//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: First Contact - Kansas City // by Shadow Walker //------------------------------// Prologue "The beginning is the most important part of the work" Plato Planet - Earth Location - Crowder College Neosho, Missouri "Now as you can see the Greeks held a deep significance for mythology as they would portray their Gods over and over again believing that if they did this they would be given Divine assistance. They would also portray many different creatures such as the Minotaur and Griffins in their art. Now there are many other equally famous creatures but can anyone tell me what the Minotaur is so famous for in mythology........ Isaac can you please tell the class." As the student stood up he recited what he remembered on the Minotaur. "If I remember correctly, the Minotaur is most known for it's appearance in the Cretan Labyrinth. In the Greek Mythological world, it is stated that the Cretan Labyrinth was where the Minotaur would devourer fourteen Athenians sent as tribute. It would eventually be killed by Theseus: Son of Poseidon." "Correct as usual." Just then the bell signaled the end of the class "Alright; that's enough for the day. Be sure to read chapters 5 through 7 for Monday's test. I will not go easy on you!" As the students packed up their bags and headed out the door, the Teacher noticed the Dean of the school standing by the door saying his usual "good days" to the students. Waiting until the room cleared, the teacher walked over and greeted the Dean with an outstretched hand and a warm smile. "Hello Sir, how have you been?" the Teacher asked. "Just fine, just fine; thank you." The Dean replied. "I couldn't help but notice the young man in the center row. He is very... knowledgeable." "He is I wish I had more like him." The Teacher boasted. "Isaac is one of my best students and has a taste for history like you would not believe. Just sucks up the information like a vacuum." "I did some snooping on him and I found that he is majoring in the Alternative Energy courses we have," the Dean explained. "This is just an open thought but... do you think he could be a History Major if he wanted to?" "Yes; I think that boy could be a History Major if he wanted to." The teacher answered. "I even asked him about it once, but he told me that he wanted to give back to the world and help it. He thinks that taking the Alternative Energy course is the best way to do that." "I see," the Dean mumbled. "I also noticed that he is taking the NROTC passing with excellent marks." "Really?" The Teacher recited in a somewhat baffled manner. "I knew he was smart but I didn't know that. Sir that boy will help the world in someway. I just know it." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As Isaac walked down the halls of Crowder University, he thought about how his last year and how it would end. He thought about his friends at the school and his girlfriend. Fortunately most of his friends lived within a hundred mile radius of his home town so that would work out. He would try to work something out with his girlfriend and hope that she would be okay with the situation. He also wondered about his time in the NROTC at the University. Being that this was his last year at Crowder; he needed to ask his instructor if he needed to ship out instantly, or if he could spend some time at home first. As he pondered these questions a pair of small, sleek, tender hands found their way around his neck, interlocking on contact. "Hey you" Isaac said with a smile on his face. "Hey yourself." The petite woman replied with a smile as Isaac turned to face her. "How was class?" "Same as usual; fun and easy" he said with a smirk. "You know I have trouble with history" the female said with a pout. "Can you come over to help me study? Pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaase." "Anna, you know if I come over to your rental we'll study anatomy instead of History." He said with a smirk. "You know I can't help myself" she said with a grin. "Look, why don't we study at the library, quiet, peaceful and full of people." "Sounds good. Meet you at five?" "Sure. See you then." Anna said as she kissed his cheek and walked away. Anna Rosalind, one of the smartest girls Isaac ever met, was Majoring in Advanced Physics at Crowder and passing with flying colors. They met in their Sophomore year at Crowder during their Calculus class. It was nothing special. At first they started talking, and that was just it; talking. But talking lead to dating and dating lead to..... well, Isaac would like to believe that is was nothing out of the ordinary. Anna started her studies into physics at the age of Fourteen. She remembered reading a book about the properties of particles and Matter. After she read about the theoretical uses of Particles and what they held she wondered if they could be put to use; like changing an object to another with equal Density, or changing the Density of steel to make it twice as strong. Since then she devoted almost all of her time to the understanding of matter and anything related to Physics. Isaac didn't really understand the whole concept of Physics, but he understood enough of it to get by. Both of Anna's parents held seats in the National Science and Technology Council. As a result, she had access to the best scientific materials growing up. After her graduation, a government job would be waiting for her in Washington DC; working alongside her parents. Isaac's next class wasn't until three so he decided to talk to his NROTC instructor about his enlistment and where he should go after graduation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Knock knock* "Enter." A voice replied Isaac stepped into the office of the college's NROTC instructor, a one Major William Wellesley of the Marines. The Major served two tours in Afghanistan and one in Syria. "Hello sir" Isaac said stepping in front of the Major's desk. "Hello son." The Major stated in a warm voice. "Please sit." He instructed. