August 14th, 2005
1340 Hours
Washington D.C.
“So you’re not scared about it?”
“Yes, but I’m not going to worry over it,” the man sitting behind the desk told his colleague across from him.
“Well, you’re worrying me plenty, Mr. James,” the elderly man replied.
David James, the 43rd President of the United States, was leaning back in his chair, trying to ease his mind for what lay ahead. Alongside that title, he was also the Commander-in-Chief of the nation’s armed forces, the most powerful in the world; he considered this title to be a bit more important than the others he held. It was this matter that he was discussing with Congressman Garret Walsh.
“You know I’m only trying to keep the armed forces on par with potential enemies,” James stated.
“You mean like the People’s Republic of China, Mr. President?” Walsh queried.
“I’m more concerned about the Bloc,” the President clarified. “They’re able to build up their military forces far faster than any human nation, and no one is exactly sure how.”
“But you mean China, as well?” Walsh pressed in his usual calm, clear voice. “They are allied to the Bloc, after all.”
James sighed heavily, but would not deny it.
“Yes, them as well; they have built up their strength much faster, probably with help from the Bloc.”
“I will say, it’s a scary thing,” the Congressman stated. “From what I’ve read the Chinese are finally beginning to work out their logistical handicaps.”
“That they are, Mr. Walsh,” the President confirmed. “And the naval balance is being evened out also.”
“I remember watching a report from the Chinese government’s station saying they launched another carrier; that would be the fifth one if it’s true…is it?”
“It is number five, Congressman… as far as we can tell.”
James sulked a bit in his chair before quickly straightening his back. As far as the American spy network could tell, China did possess at least five aircraft carriers. At the turn of the century, it seemed impossible they would have one in commission by 2010; now they had five, and, in all probability, there were more on the way. It all pointed to China’s relationship with the Bloc, the ‘Sino-Arcaian Security Pact’ as it was officially called. But what gave the Bloc the ability to build up its military so quickly?
“But, we still have six carrier groups in the Pacific Fleet, Mr. President. Six of our best,” Walsh pointed out. “Plus the four that have been placed in reserve in Pearl, and the Kennedy and Stennis in San Diego, and when the Ford is launched in a few years, assuming there are no further delays, she’ll be stationed in the Pacific as well, won’t she? We’ve got a fine naval advantage on our hands.”
“As I’ve said, I’m more worried about the Defense Bloc; they’re the ones building the equipment and actually using it,” the President replied. “Those three nations steamrolled the continent, and now the last barrier between us and them is in danger. I don’t want to see a war fought on American soil, that’s why I’m putting money into it.”
“Yes, Mr. President, but that’s the problem. A good number of people in Congress are worried over the country’s economic state, should this path continue.”
Most of the ‘people’ Walsh was referring to were the Democrats, of which he was one, while James on the other hand was a Republican. The degree of his military advancement was not exactly popular with most of them, and quite a few others, it seemed. Even though he had been elected to his second term, they had been elected into majority in Congress, making actions more difficult to undertake. Walsh worked in the House of Representatives as the Majority Leader, making him a powerful individual in politics. And along with that, he was one of James’ closer friends.
Regardless of their political leanings, neither had any personal qualms with working across the aisle and trying to compromise, but these two had a good deal more to discuss than only politics. On an almost daily basis, the two would meet for lunch and discuss simpler matters like home, family, life, current events, and past experiences. Politics returned when it mattered most, and both were usually willing to work something out.
“I understand, though I’ve already curtailed the Zumwalt program,” James reminded him. “But what else were you thinking?”
“Our most expensive weapon system is the Joint Strike Fighter program, Mr. President,” Walsh stated. “And, as you know, the program has run into several problems along the way. It’s impressive from a technological standpoint, but not enough, at least not for the price tag.”
James let out another sad groan, one that hurt Walsh slightly. He did not enjoy telling his friend this, but it was what needed to be done. The economy could not handle the amount of military spending. Some of it had to be stopped, or the weapons they spent so much on would never get a chance to be used.
