New York Harbor, Manhattan
USS Ticonderoga

Flight Deck

As Scott Mitchell looked over the latest reports on the UN through an MRT, he looked to his left and smiled. Aegis Team, now clad in their Ghost Gear and modular Exo-suit, boarded alongside him and gave him four thumbs-up.

"Pilot, all set." Mitchell said.

"Roger that, Major! Heading up!"

As the Blackhawk took to the sky, Gates turned to Mitchell.

"Anything new?" he asked.

"Details are on your MRTs." Mitchell replied. "Lock and load, NYPD's on scene and waiting for us."

As the helicopter set itself down, the Ghosts put away their tablets and disembarked to a scene of complete, controlled chaos. NYPD units and first responders were running about, and Aegis Team could see several body bags underneath a tarp.

"Jesus." Sipes said. "Who would do this kind of shit? I mean, the UN? That's pretty low."

"We've dealt with lower in my time, Staff Sergeant." Mitchell said. "I'll take a look around, you do the same. If you find anything, bring it here."

"Yes, sir."

As the Ghosts entered what remained of the General Assembly building, Gates loaded his HK416 with a metallic click. Scouring through the wrecked area, he knelt down to inspect a partially burnt area of the floor.

"Major, Aegis Lead." he said. "Found some kind of burn mark on the floor, possible detonation site."

As he surveyed the site, his hand on his sidearm, a small glint of metal caught his eye. As he knelt down, he pulled out an oblong metallic box with a camera lens of some kind built into it. It was also covered in wires and switches, which made Gates a little uneasy.

"Major, Aegis Lead." he said. "I've found some kind of device in the wreckage. Returning to camp now."

"Understood." Mitchell replied. As Gates slung his rifle over his shoulder and lifted the object up, he heard something inside clink like glass.

====

As the four Ghosts and Mitchell regrouped at the NYPD base camp, Mitchell looked over the device with raised eyebrow.

"Get some tech-types here, right now." he ordered an NYPD officer, who ran off. As the Ghosts looked it over, Gates saw a small lever on the side. Flicking it open, the top of the box came off, revealing the inside of the device. It was mostly wires and circuitry, but they all connected to one thing.

A chunk of glass-like crystal. held in place by clamps.

"The hell's that?" Trevor said. "Some kind of crystal?"

"Search me." Mitchell said, genuinely surprised. "Only one way to find out, though. Turn it on."

As the Ghosts readied themselves, Mitchell flicked a few switches at random, followed by the central button. As the device began to hum, Mitchell stood back in anticipation.

Then, a white beam of light shot out of the lens, forming a white oval shape in the air. As the Ghosts and everyone nearby dropped their jaws, the vortex displayed the image of a small town surrounded by trees.

"The hell?" Adams asked. "Is that a portal or some shit? This is straight sci-fi, man."

"No shit." Trevor replied. "What's the play, sir?"

Mitchell sighed, and punched the main button once more. The portal closed, and he pulled out his phone.

"I've got to make a few phone calls, or possibly more." he said. "Get this back to the Ticonderoga ASAP and lock it somewhere safe and quiet. I'll deal with whatever comes up."

"Yes, sir."

As the Ghosts loaded the device into the Blackhawk, and took off for the waiting aircraft carrier, Mitchell dialed a number and waited for a voice to speak.

"Identify."

"This is Colonel Scott Mitchell, patch me through. Access code Echo Victor Twelve-Sixteen." he said.

"One moment...clear. Patching in three, two, one."

As Mitchell sighed, another voice spoke.

"Colonel, what have you found?"

"We've got a big problem on our hands." Mitchell said, reporting the recent development at the UN. There was silence, until the voice spoke again.

"Understood. Tier One assets are currently en route to the Ticonderoga to retrieve the device and debrief your team. This is to remain quiet, at all costs. If we're really in a Contact Alpha scenario, we need to be ready."

"Roger." Mitchell said. "Anything else?"

"This will most likely end up on the President's desk, so be prepared." the voice spoke. "Until then, quiet as can be. Clear?"

"Clear."

