I spent the next days with Fred. Almost always...except when I was sleeping of course. He told me, that he worked with me as an agent 'cause of Dash. But later he became my friend, so he wanted to stay with me - I mean as a co-pilot. This shocked me a bit, but I understood. It was his job and he became my best friend...How could I be mad at him. Until Celestia's answer arrived, we started some "training" with some fighters - I guess IF we can go throught, we'll make it with an aircraft - and I always wanted to try out some more mobile planes, than the passenger type. But it wasn't always easy...

'Warning! FOX 2, FOX 2!' My fighter's computer alarmed me for an incoming missile.
"Darn, that's not good." I cursed to myself. I made a fast aileron roll to the right, then a sharp left turn and I also launched some flares, to shake off the rocket. Fortunatelly it missed me.
"You’re crazy Fred! I thought it's just a simple test flight!"
"You right Bri. I just thought, we can make some fun." and he shot another missile.
"Oh, son of..." and the missile reached its target...Me...Everything went black.

The canopy opened, and Fred was standing next to me, with a huge grin.
"The second launch wasn't fair, you know?" I looked at him with an annoyed glare.
"I know, don't worry. Thunder, what is the current stance?"
'If my memory unit is correct, it is 2:5 to Fred's benefit' a very energetic female voice told us. Sometimes it...she reminded me of Dashie. Thunder was Fred's "jewel". She was some kind of diagnostically program, but sometimes she could react like she was alive. That's a fact. Fred told me she’s just a simple program, but I think she is a bit more than a "simple" program...I think she's some kind of AI.
"Besides...This is just a simulator. The real flight is not this easy. In a real fight you can do some trick." I told him. He raised an eyebrow.
"Really? What kind of trick?"
"That's a secret." I smirked.
"You know what? Show me what you can do with a REAL fighter, huh?"
"Are you sure about that?" I asked him. "Am I ready for this?"
"Well - as I saw - you absolutely are."

We went out of the complex, and headed to the fighter hangars.
"Ok, I fly with a Lightning..." Fred told me "...Which do you want? Another F-35?"
"No thanks. I need something...older." And I pointed to a certain Russian double-engine fighter.
"The Fulcrum?" he started laughing. "You’re kidding, right?" I crossed my arms with a knowing smile. "No."
"Well, if you want to lose again...ok."

The crew loaded the two planes with fuel, and we took off...Fred of course used that fancy vertical take off ability. Then we made some "test laps" to get used to the plane.

"Okay, are you ready to lose again?" Fred told me throught the radio. "No, I'm ready to win this match."
"You know...okay, first we fly toward the other, pass each other from left, then start the fight, ok?"
"Yeah, I got it."
I turned around. I was at the one side of the base; Fred was on the other side. We started to fly towards each other.
"Okay..." Fred told through the radio "...one...two...FIGHT!"

We passed each other - approx 1 meter between the two bellies - and I started a sharp turn. I knew, my MiG-29 wasn't as mobile as Fred's F-35, but I could make it a bit difficult for him to catch me. After a minute chase, he got behind me. I heard the alarm's beep, which means he's targeting me.
"I think this the end Dash." Fred told me, and I heard his laugh.
"I don't think so." I pushed the throttle to max. thrust and pulled the joystick as hard as I could. 'Come on Migy, you can do this.' The Fulcrum picked up her nose, and started a cobra maneuver. As I stopped in the air, and Fred passed below me, I heard his 'What the... comment. I just laughed. After that, I dropped Migy's nose, and started to chase Fred's plane. He tried to shake me down, but I didn't give up. He tried a sharp left turn. I also turned left, with a Cobra turn, locked him, and... "I won hahaa!"
"Hey, it's not fair...you cheated!" "Sorry, but you're wrong. I didn't cheat; just used my plane's abilities." I answered.
"U-uuh, it was a cheat." He tried to convince me. 'Sorry Fred, but Brian is right. It wasn't a cheat.' Thunder told us. Fred must have installed her into his Lightning.
"Thunder, why are you on his side?"
'Hey, I’m just telling the truth. I'm not on his side.' she...protested?
"Okay, okay. So...next turn?" He asked me.
"Sure." I answered.

