all my heart”

Celestia bit her lip then, letting her apprehension bubble to the surface while the zebra's eyes closed “If you are sure Hekima, then I will do as you wish.” her horn flared up, skittish hooves brought her off the fountain's rim and closer to the ambassador. Her eyes began to glow with magical intensity, and her supernova horn came down to touch the zebra's brow.

The world let out a breath, and then dissolved into blackness.

The forest was dark and dry, the blackness broken every few metres by the white bones of skeleton trees; storm-clouds raged in battle overhead, but no rain fell on the dusty ground, lightning struck every half-minute, blasting the burnt air with flashes of searing scintillation, wind sighed through the trees with a mourning sigh

*pock, pock, pock, pock*

unshod hooves struck the stones of the well-worn path in practised order, the dry stones echoing loudly in the dense forest.

*pock, pock, pock, pock*

[“MOTHER! FATHER!”] Hekima's voice was thin and reedy with youth, his vooice barely rising above the rumble of ill-timed thunder. Still he walked, big bright eyes glancing occasionally to the distant horizon and the falling sun.

There was nothing but the terror of unknown night filling the colt's mind, his thoughts straying haphazardly over how he came to be lost, how he had ignored his grandmother's warning and left the kijiji, taking a half-spear and thinking himself a mighty warrior. Now the spear was gone and he was lost, with only this old trail to guide him

*pock, pock, pock, crunch*

The zebra foal stopped here, staring down at the sudden crunch, and the bone beneath his hoof... “AAAAAAGH” his scream split the storm's noise for long moments, growing stronger as the short colt reared back, his eyes finding more bones spread out ahead of him.

An entire zebra skeleton lay there on the forest path, splayed out as if fallen while running. The skull was shattered and broken, the fore-leg was split cleanly in half where Hekima had trod on it. Fighting down another scream, and his fear, the little striped horse crept closer to the dry brittle bones and examined them closer.

“Who are you?” he whispered, a prayer to the sun-god falling with swiftness born of long practice.

Looking with fearful eyes at the sun-bleached bones, Hekima noted the scrapes and cuts along their length, so straight and regular they could only have been made by a knife. The ground under the broken skull still had a divot where a spear struck, a sun blackened arrow was still stuck in the husk of a heart inside an unbroken ribcage.

Walking slowly back from the ancient corpse, the foal glanced about at the darkened trees “Who could have done this?” he whispered to himself, young mind going wild with fear and morbid curiosity.

As if in answer, there was a giggle from behind the trees.

A chuckle from the side as he whirled, eyes searching the black shadows of a growing dusk, finding nothing.

[“Who is there?!”] He barked, turning in place with legs tense.

His anger drew a burst of hilarity from the hidden watchers, sadistic laughter and malicious guffaws filling the air from all directions.

Hekima looked about to yell again, to scream in annoyance and fear at the now silent audience. Then pain exploded from his shoulder, where an arrow had sprouted, and the forest came alive with the sound of laughter.

A scream escaped his lips then, the shock numbing the pain and making him stumble back, just in time to see his attacker emerge from the darkness, the sunken eyes on the ape-like head hidden by shadow. A bone-wood bow was clutched in it's thin hands, the long sinewy arms drawing back the string with another barbed arrow already knocked. A zebra-hide cloth hid the thing's loins, tied with a hyena skin belt around the thin waist of the chuckling thing.

Hekima saw no more, his terror lending strength to his failing legs, instinct urging him to run, off the path and into the trees. More ape-things dropped from the skeletal branches, crude spears in their claws and grins on their faces, yellow eyes glinting in the failing light.

Dodging desperately, weaving around trunks and demons the Zebra colt ran, his lungs burnt from exertion, his shoulder was ablaze with pain as bone scraped on the arrow-head, but still Hekima ran, for to slow down was to let the chasing shadows catch him.

A fallen log made him pause, luck alone letting him live as a thick spear buried itself in the wood above. Hekima yelled in shock and changed direction, praying with what little breath he could spare, begging the Sun-goddess to protect him. Even as the hooting demons closed the distance on their gangly legs Hekima sprinted with renewed vigour through the choking dust and scratching thorns of the dead forest.

[“HEKIMA!”] The shout came from ahead and left, the bellowing familiar voice raising above the howling wind of the growing storm.

Tears came unbidden to the foal's eyes as he charged through the forest, his throat ripping open to shout [“DAD!”] with such ferocity that even the chuckles of his pursuers were cowed for mere moments. The distant gleam of flaming torches burnt away the shadows, the shouts and cries of his uncles, his cousins and his father lent his screaming muscles strength.

