Author's Note

Yeah not much to say in this one that I didn't say in the first chapter. This one is again just a bit of story and world building. May seem a little rushed or sloppy but whatever, just how I write things. Like last time, hopefully somebody finds this even a little interesting cause I'm slowly developing even more of the world in my head as I go.

intelligent life found . . .

{sd3}> warning - movement detected at base station . . .
{sd3}> activating base station . . .

A deep mechanical growl radiates from the metallic capsule - the base station. The intensity of the sound practically shook the ground, completely drowning out any and all sound in the immediate area.

> deploying deterrents . . .

The shell of the capsule are flung away, one of the hitting a tree hard enough to get lodged into it. The now exposed interior of the capsule revealed a mess of cables, circuit boards, steel and various little machines that one wouldn't be able to even begin to guess what their purposes are. A faint electronic buzz slowly fades into the surrounding air as a bright red glow appears from the capsule, facing each cardinal and ordinal direction. Just beyond a small boulder stood a group of life forms.

> scanning . . .
> life form detected - earth-like life form . . .
> resembles equine - horse - unnatural colouring . . .
> holding equipment - lost pack horses (?) . . .
> intelligent life nearby (?) . . .

What appeared to be several horses with different articles of equipment from simple bags to even head wear were standing behind a boulder, just looking at the base station. Some would look to others amongst themselves, others dared not the move at all. Just then, another, slightly smaller equine emerged from hiding behind the boulder.

> analyzing . . .
> unique features . . .
> bone like protrusion from head - horn (?) . . .

The slightly smaller horses presumed horn begins to glow a light yellow, a rock a few feet in front of it begins to float off of the ground, slowly raising higher into the air until it was equal to the middle of the base station.

Plunk

The rock shot forwards quickly, hitting the base station just below the glowing red light.

> warning - under attack . . .
> deterrents activated . . .

The faint electronic buzzing from before grows slightly louder as a red beams shoots out from the glowing light, connecting with the horned horse and completely incinerating it into a cloud of ash. Not a moment passed before the group of horses scattered apart, galloping in any direction that was away from the base station. The horse that wore some sort of hat - reminiscent of that a naval captain would wear - had took a defensive stance, flinging the hat off revealing that it too had a horn.

A few moments of relative silence passed. Neither the horse nor the mysterious metallic machine did anything but watch each other.

> life form displaying caution (?) . . .
> possible intelligence (?) . . .

Realizing the machine may not attack unless he does, the pony starts to back away from it, though still keeping his eyes on it.

> hostile presence gone . . .
> deterrents deactivated . . .

The red glowing lights dissipate, the electronic buzzing disappearing with it.

> receiving data packet from sd3 (300mb). . .
> designation - language packet . . .
> creating word bank labelled 'Common' . . .
> initiating second priority - long range scan . . .

The few seconds of silence since the base station disabled its weapons was more then enough to tell the remaining equine that the machine was not seeking violence - but would display violence if provoke. Still backing away, the equine eventually turned tail and took off galloping as fast as it could until it was completely out of sight. The base station then soon whirred to life again, metallic legs folding out of the exposed capsule and stabilizing itself on the ground so it was flat and level, a small door opening near the bottom with a ramp that extended out and made contact with the forest floor. Out from the door came a small rover of some sort.

{rsr}> resource scanning rover online . . .
{rsr}> priority resource - ferrous . . .
{rsr}> scanning . . .
{rsr}> resource located - proceeding to place marker . . .

The little rover suddenly jolts forward towards the boulder that the group of horses were behind before attacking the base station. As it drew near, a little metal spike fires straight up out from on top of it before suddenly shifting its destination to the top of the boulder, sticking into it. A dim green light switching on from the exposed end as the rover rolls passed the boulder in search of other sources of the base stations currently most needed resource - iron.

Village of Heeth, Outskirts of Everfree Forest

Several hours later

"Sir, a self proclaimed captain of a Urelia Imperial Trading Company skiff wishes to speak to he. He says he and his crew encountered some sort of... Alien." A rather masculine but monotone voice speaks. Standing there in the doorway to an office stood a white coated and blue haired stallion adorned with a golden helmet and other pieces of armor. Ahead of him was a mahogany desk, in the chair on the other side sat another pony. This stallion too was coloured the same and wore similar armor, though more decorated to show a sign of superiority.

"What's a U.I.T.C. skiff doing this close to the capital?" The stallion asks himself before sighing slightly and adjusting his posture to look a little more professional. "Send them in." He says, the soldier in the door way nodding and retreating from the room. A few seconds later, another stallion enters the room - a maroon red coated and black haired unicorn. Without needing to be told, the unicorn bows before pulling out the seat on his side of the desk and sitting in it. "Let's start with your name, shall we?" The white stallion says.

