//------------------------------//
// The Black Box 
// Story: Dan Vs. The Magic of Friendship(Season 1) 
// by Barrobroadcaster 
//------------------------------//

After dinner, the group went to get Chrys' stomach pumped and after that, Vice led them back to the elevators and into the upper levels of the once-Crystal Palace. The shopping mall was partially built into the base of the palace itself, the two structures connected with the elevators allowing access to the different floors. Although the remodeling was still new, already it was a solid integration. Twilight had to admit it was a bit more efficient than the older stairways but right now, it was the farthest thing from her concern.

"I have to admit, building all of this so quickly wouldn't be possible without magic," Vice said. The elevator doors opened and he led the group into a large command center. Like the mall, the center of the large room contained the bank of elevators and walkways extended to the corners in a hexagonal shape. Unlike the mall, the room was darker and had less unoccupied space. Rows of computers, terminals and consoles stretched from the center of the room to the walls, most of them occupied by ponies in uniform. Twilight and company noticed none of them appeared to be crystal ponies.

On the walls where the restaurants had been below were enormous screens and banks of monitors. The screens flipped between images Dan recognized, cities on Earth. The banks of monitors each were live feeds from cameras all throughout Equestria. Some showed video of Ponyville and Canterlot, others displayed transmissions from the Stables. Spritebots hovered around, checking cables and readings, tinkering with things all throughout the room. It resembled an enormous electronic insect hive.

"This is our operations hub. Here, we're able to see everything that goes on in multiple dimensions, not just Earth and Equestria. From here, we'll be able to coordinate the entire invasion," Vice explained, leading them to one of the terminal stations at the side of the room. The others were speechless, eyes frozen on the various monitors. Each one of them showed people and ponies, innocents that could be potential targets. Vice had his sights on every last one of them, wherever they were. There were even a few cameras in Canterlot High, the school Twilight visited in an alternate dimension the last time she was in the Crystal Empire.

"You still haven't explained exactly why you're targeting Earth," Phoenix said. A couple monitors showed feeds he recognized briefly: his desk from the Wright Anything Law Offices. Had Vice set up cameras in his office the entire time? Or just since he'd been to Equestria?

Vice Grip turned around, clasping his gloves behind his back. "I really don't hate humanity. Honestly, I find you inspiring. How you were able to build so much without magic is truly astounding, a testament to your species' resolve. And despite what you might think, humanity isn't as self-destructive as you were lead to believe."

One of the terminals behind Vice flipped to an image of Earth, of a national park. Vice tapped two fingers on his glove and changed the channel to various other cities on Earth: New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, to name a few. "Sure, humanity has been destructive but it actually hasn't had the major impact you thought it has. Yes, in spite of what you were told about the nature of man, you're not going to be the death of Earth," he flipped the channel to a bar graph. "In fact, your technology is actually on its way to solving all of Earth's current problems. Our current projections see humanity bringing the climate back into balance, ending the major conflicts and colonizing and terraforming other planets by the end of the decade. It's truly marvelous."

"So wait, Earth isn't doomed?" Dan asked.

"Kinda contradicts that song earlier, Dan," Chrys commented. It caused Dan to growl frustratedly.

"Not from itself or humanity, no. It's quite remarkable, actually, for all the harm your species has done, you're going to fix it all quite nicely. Unfortunately, I cannot allow this to happen," Vice said.

"So why are you telling us then?" Phoenix asked. The attorney was getting angry himself but did his best not to show it. Every word spoken was a move in a greater game, each time Vice spoke it presented more of his strategy. But it may have been too late for strategy: this was the endgame.

Vice smiled politely, walked over and patted the human on the shoulder. "I just wanted to let you know it's no hard feelings. Obviously, you and Dan will be spared but the rest of your kind will be vaporized into particles of pre-animate matter. Human civilization will be reduced to the ashes upon which I will build a new Equestria, one guided by the power of science and-"

"Uh huh, uh huh, yeah," Dan stopped before Vice could begin another tangent. "We get the idea. It's still not happening. You want your own planet, try Mars. Or maybe the surface of the sun is more your game; there are plenty of planets in this galaxy or the next."

"That's right," Twilight said, perking up somewhat. "Vice Grip, you have an amazing aptitude at science. With your technology, maybe you could colonize another planet, maybe help ponies and humanity to better-"

"Twilight," Vice stopped her, smiling. "Innocent Twilight, don't you think I've thought of that already? If there was a viable alternative, don't you think I would be pursuing it?"