Shouting above the storm one last time Hekima broke out of the trees, limbs red with scratches, vision blurring with tears and blood-loss. The herd of striped bodies rushed to meet him as he stumbled. Chattering voices blurring into a fuzzy mess of static as darkness fell.

Celestia near stumbled in shock as the memory ended, her horn-glow fading to wisps and nothing and legs trembling in phantom pain.

Hekima stood, breath haggard and face twisted in horrid nostalgia. [“When next I woke, I was back in the village, bandaged and cleaned. They were nice enough to me, but I could see that nopony believed it was the laughing apes. They saw the arrow and claimed that I was delirious from my ordeal, that I had been found by a hyena hunting party.”]

Celestia was tearing up slightly as she looked at the striped ambassador with new eyes, her gaze peering closely at his shoulder, where a faded scar still showed through the fur. [“I-I am sorry Hekima... I didn't know that...”] The centuries old ruler floundered, no words rising to help her.

[“You could not know Celestia. I have told nopony my story since I left my village, even if it is the main reason I left Zebrica”] he laughed hollowly, forcing a smile [“I suppose I should thank them, without their smiling faces haunting my nightmares I might never have seen the wonders of Equestria.”]

Celestia sighed, her face falling back to it's old mask of gentle neutrality “I must join you in that Hekima, you have always been a voice of reason.” With an absent flick of her horn, the floating sections of the zebra's suit fell to the ground “I will tell Captain Morgan That you will not be joining us.” She made to walk away.

Only to be stopped by Hekima's voice. “No.” The tremble in his tone was gone, faded into steel resolution “I will come.” He walked past the alicorn and picked up the chest of his suit, slipping it on “I will not run from them any longer.”

The princess raised an eyebrow “but I thought you didn't trust Captain Morgan?”

“I don't. I probably never will.” Hekima stated, placing the boots carefully on “but I have allowed my past to rule me for far too long. I will come aboard, I will hold my tongue as best I can, I will make Zebrica proud.”

Celestia's smile grew warmer at the granite surety in the zebra's tone “you already do Hekima. Zebrica has always been proud of you.” Magic flared in her horn, a glowing aura scooping up the back-section of the blank-white suit and passing it to the ambassador, earning a grateful nod.

The zebra picked up the final piece with the faintest spectre of a smile on his lip, before the helmet came on to hide it, the striped pattern finally flaring to life on the human-made fabric “besides Princess, no matter how much I prayed back then, the sun-god would never hear me.” He stepped with a clink and clang to the alicorn's side “how can I know fear now, with her walking next to me?”

Celestia nodded, leading the way back towards the distant lifter, her hoof-steps clicking on the smooth granite flag-stones.

Chapter 20: SPAAAACE!

“Very good Mr Guisarme, your inspection's nearly over, then I can declare you ready to fly.” the medic let go of the griffin's claw and stepped back, noting something on a floating computer screen.

Guisarme grumbled in annoyance, pulling his suit's claw back on “Of course I am ready to fly. I am a griffin, we live for the sky.”

The medic never dropped he smile in her tone, even if her face was completely hidden by an opaque helmet. “I don't doubt that Mr Guisarme, but we have to make sure your body is ready for the stresses of orbital ascent and microgravity.” she clicked her metal plated fingers, making a light appear on the end of one “now if you'll remove the hind section of your suit, we can get the last section of the physical check-up finished.”

The ambassador complied grumpily, his face the very picture of indignant annoyance as the woman poked and prodded at his back and undercarriage (the squawk he let out as her hand brushed his nethers sent a ripple of laughter around the room) after her probing fingers failed to find anything the medic changed tack, running a hand-held scanner over his legs and watching the shifting visual on her screen.

She paused for a moment on his right leg, where the screen showed a light blue line “how long ago did you injure this leg Mr Guisarme?”

“Hmm? Oh zat..” Guisarme let out a sigh, looking down to where the medic was pointing out the spot “oui, I fractured it while hunting three years ago, it 'as been aching ever since”

The medic felt along the fracture line, earning a wince from the griffin “hmm, we may need to keep an eye on that. But your suit should keep it in line.” She finished up with a last check on his paw-pads, responding to his objections with calm professional persistence.

Leaving the grumbling half-bird lion to get redressed the medic wandered over to the cargo hall's far end, where the titanic Shinescale was being looked over by a team of three, in something that was half medical examination, half biological study.

The coming conclusion seemed to be that, aside from the soft tissues around the eyes and orifices, the dragon was very quickly approaching indestructibility; he had willingly swallowed toxic material (a lead ballast-weight and a small tank of mercury) without ill effect, going so far as to declare them 'tasty'. Metal surgical tools broke, bent and splintered on his armoured hide, and a sheet of marine plates were cut like rice-paper under his razor claws and teeth.

