//------------------------------//
// Chapter 20 
// Story: Hand of the Ancients 
// by Starscribe 
//------------------------------//

The Equestria had no shuttles and fighters like the carriers did. It was instead its own lander, with a horn section meant to detach from the newly rebuilt carrier section, packed with living space and support systems. 
So it was that the Horn of Celestia finally made its return to Equestria, separating from the carrier group and descending on the peak near to Canterlot. Part of Lyra wanted to bring it down right in the city—but that desire collided sharply with common sense. Air traffic over Canterlot meant hundreds of pegasi would likely be flying there, ready to be buffeted by winds. 
Computer insisted the landing decelerator used harmless gravity mirrors—but it was probably best to avoid hurting ponies in every way they could before an important diplomatic meeting.
Everything would be so much simpler if they had all remained ponies. But thanks to Computer's tampering, this would not be so easy. How they would reach peaceful resolution with her girlfriend and colleagues still transformed into the bodies of the ancestors, she didn't know.
Lyra spent the flight home repeating one simple truth in her mind, squeezing it like a reassuring toy. I'm not the one with authority. I don't have to negotiate peace. We have princesses for that.
All she had to do was make sure Vulcan would accept whatever decision they reached. She would discover the outcome of the last battle for Equestria, if she hadn't already. It was only a matter of time.
At least she wouldn't have to convince everypony of her old identity the hard way. Her Captain's mantle granted many protections—including the ability to change to suit a new environment, when simple shielding was not enough.
In revealing this, Computer necessarily admitted that it had been lying about returning Lyra to her old form from the moment she emerged from the fabricator. But if it meant completing a successful negotiation, she would accept it without anger.
Bon Bon raged with enough anger for both of them. "It's not fair I have to look like this," she said, resting one of the oversized limbs on Lyra's back. "Even if I can be back to normal, they'll never let me live it down. Somepony will have pictures."
"I do," Lyra said, grinning weakly back. The Captain's Mantle had changed her quickly, much faster than the hours required for shipboard fabricators. That meant she would be ready in time to look normal for their return—but also that she had little time to adapt. "This isn't permanent. I can keep you company when it's over, change back. Until you're ready to be a pony again."
They had all worn ancestor bodies for months now—long enough that the gangly two-legged stance felt normal, instead of clumsy. Standing by the ramp, Lyra found her hooves felt bulky and awkward. Her legs were unwieldy. Worst of all, some part of her actually felt embarrassed not to have a uniform anymore. She'd picked up some of the ancestors' nudity taboo through repetition alone.
Even so, she wasn't stumbling over herself—she'd grown up on four legs, with a tail and ears that moved and unicorn magic to pick up the slack. Whatever she could do with delicate ancestor digits, her magic could do just as well.
So long as nopony asked her to do more magic than levitation, she would be just fine.
The Horn of Celestia shook visibly as it descended. Her friends held to whatever they could to remain stable—or in Muffins's case, just opened her wings and held them that way until the ship stopped moving. Lyra could do neither, but at least four legs made it easy to keep herself upright.
Metal legs extended, and they stopped moving.
"I didn't dare believe I would see it again," Time Turner whispered, pressing close to the glass. All three of Lyra's “crew” did the same, squinting through the opening. Too high up for her—it hadn't been built for her true size.
"We're not safe yet," Bon Bon said. "There's still a fleet up there. If they attack, there's nothing we can do."
"If they reinforce, we will be helpless to resist," Computer said. "If we resume hostilities now, we may still secure a victory. Every second you delay is a greater opportunity for our adversaries to advance. Every surviving human is in this system—we cannot allow it to fall."
Lyra groaned. Computer had been giving warnings like that since they started descending. It really didn't want to continue with this negotiation. How could it be so intelligent much of the time, yet completely irrational about this? 
"Does it look like they're going to break their word?" Lyra pressed. "Are they bringing their fleet into attack position? Turning their weapons back against us?"
"No," Computer answered. Lyra must be imagining it, because it seemed almost disappointed by the answer. "I will inform you if conditions change. But regardless of what they do, we yield first move advantage to the enemy. The first salvo of their betrayal may be to exterminate the planet's population with a relativistic bombardment, or poison its atmosphere with devastating toxins. While you are on its surface, you are vulnerable."
She shrugged. "This is the way ponies solve problems. It felt like that emperor didn't want to fight any more than we do."
Computer did not reply. Muffins did, pointing out the exit. "Looks like there are some ponies coming. Royal guards!"
"Open the door," Lyra instructed. "You have our notes, Time Turner?"
He nodded, hefting a satchel under his shoulder. It took considerable effort to get their research printed. Neither Vulcan nor Computer could understand that desire, rather than bringing them back exclusively in digital form. Printed and bound, their notes filled so many books that Time Turner struggled to carry them. Much of that text wasn't even theirs, but helpful additions from Computer, or sections taken from the Equestria's historical archive.
Lyra wouldn't carry it. For better or worse, she wasn't an archeologist anymore.
"Safe external atmosphere detected. Twenty degrees, 30% relative humidity. Biosphere within acceptable norms." The door hissed, then slid away into the ceiling. 
