Blake lifted the receiver in one shaking hand. It wasn't just his friends depending on him anymore, though they certainly were. He could practically feel the ghostly dots of sniper-rifles on his face, though he couldn't see anything like that aimed at him. So much for a warm welcome for the Equestrians.
This was supposed to happen on our terms. We should've had control over every variable, so we could set this up so everyone wants to cooperate.
But if they'd wanted to do that, they should have stayed on Earth. They had ceded the field to the enemy, and now they faced the consequences.
"This is Blake Hodges," he said.
For a few seconds there was silence on the other line. Or... not quite. There were faint voices—like a room of people whispering. Maybe just a dozen different people on the line.
Finally one voice spoke louder than the others.
"We have that name here," said the voice. Older, female, with a vaguely BBC accent. He couldn't tell more than that. "You went missing in the Paris Catacombs three months ago. Those others with you were similar. Yes?"
He nodded slowly, though of course she couldn't see him. His friends were watching close enough, maybe they could overhear. Shame this phone didn't have a speaker option. "Yes. We were... professional explorers, I guess you'd call us. Semiprofessional. Enough to make it a second career for some." He hesitated. "Who am I speaking with?"
"My name is Officer Watson. I represent the EU Department of Faerie Investigation. But this conversation is being mirrored to representatives from other governments as well. The American Homeworld Security are here, along with the Chinese Ministry of Mediums, and the Polish Land Forces. Are you human, Blake Hodges?"
"I am. But I was something else a few minutes ago. There is a passage in the cave behind us—I'm guessing that you had a team pouring over every inch of it in the last week or two."
"Yes." Someone else, a man's voice this time, with an American accent. "An Einstein-Rosen Permeation. This isn't the first we've detected. Your presence here suggests there is another one underneath Paris, is that right?"
"Just like this one, yes. We think it was built by the same culture of... world travelers, from the past. We have footage from the trip until our batteries ran out. We have recordings of life on the other side."
Vesper leaned in past his shoulder, snatching the handset and pulling it down towards her. Enough for her to reach it, anyway. "We brought ambassadors from the world on the other side! They want to make peaceful contact with Earth!"
Blake let her finish, before gently lifting the handset out of her reach. He glared weakly down in her direction, but couldn't really muster any anger. He was going to tell her all of the same things, when he thought the conversation was ready for it. But considering they might splash out of the water any second now...
"You are saying they already know," said a different voice this time. "The things you call 'Worldgates' were not known to them before. This has changed?"
"Yes," he said. "Also, two of our friends were living in Bydska. And we had some others who were coming to document the other world with us. Have either of them been harmed?"
"No," the first speaker said, the woman representing the EU. "But it was a very close call. You brought an alien bird into a small Polish village. Did you think the mythology would protect her?"
Galena? He shared a look with the others. But it would waste as much time as it would save to explain any of it twice. "She was human when we arrived. We planned to be back for her today, to bring her back across. She wanted to see our world the way we were viewing hers."
Something splashed in the water behind him, bulky enough that it left no doubt in his mind exactly what was happening back there. The Equestrian ambassadors were arriving. He had maybe a few more minutes until they were alert enough to interfere. He covered the mouthpiece anyway, pointing back. "Vesper, please. Talk to them, tell them the situation."
She nodded, hurrying back into the cave.
"We're holding both of them now," the woman said. "One who is human, with observations of... radiation. Then the almost-bird, griffon. If we release them to you, will you take them back across?"
Galena won't be happy about that. Janet either. "That's, uh... that's complicated," he said. "The human, Janet, has been wanting to come back to Earth for a long time. She was trapped on the other side, separated from her family and friends for almost a year. She hopes to go back to the United States and see them again."
This time the line went completely silent, an abrupt click like it had just muted. He kept it to his face in case that changed, finally turning back to look at the others.
"How do you think that's going?" Ryan asked.
