Our Sun is dying. A portal to the Unkown opens and the biggest migration of all time begins.
Our Sun is dying. A portal to the Unkown opens and the biggest migration of all time begins. 100.000 settlers at a time and everytime to another world. The last 100.000 settler may find their personal paradise before the Earth grows silent forever.
--------------------------------- This story will be driven by the readers. I don't want to spoiler to much, but you are the settlers and your votes count into the story. Every once in a while I will post a poll from google drive and everyone can vote. This will change the story, but will make writing a bit slower. So please be patient with updates.
Tags will be added as the story continues.
I'm from german and even if my english has improved over the years it's far from perfect. So the only correction at the moment is me and google drive. I think google drive does a good job so far but if anyone wants to proofread contact me. I could give you sugestion rights for my google documents.
If your asking about Metal Heart (my other story) I will continue this one eventually, after I have rewritten everything.
Our Sun is dying. We can’t change this fact, but it happens far too early and quieter than any of us had thought. A planetoid had hit the Sun and some unknown substance is slowly shutting down all fusion reactions. Our Sun grows smaller, dimmer and colder everyday.
But there is hope in our literally darkest hours. A portal opened in the middle of the pacific ocean. After multiple test it was concluded that the portal was unstable, resetting its destination every time something passed through.
It was the first time that humanity worked together on one project. Even those who hate each other for centuries, work together to save mankind. But it was clear that not all could be send to one new world. Resources, ethologie and let alone conflicts would arise problems on such small space. So it was decided to send out as many seeds as possible.
Massive self sustaining Settlertrains were constructed, containing food, building material and tools for 100.000 settler. Said settlers were put together from all around the world. Mainly because of genetical reasons.
While the trains were constructed under high pressure the settlers had to take a extensive psychological Test. Only this of similar mindsets could work together, without ruining everything in pointless fights over power, religion or different opinions.
Everyone was gone and only one last train remained on the slowly freezing earth. The last 100.000 Settlers were about to leave, when something unthinkable happened.
πππππππππππππππππππππππ Marcus Stone, Lead Scientist
The drone was on its way, still connected with the train via the communication cable. This method prevented that the portal changed its destination and the settler got recon beforehand. Sending of the trains into the unknown. Stupid politicians, trying to save money even in a situation like this.
“Dammit! Another hell”, called Jan, the soldier, from the survey consol. The main monitor on the small bridge showed a burning world. Flames, molten rock and the sensors showed a mainly carbon dioxide atmosphere.
“Let it fly”, said John, the ‘Leader’ of the train. Every train had a designated leader that would decide on everything for the first 5 years. Afterwards everyone decided, which government the small colony should have.
The video feed was cut off as the cable was cut loose. The portal changed its destination immediately, after the last bit of cable vanished into it. Only a different color showed that it had changed its destination and the color was no indicator what waited ahead of us. The crew in their Thermo-suits prepared another drone on the deck above us to lunch.
“Do I have to remind everyone that we only have two drones left? Furthermore time is running out. The temperature is dropping zero point three degrees per minute!”, I voiced my concern, “We should have taken this jungle one on our first try.”
“If you want to fight of ten meter big lizards, be my guest”, grunted Jan, “ But wait. You’re just a scientist, Marcus, you don’t know how to shoot.”
“Lead Scientist, please”, came my immediate response.
“Shut up will ya? My crew has installed the next drone” came a voice over the speakers. Only one was such a loudmouth, most likely chewing on a twig like always.
“Thank you, Roy”, answers John and continue to Jan, “ Start!”
The octocopter drone flow of, pulling the cable for communication behind itself. We wait for the signal from the other side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jonathan “John” Walker, Leader
This has to be it. After this we have only one drone left.
Roy came onto the bridge. “My boys can set up the last drone alone, but I hope they don’t have to. Come on, by Celestia's beard!”
Everyone, even this stuck up Marcus, grinned to that. Jan was the first to notice that all four of them were MLP:FIM Fans, Bronies to the core. And even if our personalities clashed from time to time, we worked perfectly together.
“I get first data. Atmosphere similar to ours. Only cleaner”, Marcus read out, “24 degrees celsius, sunlight is within parameters, a bit humid.”
“Video feed established”, called Jan and the snow on the main monitor got its first few green patches.
After the video was stable no one could say a word for a minute.
“Bloody hell! Get me a bottle o’ scotch, kick me twice in the balls and tell me A’m not dreaming”, murmured Roy, “Is that Canterlot castle?”
∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆ Jan Schmidt, Lead Soldier
After the first shock and some wild discussions, everyone calmed down.
John got everything under control but was now presented with a dilemma.
“Do we go or do we risc our last try?”, asked John with mix between happy and stern.
“You know the rules! ‘By indicators of intelligent lifeforms is the connection to the drone to cut and retry.’”, I said.
“Jan… this is Equestria for Celestia's sake!”, Roy voiced his opinion rather loudly, “Besides who would actually punish us? There is no one left but us!”
“Think of the possibilities! Magic could be really possible over there”, said a giddy Marcus.
“Yes but what would change in their culture because of us. Besides maybe this is only a castle similar to Canterlot castle. We don’t have any proo...”, John was interrupted by a new timid voice that came over the microphones of the drone.
“Hallo. Um… what are you? And what is this big… portal, if you don’t mind me asking.”
Everyone stared at the screen to see Fluttershy hovering before the drone. Needless to say jaws hit the floors.
‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰ Roy Lennox, Lead Technician
“Hail her! What are ya waiting for?”, I asked while I still couldn’t believe my eyes. This was Fluttershy. In the flesh!
“We can’t just talk to her! As much as I want to. We have set rules for this kind of situations”, Jan argued back, looking over his shoulder. This hardass soldier was always a rule fanatic, always by the book. Even if said book lays outside on the Rig frozen and hard as stone by now.
“We don’t have time and enough resources for another time! If we cut this drone a perfect world will be lost and we don’t have a guarantee that the next one will be live friendly. And after this one we don’t have much choice to take what we can”, the egghead alias Marcus voiced his opinion with some obvious facts, “I will not take this risk!” First time I saw him slam his fist on one of his precious toys.
“Calm down everyone!”, called John, “Mindless arguing is not a solution. First, Marcus how much time do we have until the train can’t move because of the cold?”
