Chapter 45: We Met Someone Important
Their meeting came early the next day. At least, Summer thought it was the next day. The longer she spent in the camp, the less she was able to clearly differentiate one minute from the next. Maybe she'd only been on Earth for a few hours, and all her hours in the windowless almost-jail was warping her perception of time.
She knew the meeting would be different because she was warned about it in advance. "If there's anything you'd like to do to prepare, now's the time," said the marine over the phone, seconds before it went dead.
"Because we can do so much," she muttered back into the empty plastic. If her return had been accomplished properly, she'd probably have something to wear at least. But she had no way to do that, no way to get to a tailor and otherwise correct what had been stolen.
Where's Kate, anyway? I hope her cell is worse than this. “Get up," she called, straightening her head-feathers in the mirror. "Someone... coming." At least the language she was called to use was simple enough that she could still manage it.
Sharp Edge emerged from the open bedroom a few moments later, wearing the translation necklace and grinning groggily at her. "Are they finally... going to talk to us? It's about time."
She nodded, pulling over one of the low chairs. She could only imagine they'd be speaking through the glass. Even if they'd learned that the disease didn't exist, such an important person probably wouldn't be brought into direct contact with members of an alien race.
Sharp made his way over, joining her in the other chair. Emerald peeked briefly outside the bedroom, then pulled the door mostly shut. Not all the way—she'd still be able to watch through the crack. Though without the necklace, of course she wouldn’t understand anything she overheard. Probably for the best. Sharp will be able to handle this, but she's just a kid. She shouldn't have this much pressure on her. “I don't suppose we should talk about what we're going to tell them?"
"Just the truth," she said. "We aren't lying like Kate. We don't need to hide."
"I mean, obviously that." He glanced briefly back at Emerald, meeting her eyes. He didn't tell her to move, in English or any other way. "About the future of our worlds. What do we say?"
Summer made to answer, but then the door opened. Two men in suits emerged first, each one conspicuously armed. Not that they needed to be, with a sheet of bullet-proof glass between them. They checked the room over, muttering things they couldn't hear, before calling out into the cold. The light of an arctic day shone in from outside, as strong as it ever was out here in the frozen north. Then came the Secretary of State.
Theo didn't know very much about American politics, other than who happened to be the president at the time (and sometimes not even that). They probably could've brought in someone off the streets of Utqiaġvik and she would've believed she was the Secretary if they said so. But if they'd done that, they were certainly investing the time to make her seem legitimate. The fancy pantsuit, the flag pin, the secret-service looking escort. It was all exactly what Theo would've imagined.
The woman stopped in the doorway, staring through the glass at them. She glanced down at a tablet in a leather folio, then back up at them. Finally she crossed, still moving like someone who thought they were in a dream. She sat down at the human-height chair on the other side, and only then lifted the microphone. "You're Theo Pichler, is that right? Citizen of Austria, on scientific visa to Barrow Observatory. And you're... Sharp Edge, I believe. Is my information here correct?"
Summer nodded. "That's both of us. And you're..."
"My name is Mrs. Brooks, representing the United States for this conversation. Though in many ways, I suspect you could say that I'm here on behalf of the entire human race. It isn't often we make first contact with an alien race. Not two new alien races, as appearances might suggest. As you say, you're human. Or you... were. How do you think of it?"
"I was," Theo answered, glancing sidelong at Sharp. It was his reaction she was really interested in. "I thought everything would be reversed when I got here. That clearly was... not the case."
Brooks chuckled, though the sound was mostly polite. "I'm sure that was quite a shock for you, Theo. But everything about your experience was... well, I'm not here to reminisce. Others will be here to discuss your specific situation: you aren't one of our citizens, so my authority over you extends only so far as a duty to protect an individual here on scientific exchange. I can't help think that I've failed in that duty."
It was her turn to laugh. "I don't know how anyone could've seen this coming." She held up one wing, extending it carefully. Demonstrating the way she moved and folded it. "This should be impossible. No one would've thought there were other worlds, or... that I could be changed into another kind of living thing. When I landed on the other side, I spent a good long time just wondering when I'd wake up back here. That... didn't happen. Somehow this is all real."
"I would like to know how it happened. Crossing over to their world, were you... trying to find a way across? Did you know the Rift was here?" She said it as though she should've known what it meant, though obviously she didn't even recognize the word. Did they name that after the fact, or have they known what this was all along?
She didn't want to suggest she knew anything more than she did, however. The more ignorant they thought she was, the better her chances of learning something useful. Those military people aren't going to slip and share things with me by mistake. But a politician might. “I was just doing my duty, installing the experiment for Graz University. I... probably shouldn’t have been out in weather that bad. If you talk to my boss... You've probably interviewed him already, or someone did. He wasn't happy I was still out here. But the danger I was defying was supposed to be the crazy wind, not getting sucked into another world."
