X-COM Ponies

by Sneaky Breeze


Trial Membership

Chapter 8: Trial membership

-Equestria, Canterlot

“I don’t understand,” Twilight said to Deep Thought who smiled arrogantly while coming to the conclusion 42 on a famous unsolved equation.

“Of course you don’t. Not everyone can be a genius like me, my dear, I will explain it slowly,” Deep thought said as he turned to face Twilight, his bright green eyes almost hypnotizing her with how they contrasted his pale white fur. He seemed to have aged prematurely despite him having the body of someone in their 30’s.

“No, I was confused by how you called it a dimensional spell and a time travel spell. Which is it?”

Deep Thought cleared his throat.

“It was both. It was made originally as a way to travel back in time where Princess Celestia hoped to try and prevent her sister from being corrupted. But time travel is tricky and we ended up opening a vortex. We lost some good friends on that other world but we made it back eventually, more loyal than when we left,” he said as he rubbed his chin, staring into a mirror.

“Oh Star Swirl, how I do miss thee and your endless words of wisdom.”

“You talk as if you knew him but only the Princesses are that old,” Twilight interjected suddenly.

Deep thought smiled as he knowingly looked at Twilight. “I’m not old my dear, the vortex changed me, I’m constantly growing older and younger at the same time. Sometimes I’m a young foal, other times I’m as I appear now or like a stallion on his death bed,” he said and smiled at the look on the young unicorn’s face.

“Come now young one, we have lots to do and our pony friends may be in great danger if the world they went to was the same as it was when I visited.”

Deep Thought began trotting off to get supplies as he thought , I do hope they overthrew that Caesar fellow.

“Wait! I don’t understand, you’re being too vague!” Twilight shouted as she followed him, feeling as confused as when she tried to understand Pinkie pie.



-Earth, The Crow’s Nest.

The base had been somewhat energetic after the rescue of the VIP and the other ponies. The council had been pleased with the recovery of their ambassador and handed the Crow’s Nest a generous check that allowed Dr. Shen to finish his geothermal room below the alien containment wing and to begin working on another lab below Dr. Vahlens science wing.

The large check also allowed Dr. Vahlen to begin working on the alien weapon fragments that they had collected.

Commander Cotton and Sato were due to awaken in a few more days; everything at the base seemed to be going for the better. So much so a few of the soldiers were celebrating down in the lounge.

“Bullshit!” shouted Ramos as Chavivi sniped him on “Lunar Combat 3” after he hopped out from behind a lunar lander, some of the other soldiers and staff watching the two playing their video game cheered on as if watching a gladiator fight.

“You should know better than stepping out of your element where your boom stick can’t help you,” Chavivi said, making fun of the assault gunner.

“Oh yeah, you just say that because you’re afraid of fighting me up close,” Ramos said slapping his knee.

“Please Ramos, if you were from where I was from, you’d be dead!” Chavivi said before Jack stepped in.

“Okay you two, break up the bitch fest and let others have a turn.” With that the two moved and allowed others to play the game, though silently vowing to teabag the other to death.

The ponies had been welcomed with open arms and shown every courtesy possible as they were set up with Trixie in the alien containment wing, not without some protest from Sergeant Rock though.



The next day after their arrival the ponies were split up, as Rock Fist was the ranking “officer” of his group he was brought into a meeting with Central while Derpy and Sneaky were sent with Vahlen for testing.

“I have your word they won’t be harmed?” Rock asked, his black mane hung near his grey furred neck as he and Sneaky had been asked to hand over their armor, leaving Rock constantly uneasy since he felt defenseless.

“You don’t have to worry, Sergeant, you’re not prisoners,” Central said as he walked around the small meeting room he was in, a little surprised at how Rock was small enough to fit his body inside one of the office chairs and yet strong enough to dent a metal wall.

“Well then if we aren’t prisoners why won’t you let us go?”

“I never said you couldn’t leave.” Central said, his back to the pony before he turned and looked into his eyes.

“You never said it but I know we can’t leave,” Rock retorted as he returned the stare, meeting Central’s gaze and not blinking, a silent battle of wills occurring.

“Where would you go if you could leave?” Central said, stepping closer to Rock.

“We would search for any magic in this empty world of yours and with the energy we would go home,” Rock said, knowing since this world felt so lifeless to him, and after a slight talk with Trixie, he determined this world was barren of all magic, only the ponies gave off energy.