The match's upshot was 2:5...to my benefit. I also used the Kulbit maneuver sometimes, which also impressed Fred. But the last fight...was interesting.
Fred learnt from his mistakes, and always tried to keep distance behind me. But I had one more trick.
I pulled the throttle back between 1/2 and 3/4. It caused an incomplete combustion, and Migy started smoking, like a factory's chimney. And Fred blinded.
"Where are you?" He asked.
"Just follow the smoke." I answered. Then, I launched some flare, which caused Fred to pull up the nose of his plane. As fast as I could I pulled back the throttle to zero, and opened the speedbrake. In the next second I was behind, and locked him.

After landing we went to eat something. I must tell you, the food was very good...for a military base.
We spent the next two to three months like this and we helped each other, to be the best fighter pilots in the base. And I waited. Waited for the signal from the Princess. The scientists connected the computer to the receiver and to a three-colored LED: red, yellow, and green. The yellow one informs us, when the receiver has contact with the synchronizer. I think it's needless to say, what the red, or the green light meant.

Every morning, my first task was to check the reciever, but I was always dissapointed.
"I'm afraid, they'll never answer." I told to Fred, when he arrived.
"Don't worry. Maybe the princess needs to think about it. I'm sure they will..." 'BEEP...BEEP...BEEP'
'Attention! Incoming signal.' the computer alarmed us.
"See, I told you." Fred said to me, and the yellow light started blinking. I watched the light. 'Green...please switch to green.'
Some blinks later the light switched...to red. A world collapsed in my heart. Fred patted my shoulder. "Sorry buddy, I guess it's not..."
'Malfunction detected. Please wait' the lights switched off. 'What?' Then the yellow started blinking again, but this time, it switched to green.
'Approval received...starting to locate the 3 dimensional target.' The locator appeared on Equestria's map and started to zoom to Canterlot.
Target located...Equestria, Canterlot, Canterlot Castle. Initializing time synchronization.' The gate generator started rotating, but this time not as fast as when we sent the synchronizator to Equestria.
'Synchronization started. Estimated time to finish...3 months.'
Everybody cheered. We did it. Three months and I can see her again.
"Ok, Captain...I guess this is the time to show you something." Fred told me, and we walked to the elevator..

Equestria, Canterlot Castle

'Synchronization started. Estimated time to finish...3 months.'

"That's...that's a week before Hearts Warming Eve!" Twilight shouted.
"Well, that’s tha best gift fer Dash. They can see each other." AJ explained.
"You're right Applejack. That's the best gift for each other." Rarity agreed.

All of the ponies were very happy, to be able to make Dash happy.
"Yes, you are right. She will be very pleased indeed." Princess Celestia told them. "But I think it is not as easy as it looks like. Let's have a closer look at this machine." The princess slowly walked closer to the synchronizer and noticed a little problem...a keyboard.
"Hmm...I guess we need a pony who can handle it. Would any of you know somepony?" she asked the others with a knowing smile.
"You mean somepony, who came from another world?" Twilight asked.
"Somepony, who is my syster's 'big brother'?" Rarity continued.
"Somepony, who’s now living in a house near the Everfree?" Applejack narrowed the list.
"Uhm...somepony, who’s...living with, uh....me?" Fluttershy asked in her whispering voice.
"Yes, Fluttershy. I am indeed thinking about him." Celestia answered their questions all at once. "He is in your house now. Is that correct my dear Fluttershy?"
"Uhm...yes, he's still sleeping." The yellow pegasus answered. Celestia's horn started glowing, and in the blink of an eye, a certain earth pony stallion appeared in the throne room. He was lying on the floor, still snoring..

Earth

Brian

Fred and I went to the elevator. As soon as we entered, he pressed the top floor's button and the lift started moving.
"Well, Brian...I'm just curious. What do you think? What kind of vehicle we'll use to go to Equestria?"
"That's a good question. So...my first guess was some kind of well equipped research plane, because both of us are very good pilots. So, I thought for example a 737, or an A320. But as I saw the hangar's size, it can be a 747 or an A380 too. But after theese fighter lessons...I'm completely out of possibilities." In that time we reached the top floor, and went throught the other door - where I never had a chance to see in. We went up a stair and entered a room. There wasn't anything; just a huge window, and a computer on the other side. I didn't see anything throught the other room - maybe they turned off the lights in that room.
"Well...not wrong ideas, buuut..." he paused a little and went to the computer "...I guess, the A320 was the closest to the thruth." he clicked the mouse and nodded towards the window. What I saw; I can't write it down... The lights slowly turned on, one-by-one. What I saw... 'It's impossible'. Sharp, long, droop-nose, huge double delta-wings and...winglets? She was there. The most famous SST plane in the world. A...no, The Concorde...but she had some upgrades.
"F-Fred...you...you’re trying to make fun of me, right?" I couldn't think, I couldn't breath.
"Don't worry, it's not a joke. Do you want to see her closer?"
I turned to him. "Of course...if you don't need to kill me after that."