"I'll be the first one out," Lyra said. "I know you all want to see home again—but remember how strange we look. We don't want to scare them off."
"Right." Bonnie caught Muffins by the wrist, tugging her out of the way. The former pegasus looked like she might've charged right out there to fly away!
Lyra stepped between them, down onto the sharply sloping metal ramp. 
She was home. Crisp mountain air touched her coat, welcoming her back. No more projected clouds and sterile-smelling air, no more metal floors and strange gravity. She broke into a trot as she neared the bottom of the ramp, rushing forward to touch broken rock with her own hooves. 
They were still a hike away from Canterlot, even on proper pony legs. But it wasn't a universe apart. Her family were here, her colleagues, all her other friends. All the reason she'd fought so hard to get back.
Lyra barely noticed the oncoming ponies until they landed in front of her. The guard had come in force, at least a dozen of them in full uniform with magical spears at the ready. Some stared at her—others, the ones coming down the ramp behind her. 
"No sudden movements," one of them ordered. 
"We're unarmed," she said. "Hopefully the next group will be too."
Then Princess Celestia landed. She spread her wings as she touched down, briefly blocking out the city behind her. 
Lyra Heartstrings had met the princess more than once, so she knew what to expect. Radiant mane, overwhelming magic that wrapped around her like a hug. She was safe with this pony—she belonged.
But Lyra wasn't the same pony as when she left. If only the world was simple. 
The princess advanced slowly over to her, watching with a regal, unreadable expression. Her friends all dropped to the ground, though they couldn't bow as ponies did. Instead, each dropped to one knee, with varying levels of coordination. Muffins would probably have fallen sideways off the ramp, if it wasn't for Computer's “treatment.”
"I have... seen you before," the princess eventually said. She tapped one hoof on Lyra's shoulder, gesturing for her to rise. "More than once. I find myself unable to reconcile that image with what I see before me. Perhaps you would be so good as to explain."
"It was... at Princess Cadance's wedding,” she said. "I was chosen as one of her bridesmaids."
The princess chuckled. "If you wished to find a more frightening way to make yourself known to me... I believe you've outdone yourself. I never imagined I would live long enough to see ancestors in flesh."
Lyra looked away, ears swept with nervous anxiety. She'd been spoiled without all those obvious visual signals of her emotions!
"They look like ancestors," she began. "But they're, uh... your subjects. Princess, this is Agent Sweetie Drops of S.M.I.L.E., along with my colleague Professor Time Turner, and his assistant Muffins. They were part of the expedition to the..." The name sounded even sillier when speaking it to the princess. "The Horn of Celestia. I'm sure it wasn't significant enough for you to know about."
The princess kept her face an impassive mask. Her guards had none of that supernatural discipline, though. Their feelings were clear. Some were terrified, others skeptical. She couldn't really blame them.
"Your expedition clearly met with success," she said. "It might remake the social fabric of Equestria's future on its own, were it the only thing. But we have been watching the sky."
"Whatever happened out there, it's my fault," Sweetie Drops said. She stepped forward, until she brushed against Lyra's shoulder. "Protecting the expedition was my responsibility. Every failure was my fault.”
The princess suppressed a modest chuckle. "I admire the attitude of responsibility in my little ponies. Yet I find myself skeptical that a single mare could be responsible for... everything." 
She looked up, at what seemed ordinary blue sky. There was little evidence of a distant battle as the sun rose, filling the sky above Canterlot with light. If Lyra squinted, she could barely make out a distant shape, what she guessed to be the emperor's flagship, getting larger as it came into orbit. 
"Something quite... dramatic took place up there. War as Equestria has never seen in all its history. Where the safety of my ponies is concerned, I expect a prompt, thorough explanation. The specifics of your discovery and this... tower... can wait. Is Equestria at risk? What transpired in our space?"
"It's... quite a lot," Lyra began. "While I explain, I should start with a warning. The Emperor of the Divine Griffon Republic is coming for negotiation. That's his ship flying this way. I don't know how long it will take him, but not long. I suggest ordering your ponies to prepare for diplomatic guests. If you wait until after I explain, there might not be enough time."
Princess Celestia was not a cruel or prideful leader. Instead of dismissing Lyra, or worse, getting angry with her—she nodded to her officers, gesturing back towards the city with a wing. "Inform the steward, and my sister. Princess Twilight will already be on her way here by now, I'm certain. Princess Cadance will have to take transcript by telegraph when this is over. Go."
The stallion saluted, then vanished up into the air. If anything, he looked relieved to have his back to the strange ship and the strange creatures emerging from within.
"It would be better to have this conversation with the other princesses," Celestia continued. "Whatever diplomatic matter Equestria faces, we will work better together. Will this... vessel... be a danger to Canterlot? Is it safe to leave behind?"
Lyra felt Computer's agitation with that question. It still hated this plan, pressing against her thoughts with dozens of disastrous predictions. Any second the emperor was going to turn against them and kill her. If she was too far from the ship, it wouldn't be able to launch.
If Equestria dies, I'll go with it. My home matters more than anything.
"It's safe," Lyra said. "I'm its captain, I believe the ship will obey my instructions."
The princess raised an eyebrow, then turned. "Very well. Hold still, each of you. We will take the quickest way back."