As Mitchell ended the call, he sighed in frustration.

"What else could go wrong today?" he groaned before returning to the inevitable load of paperwork ahead of him.

====
USS Ticonderoga

Engineering Deck

As the Ghosts of Aegis Team dropped the portal device off on a secured workbench, Sipes dusted off his hands in approval.

"Good work. One scary, sci-fi device secured on an aircraft carrier, coming right up." he smiled.

"Want fries with that?" Adams replied. "So, Gates, what's our plan going forward?"

"We wait and deal with it when the time comes." Gates replied. "Let's get a move on, Colonel Mitchell should be on the flight deck by now."

The Ghosts headed back to the deck, and leaned on the starboard railing.

"Hey, guys?" Trevor said. "Remember that little town we saw in the portal?"

"Yeah?" Gates replied.

"Who do you think lives there? Those houses couldn't have been built themselves." Trevor thought out loud. "At least, not any house that I know of."

"A self-assembling house?" Adams laughed. "I can see it now. Batteries not included, no assembly required. Not for people under age 21."

As the Ghosts chuckled, Gates looked over at the Manhattan Skyline.

"So, now that I think of it…" he said quietly. "You might have a point, Trevor. Who's going through to the other side?"

"You are." Scott Mitchell said, coming towards them. "I've just received word from the President regarding our new complication. The four of you are initiating contact with whatever's on the other side. Gentlemen, prepare to make history."

"We're ready for anything, sir." Gates said. "What's the plan?"

"Once you're through, find out whoever, if anything, lives on the other side. Establish as much diplomatic presence as you can. That includes learning the local language as best you can. Finally, once we know who their leadership is, we'll send proper diplomatic overtures through." Mitchell said. "This is high risk, high reward, so be careful, and don't bring up the UN attack or your mission until the proper time."

"Rules of engagement?" Adams asked.

"If engaged by hostiles, retreat, report back and minimize all potential casualties." Mitchell said as they descended to the Engineering Deck. "If all else fails, keep weapons tight, but you may engage at your discretion."

"Roger." Gates nodded as the men approached the portal, which was secured to the ground and monitored by several soldiers. As Mitchell hit the main switch, the portal opened once again.

"Green light." Mitchell said to the Ghosts, who jumped through without a word. As the portal closed and the vortex faded, Mitchell went to the radio.

"Aegis, this is Overlord, do you copy?" he asked. There was quiet, until Gates's voice replied.

"Affirmative, we've got you 5 for 5 somehow." Gates replied. "We've landed near a hilltop, bordering a village of some kind. I think it's the same one that we saw the first time. We can breathe normally, and it's almost like Earth on this end."

"Roger." Mitchell said. "Advance and set up observation. Keep a low profile."

"Confirmed!" Gates said, the crunching of grass could be heard as well. "We're moving to the village, eta one mike. Aegis Team out."

As Mitchell stepped back, he smiled to himself.

"History in the making." he scoffed. "Alright gentlemen, let's get this packed up. We've got a lot of work to do."

As the US Navy Engineers prepped the portal device for transport, Mitchell heard his cell phone buzz.

"Scott Mitchell." he said.

"Major, report to the MTAC Room immediately." the voice said. "The President is requesting a status report."

"Understood." Mitchell said, heading out. As he entered the MTAC room, the images of several US Generals, the President's Cabinet, and President Edward Myers appeared on the screen.

"Major, status." the Secretary of Defense ordered.

"Yes, sir." Mitchell said. "Here's what we know…"

====

As Aegis Team walked through the grassy field that surrounded the town, their Active Cloak rendered them invisible to the unaided eye. Their near-invisible forms walked through the foliage, with their hands clutching their weapons.

"I'll tell you one thing." Adams whispered. "This place is beautiful."

"It is, but stay focused." Gates said. "We've got a mission to finish."

It wasn't long before they found themselves near a stone bridge over a riverbed with a building nearby.

"What's that, a school?" Trevor asked.

"How can you tell?" Adams asked.

Trevor motioned to a nearby sign, which read "Ponyville Schoolhouse" in red letters. Though it was english text, it was slightly more blocky and bold than human script.

