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// Chapter 2 - The arrival 
// Story: Spero - The last Hope 
// by Ice4smaster 
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Few days have passed, Twilight and Luna spent lot time together. Luna teach Twilight to her dream infiltrate spell, rest assured they did some pranks which was unusual, especially if it was Twilight, as she never been known to be a prankster.

“Oh Luna, Blue Blood was just furious!” “Twilight, I think we can check out the 'how to troll mortals' on our list” they both chuckled as they walked on the large corridor towards the observatory. “I would never go for less then an A Luna.” “I know that, though the following spell will be more challenging.” “Oh, which spell?” Twilight looked quite curious to the Lunar Princess “It's a spell allow to leave your body and wonder through the land, a bit like as a ghost, but still alive, but it's have it's dangers of course.” She listen carefully “It's have a time and range limit. For instance I'm able to wonder of, about little beyond the Moon, but that’s truly stretching my limits, for you, I think you'd be able to reach out beyond borders of Canterlot once got the basics. It's can be taxing to the body.” Twilight nod “Sounds as a challenge. Sure be nice to reach out to the stars with this spell, especially to the new one I found last week.” Luna gave an acknowledging smile “That would be amazing, but I’m afraid  even Celestia couldn't go that far out. But who knows, we might be able to devise a better spell over time.”

They arrived to the big golden doors, decorated with all kind of celestial illustration, stars, comets, planets with Gaia at the center. The solar guards open the large doors for the two alicorn princesses. Twilight look at Luna “Luna, do you think we should move the beds here? We sure spend more time in this room then in our own personal chambers.” “An found idea Twilight, but I would prefer have the telescope in my own chamber them move here.” They both chuckle. After a little while they set up the telescope to look to the same spot on the sky where they noticed this wandering star, “Tonight will be interesting, the wandering star should be hidden behind the Titanus as the planet will pass before it.” said Luna “Guess that means we can sleep for a few nights before we see it agen.” said the young magenta alicorn as she turn to Luna “Haha, surprised how well you manage to stay up, you do not sleep a lot lately.” Twilight just blush a little on Luna's comment, she was quite tired at this point, non less fuelled by her curiosity as well some good coffee they had earlier.

Things went quiet for many hours while Luna shown the basics of the soul spell, while they kept checking the telescope. The Star got closer and closer to the planets horizon but soon they be totally surprised.

“Um... Luna..” Asked Twilight as she stuck at the telescope while Luna made some hot coffee “Yes Twilight?” “I think I have hallucination of some short.. because I just simply don't believe to my eyes..” Said finally after a minute quiet. Luna simply walk up next to her and tap her shoulder to have a look. She look at Luna with a true unsure look, there theory of a wondering, dyeing star is totally shattered as Luna look into the lens. It took merely a second for her mouth hung open from the shock. The supposedly star was before the planet, not obstructed by it, meaning it is not a star at all, and more importantly, it was close, way closer then they imagined before, and meant it was also much smaller. Yet it emitted so powerful light as a sun would, an dyeing one. This was like a whole barrel of lantern oil on the fire. Both Princess quickly run through there notes and began do there calculations, including the earliest ones of Twilight. They done it agen and agen, quadruple checked it all. They got worried as well as the rough calculations of this object path shown, it would cross Gaia's orbit in a year or so, and if they could believe to the numbers, it was slowing down.

