HX-1 Crash Site
Constellation approached the crash site, the two pegasus guards close on her tail. Spotting the smoking wreckage once again, she turned and shouted out to the guards.
“There! Over there!” She cried.
Lieutenant Sunburst stopped abruptly, looking over the burning wreckage. “Listen, Constellation, we don’t know why these ships were headed towards shore. It could be dangerous, and they could be hostile. I need you to stay back, okay?”
“All right,” said Constellation reluctantly, allowing the pegasi to fly ahead of her.
Approaching the wreckage, Constellation spotted a cluster of white ponies gathered on top of a piece of wreckage. Flying closer, however, she quickly realised they weren’t ponies at all. They appeared to be strange creatures with four visible limbs. A few were clinging tightly onto pieces of wreckage that had managed to stay afloat. Are these the aliens that live on this world? She wondered to herself as she got closer, squinting her eyes to try and see better.
Approaching the wreckage, Constellation suddenly felt a strange, tingly sensation, and her vision flashed purple for a second. Turning around, she was shocked to find a massive, translucent, purple wall where nothing had been previously. It looked exactly like the force field that had appeared in front of the ships when they had crashed.
“What the...” She could hear one of the creatures say as they approached. The Lieutenant slowed to a hover. “Celestia, the water’s freezing!” He said. Flying down, he approached the creatures.
“Lieutenant Sunburst, Equestrian Royal Guard,” he introduced himself, “I’m going to try to help you, but first, I need your word that you won’t attempt to harm me or anypony else.”
The creatures in the water looked bewildered. Teeth chattering, one of them spoke up. “S-Sub Lieutenant D-Dickson, HMS G-g-gloucester City load m-master. I give you my word, we will not harm any of you. W-what are you?”
“Ponies. And you?”
“Hu-humans,” came the reply after a short pause. It was quite clear that the human’s functions were slowly shutting down.
Lieutenant Sunburst made the call. “Constellation, Lightning Twister, I need you to grab him and fly him back to shore. Can you do that?” Constellation nodded. Flying down, she took one of the human’s arms, while Lightning took the other. Sunburst started to help the other humans onto a particularly large piece of wreckage. There were only four or five.
“W-wait!” Cried Sub Lieutenant Dickson as he was lifted out of the water, “That wall sunk our ships! It’s deadly!”
Slowly, they flew over to it. Lightning Twister experimentally poked a hoof into it, and it went right through. “It’s fine,” he said, “It probably only stops objects with a high velocity, or maybe objects made of metal.”
“See?” Constellation said, “You’ll be okay.”
The three flew threw the barrier. Although the two pegasi made it through fine, the moment the human came into contact with it, he screamed out in pain.
Startled, Constellation looked down, only to be greeted by a horrific sight. The man’s face appeared to have been charred, a ring of burns going around the point of contact. Panicking, the pegasi dropped him, and the forward momentum caused him to sail forward into the barrier. Uttering one final scream, the officer dissolved into mid air.
One Week Later
London, England
Cameras and reporters clambered around the black car as it stopped in front of the governmental offices in London. The door opened, and the crowd collectively gasped as a large, horse like creature stepped out. She was pure white, with a regalia and crown, and had a flowing, multicolour mane. An aura of royalty radiated from her.
“Step back!” Called out a london police constable, and the crowd parted like the red sea, allowing her to proceed. Closely escorted by two armed military policemen, she made her way into the building.
Entering the conference room, she smiled inwardly at the concealed expressions of disbelief on all of the leader’s faces. Well, they would get used to it. Once earth was free of human corruption, they would govern their nations as separate provinces under her central government.
Celestia took her seat across from a man in a wheelchair. “Princess Celestia of Equestria, I presume,” he spoke up stiffly, “I am Franklin Roosevelt, President of the United States. Prime Minister Chamberlain, England, Prime Minister Daladier, France, Ambassador Douglas, Canada.”
“Leaders of the world,” Celestia started, smiling patronisingly, “the human race has always been a violent one. Tearing each other apart for such trivial reasons as wealth, resources and false religions.”
“Now hold on one-” Chamberlain stood, ready to defend his country’s official religion.
“Allow me to finish.” Celestia said. All of a sudden, her expression and mannerisms became ice cold, scaring Chamberlain back into his seat.
“Wealth, resources and false religions. No matter how long your race spends in peacetime, it can be counted on that you will return to war. Your history is clear proof of this.”
The leaders appeared confused, not sure where she was going with this line of speech.
“We have been observing your species for a long time, and though you are capable of such destruction and chaos, you are also capable of such wonder and beauty. And such is my predicament.”
“Wait,” Roosevelt said indignantly, “you’ve been observing us? Just who do you think you are?”
“I think I am the one who will save your race from its self destruction. From tearing yourselves apart through needless war and violence. Today is the day that I deliver you from inescapable armageddon.”