"They're taking this... way better than I thought," he said. "They already knew some of it. Worldgates weren't news to them, they had their own name for them and everything. It feels like they had procedures in place for all of this."
He squinted further back into the cave, where Vesper and two humans he'd never seen before were deep in conversation. Curious that neither of them had unnatural features, not like Ryan did. One was stocky and blonde, the other built a lot like Vesper, with her head shaved on one side and a perpetual smirk. So why are the rules different for him?
Vesper was gesturing animatedly, explaining to them. It looked complicated, whatever it was. Maybe she would tell them everything. They'd need to know it all, if they were the ones doing the real negotiating.
"We have someone named Janet here," said the woman again, abruptly. "The bird calls herself that, and has... repeated that story. We had to keep her lightly sedated since capture. The human, Galena, has been more accommodating. She admits to being from across the Worldgate, and shared some details with us about how she came here. Some of it seemed truthful."
The weight of that hit Blake like a truck. The spell was supposed to last longer, and it had—for Galena. "She was human once, I'm sure of it," he said. "Janet... she understood the language, she can use electronics, she introduced me to a friend of hers who also came from Earth with her, human name... Tracy, I think."
Another delay, though they didn't mute the mic this time. He could make out faint discussion in a large, echoing space. Some didn't want to believe him, others suggested taking them captive, asking for their video footage, or a dozen other things. The mic went abruptly silent again after a few seconds of this.
"Look," he said slowly. "I don't know what you think we are, but my friends and I are really just people. We're not ambassadors, we don't represent anyone but ourselves. We found something weird, we wanted to learn about it, and we did. We would love to share what we learned with you, and the whole world. After spending a few months over there, I think we all agree that both sides could learn from each other. My friends and I will cooperate with whatever you ask. But ultimately I think you should come down here, and talk to the ponies who represent Equestria. They've got a lovely country, and we have the pictures to prove it."
Right on time, apparently. Vesper and the ponies weren't talking in a rush anymore, but coming down the tunnel towards him. His time in this role would soon be over.
"It would be better to speak in person," said the woman. "There are certain safety concerns in coming to you. Would you consent to come down the mountain, under guard? We will guarantee your safety, so long as you remain compliant."
"I would," he said. "I can't speak for Equestria. Why don't you ask them?" He turned, offering the phone to Applejack. At least, the hair looked similar to her mane. "It's for you."
It wasn't like Blake and his friends didn't do anything after that. Both sides had questions—first over the phone, then much more often when the soldiers came to escort them a short way down the hill.
They'd spent the last three months talking about what it would be like to put the worlds in contact—but mostly they talked about what came after. The interviews, the books, the convention circuit—fame and fortune.
But the actual diplomacy wasn't really their part to play. Their part was making sure that contact could go smoothly, making sure that instead of violence, both sides could talk to each other.
After a few tense hours in a room with bullet-proof glass in the middle, they were escorted to their own tent, while Equestria's ambassadors kept talking in the other room.
That left Vesper standing at the tent flap, glaring through the plastic at the back of a soldier with a baton. In theory it wasn't locked, in theory they could walk right out whenever they wanted... but could they?
"I don't like this," she said, folding her arms. "They're just talking without us. We don't even know what they're agreeing to."
"I mean... yeah," Ryan said flatly. "We're not parties to it. We're... cultural consultants, if that. We don't represent Equestria, or Europe. We wouldn't even represent the US if we were there."
Vesper stalked back over, plopping down into a chair. She sat on it sideways, propping both legs up over the edge. And either she didn't realize or didn't care what that did, because she didn't sit like a lady. Blake looked away from her out of politeness, focused on the single tablet they'd given them. It was old and thick, a military device like so many other things around here. But it did have the internet, even if it felt like every single page they loaded was getting manually approved before it got there.
