> The Ones From Beyond
>  by Lordvessel
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Ones From Beyond 

•	1914-1918 (WWI) over 38,000,000 lives lost
•	1939-1945 (WWII) over 65,000,000-90,000,000 lives lost
•	2045-2065? (The Conflict) less than 60,000 survivors



In the waning years of the 2030’s, the world found its resources completely used up by the global powers, which in turn resulted in the build-up of military stockpiles and arsenals. In 2041, the UN lost 13 major member states, including China and Russia. In 2042, Finland and Sweden, fearing a Russian invasion, became NATO member states and helped fund and construct the newly built EFSD Wall, spanning the eastern borders of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine. In 2043, the UN officially dissolves.
In 2045, the global war everyone feared finally comes. It began with the US and Russia invading various regions of the Middle East, leading to heavy conflict between American, Russian, and various Middle Eastern Forces and militant groups. In 2046, after a surprise assault, Russia breaks through the EFSD Wall and begins a series of sieges in Kiev, Warsaw, Helsinki, and Riga, killing thousands and displacing millions, NATO officially enters the war. That same year, China launches a critical first strike against its neighbors, taking Japan within 2 months, the Korean peninsula in 3, and all of southeast Asia in just one. In 2047, the border clashes between India and Pakistan lead to the very first nuclear detonation. Pakistan launched a nuclear strike on New Delhi, killing most of the city’s inhabitants. India retaliated with counter-nuclear strikes against Karachi and Islamabad, and followed it up with an invasion of Pakistan and its neighbor Afghanistan. In 2048 China attacks the Indian Border, turning India's war into a two-front defensive campaign. In that same year, Africa is subjected to multiple conflicts as innumerable factions fight for control of the continent's last dwindling resources. An already war-plagued existence turns into an absolute hell for those civilians forced to endure it, as death squads, corrupt military factions, and fanatical terrorist organizations commit horrific atrocities to possess what little is left. 
Latin America begins to broil with revolution, as major civil wars spark within Mexico, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Panama. Anti-American sentiments begin to gain ground, and small armed attacks along the US-Mexico border results in a massive American-Canadian military intervention in the region. Rising conflicts across the globe begin to plague South America, as Brazil, Argentina, and various other nations on the continent are subjected to massive public unrest, which quickly turn to riots. 2049, China attacks multiple nations across the Pacific, compelling the US and Australia to send forces of their own to combat the Chinese. 2050, Russia takes more than half of Europe including Eastern Germany. A failed coup d'etat in Brazil results in complete anarchy across the nation. Neighboring states begin to annex the now lawless territory, and within months, heavy clashes between the nations of South America begin, with Brazilian resistance movements putting up whatever fight they could. 2051, Russia launches nuclear strikes against London, Paris, and Brussels. Despite innumerable losses, France and the UK launch ICBMs on St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kiev, Sevastopol, Minsk, Volgograd, and Kazan. 2051-2055, The nuclear holocaust is unleashed. Over 621 nuclear attacks take place, with most major cities becoming absolutely devastated as a result. Amongst them were New York City, Vladivostok, Yorkshire, Cape Town, Belfast, Tokyo, Chicago, Rome, Vienna, Venice, Athens, Riyadh, Shanghai, Beijing, San Diego, Seattle, Cincinnati, Washington DC, Ulyanovsk, Rio de Janeiro, Novosibirsk, Tehran, Baghdad, Berlin, Damascus, Mumbai, Sydney, Dubai, and Munich. An estimated 3,685,000,000 lives were lost in the initial blasts, with countless more succumbing to the fallout that came afterwards. In 2057, the adverse effects of nuclear warfare culminate in the first radiation storm, a combination of nature's elements with the killing power of radioactive fallout. Originating over Northern Africa, the storm made its way south across the landmass, killing more than 49% of the continent's then current population. In 2058, Chinese infiltrators attack and hack into the remnants of the Pentagon, destroying the American Information Network. 2059, The US cyber-attacks remaining Chinese Intelligence Facilities, leaving the nation's intel network inoperable. China retaliates with the sinking of the American 3rd Naval Fleet, but in vain, as the two nations fall simultaneously within the same year.
By the year 2060, most armies in allegiance with any of the pre-war nations have lost the will to fight. Battlefield conditions among the soldiers are horrid, with disease, famine, and death becoming the staple of life to those who continued to wage it. Standard issue equipment, provisions, and even weapons were no longer viable, as supplies were long since dried up and logistics rendered next to nothing, forcing soldiers to scavenge what they could from the war zone. In the estimated year of 2065, the troops on all sides cease fighting within the ruins of Damascus, and instead started a search for survivors of the apocalypse. In the following 12 years, many attempts were made to make contact with survivors across the globe. Over these 12 years, only a yield of a little over 50,000 people came. They soon realized that those who came were all that was left. Most of them carried what was later referred to as the McGuire Gene, a rare genetic sequence that prevents the bearer from succumbing to minor amounts of what would normally be lethal levels of radiation exposure, with only 1 in an estimated 100,000 people carrying it in their DNA. This last remaining contingent of humanity became a newly formed body, and the closest thing to government in decades. 
They’re called The Survivor Coalition, or simply, “The Survivors”. This last bastion of order and government are led by a 5 person council, each one representing the five different branches tasked with maintaining humanity's survival. These are the branches of Agriculture and Construction, Peace and Criminal Justice, Preservation and Culture, Science and Research, and the Militia Security Defense Forces. For the last 10 years, The Survivors have been trying to rebuild society for the better of humanity. But results are failing. Food won’t grow, water is scarce, medical supplies are rationed to the extreme, and radiation storms ravage the world. The only thing that seems to be of any success is the Militia, the Survivor’s armed defense group. Their scavenger missions provide for The Survivors as a whole, bringing back equipment, weapons, supplies, medicine, and most importantly, ammo. Although humanity may have united, the world is no longer their domain. Out of the radiation, mutated monsters claim the wastes and desolated cities, preying upon the unsuspecting without hesitation. This is Earth, the old world, and soon it will be the grave for humanity, lest a miracle happens upon them.
> Chapter 1: The Duo (Re-written)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun rises upon the irradiated Earth, as two friends, Pvt. Timothy Berfield and Pfc. Achmed Sabbag, are sent on a scavenger mission within the ruins of Berlin. The two were popular for getting into trouble within the unit, as many an unfortunate circumstance could more often than not be tied to both their names. Today however would mark a change in both their daily routines. Today, fate would have yet another incident occur, and the two would be irrevocably tied to the outcome for the rest of their lives………..







Tim sat behind the wheel of one of the many Urals that made up 3rd company’s motor pool, making his way down the crumbling roads of what was formerly Berlin. The vehicle was bulky, heavy, and didn't exactly turn on a dime. But Tim had years of experience operating the thing, and by this point, driving a heavy cargo truck was just second nature, no matter how bad the road conditions were. Riding shotgun was fellow-scout and best friend Achmed Sabbag, a man who for all intents and purposes had been with him every step of the way since he joined the militia.
Sarge decided to give the two a "special" assignment for the day, tasking them with a search and scavenge operation. The target was a large building about 2 kilometers from their outpost. The place had been on the search roster for months, but between the more promising locations it had been utterly ignored up until now. It's believed that it had once been a hospital, and the two were instructed to procure any and all medical supplies they could from it. While from an outside perspective this would seem like common protocol, the move was made by their CO for a reason. The main bulk of the company would be partaking in a heavy weapon retrieval today, and due to last week’s ammo dump incident caused by no other than the "dynamic duo"; a name so graciously given to the two by the rest of their unit, she wanted them nowhere near this job.

Fortunately the duo didn’t mind, and were more than happy to locate medical supplies seeing as they were in short supply back home. For Achmed, jobs like these were the persuading factor that brought him into this line of work to begin with. He felt that being assigned to some menial task work back in New Damascus wouldn't be helping the shortages everyone was facing. Everything from food, water, and medicine were being rationed very carefully, and given how his mother was currently suffering from a radiation induced fever, it made the decision to join the Militia's ranks more personal. 

“Think we’ll find anything?” Achmed asked in his native tongue of Arabic. 

Despite English being Tim's native language, he had no problem deciphering what his friend had said. After a few years of education provided by the Survivors, most people were bilingual. It was practically the social norm at this point, since everyone came from different parts of the world, and Arabic happened to be one of the main languages listed by the council. The others were English, Russian, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, and Hindi. All other languages were deemed secondary but weren't entirely uncommon to hear from time to time. Coalition education standards required everyone to learn at least two of the main languages, and the 3rd was made up mostly of English and Arabic speaking individuals. One was the language he studied in school and the other was his native tongue, making communication seamless. 

“Not sure, man.” He replied in English. “Berlin got hit pretty hard during the war, but ya’ never know. Hell, we might just get lucky and find a working snack machine. Keep getting screwed over by em' everywhere we go.”

Achmed just smiled and rolled his eyes. He admired his friend’s optimism and resolve, even in the desperate state they now called life, Tim could still find something to look forward to.

“If that’s the case, I hope you have a couple of Euros on you.” Achmed replied.

“Achmed, come on, I’ll just bust the thing open.” Tim implied.

“Such vandalous behavior!" Achmed said with feigned shock. "What exactly are you gonna bust it open with?”

"Shit man, Sarge’ gave us guns, I’m sure we can figure somethin’ out.”

“She also said to not waste ammo. That stuff is harder to come by every day.”

“Never said we had to shoot it, probably just bash it open. Heard they’re made of plastic, so I figure they can’t be too durable.”

“You sure that’s smart? We might break our weapons.”

Tim began to laugh profusely.

“Dude, we’re armed with AKs!" Tim chuckled. "I’m sure if they survived the apocalypse they can survive a little beatin’ on some plexiglass."

"Fine, do what you have to." Achmed smirked. "But when you need to use your rifle and it blows up in your hands because a stray skittle found its way down the barrel, don't come crying to me."

"Hey now, you'll be there to patch my hands up though, right?"

"Nah, I think I'd just do the only morally acceptable thing and put you out of your misery. Like a dog with rabies."

The two shared a short laugh from the level of absurdity the conversation had taken. Talks like these were an easy way to pass time for the two, and offer a brief but pleasant reprieve from the troubles of life. However the talk would eventually come to an end when they found themselves at their objective. Coming up on their left was a large one-story structure atop of a modest sized hill, obscured by several burnt and decrepit trees.

"Is this the place?" Achmed asked.

Tim pulled out a small pocket map and began to unfold it. He looked to the crudely written down coordinates on the edge of the page and then to the coordinates laid out on the grid map sitting between them. Tim smiled and tapped a finger on the map in his hand.

"Sure is, road matches the one on our grid." Tim replied. "Let's get to work." 

Tim shifted gears and drove the truck up to the building. When they reached the small parking lot surrounding it, the two were met with their first major obstacle. While the majority of the structure was still standing and intact, the canopy reaching over the front entrance had completely collapsed, preventing their entry. 

“Well, not gettin’ in that way.” said Tim

“Let’s try and find another entrance.” Achmed replied. "Around the back maybe?"

"Sounds like a plan." Tim said with a nod.

Tim drove the truck around to the back of the building and sure enough, they managed to find an entry point in the form of a rear loading dock. Tim parked the Ural nearby, and with rifles raised and at the ready, the two proceeded to enter the building. The wasteland might have been desolate, but it wasn't entirely empty. Years of experience had shown them both that searching through derelict buildings had its own share of dangers, so it paid to be ready.
On their approach they saw that the large shutter door had been left wide open, making their entry effortless, but rendering any hope of first pickings null and void. As they stepped inside, the place was a complete wreck. The first room they encountered was undoubtedly some sort of warehouse storage, given the abundant amount of stock shelves where hospital supplies probably would have been stored. But given how the door had been left open for nearly two decades, nuclear fire and exposure to the outside world had rendered pretty much everything useless.

“Well shit. Isn't that a damn shame.” Tim cursed somberly

Achmed couldn’t help but feel the same way. The room was huge and had it not been exposed to the outside, it could have at least provided a portion of usable supplies. But alas, dwelling on things that could have been would prove to go nowhere, and Achmed sought to continue their mission.

“Come on Tim, we still have an entire building to search.” Achmed suggested.

Tim nodded in acknowledgement and the two proceeded further inside. As they traversed deeper into the building, they slowly began to notice their current environment lacked the layout, structure, and even aesthetics most would commonly attribute to a place of medical care.

“Tim, I don’t think this is a hospital.” Achmed stated.

“I’ve been thinkin’ the same thing." Tim concurred. "I haven’t seen one patient room since we got here.”

“No reception or X-ray rooms either. Not to mention, no bodies.”

Achmed had a point there, and Tim was surprised that he himself hadn't noticed it sooner. Most buildings that the Militia scavenged from often had their fair share of those who had met their end at one time or another. Skeletal remains of those who occupied them when the nukes fell, scavengers who got a little too careless and became some mutant's lunch, or sometimes an entire unit of soldiers who held out in the building in the midst of a battle. Most buildings had at least one corpse resting in their halls, but so far, this place had none, and as ironic as it may have sounded, that fact actually sent a shiver down Tim's spine. The two continued for some time before they reached an open room with a pair of doors that closed in from the sides, indicative of only one thing.

"Elevators?" Achmed questioned. "I thought this building was only one-story?"

"Sure looked that way." Tim said.

Tim approached the panel resting on the wall between them, and he noticed that it had two buttons, an alarm, and an down arrow. Curiously, Tim pressed the latter button a few times with no real thought.

"Guess it leads to a basement." Tim suggested.

"Still, an elevator seems a bit redundant for-"

A loud noise of aged metal grinding in motion sent the two men into defensive positions, guns at the ready as the doors to their right suddenly slid open. A red emergency light flickered on and revealed a small unfurnished elevator car. The two eased down as they came to a surprising realization.

"This place still has power?!" Achmed exclaimed. "After all these years?"

"Alright, this definitely ain't a fuckin' hospital." Tim claimed.

Achmed slowly stepped inside, testing the waters of how stable this thing was after so many years without use. As far as he knew, it seemed stable enough, and upon concluding it was safe, he immediately darted his gaze over to the control panel. His eyes practically went white when he saw how far down it went.

"Holy hell." Achmed mouthed breathlessly. "This thing goes down thirty floors!" 

"You're shittin' me!?" Tim exclaimed.

Tim stepped inside as well, and sure enough, Achmed was right. The panel before him was organized in 6 rows, each one composed of three buttons labelled with their respected number, a total of thirty in all.

"What the hell is this place?" Tim asked.

"I suppose we're going to find out." Achmed confessed.

“Start from the bottom, work our way up floor by floor?” Tim suggested.

“That sounds reasonable.”

Achmed pressed the button labeled 30 and the doors shut automatically. They felt the momentum of the car begin to slowly descend. A digital screen flickered on, revealing the number of each floor they passed as they made their way down to the very bottom. As they waited, Tim struck up a conversation. 

“So Achmed, how’s your mom doing’?” he asked.

Achmed looked at his friend, and then to the floor, letting out a sorrowful sigh.

“Not well, Tim. I get letters from my sister every so often, it's only getting worse. She’s becoming delusional. The doctors can only help to such an extent and they say she's only a month or so away from-”

“Hey, we’ll find more meds before that happens.” Tim promised. "She'll be fine."

“I appreciate your optimism Tim, but you don’t need to worry about me. She’s 54, if her time comes I’ll grieve, but I’ll accept her death. I'll move on.”

“Maybe you will, but I doubt Suha feels the same way. She’s only 13 man, if your mom passes she'll be growing up without a mother for most of her life. Not to mention you’ll have to leave the 3rd to take care of her.”

“I'm well aware of that, Tim." Achmed shot back.

The sudden sharpness of his friend's reply caught Tim a little off guard. Achmed saw his reaction and immediately toned it back to his usual calm demeanor. This was a conversation Achmed had hoped to avoid, but it had to happen, and soon.

"No sooner than the present I guess." Achmed chimed to himself.

"Look Tim, this is gonna be hard for you to hear, but I never had plans to stay in the Militia my whole life like you. I did it so I could help my family and the rest of the people back home, something that could make an actual difference. I had hoped that there could be enough supplies to see my mother through her ailment, but that clearly isn't happening. Like you said, I have to be a guardian for Suha, and odds are that's going to happen soon. Come next re-enlistment, I'm probably going to take my papers and leave.”

Tim was silent but had locked sight with the eyes of his friend, unable to decide if he was angry or not. He knew that Achmed had a duty to his family, but to Tim who lost his own family as a child, Achmed and the 3rd were his family. To see one leave the Militia voluntarily wasn't unheard of but most intended to do this for life. The two had served together for nearly five years now, and the fact that Tim was just learning about this now not only caught him off guard, but elicited a slight feeling of disappointment and even betrayal.

“You planned on leaving? And you never told me until now?! Dude, we’ve been workin’ together for five years and you’re now just telling me this?!” Tim asked harshly.

Achmed was somewhat surprised and even a little offended by the response he got from his friend. The usual level-headed nature he had known Tim for was utterly absent at this moment in time.

“Tim you honestly didn’t expect me to stay forever did you?” Achmed asked in earnest.

“Yes! That’s what we do, that’s what everyone who joins usually does!”

“Well I’m the exception! Tim I can-”

Achmed's voice was cut off by the loud ding of the elevator. The doors opened and before them was a dimly lit hallway, at its end was a set of heavily fortified bulkheads. Achmed decided that maybe a little time to contemplate could help tensions between him and his friend.

“Look, Tim, if you want, we’ll talk about this back at the outpost. But right now, we have a job to do.” Achmed suggested.

Without hesitation, Achmed proceeded to walk down the hallway. Tim was still rather irritated and upset, enough that he wasn't about to let this go. But he had to agree with Achmed, now was neither the time or place for this conversation. As Tim followed Achmed from behind, he noticed that the hall was a light gray color and the lights were dimmed, most likely due to a low power supply. The fact that this building had any power at all meant it had its own grid, a trait usually reserved for either transit hubs or military facilities. They were halfway to the doors when Tim broke the silence.

“Guess whatever's behind that door will give us an idea to what this place is." Tim insinuated. "Any ideas on how to open it?”

“No idea. It doesn’t exactly have handles.” Achmed quipped.

"Maybe we try knocking?" Tim joked.

As Achmed rolled his eyes, he inadvertently caught something. He squinted his eyes for a closer inspection, but the aforementioned visibility wasn’t doing him any favors. Achmed went for his belt and pulled out a flashlight and shined it on the door for verification.

“Well then.” Achmed said surprisingly, “Looks like we won’t have to, it’s already open.”

“What?” Tim said doubtfully.

Tim pulled out his own flashlight to confirm if what Achmed said was true. 

"Huh? I'll be damned." Tim said.

As they approached the massive bulkhead, they noticed that while it was slightly ajar, it wasn't open wide enough to get through. The doors themselves were composed with inches of thick reinforced steel. They both looked at one another, and instantly knew what needed to be done.

“Well, the door won’t open itself.” Achmed stated, “Let’s get to work.” 

The two took places by the opened door and began to push. The task was just as hard as it looked, even for two decently built men, they could only move it at a sluggish pace. 

"GHHH!........This thing is fuckin' heavier than sin!" grunted Tim.

"Just shut up and....HHN! Keep pushing!" Achmed retorted.

After twenty seconds of exertion, the duo managed to get it open just wide enough so that they could squeeze through. After a brief period to recollect and catch their breath, they went inside. The room they entered was gigantic, but dark, as the light from the hallway barely reached the inside. The two men once again took their flashlights in hand.

"Ready for the big reveal?" Achmed asked.

"Let there be light." Tim replied.

With one flick of a switch, the two were stunned by what was revealed.

"Holy mother of Mary." Tim breathed

"Ya Allahi." Achmed chuckled.

The rays of light revealed to them a room littered with more control panels, computers, charts, equipment and papers than one could feasibly expect to find in the Science Branch's research labs. But what really laid the icing on the cake was what stood at the room's center. Amongst the labyrinth of cables and conduits that snaked across the walls and floors,  everything converged on one singular gigantic arch-like structure, covered in layers of wires, outlets, and rods. A metal platform sat before it, and a little further back, another platform housed a massive set of control panels. All in all, its presence was almost like that of an ancient monolith of a bygone era. The two simply stared in awe for what felt like a solid minute, when Achmed finally broke the silence.

“You think this beats the snack machine?” he jested.

They both began to chuckle as they began traversing around the room, taking everything in with an overwhelming sensation of discovery.

“What is this thing?” Tim asked as he approached the giant arch.

“Whatever it is, it was something big. Maybe some fancy pre-war operation or something?" Achmed guessed. "All the instructions seem to be written in German. You speak German, right Tim?”

“Just the basics, and I’m sure anything here is beyond that.”

Achmed was looking over the control panels on the far platform, each had its own set of screens, knobs, switches, and keyboards. He had no idea what any of this stuff did, but it's complexity didn't need to be stated. A thought then occurred to him, if this place still had power, then all these controls could still be active.

“Hey Tim!" He called out. "Let’s try not to touch anything. If the power is still partially active, there's a chance we could turn it on by accident."

“Good idea! Hey, get Sarge’ on the horn, we need to tell her about this. The Science Branch is about to have a fucking field day with this one.”

Achmed went for the small radio on his belt when he heard something shuffle from up and behind him. His heart skipped a beat as the most unsettling hiss came from above. He darted around quickly with rifle in hand, however he wasn't nearly fast enough. Before he could even line up a sight, the ventilation shaft embedded within the wall behind him was thrown forward, and out came his attacker, a lurker mutant with hunger in its bloodshot eyes. It roared, pouncing on Achmed as its arms and insect like legs attempted to wrap around and immobilize him. Achmed yelled as he contested with the beast, immediately catching Tim's attention.

“SHIT!” Tim cursed.

Tim raised his gun, ready to fire. But the mutant was still on Achmed and he feared shooting his friend by mistake. Achmed was fighting with every shred of strength he had to throw this abomination off of his back, but it was much stronger than he was.

“TIM............AHH!.........................I COULD USE YOUR HELP!!” screamed Achmed. 

Tim began to race towards Achmed as he maneuvered around the room. But as if fate wanted to deal a crippling blow, he was right in front of the arch when the monster smashed Achmed into the control panel. Their was a loud whir as multiple machines and hardware sprung to life. A loud crack popped behind Tim. When he turned around, Tim was met with one of the strangest sights of his life. Seemingly out of nowhere, the air within the portal began to distort, and a small swirling blue vortex hovering a few feet off the ground appeared in its place. Arcs of lightning periodically shot out at short distances as the radius of the vortex grew larger.

“Uh.....Achmed, what the hell did you do!?” Tim shouted in distress.

Achmed managed to finally throw the creature off of him, giving him enough time to pull out his P226 sidearm and fire six shots into its skull and chest. The mutant fell lifelessly to the ground with a shriek. When Achmed quickly recollected himself, his attention turned immediately towards Tim, who failed to reach him in time. He turned around, angry and shouted.

“Thanks for the help, assh-!”

"ACHMED!!!"

Achmed's sentence came to an abrupt end when he noticed what Tim was more worried about. The gaping blue vortex had grown in significant size, shooting out grand arcs of lightning and began generating airflow in towards itself, sucking in a multitude of loose leaf papers, computers, chairs, miscellaneous items and at that current moment, his best friend. Tim had already been swept off his feet and was being sucked in towards the raging portal when Achmed had turned around. Now, he was desperately holding for dear life onto the railing of the platform, anchoring himself as best as he could manage in the insane conditions.

“TURN IT OFF!!!!!!!” Tim screamed.

Achmed began to panic. He didn’t have a clue how this machine worked or what he was pressed up against in that scuffle with the mutant that turned the machine on in the first place. There was the possibility that he could make it worse if he touched the wrong button. 

"Just my fucking luck!" Achmed swore mentally. "I tell him not to touch anything and look what I just did!"

“ACHMED!!! I CAN'T HOLD ON!!!” Tim yelled once more.

“FUCK! HOLD ON! I’M TRYING, TIM! JUST HOLD ON!”

Tim’s fingers were slipping, the air current was unnaturally strong, as if he was fighting the current of a raging river. Achmed was forced to throw caution at the wind when he began to feel himself being pulled, and frantically began flipping switches, pressing buttons, and pulling levers. When he pulled down on one of the black levers, the portal let out a heavy acoustic shockwave. It soon began to shrink, getting smaller and smaller in size but at an inconveniently prolonged pace. Unfortunately, Tim wasn't able to hold on for a second longer. He lost his grasp just as the portal began to shrink down in size. He screamed in terror as he was quickly sucked into the raging vortex, his entire body enveloped by the blue energy. Within a fraction of a second, he disappeared through the portal just before it  vanished. Achmed yelled in despair.

“TIM!!!!!”
> Chapter 2: A New World (Re-written)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As darkness fades and the world around him returns, a man displaced and far from home will find himself at the center of what he could only dream of. However only time will tell if he is truly alone in this brave new world......... 







"Aw..ww..........where...................AW!........Aw shit." Tim grunted weakly. 

As he awoke, the black that obscured Tim's vision was beginning to fade. He wondered what he and Achmed had done this time, whatever it was, it was quite painful. But soon, his memory started slowly coming back to him and he quickly recounted that he and Achmed were searching a building. They were down in the basement when...
Tim's memory of recent events came rushing forward all at once, and he began to panic. He frantically looked over himself, fearing the worst, but thankfully he seemed intact. Breathing a sigh of relief, Tim's thoughts soon turned to the ground upon which he sat. It was.....green? Yes, green, a vibrant green of a dozen different plants growing from the soil. Tim slowly raised his head and began to take in his surroundings. What he saw left him absolutely awestruck. All around, as far as the eye could see were innumerable trees, wild, untamed, and ever growing. Vines were wrapped and inter tangled amongst their branches, ferns and shrubs grew at the base of their trunks, and great blinding light penetrated through the thick canopy that their leaves formed.

"A......a forest? An actual forest? One that's not burned to shit or in decay.............and I'm sitting in it!" he thought to himself. 

He looked around some more expecting this to be some trick, an illusion just waiting to pull the rug from under his feet. But alas, what he saw was very real. This was a place only spoken of in stories recounted by those who lived before the war or seen through the pages of old textbooks back when he was just a small child. It was a testament to a lost age, something he never once thought he'd ever see in his life and yet, here he was. To say it was beautiful would be an understatement. The vibrant greens and browns, the plethora of life around him. All of it came as a stark contrast to the desolate wasteland he had known his whole life. As all his senses began to return to him, he felt something big press against his back. Turning to take a look behind him, the thing in question was none other than a great oak, a giant behemoth whose trunk stemmed well over him and high into the air. He found himself astonished by just how healthy it was, as every other tree he had seen in life had been rendered into a black, shriveled husk or had lost its luster to the fallout. As his field of view stretched beyond the oaken giant, he caught a glimpse of the sky, permeating in a bright blue he could scarce describe. There was no place on Earth like this, not anymore. With this sudden change in his environment and the knowledge of what brought him here, Tim was left with only one definitive conclusion on where he wasn't, but a multitude of theories of where he could be.

"Okay, I definitely ain't on Earth anymore. Am I dead? Is this........is this heaven?"

Diverting his attention away from the abundant life surrounding him, he noticed that scattered around the forest floor were multitudes of debris. Sheets of paper, broken keyboards, bits of various desks and office furniture, and of course right next to him, his AKM rifle. As he stretched over to reach for it, a spasm of pain shot through his body.

"Fuck!" he said clenching his teeth in pain.

"Okay, definitely not heaven. Guess I'm not dead if I'm feelin' like shit."

While nothing felt broken, he was going to have one nasty set of bruises. He was just grateful to still be breathing. Tim was no scientist, but he knew well enough the amount of force it took for the vortex to pull him in probably shot him back out the other side at a tremendous speed. How he didn't have a fractured spine right now was beyond him, but he was just grateful to be in one piece. He attempted to reach for his rifle again, this time a little more carefully, and thankfully with less pain. He looked over his gun to see if it was still operational. He pulled back on the bolt, and the bullet that was chambered flew out. 

"Alright, bolt's still functional."

He released the magazine, revealing a full stack of 30 rounds.

"Okay, no problems there."

Finally he loaded the magazine, switched the gun to semi-auto and was about to fire, when a thought came across his mind.

"Y'know. Maybe firing a loud ass gun in a place I've never been isn't such a good idea. This forest might be pretty, but that doesn't make it safe."

Choosing not to fire his weapon, he began inspecting the exterior. Other than a few dents and scratches added to the many it already had, the rifle seemed to function properly. He slung the sling around his shoulder and grabbed the round that had been ejected.

"Alrighty then Tim, no sense in sitting here. Time to try and figure out where the hell I am."

Tim stood up and began to check if he had all his belongings. He checked his waist, and sure enough his canteen, secondary pouches, knife, and satchel were all still there. He looked over his shoulder and saw that his backpack was also still on his person. His clothes remained intact, one British Army DPM camo jacket, one pair of olive drab cargo pants, and a pair of old American army combat boots. All that remained was his hat, reaching up to his head to grab for it only to come back with a fistful of air.

"AAAH! Nonono! Where the hell's my hat!? Shit! I've had that damn thing since I was bite-size, I ain't about to lose it now!"

He began searching frantically for his missing garment. He searched behind tree and root, blade and bush and came up with nothing. He searched around the tree he was previously sitting up against, nothing. He looked amongst the piles of debris that had been sucked in with him, still nothing. He then searched farther back behind the tree. 

"Aha! There you are! Thought I lost ya'."

Lying about fifteen yards from where he had awoken, sitting against the base of another tree laid the hat Tim so desperately needed to find. The hat itself was filthy, drenched in dirt, sweat, and the occasional smear of motor oil. It was camouflaged in a Real-tree pattern, with the front displaying a sun-bleached Dixie flag. Tim had it since he was 8 years old, but he wouldn't tell anyone why he was so fond of it. He knew, and that was his business and no one else's. As he donned it on his head, he began to think of a possible exit out of this forest. 

"I need a way outta' here. Jesus, I don't even know where here is!"

Sense of where to go wasn't the primary thought on his mind, however. Tim found himself stumped, he didn't know what he was going to do, he wasn't sure what exactly happened or how he was going to get back to Earth, if he was going to get back at all. Tim pondered whether he should wait to be rescued. He ran that thought through his mind and ultimately decided against it. There was no way for the rest of his unit to deduce whether or not he survived the incident that landed him here. For all they knew he could be dead, and even if they realized the device was a portal, they didn't know how to operate it. The only people who would know would be from the Science and Research Branch. Tim realized rather quickly that it might take awhile for them to fly from New Damascus out to Berlin, and even longer for them to figure out how to operate the device correctly. And even after all that, there was no guarantee they'd spend resources to rescue him at all. Tim knew the implications when he enlisted in the Militia, at the end of the day, he was one man, an expendable asset. 

"I may be on my own this time around. But I'll be damned before I give up." Tim swore.

Tim looked to his surroundings, hoping for a small hint on where to start. Alas, all he saw was forest that stretched in every direction. From his experience, sticking around in one place for too long was bound to end badly. Tim cleared his thoughts, and fell back to his optimistic side for comfort.

"Well, can’t stay here, that's for certain. I guess I could try and find help, maybe somebody actually lives on this world? Place seems perfect for it."

Tim span around slowly a few times, thinking of which direction to go before ultimately settling on one. It just so happened to be the direction he looked to find his hat.

"Ain't exactly scientific, but luck had me find my hat this way, maybe it'll lead me outta here too. Better than nothin' I guess."

Tim walked forwards into the literal unknown. Much dwelt on his mind, but he found comfort on the bright side of things.

"Who knows what I'll run into, but I gotta feeling I'm gonna look forward to it. At least the change of scenery will be nice." 







It felt like four hours had passed, and Tim still found himself walking through the ever expansive forest, unsure of where he was or even if he was going the right way. His mood hadn't changed though, he was still amazed by the sights and sounds that surrounded him. His journey revealed a multitude of different creatures that he recognized from old books as a child. Squirrels, possums, raccoons, and rabbits apparently made their home here in this wilderness. He knew that at one time they used to be hunted as small game. That helped ease some of his more short-term worries, for if he ever needed to look for food it was good to know that it was abundant. There were also creatures that seemed to be pulled straight out of myth. At one point, a very vibrant bird of prey adorned with a fiery array of orange and red feathers passed him by and seemed a tad bit curious at his presence. Tim recalled how it landed on a nearby branch and watched as he went on his way. Another strange creature came in the form of a golden rabbit with antlers. He saw it as it stumbled across his path probably looking for food, only for it to retreat back into the thicket when it noticed him. Albeit strange, Tim would happily take these creatures over the mutants any day of the week.
Tim continued his unforeseeable trek into the unknown, amazed but still aware of his surroundings. Some twenty minutes passed when Tim heard a faint sound emanating in the air. It was a sound that was unmistakably unique, and when Tim recognized it, he sped his pace in an attempt to close in on the sound's source. He passed a thicket of bushes and suddenly found the source in plain view. Mere feet away from him was something that he had never thought he'd ever see again, and it made him smile with joy.

"Holy hell! An actual stream of water! Pure water! Oh my god! Yes!"

He eagerly ran towards it and cupped his hands together, retrieving water from the stream and drinking it with fervor. It was clean, pure, and refreshing to the taste.

"My god, this place has it all! If this ain't heaven it sure feels like it! Thank you lucky hat for steering me the right way!"

He pulled his canteen out and opened it, proceeding to dip it into the stream to fill it until full. As he screwed the cap back on, it dawned on Tim that he might have his first insightful clue on where to find help. Many years ago in school he had learned that several societies in early human history built their civilizations along sources of water as a means of obtaining drinking water and conducting trade.

"Where there's water, there's usually a settlement of sorts. If I'm gonna find out where I am I guess following this stream downriver might be my best bet. Once again, thank you lucky hat!"

Tim placed the canteen back in its belt pouch and continued onward, traveling along the side of the stream in hopes that it would lead him to some semblance of society. This took him another hour or so when it started getting dark. On top of that, he noticed that the forest was becoming less and less dense as trees began to spread out and the forest floor gave way to grass. Eventually, Tim found himself walking across a grassy field, each blade flowing in rhythm by the gentle evening breeze. He continued following the stream's path from a distance, until what he saw in front of him made him stop in his tracks. In the distance, he spotted the indistinguishable congregation of structures, a town of sorts.

"God bless that education I got. I better get there before dark."

He began to walk towards the town when he stopped again, and began to have second thoughts on the notion. 

"Hold on, I already know this ain't Earth, something tells me whoever's in that town may not even be human. I may need to scope this place out first."

Tim resumed his approach, this time more cautiously. When he finally reached the outskirts of town, it was already nighttime, but even that too was unmatched in its beauty. A full, luminous moon shone down on him accompanied by a spectacle of starry constellations dotting the almost mystical blue of the night sky. It was as if the whole scene were painted on an artist's canvas. The air was cool, and the sounds of crickets offered a serene gentleness to his surroundings. 

"Of course the nights here would be just as beautiful." Tim commented to himself, overcome by a slight sense of euphoria. 

The town seemed to be lit, giving him some sort of visibility in the darkness. He found a spot on the edge of town where a few trees and some bushes offered a small pocket of concealment.

"Alright, perfect little spot to do some recon."

Once he made his way over there and properly concealed himself, he reached for his satchel. From it, he pulled out a pair of old binoculars and began to survey the settlement. Looking around he noticed it was a lively looking town. The buildings were colored and decorated vibrantly, made with a unique style of architecture where the majority of the buildings possessed a thatched roof. While a rather dated construction method, it did give the town a rather humble vibe that Tim found rather appealing. Tim also found out that the multiple sources of light came from what looked like candle-lit lamp posts dotted around the town.

"Hmm, candles, huh? Guess that means they haven't discovered electricity, whatever they..........w................wait..........WHAT IN GOD'S NAME!?"

Tim paused his moment of thought as he observed something beyond strange. Walking out the door of one of the buildings was none other than a bright pink puffy-haired equine, with some sort of giant pastry on her back. It stood only about 3 feet tall, possessing a head shape that seemed rather uncommon for a regular equine. Further observation led Tim to discover another one. This one was orange in color and wore what was unmistakably a cowboy hat. And then Tim caught another one through his binoculars as it came from around the corner, and then another descending down from the sky with a pair of cyan wings. His surveillance provided him with the sight of around a dozen or more of these strange creatures. Unless someone had let loose the animals of a very bizarre petting zoo, Tim got the picture that these had to be the inhabitants of the town, and in turn, this world. It was a concept that seemed rather bewildering to him, and he was uncertain if this was even real. However, when he spotted two conversing with one another by way of mouth movement, any doubts were thrown aside.

"Okay, that's not what I was expecting. A world inhabited by technicolor equines.................God I hope I'm not just hallucinating or in a coma or something."

Alas, the acute control Tim had over all his senses at the moment told him that this was in fact very real. He stowed his binoculars back in his satchel and thought on how to approach the situation.

"Alright, now how to go about this? I can't just walk up and talk to em', there ain't any guarantee that they speak any human language. Plus, they may not look it, but they could be dangerous. They could attack me just cause' I look different. Or it could be the other way around, walk up to em' and accidentally scare em' shitless. I do kind of stand out in contrast. SEVERELY at that. Actually that sounds pretty likely given how I'm nearly twice as tall."

Tim brainstormed a few possible ways to set up a proper yet careful introduction. Preferably one in which he wouldn't cause much of a panic. As he overlooked the town one more time, an idea came to him.

"Alright, I need to see their reactions first. Guess I should sit and wait somewhere where they can see me and know that I ain't here to stir up trouble. From there I guess I let them make a decision. I gotta make contact sooner or later if I wanna' get back home. But where do I go and do this?"

At that moment he spotted what looked like a small park along the outskirts of town not too far from his position, and it didn't seem like anyone was there. Tim surveyed the area and found a cylindrical structure with a small bench at its center. Tim thought that might make a nice place to sleep during the night and make his introduction by day.

"May not be as comfy as my rack, but then again, that wasn't very comfy to begin with."

Tim moved from his hiding spot in the bushes and made his approach towards the bench. One quick look around revealed that nobody was present nearby. He walked up and into the open structure, which seemed to be made from white painted wood with a black tile roof. He laid himself across the bench; finding it was a little small for his size as his legs hung over the side, but he'd just have to make do. He kept his rifle by his side the whole night. Even though he didn't feel particularly threatened by his surroundings, he made it a habit to keep it close when sleeping in unknown locations.

"Least I got somethin' to look forward to. We'll see how it all fares in the morning. God help me."







Celestia's grand sunrise swept across Ponyville in a brilliant golden ray of light. With its rise came three of Ponyville's most renowned floral salesmares, Daisy, Lily, and Rose. The hour was around 7:00 am, though the three were no strangers to this time, as it more often than not became a regular routine during the busier times of the year. But today was a rather special day for them, as it happened to be the day they'd finally put the finishing touches to the little project on the outskirts of town. Mayor Mare had asked the trio if they would be kind enough to plant a flower garden for the newly constructed gazebo that had been erected in that area. All three were excited by this prospect, both from the opportunity to promote their modest flower shop business and a genuine love of labor. The three were partaking in some friendly conversation as they made their way towards the gazebo. 

"So?" Lily asked giddily, "What did you all bring to plant for the new garden?"

"I thought the gazebo would look nice with some azaleas, I think they complement the white finish very well." said Rose. 

"That's fantastic!" Lily said jubilantly. "I brought some violets, I thought they would look nice and they might serve as a nice contrast with your azaleas. What about you Daisy?" 

Daisy looked ready and eager to discuss the contents she brought.

"I've been really excited about this project for awhile, so I brought my-" 

Daisy cut off mid-sentence and stopped dead in her tracks, a fearful gaze struck across her face. 

"Daisy? What's the matter" asked Rose. 

Seconds passed with no answer and no change in expression or posture.

"Wait a second, Daisy don't tell me you mistook the Prench Primroses with the Paralyzing ones! Again!" Lily huffed.

Daisy simply lifted a hoof directed behind them.

"Oh, she's not paralyzed." Lily commented. "Thank heavens."

"But what is she pointing at?" Rose asked.

Daisy's friends followed the direction of her hoof. Not even a second passed before they too began to quiver in fear, for what lay before them was most unnerving. Laying on the gazebo bench was what looked like a giant hairy ape creature they had never seen before, wearing strange camouflage attire with some sort of strange half wood half metal object laying in its hand. He seemed to be sleeping at the moment, as its eyes were closed and it was snoring. But that only seemed to unnerve them more, as all three feared to wake it up.

"*What is that thing?*" whispered Lily.

"*I don't know.*" whispered Rose. "*But it's big and snoring. MENACINGLY!*"

"*We need get out of here and tell Princess Twilight.*" whispered Daisy.

They all nodded in agreement, but as they took a step back, Lily, not paying attention, had inadvertently stepped on a fallen stick. It snapped beneath her hoof, and the creature awoke.

"Hua...wh.wha?" It mumbled.

All three of them screamed in panic. Tim jumped screaming as well, confused from just waking up, the last thing he caught in his vision was the sight of three of those ponies running like a bat out of hell back into town. 

"Dammit!" He swore. 

He began to worry that the incident might lead to bad consequences.

"Okay Tim, they know you're here. Just stay put and see how events play out, hopefully it'll end peacefully. Show them you don't mean them harm by just sitting down and doing nothing."

And there he sat. And kept sitting....................................................................................

"Damn, forgot how boring this was gonna' be. Wish I had somethin' to read."
> Chapter 3: The "Monster" Visiting Ponyville (Re-written)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A young and still learning princess awakes as the morning sun rises. Her perceived plans involve a plethora of activities and errands, chiefest of which would be a morning outing of breakfast with those she considers to be her closest friends. But her plans have been known to deviate due to circumstances in the past, and today, her change of plans would just so happen to make history..............................................







Twilight's eyes slowly sprung open from her previous night's slumber. Her gaze was met by one of the large windows near her bed stand, giving her a full view of yet another beautiful morning greeting the outside world. Though blinded slightly by the rising sun, the wake up felt rather pleasant. She stirred for a second before surveying the inner confines of her room. Yet another day where she woke within her new castle. The very thought of that still felt somewhat strange to her, but she was grateful to have it, especially since her previous abode had been decimated in the fight with Tirek some months back. The wounds from that loss hadn't quite healed, but with time, Twilight was confident she could move on.
Lifting herself up from the bed, Twilight found it odd that she was already awake as she wasn't really known for being up this early. However, she quickly regained memory of the previous day, and instantly knew why she was roused. Twilight had promised to meet up with her friends for an early breakfast and had cast a unique awakening spell just for the occasion as It was less disturbing than a traditional alarm clock. Twilight let out a yawn and proceeded to step out of bed, stretching out her wings and abdomen to release tension from the hours of stillness accumulated from her sleep. Her thoughts immediately turned to Spike, who was sleeping in his tiny bed within Twilight's own room. While Spike technically had his own room, he had yet to warm up to the vastness of the castle, and wasn't quite comfortable sleeping on his own. Twilight didn't mind, as she knew losing their previous home had been just as hard for him as it had been for her.

"He always looks so sweet when he's sleeping" Twilight thought to herself. 

Twilight walked over to his tiny bed and nudged him softly.

"Spike? Spike, time to wake up." she said in a sisterly tone.

Spike's emerald eyes awoke to the sound of her voice, but all she got for a reply was a disgruntled moan.

"Twilight?" he griped with tired eyes, "Do you have any idea what time it is? Let me sleep in for just another hour or two."

"Come on Spike, we don't want to be late for breakfast with the others. We said we'd be there, remember? That happens to include you."

"Wait...we did?" Spike questioned.

Spike's expression changed from annoyed to contemplative as he tried to recall the events from the day prior.

'Oh...yeah....Oh! Yeah! I was wanting to talk with Rarity....about.....something important." He claimed timidly as he jumped out of bed and went to grab his things.

"Of course you did." Twilight thought, rolling her eyes and smiling to herself. 

She walked over to her nightstand to grab the saddlebag she packed last night. In it were two books that she wanted to dedicate time towards reading later today. The books were "Common Traits among Distinguished Unicorns" and "Sentient Creatures, The Good and The Bad", and she had a good idea on where she wanted to read them.

"Hey Spike, that new gazebo outside of town is supposed to be open to the public later today, right? You want to go check it out?"

Spike gave her a cock-eyed look, a clear indicator that he didn't find that prospect nearly as enjoyable as she did.

"Yeah, that sounds really fun, sitting at a gazebo." he said sarcastically. 

"Hey now, be nice, I'm sure the ponies who set it up worked really hard on it, I even heard that the flower trio is planting a garden to go along with it."

"Those drama queens? Even more reason to stay away."

"Spike? Come on now."

"Okay, okay, if you want to check it out so badly, I suppose I'll tag along." Spike relented. 

Twilight smiled with a nod of content, and the two of them departed from the room and exited their home. As they stepped outside, the morning itself felt positively serene. Dew clung to the blades of grass, a sunny day with a cool breeze had set in, and cloud coverage was the optimal amount with the weather pegasi clearing some of the old clouds from yesterday to make way for the new ones. As they continued walking towards the cafe to meet up with the others, they saw several ponies at the marketplace ready to open up their kiosks for the day, exchanging greetings with the two as they passed by. Upon passing the scroll and ink stand Twilight frequented, she suddenly remembered one of her errands she needed to tend to.

"Ooh! I almost forgot." said Twilight, "I need to stop by the market after breakfast so I can pick up some more ink, I've been meaning to do it for a while now. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not. After all how are you supposed write letters to the princess without it?"

"You make a good point."

After a short walk through town, the two found themselves at the entrance of the cafe. Another pleasant surprise was the fact that all her friends were already present, gathered around a table waiting for their arrival.

"Hey guys!" Twilight greeted gleefully. 

Each of them turned to see the lavender pair approaching, and greeted the two in kind. When they reached the table and took their seats, Spike decided to sit next to Rarity while Twilight found a spot next to Applejack. Twilight noticed that there were no menus laid out on the table, leaving her to figure that the waiter hadn't gotten around to taking their orders  yet.

"We're not late are we?" Twilight asked.

"Oh nonsense, darling." Rarity insisted. "The timing of your arrival is practically impeccable."

"Well that's good to hear." Twilight said.

"So, Twi', how was gettin' out of bed this early, bet Spike took it well?" Applejack teased.

"It took some adjusting but I think I managed." Twilight explained. "The spell I looked up worked like a charm. Spike on the other hoof might have done better with maybe an hour or two of beauty sleep."

The group began to chuckle lightly as Spike did his best to look like he just shrugged it off.

"Now, now, there's no need to tease on my little Spikey-Wikey." Rarity cooed in Spike's defense, "Besides, the cafe has finally introduced their new Sunrise Surprise Special today, and I was just eager to invite you all to try it out."

"I hope it's delicious!" squealed Pinkie Pie. "But what is it?"

"A surprise if I had to reckon'." Applejack claimed.

"I just hope the waiter gets here soon, I'm hungry." retorted Rainbow Dash.

"Oh, I just love mornings like these." Fluttershy said with cheer in her voice, "They're always so peaceful. Makes a great time for sharing breakfast with friends."

However, as Fluttershy finished that statement the morning serenity was abruptly ended by something not so peaceful. In the distance a trio of distinctly recognizable voices screamed from afar. Seconds later, and the origin of the commotion rounded a nearby corner and came running straight towards them. The group simultaneously sighed with utter annoyance. 

"So much for peaceful." said Applejack.

"I'll handle this." said Twilight in an irritated tone. 

As she got up from the table and approached the trio, the three mares came to a skidding stop. 

"PRINCESS TWILIGHT!" the three screamed in sync.

"What is it this time girls, somepony step on a petunia?" Twilight asked in an unamused fashion.

Without so much as a hint of hesitation, the trio laid into the Princess of Friendship all at once, each one of them practically screaming their encounter to her. The culmination of high pitched panic from the three left Twilight unable to comprehend what any of them were saying. 

"Hey! Hey! One at a time!" Twilight screamed before continuing with a calmer tone in her voice. "*cough*......Please." 

"There was a monster at the gazebo! We headed there this morning to plant the new garden to go with it and that's when we saw it sleeping on the bench!" Lily babbled.

"It was big, ugly, hairy, and green!" Daisy shrieked.

"It carried with it some wooden metal thing! I don't know what it was, but we weren't ready to find out. We ran as fast as we could before it could chase us!" Rose explained.

Now Twilight knew that these three could faint over the littlest things, but monster sightings were a very serious claim these days. With the Bugbear incident during Matilda and Cranky's wedding still fresh in everypony's minds and the multiple creatures that escaped Tartarus, it was very plausible that Ponyville faced yet another threat. This new monster may very well endanger the ponies in town, and Twilight and her friends would be there to meet it before it could bring any harm.

"Looks like breakfast is going to have to wait girls, we need to head to the gazebo as quickly as possible! If another creature left Tartarus, it could be a Tirek situation all over again, and we can't let that happen."

The rest of the group wholeheartedly agreed, some more eager than others.

"Well alright!" cheered Rainbow Dash, "That's one way to start the morning. Let's go kick some monster flank!"

"Oh fiddle, I was looking forward to that Sunrise Special, but I suppose this matter takes more precedence." said Rarity.

"Fraid' so, Rarity. C'mon girls, let's go rustle up that critter!" hollered Applejack

"Whoohoo!" cheered Pinkie, "Catching a monster that could possibly destroy the entire town with its unknown capabilities! Sounds like a fun time to me!" 

"Oh, I hope that nopony gets hurt." said Fluttershy.

"Hey, don't forget about me!" yelled Spike as he hopped on Twilight's back.

The six were primed and ready, and proceeded towards the edge of town where the gazebo laid, leaving the flower trio to make of things as they would.

"I hope they can handle this." Lily said.

"They'll take care of that creature, no sweat." Daisy claimed. "They are the elements of harmony after all."

"They've saved Equestria so many times. What's one monster compared to that?" Rose insisted.







Tim had been fully attent for nearly half an hour, and during that whole time his mind was plagued with worried thoughts. Since his abrupt wake-up call he had not seen any of the native inhabitants. That last encounter ended with three of the tiny equines running away whilst screaming in terror. Suffice to say, his strategy for contact was off to a very poor start.

"So much for a good first impression. But it ain't like I tried to scare em', they just got one look at me and bolted!" he argued with himself.

Despite this, Tim had no intention of changing his plans. He continued to survey his surroundings, waiting for another chance at an encounter with the hopes that it would end on better terms. He also noted that like the forest, this small village was very pleasant to the eyes. Growing up in a world that was decimated by decades of war left human society as a makeshift shamble of its former self. Most structures were built either from the remnants of buildings that had remained intact or assembled from scratch with whatever was available. To see this sort of pristine and orderly quality was somewhat breathtaking to Tim.

"Living in such a nice place must be a blessing. I hope that's a sign that these natives are peaceful, I'd hate to hurt one of these little fellas out of defense, Like Sarge' always said, it only leads to problems down the line."

Suddenly, the moment he'd been waiting for had finally arrived. Rounding the building to his front emerged six of these small equine creatures, colored pink, orange, cyan, lavender, white, and yellow. Also present was one reptilian looking creature he had yet to see, riding on the back of the lavender equine. This would have been the ideal time to speak  out and attempt communication. But Tim suddenly found himself speechless and nerve-racked. Doubts began to emerge on how effective he'd be in his negotiations, and that was if they were here to negotiate at all.

"Aw shit, I do hope these guys speak a language I can understand. What if they're violent? What if they're here to arrest me, or kill me for scarin' them other three off?! I got no clue what these things are capable of! What the hell do I even say!? 'Hi I'm an alien and I come in peace?!' God damn, this was a stupid idea! I can't do this!"

He saw that the group was advancing closer. Tim took a quick moment and collected his thoughts.

"Okay, calm down and pull your shit together Tim! You're gonna have to do this one way or the other. If you can shoot mutie' freaks back home with no sweat, you can at least talk to these things, and if they ain't here to talk and came to fight, you can take em'. I hope."

Tim had a few options for his defense. Primarily it came down to his AKM, with a fully loaded magazine and two others on back-up. He also had the knife on his belt, and if it really came down to it, he had a comprehensive knowledge on hand-to-hand combat.

"Ninety rounds, a knife, and my two bare hands. Enough to take these 6 down if necessary, but probably not enough to take on the whole town. Oh, god I hope they're friendly."

The main six finally got close enough to get a good view of the monster. The group were shocked by the utter strangeness of the creature that was before them. Sitting on the gazebo bench was a large bipedal creature, wearing a greenish yellow camouflage coat and a ball cap of all things. It had pale cream-colored skin, with a dirty blonde beard on its face. His waste sported a belt covered with pouches and a backpack at his rear. The strangest quality; or more accurately the strangest item he possessed, was some sort of device sitting on its lap, which looked like various scraps of metal and wood had been slapped together.

"What is that thing?" asked Spike.

"I don't know." Twilight answered. "This certainly isn't like any monster I've ever seen. Fluttershy, do you have any idea what it is?"

"Not a clue I'm afraid. I've studied multiple animals and monsters as an animal caretaker, but I've never seen or heard of anything that looks like that." stated Fluttershy.

"Whatever it is, it looks dangerous, when it attacks, get ready!" announced Twilight

"Alright girls, you heard her, let's give this thing a flank kicking!" yelled Rainbow Dash.

Tim was still sitting there, a little relieved and surprised that they spoke his own native language.

"Oh thank God, they speak English. That'll make talking with th-wait a minute, FLANK KICKIN'!?"

Tim's feeling of relief immediately dissipated as he started paying a little more attention. He noticed that five of the six had taken up defensive stances, as if they were ready to attack. The exception of them was the yellow one, who seemed to take a step back. Fearing he might start a fight if he so much as moved, he became stiff as a rock. With a delicate situation on the verge of turning ugly, he attempted to think of a way out of this.

"OKAY, OKAY, OKAY! Just play it cool Tim, show em' you don't mean harm, just.....just.....just don't do anything! Just sit here and don't move! Maybe they'll stand down? God I hope they stand down."

Twilight and her friends were prepared to take whatever this monster would dish out on them. But thirty seconds had passed and they all seemed a little confused, as it wasn't attacking them, or moving for that matter. In fact, it did absolutely nothing but sit there rather awkwardly.

"Uh, Twi', what in the hay is it doin'?" asked Applejack

"I.........have no clue, I feel it should have done something by now." said Twilight.

"Did we win?" Pinkie asked.

"I hardly doubt it." Rarity argued. "Though I do say that on a second glance it's not nearly as threatening as I was expecting."

"You can say that again." Pinkie added. "Not many monster-like qualities. No claws, no fangs, no tail with a sharp stinger."

"Uh, Pinkie, you just described a manticore." Fluttershy said.

"Yeah, yeah, that's right, I ain't here to start trouble. I'm cool, you horses have no reason to fear me." Tim chimed in his head, hopeful that things were on the verge of turning around. 

"I bet it's tricking us into letting our guard down! Come on, let's attack while it's taking its time!" said Rainbow Dash.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!"

Before any of the others could argue on the rashness of that action, Rainbow already made her decision, charging towards him in flight. Tim panicked and was about to grab his rifle, when Fluttershy flew directly in front of Rainbow, blocking her path.

"RAINBOW!" Fluttershy scolded loudly, preventing her from getting any closer.

"Fluttershy! What are you doing?!" Rainbow asked.

"It hasn't done anything, Dash. Maybe it's just lost." Fluttershy argued.

Fluttershy then flew gently towards Tim, who at the moment was in the midst of reaching for his gun. When Fluttershy landed in front of him, he looked down to see her smiling. 

"Okay, guess that's a good sign" Tim thought to himself. 

He slowly retreated his hands away from his weapon.

"Seems like you're a long way from wherever you call home, but you don't mean any harm to us, do you little guy?" Fluttershy said with a soothing tone.

"Little!? Fluttershy he's taller than all of us!" Rainbow Dash yelled out from behind her.

Tim wouldn't disagree on that one, he was a whopping three feet taller than any of them. But he understood that this one, this "Fluttershy", might be his only ticket towards a peaceful resolution with the local inhabitants. As he looked down at her smiling face, he couldn't help but smile back.

"He's smiling back?" said Rarity

Tim then answered Fluttershy's query with a simple shake of the head.

"Is.......is it sapient?" said Twilight excitedly.

He gave Fluttershy a light pat on the head. Fluttershy chuckled lightly. 

"Well, aren't you sweet." she said. 

As soon as he laid a hand on Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash was up in his face sporting an angry expression on her own. 

"Hey! Don't touch her!" she yelled, pushing her friend out of the way and started shoving him with her hooves on his chest in an act of intimidation. 

"Rainbow Dash! That was completely uncalled for!" said Fluttershy in an angry tone.

"Fluttershy, this thing might be dangerous, he could have been trying to suck out your brain or something!"

Tim snickered at the ridiculous claim, along with her trying to be intimidating.

"Did that thing just laugh?" Applejack asked.

"Wonder what it finds so funny?" Pinkie inquired.

"Probably the outlandish claim Rainbow Dash made. Seriously Rainbow, brain sucking?" Rarity teased. 

"Y-you never know!" Dash said defensively.

Rainbow Dash then returned to taking out her frustrations back on the creature in question, pride mixed with the already pent up distrust that fueled her next set of accusations. 

"You think I'm funny, huh!? You looking for trouble, bub!?" she said.

Tim got up from his seat and stood, the difference in size and mass becoming immediately noticeable. The gesture was far more effective in intimidation than anything Rainbow could muster at that moment, as even she took a slight step back. But nothing could have prepared them for what happened next as Tim cleared his throat.

"Actually, I was lookin' for help." Tim answered.
> Chapter 4: It Speaks! (Re-written)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Those whose intentions are unknown have been easily labelled as an evil to the peaceful nation of Equestria. Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, Chrysalis, and Tirek have all discovered this peace and attempted to either conquer or destroy it. So when this strange creature begins to speak, the elements are unsure what to make of it. Is it here by chance, or for a more sinister purpose.............




"Actually, I was lookin' for help." said Tim.

The ponies present all recoiled collectively the instant words came out from his mouth. The monster, no, the creature not only talked but spoke Ponish to boot. Twilight was rendered speechless by this revelation, as were the others. Multiple thoughts came racing through her mind.

"It talked! It's talking, it's actually talking! This isn't just some monster from the Everfree Forest, this thing is intelligent! What is it and what is it doing here!? Did we just come into contact with some unknown race?"

She looked at her friends, all of them were equally stunned as her. Even Fluttershy, who moments ago was warming up to the creature seemed somewhat phased by its ability to speak. Tim started feeling a little weird at the awkward silence he was receiving, and thus repeated his last statement in an effort to break it.

"Uh, I said I was lookin' for help." Tim repeated.

Alas his efforts did nothing, as they continued staring at him like before, mouths agape and pupils wide. At this point Tim was getting a little irritated from the lack of response.

"Hello!? Earth to horse folk, y'all just gonna stand there or are ya' gonna respond?" he asked.

Twilight snapped out of her train of thought, completely forgetting that it had asked a question and that nearly twenty seconds of silence had passed without answering it. She tried to answer its query, but all that came out was her stuttered thoughts.

"It....speaks? I..i.i..it actually speaks!"

"And it speaks like Applejack?" added Rainbow Dash.

"Or she speaks like me." Tim suggested. 

They all gave him a peculiar look, which he took as having rather negative connotations to it.

"And what exactly is me supposed to be?" Applejack responded. "You sure don't look like anything we've seen or heard of before."

"Truth be told, I could say the same for y'all." Tim informed. "Definitely wasn't expecting to be talking to horses today. Well I was, but that wasn't the case when I first saw y'all."

"We're ponies, actually, not horses." Twilight informed him. 

"Oh, sorry about that." Tim said. 

"It's.....alright." Twilight said, hesitant to use the term "ape" in case it didn't apply, or worse, offended. "When exactly did you first see us may I ask?"

"Last night. I reached the edge of town and scoped the place out. Saw a few of you walking the streets and figured I'd wait till daylight to make contact."

"So does that make us the first ponies you've talked with? Like, ever?"

"Yes. I can definitely say it does." Tim replied without hesitation. "Fairly certain that you guys wouldn't be talking where I'm from."

His last statement pretty much confirmed Twilight's suspicions. In front of them stood the first instance of an unknown species, making this exchange a first contact scenario, and it nearly ended with Rainbow charging into him. Now aware of the repercussions this could have down the road, Twilight sought to immediately rectify the situation.

"Well, I can-"

"And just where the hay are you even from?" Rainbow Dash interjected rather harshly. "Last I checked, I never heard of any apes that could talk."

Tim chose to ignore the rather rude terminology and was about to answer. However, the thought caught up to him that telling too much information to creatures he just met might not be the greatest idea. He certainly needed information if he was going to get off this world, but he didn't want to do anything that might endanger the Survivors or everyone living back in New Damascus in the process.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I'm not certain if I can tell you that. Hell, I don't even know if I can trust y'all." Tim stated.

Reeling from Rainbow's rude interruption that was only making things worse, Twilight felt a little unsettled from the creature's claim as she and the others could say the same for him. Formal introductions aside, they didn't know why he was here or what his plans were, or even what he was.

"What have we done to warrant distrust exactly?" Applejack asked.

"Oh, I dunno, maybe the fact that one of you came up and nearly attacked me might have something to do with it." Tim stated.

"Well that's...........quite understandable actually." Rarity relented.

"Why didn't you say anything when we first arrived?" Fluttershy asked. "If you had said something I'm certain none of us would have taken any action against you."

"Unfortunately, I had no way of knowing that." Tim explained. "Y'all came around that corner looking like you were ready to pounce. Shit, I was scared that if I even so much as budged it provoke y'all. Seems it had the opposite effect." 

"Technically, we were waiting for you to attack us." Pinkie clarified.

"Seems one of y'all didn't get the memo." Tim retorted, eyeing Rainbow Dash.

All eyes hit Rainbow Dash at once, expressions ranging from faces that expressed inconvenient agreement to outright glares of guilt.

"We're sorry about that." Twilight explained, ultimately agreeing with the strange creature in this regard. "Rainbow has a tendency to jump headfirst into a problem. I'm fairly certain she's sorry."

"Yeeeeeeeaaaaah. My bad." Rainbow replied rather half-heartedly.

Tim simply raised an eyebrow at the lack of sincerity her statement carried.

"Wow. Color me convinced." Tim quipped.

"Nevertheless, we apologize for the drastic action." Twilight proclaimed. "When we heard a monster was within the vicinity of town, we assumed the worst."

"Monster?" Tim said.

"Yeah, monster." Rainbow reiterated before flying up eye-level with him. "Care to explain why three panicked ponies came running up to us about you?"

Tim could safely say that this particular pony was testing his patience, especially with the accusatory attitude she was so keen on directing towards him. The friction was pretty apparent, enough for Twilight to intervene by flying in between and separating the two. Twilight gave Rainbow one look that expressed a clear desire for her to nix the suspicion, to which Rainbow begrudgingly complied.

"Perhaps monster was a rather rash term." Twilight suggested as she flew back to the ground with Rainbow. "We simply heard that a creature was here from the trio of ponies you probably already saw."

"Were two of them pink and one beige?" Tim asked.

"Correct. Now granted, those three have a tendency to overreact, which is probably what happened in this case?"

"You're pretty spot on there." Tim confirmed. "I didn't mean to scare em', but I wake up and next thing I know, they're running and screaming like a bat outta hell. Didn't even get a word out before they bolted."

"Yeah, that sounds pretty typical for those three." Spike quipped. "They're quite the drama queen team."

Tim snickered a little from Spike's clever play on words. Things were beginning to go somewhere as Twilight realized he was slowly warming up to a proper exchange in conversation.

"Then it seems that this was all one big misunderstanding." Twilight suggested with a smile. "I can assure you that we're trustworthy and won't cause any further trouble for you so long as you don't do so for us."

Tim felt no sense of deception in her tone of voice, and felt a natural inclination to believe her. But the dilemma of whether or not to share information still weighed on his mind.

"Well, you won't have to worry about any trouble from me." Tim happily informed them. "Last thing I set out to do was stir stuff up."

"If I may ask, why did you come to Ponyville?" Twilight asked.

"Well, what your friend said wasn't far from the truth, I kinda am lost." Tim informed them, gesturing to Fluttershy. "I came here with the hopes of getting information, I didn't exactly plan on dishing out my own."

"Well, how about we compromise then? It is the cornerstone of diplomacy after all." Twilight beamed.

Tim was beginning to sense a general friendliness in this girl, a welcome change to the suspicion and mistrust he was getting earlier from some of her friends.

"What did ya' have in mind?" Tim asked.

"A simple request, really. If we can ask you some questions, we'll answer yours." she proposed. "If anything enters any territory you're not comfortable with, we'll move onto something else. Deal?"

Tim gave it some thought, and ultimately found himself warming up to the prospect.

"Okay, that seems fair enough, they give me some of the info I'm lookin' for and in turn, I give em' some of mine. Seems like a fair trade. Nice way to start things off." Tim thought to himself.

"That sounds reasonable. Alright, you got yourself a deal." Tim agreed.

"Glad to hear it, ask away and we'll answer as best as we can." Twilight replied. 

Twilight's friends proceeded closer towards him to engage at a good speaking distance, with Rainbow Dash taking a place to his left and Fluttershy to his right. The other four all sat or stood in front of him as he sat back down on the bench.

"Alrighty then." he said, "First question is the one that's been on my mind since I got here. Where exactly am I?"

"You're currently sitting on the outskirts of Ponyville." Twilight replied. 

"Ponyville? No, no, no, not the town. I meant what is this place?" he said gesturing around him.

"I don't understand, do you mean the gazebo? Do you even know where you are?"

"No clue, that’s why I'm askin'." He explained. "All I remember was wakin' up in the heart of that Forest over yonder. Was there for maybe five or so hours before I stumbled across this place. Other than that I can't say where I am."

Twilight and her friends all gasped, a clear indication they knew something Tim didn't.

"You mean you woke up in the middle of the Everfree Forest?" asked Fluttershy, sheer terror in her voice.

"I guess so, why is that bad?" Tim asked.

"Bad? The Everfree Forest is a terrible and frightening place, darling." said Rarity.

Tim couldn't help but laugh a little at that statement.

"What are you talkin' about!? That place was amazin'! I've never seen so many trees in my life. Not to mention clean water and hell, I even saw some little critters runnin' about!"

"You mean all the wild animals and monsters!" Pinkie explained.

"What, you mean the raccoons? Possums? Those bunnies with the antlers or the bright orange birds?" Tim said with disbelief. "Gotta say I've seen worse."

"Okay, but what about the weather that occurs on its own! Without any direction from the weather ponies." Rainbow Dash stated.

"How the hell does that even work? Why wouldn't weather occur on its own? But now that you mention it, the weather was rather pleasant to be honest with ya'. Sun poked through the canopy with a nice gentle breeze."

They all stared at him, wondering if he was crazy, insanely lucky, or maybe even both.

"How come our trips to the Everfree can't ever be that nice?" Applejack pondered.

Twilight would have wanted an answer for that as well, but it was becoming apparent that they were getting off topic.

"Getting back to the conversation. Like I said before, you're in Ponyville, a principality of Equestria, our nation. That's about as specific as I can make it I'm afraid."

"Equestria, huh? Alright, definitely a long way from home." Tim said in a quiet voice. "Guess that answers that for the meantime."

"Any other questions?" Twilight inquired.

"A few more. Guess I'll ask who y'all are? I got that her name's Fluttershy and she's Rainbow Dash. So, who are the rest of ya', and what do you do around here?"

Twilight practically gleamed with light at the opportunity to formally introduce herself. Being a first contact scenario it felt like she was in the midst of making history.

"My name is Twilight Sparkle. I'm the Princess of Friendship, one of the four princesses that rule this land as well as one of the elements of harmony. In fact all the elements are among the ponies you see before you. Mine is the element of Magic, to be specific."

"Wait, you're a princess?" Tim said in surprise. "And here I had no idea I was in the presence of royalty."

"Yeah, but honestly, it's no big deal. I don't like to flaunt the title around in my day-to-day interactions."

"A Princess, Huh? Guess she's the authority around here? Best to probably stay on her good side. Shouldn't be too hard, she seems like a friendly enough person, horse, no...pony. But what the hell's an element of harmony? Might just be some sort of title."

Next up was Rarity.

"You can call me Rarity, local designer and fashionista, I run a renowned boutique here in town, and I'm the element of generosity. I must say I.......uh......like the pattern on your jacket. Though it does look like it's in need of a wash, darling."

"Hell, you ain't wrong there." Tim admitted. "Though to be honest, I don't think just one wash is gonna cut for this old rag."

"I think you may be right." Rarity giggled. "Maybe you can stop by my shop sometime and we can get something a little more presentable for you."

"She seems nice enough. But what kind of a designer is she? Like a weapon designer or part fashioning? Odd, she don't look like the metal smithing type at all. Plus what the hell's a boutique? Some sort of workshop maybe?"

Next up was the orange mare with the cowboy hat.

"Name's Applejack, pleasure to meet ya' big guy. I run a little farm called Sweet Apple Acres outside of town, finest apple orchard in Equestria. Like Twilight said, we all so happen to bear one of the elements. Mine's honesty."

"You own a farm?" Tim asked in astonishment.

"Yep, sure do. Me and the rest of the Apples. It's been in my family for generations and since that time its grown to about sixty some acres. Odds are me and my brother are gonna inherit it when the time's right."

"Hot damn! That must be quite an achievement."

"Sure is in my book."

"Sixty acres of farmland! I bet the farms here actually have a decent yield, wouldn't that be a sight to see. Similarity in accents is a bit uncanny but damn if that voice of hers don't sound a bit like home. Like her hat. Wonder how I'd look in a cowboy hat?"

After Applejack was finished came Fluttershy

"As you already know I'm Fluttershy. My element is kindness. I mostly work with the animals in and around Ponyville, my own animal shelter is on the other side of town."

"So like dogs, cats, and other pets?" Tim asked.

"Certainly so, but I also help creatures of all sizes, some even from the outskirts of the Everfree."

"That's very...well, kind."

"Well I can safely say her element fits her personality. That smile might have been the cutest little thing I ever did saw. The fact she stood up for me when she didn't even know me........I'll remember that."

Fluttershy smiled and blushed a little from Tim's compliment, before the next pony came up to introduce herself. The pony who more or less seemed to have it out for him.

"The name's Rainbow Dash. Few things about are that, A, I'm awesome, B, I'm the newest Wonderbolt, and C, I'm the fastest flyer in all of Equestria! I'm also the element of loyalty, making me one of the coolest Pegasus ponies you'll ever meet."

Tim was silent, uncertain of whether he even wanted to respond or not, but ultimately settled with one word.

"Impressive." Tim deadpanned.

"Yeah, I know." Rainbow said pridefully.

"She that much of a show-boat? God, I don't like her. She's mean, and bossy, and her hair color hurts my eyes! Seems like she has a bone to pick even though I didn't do anything. Though she's at least loyal to her friends. Guess that's one redeeming quality."

The last of the ponies then took the time to continue the series of introductions.

"Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie! The biggest party pony and party planner EVER!!! I'm the element of laughter! Wow this is so exciting, I've done plenty of parties before, but I don't think I've ever done one for a new species! Tell me what flavor do you want your cake, White or Chocolate?"

"Wait a minute, what do you mean wha-"

"WHITE OR CHOCOLATE!" she screamed with glee.

"Ch-chocolate I guess!" Tim stammered.

"Okay this one's quite the eccentric, more so than me most of the time. And what's a party planner? Like a search party? I don't get it, do people around here go missing a lot or what? Man, now that I think about it they sure do got some weird names around here."

"No silly, party as in like a celebration!" Pinkie explained in her usual cheery tone. "And my name's not weird."

"Oh, okay, well that clears a few............WAIT! DID SHE JUST READ MY MIND!!!"

Before he voiced his alarm around this break in reality, the small reptile that was sitting on Twilight's back hopped down and began to finish off the series of introductions.

"And I'm Spike! Twilight's #1 assistant and go-to dragon!"

Tim's eyes were still fixed on Pinkie Pie, putting what Spike said in the back of his mind as Pinkie Pie just smiled deviously at him. He was rather unsettled about what happened, but Tim had made the assumption that these ponies no longer had the intention of hurting him in any way, so his nerves began to relax while the group before him were waiting for his other questions.

"Okay, well, a pleasure to make your all's acquaintance." Tim said in earnest. "Guess that leaves maybe one last question, what exactly are ponies in terms of your place as a species?"

"Geez, this guy doesn't get out much." Twilight thought to herself. "Then again, it's pretty clear he's not from around here. Maybe he got displaced somehow?"

Twilight ceased her theories to address his question.

"Like I said, we're ponies, the primary inhabitants of Equestria, though there are other creatures who call it home."

"Like other species? Like ones that can talk like you and I?" Tim inquired.

"Indeed. Equestria may be the pony homeland but it's not uncommon to find the likes of griffons, donkeys, and the occasional Minotaur. But when it comes to ponies we make up the majority, and as you've probably noticed we even have a few differences between ourselves."

"Yeah, y'all are different colors. I get ya'."

Twilight and the others frowned or rolled their eyes at his response. Their reaction was enough to clue him in, for at that moment another query on the difference in extremities came to mind.

"Oh, my bad, you meant the like the wings and stuff on your body, yeah I've been wonderin' about that. Y'all like different sub-species or what?"

"Of a sorts. Each one of us represents the three different pony types that make up Equestria, earth ponies, pegasus ponies, and unicorn ponies." Twilight explained as she pointed to Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity for examples.

"What about you then? You seem to have both wings and a horn. So what, that make you like a Pegacorn?"

Her friends snickered just a little from that, though Twilight let out an unamused sigh and corrected him.

"No, I'm an Alicorn. I'm one of four Alicorn Princesses that rule this country together. We're the rarest of the pony types, in fact we may very well be the only alicorns in existence."

From these few questions, Tim was able to gather an immense amount of information that gave him an idea of what to expect from the society of this world. Prospects looked pretty low when it came to means of returning home, but perhaps that wasn't the case. 

"Okay then. Thanks for answering what you could. Think that's all the questions I have for the moment." Tim stated.

"Very well, now that you've asked your questions, We'll ask ours."

"That was the deal. Ask away."

"Well, I think I speak for everypony here when I ask this. But what exact species are you?"

Tim stood up once more, this time gesturing to show himself off.

"I am what you would call human." he said. "Homo sapien if you wanna be scientific."

"Human?" Twilight thought.

Twilight had studied the multiple races of their world during her studies at Canterlot and even more so here in Ponyville. However, she had never once heard of a "human" race or its scientific term. Looking around it was clear that their current environment wasn't so appropriate for the conversation she wished to have with this being. She wanted a place where she could take notes, hear everything this human had to say and assess it properly. She needed to talk to him somewhere more private, this was after all a "First Contact" scenario with an unknown species, and talking in a tight huddle at a gazebo wasn't exactly ideal.

"Listen, would you mind if we took this conversation to somewhere a little more....I don't know, intimate?" Twilight asked.

"Sure, that actually sounds nice. Must admit that this bench wasn't the best nights' sleep I've had. What did ya' have in mind?"

"My castle isn't too far from here if you wou-"

"HOLY SHIT! This place has a castle!?" Tim exclaimed.

The sudden rise in volume caught everypony a little off guard. Tim noticed the effect and sought to make amends, though his level of excitement never once dwindled.

"Sorry, it's just, I've always heard about them things! Man, I've always wanted to see one!" Tim explained.

"At least his enthusiasm is to be admired." Twilight thought to herself.

"Well, I guess now will be your chance." Twilight chuckled. "Grab your things and we'll head straight there."

"Roger dodger." He replied.

Tim grabbed his rifle and slung it across his shoulder, eager to get under way as he followed them. As the group escorted the human towards Twilight's castle, Spike hopped back up on Twilight's back.

"Hey, looks like you got your wish. What did you think of the gazebo? Pretty boring like I said huh?"

Twilight smirked and nudged him with her wing as he let out a lighthearted laugh.
> Chapter 5: M.I.A (Re-Written)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Discoveries aren't often regarded as such until the full gravity of the situation is realized by the individuals behind said discovery. More often than not discovery is approached as a routine task, and such is the case for the commanding officer of the 3rd Company. She will soon realize not only the unique circumstances surrounding her scouts' discovery, but the predicament that comes with it........





Corporal Richards and Private First Class Al-Salib were quite bored as they manned the comms room of Outpost Bravo, wishing they'd been chosen for field assignment. Granted it probably would have still been unremarkable, but at least they'd be soldiering out in the wastes. But alas, Sergeant Martinez tasked them with comms duty for the next two days, which more or less meant listening in on snippets of what everybody else was doing.

"This has got to be the most boring task in the whole Militia." Al-Salib claimed whilst groaning in utter boredom.

"That's just because it's dead around here lately, mate." Richards argued. "At least you've never been tasked as a petrol supply specialist. Do 8 straight hours of that and I assure you you'll go nutters in no time flat."

Al-Salib was about to answer with a retort when the comms lit up again, this time with an urgent voice practically blowing out the speakers on the nearby console.

"*OUTPOST BRAVO, THIS IS ECHO-2 SIERRA ALPHA! COME IN! OUTPOST BRAVO! COME IN!*"

"Jesus!" Richards jumped at the sudden outburst.

"Sierra Alpha? Achmed Sabbag, that's Achmed. Why the hell is he not using his callsign?" Al-Salib asked.

Every Militia unit was given a callsign when on assignment, but they also had the default code phrase for individual soldiers for rank and name; the one Achmed had just used. When someone used their default it either meant they didn't remember their callsign, or they were the last of their unit. It was hard to judge, but Richards had a feeling it was the latter.

"Whatever it is, it sounds urgent." Richards stated before pressing down on the transceiver button and answering. "This is Outpost Bravo, we read you loud and clear, Private. What's your status, over."

"*Thank God! Bravo, my position is compromised. Echo-1 Tango Bravo is MIA and I've encountered something! Requesting immediate support at my location at gridpoint Sierra Whiskey 23611-Niner. Over."

Richards and Al-Salib were stunned by this sudden revelation, even more so as the unknown circumstances surrounding it left no clear picture as to what happened.

"Say again, Echo 2? Berfield is MIA?"

"*Affirmative, Berfield is MIA and I've made contact with something big! I have no idea what this thing is, but Sarge needs to see it, and I need to give her all the details.*"

The two men were left confused and even curious as to what situation could have led to this sudden and distressed call from Sabbag. Alas, the time for that would have to come later.

"Copy that Echo 2, relaying your transmission to her now. Standby." Richards answered. 




Sergeant Sarah Martinez walked into the mess hall with indifference, but hoping the line hadn't gotten too long. Managing the operations at Outpost Bravo took time and patience, two things she had more stock in than any other man in her unit. The position was something she took pride in, as much as she did in leading her unit. Since taking over the outpost, both the facilities and its capabilities out in the field had grown from the ruins of the Russian FOB it had started as.
Overall the day had started off pretty dull. Morning exercise came and went like it usually did and matters at the outpost kept her from going scavenging today. Not that she didn't mind, most of the 3rd's scavenger teams were already out on assignment, and she herself was still tired from the one she partook in the day prior

"Didn't think I'd still be sore after that. I know it took hours to pull that damn APC out of a 15 foot crater, but I've done more taxing things. Guess I can take today to get a bit of rest." she thought to herself. 

As she approached the chef, she was served her meager portions of food for the day. A small serving of processed eggs, one sausage link, and a glass of water. She internally groaned, frustrated with the ever shrinking rationing in effect. There were days where she practically felt dizzy from hunger, but what little she was served prevented anything more severe from taking place.

She made her way through the line, then searched for a place to sit. Along some of the tables in the back, three of her subordinates were sitting together, partaking in conversation during their morning meal. As she approached them, they acknowledged her with a friendly greeting.

"Hey Sarge'!" said Cpl. Francis Vanhart, with Pvt. Nick Barkley and Cpl. Ahab Al-Kindi giving her similar greetings. 

She smiled, glad to know that nothing had to be forced out of her men even when she was around. That level of respect, while not uncommon, was something she found pride in knowing she had earned their respect over the years leading them, knowing that when it came to running the unit in dire straights, she could be counted on. She was more than fit for the role. It wasn't easy getting to this point. Being a woman, she had to double the work and effort to keep up with the men physically. That's not even accounting for the mental fortitude it required to move past the cat-calling and stereotyping she found herself at the receiving end of. But her adamant patience finally paid off when she received the field promotion to Sergeant. She obtained the rank 4 years ago, during a clean and clear op, missions that involved clearing a mutant hot zone in order to secure a region. That particular one took a turn for the worst when the acting CO was torn in half by one of the bigger mutants. Seeing as she was next in the chain of command, she took it on herself to step up and led her remaining men through the rest of the way, clearing the hot zone and doing so without losing a single soldier in the process. 
Since that day, not one man has doubted her abilities, and as a CO, she was known to be stern, but fair, even caring on a few occasions. The men who served multiple tours with her knew she wasn't to be crossed, and that it was best to stay on her good side. One plucky private made the mistake of slapping her rear, thinking her to be a new recruit, that ended with him in the infirmary with a busted wing. But other than that, the men also knew she was courageous, and was willing to put her own life for them if need be, like every good Militiaman would do.

"Morning, gentlemen." she replied, taking a seat next to Nick. 

Looking at their trays, she unsurprisingly noted that they too had the same meager meal she was given. Food was getting harder and harder to come by, let alone equally distribute these days, and she wondered how long it would be before portions for everyone could no longer be guaranteed. While food was certainly food, Nick seemed to be disgusted with his breakfast, judging by the grimaced expression he was sporting. 

"Think I've had a cooked rat that tasted better than this." he said displeased.

Barkley had only been with the 3rd for about 3 months. A good soldier by all means, but everybody grew to dislike his little whining sessions he had every so often.

"Eat it Barkley, it's good for you." Francis replied. "Besides, there ain't really a lot to go around, so be grateful."

"Yeah I know, it's not like I'm ungrateful, I am. I just wish it tasted better." said Nick. "Corporal Roben ain't exactly a sous chef.

"Don't let him catch you saying that, he might spit in your food, like he does with Francis over here." Sarah warned.

"HA. Very funny Sarge." Francis said sarcastically.

"You know, Nick, if you don't like the provided food you can always eat some of the out of date MRE's they give us." said Ahab.

"No such thing as an out-of-date MRE if you're hungry enough." Francis stated.

"Debatable, Francis. But if I'm being honest, I'd rather save those in case of an emergency. If I ever get stuck out in there, it's nice to know I'll have something to eat."

"That's actually smart." Sarah said, surprised but impressed by his statement, "It's good to think like that, especially out here in the wastes. You stay in that mindset and you'll make it out here, Barkley. The wasteland gets dangerous when you make stupid decisions, but being smart about your choices can keep you alive."

"If that's the case, shouldn't Berfield and Sabbag be dead by now?" said Ahab jokingly.

The group began to laugh quite loudly, Sarah included. It was true, those two had gotten into more stupid situations than she cared to count. They intentionally blew up one of the Humvee's during a firefight with some raiders last year, killed the raiders trying to steal it, but destroyed it before they could get away. Would have been great, if it weren't the only ride they had at the time, leaving them to walk back to the outpost. Then there was that time they managed to piss off an entire horde of mutants by throwing rocks at them in an attempt to see if they would fight each other. Instead, the horde went after them and they ran like hell back to the outpost, leading to a 5 hour long defensive against the horde. And of course the iconic, "Rocket Project" the two cooked up, which involved cardboard, a pressure cooker, grenades, and a can of gasoline. Suffice to say, it didn't end well. But the duo became well known within the 3rd, and nothing could break them apart.

"I think fate or God has a special case for those two." Ahab said in jest.

"Those two have survived more stupid shit than I care to count." laughed Francis. "Honestly, they may be cursed with bad luck."

"They make life interesting, I'll say that much." said Sarah. "They might be as accident prone as it gets, but when push comes to shove they follow orders and they're willing to do what needs to be done, otherwise I'd think the entire outpost would have wanted to hang the two by now!"

The group was about to speak more of the events the day prior, but before they could, the radio on Sarah's waist started to emit the voice of Corporal Richards through its static laced speakers.

"*Hey Sarge, we have an incoming transmission from the scouts, Sabbag requested to speak to you directly, it sounds pretty urgent.*"

"Speak of the Devil!" said Francis. "What do you think they blew up this time?"

"I dunno, probably the last five-star restaurant in existence." Ahab joked. "Probably killed Nick's chances for a fancy chef in the process."

"Hey, y'all can't kill the dream." Nick replied playing along. "He's out there, and when we find him, he'll turn Roben's dogshit cooking into something edible.

Ignoring the banter of her subordinates, Sarah grabbed the small device and held it up to her mouth, pressing down on the button to talk.

"Copy that. Patch me through." She responded.

A few seconds passed as she waited for the men in the comms room to relay her call to the scouts, an endeavor that took very little time at all as the radio began to broadcast once more.

"*Hello? Sarge? Is that you? Can you hear me?*" the unmistakable voice of Sabbag replied with a frantic tone. 

"Affirmative, I read you Private, what's the situation?"

"*Thank God it's you Sarge', we have an emergency situation over here! It's Tim, he's gone! I've come into contact with some device, some, giant Archway, it's massive! *"

Sarah paused. She looked at the others. 

"Tim's dead?" she said to herself.

The table was silent, nobody wanted to believe it, and nobody wanted to say a word as it seemed that their lighthearted exchange from earlier had effectively been in both poor timing and in poor taste.

"*Sarge? Sarge! Do you read!!?*" Achmed yelled.

Sarah immediately snapped out of her train of thought and pressed the button on her radio once more.

"We read you. What's Pvt. Berfield's status, over?"

"*Uh.....MIA...........KIA? I don't know ma'am. This device, it...it pulled him in somehow, he's gone!*"

"What the hell is he going on about?" Sarah thought to herself before speaking."

"Say again, Sabbag? Did you say it pulled him in?"

"* YES! I KNOW IT SOUNDS CRAZY! BUT I'M TELLING YOU, IT PULLED HIM IN AND NOW HE'S GONE! This place......It's not a hospital, I think it's some sort of pre-war research facility! Advanced stuff, I haven't seen anything like it. Whatever it did to Tim, there's no trace of him left.*"

The yelling and static from the radio made her flinch, and apparently it was audible enough to warrant the entire attention of the mess hall. That along with Achmed's distressed tone made her aware that this was a conversation she needed to have one on one before undoubtedly rallying the men to move out. Leaving her uneaten meal on the table she walked out into the hallway without saying so much as a word. Save for a few men standing guard on opposing ends of the hall, the hallway was somewhat secluded as everyone was either on assignment or in the mess hall eating. Content that she could continue in relative privacy, she proceeded once more.

"Sabbag, I understand you're going through a lot right now, but I need you to pull your shit together, and tell me what exactly happened." she said with a stern voice.

Achmed calmed himself down, enough to stop screaming anyway.

"*Okay, let me start from the beginning then. Tim and I were searching that potential medical facility that's been on the maps for a month. When we got there we found a building with no supplies, no medical equipment, and no bodies. What we do end up finding is an elevator that went thirty floors down and had power. We...we decided to do a floor-by-floor sweep. We get to the bottom and see a huge steel bulkhead, and when we opened it up we found this huge room where this thing is housed. I was about to radio in before I got jumped on by a fucking lurker. I try throwing it off of me, but It slammed me into one of the computer consoles and I accidentally activated the device. I turned it off, but not before Tim got pulled into it. As of now, I'm running solo, requesting immediate assistance, gridpoint Sierra Whiskey 23611-Niner.*"

There was a period of silence. From his stammered and tense voice she could tell he was unsettled by whatever had happened. Whether or not Tim was killed as a result of this was troublesome, but secondary to the fact that this device had just become her top priority. Losing one man was bad, but losing two wasn't in her schedule for today.

"Copy that Sabbag, maintain your current position and stay frosty, we're on our way, Bravo out!"

She placed the radio back on her belt where it had previously been. She returned to the mess hall, where no one had bothered to sit back down. Counting those in attendance, she had a total of 11 at her disposal, finding that to be more than enough to secure a building, thus prompting her to relay the order.

"Get your to-go boxes boys, we're rolling out! Harris! Mammadova! Get Bravo and Charlie squads geared up and ready to depart!  Nazif, Stanson! Get to the garage and gas up 3 of the Humvees, we're moving out in 5!" she ordered before turning her attention to the three she had been sitting with. "You three, with me!"

"Yes Ma'am!" the three said saluting as they followed their senior officer to the barracks to get geared up.





Sarah and her squad led the convoy of Humvees down the decimated roads of the Autobahn. The trip went relatively unimpeded, giving her time to contemplate what Achmed had shared over the radio. She couldn't help but feel responsible for what had apparently happened, she sent them there on the assumption that it would be a quick in-and-out mission, a simple search and scavenge in the safest of the European regions. Now one of her men was probably dead, or at least MIA, with no means of getting him back. Sarah vowed to be more diligent in the future. As the convoy approached the given gridpoint, the building that was thought to be a hospital came into view. Much like the scouts who had preceded them, they took note that the front entrance was blocked off. 

"Front's a no-go, they probably went around back." said Nick, who was currently operating the 50. Cal.

The convoy began to move once more, circling around to the back of the building and sure enough, there assumptions were proven right by the sight of the Ural.

"There's the truck, but where's Sabbag?" asked Francis.

"They probably went inside, they were on a mission, Francis." retorted Ahab.

Sarah grabbed for the radio and turned the dial to a local frequency.

"Convoy, full stop." said Sarah. 

Francis who had been driving, immediately stepped on the breaks, bringing the vehicle and those behind it to a complete stop. Sarah reached for her radio again, switching to the frequency Achmed had used, and pressing the talk button.

"Sabbag, come in."

There was a slight delay, but the silence didn't last very long when Achmed answered.

"*This is Sabbag, go ahead?*"

"Sabbag, we're at the back of the building, we have visual on your Ural transport, but none on you, report your position in the building, over."

"*Roger, I'm still inside, thirty floors below ground level, ma'am.*"

"Shit, hope we don't have to dig our way down." mouthed Francis.

Sarah rolled her eyes at Francis' stupid joke and proceeded to finish her communication with Achmed.

"Copy that, Sabbag, stand by, we'll take the elevator and be there shortly, Martinez out." 

And with that she switched the channel on her radio back to the squad's frequency, pressing the transmit button again.

"All squads dismount!" Sarah ordered.

As soon as the words left her lips, the doors opened on all the vehicles as her men dismounted, weapons at the ready. Before she herself did the same, Sarah grabbed her M4, inspecting the left side of its weathered receiver where the name "Vera" had been etched into its surface probably well before the Survivors had formed. She had this gun since she left basic training ten years ago, and it had seen her through thick and thin. She only wished she wouldn't have to use it today, but if she did, whatever was at the receiving end was going to have a bad time of it.

"Show time, girl!" she said with pride, and exited the driver’s seat.

"Charlie squad! Stay here and guard the Humvees. Able, Bravo, you're with me!" she relayed.

Charlie squad complied, spreading out to cover a wider area while Bravo and Able squads accompanied their Sergeant into the building. As they entered through the back exit, they were greeted to the same large storage room that Tim and Achmed had been through earlier. They began their trek through the building's interior, checking corners and hallways while on their guard. The task had been carried out quietly up until the point where Nick broke the silence.

"Is it just me, or does Achmed sound like he's off his meds? I mean he talked about an "Archway" that sucked Tim into it. What are we to make of that exactly?" 

"Archway, huh? I bet they probably found the last remaining McDonald's down there, probably devouring a mountain of delicious Big Macs as we speak! God knows that suck me in too!" said Francis to Nick.

"Hey Nick," Ahab asked, playing along with Francis, "You want a milkshake while were down there?"

By now both Able and Bravo were practically about to burst out laughing, with the exception of their Sergeant, growing irritated that Francis would be joking at a time like this.

"First off, you guys are assholes, secondly, I was being serious."

"I got an idea," announced Sarah, "How about all of you shut the fuck up and pay attention. As for you Vanhart, Berfield's possibly dead and you want to begin with cracking jokes."

That got Francis to bite his lip down, and he apologized.

"Sorry, Sarge'." 

"All of you just focus on the mission at hand and look for an elevator, Sabbag said it was around here somewhere." Sarah ordered. "I don't know what he found or what happened to Berfield, but we're going to find out. So for the time being, stay focused and stop acting like dumbasses."

As they continued searching through the building, they quickly came to the same assessments of the scouts and noticed that this wasn't a hospital. Sarah took note of the absence of any patient rooms, medical equipment, wards, directional signs, and the severe lack of the deceased, dead giveaways. 

"All the data on this place pointed it to being a hospital, if it's not that then what is it? This place rubs me the wrong way." she thought to herself.

Eventually they came across the elevator Achmed was referring to and pressed the button to call for it. As it arrived a minute later and opened, they took notice that it wasn't big enough to hold the 9 men that made up both squads. Sarah quickly came to the decision that one of the squads would stay on the ground level.

"Corporal Harris, you and the rest of Bravo secure this floor, post a man at the elevator door, then break off into 2 two-man teams, one goes left, the other right."

"Yes Ma'am. You heard her. Delp, cover the door, Fadel, your with me, we'll take the left. Hamid and Nazif, take right."

As the men of Bravo squad carried out their task, Able entered the elevator pressing the button to the 30th floor. The doors closed and they felt a sharp inertia as they began to descend. As they did, Francis began to snicker. The rest of Able just looked at him, in which he immediately took notice.

"Sorry," he said with an amused smile, "I was just thinking how funny it be if I ripped out a fart right now."

The others just moaned in disgust, except Ahab who couldn't resist smiling. In contrast, Francis couldn't help himself and was laughing pretty hard.

"Hey Barkley, you'd like that, right?" he said with the biggest grin on his face.

"Dude, why do you always got be riding me!?" whined Nick

"Because you're the new guy and it's fun. Duh!" Francis retorted

"Oh god, Francis," said Ahab trying not to laugh, "Now's not the time."

"That's an understatement. It's like I have a toddler with guns under my command." stated Sarah. "For fuck's sake Vanhart, do you not even care that Tim could be dead?"

"He's not dead. Trust me, if mutants, raiders, explosions, or his own stupidity hasn't killed him by now, I doubt a McDonald's or whatever this thing is would do him in! I think-" 

He took notice that Sarah was looking at him with the death glare, the one that no doubt entailed a month long latrine duty if he didn't shut up right then and there.

"Eh.........on second thought I'll just save it for another time." he replied meekly.

It would have left on that note had Nick not broken the silence yet again.

"Francis, why the fuck would a McDonald's be 30 floors underground?!" asked Nick.

"Hey Barkley, guess what, it was sarcasm!" said Francis with a grin.

"Knock it off, dammit!" yelled Sarah. "And look alive, we're here."

Each of them raised their weapons as the doors opened. When they opened, the hall way with the heavily fortified bulkhead was what greeted them.

"Damn! Those are some big doors!" said Ahab.

"Definitely not the drive-through window." Francis quipped.

Sarah turned on her flashlight, and instructed the others to do the same. As they walked down the corridor, Sarah began to call out for Achmed. 

"Private Sabbag? You in here?"

At the end where the doors were slightly ajar, Achmed came sliding out and into view. Sarah let out a sigh of relief as she was glad to know that he was safe but still not forgetting that Tim was nowhere to be found. Achmed began to approach them and Sarah ordered the others to lower their weapons. When Achmed came up to them, he was breathing heavily, probably hyperventilating due to a panic attack.

"You.......you...made it!" he said, panting.

Sarah reached behind her and went for her canteen, upholstering it from the pouch on her belt and gesturing for Achmed to take a swig.

"You look like you need it, soldier." She replied bluntly.

Achmed nodded and took the canteen, taking a gulp or two down before handing it back to his CO.

"It's good to see that you're safe and sound, Sabbag." she said earnestly. "Now that we're here maybe you want to show us what exactly took Tim?"

Achmed, who looked half spooked and half confused, managed to control his breathing, and began to speak normally again.

"I don't think he's dead, Ma'am. I think he just vanished!" he said.

"Told you!" remarked Francis.

Sarah was just about fed up with Francis about now. But she had enough patience to keep herself from smacking him. 

"I believe you, but perhaps you'd like to show us what took him?" she asked.

Achmed turned towards the doors, head looking over his shoulder.

"Follow me." he said.

The squad followed him down the hall and past the heavily fortified bulkhead. When the group set foot inside, what they were left to gaze upon left them utterly speechless.

"That." he said plainly as he pointed towards it.

The whole group was silent, even Francis wasn't saying anything. As much as Sarah wanted to give into the urge to try and flip it on to go get her man, she knew better. Instead, she turned to Ahab, ready to give him a task that would no doubt garner the interest of the highest authorities.

"Corporal, get back to the outpost, take another man and one our Humvee and get a hold of New Damascus. We got something big here and they need to know it."

"Yes, ma'am." he said, running back towards the elevator without a moment's hesitation. 

"Wait, what about Tim?!" asked Achmed.

"I'm sorry but Tim's going to have to wait Achmed, at least for the time being. We need experts from the Science Branch if we're even going to have a chance of getting him back. If he's even still alive."

Achmed didn't want to wait as his friend might be in danger. But ultimately he knew she was right, as they didn't know the first thing about this device. The last time it was activated he unintentionally sent his friend to god knows where and didn't even know if they were capable of getting him back. Achmed was caught by surprise when he saw his Sergeant had placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, I know Tim's your best friend, but you need to be patient, we're not giving up on him." She assured him.

"I know Sarge', I know. I just hope he's safe."
> Chapter 6: The Human Interview
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Timothy Berfield is led by his newly acquainted escort, his inner mind begins to view Ponyville with amazement. This new world is perfect, a shining example of what every human has desired out of life. The group has now approached the front gate of Twilight's castle, while Tim stares at it with open eyes, Twilight begins to ponder just where their newfound guest came from.........





Tim gazed upon the crystalline structure with awe. He had never seen something so beautiful in his life. Every time he thought he had seen everything this world had to offer, something completely new took him by surprise. His escort however, stood there waiting for him to finish sightseeing, it was beginning to become a problem. Rainbow Dash let out a big sigh.

"Let me guess, you've never seen this before either?" asked a very impatient Rainbow Dash. 

"Not even once! It's like part crystal, part art piece." he said in excitement.

Even Twilight had to admit he had been making a lot of brief stops to look at things that she and the others considered trivial. She and her friends would of found it humorous, but only if it weren't scaring all the ponies in town. They didn't run away like the flower trio did, but Twilight assumed they probably would have if she and the others hadn't been keeping a close proximity to him.

"Sir, I see that this is all new to you, but we really do have some things to discuss." she said.

Tim turned his view from the castle and to her. He noticed that she was looking a bit irritated. He realized that she was wanting to ask him the questions she was promised, and it looked like he was killing time.

"You're right." he said disappointingly, "Sorry if I'm all giddy, it's just I never expected to ever see any of this stuff."

"Its fine, once we're inside and situated, we can talk." 

Twilight's horn lit up as she used her magic to open the large gate. A great purple aura covered the doors swinging them open, this in turn caught Tim by surprise. He'd never seen magic until just now and looked at Twilight with a frightened gaze. She looked back and was confused by the expression he was giving her.

"What?" she asked.

"W....what the hell was that?" he asked timidly.

She was confused at his statement at first, but then realized that he was referring to her magical abilities.

"My magic? You've never seen magic before?" she asked.

"Magic? You mean that shit's real? I thought it was made up."

"What!? No! Who told you that?!"

"My........" there was a pause in his sentence, followed by Tim letting out a sigh. "Nevermind, forget I asked."

The others just looked at him with a small tinge of confusion as he entered the castle. They all picked up that something had clearly made him uncomfortable.

"Was it something I said?" asked Twilight to her friends. Her friends only gave shrugs as they were unsure themselves.

As they entered Twilight's castle, they saw Tim waiting for them inside. Taking a gander at the abundance of possessions inside, though not nearly as vigorously as before. He would have commented on it if the others weren't in such a hurry. As Twilight approached him, she directed him up the staircase down towards the left hall. Twilight was growing weary of the many distractions he was getting sucked into, yet at the same time, she was curious as to what drove him to such awe when presented with such mundane things. 

When they took a right down another hallway and opened yet another pair of doors, they entered a room with a large round crystal table, with several large chairs that seemed to be made from the same material. Tim walked forward with the rest of the group, as each one took their designated seats. Once again Tim was impressed by what he was seeing, and was about to take his seat before he realized that there really wasn't a place for him to.

"Uhh…would there happen to be a seat for me?" he asked.

"Hmm? Oh! Hold on." said Twilight. Her horn began to glow again and burst of purple energy flared as a chair was summoned right next to Tim. He jumped for he still was unaccustomed to Twilight's magical abilities.

"GAH! Mind giving me a warning when ya' do that?"

"Sorry, the ponies around here are so used to it. Guess, it might take a while for you to adjust."

"Well as y'all already know, I ain't from around here, so take it easy on the magic, please."

"Which brings us to the question ...Huh? Did we ever get your name?"

The whole group suddenly realized that they had never even once asked for his name. They had been preoccupied with actually getting him to the castle without him having to stop and acknowledge something every five seconds. They never thought to ask.

"No, I don't think so." said Tim as he was taking his seat. "I don't think y'all ever asked." 

"How could we? You were taking forever looking at every little thing!" said an irritated Rainbow Dash.

"Well we're here now, so what is your name?" asked Twilight. Tim got a little more situated in his seat before answering. 

"My name's Timothy Berfield, but my friends just call me Tim, so I guess y'all can do the same."

"Ha! Tim!" laughed Pinkie Pie.

Taking that with a bit of insult, Tim was quick to rebuke. 

"What's wrong with Tim? Your name's Pinkie Pie for Pete's sake and that's the weirdest one out of you bunch!" Tim claimed.

"No! No! I'm not laughing at your name." Pinkie clarified. "It just sounds similar like a certain "diamond" Rarity found one time! I'm, Sorry."

Rarity was frowning and giving Pinkie Pie the most distasteful of glares.

"We all agreed that we were never to talk about that, Pinkie." she said.

"I don't get it? I'm guessing I had to be there?" Tim guessed.

"Forget about it, it's a long story." said Twilight. "Now Tim, I think I speak for the whole group when I ask this, but where did you come from, what's it like, and how did you get here?

The questions came to Tim simultaneously, and he contemplated whether he should tell them where he was from, which would in turn probably lead them to ask more questions which might lead him to spill important information about The Survivors. He had a duty to protect the last of Humanity when he joined the Militia, but he also couldn't do that duty if he was stuck here.

"I'll tell you what I can, but I can't tell you everything." Tim replied. "Please don't take that as a sign of hostility, it's just................the situation back home's not the best, and I took an oath to protect a lot of people I care about. One slip of the tongue could put them in very real danger. Not that I'm accusing y'all of anything, I just can't be as forthcoming as I'd like to be. I'm sorry."

The tone of his voice was sincere, so much so that the others could relate to that sense of duty. Yet something about his response made them feel a twinge of pity for him.

"Hey don't fret." said Applejack, "We can relate to that kind of commitment, you got a family?"

"No........not anymore."

The words cut deep within, and as far as Tim was concerned, there was no need to indulge further on that subject.

"I know what that's like." AJ replied. "I'm sorry for your loss sug', I really am."

"Its fine, happened a long time ago. But I got friends, they're my family now." Tim said.

He sat forward a little, placing his arms on the table. 

"Now to answer your question, I come from a place called Earth. As for what it's like, just imagine the complete opposite of here."

"So it’s filled with people who stop to look at stupid stuff every five minutes?" asked a sarcastic Rainbow Dash.

Tim wasn't laughing, in fact he was rather fed up with her little attitude towards him.

"No, smart-ass. Earth is a complete shit-hole, a barren wasteland where life is an up-hill battle on a day-to-day basis. Everything from the trees to the grass had been scorched to ash. Nothing can grow from the soil, the water is tainted, and food is hard to come by. The sky's always grey or brown, and when we're not fighting the conditions of the land, we're fighting the monsters that inhabit it."

The main six found these sort of living conditions completely atrocious. It was unfathomable, what kind of world would be devoid of any sort natural necessities or plant life.

"How can you live in a place like that, Tim?" asked Fluttershy. 

Tim was a little more polite towards Fluttershy, after all she was the first one to stand up for him, so he owed her on that one.

"Well, we really don't have a choice, the whole planets like that. Wasn't always the case though. I'm told that at one time it used to be....well, kinda like this place in some ways."

"What happened to it?" asked Rainbow Dash, whose interest in hearing Tim's story had suddenly peaked.

"Can't tell ya' the whole story, but that's cause' we don't entirely know it. Lot of history was lost during the fighting. Apparently the nations of the world couldn't get along for some reason. I don't know what it was about, I was born well after it started, all I know is that they ended up fighting each other and that it lasted for decades. Ended up killing the planet, and a lot of good people. We call it, The Conflict."

Death on a massive scale wasn't something the ponies of Equestria had ever experienced, not even once. To make it worse, hearing that the massive death tolls were caused by his own species made it unrelatable to them. There were only a handful of wars that took place during Equestria's history, as most conflicts were resolved peacefully in their world. The main six were left completely speechless.

"Who would ever, EVER, be willing to destroy their own world for sake of, ANYTHING! What kind of monsters could stoop to that level." Twilight said in her mind. But she was so disturbed after what she heard, she could barely speak out her thoughts.

"Your kind.......destroyed each other?" Twilight uttered.

Tim sat silently for a moment, taking the time to read the room. This was a hard subject for him, he lost his entire family to The Conflict, and he was only a child when that happened, he wasn't accustomed to talking about it to anyone. Everybody back home had went through hell during the war, everyone had an experience similar to his. They knew how bad it was, but nobody here did. He then looked up at Twilight.

"Yes........and no." he replied.

"What do you mean?" asked Applejack.

"About twenty years ago, three factions of soldiers that were all ordered to fight one another decided to stop killing each other and call it quits. They were sick of fighting, sick of war. Their commanders and leading officers all met at the center of the battlefield, and agreed to form an alliance. Its goal would be to find any remaining survivors in the world by whatever means necessary. From that moment on, humanity stuck together, as not many people survived the war."

"Just how many died?" asked Rarity.

"Billions." answered Tim solemnly.

Each of them contemplated the number. The worst war in Equestria's long history didn't even come close to that toll.

"Billions? How......how......is that even possible?" asked Rainbow Dash, who now had a new view of Tim.

"Messed up people make messed up things, and seem to have no remorse using them." said Tim. He looked around the table, the expressions he was receiving were along the lines of scared.

"They must not have wars very often, this story seems to be scarin' them. I better clarify that I'm not gonna hurt anyone." thought Tim.

"Y'all don't have worry about me, most humans don't kill each other no more. I never had any part in the war either, lest being a victim counts."

Twilight cleared her thoughts for a moment to speak.

"Tim we're not scared of you, w-" 

"I am!" interrupted Rainbow Dash.

This made Twilight a little mad, and confused. She was mad seeing that her friend was so distrustful of their new guest. But she was confused, because of Rainbow Dash being known for a lack of fear. 

"Rainbow! How can you say that!" objected Twilight.

"How can you not?! Did you just hear him, his kind destroyed each other and his entire world. He might be dangerous!"

Tim was legitimately angry now. He had enough insulting remarks out of this pegasus.

"I just said I didn't have any part in it!" he yelled. "And if I'm so dangerous, why did you try to attack me first back at that gazebo place?! Well!?"

"Please, everypony! Just calm down." said Rarity. "Tim, while I do not think you are a danger to anypony, the story you just told us was rather unsettling."

"Have y'all never had a war? I know that they're terrible, but I'm just wondering, when was your last conflict."

Twilight began to recall the many history lessons she took while she was still in school. The most prominent war they ever touched in school was the Equine-Griffon War, but that only lasted less than a year and had a total casualty count of 60 ponies and 71 griffons. It ended when Celestia and Luna made peace with the griffons, which eventually turned to a peaceful relationship that's lasted for ages. 

"The worst war I can think of off the top of my head was the Equine-Griffon War, but it happened thousands of years ago, and maybe about 130 lives lost."

"That's it, 130? That ain't a war, that's a battle."

Rainbow Dash now was out of her chair and flying above the table, facing towards her friends.

"You see what I mean!? What if he came here to do the same thing to our world!? And we haven't even asked what that thing is." she yelled.

"Rainbow, that's enough!" yelled Applejack with a hoof smacking down on the table. Rainbow felt a little guilty now. If Applejack, her best friend, was telling her to stop like that, it meant she was taking it too far.

"I'm sorry," she said as she flew back towards her seat. "But I'm just worried, if anything were to happen to you guys, I don't I could live with myself."

Tim's anger turned into admiration when he heard that. He realized that her sudden outburst was out of loyalty to protect her friends, rather than a hate for him. He could relate entirely. It reminded him of the loyalty he had to protect Achmed, Sarge', and the rest of his comrades in 3rd Company.

"I get it." he said, "You don't wanna see your friends get hurt, I know what that's like. But I can assure you I have no intention on bringing a war to your people, or your friends. Besides, I doubt one human can destroy the entire world by himself."

Rainbow Dash didn't respond, she obviously wasn't fond of his humor, but instead she nodded in acknowledgement.

"Now that that's over, guess I'll fill ya' in on how I got here." he said. "Me and my buddy, Achmed, we were searchin' for some medical supplies in the ruins of what we thought might have been a hospital. Suffice to say, it wasn't."

"What was it?" asked Fluttershy.

"I'm not entirely sure. But whatever it was, somethin' big was going on down in the floors below. We found an elevator that still had workin' power, and we were gonna search the whole place floor by floor. Well we get to the bottom, and there's this hallway with a big set of steel doors that were slightly open. Me and my buddy walk through, and lo and behold, was this big device that was shaped like an arch. Had wires, tubes, and computers all over it. A-"

"Computer? What's a computer?" interrupted Pinkie Pie.

"It's some sort of machine thingy from before the war, anyway, Achmed was about to call in when this mutant got the jump on him and started-"

"I'm sorry, darling, but what exactly is a mutant?" asked Rarity

"Those monsters I was talking about? We call em' mutants. They used to be animals or humans who got so jacked up from the war that they turned into these deformed monsters that'll attack ya' on sight. Hey listen, I know y'all got your questions, but try to refrain from any more till I'm done."

They all took note of that and let him continue his story.

"This thing got the jump on my buddy Achmed, and clung' to his back, clawing at his head and face. He starts screamin' and I turn and see what's going on, I try to help, see if I can try to shoot the thing off of him, but I'm too far away, I didn't want to hit Achmed by mistake. But before I could get closer to help him, the thing smashed him into one of the control panels, activating whatever that device was behind me. Next thing I know, I'm being pulled in by it, unable to anchor myself down on anything. I lost my grip and got sucked in. Must of hit something really hard on the way in though, cause' I can't remember anything after that, other than waking up. When I came to I was in that forest y'all were mentioning earlier." 

Whatever he's talking about sounds really advanced, it's possible that their technology must be superior to ours. Twilight thought to herself.

"I'm guessing you can't use the same method to get back?" she asked.

"Well, that's just it, when I woke up, there was only the forest. No device, and no other humans to be found. I came to this town lookin' for help. I don't know how to get back, so I thought maybe you do."

He now looked at all of them, and sighed.

"Look, I know I've made my home sound all shitty, and made my species sound horrible, but I really need your help. This is my home were talkin' about, and as much as I think this place is great, I still have friends that need me, like y'all need each other. So, would you help a human get home?"

Twilight and her friends were unsure what to make of this. Half of the things he spoke of were completely foreign to them. Devices, computers, panels, and whatnot. Not to mention what he said about his species' tendency towards violence was still lingering in her mind. Twilight saw that he was in need. She wanted to help him, but she also needed to proceed with a careful decision.

"Tim, would you mind staying here while my friends and I talk in private?" asked Twilight.

"Not at all. Go ahead, take your time."

Twilight and the others all got up and exited into the hall, while Tim remained seated, watching them exit. Once each of them was out of the room entirely, Twilight used her magic to close the doors shut. Once they were closed they began to speak their minds.

"I can't believe this is happening. An alien from another world is asking for our help? How can we even help him? CAN we even help him?" asked Twilight.

"I feel sorry the poor thing, growing up in a world like that, it sounds awful." said Fluttershy sympathetically.

"It explains the way he was acting before." Applejack added.

"The guy's species sounds dangerous, but he sounds like a nice guy. A little loose in the head maybe, but nice." said Spike.

"Twilight, dear. I have to ask, do you have any sort of magical knowledge that could help him get back?" asked Rarity.

"I'm not sure." said Twilight. "The way he talked about it, it sounds like he came through a portal of some kind."

"Is that something you can do Twilight?" asked Fluttershy.

"It's possible, I don't know any particular spell that does something like that, but I could probably find one in the library, and as an Alicorn I could perform it if it were one of the more advanced forms of spell casting."

"He seems to be desperately wanting to go back, but if his world's like he says it is, I don't see why he would want to." said Applejack.

"I'm with AJ, why is he even asking to go back? Why not just stay here if he loves it so much? Something seems off." asked Rainbow Dash.

"I got the notion that he maybe wants to go back and see if his friends are okay. If I were in his shoes, I'd do the same." replied Applejack.

"We have to help him, what kind of ponies would we be if we turned him away?" asked Fluttershy.

"When you put it like that, I'd say Jerk Ponies." said Pinkie Pie.

"Fluttershy's right," stated Twilight. "We all symbolize the elements of harmony and friendship, and it's our duty to help those in need, and that includes him."

The group knew she was right, not to mention that it was coming from the mouth of the Princess of Friendship. They were all content on helping this stranger from another world, Rainbow Dash included. The group huddle was adjourned. Twilight opened the doors, and they each lined up under the doorway. Tim stood up from his seat to face their presence.

"Tim." said Twilight.

"Yes?"

"We talked about what you asked of us, and yes, we'll see if we can get you back home."

Tim let out a great sigh of relief. 

"I can't thank y'all enough, I know ya' have your doubts about me, but I hope in time I can put them to rest."

"If we're going to find a way for you to get back home, Tim, we'll first have to see what we can find in my library. Perhaps there's a spell that can help you."

"Oh great more of your magic." he said with dread. "Wait? Your library? You got one all to yourself?"

"I sure do, it's kind of my thing. I absolutely love reading books and learning new things!" 

"No foolin'? I like books too, always loved readin' when I was a kid."

That caught Twilight's attention, she was always a fan of those who enjoyed reading for fun.

"Really, how often do you do it?" she asked eagerly.

"Oh great here we go." whispered Spike to himself.

"Oh, I haven't read a book in 15 months!" said Tim, "They're ain't a lot of books where I'm from. Most of them got destroyed during the war, so we like to keep the ones we still have in one place so they don't get damaged. We're open to read them, but only if we read them where they're stored, can't take them out of the building under any circumstance. I'm never really there enough to get any heavy readin' done, but I always stop by when I get the chance."

"Even literature didn't make it in his world, what exactly did they do to each other?" Twilight wondered to herself. "If I have the time, I may want to speak with Tim in detail about his species, his world. So many questions I want him to answer. More knowledge is always good, right?"
> Chapter 7: Emergency Session
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning has dawned in New Damascus, as an emergency call from the Berlin Sector comes in, informing the communications office of the discovery that was made. It is 0800 when an officer races to inform Andrew Sawyer, Councilor and Commander in Chief of the Militia, the news, as all events of major importance are to be reported to him and the other four Councilors..............





Andrew was sitting at the table of his home in the south district of New Damascus. The house was little more than hut really, scraped together with various materials used to create the walls and roofing over their heads while the rest of the house was once previously a portion of a much bigger building. He, his wife, Jessica, and his four year old son, Jacob, were all sitting down, enjoying breakfast when Andrew noticed that his son wasn't eating and instead seemed to be scribbling something down on a scrap of paper. He leaned over to get a better look at it. The paper looked to be a drawing, depicting what resembled to be their home and three figures standing in front, which he assumed were supposed to represent the three of them. They were archaic and disproportionate, as to be expected from the craft of a four-year old.

"What's that, Jake?" Andrew asked with a smile.

His son instantly stopped drawing to acknowledge his father. With an eager look, he grabbed the paper, turning it around to show his parents what he had made.

"I made a picture!" he said, his voice filled with innocence. "Mrs. Tanaka wanted us draw pictures of our families, that's you Mommy, and this is you, Daddy, you're next to me!"

Andrew and Jessica couldn't resist smiling while their son was pointing to each of them. Such innocence was precious in the world as it was. However he noticed something off in the figure placement.

"Why's Mommy all the way on the other side of the page?"

"My friend, Tyler. He says girls have cooties!"

Jessica and Andrew giggled at the statement.

"Cooties, huh?" he said smiling. "Then I'm guessing you don't like it when me and Mommy do this?"

He leaned over to Jessica with lips puckered, she in turn, returned the favor, and the two partook in an over-dramatic kiss, getting the desired reaction out of their son. He had his hands covering his eyes and was swaying his head back and forth profusely.

"Eck!" he said in disgust, with his tongue sticking out for good measure.

His parents turned away from their kiss and back towards him, with Jessica getting up from her seat and walking around the table to her son. She crouched down beside him, gently taking the picture from his hands.

"It's absolutely wonderful, Jake. Thank you." she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Now, while I go hang this up in the living room, you get to finish your breakfast! When you’re done you can grab your book-bag and I'll walk you to school."

Jake complied and finally began to dig into the bowl of oatmeal that was in front of him.

"Make sure you eat all of it, Jake." said Andrew. "Don't let any go to waste."

Andrew knew that Jacob was getting a little sick of oatmeal, but he wanted to make sure that he was eating enough every day. Thankfully, Jake managed to eat through it all rather quickly. 

"Daddy, can we have something else for breakfast tomorrow?" asked Jacob.

"I'm sorry buddy, I don't get to really choose what we get to eat."

"But Mommy says you're a councilor, can't you ask the food people for something else?"

"Yes, but even I have to follow the rules like everyone else. No pickings. We get what we get-"

"And we don't throw a fit." said Jacob, finishing his father's sentence.

"That's right." he said cheerfully.

Jessica came back in the room after hanging the drawing on what they liked to call, "The Family Collection". Just one side of the living room wall dotted with the few treasured photos, documents, and mementos they owned.

"All finished, Jake?" she asked, noticing his bowl was now empty.

Jacob nodded his head. His mother took up the dish and placed in a tub for it to be washed later.

"Alright Jake, go get your bag and get ready for school."

As Jacob left the table and went to his room to get his things, Jessica sat by her husband at the table.

"So, what does my esteemed commander have in store for today?" she asked with curiosity. 

"Well, I thought since my next meeting with the council isn't until next week and I've read over every report at my desk last night, that I'd stop by the warehouse and count inventory, been needing to do that for awhile now."

"What about the supply shortage?"

"I've done everything I possibly can, Jess. Priority orders for the Militia now are to scout out locations that might yield the supplies we need. Hospitals, supermarkets, et cetera. Problem is, a lot of these places have been completely picked clean. That, or whatever was in them got destroyed during the war."

"Any sort of plan for the long run?"

"Science branch is working with the Agricultural branch on some sort of new farming technique, but it's only in the development stages."

"Well that's some good news at least." she said with relief.

Andrew however knew that her relief was misplaced. The project seemed to be meeting disastrous results for months. The soil was just too irradiated to make any sort of progress, but he preferred to leave his wife on a good note today.

"So, you'll just be counting up all the tanks we have scrounged up over the years?" she asked. "That doesn't sound like much work."

"It's not just the tanks, it's all the vehicles we have. Tanks, APCs, IFVs, planes, helicopters, guns, artillery, trucks, and all the fuel, ammo, and replacement parts that come with them. A lot of counting and a lot boredom required."

Even though Andrew was the leader of the Militia, and one of the five councilors, he still had to do his part by doing some of the menial day-to-day tasks that were required of the others in society, all the councilors did. Being councilor never meant you got any special privileges or luxuries, their duty was to aid and represent the people, not rule them.

"Boring, huh?" said Jessica.

Jessica motioned over to him, her arms now hanging over his shoulders, her face now close to his, and with a devilish grin on her face.

"Well, maybe after you get back tonight and Jake's in bed asleep, we can have a little fun of our own to combat that boredom?"

He himself was now aroused and smiling deviously. 

"Oh, I would love that." he said, giving her a kiss of affection.

"With that little notion in mind, I look forward to the end of my day. Besides, with what's happening, I'll take boring over busy, any day." he said.

But before he could say another word to his wife, a loud knock came from their front door, followed by a faint voice calling, "Commander Sawyer." Andrew's expression turned from optimistic to dreadful at the sudden disturbance. A knock this early only meant one thing, the Council.

"Me and my goddamn mouth." he scowled.

Jessica now was off of her husband to let him answer the door. Andrew got up from his seat and walked to open the front door to see what the Council wanted from him this time. When he opened the door, it was Lieutenant Makhanya, a man of his own Militia, who greeted him, which was unexpected. Most of the time when the Council needed him to do something they sent one of the messengers from the Peace and Justice branch. The man stood at attention and gave a salute.

"Sir." he said.

"Lieutenant." He said, returning the salute. "What's this about? Why are you here so early?"

"You need to come with me at once, sir. The Council has been called into emergency session."

"What for?" Andrew asked.

"I can't say here sir, it will be explained once we've reached the Council Building."

Andrew wasn't at all expecting this, the Council rarely called for emergency session, he figured it must be something big. He let out a sigh.

"Alright, give me a few minutes to get ready.

"Yes, sir. I'll be waiting by the car." he said. And with that he returned to his vehicle.

Andrew shut the door and turned around to grab the things he needed, passing Jessica and entering their bedroom. In the corner of the room stood a small, beat-up, plastic chest. He opened it to grab the two badges of office he required for official council meetings. An old green beret, with the Survivor's seal sewn on it, five arms arranged in a pentagon, grasping one another by the wrist. 





And lastly, an old holster belt, with an M1911 strapped into it. As Andrew donned the beret and fastened the belt around his waist, Jacob and Jessica entered the room. Andrew turned around to greet the two.

"Hey, Jake." he said with a smile. "All ready for school?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Give Daddy a hug and kiss goodbye, I've gotta go."

He hugged his son, and gave him a kiss on the cheek, sending him on his way. He then transitioned over to his wife giving her third, but quickest, kiss this morning.

"Hey." she said, placing a hand on his chest. "You try and have a good day, okay?"

"I'll try. I'll see you and Jake later tonight."

And with that Andrew was out of the house and making his way down to the vehicle waiting for him.





Andrew and the Lieutenant drove for about half an hour when they reached the gates of the Council Building. Formerly, it was known as the Presidential Palace of the Syrian President, and being that it was one of the few buildings that was still standing when Damascus got hit in 2054, The Survivors saw it as the ideal place for the heart of their new government. Inside, housed the council meeting chambers, the Science Branch's research lab, The Militia's intelligence network and communication center, and the Preservation Branch's archives. For twenty years this building has served as a beacon of hope for humanity, proving that even in the aftermath of nuclear war, they could band together, and still progress.

The car drove under the main gateway and up the road to the front entrance of the structure. As he exited the vehicle, Lieutenant Makhanya walked beside him. After passing the front doors, they entered the Atrium area, which at the moment was bustling with various people heading to and fro, attending to their own schedules.

"Sir, I have to inform you that the meeting is taking place in the communications room." said the Lieutenant.

"The Comms room? We getting a call?"

"Yes sir, live feed communication from Berlin. Very urgent."

Andrew was left pondering what might have happened. His previous worry was that supplies had finally run dry, but if the emergency was in Berlin it had nothing to do with the shortage. Last he read about that sector was that it was getting easier and easier to traverse through. That, and a report of two men trying to launch a pressure cooker into space, which he found strange. But other than that, nothing really big happened around that area. As the two climbed up the staircase and took a right down a hallway, they were greeted by two guards at the entrance to the communication room. They both gave a salute to their superiors. Both Andrew and the Lieutenant returned a salute, and were given entry as the two guards opened the doors for them. Inside was the Communications room, one of the last places on Earth that still had working computers. Along the walls of the room stood multiple server racks, each one used for communication with the multiple, outposts, forts, and forward operating bases that now dotted the wasteland. Without them the survivors would have never been able to reach out as far as they had. Inside sat the comms officers at their designated monitors, and of course stood the rest of the Council, who seemed to have been waiting for Andrew's arrival.

"Councilor Sawyer, it is good to see you could make it." said Councilor Patel.

Councilor Patel was representative of the branch of Peace and Justice. She had been at this position for about 12 years, and she became well respected within The Survivors community. However, she was an extremely stubborn negotiator, and always seemed to be at odds with Andrew when it came to decision making.

"Councilors. You maybe want to tell me what happened in Berlin?"

The Councilors looked at one another, then back to Andrew.

"Perhaps you should ask the men in Berlin what happened, he's refused to give us any information until your arrival." she said.

Andrew looked to his Lieutenant, who in turn starting informing one of his men, in Afrikaans, to bring up the live feed. Once he was done, he pointed to a television monitor hanging on the wall. It had a video camera at its top. 

"Communication received, sir." said one of the computer operators. "Live feed should commence shortly."

As Andrew looked at the screen it began to flicker on. Once the picture had come in decently enough he stepped forward into the camera's angle. On the screen was an Arabic man, with a chin strap beard and a shemagh wrapped around his head like a skullcap. He gave a salute, indicating he was receiving the live feed on his end.

"Commander Sawyer, sir!"

Andrew returned with a salute of his own.

"At ease, soldier. Name, rank, and unit?"

"Corporal Ahab Al-Kindi, sir, 3rd Motorized Infantry Company."

Andrew found it odd that the commanding officer wouldn't be the one he was speaking with, as it was customary to do so when addressing the Council. 

"Where's your CO, Corporal?"

"She's currently assessing the situation at hand, sir."

"Corporal, what exactly happened over there?"

Ahab cleared his throat as he began to relay the story.

"Two of our men, Private Timothy Berfield and Private First Class Achmed Sabbag, had been ordered to scavenge medical supplies from what we thought was a pre-war hospital. Suffice to say it wasn't. According to Private Sabbag, the building they were searching was some sort of research facility. He also noted that it still had working power, and an elevator shaft that led thirty floors underground."

“Holy shit, that sounds like a pretty big find already, must have its own generators.” thought Andrew. 

He looked over to the other councilors who at the moment were waiting patiently, with the exception of Councilor Bradford, representative of the branch of Science, who looked eager to hear more of the news. 

"Continue on, son." announced Andrew.

"The two decided to perform a floor-by-floor search of the facility starting from the 30th floor. When they reached the bottom, they discovered some sort of large arch-like device. They were about to radio in to inform our CO of the discovery, when Private Sabbag was attacked by an unseen mutant behind him. In the confusion that followed, Private Sabbag unintentionally activated it. He managed to deactivate it shortly afterwards, but not before Private Berfield seemed to have been, as he put it, "sucked in" by the device. Since then, Private Berfield's whereabouts are currently unknown."

Andrew and the others were silent.

“What the hell did they find?” Andrew thought to himself. 

He had worked with the little bits of advanced technology leftover from the war, but nothing like what was being described here. It didn't sound like a weapon, but rather like something out of science fiction movie.

"Say that again, Corporal, you said he was "sucked in?"

"Yes, sir. After the incident, Private Sabbag contacted our CO requesting backup. When we arrived, we linked up with Sabbag, and proceeded into the room where the device was being held. It looks like one serious piece of hardware. My CO instructed me to return to the outpost and inform you and the rest of the Council of it."

Andrew started getting a feeling of curiosity. He then made an impulsive move.

"Corporal, inform your CO to take as many men as she needs and secure that building. Collect everything you can from it, documents, equipment, everything. Search the remaining floors and have everything prepared for my arrival."

The other councilors were shocked! He had just made the sudden decision to leave New Damascus without any of their consent. Even Ahab, was shocked by his sudden move he had just made, it's not every day the commander of your own armed forces stops by for a visit.

"Uh...understood, sir. Outpost Bravo, out." 

And with that the feed cut out, returning to being once more just a black screen. When Andrew turned around, the expressions he received were mixed. If looks could kill, Councilor Patel was practically firing an M16 in Andrew's direction. Councilor Bradford seemed to be the only one not really fazed too much from the sudden decision, in fact it kind of looked like he was subtly smiling. The other two Councilors, Schafer and Yeong, looked more confused than angry. Andrew decided that the comms room really wasn't the best place to have this conversation.

"Let's continue this session in the meeting room, shall we?"





The meeting room was usually a place where cool heads would prevail. But in today's case, this wasn't true. The five councilors sat at a large round table, to discuss the reasoning for Andrew's sudden and unexpected decision to leave.

"You want to leave at a time like this!" shouted Councilor Patel. "Have you forgotten that you have duties to perform here, Commander?!"

"I'm very well aware of my responsibilities Councilor, I don't need you reminding me." he said with a stern, yet calm tone.

"Commander, we are suffering from shortages in everything and you want to take an excursion to look at this thing your men stumbled upon by chance?"

"Well I for one don't see any sort of issue at all." stated Councilor Bradford. "In fact, I want to accompany Councilor Sawyer to see this marvel for myself. This is sounding like a discovery for the history books!"

"That won't be possible if we're all dead from starvation, now will it?!" she declared.

"She has a point." said Councilor Yeong. "We've been rationing as much as we can without stooping down to ridiculous portions. But at the current rate, we'll run out, and soon!"

"Councilor Patel, Councilor Yeong. Bradford and I are very well aware of the shortages and we are doing everything in our power to help alleviate this crisis. But the fact remains that a new technology has been discovered. Not to mention, one of my men is currently MIA because of this thing." said Andrew.

"You're willing to put multiple lives at risk, for the sake of one man?" asked Patel.

"Nobody's going to die if I take a look at this thing, are they? So what exactly is the problem?"

"The Problem, Commander, is that you have a responsibility in New Damascus, keeping order in the city in case something happens."

He could see where she was coming from. When food and water finally did run out, there was going to be hell to pay. New Damascus could possibly have to deal with mass riots, which probably wouldn't end well for any of them. But the shortage was being dealt with professionally, Bradford had assured them that the shortage wouldn't see any real critical levels until late into next year.

"Councilor Patel, I'm sure New Damascus can survive my absence for a few days. I'd like to oversee the operation myself, and as Commander of the Militia, it's within my power to do so."

"I can understand if Bradford went over to take a look at it, but what's your stake in it?"

Andrew couldn't really answer that. The decision was made on an impulse. Something just kept telling him he needed to see this thing himself. He didn't know what it even did. But he came up with an answer regardless.

"Call it a hunch, but I believe that this thing might be able help us somehow. And secondly, if my men are the ones who discovered it and have been effected by it, I always have a stake in it."

She didn't take that comment kindly. It was surprising that the two had never come to blows or violence, and both prayed it would stay that way.

"A hunch? That's what you’re basing your decision on? A hunch?"

"Enough of this bickering!" announced Councilor Schafer.

"Supply shortages aside, one of our duties as the last of humanity is to preserve whatever we can, that includes technology. This device sounds like something we could use to our advantage. I say let Sawyer and Bradford take a look at it. Bradford, can you assemble a science team to accompany you, yes?"

"I can get everyone and everything we need, together" he said.

"Very good. Sawyer, I assume you'll arrange transport?"

"I can have a C-130 on the airstrip ready to go by tomorrow morning."

"Good, it's settled. Sawyer and Bradford will depart tomorrow morning at the most readily available time. Now with that said, I can safely agree that this session is adjourned?"

The Councilors gave each other nods of approval, even Patel, who seemed to be dissatisfied with the outcome.

"I thought so, Council adjourned."

With that, they all got up from their seats and exited the room, however before Andrew could do the same, Councilor Patel came over to him.

"Commander, a word in private, if I may."

Andrew saw this as most unusual, as he never talked with her before in private. He saw that the room had been emptied, leaving them the only two people in the room.

"What is it Councilor?"

