//------------------------------// // -3: Interspecies Conversation (Not) Recommended- // Story: My Little Vanguard // by Zaarlika //------------------------------// -3:Interspecies Conversation (Not) Recommended- Thomas began backing off slowly, towards the Base's gate. No way was he gonna stand there like some kind if hostage. He was an armed Vanguard Marine, and these were winged horses with, what, spears and plate armor? 'Try again when you have something tangible' was all that went through his head. Alex giggled. Oh, right, MenComm. Mental Communications. Allowed Marines to operate without actually talking, the V1 MenComm was made well over 200 years ago, they were up to the V12 now. One of the armed horses leapt forward and said something in the still-foreign language. Oddly enough, his suit' automated translator wasn't working. He reached back and fiddled with the tiny knobs for the device. The words 'Not Enough Linguistic Data' came up on his HUD. Right. The weird space horses hadn't said enough, so the translator was confused. He kept backing off. When he stepped on the ramp, resulting in a clang, a crewman came over. Oddly enough he wasn't in armor, despite the advantages. Perhaps he thought it hot or something. He stopped dead at the sight of armed Pegasi. "Don't ask, man." Was all Thomas said. The crewman hurried off to the side and hit the door controls on Emergency setting. The doors were shut before Thomas could turn around. He banged his fist on the door. "Hey, let us in! We don't wanna deal with this!" Thomas called. No response. Damned crewmen. Celestia watched as the four creatures slowly began to retreat towards the entrance to their metal fort, keeping their tools, or more likely weapons, trained on whichever guard happened to be closest. One of them reached the ramp, and a moment later the door slammed shut. The biped was not pleased, slamming its strange equivalent of a forehoof into the door before turning back to the guards. Begins her, she heard Twilight running up. "Princess! I have the scroll." She said, running over and handing her the roll of paper. Or, hoofing her the paper, take your pick. "What's happened with the aliens?" Twilight asked. "Not much. They've mostly kept their eye on the guards. One tried to get back into its base but the door closed on it, so they're stuck outside for now." Celestia answered, unrolling the scroll. The two mares approached the humans, who were starting to panic, and, combining their magic, used the spell on them. A moment passed. And another. One of them said 'Ow' loudly before all four toppled onto the floor. After a pause they got up again. "Hello, can you understand me?" Twilight asked the helmetless one. Lillian looked up, her face full of confusion. "What the hell?" "Oh, it worked." "What worked?" "Our translation spell." "Your...hold on, five minutes ago I didn't understand a word you said, and you what I said. I think. Now you're speaking perfect English?" Lillian asked. "No, we're both speaking the same we were speaking before, just the spell translates it." "So...how long does it last?" Before Twilight could answer, Celestia stepped forward. "With the power me and Twilight put into it? Its permanent." There was a long pause. "Uuuuh..." Lillian decided a lie down may be best and flopped onto her back. Bethany came over to make sure Lillian was okay, timing it just perfectly with Rainbow's arrival. Not seeing Lillian lying in the grass, Rainbow assumed Bethany was coming to attack Celestia or Twilight, and ripped forward, standing on her hind hooves in front of her. Bethany stopped, mildly confused. "Uuh...huh?" "Stay back, or I'll-!" Rainbow started, before punching Bethany in the chest thrice. Of course, Bethany is a human, standing up, a Marine, and in armor. Rainbow's hooves tapped uselessly on Bethany's chest, which did not deter Rainbow at all. "Rainbow, she isn't here to hurt us." Twilight called. "How do you know?" Rainbow called back. Bethany put her hand flat on Rainbow's chest and pushed, hardly at all. Rainbow toppled onto her back. Bethany knelt down in front of the toppled blue pony, before reaching out and tickling Rainbow on the belly. Rainbow chortled with laughter. "No, please, don't, ahahaaaa!" Rainbow flailed her limbs in amusement. Bethany paid no attention to anyone else. She picked up the blue Pegasus and held her in her arms, turning to Alex. "Alex, can we keep it?" "Wait, what?" Rainbow asked as Bethany started to stroke her spectral coloured mane. "No." Alex