Project Rift

Bad Dreams and Observing Closley

Twilight stood in the cold outside on her balcony wondering on that very small faint star that was moving she saw a little earlier. Twilight came back to her senses, letting go of the idea that it was those...'visitors' if you may call. She sighed, breathing in some air, pulling one hoof into her chest then exhaling releasing her hoof outwards.

"Just forget it, Twilight. It was probably just a shooting star that you've never seen before and thought it was "them",' she said to herself.

Twilight felt a cold wind travel through her; shivering at its cold touch on her. Twilight walked quickly back into the cozy warmth of the inside of her home. She felt the exhaustion of a long day starting to take affect on her. Twilight went all over her home putting out all the lighting then making her way back into her bedroom. She passed by Spike without any noise to not awaken him from his quite slumber. Twilight made it to her bed and tucked her self under the soft, cozy bed sheets. She felt her eyelids slowly closing on her. Twilight barely stayed awake for a few more seconds then fell asleep away into the night.

"Twilight!...Twilight!" Spike awakened her in a hurry.

Twilight got up slowly from her bed; rubbing her right eye. She saw Spike was frightened.

"What is it?"

"There's something by the door..." he whispered, in a shaky tone.

Twilight got out of the bed sheets, and cautiously checked down the stairs then looked at the front door. Twilight slowly approached it to see who it was at the door. She checked through the small window on the door. Nothing. She sighed and looked back at Spike who was still scared by something.

"Spike, I bet you heard a bump in the middle of the night and just frightened you. Let's get back to bed, okay?"

Twilight saw Spike forming tears in his eyes. She smiled and gently hugged him. "I promise you it's going to be okay Spike, just don't cry."

Spike looked up at her with watery eyes and pointed a finger at the window. Twilight looked at where he was pointing at, and saw a silhouette of something peeking through the window, quickly disappearing from sight. Twilight eyes went small at the sight that there was something lurking around on the outiside of her home. She slowly took a few steps back with Spike closely holding on to her. There was strange sounds coming from the outside. It sounded like voices of someone talking and if something was climbing the walls.

Twilight's heart began to race as the unknown disturbance kept acting up. She looked down at Spike who was trembling in fear. Twilight put her head next to his and whispered to him; "Go hide somewhere..." Spike looked back at her with his eyes "What about you?"

Twilight knew he was going to say that and gently smiled, "Don't worry..."

Spike slightly nodded and quickly hid himself somewhere safe. Twilight watched where he hid and was about to act, but remembered the balcony was an opened area. The balcony would be an easy access point for those things that were outside. Twilight rapidly made her way up the stairs to check if any of those things outside didn't enter from there. Twilight looked around the room and saw nothing. She felt glad that no one entered from there, but still kept her guard up. Twilight checked around the area for any signs of those things when a cry for help came from Spike.

"TWILIGHT! HELP ME!"

Twilight galloped down the stairs and saw a tall silhouette dragging Spike by the tail across the floor, and out the front door; dragging him towards a bright shining light outside.

"NOOOO!!"

Twilight charged at the thing, but she started to feel weak as she got closer to it. Her vision started to become blurry, her muscles began to give up, she couldn't keep her balance, and fell to the floor. Twilight tried to get back up, but it was useless she felt numb. Everything started to get brighter around her. A large silhouette approached Twilight and leaned down at her; extending what it looked liked a large hand of a monkey at her. Twilight saw the hand approaching her when she heard a voice calling her name as it got closer...

  "Twilight!...Twilight!"

"HUH!? WHAT?!"

Twilight shot up from the bed and saw Spike was in front of her, shaking rapidly her to wake up.

  "Twilight, I've been trying to wake you up for five minutes now! What's going on with you?"

Twilight was overjoyed that Spike was perfectly fine and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Spike, I'm so glad you're okay!"

  "What do you mean I'm okay?" Spike asked, confused.

"They...They took you away from me," Twilight yelped, forming tears in her eyes.