"Finn, skiff captain and trader for the Urelia Empire." The maroon stallion answers plainly, though clearly exhausted.

"I'm Captain Jax of the Equestrian Royal Guard, this districts overseer peacekeeper. Ordinarily We wouldn't show such hospitality to one of a rival nation, but it seems you're a special case. An alien, you say you saw?" Jax questions, leaning forward over the desk slightly, showing that this Captain Finn had his attention at the moment.

"Yes, sir. My skiff was hit by something. It ignited our cargo and blew the thing out of the sky. Half my crew went with it..." Fin explains, pausing for a moment at the mention of those under him who perished. "I along with the remaining deckhands who survived went to investigate what collided with us," He continues to explain, Captain Jax still listening intently.

"When we found it, it let out some... Metallic growling and opened up. We weren't sure what it was, so I ordered one of my crew to throw a rock at it..." Finn says, shuddering a bit while recalling the events. Jax simply nodded for Finn to continue. "The very moment the rock hit it, some... Beam shot out and completely obliterated the one who threw the rock. He was turned into a cloud of dust in less then a second..." Finn continues, his tone now a little more sombre.

"What happened after that?" Jax asked, which Finn quickly responded, "Everypony scattered. They ran off in different directions, but I stayed. I wasn't about to run away after one of my crew was killed in front of me."

"And? Did you fight back?"

Finn sighs, defeated. "No. I didn't try to attack any of the others fleeing, so I figured that if I didn't attack it, it wouldn't attack me."

"And was that assumption correct?"

"Well I'm here, aren't I?" Finn responds, half sarcastic. "After realizing it wouldn't attack unless attacked, I took off running. I tried finding the others, but to no avail..."

Captain Jax thinks for a moment, before sitting straight up in his chair. "How long ago did this all happen?"

"6 hours ago, I think." Finn says plainly, looking down at the floor. He may have been essentially and enemy, but it was obvious he cared for those he commanded. A rare and admirable trait.

Jax stands up, clearing his throat. "I'll send a patrol out to find this 'alien' and your people. First thing tomorrow we'll open negotiations with Urelia to return you home. Until then, I'm afraid we'll have to keep you behind bars." Jax says, trotting around the desk and to the door leading out of his office before turning to Finn one last time. "You're a good lad, I can tell. Shame you're on the wrong side."

Survey Drone 3, Ruins, Everfree Forest

{sd3}> sending language packet (440mb) to base station . . .
{sd3}> sent . . .
{sd3}> opening note log . . .
Log 7: Several artifacts and devices implying a sentient equine race. Intelligence resembling that of early 18th century humans. Literature and drawings imply existence of 'magic'. Literature and drawings imply other species of similar intelligence and sentience to the aforementioned equines. Continuing to analyze. End log.

Floating around the dark and empty halls of the ruin, the little survey drone continues to scan through books and scrolls of all sorts, occasionally snapping pictures of different objects and such to further understand the peoples who constructed this structure. It had only be about 6 hours since the survey drone set out to investigate, but the information it collected had Ester's digital interest sufficiently piqued, so it would continue to scour the runs until the survey drone was
figuratively running on fumes.

> warning - large group of life forms approaching base station rapidly . . .
> possible hostile intent . . .
> activating base station camouflage . . .
{rsr}> activating camouflage . . .

Back at the base station, an electronic whirring begins, but quickly stops as the base station flashes bright white before disappearing entirely - it was invisible. Granted, the crater below it could give away its position, but it was dark enough that Ester knew that whatever group that was approaching wouldn't notice anything unusual. Though Ester was correct, it didn't factor in the possibility that the group approaching was an airship of some sort with armoured horses on its deck, scanning the horizon for something. It was clear that there was in fact a sentient and intelligent race of equine, and that they had a decent grasp on certain technologies. While they culture resembled that of the early 18th century, they did have technology beyond what 18th century humans had, in terms of transportation. Admittedly, the supposed existence of magic was likely the thing that made it possible, but it as still fascinating to Ester nonetheless. Something it wasn't designed to feel or think.

Eventually though, the airship passed by and the camouflage of the base station and resource rover dropped as they commenced their duties.

> long range scan complete . . .
> radio signal received . . .
> radio signal analyzed - accessing memory core 3 for archived data . . .
> memory core 3 damaged - partial data recovered . . .
> crux corvette detected . . .
> warning - crux identified as enemy of humanity . . .
> warning - recalling all rovers and drones . . .
> warning - new priority one - hide . . .

> To Be Continued . . .