[Everfree Forest, Main Trail 7:00 PM. 2 BBY, Galactic Sector D-6.]
Luna's moon slowly climbed into the sky above, stars shining as the two princesses and the element bearers followed the four B1 battle droids. As they walked, a slight rustling in the bushes caused the droids to raise their blasters, before lowering them, as the ponies stepped back in shock. Emerging from the bush was a hovering entity, making strange electronic beeping and whirring as it approached, it's several eyes appearing as it stared at them from every direction using it's bulbous head. It's close resemblance to a spider almost made Fluttershy faint, until 5264 started... Talking to it.
"Hey Probe-Alpha, what's up?"
[Situation normal, I presume these are your... Pony friends?]
"Yep, these are the princesses with Twilight and her friends."
[Good, follow me to Alpha Headquarters.]
"You mean the-"
[Yes, I mean the castle.]
"Right right." The droid nodded before turning to the slack jawed and confused ponies. "Oh right, he's a probe, so he speaks droid speak, something only we can understand." Twilight nodded as she rapidly took notes.
"Fascinating... Is it possible for us to understand it?"
"Eh, not exactly, they communicate using all types of codes and stuff, so it'd be hard."
"Ah, I see." Twilight said as the group proceeded to follow the probe droid along the path, soon enough, they could hear distant sounds of construction and machinery in the distance, before Probe Alpha parted the bushes to reveal the castle and leaving the ponies astonished.
The remains of the old rope bridge had been converted into a large metal bridge, with sturdy steel supports under it and rail guards on the sides, and what appeared to be two bunker emplacements on each side at the back of it, guarding a large metal gate. Past the gate was the path leading up the main castle itself, which was illuminated thanks to tiny little light poles stuck in the ground along the path as they lead up to the fully reconstructed metal door.
Any visible marks of damage or decay originally visible were now gone, fully repaired and reinforced with steel while mounted spot lights kept the perimeter of the castle well lit as droids patrolled the area.
From the walls of the castle, hung banners with the symbol of the CIS, bearing it's distinctive mark and giving an almost authoritative presence.
On top of the castle could be seen a variety of what appeared to be gun emplacements, with Anti-Air guns and Artillery cannons. A large landing pad was at the center, with nothing currently on it. The courtyard behind the castle had had it's walls fully restored, as lights beamed from inside of it, and the majority of the construction sounds originated from there.
As the ponies stand there speechless, Twilight was the first to speak.
"I-incredible! In the short amount of time you arrived here, you managed to both fully restore and improve upon the Castle!?!"
"Yep, that's confederate engineering for you."
"A-amazing... Can we please go see it up close?"
"Be my guest, cause were going there right now." 5264 said as he led the ponies across the metal bridge and up to the checkpoint gate before turning to one of the droids standing guard. "Hey, can ya open the gate?"
"What's the password?"
"Uh... Lemme think... Please and thank you?"
"Very good, go right on ahead, the colonel is waiting for you and your friends." The guard droid as he looked over to his fellow guard mate who turned around and pressed a button on his console, as the metal gate shifting out of the way and allowing the group to pass through before it closed again.
With the massive castle now standing before them, they began to walk along the path to the door, looking around to see droids moving crates of equipment and supplies around, some running wires and calibrating different machines and some still repairing the walls. Luna had to admit, they were very efficient. When droids weren't working however, they standing around chatting and laughing to themselves, not even noticing the group as they moved to the front door.
The massive metal door slowly swung open for them, and standing in the doorway would be the Red and Black Lieutenant Colonel flanked by two OOM droids as it greeted them in it's deep monotone voice. "Greetings Princess Celestia and Luna, welcome to the Alpha Headquarters of the CIS."
"Greetings, Colonel, and might I ask who your friends are?"
"Of course, these droids are both captain OOM 9164." Both of the droids saluted and spoke at the same time.
"Greetings."
"Nice to meet you- Wait, both of them?"
"Indeed, an unknown anomaly within the forest caused the duplication of 9164, thus creating two of them."
Suddenly, Twilight's eyes lit up. "You mean the mirror pool?"
"If that is what you refer to it as, then yes."
"Fascinating, I never knew it could replicate non-organic beings!" The two OOM droids stepped forward.
"Yeah, when I fell in, it felt weird."
"And when I walked out, I had all my memories and everything, yet it felt like I had just been built!" The two captain droids then let out a collective chuckle before the first one continued.
"Anyways, the General should be here soon, so feel free to follow us to the command room." The ponies and droids nodded, before the Colonel stopped them.
"Wait, Captain 5264, for your service to the Confederacy via establishing first contact and allowing us to meet with the nation's leaders, you are as of now officially promoted to the rank of Major. Congratulations." The droid took a step back in shock, almost falling back before his droid comrades caught him, as he began jumping up and down.
"Oh thank you sir, you have no idea how long I've wanted this promotion! This is the best day of my career ever!" His other droids along with the ponies and other captains slightly chuckled at the Major's enthusiasm. After he finished bouncing up and down with happiness and calmed down, he saluted the Colonel.
"Whats my next assignment, Colonel?"
"Due to you now being a higher rank above many of your fellow captains, you will now retain partial authority over all of them and their ground forces, and once we have authorization, you will lead the effort to construct a secondary base on this planet. This is partially due to us lacking any more Tactical Droids to grant authority."
"Sir, yes, sir!" The droid said, as they began walking again, following the Colonel as 5264 received a pat on the back from Celestia.
"Congrats on your promotion, little droid."
"Uh, thanks princess!" The other ponies smiled at him, as Pinkie quickly reached into her mane and pulled out a cupcake with candle in it.
"Happy promotion!"
"Thanks but uh... How do I eat it?" He said before promptly having it shoved in his face, as the ponies and droids all laughed, the Colonel himself even chuckling. After he processed what had happened, 5264 began to laugh as well, before they continued their walk.
[Blade of Serenity, Hangar Bay 6.]
General Kalani slowly approached the Sheathipede Class shuttle currently landed, being escorted by two of his most elite droids on the ship, the advanced BX Commando Droids 564 and 642, as they walked alongside their general.
As the General approached the ramp into the shuttle, he was greeted by the shuttles two pilots, as they saluted him before getting into their seats. "Sit back and enjoy the ride sir!" Kalani nodded, taking a seat as his two commando guards remained standing.
"You realize you two can sit down as well too, right?"
"Thank you for the offer Sir, but we must remain standing at all times to maintain total tactical awareness, preparation, and readiness." BX-564 stated in his usual cold commando droid tone.
"Very well." Kalani said, as he felt the shuttle slightly shake before it took off from the hangar floor, it's legs retracting as it slowly hovered out of the hangar bay, and set a course for Alpha Headquarters.
Time for him to finally see the planet for himself.