"I know it seems like I'm always trying to challenge you, but I don't hate you. I just think you don't think things through. I'm not here to persuade you to stay, but I just wanted to let you know that we need each other if this council is going to survive. I need you to work with me every once in a while, and in turn I will do the same for you. I thought I'd just let that out."

Andrew had thought that was surprisingly friendly of her, considering how it was coming from his Council rival. He had to admit, that without her he'd probably be labelled a dictator, considering he was commander of the Militia, he'd have more power than the rest of the Council. As he thought about it more, he strangely got the urge to comply.

"I have to admit, we get more things accomplished when we're on the same page. And I'm just as worried about the shortage as you are, remember, I have a little boy back home. I don't wish to see him, or anyone else go hungry."

"Then you see why I was pressuring you to stay." 

"I do, and with no hard feelings towards it. Alright Councilor, you have a deal. Next time I'll try to be more lenient towards your side of the argument."

She smiled slightly.

"Thank you, Commander. I wish you a safe travel."

And with that she left the room. Leaving Andrew to the task of arranging a transport to Berlin.





Later that evening, Andrew returned home. After a morning of scheduling a flight for him and Bradford's science team, and an afternoon of informing all personnel that would be leaving tomorrow, he was ready for that fun, Jessica had promised. As he was dropped off and walked up to the door, and entered his home. Jessica just got done cleaning dishes from the day when she noticed her husband's arrival.

"Hey sweetheart." she said with affection, welcoming him home with a kiss.

The two went into the living room to sit down on the old couch, to talk about the day's events.

"How was today's session?"

"Surprising, to say the least. The men stationed in Berlin seemed to have found some sort of new technology that looks important."

"Ooh! Sounds like Bradford's going to have fun with that-"

"I'm going too, Jess."

She looked at him with astonishment in her eyes.

"You're leaving? When?"

"Tomorrow morning, I have a plane scheduled to leave at 0600."

"Why?"

"Something about this is seems way too important to ignore, Jess. I got a gut feeling about it, I want to see it for myself. It may be nothing but, I have to know for sure."

"I......don't know what to say, how long will you be gone?"

"Hopefully less than a week. Don't worry, you'll see me again soon."

She just looked at him with a worried look. She cared for his well-being and a week-long vacation out in the Wasteland didn't sound safe to her.

"If you think it's best."

He caught that she was getting worried.

"Hey, listen. Berlin is one of the safer regions in the wastes, the mutants have practically cleared out of the area. Plus I'll have an entire company of soldiers at my side the whole time. I'll be safe."

"Okay. Just, don't do anything dangerous, please. You know it'll scare the hell out of me."

That made Andrew chuckle.

"Don't worry Jess, you know very well my fighting days are over."

With that, their son Jacob came into the room, garbed in his pajamas. 

"Daddy?"

Andrew got up from the couch, and whisked his son into his arms.

"Hey kiddo, what are you doing up, it's late."

"Guess he heard you come in." said Jessica.

"Come on, let's get you back into bed."

With that his father walked a short distance into his room, gently setting his son on the bed, and covering him up with the blankets.

"Daddy, where are you going?" He asked with tired eyes.

Andrew figured he must have overheard their conversation.

"Daddy's got to go somewhere for a while. But don't worry, I'll be back."

"Okay." yawned Jacob. "Goodnight Daddy."

"Goodnight buddy."

And with that he gave his son a quick kiss on the forehead and closed his door shut. He went back to the living room where Jessica was still sitting. He sat down next to her once more.

"So." she asked with devious intent. "You ready to combat boredom?"

"But the night is so young." He said sarcastically.

The two began to giggle, as they got up and went to their bedroom. Once inside, Andrew took off the beret and slipped off his belt. Jessica undid the ponytail in her hair, and closed the door behind her.
> Chapter 8: Stuck for Now
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night begins to fall upon the Equestrian sky. The entirety of Twilight's day, devoted to finding a solution for Timothy's dilemma. However as night begins to transition most of Twilight's friends have returned to their homes, leaving her with her assistant and one frustrated human................





As Twilight read further into the book laid out in front of her, she looked out of the window behind her. It was well into the night and all her friends had already gone home, leaving her with only Spike and the recent arrival, Tim. Twilight must have read over at least 100 hundred different spell books, trying to find anything that could help Tim get back home. Unfortunately, her results were less than satisfactory. She and her friends searched over the texts accumulated in her library for the whole day. Tim even helped. It was difficult for him at first, as he noticed the books were written in a different alphabet. Twilight quickly went over the letters with him. The more he went over them, the more he caught on to something. Their alphabet was identical to the English one, just with different symbols. It made reading for him possible, but he was at a much slower pace than the rest of the group. 

With six ponies, one dragon, and one human, they made some breakthroughs on portals and dimensional travel, but nothing really aligning to what Tim had described. Twilight closed her book and looked at Spike, who was already asleep with a book over his face. Twilight knew that was typical, she herself felt like doing the same. She then looked at Tim and saw how he fared. She saw that he was sitting at the base of one of the bookshelves, reading. He was still awake, but clearly tired. Slight bags began to form under his eyes, his eye movement was slowing down, and he began dozing off and reawakening every once in a while. But despite this he continued on, still focused on what he was doing.

"Tim, we've been at this all day, I think we need to call it a night." said Twilight.

Tim looked up from his book and looked at her. It took him a while to respond, indicating he was clearly exhausted.

"We can't stop now, we only got a few leads, there's gotta be something we're missin'." he said with frustration.

"Tim, I'm sorry that we couldn't find anything, but it's almost midnight. Spike's bedtime was at least 2 hours ago, and I'm ready to go to bed myself."

Tim took a look outside the window. He saw the same moon and stars as the night prior, all shining across the beautiful night sky. He then let out a yawn, and realized Twilight was right. He might have been accustomed to late night missions and patrols, but the scenario clearly indicated that she wasn't. He closed the book in front of him.

"Alright. I was hoping we could have found somethin' just a tad bit helpful."

Twilight could see the disappointment on his face.

"Hey, I've got an idea. The only other pony who might know what you’re looking for is my mentor, Princess Celestia. Since we couldn't find anything here, maybe she might know or even have what you need."

That sparked a little hope inside Tim.

"You serious? So what you'll call her up, or something?" he said with optimism.

"Call? Well, no, but I can write her a letter and send it first thing tomorrow morning."

Tim frowned at the answer he was given.

"Forgive me Princess, I realize that y'all ain't got some of the tech my people have, but I think a letter is gonna take just a bit too long."

Twilight was unsure why he said that, and then realized she forgot to mention how she delivered them.

"Normally, yes. But I can send it directly to her with Spike."

Tim was puzzled at first, but then the thought came to him.

"Let me guess, Magic?" he asked.

"Magic." she replied, with a smile on her face.

Tim still couldn't wrap his head around the idea of magic considering he came from a world of logic and science. But as far as he knew, it was capable of doing anything in this world. He studied a bit of it while reading over the books today. Apparently it was the most powerful aspect of their world. He saw firsthand how it could levitate and move objects without any rational explanation. He figured if it can do that why couldn't it be used to do something trivial, like sending letters.

"Well, I guess I'll head back to that bench. Hope nobody took it while I was gone. Sleepin' on the ground ain't exactly ideal."

Twilight chuckled at his statement.

"Tim, I'm not going to make you sleep back at the gazebo, you can stay here for the night."

"Wait, really?" said Tim with astonishment.

"Sure, c'mon, I'll show you to the guest rooms."

"Why.....why, thank you! I'll tell ya, never even thought of the idea of staying in a place as nice as this. I figured it would be askin' too much of ya. I didn't wanna impose at all."

"Nonsense, you're welcome to stay as long as you need to. Besides, it might be awhile before we find you a way back home, and I don't want anypony thinking you’re some sort of alien vagrant."

"Yeah, I bet that'd be pretty funny, but I usually don't make it a habit of sleeping in publuc places." Tim laughed.

Twilight lent her hoof towards Tim and helped pull him up on his feet. As they crossed the room Twilight used her magic to levitate Spike off the ground and onto her back, thankfully without disturbing him. As the three exited the room and walked down the hall, Twilight noticed the worrying look on her guest's face.

"What's wrong, Yim?" she asked

He turned his gaze down towards her.

"It's nothin', just tired that's all."

Tim was lying. He had been feeling dread throughout the entire day. Every book he came across had little to no benefit towards his situation, and from what he could understand, the more time he spent in this world, the more these feelings rose. He couldn't pinpoint why he felt this way, but something kept tugging at his core.

The two took a left down yet another hallway, and stopped at the first door to the left. Twilight used her magic to open it, revealing the guest bedroom. The room was decorated similarly to the rest of the castle interior, with a large window on the left side of the room. In it was bed with a nightstand at each side, a large wardrobe, a few chairs, and a large dresser.

"I hope this suffices." said Twilight.

Tim smiled as he walked into the room. Not even did he take two steps before he suddenly stopped, taking its size and regality all in and turned back to her.

"It's amazing, thank you." he said as he walked towards the bed, sitting down on it. "I really can't thank you enough."

"Your welcome, I'm surprised you're not going crazy over the bed."

Tim raised an eyebrow, with a smug smirk on his face.

"Sheesh! Princess, I know what a bed is, we have those back where I'm from. Though I have to say I can't recall the last time I slept in a real bed. Sheets, pillows, and all."

Twilight's curiosity for him had been peeked since that morning. If not for his dilemma she probably would have spent the whole day just asking him questions. What his world was like on a day-to-day basis, his species' history, how far they progressed without magic, and most importantly what kind of technology they possessed. However it was late, and she was rather tired from reading all day. She let out a yawn.

"Well, I'm glad you like it, Tim. Go ahead and make yourself at home.” Twilight invited. “Do you need anything else?"

"Nah, I should be good, besides you look like you're ready to hit the rack yourself."

Twilight picked up on the jargon he was using.

“Military. I thought he might be a soldier, but he doesn't look like one. He doesn't have the elegant look like the ponies of the Royal Guard. In fact I'd have to say he looks a little unkempt. Not to mention he has no armor, no weapon, no.......” she thought to herself.

She the realized that the strange thing across his back might be his weapon. She couldn't believe that one slipped her by. She didn't assume it to be anything important, it didn't even look dangerous. If she had known she probably would have asked him to turn it over. But she pondered that notion for a moment.

“Well, now that I know what kind of pony, or human, he is, and considering how he hasn't threatened or tried to hurt anypony with it, I suppose it's okay if he holds on to it. He might-”

"Uh, Princess?"

Twilight snapped out of her train of thought, realizing she was just standing there in awkward silence.

"Sorry, didn't mean to cut you off there, I am pretty tired."

"I bet, guess we're all a little tired. I won't keep ya. Goodnight."

"Goodnight. I'll see you in the morning."

And with that she shut the door to his room, leaving Tim to his lonesome. Tim's dreadful feelings returned immediately. He looked over his surroundings once again. He got up from the bed and began to search for places to house his belongings, hopefully that would shake some of the feelings off. He took off his hat and placed on one of the nightstands. He then slung off his rifle and placed it inside the wardrobe. Normally he would have it at his side at all times, but seeing as this wasn't the wasteland, chances of being jumped by something while sleeping were low. After that he took off his belt, satchel, and backpack and placed them across one of the chairs. He unzipped his jacket and stuffed it into one of the dresser doors, and finally took off his boots, putting them at the foot of the bed. All that was on him now was his cargo pants and undershirt. He walked over to the bed once again. He pulled over the covers and positioned himself under them. He sunk into the mattress.

“Well, this is comfy.” he thought to himself.

As he laid his head on one of the pillows, he turned to gaze upon the moon and stars. He really began to take in just how beautiful the nights were here. Better than back home, where the sky just turned black when night fell. The nights here were a gorgeous mosaic of shining stars and a bright moon. As he gazed upon it he felt the exhaustion pass over him. His eyelids felt heavy, and he slowly began to fall asleep.





Blackness, this is all he could see. In the midst of the blackness, a light was found. He approached, cautiously at first, then transitioned into a running-like state. He could hear the echoes of voices in the distance, but could not make out what was being said. Then the loud whisper came into earshot. RUN! It said. But he couldn't turn back, not now, it was too important to ignore, even if he was unaware of what it was. 

The blackness began to retreat, revealing in its wake a shattered landscape of dust and sand. The voice whispered loudly once more. GET OUT OF HERE! But once more, he ignored it. He traversed across the remains of rusted out cars, rocks, and crumbled buildings. He then turned a corner, and before him stood a masculine figure with its back turned towards him. His stance and features seemed familiar, really familiar.

The figure must have realized it was being watched. He turned towards him, eyes glowing a bright white. His expression was blank at first. But once it had its sights on him, the expression turned to fear. It screamed. 


RUN!


And with that came a loud crack in the distance, and in its outburst came the yellow stream of light that touched the figure in a frightening display, shattering him like glass and the world returned to black again.





Tim woke up, desperately gasping for air. His vision returned to him from the nightmare he just experienced. He was in the castle guest room, as he was before he went to sleep. His body was covered in sweat, and he was breathing heavily. He placed his hands on his forehead.

"Jesus fucking Christ." he said to himself. "Just a dream. Just a dream."

He looked outside his window. The moon was still up, but he could see the faint hints of dawn in the distance.

"Must be about six o'clock. Good a time as any to get up, sure as hell ain't goin' back to sleep."

With that he got out of bed. Tim went and grabbed his coat. But he stopped to think for a moment on what he had just dreamed.

“That man, he, he looked like.....”

Tim shook his head violently. He didn't want to think about it, he refused to think about it. Tim resumed what he was doing, putting the coat, and the rest of his equipment on his person. After a short while of getting everything together, he then went over to make his bed. He returned everything back to what it was like before he had used it. It didn't take him very long to do. Since he was military, he had to do this everyday and knew the whole process by heart.

“Nice and neat, Sarge' would be proud.”

With those two things out of the way Tim grabbed his hat and placed it on his head. Opening the bedroom door, he walked outside into the empty hall. Tim began searching all the rooms to see if he could find Princess Twilight, and verify if she was awake or not. He searched door after door throughout the castle. Most of the rooms were empty. When Tim finally did find her room, he saw that the door was partially open. He peeked inside, and saw that Twilight was deep into her sleep, and her friend Spike was in even deeper into his. He thought it would be rude to wake them, especially since they stayed up with him all of last night. Feeling that they more than deserved a fair amount of rest, Tim slowly pulled his head back out into the hallway and began to think.

“Okay, so they're both asleep, and I don't wanna wake em'. So Tim, what can you do to pass the time?”

He pondered and pondered, until an idea came to him.

“Guess this be a good time to get my exercise in for the day.”

Usually he didn't have to do exercise, as most of his days were spent trucking from one end of the wasteland to the other while on assignment,
. While that would seem like a cop-out, that particular task involved a lot of walking, lifting, occasional running for dear life, and of course, fighting. It pretty much made up his usual exercise routine, but without a wasteland he'd have to resort to doing the "Militiaman Standard" 200 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 pull-ups, and a 10 mile run. Although Tim considered cutting the last part out, not because he didn't want to do it, but more along the lines of him unable to do it. Leaving the castle without the Princess was just asking for trouble, and he very much doubted that she would have a track inside her home.

Despite this he continued to go through with his plans, and returned back down the hallway towards his room. Once he was back in the room, he set took his belongings off of him once again. He laid down on the ground and began performing the push-up stance. His arms were spread out with elbows bent, his legs stretched without his knees touching the floor. He then began to lift his body up and let it descend, beginning the exercise routine.





Twilight's eyes began to open at the sight of sun rays coming into her room. As she lifted herself up from the covers, she began to rub her eyes. She looked around the room. In the small bed on the floor lay Spike, as usual. She then remembered the day before and what transpired. She immediately got out of bed, tip-toeing past Spike and to her desk. Her horn began to glow, as she opened one of the drawers pulling out quill, ink, and parchment. She placed it on the desk and she began to write a letter to her teacher.

Dear Princess Celestia,


I have an urgent matter that requires your attention. Yesterday my friends and I came across one of the most peculiar creatures I've ever seen. His name is Timothy Berfield, and he refers to himself as a "human". He seems to be from another world, or dimension. He told us that he was brought here against his will via some sort of portal, from the way he's described it. However, he's desperately trying to find his way back home, and we were unable to find anything helpful inside my library. I was wondering if you could help us. Maybe you know something I don't. If you could stop by my castle whenever you have the chance, I can introduce you to him, I would really appreciate your insight on the matter.


Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle

With that she cleaned off her quill and set everything back into the drawer, except the letter. She looked over at Spike, who was still sleeping. She walked over to him with the letter levitating at her side, and gently tapped him on his shoulder.

"Spike, I need you to wake up." she said softly.

Spike woke up, but his mood was foul.

"C'mon Twilight, you woke me up this early yesterday, let me sleep in."

"And I intend to, I just need you to send this letter to the princess really quick and I'll be out of your head."

Spike attempted to grab the parchment from her grasp twice, only succeeding with his third attempt. He brought it over to his face and sent a burst of green magical flame to send it in.

"There, now can I go back to bed?"

"Of course."

With her confirmation, he returned to his slumber. She turned around and exited the room.

"Now to wake our guest."

Twilight made her way down the hallway, and took a left to where Tim was sleeping. When she opened the door she expected to see Tim sound asleep, instead she saw that he was exercising on a makeshift pull-up bar. It consisted of two sets of stacked chairs, with the strange weapon Tim carried acting as the bar. Tim noticed her entrance.

"Mornin' Princess!" he said, continuing with his routine.

"Good morning, I see you're already awake, but what are you doing?"

Tim dropped down and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Daily exercise, gotta stay in shape if I'm gonna be here for awhile."

As he finished, Twilight was now certain he was what she thought he was.

"Tim, I've been meaning to ask this, but are you a soldier?"

Tim turned around to look at her. He found it rather odd that she asked the question in the first place.

"Uh, couldn't ya tell?" He asked.

"Well, I wasn't entirely certain until now. Soldiers here usually don't look like you do."

"Maybe that's because I ain't a pony." stated Tim with an eyebrow raised.

"No, not that, it's just, they usually wear armor, and have a weapon that actually looks like, well, not that." she said pointing to Tim's AK.

Tim just stared at her awkwardly. From the way she was putting it, it sounded like they hadn't even progressed out of the dark ages when it came to technology. 

"Princess, I am a soldier, and I can assure you this is a weapon, I just hope you don't see what it can do."

"Considering how you described your race, I won't doubt that. Still, a part of me is still curious. It just feels like your leaving a lot of things out in your story."

Tim really didn't want to talk about this, he tried to find some sort of distraction. That's when his stomach began to growl.

"I'll tell ya what Princess, you get me somethin to eat and I'll answer what I can. But you got to promise me you won't tell anyone. And I mean anyone, if I tell you somethin' important."

Twilight saw how his tone turned serious. He felt very strongly about this subject, and she knew the best course of action would be to comply.

"You have my word, but I can tell you first hand nopony here wants to bring harm to you or anyone you may be protecting. You can trust us Tim."

"Still, you promise not to tell anyone?"

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" she said with a smile.

"I thought it went, cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye?"

"Ow! Why would anypony say it like that?"

Tim shrugged for he didn't have the answer. Twilight just rolled her eyes and gestured for him to follow her. Before he did, he quickly grabbed his things, and raced to catch up with her. As he properly positioned his hat and tightened the strap of his backpack, he turned to look at Twilight.

"So, where are we goin'?" he asked.

"A little place we like to call, Sugarcube Corner. I have a feeling you're going to like it." she said with a grin.
> Chapter 9: The Ponyville Welcome
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Twilight and her new acquaintance walk through Ponyville, Tim is treated to the norms and virtues within pony society, he takes it all in, asking himself a series of questions as to why this world is better than the one he came from. The more he ponders on it, the more his feelings of dread return.............





Twilight and Tim had just past Town Hall and were headed for Sugarcube Corner. Tim began to look at the town, this time with a less numerous and more patient escort. The more he looked at it, the more he began to critique it. The buildings looked fine, and less primitive than he initially thought. He found the choice of straw roofs very poor, as that didn't seem very sturdy and usually led to infestation of rodents. Color choice was okay for the most part, he found the use of pink just a little too girly for his tastes. Then again, it was the only town that he'd ever seen, he figured this might just be normal around here. Although he had a few nitpicks about the town, he didn't vocalize his displeasure, lest he insult his host, which was the last thing he wanted to do. The two continued walking, when they finally reached their destination.

"Well Tim, here we are!" said Twilight.

As she raised her hoof to show it off, Tim could only be described as dumbfounded. The structure didn't even resemble what real architecture should look like. It looked like one of those gimmicky stands one would find at an abandoned theme park. The roof of the place looked like a gingerbread house with white frosting all over, and the overall shape of it was lopsided. At its center was a large spire jutting up, and resembled a giant pink cupcake, something Tim had seen on old, torn-up, pre-war advertisements.

"This is where we're eaten'?" he said uncertainly.

"Yep, you won't find better sweets and treats in town." she exclaimed.

Twilight opened the door, and with it came the ring of a bell, signaling someone had entered. Tim reluctantly entered the building with her, ducking his head down under the small door frame. The interior was thankfully more to Tim's liking. Inside were a few booth style tables, and several displays filled with baked goods and the room as a whole smelled like a bakery. Although the use of the color pink was still excessive.

"Looks like we're the first ones here." stated Twilight. "Come with me."

Twilight used her magic to set down her saddlebag and sat at one of booth tables, with Tim squeezing in on the opposite side. They then sat there waiting for someone to come and take their order. Tim however was unaware of how this procedure worked. He found it odd that his host promised breakfast but they weren't up front asking for it.

"Excuse me Princess, what exactly are we doing?" asked Tim.

"We're waiting for somepony to take our order."

Tim gave her a peculiar look.

"Order? What?" he said confusedly.

The sudden realization came to Twilight.

"You mean to tell me you don't do this in your world at all?"

"No, we usually go up front and ask for our food directly. They give us the portion for the day, and then we go sit down somewhere and eat."

"Sounds like a cafeteria." said Twilight.

"Exactly, me and my buddies call em' mess halls, but folks back home call em' "Distribution Centers". We've got a bunch of them all around where we live."

Twilight had a notion of disbelief at his claim.

"Come on, you don't eat all of your meals like that? Do you?"

"We do. Some take their food home to eat and people who know how to cook sometimes make it in their homes, but most of it is distributed out and eaten at one of the centers."

"Doesn't sound particularly appealing." she said sympathetically.

"It's not so bad, least ya' have people to talk to while ya' eat."

"Oh, so like what we're doing now?"

"Oh no, not even close. Usually there's about some fifty people to a table. And trust me, it is loud."

"Whoa, sounds like quite the crowd. Do you ever feel like it's an invasion of your privacy, do you ever eat alone."

"Not really, course' if I'm having an off day I usually eat outside, but my buddy Achmed ain't too far behind. Being alone in my world's really not such a good idea. Everyone needs somebody to fall back on."

"Sounds like your environment is rather friendly, on a social scale at least."

Good to know friendship survived in his world, otherwise living there would be a real disaster. She thought to herself.

"Well, when ya' put it like that, I suppose it is. I think of my friends as family, known em' for a good six years now, and the lot of us got our own share of scars from The Conflict, so we make the best of things we can."

From the back room came the sound of a door opening. Out stepped a somewhat hefty mare with a light blue coat and a mane of dark pink. Twilight immediately recognized and called out to her.

"Mrs. Cake, good morning."

The pony turned her head to the source of the call out.

"Oh, Twilight, I thought I heard your voice in here, I-"

She cut off when she saw Tim, freezing all movement in the process.

"Oh! .....Um!....Uh!" she said nervously.

"Mrs. Cake, there's no need to be afraid." said Twilight getting up from the table and walking to her.

"I'd like you to meet my new friend, Tim, he's new here as you can probably tell."

"I see..." she said, still too nervous to approach him.

“This song and dance again?” Tim thought to himself, clearly catching on to what was happening.

He got up from his seat and carefully walked up to the frightened earth pony. He knelt down to her eye level and stretched out his hand in a friendly gesture.

"Pleased to meet ya'. My name's Timothy Berfield."

Mrs. Cake's sense of fear began to die down, as she realized he didn't seem dangerous. In fact, the motion he gave indicated he was downright friendly. She shook her head slightly to come back to her senses. She returned the hand gesture with her hoof, which was odd for the both of them, and shook.

"Sorry if I got a startled there." said Mrs. Cake with a slight smile. "I guess I was just caught a little off-guard. I don't think I've ever seen anything like you before. I'm guessing you're not from around here?"

"Indeed, I am not." he said with a laugh.

"I'm guessing you're the Monster who was causing all the hullabaloo yesterday?"

"Yeah, well, none of it was intentional, didn't mean to frighten nobody. Guess my curiosity got the better of me."

"He's actually a human." stated Twilight. "He somehow entered our world by unknown means, we've been trying to find a way for him to get home, but so far no luck."

"I'm sorry to hear about that, dear. But if I may ask, why would you come here if you're trying to find his way home?"

"Well actually, we're kinda of taking a break from that. At least till Princess Celestia responds back to my letter. We weren't able to find anything last night, so I requested help from the Princess. For now, I thought it be nice if I treat our new guest to breakfast at the best place in town."

"Well then, I think you've chosen the right place in. If you want to sit back down I can have a few menus ready for you."

Twilight nodded with content and she and Tim returned to the table and sat down.

"By the way Mrs. Cake, where's Pinkie? She's usually the one to sit customers, right?" asked Twilight.

Mrs. Cake returned to the table with two small menus, placing them before them.

"Yes, but she took the day off. Said she had something important to do. I would have asked but she darted out the door before I could."

"That's a shame." said Twilight. "I'm sure she would have loved to join us."

Tim had mixed feelings about Pinkie. He could have sworn she read his mind yesterday morning, but he couldn't say for certain. As he continued thinking, Mrs. Cake pulled out a little notepad and pencil with her teeth, and placed them on the table.

"Can I start you off with something to drink?" asked Mrs. Cake.

"Yes." said Twilight. "I'll take a glass of orange juice if you don't mind."

Mrs. Cake once again picked up the pencil and scribbled the order down on the notepad. Tim though about how odd it was she could write legibly with just her teeth. 

"How about you, dear?" asked Mrs. Cake, interrupting Tim's train of thought.

This was the first time he actually asked what he wanted to eat, or drink in his current circumstance, so he gave it some thought before coming up with what he wanted.

"Y'all got any coffee?" he asked dubiously.

"We sure do, what kind of sugars or creams do you want in it?"

"I'll take it black, if ya' don't mind."

Mrs. Cake was kind of shocked with that request, as was Twilight.

"Okay, black it is then." 

And with that Mrs. Cake wrote it down on the notepad and tucked the pencil and paper back into her apron. She was heading back to get their drinks when Twilight questioned Tim's decision.

"Black? Why would you drink it black?"

"What? I like it black, nothin' wrong with that."

"Other than its nasty, you don't like it sweet?"

"No, I think all them sugars ruin the taste. In my book coffee wasn't meant to be sweet. You got you're preferences and I got mine."

Twilight just rolled her eyes, seeing he was stuck in his ways, and pulled the menu up to look over the various breakfast options available. Tim did the same, only to find difficulty in choosing one, as there were various options available. He looked to Twilight for guidance.

"So, uh, Twilight. What are you gettin'?"

"I was thinking of getting the Whipped Pancake Platter. I just been itching for some pancakes lately."

Tim instantly dropped his menu and stared at her with deadpan eyes.

"You have gotta be kiddin' me, out of all the food that I know you have, you choose pancakes, the most bland thing that I've ever had in my life."

She in return shot the same look at him.

"You have got to be kidding me?" she said inconceivably. "How are pancakes in any way, bland?"

"It's just bread! Just flat, round, pieces of bread! I'm told that people went gaga for em' before the war, but I can't see why. Me and my buddies cooked up a whole batch of them one time when we found a whole closet full of the instant batter that was used to make them. We started chowin' down on the first batch when we realized what it was. Sent the batter back home, used the rest of the cooked batch for target practice."

"Come on, how can pancakes be that bad, with that right amount of maple syrup an butter an-"

Twilight noticed the strange look of confusion across Tim's face.

"Just what the hell is maple syrup?" he asked.

Twilight's jaw dropped in disbelief. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Oh, Tim, it's settled. You're having what I'm having."

Tim's eyes shot up.

"Now, now hold on there just one sec! I never said I-"

"Tim, I simply can't let you go on with your life without eating a proper set of pancakes. Trust me, you'll like them."

"Princess, I already told ya' why I didn't like em', ya' really gonna make me-"

"Tim, it comes with sweet maple syrup, whipped cream, and a cherry on top to finish it off. What's not to like?"

Now Tim had knowledge on what a cherry was, on account of finding them on occasion in the canned variety. However the other two things Twilight mentioned were completely unknown to him. He'd heard of syrup before, a lot of boxed foods had something called "high fructose corn syrup" in them, but he'd never actually seen the stuff in person, and he had no knowledge on what a "maple" even was. As for whipped cream he could only guess what it was, only creams he'd seen were used for medicinal practices, so it wasn't sounding particularly appealing, or appetizing. However her description of it being sweet caught his attention, as he had a love for things that were sweet since he was a child. He considered it one of his many "Great Finds" along with ammo, books, Twinkies, and a T-90.

"Sweet, huh?" he said skeptically, rubbing his fingers across his chin. "Alright I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and take a go at it, but it better be damn near to perfection!" 

"Trust me, you won't regret it."

Mrs. Cake had returned with a platter carrying their beverages. After she placed it on the table, Tim and Twilight grabbed their respected drinks and Mrs. Cake once again pulled out the pencil and notepad

"So, what will you two have?" asked Mrs. Cake.

"We'll both be having the same thing, the Whipped Pancake Platter." said Twilight.

With that she once again wrote down their request and was on her way to cook up the order. Tim took a sip of his coffee. As he retracted his lips away he took the taste with great surprise.

"I'm getting a surprise every second it seems, this might just be the best cup of Joe I've ever had."

"Cup of Joe?" said a confused Twilight. "What the hay is that?" 

Tim took another sip before answering her query.

"It's just another name we call coffee." he stated.

"Okay. Not sure why they would call it that. Listen, Tim, I know were kind of in the middle of the whole breakfast thing, but I've been really wanting to ask a few more questions about you humans and Earth."

Tim looked at her with uncertainty, he still felt a little uncomfortable about the subject. The Survivors were being held together by a thread as it is, revealing any sort of vital information on them would be putting humanity as a whole at risk. But then again, he felt like he may have to eventually if they were going to help him find a way back. Not to mention the fact that they had been so friendly to him, he felt like he owed them for all the work they were putting in to help him. He let out a sigh.

"Alright, seems only fair, besides I did promise to answer them, but I wanna leave some of the more important ones for somewhere with less ears listening?" said Tim, gesturing towards Mrs. Cake.

Twilight had trouble coming to grasp with Tim's urge to withhold information but accepted it nonetheless, as he did explain why he did so the day prior.

"Okay, save the important ones for later, got it. Although I hope you don't mind if I write down a few notes on what I learn, do you?"

"I'll tell ya' what's okay to write down and what's not, deal?"

Twilight gave a confirming nod and pulled out a scroll, notebook, and quill with her magic.

"First question." she said, unrolling the scroll in front of her.

The scroll was written up during the few moments of Twilight's free time during their book search yesterday. It was filled to the brink of possible questions she wanted to ask.

"What magic do humans possess?" she asked. "Although from your reaction yesterday it sounds like it was the first time you came into contact with it?"

"We humans don't have any magic. It's referenced in a few works of fiction and some really old history books say older civilizations believed in it, but for the longest time, everyone's just kinda accepted it as being made up or fake. Although now that I've seen it, guess it just doesn't exist where I come from."

"No magic? At all? How's that even possible? How do you control your weather? Or move the sun and the moon?"

Tim was now staring at Twilight like she was crazy.

"Uh, we don't."

"But how does your world change from day to night then?"

"Princess, last time I checked the sun and moon have their own schedules and weather can only be predicted, not controlled."

"But how is that even possible? I can maybe understand the weather part, as the Everfree Forest does the same thing, but what about the sun and the moon? What moves it?"

"Gravity, I think? From what I've learned our world orbits the sun, and the moon orbits the Earth. Been like that since the beginning of time. Least that's what I was told. As for weather, you'd have to ask somebody with a little more knowledge than me. All I know is to stay the hell away from radstorms."

Twilight was writing all this down as they were speaking. Despite his love of reading, he wasn't the intellectual type.

"So if you don't have magic, what do you have?"

Tim pondered a bit for an answer until he got one that would satisfy.

"Well, science and technology. I can tell ya, we have created a ton of shit. And pretty damn fast now that I think about it. We went through like six different tech ages in the span of a century, makin' stuff left and right. Although with recent events like you already know, technological breakthroughs have pretty much went to a standstill."

“So his world revolves around technology, I had a theory, guess it was right.” Twilight pondered.

"Any idea why?"

"Why? Like why as in why we built so fast, or why we built at all."

"The first one."

"Well, it really began after what we call World War II. They built a weapon that.........."

Tim stopped as he realized what this would lead to and had the inclination that telling her about the single most destructive weapon in human history, might not be the best idea.

"Let's save that one for later." he said.

“That subject can wait, at least for now, the less they know about our capabilities, the better.” Tim thought to himself.

Twilight was just getting intrigued too, so his request was met with a little disappointment. But Twilight still had many more questions to ask, so she finished writing down in her notes and she asked another question.

"What do humans eat? Since you can eat pancakes I guess you're herbivores like us, right?"

"No, we're omnivores."

"Really!?"

Tim bared some of his teeth and, with his finger, pointed out the canines he had. 

"So you eat meat?" she asked.

"Meat, grains, vegetables, fruit, and everything in between."

Other ponies might have been revolted at the thought of anything that ate meat, but Twilight was honestly more amazed at how much food variety was available to them. Plus, Twilight knew of many other races that ate meat, such as the griffons.

"That's quite a lot for a daily diet." she exclaimed.

"Yeah, well, like I told y'all earlier, we have a bit of a problem finding food in general, so we take what we get."

The sound of doors opening interrupted the conversation.

"Speaking of food." said Twilight.

Walking towards them was Mrs. Cake who currently had two plates of pancakes setting on a large platter. As she sat the platter down on the table Tim was in awe of just how much food was on his plate. Before him sat five pancakes stacked one on top of the other, with a brown syrup dripping from the sides, melted butter, a mountain of whipped cream, and a cherry to top it all off. It was something straight out of the old pre-war IHOP advertisements he came across on occasion.

"Enjoy." said Mrs. Cake, and with that walked away.

"Well, Tim, go ahead and dig in." said Twilight.

But Tim just sat there, not moving, just looking at his plate. This lasted for two minutes and made Twilight feel a little dismayed.

"Uh, Tim, you okay?" she asked.

He stopped staring at his plate and looked at Twilight.

"I....is..this all for me?"

Twilight saw that as a silly question, and thought he was joking with her.

"Of course, what kind of question was that?"

"I'm being serious." he said in a sincere voice.

Twilight looked at him, but the face she that greeted her was borderline fearful.

"Tim, what's wrong?"

"I ain't never seen this much food before, not on one plate. I feel...."

"Feel like?"

"Well, a little guilty to be honest. I don't mean to be rude to you, it's just, some guys I know don't even get a fraction of what's on my plate."

Twilight couldn't make out any words right now. She could tell he was being sincere, and just the expressions and vibes she was getting from him showed he was rather unsettled about this. She tried to come up with some advice to help him through this.

"You don't have to eat all of it in one go Tim, if you want we can save some of it for later. You don't have to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable."

Her advice gave Tim a little comfort, but his conscience still told him that this was somehow wrong. He closed his eyes and sighed in an attempt to shake it off. He took up the tiny fork that sat beside his plate, cutting out a small portion and sticking it with the utensil. His eyes shot up when he took the bite. The common taste of bread wasn't there to greet him. Instead it tasted sweet, the flavor of it was incredible to his mind.

"Well, how is it?" asked Twilight.

Tim let a smile stretch across his face.

"This might just be the best damn I've ever eaten." he said with joy.

Twilight smiled, glad to know his conflicted feelings had vanished.

"Told you, you'd like them." she said.

Tim rolled his eyes and gave her a face that pretty much summed up to "whatever" and the two resumed eating their breakfast.





Tim and Twilight finished breakfast and walked out of the establishment. Tim only about half of his and saved the rest for another time. Tim looked down at Twilight.

"So, what now?" he asked.

"I actually need to run a quick little errand, I was going to do it yesterday but-"

"I showed up."

"Right, it's just a few things, it won't take long."

"If ya' say so."

"After we've made our stop, we can head back to the castle and see if the Princess responded back."

Tim followed Twilight further into town. Most of the ponies were out an about now. Tim saw he was getting strange looks from the locals, he honestly felt it was a little nerve racking.

"Uh, Princess, you sure it's okay for me to go this far into town? I'm startin' to get weird looks."

Twilight saw the base to his question, as she too noticed the looks he was getting.

"There just a little skeptical about new creatures, this town has had a bit of a history with monster problem, but as long as your with me and they see you pose no threat, I'm sure they'll settle down in a few days."

"Shit, I hope it's just a few days, this place is nice but I don't have plans on stayin' very long."

"Tim, I don't want to put a damper on your optimism, but if I couldn't find a spell to help you, it's highly possibly the search might last much more than a few days."

Tim's expression turned somber.

"I was afraid you were gonna say that."

"We’ll find a way Tim, it just may take a little time."

After several minutes of walking they reached the marketplace, which was bustling till the moment they arrived. As they passed by each kiosk the ponies began whispering amongst each other. Whenever Tim turned his gaze towards one of them they'd get scared and walk away. Tim just let out a sigh and continued walking.

"Don't take it to heart." said Twilight. "They're usually nice, they just haven't gotten to know you just yet, that's all."

"It's fine. I got thick skin. Besides if your teacher found a way to get me back home, they may not have to deal with me for very long. If not, well, I suppose I'll have to take your word."

"You'll find that the ponies here can be quite friendly to newcomers."

Twilight approached one of the kiosks, this one in particular specialized in selling ink and quills in bulk. Twilight rang the bell on the counter to signal that the salespony had a customer in wait. 

"Just a sec!" said the voice from behind the counter.

Shortly afterwards a vanilla coated earth-pony mare with a brunette mane bunched up in a ponytail came up from behind the counter. Her cutie mark depicted a quill, inkwell and a green book with a brown star serving as the background.

"Good morning Princess, what can I-"

Like with Mrs. Cake, her voice immediately cut off at the sight of Tim. 

"Princess.......you......are............aware...............that................"

"It's okay, he's with me, Tim, I'd like you to meet Novella Scribe."

"Howdy." said Tim, tipping his hat off to her.

"He....hello." she said nervously.

Twilight saw this was making her very uncomfortable very fast, so she decided to speed things along.

"I'm just here to pick up supply of ink, have any in stock? I was-"

Novella practically dashed for the crate filled with ink bottles and crammed it into it Twilight's face.

"Here! Gotta go! Bye!"

And with that she shut down the metal cover to her stand. Twilight frowned as she levitated the crate out of her face. She feared everypony was giving off a bad first impression for Tim. But when she looked at Tim he was somewhat smiling.

"Damn! She moved fast, she'd make short work of packin' stuff, tell ya' that much right now." said Tim

"I didn't even pay her." said Twilight. 

"You know the whole having to pay for stuff might take some getting used to."

"Guessing you don't have currency back on Earth?"

"Nah, we do, or we did at one time, but currency is better suited for a non-survivalist world, so we pretty much hand out necessities whenever someone needs em'."

Twilight popped out the notebook once again and wrote down a quick note in light of the recent discovery. Not too important, but it was good to know humans knew what trade was, even if they didn't practice it.

"So, we headin' back to your place?" asked Tim.

"We are indeed." said Twilight.

Twilight was about to start walking when Tim stopped her.

"Ya' need me to carry that?" said Tim, gesturing towards the crate currently levitating in the air.

"Oh, well, that's very kind of you, thanks." said Twilight.

"Ah, don't mention it, least I can do since ya' took me out for breakfast. Plus what kind of man doesn't take the opportunity show how much heavy stuff he can lift by himself?"

"Well, seems bravado passes over the species gap." Twilight retorted.

The two shared a laugh as Twilight moved the crate towards Tim's hands, and he in turn grabbed it just before Twilight let go. Once that was finished the two set off to return to Twilight's castle.





Twilight opened the front door to her home and stepped inside along with Tim. She shut the door and Tim turned to her, still carrying the crate of ink with him.

"Where do ya' want me to set this?" he asked.

"Over by that small hall stand is good, I'll put it somewhere else later. Now let's go see if Celestia wrote back."

Tim sat the crate down like Twilight requested of him and the two made their way down to Twilight's room. Once inside they saw that Spike was finally up and about, just finishing snacking on a gemstone. 

"Hey Spike!" said Twilight. "We're back!"

"Hey guys, was wondering when you were going to show up." said Spike. 'So Tim, how was breakfast?"

"Best meal I've ever had." said Tom "Pancakes no less"

"Doesn't surprise me, those Cakes sure know how to bake, figures Twilight would take you there to butter you up."

Twilight shot Spike an unamused glare, but Tim couldn't help but clap, a slow, methodical clap.

"Wow." He remarked. "That my friend, was amazing. Real punny I would say."

"EEEYY!!! Another pun enthusiast!" Spike exclaimed. "You wouldn't believe how rare that is around here."

"For the love of Celestia, please don't encourage him." Twilight requested to Tim. "Speaking of whom. Spike, did Princess Celestia happen to respond to the letter I sent?" asked Twilight.

"Yep, I laid it on the bed."

Twilight turned her head and sure enough sitting on the edge of the bed laid the letter with the celestial seal. She trotted over to it, unwrapping the ribbon and unwinding it to read its contents out loud.

" My Dearest Twilight Sparkle," she said with utmost clarity. "I am glad you shared this information with me, while I respect your decision to aid the human I must ask you to cease doing so until me and my sister arrive in Ponyville this afternoon. Keep him within the castle if you can. We look forward to meeting him for ourselves. Your Friend, Princess Celestia."

"Was there anything on a way back home for me?" asked Tim.

Twilight looked over the letter again to see if there was any information on a way home for Tim, but to no avail.

'I'm afraid not, but I wouldn't worry, she and her sister, Princess Luna are both coming, it's likely that at least one of them has something that can help."

Tim was still anxious, as the letter felt like it was merely a formality, to him at least.

"So, can't leave the castle till they get here, huh?" said Tim. "So what do we do to pass the time?"

Twilight slowly pulled out the notebook she'd been carrying around and smiled with anticipation. Tim knew what that meant. More of Twilight's questions.
> Chapter 10: Stories And Discoveries
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Every person has their own story, and with every story comes a new discovery. The flight from New Damascus to Fort Bismarck based in Berlin is over 1700 miles and 4 hours long, leaving plenty of time for Andrew Sawyer to get acquainted with his fellow passengers...............





Out from the window of the C-130, Andrew saw that the night sky was rising over the day. The sun retreating below the horizon to make way for nightfall. Andrew looked upon it with mild discomfort. Night was a time, naturally, to be feared. When darkness covers the land one cannot think what might possibly be roaming within its shroud. However, Andrew did not fear the dark, not since he was a child. Night had its benefits, and they benefited him greatly in the past, even kept him alive on a few occasions. And with darkness came calmness, and calm would be the word he would use to describe his current situation.

The flight had lasted for hours, and almost the entirety of the scientific expedition team was well asleep by now, with the exception of Councilor Bradford, who was wide awake, keeping himself occupied by writing in a notebook. Andrew distanced himself from them for the majority of the trip on account of their conversation topics going well over his head, ranging from hypothetical theories to statistical assumptions, and whole lot more that he wanted absolutely no part of. The trip wasn't too lonely though, he'd pop into the cockpit from time to time to check in on the pilots, who were more on the level with him than most soldiers were to their Commander in Chief. He didn't mind though, in fact Andrew welcomed it. He stayed up there for about four hours as the three exchanged stories, something he hadn't done in ages. It felt good having a conversation without rank or the dire needs of The Survivors getting in the way. But eventually he had to leave the two so they could focus on flying the plane. He didn't want to be a distraction.

Andrew looked over and saw that the other Councilor in company had a stumped expression across his face. Andrew figured since the rest of the eggheads were out, he'd go chat with his scientific counterpart, see what he was up to. He got up from his seat and walked past two trucks, which currently held all the equipment the science team brought with them. He stood over Bradford, who at the moment was mumbling to himself and seemed unaware of Andrew's presence.

"Possible.......mechanism.........machine..............device..............artifact? Ah, bloody hell." mumbled Bradford.

Andrew cleared his throat to garner Bradford's attention. Bradford shot up at the unexpected disturbance.

"Oh! Councilor Sawyer, sorry I didn't see you there!"

"I assume you were preoccupied with something?" asked Andrew.

"Oh, my dearest apologies, I sometimes like to trek into deep thought, gets the better of me sometimes."

Bradford shut the notebook and stuffed it into the satchel by his feet. James Bradford was the member who stood out most among the other council members. He was a brown-haired, English-born, Caucasian man of only 22, which made him the youngest ever to serve as a Councilor. His attitude could change from shy to outgoing depending on the situation. One moment he could be quiet and content and the next he could be shouting eureka and every bit of British slang he could muster. Andrew was always looking after him whenever he could spare the time, a promise he gave to Bradford's father a few years back.

"So Councilor, was there something you needed?" asked Bradford.

"Nah, just thought I'd talk with you. It's been a long trip, and now that everyone's calmed down I thought it was the ideal time."

"Ah, you're talking about the little exchange of theories we had earlier?"

"And everything in between."

"Sorry, didn't mean to shut you out, I can't help it. Ever since I was a lad I've had a knack for machines, and whatever we're about to find down there sounds ripe for the picking, had to share my excitement with someone who understands."

"I don't think I've seen excitement that lasts for six hours."

"Like I said, I offer you my deepest apologies."

"Ah, don't beat yourself over it, the pilots and I had more than a few tales to share, so it wasn't so bad."

Andrew sat down on a crate across from Bradford. He stretched just a bit before resuming the conversation.

"I tell ya, it feels good just to get out of the city for a bit." said Andrew.

"Needed a break from the day to day problems I assume?"

"Like you wouldn't believe, though the break won't be long. After I'm done assessing the situation you know Councilor Patel is gonna want me back."

"Still, a week away from her ought to make you a happy man." jested Bradford.

Andrew rolled his eyes at the remark. But he immediately felt bad afterwards, as his thoughts turned to the kind request he got from her the day prior. It almost seemed like she wanted to end the constant rivalry the two formed over the years, and making jests about her behind her back seemed childish.

"Councilor Patel is just worried, her position requires that peace and order be maintained, and with food and water shortages as of late, it threatens that peace." said Andrew.

"Still, she seems to have it out for you?"

"I'll admit, our positions oppose each other in more than a few ways, but I still respect everything she does for our community, and I'm sure she respects what I do as well. Call it a mutual understanding."

Bradford raised an eyebrow at Andrew's statement. He took it with a bit of disbelief, how could those two respect each other yet always be arguing to no end.

"I'll be honest with you. I half-expected you to be bad-mouthing her." said Bradford. "I mean, we're 10,000 ft in the air I'm sure she can't hear you if you do."

"Councilor, I meant every word I said. Despite our argument yesterday, we both need cooperate if we're going to alleviate the crisis. Now, if you don't mind, I'd rather not talk about the council."

Bradford could see the distress Andrew was getting from the conversation, and chose to switch subjects.

"Well, instead of discussing the Council's problems, how we talk about our destination?" said Bradford. "I'm just curious as to what we'll find. And like said before, I've got a-"

"Knack for machines, you get that talent from your father alright."

Bradford's father, Edward Bradford, served as Councilor of the Science Branch for 15 years before he died from Rad Fever. During his time, he, along with the aid of Andrew and the Militia, Laid out a working power system for New Damascus, set up and installed the communication and server rooms within the Council Building, restored some of the old plumbing systems under the city, and created a machine capable of recycling metals, all from his own mind. When elections came for a new Councilor, his son was the best looking prospect.

"My father taught me all he knew, I was his assistant for everything. Not every six-year-old can reassemble the engines to an SA 341." said Bradford.

"Yeah, I remember when you two came to us in that beat up old helicopter."

"That's a story I can never forget. We found that thing beside an old warehouse. It was mostly intact, but some of the minor parts were either gone or were worn down. So I helped my father construct makeshift parts for the ones we didn't have using whatever we could find. We flew that thing for about five mad-inducing days before the rotor engine gave out and we crashed it on the landing strip. Father yanked me up from the wreckage, and then you showed up."

"Yeah, with about three squads armed to the teeth. We heard the crash from a mile away. Thought we were being attacked."

"Right, I was only a lad back then so some of the details are a bit hazy." said Bradford. "But you know, I do recall father pulling out a gun and screaming at you fellas when that happened."

"Yeah, well let's be thankful it didn't resort in a firefight. Your father was a godsend, son. He helped us accomplish so much in 15 years. Without him, well, I don't think we'd still be here today."

"Yeah, I hear that a lot." said Bradford. "I'm just hoping this discovery will put me in the spotlight for once."

Andrew took note of his sullen attitude when he said that.

"You alright, son?" asked Andrew.

"It's nothing, it's just, sometimes I feel like people expect me to be my father, rather than just live up to his name, and even that gets annoying from time to time. When people think of the name Bradford, they immediately think of my father. It's like I can't escape his shadow. You ever feel like that with your parents?"

Andrew was silent for a moment, and looked down.

"I never knew my parents, son."

"Oh, Jesus, that was insensitive, I apologize-"

"Now, now, there's no need to, you had no way of knowing."

"I'm guessing you don't know what happened to them?" asked Bradford.

"No, I don't know. I was taken by the remnants of the American government at a very early age. I have no knowledge of who they were. My guess is that they're most likely dead, but ..."

Andrew let out a sigh.

"If you don't mind, I'd rather not talk about this."

"Of course. Now where were we?"

"You and your Father I believe. Now, I knew your father very well, and we worked together for several years. I also know he expected great things from you, and that he was more than thrilled when you joined the ranks of the Science Branch. He wanted you to accomplish great feats of your own. You still got quite a bit of time to make a name for yourself. And I have to say for one as young as you, just being a Councilor is a good step in that direction."

Bradford seemed to take comfort in hearing that, thinking back to all the good times he spent with his father and all the good things that were said during his time with him.

"Well hopefully in time, I can live up to what he wanted for me."

Andrew saw that his eyes were watering up just a bit, but he didn't cry. His father had only passed away last year, so the subject was still hard to talk about with him.

"Well, enough of that I suppose. Now if I may ask, do you have any more news of the discovery?"

"No, all I know is what was told to us in the comm room. I expect we'll learn more about it when we get there. What are your thoughts on it?"

"Well, me and my fellows were vigorously discussing it earlier, though we had very little to go with. We ruled out that the device was a weapon, as most of its characteristics wouldn't make it a very effective one, not to mention the soldier ensnared by it didn't turn up as a corpse. So we're split down two decisions of what we think it is. Either 'A', it's a time machine..."

That made Andrew laugh, followed by a look of disbelief. Bradford didn't take the gesture very well.

'What? What's so funny?"

"I've come across several pieces of advanced technology in my lifetime, but I doubt what we'll find is a time machine."

"Well why not? The machine has never been seen before, so anything is possible. One theory we came up with is that the machine might somehow create a distortion in that particular moment of time, and in doing so it created an artificial black hole or maybe a tear in time, or reality, which would explain why that soldier got sucked in, of course that's just one theory..."

"I hate to burst your bubble, son, but that sounds more like science fiction to me. Time travel is one of those things that might just be an impossibility, there's just no way to control time, it just keeps going like it always has. Now what's your other theory?"

Bradford would have had more theories and scientific reasoning to back up his assumption. However he came to the conclusion that the Commander wouldn't understand most of it, if any of it. So he brushed it aside and went forth with his next theory.

"Well, it might be a portal."

Andrew surprisingly wasn't so quick to dismiss that idea, but he still questioned the validity of it.

"A portal? Like to another world?"

"Yes. World, dimension, or it may just lead to another location on Earth. Portal is a relatively simple concept, make a door, gate, or in this case portal, from point A to point B. Though, how one would be able to accomplish that with any sort of known science or level of machinery, we really don't know. In fact, other than the scenario described to us we don't have anything to fall back on that claim. Now that I think about it, technology like that really was only mentioned in the realm of science fiction."

Andrew pondered the idea for a moment and looked up at Bradford once again.

"Let's not rule that one out just yet." said Andrew.

Bradford caught on the mysterious tone of Andrew's statement, it sounded like he was hiding something.

"Why? Do you know something?" asked Bradford inquisitively.

Andrew clearly saw Bradford's heightened interest, he saw no harm in telling him of what he knew.

"Like I told you before I was taken in by the remnants of the American government. When I was a cadet me and other kids used to tell stories about the projects our superiors had knowledge of."

"Why are you telling me this?" asked Bradford. "And what does it have to do with portals?"

"There was a rumor, and a very vague one at that, but at one time or another, the then current head of state supposedly had part in a project that involved long distance travel through a device that you can could walk through. Supposedly it was created to cutout the need for conventional supply lines, but that was only the official statement. Others said it was made for other purposes, one kid even said it had something to do with......uh......well, aliens."

Andrew thought that didn't come out right at all, to himself, he sounded like he was a mad conspiracy theorist. He half expected Councilor Bradford to be shooting strange looks at him, but the look he got was more along the lines of intrigued.

"Really? Well, do you know any of the details?" asked Bradford.

"All I know is that it was from before The Conflict, which would make it a Pre-war project, and it was based out somewhere in Europe. However, I can't pinpoint an exact location, that's all I know."

"Doesn't sound like much of an informative story."

"Like I said, it was a rumor, something to pass the time. Although, current events may change that."

"Is that why you said you had a hunch during our last session? You think where we're heading to this rumored project?"

"It's a possibility, I hardly doubt that whatever's down there isn't technologically advanced. It's not every day you come across a device that's buried thirty floors underground."

"So whatever's down there was clearly meant to be hidden from the public eye. But why?"

"Judging from my missing soldier, maybe it was to keep people from getting sucked in." jested Andrew. "In all honesty though, they probably kept in down there to keep it a secret. Being pre-war, they probably wanted to keep it away from those who might sabotage it or even steal it. Back then the nations of the world were at each other’s throats, desperately trying to get an advantage over one another, word got out on something like that, they'd be dealing with an espionage nightmare."

"Well, looks like it's a not a secret any longer."

Their conversation was about to continue when the voice of the pilot came over the intercom.

"*Attention all passengers, ETA to Fort Bismarck in fifteen minutes*

And with that the intercom cut off. Andrew and Bradford both got up from their seats.

"Better start getting ready." said Andrew.

"Right" Bradford responded.

Bradford turned to his fellow scientists and with his hands clapped loudly to wake them.

"Alright ladies and gents, nap time is over, come on, come on, up you go!" he said sporadically.

The entirety of the group woke up to the outburst, some still groggy, others quite attent. Bradford was still speaking at a fast pace, urging them to move quickly.

"Come on, let's move it people we got fifteen minutes till we land! Make sure you have everything we need and also, make sure you have all of your personal belongings, because once were off this plane, the plane goes all the way back home!"





Fort Bismarck, essentially the largest Militia base in Europe, with about 2,000 personnel stationed within its walls. Formerly known as Berlin Brandenburg Airport in the days before the war, but now the place was a fortress, a home away from home so to speak, and the staging area for all scavenger operations within Central Europe. Airports made for valuable bases, as their usual layout made them ideal as a defensible position, and their airstrips provided a way of travel back and forth from New Damascus. The runway was all lit up for the expedition's arrival, usually the runway lights would be off to conserve power, but the base CO wanted to make sure that the Commander in Chief and Councilor of the Science Branch landed safely. The C-130 slowly descended at a shallow angle, eventually touching the ground and slowing down as it made its way down the landing strip and coming to a halt.

The cargo hold ramp opened and as it finished a squad of soldiers were there to escort them. Andrew stepped out and a bald Caucasian male garbed in 3-color desert stepped forward to greet him. 

"Commander Sawyer, sir!" said the man standing at attention, giving a salute.

He spoke with a Polish accent, and judging from the lack of any combat gear and that he only had a holstered pistol, Andrew assumed he must be the base CO. So Andrew respectively returned a salute, and began to converse with the man.

"At ease, soldier. Name and rank?" asked Andrew.

"Lieutenant Bakowski, sir, I command the men of Fort Bismarck."

"I thought so, what's the current situation Lieutenant?"

"Half of the 3rd Motorized Infantry Company have been stationed at the facility, they radioed in this morning to confirm that the site was secure, they’ve been there for about 19 hours."

"That's good news, so how far out is this place?"

"We managed to find its location on the area map grid. It's about fifty miles southwest of here. My men know the way so you should have no problem finding it."

"Do you have transport ready?"

"Yes, Commander, right over there." 

The Lieutenant pointed to a convoy of vehicles currently in wait. From front to back was a military grade Mercedes-Benz G-class with an M240 turret on top, an EE-11 Urutu APC, and finally a UAZ-469 with a DSHK mounted in the back. As the last of the holding straps to the trucks were undone, the scientists drove them out of the plane and were directed by the soldiers to park them behind the convoy.

"I've arranged for the science team to ride in the back of the APC. However, I would suggest you ride up front in the G-class. More fitting of a man of your rank." said Bakowski.

"Very good, Lieutenant. Contact the men on site, tell them we'll be arriving shortly." said Andrew.

"Of course sir. But first, I need to go over procedure with the science team. Just a quick rundown of the transportation situation. It won't take long."

"Very well, but get them on the horn first chance you get."

"Yes sir."

As the Lieutenant proceeded to inform the science team of their vehicle situation, Andrew approached the G-class in front and opened the passenger side back door, setting his dufflebag in the floorboard of the back seat. Andrew waited until the science team was secured inside the APC. Once they were in, he then proceeded to enter the passenger seat. Shortly afterwards the escort soldiers headed to their respected vehicles. The driver and gunner entered and gave salutes.

"Pleasure to be driving you sir." said the driver.

"The pleasure is all mine, son."

Andrew's attention turned to the gunner, as he heard him cocking the machine gun on top.

"Plan on using that, soldier? Thought Berlin was safer than most parts." said Andrew.

"For the most part, yeah. But just in a case someone or something decides to spoil the party, I'll be ready to blow out a few candles, sir."

Andrew smiled at the one-liner he just got. Despite the low danger of the area, it was good to that his soldiers were on their toes, can't be too careful out in the wastes.

"You practice that one, son, or did you read it from something?" asked Andrew.

"Eh. It's a gift." said the gunner.

"More like a curse." said the driver rolling his eyes.

Andrew slightly shook his head smiling and turned back to a comfortable position in his seat when the transceiver radio in the vehicle turned on with a voice emanating from it.

"*Watcher 1, this is Watcher 2, LT just went over procedure with the science team, we're ready to roll whenever the Commander gives the go ahead, over.*

The driver picked up the transmitter and clicked the call button.

"Copy that Watcher 2, standby."

He then looked over to Andrew for conformation.

"Let's get rolling." said Andrew.

"Watcher 1 to Convoy, we're Oscar Mike."

He returned the transmitter to its holster and started the engines. The vehicle took off down the airstrip and turned right down a small service road. They then took another right going down the road past the Airport Terminal and finally a left through the fortress gates. From then on out it was nothing but the wasteland to greet them.





The trip was retrospective for Andrew. The ride had been rough and bumpy, the area might be clear of hostiles, but the terrain was still scarred from the war. Whenever Andrew looked out the window, his thoughts couldn't help but turn to a much more violent time in his life. The shattered ruins, the scattered shrapnel, and the decaying wrecks of cars and other vehicles made the whole area a testament to a time where man's destructiveness went too far. No matter how many times he or his peers told him he had no choice in fighting, he still felt guilty, he would always feel guilty. 

“It's in the past. I've put it behind me. Just stop thinking about it.” Andrew thought to himself.

"Sir." said the driver. "We're here."

The trip didn't take very long at all, less than an hour at least. Andrew turned his attention to what was in front of him. The place was lively, temporary fortifications had been constructed and generator lights were up in a few areas. The Convoy pulled into the rear area of the building behind two open cargo doors leading into its interior. The convoy then came to a complete stop.

"This your stop, sir. Middle of nowhere." said the gunner sarcastically.

"Indeed it is, thank you gentleman again."

Andrew stepped out of the vehicle, opening the back door once again to grab his dufflebag. The science team was still departing from their vehicle when a trio of soldiers approached him. On the left was Cpl. Al-Kindi, the soldier Andrew talked to yesterday in the comm room, he was wearing a desert tan fatigue jacket, tiger-stripe pants, and the shemagh from earlier. The one in the middle was a Latino-American woman of medium build, with brown hair, wearing a grey jacket, black tactical vest, with pants and a fatigue cap in M81 Woodland. And to the right of her was a short African-American male, with pants and jacket in wz93 Pantera, a black beanie, and an OD combat bandolier. The three stopped right in front of him, all giving a respectful salute and Andrew responded with one of his own.

"Commander Sawyer, sir!" the woman in the middle said. "I'm Sergeant Sarah Martinez, Commanding Officer of the 3rd Motorized Infantry Company."

"At ease, Sergeant." said Andrew.

Andrew then turned to Ahab.

"Corporal, good to see you again."

He then turned to the man to the very right.

"And who might you be, soldier?" asked Andrew.

"Private Nick Barkley, sir." the man said.

"I've assigned these two to be your personal guard while you're here sir." said Sarah.

"Thank you Sergeant, but I don't think that'll be necessary, we have half a company on station, I think I'm safe enough. Perhaps you'd like to give me a sitrep instead?" said Andrew as he walked towards the building.

Sarah and the others walked with him. She would have insisted on keeping the personal guard, but she had no intention of arguing with her Commander. So she respected his decision.

"The generators are completely online, had my engineers get her in working order last night. All assets on site have been collected and are waiting inside a research lab on the 12th floor."

"What about the device? Any other incidents."

"No sir, no problems since yesterday morning. And it’s devices."

Andrew stopped dead in his tracks and looked at her.

"Devices? There's more than one?"

"Yes sir, twenty in fact, and thankfully we've secured all of them for the science team to look at. But to be frank we have no clue what they are or what they do."

"Well, that's what we're here to find out, Sergeant. Twenty of them, huh? That changes things a little. If you will, take me to the one Pvt. Berfield came into contact with. I'd also like to speak with the other soldier that was in his company, Private First Class Sabbag, correct?"

"Yes sir, I'll take you down there straight away."

Before entering the building, Andrew looked for Bradford. He figured he would want his expertise on the matter.

"Councilor Bradford! Come here, I think you'll want to come take a look at this thing!" he yelled out.

Andrew saw that the three vehicles from the fort were ready to head back and the science team was now unloading the trucks and heading towards the building. Councilor Bradford, who had just heard Andrew's callout, was running towards Andrew. He was a little out of breath, more due to his excitement than the short running distance.

"Councilor Sawyer, what's the news? Is it still working? Did they find anything out?" asked Bradford.

"Calm down, son, we're about to take a look at this thing, come with us."

"Well, don't mind if I do!" he said with excitement.

"By the way Councilor." said Andrew, "There's more than one."

After that was said a giant smile stretched across Bradford's face.

"Sounds like a smashing good find, alright!" he said in glee. 

The hallways of the upper floor we're quite busy as the four walked to the elevator. Soldiers going to and fro attending tasks that needed to be dealt with. Stacking the supplies they brought with them, establishing communications, and removing any sort of wreckage from within. As they made their way to the elevator, Sarah told them of their search of the facility.

"The place is a series of hallways on all but the last floor." said Sarah. "Each floor spans for at least over 700 yards. We also discovered empty food stores, an armory, and a vehicle service elevator about 50x50 meters in length. Looks like it was used to bring vehicles down to one of the devices. And I mean big ones."

"Any idea of who the previous operators were?" asked Andrew.

"No sir, most of the files are written in German, and we didn't have any native speakers in our unit, other than Berfield who spoke the basics, but he's still MIA. If I had to guess maybe it was a NATO outfit or one working for the Pre-war German government."

"Well lucky for you, I speak German. Five years of it, in fact. I should have no trouble cracking the mystery to this place." stated Bradford. 

Sarah just raised an eyebrow at his statement. Less than three minutes in and she was already beginning to dislike Bradford. She was hoping he and the other scientists wouldn't be the epitome of the know-it-all science type, God knows she didn't want to deal with that. All they needed to do was get the damn thing that grabbed Tim working so she and the others could initiate a search and rescue op. She ignored her irritating thoughts and continued on with her findings.

"Anyways, the facility has thirteen labs, and ton of pre-war equipment. The armory in particular caught my eye."

"What did it have stowed away, Sergeant?" asked Andrew.

"Heavy duty gear, sir. Assaults rifles, machine guns, grenades, rocket launchers, all top of the line. Whoever owned this place was very capable of defending it. But strangest thing about this place, everything is in place. We found that this place was lacking in any trace of human presence."

"How so?"

"No bodies, no signs of any sort of struggle or disorder. In fact, most of the floors look like they've been undisturbed for quite some time."

"So what you're saying is that it looks like no one's even been here?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. It's like they just vanished."

The group finally reached the elevator, this time using the one on other side, which was much bigger compared to the one Tim and Achmed used. Sarah pressed the button for the 30th floor and down they descended, whilst resuming the conversation.

"You think it's possible they went through one of the devices?" asked Bradford.

"Maybe, how the hell should I know?" said Sarah. "We don't even know what the device does?"

"She's right, whatever happened to the people here before us isn't our concern." said Andrew. "What is our concern, is finding out what exactly this device does, locate and rescue our missing man , if he's still alive, and finding a way to use and preserve this technology simultaneously. Anything else comes second."

The elevator emitted a loud ding and the doors opened. The group walked down to the set of heavy doors, which were now fully open with the complete restoration of power. They passed the doors and entered the room. 

"Here it is, the place where it all happened." said Sarah gesturing to it.

"God almighty." said Andrew.

"Bloody brilliant." said Bradford.

Andrew gazed upon it with eyes wide open, calling this place a room was an understatement. The room resembled more of an atrium, and the device in question was enormous compared to his previous expectations, standing in the center of the room and a good 30 feet off the ground. He didn't think it would be this big. Multiple Terminals and monitors were laid out across the room, and the sheer amount of cables and outlets gave the impression that bringing this thing back with them might be impossible. Other than themselves, four other men we're guarding the room. Andrew turned to Bradford.

"Bradford, get your team and all the equipment down here immediately, you'll be working here. Barkley go with him." said Andrew.

"Well, all right then." Bradford responded.

Bradford set down what he was carrying and was escorted by Barkley back topside, with Bradford walking with a little dance in his step. Andrew then turned to Ahab to give him orders.

"Corporal, take as many men as you need and get those assets from the twelfth floor and bring them down here."

"Can do, sir." 

Sarah then approached Andrew.

"Anything I can do sir?" she asked.

"Yes, take me to Private Sabbag, I wish to speak with him."

"He's right over there, sir."

She pointed to a man who was currently sitting on the steps of the metal platform leading up to the device. Andrew got a good look at him. As his last name suggested, he was an Arabic man, very young with a light mustache. He wore a UCP digital jacket with KLMK camo pants and a dark blue beanie. Sarah and Andrew both walked up to him.

"Private First Class Sabbag?" asked Andrew.

Achmed looked up at him, and slowly stood up at attention.

"Sir." Achmed said sullenly.

Andrew had the inclination that Berfield's disappearance didn't go over well with him, just hearing his tone of voice gave it away.

"Son, I realize what happened troubles you, and you have my sympathies. I know first-hand what it's like to lose people you care about. But I need put that aside for right now, I need your help."

Achmed knew what he was about to be asked of him, the same question he's been getting from everyone for the last 36 hours. He tried avoiding it with his fellow soldiers, but the Commander in Chief was an entirely different story, he was expected to follow an order that was given to him. He let out a deep sigh of frustration.

"What do you need to know, sir?" he said as respectfully as he could.

The commander placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Everything."
> Chapter 11: Instinctual Concerns
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight Sparkle has asked a great many of questions of Timothy Berfield. Ranging from the simple to the complex. He had been polite and patient with each answer he gave. However, he grew weary at the sheer number of questions she had. It was one of her bad habits. Acquiring knowledge had been her forte since she was very young. It came naturally with being Princess Celestia's star pupil. But never once in her life did she once regret something she learned. That would change today, and it would come from her teacher's teacher...................







Tim was silent for a good five minutes, rubbing his forehead, trying to alleviate his mind from the pressure and persistence of Twilight's questions. She had been going at it for a solid two hours straight. He'd never answered this many questions at once in his life. He knew the questions were sincere and for a noble purpose, but it was hard not to find them just a bit annoying. Tim didn't envision that the level of detail she wanted out of him would be this in depth. Tim found that her level of curiosity was fierce.

She asked just about every question Tim could have asked her about her world, plus everything in between. One of the questions was "what's the best way to cook meat for a human." Tim thought that particular one was odd considering that it was coming from someone who not only didn't eat meat, but was physically incapable of eating it. When he asked the question's purpose, she replied by saying that it was a response to Tim's answer to an earlier question, when she asked what his favorite food was, which was chicken noodle soup. Suffice to say, Tim needed a break, but Twilight was more than eager to continue.

"Are you ready yet?" asked Twilight.

"No." Tim grunted.

"That's fine. It's just that it's been five minutes and I was really wanting to get back to my questions."

"Princess, I hate to be rude, but we've been at this for about two hours now, I need a breather. Feels like school all over again."

"Okay, take all the time you need, its fine."

But to her it wasn't fine. Her persistence was at an all-time high and with every detail of human life and culture Tim had shared with her, the more it grew. She wished to learn more in several areas of interest, particularly in the level of technological advancement humans possessed. However with every new detail she learned from him, there was at least five more he was holding back from her. He wouldn't go into detail on how the technology worked, and the subject he would not budge on, no matter how hard Twilight pressed, was on his current home. He withheld any details on cities, nations, type of government, or population. Even when Twilight made it perfectly clear that her intentions would not bring harm to him or those he was trying to protect, he would still refuse to give any information. He particularly didn't like it when she asked him something about his past. He avoided it as if it was the plague. All she knew was that his family was gone, and had a feeling that it somehow related to that, which was understandable.

Tim had a feeling she was growing weary of the same old excuses when discussing the subject, as was he. He would be more than happy to share all he could if the state of things back home weren't so dire. The Survivors were hanging on a thread as it was, and if he were to just tell Twilight about the current situation on Earth, it would present a major breach in their security. Tim knew well enough on what to say and what not to say in order to protect his fellow man, a duty he swore when he joined the ranks of the Militia.

What was killing him was the fear that he might get to the point where he'd have to tell her everything. From the way he saw it, she really wasn't leader material, so he figured that her mentor, Celestia, was the one to take that responsibility. He had no idea if her mentor was even going to be sympathetic towards his plight. Shortly after hearing the contents of Celestia's letter, his thoughts developed on a bit of an ominous note. She specifically instructed Twilight to stop helping him for the time being, but why. Not to mention the fact that she supposedly bringing her sister along with her, who also happened to be a Princess as well. Tim was just a regular grunt, he wasn't sure if he could keep a lid on any information about The Survivors whilst three of Equestria's rulers were coming by and would obviously want to start asking him questions. Tim's internal worries paused when Spike entered the room, running towards them and stopping at the chair where Twilight was sitting.

"Twilight, the Princesses are here." announced Spike. "They're waiting outside."

Twilight smiled with anticipation. Tim had an uneasy feeling in his stomach, but he thought that may be due to the incessant Q&A he had with Twilight.

"That's good to hear, I'm sure they're eager to meet you, Tim." said Twilight.

Tim looked up at her and gave her the best smile he could muster.

"Uh yeah, about that." said Spike.

"What is it Spike?" asked Twilight.

"Princess Celestia asked me to tell you that she wants to speak with you in private and she asked me to stay here with Tim."

Twilight found that a bit puzzling, but not to out of the ordinary.

"Well okay then. I'll be back shortly"

With that, Twilight got up from her seat and walked out into the hallway to greet her guest currently in wait. Spike hopped into the seat next to Tim.

"She talk your ear off?" he asked with a smirk.

Tim shot his vexed gaze the young dragon next to him. He couldn't help but give a smirk right back.

"You knew she was gonna go rambling on, didn't you!" Tim accused.

"Maybe." Spike replied with a mischievous smile.

Tim couldn’t help grin back.

"You could've given me fair warning you twerp."







Twilight always enjoyed a visit from her teacher, and with Twilight attending to her own duties as a princess herself, it made the occasion few and far between. Twilight was curious as to whether or not Celestia had a solution to Tim's problem. Twilight knew almost everything there was to know about magic, but Celestia was much more experienced in the field, having an eternity to master it. Twilight was almost certain they had something to offer.

Twilight opened the doors to her castle, expecting to see both Princesses waiting somewhere near the castle steps, with two lines of guards proceeding their entrance. What she saw instead did more than catch her off guard. Before her stood about 40 guard ponies, all garbed in full armor sets with chest pieces, bracers, face covering helms and each one armed with a steel spear. Half of them were under Celestia's command and the other half were under Luna's. Twilight wasn't sure why there were here. Twilight managed to finally spot Celestia and Luna, who were now approaching her with all of their guards accompanying them. Twilight respectfully bowed and they too bowed to her.

"Twilight, it's so good to see you." said Celestia.

"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, I'm glad to see you both." said Twilight. "But if I may ask, what's with all the guard ponies?"

Celestia and Luna both looked at one another, indicating they were aware of the abnormal security presence.

"Yes, I assume you're referring to the heightened security?" said Luna.

"Yes, why so many and why so heavily armed?" asked Twilight.

"We have much to discuss, Twilight, and we would like to discuss it before meeting with the human." said Celestia.

Twilight caught that the tone of her teacher's voice sounded troubled. This meant bad news, like if Tirek came back bad news.

“Whatever is on her mind obviously has something to do with Tim's arrival. But what would motivate a response like this?” Twilight thought to herself.

Twilight saw they were both waiting for her to respond.

"Of course, right this way."

The three princesses and a fourth of the escort entered the castle while the rest of the escort guarded the exterior. Twilight led them to her room so they could speak in private. When they finally reached her room, Luna ordered the escort to wait outside in the hall. Once the doors were closed, Luna cast a spell on the door. Twilight looked to her for some sort of explanation. 

"It's a sound-proofing spell. What we say must not be heard by any ears but ours." said Luna.

This was entirely unlike them. Private conversations were one thing but this was bordering on top-secret. Twilight was half-scared and half-shocked by the whole thing.

"Princess, what is this all about? Why are you putting all these precautions in place?" asked Twilight.

Celestia gave out a sigh of discontent.

"I apologize for the large escort, but my sister insisted on bringing them when we received your letter." said Celestia.

"Sister, it's to ensure everypony's safety." said Luna.

"Luna, you have my support. Even if I disagree with the notion."

"Safety? What are you talking about? Has something happened?" asked a confused Twilight.

"No, at least not yet." said Luna "But that's why I took precautions before we arrived."

"What do you mean?" said Twilight.

"Twilight, we know what humans are." said Celestia

Twilight was dumbstruck. 

"H...how do you know?" she asked.

Celestia closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"You remember the mirror portal in Canterlot, the one we used to travel between this world and it's alternate counterpart?" asked Celestia.

Twilight began to recall the memory of the world in question, where everything was opposite to her own. Where the heroes of her world were villains and Equestria was in an endless state of unrest.

"Yes, the one you and Starswirl used to visit the King Sombra of that world? We had to stop the two worlds from ripping each other apart. The mirror was destroyed when the Sombra of that world sacrificed himself to save you and Luna."

Celestia's head went down, as the memory of her former lover brought her great pain. She shook it off and continued to answer Twilight's inquiry.

"Many years before you and your friends had knowledge of it, Starswirl forbid me to use the mirror by myself. He told me it could risk tearing the fabric of reality, which later became a very real concern. However, it turns out there was another reason why he was so hesitant on using it. He feared where it might take us, and what we might let in if we we're careless."

At that moment Celestia's horn lit up with a magic spell, which summoned a book into the room. It looked to be an old journal of sorts. She levitated it down and laid it out on Twilight's dresser. She opened the journal, flipping through the pages, until stopping at the desired page.

"What is this?" asked Twilight.

"This was Starswirl's private journal." Celestia answered. "This is where he would write down some of the more secretive knowledge he gained in his years of study. That page covers his encounter with the human world, and we were appalled by what it revealed."

"Twilight, we would like it if you read it yourself." said Luna.

Twilight found this whole move by the two very strange. However, if both Celestia and Luna insisted on it, she knew it must be important. She walked over to her dresser and looked down at the journal. The pages were yellowed and the leather cover had become wrinkled and aged, but thankfully, the handwriting upon the pages was still legible. Only two entries were written down, the first one being quite long, and the other being a paragraph in length. 

"Twilight, I warn you, what you are about to read might disturb you, but it is for the best." said Celestia.

Twilight kept her mentor's warning in mind as she began to read what Starswirl wrote so many years ago.


Entry 64,

The mirror has shown us many worlds, whether it be an opposite reality to ours or something different entirely. For the last few weeks I've had concerns on using it so liberally, fearing something might happen from our constant strain on it, we still don't know much about it. But truly, my greatest fear is of the unknown. We do not know what could be lying in wait within the mirror's reach, just waiting for us to slip. I now come back to it with another spell in hoof to open a pathway to yet another world. I did not regret my actions, as my fears proved to be right. This world I saw showed me horrors beyond what I thought was possible, and I lack a word that can accurately describe it. I was there for only a few hours, but it was enough time to realize no light shined in this world. The first thing I saw when exiting was the sight of multiple fires burning across a ravaged landscape. Buildings and skyscrapers are obliterated, crumbling, and are on or beyond the point of collapse. I saw the remains of multiple machines, unknown in their design and complexity. But now they've all suffered heavy damage, either blown up or burnt out entirely leaving only empty shells to rot. The sky was a mix of black and brown, filled to the brink with dust, smoke, and ash, making the air hard to breath. In the distance I could hear the echoes of faint pops and bangs. I'm still unsure of where or what they were coming from, but I prayed I wouldn't find out. Monsters dominate the landscape, but they are abominable to look at and unnatural in body structure, with deformed limbs and appendages, veins stretched, organs bulging from the body and imprinting in the skin, and all have an excess of skin deformities. They kill anything on sight and I am led to believe some of them might be in a constant state of pain, which might cause they're aggression.

But what terrifies me the most is the fact that all of this devastation was self-inflicted. As I walked across this horrid plane, I came across several bodies of the world's inhabitants, all of which were bloodied, mutilated, decayed, strewn across makeshift constructions as if they were trophies, or hung from high reaches above. All covered in blood and dirt, some with pieces missing, some completely torn apart. The stench of them was sickly sweet. It was then I learned that death is an apparent normality of this world, and it is when I truly began to fear for my own life. The creatures in question are ape-like in nature and structure, and to say that they are extremely violent wouldn't even begin to cover the extent of their madness. It was after I recovered the only surviving piece of literature I could find that I came across two of the creatures who were still alive, and I was revolted at what I saw one do to the other. The level of barbarism and savagery was unspeakable, I cannot even bring myself to describe the carnage I witnessed. Suffice to say, one killed the other. The creature would not ponder the morality of his act for long. A split second passed when a flash of white light burst in the distance, temporarily blinding me. When my vision returned I looked back up and saw something that I could only describe as death itself. A massive cloud of smoke and fire, formed in the shape of a mushroom rising several thousand feet into the air, towering over the tallest building. I didn't gaze upon it long as the ground began to shake from under me. In the distance a wave of fire and debris charged forth towards where I was standing, destroying everything in its path. Fearing for my life and my way back home, I set up a magical barrier to defend myself and the mirror portal, which was embedded in the base of a crumbling statue. From my shield of safety I watched as the flame incinerated the creature to his bones and then to complete nothingness. The shockwave would have killed me as well if I had not escaped at that moment. The barrier was rapidly cracking under the sheer force of this explosion, so I escaped at a moment's notice. 

I assume that the statue was destroyed after my departure, which would mean there would be no way to go back. I don't know of anything that would be capable of causing such an act of devastation. It took me a few hours to recuperate from the experience, it still sends shivers down my spine just thinking about it. When I came back to the world I decided to take a look at the only artifact I brought back with me. The text I recovered is incredibly damaged, with more than half of its pages burnt and the other half missing. I couldn't even read it, as it's written in a language completely foreign to me. I must know if these creatures fell victim to some external threat, or if they truly did suffer from their own destruction. That massive explosion, it's hard to erase from my mind. What could have done that? No spell in the world could have created something of that magnitude.

Entry 65,

After several months of decoding this text, I came up with a rough translation of its title. "The Art of War". In it I learned that these creatures are called "humans" and that they have a very firm grasp on the knowledge of warfare. Whether this book had something to do with the destruction of their world, I can't say. What I can say is the portions that were still legible are a testament to strategies, tactics, and brutality. Nopony can read this, lest they bring that kind of violent influence to our world. I have hidden it in an undisclosed location to prevent anypony from finding it. I can only pray that the statue was the only way to our world. Humans pose a very serious threat, and I cannot imagine what would happen if they found Equestria. In response, I now know that using the mirror has its risks. I know Celestia has made a habit of using it without my knowledge for quite some time, but that ends today. I cannot stress this enough. We must use caution when using the mirror. If we were to let something as violent as these humans into our world, the consequences would be fatal.


Twilight was at a loss of words. Her hoof covered her mouth at this revelation. This level of detail was fear-inducing, learning that the state of the human world was borderline apocalyptic, one wouldn't hesitate to label humans as savages. Twilight closed the journal, giving the other two princesses an indication that she had read enough.

"Twilight, are you alright?" asked Celestia sincerely.

Twilight took a deep breath to calm her nerves, but it had little effect as the vivid imagery sent shivers down her spine.

“This was the war, this was The Conflict?” she thought to herself.

"Twilight, please tell me you're alright?" her teacher asked her again.

"I'm..........not sure." Twilight responded.

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way, but it was so you knew the harsh truth. We need to resolve this situation before any harm can come of it.“ said Celestia.

Twilight realized that their minds were set on Tim being a threat. Even though Starswirl's encounter revealed to them the horrifying nature of human warfare, her outlook on Tim hadn't changed. She had a much more important set of questions for him that needed to be addressed, but he never hid any of this information from them. He wasn't one of the brutes that Starswirl encountered. He had a very friendly attitude and showed very little acts of aggression towards anypony in town. The only time he got legitimately angry was at Rainbow Dash, but it was only because she was quick to judge.

"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Tim's not dangerous! He's been polite and friendly to everypony since he's been here."

"Twilight you must listen to us." urged Luna. "This human might have told you a great many things, but we fear much of what he told you and your friends may have been false information, in an attempt to hide his true nature. He might have been trying to gain your trust. That is why we wanted you to read Starswirl's entries, so that you could learn the reality of his kind. They're dangerous, and we believe that this may be a prelude to something much direr."

"What do you mean?"

"We believe humans could bring a war to Equestria. And if it were to happen, I am not certain what the outcome could be."

"Sister, we went over this, one human doesn't make this an invasion, but it does leave us more than concerned. Twilight, any race that destroyed itself through war could have devastating repercussions if we don't take careful action now." said Celestia. "I trust your judgement, but we need to make judgements for ourselves first. If he is cooperative and not a danger like you say, we will still plan to help him. But you read it yourself Twilight. He and his kind-"

"He's already told me about this!" interrupted Twilight.

Both Luna and Celestia were surprised by that revelation.

"He did?" asked Luna.

"Yes, Princess, I believe Starswirl traveled to the human world during the worst time in their history, a war they call The Conflict, and may have made a rash assumption."

"I highly doubt that the great Starswirl would do anything rash in his life." said Luna. "He was always careful when conducting his research and studies, right sister?"

Out of the two alicorn sisters, Celestia spent more time with him. She knew him very well, and knew what his habits and routines were when conducting these sort of field experiments.

"Starswirl would always be well prepared for any situation and always came up with a detailed and thorough conclusion by the end of it." said Celestia. "But, I think Twilight may be right on this one." 

Luna gave her sister a sudden look, and Twilight did the same.

"Starswirl might have took more time in his past ventures, but this particular scenario was extremely dangerous, which would have called for different and more extreme circumstances, like trying to stay alive. The journal says he saw what they did to one another, I have no doubt it was violent and unspeakable, but he never mentioned the motive behind it and he never said he conversed with any human. This was written 30 years ago. A lot can change in that time."

Twilight found it strange that her mentor, Princess Celestia, who was considering Tim a threat just a moment ago, was now second-guessing her decision. 

"You mean, you're agreeing with me? Just like that?" asked Twilight.

"Somewhat. Unlike my sister, I thought the need of a heavy escort was unnecessary. I believed it would unintentionally provoke him and would have made a very bad first impression. But, I still do have concerns on the level of violence these humans could bring. Even if he isn't dangerous like you say Twilight, the fact remains that his kind devastated their own world, and Starswirl had a good reason to be fearful of them. However, I am of the belief that they can be reasoned with. After all, you seemed to have befriended him."

"Or he's gained her trust." Luna claimed.

"Princess, I can assure you he's not a danger. He hasn't shown any signs of being hostile towards anypony, and he can also tell you first hand that he, and many others like him, never wanted that war to happen." said Twilight.

"Are you certain of that? We don't know anything about them other than their destructive nature." asked Luna.

"They're not destructive. He's told me a lot about human culture." said Twilight. "They have no magic in their world, but they've lived their lives by harnessing technology. They’re works of literature aren't all about war. He can feel happiness like we do, compassion like we do, and even create friendships. Yes, I'm still cautious because of what they did to their world, but he's shown me that he acts like your average pony. Although he can be a little eccentric at times, he has a noble heart."

Luna's feelings of uncertainty were still lingering but no longer as bold. When she learned of the human race upon her return from banishment, she envisioned something along the lines of Chrysalis, Tirek, or herself at a much darker time in her life. Selfish creatures who think only of themselves. If what Twilight said was true, her decisions and attitude would have been gravely misplaced. Luna looked at her sister, looking for any signs as to what her thoughts may be, but honestly, it was hard to tell. Celestia had been telling her that her decisions had been too hasty and she feared that somepony would be hurt if things went sour. Luna brought the large escort because she was concerned for the well-being of everypony. Nevertheless, if the human really wasn't a threat then it would have been for nothing. However, she wasn't one for taking chances.

"Princess Twilight, I apologize for the inquisitive behavior. I want to believe you, but so many creatures in the past have tried to take advantage of Equestria. Chrysalis, Sombra, Tirek, the list goes on. I just want to see our country, and our subjects, safe from those who mean them harm."

"I understand where you might be coming from, but I swear, you'll find that he's just trying to find his way back home."

Luna let out a deep sigh.

"Very well then, I'll trust your judgement for now." said Luna. "I suppose now we should discuss an answer to his predicament?"

"A splendid idea." said Celestia with smile. "I believe our guest will be anxious to know we have several possible ways for him to return home."

"You do? That's great! He'll be happy with a bit of good news." said Twilight.

"Well, best not keep him waiting, shall we?" said Celestia.

"Should we tell him about the journal?" asked Twilight.

"Perhaps later, once the more important details are covered." said Luna. "I have a few questions for this human and I would like to get them out of the way before we discuss anything else."

With that Twilight led them out of her room and towards the cutie map room. The guards posted outside followed them down the corridor. Twilight had her hopes that the meeting between Luna, Celestia, and Tim would go well, but now, she wasn't so sure. She had no doubts that Princess Celestia would try to make the best of things, her calm and friendly nature was legendary. But now after reading about the level of violence humans can bring, she had no idea how Tim would react to the armed escort, and she caught on that Princess Luna was on her guard and probably still skeptical of Tim's intentions. Twilight noticed Celestia had whispered something into Luna's ear, and from Luna’s expression, it sounded like it might have been an argument of sorts.

Twilight's thoughts still lingered on Starswirl's journal and what it had revealed. Twilight was focused on the why aspect. Why would humans stoop to that level of destruction and at the cost of so many lives, and in the billions? What drove them to a war that could cause that much devastation? She wondered what kind of information Tim was withholding, and if he really was withholding it for the reasons he said he was.

“Could he have been lying? Could Tim really be playing me for something?" Twilight thought. “No. No, I'm certain he was telling the truth, Applejack can spot when someone's lying. He must have been telling the truth, everything he said sounded overwhelmingly sincere. He just wants to find his way home. Hopefully everypony can come to terms on that and we can start finding a solution.”

Her thoughts stopped when they finally approached the doors to the cutie map room. The moment of truth had finally arrived.

“I hope this goes well.”

Twilight's horn lit up with a violet aura as she opened the doors. Tim was still sitting in the same chair from earlier, and apparently had struck up a conversation with Spike in the time she was gone.

"Okay, so you use it as a way to send mail. But what if you were to burn up something that wasn't a letter, like say stacks of firewood, would that take it somewhere else?" asked Tim.

"Well honestly I never thought of using it like that before, though I suppose it would go straight to Celestia and........ooh! That would probably hurt." said Spike, cringing at the thought.

"Yeah, but is there a way to transport it somewhere else, where it won't fall on someone's head? Cause' if ya' get it workin' right it be a pretty handy supply system. Just flame some stuff up and boom! It goes where you need it. Save ya' time and a long haul."

"Ahem!" 

Spike and Tim turned to the source of the disturbance to see that three alicorns had entered the room. Spike got up from his seat and walked over to greet them while Tim followed from behind.

"Hello your majesties." said Spike respectfully, bowing to them in the process.

"Greetings, young Spike." said Celestia.

Tim approached slowly towards them, getting a good look at both of them. He was actually stunned at how different they looked compared to Twilight, with crowns, flowing mains, and the fact that they were almost as tall as he was. The one with the white coat was at least in the low 5-foot range. It almost seemed like the light in the room was radiating off them. To him, they looked majestic. The white one wore a set of golden regalia depicting the sun, while the other bore an ebony chest piece with a white moon emblazoned upon it. He noted he was taking a little too much of his time looking at them and walked a little faster so that a formal introduction could be made.

"Tim, I'd like you to meet my mentor, Princess Celestia, and her sister, Princess Luna." said Twilight

Celestia and Luna gave a slight bow, Tim was unsure if he should bow back, he wanted to be as polite as possible, but bowing meant you owed allegiance to that particular person, which he did not. He instead respectfully tipped his hat.

"Hello." he said.

"Tim was it?" asked Celestia.

"Yes, ma'am, my name is Tim, short for Timothy Berfield."

"Well Timothy, It is a pleasure to finally be meeting you. I take it your stay has been an enjoyable one?"

"Yes, it has. Well, other than the first night, I slept on a bench."

Celestia chuckled and smiled. Tim smiled in return.

"A bench, that sounds awful."

"I offered him a stay in the castle after that." said Twilight.

"Well I'm glad to hear you're being taken well care of." said Celestia

"I appreciate everything she's done for me, she's been very kind. If I may ask this, Princess, do you have any way for me to get back home?"

Before Celestia could answer his question, Luna interrupted.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I believe we have several matters to discuss first." said Luna

Tim recognized a certain tone in her voice that seemed unnerving. It sounded almost as if she was angry. Then his eyes caught onto something that unnerved him. Behind Luna were ten heavily armed guards, armed with spears and full body armor. Tim didn't like how they were all giving him looks, as if waiting for him to make a wrong move. He could tell instantly that something was amiss. 

Luna didn't like the look of him. She noticed that he had a strange device strapped to his back, but it did not in any way, shape, or form resemble any object she had knowledge of. However, he appeared to be a rough-looking man, with several tattered bags, dirty camouflaged apparel, thick beard, and for his state of hygiene, no comment.

"Shall we sit down?" asked Luna to Twilight.

The rest of the group headed for the round table, when Twilight turned to Spike and halted his advance.

"Spike, I think you should sit this one out."

"What, why?" he asked in a confused manner.

"Please, just do as I ask."

"Fine." he said unhappily. "But you owe me for this later."

With that he walked out of the room. Twilight couldn't shake the feeling that this meeting was going to turn out ugly, and she didn't want her little brother in here if things turned drastic, or worse, violent. Twilight walked over to the round table and found a spot next to Tim, while Luna and Celestia sat across from him.

"So, what was it you wanted to know, Princess?" he asked.

"Just a few questions, then we can get to helping you."

Tim was beginning to find her tone to his disliking.

"Like what?"

"Let's start with where you come from exactly and how you got here."

Tim then engaged into yet another Q&A session, only this time it was with a different princess and he was rather unsettled about some of the questions he was getting. Did he come with anyone else into this world? What did he bring? Was his arrival intentional? Did he hurt anyone in the time he was here, and so on? The further they progressed, the more it felt like an interrogation. Things then began to melt down when she asked if he had killed anyone in his life. Celestia began giving her sister a distasteful look. By that time, Celestia no longer saw Tim as a threat and instead viewed him as just another creature life had to offer. When that question came up, she protested it, finding it extremely rude and inappropriate. But Luna ignored her, and pressed the question again. He answered yes, but only in self-defense. Then came the question that lit the fuse.

"How many humans are there on Earth."

The one question Tim hoped he wouldn't be asked just did.

"I can't answer that one, I'm sorry."

"I see, why is that exactly? Something you don't want us to know?"

Tim looked up with an angry glare in his eyes.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm just saying, if you want our help you'll answer the question."

"Luna that was not what we planned on doing!" said Celestia.

"Planned on doing what?" asked Tim. "What the hell-"

Twilight could see that tensions were beginning to escalate and quickly tried to intervene.

"Let's come back to that question later, shall we?" suggested Twilight.

However, Tim ignored the suggestion. He was slightly offended by Luna’s insinuation, and he was now curious about why she seemed to have a beef with him.

"Princess Luna, I can't answer the question because it puts the lives of the people I care about at risk!" he said loudly.

"I can assure you that we are of no danger to your people, but the same cannot be said of your kind." Luna argued.

Tim took that as an insult.

"Excuse me? Just what the fuck is that supposed to mean?" he yelled standing up.

The guards were now on high alert with lances raised. Luna blew a bit of a fuse, as she was unaccustomed to being talked to that way.

"Watch your words, remember who you're talking to, cretin!"

"Luna!" shouted Celestia. "That was very rude. Guards, stand down. I think we've gotten off on the wrong hoof."

"You're afraid of me, aren't you?" Tim asked.

"Tim, we're not afraid of you." Celestia assured him.

"Really? I find that hard to believe when your sister and the beefed-up security seem to have it out for me. I've only met ya' just now, what's your game behind all this protection? Five guards is pushing it for a personal security escort, but you got what? Ten in here and probably a whole lot more outside."

Both Luna and Celestia were speechless, as his perception and knowledge of security procedure was unexpected. Celestia grew tired of hiding secrets from him, and chose to go with a direct approach to resolve the conflict that had started.

"Yes. There's a reason for it, Mr. Berfield." said Celestia. "We...have knowledge of your world and the war that almost destroyed it."

Tim's eyes shot up. There was good news and bad news with this new information. The good news was that it meant there was a way back to Earth. Bad news was that they could possibly have knowledge on the current state of mankind and the technology he was feverishly trying to protect.

"That's means you've been to Earth, right?" he said.

"Not quite." said Celestia. "We did not visit your world, but a unicorn by the name of Starswirl the Bearded did. He was an old friend of mine."

"How'd he get there?" asked Tim.

"Before you ask, he did use a portal, but it's been destroyed for quite some time."

Tim's head fell down in disappointment, thinking he found a way home. He let out a sigh and brushed off the frustration, at least they seemed unaware of The Survivors. Nevertheless, he was curious of what this Starswirl saw when he traveled to Earth.

"What did he see?" asked Tim.

"Tim, we think he came to Earth during the time of The Conflict, we have the journal of his account." said Twilight.

"When was it written?" he asked.

"About thirty years ago." said Celestia. "Would you like to read it for yourself?"

"Yes, I would like that." he said.

Celestia conjured up the book with a spell and levitated it over to where Tim was sitting. If it was written thirty years ago then there was no doubt it was during the war. Tim opened it and turned to the page he was told to go. He read the whole thing silently, his attention fully engaged in the text. With every word came another bad memory, he couldn't help but recall the hell he went through in his life, when fires burned, and the next breath you took could very well be your last. Constant fighting, constant danger, and then there was the depiction of the nuke. He wholeheartedly agreed with this Starswirl, when you see the mushroom cloud and incoming shockwave it creates, all that comes to mind is death. This Starswirl fella, he saw Tim's kind as monsters, and he didn't blame him for it.

The whole time he was reading, the princesses were watching him, waiting for some sort of reaction out of him. Twilight was scared that he might get defensive and that he and Luna might get into a heated argument. Celestia hoped he would remain calm, but expected Luna to instigate another argument. If it did resort into a verbal battle, or worse, a regular battle, that she would have to resolve. Luna was prepared for an act of retaliation. Despite Twilight's assurances, she was still in the mindset that he was a threat, and expected hostility from him at any moment.

However, what happened next was completely unexpected by all of them. He slowly closed the journal, with one hand covering his eyes and let out a deep sigh. When he moved his hand, Luna then noticed that a single tear had formed in his left eye and had traveled down his cheek. He wiped his eyes clean and caught his breath.

"I understand. Why y'all fear me now." he said solemnly. "But ya' act like I was responsible for it."

"But you do understand why we are fearful?" asked Luna.

"I understand. But you think I'm here to start a war like that, don't you?" he asked.

"Considering how your kind brought it upon itself, it's a possibility."

Tim looked directly into her eyes.

"A possibility?! Let me clear those thoughts from your mind, cause' I want to make this clear, to all of you!" he yelled. "That war took everything from me! I wouldn't wish it upon anybody, especially not here. I hope nobody has to see the shit I saw! Constant killing, crucifixions, firefights, mutants, raiders, soldiers, every damn day, a new danger! Every day, one hell after the other! My entire family DIED because of it! And you're just going to base an entire fucking species based on what just one guy said?!! So before you start labeling me a threat, sit down, and think for just a moment on how I saw The Conflict, cause' I can guarantee you that this Starswirl fella had no clue of what life for was like back then!"

There was a good moment of silence afterwards, everyone, including the guards, didn't make a peep. A lot of rage had built up inside of him. Twilight was now seeing the reality her new friend faced, and she saw why he wouldn't talk about his past. Tim sat back down and let out a deep sigh.

"Look, I..I just want to go home. I...I..I'm not here to start a fight."

His eyes began to water up and he found it difficult to speak. All three of them began to realize that he was legitimately in pain just thinking about it. Twilight got up from her seat to comfort him. Luna now felt awful, she knew speaking about this any further was a really bad idea. She looked over to her sister, and saw the most punishing glare directed at back at her, the one that pretty much said the lecture she would be getting later would be one for the record books. Celestia stood up and gestured for Luna to do the same.

"Tim, we are sorry for your loss, we're finished with our questions. We will help in any way we can finding a way for you to return home." said Celestia.

Tim managed to keep it together through that whole ordeal without shedding any tears. 

"Thank you, Princess. If ya' don't mind, I kinda' want to be alone right now." 

"Of course."

With that, Tim left with Twilight accompanying him to his room. Luna watched as they walked out and the doors shut. She then turned to her sister who was about ready to unleash a storm of guilt upon her.

"Captain, you and your men wait outside." Celestia commanded.

All the guard ponies saluted and filed out of the room in an orderly manner. Once they left, it was just Luna and Celestia.

"Luna, we need to talk."







Later that evening Luna was walking the halls of Twilight's castle by her lonesome. The talk with her sister made her feel all the feelings she was supposed to feel after talks like these, regretful, guilty, hesitant, and of course, sad. Celestia told her that she went too far on this one, that she put her own personal bias above how others may feel, and that none of that would have happened if she had derailed into trying to fish information out of Tim.

By this time, she usually would sit in her room and self-reflect on what she had done, but she was tired of partaking in self-pity after the Tantabus incident. She wanted to make amends, and to do that, she needed to talk with Tim. She legitimately wanted to apologize, she didn't realize the extent she had pushed him until it was too late. Hearing about the human world was awful, reading in it from a book was one thing, but when it was coming from an individual who lived it day in and day out his whole life, you didn't fear him, you felt sorrow for him. 

She looked inside all the guest rooms until she found one with its doors half open. She peeked inside and saw Tim sitting in a chair staring out the window into the night sky. He hadn't noticed her entry just yet, so she knocked on his door to gain his attention. He turned his head and saw her standing by the door. He had a displeased look on his face.

"What do you want?" he asked bluntly.

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier." she said. "It was insensitive of me to label you like that. And I didn't realize that you were that deeply affected by it."

Tim's expression changed, he looked as if he was ready to make amends as well.

"Apology accepted, Princess. I'm not one to hold a grudge, especially when you didn't know. And for the record, I'm sorry for the language, it was uncalled for."

"A truce then?" she asked.

"Truce. Why don't ya' come and sit down, stay for a spell."

Luna nodded with a slight smile. Tim noticed she wasn't wearing her regalia from earlier and her mane was tied into a ponytail, like she was ready to head in for the night. She pulled up one of the other chairs in the room and sat right next to Tim, when he stroke up a conversation.

"The nights here sure are beautiful, ain't they?" said Tim.

Luna smiled. She liked it when somepony would comment on her handiwork.

"Thanks, I raise them myself."

"Wait a minute, you raise the nights around here?"

"Indeed, the moon in particular, and my sister raises the sun."

"OHHH! So that's why your name is Luna. And your sister is named Celestia cause' she raises.......the sun.......damn, I'm an idiot. I can't believe it took me that long to figure it out."

Luna could clearly see some of that eccentric behavior Twilight was talking about, she found it amusing.

"Also explains why you got the moon on your.....uh......how do I put this.......your.......rear." he noted.

"You mean my cutie mark?" chuckled Luna.

"So that's what they're called, huh? I notice everyone round' here has one, are they like tattoos or what?"

"They're a magical embodiment of a pony's unique special talent. Mine as you might have guessed is raising the moon every night."

"Are you born with it?" he asked.

"No, each pony has to discover it for themselves, and when the time is right, the mark will appear. I'd describe it almost as a coming of age ritual and-"

Luna felt like she was stalling and wanted to go ahead and address the skeleton in the closet.

"Listen, about earlier. I just wanted you to know, that I never had the intention of making you upset." said Luna.

"Princess, you didn't make me upset, reliving my memory did. The war left its mark on the world and everybody in it. It left me with more scars than I could handle. Add that with the fact of being away from home, my friends, and that everyone here who doesn't know me is giving me the cold shoulder, it's like I'm being treated like..."

"A monster? Like if you make one wrong move you'll regret it?"

"Yeah, that's exactly it."

"I know the feeling. Once upon a time, I myself threatened the safety of Equestria. When I came back, nopony trusted me."

Tim raised in eyebrow in disbelief.

"Really? Back there it looked like you made it a point that the safety of your kind was top-priority. I figured they would commend you for that."

"Well, it wasn't until I was brought back to my senses. For the longest time I just felt guilty of what I did, I didn't talk to anypony and I punished myself for all the wrong I had done. But eventually, I stopped feeling sorry for myself and I tried to make up for it by putting the interests ad needs of my subjects before my own. In time I earned everypony's trust again. Today you showed me that maybe I was trying just a little too hard. In my attempt to protect my people, I was blinded by distrust and the fact that you were trying to do the same for your people. "

"Actually, that argument we had made me realize something. I need to trust others if they're going to trust me. So I've given it some thought and I've decided I'll give you the need-to-know information on me and my people."

"You will?"

"Yes, I figure that you deserve to know what happened after The Conflict so it'll set everyone's mind at ease, but if it's okay with you, I'd rather have Twilight and your sister present when I do. Knock three birds out with one stone."

Luna found that idiomatic phrase a tad bit frightening for her tastes, but understood its meaning and smiled with content nonetheless.

"I thank you for that, I know it's not an easy thing for you to do."

"Yeah, well I've made harder decisions in my life."

"I don't doubt that at all, well the hour is late, goodnight Mr. Berfield. I enjoyed our talk."

"Goodnight, Princess."

She got up from her seat and headed out of the room. Tim followed the same course of action she took hopped into bed, but took a little while longer to look out upon the night sky. Many things were still on his mind. The journal, the meeting, The Conflict, a way home, as well as his worries from before, like getting back to his people and performing his duty. The supply shortage was still a very crucial worry in his mind. Then the thought occurred to him.

“What if we lived here?” he thought to himself. “What if we were to make this world our home?”
> Chapter 12: How To Proceed
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is 0900 on a Wednesday morning; Andrew Sawyer sits in his quarters, waiting for his men to set up a live feed communication with the rest of the council in New Damascus. Today is a scheduled meeting, and he knew that Patel and the others would be eager to learn of their findings and the nature behind the device......................







The debriefing with Private Sabbag didn't reveal any new details like Andrew had hoped it would. Everything happened as he said it did, even showed him the body of the mutant and the cuts it left on his back. It had been three days since then, and for the last three days Bradford and his team had pretty much uncovered the history surrounding this facility. Andrew looked over the names associated with this place within the data banks of the facility's network, which was operating thanks to the combined efforts of the research team and some computer specialists brought in from Ft. Bismarck. After about 20 minutes of scrolling through the names of the greatest minds the West had to offer, he came across one that he was searching for. Jerome Kimbell, the American head of state back during Andrew's cadet days was heavily involved. That meant that the rumor turned out to be true. 

Project Gateway, established in the year 2041 by the Van Buren Corporation. Back then, Kimball was just another CIA suit. Apparently, he oversaw the project for about 2 years in development before it was handed off to someone else, and The Van Buren Corporation was actually just a front for multiple joint German-American intelligence and research operations, this one being no different. With Russia and China leaving the UN entirely that same year, the West needed every possible advantage it could get, seeing nuclear war as an inevitable reality. Billions of dollars apparently went into the funding of this facility, from both the CIA's pockets and the BND's. Project Gateway was created to establish a way through dimensions via portal rift transportation, and if successful would have served countless needs for the West during the war. Its main purpose was set on resource accumulation and a steady supply of raw materials, which would explain why so many devices were built. This facility would have served as a central hub where materials would be going in and out constantly. It would have also served secondary needs such as, nuclear shelter for government officials and essential personnel, agricultural stability in face of nuclear devastation, material and equipment storage, and if any native inhabitants were encountered, they would be exploited to any advantage.

The project however ran into a crippling setback near the end of its development. The device itself functioned perfectly fine, it was finding a place which could have provided all of these demands that was the problem. Over 40 different locations were listed on a manifest in the facility's network. All had been scouted, observed, surveyed, and categorized, and all had their set of devastating drawbacks. The first location, codenamed "Alpha", had veins of iron littered across the planet's surface, but the atmosphere had a high composition of Carbon Monoxide and regular showers of lethal acid rain. The second world, "Omega", was still in the pre-evolutionary stages of planet-wide development. The surface consisted mostly of molten rock and erupting lava. Added to that, indigenous serpentine creatures were encountered by the scouting teams. Estimates had them at 50 feet or more in length, making their homes in the rivers of lava and had a tendency of being extremely territorial. Over the course of five years, every new world that was discovered always had something about it that deemed it undesirable and unfit to exploit, fifteen of which having absolutely nothing to offer at all. Plans had been made for another attempt on a location codenamed, "Echo", but by that time, the war had finally reached Berlin.

That’s when information on the project stops, with the last report on March 14th, 2046 acknowledging the impending attack by the Russians. Despite a thorough investigation of the facility and the assets it held, the reports made no mention of an evacuation procedure, or any status on the state of the personnel assigned to the facility. Like Sergeant Martinez had said, it's like they all just vanished. Despite this fact, Andrew had more important things to do than worry about than a bunch of scientists from 40 years ago. Main priority was for a search and rescue op, but that was going to be difficult. The Science team now knew how to operate the device, but still needed to find out where it lead, and before they could do anything, they needed a green light from the rest of the council.

Andrew drew his attention back to the facility itself and the technology it housed. It didn't surprise him that this place would be used for a selfish purpose in mind. 

They created a technological marvel, and they wasted it on "resource" accumulation? Only resource they gave two shits about was oil.

Andrew knew the type of people responsible for this kind of abuse of technology. Same people who would say it's okay to launch a nuke, and the same people who would say it be okay to train child soldiers. The same people who raised him from birth. Old, greedy, warmongering politicians who benefited from the suffering of others. Andrew was just glad that this project was never successful in achieving its goal. If it were, it would mean The Conflict could have lasted much longer than three decades. Now that it was in the hands of The Survivors, some good would come out of it, and possibly, an answer to The Survivors' problems. Andrew's hunch actually paid off. With enough time and patience, this machine could yield the food and water they so desperately needed.

However, Andrew had to deal with the current task at hand, the rescue of Private Berfield. If he was transported to any of the locations listed from the manifest, then chances were that Private Berfield might already be dead and sending people into any of those locations could rack up casualties. Not to mention they still had to follow standard procedure, which required them to relay all this information to the Council before taking any sort of action. His deep train of thought was suddenly interrupted by the entry of Sergeant Martinez. She stood at attention and saluted and he stood up, returning the same gesture.

"Sergeant." he said.

"Commander, my engineers are just about done establishing a link with the Council. The meeting officially starts in about twenty minutes." she said.

"Where to?"

"A board room on the eighth floor, I can escort you there."

"Very well, have somebody bring Bradford up as well."

With that, Sarah turned the knob on her portable radio and clicked the call button. Two days ago, she managed to link her portable to the same frequency as the facility's intercom system, so that the two could work simultaneously in sync. Made things easier, with just a click of a button she could give orders out to everyone in the facility without having to run to the intercom room every time.

"Corporal Vanhart, Please escort Councilor Bradford to the eighth floor board room." she said, with her voice echoing over the speakers across the facility.

She then switched the portable back to the regular frequency, ready to escort Andrew to the Council. But something was off about her at that moment. She had a smug smile on her face. 







"Shit." Francis scowled.

"You get to escort the esteemed Councilor, you should feel honored Francis." said Nick sarcastically.

"Shut up Barkley! I don't need any of your shit!"

Francis had his fill of these scientists from the moment they arrived. Half of their conversations made absolutely no sense to him, and all of them managed to be the nerdiest people that he ever encountered. Worst part about it was that he had been assigned to babysit them by the Sarge herself, knowing well aware that he found them irritating. This was her idea of a subtle punishment for all the wisecracks he pulled from the day Tim went missing, and now he had to escort the King of the Nerds, Bradford, up 22 whole floors.

“Let's get this over with.” he thought to himself.

Francis got up from folding chair where he was sitting and expected to see the councilor waiting by the elevator. But he wasn't there, in fact, as Francis looked around the large room, he couldn't find him anywhere. With all these scientists now wearing the same standard lab coat it was hard to differentiate one from the other.

"Councilor Bradford?" Francis called out.

The call wasn't answered. Francis was now looking desperately for Bradford, walking around the room looking at each scientist, trying to find the face and features that were associated with him. 

"I don't have time for this shit." he cursed under his breath.

It was at that moment when the faint whispers of what sounded like a British accent came into earshot. Francis followed its source to find the man he was looking for, who was currently meddling with some sort of terminal built within the device itself. 

"Councilor Bradford, I hate to interrupt but you're needed on the eighth floor." said Francis.

"In a moment." said Bradford. "This is of utmost importance."

Bradford went back to his mumbling leaving an annoyed Francis with very little patience. Bradford had a habit of not listening to anything but his own thoughts, and to Francis it was an obstacle. 

"Councilor Bradford, you can get back to it later. The rest of the council is waiting for you."

"No Mr. Vanhart, I can't get back to it later, because it has data I need to present to the council, now please."

Francis was just about tired of putting up with him. He didn't care if he was a Councilor at this point, he needed him to get a move on. 

"Look man, I have my orders and the last thing I need is to get chewed out by my CO for not following them, now are you coming or not?"

"God almighty and heaven above...I said I need a moment."

"What's the problem? What's so important that you can't get back to it later?!"

"If you must know Mr. Vanhart, this terminal is filled with a list of set coordinates which may be the key to finding the location where your friend was transported to, and with your constant disturbances, it is rather difficult to find them whilst not trying to alter them! Now if you don't have any further inquiries, would you please allow me a moment of peace!"

Bradford saw that Corporal Vanhart was now quiet, but with a frustrated glare on his face, not that he cared much, considering he saw him as nothing more than a witless moron. Standing at 6'' tall , with a battered SPECTRA helmet adorned with markings of profane language, black goatee, always dogging Private Barkley at possible opportunity, ignoring the scientific value of this facility, pestering him with ridiculous questions, and toting around an M60E3 and comparing it to his manhood, it was hard not to see him as a stubborn, idiotic, brute. He ignored the bitter thoughts of him, and resumed looking over the terminal. 

Earlier this morning, Bradford had been rummaging through some of the old papers covering the design layout of the device when he stumbled across the terminal built into the device. He learned that this terminal determined where the portals would open. However, the coordinates displayed were not of any known pre-war numerical or grid system. Each set was a trio of 6-digit codes listed from top to bottom. The first code was fixed at "000030", and Bradford assumed this one was the portal that opened within the device itself, as it was a fixed number and could not be changed. The second however was more elusive, "0256EE" and the third set at "H55V81". The terminal system had several of the three code sets saved within its data banks. Bradford had the numbers, but he needed the name of the world these codes were associated with.

"Manifest...” said Bradford.

"What?" asked Francis.

"Manifest, I need to see the manifest."

"Uh..oka-HEY!!"

Bradford shoved past Francis to a nearby network terminal. There he pulled up the manifest and looked over the codes for each destination, all the while, Francis was impatiently waiting for him to get a move-on.







Andrew now sat before a blank TV screen which at the moment was being worked on by an engineer, going through some final tweaks before connecting with New Damascus. Sarah stood by the entrance, wondering what the hell was taking Vanhart was so long. To her, this kind of lollygagging reflected badly on her ability to command, and right in front of the Commander in Chief no less. Andrew himself didn't really think anything about it, with his mind still set on the facility and how they might be able to use it in the future. A small spark ignited where the engineer was working and the screen lit up with a picture of the council chamber in view. It was currently empty, leaving Andrew with just a little bit more time to wait on Bradford.

"Speaking of which..." Andrew whispered.

"Speaking of what, sir?” asked Sarah.

"Bradford? Where is he?"

Sarah and Andrew had been waiting for about 15 minutes for his arrival. Sarah could ask a similar question, what was taking Francis so long to get him up here? Sarah turned the knob on her portable and pressed the call button.

"Corporal Vanhart, please escort the Councilor to the eighth floor." she said.

"Your men always this late, Sergeant?" asked Andrew.

"No, sir. They follow orders as soon as I give them, he better have a good excuse for being late." 

"Knowing Bradford, I'd wager he's preoccupied with some small detail relating to that thing downstairs. That's probably what's taking so long."

"What makes you say that?"

"Bradford has been down there studying that thing since we've been here. Can't take him off of it."

"Still, my men know better than to slack. Especially with Private Berfield going missing. We need to be on our guard for when we commence the rescue op."

"That's good to hear, Sergeant, but depending on where that thing took him we might have to rule out the rescue."

"But sir, he's one of us. We just can't leave him."

"If he got sent to a world where we could be easily compromised I'm not willing to put more lives at risk and neither will the Council, I can promise you that. Private Berfield might not have foreseen himself getting into this kind of situation, but he knew there were risks when he volunteered for the Militia, I knew them, and so do you."

"Still, if he's alive-"

"If he's alive, then we'll get him home, but before we do anything we need the approval of the Council."

Andrew turned back around in his chair and waited. He was about to ask what the situation with Bradford was again when from the speakers of the TV, the sound of a door was heard opening. When Andrew looked at the screen, sure enough, Councilors Patel, Yeong, and Schafer all took their respected seats. 

"Councilor Sawyer. It is good to see you again." said Schafer. 

Schafer was the oldest of the current Council, at an age of 62, with a subtle but raspy German accent, and aging features. With a deep respect of the pre-war era and his own experience with it, he was the best choice for, and has been the only Councilor of Preservation since the founding of The Survivors. The man had multiple stories covering various times in his life. The life before the war, his tales during the war as a soldier in the Bundeswehr, and the nightmare that was the nuclear holocaust. He had a passion for pre-war relics and literature and did everything in his power to preserve the history of the old world.

"It's good to see you too." said Andrew courteously.

Schafer began squinting his eyes and came in closer on the screen.

"Hmm? My eyes aren't what they used to be but it seems that Councilor Bradford is not in attendance."

"Yes, We called for him but he's probably still on the bottom floor, working on the device, I'll have him called for again."

Andrew gestured for Sarah to go over the intercom again, and she did. Turning the knob on her portable, she clicked the call button yet again.

"Corporal Vanhart, please escort Councilor Bradford to the eighth floor board room at once." she said, this time with more assertiveness in her voice.

"Well, I trust that he has the more detailed analysis of whatever you found. Not that I am questioning your abilities, its just that he's the more informative out of you two. A little too informative now that I think about it."

"No apology needed Councilor, Bradford certainly knows more about the technical layout of this place than I do, however I took the liberty of learning the history of this place. Since Bradford discovered the subject himself, I'm sure he wouldn't mind I took the time to share the information with the rest of you."







“Just great, this idiot just had to have one of his nerdgasms when I'm just trying to follow orders! Sarge' is gonna fucking kill me!” Francis thought angrily to himself.

Francis walked up behind the Councilor to see what exactly he was doing. From what it looked like, he was going through the list of names on the manifest and clicking on each location individually. Each one he clicked on revealed a wealth of information about it. Unfortunately, it was all written in German, so Francis couldn't make out what it was. However, at the very top were the sets of 6-digit codes unique to each particular world. From the frustrated mumbling Bradford made a habit of, it seemed as if he wasn't finding the one he was looking for.

"Blasted! Why isn't it here?" Bradford whispered to himself.

"Uh, pal, I hate to interrupt your search...well actually, no, I don't care what the hell you're looking for. We need to get a move on! Now!"

Bradford seemed to ignore Francis' statement other than the word, "search".

"Search? Search, search! Why didn't I think of that?!" Bradford said sporadically.

Bradford quickly opened up the network directory and opened up the index search tab.

"Now what are you doing?" asked a very crossed Francis.

"Searching the network for anything relating to those codes. None of the worlds on the manifest matched the set on the terminal over there."

"Meaning?" 

"It means that wherever you're friend got sent to, it wasn't one of the worlds that was looked at before the war."

"Hey that's good news; I heard all those places were shitholes!"

"Well, it could be bad news if he got sent to one just like it. So let's cross our fingers that it's not."

Bradford typed the codes in the search tab and clicked enter. There was only one small-unnamed document associated with the codes. Bradford clicked it and saw that it was similar in structure to the ones he went through on the manifest, with the exception that it had absolutely no information on anything, other than the name of the location itself.

"Echo, he was sent to Echo." said Bradford.







The Council was taken aback; even Patel was amazed by the revelation of what happened over 40 years ago. Andrew had given them the full story of what transpired back then, all that was left was a progress update from Bradford, who was still absent for some unknown reason.

"A portal to another realm. My God. And not just one, but twenty? My countrymen didn't construct just one trans-dimensional portal they built twenty? The technological and political pressure must have been overwhelming." said Schafer.

"Even more so with a war at their doorstep." said Andrew.

"A marvel indeed. But I'm curious, Commander, what came of the people who were assigned to this facility?" asked Patel.

"That's what I've been wondering about. It doesn't say. The facility was in pristine condition when we got here, so that rules out any sort of indication that they were discovered, in fact I don't think the Russians even found this place. It's like the whole place was untouched, well other than the first floor, it's quite damaged."

"Do you think they may have used the portal, as a possible way to escape the war?"

"Not likely, if it were the case they're would have been signs of a haste. Besides like I said, the worlds they did encounter were all uninhabitable. The point of this project facility was to obtain resources, not to colonize. They would have had to find a world that was sustainable for life and none of the records here indicate that they did. The only world we don't know anything about is Echo, and that's because the war reached them before they got to take a look at it."

"Is it then safe to assume that Private Berfield would be killed upon arrival?"

"We don't know. Bradford's still trying to figure out where the portal leads and how to operate it properly."

With that, the doors behind Andrew opened and entered Bradford accompanied by Francis.

"Sorry I'm late, I was preoccupied with something."

As Bradford took his seat, Sarah shot a glance at Francis. He expected to get chewed out right then and there, but Sarah was in the presence of the entire Council, and deemed it inappropriate to do so in front of them."

"I'll deal with you later, dismissed." said Sarah.

"Yes, ma'am." said Francis.

Francis left the room and the meeting picked right back up.

"Councilor Bradford, good to see you finally arrived." said Councilor Patel.

"Likewise Councilor, now do I have a story to tell you. Turns out-"

"I've already informed them of what we learned."

Bradford's expression fell into utter disappointment.

"You told them already? I wanted to do that." said Bradford.

"Then show up on time." retorted Andrew.

Bradford sighed, knowing he was right. It's the least he deserved after showing up late for a Council meeting, something that was definitely frowned upon considering the circumstances.

"Well, what has he told you?" asked Bradford.

"Everything other than the current status of the device and how to operate it." said Yeong. "He has left that part to you."

"Do you want the long version, or the short version?" asked Bradford.

"The version we can all understand." said Schafer.

"Alright, my team and I have gone through the logistics of the portal multiple times, looked over the schematics, blueprints, controls, and have accessed almost every bit of information we could find in the facility's network. The portal works on some sort of coordinate system, only it's not like a regular map, it works more along the likes of a circuit grid. The portal itself has a destination terminal, each world has a set of 6-digit codes, and those input codes are what determine its opening location. Suffice to say, I think we're ready to start a test run."

"Are you sure that's safe?" asked Patel. "I would hate to see another incident like the one with Private Berfield."

"Yes, right, we've found out what caused that. We determined that the portal somehow generates its own airflow upon opening to remain stable. When Private Sabbag activated it, it apparently had been turned to its maximum setting, which would explain why it was strong enough to pull Private Berfield in." said Bradford.

"Why would that high of an air current be necessary?"

"Well even the lowest setting of the device generates a lot of airflow, comparable to that of a desk fan on high, only on a much larger scale. I theorize that the flow of air is one-directional, it sucks in air from here and on the other side, it goes out. The higher the setting, the bigger the portal gets."

"My guess is that a portal that big would have been used for transporting resources via cargo truck or something with a lot of weight to keep from getting pulled in." said Andrew.

Andrew then turned to Bradford.

"You said you're ready to start tests, does that mean you've found out where it leads?" asked Andrew.

"Yes...and no." said Bradford.

"What do you mean?"

"While I know the name of the world Private Berfield was transported to, there's no data whatsoever on the location, completely blank."

"But all the locations on the manifest have-"

"This one wasn't on the manifest; I had to dig around in the directory just to find anything relating to coordinate codes that were set on the device. That's what took me so long."

"Well, son. Where did he end up?"

"He was transported to Echo."

"Echo, huh?"

There was a decent period of silence before Councilor Yeong broke the silence.

"That's the world that wasn't visited, yes? Is that bad?" he asked.

"No, but it's not good either." said Andrew. "It means we have no intel until we actually go through ourselves. Could be anything on the other side."

"Yet you still intend to use it to carry out a rescue operation?" asked Patel.

Andrew took some time to think of an answer. Strategically, going in with no sort of intel was practically suicide. He had no idea of what could be lying in wait on the other side or where it would lead them. He could be walking straight into an ocean or straight off a cliff. The atmosphere might be toxic, or the ground could be unstable, possible first contact with intelligent life, anything was possible. Not to mention they still needed to find a way of communicating with each other from beyond the portal. Despite this, he knew that the rescue operation was in order, regardless of the consequences. Not just because they needed to rescue the man, it was to see if this was the solution to the shortage. With enough time they could possibly find a new home where man could not just live, but rebuild. Whether Echo could be that place was uncertain. But Andrew knew to take things one step at a time. First things, first, they needed a status on Private Berfield and intel on Echo.

"Yes, I do plan to proceed with a search and rescue." said Andrew.

Councilor Patel let out a small sigh of discontent.

"I would lying if I said, I was surprised. No doubt you have a loyalty to your men first. I'll will sanction the operation, But on one condition." 

"And what would that be Councilor?" asked Andrew.

"Handle this professionally. Take every safety precaution, go over every minute detail, have the portal secure at all times, the thing that needs to go through are the men who are partaking in the mission. Consider every preparation before carrying out your mission. And finally, I would ask you to send two of your First Reconnaissance teams to carry out the operation."

The mere mention of the First Recon brought memories back to Andrew. In the early years of The Survivors, they were first deployment group used to scout out sites for settlement and forward operations. Andrew himself was within their ranks for about 10 years before he accepted the position as Commander in Chief. Nowadays, they were the closest thing to Special Forces humanity had. The best gear, best guns, best training, and the most dangerous of missions. Along with site clearing, First recon performed tasks such as advanced weapon retrieval, nuclear disposal, data recovery, information gathering, assault operations, etc. 

Finding two teams that were openly available was nearly impossible. Most Fireteams were almost always on assignment and couldn't be contacted depending on the circumstances. Andrew would most likely have to pull two teams and reassign them here, only problem was any assignment involving First Recon was always deemed important. Pulling them out could mean losing out on something valuable to The Survivors.

Nevertheless, he had to agree with Councilor Patel on this one. Despite the entire 3rd Motorized Company and its Sergeant more than eager to conduct the operation themselves, he was going to need soldiers with experience in finding and tracking people. True, legitimate scouts who could track something or someone for miles just by picking up on traces and clues that had been left behind could also do the job. But this mission carried with it more than logistical ramifications, and despite Sarah's firm belief that they could handle the mission themselves, this wasn't an op for grunts.

"Very well Councilor, I'll see to it that I get two Fireteams here as soon as possible."

Sarah's astonished look turned towards her Commander. The last couple of days she was under the impression that she and the 3rd would be the ones to locate Tim, after all he was under her command and he was her responsibility.

"I thank you for that commander, before we move on, I have to ask, when do you think you two will be able to return to New Damascus, and is there anyway of transporting the device here so the entirety of the Science division can take a look at it?" asked Patel.

"I'm afraid moving it is out of the question." said Bradford. "This thing built into the facility from the ground up, moving it would be like trying to move a mountain."

"And if we disassembled it there's a high chance we could damage or lose something vital in the process, and since it's already fully functional, I'd say leaving it here would be the best course of action." said Andrew. "As for when we'll be back, I'd say a week or two, tops."

"Well, that's longer than I would of liked, but I suppose that it's within reason. I have no objections. You may go forth with your operation."

"Neither do I." said Yeong.

"I get to turn it on, so you obviously have my vote." said Bradford jokingly.

"You have my support Commander. Alright, onto other matters then." said Schafer.







The meeting wrapped up just before noon. No new developments, same crisis as before, same plan for tackling it. Andrew was walking back towards his quarters when Sarah walked up beside him.

"Sir, may I have a word in private with you?"

Andrew had expected this, and he had already planned for it.

"If you were wanting to discuss the Council's decision to deploy First Recon for this operation, I'll have to inform you the decision is final." 

"With all due respect sir, Tim's under my command; it should be our responsibility to find him, not First Recon. I've known these men for years, and I can count on each and every one of them to do their job. I know First Recon has a history of accomplishments but I have to insist-"

"Sergeant Martinez, I'm not in the mood to debate this with you. First Recon is suited for this kind of deployment. They're specialists and they have a better chance of finding your man. I realize this has unsettled you, but it's for the best."

"But, sir, if you would just listen-"

"End of discussion, Sergeant!"

Sarah saw that he made his point very clear and she didn't dare to attempt to overstep her bounds. She could do nothing but comply.

"Yes, sir."

"Good, order the men topside to get a Humvee gassed and ready, you have command while I'm gone."

"Sir, where are you going?"

"Fort Bismarck, I need to use the comm systems there to get in touch with an old friend. Just need to grab a few things and I'll be on my way. You're dismissed, Sergeant."

With that, Andrew took the elevator down, leaving a vexed Sarah, unsure of how the men were going to react to this bit of news. Her fist was clenched in anger and she bashed it against the wall.

"Fuck!"







It was 1800 in the barracks, or what had been turned into the temporary barracks. Sarah and several dozen of her subordinates were gathered round in a large group, debating on what to make of the fact that they wouldn't be the ones carrying out the mission.

"First Recon? Do they think we can't handle it?!" said Ahab.

"Doesn't surprise me, we're obviously not trained for this kind of mission." said Nick.

"Maybe you're not prepared newbie, but the rest of us have plenty of experience!" shouted Cpl. Locke.

"Yeah Nick, we can't all be as bad as you!" retorted Francis.

"Barkley's got a point, Vanhart, you'd do well to listen to him." said Cpl. Harris.

"Yeah, better First Recon charge headfirst than us! At least they're prepared for that kind of thing." said Pvt. Nazif.

"Didn't take you for a coward, Nazif!" accused Ahab.

"I'm not a coward, Ahab, but there's a very high chance that whatever's on the other side is hostile."

"We live in a fucking wasteland, what's more hostile than that!?" asked Francis.

"A wasteland where the very air could suffocate you, or melt your face off,...............or filled with lava, hell I don't know!" yelled Nazif.

"That's just it, we don't know what's on the other side, it could be fine for all we know! I think the Council's decision was a load of shit!" said Cpl.Richards.

"Richards is right, this is bullshit! Tim's in our unit, it should be us to bring him back here! We look after each other!" yelled Ahab.

"Yeah! Fuck whatever's on the other side, I say bring it on!" said Francis.

"There's no point in arguing about it!" announced Sarah. "It's not our choice to make, Sawyer said the decision was final."

"But Sarge, this is horseshit! You're just gonna let them do our job for us!?" asked Cpl. Richards.

"I never said I liked the decision, Corporal. But I'm not about to disobey a direct order from Commander Sawyer." said Sarah.

"So what do we do?" said a faint voice in the back.

As everyone turned around to see Achmed sitting on the end of one of the bunk beds. It was hard to converse with him; with Tim gone, he just didn't act like himself. Nobody could really pinpoint what the exact change in his mood was, but they could tell, it was like he was an entirely different person from the one they knew.

"I'm sorry Sabbag, but all we can do is follow orders." said Sarah.

Achmed's dreary expression had remained as it was before. He let out a sigh.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Nobody knows what the hell to do anymore." said Achmed.

Achmed got up and exited the room. His comrades followed out in a similar manner, seeing that the argument had just complete. Sarah stopped Cpl.Harris from leaving though. A few days ago she asked him to check on Achmed every now and then to see how he was doing. Cpl.Harris was the company's pointman/field counselor, and was skilled at reading the body language of others.

"How's he been holding up?" she asked.

"Well Sarge, he's been eating his meals, but he's not sleeping that much and he hadn't talked to anyone until just now."

"He hasn't talked in three days. He must be taking it pretty hard, huh?"

"I'd say so, he spends most his time on the bottom level, just staring at that thing. Maybe he's hoping Tim can find his way back."

It was sad to see Achmed in this state. Especially when he and Tim were pretty much inseparable. You couldn't have one without the other.

"Ma'am, in all honesty, I want to believe Tim's fine. But I think it's that uncertainty that's keeping Sabbag on edge. If Tim's dead, I'm not entirely sure how he'll react. All I can say is be prepared for anything."

Sarah was now worried. She knew Achmed's mom was on the verge of death, but he had claimed he would be psychologically stable with her passing. If that were the case, he'd have to leave the Militia behind, and Tim along with it, to care for his younger sister. However, Tim's untimely death could push him to do something severe.

"Just keep an eye on him, if his behaviors changes drastically, you let me know. You're dismissed Corporal."