  "Twilight, you just had a bad dream. Who exactly did "take" me away?" Spike asked, a little curious at who his captors were.  Twilight looked down at the bed sheets, trying to remeber who were those things that took Spike away from her. Twilight sighed that she couldn't really describe who were those things.

"I don't know, they were just these large tall things that got you and I wasn't able to save before you dissapeared".

Spike formed a small smile and hugged her to comfort her from that horrible dream. Twilight embraced the warm hug from her assistant. "Come on, I bet a good breakfast might help you", encouraged Spike, to get her in a better mood.

"I guess your right Spike. A good breakfast might help me".

They both made their way down the steps and into the kitchen. Spike decided it was probably best to make something really good for Twilight.

  "I think waffles might do. What do you think?"

"That sounds great, Spike"

Spike immediately went to work to prepare some delicious waffles for breakfast...

30 mins. Later...

"Wow Spike, I didn't know you were good at making breakfast," complimented Twilight at Spike's well made breakfast menu.

         "Ah, you know, a little bit of practice and you end up mastering it," Spike said. "Oh, I almost forgot! While you were away Fluttershy came to visit, but you weren't, so she said she'll visit some other time."

"I wish I was here when she came, but Princess Celestia needed me in Canterlot right away."

  "Once I'm done putting the dishes away, what are you going to do for today?" asked Spike.

"I have some magic spells I have to practice for today. Why do you ask?"

  "I'm just curious, thats all."

"Well, I guess it's time to start day then," Twilight said, departing from the kitchen table.

Twilight exited the kitchen an into the open living room. Twilight stared at the window, where that silhouetted object was looking through outside in her nightmare. She took in a deep breath trying to forget that horrible dream. Twilight went by the bookshelf grabbing a book with her magic and placed it gently on a table on front of her.Well time to start the day, Twilight...

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

9 Hours Into Surveillance; Reaper Drone 1 GCS.....

"Check out this weird place. It just looks like back at home!" exclaimed a sensor operator looking through one of the Reaper Drones camera.

   "Shit, what do you expect to be out here?" asked the operator or the pilot seated right next to her.

"I don't know, maybe something crazy or alien life, I tell you!"

   "Sounds legit enough to me," the pilot said, with a smirk.

"How long has it been?" asked the sensor operator, weary at the long flight mission.

   "A few hours. Why, you getting bored or what?"

"No, just asking"

The sensor operator kept on looking through the day-TV camera as the drone flew at a optimal altitude. The sensor operator looked closely at the environment this planet held. Trees, rivers, grass, and more. It exactly matched the same environmental traits on Earth.

   "Damn, what do you think the Global Hawk is looking at?" asked the pilot.

"Shit, that big flying monster is probably looking at the ground as if it owned the place!"

   "Hehehe, what would happen if Townes and Granger agreed to send an SR-71 Blackbird through the portal!" joked happily the pilot.

"Hahaha! Then those two guys have to be the most insanest military generals I've ever heard of!"

"Ahem..."

Both operators turned their heads around to see Townes staring at both of them with a glare.

"I'm watching both of you..."

Townes stormed off from at the operators joke.

   "Sorry, Sir! Won't happen again, Sir!" the pilot said, sheepishly. "Shit! I do not want to be on his bad side!" said the sensor operator relieved that they didn't get in any trouble with Townes. "We've got to watch what we say..."

     "I'm going to keep my mouth shut now..."

Both operators focused back on their duty at controlling the drone.

Specially modified Predator Drone GCS....

  "You getting all the info we need?"

"Yeah, the readings are quite surprising. Just the same as here too," stated the operator.

   "Well that's good, we don't have to worry about our troops suffocating for air or being poisoned by it"

"Yeah, seems normal, but the drone is picking up something weird. Like some energy or something, I don't know what it is." the sensor operator said. "I hope it doesn't harm our guys when there on the other side."

   "I bet it's like electromagnetic radiation or something like that."

"Your probably right..."