Brooks nodded, settling her tablet onto the table in front of her and finally turning to Sharp. "What about you? This is supposed to be about first contact between our species, but I'm not sure I've heard you say anything yet. Could you tell me how you know about all this? How'd you get involved with Theo here?"
Sharp sat up, smiling up at the human with characteristic pony politeness. But then, Summer had rarely seen him with anything else. Only when Kate had threatened them had he become really aggressive. "She wandered into Sleighsburg a few months ago. She was half crazy with cold, she could barely walk. Couldn't even speak our language. But I had an object that could help with that, the one I'm wearing now." He held up the necklace, showing it off for her. "I've known about the Doorway for quite some time, you see. Before Kate used it, even. I knew there was a good chance that some other creature would come through if I waited long enough."
The Secretary twitched once, apparently fully invested now. She scribbled something on her screen with one finger, though Theo couldn't imagine how she'd even be able to read it after the fact. At least she wasn't going to waste more time and make her feel awkward about being female all over again. That was a question even she didn’t want to delve too deeply into right now. She shouldn't feel so silly about it, but she also couldn’t help it. "You knew about the... Doorway. And how did you find out about it?"
Sharp tensed in his seat, glancing briefly back towards the door. "Forgive me, Brooks. I want to be honest with you. But since our arrival, you've locked us in this small room, and told us almost nothing about how long you plan on keeping us here. Will Summer be able to talk to her parents? What have you done with Kate? I'd like to exchange some of that information, rather than just telling you everything. I... ran my own shop, you see. I may not be as clever as some of the ponies of Canterlot, but I can see a chance to negotiate when it's in front of me."
Her worry over how the Secretary might respond—with anger, or worse—proved in vain. Brooks laughed jovially, tossing her tablet computer aside. "I suppose that makes sense. I am sorry our initial interaction with you made it seem like that was necessary. I promise we don't typically get into the habit of locking potential new friends away in..." She stared through the glass over their shoulders for a moment, looking over the room. "It seems comfortable enough, but I know it must feel like a prison. Just imagine how you might react if you thought a disease was coming to your world, one that could kill everyone on it. Wouldn't you do everything you could to make sure it wouldn't spread?"
Sharp nodded curtly. "But as soon as it became clear we weren't going to die, I would put an end to our captivity. That's probably a good first question: when will you release us?"
Brooks turned, gesturing to one of the secret-service agents. He moved over to her, and they exchanged a few whispers. Then she looked back, grinning again. "You'll have to forgive my ignorance on the subject. I've been told the tests take three days. When that's over, a volunteer will enter isolation with you, and then we'll observe them in quarantine for another three days. Call it another week more, can you give us that long? I assure you, you aren't missing much. It's winter out there, Theo can tell you. Even if you were human, there wouldn't be much for you to do in Utqiaġvik." She leaned across the table, right up to the glass. "Now, why don't we start with my first question: how did you find out about the ‘Doorway’?"
"We've had stories about contact with other worlds before. There are a few magical devices that supposedly connect to another realm. Always the same place, curiously enough: a domain of creatures with two legs, and no cutie marks. One of these is a mirror held by the Crystal Empire. I don't know very much about it; the crown doesn't like to share that. There are also supposed to be natural formations that bridge the worlds, where the boundaries are thin under certain conditions. There are distant islands where the tide can wash you across... but after failing to find those, I focused on another myth, a war between hippogriffs and ancient hunters. I visited a number of ruins dating before the founding of Equestria, and they eventually led me to the Doorway. I'm not aware of a single other pony who knows about it. Other than my apprentice, who's in the other room. I can bring her out if you'd like to see her."
"At the end, perhaps." The secretary kept careful notes, watching with the attentiveness of a trained politician. "You don't know anything else about this 'mirror'? If there are other ways your, uh... your people might find their way across, it would be best to know about them now."
Sharp sat back on his haunches, grinning smugly at her. "What are you going to do with Kate? The other hippogriff who came with us... you know how dangerous she is, right? I'm sure she'll tell you anything you want to hear if it will get you to do what she says."
"She's the reason you believe there's a disease in the first place," Summer added. "I had nothing to do with that information. I would've told you the truth. We're not dangerous to humans." We found a grave of hundreds of frozen corpses, and they'd clearly been hacked to death. I don't think they'd have been much of a threat to the hippogriffs if coming in contact made them get sick and die.
Summer watched Brooks carefully, and she could see her twitch uncomfortably at the mention of Kate's name. There was something there. Something she didn't want them to know? Maybe it would've been safer to keep her close, even if she was extremely murderous. At least they'd have kept an eye on her...
