Project Rift

Real and Alive

                  "...MY GOD"

It wasn't fake or just imagination that was there before them. The only thing that was heard from it was small sound of wind, and everything else was quiet. Rift was Alive.

"It is real...it's actually alive", said Ray, completely left with afew words by the unimaginable creation that was real.

   "Woah....That's really cool",Alvarez said enjoying how the portal was 'awesome'. The two generals looked at all of them enjoying the dumbstruck expressions of their military personel. Granger looked at the two Apache pilots seeing them with their eyes wide open, and one of them was moving his mouth, but no words came out. Townes continued to enjoy the moment, when he heard a small whisper from Velazquez.

   "You guys are insane..."

Townes glanced back at him with a small smirk; "I know we are"

Ray kept on staring at the portal, but snapped himself out of his trance. Ray turned his towards the group, and saw they were still awed by the portal. He looked back at the portal again, enjoying how the design was; white on the arms, light blue near the arms, then becoming a dark blue around the center. A question appeared suddenly in Ray's head, and quickly turned towards Townes and asked him, "How long was this being developed?"

"About a few years this thing has been under development", answered Townes, raising his eyebrows at the portal on how long its been to complete this project. Ray nodded at the answered, and returned back to staring at 'Rift'. Townes looked at all of them, deciding it was now time to free them from their trance.

"I bet you all wonder now what we're going to do with it now?"

The whole group realized they were being spoken to by Townes, and quickly paid full attention to him.

"Well, since now you're all free from 'imagination land'. General Granger here will now explain a little bit more about the portal, General Granger if you would".

Granger cleared his throat and began to speak, "While the portal was being developed we didn't know what would happen if anything went through it. We decided to test it first by making objects go through it, but some of us decided it was funny to throw things at it!!!". Granger gave a terrifying death stare at some scientists and technicians working in the hangar. "Well...continuing on, they would go through, but we didn't know where they ended up, and we also didn't want to risk any human life being lost through the portal itself".

"I'll take it from here, Granger", said Townes, leading the explanation. "After a few more years of testing, we decided that now is the time to explore on what's on the other side. The really good thing is though, is that our scientists have tracked where the portal's exit point is. I'll show where it is, follow me"

The whole group followed Townes into a small room right next to the portal. There was another projecter in the room showing a picture of the galaxy on the screen. The picture was tagged by red arrows pointing in different directions, multiple sections were highlighted, and a red circle on one specific area of the galaxy. The squad and the two pilots looked at the picture amazed on how it was designed as if the galaxy was under humanity's control.

"Jones! Show our 'guests' here where the exit point is most likely at", commanded Townes, at a scientist behind a desk working on a laptop in front of him. Jones pressed a few keys on the keyboard, and the display zoomed in precisely on the red circle marked on that area of the galaxy. The projector showed a star system first, then showed a few planets and moons. The projector zoomed in again at a certain planet this time, and stopped there. Granger pointed at the planet; "There... that's where the portal's exit point is originating from".

The squad and the pilots leaned in closer at the screen to get a better view of the image. All of them looked at each other asking themselves mentally...

...It's on another planet?

"I know it's crazy, but that where the exit point is supposedly appearing at". Townes said trying to prevent them from becoming dumbstruck all over again. All of them looked back at Townes, and Velazquez asked him, "So we're going to be sent there?

"Not exactly Corporal, drones are going to be the best way to begin this operation before human life is sent through",   answered Granger. Alvarez had a confused look on how they were going to get drones through the portal first if it wasn't exactly at the size or capability to do so. Alavarez asked on how this crazy plan was going to work.

  "Uhm, Sir? How do you plan to get drones through the portal first? If the portal doesn't have exactly a runway or isn't at the correct size to transport anything like that through it?"

Granger and Townes looked at each other then back at the group. "Very good question, private".

"Jones, contact the scientists outside by the portal and tell them to begin the 'Size Matters' sequence", ordered Granger. Jones got a wackie tackie radio out, and contacted the scientists outside. "Hey guys begin the 'Size Matters' sequence, over".

Only one response came in; "Alright".

The squad and the two pilots gathered by the window, observing the scientists outside by a large desk of computers typing in a few commands. Nothing seem to happen, but the portal started to look a little different. The portal began to actually increase in size! It grew and grew, almost to the ceiling and sides of the massive hangar!

"Whoa..." the squad and the pilots said in astonishment, as the portal was now a monstrous height and size.

