For the average citizen of our fair country, the consequences of this attack were a mixed bag. For those without a strong local infrastructure, the Internet they had applauded the return of went right back where it came from. Their connections died. Their televisions went dark. Rural America was out of luck.

A window popped open, allowing a sufficiently rural looking person to complain bitterly about the sudden change, "What am I even payin' fer? They said it was even more 'reliable' than those little wires."

Urban centers saw much less effect. Most of their connectivity was based on the ground or in the air, not space. But even they were rocked by GPS suddenly stopping. Be it on a smart phone, smart car, or anything else supposedly intelligent, a wave of ignorance washed over them. A surprising few of those left still knew how to read a map properly.

An image of especially lost looking people sprang up, even if that was likely an exaggeration.

Less close at hand, people are lamenting a lack of connection with intercontinental friends and associates. The band that would connect the continents of America with the mainland of Equestria was well underway, but not complete. With the satellites vanishing, so too did that connection.

"We can't even reliably communicate with the ships doing the tunnel right now. They've probably stopped. With no GPS, how can they be absolutely sure they're placing things down where they need to be?" explained a smartly dressed man to the viewing audience. "This is a mess."

To the confusion of some, each side of the digital divide remains. Ponies can reach ponies. Humans can reach humans. But neither can finish their communication with the other, to speak nothing of the many services that ceased being available without warning.

A pony appeared on the screen, a harried mare. "I know it's a new thing, but I need my Netflix. I need to know how the series ends! I was just at the last episode!" She grabbed the camera with her hooves, shaking it lightly. "Does he die or not?! Why is human media so infuriatingly dramatic? I can't look away, but oops, guess I have. Guess everypony has." She sank back to her haunches, leaving the camera alone. "Are they going to fix it?"

That was a recording, flown in from across the waters. With the satellites out, we can't perform live recordings there at this time. The pilots that are willing to work at this time are getting hazard pay for doing it without much of the electronic assistance they're accustomed to.

Crowds of angry protesters have gathered outside the White House to demand action.

A new window revealed the named gathering, shouting and chanting to make their voices heard. Many held signs, but it was not hard to figure from it that they had no idea why they were having problems, just that they were there, and they were upset about it.

The president has gone on record saying that the ability to gather and protest was to be protected.

The president snapped into being, sharing space with the protest in progress on the display. "I will not follow the mistakes of others. So long as they are peaceful, to speak their mind is not only allowed, but protected. Police are there to protect them. If a bad faith actor engages in violence or vandalism, they will be addressed, not the entire crowd." She brought her hands down on her speaking podium. "We are investigating the cause of the outage. Since our arrival on this... place, certain basic assumptions have proven false. We are proceeding as quickly as is safe to address the situation."

Questions rose up in a furious moment of media trying to get their turn. "You." She pointed out one reporter.

The male stood up, "Thank you, Missus President. Is this a matter of natural interference, equipment failure, or active attack?"

"Right for the easy questions," joked the president, getting a little laugh in reply, which may have been her goal. "Our satellites are the first this world has ever seen. Our international allies have no advice on what could have caused this situation, so we have to look and see ourselves. An attack seems unlikely, with no country outside of our own capable of firing a rocket into orbit if they wanted to. I can report that no such missiles were launched by any of ours. As soon as we have more concrete information, we'll gladly share it. Next question?"

Grogar had a rare expression on his face. Not a scowl. Not a frown. Not even a smirk. He was smiling, a grin really, a low rolling chuckle emerging along with it. "You have set them back years... This is not an attack they will spring back from any time shortly." He turned that grin on Chrysalis. "You went outside my command, but, for once, I don't feel the need to ring your neck for doing so."

Chrysalis snorted softly. "I am capable of great ideas, you know. Cunning even." She directed a hoof at Grogar. "Speaking of that, you have your bell." There it was, dangling from Grogar's collar. "Why not use it to steal some magic, say, all of it, except mine."

"They need for subtlety." Grogar sat back, his smile not ebbing. "A need you just eroded. Our enemies were birds of prey, seeing all beneath them, now they are blinded to anything outside their nest. Just as well, their nest has the least amount of magic to seize anyway."

Tirek slammed his hands together. "Do we start with those ponies? Several of us got a gripe with them. It's long overdue."

Grogar waved that idea off. "There goes that streak. Our enemy may be dimmed, but they are close friends with the ponies. Attacking them will reach the humans too quickly. Never mind that a speedy pegasus could reach them within the day. No, we don't want to deal with ponies, or any other winged race, right now. They may be blinded, but they are also on guard. If we manage to get noticed, they will strike without hesitation."