Shinescale was reclining on the floor with an air of curiosity and bemusement as the mammals scurried around his unsuited form, running their little tests and scanning him innumerable times. “I would assume that I am ready to fly?” he chuckled, tapping the helmet of a medic as he passed, claw carefully folded away.

The medic turned, looking up at the giant with a strange lack of fear for a tiny mammal, especially one that now knew exactly what the dragon before him was capable of. Though the medic did seem a little embarrassed by something, his hand coming up to rub the back of his helmet “We're not sure.”

This surprised the drake, so much so that he deigned to raise a craggy eyebrow.

“You're tough Mr Shinescale, that's for sure. But we're not sure how a creature of your size will react in microgravity, or under the G-strain of an orbital burn. Your bones could implode under their own weight, your lungs could collapse.” he seemed a little strained “we just don't have any point of comparison to work off. The largest land animal we have on biological records is simply not equitable, and we never attempted to get it into space.”

Shinescale considered this carefully, cupping his claws under his chin and slowly nodding “that is a problem, a tricky one for sure.” His eyes lit up, and with gentleness born from endless experience he placed a long clawed hand on the man's shoulder “How about this, if you'd listen to the rambling solution of an old fool.”

The great reptile waited for the medics to assemble before elaborating, after a slow, drawn out intake of air “come the morrow, I will have lived on this planet for one thousand, two hundred thirty five years, three months, and 7 days.” Seeing looks of disbelief pass between the mammals Shinescale smiled, pushing himself fluidly up on his haunches “believe me, or don't, it matters not. No matter how many years you choose to believe I have lived, I am a very old drake, I have seen the rise of nations and the fall of empires. By all accounts I have had my fun, thus I choose to spend my twilight years in the paradise that is Equestria.”

The medics, engineers, marines and officers had all settled down to listen, the giant dragon's rumbling tones inducing a kind of reverent silence in the crew, with even the venerable Captain Morgan finding a seat.

Smiling with toothy benevolence at the silent cargo bay Shinescale gazed down and carried on with his landslide lecture “so little ones, I would propose a compromise to save us all some bother.” With slow movements and easy grace the draconic elder began gathering his plated suit in his claws “I will simply ask that you do your level best to protect me against dangers I cannot fathom, in exchange I will do my very best not to die.”

The room as a whole remained in silence, wondering if they were supposed to find it as funny as the chortling dragon seemed to.

His chuckles shook the air with their passing “if by some chance our joint efforts fail, crumbly old bones imploding and dusty lungs giving up the ghost, I will trust that between Celestia's mastery of the arcane arts, my own natural resilience, and your claimed mastery of the sciences, you will find some method to save me.” The chest piece went on with a motion that seemed patiently practised “if not, then the world will be only be short one ancient, scaly, fool” with that the scaled behemoth smiled one last time as the helmet hissed into place, hiding his laughing eyes.

“All the people of our world would mourn your passing Ambassador, modesty does not become someone of your stature” Celestia had naught but smiles in her voice as she re-entered the lifter, metal shoes tip-tapping in tandem with her striped companion. Hekima seemed to press closer to the alicorn as the eyes of the humans fell upon him.

Shining Armour was the first to speak, trotting up and sounding happy beneath his visor, even as he saluted “Princess, Ambassador. I was beginning to get worried we'd leave without you.”

Celestia nodded “at ease Captain Armour, I'm sure that was an unfounded fear” she returned the salute with a wing while she pressed on past towards Morgan, Hekima following without a word and the unicorn guard falling into step.

Morgan looked over with a grin fading into existence at the alicorn's approach “Hello again Celestia, Hekima” he nodded to each in turn “we're just about done with the medical exams, so I think it's time to rock and roll.

Guisarme interrupted, screeching in offence “wait one second! Why do they not need to be prodded and poked as we have?” he tried to rear up over captain and intimidate the human, failing miserably.

Captain Morgan smiled friendlily at the half-bird and explained “Simple my good Griffin, Mr Hekima's suit contains a full medical scanner, and since my species is pretty familiar with horse anatomy we've been able to run through his checks with those.” He turned to look at the alicorn “as for Celestia, I doubt a short trip to orbit will do much to harm her, considering the nigh-invulnerability displayed by her sister.”

Guisarme snorted, clearly only half satisfied. Still he dropped the issue and asked instead “So zen, if we are to fly, are zere seats?”

An engineer answered that at Morgan's prompting “Uh yes sir, it took a while to dig the schematics for quadruped harnesses out of the archives, but we managed to get them ready.” The man twirled on his heel and pulled a holo-screen out of his suit's arm, tapping away at it's display with practised speed.