For a moment, the table was silent. Then, Daladier, prime minister of France, spoke up. “What you are saying is, our religions are false. That we are but stupid children, who must be pried apart to prevent ourselves from causing each other harm? How do you intend to ‘deliver’ us?”
“And for such a ‘kind deliverer’, you have caused a great amount of damage!” The Canadian ambassador exclaimed, “Millions of dollars, thousands of crew lost! An entire convoy, destroyed by the barrier surrounding your land! Why do you need a barrier to protect yourself? What are you hiding?”
“Mr. Douglas, I express my heartfelt condolences for the lives lost on your shipping convoy. The entire incident was a tragic accident. As soon as I found out, I dispatched a platoon of our royal guards to the scene, but unfortunately, there were no survivors. As for the barrier, I’m sorry, but I cannot risk the innocence of my little ponies by exposure to... your kind.”
“Our-”
“And Mr. Daladier. I intend to deliver you through the use of a very specific potion. As soon as our nation discovered the existence of your species, our best scientists started tweaking the potions already in existence to work on humans. After some final... adjustments... are made, it will be ready for use.”
“A... potion?” Roosevelt inquired, “A potion that does what, exactly?”
“A potion that will rid of you of your bad qualities, extend your natural lifespan, and add natural talents you did not possess previously. A potion that will change you... into a pony.”
“Wha-”
“Who do-”
“Hol-”
“Please. I need your permission to start converting your nation’s populations. I assure you, it is for the benefit of all mankind.”
“Absolutely not!” Roosevelt said, slowly standing up. His legs started to tremble under the strain, but his determination and fiery resolve kept him up. He held onto the corners of the table, looking her directly in the eye. “If you think for one second that I will, in any way, help you in your conquest to... destroy humanity, you are crazy!”
“Would you oppress your people in this way? There may be those willing to accept the change. Would you deny them that privilege? Would you deny them longer lives, abilities to fly as pegasi, or perform magic as unicorns? Would you deny them long lives of peace and happiness?”
“Hell yes I would! Flying, or magic, at what cost? And once we become ‘ponies’, I assume you would ‘graciously’ volunteer to become our leader? That would be false peace and happiness!”
For a split second, an expression of cold fury appeared over the face of the princess, so quickly that Chamberlain thought he might have imagined it.
“I believe that we can work out something between us,” the British prime minister started, “It goes without saying that we do not want to be assimilated, Princess, but that doesn’t mean we have to be hostile. Why not coexist?” He suggested.
Princess Celestia nodded slowly. “Mr. Chamberlain, as much as I hate leaving your race in the state it is in, in the end, I can only do so much as you will allow me to do,” she said, “If all of you absolutely refuse to accept my offer, then I believe that we should part ways. I hope you harbor no grudge against us.”
“As long as we remain at peace, no grudge exists here, Princess,” Chamberlain said, looking pleased with himself for avoiding a political disaster.
Celestia looked around the table, and seeing no purpose for any more discussion, stood up. “I’ll take my leave then, gentleco-men,” she said. Turning, she left the room.
The moment she was gone, all of the eyes in the room turned to the British prime minister. “Are you serious, Chamberlain? Appeasing the Germans and now appeasing Equestria? Peace in our time my ass!” Roosevelt exclaimed.
“Look, Mr. President, I believe that what I did was in the best interests of everyone in this room.”
Roosevelt narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth.
A few hours later, Celestia had crossed through the barrier and was approaching Canterlot castle. Landing on her balcony, she was immediately greeted by her sister, Princess Luna.
“Well, sister?” Luna asked, “Did the humans see reason?”
“Nay, sister,” Celestia replied sadly, “I’m afraid that their childlike stubbornness and refusal to see what is right in front of them has rendered them unable to make the decisions in their best interests. Perhaps it was my fault; maybe if I had gone about it in a different way...”
“Sister, stop,” Luna said, “I know not of any pony more persuasive and reasonable then you. If the humans refused to listen, they would have refused no matter how you had put it.”
Celestia sighed and nodded. “I know, sister. As much as I hate to force somepony to do something against their will, I’m afraid that we will have to make the decision for them. Maybe... maybe, possibly, if we turn a couple against their will - in their own interests, of course - it is possible the rest of the humans will realize that we are not the enemy, but rather their saviors.”
Luna nodded sagely. “That’s a good idea, sister. Speaking of which, the testing has been completed. The potion is ready - and there is a brand new newfoal ready for integration into pony society. Unfortunately, the others were deformed and had to be put down.”
Celestia smiled widely. “Good! I’ll meet him later. For now, though, we have some planning to do. Guard!” She called, waiting for the soldier to run in.
“Yes, your highness?” The guard asked.
“Summon the generals to my chambers,” Celestia ordered, “inform them it is of utmost importance.” Celestia and Luna turned to face each other. They had a lot of work ahead of them.