“Are you thinking we need to shut down the JSF, as well?” the President asked.
“Not entirely, but it will have to be reduced greatly,” Walsh explained. “We will only be able to buy enough to outfit the Fords, and the British carriers, as they’re willing to pay a handsome amount. But I’m afraid most of the rest of the military will have to make do with what they have, along with the other foreign buyers.”
“They won’t be happy, especially the Canadians; they’ve already got a carrier in the works.”
“I understand, sir, but to deliver them would not be beneficial to us. They simply cannot pay for both the carrier and its F-35 air wing.”
The President buried his head in his hands before looking up again.
“Very well. Do you think this will be enough to stabilize everything?”
“Hopefully,” Walsh confirmed. “I’m sorry that this has to happen.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for,” James said lightly. “We’re both trying to do what’s best, trying to stop the worst from happening, aren’t we?”
“We are, Mr. President,” Walsh nodded in agreement. “We’ve both seen the worst.”
“We have, haven’t-”
A man in a dark suit entered the office, unintentionally interrupting the conversation.
“Sir, she’s here,” he reported simply.
“Thank you, let’s begin immediately,” James ordered, letting the man exit the room. “I’m sorry, Mr. Walsh, but I’ve got a very important meeting I must attend. We’ll have to cut our talk short today.”
“I understand,” he said as he slowly stood from the chair. “Goodnight, David.”
Walsh exited the room, leaving James alone for a few minutes to ponder things. It was already very clear what he had to stop in order to help the economy, he was not worried about that. He was more concerned about what was about to happen, or what could happen. He was trying to run through the possible scenarios in his head when she walked in.
“Hello?”
He turned his head up to see a rather tall, regal alicorn walk into the room, being none other than Princess Celestia herself. A few faint pictures of the Equestrian leader had reached the outside world over the years, but seeing her in person was understandably different. It also took him by surprise how suddenly she entered; he had not even heard the door open. Of course he had been in his own world at the time, trying to predict how this meeting would go.
“Good afternoon, Princess,” he replied, covering his musing with the facade that he had been completely focused. “Sit down, please.”
He mentally chastised himself for not thinking of a better line to use, even forgetting to call her by her title; he could not worry about such things now, at least he should not.
“Is there anything I can get for you, ma’am?”
“No thank you,” she declined. “I would prefer to get straight to the point of this visit.”
“Very well, that sounds fair enough,” James agreed, resting his elbows on the desk. “I understand you have one of my Air Force pilots in custody?”
“Yes, he was flying uncomfortably close to our coast,” Celestia surmised.
“I’m sure you were not responsible,” he guessed correctly.
“No, not at all,” she agreed herself. “But we do have him in custody.”
James began to ponder what conditions the pilot was being held in. Was it legal and humane, or was the pilot being tortured? He doubted the last part, but he could not say for certain. The main objective of this meeting was to secure the pilot’s release. Considering how this was the first such discussion that he and Princess Celestia ever had, it was worth trying to advance in other areas.
“I would prefer to return him to your country as soon as possible.”
The shock from that statement hit James like a sledgehammer, and it took a few seconds before he could conceive a response. Isolation or not, he still expected her to bargain with him a good deal to secure the pilot; to demand some kind of repayment for annoying them so constantly. Perhaps she was just bad at politics, or maybe she just really wanted him out of her country.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting that. You wish to return him now? Without any kind of… catch?”
“Yes, is there a problem with this?” she quipped. “I assumed you would want your pilot back.”
“Of course, but I know how negotiations work out; there’s always something,” James responded.
“These kinds of discussion require trust to go anywhere, Mr. President.”
“And I do trust you, Princess, but that doesn’t mean I should be reckless.”
“Then you have nothing to worry over; all I wish is for you to reclaim your pilot, that is all,” Celestia emphasized again. “As I have said, I only wish for my country to be left to its own affairs.”
James decided this would be a good point to change the subject to something he preferred.
“Why are you so keen on keeping to yourself?” he questioned her. “The number of ways we would benefit from open relations is limitless.”
