Fall of Equestria: two worlds collide

by Gray Kirin

To lend a helping hand

07.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria Fallen
The time is 10: 05

The square in front of the palace spire was crowded. The Changelings and Equins listened to the Queen's speech.

Chrysalis's double voice rolled in and out in waves. The Queen was talking about an unexpected alliance and the benefits that it could bring to her children and wards who asked for shelter and protection. She was proud that the mythical race had chosen the Changelings to conclude the first agreement in Equestria.
“And now, I want to say something to all the Equans who have come to me, under my wing and hand. I am grateful for your trust. For the love and happiness that you have given to the hive and all my children. And I would like to make a reciprocal gesture of goodwill to you,”

Chrysalis pointed to the zenith, where the rapidly growing outline of the ship could be seen.
“I was able to convince our allies to supply us with unprecedented medical equipment. All the equas, who were maimed by the caribou will be cured. Your horns and wings will return to you in the next couple of months,”
"And all thanks to my art of persuasion" hung like an unspoken tail of a phrase over the square. Smirnov, who was standing a little apart from the Queen, smiled. Well done Chrysalis, she knows how to work.
“Yuri, come forward. Say thank you to the messenger that, although he came under the guise of a caribou, he brought good news,”

A wave of hubbub, exclamations of all kinds, a few flapping of arms and wings swept over the square. It seems that the Equins were really happy or just unconditionally believed Chrysalis.

Meanwhile, the corvette had dropped so far that it became clearly distinguishable. He made a wide turn over the hive and dropped four containers, which released parachutes. The cargo was descending to the ground slowly and smoothly, as if it had its own contracts with the force of gravity. Chrysalis turned to Smirnov, raising her eyebrows in question.
“So that's why you asked to clear not only the place for the landing of the ship, but also the area next to the palace… These domes are reliable, aren't they?”
“Reliable, Your Majesty. And there are not only parachutes, but also their own gravity brakes. Containers of the fifth safety class, with a duplicated braking system. Especially for valuable and fragile cargo,”

The corvette controlled descent of dropped cargo, moving circles over the hive. Along the way, giving himself a look to everyone who at that moment poured out into the streets and squares. Streamlined, smooth, dark gray, an elongated triangular silhouette with several gondolas and gun turrets slightly protruding from the hull, the ship glided through the air absolutely noiselessly, like a giant kite.

Finally, containers gently touched the ground in a square fenced and cordoned off by the guards for this purpose, a little away from the one where Chrysalis was performing. The parachutes drooped, covering the armored walls with a canopy of thin carbon fiber.

And the corvette, having released the chassis, went to the site prepared for it on the outskirts of the city. Ship hovered and slowly descended, slightly springing on the racks.

Several human medics, pony healers, and the ship's captain descended from the ramp. And if the guards-guides met the doctors in light spacesuits, we can say, cordially, then the cosmonaut in the flight "Granite" almost refused to let him into the hive.

Only a shout through the collective mind from the Queen convinced them that the stranger in the "heavy armor" does not pose a threat. On the contrary, he will lead the ship to deliver the most seriously injured equas to another, more powerful hospital.

Humans didn't cause much shock, but ponies were almost forced to drop their jaws. The guards practically spammed into the collective mind with questions, some with surprise, and some with just incoherent waves of emotion.

But discipline and a strict warning from the Queen did their job. And the last nail in the coffin of the desire to "touch the cute little ponies" was driven by the threat of one of the healers to cast a spell of mustard plasters to anyone who tries to grab. The crimson unicorn added that the changelings would not like it if they were among the ponies and they tried to squeeze them? This was the end of the incident.

Excitement, impatience, hope and joy were literally physically felt in the air. It seemed that emotions were swaying and wriggling with translucent panels. They looked at the strange delegation with expectation and hope. There were whispers and quiet conversations among the passers-by. Changelings and Equins made guesses about the arrivals, shared their thoughts. However, no one dared to talk to ponies or humans. For now.

Doctors reached the hive, where they were met by Smirnov and Chrysalis. The Queen greeted the specialists, not holding back a smile at the sight of that very formidable healer, a small crimson unicorn, wrapped in a light hermetic jumpsuit. And clearly overgrown not for the Equestrian warm winter - her cheeks and neck were so fluffy with gorgerous fur.

