I looked over to see Black Jack sleeping and my advisor was missing. I had nodded off.
“Jane… update on our arrival time?”
“Ten minutes, thirty one seconds Commander.”
“Finally.” I yawned stretching my arms forward. I paused. “Have you ever felt excitement?”
“That's an odd query.” Jane paused and considered an answer. “I have only experienced curiosity, happiness, apprehension and yes, what you would call excitement.”
“Hmm… interesting.”
“Why are you pondering this now?” There goes her curiosity.
“I am bored.” I got up and opened the hatch on the tank and stuck my head out. “Trying to find something to preoccupy myself.” I spotted my ship in the distance. “I think I found something.” I began analyzing everything I could see. Planning defenses, traps, ambush points, and potential weaknesses. My thoughts continued as I mentally began putting the pieces of my fortress in place. Bored again.
I haven’t let loose in awhile… might as well.
“Don't over do it.” Jane calls out.
I ignore her as I skillfully jump out of the tank. Just before landing I prepare for a second jump. Upon landing the ground beneath my feet shattered as I soared into the air.
“Lets release some energy.” I close my eyes and clear everything from my mind except for one thing. Power.
My hands begin feeling warm and electrified. The air around me is heavily charged with energy. With clarity of mind I coalesce the energy into a double helix formation around my being. I open my eyes and point at the sky. The blueish green energy begins swirling up my arm. I can feel the heat from the energy streams along my arms as I focus. I condense as much energy as small as possible in front of my hand. The heat now beginning to burn my sleeve away. After what feels like an eternity of building up energy. I release.
Right after releasing, a massive shockwave was created as well as a beam brighter than a flaming Quasar that shot into the atmosphere lighting up several miles as if it were a miniature sun. All that could be heard was a deafening roar as winds assaulted the convoy. Nothing but a blinding light could be seen. The recoil from the energy release knocked me back to earth. My impact leaving a twelve foot deep crater.
“Ahh… that helped with the kink in my back.”
“You are reckless.”
“Jane, I know.” I chuckled as I pulled myself out of the ground.
“You did not need to release energy for another two weeks.”
“True…” It was odd that I already was showing signs of mass energy build up. "I wonder what's causing it.”
“Do you really not know?” My advisor asked as he appeared beside me. “It should be simple to figure out.”
“I have my suspicions about why, the question is if I am correct in my assumption.” I replied as I began walking back towards the ship. “Jane have the convoy continue. I need some exercise.”
“Yes Commander.” Jane replied before the convoy began heading in the same direction I was walking.
“The magic here is the reason I believe.” I looked at my advisor. “A more important question is whether the creatures here produce magic or if they use magic from a source on this planet.”
“Hmm… well that is a tricky one. Something I do not even have the answer to yet.” My advisor replied. “It is possible that it's both to some extent.”
“We can figure that out later. Right now I need to focus on more immediate issues.” I replied. I looked into the sky looking at the stars.
“Like?” My advisor asked.
“You should know. The royal wedding is going to be held soon and you know what happens and because of that the summit with the rest of the world leaders may be postponed further.” I sighed. “That is the least of my worries… the Galactic Council knows.”
“I knew this would happen eventually, but this is much sooner than I thought.” My advisor paused. “What do you need me to do?” He asked being serious for once.
I stopped walking and turned to him. “Bring me Pandora.”
“Very well. I owe you one after all.” He smiled before vanishing into the shadows.
“I am counting on you, friend.”
---------------------------------- The Ship ----------------------------------
After dealing with the bullshit that just happened with the rogue equestrians Fulks decided to relax a little and check out the nearby town. He was not the only one. Privates Alex and Jasmine were also going to join him and do some sight seeing. Though their plans would have to wait until the return of the convoy.
“I’m bored.” Alex sighed.
“That sounds like a personal problem.” Fulks replied. He was currently reading a book waiting for the arrival of the convoy. “You can always read a good book while you wait.”
“Reading? Like he has ever read a book before.” Jasmine replied as she took a seat on her bunk across from the other two soldiers.
“Hey you know where can shove it Jasmine.” Alex retorted.
Their conversation was interrupted by a loud explosion from outside the ship.
“Report, what just happened?” Fulks asked over his radio.
“A large energetic discharge was just detected about a mile away.” Roland replied over the radio.
“Any idea on the cause?” Fulks asked over the comms.
“The signature matches the commanders.” Roland responded back a few seconds later. “This could be bad. I am putting the ship on high alert get geared up and meet me outside near the front gate.”