There was a gentle humming sound as four strange looking net-lined seats lowered themselves, unattached to any supports, to the floor and secured themselves to the metal grid-work with a 'snip-snap' clang of hooks and claws.

While the medical crew guided the equinauts to their seats and the humans made for their own, the engineers headed over to Shinescale, the foremost saying “We couldn't manufacture any harnesses in your size Ambassador, so we'll have to secure you straight to the deck.” they sounded apologetic.

The dragon nodded, saying nothing beside a snicker, instead lying down in the position indicated, his limbs slightly splayed and tail curled around him. The engineer crew moved with precision, tossing fabric-wrapped cable between themselves, effectively tethering the great reptile to the deck in a mesh of high-strength cord.

With each of the equinauts in their place, the flight crew settled into routine; distributing and connecting air-tanks to everyone on board, making final harness checks, and finally closing the back-hatch.

With the cargo bay in anticipatory silence, an engineer on board took centre stage, addressing newcomers and veterans of ground to orbit flight alike.

“Good morning folks. If at any time during this flight you want to talk, I would prefer to be known as Senior Flight Engineer Bradshaw, Bradshaw, or Sir. I hope we all have a good flight, but before we take-off I'd like to go over a few very important topics.”

Guisrame made a few grumbles, shifting in his harness.

Bradshaw completely ignored the bird “First things first, hierarchy.” He shifted into an at ease position “While you are on board this craft, I am top dog, I am responsible for the safety and security of everyone on this deck, and if one of you dies, it is my head on the chopping block. In the event of emergency I will expect every one of you, god or dragon, to follow my commands in both letter and spirit.”

Every human on board, including Morgan, shouted an affirmation in standard then, leaving the equinauts to nod.

Bradshaw seemed to smile behind his visor as he continued “Good. With that out of the way, let's talk about procedure.”

The next half hour was filled with a long lecture, outlining in brutally stark detail all the ways the flight could go wrong, and then what to do in those eventualities (For the last scenario, something referred to simply as a 'Tartarus Plunge', his only instructions were to pray to the first available god and prepare for the end.)

On a distant mountaintop, seven friends sat, lay and stood around a flickering camp-fire (with the exception of Spike, who was lying directly on the fire), the snow melting off the rock in a rough circle around the light.

One of the seven, a purple unicorn with a straight-edge mane, glared with no shortage of annoyance at another, a blue pegasus with a prismatic mane.

“How could you just go flying off like that Rainbow Dash?! The Princess wants us to stay here for a reason, not so you can go racing anything in the skies.” Twilight's tirade was hot with anger and nerves.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes as she stretched, her cheeks red and breath heavy with exertion “relax Twi, the Princess isn't going to be in any trouble just because I flew off for like five minutes.” There came an eye-watering series of pops when the athletic pony began cracking her joints “besides, you saw how fast that thing was, I couldn't resist.”

Twilight facehoofed with both hooves “it's not about that Rainbow! 'Because it's fast' is not a good enough reason for you to go chasing after an alien flying machine, what if you got hurt? We need to be here for the princess.”

Applejack spoke her piece, tossing another piece of wood onto the fire as she did. “It was pretty silly of ya Rainbow, the Princess did ask us all to stay here” looking off to the distant Canterlot she tapped a hoof to her chin “Though ah suppose there ain't much them aliens could do to Celestia, what with her being a god an' all.”

“They did catch Luna” Fluttershy spoke her mind quietly, but in the tense silence that followed, her voice seemed far too loud “A few of my bird friends that have friends in Canterlot told me she screamed loud enough to shake windows.”

Twilight seemed especially perturbed by the news, closing her hooves over her head and sinking down onto her blanket.

Rarity added on “That is rather loud... Though with Shining Armour alongside her I shan't worry.” she tried to be reassuringly confident, but failed miserably as she too looked to the far city, her eyes tracking a seemingly tiny dot of black that rose off the plateau.

Rainbow Dash spoke again dismissively “pffft You can't be serious Rarity, if the aliens can break two alicorns, what's one unicorn gunna do?” She began digging in her backpack for something.

Twilight sunk further into her hooves, whimpering.

Pinkie seemed oblivious to Twilight as she bounced up and down, answering “He could get darted like I did!”

Rarity seemed about to scream, but kept her voice to low growl “Pinkie...”

“then the aliens would do weird alien things to him'”

“Pinkie...”

“ they'd strap him to a big table and he'd yell a lot”

“Pinkie..!”

“but they'd just laugh”

“Pinkie.!!”

“and stick a huge probe up his b-”

Rarity lost it “PINKAMENA DIANE PIE”

Pinkie stopped mid-sentence, turning to her friend with an innocent smile “Yeah?”

