Author's Note

Hopefully this bridges a gap for some of you. I can't please everyone but hopefully this helps you all.

Discovery and Choices

Date: July 10th 4042
Time : 0700 Greenwich time
Location: Equestria, Security Zone 1 (Ponyville.) A.K.A Push back
Units: 375th LDT

Walking into the large black building in the center of security zone one he prepared for some kind of ass chewing. Usually that's what happened when you got called in for a private conversation with the fleet lead or anyone higher than you in general. It was rarely ever to commend you on a job well done or tell you that you could take a break and even a break could mean you were being considered for something but at that point it might be 50/50 you were getting a promotion.

Tapping the holotable up sprang a light before forming into a U.S.I.A.N.A.C symbol of an phoenix with crossed claymore swords behind it and in it's talons bore olive branches. The image quickly faded to an image of the fleet's captain with the table bringing out his features easy enough. Behind Gerad stood his first sergeant. Both snapped to attention before being told to be at ease and rest.

"Gentlemen, we need to speak. It's time I told you the full reason that we're here on this world and this will come as a shock or maybe even shatter foundations. Using scenarios and projections as well as identifying tectonic plates through the ships sensors, analysis of the planet has brought us to one very clear conclusion but before that, besides the tectonic plating and scans we also have identified several similarities between the equines on our worlds, eagles, lions, etcera. We believe there may have been a period of cross breeding, there is the secondary matter which feeds into our reasons for being here".

Next to the fleet captain there appeared a large quadruped creature with the face of a man and the head of a bull. "This....is satan himself. What you are looking at is evil incarnate and the form he has chosen. Whether you're religious or not this is one of three reasons we are here. The Griffin coalition has been trying to crack the gates of hell open to make a deal with this creature or as we have code named him....Uriel".

Gerad looked back at his senior NCO and received a frown and a shrug. "Come again? Are you saying we somehow identified the devil himself? Look, as advanced as we are we have no way of scanning each individual life form like that".

The fleet captain shook his head and held up a book. "This, was gifted to us by the solar Diarch Celestia. It contains the history of the world and her nation within it. Besides that we had sent a Star Killer team to this planet two months ago to scout the planet. This is the first time in a long time that Humans had set foot on this planet. They came back with information of a great war and intelligence that a certain faction believed it had found the gates of Tell or Tartarus or Hades or whatever you call it. Regardless they did a bit more digging and infiltrated deep into the faction's territory".

Setting the book down on a desk out of view from Gerad and the first sergeant he continued. "They confirmed that the gates of Hell had been found and that this faction now known as the Griffin coalition. They believe they can...control him and the powers of Hell or at least cut a deal with him. See what the Griffins want is total and utter domination of the planet and to remain unchallenged wherever they go. This involved capturing four princesses. The princess of the sun, the princess of love, the princess of magic, and a mare I know you've gotten well acquainted with the princess of the moon".

The Image of the creature vanished as the captain brought up the map. "See this Star Killer team has found that the princess of love has already been captured. They were on the verge of capturing the princess of magic but then we showed up. That village you intervened at happened to be the village she resided in. After her it would have been the solar and lunar princesses. In short, we put a massive tungsten wrench in their plans. Gentlemen, we are the stopping point for this".

Gerad gritted his teeth. "So why not move them off planet where they'll be safer? No offense sir but wouldn't it make it impossible to get to them"? He asked.

The fleet captain crossed his arms, cocking his hip to the side. "And what do you think the ponies would see that as? They'd see it as a kidnapping of their leaders and mass panic would ensue. No, they're much better down here where they calm their people and we need them on our side. This isn't the second exodus where we left earth. We can't just kidnap entire families to ensure a species survival or the survival of a race and culture. This fight is one we can not grab and run on. We may have had that privilege in the past where we could evacuate entire civilizations off dying worlds but not this time".

Unfolding his arms the display changed and an image of old earth appeared. The United States exactly where it had been in the year 2020. That was eighty five years before the second exodus where humanity was forced to leave earth.

"Captain....this creature is responsible for our loss of our home". As the fleet captain said this the world began to change to match a secondary planet that appeared. In the span of ten seconds they matched perfectly and flashed green. "This is our home".

Gerad felt like a ton of brick had hit him in the gut. "Wait wait wait what?! There's no fucking way that's possible! We would have been told before hand and........unless this is why we weren't told. It's still at risk of being a total failure. We're fighting to get out home back and if we fail then there wouldn't have been a point in saying we found it again". As realization dawned on him a pit formed in his stomach to make way for the bricks.

"I know it's a lot to take in commander. Trust me, it shocked me too my core but right now we are fighting for the home of humanity. Our foundations and above all, for our soul. You feel it, we all feel it, that hole inside where it doesn't seem to matter what planets we colonize it's never truly home. Haven't you noticed that feeling has faded since we got here"? The fleet captain asked.

Gerad took a moment and thought long and hard. He had been feeling different since he got here. More peace, more fulfilled and complete. "I...I guess captain. What do we do now though? If they bring that creature back it could mean losing our home again".

The fleet captain just sighed and gave a small chuckle. "I don't know captain but if I were you, I'd fight harder than before to make sure we return home and that these being that replaced us don't suffer the same fate. Commander, as of right now you're leading the charge to take back our home and make the bastard that almost destroyed us pay for his crimes. We are not perfect beings but what we are is Human and you know as well as I do, we don't take kindly to when people take what is ours. So I leave the choice to you. Do we leave or do we stay and retake our home"?

It was a a tough question. They could leave and not have to worry about this planet but at the same time he'd be burying part of the past. On the other hand they fight and possibly contend with a beast out of religious history but in doing so save their home and an entire species. One other thing popped into his head, Luna, the moon princess had been kind to him and his men. She had been kind to him and soothed his torturous dreams the night before. It wasn't a kindness he could leave unpaid.

"I say we fight. These people we showed up for have been kind and good to us, fighting by themselves for god knows how long without any proper help. One has even gone out of her way to sooth my soldiers at night despite it possibly exhausting her. I can't bring myself to abandon them and I refuse to abandon this planet once more. We're not children anymore and we sure as hell wont run like it. We'll fight like the big brother we've become". His tone was determined even though he knew it would be struggle.

The fleet captain smiled. "That's what I wanted to hear. Commander Gerad, I am giving you full control of forces on the ground to save not just our home but their's too. As of right now by order of Fleet Battle Group Commander Corona and Fleet Battle Group Commander Phoenix you have a blank check and access to what you need to accomplish the liberation of our world". With that the fleet captains figure vanished and they were left in the dim light of the room.

"Guess we better get to it then captain". His First Sergeant said and pounded his fist on Gerad's shoulder pauldron before walking out of the building.

Gerad shook his head with a a sad smile before walking outside to see princess Luna surrounded by children who were dancing and playing around her. A thought crossed his mind that she'd make an excellent mother before he made his way down the hill and away from the black building.

"It's been read in a book somewhere that the opposite of fear isn't courage the opposite of fear is love". - 1st LT Elliot Ackerman Alpha Company 1st battalion 8th marines after the second battle of Fallujah 2004.