Fred almost pulled me into the hangar, because I was completely frozen on the spot there. As we walked to the plane it grew bigger and bigger - I know it's normal, but in that situation...
"Uh...I saw one in an aviation museum, but as I remember they were a bit smaller, or am I wrong?" I asked Fred.
"No. You're right. Her offical name is the 'SST2', but I just call her 'Concorde NG'."
I walked near her dropped nose and gently caressed it. Her nose was perfectly smooth, and...so was she. Perfect.
"Aaand, how many modifications did you make?" I asked Fred.
"Oh, not many...first of all - as you see - she is a bit bigger than her ancestors. She's now 75 meters long, her wingspan is 35 meters and her height is now 25 meters, instead the 'old' 61/25/12. I know it’s not a horrible difference, but fairly enough for my goals. Just like in the old times, every part is made in Toulouse, but the assembly took place here. The engines are also Rolls-Royce engines. But these are quieter and stronger and the winglets are helping us to use a bit less fuel. We also upgraded the suspension, now she can land almost everywhere, from the flattest asphalt runway to the worst field. And because she's bigger - and heavier - the main gear now has THREE pair of wheels."
I couldn't say anything, but I noticed something. "Impressive. But...what's this?" I saw a long, some kind of hole at the begin of the wings. Fred just turned to me with a smile. "Believe me; you don't want to know it."
"If you say so...And what about the top speed? I guess that's around Mach 2, right?" Fred turned to me with a huge smile.
"Well...not really. On the tests she reached Mach 4 speed, but the engines have a limiter, so she is maybe able to fly faster, but I don't think, the fuselage can sustain it." My jaw dropped.

We climbed up on a stair, which was built into the belly directly behind the nosewheel. Inside, the plane looked more like a little house, than an airplane.
"Inside we have everything we need...Kitchen, toilet, bedroom, and some other little thingies."
"Not bad Fred, but I thought I'll find sensors and computers here, or something like this."
"Oh yeah. Those are mostly in the front cargo deck." We slowly walked forward and stopped in front of a door. "And here is our new, second, home." With this he opened the door. It was beautiful. The cockpit looked like somewhere between the old and the 787's cockpit. There were four seats: one, each for the captain and the first officer, and two at the back for - maybe - the guests. I sat down into the captain's seat to try it. It was very comfortable.
"I see, you like it" Fred told me, there was a huge grin on his face.
"Yeah, not bad." I answered.
"I have to show one more thing to you. It's the most important part of the plane. Come on." I got up from the seat and followed him.
We went to the rear side of the plane. There was a narrow corridor. Left side was a door with a 'Fusion generator' label...'I guess this is her battery' I thought. On the right side was a door with the label 'jump drive'.
"Huh...strange name."" I mused to myself.
"Yes, but it’s true." Fred told me and opened the door. There was a gate generator like in the base, except it was...smaller, and in the center was a plastic box.
"That's the core's place. Unfortunately we couldn't make more than one and I guess you can't help." he told me with a knowing smile. I pulled out Dashie's feather from my coat and placed it into the box. Fred connected it with some cables. As he connected the last cable to the box, the feather started glowing...just a little bit, and the whole plane 'came to life'. Some computers started humming and lights turned on.
'Systems starting. Welcome Fred and Brian.' a familiar voice greeted us.
"Thunder? You installed Thunder to the plane?" I asked Fred, who just nodded.
'To be honest, it was my idea. Both of you know, that I'm a very good diagnostical program, which can check 5000 programs at the same time. With theese capabilities I was the best choice for you.'
"That makes sense." I admitted.

We slowly walked out of the hangar. I was very happy...Three months and I can see my daughter again. Tears of joy were already forming in the outlines of my eyes.
But I saw that something was bothering Fred.
"Hey, are you okay? You look like someone, who lost his best friend."
"Yeah, no problem, just..." he looked around "...Lets go for a ride." I just nodded.