“Four, maybe five hours. But we will be dead before that. The heating in her isn’t made to withstand such temperatures”, explained Marcus with a hopeful look.
“Jan, I know the rules. But you know the success rate on this portal. Only one of three portals resets are positive for a world capable of sustaining live. A compromise; one, we ask for permission to enter their land and set up a colony in their land under their rule. Second, all of us vote with our Com-Bands, if we want to go to Equestria. If one of this fails, we cut the line and search for another world, Sound good”, Marcus reasoned with Jan and after a short pause he finally nod.
“Finally! Then get going!”, I called and pointed at the screen, “By the way we don’t have to wait until someone can decide on their end. Royalty has arrived.”
All were a bit shocked to see the princesses Celestia, Luna and Twilight Sparkle on the monitor, closely inspecting the portal and the drone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jonathan “John” Walker, Leader
I wrote a short but meaningful text for the poll.
‘Settlers, we have found a world that is ideal for us to settle, but it has a catch. This world, believe it or not, is the world of the show My little Pony: Friendship is Magic. This means not only that this world is inhabited, it is inhabited by beings we thought were just fiction. Normally, personal reasons aside, the rules would state that we have to cut the line immediately. But we only have one drone left and if the next world is unfriendly we have to take a chance afterwards. We are in contact with the rulers of Equestria, the land behind the portal. If they grant us permission to settle in their land we will submit to their rule.
I ask you now to give your voice, because I can’t make such a decision without you. I don’t have to tell you that our time is running out and the situation is desperate.
Jonathan Walker, Leader of Settlertrain ‘Last Stand’’
I push send and hope that all Settlers will make the right decision. After getting the poll on my own Com-Band, I immediately give my vote.
“This will take a few minutes. To the next point, is the speaker on the drone working?”, I ask into the small bridge.
“Yes I did run a check on every system while you wrote your little lett-”, answered Marcus but got interupted as the announcement that the poll already was complete rang through the room.
I couldn’t believe my eyes: “100% Yes. 0% No” And that after mere minutes.
I thought for a second and wrote a second poll.
‘Settler, I would never have expected 100% Yes in such a short time. This got me thinking and I have to ask a second, much simpler question. Are you fans of the series MLP:FIM?
Jonathan Walker, Leader of Settlertrain ‘Last Stand’’
This time I gave three options: No, Fan, Bronie/Pegasister.
Only after a few seconds, the other were as tense as I was, the answer arrived quicker than before. “0%No, 36% Fans, 64% Bronies/Pegasister”
“Welp, that settles then”, laughed Roy and Marcus gave his opinion too: “This can’t be a coincidence.”
I got over to Jan and laid my hand on his shoulder: “Thanks for the Yes vote.”
“You know that this polls tend to have a one percent failure quote?”, he answered with a weak smile. I nod, patted his shoulder once and directed my attention to the monitor, “Set to send.”
∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆ Jan Schmidt, Lead Soldier
Somehow I know John was right but if we already abandoned rules now, what would happen later. I watched the screen and was amazed how many ponies had gathered around the portal till now. This could only mean that a settlement was nearby. Maybe even Ponyville, by the look of it.
“This is Jonathan Walker from the planet Earth. I speak on the behalf of 100.000 settler that are in search for a refuge of the immediate destruction of our world. We know who you are and we know of your land, Princess Celestia of Equestria. How we came to this information can be discussed later. Now I have an urgent question, because our time is running thin. Can we settle in your land? We will bring enough material to build housings, farmland and anything else needed for the beginning. We will submit to your rule and your judgment and we will offer our knowledge and technology to you. If you refuse, we have still one last chance for another world to find but it is with a great risk of failure. We will answer all question you have for us. Just speak directly to this drone.”
The ponies on the screen were baffled to say the least. Muffled talking and whispered arguing could be heard over the microphones, mainly from the Mane 6, Celestia and Luna. It was Twilight that stepped forward and asked the first Questions.
“Hrmph, hallo? Am I doing this right?”, she asked and John answered with yes, encouraged her to speak freely, “Okay. First of all I would like to know you you are? how do you look? I assume like this… drone? Are you a metal based insectoid hive?”
That got actually a chuckle from Marcus and he asked, “May I?” John gave his clear and Marcus activated his microphone: “My name is Marcus Stone, I’m the Lead Scientist of this group. To answer your question. No this before you is just a machine, a device that let us see, hear and analyse basic environmental data. It is connected through the portal with our vehicle. Before you ask the portal changes it's destination if the connection is severed.”
“For your original question. We are humans. Bipedal, upright walking mammals. You can compare us to minotaures only that we have no hooves, horns or tails and a flatter face.”
Twilight was of course taking notes before she asked her next question: “If this drone is a machine, how does it work? I sense no magic coming from it.”
“From your question I presume that all of your technology runs on magic”, asked Marcus and Twilight answered with mostly, “Okay, we don’t have magic. Our technology runs on electricity and physical principles.”
Notes again. In the meantime Fluttershy trotted over and asked: “What is your diet?”
Marcus let go of the button: “Dammit! I hoped this wouldn't become an issue so quickly. What do I say?”
“The truth, of course”, answered John.
“Then let me talk to her”, Roy called from the back and came over to John's side.
‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰ Roy Lennox, Lead Technician
“This is John Lennox speaking, a’m the Lead Technician here. To answer your question miss Fluttershy, we are Omnivores. Fruits, vegetables and… animal products are our prefered meals”, I answered truthfully.
“You hesitated by a-animal products. Does this mean you eat.. m-meat?”, asked Fluttershy surprisingly forward.
“Yes”, I answered without a second thought. Marcus looked at me as if I was insane, but I continued: “But we have rations with us to last for at least a year, until our seeds have grown. The seeds are selected in such fashion that we could survive completely on vegan diet. But I won’t lie. Most will miss a more variant diet with meat and other animal products.”
This time Celestia herself chimed in: “I wouldn’t be concerned about this. It is true that Ponyville doesn’t have much visitors from other nations, but griffons, diamond dogs and occasionally minotaurs eat meat or fish. Eggs, milk and such are common even for us ponies. Pegasus ponies even need fish in their diet for their feathers and flight muscles. Some other ponies even have taste for fish, isn’t this right Twilight?”
“I told you that was a sandwich with meat she ate”, whispered Jan to Marcus, “even if it was fish based salami.”