“Aliens..” Said Twilight on a meek sound, Luna just nod slowly, not blinking at all, it took a minute for Luna spoke up “Celestia must know of this, the implications of this... are beyond...” She stooped at mid sentence and gulped, she charge her horn, and unlike as normally she do, she just teleported to Celestia chambers directly. It didn't took to long, maybe a minute, and with a flash both Celestia and Luna appeared in front of Twilight. She looked into her mentor eyes deeply, Celestia looked back into Twilight eyes, still with signs of slumber as she just been woken up less then a minute ago, but with clear concern and increasing awareness, it took a few moments then she walked up and she took a look for her self too, stood there for a little while, finally back away from the telescope and look to the two younger alicorns. Now clearly share the shock of the pair, unable to find the right words right there and then. An alien object, a ship, an immensely big one was on it's way to Gaia, it left them with more questions then answers. Time have passed in silence, then Celesta broke it finally “How much time.. till arrives?” Directing her look at Twilight, she forced down a ball in her throat as answered ”If.. we can believe the numbers... roughly a year.. I just don't kno-” “We must prepare.” Interrupted Luna “But how?!? How you prepare to something like this?!?” As Twilight explode in evident fear, Celestia have lift up her hoof to silence them, held it there for a short while she formulated her response “First of.. we must keep this confidential.. second, we know little to nothing. All we know that it's approaching as we speak. As for get ready... best we can do increase our reserve of guards and began stock pile up food and medical supplies, and yes I know other countries around Equestria likely misunderstand this move, and I’m afraid we must share this finding with them. And sooner then later so they can also get ready what ever may come..” Luna sigh at the words of Celestia... “Ignorance is a bliss as they say...” “Indeed..” “BUT CELESTIA, PONIES CAN DIE IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING!” Yelled Twilight who was hyperventilating from the stress, Celestia step right before Twilight and gently put her hoof on her student mouth, then embrace her into a hug with her wings, sigh “I know Twilight.. and we will do everything we can, but you must understand, we must remain calm, and most ponies wouldn't be able to handle this news... the ensuring chaos if this would brought to the light would ruin our peace, and all effort to get ready, in case of a disastrous outcome would be halted while we would try regain control and order. I do, really do understand your feelings, fear, but can't give in to fear and lose our cool, if we do, it be just worse, especially if this alien object pass by and nothing happens.” Celestia with a heavy heart sigh and she could really envy the young and still innocent Twilight, who yet to live many more decades to become a true leader, have the true experience. Luna stood closer, she as well possessed by fear, but she kept her composure.  “Celestia is right Twilight... and I think we should call a secret, emergency meeting tomorrow, and start make or strategies, see our options. The sooner we start this the better, and we must track this alien object in the sky, if there is a way if any, even during daytime.” Celestia nod then look back down to her student, who calmed down a bit. Twilight sigh heavily ”I.. understand Princess.. it's just hard.” “I know Twilight.. you are still young, by time you will grow more wiser, and to be honest it will never be easy, but you will be stronger.. now come, I think you need some rest, even if it's hard to force your self, you must have some sleep. It's easier to reflect on these new facts with a fresh and composed head tomorrow then now clouded by sheer fear and exhaustion.” Twilight nod and after a little while they all left the observatory.





This very night, unknown for the Princesses the humans made there first presence to there world, Gaia with the first wave of unmanned drones. The orbital unit's stabilise there geostationar orbit around the new planet, began sync up there formation as well transmit the data back to the coming ships. The Geographical data been analysed and the areas of initial landing zones been transmitted back to the Spero to be approved.

The now orbiting drones focused there cameras on the potential areas, one particular area was a mountain range side, with a wide valley and large forest fauna, but the more the camera scanned the area, the inbuilt AI noticed an 'anomaly' after a short time more, these areas been photographed several times with different spectrum’s, from visible light to infra red, including radar and laser beam scans. Going through initial spectrum analysis to determine the composing materials, flagged as the highest priority to be evaluated by scientist. These, in fact were buildings, an native civilisation. Yet still would take hours for the new information reach the Spero, though the nearest vessel, the Hermes would receive this data less then 20 minutes. They been authorised to give new directives to the drones and select landing zones for them, of course the council back on the Spero could over rule them. But this was just simply to big, to exciting, frightening, accelerating, a true kick into the guts by an android unit, something they least expect. When the data began poor in the shock was ensured, the crew, all the scientist on-board just float in the zero G before the main terminal where the images been shown. The one who collect it self quickest, was the commanding officer of the ship, Captain Kim Lee.