Corporal Harris nodded and left the room, leaving Sarah to her lonesome. She didn't mind though, as she needed some time to think.
> Chapter 13: The Human In Company Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dark chasms of shadow and darkness dominated this place. He was under the Earth's solid ground, in carved tunnels that once held the relic of a time now destroyed entirely. Into view, the remains of twisted metal and decimated carriages can be seen, displaying the fate of those unfortunate enough to be caught in its wake of destruction. However, his primary concern is with the shaded figure that sits before him, bleeding and crippled. It speaks to him with urgency. The words are jumbled and distorted but he can already tell, it wants him to leave. The more he hears, the more his own sorrow grows in strength. He can't let go, he couldn't, but it was not up to him, this figure refused to go any further. He cries out at it in protest.

“WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!”

His words cease when echoes of a blood-curdling roars pierce out from the darkness. The figure is now desperate and pointing behind him, screaming. He looks behind his back and yet another shaded figure comes into view. It grabs him by the arm, yet he's not willing to go. But the other is easily capable of overpowering him, and thus he leaves the other behind. The shade that carried him rushes to the light, leading to what he assumes is safety. As the blinding light of day encompasses them, the last words of the abandoned shade now become clear.


“Take him and RUN!”







Tim's eyes opened as he gasped for air. His heart was beating rapidly out of control, taking it a few seconds for it to go back to normal. All the while Tim was wondering what to make of this. His dream from the night before had been similar to the one he had the night prior. Both had been too familiar for it to be coincidence. He sat in the bed for several minutes pondering the dream. Never had he had ones this memorable, or that surreal, yet lifelike at the same time. He couldn't think straight. Tim rubbed his eyes and looked out the window. It was still dark out. He began to recollect on the dreams he had been having as of late.

“What the hell's going on? Why do I keep having these nightmares? Why are they.....why are they so.......”

Tim shook his head slapped himself for good measure.

“Get your shit together Berfield! You're a fucking soldier, you don't let a bad dream get to ya' like this!”

Determined to put this behind him, Tim got out of bed and proceeded with his daily routine. The thoughts of what his dreams might mean slowly retreated as he counted every push-up in sequence. Even more so when he began the sit-up routine. By the time he finished his pull-ups with his AKM-book set-up, he had worked up quite the sweat and was now concerned with getting cleaned up and dressed. Tim walked over to the door adjacent to his bed. He was informed yesterday by Twilight that this was the bathroom for his own personal use. Considering how he hadn't bathed in about four days, he figured a refresher was well overdue. The bathroom was probably the nicest he'd ever seen or been in. Back home there were shower rooms, but to have one bathroom all to himself was a luxury that he could have never imagined.






...................one shower scene later.......................






Tim had finally finished and got dressed. He decided to leave his jacket off in favor of his old, stained T-shirt and rugged OD cargo pants. He took a quick glance in the mirror. To him, he looked rather scraggly. He might have been clean, but this was the only set of clothes he had on him, so he made do. When he took a look out the window, the sun had just begun to rise. Tim figured everyone else was probably still asleep. Tim's thinking process was interrupted when his stomach growled. 

“Shit, guess this makes it an opportune time to finish them pancakes. Now, where did Twilight say she put them?”

As he recalled, Twilight stored inside something she called an "icebox". Tim figured that it was probably just another word for fridge, so best place for him to start looking would be the kitchen. Problem was, he didn't necessarily know where the kitchen was, with the castle being a bigger sized home than Tim was accustomed to. Finding his way around had been tricky the last couple of days. He knew where the library, map room, and bedroom areas were pretty well, as that's where a majority of his time was spent. Everywhere else was still a bit of a mystery. Despite this, Tim set out to find it.

The journey was a series of twists, turns, and opening doors. Every once in a while he'd run into a set of guards. He attempted to give them a friendly hello, but the responses he got were not as courteous. Some ignored him, others gave him the stink-eye, and a few of the guards awkwardly lifted a waving hoof that lacked all sincerity. Tim expected as much, not like his unit would show someone like Twilight the same pleasantries. In fact, he was pretty certain they wouldn’t show any, opting to mess with her instead. 

After several minutes of searching, he eventually found an open archway with no doors at all. When he looked inside there was a series of cabinets, countertops, and kitchen appliances, all fitting within the castle's general color-scheme of lavender, gold, and crystal blue. As he stepped further into the room, he caught something out of the corner of his eye. Sitting at the dining table was Princess Celestia, who at the moment seemed to be enjoying a hot cup of tea. She was currently wearing a pink bathrobe, a very contrasting look compared to her regalia from yesterday. Yet she still managed to have that serene manner about her.

"Oh, good mornin' Princess." Tim said politely.

Celestia's head turned to see who it was. When she saw that it was Tim, she smiled.

"Good morning to you as well Tim." she said pleasantly. "Strange, I would never had guessed you would be up this early."

"Actually, waking up before dawn is pretty routine for me." said Tim.

"Well it looks like we have something in common then. Come, take a seat."

He was quite sure what she meant by that statement until he remembered what he and Luna discussed last night about the moon and sun of this world.

"Right, sun doesn't rise till you do. That seems like an awful lot of responsibility for just one person." said Tim.

"I will admit, it has taken its toll over the millennia, and to make it more tedious I have to keep a daily time schedule on when the sun is supposed to be raised and when it needs to set, and then daylight savings time comes in and....uhk. I don't even want to get started."

"Sounds rough. Wait.....Millennia?!"

"Oh, Twilight hasn't told you? Alicorns are blessed with long lifespans."

"Long? Like, how long?" Tim asked curiously.

"Well to give you an example, I'm 10,011 years old."

"Holy shit! Well I have to say you look good for your age. Does that mean you're like, immortal?"

"Well I thank you for the compliment." chuckled Celestia. "As for your question on whether or not we are immortal, I can safely say we're not. While Alicorns live much longer and are substantially more powerful than other ponies, we still age as time passes and we are still capable of contracting sickness, so it's safe to assume we're mortal."

"Still, 10,000 years is a long time to be alive. I've bet you've seen a lot of things."

"Indeed I have. The majority of my life has been a pleasure to witness. Seeing and visiting so many places, passing my knowledge to a younger generation and it warms my heart when I see just how happy my subjects are."

The subject of life left Tim to ponder his own whilst resuming the current conversation.

"Any regrets?" He asked.

Celestia turned to him with a confused look in her eyes. That kind of question was rather unexpected and not one that was normally asked of her. But upon further investigation on why he asked, she figured that his way of life was probably nowhere near as peaceful as hers. It was then that she actually began to recall if she did do anything regretful in her lifetime, and there was one moment in particular.

"Just one, it was the time of my sister's banishment." Celesta replied.

"Banishment? What happened?"

Celestia sat there in silence for a brief moment, reflecting on the time she alienated and banished her own sister. Everypony knew the tale, but only a handful of ponies knew the personal details of it. She realized that Tim probably had little to no knowledge on the affair, and decided to fill him in. After his breakdown yesterday, it was probably best she attempt to relate with him. Not everything in Equestria was perfect.

"Many years ago, Luna and I ruled Equestria equally, but as time went on I ended up gaining more attention than I deserved, and Luna resented me for it. During the day so many ponies would come before me, thanking me for raising the sun, and adore me as a leader. I accepted it, as at the time I found it humbling. But Luna received little to no credit where it was due. I was so oblivious to the fact that so many ignored her, myself included."

"She felt like she wasn't getting attention?"

"It was more than that. She felt like so many preferred me over her, that the masses viewed her as the inferior part of two halves. She never spoke with anypony because she was under the mindset that nopony cared about her or wouldn’t give her the chance. She grew to be a loner, and I grew to be very ignorant.”

"How long did this go on exactly?" asked Tim.

"A long time, at least half a millennia. By the time I had learned of what was happening, it was already too late. Luna had turned to a darker power and tried to take Equestria by force. It ended with a battle between the two of us. The only way to stop her was to banish her by magical means. When it was over, I found that I would be ruling the country by myself. In her absence I not only had to deal with the stress of her responsibility, but also the fact that I was the one who forced her down that path. My greatest fear is if she were to return to it, and I be responsible for it. I...can't lose her again."

Tim could see the signs clear as day. This was what Luna meant when she said she was a threat to Equestria, though from the way it was told, it didn't necessarily sound like it was entirely her fault. Tim found himself in a very delicate situation; he knew he should have just kept his mouth shut. This moment of the past still haunted her, an experience he was way too familiar with. Whatever happened between the two was clearly still embedded deeply within her thoughts. He felt like a hypocrite, the day prior he was concerned that they not ask anything about him or his people, and here she was, just willing to share her past when he had asked.

"I'm sorry, it wasn't my place to ask a question like that, I didn't mean to butt in on anything personal." said Tim.

"No need for apologies, Tim." said Celestia. "In fact I don't really get the chance to talk about this too much. Sometimes I feel like I can never put my mind at ease with everypony looking up to me as the can-do-no wrong leader. It felt good, thank you for listening."

"Uh…well...your welcome."

"Well, enough of feeling sorry for myself, shall we move on to something else?" Celestia suggested.

"Sure thing."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Eh...........no, not really."

"Oh? How come?"

"I dunno, I've been having some really bad nightmares as of late."

"Huh, interesting."

"It's nothing to be worried about. Honest. Take's more than a bad dream to rub me the wrong way."

"Be careful, Tim, dreams are indicators of one's well-being."

"What?"

Tim looked at her as if she was crazy. To him, a bad dream was just that, a bad dream.

"With all due respect princess, I can handle a nightmare or two."

"Even so, my sister often tells me ponies tend to have nightmares when they're going through something troubling to them. Perhaps you humans tend to process stress in a similar manner? Is something troubling you?"

"No.....yes.......maybe, I mean, might be. Why, is Princess Luna a counselor or somethin'?"

"Of a sort, yes. When a pony is in deep internal turmoil, she offers them guidance through their dreams, so that they might be motivated to face the problem." 

"Through their dreams? I guess that's a magic ability of hers?"

"Yes, and one that she has mastered. If you ask nicely, I'm sure she'll be willing to help you."

"Well.............give me some time to think about. It's not that I doubt her abilities, it's just…….I don't know if I like the idea of someone going through my head. Plus, I'm not entirely sure if she'll agree to it or not."

"Well I realize her attitude yesterday didn't do her any favors. Tim, I've been meaning to get this off my chest since it happened; I want to apologize for my sister's behavior towards you yesterday."

"Princess, there's no need, in fact I think you'll be happy to know she dropped by last night and apologized to me herself."

"She did?" Celestia said in surprise

"Yeah, we settled our little dispute. I respect how loyal she is to protect her people, and I can see that you're pretty dedicated to them as well. Reminds me of the duty I have to mine, it's why I need to get back to Earth."

Celestia let out a sigh of relief. After the big argument last night, Celestia was concerned that her sister might have been pushed to the point where she might have resented both Tim and herself. If Celestia had to apologize under Luna's behalf, it would probably make the situation worse. But she took comfort in knowing that Luna was willing to accept that she was in the wrong and was willing to make amends. It was a clear sign that she had put her older self behind her.

"I'm glad to hear you two managed to work things out." said Celestia. "But if you two have already let bygones be bygones, why so hesitant on letting her into your dreams?"

"Because....................because I'm not sure it's that serious."

Celestia saw he was being stubbornly tight-lipped about the subject. Whatever was going on in his head clearly had some sort of impact in his behavior. If it truly didn't bother him he wouldn't have brought it up. Despite this, Celestia would just have to accept his decision.

"Very well, if you change your mind though, I'm sure Luna is more than willing to help." said Celestia.

"I'll keep it mind." said Tim. "Now if we could just find a way back to Earth."

"We brought several texts from the Canterlot Library that cover a variety of subjects related to portals. We may be able to find something that can see to your safe return home."

"Yeah,.....home."

Celestia caught a somber tone in his voice as he said that.

"Is something wrong?" asked Celestia curiously.

"Huh..oh, no, nothin's wrong."

On the contrary, something was indeed wrong. The mere mention of home now troubled him. He knew Earth's current state was awful, downright nightmare in some areas, but he had come to call it home. But as of now, it occurred to him how much he was enjoying the benefits this world had to offer. He missed his friends and comrades of course, but the thought of returning almost seemed wrong at this point. Like his instincts were telling him to stay. This place was safe. Here, he wasn't risking his life by just walking across a street, or entering a building. The plants flourished, the water was plentiful and pure, and the air didn't reek of defilement or decay. The idea of humanity calling Equestria home still hovered about in his head. This wasn't just a place where man could survive, but prosper. This place was salvation.

As much as he wanted this place to stay the way it was, he would have no choice but to tell his superiors of this place. It didn't matter at this point, if humanity wished to survive, it couldn't stay on Earth. The Princesses would have to deal with The Survivors at one point or another, Tim could only pray that the first real contact with the two would play out peacefully. Maybe once he told the Princesses a little bit about The Survivors they would be more lenient to see where he was coming from. He realized then that returning home was no longer his primary goal, but proving that humanity deserved a second chance was. He needed to be the example if man wanted a better future.

"So, what brings you here this morning?" asked Celestia.

Tim snapped out of his deep thought. As he recalled what she just said, he remembered what brought him here to begin with.

"Breakfast, I got a batch of pancakes that needs to be finished off."

Tim got up from his chair and made his way to the fridge, which looked ancient compared to the ones he was used to, and opened the door. The box of pancakes was atop one of the many shelves. Pulling them out, he realized that the pancakes were cold. Looking around he noticed that there really wasn't a way of reheating them himself. Celestia quickly noticed the same thing, letting out a light chuckle.

"Here, let me help you with that." she said. 

Her horn lit up with a golden aura. The box of pancakes disappeared from his grasp and reappeared at the table, already sitting on a plate and with trails of steam rising off them, as if they were freshly cooked.

"Thanks." said Tim.

"My pleasure." said Celestia.

Tim sat at the chair he previously sat in, grabbing a fork and taking a bite of his pancakes. 

"Does magic do everything around here?" asked Tim.

"Well, I will say it has its limitations, but it has accomplished many things."

"Like raising the sun?"

"Well yes, But I believe I was born with that ability."

That particular topic made Celestia bring up a very curious question she was itching to ask.

"Tim, your world is devoid of any sort of magic, yes?"

Tim nodded in confirmation, as his mouth was full of pancake, preventing him from speaking.

"So how does the sun and moon rise in your world?"

Tim swallowed the food that he was currently chewing.

"Well, it just does. Twilight asked the same question yesterday. From the little I was taught, it's somethin' called gravity."

"Gravity? Pray tell, what's that?"

"Well, I ain't exactly got the book knowledge on it, but basically it's what keeps everything on the ground, and why things fall, it pulls everything towards a central point."

"If that were the case, then wouldn't the sun and moon fall as well?"

"Well, it's different for big objects, they have their own centers of gravity too and they just kinda circle around each other, but the sun's at the center, and the Earth circles the sun, and then it also circles the moon....or wait, was it the other way around. Or did the moon circle the sun, or...aw...shit."

Celestia was slightly amused from the way he explained the conversation topic. She didn't doubt that gravity was the factor for moving the two celestial bodies, but she was sure there was a better way of wording it. She found it interesting nonetheless, a possible study to look into in the future. This human was turning out to be the exact opposite of what she initially had envisioned. He clearly had much to offer in the ways of understanding.

"Well that's...very enlightening." said Celestia

Tim gave her a disbelieving look.

"Your polite, I'll give ya' that." he said.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of Tim, you said yourself that you're not the intellectual type, not everypony in Equestria is an expert either."

"Truth be told, I'm just kinda sorry that you got stuck with me for first contact with the human race. I take it that it hasn't been as breathtaking for you as it has been for me?"

"Actually the experience has actually surpassed my expectations. I have to say, now that I've actually met you in person, I'd say it puts old worries to rest. From Starswirl's description of your kind, it made it out that humans were too violent for any sort of formal first contact. I'm glad that wasn't the case."

"I won't deny that some of Starswirl's fears were well placed, we can be violent, beyond reasoning. But the human race is filled with plenty of good folks too."

"If that's the case, then why did your world end in war? Wouldn't the good ultimately try to put a stop to it?"

"It's complicated. I can't say for sure why Armageddon fell upon us or if there were people who tried to prevent it. It was before my time. All I'll say is that it happened, and the aftermath changed everyone's priorities. The good folk in the world wanted safety for themselves and those they cared about. The bad wanted to plunder and kill others for their own gain, and the in between did whatever was convenient for them, kill, loot, spare, save, it didn't matter. But the reasoning behind everyone's motives was simple. We were all just trying to survive in our own way."

"So that's all that mattered, survival? What about things like love, sympathy, happiness, or mercy?"

"My world doesn't show mercy, to anyone or anything. Even now, it's as ruthless as the day The Conflict started. I can tell you right now, happiness is pretty much dead. Sure, we might feel joyful every so often, but to be happy is to be properly fed, have plenty of water, and that everyone live their lives with content, which I can say isn't the case for most folks. Sympathy wasn't held in any high regard from either the good or the bad, most killed anyone that caused problems for them and people were pretty brutal when dealing out payback. As for love, well, I guess that still survived, but damn if it didn't come with a cost. Nothing's worse than losing someone you love, even when you move on with your life it's still there to haunt you."

Celestia let that sink in a little. Tim wasn't like any individual she had ever met. Not once did she meet one who had such a firm belief that the cruelest aspects of life could just be accepted as a harsh reality, yet still succumb to heartbreak like everypony else. This Earth was sounding more and more like the unrelenting world Starswirl made it out to be. Only this time, instead of fearing the world's inhabitants, she now felt sorry for them. This Earth had clearly thrown everything it had towards them, and somehow they came out of it alive.

"What about your world's current state, is it still as bad as before?" she asked.

"Thankfully, no. Humanity eventually managed to unite from the destruction of war and start looking after one another when we realized just how few of us were left."

"So you all formed a government? Just like that?"

"Oh no! Trust me; in the early days the idea of a unified government in the wasteland sounded like complete bullshit, and from what I heard, things were tense when it first started out. Not every human was willing to join our ranks; plenty of raider groups were still operating when I left the East Coast when I was about 12."

"You were all by yourself at that age?"

"Yeah. I'd occasionally tag along with a small group of people whenever it was convenient, but wouldn't stay too long. However, when I came across this one settlement, they said there was a place across the ocean that had food, water and protection. Really didn’t have nothin’ to lose, so I figured it was worth the risk."

It then occurred to Tim that he was now heading into his own past and Celestia was clearly paying attention to every detail of it, he guessed that the locals were rubbing off on him. But for some reason, he felt a bit more comfortable about talking on the subject, and this particular part in his life was one of the happier moments. 

"You know, I might not be too keen on touching any of my past experiences, but I feel as if you deserve to hear it, after all you were kind enough to share one." Tim expressed.

This caught Celestia's interest. She had a good feeling that this could provide more details on Tim, humans, and insight on their way of life, but she was hesitant, as she took into account on how it might affect him. 

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want any bad times to resurface." asked Celestia.

"I'm sure, besides, this one don't exactly bring up any bad memories."

"Well, I suppose if it's alright with you, I'd love to hear it."

Tim then proceeded to continue the story of how he tagged along for a ride on an old U.S navy destroyer the settlement managed to patch up. Everyone in the settlement had heard the broadcast that promised haven, and so, they journeyed across the irradiated Atlantic to the promise of a new life. They never even knew if the broadcast was legitimate, for all they knew it could have been sent out years ago, but after a lifetime of suffering, they were all were willing to take the risks for a chance to finally be free from the wrath of the wastes. Tim shared the story on account of two reasons. Celestia told him one of hers, and the 4 weeks he spent on that ship were some of his best.







Twilight's eyes opened at the sight of sunlight entering through her window. She rose from the covers, stretching out her wings in the process. She had a bad crick in her back. Her thoughts on yesterday's events came immediately to mind, probably the reason she hadn't slept so well. She knew things turned out badly, Luna and Tim shouting at each other, Tim's breakdown, and Luna and Celestia getting into an argument immediately afterwards left the current state of affairs less than undesirable. Her instincts told her that tensions would be high, and as she climbed out of bed, they told her that it was in her best interest to keep things under control.

Twilight walked to the mirror to brush the horrendous bedhead she received from a rough night's sleep. It was particularly bad today, enough so that it probably would have made Rarity faint. After about fifteen minutes of brushing, her hair had returned to its usual style. Twilight made her way out of her room and towards the library. Celestia's guards had brought in all the necessary materials required to assess a solution for Tim's predicament. Books, scrolls, tomes, and artifacts that would aid in this pursuit came straight from the Canterlot Library. In most cases, Twilight would have been delving into those books the moment they were brought in, but events from the day prior hindered any chance of that happening. The way Tim had bluntly described his life sent chills down her spine. 

“Everyday a new danger, everyday, one hell after the other.” She recalled mentally.

What kind of species would commit to their own destruction, exploit one another, endure the worst life had to offer, and come out still standing? If what Tim said was true, it meant that humans were not just dangerous, but resilient. But at the same time, these traits didn't stand out when she first encountered him. The way he smiled and patted Fluttershy showed he was compassionate. The way he jested so often showed he could be lighthearted. And the way he broke down last night showed he could feel sorrow, possibly unstable if pushed to any further extent. But Tim never tried to hide that fact that humans were dangerous. In confirming that truth, he somehow became less of a danger. If she was pestering him with questions before, there was a maelstrom of them waiting for him now. This meant her efforts had to be divided into both helping Tim and getting this information out of him.

Twilight had finally reached the library, with the same worries still on her mind. If today was going to be anything like yesterday, there was a very high chance something drastic may occur. However, her worry was quickly replaced with surprise when she opened the doors and saw Princess Luna levitating multiple books around her, reading segments from each of them and projecting portions of them around her via magic. 

"Princess Luna?" said Twilight.

"Good morning young Twilight." replied Luna with a smile.

"Good morning to you to, but what brings you to the library?" asked Twilight.

"I came early to go over some of the texts me and my sister brought with us, I took it upon myself to find an optimal option to see Mr. Berfield's safe return home."

"That's...nice?"

Twilight was somewhat puzzled. Aside from the fact that this was usually what she would normally do, why would Luna, the one who was so persistent in assuming Tim as a threat, be the first one to jump on helping him.

"Do you need any help?" Twilight asked politely.

Luna set down all of the books but one. She levitated it a bit closer and studied it profusely.

"No need, I seem to have found what I was looking, however if you'd be so polite as to speak with my sister, I request her presence and yours to speak on this."

"Of course. Do you know where she is?"

"I believe she stepped into the kitchen for her morning tea. Oh, I almost forgot, please ask Mr. Berfield to meet me here as well, it's best if we...now how did he put it? Ah, yes! Knock three birds with one stone."

"Wait, did you talk with Tim?"

"Yes, I saw fit to offer him my deepest apologies, my behavior from yesterday was, inappropriate." said Luna. She then let out a mild snicker. "Believe it or not it actually ended in a friendly exchange, and I see what you meant by his eccentric behavior. It's quite charming."

"So, are you two good!?" asked Twilight.

"Yes, I believe so."

"That's wonderful! I'll go ahead and tell Tim and the Princess and we'll meet back with you here."

"Thank you Miss Sparkle."

Twilight turned around and made her way out of the library. Luna then noticed that Starswirl's journal was sitting on the far end of the table closest to her. On impulse, she levitated it towards her and opened to the part where Starswirl encountered humanity. As she read it over one last time, she had trouble coming to terms with the possibility that Starswirl, and herself, were wrong about humanity, yet right to fear it. The whole night Luna had thought about what Tim had said. He understood her fears and took no action to decline them, as if he was well aware of the danger he could have posed, but didn't. Tim was a mystery, and Luna wanted to understand that mystery.







Twilight left the room with traces of optimism in her mind. She smiled with glee knowing that things had thankfully simmered down. Now all that was on her mind now was finding Tim and the Princess so they could all meet together in the library to begin today's work. After walking down the corridors of her castle, passing several doors and guards in the process. She was about to enter the kitchen when she stopped a few feet in front of the entryway. She could vaguely hear the sound of conversation. When she poked her head inside she saw Tim and Princess Celestia talking.

"Tim?" said Twilight.

Tim turned his head to see who it was and standing under the doorway was Twilight.

"Oh hey, mornin' Princess." greeted Tim with a smile.

"Good morning, Twilight." said Celestia

"Good morning." said Twilight. "What were you two talking about?"

"Oh, I was just sharing an old story from when I was young." said Tim. "You know what, you'd probably enjoy it too, wanna sit down, I don't mind tellin' it again."

As much as Twilight would have taken him on his offer, she remembered why she set out to find the two.

"I'm afraid it will have to wait." said Twilight. "Right now, Princess Luna needs all three of us in the library." 

"Whatever for?" asked Celestia.

"I believe she found a way for Tim to return to Earth."

Tim's expression turned to ecstatic on the moment those words left Twilight's mouth. Shoveling whatever was left on his plate; Tim got up from his chair and raced out the door.

"Gotta grab a few things, meet y'all at the library!" he said as he made his way out.

"Wait Tim, we're supposed to go togeth-"

Twilight's words were in vain, as Tim was already out of speaking distance when she popped her out into the hallway. Twilight sighed; her attempts to calm him were in vain. 

"And he's off." uttered Twilight.

"Well, it seems you weren't kidding about his eccentric behavior, Twilight." said Celestia.

"Why, did he say something that made you uncomfortable?"

"No of course not, well nothing more than what I believe were the occasional human swear words. Regardless, my observation was intended as a compliment."

"Oh, okay. So uh, what did he talk about? Was it important? Was it something about his species, or himself? Was it bad? Was it good?"

"Twilight, what's on your mind? You seem to be very, well, eccentric."

Twilight sighed; she knew it was better to speak her mind now than hide things from her teacher.

"It's Tim."

"What about him worries you, Twilight?"

"I can't exactly pinpoint an exact cause, but for some reason I feel as if he's hiding things from me!"

"What makes you think that? Do you not trust him?"

"No, I trust him, I just think that.......I don't know Princess, but I feel like there's something that's out of place, and his lack of information just makes it worse."

"Twilight, if Tim is what you're worried about then why not speak with him? Solving issues directly tends to be the best solution in most cases and he seems to be just as reasonable as any pony."

"I've tried, but for the last couple of days he's been on the defensive and starts acting secretive whenever I try to ask anything important or about him. I know I probably sound nosy, but it's just because I want to get a better understanding of him."

"I'm afraid he made it clear that he doesn't make a habit of speaking on either of those topics."

"Then how come when you two talk he goes and shares a story from his life with you? How come he was willing to talk with Princess Luna after she made him relive a bad moment in his life? I don't want to come across nosy....."

"Twilight, the reason Tim was willing to share was out of a sense of repaying a debt. I had shared my experience from when Luna was absent from our realm and he felt I was entitled for one in return. Granted it was more lighthearted than I anticipated, I still learned much from it. Rather than force it out of him, I somehow earned it. By taking the time to sit and speak with him on a personal level, he found me more approachable in conversation and thus was more willing to share. My dear student, take my advice and let him go at his own pace for now. He's probably been through more stress than any of us realize and it's often made worse when one doesn't take that into account. Now, it's probably best if I get ready for the day, we'll meet at the library."

"Of course, Princess."

Even after knowing The Princess throughout her entire childhood and afterwards, the amount of wisdom Celestia often had to offer still astounded her. Perhaps she was right, maybe she had been a bit forceful before with the lists and the tedious questions. She decided to take Celestia up on her advice and let these things play out naturally. Twilight walked out into the hallway and proceeded to the library, rethinking how to approach Tim. 







Luna had been reading in depth on the book that provided the optimal solution for Tim. The layout looked to be quite complex and time-consuming, yet would probably yield the most successful results. Her vigorous reading was interrupted when the door from behind was forcefully opened. As she turned around, she saw that it was Tim who had barged in unannounced. This caught her by even more surprised when she noticed that neither Twilight nor her sister were accompanying him.

"Mr. Berfield, good morning to you." said Luna courteously. "Tell me, do you know the whereabouts of my sister or Princess Twilight?"

"They were in the kitchen last I saw." said Tim.

"Are they making their way here?"

"I think so; Princess Twilight said you found something that could send me home?"

Luna realized that he probably came ahead of them, eager to learn of her discovery as soon as possible. Luna gave a subtle smile to him, slightly amused by his shortcomings.

"Yes, I believe I do." said Luna.

"Hell yes. What do ya got?"

Tim outstretched his hand towards the floating tome, but not before Luna closed it.

"Hey, what gives?"

"I realize your eager to started, but it's probably best if both my sister and Princess Twilight be here to add their own expertise. We'll get started once they've arrived."

Tim would have protested, but took that astute observation into account.

"Suppose that makes sense, after all, y'all are the experts on this stuff."

The room grew quite as the conversation died down. Then Tim remembered what Celestia had told him of Luna's ability to manipulate dreams. He was considering whether to ask her to help him. The nightmares seemed to have grown stronger in the last couple of days, and he could definitely trace a connection to them being the source of his feelings of dread.

“Maybe the Princess was right, maybe I do need help.” Tim thought to himself. “It couldn't hurt.......................Alright, here goes nothing.”

"Hey, uh, Princess Luna?" said Tim.

"Yes, Mr. Berfield?"

"I heard you can enter people's dreams, is that true?"

"Yes, that is true. Why do you ask?" 

"Well I've been...you see I...well the only reason I'm asking is because I been-"

Tim's sentence was cut short when both heard a loud bang followed by a large burst of confetti blast into his face. The disturbance came out of nowhere. Luna jerked back and cried out in shock. Tim, under the belief that he was being attacked, cursed and pulled a knife out on instinct. Almost immediately afterwards a familiar pink pony popped into view, and almost seemingly out of nowhere.

"SURPRISE!" announced Pinkie Pie.

"FUCK!" shouted Tim.

Tim took up a defensive stance, and almost lunged his knife out at the perpetrator. However, his nerves calmed upon realizing who was responsible for this whole outburst. Two surprises in a row was something he was not accustomed to. Tim's heart was beating rapidly, and it took a few quick breathers for it to return to normal.

"God damn, don't sneak up on me like that!" stated Tim, sheathing his knife.

"I'm sorry, but it's not my fault you took so long to trigger my secret party cannon surprise party. I've been here all night!" said Pinkie in defense.

"Secret surprise party-what!?"

It was at that moment Twilight entered the room, she had heard the outburst from the end of the hallway and had raced towards the library.

"What's all the commotion about?" she asked.

Her first sight when she entered the room was one to give her quite the wake-up-call. Tim was covered with strips of confetti, which lazily fell off of him. Princess Luna, with an annoyed look on her face, was in a similar state. Pinkie Pie was there with her trademark party cannon by her side, along with an assortment of several celebratory delights arranged on a long table. To top it off, the whole scene was tied together with a big "Welcome to Ponyville" banner hanging from the ceiling, which she didn't recall being there before.

"Pinkie? What are you doing here?" asked Twilight.

"Hey Twilight, I was just explaining to Tim why I surprised him with my secret party cannon surprise party, but I think he's more confused than surprised."

"Well no shit I'm confused! You pop out of nowhere with that...thing...as I was talking. Nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I believe the same could be said of me." said Luna. "Miss Pie, in the future please do give us a warning before taking such an initiative."

"Well sorry if I wanted to greet Ponyville's newest visitor with their own 'Welcome to Ponyville' party." said Pinkie Pie in defense.

"But Pinkie, it's just us four-"

"FIVE! Princess Celestia's about to walk through the door in three, two, one..."

All looked towards the door and sure enough, the celestial princess walked into the fiasco that had arisen. 

"Oh, Pinkie Pie, it's good to see you." said Celestia.

"You too Princess." Pinkie replied.

"Still, four ponies and one human is not quite the crowd your parties are used to drawing." Twilight noted.

"Well, for some reason, everypony I invited didn't want to show up, maybe it's because they're all afraid of him?"

"Pinkie!" said Twilight, making clear indication that what she said wasn't very polite.

"What? It’s true." said Pinkie.

This whole debate made Tim even more confused. He had an off feeling about this pink pony from the moment they first met. He could have sworn she read his mind on that first day, and the fact that she flat-out predicted the exact moment Celestia entered the room wasn't helping any. He would have asked how she did it, but quite frankly, he was scared to find out. He placed his hand on his forehead in an attempt to relieve him of his confusion.

"Listen, I appreciate the gesture, but now's just not the time."

Pinkie's usually perky attitude withered a little bit after that was said.

"Oh, okay, that's fine; I'll just save it for another time then." Pinkie said in a bit of a sullen tone

With that, Pinkie shoved the party cannon and party decor to the side of the room, which also seemingly disappeared from reality. Tim had an uncanny feeling that this pony might be hiding something, as her ability to do the impossible came off as unnatural.

"So, what were you and Luna going to talk about?" asked Pinkie Pie.

Tim was going to ask Luna to help him with his nightmares, but openly discussing something personal with the other three in attendance made tackling that uncomfortable for him.

"It was nothin' important. Forget I said anything."

Luna gave him a strange look, why would Tim ask her of her abilities and not give a basic reasoning behind it. Thankfully, it didn't take her long to put two and two together.

“Of course, he's probably having a hard time mentally adjusting to our world, probably causing him stress which undoubtedly manifests in his dreams.” Luna thought to herself. “I can see why he hides it, these matters are often very personal. I'll drop by when an opportunity arises.”

"Well, now that is out of the way perhaps we can proceed to discuss my findings?" suggested Luna.

The group came to a general agreement, as it was the reason they were gathered here in the first place, with the exception of Pinkie Pie. Luna levitated the tome that held the key solution, opened it and laid it on the table. As they looked down upon the ancient pages, a detailed diagram of a portal could be seen, accompanied by several series of notes and statistical charts. Tim tried to decipher it as best he could, but most of what it covered went completely over his head.

"What's it say?" asked Tim.

"This was written several centuries ago by an anonymous spellcaster." Luna informed. "It appears to be schematics on how to construct a two-way portal."

"Cool!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie.

"Pinkie, this goes beyond cool, this is astounding! I thought most portals lead to random destinations." asked a very giddy Twilight.

"In most cases yes, but we have the key component to narrowing down the pathway."

"And what might that be?" asked Celestia.

"Mr. Berfield."

Tim gave the Princess of the Night a puzzled look.

"Me?" he said with confusion. "What makes me so special?"

"Well, it's not necessarily you so much as it is what you have. You see, a regular portal can be created but with no clear indication of where it might lead."

"That's right, Starswirl called it the Unstable Plane Theory, it's what causes the portal to lead to so many destinations." added Twilight.

"Certain spells can narrow down to a particular location, but for a brief period of time, and are often unstable upon entry." said Celestia. "But Luna, why is this relevant?"

"Yeah, what makes this one so different?" asked Tim.

"Well, the construction layout states that with enough substantial material from one particular dimension or world can be magically infused with the portal's frame. By doing so the portal can indefinitely connect to the plane from which said material came from." said Luna.

"So, what you're saying is if we had enough stuff from Earth we could make this portal go to Earth?"

"Yes, but the only material we have from Earth happens to belong to you."

Tim's mind kicked into high gear when he realized what she had in mind.

"My stuff? Like, how much of my stuff?" he asked.

"Well, all of it if we want the best results."

Tim backed up several feet. Twilight, seeing how unwilling he was to go through with this, attempted to persuade him to cooperate.

"Tim, you said yourself you wanted to go home." Twilight said.

"Yeah, but that don't mean I'm just gonna give up everything I own, which ain't much by the way!” Tim protested. “I still need some of this stuff when I get to Earth."

"Mr. Berfield please be reasonable, it's only some loose objects and clothes.” Luna argued. “I'm sure you can find some replacements more once you've returned home."

"Yeah Tim! It's just clothes, it's not like anypony here wears them for an extended period of time." said Pinkie Pie.

Tim's cheeks fared red at the thought of walking around with no clothes for the remainder of his time here.

"NO!" yelled Tim.

"Tim, please-" Twilight urged.

"Don't, "Tim, please" me! Look I know your society is fine with strutting around in the nude but humans tend to wear clothes for the sake of decency! Besides, until we have a surefire way of knowing exactly where on Earth this portal leads to, it's best I go prepared. Last thing I want is to die to a pack of mutants with no way to defend myself, and butt naked."

"Wait, wearing clothes is normal on Earth?" asked Twilight.

"Not just normal, but socially expected." Tim clarified.

"Huh, Interesting."

Twilight popped out her notebook where she had kept her findings on Tim and added another cliff note to her entries. Luna had lost her patience with this debate.

"Look, this is the easiest route to take." Luna made clear. "Your chances of returning home are slim if we do it the alternative way, which involves countless months of trying to find a spell to connect the portal with Earth. With this solution we can have it complete in a few days."

"Tim, you said yourself that you needed to return out of a sense of duty, isn't it worth the risk?" said Twilight.

"You don't know what it's like on Earth." he said. "Most of it is completely inhospitable. I show up without any of this my chances of survival are slim!"

"Tim, if it's safety you're worried about I can have the royal guard escort you towards the nearest safe location." Celestia suggested. "Provided you lead them to it." 

Tim knew that if they went through with the escort, they even wouldn't last a day.

"They won't last an hour on Earth, I can guarantee you that."

"Mr. Berfield, unless you happen to know where we might find an alternative source of objects from Earth, this is the best course of action."

"Alternative source? Oh, wait a sec! I do know where to find more stuff from Earth!"

"You do?" said all the ponies, almost simultaneously.

"Yeah! When I woke up in the woods, there was a bunch of clutter that was sucked in with me. Maybe we could use that?"

"Tim, you don't mean the Everfree Forest? Do you?" asked Twilight. "It's dangerous, and not only that, it's expansive! How exactly are we supposed to find where you came in from?"

"I was trained as a scout. Retracing my steps isn't a problem for me."

"How well do you know the area?" asked Celestia.

"I have a general placement of everything I came into contact with in the woods and in town. Out in the wasteland you have look out for key locations if you wanna find your way back. If you can take me to the gazebo outside of town I'm sure I can find where I came in from."

"How long were you in the Everfree Forest? Is it a short distance?" asked Celestia.

"Not likely, when I came to I remember walking for about maybe three or four hours. Then I came across the stream and followed it down for about another one or two."

“A 4-6 hour trip there and back." Luna said, doing the map.

Celestia looked to the grandfather clock in the far room. It read as 10:00.

"It's ten o'clock, so it sounds like an overnight trip. We should probably get going as soon as possible and go prepared."

"And what of our safety? The Everfree Forest isn't the safest place in Equestria. Shouldn't we bring some of the guards?" asked Twilight.

"Not a good idea." said Tim. "If what y'all say about the forest being dangerous is true it's best we travel in a small group. Makes us less noticeable, plus if we run into trouble, it's easier to escape and avoid injury. Besides, that many people will definitely slow us down."

"Well, I feel as if three alicorns are quite capable of defending themselves." Celestia argued. "And we do have Mr. Berfield, who I'm sure is an expert in self-defense?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

"Well, It seems we have a plan that suites our needs." said Luna. 

"OOH! That sounds exciting! Can I tag along?! I promise I won't slow you down." asked a very enthusiastic Pinkie Pie to Tim.

"Um, okay. I guess you can come, ain't like one more is gonna hurt."

"Sweet! I just need to get packed and go tell the others before we go. Meet you at the gazebo!"

"Wait others? What oth-"

Before he could ask who she was bringing, Pinkie darted out of the room at lightning speed, leaving a trail of dust in her wake. By this point, Tim had given up any hope of putting logic into any of her reality-breaking abilities.

"She's scary, y'all know that, right?" Tim simply put.

"You get used to it." said Twilight. "I suppose we should get ready?"

Tim would have said yes if he hadn't remembered what he wanted, what he needed to make clear. This was the moment he had been dreading since his first encounter with Twilight and her friends. It would mean either gaining their trust, or bringing the end to last remnants of mankind.

"Not yet. There's a few things that you probably need to know."

All but Luna, as she previously discussed this last night, took this sudden move by surprise. 

"About our trip into the Everfree?" asked Twilight.

"No. About humanity and Earth. I know I've been hiding this stuff from you, but, in all honesty, it's best you know now."

"Tim, are you sure you..."

"Yes, I know I may not like it, but if we're gonna work together it's best you get a sense of the situation back on Earth. I'll answer whatever I can."

The three alicorns looked to one another. Celestia was cautious to ask, and was starting to wonder if Luna had put him up to this. Twilight had a list at the ready, but acknowledged that his tone of voice was very serious and that he probably wished to get this over with as quickly as possible. Luna was naturally curious, but also noted that he was doing this because he felt he was coming off as untrustworthy and they deserved to know. 

"We'll try and keep this brief." said Luna. "Where do your allegiances lie, and what is their intent?"

Tim took a deep breath.

"My allegiance is to a group known as The Survivor Coalition. Like I said before, we're basically all that's left of humanity. Our goal is to survive, plain and simple, and to maybe one day rebuild what we destroyed."

Luna caught the sincerity of his voice, one that made it abundantly clear that that was their one and only motive. Her worst fear of an armed human presence was now partly put to rest, given the lack of a hostility in their motives. Twilight stepped forward, so she could ask the next question.

"What type of government did they set up? And what role do you play in it?"

"The Survivors are led by a five-person council which pretty much make the big decisions. Each one represents a respected branch. The branches are Peace and Justice, Science, Agriculture, Preservation, and The Militia Defense Force. I fall under that last one."

"I assumed you were a soldier." asked Luna.

"Yeah, though we prefer to be called militiamen, our job is protect the people but also look for the resources we need. Food, water, medicine. Everything we find goes back to our home settlement, New Damascus."

"What of your other settlements?" asked Celestia.

"New Damascus is it. We have a few bases and such scattered across different parts of the world, but New Damascus is the closest thing to a city we have. It's our home."

"If that's the case, how many of you live there? How many of you are left?" asked Twilight.

Tim was quiet, he found difficulty in giving every inch of intel he had. But he grit his teeth, and the words came out.

"A little over fifty thousand."

The three princesses were stunned into silence. That number was so shockingly low that they all found difficulty in comprehending it. But the more they thought of it, the more things started to make sense. They saw exactly why Tim so hesitant to reveal this information, this was a civilization that hung by a thread, and any sort of careless talk could utterly destroy it.

There was no known word that could describe such an atrocity. Celestia's usual unyielding resolve was somewhat shaken from what she heard. This benevolent leader wasn't capable of comprehending that as a reality. Luna's doubts and fears were now replaced with pity upon learning the demoralizing truth.

Tim fell silent. His feelings of dread seemed somewhat relieved, but were immediately replaced with concern for what he just did. He might have just single-handedly doomed the entire human race. He saw that Celestia had just whispered something into Luna's ear, and then both Luna and her sister gave Tim a sympathetic look. Tim found it awfully suspicious but wasn't too worried about it. The two Alicorns then turned to him.

"I believe we've asked enough. We won't burden you with any more questions." stated Celestia. "We offer our deepest of condolences, I see why you were so hesitant to give us answers. Living with that kind of weight must be devastating."

"More than you know. I hope you can come to trust me now, I just put humanity on the line."

"I can assure you; no harm will come to them. We will see to it that you return home with no consequences on your part. We're a peaceful nation. Harming others is not in our nature."

"I'll hold you to your word on that, and from what Twilight has assured me that means a lot. Now, before we go are you sure you don't want to ask anything else?"

"Certain." said Celestia.

"Absolutely." said Luna.

Tim turned to Twilight, she was utterly speechless.

"Twilight?" He asked. 

Twilight naturally wanted to ask more questions, but considering how both Celestia and Luna had just declined the offer, it was best to follow the same route.

"I have nothing more to say." she relented.

Tim was skeptical of that, predicting that she would probably ask more in the days to come. Nevertheless, he took her answer as a sign and proceeded to put this questionable act behind him.

"Alright, you should probably pack for a camping trip. Everyone meet up at the door when they're ready."

The group then proceeded to exit the library and get ready. Twilight was still wondering of what to make of the fact that so few were left. Canterlot had a rough population of around 70,000. Twilight seemed to have three new question for every answer she was given. She knew that conventional warfare couldn't kill that many and her thought process turned to one question.

“What did they build that could kill so many?”
> Chapter 14: The Human In Company Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight ponders the current situation as she packs a few things for the night in the Everfree Forest, a move she deemed very unsafe. Regardless, Tim urged that they do for the sake of his own wishes. But little did she know, this trip would reveal the information she wished to know, and some she wish she hadn't........................................




Spike was grabbing a few of his things for the expedition into the Everfree. Twilight had asked him if wanted to tag along and he accepted the offer, as the prospect of retrieving a bunch of human artifacts sounded somewhat interesting. However, he found it strange that his older sister didn't seem nearly as interested. When he finished gathering his belongings, he turned around to look at Twilight who  had a very nonchalant expression on her face. Noting that something was off, he asked the question.

"Hey Twilight, what's wrong?" Spike asked with sincerity.

"Huh?" said Twilight in a very confused manner.

"I asked what was wrong."

"Why would you think anything is wrong, Spike?"

"Twilight, you'd usually be jumping on all hooves over an opportunity like this. But you just seem kinda lifeless about it. What's up?"

"Sorry, I was just thinking to myself, I'm fine, and I am excited, just, think of all the things we'll find." she said with a not-so-convincing smile.

Spike raised an eyebrow to that claim, as it was evidently clear that wasn't the case.

"Uh-huh................so what were you thinking about?"

"What?"

"I asked what were you thinking about?"

Twilight opened her mouth as if she was about to speak, but the silence only prolonged. Spike definitely knew something was up by now. Twilight never made a habit of hiding things from him, and when she did it was clearly noticeable. Keeping a secret wasn't necessarily her forte. She refused to tell him what had happened last night and she seemed to be continuing the same trend now. 

"...............It was nothing important.............just some last minute things I needed to take into account before we leave." said Twilight.

"Yeah, okay."

Spike decide to leave it at that, for now at least. If her behavior was still like this well after they left Ponyville, then he'd be worried and press the issue again. Spike grabbed his bag and tightened it across his back.

"You ready to go, Twilight?" he asked.

Twilight turned to the bed where she had been packing her saddlebags. She brought her notebook where she'd been keeping tabs on anything relating to Tim and humans, a few field instruments, a camera, a sleeping bag, and a few extra gems for Spike, in case he ate through his own reserve he packed and got hungry along the way. She double-checked everything one last time before closing the flaps on her bags and laying them across her back.

"I am now." Twilight replied.

The two left the room and headed towards the front door of the castle where Tim was waiting.




Celestia had everything prepared for the little excursion that had been set up. It had been quite awhile since she wore a saddlebag, a couple good centuries at least. It felt awkward to wear one again after such a long time.

Odd, I don't remember it being this heavy. she thought to herself.

However her main concern as of now wasn't with her bag, but rather with the captain of her personal guard, Stout Shield, and putting his worries to rest. 

"Your Majesty, please I beg you reconsider this." urged Stout Shield. "The Everfree is no place for a royal."

He was worried that the Princesses had been too trusting of this human, and that Tim was leading them into some sort of trap. Celestia was fond that he was concerned of her well-being, but she made it all the more clear that she and the others had made up their mind about it.

"Stout, I understand your concern, but you have nothing to fear. I'm certain Tim wishes us no harm." said Celestia.

"How can you be so certain of that, your majesty? He suggested that neither you nor Luna take any of your guards with you, why would he suggest that? I think he wishes to see you without any sort of security because-"

"He explained why, saying it would gain too much attention to ourselves, and considering how the Everfree is dangerous, it's best we not run into any trouble along the way."

"But if you were to get into trouble, then wouldn't it be best to have the necessary protection?"

"I trust Tim's advice on this matter, Captain, he seems to be trained in this sort of thing. If anything does happen, I'm sure my sister and I can handle it. Now, I should get going, stay here with the rest of the guard and wait for our return."

Before he could add any more input onto the matter she had already left the room, leaving the Captain to his duty. Celestia made her way down the hallway. As she trotted along she saw that Luna had walked out into the hallway from her bedroom with her saddlebags all packed. Judging from the way she was constantly turning around to tuck and pull at the straps, it seemed as if she was similar difficulties as Celestia. During the whole adjustment process, Luna looked up at her sister who had approached her and then proceeded to continue what she was doing.

"Hello sister." said Luna, using her aura to tighten some of the bag's straps. "Tell me, I haven't used these things since before I was..............away. We're they always so loose? It feels as if it keeps slipping, but I'm not entirely sure if I'm wearing it correctly."

Celestia cracked a smile and a light chuckle, as Luna's attempt to adjust to the object seemed more dire than Celestia's.

"Here, let me help you."said Celestia.

Celestia used her magic to fit the saddlebag properly on Luna. Luna then took a moment to get a feel for the appropriately tightened bag and found it to her liking.

"Is that better?" asked Celestia.

"Well, I guess so? Was it always this heavy?" said Luna.

"Seems like we both need to adjust ourselves to these things." Celestia chuckled.

"I'd say so, It's been awhile since we did anything like this. Going out into who knows where to find some lost relics."

"Not since we were young mares, but who knows, maybe a return to an activity such as this will prove to be fun.......or at least relieve some of the stress from...."

Celestia and Luna were now silent, as they both consciously knew what she was referring to. The human condition was ultimately depressing. They both came from a world in which society was mostly peaceful, and when trouble emerged to threaten that peace it was usually resolved by magical and benevolent means. But when they heard of Tim's world and just how different it was, it came across as unfathomable. This was a world where everyone was thrown into a scenario they never asked for, and suffered greatly because of it. As he told Celestia, everyone resorted to desperate measure to cling onto life and Luna got a full picture of how this world scarred him in the heated night prior.
But something told Luna that wouldn't be the case for long. Celestia had whispered into Luna's ear right after Tim told them how many humans were left. She told her that they needed to discuss some things in privacy when they had the chance. Unfortunately it was looking like that wouldn't be anytime soon, as they were about to accompany Tim, Twilight, and Pinkie Pie into the Everfree to find the materials they needed to construct a portal. For what Celestia wished to discuss, Luna couldn't say, only that it was of the utmost importance.




Tim stood leaning against the front door of the castle, waiting for the others to regroup so they could leave. Some of the dread that had been weighing him down the last couple of days had seemed to have been relieved. Despite revealing some very important information that he didn't wish to share beforehand, he wasn't as troubled by it as he thought he'd be. He began to recollect on the time he had spent in Equestria, and came to the consensus that he was probably more of a danger to them than they were to his kind. He was still under the mindset that he needed to be the example, prove humanity needed a second chance. 
Tim couldn't help but think he was deceiving them just a little, even though he hadn't done anything that could remotely make anyone believe that. He had been honest with them, answered most of the questions, and when he didn't he explained why. Perhaps his old troubles had been replaced with new ones, and that this was some sort of sick joke fate decided to play on him. Tim grew frustrated a little and cleared his head of the concept, he was tired of thinking about it. It was in the nick of time too, as Twilight had come into view, along with her assistant, Spike. Both of them wore packs on their backs which lead Tim to believe that Spike would be accompanying them as well.

"Hey princess, you ready to leave?" Tim asked.

"I am." she replied.

"Hey Tim." greeted Spike.

"Hey Spike. You coming too?"

"Yep." Spike said eagerly.

"I hope that's alright." said Twilight. "I know you said we needed to stay within a small group, but I felt I should at least ask him to come along."

"Well, he's small, so he's probably not going to be all that noticeable, but are you sure it's a good idea bringing him along? If this forest is as dangerous as you say it is, bringing a a youngster along is probably the last thing you wanna do."

"Hey, I'm not too young, the Everfree doesn't scare me!" said Spike.

"If he were by himself I'd be worried, but as his guardian I'll be watching him, plus with you, Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, and Pinkie Pie around I'm sure he'll be perfectly safe."

Tim knew better than to argue with her, he was her guardian after all. And for the Everfree itself, he didn't think this forest was all that dangerous, considering where he came from.

"Okay." said Tim. "Now all we have to do is wait for The Princesses to show up and we can be on our way. You pack everything you need?"

" I think so, what about you? Do you have everything?" she asked.

"Everything I own is on me, so I'm ready to roll."

A few seconds afterwards, Celestia and Luna had turned the corner and came directly into view.

"Hello again Mr. Berfield, and a hello to you as well Miss Sparkle, and.........Young Spike?" said Luna.

"He's coming too." said Tim.

"Very well."

"Well, now that everyone's here, we can head out. Everybody have what they need?" asked Tim.

"I suppose, though it would have helped if you had specified what we should have brought."

"Oh, well damn I didn't even think about that, sorry. Guess I'm just used to working with people who are prepped for about anything."

"Well, no harm done I suppose." said Celestia. "We only brought what we felt was necessary, after all, we do have a task to attend to."

"Right, if this place is as dangerous as you say, we probably need to get going now, we'll need as much daylight as possible if we're gonna make it there before nightfall." said Tim.

The group all seemed to nod in agreement. Twilight used her magic to open the doors to her castle and the five stepped outside to begin their mission.  




As the group walked through Ponyville, the residents seemed to bow in respect to Celestia and Luna, while Tim still received mixed results. Tim focused on following Twilight to the gazebo in an attempt to ignore the many looks he was getting. As they made their way through the town, Tim couldn't help but overhear some of the whispers from bystanders.

"* That thing is still with her?*"

"*I saw it yesterday, what's it doing with the princesses?*"

"*I guess it's friendly if it's with the princesses.*"

"*It's so weird-looking.*"

"*What in Equestria is it wearing?*"

"*What's that thing on its back, some sort of tool?*"

"*Are those its claws, they're not even sharp?*"

"*You know, it's not really that intimidating, is it.*"

"*Its beard is really hairy.*"

The comments about him were endless, but none of them warranted Tim worry. He noticed that many still didn't know exactly what he was, and he would've liked to keep it that way, for fear of any rumors starting. Thankfully, the dreadful feelings he got from yesterday's walk out into town were absent. Twilight did say that with time these ponies would be a little more friendly towards him. He wasn't entirely sure if that would ever be the case, and he probably wouldn't stick around long enough to find ,but perhaps there were signs that it may be true. For one thing, he noticed that the townsfolk didn't necessarily look frightened whenever they saw him. Some even stepped in a little closer to get a better look at him. If he had a word to describe their behavior, it would've been curious.  Whether or not he was taking a step in the right direction, he was just glad that he wasn't scaring the townsfolk anymore. But then again, this difference that may have been due to the company he was currently with.
After a sharp turn and a short-distance walk, they arrived at the gazebo on the outskirts of town Tim saw that Pinkie Pie was already waiting for them. However, he let out an irritated sigh upon seeing that the rest of Twilight's friends who he had met a few days earlier would be tagging along for the ride, with saddlebags, sleeping bags, and a small carriage.

"Hey, what took you so long?" asked Pinkie Pie.

"Well, we can't all be as fast as you I'm afraid." said Twilight.

"Hello Princess Celestia, Hello Princess Luna." greeted Fluttershy.

"It's good to see all again." said Celestia. "I assume you will be accompanying us?"

"Sure as the sun shines, Pinkie told us what y'all were up to, thought y'all might need a hoof draggin' that stuff back to Ponyville so I pulled out the wagon from the barn."  said Applejack.

"So much for a small group." said Tim.

"Okay, I maybe I went a little overboard with the amount of friends I invited, but I had to ask, we're friends, and it's always best when we do things together!" said Pinkie Pie in defense. 

"Yeah, and there's no way we're letting you take our friends somewhere without us." said Rainbow Dash.

"What she means to say is that we thought it be best if we travel together." said Applejack.

"We promise we won't get in the way." said Fluttershy.

"Tim, it's just four more ponies than last time." said Twilight. "No big deal."

Tim placed his hand on his forehead and let out a sigh. Part of him told him that he knew this was coming. Pinkie and her ability to twist reality made it evidently clear that she was going to do something unexpected.

"Kind of defeats the purpose of what we were trying to accomplish, but I can also see that y'all made up your minds. I'm gonna get started on retracing my steps." 

Tim started to circle around the gazebo, trying to jog his memory to get a feel for which direction he came from. The others started to chat amongst themselves.

"You sure he's going to be able to find his way back through the Everfree on memory alone?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"He said he was trained as a scout." said Twilight.

"So is he a soldier? Like the royal guard?" asked Rarity.

"Well he is a soldier, but I'm not sure I would compare him to our royal guard." said Twilight.

"Yeah, I'll say, he doesn't even resemble what a guard should look like." said Rainbow Dash. 

"I wouldn't be so quick to assume Miss Dash." said Luna. "When Miss Pie surprised us in the library Mr. Berfield displayed an incredibly fast reflexive defense. I don't think I've seen somepony pull out a knife so quickly."

"OH! So that's what that was for, I thought he pulled it out to so he could cut himself a slice of cake. Although, now that I think about it, I don't think cake knifes are seven inches long and have a serrated blade." said Pinkie.

"Wait! He pulled out a knife on Pinkie?!" asked an alarmed Rainbow Dash. 

"Oh dear..." gasped Fluttershy.

"When did this happen?!" asked Rarity.

"Why didn't you tell anypony, Pinkie!?" asked Twilight. "Tim!"

Tim was momentarily taken away from his work by the sudden outcry. He turned to see the whole group was now looking directly at him, and all had either an angry or worried look on their faces.

"Uh, Yeah?" he asked.

Before any of them could stop her, Rainbow Dash turned and flew over to Tim, hovering right in front of his face.

"Hey, what's up with you pulling a knife on our friend?" asked Rainbow.

Tim recalled the moment that had happened earlier. He didn't see why they were making a big deal over it, Pinkie Pie didn't even see remotely vexed or threatened when it happened. Luna the first to come to his defense, as she was the only other one there when it happened.

"Miss Dash, I believe it wasn't his intent to do harm to Miss Pie. Once he knew who startled him he sheathed it immediately." said Luna.

"Sorry about that, usually when something out of nowhere pops out in front of my face it has the intent of ripping it off." said Tim. "Call it an impulse."

"Impulse?!" said a perplexed Rainbow Dash. "Why would anypony react like that, towards Pinkie Pie no less!?"

"Tim's world is an unforgiving place, Rainbow." said Celestia. "The remaining populace has taken up a survivalist lifestyle just to stay alive, so his response was appropriate. But Tim, I hope you realize that what you did isn't acceptable behavior."

"Appropriate or not princess, I hope you're aware that we don't ever want it happening again!" said a stern Rainbow Dash to Tim.

Tim could tell that Rainbow Dash still perceived him as a threat, despite her being absent for the last couple of days. Tim hadn't seen any of Twilight's friends since the second day, but even after all that time, Rainbow Dash still seemed to have it out for him. Maybe it was out of fear, or maybe it was out of uncertainty.Though after a moment of thought, Tim did see things her way, and understood why she was angry.

"Y'all gotta realize that I tend react to what happens around me, and sometimes I react violently, especially when I don't know what's going on. But in retrospect, I suppose it was kind of a dick move on my part. Sorry for pulling a knife out on ya, Pinkie."

"Aww, no problemo Timeo! You can't help it if you're scared all the time!" exclaimed Pinkie.

"Now hold on I never said I was scared." said Tim in defense.

"Then why did you scream when I surprised you?"

By now the group of ponies in front of him were trying to hold in from snickering, Luna and Celestia included, to which former got a displeasing look from Tim, considering how she was just as caught off guard as he was when it happened. Tim grunted, rolling his eyes in the process.

"Alright, alright, I said I was sorry, no need to make mock as well." said Tim.

Tim turned back around to recall his course from the first day he came to Equestria. His day ended when he slept on the bench, and before he had been interrupted by the ponies, he was trying to think back on where he had approached it from. He took a quick look around and remembered that he had to go downhill from his little vantage point from that night. In the span of a few short seconds, Tim had a trial to follow, remembering the exact manner he came from. He turned to the group."

"It's this way." Tim announced, pointing his finger in the direction he deemed correct. "I remember coming downhill and approaching this thing from the front, y'all set to go?" he asked them.

The group was caught by surprise from how short he was able to retrace the events from three nights ago. After a short session of confounded looks, the group answered in a simultaneous yes.

"Okay then, make sure everybody has everything they need and fall behind me." Tim announced. "I'll be leading the way from here."

Each member of the party performed a quick double check of their things to see if they had everything they needed. Once they were done everybody formed a staggered column behind Tim. Applejack strapped herself into the wagon's harness and began pulling it along. Tim led the group on a slight uphill for about 200 yards until they came upon the spot Tim had used to survey the town three nights prior. Tim recognized it from a few distinct visual surroundings and from the building layout of Ponyville, with every structure in the same position as it was the night he surveyed it. 

"This is where I scouted out the area." said Tim.

"Okay, where to now?" asked Twilight.

Tim took a good look around the area, taking the minute details of the environment into account. He was getting no leads, until he spotted the stream he followed through the branches of a small tree standing a few yards away from him. It was day, so he was able to spot it clearly.

"That stream, I followed it down for a ways to get here. Guess we follow it again."

"And where would that be exactly?" asked Rarity. 

"Well, I'll have to spot it out." Tim replied.

"Well, that's assuring. What's your plan, keep walking until something looks familiar?" said Rainbow Dash sarcastically.

"Oh, I'm sorry, do you wanna lead the way?" said Tim in a sarcastically spiteful tone. "You of course would know the way I came."

"Come on guys, no fighting." said Twilight. "Tim, Rainbow does have a point, can you recall anything about where you found the stream leading into town? Anything that might tell us where you started from?" 

"No, but trust me when I say I'll know it when I see it. Now come on, we need to cover as much ground as possible if we want to make it before dark."

"And if we get lost?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Tim then pulled something out of his backpack. The group leaned in to see what it was. Out he pulled a thin metal rod, sharpened at one end and with a bright orange strand at the end hanging off to the side. He took it and jabbed it into the ground.

"Uh, what is that?" Twilight asked.

"It's a marker, a way to keep track of where we've been. In case we do get lost or lose the path we can use these markers to follow." said Tim

"Hey that's actually pretty handy."

"Yeah, we use em' out in the wastes a lot. Usually they indicate a safe path towards an outpost or fortification, but in this instance we'll use it to find our way back."

Tim continued on, with Celestia and Luna pressed onward. Twilight looked to her friends, who in return looked to her for guidance. Though Rainbow Dash doubted Tim's abilities, Twilight had a strong sense that he knew what he was doing. The way he had been recalling how he came into town that night was precise and exact, and the fact that he was now tracking their movements with markers left little room for doubt. 

"Come on girls, we best get moving." said Twilight.

The group followed their friend, with Rainbow Dash vocalizing her discontent with the decision.

"Fine! Let's go." said Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow dear, whatever is the matter, why do you hold this grudge against him?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah, RD, the way you're acting is cause for concern." said Applejack.

"He still makes me uneasy, and that whole pulling a knife on Pinkie Pie is still bugging me." Rainbow Dash replied. 

"Geeze Dashie, it's not like he did it on purpose!" said Pinkie Pie.

"You mean to tell me that you weren't the least bit frightened when he pulled the knife out."

"Not really, Tim doesn't strike me as the scary type, I don't think he was looking to hurt me."

"Twilight, I meant to ask, has he done anything..........you know, dangerous?"

"No, Rainbow, he hasn't. But I have found out a lot about his kind." said Twilight.

"Like what?" asked Fluttershy.

"Like the princess told you every other human in his world took up a survivalist lifestyle and Tim told you how bad his world was. But what we didn't know until this morning was just how desperate their condition is."

"How desperate are we talking?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"The Conflict killed billions like Tim said, only 50,000 managed to survive."

The group all gasped out of shock at the morbid revelation, with Rarity almost fainting in the process.

"Oh my goodness." Fluttershy said sheepishly.

"Sweet Celestia, Cloudsdale has a population at least three times that size!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"All those humans! Just gone!? How's that even possible?!" yelled Pinkie Pie.

"What in Equestria did they do to each other!?" asked Applejack.

"Twilight,.....is.....that what you were hiding from me?" Spike asked.

"HEY!" yelled Tim. "What's the holdup!?"

Tim had heard a commotion from behind which inclined him to turn his head. He saw that the mane six  and Spike were lagging behind by a solid fifty feet. They seemed to have stirred quite a commotion as all of them were speaking sporadically in raised voices. The group just stood silent and looking at Tim. He was too far off to get a good look at their expressions and was thus oblivious to the faces of sympathy he was receiving.

"C'mon, we've wasted enough time already!" he yelled.

As he and the two Alicorn sisters resumed their course, the mane six slowly resumed as well, now speaking in hushed tones.

"He keeps telling us that it was the war that killed his people, but even if his race is extremely violent, it would have taken several centuries to kill that many." said Twilight. "If I recall, he said it only lasted a few decades."

"You think something else could have been responsible?" Fluttershy asked.

"No, but I think it was a weapon they used, but I can't say for sure." said Twilight.

"What makes ya say that, Twilight?" Spike asked.

"Yeah, and another thing, how we know if he's telling the truth. I mean, I'm not trying to call him a liar or anything, but what if parts of his story aren't completely true." said Rainbow Dash.

"I don't think he's lying. When Princess Celestia and Princess Luna arrived last night they brought one of Starswirl's journals. Starswirl apparently traveled to Earth with the mirror portal Celestia used to see King Sombra, Tim, he, broke down when he read it, so I have to say what he says is true."

"Really? What was it like? What did he say?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"It's as inhospitable and dangerous as Tim says, but at a much worse time in history. I definitely think he traveled to Earth during the prime of The Conflict. In it he described something that essentially wiped out everything in sight."

"How's that even possible?" Applejack asked.

"It never explained how it exactly functioned, but it did explain what happened. A massive cloud of fire and ash that raised well over a hundred feet in the air and a shockwave soon forming afterwards, It incinerated and killed anything in its path."

The description of this feat of killing power left the group uneasy and wondering what could have done something of that magnitude.

"It couldn't have been a magic spell, could it?" Rarity asked.

"I don't think so. Like Tim said, his world is devoid of any sort of magic, and with the way he's been reacting to mine it's clear he's never seen it before."

"Maybe it was something else that did it." suggested Rainbow Dash. "Did humans have any enemies? I mean, we're always odd at either changelings or some other sort of creatures that want to pick a fight."

"He made it clear that humans destroyed each other, so I 'm led to believe that humans were the ones that made it. He pointed out to me that his species' has a knack for creating technology."

"You mean to tell us some whacko actually built it?" said Pinkie Pie.

"Why would anypony want to build something like that?" asked Spike.

Twilight couldn't come up with an answer for that. Perhaps it was just in their nature, or perhaps the idea of creating something that intentionally kills was just foreign to ponykind. Either way, Twilight was desperate to find out what it was, and whether or not it still existed. Tim said many things were lost to the war, hopefully whatever this weapon was, was lost as well.

"Perhaps we should ask." stated Twilight.

"Yeah, I'm with Twilight on this one, we should get the information out of him now!" said Rainbow Dash.

"Not now, Rainbow, we still have a mission to attend to. Maybe once we've reached the spot Tim came into our world from, then we can ask."

"Pfft, if we reach the spot he entered from." Rainbow scowled.

Twilight and her friends picked up speed in order to catch up with Tim. The route they took took them by the right side of the stream and into the outskirts of the Everfree forest.




After about an hour of walking and another marker placed, Tim slowed his pace and started spanning his gaze towards ground level. Twilight had no doubt that he was looking for clues or any sort of evidence as where he first encountered the stream. Twilight inched forward next to Tim, as she was curious as to how he performed his search. He was very methodical about it. Looking at about a 45 degree angle down and spanning at a radius of about 60 degrees. He rarely blinked and and followed his method at a repeating interval of at least 15-20 seconds. Twilight was about to pull out her notebook to write down her findings, when Tim stopped dead in his tracks.

"Stop!" he ordered.

The group came to a slow halt. Tim was silent, still looking to his surroundings.

"Um, Tim, why did we stop?" Fluttershy asked.

"I think we're close."

"You think we're close? Or do you not know where we are?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Tim let out a disgruntled sigh. He was growing tired of being at odds with Rainbow Dash.

"Look, I really don't need you second guessing me on every one of my decisions.  So if you would be so kind, why don't you try to have just a little faith in me." Tim said in an irritated tone.

Rainbow Dash just rolled her eyes as Tim continued to survey the stream shore in great detail.

"Right there, by the bank." he said pointing at the spot.

Everypony peered over to look at the spot in question which stood about 21 yards from where Tim was standing. On the muddy shore, were the faint footprints left from Tim's combat boots.

"These prints come out of the woods and face towards the opposite side of the stream. Guess that would be the place where I found it alright."

"Good eye, Tim." complemented Celestia. "I guess you weren't kidding when you said you were trained as a scout." 

"Have to have a good sense of direction where I come from, last thing ya wanna do is get lost. It can mean life or death in most cases." said Tim.

Tim placed yet another marker down and walked over to the footprints and faced himself in the opposite direction of where they faced. Tim looked up at eye level and saw the endless stretch of the Everfree before him.

"Alright, everyone file in behind me. Should be a straight shot this direction." Tim announced.

The ponies did as he instructed and formed behind him. Tim turned around to see if everyone was accounted for. As soon as they were, he took the first step forward into the wild forest from which he came. 




"Are we there yet?" asked Pinkie Pie.

"That's the fifth time you've asked said Tim.

"Well, are we?"

"No." Tim scowled.

"You sure?"

"Do you see crap littered all over the ground?"

"Uhm, no."

"Then we still have a ways to go."

Pinkie and the others all gave disgruntled sighs. It had been two hours since they departed from the stream and they had been walking for about two hours straight without any sort of rest. Tim had thankfully been keeping constant at placing down his markers, so getting lost was the least of their worries. It was boredom that was the real issue.

"How did you not die from a lack of interest, Tim? This is so boring!" Rainbow Dash complained.

"I will agree with Miss Dash, it has been a rather tiring and uneventful journey thus far." said Luna.

"Well maybe for you, but it wasn't boring for me. First time I ever seen a natural growing tree in my life, let alone a whole forest full of them, so walking through this place was like a dream come true."

"Gosh, if this is how you perceive walking through a forest, I'd hate to know what walking through your world is like." Rainbow Dash scowled.

"Walking through my world is like a constant game of life and death, things get tense and dreadful, not boring. Besides, didn't y'all say this forest was like the scariest thing ever. I sure as hell don't see anything that's scary about it."

"The Everfree is dangerous for sure, but I will admit, after two hours of just walking, I'd say things have been pretty dull." said Twilight.

"Makes you wish that we'd come across something." said Spike.

"Well, y'all can look forward to where we're headin'." suggested Tim.

The group gave that some thought. They found it strange that after all this time, they hadn't even once asked a question pertaining to what they might find.

"Alrighty then, so what will we be looking for?" Applejack asked.

"Well, when I came to all I saw were papers." said Tim.

"So we're walking out into the middle of the Everfree to retrieve some litter? That ain't really exciting."

"Whether it's exciting or not isn't the issue, paper alone may not be enough material to create the connection for the portal." Luna stated.

"Well, like I said, that's just what I saw, I was focused on finding my hat cause' lost it on the way in, but there may be bigger objects that got thrown a ways back." said Tim.

"And what leads to believe that may be the case?" Celestia asked.

"Think of it this way, if that portal was strong enough to suck me in, I'm sure it was strong enough to pull literally everything lighter than me in as well."

"Alright, fair point."

"So besides paper, what else may be there to find?" Twilight asked.

"uh.......I dunno..........mementos, desk decor, a clipboard....."

The objects Tim was listing didn't particularly sound unique, as these were common items that could be found in Equestria.

"Oh, and probably a fair share of electronics."

"Elec-whattas?" said a confused Pinkie Pie.

"Electronics, small little portable devices that run off electricity."

That item in particular aroused a common interest within the party.

"What do they look like." Twilight asked.

"Pfft, shit, they all look different, but if I had to summarize I guess I'd have to say they're like small metal or plastic boxes with buttons all over them."

"What do they do, necessarily?" Rarity asked.

"A bunch of things, some play music, record video, you can play games on some. 

"Hey that sounds pretty cool." said Spike.

"Although I personally don't get a hold on em' for too long. They gotta be shipped back home for Preservation to store, catalog, and then distribute."

"Were they common back before the war?" Celestia asked.

"I'd sure say so, we sure seem to find a lot of em' when we go scavenging, I think it's because...."

The conversation was abruptly ended when a sudden and bone chilling growl came from the trees. Tim immediately slung his gun around and switched it to semi-auto. The sudden abnormality caused a stir within the party. Spike, Rarity and Fluttershy darted their heads in various directions, most likely attempting to get a glimpse of what made the noise. Applejack and Rainbow Dash took up defensive stances. Twilight, Luna, and Celestia had their horns glowing ready to cast if needed. The group as a whole was ready face whatever was to be thrown at them.

"Well, I guess the trip just got more eventful?" Tim retorted.

The rest of the party gave him distasteful looks.

"Not the time Mister Berfield." said Luna.

A rustle in the foliage caught Tim's attention, and he took aim towards it. Soon enough the others took noticed and focused their attention towards it. Out of the brush, came something Tim had never seen before. It was canine like creature that stood about 4 feet tall. The creature was entirely composed of wooden trunks and branches. It looked right at the group with its snarling wooden fangs bared and its eyes glowing a florescent green.

"What the hell is that?" Tim asked. 

"It's a Timberwolf. Everypony, be on your guard." said Twilight.

"Guessing from the dog-like appearance, I take it they're pack animals?"

"Yes. But I think he may have lost his pack, they're usually together when they attack."

"I highly doubt he's alone."

Tim knew this behavior all to well. Back home, a variety of mutants used pack numbers and would develop clever tactics to take down their prey. Skags, Watchmen, Screamers, Spikers, Deathhounds, and numerous others used similar strategies. This Timberwolf was probably no different, bait the target's attention with an intimidating display while the others attack from an unseen position.
Tim turned around and looked behind to see if anything was coming their way. The group, confused as to why he took his attention off the Timberwolf in front of them, was puzzled as to what Tim was doing.

"Hey genius, the Timberwolf is front of us!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

"And there's probably more just watching us. If they're pack animals, that means there's always more than one."

Another rustle from the foliage line in front of him would soon serve as a confirmation on his suspicions. As Tim focused in and saw six pairs of glowing eyes appeared from the shadows of the woods ahead. Tim had his gun raised ready to fire as one of the now seen Timberwolves charged at him, with two others following in pursuit.

"We got three coming in from behind!"

Luna was the first to respond to his callout. Quickly turning she saw the three Timberwolves were in fact rushing them at top speed. Quickly she attempted to cast an attack spell aimed for the one closest to them, but not before one of the others screamed. Distracted she canceled out her spell and turned around to see that two more had emerged from their left and tried to attack, but not before Celestia casted a shielding spell over all of them, Luna and Tim included.
Tim dumbfounded as to why everything in sight took on a golden hue. He looked around to see that Celestia had conjured some sort of barrier. He was actually amazed at the fact that this was possible and that their magic went further than just opening doors and making things disappear and reappear.

"Damn, wish I could do that." he said.

"This should keep us safe for a time." said Celestia.

The 6 Timberwolves in sight now began encircling the golden dome, one tried to lash out at Tim, but only hit the exterior of the dome. Regardless, Tim became increasingly alert.

"Well ain't you a mean motherfucker." Tim said.

"Is everypony okay?" Twilight asked.

"I think so, but this trip just took a turn for the worst." said Applejack.

"Okay, stay calm, so we're trapped by six Timberwolves-"

"Nine, three more are hiding in the foliage ahead of me." said Tim.

"Oh dear, how did this happen?" Fluttershy cried out.

"My guess is that we were the big catch for the day, I told y'all that a small group had less chance of getting noticed." 

"Coming from the guy who said we wouldn't need any guards." noted Rainbow Dash. "Yeah, sure, don't bring the guards along, what a great idea! It's not like we would need them at all in case of a Timberwolf attack."

"More people would make this situation even worse, now quit your bitchin'. Now's not the time for the time blame game, we'll need to take em' on ourselves." he said.

They all looked at Tim like he was insane. With the exception of Rainbow Dash, who was somewhat surprised, yet satisfied with his solution.

"Hm." she said, with a face that said, now you're speaking my language. 

"You're kidding, right?" Twilight asked.

"That's crazy!" Spike yelled.

"Tim, I feel like that's a very dangerous move." said Celestia.

"Dangerous or not, we really don't have much of a choice, now do we. Unless y'all want to wait until they leave, which I highly doubt they will. They got all the time in the world."

"Tim's got a point, I've had my fair share of Timberwolf encounters, and they're persistent to say the least." said Applejack.

Seeing that they really didn't have any other ideas, it only seemed fitting to go forth with Tim's plan.

"What do you have in mind?" Twilight asked.

Tim started the gears in his head grinding for a plan of action. He surveyed his current surroundings. Unfortunately, there was nothing that gave him any distinct advantage over the Timberwolves without him losing an arm in the process. No high ground, no cover, and very little to slow them down. He assumed that they would be able to keep up with him easily, so he'd have to avoid and evade, even fire his gun if one got too close. 
Tim was actually hesitant to that for a multitude of reasons. He wasn't sure how the leaders of Equestria would react to how a gun works and what it does, and more importantly, he wasn't entirely sure if his gun would have any effect on the Timberwolves. Last thing he wanted to do was waste his limited ammo supply. They were clearly made of wood, which means they probably lacked any sort of vital organs for a bullet to damage. But maybe they did, after all they seemed to be actively hunting them, which only occurs when something is hungry.
Tim shook his head and try to stay focused on the task at hand. He went over countless maneuvers he and his squad had performed against mutants in the past, trying to find something that he did then that could help him now. Then he recalled a moment which would prove to be useful, but he's would need someone else working with him in order for it to work.

"Let me out of the shield and I'll lure them away from ya'."

"Wait, what?!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Are you crazy?!" Pinkie Pie yelled. "You'll be Timber food!"

"Not if I can evade em', plus I'm not entirely defenseless." he said shaking the rifle he was holding.

Guess we'll finally see what that thing does. Twilight thought to herself.

"Okay, say you do manage to evade them, then what?" Twilight asked.

"While I'm distracting them, The of you rest of you can try picking them off with your spells. When they start following me, start from the rear of the pack then work your way towards the front."

"Well, that might work." said Twilight. "But are you sure you want an entire pack of Timberwolves chasing you down?"

"Yeah, about that." said Tim. "I'm gonna need one of you to help me, we need to split the pack up if this is going to work. Which means, someone else needs to act as bait with  me."

The group was looking to each other to see who would be willing to aid Tim in being bait. 

"I'll do it." Rainbow Dash announced.

That made Tim bat an eye, as he would have marked her as the last person, or pony, who'd want to volunteer to help him.

"Wait? Really?" questioned Tim.

"Yeah, I'm always ready to do things the hard way." she boldly claimed. "Besides, taking on a pack of Timberwolves has always been a fantasy of mine. They don't call me Rainbow "Danger" Dash for nothing."

"I thought your middle name was Jennifer?" said Pinkie.

Tim snickered at the jab to Rainbow's bravado. Rainbow just rolled her eyes.

"Then it seems we have a plan. I can open the portal briefly to let you two out. Tim, it's your call,when you're ready, say the word and I'll open it." said Celestia.

Rainbow Dash took a stance as if she were about to dart out in a flash. Tim took one that looked like he was about to breach and clear a room, calculating the right moment to initiate his course of action. Unlike Rainbow Dash, he didn't have the luxury of flying, so he's at a much higher risk of becoming lunch.

"Not yet." he said quietly. "Wait for my mark."

The pack was too bunched up together for him to make an effective run out of their reach. He waited for about ten more seconds before he saw his opening. He was ready.

"NOW!"
> Chapter 15: Wolfpack
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Earth, Tim was trained and accustomed to working as a team, as exerts of personal glory in his world were usually met with a horrendous death. Rainbow Dash saw this predicament as the opportunity to pit her own strength against Tim's in a show of skill. It is only inevitable that one pay dearly as a result...................................




The small opening appeared in front of the unlikely duo and both darted out of the safety of Celestia's shield and towards open ground. Rainbow Dash and Tim were side by side as they raced past the bulk of the pack. When they achieved a good distance away, they faced back towards the others.

"Okay, we got their attention, let's show these things what we're made of." said a very eager Rainbow Dash.

Tim sensed bravado in her tone, and bravado usually led to mistakes being made.

"Stick to the plan and stay separated, anything could happen and the last thing we need is someone getting hurt from somethin' we don't know about." Tim warned.

"Relax, worrywart, I know what to do."

"I mean it."

"Trust me, I shouldn't have a problem staying away from you!" Rainbow Dash retorted.

Tim was losing his patience arguing with her, but focused his attention on the pack. By now the Timberwolves noticed that two of their prey was within grasp. The pack diverted away from Celestia and others in favor of Tim and Dash. Tim gave a quick look behind his shoulder, no sign of the Timberwolves hiding in the foliage from earlier. On the up side, Tim now had a clear path to follow. The Timberwolves were getting closer by the second. It was when they had reached a halfway distance from where they were standing that Tim gave her the que.

"Okay, go left!" he yelled.

Rainbow Dash soared in the other direction, gaining the pack's attention. Tim simultaneously caught their attention when he screamed "Hey! Over here!". Just as Tim predicted, the pack split up, with half breaking off to the left to pursue Rainbow Dash while the remainder went after Tim. Tim's instincts kicked in immediately, running with a rifle in hand towards the right, straight past a small grove of trees and bushes. 
Both were now out of sight. Those who had stayed behind the safety of Celestia's shield spell waited in anxiety. Twilight struggled to stay calm, she was worried more than ever. The thought of harm coming upon her friends was nerve racking. Now that they had actually gone through with this plan, it was up to fate to decide how events would play out.



Rainbow Dash raced passed branches and bushes at a speed, fast enough to keep out of the Timberwolves reach while just slow enough that they'd stay enticed on chasing her. Tim's plan seemed to have fit to her liking, but in reality, she was hoping that he'd fall short in wake of her skill. A petty idea to any outside observer, but Rainbow Dash was still skeptical of him. She couldn't pinpoint what about him unnerved her, but only that it did. She figured this would be the opportunity to see if he really was what he claimed to be.

We'll definitely see what your true colors are after this, human. she thought to herself.

The snapping of jaws pulled Rainbow Dash back into the heat of the moment.

Oh, right, you guys.

Rainbow turned her head slightly to get a look at her pursuers. They were hot on her tail, snarling in fury an keeping up as best as they could. It didn't vex Rainbow Dash, this wasn't the first time she did something this dangerous. 

Let's see if they can handle this. she thought to herself.

She took a sharp turn left and vanished amongst the thickness of tress. The Timberwolves stopped in their tracks, as they lost sight of the Pegasus. It was then that Rainbow Dash reemerged at high velocity, ramming one of her hind legs straight into one of the Timberwolves, knocking it over. She maintained flight and elevated herself well out of their reach to brag about her bold move.

"What's the matter, all bark and no bite." Rainbow Dash taunted

All this did was enrage her attackers, as they growled at her in spite. Rainbow Dash soared back down and started to her way back to where the rest of the group was waiting to strike.

"Come and get me birch brains!" she taunted.

Rainbow Dash continued the chase. The Timberwolves roared in anger and bolted after her, ready to fall into the trap.





"I hope they're safe." Twilight whispered.

"Only fate will tell the outcome, young Twilight. Let us hope it is our favor." said Luna.

Twilight was beginning to have doubts whether Tim's strategy would go according to plan, expecting some unforeseen variable would cause the whole thing to collapse. Her friends dealt with Timberwolves in the past, but that didn't make the situation any less dangerous, Twilight's train of thought ended when her teacher requested her assistance.

"Twilight, my power is needed to maintain the shield, I'll need you and Luna to cast spells for when our friends return." 

"Of course, Princess." she replied.

Getting into position, Luna and Twilight had their horns lit, prepared to cast a dismemberment spell on any Timberwolf that passed by effectively immobilizing them. Applejack walked up to Celestia.

"Uh, your majesty, is there a way we can be of any help?" Applejack asked.

"Yes, I suggest you and the others should keep a lookout for our companions. It's best we know where they are the exact moment they arrive." said Celestia.

"You got it!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

"Oh, goodness, I only hope their keeping calm through this ordeal, I know I sure wouldn't." said Fluttershy.

"Oh, I'm almost certain Rainbow Dash is having a blast, as for Tim, I couldn't say." said Rarity.

"Judging from the way he nailed their behavior down so quickly, I'd have to say he's on probably on top of things." said Applejack.

"But I'm not entirely sure how he handles situations like these." said Twilight.

"Please, Twilight, with the way Tim says his world is, I bet this is a walk in the park for him." said Pinkie Pie.




The chase had Tim's heart beating like no tomorrow. These Timberwolves were persistent, but they were nowhere near as savage as the mutants he encountered back home. This meant Tim had more time to carefully play his cards. Racing past tree after tree, occasionally dodging whenever the Timberwolves took a close snap at him. For the most part he was keeping a relatively good distance, but his stamina wouldn't last very long at this rate. At the moment, all he could do was run, as they were too close to for him to hide or turn around and fire his gun.
So Tim kept running, his heart beating, his breath panting from the exertion of energy it took to keep this chase going. He looked around, seeing if there was anything he could use or manipulate to slow down his pursuers. But before any action could be made, Tim eyed something running through the bushes and straight towards him. He prepared to dodge whatever was coming after him. The fourth Timberwolf lunged out of the shadows, attempting a pounce on him. Luckily for Tim, he managed to successfully evade it by rolling out of the way. While in the midst of his dodge, Tim noticed he had landed and a mound of loose dirt. He looked up to see that the other three Timberwolves were getting closer. With a second thought, Tim kicked the dirt into the air, creating a cloud of earthen dust to temporarily mask his position. The Timberwolves charged through it, which in turn blurred their vision. They slowed down to a prowl to regain their sight. 
This was all the time Tim needed to get on his feet again and double time it to make up for lost speed and gain a further distance away from the pack. When the Timberwolves regained their clear sight, they noted that their prey had more than tripled his distance away from them, and they were soon back after him once more.

Need to hide. Let's see what I have to work with.

Utilizing his newly gained advantage, Tim scouted out his surroundings. He spotted a dense grove of wild plants and trees off to his left, which made it the ideal spot for him to hide. He carefully made his way through, attempting not to leave any visual traces in the process. Tim, now crouched amidst the thickness of flora, had a chance to catch his breath while still keeping an earshot for the Timberwolves. His camouflage would help him stay out of sight, so long as he didn't make too much noise. 

Now just sit tight. Maybe they'll pass me by. Tim thought to himself.

Peering through a the leaves of a fern bush, Tim could now see that the pack was in sight, but began to slow down their rate of speed and eventually came to a complete halt. Looking in all directions, the Timberwolves wondered if their prey had gave them the slip. The pack then dispersed in multiple directions, slowly searching the nearby surroundings for a trace of his whereabouts. Tim lowered his stance even further to obscure himself from view and waited. 
The Timberwolves had kept up this task for a solid five minutes, and the whole time Tim had been completely still. while he had managed to stay hidden, the Timberwolves and their patterns of searching prevented him an opportunity to run back to the others. The thought of taking them out with his AK crossed his mind a few times, but he wasn't sure if bullets would be enough to subdue them. Besides, to take that kind of action so far from the others meant that if a bullet didn't kill them, he'd most likely end up a dead man.
So he played it safe and simply observed as they inspected every rock, plant, and tree. Just like him, they were methodical, attempting to locate any signs, any indicators as to where he had gone to. Tim then noticed that they differed drastically from regular canines, as they lacked a nose or any sort of smell-sensing equivalent. Tim theorized that they probably made up for it in other senses, primarily sight. But with Tim sitting still and masked in the flora and his woodland camouflage, they had difficulty finding him. They gradually began to work their way up, covering the area ahead of where he was hiding. However, they smart enough to leave one tasked with guarding the only way Tim could escape. Tim was beginning to think he had an opening when the Timberwolf covering his exit was distracted by something on the ground. Tim managed to get a look at what he was investigating. It was nothing out of the ordinary, a small rock that had its flat side facing up. Tim probably kicked it up when he was running.
Tim didn't think anything of it until the Timberwolf looked back and straight towards Tim's hiding spot. He remained as silent and motionless as he could to remain unseen. The Timberwolf cocked his head sideways, squinting it's fluorescent eyes to focus in. It must have caught a glimpse of him, as it slowly began to approach the grove. Tim was about to make a run for it when a blood-curdling roar caught the attention of all. On the opposite side of the treeline the two unaccounted for Timberwolves emerged. The one preceding the two had been the one that roared, and it was then that everything had changed.

Holy shit. Tim thought as gazed upon it saw it.

The Timberwolf in question was a testament to feral savagery on looks alone. It stood a half foot taller than the others and was covered head to toe in scars, with two unclaimed arrows protruding from his back, the hilt of a sword sticking out of his head, and a hatchet slicing into his neck. Despite the numerous injuries this creature seemed completely unphased by any of them. He commanded a sense of dominance over the pack, as the other Timberwolves took steps back and seemed to lower their heads in fear upon his arrival. His teeth were longer and barbed, and each of its claws splintered off to form thorns like a rose branch, one swipe could do some serious internal damage. Even the growl that emitted from its maw was outright ferocious.

I'll take it that you're the alpha. he thought to himself.

Before this point, Tim saw the Timberwolves as a threat but nothing that he couldn't handle. But this new one made him cautious. This one had clearly had years of experience and had probably taken out its fair share of fighters judging the battle scars it obtained. While the pack's attention was focused on the presence of the alpha, Tim took this moment as an opportunity for him to escape. It was a mistake. He only managed to evade them for a few seconds before the alpha spotted something moving in the brush. It didn't hesitate nor investigate, it went straight for the attack. The beast immediately charged towards the grove in unbridled fury, Tim just barely had time to dodge out of the way before its jaws clenched down on the leaf, root, and earth.
The alpha thrashed its head, pulling up bits of dirt and foliage out from the ground and spitting it out in frustration. Noticing his prey escaped his grasp, the alpha roared to his pack to flank around as he began to give chase.. Tim managed to stumble back on his feet and ran for dear life back to his only chance for survival.




It had been a good ten minutes since Rainbow Dash and Tim left the safety of the shield. An overall mood of dread began to form in everypony present.

"You think something may have happened to them?" Fluttershy asked.

"I'm not sure, sugarcube. I hope they're both okay." said Applejack.

The sound of sheering wind and caught the group's attention. 

"Hey! Over there! It's Rainbow Dash!" Spike yelled, pointing with his claw.

The group whirled around to see Rainbow Dash turn a corner. She soared past the group with the same three Timberwolves still giving chase. Each one looked more eager than the last to make her their lunch, and the fact that she had been able to so easily evade them made their behavior even more ravenous.

"Heads up, three Timberwolves waiting for a take-down!!" Rainbow yelled.

When the pack entered group's line of sight Celestia opened the shield. Luna fired two blasts of powerful magic and Twilight fired a burst of three spells. The spells managed to hit their mark, with Luna's obliterating the Timberwolf furthest behind. Twilight's burst spell hit the second Timberwolf directly and sent the last Timberwolf leading the chase flying straight into the trunk of an oak tree. Branches dispersed upon impact with the trunk. The oaken remains now littered the ground, as Rainbow Dash made her way back to her friends, smiling in satisfaction.

"Oh yeah! Now that's what I'm talking about! Good work with the magic by the way!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

Twilight and the rest of her friends were relieved to see that Rainbow Dash was unharmed, and unphased by the danger.

"Have to say, I was expecting more of a challenge! Guess these Timberwolves aren't all they're cracked up to be." Rainbow Dash gloated.

"Guess they didn't give ya' too much trouble?" Applejack asked.

"Please, they barely kept up. You guys should have seen me! I managed to knock one over before I lead them back to you guys."

"Rainbow, that wasn't part of the plan." Twilight noted.

"Relax Twi', I did as mister "soldier" said to do, and I got back first!"

"I don't think he made it out to be a contest, RD." said Applejack.

"Well, if it was, I just smoked him! Besides, if he actually is what he says he is, I'm sure he's walking all over them, you know, with him being a "survivoralist" and all!" Rainbow said with attitude.

"Survivalist, Rainbow." Twilight corrected.

"Speaking of which, where is Mister Berfield?" Luna asked.

At that moment Tim burst from the bushes rolling forwards and continuing to run towards them.

"Hey there he is!" stated Pinkie Pie.

"They're right fucking beh-!" he yelled, pulling his gun around to take fire.

But before he could even finish his sentence attempt to land a shot, the alpha leaped forward onto Tim, tackling him to the ground with its massive size and knocking the rifle right out of his hands. 

"TIM!" the group screamed.

The alpha attempted to lung at his neck, but Tim had both of his hands on its jaws, keeping it at bay. The alpha was strong, but Tim was strong too. They were in a bitter stalemate, with the alpha fighting to kill his prey and Tim fighting to stay alive. Tim to kick the alpha off of him, but the beast's claws dug in and rooted themselves into the ground, aiding it in it's stability. Tim got a full whiff of its repulsive breath, but it was in Tim's best interest to ignore it and keep it at bay. Tim needed to let the group know out that the rest of the pack flanked around and was heading their way, but with his current situation it was hard to concentrate. 

"Somepony cast a spell already!" Pinkie Pie screamed.

"There's a chance it might hit Tim!" said Twilight.

"Well we can't just stand here!" Applejack yelled.

"Fine, I'll save his sorry flank!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

"Rainbow wait!" Twilight yelled.

But before she could get another word out Rainbow Dash was already on the move. With her ego at an all-time high, she swooped in an attempt to "save the day" once again.

"Hey Tim! Great work not letting them catch up!" Rainbow Dash remarked. 

Tim noticed the annoying sarcasm and saw that Rainbow Dash approaching, infuriated by the fact that she was ignoring the one thing he said to do before they split up. 

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! " he screamed.

She had no idea that the remainder of the pack was heading straight this way.

"NO, WAIT! DON'T!" Tim warned.

"What?! You don't wanna be-"

But it was too late, she was in mid sentence when two more Timberwolves ambushed her from the treeline, with one pouncing on her and pinning her to the ground and three making a rush towards the shield.

"RAINBOW DASH!" the group yelled.

"YOU GOTTA BE SHITTIN' ME! WHAT PART OF STAY SEPARATED DID YOU NOT FUCKING GRASP!" Tim yelled at Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash was too busy struggling to get free to give a response. Celestia opened the shield for Twilight and Luna to fire off spells. Luna fired a single blast of magic, but they had been moving so fast that they managed to dodge it and Twilight fired two, but in her panic she missed her shots. They were getting too close for comfort, as Celestia had no other choice but to close the shield. Once again they were surrounded. Now, they could only watch in panic and terror as they would witness the demise of their friends. While the others were close to giving up hope, Tim was too pissed off to give up now. But he was struggling to find a way to get out of this alive, as all he could do was look straight into the rage filled eyes of the alpha.

Wait, the eyes!

Tim remembered how he had slowed the pack down earlier when he kicked dirt up in the air, blurring their vision. The eyes were vulnerable. Tim needed his knife, but it was still on his belt. If he were to take his hand away and make a grab for it now he'd get overpowered and mauled to death, he needed a distraction. He looked around, but luck seemed to run out this time, as nothing was within reach, not with the alpha putting everything it had on him. Desperate for anything, Tim looked at the alpha and then looked at his arm. Then he did so again, and yelled in frustration. He unfortunately had an idea.

God, I'm gonna regret this.

With all the remaining force Tim had left, he managed to shove the alpha's head slightly to the left and let go. The alpha bit down on the upper part of his arm with incredible force and a spasm of intense pain shot through his arm, chest, and shoulder.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!" Tim screamed in pain.


The others behind the shield either gasped or screamed, believing the alpha had just killed him. But rather than succumb to the intensity of bite, Tim was now filled to the brink with an unstoppable rage. With one arm free and no time to lose, Tim drew the knife from his belt. Raising it high, he yelled in fury.

"GET THE FUCK OFF ME!!!!" 

The group's jaws dropped as they watched Tim plunge and twist the serrated blade into the alpha's left eye. Green sap-like blood spurted from the grisly wound he had just inflicted upon it. The alpha roared in pain and retracted its jaw. Tim grabbed the alpha in a head lock with his injured arm and with his free arm, pressed the blade into the eye, further and further until the hilt of the knife prevented it from going any deeper. Tim then lacked the strength to keep a grasp on the alpha and let go. The alpha jumped off of Tim with the knife still lodged in its eye, desperately trying to remove it. Tim picked up his AKM off the ground and looked to the others to see what their status was.
Twilight and the others looked right at him. Three Timberwolves surrounded them, but the shield was up and they were safe. He then turned to Rainbow Dash. She was trying desperately to free herself, but the superior weight of the Timberwolf on top of her prevented any chance of escape. The second Timberwolf prowled forward, about to strike at any second. Rainbow Dash doubled her efforts but it would seem that it might be the end. Terror entered her soul as she saw the teeth that about to lung forward. She closed her eyes as if that would make it any less painful. Seeing no other solutions present, there was only one thing could do. Tim took aim at the one closest to her.

BANG!

A noise reminiscent of thunder's triumphant crack burst into the air with all in vicinity taking flinching in surprise. Rainbow Dash felt a gust of wind as something thud in front of her. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was the Timberwolf from before lying dead on the ground before her, intact, with a pool of green blood spewing from its chest. The other Timberwolves found its source when the same sound emitted a second time. After another crack in the air the Timberwolf pinning Rainbow to the ground suffered the same fate as the one before. Something went flying through its forehead and exited out the back end, leaving a spray of green mist and splintered wood upon it exit. She had lost her voice in wake of what she just saw and turned to see what freed her. It was Tim, who had just used his strange weapon. Smoke came out the end of one of its metal tubes. 
Realizing that his gun could kill them, he wasted no time in finishing them off. Tim turned his attention to Timberwolves by Twilight and the others. They had tried to make a quick rush towards him. But not before he pulled the trigger.
The same sound from before boomed from his weapon, followed by a small burst of fire erupting from the end of the tube. The flame came forth and then simply extinguished itself in an instant. Simultaneously, a small brass colored object was ejected from the side, and when she looked to her friends behind the barrier, another Timberwolf fell.
The remaining two Timberwolves must have realized they were going to be next and instinctively ran off. Tim lined them up with the iron sights of gun. Tim fired off two shots and the two fell to their deaths. His nerves were racked once more when he herd the rustle of leaves behind him. Without a second to lose, Tim turned around to face the alpha that had tried to sneak up on him. But as the alpha leaped towards him, the only thing it received was the end of a rifle to it's teeth. The alpha was effectively thrown back by the blow, losing several teeth in the process.
Broken and injured, the alpha struggled to get back up. Tim approached the beast and pressed the alpha's muzzle hard into the ground with his foot. Angry, yet painful growls were muffled in the dirt as the weight of Tim's foot kept the alpha pinned to the ground. Tim reached down and withdrew his knife the had been plunged in the beast's eye socket. A thick buildup of blood formed and gushed as it was removed. Tim let up his foot and kicked the alpha back. The Timberwolf struggled as it got back up on its feet and started to regain its balance. Tim, still fired up with anger, took aim.

"WHAT, YOU WANT SOME OF WHAT YOUR PALS HAD!?" he yelled.

The alpha took a few steps back. Tim's anger subsided as he looked upon the pitiful sight. The creature almost seemed to be cowering in fear, but from the way it was growling it was just stubborn enough to still consider taking him on. Tim had every right mind to kill it, but venting the last bits of his rage on an animal was just as barbaric as this beast. Tim remembered what Celestia had brought up earlier. Mercy was something that his world had no use for, but standing here, watching this thing on it's last legs, he couldn't help but feel sympathy for this creature. Years of injuries and brutality, and now, it stood here, backed into a corner awaiting the end. Tim stood silent for a moment, and then fired a shot by the alpha's feet. The alpha sprung backwards and looked up.

"Get!" yelled Tim angrily, waving his gun at the alpha.

The alpha made a slow retreat backwards making sure Tim didn't follow. Once it was clear Tim wouldn't pursue, it then turned tail and ran. Tim watched as it slowly got further and further, until he lost sight of it in the thickness of the forest. Tim relaxed, loosened his muscles and took a long breath. But as soon as the testosterone and aggression left his body, the pain of where the alpha had bitten him was immediate.

"Fuck!" Tim grunted, clenching his teeth in pain.

Tim dropped the gun from his hand to ease his wound. The left arm was weak, Tim looked at his sleeve, it was already stained red and torn at the center of the bite. Tim heard hoofsteps behind him. No doubt that the others had all seen this unfold. He turned around and saw that they were all staring at him. Tim knew what was on their mind, but what he was uncertain of was whether his display of aggression would leave a good or bad impact. 
However, anger returned upon seeing Rainbow Dash approach him. If she had just stayed back and let the princesses deal with the pack when it showed up none of this would have happened and he wouldn't have had to use an injury as his only chance to escape. 
The group didn't know how to respond to what they just witnessed, how could they. The being they had been getting to know just killed five Timberwolves in the span of less than ten seconds and scared a battle-hardened alpha Timberwolf into submission. Rainbow Dash broke the silence

"You just......how did you........" Rainbow Dash murmured, until she saw the long stain of red stretching across his left arm. "Oh my gosh! You're bleeding!"

"No shit I'm bleeding!" he replied angrily. "I told you that anything could happen. If you had just stuck to the plan and stayed separated like I told you none of this would have happened! Instead, I got my arm fucked up! What the hell were you thinking! What you did almost got you and everyone else killed!"

The outburst caught everypony off guard and the events that had preceded it left the whole group in a state of disarray, as they were unsure of what to do. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie would have gone straight to attending to Tim's wound, Applejack and Rarity would have wanted to come into Rainbow Dash's defense, Twilight, Luna, and Celestia, would have found it appropriate to address a multitude of questions that had arisen from what they just saw. But all course of actions stopped when Rainbow held a leg out, signalling them to not do anything.
Tim and Rainbow Dash stood facing each other. In most cases, she probably would have met it with a glare of her own, but the fact was he had suffered severely for her mistake and still saved her anyway. If she had stayed back and followed the plan like Tim had asked they probably could have blast the Timberwolves as they came out of the treeline, instead, her ego caused her to get caught and almost killed, and put the lives of her friends at risk. Not to mention that Tim saved her life. He could have easily left her for dead, but the fact that he didn't, even after all the accusations and all the mistrust she gave him. But his true colors showed that he put their safety over his, even when it wasn't expected of him. Her ears drooped down as the wave of guilt hit her.

"I'm sorry." is all Rainbow Dash could say.

Tim's anger once again subsided, but he was in too much pain and had exhausted all his energy dealing with the alpha to think about what to make of her apology. He turned to the others. The looks he got were of too many complexities to define a specific emotion, and the pain inflicted made it hard to think. He no doubt knew they were curious, but certain things took priority over others. He took a deep breath and addressed the group.

"Patch me up. Then we can talk about what happened." he said in a deadpan tone.

Realizing that this this attack had left their guide in a serious state of injury, it would probably be best if they just made camp right now and pick up where they left off in the morning. Twilight set her things down.

"Fluttershy, do you have a first aid kit?" Twilight asked.

"Of course, I have it right here."

Fluttershy raced to pull the medical kit out of her saddlebag. Rarity and Luna levitated a nearby log over towards Tim for him to sit on. Applejack and Celestia approached Tim.

"Go ahead and take a seat, Tim. Let's take a look at it." said Celestia.

Tim sat down and began to ease up as Applejack approached. He, with the aid of Celestia's levitation, manage to set his gear aside as they began to take a closer look at the damage. Rainbow dash helped by compiling his things together in one spot.

"How bad does it hurt?" Applejack asked.

After she asked another painful jolt came through, clenching his teeth and holding back the urge to scream, he answered.

"Bad, he bit down pretty deep."

"Have to say, I don't think anypony has faced an alpha Timberwolf and lived to tell about it. Guess you got lucky, huh?."

"I sure as hell don't feel lucky."

"Well, sugarcube, guess we'll see how lucky ya got. Show us the wound."

Tim took off his jacket. Upon removal, the ponies either gasped, cringed at the sight of the wound, or in Rarity's case, fainted. The wound was deep like Tim predicted. Two large gaping gashes had been inflicted on upper arm and sunk deep into the deltoid near the shoulder. The teeth were the size of bottle caps and left a bite mark of an appropriate size. Muscle was exposed and swollen, but thankfully none of it seemed torn, so that was good. But the wound was still gushing with blood and bits of skin hung loose. Tim was beginning to think this might be one of his worst injuries to date and it would probably take at least a week or two to return back to normal function, maybe a month to heal completely.

"Whooh Lordie! That's gonna leave a few scars." Applejack noted.

Fluttershy approached carrying the medical kit in her mouth. Celestia used her magic to levitate it towards Tim, opening it up and withdrawing the appropriate medicinal supplies needed to treat it. 

"I regret to inform you of this Tim, but this is going to hurt." said Celestia.

Tim sighed. Figures that healing would hurt just as bad, but he was eager to make the pain stop.

"Let's get it over with."





At 0700, Andrew was still sitting at the edge of a long range communications radio in the old control tower of Fort Bismarck. All night, he struggled to get into contact and transfer a second fireteam for the mission. Andrew managed to acquire the one team who's leader he had history with. They happened to have just finished their last assignment in Norway and were waiting for their next one when Andrew gave the team new orders to be reassigned to Berlin. However, acquiring another fireteam was a challenge that went unaccomplished. 
There were only about two dozen First Recon Fireteams and all of them were unavailable, either due to being too far out in the field for them to be quickly reassigned or they were completely out of contact, which was normal for their line of work. Their training covered how to survive in the harshest of environments and scenarios without being too dependent on logistics, but that in turn meant they were often unreachable. At the moment, Andrew was speaking with the leader of Fireteam Wraith, who were currently scouting out a region somewhere in the Mojave Desert. Unfortunately, it was beginning to sound as if they too were unobtainable, and to make matters worse, they were the last fireteam he hadn't had contact with yet, meaning Patel's request for two teams would now go unfulfilled.

"Wraith 1, you realize this is a priority 1 request, if you're capable of making it to the nearest facility then you're obligated to comply with my orders." Andrew reminded.

"*With all due respect sir, we just can't do that. We're about 600 miles away from the nearest outpost, let alone base, it's gonna be at least a 4 weeks before we get any sort of extraction. Maybe more depending on weather and supplies." said Wraith Leader.

Andrew sighed in frustration, as he didn't have that kind of time, he needed to be back in New Damascus in at least 5 days. 

"Copy that, Wraith 1." said Andrew.

"*Sorry to disappoint you, Sir.*"

"Well, you can at least tell me if you've found anything worthwhile out there."

"We're getting close to Vegas, at least 15-20 miles out. We're hoping to find supplies when we get there, but between the searing heat and the lack of water, we're having a tough time getting to it without dying.*

"Patrolling it make you wish for nuclear winter?" Andrew jested.

"*Doubt that'll make the situation any better for us, Sir, but we appreciate the sentiment.* he jested right back.

A smirk grew on Andrew's face. 

"Copy that, take care son."

"*You too, sir, Wraith 1, out*"

With that Andrew hung up the transceiver and was left to decide what to do. However he wouldn't have time to think on it long when along came a knock on the door that garnered his attention.

"Come in." he said.

The door opened and Lieutenant Bakowski stepped in.

"Commander." he said saluting.

Andrew stood up and saluted back.

"Lieutenant, is there something you wanted to report?"

"Yes sir, Fireteam Wolfpack is estimated to arrive in half an hour."

The mention of that name brought a smile to Andrew's face. He was about to reunite with a very old friend.

"Well, let's not keep them waiting." said Andrew.

Andrew grabbed a folder of documents he and Bakowski walked out of the room. Once they were in hand, Andrew and the Lieutenant made their way down to the airstrip.




The trip down was short, taking only about fifteen minutes of Andrew's time. Bakowski had left Andrew to his lonesome to go get a vehicle so when the plane arrived and landed, they'd be able to drive over to it quickly. As Andrew stood waiting in the early morning dawn it occurred to him that he hadn't slept all night. That irritated him along with the decision of what he was going to do about the mission. In the back of his mind, Andrew had kept telling himself that something like this was going to happen. It was looking as if Sergeant Martinez would most likely get her way, but with all the unknown variables, he wasn't sure if a Sergeant and a few regulars had the experience to match up with first recon, and if the level of skill was drastically different, it could even hinder the mission's progress. Meaning someone with experience would need to lead them. A few ideas came into mind when he spotted something on the horizon. An C-130 flew into view, descending at a shallow angle to land. Andrew put his thinking process on temporary hold as he watched the plane set down on the landing strip. The roar of a car engine caught Andrew's attention. Bakowski had come around driving a Growler ITV. Andrew hopped into the passenger seat and they drove over to the plane, which had began to slow down at the edge of the landing strip.	
Once over there, Bakowski parked the growler behind the right wing of the plane. The two stepped out of the vehicle as soon as the plane's cargo ramp dropped to the ground. The first thing Andrew heard was the startup of heavy duty horsepower. Out of the plane, came rolling an LAV-25 with bags of gear and supplies strapped to its sides. It was the standard A2 model, armed with a 25mm chain gun turret and two 7.62 coaxial machine guns, but also seemed to be modified with a collapsible PK turret, centered around the driver's hatch. On the side of the turret, in grey paint, was the head of a wolf, with crossed M4 rifles. On the left side of the vehicle were the words, "The Wolf Den" written in Russian.
What was funny was that Andrew knew this vehicle all to well, it was the same vehicle he had used during his days of first recon. Age had done it's toll to her with the newly added dents and scratches, but from the way it seamlessly drove out and stopped at a dime told Andrew that it had been taken well care of in his absence. With LAV out of the plane, a man jumped out of the driver's hatch and approached Andrew, followed by four more exiting from the plane. They all lined up in front of him and gave a salute. Each one of them were suited for heavy combat and reconnaissance, with tactical vests, ammo pouches, equipment bags, operator helmets, advanced weapons and enough ammo and supplies to sustain themselves for weeks. Andrew looked over them but found no familiarity among the faces. Then a sixth man walked out of the plane, and Andrew recognized him instantly. The man in question walked over to him. He wore Russian Partizan camo, with a heavy duty Bundeswehr Flecktarn flack vest, covered in pouches. He wore a K6-3 combat helmet and had a custom AS-Val slung over his shoulder. He stood at Andrew's height of 5'10', with a bushy dirty blonde beard and short face. He was expressionless when he stood in front Andrew and saluted.

"Commander Sawyer, Fireteam Wolfpack reporting for duty, sir." he said in a heavy Russian accent.

"Colonel Antonov, glad you could make it." Andrew replied.

A few seconds went by when Antonov looked closer at Andrew and cracked a smirk.

"Christ man, you got old." he said smiling.

The others' eyes were wide open, looking at the colonel as if he just spat in Andrew's face. But Andrew just smiled back.

"Old? Me? Well, I'm able to accept the fact that I'm old and on the verge of death. You on the other seem to be running from it. " Andrew accused.

"Ey, Chego vy probuyete skazat'?"

Andrew slapped at his flak vest.

"What I'm trying to say is that you seem to have turned into a walking set of body armor. You sure you can keep up with young folk dragging all this shit with you? Do even need all this shit, Vik, or you just afraid death is gonna take you early?"

"Hey, ever since that mission to Bosnia, which you fucked up by the way, I don't take the damn thing off!"

By this point the two were practically laughing like old war buddies and gave each other a bear hug which gave a clear message to Andrew that he hadn't changed a bit. Bakowski and the rest of Fireteam Wolfpack figured they must have had some pretty close history for this to even be happening. But it went further than that. 
Viktor Antonov and Andrew Sawyer were once enemies 20 some years prior. Andrew was US Special Forces SOCOM and Viktor was Spetsnaz Vympel. Both had been taught and trained to kill each other from a very young age and both were sent to Damascus to control the region for their respected countries. When the fighting ended and the Survivors formed, Viktor and Andrew found themselves in the same squad. They hated each other at first, years of fighting created prejudice between everyone, but after five years of comradery, the two were practically inseparable. When The Survivors became more stabilized and first recon was first established, both of them found themselves assigned to Wolfpack, with Andrew leading the fireteam. For ten years, they went on mission after mission together, ranging from Asia to the American East coast. until seven years ago when the previous Commander-in-Chief died from cancer. Andrew was nominated for the position, as by that point he had become a pretty popular name among the people. He hadn't seen his friend in quite some time, so it was a long awaited reunion.

"Damn good to see you again, Vik." said Andrew.

"Same here, old friend."

The two let go and Viktor gestured to his fireteam to get in the LAV. Two other vehicles came around into view, a Humvee and a Pickup with a 50. Cal mounted in the back. Most likely the escort. The rest of Wolfpack mounted their armored vehicle, getting it prepped for departure while Andrew and Viktor walked into the passenger hold, taking a seat inside to catch up.

"So how long has it been, huh? five years?" Viktor asked.

"Six. Last time I saw you was when I asked you to be best man at the wedding." said Andrew.

"Chert! It's been six years? Time flies man. How's Jess doing by the way? She keeping you out of trouble?"

"She's been good, though she was a little frightened when I told her I was coming out here."

"Hey, who can blame her? Back in the day she was practically on verge of tears whenever you came home from assignment. I had to make sure you came back to her in one piece, eh, lest she suffer heart attack. Wasn't easy dragging your ass out of the fire, especially with you leading us headlong into the fray." 

"I seem to recall saving your ass on occasion too, Vik." Andrew reminded.

"Yes, while that is true you always were eager for taking risks. I for one suggested safer routes. But no, you say, "No Vik, that'll take too long, my idea is much better." Viktor said, in the best American accent he could muster.

"That is the worst impression I think I've ever heard Vik, and what are you bitching about, we got out alive."

"Yes, but usually suffering from one injury or another."

The two were practically taking jabs at the other. The old days left lasting memories on them both. Had anyone else talked to Andrew like this he would have a right mind to knock their teeth in and shoot them for good measure. But not Vik.

"Well, then you should be glad those days are long over?" Andrew said.

"Indeed. So, "Commander", how's the last seven years of leading the militia been?" Viktor asked.

"One problem after another, and having to work with people that remind you of said problems to no end."

"Ooh, sounds like fun." Viktor said sarcastically.

"Keep joking, asshat, we'll see who's laughing when I rename Wolfpack Fireteam Princess."

Viktor laughed the lighthearted threat off.

"I see you haven't lost your sense of humor." said Viktor.

"And I see that you haven't lost yours."

Andrew looked to his side to see that things in the way of their departure to the site were just about wrapped up. The back ramp of the LAV began to rise and shut behind them. Andrew felt the heavy weight of the vehicle move forward, signalling they were en route to their location.

"Well, I guess I should explain why I dragged you all the way out here?" said Andrew.

"One more more thing I have to ask." said Viktor.

"What is it?" Andrew asked.

"I knew Jess said something about it to you. Did you two, you know, go through with it?" Viktor asked with an eager smile.

Andrew looked at Viktor confusedly until he realized what he was referring to. Andrew pulled a small notepad from one of his pockets, in it he pulled out a white slip and flipped it around. It was a small photo of his family, with Jake standing in the middle. Andrew handed the photo to Viktor to look at. Viktor heartily laughed.

"Ahah! It's a boy! Tell me, did you name him after me like you promised?"

"Hell no! Last thing I need is him all grown up asking why he got named after an old joke some grody ass Russian friend of mine thought was funny."

"Well, what name did you give him?"

"We named him after Jess' father, Jacob."

"Jacob, eh? Not bad, not bad."

"Alright, alright, enough reminiscing,we have things to discuss." said Andrew.

"Right, you're right." said Viktor, calming down. "But in all seriousness, congratulations man, you were the kind of guy who'd make a good dad."

"Thanks, I try my best."

Viktor handed it back to Andrew who put both the photo and the notepad back in his pocket.

"So, where are we going?" Viktor asked. "You wouldn't have me dragged out here just to bust my balls, for old times' sake."

"Fifty miles to the southwest lies a Western pre-war research facility. You're either gonna love or hate it when you see what we found." Andrew replied.

"What exactly will we be dealing with?" Viktor asked.

"No easy way to put this, but a portal. One that leads to another world."

Vik gave Andrew an odd look. Andrew looked around to see that the other members of Wolfpack who gave him a look as if he just asked them to scout out and collect rocks on the surface of the moon.

"You're not still fucking with me, are you?" Viktor asked.

"I'm not, and just to prove to you I'm not, here's the debriefing documents, had them compiled last night."

Andrew handed Viktor the folder. He looked over the numerous bits of information, previous expeditions by the West, the little information about Echo, what had happened with Private Berfield and the status of returning the device to working order. He whistled in astonishment once he finished.

"That's a lot of unsuccessful missions, Andrew. I have to say that I don't like the idea of going in blind through some contraption some scientists made 40 years ago. Especially with a track record like this." said Viktor.

"Wish I had more information, Vik. But this is too big to pass up. This thing might just solve our problems."

"Yeah, or it might start another, I also see that it was Patel that requested two fireteams. She usually doesn't interfere with first recon affairs."

"I supported her decision. We have no idea what's on the other side, so sending in two professional units to carry it out seemed like the best way of handling it." said Andrew.

Vik shrugged, stacking all the papers that had been spread out together and placing them back into the folder.

"Problem is, you were the only Fireteam available." said Andrew.

Viktor handed the folder back to Andrew.

"That's not surprising." Viktor said.

"Half of the teams I got in contact with were either too far out for a quick extraction or have gone radio silent. We'll have to think of something else."

"Why not just send in the regular militia in with us?" Viktor suggested.

"Not sure if that's such a good idea."

"Oh come on Andrew, every militiaman knows how to survive out here, whatever's on the other side can't be any worse."

"I guess you're right, though I had to assert to the Sergeant that the Council wanted two Fireteams."

"Well, it's not going to happen regardless. And besides, does it really matter, all they need is maybe more gear and to follow orders, it's not rocket science."

"It's more complicated then that, Vik."

"Isn't it always?"

"I've been trying to ease tensions with Patel, with shortages as they are we need to start working towards the same goals, now more than ever. And if that means complying with her request, then so be it."

"It's gotten that bad, huh?" Viktor asked.

"Like you wouldn't believe. And with Jake and Jess in the picture, I'm concerned."

"Hey, we'll find a solution, Andrew. We always do."

"I know. I just hope it comes before it's too late."

Viktor reflected on how his friend had to deal with the current crisis. He hadn't been to New Damascus in years, but every bit of news he heard was always about the shortage of vital resources and Andrew probably ad it brought up to him on a daily basis. Andrew's position required a lot of commitment and cooperation, something humanity embraced after the war. But the fact was that Patel's wishes were not going to be fulfilled, and sending Wolfpack in alone with no intel would be risky. Silence prolonged. Andrew took the time to look around the inside of the LAV. This place served as a mobile base for the Fireteam, with logistics equipment, weapons, extra gear, and supplies all packed into the racks and equipment holds of the vehicle. Andrew remembered one of the weapon racks, where he used to stow away his rifle. Then, an idea sprung into Andrew's head just when Viktor broke the silence.

"So, guess that means my team will be going in alone?" he asked.

"No, we'll need to assemble a squad from the company's best ranks stationed on site." said Andrew.

"So we'll be ignoring Patel's request?" 

"Sort of."

"How so?"

"I'll talk with the Sergeant, have her select some of the best soldiers in the company. You'll have to part with some of your gear though."

Viktor got a basic idea of what he was trying to do, but was unsure of why he was acting so secretive about it.

"So your plan is to outfit regular militiamen in an attempt to have them look like First Recon? What if Patel finds out?"

"It was just a request, doesn't mean I have to follow through on it."

"But your attempting to make it look as if you did."

Viktor had a hard time believing what he was hearing. He knew his friend too well and for too long to think he would just do a complete 180 out of nowhere.

"What's the part you're not telling me, Andrew?" Viktor asked.

Andrew was hesitant to say it, but found it was just easier to get it over with.

"What if a First Recon Operator was leading the regulars?" Andrew said.

"I can't spare one of my men to lead them, Andrew, you know that. Fireteams need to carry out tasks, six members at a time."

"Not what I had in mind. I'll lead the team."

Viktor looked at his friend with disbelief when he heard that. A long period of silence brewed. Viktor took a deep breath and sighed. He look at his friend and blatantly said.

"Andrew......my friend...............are you out of your fucking mind?"
> Chapter 16: Discretion Is Advised
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The choices Andrew has decided to undertake can have drastic consequences, but he is willing to accept the risks. His old friend and comrade Viktor remains unconvinced of Andrew's decision, and wishes him to reconsider. Only fate will tell whether the outcome will go in Andrew's favor, he could only pray it could go according to plan................................................




The remainder of the ride was quiet, with Andrew and Viktor glaring at one another the whole way there, only guessing what was going through the other's head. Andrew said they would discuss it in private once they arrived. Since then, twenty minutes passed by before they finally arrived at the facility. When the LAV ramp lowered and the two got out, Viktor instructed his team to get all their things unloaded and stored somewhere while he talked Andrew. Andrew desperately needed this to stay a secret, at least for the meantime. The only place with a hint of privacy available to him was his quarters, and thus the two made a hasty retreat towards it. After a quiet elevator ride and quick walk down a hallway, the two entered the room and closed the door behind them. 
Their was quick look around the room to see if they were alone, which they were. Andrew took a seat in the chair behind his desk and then looked to Viktor, who was currently being washed in floods of disbelief. The first words to come out of Viktor's mouth were.

"Are you fucked up in the head?!"

The remark gave Andrew a clear indicator how this conversation was going to go and that he'd have to do some pretty heavy persuasion.

"Look, Vik. I know what you're thinking."

"Then allow me to indulge your senses. The Commander-in-Chief, Councilor of the Militia, and highest ranking officer humanity has left leads the troops, he does not go on mission with them and he most certainly doesn't step through a fucking portal into god knows where!"

"Oh, don't give me that shit! I remember pretty damn well that Commander Rashid took part in the search and sweep ops in Tehran and Baku back when he was Commander."

"That was a different time, Andrew, and you know it. Back then, it was just us soldiers trying to get back on our feet. Once things got stabilized Rashid stopped going out into the field so that he could orchestrate operations more effectively. I shouldn't have to tell you things are different now!"

"Are they?! You act as if our "government" is stable enough for me to sit one out! But It's a still just a temporary alliance like it's always been, and what's worse is that with current supplies, it's about to be on the verge of collapse!"

"So what, you wish to see it fall apart then!?"

"No, I'm trying to save it!"

"How the hell is getting yourself killed going to save it!"

The two both realized that they were practically screaming at each other. They both took a moment to recollect their thoughts. Viktor started getting the feeling that there was some sort of rational reasoning behind his friend's decision, otherwise he wouldn't be so adamant in defending it. But unlike the old days, years of experience and being in the political circle had taught Andrew the need to withhold information, and it looked as if only honesty was going to convince his friend.

"Vik, I need you to just trust me on this one." Andrew urged.

"You know that's not going to happen." Vik made known.

"Then hear me out." 

A hush fell over the room. Then Vik broke it.

"Fine, but you better have a pretty damn good reason for this, because as far as I'm concerned, you have gone crazy."

"Look! We don't know what's on the other side. It could be anything." said Andrew.

"That is precisely why you have no business going through that thing! Blyat! Andrew, have you gone suicidal?! You realize that if something over there kills you, everyone, I repeat, everyone back home will feel the impact. It could very well tarnish the Militia's reputation, and cause a shift in the power balance. And let's not forget the more important thing!"

"Which is?!"

"Vy tupaya svoloch'! Your family! What about Jess!? Huh?! What about your son!? How do you think they'll react if something happens to you!? If this is some pitiful attempt to relive the glory days it's in very-"

"THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME!" 

Andrew sat silently, glaring at his old friend. Despite currently being at odds with him about the matter, he made a good point. If he died, the outcome would be bad. The political environment was already unstable as it was with shortages, when news of Andrew's death got out, it would spread like wildfire, with the story constantly changing paths to the point where no one could say for certain what actually happened. The outcome would benefit nobody in any scenario. Events could take turns down a million different paths and every one of them be terrible for mankind. 
Jess would be distraught with grief and left with an unclear explanation as to why he did it. Jake would live the rest of his life without a father. The one thing Andrew wished for his son was the family he never had, and it was important that Andrew see to it that it remain that way. Both of them could be subjected to political backlash, and both could suffer harm if the situation turned into public unrest.
While the concern and love for his family brought about doubts and the risks of putting them through what would happen should he die were innumerable, his conscience told him that the answer to all of humanity's problems lied within the reach of the portal, almost as if it lied directly on the other side. It would be easy to just wait for another fireteam to become available and order them to be reassigned from the safety of his command center in New Damascus. But Andrew had the insatiable need to be present for when they encountered the other side. No, he needed to be there, boots on the ground. The hunch he got from the moment he had been informed of the incident in the comms room had turned into inescapable instinct. Every time he got near the portal his senses kicked into high gear, telling him that whatever's on the other side would somehow change everything. But it was clear that his friend still needed persuading.

"Vik, Let me make it clear to you. I'm not doing this for myself and I'm not out of my mind. But every damn bone in my body tells me whatever's on the other side of that thing might just be the answer we're looking for, and that it is just waiting there, up for grabs." Andrew said, getting up from his seat.

Viktor's expression changed to a more inquisitive curiousness, as Andrew was finally informing him of the much needed details to convince him.

"So, there's more to it then, this isn't just about that missing man anymore, is it?" Vik asked.

"Yeah, there's more to it. What happened to Berfield is unfortunate, but there's more pressing issues that take more priority over rescuing some scout. We need to focus on obtaining food and water and scavenging is just not cutting it anymore. The soil is too irradiated to grow from, and pure water is almost impossible to find."

"What makes you think this portal can solve our crisis, Andrew?"

"Look, whatever's on the other side hasn't even been observed, if by chance the environment is stable enough to support agriculture materials, or hell, human growth, we need to act fast. Resources are being used up faster than we can replace them, and if we wait too long we'll be up shit creek without a boat. We can't hold out for much longer!"

"So, is this no longer a rescue mission?"

"No, it is, we'll still have to find Berfield, if he's still alive, but if we can't find a trace of his whereabouts we'll have to call it off. The portal needs to be used to alleviate the crisis."

Viktor stood in quietly, taking the time he needed to analyze the case Andrew was making. The inner process of Vik's mind deciphered all the strong points he made, but he couldn't simply ignore all the weak ones. The lack of evidence to Andrew's claim crippled his argument. Fact was every world encountered prior was uninhabitable and there was no reason to believe that this one would be any different.

"Andrew, I want to believe you, but this is all sounding like wishful thinking." Vik said honestly. "There's a very slim chance of finding the one world that has everything we need. I know we're desperate, but you're putting your hopes to high. Look, let us handle this, your days in the field are over."

Vik turned around and began to head for the door. Andrew grew frustrated at the fact that his friend still wasn't convinced. 

"God dammit, Vik! I haven't felt this certain about something since Kashgar!"

That made Viktor stop in his track.

"You remember, don't you?" Andrew inquired.

Viktor turned around, approaching Andrew once again."

"How can I forget." Vik said.

The event is something neither of them could forget. What Andrew referred to was widely known among the remainder of man, but Vik witnessed it, and Andrew was the man who mostly responsible for it happening. It was the first mission the two were assigned together, how they met, how their names became popular, and how the sense of unity among mankind was truly born.
It was about 18 years ago, only ten months after the truce had been declared. Animosity towards former enemies was still a recurring problem within the ranks. Back then The Survivors was a nameless entity, only numbering 400 out of a collective rabble of American, Russian, and Arab fighters. Fights were common, and some had almost deteriorate into full fledged firefights. Back then a Kurd named Commander Jehat Rashid, Former YPG captain and battle-hardened warrior, took the role of bringing the men under one flag, so to speak. It was a job that was much more difficult back then it was now. At the time, he sent a platoon of 40 soldiers East, with orders to find food, water, equipment, and if possible survivors. The belief back then was that those 400 were the last mankind had to offer in the empty and desolate world they had created. What they discovered in Kashgar would have almost confirmed that assumption, if not for Andrew's gut instincts.
Kashgar, a city in the western province of China, was the fifth settlement the small group of soldiers came across. What both Andrew and Vik remembered was that it had been the site of one of the most brutal atrocities committed during the war. When war first broke out, the Arabs that lived there rose up against the oppressive Chinese government they had lived under for decades. They saw it as the opportunity for the independence and the return to Islamic led rule, but the Chinese saw it as defiance. As a result, The Chinese had the entire city was carpet bombed until it was nothing more than an endless stretch of rubble and corpses. Those that survived the bombings were broken and unorganized. PLA soldiers faced no difficulty as they began to round up and execute any survivors they could find. The way they killed them left a haunting impact in both Andrew and Viktor alike. These Arabs wouldn't go out the by the traditional firing sqaud, they would serve as a message to China's enemies and a reminder to those who would dare challenge the state. The sight skeletal bodies intricately bound together by metal cable in massive mounds, with bones blackened and charred, with some beginning to crumble to ash gave a clear indication that they were burned alive. These mounds would consist of well over thirty people, and they littered across the war torn streets in the hundreds. 
This only bolstered the belief that the city was completely devoid of human life, and as days passed, many of the men gave up on the search for survivors. They instead focused on scavenging, though the supplies they found amongst the ruins were minimal at best, and even though the city was never a site of nuclear detonation, the mutant threat level was substantial. Over the course of a month, the platoon searched and scoured the city in sections, and during the entire midst of it, Andrew grew doubtful whether everyone who lived here died with The Conflict. Whenever they'd go scavenging he would start to notice things that were out of place. Objects that left fresh trace marks in the sand, cans sometimes rolling across the floor at random, and fresh shell casings on the ground,. These were just small indicators of a human presence, what really cemented Andrew's suspicions was when they'd leave a supply cache for a patrol to pick, only to find the next day that it had been torn open with it's contents raided. Andrew vocalized the possibility of survivors, but his case fell upon deaf ears. The other men called him crazy, saying that a mutant could have easily raided the supplies or the occasional sandstorm could have moved those objects around. Despite the other's doubts, Andrew couldn't escape the feeling that someone might still be alive. Every day, he swore he saw something moving in the corner of his eye or a footprint in the sand. But when he'd turn for a better look, there would be nothing.
It all came to a close on the night before they were supposed to pull out and head home, Andrew, under the cover of night, attempted to sneak out and do one last search for survivors. He managed to reach the edge of where they made camp when Vik, who was assigned to guard duty that night, stopped him. They argued bitterly in hushed tones, but still managed to wake up five other soldiers nearby. Andrew argued that there were people out there, somewhere, and that they needed to find them. He made it evidently clear that he wasn't going to let this go, saying he'd look for them himself if need be. Back then, Vik and Andrew were reluctant acquaintances. Vik threatened to shoot Andrew for desertion, but that didn't deter Andrew from his course. Andrew continued with his mission, with Vik and the others deciding to follow him, wanting make sure he didn't get himself killed. They had hoped that with enough time and uneventful searching, Andrew would come back to his senses.
Andrew, Vik, and the other men went scouting amongst the southeastern section of the city ruins. It was about 0400 when Andrew stopped dead in his tracks, spotting some loose tarp hanging over a collapsed building. Curious, he pulled the tarp back, and saw only more rubble at first. But as he looked closer he noticed something off about it. He spotted a small crevice, roughly about the size of a soccer ball, between two wedged in sections of concrete wall. As he and the other men began to move the sections of heavy rubble, they noticed the signs of a caved in section of housing. Once the hole was big enough, Andrew, followed by Viktor, and the everyone else jumped down. They came across two small tunnels that went on for several meters in both directions had been built through the walls of someone's small cellar. Now fully aware that it was clearly man made, he called for his sqaud to gather to initiate a search. The sqaud split up, With Andrew, Vik, and another soldier named Wells, taking one side of the tunnel and the rest taking the other.
They crawled and crouch-walked for about an hour, the tunnel itself was only 4 ft tall in wide, so traversing it was rather difficult for them. Along the way they passed makeshift light fixtures, multiple hidden exits and entrances, and came across many turns that led them deeper and deeper underground. All of this gave them a clear indicator that Andrew had been right. There were survivors, but whether they were friendly or not remained to be seen. It wasn't too long before they came across the source of it all. The final opening of tunnel capped out into yet another underground cellar, this one being much larger than the one before. There only was a single door in sight, which stood facing opposite of the tunnel entrance. Vik and Wells stood with guns aimed and ready for whatever was waiting on the other side. Andrew opened the door slowly, checking to see if any threats were inside. He instantly noticed that the tables were flipped over, with tops facing the door. Tin cans and glass covered the floor. Andrew figured out the signs quickly, this was an ambush spot. Not even two seconds passed before someone got the jump on him. His attacker was armed, as the cocking of shotgun was the first thing he heard. When Andrew turned to take a look, what he saw shocked him to his core. Vik and Wells were about to engage his attacker when Andrew yelled at them to stop.
The attacker was a child, an Arabic boy who had to have been no older than eight. The condition he was in was horrendous, a true testament to the hell he had been forced to live in. He was malnourished, with little muscle on his bones, and wore nothing more than an tattered t-shirt that was way too big for him and scavenged pair of boots. Initially, the boy's eyes expressed fear and anger, like a wild animal trapped in a corner, but that slowly began to change. Andrew spoke in a calm demeanor for him to lower his gun, saying that they were there to help, to get them out of there and take them someplace safe. The kid did as he was told, but then unexpectedly broke out into tears. His gun dropped to the floor and he clung to Andrew for dear life, almost refusing to let go. As Andrew and his comrades looked around they noticed that others soon emerged from hiding. There were about 20 of them, all children, all young, all in just a bad of state as the boy who clung to Andrew.
Were something like this were happen today it just be seen as man doing his newfound duty for fellow man, but what made this event so significant was that these children happened to be the first survivors ever found after the truce was declared, debunking the belief that these soldiers were the last to survive the war. It brought about a sense of guilt in them all that they believed needed to be redeemed. Looking at the state these kids were in, the fact that ones so young and innocent suffered from a war that had no winner, showed no mercy, and that they helped prolong rekindled the little humanity that this group of battle hardened soldiers had left. Even after the years of hate and prejudice towards their former enemies that grew and festered, they were willing to put all personal grudges aside for the sake of these children's survival as well as that of fellow man. It made the bigger picture clear , and the sense of unity that mankind desperately needed was finally being embraced by even the most cynical of souls, and the belief only grew stronger as the years passed. As more survivors were found, the shell of animosity born from The Conflict faded from their point of view.
That gut feeling hunch of Andrew's led to every aspect of life and survival changing, and he was mostly credited for it. The fact that he was comparing his case to the one he had in Kashgar told just how dead set he was about it. Viktor was still conflicted on how to feel. The comparison added heavy weight to Andrew's argument. There was little evidence to support his beliefs, but it had been the same circumstances in Kashgar, and every knew how that turned out. Viktor approached Andrew, leaning over him and placing both hands on his desk. Unsmiling, Viktor looked him straight in the eye and addressed his question in a grave tone.