“I see, well you and I both know that isn’t likely. Your conversation with Miss Trixie was recorded.”

Rock Fist kept a stone cold face, not showing any emotion, just as he and every other guard pony had been trained to do.

Central then sat down next to the pony. “Look, I don’t have such a big stick up my ass to have you and your friends harmed or dissected simply because you’re not human. I’m interested in your magic.”

Rock fist kept a straight face but his eyes betrayed his curiosity. “I don’t think you can use magic.”

“Maybe some can, we have legends of those who could, and if it helps us win this war we will do whatever is necessary to have it.”

Rock fist cleared his throat. “Where we come from it isn’t taught, you are born with it, but from what I’ve seen of your world you don’t need it.”

Central wanted to slam his fist down onto the table but that would give away how desperate he was, and how little he truly believed in the X-Com project.

“Well, then you don’t need our technology to get home,” Central said and Rock broke his emotionless stare.

“You can do that?” he asked after several moments.

“With this war we are using all our best and brightest to invent new and better technology, Trixie already told you about our Vita-tanks, think about it. If you helped us learn about your magic then we could build a machine to get you home.”

Rock Fist lowered his gaze ran it over in his mind countless times.

“I…I need some time to think about it.” Rock said as he realized this may really be their only chance home.

“Of course you can have time, there’s no rush, and your friends will be down in the containment unit in an hour after testing.”

Central stood up and opened a door before telling the guard outside to escort Rock Fist back to his quarters.

Derpy Hooves and Sneaky Breeze were being examined in the science labs while Rock Fist was being returned to Trixie in the alien containment wing. They both sat down on different tables as Doctor Vahlen and her scientists examined them.

“Hmm, partial pigmentation change, in his fur,” one scientist said as he held Sneaky’s arm up and examined how his fur appeared to be turning from white to blue and another examined his wings.

“Actually, mister, that’s just because my dye is washing out.” The scientists then talked about the implications of this.

One scientist was busy trying to figure out how Derpy could see with her wall eyes.

“It’s a banana.” She said with all seriousness as the man examining her pointed to a C on an eye chart. The scientist had no idea what to make of any of the results he had been given and was left with more questions and no answers.

“Excuse me, missus human. Why are you examining us? I thought you had ponies on this world.” Sneaky Breeze asked Vahlen as he rubbed the small translator device in his ear he had been given upon arrival.

“Please, my name is Dr. Vahlen, and while we do have ponies they are in no way like your kind.”

Breeze hovered in the air slightly and flexed his upper hooves in the same way a human would flex his arms.

“Well I am pretty amazing but it’s mostly the royal guard training that makes me strong.” He then floated gently to the ground and looked up at Doctor Vahlen, his head at the same level as her ribs.



Derpy and Sneaky were returned to the alien containment wing soon after and planted themselves on some couch cushions as they talked with their friends.

“I like this place; I really want to see what other flying machines they use. I can’t wait to tell Mom and Dad about this place.” Sneaky said as in the hanger he had only caught sight of the wing of one of the interceptors and was left with curiosity.

“I would like to stay but I have to get home, my filly will be missing me,” Derpy said as she lowered her gaze, thinking about her daughter, though not knowing she was still having the time of her life fighting the space pear pirates with the Doctor in another universe.

“Trixie will stay here, I have a much better opportunity to strike it rich here than back in Equestria,” Trixie said as she ran over her plan to escape and start a show in this fabulous place she overheard the researchers saying they would visit, Las Vegas.

Rock Fist remained silent as the others talked about their time in the base. But then he cleared his throat. The other three ponies went silent.

“One of the officers in charge of this base told me that there was a chance we could find a way home. But they’re in the middle of a war to protect their planet.”

The other ponies remained quiet as they looked to Rock as his stoic face softened.

“If we want to get home, our only hope will be to help the humans beat back their enemies.”

Trixie gasped out loud. “But Trixie is no war pony!

“And I can’t risk dying and not seeing my daughter,” Derpy said as she jumped up slightly.

Sneaky remained calm but nodded at his Sergeant.

“Sarge, you are my commanding officer, and if you say fight alongside the humans then I will do so gladly.”

Rock nodded and smiled gratefully at the stallion he wished was his son. “Thank you, boy. I can always count on you.”

He then turned to the two mares. “Look, I know this isn’t a good option but we don’t have much choice. While we were out there we saw the destruction these 'X-rays' as they call them, can do. If the humans lose then we will be next, and one day they might find Equestria. We have to help the humans.”