“This is a relief, Princess Celestia”, said Roy, “But even so, we have to discuss with our people this topic further. I don’t think the area around the portal can handle 100.000 omnivores at once. It would be best if we stay on rations for this first year, but this is a topic for the future. Anymore questions?”
This time Rarity stepped forward and asked: “I don’t want to sound rude but how do you know so much about us, especially our names?”
This time Marcus answered: “We actually have a story telling your adventures in our world, that we thought were mere fiction. It is complicated but I personally think it's best explained through the multiverse theory.”
“You lost me darling”, laughed Rarity lightly and Twilight covered for her.
“I know of this theory. In theory there is an infinite numbers of possible parallel universes, some only with small changes others complete opposite to this world. This explains this portal and your existence, but not that you know about us through a story.”
Marcus grinned: “If there is an infinite number of possible parallel universes, the possibility that every story told, written or played exist in one of this parallel universes, is 100%.”
Twilight opened her mouth to argue against it, but hesitated and closed her mouth again. After some thinking she nodded and says: “That… is actually true. By infinite universes everything is possible. Even dreams, as bizarre as they can get, are somewhere reality.”
“Of course the possibility to actual get to exact this parallel universe you know from a book is almost impossible. We just got really, really, REALLY lucky”, said Marcus, giddy that finally someone, or somepony in this case, understood it right.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jonathan “John” Walker, Leader
The question and answer game was continued for a few minutes more and as soon the question got to the point of personal preferences I had to cut in.
“Not to be rude Princess Celestia, but our time is slipping away. Our world is literally freezing to death and we have only two hours left. I have to ask you to consult with your closest and decide on our destiny. If you reject our plea we have to prepare the next drone and search for another world as fast as we can”, I said and know that I may sounded harsh, “I apologize for being this blunt, but 100.000 lives depend on my deciens.”
Celestia just nod and got with her sister and the Mane 6 a bit away. After about twenty minutes she came back with Twilight and her sister and announced in her royal canterlot voice:
“I hereby decree that the refugees from the planet Earth may settle on this plains west of Ponyville. They may rule over their settlement as they wish, as long this rule doesn’t harm or interrupted the life in Equestria. May our friendship prosper!”
Chapter 2 - "First, I should explain what a Televison is."
Chapter 2 - “First, I should explain what a Television is.”
The Settlertrain began to emerge from the portal and slowly surrounded the area. The Princesses had made way for the entire train to pass through and as instructed by the team, including Marcus, John, Jan and Roy, the ponies made room for the entire train to settle in a large circle around the portal.
Once the last bit of the train came through the portal, it collapsed in a almost non-audible ‘Plop’ and not more than a bright flash. The train came to a hold short time afterwards, creating a perfect circle around the area on an almost horizontal level. The front connected to the rear end and some bumps in the ground were offset by hydraulics.
The Settlertrain was huge and efficient. 25m high but only the topmost was for the passengers to stay in. Because the train only had to pass through the portal there was no reason for seats. Immediately after the train emerged the settlers would go to work and build their new home.
A Settlertrain was around 3.5km long and made more or less perfect circle with a radius of approximately 560m. The train itself had a capacity of 3.000.000m³, packed with tools, material, food and seeds. In addition, the inner circle would be roofed and filled with five floors for living quarters, workshops, laboratories and more. But everything would be simple. Newer and better buildings had to be built shortly afterwards, once new resources were acquired.
This was the seed mankind had given every new colony, a cornerstone to build on. It was simple, but it was a start. And mankind had done so around 75.000 times. Nothing else was more important then this project: the survival of mankind. Resources and technology was shared freely, even for century-old enemies.
So it was quite normal for humans to see exo-frames now. Mechanical enhancements for hard labor. Ponies on the other hand, or hoof, were a bit buffled. Even more so when finally the leader of the new arrivals introduced himself.
But Celestia was a bit confused why he was wearing a bright orange suit from head to feet with a small window on the seamless helmet. For matter of fact every human so far that exited the train was wearing this getup.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John
“Oh, I recognize confusion on your face princess Celestia. Please let me explain. This is a Hazmat Suit. It prevents viruses and any other contagious or dangerous substance to enter my body. We have to be careful. We don’t know yet if there is anything that could kill us… or you for this matter. We leave and enter the train through airlocks that sterilized everything that passes through”, I explained and pulled a small package from my backpack.
“This brings me to this. This are probes of every disease that is common to us and their related antidotes and vaccines. All settlers should be clean, but you never know if there isn’t something hidden in a crate. Viruses can survive sometimes month without a host. I don’t know if you have the environments to safely test this diseases if anything is dangerous to you. If not we will setup a laboratory.”
Celestia eyed the packed, that was thoroughly packed in multiple layers to make sure it wouldn’t get damaged easily. She took it in her Magic and gave it over to a unicorn guard.
“I want this analysed in Canterlot Medical University. They have to take every possible countermeasure. They have to handle everything inside as if it is highly contagious and could cause a pandemic”, Celestia told the guard before she returned her gaze to me, “Anything else?”
“Oh, yes we would like a similar probe from all disease known to you, so we can make our own analyses and produce vaccines. We just want to be careful. Normally our scientist would start right now taking probes from all plants and animals in the surrounding area, but with your help we could cut this research process to a quarter. I think we can leave this suit behind us in about three weeks. Or so I have been told”, I explained with a smile.
Celestia nodded and addressed the guard again: “You have heard their wish. Bring everything to the CMU. They should be able to prepare a package for them in two days. Now go and no teleportation. We don’t know how the pathogens react to magic yet.”
The guard trotted off and Celestia faced me again, but it was Luna that spoke this time: “So, now that this is taken care of, how about you tell us why you know so much about us.”
I grinned and started: “First, I should explain what a Television is.”
‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰‰ Roy
The work began immediately after the train came to stand. The load bays and large airlocks released the workers inside the courtyard, so I called the inner circle the train created. Workers in hazmat suit swarmed the 25m high train and connected everything permanently. Others flattened the area even more. A third crew filled every hole with fast-binding cement. It was a feast for sore eyes like mine, who had worked his ass off building one Settlertrain after another.
Now I could see everything fit together, like a gear in the other. Of course there were the occasional but manageable problems that I had to take care of. But overall it was coming together faster than anyone had dreamed.