"Give me a straight answer. Are you certain about this? Because you need to be certain about this."

"God as my witness, yes, I am dead certain about this." Andrew replied in an equally grave tone.

Silence once again ensued. The two just looked at one another the whole time, humorless and resolute in their expressions. The silence lasted a full minute before Viktor broke it.

"Alright. I'll trust you on this one." 

Andrew felt satisfied upon his friend's reply, glad to know they were both on the same page about this. Andrew let Viktor know of his gratitude with a simple.

"Thank you." 

"I pray that you're right Andrew,, or there will be hell to pay."

"I know what's at stake, but we're running out of options. And if I'm wrong, I'll take full responsibility for my actions."

"Should we tell that Science Councilor about it? You know, Ed's kid?"

"No, I'm not entirely sure he'll support it. Besides, if I get caught, Patel and the others will probably think we were in league together, it's best he have nothing to do with it."

"Fair enough, but what about the Sergeant?"

Viktor brought up a good point. Andrew was going to need her cooperation if this was going to work. He'd need an actual fireteam to lead, so he guess it would have to be her and four of her best men that he'd be leading through the portal. The odds of her approval of this seemed to lean in Andrew's favor. She had already voiced the night prior how she felt it was their duty rescue one of their own, but he wasn't entirely sure how she'd feel about accompanying the Commander-in-Chief on highly dangerous operation. Would she think it was too dangerous for him, would she be nervous, eager, Andrew couldn't say. He didn't just want to order her to do it, he wanted it to be voluntary. If she was opposed to the move in any sort, she could easily make the information known to the personnel on site, destroying any chance of it staying out of the council's knowledge. 
Regardless, she would have to be made aware of the idea, one way or another. Whether or not it would proceed at all depended on her support. Andrew could only hope that it would be in his favor, and if she would oppose it, he'd have to convince her. All of a sudden Andrew's thought process ceased as a knock came from the door.

"Yes?" Andrew asked blatantly.

"Sergeant Martinez, sir." she replied, muffled by the door separating them. "I have an update on the operation preparations. Permission to come in, sir?"

Andrew hoped to have more time to think on how he'd convey his argument to her, but it looked like that wasn't going to happen. He looked to Viktor, almost as if he was expecting some sort of advice on what to do next. But Viktor just looked at him with arms crossed and a look that said, "you need to do this yourself". 

"Vy idya otvetit?" Viktor asked.

Taking his friend's advice, Andrew answered the hail. It looked as if he was going to do this one on his own.

"Come in, Sergeant."

The door swung open and Sarah stepped into the room, saluting, although it seemed as if the salute came as rather forced. Unbeknownst to Andrew, Sarah was still a little irate that her unit wouldn't be carrying the mission out themselves, a gripe that she felt needed to be subtly released any way she could. She still believed it was her unit that should go, and thoughts of bringing it up crossed through her mind, but she had already been cut off by the Commander the first time, she knew it wasn't her place to decide.
As she stepped inside, Commander Sawyer sat behind his desk and a man in tactical gear closed the door behind her. She didn't recognize the latter in the slightest.

"Commander Sawyer." She addressed. "And..."

"Colonel Antonov, you must be Sergeant Martinez, yes?" Viktor addressed. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Viktor outstretched his hand in a friendly gesture. Sarah accepted it. Judging from his apparel and rank, Sarah guessed he was the leader of one of the fireteams. He definitely looked like how she envisioned a first recon operator would appear, but she still wasn't all that fond of the idea of trusting a stranger to find and rescue someone from their unit. Even if said stranger was First Recon. 
After releasing her grasp from Viktor's hand, she turned to the Commander, ready to inform him on the operational and readiness status of the mission.

"How's progress, Sergeant?" Andrew asked, as he did wish to know how much time he had before the operation began.

"Bradford says that they just finished repairing the communications system, so we'll be able to keep in touch with the fireteams even after they've crossed. At this rate, he said we'll be able to get the operation underway by tomorrow night."

Feelings of enthusiasm and anxiety swept over Andrew simultaneously. He was glad that the mission could finally get underway with little delay, but it meant he didn't have much time left. He needed to get this over with.

"That's good to hear, Sergeant." Andrew stated. "However, due to some recent developments, there's been a change in procedure."

That had Sarah's curiosity peaked, as she wondered if he had changed his mind.

"What kind of changes, sir?" she asked.

"For now, changes that don't leave this room." Andrew replied. "Sergeant,mind taking a seat please."

She did as asked, pulling up a chair and sitting in front of his desk. All the while, the Colonel simply observed. She wondered what this was all about, and why it concerned her. From her point of view the overall vibe she was getting from this was beginning to make her feel as if she was being interrogated. 

"Now Sergeant, I realize I rejected the motion of you and your unit taking part in the rescue operation. However, Colonel Antonov and Fireteam Wolfpack were the only team that was readily available, and I'd like to get this operation underway as soon as possible, but I'm going to need your help to do that."

"I'll be of help any way I can, sir." She replied.

"Well, first I want you hear what I had in mind." Andrew replied. "Now, I partly chose the use of First Recon over 3rd Company on account of their superior training and commendable skill set, they're pretty much prepared for, god knows how many situations. However, sending one team on something like this is risky. Even they have difficulty in going in blind. I've looked over your unit's track record since you took the position of commanding officer, and other than a few isolated hiccups, your command's been solid and your combat expertise and discipline have been beneficial to the stability of this region and countless others the 3rd's been stationed to."

Sarah's optimism was rising fast, it was definitely beginning sound as if she would be going on the mission. Andrew went on.

"However, as far as the Council knows, this includes Bradford by the way, two First Recon Fireteams will be entering the portal. Even though that's not gonna happen, they need to believe that First Recon commenced the mission themselves."

"What do you need me to do, sir?" Sarah asked.

"I need you to gather four of your best men. Then, you and those you handpicked will be outfitted as if you were First Recon, Colonel Antonov will provide the equipment we'll need, and I'll go over a final equipment check before we go through."

"So, I'm leading the second Fireteam? If I'm not mistaken sir, I recall fireteams operating with six."

"They do, Sergeant, and you're not leading the team. I am."

The news came to her so suddenly, however her response was just as if not equally sudden.

"I'm in." she simply said.

While both Andrew and Viktor took her response as unforeseen, expecting some sort of protest, Sarah knew why they wanted to keep this a secret.

Word gets out about him going on mission no doubt that bitch Patel and the other limp dicks with her will throw a shit fit. Sarah mentally told herself.

Sarah had a newfound respect for the Commander, seeing the move he was taking as bold, and throwing any sort of bureaucratic formality to the wind. But most of her cooperation definitely had to do with the fat that she and a small portion of her unit would now be able to partake in the rescue operation, even if it meant she wouldn't be leading. And if news got out about this, she could kiss this opportunity goodbye.

"Just like that?" Andrew blatantly asked.

"Yes, sir. It'll be an honor to serve alongside you, and I can have four men picked and ready by tonight."

Andrew and Viktor looked to each other, stupefied by just how easy it was to convince her.

"Uh....very well then, Sergeant." Andrew replied. "Have those four men ready to go and report back to my office at 0100."

"Yes, sir."

Sarah  got up from her chair and saluted. She was about to leave when Andrew stopped her.

"Before you go, I advise you to use discretion, Sergeant. We can't afford any of the scientists or other soldiers who may not be too keen of this idea catching wind of this."

"Of course sir."

"Then I have nothing further to say. You have your orders Sergeant, see to it."

With that she exited the room, Leaving Viktor and Andrew to make of what they would about her cooperation.

"Well, that was easy." Vik said.

"No kidding, I thought for sure I was going to have to do some explaining as to why I was going."

"Perhaps she was just satisfied that she'll be a part of all this." Vik suggested.

"Well, regardless of her reasoning, all that's left is keeping this under the radar till tomorrow night. Let's hope to God we don't get caught." Andrew said.




The room was bustling with almost the entirety of men stationed on site, insistently barraging her with the same question, "Who's gonna go?" Sarah could barely hear herself think, let alone answer them. She got fed up with it to the point where she had to scream."

"HEY! YOU DUMB MOTHERFUCKERS WANT THE EGGHEADS DOWNSTAIRS TO HEAR YOU!?! SHUT THE HELL UP!"

The outburst by their CO made the men settle down. They were all on the 28th floor, in the room where a dormant portal lied. It more or less became the hangout for when the guys would go on break. The scientists never came to the floor on account that their attention was focused on the portal downstairs, but odds were that if everyone was screaming and yelling at once the scientists downstairs would be able to hear the commotion. It was currently 2100 at night, but Bradford had some of the staff working around the clock to get the device ready to open by tomorrow night. Most of the scientists were asleep, and
Despite the Commander's worries of this leaking out, Sarah knew her men well enough that they'd never snitch to the scientists or the Council, especially to Bradford, to which they had all grown to hate since the moment he had arrived. Her real concern was who to choose, half of the company was still at Outpost Bravo, meaning she was limited to the personnel stationed here. Despite her and the 3rd's willingness, it didn't hide the fact that whatever was on the other side could prove to be dangerous, so she would need to pick people who were both skilled and reliable. 

"Who's gonna go Sarge?" Nick asked.

"I don't know Barkley, I still haven't decided, but I want you all to realize that this needs to stay out of earshot, that means don't talk about it, don't mention it to the scientists, and for god's sake don't tell Bradford. As far as everyone here is concerned, this meeting never happened, clear?"

The group came into a general agreement on that.

"Now, I need the best this group has to offer."

"Say no more Sarge! The cavalry is ready to kick ass! " Francis boasted.

"Francis, you're the last person that I'd choose." Sarah put bluntly.

"Why?"

"Uh, You're the biggest chucklefuck I know." said Sarah.

"You're obnoxious and annoying." Nick added in.

"You're loud and your jokes suck." Private McDowell claimed.

"Your dick is small and you need that M60 to compensate." Nazif also put in.

The group laughed as the conversation slowly derailed into a roast for Vanhart, who didn't find it so humorous. It got a smile out of Sarah, but she was quick to get things back on track. 

"Alright guys, enough of that. Now, I unfortunately can't bring all of you on the mission, so if you don't get picked don't take it personal."

Assorting through the ranks in her head, the first thing Sarah considered was if someone got hurt, and if so she'd need a good combat medic at the ready at all times. Private Lucas D. Lamond would be the one to go to for that. One of the thirteen company medics on site and probably the one of the most combat history. He was an American man who stood at about 5'9'. He was in his mid twenties, with a brown duck-tail beard, hardened expression, and a no-nonsense personality. He spoke with a deep Brooklyn accent and respectively wore a an old multi-cam Yankees baseball cap with an ERDL jacket and USMC MARPAT pants, and carried AKS-74u slung to his side. He grew up in the ruins of New York City, which practically was a war zone within a war zone. From what he told of his past, The whole region was crawling with mutants, gangs of raiders, and US military remnants. One had to be tough, brutal, and willing to do whatever it took to survive in a place like that, making him the prime candidate in Sarah's search.

"Lamond, how's a trip to the other side sound?" Sarah asked.

The other men backed away from Lucas, who stood at the heart of the group. He had the attention of all present.

"Can't be any worse than where I grew up, besides, somebody's gotta make sure we don't all die. Might make for a good story, you know, if we survive." he replied.

Lamond knew how to patch people up and fight simultaneously, the next man she'd pick would have to know how fight on a distinguished level. Going through a list of subordinates in her head, one name came to mind. Corporal Dean Harris. One wouldn't normally associate the company's psyche counselor for a fighter, but Harris fought on a level that sometimes came across as scary.
Harris was a white male in his late twenties, standing at 5'11', wearing a torn up UCP covered helmet, an olive drab face wrap, Turkish Semi-Digital pants and a desert tan T-shirt. He was possibly Canadian, but aside from that nobody knew anything about his past. Suffering from a possible case of amnesia, the furthest back he could remember was waking up in a Toronto sewer, unable to recall how he got there. Whatever his past had been, part of it had him go through some heavy combat training. He showed signs of distinguished skill in four weapon categories, pistols, knives, assault rifles, and battle rifles. He was always prepared and was definitely the person she would need if shit hit the fan.

"Harris, If things go south I need a man that can fight his way out of hell, you on board?" Sarah offered.

Harris stood up from the chair he was sitting in.

"I've got your back all the way, ma'am." he said.

"Okay, we have a medic, a jack-of-all-trades." Sarah announced. "I think someone able to hit things from long range would be useful."

At that moment it was a contest between Ahab and another man, Cpl. Nathan Brooks, the two best snipers in the company.

"Sarge, c'mon, everyone knows I'm the better shot." Ahab claimed.

"Like hell you are! Sarge, remember last week when I hit that five-legged fuck with one clean shot to head? Ahab wishes he could make a shot like that." Brooks argued.

"Oh from what, like, 100 meters? I could make that shot in my sleep. I for one have taken out targets at at least 800 yards out. One of them just so happened to be a 20 ft Obelisk."

"My ass! With that piece of shit you lug around! You're lying through teeth Al-Kindi and you know it." 

The argument itself was pretty much a test to see who's skill was better, and soon others in the group were beginning to take sides in the argument, voicing there support till the argument turned into yet another incomprehensible mess.

"CAN IT! All of you!" Sarah yelled. "I'll decide who's going. Ahab, Brooks, what are your kill counts?"

"Mutants or raiders?" Ahab asked.

"Both."

The two walked to the back of the room to grab their rifles. Snipers in the militia would always record their shots, a pastime they'd take up, and Ahab and Brooks proved to be no exception. Ahab was the first to walk back, with his worn Romanian PSL in hand, then Brooks, with his bolt action M24. Ahab took a look at the tally marks he carved into the wooden hand guard of the rifle. Brooks' rifle had a small pouch strapped to the stock of his rifle, where he pulled out a tiny slip of paper where he recorded his kills. After about two minutes of going over things, Brooks announced his overall count.

"Recorded, I have about 66 confirmed kills." 

A smirk grew on Ahab's face as he finished his own kill count. Ahab showed him the mark covered hand guard of his rifle, displaying it like a trophy.

"A good effort, Brooks. But I'm standing just a bit taller with 94."

Those who were in favor of Ahab going oohed at his delivery. Both Brooks and Sarah came for a closer look to count for themselves. Sure enough, 94 tallies covered the hand guard. The way Ahab revealed the information came across as a little too showy for Sarah's taste, but she wouldn't deny the skill Ahab had as a marksman. He had played guardian angel on more occasions than Brooks, and had spent more time as a part of the company by a year. Sarah knew they were both capable for the job, but those two factors made Ahab the more favorable choice.

"Sorry, Brooks, looks like he's got you beat." Sarah said.

"Yeah, I guess so." Brooks sighed. "But hey, no hard feelings. Besides if you die, the title of the company's best sniper goes to me."

"True, guess I'll make it my goal to stay alive then, can't have you taking the title as king."

Brooks gave him a friendly slug on the arm and the two laughed it off. Sarah now only had one more man to choose, someone that could survey an area and more importantly track down Berfield. She'd need a scout, and one particular name instantly came to mind.

"Sabbag, I-"

But when Sarah took a look around she suddenly realized he wasn't there.

"Has anyone seen Sabbag?" Sarah asked.

The others all looked at each other and It didn't take long to get a response.

"Last I saw him he was topside, guarding the wall." Nazif said. "But, Sarge, c'mon, Achmed? There's gotta be a better choice than him."

While he wasn't lying, and there were better choices, something told Sarah that if Achmed were to come along it help change some of his recent behavior.

"Trust me when I say I have my reasons, Nazif. I'll leave it at that. Lamond, Harris, Al-kindi, report to the Commander's quarters by 0100 tonight, the rest of you return to your posts and keep this under the radar. As far as everyone's concerned this meeting never happened, clear?"

The men gave their recognition by either a "Yes, Ma'am" or a "Roger". As the men began to disperse and return to their posts, Sarah made her way up to ground level. She needed to talk with Achmed.




Achmed sat on a chair placed atop the makeshift catwalk running along the site's newly constructed concrete wall. Overlooking the endless expanse of the night shrouded wasteland, Achmed found a strange comfort in the mystique of the darkness in front of him. That unfortunately was the only comfort he was receiving this night.
Every since Tim vanished, he felt guilt ridden and ashamed. Day-in and day-out, Achmed wondered if he had accidentally killed his best friend, or whether he'd ever see him again. Suffice to say, Achmed was having an inner war with himself, and it seems hiding the signs wasn't his forte. He had already had three talks with Harris, who was always suggesting he try and do something take his mind off of it, something to ease the stress. It didn't matter what task he would take up, Achmed would still feel the unnerving uncertainty of what may happen. The mission would be initiated tomorrow night, and he felt somewhat helpless to the fact that he would be unable to partake in it. He barely ate and rarely slept. Just last night he did he same thing he was doing now, just sitting staring out at the darkness before him until the sun rose. 
He recalled that Harris urged him to partake in more social based activity, but Achmed only wished for some time alone to think. It's how he usually handled things like this. Recent events sure seemed to be against him at this moment of his life. His mother's disease, the possibility of becoming his sister's guardian, the argument with Tim about him leaving, and to top it off Tim being sucked into another world or possibly killed. The sheer amount of turmoil made it hard to combat the stress of it all. His inner thoughts suddenly ceased when he heard the sound footsteps coming closer. He turned to see that it was the Sarge approaching him.

"Hey, Sabbag." Sarah greeted.

"Hey, Sarge." said Achmed.

"You're all alone I see." 

"Yeah, I needed some time to think."

"Mind if I join you?"

Achmed would have preferred if she didn't, but he knew it was better to just do as asked.

"Sure, g...go ahead." he said timidly. 

Sarah sat in the chair directly beside him.

"Harris has been telling me you've been spending more time alone, thought I'd check in, see how you're holding up."

"Don't worry about me Sarge, this is just my method of dealing with things."

"Well, from my point of view it's cause for concern. You don't usually act like this."

Achmed sighed, now the Sarge was breathing down his neck.

"Look, Sabbag, what's wrong? Tell me, I may be able to help."

"Honestly Sarge, if you want to know why I've been like this it's because of what happened."

"You mean what happened with Berfield? Sabbag, it wasn't your fault."

"Are you kidding me, of course it was! It might have been an accident and nobody's blaming me, but that doesn't deter the fact that I was still the one who activated the damn thing."

The outburst caught Sarah a little off guard, and Achmed continued his stressed ranting.

"This whole time I've been contemplating the possibility that I killed my best friend and whether or not more people are going to die because of what Tim and I discovered. Everyone keeps telling me that I'm not to blame, but I clearly was. I should have done a sweep of the room, instead I got distracted, panicked, and fucked up royally! Now this thing has the Council's attention and when the Commander wanted a debrief all it was like I was pinpointing every damn mistake I made. What's worse is that I have no way of fixing it, it's completely out of my hands and that's what's eating me alive!"

Sarah now saw the bigger picture. She could clearly tell he took what happened to heart and was letting all the guilt eat away at him bit by bit. Whenever him and Berfield got into one of their high jinks Achmed was usually the one who'd tried and fix the situation, almost as if it were his go-to instinct. 

"Well Sabbag, that's not entirely the case anymore." Sarah said.

Achmed gave her a confused look.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"The Commander was only able to acquire one fireteam for the mission, so he'll be leading the second team himself, accompanied by five of our own."

"Wait, did the Council okay that?"

"No, it's not official knowledge, and the scientists can't know about this, if they do, any chance of getting Tim back soon is over."

"Okay, keep it quiet then. So who's all going?"

"Well, he asked me and four others to accompany him for the ride. I chose Harris, Lamond, Al-Kindi,........and you."

That last bit put Achmed into a bewildered stupor.

"Wait, me!?"

"Yes, you, if you're willing."

Achmed now looked incredibly confused.

"Why?!"

"Does it really matter?"

"Id' say so. Sarge, c'mon, me?! There has to be somebody else better for the job."

"Look, Sabbag, I chose you for several reasons."

"Sarge, I'm almost certain I'm one of the worst in the unit. What reason could you possibly have for picking me?"

"You know Berfield better than anyone else here and you're a decent scout, so that gives us a more likely chance of finding him. You know how to handle yourself in a variety of situations, but the main reason I chose you over someone else is because Tim's your friend, you should be present when we get him back. You said yourself you wanted to make up for what happened. This is your chance to do it."

Achmed sat quietly for a moment.

"Are you ordering me to do this?" He asked.

"No, I'm simply asking if you want to come along."

Achmed was silent as he took the offer into account. Many thoughts crossed his mind as he played the scenario out in his head. Would he be able to keep up with the others? Would he screw it all up again as he did before? Would he die on this mission? What would happen if they got caught? Even with his conscience clearly telling him this was a bad idea, something told him she was right. This was the opportunity to make up for what happened and find his friend.

"Alright, Sarge, count me in." he stated in a somewhat optimistic tone.

Sarah gave a satisfied smile.

"Good to hear." she said. "Now, we're all scheduled to meet the Commander in his quarters at 0100, sharp. Make it a priority to be there on time. And remember, don't tell anyone about this."

"Yes, Ma'am."

With that settled, Sarah got up and proceeded elsewhere. Achmed continued to stay seated, turning his attention back to the shrouded wasteland. The inner conflict he felt just a few minutes earlier seemed to be somewhat relieved. The tables had finally turned in his favor, and rather than think about his actions prior, his mind was set on the upcoming future. He smiled, and said quietly to himself.

"I'm not going to screw this one up. Tim, if you're alive, just try and hold out a little longer, we're on our way."
> Chapter 17: Collection of the Past
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Isolated and away from civilization, our group now sits at the Everfree's heart, with Tim's wounds and everypony's thoughts still fresh in the aftermath that followed the Timberwolf incident. Despite the ponies' previous opinions of Tim and his intentions, everypony now stood stunned and even fearful after witnessing the power of man's gun, but trust, is what will matter by the end of the inevitable exchange...........................................................................................................




"SHIT!" Tim grunted, teeth clenched in pain.

"I need you hold still." Fluttershy instructed.

"Tim, It would hurt a lot less if you could stop fidgeting." Celestia said.

"I know that, but that ain't exactly easy when it hurts like hell." he said.

"I was only trying to help."

Tim sighed, realizing his mistake. 

"I know, sorry it's just-" he apologized

"I'm fully aware of why you're so quick tempered Tim, just know that we're here to help."

"I'm very grateful for that."

"Need to sit back and take a quick breather?" Applejack asked. "Calm your nerves."

"Nah, keep going. Honestly it's best we get this over with." he insisted.

With the green-light, Fluttershy continued to stitch his wound, a process that wasn't pleasant for him in any regard. Celestia had already properly cleaned and disinfected the wound but Fluttershy's First Aid Kit for some reason lacked anesthesia to numb the pain, so to endure the feeling of each puncture going through the inflamed and damaged tissue sent pulses of agonizing pain all over Tim's arm and upper torso, testing his resolve with each weave. After she finished a few more laces, Fluttershy had finally finished. The yellow Pegasus tightened her handiwork till the wound was properly closed shut. Tim hissed in pain and Celestia severed the excess wire with her magic. All that was remaining was to cover his wound with a bandage.
Applejack was thankfully on standby through the whole ordeal, and was able to quickly grab and hand out the proper things when needed. As she went through the contents of the kit, Tim took his eyes away for just a moment to see what the others were up to. Rainbow Dash had her attention solely focused on Tim, but also kept her distance from him. 
He was still pissed with her, but he couldn't bring it in himself to hate her for what happened. Tim knew it wasn't entirely her fault, the Timberwolves were mainly to blame. She wasn't trained for these kind of situations like he was, she was only a civilian. But trying to show off in a dangerous situation just to spite him like that pushed more than a few buttons, and it resulted in his injury and almost got him and herself killed. Even if she apology from earlier was sincere, the wounds were still fresh, metaphorically and literally, so talking to her wasn't going to happen anytime soon.
Tim took his attention away from Rainbow Dash and looked towards Rarity and Spike. They both stood behind Applejack, merely observing the treatment process. He then noticed that Princess Luna had been keeping a guard around the perimeter, just in case any more unwanted guests showed up. Tim then eyed Pinkie Pie, who seemed to be in the process of scribbling something down on a piece of paper, with her arts and craft kit already out for the job and a blue marker between her teeth. Tim, perplexed as ever as to what exactly she was up to, completely gave up on trying to figure her mind worked, deciding it was too much crazy to handle. He then turned to Twilight, but to his astonishment, he found that Twilight had her attention on him. Twilight then noticed she had his attention, and did something completely unexpected. She smiled. ever so slightly, but still a smile.This was no nervous smile forced out of fear, it was smile that expressed gratitude, uncertainty, but also a willingness of trust, of. Tim wasn't expecting this kind of response from her and honestly expected her to be cautious around him from this point forward.

"There, all done." Fluttershy announced.

Tim was almost in the process of smiling back himself, but Fluttershy's voice snapped him out of his thought, and his observation was turned to the wound. And sure enough upon inspection, the wound was treated, at least until they could get proper medical help back in Ponyville.

"How does it feel?" Fluttershy asked.

"Still hurts like hell, but it's better then the way it was. Thanks for patching me up guys, I really appreciate it." Tim thanked the three.

"Ah shucks, sugarcube, it ain't no biggie." Applejack said modestly.

"I'm glad to help." Fluttershy chirped.

"It was our pleasure." Celestia said modestly.

It was then that Luna walked up to Tim. Tim instantly recognized the look on her face. A look that said "I want answers and want them now".

"Tim, you need to tell us a few things." she demanded assertively.

Tim had been praying that they would forget about the little stunt back there, but considering that it just happened and the fact that Princess Luna, who had up to this point had been referring to him as "Mister Berfield", just dropped his first name with a very bold tone told him that there was no sliding past this particular subject. He knew what she was referring to and how serious she was about it. 

Should've known better than to think they'd forget about it. Tim thought to himself. Alright Tim let's get this over with.

To his surprise, Celestia was on the gun to put a stop to Luna's inquisitiveness.

"Luna, I don't believe now is the ti-." she said.

"No." Tim interrupted loudly. "I said we'd talk about it after I got patched up. The wound's patched. What do you need to know?"

Luna didn't hesitate to jump on the opportunity to ask what everypony was thinking.

"Tim, what is that thing?" Luna asked, demanding an answer.

Tim picked up his AK by the hand-guard with his good arm, lifting it at her eye level. Luna took a tiny step back, unsure of how sensitive it was or how easy it could go off. Tim spoke calmly, giving the company minor relief, knowing that his temper had not risen, despite Luna's current attitude.

"We call it a gun. More specifically, an assault rifle."

"An assault rifle?" Luna asked in a chided tone. "You mean to tell us that this is a weapon for war?"

"It was a weapon for war. Now, it's the only thing in my world that guarantee a chance of survival."

Tim's words were firm on that, giving the impression that it wasn't as dangerous as believed and that he had no intent of using it in the regard Luna suggested. Still, the ponies remained wary, and wished to get better acquainted with the alien weapon.

"Is it dangerous, Tim?" Spike asked warily.

"By itself, no. But in the hands of someone dangerous or stupid, then yes." Tim answered.

The company present took the time to now examine the weapon in extreme detail. Everypony closed in to get a better look of his weapon. Beforehand, they had merely thought of it as some poorly constructed hodgepodge of a device. But upon second look that previous assumption couldn't have been farther from the truth. The weapon seemed to be composed of various parts that inter-weaved and connected with each other by either screw or some unseen component. The outer wooden casings and protrusions were used for holding weapon, which were fit for human hands only. The metalwork was very complex, with the frame stamping in at places, screwheads bulging out in others, inner parts serving as part of the external mechanisms and several unknown attachments that seamlessly wove within the intricacy of the weapon.
But what they really found impressive, and what shocked everypony, was its combat capability. It's method of delivering death was still a mystery, Twilight could have easily passed it off as magic if Tim hadn't informed her of his world's lack of it. So whatever it did had to be at least equally or far more complex than it's design.

"I don't think I've ever seen something that powerful in my life." Twilight admitted. "No spell I know of could have done something like that."

"There are a few spells that are capable of killing, however they take tremendous amounts of power to cast, and those that cast them usually have sinister intentions or sadistic mindsets." Luna asked.

"In truth, I do share my sister's worries. The spells capable of taking a life cannot be repeated within the same sequence that quickly." Celestia added.

"If I'm not mistaken, I believe the sticks by my foot was a part of one of those thing's leg." Tim pointed out.

"But we didn't kill them though." Luna informed.

"Really? Their blown apart bodies say otherwise." he argued.

Luna was about to reiterate when she realized he was unfamiliar with magic, and the spell she and Twilight were casting.

"I see your misconception, so allow me to clarify. The spells we used were meant to temporarily immobilize them." Luna informed. "Timberwolves are literally a combination of fallen tree limbs. When we cast the immobilization spells on them, their bodies dispersed, however in a matter of days they will eventually fuse back together. But notice that when you used your weapon the Timberwolves remained intact. It signifies that they are dead."

Tim eyed the lifeless corpses laying to the far left of him. Sure enough, they did remain in one piece, with the exits wounds still oozing the sap-like blood. He began to grasp just how out of touch these ponies were with violence, but he had no regrets for what he did, and he made it known to them.

"Look considering the circumstances I wasn't left with much of a choice, I didn't have time to come up with another option." he argued.

"Tim, we're not condemning what you did." Celestia said.

"Well it sure sounds like it."

"Our intent is not to accuse you of wrongdoing, Tim. " Luna said. "I believe that each of us is grateful in their own regard for what you did. Had you not taken action I believe we would have lost the life of Miss Dash. But the weapon you have is quite advanced, and easily capable of killing. It is well beyond anything of our capability. Which gives us cause for concern."

"Fair enough. But I suspect you have something else on your mind. Am I wrong?" Tim asked.

The ponies looked to each other with looks of uncertainty of who was going to ask the question. Luna turned to her sister, to which the latter gave a reluctant nod to the former.

"I can't speak for everypony else." Luna stated. "But I know I'd feel safer and a lot more comfortable if we could get better acquainted with it. I formally ask of you how it functions, and if we could hold onto it for safekeeping and study."

Red alarms popped up in Tim's mind, signifying that crossed the line. By now Tim was used to not-so-easy-questions, by either evading or trying to answer the question as best he could without giving too much away whenever they emerged, but this time was different. Tim could immediately foresee the fatal consequences should he give in to her request.

"No. I can't let that happen." he proclaimed.

The ponies seemed a little unnerved by his response, as it was such a stark contrast than his usual attitude towards them. Uncertain of what it meant as a whole, it didn't stop Luna from inquiring why and asking again.

"Tim, we at least deserve some knowledge of how that weapon functions." she reiterated.

"I'm sorry, I can tell you about minuscule things about our other tech, but that's cause I don't have a full grasp on how they work, but there's no way in hell I'm about to tell you how our weapons function, not by a longshot. It's not fuckin' happening." he reaffirmed.

To make his background and loyalties known was one thing, but to explain human weaponry and how it functioned to another race wasn't a sacrifice he felt was necessary to make, and overstepped both his authority, his duty, and his own moral and ethical bounds.

"Why? Is there something you're hiding? And if so what is it?" Luna asked in a frustrated tone. 

"I'm not hiding anything, Princess, but I can't just explain how our weapons work, it's about the worst damn thing I could ever do against mankind."

"Tim, your technological advantage just showed us what you're weapons are capable of, and as difficult and hurtful as this may be, what your kind is capable of. Your technological advantage gives you a superiorty ov-."

"It's our technological advantage that's kept us safe." He boldly stated. "It's what's helped us slowly rebuild society, and it is the only thing that's kept us from being wiped off the map! If I tell this you this information, hell, the very concept of how it functions, to anyone who's not human, there's a chance it could be used against us. I already told you how few of us are left, imagine how easy it'd be for a race that outnumbers us to wipe us out if they had this kind of power. It's  a risk that could, and probably would, be fatal for my kind."

"Tim, we're not asking you to surrender your weapon or technology, we're not a danger to you or your people." Luna insisted.

"My answer is still no, Princess. I've taken risks today, but I can't take one like this. Not with the lives of my people on the line. It's nothing personal, but I have my duty, and that duty demands I keep humanity safe, which keeping that information a secret."

"And I have a duty to my subjects as well, Tim. And it requires that we must be made aware of it."

Everypony was silent as the two stared at each other. His reasoning for secrecy was legitimate, and the resolute stance he took on the subject only served as a message that he was being serious and wasn't going to be talked down from it. Luna could already tell that his decision wasn't out of stubbornness but out of fear for what could happen. She knew Tim was a survivalist, and was tight lipped on things for a reason. She couldn't imagine how just the slip of a tongue could cripple an entire people. It was a burden she didn't wish to know, but her duty required that ponies be kept safe, and if this kind of weapon fell into the possession of Equestria's enemies, it could very well mean the end. She was about to press the issue further when Twilight intervened.

"Princess Luna." Twilight said. "I don't think that's a fair argument to make. Tim just saved our lives and took an injury just to do it. I understand your concerns, his weapon is far more powerful than what we once thought, and you're worried about it falling into the wrong hooves. But right now, Tim's the only one who's in possession of one and it's probably the only one in the whole world. If Tim says it's too much of a risk then we should take his word. Every time we've asked something about himself or his world he's either given us an answer and when he hasn't he explained why. He's already given us a lot of trust when he told us about his people, I think we need to give him the same trust back."

Luna was completely caught off guard by the young Alicorn's intervention. She was about to make her own argument when she stopped, thinking back onto what happened the night they confronted Tim upon their first meeting.

Could she be right, maybe I'm just being paranoid again. Luna internally spoke.

Luna was now beginning to second guess herself, wondering if her questions were born from legitimate concern or the raw fear and hysteria of the event. Luna was only in the midst of compiling a response when Celestia stepped in, adding an additional opinion that backed her student's.

"Luna, I understand you care for the safety of all our subjects, I do as well. But after what just happened I can say that Tim can be trusted to handle his weapon and use it appropriately." 

"I was reluctant to use it for this exact reason, I didn't want to scare y'all. But the situation got too risky, I'm afraid I didn't have a choice."

"I suppose you're right, seeing something like that was rather, disturbing, to say the least." Celestia confessed. "But I would rather be mortified over a weapon's capabilities than the death of a friend. So I'm thankful for that."

At this rate, her views were practically reversed, deciding that her fears got the best of her. It happened sometimes and it would seem that it would take more time to not let them have major sway in her decisions.

"I see. I suppose you're right, sister. Tim, I wish to apologize for my intrusive behavior. I understand the current situation isn't easy for you and I'll respect your decision on the matter." Luna said apologetically.

Tim could clearly see Luna feel ashamed, and he couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for her case. She was only looking out for her people, but so was he.

"Thank you for understanding, Princess. I'm not trying to keep you in the dark, but just like you and your people I just want to do what's best for humanity, and sometimes that calls for secrecy." Tim cleared up.

"Huh, that's something I think we can both agree on." said Luna with newfound optimism.

Tim gave her a half-smile, expressing his gratitude. With that said on done, Tim felt it best if anything else needed to be addressed.

"Any other questions?" he asked.

"Uh, Yeah!!! Are you okay? Do you need any more help? That mean old Timberwolf hurt you really bad, are you sure these stitches are properly sewn!? Do you need anything else? Washcloth? More bandages? Foot rub?" Pinkie Pie asked in a barrage of questions and popping in out quickly, ready with the items she listed off.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! I'll be fine with what I have, I can still walk!" he reassured her. "Speaking of which, we should probably get moving."

Tim sat up from the log and attempted to find the trail again. A spasm of pain from his wound then ensued, and he grabbed it tight in an attempt to alleviate some of it while the others watched.

"Are you sure you're alright, Tim?" Celestia asked with concern. "I have to agree with Pinkie Pie when she said that wound looked pretty nasty. I think after that kind an encounter such as that we could all use a rest. You especially, as rest will give some time for that wound to heal."

"I can deal with it." Tim insisted. "We need to try and cover as much ground as possible to make up for lost time."

Tim looked up to the sky past the tree canopy. Judging by the position of the sun, Tim could only guess it to be either somewhere in the early afternoon.

"It's already past noon, but we still have daylight. If we move fast we might just get there by nightfall."

Tim reached for his things, slinging the rifle across his shoulder putting on his pack and began to walk back towards the trail they were following once before, but Twilight urged him to reconsider.

"Tim I think you should listen. Despite what you think is best you're still really hurt, you shouldn't be pushing yourself like this." she argued.

"I appreciate your concern, Princess, but my legs work fine and I still got one good arm. My wound's been patched up so I don't really see in delaying. C'mon let's go." 

Like the situation involving the secrecy of his gun, his stubbornness once again gave everypony the clear message that he wasn't going to alter curse. Twilight and the others had no choice but to follow, and see to it that he not get hurt.




Another three hours had passed and the sun was low in the afternoon sky. His injury was still taking its toll, making rapid movement for his upper body and even walking a strain on his resilience. Nevertheless, he managed to keep his pace up and make up for a lot of lost time. Multiple times the ponies offered to relieve some of the burden he was carrying, but every time Tim declined. He was focused on getting there before nightfall, which would take place in just a few more hours. He looked over his shoulder to see how the others were doing. From the looks of things they seemed t be ding just fine. When Tim turned his head back around he almost stopped dead in his tracks when a familiar pink Earth pony snuck up on him.

"Ah!" he cried out. "Why do you keep doing that?!"

"So I can give this, here you go!" Pinkie Pie cheered, presenting him with a small folded piece of green construction paper.

Tim took it in hand and looked over it. On it was a playfully drawn representation of himself and the rest of the group all dancing wildly with smiling faces with the words, "Get well soon" written in the pony alphabet at the top. It was also adorned with wavy lines and covered in some sort of shiny reflective dust-like material that Tim was unfamiliar with. Unsure of what he was holding, he looked to the pink earth pony for some sort of explanation as to what exactly this was.

"Oh, uh, thanks. What is it?" he asked.

"It's a get well card, silly!" Pinkie explained. "I made it for you and I got everypony else to sign it."

"Sign it?"

"Yeah, open it up!"

Tim did as instructed, and sure enough, all the names of his current company were on there, they must have done it while they were walking. Tim turned around and where the others were smiling at him, expecting a sign of appreciation from him, but what they got was a look of pure confusion. 

"Uh, Yeah, can someone explain the purpose of this?" he asked.

"It's a get well card, darling, we all signed it in hopes for your speedy recovery." Rarity clarified.

"How's a card supposed to make a wound heal?" he asked. "Does it got magic in it or somethin'?"

"It's just a friendly gesture, letting you know that we hope you get better." Twilight explained. 

"Oh. Well, it's the first I've ever heard of it. But I do appreciate that y'all found it in your heart to care. Thank you." he said with a smile.

Tim found the gesture so innocent and caring. It made him think on how much these ponies were giving, and the more he kept thinking about it, he realized he wasn't really giving anything substantial back. He put it in one of the empty pouches his bag. 
Upon passing a few trees, the group made their way into a decently sized grass covered clearing in the forest. It was then Tim started to notice some things that struck in familiarity.

"Hold up." he said, raising his hand in a stopping gesture.

The ponies stopped as requested, awaiting a further explanation. 

"What's up?" Twilight asked.

"This place, it's....."

He didn't bother to finish his sentence, instead opting to slowly walk forward and make his assessment of the surroundings, Tim remembered this clearing, it was the one he came across upon first entering Equestria, right after he retrieved his hat. As Tim walked forward he kicked something small up into the air from the underbrush. It landed a few feet in front of him and he went to retrieve it. Picking it up, the object in question happened to be a large bull clip. After inspecting it, he quickly raced towards the other side of the clearing, disappearing past some thick foliage and instantly garnering the ponies attentions, wondering where there guide just ran off to.

"Wait Tim, where are you going!?" Twilight yelled after him. "Tim!?"

"Wow, he darted out pretty fast." Applejack noted.

When she didn't get a response Twilight and the others chased after him making it about third ways across when he reemerged.

"Good news guy and girls, we're here!" he exclaimed, gesturing them to follow him.

The others eagerly complied, with feelings of excitement and anticipation as to what may lay in wait on the other side. Passing the tree where Tim first awakened from his unconscious state, was the remnants of a hectic entry. Suffice to say they were immediately greeted by what they were looking for. Tim wasn't lying when he said that an abundance of clutter came in with him as everything was scattered around the vicinity of the area, with objects ranging from small as a rock to large as their very own heads. They laid on the forest floor and hung from the branches of trees."

"Oh my goodness, look at all of it." Fluttershy said in awe.

"Just how big was the room exactly?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Well, don't have an exact measurement, but it was big. And the device that sucked me in had to be at least 30 ft tall."

"Whoa, you could throw one heck of a party in a room like that."

That estimate and the contents that surrounded her gave Twilight, Luna, and Celestia something to think about, giving them the impression that whatever pulled Tim into Equestria must have been one serious operation. Twilight's friends branched out in several directions, taking the scene into account.

"Some of it looks so.......complex. " Rarity noted in amazement. "I mean really, just have a look at this thing."

A light blue aura enveloped one of the objects on the ground. 

"And what thing would that be?" Tim asked as he approached her.

Rarity levitated the item in question to him, and upon inspection, it happened to be a busted laptop computer.

"Any idea what it it is?" Rarity asked.

"Sure do. This is what we call a computer." Tim informed

"What does it compute exactly?" Luna asked.

"Can't really say a lot, not much of a computer person myself, but from what experiences I do have and what I've seen and heard there used for, well shit, just about anything really. Math, data, writing, files, a game called minesweeper, and all stored and manged within the confines of its hard drive."

Twilight seemed absolutely mesmerized by it, as before her sat a device that was once capable of carrying information and performing deeds that could take weeks to years to do with the current methods for ponykind.

"May I hold it?" Twilight asked of Tim.

"Sure, knock yourself out."

Twilight's magic enveloped the relic as it slowly began to levitate towards her. Looking at its remains she could tell that it was in bad shape, with a shattered screen, missing keys, wires hanging from the bottom, and its casing cracked in a few places, but Twilight was outright geeking out at what the thing may have looked like if it were completely intact.

"A device like this could make organization in the library a breeze." Twilight awed. "Amazing."

"How, it's a flat box that's all busted." Spike blatantly said with disinterest. 

"Spike!" Twilight scolded.

"Well he's gotta point. Considering how the thing probably came flying into this world at about a million miles per hour, its insides are probably shattered." Tim agreed. "Besides, the thing's battery probably died way before it even got here, so even if it wasn't damaged, we still couldn't turn it on."

Spike gave Twilight a smug look as she gave him an irritated glare. Twilight levitated it back over to Tim for him figure out what to do with it. Tim grabbed it and then cleared his throat.

"Well, we're here, so I'd say now's about time we get to work."

"Yep, came here on a mission and time to see to it." Applejack agreed.

She immediately unhitched herself from her wagon and with a single kick from her hind-leg, she spun it around for easier access to all. The group began to take off their packs and lay them in a pile by the wagon while Tim threw the first object in. 

"Try to spread out some, these things probably got some distance." Tim informed.

Rainbow Dash approached Tim in a timid demeanor, with him instantly noticing.

"Hey........uh............Tim, are you gonna be alright,...........y'know..........................to look for................" Rainbow asked Timidly.

Tim gave her a disgruntled stare, as he wasn't entirely sure he was ready to speak to her yet. Had she listened to him the injury on his arm probably wouldn't even be there. But in truth, it's not like she inflicted it upon him, that was the Timberwolf's handiwork. The glare seemed to making Rainbow Dash feel uncomfortable. Tim turned his head away  when he saw it was effectively making her shy away.

"I'll be fine." he said. "Why don't you and Fluttershy try and search the trees, see what y'all can find.

Tim walked away before Rainbow even had a chance to respond, add additional input, or even get to say, "okay". Heeding his advice, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy took to the trees to look for items that had made their way into the branches of trees whilst the others began looking elsewhere. Twilight herself started by picking up bits of loose leaf papers off the ground and stacking them neatly with her magic. However, curiosity got the best of her yet again ans she couldn't help herself from surveying the contents of the pages. The papers were written in a language unknown to her and displayed what looked like a structural outline or possibly even blueprints to a giant arch, and that's when her curiosity reached an inquisitive level. But at the same time, she needed to convey it in a way that wasn't in the form of just direct question after direct question. So deep was her thought that she didn't notice that Tim approached to her right, as he was collecting some old rusted coke cans.

"Hmm, wonder what's written on here?" she mumbled to herself.

Tim overheard her and was uncertain to what she was referring to until he saw the papers she was holding.

"Well, let me take a look, maybe I can take a crack at it."

"Hmm? Oh Tim, uh, sure."

Twilight levitated the papers over to him and he grabbed them once they were in reach. A second hadn't even passed when a perplexed look struck his face.

"What is it?" Twilight asked.

"Well, in retrospect I should've guessed, it's not written in my native language." 

"It's not? Then what's it written in?" Twilight asked.

"By the looks of it and considering the area where I was stationed, it's written in German."

"German? Well do you know how read German?"

"Sort of, I know some of the basics, but, well, just by looking at this thing I can tell it's pretty damn far from basic. But I'll try."

Tim attempted his translation, but between the different tenses and his lack of knowledge of what case it was in, the translation came across as an incoherent mess of a few nouns and verbs that sounded less like I language and more like he was speaking in tongues. Knowing he wasn't going anywhere with it, he stopped almost immediately. Twilight gave him a confounded look, expressing that her newly adopted plan of information gathering had backfired on her first try.

"So you can't read any of it?" Twilight asked.

"Eh, no." he replied in disappointment.

Twilight sighed, but her optimism was still on a high note. She once again fell into her curious habits, pulling the journal she'd been keeping notes in whilst she levitated the papers over to the wagon and placed them inside before turning back to Tim.

"You know Tim, it's always curious to hear new dialects, I'm sure we'd be delighted if you were to speak some of it for us." Twilight chimed. "At least what you know that is."

"Uh, sure." Tim said. "Let's see, German, German, aha! I got something."

Twilight leaned in closer as Tim cleared his throat to speak.

"Guten Tag! Ich bin ein Mensch und meine Name ist Tim. Wie gehts?" he said slowly.

That gave Twilight enough time to record the phonetics.

"So, what dis you say?" she asked.

"It means, 'Good day, I'm a human and my name is Tim, how are you?'"

"Interesting vocabulary." Twilight mumbled, writing something down in her journal yet again. "Do you perhaps know where it originated."

It didn't take Tim very long know what was happening and what would come next. So Tim decided to take the initiative to put that particular fire out before it started.

"Hey Princess, I don't mean to be rude, but we really should focus on gathering things for now, maybe save some of the questions for later?" he urged politely.

She mentally groaned when she noticed what she was beginning to let her curiosity take over, only this time she wasn't self-consciously doing it.

"Sorry, Tim. I didn't mean to do, it was just a force of habit." she said somberly.

"Hey it's nothing to beat yourself up over, I've-."

"No, it is!" she replied in distress.

Tim took a tiny step back, as he was aware that the problem stemmed from just more than her curiosity but was unaware at what exactly was the cause her distress.

"Princess, what's wrong?" he asked.

"It's nothing, really." she replied. "You're right, we should just get back to work."

Twilight stored her notebook and walked off in the other direction, deciding to play it cool with the questions for now and continue to retrieve objects. Tim was still baffled at what just happened, wondering if he had said something and performed an action to make her upset. After about a minute of just standing there he  decided to just mark it off as her just being tired after walking all day. Unbeknownst to him Twilight began to regret her little outcry.

Way to go Twilight, you've just made it more weird, at this rate he'll practically stop talking to me all together. she thought to herself. Did I make things wired when I smiled at him earlier, was it just the wrong time, am I-

Twilight almost went face first into a tree and was lucky that she stopped to see what was in front of her. Realizing she had worked herself up too much, she did her best to force herself into a cool and mellow state.

Alright Twilight, keep it together, you haven't completely ruined his image of you just yet, he doesn't hate you, just calm down.

After a few deep breaths through the nose she seemed to successfully calm her nerves. 

Alright Twilight, just focus. What you need to do is just stay calm, and keep it cool. Promise to yourself, no matter what's found and no matter how amazing it may or may not be, you need to just play it cool. Listen to your Teacher's advice, maybe then can I truly learn from him, and maybe he'll even trust me like I trust him.

Easier said than done, as attached with each new item found was another question Twilight had to find it in herself fight back. Her friends and mentor on the other hand had no such dilemma of asking, partly because they hadn't kept a barrage of them going for the last couple of days. The items in question ranged from menial to advanced, with each one at least somewhat correlating within the interests of the one who found it.
Rarity found a maroon military beret with some sort of old German insignia on it. She admired the color most of all, and commented that it might make for a good tone for her next set of dresses. Fluttershy found one of those plastic dancing flower toys, and asked Tim what it was out of a personal fear. She was worried if humans somehow replaced real flowers with the plastic ones. Tim put her worries to ease saying the plants and animals all burned up and mutated because of the war. Leaving Fluttershy standing in her shocked state, Tim then answered Celestia's question as she brought over the remains of a adjustable lamp, and so on and so forth. Questions ranged from what it was, what it did, and how it was made. Tim did his best o answer the best he could, and after an hour of nothing but answering people's questions he was beginning to feel irritated again.
The search for items lasted for about two hours or so, and the ponies still marveled at the construction and purpose of each individual object. However they were about to witness one of these objects in action first hand. Pinkie Pie was popping in and out of the bushes surrounding them, retrieving objects and storing them in Applejack's wagon in a quick and sporadic fashion when she came across somet6hing that hadn't been seen yet.

"Hey Tim, what's this doohickey?" she asked, pulling it out of the bushes.

Pinkie handed the device over to Tim for inspection. At first he looked at it with disinterest, until he saw what it was.

"Holy mother of Mary, it's a Walkman." he said with excitement.

Everyone in vicinity heard the enthusiasm in his voice, and turned to see what the commotion was about. Currently in Tim's hands was a black and silver box with a clear sheet of plastic exposing something on one side a large round speaker on the other, and several buttons and other unknown features on its top. More specifically, The Sony WM SR-10 Walkman.

"Pray tell, what is this Walkman?" Rarity asked.

"Y'all ever heard of cassette tapes?" he asked.

Everypony gave Tim an odd look.

"Come again?" Applejack asked.

"Okay I guess not." he said, putting his excitement on temporary halt. "Okay, quick history lesson, cassette tapes were a form of recorded audio, like music and stuff."

"Oh, so like a vinyl record?" Twilight asked, hoping her comparison was similar.

"Exactly." Tim confirmed. "Only this came directly after that they were much more compact, less likely to get damaged, and much more practical to use. This Walkman, is able to play em'. And by the looks of it, seems there's already a tape inside."

That got everypony's attention, the chance to hear the music created by humanity seemed like a tremendous privilege to behold. But Twilight thought of something that just seemed off to her. She was stunned that humans managed to create vinyl record like ponies did, but had never sought to advance past the next thing after it. Vinyl Record had been around for about eighty years, and from how Tim described his race it almost seemed as if humans were always trying to advance to the next thing.

"Wait, you mean to tell me that your kind has been using the same format for recording audio since it replaced vinyl record?" she asked.

"Oh hell no, the cassette tape was invented like over a hundred years ago. Turn of the century introduced digital recording and storage through electronic devices. That computer we picked up was probably capable of doing that or something similar."

"So why not just use that?" Celestia asked, seeing where Twilight was now coming from.

"Well, when The Conflict came around, everything digital went off the grid. Got rendered unusable and unrecoverable, so cassette tapes kinda made comeback. And now I got something that can play em' on the go."

Luna raised an eyebrow at his newfound glee.

"I thought the purpose of this endeavor was to use these objects to create your way back home." Luna inputted.

Tim gave them a brittled look, as if caught in a net he couldn't escape.

"Is it possible that this one teeny tiny little item could come under my possession." he asked.

The group gave each other looks, one that expressed devious intent that their human compatriot would be unaware of. Whispers were exchanged for about a minute before they readdressed Tim, who was still standing there.

"We'll let you keep this one item, if you let us each take one of the items for ourselves." Twilight announced.

"Sure, that's cool, this stuff ain't exactly mine, just come and see me before you keep it. Last thing I need is one of y'all to find something dangerous."

The group smiled with content, with some, mainly Twilight, expressing their excitement with a held back squeal.

"Okay, now, where were we?" Tim asked.

"The cassette thingy." Pinkie Pie reminded.

"Ahh, right. But first, this thing probably needs new batteries."

"What are batteries?" Twilight asked.

Tim set his satchel down and opened it. Digging around, he pulled out a yellow box, which made a noise similar to that of something rolling on the floor of one's house. Opening it up he pulled out two cylindrical objects, no bigger than a nail.

"These are batteries." Tim said, showcasing them. "Think of them as a small and disposable electrical charge. They power almost every handheld electronic I can think of.

Tim then proceeded to take a detachable piece off of the Walkman, with the ponies only guessing that's where the batteries were stored. Tim discarded the two dead AA batteries and replaced them with the ones he had in his satchel, closed the lid to the battery compartment and then proceeded to press the play button. The sound that followed was a scratchy and continuous loop of nothing but white noise. Tim and everypony else cringed as the sound was anything but appealing to the ear, but signified the tape was broken.

"Oh, um well, the music sure is, uh, different." Twilight said, mistaking this for the music.

"Are you kidding me Twilight, this sounds awful!" Pinkie shouted.

"This ain't music, the damn tape is broken, probably-"


*-----------------April 12th, 2046, The wa-------------------------------------------------*


The audible annunciation of a date got everybody's attention. The voice was male, probably in his late thirties or early forties. All of those in earshot remained quiet, waiting to see what else it might playback.



*-------------------------------------------------------------------The report--------ities of Rig------ and Warsaw were confirmed to be in Russian hands this morning. Langley tells me the war will reach Germany in a matter of days. They gave me what I consider a flawed pla-----------------------------------------------nd I have no-----------------------------I'm not entirely sure what I'm supposed to tell them, the last I need is panic, and especially when we're so close to achiev--------------------------------------------------. But the oth------------------------------------------I'm starting to think we need to change-----------------------------------------------------------irst thing's first, we-*

*(The faint sound a door opening and closing. The conversation has now switched to German.)*

*Doktor Friedrich, war dort etwas-*

*(The sound of click, distinct to that of cocking a handgun.)*

*Sind Sie verrückt?!?*

*Nicht mehr Ihrer Lügen Kimball! Wir verd----------------------------------------------------Die Russen brachen durch!? Als dies ta------------------------*

*-----------Sven, haben wir keine Wahl, ich hab-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------eine------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------verlass--------------------------------------------------------------------Die Welt wird sterben, keine Richtung von uns sterbend mit es.---------------------------------------------------------.......................................*


When the audio cut off the group was left with what to make of what just happened, but Tim, he had a firm grasp of exactly when that little argument took place.

"This had to have been recorded at the very beginning." Tim whispered to himself.

"The argument sounded very heated, but it almost sounded as if he beginning to give a report." Celestia noted.

"What do ya think happened? Sounded like they were both pretty spooked about something." Applejack asked dubiously.

"The war." Tim informed them. "Half of it might have been in German I couldn't understand, but when I heard the gun being pulled out, well, let's just say people did desperate things towards the end."

"Before the other man came into the room he talked about something called Russians and how they took a place called Warsaw." Twilight added.

"And it sounded it's as if they were making their way towards that Germany place." Pinkie Pie added. 

"No doubt they were perpetrators, but do you know if these Russians started the war?" Luna asked.

"Well, whenever this happened in was definitely early in the war, but in all honesty I doubt it really matters who started it. All those countries began biting the dust as The Conflict raged on, and by the end of it, they were all gone, no borders and no more arsenals. If the Russians did start the war, they sure as hell couldn't finish it."

Tim opened the cassette tray up, and discarded the broken tape on the forest floor.

"Anyways, I really don't wanna talk about the war." Tim pleaded. "Let's finish up and get back."

"Well, Tim, believe it or not we pretty much have as much as we can take." Applejack announced.

Applejack gestured over to her wagon, which was looking pretty full at the moment, filled to the brink with the man-made items they recovered. Tim stepped in closer to inspect, as did Luna, Twilight, and Celestia. 

"Think it'll be enough?" Tim asked Princess Luna.

Luna looked over the quantity they collected, letting a small smile stretch across her face.

"More than enough I'd say." she said with satisfaction.

"Good, cause if y'all pile up any more, pulling this thing might become a two-pony job." Applejack retorted.

"And  I believe we agreed we were able to pick any one item from the wagon?" Twilight reminded.

"Yeah, but how about we wait till we set up camp before we do that?" Tim suggested. "It'll give y'all time to get acquainted with it."

That suggestion hit hard for Twilight, but he had a fair argument, it was probably best for everyone that they all settle down for the night before digging through the cart looking for something to keep. They then began to make their way back, a journey would definitely result in an over-night stay in the Everfree forest. As they began to walk, Twilight expressed her feelings of disappointment.

"Wish that tape had been music." she said. "I would've loved to hear what a human composition sounds like."

When Tim heard those words a smirk spread across his cheeks. 

"Well Princess, I think I can grant that request." he said with a smug tone.

He opened up his satchel once again and retrieved a cassette tape labelled "Driving Mix .4, Achmed keep your damn hand's off!" in sharpie marker. Twilight's eyes almost popped out when she saw it.

"Oh my goodness! You mean have something that has music on it?"

"Eyup. This one's mine, now you'll be able to see why I wanted this little Walkman."

It was then that Pinkie Pie popped out in front of him, almost giving him another heart attack.

"Gah! Will you stop doing that!?" he yelled.

"Only if you play that music so everypony else can hear." she bargained.

Tim noticed that the others were now all urging him to play the tape, all waiting to the first to hear human music.

"If it'll get you to stop popping in outta nowhere, I'll gladly do so."

With that, Tim put the tape in, buckled the Walkman to his belt, turned the volume to max, an hit play. The whir of the tape began smoothly and the first cords of the song were beginning to play as they made their exit out of the forest.



> Chapter 18: Final Preparations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The moment of truth stands around the corner, as twelve souls prepare to enter the unknown. Those from the 3rd now lay in wait for further steps to be taken, and converse about what possibilities there were to take every possible precaution for what may lay on the other side. But what actually awaits them, is what they did not foresee, but what they had been hoping for. At this moment fate hangs in the balance. One small step will serve as the beginning. The beginning of a new era, the beginning of an exodus, and the beginning of what would ignite the powder trail to war..................................................................................

Achmed stood with the his squad, waiting for their Commander to enter the room and instruct them of what to do next. The atmosphere of the room was anxious to say the least, wit Lamond and Ahab sitting next to each other, striking up a talk with what they'd be ready to do should things go south. Harris leaned against the wall, what he was thinking Achmed couldn't tell, partly because of his face wrap concealing his expression and the fact that he was a mysterious individual to begin with. Sarge on the other stood facing eight feet from the door, waiting for Andrew's arrival.
The five were currently waiting in Sawyer's office, three minutes before schedule. It was late, and all scientists and most of the militia personnel were already asleep in their quarters. The nighttime watch was up, but most of them were on the surface level, and very few walked the halls. So the facility itself was plagued with a continuous quiet. Achmed was nervous as  began fiddling with his fingers to pass the time. It would be the second case of him meeting the Commander face-to-face, and he worried whether Sawyer would see him as unfit for the job and oust him right on the spot. Achmed hadn't made the best first impression either. When the Commander interviewed him he came across as a stuttering mess who was almost on the brink of a mental breakdown had it not been for who he was talking to. 
But as he thought more about it, he leaned towards sudden optimism. He thought perhaps his connection to the situation could do him a favor, as the mission attached to him in a lot of ways. He had a part in finding this facility, his friend was the one that was taken, and he was the one who activated the machine. But as he plugged the numbers through his head, that optimism slowly shattered and he was back to being nervous again.

Will he even want me to go? I'm the one who fucked it all up and caused all this, he'll probably ask for someone else. But, if Sarge thinks-

His inner thought cycle ceased when the door to the room was opened. Everyone immediately stood at attention as The Commander and the Colonel entered together, walking in unison. Viktor took a step back and immediately looked both ways down the hallway before shutting the door. He gave Andrew a confirming nod, setting things to go underway.

"Sergeant Martinez, I take it these are the men you chose?" he asked.

"Yes, each and every one displays unique traits and skills that I thought would benefit the mission." she replied.

"Good."

Andrew walked passed each of the men, inspecting them closely. Each one seemed like the average soldier, but that was common. He had no doubt they were capable. However, when he made his way to Achmed, he couldn't help but input on how coincidental it was that he was chosen for the mission.

"Private First Class Sabbag? Fancy meeting you here." Andrew said with suspicion.

"Sir, good to see you again as well,...sir." he said.

He was hoping that the Commander would just pass him by already, but he didn't. There he stood,continuing to look Achmed directly in the eye, staring him down. Andrew could already tell that the Sergeant might have been too nurturing in her decision making. He knew all about Sabbag's history with Berfield in the debriefing dossier he read before flying out, so he wanted to know how a sub-par soldier like Sabbag constituted as one of her best. He expected that perhaps favoritism had a play in her decision making. Achmed was starting to get really nervous, and readdressed the Commander.

"Sir, was there something you needed?" he asked.

"Yes, I want to know what skill you possess that made you one of the right men for this mission? Because from the talk we had and the reports I read before I left New Damascus, it paints a pretty clear picture of what kind of soldier you are. Suffice to say son, I'm sure there's other soldiers here that can perform your duty ten times better."

Dispirited and downcast, Achmed was under the impression that the Commander had just flat out told him to leave. He began making his way for the door when Andrew stopped him.

"I didn't relieve you soldier. Get back here." he ordered in hushed no bull-shit kind of tone.

Achmed, confused as to where he was gong with this, did as ordered.

"But....you said their were soldiers better than me?" Achmed reiterated.

"I know what I said. So you're gonna tell me what makes you worth coming along. What can you bring to the table that others can't?"

"Well...sir, I'm trained as a scout, I'm......uh........capable of forming a terrain layout, tracking movement, and-"

"That's not what I asked son. I know you're a scout, you were trained to do those things when your hide hit boot camp. I want to know what you have to offer that can be pivotal in this mission?"

Now Andrew was picking on Sabbag for a reason. For the most part, the other men the Sergeant picked looked more than capable, but not Achmed. Andrew needed to know what kind of man Achmed really was, to see if he really was what he acted like. If he was going to be a liability he'd have no choice but to boot him from going. But secretly, Andrew hoped that wasn't the case.
Achmed's tongue was twisted as he wasn't sure if he could answer him. He wasn't expecting to be questioned down like this and considering he was known as an introvert, he found it difficult to answer, especially when the Commander was hammering him with this sort of hard-balling. Sarah saw he was beginning to crack under the pressure and made a move to intervene. But to her surprise, Achmed found it in himself to answer, casting away whatever fear and any lie he could come up with to make himself sound more useful than he really was. He took a deep breath, and laid it out to the Commander simple and straight to the point.

"You're right, sir. I'm not the best choice for this mission, I know that. In fact, I might be one of the worst. But Tim is my friend and I'm the reason he's gone. I don't know if you can relate, but I want to be there when we bring him back and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to do that, so If there's anything I can bring to the table, it's that I know my friend. I know what he would do, how he thinks, and his habits. It will give us an edge in finding him. I promise."

Andrew still continued staring him down, but not before a half-smile spread across his face.

"Well son, I'm glad to inform you that I'm going to hold you to that." he said. "You'll get that chance to finish what you started. And believe me. I can relate more than you can think."

"I won't let you down sir." Achmed replied.

"Let's hope not." 

Andrew made his way past Achmed, upon which Achmed let out a deep sigh of relief, feeling as if a heavy burden had just been relieved. Andrew turned around once he reached the far wall, with Viktor at his side, facing towards his "newly acquired First Recon team". In his head, he knew they could handle it, even Sabbag, who surprisingly survived his little test. Andrew figured if he could be straight with the highest officer the militia had to offer, he'd be able to face whatever mental challenge that laid in wait on the other side. Andrew was beginning to wonder if he himself could face what might await them, but now was not the time for second thoughts, he had his team to debrief.

"Good Evening. I want to start out by saying that I commend you men and your Sergeant for volunteering for this mission. I know it wasn't an easy decision to go head first to save our fellow soldier, but I suspect that's what some of you wanted to do from the get-go."

A lighthearted laugh was exchanged in the room, with looks of "guilty as charged" spread across from the Sergeant to Achmed. The Commander continued.

"I'll be honest, if it were my way I'd be sending your entire company in, but The Council saw fit for First Recon to undertake the task of rescuing Private Berfield. But to my dismay, they only got one. With Wolfpack as the only available fireteam on standby, you lucky five get the opportunity to carry out this task alongside them, with yours truly taking the reigns of the outfit. I also wanted to express my gratitude for your cooperation. I greatly appreciate that each and every one of you was willing to not only keep this newly formed unit a secret, but that you're willing to swim dangerous waters to do it. I must inform you though that this facade must stay secret and that you mustn't speak of it to anyone. Not even the men of the 3rd. If word gets out  to the Council of what were doing, we'll all end up regretting it."

A silence fell over the room, as the gravity of the situation was lined out to them. Achmed felt his stomach drop just a little as the Commander continued.

"Now, I've already had previous discussions with Sergeant Martinez, Corporal Al-Kindi, and Private First Class Sabbag, so I'd like to take this time to get acquainted with those of you who I haven't had the pleasure of meeting formally."

Andrew walked up to Lamond, who saluted him accordingly.

"What's your name and rank son?" Andrew asked.

"Private Lucas D. Lamond, sir. 3rd company medic."

"Medic? That's good to hear. If whatever's on the other side is anything like those other worlds on the records we'll need more than just a slap of a bandage."

"I'm up for the task, sir. If provided the supplies I'll fix everyone up right, and if I can't I'll drag everybody back home on my back."

Andrew smiled at the bravado that Lamond boasted.

"Thanks, but I'm afraid dragging my ass outta of the fire is the Colonel's job, what I want out of you is to take care of injuries. Last thing I need is the medic dying."


Lamond felt a little self-pride come out of him just then.

"I think I'll manage, sir." Lamond replied.

"Here's hoping you do, but I'm certain you'll need to do more than just manage son, you need to be on your A-game the whole time we're there. That goes for all of you might I add." he said turning to address the others.

The others in attendance replied with an attentive "yes sir".

"Good." Andrew said.

Andrew then came face to face with the man who's face was concealed by an olive drab face wrap.

"And who would you be, soldier?"

"Corporal Harris, sir." he replied in a expressionless voice.

"And what's your job around here?"

"I serve as 3rd company's Psyche counselor, pointman, infantry, weapons expert."

Andrew saw that as an odd combination. To him, pointman and psyche counselor don't necessarily sound like they went together. The way Harris laid out his duties gave Andrew gave him the impression this man was cold and methodical in his handling of situations, but also had his roots centered in his duty to the men of the unit.

"So you're a weapons expert and the psyche doctor, huh? So tell me, do you plan to psycho-analyze or kill Berfield when we find him?" Andrew asked jokingly. 

"An analysis would be the most beneficial. If the environment we encounter is hostile and Berfield's still alive it's best we see if he's in a stable condition." he said in the same expressionless tone. 

Harris still spoke with the same frost-cold voice, almost as if he didn't even register the joke Andrew had just made. Andrew was now getting odd vibes from him, and his expressionless and vacant stare served only to make him reflect. It wasn't uncommon among some people, you go into this world naked and have to fight your way to stay alive. Andrew looked at his eyes, and they were similar to his own. They were the eyes of someone who saw things he wished he hadn't, those of a fighter, those of a desensitized man, those of one who lost his soul. And eyes were the only thing that could be read, as the man chose to hide his face from the world with the face wrap that covered everything up to his nose.

"Well, son, make it your mission to do that when or if we find him." Andrew instructed.

"Understood, sir." he said in the same deadpan tone. 

Andrew made his way back to the front of the room so that they could finally get things underway. He pulled the Sergeant to the side, speaking with a hushed tone.

"Sergeant, it seems you did an excellent job. They seem like the perfect men for the job."

Sarah felt a little pride rise as she accepted the commendation for the Commander. She simply gave a salute, expressing that she was thankful.

"Well, now that formalities are out of the way, let's get straight to business, shall we? From this point forward, this unit will be officially recognized as Fireteam Osaka. I will be leading you as Osaka 1. Sergeant Martinez will be Osaka 2. Corporal Harris, Osaka 3. Corporal Al-kindi will be Osaka 4. Private First-Class Sabbag will be Osaka 5. And finally, Private Lamond will be Osaka 6. When we reach the portal room and we're cleared to enter we'll be lined up by number, starting from one to six, so I encourage you to remember your number like the back of your hand. If anyone asks your name, you use your Fireteam number only. No one can know who you are. Now onto the mission."

Everyone's eyes and ears were on Andrew from this point forward, as every detail that would follow would provide greater insight into what they might possibly expect. Andrew continued.

"As you all are aware, Private Berfield went missing precisely six days ago, and his whereabouts are, somewhat, unknown."

"What do you mean by somewhat, sir?" Ahab asked.

"By somewhat, I mean we know where he is but have little to no information on the location. We're going in blind, which presents a lot of risk."

"Where do we think he went? We've heard the name Echo drop a few times in conversation." Ahab asked.

"Yes, he was in fact transported to another world codenamed Echo. But like I said we have no intel whatsoever on the location so flying blind is just something we're going to have to deal with. But, we've thankfully prepared a few precautionary steps. You'll each be given a gas mask and enough filters to last 72 hours should the air on the other side be toxic or otherwise unbreathable."

Andrew noticed in the corner of his eye that Viktor had a displeased look on his face, no doubt born from the cold-hard truth Andrew just informed to his new sqaudmates. Regardless, He had nothing to worry about. Vik would have his back one way or another, even they still disagreed on a few "minor" changes in mission procedure.

"The idea of suffocating on toxic fumes doesn't sound very appealing." Lamond voiced.

"Having second thoughts? The door's right there." Andrew pointed out with an eyebrow raised.

"No way in hell that's gonna happen, sir."

"Good to hear. Now if you're all done griping, the main objective is to find Berfield and get him home. Simple search and rescue, I'm sure you're all experienced enough to carry it out effectively. If Berfield is still alive and smart enough with playing his cards, he'll probably be close to his point of entry."

Achmed couldn't help but to begin to doubt that. He then turned his attention to an analysis of his friend. Tim was curious, in fact too curious. And more often than not that curiosity would land them in a sticky situation. Achmed was beginning to predict that Tim would be nowhere near the entrance if something caught his attention. But Achmed's own attention was then suddenly turned to one hardy slug to his arm from his Sergeant. She leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"*Sabbag, whatever the fuck your thinking about can wait, right now you need to listen up."

Achmed had realized he had completely droned out the Commander this whole time, and instantly picked up from where he was talking.

"-Each of you will also be given a tactical HUD/headset combo. This device will cover several functions that would otherwise have be to covered with separate pieces of equipment. It will cover, sqaud communication, map grid, night vision, thermal view, and sqaud location. It's the go to for First Recon. Speaking of which, if you're going to pass for first recon, I do believe you'll need to look the part. Colonel."

Lamond and Ahab exchanged eager smiles. Sarah even began to get a tad bit excited. Harris expressed nothing, and Achmed wasn't sure how to feel. Andrew gestured for Vik to come forward and speak to the group, to which he did.

"Listen carefully." Viktor announced. "I am going to cover the equipment situation for you all in a clear and concise manner, should you mishear or miss what I say, know that I will not repeat it. So I highly suggest you listen. Thanks to the Commander's.........."brilliant" plan, you all have been given temporary access to a tier 6 arsenal of weapons and equipment."

"Fuck yeah." Ahab acclaimed.

"That's what I'm talking about." Lamond chirped in, exchanging a small high-five with Ahab.

"Unexpected, but welcome all the same." Sarah said calmly with a smile.

Even Sarah couldn't help but feel psyched a little. The tier system was a system for categorizing for the weapons found by the salvage teams and had been in place since the founding of the first council. It essentially laid out which firearms were available and appropriate to who. Tiers 1-4 were made available for both civilians and the Militia, whilst tiers 5 and up were reserved for the Militia only. Tier 1 consisted of non lethal weapons, such as tasers and gas pistols, and are generally deemed unhelpful by most of the remaining populace. Tier 2 weapons consist of mainly knives and other varieties of melee weapons. Tier 3 is where the first guns are categorized, with it consisting of semi automatic handguns , bolt action rifles, and single shot firearms. Tier 4 generally consists of semi automatic rifles of small to medium calibers, and shotguns ranging from pump action to semi-automatic. Tier 5 weapons are reserved for Militia use only, consisting of the most common found fully automatic rifles, high caliber rifles, rocket launchers, and machine guns. Tier 6, being the highest category, was exclusively reserved for the First Recon teams, consisting of the most advanced pre-war and inter-war military weapons befitting special forces teams. Some of them were assumed to be the last surviving models, with so many destroyed in The Conflict.
Gaining access to that level of weaponry didn't happen every day, and it seemed that Sarge, Lamond, and Ahab were equally excited. Harris seemed unmoved by the news in any way, instead just standing taking it in as if it were just another order. Achmed felt quite different about it. The emphasis on the the new weapon and equipment access made him feel as if he needed to put double the effort into his new "role" as a first recon operator. Achmed's mind went into overdrive, figuring out what he should do if he looked out of place, and it was only when Viktor continued that he manged to snap out of it and pay attention.

"Alright, everyone shut up! Time to listen up again. There are still matters to discuss before you even think about grabbing one of the pieces upstairs. Let's go over the rules, and I insist you follow them, lest we have problems. All tier 6 weapons are stowed away in the LAV upstairs, and thankfully my men have taken the time to prepare for the mission ahead of schedule so that you could use the day tomorrow to prepare for yourselves. But let me be very clear, they are, for all intents and purposes, my weapons. You are borrowing my weapons and if you damage, or god help you, break one of my firearms, I have full authority to snap your neck."

The soldiers knew he wouldn't kill them for that, but if one of those two things were to happen as a result of themselves they'd be expecting a boot in the ass.

"That was rule one. Rule two. Just because you have access to my armory doesn't mean you can just take whatever damn gun you want. You come to me first, and then I'll decide whether it's okay to use. I'll be discussing your pros and weaknesses with firearms and what your role is with your Sergeant. We'll narrow the choices down, see what gun best matches you. Rule three, if I catch any of you trying to steal from me I'll shoot your sorry ass before sundown. And I am not joking about that. I won't tolerate thievery! Is that clear?!" 

"Yes sir!!!" They all said simultaneously and immediately.

Sarah and the others could tell the Colonel was serious about that. Thieves who were caught were either shot on sight or lined up for the firing sqaud, so stealing tier 6 gear was a risk none of them were going to take.

"Good, now onto procedure." He continued. "Fireteam protocol mandates that every member of a fireteam must have a weapon that shares the same cartridge and magazine to the weapon of at least one other team members. We call it the "buddy system", and it ensures that at least every one of you has ammo to spare to another one of your teammates. Your buddy will be with you at most times. Should the scenario call for an alternative course of action in which your buddy may be subject to leave you, make it your mission to keep your guard up at an all time high. Secondly, all munitions are to be stored in a concealed pouch, no ammo-belt-hanging-around-the-neck shit just to boost someone's bravado! If your going to look professional you're act like you're a professional. I also want everyone carrying their sidearms as well, knife in a sheath and handguns in a holster, ready at a moments notice. Now the equipment that's been given to your disposal will also be of a similar process. But the Commander will  be the one to assess what each of you will need. And like the he previously mentioned, you'll each be given a gas mask and HUD-set. Everyone will be wearing an operator level helmet and body protection for the chest, groin, and joint areas. You'll also be carrying enough food and water to last for those three days, no more and no less. You'll need to make room for chem lights, emergency equipment, extra ammunition, a suppressor for every firearm you will be taking, and a sleeping bag. And for you medic Lamond, you will have a supply of first aid on you to accommodate 12 individuals. Other than that, I would highly recommend you come to me or the Commander should you feel the need to bring something else."

Viktor took one quick look at them all before finishing up. 

"Alright. If you have any questions now is the time to ask them." Viktor announced.

Ahab was the first to hop on the opportunity.

"Corporal Al-Kindi, what is it?"

"Do we have access to tactical accessories for the firearms we'll be given?" he said with an optimistic grin.

"Yes, but like the guns and equipment, you come to me first to assess. Last thing I need is one of you lugging around an under-barrel grenade launcher and then come to me later telling me it's too heavy."

Lamond was the next to jump on the train of questions

"Yes, Private?" 

"Colonel, what kind of firearms do have available for us exactly, and in what calibers?"

"Save that kind of question for when we get up there. It will be easier for everyone if they're in arm's reach. Anything else?"

The others didn't ask anything, as Sarah had already made up her mind that that was all she needed to know on weapons and equipment, Harris didn't require any additional information other than that of what was already given, and Achmed felt he didn't have anything to ask. Seeing that they had nothing else to inquire, Viktor handed the floor over to Andrew, who gave them all an earnest look. He simply stood there for a few seconds, making everyone in the room feel a bit uncomfortable. Even Viktor was unsure where he was going with this.

"I'm not going to lie to you. This mission has the potential to be very dangerous. Perhaps even suicidal." Andrew said with honest intent. "If this Echo is anything like the other locations scouted before the war, there's a high chance we won't be coming back so if you're having any second thoughts about this, now's the time to reconsider. Should you step away from this mission know that I understand why, and that I don't fault you for it in any way. What I'm asking of you is a lot to take on, so understand if you're unwilling."

Achmed weighed his decision of whether to take the offer to leave. But for as much as he saw himself as unfit and wanted to stay out of this high risk and professional mission, he had to go through with it. He had an idea of the stakes even before they had been laid out. They were his reason for being there. Something inside himself had to see the matter through. Whether it be out of the need to find his friend or resolve his sense of guilt, he couldn't say for sure. One way or another though, he wasn't turning back.
The others didn't give "backing out" a chance, they wanted to be there, they knew the risks or didn't care about them, and they knew they didn't have time to find replacements. Andrew took the groups silence as a confirmation on their commitment and gave him the que to continue talking.

"If your minds are made up then, I ask you listen for one last thing. Since we don't have time to properly train you I'm going lay down four simple rules that you need to follow when we're on the mission. Stay close to the group, listen to the orders I give you, don't take any action until told otherwise, and don't go anywhere unless told otherwise."

"We'll make sure they sink in sir." Sarah reassured.

"Okay. At 0900 sharp, all of you are to report to the vehicle bay for mission prep and armament. I don't want any late arrivals! You don't show up on time, you don't go. Time is a luxury we can't afford. Anyways, until then, I expect each of you to a get a good night's rest. That's all. Dismissed!"

The soldiers of 3rd Company gave the Commander a salute and proceeded to exit the room one by one. Achmed was the last to exit out. He turned his head to get one last look at the Commander and Colonel before he filed out of the room and the automatic door closed behind him. His fellow teammates made their way to the bunk room, leaving Achmed alone in the hallway alone. All the talk of possibly dying, the stakes should they get caught, the fact that he would essentially impersonate a level of soldier that he very well knew he wasn't assured him that no sleep would be gained by him this night. He tried to ease his concerns by going over the four rules in his head.

Stay close, listen to orders, don't do anything until told to, don't go anywhere until told to.

As the last rue read out in his head, a faint sentence came out.

"I hope I know what I doing."

With that, Achmed began to head in the same direction as his comrades, reciting the rules and hoping that he could muster one last good sleep before the mission's launch that night. Meanwhile in the Commander's quarters, Andrew saw fit to discuss how debrief went with Viktor.

"Well, that didn't go so bad." Andrew claimed.

"Not very long either, but I guess that's how a debrief goes when you have no intel to give."

"Oh Jesus Christ, will you stop bitching about that already?" Andrew sighed.

"I said I'd go with you on the mission, but as far as I'm concerned I still think it's a terrible idea that's going to get us killed." Viktor admitted.

Andrew glared his friend down. He might have been his old friend, but Andrew was all too aware of just how stubborn his old friend could be, and it seemed as if age and time apart did nothing to change that.

"So then why go? Why not report me to the council?" Andrew asked.

"Simple. I'd have nothing to gain by snitching and like you said, I'm the one who job it is to drag your ass out of the fire." Viktor retorted with a smirk.

Andrew rolled his eyes and couldn't help but smirk back. With that part of the conversation over, Andrew felt like he needed a second opinion about his new "fireteam".

"So, what's your take on the "new recruits"? You seemed to be pretty damn aggressive when discussing planning with them"

"It's a small way I have of testing people before a mission, if they can handle a bit of yelling without so much as a word back or a bead of sweat trailing down their face, they can handle much worse. Happy to say they all passed."

"Any of them stand out?"

"Da. The Sergeant and Corporal Harris seem capable enough, especially Harris. Came across as sort of a cold-blooded, a real snake eater if you know what I mean. If so, he seems like he has the perfect mentality for our kind of work. If he's an expert like he says he might make a good operator."

"If he does well enough on this one you think you'll write a recommendation? I might be in New Damascus almost every day but I know for fact First Recon is always looking for new blood."

"It is a Possibility. We'll see how he does. Can't say the same for those grunts Lamond and Al-Kindi."

"Don't think they're capable for this op?"

"No, I have no doubt they're capable for this mission, but they're not capable of shutting their mouths. Not Operator material, that's for certain. Especially that Al-Kindi, he came across as the smart-ass type. In fact I foresee myself slugging him at least once on this mission. Right across the left side of his face I think, yes, that would be perfect."

"Jesus Vik, you seem pretty damn adamant about this." Andrew laughed.

"Well since you left I have found no one who even comes close to replacing my old human punching bag."

"Same ol' Vik." 

Andrew shook his head and chuckled some more before discussing there last new entry. In fact the prospect of a certain out of place soldier garnered some doubts within him.

"What about Sabbag?"

Viktor was silent, as he put the pieces of his response together.

"I think he's capable and willing to commit. But it seems he's on board for his own reasons. And I was picking up that he may be a little on edge."

"I noticed that too. Could see it his eyes and his posture/ Seems like he's taking what happened to heart and is looking to fix it himself. I can respect that but when one takes a mission too personal things usually go SNAFU."

"Then let's hope he can handle the outcome should Berfield be dead."

"What's scary is that I don't think he can. But like I said we don't know what's on the other side. And he's holding onto the chance that Berfield might be alive. And like me, he's willing to go for it, despite the risk."

Viktor walked up beside his friend placing his arm around his shoulder.

"Well then let's hope you're both right, and we get back home safe and sound with our MIA and a new territory to rebuild."

Viktor was about to head up topside to hit the rack. When Viktor exited out of the room and into the hallway he noticed when he noticed Andrew was following.

"Uh, was there something else you needed Andrew?" Viktor asked.

Andrew gave him a sly grin.

"Yes actually. Now this just occurred to me, but if I'm not mistaken, you have something of mine that I let you borrow the day I left Wolfpack. And suffice to say, I would like it back."

The item Andrew was referring to was easily remembered by Viktor. Viktor took a few steps backward.

"Sorry old friend, I'm afraid I lost it on a mission in Shanghai."

Andrew read his friend's face like a book and saw through his facade. Andrew picked up the pace towards him.

"You're lying through your teeth mother fucker." Andrew coldly claimed.

"No, I..I'm dead serious, I have no idea where it is." Viktor insisted with the cracks in his armor showing.

Vik ran but Andrew caught up tackling him to the ground.

"Oh you'll be dead alright if you actually did, but I know you're hiding it from me!"

Andrew then began to beat on him with a few punches to his chest and a slug to the arm, with Viktor trying fruitlessly to contain laughter.

"Alright, alright! I'll take you to it!" Viktor relented "Jesus Christ,get off!"

Viktor pushed his friend off of him and stood up, rubbing the dirt of his tac vest.

"Well old-timer, you still have some fire in you." Viktor observed. "But damn, you could've just asked."

Andrew was standing up when he replied.

"Well I thought it necessary to get the point across, cause I know you'd do anything to keep it."

Viktor just laughed lightly before gesturing his friend to follow.




The two made their way up top through the elevator and walked to the vehicle bay where the LAV was parked. Viktor's fireteam was busy at work and in the midst of prepping for tomorrow night's mission, setting their weapons and gear up to their level of preference whilst also setting out the gear that would be made available for Andrew's. When the two reached the back ramp of the vehicle, Andrew turned around, with Viktor soon following behind.

"Seems you put them at work well enough." Andrew noted. 

"They know what's expected of them, in fact I usually don't have to tell them to do this, they know do it before any op."

"Do they have any names?"

"Da, they do. Smart ass. The one at that makeshift crafting table to the far right is Major Hale Kendricks, he serves as our explosives, weapons and munitions expert. He's also our gunner in the LAV, and my second-in-command if I'm not capable to give an order he'll give his thoughts and we'll make a decision from there. He's a good man and a very meticulous one. The one working on the sniper rifle is our own lovely Second Lieutenant Asami Ishimaru. She serves as our forward scout, and sniper overwatch. Her talent at long range is exceptional, but she's still new, and she still needs work at staying hidden. I've only had her under my command for six months but I know that she has the potential, her problem is that she's too full of herself and prone to giving her position away. The one working on those HUD-sets for your team would be our tech expert and Lucky Irish Medic know-it-all, Lieutenant Nathan McCord. He has the biggest mouth and an unfortunate love of jokes. He also tends to drivel on about things he's heard and he can do it for hours on end. Only time he's quiet is when I give the order. He's also our driver, which gives him plenty of opportunity to talk while o the move. Now the big guy prepping his vest next to that oil drum is our support gunner and heavy weapons expert, Captain Egbelebe Jelani. He's from the Congo and that place breeds men for war as if they were wolves. He's one hell of a fighter, and one hell of a temper. For a time, we tired to call him EJ for short, suffice to say he didn't like it. And lastly the man loading magazines and marking papers would be our esteemed Captain Lewis Humphrey. A British man without the common courtesy of one. He's cantankerous, very impatient, very to-the-point. He's also our expert in close quarters and serves as our pointman and hand to hand expert. He can land one hell of a punch too, one to knock you off your feet."

"They sure seem like a unique bunch." Andrew added.

"Well like they say. Every operator has a past, and that's what makes them ripe for the job."

Andrew got a clean look at each of them, only guessing what stories they brought with them. "Every operator has a past" is an old saying the first generation coined at the beginning of First Recon's formation. The saying, despite how it sounded, is meant as encouraging, stating that each member was rock-hard enough to endure what it took to be in a fireteam, and that was a lot. Every Operator has their own tale and that those stories is what made them exceptional soldiers. But Andrew knew from experience that not very team has a solid relationship all the way through its lifetime. Rivalries could form, instabilities, unrealistic expectations of outside perspective led many into a serious state of desensitization. Some were First Recon because all they knew was combat.

"They seem skilled enough. They give you any problems?"

"Nothing major, although when Jelani arrived we had a bit of a spar after a pretty close call in Warsaw. I managed to come out on top but not without a few marks, but I think he got a clear picture of who was in charge that day. Other than that can't say I've had too many problems, but you could say I keep them in line when I need to. Which isn't very often when you're the last of the original Wolfpack. I'm actually viewed as sort of a legend, along with you of course. When you have that going for you the others tend to look up to you for guidance and so I give."

"Guidance, huh?" said with a smirk. "Does this guidance entail how to effectively hide liquor and get away from doing latrine duty."

"Says the guy who stole a Humvee from Vehicle bay to get busy with his girlfriend." Viktor laughed.

Andrew and Viktor shared a laugh briefly at some the old stunts they pulled back in the day.

"Some of that shit would have gotten us shot for treason if we tried to do it today." Viktor said.

"Yeah, no kidding."

Andrew sighed as he observed Viktor's men at work.

"With all this talk I'll tell ya', there isn't a day that goes by where I can't help but miss the old job. Looking at your guys reminds me of when I used to do this shit, when the old team was together." Andrew said.

"Indeed. A challenging time in all respects but not one to be forgotten." Viktor stated. 

"Seen any of the guys since?" Andrew asked.

"Yes and no. Last I saw of Jacovi was when he took his papers and left. that was uh, two days after you and Jess got married. I met up with Jahib about six years back. He works with the construction division of the Science Branch now, building housing and digging pipelines."

"Really? Shit, might need to pay him a visit. If I can find him. He like the work?"

"Well, no, not really. Says the job's can be just as dangerous as traversing the waste, especially when digging pipeline. He talked about how one time they dug straight into a nest of those tunneler mutants. Tore three of his guys to shreds before he and another managed to escape. Told me because of it he carries a .357 whenever going underground, but says it was a good way to finally settle down. In fact I think he took inspiration of that lifestyle from you."

"Well a leader does strive to inspire his men." Andrew mocked.

"Didn't inspire my sorry ass."

"Well, I'm under the impression that you're incapable of being inspired to do anything unless it benefits your needs or involves a bottle of vodka." Andrew jested. "Then there's Ming, he stepped down from First Recon to become Colonel of Ft.Downs in Louisville. I was there when he got promoted."

"Yeah, I hear the men call him, "Warden of the Ohio" now. Sounds like he does his job right. You two still in touch?"

"Only on the need-to-know information level. It's been years since I've actually talked with him in person." Andrew admitted.

"That's a shame, maybe one day. Then there's.............Reynolds."

The name didn't sight right at all when it rolled of Viktor's tongue.

"If you don't mind, I'd rather not talk about what happened with Ben. His soul's at rest so let's just leave what happened in the past." Andrew asked politely.

"That's fair." Viktor replied in a sober tone.

The topic of that particular man would have almost certainly killed the mood had they dug any further into it.

"Well, enough reminiscing I suppose. Wanna go ahead and open her up? Or were you waiting for my okay?" Andrew asked.

"You may be Commander now, dear Andrew, but The Wolf Den is my jurisdiction." Viktor said with a sly tone. "You wait right here, let the Alpha scope out his lair." 

Viktor climbed atop the large armored vehicle and went through the open hatch on the turret. After about thirty seconds of maneuvering himself through the inside, he lowered the ramp for Andrew to enter.

"Climb aboard, Cowboy." Viktor remarked.

"My pleasure, Comrade." Andrew quipped.

Andrew stepped in, taking the inside of the vehicle into view. The vehicle's interior had several alterations done to it that made it differ from the average LAV-25. The left transport seats were taken out entirely and replaced with a weapon rack and a small system terminal for communications. What Andrew was looking for would most certainly not be in plain sight, as he knew his friend wouldn't make it easy for him. Andrew walked about, scouring the nooks and crannies of the back area, all under the observation of Viktor. Andrew neared the seating area when Viktor piped in.

"You're getting warmer." Viktor taunted.

Andrew walked closer towards the exit as Viktor began making a mocking beeping sound at constant intervals. Andrew took a step towards the front of the vehicle and the beeping increased. Now fully entangled into playing Viktor's game, Andrew made his way up and down the vehicle's interior trying to find the hot spot. When he finally did, the spot in question was concealed behind a hidden panel about 30 inches in length under the seating section. Crouching down and pulling it away, the first thing that came into line of sight was a bottle of smuggled half-empty  whiskey, bourbon, and vodka resting against some stationary inner workings of the vehicle. Looking past the luxury of stowed liquor however was the item Andrew had been seeking. 

"Hey Vik, found some of your guidance next to my gun." Andrew scoffed.

As he pulled it out, Andrew gazed upon it and smiled as if it he were reunited with an old lover. Since the first day of his operator career with The Survivors, Andrew carried an Israeli MTAR-21C. The C model was officially adopted in the year 2036 by the Israeli Defense Force, and improved upon the original in several aspects, such as a more balanced and reduced weight, superior gas venting, a heavy barrel, a less-sensitive mag release, and side picatinny rails for lasers and flashlight mounts. The one Andrew had used had been given to him by a former IDF Commander seventeen years ago, as a token of gratitude for saving his family from raiders two years prior. Since then he used it on almost every mission and knew how to handle it like it were the back of his hand. However, when Andrew took up the Commander position, he left it in the care of Viktor, stating that he could "borrow it" while he was away. As Andrew held it in his hands, he felt a whole ten years younger than he was now, as several memories resurfaced. 

"Why the hell would you stow it with the booze?" Andrew asked. 

"Why not? My men know better than to rummage around in there without my knowledge. Plus, It was the one place where it could truly be safe, from either my men, requisite officers, and quartermasters alike. It was supposed to be sent back to one of the armories at Ft.Seine in Paris. But like the good friend I am, I hid it."

"If only you put this much extra security with the confidential documents I gave you. Which might I add are still laying on the seat!" Andrew pointed out.

"What can I say, I like my liquor more than my homework."

"Hmph! Well, I suppose we're one in the same there. God knows how many times I need a drink with day-to-day shit I deal with back home."

Andrew let out a sigh of contempt, remembering where he'd be after this. Shaking the thought off, he turned his attention back to the rifle currently in his hands.

"So, did you ever use it at all?" Andrew asked. "You've had seven years with the thing."

"For the first two months after you left, yes. It was empowering at first, and I was still exploiting the fact that I was leading the team. But as time past it felt more and more like a novelty, me carrying your gun I mean."

"What are you trying to say? If you even try to suggest that my gun sucked I-"

"Of course it sucks! Terrible piece of shit from day one." Viktor laughed. 

Andrew made a move to give him a friendly slug to the arm with Viktor just narrowly missing it.

"No, I'm kidding! But it felt like it wasn't really mine to use, y'know. I guess after so much time the thought of it being yours was so ingrained into my head that it felt wrong using it. Like I was stealing from the dead or something. It's honestly hard to explain, but I guess I just wasn't compatible with using it."

"Well of course. You're Russian, your mind isn't compatible with most advanced weaponry to begin with." Andrew jested, turning things to the lighter side.

"Really Andrew?! Fucking really? So I guess dear Natasha here, being one of the most silent firearms of all time, doesn't count as advanced in your books?" 

Natasha was Vik's weapon of choice. An AS Val of custom making. Natasha had been Viktor's weapon since his days of Spetsnaz. The gun was very old, and had shown signs of constant combat with scratches and dents in the outer casing displayed for all to see. The one Viktor had differed from the standard AS Val in several regards. One being the custom-made dust cover which effectively integrated a top-mounted picatinny rail forged on it's upper receiver. Another being the modification to accommodate a foldable ERGO F93 PRO collapsible stock rather than the standard folding skeleton stock that came standard with it. Mounted on it's three CQB rail system in the front was a foldable vertigrip, an NcStar Tactical Green laser light/flashlight combo device just in front of the grip, and a Compact laser designation device on right rail. The scope of his choice was a Vortex Spitfire 3x Prism, and the gun was covered in his very own custom grey urban grate spray paint camo. Despite this, Andrew had to add one little tiny detail that Viktor was forgetting.

"Vik, your "advanced" just turned a hundred years old this year." Andrew added.

"Still does the job, that's all that matters in this line of work." Viktor protested.

"Well you're not wrong I suppose. Still, you need more than just a gun to do the job right. Speaking of which, I should get ready to do just that."

Andrew was about to walk over to an impromptu weapon bench set up by one of Vik's men when Vik himself stepped in his way.

"Take it slow cowboy, we're still in the midst of getting shit ready for tomorrow. Right now, you better get some sleep." Viktor said.

"It'll a sad day in hell before I let you babysit me."

"I was being serious. Aside from my team getting their gear together, we still need to get the guns out of the hard cases and every attachment and bullet accounted for before your team wakes up. I actually need to get back to helping them."

Andrew could tell he wasn't kidding and decided to comply as he didn't want to be impertinent.

"Alright. Procedure comes first." Andrew said." But expect me to come early."

Andrew was in the midst of turning around to go back to his quarters when he suddenly stopped.

"But before I go anywhere, I want to get reacquainted with my good friend Mister Jack Daniels." Andrew declared. "One last time before we possibly meet our untimely demise."

"Damn. I was hoping you wouldn't drink my already shrinking stash."

"Well, maybe you should have hidden my gun someplace else."

As Viktor smiled and laughed at the astute observation. Vik went along with his friend's request and pulled out the bottle of whiskey and some tin cups. Andrew placed his rifle back inside the hidden compartment. Vik sat down across from Andrew when they both took a seat. Vik poured a small portion of whiskey into each cup for each of them, handing the first cup to Andrew and poured the second for himself. Viktor raised his cup in the air to begin a toast.

"To one more successful op. Old-timer" Viktor proclaimed.

"And to a safe return."

Their cups clanked as they met and the two took a swig of the aged and old whiskey.




	The fire brewed and danced in the remains of rusted out barrel, lighting the dark and windowless room in a fiery hue of light. It was sufficient as powered lights were impossible to maintain. It was enough to see. The room was the embodiment of what he was told to fight for. The numerous flags of Quran script adorning the cracked and crumbling walls of the inner sanctum, and the echoes of bombardment and war from outside in the distance set the sinister scene. The smell of fresh blood from the severed heads and the odor of of those who endured the surface's cruelty created an aroma of death. In the center stood the man responsible for the role he would play. By him, two men garbed in black yet battered garb as if they were specters of shadow, awaiting to defend the starkly contrasting man in white.
He always hated this room, owing to the fact of its purpose. If it were up to him he'd pass the room without even giving it so much as a  tiny peek inside. But he was unfortunate enough to be summoned by the man in white, which either meant a new task, or punishment. He stepped inside, and even though his back was turned, the frightening figure knew he had arrived. The scene was gruesome and twisted. And the figures on black that stood at his side were just as if not equally terrifying. The man in white spoke in a calm and almost deadpan tone. He asks him of something that happened that he knew about. Something that he did. He responded, declaring that whatever it was had been in line of the man in white's wishes and the goal of his cause.
The man in white seems pleased, and orders his guardians to vacate. They comply without hesitation, passing him by with the small gust of air trailing in their wake. His attention is then directed back to the man in white, who points him to what would be his only hope in a desolate and bloodthirsty existence............................................................





"*Achmed!*" Ahab whispered loudly, shaking the man in question from his sleep.

"Gah!..Wha-"

"*Shhh! Achmed stay quiet. We need to go topside, it's almost 8:20.*"

Achmed soon realized what was going on. Around him, many of the men on station were still asleep in their bunks. As he looked around he noticed that the beds of Sarge, Harris, and Lamond were already empty and made, indicating they were already up top.

"*Achmed, get up man, we gotta go. Hey, try not to lag behind. Today's the day we go fucking operator so you better ready for this shit. Got it?*" he said with an anxious smile.

"*What? Oh, yeah, I'm ready. I'm bringing all I got to the table.*" he said, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

"*Great, alright I'm gonna go. Hey, by the way, Sarge says don't bother getting into uniform and stick with your fatigues, and keep your boots here too. She says that the Colonel has better shit for us upstairs. And remember to stay quiet. Okay that's all, see you when you get up there.*"

"*Okay*"

With that Ahab climbed down from his bunk, making his way to the top level. To his astonishment, after an hour or so of reciting the Commander's rules in his head, Achmed actually managed to get some sleep, albeit not the restful sort he was hoping for. Achmed delved into some thought about his dream and why it happened. It had been incredibly similar to one he had the night Tim went MIA, and it unnerved him so much to the point that Achmed didn't want to sleep.
As he climbed out of bed he went over it all in great detail, for it was not so much a dream as he thought. Shaking the unnerving night's sleep aside, he opted to focus on the road ahead.

Just get it together, today's the day so don't fuck up. Get your A-game on, I'm going to need it.

Achmed pulled a T-shirt and some green cargo shorts out from a dufflebag from the bottom of his bunk. Slipping into his clothes and tying the laces to his pair of some old dirty Nike's, Achmed stood up and exited the barracks, making his way upstairs. He then stepped into the elevator and watched the floor counter go up. Achmed tried to pull himself together for the gravity of the situation was what kept him on edge. Achmed went over the four rules in his head again to get a grip on things, for what was about to happen was set in stone and there was no way he could turn back now. When the doors opened to the elevator room, he hastily stepped out and took a few moments to recollect. After about a minute or two, he was back to walking, making his way out of the building and towards the vehicle bay. The storage room that he and Tim had tried to scrounge for supplies had all its doors wide open for easy exit and entry. The sun had already risen in the desert tan sky, and light trailed through the shadows of the room.
Taking a step outside and landing his shoes in the dirt, Achmed took the scene into account. All around him stood the impromptu fortifications that had been set up around the facility's entrance with traversable makeshift walls, concrete barriers, sandbags, barbed wire, wooden planks, and sheet metal. Not really too fortified for fortifications, but it was the best they could get with such short notice. In fact the purpose of the fortifications wasn't so much to defend against coordinated attacks but mainly to keep any mutant stupid enough to approach the compound. Opposite of the main building's entryway stood a series of folding tables beneath various desert camo nets, serving as a temporary rec area for guard duty personnel. Right now only two soldiers were there, eating MREs for breakfast while simultaneously playing each other in a game of cards. Across the wall several men stood at their stations, working the sentry and manning the MG defenses. Other than that, the area for the most part was barren, with the exception of a large garage area adjacent to the rec area, which to no surprise was being used as the vehicle bay. 
Achmed made his way towards it and upon reaching a distance 15 yards away Achmed could already see figures crowded around the rear of a large vehicle parked inside. He got closer and to no surprise those figures turned out to be his fellow comrades, all in fatigues like he was. The Colonel stood beside them, still in the same getup he was in as the day before, leaning against the LAV. Achmed was beginning to wonder if First Recon ever took that stuff off, as the Colonel had now worn it for at least s4 hours straight. Right beside the LAV stood three rows of tables with five tables in each row. Littered over them were bags and hard cases filled with equipment, attachments, gear, and uniforms, all neatly arranged into specified sections.

"Sabbag, finally awake I see?" Sarah greeted. 

"Yes ma'am." he simply responded.

"That makes six." Viktor said. "Now that everybody is here, let's get started. Follow me."

But Achmed noticed something off and that off feeling soon came to him.He saw no sign of the Commander anywhere.

"Sir, do you know where the Commander is?" Achmed asked.

Viktor gave him no reply and instead turned around to the back of the LAV facing the ramp, which was currently closed. Viktor banged against it four good times before yelling something out in Russian.

"EY! Vy odeli poka!?"

The ramp then automatically opened and dropped to the ground. When Achmed and the others peered inside, a figure clad in a Multi Terrain pattern uniform, a fully packed USMC C.I.R.A.S Type Force Recon Vest in Dark Earth, a weathered Ops-Core helmet in Multi-cam with a multipurpose HUD-set mounted to it. He wore black tactical-sunglasses, army green tactical gloves and pads on his elbows and knees, with additional armored shin-guards in DPM. On his back was a Multi-cam Camelbak hydration/heavy combat pack. His armaments were his MTAR-21C, now integrated with a suppressor, REG ergonomic fore-grip, NcStar blue laser sight, Tactical Flashlight, and Eotech 552 Holographic sight and 4x Amplifier, on his back while his sidearms were a HK USP .45 SOCOM holstered on his right hip and tactical straight knife strapped on the upper left corner of his vest. When the man turned around the face instantly recognizable. The was no other than Commander Sawyer, and he smiled at the Colonel with a retort.

"Eto otvechayet na vash vopros?" he replied.

The Colonel laughed at the sight of Andrew back in an operator get-up.

"How's it feel to back in the game after so many years?" Viktor asked.

"Like a much needed vacation." Andrew replied.

"Well Mr.Retiree, let's just hope "like old times" you still managed to retain that skill of yours. Last I need is to know you've gotten rusty with all those years behind a desk after we cross."

"Not a chance in hell."

Shaking off the callback of nostalgia, Andrew and Viktor cut with busting each other's balls and turned their attention to the five soldiers in fatigues that would serve as his fireteam.

"Good morning men." he greeted. "I'm glad to see you all made it ahead of schedule. Today's the big day, so let's get things rolling. First thing's first let's get to know your buddies. I've already determined who that will be with the Colonel this morning. Lamond and Sabbag, you'll be sharing ammo. Al-Kindi and Harris, you'll be sharing. Sergeant Martinez, you'll be sharing with me."

Everyone looked to their ammo buddy briefly before turning their attention back to the Commander.

"The LAV's not very big so to make this easier we'll call you when it's your turn to get outfitted. Now the rifles themselves are inside but everything else has been laid out on these tables for you. Once you've gotten a weapon feel free to roam and take a look around, but don't do anything to weapon until we're done with everyone. Private Sabbag. Let's start with you shall we? Go with the Colonel, he'll get you set up."

Achmed felt himself freeze for a moment, but managed to find the will to go forward when the Commander informed him they were constrained for time. He knew the Colonel was staring him down as got closer, so he attempted to avoid eye contact. As he stepped aboard and walked with Viktor he gazed upon the selection available. There weapons stacked side by side on the racks, laying down and leaning against the back seats, with some in the front leaning against the gunner's seat. The arsenal was fitting, a

"Private, what firearm do you currently use with 3rd Company?" Andrew asked.

"An AKMS sir." Achmed replied.

"Hmm, AK huh? That will be tricky. I don't have many Advanced AK platforms with me." Viktor admitted.

Viktor approached the weapon rack and ran his fingers just a few inches away from the row of firearms, ready to pull one out when he found the right one.

"Feel free to help anytime." Viktor said.

Achmed didn't hesitate to follow the order. He tried to find something resembling an AK, but couldn't help but browse the rest of the selection. He recognized a few weapons, but most were completely unknown to him. Most of the guns looked to be of a European or American make, with a few Asian weapons here and there. They must have were some of the hardest weapons to come by, as Achmed had never seen some of these in his life. Achmed was still looking at the rifles on the racks when he spotted one on the far right with features too distinguishable for him to miss. His mind took over and played the dream he had the previous night. He walked towards it while Viktor had his back turned still looking for a Kalashnikov platform.
Achmed stood there in front of it, just looking at it for about a solid minute. It didn't take long for Viktor to notice that the soldier he was trying to outfit had walked off and seemed to try and find his own choice.

"Private?" Viktor asked.

"Sir, with permission, may I have a look at this one?" Achmed asked.

"Which one?" Viktor asked. "Go ahead and pull it out."

Achmed did as asked and pulled the rifle from the rack and held it barrel down in his hands. 

"Oh, that thing. That's an-"

"Abakan AN-94 rifle?" Achmed said, finishing the Colonel's sentence.

"We--Yes............. yes, that's correct. Funny, I never pegged you as a man who knew his firearms."

"Well, you'd be right, I'm no expert. I only know the gun that I'm given."

It's resemblance to the AK was obvious, but the functionality couldn't be any more different. Currently in his hands was one the most accurate assault rifles of all time, the AN-94B. 
The B model, along with the AN-94 itself, was reintroduced in the 2048, three years after the war kicked off. The Russians needed something that could outperform its western enemy, and thus the AN-94 Nikonov was reintroduced into service, with all it's issues in ergonomics, maintainability and mass production either resolved or somewhat easier to deal with. The B also came with a standard side-mounted optic rail and fully integrated 3-picatinny rail guard replacing the old handguard that bulged out at the bottom. The weapon, like so many others, saw it's share of combat through the multiple chips, scrapes and scratches in its finish. 	
Unbeknownst to Achmed, The Colonel was hesitant to let him use it, as even he had problems with it in the past. The rifle still had it's share of reliability problems, even if not nearly as bad as the original model.

"Well, I'm sorry to inform you that it's not an AK, far from in fact. I'm not sure if taking that's a good idea." Viktor pressed. "The Nikonov tends to be tricky to use. Not a weapon for a beginner like yourself, I'm sure that-"

Viktor's voice fell silent at the sight of Achmed seamlessly pulling the bolt open and inspecting it in case there happened to be a round in the chamber. He then pulled the bolt back into firing position and tested the mag release to see if it was still usable, then set the selector switch to the weapon's unique two-round burst. All of this was done in the span of five seconds, without even once asking which parts of located. However, Achmed wasn't doing it to impress, in fact he had drowned out the colonel's last sentence as he got distracted when inspecting the rifle, which is why he was rather confused when the Colonel began staring him down again.

"Sir?" Achmed addressed. "Was there something you-"

"Yes, Private. I'm curious how some grunt knows how handle a rifle about as rare as diamond and complex as a nuclear reactor?"

Achmed felt his throat swell up and he was reluctant to answer.

"I............I was........given one." Achmed sputtered. 

"When?" Viktor asked, as he was curious.

"The.....the war. It was given to me for my.................actions..............in combat."

"You fought in the war?" The Colonel asked in disbelief. "How's that possible, most vets are in their forties and you look no older than 30."

"Not.....every soldier was an adult....sir."

With that last statement, Viktor instantly put two and two together. Before him stood a child soldier, one who fought from a very early age and had grown up into the man standing before him. A lot of things then began to make sense, as Achmed's natural behavior would suit one with a traumatic experience, whatever it was.

"I see." Viktor said. "Know that you have my sympathies."

Achmed was about to speak before he was cut off by the Colonel.

"No. Say no more. I asked my question, I received my answer. No sense in pestering the subject any further, that wouldn't be fair to you."

Achmed felt a twinge more of respect for the Colonel for that, as he wasn't quite sure he could recall the life he put behind him.

"Well, now that I see you seem to be well tuned with that gun, I'd say it be a good choice for you." Viktor insisted "I suggest you go ahead and take it over the that middle table in the first row, you'll find some scope mounts for Russian side rails. The Commander should help you pick one that suits you."

The Colonel walked him out and called the next person in wait. Achmed looked at the rifle in his hands once more. The one weapon that fitted him like a glove, brought so much of his past back into mind. But Achmed would have to put it behind him. He still hadn't forgotten why he was doing this, and he'd be damned he was going to let bad memories get in the way of that. Achmed stepped off the LAV and walked towards the table Viktor had suggested for him.



Seven Hours Later.............




Shots rang and tracers flew downrange as each target took a hail impacts. The automated targets moved rapidly along a course path. The setting was set to combat high, so the targets almost seemed to be darting across the floor making their way for cover and always sought to stay one step ahead of the bullets. Achmed's shots hit their target one after one and his handling of the weapon seemed to come naturally as he nailed target after target at distances exceeding 200-300 yards. The others seemed more than capable of keeping up with him but were still in the midst of making adjustments, sighting their weapons correctly and finding a method of rifle handling that set right with their muscle memory. At that moment a loud blare echoed in the room.

"Cease fire on the range! Safeties on and weapons down!" The Commander hollered.

The sound of gunfire ceased, as did the ringing of the room and in Achmed's ears. He was quick to notice the barrel of his gun was still smoking as heat vented from it. Achmed and the others had  their weapons fully decked out and the gear they would be taking was currently stored in a locker room on the 21st floor. The whole process of getting geared up and supplied took two hours, then another hour going over mission procedure once again with the Commander and The Colonel, just as a refresher should they forget the goal of the mission. Then two more hours going through some tips on proper survival equipment and a walkthrough on how to use it. Then finally to where they were now, at the range. They would be spending at least three more hours firing blanks and getting accustomed to their new weapons.
Achmed took the time to go over the attachments he chose, as well as that of equipment choice as well. On it was tradition Soviet optic mount which currently held an PK-A 3.4x scope. On the right rail was a laser sight, with a surefire M900 flashlight grip on the bottom, any bare rails had rail covers slapped on them. His sidearm was the same P226, only with an under-slung laser/flashlight combo attached.
Achmed then peered over to what firepower his colleagues would be bringing to the mission. The Sarge opted for something that essentially operated the same way as her M4, and thus she for an HK416A5. The Sarge outfitted hers with an Elcon Specter 4x scope and a laser sight on the top rail, with and an MWG Magwell grip. The handguard rails were covered with guards, and the stock sported an emergency mag pouch. Her sidearm, a Springfield Operator .45 1911, with an under-slung flashlight and a laser sight embedded within the the grip.
Harris carried a Rogue bullpup M14, a rather rare gun to find as only a handful were made. The Colonel commented by saying that First Recon dubbed it, "The Bulldog" as the gun packed quite a punch, essentially turning the standard M14 into a weapon with modern assault rifle capabilities. Harris had his outfitted with an 18'' short barrel, muzzle brake, Tactical flashlight on the left rail and a laser sight on the right. His scope of choice was an ACOG TA31 4x with a MS01 dot sight on top, and an AFG angled foregrip for further recoil control. Harris went a little further with the sidearms as he carried a dual set of Gsh-18'.
After several denials for a mini gun and the following smack to the head by the Colonel, Ahab ended up with an US Mk. 24 Mod 0. The rifle was an upgrade to The M39 EMR and had been in service with the united states armed forces since 2022. The upgrade mainly consisted of the implementation of a buffer tube which allowed it to be outfitted with collapsible AR-15 stocks and an ergonomic pistol grip. Since the time of it's heyday, it served as the go-to Marksman rifle for many Militia sharpshooters who were lucky enough to get their hands on one. He had his set up for medium range engagements with a  bipod, a Tactical Rangefinder on the left rail, and a TR20-1 3-9x40 Rifle scope. For his his sidearm, he carried a G18 with a suppressor.
Lamond's choice reflected on the choice Achmed made when choosing his rifle. Lamond was given an AKU-12, the carbine version of the the AK-12. The gun was coated in a weathered Olive Drab finish. On it was a ATN 331 1-4x Thermal scope, a T-POD vertical grip, laser sight, and a suppressor threaded at the end of the barrel and carried an M9 tactical with a flash hider as his sidearm.
At that moment the Commander walked into the room to oversee how well they did. The targets were hit in a multitude of places with some turned into complete Swiss cheese, with most of the rounds landing in the the mid-sections with a few making it towards the center.

"Not bad. Seems your all's aim is top notch even when the targets moving. Let's take another crack at it shall we? Fresh targets. Use your sidearms this time."

The Commander then went back to the spectator's position as everyone laid down their rifles on the table and picked up their sidearm, or sidearms in Harris' case. The targets were then automatically replaced with fresh ones and the sequence restarted.



Three Hours later.....




After three and a half hours of range time with a meal between 1700 and 1800, the moment  of truth had finally arrived. The newly formed Fireteam Osaka now stood together in the locker room, gearing up for the mission that awaited them. For Achmed the nervousness was at an all time high. Achmed was putting his tac vest on when he stopped to catch his breath. All of a sudden he felt the need to throw up and he was breathing so loudly that everyone could hear him. 

"Hey Sabbag, deep breaths." Ahab quipped making a mocking gesture. "In through the nose and out through the mouth."

Achmed would have told him to fuck off had he not been at the point of hyperventilating. Thankfully the Sarge walked in on the conversation and was there to ease his nerves a little.

"Ahab. Shut up." The Sarge barked, getting in his face to assert her point. 

She grabbed Sabbag and turned him around, placing both arms on his shoulders.

"Achmed, get it together. What's wrong?"

"I'm scared Sarge."

"Sabbag, there's no need to be nervous." she said in comforting tone.

"Really? R...Really? We're about to step into god knows what and you're saying there's no need to be nervous?" Achmed questioned.

The Sarge gave him a look that did her no favors in hiding how she really felt, she knew he was right. She then sighed heavily.

"Okay look. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared too, but each of us is gonna have each other's six when we're out there, just like every other mission. But what's most important right now is why we're doing this, why we came aboard in the first place. Berfield's probably in hell right now and I'm sure he's more scared than you right now, don't you think. He's in there alone with Scavenging supplies while we go headfirst with some of the best gear available to us."

"Yeah, I suppose so. But-" 

"Hey, perk up alright. We'll be okay, you'll see. In the meantime try to do anything to calm your nerves, if you need to throw up, do it now. Mission's a go in less than an half an hour so I need everyone's shit together."

Achmed took her words into careful consideration and realized that she was right.

"I won't let you down. And I don't think I need to throw up."

"Good, cause I wasn't looking forward to having to clean it up before we head down."

Their reason for doing this was clear. His urge to fix what he started still hadn't been shaken. But the thought of traversing into the literal unknown was daunting and not to be brushed off lightly. Not to mention his fear of his track record in the past when it came to handling assignments. The thought of one of his screw ups getting everyone killed trailed in the back of his mind. It took all his courage and stability combined to try and not think about it. Achmed regained enough control to finish prepping. The Sarge had walked off to oversee Harris and Lamond when Ahab whispered something to Achmed.

"*Hey Sabbag, ready to see your boyfriend again?*" he whispered mockingly.

Achmed turned around and threw his helmet at him, nailing Al-Kindi in the chest with great force, enough to make him stumble.

"Alright! Alright! It was a fucking joke, man. No need to get violent." Ahab said.

Lamond was fortunate saw the whole thing unfold and was now found himself laughing.

"Hit him again Achmed, Ahab deserves more shit than he gets." Lamond quipped.

Achmed opted to ignore whatever exchange then ensued between Ahab and Lamond. The helmet he threw at Ahab's chest had bounced off and landed on the floor by his feet. Achmed picked it up real quick and held it firmly in his arm. Achmed looked at himself in the mirror on the locker door. He barely recognized himself, as he starkly contrasted to the raggedy militiaman uniform from yesterday.
Each them were wearing matching uniforms, a variation of the OCP multicam called "Scorpion" with backpacks in either OD or the same pattern. They each donned different tactical vests that better suited their choice of weapons and equipment, as well as their combat role. Each of them were in Olive Drab, and each, with the exception of the Sarge who opted for a simple field cap, were given a generation 3 ops-core helmet, each one utilized and modified in a similar manner as their vest. Other equipment included a variety of grenades, night vision optics, rangefinders, suppressors for each of their weapons if they hadn't already implemented one in their weapon configuration already, gas masks, rations, you name it. All in all, Achmed went from looking like a guerilla fighter to a special forces operator.
Everybody was set for the mission. Everyone was beginning to plug in their HUD-sets that had been given out before they had entered the room and Achmed did the same. Just before he was about to don his helmet, The Commander stepped in with several black cloth-like objects in his hand.

"Each of you will need one of these." he said holding them out for them to retrieve.

"What are they sir?" Lamond asked.

"Balaclavas, we're gonna be walking right through the area where the scientists and Councilor Bradford are working, so our faces need to be concealed. It was mainly a precaution for me, but as an extra safety step I want all of you to do the same. Except for you Harris, you seem to have that already, covered."

Harris' face made no movement whatsoever to indicate a change in expression, however everyone else either snirked or cringed at the Commander's pun.

"That was really bad sir." Lamond blatantly remarked.

"Well comedy was never my forte unfortunately." Andrew said. "Alright, enough chatter. Take one and put it on. We're heading down in five minutes."

Everyone else took a balaclava and slipped it over their head.

"Perform one last double check to see if have everything you need. Once were down there we're not coming back up." Andrew informed.

With the last bit of instruction handed out, everyone took to conversing one last time before they'd head out.

"Anyone wanna take a crack on what's on the other side?" Lamond asked.

Ahab was the first to chime in.

"Well my hope is that it's a world filled with nothing but drop-gorgeous french maids ready to seduce me at a moment's notice, but most likely it's going to be something that ends up putting us into yet another life-or-death scenario. Might kill us if we're lucky."

"You know Ahab, second to Vanhart, you might just be the most primitive thinking man in the unit." Sarah said with slight contempt.

"How so, Sarge?"

"When it comes to things on your mind, it's either women, a bad joke or some form of violence, be it a gun, your kill count or a mission. Perhaps you should think of something that could perhaps benefit us in some fashion."

Ahab just rolled his eyes, as he was in the middle of checking his backpack to see if he had all his supplies.

"Well, judging from the previous destination records Councilor Bradford and the scientists dug up, we can at least expect the environment to be hostile in some form." Harris chipped in

"Well if that isn't ambiguous as shit." Ahab quipped.

"Besides we don't even know if that's the case." Sarah added. "For all we know it could perfectly fine."

"Define what you consider fine?" Ahab asked.

"A lifeless rock with no life but breathable air."

"If that's what's in wait on the other side, Tim's a dead man. It would mean he be going over 5 days without food or water." Lamond said.

The group continued to touch the subject when a thought came into Achmed's mind.

"What if it's like Earth?" he asked.

"Then it'll be just like what we usually do." Ahab answered with an eyebrow raised. "C'mon Sabbag, it's another world we're going to for fuck's sake, be a little more imaginative would you?"

"No. I mean...what if it's like Earth before the war?"

The others contemplated the idea, but weren't quite ready to place all their cards on that hope just yet.

"Well, we can only hope that's the case, Sabbag." Sarah said. "But I wouldn't rest my hopes on it."

By that time the Colonel had walked in still fully geared with Natasha slung to his side, a Croatian VHS-K2 on his back, with a G36 Heavy Red dot/scope mount, a red laser sight, and a VHS-BG-2 under-barrel grenade launcher, and his Combat helmet strapped in.

"It's time." The Colonel declared.

Andrew nodded, and began to get his team moving.

"Alright Osaka, time to look alive!" He hollered. "I want weapons loaded with safeties on and sidearms buckled in until we're standing right in front of the damn thing! It's go-time people!"

Osaka did as told and were compelled to do it fast. They walked over to a small rack where their weapons were temporarily residing. The firearms were picked up by their respected bearers and magazines were inserted. Achmed smacked the end of the magazine in to ensure it was secured. He looked to the selector switch and he found it had already been selected to safe from when they left the range. His pistol sat in his holster, loaded with the safety on.

"Fall in behind me, Ranger file! Remember your number!" Andrew ordered.

As they began lining up, that daunting feeling returned, only this time all in attendance were feeling its effects. As they marched themselves down the hallway and into the elevator, there was nothing but silence. No last joke, no words of encouragement, just dead silence. Even Andrew, who's life was filled with the atrocities left behind by the Conflict felt the hair stand up on his back as the doors opened to the bottom floor. The seven souls stepped out and proceeded to walk towards their method of transit. As they entered past the giant blast doors, they saw the room was busy with excitement, with scientist at almost every control panel, with some running to and fro to check readings or make last minute adjustments. The portal itself lay dormant and deactivated for the time being. All the while, the 3rd stood at their security positions in the event something hostile came through the portal.
Time slowed down for Achmed, and he took everything into account. He wasn't sure of it, but it almost seemed as if the eyes of his comrades who were staying behind followed him wherever he went, piercing right through the concealment of his new uniform. No amount of equipment could change who he was, but perhaps that was for the best. The others embraced this persona, he didn't. He had no need to, nor wish to be one of them.	
Andrew made it his mission to look as inconspicuous as possible, but he found that hard to do when everyone in the room had their eyes on you. From what he could tell no scientist seemed to have an inclination that it was him, but judging from how the soldiers would straighten up their posture or look more attent as they past by, he knew that they knew. Andrew tried to keep a lookout for Bradford, as he was the one who'd most likely spot him out if he got too close. After a few seconds of searching he found him, thankfully, by the control switch about 40 ft away and widening from him. He then looked up to the entry platform, where the remainder of Fireteam Wolfpack was waiting. The metal steps clanked as they walked up to them and stood by their side waiting for the portal to activate. 
Several minutes passed, and both teams were left wondering what the hold up was. Andrew and the others remained silent for fear of giving themselves away, however Viktor wasn't in such a precarious position and didn't hesitate to raise the question as loud as he could.

"What the hell's the hold-up!?" Viktor yelled.

One of the scientist men answered back.

"Councilor Bradford's looking for Councilor Sawyer. He felt as if he would want to witness the teams going through." he replied.

That made Andrew just a bit for cautious, as he was unsure how they were going to fix that. The fact that they knew he was missing made him feel a little on edge. He tried to concoct some sort of story they could use to slip out of the situation, but to his surprise Viktor came up with an excuse right on the spot.

"The Commander is still at Ft. Bismarck assessing our operational reports. He's trying to find a way to cover for what was going to be our mission in Shanghai." Viktor informed.

"Well, Councilor Bradford wanted him to see it one way or another. Perhaps we should try to establish some sort of live feed link an-"

"You tell Bradford that if he doesn't activate this machine in the next five minutes I'm going to fire my entire mag in the main console! The Commander is busy and I didn't dragged out here on a whim to sit and wait till you eggheads can play computer geek, I came to do my job! So why don't you pass the word along to your superior so we can both get on with our day? Eh?"

Viktor's words held traces and contained anger, and the man wasn't willing to test the patience of a First Recon Operator currently decked out in full combat gear and weaponry.

"I..I'll pass the word." he said timidly.

Viktor turned around facing the portal. a minute passed and Andrew walked up beside his old friend.

"You think that'll actually work?" Andrew asked.

Not but two seconds had passed before the revving of the floor beneath them began to come alive. An alarm then went off, blaring a low-pitched siren at a slow but constant pace. The machine began to light up as power surged through its circuitry and power cores.

*Entry team, standby.* said and automated feminine voice played over a loudspeaker. "*Time till entry is at 1 minute.*"

Viktor turned to his friend and smiled. 

"Eto otvechayet na vash vopros?" he said.

Andrew smiled, but the lighthearted mock of himself earlier did little to ease his nerves.

"So, any last words should we meet our doom?" Viktor asked.

"Glad to see you taking possible death so well." Andrew observed.

"Well, if I do, I at least have the pleasure of knowing it was entirely your fault."

"Well, we'll just wait and see."

The sound of someone's stomach unsettling behind them caught their attention. They turned to see Ahab about to puke his guts out before the Sarge stepped in and intervened, hollering at him to keep it together. Seeing that she had the situation in her hands, Andrew and Viktor returned to looking at the portal.

"Well Vik, I'll make you a deal. Now I'm not one who believes in God, but if we die, and there is an afterlife, let's say, heaven, and we both somehow make it there, I'll buy you a drink. Sound fair."

*Attention entry team, Time till entry is now at 30 seconds.*

"Eh, why the hell not. Now I doubt that what we will find coincides with your expectations, but for both our sake's, I hope this hunch of yours is right." Viktor replied.

Andrew nodded and then turned to his team for the next bit of instruction.

"Osaka, gas masks on!" he shouted.

The team hastily pulled the gas masks from their packs, taking off their helmets and strapping them on as quickly as they could. Achmed could hear himself breath, as it came over his head. The Commander then made a tapping gesture to his ear, indicating they needed to activate their tactical HUD-sets. They did, and the holographic imagery set up the line of clear communication between them.

"Osaka team, verify comm-link status." The Commander issued. 

"Osaka 2, checking in." 

"Osaka 3 check."

"Osaka 4, check."

"Osaka 5, Checking in."

"Osaka 6, checking in."


At that moment one of the strangest things ever witnessed by mankind happened once again. Out of thin air emerged the same swirling bright blue vortex that had taken Tim so many days ago. The portal grew and expanded at a rapid pace and then almost immediately stopped. The vortex was only a fraction of the size that swallowed Tim and the air pull that pulled at their bodies was nowhere near as strong. The entryway stood at about 6 feet tall and 8 feet wide, just enough for each individual of both groups could enter side by side, 

"Safeties off, wait for my mark!" The Commander yelled.

As the others did as ordered, Achmed did the same, setting the selector switch to two round burst and taking up a defensive stance, waiting to advance when given the go.

*Portal activation complete, entry team may now proceed.*

Andrew raised his left arm with his hand gesturing for a single file formation, to which his team complied. A second passed then another as Viktor did the same for his team. Andrew peeked over to his friend, who's only visible facial feature was his eyes behind the lenses of his mask. Almost as if it were natural instinct, both gave the go at the same time and brisked forward, letting the portal envelop them as the passed through. One by one they entered, and when Achmed finally stepped through he found that he was still alive and breathing but could see nothing. It was dark, pitch black to the point where the figures in front of him where nothing more than disfigured blurs.

"Sound off!" yelled a voice distinct to the Colonel.

Eleven voices responded accordingly, indicating they all made it through without so much as a scratch.

"I can't see shit!" Andrew voiced.

But at that moment something in the distance garnered their attention, something that illuminated and shone light at them.

"What the hell is that?" Viktor asked.

The movement came from the east and was gaining speed. Whatever it was illuminated bright orange and seemed to be moving above some sort of surface at an alarming rate. 

"Possible Tango in sight." Sarah said.

"Take aim, hold fire until we can get a confirmation on the target." Andrew ordered.

All were ready to blow whatever it was out of existence. But what took them by complete and utter shock is when they found out that the mass was in fact not approaching them, but rather raising above them. In an instant, their surroundings became visible, and what they saw widened their eyes and made their jaws drop. Andrew stood in absolute awe, unbuckling his helmet, taking it, along with his gas mask and balaclava, off as quickly as he could.
Some of the others soon followed in his footsteps, as the sight before them captured their complete attention. For the first time in their lives, they gazed upon the morning sun in blue sky, casting it's warm rays on the dense amounts of life that filled the forest before them. The sight of fully grown trees, alive and growing, the sound of birds chirping to nature's ongoing symphony. Their breath, exiting in a smoky gust upon each exhale in the chill and crisp morning air. The air itself was pure and unlike the ash and dust filled world they left to arrive here. The moment was a marvel to behold by each and every one of them. The moment was so surreal and so unexpected that the team had just stood their, awing at it in complete silence for a solid five minutes, almost forgetting their reason for being there.

"My....god." Viktor stated in a hushed tone to Andrew. "You were right."

Andrew was too busy viewing the scene to register what was said to him. Before him stood the very thing he had predicted would be here, and even still, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was like he was transported into a dream world, a vision only capable of being formed in his mind. But here it stood, in front, behind, and under his feet. The only words he could utter were those of pure astonishment.