The white unicorn's voice was more than a little acid “I was trying to be a little reassuring to a certain one of our friends, who is clearly upset about two of her closest ponies being in danger” with a tense stab of her hoof the fashionista indicated a cringing pile of purple pony, who was having a hard time fighting off tears by the look of things.

Pinkie went from mid-bounce to her fuchsia friend's side in less time than it took most people to blink, her voice apologetic “sorry Twi. I guess I got a little carried away.”

Twilight sniffed “It's okay Pinkie.” She looked with the rest towards Canterlot, and the black dot that seemed to be growing extraordinarily fast.

Applejack commented “ah think them aliens are coming back.”

That made the whole group look, to where the black dot got closer faster and faster, rising as it did.

Rainbow suddenly looked incredulous “No way...”

At her friend's looks she explained “it's getting way too fast way too quickly. Nothing's that speedy, especially nothing that big.”

the approaching craft was reflected in Twilight's eyes as she calculated mentally, her anxiety forgotten “I hate to poke holes in your theory Rainbow, but I think it's going pretty quick”

The craft was clearly visible, even as it gained altitude “How fast?” Rarity asked nervously, perhaps noting the way low clouds bent and distorted behind the alien vehicle.

Rainbow answered, taking a small step back as it came closer “like two and a half times faster than me at my fastest, and accelerating.” Her flight goggles fell out of her hoof, into the snow and forgotten for the moment.

Applejack went to comment, making it to “Tarna-” before the black skinned behemoth passed over. There came a pregnant pause of a split second.

Then the world was noise, ear-splitting, brain twisting, air torturing noise that started at utterly unnatural decibel levels and only seemed to get louder.

The group atop all laid down with hooves over their ears under a shimmering sphere of protective magic, a silencing spell cast on pure instinct by their purple-furred friend.

Applejack opened her eyes as the noise finally faded to a distant rumble, finishing lamely “-tion, that's quick.”

The friends all followed the alien craft as it ascended, climbing steeply until it was lost among the clouds.

Aboard the lifter, there was an air of tension as the altitude rose, the whine and roar of the engines outside reduced to a dull hum by the thick walls.

Morgan sat in silence for only half a minute before speaking up “so, any questions? I promise to answer as honestly as possible.”

There was another silence as the ambassadors all looked about for a subject, all apart from Hekima, who was curled up tightly in his seat, alternating between restrained angry glares and whimpers every time a crew-member looked his way.

Guisarme found a tin of something hidden in a pocket on his chair. He held it up to the light and queried “what is zis?” As he asked he gazed with interest at the alien language printed next to a pull-tab.

A marine close to him answered “It's a ration pack, click the little button on the bottom and wait for a few seconds, then you pull the tab.”

The griffin did so, revealing steaming brown lumps in a thick red sauce, interposed with green chunks.

The marine shrugged “You got the beef stew, bummer”

Another looked at him “You don't like the stew?”

From there the two descended into an argument, switching to a private channel for the sake of everyone's ears

The Equestrians all looked to the tin, an awkward silence pervading until Celestia broke it “Beef? As in meat?”

The captain was almost uncomfortable, but decided against it “yes, yes it is. Humans are omnivores.”

Hekima barked “HA! I knew it! How many innocent beasts did you slaughter to stock your ship?”

There was silence again for a moment, then a chuckle spread among the assembled humans. Spreading until it grew into a gale of laughter. The equestrians all began to look uncomfortable just as it died away.

After it all died away the Zebra looked about ready to have a heart attack, shrinking into his seat and shivering in terror.

The captain quieted away the last few chuckles with waves of his hands “okay people, enough laughing at the nice horse. He doesn't know.”

Hekima only whimpered, so Celestia asked for him “know what captain?” the god looked towards the stricken equine, concern radiating off her.

The captain looked over to the striped ambassador and explained “Mr Hekima there doesn't know enough about us humans to know that meat's never been within 5,000 kilometres of an actual cow. All our meat rations are synth-meat, artificial muscle tissue grown in vats.”

Hekima stopped shivering slightly, enough to squeak “What?”

“We don't kill animals for meat, not any more. Population's so high there's no point going to all that trouble when we can just grow it artificially” the captain shrugged “it's much more efficient.”

Hekima recovered just enough to be disgusted “That sounds disgusting.”

“But tastes pretty good” Guisarme commented -having removed the faceplate of his helmet, tossing a piece of the stew into his maw and gulping it down. At an implied horrified expression on the zebra's face he shrugged. “What? It is meat, I am a griffin. Plus, ze captain did say zat no animals die.”

Hekima snorted and looked away. “Let us talk about something else”, with annoyance palpable in the air around him, he turned and growled “like what exactly you have done to Luna? What tortures have you put her through?”