Cozy leaned forward and in on Grogar. "Go for the island places, like the one I was just at?" She twirled a few fingers. "Ideally ones without many humans on it." She sighed dramatically at that. "You're not giving me a lot of chance to shine."

"Oh, but I will." He crossed his arms, hooves bobbing in the air. "I'm sending you right into the hornet's nest. Are you up for it?"

Cozy clasped her hands together. "I'm ready to do something instead of nothing. What have you got in mind?"

"Right to the heart." Grogar's horns glowed as a map flew over and spread out before him. "The District of Columbia. I need you to secure a position there. The more important the person you serve, the better. Ideally a male." Grogar snorted, his trademark frown returning. "A pity their current ruler isn't that. Nevertheless, that is your mission. Move carefully. The humans are paranoid, and in that place, even more so."

Cozy lifted her shoulders slowly. "Why do that when I could just be an important person?"

"Pardon?" Grogar's teeth set a moment, but they relaxed. "You know what? I'm feeling good. Go ahead. Tell me this idea of yours. If it's bad, at least I can get a laugh out of it."

"You gave me these powers." Cozy rolled her eyes. "Golly, you'd think you'd know it. If I just run for office, they'd elect me like that." She snapped her furry fingers with a cocky smile. "Then, pow, I am the important person."

"Bzzzt," buzzed Chrysalis like an angry alarm. "I see you don't know how humans work. To try for any position that matters, you have to be in their records, which you aren't. You are no citizen of the United States, brat. Do you have any idea how much work it was for me to get a changeling in there? And that didn't even work out well." She crossed her arms with a great pout. Such a great idea...

"So I bat my lashes at the right human to get a record first," countered Cozy. "Just some extra steps. Tell me what I need, since you know so gosh darn much."

Chrysalis extended a finger, which she had, matching Cozy's general shape, but in a more mature example. "First, you have to not be a brat. I'm not even joking, even if it is fun to call you that." A wicked smirk was worn on her face. "Only humans that are at least 30 winters old need apply. They are very focused on using winters as an age thing. Every winter they even have a party about it." She waggled her fingers in a tepid expression of joy and mirth.

"Alright." Cozy shrugged softly. "So get the person to add me to the records 30 winters ago, got it."

Chrysalis raised a brow. "Are you listening? You don't look that old" She waved over herself. "This is a thirty winter old human." She posed, presenting front and sides, hands down her center. "Bask in it. You look like, you should be carded when you ask for a drink and checked twice."

Cozy's brows fell together. "Sorry? What? Carded?"

Grogar had a hoof to his face. "This argument is wearing on my good mood. 'Carded' is when a human's documents are verified. They do it often, paranoid things. I can only assume age is related to getting a drink?" He raised a brow at that odd idea. "Are children not allowed to get water? How do they even survive?"

Tirek threw up his hands. "How are they standing in our way if they're so... broken?"

Chrysalis returned to her usual self in a rush of green flames. "Incompetents. When a human refers to 'drinks', they usually mean the kind that get you drunk. Those are the ones that get you carded. Ask for water and they don't care. Their children are not dehydrating, as funny at that would be."

All three of the others let out an 'oh' together. One mystery made plain. Tirek shrugged lightly. "That makes more sense at least."

Cozy smirked viciously. "So long as the one offering it was a male human, it wouldn't even be a challenge for me to get all the drinks I want. If they were a female, it'd take a bit more doing, but I can do it." She circled in front of Grogar. "Did I mention that? Gosh, slipped my mind. I can affect their mares! It's not exactly the same, but I can do it." She rubbed her hands together, cruel grin on her face. "I can convince them to elect me..."

Chrysalis let out a slow sigh. "Are you forgetting that, thirty winters ago, there were no humans here? You are not a human. You do not look human. The earliest you could have joined them was... ten? I forget the exact date." She shrugged softly. "Humans are very particular about their dates!"

"Right... Right..." Cozy danced her fingers against one another. "So I joined them not long after they showed up, but my birthday is thirty winters ago. That works, right?"

It was time for Chrysalis to look a little unsure. "I... think so? Humans are complicated. You would be the first not-human, I think, to get that position."

"Which means all eyes will be upon you," joined Grogar. "Are you certain this is a wise course, when simply becoming an assistant to an important human involves so much less attention?"

Cozy clenched a hand. "That just means more eyes on me, which... has other uses. Think of the long game, G-man."

"Never call me that again." Grogar snorted at the idea. "You showed you can act alone. Show me you can even be voted for, let alone win it."

"You won't be sorry." Cozy wandered off, an evil cackle allowed to escape. She'd have to hold those in when she got to the human lands.

Author's Note

Ah, the zoomed out look. I missed you! It takes time and money to put those things up there...

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