Derpy rubbed her head. “Well…I could heal them; I learned a few things from my Doctor on his adventures.”

Trixie cleared her throat. “Since they can’t use magic I could try and see what I can teach them or perhaps try and find one among them who can use magic.”

“Then it’s decided. We will help the humans in whatever way we can.”



-Two days later, medical bay.

“I’m not letting tiny ponies join my combat teams,” Cotton said to Central as Dr. Mbutu examined his now healed hands.

“Commander, I know how this sounds but we only have enough men for one combat team and two replacements without the ponies. Our reserves were called away to help in other areas.”

Cotton sighed. “I don’t care. They're ponies and I won’t endanger a mission because one of them wants to stop and eat grass.”

Rock Fist cleared his throat. “Excuse me, but cows eat grass.”

Cotton turned his gaze to see Rock Fist in his armor approaching him.

“I assume you’re the pony Sergeant?” Cotton asked.

“Sir!” Rock saluted. “Sergeant Rock Fist reporting for duty.”

He lowered his salute when cotton nodded to him.

“Look Rocky, you’re a soldier and want to help out, I get it, but I just can’t let you come along.

Rock Fist puffed his chest up slightly. “Sir, I respectfully request that at least my private and I be given a chance to prove ourselves in your eyes, Sir.”

Central leaned over and whispered, “Just a small mission, nothing major commander.”

Cotton sighed as rubbed his hands once Mbutu had completed his examination.

“Fine, but if I am not impressed then you and the other ponies are staying on base.”

Rock saluted. “Thank you, Sir, me and my private will be awaiting your call in the lounge.”

He then trotted off to let Sneaky know he would have to wear his armor again.

“You gave them full access to the base?” Cotton asked Central.

“Well they are a friendly alien species Sir, it's best to make a good impression in the hope of friendship.”

Cotton chuckled. “I think Dr. Shen’s mannerisms are rubbing off on you.”

“You should try his tea, its spectacular.”



-Down in the lounge

Rock Fist had just walked into the lounge to see Sneaky hiding behind a couch while peaking out every now and then as if afraid.

Oh great, he must have offended a human somehow, Rock Fist thought as he looked around the room.

On inspection he only saw the bartender/cook cleaning some plates, one of the engineers eating food, two soldiers, Boris and Ramos, playing pool and a red haired human playing some type of game on a large box.

“Oh, uh, hey Sarge,” Sneaky said as he suddenly sat down on his rear with his bottom hooves hanging out, imitating the way humans sat.

“What are you doing, boy?” Rock asked as he trotted over and sat on the couch in a pony manner.

“Oh, me? I’m just watching human television; it’s like a future version of our radio shows,” he said as he pointed his right hoof to the screen which showed a human doctor with a cane insulting his assistants.

“Don’t lie to me, I hate liars. Now tell me why you were hiding behind the couch.”

Sneaky blushed and pulled off his translator to keep it from being translated to anyone in ear shot and Rock did the same.

“Did you see that human over there on that flashing box?” Sneaky asked in a hushed tone.

Rock Fist turned his head to see the human still there.

“Did you offend him or something? Are you in trouble?”

“No, nothing like that Sarge, and that’s a female.”

“So? Dr. Vahlen is a female.”

“Well, yeah but her hair is so red and she’s so pretty and-“

“Dear Celestia, boy. Please tell me you’re not attracted to her,” Rock said in a hushed tone, unsure of how to feel on the subject.

“Well I don’t know. She’s just so pretty and she can fly one of their airships.”

“Boy, trust me, I’ve had feelings for non-ponies before and while there is nothing wrong with that, this is just not the time or place.”

“So is that why you broke up with that Griffin girl?” Sneaky asked as Rock suddenly pressed his face into his, their foreheads pressed together as if they were goats having a duel.

“Don’t ever mention her again, boy,” He said with his teeth clutched together, attempting to hold back his anger at Sneaky using a touchy subject. Sneaky gulped as sweat began to form on his head, stuttering apologies until they both looked away at the flashing lights around the room that suddenly began flashing.

“Interceptor pilots to your stations. We have a scout class UFO inbound!” Central said as he saw the image over the Holo-Globe, the UFO was making a straight line for Las Vegas.

“This is Lyons . My co-pilot and I are already in the hanger, we can handle the contact.”

