The A.A.R.D or Autonomous Airborne Reconnaissance Drone finished it's initial system checks, it's uplink to the orbital unit was clear and the commands been received. It's began fly at a lower attitude, around 1000 meters above ground as been directed. It's possessed an advance on board AI to operate on it's own even if contact lost with the orbital unit and or the other deployed drones. It was still dark, but the dawn came quick, and the dark quickly retreated from the rays of the sun. The small drone began it's systematic sweep of the environment, with it's highly mobile camera head, additionally with sonic and chemical sensors. It's headed straight for the small town bellow with farm lands around. It's detected movement far bellow, and was designed to be adoptable, and the current settings made it rather curious, to follow and investigate anything of interest.
Celestia got closer to this strange fling machine, she got a better look of it, it was colourful, grey base with yellow and blue painting, the surface was shiny, at the top it had strange blueish panels, cover it like scales, or better, chitin armour, but the material were more akin to glass. Some aspects looked like it was a living creature, other aspects of it looked like it is a machine, very refined and elegant design. It was moving through the air with small cylinder like parts on it's sides with small wing to help steer it, yet was visible it's remain in the air with it's inflated balloon like body. It was making a slow descend to Ponyville. It was obvious to Celestia what was this machine, or at least it's current function.
“A scout..” Said the oldest alicorn princess. Decided to follow it closer but still out of it's view, and if needed, be ready to act. The miniature airship flew close to Sweet Apple Acres. It's head, if could be called that been looking around. Finally when stop next to a tree some quiet mechanic clang could be heard as two arms unfold and reach out to the tree, it took samples, leaves, some branch and apples, got an better look at them as well with the other arm cut small pieces and store it inside it's chest. Celestia noticed a small wooden house among the trees canopy and to her shock the 3 small fillies, the CMC. She didn't hesitate but she didn't want to risk an attack yet either, she flew before the machine, instantly earn it's attention over the small group of noisy fillies who just woke up recently and haven't noticed them yet. “Come on, I know you are a curious thing, just follow me... somewhere else..” note Celestia quietly to her self, luring away the drone from the small house. The drone fold it's arms back with a little noise like earlier, that did make it's presence to the small fillies, who noticed Celestia as well. Thankfully they remained quiet, with no doubt with awe and curiosity but some sense of dread, seeing her self, visibly lure the strange floating 'creature away'.
The sight before the drone was something new, an white fling creature. Locked on it and began follow it, recording every bit of the encounter and transmit it back to the orbital unit in real time with requesting additional commands how to proceed. The alicorn slowly flew backward, frequently motion with it's hoves to follow it, and so the drone follow as haven't received new, overriding command yet to not to do so, and the AI didn't detect any hostility that would mean harm to the unit.
Apple Jack was heading towards the CMC club house caring some breakfast for the troublesome fillies, though what she saw, she wouldn't believe it. If there were any trace of slumber in her, it's all vanished in an instant as she saw the princess and something following. Celestia look behind and spotted Apple Jack quickly. There eyes locked for a moment and like they would talk with out words, Apple Jack figured out what the princess tried to do, simply judging from direction they been heading slowly. Celestia was leading the drone toward the farm, to the barn. Apple Jack quickly put down the tray she was carrying, to be sure not make to much noise and quickly run back to the barn.
It's repeat the request toward the orbital unit, and the overruling AI commanded to drone to continue follow this creature as indeed ranked it the highest priority among the other findings so far, made by the other 5 deployed drones and still airborne shuttle units. Soon the drone find it's self before structure, it halt it's movement to take in better the surroundings, analyse it and determine is this new environment mean any danger to it's operation and mission. It's did find this place could be potentially more dangers then, but the command to follow overrule the base protocols to retreat from this place. So long there is no imminent danger detected.