"Fluffy" bowed to the Queen, greeting, and introduced herself as Golden Lancet. Having received permission to get up, pony asked when it was possible to start work. The Queen said that even now.

And the work began. The medical team went deep into the hive, the captain of the corvette went together with the changeling healers to examine the cocoons of the "sleepers" and calculate their loading. The astroonaut, who introduced himself as Gideon Summerend, bowed to the Queen, shook hands with Smirnov and began to find out how many eqas will go on the first flight.

The shapeshifter healers? who were present among the greeters? warned the captain that they would fly along with their wards. Because it is extremely important to ensure a soft awakening for the "sleepers".

While the captain was communicating through the ship with the command post, Chrysalis seemed to be meditating. Closing her eyes and whispering something barely audible, the Queen connected to the collective mind, questioning and giving orders.
"Coming out of the astral," Chrysalis reported that there are at least three dozen more affected equas, to whom she would like to provide treatment as soon as possible, without waiting for the doctors to assemble and configure their equipment.

Gideon, who knows the ship like the back of his hand, said that he could take fifty passengers, even if twenty of them were in cocoons. The Queen, without exaggeration, rewarded the captain with a beaming smile. She said goodbye to everyone present and left in the direction of her office.

Smirnov also had to control literally everything - both the loading of equas on the corvette and the installation of equipment by doctors. Another man might have grabbed his head, but not the Major. For a trained human, moreover, claded in power armor, it was not difficult to personally run between the “"Boreas"s” and the infirmary in the corridors of the hive. And if the situation, blood from the nose, required personal presence and control, then you could always contact by comm.

The Major first followed the transfer of the "sleepers" and the placement of the children, whom Chrysalis considered worthy of receiving treatment as soon as possible.

Cocoons were transported with all possible care, on a gravity cart, which was lowered from the ship and driven back and forth along the street. It took five slow flights to transport all the sleepers and place them on the “"Boreas"s”. Earthmen were in no hurry to go anywhere, with the greatest care helping to changelings to load cocoons with sleeping equas in artificial sleep on the pallet. Telekinesis was used to the maximum and right on the spot there were cut-out covers-holders made of carbon fiber, over which the engineer put on "sleeves" made of self-hardening material, which was used in armored suits. Changeling healers, although they grumbled at first about excessive manipulations with cocoons, still adopted this method of"packaging".

Two or five equas usually walked along with the pallet floating leisurely over the street. They were not so badly injured, but their faces bore the stamp of old pain and the nightmare they had experienced. The captain noticed that many of them had "scientific" and "magical" names and sometimes Marks embroidered on their clothes. Chrysalis also found here how to help her wards and get benefits - none of those who went on the "Boreas" wanted to return to Equestria later, preferring a new home in the Hive.

Meanwhile, Lancet was clearly in charge of the team of doctors - the fluffy mare managed to be literally everywhere where she was needed. Where to check and help calibrate the "Keratin", where to give a moral kick for "digging" with power connectors, where to yell at two changelings who lowered the container with the working part of the "Composite" without proper smoothness and accuracy.

If the medical team keeps up the pace, then by the evening the equipment will be connected and tomorrow morning the infirmary will start receiving. And Changelings will have to think about where to merge the streams of happiness that will be born here. And ponies and humans should make sure that the cured do not break their necks with hugs.

07.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria Fallen
The time is 12: 45
“Can I get in the cab? Please? Please-please? I will sit quietly and not touch anything!”

It was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the pleading eyes and soft voice of the ochre equa. The engineer filly began to squeak softly with joy on the way to the "Boreas", when ship just showed up. And the closer Paper Martlet was to the corvette, the stronger the enthusiastic squeak became and questions began to pour in.

What is it made of? What kind of engines? Where does it get its energy from? How far can it fly? And how fast? And how is the air on board updated? Is the servomechanics hydraulic or electric? And what is the mechanization of planes?

Engineer Jenkins, who accompanied the pallet with the last "sleepers", decided to enlighten the so obviously interested equa a little. To his misfortune.