“Oi you come over here”, I called to a exo-frame driver near me. The 2.5m big, two legged vehicle came to a stand right before me and a youngster of around 18 years was obvious expecting to scolded for a mistake.
“Take a break will’ya? I wanted to drive one of this babys myself for ages”, I grinned to the boy half a meter above me. He was a bit surprised, but spoke up his concern:
“Sir, not to be disrespectful, but do you have a license to handle this machine?” I was a bit shocked and stumbled a step backwards.
“Do A have a license? Buddy, ya do know that A have helped put this things together? The rotary tool belt? My creation, for fucks sack! Now get down here or A get up there, pull ya out myself and give ya a beating like my old man did”, I told the youngster, holding a bit back because I know the boy was right to ask. This monsters could lift a full loaded truck in each hand with ease. Could do some serious damage if misused.
“Sorry Sir, I had to ask”, the youngster said as he striped from the exo-frame. I waved it off: “Ah, don’t worry, it was right to ask.”
Then I climbed in. It was a unique feeling to sit/stay in this machine. You were more or less sitting in an 30° polster, fixing your legs in the frames legs and strap your arms into the sensor rig. The machine had massive shoulders but no head. The work arms of the machine are half a meter above you, longer and more massive than a normal human's arms. It was a challenge to get used to this machine.
There was also a five meter tall variant of this exo-frame. But in that one, you were sitting completely inside the chest and only minimal movement was necessary to move the exo-frame. Some workers referred to the 5m variant as the Golem.
Both had a tool belt that was located on the back and had every possible tool inside. The pilot could access everything with a monitor that captured eye movement. Double-blink while staring at the hammer icon? The toolbelt provided. Deactivating the arms so you could use your owns for more delicate work, without smashing everything around you? Double-blink the arm icon.
“So let’s see what we can do with this baby”, I smiled over both ears, while I rotated the arms a bit to get a feeling.
∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆ Jan
I was standing on top of tower three. The towers were raised shortly after the train stopped and was anchored to the ground. The tower added another 20m to the trains height. Maybe I shouldn’t call the Settlertrain train anymore. In a few hours, thanks to multiple shifts, the Settlertrain was transformed into a flat dome.
This offered enough convertible space for 100.000 Settler to have 20m³ each for living space. The rest, what was still a huge amount of space, was for storage, simple research and workstations and simple medical equipment.
The towers, six in numbers, were meant to be converted into wind turbines. Adding to the 45m another 55m, to a total height of 100m with 35m radius rotors. Each turbine should deliver roughly 17.5 million kWh per year.
On top of this came solar panels all over the train's roof and later over the entire dome. Producing additionally 0.5 million kWh per year. Nothing compared to the turbines, but it also produced heated water. Enough for everyone to take a bath, not necessarily at the same time.
But all this information was fancy trivialities. For me it was far more interesting that this towers delivered tactical information of the surrounding areas. And staying here at the railing on this tower was a great opportunity to get familiar with the land.
Gazing over the hills and forests with my binoculars, I could spot Canterlot in the north-east, Ponyville directly east of here, the railroads to the south and I even could catch glimpses of Cloudsdale in the far north over the mountains.
Then my view was completely light blue, befor two huge fuchsian colored eyes stared at me. Surprised but not showing so, thanks to my military training, I took the binoculars down and was greeted with the sight of Rainbow Dash.
“What are you doing?”, she asked, hovering in front of me, “Spying on Cloudsdale?” “No, I was just getting my bearings. We have informations about you and most of the landmarks, but no proper map. Just some ‘it could be like this’”, I said, reached out with one hand, “But where are my manners. Jan Schmidt, Lead Soldier of this Settlertrain.”
“Rainbow Dash”, she shook my hand, “So, Lead Soldier? Is this similar to a captain of the royal guards or captain of the Wonderbolts?”
“Close yes. I have the command over every military unit on board and provide my input to Jonathan Walker, our Leader. He makes the final decision. But overall we have a flat hierarchy. Me, then five company commander, each has ten troop leaders under them that command 20 soldiers each. So a total of just 1056 trained and active soldiers. Too few in my opinion”, I explained.
“What do you mean?”, asked Rainbow now landing on the platform beside me, “And what exactly is a soldier? Some sort of guard?”
“1056 Soldiers protecting 98944 civilian? Each soldier has to protect around a 100 people at all time. Impossible in my eyes”, I told her leaning against the railing, “And a soldier is… Well what I think to know about your guards is that they are soldiers and police in one. But with us police is normally only for civilians while soldiers are for military only. The police is fighting crimes, protecting citizens in a small scale, like a city. Soldiers fight to protect an entire country. But right now, we soldiers have to do both police work and soldier work. So in the end, yeah I think we are actually more like your guards.”
“Well, why didn’t you say so in the beginning? You're not a secret egghead, explaining everything and stuff, are you?”, Rainbow looks me up and down like she wasn’t sure what to think of me.
“Trust me, the less I have to explain the better”, I said and waved the thought away I would be like Marcus, “But to less information or not thoroughly explained, leads to guesswork. And that leads to misunderstandings and errors. In my line of work that leads to death, most of the time.”
Rainbow looked like she was a bit taken aback, lowered her head a bit in thought. Then she looked to Cloudsdale and said: “I will join the Wonderbolts. What I heard and experienced so far, your thinking and theirs are the same. I…”, she looked at me, “You know about me. You know me, in some way, do you?”
I nod and she continues: “Do I… fit a live with the Wonderbolts? Following rules to the point and such?”
“You don’t have to give up who you are just because you have to follow procedure. But you must learn to switch from everyday you to professional you”, I say napping my fingers, “in an instant when the situation arise. But you should never forget or give up this side of yours.” I point to her chest.
“I have seen soldiers who were 24/7 professional and serious. They couldn’t let go. Not even around their family what created some serious problems”, I looked to Ponyville, “No, you have to balance between this two states, professional and relaxed. And never forgetting where your coming from, this is the most important part.”
When I looked back to Dash she gazed up to me like I was some kind of messiah's. Afraid I had given her permission to slack of I added: “But don’t think this means you can slack off. Training and military training in particular, is never easy. Your drill sergeant will most likely never admit that you did well. They will say you didn’t, raising the difficulty even more, just to get you to your best performance. Only when you finished all your training and you get to the regular troops, your seargeant shows a small proud smile, probably. That all you will ever get. Well at least so it was for me.”