Celestia finally landed on her hoves and watched the small airship, as it's look around, fixing it's look on all different objects around it for short moments then with a rapid movement move on the next, for a little time remained stationary, then returned it's attention to Celestia and began its approach agen. She wasn't sure up until this point, would it follow her into the barn, but now it looked it would. She began it's retreat into the barn. “Sorry but I have to trap you now curious one, just follow me inside.” She said in audible level with kind tone and gave an genuine yet forced smile, not even sure how sentient this machine is or does it understand at all her gestures, her tone, but though it's better try this way then apply direct force, she could easily yank the machine with her magic, or destroy it, but that would be definitely a bad move at this point. She was glad she noticed Apple Jack appear behind them, she lock eyes agen with the farm pony and give a small, barely visible nod. The drone did fit in the barn, and it looked around, scanning all around it. Celestia sit down on her hunch while Apple Jack, with Big Mac on her side now as well carefully close the main doors of the barn. The drone did notice it's getting dark quickly and looked behind and did lock on the other two, smaller, colourful ponies. It's AI processed the flood of information in the fraction of a second, the door was closed to much, it was surrounded with little room. Clear it was trapped, yet the creatures non of the creature show any sign of direct aggression towards the A.A.R.D unit, there movement slow, calming. The transmission of distress immediately went out to the orbital unit. The communication was not interrupted by this structure. The drone rapidly looked around, swap it's focus on the ponies around it until the doors closed and took it's full attention on Celestia, keep rapid adjustments on it's view, watch ever little moves of the alicorn.
The Diarch was sure the machine is intelligent, intelligent enough to realise it is trapped, like it would be scared, the rapid movement's of the head did indicate this, but other then this remained stationary, even when it's noticed Apple Jack and Big Mac outside as they closed the doors of the barn, yet instead of flee, or fight remained in it's position. She decided for a few minutes just sit there, and let the metallic creature watch her, not move or speak, let it calm down, she also took the time to take in the finest details, visible texture of the machine. Then she carefully and slowly stood and walked over. Gently lift up her hoof to touch the surface. The drone mechanical eyes watched her frantically, but still did not attempt to move or unfold it's arms for the matter. “Not need to worry, though we are curious as well about you.” She pulled her hoof away slowly and began walk out from the barn through a smaller side door where now Apple Jack waited for her silently. The drone watched as the alicorn left and as the door been closed slow and relative quietly, only it's natural creak been heard. The A.A.R.D received new commands to stand by, and silently observe, do not deploy any smaller robot units of it's own, do not attempt move around or do any damage to the structure or the creatures until commanded otherwise.
Apple Jack and the princess walk away from the barn, the orange farm pony gave quizzing and frightened look to her Diarch ruler, and at last broke the silence. “What in tranation is that thing?!?” made sure to keep her voice low, just in case. Celestia gave a deep sigh and stopped, look into Apple Jack eyes then began “..I'm.. not entirely sure. I do know though it is related to something we recently discovered with Twilight and Luna.. and I know we must keep this secret for the time being to prevent any panic Apple Jack.” The last part was said with a commanding look, the farmer simply nod in acknowledgement, even though she didn't like the whole thing, not by a bit. She did trust Celestia. The alicorn continue “We will move this machine to a safer place soon, but for the time being it's have to stay here. Do not or let anyone disturb it, especially the little ones, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, if I recall they tend to find trouble all the time” both ponies chuckle on this last part, but the tension remained “Ah understand princess and will do everything ah can.“ “Thank you Apple Jack, I will make sure to send some royal guards as soon as possible. I do have to return to Canterlot and talk with my sister and Twilight about these new events as well command other Guards to find the remaining Alien machines wonder in this area.” Apple Jack had an instant jaw drop to the ground, literally at this part “IS THIS AHN INVASION?!?” Celestia closed her eyes, took a moment then let the breath out she hold back, nod slowly. “It does seams to be, as, it will be, but we aren't sure just yet, nor that are they hostile or not. Granted, these, like this one we managed to trick and trap in the barn, are the scouts for whom build them. Tasked to explore our land. But please do keep your calm and this fact as a secret for the time being. We must make the preparations for the possible outcomes, but must avoid panic and the ensuring chaos if we to be ready to what ever is to come.” The farmer forced down that phantom apple that stuck in her throat as she processed all the words of the princess, then nod, slowly. “Ah... Ah.. understand.. oh.. tarnation...” she was lost of words at this point, but took a deep breath and look up to Celestia with her green eyes. Those orbs with there invisible flames hidden within spoke more then words. Shortly after they parted, Apple Jack remain and ensure thing shorted out on the farm and with the small fillies while Celestia focused her self for a moment and teleported back to the Royal Castle, in Canterlot.