The gargantuan armoured marine commander took that question, his tone neutral but full of growl “we don't torture prisoners, that would be against regulations.” His armour clanked and hissed when he crossed his arms “Prisoner Luna has been treated as appropriate given the immense threat she poses to the safety of our ship and crew; food, water, breathable air and clothing have been provided according to regulations 56a to 56g. Despite repeated violent behaviour we have also seen fit to give her entertainment.”

Morgan nodded to the giant “Thank you CSO” then turned to the Zebra “as my security chief said, Luna is completely fine. Apart from a surgical examination at the start we haven't done anything.”

Hekima reigned in his growl, barely “and I am supposed to believe your word alone?”

Morgan didn't snarl or inject any anger into his tone, but the look on his face made it clear that such an event was on the near horizon. “Of course not”

It was Shinescale that broke the staring match that seemed to be developing, looking to Bradshaw and querying “I would like to know Bradshaw, are all humans so different in size and shape?” He indicated the range of non-marine humans and titanic bulk of CSO”

Bradshaw grinned, glad for a distraction “Yep. Us humans are a diverse bunch, even more so now that we have the tech to make surgical and genetic changes” He looked over the crew “In fact..” He motioned to a few crew-members "alright people, I know we've got a few 'modders' aboard today. Anyone want to show off their stuff?"

A few glances were exchanged before two or three humans got to their feet, the foremost chuckling "If you think they can handle it.

The yellow-suited engineer tapped his helmet's release, the seal breaking with a hiss as the plastic shell was lifted away, showing his black-specked red skin and long raven hair, the wider-than-natural eyes glittered snake-scale green in the dim light. When he spoke fangs glistened and clicked around a long reptilian tongue.

Next down the line was a little more sheepish, her blue hairless head lacking ears and nose, her quadruple eyes pure onyx.

A medic down the hall opened his suit down to his waist, showing off a smaller set of arms wrapped around his torso, all his hands had webbing between the fingers, his neck sported gills.

A marine in his armur chuckled at the display "how much that gill rig run you? I hear lung mods are pretty expensive."

the aquatic medic smiled "not much, I know a guy who did it for a hundred plates.

Shining Armour tried hard, but he couldn't hide the mild disgust in his tone “You paid to have that done to yourself?” He cringed slightly at a recriminatory glance from his ruler, even though Celestia sat directly behind him.

Bradshaw laughed a little there, drawing attention off of the suddenly shrinking medic, clicking his own helm's release, he pulled it off to show the mass of metal covering his head's left side, sinking down below his neckline “it's better than having no choice at all.”

No words came from Shining Armour's mouth, but the query was plain enough to see.

Bradshaw shrugged, his lips curving into a smile “engineering accident during my apprenticing years, million degree plasma bloom right to the face, I got some emergency cybernetics to save my life.”

Around the room other humans all showed off their own cybernetics, some with entire limbs replaced with shimmering metal.

Guisarme looked a little intrigued by the new development “you can alter yourselves with flesh or metal in such a manner?” A feathery eyebrow raised, a claw stroked a beak in a thoughtful manner “would it work for other species?”

There was a long pause, in which there was a general feeling of silent conversation between the humans, many glances were exchanged, a hash of whispered words and half-heard fragments filled the air.

Hekima took the opportunity to growl at the Griffin “How can you even consider letting them alter your body?

Guisarme snorted “Why not? Think of zer possibilities technology of that sort would allow.”

Celestia was deep in thought, weighing in with a distant "a plethora of possibilities...."

“And dangers galore.” Morgan interjected, the whispers in the air fading “I've had a conference chat with a few officers and my chiefs. We've all decided to hang on to the more cutting edge equipment, at least until we need to.

Celestia spoke up, her soft voice carrying far despite the metallic buzz “Our technology will progress with or without your help captain, even if only from our brightest minds observing your wonders.”

Morgan nodded “that's fine, it's expected technological progression, but being straight up handed too much tech two hundred years or more ahead of your own however, is an entirely different matter. I'll be happy to show off our stuff, but I'll be holding onto the more cutting edge equipment until I am forced”

Guisarme grumbled slightly, but seemed content as the metallic voice rang out again.

“Alert. Alert. Orbital Ascension in three point zero four minutes, Orbital Ascent in three point zero four minutes. Please secure all loose equipment and re-check safety harnesses. Anti-gravity cushioning activating in four... three... two... one.” The back of the cavernous craft rang out with a heavy buzz as hidden devices activated.

The captain explained to the equinauts as he checked his own harness “That's our anti-grav safety net. If your harness gets loose during the burn that'll make sure you don't break any bones.”

A whirring sound started up, and all the seats around the cavernous hold swivelled to face front, the last crew-members finding their seats.