Twilight averted her eyes. "Errr, uhhhh…"

Fluffle Puff, who had somehow snuck up to Vice's side when he wasn't looking, nudged him.

"Hmm? What is it?" Vice looked down at the fluffy mare to see something in her mouth, like she was presenting it to him. He reached down and received it from her.

""Please don't nuke the humans"," Vice read. "Aww, isn't that cute, audience? She wants to save all of you bipeds. That's so sweet."

Fluffle Puff nodded. She would use all of her adorableness, everything in her power to save humanity and the bronies that loved her so much. They were her friends and friends didn't let friends get nuked. Or something like that.

Vice patted the pony on her fluffy head. "That is adorable but I'm sorry, I have to nuke the humans. That's just the way it has to be."

"Thppp," Fluffle said.

"That means 'turn it over'," Chrys explained.

Still holding the note, Vice Grip flipped it over and read it. ""Go fuck yourself"."

"Bbbah haha!" Dan laughed. The others quickly followed suit, as did a few of the technicians in the command center.

It took Vice a full moment to realize he was being insulted. He closed his fist, crumpling the note. "You know, I COULD target whatever city FluffyMixer lives in first. Heck, I could probably nuke all the Bronycons and he'd be at one of them."

"Exactly, because you don't HAVE a good reason to destroy the planet," Dan said. "No matter what you've said, you're just mad that things in Equestria didn't work out the way you wanted them to and I feel ya man, I do. Same thing happened with me and Earth but guess what? I MOVED. Well…" Dan stopped a thought. "Technically, I just kind of wound up here but THE POINT IS, I'm happy here and I don't need to be mad at the place I'm from. But that DOESN'T mean I want to see it nuked!"

Vice frowned. "There's one more thing you need to see, another reason why things sadly must be this way." He led them hurriedly to a smaller room, an antechamber or possibly a closet off the side of the command center. Dan and Chrys noticed it looked less like a command center the further from the center they got- some of the terminals were arcade and pinball machines, they spotted an air hockey table and there were even a couple of the uniformed FIST ponies playing Dance Dance Revolution.

Dan and the group had difficulty fitting inside because of the cramped space. Away from the noise of the other computer banks, they heard a louder static noise that seemed to be coming from the room.

Vice Grip turned on a single light above them. "This arrived in Equestria approximately twenty minutes before you did, Dan."

In the middle of the small room was a box on a table. To Dan and Phoenix, it resembled a stereo or some similar electronic piece of hardware. It was mostly black, rectangular and had a handle built into the top but wasn't as modular as any commercial boom box or CD player.

"And this is…?" Dan asked.

"Let me show you," Vice said. He flipped a single switch on the machine's side. An almost panicked voice began speaking:

"-TTA Flight eighteen-thirteen out of-*ERZZZZT* cannot land, we're off course and our instruments are not responding, navigational systems are- ERSSH-SH-SHSSHHHZT"

"That's-that's the black box from my plane!!" Dan exclaimed, eyes wide in fear. "How did you get that?! WHERE did you get that?!"

"It's much more than a black box," Vice explained. He flipped the switch on the machine and it fell silent again. "We've examined it to find out more about it. It's actually a clever disguise but if you are able to detect the signal, there's something strange about it."

"What would be strange about a black box?"

Vice shook his head. "It's not a black box. It's transmitting topographical and atmospheric data across dimensions to a secure location."

"And what does that mean?" Dan asked.

"It's not transmitting a distress signal; it's broadcasting targeting data. This box is a highly sophisticated military strike beacon," Vice explained, his tone serious.

"But… why would a commercial airline be carrying a targeting beacon?" Phoenix asked.

Vice shrugged. "Why would a commercial airliner veer almost four-hundred miles off course? Probably to make it look like an accident."

Dan was slow to understand. "What are you saying? That… that those pilots INTENTIONALLY made a navigational error?"

Vice shook his head. "It wasn't an error at all, Dan. Someone on board your plane wanted it to fly into the middle of the pacific because that's where a dimensional rift would occur. They then covertly dropped this package off and it fell through… into our world. They just didn't plan on you being delivered with it."

Phoenix pieced it all together, though. "So this is why you're doing all of this…"

"Because if I don't, Equestria will fall. And I'd rather see it be strip mined by me than bipeds from another dimension," Vice smiled.

"Who? WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY?!"

Twilight just starred at the box, almost looking through it. She remained completely silent.

Chrys patted Dan on the back. "He's saying Earth is planning on invading Equestria."