Up, high in orbit the mass of information was relayed back to the Hermes and Spero. Each ship getting closer to Gaia yet still plenty of distance to cross in the vast space. All the events been replayed on board of Hermes with some, still considerable amount of time delay, prevent them to immediately interfere, and change the course of actions, but the initial directives given to the orbital units seamed to be right, even in-light of recent events happen on the surface of the new world. The crew knew they would find things that they couldn't truly imagen, but what they saw on the large screen, lets just say felt like a large magtrain hit them,at full speed, actually scratch that, was more like a direct hit from a railgun shell or a tactical nuke. Even the most focused person on the ship, Captain Kim Lee scratched his head as tried to make sense of what he was looking at.
“Alex, sure this is not some short of fancy joke you pulling on us with all you computer magic?” Alex Stuart, the lead scientist of the ship, slowly, turn around, to face his commanding officer, with a glare right down the soul of the captain. Kim after a few sec recoil a little from the intense look, which Alex broke short after, with a slow motion, return it's attention to the large terminal. “Well.. I guess that is a no... Ooookey people, scratch out little green aliens from your books, even the grey ones.. officially small, fling, magical, colourful houses or.. ponies?” He blinked a few times then give out a sigh. “Sure the guys back on Spero going to freak out.. 'capital letter' big time. Right, so lets work with this.” He look at his fellow explorers “lets make a small group, who ever here is doing Xeno Biology, Biology, or any short of fancy Psychology, into that group right away. It be a challenge, in a way, but try to make a sense of all this, there behaviour, look, body language, anything and everything you able to, because this is it, ET, who will be our neighbour. Every one else, no matter how tempting it may be, back to your original position, we have a ship to run and last thing I want is bump into the Moon or one comical copy of the Death Star..” He looked at one of the younger Technician “.. and those who need a dipper change or a new brain after the current one burn out, please... do so and quick.” He chuckle after a moment “And no, before some one asks, this is not Sparta, this is Madness.” Kim Shake his head and return to his own captain post to overlook the ship operations. Every one else remain as quiet as space it self for the time being.
The group of scientist gathered up around the terminal, around Alex, with there own tablets in hand and began split up the material they received to analyse it and learn as much as possible from this short and strange encounter with the sentient inhabitants of this world. They systemically, step by step analysed the all the material, some one even noticed the small wooden house on the recording with even smaller ponies, and it quickly become clear why the larger winged pony fly into view of the drone and made the drone follow it. It was protecting the young ones, an fast planning, risk taking, and composed executing. It show these creatures are as intelligent as them selves, humans. They some how been able to create buildings, baffling there very imagination as how, with out hands or limbs that would be able to grab properly tools. The smartest guys on the ship just shake there heads from the very shock, and just gave up, decided, just to roll with it for now, they likely learn this latter, but the headache didn't worth it to dwell on it more. They moved on other details, the behaviours that they could side by side put parallel to human behaviours easily, the structures they saw, the physical appearance, and possible physiological workings of there body, and agen, parallel to the creatures known to exist back on Earth before the disaster hit. Sure they would need to have a personal look at one of this beings, scan, and x-ray there body at least. The very obvious difference between the different ponies was amazing on it's own, not the colours mainly, but rather that one had wing, another had small horn, while the large white one had both, and even stranger, three other Ponies who could identify on the footage, had none of these, clearly two adult, and one offspring.
Kim just smile on the view, as he could, literally see the smoke emit from the scientists heads as they force there unwilling mind to process all these nonsense. All he could do as well, just roll with this. Time have passed and sure more information kept poring in as quick as atmosphere would leave the ship in case of a hull breach. But the team remained focused on the intelligent beings. What they gathered so far, they are far behind technological to them, with wild guesses, put them in a development level of the Renaissance era Europe.
The Hermes just continue it's silent flight to this new bizarre world of Gaia...