Rainbow Dash sat there think about everything before she took of, hovering in front of me. “You gave me a lot to think about. I know it will be hard, especially because I can’t see my friends for a long time. But in the end it will pay off, I think”, she said, flying around me, “You’re a cool guy. I think I will see you more often now. But right now I have to go back to my friends. See ya.”
She waved good bye and flow back down to the huge group of ponies, most likely everypony from Ponyville, marveling at the huge new building that came literally out of nowhere.
I still leant against the railing. All this got me thinking too. I was always one to stick strictly to the rules. Rules helped me to survive. But I recognised the signs of 24/7 professional soldiers on me.
Turning around and taking in the view without the binoculars, I actual saw the land for the first time. It was beautiful here, peacefull. And suddenly I doubted that soldiers were really needed here. So I had to make a decision.
πππππππππππππππππππππππ Marcus
God this Hazmat Suits are hot and uncomfortable. I hope that this samples from the Equestrian government will help to develop vaccines against all this disease fast. But for now I had to tolerate this wearable saunas. And if it only was to get into contact with Twilight Sparkle.
She was sitting across from me right now and I had just explained the theories we had about the portal. Not much to tell there.
Before that I shocked her worldview with the fact of how big our sun was, how far away it was and our planet rotated around it, creating seasons and weather as result of it.
Now she was finally back to normal after she wrote everything down. Because, I told her we know about Celestia rising the Sun and Luna rising the Moon but no details about it, she explained it to me now: “Well, Celestia's sun is actually not much bigger than Luna’s moon. But it is much closer to us than your sun.”
“Understandable. Otherwise it wouldn’t heat the planet enough to sustain live”, I interjected, “but does Luna create the night sky too?”
“Oh yes she does. Without her or Celestia in her absence we would see only a reddish black void. Luna did show it to everyone one night, for clearing this rumor as fact”, Twilight answered excited over the fact that someone actually was interested in this theme.
“Reddish dark void? A small sun rotating around a lone planet… Does Celestia have to power the sun somehow?”, I asked building up to a theory.
Twilight thought for a moment and answered: “I think. I believe to remember that she said something about ‘filling her Sun with energy on the Summer Sun Celebration.’ Why do you ask?”
I was silent for a moment befor I answered: “Supposedly everything works here exactly like in our universe just plus magic, I think this planet is a lone wanderer. A planet that was slingshot from his original system and is now flying across space. I think this planet took his moon with him and got stuck on it’s way in a Nebula of some sort. The nebula is so thick that no light or almost no light comes through. so over the past million or billion years another object was caught by this planet gravity. A fragment of another star.”
Twilight listened fascinated by my theory, so I just continued: “Maybe this fragment was barely strong enough so that life could develop and in the last few thousand years lost a great deal of its power. But thanks to Celestia’s magic the star is stabilized and powered every year. This would explain the extreme winters before Equestria was founded. Celestia powering the sun and your Hearthwarming magic is actually keeping this planet alive. But hey, it’s just a theory.”
Twilights eyes were as big as soup plates. Her mouth hanging agape and was clearly in shock. “You okay there?”, I snipped my fingers in front of her.
“This is… BRILLIANT!”, shouted Twilight suddenly, causing me to tumble backwards, “You may have just solved an ancient puzzle! Your a geniuse!”
“Oh thank you. But to be honest, like I said it’s just a theorie. Theories have to be proven”, I told her.
“True. But still this is maybe the best explanation anypony has ever given on how this world came to be. And if it’s true what you said about planets orbiting their suns is the norm, this would be a huge revelation for us. I mean, untill now I was convinced that out there is nothing, but know… I would like to know what's out there.”
“Oh, you’re not alone”, I whispered before saying louder, “Maybe it’s possible if we combine our efforts. We had a space program, but our biggest problem was to leave our planet in the first place. We needed so much rocket fuel just to get into orbit that it was just not efficient enough and cost to much. But with your magic… there is maybe a way to combine our technology and your magic. Not only for space travel. How does your technology work? We never saw much in the show and that what we saw was limited.”
“Oh it’s quite simple. We use horn crafted gems to power our machines, but every gem takes weeks to manufacture, maybe even month. The more complex the machine is the more time it takes to make the gems. Sometimes a machine is build from dozens of gems that interact with each other to produce the desired effects, like a heart monitor or the sound system from this one DJ… Oh what was her name. Pinkie would know”, she explained and was thinking about DJ Pon3y’s.
“Vinyl Scratch”, I said absent, before I continued with more vigore, “This is where we can help. Our technology is powered by electricity and functions of physical laws that, obviously still apply. Otherwise our machines wouldn’t work anymore. Why not combine this to parts. Can you produce gems that bring something to spin? Like a wheel?”
“Yes, it is actually the most simple thing. But they aren’t used on trains or carriages, because the vibrations would destroy the gems over time and lead to accidents”, Twilight explained and getting giddy herself, “What are you think about, Marcus.”
“In simple terms explained, our electricity is produced through rotating magnets inside a coil of copper wire. But we need always something to rotate this magnets in the first place, like a waterwheel. But if we use gems to rotate the magnets, it’s clean and easy energy for everyone. Maybe we can even miniaturize the generators so every device produces it’s own energy. But we have to build a working concept prototype first.”
“Oh this is so exciting. Combining knowledge from two worlds to make something new entirely that benefits us all”, squeed Twilight.
“Come on, let’s go to John and Celestia and tell them our ideas!”, I jumped up and hold a hand out to help her up.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
The rest of the coming three weeks were mostly filled with work, building and planning for the future.
One thing that found practical use was the poll system. Day to day decision were still made by John and the others but if something big happened he would make a poll with every information, pro and contra, that was needed for a decision to be made by the settlers.
Because of that John and the other where now referred to as the council, even if he had the last Veto Right and decisions of polls where mostly from the settlers.
It looked like the future would be bright and exciting for the little community of humans in the middle of Equestria.
JW (Johnathan Walker): Okay, this is the first meeting after we arrived here in Equestria. We will discuss official business and the public will see this afterwards, so please keep your personal opinion to the end of each topic.
all, expect JW: *sounds of acknowledgements*
JW: Good. So the first topic is the name we four are be called by the people. The Council. Anyone has a something against that?