Paper didn't leave him now, asking for more and more details. And when the loading was over and the "Boreas" was supposed to take off, she naturally hung on Henry's arm, asking for to look at the control room "at least one eye" .

Moreover, the equa clung seriously, it would not have been possible to gently pull the hand out of her grasp, and Jenkins did not want to shake her off at all.

The captain's voice poked through the psycholink.
"Jenkins, where are you? "
"Comrade Captain, there's such a thing… One equa asks to look into the control room, promises not to interfere and not to touch anything. Now she is hanging on my sleeve and looks with pleading eyes. Commander, shall we allow the filly to sit in the control room? You should have seen those eyes... "
"Who is she? "
"Was an aircraft designer, judging by the name and Cutie. Comrade Captain, I can't stand it for so long!"

The engineer threw the captain the image of Martlet, literally looking into the soul. After a microsecond of silence, the psycholink came to life again.
"Apparently, this will help her recover and stand on her feet in general. Let the foal stay with us, I allow it. So that not a step away from her, you are our compassionate. "
"There is. We're going to the control room."

The whole conversation took several infinitely long milliseconds. During which Jenkins tried not to drown in the eyes full of pleading, hope and old pain.

Equa did not even give him permission to express it aloud, having understood everything in advance by the doomed sigh and the changed expression on his face. Paper squealed with joy and impulsively hugged Henry, who was clad in a flight "Granite", poking her muzzle into his face and neck, which were the only ones not covered by hard and cold armor.
“Thank you! Thank you so muchs! Now, Martlet, calm down, you are an adult and responsible equa... Phew ... Sorry for jumping, mis… Comrade Jenkins,”

The engineer could not resist patting equa on the silk crown, fleetingly regretting that the suit does not convey the full range of sensations. And he made a sign to Martlet, who was indignantly puffing on her disheveled mane, to follow him. Equa sighed and followed the astronaut deeper into the corridor.

In the control room, Paper forgot how to breathe for a few seconds, making a thin, enthusiastic squeak on the verge of ultrasound. Huge viewing screens that covered walls, ceiling and even part of the floor. Five crew seats, of which one was now empty, located in a semicircle. Soft orange glow of holographic panels and indicators near the seats and above the horseshoe-shaped console. The very atmosphere of the spaceship's control room, about which Paper had only read and dreamed before, was dizzying and almost intoxicating. The filly remembered her promise not to distract or touch anything, so she was over the moon with happiness when Henry sat her down in the chair that he was supposed to take himself, helped her to buckle up and turned the holographic screen to the output.

The captain, who was finishing a pre-flight cycle of checks, turned around and waved to the curious equa.
“Well, hello, foal! Since you asked for it in the control room, seize the moment,”
“Thank you. But I'm not a foal anymore,”
“And who screamed and jumped with joy when she learned that he was going to the control room? Someone with ochre fur and a blue-black mane. Who is this, can you tell me, Fillady Martlet?”

Equa just sighed. The power engineer snorted cheerfully at the half-embarrassed, half-excited expression of Martlet's face, closed his helmet and leaned back in his chair, connecting to the ship's neural control systems.

The crew finished the pre-launch procedures and the corvette barely noticeably shuddered when the engines woke up and began to increase power to take-off. It was quiet in the control room at these moments, because astronauts were communicating via psycholink, and Paper did not dare to speak for fear of distracting or disturbing at such an important stage.

The ship lifted off the ground and smoothly went up. On the viewscreens, the earth floated further and further away, it became possible to see the entire Hive from end to end, the surrounding forests and steppes. The distant Kanterhorn Mountains appeared in the north and a thin blue strip of the Moon Sea in the west.
The engineer gently touched equa on the shoulder.
“You can talk now. Don't be afraid, you won't interfere if you don't deliberately interrupt our work,”

Paper, who was watching the altimeter in front of her with all her eyes, which had passed a kilometer, exhaled softly.
“I don't know what to ask right now. When I came here, my head was swollen with questions, but now everything is like a sweep,”
“I see. Well, then, if something comes up, I'm here. By the way, now we will gain two kilometers of altitude and turn on the horizontal thrust. See how the instrument readings will change,”

Jenkins, standing behind the back of his chair, pointed to a section of the holographic screen in front of Martlet, where information about the relative angular velocity was displayed.
“You will definitely like what you see,”

Equa stared at the scale and could not believe her eyes. The height and distance from the planet grew rapidly, the corvette reached escape speed, but there was no overload felt. According to Henry, the gravity compensators were responsible for this, now tuned to maximum power due to passengers and "sleepers".