The base went on alert as Raven-2 took off on its own. Raven-2 raced out into the sky, the sun glinting slightly on its cockpit glass as the two man fighter caught up to the UFO. The battle didn’t last long as the interceptor fired several avalanche missiles at it and brought it down about four miles from a highway to Las Vegas.



Command center

“Damn,” Central said as he slammed his fist down upon a console after seeing how close the crash was to the civilian population. Acting quickly he got onto his headset. “ Commander, you should deploy with the laser squad immediately, we may have civilians going close to check out the crash site and I’m getting readings of about five to six X-rays.”

“Understood, Central. I’m on the way,” Cotton said after slipping on his nano-fiber vest before putting on his Hercules armor and helmet.

“Sir, this is Rock Fist, me and Private Sneaky are already in the airship and ready to deploy.”

“Oh goddamit, fine,” Cotton said as he moved up and ran alongside the other men of his squad, Boris, Chavivi, Sato and Ramos.

They arrived at the skyranger and the door closed, the troopers sat down into their seats as the skyranger began to lift up through the door above them, going to high-speed so as to arrive at the combat zone before any civilians did.

“Okay gentlemen we will be deployed near Las Vegas, keep an eye out for possible civilian interlopers,” Cotton said as he checked his rifle to make sure it was ready for combat.

“ We have a satellite image of about five to six possible enemy contacts so we have them outnumbered,” Cotton said as he adjusted his gloves and still remembered the pain of having his hands burned.

Sneaky couldn’t help but have a large grin at his luck, actually inside of an airship with beings from another world, this was better than his comics back home.

“Quit smiling, boy, this is combat and you need to act professional,” Rock said as he struggled to stay in his chair even with the seatbelt on. The constant struggle coupled with his newfound airsickness putting the sergeant in a bad mood.

“ But I was making jokes when I beat up the X-rays before we met the humans.”

“Just bucking shut up and be serious.”

As they were only a half a mile away the skyranger pilot noticed what looked like gunfire near the UFO.

“Sir, I think either police forces have engaged the aliens or we got an armed civilian under fire.”



UFO crash site

“Semper sapiens!” a militia man shouted as he fired a revolver at a Sectoid, blowing out the greenish brains all over the hull of it’s UFO as he quickly took cover behind his car.

Semper Sapiens was a new organization slowly growing in members that preached the governments of Earth had been infiltrated by lizard like aliens and the only way to defeat the invaders was to do it themselves, but that message was also mixed up in anarchistic policies wanting to bring down world governments as well.

The car with the overzealous militia member had been leaving a private rally and driving home when he saw the UFO go down. The driver had failed to see the interceptor and assumed the alien ship went down due to mechanical failure.

The Sapiens man had attempted to call up on his fellow members when he came under attack from plasma fire which seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time.

“Long live the human race!” shouted the militia man as he jumped out from behind his car, shotgun held high after he pulled it out from the back seat. He swung and aimed his weapon around; searching for the slender man who had fired at him when from behind him he thought he heard the mechanical roar of another car or an aircraft.

But when he turned the only thing he saw was a pair of claws swinging at his face.



-Skyranger.

“Sneaky! You can fly, jump out and see if you can get a closer look at the crash site,” Cotton said as he then ordered the skyranger to slow down and open the hatch.

“I won’t fail you, Sir,” Sneaky shouted as he hopped out of his seat and flew out the back of the plane, heading towards the crash site.

“Sneaky, what do you see?” Cotton asked as the skyranger landed behind a hill for cover and the men deployed.

“Uh... I see a really skinny human going inside the ship, and a downed human near one of your metal carriages, his face is losing a lot of blood so I’m guessing he’s dead. I hear a noise too,” He said and looked around as the noise grew louder until his ear bud clicked with Central contacting him.

“Sneaky, this is central. We are picking up readings of what looks like a ship heading towards you, do you see it?”

Sneaky looked around and saw what it was. It appeared similar to a human in the sense that it had a head, a flat face, pinkish flesh and two arms, but the rest was most definitely not human. The creature was the upper torso of something covered in green and black metal, on its back were two rotor like engines that threw out fire and left a trail of smoke as the thing flew towards Sneaky at high speed, roaring in rage.

“It’s not a ship, it’s a monster!” Sneaky shouted and dived to the ground, attempting to lose the floating enemy but failed as it caught up.