RL (Roy Lennox): Well it was about to happen. The four up there is a mouthful. So if the people want to call us Council, so be it. Better than slave drivers or the bosses.
MS (Marcus Stone): It indicates that the people have respect and trust in us. A council works from the people for the people. And this poll system you want to use…
JW: ...Is a matter we discuss later.
JS (Jan Schmidt): Trust is important. If this is a sign of trust from the people I have no objection to the name.
JW: Everyone spoke his mind? *short pause* Okay. Next Topic. The poll system. As I already mentioned, I want that everyone has a saying in this entire settlement. Not only we four or in the end me. We will still filter things and if we are not on one page than a poll is in order. I hope this will not be often. Your thought?
MS: From a technical standpoint it’s not a problem. Everyone has his com-band and the updated program is already loaded to everyone's band.
RL: I just hope everyone is keeping a clear head. Their decisions good or bad will be carried out.
JS: Than we have to make a good groundwork. We can’t bring something into the poll we know will cause problems. Even if our own feelings and believings are against something, we have to think for the greater good for everyone. And with this in mind I want to add something to the poll.
JW: Unexpected and normally I would ask you to wait until everything else is through because you didn’t bring this up beforehand, but go on. We have to discuss this first. If the other two are against your proposal or I see a great risk in it, it’s off the table before it hits the poll.
JS: Fair enough. I spoke to Rainbow Dash three weeks ago, just after we arrived and what we spoke about made me thinking. We are in Equestria, a peaceful and harmonious land. And soldiers like me are for war. But we do all police work at the moment to. Thanks to all the work no crime has occurred yet and I hope nothing will happen in the future.
RL: So what’s your point?
JS: *Deep breath* I want to disband all military personnel and form a guard, just like the Equestrians do. The guard would do mostly police work, but have military grade training. So if the necessity arise they can be called to arms in mere minutes.
RL: Wowowo, only because it works for them doesn’t mean we should break with what we know best. I was 12 years in the military before I quit and build my own engineering company. I say it stays as it is.
MS: I don’t see the necessity of heavily military trained soldiers or guards. A regular police force should be more than enough. What I gathered only some smaller border skirmishes occurred over the past 200 years. And even before that were only smaller wars fought. I say police only.
JW: This is exactly what I meant. This is why we need a poll. You three have all different opinions and this decision is to big that I don’t want to break it over everyone's head. So this goes into the poll. But because I think the guard idea will be the most popular we will make a double poll. One guard/military/police and one for the name of the guards. Military is military, police is police, but guards should be named. Just “Guards” is to bland in my eyes.
RL: Well if you're so confident in your idea and your guards will be ready in mere minutes, why not call them Minuteman. For old times sake.
JS: I thought about that already. We are not royalty but if we take the idea from the Equestrians, we should take a similar name: Council Guards.
MS: You're right we are no royalty and we shouldn’t act all high and mighty and call the guard our own. But we should never forget where we are coming from. So I bring the name Terra Guards into the play.
JW: Okay, everything said to this point? *pause* Good. We have three more points on today's agenda. So moving to the next point. We have only enough resources left from the dome building that we can afford one building with this. After this we have to gather resources. We already got permission to mine in the rich mountains north and south of here, as long as we give of 5% tax on all material we bring up. 5% is more than reasonable for two entire mountain ranges. The material left from the dome building is highly modular and can be build into everything. I know everyone of you has another building in mind so I know this will be another poll. Just explain what and why your building should be build first.
MS: I think we need a power plant and this fast. Even with the wind turbines and solar panels in place we will hit our limit within the next few month, especially if other buildings should be powered too. Twilight Sparkle and I have already drawn out a concept for a magic powered generator. Clean, resource friendly energy and there is the possibility that we could build even smaller generators, for each house its own. Maybe even for each device.
JS: Maybe surprising that this comes from a soldier, but we need a hospital. A real hospital. The two small stations we have in the dome are not enough if something big happens. We are cleared to go outside without Hazmat suit, but there could still be a disease that is just waiting for us that the ponies have long forgotten, because they are immune to it. So a hospital with research lab should be build ASAP.
RL: A mine with smeltery, plain and simple. I know your reasons are perfectly fine and I agree to the fact that this buildings should be build. But if we build one of yours first we have to gather resources the hard way. Trees are not the problem here, the 5m exo-frames take care of this. But rock and metal working without a solid base. Unthinkable.
JW: Okay, you made your points and thanks for keeping it simple. Next point of interest is a request from *name excluded* , who asked if every settler can carry a firearm in public. Just like you said Jan, we are in a peaceful and harmonious land. So I will take my veto right and shoot this one down: No! No firearms in public. What you do in your own four walls, I can’t control and I don’t want to. But in public are no firearms allowed for civilians. I know some will hate me for this or this was a request so I make a point, but in history it showed that ‘more guns on the streets’ only caused even more problems. *Long pause* Okay, next point. A question from *name excluded*. Are pony/human relationships allowed? Your thoughts?
RL: As far as I have gathered ponies have no problem with interspecies relationships. So no problem from my side: Allowed.
JS: The problem is that this interspecies relationships bring forth offsprings. But as our genetic research have come to the conclusion, thanks to the blood samples provided by the Equestrian government, ponies and humans can’t have offsprings. And this is what we need right now. Even if we are 100.000 humans, if only 20% of them want to have a relationships with a pony, we will run into serious problems in the future. Inbreeding. Genetic defections. And I think far more than 20% want to be with ponies. We are 64% bronies after all. So: Not allowed, from me. As much as it pains me, because I am one of the 20%.
MS: Oh, you shouldn’t give up so easily. Yeah it’s true there are no offsprings possible. Yet. But we don’t know what science and magic can do together. Maybe we come up with something to make offsprings possible. My vote is, Not allowed for one year. If we fail, I’m on Jan’s side. Maybe we can allow it in four or five generations. But now would be a massive mistake, if we can’t make offsprings possible.
JW: Okay, so this will be a poll too. *Short pause* Good the last point is if we allow ponies into our settlement. Not into the dome, but if they want to build their own houses around us, what’s your thought?
MS: Allowed. Just because it will be more convenient to have some pony researcher around to help develop new technology based on magic.