When the ship rose into the stratosphere and the sky turned black around, the locator beeped, notifying about the contact. Paper pricked up her ears and looked at the engineer questioningly.
“We spotted someone in the air. Judging by the lights - airships. Yes, they won't even see us, but the automation works according to the specified programs,”

The navigator, who had been immersed in observing the situation around the ship, suddenly joined in the conversation.
“That's right. Because you never know what's out there-peaceful ships, enemy interceptors or worse, AAGMs,
“Come on, AAGM, this is half the trouble, you can shoot them down on approach. But ray guns are disgusting,”

The gunner, who had already managed to study the speeds and courses of the flashes, was calm and also allowed himself a remark. Hearing that the crew was talking in a voice, equa became emboldened.
“Hmm, I'm sorry… And what are these AAGMs?”

The shooter, without looking up from his screen and without losing concentration, nevertheless, explained.
“Anti-aircraft guided missiles. They carry not a firework charge and are needed in order to shoot down incoming ships. There are many types of them, and each is tailored to its own tasks,”

But the equa herself was already stuck in the course screen, where the flight path was drawn. Except for a small curved section above the Equs, straight as a string and ending about half the distance to Selena.

Paper was not an expert in celestial mechanics, but she understood that the ship could move like this only if there was constant acceleration. And a very large one, judging by how quickly the point indicating "Boreas" was moving along the laid course.
"Henry? And why does the course stop here? Well, here, where is the circle depicted at the end of the trajectory?”
“It doesn't end anywhere. It's just at this point that we make the first jump. In order to do this safely and at a lower cost, you need to move away from massive objects for some distance. The lighter the ship, the closer to the same mass it can go into hyper. Fighters and some light boats can generally jump almost from the surface of the planets. But "Boreas" needs to move away, even if he does it very quickly,”

The closer the jump point got, the more worried Martlet became. The equa restlessly cut the air with her ears, her gaze jumped from the observation screens, behind which the black abyss strewn with stars spread out, to the course screen, where there was less and less left to the cherished point.

Fifteen thousand kilometers and a minute and a half of flight remained to the place of transition. Numbers, that made Paper's head spin. How can you easily accelerate to such speeds? After all, this ship must weigh many tons! Hundreds, if not a couple of thousand! What are the graviengines, since now the power indicator lights up "35%"? What will happen if the corvette gives full speed?

A low hum and a thin ringing filled everything around - the breakdown engines were charging and preparing to break through space, throw the "Boreas" through an unimaginable distance to the target. The navigator began counting aloud, clearly for Paper to give her as much as possible to feel the atmosphere and spirit of the flight.
“Ten seconds to jump. Nine. Eight,”

The ringing of the breakdown engines gaining energy more and more resembled a song. Surprisingly strong, penetrating through. A strange feeling settled in the stump of Martlet's horn. Equa couldn't describe it in words, because she just didn't know the right ones. But it wasn't painful or unpleasant. And Paper somehow knew that she would be able to name what she felt if she had a horn. If she would let this song of power pass through her and flow as it should ...
“Seven. Six. Five. Four,”

The stars on the viewscreens were so serene that it was hard to believe that the ship was about to tear through the fabric of space, shattering all Martlet's ideas about physics and the universe.
“Three. Two. One. Breakdown!”

The ringing peaked and stopped. A wave passed through the ship, causing equa to freeze like a salt statue for several infinitely long seconds.

Martlet was ready to howl with resentment. If she had a horn right now, she would have feel it! She would have been able to understand what happened! Yes, equa remembered that she was flying just for a recovery operation, but a completely childish disappointment still gnawed with sharp teeth.

The captain's voice did not allow her to drown in scattered emotions and feverish thoughts.
“A minute to clarify the positioning and go to the next jump. How are you, foal?”