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" "Sir, I've been meaning to ask you something. Do I have to head to the Basic School right out of college, or can I head home for a little while to say hi to the family?" "Of course you can son. We're not at war right now and we're in no rush so every Midshipmen is getting a little leave to say hi to the family. Heck take two weeks off we'll call when its time." "Thank you Sir. It's just that..... my mother thinks I'm joining the Navy. I haven't told her I joined the Corps. She wants me to be safe and far away from the front lines." "Ah yes, I understand all too well. If I were in your shoes I'd figure out a way to tell her before graduation. Because if mother isn't happy, then no one's happy." "I hear that. Thank you for your time Sir." Isaac said extending his hand to shake the Major's. "Not at all son, not at all." The Major said shaking his. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Planet - Terra Location - Diamond Dog Caves outside of Ponyville Deep within the abandoned caves a pony wearing the Canterlot Royal Guard armor with purple coloring and a star on his chest connecting the armor, walked past rows of poorly fed and dressed ponies, seeing the sadness and longing for the old days in their eyes. "Captain Armor, I have news from Appaloosa and Dodge Junction," a Private announced as he galloped his way toward Shining armor. After giving the common salute, the Private returned to the news he was to bestow upon his commanding officer. "The Buffalo Tribes have taken in as many settlers as they can, but there are still many that couldn't make the run and had to be left behind." "I see, Thank you for the report. You're dismissed." The guard saluted and trotted to find his platoon. Shinning Armor felt as though the whole world of Terra had fallen against him and the ponies he had sworn to protect. Three months ago after his sister's coronation, four races banded together, surrounded and invaded Equestria under the pretense that the Ponies had to much power in world now and that they wanted the status quo to be returned. But that was a lie. What they really wanted was the resources that lay deep within the land; resources that could help them fuel their war machines for further goals. They were somehow able to use the crystals under and around Equestria to fuel their machines. After some sort of disaster located around the Everfree Forest, the Princesses decided to never excavate the crystals for fear that another Everfree would be born. Already signs of magical distortion started appearing in the mining zones, little blips that would appear and then disappear. Within one month Equestria had fallen and their leaders were captured. In the following months, the population had been forced into slave labor in their own towns, forced to live on fixed rations, twenty-four hour shifts and forced to endure treatment unbefitting of a civilized species. Shining Armor thought about these things and more as he walked towards the war room; which consisted of nothing more than a large table with a few scattered maps of Equestria on it. "Captain, how goes the frontier?" Asked a Lunar Guard. "The frontier is gone and under their control," Shining Armor replied. "The settlers have retreated with the Buffalo Tribe; those that couldn't make it are still trapped in Appaloosa and Dodge Junction." "Damn." "language Lieutenant." "I'm sorry sir, it's just that with everything thats happened I thought that something could go right." "Me to Lieutenant, me to." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As Shining Armor walked away from the War Room a pony wearing a brown tattered robe approached him. "Captain, how goes the resistance?" "Poorly. Any news from the outside world?" "The nations I visited feel that this is Equestria's problem and wish to stay out of it; even though I told them that their countries would be most likely to fall after us. Any news on your wife and the Princesses?" "No, and our Changeling informants in the enemy's ranks have looked through every document they could get their hoof's on." "And the same is to be said of the Elements?" "Yes." "As I thought." The pony said removing the hood and revealing her face. She had a sky blue mane hiding a horn, her fur was a lighter shade of blue with light magenta eyes that shined like an amethyst crystal. "Trixie, what do you think of this whole situation. I mean us being taken over." After a moment of pondering the question she replied. "As you know one year ago I took over the town of Ponyville and banished your sister from ever setting hoof in town again." "I remember" Shining Armor said an irritable look on his face and in his voice. "Well after Twilight tricked me into removing the Alicorn Amulet I realized the wrongs I committed. I vowed to never let anypony go through mistreatment like that ever again." "Perfect. Now all we need is some help