“Commander, Sneaky is under fire and in need of support!”

“No I’m not, I can handle it!” He said and kicked the monster with his lower hooves, knocking it back and escaping into a cloud that became much denser upon contact with the magical energies of his body. The alien turned to and fro as it was joined by another of its brethren. The two communicated through hand movements, grunts and a few seemingly random alien words.

One of the aliens then began flying to the landing site of the Skyranger.

“Commander, one of the fliers is heading towards you at high speed. I have this one.”

Sneaky then flew out from his cloud and with hooves forward he shouted., “Ramming speed!” Before slamming into the flying alien’s back and two began to fight and scuffle in the air, aggressively punching and scratching.

“Sneaky!?” Rock fist shouted to his com as he and the team stepped out through the back of the skyranger. Chavivi ran over to a nearby tree and began climbing it as Boris, Sato, and Cotton provided cover. Ramos and Rock had been ordered to move up.

“I’m busy! Just deal with your enemy!” Sneaky shouted before his helmet was knocked off and he bit the alien right above one of its eyes.

“Incoming!” shouted Cotton as plasma fire rained down on the defense group. Cotton was separated from Boris and Sato as he took cover behind the civilian’s burnt out car.

Boris let out his trademark shout and the heavy fired his auto-cannon in the air at the source of the plasma shots, as luck would have it Boris struck the flier and was rewarded with the scream of a dying alien and a slight explosion. With a smile Boris pulled up the machine gun and blew into the single barrel dramatically like he was an action star.

“Good shot, Boris!” Chavivi shouted as he aimed down the scope of his rifle and saw a thin man poke his head out, only to lose it in a cloud of gore.

“Another one down. Sir, it seems clear to move up now,” Chavivi said as he worked the bolt of his rifle.

“Understood. Rock and Ramos, you guys go up and I will join you. Sato, go and try to find sneaky!”

Cotton took off running as fast as he could towards the downed scout UFO as Sato headed in another direction to find Sneaky.

Sneaky was holding on for dear life against the crushing force of wind as the alien he held onto tried to fly away, his rotors spinning at high speed. Sneaky grunted and punched the alien in the back of its head. It roared pulling out a plasma pistol and attempted to fire at Sneaky in his face. But as the alien reached for it’s weapon Sneaky swung a hoof around and yanked at one of the strange tubes attached to a type of face mask on the alien. With all his might Sneaky pulled on the tube and tore it out and with a hiss the alien seemed disoriented as Sneaky then began pulling it to the ground as it struggled like a cat on in water.

“Sir! I see Sneaky! I think he’s taken the alien down,” Sato shouted as he rushed to the falling duo.

“That leaves only two aliens. Finish them and the mission is over,” Central said as he typed a message to the NORAD base about the loss of one civilian and for them to send a cover story to the local PD.

Rock rushed in after Cotton slammed his fist into the shield door button. As soon as Rock was inside he ran nose first into the ship’s Outsider robot, managing to knock it to the ground before he threw a rapid series of punches and hoof stomps all over the outsider, denting its body.

“Rock! Stand clear!” shouted Ramos as he charged in with Cotton.

Rock jumped out of the way of the robot, exposing the large energy crystal in its stomach region. Once the pony was out of the way Ramos fired a shotgun round directly into the crystal and watched as the machine faded away in a bright flash as if it had never existed.

“Check the rest of the ship!” shouted Cotton as he looked around the ship in search of the Thin-man that Sneaky had reported earlier.

“Ship is clear, sir!” Rock said after he and Ramos inspected the small circular ship and found no trace of the Thin-man and began to believe it had escaped, until they heard the crack of Chavivi’s rifle.

“Target eliminated,” Chavivi reported as he ejected the spent clip and enjoyed the view of his kill from the dead tree he sat in.

“Roger that. Sato what is the status of Sneaky?” Cotton said into his radio as he stared into the glowing power source in the center of the UFO that gave off a lime greenish color.

“Sir, ugh, we’ve got a prisoner!” Sato said through many grunts and monstrous roars as both he and Sneaky fought to hold down the enemy floater while keeping their limbs away from his engines.

The floater fought and struggled against its captors as it called out curses in its own language, spewing forth hate speech against earth and the humans that dwelled upon it, before Sato slammed the butt of his rifle into the alien’s face, sending it into unconsciousness.