"What is this place?" Andrew asked.
> Chapter 19: Clues and Questions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before their very eyes lies not only the chance of salvation, but the remnants left behind by the man who set foot upon it's graceful soil first. Despite the glorious discovery, the task before them lays unfulfilled and must be attended to before any thoughts of what steps humanity should take before their eventual exodus....................................................................




Still stuck in their state of awe, Fireteams Wolfpack and Osaka almost forget their objective completely. Had it not been for a sudden burst transmission, they very well could have been standing there much longer.

"*Entry team, what's your status, over.*" said a masculine voice over the comm channel.

They then suddenly snapped back into the now, albeit still a bit awestruck.

"This....is Wolfpa..This is Wolf 1, we made it through safely, no injuries to report." Viktor reported.

"*Copy that Wolf 1. Your next objective is search the surrounding area for Private Berfield. To clarify, you've been given a 96 hour window to complete the objective. If Berfield isn't found within the constrains of that time, you are to abort the mission and return to your point entry for extraction. Our call-sign is Gateway, should you need support don't hesitate to call.*"

Viktor went off comms for one second and looked to Andrew.

"Should I give them the good news?" he asked.

Andrew expressed a baffled look.

"Yes, right now." Andrew replied, as if it wasn't obvious enough.

"Gateway, This is Wolf 1, we have new information regarding our OA, over."

"*This is Gateway, go ahead Wolf 1.*"

"To put it plain and simple Gateway, we're currently standing in the middle of a forest."

The comms channel went dead for  at least fifteen seconds, as he and Andrew could only imagine that whatever they were doing on the other side immediately stopped upon the revelation they had given. Then suddenly the channel transitioned into a series of rumbles and rustles as whoever on the other side was fighting over the mic with someone else.

"*-Sir you just can't...............HEY!...................-Give it back Assho-................*"

It was at that moment that a different voice played over the comms. 

"...............Attention Wolf 1, this is Councilor Bradford of the Science Branch. Tell me, what do you mean by "forest"? What do see on your end, what's it like over there?*"

Now normally if someone hijacked military communications to ask a question would have pissed both Andrew and Viktor to the point where they'd shoot the person responsible when they got back. But their current situation made that thought absent in their mind, and Viktor felt compelled to answer.

"Councilor, we're currently standing in the middle of forest that's nothing but dense greenery everywhere we look. There's plant life in all directions, trees, vines, bushes, etc. More importantly, I believe they're similar if not exactly like the plants on Earth. The sun is visible and just dawned no less than 1 mike ago. There's water mildew on the forest floor and leaves and furthermore, the air is breathable."

Back on the other end, Bradford and those who had been keeping him away from the mic now stood in complete silence. Everyone in the room, Scientist and Militiaman alike were just as quiet. Back on the other end Andrew and the others waited anxiously. Andrew wasn't sure what course of action would be taken, it was ultimately up to Bradford since he was currently "absent". No doubt the Council would be notified as soon as possible, and it wouldn't be long before they realized he was missing. But thankfully it was too late for them to do anything, he was literally in a whole other world, probably light years away. 
Their was a possibility Bradford might try and call off the mission, but he would require military authority to do that, and should he take that course of action he had no doubt Viktor would remind him of that, even cut off comms with Earth if the situation required it. When the comms came back it was the radio operator from earlier, but Bradford and several others could be heard in the background as they partook in enthusiastic uproar.

"*Wolf 1, Would you say the environment is hospitable? Over?*"

"This is Wolf 1, Hell yes."

Another brief pause, as if the operator was now just beginning to process what had just been presented to him, just like Andrew. Because of his gut feeling, Andrew had the privilege of setting foot onto what would undoubtedly become mankind's saving grace. Once again thoughts of the mission and the conversation over the comms were blotted out by those of an ambitious future. The thoughts raced across his mind, thoughts of a civilization man could rebuild once again, thoughts of his wife and child living in a world that flourished with life where they could be safe from the dangers of the wastes, and thoughts of the dire need for food and water no longer being a concern.
So developed in his train of thought, it took him by surprise when Viktor shook his shoulder, snapping him out of it

"*-At this time you're to proceed to your current objective. Locate Private Berfield, designation Bravo, and bring him back for extraction. Now for the sake of both Council and Militia interest, Councilor Bradford has requested you keep us in the loop on a constant basis. Communication will be limited to this frequency, 100.12. Inform us should you encounter any environmental or strategic change in the mission. You have the green light to proceed. Gateway out.*"

"Wilco, we'll keep you posted, Wolf 1, out."

Hanging up from the transmission, Viktor turned to everybody for a proper assessment. 

"Considering how this place is about ten times better than home I can say that Private Berfield is probably still breathing." Viktor claimed.

"And probably felt the same way we did when he came here." Andrew replied. 

Andrew had to fight the urge to inquire on that subject further. Despite having an entirely new world to explore they had a mission to attend to first. Looking around their current vicinity, the forest seemed to span miles in every direction.

"Alright fireteams, listen up! Like Gateway said we're here to find Berfield and bring him home. First thing's first we need to know where he is, and since I only see the twelve of us it's safe to assume he's not here. Span out, 30 meter spread, search for anything that can give us a clue where he went."

"Yes sir!" They all replied.

The teams spread out in a search for clues. The clues were quick to be noticed, as Achmed was the first to discover something. After about two or three steps after the order was issued, he heard something snap and break from the pressure of his foot. Looked down he saw that he stepped on a few desk pens, that were now caked into the damp and muddy ground. It was no surprise, as Achmed knew Tim wasn't the only thing to be sucked in upon the portal's initial activation. But what he saw just a few feet in front of the pens caught his eye immediately. In front of him was no other than a set of footprints in the shape of boots. He followed them by eye, seeing that they covered a vast majority of the surrounding area, including sections that neither fireteam had ventured off into yet. Achmed's gut reaction was that they were Tim's and he was quick to report his findings.

"Sir, I have a visual on a set of footprints." Achmed informed.

"Is it our man?" Andrew asked.

"I believe so, sir."

Sarge walked up next to where Achmed was standing to get a look at the tracks herself.

"Imprint's that of U.S army combat boots, that's what Berfield usually wore out in the field." She added.

"His aren't the only sets I'm seeing either." Another feminine voice called out.

Turning around, they could see Wolf 3, Asami Ishimaru, squatting down inspecting what he assumed were other prints on the ground. She was very young, and her youth displayed well in her facial features. Short black hair, brown eyes, standing at 5'3. She was decked out in a much lighter operating rig compared to the others, wearing no body protection other then some elbow pads. Like Osaka, Wolfpack also had a universal camo pattern, the Russian Partizan-M reversible camo, with the sleeves of her uniform rolled up past her elbows and a boonie hat with the same pattern. She wore a simple OD Sniper harness, with the various pouches of ammo and equipment she needed. On her belt was an CZ-75 suppressed pistol on her left side, and a 6 inch serrated knife on the back part. Rather than have a helmet, she instead wore a boonie hat in the same camo as her uniform. For weapons, she carried a custom Howa M1500 Archangel Sniper rifle slung across her back, chambered in .300 Win Mag, with a spray camouflaged tactical stock, foldable bipod, Swarovski Optik 2-12x-50mm Z6 scope, and a 24" Bull Barrel. Currently in her hands was an RFB Hunter bullpup, with a quad rail system covering the excess of the barrel and equipped with a suppressor and a VO Brawn 2-6x32 Acom 2 scope.

"Berfield wasn't the only thing to cross through here recently." she continued. 

Everyone closed in on her location, getting a better look at what she was seeing. There were in fact a second pair of footprints. However they weren't that of a human being, but rather some sort of hoof print like that of a horse, only roughly one third of the size of the one's left by Berfield, and a track pattern that was unmistakably quadrupedal. 

"What do you think left these?" Viktor asked.

"Well, I'm no expert, but from what I read about Pre-war forests, they were home to a lot of wildlife. My guess is some wild animals came through here, probably sniffed the place out." Andrew suggested.

"I'd like to think that too, but then I found this." Asami stated gesturing behind her.

"Found what, Wolf 3?" Viktor asked.

"Well, if we follow the tracks....."

Asami's lead the group to a clearing just 10 yards from their point of entry. Other than the collective bundles of dead leaves and twigs was another set of footprints, and another set, and another. As they counted the total sets and where they lead they began to see what she was talking about. In total, there were eight sets of the hoof prints, one set of human footprints along with a few streaks reminiscent of what would be left behind by a wagon or a cart. The tracks engulfed various parts of the nearby vicinity and the converged and headed back in the same direction, west. That last set gained Andrew's attention, as they were the most noticeable and the only set that didn't cover much of the area.  

"Any idea what could have made that?" Sarah asked, coming up from behind them.

"Some sort of vehicle maybe?" Viktor suggested.

"If so, it ain't like any vehicle I've seen. The wheels are too thin. And furthermore they don't leave a pattern, they're blank."

"Osaka 4, follow these tracks, see where they go." Andrew ordered.

Ahab nodded and went to it as Viktor walked up beside Andrew.

"You think these were left by a wild animal?" Viktor questioned.

"Is it so hard to believe?" Andrew justified. "We're new to this world, Vik. They very well could have been made by a creature we haven't encountered yet."

"For some reason I have a hard time believing that."

"Alright then Sherlock, what do you think made them?"

Viktor gave a blank expression, looking back and forth between Andrew and the set of linear tracks before finally stating.

"Not sure, but I doubt it was the work of an animal, I'll tell you that."

Meanwhile nearby, Asami and Achmed continued their search of clues in the nearby area.

"This place saw a lot of activity." said Achmed. "And look how they circle around the place and group back. It's not sporadic like a mutant sniffing something out, it's almost methodical in a way. They stretch out in all directions and then converge back to whatever left these linear-tracks behind."

"Like they were actively searching for something." Asami added. "Then coming back."

"Yeah, and I have an idea of what it was. Anybody else notice all the stuff that's laying around? Aside from a few pens and papers a lot of it looks like it's missing."

"I see what your scout's talking about Osaka 1." Viktor said, pointing it out.

Andrew looked where his friend was pointing and saw the strange anomaly. Imprints of where items had made an impact were left behind with the item in question either gone or partially removed. Andrew put it through his head. A space like the portal room would have almost certainly had boat loads of items scattered across the various desks and control panels, yet here he was, and it almost looked as if the majority of the mess had been tidied up. These imprints were numerous too, and he could tell which items had been picked up and which ones had to almost seemingly be dug out. Upon closer inspection, Andrew could make out some of the imprints. One was of a keyboard and another of some sort of printer which had made quite the impact crater in the ground. But like Private Sabbag and the others observed, the objects in question were nowhere to be found.

"Still think there animals now?" Viktor asked.

"Are you trying to suggest something, Vik?" Andrew asked.

Before Viktor could reply, Ahab had returned to the group to report his findings.

"Osaka 4, what did you find?" Andrew asked.

"Sir, I followed the tracks for about half a mile. Got a good look up ahead in another clearing. They don't alter in course at all. According to the compass on my HUD-set, they head directly west."

"Straight West? That's rather concerning." Viktor conceded.

"Perhaps they are pack hunters." said a deep and heavy voice of African descent.

The observation came from Wolfpack's support gunner, Egbelebe Jelani. The man towered in comparison to everybody else, and seemed more of a giant than a man. He wore some heavy duty protection pads on his shoulders, knees, shins, elbows, and forearms, and a heavy duty OVC Tactical body armor vest in OD Green. His back was a OD 3-day tactical assault pack which also holstered a Gerber Gator Machete Pro. His helmet was a standard OD Ops-Core helmet integrated with a Batlskin Head Protection system. His main armament was M240B with a side mounted grip for hip firing, a bipod, and an Elcan M135 3.4x Scope. His ammo belt fed from a large pouch on his left hip. His sidearm, was an HK Mk.23 with suppressor. All in all, he was the most intimidating out of all of them.

"Like you said sir, forests were once home to all manners of life. Perhaps this world's predators took to hunting him down?"

"I don't think so. If they were hunting him the tracks would be further spaced and a little more sporadic. Tim's not the most prolific soldier but he's not an oblivious one either."  Achmed argued. "He'd know when he was being watched and followed and would take an effort to evading his pursuers. Judging from the pattern, He was walking, almost hesitantly so.  As were our four-legged friends. Not only that, but have you noticed Tim's tracks look just as old a the others, and both his and theirs seem to circle around this area multiple times."

"He's got a point." Asami agreed, still giving the tracks a thorough inspection. "My guess is that these were left maybe about a day or two ago and both his and their tracks seem to be made at the same time."

"And like I said earlier, all the stuff from the portal room is flat-out missing."

Andrew tried desperately to piece these clues together, but found no successful effort in doing so. Until one thought occurred that changed everything. He turned to face Viktor.

"What do you think, Vik?" he asked. "And be honest."

Viktor stood their, ambivalently silent.

"Vik?"

"There may be the possibility that these creatures might be sentient." Viktor suggested.

Andrew gave a concerning look. If what Viktor was suggesting happened to be true, which more and more fell into the realm of possibility as it was given thought, it could complicate things.

"That would explain those linear streaks." Asami admitted. 

"And the missing items." Harris added.

"But it doesn't explain why they headed west, or why Berfield headed in the same direction." Andrew stated. "We already came to a conclusion that he wasn't in a state of panic or stress. Nothing we've found leads us to believe that he was in any danger. So what are we lead to believe happened?"

A thought then crossed Achmed's mind that might provide an explanation.

"Do you think, he was taken captive?" Achmed asked.

A pause overtook the situation. Andrew put that idea through his head and suddenly some things started to make sense.

"What led you to that conclusion?" Andrew asked.

"I dunno. But at this point it's clear we aren't dealing with wild animals."

"If that were the case why would Berfield be walking alongside them." Asami argued. "Besides if he were captured we'd be seeing similar signs to Wolf 5's theory. Attempts at a struggle or resistance, and like you said yourself everything's orderly." 

"Maybe he came quietly." Achmed suggested.

"Bullshit! Sabbag you know Tim more than anybody, he may be dumb as a rock sometimes but he don't ever back down from a fight." Lamond protested.

"Well whatever they are, they outnumbered Berfield." Sarah pointed out. " Their tracks circle around the place it's hard to tell. If they did attempt to capture him, my guess is they surrounded him in all directions. Maybe he didn't like the odds and decided to stand down."

"Hm, a fair argument." Asami said.

"That's very well possible." Viktor voiced in agreement. "Maybe they decided to secure everything, Berfield, the missing items, and then transport them west."

"If that's the case it means we need to find him." Sarah pressed. "We have no clue what these things are capable of, god knows what they might be doing to him."

The thought of Tim being subject to torture or something of similar form brought on feelings of concern in Achmed, and he was quick to back up his Sergeant in her suggested course of action.

"Then we need to go now! Hit them when they won't expect it." Achmed urged. "Before the-"

"Cool it, both of you!" Andrew barked. "In case either of you haven't realized it yet, we may have a possible first contact scenario on our hands. Do you really want to start it off by instigating hostilities?"

"They started hostilities by taking Tim prisoner." Sarah argued.

"We don't even know if that's what happened. As of now, that's just a theory, and nothing we've found had even remotely given us an answer to what actually happened."

"So what do we do next?" 

Andrew walked ahead of the group, following the massive trail of footprints and stopping just as it was about to enter the thick brush. There he stood, staring down into what seemed like endless woodland. This subject seemed to rack up his nerves to no end, no doubt due to the inevitable repercussions it would have on him and humanity.
Andrew struggled to find an appropriate course of action. The bigger picture just widened to the extreme. Ironic, given that less than half an hour ago Andrew thought he was staring at mankind's salvation, a second chance. But with the idea of this world already owned by other beings ran his ambitions into a brick wall. The mission, this new world, the fate of mankind would be a gamble should they continue and later find these creatures were in fact sentient. If he went through with the mission and rescued Berfield from his captors, it may well lead to an act of war with an enemy with unknown capabilities. That was something Andrew had no desire to do nor had the power to do. Not after The Conflict, not after how many died. But at the same time he couldn't just turn back. This place offered man the chance at a new beginning, and to deny that chance would ultimately lead to humanity's extinction by their own hand. 
To make matter's worse, both options would lead to an explanation to the Council, both of which would most likely tarnish his credibility when it was found out he personally partook in this dangerous undertaking. Without a doubt he could kiss his Commander days goodbye. But he would ultimately do so by making it worth it. He walked back to the group, who had been watching and left wondering this whole time.

"I've come to a decision, albeit a difficult one." Andrew announced. "Nothing's quite certain yet, but if these creatures are in fact intelligent and took hostile action towards Berfield, we make his rescue our priority. Even if it means we have to use force. So I expect each and every one of you to make a thorough threat assessment before you even think of pulling the trigger. If it hasn't engaged in combat you keep your fucking guns pointed down to the ground! Nobody fires a shot unless I give the okay! Is that clear!?"

"SIR!" they responded, all but one.

"With all due respect, sir, picking a fight with an unknown enemy seems like a very bad idea." another man voiced.

Turning around, everyone saw it was Viktor's second in command, Major Hale Kendricks. He was a white male in his late twenties to early thirties, standing at around 5'10, dirty blonde hair, and thick painter's brush mustache. His get up was fit for mid-to close range combat. He wore his full Partizan uniform like a true operator, with black tactical gloves, green shemagh around his neck, and OD tactical pads on his knees and elbows with combat shin guards for added protection. He sported a Flecktarn Tactical Crossdraw Vest sporting carrying his magazines, Various types of grenades, his knife, and his M&P .40 pistol in a holster located on the lower left torso of his vest. He carried C4 and other explosives in a CFP-90 backpack in M81 Woodland. For head Protection, he wore a gen 3 Ops-core Helmet, but his was unique in that it was sprayed with woodland colors and had a small sketch of an explosion etched in by a knife on the back. Along with this crude drawing were equally crude words, "Bada-bing Bada-boom!" above it. For his weapon of choice was a G36A3 with a EOtech Holographic sight and 2-4x booster, red laser sight, and M320 under-barrel grenade launcher.

"And I don't think I need to explain why." Hale stated, pressing his issue further.

"Noted, Wolf 2." Andrew said. "But unless you have a better idea, you follow the orders given. Understood?"

"Yes sir." Hale replied.

"Wolf 1, contact Gateway. Tell them we're moving out following a set of human foot prints. Make no mention of the other footprints or the fact that we may be dealing with sentient life. The Council doesn't need to shut this operation down before it starts."

Viktor nodded and proceeded to touch base with Gateway.

"Gateway, This is Wolf 1, come in."

"*This is Gateway, go ahead Wolf 1.*"

"Gateway, we have a fix on a set of footprints to follow. We believe them to be Berfield's. Permission to proceed? Over."

"*Copy, Wolf 1. You have the green light. Keep us posted. Gateway, out.*"

Andrew gestured for his team to get together.

"We're moving out Osaka! Fall in behind me." Andrew ordered.

"Wolfpack, we do the same, Davai!" Viktor ordered.




The fireteams did as instructed and followed the footprints and continued to do so for a straight hour and a half. Despite the monotony of the path, what surrounded them and wherever the footprints lead kept boredom at bay, with the latter surely capable of providing insight into what exactly happened to Berfield after his entry into this new world.
And so they walked, following footprint after footprint, retracing a clear cut path into the forest, taking the scenery in, with thoughts of what this discovery would lead to in the minds of everyone present. But while the scenery was enough to keep everyone enthralled, it also gave them reason to stay on their toes. They weren't sure what might have lived in the forest, and were keen to assume the worst. 
Achmed was looking upwards at the sky catching glimpses of the sun's radiant rays that would occasionally shine through the tree canopy. The way they left a warm sensation on his skin was comforting, a stark contrast to the sun back on Earth, which for the most part was trapped behind the thick smog of ash and dust left in the atmosphere. Achmed was so captivated by it that he was caught off guard when Lamond came up next to him to talk.

"Dude, you looking at the sun too?" he asked.

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah, same here. Never thought it be so bright."

"I wouldn't look directly at the sun if I were you." Harris warned the two.

"Yeah, whatever buzzkill." Lamond remarked back.

"As a medic I would have expected you to know how direct eye-contact with the sun's ultraviolet rays can cause temporary obstruction of vision and even blindne-"

"Shut up buzzkill!" shouted Ahab, repeating Lamond's comment.

Harris gave them all an an expressionless stare before turning back around.

"You've been warned." Harris stated.

"Who cares? Can you believe this guy. First time he steps into a world that isn't complete shit and he's worried about our fucking vision. He, nerd. Anyways Sabbag, how's it feel dude?" Ahab asked.

"How's what feel?" Achmed asked back, genuinely confused.

"The fact that you and Tim are the reason we found this place."

"Uh, I'm not sure how to answer that?"

"No sweat Sabbag, it was a stupid question." Lamond said.

"Says the moron who's staring at the sun." Ahab said in defense.

"When's the last you saw the sun in full, huh, Ahab? I know you were born in a cave so you never got much sunlight to begin with but-"

Lamond's sentence was interrupted by a punch to the arm by no other than Ahab.

"Saw it rise here before you did, dumb fuck!" Ahab jested.

"Actually I think the Commander did. He was the first one through along with the Colonel."

"Well, technically, wasn't Tim the first?" Achmed explained. "He came here before any of us."

Giving it some thought, they realized Achmed was right about that.

"Huh, guess I didn't think about that?" Lamond admitted.

"Well Lamond, you barely think in general." Ahab quipped

"And you don't think at all Ahab, now cut the chatter back there!" Sarah snapped. "Stay focused. We're in uncharted territory and something's bound to find us if they can hear you morons talking from a mile away."

"Your Sergeant's right." Andrew said, backing up Sarah's word. "It's best we maintain silence unless absolutely necessary. If those things are still out there it's in our best interest to go about under their nose."

"Assuming they have noses." Ahab quipped.

"Be stupid some other time Al-Kindi." Sarah ordered.

Then suddenly out of the blue, Andrew motioned for them to stop with his hand. He then gestured for them to get low as he took up a crouching stance. The talking ceased, and they awaited for further instruction. The Commander opened one of his pouches and pulled out a pair rangefinder binoculars. He stood their, scouting ahead for about a minute before he lowered them and went over the local comm.

"I have visual on movement in the foliage, 20 yards ahead of our position. Wolf 1, send one of your men to check it out."

"Copy." Viktor replied. "Wolf 6, check it out."

"On it." Wolf 6 replied.

Wolf 6, aka Lewis Humphrey was performing his role as pointman. He was weathered man in his mid thirties with brown mutton chops and a distasteful glare. He wore his uniform with rolled sleeves revealing a skintight shirt of black under armor, with a OD LBT Plate Carrier Vest, holding his magazines, grenades, equipment, and tactical Tomahawk. He wore tactical protection pads on his elbows and knees and black Kevlar Bracers on his forearms. He wore an black carry-all backpack and an OD ACH MICH 2002 Combat Helmet. For his primary gun he carried a SCAR H MK17 CQC Model in OD, with a vertical foregrip, red laser sight, Flashlight, Suppressor and a SpectreDR 1-4x Scope and kept both a Shorty 12G shotgun at the back of his belt and a HK USP on his chest.
Rifle at the ready, he stepped closer and closer, passing each squad member in the process. Even after he passed the Commander, Lewis took caution in every step, focusing his attention towards what was in front of him. As he got closer though the cause of the movement scurried off in the form of a small rabbit. Lewis' stance took an immediate turn for relaxation as he turned around and the distinct sound of Viktor holding in a laugh was clearly audible to Andrew's ears.

"A little too small to be our captors I think. Coast is clear Osaka 1." Lewis replied.

Viktor was about to make a joke poking fun at his friend for getting worked up over a rabbit when Lewis spotted something a short distance in front of him that caught both his attention and that of everyone else.

"What the...? Hey, hold on! Think I got something here!"

Lewis made his way past the bush and disappeared past the bushes. Half a minute later he came up on the local comms.

"You all might want take a look at this!" he said.

Andrew and Viktor approached cautiously, unsure of what he had found. As they followed Humphrey direction past the brush, they were immediately greeted by what was clearly the remains of a small campsite, mad evident by the charred remains of a campfire and several spots where tents hand been staked into the ground.

"Well, unless Berfield was carrying an array tents on him, I think it's safe to say that these things are definitely intelligent." Viktor claimed.

There was no debate this time, and Andrew realized it. If these things were capable of setting up a temporary camp they had to be sentient.

"No kidding." Andrew agreed. "Wolf 3, Osaka 5, you know what to do. Everyone else set up a perimeter, 15 meter spread. Stay frosty, they may still be nearby."

While the Fireteams took up basic defensive positions, Achmed and Asami went straight to work, picking apart the remnants of the campsite for any clues they could find. They started with the area where the tents had been set up. As the search grew more thorough, they found little details that had little to offer in the ways of putting the pieces of Tim's predicament together. Holes where tent stakes had been hammered down, the multiple hoof-prints littered around their vicinity. They had been going at it for about four minutes and had found nothing that provided any answers, just more questions. 

"Okay, the tent area is a dead end." Asami said, laying it out flat.

"I...can't argue with you on that." he admitted.

"Listen, I'm going to follow the foot trail again, see where they go. Why don't you check the campfire, if you find anything let us know."

"Copy."

Asami went to her task, which to Achmed's surprise seemed to be leading her several yards away from the perimeter. Achmed shook his head and opted to stay focused. Approaching the smoldering mess of ash and charred timber, surrounded by three dead logs arranged around its center. It reminded him of the constant talks he and Tim had around a burning barrel fire, and was somewhat warmed by something that was similar to home. 

"*Guess campfires are universal no matter where you go.*" Achmed whispered to himself.

Achmed crouched down to better inspect the remains. Looking around closely, Achmed found something that immediately caught his eye. Splattered across a small chunk of burnt wood was some sort of white foamy splotch that had been partially burned in a few places. Throwing caution to the wind, Achmed reached out and touched. As he pulled back he suddenly noticed it was sticking to his fingertips. He jumped back in shock and immediately threw his hand back and wiped it off on the ground. Achmed checked his fingertips, and to his relief they looked completely fine.
Achmed stood back up only to have a faint crumpling noise grab his attention. Looking down from where it emanated, he found something wedged beneath on of the logs. It was earth brown, but had a reflective sheen to it making it easy to spot. He reached down and pulled it out. Once it was in his hands, he instantly recognized what it was.

"I found something." He announced over the comms.

Everyone turned around, but before anyone could do anything, Andrew issued his orders.

"Everyone stay put. Vik, with me."

Andrew stood up with Viktor following right behind as they walked over to Achmed.

"What did you find, Osaka 5?" Andrew asked.

"MRE pouch, sir. I found it under this log."

"Under the log?" Viktor asked.

"Yes sir, it's expended but all the leftover packaging is still in it."

"Let me have a look." Andrew ordered.

Achmed handed it over to the Commander for him to inspect. The packaging was smeared in mud left by the underbelly of the log and like Sabbag described all the contents had been eaten, with the waste stuffed inside. It was at this moment something suspicious began to arise.

"If he were a prisoner, why the hell would they give him access to his things?" Andrew asked.

"That's........................a good question." Viktor had to admit. "Which log did you say it was under Osaka 5?"

"This one." Achmed said, directing them towards it. "In fact I think he was sitting here. His footprints are directly in front of it along with the others."

"So they let him eat his meal, and sit with them by the campfire?" Andrew questioned.

Andrew began to formulate what situation or scenario would arise in order for something like this to happen. He was uncertain of it, but he was beginning to think that maybe one of his captors could have possibly shown sympathy to him. Before he could dwell on it for too long, Sabbag added even more information.

"I also found something stuck to one of the burnt logs." Achmed informed.

Achmed pointed it out and the two took a closer look.

"Now what might this be?" Viktor inquired.

"Some sort of chemical compound? Maybe a fungus?" Andrew suggested.

"Not sure, but...........I know who would."

Viktor gave out an almost defeated sigh before addressing the man in question to come forward.

"Wolf 4, front and center!" he called out.

The man in question, turned around with an almost oblivious expression on his face. Nathan McCord immediately struck Andrew as a strange character. In his early twenties standing at a short height of 5'6, barely putting him over Asami. With a big brown survivalist beard that stretched down seven inches from his face, with a distinct set of emerald eyes, there was an odd non-threatening aura to McCord. The uniform he wore seemed rather thick in comparison to the others, though Andrew supposed that could be attributed to his small stature. With is uniform, he sported a Matrix Light Brigade Tactical vest in OD, sporting double mag pouches, as well as a first aid kit and surgical scissors, along with Kevlar pads on his shoulders, elbows, forearms, and knees. He wore a RUSH72 Tactical backpack ans his belt contained yet another first aid kit, his knife, a canteen, and a Glock 17 pistol in a holster. He sported a STSh-81 Combat Helmet with a Partizan helmet cover and tactical goggles strapped around it. His main armament was an IA-2 7.62, with a Prism SCP-P4032i 4x scope, curved foregrip by the magwell, and Red Laser sight. As Nathan began to make his way over, Viktor leaned over to whisper a few words to Andrew.

"*Just as a head's up, he can have strange tendencies from time to time.*"

"*What do you mean by strange?*" Andrew asked.

"*Let's just hope you don't find out.*"

Nathan now stood before them.

"Did ya' need something, Sir?" he asked in his modest Irish accent.

"Da. We've got some sort of unknown compound, need an ID on whatever it is." Viktor explained.

"Hmm. Sir, I don't mean to sound judgemental about our current course, but how's this supposed to help us find the target exactly?"

Viktor didn't reply, instead directing a look of annoyance straight at him. That was Nathan's que to get to work and ask questions later. Nate crouched down, picking up the chunk of burnt wood it currently resided on. He looked at it form all angles, taking mental notes of it's surface, both the burnt and untampered sections. He proceeded to touch it, cautiously at first and then gradually more liberally. The sticky nature was noticed immediately, but he noticed it had very weak structure, almost of the brink of peeling off, to which he eventually did. Those around him peered in closer, inspecting the substance in his hand.

"Any clue what it is 4?"

"Has an original white surface, but got burned upon contact with fire. Found on burnt wood, yet still maintains at least a semblance of it's former nature." Nathan rambled.

"Get to the point, Nate. Do have an ID?"

Nathan's eyes opened as it suddenly came to him.

"Good blazes, I know what it is!" he cried.

Nathan then proceeded to stuff it in his mouth and begin chewing, to the complete and utter shock of everyone present.

"Holy shit he fucking ate it!" Ahab shouted from a distant.

"Okay I see what you meant by strange." Andrew said.

The other members of fireteam Wolfpack couldn't help but respond in their own way, ranging from subtle to blatant. Hale was the first, effectively face-palming at the stupidity of the act whilst Lewis was bursting out laughing. Jelani just shook his head viewing the whole thing as too idiotic for scoff.

"Thatta boy Nate! That's kickin safety protocol in the arse!" Lewis cackled. 

"Right in front of the Commander no less." Hale added.

On the other side of the clearing, the remaining members of Fireteam Osaka were also quick to comment.

"Who just straight up eats something you find on the side of some firewood? That shit's nasty" said Lamond.

"I can't believe this is what passes for First Recon." Sarah said in disbelief.

"I'm calling it now. He's gonna die from doing that. It's gonna be like them aliens from that War of the Worlds book I read. Bacteria will do him in."

"...................interesting......................" said Harris.

Nate had turned around in response to his everybody's derision of his action, only to turn around to see the Commander give him a strange look, and in the case of Viktor, visually expressing his irritation.

"Well 4. What was it?" Viktor asked in a frighteningly calm voice.

"Marshmallow." Nate replied. "And judging from the taste it's gotta be two days old, at least."

"And you had to eat it why?"

"Not quite sure. But I have to say for two days old, it wasn't half bad."

Viktor stared at him with eyes that held back his anger and annoyance. Before he had the chance to slap him for his stupidity, Asami returned from her search, approaching the group that had formed at the center of the campsite.

"Commander, good you're here. I've.........why's Nate away from his post."

"Oh, the Colonel asked me to ID a sample for him. Turns out it was just a Marshmallow."

Asami gave him a distasteful glare before turning to Viktor.

"Well where is-.................................he ate it didn't he?" she asked.

"Yes." Viktor responded.

"Seriously Nate?" she scolded. "Before we even had the chance to see if it could help us you just eat-"

"Okay that's enough! We've already made a big enough racket as it is. Everyone is maintain silence. No sound unless I say so." Andrew demanded. "Wolf 3, you had something to report?"

"I did sir. I followed the trail pas the perimeter for a ways. It still maintains its direction west. As I came back though I saw Berfield's tracks divert away."

"You think he escaped?" Andrew asked.

"No. I followed his tracks. They encircle the camp. "As if he-"

"Were on night watch." Andrew said finishing her sentence.

"Yes." she conceded.

This new information was quick to grasp everyone's attention, as that would mean Berfield was actively in league with these things for some unknown purpose.

"So what does this mean" Achmed asked.

"It means your friend's no prisoner." Andrew explained. "And I'm very curious as to what other surprises he has for us when we find him."

Andrew walked a distance away from him and Viktor to once again pick up on the trail.

"Bread crumbs have to end somewhere." Andrew said. "Osaka, Wolfpack, we're moving out."

As the teams moved out, Achmed was quiet. He looked back on all the recent findings. The MRE, the fact he sat with his captors rather than kept separated and under guard, and the fact he roamed along the outskirts of the camp and didn't make an escape attempt actively undermined the whole prisoner theory. Which led him to the one question.

What exactly were you up to Tim?
> Chapter 20: The Settlement
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The search led by Andrew leaves him and the others with only more questions than answers. What awaits them at the end of the trail, they cannot say, but whatever lies in wait can will bring unprecedented discovery and an unforeseeable future................................................................




The findings uncovered at the campsite led everyone to heavy speculation, as each and every one of them tried to decipher what happened. Was Tim actively aiding another race in an unknown endeavor? And if so, why? However, the lack of any clear-cut evidence or information made any possible suggestions just theory.
All of this combined with the uncertainty of Tim's status caused Achmed some stress over the situation, wondering what motivations Tim had and how far the extent of his actions with these other life forms had reached. More curious however was how and why these creatures got involved. What did they have to gain by scavenging the wreck site? What ultimate purpose was it to fulfill? But just like Tim's situation, Achmed could only speculate. Achmed instinctively suspected foul play from these creatures, as it was common to always prepare for the worst but hope for the best. Had these things managed to manipulate or force Tim into helping them? 
However, upon giving the subject even more thought, Achmed realized that there hadn't been anything to back up his claim, but there hadn't been much to suggest of anything, everything they found was the equivalent to a tiny piece of a large puzzle, only some of the pieces were missing. Achmed's thoughts jumbled as he tried to make sense of it all, which didn't yield the result he wanted. He eventually gave up on it, blaming his difficulty to think on the visual monotony that he had been subjected to. 
The path had kept its westward course for more than three hours at this point, and the initial wow factor of the forest was beginning to wear off. For miles, they had seen nothing but trees, plants, and more trees, traversing thick brush that stretched in every direction for miles, with clearings and rays of sunlight peering through the canopy becoming more and more of a rarity as they went deeper into the heart of the forest. It had also been quite some time since they last touched base with Gateway, but nothing had warranted for such an action to be taken. They had specifically stated that they needed to be contacted should a change in status occur or any new information arise. Other than the information regarding the possibility of intelligent life, which the Commander expressed extreme discontent for relaying, nothing had changed. Achmed was beginning to wonder just how large of an area this forest encompassed when he suddenly found himself bumping into Ahab. The initial contact sent Achmed stumbling backward whilst Ahab lost his balance and staggered forward. Lamond caught Achmed by the arms just before he hit the ground. Ahab managed to regain his balance, and turned to Achmed with an irritated expression on his face.

"*Dude, you fucking deaf?!*" Ahab hissed. "*the Commander just told us to get ready!*"

Achmed was confused at first, but quickly caught up with what was going on. Leaning over to the right and peaking forward, he saw that the Commander and the others had taken up a lowered stance, their weapons at the ready, fixating their aim at something in the direction ahead of them. Achmed was quick to do the same, raising his rifle scope to eye level and lowering his stance as to be better concealed. The Commander then went over local comms to give further instruction.

"*Osaka 2, 3, and 5 stack up.*" he ordered in a hushed tone.

The three followed the command without delay or question. Staying low, they made their way up the column and took up their positions behind the Commander. Once they were there, Andrew pressed the transmit button, going over the local comms once again.

"*Wolf 1, take your team and cover the target. Stay quiet and out of sight. Whatever this thing is, I don't want it getting tipped off and making a break for it.*"

"*Wilco.*" Viktor replied.

Achmed turned his head in time to see Wolfpack disperse into two groups of three, with Wolf 1, 2, and 6 taking the left while 3, 4, and 5 took the right. As the last one cleared out of sight, Andrew went over the comms yet again.

"*Osaka 4 & 6, stay here and cover our backs. Wolf 1, relay back to me once you're in position.*"

Achmed took this time to try and catch a glance of what was ahead. Peaking his head over the three individuals in front of him, Achmed could see the top of a large figure concealed about 18 yards in the brush ahead, showing slight signs of movement every so often. Another transmission soon followed over the local comm channel.

"*Andrew, we're in position and standing by.*" Viktor informed.

"*Copy.*" Andrew replied. "*Do you have a clear visual?*"

"*Negative. I see movement, but can't make out the target. Whatever it is, it's alone. Might be one of Berfield's new "friends".*"

"*Copy, maintain position, I'll take my team and close the distance. Be ready to jump when I give the order. Nobody fires a shot unless absolutely necessary, if it is one of them, we need it alive. My team, break off and encircle the target when I give the go. We commence on my mark.*"

Hesitation filled the air, with everyone awaiting the green light from Andrew. Achmed told himself that he was ready, ready to face whatever this thing was and ready to discover Tim's fate should it have the knowledge pertaining to him. Achmed snapped back into reality when he heard the first number in Andrew's countdown.

"*Three, two, one, mark!*"

The four made their way forward at a brisk but steady pace. Just like whatever lied ahead, they used the thick foliage surrounding them to their advantage, concealing their presence to a substantial degree. However they soon found themselves outside of its embrace and in a quite large yet cover-less clearing. Their eyes immediately met with what they initially thought was a mound of wood and were beginning to ease down. That abruptly ended when the noticed the mound stretch out one of its legs. It was a rather large creature and the fact that it looked to be composed entirely out of tree branches and bark made them perceive it as entirely unnatural. Andrew was quick to get everyone to focus, as he began gesturing for his team to begin encircling it. As they did so, the creature must have sensed something was wrong, as it quickly rose its head in an investigative manner. Andrew didn't want to risk it possibly escaping and thus gave the order for Wolfpack to provide support.

"NOW!" Andrew screamed, to his team as well as Viktor's.

Wolfpack emerged instantly from hiding and quickly set up a perimeter around the thing. The creature, confused and startled, entered into a panic mode. It turned its head rapidly in all directions, looking for an escape route. However it found none, as Wolfpack and the remaining two members of Osaka blocked any means of escape. Letting out an enraged roar and baring it's teeth in frustration, everyone got the message that this thing was a predator and that they had probably just pissed it off. It's facial and body structure alluded to a clear canine origin, similar to a dog or wolf. Its teeth and claws were barbed like thorns, with claws about the size of a human hands, and glowing green eyes. It was also covered in injuries, with notable damage to the neck, back, and severe damage to the left eye which looked to be very recent. Lewis made an attempt to get closer, only for it to lash out, with one of its claws just barely missing his chest. He jumped back and was tempted waste the thing right there, but manged to keep his finger off the trigger.

"Keep your distance from the beast!" Jelani warned. 

Both fireteams were now at full alert, ready to put this thing down should it attempt to strike one of them down.

"What the bloody hell is this thing!?" Lewis yelled, still trying to recuperate from almost having his chest slashed at.

"Don't know, but it's pissed!" Sarah inputted.

"Is this what took Berfield?!" Viktor asked.

"No. This thing isn't our culprit." She replied. "Look at the feet. Not only are they too big, the tracks were hoof-shaped, this thing has claws."

Each second that passed by felt like a minute. It then suddenly occurred to Andrew how odd this thing was behaving. Based on the looks of this thing alone, one could only guess that it's predatory and aggressive instincts would have kicked in, yet it seemed to be holding back. Upon a closer look, Andrew could see that was actually trembling, subtly but still enough to give the indication that this thing was terrified.

"Should we put it down?" Hale suggested, finger on the trigger.

"Negative. Let it go." Andrew said.

Weapons still raised, they slowly began to back off. As the gap between them got wider and wider, The creature saw it's chance, darting off like a bat out of hell between Nate and Viktor.

"Jesus!" Nate yelled as it bounded off into the woods. 

"It......it didn't attack?" Viktor said in confusion.

"Of course it didn't attack. Predator or not it wasn't stupid enough to try and take the twelve of us on." Andrew said.

"Mutants usually attack regardless."

"Pretty sure there aren't any mutants here, Vik."

"Well I've never heard of an animal comprised entirely out of wood, so what would you call it?"

Before Andrew could give a possible answer, his attention turned to what was behind his friend, and could only .

"Holy shit......"

Viktor raised an eyebrow before noticing that Andrew was looking behind him, and thus turned around as well to meet the same sight Andrew saw. The others soon followed suit, and we're amazed and somewhat unnerved by what they saw.
Across the clearing were five more of the wooden creatures. Andrew and the others probably would have sprung into action immediately if they we're still breathing. Instead, these creatures lay dead on the ground, with a lifeless stillness one could scarce describe. Although these ones looked to slightly smaller than their still breathing counter-part, they looked no less intimidating, even in death. 

"Looks like someone went to town." Hale noted.

"I'm guessing that someone was Tim?" Sarah suggested. 

"Only one way to find out. Wolf 3, Osaka 5. You know the drill." Andrew stated.

"Right." Asami replied.

"The rest of you, maintain a perimeter."

The two scouts went to work searching the area. Almost immediately, the two noticed how the regular signs of almost calm behavior they had been seeing for hours had taken a drastic change. The area itself was the largest clearing so far and thus searching for clues would prove to be a much lengthier process. The creatures that lay dead before them seemed to have caused quite a commotion, with their tracks darting from several directions towards the center of the clearing. Asami was about to make her way towards the center when she head Achmed utter startled words in Arabic. She turned around and saw the same thing he did. Resting a few meters away by the treeline was a pool of dried blood accompanied by signs of an intense struggle. Achmed ran up next to it, and began inspecting it.

"Shit. This has to be Tim's." Achmed claimed in distress.

Asami too surveyed it in heavy detail, and quickly came back with her own findings. The dirt surrounding the pool had been kicked around, but just like the tracks, Tim's prints were there, walking away from the scene.

"Yeah. Blood's red so I'll assume it's human for now. Not sure what color Berfield's friends bleed. Anyways, the footprints definitely match his and it looks like he walked away from it. See."

Asami pointed to the faint tracks of a human being that lead over to a log about five yards away, with a few drops of blood dripped across the right of its exterior. Achmed followed the trail by eye and felt the need to act immediately.

"We need to keep moving. If Tim's hurt-"

"Whoa, slow down. Look I'm sure he's fine." Asami said, trying to get him to calm down.

"Fine? Does this look fine!?"

"In fact it does. Look, judging from the pool of blood, the wound was probably bad, but it looks like the bleeding stopped when he walked over to that log. Guess he patched himself up." she said, pointing to it. "Taking that into account I think it's safe to assume he didn't bleed out."

Achmed needed a closer look to be certain and briefly parted ways with Asami to see for himself. While he was busy, Asami continued to study what was in front of her. It was then that she caught a glimpse of something metallic in the corner of her eye. Just a few feet to her left on the clearing floor, she found five brass shell casings spaced a few feet apart from each other. She picked one of them up, and instantly recognized the caliber, 7.62x39, the round attributed to the AK family. This in turn led her to inspect the five lifeless bodies that lay upon the ground. Walking to the closest one, she began inspecting the body for signs of injury. She visually scanned each body part, looking for any sort clue that led to a cause of death. When she got to the head, she instantly found cause, spotting where a bullet had made entered and exited through the skull. The wound was covered in some sort of hardened green resin that looked to form recently.
Asami made her way around each of the bodies, inspecting them each individually. The creature right next to the one that had taken a headshot suffered a shot to the back. She flipped the body over, which proved to be just as heavy as it looked, and instantly spotted a large exit wound on the chest. As her eyes honed in on the wound, she spotted, a set of hoof-prints between the two carcasses, giving Asami the impression that one of Berfield's friends managed to get caught. There was no blood, so it was safe to say that whatever it was survived. Oddly enough though, Asami also noticed that they looked out of place, as there was of a trail to indicate that it had moved over to that spot. Regardless, the evidence implied that Berfield managed to save the creature in time before any harm came to it. If that turned out to be true, then it would mean the Commander was right. Berfield wasn't a prisoner. Asami made a mental footnote of that in her head and proceeded to investigate the remaining corpses.
The next one resting fifteen yards away had taken a round straight through the side of its torso, and the last two had taken rounds to the neck. Asami took notes of what she saw and returned to where she found the casings, which had to be close to where Berfield was standing when he fired the shots. As a side-note Asami found herself impressed that he had managed to dish out five consecutive rounds, each one killing their intended target instantly, without missing. Even more impressive was that the task was done with a standard AK, with it's accuracy being described as "good enough".

"*Five rounds, five bodies. Well I'll be damned Berfield, you're either a crack shot or just lucky. *" Asami whispered to herself. 

All of this evidence amounted to the discovery that Berfield had been in possession of his weapon, even after he made contact with the new form of intelligent life. At this time, Achmed had returned from inspecting the blood.

"You were right, the bleeding stopped." Achmed conceded. "But I also found something new, I saw more of those hoof prints by the log. Looked like they were just standing there, waiting for him."

"That means they were with him after he took his injury." Asami stated. "And judging from what I just found, I think the Commander was right."

"So Tim wasn't their prisoner?"

"All the signs seem portray it that way. I found five shell casings by that pool of blood. They match what your friend was carrying, 7.62 Soviet. The two creatures near the center of the clearing almost bagged one of Berfield's new friends. Looks like he gunned them down before they got a chance to do to them what they did to him."

"So if they're not hostile, what does this mean for the mission?"

Asami was quiet, as she didn't have an answer. She then noticed that Viktor was looking at them from just a few yards away, no doubt overhearing their conversation. Asami looked back to Achmed and replied.

"We'll know soon enough." she said.

That sentence was less meant for Achmed and more meant for the Colonel. If it wasn't pretty clear that Asami knew he was eavesdropping before, her last sentence had pretty much cemented it. He gave a nod to her and began to make his way over to Andrew, who was currently inspecting the body of one the creatures. The answer to Achmed's question would come from him, and Viktor was rather curious as to how Andrew was going to see this mission through without support from back home. Viktor feared that no matter what happened somebody would be going down during this mission, either in a political sense or a literal one if they weren't careful. Despite Andrew's assurances that keeping secrets from the Council was best for proceeding with the task at hand, Viktor had his own doubts about that. In his mind, it felt as if Andrew wasn't sure what he was doing, and Viktor felt like it was time to call him out on that. Once Viktor had arrived, Andrew took notice that his friend was standing beside him.

"What did our scouts find?" Andrew asked.

"Wolf 3 found five shell casings and inspected the wounds of each of the creatures." Viktor replied.

"Yeah, I see where this one was shot through the torso. Anything else?"

"Yes. Turn out you were right. Berfield's not a prisoner. His friends were with him when he fired his weapon off, even saved one before they got iced by one of these things."

In most cases Andrew would like to gloat whenever he was right, but that wasn't the case this time around. Andrew had kept a solemn yet stern face, almost as if troubled by what he heard.

"How so?" Andrew asked.

"Osaka 5 investigated where Berfield had taken an injury by one of these wood wolves, and foun-"

"Wait, I'm sorry. Wood wolves?" Andrew said in disbelief.

"It was a little more descriptive than calling them things. What would you call them?" Viktor snapped.

"A name more clever than Wood wolves." Andrew quipped. "Anyways. Go on."

Viktor instead grabbed Andrew by the shoulder. Andrew wasn't expecting Viktor to grab him like that and thus seemed a little confused when it happened and why it was happening.

"Look Andrew, we really need to talk." Viktor spit out.

Andrew gave a concerning look.

"About what?" he asked.

"Just what exactly is your plan?" Viktor asked.

"Which one?"

"The plan that details how we're going to handle a first-contact scenario. The plan that's going to get Berfield back home, the plan that details how we're supposed to handle an entire race we know nothing about, without any expertise or knowledge from the other members of the Council?"

Andrew could see where he was going with this. In all honesty Andrew told himself over and over that if he acted appropriately whenever new information arose they'd be just fine. But in the back of his mind he doubted whether it would ultimately prove successful. As a result, he'd spend minutes at a time during their journey to formulate other plans should things go south, applying strategies and plans from his previous engagements to this mission, going through multiple scenarios in his head. But the lack of clear information on these things that accompanied Berfield and what they were capable made an effective game plan impossible at this point.
He saw that Viktor was still awaiting a response from him. He always hated when Vik would do this, ask him a question that he clearly didn't have an answer to. It was one of the few things that got under his skin and really got him into a bad mood.

"Look, Vik, you know as well as I that if we tell the Council, they will pull the plug on the mission. Trust me."

Viktor shook his head and sighed.

"So what's your plan then? Wing it?" Viktor asked in disbelief.

"What other choice do I have? In case you haven't noticed we don't even know what the hell they are or what they're capable of and no idea how they'll perceive us if we just walk up to them nonchalantly. Berfield may not be their captive but that doesn't mean these things are angels either, anything could happen and we need to be prepared based on what we know, which as of now isn't much. So if you have a better plan, I'm all ears."

Viktor fell silent, as he realized that Andrew had turned the tables of the conversation around on him.

"I didn't think so." Andrew berated.

"Alright, fine, but I'm still not entirely comfortable with keeping secrets from the Council." Viktor expressed. "It's shit like that that started The Conflict."

"I know. Look at this rate, we're bound to be getting close to some answers.One way or another, it's only a matter of time before we come across them. So I'll make you an offer. If you stop riding ass about this, we'll tell the Council when we make visual contact. Deal?"

Viktor took some time weighing that offer, but ultimately came to terms with it.

"Fine. But know that I'm gong to hold you to that." Viktor clarified.

"Noted............mom."

Viktor rolled his eyes and uttered a swear under his breath in Russian. Viktor then looked at the corpse that laid next to them.

"Can we at least tell them about these wood wolves?" he asked.

"*Still a terrible name.*" Andrew whispered.

"Andrew, time to be serious!"

"Okay, Okay!" Andrew relented. "I guess there's no harm in it, they seem pretty primitive based on the one we came across. Sure."

Viktor was prepping to send out a call to Gateway informing them of what they needed to know in accordance to Andrew's judgement.

"After you're done, check up on the scouts and see if they found anything else. After that we should pick up where we left off on the trail."

Viktor gave Andrew a nod of confirmation and proceeded to make the call.

"Gateway, this is Wolf 1." Viktor said, broadcasting his voice across the everyone's HUD-set.

"*This is Gateway, anything new to report Colonel.....Antonov, was it?.*"

The voice over the comms was no other than Councilor Bradford, who answered with a very lofty tone. Viktor saw he still had a habit of taking over the comms when it wasn't needed, and thus mentally groaned before responding back.

"Yes, we have. We followed the trail and eventually led us to a clearing. Upon entry we had an encounter with a creature."

"*What sort of creature?*" Bradford asked, switching to a normal tone of voice.

" Quadrupedal, with a body and behavior similar to a canine, entirely composed of wooden branches. About the size of a skag, at least 5 feet in length and 3 in height. Showed signs of aggression when we managed to surround it but no injuries came of it."

"*Is it still there in front of you?*"

"Negative. We let it run off into the forest. Osaka 1 and I figured it was just an animal and wasn't important to the mission."

"*That may be so, but it was would have been important to study. But I suppose that will come in due time.*"

Andrew suddenly got a sense that Bradford's comment alluded to the same thoughts he had about using this new world for the betterment of humanity.

"*Anyways, as exciting as your new discovery sounds, I've got one that might just top it.*" he bragged, returning to a lofty tone of voice.

This only served to irritate Viktor, who was already growing tired of talking to him. Thanks to Bradford's last sentence, Viktor made it his own mission to end this conversation with him as quickly as possible.

"That's nice. Anyways, Berfield came through here and seemed to have had an encounter with these things. We found five of them dead on the ground as soon as we let the first one go. Scouts came up with five shell casings and a red blood splatter. We believe the blood is Berfield's but it seems he managed to walk away from it okay since his tracks continue west. Permission to proceed?"

"*By all means, proceed.*"

Viktor was tempted to immediately cut the call off right there, as Bradford's almost sarcastic tone was enough to deter him from speaking to him any longer. But what Bradford said next halted any sort of move to end the conversation early.

"*By the way, Colonel. Do tell Councilor Sawyer I said hello.*"

Once those words broadcast across their HUD-sets, everyone froze, looking at both Viktor and Andrew with startled gazes of surprise. Viktor's expression was a wide-eyed mix of shock, , confusion, anger, and fear, leaving his mind a confounded mess of racing inner thoughts. Andrew's reaction was as appropriate a response as necessary.
Instead of letting the sudden revelation get the jump on him, he simply gave out a defeated sigh, knowing the jig was up. Deciding to handle this himself, Andrew hit the call button on his HUD-set, wondering how Bradford found out and what the result of it would be. Whatever the case would be, Andrew was ready for the worst. 

"How'd you find out?" Andrew asked.

"*Context clues, my friend.*" Bradford conceded in the same self-satisfying tone. "*I found your absence at the mission launch and the Council meeting held after the initial discovery of a habitable world rather suspicious. It eventually led me to have my scientists vigorously make an effort to ask the men under your charge of your currents whereabouts. When they came back with their findings I came to learn that your men were rather tight lipped on the subject, and thus I theorized that you had to be with your old colleague, considering you've been spending so much time with him lately................................Plus we were able to hear your local comms, I heard the Colonel address you by name.*"

Viktor immediately turned to Nate with a look of utter vexation. Nate was supposed to be in charge of cutting out any local comm transmissions that would send back to the home communications node. Viktor was about to give him an irate reprimanding for forgetting, but not before Andrew held his hand up that said, "don't bother." Andrew then immediately responded back to Bradford with a lovely comment he had picked up over the years.

"Wise ass."

"*Oh come now, I'm only teasing.*" he defended, now back to his normal tone of voice.

"Guess the Council already knows too, huh?"

"*No.*"

Andrew raised his brow in confusion.

"No?" Andrew asked in disbelief. "Why wouldn't they-"

At that moment, Andrew realized that he wasn't alone in doing something just as or if not equally sketchy behind the Council's back.

"You mean you didn't tell them?" Andrew asked, completely shocked.

"*Of course not! Not only would it not be counterproductive to both our current tasks, but quite frankly my thoughts on the Council coincide with yours.*"

"Well I knew that, but to this degree?"

"*Well I'll admit, going behind our back to partake in a nostalgic joy ride of playing soldier was rather ballsy to say the least. But, I feel like the choice you made was the best suited given the situation to kickstart the mission as soon as possible and fulfill Patel's request simultaneously. On a technical level at least, I doubt taking five regulars that you had on site and outfitting them with tier 6 weaponry and equipment really constitutes as an equivalent to a First Recon Fireteam, even with you leading them.*"

"So you knew there was only one fireteam the whole time?"

"*Well I found it odd how another fireteam just managed to pop out of thin air. I might had my time preoccupied with getting the portal up and running, but I was constantly made aware if any new personnel or equipment arrived on site. But look, regardless of what happened, we both know what would happen if we told the others that you're over there. I think we can both agree that the last thing we both need is the Council having it there way and shutting down the single greatest discovery that could save our species. Especially Patel.*"

"And here I thought you'd be on her side."

"*I'll be honest, the thought of telling her and the others had crossed my mind a few times out of my sense of honesty, plus I was at least ninety percent certain what you were doing was reckless. But I was quick to realize what would happen if I did and this world you ended up encountering just so happened to be a paradise. In fact my only qualm in the whole matter is that you didn't tell me of what you were planning to do.*"

"I did that for a few reasons. First, I wasn't sure how'd you react, second, if we got found out by any person that had ties or sympathy to Patel, Schäfer, or Yeong the whole thing could have been aborted at the snap of a finger. And lastly, if we were caught it would mean I'd be taking the blame, not you."

"*Well, I suppose I see the sense in that, and I appreciate the fact that you were looking out for me. But this is too important to stop now. But there's one more thing that desperately needs to be addressed. To quote Colonel Antonov directly, who are Berfield's "new friends"? You specifically expressed wanting one of them alive, so I'm assuming they're not these canine creatures you find?*"

Andrew's other thought processes stopped entirely, as he now had his full attention on whether he should still be keeping the information a secret or not. His instincts were to fallback on some sort of cover story, but he realized quickly that Bradford wasn't going to fall for anything but the truth, he had a hint of what Andrew knew and that was enough to know he wouldn't drop the subject. Andrew sighed, deciding to come clean.

"Alright, I won't lie to you. Berfield's tracks aren't the only ones we've been following."

"*What else did you find? And please, be honest.*"

"Right after we stepped foot here we found eight sets of tracks. They're hoof-printed, and the walk cycle matches that of a quadruped. They seem to have been following right alongside him, along with a set of linear tracks. We believe they might be sentient."

An unsettling silence of ten seconds went by before Bradford responded.

"*What leads you to believe they're intelligent?*" Bradford asked in a quite serious tone.

"My guess is that those linear tracks came from a cart or wheeled construction, too reminiscent of one to ignore. And to add to that, we came across the remnants of a campsite about an hour or two following the trail, complete with the remains of a campfire and the outlines of where several tents had been staked down. As for how his situation turned out with these things, whether it was voluntary or he ended up as a captive of sorts, we don't know."

"*That's...............that's troubling. By the way I believe the word you're looking for is sapient. Sentient implies that something that usually doesn't feel an-*"

"Bradford! Please focus." Andrew requested.

"*Right, sorry. Well If Berfield has somehow made his presence to these sapient beings known then that means he's already initiated formal first contact. And adding the fact that we have no idea how his encounter turned out, that adds a lot of speculation.*"

"This was information that I had intent of keeping secret. The Council knowing I was here is one thing but knowing they have another intelligent species on their hand is another. Does this change things to the point where we need to inform the Council?" Andrew asked.

"Well, that depends and leads me to my next question. Have any of you encountered these creatures yet?*"

"Negative. No visual at all. The only other living thing we've encountered were the canine creatures the Colonel described to you earlier."

"*Well, that's both good and bad news. Good in the sense that it means your presence is unknown to both the Council and this new race, giving us more time to figure out a solution if, or I should I say when, you encounter these things, but bad in the sense since we don't have the slightest idea of what to expect from these beings. I can't express this enough, but caution needs to be taken to the highest degree. No doubt you've thought of the repercussions should you make the wrong move?*

"I have. Last thing we need to do is instigate hostilities with these things. Humanity's not in the state to be picking fights with things we don't know."

"*I share that same sentiment. But until more information arises, coming up with a decisive course of action is going to be rather difficult. We can only wish for the best and hope Berfield was capable of cooperating with these things voluntarily. But if that's not the case, then I highly advise you to think your options over carefully. If you do take action, do it subtly. Preferably something stealthy and inconspicuous, right now there's only twelve of you and a probably hefty population of them, so try not to go gun-ho if you see Berfield's been taken as a prisoner this whole time.*"

Bradford cleared his throat before asking one last question.

"*Now, is there anything else that requires my knowledge?*"  

"No, that's all the information we have at the moment. The men and I had plans on continuing the trail, you have any last thoughts before we move on?"

"*Following the tracks seems sensible enough, but like I said, it's best you remain out of sight, especially if you sense something nearby. But I suppose that's a no-brainier for you. Even if Berfield has acquainted himself with these beings, knowledge of your presence could possibly give them the wrong impression. With so many unknowns like behavior, government, and society they could easily mistake any visual action as a prelude to an attack. After all, the twelve of you are currently armed to the teeth. Not the best for first impressions I'm afraid. While you do that, I'll be covering for your absence. The Council has been rather inquisitive about our operation at the moment, but I'm sure I'll come up with something.*"

"Understood. We'll stay out of sight, and keep ourselves low. We'll proceed onward following the tracks. And one more thing Bradford."

"*Yes?*"

"Thanks for having my back on this. If this somehow all works out by the end I promise to return the favor one day."

"*No trouble at all, Councilor, by the end of this, man's future may be very well be secured. Now, I believe you have a mission to see to so I won't keep you. Report back if you find anything new. Gateway out.*"

With that, the transmission cut off. Andrew looked at everyone, as they stood stupefied that just how lucky that had turned out. However Andrew wasn't going to let them ponder on it for long.

"Why the hell are y'all standing there looking stupid?" Andrew snapped. "Wolf 3, Osaka 5, get back to work and come back to me when you're done, the rest of you maintain the perimeter."

They quickly snapped out of their state of shock and soon found themselves complying with Andrew's orders. With the exception of Viktor, who had been standing in front of Andrew with an unamused expression across his face.

"So much for beating around the bush. Guess you were wrong about the Council." Viktor stated.

"Hey, just because one Councilor is covering for us doesn't mean you were right." Andrew noted.

"It means I was half right."

"More like one-quarter right."

Viktor and Andrew exchanged lighthearted laughs at how pitiful this argument had become. All of sudden, Andrew felt as if a portion of his burden had been lifted, and as a result could think more clearly. His attention suddenly turned to Asami, as she suddenly approached.

"What is it Wolf 3?" Andrew asked.

"Sir, both Osaka 5 and I found a few more clues you might find interesting." she explained.

"Shoot."

"Berfield and his new friends huddled themselves back to back when the wolves came. Not sure why, Tim bolted into the woods. My guess is that he was trying to take their sights off the rest of his group. Possibly for them to escape."

"Well he had to have returned at some point, his tracks still head west." Andrew argued.

"Yes of course. But the thing is, there's seven to eight wolf tracks. And out of nowhere the pack splits up when they went after Berfield. We tried to find a trace of what else they were chasing, and found nothing."

"So where the hell did they go?" Viktor asked.

"Don't have an answer for that I'm afraid, but I have a theory."

"Let's hear it." Andrew said.

"Considering how these things live here, I'm guessing they know how to handle these things to a degree. They could have disposed of them while Berfield was out and about creating a diversion in the woods."

"Without leaving so much as a trace?" Viktor exclaimed in disbelief.

"Like Commander said, we have no idea what these things are capable of."

Viktor could swear she had a trace of sass in her voice when she said that, but any effort to snap at her for it was shot down when Andrew threw in his support.

"She's got a point, Vik." Andrew said.

Asami continued.

"As for why the pack split up. I did manage to find where the two wolves at the center of the clearing had pinned one of them to the ground. Funny thing to note, the hoof-prints literally pop out of nowhere. Either they have an uncanny ability to teleport, which I find unlikely, or they may be capable of flight. That's the only way I can explain it."

Andrew and Viktor exchanged curious looks, as this new information could provide a little more insight on what these new creatures might look like.

"Good work Wolf 3, once we get to another stopping point we'll inform Gateway." Andrew said. "If there's nothing more to discuss I'd like to get underway again, I think we've spent enough time here. Everyone fall in! We're moving out!"

The men followed the command and began to fall in behind the Colonel. Achmed found himself at the rear of the group with Asami. As they were about to exit the clearing, they heard the rustling of bushes behind them. They turned around to see the wolf creature from earlier had returned. Wondering why it had returned, their answer came in the form of the Alpha's actions. They watched in silence as the Alpha laid down beside one of its fallen brethren, nudging its head up next to the fallen's, and remain in that posture. Neither had seen anything other than a human grieve over the loss of those closest to them, but as incredible as the sight was, they didn't let it get the best of them.

"Come on Sabbag. Leave it be." Asami said quietly.

"Right." he replied.

The two turned around and proceeded to catch up with the others, leaving the alpha Timberwolf to grieve over its loss in peace.




Two more hours of walking and nothing had changed, Andrew was beginning to wonder just how Berfield had walked through this place when out of nowhere Lewis began bobbing his head side-to-side in a rather squirrely fashion. When he flat out stopped in his tracks is when Andrew took notice.

"Wolf 6, what's wrong?" Andrew asked.

"Do you hear it sir?" Lewis replied.

"Hear what?"

"Listen."

Now everyone had stopped for a moment and remained quiet. After a few seconds, they all began to hear it. Emanating from several yards away was the distinct almost rustling sound that could only be made from one thing.

"That can't be what I think it is?" Viktor asked, walking forward with the others soon following behind.

They walked for fifteen yards and sure enough, Viktor's theory was proven true upon looking upon it. Concealed behind the thick amounts of foliage was none other than a stream flowing downhill.

"I'll be damned." Andrew said quietly.

"Is that water?" Sarah asked in disbelief.

"It sure looks like it." Asami said.

"But is it clean?" Lamond asked.

"Have you seen the rest of this world, it has to be." Lewis insisted.

"Well, I guess there's only one way to find out." Ahab stated.

Ahab was the first to approach the stream, stopping just before where the water reached the shoreline. He then cupped his hands together, taking a handful of water and was about to gulp it down before Sarah piped in.

"Al-Kindi, you don't know what's in that water. You could catch something." she warned.

Ahab thought about that, and in turn made him think back to the comment he had made about Nate after he ate that Marshmallow. A few seconds passed, and Ahab's face lit up in a sudden smile

"Fuck it." he said.

He proceeded to drink the water from his hands and then splashed some more on his face, as the walk had left him rather hot. When it made contact with his skin, any sweat that had formed vanished instantly. He had kept the same smile on his face when he spoke his next words.

"God damn, that felt good. No sense of the impending need to vomit? This is probably the cleanest water I've ever had. I'm bagging me some of this."

The idea of clean water was beginning to sound like too good of a chance to not take up. Many of the others soon joined in. While they were busy reaping the rewards of their long haul through the woods, both Viktor and Andrew instinctively took this chance to take a look downstream and the path ahead.

"Looks like the tracks follow the stream." Viktor observed. 

"And the trees start to space out less than half a click southwest." said Andrew "Cover's gonna spread pretty thin pretty soon."

"Then it's best we keep a distance from the shoreline and use what we can, keep ourselves low and away from any openings as best as we can."

"Alright, sounds like a plan." Andrew said. "Tell the men it's time to move out. I'll get in touch with Gateway and tell them the news."

As Andrew and Viktor turned around they saw how essentially everyone had taken up to refilling their canteens with the fresh water of the stream, and saw how they had nonchalantly dumped the slightly irradiated water on the ground next to some plants. Andrew became mildly irritated at the sight, speculating that the small traces of radiation in their water probably killed god knows how many plants.

"Great, less than a day has past and mankind's already destroying the new world in his ignorance." Andrew mumbled.

"Eh, let em' have this moment. It's not like it's nuclear bomb level radiation, no real harm done." Viktor suggested, before following up him a bit of morbid humor. "Besides it's in our nature."

"That may be true. But this planet is our second chance, we can't fuck it over like we did Earth."

"Andrew, that's not going to happen. When people start seeing this place they'll safeguard it like a mother's newborn. Nobody's going to exploit this place to ruin."

Andrew was confident in his friend's statement, but he was still worried. People would no doubt want to keep this world the way it was, perceiving it as pure and untouched by hardship. But at the same time, the world could no doubt provide mankind with the means to rebuild what it lost, even if meant doing so by not-so-ethical means. But that concern would most likely come much, much, later. Probably even past his time as Commander.
The moment it looked like the last one of his men had finished refilling their canteens was the moment Andrew gave the order to continue onward as he followed up on calling Gateway to inform Bradford of their recent discovery.

"Gateway this is Osaka 1." Andrew relayed

"*Commander, this is Gateway, go ahead.*" Bradford replied.

"Gateway, the trail takes a turn southwest, running alongside a natural stream of water. Seems to travel about two three or four clicks downhill from where we're standing. The tracks run along the left shoreline, but due to a lack of cover we're going to keep a good distance away from it."

"*Natural water? My God, Sawyer.*"

"Yeah, I know. Bet Councilor Yeong's gonna have a field day." 

"*Are you kidding me? The fact that he'll be able to grow food and have access to clean water might just give his entire branch hope for the future! Those poor sods are usually a pretty sad bunch, but this. Oh! This will give them hope. Anyways, I suggest you proceed carefully, though it seems you've already taken that into account. Report back should anything new arise, Gateway out.*"




Another hour passed as they walked alongside the stream's path. The forest gradually began to space out, with less and less trees surrounding their immediate area. After about forty minutes the path eventually led them to the edge of the expansive forest and into a large,open, and grassy plain.

"Finally! I was beginning to think that forest would never end." Lamond cried out.

"*Keep your voice down!*" Sarah barked in a hushed tone. "*We could be coming across their hideout at any second. It'd probably be helpful if we could find it without alerting them to our presence.*"

"*Oh, right.*" Lamond said. "*Sorry Sarge.*"

Meanwhile, up in the front, Andrew, Viktor, and the remaining members of Wolfpack were deciphering a way to proceed. The grass itself was maybe about knee deep, not even close to concealing them if they stood upright. Looking around, he saw the edge of the forest, spanning across several miles to the southwest. A very steep mountain range far off in the distance was clearly visible from where he was standing. It's grey rocky exterior and snow-capped top was a sight to behold for sure, but one for a later time. Looking at the grassy plain again, he wondered how they were going to get through it unseen with a large hill upward obscuring the view ahead of them. They could crawl the rest of the way, but he wouldn't know for how long. Not to mention that everyone's backpacks would be poking out over the top of the grass, easily giving away their position. Andrew was stumped.

"Anyone got any ideas?" he asked.

Everyone was quiet as they tried to brainstorm a solution. It then looked like Nate, of all people, had an idea, and didn't even tell anyone what it was before getting straight to work. Kneeling down and taking off his backpack, he hastily opened it, quickly pulling out a portable military grade computer terminal and gaining everybody's attention in the process.

"What do you have, Wolf 4?" Andrew asked.

Nate let his actions speak for themselves. When he pulled out an object with four small propellers, each attached to a long yet thin arm that connected to a soft-ball sized sphere of metal and plexiglass and placed it on the ground, Andrew immediately recognized what it was and what Nate had in mind.

"A RARD?(Remote Aerial Reconnaissance Drone)" Andrew said

"Oh ya. This thing's quieter than a church mouse and just as hard to spot as one." said Nate.

"I'll vouch for it being quiet, but hard to spot? I don't think so."

"Well hate to break it to you, sir, but I'm about to prove you wrong."

Nate proceeded to open the bulky terminal and turn it on. Upon activation, the screen lit up, running several series of diagnostics before booting up its systems. Nate took the RARD in hand and opened a small panel at the top of its spherical center, revealing a collapsible outlet and a few tiny switches. Flipping a series of small switches and raising the small adapter outlet, Nate then went back into his backpack, pulling out some sort of makeshift device that resembled the shape of a hockey puck, with some sort of lenses completely encompassing its rounded surface. Andrew caught a glimpse of its underbelly, revealing a plug that matched the RARD's outlet port. Nate plugged it in and went back to the terminal, which had just finished all of its pre-activation startup procedures and was now awaiting user input. Nate went to work quickly, typing in several command lines on the keyboard with a quickened pace. Soon, the command code box began to condense to a smaller window in the upper right corner, while the rest of the screen began to project live feed from the RARD, which transmitted feed in the form of a 360 degree optical view. At the moment, the only thing that could be seen on the screen was a close up of the ground and a shot of everyone's feet. He then entered another line of code in the console box, and before pressing the "enter" he turned to say a one more word to Andrew.

"Behold."

As he tap his finger down on the button, A series of hexagonal distortions projected from the puck-device. One-by-one, the distortions encompassed the entirety of the RARD in a reflective camouflage that adapted visually according to its surroundings. Andrew and the rest of Fireteam Osaka were left stunned.

"A cloaking device? That's impressive." Andrew complimented. "Never heard of anything of the sort being mass produced. You make it yourself?"

"Indeed I did. Based off some prototype designs we bagged in Beijing a few years back. Comes in very handy whenever we're scouting unknown territory. Despite dear Asami's best efforts, sometimes a bird's eye view is what it takes to do the job discretely."

Asami rolled her eyes, simply ignoring the statement before giving out a rebuttal.

"Always eager to show off your toys." she said with a sarcastic smirk.

"How's the quality on that little thing?" Sarah asked.

"Well if it's video quality you're referring to the feed comes in at about 720, makes the standardized feed drones from the early 21st century look like an IBM computer in comparison."

"So visual tracking shouldn't be a problem." Andrew said.

"Nope, and just in case it is, the camera on this puppy also filters in thermal and infrared night-vision." Nate explained, flipping through each view mode on the terminal as he listed them off. "One way or another we'll be able to follow trail."

Andrew, satisfied with Nathan's plan, saw no reason to delay any further.

"Alright then, let her rip Lieutenant."

"With pleasure sir."

Switching back to normal feed, Nate only needed one more thing from his backpack, and the most important one too. As he retracted his hand from the confines of his bag, in his grasp was the channel radio used to control the RARD. Nate took the drone in hand, with the reflective camo distorting a bit as his skin made contact with it. Nate lifted his arm above his head so that it would have a clear lift off without having to worry about the propeller blades doing any damage to his face or extremities. As he turned the radio on, several LED indicator lights flashed green across it's surface, with a small screen towards the bottom of its face displaying a series of numbers that calculated wind speed as well as its elevation in accordance with the ground. Nate began manipulating one of the sticks and the RARD revved up to full speed in a matter of seconds. Nate let go as the RARD hover in the spot his hand had placed it in. The sound was no louder than desk fan, and was key to this little gadget's stealth capabilities.

"Okay, let's get this puppy at 100 ft and have a look around shall we." He said in a slow and preoccupied manner, trying to get the radio and terminal situated to his liking.

Andrew ordered Jelani and Hale to stand guard while he and the others huddled around the monitor, much to the dismay of Nate, who was feeling a bit crowded at the moment. 
Once he reached the desired height, Nate went back to the command box, typing in the command to activate yet another function. Another window popped on the screen, down in the upper left corner of the screen, displaying a more condensed version of the video only it was constantly cycling through several different video and scanning filters. He then plugged a small flash-drive sized device into one of the terminal's ports.

"What are you doing now?" Andrew asked.

"I'm having the drone taking scans. It'll record and save everything it's made visual contact with on the hard drive I just plugged and route the data to the memory component on my HUD-set. That way we'll have a map of the area up ahead to work with."

"Nice thinking Nate." Viktor said.

"I try my best." He gloated.

"Didn't seem that way when you were supposed to scrub the local comm line." Asami brought up.

Nate gave her a dissatisfied look as she gave him a shit-eating grin.

"How long till it's complete?" Andrew asked.

"Eh, that's iffy. Conversion process of video feed to map scan has about a two to ten second delay for every frame per second. It really all boils down to what's being processed how long the drone's out there for. Let's just say we wouldn't want it out there for more than an hour, else we'd be waiting all night."

"Well map or no map, we might just have to. It's still daylight out and even if we try to be stealthy, we'd could risk being spotted." Viktor said. "The cover of night gives us a better window to proceed."

"Colonel's right. And judging from what I see, this plain goes on for awhile. So let's get this show on the road. Lieutenant, go ahead and begin."

Nate went to work without delay, and with the press of the stick, proceeded to send the drone forward. The first five minutes of flight proved to be very stagnant visually, as the grassy plain stretched across for quite some distance like Andrew predicted. the 360 optical view was a bit disorienting, but effective in capturing a wide radius. It was then that glimpses of distant formations could be seen, with most of their mass being concealed behind the rolling hills. Andrew managed to spot as soon as it came up, and ultimately decided to have the drone focus in on them

"Adjust the camera angle to forty-five degrees, full-frontal view." Andrew promptly ordered.

Nate complied, typing another command and then using the set of arrow keys to adjust the camera lens. The camera rotated ninety degrees and panned upward. Now the forms had become more distinct. Unlike the green of the grass, these forms looked to be gold, brown, and beige.

"What is that?" Viktor asked.

"We're abut to find out. Lieutenant, Increase speed and make your way over those hills, I wanna get a good look at these things."

"Roger."

Nate adjusted the sticks on the radio, effectively increasing the drone's speed. The drone approached closer and closer, and the distant shapes were now becoming distinguishable. When the drone had one of them in clear view, it turned out to be some sort of housing construction. Rather archaic, with its thatch roof, but somewhat pleasant to the eyes with its exterior outer paneling of beige and dark brown. Once they saw another, just like it, and another, everyone knew the moment of truth had finally arrived. An overwhelming, almost burning, curiosity struck in with Andrew and the others.

"Stop the drone." Andrew ordered.

Nate halted the drone's advance, and the device now hovered at 100 ft in the air overlooking the shapes from less than half a kilometer away, giving them a clear view of what lay before them on their journey. On the screen, was an expansive settlement stretching for at least 1 mile in every direction, complete with multiple buildings, dirt roads, and the stream encountered earlier running right through it. Several sights, either within the settlement itself or located on the outskirts were seen as well.
On the northern outskirts of the village looked to be some sort of large plantation, spanning several acres wide and filled to the brink with some sort of crop tree. In the center of the village was a large cylindrical building, making it the second-largest structure in town. The largest, and most noticeable building however had to be the large crystalline spire at the village's western edge, towering over the settlement with a magnificent brilliance.

"Christ almighty, It's a goddamn beehive." Sarah stated.

"Or something of the like." Hale added. "You think that's where Berfield is?"

"Even if it's not, he had to have at least come through here. The tracks lead right into town." Nate said.

"Meaning that's where he found his new friends." Viktor said. 

"I'm curious as to what his new friends are." Andrew stated. "Lieutenant, lower elevation to 60 ft and continue your approach. Nice and easy."

Nate, slowly yet steadily, propelled the RARD forward, careful to make it as slow and inconspicuous as to not gain anything's attention. As it closed the distance, faint traces of movement began to emerge on screen. Tiny blurs of varying colors gradually became more detailed as the drone got in closer. The drone was now less than fifty yards away from the outskirts of town, and the first forms of alien life that were visible sat on a bench together on the outskirts of town. Upon closer inspection, Andrew actually felt a twinge of confusion and disbelief at what he was seeing. 
On the bench sat two forms of equine, with very rounded heads, large eyes, technicolor manes, tails, and coats, at an estimated size of 3 feet in height and length. The one on the left sat on it's bottom, almost like a human would, with a coat of bright mint and a mane of cyan with white streaks, styled rather short with a horn protruding through the strands of hair. The one on the right rested on both sets of legs, as a normal four-legged species would. Its coat was a sandy beige with a mane of pigment blue with a rose pink streak, and unlike the one beside it, this one lacked a horn entirely. The sight seemed very adolescent in the eyes of Andrew, and he wasn't the only one to share this viewpoint.

"So, the aliens Tim encountered and the dominant lifeforms are............small technicolor horses?" Sarah stated.

"You know, after spending an entire day following their tracks I was expecting something a bit more, breath-taking. Little underwhelming, huh." Lewis said.

"I knew they'd be quadrupeds but, I dunno, I was expecting like maybe something a little more...........alien. It's just a horse." Lamond said.

"How advanced do you think these things are?" Hale asked.

"Well, considering how they managed to build both this entire town and that giant sparkling monstrosity at the edge of it, I'd say advanced enough to be worrying."

"They are hideous." Jelani said. "No doubt Berfield was terrified into submission upon his first encounter."

"Ah, C'mon, I think they look kinda cute." Asami argued. "Besides, I thought we already shot down the prisoner theory. Plus, they don't seem that dangerous."

"Looks can be deceiving." Jelani stated.

"I know you always make a habit of preparing for the worst, 5, but I really don't think we'll have too much trouble with these guys."

"If Berfield was captured by these things I'm losing any respect I had for him." Ahab declared.

"Same." Lamond concurred.

"Hey, look at the screen. their lips are moving. I think they're talking to each other." Sarah observed.

Achmed up to this point had remained silent through the whole conversation. His thoughts had been concentrated on the bigger picture and the mission objective as a whole How were they going to find Tim?

"Do you think they know where Tim is?" Achmed asked.

A short silence ensued before an answer came up.

"That's gonna be hard to find out." Andrew said.



"Mmmm...Well, that's not entirely the case." Nate argued. "This Drone also comes with a directional microphone built in. Never had any use for it in the past, but it could help us figure out what they're saying. But we gotta get close."

"How close?" Andrew asked.

"Less-than-ten-yards-close."

Andrew gave the idea some thought. Having the drone approach that close was risky, but at the same time manageable. The worst that could happen was that they could hear the propellers of the drone, but the risk of it being spotted was next to none with Nate's camouflage unit installed. Before Andrew could give the go-ahead Viktor brought up a pretty good point.

"And what makes you think they'll speak a language we can understand?" he asked.

That argument almost shut the whole idea down had Achmed not added input that contradicted it.

"Well, Tim had to have communicated with them somehow." Achmed argued. "How else would he have been able to lead them to his point of entry?"

"Hand signals perhaps? Maybe some sort of universal method of communicating?" Viktor suggested.

"Universal or not, we really don't have anything to lose by eavesdropping do we?" Andrew asked. 

"Except the drone, if its noticed that is." Nate informed.

"Then make it your job not to get spotted. Go ahead and activate audio feedback."

Nate gave a nod of confirmation and went to the command screen to type in the corresponding code. Another small window appeared at the bottom right corner of the screen. On it was a simple black and white audio visualizer. Soon the terminal's speakers began to emit sound. As of now, the only thing that could be heard was the rustle of the wind at 60 ft in the air. Nate went back and picked up the drone's radio, and the RARD began to descend, closing in on the two equines.
Andrew and the others watched anxiously as the creatures gradually became larger and larger on screen. The rough sound of the breeze had subsided and was now replaced with quieter sounds of birds chirping and faint sounds of civilization in the distance. The conversation was faint and undecipherable from the drone's current fifteen yard distance from them. Nate slowly approached closer, each yard yielding a slower and slower rate of speed as to not gain their attention. At ten yards the conversation suddenly became audible, and everybody stayed silent to listen in on what they had to say.

"*.........................................Amazing! I can't believe how amazing that was! To finally meet the actual proof of my life's work! An actual human!*" the mint colored unicorn said in an undeniably feminine voice filled to the brink with excitement.

"*Geez Lyra, calm down already. It's been over a day since you met the hooman and you haven't stopped talking about it!*" The beige equine uttered in annoyance, also uniquely feminine. "*I get it, you've spent a lot of time over this conspiracy and then it turned out to be true, but still, take a breather already.*"

The group stood there, jaws dropped and eyes wide at what they were seeing and hearing. 

"Holy shit, they speak English?" Ahab stated.

"And they know where Tim is." Achmed noted.

"And they know what a human is? What else do they know?" Viktor said.

"Shh! Quiet." Andrew snapped, as everybody's attention was taken back to the two aliens talking.

"*How can I Bon Bon? I only got to scratch the surface of all the questions I wanted to ask him before he had to go back with Princess Twilight to the castle.*"

"*Lyra, I think some of the questions you asked him might have frightened him off.*"

"*Pfft! That's ridiculous.*"

"*Well I know for a fact if somepony I didn't know had asked me how long I can last in bed, I'd be darting off in a heartbeat!*"

That little bit of information easily invoked a variety of reactions out of the humans watching. Andrew shaking his head in a disapproving manner. Ahab and Lamond were on the verge of embracing their inner juvenile delinquency and had to refrain from laughing. Jelani had maintained an unamused expression complete with a large frown, but suddenly let a devilish grin grow across his face before leaning over to Asami, who's face reddened up a bit.

"*Still think they're cute now?*" he whispered.

Asami just gave him an angry glare as he leaned back, letting out a light chuckle before turning his attention back to the conversation between the two aliens.

"*Hey, it was purely for scientific reasons!*" Lyra defended.

"*It was weird, Lyra. And I mean really weird. We really need to improve your social skills.*"

After about ten minutes of listening to the two argue over trivial matters, Andrew could see the conversation had provided all the information they were going to get out of these two.

"Okay, Lieutenant we've heard enough. Pull back and increase elevation back to 60 ft." he ordered.

Nate complied without hesitation, pulling away from the two equines and deactivating the audio in the process. As the RARD overlooked the town once again, Andrew remembered what the unicorn had said about her encounter with the human, who Andrew could only guess was Berfield, and how another one of these equines had taken him to a castle. His eyes and thoughts were immediately turned to the giant castle structure to the west. 

"Orders, sir?" Nate asked.

"Do a full scan of the area leading up to the large structure to the west. As of now, our best bet of finding Berfield is inside that castle."

Nate went to work navigating the drone as requested, as Andrew turned around to address the others.

"Alright, let's clear some things up. As of now, we carry out this mission in stealth. As far as these "ponies" are concerned, you're a ghost, you don't exist. Judging from what we just heard it seems they already have basic knowledge of what a human is. But our job isn't to go about investigating, our job is to get Berfield home. We can't let these things know we're here under any circumstances. And I can't stress that enough. If we're spotted it can have irreversible consequences."

Andrew's tone of voice up to this point had been straight to the point, but it took a sudden change to urgency to really hit it home.

"This place is a prayer that so many back home have wished for their entire lives. One way or another, mankind's future will be determined by what we do here, and it would be easier to do that if we didn't instigate hostilities with the locals. Judging from the conversation we dropped in on, it seems like Berfield's held up in that castle to west. Once the RARD's finished with the map, we make our way there under the cover of night. When that happens, I want complete silence unless told otherwise. Is that clear!"

"Yes sir." they all replied.

"Good. While Wolf 4 is busy with the map I suggest that the rest of you take the opportunity to get some sleep now. You sure as hell won't be getting any tonight." 

Taking a hint that his "suggestion" was more along the lines of an order, they soon broke off to do just that.

"Ten yards between all of you. Should something come across us, we need to get the jump on them first, leave our total number a mystery. The Colonel and I have first watch. Osaka 2 and Wolf 6, you two will take over in four hours. Dismissed."

With that Andrew reached up to his HUD-set, ready to make the call to Gateway. Before he did. He looked onward, contemplating everything they had just learned. He would be encountering another form of intellegent life, and when he said that over and over again in his head it only served to make the situation seem even more of a landmark in human history. But he supposed that honor went to Berfield. In the back of his mind, he was hoping for an easy resolution to all of this. If these things were in fact non-hostile, how would they react when mankind would just suddenly move in? He didn't think about it long when out of nowhere a hand landed on his shoulder. Almost jumping, he turned to see it was Viktor.

"Hey, you alright man?" Viktor asked.

Andrew recollected his thoughts, realizing he had been standing there for about thirty seconds doing nothing.

"I'm fine." Andrew "Just processing a lot of things right now."

"Heh, you and me both man. So how long do you think your talk with Bradford is going to be?" Viktor asked.

Andrew gave it some thought, and came back with one sentence.

"With everything we just found out? Long."

Andrew then pressed the call button.
> Chapter 21: Infiltration
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Darkness approaches and takes root in the star covered sky, yet unlike the sinister nights of the wasteland, this night feels soothing, restful, relaxing. These twelve stare in awe at the sight, as it had never once been witnessed by any of them. They ponder how such things could be seen, twinkling lights of stars pushing through the countless layers of atmosphere. The light in this darkness would prove to be vital, as it would pave the way for their endeavor. The Darkness that would come as a result of it however, would provide no such luxury..........................................................................





It had been four hours since nightfall had cast its shadow upon this world, and with it came a surprising star-filled spectacle. As the gradual fade to darkness came about, constellations of bright stars and faint hues of auroras mixed with the presence of a crescent moon made the sight one to behold. Everyone could only look at what was once only told through stories by those fortunate enough to have lived in the pre-war days, back when the nights held more than just the eerie and ominous black. While it was quite the eye-catcher, Andrew wasn't completely ensnared by its visual appeal. He had to stress more than once for everyone remain vigilant of their surroundings, and reminding them that the mission could begin at any minute, if the natives would go to bed anytime soon that was.

A few hours prior, Andrew and Viktor had both agreed to wait for the ideal opportunity to proceed, which would ultimately come about when the majority of the village inhabitants were mostly asleep. Nate had finished scouting the settlement, and upon his completion, Andrew ordered to have him use the RARD to provide a bird's eye view of the entire town, getting a perfect sense of when the opportune time to make their approach would come. The drone's resolution made it easy to see light peering out of every window in sight, but things had been rather slow for some time. The first two hours saw no change in activity, quite the opposite in fact when they saw that street lanterns had been lit up for passer-by's to go to and fro as they pleased. However, another hour had past and the activity dropped slightly, as some of the larger buildings at the center of town, followed by a few upon the outskirts had shut their lights off. He also noted a significant decrease in street activity, with less and less ponies taking to the streets, instead opting to go inside to no doubt retire for the day.

Andrew wouldn't have time to wait the entire night to oversee what the activity situation was, as just after four hours had passed, both he and Viktor were relieved of first watch by Harris and Lewis. That had been two hours ago, and the short time he had available for some rest went by unused. The constant reflection of his current situation and the discussion he had with Bradford had kept him awake. 

He recalled some the more refined details of the exchange. Bradford went outright ecstatic, letting his inner curiosity burst into the form of about a million different questions. Andrew did his best to divert the conversation back to the subject of the mission, only to have it derail onto one of many questions his scientific counterpart had for him. He answered what questions he could, as Bradford no doubt took notes on everything that was discovered, down to the minute details. Once that was done Andrew conveyed what his team's course of action would be. When that subject came around Bradford was hesitant to give the green light, as he still realized just how precarious the situation would be should Andrew and his team be spotted, or worse, caught. But he would have to just pray that wouldn't happen, as he ultimately supported Andrew's COA, giving the rescue team the proper clearance to proceed. 

Now all that was left was carrying the task out without the worst possible scenario playing out. And with each passing minute the anxiety of it all only grew. Whether he wished it or not, this mission would play a factor in determining humanity's fate. He could only pray it could play out without a conflict. The last thing mankind needed was another war, something every human being could and most likely would agree to. It might have been twenty years since the end of the Conflict, but the scars and the impact it left had never gone away. The Earth had been torn apart, scorched, and rendered uninhabitable by the fires of nuclear war, and as a result they transformed its once lush surface into a crumbling, desolate, and irradiated hellhole. Entire species of plants and animals had been either wiped out or warped into viscous monsters. In the fact the only two remaining pre-war species were man and the cockroach, both prevailing simply from their stubbornness. 

That stubbornness would thrive here. It had been brought up before multiple times by some of the men and Bradford, but the beauty of this world was something he could scarce describe. No doubt Berfield felt the same way when he came here. This was not only a world man could rebuild and prosper, but it was world he wished for his family, more specifically, his child grow up and be raised in. Nothing would please him more than the prospect of sparing Jake and the future generations from the harsh wasteland.

Thoughts of Jake's face when he would set his first sights upon this place made Andrew smile. With that in mind, Andrew's anxiety was temporarily replaced with joyous excitement, something he hadn't felt in years. And this was real excitement, not just the one he felt when Jess promised to "relieve stress" when he returned home, this was excitement, nay, eagerness for what the future would bring. Jake knew only the world as it was, a land of danger, a world of suffering where one had to give it all he got to survive. He wa still very young, and although he knew that humanity was responsible for the destruction, Andrew awaited the day he would have to tell his boy that he had a hand in it with bitter sorrow. It would no doubt mark an end to his son's innocence, and open his eyes to the mistakes of his forefathers. But this was a world Jake deserved to grow up in, one that offered a brighter future for both him and the generations to come, without paying the price of what he and the generations before him had inflicted upon the Earth. 

Andrew was beginning to think how his wife, Jessica would react to this place. She'd either burst into a state of joy, tears, or both upon seeing this place, she had always been one for the dramatics of life, in her words it kept things interesting. But thoughts of her reaction to this world soon changed to her reaction to when she found out what he had done to discover it. Anticipation of a well-heated scolding would await him upon his return, and when Jess got angry, she became a force to be reckoned with. Hell hath no fury compared to a woman's scorn as they say. It had happened several times through the entirety their relationship, and he knew the process by heart at this point. First she'd blow up at him holding nothing back, berate him, shun him for an extended period of time until he apologized, she'd give him the cold shoulder, but eventually get over it. However recently, he noticed how she had managed to hold herself back from the usual method of backlash, around the time when Jake was born. 

Despite knowing what was in store for him, he would go into it knowing he had at least secured mankind's future, in some way, shape, or form. The concerns of his domestic life would have to come second, well after this mission reached its conclusion. For now, Andrew's primary concern was his method for proceeding. Once the town fell silent, or silent enough for a stealthy approach, they'd first make their way to the large structure at the center of town, where he would have Asami and Ahab infiltrate the building and make their way to the top to provide overwatch. Another set of eyes would help, as he could have Nate focus on directing them in and out while the two snipers could call out any targets they see. Once those two got into position, he'd take both teams and direct them to the primary AO, the large castle structure on the western side of the settlement. Nate would stay behind and provide aerial surveillance while they were inside, with Jelani staying behind to watch his six. Andrew was certain that he was a capable soldier, but to quote what Viktor had mentioned when coming up with the plan, Jelani is the worst choice for anything stealth related. 

Thoughts soon turned to their main objective. If Berfield was there like those two natives suggested, Andrew would want him extracted quickly and quietly. If everyone did their job right, they could be in and out before these things knew they were there. Deep thought slowly died away in Andrew's mind, as sleep overtook his body. The Star-filled night gave way to pitch darkness, as his eyelids overcame with the heavy sense of rest that had grown over the long haul of today's journey.







A swirling consciousness of thoughts floated perspectives around in an oblivious nature. No structure, no from. These things that would once be attributed to such moments is to be expected, if not routine in this state between realities. But somehow, it was different. He felt tired, exhausted, exerted, out of breath, and in pain. Around him swirling vortexes of grey and black flowed around in a dizzy and disoriented nature. Occasional streaks of fiery red and orange would strike out at them, just missing his body by a margin of inches. All that can be heard is the low-pitched hum. But suddenly, certain words become audible, but not those that come of a natural source. They were ghostly, as if a spirit had murmured them with the passing of the wind. Though they seemed to lack a source, they are as clear as daylight.

"What did you do exactly?" A feminine voice asks.

Suddenly into fruition, his voice answers, without his mouth moving so much as an inch.

"I don't want to speak about it. It's best it stay that way." 

The query as to how this was happening was suddenly replaced by the startling nature of what began to transpire around him. The once disfigured vortexes become less and less prominent, slowly winding down and forming distinct shapes. He suddenly felt a sense of connection with the body, which laid in a kneeling state over the slain.

His vision is hazed, blurry, disoriented, and cloudy. But it didn't take an unnatural clarity to know that whatever substance that soaked his hands sent an overwhelming shock of horror within. He desperately searches for the source. He finds himself in an equally frightening, if not morally conflicted state. Laying beneath him, lay the soul that brutally had the life taken from him. His dark contorted face bent in ways that were perceived as unnatural and mutilated.

All around, the ferocity of what had to be battle continued its relentless blow upon the Earth. He began to panic, as he was unable to distinguish friend or foe from the shadowy figures that charged at one another. They lashed out at one another, some resorting to the brutality of melee, others casting the fiery red streaks that killed in an instant. Is this real? He asked himself. Is this reality? Are we dead? Is this God's punishment for us? Was it truly worth it? Did it have to be this way? The voices prior return, blotting out the monotonous hum that echoed from all around.

"Andrew, it's okay, it's over, we can talk it about it."

"I said no Jess. I know you've had your share of suffering, we all have. But you don't know what it's like to cause it."

Suddenly, he felt the sudden urge to turn around, as yet another figure charged directly towards him. He acted quickly, disposing of his attacker with such an unnatural lag to his movements, as if time had slowed down. The shade did not bleed, not at first, and as soon as his attacker dropped to the ash covered ground, two more appeared on the hill above him. He determined they were too far to dispose in the same manner as the one prior, and searched for an alternative solution. Time slowed once again. Taking advantage of the moment, his hand grasped something that felt familiar to the hand as the touch of another. He released it from its anchor, and in doing so, made him capable of neutralizing his foes. The two fell as the first. And suddenly, he felt the need to direct his attention elsewhere.

"Andrew.............."

"You don't need to worry yourself about it, okay. It's in the past, I promise."

Time gained traction, as events began to speed up. The shadows were essentially blurs now, rushing past him with such speed, charging headlong to their awaiting demise. He felt the need to follow suit. As he began to take his steps forward he found himself as one of the many rushing towards a universal goal, now standing a short distance away from the only towering structure left standing. Was that why they were here? They sent us here, for what? They sent us to die!?

"The one thing you said when we started out was that we need to learn to trust each other. Do you not trust me enough? Are you afraid of what I'll think? Whatever you did in the past doesn't have any hold on the man you are now and regardless of what it is Andy, I promise it won't change my feelings toward you." 

"....................Maybe one day Jess......................just not today."

Anger, betrayal, fear, these were the emotions that spread through his soul. He shouted at the others, begging, pleading them to turn around. To no avail, they either refused to listen or were too entrenched in the moment to do so. At the same time, turning around would earn him death from his allies. One body, one motive.

"Well........................................if you feel more comfortable that way, fine. Just promise me there's no more secrets."

"I promise...................I love you."

The voices of two lovers echoed for the last time before a new, dreadful sound became all the more apparent. As if caused by an avalanche, death began to rain from the sky, its source, no doubt what lied ahead of them. What lied ahead could only bring death and misfortune. Perhaps it was better this way. Yes. Perhaps, the end would make it all meaningless. What was the point? Revenge? Getting even? Settling the score? What was the point if the world had nothing to fall back to? His existence was meaningless in the end. They would never be able to break this constant state of conflict. The world had died, perhaps it was time he did too. Any means of fighting were abandoned, and he simply stood in place, awaiting for the end to descend upon him. It then all stopped, as if time had simply paused. All around the shadows took human forms. Black figures with no face, no identity, but his did.

All was quiet, until a faint yet eerily noticeable sound emanated behind him. He turned around, and what shocked him most wasn't the fact that time had froze, but that the figure whose state could easily be described as both sorrow and fear combined, differed from anything he had seen so far. He couldn't peer out any detail, other than the almost harmonious night blue hue that surrounded it. This specter was.................crying? Suddenly the reality surrounding him began to fade, giving way to darkness as conciseness returned to his mind. Before he slipped from his slumbering state, he heard last word that came from the mouth of a woman utterly unknown to him.



"..................Liar..................."







Andrew woke up in shock, with his heart pounding non-stop in his chest. His mind was scrambling for answers as to what just happened. He looked around, and found himself against a tree on the edge of the forest, with most of his team still asleep. The events preceding this point of the mission instantly resurfaced in his head, and he found minor comfort in knowing that he was back in the real world. He pondered on what he just experienced, and was convinced that that couldn't have been a dream. The place, the event, it struck him as familiar, but he couldn't quite place what it was.

After about a minute or two of recollecting his thoughts, he began to come around. Maybe it was just a dream, albeit one he had never experienced in such vague interpretation. Andrew slowly but assuredly recuperated from the experience, just barely managing to brush it aside once he realized that the events within it held no meaningful sway. 

Finally managing to not think about it any longer, he took another gander around. He suddenly overheard Harris, Nate, and Humphrey exchange words in hushed tones over by the terminal. Andrew had a feeling he knew what was up. Once Lewis began to walk over towards him Andrew wasted no time in meeting him halfway. 

"Sir." Lewis addressed.

"What do you have, Wolf 6?" Andrew asked.

"Town's all quiet, sir. Last light went out about five minutes ago. Place is completely dark."

"Even the street lights."

"Yes, sir. Everything."

Andrew walked up to the terminal to see for himself. He looked at the monitor, and sure enough, the town rested in complete darkness like Lewis had informed. Now was the time. and there was no time to lose, he knew they'd need every minute. Andrew immediately went to work having Harris and Lewis make the rounds to wake everyone up. Time was given beforehand to prep, and thus everyone was fully prepared to move out hours prior.

Despite this, Andrew felt the need to go over the procedure one last time before they set out. The group was beckoned to form a huddle as Andrew went over the details.

"Okay here's how we're gonna do this. Wolf 4, you'll stay behind and use the RARD to lead us through the village. Wolf 5, you're in charge of watching his back."

Jelani wasn't too happy that he'd was being ordered to stay behind, but understood why. Stealth really wasn't his forte, and the weapons and equipment he brought along would only prove to complicate a stealth role. Andrew continued.

"Everyone else is gonna follow behind me, 2-3 meter spacing. Once we reach the outskirts, everyone fall in, keep close, and stay away from open areas. Stick the sides of buildings if you have to. Our first objective is the structure at the center of town. From there, we'll assess the situation and proceed onto the primary structure to the west. Wolf 3, Osaka 4, if able, we may need you two to provide overwatch on the top of that cylindrical structure."

"I'm guessing we'll be using that center structure as our sniper's nest?" Asami asked.

"Precisely. Other than our primary location of interest, it towers over everything in town, giving you two the best view possible."

"Alright, but that may be an issue if there's occupants inside." she said.

"That may be." Andrew stated. "But considering how everything else in town went quiet it's a safe guess that whoever was in there did as well. If not, well, we'll just have to think of something else."

"Climb a roof maybe?" Ahab suggested.

"Maybe." Asami conceded.

"Back on track people." Andrew said bringing the conversation back to how they were to proceed. "Like pretty much everything up to this point, we can only speculate how much time we have left till the sun rises. So we need to work fast. Clear?"

The group gave affirmative replies, and at that moment, Andrew clicked the call button on his HUD-set to give Gateway the update.

"Gateway, this is Osaka 1."

"*This is Gateway, go ahead Osaka 1.*"

"Gateway, the settlement has gone dark. Break. Visual on any native subjects has ceased over the last hour. Fireteams Wolfpack and Osaka are on standby, ready to move in to extract the target. Permission to proceed? Over."

"*Affirmative, Osaka 1, you have the green light to proceed. Primary objective remains the same, locate and extract target Bravo and bring him back to your point of entry. Exercise extreme caution, take any steps necessary to stay out of sight. Gateway out.*"

"Copy, Osaka 1, out."

Andrew turned to the men, switching the safety off on his gun. This encouraged the others to do the same. With one quick look and a slight smug smile, he voiced one last sentence before beginning their approach.

"Showtime folks."







The blissful night sky did its job in covering their approach, although by this point, many in the company were almost certain that the natives would have little to no reason to be out here this late to begin with. Regardless the cover was welcomed. The darkness did very little to deter their sense of direction as the Night-Vision display on everyone's HUD-set made every detail of the grassy plain clear-as-day. 

Both fireteams had maintained a solid box formation during their approach, one proceeding the other as they made their way forward. The time it took to reach the outskirts of the settlement was about twenty minutes, with no hiccups or obstacles of any sort impeding their progress. 

The town was quiet as could be, and Andrew preferred it stay that way. Andrew gave a series of hand signals for both Fireteams to stack up and take cover at the closest structure, which happened to be small gazebo. They now stood just less than twenty yards away from the eastern outskirts. Andrew wasn't fond of staying in this spot for too long, as the gazebo did little to conceal themselves. He quickly got in contact with Nate so he could hurry things along.

"*Wolf 4, this is Osaka 1, do you read, over.*" Andrew said in a hushed tone.

"*Coming in Loud and clear, sir.*" Nate replied.

"*Is the RARD in position?*"

All of a sudden the RARD appeared out of stealth mode five feet from where Andrew was standing, hovering at about eye-level.

"*Standing by and awaiting your orders, sir.* Nate replied.

"*You wanna take that kind of risk, leaving it out of stealth mode like that?*" Andrew asked.

"*The night alone should be able to mask its movements. Besides, the stealth mode drains the battery. We've got about 6 more hours of use without it.*"

"*And with it on?*"

"*About 2.*"

"*I see. Anyways, I need you adjust the RARD to an overhead elevation of 25 ft and guide us towards the large cylindrical structure at the town's center. Open a secondary feed and set it to thermal, warn us of any approaching threats entering our AO. Over.*"

"*Copy that, Commander. Increasing elevation to 25 ft.*" Nate relayed, sending the RARD up in the air to the desired point. "*Secondary thermal feed is now active.*"

"*Any signatures?*" Andrew asked.

"*Negative. I'm getting a few faint readings from the lampposts that went out, but other than that the drone's not picking anything up. Coast looks clear, Osaka 1.*"

"*Copy, Wolf 4, Lead us through.*"

"*Roger that.*"

Andrew motioned for the men to follow, and they swiftly, yet cautiously approached the outskirts of town. They filed out from behind the gazebo in a tight knit staggered column, with Ahab, Lamond, and Harris watching the rear, Achmed and Lewis, covering the left side, while Sarah and Asami covered the right. Viktor, Hale, and Andrew led the group forward, watching for any signs of movement through the green filter of their NV setting. They soon found themselves on the side of a street, or whatever counted as the equivalent to one in this world. Passing the first structure to their right, Nate came back on the comms to provide their route.

"*Coming up on the first turn Osaka 1.*" Nate informed. "*You'll want to take a turn at the very end of the third building to your left. See it?*"

Andrew looked in an attempt to find it, and with little to no effort he did. The third building down to left was one of many that stretched in a slightly curved direction forward.

"*Copy Wolf 4, I see it.*"

"*There's an alleyway right along the right edge of the building, you'll need to take your team down it for about three quarters of a click. I'll direct you further once you've trekked that distance.*"

"*Copy.*"

Gun at the ready, he approached the entry point, stopping just before the structure ended, giving yield to the entry-point. He leaned out from his cover spot of the building, aiming his MTAR down the long narrow alleyway that stretched for quite some distance. Seeing there were no targets and no signs of movement, Andrew went back over the comms.

"*Wolf 4, where's this route take us?*" Andrew asked.

"*According to the map, this alley takes you at least halfway towards the center of town. It bypasses a lot of open street area, while still getting you to where ya need to go. But I need to warn ya to be careful. My guess is that these buildings might serve as housing units for the natives. Last thing ya need to do is go waking the neighbors.*"

"*Copy, Wolf 4, proceeding onward. Osaka 1, out.*"

Andrew lowered his weapon and gestured for the group to follow as he issued another command.

"*Single file. No sound. I'll take point.*"

The men stacked up behind him as instructed, and one by one, the group filed into through the alleyway in a single-file column. Though they were told to exercise caution, the team still managed to keep a steady pace, quick enough for it to be time-efficient but not so sporadic that it would give their position away in a heartbeat. The path ever-so-slightly curved to the right, and they ever-so-slowly found themselves curving inwards towards the settlement's center. They passed house after house, and after a while, many began to notice the luxuries each one could afford. Almost as if time had been rewound, the backyards held a variety of different oddities that drew parallels with the pre-war days. Patio furniture, personal flower gardens, and recreational constructions like pools and trampolines all but alluded that these natives had a life of comfort. Compared to humanity, they essentially had it easy. Some like Achmed and Asami, gazed upon these sights with slight optimism. Others, not so much, instead feeling slight traces of either envy or jealously.

Their trek towards the settlement's center was making decent time. But that all came to a screeching halt when a loud creaking noise penetrated the quiet nighttime sounds. To make matters worse, it was close by, less than ten meters at least. The Commander, quick as a whip, silently but quickly gave the order to hit the deck. Andrew dropped to a prone stance using a picket fence to the right as a means of cover. The boards of the fence were spaced a few inches from each other, giving Andrew a limited view of the yard next to him. Once again the silence was broken, this time by a transmission over the local comms.

"*Commander, I have eyes on a target coming out of the building to your immediate right, remain out of sight. RARD has locked on and standing by/*" Nate informed over the comm.

Andrew wasn't willing to risk giving his position away by replying back, knowing the target was so close. Suddenly the yard was lit into view, as an orange hue enveloped a radius around it. Everyone diverted more effort to be better concealed from that angle. Andrew was beginning to wonder if something had spotted them through one of the windows of the homes they passed. He adjusted himself to get a better view. Directing his eyes to the source of the light through one of the gaps in the fence, Andrew could see that a large shadow was cast along the home's exterior wall, indicating something was in close proximity to the source. Tracing back with his eye, he spotted the perpetrator. What he saw immediately confirmed Asami's theory about some of the natives having the ability to fly.

Hovering next to the lantern was what appeared to be a Pegasus, with a coat of light yellow coinciding with a much more vibrant mane of the same color. The pegasus however differed from the regular natives significantly, mainly due to its size. This one was small, just a little under a foot tall in height, leading many to speculate that this particular native either suffered from a rare case of dwarfism, or the more likely scenario that she was a child. She shook her head, effectively extinguishing the match in her mouth that she used to light the lantern with and spat it out into some sort of glass tray by the windowsill. She flew down and landed on the ground, approaching the central area of the backyard and closer to their position.

Everyone remained as still and motionless as a corpse. The lantern wasn't bright enough to completely give their position away but the slightest movement could highlight their position to the young filly. So they remained hidden and still, and could only hope to wait it out. Why this young one was up and about this late by herself was what Andrew was wondering, but furthering more, the fact that it looked like she wasn't going to go back inside anytime soon fueled his anxiety. Andrew watched with impatience as she paced back and forth at the center of the yard, with her eyes looking up towards the sky, almost as if she were trying to spot something out.

Andrew was beginning to get just the slight bit curious as to what exactly she was doing when the door leading to the back of her home opened again, and another small equine stepped out. This one had no horn and no wings, stood about 1/2 a foot taller, had a much more angular head structure, with a brown coat of fur and darker brown mane. It stormed over towards her with a glaring look on his face.

"Sunny! What are you doing out here!" The brown colt growled in a boyish voice.

"Carver, the tooth breezie came! She just left, I wanted to see if I could see her!" Sunny defended with giddy excitement.

The colt seemed perturbed and too tired to care about any wild fascinations his younger sibling was claiming.

"Sunny, it's late, it's dark, and mom's gonna ground you if she finds out you're out here by yourself at night."

"C'mon Carver, I promise I'll be back inside in a sec, I know she's out here."

This Carver seemed to growl angrily, but suddenly, he raised an eyebrow. Soon a devilish grin stretched across his face.

"Okay, fine, stay out here." He said in a uncaring tone. "But don't come crying when the boogeymare comes and gets you."

Sunny's sudden happy-go-lucky attitude began to show signs of withering. She turned around towards him.

"The...boogeymare?" she asked timidly.

"That's right. Stories say that she likes to come out on dark nights like tonight, preying upon little fillies and clots who make the mistake of going outside at night." he said in a spooky tone with the same devilish grin.

Sunny defiantly tried put on a brave face, but body language said it all, she was falling for his fear tactics.

"I'm not scared." she claimed.

"You should be." Carver said sarcastically. "I hear she prefers to nab little fillies who wander out at night to chase the tooth breezie."

Andrew could see that they had to be siblings, and the older brother was using his superior wit to scare his sister back into the house. That was fine by him, but the faster he could accomplish this goal the sooner they could continue.

"You..........you're lying." She claimed defiantly.

Andrew grew impatient of this hold-up and sought to move it along. Ever so slightly, he unsheathed his knife, and slowly began to make loud scratches against the fence post next to him, audible enough for the two young equines to hear while still easily capable of being dismissed as something else. Viktor and the others looked at him precariously, wondering what he was up to.

The young filly jumped back around in panic at the sound of something scratching along the fence-line to their backyard. She slowly began to walk backwards towards the house, cowering behind her brother.

"Wha.....what was that?" Sunny whimpered.

The young colt wasn't sure what made that sound, but whatever it was seemed to spook his sister into coming back into the house, which was fine by him. He figured it was probably a raccoon or something. Regardless, he snared his sister hook, line, and stinker, and sought to reap the reward of being able to go back to bed.

"Come on Sunny, let's go back to sleep." Carver said in a nurturing tone.

The young filly seemed too frightened to speak, opting to simply nod in agreement and went back inside with her older brother. The brother quickly climbed atop the windowsill and blew out the candle in the lantern. When that was finished the two returned inside and out of sight. And just like that, it was all quiet again. Everyone slowly slid out of their hiding spots, with Andrew getting Nate on the line.

"*Wolf 4. Target is no longer in sight. Continuing mission.*"

"*I saw. Reminds me of the pranks I used pull on my wee brother as a lad......................Anyways, proceed down the alley. Wolf 4, out.*"

When the transmission ended, Andrew gestured for all to follow, and they did so accordingly, and the group was on its way again. They continued down the alley for another five minutes when Nate came back over the radio.

"*Osaka 1, you're about twenty meters away from your next change in route, slow speed and await further instruction.*"

Andrew slowed his approach, calculating the distance ahead to get a feel for when they needed to stop. Up ahead, he could see that the alleyway they had been following had started to space out significantly, but to their upcoming right, an opening showed that yet another row of houses resting back to back formed yet another concealed alleyway. Just before coming up alongside it, he gave the order to halt, just two feet away upon the new route's entry. 

"*I'm guessing you see it?*" Nate asked.

"*Yeah I see it.*" Andrew replied.

He stepped forward and began inspecting it. He took aim down the alley. All clear. He gestured for the rest to follow. Nate managed to lead them through town effectively. Over the course of half an hour, Nate led the team through alley after alley, until eventually leading them through a large clearing, filled with small stands and tents.

As they exited the last alley, the group spread out across this area, using the various amounts of cover the surrounding provided them to mask their approach. Straight ahead, the top of the carousel building poked over the top of a rather decorative building. Judging from the vast amounts of sweets they saw behind its windows as they passed it by had the general consensus guessing it was some sort of ration station, or whatever the peacetime equivalent to one was. Regardless, the group managed to slip past it unnoticed.

Another five minutes of traversing the town and the team had finally accomplished their first objective. They had been using one of the outer walls of one of many structures that dotted the current environment when they set their sights upon the central cylindrical structure. Andrew was hesitant to make a direct approach right then in there, and ordered the team to stand by as he contacted Nate.

"*Wolf 4, I need you to perform a sweep of the central structure. Scan for thermal sigs and report back.*"

"*Copy, Osaka 1, Beginning sweep.*"

It was evidently clear that the sweep would take a little time. The Commander had ordered absolute silence, so everyone would most likely spend this time indulging in some internal thinking. 

Achmed was having trouble keeping himself together, as he had never been on a mission with so much on the line. The load of what was at stake felt burdening, and unbeknownst to everyone, that run-in with the two native children nearly gave him a heart attack, as he was under the initial impression that they had been spotted. It took all the nerve he had to keep it together back there. He wasn't entirely sure if that made him cowardly or brave.

He was just glad that he managed to keep it together. If the elder sibling hadn't managed to spook his sister into going back to bed, they could have been hiding there for God knows how long. He suddenly decided to add his own perspective on that little stunt. If those two had been human children they would've had been severely punished for even thinking about going outside that late at night, regardless of what the reasoning was. But then Achmed found himself staring face-to-face with some outside perspective and the one key flaw of his argument. They weren't human, and this wasn't Earth. The nights no doubt had its dangers here, but not as severe as the ones on Earth.

This started a chain reaction of thought, as something that started as a simple outside judgement slowly began to build into an overarching question concerning his species creating a foundation on this world. If humanity was to start again, perhaps they too one day could live out the remainder of their lives at this level of prosperity, but how to do it was the question. Achmed began to wonder if mankind would ever return back to a point like this, where comfort could almost be seen as a normal commodity. After all that happened, the suffering, the tales of those who lived through the war, and the scars it left behind. This world was untouched by the faults of mankind, and although man may safeguard it like his own child upon his initial embark upon it its surface, it would only take a few generations for man's memory to become ignorant of the past. Maybe those of his generation could leave a lasting impression, those who didn't die from the fighting or radiation had effectively been hardened by the trials presented to them, in state of mind as well as physically. Hell, those didn't fry from the lingering radiation had built a resistance to it, evolution seemed to kick in even when man had effectively killed nature.

But how was an entire generation of hardened folks supposed to cope and adapt with this newfound prosperity. Some might not be willing to say it, but some people knew nothing but the trials of the wasteland and war. How were they going to deal with such a drastic change?

Suddenly the RARD approached from above. As everyone focused in on it, Achmed did the same, rounding up the rest of his thoughts for another time. Shortly afterwards, they received another comm call from Nate.

"*Osaka 1, full scan of the structure turned up no results. Cross section scans show it to be clear of any substantial heat signatures. You’re clear to proceed. Over.*"

"*Copy Wolf 4, we're Oscar Mike. Osaka 1 out.*"

Andrew turned to his two scouts.

"*Wolf 3, Osaka 4, you two know what to do. Radio in once you’re in position.*"

The two gave a confirming nod, and the duo discreetly made their way towards the front of the building. Both the duo and the remaining Fireteams kept a watchful eye on their surroundings while Ahab and Asami were out in the open. The two were finally able to focus on infiltrating the structure once they made it to the front steps of the entrance. The door itself was about 5 feet tall, no problem for a pony, but required a bit of head-ducking for a human. The two took their positions by the door. Ahab pointed to himself and then to the door, indicating he would take point.

Asami nodded, and with rifle at the ready, Ahab proceeded inside by slowly opening the door. Once he was completely inside, he immediately checked every angle. Despite Nate's assurance's the building was empty, Ahab was willing to be safe than sorry. Once deeming it safe for entry Ahab turned to Asami and beckoned for her to follow. She stepped inside and found the interior to be quite spacious. It seemed as if the of the structure was built like one large atrium, and a vibrant one at that. Large windows circled the building up towards the center, revealing the vibrant night sky behind the clear panels. Banners, both beautiful and eloquent in their design hung from the ceiling. Several balconies and walkways circled the interior, meaning that the way up would most likely reside towards either the back or the outer edges of the room. With a quick look around she spotted an open doorway towards the back, preceded by some sort of stage with stairs leading up to it.

She motioned for her counterpart to follow, and the two began their ascent to the top. Back outside, the others waited, wary of their surroundings. Viktor was crouched next to Andrew and leaned in over to whisper something.

"*You sure we'll need overwatch on this one?*" Viktor asked. "*I'm not too fond of splitting up in a place like this. Besides, we have the drone.*"

"*The drone's going to lead us through town, Vik.*" Andrew explained. "*Overwatch's job is to watch our 6 once we exfiltrate. They'll be covering our escape route.*"

"*Fair enough, but I still think splitting up is a bad idea. Higher chance one of us gets compromised if we run into trouble.*"

"*True. But, it also gives us the added bonus of discretion. If just one of us gets caught doesn't mean we all get caught.*"

Viktor was trying to get a feel of what Andrew was aiming for, when suddenly he realized exactly what it was. He shot Andrew a disapproving look.

"*You're trying to pull that same stunt you attempted in Istanbul, aren't you? The one where I got cornered by Raiders, and while they were preoccupied with me you snuck a satchel into their power grid?*"

Andrew's expression said it all, pretty much answering Viktor's question.

"*Chert. Andrew.*" Viktor cursed.

"*Hey, It worked didn't it?*"

"*By some miracle. I doubt a stunt like that will work a second time. Don't tell me that's what you had planned when we reach our primary AO?*"

"*Well, I don't know if you noticed, but our AO is the largest damn building in town. We'll need to split the team to cover more ground. Besides, Wolf 4's got the map to guide us through, so we shouldn't have to worry about anybody getting lost.*"

Viktor's unconvinced expression said he still wasn't on board with the idea. He'd seen the face multiple times. In the old days, Andrew would make sure both Viktor and himself would be on the same page before proceeding. But considering Viktor's cautious nature, particularly when one of Andrew's strategies were involved, his friend needed convincing.

"*Hey, have a little faith, old friend.*" Andrew assured in a smug tone. "*The odds are actually in our favor this time.*" 

"*How so?*"

"*Well assuming your lumbering ass doesn't get caught for a second time, they don't know we're coming, or that we're even here. Things have played out well so far, so I'd say luck is on our side. There's five more of us than last time so there's a little more room for error. And I don't mean to compliment those pieces of shits, but these natives don't seem quite as attent as those raiders. So as long as nobody does anything stupid, we can be in and out in less than twenty minutes.*"

Viktor would have added further protest, but he knew Andrew made a fair point. Their current status wasn't as drastic as it had been back then. And so far, despite the small setback from earlier, the ride had been pretty smooth so far, giving them the upper hand. 

"*I suppose you're right.*" Viktor sighed in concession. "*But God help us if shit hits the fan.*"

Andrew didn't respond, as the thought of things going south brought some unneeded stress as the "what-if" situation played out in his head. Meanwhile inside, Asami and Ahab managed to work their way up to the third floor, both the highest and smallest of them all. Asami looked around to investigate. The ceiling stood about as tall as that first doorway, thus the two of them were hunched over as they walked inside. This area in particular didn't look like it saw a whole a lot of use. All around, the room was nothing but wood brown, with no windows or adornments of any sort to add any sense of deign direction to the room, just dust and cobwebs. And with all the boxes, crates and empty file bins that littered the room, she determined this must have served as a storage room of sorts. She and Ahab started looking around for any means to get out onto the roof. Two seconds had passed when Ahab suddenly spoke out.

"*Psst! Hey.*" He said quietly.

Asami turned over to him. She saw that he was pointing towards the back corner of the ceiling, where a small hatch rested above their heads, along with a collapsible ladder. She gave him a nod, and the two made their way over to it. She was the closest to it and thus found that it was up to her to get it open. Unlocking the hatch that kept it sealed, she slowly swung it open while simultaneously releasing the ladder down as quietly as she could. Quiet wasn't quite the word that could be used to describe the process, as the hinges of both the hatch and the ladder could have used a good oiling as creaked. She mentally cursed, but it was ultimately no big deal considering the place was empty.

Once opened, Asami climbed the ladder and up to the roof. The crawl section of the hatch was about 1x1ft, and thus she had to throw her pack and rifle up first before climbing up herself. She elegantly slid her slender frame through. She was now back outside, this time overlooking the entire town. The space she had to work with almost reminded her of a lookout tower. It was small, but capable for the two of them to provide overwatch.

She was about to pull the spotter scope from her backpack when the sounds of Ahab cursing under his breath instantly tipped her off that the grunt must have run into difficulties with the hatch. Sure enough, there were. The first thing she saw when she turned around was Ahab stuck around his belly, indicating his bigger frame didn't cope well in the small confines of the hatch.

"*You got to be shitting me.*" she irritably cursed quietly under her breath.

Asami quickly walked over to Ahab. She noticed that he thankfully managed to follow in her footsteps, and had thrown his backpack up ahead of time, meaning he himself was the only thing that was proving difficult for him to squeeze through. His arms and upper torso was all that was poking through the top. In an attempt to get him out of there, Asami grabbed him by the hands.

"*On three.*" she announced. "*one, two, three.*"

With all the force the two could muster, Ahab slowly began to slide out from the opening. After about ten seconds, Ahab felt the tension around his waist let go, and found himself free to move forward. At that moment, Asami let go, and the two proceeded to get a sense of the area they would be responsible for covering. The spot was suitable, as the view provided a clear line of sight of everything preceding the large structure to the west. A few blind spots here and there, but nothing too detrimental to their task. Asami proceeded to take out the spotter scope from her pack, and handed it to Ahab.

"*Here, spot targets for me as soon as they appear.*" She ordered.

"*Got it.*" Ahab replied.

As he took the scope from her hands, she set her RFB battle rifle down on the floor next to her and pulled out her Bolt-action Howa. The surface area of the rooftop balcony was too small for her and her spotter to go prone, and the railing would definitely do further hindrance to her performance if she decided to do that anyway. The railing itself was about 2 feet tall making it more optimal for her and her partner to sit down and shoot. She did just that, taking a seat while simultaneously unfolding the bipod to her rifle and resting it upon the top of the railing. Ahab had done the same with the spotter scope he had been given. After a bit of tweaking with their magnification and sighting, the two were set. Ahab went over the comms to give the update.

"*Osaka 1, this is Osaka 4, Wolf 3 and I are in position, awaiting orders, over.*"

Down below, Andrew looked up to the very top of the structure. Sure enough, he spotted the outlines of two human-beings, sniper and spotter, taking up their position on the top balcony.

"*Copy that. Proceeding to primary AO. Wolf 4 will continue aerial surveillance, your job is to call out any targets you see during our approach. Do the same once we exfiltrate. We'll rendezvous at this position. Until then, watch our six. Osaka 1 out.*"

Andrew, saw that the drone was still hovering above them, and switched the call in order to get in contact with Nate.

"*Wolf 4, we're ready to proceed.*"

"*I read you, Osaka 1. Take the team and make a straight shot to the line of buildings to the west of the building where Overwatch's positioned. Once there, you'll want to continue down that path for about another 300 meters. The structures seem to have an abundance of foliage towards the front. If you can use it to your advantage, it's a straight shot to your primary objective. If not, I'll provide an alternative route when necessary.*"

"*Copy, Wolf 4, think we'll take the direct route. We're Oscar Mike. Osaka 1, out*"

And once again, the team was on the move yet again. Following Nate's recommended route, they made their way around to the western side of the central building and ran along the row of homes that laid across from it. About 15 minutes passed, and so far their approach was going smoothly as they made their way from house to house. Andrew hoped it would stay that way, but despite the lack of updates from both Nate and the overwatch team, anything could happen at any moment, so he remained vigilant. Another five minutes passed, and after he and his team bypassed the last house on the row, they found themselves face to face with their destination.

The sight left just a trace of envy in Andrew's heart, as it had probably been the most pristine building he had ever lain eyes on. The building was gargantuan, and had a quality of upkeep that hadn't been seen since the pre-war era. A grand staircase led to a pair of large gold doors embroidered with two large amethyst gems. Upon the closer inspection, the building seemed to be in the shape of some sort of tree, only instead of wood and bark, its exterior was composed entirely out of some crystalline material. A series of spires jutted out from the top of the tree, with walls of royal violet complimented by roofs of gold, and to top it off, the building's highest point symmetrically branched off, forming pointed ends into a shape that resembled a star. Andrew gazed at it in awe, wholeheartedly impressed with how such architecture could have been pulled off. Her had to fight the urge to delve deeper into how humanity could one create such works as these. Suddenly, Overwatch came over the radio, with Ahab on the line.

"*Osaka 1, 5 here, Wolf 3 and I have a visual on two targets guarding the main doorway of the structure. Over*"

Andrew ordered the group to take cover while he made an assessment. Pulling out a pair of binoculars from one of his vest pouches, he began to scout the entrance of the building. Sure enough, he spotted two natives, much brawnier than any of the ones they encountered so far. They both wore what looked to be armor made of gold or perhaps some sort of foreign metal indigenous to this world, covered from head to toe, or hoof in their case. The design and layout of it looked ancient, reminiscent of the few ancient civilizations man still had knowledge of. Their weapons only bolstered this assumption, as they looked to be made of no more than a sharpened slab of iron or steel fastened onto the shaft of a spear.

"*Copy on that Osaka 5, we see them. Note, Targets seem to be heavily armored, but armed with basic weaponry, do not engage. Wolf 4, how's it looking in the inside? Over.*"

Unbeknownst to the ponies that currently occupied the building, Nate's RARD had performed a detailed sweep of the castle's interior, giving him an entire multi-level map grid to lead them through. Every door, passage, and room was displayed on his terminal. However, in order to get a number of how many guards there were, he'd have to perform another thermal sweep of the building's interior.

"*Wolf 4 here, I'll have the drone perform another sweep. Will report back as soon as possible. Over.*"

"*Copy, begin sweep and report back. Osaka 1, out.*"

With that, the drone entered stealth mode and proceeded to infiltrate the structure. Andrew did his best to scope out the front as Viktor took a crouched position next to Andrew.

"*How many do you think we'll find inside?*" Viktor asked.

"*A building of this size would take at least a platoon's worth to keep secured, maybe two.*"

"*Well, this was a difficulty we were expecting, I just didn't think they'd be so........*"

"*Primitive?*"

"*Exactly.*" Viktor conceded. "*You'd think a species with the ability to build a structure like this would've had to divert more research in their defense capabilities. I mean, if this is a fortress they sure left it pretty vulnerable.*"

"*Well we can't be certain on what their capabilities just yet, for all we know they could be ceremonial guards. But you’re right about the places' vulnerability on a strategic standpoint. No walls, no outer defenses other than two guards. Hell there's not even a moat. It seems all, decorative*"

"*Huh, guess they'd have a purpose for that kind of thing, wouldn't they?*" Viktor said. "*Well, good news for us I suppose. If we do get into trouble, we'll have no problem getting ourselves out.*"

"*That's a goddamn understatement. If their entire military's like this it means we have both a technological and strategic superiority.*" Andrew said stunned, facing the possibility of that being the case.

"*Wipe the floor scenario? Huh? With that in mind, should we instead go in guns blazing?*" Viktor asked sarcastically.

Andrew rolled his eyes, then all of a sudden the comms went live, but it wasn't Wolf 4 that was on the line, it was Bradford.

"*Osaka 1, this is Gateway, what's your status, over?*" Bradford relayed.

Andrew was quick to reply back.

"*Gateway, we've managed to reach our primary destination undetected. Break. Osaka 4 and Wolf 3 are currently providing overwatch inside the settlement's central-most structure. Over*"

"*Copy that, what's the current update on your entry? Over.*"

"*We've verified a visual on two targets placed at the main entrance, which leads us to believe there's more inside. Wolf 4 is currently sweeping the structure's interior for targets with the RARD. Once he's finished they should pop up on the map he made earlier.*"

"*How many of the men are with you as of right now?*"

Andrew turned around to count real quick. Other than Ahab, all of Fireteam Osaka was still following behind. Half of Wolfpack was currently positioned elsewhere, leaving Hale, Lewis, and of course, Viktor acting as the remaining members of Wolfpack that would aid in their joint infiltration.

"*Currently, eight.*"

"*Were you planning to take all them inside with you?*" Bradford asked.

"*That was the plan. Once inside we'll split into groups of two.*"

"*Aren't you afraid you'll get caught?*" Bradford asked him in a sincere tone.

Viktor gave a gesture that essentially said, "You see", as Bradford's argument was essentially coincided with, or was flat-out the same as his. Andrew now had to explain for a second time, but in terms that could convince Bradford.

"*I believe the men with me are quite capable of infiltrating a structure as large as this one unnoticed, and depending on when Wolf 4 relays the presence inside, we'll act accordingly.*"

"*If you think that's best, I won't argue. You're the one with more experience on these sort of matters. But I assume you've had a fair share of observations to discuss, and we can do so in detail once your mission has concluded, but if you could summarize, what new details can you tell us about the natives?*"

Andrew had already described them in physical appearance and behavior, but had not relayed the complexity of their construction or the irony in their lack of more sophisticated technology.

"*The natives seemed to be skilled architects, but as of right now, the only armed presence we've seen are the guards by the front door, who seemed to be clad in gold armor and armed with spears.*"

"*Seriously?*" Bradford asked shockingly amused. 

"*Yes, but even so, it may just be a ceremonial guard detail. We have yet to know what the case will be once we're inside.*"

"*Well, regardless of their capabilities, confrontation is to be taken as a last resort option. Anyways I have some good news.*"

"*What is it?*"

"*I've been working with my fellow scientists concerning the portal's projection point. It seems to work on a grid-point system of its own making. Each point seems to be spaced about an estimated mile apart. We're still working out the exact calculations of your route in comparison to this grid, but we may be able to give you a quicker extraction by opening it closer to your operational area.*"

"*If you have the means to extract us somewhere in the vicinity of Wolf 4's current location it'd be invaluable. The quicker we can extract Berfield the better.*" 

"*Copy on that. I'll let you know of any updates we make. In the meantime inform us when you've managed to extract Berfield. Gateway, out.*" 

Just as Andrew was about to hang up, the RARD suddenly reappeared a few feet away from him, with Nate broadcasting across the comms shortly afterward.

"*Cross-section scans are complete, Commander. I count a total of forty plus foot-mobiles currently within the structure. They seem to be mainly concentrated on the second and third floors.*"

"*What's the status on the ground floor?*" Andrew asked.