JS: Allowed. I don’t see a problem in this. Besides they can help us to build up our understanding of ponies. We didn’t see or hear everything from the show. Much is in the dark.
RL: Allowed. Some of this Earth Ponies are gold worth as worker. And if they help tend our fields I think we can boost our crop output by at least 10%.
JW: Well that was an easy one. Are we done then? *Pause* Okay, so we have four polls so far.This looks like it will be a good first test of the poll system. I thank you for your civil manners in this first council meeting and I hope that our poll will be met with great vigor.
The poll was over and it was... mixed. I had an actual problem because the hospital and the mine tied both with 46,4% of the votes. I couldn’t just take one over the other because I gave my vote too and my choice was one of the both.
It was a real problem. ‘Should I take another vote just for that?’
“Mr. Walker”, came Jill's voice over the Com-Band, “You have a visitor.”
I pressed the answer button and said: “Can you tell them to come back later? I have bit of work to figure out here.”
“Sir, it’s Princess Celestia”, answered Jill calm, but I could hear that she was also a bit nervous. Like everyone else she was at least a fan of the show and know who the princesses were and what they were capable of.
“In that case send her in, please”, I answered bashful. I couldn’t just send Princess Celestia away after she gave us this plot of land to settle. She was more or less our overlord, but in a good way of course.
The door slid to the side and the alabaster alicorn of the sun walked in. Thanks to the fact that the Exo-Frames had to move inside the Dome, the sealing was 3-4m high. So even pegasi ponies could fly inside the rooms an Celestia with her bit more than 2m hight had no problem to move around, while being in my office.
I stood up and came around the table to greet her: “Princess Celestia. Always a pleasure to see you.”
“Oh the pleasure's all mine, Mr. Walker”, Celestia greeted back.
“Please just John will do”, I took here offered hoof by putting my fist under her hoof and grabbed the top with my thumb and shook it slightly. A greeting that established itself after some ponies voiced a discomfort of having their entire hoof engulfed by a human hand. Hoofbumping was also a problem for humans, because their hooves bruised human fists easily.
“Then it’s only Celestia for you. We are friends after all”, she winked.
“So”, I let her hoof go and asked, “What can I do for you?”
“Oh for little me. Nothing much just a bit small talk, how things are coming along and I heard your people had their first major decision making. It’s still a bit alien to me that every single citizen can voice their vote to the government, but it seems to work for you”, she smiled as she sat down in front of my desk after she levitated a cushion over for her. I had always five chairs and five cushions ready for guest. Pony or human alike.
“Ah yes the vote. We came quickly to a solution, on most points”, I explained to her, “For one instant the normal military we had brought from earth is disbanded and reorganized. The Terra Guards, in analogy to your guards, are now in charge for military and police work. The military would only defend a country against major threats, that mostly come from the outside. The police would be a separated force only taking on minor threats on the inside. So we took your idea of the guards and mashed them together. Military grade training combined with police work.”
“Oh we have actually street guards and the Royal Guards. Street guards doing more police work and Royal Guards patrol the borders and other critical points of interest. But we exchange them regularly and retrain them, so that they won’t get bored or prone to corruption”, Celestia told me eagerly, “But your idea of a combined force is actually also interesting. It would work for smaller settlements such as yours.”
“Ponies getting corrupt?”, I asked a bit in honest disbelief, “Is that even possible?”
“The prime examples are Sombra and… Luna”, Celestia said a bit sad, “but yes, everypony can become corrupt. It’s rare, but it happens. Anything else?”
I thought for a while, how to break it to her: “There is another point.” She waited interested. “Human/Pony relationships are forbidden for one year. We have found out that humans and ponies or any other species for that matter, can’t procreate. We will put our main research focus on that for the next year and decide then if we cancel this decision or prolong it for three to five generations. We are too few to risk thinning the genpool more than necessary.”
“Genpool?” asked Celestia and I realized that this was a topic that had to be explained.
“Gens are the blueprints of our body's. Gens set where the heart goes, where legs grow, what eye color the child get. The problem is that every sentient species on this planet has exactly 72 chromosomes.
“This makes it possible for every species to procreate with another. Ponies with dragons, ponies with griffons, dragons with minotaur, diamond dogs with griffons and so on. But humans only have 46 chromosomes. They don’t match. It is not possible to have a offspring.
“How every sentient species has 72 chromosomes is still not explained and some scientist pulling the ‘it's because of magic’ card. I just hope that won’t become their favorite answer for everything now.
“Marcus is working on this matter. He thinks that magic is indeed the key to evolve humans or at least our children to new humans with 72 chromosomes. Then all this won’t be a problem. What he told me so far, is that the mother dictates the species of the child. Otherwise it would be impossible by obvious reasons. A pony can’t lay an dragon egg.”
Celestia chuckled at this: “But it would be a funny thing to witness. But yes, I understand now what you mean. I will send out word that human/pony relationships are unwise for the near future.”
Then she looked at me like she know something was still off and asked directly: “There is some more, isn’t it?”
I nod and turned the Monitor around. So she could see the numbers. Surprisingly not only the language but also our written word were the same so no problem for her to read was on the display.
I pointed at poll results and said: “This is my problem. I gave my vote as one of the firsts. Now I can’t just decide over everyone's head. For the next vote I will wait to the very end.”
“A hospital or a mine. Both are important infrastructures”, Celestia nod, “you don’t want a second poll, I assume?”
“Not really but I don’t see another option”, I answered truthfully and Celestia thought for a bit.
After a while she made a proposal: “Your problem is that, if you don’t build the mine now, with the material you have, it will be harder to make a mine and smeltery from scratch.” I nod. “Then build the hospital. Sick or dead workers won’t help in the mines. But the mine will be build too. I will send you workers and material. You will have to pay for them of course, in naturals mostly, but in the long run you will have both a mine and a hospital in no time.”
“I can’t asked that from you. You helped us already so much”, I tried to politely decline.
“To be honest you would actually do me a favor. The nobles complained that I gave you the mountains and hills for mining purpose. They wanted to build mines there all along. Not because of profits or such. No, because for the jewellery that could be made from the more precious metals and gems.
“If this mine is build and you can sell them human made jewellery. You would make a fortune and repay everything within a few month. Besides some of the mines near Canterlot have run dry and opening a new mine there would be far more work, deeper and more dangerous, than here.”