“Because I would prefer to prevent this conflict from spreading farther,” she answered, easily seeing the main idea the President was referring to.
“And you would lead your own citizens into suffering for that?”
“To save the lives of millions more, yes.”
Needless to say, her reasoning seemed honorable, if a bit warped. She was still committed to it, it seemed, and it would not be easy to influence her decisions. Despite both of these factors, James was still intent on trying. It was better to give an attempt, even with such a small chance.
“That is a very noble ideal, and respectable, but I feel like there is a better way to go about it,” he stated. “I am also looking for more peaceful ways of resolving things.”
“I do not hope you will be offended by it, but your military strength seems to show otherwise,” Celestia observed. “Unless that is part of your own peace strategy.”
“It is indeed, ma’am,” James pointed out. “With the turbulent history our own world has had, we have come to an understanding that some people have a considerable lust for power, and the only way to fully respond to it is through appropriate and immediate reaction. It’s not the best way, but sometimes it’s the only one, unfortunately.”
“I am afraid that, from some unfortunate experiences in my time, I am rather distrustful of one nation or being holding such a vast amount of power,” she explained respectfully. “It can be very corrupting.”
“Power is not the problem, it comes down to how one uses it,” the President countered. “We do try our best to use our power to maintain world peace.”
“And what if the fight that is occurring is not in accordance with your own wishes?”
“There have been some poor decisions, I will admit,” James stated, preferring to skip over the direct counter and move to explanation. “But such decisions are difficult, as I am sure you’ve experienced.”
Though there was a good degree of professional respect between the two heads-of-state, there was an unmistakable sense of distrust lingering in the air about them. It was not hard to notice the small, hidden pot-shots, but both held themselves in a dignified manner. The honor barrier was a sturdy one for keeping things in line.
“Indeed they are, and it is unfortunate that hindsight is so clear,” she agreed.
“Not as clear as everyone says it is,” the President replied. “And people tend to forget how… hazy situations can be when making choices. You tend to see the mishaps after it’s too late… most of the time.”
“I… well… I suppose we… only try to do what we feel is best for our countries. But perhaps what is best for both of our counties is not what is right at the same time.”
“Maybe, but maybe not,” James said. “It is possible for us to see some mishaps ahead of time.”
Celestia had a basic idea of what the President was referring to, but kept quiet and allowed him to explain.
“I can respect your intentions, Princess, but they are not achievable with the tactics you’re using,” he continued. “You can’t change something by doing nothing.”
“Is that what you want? Change?”
“I want peace, but that might only come through change,” the President went on, beginning to explain more clearly. “Even if you fall, and the continent with it, it won’t stop the war, just delay it. It will take time, but a war will come between us; it always does when one power demands expansion like this.”
“And you wish to stop it by...saving us first?” Celestia correctly guessed. “It is an… interesting thought. How would you go about this?”
James was surprised again, not by her predicting the course of the conversation. What was surprising was that she seemed interested in it, while he had expected her to ignore the offer outright. But this was a good chance for him to finally move forward and expand the two nation’s relations.
“Well… ma’am… the most immediate action would be lifting the self-imposed embargo,” he suggested. “The economic benefits would be great for both countries.”
“I’ve also thought on this,” she admitted, seemingly still interested in the idea. “What else, on the more active side?”
James hardly believed what was happening. The Princess had seemed to do a complete turnaround on her views. The way she went about it, simply asking for his ideas, made him feel as if he were pitching an idea to a superior, trying to convince them to listen and give it a chance. He was not sure what caused this, but that would come later. For now she was listening, and that was most important.
“If you mean militarily, then we would support you entirely,” he assured her.
“And what does ‘entirely’ encompass, Mr. President?” she asked. “Arming my people with your weaponry?”
“If you wish to do so, yes; we can supply you with some of our best arms. Some,” he reiterated.
“And what of becoming involved yourself?”
“Is it really coming to this? Sending our own men?” he thought.