"*They have about three guards performing single-man patrols. The ground floor spans into several hallways with about two dozen different rooms along with two large atrium areas, so they should be pretty easy to avoid. At this point, it's the best starting point.*"

Andrew began to decipher what situation unfolded from the information he was given. If Berfield was here, the heightened security presence could have possibly been a response to something drastic he did. If that were the case, the prisoner theory from earlier may not have come into play, deceiving him with honest intentions until they had him surrounded. But at the same time the fact that they had reserved so much security for one guy didn't make a whole lot of sense, and began wondering if there was something else that they were guarding. In any case, the first floor seemed the most ideal method of entry, and it was now the time to act.

"*Did you find us a way in?*" Andrew asked Nate over the comms.

"*Negative on that. That door unfortunately seems to be the only way in and out.*"

"*Dammit.*" Andrew cursed off-comms. "*Copy that Wolf 4. Guess we're doing this the hard way. Osaka 1, out.*"

The members of both Fireteams gave exchanging glances of perplexity and confusion before Achmed spoke up.

"*Uhm, Commander, sir. Just what is "the hard way" exactly?*" he asked.

Andrew turned to him to answer.

"*We're about to find out. Vik, with me, the rest of you stay put. We'll signal you to approach once the entrance is clear.*"

As Andrew began to walk away towards the left of where they were hiding out and motioned for Viktor to take the right. Before setting out, Viktor pointed to his second-in-command.

"*2, see to it everyone stays here.*" he ordered, effectively putting Hale in charge until they got back.

"*You got it, alpha.*" Hale replied back.

The two walked between the two homes to their immediate left and right, heading towards the opposite edges of the large crystalline structure.

"*Vik I need you to work your way to the right of that staircase, just behind the edge of it. I'll take the left, radio in once you’re in position, we'll need to knock both of them out at the same time.*" Andrew relayed over the comms.

"*Copy.*"

Before he could see to his task, Andrew felt the need to reiterate the obvious.

"*Remember, we're knocking them out, that means don't kill them. And do it quietly. The armor they're wearing looks pretty damn heavy, dragging them down the stairs is bound to make noise, so we'll have to do this carefully.*"

"*Affirmative. Mom.*" he affirmed in an annoyed.


No doubt that earned a few snickers from the rest of the group, but his primary focus was to sneak his way up to that staircase undetected. Once he cleared the alley between the houses he saw that other than the front door, none of the castle's exterior was guarded whatsoever. Viktor began to question whether these things knew of that they were leaving countless opportunities for intruders to get inside wide open. He quickened his pace to get up against the exterior structure. He did so with no trouble and slowly inched his way towards the stairway leading to the front entrance. This feat would prove difficult to do so undetected, as there was virtually no cover to be found to mask his approach, he could only pray the darkness of night would be able to pull it off for him.

On the other end, Andrew was finding himself in the same predicament. He began to think these things were smarter than they thought, leaving the area surrounding the place completely wide open, but these thoughts lost ground when he noticed the lack of illumination. Even in times of ancient Greece, fortresses would be littered with torch scones to brighten their surroundings. No such light was found anywhere other than the main entrance itself. The gilded nature of both the staircase and the gold armor of those natives guarding it let the torchlight brilliantly reflect off of both surfaces, but luckily the light seem seemed incapable of breaching the lower edge of the outer walls of the staircase.

Viktor began to notice this the closed the distance between him and the unsuspecting guards. He slowed his pace down and lowered his profile. Andrew began to do the same. The two gradually made their way closer and closer, until they found themselves standing right beneath, ready to climb up and quickly knock out the guards. Judging how the guards' behavior hadn't changed, their approach had to have gone by unnoticed. In a voice as quiet as an empty void, Viktor managed to radio in.

"*Andrew, I'm in position.*"

On the other side, Andrew was quick to relay back with the next steps.

"*Copy, Get ready to commence on my mark.*"

Both Andrew and Viktor slung their weapons to the side, and prepared themselves to jump up to wear targets stood. Andrew's voice came over the comms.

"*Three, two, one, mark!*"

Viktor quickly jumped up and caught the guard closest to him in a choke-hold aimed to render his target unconscious. In doing so, the guard dropped his weapon and struggled desperately to escape his attacker while simultaneously catch his breath, both with increased difficulty as each second passed. The other guard jumped back in surprise immediately after seeing a large figure latch onto and immobilize his friend. Quickly realizing the threat, he made a move to help his counterpart. However, before he could even so much as make a step forward he heard something move in behind him. Turning around he was greeted by Andrew, who immediately delivered a kick to the guard's knee, more specifically, the leg holding the spear. The pain sent shockwaves through his body as he felt bone break, forcing him to drop the weapon he was holding. Just as quick as the initial strike had been, he soon found himself into a guillotine choke. Andrew threw himself and the guard to the ground, immobilizing the guard. Seconds passed as he felt his struggling gradually make an attempt to escape. However several more seconds passed, and he felt the guard's movement decline, until the body eventually went limp. Judging that his tactic had done its work, Andrew released his grip, stood up and dusted himself off. The guard laid there motionless, but still breathing. He turned to see Viktor had accomplished in rendering his target unconscious, crouched next to the guard he knocked out. Viktor looked up to Andrew.

"*Nice work.*" Viktor said. "*I see age hasn't slowed you down.*"

Andrew rolled his eyes as he simply disregarded his friend's comment. Viktor saw that and cracked a small grin, only for it to then disappear once he took another glance at the guards.

"*Okay, jokes aside, where are we going hide them?*" Viktor asked, concerned about just leaving them here in the open for someone to come across.

Andrew did some quick thinking and came up with a solution once he spotted a small patch of bushes and trees 40 yards to the west, resting beside of the homes.

"*There, over by those trees. We nestle them in there good and we shouldn't have any problems.*" Andrew said. "*You grab that one and I'll take the other. Grab their weapons too.*"

Viktor nodded, grabbing one of the guards and carrying him over his shoulder. Andrew quickly followed suit. They made their way over and managed to hide the bodies unseen. Once the bodies were out of sight, they made their way back, with Viktor contacting the rest of the team over the comms shortly afterwards.

"*Fireteams, this is Wolf 1, the path is clear, rendezvous at the structure's entrance. Wolf 1, out.*"

A minute had passed, and once Andrew and Viktor returned to the structure's entrance they saw the rest of the group led by Hale making their forward. Andrew proceeded to extinguish the light by the doorway and then silently gave out command gestures to stack up by the doorway. The team did as instructed, and took up their positions behind him. Andrew gave the silent command for Lewis to take point. He nodded in compliance, raising his SCAR to eye level with one hand and using the other to inch his way inside as he opened the door. He creaked the door open at about half-way's length with no so much as a hint of anything on the other side taking notice. He then slowly swung the door completely open and proceeded inside. Viktor immediately had his 6, and similarly took aim. The two looked around in all directions for the slightest signs of trouble. The foyer room was quite large but quite empty at the same time. Thankfully it seemed as if their entry went by unnoticed, continuing the consecutive stealth streak they had racked up since they entered the settlement. 

Once Osaka and the remainder of Wolfpack got the all-clear from the two, everyone made their way through the door, closing it shut behind them. They were in. Andrew radioed in to get a sitrep from everyone else.

"*All call-signs, this is Osaka 1, we've infiltrated the structure, I want sitreps all around. What's everyone's status? Over.*" Andrew relayed.

"*This is Wolf 3, Osaka 4 and I are still positioned within the center structure. Awaiting further orders. Over.*"

"*Wolf 4 here, Wolf 5 and I are a-okay out here. The RARD is currently en route to your location. Over.*"

"*Copy that, Wolf 3, Osaka 4, stay put, watch the area surrounding the structure for targets, notify me of any increased activity. Wolf 4, give me a visual of the drone once you'-*"

"*here?*" Nate asked as the drone exited out of stealth mode 3 feet away from where Andrew was standing.

Andrew really had to commend Nate on his skill with the thing, as that little stunt got the drop on him. Andrew did nothing to encourage or demean his behavior, instead deciding to simply get on with their mission. Andrew raised his gun up a little and proceeded forward with everyone else following behind. The RARD revved forward in the same direction and up towards the ceiling.

"*Everyone stay frosty.*" Andrew announced to everyone. "*Check your corners, call out anything you see.*"

The foyer room itself was massive, essentially blending hallways, a staircase and two upper-level balconies into one large- open space. Like the exterior, the color pallet inside stayed the same, but the decor was something to behold. Ornate crystal columns in forms reminiscent to trees served as both a means the room's support as well as having several aesthetic qualities. Upon every one of the walls were large painted murals, depicting scenes of what looked like the native's surrounding environment in a serene violet finish. Hanging from the walls and ceiling were banners of gold and lavender, accompanied by threads of glowing crystals in colors of gold and green. The building was lavish to say the least, and it elicited a variety of reactions from each human that set foot within its halls, though none were foolish enough to voice them.

Despite the serene and almost calming nature of the interior, they all knew that getting caught now would be hell to pay. Nobody, not even Andrew would be speaking unless absolutely necessary. At the moment it didn't look like anyone was home, but that no doubt had to do with how the majority of the guard presence resided upstairs. The only thing they had to worry about were those patrols Nate had mentioned earlier. Things had been going smoothly, until Andrew took a more detailed look into what laid in front of them. The room split into three directions, one hall to the left, one hall to the right, and one path straight ahead that lead to a set of stairs. Considering the path ahead led directly to the thick of security presence, Andrew deemed it unwise for them to head there just yet. This left the two remaining hallways. Now would mark the starting point of Andrew's overall strategy of handling the situation. They'd have to split up.
> Chapter 22: The Unexpected
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The warriors from another world walk the halls forged by Equestrian magic, gazing upon it in awe and fear. They have reached their desired location, and now seek to act upon the primary task that has been built up. However, unbeknownst to them, their search would lead them to the man they sought to return home and uncover something that had been entirely unknown to them...................




Up to this point, the stealthy streak that Andrew and his team had racked up was now susceptible to an untimely end. Essentially, the hard part of the mission had arrived on their doorstep. He knew Viktor wasn't too keen on splitting up, and Andrew couldn't entirely blame him. Even in this dire apocalyptic age, the concept of splitting up in a sticky situation was still universally regarded as a stupid move. But for the moment, it was tactically ideal. The sensible thing to do was simply split into groups of four and sweep the interior as thoroughly and discreetly as possible. Seeing that he and Vik would undoubtedly lead their own team, Andrew would have to loan one of his own men to stand-in for Wolfpack's fourth man. Before they officially parted ways, Andrew gave a quick mandate.

"*Alright folks, this is where it gets tricky.*" he announced in a hushed tone. "*We split into teams of two. Vik, take Harris and the rest of your men to the right, make a sweep of the hallway and all its rooms. Stay out of sight and report back on anything you find. The rest of you are with me, same rules apply, we'll hit the left hallway. Stay frosty and watch for guard patrols.*"

"*If we find Berfield, do we rendezvous back here or outside?*" Viktor asked.

"*Outside.*" Andrew stated. "*Probably not the best idea to dwell inside here for any longer than we have to.*"

Viktor nodded and proceeded to round up the men and lead them down the right side of the winding hallway. Just before he and his team were out of sight, Viktor hailed them on the comms.

"*Good luck.*" Viktor said.

Andrew turned around to see Vik and his team fade from view as they gradually rounded down the hall. Andrew then sought oversee who he had left to work with. The Sergeant had enough experience and fortitude to garner the rank she carried and thus would no doubt handle herself in a sticky situation. Lamond seemed to have a firm grasp on their current situation, a stark contrast from earlier where he and Al-Kindi couldn't help but comment every ten minutes, Andrew guessed Ahab fed in that sort of behavior. It was nothing too detrimental, just grunts being grunts, but he thankfully Lamond seemed to have kept a lid on it at this time.
Then there was Achmed. When Andrew took a glance at him he could tell that alarms were going off all over his body. The way his stance seemed stiff and fidgety, the way he kept constantly looking all over the room, they fact that he held his gun in tightly pressed grip. Andrew walked up to the poor lad and put a hand on his shoulder, which almost made Achmed jump. Achmed stared at him with an almost terrified wide eyed expression. If he had to guess, He suspected that the high stakes had him on edge, and thus he made an attempt to ease some of that stress.

"*Hey.*" Andrew said as he placed the hand on Achmed's shoulder. "*It's okay 5, we'll get through this. Keep a steady nerve, follow orders and we'll find your friend in no time.*"

Achmed didn't say a word. But from the way he manged to take a few deep breaths, his nerves had calmed down a little, or at least enough to get a grip, which prompted Andrew to finally get things underway.

"*Okay, 5, 6, I need you two covering the rear. Sergeant, you're on point with me.*" Andrew commanded.

"*Yes sir.*" Sarah responded.

Sarah took her place next to Andrew, gun pointed and at the ready, with Andrew and soon taking the lead.

"*Nice and slow people. Check your corners, call out anything you have a visual on. You see anything that isn't a human being, don't keep it to yourself*" Andrew instructed.

With that last bit of instruction, they were underway. The hallway itself was quite spacious, being at least 10 yards in width. And the way it winded around the structure gave Andrew the clear picture that they'd be running into Viktor and his team soon enough. But right now, Andrew focused his thoughts on the here and now, paying close attention to his surroundings. Less than a minute had passed when they came across the first room. The door to it was closed and possibly even locked. Andrew gave the order to halt. As everyone stopped and held their position, Andrew did a quick look around for anything out of the ordinary, his results thankfully turned up empty.

All clear, for the moment at least. Andrew thought to himself

Andrew beckoned for his rear guard to follow as he and Sarah stacked up to right of the door. Once everyone was in place, he held his head in closer to the door. He listened carefully to see if he could hear anything from the other side of the door. Nothing. He continued listening for another ten seconds before he assessed that nobody was on the other side. He pointed to Lamond, and then to the door handle. He raised his hand up, and using his fingers, he began to count down from five, signalling when Lamond would open the door.
When the countdown ended, Lamond turned the doorknob slowly and ever so gradually inched the door forward. When the door was opened Andrew proceeded inside, rifle at the ready, taking a detailed look at his surroundings. From what he could tell, the room looked to be a large kitchen. In the center was a large island counter with several countertops and cabinets residing a few feet behind it, accompanied by several large kitchen appliances.  A few quick glances around provided no clues as to where Berfield might have been, if any clues at all. on a side-note, the kitchen might have been the cleanest Andrew had ever seen. Table and countertops wiped and cleaned to an almost mirror sheen, elaborate designs for all the cabinets and kitchen furnishings, as well as some rather antique, at least antique on a human level, appliances. Like many other things they had already encountered, this was quite was yet another contrast as any operating  kitchen in either New Damascus or some base or another more often than not had it fair share of grime or general decay. Add the general chaotic nature of having several people attending these kitchens at a time and you essentially had the workforce needed to feed a small portion of the overall 50,000 people left. Despite staying cool and collective up to this point, Andrew really had to admire the standard of living around here. To have everything kept orderly and presumably to one's self or his family made something as mundane as walking through a kitchen turn into a glance into the hopeful future. 
Andrew managed to put his personal feelings away for a later time and once again focused on the task at hand. he scoured the kitchen for any clues he could find. Sadly there were none. After about 5 minutes, he could tell that this kitchen wasn't providing anything in ways of clues. With that fact pretty much clear and his work turning up no results, he'd decided to move along.

"*Alright room clear, let's move on to the next.*" Andrew ordered.

"*Roger.*" Sarah replied.

Andrew walked back out into the hallway. As he made his way forward Sarah once again took her place beside him, with Lamond and Achmed quick to cover the rear as the group made their way down to the next room. The next section of hallway would prove to be just a bit more complex, with three relatively nearby rooms to search instead of one. Two doors side-by-side on the left with one more on the right. Safely assuming that the rest of the structures interior would be set up in a similar manner, Andrew decided he'd have to switch things up a bit. He'd have Sergeant Martinez take Achmed and sweep the room to the right. While they were preoccupied with that, Andrew would make the bold decision to sweep the two rooms on the left by himself, having Lamond watch for any activity in the hallway.
Andrew silently pointed to the Sergeant and Sabbag and directed their attention the to the room on the right. The Sergeant and Sabbag quickly picked up on the message and nodded affirmatively, patting Sabbag on the arm to stack up as they approached. Andrew did the same, beckoning for Lamond to follow. Sarah and Achmed had reached the door around the same time Andrew and Lamond had reached theirs. Andrew gave the order for Lamond to hold position in the hallway and keep watch. Andrew slowly opened the first door as quietly as he could. Sarah, under the impression that Achmed might do something brash if met with something unexpected on the other side of the door, decided she'd be the one taking point. She had Achmed take position on the right side to open it for her.
Meanwhile on the opposite side of the hallway. Andrew was already inside and searching one of the two rooms. The interior itself was much smaller than the last room, just a little bigger than his bedroom back home. On the far corner of the room was a small bean-bag chair along with several throw pillows all piled up in cluttered fashion. Littered around the floor were several thin sheet booklets. Andrew went to pick one up and looked at its contents. Printed upon the paper were several large illustrated images accompanied by speech bubbles written in a language he didn't understand. Andrew had heard of these. Certain they were called comic books, he knew they were a form of pre-war entertainment from surviving texts, but humanity had yet to ever find one that was even remotely intact. they weren't the most durable or sought after of things, and when the bombs dropped millions of them were simply incinerated in nuclear fire. He let the comic drop from his hands and back onto the floor with the rest of them. Whoever owned them clearly didn't take care of them in a proper manner. He looked to the other parts of the room and found a small bookshelf where, unsurprisingly, more comics resided, along with a selection of what appeared to be board games and small figurines depicting the native species clad in armor similar to that of the guards they had encountered.
Judging from the general make-up of the room, Andrew speculated that this was someone's private lounge, or recreational area. He then switched his search from the room itself to looking for clues on Berfield's whereabouts. Meanwhile, Sarah had already taken point in the room on the right. immediately upon looking inside she saw that the door didn't lead into a room but rather a staircase leading down 25 feet into some sort of basement level. She beckoned for Achmed to follow and the two made their way down. Once downstairs, the two took a look around in the new area. The musk of dusty paper immediately hit the senses. The place was a mess. Everywhere they looked, furniture, crates, books, scrolls, and other oddities were cluttered around the room, collecting vast amounts of dust and cobwebs alike. The room was enormous, spanning across at least a 45 foot radius. The walls of this room were drab grey and lacked adornment of any kind, a stark contrast o what they had seen on the ground floor. Judging from the dusty state it was in, it seemed as if this room wasn't used too often. Sarah placed a hand on her HUD-set controls to give the Commander an update.

"*Osaka 1, this is Osaka 2, we've breached the room across from the hall, seems we reached some sort of basement level.*"

Upstairs from Osaka 2 and 5, Andrew had stepped out from the room he had just searched and was ready to search the on next to it.

"*Copy that.*" Andrew responded. "*What do you see? Anything that'll point us in the right direction?*"

Sarah took a more detailed glance over, to get a general summarization of the room's contents.

"*Mostly old books, shelves, and a whole lotta dust. A bit of mismatched furniture. Room's a bit too congested at the moment to get a full layout from where I'm standing, but it's big. At least 15 yards wide. Regardless, I doubt Berfield, or anyone for that matter, came through here. search or regroup back upstairs?*"

Andrew gave it some thought. It was clear that the room served as storage. It might be faster to give that area a skip over, as he too doubted Berfield would have gone through there, of his own will or otherwise. But at the same time it was better to knock every room out as they go to prevent any back-tracking.

"*Search it.*" Andrew finally replied. "*We don't leave jobs half-assed. Report back with your findings once you're done and regroup back up here. Osaka 1, out.*"

"*Copy*" Sarah replied, disconnecting immediately afterwards.

While she had been in communications with the Commander, Achmed had spent the last minute scanning over some scroll he found on one of the shelves. The contents he found within were a gilded array of colors, depicting a native acting out some sort of sequence. It was quite pleasing to look at. Suddenly he found the scroll torn out from his hands, by his Sergeant. She gave him an annoyed look, which was enough to force an apology out of him.

"*Sorry, Sarge*"

She simply rolled her eyes and looked out towards the room. He decided to make up for his shortcomings with some context clues he picked up when they entered the room.

"*Judging from the look, I'm guessing this room serves as this place's storage room. With all of these books and scroll, it may serve as overflow for a library of sorts?*" Achmed said.

"*That or the maid took a holiday before cleaning this shit up.*" Sarah remarked. "*Either way, we have a job to do. Let's get to it, shall we?*"

Achmed nodded in agreement, ready to do his part. Sarah, recognizing he was ready, gave further instruction.

"*Alright, search the left side of the room, I'll cover the right.*" Sarah instructed. "*Holler over comms if you find anything.*"

"*Wouldn't it be smarter to search together, Sarge?*" Achmed inquired.

"*Yes, but unfortunately that takes a more time, besides we're the only ones down here, there's no risk by splitting up here.*"

Before Achmed could think of something else to say, Sarah was already walking off in the other direction to begin her search of the room. And so ended his procrastination, leaving him to carry out the task set before him. Achmed raised his rifle up to his shoulder and began inspecting his nearby surroundings, which mostly entailed more of the same old dusty scrolls and books. He began walking forward. As he delved deeper into the room the amount of literature only grew in quantity. Every so often he'd come across something that didn't involve binded paper, such as stacked chairs, folded tables, and the occasional empty shelf. 
Like their initial entry into the room everything was rather disorganized, yet tidy in nature. All the books were either stacked shelved or otherwise placed in a manner that would prevent unwanted damage. Achmed couldn't find any signs of his friend having come through here, or anyone for that matter. The level of dust that had settled atop the various shelves, books, and floor itself indicated that nobody had been through this room in quite some time, at least over year. Achmed's search seemed to have yielded more of the same when he came across something that instantly stood out amongst all else. Laying in wait between a large shelf and several chests stacked one on top of the other was what looked to be a ladder. At first glance, Achmed thought it was simply another loose object resting against one of the many larger objects. But when he gave it a second look he noticed that the base was bolted onto the floor. Now aware that the ladder was in fact part of the room, it no doubt had to lead somewhere. This instinctively lead him to look up, to which he found it leading to a small hatch in the ceiling. Achmed was quick to radio his findings to the others, and thus promptly went over comms.

"*Osaka 1, Osaka 5, I found a ladder bolted to the floor. Looks like it leads to an upper level.*" Achmed relayed.

Both Andrew and Sarah stopped whatever it was they were doing, the former in the midst of searching an empty bathroom.

"*Osaka 5, hold position.*" Andrew ordered. "*Osaka 2, work towards him and-*"

"*Sir.*" Lamond interjected. "*I have eyes on a guard heading our way.*"

Andrew exited the room to get a visual for himself. Sure enough, a guard was making his rounds down the hall way towards their direction. Unlike the guards at the door this one was clad in armor painted in shades of dark blue, like that of the night sky. The horn that protruded from his head was glowing with an aural hue in the color of cyan surrounding it. From the horn's tip, a ray in similar fashion to a spotlight emanated from it. He was about ten yards away and closing, signalling that Andrew needed to act fast.

"*Scratch that last order 2, Osaka 6 and I are coming to you. Standby.*"

With that, Andrew closed the door to the bathroom he was in. He and Lamond on the shoulder in a gesture for him to follow. The two quickly darted across the hallway and filed into the open door leading to the basement. Andrew was the last in and thus was the one to close the door behind them. While Lamond stood at the bottom of the stairs, Andrew remained at the top peering through a small keyhole beneath the doorknob. Any thoughts to how cliche that was were overwhelmingly replaced by the need to verify when the guard would pass.
Their he stood as a few seconds went by with no signs of movement. Suddenly the spotlight came into view, illuminating the doors of the rooms he had just searched. A few more seconds and the guard was now in sight. Andrew stood there, hand close to his sidearm holster as he watched the guard pass by. Seconds felt like minutes as he was fully attent, watching each step like a hawk. Suddenly the guard faded from view, and after a five seconds, Andrew began to ease up.
He turned to Lamond, who currently stood in wait with the Sergeant, who managed to make her way to the entrance. He gave relaxed nod before speaking.

"*All clear.*" Andrew said quietly as slowly descended down the staircase. 

"*What was in the rooms on your side, sir?*" Sarah asked.

"*Some sort of child's play room and a bathroom. No signs of Berfield having been there I'm afraid.*" Andrew conceded mannerly. "*But frankly, I'm more interested in what your man found, Sergeant.*"

"*A way up it would seem.*" she responded.

The Trio now made their way over to Achmed, who could partially be seen amongst the clutter, standing a few meters away. After winding their way around bookshelf after bookshelf, they were once again reunited at the base of the ladder.

"*So this is it huh?*" Andrew asked, inspecting the height of the ladder.

"*Yes sir.*" Achmed replied. "*Looks to go up about twenty feet. Maybe more*"

"*Well height's not a problem, but will it support our weight? That's the bigger question.*"

"*Why would that be an issue, sir?*" Lamond asked earnestly.

"*Well think about it Private, those who built it are of a much smaller frame then we, and thus of lighter weight.*" Andrew replied. "*As sturdy as it looks this thing might not be able to support more than one of us at a time.*"

"*So we go one person at a time?*"

"*Precisely.*"

"*So who takes point then?*" Sarah asked.

"*I will.*" Andrew replied back. 

Andrew slung his rifle around to his back and grabbed the ladder. But before he could make his ascent, the Sergeant grabbed him by the arm.

"*With all due respect sir, it's probably best I take point. Should something happen to you once you're up there or if you fall, it could jeopardize the mission.*"

The comment about falling off a ladder id much to dismay Andrew, as he took it as an insinuation that he was old.

"*I ain't a senior citizen yet Sergeant.*" He scolded.

"*I wasn't suggesting that sir, but if one of us should be taking risk it shouldn't be the Commander-in-Chief.*"

The way she conveyed her argument made her start to sound a lot like Viktor. But her argument was valid, and he was slowly coming around to seeing her point.

"*Alright Sergeant, be my guest.*" Andrew begrudgingly conceded. 

As her Commander stood away from the ladder as Sarah took his place. She began by putting her foot on the ladder and applying various amounts of pressure to test how sturdy the steps were. After that was done, she found them up to snuff and proceeded to climb up. 

"*Sergeant, when you get up there I want you to peek that hatch open and check for any movement before entering.*" Andrew ordered.

"*Yes, sir.*" Sarah replied.

Sarah made quick work of climbing, and soon found herself at the top within arm's reach of the latch that opened the hatch door. As instructed she carefully undid the latch barring her entry and ever-so-slightly inched the hatch upward. She took a quick 180 degree look around the room. Nothing seemed to be moving around, and any of the room's details were obscured due to her limited view. She then reached to her HUD-set and switched her receiving visual filter to FLIR Thermal. As she took another look around, all she could see were the blue cold-tones of the thermal imaging, indicating the room, at least on that particular side of it, was clear. 
Sarah looked down at the rest of her sqaud and the Commander, who stood waiting for a confirmation. Sarah gave a thumbs up, a simple indicating it was safe to proceed. Andrew gave her a nod, and proceeded to climb the ladder as Sarah climbed her way through the hatch. With the room now clear in view, Sarah's first instinct was to turn around to see what was behind her. To her relief, it was only a wall, ornate and decorative. Turning  around yet again, she inspected the room, which to her astonishment turned out to be a large cylindrical atrium area. By the time Andrew had made it up the ladder, Sarah had taken in most of the details. The room's most prominent feature had to be the large tree growth stemming from the ceiling, with strands of illuminating crystals of various colors hanging from the thick roots. At the base of the room stood six chairs and a round table constructed entirely out of crystal.
By this time everyone had made their way up from the basement, and now stood staring at magnificence of the room. Andrew however soon regained his focus, and was bent on getting inspecting the room.

"*Alright folks, enough sightseeing. Y'know the drill.*" he said, wishing to continue. "*Sabbag, Lamond, watch the exit.....s*"

With his attention now focused on entry points, Andrew found the the room had a total of six entrances, effectively serving as a hub area.

"*Uhm......which one, sir?*" Lamond asked.

"*Still figuring that out private.*" Andrew replied. "*We may need to use that hatch again if-.*"

"*That's going to be a problem sir.*" Achmed interjected. "*Look.*"

Andrew turned around to find that the current situation had taken a drastic turn. The hatch that was there had in fact been a one way entry, as it sunk into the floor and lacked a means of opening it. Andrew moved over to it, wondering if he could somehow get it back open. Suddenly, a flash of blue light emanated from the edges of where the hatch sunk into the floor. Before his very eyes, the floor began to quickly meld over the hatch, like how water spills on a flat surface. He jumped back, wide-eyed and uncertain as to what the effects of this energy discharge would do if it somehow came into contact with him. And then it suddenly, it was gone. Andrew staring at the floor where the hatch had once been. Several seconds of complete silence went by, with Lamond finally breaking in a perplexed manner.

"*What the fuck was that?!*" he cried out.

"*Does look like I know!?*" Andrew scolded back, still startled and irritated at what just happened.

"*Do you think it was a trap?*" Sarah asked. "*Do they know we're here?*"

"*I think the guards would be here by now if they knew we were here.*" Achmed suggested as calmly as he could.

The effects of the unexplained anomaly was undoubtedly having a withstanding impact on them all. Witnessing something that essentially bent the rules of what was possibly tend to do that. The guard and his horn light was one thing, biology can come up with just about anything, but to see matter manipulate itself over the course of a few seconds left little room for any scientific explanation. Suffice to say, in their mind, it was beyond normal. This Andrew to wonder what else in this place could do the same thing, or other surprises it had in store. Andrew recollected himself, focusing on the here and now. He calmed himself by assuring himself that this place had more than one route to the exit.

"*Okay, best thing we can do is remain calm, we still gotta job to do. We'll find a way back.*" Andrew claimed.

"*Ye-yeah, you're probably right.*" Lamond conceded, wishing to calm his nerves.

"*Well, I guess it wasn't intentional, whatever it was.*" Sarah concluded. "*Next step, sir?*"

"*Figure out where the hell we are.*" Andrew said, hand reaching his comm-link. "*Wolf 4, this is Osaka 1, I need a fix on my location, over.*"

"*This is Wolf 4. Copy on that 1, sending transponder signal to your comm-link...........now.*"

Suddenly a new display appeared on the very top of Andrew's HUD. It displayed several different radio waves  winding up a down it their own respected patterns with the words, "Locating Comm CN09. Please Wait...." directly below. A few seconds passed before the entire display was replaced with the words, "Connection established" before fading out entirely. As the process concluded, Nate came back on the comms.

"*Sir, it would appear you're on the second floor.*" 

"*I thought as much*" Andrew said in a displeased manner.

Andrew had thought they had simply made their way back to the first floor, but apparently that wasn't the case. Suddenly a new voice came over the radio, one with a heavy Russian accent.

"*I thought we agreed to taking the ground floor first then rendezvousing back where we split up? Was I misinformed?*" Viktor asked sarcastically.

"*Wasn't intentional. Wolf 4, are you certain we're on the second floor and not a sub-level of sorts?*" Andrew asked once more.

"*I can confirm it. You're position in accordance with the map scan has you placed in the atrium on the second floor. Luckily though, it's sorta of the eye in the storm. The bio scan you had me take earlier indicates the guards seemed to have left that room empty.*"

"*Wonder why?*" Viktor inquired.

"*Osaka 1, I take it you used the room directly underneath the one you're standing in to gain access?*" Nate asked.

"*You'd be correct in that assumption. But why they left it unguarded really isn't important right now, what I need is a way back downstairs.*"

"*Then why not go back down?*" Viktor asked.

"*Because it was a one-way exit............and it just...........disappeared.*

"*disappeared?*" Viktor questioned. "*How?*"

"*I've haven't a goddamn clue. One minute I see the hatch clear as day in front of me, the next thing I know the floor starts glowing blue and melting over it. Not only that, but when I saw one of the guards, his horn was glowing, with a light shining out from it?*"

A few seconds passed before Viktor came back with a response.

"*Chto? Andrew, are you hallucinating?*"

"*I know what I saw, and the others saw it too.*"

Suddenly, another recipient entered the conversation. It was Bradford

"*Osaka 1, this is Gateway, what on Earth are you going on about? What's this about hatches and glowing horns?*" he asked.

"*Apparently, the hatch he used to get to the second floor sealed behind him.*" Viktor explained.

"*Was it a mechanical hatch? Something that could have been operated remotely?*" Bradford asked.

"*No, it was made of simple wood, it wasn't a mechanical seal.*" Andrew informed. "*When my team and I were looking for an exit out of this room it lit up and disappeared. I can't explain it, but that's how it happened. If you want, you can ask my team, they'll say the same thing.*" 

"*That won't be necessary.*" Bradford explained. "*As curious as your encounter sounds to delve into, it doesn't take precedence. Be wary though, it could have very well been a trap for would-be intruders like yourselves.*"

"*I just hope it didn't set off any alarms.*" Andrew expressed.

"*Well like Wolf 4 said, the guard presence on that floor is substantial. Considering your time duration within the room, It's a safe bet they still don't know you're here.*"

"*Let's hope.*"

"*Then I'll leave you to your team. Should you encounter anything similar, report back at once. If things like disappearing accessways become a recurring them we may need you to pull your team back and rethink our approach. Gateway, out.*"

A few passed before Nate responded.

"*Commander, while what you're asking is feasible, it's gonna be tricky.*"

"*Guard presence?*" Andrew guessed.

"*Well yes, there is that. But the greater obstacle would be the distance and the lack of cover. Unlike the ground floor, the hallways are more-or-less of the traditional design. They kinda "box in" with each other. Some of these hallways are completely guarded with others being patrolled on a constant interval.*"

"So is there no way out of here?" Andrew asked.

"*I can you get you out using the drone no problem, but I'd have to do it one man at a time.*"

"*Seriously? Again?*" Lamond remarked.

"*Shut it Lamond.*" Sarah barked at him.

Andrew weighed in on Nate's plan of escape. It seemed risky. He no doubt knew he could do it no problems, he'd done it before on several occasions in his operator days, with more danger present and a higher risk of getting caught. 

"*Should I send a man to that sub-level?*" Viktor suggested. "*Have him open the hatch from the other side?*"

Andrew began to ponder that option a little, but ultimately allied with the first choice presented.

"*Negative. Keep your team together and press forward.*" Andrew replied. "*We start splitting up and doubling back it's gonna eat up time. We'll work our way out of this using the drone.*" 




"*Copy that, and good luck.*" Viktor said in earnest.

"*Appreciate it, Wolf 1. Osaka 1 out.*"

With that the transmission cut out. Viktor and his team had been holding position inside one of many bedrooms. So far their search was about as fruitful as Andrew's. Viktor turned to his men and the newcomer currently under his command.

"*Alright, let's keep it quiet, we're moving out.*"

"*What the fuck was up with that? How does a hatch just disappear?*" Hale asked.

"*I don't know.*" Viktor replied. "*But keep an eye out for anything suspicious, lest we find ourselves caught in one as well.*"

The men readied themselves to move out as Viktor began to open the door that led back out into the hallway. Viktor gestures for Lewis, his pointman to take lead. He did so in an efficient manner, with Viktor falling in immediately behind him, followed by his second-in-command, Hale, with Harris bringing up the rear.
Initially Viktor feared Harris would disrupt the flow of how his team usually performed, as he was unaccustomed to working on a First Recon level of coordination. Not to say that the regulars weren't capable, but First Recon went through a much more rigorous training process that ended up granting each of its operatives a heightened sense in every department imaginable. But to his surprise, Harris was not just keeping up but performing on par to where it didn't even feel like they we're working with a grunt. If he performed well enough on this op, Viktor might consider a recommendation for First Recon.
But priority at the moment was set on the search for Berfield. The four Began to space apart, with Hale and Viktor taking the right side of the hallway with Lewis and Harris taking the left. They worked their way down a few meters before coming across a large grand door to the left side of the hall. Viktor immediately eyed it and beckoned Hale to follow behind him as they moved to the other side of the hall with their compatriots. Vik and Hale stacked up on the right side of the door while their squadmates took the left. The door itself was composed of a golden frame holding chunks of crystalline glass cut into the shapes of diamond.

"*This looks important.*" Hale quipped.

"*With door this big and all by itself, I'd have to agree.*" Viktor replied.

Viktor then gave several command gestures, which translated that he and Lewis would open the doors while Hale and Harris would take point into the room. With everyone waiting and standing by, Viktor gave the order. He and Lewis began to push the doors open, the weight of the material making it a rather sluggish process. Harris and Hale were quick to fall in behind them, taking aim into the room inside. When the gap was wide enough, the two entered. As they searched for movement of any kind, the rows and rows of stacked books that stretched up 30 ft  made the room's purpose abundantly clear.

"*Looks like we stumbled into a library.*" Harris observed.

"*Yeah.*" Hale replied. "*Take a guess-*"

Hale was immediately silenced and stuck in place. Unsure as to why he had suddenly cut out mid sentence, Harris turned to him to see him standing as still as a corpse, staring directly ahead. Harris turned to where he was looking, and found himself suddenly taken aback as well. By this time, Lewis and Viktor had finished opening the door, only to look up and gaze upon the same things Harris and Hale had found. Viktor and Lewis approached from behind, walking ever so slightly up to what laid upon a set of two large round tables stacked alongside each other, only to gaze upon the thing towering behind it. Words couldn't describe the two unexpected finds.
Upon the tables, rested the severed head of a creature that Vik and his team had encountered many times before. The head was 12 ft in length, it's jaw long and narrow like that of a crocodile, with sharp and jagged teeth, misshapen and misplaced along the mouth as a side-effect of Earth's radiation. It lacked eyes of any sort, with only cancerous growths and thick pockets of radiation scarring where they would have been. Two large sets of nostrils dug into the tip of the snout, with layers of the most ungodly of nasal fluids forming crust around the rim. It's skin was covered in an abundance of radiation scarring, cancerous tumors, a misshapen jawline, with large protruding calluses as hard as stone paving a path from the scalp of the head and down the neck, gradually getting wider the further it went.
This monstrosity went by many names, the most common of which was simply, "The Obelisk". A mutated terror which can wreak total havoc if encountered in close proximity. That wasn't the issue though. Several questions popped into Viktor's head, first of which was how it got here. Which led him to the construction behind him, which bore an unmistakable similarity to the portal they used to get here. Just like the one on Earth, in was shaped in an arch, albeit 1/2 the size of the original. Suddenly, Lewis broke the silence.

"*Well, that don't quite settle well, does it?*" He said in a blunt manner.

Everyone was still quiet, but moving once again. Viktor and Hale approached the portal frame whilst Harris and Lewis inspected the head of the mutant. Harris began inspecting it in an attempt to speculate what method was used to kill the beast let alone decapitate it. The Obelisk gained notoriety for its difficulty to kill and the damage it could do. He remembered about 6 years ago one had attacked his outpost back when the 3rd was posted in Egypt in the ruins of Cairo of Old. It suddenly brought back memories.
The exact genetic makeup of an Obelisk usually varied as mutations are prone to doing, but shared a few commonalities which classified it as such. It was essentially a genetic-based parasitic virus, which would kill it's host and begin a large growth of muscle, tissue and organs ending in the iconic crocodilian head. This growth would usually stem from the back of some person or animal. The one that terrorized his unit had once been human, although any human features had been permanently twisted by radiation essentially. The growth from the back would systematically change the body to suit its needs, almost like a genetic parasite. Thankfully no human currently alive would have to endure such horror thanks to the McGuire gene, which warded off a number of radiation viruses and diseases. The one he and his unit fought was a monster that towered over 30 ft. It left a body count of 21 men, some left lying on the ground with mortal wounds while others we're simply crushed to death, or worse, devoured.
Nothing less of a .50 caliber bullet could pierce its thick callus hide, and even that did little to slow it down. Twelve 30mm shots and an ATGM rocket from a BMP-2 was what finally managed to put it down. This led him to inspect the back of the head, where it had been severed. He was most curious as to how a species whose weapons haven't progressed past swords and spears were able to take down what hundreds upon hundreds of bullets couldn't. He was taken aback by what he saw. The cut to it's head was clean, and more shockingly cauterized. Lewis had his eyes on the exact same thing.

"*I reckon this isn't the handiwork of your chap, Berfield?*" Lewis commented.

"*No, I reckon it's not.*" Harris replied. 

Lewis began to touch the wound, inspecting it in further detail.

"*What do you think did?*" Lewis asked.

"*Obviously something we haven't seen yet.*" Harris replied.

"*Like a weapon?*"

"*Perhaps. Whatever it was had a high energy output. Higher than any weapon I've ever seen.*"

"*Hmm? Guess those little buggers are tougher than they look.*"

"*I doubt the guards patrolling around managed to kill this thing, other than this laceration there's no other wounds. It was a clean cut.*" 

Whilst Harris and Lewis inspected the wounds on the obelisk in an attempt to decipher what had happened to it, Viktor and Hale stood a few feet from the downsized portal, with looks and feelings of disbelief at what laid before them.

"*How they do it?*" Hale asked.

"*I don't know.*" Viktor replied, just as shocked as his compatriot.

"*You think Berfield had a hand in this?*" 

"*No, I don't. Berfield's not a scientist, he wouldn't have the expertise to construct something like this.*"

"*Speaking of which, some pretty.................odd................construction.*"

Viktor knew instantly what he was referring to. The construction itself resembled the portal that they had passed through when they began their mission, but this thing looked almost abandoned. The metal exterior was rusted and bent in several places, with scratches, chips, and even bullet holes dotting its surface. At the base were old wooden planks serving in place of steps. The base was formed out of sandbags and barbed wire spools which traveled up and around the arch, embedding itself within the exposed circuitry. 

"*Odd?*" Viktor said stunned. "*It looks like they pulled it out of a damn war zone.*"

"*Our war zone.*" Hale suggested.

"*Da. That would explain the head on the table.*"

"*How the hell did they manage to kill it?*"

"*I'm sure 6 and Harris will figure it out soon. But this still doesn't explain where they found the portal.*"'

Hale and Viktor pondered how the natives came into possession of one of these portals.

"*They had to have built it.*" Hale suggested.

"*How? From everything we've seen, these natives seem to be stuck in their own medieval or renaissance era.*" Viktor asked.

"*Well they built this place, by any human standard this crystal castle seems like a pipe dream, yet they did it somehow.*"

The sudden realization of that fact hit Viktor in a dubious manner. Hale had a point, perhaps there was some other factor that played a major hand to this species that humans lacked. Perhaps the man they were sent to find had the answers.

"*Well, perhaps Berfield will know how they did it.*" Viktor proposed. "*Davai, we need to keep searching, I'll contact the Commander. He'll definitely want to know about this.*"

Before Viktor could step away, Hale grabbed him by his shoulder.

"*Alpha, we can't leave this thing standing.*" Hale urged.

"*What the hell are you talking about?*" Viktor asked.

"*If they have a way to Earth, we can't let them keep it.*"

Viktor saw where he was going with this, and made a prestigious to put a stop to it before it gained traction.

"*We're here to do one thing Hale, find Berfield and bring him home.*" Viktor asserted. "*That's it.*"

Viktor had hoped end it there, however Hale wasn't willing to let this go so easily.

"*Leaving it here for them to use is threat to humanity. See what they did to that Obelisk? What do you think they'll do to us?*" Hale argued. "*We need to destroy it.*"

"*Perhaps you forgot, but Commander Sawyer expressed clearly that we're to remain undetected to prevent hostilities. Planting satchel charges in the middle of their castle tends to have the opposite effect. We're not destroying anything, period.*"

"*Do you honestly think the Commander is going to share that sentiment? Any direct link to Earth is breach we can't afford. The natives undoubtedly possess some sense of combat capability, albeit primitive, and more importantly, a larger population. If they start pouring in we're done for.*"

Seeing how his firm stance had backfired, Viktor decided to take a more appealing route.

"*I'm not trying to shrug this off, I know it's a risk, but we're not in a position to make that kind of call.*"

"*The Commander is.*"

"*I'm not laying that kind of decision on him, not yet anyway. If he deems it necessary, we'll do it, no questions asked. But for right now, he simply needs to be made aware of the situation. And for the moment, that's all we're going to do.*"

"*This isn't something that needs to be discussed in a council session. We need to act now.*" Hale protested.

Viktor, not in the mood to be arguing with a subordinate, pulled rank to finish this argument. Stern-faced and cold-toned, he got up in Hale's face and made his stance very clear.

"*Alright, I tried reason as a friend. Now I'm commanding as an officer, you'll do nothing unless told otherwise by me or the Commander. End of discussion. Do I make myself clear, Major?*" 

By the look on Hale's face Viktor could tell he still had his own firm stance on the matter, but he wasn't foolish enough to voice his discontent.

"*Yes, Sir.*" Hale replied in a mildly seethed manner.

As Viktor stepped away, Hale turned to look at the portal, thoughts still going through his head. Viktor raised a hand to his comm-link and dispatched a message over the local comm.

"*Osaka 1, come in.*"

The response was almost immediate.

"*Kinda busy here, Vik.*" Andrew replied in a hushed tone.

"*Andrew, it's important.*"

Nothing for about a minute. Viktor began to worry if something might have happened when Andrew suddenly came back on.

"*Sorry about that Wolf 1, caught me in the middle of making my out of that room. Anyways, I'm safely back downstairs. What's the trouble?*"

"*Well, we found a library and................and.*"

Viktor determined this was too important to beat around the bush, sighing as he laid it out plainly.

"*Andrew. They have a portal.*"

Another lull of silence to fill in the void. Viktor, unable to see his friend's expression could only guess how Andrew was responding to the new information when he suddenly replied back.

"*What?*" he asked.

"*They have a portal. It looks in rough shape, but, it's an downsized replica of the one we used.*"

"*How many?*"

"*Just one from the looks of it. But I think it leads to Earth.*" Viktor replied.

"*Do you know that for sure?* Andrew asked, with hints of concern in his voice.

"*Andrew, I'm looking at the decapitated head of an Obelisk. A twelve-footer lying across two tables. So yes, I'm pretty damn sure it leads back home!*"

Viktor let his frantic state get the better of him in that last sentence, as his tone of voice gradually came across as panicked.

"*Well god dammit, don't snap at me! I didn't give the natives a damn blueprint!*" Andrew scolded.

Viktor quietly swore in his native tongue before responding

"*Then who did? No way this can just be coincidence. No way in hell!*"

Viktor's head almost immediately turned to the man they were sent to find.

"*You think Berfield helped them?*" Viktor asked.

"*I don't know Vik, but now's not the time to be throwing accusations..............................I'm curious though How they managed to do it.*" Andrew asked.

"*How they managed to copy our portal or kill an Obelisk?*" Viktor asked.

"*Both.*"

A round of silence soon ensued, each second adding tension and uncertainty to the situation. Viktor could only guess what was going through his friend's head, if he had somehow managed to link a culprit to this. A human had to have had a hand in this, and the only human that came in before them was Berfield. Whether or not he did it willingly was still unknown. But while one part of his mind wanted to find the cause of all this, another part wondered just how they were going to respond to this. When the comms came back, it wasn't Andrew, but Bradford, addressing him.

"*Wolf 1, this is Gateway, repeat, did you say you found a portal!?*" Bradford asked in a stressed tone.

"*Affirmative, Gateway. I'm currently standing next to it. Like I told the Commander, it's roughly half the*" Viktor replied.




Everyone in the Portal room was dead silent, scientist and soldier alike, all staring up at Bradford who was currently operating the communications node. Throughout this whole ordeal, Bradford had been on a slippery slope between ecstatic optimism on what they might learn and fear-inducing dread should the mission go south. He now found himself in the middle, somewhat disturbed at this new discovery and what this could mean for the Survivors and humanity as a whole. Should these natives so desire, they had a means of invading Earth. Humanity did too, but from what they had learned so far, with the general hospitality of their world and their ability to kill one of the most dangerous creatures of all time, it's clear the native equines would have the upper hand. 
Among the crowd, standing next to each other was Francis and Nick, who, like everyone else, was both puzzled and curious to this newly discovered revelation. Something then occurred to Francis, a sudden thought that came to mind, albeit a rare occurrence for someone like him. Francis turned to his comrade, to voice his opinion.

"You think Tim helped them build it?"

Nick looked to him. Francis could tell he was giving it some thought, but by the time he subtly shook his head, it was clear Nick had doubts.'

"Nah, not Tim." Nick responded. "Not to insult his intelligence, but he ain't no engineer. Something like that is way out of his league."

"Suppose your right, but if it wasn't him then who did?" Francis asked.

"I dunno."

That would have been the end of the conversation, but Francis' curiosity of the situation indulged him to think harder on it.

"Actually, I've been thinking." Francis stated. "You know how they've been saying they found no trace of the scientists that used to work this place?"

"Yeah? Why? You think a bunch of dead guys built it?"

"What if they ain't dead? We didn't find a single body in this place. Maybe they saw the end coming, figured the portal was their best bet?"

"Or maybe they were evaced by the feds back in the day, and died running away. Besides, if they did go through the portal already why would they build another one, they must have had a way to activate it on the other side. Right?"

"But the power went out remember? They couldn't have been able to activate it without power."Francis insisted.

"Okay, so if these scientists built another portal, why haven't The Sarge and them seen any other humans?" Nick inquired.

"Maybe they got taken prisoner? Like Tim."

"But we don't even know-"

"Hey guys." said a voice from behind addressing the two. 

They turned around to see it was Corporal Locke, with a most irritated look on his face..

"I hate to interrupt your conspiracy theory session, but it's rather hard to hear what they're saying up there when you two won't stop fucking talking. You mind shutting the hell up and save this conversation for another time?"

The two turned their attention back to where the source of new information was coming from. Apparently Bradford, The Commander, and The Colonel had been discussing how they we're going to respond to the new portal. Bradford opened his mouth to speak, but before he could suggest a course of action, Andrew interjected with a most extreme suggestion.

"*We need to destroy it.*" Andrew ordered.

Bradford was immediately taken aback by his counterpart's suggestion. Some in the crowd had a similar reaction, and began to voice their opinion quite loudly.

"What?!" one scientist yelled.

"Is he crazy?!" another yelled.

"What happened to going about unnoticed!?" one militiaman shouted.

Soon enough, counter arguments began to be shouted out.

"We don't have a choice! Those things come to Earth and discover New Damascus, it's over!" one of Bradford's scientists shouted.

"We won't survive a full-scale invasion!" one soldier yelled.

"Tell him to destroy it now!" another soldier voiced.

Soon the crowd was beginning to argue amongst themselves as the situation devolved into chaotic ramblings amongst one man to another. Fear of what the future could bring on either decision fueled an adamant stance on both sides alike. The argument got so heated that Bradford could no longer decipher what was being said on the comms, the noise was so loud. Suddenly, they began to yell and scream, and gradually showed tell-tale signs of devolving from heated arguments to violence.Suddenly a gunshot went off, the high-pitched bang bouncing off the walls. Suddenly it was dead quiet, and every man in the room looked for the shooter. They found him standing next to Bradford. It was no other than Lt. Bakowski from Ft.Bismarck, serving as standing CO in the Commander's absence. His face was a mix of anger and annoyance. 

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, holstering his still smoking pistol. "This decision is between the two councilors, they'll come to a decision on the matter, not you! Your personal opinions are noted, But I will not tolerate infighting, especially at a time like this! Whatever decision they make will be upheld by every soul in this room, any grievances you have on the outcome are to be kept to oneself at this time! Do I make myself clear!"

The soldiers in the room replied with a loud and attent "yes, sir" while the scientists resorted to a miss-mash of affirming phrases. The Lieutenant, content with the overall response, turned to Bradford.

"Go on." Bakowski said.

He nodded to him. Now that the disturbance has died down, Bradford could coherently respond back.

"Sawyer, are you mad!" Bradford exclaimed, nearly shouting into the comm. "An action like that will no doubt be perceived as an act of war!"

"*With all due respect kid, you think they made a portal for shits and giggles? Whatever their intentions are, it involves Earth and more importantly, it's going to involve us. One way or the other it won't end well. We destroy this thing before they get the idea t make more.*"




"*What did I tell you.*" Hale quipped in a condescending tone.

Viktor spun around, snapping a pointed finger at him with an irate look that told him to keep his mouth shut. When it was clear Hale would comply, Viktor voiced his own stance on the matter to Andrew and Bradford.

"*Andrew, you can't be serious! We can't act on a judgement like that. We need to know more before we do anything. Don't forget what we overheard the natives saying before. It might not be what you think it is*" Viktor insisted.

"I concur with the Colonel Antonov." Bradford stated.  "We need to know more of what's going on, just because they constructed a portal of their own doesn't signify aggression towards humanity."

"*No, but the fact that they killed an Obelisk is a major cause for concern.* Andrew argued. "*Besides, governments of he past age often kept numerous secrets from their people, who's to say that isn't the case here. Judging from that and the ability to down what nothing less of a 50. caliber bullet can't, my reasons seem pretty sound. So until I know how they did it, we perceive it as a threat.*"

"*Colonel, the head is in the room with you, did you have one of your men inspect it?*" Bradford asked.

Viktor turned to Lewis and Harris, who in turn, like everybody else, had been listening in this whole time.

"*I did.*" Viktor replied, "*Standby while I assess what they found.*"

"*Make it quick Wolf 1, we can't delay for too long.*" Andrew ordered, "*In the meantime, I'll be coordinating my team through the second floor with Wolf 4.*"

"*Very well, Colonel, we'll put this conversation on hold once you've convened with your men, but I urge you not take any action until we've come to a decision.*"

"*Of course, Councilor.*"

Viktor walked over to the table where the head of the mutant still lay motionless, where Harris and Lewis had been standing. Hale watched as his CO went over to discuss their findings. Every so subtly, Hale began to walk towards the rear of the portal. He looked over the frame of the portal's arch, simply looking it over. Looking it over he noticed several small holes in metal exterior had looked to burst open. He then found one that was large enough to stick his hand through, and just so happened to expose some of the portal's internal wiring. He found what he was looking for, as he quietly reached into a large pouch on the left side of his vest. Viktor was now within talking distance to discuss just what had killed the Obelisk.

"*What do you two got?*" Viktor asked.

"*We don't know what they exactly used to kill it.*" Harris started off. "*But whatever it was carried quite a punch.*"

"*How so?*" Viktor asked.

"*Wound's a clean cut, Alpha, and cauterized at that.*" Lewis explained. 

Viktor wish to inspect the wound himself. Sure enough, the cut was clean, and cauterized.

"*Can you determine if they used a weapon.*" he asked.

"*If it was a weapon, I find it rather odd how inconsistent it is with the guard.*" Stated. "*Every guard we've seen has been clad in armor carrying nothing but a spear, like in ancient times. That kind of gap in combat capability throws every plausible link I can think of.*"

Viktor felt the same way, and as he tried to find a possible link, he fell back to recent events. The moment when Andrew informed everyone how he and his team had gotten stuck on the second floor.

"*The Floor........*" Viktor murmured to himself. 

"*What about it?*" Lewis inquired. "*Y'know, other than it's quite clean.*"

"*Not here! The floor in the room where The Commander and his team got stuck. He said the floor melded over the hatch.*"

"*Don't forget the part where he mentioned glowing horns.*"

Viktor was about ready to snap at Lewis, who had a shit-eating grin on his face that was ripe for a smack to the head. However, he found what he said to actually have some relevance.

"*Da...that too.*" Viktor mumbled.

Lewis gave a confused expression, as that wasn't the reaction he was expecting.

"*You think what they saw might link to this?*" Harris asked.

"*Not certain, but it's already clear these natives posses something that we haven't seen in full. But the Commander has.*"

With this new factor taken into consideration, Viktor deemed the time ready to relay his newfound findings back to Andrew and Bradford.

"*Gateway come in.*" he requested.

"*This is Gateway, go ahead Wolf 1.*"

Bradford's reintroduction to the discussion was soon followed by Andrew's.

"*Let's hear it, Vik. What did you find?*"

Viktor didn't hesitate.

"*Wolf 6 and Osaka 3 inspected the body. Total of two wounds. The first one is the obvious decapitation. The head looks to have been cut cleanly off. Oddly enough, the entire wound had been cauterized. Osaka 3 seems to think it had to be an energy-based weapon.*"

"*What could they have used to do that?*" Bradford asked. "*I............I........mean the gap between that and a couple of spears is pretty wide, don't you think?*"

"*Yes, me and my men expressed the same thing. But maybe it isn't a weapon.*"

"*What makes you say that?*" Andrew asked, as he too had reentered the conversation.

"*We think what Andrew and his team saw may provide a link.*"




Andrew instantly realized what he was referring to.

"*How the hatch in the floor just disappeared.*" Andrew said.

"*Precisely.*" Viktor reaffirmed.

Andrew shook his head, as he couldn't believe he didn't see a connection in the things he saw before.

"*I thought the horn might have just served as a light source, but considering this portal and the wound........... I'm thinking there may be more they can do with their horns.*"

"*Like what?*" Bradford asked, almost baffled at the concept.

"*Make doors or accessways disappear.*" Andrew suggested. "*Dish out high outputs of energy. Enough to slice the head off an Obelisk. If they can emit concentrated light who knows what else they can do. That horn might act as a catalyst of sorts.*"

Bradford on the other hand, wasn't buying any of this on the sole fact that he had no substantial evidence to back this claim, and thus lacked enough of a driving force for him to permit Andrew to follow through on the portal's destruction. Simply put, if they were going to make a decision, the needed more information first. And Bradford believed the source of this information would no doubt come from the man they came to rescue.

"*Commander, even if what you're saying is the case, that's still not enough to justify destroying the portal. Until we know more, I suggest we put a hold on making a decision. Right now Berfield is your priority. He may have the knowledge we're looking for, and if he can disclose or confirm our concerns, we can act accordingly.*"

While not willing to put this aside, the Councilor made a fair point. Berfield would have to know something, and if he didn't, they'd act in accordance with how he was treated. But this task would require his entire team, to whom which one of which was absent. By this time, All but Achmed had made it safely downstairs to him, and they stood there, or more accurately crouched by the set of stairs that they had come across when they had initially entered the place. There they waited patiently for his arrival.

"*Very well. My last man is being led through as we speak.*" Andrew informed. "*Once he's regrouped with the rest of us, we'll-*"

"*Commander, I hate to interrupt but we have a problem.*" Nate said in the midst of their discussion.

Fears and concerns as to what this trouble may entail had effectively garnered Andrew's full attention.

"*Wolf 4, report.*" Andrew said.

"*It's Osaka 5, I....I lost him.*"

"*What! How!?*"

"*The drone's feed started getting some interference, I tried to adjust, but everything just suddenly cut out. Video, audio, scans, everything but the drone's flight command just went dark!*"

This placed a very dire situation at Andrew's hands, as he couldn't afford to have their element of surprise be compromised. Not only that, but Sabbag didn't have the training to get through that thicket of security, not on his own. Andrew immediately sought a quick resolution to this predicament whilst Viktor inuired as to how the drone could have malfunctioned to such a severe degree in midst of simple operation.

"*The only time that could happen is if the RARD went out of range. That drone can operate within a 65 km radius and Wolf 4 is less than 10 away. How did everything just go out?*" Viktor asked.

"*If I knew I'd have it fixed by now.*" Nate said defensively.

"*Was it bug in the flight script?*" Bradford asked.

"*Trust me, I debugged the script to a mirror sheen. Flight's not the issue, I'm still getting a readout on it's operational status and script sequence, I think it's a signal problem.*"

"*Then what's impeding the signal?*"

"*I just said I don't know!*" Nate yelled, clearly in a state of panic.

"*You can work out what caused it later, Sabbag's running blind up there.*" Andrew barked. "*Osaka 5, come in!*"

Despite his callout, there was no response. Andrew made another attempt.

"*Osaka 5, do you read me.*"

Once again, no response. Andrew and the others looked amongst each other, with expressions displaying fear and concern that one of their team members wasn't responding. Andrews attempts to keep calm failed.

"*Shit!*" he hissed. "*Wolf 4, do everything to get that god damn drone back online.*"

"*Already on it, sir.*" Nate replied.

"*Vik, get your team and rendezvous at our current location.*"

"*First of all, our map-*"

"*It's right by the entrance, now just do as I say.*" Andrew barked over the comms.

"*What the hell are you up to Andrew, that wasn't part of the plan.*"

"*Plan's changed. I'm going after Sabbag.*"

Before either Viktor, Bradford, or anyone out range could protest, Andrew disconnected his comm entirely. He looked at Sarah and Lamond, who just stood with, wide-eyed at the bold move he was about to take. Before he ascended the stairs, he gave them a new set of orders.

"*When the Colonel arrives, tell him to have an exit secured.*"

"*Are we pulling out?*" Sarah asked.

Andrew climbed the steps without answering. Sarah, not too keen on the Commander proceeding on his own, offered her support as well as Lamond's.

"*Let us come with you at least.*" Sarah urged.

Andrew turned around, staring her down.

"*You have your orders Sergeant. See to it you follow them to the t.*"

And without so much as a reply, Andrew made his way to the top and onward to the second floor. Sarah and Lamond were by themselves, alone and left with their directive. Silence had prevailed over the two of them, as each turned t their internal thought as to what would come. A simple rescue mission had turned into something much greater in the span of a few minutes, and while the stake of humanity's future had been on the line before, humanity itself found itself struggling to gain it's balance on the tightrope. The clear-cut advantage they once thought they had over the natives wasn't so certain now, and the current status of their comrade being all but unknown did little to settle their nerves.




"*Andrew? Andrew? Suka blyat!*" Viktor cursed into his comm-link.

Just like old times, Andrew was off running to some unnecessary crusade at the worst possible moment. Viktor, frustrated with his old friend, began to beckon for his team to follow. 

"*We rendezvous with Osaka 1's team.*" He seethed. "*And then I put a boot up his ass once I see him again.*"

Quickly and quietly, Viktor's team filed out of the library. Viktor led with Lewis and Harris following behind. hale was the last to exit, and thus the one Viktor instructed to close the door as if they were never there. Hale nodded in compliance, while the others worked their way up the hall, Hale pulled a small device from one of his back belt pouches. In his hand was a small electronic detonator. On the side of it was a switch, with the worn and rubbed off words of "Off" and "Standby" placed on opposing sides of the switch. Hale flipped it to the standby setting, and as soon as he did, the faintest of orange lights lit up and began to blink within the holes of the exposed portal frame. Hale, content with his desired result, closed the doors to the library and began to catch up with the others.


	

The halls that seemed so generic at first glance felt like the walls of a prison constantly closing in and around him, approaching and receding as if to toy with him. Achmed found himself in the worst situation he could conceive at the moment. One minute he was following Nate's directions, the next, his comms not just cut out, but the entirety of his HUD-set was completely shot. Night-Vision was disabled, comms offline, his layout of the second floor gone in the blink of an eye.
He slowly began to adjust to the darkness, Whilst staying out of eye-sight. The guard patrols were constant, and were bound to come across him in due time. he currently backed himself up against a door just hanging off the edge of a four-way cross section. It kept him hidden, but that wouldn't be the case for long, he needed a place to hide and quick. All but the direction he came from was completely blocked off, sentries posted at every other door on both sides.
Amidst his panicked state and survival instincts Achmed made an effort to recede back the way he came, and joggle what he could remember about the floor layout that Nate had told him. He pushed himself to think quickly. From one of the halls he could hear the clanking footsteps growing ever more audible, telling him that another patrol was on its way.
Achmed figured it was best if he made his way back to the room with the round table, and thus began to backtrack. He moved silently, yet with haste. He had taken a left to get to the hallway he was in now, so naturally, he would take a right.  Doing so, he saw yet another obstacle. At the very end of the hallway, a three-man patrol had stopped at one of the sentry posts, talking with the guard stationing it. The four of them together served as an effective block in his path.

Shit, shit, shit. he swore to himself.

Achmed waited anxiously behind a large half-pillar, praying to god that the patrol would hurry up and move along. But minutes passed, and they hadn't budged. Achmed began to get nervous, wondering if what they discussed could signal that they had been tipped off to their presence. But as quickly as this panic came upon him, Achmed managed to temporarily keep a cap on.

Okay, Okay, calm your ass down Sabbag. Remember keep a steady nerve, like the Commander said. I can get through this...............I hope I can get through this.

Suddenly, he saw a door behind the guards begun to glow blue, the same blue that had sealed the hatch from earlier. As unnatural as that was, the frightening bit was when he saw it swing open. Achmed's focus was entirely grasped on what was unfolding in front of him. Stepping out of the door, donned in a crown and regalia like that of the very night sky, was one of the equine natives. This one stood taller than any of the guards that stood at their posts, with a blue coat of fur and main and tail like starlight, that slowly flowed on its own. Like some of the other natives encountered, she too bore a mark upon her flank, a dark splotch of black that housed a crescent moon. Her body was slender in contrast to the more bulky, with a more angular yet still feminine quality to her facial features. What really took Achmed aback was while some of these natives possessed either a horn, a set of wings, or nothing at all, this one proudly possessed both, and at a much greater side at that.
From the expressions he could read on the guards, they seemed almost surprised to see her. Achmed moved in a little closer, wishing to overhear what they had to say. He moved up about 3 or 4 feet. He dared not move an inch closer, lest they spot him. He crouched down, back against the wall with another half-pillar concealing some of his frame, and he listened.

"Your highness. Is something wrong?" he heard one of the guards ask.

The title he had addressed her with Highness indicated a position of royalty, and Achmed was able to determine that this taller equine might have been a queen or something else along those lines. He continued to listen.

"I believe something is amiss." She replied in a heavily British voice. "I request you four accompany me."

"Of course, Princess."

Princess, so she's not a queen. Achmed thought to himself.

She began to take steps towards another hallway, but she paused. He suddenly saw her lift her head curiously. Suddenly Achmed's skittish nature took hold of him, and he quickly backed as far up against the wall as he could. Although he couldn't see her, he could feel her eyes upon him. Several seconds passed before a guard spoke up, indicating that they were still there.

"Princess Luna?" The guard inquired, clearly not on the same page as her.

A few seconds passed, before she addressed them again.

"This way." she said.

Achmed peeked over to the side to see them heading down the hallway to his left, opening up his way forward. Achmed, not knowing whether it was just luck or God himself answering his prayers, was somewhat relieved, but he was well-aware he wasn't out of the woods just yet. He collected himself and began progressing forward once again, passing the hall where the Princess had taken herself and her guards. He walked about thirty more meet, constantly looking over his should to make sure he hadn't been spotted. There he could see the turn in the hallway to his right, which would lead him to a straight shot to the round-table room. 
However, as he began to approach the corner, he heard a slight scuffle come from the other side. It was subtle, but the mere fact that he heard it meant it had to be close. Achmed inched his way up to the corner turn. He stopped just 10 inches away. He listened, and after a few seconds, he picked up faint whisps of breathing. This breathing wasn't his own, and from the sound of it it was tense. He half expected a guard to turn the corner, but whatever was on the other side refused to do so. Achmed once again began to panic, as the signs pointed towards the very thing he wished to avoid. Whatever laid on the other side knew he was there. But suddenly, he felt a sudden intuition to place his uneasy panic with a more confident, if foolhardy initiative. Deeming it too late to go back now, Achmed flipped the safety of his gun off. The sound was clearly audible in the dead silence, and at that distance, he heard the breathing sharply rise.
Knowing that his adversary heard it, Achmed didn't hesitate. Quick as lightning he turned the corner gun raised at eye level and pointed at what was on the other side. In an assertive tone, he hissed the word.

"Freeze."

"Drop it." The other said just as assertively.

Achmed, to his surprise, saw not a guard, but the barrel of a rifle shoved in his face, just as he shoved his into his adversary. He strained his focus on the one holding the gun, and upon seeing his face, he eased up, eventually lowering his rifle all together. The figure, began to do the same, revealing a face Achmed hadn't seen in at least a week.

"Tim?"


> Chapter 23: An Error In Judgement
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As much as it seems as though Achmed could find temporary relief once more, it would soon be quickly dashed in a blink of an eye. For fate had decided the future setting it in stone for all of time to behold. A future that would lead to an exodus, unleash paranoia and fear, rekindled hope for the distraught, and wage a war between worlds...........................




Achmed blinked a few times, just to make sure his eyes hadn't deceived him. But lo and behold, there his friend still stood, wearing the same fatigues and carrying the same rifle he had on him the day he disappeared. Tim himself on the other hand didn't recognize the man in front of him at first glance. Somewhat relieved to see another human being, but one entirely unknown to him. This stranger's face was concealed behind a balaclava and uncertain of what his true purpose was. Tim wondered how he knew his name, and he was about to find out. 

"You Militia?" Tim asked, rifle still raised and at the ready.

"*What? Well Duh.*" Achmed replied in a confused tone.

"Who are you? Name and rank." Tim asked resolutely.

Achmed gave him a confused stare, before realizing that all the gear and the balaclava he was wearing obscured his regular appearance.

"*Tim. It's me.*" Achmed said, taking his helmet and balaclava off, revealing his face in full view.

The moment when the stranger was revealed to be his friend Achmed is when Tim's eyes shot up with astonishment.

"Achmed?!" he exclaimed. "What the hell are you doing here? How did y-" 

"*Tim, shh!*" Achmed interjected. "*You'll alert the guards.*"

It took Tim a few seconds to piece things together, but he eventually caught on that Achmed must have snuck in here, and more importantly, wished to go about unnoticed. Questions pertaining to how he got here and he looked ready to fight an entire platoon would have to come later.

"*Right.*" Tim said. "*Follow me, I know a place where we can talk in private.*"

Achmed followed his friend, as he no doubt had a better feel for this place, assuming he had spent the last four to five days in this world. Tim took him down the hallway left of the room with the round table, then down another turn to the right, coming to an end at the first door on the right of that hallway. Tim opened it and beckoned for his friend to follow him inside, to which Achmed did without hesitation.
Once inside Achmed took a look around the room. It appeared to be a lavish bedroom reminiscent of an era long past, complete with one's very own bed and an assortment of furnishings. Signs of it's use by Tim were visible, with the contents of Tim's satchel spread out across the top of a dresser, Tim's DPM uniform shirt draped over a chair, and his hat resting atop the nightstand next to his bed. 
Tim closed the door, pressing an ear up against it once it was shut and listening for anything that might lead him to believe they were followed. Thankfully, there was nothing, and Tim deemed it safe to speak. But before he did so, Tim walked over to his friend and almost choked him in a hefty bro hug. The two chuckled, glad to see each other again.

"*Damn good to see ya' again buddy!*" Tim exclaimed as he let go of his friend.

"*Likewise.*" Achmed replied. "*How have you been?*"

"*Just dandy. How did you even get here?*" Tim asked.

"*How do you think? The same way you did.*"

Tim's generally happy attitude showed a slight shift in the other direction.

"*You mean to tell me that the portal sucked you in here against your own will too?*" Tim asked.

"*Not exactly, we walked in.*"

"*Oh, well that makes a little more sense given what you saw happen to me.........Wait?We?*" Tim asked. "*You came in with a team?*"

"*Yeah, two in fact.*"

"*How many of y'all are there?*"

Achmed began to count off using his fingers.

"*Let's see, there's twelve of us. Me, the Sarge, Lamond, Harris, Ahab, and the Commander.*" Achmed listed off. "*Along with a First Recon team led by Colonel Antonov.*"

Tim was silent as his face transitioned from slightly concerned to worried at the mere mention of a "Commander". He grabbed Achmed by the shoulders and looked him stone-cold in the eye.

"*Commander?" Tim uttered. "*As in the Commander-in-chief? As in Commander Sawyer himself?!*"

Achmed quickly caught wind that Tim wasn't taking this news well, but had no way of really softening the blow.

"*Yeeeeeeeeaaahhhh? That Commander.*" Achmed replied awkwardly.

Tim let go of Achmed, his left eye twitching a little before he blurted out loud.

"Why the hell is he here?!"

"*Tim! Dude, keep your voice down!*" Achmed begged.

Tim, realized how he loud he had said that, and lowered his voice back down to a hushed tone.

"*Sorry.*" Tim started off by saying. "*But what the hell is he doing here? He's a Councilor for Christ's sake!*"

Achmed wished he could explain it all to him right then and there, but it donned on him that now was neither the time nor place to do it. Achmed was still cut off from the rest of his team, and desperately needed to get both Tim and himself to rendezvous back downstairs.

"*I'll explain it later.*" Achmed promised. "*But the bottom line is that we came here to get you home. Now we need to get back to the others, and away from these things."

"*By things, I assume you're talking about the ponies?*"

Achmed shot Tim a perplexed glance.

"*Ponies? You call them ponies? As in the miniature version of a horse?*" Achmed asked.

"*No, they do. Although I suppose if that name's too silly you could call em' Equestrians. After the country they hail from.*"

Achmed, still a little confused with the naming situation decided it wasn't really important.

"*Whatever.*" Achmed argued. "*So are these little guys hostile? We're you detained by them or what?*"

"*Nah, not at all, I asked them for help. They've been pretty hospitable so far, offered me a place to stay and found a way for me to get back. They were wary of me at first, but after I explained how I got here, they seemed to come around.*"

Achmed kept a mental note on his friend's description of the natives, keeping it into account for debriefing.

"*Pretty nice folks.*" Tim went on to say. "*But that may not be the case if one of the Princesses finds one of you with me. They may think something's up.*"

"*Princesses?.................Is one of them dark blue? With a flowing mane?*"

"*Yeah, her name's Princess Luna, guessing you saw her?*"

"*That I did. She left her room about a minute before I ran into you. Took three of her guards with her. It was hard hear, but I think she said something was amiss.*"

Tim gave a worried look.

"*Do you think she knows we're here?*" Achmed asked.

"*No, but it's probably not best to sit around wondering if she does or not. Right now, you guys need to find a way outta here.*" Tim stated. "*Which brings me to my next question, if your here by yourself, where's everybody else you came here with?*"

"*Downstairs. I got separated from them.*"

"*How?*" Tim asked.

"*My team managed to inadvertently get stuck in that room with the round table.*" Achmed explained. "*We had one of our guys operating a RARD to get us through. Everyone else made it out just fine, but when it was my turn the drone went dark.*"

"*Can't you contact them with that HUD-set ya got there?*"

"*No, I can't. Seems whatever caused the drone to go dark effected my equipment too. My comms, optics, even the light-up crosshairs to my scope went out.*" 

"*So you're stuck.*"

"*Yeah, looks that way.*"

"*Well, guess that means we gotta sneak you out. But how.......*"

Tim began to pace back and forth across the room, with the task of figuring out a solution to Achmed's predicament on his head. Meanwhile, Achmed's memory of how he got cut off from the others inadvertently touched upon another, more specifically, the conversation that preceded it between the Commander, the Colonel, and Councilor Bradford. Though he hadn't seen it himself, Achmed understood the potential danger it could bring. At the same time, it could be a huge misunderstanding, and like Bradford had said, the only way to make a clear judgement on what to do about it would be to get Tim's perspective on the matter. Achmed could only imagine how they'd do it, every thorough and time-consuming minute spent in a military debriefing. Deep down Achmed knew it be best to let the higher-ups find out what happened at a later time, let them assess the whole thing. But Tim was his friend, and as his friend there was a need to hear his Tim's point of view before they did.
It seems now would be the time to ask just how the natives "helped" his friend. Achmed knew his friend well, well enough to know that if he somehow had a hand in its creation, that it wasn't out of hostility to The Survivors, bu that same principle couldn't be applied to these Equestrians, not yet. Tim was loyal to his friends and what he and every other man and woman in the Militia believed in, but he had a habit of taking everyone's word, which in this scenario could have led to the Equestrians using him. Humanity's survival was just as important to Tim as it was to the Council. He knew that, Tim knew that, but the evidence provided over the comms needed a due explanation.

"*Tim, there's something I need to ask.*" Achmed stated.

"*...What is it?*" Tim asked, still thinking over what to do next.

"*Before I lost contact, The Colonel and his team came across a library. Inside he said he found two things. The decapitated head of an Obelisk.............and a duplicate of the portal we found back on Earth.*"

Tim closed his eyes and grimaced. It seemed that he had wished to keep it secret.

"*Shit...........Was really hoping y'all hadn't found that.*" he said in a hushed voice.

"*Tim! Why is it even here, okay, and why do they have it?*"

Tim had stopped pacing at this point, slowly turning around to his friend. There was dead silence for several seconds, with Tim no doubt prepping a reasonable explanation. The silence lingered for ten more seconds before Tim broke it with his reply.

"*I needed a way back home, and I'll be honest I wasn't exactly expecting a rescue.*" Tim stated.

"*So you went off on your own accord and asked another species for help instead of waiting to see if we might find you first?*" Achmed said, deliberately angry. "*Do you have any idea-*"

"*Hey! How was I supposed to know I was gonna be rescued?!*" Tim said defensively. "*Usually when someone goes MIA, they write it off in the books, prep a eulogy, and that's it. I figured I was on my own.*"

"*Okay, fine, I suppose that explains why you went looking for help, but to place enough trust in these Equestrians, to build you a portal for the sole purpose of getting you home?*"

"*...............Yeah? What about it?*"

"*Did you didn't even once stop to think if they might be playing you?*"

"*Of course I did!*" Tim said in defense. "*Achmed, I was wary of them from the start, but like I said, there a pretty peaceful people. More so than us humans! They've never dealt with constant conflict like we have. Hell! The closest thing to a war they've ever had left less than a hundred and thirty dead, and it happened thousands of years ago. So if that don't tell you that you got nothing to worry about then I don't know what will.*"

Alas, Achmed remained unconvinced.

"*Really? If they're so peaceful why is there a severed head of an Obelisk sitting on the table in the same room? What the hell we're you doing for something like that to even happen?*"

"*What I was trained to do, scouting.*" Tim replied bluntly.

"*Scouting?*" Achmed said doubtingly.

"*Yeah.*" Tim said, rubbing the back of his head in a not so self-assured tone. "*Though, probably one of the worst situations I found myself in while scouting. More so than that rocket project we cooked up.*"

"*Tim, right now's not really time to bring up that stupid rocket.*"

"*Hey! It wadn't stupid...................you're stupid.*"

"*Tim!*" Achmed snapped at him.

"*What do you want out of me, Achmed!? A confession!?*"

"*How about we start with what happened when you used it?*" Achmed suggested. 

"*Is this really important right now?*" Tim asked. "*A second ago you were talking about how you needed to regroup with the others.*"

"*That can wait for now. I'm only asking because as of just few minutes ago, the Commander, the Colonel, and the Councilor were debating whether or not to blow it up!*"

Tim's face contorted to a panic.

"*No. Nonononono, bad idea!*"

"*Then I need to know why it's a bad idea.*" Achmed stressed. "*The final decision boils down to what happened, and why it was created.................So let's hear it.*"

Tim, seeing no other way out of this, bit the bullet and began to explain everything that transpired over the last day and a half.

"*Well......................*"




...........16 hours ago...........




The Library was a bustling sight to behold. Ever since the party returned from their trip from the Everfree, Tim, Twilight, her friends, along with Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, had spent the remainder of their day yesterday working tirelessly on the portal's progress. They poured over the contents of the tome that detailed the method they had chosen before hand for the portals construction, which required a the appropriate magical items to act as the catalyst. But their tireless work had paid off, and it was because of it that they would be able to construct today. Essentially, all the items Tim and the others had brought back needed to be arranged in a triangular configuration, divided into groups that best suited their nature. Once that had been arranged, Twilight, Luna, and Celestia would magically carve out the proper runes they spent all night memorizing and emblazon upon the configuration.
Paper, being the most abundant of the materials collected, and other wood-based trinkets, like pencils and such, were set up in it's own pile. Objects composed entirely of metal or plastic we're in another, with technology being the third and final pile currently being set up. While Twilight's friends aided in moving objects to and fro, the guards with Tim's aid did most of the "heavy" lifting so to speak. Tim had instructed a pair of guards to move a large printer when he spotted Princess Luna by the doorway.
Unbeknownst to the others, Tim had been suffering repeating night terrors every night since his arrival to Equestria, with the exception of one. He had hopes that they would cease, yet sadly they hadn't. He had one when spending the night in the Everfree forest, and another last night. The one he had in the Everfree was enough for him to consider asking for Luna's aid, the one he experienced last night, was enough to outright convince him. It had been the middle of the night when he went up to her room. He was denied entry at first, but Luna was still up and about when she heard the commotion outside her bedroom door. 
She followed Tim back to his room, and there he discussed with her what had been going on during his sleep. Luna listened to him discuss whatever specifics he could about the nightmares. Shadowy figures, distorted landscapes, and endless splotchy blackness. Yet through it all Tim couldn't help but shake the feeling that they retained a familiarity to himself. Luna, having expertise in the field of dreams and their meanings, had experienced cases like this in the past, yet had yet to experience the dream of a human being. Luna explained to Tim how the different species of the world often had varying differences in their dreams. Most of the variance came in minor things, such as subject, perception, level of lucid awareness, etc.
Nonetheless, Luna agreed to help. When he went to sleep that night however, Tim's nightmare continued to persist. Whether Luna had altered the dreams clarity or outcome was hard to say, for he had no control in the dreams he had. He eventually woke, up, distraught and fatigued from restless sleep as usual. Upon awakening, Luna wasn't there. That had been about 3 hours ago, and now that she was in plain sight, Tim felt inclined to discuss what had transpired within the inner workings of his mind with her. Noticing his approach, Luna turned to him, with an expression that could almost come across as distressed.

"Good morning, Princess." Tim greeted.

"Good morning, Tim." She greeted back, in as friendly and relaxed as she could muster. "I have no doubt that your anxious to hear of what I found, yes?"

Tim peered over his shoulder. Despite being present in good company and disclosing the matter of his dreams to both Luna and her sister, he didn't want the others concerned over it. So in a hushed voice, he vocalized his concern.

"*Yeah. Did you find out what's causing the nightmares?*"

Luna began to open her mouth as if to speak, yet found herself incapable of speech.

"*What's wrong?*" Tim asked.

Luna cleared her throat to respond.

"I did manage to find the source of the problem, but what I saw, is, what assume, very personal..........to you in fact."

Tim took a minute to grasp his head around that idea.

"*What do you mean?*" he asked. "*What did you see exactly?*"

Luna took a look around the room, getting a clear sense that it was quite crowded.

"If I may, I believe it would be best to discuss this at another time with perhaps a more private setting."

Tim's curiosity turned to anxiousness, yet ultimately he set it aside, getting a clear picture that whatever it was carried importance. To what, he couldn't say.

"Well, if you thinks that's best I won't argue. You're the dream expert after all." He said in a dissapointed yet understanding voice. "Anyways, Twilight and her friends are just about done setting everything up. From what I've been told, all that's left is for you and Princess Celestia to work y'alls magic."

Luna, took a slight breath of relief, from what Tim assumed related to their previous conversation. The two walked over to where the piles were stacked up.

"Yes." She said. "I'll check over the preparations, see that they're all in order before beginning the assembly spell. If you have any questions now would be the ideal time."

"I've got one big one." Tim said. "How are we supposed to know where it will end up? Like, how am I gonna know if the other side is safe enough to scout out?"

"Well, I not sure of how portals work in your world, but in our worlds portals can come in a variety of forms. And you'll be glad to know that this one possesses the ability of a two-way visual plane."

"So, I'll be able to see the other side?"

"I-.........yes. No offense, Tim, but I'm actually surprised you didn't make an inquiry into what that term meant."

"Yeah, well, Twilight was dishing out a bunch of magic jargon all-day yesterday. Tried to pick up on and learn whatever I could."

"If I may ask, why? It's not as if you can use magic." Luna pointed out.

Tim gave it some thought, eventually shrugging his shoulders.

"I dunno. Just interests me I guess. Even though the idea of magic still baffles me, it's kinda comforting that there's a lot of work put into it. It doesn't exactly come at "the snap of a finger", so to speak?"

"Snap of a finger?" Luna said confused.

"Oh.......human saying, basically means little-to-no effort put into it."

"Oh! I see."

The two had now reached the piles. Luna stepped forward and began inspecting it.

"Miss Sparkle, is everything separated by material and function?" Luna called out.

Twilight quickly flew over to the Princess of the night, already giddy and excited as they were moments away from the portal's construction.

"You bet, Princess. Paper and wood in one pile, with metal and technology in their own piles. I've also already taken the liberty of getting acquainted with the proper runes that need to be inscribed at the base of each pile."

"Yes but are the piles complete?" Luna asked.

"They are now, Princess!" yelled Applejack, as she and a guard set down a busted computer monitor in the technology pile. "Just got the last piece unloaded."

"Then it seems we're ready to begin. I'll ask everypony to stand back. And be ready to shield your eyes. I have a feeling that this will be bright. Sister, Miss Sparkle, let us proceed."

As the three alicorns met at the center of the room, Tim stood in the back of the library, in close proximity to Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. Whilst Luna discussed what exactly needed to be done to begin the Portal's assembly. Rainbow Dash looked at Tim, shying her head away and sinking down. Suddenly, she took a deep breath, and looked up to Tim.

"Hey, Tim." She said in a soft spoken voice.

Catching his attention, He looked down at Rainbow Dash. This had been the first time they had spoken since the incident in the forest. Ever since then she had been kind of reclusive towards him, no doubt feeling a tad bit ashamed that her distrust caused him injury and almost jeopardized the entire group. Seeing her only reminded him of his wound, which thankfully by now didn't nearly hurt as bad now that it had been a day and a half since he acquired it. 
Tim thought back on the way he reacted to her when she came up to him after the incident. Thinking back on it Tim was conflicted on whether or not that he may have been a tad bit harsh towards her, with the other half telling him his reaction was more than justified. Regardless, the tone she spoke with now indicated that she needed to get something off her chest, and Tim had a good idea on what it probably was.

"Yes?" he said calmly.

"I just wanted to apologize about what happened." Rainbow Dash went on to say. "I may.........no I was a way overprotective. I should've taken Twilight's advice and given you a chance. Instead I put the group in danger, almost became a Timberwolve's lunch, with you ended up getting hurt. So I guess what I want to say, or ask really, is if we...can start over?"

Sincerity hung onto every word she spoke. Tim wholeheartedly accepted it, as he wasn't the kind of man to hold a grudge.

"It's alright. I'm willing to let bygones be bygones."

Rainbow took a sigh of relief in comfort.

"Thanks, Tim. I'll try to get my act together, and won't go all out next time something like that happens."

"I hope so."

The Two turned their eyes back to the center of the room, where the three alicorn princesses began to ignite their horns in their respected magical hues. Each took a spot between the gaps between, shooting a beam that land on the three piles. Soon, their eyes began to glow white, and each opened their wings and began to hover about a meter above the ground. Runes began to emerge on the floor between each pile. Each one intricate and carved with a bright, almost blinding, white light, forming shapes and runes foreign to Tim.
Suddenly the contents of the piles, now in direct contact with the magical beams, began to levitate off the ground, gradually melding from their original form. The contents shot up to the center of the triangular configuration, converging at a single point, which in turn formed a large glowing mass. The Princesses and back on the ground, and with the slightest head motion, the mass descended towards the end of the room. Upon making contact with the floor, it seemingly began to flatten, spreading out in a perfect circular radius from its contact point. Soon, the mass laid flat across the floor, and the Princesses ceased their magical manipulation upon it. They soon broke their original formation, approaching the still glowing circle on the floor. Celestia's horn glowed once more and it looked as she was about to fire off another spell. But suddenly, she stopped, and smiled, turning to look at her pupil.

"Twilight, would you like to do the honors?" Celestia asked.

Twilight's face shot out in a smile, and with confidence ever so bold, she began to ignite her horn once more. Twilight approached the outer edge of the magic circle. This time, she shot out three beams simultaneously into the air. They lingered for about five seconds, floating in the air, before all three increased speed, converging at the center of the glowing circle. Suddenly The circle's light became blinding. Tim and many of the others in the room squinted their eyes or either looked away. The light began to recede, and although it was hard to see, Tim was certain that that a structure was beginning to rise from the magic circle as its boundaries began to recede. All seemed according to plan, until the receding circle reached the rising form.
Faces in the room began to turn confused, or concerned, as the circle's recession halted, and the once blinding light began to immediately transition into an almost pitch black.

"Wait......what's happening?" Twilight asked. "Why did it stop?"

Luna and Celestia looked to one another hoping to find an answer. Meanwhile, Tim began to approach it, somewhat distressed as it seemed things weren't going to plan.

"What happened, did something go wrong?" He asked.

"I'm not sure, I mean, we did everything correctly." Twilight stated.

"Even that spell you just shot out?" Tim asked, anxiously needing an answer.

"Yes. I've known that spell for years. I don't understand. It should have continued."

"Perhaps the material we obtained wasn't enough to establish a connection?" Luna suggested.

Tim's fist clenched and frustration began to take over.

"You gotta be shitting me?" he cursed.

"That can't be." Celestia stated. "If we were lacking in sufficient material, Twilight's spell would have simply reverted everything back to it's original form."

"Then how come-"

Suddenly the mass let out a massive seismic shockwave, knocking everyone in the room down to the floor. The mass became active once again, but rather than a gradual recession of blinding light, It began to contort and diskew in rapid series of intervals. Everyone watched with attentive anxiety, wondering what would come of this misshapen creation next.

"What's happening!" Tim yelled out.

"I have no idea!" Twilight yelled back.

"It's unstable!" Celestia called. "Luna! Twilight! Quickly, we need to keep it still."

The two other alicorns were quick to get back up on their hooves, firing off a constant beam of magic to keep the active mass stable. The effort to keep it this way took tremendous amounts of focus, as Tim could see that all three of them we're struggling to keep it still, with sweat coming off their brow, and veins stretching out across the neck and forehead. Eventually the mass began to recede once again, with the complete form finally coming into view. The first sight that came wasn't what either Tim or the ponies of this world came to expect. Sandbags piled one on top of the other, intertwined with a small section of barbed wire.
To make matters worse the room suddenly began to overcome with a dark shadow, blocking any direct light from the outside from peering in. A strong wind emanated from the source of the mass, sending books and loose leaf objects flying backward. The guards began to notice, and instinctively began to prepare for anything.  Tim's focus was centered on the receding form of the portal. Which began to show signs of an arch-like structure composed of metal. In the midst of the chaos this portal spewed, Tim caught traces of rust in the metal, along with dents, claw marks, bullet holes, and exposed circuitry. As each mark of damage came into view, Tim could swear he heard faint traces of what would leave it, but it could also just be the wind playing tricks on him. As more and more of the portal came into view, the wind began to die down, shadows began to give way to sunlight, and at the very last moment, before the black formless mass disappeared entirely, a booming echo thundered out.
The Alicorn Princesses ceased their magic, slinking down in posture and breathing heavily from exhaustion. Twilight looked up at him, and the portal, and managed to get a few words out.

"Is.............every..........pony alright?" she asked.

She only manged to get a few responses in the forms of nods, grunts, moans, and the occasional shout out. she saw how most in the room had their sights dead set on what she and the other two Princesses managed to maintain. She herself looked to the point where all eyes converged, seeing clear as day what now stood at the edge of her library. 
The Portal had been completed, but it looked about as different from any other portal as she had ever seen. No intricate designs, no elaborate manifestations reflecting the kind of magic she was used to. This portal was worn, beaten, torn, and scarred in so many places that one could only wonder what had happened to it. Tim was standing directly in front of it, absolutely baffled.
His mind still inquired at what he had heard and saw take shape. But voices of those around him began to fade in, and his mental state was suddenly brought back to the here and now.

"Tim!" Twilight shouted out.

Tim turned around to her, and suddenly became alarmed at the sight of the three completely worn out.

"Jesus! Are you three alright." He said, walking up towards them to offer whatever assistance he could.

"Could be better." Twilight responded. "I have no clue as to what kind of magic that was. That wasn't supposed to happen."

"I......think.....I have an idea.......on what that was." Luna said between breaths.

"You do?" Twilight said, genuinely curious.

Her and Celestia took a few seconds to recuperate, with Celestia urging her sister to inform them on her theory.

"Luna, do tell...........was that some sort of dark magic?" Celestia asked.

"I don't believe so. I remember in the book that a portal often reflects the world it leads to. In most cases, it would have simply receded in that white aura, as many worlds often bear a neutral or benevolent nature, like ours." Luna informed.

Tim got a sense of what she was referring to. A broken world like Earth was an abysmal place, and if Luna's theory was correct, it would make sense why the portal looked in absolute disrepair.

"Instead we had to fight with it." Luna suggested. "Our magic with some unknown force that most likely wasn't compatible with it. What we witnessed could best be described as the state of the world."

"Broken." Tim said bluntly. "But you managed to get it under control, right?"

"For the most part." Luna replied. "There's only one way to find out. The port............................oh my."

It was at this point that the three alicorns saw the state the portal was in, taken a bit aback by its appearance. Tim had seen it in full just moments earlier, but what Tim had noticed right then and there just was how familiar it looked.

"Well I'll be damned........." he said, approaching the portal once more.

Twilight shook herself out of the state of shock, to inquire on Tim's sudden statement.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I........looks just like the portal that brought me here. Only smaller and..........much more deteriorated."

"How can that be?" Celestia asked. "Why would it take that form?"

Luna, just as confused as her sister, would have added her own input, but quickly remembered why they constructed this portal in the first place.

"I'm afraid that answer will need to come at a later time. For now, I suggest we test the portal's functionality, as planned."

Tim was quick to concur with Luna's suggestion.

"I'll have to agree on that one." he said. "Let's get this thing working first, see if it puts me close to any Militia instillation."

"If it will work." Applejack yelled out. "Thing looks like it took a beating with heck of a belt."

"Pfft, yeah you ain't kidding." Tim concurred.

Luna walked past Tim and approached the base of the portal, her magical energy almost fully replenished. She spread her wings and floated up to the portal's central opening. She closed her eyes, and when they opened, they were blinding white. Her Horn ignited  and shot out an orb of blue magic which found it's way to the center opening, bursting into several strands of magic that ricochet within the confines of the arch upon reaching it's destination.
Luna gradually floated back down to the ground as she let her magic form the entryway to Earth. The ricochets began to find a place to stop along the edges of the arch-way. When each found their resting place, they began to connect with one another, forming a semi-circle. Tim watched with utter astonishment.

Nobody's gonna believe this when I get back. He thought to himself.

"Everything seems to be in working order, now all we have to do is wait, the other side should come into view shortly." Luna announced.

Everyone in the room watched as the other side began to fade in. Despite what all had transpired, Twilight found an uncontrollable curiosity as to what laid in store on the other side. After a few seconds however, curiosity was replaced by low spirits. Some of the guards took off their helms, staring wide eyed into the emerging world. Twilight as silent, every pony in the room was silent. Tim's own spirits began to sink, as although his home was coming into view, it was a home that he wasn't entirely fond of for obvious reasons. When the magic ceased and the entry was complete, the image it brought with it was one that Equestrians could only imagine as unthinkable. For Tim, it was routine.
Immediately in plain view was a long desolate road, cracked and shattered. The sky was a grim grey, with swooping swaths of dust, sand and ash making an occasional pass in the wind. In the distance were the ruins of a once great spanning city, now rendered into crumbling structures. Some f the skyscrapers still stood tall, but many had fallen in the decades of war. In close proximity to the portal once stood buildings, but no longer. Only the faintest hints of their foundation rose from the sand. Littered across the barren road were the rotted and rusted out husk of a variety of cars. Other than that. There was nothing. No sound but the wind blowing. The foreboding emptiness and stillness maintaining its indomitable grip over the Earth. 
The ponies were speechless, even though they had knowledge of the state of Earth, seeing it for the first time was enough for everyone of them to feel pity for man. Rainbow Dash walked up next to Tim, with the same expression of horror and shock that everypony else had in the room.

"This..........is Earth?" she asked timidly.

"Yeah." he replied somberly.

Tim decided that enough time had been spent just looking. Tim swung his AKM around, unlatching the safety, knowing that once he stepped foot over to the other side, anything could happen. Tim began to approach the portal. Before he could step through, Twilight called for him.

"Tim......wait, do you want any of us to come with you?" she asked.

Tim stopped and turned around to answer. 

"Not a good idea. I have no idea how the radiation will effect you guys."

"Well, how bad can it be?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Bad." He said assertively. "Without proper protection, it'll cook you alive over the course of a few days. It'll start by making you sick to your stomach, then it'll cause hell with your entire body. Diarrhea, then fever, fatigue, disorientation, hair loss, and whole mess of other symptoms. Eventually it'll just kill ya, or worse, warp your DNA and turn you into some unholy mutant."

Despite the the portal serving as a safeguard against any airborne entities from both sides, some of the guards standing by the portal began to take a few steps away from the portal's entrance just as a precaution.

"Best to play it safe." Tim made clear. "I'll go in alone, just gonna have a little look see and then come back. I can do a more detailed search later."

Twilight and many others in the room wanted to object, as going alone in a place like this seemed like a terrible idea. But Tim seemed to know what he was doing, and putting them n unnecessary danger would only serve to hinder things. 

"If you think that's best, then we'll stay here." Twilight said. "Good luck."

"Thanks." he replied back.

Tim was about to leave when he stopped, turned back around to ask about something he hadn't thought about until now.

"How long will this thing stay open?" Tim asked.

Luna stepped forward to provide an answer.

"For as long as its needed. Taking the danger of your world into account I intentionally chose a portal that could be rendered inactive at a moment's notice."

"So if I run into trouble and high-tail it back here, there's a way to turn it off?" 

"Yes. Although the deactivation spell is a wind up spell that takes 15 seconds to complete. So if there is immediate danger, we need it to be made known as soon as possible."

With this in mind, Tim began to show a hint of concern, as a lot of sticky situations could turn ugly in that short span of time, and with no method of communication, warning them ahead of time could prove to be a problem. Regardless, Tim would have to keep this in mind for when they were actually ready for him to start scouting. Today would more or less, serve as a test.

"Alright. I won't wander off too far, so we should be good to go."

Tim once again headed for the portal, making his way up to the platform where the door between worlds awaited him. All eyes were centered on him. As he passed the last pair of guards to the left and right of the portal, he turned to one of them and simply said.

"Be ready for anything."

Tim took a deep breath and proceeded into the portal. There was a brief flash in his vision when crossing worlds, and side from startling him for a brief moment his vision hadn't been hindered in any capacity.

"Are you okay, Tim!" Twilight asked, calling out.

Tim quickly turned around, giving a thumbs up, letting them know all was well. Tim proceeded, rifle at the ready, and took a long walk down the barren landscape. The change in worlds was not only clear in his surroundings, but in the very air he breathed. Tim had started to grow accustomed to the pureness of the air in Equestria, but suddenly found himself coughing a little in the thick and polluted atmosphere of the Earth.
Signs of life were next to none, and Tim had no idea where he was. The sand that covered the road and ground was loose and swept over the road with each gust of wind. Tim took a look at the cars. Many were past the point of any recognizable identification, simply rotting away with the bones of their owners resting in their rusty grave. A loud echo came bursting out in the distance towards the ghost city ahead. Although the buildings were miles away, he could see that one of the skyscrapers had just came tumbling down, blowing out chunks and puffs of debris with it. 
Tim made an effort to look out to his horizon. To his left a small rocky mountain range stood, and two his left was endless desert. Tim was taking these environmental surroundings into note when he noticed something emerge from the right horizon. It was small and faint, but seemed to be growing in the distance. The other back in Equestria watched with anticipation. Wondering what Tim was looking for out there. 

"You think he'll find what he'd looking for?" Applejack asked.

"I have no idea, Applejack." Twilight replied.

"He sure wasn't exaggerating when he described it as a wasteland, was he?" Rainbow Dash said.

"I'm not entirely sure what he'll find. That place looks absolutely deserted." Rarity inputted.

"One big empty world. To think he's had to deal with this his whole life." Celestia said. "The poor thing."

They continued to watch diligently, when they saw he took a turn right a walked a few feet forward in that direction.

"Wait, what's he doing now?" Luna asked.

Tim walked forward few feet stopping when he began to hear something in the distance. It was faint, but becoming increasingly audible to the ear, and in the same direction as the rising object off in the horizon. Tim slung his rifle around his shoulder and began to pull out the binoculars in his satchel. Putting them up to his eyes and fiddling with the focus, Tim made an effort to make out what it was. With the blur of the optics shortly subsiding with the turn of the knob, Tim could make out what it was, or more appropriately, what was coming. 
Tim's body began to tense up, yet he continued to make it out. Suddenly it became that the object had become objects, increasingly closing the distance towards him. He quickly put away his binoculars and began to high-tail it back to the portal. The others began to grow nervous as they saw Tim come back into view, running as fast as he could. Words weren't needed to know something was up, and Luna was quick to act.

"Something's wrong, guards, be ready by the entrance!" Luna commanded.

The guards obeyed, and began to set up in formation by the entrance of the portal, spears at the ready with a few unicorn guards ready to blast away at anything that came through. Under the impression that Tim would be back momentarily, she wasted no time warming up the deactivation spell.
On the other side the sound of a thousand feet charging became overbearing, and served as incentive to move faster. However as if straight out of a bad horror movie, Tim found himself in the worst possible situation at a time like this. Just 2-3 feet away from the portal, the road beneath him caved in a little. Not enough to cause him to fall but enough to offset his balance and ensnare his foot under chunk of concrete. Tim hit the ground chest first, within sight of everypony present. He shouted.

"FUCK!"

Panting and desperately trying to escape, Tim turned around to see his predicament, and couldn't help but swear in frustration.

"AHHHH! You gotta be fucking kidding me! My foot's stuck!" he cried out.

"Wait! Princess Luna!" Twilight cried out.

Already aware, Luna canceled out the spell and began to charge headfirst towards the portal. Tim saw this and sought to stop her from getting any closer.

"NO! DON'T! The radiation will kill you!" He yelled out as she came to a skidding stop in front of the portal entrance.

"What about you!?" Luna cried out.

Tim desperately tried to find a solution out of this. He could considered pulling something off along the lines of the Timberwolf encounter, but ultimately realized that it would take too long. Knowing that whatever was coming would be here soon, he let out what he thought would be his last words.

"Close the portal!"

"WHAT!?" Luna cried out.

"Close it before-"

"No! I won't leave you to the mercy of whatever is coming!"

Luna struck up a temporary force field around herself, strong enough to hopefully protect her from the harmful effects of radiation. Once it was encased around her, she flew out onto the other side, much to the dismay of Tim and everyone else on the other side. Luna's horn it up again as she hovered a few feet from the ground of the Earth. She began to to levitate the large chuck of concrete, effectively freeing Tim's foot. Tim quickly got up, and noticing that the sound of thundering horde of footsteps was nearly upon them, both he and Luna were quick to rush back to the relative safety of Equestria.

"Somebody fire up that spell quick!" Tim shouted, quickly joining the guards with his rifle raised at the ready.

Twilight began to wind up the deactivation spell. The horde of footsteps could now be clearly heard by all, and as the seconds pass, the source of it came into view, washing over the road like a wave of death. The very ground of the library shook as a enormous horde of monsters came into view. They poured past the portal in what looked like the hundreds, and it wasn't too long before some began  to take notice of the potential meal next to them. One came to a full stop at the dead center of the portal's visual range, fangs and canines covered in a thick coat of saliva, howling out in a blood-curdling rage. Soon others began to follow his lead and joined him. 
The creatures resembled dogs, yet were nearly five times the size of them, just roughly larger than the Alpha Timberwolf encountered in the Everfree. They lacked skin, and in it's place was what looked like callused muscle with pockets of dark gray fur no more than an inch long patched along various parts of the body. Things like lips, ears, a nose, and other purely skin based extremities were absent. Teeth rested along the edge of the mouth, constantly bared, aural extensions amount to a simple ear canal at the rear of the head, and in the place of a nose were bare nostrils, forming along the edges given by the skull. The mutant monsters stared the ponies down with bloodshot, pupiless eyes, more joining in with the initial spotter as each second passed. Their bodies twitched, their instincts to ferociously slaughter any prey before them grew. They growled and roared, taking occasional snaps at one another with a level of viciousness that lacked an equivalent in Equestria.

"What in Equus are those things!?" one of the guards shouted.

"Wastehounds!" Tim yelled. "And by the looks of it, we opened up in the middle of their migration path!"

Had it not been the foreign and almost deceptive nature of the portal before them, they would've have most likely attacked by now, flooding through the portal in a massive wave. Seconds passed, though they felt like minutes watching the ravenous beasts snap their jaws from a distance. Tim, progressively wanting the situation to end, hectically turned to Twilight for a progress update.

"How's that spell coming along?!" he yelled.

"I'm almost there!" Twilight announced. "Just a few mor-"

"SWEET CELESTIA! IT'S CHARGING!" one of the guards shouted.

Tim turned back around in a split second, with the first thing in sight being one of the creatures making a mad break to the portal. Tim was ready to fire off a pound full of lead at what would eventually turn into a full fledged charge by it's pack. But before a single round could be fired, the spot where Tim's foot caved in burst opened when the mutant ran over it. Dust, debris, and chunks of concrete came flying in all directions, including through the portal. A large chunk was sent soaring in Tim's general direction.

"LOOK OUT!" He screamed.

Everyone ran for cover as fast as they could, and while Twilight made an effort to hold her ground and continue the spell, the large chunk would have crushed her had Celestia not pulled her student to the side using her magic. In the chaos, Tim and several other guard ponies began to her the yelps and cries of the massive horde of mutants, as whatever happened must have done serious damage. No one could tell, as the amount of dust kicked up obscured everything from view. One of the guards managed to fully recuperate to ask what the situation was.

"What in Equestria happened?!" she asked.

Tim got back into his original position in front of the portal before answering.

"Must've been a cave-in from where my foot got stuck." Tim theorized. "Probably some old sewer system that-"

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

An absolutely hellish and blood-curdling roar put Tim's possible explanation in the grave. The roar made him freeze, as the intensity and pitch was instantly recognizable.

"What......was that?" Another guard asked backing away from the portal.

Tim spent no time to waste answering his question.

"Close that thing now or we're all dead." he muttered.

That sent many of ponies in the room into a panic, some urging one of the princesses to do as he said and begin the deactivation spell, while others succumbed to fear of the unknown and demanded a better answer. All that Tim knew was that he hadn't seen the deactivation spell, and time was running out.

"ARE YOU ALL DEAF! I SAID CLOSE IT! NOW!" Tim yelled.

Twilight began to start the deactivation spell again, while wanting an answer at the same time.

"Tim, just tell us what is it!?"

"It's an Obelisk! Big! Scary! Insanely tough to kill!"

At that moment the road just inches away from the portal cracked under the pounding force of a large, mutated claw. Another bellowing roar let out. The thundering footsteps that they had heard just moments prior had begun to pick up at a major speed, indicating that the pack had effectively begun a retreat from the area. The dust that had been kicked up was beginning to clear, and unfortunately for Tim and the others, revealed the source of the chaos. 
It rose Well above the portal's height, taking up most of the visual space the arch had to offer, roughly twelve or so feet away from the link between worlds. At the moment, it's back looked was turned towards them. The bodily make-up was unnatural, as the lower form bore a strange resemblance to a human being, but misshapen, overgrown and contorted in a way that made it quadrupedal. The back legs were bent forward, the skin covered in boils, scarring, tumors, and other assortments of blemishes, intestines veined out from the skin, and the claws that formed at the base of each leg were mismatched, with each toe a different size and bearing a different extremity. Where the human spine was normally located was a large gargantuan growth, with a base that took up as much width as the back would allow, towering above the over the lower body by least 25 feet tall. Along its back were large and jagged rock-like calluses that gradually shrunk in size as they went up to what they assumed would be the head.
The library was dead silent, watching in horror as the behemoth scoured the area for any more potential prey. Stridden across the irradiated ground where it once made its home were the corpses of at least a dozen of the pack-hunters, all torn apart as if they were made of paper, insides littering the ground with torn appendages soaking in pools of blood. No one made so much as peep, fearing to gain the attention of whatever beast had mopped the floor with the pack. They wouldn't be so lucky.
The creature lowered his head, revealing it to be similar to that of a crocodile. But this to was mutated by the effects of radiation. The head lacked eyes of any sort. Teeth were as sharp as knives, and seem to grow one on top of the other in several places along the crooked confines of the upper and lower jawline. Two large gaping nostrils served as it's primary form of sense. Resting in it's maw was lower half of one of the many slain canine mutants, in the midst of being swallowed whole by it's killer.
Tim was trying to calm himself down as best he could. He knew if that thing spotted them it'd most likely be game over. Why shit had to hit the fan so quickly on just a test run, he had no idea. Perhaps fate or God was getting back at him for some unknown reason. Reasons aside, there'd be no way he could take the Obelisk down. 6 years ago it took the full fledged firepower of a BMP-2 to kill the one that attacked his unit in Egypt. All Tim had on him was his AK, which wouldn't even make a dent in the damn thing, and the guards, armed with nothing but spears or magic that couldn't kill, had a less chance at survival if the thing spotted them.
Suffice to say, The Obelisk spotted them. Once it had finished swallowing it's prey, it began by a clearly audible sniff, indicating it smelled something off in it's environment, no doubt coming from Equestria. Following this, it began shifting itself towards the portal's direction lowering it's head and sniffed again. It's head twitched, followed by the Obelisk opening its maw and letting out yet another echoing roar. 

"It spotted us!" Tim yelled. 

"Plan of attack!?" one of the guards asked.

"Don't! Just run!" Tim encouraged.

"What?!" Another guard shouted in dismay.

"Ain't no way we gonna kill this thing! JUST RUN!"

The Obelisk charged at an incredibly fast pace, closing the distance at a rate that many of the ponies hadn't expected. Celestia was quick to act.

"Anypony with no magical abilities needs to evacuate the room immediately!" she commanded.

The guards armed with spears did as instructed, evacuating all the Earth and Pegasi ponies out into the hall. Tim stayed, and turned to Celestia in a desperate attempt to convince her that whatever effort she was about to put up would be in vain.

"You can't fight it! Bullets won't do a damn thing!"

"Maybe so, but perhaps magic will!" 

Just as it was less than two feet away though, Twilight fired off the now fully finished deactivation spell, landing it on the portal frame itself. 

"I did it! Everypony, the portal's clos-"

However, as the visual of Earth began to fade from view, The Obelisk at the last minute had manged to force its head through to the other side. Magic disruption burst forth from the portal, unable to fully close with a foreign object in the way. the Magic was also forcefully trying to eject the foreign creature back to its world. But the Obelisk was strong, able to stand its ground against the magic that attempted to banish it back to it's world. Tim and the guards were still in the room, watching the forces of magic and mutation in a theoretical pushing match. The guards who possessed the ability of magic began pelting the monstrosity with blasts of magic. They had little to no effect, only serving to enrage the Obelisk as it let out cackling shriek of frustration.
The room was in a complete state of panic at this point, Guards blasting magic bolt after magic bolt, yelling orders to push the mutant back with Twilight and Celestia began to pelt the beast with magic of their own in the form concentrated beams. They landed on the rock-like dorsal spines, sending tiny chucks bursting in multiple directions. This time, the Obelisk let out a cry of pain, temporarily losing footing as a portion of it's head was sent back to Earth. The Obelisk however quickly regained its strength and forcefully pushed itself back through the portal. Uncertain as to why, Tim lent his aid. Time lined up his sight's with the beast's mouth, firing short-to-medium bursts of 7.62 whenever it opened, as that was one of the beast's only vulnerable spots.
Many of the guards in the room saw this weapon in action for the first time, watching as the bullets landed inside the mouth, sending blood flying upon impact. This only bolstered them to keep the pressure up. The room echoed loudly with the sound of battle. Magic bolts and gunfire contesting with the roars of The Obelisk, who was gradually fighting his way through. Tim emptied an entire mag into the thing with little to no effect. To make matter's worse, The Obelisk was making progress, with one of it's claws no poking through.

God dammit this isn't working he swore to himself mid-reload.

The Obelisk was now fully enraged at this point, thrashing it's head violently, snapping at the closest foe he could with little success. That wouldn't be the case for long though, as the entirety of his first claw made it through, and was now pushing down on the receding portal. Tim was about to verbally call out for a retread, before another roar from the Obelisk was suddenly cut off by an ear-piercing sound. Tim heard it clear as day, and looked for its source, finding it come from the now somewhat blinded form of Princess Luna floating several feet into the, firing down an enormous beam of raw energy at the base of the mutant's head. The Obelisk's head began to unnaturally twitch, as the beam made it's way down, slicing through the neck slowly but assuredly. The bolts of magic began to cease, as did Tim's fears, as he and everypony in the room, watched as the head of the Obelisk was severed completely off. The now lifeless body was sent flying back towards the other side of the portal as the link to Earth was shut completely off, and the now decapitated head plopped on the floor of the now trashed library.
The raw energy from Luna's horn died down, and after such a massive expense of energy, she fainted, losing grasp of her flight and falling several feet above the ground. Celestia was quick to catch up to her sister in free fall. She caught her in forelegs and gently laid her on the ground. Twilight and many of the guards surrounded the pair awaiting for Luna to awake.

"Luna?" Celestia cried out concernedly. "Please sister, answer me!"

Luna's eyes began to show movement slight movement underneath her eyelids. Soon her eyes opened, followed by a timid groan.

"Did, did it work?" Luna asked quietly, still fatigued from the massive spell she had unleashed.

Everyone looked at the room to the decapitated head of the Obelisk in the room. The spell had effectively burned its head off the body, cauterizing the wound it left behind. Trickles of blood trickled from the mouth where Tim had shot it in the mouth. Tim was the one to answer her query.

"Surprisingly, Princess, yeah, it's dead." Tim said.

Once the ponies helped Luna back up on her hooves, they began to approach the head, as the danger had subsided. Tim simply sat on the floor, regaining his bearings. he looked around the room. What had once minutes ago looked like a peaceful study now looked like a tornado had passed through. Books, bits of concrete, and loose leaf paper littered the floor and when he spotted Twilight passing by, he was almost too ashamed look at her.

"I'm sorry." he said to her. "I.....I didn't mean nor want any of this to happen."

Twilight turned to look at him, now fully aware of the sorry state he was in. Twilight approached him, placing a hoof on his shoulder.

"Don't feel guilty Tim. None of this is your fault." she assured him.

"Well it sure feels like it." he said. "I almost got a lot of folks killed."

"In truth Tim, there was a lot of faults on multiple ponies' parts. In retrospect, I shouldn't have been asking questions during a time like that, where everypony was in peril. But other times, you just can't account for things out of our control. To be honest, in my book you did everything right. You warned us of oncoming danger as quickly as possible, even going as far to sacrifice yourself for the safety of others. Though I'm glad it didn't come to that."

"Same here. I guess I owe Princess Luna my life for that one."

Tim looked up to where the others had gathered around the head.

"What kind of spell did she pull off back there exactly?" Tim asked.

"One of the most destructive of it's kind, one capable of killing, though for our circumstances, it seemed as if it was our only option. I've never seen any creature resist magic like that. The closing portal has enough strength to send a Dragon flying miles away. That thing had to have incredible resilience to push back against it while fending off a barrage of magic from me and the other casters."

Tim proceeded to stand up and approach the others along with Twilight.

"Well it's not invincible, but as you probably already saw, my rifle was doing little to deter it away."

"And to think you humans deal with monsters like these constantly. How do you do it?" twilight asked.

"However we can, Princess. However we can."




Achmed listened to Tim's tale diligently, taking note of every minute detail. From how Tim described it, these Equestrians had just barely managed to make it out of that situation without a single casualty. A rare feat to pull off. Even then though, the method of disposing of the Obelisk still pressed some cause for concern, but Achmed thankfully found some comfort in how strenuous it was to cast such a powerful spell. In fact, the entire concept of magic itself was still a struggle to wrap his head around, as it seemed to lack any major limitations, and could accomplish a variety of tasks and functions.

"*So what happened after that?*" Achmed asked.

"*I went to see how Princess Luna was holding up.*" Tim explained. "*Said she was a little shaken up and decided to head on to her room, recuperate a little. I thanked her for saving me when I got my foot stuck, in fact, we pretty much all did. She was kind of the hero today. After that I talked with Twilight and Celestia, started discussing what steps and precautions should be taken for next time.*"

"*Did you get any flak for what happened? Anyone place the blame on you? C'mon, I assume someone must have felt that if you hadn't have showed up none of that would have happened.*"

"*Surprisingly no. Me and Twilight met back up with her friends. They were just glad we were safe and nobody got hurt. I will admit, I felt a little guilty about what happened, but Twilight and her friends said I could make up for by helping them clean up the mess that got left behind. Take a guess who cleaned up the head?*"

Achmed rolled his eyes. Despite the rather dramatic nature of Tim's explanation, it didn't seem like these natives had any ill-intent for mankind nor the capability of it. But Achmed still had his doubts, but decided Tim's story was enough evidence to keep the portal where it was for the meantime.

"*Alright, well whatever the case is, I'm just glad you mostly took things back home into account before doing something drastic.*" said Achmed. "*So it's safe to say that they wont try you for treason. Speaking of which, it's probably about time to get going. The Commander and the others will definitely wanna know about this. Then we can finally get our ticket out of here.*"

As Achmed proceeded to the door exiting the room, Tim bit his lip down, and took a deep sigh.

"*No. Just your ticket out, I'm afraid.*" Tim stated.

Achmed stopped about a half way's distance to the door, wondering if he had heard his friend right. He turned around, giving Tim a gaze of disbelief.

"*What did you say?*" Achmed asked, stupefied.

Tim was forced to look him straight in the eye. With a voice stemming from an assertive stance with utter sincerity, he made his words clear.

"*I'm staying, Achmed.*" 




Andrew snuck his way through the second floor in his search for Sabbag. Even without the drone, Andrew had been keen to take a mental note on the security presence on the second floor the first time he made his way through, which made sneaking past the guards a less challenging task. Still though, not getting caught was the name of the game, for were it to happen the whole mission could fall apart.
Andrew had just finished evading another patrol when all of a sudden, everything went dark. Everything from his comms to his optics went dead. Andrew found a spot where he could lay low momentarily to see if he could make an attempt to fix it. Alas, no amount of field repair skills could fix the problem. Whatever error occurred was almost certainly an outside force rather than a problem with his equipment.

Guessing whatever fried my equipment happened to Sabbag as well. Andrew mentally noted.

Regardless of whether his equipment functioned or not, Andrew still had a soldier to round-up, two if he was lucky, though any signs of Berfield had yet to be seen by the likes of him. Andrew recollected himself and proceeded forward, turning right at the end of his current hallway. As he moved up, a new set a figures came into view. At first glance, Andrew mistook them for just another patrol of guards, but as he focused his vision on them that didn't prove to be the case. 
While there were guards, one of them seemed to tower over the rest, and the sight of her was one to behold from an aesthetic perspective. This Native possessed a coat a white that glistened like pure light in the darkness of the hallway. Sporting both a pair of almost angelic wings and a horn that jutted out like a small tower of ivory. Her mane and tail flowed as if it was caught in a constant state of breeze, painted in an assortment of unsaturated green, blue, and red. And like all the other natives they had encountered u to this point, she too seemed to bear a mark towards the rear of her body, one depicting a blazing sun. By her side was another native similar to her, yet appeared to be a polar opposite. This one, while not as tall as her counterpart, still maintained the same mystical quality as the other. Her features seemed to embody that of night. A coat of dark blue, with a similar flowing mane and tail of what looked like pure starlight, bearing the mark of the crescent moon surrounded by splotches of black.
From what Andrew could see, the two seemed to be talking to one another, about what Andrew couldn't say, but he was dead-set to find out. Andre began to move in closer, yet carefully so. As they cleared the corner of another hallway it was evidently clear that they attained a very high status, for their escort of guards was larger than any of the patrols he and his team had encountered yet. Andrew made his best effort to hear what the two leading this armed contingent by backing tracking ahead, cutting them off at the hallway's next cross section. The cross-section was thankfully unguarded, but that was subject to change at any section, for sound of approaching guards was evident by the sound of twelve sets clanking armor. Andrew desperately looked for a hiding spot and eventually found it in the form of a room with it's door left open. Andrew carefully slipped his way inside and closed the door till it was just shy two inches of being completely shut. Andrew crouched down and kept his ear open for voices. Soon enough, he could hear voices begin to fade in.

"Sister, I can respect your concern after today's close call But this seems a tad bit unnecessary. Tim already assured us that whatever dangers the portal brought were neutralized." The white equine argued.

From what he could pick up, the two were clearly siblings of sorts, which could explain the similarities. As though it seemed they were about to make a pass from where Andrew was, the blue equine stopped, and sighed almost angrily. Movement outside the hall all but ceased. Andrew began to grow tense, yet realized his advantageous circumstance. These two clearly had a hand or at least some knowledge of the portal Vik and his team found in the library, and thus Andrew continued to gather whatever intel he could from their conversation.

"It's not what came through our portal, sister." The Blue equine expressed. "I fear that another human has entered our world, possibly by the same means as Tim."

Andrew was now all ears upon the mere mention of Berfield's name, furthermore by the fact that the blue equine might have picked up that Andrew and his team were here. Thankfully by the sound of it, it seemed that they were unaware of Sabbag's presence, though that was subject to change at any minute. Andrew continued to eavesdrop.

"What makes you say that, Luna?" The White equine asked.

Luna. Andrew now had a name. Whoever she and this other equine were seemed to carry an aroma of authority with them. Possible heads of government.

"Remember how I told you this morning how Tim asked me for aid in his dreams?" Luna asked.

Andrew listened yet fail to grasp the nature of the context. 

Dreams? What the hell is she going on about? Andrew wondered.

"Yes, how does this relate, Luna?" the White equine asked.

"Celestia, I'm getting there." Luna snapped. 

Celestia. Another name to note down as Luna continued with her reasoning.

"I had promised Berfield I would discuss the matter of his dreams tonight. Before I set out to do so, I went on my usual nightly dream search, searching for anypony who may need my aid. Instead I found a dream aspect similar to the one Tim's had the night prior. A large shadowy orb, silent and seemingly sporadic. Before my entry I assumed the dream in question must have been one of Tim's recurring nightmares. But when I entered, the scene was, horrific. Tim's nightmares held a dark overtone to them, but nothing hat would make me question the kind of being he was. But this dream belonged to another. And the things I saw were.........were.................."

"It's alright Luna. If what you saw is too uncomfortable to speak about I won't force you. But you said this dream belonged to another human?" Celestia asked.

"I don't think, I know. Amidst the horror, there was a conversation between this man and what I assume was his partner. Human dreams, from what I can tell are confusing, I didn't see the two talking, but the conversation was overbearing enough to clearly hear it. This man's name is Andrew."

Andrew's eyes widened and he felt his body freeze in place. She knew his name, she saw his dream, and furthermore, she knew he was here. Thoughts of the mission itself might being compromised from the start flowed through his mind. Wondering if the setbacks he and his team were facing were traps set up by her and those under her command. If so, this op could've already been compromised. With the current lack of communication it was hard to tell what was going on. However, what was discussed between the two sisters next managed to put many of his fears to rest.

"Do you think this Andrew might be in the same predicament as Tim?" Celestia asked.

"I don't believe so. I'm not even sure where this Andrew is. All I know is that he's in Equestria." Luna insisted. "Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to access his dream."

"Do you think Tim may know him?"

"It's very possible, given the tight-knit nature of his society. Which is why we need to discuss this matter with him." Luna insisted.

"Can this not wait till tomorrow, dear sister. It's late as it is, and the presence of guards has already come across as intimidating when we first met him."

"Under normal circumstances I'd agree with you, but I have the uncanny feeling that Tim may be aware of this human's presence. Perhaps even be in league with him."

Celestia gave her sister an uncertain look, indicating that she had doubts about her sister's theory.

"What would lead you to believe that?" Celestia asked with a brow raised.

"Nothing at the moment. Know that I'm not accusing Tim of going behind our backs, but we can't rule out any possibilities. This matter's importance is paramount. Unlike Tim, this human has killed other humans. Several in fact."

The two began to make their way back down the hall with their guards in tout, still conversing as they gradually moved out of earshot.

"What? How do You know this?"

"The dreams I've encountered in humans are not so much as dreams as they are-"

Andrew slowly made his way back out into the hall, with the idea that this Luna had witnessed his dream.

How did she know my name? How does she know I've killed people?

Intending to find out, Andrew began following them, for it was abundantly clear that wherever their destination was, Berfield was at the end of it. With any luck, perhaps he could bump into Sabbag along the way and extract him whenever they were done with him, perhaps even find out what their motives were behind the portal in the library. 
At the moment, they were still unknown, but the conversation did seem to push in favor Viktor and Bradford's side of the argument. Despite this, Andrew couldn't shake the feeling that it's purpose had ill-intent for mankind, and if that were the case, he'd be hellbent on neutralizing it before these natives could make any use of it.




Sarah and Lamond still waited anxiously for the Commander's return, and not so much for the Colonel's. Were the Colonel to return first, they'd simply follow the orders given to them, though both had a feeling the Colonel wouldn't be too pleased with them, or the Commander for that fact. It had been at least 15 minutes since the Commander went back to the second floor to search for Achmed, since then there'd had been no contact from either him or Achmed.
A minute later, Wolfpack returned. Viktor, still somewhat pissed with how Andrew cut him off and went charging off to attend to his own escapade regardless of the consequences, again, wanted answers immediately from the two of his team left guarding the grand staircase.

"*Where is he!?*" Viktor barked.

Sarah began to explain in an assertive, but respectful voice.

"*Commander Sawyer went upstairs to look for Sabbag. He told us to tell you that we need an exit secured. He should be back any moment.*"

Viktor looked at her with an irate glare, and then up the floor above her. It seems that the Commander put him in a position where he couldn't refuse, again. If Viktor had it his way, he'd march up to the second floor, grab Andrew by the balls and drag his ass back to the first floor. Hell, maybe even throw him back to the other side of the portal if he could get Bradford to open it for him. But alas, splitting the team up even more than it was was just asking for trouble. While Viktor's mind was on his old friend and the ways he could give him an ass kicking, the rest of the team seemed concerned with what to do with the newly discovered portal, as its relevance was still fresh on everyone's mind.

"*Are we just going to forget about the portal?*" Hale asked.

Viktor already irritated, turned to his second.

"*No, but until we know for certain what it's purpose is, we don't do anything. Right now, we follow the Commander's instructions. Secure an exit. Looks like we'll be leaving soon.*"

Viktor pressed the transmit button on his HUD-set.

"*Wolf 4, get Gateway on the line, tell Bradford to be ready with that portal at Wolf 3's position.*"

"*Copy that, Alpha.*" Nate responded. "*But what about the Commander? I lost contact with him about two minutes ago.*"

"*God dammit Andrew!*" Viktor cursed off the comms.

Viktor let out an irritated groan. He found himself in charge of the operation for the time being. Viktor evaluated everything that had transpired. The man they were sent to search for had yet to be found, communications seemed to be cut upon entry to the second floor, which would make searching it a logistical challenge, especially with the RARD's signal being lost. There was no way to contact either Sabbag or Andrew. the discovery of the new portal brought a soon-to-be political nightmare with it, and operational progress at the moment had been grounded to a halt. Things weren't particularly good at the moment, which made what he had to say hard to stomach.

"*We give him hour to return. If he's not here before the end of that time..........................we may have no choice but to abort the mission and return home. When your done with Gateway go ahead and link up with 3 and Osaka 4.*"Wolf 1, out.*"

As Viktor cut off from the comms, It was now Sarah's turn to give the Colonel a glare

"*Abort the mission?*" she said in disbelief.

"*Yes, Sergeant, abort the mission.*" Viktor reiterated. "*In the Commander's absence, I make the decisions. He has an hour to return.*"

"*I though he was your friend? How can you just leave him like that?*" 

"*You don't think I know that!?*" Viktor barked. "*I've fought at his side for twenty years. But Andrew has always had a habit of rushing in at problems head on without thinking it through. Luck's usually been on his side for most of those decisions, but this time is different. This goes beyond any raider den or mutant lair. Humanity's survival is on the line this time, and I can't risk that. Not even for him.*"

Sarah's outrage slowly began to dwindle, as she came around to seeing his point of view. A part of her still told her that leaving him, Sabbag, and Berfield was wrong, but she simply labeled those feelings off as personal morality, and that sometimes had to be pushed aside for the greater good. Viktor could see the conflict within her, he felt the same thing inside himself. He looked up to second floor once again, wondering if he'd see his friend coming down them within the next hour.

"*He got himself into this mess, let's pray he can get himself out.*"




Achmed couldn't believe what he just heard. After all this time, after all the distance they covered, after the entire week that had been taken to prepare for this mission and succeeding in it's goal, the very man who supposed to be rescued, didn't want to. Achmed shook his head, utterly refusing what Tim had just said to him.

"*You're shitting me?*" Achmed claimed.

"*I'm not. I-*"

"*No! You're fucking shitting me! We come all this way, to find you, and you decide you're going to stay!? Why!? Why the hell would you do that?!*"

Tim did his best to provide an explanation to his clearly distressed friend.

"*Look, it's not that I don't wanna come back, I do. But.........*"

"*But what?! You decided ya like it here!? Wanted to enjoy the wonders of this world and say fuck all to the rest of us!?*" Achmed accused.

"*HEY! It ain't like that!*" Tim snapped back. "*You know I wouldn't do shit like that!*"

Achmed, still angry, but seeing reason, made an effort to calm himself down.

"*Then why?! What reason do you have for staying? Is it the portal? look we have one that an take you back right now!*"

"*Achmed, it's got nothing to do with the portals, it's for another reason. Just hear me out, okay?*"

Still upset and angry with his friend's decision, would at least be kind enough to accept his friend's request.

"*.................Fine. Let's hear it.*" Achmed said.

"*Okay look, you and I both know that it's only a matter of time before things fall apart back home.*"

This somewhat surprised Achmed, this subject had arisen several times among his time here with his fireteam, but it now seemed as if Tim had his own plan for alleviating the current crisis. Whether it was a good plan or not remained to be seen.

"*I've spent time with the folks here. They tell me it's place where people go for a second chance. Humanity can have it's second chance here too, but only if I stay. I have a plan, but it's gonna take awhile. This portal might take a month or two to get the kinks out of it. That may be enough time for me to convince them to let us in.*"

"*What do you mean by us*" Achmed asked.

"*Everyone. You, me, the entire human race. If I can prove that we're worthy of a second chance they may be charitable enough to allow us entry. We could start over.*"

Despite the sincerity he tried to put into describing what he had in mind, Achmed was having none of it.

"*Tim, that's not your responsibility! Something like that is better suited in the hands of the Council! It's kind of their job to represent humanity! You're just a grunt!*"

"*Yeah, well this grunt managed to gain the trust of the two leaders of this country. A trust I'm not about to break by leaving.*"

"*Tim, even if you stay how do know for certain that they'll be willing to let us in. You already told me that they have knowledge of what mankind did during the Conflict. They know we're prone to violence. Do you really think an entire race who practice pacifism and peace would just willingly allow a race that destroyed their entire planet in with open arms? Hah! I doubt it!*"

"*Doubt it all you want Achmed, If I leave now, chances at a peaceful transition are shit at best. You have a point, a lot of them are still scared of us. But so far I'm the only one they've seen. The only one they've come to trust. We need their trust before we can come here. If I leave now and we let the council negotiate things there's a very good chance we'll be denied. Considering what the state of things are like back home, take a wild guess at what'll happen after something like that?*"

Achmed grew quiet, not wanting to say it but well-aware that Tim had a point.

"*Go on, guess!*" Tim insisted.

"*War.*" Achmed muttered.

"*Exactly.*"

"*Tim that's only one possibility. You have no idea what will happen.*"

"*I know which option won't lead to a conflict of interests. If I leave with you now without an explanation they'll think something's up. What happens after that is fair game, but you and I both know that Sawyer won't accept no for an answer. If we go to war it won't end well for them.*"

Achmed was about to make another point, but caught himself lingering on Tim's last sentence.

