A Hole To Fill

Chapter 2

He was dressed in his flight uniform. It was a dull gray color, with two golden oakleafs on either side of the color and a patch with the insignia of a Liason. The dinner hall was huge the ceiling went at least two stories up. He looked at the banner's on the wall they had Celestia's symbol on all of them. "Your Highnesses I have brought Char." Char looked at the table seated already was Celestia and Luna. He bowed slightly as a precaution with Luna. "Char there is no need to be formal with me." He brought himself back up, "Sorry...So your Luna?"

"Yes I'm Luna."

"Good to meet you." He smiled and Luna smiled back. Celestia told him he could sit and looked to Luna, "I told you he looked like him even his smile." Luna nodded as the far door opened and six ponies walked in. Twilight trotted over to her mother, "Hello mother!" She hugged her mother who was smiling. Twilight Sparkle looked towards Celestia, "Besides dinner why did you call us here? I really don't think it was just for dinner."

"Probably to meet me." Char had gotten out of his chair and was standing before the ponies, who all just stared.

"So your Frank's replacement?" Char nodded and walked up to Twilight Sparkle holding out his hand, "Yes I'm Char a pleasure to meet you." She took his hand and shook. He introduced himself to everypony formally. After introducing himself to everypony he sat back down. "So let's eat shall we? I'm starved after a week in cyro." Even in her olding age Pinkie let out a laugh.

Char finished eating first, he sat their in silence his hands balled resting his head on them. "Is something wrong Char?" The question was asked by Rainbow Dash.

"Hmm? No nothings wrong why would you think that?"

"I don't know you're just sitting over there looking like you're sad."

"No I'm fine Rainbow Dash thank you for your concern." He kept his head up and watched the ponies his thoughts were slowly churning. What am I going to do? He asked his mind. He caught Fluttershy looking at him out of the corner of his eye but dudn't bring it up she may not have actually been looking at him after all. Luna and Celestia were watching him discretely well trying to be discrete anyway.

Dinner ended with Char saying goodbye to Elements and them leaving to the waving of Luna and Celestia. Char went to his room after saying goodbye. Once the ponies were out of Luna's and Celestia's sight they quickly hurried up to their library. A mirror was already placed against one of the bookshelf walls. "Alright sister are we sure we want to do this?"

"Luna he looks so much like Frank it cannot be a coincidence." Celestia's horn started to glow and the mirror showed the image of Char's room he was in his bed, asleep. "He can fall asleep quite fast can't he?" Luna commented, Celestia shot her a look and she cut her voice. The image blurred and changed, Celestia's horn glowing brighter.  The mirror started to crack and the image started to clear...

A woman was holding a small child probably no older than two. A man walked up smiling, taking the child from his arms. "Hello Joesph...It's daddy I'm back and I won't be leaving for a long time." The image changed to the man and Joesph who had gotten older, they were outside the ground was covered in snow. A military vehicle drove up three men got out. The father walked over to the men and saluted. They talked with him and he frowned, "I'm on leave!" One of the men say something about what Luna thought she heard as The Recollection. The father stood rigid and finally nodded. By this time the mother had come out and was by Joesph's side. The father finally walked back to his son and wife. "I have to go..."

"But Frank--"

"No...I don't want to hear it alright! I have to go Captain Jean needs me on board The Recollection were going to scout a mostly uncharted area of a system."

"But what about Joesph!"

"Maria do I look like I want to go!? I have to go I can't just say no!" He knelt down to Joesph. "Son...I'm sorry but Dad has to go somewhere I don't know when I'll be back."

"Why?" Joesph asked meekly.

"Because Joesph it's my job." The father walked back over to the men and got into the vehicle. As he drove away he looked back to his family and whispered, "Goodbye."

The mirror broke the glass falling to the floor. Celestia knelt her breathing deep, "Sister! What happend?"

"I don't know Luna I think it might be something about his memories."

"The last part we've seen before." Celestia took a deep breath and let it out.

"Yes I know we saw it in Frank's mind all those years ago."

"Do you know what that means!?" Celestia looked to her sister, her eyes started to water slightly.

"Joesph Char is Frank Morrison's son. We have to tell him."

"When?"

"Tommrrow at Frank's grave."

"Ok now why did the mirror break?" Celestia thought about it for a moment.

"Do you think the UNSC can change people's memories?" The question only further extended the mystery behind this revelation.