The drone was taking valuable amounts of data about the planet's environment and atmosphere. Though there was one flaw in design...it had to be at a lower altitude to get the planet's environmental readings. Making it visible to anyone with sharp eyesight out there on the ground. It was still a hard to see object, but still was vulnerable.

   "I'm kind of getting worried that someone or something is going to see the drone and attack it," the pilot said, anxiously

"Nah, this thing is still invisible to the naked eye even though it's at a lower altitude," the sensor operator said not concerned over the drone's safety.

"I hope you're right on that"

   "I bet Townes or Granger have a plan if the drones do become under attacked by something".

"I hope you're right on that one too"

The sensor operator continued to look at the screen. The environment started to change. Thick cloud cover started to come in, but still allowed some visibility to the ground. "Uh oh, we got some cloud clover here," the pilot informed.

"Damn, that's not good!"

    "No, I shouldn't think that's not going to be a....ARE THOSE HOUSES ON CLOUDS!?" the pilot squawked at the surprising sight of houses that were on clouds.

"You're joking! Come on, how could houses be on...HOLY SHIT!". The sensor operator looked at the screen, not believing this 'insane' view of houses built on clouds.

   "The drone better not be playing some dirty tricks on us!"shouted the pilot, madly confused.

"Let me check!...No, it's functioning normally!"

Both operators observed at this unbelievable sight of homes made out of clouds. The drone passed over a few more cloud homes, but it spotted some that were different.

   "Uhh....is that a runway!?" asked the pilot confused at the sight.

"Oh great, now were.....Oh Yeah. It's a fucking runway!"

   "Is it just me or is there something on the runway there?" asked the pilot.

"What are those things?"

The pilot focused in more on the specific area with the camera. The camera revealed a stunning, unimaginable sight on the runway.

"ARE THOSE FUCKING HORSES!?!"

   "Holy shit! Those are horses!"

"Okay, lets calm down here. We're controlling a drone on a unknown planet...We're seeing a lot weird things...And now we're seeing horses on a runway. Makes sense if you think about it," the sensor operator sarcastically said.

   "Your probably right, but this is crazy...."

   "Hehe, It's funny how they're being observed and they don't even have a clue," the pilot joked.

"Hahaha! That it is kind of funny. Geez, look at that one go off! Its like madly barking orders at the other ones in front of it"

   "Oh yeah I see it. They must be scared shitless."

"Hey look, now they're flying in circles around the runway."

The pilot looked at his friend with a confused look on what he said. "Wait, they're flying?". The pilot looked back at the screen revealing his friend spoke the truth.

   "WHOA! You're right they are flying! So that means....a Pegasus does actually exist?"

"Yup," said the sensor operator without emotion, slumped back into his chair.

   "Well I'll be damned!"

The operators continued to observe closely at the pegasi that were going around the runway multiple times...

Reaper Drone 2 GCS....

"You seeing this?" asked the sensor operator.

   "Yup, it's just like Earth," answered the pilot

"We could call this "Earth 2.0" or just "Earth thats not fucked up" to make it simple"

   "I bet NASA has a boring name for it. It's probably like a thousand X's slash 709796788 or something," the pilot joked.

"Ha! That is probably true!"

The sensor operator looked at the land through the screen, but noticed there was a very large cleared open area. The sensor operator continued to observe with curiosity. We can practically build a small field command post then turn to a base if we decided to...

The sensor operator thought it would be very important to inform Townes and Granger about this. He quickly contacted the generals through a button that placed by the controls to alert both generals if something happened. It took a few minutes for both of them to arrive at the station.

   "What is it? Is something wrong with the drone?" Granger asked.

"No, Sirs. I just thought it would be vital to inform both of you about something we've spotted."

"Well, what is it?" Townes also asked

"It's this piece of land that's large and has enough space to build a base if we wanted to, generals"

Townes and Granger looked at it closely. The location was large enough to construct an airbase if ordered it was about 4 miles(6.4 kilometers) long. Townes and Granger looked at each other, both having expression that they were interested in that large cleared area.