"*For them?" Achmed said confusedly

"*Yes, them.*" Tim reiterated. "*Achmed, they have no clue what methods we'd use in a conflict. Despite the power of their magic, it won't even compare to what we've stockpiled. They'll be slaughtered. Humanity will be painted as the aggressor yet again, just like The Conflict. Is that what you want? Is that what anyone wants?*"

Achmed reflected over Tim's words, as they had substance to them. It was clear that Tim had thought long and hard about this, something that usually was never the case. War could be a viable solution if what Tim said was true, but brought a load of risk and consequences with it. There was the possibility it could only be a temporary solution, if Equestria was attacked and this world of peaceful inhabitants decide that mankind is a mutual enemy, that could lead to devastating consequences. If mankind was victorious however, they could get their slice of paradise, but that ran the risk of alienating themselves. Given that this world no doubt had luxuries that humans did not, such as a functioning economy, war ran the risk of damaging there new home, with no surefire solution to repairing it. And the most obvious consequence, humans would be painted as the aggressor, the enemy. A race of savages who learned nothing from the destruction of their own world, only to invade another to eventually repeat history.
Achmed had his own set of gripes with Tim's decision, but soon came to realize they didn't stem from what Tim had in mind for humanity, but rather that he was being forced to leave a friend behind. Achmed felt guilty about what happened to Tim, but seeing the result had dissipated that feeling entirely, supplementing it with questionable doubt. Regardless, Achmed came to a decision. Tim's plan seemed to offer the best solution to the bigger picture. But how was he to explain this to the likes of Sawyer, Antonov, and Bradford?

"*You'll need to tell the Commander, Tim.*" Achmed stated.

"*Something tells me he won't be as understanding.*" Tim voice.

"*Well, it was his idea to lead a group of five regulars posed as First Recon Operators on mission to another world, so the pot for crazy ideas isn't entirely full yet.*" Achmed said jokingly.

Tim was unmoved, still adamant on his concerns about the Commander. Achmed sighed.

"*Look Tim, one way or another, he'll need to know about the portal's purpose.*"

"*Why can't you tell him? Why not just relay the information to him?*"

"*Because I'm not going to follow it up by lying to him and saying I don't know where you are!*"

Tim was staunchly against the idea, but wasn't willing to put Achmed in that position either. 

"*.............Alright.*" Tim conceded. "*But Achmed, remember what I said. If I leave, it could be a disaster.*"

"*I know. But on the bright side, Sawyer's probably the only one who has a chance of saying yes to your idea.*"

Tim shot his friend a confused glance.

"*Thanks..............I guess?*" Tim said.

Achmed facepalmed, pretty much done at this point.

"*Nevermind, let's just get going.*" Achmed urged.

Tim waited for Achmed to grab his helmet, HUD-set, and mask before heading to the door. Once the two were ready, Tim opened the door open,  peering his head out and giving a quick glance in both directions, checking if the coast was clear before going out into the hallway.

"*C'mon, coast is clear.*" Tim announced.

Achmed filed out into the hallway behind his friend, covering his 6 and looking out for any signs of movement in the hallway. Seeing that the coast was clear behind them, he saw that Tim had made some progress ahead of him, and quickly sought to catch up. His friend was 5 meters away when he came to a heart-stopping halt in front of one of the hallway's cross-sections. Achmed wasn't sure why, as he just stopped as he closed the distance between him and his friend. Upon walking up beside his friend and turning to look down the cross section, Achmed had wished he had done the same. Right in front of them was Princess Luna, and who he assumed was her sister, Princess Celestia, followed by six guards. The two groups stared at one another for what felt like minutes, eventually ended with the only words could possibly muster.

"Aheh....................good evening, Princess?"

Luna's reaction was immediately hostile, as her horn lit up with magic.

"I knew it!" Luna shouted, seething under her breath. "You've been lying to us the whole time! haven't you!? Guards, restrain them both."

Tim raised up his hands up in a defensive posture.

"Please, Princess, I can explain!" He insisted. "it's not what you think. I-"

Tim's words were cut off by the sound of Achmed cocking his rifle and aiming it at the guard closest to him. Tim was quick to act, grabbing his friend's rifle towards the front and forcefully pushing it down.

"Dude! What the hell are you doing?!" Tim demanded.

"Like I'm just going to let that happen!" Achmed protested. "I thought you said they were friendly?!"

Celestia, who still confused, yet not nearly as quick to react in such a defensive manner as her sister, sought a level-headed approach to the situation before things took a turn for the worst.

"Luna, stop this at once! Guards, stand down! Tim! What's going on?" She asked.

"I know it looks bad, but it's not what you think."

"Why do I not believe you?" Luna asked rhetorically. "I presume your Andrew?"

"What? No, my name's Achmed!"

Achmed was shocked that she knew the Commander's name, but not the man behind it. Unfortunately, it didn't occur to Achmed that it would advantageous to use this as an opportunity to throw her off by answering yes. Instead, he inadvertently informed her that there were others, and she caught onto that notion quick.

"If...........if you're not Andrew then..........."

Luna's anger rose once again as the magical intensity of her horn rose.

"How many more of you are there!" Luna demanded.

Achmed raised his rifle yet again to the sign of aggression. Tim did some quick thinking and stood between Luna and his friend.

"I ain't telling you shit lady!" Achmed shouted.

"ACHMED! DUDE! Shut up! Yes, there's more of them. Twelve in all."

Achmed looked at his friend with an irate glare for effectively selling them all out.

"Dude! What the fuck!?" he shouted.

"Achmed, I ain't gonna lie to them!"

"That's Enough!" Celestia shouted in her royal Canterlot voice.

Achmed lowered his rifle and the magic surrounding Luna's horn dissipated. Celestia cleared her throat after expending 

"Luna, I'm just as concerned as you are but we still don't have the full story. Instigating hostilities will prove to only make things worse!" She scowled at her sister before turning to Tim and Achmed. "Tim, I hope you're aware of how this looks for us?"

"I am, but I swear to God, It's not what you think. I didn't even know he or anyone else was here until tonight."

"If that's the case then we need to talk about it, and more importantly locate them. We'll discuss this someplace where level-heads can prevail. But for the meantime, and I'm sorry to say this, but I must ask that your friend be temporarily taken into custody."

"WHAT!!?!!" Achmed cried out. "But I didn't do anything."

"So skulking about on royal grounds without proper entry constitutes as 'not doing anything'?" Luna snapped, still clearly angry.

Tim turned to his friend, who gave him a look that said, "Do something!".

"Does he really need to be detained?" Tim asked.

"I'm afraid so, Tim. Were the circumstances different I'd consider it rash, but with the knowledge of twelve human intruders on castle grounds, I'm afraid it's necessary. Their custody is subject to change once things can be cleared up."

Knowing that he just landed himself in quite the shitty situation, forced to choose between his friend's freedom and retaining the trust with Celestia ad her sister for the good of mankind, he made the hard decision to choose the latter.

"Promise me you wont hurt him." Tim said.

"We won't." Celestia assured him. 

Tim turned around to attempt to coerce his friend, only to be met with rifle butt to his lower torso. The pain was excruciating, but temporary. Tim, who had been knocked down to his knees, got back up for a second attempt.

"Look Achmed, I promise they're not-"

"Not fucking happening!" he stated clearly

His attempts were clearly met with no success as Achmed's fight instincts kicked into high gear, cocking the bolt to his gun, and aiming at Luna. The Guards and Celestia were quick to react. The Guards had spears at the ready, with Celestia ready to whatever was necessary to protect her little sister.
It was at this time that Andrew came around the corner, only to see a stand off between the two sisters and their escort and Sabbag, with a second man standing in between. Unsure at exactly what had unfolded, Andrew made his way up gun at the ready, ready to jump in at a moments notice. Tim was still trying to desperately get Achmed to cooperate whilst simultaneously begging his hosts to not blast him into the next room over.

"Achmed.........calm down." Tim urged.

Achmed didn't respond, focused on training his sights on his would-be captors. Luna then took a step forward with her horn ignited. Achmed took step back and let out a warning.

"One step closer and I shoot!"

Luna halted her advance, for she merely needed a clear shot at him.

"Luna? What are you doing?" Celestia asked.

"If he won't come willingly, then he'll be apprehended when he's out cold!" Luna declared "A sleep spell should do the trick."

"Now just wait a second!" Tim yelled. Still trying desperately to calm the situation down.

"You keep that Magic shit away from me!" Achmed warned.

"Princess Luna, I-......No!" Tim begged.

But it was too late to change her mind. The spell shot forth from her ignited horn at high velocity. Tim instinctively stepped in front of his friend to block her shot, which he successfully managed to do. But rather than the intended effect of putting one to sleep, those who witnessed the impact reeled back in horror, the caster included, as Luna's eyes widened in shock. The bolt of what should've put one to sleep instead pierced through the right side of Tim's chest, through the heart and lung. 
Tim sharply exhaled as the magic shot through him, and he soon found that he was unable to draw breath at all. Tim turned around, gazing upon his friend. Achmed's angry expression gave way to sorrow as tears began to form around his eyes. It looked as if he wanted to say something, something important, but somehow the words just didn't sync. Tim felt tired, too tired to think, too tired to stand, too tired to do just about anything. He felt himself fall yet couldn't recall an impact of any kind, he was about to ask those around him why, but found he was still too tired to do even that. The hall began to lighten up, and he wondered if he would ever feel the impact.  He turned around facing the oncoming light, seeing what could only described as comfort. All his grief, responsibility, worries, and even his duty to those he swore to protect, seemed unimportant.
A voice called out, words as soft and heavenly as those that were spoken to him during the days when he was young, cradled in the arms of a mother who cared dearly for him and his sibling. Perhaps they were waiting for him to come back home, wondering if perhaps he had been gone too long. He couldn't help but feel relaxed, relieved, even happy. happier than he had been in a long time. The glistening hand reached out for him, with benevolence unmatched and unequal. He graciously accepted. For the burdens of world were lifted. His wings spread upon feeling her touch, and he was intent to see that he and she soar to the fate that awaited him. Something told him it would be pleasant, as the last traces of his soul left this world, for the last time.
> Chapter 24: Compromised
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fate had been sealed. The one who set its course, distraught by her actions as it begun to set forth in motion a new era in history, one which would be dreaded by all. But the cost of one's mistakes was an almost "human" quality despite the difference in species. For how was she to know what was common practice for her would prove fatal to many...........................................................




Silence. Utter, indomitable silence is what prevailed in the aftermath of Tim's death. Achmed cradled his friend's body, managing to catch it before it had fallen to the floor, the life within Tim snuffed out, gone. Both Celestia and Luna, the latter in a state of extreme distress, couldn't even fathom words. The guards were equally as shocked. Andrew had watched the events unfold before his very eyes, whilst not in a state of panic equal to either Achmed or Luna, his current state could be summed up to stunned.
Achmed felt the warm sting of his tears flow from his eyes as he looked upon his friend, the burning hole still venting out smoke from his chest. Luna, tears swelling as well, attempted to say, something, anything, any gut-reaction she could muster.

"I......I.................I'm sorry..................I didn't mean................."

Her words were empty to Achmed however, and like a statue he stayed motionless, his gaze fixated on the friend he just saw murdered. At first he felt the natural sorrow one feels when someone held dear is lost, however unlike many times before, it did not linger. A new emotion took hold, one that in its very nature would cost a heavy price, for those at its mercy and on its bearer.
Achmed stood up, head still lowered as something changed within him. Tim's death had been just one of many he had witnessed, though this would be the final straw. Like his friend, he had lost family, many at a young age, with each death doing more to cripple the very person he was. That was about to change.
Luna, still attempting to find words that would justify just how sorry she was, suddenly stopped as Achmed's eyes locked onto hers. She felt their gaze pierce through her like a spear. Through the remnants of Achmed's tears she saw hate, she saw anger, she saw rage, each burning like an unstoppable fire that consumed all in its path. She found herself frozen, unable to look away as she became unaware of the world around her.
Achmed's face scrunched as his narrowed eyes aimed at Tim's killer, and like lighting he reared his rifle around, flipping it to full auto and taking aim at Princess Luna. Luna suddenly came out of her trance at the realization of danger, but found it was too late.




















"You BITCH!!!" Achmed roared.

With a consecutive concussive blast and a flash of light, bullets rained out from the end of the barrel with a thunderous clap of escaping gas deafening all else in the nearby vicinity. Luna reeled back in a vain attempt at defense but was utterly sure this would be her demise. But just as quickly as Achmed began firing, Luna noticed that a golden barrier had emerged between her and her attacker. Celestia was quick enough to realize the danger and summoned her protection spell around herself, her sister, and the guards accompanying them. Bright orange flashes began to blind her eyesight as round after round pelted the edge of Celestia's shield. 
Bullets chipped away at leaving slight cracks that quickly healed themselves. Others bounced off the surface, but this didn't deter Achmed in the slightest. When his first mag had been completely emptied, he quickly reloaded the second with pinpoint perfection, leaving little to no time for Celestia, Luna, or any of their guards to counterattack. He began his second barrage, letting out a ferocious battle cry that echoed down every corridor of the castle. His second barrage was now doing more damage, the cracks were growing bigger with each impact. Celestia strained her focus on the barrier, now kicking the full force of her iron will into protecting her sister. Her horn surged with a highly potent magical energy that extended to her shield. The cracks were mended immediately.
Achmed had emptied another magazine and was about to reload when the sound of something metallic made a loud audible ping against the crystal walls. Everyone but Luna looked up towards the source, seeing a strange small metal cylinder covered in a series of small holes bounce off the side of the wall and directly in-between Achmed and the shield. Achmed's eyes widened and he immediately dived away in the opposite direction with his arms covering his eyes.
Celestia and her guards looked at the cylinder, uncertain of what it was and how it landed here. Instinctively, Celestia was ready to turn around to see who had thrown it when it suddenly burst, letting out an ear-deafening ring and completely blinding her vision. She yelped in confusion along with her guards, inadvertently cancelling out the shield spell she had been maintaining. Knowing this, her panic grew on the loss of two her major senses soon turned back into the fear of her sister's life.

"LUNA!" She cried out, though she herself was unable to hear herself speak. "LUNA! WHERE ARE YOU! LUNA!"

Suddenly she felt something rush past her, pushing her already unstable self to the ground. At this time Achmed uncovered his eyes. Although his eyes were shielded from the concussive blast, his ears were ringing. As he got up from the floor and turned around, any plans of finishing what he started were put to an abrupt end with a hand pulling him up to his feet. He looked up, seeing no other than Commander Sawyer with an distressed look on his face. He saw the Commander verbally yell something at him, and though he was unable to hear, he knew what the words were.

"FALL BACK SABBAG!!" Andrew screamed at the top of his lungs.

Andrew let go of his tac vest and darted down the hall where Tim and himself had filed into less than five minutes earlier, motioning for him to follow. Achmed reluctantly followed his Commander's orders. As the ringing in his ears ceased and as he followed behind the Commander, he peered his eyes behind him, still seeing the recipients of his attack struggling to recuperate. Achmed's mind still lingered with thoughts of revenge for his friend, the fact that he'd never be able to speak with him, the way he never said goodbye, and the fact that he had no choice but to leave his body in the hands of these aliens only fueled his rage. But suddenly the thought of his friend reminded him of something that was vital. Achmed turned his head and looked at the room where Tim had resided the last few days, recalling the key item that was left in there.

"Commander, wait!" Achmed cried out, stopping in his tracks. "Tim's-"

"Sabbag! There's no time to recover the body!"

"No! Not his body, his weapon!" Achmed tried to explain. "It's this room! We can't leave it!"

Andrew, wishing to make a quick exit, actually stopped, realizing that leaving a gun for these things to tinker on could prove catastrophic.

"Alright but make it quick Sabbag!" Andrew barked. "I think we just kicked the hornet's nest!"

Achmed nodded and quickly bolted into the room, slamming the door open. With one quick look around he spotted Tim's AK and satchel--which no doubt stored his magazines--with ease. Achmed grabbed both items and was about to exit when something on the nightstand caught his eye. Resting atop the bedside table was Tim's dogtags and the hat he always wore. Achmed approached them both, taking both items in hand. Achmed could feel the grief building up inside, but his sudden and newfound will told him there were other priorities at the moment. Achmed tucked the hat into his vest and stuffed the dogtags down one of his now empty mag pouches, and quickly exited the room, slinging Tim's rifle around his shoulder and regrouping with Sawyer.

"Good, you got it! Now let's move it soldier! Double time it!" Andrew shouted.

Achmed nodded in acknowledgement and quickly began following behind his superior. All around him he could hear the loud clank of armored hoofsteps closing in all directions.
Andrew's mind wanted to race with a million different thoughts all at once, mainly focused on what just happened and what would result out of Achmed's actions. Not that they could have been helped. Andrew saw Berfield killed right in front of his eyes with some sort of energy blast. It would seem negotiations were out of the question from the very start, granted what information Sabbag managed to get out of Berfield. At this point it would seem any hope for a peaceful negotiation was out the window, but they had yet to kill any of the natives yet by killing Berfield they had revealed themselves as hostile. Perhaps it was wishful thinking, but Andrew still clung to hope this could be salvageable, but realistically, he didn't foresee that happening. 
His mind now focused on making their way back to the stairs he used to get up here. No doubt everyone inside heard the gunfire. If he knew his friend like he used to, Viktor would no doubt take a few men to find him. With any luck, they already had an exit waiting for them.




The remnant of the team that had entered the castle with Andrew had been waiting diligently for his return when a burst of gunfire echoed from upstairs. Everyone's mind raced to one conclusion. They'd been compromised. Viktor was the first to rally the forces.

"Sergeant, Wolf 6, with me. The rest of you, stay here and hold this position! Wolf 2, you're in command!"

Before Vik could rush upstairs, Hale added one final inquiry.

"Alpha, do we have permission to engage?!" he asked.

Viktor shouted to him as he and those he selected made their way upstairs.

"Seems either Sabbag or Sawyer already made the decision for us, so yes! Neutralize any threats as they appear!"

"Yes sir!" Hale acknowledged.

The three had made their way to the second floor turning right and down the proceeding hallway, even as both the gunfire continued and his comms flooded with multiple incoming calls.

"*Wolf 1 this is Wolf 4, we're hearing gunfire from less than a click out, what's you're status, over!*"

"*Osaka 1, Wolf 1, this is Wolf 3, who just opened up? Over.*"

"*Wolf 1, Osaka 1, this is Gateway, what just happened?*"

Viktor set his headset to connect to all frequencies at once.

"This is Wolf 1, we have reason to belief both Osaka's 1 and 5 position to be compromised, I'm taking two personnel and are en route to assess and assist! Gateway, we need an exit ready! NOW! We'll report back with any new information!"




The situation in the room grew dire as it was evidently clear that shit had just hit the fan. Bradford, head racing in need of a clear answer to what was happening, made due with what was given.

"Copy, Wolf 1, we heard from Wolf 4 and have all assets making that a priority one! Gateway out!"

When the transmission cut out, Bradford addressed his science team.

"Alright chaps, we need a new set of coordinates and we need them now!" He yelled.

The science team acknowledged and quickly went to work on their new task. Lieutenant Bakowski then looked down at the soldiers still standing around, in particular, Francis and Nick.

"Corporal Vanhart! assemble a platoon and get them armed and loaded, once they get that portal open we'll need to secure Osaka and Wolfpack's exit!" 

Francis' head nearly exploded. The thought of going into the other world with the high possibility of fighting aliens. A chance he couldn't possibly pass up.

"Yes sir!" Francis replied with a smile.

Francis turned to those around him.

"Alright ladies you heard the LT! Time to lock'n'load, Sarge and the others are gonna need backup! Hooah!"

"Hooah!" They all replied, quickly making their way to the closest weapons cache to get ready.

As they made their way to, Nick caught up with Francis.

"Is this really happening?" Nick asked dreadfully. "Are we really gonna fight aliens?"

"You better believe it Barkley!" Vanhart replied eagerly. "Bet they didn't tell you'd be doing that in the job description did they!? HA!"

Francis' overall eagerness and complete disregard for the safety of the lives on the other side didn't sit well with Barkley in a multitude of ways.

"I gotta a feeling that this is gonna end badly, I just now it." Barkley said to himself.




Twilight lay asleep and sound in her bedroom, her younger brother not far from in the midst of his own slumber. Then suddenly like the crack of lighting, the sound of gunfire awoke them both. Twilight was startled, Spike even more so.

"AAH! Wh-What was that?!" Spike yelped.

suddenly another succession of gunfire boomed forth, and from the sound, it was inside the castle. This factor sent a shock through Twilight's body, as the only one who possessed something capable of that sound no other than...

"Tim!" She blurted out.

Twilight rushed out from under the covers, much to the dismay of Spike.

"Twilight where are you going!?" Spike shouted.

"To find out what's going on! You stay here, lock the door and don't open it for anypony! I'll be back."

Twilight shut the door close with her magic before Spike could even protest. She then raced to wherever the source was coming from as she wondered what was happening.

Did something come through the portal in the night? Twilight wondered. No. Impossible, only a spell could open that thing and Tim's world is devoid of magic. So what else could it-

Her train of thought was then cut off by the multitude of guards that were rushing down the hallway alongside her. One guard in particular, an orange blue maned pegasus colt wearing the golden plate of Celestia's guard stopped upon seeing her.

"Princess Twilight!?" He hollered.

Twilight turned to address him.

"Guard, what's going on?" She asked.

"We don't know your highness. Captain Shield rallied everypony to investigate."

"Where's Princess Celestia, or Princess Luna?"

"Princess Luna awoke her sister to attend to something, they were last seen heading downstairs, each with a small section of their guard. They may be caught up in whatever's going on."

The mere allusion to the two sisters being in jeopardy increased the gravity of the situation.

"I'm coming with you." Twilight declared. "What's your name?"

"Flash Sentry, your Highness." he informed. "But I would insist you return to your chambers, the situation could be dangerous."

"SENTRY!" A loud voice bellowed.

The two turned their heads to see Captain Shield approaching the two of them.

"I specifically remember giving the order for everypony to double-time it!" Stout Shield barked. "What are you doing just standing here?! And why is the Princess outside of her quarters!?"

"Sir! I-uh-" Flash babbled before Twilight interjected.

"I stopped him for information on the situation, Captain. Despite the danger, I request that I accompany you."

"Not happening little lady!" Stout barked.

"Excuse me?!" Twilight snapped

"I got enough on my plate at the moment and I can't spare any more of the guard to watch after you should there be chaos downstairs, return to your quarters immediately and let us handle it! Sentry let's go!"

The personality of Stout's assertiveness was well known within the ranks of the guard but to put one of the princesses in place stunned Flash. Unsure of who's orders to follow, he ultimately followed the command of his superior. Outraged, Twilight frantically looked for a solution that would grant her to accompany the two guards. And in the deep vaults of knowledge that she held in her head, she found one. Twilight stomped her hoof down.

"Let me reiterate Captain!" She proclaimed in an authoritative voice.  "You may be under my mentor's authority but given her absence in an emergency situation like this ultimate command is handed down to the next readily available royal in line, as outlined in the Guard's Oath Handbook, page 43 subsection D. That next royal just so happens to be me. I now have her command and I'm ordering you to escort me downstairs so that I can assist in the emergency."

Stout stopped in his tracks with Flash soon following suite as they both turned to Twilight. Stout narrowed his eyes at the young alicorn. Twilight did her best not to cave in, putting on the strongest face of confidence she could muster. It must have worked, because Stout immediately followed it with a wordless sigh upon realizing she was right.

"Yes Princess, but I request you stay behind us! Now let's move it!"

Twilight let out a quick sigh of relief and immediately followed her escort downstairs to get a handle on the situation downstairs. Suddenly entire volumes of gunfire could be heard overlapping one another. This caught Twilight off guard when she noted the drastic difference, as unbeknownst to her, the guard had just suffered their first casualties.




Achmed and Andrew we're hoofing it to the staircase, and though they weren't in their line of sight they knew they were close. 

"Just a few more feet away Sabbag!" Andrew called out.

Suddenly up ahead a total of five castle guards stepped out looking around when they instantly spotted Andrew and Achmed charging towards them down the hallway. Failing to recognize either of them as the human the Princesses had been working with they we're quick to confront the intruders. One of Luna's Night guards lit up her horn, ready to fire off an immobilization spell.

"HALT!" She cried out, her fellow guards raising their spears at the ready.

Andrew internally cursed, hoping he and Sabbag could make it back downstairs before they encountered the castle's defenders. Still seeking to maintain the no kill status of the mission, Andrew quickly reached for another flashbang. But before he could even pull the pin, The guards were suddenly at the receiving end of a storm of tracer rounds. The bullets punched through their armor with ease, tearing at their insides, killing them instantly.
Looking up from the pile of bodies that dropped to the ground, Andrew saw Viktor, Martinez and Humphrey emerge from the hallway to his left. Viktor spotted the duo and quickly regrouped with them.

"God dammit Andrew!" Viktor cursed. "What the hell happened!?"

Andrew once again took a look at the bodies' of the guards, letting out a drawn-out sigh resonating with regret.

There goes any small fragment of a chance for peace. he mentally concluded.

Andrew turned to Viktor to speak.

"Well if you haven't figured it out already our position here's been compromised. Everything else will have to explained later once we're back on Earth." Andrew informed.

"What?!" Viktor snapped. "What about Berfield?!"

"Sir, did you manage to locate him?" Sarah inquired. "Did you-"

"He's dead, Sarge." Achmed sullenly interrupted, pulling Tim's dogtags out and dangling them for all to see.

Sarah was silent for several seconds before shaking her head in denial.

"..............No, no that can't be true." Sarah refuted. "Did you see a body!? Did you-"

"Sarge, I watched him die right in front of me. One of natives blasted something that shot through his chest."

Sarah froze, staring at the pair of weathered dogtags engraved with Tim's name. Her heart sunk with rage soon following behind. Sarah clenched one of her fists, turning her rage towards one of the dead guards by kicking at it's corpse.

"MOTHERFUCKERS!" She screamed. 

Andrew quickly stepped in.

"STOW IT, SERGEANT!" He commanded. "Now's not the time! We need to exfiltrate, ASAP!"

"Gateway's working on that this very moment." Viktor informed. "Given all that's transpired, I assume the native's have been confirmed as hostile targets?"

Andrew looked at those affected by Tim's death. On outside looks alone, the Sergeant looked hellbent on hunting the one responsible down. If only she was granted that wish. Achmed on the other hand looked angry, but surprisingly collected for all that happened. Something about that unnerved Andrew, but any suspicious concerns would have to be put on hold. Andrew then looked back to Viktor.

"They have." Andrew replied. "And for the job we're gonna do next, I'm authorizing lethal force."

"Well that's a relief. I kinda went off on a whim and authorized for the men downstairs. But what job are you referring to, may I ask?" Viktor asked.

"Taking out that portal."

"Andrew, we never came to an agreement on that!"

Andrew grabbed Viktor's vest.

"Perhaps you didn't hear, Vik. Berfield's dead, killed by one of the native leaders no less. Considering both I and Sabbag witnessed it first hand, I can-"

"I don't mean to be rude, sir, but it sounds like more of our friends fancy us a visit." Lewis noted.

It was at that point that Andrew acknowledged that the sounds of their pursuers grew ever closer.

"Dammit, sounds like they're coming in force!" Andrew cursed.

"Fine by me! Bring em' on." Sarah boldly claimed as she loaded a full mag into her rifle.

"No sense in meeting them head on Sergeant, we're outnumbered." Andrew reminded her. "We regroup downstairs and double back to that library. Let's move it people!"




Twilight, Flash Sentry, and Stout Shield made their way through the hallway's of the castle with great haste. At the moment it was quite chaotic, with the sound of clanking armor echoing down the hall and those wearing them charging headlong to cover the entirety of the castle. When the trio turned a corner the sight that greeted them was one of relief yet also of concern. Several of the guards now surrounded the two princesses in an encirclement. The two thankfully seemed unharmed, but what was off putting was the fact that Luna was crying, with Celestia comforting her sister in a hug. Twilight immediately approached them.

"Princess Celestia! Princess Luna! Are you alright!?" She anxiously asked.

Princess Celestia didn't look away from her distraught sister, who had practically broke down, but addressed her student.

"We're alright, Twilight, as far as injuries are concerned." she said in a soft-spoken voice.

"What's happening, Princess?" Twilight asked.

Celestia opened her mouth as if to say something, but alas none were spoken. She instead choked up, holding back her tears and recuperate for another attempt.

"There's.........................been an incident, Twilight. One which I'm afraid..........................has taken the life of your new friend."

Seconds passed, all of which carried silence with them. Twilight felt her voice fail, her heart sink, and her eyes water.

"..W..What?" Twilight wept.

Celestia looked away out of sorrow, unable to say another word. Twilight soon discovered the cold hard truth of her words. Twilight walked past her mentor and the Princess of the night, her gaze fixated on what laid behind them, and like her mentor, Twilight fell into distress and sorrow. For at her footsteps and surrounded by shell casings laid the body of Timothy Berfield, lifeless on the floor. Two guards oversaw the body and the wounds he sustained before death while many of the others simply watched from afar. Twilight placed a hoof over her mouth upon seeing the only wound, a small but smoldering golf-ball sized hole that went straight through the entirety of his torso. Twilight was at a loss of words when Stout Shield stepped in to gain a hold of the situation. 

"Your Majesties." He addressed. "Much seems to have happened but we need to get the three of you to safety, immediately."

Some of the guards who witnessed what happened whispered among themselves.

"*How?*" One inquired. "*I've never seen magic do something like that.*"

"*Quiet!*" Another snapped. "*Now's not the time.*"

Unfortunately for them, Twilight overheard and immediately pressed forward a questioning.

"You saw what happened?" she asked with tear filled eyes. "Tell me what you saw. What did yous see?!"

Seeing she was becoming off-balanced emotionally, Flash Sentry stepped forward to intervene.

"Princess Twilight, I know you're upset, but now's not th-"

"QUIET!" she snapped back at him.

"Twilight!" Celestia snapped right back.

Twilight ceased her anger at the sharp tone of voice of Celestia, who now glared at her with disapproving eyes. 

"Princess, I'm.......I'm sorry, you too Flash, I didn't mean to snap. I'm just-"

"Devastated." Celestia stated.

Twilight to her mentor to see that Celestia's look change to one of sympathy, seeing her student clearly heartbroken by the tragedy of Tim's death.

"I am too, Twilight. I'm sorry for what has become of Tim, I too was fond of him, we all saw him as a friend."

Suddenly another overlapping barrage of gunfire could be heard echoing through the hallways. Twilight, Celestia, and many of the guards found themselves taken by surprise by the sound. Twilight looked to Tim's body again, seeing that his weapon was absent from the scene, and that the strange casings that dispensed from it seemed different from the ones found after Tim's encounter with the Timberwolves. 
This lead Twilight to a frightening realization that Tim wasn't responsible for this and what Princess Luna had feared from Tim upon their first meeting might have come true. There was another human, or more likely by the sound of it, several humans letting loose in Equestria.

"Princess?" she asked out of fear. "Who killed Tim?"

Celestia said not a word as the gunfire didn't seem to let up, the very sound shaking her to the very core at the thought of her guards being at the receiving end.

"Princess, are there other humans here?!" she asked pressing the matter forward yet again.

As much as she wanted to stay and do many a things to help ease the emotions of her sister and faithful student, she still had a crisis on her hands.

"Yes, Twilight. But I'm afraid clarity on Tim's death will need to come later" Celestia boldly stated. "I have an important task for you and I need everypony quick in pace and mind if we even have a chance at succeeding."

Twilight hesitated, looking once again at Tim's body. As much as she clearly wanted answers then and there, her mind told her that now wasn't the time.

"Al.......Alright Princess." Twilight responded. "What is it that you need?"

Celestia wasted no time.

"I need you to find Spike and draft a letter to a Commander Spark of the Canterlot Reserve, requesting immediate reinforcements. Explain the situation in full."

"I'll get right on it, Princess." Twilight promised, warming up a teleportation spell.

"And as an extra safety precaution, take one of my guards with you." Celestia ordered.

Twilight turned to the first guard closest to, which happened to be Flash from earlier.

"Flash, come with me." Twilight instructed. "We need to get to my room stat."

"Right away, Prince-"

Before he could finish the sentence, he and Twilight had disappeared in a flash of lavender, leaving Celestia to make an attempt to get Luna back on her feet.

"Sister, I know what has transpired has left you distraught." Celestia stated sympathetically. "But as I told Twilight, I need everpony on board if we're to gain a hoof on the situation."

Luna looked up to her sister, the tears still flowing profusely and beyond control. Making her best effort, she mustered enough strength to speak, albeit slowly.

"He................................................he's...........................................dead........................be.........because of...m..me." she sullenly stated. "I've....................................I've..............I've doomed us all."

Celestia could feel her heart wrench at those words. For all intents and purposes, Luna now saw herself as a murderer, who had just committed an act that drove Tim's compatriot, Achmed, to kill her in the name of revenge. Despite this, Celestia made another attempt to bring her sister back into a stable state.

"Luna, you had no idea your spell would do that to him." Celestia argued.

"But....................I should have."

"Luna."

"I should've have been more patient,.......................instead I let my own anger and impatience guide my decisions......................and now...........................and now Tim's dead because of it......................I'm responsible for all of this."

Celestia for the first time found herself at a lack of words, unable to find any deep resounding wisdom for Luna to take heed from. But that didn't stop her in what she set out to do. She gave Luna a hug, and then looked to her sister.

"The path set before us may yet be fraught with danger, dear sister, and whether or not it was guided by actions, either yours or mine makes no difference. One way or another we will get through it, together. The wounds it's caused are still fresh, but I know you have the willpower to set them aside and help those ponies whose lives are still in danger."

Despite Celestia's assurances, Luna still carried much doubt.

"How? I've already caused one catastrophic mistake, one which Tim lost his life for, one which many ponies will pay for, what if-"

"What if you make another? You make the best of what your given. I know how you feel Luna. The day you we're banished made me doubt if I was fit to rule. As far as I knew, you were gone, consumed by darkness. I felt as if you were gone. But after some time on my thoughts and the pressing realities that followed, I learned to overcome my mistakes and resume the duties to those still by my side. Ever since that moment you were gone I promised myself to be there for those ponies I care about, no matter what. I chose not to spend most of my time reminiscing on my past decisions and mistakes, and instead chose to spend it setting things right for the future. Now it would seem is your time to do the same."

Luna listened carefully to the words from her sister, and found that they once again held a grand amount of merit. They emboldened her as she realized that the situation had not passed, and that she would need to play her part to salvage whatever control she could from the  
Luna stood up straight, her demeanor and nerve built back up. she would mourn over those lost to this incident, but later. Now her people needed her to defend from the threat that now faced them, one which the likes of many Equestrians had probably never seen before. 

"I'm ready." Luna bluntly stated.

Celestia, happy to see her sister back on her hooves again, quickly got back to the task at hand.

"Captain! With me!" She commanded. 

"Nightguard!...........To battle!" Luna cried.

The guards let out a hurrah! and quickly followed the royal sisters in a column formation. Captain Stout ran alongside Celestia.

"Your Majesty, the only escape route would be the front exit." Stout informed. "It's most likely the intruders have set up a defense around that area."

"Then we make haste to the intruder's defense!" Celestia stated. " I urge you and the others stay close behind me and Princess Luna, I have a feeling many of your subordinates may have already fallen."

"If that be the case, then they'll be remembered as heroes. They knew the risks when they joined the ranks."

"Still, enough blood has been spilled this night. But I fear these human invaders will have a thirst for more before night's end."




Several Minutes Prior




Andrew rushed in the direction his friend had come from, with said friend and company following behind. The distance to the staircase was thankfully short, 20 yards or less, and they group managed to reach it without further confrontation. As the view of downstairs emerged into Andrew's line of sight, he could see Harris, Lamond, and Hale engaging what little of the guard presence there was on the first floor. Shots echoed forth as the five of them ran down the staircase to regroup. The engagement lasted little more than half a minute as the last guard was neutralized by a headshot from Hale, who noticed that the rest of the tea, had returned.

"Glad to see you alive an well, sir." Hale commented to Andrew.

"Is the route to the library clear, soldier?" Andrew inquired.

"It should be, sir. Think we just mopped up what little security was stationed here."

Viktor once again stepped forward to dissuade Andrew from his current course.

"Andrew, think about the consequences!" he urged.

"I am!" Andrew asserted. "Whatever happened between Berfield and the natives isn't happening again! I'm not leaving it to be used against us!"  

"Rady boh! Andrew! Thi-"

"End of discussion, Wolf 1!" Andrew commanded. "Wolf 2, you're our ordinance expert, right?"

"Yes, sir." Hale replied.

"You have enough explosives to take that thing down?"

"I do, sir. I took the liberty of having them primed...." He responded, pausing briefly to pull the detonator out from his pouch. "...and planted."

Viktor's eyes shot up and a irate glare came soon after, directed at the man who he thought he could entrust to lead Wolfpack in his absence.

"When did you plant them?!" Viktor demanded.

"When you we're inspecting the Obelisk." he replied. "Sorry to go behind your back like that but the Commander's right. We can't take that kind of risk."

"Well. Glad to know someone on Wolfpack agrees." Andrew commented. "We blow it when we're a clear distance away from the castle."

Viktor looked ready to shove a fist down Hale's throat, but the sudden interjection from Lamond caught everyone's attention.

"Wait a minute. What happened between Tim and the Locals?" he asked.

"Tim's KIA, Lamond." Sarah revealed.

Lamond, was a little shaken by the news.

"I'm..............I'm sorry Sarge, you to Achmed. I know he was your friend."

Before even a minute could be spared to grieve, Harris stiffened his posture and aimed his rifle up towards the staircase.

"Hostiles atop the staircase!" he shouted.

Like lightning, every one of them turned around opening fire on the guards who had now finally caught up with them in full force. The guards' advance however was immediately stopped as soon as the bullets started flying. Watching their comrades be torn to shreds deterred many of them from moving forward. Those who possessed magic attempted to fire blasts of magic, but found their intended targets had taken cover behind either the half-columns leading to the exit or the edges of the two walls at the bottom of the stairs. Alas they weren't able to get a good shot.
Sarah and Achmed found themselves on the opposite sides of the hallway, each laying down some suppressing fire at the enemy upstairs. Harris and Lamond had taken the more advantageous position behind the columns, giving them a better line of sight as they picked off targets as they appeared. Beside Achmed was Lewis, who took up a crouched position behind him, leaning outward to get a line of sight on the guards and firing a few shots on semi-auto with his SCAR.
Meanwhile, Andrew, Viktor and Hale took positions beside the Sergeant. Viktor placed his left hand on the trigger to his grenade launcher, stepping out from behind cover to pop one off. With the sound of a thwump! The grenade was propelled upwards in an arch, but had overshot the bulk of the guard taking cover. Nonetheless it did some damage. Those closest to the impact point were sent flying back by the sheer concussive force of the blast, with those further away being pelted by the tiny bits of wood, crystal, stone, and shrapnel flying in all directions at full force. Some of the guards, suffered injuries where the joints were exposed, but thankfully the full set of heavy plate that made up their armor provided most of them with enough protection to withstand it. 

"Blyat! The frag knocked a few out but the shrapnel had no effect!" Viktor cried out.

"Save your grenades and stick to your rounds, Alpha, they'll work just fine!"

"And what happens when we run out genius?!"

"That won't happen!" Andrew yelled at the two of them.

Andrew looked to his vest, where upon a quick search, he found the tool that would serve best to escape their current situation. One M18 smoke grenade.

"Tossing a smoke!" Andrew cried out.

Leaning out of cover past the Sergeant, Andrew pulled the pin and tossed the smoke grenade at the base of the stairs. After a short second or two, The top of the canister burst open as a puff of thick white smoke began to quickly fill the room obscuring both party's line of sight from one another. This didn't deter the two sides from exchanging fire as the firefight still ensued. Andrew quickly went up to his comm-link, only to make the quick realization that it was still offline.

"Fuck! Vik, my comms are fried! Get on the horn, tell overwatch we're coming out!" he commanded.

"Got it!" Viktor replied.

Andrew leaned in to fire off several short bursts at the unseen enemy while Vik made the call. A blast of golden magic suddenly came hurling towards where he was standing. He ad the Sergeant both ducked out of the way as the blast overshot them, hitting the wall to the rear. At that point, Vik was done and quickly informed Andrew of the fact. 

"Overwatch says we're clear to exit, but there's something I should tell you first!" Viktor informed.

"Can it wait!" Andrew asked.

"Not particularly!"

Another blast of golden magic aimed right at the sergeant's head came charging forth. Sarah thankfully manage dto evade it in time, but the sheer intensity and nearby proximity sent bits of the floor flying upward.

"Well it's just gonna have to!" Andrew shouted.

With that out of the way, Andrew went to work getting his men out of the building.

"Osaka 3! Osaka 6! Make for the exit! We'll cover you!" Andrew ordered over the sound of battle.

Harris and Lamond quickly departed their cover and rushed towards the exit, ducking down from the stray blasts of magic. Next up, Achmed and Lewis.

"Wolf 6, Osaka 5! Go!"

Achmed looked to Lewis, and with a quick exchange of nods the two darted from cover towards the castle's entrance, making their exit safe and sound.

"Sergeant, Wolf 2! You're up!"

Sarah ceased fire, as she and Hale bolted for the door, leaving the two team leaders as the remaining friendlies inside. Unfortunately, the lack of covering fire had meant that the guards were now pressing the attack, turning their escape route into a killzone.

"Well Andrew, it certainly seems you've gotten rusty in your old age!" Viktor jibed at, clearly angered by what had transpired. "Guess this means we're at war now, huh?!"

Andrew fed up with Viktor's bullshit gave him an order to keep him busy.

"Just shut up and launch a flashbang with that 40mm!" Andrew retorted. "And try not to miss this time!"

Viktor begrudgingly complied as he removed the empty casing from his grenade launcher and replaced it with a 40mm flashbang projectile. Viktor leaned out, tilting his rifle down a little lower that his last shot. With a pull of a trigger, the projectile bursted forth from the tube, arching up and landing by the feet of one unlucky guardsmare. The blasts of magic stopped from behind the cloud of smoke. With the enemy disoriented, now was the time to escape.

"Let's go." Andrew said.

The two quickly ran from behind their cover towards the exit. The sight that greeted them was one that held its own cause for concern however, as literally hundreds of natives had heard the chaos coming from the castle. No doubt the gunfire could be heard across quite some distance, awakening nearly the whole town in the process. Many of the ponies fled at the sight of eight heavily armed humans leaving the castle, screaming for their lives. Many others however found their courage, albeit foolhardily.

"Guessing this is what you wanted to talk about?" Andrew piped to Viktor.

Viktor simply gave him a unpleasant look, wondering how exactly he and the others we're going to get through this.




"-cess............."

Flash looked around to see that he had been teleported into an entirely different room. A bedroom, to be more specific. More particularly, Princess Twilight's bedroom. 

"Flash watch the door while I write the letter." Twilight ordered.

"Yes Princess. Right away."

As Twilight raced to her quill, ink, and parchment, Spike came out crawling from underneath Twilight's bed, eager to know who was here.

"Twilight?" he called out.

Twilight looked to the young dragon who had addressed her. With all that had transpired, she found great comfort in knowing that he was still safe.

"Spike." she spoke softly.

Spike found himself in warm embrace as Twilight squeezed him in a loving hug.

"I'm glad that you're still safe."

This in turn caused Spike a great amount of confusion.

"Twilight, you've only been gone ten minutes. But I keep hearing Tim's "gun" thingy go off! What's happened? Did another monster come through the portal?"

Twilight wished she could sit down with Spike and explain what had just happened, this would be the first time he'd have to come to grips with the reality of someone he knew succumbing to death. Twilight had feared this eventuality, and despite her notion that this would have repercussions, she realized what Celestia had her set out to do took precedence.

"I'll have to explain later, Spike. Right now I need you to send a letter to the Canterlot Reserves."

Twilight went over to her desk where the necessary things to compose her letter were already laid out. Spike began to feel a little uneasy from this whole ordeal, as it seemed keeping him out of the loop did more to unnerve him than anything else. Twilight began her letter with the regular formalities....

Dear Commander Spark,

I Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship, hereby request aid from your reserve units with the utmost haste, for a matter most urgent requires your assistance. The lives of the ponies in Ponyville hang in the balance. We face a threat greater than either I or Princess Celestia know. My castle has been infiltrated by several intruders, highly skilled and extremely dangerous. Take every possible precaution when you face them. I pray you come swiftly, for I believe many who accompanied Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have fallen in the line of duty.


....and after a few seconds, the letter was ready to be sent. Twilight rolled it up quickly, tying a royal seal around it so the Commander could verify it as legitimate. She then handed it off to Spike who quickly sent it out with a blaze of emerald. Twilight stepped towards the door only to realize that she hadn't been instructed to do anything else.

"Now what do we do?" she addressed aloud.

"I don't know, you know more about what's going on than I do." Spike said, shrugging his shoulders.

Flash had his own idea on what to do next and made it vocal.

"We wait here. And pray Commander Spark reads that letter in time."

The sound of a small blast could be heard amongst what seemed like the unending noise of battle. This encouraged Twilight to present another option in what role to play.

"We can't just wait here. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are going to need all the help they can get."

"Princess with all due respect, I'm certain Princess Celestia would prefer you stay here under my safety." Flash argued.

"No disrespect Flash, but I can do this......................I hope." Twilight prayed.

"Uh, you don't sound very sure of yourself on that, Princess."

It was at this point Twilight grunted in frustration. Not that she was faulting Flash for anything of course, but she and her friends had managed to quell many dangerous threats in the past. At all of those times, Celestia had no qualms with Twilight offering her assistance in the safety. But now, it seemed as if Flash was right on this one, and that Celestia only implied her aid in sending a message for help. But alas, that wasn't enough to stop her from persisting the matter.

"I can respect what you're trying to do Flash, it's your duty. But I can't just sit here and do nothing." Twilight stated. "Spike, stay here with Flash."

Spike eyes widened and he began to panic.

"Wait Twilight, No! Don't go!" he begged.

"Princess. I'm not letting you leave the room. Just how do you plan to-"

His sentence was cut short by Twilight teleporting the room, leaving a dumbfounded Flash Sentry to oversee Spike. A few seconds passed before either one of them said something.

"Huh, you know, I really I should have seen that coming." Flash noted.

"To be honest, she does that a lot." Spike sighed. "I just hope she comes back safe."
> Chapter 25: The Crossfire Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

War is catastrophic for most of those who are involved whether they be the soldier or the bystander. But unquestionable, it is the civilian who suffers most in times of conflict, for it is he who finds himself at the receiving end of its heinous consequences.............................................................




Seven hours into the night and all had proven peaceful in the city of Canterlot. Commander Spark sat at his desk within the confines of the guard barracks. He had just finished compiling a paper assessing the weekly incident report in the city. Crime was low, public disturbances even more so, that was usual. In fact, the only noteworthy incident on record involved a rather clumsy mail-mare pegasus crashing into somepony's window by accident. Other than that, all was well within Canterlot, and Spark had just finished the last of the paperwork he needed to complete.
With that all well and done, he decided some fresh air would be nice, and made his way towards the west battlements for a nightly stroll, maybe even make a round on all the guards at their posts. After a short five-minute walk through the castle, Commander Spark found himself atop the battlements, staring out at Luna's beautiful night sky once again with the pure admiration that only a bat-pony like himself could really appreciate.
Through his set of nocturnal eyes, he could make out more things than most ponies could during the nighttime hours, like how the moonlight shone and how its radiance reflected off of everything it touched. As he was making his way across the battlements, admiring the sights, he began to hear a faint noise that sounded like something clanking against cobblestone. His ears began to twitch, noticing the noise was emanating from his rear and gradually getting louder. He turned around, facing the stairwell he had just used to make his way up. After a second or two, he saw one of the night guards, another bat pony by the name of Private Onyx Star, had emerged from the doorway at a quickened pace. Star spotted the Commander and began to approach him with a saddlebag strapped around his back and barrel.

"Commander Spark, sir!" he addressed, raising a hoof in salute.

"At ease, Private." He acknowledged. "Mind explaining the rush? Weren't you supposed to be on watch in the library if I'm not mistaken?"

Private Star, quickly pulled the letter out of his saddlebag.

"I was, when a letter came in via magic delivery." Star explained. "It's a letter from Princess Twilight, and it's addressed to you."

"What?" Spark said rather confused. "What's she doing up at this hour?"

"I'm not sure, I only read who it was addressed to. Perhaps the letter explains more?"

Commander Spark took the letter in hoof and opened it, reading its contents thoroughly. His eyes gradually began to grow wider with each word he read. When he was done, he closed the letter and looked the Private dead in the eye.

"What does it say, sir?" Onyx Star asked.

Commander Spark looked at him sternly before answering.

"Private Star, wake the troops and rally the reserves. I want everypony ready and able boarding trains to Ponyville within the hour under chariot escort! We're mobilizing immediately!"

Private Star was a little confused by the sudden response, but didn't voice his concerns right away. Instead. he gave the proper salute.

"Right away sir. May I ask why?"

Commander Star walked past him and back towards the barracks before answering the private.

"Ponyville's come under attack by invaders, the Princesses are in danger. We're needed immediately. Now, rally the troops."

That was all Private Star needed to carry out his newly assigned task with the utmost haste.

"I'm right on it, sir!" he answered back.

And with that, Star was off to awake the reserves while Commander Spark rushed off to his personal quarters to ready for battle.




An utterly new obstacle now stood in the way of a hasty exit for Andrew and his team. If the situation had not already outright deteriorated by this point, given that the man they came to rescue was now dead and a skirmish with the natives was currently ongoing, the large presence of civilians could turn this into an all-out disaster. To make matters worse, many of those who hadn't immediately fled the scene upon Osaka and Wolfpack's immediate withdrawal from the building were beginning to encroach closer, clearly angered by who they assumed were the intruders that were causing all the commotion within Princess Twilight's castle.	
Suddenly one of the ponies stepped forward, intent to close the most distance between Andrew's men and the crowd of natives. Her coat was beige, with a grey mane and tail, and she seemed to wear glasses and a white tie collar around her neck, giving the slight impression that she held some small authority over the others. In contrast her approach came across as timid, as each slow stride of her hooves moved her gradually forward. Once she deemed herself at a reasonable distance, she cleared her throat to speak.

"Attention trespassers!" she began saying. "As mayor of this town and government official I command you to lay down any and all weapons and surrender to the royal authorities!"

Sarah narrowed her eyes at this individual, wondering how easy it be to simply fire a shot off at her and watch the others scatter as a result. But odds were that Sawyer would immediately condemn that action, probably court martial her for it once they got back, so she opted instead to inquire what the next course of action should be.

"Orders, sir?" Sarah asked.

Viktor walked to Andrew's side, popping the question that everyone was thinking.

"What's your plan on getting us out of this one?" 

Andrew was still thinking that particular part through. Obviously he wasn't going to comply with the local authority figure and stand down, not when they had an exit on the way. 

"*I can detonate the charges sir.*" Hale suggested. "*May cause them to scatter.*"

"*May piss em' off too.*" Andrew replied. "*Just keep it cool. Let's at least try to be civilized.*"

"*Uh, it's a little fucking late for that!*" Viktor retorted. "*Pretty evident to them that we just fought our way outside!*"

Andrew shot Viktor an vexed glare, one that said "don't remind me". The presence of so many civilians made things difficult. Add that to the fact that the guards would no doubt recuperate from the last encounter and be ready to meet them out here shortly, and Andrew was pressed for time. Andrew walked past the majority of his men, taking place beside Sarah who had the closest distance towards the crowd and the pony who spoke for the others.

"Return to your homes!" Andrew announced.

Suddenly another pony emerged from the crowd and took a place next to the mayor, and to say she was quite an odd sight to behold would be understating it. It was one of those flying ponies, with a bright baby-blue coat with a very loud rainbow styled mane and tail. Despite the colorful appearance, the face she directed at Andrew and company could best be described as livid.

"AND JUST WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!" she shouted in a raspy voice. "YOU DARE BREAK INTO TWILIGHT'S CASTLE AND TELL US TO GET OUTTA OF THE WAY! I DON'T THINK SO, BUB!"

The pegasus took flight looked ready to charge Andrew and his team before yet another pony, possessing neither wings nor horn sporting an orange coat, blonde mane, and, almost humorously, a cowboy hat, rushed between the two only to turn around and block rainbow pony's path.

"Rainbow Dash! Now just wait a minute! Ya-"

Rainbow Dash simply ignored her, flying over her friend to have a shot at Andrew.

"RAINBOW! NO!" the orange one cried.

Rainbow Dash flew in fast, quickly closing the distance between her and her intended target, unfortunately for her, her targets had years ahead of her on reflexes. Andrew and Sarah both quickly side stepped her attack, much to Rainbow Dash's confusion as barely anything she had tried to do this maneuver on in the past had managed to successfully evade her.
This first time experience was cut short when she redirected her vision forward to see Harris, left hand raised, dart towards her. Harris' movements were quick, and with little under a second, he had managed to successfully grab Rainbow Dash by the neck, stopping her mid-charge and mid-flight. He then proceeded to swing her small mass overhead and let go, slamming her head-first into the ground. The crowd of ponies erupted in a general gasp as they witnessed their town's local Wonderbolt and fastest flyer eat the dirt.
Rainbow Dash, lying on the ground and head stinging from concussive pain and disorientation, opened her eyes from her wincing look to see Harris had pulled the two Gsh-18 handguns from his chest rig, and pointed them directly at her, just inches away from her face. Like the encounter with Timberwolves not to long ago, she once again locked eyes with death straight in the face. Not for very long though, as at least a dozen Guard Ponies charged out of the front door to Twilight's castle in a loud clamor. The first sight that greeted them were the intruders they were after, no less than ten feet away, one currently pointing a pair of weapons at Rainbow Dash who laid on the ground, and the large presence of Towns-ponies blocking their path. Seeing this as a golden opportunity to apprehend them right then and there, they didn't hesitate to act quickly. One guard pointed a hoof to the humans.

"THERE! SURROUND THE-"

His words were cut off for the last time as a stream of blood burst from the guard's head from the bullet that had hit him. Many in the crowd of ponies shrieked or screamed, the other guards that were close jumped back at the sudden fatality, and searched frantically from where it came from. The round seemingly came from out of nowhere to strike him down, yet nopony saw any of the humans fire their weapons. Suddenly, their was a loud crack in the distance, and the guard who was to the left of the one just slain was struck in chest by another round. By this point, The crowd began to scatter, fearing a similar fate should they remain here. The Unicorn guard ponies tried to retaliate by pelting the group with magical blasts. Andrew's men returned fire immediately and began ducking for cover. Harris diverted his attention away from the pony on the ground before him and began firing his twin set of handguns at the guards, suppressing the targets with round after round of 9mm as tiny shells rained down to the ground or onto Rainbow Dash. Three of the rounds found their target, nailing one charging guard as he made a break towards them and another guard behind him who attempted to charge up a spell to fire off. 
The castle exterior was soon cleared of hostiles in a matter of seconds, with the remaining guards finding themselves under suppressing fire, with a few attempting to fire off spells of their own in retaliation from behind the gargantuan set of doors. One daring Pegasus guard flew past the door, evading the bullets flying towards him and managed to chuck the spear he had in hoof towards Harris. Harris thankfully managed to dodge it by turning around and ducking, but upon facing forwards he found the guard had closed the distance between him quite quickly. The Pegasus grappled Harris around the arms and torso, desperately using his legs to try and pin Harris' arms. His daring and resolve would be short lived.
Harris followed his attackers pin maneuver by holstering the pistol he currently held in his left hand. Using his one free arm, he delivered three consecutive strikes of the fist to his attacker's stomach. The punches weakened the guard's hold he had on the Corporal, giving Harris the opportunity to free the arm that was pinned. With the other arm free and a pistol still in his right hand, Harris slammed the butt of the handgun down on the top of the guard's head. That alone caused the guard to release his grip on Harris and began falling to the ground, wincing in pain. But just as quickly as Harris had grappled Dash, Harris did so to this Pegasus. Before the guard hit the ground. Harris grabbed him by the throat and performed the same maneuver he had with Rainbow Dash, but unlike Dash however, he would not come back from it alive. Upon hitting the ground, Harris took aim and fired the last four pistol shots in the magazine at point blank range. All four rounds hit their target, three in the head, one in the neck. 
Dash watched in absolute horror as the Pegasus was slain right in front of her. The unnerving nature of just how quick the human delivered death to him sent her into a frantic state of shock. For the first time in her life she witnessed a killing, and instead of charging headfirst into danger, she immediately fled from it, leaving the scene to find shelter as quickly as possible before the human had any intentions of doing the same thing to her. Like lightning, she quickly flipped around off of her back and lunged herself into the air, her heart pounding and fear taking an iron hold as she didn't once even look back and took flight towards a the between two rows of nearby homes. Harris noticed her escape, but didn't make any move to stop her for it wasn't important.
The scene was complete and utter chaos as volleys of gunfire and magic were exchanged over a distance of 20-30 yards, with pony bystanders running for dear life to get away from the skirmish. Andrew jumped on this opportunity for him and his team to escape in the chaos.

"Now's our chance! Let's go, people! Double time it!" he barked

Following their superiors orders, Fireteams Wolfpack and Osaka departed cover while still keeping up the pressure on suppressing the enemy behind the doors. The group were quickly approaching what was left of the mob with ease. Those ponies who had still held their ground up to this point began to bolt as the humans got closer. Mayor Mare herself, lunged the other way as Andrew and company charged forward. The guards noticed their target were making a break for it and thus made an attempt to pursue them, increasing the volume of magical blasts towards their direction. But as they did, they began to be picked off at a distance. One by one they fell. 
Meanwhile, as Andrew and company made their escape, Hale turned around to see their pursuers struggle to catch up to them on account of Asami and Ahab laying down sniper fire.

"Sounds like Overwatch is doing their job!" Hale quipped. "Think we have a solid twenty yards ahead of them!"

"Now it's time to do ours!" Andrew yelled back. "Wolf 2, when we rendezvous with Overwatch, you detonate the charges!"

"Roger that, sir!"

Andrew then turned to Viktor.

"Vik, get Wolf 4 and 5 on line! Find out their ETA! After that, get in touch with Gateway and plan an exit! We're getting the hell out of here!"

Viktor acknowledged and placed his hand on his HUD-set radio.




Nate and Jelani had been en route to overwatch's location at the center of town when they began to hear gunfire, to which they responded by picking up the pace. That had been at least 15 minutes ago. Jelani had been leading the duo, despite the heavy load he was carrying compared to Nate's.

"Come, Nathan!" Jelani called out. "We must rendezvous with the Commander's force! They have need of our prowess!"

Nate came running up behind him, yet found himself trailing Jelani by at least seven yards and growing.

"Ya mind slowing the pace down a little, Jelani!?" Nate yelled. "You know me legs aren't as finely tuned as yours!"

"There is no time!" Jelani replied with a neutral expression. "Hurry!"

Given an answer, Nate groaned in frustration. It was already bad enough as it was. First he loses the RARD for god knows what reason, and finding how it was unlikely that anyone who went with the Commander had recovered it, two and half month's worth of tinkering work had effectively went down the drain. Then the mission gets compromised with gunfire erupting from somewhere in the settlement. Top it off with the rush to regroup and everything had effectively put Nate in a foul mood. Seems all he could do now was try to keep up as best he could.
As they entered the settlement, they had their eyes set on reaching the town's center as instructed by Viktor over the comms. But Nate had a pretty good feeling that they'd be encountering its inhabitants soon enough.

"Hey Jelani!" Nate called out. "What are we supposed to do if we encounter the civilians? Somethin' tells me they won't be too privy on us bargin' in here like we are."

"If they are wise, they will stay clear of the path we set!" Jelani replied.

The implications of Jelani's statement we're enough to elicit concern from Nate.

"Jelani, just how do ya plan on doing that? Ya know ya can't kill em right!?"

Jelani didn't reply, instead focusing on reaching the center of town in time to aid his comrades. The Duo turned down one of the streets hugging the edge closest to the row of houses to their left. By this point they had seen little pockets of civilians gathering here and there, spotted either looking out their windows, glimpsed through the alleyways between houses, or simply seen in the general direction ahead. Many were fleeing, no doubt from the battle, those who didn't began to do so when they spotted the two of them racing ahead. While still on alert, Nate was beginning to feel a sense of comfort as every one of these ponies that were even in remote vicinity fled from their presence. Nate perhaps thought it was a sign that they'd wouldn't have to deal with the repercussions of invading their home. Any hope of that being the case was immediately lost when he turned another corner.
Nate stopped dead in his tracks, his face slapped with a startled wide-eyed look. Immediately in front of him stood a crowd of ponies who had gathered in the dozens. They all immediately spotted Nate the minute he rounded the corner.
Their initial expressions began with looks of surprise, then gradually formed into looks of confusion, then suspicion, then hostility. 

"Oh shit." Nate blurted out.

The ponies began moving towards him, a mob mentality slowly growing at the sight of another unannounced human in Equestria. Shouts were heard, and with so many ponies jumping to so many conclusions as to what his presence here might mean and no doubt attributing him as a possible connection to what was going on, Nate could foresee this not ending well. But suddenly their faces looked upwards a little, and looks of anger turned into looks of absolutely awestruck. Jaws were wide open on many of them, and Nate was confused as to why till he felt a hand land on his shoulder. Turning around, it was Jelani, approaching the crowd. Nate was pushed lightly aside, and Jelani began staring down the mob through the visor of his Helmet cover.
The giant of the man towered over every one of the ponies, carrying a very large blade on his back, with a device made entirely of metal with small golden objects reminiscent of arrowheads feeding into it slung around his shoulder and neck.. From their perspective, Jelani looked like more machine than man with sheer amount of equipment he had on his person.
Despite the ponies still outnumbering the two of them, they were quite hesitant to engage them on account of Jelani's rather intimidating presence. Jelani whipped his M240B around, lifting it up and cocking the bolt. The loud and unsettling noise made a few ponies jump, but they still held their ground. Jelani, rather angered by their refusal to cower in face of his might, addressed them with one simple demand.

"Move." He seethed.

Half of the ponies took one or two steps back, seeing that he was clearly angered. But they nonetheless held their ground. Jelani, growing fouler by every second they delayed him, raised his MG into the air with one hand and roared out loud.

"ANIMAUX STUPIDES!! LOIN AVEC VOUS!!!"

Jelani pulled the trigger and the muzzle flashed as a continuous spray of bullets traveled out from the end of the barrel and into the air, emitting the loud and terrible sound of gas escaping the end of the barrel. The startling and unnerving display of violence and awe was enough that the would-be mob had effectively faltered. Even as they scattered in all directions, Jelani had not let up his rage.

"I SAID MOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

He followed it up by letting out another long burst of rounds, letting out a loud war cry in the process.  By this point, everypony had run away in utter terror. Once the street had been cleared by the fear-inducing display, Jelani's look of pure rage was immediately gone, replaced by the neutral expression from earlier. He turned around to Nate, who was just standing their bewildered by the sudden would-be rampage he saw Jelani go into and even more bewildered by how easily he came out of it.

"That, Nathan, is how I will do that." Jelani retorted with a slight smile.

Jelani then turned back around and resumed his course towards the center of town.

"Come, my friend!" he shouted to Nate.

Nathan began following him, the pure stupefied look still drawn out on his face. While pondering his friend's sanity and whether or not what he just did could be considered a war crime, a transmission came over his radio.

"*Wolf 4, this is Wolf 1, what's your ETA to Overwatch's position? Over."

The sudden request snapped Nate back into the swing of things, and he quickly reached up to his HUD-set to relay back.

"Wolf 4 to Wolf 1, we're less than one mike out to Overwatch's position. Be advised there's a heavy civilian presence! How copy?"

"*I read you Wolf 4, do anything you can to avoid them, but under no circumstances are you to fire upon them.*" Viktor instructed. "*We're currently en route to Overwatch's position, be advised we have hostiles in pursuit, be ready to engage when you get there! How copy?*"

Nate paused a moment, wondering if either the Colonel or the Commander had heard Jelani's gun go off. If they had, Nate wouldn't have had any doubts that Viktor would have inquired about it by now. He spent a short time debating whether or not to tell Viktor what Jelani had just done. Ultimately however, Nate figured that since no one was hurt physically by the experience, there was no harm in keeping the information from him.

"Copy that, Wolf 1, see ya at the rendezvous point, Wolf 4, out." 

The transmission ended, and Nate was left with pondering what the consequences would be of his decision.




Luna and Celestia emerged from the front doors of Twilight's castle with the guards that accompanied them. Upon stepping outside, the scene was a complete and utter disaster. Screams and yells could be heard across the distance with the blatant bursts of gunfire accompanying them. They had encountered the first set of casualties on their way outside, five guard found dead on the second floor, not too far from the staircase. No doubt killed by Achmed and his compatriots, but upon exiting the castle they could see that the death toll had doubled. Several bodies of the guards were scattered across the front of the castle, lifeless and bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds. Two by the door, three nearly twelve feet from the castle, one out in the open by itself, and at seven in the distance. The ground was littered with shell casings and black burn spots where magical spells had made impact. The two sisters stood their, taking in the carnage  in horror.

"The situation has grown even more dire it would seem." Luna noted.

"I know, every minute we delay puts more ponies' lives in danger." Celestia replied.

"What do you suggest, sister?" 

Celestia looked to those who had already fallen. Eleven of those who had set out with them we're now dead, and given how things seemed to be going, the death toll was bound to grow higher. Celestia turned to the Commander of her guard, who was currently relaying orders to those guards still alive to pursue the targets.

"Commander Shield." She said, addressing him.

Stout Shield turned around and immediately gave her a salute.

"Yes, your highness?" he replied.

"Commander, belay those orders, I need you and your men to divert efforts into evacuating the populace of Ponyville."

Luna and Stout both looked at her surprisingly.

"Sister? What of the intruders?" Luna questioned. "You don't mean to tell me you'll have them-"

"We will deal with the intruders ourselves, Luna." Celestia revealed. "At least for long enough for Commander Spark and the reserves to arrive. Assuming Twilight has sent the letter already."

Suddenly, a magic burst of lavender appeared by the front door of the castle. As it dissipated, Twilight Sparkle was found in its place. She immediately eyed the two princesses and approached the two.

"Princess, I sent the letter as you requested." Twilight informed. "I'm not entirely sure how long it will take them to get here and-"

It was at that moment Twilight saw the bodies. She gasped in horror, and Celestia immediately intervened to keep her student focused.

"Twilight. Look at me." Celestia said with a soothing tone. "I need your help once again, more importantly I need you focused and ready to act. Can you do that for me?"

Twilight's fear suddenly dropped significantly in the wake of Celestia's confidence.

"Y..yes, princess." Twilight replied. 

"Good. I need you to accompany Commander Shield and the rest of the guard. Ponyville needs to be evacuated immediately. Gather Spike and your friends and assist in this endeavor to the best of your abilities. Th-"

"Princess!" A voice called from Behind.

Turning around they saw Applejack and Mayor Mare racing towards them, eventually stopping by the foot of the front steps.

"Thank goodness y'all are safe!" Applejack said in relief.

"Princess." Mayor Mare addressed, giving a quick but respectful bow. "The invaders are making their way towards the center of Ponyville! Please, tell me that you have a plan for dealing with these monsters!"

The last title seemed harsh from an outside perspective, but given all that she had witnessed and all they had committed up to this point, it was justifiable.

"I do." Celestia replied. "Mayor Mare, Applejack, I need you to assist Twilight and Commander Shield in the evacuation of Ponyville. Every resident needs to be relocated at once!"

"Where to?" Twilight asked.

Celestia turned to Applejack.

"Applejack, Sweet Apple Acres stands just a few miles out from the outskirts of town, yes?"

"It does your highness." Applejack answered. "Just North of here."

"Then it should be far enough from the fighting that it make an ideal spot for everypony to lay low until it's safe again. Assuming you would be willing to have it serve as a temporary safe haven?"

"I wouldn't mind at all, Princess." Applejack replied. "You can count on me!"

"Thank you, Applejack. In the meantime, Luna and I will see if we can't occupy the human's attention long enough for Commander Spark's reinforcements to arrive. With any luck, we can hold them down long enough for his forces to encircle them. Perhaps that would be enough to coerce them into a surrender."

"Our tasks are very dangerous mind you." Luna said delivering the last words before everypony set out. "Despite all that has occurred our duty is to the ponies of Ponyville. See to it that they're evacuated safely, no matter what odds are presented to you."

Everypony nodded in acknowledgement. With that, Celestia and Luna spread their wings and took flight, with Celestia giving out a few words before setting off towards the town's center with Luna. 

"Good luck, everypony. Stay safe."

And like the wind, the two soared away. Commander Shield approached Twilight.

"Looks like you've taken command again, Princess Twilight. Shall we proceed with the evacuation orders?" he asked.

"At once, Commander. You and half your men evacuate the west side of Ponyville, while the other half aid me, Applejack, and Mayor Mare evacuate the east side. I'll go grab Spike and Flash Sentry."

The Commander saluted, relaying the orders to the men. Twilight was quick to get underway, glancing to Applejack.

"AJ, we need to get the girls together." She said. "Any idea where they would be?

"If I had guess there' all probably still at home layin' low." Applejack said. "All except Rainbow Dash. She was with me in the crowd before things got messy."

"What happened to her?" Twilight asked.

"She practically charged headfirst at them humans the minute they left the castle. I tried to tell her not to but she didn't listen." Applejack informed. "Suffice to say, they managed to not only dodge her, but catch her mid-flight. The one who caught her slammed her to the ground and pulled a gun on her! That's when the guards came out and the fighting started, and it was also the last I saw her."

Twilight and Applejack feared the worst, and looked out to where the skirmish had taken place. The group then ran out to where the remnants of the fight and looked around for their friend, checking the bodies of the fallen and nearby locations. Thankfully they found that she was not among them.

"She's not here." Twilight stated.

"Where do you think she may have run off to?" Mayor Mare asked Applejack.

"I honestly have no idea, Mayor." Applejack replied. "It's not really like her to run off at all. Though given what just happened she must have been scared outta her wits."

"We need to find her, make sure she's okay." Twilight suggested. "if anything's happ-"

"Your Majesty!" A guard called out. "We found her!"

The mere mention of Rainbow Dash immediately garnered everypony's attention. Turning around they saw the guard standing by a thicket of bushes by somepony's house. They all rushed towards them. the guard pointed towards the rear of the bushes and sure enough, there was Rainbow Dash. 
However she wasn't acting like her normal self. Her eyes were wide, and didn't even seem to acknowledge that they were all standing over her. She was trembling, hyperventilating, and mumbling something too quiet to comprehend. All in all, she was a nervous wreck. Twilight and Applejack glanced at one another, deep amounts of concern strewn across their faces.




Andrew and the others had been running towards the center of town for about three minutes and by that point, their pursuers had been dealt death from Overwatch's little sniper nest. They turned a corner and they were once again greeted by the cylindrical structure. Overwatch noticed their arrival.

"They made it, back!" Ahab said, pleased with the fact.

"Indeed they did." Asami concurred. "Nice shooting, kid."

"Thanks." Ahab said.

"Now, all that's left is for Wolf 4 and 6 to show up and we should be good." Asami stated.

She turned around towards the other direction, looking through the scope of her M1500 Archangel to see if she could spot her two sqaudmates. It didn't take long to do so. Less than 20 yards away she could see the two rushing towards their position.

"There, see the two of them now."

At that moment, a transmission came through her Comm-link.

"*Wolf 3, this is Alpha. We've reached the rendezvous point. Over.*"

Asami reached up to her HUD-set.

"Copy that Alpha, be advised, I have eyes on Wolf 4 and Wolf 6 approaching the rendezvous point."

"*Copy that, Wolf 3. We'll be waiting for them. You and Osaka 5 go ahead and make your way down. Wolf 1 out.*"

"Uh, Wolf 3 you may not wanna end that call just yet." Ahab said with a bit of worry to his voice. "You should come take a look at this."

Asami looked around to see Ahab looking through his spotter scope. She walked over, and took aim with her rifle to see if she could spot what he was looking at.

"Where?" she asked.

"West, about 18-1900 yards out, bearing southwards at about 75 mph I'd say. Maybe faster."

"What?" she exclaimed.

She adjusted her scope to match the directions Ahab had just given her. Sure enough, she spotted it. Along the distance horizon some sort of object spanning several yards in length was approaching the town at a rather incredible speed.

"What is that thing?" she asked aloud.

"I think it's a train." Ahab said.

"A train?" she asked. "Where's it going?"

"Given it's on a pre-set path built into the ground and heading towards a turn that'll take it straight towards this settlement, I'd sayyyyyyyyyyyy, here." Ahab quipped pointing towards the southwest. "Their path should take them right to that station on the southwest edge of town.

Asami was quick to formulate why a train as large as it was was heading towards them.

"What are the odds that that train is bringing enemy reinforcements?" Asami asked rhetorically.

"Odds?" Ahab questioned. "There's no odds about it. The train has some sort of flying chariot escort with it."

"Wait? What? Where? Let me see."

Ahab moved from his spotter scope's position with Asami taking his place. As her hands guided the scope she could see what Ahab had described. Despite it throwing physics a knock-out punch, several dozen chariots pulled by winged guard ponies were in fact escorting the train from the air.

"Dear God." Asami said in a hushed tone.

"Believe me now? That train is definitely bringing in more reinforcements." Ahab added.

Asami quickly shot her hand up to her comm-link.

"Wolf 1, this is Wolf 3, be advised, we have a visual on a train approaching our location under armed escort. We believe it's carrying enemy combatants, over."




Viktor's hairs stood up at this sudden information. They needed to leave, and they needed to leave now.

"Copy, Wolf 3. Regroup outside, I'll notify Gateway. Wolf 1 out."

Viktor turned to Andrew, an anxious look on his face.

"What is it?" Andrew asked.

"It's official, we kicked the hornet's nest." Viktor informed him.

"Why? What's happened?" Andrew asked.

"Our snipers just spotted a train heading this way. No doubt packed with troops to secure the town, and probably kill us!"

Andrew's eyes lit up, as the prospect of facing an army of native guards was going to be damn near impossible. In fact, the ammo that they did have on them was beginning to dwindle, meaning their escape needed to happen sooner rather than later.

"Shit! Vik, tell Overwatch to get down here, then get Gateway on the line, I want an ETA on that portal, now!"

As he said that, Nate and Jelani appeared into view and approached the others.

"Wolf 4, Wolf 6, good to see you made it in one piece." Andrew greeted. "The locals give you much trouble?"

Nate looked a tad bit nervous to answer, but thankfully, Jelani stepped up to answer.

"No, sir. No trouble at all." he said bluntly.

Any signs of deceit were nowhere to be found with his statement, and thus Andrew had no reason to doubt him.

"Well, I hate to ruin your good luck streak, but you're about to. Enemy combatants are on their way here now via train." Andrew informed the two. 

Andrew looked to Viktor.

"Vik, what's Gateway's-"

Andrew was cut when Vik raised a finger, indicating he was still on the line and needed a minute.

"Affirmative." Vik said. "I'll tell him. Wolf 1, out."

With that, Viktor turned to face Andrew.

"They managed to get a fix on our position and found a spot they could open the portal that's closest by." Viktor informed. "Portal's about a click and a half North of where we currently are. Grid point 324675."

"Wolf 4, you got the map grid pulled up?"

Nate quickly did some fiddling with his HUD-set.

"Got the location locked in, sir." Nate replied. "We're ready to exfiltrate when you are."

Finally relieved they had a surefire exit out of here, Andrew wasted no time in moving out.

"Good." he said. "As soon as Overwatch is downstairs we-"

"Incoming!" Lewis called out.

Suddenly as if on que, a beam of golden magic landed a few feet from where the group was standing and began advancing towards them at an incredible rate. Every one instinctively dodged or evaded it. They followed the beam's trail and discovered it was coming from one of the Princesses. Those who hadn't laid eyes on the two sisters could now clearly see their resemblance to the guards they had already engaged beforehand. 

"RETURN FIRE!" Andrew yelled out."

They did so without hesitation, laying the target down with overlapping fields of fire. Celestia cut her beam off and surrounded herself in a golden bubble shield to deflect the oncoming projectiles once again. But unlike her encounter with Achmed, she now had to contend with fire from ten guns rather than just one. She poured all the power she could muster into her shield, yet the strain on it began to surface as round after round damaged it's exterior. Suddenly another beam from their right, this one bright blue, made impact and followed the previous beam's tactic to boot. The group re-positioned as to not be intercepted by the beam.
By this time, Ahab and Asami had heard the gunfire coming from outside and had raced to regroup with the others. The minute they got outside, they saw the beam heading straight towards them.

"LOOK OUT!" Asami said, shoving Ahab out of the beam's trajectory while ducking the other way as to not be hit by the beam herself.

The beam cut off just before entering the interior of the building they just came out of, but not before Asami followed it back to it's source, which happened to be a new variant of the locals. A navy blue equine with wings and a horn with a mane and tail like the starry night. Asami would have actually found her beautiful if it wasn't trying to kill her and her comrades at the moment, and for that reason, it needed to die.
Asami quickly stood back up and switched to her RFB, opening up on the target with several precise shots aimed for her head and abdomen. Luna saw this however and quickly formed her own bubble shield in the nick of time, before any of the rounds tore through her. Gunfire en masse was then exchanged over to her, giving Celestia the time she needed to fly in and fire off another spell. This beam was slower, but wide enough to force Andrew and his men to scatter for cover. This time the beam had separated the group in two, with Andrew, Hale, Vik, and Achmed on one side  of the dirt street and everyone else on the other.
Celestia and Luna continued this tactic of exchanging places, one would fire a beam the other would form a shield. This worked for about a minute before Andrew and his team caught on to the repetition of the attack.

"Vik, tell my team to concentrate fire on the Blue one, your team on the white one!" Andrew ordered. "Hit em' at the same time, that way they can't attack."

Viktor nodded, reaching up to HUD-set. Achmed heard the order right away since he was standing right by Andrew, and good thing too, as both he and Andrew's radio's were still shot. The duo peaked from cover, currently a parked wagon, and began firing upon Luna, who had to cancel out her beam spell to form a shield around herself.
Soon, the order was relayed to the rest of the team, the rest of Osaka fired on Luna. Celestia saw that the humans had caught on to their little tactic. Switching things up a bit, Celestia flew to a higher altitude, tracer rounds following behind her, and began a dive bomb towards the empty space that stood between the separated group of human combatants. She quickly gained speed, and once she was at the desired speed, she cast a spell, and the bubble shield that had surrounded here now came to her front and solidified into a magical solid mass. She then pull up, letting go of the sphere and letting it plummet to the ground right by the humans. Andrew saw this and quickly yelled out a warning.

"PAYLOAD INCOMING! TAKE COVER!"

The group looked up to see the dumpster side sphere descending downwards at an alarming rate. They instantly ceased shooting and ran to escape what they thought to be the blast radius. The sphere made impact with the ground, Shattering in an explosive display as a golden shockwave spread across the ground. Andrew and the three accompanying him escaped in the nick of time as they took cover behind a nearby structure. The other half were caught by it as Lamond, Nate, and Lewis were knocked off their feet. They hit the ground, but slowly got back up with the aid of those who had escaped it.
Suddenly Achmed noticed that the two Princesses had a perfect opportunity to swoop in for the kill. He came out from cover and looked skywards for their attackers, who he assumed were ready to attack. But that wasn't the case. They were just flying around encircling them. In fact Achmed witnessed something odd. Celestia swooped in to fire her beam, but only after the rest of the team had gotten behind cover. Then he began noticing that the rest of the team were a good 30 yards away at this point. Then it hit him.

"God dammit! How could we be so-" he said furiously. "They're distracting us!"

"What!?" Andrew stated.

"They're not trying to kill us, they're trying to buy time for their inbound forces! They're splitting us up so we can't make a break for it."

Andrew, Viktor, and Hale all thought about it for a moment and came to the same realization as Achmed.

"God dammit, you're right!" Andrew said out loud. 

"Any ideas on how to rectify that!?" Viktor asked.

"I got one!" Hale announced.

The three looked at Hale, who pulled the detonator out from his pouch.

"There's enough ordinance on that portal to blow a pretty good-sized hole into the building!" Hale explained. "That'll probably get their attention long enough for us to regroup and make our way North. Just say the word, Commander!" 

Seeing really no other alternative than attempting a break for it under fire, Andrew conceded to Hale's plan.

"Viktor, fill the others in! Hale, when I give the word, detonate the charges! We regroup at that building with the sofa and quill sign over the door."

Andrew pointed to the building in question while Viktor filled the other half of the team in through his comm-link. At that point Princess Luna came into view rust a few meters off the ground, horn charged with another beam spell. Achmed saw her, and fearlessly challenged her oncoming attack by firing off his rifle at her yet again, only for his rounds to be instantly deflected by her shield. Viktor got off the comms and looked at Andrew desperately.

"It's now or never Andrew!" 

Andrew looked to Hale, who awaited the command.

"Do it."

Hale pressed the detonator, and the sound that followed echoed for miles around. Luna diverted her attention away from the humans to notice the giant fiery explosion that erupted in the distance, the epicenter of which looked to be...

"Twilight's castle." She said to herself in a frightened tone.

Celestia had noticed as well, and her eyes grew frightfully wide as she recognized where it had come from.

From the human point of view, Hale's strategy had worked, and they wasted no time in escaping. The two groups darted from cover and made a run for the rallying point. Seconds passed like minutes as the group was out in the open, but they successfully managed to regroup, and awaited further orders, which came the second they regrouped.

"We make for the portal, Wolf 4 lead the way!"

Wolf 4 did so immediately, as he and the others raced towards their only chance of escape.

Celestia and Luna hadn't even noticed they had managed to regroup until they heard Andrew relay orders to his team. They both turned to him, angered by what was no doubt their handiwork. But they both suddenly realized what direction they were heading. Celestia and Luna immediately flew after them, pelting them with spell after spell that Andrew's team had to dodge as they charged towards their only hope for escape from this world.


 

The evacuation seemed to be going well so far. With so many guards at her disposal,Twilight had managed to get the word out pretty quickly. Ponies by the hundreds were moving towards Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack ran ahead to inform her family what was going on and to get their help in making the necessary preparations to temporarily accommodate everypony in town. Twilight quickly went back to her room and teleported Flash and Spike out of there, informing the two of what had transpired. AJ and herself had managed to calm Rainbow Dash down a significant amount, enough to get her back on her hooves and have her aid in the evacuation. She was still a little shaken up, but she managed. After getting Scootaloo and dropping her off with Twilight, she went to go help the guards evacuate the West side of Ponyville.
Rarity had managed to grab Sweetie Belle and Opal and had left Carousel Boutique the moment the evacuation was ordered. Fluttershy and her assortment of animal friends had just arrived when Flash Sentry approached her.

"Your Majesty." He said addressing her. "The entire East side of Ponyville's been evacuated, we're just waiting the west side to-"

His report of the situation was cut short as the ground shook violently beneath them, followed by a loud boom coming from Ponyville. Everypony either jumped, flinched, gasped, or screamed as they saw what had just happened behind them. Turning around, Twilight looked in horror as she saw a giant fireball blast its way through the side of her home, lighting fire to the things inside and sending chunks of crystal debris flying outwards. Soon however, she notice plumes of black smoke began to rise from the interior as she watched her castle begin to catch fire.
Twilight was still as the grave, as was many a pony. Tears swelled beneath her eyes as she watched her home go up in flames. Memories of Tirek destroying her first home began to surface, and was only by the interference of a beloved dragon that snapped her out of her almost perpetual state of sorrow.

"Twilight!" Spike called out as he came running to her side.

Twilight turned, tears streaming down her face as she looked down upon her little adoptive brother.

"Twilight." Spike said, now beginning to cry himself. "Our home..."

Twilight hugged Spike, both beyond the verge of tears as they watched their home go up in flames. Twilight couldn't believe it. It hadn't even been a year since Golden Oaks Library was destroyed, and now the very castle the Tree of Harmony gifted onto her and her friends was now burning before her eyes. Just when she had begun to call it home. The structure might survive, but all their belongings all the little things her friends had put into making it home, even the chandelier made from the roots of golden oaks would be gone. Tim's body would more than likely be consumed by flame as the fires raged, a final send-off for him into the next world. 

Why?! Why have they done this!? Twilight mentally cried out. 

There wasn't a doubt in her mind that the humans were responsible for this. Despite this, she had to look past it. For everypony's sake and safety.

"Spike." Twilight said to him softly, mustering all the strength she could to keep both him and herself going. "I....I know it's bad, the castle was our home, but we need to be strong. Like Princess Luna said, a lot of ponies are still in danger and its up to us to make sure they get to safety. Both the Princesses are counting on us. Spike. Can I count on you?"

Spike once again looked to the burning castle, watching his home be destroyed for the second time. But he then turned to Twilight. Wiping away the tears, he gave a defiantly brave look.

"Yeah. You can count on me." He stated.

Twilight hugged him one last time.

"We'll get through this Spike." she said to him confidently.

"You..you promise?" he asked.

"I promise."
> Chapter 26: The Crossfire Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Humans seeking escape, equines seeking justice, homes destroyed, peaceful lives meddled, and soon, innocent lives will be claimed. For in the crossfire of war, death does not discriminate...................




Andrew and his team were making good progress despite their current circumstances. Ten minutes into the chase and their destination only lay less than 500 yards away, but their pursuers had pressed up the attack significantly. Beams of magic had now transitioned into scattered blasts that made landfall all around them, kicking up dirt, rock, and debris with each impact. But the humans endured, returning fire on occasion while still keeping up speed. Andrew was desperate to get an evac out of this place as soon as possible, as he didn't want to stick around to be ambushed, killed, or worse, captured by the enemy.
Suddenly, the ground directly ahead of him burst into a million tiny pieces from a blast of magic fired from Celestia. It did very little to him other than obscure his vision for a few seconds as it kicked dirt and grass into the visor covering his eyes. The force of the impact caused him to stumble a bit, but he was quick to regain his balance. He whipped around and fired his MTAR from the hip at the two alicorn sisters. The two quickly evaded his shots as they scattered around their intended targets. Luna quickly returned with a three-round burst of magic aimed directly to his right. Andrew's quick reflexes saw them coming the moment she fired them off. He immediately dodge-rolled to his right and slid himself back around to rejoin his team en route to their destination. By the time her shots made impact, he was already out of their effective reach. 
Luna was somewhat astounded how fast he saw her attack coming, which incentivized her and her sister to increase the pressure of their attacks. The two speculated that the humans would no doubt return to the Everfree to escape. It was where Tim had come from so logically they assumed these humans would take the same path. But after they had destroyed Twilight's castle, they headed north, putting them in a direct path to Sweet Apple Acres, where every soul in Ponyville was now located. To make matters worse, the reserves from Canterlot would no doubt arrive by train, which stood on the other side of town, meaning that any sort of reinforcements might come too late. All that was unknown was their intent. The destruction of the castle came out of nowhere, and both sisters wondered just how they pulled off an explosion of that scale? Just another weapon devised by humanity, or perhaps there were more humans that initially believed. If that were the case, they wondered if there were more on the way.
Regardless, their attention needed to be focused on delaying the humans in front of them. If they could buy just enough time for Commander Spark and his reserves to catch up, this whole mess might finally come to a close. If not, things had the opportunity to get much worse. Celestia swooped in closer, firing a concentrated beam towards the central concentration of the group. With a quick horizontal swipe, she scoured the ground that lay in their path. But yet like so may attempts, her efforts were easily avoidable as the humans evaded it and continued onward. 
On the other end of the situation, Andrew made an effort to keep a strict visual on his team, making sure that they didn't get separated, while still maintaining their spacing. One blast would no doubt kill any of them instantly, and whether or not their pursuers were shooting to kill, it made sense not to group together, the last thing he wanted was to have one blasts effectively kill two or more of his sqaud.

"Wolf 4, how much further!?" Andrew yelled out.

"Less than two hundred meters, sir!" Nate replied.

Andrew tried to get a good glance ahead of them. They were close to the outskirts at this point, given how the buildings seemed to be getting smaller and less congested overall. Spacing was getting more open, and while that was an indicator that they were getting close, it also had the misfortune of leaving them more exposed with cover to utilize in a pinch. As he squinted into the distance, he could see the large plantation that the RARD had picked up before dusk had settled in. He wasn't a mathematician by any means, but there was no doubt that their evac point would be somewhere around that area.
Luna charged up her horn and fired off another blast of magic. As the giant ball of ethereal energy was sent its way towards Achmed and Lamond, the former catching wind of it just before she fired it off. Achmed did some quick thinking, and had an idea on how to lessen some of the pressure currently on them. He switched his AN-94 to two-round burst fire. The unique feature that made the rifle stand out amongst the rest was this particular fire setting. In theory it could fire off two rounds in less than a second. This was for armor penetration capabilities, one bullet to soften the target and one to punch through. As a bonus, the AN-94 had some considerable accuracy on this setting, as any recoil wasn't felt until after both rounds had been fired. Achmed theorized the possibility that the same effect could be pulled off against their attacker's shields.
Achmed put theory into practice as the projectile made impact with the ground near him. He evaded it effortlessly by rolling ahead, and just as quickly turned around at a crouched stance, taking precise aim at the one who fired it off, the one who murdered his friend. He lined up the crosshairs of his scope to her center. With one quick pull of the trigger, both rounds soared from the barrel. Luna reacted quickly by summoning her shield, but it wasn't enough. The first round cracked at her armor like every other round that had been fired at her. Then suddenly, the crack shattered violently as another round found itself in the same exact spot before her magic could strengthen the soft spot back up. As punched through the rest of her shield began to fall apart in little glass-like shards, completely destroying it. She was ready to summon another with haste when she felt something tear through her wing right wing and forelimb, sending trails of blood with it. What followed was some of the most excruciating pain she had ever felt in her many years of life. She screamed in agony, losing any sense of balanced flight as she began plummeting to the ground.
Celestia heard her sister's outcry, seeing that she had taken a hit and had fallen from flight. Celestia immediately feared the worst, racing to her aid. Achmed wasn't sure if the shot had killed her or not, but his plan had worked and he and the others were, for the meantime, free to advance unopposed. Achmed quickly joined back up with the others, who had just past the last structure on edge of the outskirts and were now out in the open, making a charge towards the farm which stood less than a mile away. Expecting things to get more difficult, they were quick to notice that they were no longer under fire.

"Wait. Where the hell did they go!?" Sarah asked.

"I fired a burst shot at the blue one!" Achmed informed. "It penetrated her shield, she's down!"

Everyone was relieved, though given how they were all hellbent on leaving they didn't dare stop to make time for celebration.

"Nice shooting, Osaka 5!" Vik commented.

"Did you neutralize her?!" Andrew asked.

"I don't know!" Achmed replied. "I didn't have time to confirm the kill!"

Andrew was somewhat relieved to have the pressure off of him and his team, but Sabbag's actions would no doubt have some serious repercussions in the long run. But it didn't matter at the moment, as he was closing in on the portal's coordinates.

"Vik, get Gateway on the Horn!" Andrew directed. "I want that portal ready and open by the time we get there!"




Applejack was racing back and forth from the barn to the ponies that were currently taking refuge at Sweet Apple Acres. After they got Rainbow  Dash back on her hooves, she had run ahead to the farm to tell her family what had happen and to make the necessary preparations to temporarily accommodate everypony in town. The rush of towns ponies started to come in only ten minutes after that, and since then, her, Big Mac, Applebloom, Granny, and some of the guards and some well appreciated volunteers we're getting everything and everypony situated, all under the echo of gunfire in the distance that made ponies even more nerve-racked than they already were. For the most part, folks were okay. Some ponies came in with an injury or two from the fighting, but they were thankfully few and far between and not too serious. Nurse Red heart and some of the other ponies who worked at the hospital oversaw that particular task.
Other than that it was a challenge just getting everpony to take it easy. Most ponies were doing there best to calm their nerves and those of the ones around them. Parents made attempts to sooth their distraught children, others initiated their coping mechanisms in full swing, and overall just tried to spread a sense of safety.
Then it happened. Everypony for miles could have heard the sound of that explosion. One minute, AJ saw Twilight's castle standing at the west side of town like normal, then the next, a giant black plume of dust and smoke tore a hole out of the side and the whole thing went up like a tinderbox. AJ didn't know what had happened, or if anypony was unfortunate enough to be inside when it happened, she hadn't had any time to ponder on it considering that she had to suppress the panic that followed it. She feared for Twilight and Spike, and the rest of her friends for that matter but realized that a lot of ponies currently needed her help, too many for her to go out for a search and rescue. 
Five minutes following the incident, many of her fears were put to rest as she saw Twilight, Spike, Rarity, and Fluttershy all coming down the road towards the farm. Glad to see them all safe, Applejack quickly put aside what she was doing to meet up with them. Twilight saw her fast approach and found herself in AJ's hugging embrace in a matter of seconds.

"Twilight!" AJ called out. "Thank goodness you're here. I saw what happened! Tell me your castle was empty!"

"It was." She replied back. "I just hope nopony was hurt nearby when it happened."

Twilight took a gander over AJ's shoulder to see the massive influx of ponies that crowded the grounds of Sweet Apple Acres. There were hundreds, all in a state of chaos that might even have garnered admiration from a certain draconequus. Putting that and the fact that her home now stood burning in flames aside, she saw the situation desperately need her aid. 

"How's everything going on your end here, AJ?" Twilight asked.

"We were managing, till that explosion. Now I got folks who're spooked and ready to bolt to the next town over. All us Apples are working non stop, the guards are keeping order best they can, and a few kind souls have even offered to lend a hoof."

"Alright." Twilight said. "Rarity, Fluttershy, If you could, see what you can do to calm some of these ponies down."

"Of course dear." Rarity replied.

"Not a problem." Fluttershy responded.

Twilight already had the knowledge that Rainbow Dash was still helping in the evacuation, all her friends were accounted for with the exception of one.

"Where's Pinkie Pie?" Twilight asked. "Has she come in yet?"

"Yeah, she's here." Applejack said. "Last I saw here she was helping drag out some food out of our stores. I reckon these folks are gonna be here for awhile."

Twilight found relief knowing that all her close friends were now accounted for and let out a sweet sigh that made it known

"That's very good to hear." She said. "With that out of the way, what can Spike and I do to help?"

"Well, don't know if Big Mac got around to it yet, but we got some barrels of water that need to be pulled out and placed in front of the house. If I recall, they should be in the back of the barn."

"I can get them out." Twilight responded. "Spike, I guess you're coming with me?"

"Yeah, I guess so." he said sadly.

Catching that tone the instant it came out, both ponies stepped up with some well needed optimism.

"Hey, c'mon now. It's gonna be alright sugarcube." Applejack said soothingly.

"Home's where we make it, Spike. We can always rebuild and replace the things in our lives. I'm just glad that I got you out of there in time. I don't want to think of what would happened if I hadn't."

The reassurances from them both managed to increase his mood, if ever so slightly. 

"I'll be fine, guys." Spike reassured the two. "More than that even. I'll do what I can to help however I can."

"That's the spirit little guy." AJ said with a smile, giving him an affectionate pat to the head.

He laughed it off and soon, Twilight was running towards Applejack's barn, passing the multitude of ponies that had gathered, with Spike riding on her back. As they entered, they immediately sought after the barrels of water that were supposedly within.

"Applejack said they were in the back right?" Spike asked.

"I think so." Twilight responded. 

The made their way further into the barn house that they had seen on so many occasions to attend to her task. Little did Twilight know however, that she would find herself within death's reach not once, but twice this night.



If Andrew could summarize this entire mission, it would best be described a series of random instances of good and bad luck. One minute they're home free, the next their staring at an ocean of natives crawling all over the grounds where their objective laid. Hundreds and hundreds of them across the farm. His team stood there, just less than fifty yards away from the outer reaches of it. The distance added with the darkness of night was all that obscured them from view.
To make matters worse, Gateway needed a few minutes to get the portal fired up and ready to activate, pushing their window of escape even further away.

"*Out of all the fucking places."*" Sarah cursed.

"*Look at that goddamn beehive.*" Lamond whispered.

"*How. The hell. Are we going to get through that?*" Viktor asked.

"*No way we could sneak through that.*" Asami stated. "*There's a few guards here and there but the sheer amount of civvies would make sneaking through damn near impossible. There would be a hundred eyes on us everywhere we go.*"

"*Who gives a shit, I say we gun a few of em' down and let the rest scatter.*" Achmed suggested.

Achmed's tone and mere suggestion of that elicited some serious concern from his Sergeant and those in 3rd Company, and earned him an immediate reprimand from Andrew.

"*You stow that shit right now, soldier.*"Andrew barked. "*We are not killing civilians. Period. 

"*Well we need to do something and quick!*" Vik insisted. "*Those reinforcements could be on our tail any minute!*"

"*There's gotta be another way around.*" 

"*Really?*" Viktor questioned. "*And where exactly would this unseen route be, eh?*"

Andrew honestly didn't have an answer, with this many civilians all in one place, reaching the target was effectively impossible. But somehow, Jelani came up with a solution.

"*Commander, I sense fear among their numbers.*" he said aloud.

Everyone turned to him,unsure of what he was on about.

"*No shit, Sherlock.*" Hale quipped. "*We just shot our way through their town and they came here for safety. What? You just figuring that out?*"

Jelani ignored his compatriot's insult, continuing what he wanted to say. 

"*Fear can take a toll on those who it ensnares, Commander. I know this better than most. Paranoia, timidity, cowardice, these are things that break one's resolve. And if this fear is clearly seen in one soul, it is capable of spreading to another.*"

"*Your point, Wolf 5?*" Vik asked.

"*These creatures are not fighters. I knew this from the moment I saw them. They are creatures, who at the first sight of danger, distance themselves from it. We, and our prowess in battle, is what is most likely on their minds. It is what they fear. We are what they fear. Given all that has transpired, they envision us as monsters that not even their most capable of warriors can subdue. For many, the mere sight of us alone would make their fears made manifest, perhaps enough to falter, to flee. Were we to demonstrate a display of dominance, it would instill even more terror in their hearts. Many would run for their lives, and in doing so, more would follow suit.*"

"*So, you're suggesting we scare them off?*" Sarah said with an eyebrow raised.

"*That is one way to put it, yes.*" Jelani replied.

Everyone gave the idea some thought. Given the current track record, these ponies seemed to lack any sense of tactics, and even when they outnumbered their group ten to one, they still fled. But that wasn't substantial enough evidence to put Jelani's plan into action.

"*Okay, Jelani." Hale said. "That's a really stupid plan. Borderline insane even. I mean, I'd expect something like that from Nate, but not you.*"

"*Hey!*" Nate said in defense.

"*I'm afraid Hale's right, Jelani.*" Viktor said in agreement. "*Even if just a show, the minute we fire our weapons, we'll be painting a big red target on our backs. We need a more viable plan to play from.*"

"*A fair point, Alpha. But if you are so quick to dismiss mine, what plan did you have in mind may I ask?*"

Viktor was silent, unable to come up with an answer and falling right into Jelani's hands.

"*I thought as much.*" He said in  dull tone. "*Besides, my method has already found success at least once on this night.*"

"*Wait, what?*" Andrew asked. "*When the hell did this happen? Furthermore why didn't you tell me when I asked you if you had run into trouble!?*"

"*Because we did not. To be considered trouble, I believe one would actually have to put up a fight.*"

Andrew then looked to Nate, who immediately turned sheepish when the Commander turned his gaze towards him.

"*W...wh..what he said, sir.*" Nate apologized.

"*As I was saying.*" Jelani continued. "*On our way to the rendezvous point, we encountered a large group of the creatures. Nate found himself in their sight line. Naturally, They were not intimidated by his presence.*"

"HEY!?*" Nate said defensively.

"*However when I emerged, they froze like statues. And when I discharged my weapon, they scattered like roaches. That was just me alone, I imagine with all twelve of us, the same result will happen. And if we are fortunate enough, it may even prove to be more effective.*"

This whole idea seemed like a major gamble that in principle, was bound to fail, and in some ways, it undoubtedly would. But Jelani's last words rang with a modicum of truth. Every encounter they had been through, the natives outnumbered them, and yet they still fled rather than aid their fellow kind.  Add that with the limited options at the moment and everyone was willing to give it a chance. They all knew time was of the essence, and that this vast group of ponies was the one obstacle that currently stood in the way of their return to Earth. Up to this point, in spite of everything that had occurred, Andrew tried to do his best to mend as much as he could from a deteriorated set of circumstances. But he had clearly failed in that task the moment Berfield was killed. Now seeing that shit had effectively hit the fan pretty damn hard, what harm was their in throwing in more. With a deep breath and seeing no real alternatives, he moved forward.

"Alright, let's do this then." Andrew conceded. "Stick close together, watch each other's six! Should any of em' put up resistance, neutralize the threat accordingly. We make for that barn, use it for cover until Gateway can open the portal out of here. Everyone know the plan?!"

They responded with a general yes. Verifying that everyone knew what to do, Andrew reloaded a fresh mag into his MTAR.

"Alright then. Lock n' load men." Andrew ordered. "Let's pray to god this works."




Luna laid limp and in pain on the ground, her sister desperately trying to everything in her power to stop the bleeding from the wounds.The damage had turned her right foreleg into tissue paper, and her right wing was completely torn up on both sides. Celestia cast a spell, which formed a golden band around her sister's leg to stop the bleeding. 

"Luna, please stay with me!" Celestia begged.

Luna grimaced, the pain unbearable, but regardless, she made an effort to respond.

"Sister, I.........I'm still here." She seethed through her tears. "Please, leave me, you nee....................you need to protect everypony else."

As much as Luna had a point, Celestia glanced over it, not wishing to leave Luna behind in her current state. Suddenly she heard the sound of heavy hoofsteps charging towards them. Looking towards the direction they were coming from, she hundreds of guard ponies make their way through the streets of Ponyville like a river of Navy blue and Gold. Several chariots flew overhead in the night sky. One landed just a few feet away from the duo. Stepping off of it was no other than Commander Spark, in full body royal armor. He approached them, his eyes growing wider upon seeing Princess Luna on the ground, beneath a puddle of her own blood.

"No.....no no no NO! MEDIC!" he cried out.

Several came out upon command, quick to catch on to which pony desperately needed it. They went to work immediately. The damage was grisly to say the least, and despite his years of service under the royal sisters, Commander Spark was somewhat taken aback by all that he saw. Princess Twilight's Castle had turned into a raging inferno in the distance, He and those under his command had come across several bodies of the guards ponies who had accompanied the Princesses here. And now Princess Luna herself had succumbed to a horrible injury. All this combined was enough to warrant an inquiry.

"Your highness!" Commander Spark addressed. "Are you alright? What happened here? Who's responsible for this."

She opened her mouth opened as if to speak, yet there was no words that could summarize how she felt. The human who they had sworn to aid now lay dead as a result of poor judgement. Her pupil's home and testament to her duty now stood burning in the distance. Innumerable guard ponies had given their lives almost needlessly as the were slaughtered one after the other. Her sister suffered serious injuries that left her on the ground bleeding. And now, the humans currently approach the one place where she and Luna had deduced to be the perfect refuge for the evacuated residents of Ponyville. 

She was ready to lose hope, but suddenly, her attention was garnered not by one pony, but once again, by gunfire in the distance. Very loud and audible screams could be heard in the distance, echoing in the hundreds. The guards shot their gaze towards its direction, the sheer volume and consistency of it becoming more and more frequent.

"What in Equestria is that?" Spark asked.

At that moment, Celestia's usual collected nature had utterly faltered as tears began to fall from her eyes with an expression of pure and utter horror struck her face in an instant. Through the pain of it all, Luna heard it all as well, and with all the strength she could muster.

"SISTER! YOU MUST STOP THEM!" she shouted with urgency.

Luna's plea must have done the trick, because a that moment, Celestia stood up wings spread and ready to take flight. She looked down at Luna one last time before doing so.

"I will return, little sister." She said softly. "This ends now."

Luna gave her a nod, and then laid her head to rest against the ground. Celestia turned to Commander Spark, an irate and determined glare on her face.

"Commander, have the reserve advance north towards Sweet Apple Acres. You have orders to neutralize any threats as deemed necessary. Move like the wind."

With that she launched herself in the air and raced towards her subjects in need before Spark could even as so much as give a "yes, ma'am". He turned to address his troops.

"RESERVE COMPANY! FORWARD ADVANCE! DOUBLE TIME!" he yelled out to his troops.

Spears raised, horns ignited, and Shields up, the forces under Spark's commanded started to charge northwards with haste, where an unknown enemy lay in wait, no doubt slaying countless innocents in its wake. That would end tonight.




Twilight levitated several barrels full of water to where they were needed, lightly bobbing up and down as they floated to her left and right. Spike was ahead of here, leading her through the massive crowd. They were halfway there when they heard somepony start screaming. Followed by another, and then another. Twilight was uncertain what exactly was eliciting such a reaction, then they heard it. Like a triumphant symphony of death, gunfire erupted from the camp, its loud echo deafening the screams and cries for aid over the distinct ear-crippling sound.
Ponies everywhere began to scatter in droves, scrambling over each other in the chaos that ensued, screaming, yelling, and outright crying as they sought to escape the approaching threat. Twilight ceased her levitation spell and soon found herself ensnared by the vast charging mob that followed, with her unintentionally being pushed away from where she once stood. In turn, she was separated form Spike, who being much smaller than the average pony was lost to the crowd.

"SPIKE!" She cried out. "SPIIIIIIIIIIIIIKE!"

Alas, the overlapping sounds of the crowd and the volumes of gunfire made any call from her adoptive brother next to impossible to hear. Fearing for his safety, she spread her wings and took flight, backtracking to where he had previously been. Her plan however immediately fell apart, as bullets began flying towards her direction. Twilight formed a magical barrier around herself, shielding her from the oncoming rounds. Looking downwards and to the direction they were being spewed from, she found herself stunned by what she saw. The humans had found the camp, and had proceeded to assault it. She looked everywhere for a sign of Luna or Celestia, alas she saw neither. Twilight wondered if they had managed to escape her mentor which soon turned to the fear that Andrew and company had killed them both. If that were the case why come here? To her knowledge, the portal opened in the Everfree. Perhaps it could be opened elsewhere she thought.
She witnessed it all first hand, as a mere twelve human beings utterly destroyed any semblance of order and sent hundreds of ponies fleeing in terror. They pressed they're attack at a lightning pace, steering themselves into the direction of the Apple's barn. Guards who engaged them were immediately shot up in a matter of seconds by overlapping fields of fire. Within less than a span of a minute, the guards that had accompanied their princesses had been effectively knocked out of commission, with most either dead or on the verge of dying. A similar fate had befallen upon those ponies who attempted to stand up to them. Off to the left, Twilight saw a unicorn stallion fire a beam of magic at the invaders in act of courage. It painfully missed its target however, and when the humans saw where it came from, one of them fired off a round that penetrated the poor unicorn's leg, crippling him.
From her elevated position, she could see the bloody and destructive path they carved for themselves and where they were heading. She quickly caught onto what she had thought would be their plan. Given the range capabilities of their weapons and the fact that the lack of armor no doubt was a trade off for mobility in their tactics, Twilight theorized that they relied heavily on structures for cover. No doubt the reserves were on their way, and with any luck, Celestia and Luna. Perhaps if she could delay their entry, that buy Commander Spark enough time to catch up and surround them.
Bullets still battered against her shield, leaving small chips and cracks. Ignoring this however, Twilight was determined and ready to put her plan into action. If she was the last line of defense, she'd uphold her duty too her last breath. However, the time she spent looking over for both Spike and the scene had cost her time. As ponies generally fled from the scene, the area quickly became more open, leaving Twilight as the only remaining threat nearby. She soon found out that she had stayed in one spot for too long. With every gun now trained on her, any attempt at a hasty retreat would undoubtedly lead to her death, she knew this, and they knew this. Her shield was beginning to falter from the concentrated fire. Twilight poured every bit of magic she could muster into maintaining her barrier, the sheer strain of it forcing her to land.  She placed herself directly in front of the barn and expanded her shield to cover the entrance. Andrew and his team were quick to realize what she was planning.

"Guess she was smart enough to figure it out!" Viktor shouted.

"Yeah, well from what we've seen that shield isn't gonna hold forever!" Andrew replied, who then proceeded to deliver another command. "OSAKA! WOLFPACK! Concentrate on target! Bring that thing down!"

Each step they took closer seemed only to drive them further. Twilight could see them getting closer and begin surrounding her, each step forward seeming to only drive them further as they stood less than a ten yard's distance away. Her strength weakened, her resolve now being tested to its limits.
Knowing that her shield would give way at any moment, Twilight desperately searched for aid in any form. But there was none in sight. As the first portion of her shield burst into tiny fragments, the formulaic and ingenuitive mind of Twilight Sparkle came to realize that this may very well be the end. 
After everything she had experienced in her life, after every challenge she and her friends had faced together on multiple occasions, her end would come from the end of a gun, a weapon forged from another world. But why? Why had all this happened. Twilight still had no idea what was driving these humans. From an outside perspective, your average pony would deduce their actions as an incessant need to commit evil. But calling back on all she had learned from the experiences of Timothy Berfield, humans were reasonable creatures, despite their violent tendencies. Their story story of success and power that had gone too far taught Twilight that humanity is saw, spoke, and acted in shades of gray, rather than the typical black and white conflicts her world had become accustomed to. The Conflict had forced humanity to work together in their new desolate existence. By doing so, they gave up petty grievances and ideological differences for the sole purpose of helping one another get through the lowest point in their history. Humanity was molded into its survivor mentality, collectively crafted from experience and hardship, strife and danger, ingenuity and wisdom, and of course, war and the lessons one obtains from it. Through all those things they found ways of connecting with one another, and formed a society that prided itself on rebuilding a  future for themselves. What purpose would instigating hostilities serve in the goal?
Alas, it would no doubt be a question which she would never get the answer to, as more and more portions of her shield began to shatter and fade. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for death's cold grasp. But suddenly and out of nowhere, a beam of powerful gold magic scorched the ground in front of her and rapidly moved upwards towards Andrew and company, halting their attack on Twilight. In the nick of time as well, for Twilight's shield had collapsed the second it happened.
Twilight's eyes shot back open, and looking forward, her sight was immediately greeted with Princess Celestia forcefully impacting the ground in front of her, Horn brimming with magical energy, maintaining a defensive stance that shielded her pupil. Celestia rained burst after burst of magic onto Andrew and his team. Andrew team responded by returning fire. Within seconds, pegasus and bat-pony guards in the dozens descended from the sky and began surrounding the area and in turn cutting off any escape for the transgressors. Andrew's team began to regroup, taking aim but holding fire. They soon spotted the massive amounts of reinforcements closing in on their location. Wide open spaces in every direction and cut off from the barn that they had hoped to use for cover. They were exposed, and about to be surrounded. While Jelani's plan had worked, the unforeseen fact that another one of the natives with wings and a horn would cost them the time they needed. They all stood in close proximity, back-to-back with rifles raised.

"Any bright ideas anyone?" Ahab remarked.

"We could just shoot each other and save them the pleasure." Lamond suggested.

"How about I shoot you both!" Sarah snapped.

"Everyone shut up!" Andrew barked. "Vik, get Gateway on the horn and tell them to get that fucking portal open NOW!"

"I just did." Viktor replied, hand leaving his HUD-set. "ETA Three minutes."

It might as well of been three years, given the vicinity of the approaching reserves, they'd be surrounded by the time Gateway managed to get it open again. Viktor let out a deep sigh of defeat. Unless gateway opened the portal within the next ten seconds or so, any hope of returning home without leading an army back with them would be dashed. Looking at his old friend, he saw that he still had his rifle raised, ready to keep fighting.

"Looks like we're not going home, Andrew." Vik said solemnly.

"That ain't gonna stop me. If I'm gonna go out, I'll do it the way I came in. Kicking and screaming. Fighting to the death." Andrew snapped back. 

The sheer resolve of his old friend did little to increase his optimism of the situation, but it did serve as a heavy reminder of his duty. Surrender sure wasn't on option here, and everyone present knew it. No way they would risk giving these creatures any information that concerned humanity. No, this would be the last fight they'd ever partake in. Everyone took a combat stance, rifles at the ready, waiting for the last set of orders from their Commander.

"I suppose it's fitting for the both us." Vik said with a slight smile. "We started our lives living by the sword, and now it seems like we'll going out by the sword."

"I'm not worried about me right now Vik."

"I know. Jess and Jake?"

"Yeah. I should've fucking stayed back. Now it's because of me that Jake's gonna grow up without his father. Jess'll take it hard, but she's strong. She'll raise him right." 

"Would it be premature to tell you 'I told you so'?"

Andrew shook his head and smiled.

"I'll take that as no." Viktor said. "Well, I suppose its time for formal goodbyes. Hale, Nate, Lewis, Asami, and Jelani. It's been honor leading you."

"Likewise, Alpha." Hale replied back.

"We make our last stand, men!" Andrew ordered. "Hostiles closing in, as soon a-"

Andrew found himself cut off when a golden dome shield formed around them all. The color was instantly recognizable, as they all turned their gaze at Celestia, who held them captive within the confines of her magic. With the reality that they were now trapped, Andrew rephrased what he was about to say.

"Or, we can.......try.............to.............................................................................................fuck." Andrew said in defeat.

"Sooooooooooo, what.................now?" Lamond asked.

"Hey, we still have our guns. There's that." Nate reminded everyone.

"Fantastic,. So when we shoot the barrier and the bullets ricochet off of it we can just kill ourselves instead of the enemy." Asami pointed out sarcastically.

"Y'know that may not be such a bad idea." Lewis earnestly said.

"Yeah, given how I really don't wanna be a prisoner to these things, suicide's actually sounding a bit tempting right now." Hale admitted.

"Seriously Hale?" Asami questioned.

"What?! I'm not giving these things the pleasure of taking me alive. Who knows what methods of torture these fuckers have cooked up, I don't wanna go through that shit."

"Me neither." Ahab said. "But I also really don't wanna kill myself either. I hear it lands you in hell."

"Since when are you the religious type?" Harris asked.

"Since I'm currently facing my own mortality! Alright! Cut me some slack!"

"It does not matter that they have confined me to a cell of unnatural sorcery." Jelani stated. "They will have to release us eventually. The minute that happens, they will feel my wrath!"

"Same here." Sarah said in agreement. "I ain't going down without a fight."

"SILENCE!" Celestia shouted.

The humans were astounded by the sheer volume of her voice, the irate nature of it made evidently clear. Twilight had collapsed, her forelegs serving as the only thing that stood firm. She panted, sweat and tears running down her face as she savored every breath. She had been spared death.
As guards flooded in all around them, Celestia began taking in the scene. She was more than relieved to have saved Twilight in time but more than outraged by what she saw. When she had heard the sound of gunfire while at Luna's side, she had feared the worst. Those that remained of both her and her sister's guard laid either dead or injured along with a handful of civilians injured. While it was not in the dozens or hundreds that she feared, her anger had reached the breaking point. While medics attended to the wounded, she approached her captives, a look of pure condemnation across her face. She had plans on outright exterminating these humans, but given the lack of civilian casualties despite having the opportunity to reap outright carnage on the ponies of Ponyville, they didn't. That alone saved them from a swift execution.

"You twelve have a lot to answer for." She accused. "And I will personally see to it that you pay for each and every one your crimes against Equestria. What do you have to say for yourselves!" 

They were silent, with not one uttering a word. She figured as much, given how reluctant Tim had been with information it only made sense that they shared his tight-lipped nature. She then turned her gaze up to the human who had started it all. But despite Achmed being at her mercy, despite her promises of justice against him and his cohorts, his eyes spoke volumes to how much he desired to kill her right now. Were there no barrier, he very well could. By this time Twilight walked up beside her mentor. She looked upon these new humans with a sense of anger and fear, but also, disappointment. Everything they had done up to this point practically shattered the message Tim had ingrained into her mind, and it was at this point that she wanted, no, deserved answers.

"Why?" she asked.

Celestia, Andrew, Achmed and all the others looked at her.

"Why did you do all this?" she asked, the shattered nature of her resolve evident with every word. 

"Twilight, now's not the time I'm afraid." Celestia said solemnly.

"Then when is the time?!" she cried out, tears beginning to swell in her eyes. "My home is in flames, Tim is dead, my friends are scared, I've lost Spike, and ponies all over town are injured or even dead! When do I get answers!?"

"Why don't you ask the murdering bitch?" Achmed seethed. "Or has she bled out already?!"

Celestia's horn flared with light and intensity. 

"I SAID SILENT!" she roared, rearing back in rage.

Everyone else either flinched or took a small step back. But Achmed not only withstood her outburst, he matched it. 

"FUCK YOU!!!!!!!!!" Achmed roared back, slamming his fist against her shield so hard the it left a small fracture in it's interior. 

Twilight, and even Celestia to an extent reeled back. Those among Andrew's team stared in awe at Achmed as he stood his ground against this powerful deity. The fracture in the shield began to mend, and a small trickle of blood began to fall from his still clenched hand. However Achmed's rage was unbridled, and if he had felt pain from it, he sure didn't show it.
Celestia quickly regained her steadfast posture and took several steps closer to Achmed, till she was only inches away from the surface of the barrier. She locked with his rage-infused glare.

"Vent at me all you want, human. It makes little difference. But know I will make certain that you in particular, will never harm another pony again." Celestia swore.

"What's he talking about Princess?" Twilight asked.

"I will discuss it with you after I have properly dealt with them. Now I-"


*TtststtssssssssssszzzzzzzzztTTTTTTTTTTTzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZTttttttttttttZz!!!!!!!


The loud crackling sound was heard by all, furthermore, it seemed to be coming from behind Celestia. Within the confines of Applejack's barn, a large, blue, swirling vortex emerged, spewing occasional shocks of blue lightning and releasing a massive current of air onto those directly in front of its path. Turns out, no one saw Viktor reach up to his HUD-set from the time the shield was formed over them to now.




A Few Minutes Earlier.................





Francis lead the now-fully armed platoon through the hall leading to the portal room, 26 men locked and loaded for combat with an unknown enemy. Simple satchels and backpacks had been switched out for combat helmets and tactical vests. Francis touted his M60 over the shoulder, belt box hanging from the side, with a big grin across his face that said, "I'm ready to fuck up your day!" Nick, who stood beside him, paled a bit in comparison. He carried his K2 rifle gripping it a bit tighter than usual when ready to fight, wearing a helmet that was a tad bit too big for his head complete with a concerned look on his face. As the group got closer and closer to the portal Nick's breaths started to gradually get heavier. Francis was quick to notice, and even quicker to comment.

"C'mon Barkley, you look like you're about to shit a brick!" Francis derided.

That earned a few chuckles from the others, but they were somewhat lacking in sincerity. Francis could tell they were a bit more nervous than usual.

"Seriously? You guys too?" Francis said genuinely surprised. "What the hell's got you guys so jittery!?"

"Francis! We're about to take a walk through time and space to fight an unknown enemy in another world. How are you not nervous?" Nick asked.

"Simple, cause I ain't afraid of nothin'." He said confidently. 

Everyone in company immediately shot him a rather annoyed look.

"Your resolve is the envy of us all, Vanhart." Delp remarked sarcastically.

"Oh for Christ's sake Delp, you too?" Francis stated. "You got a fucking RPG strapped to your back! With a backpack full of HEAT rockets to boot, you're ready to fuck someone's day with that!"

"Yeah, but it'll mean jack shit if I'm killed the minute I walk through the door!"

"Y'know, I kinda gotta throw my hat in with Francis on this one." Richards stated.

"Seriously?" Nazif said, honestly shocked.

"Well, Sawyer's team did say they were like 3-foot tall horse creatures, how much damage could they actually do?"

"Uh, quite a lot I imagine given how they can make shit float with their mind, I'd say there's pretty good chance they could wipe the floor with us!" Nick said in a worried tone

"Then how come the Commander and his team are still fighting them off?!" Locke argued.

"What if it's a trap?" Hakimi suggested. "They wait for us to open a portal home then they hit us with an ambush?"

"Then they'd be walking into a heavily armed complex." Sharif stated.

"Yeah, did everyone just forget that little fact?!" Francis added.

Soon the whole notion of marching headlong into unknown circumstances derailed into one big incoherent argument amongst each other. 

"ENOUGH!!!!!!" one man shouted.

Turning around, they saw Lt. Bakowski approaching them, geared up himself with helmet, vest and an AK74M rifle in tow. The irritated glare on his face clearly summed up the displeasure he felt of seeing the evac team argue and bicker before deployment.

"Gentlemen, it doesn't matter what awaits us on the other side, only that we will be there to face it before we let it bring harm to our comrades on the other side! We will meet our adversary on the field of battle! We will face it in spite of whatever abilities are at their disposal. And we will face it with the level of discretion, discipline and seriousness," he clarified, glaring at Francis directly, "that I expect of soldiers like you. Now do I make myself clear!"

Everyone replied with a "yes, sir!"

"Good! Now fall in! Delta formation! I want riflemen to the front, grenadiers to the back with support covering from the sides! Delp! Up front with the RPG, I want it loaded and ready to fire on my command!"

Following the Lieutenant's direct orders, everyone took their positions. Nick once again found himself next to Francis. While the Lieutenant's speech help calm his nerves a little, he'd be lying by saying he still wasn't a tad bit fearful of awaited them. A hand landed on his shoulder. Looking to see it was Francis', said individual shot Nick a supportive look.

"Hey, ease up, Barkley." Francis said. "You're gonna be fine. I got you're six."

Despite the lack of care he'd expressed before, Francis' support was enough to shake Nick out of it and deliver a more confident outlook onto him. Lt. Bakowski turned to the main activation platform, where Bradford and a handful of other scientists were ready to activate the portal for them to proceed. The Lieutenant then turned to his platoon. 

"Men, safeties off! Are you ready!?"

"HOOAH!" The team replied back.

"Councilor, we're standing by and waiting on you!"

Bradford nodded, instructing his scientists to activate it. After two seconds, the portal began to spark up, as a blue vortex emerged at its center, getting wider and wider with each passing second.

"Be advised Lieutenant!" Bradford shouted. "The Commander and his team are currently surrounded. But they're close, should be right in front of you. Furthermore they're currently trapped by a protective barrier of sorts, Hostiles everywhere, so be ready for a fight!"

Suddenly the portal stopped growing, leaving it just large enough for groups of two to walk through simultaneously. Nick could feel the portal's airflow tug at him, trying to pull him in, but alas the airflow had since been greatly reduced as to not have a repeat of what happened to Berfield. Everyone in the platoon raised their guns at the ready, waiting for the Lieutenant's go. Before they entered, Bakowski gave Delp the order to fire.

"Delp, fire away. CLEAR THE BACKBLAST!!!"

Everyone moved out from Behind Delp at a considerable distance. Delp raised his RPG-7, pulling the trigger shortly afterwards. The rocket flew forth at lightning speed, sending a plume of fire, smoke, and gas bursting out from the rear of the weapon. The order to advance came immediately after.

"Green light! GO! GO! GO!"




Everypony stood staring at the unannounced spectacle. The humans currently held captive heightened in alert as Viktor whispered for them to be ready. It took only five seconds for Celestia to realize what it was, but that proved to be too long.
Emerging forth from the portal at high velocity, steering ever so slightly to Celestia's left was a round from an RPG. It's flight pattern just narrowly missed Andrew and company, instead detonating fifteen yards to his left. It made impact with the ground where a plethora of guards were reduced to pieces. The resulting explosion sent out a shockwave that knocked other guards to the ground and sent shrapnel flying in all directions. 
Suddenly, human solders poured out from the portal, immediately opening fire on anything that didn't look human. Guards retaliated by charging at them, but as more humans emerged, the more clear it was that they had more than enough firepower to contend with them. Bodies began to drop in the dozens as guard after guard was gunned down. Francis let loose with his M60 mowing down hostiles and laughing as he did it.

"HAHAHAHAHA! EAT LEAD FUUUCKEEEEEEEEEEEERS!" he yelled eagerly.

"FRANCIS!" Nick cried out. "GET BEHIND SOME COVER YOU GODDAMN LUNATIC!"

Celestia, in a rash bit of action, turned around to return fire with a spell, only realizing that she had cut the power to her shield mid charge. She turned back around, wondering if she could somehow undo her mistake and recapture the humans before they could escape. Her answer came in the form of Achmed's fist landing a knockout blow to her right cheek as the rest of Osaka and Wolfpack mopped up any nearby hostiles.
Celestia fell to the ground, reeling from the stinging pain that had been delivered to her. Andrew and his team rushed past her, more than eager to escape this world, but with so much gunfire and magic being traded across the battlefield, getting to the portal without getting hit was difficult. Achmed looked around, hoping to suppress a target, but instead found an opportunity of an easy escape in the form of this "Twilight", who had her head ducked and cowered on the ground.
Streams of gunfire and magic poured out all around the landscape, accompanied by another rocket. It soared over where Celestia lay, and landed somewhere behind her, delivering the same devastating effect that it had done previously. The firefight ensued for several more seconds before Andrew began to notice something off. Slowly but surely though, he, along with several other human soldiers, began to notice that their enemy had stopped firing at them. Given how odd it was, Andrew gave the order to cease fire.

"CEASE FIRE!" he called out. "CEASE FIRE!"

Those under his commanded did as instructed, confused as to why all of a sudden the natives ceased their assault. It was then that Sarah's eyes spotted Achmed, and in doing so, she found the answer as to why the natives had stopped attacking.

"Sabbag!?" she cried out.

Everyone then looked to Achmed and were shocked by what they saw. In his right arm was Twilight, her arms and neck restrained within his grasp and with a handgun pressed up against her head. Twilight was once again within death's reach. Her magic had been depleted substantially trying to keep her shield up from before, which had made casting a spell to defend herself utterly impossible when Achmed had grabbed her during the fighting. He followed that action by pulling out his aforementioned handgun and shoving it directly in her line of sight. Now that she was at his mercy, he whispered into her ear.

"*Try anything and you're dead!*" Achmed threatened.

With that said, fear had effectively taken hold of her, to the point where she couldn't even say a word. Tears streamed from her eyes and she found herself as still as the grave when he began moving towards the portal, dragging her along with him.
It was around this time that Celestia had recovered from Achmed's decisive blow. Upon standing up, her eyes shot open to the sight of at least 40 humans, with Achmed holding her beloved student hostage. Her instincts told her to intervene, but Achmed had predicted that. As soon as Celestia raised a hoof forward, he shot at the ground in front of her, only to then forcefully press the barrel of his handgun into the back of Twilight's head. Everyone and everything was as quiet as the grave, which made what Achmed had to say come across as haunting.

"Not. One. Step. Closer. Or I blow her FUCKING brains out." Achmed yelled out to her.

This was a tense situation for both sides. At this point it was pretty clear that Achmed was suffering from some serious mental instability from the loss of his friend, and Andrew had plans to intervene.

"Sabbag. Let her go." Andrew said carefully.

"I will, sir." Achmed replied back. "After everyone's back safe on the other side. And assuming someone doesn't try and test me!"

Celestia's heart was about ready to stop, uncertain and frightful of what the outcome of this situation would be. Were any being of her own world to pull this maneuver, she'd without a doubt in her mind call it for the bluff it would be. But not here. This human was on edge, possibly unstable, and that made Celestia genuinely fear for Twilight's life, praying that this human wouldn't just kill her out of spite.

"Please, I beg you, don't." Celestia pleaded.

Achmed could tell by her voice that the native he held hostage was very dear to her. A part of him wanted to pull that trigger, watch her face as someone she cared about was taken from her just like how Tim was. But another part told him that if he did, he'd be dead the second it happened. Other than dying however, he wanted revenge, but judging by the fact that they weren't executed the minute they were captured, he had deduced that Tim's killer still lived. Killing her would be his mission, his final act if need be, and he had no intentions of dying before that could happen.
Achmed didn't say a single word to Celestia, unnerving her by the second as it signified an inability or outright refusal to reason. Instead, he simply turned to Andrew, who still stood just an arm's length away.

"Sir. Go."

Andrew would have undoubtedly tried to intervene right then and there were the situation any different. But given how Achmed had effectively bought them a safe exit with this hostage stunt, he really couldn't refuse the opportunity. Andrew gave the order to leave.

"MILITIA, FALL BACK! We're leaving!" 

Some hesitated a little but ultimately followed their superior's orders. Every one of them filed back out into the portal. As the number of humans in Equestria gradually got smaller and smaller Achmed began back-stepping towards it, much to Twilight's distress. 

"P..................................p...............................pl......pleas....................e." Twilight incoherently begged through her tears, "l..........................l..........let.....me........................................g.g................g-"

Achmed once again pressed the end of his handgun into her head.

"*I. Said. Quiet.*"

Twilight followed his statement with even more tears. The number of humans dwindled, until at last, it was just Achmed, who stood less than a foot away from the portal. He stared Celestia down one last time, the sheer anger and incessant need for vengeance that filled his soul never once faltering. He lowered his head down to Twilight's ear to deliver his final words to her.

"*We'll be back!*"

Achmed then swung the arm that had been holding her, launching her towards Celestia before walking into the portal to safety. The portal then quickly closed behind him, severing the link between his world and theirs. Celestia ran forward and caught Twilight mid-air in a cradle of her magic. She levitated Twilight closer to her, grabbing her in a hugging embrace. The two stayed like that for quite sometime, both unwilling to let go, as they both wept into a state of tears. 

"It's okay, Twilight." Celestia said in a nurturing tone to her student. "It's over. It's over."
> Chapter 27: Aftermath
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Ashes settled, The danger subsided, Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle, and the company overseen by Commander Spark, walk amongst the ruins left in the wake of mankind's first incursion into Equestria, an event that would be held accountable for the misfortunes to come................................................




The Portal almost immediately closed behind Achmed the minute he had stepped back through it. He contemplated the promise he had made to his new enemy, one that was currently unknown to any other human, and how he was going to follow through with it. Achmed wasn't entirely sure how he'd be able to live up to it at all, as the decision to return to the alien world would be one he could not make. No doubt this incident would be a main discussion for the council in the coming days, but details and speculations as to how that would lay out would have to wait for another time.
Looking around, the feel of the room was all over the place. Many, like Francis, Lamond, and Ahab, cheered as he walked through, a clear sign of commendation and approval for his actions that ensured their escape. Some reluctantly joined in on the celebration, like the Sarge and Harris, though not as wholeheartedly thrilled as some of their compatriots. Others were merely silent, with expressions of questionable concern spread across their faces, for both of what just happened and the effects it may have had on him. One way or another, every set of eyes in the room seemed to be painted solely on him.
For reasons unknown to him, this should have undoubtedly made him nervous to no end. But surprisingly, he felt nothing by it, not nervousness and not even joy like some others were clearly expressing. No, simply nothing. To him, nothing had been worthy of accomplishment. If anything, this strange case of sudden and newfound confidence stemmed from his inability to save his friend, who now lay dead.
Suddenly, Achmed eyed a trio of individuals approaching him. The celebratory mood that had emerged upon his return had suddenly fell silent. These three individuals happened to be Sawyer, Viktor, and Councilor Bradford. Andrew seemed like he was ready to say something when Viktor almost violently rushed past him. The Colonel's looked absolutely irate as he muttered words under his breath unknown to Achmed as he came closer. Bradford more or less looked frantic, like a mix of frustration and worry. When they stopped directly in front of him, it was Andrew who broke the silence.

"Sabbag. Glad to see you're alive." he said plainly.

It looked as if he had more to say than just that, no doubt all three of them wanted to bring up that little "hostage" maneuver he pulled right then and there, yet with the whole company and science team present and watching, making a big scene after the skirmish they just had seemed rather unwise. Achmed was quick to deduce that they were more than displeased with what he had done, the far-lasting impact of his actions remained to be seen, but even he knew that they would likely lead to some serious trouble down the road.

"Private First Class Sabbag. Stow your equipment away up topside with the rest of Osaka. Then report to my quarters on the 22nd floor for debriefing, alone. Sergeant Martinez, see to it that he gets that done."