-Crow’s Nest hanger

The hangar bay was full of excitement as many turned out to see their first prisoner of war. The base security team was making sure everyone stood back and allowed the scientists through as they brought a containment unit to house the alien.

“I can’t believe it, an actual prisoner. Do you think it knows the location of a base or their teleportation devices?” said a scientist in an almost stereotypical nerdy voice as he felt his blonde balding scalp tingle with excitement.

“We will have to wait and see. I hope the other staff members can clean out the containment unit before it arrives,” Dr. Vahlen said as she held her data pad close. Dr. Shen walked up as well to see what new alien they had encountered.

“We will have to find a new place for our pony friends to sleep,” Shen mused as the hangar bay doors opened with the skyranger slowly descending vertically, its thrusters at a low setting to not blow dust or heat at the gathered crowd below.

The skyranger touched its wheels down and the door began to open, when suddenly the floater flew out, its arms tied behind it’s back by several zip ties , as it attempted to escape. The crowd of engineers, pilots, doctors and scientists moved back, some falling others, running as they attempted to get away from the angry alien.

“Come here, you!” Sneaky shouted as he flew out after it and slammed his body against the floater, knocking it to the ground where the security officers blasted it with the arc-throwers, rendering it unconscious again.

“Keep that thing locked up and get it to the containment unit now!” Cotton said as he unbuckled himself from his seat, going out in a rush to see if Vahlen was okay.

He saw her picking herself up off the ground and dusting her lab coat off which was now covered in dirt before helping up doctor Shen.

"Oh yes, that is exactly what my damn aging back needs, another fall!” Shen muttered in angry Japanese.

Despite having a Chinese name, Shen had been raised in Kyoto by his mother after an unfortunate incident between his father and a senior member of the Chinese mafia.

Even though Shen had ranted in his native tongue his words were translated by the earpieces of everyone within range. Folks were thankful for the humorous moment as Shen spoke to himself after the frightfull escape attempt by the alien.

The floater was placed into a large plexiglass box before being escorted by a security team to the Alien containment unit, where its arms where cut free of the zip-ties and the unit sealed.

By this time the team was in the decontamination room, getting sprayed down with fluids that would kill any foreign germs brought by the aliens, the fluid helping Sneaky’s white fur dye run out and turning his fur blue.

“I think the ponies did a fantastic job, Commander. Without them we might not have captured the new enemy type,” Central said through a speaking unit next to a glass window.

“As embarrassed as I am to admit it, they did help out, and with that said,” Cotton turned around from the intercom and looked at the two ponies who were rubbing the decon fluid out of their fur. “I formally welcome you to the Crow’s Nest X-Com team.”



Alien command ship. Dark side of the moon

The Master sat down in his chair on the ship’s bridge, where from just around the curve of the moon, he could see the earth, a bounty worthy enough for the empire’s hierarchy.

“Soon it will be ours,” the red robed alien said to himself mentally as a ghostly figure floated to him, a lower class Ethereal with a slightly darker shade of red for his robe.

“Forgive the intrusion, great one, but I have news of the scout ship sent over the north American continent, to their city of sin,” the lower Ethereal said as he bowed his head, voice barely a whisper to anyone else who might have been listening.

“What news? Have the scouts discovered humans with the gene?” the leader asked as he rotated to face his inferior, floating slightly above him to continuously imply his position.

“No, my liege. I am afraid it was shot down before the scan could be completed and...” The lower Ethereal paused, afraid to give the news.

“Speak, inferior,” The master ordered, his voice with no noticeable change in tone but the sense of anger was there.

“Master, they captured one of the flying slaves, and took it back to their base and it’s tracking signal was disabled somehow.”

“How many ships have the humans shot down so far?” the master asked as he returned to looking at Earth.

“Close to 134 , sire.” The Ethereal said as the Master pulled his arms from his robes and rubbed his hands together in disappointment rather than in anger.

“And how much longer until relief forces arrive?”

“Several more planetary rotations.”

“Then allow the humans a break. Let us waste our human slaves on the planet and continue our assault on the planet once more forces arrive.”

“Yes, sire,” the ethereal returned to his station to relay the orders.

“Enjoy your winter solstice, humans, because after it your people will no longer have the very idea of peace on Earth,” the master Ethereal said. His blood boiling with the thought that the humans were holding their ground all over their planet from multiple hidden bases in their attempt to stall the empire from reaching its goal, the only true goal for the Ethereal race, godhood and immortality.