Location: the planet Earth.
The year: 1,297 New Moon (2,367 by the Modern Era equestrian calendar, and 3,439 by the calendar of the 'ones lost')
The Alicorn of Dark and Light was sitting upon her throne in her castle, when the next petitioner trot up for his appointment.
"Geology Research and Tracking, director of operations: Geode Breaker, your highness" He was introduced by Measured Time, personal assistant to her royal highness; Empress New Moon of the StarLight Empire.
"Thank you Measured. Are we scheduled for lunch after this?" Moon asked the mare.
"No, your highness. There are two more petitioners before lunch, it is only three quarters before noon" She replied with a pleasant demeanor.
"Hmph. How have I misplaced the larger part of an hour? No matter, how may I be of service to you, Geode?" the empress directed her attention back to the pony before her.
Put at ease by the alicorns aside, the earth pony began;
"As you are aware, our departments work in finding, monitoring, and predicting sink holes and faults in the Earth's crust, has continued without incident?" Geode opened the conversation.
Nodding, the empress replied;
"Making good use of our recently developed wide spectrum sonar scanning technology. With it, we can predict sudden changes in topography, yes?" the alicorn asked, getting on the same train of thought.
"Precisely, your highness. Even the remnants of mines from the old world can be found and valuated to determine their stability and whether they pose a threat of collapse" He went on.
"Our mapping work in the upper continent, has yielded... unexpected results. Constituting an.. aberration in our activities, there" He began.
"Remnants which were not eroded by the entropy?" the empress inquired.
Shaking his head, Geode expanded;
"At first, we thought that the case. We found a chamber, very very deep, which was connected at one time to the surface, by a now collapsed vertical passage. A lift passage we presumed, due to the iron oxides present at the bottom of it, amongst the considerable amounts of lime and gypsum; presumably at one time; concrete?"
"Go on" the empress urged him. Such things were very commonly found littered in layers beneath the thin topsoil which came during and after the hundred-year entropy.
"Finding it to be stable, we transported a couple remote scanners to the bottom of the shaft to get a better look. From there, the scanners gave us better pictures of what was behind a passage filled with natural rock. Rock which we believe to have been placed there intentionally, since there are no collapses present"
Intrigued, the empress had his full attention. She loved mysteries, especially when she knew they had an ending in sight.
"After some debate, we transported enough of the rock material out, to fly a thermal scanner into the chamber beyond... where they found equipment"
Pausing for dramatic effect, the director spoke;
"Still functioning for the most part. Along with spots of deep cold, where there should be none, your highness"
Her eyes going wide, she demanded;
"What are you implying, Geode??"
Smiling like a magician about to pull away a sheet for the reveal, he belabored;
"Before seeking my petition, I had to research for the word in old texts, your highness. That word was called; Cryogenics"
"What??" The alicorns demeanor had turned to incredulous.
Nodding seriously, Geode told her highness;
"The thermal scans show the area's of cold; to be a half-length wide, by nearly two lengths long. Hundreds of them..."
"H-hundreds?" the dark alicorn nearly squeaked, to which Geode gave a single nod.
"Hundreds"
"How? They.." Moon blurted out, her mind awash with all sorts of thoughts and feelings.
"Had not developed such methods to my knowledge, nor practiced the engineering which could sustain operation for millennias time? This simply must be something else??" she exclaimed.
"Would you care to view my data your highness? While I could very well be wrong, I didn't seek a petition unprepared" he smiled, glancing to his saddle bag.
"Yes. I implore you! This is indeed extraordinary!" Moon blurted aloud, loosing her composure.
Taking out his display projector from his saddle bag, he went to work narrating the visually reconstructed interior of the subterranean chamber.
"These scans here; show many of the components present, to be made of gold, some silver, and chromium infused alloys. All are materials, which would be suitable for very long term operation while resisting corrosion or oxidation. Additionally, the chamber is saturated with carbon dioxide; resulting in a generally oxygen free environment which is sterile and preservative to the equipment"
Switching to another scan;
"However not all of them held up to the test of time. These ones here, are showing no energy emissions or thermal variations. Leading us to presume that they're inoperative, which this scan.."
He changed the picture displayed to show some... less than stellar looking containers' contents;
"Illustrates to be the case..." Geode paused.
Wincing at a sight she hadn't seen in over a millennia, Moon asked;
"How do the operating units contents appear?"
"Here" He said, showing a reconstructed scan of an occupant with the container made transparent.
"My word!" Measured gasped. "Is that one of the Ones Lost?"
"That, appears to be the case... one of the ancients; Both splendid... and terrible..." Moon spoke in a quiet voice, as if looking upon the dead.
"Your highness?" Geode asked of the cryptic description.
Shaking her head clear of cobwebs, she answered him with a serene smile;
"They accomplished the impossible, Geode. Be it; survive an extinction event, or destroy their world"
Looking back to the scan pictured she remarked;
"All these many many years, and they still surprise me.."
Taking a deep breath, she addressed Geode;
"Geode Breaker, director of operations in Geology Research and Tracking. Do you believe you have the resources at your disposal to stabilize as required, passage to the chamber for further research teams? I intend to know if they can be revived, and what will be required to perform such a task? Other ponies, ones versed in medical disciplines will need access to the site in order to do so" she asked him.
"I do, your highness. Whatever else I need, I can get with support from the construction division in a joint venture" Geode replied confidently, the gears already turning in his head.
"Excellent. You have my authorization to use any materials that you deem necessary to provide access and maintain the stability of the chamber, safety of the occupants, as well as other ponies. Inform Measured Time as soon as you are confident in the safety of the chamber, for I wish to visit there as soon as possible" Moon directed Geode Breaker.
"I will, your highness!" Geode bowed and collected his things.
After Geode left, the empress didn't speak.
Sitting there for a while, lost in thought, Moon just silently shook her head when Measured asked her of sending in the next petitioner early.
Eventually, she turned to her assistant, and in a despondent voice, asked her;
"Please send in the next petition Measured.... and, a summons to Colony Prospects..."
As Measured's hoof reached up to her ear communicator to notify the door guard, she paused. Her eyes widening some as realization settled in over the second part of her request; the summons.
Colony Prospects? For..?? she thought as she looked back up to the empress.
But the empress didn't see Measured's double take. For she was lost in a thousand yard stare, a thousand light years away from the throne room, where she sat.