There was a whining sound rising over the distant rumble of engines.

In the expectant silence that followed the whine grew to a higher and higher note, until it ceased to be a sound in the ears, becoming a strange tingling sensation.

As the computer counted down the final seconds Bradshaw called over the whine and the rumble.

"Get ready to feel the acceleration! The bulk lifter is a fat and ugly beast, but by Tartarus it can put out some thrust!"

The computer counted with some finality

"Orbital Burn commencing in 5..."

"4..."

"3..."

"2..."

"1... Orbital Burn comme-"

A giant had entered the cavern, invisible and immaterial but for his pushing foot against every equinaut, a crushing pressure that shoved everyone into their seats --aside from Ambassador Shinescale, who unsheathed his claws and dug them into the metal floor, holding himself in place--

The rumble of engines, once distant and muted by the walls, was now replaced and overshadowed by the air-filling roar of some great beast, mixed with the crack of thunder and crackle of infernal flames. Guisarme was in genuine discomfort, straining not to let out a shriek as his predatorily acute hearing was pained --Celestia noticed this, and without apparent speech ordered Shining armour to cast a sound blocking spell over the griffin's ears.

... Minutes passed by...

High above Equestrian skies, a star was born. The distant black dot of the alien craft flared into light so bright it burned the eyes, the rolling boom of some great detonation fading into the rumble of distant storms....

The cacophonous bellow lasted for many minutes, the pressure relenting slowly as their altitude increased, the computer reading out slowly decreasing times with every few moments, the grating electronic tones somehow audible even over the din.

It stopped as suddenly as it started, the pressuring Titan left, the beast quietened to nothing.

The captain laughed, along with the human crew, a few whoops and glances being exchanged.

Almost as one the crew turned to check on their passengers.

Celestia still sat tall and proud where she had been, her mask without inclination or any hint of discomfort.

Behind the goddess sat the indomitable Captain Armour, his manner only slightly broken as he sat in apparent imitation of his ruler's stature.

On the other side Hekima cowered, from the laughter of the humans and from the strain he had been put through.

Guisarme had recovered, thrived even since the soundproofing had been cast on his ears, his eyes and muzzle pointed eagerly "That was wonderful Captain Morgan, ze speed. Ze power!" He turned to Shinescale "Do you not agree Shinescale?"

The dragon didn't answer immediately, nor after a moment. the reptile lay still and silent as the grave.

Celestia looked then, her head snapping round to gaze at the still reptile as she spoke in another alien language --draconic to the equinaus, an archaic mix of slavic and eastern european languages to those humans who knew it.-- ["Elder Shine-scale, Are you okay?"]

Her horn flared, her body erupting in a flash of light and bang of concussive sound as she teleported out of her seat and over to the drake, bowing her head to nudge at his statuesque form ["Elder Shine-scale!"] For a moment no longer than a blink her composure slipped, showing a hint of mortal mare under her divine mask.

A stunned silence enveloped the humans, a few eyes fixed on the dissipating sparkles of her teleport, a few more on the alicorn attempting to rouse the dragon.

It took only scant split seconds before the first medic slapped her restraints, pushing out of her seat and floating quickly to the reptile's side. She pushed Celestia gently to the side, sending the ruler tumbling away in the now gravity-less hold "Let me see."

The human put her hand against the giant's side and tapped away at a wrist mounted holo-computer. In a few seconds she chuckled "silly old beastie you", seeing the concern of the Equinauts she explained "Nothing to worry about folks, the shock of the burn put him into a comatose state, but he's rousing already. A little oxygen starved from where his lungs were crushed up though, I'll just increase the air-flow from his tank a tad."

Celestia sighed with relief (flaring her horn and capturing herself in a field of magic to stop her tumbling) "Oh thank you. I was worried."

The medic chuckled, slapping the metal plates of the dragon-suit as Shinescale rumbled into life.

As the tension dissolved into the air Morgan slapped his own restraints and floated gently up into the air "well then, now that's done, how does a little zero-g play-time sound to everyone?" he looked to the engineers and ordered in standard "we'll discuss the teleportation later in private, for now get all of them out of their restraints so they can have some fun."

The next few seconds were frantic with activity in a slow, strange kind of way, humans floating about in precisely ordered chaos, undoing harnesses and checking systems

The equinauts began to get slowly used to the challenges and perks of zero-gravity, with each flailing wildly at first as they adjusted, then getting the motions down while the humans demonstrated their skill, some marines even ballroom dancing in mid-air, showing off with tricks and flips.

Guisarme in particular enjoyed himself, bouncing from wall to wall with languid, easy movements, rebounding off objects in mid-float to alter his trajectory "Join ze fun 'ekima!"