“OK. I’m OK... Only my horn feels somehow strange. And I'm not a foal!”
“Okay, "not a foal". The "Boreas" will make several more flights between reflections. Do you want to stay with us?”

Martlet broke into a happy smile.
“You ask! Of course yes!”

07.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria
The time is 18: 00

Another crisis council has gathered in the office of the Princess of the Sun. Celestia, Luna, Twilight, Cadence with her ears still red for her "feat", Osinin, looking at everything with complete calm.

The snow-white alicorn kept glancing at her comm, then one by one she looked through the papers from the table.

Luna seemed completely engrossed in watching the memory crystal from the healers from Mainhetten. The Lady of Dreams already had all possible information about the situation in the Fallen Equestria, because the General reported and discussed what was happening first with her.
“It's time to sum up the results of the week's work. I know that equas has been well received and helps to integrate into society. But the reflection still remains occupied. General, you have the floor,”
“A reconnaissance was conducted in the occupied reflection of Equestria. The location of enemy forces and key figures is known. There are sufficient forces to carry out the operation quickly and cleanly. There are opportunities and plans for the reversal of humanitarian assistance to the affected population,”
“I saw your calculations in this morning's letter. You want to send a battalion of the Children of the Night, a regiment of Mobile Infantry and two companies of Space Marines beyond the veil, so as not to expose the defenses here. Quite an impressive force, but they may not be enough, especially if we are talking about maintaining order immediately after liberation,”
“The Alliance can send additional forces and ships, if it be necessary. So unrest and destruction can be avoided, especially if we manage to persuade the Sisters of Reflection to address their people in time,”
"Very well, Comrade Osinin. In another situation, I would ask the question of whether it is worth sending troops somewhere at all. But to isolate from reflection, it will take an unacceptably long time, magic and constant effort to maintain the veil. And I am also very concerned about some details in the intelligence reports... So the need for a military operation is obvious to me,”

The white alicorn did not give either joy or pleasure to such a prospect. But Celestia was not a naive filly, and if the question was right, she could make tough decisions.

Luna was more direct and tough, openly saying that between the well-being of her ponies, the freedom of the equas from reflection and the lives of the invaders, she would choose the first two without hesitation.
“And we still need to decide what to do with the consequences of your hasty actions, niece,”

Celestia gave Cadence a long, slightly thoughtful look.
"You have resurrected Sombra, even if you have given him a new perception of the world, according to the model of your understanding and the directness of human soldiers. By the way, how did you get a sample of the matrix for installation?”
"I've done the right search in the archives, Auntie. I... I don't know where I got the right words from, as if my heart told me,”

Luna shook her head.
“If by the efforts of our dearest niece, Sombra now has a psychomatrix of the "military model", then I can take his part in the operation. But only in the first wave of the landing. Setting aside for now the question of how Cadence got access to such secrets and hired a great dark mage without warning anyone,”

Sombra, for obvious reasons, was absent from the council. The mage stayed in the Crystal Empire, finally put the four broken ones entrusted to him in order, and then he was going to jump to Mainhattan, where another mentally crippled equa was found.

The unicorn was not put under lock and key because he swore on his magic to the Sisters who hurriedly arrived in the Empire that he would not do old things and did not claim any power.

And it is also possible that he met alicorns with a crystal equa leaning against him, as if against an ottoman, reading a book at the same time.

Cadence sighed, unable to believe what she was about to say.
“Aunt Luna, I support the idea of taking Sombra with me on the offensive. When I have to return that Crystal Heart to its normal state, I need someone to turn it off first. Sombra fits perfectly here,”
“Plus, there is a large percentage of mentally broken mares in the reflection of the Crystal Empire, for which you have raised it. I approve of this idea,”

After a short thought, the Sisters also gave the go-ahead. Celestia rose and officially spread her wings, and Luna followed her example with a barely audible sigh.
"General, make final preparations and proceed according to the plan. I will take care of the safety of my little ponies, and Luna and you will go beyond the barrier,”
Osinin saluted and sent a package of commands to the psycholink. According to the wave of confirmations that came in response, he felt how the war machine began to warm up reactors and guns.