"Save those coordinates. The location might be useful to us in the long run."

   "It will also be a great exit point for any infantry or vehicles we send through," Granger stated, as the location was a good vantage point. "But for aircraft....They're going to have to appear some distance away for some space"

"I most certainly agree with you, Granger. I think we should go check on the Predator now to see what's the status on the planet's reading," said Townes.

   "I agree and good call that you told us about this. Keep up the good work," Granger complimented.

"Thank you, Sir!"

Both generals left to check on the latest updates of the Predator drone...

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

Wonderbolts Academy...

"KEEP GOING!"

All the new Wonderbolt recruits hustled under the commanding voice of Spifire.

"Don't tell me you're all tired! You still have a some more to go!"

After a few more laps around the runway, the recruits landed dying for some breath. Spitfire stared at them under her shades with a expression of disapproval.

"Alright, Tomorrow you will be put into two teams for the next training exercise. You can all head to the mess hall, dismissed."

All of the recruits flew to the mess hall, leaving Spitfire and her Wonderbolt assistant member behind by the runway. Spitfire heard the sound of wings flappings and turned to the right, seeing one of her close friends Soarin'. Soarin wasn't wearing his Wonderbolt performance uniform, just the casual uniform: A light blue collar shirt with a tie.

"Soarin' what are you doing here? I thought you weren't doing anything today?"

  "I kind of got bored and decided to stop by and see how's it going," Soarin' said, with a smile.

"Just training the new cadets and see them struggle during the train exercises," Spitfire said, frustrated.

Soarin' understood how it can be difficult to train pegasi that have no experience under intense pressure to become a Wonderbolt. "They'll get the strength over time just have some patience, you'll see."

Sptifired sighed, and acknowledged what Soarin' said. "I guess you're right on that."  She almost forgot to remind her assistant to prepare the obstacle course for the next exercise tommorow. "Okay, I want you to prepare the obstacle course for tommorow, alright?". No response came from her assistant."Hello, I'm talking to you! What is wrong with you!? Answer me!"

Her assistant was staring up in the sky, ignoring Spitfire's words and continued staring upwards. "Uh...Ma'am? What is it that?"

"What do you mean what is that?" Spitifre looked up to the sky and saw nothing. Soarin' too looked upwards and saw nothing. Both Spitifre and Soarin' looked at the strange behaving pegasus confused.

Soarin' raised an eyebrow at him for the strange behavior the pegasus was doing. "Are you sure you're not seeing things? Because I don't see anything."

The assistant pointed a hoof at where he was staring at. "It's right there flying"

Spitifre and Soarin' looked upwards, and this time they actually did see something. It was a small object flying up high above the academy. Spitfire took off her shades to get a better glimpse of the object. The object had wings, but it looked machine. It left a small contrail behind it; revealing it in which direction it went.

"What is that?" Spitfire asked.

"I don't know, but it doesn't look like a Pegasus or dragon, or anything I've seen," Soarin' stated.

   "Ma'am, should we send somepony to investigate it?" asked the assistant.

"No, I think me and Soarin' will. What do you think Soarin'?"

"Alright, let's go"

Both Soarin' and Spitfire flew upwards towards the unknown flying object. They gained more and more altitude as they approached the object. The air was starting to become colder and thicker; making it difficult to fly and breathe.

"Geez! How high is this thing at?" Soarin' squawked.

"I don't know, but we're getting there."

They finally got near the the object and did in fact find out it was a machine. It had a large wingspan, bigger than a pegasus wingspan. It had two tail fins under it on the back.The size of the body was bigger than both of them. It had a propeller at the end of it. They noticed frontal portion was just a small dome or bulge. The machine also had strange symbols on it. Spifire and Soarin' were dumbstruck by such a strange machine they were flying with.

"What in Celestia's name is this thing?" asked Spitfire

"I don't know, but it doesn't look like anything from around here.