The Zebra grunted in response, floating a little out of his chair only to anchor himself to the 'ground' his legs "I will not take part is this foolish and fraudulent idiocy."

The striped equinaut found himself lifted into the air however, as Shinescale stretched out a claw to pry the reluctant ambassador from the floor "Come now Hekima, you are embarrassing only yourself with such childishness." before he found himself on the end of the --now furious-- zebra's sharp tongue the dragon tossed the equine into the air, sending the zebra into a tumbling spin "I for one feel a thousand years younger, as if I weigh nothing at all." clearly delighting in the lack of effort the behemoth set himself into a slow twirl, curling carefully around the smaller creatures that floated near him.

Celestia was enjoying the zero gravity in her own way, by observing others in their fun.

Morgan slowly floated up beside her, arms behind his back and posture smartly straight despite the lack of ground to stand on (the fact that he was upside down detracted nothing) "enjoying yourself Princess?"

Celestia allowed herself to spin, matching Morgan's orientation with a smile on her hidden face "absolutely captain, it is a strange thing to be without gravity, very strange indeed.

Morgan chuckled "It's always entertaining, watching newbies playing in the zero-g. Takes me back to my first flight."

The two floated gently apart, watching the fun unfold.

Then Bradshaw spoke up,then "Alright folks, who want's to see the thin blue line? We're riding just ahead of the dawn right now, so it should be a good view."

The human crew shifted then, everyone taking position to get a good view of the aircraft's back.

All the equinauts seemed confused, none moreso than Shining Armour "uuh, thin blue line?"

Bradshaw just chuckled "You'll see." With a little flourish he pressed a few buttons on the hold wall.

There was a hiss, and the grating tone spoke "Warning, atmosphere venting, Warning, atmosphere venting. Please ensure all seals are intact.

Sound slowly left the world, every little thing that could be heard became muted, distant and faded until it vanished completely. All that anyone could hear were the sounds of their own biology, and distorted half-noises whenever they touched something else.

Hekima was panicking, thrashing around for long moments before he was calmed, Celestia's horn glowing and speaking inside the zebra's mind, an entire conversation in the span of milliseconds.

"Calm yourself Hekima, you are in no danger."

The Zebra spat back "No Danger!? They are attempting to murder us Celestia! My ears no longer work, and the air rushes to leave the room!"

The alicorn spoke with only calm understanding "There is no sound in the void my dear, and we have air, it comes from the tanks on your sides." Indeed there were tanks of air, one on each side, like saddle-bags.

"I still do not like this Celestia, How can you trust them so easily?" the ambassador was several degrees calmer now, Celestia's confident tone and sedating magic working their charms to ease his panic.

"Because I know they have good hearts, underneath their metal shells they are creatures like you and I, with thoughts and fears and dreams. Remember your promise Ambassador." A tiny teleport brought the alicorn to Hekima's side, her metal -fabric clad neck rubbing against his in reassuring gesture.

The humans were too captivated to notice Celestia's teleport then --though one of the cameras dotted around the hold tracked her with robotic jerks of motion--, each eye trained on the back of the craft as it began to split open, revealing a blue-green planet shining below.

Bradshaw pointed, his voice appearing inside everyne's helmest with a crackle of hidden speakers "There's the thin blue line Captain Armour"

His pointing finger was easy enough to follow, all the away over to the rim of the planet, where the rising sun peeked over the horizon, illuminating a thin barrier of atmosphere covering the world.
Source

Even Hekima was stunned to silence and stillness.

Shinescale rumbled to the captain after a moment, his eyes fixed on the world beyond "Captain Morgan..."

Th man turned, looking around till her found the free-floating behemoth "Yes?"

A small yelp found it's way out of the old human, despite his best efforts, as the giant reptile moved faster than some might believe possible to sweep the little mammal up into a giant-sized embrace "I would thank you Captain. I have seen many sights in my long life, beheld treasure-hoards the size of cities, animals exotic and unique. But this is one I shall covet until my dying hour."

The elderly officer gave the hug back as best he could to the ancient titan, though his arms covered barely on sixteenth the barrel of the ambassador "You're welcome" he sounded amused, his face mirroring even as he was released to float away.

Shining Armour piped up then, turning away from the sights to ask Bradshaw "Sooo. Where's the ship?"

The guard's question was answered before it was finished, his eyes picking out a distant speck against the blue line, one that grew with every passing second, lengthening and becoming more detailed.

The dawn was almost here.

Author's Note

If any of you are wondering how to read Shinescale, I always read his lines as I'm writing them in the voice of Tree-beard from LotR, I like to imagine his voice as that, but with a bit of Balrog mixed in for that stony texture.
Image used = Property of NASA.gov Source