"You see, we designed it handle any size of any object that goes through it. It can practically devour a C-5 Galaxy if we wanted to!" explained Townes.  Ray turned back at the two generals, and asked, "What about getting aircraft through it? All aircraft need 'fresh air' than a huge hangar to fly in or a runway to takeoff."

Granger stared at Jones again, but Jones knew what to do already. "Alright, now begin the 'Anywhere' sequence".

All of them looked outside again. The portal shrunk in size, and faded away into thin air.

  "Hey, where did it go?!" Velazquez asked, looking around the hangar through the window searching for "Rift".

   "I'll show you where it went," Granger spoke at all of them

All of them glanced back at Granger, and followed him out the room towards the huge hangar doors. A security guard by the doors saw them approaching, and pressed a activation button to open the doors. The huge doors slowly started to open, letting in the blinding sunlight for everyone (except Velazquez) making them put a hand to cover their eyes from the sunlight. They walked out back into the quite outside looking around for anysigns of 'Rift'. Granger pointed a finger down the runway, and there it was. The portal was right there; waiting for anything to come through.

   "Well Generals, all I could say this is insane, but pretty smart I tell you,"  Ray said. Granger looked at him, and grinned, "We want to be prepared for anything, once anything important goes through"

     "So when do the drones takeoff?" Alvarez asked.

"In about an hour private," Townes answered. "Our techs are making the final preparations on them as we speak".

    "So once the drones return, and everything checks out, we're going to get sent through?" Velazquez asked again. Granger glanced at him, and gave a slight nod at him.

"You should to the barracks to rest for now. God knows how much strength you're going to need if you go to the 'other side' of the portal", Townes said at the squad. "Oh, and you will be paired with a Stryker Company if you go through".

Granger turned his head and pointed at the two pilots, "And as for you two, you will be flying your Apache if everything is in the green, understood?"

The two Apache pilots gave a quick salute at Granger.

"Very well then, I will see all of you when everything is ready and good to go", Townes stated, departing from them with Granger following suit.

The squad and the pilots looked at each other for what was up ahead at them. Ray looked at the two pilots, and decided it was time to introduce themselves. "Sorry, If I haven't introduce you to me or my squad. I am Master Sergeant Ray Williams, and this is my squad. Alvarez, Velazquez, and Derrick".

Both pilots gave a slight nod at them, and they introduce themselves as well.

"I am Captain David Fencer, and this my buddy Lieutenant Alex Hanler".

     "A pleasure, Sir," Hanler said

"Well I guess we're in for something, and Wow! You guys get to fly your Apache on a different planet!

  "You could say that again! I hope nothing goes wrong if all of us go through," Alex said on how crazy this operation is going to be. "I guess all we could do now is to head to the barracks..."

The pilots and the squad headed off towards the barracks waiting for everything to begin...

1 Hour Later in the Ground Control Station...

"Drones are ready for takeoff, Sir", informed a drone operator to Townes.

"Alright, let's begin".

Five Drones began their way out of the hangars, taxiing down towards the runway. There was one RQ-4 Global Hawk, three MQ-9 Reaper drones, and one RQ-1 Predator drone. The Predator drone was specially designed to take in environmental readings and atmospheric too. All of them lined up along the taxiway; waiting their turns for takeoff on the runway.

"Open up the communications portal," ordered Townes.

  "Yes, Sir"

A operator pressed a button by the screen monitor. Townes looked at a monitor to make sure it was functioning properly the command. The Global Hawk contained a small metal box in it that contained the comms. portal. The communication portal was just like a Ku-band satellite link except...it was a portal not a satellite. This small portal was about the size of a car's wheel, it was made to transmit and receive communications anywhere the drones went. The status was green and good to go.

"Alright, take off!"

The Global Hawk began to speed down the runway towards the portal. It got a few feet off the ground, then dissapeared through it. The other drones began their takeoff one by one, and dissapeared through the portal as well.

"All drones are functioning properly, no signs of trouble, we're in the green for now"

There was no live video feed from the drones as they were going through the portal. A few seconds passed by and still nothing happened. Townes started to grow a little concern why the drones haven't returned any feedback yet. "Why haven't the drones returned any video feed yet?"

A drone sensor operator looked closely at the computer monitor she was looking at it. The monitor began a countdown when the video feed will show. "In about 10 seconds, general".

"Well that's good to here".

5...4...3...2...1. The live video feeds came on all screens on each of the drones pilots & sensor operators computers. The cameras displayed the strange worlds environment and it's features. Townes formed a small smile, thanking that the drones made it through the portal safely. Townes was now going to begin the first orders of this operation of the strange world.