called, turning back to the Royal Guard he was talking to. Celestia stepped forward. "May I ask who you four are?" Celestia projected. Lillian got back up, and Thomas came over. "I am Lieutenant Lillian Vienna of the Vanguard Marines." "Private Thomas Ivanoff of the Vanguard Marines." "I see. What is this 'Vanguard Marines'?" "We are a large human space-based military that serves to protect human space." Lillian answered. "Is Equestria in 'human space'?" "Equestria?" Thomas asked. "This kingdom, it covers a large part of this...world." "Uh, borderline, but yes." Bethany called, playing with Rainbow. "Right. Do you mean to harm us? Why are you here?" Celestia asked. "Well, no, we didn't mean to land at all. Our ship, the big thing that crashed over the mountain, wasn't meant to enter atmosphere, it was an accident." Lillian explained. "So, you mean us no harm?" "Quite the contrary. If there is a peaceful sentient species in human space that is neutral or beneficial, it comes under the protection of the Vanguard." Thomas explained. He may have just left the academy, but he still knew how the Vanguard worked. "I see." Celestia nodded, turning to Twilight. "What do you make of this?" She asked. "They look fine to me." Twilight shrugged. "Well. Guards, lower your weapons and return to your previous posts, these creatures mean us no harm." Celestia called. The guards lowered their spears and began heading off. She turned back to Lillian and Thomas. "But we will be keeping an eye on you." Was all she said before turning away and leaving. Lillian crouched down again. "Hey, uh..." Lillian started. "Twilight. Twilight Sparkle." "Ah. Your mane looks nice." "Thank you. Is...that yours?" Twilight asked, gesturing to Lillian's hair. "Uh, you could call it that." Lillian shrugged. "Oh, okay. Well, I better get home." "Okay, maybe I'll see you around." Lillian smiled as Twilight turned and left. "Well, now we're friends with some pastel ponies and we have a hell of a lot of explaining to do. The Captain will want to know what happened out here." Thomas looked back at the gate. Almost as if summoned, the gate opened, and the Captain and two Marines walked out. Bethany stopped, and slowly put the blue Pegasus down, before standing up. The four Marines stood in a line and performed the Vanguard salute, putting your feet together, your left arm straight down your side and your right arm down, the forearm over your chest to leave the fist on your left collarbone. "Marines, you were gone for two hours. What happened, and what is the blue horse?" The Captain asked, gesturing to Rainbow with his rifle. "Her name is Rainbowdash, sir!" Bethany corrected. "Captain Benjamin, sir. We were on patrol and were surrounded by armed horses, it almost came to a firefight, but two with wings and horns used some kind of magic, a kind of translation spell, sir." Lillian explained. "Magic?" "Yes, sir. I don't know how to explain it either." "And where are they now?" "They left sir. A larger pony, apparently named Celestia, deemed us not hostile and the armed force left." "So, why is the blue one still here?" "Bethany was playing with her, sir." "Right. So?..." "We made friends with some ponies and it is now safer to leave the base, sir." "Oh. Well, in that case, good work Marines, go get yourselves cleaned up. You have other duties to attend to, Lieutenant." The Captain gestured. The four troops started to walk back to the base, but the Captain put his hand on Thomas' shoulder. "So, is it just the four of you who can talk to them?" "Yes sir, as far as I know, sir." "Right. Well, you four are now human-pony translators. Better go tell your friends." The Captain let go, him and his two Marines following Thomas and his now fellow translators back into the base. Thomas sat on one of the bunk beds, opposite Lillian, as he unlatched his chestplate and took it off, dropping it under the bed. "So the Captain named us a sort of team of translators." "Wait, what?" "It's our job to translate now." "Oh. Does it change our duties, or?..." "Ask the Captain. I dunno, the ponies are cute." "The ponies are cute." "Say, didn't the guys in C Deck on the Ram blast something about ponies?" "Maybe. Pretty sure some guys from there arrived a couple minutes ago." Lillian shrugged. After the night, about four odd squads of Marines had arrived, and none knew of the pastel ponies. "Wanna go ask 'em?" Thomas asked. "Sure." Lillian dropped her suit's pants, and followed Thomas as the two now-unarmored Marines left the dormitory.