“Gentleman, it seams we simply not write a new chapter in history, today or in the following days.. but rather this going to be a brand new library of history as it's stands.” state it bluntly, as he turn around to meet the eyes of the others. “No.. kidding.. Sir” answered a one of the technician at the background, earn some looks, but all could agree with a silent nod. The captain just gave a smile to this comment, then continue. “Alright, this is lot to stomach, but we have to, thus we been selected to this mission, so everyone back to your stations. We have a lot to do now, way more then we could hoped or ask for.” gave another look to it crew “We going to meet with ET soon, a way or another... Alex.” He turned effortlessly to the the scientist who manned the terminal beside him “Launch 3 airborne drones to the area as well 3 ground explorers, deploy them in a relative close proximity to the settlements, 3-4 miles away. I think gather information about them is the highest priority now, as we will have to share this world with them, regardless we, and or them, like it or not.” Alex turn around to face the Captain “Sir.. Kim.. do you think it's the wisest approach to take?” Kim simply nod as an answer. “Okey..” Alex began enter the commands on the terminal while after a short time over his shoulder continue “Do you think they know we are coming?” Captain almost immediately gave it's answer “I'm honestly don't know, not enough information yet to prove or expel this, but assured, soon they will know something is arrived to there world. If they notice and can comprehend the presence of the drones as they enter the atmosphere. But they would learn it anyway, the Spero is massive and I'm positive they would see it from the ground once getting in a geostationar orbit around the planet in less then a year, after all it is 321 km long.” Alex nod, then after a short moment he chuckled “Guess we will be the invaders Sir, hope they don't have a nuke and fly it down right our throat like they did in that old movie, Independence day.” Kim just smile to this comment. “Lets hope they don't, but in turn we must behave too, so no orbital death beams kids.” Said the captain, and the crew laugh. The air was intense, but some jokes now helped to calm the nerves. Alex, with a final tap on the console sent out the new commands to the respective orbital units to launch there drones to the planet while the rest remain in stand by.





It took 20 minutes to the new data stream reach the orbital units, and to execute the new commands. All 6 entry drones been launched, almost simultaneously and began there descend to the planet bellow. After some time they would light up the night sky high above Equestria as they enter the atmosphere, coat in superheated plasma as hurl towards the surface many times faster then the speed of sound. The entry units resemble small space shuttles and once they lost most of there momentum after reach the lower atmosphere they began circling in the sky to further reduce there speed. The sun began rise far on the horizon, it's rays eliminate the sky, slowly make the stars disappear, and the light would be reflected from the descending shuttles. 

They been noticed by a pair of pink eyes, eyes of Celestia who been looking up the night sky and was thinking of the events not long ago, only few hours earlier, unfold in the observatory. The view froze the Solar Diarch, both in horror and awe. She followed with her eye the nearest one, her eyes were much better then normal ponies, even better then the pegasie, it was incredible fast, but minute by minute become slower. Then she hear enormous roar from high above, didn't take long for her to figure out what it was. As it did sound similar to something she heard before. It was like a Sonic Rainboom of Rainbow Dash, but magnitudes bigger and longer, deeper, that indicated that these blast sounds travelled long way before reach her ears. It was the unholy sound of force, speed of these metal birds as they pierced the skies above, she tried to fathom the speed they travelled. With out any doubts, they were far faster then anything ever been achieved by ponies, far surpass even Rainbow Dash who definitely would take it bad, if she knew she was no longer the fastest thing alive, soaring the skies. Celestia noticed the closest object light up at it's back, like fire, but was almost like solid yet transparent, a bit like a magic aura, with this the strange machine no longer glide, but visibly propelled it self through the air, still at incredible speed, and grace. She saw it turned upside down and open a small door like section and drop something out in mid-air. The craft shortly after return upright, while the package inflated into, what looked like first a balloon, short of like a fish and slow down, to fly around. Getting closer to the ground. The fling machine have almost vanished, head towards the badlands high in the sky.

Celestia stood there, but her curiosity got the better of her, and she was more sure in her self as well, what ever this balloon like construction be, it was far slower and smaller then the other metal creation, so she extended her wings to short after soar into the skies and pursue it.