"All right now, disperse the drones! Get the Global Hawk to a higher altitude and get the planets environmental readings with atmosphere's too!

"Yes, Sir!" all operators replied in unison.

The creations of mankind will be arriving over the blue skies of Equestria very soon...

**************

Twilight was still wondering about the objects in that chamber in the castle. It was the only thing in her mind right now, and nothing on the outside didn't even distract her from thinking.

If it's a monkey, wouldn't anyone in Equestria would have seen it already? And if it's alien......are they already here or did 'their' items get lost and ended up here in Equestria? I hope it's just someponies creations that are behind all of this...

Twilight has been on the train for about half an hour, and was growing a little bit bored of the long trip. She brought herself out her thinking, but still had the question in her mind. Twilight observed the countryside out the window admiring its features.

"Well at least the countryside is nice. The nice green plains, the homes of some ponies, and the sky has a few clouds with some object flying through them". Twilight closed her eyes taking in what she saw, but opened quickly at what she realized. "A object flying through them?!"

Twilight looked back out the window again at where the object was. She noticed it was way high up in the sky, leaving a contrail behind it. Since it was so far up, all she could notice was a tiny silver-metallic tube looking object that had wings on both sides. Twilight gazed at the object flying as it continued to gain altitude. She looked back at the ponies in the passenger car to tell them about the flying object, but she though it would be gone by the time they looked outside to see it. Twilight looked back and forth between the ponies and the object deciding what to do.

Inform or observe it?...Inform or observe it...Inform or observe it. Observe it...

Twilight made the final decision and went back into observing the object, but it was gone out of sight, the contrail started to break apart. Twilight turned her head away from the window trying to compute on what she just saw flying outside In the sky.

There were three things in her mind that came to her as a possible answer.

Could it have been a pegasus pony flying up there?...No, it didn't even look like one. Maybe it was Rainbow Dash flying up there?...It couldn't have been, it didn't leave a rainbow trail and it was way too high up, probably farther than Rainbow Dash can go.

The final answer Twilight thought of was the one she wasn't going to like

Was it..."'them' that were up there?"

Twilight trembled a little about the possibility that it was 'alien' visitors flying above Equestria. Twilight got over her small fear and continued to look outside the window, but it turns out she had reached her destination. Twilight got out of her seat, and walked out of the passenger train car. She felt great that it was good to be home and out of the long trip she went through. Twilight trotted out of the train station, and toward her library trees home that she hoped Spike didn't have any trouble watching over it.

After a few minutes went by Twilight finally reached the front door of her home and opened it. Everything was in same place she had left it; no messes, no books out of place, no nothing.

"Phew, I thought this place was going to be a wreck when I came back!"

Spike quickly came down the stairs to greet whoever came, and saw it was Twilight.

  "Twilight, your back! I thought you were going to be gone for a little longer".

"Nope, just went to go see the Princess Celestia about the letter she wrote to me, and that's about it".

  "Well that sounds simple. I thought it was going to be something urgent like Discord creating chaos or the Changeling were going to attack again".

"Nothing like that, Spike."

Twilight looked out at one of the windows of her home, and saw Luna's night had already covered Equestria. Twilight turned her head back at Spike again, preparing to tell him those few words; "It's your bedtime...."

Spike hung his arms low and formed a sad face. "Ahhhhh, But I don't want to go to bed yet!"

Twilight made a small smile and narrowed her eyes down at Spike, waiting for the inevitable to happen.

  "But,I don't feel like going to sle-...". Too late, Spike had fallen asleep on the wooden floor at the exact moment for his bedtime.

"Works every time..."

Twilight used her magic to levitate Spike in mid-air and brougt him up the upstairs to his small bed by Twilight's. She tucked him nice and warm in his bed. "Goodnight, Spike".

Twilight quietly walked away from him, and went to the balcony outside. Twilight observed the starry night sky and its constellations it contained. She saw the unicorn and the Manticore, but couldn't find the saddlebag. Twilight looked around for it, and saw there was a small faint star that was different in the silhouette sky. Twilight kept her eyes on it, but one thing that caught her attention; "Since when do stars move or go that fast?"

The star that Twilight was looking at was moving at very decent fast speed. It was heading towards the direction of the Everfree Forest. Twilight kept on observing it, until it traveled off in the distance, and disappearing into the darkened horizon. Twilight continued to stare at the direction it dissapeared at for a few minutes, then she gave up. The sighting of that 'star' and how it was completely it was out of the ordinary began to raise the same common question in her head again....

....Are aliens actually visiting Equestria?