Of course he had the screen open to their YouTube channel. It wasn't closed or deleted, and there were no community posts describing the death of the crew. There were a few links on the main page, fans linking to the story of disappearances in Paris, and suspecting the 4 people mentioned were the channel's main hosts. But there was nothing beyond that.
He didn't try logging in here, and potentially giving away their details. The EU could probably get them if they wanted, anyway.
"I just hope they were telling the truth," Vesper said, unhappily. "About Janet and Galena, and letting the ambassadors back. If we're the ones who led them to be dissected or something..." She sighed, flopping limply backward into her seat. "They should take me too, because I'm one of them now I guess."
Blake tapped the edge of the tablet impatiently with two fingers. The message was clear, and he didn't have to say it out loud. There were still people listening to them. They didn't know if they were safe yet.
"Neither side opened by shooting at each other," Kaelynn said. "I think everyone will work out their differences. We both have so much to benefit—they don't have much technology, we don't have magic. How does that not just work out?"
Blake shrugged. "Might be it's that simple. Equestria seems like they prefer diplomacy to everything else. I'm not so sure about the people on our side. There are so many pieces we don't know anything about. They knew about Worldgates, they were watching for something like this."
"Enough to stop the other crew before they got here," Ryan supplied. "Guess it makes more sense than letting other people get involved. Fewer people to disappear if you have to."
"We won't be disappearing anyone," said a voice, muffled by fabric. A man without a uniform stood there, wearing a loose tweed suit. There were soldiers behind him, but more importantly, there was also a familiar face. Galena was there, wearing a hospital gown. Just behind her was a familiar hippogriff, cream and blue feathers and all. She had a tight cloth wrap around her back, pinning her wings in place, and little plastic tips over her claws. But otherwise, she too looked unharmed.
The man zipped their tent open, then let himself inside. "Your friends were asking to see you. Can they come in?"
Blake stood. Vesper did too, taking a single step towards him. The others just turned to look.
It's surprising that Janet transformed and Galena did not. Clearly the illusion doesn't last the same length for everyone. I'm pretty sure Janet will try to find a way to restore her humanity the question is whether it's possible and if there's a better way than a deal with Discord.
11090131
I didn't really find it surprising. I get the feeling that transformed humans are far less magically stable than natives and that sort of thing would far more easily undo other magics.
Well, that could have gone worse. This is definitely what I'd like to think first contact would look like. Though, it's interesting that they use the term faerie. I guess alien had too much cultural baggage?
Well, there hadn't been much hope Janet would maintain her humanity after being in Equestria for over a year. Now she has to cope with the fact the choice was made for her. She can mope and complain about it, or adapt to what is.
Actually, I think the biggest issue she'll have is worry that she is cut off from her friends and family on Earth. If it can be remedied to where she can still occasionally see them and maintain communication, that might make her situation easier for her to accept.
Also waiting for someone to yell at Vesper for sitting like that. It's not her fault for not thinking about it. She's got engrained habits that don't automatically adjust.
11090219
I guess it's the difference between dealing with magical creatures, and creatures from another world coming down from the sky.
11090271
Or that implies that worldgates were always known as entrance to "underhill", the fae realm.
11090341
Now I have this really sweet image of a panorama of Earth on top and an upside down Equestria below, mirroring it.
11090370
You mean sort of like this?
i.ytimg.com/vi/vOekyGlGhCY/maxresdefault.jpg
or this?
m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTY1MDU5NjE2OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODI1NjkyMQ@@._V1_.jpg
11090341
Is it though? They had to detect this somehow and managed to get set up in less than 9 days. Tracy and Rose went out quite a few times and didn't get detected.
Methinks these are new organizations, spawning as a result of the San Jose incident.
Never would I have thought that humanity would have a greater grasp on Worldgates than Equestria. Of course that whole debacle in San Jose would have given them that anyway but it still stands. We'll have to see if they'll allow the gang back home, however.
Seriously, how much do they know and for how long?