"I'm told she tried to imitate you the moment you arrived. We might've been more willing to believe her story if that wasn't the case. Proper measures are being taken to keep her contained, just like with you. She isn't about to be released."
Well thanks for the non-answer, Summer thought. But she wasn't going to press on the subject. Except... "I doubt she's going to be honest with you at all. So just to make sure you know: she's been using basic technology from our world to run a company that's absolutely dominating over there. She's probably a... billionaire, if that concept even makes sense in Equestria. She doesn't want any contact between our worlds because... I'm not even sure. She says it's for environmental reasons, that she's afraid we would lead Equestria to an industrial revolution like ours, destroying the climate and polluting their world. But I wonder if it's really just to keep control of her profits."
"She's a murderer," Sharp whispered. "She's killed before, and she intended to kill again. Her thugs foalnapped us, and planned on sending us through with explosives to destroy the Doorway on your side, before destroying the structure on our side. If you send her back, she'll find a way to do that. She doesn't care who dies if it means she can accomplish her goals."
Brooks glanced back at the secret service agents again, though she didn't say anything either of them could hear. Eventually she turned back, seeming to answer with deliberate care. "Thank you for sharing that with us. It doesn't sound at all like what she shared, but... as I said, we've been treating anything she told us with great skepticism. But the other questions I have for this first meeting will be far less... Well, this meeting is bigger than either of us. I represent one nation out of many. All of them are going to be watching this moment, as soon as they learn what it represents. Alien life is within reach, though you don't look anything like we imagined. But if I'm right, you don't actually... and please don't take this the wrong way—but you don't represent any kind of authority on your side. You were just coming along with Theo."
"To make sure she made it home," he supplied. "But you're right. I'm not a princess. I'm not even a mayor."
Brooks nodded. "Ultimately what we'd like to do is... arrange for a meeting with someone from your side who has authority to represent your nation. Equestria, right?"
"The princess," he said. "I've had almost no contact with the royal family. I'm just an explorer, and a blacksmith. But I'm sure Princess Twilight or Princess Celestia would be eager to meet with a new nation. Twilight recently formalized our diplomatic relations with dragons, and Yakyakistan, so... I'm sure she'd want to meet with you as well. Though..." He gestured vaguely around him. "I wouldn't suggest trying to lock up any of the princesses like this. If they didn't want to stay in your building, it wouldn't matter how many soldiers you used."
Probably not the best thing to tell the Americans. Brooks wasn't a general or a soldier, but even so. Better not talk about Equestria's oil reserves while we're at it.
But she took it with grace, or at least hid her displeasure well. "I promise not to use too much more of your time. I just have a few more questions."
"We're not going anywhere," Summer said flatly. "We're locked in here for... another week? What happens after that?"
Brooks shrugged. "We don't know. I'll tell you what the president wants. Originally we hoped to send a team across to work out what exactly is happening on the other side. But given the, uh... permanent consequences... right now discussions seem to suggest it would be better for all concerned if travel is only one way. I'm sure we'll be able to find volunteers to make the trip anyway, as exciting as this all is. But we'll want to keep that list as short as possible."
Summer put up her foreleg without even thinking. "Put me at the top of that list, Mrs. Brooks. I have less to sacrifice than anyone else you might consider. I'm learning the language, and I'm already familiar with the culture. I've even been to the capitals of two nations on that side."
"That's very noble of you. To be perfectly honest, we're not sure how long this is going to stay secret. All this getting out only for the door to close forever—that would be a shame, don't you think? But the president signing a treaty of peace and free trade with an alien nation... that's our Kennedy moment. And of course we need a complete evaluation for just how safe an exchange there can be. Kate might've invented her disease, but there's a very real chance that contact will be rendered impossible for other reasons. We plan on sharing the best news with the world when the moment comes."
Of course you do. Summer groaned, feeling the heat boiling in her chest. Brooks might be denying her contact with her parents because of... American politics? "There's something else you should know," she said, before she could really consider what she was doing. "While we were trying to find our way back, we came in contact with another of that world's nations: Seaquestria? I've got good reason to believe they are the descendants of ancient humans, who left our world and were transformed like I was. They sent us back with instructions to deliver a sealed message and box of artifacts, which is sitting on our ship on the other side waiting for you. We would've brought them with us, if we'd crossed on our own terms."
Brooks scribbled all that down on her tablet, not interrupting until she'd finished. "That's... very interesting," she said. "Implies a previous connection between both sides that we hadn't imagined. I'm sure there are a dozen different historians and scientific types who would know what to do with that. All I can say is that we would like to develop a positive exchange between our worlds. I'm sure societies on both sides could benefit from the free exchange of ideas, and maybe more."