and we will be set." "Help which may come soon my friends." Another voice behind them said. Shining Armor and Trixie turned around finding a pony wearing a black body suit with grey outlines, pale blue eyes, a carmine red coat and a combed black mane with a horn sticking out. Shining Armor and Trixe just stared at this pony that just appeared out of nowhere. He had a calm smile and his eyes were half lidded with an expression that just said 'gothca'. It took Shining Armor and Trixe a whole two minutes before readying their horns and leveling them at him. "Who are you, where did you come from?" Ordered Shining taking a defense stance leveling his horn at the silent pony. "Not important right now," the Stallion instructed." What is important is that I believe that I have found a way to save us all from this nightmare." "Really and what is this way?" Trixie asked sarcastically holding her stance. "I'll tell you, both of you, but not here. Is there a more private area we could talk?" the pony asked. ".........There is a cavern that cuts off a few meters down the way. Come with us," Shining armor said taking the lead as the trio of ponies made their way down the illuminated cave. After about twenty meters and many twists and turns later the trio walked into a relatively small cavern compared to the rest of the cave. Crystals covered the walls and celling making the room shine like the Celestia's sun. "Alright, now explain this 'way' to save us." Shining Armor demanded of the mysterious pony. "First off, allow me to actually introduce myself, I am Crimson Lance pleased to make your acquaintance. Second, know that I have been traveling the whole of Equestria looking for some kind of magical device some sort of weapon that could defeat our enemies. I believe that I have found a pair of devices in old abandoned ruins that are just South from Appaloosa. They appear to be from a lost race of beings that could apparently travel the stars with them. The objects appear to be able to transport matter to another location, like a larger version of the teleportation spell. With this we could -in theory- move ponies with fighting experience into the enemies home countries and take out their leadership." Shining Armor and Trixie just stood there with their mouths slightly ajar; looking at Crimson like he was a mad pony. If he was telling the truth it could mean victory to the resistance with few battles and little casualties. It took Shining Armor a while to wake up out of his stupor to reply to the what Crimson suggested. "Alright, we'll send a small group of ponies with you to the devices' location to study it. Once they discern it's purpose and how long it can stay open, we'll send a small team lead by me to travel through." "Hold on, give us a minute will you." Trixie said pulling Shining Armor to the side. "Do you really believe this pony? His story sounds to good to be true, it sounds like a trap." She said barely above a whisper "You think I don't know that?!?. Shining Armor said matching her voice's level. "His story may sound ridicules, but it might be our only way to end this nightmare." ".............Fine" she said with reluctance "just let it be known that I don't trust him." "Agreed." Shining Armor and Trixie walked over to Crimson Lance and agreed to the plan. The next day a group of ten ponies left with Lance to the abandoned ruins. As the group left the safety of the caves, Shining Armor offered a silent prayer to the disappearing group. "Celestia, where ever you are, please keep them safe." Two Months Later "Captain, the team sent to the ruins has sent a report saying that they have finally reached the objective. They also say that they are ready to start tests on the device and will continue to report in to keep us updated on the tests." "Thank you Lieutenant. That will be all." Shining Armor said. The Lieutenant saluted and left the Captain to his mind It had taken the research team two months by hoof to reach the ruins without being detected, an odious task just for ten ponies. The next step would be to see if the devices worked or not. Shining Armor stood behind his desk looking at a map of Equestria that showed all of the occupations of soldiers in gray and freed areas in blue. There was a lot of gray. They occupied the towns, cities, the country side and the sky. The Only area that showed little change was the frontier, but not by much. There was nothing of military importance out there and very little crystals so guarding it apparently wasn't high on their list. Now Shining Armor had to choose who to send through the portal to attack the enemy's leadership. Just reaching the ruins would take a considerable amount of time. If they wanted to strike now they would have to leave for the research team immediately to have enough time to prepare and plan. "Let us hope that this will be enough" Shining Armor said as he headed out to choose the strike force. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Planet - Earth Location - Crowder College Neosho, Missouri Isaac Temple walked along the halls of the Science Department thinking about what to do after college and about his relationship with Anna and where to go with it. Graduation was still six months off so he could afford to think about that later, but there was still one crucial piece of information that he needed to fix. RINGGGGG RINGGGGG RINGGGGG. "Hello?" A female voice asked through the speaker. "Hi Mom, I need to tell you something."