Janet wouldn't have the ending she desperately wanted. Celestia and Discord have a debt to pay to her.
Everyone's there. Time to see where everything goes.
11090422
Possibly, though they've more or less hit the nose with what they're dealing with if these organizations have names like "Faerie Investigation" or "Homeworld Security" instead of something that says "unknown phenomena". Not to mention that one bizarre incident in America managed to convince a good part of the World to take this seriously. San Jose would have resulted in confused scratching heads and conspiracy theories for years. These guys seem a little too knowledgeable if that was all they had to work with.
11090524
I think the main thing keeping me from thinking this was already known to humanity is the Cahokia worldgate. That was just out in the open, just outside St. Louis, and a freeway got built right next to it.
If humans have known about this for a long time, there's no way that there wouldn't have some building right there to house and/or guard the gate.
this is not ever going to end good. people on earth are cowards and will try to turn any thing in too a weapon or just kill it.
11090405
Yep exactly.
American Homeworld Security? That seems like a Stargate Reference...
Well, looks like the main conflict is done... but what next? Janet isn't going to take this well.
11090559
They don't seem to have the whole system mapped out. They just know it exists. It might be luck no one accidentally stumbled into Cahokia. I don't doubt the organizations are relatively new. Knowledge about worldgates extending centuries back would have either reached the public or faded into obscurity. It makes me wonder if Tracy was the first traveler in centuries or a more recent one in a slew of incidents going years back. It could be that the very public nature of his situation forced the organizations to pursue claims more aggressively. We'll have to see.
11090753
I think he'd have to be the first in centuries. If people were going through an accessible worldgate, then it would likely have been found already and Tracy would likely have been detected, so that's a most likely no for natural worldgates being used. The only way I can think of would involve one way trips, Earth to Equestria, as we can see humans can currently detect travelers from astounding distances away. A traveler coming and going repeatedly would attract attention and a response, so if they were set up and could detect this stuff before Tracy's contract, he would have triggered a response almost certainly. "Are you scouting us out for an invasion" would be the immediate concern.
It was implied that Tracy was the first one to use one of Discord's gates (Otherwise Celestia's other reason for accepting the bet makes no sense) and it was outright stated that only he has the power to make them on a whim. So that's a hard no on artificial worldgates.
11090826
Discord's portal was different from worldgate, he insisted in that. Perhaps they could watch the existing ones.
But if you remember, there was an instant reaction to Tracy's appearance as a pony. The event triggered some contingency in place.
Note, in REAL world the are dozens of stories about people disappearing and reappearing, sometimes in places and timeframe they could not fake by conceiveable means. Not to mention the tales about people visiting elves/fae kingdom.
I wonder if Paris to Poland jump made by Starscribe is based off something. I remember Paris to Liverpool one..
I do not argue that those stories are real or not. But Starscribe would not be first one using them. Andrew Norton loved that theme too.
Now isn't that an interesting collection of agency names.
Oh damn, so much for human Janet.
Plastic claw guards, how insulting.
Hmmm, Tracy's transformation (and disappearance) would have an alert in the US, but it would be their pop-up from the buffalo gate (Cahokia) that would have any sensors running over that timeframe for any non-standard 'radiation' for later detection (at least in the US). Janet's transformation and capture (along with 'radiation' from her) leads to the coalition of agencies.
11090936
The San Jose incident didn't seem like there was any sort of procedure there. It really seemed like panic all around. People were understandably freaking out, cops were called, and they probably laughed off the first story they heard about Tracy. Until they heard it a bunch. Probably wouldn't put it above someone to sneak a picture to have later proof they aren't going insane and that was indeed a thing that happened.
If this was procedure, that would imply the police were in on the secret and it staying secret still would shatter SoD when that many people know and it stayed secret.
11090753
Or anyone who stumbled into the Cahokia worldgate did not get transformed on the wayback and had to stay.
Poor Janet.
They really did quite possibly the most human of the group like that.