“Copy that.” Fulks replied over the radio. “You two gear up. Something might be going down.”
“Yes sir!” They both replied before quickly putting on their armor and arming themselves.
Fulks left them as they were preparing and began heading to were Roland was waiting. It only took a few minutes to exit the ship and even less time to reach Roland.
“Roland, what is going on?” Fulks asked as he approached.
“We just got word from Jane. It appears as though there is no problem. Just the commander stretching.” He paused looking at his notebook. “Also the convoy will be arriving in five minutes with a prisoner.”
“What are our orders?” Fulks asked.
“The prisoner is to be escorted to the Commander's room and put under guard until he gets back. Apparently he wanted to walk back. Roland put his notebook down on a table to his left. “Also another prisoner is being brought in by the spec ops unit. They will be here in about thirty minutes.”
“So the commander is walking back?” Fulks was surprised by that.
“Yeah, shocking I know. He usually skips on training and exercise in general.” Roland laughed. “Still he could wipe the floor with us.”
The soldiers conversation was interrupted by the two privates Alex and Jasmine rushing over.
“Reporting for duty sir!” They both saluted Fulks waiting for orders.
“False alarm privates.” Fulks turned to them. “The commander was just stretching.”
“What?” They both seemed confused.
“You two haven’t been briefed?” Fulks asked.
“No sir.” The private's replied.
“Well it isn’t exactly a secret.” Fulks paused. “The commander has… abilities. Ones that could be called ‘magical’ abilities. Every so often this energy builds up inside of him and he is required to release it… or otherwise he would go nuclear.”
“What do you by nuclear?” Jasmine curiously asked.
“Lets just say you wouldn’t want to be on the same continent as him if he went off.” Roland laughed. “The energetic release would turn everything for hundreds of miles around to glass and ash.”
“Holy shit…” Jasmine replied.
“Seriously?” Alex was more skeptical. “How is that even possible?”
“I have only heard rumors, but I assume that you two have heard of the Advisor?” Roland asked looking serious. The two privates nodded. “Well…” Before he could continue he was interrupted by the sound of approaching vehicles. “I’ll tell you later. First we need to deal with a prisoner.” Roland ran over to the main gate ordering it to be opened.
“You two follow me.” Fulks ordered. “You are going to be guarding the prisoner when she arrives.”
“Who is the prisoner?” Jasmine asked.
“That isn’t important.” Fulks replied. “The only thing that is, is that she is not to be harmed. The commander is going to interrogate her.”
The sounds of vehicles got louder and in a matter of moments they entered through the front gate. Each vehicle heading to a designated point. When the last chimera tank entered the main gate closed behind it.
“The prisoner you will be guarding is in that tank. Now I need to check in with Lieutenant Hans to confirm our trip to the nearby village of Ponyville.” With that Fulks left the two privates.
---------------------------------- Canterlot Castle ----------------------------------
“Finally.” Celestia sighed. She had just finished dealing with backlash from the earlier court proceedings and returned to her room. Mainly Golden Torches parents who are high ranking nobles with great pull and financial backing. They were more than furious with the pending execution of their first born, heir to the Torch dynasty. They seemed to care more about him as their heir than their child.
Celestia walked over to her bed and fell onto it not so gracefully. She was tired emotionally and physically. Unfortunately her rest would need to wait.
“What is that?” Celestia got up sensing a large magical presence inside the everfree forest near the Commanders ship.
Celestia got off her bed and walked over to her balcony and went outside. She felt the energy continue to build for a few moments before a blinding beam of light pierced the heavens lighting up all of Canterlot. The power was immense, pure magical energy unlike anything she had felt before. The light lingered in the sky for a few seconds before dissipating. As it disappeared Luna teleported into Celestia’s room.
“Did you feel that sister?” Luna asked worriedly as she approached her sister on the balcony..
“Yes.” Celestia continued looking in the distance were the light previously shown.
“What do you think caused it?” Luna was now beside her sister.
“I am not sure sister, but we should find out.” Celestia left the balcony and walked back inside. Celestia quickly summoned a scroll and quill and began writing a letter to both Shining Armor and Midnight Blossom. She quickly finished the letters and sent them off with a burst of magic.
“Sister, this is something we should handle, personally.” Luna stated as she approached her sister from behind. “Not the royal guard.”
“I agree, that is why I sent letters to both captains of the guard.” Celestia sighed. “Hopefully they will both get my letter and stay put.”