"You think somethings in there?"

"Doubt it, It doesn't look like it can carry anything inside of it." Soarin' said, at the size of the machine.

"Hm? I wonder what happens if I do something to it?"

Soarin's eyes shot open at the action Spitfire was going to do. "Spitfire, that's a bad idea!"

"It's just a machine. Like it's going to feel anything." Spitfire lifted her leg in the air, readying to kick the strange machine.

"No, no, no, no! Wait!"

Clunk!

The machine wobbled a bit then back to its formal position. Spitfire put a hoof to her chin thinking of what to do next on it. Soarin' was getting nervous if the machine was going to do something back at Spitfire in return of her action. No, nothing.

  "Spitfire, I think we should just leave this thing alone. I have a bad feeling about this thing."

"Oh come on, Soarin'. We're just investigating what this thing is."

  "I know, it's just that we don't know who are the creators of this machine. It could be someone rich who owns it and can sue us big time for damaging his or her own property!"  Soarin' cried out in a desperate attempt to stop Spitfire.

"I guess your right on that...but-"

  "No, Wait!"

Clunk!

Spitifire gave another hard kick to it, making a faint hoof mark on it. Soarin' started to sweat at the small marking she made on its wing."Spitfire are you trying to get us both killed or in any trouble!!!"

"Okay, fine I'll stop," Spitfire said in a disappointed tone.

  "Oh thank you! Now can we-..."

Soarin' heard the sound of something turning from the machine. He looked at the frontal area of the machine and saw a ball shaped part rotating around under it. Soarin' saw that it was some sort of camera it had attached to it. The camera turned and focused on Soarin'. He looked back at Spitfire for help, but unfortunately she was observing the marking she made on the right wing of it. "Spitfire...help me out here, please!"

"What is it you need help with?"

Soarin' only moved his eyeballs at where his trouble was. Spitfire saw this and flew to the side on where he was. Spitfire recognized that the machine had a ball-like camera observing them closely. Spitfire too was becoming a little nervous that the machine was actually 'staring' at them through a camera.

  "What do we do, Spit?" Soarin asked nervously. Spitfire stared at the camera under the machine then at Soarin, forming a mischievous grin. "We do some more things to see what it will do..."

  "Spitfire, That's a horrible idea!"

"Well, I'm going with it!"

Spitfire started to kick the machine in multiple areas all over its fuselage. Soarin' couldn't do anyththing but flinch every time Spitfire gave a kick at it. "Oh...I know this is not going to end up well..."

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

Back at the Predator GCS...

  "WHOA! WHOA! THAT MOTHERFUCKING HORSE IS DAMAGING THE DRONE!" shouted the pilot.

"Quickly! Do some evasive maneuvers, actually...DO ANYTHING!" the sensor operator yelled.

The screen showed static everytime the pegasus gave a kick to the Predator drone. The pilot twisted and turned the flightstick, desperately trying to dodge the attacks. "SHIT! I CAN'T LOSE THIS THING!"

General Granger and Townes came storming into the drone control station by the shouting of the operators.

"What the hell is going on here!?" asked Townes, concerned on the situation. The sensor operator looked at both of the generals with a face of utter confusion. "Sirs...you're not going to believe even a word I say on what's going on!"

   "Tell us what's going, boy!" Granger asked sharply at the sensor operator.

"You might want to look at the feed, sir" the sensor operator said, pointing a shaking finger at the screen. Both Granger and Townes looked at the screen to see what the problem was. The feed showed something, but wasn't recognizable just a blur or a silhouette.

   "What is that thing?"

Townes kept quiet until the camera showed something he could never imagine...it was a pegasus that was showing on the video feed. Townes eyes went wide as well as Granger's too.

"My God...Is that what I think it is?"

   "Townes, I may be old, but don't tell me my eyes are giving up on me now..."

"No Granger...it's actually real what we're looking at right now...a real live pegasus.