We drove away from the base, to a little restaurant in the next village. We ordered some food, and waited.
"Are you sure, you’re alright? You’re acting a bit strange since we left the plane."
"Yeah…I'm just...hell." He looked around; I guess he looked for agents. "Look. You trust me, right?"
"Yes, of course. Why?"
"Well, when we'll arrive to...our destination...you can do anything you want to. You can go everywhere and meet everyone. Just remember one thing: I say anything, I do anything...You. Must. Trust. Me. Okay?"
I was a bit surprised. "Uhh, okay, but why do you say this to me?"
"Because...Look, I don't want to tell details, but there will be that time, when you don't know who is your friend, and who is an enemy anymore. And please, don't ask me about it. I'm already in big trouble if they know I told you this."
"Ok, ok, don't worry. I won't talk about it."
He sighted "Thanks."
"One more thing...you sent the Concorde's parameters to the ponies?" He just nodded.
"Great. Because we'll need a landing site, and I don't think Applejack will be very happy, if we accidentally use her farm as a runway." I said as we both broke out into a fit of laughter..

Equestria

The five ponies and the two princesses are standing next to Connor.
"So...we have to wake him up as fast as possible, BUT without any problem." Twilight suggested. "What about a 'good morning kiss, Fluttershy?"
"Oh, that never works. He's a very hard sleeper." the yellow pegasus answered.
"Hmm...I think, I have an idea." Princess Luna spoke up. "Can I try it?"
"Uh, Luna,...you don't plan to wake him with the Royal Canterlot Voice, do you?" Celestia asked a bit worried.
"Oooh, nonononono. Don't worry about that."
"In this case...Ok, you can try it." Celestia answered, but she was still ready to do something, if things were starting to go into a bad direction.
Luna quietly walked to Connor's face and lied down. Their faces were just some centimeters apart. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and...

"GOOOOD, MORNIIIIIIIIING!!!"
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" and in the next moment there was just a little, light brown, cloud were Connor snored mere moments ago.
"Luna, what did you do?" Celestia asked shocked.
"Nothing, I just woke him up!" the other princess protested.
"In that case...where is he now?" Twilight asked. They looked around everywhere in the room, but couldn't find him for Celestia’s sake.

They almost gave up the search, when they heard a familiar voice.
"T-t-t-tha-that wa-wasn't f-f-funny." They looked up to the voice's direction. Connor clung on the chandelier...upside down and shuddered.
"Uuh...Connor? What are ya doing up there?" Applejack asked.
"Oh nothing AJ, I’m just...changing the lightbulb." he answered.
"Suuure...So you don't jump up on the chandelier, because you were scared from Princess Luna using her Royal Canterlot Wake-up, riiight?" Pinkie asked him.
"Of course not. As I already told you..." but he was interrupted by Princess Celestia.
"Connor, it's not a bad objection, buut...thoose chandeliers are using magic, not lightbulbs." the others started giggling and Connor started blushing. "Soo, THAT'S why I can't change it..., ahaaaa. Can somepony help me please?" he asked, pointing to the ground.
"Of course. Just don't move" Luna told him, and her horn started glowing.
"Ok, but I wanted to take a trip to the ceiling." Connor shooted his last joke, before a dark blue aura helped him to the ground. When he finally was down, he started kissing the floor several times; this caused a little laught from everypony.

"Okay, so...*yawn*...Sorry. So, why am I here? He asked.
"We brought you here, because...this." Twilight told him, pointing to the synchronizer.
Connor's eyes widened. He slowly walked around the device to inspect it. Then he noticed the keyboard. "Let me guess, I have to do this for you, because you can't handle it?" he pointed to the keys.
"Yes. But if you can help us, we can make Rainbow Dash very happy." Pinkie answered.
"And what is the connection between Dash and this?" the light brown stallion asked.
"Because Dash's father sent this." AJ told him. Connor looked to the device again. After some seconds he turned to the others with a huge grin on his face. "Then...what are we waiting for."

After half an hour, Connor got everything he needed for the work: two pencils, two rings to attach the pencils to his hooves, and two glasses of water: one to drink and one to wake him up perfectly. Now a wet headed stallion sat behind the keyboard. Shining Armor and Princess Cadence also arrived, because they heard Luna's 'good morning'.

"Okay, let's see, what we have." He started to 'look around' on the computer. "Hmm. Here's a video file...'First things first'. Strange name, but it makes sense." he pushed 'Enter'. Suddenly the monitor blacked out and the machine started playing the file. They saw a familiar human on the monitor.