“So the workers had to resettle here?”, I asked, “ We don’t have exactly room for hundreds of workers.”
“Oh don’t worry about that”, smiled Celestia, “The Crown builds new houses for the workers nearby, encouraging them to move with a bonus on their salary for a year, gets the old buildings in return, which will be demolished to build new buildings or repurposed.”
Her smile got wider: “The repurposed buildings or the empty plot is then sold with profit to the highest bidder most of the time. I do this kind of business for a while, as you know.”
“So you even make money for building new homes, resettling needed workforce and reworking Canterlot's city image?”, I asked impressed, “I wish you could have ruled over our planet a few hundred years earlier. You would have done so much good.”
“Oh don’t praise me too much. I make mistakes too and to get to this point I’m at now, I stumbled a few times with no one to catch me. Immediately after Luna's banishment, I couldn’t make right decisions and Equestria fell. The first castle, the ‘Castle of the Two Sisters’ it is called nowadays, wasn’t that damaged during my battle with Nightmare Moon”, Celestia explained with sad, nostalgic eyes, “The riots did the most damage. And for over two hundred years Equestria was divided. It took me nearly another two hundred years to reunite every part. But the worst was the loss of so many advancements we had.
“If the history books refer to this part as ‘The Dark Age’ it wasn’t because I couldn’t control Luna's night sky at first, it is because we were thrown back in stone age times. Only 150 ago we got back to the point before Luna's banishment. And since then our progress has slowed down massively. The last big invention are primitive version of your monitor.”
I was a bit shocked. That was no knowledge that was commonly known or discussed. I figured that the show didn’t show everything and that the ponies had suffered more than we thought from losing one princess. Let alone Celestia's own feelings.
“I… I don’t know what to say. I hope we can change that”, I told her.
“I hope so too. This is the second reason that I came here. I want to speak to Marcus, about what his thoughts are about a joint research project is”, she smiled again, “I gathered as much that humans are natural curios. Ponies are not that curios. After their needs are met, they are happy and maintain status quo. I hope that a bit human curiosity rubs off onto some ponies.”
I looked at my com-band and realist the time. “This is actual perfect timing. I will accompany you to him. His new lab is on my way to a meeting with Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Roy. They want to show me the new greenhouses”, I told her while I grabbed my jacket.
After leaving my office, just a remodeled bigger storage room, we walked alongside through the corridor of the Outer Ring. The Outer Ring was the original settlertrain strippt down to the bones and build up again. Here were mainly offices built, but also workshops and labs.
Celestia draw of course much attention. And even, after everyone agreed that we should not celebrate them, the Mane 6 and other ponies known from the show, some children still couldn’t hold themself back.
Celestia didn’t mind the attention from the smaller ones at all and even let some of them ride on her back.
It was all fun and game until one girl, maybe around five years old, got nauseas from the horseback ride and we got her to an infirmary.
Their we were greeted friendly but i could see that the nurse was a bit stressed. A dozen or more younger children and their parents were around. Many complaining about stomach aches.
“You didn’t sneak around and let all this children ride on your back, or did you?”, I joked, but answered my own question before she could, “Of course not. This is bit concerning. I think your solution of building the hospital first is the best.”
“Yes this many sick children after you opened the gates are a bit unusual”, said Celestia walked over to some other young ones to lighten their day.
“I was hoping you would built the hospital. It is needed and fast. The other three infirmaries report similar situations”, the head nurse told me, “It is nothing mayor yet, but we could be easily overrun.”
“It will be done”, I assured her, “with the leftover modular material the hospital should be staying within a few days.”
The nurse nod and addressed the other ruler in the room: “Princess Celestia, if it is not too forward of me and if your schedule allows it, could you visit the other infirmaries? Your presence seemed to calm the children and parents alike.”
While Celestia talked to the head nurse and obviously agreed to the request, I called a guard to our position.
The Terra Guards were joined by former police officers and trainers, both learning from each other. But you could still immediately see what each guard was befor. This guard saluted and stood there like a stone statue, befor he asked: “Sir?”
“You know we still have no protocol for the guards. Saluting isn’t really necessary”, I told him.
“Sir, hold habits die hard and with all due respect, we shouldn’t get to relaxed. I would expect high standards and not settle on anything less. This… training from the police officers is a joke. Psychological profiling, social networking, to what the right decision is, ...?”
“While high standards are preferable,... guard, your not a ‘simple’ soldier anymore. You have also to work like a police officer and sometimes on your own. Don’t expect that you always get orders or you can request them. The idea behind the Terra Guards is that you're more police in peace times and more soldier in war times”, I explained to him. That I wasn’t fond of the Military was no secret, but I understood the necessity.
“You have to work with people, not just defend them anymore. Being emotionally detached, like most soldiers are, isn’t going to work anymore”, I told him and while he looked down on his boots to think, I catched his name with a quick side glance on his nameplate.
He looked up again and I could see that he had dismissed my explaining, “Your orders, Sir?”
“My request is that you accompany Princess Celestia to Lab 1c and later or before to the other infirmaries, as she sees fit”, I sighed and he simply saluted.
While I got back to Celestia, how was entertaining some toddlers with her magic, I got a message to Jan. Either Guards like this ex-soldier shake off their stubborn ‘I only do what I have been told’ or they had to leave. The Guards couldn’t work with this mindset.
On the other end, ex-police had to get into shape. Most of them not that much, but still a considerable few. Balance was magic. I immediately facepalmd for that though.
“Oh I have seen this gesture before”, Celestia said, as she came in my direction, “Is this some sort of greeting? Smacking yourself in the face?”
“You could say it's a natural reaction to something stupid, you or someone else did, said or thought”, I explained, “This guard will accompany you to the infirmaries or Marcus lab. Wherever you want to go first. I have to go, tight schedule.”
“I totally understand. But can I convince you a dinner this evening? I want to discuss some matters more indef”, she asked and for a blink of an eye I felt like a teenager getting asked out by his crush.
I shook myself mentally and answered: “Of course. How about…” short glance on my com-band “... 7pm?”
“Perfect. I will come to your office”, Celestia smiled and walked over to the guard. But not before she looked back once. Than she was gone and I was on my way too. But I know I would have one though for the of the day.