The generals stood there frozen, mesmerised by such an incredulous sight they were witnessing. They looked at the feed with great curiosity watching the Pegasus fly with the drone, when it came close and rammed it, making the screen show some static. "GET THAT DRONE BACK TO BASE, ASAP!" Townes roared

   "Sir! The portals too far we won't make it back with drone intact!" informed the pilot.

"WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE THAT DRONE OR ELSE THIS OPERATION HAS GONE TO WASTE!"

Townes grabbed a walkie talkie radio from his pocket he had in his uniform, and contacted the scientists back in the large hangar. "Sam! I need you to open the portal on the location of the Predator drone now!".

"IT WLL BE UP IN TWENTY SECONDS, SIR," replied one of the scientists.

The pilot looked back at Townes with a frightened look on his face. "Sir, We'll lose video feed from the drone if it goes through the portal!" Townes glanced at him with a death stare. "When the monitor shows the countdown for communications to return...you pull the flight stick up when it says one, alright?"

  "Yes, Sir..."

The portal appeared ahead of the drone it was somewhat far, but making the oneway trip towards home.

    "Townes, what happens if that pegasus follows it back to here! You know what it will cause!?" warned Granger at the great consequence if the pegasus follows it through the portal.

"Oh, don't worry about that, General. I have that under control," Townes said with an evil grin on his face.

Townes stepped out of the Predator control room, and walked towards a phone hanging on the wall in the hallway. He grabbed it and spoke through out the whole airbase's intercom system.

"Attention! This General Townes! Possible unknown hostile contact may be coming through the portal! I repeat, Possible unknown hostile contact may be coming through portal! Everyone man your stations, Now! This not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill!"

Townes got off the phone and looked back at Granger; "Let's give our small pegasus 'friend' a warm welcome shall we, General?"

Granger too formed a menacing smile; "I guess we should give it a warm welcoming."

Both generals laughed as the unpleasant welcoming party was beginning to form all over the base...

Loud alarms went off and the whole airbase was on high alert now after Townes message came through the intercoms. Soldiers, pilots, technicians, and scientists were rushing down the hallways getting ready for the possible threat. Multiple squads of infantry came out of the structures running at full speed towards 'Rift'. Among the swarming squads of infantry was also Ray's squad.

Ray had his M4A1 rifle with an attached ACOG scope and a grenade launcher undermounted on it. Velazquez and Alveraz sported the same weapon except Alvarez had a EOT holographic sight than a ACOG and no grenade launcher. Derrick on the other hand had his M240 light machine gun with the basic iron sights.

As they were running down the runway Alvarez couldn't stop thinking what was likely going to appear through. Alvarez looked to the right at Velazaquez hoping to get some sort of answer. "Bro, What do you think is likely going to show up from the portal?"

    "Meh, maybe some alien overlord thing, or some wild creature from the other planet...Haha! You know what would be really awesome?"

"What?"

    "If the Queen from that movie 'Aliens' came through," calmly said Velazquez, showing no hint that he was concerned about the possible threat appearing from the portal. Alvarez just gulped at the idea his friend made that a large horrifying creature coming out of the portal and causing unforgivable damage to everyone. Alvarez looked to the left at Derrick, and asked him the same question too. "Derrick, what do you think is on the other side coming right at us?"

Derrick looked back at him and shrugged his shoulders giving the 'I don't know' expression. Alvarez sighed and prepared for the worst if it did came. Ray saw the portal right of ahead of him and his squad and for the other squads along with them. Six humvees pulled over by the portal with their crews quickly piling out from them. All squads reached the portal and formed defensive positions by the humvees in front of 'Rift'. They all waited there patiently to see if the unknown contact would come through. The sound of a machine rolling behind them was heard. Ray turned around and saw a M2 Bradley IFV stopping right behind all of them.

Ray looked at the Bradley tank then back at the portal. He also observed his surroundings seeing the soldiers and vehicles aiming their weapons at 'Rift'. Shit, whatever it is that's going to exit from the portal...it's dead