“I do believe our nation is under threat, so I am open to sending our forces as a deterrent, and if it escalates, a defensive measure.”
“How far would this extend? Battling the Defense Pact on the sea and air?”
“And land if it comes to that,” James added. “Though if a force is built up in time it may prevent just that.”
“I am sure there will be no need for that,” Celestia stated.
Where was this going now? It seemed as though direct military aid on the ground would be the most desired form of assistance. From what James knew, there was a need for it. He did not know why she had driven the conversation in this direction, and stopped suddenly.
“There isn’t?” he repeated simply.
“Should you provide us with the necessary equipment, we will be able to defend ourselves from an attack on land.”
“I’m sure you could, Princess,” he fibbed, trying not to antagonize her. “But from what my estimates have shown, it would not be fully capable for some time.”
“I can assure you that we will be capable if provided with the necessary resources.”
“Perhaps, but it takes training and experience to use them properly,” James pointed out.
“I can… understand this. It does seem very advanced,” she admitted. “And you wish to do so by placing troops on our soil?”
“As a defensive force, ma’am, not an offensive one,” he reiterated. “They will assist in training and reorganizing your military into a modern one, as well as deterring and protecting both of our nations from attacks.”
“Both of ours, you say?”
“Yes ma’am; if our foes defeat you, they will undoubtedly come for us next. We share this conflict.”
“I suppose we do,” she relented. “I am interested in your proposal, but I believe I should discuss the specifics at a later time. I must inform my own staff of this development.”
“Of course, we can go over that when you wish. Just lets us know when you would like to have the meeting and it will be arranged. Then we can iron out the finer points, including the pilot.”
“I will,” Celestia said, rising from her seat. “Thank you, Mr. President.”
“Thank you too, Princess,” James replied, standing as well.
The two shook before Celestia turned and trotted out the room at a rather quick pace. As the door shut behind her, James sat back down and began to go over the events in his mind. He had gone into this attempting to get a pilot back and now he had an alliance to form. Though he had hoped for this outcome, he had not actually expected to attain it; at least, not this easily.
“I need to call the Chiefs,” he redirected his thoughts, thinking of the military’s heads. “I’ve got an army to build and another one to move.”
“A buffer zone!” Celestia screamed to herself in her own mind. “He wants to turn my country into a buffer zone!”
Though being what seemed like a puppet to one country was not as bad as being wiped out by her enemies, it did not sit much better. Though she thought for a moment that those were not the President’s intentions, it still felt like being used. Sadly, even if she did not like it, there was no other choice left for her now.
For the previous years, she had worked continuously on finding a spell that would return the continent to its own world. Once there, their magic would return to the state it was in originally, including giving her the Sun back, her sister the Moon, and many other things; with that was a power that would be enough to defeat Sombra and his allies. Her, and the ponies assisting her, had gathered mountains of information on this. She knew they had come close to finding and casting the spell.
Then, from out of nowhere, it had all vanished, stolen by an intruder. What was known was that a someone, more than likely a spy, had successfully broken into the vault containing the research and took every last paper before disappearing, destroying her dreams like it was some sick contrivance. All that was left were the pieces that had been memorized by her and the helpers, which was not nearly enough. What the Bloc would do with all of that information was unknown, but it would not be helpful to her situation.
That had broken her, and she began losing hope for a solution and a happy ending to the war. Her sister and student and the others around her helped however they could, but the prospect of loss and destruction still loomed over her. The idea of calling for help from the willing humans became more enticing, though she still did not wish to see them suffer for her own battle.
It was not until the Americans began flying mock intercepts of Bloc planes that she realized just how stubborn they were. Once Equestria fell, they would go to war all the same; who actually started that war would not matter to her, as it would still be a conflict she did not want. The capture of the American fighter pilot gave an excuse for meeting with their head of state. She went in knowing what had to be done, despite not wanting to do it. Later tonight, she would have to go to a meeting to work out the details of what equipment the military would receive and what human units would be going over to her country, along with the other issues the two nations would be dealing with in their new relationship.