"I've been looking for the Doorway to cross between worlds for years. I would like nothing more than to see ponies able to get to know your world better. If the reverse is true, then it seems we agree. I will just... look forward to having that conversation as equals, instead of as prisoners."
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This quarantine plot point is making me wonder: have you ever read A New World, A New Way? What if the Pokémon brought diseases to Equus?
Foreign national tried to bomb a US government facility, and destroy it and kill everyone there.
US government represents completely ignores this, and act all confused as to how they should treat such a person.
That's utterly unrealistic. It may take a long time for medical tests to come though, but working out what was in those barrels should be a lot simpler. Even if it's not recognised on sight, it's a very simple and quick test to try and burn a small amount, or use a detonator on a small amount to see if anything exciting happens. The detonators and/or detonation chord should also be a bit of a giveaway.
I cannot take seriously the notion that neither the American nor Summer mentioned it. "She tried to murder your soldiers. With explosives. Isn't there a very standard way you react to that?" It does kinda matter because there is still plentiful explosive on the other side. And the longer the Secretary pussyfoots around like this the greater the chance someone on the other side lights the fuse anyway.
10019883
Like Pokenereal disease?
10019966
She's most definitely under lock and key. More so than the others, I bet. Probably being treated as a terrorist. Heck, she might even have been tortured. Given how The SoS reacted to being asked about Kate. Not wanting to mention her... condition, perhaps.
Mmmmm..... National pride.
I look forward to the inevitable turisty tropes that pop up when summer tries escorting a bunch of people around. It is sure to be glorius.
I'm sorry but it's not clear who's speaking in the last paragraph.
I'm assuming it's Sharp, but I guess it could also be summer?
10020529
Summer hasn't "been looking for the Doorway to cross between worlds for years".
I'm not sure if this is more funny or sad.
Well, they said their piece about Kate. Whether it will mean anything remains to be seen. Right now all the decisions are out of their hands. We'll see where it goes from here.
10019966
The thing is, no one was really sure who was responsible for the barrel bombs at the time. Everything came crashing down all at once, and there were first contact and biohazard protocols to worry about. It's apparently been three days or so, and in the meantime the feds have gotten two sharply contrasting stories and don't want to shoot themselves in the foot with an entire other universe by condemning the innocent.
Yes, Kate is about as trustworthy as a seaweed-maned horse telling you to go swimming, but they probably feel they can't be too careful with this. And we don't know what they've done to her in the meantime.
10021689
Ah, I felt it might be a reference but you also have a lot of insight into stories. Your history of leaving thoughtful comments has led me maybe put too much weight on some things you write.
Dammitt Theo! Americans can smell the thought of oil at 100 yards! (91.4 other place units.)
All caught up, now I get to wait with the rest of you folks.
Are they not going to bring up the untransformed medieval humans? Seems like something U.S. and co would probably want to know.
10023984
More to the point they are fully capable of exploring Mars (and part of the middle east) without sending humans there. Unless UAVs don't exist here, what's the hold up?
10023984
Don't let all of your chickens out of their coop at once or you'll have a nightmare to deal with.
It's better they keep that to themselves for the moment, There's way too much missing information, all we know is humans once traveled there safely and had a home/base that was attacked at some point, many guards died and a device was stolen/destroyed. We still don't know WHO attacked the humans that were there, WHY they attacked, nor HOW the humans got there safely or WHAT the humans relation to Hippogriffs actually is.
10027433
I don't disagree. But the fact that it's possible at all is important information. If they know it's possible, it becomes a lot easier to justify spending time and resources on researching how to make that kind of portal
There's always the chance that the experiment was for the rift specifically, by people who knew about it.
They might have!
Kate really screwed up with that last minute attempt to pretend to be Theo.
I'm torn between thinking that this is a good reveal so that the humans know what they're dealing with, and potentially a really dangerous reveal for Equestria since the humans now know there's a human sourced company with huge influence on the other side.
Ehh, fair warning that could prevent a big surprise crisis later on.
First contact is inherently a political exercise, there's no avoiding it.
That's going to be a big surprise and interesting confirmation if there really is a secret society still hunting formerly human hippogriffs. The Secretary of State could be one of them!
Why is it that politics in literary is interesting, but bring it out to real world and it's as ridiculous as an office circus?
10423080 The answer to that is actually very simple: all news media lies, distorts, and incorrectly portrays the facts about politics so that normal people are unable to understand any of it.
10423080
Because when you write, you tend towards having your characters be roughly the same level of intelligence as yourself, and writers tend towards the higher end of the intelligence spectrum in general.
Meanwhile, in the real world, the majority of people are generally smart enough today to realise that their political leaders are not as smart as them.