"Ponyville, that's where we are." Sipes said. "Who the hell names a town Ponyville?"

"Don't know, don't care." Gates said. "Flank around, and start taking photos. Get everything documented and we'll send it back when we can."

As the Ghosts looped around the building and peeked inside, they saw a group of young-looking, pastel-colored equine quadrupeds sitting at desks. A clearly female and older equine sat at a desk, most likely grading papers.

"Fuck me." Gates said. "Miniature horses, some with horns."

"And wings." Trevor added over the Cross-com. "What is this place, some little kid's paradise?"

"At least they can write in english." Gates said. "Let's move and recon the rest of the town."

As the Ghosts moved away, one of the beings near the window looked to her right at the exact same moment the Ghosts cloaked.

====

Scootaloo's eyes widened as the mirages faded away into the grass near the playground. Shaking her head and then wiping her eyes, she scoffed to herself.

"Just your eyes seeing things, Scoots." she whispered. "Even though I'm pretty sure I saw mirages in the middle of the day when I shouldn't have, and they looked an awful lot like ghosts…"

Scootaloo pulled out a small notepad.

"Note to self-speak to Twilight about ghosts or mirages." she wrote. "She'll know what's going on."

"What's going on, might I ask?"

As Scootaloo jumped at the sound of Diamond Tiara's voice, she quickly frowned.

"Nothing you'd be concerned about." Scootaloo said, putting the note in her school bag.

"That's exactly what I'm concerned about." Diamond Tiara scoffed. "If you're so into keeping it secret, I'd like to know."

"It's none of your business." Scootaloo said more firmly. "Leave me alone, Diamond."

"Give me that note and I will." the filly said. "What's the matter? Something personal?"

"Diamond, even if I do give you my note, you'd still tease me." Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. "But if you must know, I saw a few mirages outside. Nothing to worry about."

"Really? You can't fly and now you're seeing mirages in the middle of the day?" Diamond laughed. "You really are hopeless."

"I know what I saw." Scootaloo said as Diamond sauntered over to the window. Pushing the window open, she scanned the playground with a haughty scoff.

"Nothing." she said. "Just the delusional blank-flank seeing things…"

As Scootaloo toned out Diamond's usual teasing, she then saw another mirage approach the window.

Make that four mirages. They weren't shaped like a pony, and if Scootaloo hadn't seen them before, she wouldn't have noticed them. One of the mirages took something out, and while still invisible, held it up.

It was a small canteen. As Scootaloo watched, the mirage opened it and held the canteen over Diamond Tiara's head. Then, it made a "hush" motion with its hoof.

It then dumped the entire canteen's worth of water onto Diamond Tiara with a graceful flourish. As the entire class looked on, a now thoroughly soaked Diamond Tiara began to wail like a banshee.

"What? Who? What?" she stammered. "My mane is ruined!"

As the entire class burst out laughing, Scootaloo watched the mirages turn away from the schoolhouse and head towards Sweet Apple Acres. They all faded away, except for one.

As Scootaloo looked on, the mirage saluted before disappearing into the air.

====

As the Ghosts made it out of earshot, Trevor immediately burst out laughing at Gates's actions.

"I can't fucking believe you just did that!" he chortled.

"I don't particularly like bullies." Gates shrugged. "Also Trevor, quiet down. You'll alert at least half the town."

"Sorry." Trevor sighed. "We moving?"

"Yeah." Gates said. "We'll find somewhere isolated to let our Cloak batteries recharge, then we'll radio command. Clear?"

"Clear." the other three Ghosts said. As they proceeded into an apple orchard, Gates smiled to himself.

"Focus, Gates." he said to himself. "You're on mission. You can think about this later, man. Focus!"

As they entered a barn near the orchard, they deactivated their cloak and began to rest up, with Adam's Super 90 pointed at the door.

Author's Note

Update!

Edit-Reworked plot and corrected errors, and expanded the chapter.

Next time-First contact between the Ghosts and the CMC.

EDIT - 4/19/19 - New edits.