'Princesses, Welcome! Princess Celestia already knows who I am but, you, Luna; I guess we didn't have the chance to meet personally. I'm Rainbow Dash's father. I know, you have a lot of questions, but I don't have much time, because we want this video to be as short as we can make it. First of all, thank you to approve our trip to Equestria. As I wrote in the letter, this device can help to eliminate the time difference between our worlds. In this computer you will find everything you need to know about how we'll arrive, and with what. I hope I don't ask too much, but I guess you have to make some preparations, so our arrival will be perfect. But try to do something for me and this is the most important thing...don't tell Dashie anything. As I wrote it, I want to surprise her. And I also guess, a very excited pegasus also can't help you' - he winked. 'Later we'll install a communication system into the computer too, so we'll able to discuss the details. Until that...good bye.'

The menu appeared again. Some seconds later Connor turned to the other ponies.
"Brian? Brian is Rainbow's dad?" he asked.
"You know him!?" they asked in unison.
"If I know him? Of course I know him! He was one of my best friends! We met on a summer holiday, and slowly became the best friends, until I....arrived here." he looked back to the monitor.
"That's good; you can see each other again." Pinkie told to him, bouncing up and down in excitement.
"Yeah, just three months. Okay, let's see. What kind of thing will bring him here?" He asked himself, starting to navigate through the files.
"I guess that's it. So, it will be an airplane. Hmm...'SST2'? The name sounds a bit familiar." He opened it. Suddenly a 3 dimensional holographic image appeared in the room's center. Everypony jumped back a little.

"It's...impressive." Shining spoke up first. "Is every airplane looking like this in your world?" he asked Connor.
"No..." the stallion answered "...The Concorde had a unique design. She was one of the two only supersonic passenger planes on my world."
"And what does the supersonic title mean?" Cadence asked. Connor laughed a bit.
"To be honest, I waited for this question, but from Twilight, or Rainbow." The two mares looked at him confused.
Connor switched back to his serious mood. "Okay, so...when Rainbow Dash is performing a Sonic Rainboom, she’s as fast as the sound. The humans call that speed transonic speed..." the others nodded "...and the supersonic speed is the speed, which is faster than this." The three princesses just stood there, the jaws of the other ponies simply dropped.
"Wai-wai-wait sugarcube...ya mean...this thang can fly faster than Rainbow Dash?" Applejack tried to find her voice.
"Yep. Twice as fast. But this is an upgraded version and as I read, she can fly with Mach 4 speed...that means four times faster than Dash." some ponies simply collapsed as they heard this. Rainbow was Equestria's fastest pegasus. They couldn't imagine anything flying faster than her.
"But her mightiness is her weak point too. The engineers designed her for speed, but at low speed - Take off, and landing - she's a bit unstable. So she needs a long place where she can stop."
"And how long would that place have to be?" Cadence asked.
"Let's see...she has wheelbrake, speedbrake, and reverse thrust too, that's better than the old ones. Ah, I found it...she needs two kilometers for the safe stop, and this is also enough for the take off."

"I guess from here on, it's your task to do everything we need to do to help Brian with his arrival." Princess Celestia told them. "If you need any help, just ask us. I think Shining Armor will be happy to help you with anything he can."
"Of course princess." he bowed.
"Good. In this case we now continue our duties. Have a good day." and with that, Celestia and Luna left the throne room.

"So...they need a 2 km long strip, far from Rainbow Dash, but close enought to Ponyville?" Shining summarized the informations.
"You're right. And I know the perfect place, but I don't know what the owner will say."
"I guess I know who you are talking about." the white unicorn answered with a smile on her face. They both turned to Applejack, who was a bit confused. "What?"
"AJ, your farm is perfect for this landing site. I know you’re not really happy, but this is the only way." Connor tried to convince the cowmare.
"Actually Ah think Ah have a little place near the Everfree, where we haven’t got any trees." she answered.
"I don't know...there are lots of crazy winds. What if they'll arrive in the worst time?" Twilight noted.
"In that case, we'll call the best pegasi in Equestria." Armor winked. Everypony knew who he meant.
"Poor Dash, she can't be there..." Connor smiled.

Author's Note

Hi again! I hope you still wait the next chapters. Sorry if somebody think I bring too much technology into the story, but this is my style, I can't help. About the hangar scene and the Concorde's idea...it was my inspiration. SPOILER WARNING FOR MASS EFFECT 2 GAMERS