"Yes, sir." she replied.

Andrew then turned to Achmed once again.

"You're dismissed." he said, ending the conversation. "That goes for the rest of you! Everyone back to your posts!"

The three then proceeded to depart the room, no doubt heading to the Commander's quarters as their destination. The murmurs of speculation that immediately followed didn't even wait for the three to leave the room. Once they did, Achmed was left as the center of attention once again. 
Ignoring the prying eyes set on him, Achmed was quick to deduce the reason for Commander's wish for a personal debriefing. He, along with Antonov and Bradford, wanted answers to what happened between him and the native leadership, what exactly led to their confrontation. No doubt it would yield that the whole thing was an accident, but one that they would not see eye to eye on with him. Accident it may have been, but it was one that had cost Tim's life, one that could have killed him had his friend not stepped in the way of the blast, one that stemmed from "Luna's" clear desire to subdue and distrust of intent. Regardless, the three would most likely wish to mend relations if at all possible upon knowing. Their was the very real possibility that that was out of the picture at this point, and Achmed's reckless actions would be met with punishment, as firing on non-hostile targets would be met a dishonorable discharge at the very least. 
But given how humanity had essentially found a world that essentially "The Garden of Eden" and wouldn't be willing to give up on claiming territory within it, his actions had advertently started a war, something humanity had suffered greatly from. This would probably mean either exile, or very likely, the firing sqaud. One way or another, any chance of avenging his friend seemed farther and farther from the realm of possibility.
However a slight bit of thought crossed his mind. As far as Achmed knew, he was the only one who had clear knowledge on the events that had played out. Furthermore, he had spoken with Tim, who had divulged his time spent on the other world to him, and him only. Sawyer was there to bail him out but it was clear that he had no idea why Tim had been killed or what had led up to the following events. No idea that the actions of a Lunar Princess were done so on accident. Perhaps he didn't need to know that little facet of information. As he regrouped with the rest of the fireteam he had been a part of, Achmed used this knowledge to begin formulating a story that could be perceived both as plausible and with hostile intent from his adversary. While he was busy with this, his fellow sqaudmates were quick to do as their Commander had instructed, and even quicker to dish out their own queries.

"Uh, what the hell just happened there?" Lamond asked.

"Yeah, You'd think he'd be a little more grateful." Ahab stated. "Nice work, by the way, Achmed."

Achmed, who had been keeping an ear open, quickly snapped out of his head-space upon hearing his name.

"I'm doubtful either the Commander or the Colonel sees it that way." Achmed said.

"Why wouldn't they?" 

"Because, Ahab, taking a civilian as a hostage, albeit one who clearly sought to aid our adversary, isn't something the Militia prides itself on." Sarah derided as they stepped into the elevator. "And as for you Sabbag, what the hell were you thinking pulling a stunt like that!?"

Achmed was quick to challenge his CO on that, albeit a foolish move.

"I was thinking it would stop the enemy from fighting. And it did." He replied back with no hint of regret. "Was it unorthodox and morally wrong, probably. But my stunt, got us and our unit out without taking a single casualty. The same can't be said for them."

Achmed's cold-natured response shocked those present in his company. Sarah almost didn't recognize the man at this point. Her growing concerns on his behavior during the mission had now been confirmed. He was taking what had happened on a personal level. Add that with the Commander wanting a personal debrief with him, and Sarah foresaw the possibilities, most of which, at the current moment, seemed very likely.
The doors on the elevator had opened up to the ground floor, with Osaka stepping out. As the others went to stow their gear, Sarah stopped Achmed with a hand on his shoulder. Turning his head to face her, Achmed was ready to hear whatever she had to say, which no doubt had dismay laced with every word.

"You're angry, I get it." She started off by saying. "But you're not going to let that anger drag us into a conflict, needlessly."

Achmed felt the just the slight bit of alarm from her accusations, as they weren't far from the truth, but kept firm in his deniability.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Sarge." Achmed claimed.

"Bullshit. You think I don't see what you're up to?"

At this point, Achmed was very concerned that he'd been found out, and that his plan may now be subjected to utter failure.

"Let's get one thing straight Sabbag. I know Tim was your friend. He was a good soldier, and it hurts me too, knowing that I lost a man today. Even more that I gotta be the one who tell the others what happened to him. But you can't use his death to justify a personal vendetta that affects us all. What you say during your debriefing will most likely decide whether we're going to war. War, Achmed. The thing that killed our planet, almost killed us!"

Achmed was quiet, figuring out what he should say.

"What do want?" He simply asked.

"What I want isn't important. What I and every human alive needs is for you to go into that debriefing, and tell the truth. I don't what exactly happened that led you to open fire on them, but if there's even a chance we could avoid an all-out conflict, you need to tell them. It may require a sacrifice on your part Achmed."

Her last sentence dashed any hope he could hide the truth. If the Sarge could see through him, what chance did he have against some of the three most prominent figures in human society. However, another thought began to surge. The Sarge made it clear that humanity could not survive another war. But given all that had transpired, the battle, their enemy's incapability to subdue them, a force of merely twelve soldiers, and their clear technological and tactical disadvantages, Achmed foresaw that humanity had a very real chance of winning. If a force of hundreds were absolutely pushed back by a force of 40 men armed with nothing but small arms, imagine what would happen when humanity brought in the heavy equipment, logistics, air power, and artillery. Not to mention every militiaman alive had been hardened by an environment scarred by war, so riddled with hostility and danger, that they had effectively been molded into seasoned warriors. It was clear to him, humanity both out-classed and out-matched their foe.
No. Achmed, having confidence in mankind's abilities and wishing to avoid his chances with execution and a clear desire to right his wrongs, doubled down on his deniability.

"What happened, Sarge, is that Tim was manipulated." He said with a stern face. "Then murdered once he found out their real intentions. They promised to help him get home, but they used him instead. That portal was a prototype, one for their, "project". One that needed to be destroyed. You'll all know soon enough. One way or another Sarge, war's inevitable. Any chance at a real peace died with Tim."

Achmed then walked off to regroup with the others of his team, leaving Sarah to ponder, for she honestly couldn't tell whether Sabbag spoke the truth or had effectively learned how to lie. 





Morning came just an hour after it had all happened, Celestia herself flying high in the air to raise the heavenly body of light. As she did so, the sun's rays set across Sweet Apple Acres to reveal the scars left behind by the warriors of another realm. Once risen, Celestia flew back down to the ground, where both Twilight and Commander Spark were waiting. The sight around her still shook the very fabric of her core. So many slain, despite their advantage in numbers. The killing power of fire and lead laid to bear in her mind. But Celestia's contemplation of their catastrophic defeat soon turned to the well-being of both her student, and the soldiers that had survived the battle.
Twilight had recovered back to a coherent state, but her posture and look gave a clear indication that she was still shaken up from being held hostage like that. It took every bit of mental strength Celestia had left to finally get her to stop crying, and even then Twilight still hadn't said a word since it had happened. Celestia was just grateful her student had survived the ordeal, but there was no doubt in Celestia's mind that the incident would leave a scar in Twilight's mind. It would be up to her, Luna, and Twilight's friends to help her overcome it. 
Commander Spark and his men weren't faring much better, which led them to call reserves in from both Appleloosa and Baltimare to reinforce them in case the humans came back. The Commander had suffered a few minor cuts to his right foreleg and a little bit of his brow bled from where a bit of shrapnel had grazed him. Other than that he was fine. Physically at least. There was no way to account for the mental injuries. His force of 500 took the brunt of the attack, which they were utterly unprepared for. Those who had survived suffered tremendously from a variety of wounds and injuries. Head trauma and broken bones, innumerable shrapnel lacerations and bullet wounds, limbs completely missing, multiple cases of excessive bleeding, and even a few unfortunate souls had been rendered completely unrecognizable by their injuries, and had managed to live through it. Psychological damage was widespread. Some of those who had come out of the battle unscathed grieved, others stood motionless, simply staring out across the distance where so many of their fallen comrades now lay. Others had a frightening look about them, as if the life in their eyes had just simply vanished.
To top it all off, her sister Luna, and those who attended to her injuries, were nowhere in sight, leaving what became of her sister completely unknown to her. All that had transpired did so under her watch. Her command had failed, her inability to safeguard Ponyville from invaders had cost the lives of many of her subjects. From her point of view, this was her responsibility, and her head sunk down when she realized she had failed in that regard. Commander Spark had been talking with a medic, and after he dismissed her, he approached the now somber Celestia.

"Your majesty." he addressed solemnly.

Celestia looked up and turned her head to meet him.

"Commander Spark." she responded with a sullen tone. "Tell me, how far do the casualties reach."

The Commander was hesitant to reply, and rightly so, knowing full well what the numbers were. That unexpected ambush caught his forces off guard, and sheer volume of firepower the humans possessed cost he and those ponies under his command greatly.

"I.................I'm not going to lie to you Princess. It's............it's catastrophic." he replied, hoping that would deter her from prying into the matter further.

Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect.

"How many?" she reiterated. "Please."

He reluctantly replied. "Well over 220 are confirmed dead. We're still counting."

"No..." she whispered, with more tears filling her eyes.

"Of the forty that accompanied you and Princess Luna, only around 10 survived. Captain Shield and Lieutenant Sentry were among them. Three are in critical condition."

Celestia lacked words. One battle. One battle had effectively taken more life than Equestria's most bloody conflict. But in an effort to stave off the despair, she briefly focused her mind on those she wished to know the fate of, mainly her sister, the elements, as well her and Luna's own personal guard, who had fought to the last in battle.

"Commander, have those remaining set to find the elements, and bring them to me. I wish to speak with them." Celestia ordered. "And I wish to know what happened to my sister."

"Right away, your majesty." Spark replied.

As he departed to gather what troops were left to attend to the task bestowed upon him, Celestia once again took in her surroundings, her sorrow and grief growing with each passing second.

"How could this happen?" she thought to herself. "How could a few dozen beings deliver such carnage? How could I have been so naive, so unprepared, so-?"

"Princess." A soft voice spoke.

Celestia turned around to see her pupil had begun speaking again, much to her delight.

"Twilight." Celestia responded. "It's good to hear your voice again. How are you feeling."

"I.........I've been better." she replied sullenly.

There was a moment of pause. With her regular composure of confidence gone, Celestia herself was struggling how to respond, what to even say. But it was Twilight who would continue the conversation.

"Before he let me go and left, he said they'd be back." She said. "Why would they come back? Why were they even here? Are.......are we at war with the humans now?"

The sudden and hard questions couldn't be avoided, not after all that had transpired. Celestia let out a sigh, and responded to Twilight's queries.

"There are many things we need to discuss Twilight. And it would be best if both my sister and the elements were present for it. But rest assured, you will have answers."

Twilight would have been angry, having to wait longer for things she felt she deserved to know. But the whole ordeal had shaken her to the very core, so much that she simply complied without a word.

"So, what happens now?" she asked.

Celestia had no intention of beating around the bush to hide the hard truth from her student. Now that the danger had subsided, now seemed the appropriate time. 

"Now." Celestia responded. "Now, we wait. With hope, perhaps we can recover from this tragedy."

Elsewhere in the area, activity began to rise. With the echoes of battle having ceased with sunrise following shortly afterwards, many were motivated to return to the site of Sweet Apple Acres, where they expected their Princess to have dealt with the invaders. However, as they approached the property they found themselves horrified. What was once one of Ponyville's iconic locations and the Apple's proud homestead had been turned into a battlefield, one which by sight alone had resulted in an Equestrian defeat. Bodies of the royal guards littered the grounds in the hundreds, the dirt beneath soaked red with blood. Fence posts and various pieces of heavy duty farm equipment were destroyed or had been set aflame during the battle, either by the detonation of a rocket, grenade, or the stray bolt of magic. Several branches had been splintered off a few of Apple's prime crop, with a few either charred or burning as well. The smell of Ash filled the air along with the sickly sweet smell of charred flesh from those unfortunate few to have been enveloped by an explosive blast.
It was at this time that the cellar door to the side of the Apple's homestead flung open, with Big Mac and Applejack being the first to step out. The Apples had thankfully been together when the humans had attacked the farm, and while many had scattered, the Apples all knew the cellar, which could be barred from the inside and was always stocked with emergency food, water, and supplies, was the place to hole up when trouble came upon them. 
It may have only lasted an hour, but that hour of uncertainty and danger was terrifying to endure. One minute the gunfire was getting closer. Then it stopped for about five minutes or so. The out of the blue, a loud crackling sound was heard, followed by loud echoing boom and a dramatic increase in gunfire. She could hear magic spells being cast as well, only for it to stop so suddenly once more. They didn't hear a thing for 45 minutes, and they all deduced that the danger must have passed.
It thankfully had, but upon emerging from their underground shelter, the sight that greeted them made both of them reel back in horror. The two, who had been known somewhat for their nerves of steel, had their emotional armor completely crumbled by what greeted them the second they came out. Granny and Applebloom approached the bottom of the stairs and peaked up at the two. Granny's mind may have been as weathered as her face, but she could tell right away that something was off in the two. 

"Applejack? Is it safe to come up?" Granny asked.

Still a little shaken by what she saw, she was only able to mutter a response.

"Ye.....yes, Granny..............it looks safe..................b-but................oh...dear Equestria................." Applejack replied.

Hearing the unnerved tone of her Granddaughter's voice, Granny prepared herself for the worst. Being the ripe old age she was, she had been through her share of tragedies, but something told her what she was about to see might just be the one to top the others. With this in mind, she turned to her youngest granddaughter, who was still a little shaky.

"Applebloom, you stay here. Don't come up till we say so." 

Applebloom would have protested, as she had been known to be a little more inquisitive when her family often tried to hide something from her. But the tone in both Granny and her sister's voice told her that what laid in wait on the surface was ugly, where things that a pony of her age should never have to be subjected to.

"A..a...alright, Granny." Applebloom replied.

With that out of the way, Granny made her way up the cellar stairs, prepared for the worst. Upon reaching the top however, the sight she saw far surpassed what she thought imaginable.

"Dear.............heavens!" she cried out, tears falling around her aged cheeks.

The shock of it all nearly made her fall back, but Applejack was thankfully there to catch her.

"Granny!" Applejack said in an attempt to console her. "Granny. It's okay. It's okay."

"There's......so many." she said through her tears.

It was clear she was referring to those who had fallen. At this point Applejack, and even Big Mac had lost the fortitude to prevent themselves from crying. The home they had known their whole lives was now a graveyard for hundreds, possibly even for some of their friends, and even their beloved Princess. Their moment of grief was interrupted however when a unicorn mare of the guard, tasked with delivering Celestia's summons to the Elements of Harmony, spotted Applejack and approached her.

"Miss Applejack?" The guardmare addressed.

Applejack, tears streaking down here cheeks, looked up to see who had approached them. The guardpony in question looked like a far cry to what one would expect from their ranks. The once regal golden armor was splattered with dirt and grime, the pony who wore it very much the same, with minor cuts along her legs and neck, and a small gaping wound to the forehead. Her helmet now bore a large scrape to the side, where a bullet had grazed it. All in all, it was clear she had endured and survived the horrific event that had unfolded.

"Y-yes?" Applejack asked, wiping her eyes.

"I-I hate to break up the moment, but, Princess Celestia requests your presence." The Guardmare stated. "It's urgent."

Applejack, looking back to her family, felt a twinge of guilt for leaving them at the moment.

"What about my family? I can't just-"

"We have more reserves coming in. They'll be taken care of along with everypony else." 

Still very much reluctant, but unwilling to argue given how her commands came straight from Celestia, Applejack begrudgingly agreed.

"Alright. Guess I'll be followin' you then."

With that taken care of, the guardmare called some of her nearby comrades over to safely escort her family out of the area. Meanwhile, Applejack turned to consult with her family.

"Granny, Big Mac. Take Applebloom and follow the guards. They'll take y'all somewhere safe."

The two nodded, giving her one last hug before quickly seeing to their task. Applejack then accompanied the guardmare. As they walked through the battlefield, Applejack couldn't help but sooth the wounds the guardmare was feeling, but had inadvertently brought up the carnage.

"If it's any comfort to ya, I'm sorry for your loss, uh......."

"It's River." the guardsmare replied. "Corporal River Breeze."

"I can't imagine what you've been through. No doubt you knew a lot of these ponies." 

The guardmare slowed down, now unable to hold back the tears as flashbacks of the previous night came racing through her head space. Bullets flying across the battlefield, shredding apart her comrades left and right, magic bolts unable to be casted fast enough to compete with the rate of fire the humans had achieved or accurate enough to land an effective hit. They seemed unstoppable, and for all intents and purposes, they might of well has been, as any strategy they had been trained in seemed utterly useless in subduing the enemy.

"Yeah, I did know many of them. It...........it's crazy. To think I was in the mess hall with these guys just yesterday." She said quietly. "Feels like a whole different lifetime."

Applejack felt immense sorrow for her, for all those who went through the atrocity. This might just make all those other times she and her friends were in danger look trivial. She still couldn't believe just a handful of humans managed to do this. To think she had come to trust Tim, only to have that trust broken in the worst way possible. But then she remembered those she saw leaving Twilight's castle, and didn't recall seeing Tim among them. Where had he been during all of this. She supposed that maybe the answers lied in wait with the Princess.

"Did you ever have to go through something like this? All the times you, Princess Twilight, and your friends, did you ever once come across a situation like this?" River Breeze asked.

"I'm afraid not." Applejack replied.

River Breeze's look seemed even more unnerved by that, though she never voiced it to Applejack. As more time passed, others returned, only to have the same grisly sight greet them. Approaching from the south side of Sweet Apple Acres, another drove of ponies had returned, among them were Rarity, Fluttershy, Spike and Sweetie Belle. The trio had been helping distribute food with Pinkie Pie when the attack began. In the mass confusion that followed, they got separated from Pinkie Pie, Rarity almost lost her younger sister to the panicked crowd, but Fluttershy had thankfully managed to grab her and fly her and Sweetie to safety, with Rarity trying her best to follow behind.
The three, and many of the ponies that had fled from the battle, had come out unscathed. Rarity's mane got a little furled up, otherwise, there were no serious damage done. That was until they had returned, only to see the carnage the battle had left behind. Sweetie who trailed behind the two older mares had yet to see what had happened. Rarity immediately blocked her sister's view of the battlefield, much to Sweetie's sudden dismay.

"Rarity!" Sweetie cried out. "What are y-"

"DON'T YOU DARE LOOK, SWEETIE BELLE!" Rarity said sternly, turning her head to look down on her with tears clearly visible in her eyes. "That goes for you too Spike!"

Rarity was known to be melodramatic, but the look on Rarity's face was one neither Spike nor Sweetie had never seen before, one that she couldn't decipher, as it incorporated elements of fear, anger, and sadness. But it was a look that showed clear signs that it was serious, leading Sweetie to obey with her sister's wishes. 

"O-okay, sis." Sweetie replied timidly.

"We-we won't look, Rarity."

Rarity turned her eyes back around to the carnage before her. Never before had any of them seen such barbarity and disregard for sentient life. The number of slain would no doubt surpass the casualties amounted in Equestria's previous conflict. But the fact that the number had been surpassed in just one battle alone. Neither Rarity nor Fluttershy were able to form words for such an atrocity, forcing both to be filled with grief. It would have been very likely that the two would have simply wept, had a guardpony not arrived with the Princesses' summons. 

"Miss Rarity, Miss Fluttershy?" she asked. "I'm afraid you must come with me. Princess Celestia requests your presence. Immediately."

Taking some time to catch up with what she said, Rarity could only utter one word as a response.

"....what?"

"This moment?" Fluttershy concurred.

"I'm afraid so." The guardmare replied. "It's urgent, and she asked specifically for you and your friends."

"What of the little ones?" Rarity asked. "Can they come with us?"

"I don't think so, but I can have them looked after by another guard."

While the guard did her best to sooth Rarity's concerns, her sentence only seemed to enrage the already on edge Rarity.

"After what just happened here! You expect me to just leave these two children, my sister, unattended."

"Ma'am, the danger has passed." The guard insisted. "It's been two hours now, I don't think they're coming back. Regardless, your sister and her young dragon friend will not be unattended, they'll be in safe hooves, I assure you. When your business with Princess Celestia concludes, I'll personally see to it that you'll be reunited afterwards."

While she still had several reservations, the guard's ability of reassurance seemed enough to coerce the Element of Generosity. 

"Well, alright. And you're certain that they'll both be taken care of. Spike here is Twilight's little assistant, and-"

The mention of the name sent the two elements into a state of reflection on the status of their absent friend. Before any of them could inquire on her, it seemed Spike beat them both to it.

"Is Twilight alright, ma'am?" He asked. "Is she safe? Is she...............alive?"

"Spike, don't say that!" Rarity intoned with disapproval.

"No need to worry, little guy, you'll be happy to know she's safe and sound." The guardsmare said. 

The guard's somewhat optimistic look withered a little, as she pondered on those who weren't so fortunate, those she called friend. However she didn't make a habit on pondering it too long, as not to unnerve the resolve in the presence of two minors, for they too would soon see the carnage that was left to wake.

"Anyways. If you wait here, i can have another guard come escort the the children to safety, and away from..............well, I don't think I need to say it."

"No. I think not." Rarity concurred.

On the other side of Sweet Apple Acres, Rainbow Dash stood atop the hill, with Pinkie Pie and Scootaloo at her side, a tear-filled glare across the two former's faces. As she overlooked the field of battle, a spark of anger began to burn withing Rainbow's heart. Pinkie Pie went to sooth the growing sadness that had arisen in the young pegasus, whether to keep her from screaming or bawling outright.
Anger soon became all Rainbow Dash felt at the moment, anger that stemmed from on attack on her world. The fact that she let fear gain a hold over her, and that she made no further attempt to try and stop them after her first attempt almost cost her her life. But most of all, she felt betrayed. 
She wanted answers. Why had this happened? And furthermore, where had Tim been during all of this? She hadn't recalled seeing him once this night. Not when the humans barged out from Twilight's home, not when they engaged in combat with the guards, not during the evacuation, not when Twilight's castle was set ablaze, and not when his human allies began their assault on Applejack's home. What role had he played during all of this? Had he been deceiving them this whole time?
One way or another, Rainbow sought answers, and she was going to get them. The two ponies who probably had said answers were down there amongst the remains of the battlefield. Whether they were still alive or not remained to be seen, though Rainbow prayed that neither had fallen in battle. But before she could set forth on her new purpose, her purpose would come to her.
A pegasus guard pony had flown up the hill from where the battle had taken place, to where the two elements stood overlooking it. He landed in front of Rainbow Dash, taking off his helmet and giving a salute to address the Wonderbolt.

"Ma'am." he addressed her by saying. "I must inform both you and Miss Pie need to come with me at once. Princess Celestia requires you two be present at once."

"What about Scootaloo?" Rainbow asked, not wishing for her adoptive sister to inspect the carnage any closer than where they were. 

"She'll be watched after by some of the guards, along with a handful of other minors. Rest assured, she'll be looked after."

"Well that was easy." Rainbow thought with a bewildered look.

Rainbow Dash nodded, and quickly beckoned for Pinkie to follow suit.

"Lead the way." She told him.




The three men had been waiting for close to half an hour, still waiting for the Sabbag to arrive so that the debriefing could get underway. Tensions in the room were at an all time high, and conversations on the possible ramifications didn't wait for Achmed's arrival.

"God dammit!" Bradford nervously swore. "How'd this happen?!"

"Where would you like to start, Andrew's piss poor decision making, the screw loose in Sabbag, or the fact we were sent in with no intel, essentially improvising throughout the whole mission!"

Andrew, growing ever weary of his friend's readiness to lay blame, shot back with his own comment.

"My decisions probably would have worked if your faulty equipment hadn't crapped out!" Andrew shot back. "Both mine and Sabbag's HUD-sets and Wolf 4's RARD went completely offline. Mind explaining that!?"

"EY! That gear has working flawlessly for the last 12 years, Andrew. I asked Wolf 4 to examine your all's sets, see what went wrong, but Nate never makes a habit of leaving things unchecked."

"You said these things were capable of manipulating objects and firing projectiles from the mind, yes?" Bradford inquired. "Perhaps that may have played into the equipment malfunction? Perhaps giving off some sort of electromagnetic interference or something similar as a byproduct."

"If that were the case, I'm pretty certain everything would have gone offline during that fight." Viktor argued. "Nonetheless, we should have been better prepared."

"How!!?!!" Andrew asked. "Like you said, we went in with no intel and no idea what we'd be running into!"

"Yeah, but we did so under your command, which seems to have gotten rusty over the last couple of years."

"So would you have rather have gone in alone? Just you and your team then?!"

"Oh, Andrew." Viktor chuckled. "You have no idea how preferable that would have been."

Andrew let out a sigh, realizing that Viktor had pretty good point.

"Well Vik, you got me there I suppose. No doubt this whole ordeal will cost me my command by the end of it. But, until we get our debrief from Sabbag, we can't be certain what actually happened that threw things off course." Andrew argued.

"And That's another thing!" Viktor stated. "I'm almost certain that man started it!"

"Started what?" Bradford asked, clearly wanting an answer to how this all started.

"In short, the whole fucking fight!" Viktor said irately "No doubt Berfield's death put him on edge! He let anger and grief get to him, lead him to violently lash out against the natives. From the tone of their leader's tone and voice, it very well sounds like he instigated it. Bringing him on the mission was a mistake."

"Now wait just one damn minute!" Andrew protested. "Let's not forget, I saw those things kill Berfield before Sabbag even fired a shot! Furthermore, she could have been very well been misconstruing information in the presence of regular troops. There's the likely possibility that her own people have no idea what purpose that portal served. So you better have some pretty damn convincing evidence if you want me to believe for a second the natives were the victims here!"

"Really?! So that justifies his desire to simply gun our way through civilians? To show a clear and personal animosity towards their leader? To fucking take a hostage, who's scared out of her mind!? Andrew, it's pretty damn clear that he took what happened personal, and you and I both know where that road leads. Remember Reynolds?"

These points were suddenly beginning to paint to a clearer picture, one familiar to the both of them. But before either Andrew or Viktor could delve further into the matter, a knock came at the door. Andrew looked to his friend, the look on Vik's face was enough for him to know he wasn't ready to drop what happened lightly. Letting out a sigh and ready to get on with what needed to be done, Andrew answered.

"Come in." Andrew answered.

The door opened, and unsurprisingly turned out to be none other than Sabbag. Now out of the equipment and uniform supplied to him before the mission, Achmed wore his regular attire, stepping inside, saluting.

"Commander Sawyer, Colonel Antonov. Reporting in, as requested." He addressed. "You wished to speak with me?"

Everything from his posture to his tone of voice seemed to have a newfound confidence to it. All of it seemed, off.

"Yes, Private. We did." Andrew confirmed. "Have a seat. There's a lot that needs to be discussed."

Achmed did as instructed, taking a seat at the front of the desk where Andrew sat.

"Now Sabbag, with all that's happened, It's fair to say that we're curious as to what exactly transpired during the moments preceding your friend's death. To which you have my condolences, I'm certain he was a faithful soldier and friend."

The mere mention of Tim's name was enough to drive Achmed further towards what he had planned. However his resolve and willingness to go through with it was about to be tested.

"He was. Thank you, sir." Achmed said.

"It's no problem. Now, we'll be willing to look past your...........uh, questionable actions, if you tell us what happened between you, Berfield, and the natives. And we want the truth, son. I know what happened hurts, you more than others, but that's no reason to twist the facts. We wish to know what exactly led them to kill Berfield in the first place. Can you do that?"

The three men eagerly awaited his response, as Achmed pondered his last chance to simply tell them the truth on what had really happened. But alas, Achmed was determined to avenge his friend, and proceeded with his course of action.

"Yes, sir." he said. "I can."
> Chapter 28: Answers and Decisions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As explanations come in the form of answers, some are more often than not, the ones many would wish not to hear. For a certain Alicorn, those answers will reveal the hard and unfortunate truth. For a human commander, they will be the seeds of deceit that will lead to wary speculation, and ultimately, conflict...................




The arrival of Twilight's friends had come to pass rather quickly after the Princess her sent her summons away. Upon being reunited, they were relieved to see Twilight alive and well, fearing the worse when they were unable to locate her during the chaos of the human's assault. After hugs and words of comfort were exchanged, Celestia announced to the group that they were to be filled in on what had started this whole affair, and that they were to return to where it had all started that night. Twilight's Castle. 
While en route, Celestia informed the Commander and those guards accompanying him context of the events that transpired over the last couple of days. As they traversed through the now barren and empty Ponyville, Twilight noted just how eerily quiet it was given all that had happened. It didn't sit too well with her, anxiety and nervousness taking an all time high after coming face-to-face with fatal odds twice the previous night. The Silence could be attested to the evacuation and how everypony was now at Applejack's farm, awaiting the all clear signal from Celestia, which most likely wouldn't be given till she was finished with whatever she wanted to show and tell Twilight and her friends. Nonetheless, it made Twilight jumpy, as if at any moment, human soldiers would pop out from the windows of all the houses to begin firing volley after volley pf death downrange at them below.
While not completely stable as she had been before the incident, Twilight knew well enough that the Equestrian guard stood very little chance against the trained human forces, whose technology, tactics, and experience clearly outperformed Equestria's best. If war was to come, or had secretively been the plan this whole time, there was no doubt that Equestria's chances of victory would be almost impossible. This led Twilight to inquire on their current course, and what information it would reveal. 

"Princess, what is it we're going to find once we get there?" Twilight asked.

Celestia looked to her student.

"To put it simply, Twilight, answers to what went awry last night." she stated. "Given how your castle is where it all started, it's best we start there."

Twilight then sported a saddened expression, as one more bad thing from that night that affected her personally. Celestia saw this, and sought to give her a slight bit of consolation.

"If I hadn't said it yet, you have my sympathies on the loss of your home, Twilight." she said consolingly.

"I appreciate it, Princess." Twilight replied. "I just have to wonder why they did it. What would they have to gain?"

"Because unlike Tim, they seem to been nothing but abhorrent brutes with no regard to the sanctity of life." Rarity proclaimed strongly.

"As much as I agree with you, Rarity, I have a feeling they wouldn't do it unless it had a motive behind it." Rainbow Dash suggested. "Everything they did had the sole purpose of aiding in their escape."

"Maybe they did it to send a message?" Corporal River Breeze guessed.

"If that were the case, why not just destroy the whole castle?" Said the other guardmare, Sergeant Amber Night. "That would've send a stronger message."

"Perhaps they lacked the means to do it." suggested the pegasus guard, Sergeant Platinum Moon. "Though what's the point in sending a message if your trying to find a means of escape?"

"Maybe because the humans who did it were just jerks like that?" Pinkie suggested.

"Or they used it as a distraction. Use it to buy themselves more time to escape." Commander Spark suggested.

"That may be a likely possibility, though I have a feeling there might have been other motives behind it." Celestia proposed.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"Call it a feeling, but I have a strong hunch that they came across the portal we constructed, and may have mistook its purpose."

"Mistook it's purpose?" Fluttershy questioned. "What would they have mistaken it for?"

"They may have seen it and deduced it as a prelude to an invasion of their world." Celestia explained. "From our experience with Tim, it's clear his people are a wary bunch. The humans wouldn't have done what they did unless they felt it necessary. The explosion we saw was quite powerful, powerful enough so that whatever needed to be destroyed should have nothing left behind to work from afterwards. What else would be worthy of such a degree of destruction that a portal linking directly to their world."

The more the ponies mulled it over, the more it began to make sense.

"That's ironic. One battle with them and now we're the ones fearing invasion." Platinum quipped.

"Do you honestly think it'll come to that, Princess?" Fluttershy asked.

"I pray not, Fluttershy." Celestia said. "But even if it does, we'll be ready when they return."

As much as Celestia's optimism did well to quell any growing fears, the thought would linger in the back of everypony's head. Celestia herself grew more and more fearful of the prospect the more she thought about it. The fears both her and Luna had once thought been quelled when they finally met Tim for the first time were now a very possible threat. She instinctively drew back to the writings of her mentor, Starswirl, and the first-hand accounts Tim had shared with her, and what should happen if Equestria were subjected to a similar fate. 
Meanwhile, the mere mention of the human that they had come to know over the last few days led Applejack to ask the question to both his role and whereabouts during the incident.

"Do you think Tim had anything to do with all of this?" Applejack asked. 

"That's a question we all want to know." Rainbow stated. "Where in Equestria was he during all this?"

"Do you think he betrayed us?" Fluttershy asked.

"No. He.............he was dead before it all started." Twilight answered sullenly.

Everypony around her, with the exception of Celestia, shot her a glare as though she were a time-bomb that was about ready to go off. Twilight looked up to see their expressions, and felt a slight sense of anxiety from it.

"Tim's dead?" Rarity spouted.

"Y..yes." Twilight replied. 

"Exactly when did you plan on telling us that?!?" Rainbow shouted.

"Rainbow!" Fluttershy snapped. "How can you yell at Twilight after-"

"No." Twilight interjected. "No, Rainbow's right. I should have told you the second I had the chance to. It's just........."

"Just what?" Applejack asked.

"That it-"

"That it was an unfortunate accident." Celestia interjected.

"Huh?" They all said collectively, looks now trained on the Solar Princess.

This was news to Twilight, one she ultimately wasn't expecting. She had assumed that maybe the humans had been responsible for it, maybe as a means of keeping secrets safe or as punishment for Tim relinquishing information they considered confidential. But then, Twilight began to think back, recalling the words Celestia had told her when she had first discovered Tim's untimely death, and how she described it as an incident. 

"What do you mean, accident?" Twilight said with a slightly confronting tone.

Celestia had a second of pause, as if in hesitation, but ultimately relented in responding, given that both the town was empty, and that everypony she had called for was now in attendance.

"They were here for Tim." she said with a sigh. "They're presence here was supposedly a mission to rescue him, at least that's what I collected before things turned violent as a result of his death. Princess Luna and I were on our way to speak with Tim on another matter, but then we found him sneaking through the halls with one of the other humans in tow. They knew one another very well, they were friends. His name was Achmed, if I remember correctly."

"If they were here to rescue Tim, why didn't he tell us?" Rainbow asked. "Furthermore, why did we go to all that effort to build a portal if they were just gonna rescue him?"

"He probably didn't even know, Rainbow." Twilight insisted. 

"I dunno, seems kinda fishy. A guy he knows shows up to meet up with him in secret during the middle of the night? Who does that?"

"Humans, apparently!" Pinkie quipped. "Hey, wait a minute, didn't you do something like that when you wanted to keep your love of Daring Do secret?"

"T-that was different." Rainbow stammered.

As the two argued on the formalities on Rainbow's previous nighttime escapade, Twilight tried to recollect and think on why the name, Achmed, sounded familiar.

"Achmed?" Twilight spoke out loud, finding the name familiar. "Didn't Tim mentioned that name a few times?"

"Hard to keep track of everything he said, but I gotta admit, does sound familiar." Applejack said.

"I believe he did." Celestia concurred. "Regardless, Tim seemed to be helping his friend leave the castle unseen, but didn't get very far in that regard. Naturally, Luna and I became suspicious, but my sister acted too rashly, throwing out accusations of betrayal."

"Well if I'd do the same if I caught him red handed." Rainbow Dash stated. 

"Like how we were when we caught you stealing a book from the hospital?" Pinkie asked.

Rainbow proceeded ignore the pink Earth pony's comments.

"Yes, but it only proved to make things worse." Celestia explained. "Achmed drew his weapon on us, but to my surprise, Tim did everything he could to deter his friend from lashing out, and was very forthcoming with the immediate questions we asked him, given how Achmed was not. Almost as if to show he wasn't trying to hide anything. When we learned there was more than one human on the premises and had asked how many more there were, Tim responded with the correct number, despite Achmed's vocal disapproval."

"What happened next?" Twilight asked.

"I suggested a more private place for Tim to explain things more clearly, and I also suggested that his friend and the humans we could find be taken temporarily into custody. Achmed clearly didn't take too kindly to that. He grew evermore nervous, and still refused to submit, despite Tim's assurances that he would not be harmed. Then Princess Luna.........."

There was a pause in her words, and it lasted long enough to draw verbal concerns from Twilight.

"Princess?" she asked. "Are you alright?"

Snapped out her deep thought, Celestia responded.

"....Y-yes....I'm fine. As I was saying, Princess Luna grew impatient trying to coerce him, and conjured a sleeping spell with hopes of knocking him out. Before either I or Tim could dissuade her, she cast it, with Tim shielding Achmed before he could succumb to it's effects. But instead, we learned a very unfortunate truth. Magic is lethal to humans."

The sudden revelation shocked a number of the party.

"W-What?" Twilight stammered.

"Instead of putting Tim to sleep, the spell burned a hole through his chest. It must have hit areas of his body that were vital, as it killed him in the process."

It was at this time that the group had finally approached their destination. While the exterior and foundation support of the castle still stood firm and strong, the structure was a stark contrast to what it once had been. Where there were once windows, now stood the charred husks of their frames, with just a few bits of glass remaining from where the explosion had shattered them. Smoke still escaped into the air from various spots on the first and second floors. A coat of ash and soot had blanketed the grounds around Twilight's once beloved home. And the most drastic and obvious change would have been the giant hole on the right side of her home, leaving scattered piles of wood, glass, and chunks of crystal.

"By the time Luna was aware of her grievous mistake, any attempt to make amends came too late." Celestia continued. "Achmed grew into a fury, and attacked us out of pure unbridled rage, a rage I haven't seen in many, many years."

"So, this whole thing was an accident?" Applejack asked. "Achmed attacked you and the rest of us because Princess Luna made a mistake in judgement?"

"I'm afraid so, Applejack." Celestia replied. "And now because of it, Equestria may be drawn into conflict."

"If it was an accident, how could this Achmed fella not have seen that?" Rainbow questioned.

"Would you see reason if that happened to you, Dash?" Applejack asked. "If one of us were killed by accident right in front of you, would you be so levelheaded?"

"Does that give him the right to take somepony else's life, Applejack?" Rarity pressed. 

"That's enough!" Celestia barked. "Arguing about it won't solve our dilemma." 

Twilight was still contemplating the fact that low-level magic was enough to kill Tim. To think how close Tim had been to a variety of spells she and the Princesses had cast, how close he was with death, even with the most minute of spells.

"How? How can a sleeping spell be lethal? How's that possible?" Twilight asked.

"I don't know, Twilight. Perhaps his home world and its lack of magic has something to do with it. But the answer to that will have to come later. Right now, we need to see if my suspicions were correct."

"And if they are?" Twilight asked.

"If they are correct, and the portal we constructed was the intended target of the blast, it means chances of any negotiations for peace may very well be lost to us."

And with that, Celestia began to climb up the stairs leading to the ruins of Twilight's castle, with the former occupant and company following closely behind.



The bottom floor of the portal was noticeably quieter and less busy than it had been the last few days, but many could attest that to the fact that the mission had concluded upon the return of the Fireteams. While science team was wrapping up, security stationed on the floor was lessened, consisting of only about ten personnel total all huddled in a group. Among them, were Nick and Francis, who currently held a conversation regarding the oddity of Achmed's actions, and why he had been debriefed alone.

"I bet my life it has something to do with that other portal they found." Cpl. Nabil Alblushi claimed. "How the hell did they build it to look like the one here?"

"You think Tim might have helped them?" Pfc. Trey Parker suggested.

"Doubtful." Richards said.

"Gotta agree on that one." Delp concurred. "Tim may know the ins and outs of a rifle, but he's no engineer."

"So how did they build it?" Nick asked. "They had to have had some human hand in it if it was and identical copy of the one right here."

"You think another human went to their world before Tim?" Nazif inquired.

"Like who?" Parker asked.

"I don't know. Just throwing out ideas."

"Maybe those pre-war techies that were supposedly here before the war went nuclear." Alblushi suggested.

"If that were the case, why weren't there any signs of the scientists here or on the mission?"  Cpl. Nathan Brooks inquired. "And furthermore, if the natives had this portal via pre-war scientists, why wait this long to use it?"

"Maybe they were killed once it was completed?" Delp suggested. "An, outliving their usefulness, sort of thing?"

"Plus, our world was at war at that time, with most armies at full strength." Richards added. "Maybe the natives knew, and sought to wait it out, then hit us when we were weak."

"But that was like 40 fucking years ago?" Nick noted. "Plus, why invade our world now? The place is a shithole!"

"Betcha they did it by using that fancy glowy magic shit they can do." Francis claimed. "If they use it to redirect light and shoot lasers, who knows what else it can do. Maybe it can summon things at will."

"If that were the case, why didn't they summon some giant nightmare creature to wreck our shit?" Locke brought up.

"I agree, that ability of theirs seems to have limits. I mean, we kicked their ass pretty fucking hard." Pvt. Ismail Nassar 

"Hell yeah we did!" Francis cheered.

"Anyways. They had to have had some level of technical expertise to construct something like this, and Tim lacked that."

"Okay, so maybe the ability has limits, doesn't mean you can't press them further to do something a little more complex." Nick argued.

"I think my idea makes more sense." Alblushi insinuated.

"Or, maybe.....................those aliens got help from other aliens! Who teamed up because they both wanted to take over the Earth!" Francis suggested.

The idiotic suggestion was met with an unusually larger amount of derision than usual as the group responded with a well-timed, in-unison, rebuttal.

"Shut up, Francis!"

The group continued as Francis recoiled from the sudden group dismissal.

"Besides, this doesn't even begin to cover the other shit that happened." Brooks added. "Like how, A, Tim wasn't found, and, B, Achmed suddenly found his balls."

"Yeah, what the hell was up with that hostage stunt!?" Nazif questioned.

"Hey, in his defense, it did effectively cover our withdrawal." Richards argued. 

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to do shit like that." Delp pressed.

"Don't get me wrong, I'd probably do the same, I just didn't expect Achmed of all people to pull something like that off." Nazif said. "I mean, most of the time he's kinda..............well............."

"A pussy?" Francis bluntly asked.

"Yeah, that. I mean, dude seems like he's about to lose his shit whenever Tim wasn't around."

"You think maybe something happened to Tim? And that's what led him to do it?" Nick inquired. 

The group suddenly grew quiet, and started to contemplate the possibility of that assessment.

"Holy shit, do you think-" Parker asked before being cut off by a sudden shout out.

"SERGEANT ON DECK!" a voice cried out.

Four figures entered the room through the bulkhead doors. The group looked towards them and saw Harris, Ahab, Lamond, and the Sarge had returned from stowing their gear up topside. The men dispersed from their huddle, and stood at attention. 

"Guess we're about to find out." Alblushi whispered to Parker's ear.

Sarah approached the group with an almost reluctant look spread across her face. Telling them the bad news was one thing, but the fact they were all huddled around clearly indicated that they had been speculating. But she was strong. Sarah put a strong face on, and approached the group of men.

"At ease. Being productive as usual I see." She opened up with a slight joke. 

"C'mon Sarge, you're always a little lenient after a fight." Richards piped up.

"That I am, given when my men are sensible enough to know when and when not to let their guard down. By the way, you all did a good job with that rescue."

"Even me, Sarge?" Francis quipped.

"Yes, Francis, even you. Surprising, I know."

The men let out a few chuckles, a good way to ease them into what was about to come next. Sarah let out a deep sigh, and the slight look of amusement reverted back to a sullen expression.

"I have no doubt you all have questions." Sarah stated. "But before you ask any, know that I'm still a bit in the dark as well. But I don't make a habit of keeping secrets from you guys, I'll tell you what I know."

The soldiers looked to one another, with a general trust in their CO being clearly evident. 

"I think I speak for all of us when I ask this." Nick said. "But, I guess the most obvious question would be if you found Tim."

Sarah braced herself, as did the men behind her. Lamond's hand landed on her shoulder, and as she looked behind to meet him, he expressed on nod that served as emotional encouragement. Throwing any reluctance aside, she pulled Tim's dog tags from her belt pouch, the displayed them to the group before her. 

"We did." she said sullenly.

The reaction she received was a mix of anger and sadness. Though the world they lived in made loss a regular occurrence, the blows it dealt to ones soul could never be truly undone. Most within the group took it like most humans did, saddened yet making no attempt to let a crack form across the emotional armor they had built up over the years. Others cursed out it quiet tongues. Whether these curses were reserved for their enemy, fate, or simple circumstance could not be determined. Sarah herself felt they may have been directed towards her, though no man in her unit would have the nerve to say it straight to her face. However, she felt they were deserved. Tim was under her charge, and though she couldn't save them all, every life lost under her command was her responsibility.

"How?" Francis asked, his usual jesting-behavior completely devoid at the moment. "How'd he die?"

"Killed by the natives. Their leadership to be specific." Sarah replied. "Achmed was there when it happened."

"Why would they kill Tim?" Parker asked.

"I don't know, Parker. Achmed indicated they were using him, but, I'm not certain on what exactly happened."

"Is that why he took that native as a hostage?" Alblushi asked. "Is that why he's acting so...different?"

The mention of Achmed's change in behavior made her think back on what he had told her, how Tim had been used as a pawn, and how hurt he seemed to say it out loud. Whatever he saw made him snap. It threw her off on any assumptions she had previously had. To make matters worse, she barely knew the man's past, or what his story was, what had molded him into the quiet and timid man he was, and what sporadically changed his character.

"It's possible." Sarah replied. "Even though we really won't know until Achmed's done with his debriefing with Commander Sawyer, I want all of you to be keep on eye on him. Report to me if he does anything unusual."

"You think he's gone loco, Sarge?" Brooks asked.

"I don't think so, but he's clearly not the same as he was, and it has me worried. For now, all we can do is hope he can grieve and recover, but that stunt was a signal that he's definitely on edge. I hope that if we reach out, he may be able to overcome what happened, can y'all do that for me?"

The group reached a general consensus on that, with Nazif stepping up to ask the next question.

"So, what was with that portal?" he asked.

"That I actually don't know. No doubt we'll get some answers after the debriefing. All we can do for now is wait on that one."




It had been about two hours into the debriefing, most of it consisting of what Achmed had learned from Berfield, recounting the events he had experienced up to the point where he and Achmed had been reunited. From Achmed, they were able to learn about Magic, Equestria, the four races, and Tim's attempts at trying to reach home himself, with hints of alterior motives on the natives part being subtly woven in by Achmed. Most of what Tim encountered were shared in detail to the three men conducting the debriefing, with some minor details being left out to make his stay seem more cold and collective that the charitable and hospitable one that it actually was.

"So you informed him of our mission?" Andrew asked.

"Yes, sir." Achmed replied. "He seemed incessant on staying though. Felt like he could broker a deal between our two species." 

"Yet Berfield might have been played from the start. Private Sabbag, explain to me in detail, what all had Berfield told you about the portal before you ran into that patrol with the two native leaders?" Andrew asked.

"Mostly what I've already said, sir." Achmed stated. "That it was constructed via their abilities for the supposed purpose of returning him home. It was only until we accidentally ran in with their leaders that some new insight came in on it."

""And what insight would that be exactly?" Viktor inquired.

Achmed was careful when approaching the question, seeing as he was well into the fabrication part of his tale. He knew very well that when he'd answer, he'd need to play it safe, while simultaneously playing it off as foul play on the native's part.

"Well, as the Commander already knows, we were confronted, and in a not-so-friendly manner at that. The blue started by charging that horn of hers. They then said some things that didn't make a whole lot of sense at the time, as I was under the assumption that they were simply helping Tim return home."

"What did they say that changed that assumption?" Andrew asked.

"That blue one started throwing out assumptions of betrayal and espionage. And for some reason sir, she knew your name. She confronted me, and presumed I was you. I informed her otherwise, and she grew even more fearful and paranoid once she realized there was more than one of us on the premises. One of the guards then piped up, saying that their project could be compromised."

"I'll assume this project was probably the portal?" Bradford said.

"Your guess is as good as mine, but I'd say that's probably the case." Achmed replied.

"What happened next?" Andrew asked.

"Well, Tim was more or less just as confused as I was." Achmed explained. "He asked what they were talking about?"

"Did he get an answer?" Viktor asked.

"Unsurprisingly, no. The white one ordered everyone to be silent just as soon as he asked."

"Did you ask anything by chance?" Andrew asked.

"No. My nerves were racked at an all time high as it was. My primary focus was trying to find a way out of there with Tim in tow."

Andrew and Vik were both analyzing Sabbag's tone and body language, seeking out any signs that may seem as if he may be lying. Surprisingly enough, there hadn't been any. No twitch of the eye, no shrug of the shoulder, no attempt to avoid eye contact when anything was said. Everything that had been said up to this point was mostly believable, and did fall in line with everything Andrew had witnessed. No gaps or inconsistencies with what they already knew to be found.

"Continue." Andrew said.

"That's when things began to deteriorate." Achmed stated. "The white one derided her counterpart for poor handling of the situation, and suggested somewhere more private to discuss the matter. She then ordered that we both be detained temporarily."

"I can see how that could lead to conflict, but how did it go from being detained to being killed on sight?" Andrew asked.

"Tim seemed to trust them, a little too much in my opinion. He tried to persuade me to stand down, I.......responded by slamming by rifle butt in his gut."

The three men raised an eyebrow, as that was a very odd way to respond, but given how Achmed had explained how he was nervous, it made some sense.

"That's one way to say no." Viktor commented.

"I know, but I was tense, and uncertain of what I should have done. Even after I knocked him to the floor, Tim tried to reassure me that we'd be alright, but I was pretty vocal that I wasn't going to come quietly."

"Is that when it happened then?" Andrew asked.

It was at this moment Achmed debated whether or not to go through entirely. What he would say next would ultimately determine his fate, and whether humanity would return to the world of the enemy as either negotiators, or conquerors. It would all boil down to who would shoot first. After some quick thinking, Achmed made his decision.

"Yes. Seeing that I was uncooperative, the blue one charged up a spell, saying it didn't really matter whether I was cooperative or not. That one way or another, they only needed one human to proceed effectively. To build past the prototype."

His last sentence caught the attention of the three men leading the debriefing.

"Prototype?" Andrew asked.

"Yes, sir. Apparently they had planned to build more, and they didn't tell Tim. Because, after she said that, Tim seemed confused, even a little angry. She continued by suggesting to her counterpart that perhaps I had more knowledge on the subject of our world and technology than Tim did. Tim wasn't the brightest when it came to the latter. The white one begrudgingly agreed. And that's when she killed him. Right in front of me."

The three men leading the debriefing looked to one another, taking everything Achmed had just said into account. While all three knew to be skeptical, it was hard to discredit the possibility of it being true. For Andrew, what he feared most may have already come to pass. Bradford, feared a war was inevitable at this point, and if what Sabbag had said were true, peace may be completely out of the question.
Viktor, however, was still unconvinced. While Sabbag's story was not completely out of the realm of possibility, he tried to find a motive for these creatures to take such a hostile course of action. To seek humanity's technology and use it for their own agenda? Subjugate the human race? Wipe out humanity before they could become a threat? All three of these possibilities seemed plausible, yet the outcome of their battle with both his and Andrew's fireteams seemed to contradict those notions.
The battle ended terribly for the native military force, so much so that any one of their plans would have undoubtedly resulted in failure. They may have just been overly arrogant in their chances, but everything from their soldiers to their tactics seemed only to work against them for any plan that involved invasion. One portal was not something to be ignored, but if they were going to invade Earth they'd need more than just portals and troops. Scientists would need to create a way to block out or repel the radiation which would assuredly kill a majority of any unprotected armed force. And what sense could be made for simply offing one out of two persons who could provide vital info on your soon-to-be adversary?
While the actions of their leaders seemed to correlate with foul play, the experience of their soldiers and the methods of carrying it out did not. Once they had concluded with their own thoughts, attention was brought back to Achmed.

"What else was said before you opened fire?" Andrew asked.

"I.......I honestly can't recall if she did say anything." Achmed replied "I had just watched my friend get murdered before my eyes. After that, I took up my rifle and opened fire. I wasn't going to help them, not after that. And that's when you showed up, sir."

That was the que that indicated that they had learned all they could from Achmed.

"Well....................thank you for disclosing the gaps for us, Private Sabbag." Andrew said, breaking the silence. "We'll be sure to write all this down in the official after-action report. You're dismissed."

Achmed got up from the chair he was sitting in, giving a salute to both Andrew and Viktor, and then proceeding to exit the room, leaving the three men to discuss what to make of what they had just been told. The room was silent for about half a minute, everyone within its confines contemplating what was to come next, both in the immediate and long term future. 

"So?" Andrew asked, breaking the silence. "What do you two think?" 

"That he's probably full of shit." Viktor quickly responded.

Andrew frowned at his response.

"I was being serious, Vik." Andrew pointed out.

"So was I. I don't buy what he says for a second."

"Because you were there when he was confronted, right?"  Andrew remarked. 

"Oh, okay, so what did you see before you decided throwing a fucking flashbang was a great idea!?" Viktor yelled.

"Pretty much as Sabbag described it, jackass! Right down to the part where he slugged Berfield in gut with a rifle stock! So I can assume that what he said probably fucking happened!"

"Gentlemen! Please, there's no need for raised voices." Bradford urged. "Things are tense, I know, but we need to bring things back down to a civil level."

Taking the advice of the young councilor, the two took a minute to cool their heads, before returning to the conversation.

"Now, Colonel, what makes you think Sabbag may have been lying?" Bradford asked.

"Andrew, you yourself saw just how pitiful their defense was against just twelve of us. Tell me, just how in the hell were they planning on invading the entirety of Earth with such a mediocre fighting force!?"

"Arrogance perhaps?" Andrew responded. "Wouldn't be the first time someone's found disaster by biting off more than they could chew."

"Perhaps they thought their magical abilities would provide enough of an advantage to overpower us?" Bradford suggested.

"Which seems to have failed. Besides that's not really the point here." Andrew stated. "Sabbag mentioned that they referred to the portal as the prototype. Prototype, Vik. Do you have any idea what that means?"

"I'm certain you're about to tell me?"

"No, he is." Andrew stated, pointing to Bradford.

"It means they have a schematic or blueprint to work off of." Bradford explained. "They could very well rebuild it using the same magic and science they did to create the first one, They might have already done so."

"And even if they haven't, Vik, it's undoubtedly guaranteed to happen after the shit we just pulled. Our actions won't go unanswered, I can promise you that."

While the two brought up some pretty fair points, Vik still wasn't buying it.

"Or he just fed us a complete lie to cover his ass!" Viktor implied again. "Tell me, Andrew, what sense is there in killing off one human for another? Why instigate hostilities with another species off the bat without even a real first impression, all it would serve is to piss someone off! An antagonistic nation like that would have had a lot of enemies, and nothing we encountered in the way of defenses or tactics fits that style of government."

Andrew mulled his friend's observations over, and slowly but assuredly began to see his point.

"Fair enough, but even so, the portal could have very well served another purpose, and Berfield still remains killed in cold blood at the hands of their leadership. Those two things still lead me to believe something was going on behind the scenes. Something that still has me worried."

"Perhaps they didn't take too kindly to trespassers?" Bradford suggested.

"I'd agree, but why take time to talk with them afterwards?" Andrew argued. "I may not have heard a whole lot, but that conversation lasted well beyond two minutes, and all we have for first hand accounts is Sabbag's."

"To which I still believe he made parts of it up." Viktor stated.

"Even so, Vik, the fact remains that if they were able to create a functional portal to Earth, they can do it again." Andrew argued. "Whether or not Sabbag's account is true or not, the possible threats are still there. And given that we left their world after shooting the place up, albeit unwanted, things have taken a terrible turn for the worst."

"And if they make it to Earth. What then?" Viktor asked. "Most of the planet is a barren lifeless wasteland, filled to the brink with radiation and mutated monsters! They wouldn't survive a week."

"Given how they were able to take down an Obelisk, I doubt that'll stifle-"

"One dead Obelisk, killed on their side of the portal mind you, doesn't warrant them to be the threat you think they are! Hell, if they were able to kill an Obelisk, how could they not handle the twelve of us!? Let me put things in perspective for you, Andrew."

"Here we go...." Andrew mouthed under his breath.

"They would need to scout the entire planet before they'd even come close to us. AND, to put them at even more of a disadvantage, We can simply evacuate an outpost to give them the slip if we need to! There's only one major concentration of human beings on the planet, one vital point in our infrastructure, which they still don't know the location to. And even when they do find us, they'd have to fight us. To them, it is literally the deadliest game of needle in a haystack."

"So what?" Andrew asked. "We just wait for them to bring the fight to us?"

"Of course not!" Viktor demurred.

"So what is your concern then!?"

Viktor looked at the two men, a slight reluctance to his demeanor.

"I doubt it's any secret that you two will argue to go back to the world once you have returned to New Damascus?" he asked.

Bradford and Andrew exchanged looks of hesitation before they both relented with a reply.

"Yes. In my case, you'd be correct in that assumption." Bradford replied.

"You already know my answer." Andrew replied. "But I fail to see how this even matters. My position as both Councilor and Commander-in-chief will no doubt be revoked by the Council once they've learned what's happened."

"Yes, while that is more than likely, do you think the Council would decide against a return to this world?" Viktor inquired.

The two Councilors pondered his question, thoroughly taking into account the tendencies and predispositions of each Council member and how the recent shortages would play into their decisions. The two both came to the same conclusion.

"Well, no. They'd have to be insane to pass this up." Andrew argued. "Even Patel would probably concede to it, though probably not off the bat."

"Exactly!" Viktor exclaimed. "Like you said, we'll be returning to this world one way or another. But when we do, we need to be ready to fight at the negotiating table, not the frontlines! My concern, Andrew, is that we're walking right back into another conflict. We need to avoid open war."

Andrew knew better than anyone where his friend was coming from. They both endured the Conflict at its most brutal and bloody point. Both had suffered the hell of a war that seemingly had no end in sight, and both knew of the sacrifices it took to achieve the very hard-earned peace that finally ended it. And both were reluctant to give that peace up. But where Vik saw a chance of maintaining it, Andrew saw only the inevitability of it crumbling down.

"That may be impossible at this point. I doubt the natives would even be willing to negotiate. If they didn't think less of us before, they sure as hell do now."

"Only if we don't try, Andrew." Viktor said. "Only if we don't try."

Andrew sighed.

"What's the time?" he asked. 

Bradford looked at his watch and answered.

"Precisely 8:13 AM."

Andrew then stood up from behind his desk.

"Alright, Vik. We'll do it your way, but I'm still certain this isn't going to work. I'll get to work on writing the after-action report immediately. Afterwards, I'm going need you, Sergeant Martinez, and Private First Class Sabbag to accompany me back to Fort Bismark. Bradford, get your things together and come with us as well. Leave your team here, and oversee that the portal's maintained. I'll radio ahead and tell Bakowski and them to prep the plane. We leave for New Damascus by 1600 hours."





As the party walked through the front doors of Twilight's home, the sight that greeted them was one of battle and bloodshed. Debris and shell casings littered the ground. From the top of the staircase, the blood of those guards who had fallen in the early stages of the human's escape now seeped down the stairs, staining the carpet that lay atop it red. The scent of burning objects filled the air, making the smell unavoidable. Blackened scorch marks left in the wake of the raging fires coated the hallways where loose objects had once been.
The scene was hard to ignore, especially for its former occupant, who had come to call the place home after losing her previous home just less than a year before. Furthermore, from the way the scorch marks seemed to originate from the right hallway, Celestia's speculation was looking more likely by the second.

"This way, everypony." Celestia beckoned, as she began making her way down the right hallway.

Everypony quickly followed her lead. They traveled further down the hall, the once crystalline halls became progressively more grey, as ash and rubble became more and more frequent. 

"What in heavens could they have used to do all this?" Corporal River Breeze commented.

"According to Tim, humans had a very advanced grasp on technology." Twilight answered. "No doubt the device they used was an explosive that stemmed from that technological growth."

"If that's the case, then it's safe to assume almost all their soldiers carry something similar?" Commander Spark asked.

"I wouldn't know. Tim was very reluctant to share the technology of his weapons, out of fear they could be used against his kind."

"Well his kind didn't seem to hesitate when using it against us." said Sergeant Platinum.

"Oh no........." Applejack gulped, pointing a hoof.

Everypony was now in sight of what she was referring to. They had reached the library, or where in once stood. The once proud doors that preceded it had now been completely blown off their hinges and splintered, charred and shriveled from the fires that batted against them. Now resting atop the receding hill of rubble, ash, and debris that stemmed from both the entrance and the giant hole directly behind it.
The group traversed over the hill of debris, the remains of the library itself, and found a much more disturbing sight within. The room was completely unrecognizable. Countless volumes of knowledge littered the ground, almost all burnt to a fine crisp. Bookshelves stood in crumbling wrecks or in pyres of ash. Sections of the second floor had essentially caved in where their supports had been destroyed. The tables within, blown to smithereens, and the portal itself was essentially gone. All the damage centered around where the portal had once stood, a large crater the size of the castle map table left in its wake. The sights and damage left behind lead everypony to the same conclusion. The Library had been ground zero for the explosion.

"Then it is as I feared." Celestia glumly stated. "May fate grant us fortune in the days to come."

The group walked down towards the central crater. Twilight looked over her once beloved library, now reduced to nothing. Tears filled her eyes, and though she tried to stifle her cries, her friends noticed almost instantly, and came to her aid.

"There, there, sugarcube." Applejack said, giving Twilight a much needed hug of comfort. "Like you said, home is where you make it."

"And no matter what, Ponyville is your home." Fluttershy stated.

"We promise we'll help you rebuild darling." Rarity assured her. 

"Yeah, we've been through thick and thin enough times to owe you that." Rainbow added.

"No matter how many times your home blows up, we'll be there to fix it!" Pinkie added in with a joke.

Twilight let out a small laugh with that. She was still saddened by the state of her home, by Tim's death, and all those who had fallen, but she was still able to find consolation with her friends and the support they provided.

"Thank you." Twilight said. "And you're right. No matter how many times I fall down, I'm glad I still have all of you to help bring me back up, through better or worse."

Celestia looked at the scene of friendship and love with joy, seeing her pupil come out of this situation as her same old self brought her comfort. Yet her joy would have to be short-lived. With the portal destroyed and the book that detailed the instructions and how to construct it having no doubt burned in the fires that followed meant attempts at negotiating would be next to impossible. 
There was always the possibility that another book housed within one of the many archives around Equestria may retain the same knowledge, and while she would no doubt send agents to collect what they could, there was no guarantee they would be successful. Meanwhile, the humans had several portals at their disposal. Then there was the publicity that recent events were almost certain to receive. News ponies and reporters from every corner of Equestria were certain to arrive in Ponyville to cover what had happened. No doubt they'd be here within the hour, if they weren't here already. Celestia could practically foresee the endless articles that would be written about it.
This would lead to political ramifications, about the ineffectiveness of the guard and the safety of Equestria as a whole, and against the potential of humanity's destructiveness, a destructiveness that apparently killed billions, the nation's chances looked slim. One way or another, Equestria was about to enter a crisis over this, possibly even a war, and it would be up to her and Luna to see to it that the nation and its subjects overcome it as best as they can.

"GAH!! SWEET CELESTIA WHAT IS THAT THING!?!" Corporal Amber Night screamed.

The high pitch tone of her voice garnered the attention of all those within the room. With all eyes on her, it looked as if she had been rummaging through some of the rubble, when a large patch of debris revealed the head of the severed head of the Obelisk that had been slain by Princess Luna. The find must have come as quite a surprise, as Amber Night had fallen on her back The guards had there weapons out, and were ready to face the threat before Celestia stepped in.

"At ease!" Celestia commanded. "It's dead and no longer a threat."

With this information in mind, the guardponies followed their Princess' directive and put away their weapons. Everypony was stunned to see that it was still here, and in one piece. The head had not only survived the blast, but that other than some heavy surface burns, the skin had stayed intact even after the inferno that had followed. The size of its head alone was still as daunting as it had been before, but with the knowledge of knowing it was dead, nopony had anything to fear from it.

"Your Majesty, what in Equestria is this thing, and why is it here?" Commander Spark asked.

"Tim called it an Obelisk. It was a creature from the human world. One of great strength and ferocity. We encountered it when the portal was first activated." Celestia explained. "My sister however was able to subdue it, but know that it was as equally dangerous as the humans themselves."

"Good gracious, that thing is ugly." River stated. "It looks like it's diseased or something."

"That's because it's mutated." Twilight added. "Something about Tim's world altered all the animals on it. Turned them into monsters."

"Well it nearly gave me a heart attack!" Amber Night exclaimed, still on the ground.

"Well if it's dead, then there's nothing to worry about. On your hooves, soldier." Commander Spark ordered.  

The Corporal did as instructed. As she got herself up. The other ponies in the room approached the giant severed head.

"Out of all the things to survive the blast, it had to be this egregious thing." Rarity grimaced.

"As resilient in death as it was in life it would seem." Celestia commented.

"One tough sucker, that's for sure." Applejack added. 

"What should we do with it?" Twilight asked.

Celestia would have suggested simply disposing of it, yet a thought occurred to her. This things skin was incredibly durable, at least enough to deflect the common weapons of human soldiers. A trait, that if somehow replicated, could prove incredibly useful in combat. She brainstormed a solution, a found one in a flash.

"Perhaps we may be able to learn a thing or two from it." Celestia stated. "Commander, when we're done here, see if you can't round up a recovery team. I want this transported to the Canterlot School of Magic as soon as possible, see if the minds there can uncover a way to replicate its defensive capabilities for use against another attack."

"I'll have my guards on it as soon as we leave, your majesty." Commander Spark replied.

"Thank you." she replied.

She then turned her attention to the elements, who seemed somewhat frightened by assumption that more attacks would undoubtedly follow, which at this point, was a likely scenario. Yet Celestia knew that hiding the harsh realities of the situation would only make matters worse, so she decided to go on the level with them.

"As the Elements of Harmony, you six have taken up a duty to defend this land and those within it who call it home. While the actions and triumphs of your previous exploits are no less important, the challenges and threats that face us ahead may prove to dwarf what you've previously accomplished. This time, millions of lives are on the line, and we need to prepare for any possible scenario that may follow. Should the worse come to pass and war be at our doorstep, we need everypony to pitch in the collective effort of our defense, and it may even be that this effort may cost you more than what you thought was possible. Friends, family, your own lives. I say this to you not to frighten you, but to clarify what lies ahead. But know that whatever struggle befalls on us, we will face it together. The threats you face are the threats I face, and we'll face them together. This task will require you to be away from your home, and even those you love. For how long I do not know. With all this said, can I still count on you six uphold this duty, and to see these days through with me and my sister to ensure the safety of Equestria and its subjects?"

The elements were quiet for a second, contemplating the weight of this decision. It would effectively have them at the forefront of both the political and public repercussions and reactions that were to follow this unfortunate event. How they were even going to handle this still remained a mystery, yet they found slight comfort in knowing that both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would be sharing in this duty. Whatever the case, it was clear that this could not be ignored. With knowledge of this, Twilight stepped forward.

"I'll uphold this duty, Princess." she stated boldly. "I'll do everything I can to ensure Equestria is safe from invasion."

Rainbow Dash was next to answer the call.

"You can count on me in, Princess." she proudly said with a salute.

"Me too." Fluttershy chimed. 

"Me three!" Pinkie shouted. 

"I'm ready to do my part, Princess." Applejack promised.

"As am I." Rarity joined in.

Celestia smiled, genuinely admiring the resolve the elements had within them.

"Then let us make haste. We must find my sister, and discuss the plan of action we should take."

As they filed out of the room, Celestia, while grateful for their eager assistance, could not help but feel as if she were forcefully pressing them into duty. Despite it being their choice, the Solar princess did not pride herself in what possible danger she would have them face. If she could do things her way, she would face these struggles alone. Alas that task was quite a feat, even for an alicorn as powerful as her. Even in her many years as ruler, war was something as unfamiliar and alien as the humans who would inevitably bring it to her home.
> Chapter 29: Preparing For the Road Ahead
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With potential war on their doorstep, both sides begin to take the steps towards resolution in an effort to avert bloodshed. While doubt whether these efforts will be successful lingers in the minds of some, those who wish to see their endeavor bear fruit refuse to lose hope that peace can be brokered. Little do they know that fate had other plans.........




The halls of the facility were strangely quiet where Achmed was. After being dismissed by his superiors he began to make his way towards the impromptu barracks 3rd Company had set up on the site. Thoughts of how those three men would perceive his testimony filled his mind, and he began to feel doubts creeping up on him. 
Achmed soon found himself at his destination. He opened the door and stepped inside the room. Three rows of double bunks stretched up and down the long open space, and as he looked around, he quickly saw that nobody was there. He found comfort in that, as he preferred that nobody would see what he was about to do next. Achmed began to walk down to his bunk, the 10th frame down on the last row from the door. Once there, he made another look around the room, just to confirm that he was alone. He was, and he proceeded to move the bed frame out from the wall a little. There was a loud clank as something fell and hit the ground. 

"*Dammit.*" Achmed quietly cursed.

He knew the item in question, for he stowed it there in secret and out of sight before he headed to his debriefing, despite the orders he was given. Achmed bent down to retrieve the item, picking it up and inspecting it more closely one more time. Tim's AKM, one of the last thing's that held the memory of his fallen friend. Though he was ordered to return it to the quartermaster, given that it was part of the 3rd's arsenal, Achmed couldn't bring himself to do it. This rifle would be the one thing that would drive him forward with what he wanted to accomplish, and with any luck, the tool that would deliver justice. 
Tim was not the first friend Achmed had lost in his life. So many faces from his childhood raced across his mind. Friends, siblings, brothers and sisters, all fallen for a cause of faith that was not their own. The countless memories he had shared with them and the impact that their deaths had now left on him as grown man had turned him into the timid soul so many had come to know him by. But no more.
Tim would be the final straw, the nail in the coffin for who Achmed used to be, restraint was apparently for the weak, and had only caused more death for him by the end. Now, Achmed had purpose, a drive, a need to see this through. No longer would the deaths of those he cared for go unanswered. Tim's death will be paid with blood, and Achmed would die seeing that it was.

"*A life for a life.*" He spoke solemnly to himself.

Suddenly, Achmed could hear something from behind. Taking a moment to listen carefully, he recognized it as the the distinct shifting of feet, gradually becoming more and more audible by the second. Achmed quickly tried to see who it might have been, and if he had time to stow away the weapon before they either passed by or entered the room. Yet by the time he turned around, the person in question, Colonel Viktor Antonov, had already entered the room. The two were now locked in a gaze.
At this point Achmed made no attempt to hide the rifle, and wasn't even certain if he'd be called out on it. Achmed simply saluted respectfully, making an attempt to look natural.

"Colonel." He addressed.

"Private First Class Sabbag." Viktor greeted him. "Pack your things, you're needed in New Damascus."

The news hit like a bullet, only Achmed had trouble on how he should feel about it and what details such a thing entailed.

"What? Why?" Achmed asked.

"Your testimony is needed. You'll be presenting it before the council." Viktor replied. "Now pack your things, we leave for Fort Bismark at 1700. Have that weapon and everything else together by that time. Dismissed."

Viktor then turned around to leave and was soon gone from view. With that last sentence of his alone, the stakes just got raised to level 10. Achmed began to panic a little. Directly retelling his embellished account to the Commander-in-chief took a lot of nerve, but to retell it to the entirety of the council? Those doubts he had felt earlier were now coming back in force. But almost as if fate herself intervened, he once again turned to his newfound confidence to cope with it.

"C'mon Achmed, get it together. If you can put up a straight face to Sawyer you can put it up to the rest of them. You need to see this through" Achmed convinced himself.

He took a deep breath, and slung the rifle around his shoulder as he began to sort and pack his things. The experience of packing up his things made him rethink the priorities he had had before the mission, before he had witnessed his friend's demise. He recalled the argument he and Tim had in the elevator upon discovering this place, the talk of how Achmed had never planned to fully commit his life to the Militia, how his service was only temporary, and that the duties to the very little family he had left took priority. Perhaps they still did.
Family. There was something Achmed had a very bumpy history with, something that like Tim, he made no habit of sharing. That was common amongst most people. No sense in rekindling sad memories from ages ago he supposed. He diverted his thoughts away from the past, and redirected them towards the family he still had, which would no doubt be reduced by one within the month. His thoughts drew to his mother, Esma Sabbag, who, according to letters he got from his sister, currently lay bedridden from radfever, as it slowly withered away both her immune system an her mind. The thoughts of her death did not pain him as much as they probably should have. That was not to say he didn't love her, he did, but her mind had been gone for about two years now. 
The sickness that plagued her mind and body began sometime before Achmed had joined the ranks of the Militia, with small fits of delirium and amnesia setting in about six months into his service. Her chances at fighting the disease were slim, being 49 years old when she contracted it. Now 54 years old, the short fits of memory loss had racked her mind to where she could barely think straight. By this point, recovery would almost be a guaranteed impossibility and Achmed was wholeheartedly convinced that his mother was already gone, as each time he'd come to visit her, her mind had progressed further and further into degradation. On his last visit, it took both his and his sister's convincing that Achmed was even home during that temporary leave. 
Achmed deterred his mind from the impending death of his mother. He then thought of his sister. Little Suha, though she wasn't as little as she had been when Achmed left. Five years serving in the Militia had made watching her grow up a surprise upon each visit, as well as an overall feeling of sadness. Five years away and he had missed a portion of his sister's life. Despite both her and his mother's assurances, Achmed had always felt a little guilty for leaving them both while his mother was in failing health. He had always promised that he would return to be Suha's guardian when their mother's life would finally pass, but now, that was looking iffy. If war was to come, and he had a feeling that it would now that he was to testify before the council, he would be needed to fight, leaving her to essentially care for herself. No doubt friends of their mother would watch over her, but to leave Suha alone with no family after their mother was gone felt wrong.
Achmed began to feel conflicted over what his actions would entail. Now that he had fed the Commander a falsified record of what had transpired, his account of the events would be the point of reference from which to take action. Action that would very likely result in war. Achmed could fool himself into thinking he lied to avoid execution, but to do so would be lying to himself. He lied to avenge his friend, and although his feelings towards such a course of action hadn't changed, the guilt of essentially abandoning his only family to pursue a personal vendetta hit him hard. He sunk his head in sorrow.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into?"




"What needs to be done?" Twilight asked Celestia.

The group of ponies we're making their way towards the castle's entrance, simultaneously discussing what necessary steps were to be taken next, both individually and collectively. The discussion had already covered the necessary preparations each of them would have to conduct themselves, packing their things, saying their goodbyes, and so forth. Once that had been covered they moved on to the possible political situation that would no doubt be waiting for them upon their arrival to Canterlot, and how to best prepare for it.

"I'll have the guards secure the train station here in Ponyville." Celestia responded. "That will at least give us a clear path for when we leave."

"Clear path?" Pinkie Pie said confusedly. "A clear path for what?"

"Who do you think? Newsponies, concerned citizens, practically all of Equestria!" Rainbow Dash explained. 

"Word'll spread fast bout this." Applejack added. "No doubt everypony from Appleloosa to Manehattan has heard the news already."

"And considering the incident involved three of the Princesses, worry and panic is bound to circulate." Commander Spark noted.

"There will be a time and place to quell the concerns of the ponies of Equestria." Celestia clarified. "But for now, it's best if we can recuperate and recollect to form a cohesive plan of action."

The group concurred with Celestia's suggestion. After another minute or so, they had returned to foyer once more. 

"Alright my little ponies, now I need each of you to return here once you've collected your things and said your goodbyes." Celestia instructed. "A difficult task awaits us, and the sooner we attend to it the better."

The group of ponies replied with a confirming nod of agreement. Celestia then turned to Commander Spark, as she had a job for him and the guards with him.

"Commander, send one of your guards to accompany Twilight. Then I need you to see if the reinforcements from Baltimare have arrived, If so, I require you to rally up as many of your reserve guards as you can and have the train station secured for our arrival. And if at all possible, see if you can't get word on what has happened to my si-"

At that moment the front door to Twilight's home opened, and inside stepped several of Luna's night guards along with a few medics from Commander Spark's detachment of reserves. Soon, what stepped out and into view from the door was no other than the Princess of the Night herself.

"Sister!" Celestia exclaimed with tears of joy in her eyes, relieved to know that her sister had survived her injuries.

Celestia swarmed her sister with the biggest bear hug, one in which she was uncertain if she could let go, making certain to avoid any contact with where Luna had sustained injuries. Luna warmly returned the favor, albeit not as forcefully.
While glad to see that Luna was alive, many of the ponies present couldn't help but feel a small sense of disdain for her, given that her actions resulted in death of another sapient being, and ultimately started last night's events. There was guilt towards these feelings of course, as they all understood that Luna's actions were no way intentional, but nonetheless, her actions had inadvertently kick-started last night's terrible events. The mood of the room became a little more wary than it had been before, but nopony dared breath a word to these thoughts.

"It is good to see you too, dear sister." Luna said with a grateful smile across her face. "The same goes to the rest of you. I'm glad to know none of you were harmed by last night's events."

Releasing Luna from her loving grip, Celestia looked over her sister to assess how she had fared from her injuries. Luna's right wing was bandaged heavily, with a small but thick red stain bleeding through. Her right foreleg was also bandaged heavily with casts wrapping around the stem of her pastern and forearm which altogether currently rested upon a temporary crutch which more or less assisted her in walking. Other than that, she looked to be in good health. 

"How are you feeling?" Celestia asked.

"Better than before, but the pain is still there. A little hard to walk." Luna replied.

"How bad were your injuries?"

At that time, one of the medics under Commander Spark's command began to make her way up to the two princesses to assess all that had been done to treat Luna's injuries. A green coated earth-pony mare, with a white mane and tail.

"Your majesty." She greeted with a bow. "Sergeant Remedy, I oversaw the treatment of Princess Luna's injuries."

"What's your professional opinion, Sergeant?" Celestia asked.

"Well, whatever weapons those creatures used tore straight through two parts of her right foreleg and then through her wing. The injury itself was similar to an arrow yet more advanced." Sgt. Remedy explained. "The entry wound was smaller than the exit wound by a considerable margin. While the actual range of her injuries weren't too catastrophic, another few inches to the left would have probably ended her life."

The mere thought of that filled Celestia, and everypony else for that matter, with unease. 

"Thankfully that didn't happen." Sgt. Remedy continued. "We stopped the bleeding and patched her up the best we could with what we had. I pride myself on my medical work, but just to be safe, I would see if one of the doctors in Canterlot would give a second opinion. I have no telling how long it will take for a wound like that to heal. Exit wounds are one thing but for all we know, those weapons could have an unknown after effect."  

The thought of that led Celestia down a worrisome road of speculation, fearing that perhaps her sister, along with everypony else who sustained injuries, weren't quite out of the woods yet. But without any substantial evidence to back that thought, speculation would have to come later, as there were more precedent matters to attend to, and an overall greater task ahead of them.

"Thank you, Sergeant." Celestia said with a smile. "You and those medics who oversaw my sister have my everlasting gratitude."

Sergeant remedy, along with a few other medics, bowed in respect.

"Just doing our duty, your majesty." Remedy replied.

With that out of the way, it was clear that there needed to be a discussion with Luna concerning last night's events and bringing her up-to-date with everything they had discovered. Yet time was of the essence, and everypony needed to be ready as quickly as possible if they were going to be planning for defense against possible invasion.

"Alright everypony, we have our tasks, now is the time we see to them. We meet back here, then make our way for Canterlot."

The ponies around her nodded in acknowledgement and proceeded with the various tasks they had been assigned. Those ponies who proceeded out of the building began to shoot quick glances at Luna that could best be described as a little wary at best and cautious at worst. Luna saw this, and was shrewd enough to understand the hidden undertones of their expressions. Her head sunk in dejection. 
Celestia's response to this was immediate, as a troubled look along with feelings of concern began seeping into her expression. Celestia knew Luna too well, and understood how she no doubt felt responsible for what happened. To make matters worse, it would be on her to inform Luna of everything they had learned concerning the losses sustained and the destruction of Twilight's home, which would only feed more into Luna's guilt. Once everypony had left the room and was out of earshot, Luna broke the silence.

"I've heard how we fared. If I may ask, what were the losses, dear sister?" Luna asked in a mournful tone.

Celestia was reluctant to answer, as her heart told her that sparing her sister the harsh truth out of a sense of protection was the right thing to do. But her years-worth of wisdom was able to look past the moral-based intricacies of the heart, insisted that telling her the truth would lead to Luna obtaining the perspective of what was at stake.

"We've lost well over 220 so far." Celestia answered solemnly. "The number is bound to increase as they were still counting when I asked."

Much like she herself had reacted, Luna was distraught upon hearing the news. Tears began to form along the bottom of her eyelids as she reluctantly replied in sorrow.

"This is all my fault." she cried.

"Luna, don't say that." Celestia said, comforting her. "You had no idea that Tim would be susceptible to magic like that."

"Yet if I hadn't been so rash in my actions, it would have never had happened."

"You don't know that. Besides, if anypony's to blame, it would be Tim's cohort and those humans who accompanied him. They were trespassing regardless and....." 

Celestia could see that her reassurances did little to deter her younger sister's mood. She let out a sigh, one that clearing expressed deep concern.

"What happened last night was unfortunate, but very clearly an accident." Celestia assured her. "He fired upon us without so much as a warning."

"Maybe that's because I killed his friend." Luna put bluntly. "My friend."

Celestia now clearly began to see the heart of the problem as Luna continued.

"Whether it was intentional or not, the deed had already been done. Once again my rash actions has brought danger to our doorstep, and has cost so many lives. And everypony knows it. No doubt they think I'm a murderer.""

Celestia could quickly see that reassuring words did little to deter Luna from her dismal thoughts, and simply sighed in a cheerless demeanor. The conversation was one they had had many a time since Luna had returned, one that brought up a touchy subject for the two them, with all the emotions one would expect. But like all those times, Celestia relied on the kindness in her heart for moments like this.

"Luna." Celestia said plainly. "I know things haven't been easy for you since your return, I know you've tried your best to be the leader and role model you aspire to be. And I know you feel responsible for what happened, but let me make this clear. What happened last night is not your fault. You are not a murderer. And no matter what happens, no matter how many times you fall or feel you've made a grave mistake, I'll always be there for you."

Luna's mood slowly began to lift up out of its depressed state, albeit at hesitant pace.

"But how do I bounce back?" Luna asked. "How do I make amends for my mistakes?"

"Remember what I said to you after Tim's death, dear sister?" Celestia asked her. "We have to make the best of what were given, regardless of the events that have transpired. The duty to protect our subjects comes before all, and you've already done so much in the past for their defense. That dedication is no different than it was before, and that alone will paint you for the pony you truly are, sister. A kind, passionate soul who loves her subjects."

Luna let her sister's words sink in and take hold, and for the first time in awhile, rather than descend into tangents of self-regret and sorrow from her past mistakes, she put in the effort to brush them aside. It was now Luna's turn to do the hugging.

"Thanks Tia." Luna said.

Celestia returned her sister's loving gesture for a second longer before finally letting go.

"I'm always here for you, Luna." Celestia 

"You're right." Luna sighed. "I can think on my past mistakes for a later time. Right now, it's best if we both commit our hearts and minds to Equestria's defense. Have you learned anything new since we we're separated?"

"I have." Celestia replied, proceeding to inform her sister as to why Twilight's castle had been subjected to destruction, and how it could lead to the unthinkable.




By this point, the original group of ten men Sarah had initially addressed had now grown to about thirty in number, all circled in a massive group huddle around their Sergeant as she recounted her tale to them. With so much new information now relinquished concerning Tim's death and how it had been done at the hands of an alien enemy, many were itching to return to the world to deliver what they saw as rightful justice. Some even felt tempted to activate the portal at that moment, ready to charge in headfirst, resistance and odds be damned.
But none would, not without the order and certainly not without a plan. Ultimately the decision wasn't up to any of them, as the matter would be up to the Council's final say, which still remained uncertain given how any info that might have emerged from Sabbag's debriefing still remained unknown to them. While many of them craved for a chance at payback, the repercussions of such an act would undoubtedly mean war, and they knew it. War wasn't something anyone was eager to be hurled back into. Thirty some years had passed since The Conflict and the scars it had left behind had become a daily reminder of what war could bring. Memories of its horrors were still fresh in the minds of those who lived through it, and to subject the world that looked to be mankind's last hope at survival seemed insane. While Tim's death could technically be seen as an act of war, it wasn't really enough to rightfully justify going through with it.
As the group went in depth with the prospect and the scenarios it could bring, someone new had entered the room. A few turned their heads to see who it was, and upon recognizing him, stood at attention.

"COLONEL ON DECK!" one of them shouted.

Upon hearing that, the others were soon quick to follow suit. Viktor, seeing that the men had seemingly assembled around their CO, the woman he was looking for, was quick deduce that she had no doubt informed them of what she knew of the situation. Keeping the men under your command in the loop was always a good quality for a leader. He admired that, and while he couldn't say for certain whether her unit as a whole functioned as well as her leadership skills would lead him to believe, he saw first hand during the mission that she was dedicated to leading her unit by example. Overall, he liked her style.

"Sergeant Martinez." Viktor addressed. "I need to speak with you."

The men all looked to Sarah, who in turn simply relayed one last request to her men.

"Spread the word."

Sarah then stepped forward to accompany the Colonel as her men began to scatter about the room.

"Sir." She greeted with a salute. "What is it you need to speak with me about?"

Viktor didn't answer her query outright.

"Come with me, I'll explain on the way." he said.

With that, Viktor turned back around towards the elevator, with Sarah following beside him. As she walked with him, Sarah got a feel for the kind of man Colonel Antonov was. She had learned that like herself he was loyal soldier, yet at the same time sensible, with no patience for recklessness in just about any form. The amount of times both he and the Commander had argued had given her sense that perhaps the leadership of the Militia wasn't as flawless as she was initially led to believe. That was not to say that they had under-performed or outright failed to live up to her expectations, they had both been competent commanders in their own rights. But they seemed to butt heads pretty regularly, which really brought them down from the legend status many a militiaman had come to know them by. In fact, if they hadn't been such close friends, she had no doubt things would have gotten really ugly really quick.
Yet, that level of humanization seemed to give them a touch more respect than it took away. They were human beings, just like everyone else, with their own flaws and strengths that made them who they were, and both shared the common goal of ensuring mankind's survival against all odds, just like the rest of them. After spending a mission with them both, she didn't nearly feel as intimidated by their presence as she had felt before, despite the stories she had heard of both his and Sawyer's exploits together. Instead she felt that they were just two men, trying to make the best of things they could.
By this point they had reached the elevator, to which Viktor pressed the up button on the panel. As they waited for the elevator to arrive, Viktor struck up a conversation.

"I see you get along well with your men." Viktor noted.

The Colonel's voice brought Sarah out of her character analysis of the man walking beside her, and she was quick to respond.

"It's all about respect." She replied. "Show your men you mean no nonsense helps root out any sense your command is weak, but if you take the time to show you care about each an every one of them, and they'll follow you into hell and back."

"Hmm? A wise line of thought. Is that why you told them what became of Berfield?" Viktor asked.

"It is. Berfield was one of my men, it's only fitting that they hear the bad news from their CO. Though something tells me there'll be more news in the days to come."

"You would be correct in that assessment, Sergeant." Viktor replied. "No doubt you've figured out that our debriefing with Sabbag has concluded?"

"I have, sir. Given how you're here right now."

There was a distinctive ring, and the doors to the elevator opened. The two stepped inside, and Viktor hit the button which would lead them to the 24th floor, where the barracks were. Sarah wondered what would warrant the Colonel to head to the Barracks as he continued to speak.

"Well, you will be able to read the official after-action report later, but to summarize, we're currently led to believe that the Native leadership had been using Berfield to aid in a possible invasion effort. According to Sabbag, they used that strange anomalous ability of there's to construct the portal under the pretense that it would be used so that Berfield could return home. However, Sabbag seems to insist that the leadership alluded to it having ulterior motives."

That seemed to reaffirm what Achmed had claimed before he set out for the debriefing, yet a full-fledged confirmation seemed to still be lacking.

"Achmed said the same to me before he went to you. Do you think it's true?" Sarah asked.

Viktor was silent. While he personally believed that Sabbag had fabricated a good majority of what transpired, he knew better than to outright dismiss it. Given how tense and serious the situation was, in the event that Achmed was telling the truth, the time to act would be paramount, and any circulating dissent that there was no need to fear an invasion could only weaken an overall defense. While he wished to avoid open war and believed peace to a viable option, things were very well susceptible to change.

"I can't say for certain." Viktor replied. "But what I do know is that in my experience, I've learned not to take things at face value. As leader of a First Recon Fireteam, we're often called in for situations deemed too difficult for regulars to handle. Sometimes when we arrive we find that the situation has been exaggerated, and at others we've found them completely justified."

"So, what are you saying? That Sabbag is lying?" Sarah inquired.

"No not necessarily. I guess the bottom line is, I've learned that things are not always as they seem, and with that, I pretty much take every story I hear with a grain of salt. The claims made by your man, Sabbag, are no different. Considering what may come based on them, I'd say my attitude is a pretty healthy one."

Sarah took the Colonel's attitude into consideration, and while Achmed's words seemed sincere, she couldn't help but see past them and speculate what may have really happened. By this point they had finally reached the 24th floor, and the two stepped out into the large hallway that greeted them.

"But alas, I didn't exactly come to disclose the exact details Sabbag shared with us at our debriefing." Viktor continued. "I actually came with orders for you."

"Orders?"

"Yes. You are to pack your things. You will be accompanying me, Sabbag, and the Commander in flight to New Damascus. Sabbag is needed to give his testimony before the Council, and as his CO, you'll be supervising him while he's there. Lt. Bakowski will oversee your unit as well as this facility in your absence."

New Damascus. The words almost pierced like a knife to her gut. It had been years since she had been there, and for good reason. Most of her family resided there and more or less, never really approved of her induction within the ranks of the Militia, as they seemed more inclined play roles as peacemakers. Before she shipped out, there had been a pretty heated argument between her and the other members of her family, enough that it created a drift, enough that Sarah barely wrote home.
That was six years ago, and the last time they had a face-to-face conversation. Since then, she more or less couldn't care for the going-ons in her family circle, content with her duties leading 3rd Company. She loved them out of a familial obligation, or so she convinced herself, but quite frankly, a visit to New Damascus would no doubt mean she'd be obligated to pay them a visit. That was something she hadn't done in quite some time. She wasn't sure they'd even want to see her, given the distance and time spent away. To make matters worse, the looming threat of war on the horizon would no doubt be made public in the coming days, which might even make them resentful of her visit. All-in-all, a visit to New Damascus felt like detonating an atomic bomb of drama on herself.
But orders were orders, and there was the chance that she'd be so preoccupied with her duties that she wouldn't have time to visit. Though something in the back of her mind told her that wouldn't be the case, besides, despite the drama that surrounded the whole affair, she did miss them, and felt that seeing them again was overdue, especially if  a coming conflict were to arise.

"When do we depart, sir?" She asked.

"We'll meet topside at 1700 hours. From there we will we make our way for Fort Bismark. Once we are there, we will board a C-130. If all things go to plan, and I see no reason why they shouldn't, we should reach New Damascus by midnight."

Given how it was only about 9:00 where they were, that gave her some time.

"I'll be ready by then, sir." She replied.

"I would hope so, Sergeant." Viktor said. "That will be all, you're dismissed."

Viktor than began heading down to the corresponding hallway to his right, no doubt to take the stairs two floors up to the Commander's quarters. Sarah was now left by her lonesome, both to begin the task of packing as well as to contemplate on the thoughts of what would transpire in the next couple of days. Something in her gut told her things were only going to get worse.




A trio of ponies made their way through the castle hallways of the second floor. One of which was no other than Twilight herself, still coping with all the death that had been dealt within her home. By means still uncertain, Pinkie Pie had miraculously already packed for the journey ahead, and was kind enough to offer Twilight help in packing, as well as being there to serve as emotional support, as the things she needed laid past where the battle had been waged. The last pony was River Breeze, the Corporal who was ordered by Commander Spark to accompany the Princess. In her own strange and frightening sense of curiosity, River gazed back and forth across the halls, taking in origins of where all of last night's carnage had begun. 
Most of the bloodshed had occurred at the top of the stairwell that lead up to the second floor from the first, to which Twilight hastily teleported the three past. The three proceeded to work their way to the third floor from there, towards Twilight's room. As they did, they passed the various broken bits of clutter and debris that had been scattered by the explosion. Broken hall tables, bits of crystal, almost every wall sconce and chandelier now lay on the ground in a shattered mess. Glass from the exterior windows had been shattered, making the trip a precarious one with glass shards blanketing the carpets and floor. For about a minute or so, they saw more of the same consistency of damage, until they turned a corner, and came across something that couldn't be ignored.

"Oh no..." Pinkie murmured.

"Is that..........him?" River Breeze asked.

"......Yes. It is." Twilight lamented.

Lying still and lifeless ahead was none other than Tim. For Twilight, it took every facet of strength she had to keep herself together. She began to approach him, each step adding too her unease and sense of sadness. Soon enough, there she was, right alongside where he now lay. She looked down upon him, the tears once more stinging at her eyes. 
A giant and blackened hole lay bear on the right side of his chest where Luna's spell had made impact. The cause of his death itself still boggled her mind, as no sleeping spell would have the amount of charged up magical energy to do that, regardless of one's race. His eyes lay closed, and in a strange way, he almost looked peaceful, but Twilight doubted his death was so graceful, and what followed it was definitely the opposite of peaceful. His skin tone had paled to a decaying shade of white, as it had been hours since his natural body heat and blood flow had ceased to function. 
Twilight reflected on the time they spent together. Cooped up in the library, the meal they shared at Sugar Cube Corner, and the expedition into the Everfree. Over those few days, Twilight was able to experience something unique, and appreciated that she got the time to sense what kind of person he was. Yet there was still that yearning need that hadn't changed since she had met him. Only this time, she had wished he had shared one final goodbye with him rather than the information he could provide.
Twilight had reflected even further on this, creating an internal timetable on how her time spent with him had evened out by the end. So much of that time had been spent on what she could learn from him, rather than taking the time to just know him. A part of her tried to convince herself that she did, that by sharing those few moments of respite was time spent forming a friendly bond, and in truth, Twilight knew Tim and spent more time with him more than any other pony in Equestria. In fact, the night they had camped together in the Everfree had been one she remembered fondly. She shared his company with all her friends, true, but that one moment was where it truly felt like Tim was more or less her guest, and more along the lines of a friend. But another part of her made her feel guilt for being so inquisitive on learning from him, that all that time she spent asking question after question could have been used on getting to know him even better. She had even wished that he could feel comfortable enough that he might have even opened up to her.
But alas, that would never happen now, and she couldn't help but feel as if a lot of that time asking questions had been taken for granted. Pinkie and River had now joined her alongside him, and Twilight's tears couldn't be held back any longer. Almost immediately, Pinkie was there to console her with a hug. 

"Let it all out, Twilight." she said, now beginning to cry herself.

As Pinkie Pie saw to her friend, River Breeze looked down at the man. While she would never doubt Princess Twilight's claims as to the kind of being he was, she certainly didn't see this human in the same light as she did. She had context that he wasn't the one of the ones in the attack, but she still didn't know who he was as a being personally, his habits, his personality. Instead, her only experience with humans had been at the hands of their wrath, which costed the lives of many of her comrades. She saw how Pinkie and Twilight could feel devastated over his loss, but she couldn't relate to it in the slightest. Instead of saying anything that could be a feint of sympathy, she simply said nothing, and allowed Princess Twilight and her friend their brief moment of grief before moving on.
This emotional moment lasted about a minute or two, before Twilight managed to vent out her sadness for yet another time. Releasing her from the hug, Pinkie checked on her friend.

"Feel better?" Pinkie asked.

"I'd say yes." Twilight said. "But..."

"Hey, I get it, Twilight." Pinkie sympathized, rubbing the tears from her eyes. "Wish I could say the same, but between all that's happened and seeing you like this, I'm feeling pretty down in the dumps too."

Pinkie gave her friend another quick hug, Twilight returning the gesture once again.

"I'm going miss him." Twilight said outright.

"I am too. Tim and I may have gotten off on a rocky start, but I feel we came to enjoy each others company by the end of it. And that's what's important. We gotta always look at the bright side of things, and cherish the time we spent together rather than thinking about the time we lost."

"That's very optimistic, Pinkie." Twilight responded. "But I feel that may be a challenge in it's own right."

"You're not wrong there." Pinkie chuckled slightly. "But we gotta make the effort, right?"

Heeding her friend's advice, Twilight began to slowly come out of her sad state. She stood up, and took a deep breath to level her thoughts and feelings.

"Thanks, Pinkie." she said with a a slight smile.

"No problem, Twilight. That's what friends are for." Pinkie replied.

Twilight concurred with a nod. Looking at Tim's corpse one more time, there was still one more thing that didn't sit right with her about it.

"We can't just leave him here." Twilight stated.

"No, we can't." Pinkie replied. "Or the other guards for that fact."

"The reinforcements will no doubt collect the fallen once they arrive, Princess." River informed them both.

"But does that extend to Tim though?" Twilight asked.

Taking a brief moment to think about it, River Breeze came back with an answer.

"Well, I would think so, but.......I doubt without proper context, they'd probably think he was one of the humans in the attack and just throw him somewhere to rot."

The idea of that didn't sit well at all with either Pinkie or Twilight.

"Then we can't leave him here." Twilight announced.

Twilight was ready to cast a spell to levitate him out of there, before Pinkie stepped in to halt her actions.

"I don't want to see him rot any more than you do Twilight, but we're not exactly in the position to be burying him right now. Why don't we pack your things first, then ask either Princess Celestia or Princess Luna what we should do?"

As eager as she was to oversee the matter herself, Pinkie's words did hold some considerable merit. The magic built it up in Twilight's horn dissipated.

"I guess you're right." Twilight sighed.

Twilight felt a little bad for leaving him here like this, but she convinced herself that it was only temporary. That the Princesses would no doubt have a plan for him once she was all done packing her things for Canterlot. With that in mind, she slowly began walking back down the hallway, and the trio continued to their destination within the castle walls.




The convoy was already gassed and ready to depart by the time Achmed and Sarah had finished packing, with Colonel Antonov, Commander Sawyer, and Councilor Bradford patiently awaiting topside for them to arrive, just a few minutes before the departure time. The convoy itself consisted of the same vehicles that Andrew, Bradford, and his science team had used to transport them here just a couple of days earlier.

"Feels like a whole other lifetime." Andrew noted mentally.

It was five hours past midday, and even though the clouds blotted out the sun, it was easy to tell the time of day given how things were getting darker. Sarah and Achmed were about halfway to the vehicles when Andrew spotted the two, both with duffles and a rifle slung over their shoulder.

"Sergeant Martinez, Private First Class Sabbag." He addressed them both, to which they both responded with a salute. "At ease. Are you two all set?"

"Yes sir." the two replied.

"Well alright then. Time to saddle up, you two'll be riding in the APC with Councilor Bradford." He informed, pointing at the EE-11 Urutu. "There's no time to lose, so let's get to it."

The two quickly began making there way over to the APC as Andrew had one last thing to say.

"By the way, I took the liberty of printing off a few copies of the official AAR, they're in the back where you'll be riding. Sabbag, you already know what most of what it has to offer, but Sergeant, try to take the time to read it over and get filled in with all the details." 

"I will, sir." Sarah replied.

Andrew nodded, heading to the G-class where Viktor was waiting. Andrew stepped into the front passenger seat, closing the door as he entered. He was quick to notice that like the vehicle, its operators happened to be the same two men that had driven him here days earlier.

"Good to see you again, sir." The driver said.

"Likewise, son." Andrew replied. "Let's get going."

The driver nodded, picking up the radio to communicate with the other vehicles. As he relayed status with the rest of the convoy, the same wise-cracking gunner from days earlier shot a glance down at Andrew.

"So, uh, sir." he said with a smirk. "I heard we found the Garden of Eden. That true?"

"I suppose so, only we're the ones with the flaming sword." Andrew responded. 

"All that's left is whether not we decide to put it to use." Viktor added.

"Let's pray it don't come to that." The gunner replied.

"Yeah. Let's." Andrew replied.

In the other vehicle, Sarah and Achmed sit across from one another within the confines of the Urutu. Bradford was there with them, yet any attempt at striking up a conversation fell flat on its feet. The two were silent, unnaturally so, as they each had their own thoughts on what lie on the road ahead. 
Both thought of what would come as a result of Achmed's testimony, Achmed wishing to see it become the foundation piece to enacting his revenge. Suddenly, they felt the engines of the APC begin to spring to life, and soon felt the initial force of the vehicle as it began to move.

"And we're on our way." Sarah thought to herself.

On the other side, Achmed began to contemplate once more on the situation he had worked himself into, and how he was going to be successful with his end goal. However the thoughts of vengeance he felt would occasionally give way to those he was affecting with this personal vendetta of his. His people, his unit, and most of all, his family. Was he right in doing this, he wondered. A part of him told him Tim's death had no business of going unanswered, but to those who would be affected by this? Once again, doubt began to plague his thoughts. Whether or not it would extend to his actions, remained to be seen.





New Damascus






The scene around DC10 (Distribution Center 10) was bustling, as was expected around 12:00am to 3:00pm. The influx of a multitude of people from multiple parts of the city had become routine to those who worked it, and after years of coping with so many people, the workers of DC10 knew how to handle the crowds quite effectively. The real problem was the amount of food they were legally allowed to give to each person. With shortages at a record low, meals were becoming sparser for the day, and with less food in everyone's bellies, moods were getting a little more grumpy than usual. 
Yet civility still held, and the workers of DC10 were glad for that fact. Feeding so many often meant they got along with most everyone who stopped by. And DC10 in particular was known well for its rather friendly staff, one young girl in particular.

"Suha!" an old woman in her mid-50's called out, tending to a broth. "Come here, sweetheart, I need you for something."

There was a commotion from the back storage closet.

"Suha? Are you alright?" The woman asked.

A second or two passed before a young girl stepped out from behind the door frame. Her name was Suha Sabbag, thirteen years old and she was already one of the backbone members of the DC10 team. She was thin in frame but deceptive in what she could accomplish physically. She wore a rolled-up violet long-sleeve shirt that had long since faded, khaki shorts, sandals, and her signature green print hijab in a loose fashion which displayed her black hair more openly. Sporting a pair of deep emerald eyes and a perky expression, Suha had become the pride and joy of DC10, as most folks were almost always happy to see her.

"I'm right here, Mrs. Pratt." Suha replied.

"What was all that noise I heard?" she asked.

"Oh, I was storing the last of those ration crates like Tony asked me to." 

"I thought Tony was supposed to be doing that?" Mrs. Pratt replied, clearly irked that she was doing one of his jobs.

"Well, he was busy with giving out the meals to the electric crew." Suha explained. "Y'know how they can be. Besides, I don't mind, wasn't that busy anyway. So, what did you need?"

"Oh, right." Mrs Pratt said, reaching for an old milk crate filled with four empty plastic milk jugs.

"Ah. Water duty?" Suha asked.

"Afraid so. I know it's in short supply, but still a necessity I'm afraid. Ain't much else to drink around here, besides booze."

"What, you don't think serving alcohol during the day can remedy our water shortages?" Suha jested.

Suha and Mrs. Pratt shared a lighthearted laugh before getting back to their work.

"Well, I'll see what I can do." Suha replied, taking the crate from Mrs. Pratt. "Maybe I can see if the guys at the reservoir can spare some. See ya in a bit."

Suha began making her way through the kitchen and towards the exit, passing two of her other co-workers, Tony Attanucci and Maria Jones, the former of which calling out to her.

"Hey Suha, sweetie. Thanks for covering stacking duty for me, had my hands full with those EPG guys (Electric Power Grid)." He thanked her in a thick Brooklyn accent.

"No problem, Tony." Suha replied "Just know that you owe me for like the tenth time."

"Always eager to bring up the debt, huh?" 

"Nah, just giving you fair warning that if you keep it up, you owe me one mega favor down the road. In case you didn't know, they stack." She joked.

And with that she was out the door, hearing Tony's laugh before she leaving the kitchen and reaching out of earshot. Now making her way through the actual bulk of DC10, which amounted to little more than several rows of tables under makeshift shelter that stemmed from the wreckage of an old Boeing Airliner, Suha passed by many a familiar face, exchanging greetings and quick jests as she headed to the reservoir.
The trip took a little over half an hour on foot, but she arrived at long last. As she approached the entrance to the reservoir, she felt a hand land on her shoulder. Looking up to see who it belonged to, she smiled when she recognized the face of who it belonged to.

"Kent!." she said happily, giving the man a quick hug.

"Hey kiddo." Kent greeted.

Kent Mitchell was an old friend of the family and one of Achmed's former classmates back when he was in school. For years their two families had maintained close ties. When they had finished education, Kent went to work for Pump division of the Science Branch, which kept him at the reservoir pretty regularly.

"So, what brings you to our quaint little abode?" Kent asked.

"Uh, water. Duh." She said, shaking the crate of empty jugs.

"I see that, you do know you're supposed to go to the pumps for that, right?" Kent noted.

"And trek three miles into town just to wait in a line that stretches across the Ag center?" She said shaking her head. "Yeah, not happening."

"Oh please, it's not that bad." Kent argued.

"If I was getting water for myself I wouldn't mind, but this water isn't for me, it's going towards all the people we gotta keep fed. Which by the way, I need to get back to DC10 as quickly as possible. Besides, this place is closer." she argued.

Kent laughed at her stubborn stance.

"Alright, alright, I'm just yanking your chain. C'mon, I'll get ya set up." he said, beckoning for her to follow.

The two walked within the central building. Although the place wasn't an actual reservoir, the name had stuck for years, and instead of water stored via any natural body, it was stored in large underground wells. To get to them, they would have to take an industrial elevator down to where they were housed. As they descended below, Kent struck up a conversation.

"So, how's your brother?" he asked. "It's been awhile since we last talked."

"He's fine. I saw him and Tim about two months back." She answered. "Achmed and I watched one of those old movies from the archives that they have multiple copies of. Real cool flick, it was about some old guy who was gonna open like a dinosaur zoo before things went crazy."

Kent responded with an acknowledging nod before proceeding with his next statement.

"How you holding up?" he asked, this time with a little more sincerity in his tone.

Suha sluggishly leaned against the outer edge of the elevator.

"Work and school keeps my mind off..........well, you know."

"Yeah." he said, understanding what she meant. "How's she holding up?"

"Not well." She said sadly. "If you don't mind, Kent, I'd rather not talk about my mother's failing health."

"Of course. I understand."

They stopped their descent and the doors to the elevator opened before them.

"We're here." Kent stated.

The two stepped out, walking down a series of service tunnels.

"We'll have to make our way down to well 3." Kent informed her. "They're still clearing rubble from that cave in front of 2."

"That was month ago!" Suha exclaimed. "You guys still haven't cleared it?"

"Hey, the whole tunnel collapsed! That's a lot of crap to clean up. You know-"

"Hey! Kent! Is that you!?" A voice called out from one of the tunnels they just passed. 

The two back stepped a little, and saw that it was two of Kent's co-workers, Fang Shi and Tyler West.

"What do you need, Fang!?" he yelled back.

"We're almost finished clearing a path to well 2! Want to do the honors!?" 

Hearing such news ignited a small spark of hope in Kent.

"Well I'll be damned." he said. "Guess we wont have to draw from 3."

"I heard. So nice of you guys to clear the path just for me." Suha said mockingly.

Kent rolled his eyes, and the two made their way down the now crumbly and earthen corridor that was once a service tunnel, where the two men waited for them.

"It's about damn time." Kent stated upon coming into speaking distance with the two.

"Yeah well, would have got done a lot quicker if everyone had pitched in." Tyler pointed out. "Hey, Suha."

"Hey." she replied back.

"West, you know well enough that our schedule is booked as is." Kent stated. "It was a miracle that we managed to get even one more person to dig this shit out last week."

"Well, no sense in arguing about it now, as we're about to bask the fruits of our labor." Fang said jokingly, offering Kent the sledgehammer he was holding. "Care to do the honors?"

Kent took the hammer in hand, grasping it firmly and ready to strike at that last layer of rubble that lay between them and the well that had been inaccessible for nearly a month.

"Stand back, Suha." Kent urged.

She did so, and with one forceful swing, Kent knocked down the thin layer of rubble, revealing a large room filled layered in darkness.

"Well, that's not surprising." Kent said, handing the hammer back to Fang and pulling out a small flashlight. "Cave in definitely tore out the circuitry."

"Yeah, well let EPG deal with that later." Tyler suggested. 

"I intend to. Least the good news is is that we now have access back to our........."

Kent froze, an expression of pure horror struck across his face the moment he inspected what was supposed to be a large open well of water spanning around 2500 square feet in diameter with a depth of about 200 ft, only to discover it was completely bone dry. This shocked the others as well, as a the conversation took a drastic turn.

"What the fuck?!" Kent swore. "Where the hell's all the water?!"

The sheer absence of one entire well was not only baffling, but alarming. While access had been cut off to it for a month, the water within was still being accounted for due to the shortages. Now that it was all gone, it signaled an oncoming crisis. Suha began to feel a sense of growing fear for the future as the three men argued.

"I thought the pipes to well 2 were all shut off!" Fang exclaimed.

"They were!" Tyler quickly affirmed. "Do you think there's a leak?!"

"I dunno! What th-"

Once again, Kent cut off mid sentence. He had shone his light down to the bottom of the well, and what he saw made him and the other men take a significant step away from the well. Suha had by this time walked to the edge of the pool, and saw what had spooked Kent and the others so badly. At the very bottom of the well, clear as day thanks to Kent's light source, were a multitude large holes that had been burrowed in and out at the bottom of the well, around 3-4 square feet in diameter. They were tell-tale signs of one thing.

"Tunnelers." Kent breathed.

Tunnelers, a form of aggressive mutants that had been the cause of death for many people, and from the looks of it, they made an entrance to their nest at the bottom of the well. Suha could feel the cold sense of terror rise in her. Suddenly, they could hear faint cackling roar emit from the bottom of the well. Then there was another, and another, a soon, the roars reached an almost deafening level.

"Aw, fuck!" Tyler swore, pulling out a handgun.

Kent and Fang began to do the same. Suha dropped the crate she was holding. The thing about a Tunneler was that you really couldn't hope to outrun them, and with Suha presently in company, Kent's priority was seeing that she find safety as quickly as possible.

"Suha, run for the elevator! Get the Militia here as fast as you can!" he ordered.

"What?!"

The roars was now much closer than it was before, no further than 20 feet away.

"NO TIME TO ARGUE! GO!!!"

Whatever protests she had about leaving were quickly dashed as a Tunneler leaped from below, landing on the edge of the well and proceeded to rush Fang. Suha turned around and ran as fast as her legs would go, not taking a single second to look back as roars and gunfire gave way to the sounds of men screaming and flesh being torn. An alarm was sounded off, and it took every sheer amount of will for Suha not to look back, so terrified that if she did, she too would suffer the same fate as Kent no doubt just had. 
She at last made it to the elevator, and within a heartbeat, she slammed the button closing the elevator doors. The slow and methodical pace they took to close sent her heart into a panic.

"C'mon! C'mon!" she begged, pressing the button again in panic.

They at last closed, and not a second too soon. The moment they did, the beasts that came from beneath had at last caught up with her. Standing at around five foot four, with elongated arms and legs ending in a pair of bulging long razor sharp claws, an abominable, deformed, head that could once be compared to that of a boar. It's mouth sported a set of unnaturally jagged tusks and teeth, with it's snout ending in star-shaped tendrils to that of a mole, both currently soaked a deep red. It bellowed out a cackling roar the second it smelled Suha out, and began attempting to tear at the reinforced steel mesh of the elevator to get to her. Suha screamed in terror as it tried to force its way through to her. But thankfully the frame and mesh held. And soon, Suha was out of harms way, her heart beating like no tomorrow. Tears now began streaming down across her face for what she had just endured, for the friend she had just lost.
> Chupter Thirtables: The Day Earth Kicked Equestria in the Nutshack! (April Fools Special)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's the nutshack. It's the nutshack. It's the nutshack. It's the nutshack. It's the nutshack. It's the nutshack. It's the-*Shot by Mauser*..................................................................




A mysterious man wearing a silk black suit with the head reminiscent of a large golden bowl steps out into view, currently cycling the bolt of the Kar98k he's currently wielding as smoke still vents from the barrel. A small casing of brass is sent tumbling to the floor, and he begins to speak.

"Well, now that that meme is confirmed dead, allow me to begin." he says with flair to his voice. "I am Lord Vessel, and as you've no doubt guessed, I am the writer of this story, which, if you've reached this point, I can safely assume has gained your interest. As the author I take reader Feedback to the most humble degree, and I've seen that most of you are itching for conflict within my tale to get underway. Yet the more intellectual portions of your all's minds no doubt crave the dramatic intricacies that come with such a war drama. Yet today would just so happen to be the infamous April Fool's Day, and thus it is my vast and knowledgeable decision to simply ignore things like appropriate exposition and a coherent plot progression, for I have the appropriate means to conclude this story in an abrupt and satisfying fashion. So, I say to you, my audience, that I hope you enjoy my definitive conclusion of my story, my magnum opus, Lordvessel's, The Ones From Beyond."




The ride towards Fort Bismark was short and brief, like putting on underwear that is one size too small. The gunner had divulged in conversation with Andrew and Viktor which finally concluded when they arrived.

"And that's how you play the game, switch. Coincidentally, it's also how I got kidney stones. I think." he explained.

"Thanks for sharing soldier, how incredibly inappropriate." Andrew replied in an irritated tone.

Viktor's wide-eyed gaze of horror stifled any words he could formulate into a response. As they stepped out of the car, Andrew felt his foot inexplicably bump into something on the ground. Looking down, Andrew was surprised by the fact that the object in question was a book of all things, and by the looks of it, it seemed to be in pretty good condition.

"How the hell did this get here?" He said aloud.

He bent down to pick it up, rubbing what little dust that was on it off. Viktor, Sarah, and Achmed all saw that their Commander was holding a book, and were honestly intrigued by how the hell he just suddenly had a book on hand.

"Where did you find that, Andrew?" Viktor asked.

"Just on the ground." Andrew replied. "My foot knocked into it when I stepped out of the car."

Andrew flipped the book to its front side and read it's title aloud for all of them to hear.

"Ponies and Their Laughable Weaknesses, an Invader's Guide for Conquering Equestria. For Dummies! Written by Queen Chrysalis. Translated into Human English by L.D Vessel."

The humans were stunned by the title alone.

"Wow!" Andrew exclaimed with a big wide grin, with a look that if there were a camera inexplicably nearby, he'd be staring right at it. "How coincidental that a book like this shows up right at my feet, in a location that currently houses at least 2,000 armed and ready personnel, and an entire arsenal of armored vehicles, gunships, ammunition, and fighter jets!"

Achmed swiped the book from Andrew's hands so that he could gaze upon it. He looked down upon it with malicious intent.

"Along with a psychopath who want's to avenge his friend's dea-uh.....I mean. Who will follow whatever orders he's given and totally doesn't want to start a war needlessly." Achmed went on to say.

"That's a pretty big book though. How long will this take to read?" Sarah wondered.




.......One Hour Later.......





"Not very long apparently." Sarah said completely dumbfounded.

"Yeah, no kidding." Achmed added. "A little weird that a book this big is mostly pictures of those natives being conquered in multiple yet horrific ways. At least that gave all four of us a chance to read it front to back."

"Soooooooooooooo................does this mean what I think it means?" Viktor asked. "That our enemy is incredibly weak and we can simply use this advantage as a major negotiating tactic when we inform the Council?"

The three other human beings stared at Viktor with looks of disbelief, shaking their heads disapprovingly. 

"Uh, no." Andrew replied. "It obviously means that we ignore the Council entirely because we humans can conquer them with ease. And that we'll be doing so."

"Wait, what!?"

"You heard me! This will be easy!"

"HEY!" a voice cried out behind them.

They turned to look who it was coming from, who happened to be Councilor Bradford, a very disapproving look on his face.

"I can't believe you all. You can't just go off to war willy-nilly!" He argued.

"Thank you Councilor, finally someone who is speaking some sense!" Viktor said in relief.

"Of course, everyone knows you need to make a statement as your doing it!" He said with a devilish grin.

"Exactly, we-wait, WHAT!?"

Bradford gestured to some pretty advanced hardware that just miraculously appeared behind him. Among them were suits of exo suit power armor frames, a gigantic bipedal assault walker, a gundam suit, hover tanks, railguns and about all forty portals. Viktor lost any capacity for coherent speech, simply dumbfounded how everyone lost their sense of restraint and how all this shit just managed to manifest in one location.

"I like the way you think Bradford!" Achmed chimed in.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Bradford asked, as he stepped inside a suit of power armor, picking up a giant mini gun in the process. "Let's get to doing what we humans do best!"

"But wait, don't we gotta take some time to prep first?" Sarah argued.

"No we don't." Andrew explained. "All the troops and vehicles are armed and ready to roll."

"Where!?" Sarah asked.

"Right here!" Andrew exclaimed in a jumping jack pose that levitated him off of the ground for a few seconds.

Sarah turned around to see the entirety of Fort Bismark as well as all those troops stationed at the research facility armed extensively waiting to move out. Tanks, IFVs, and APCs were revved up and ready to roll. Gunships and helicopters were in mid-air, ready to fly in sending death from above. And Jets were on the Fort's runway, engines roaring and ready to fly through portals that stood several feet above the ground.

"HOW DID I NOT HEAR ANY OF THAT COMMOTION GOING ON!?" Sarah yelled.

"Silly, Sarge." Achmed said. "Everybody knows mobilization is just a myth!"

At this point, Sarah simply gave up trying to explain what was going on and just decided to roll with it. The same could not be said for Viktor, who was currently rolling on the ground like a deranged madman. Andrew stood up on a conveniently placed soapbox, to rally the troops with a heart-filled and moral grandstanding speech!

"MEN OF THE MILITIA! I stand before you today to lead what will no doubt be the greatest fight for survival in human history! For years we've suffered through war and the atrocities it brings! BUT! That was all on us, that was our fault and we realize that! But these guys! OHH, THESE GUYS! Those fuckers wanted to take a jab at us first! Exploit our current situation! Tried to create their own portal so they could wipe us out!"

The amassed troops began a violent, jeering display of boos and derogatory remarks towards their enemy.

"Or possibly enslave or subjugate us! Turn us into a free workforce to tend to their fields, or WORSE, have as working as servant butlers or something!"

"I FUCKING HATE BUTLERS!!!" Francis screamed, pounding at his chest.

"But they made one fatal mistake! They picked a fight with the wrong species. We as humans, have been defined by war! We've fought over land, religion, resources, ideology, we even fought over a bucket one time! They don't know one damn thing about warfare! I say, it's time to teach em' a thing or two!" Andrew yelled.

"THEY INFERIOR SPECIES!" Ahab screamed at the top of his lungs. "MAN TRULY SMARTEST!"

The amassed troops began throwing various bits of rock and junk into the air, their violent tendencies only growing as a result.

"I say we get over to their world and put a boot up their ass! Show them that the tiniest slight towards mankind will be met with a completely unjustified and brutal response! That if they mess with us, THEY GET MESSED UP!"

The troops were absolutely ecstatic at his suggestion, discharging their weapons into the air, as tanks and armored vehicle fired off their rounds into the air as well, causing a lot of unnecessary damage. Some would say this would be a complete waste of ammo, but shut up who cares.

"The time for peace and negotiations is past! Why negotiate when we simply take what we want! Politics is for pussies who don't know how to fight! ARE YOU ALL PUSSIES!?"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

"I DIDN'T THINK SO! So I say we give our enemy a one way vacation to hell! MEN! WE! GO! TO! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRR!" Andrew screamed.

The troops had essentially reverted back to mindless apes at this point. The portals opened and like the violent monkeys that they were, they charged in, their thirst for blood and warfare currently unquenchable. When they were gone, all that was left was Viktor, still utterly flabbergasted by what just happened. Standing alone for a few seconds, his mind failing to process what just unfolded, he came to a reasonable solution to fix his problem.

"Eh, Trakhayte, pochemu ne?" (Eh, Fuck it, why not?)




MEANWHILE AT SWEET APPLE ACRES..........................................................





The ruins of Applejack's farm had finally been cleared of the bodies of those who had fallen. Those who had attended to the task looked on in somber contemplation. Two of those guards, who were among the fresh troops from Baltimare, were by the barn, simply watching as the last of the bodies were being loaded up into the carts to be returned to their families.

"I can't believe so many were killed." One of them said.

"I know, It's hard to believe."

"What happens if they come back?" one guard asked.

"I don't know." The other said. "It could only be a matter of time before the-"

A loud eruption of static began to abruptly emanating behind the two, and as they turned around, they saw a bright blue vortex form within the confines of Applejack's barn. Then another popped open outside. Then another in the air, and another on the ground, and another. Soon over 40 of these vortexes littered the grounds of Sweet Apple Acres. A few seconds passed by before a storm of human soldiers stormed forth from the portal like the legions of hell, howling, cursing, with clear intent to murder and maim. The two guards were no match, dying almost instantly from the sheer volume of human boots that stormed over them.
The human charge spread across the property, like the floodwaters of yore, and was soon joined by a vast amount of armor and gunships. The barrage set against them was relentless, the bullets! THE SHELLS! THE MISSILES! OH GOD THE INHUMANITY!!!
Applejack, in the process of packing and saying her goodbyes, heard the commotion as gunshots rang out. The sound alone racked her nerves as an enormous pit grew in her stomach. Her first instinct was to hide, along with her family back in the cellar. Before she even could however, the roof above her erupted in a fiery explosion, sending wood and debris in all directions. And soon everything went black in Applejack's vision. When she came to, she found she could barely move, and that it was loud, like really loud, like one of Pinkie's parties gone to far into the night loud.
Her vision suddenly cleared, and what she saw frightened her. All over her beloved family farm, as far as her eyes could see, were human beings, armed to the teeth and causing quite the rumpus! The scene was chaos and disorder, enough to give Discord a run for his money. Humans went on various sprees of unchallenged violence and misdemeanor. From chasing poor defenseless guards in some giant steel beast, the humans operating it laughing maniacally in the process, to lighting her orchards on fire with flamethrowers and setting satchel charges just so they could watch them explode.
Looking down at herself to see if she was injured, she was quick to notice that she was in fact tied to a tree with overly vast amounts of para-cord. I mean seriously one could call it overkill. She was like pig in a blanket, rendered completely immobile. Looking around she saw that she wasn't the only one. All her family, along with several guards were in the same situation as her, albeit with less amounts of restraining material holding them down. She continued watching the chaos in horror. 

"LOOK OUT!" A guard cried.

As a stray SOG tomahawk  suddenly wedged its way into the tree where Applebloom was tied and nearly took her sister's head off, she heard something rustling above her in the tree. It, or more appropriately, he came swiftly swinging upside down like Spiderman©, his face directly in front of hers. It was no other than Achmed Sabbag.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYY YOU!" He mused maliciously.

Applejack responded by screaming in horror, much to Achmed's dismay.

"SHUT UP I'M INTERROGATING!!!" He yelled at her.

"WAI-Wuh?" she muttered.

"NO!!! SHUT UP! I'M INTERROGATING YOU!"

Achmed proceeded to bonk her on the head with a tactical baton. Applejack yelped in pain as Achmed dropped onto the ground on all fours liked some deranged apeman, approaching even closer to her in the same fashion, much to AJ's dismay.

"Now listen up, No doubt you've heard of me already, I was the one who tried to kill your precious Princess, punched the other one, and took the last one hostage. But I know you own this crummy apple place and I know who you are. Applejack!" Achmed seethed.

The hair on the back on the back of Applejack's head stood up upon hearing the revelation.

"H-how do....d-do you know my..N-name?" Applejack babbled.

"How I know your name isn't important right now. What is important though, is what your gonna tell me." He said with dastardly undertones. "I know you know her."

"W...w-who the h-hay is h-her?"

"HHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!" He howled. "The BLUE one!"

Applejack, both frightened and confused, had the nerve to have him elaborate, although she had a feeling on who was referring to.

"There's a lot of blue ponies." She said defensively. "I'm gonna ne-"

"DON'T PLAY STUPID WITH ME!!!" Achmed hissed, aggressively booping AJ in the nose. "You know exactly who I'm talking about. The one with THE MOON ON HER ASS! THE ONE WHO KILLED MY FRIEND!"

That pretty much confirmed her suspicions, yet despite being at the mercy of a deranged alien, she wasn't willing to sell her out.

"Y..y.y..y..You won't get nothin from me!" Applejack defiantly stammered. "And your friend wouldn't have died if y'all hadn't been sneaking around!"

Achmed cocked his head as a wide creepy grin spread across his face, which made AJ almost regret saying that.

"Ooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh. Devil's advocate all of a sudden now?" Achmed retorted. "You have no idea how much Tim and I were friends!"

As Achmed pulled the Plot dev-I mean Photo album out of his as-I mean, pocket, he flipped the pages to a specific one, where photo records of Tim and Achmed's exploits. 

"This is all I have left of those precious moments we spent together." Achmed wailed.

The first mission which ended with them trashing their one and only humvee, that time Tim ate 6 radioactive Twinkies and grew a benign tumor in his stomach, the time they stumbled upon an abandoned yet operational T-90A tank, which was just sitting in some garage, and proceeded to go on a joyride with it. And who could forget that time they burnt the base down with their half-assed rocket experiment, ha ha, such good times.....................................................................................13 people died in that fire. There was also that time Achmed snapped a photo of Sarge in the shower rooms engaging in lewd self-acts of fin-

"WHAT THE HAY IS THAT ONE!!!" Applejack cried out.

"S-SORRY!" Achmed stammered in a fluster, desperately trying to put away that particular photo. "T-t-t-t-that's a..eh...uh..a special....o-one."

Stuffing the album away and taking a moment to recollect and reacquire his more intimidating persona, he went back to interrogating.

"Tim's dead because of her! She took something from me, and I'm going to take something from her! So I'd reconsider changing your mind on telling me where she is, OR ELSE!"

"O..o..or else w..w-what?" Applejack asked fearfully.

"Or else..."

Achmed moseyed over to where her family were currently tied down, more specifically, Applebloom. Each step closer towards her younger sister sent every nerve of AJ's protective instincts into overdrive. Gone was the fear she felt earlier, replaced entirely by anger.

"YOU HARM A SINGLE HAIR ON HER HEAD AND I'LL-"

"Hurt her?" Achmed laughed. "Oh no I'm not gonna hurt her, it's a T-rated fic for Christ's sake. Plus I think we're already on the verge of pushing it. Need to take a few steps back. But, no. I'm not gonna hurt her, physically at least. I'm simply going to clue her in on the truth about certain holiday icons, what it's really like being a grown up, the futility of striving towards your dream goals, Nickelback, and exposing her to the things you've deemed too inappropriate for her young, fragile, little mind to handle. Like, oh I dunno just spit balling here really..........."

Achmed let a devilish grin spread across his face.

"The birds and the bees!"

Applejack and her family once again grew wide-eyed with their expressions, the mere hint at their youngest being subjected to the lewd and hard facts of the world at an early age, being too much to fathom.

"You wouldn't." Applejack challenged.

"Oh, but I would." Achmed reaffirmed.

"What's the birds and the bees?" Applebloom asked.

"You're about to find out!" Achmed gleefully smirked.

A choice was now before Applejack. Princess Luna's location, or her Sister's innocence.




MEANWHILE AT THE TOWN'S CENTER....................





The scene was utter madness as column after column of armor came raining down the streets of Ponyville in one glorious wave of Blitzkrieg. The Tank leading the charge, one Leopard 2A1, was commanded by Lt. Heinrich Schulze, who reveled at their success in utterly routing the enemy. His gunner was letting loose with every weapon currently in his arsenal, a devilish grin, shouting obscenities and insults towards his cowardly enemy.

"Men!" the Lieutenant announced in a thick Bavarian accent. "I believe it ist time to initiate ze psychological VARFARE! Vee shall break zem und der pitiful defenses!"

"Hell yeah, sir!" the driver shouted, handing him a cassette tape. "Here! Put this in that player to your right, got a stereo system hooked up on the outside, this'll make em' piss their pants!"

Lt. Schulze inspected the tape, the words, "Powermetalacolpyse Volume.1" written in sharpie on its exterior. Schulze grinned, and did as his driver suggested. As he closed the lid to the cassette player and hit play, he cranked the volume to the highest it would go.





The speakers on the Leopard's exterior blasted with an almost triumphant roar, as the glorious sounds of the Swedish chord echoed throughout Ponyville. The human's advance now seemed to have escalated tenfold, each eruption of a tank gun almost coinciding the beating of the drums, as tanks charged through homes, buildings, and structures alike, obstacles practically powerless to stop the iron will of humanity.
Schulze turned out of his Iron coffin, and manned the M2 Browning turret that rested above the Commander's hatch. He pulled back the charging handle, and proceeded to let loose a torrent of 50. caliber rounds down upon his helpless enemies. He then picked up a loudspeaker, which also connected to the outside stereo system.

"HAHAHA!" He bellowed. "RUN!RUN! RUN BEFORE ZE MIGHT OF MANKIND! YOU HAVE NO HOPE OF VICTORY AGAINST ZE SHEER WILL OF MAN! VE VILL ANNIHILATE YOU! Ihre kläglichen Knochen werden unter der Macht unserer Eisenschritte zerquetscht. Den Hunden Ihre Eingeweide werden eingezogen! Ihre Hoffnungen des Sieges werden wie Kühe zum Gemetzel ausgeweidet! Die Träume und die Wünsche Ihres mitfühlenden Rennens werden heraus geschnüffelt, wie unsere Art Ihres sich bemächtigt! Verlassen Sie alle Hoffnung! Hageln Sie Sieg! Hageln Sie die menschliche Rasse!"

As Lt. Schulze foamed at the mouth, elsewhere in town the Infantry were pushing their way up towards Twilight's Castle, putting down anything and everything with four legs, dumb enough to get in their way, with a barrage of lead, so furious, so unfathomable, that the very air around them seemed to ignite into a blazing inferno, leaving nothing behind but the charred bones of what was once your everyday guardspony.

Andrew and Viktor led one of the assaults towards the center of town, dodging whatever magical projectiles the stragglers of Schulze's armored charge left behind. After nearly dodging three shots from some unicorn guard who was positioned in a half collapsed building, Andrew let loose with his M-TAR on the enemy. His shots unfortunately missed, and he took cover behind an abandoned wagon as more blasts of energy were directed his way. Viktor did the same behind some crates on the other side of the street, as several more unicorn guards joined the first one, an soon a multitude of more unicorn guards joined their allies, effectively pinning them down and halting the advance.

"VIK!" Andrew yelled out. "I'm pinned down here!"

"I realize this!" Viktor replied. "Suggestions?!"

"I HAVE ONE!" A triumphant voice declared.

Looking to the direction from whence they came, they see, clear as day, the charging colossus of Councilor Bradford, operating a state of the art, pre-war, mint-condition, bad ass-approved, all around big dick enhancer, XM-2055mk.69g3tr3kt Mod 9000 power-armored exo-suit frame, complete with targeting computer, jetpack, pneumatic fists, built in flamethrower, mini-mortar, missile launcher, and a downloadable copy of Them's Fightin' Herds. Armed with a Gau-19 mini-gun dubbed "Metal Machine", Bradford charged the enemy emplacement, letting out a proud, yet somewhat high-pitched screeching attempt at a battle cry as he let loose upon the ponies.
It was at that moment that an idea popped into Andrew's Brain, and he looked to Viktor, as he would need his help in carrying it out effectively.

"Viktor! Remember Volgograd?!"

Upon those words, Viktor instantly knew what Andrew had in mind.

"On three!" Viktor announced. "One, two, three!"

Like ninjas, they ran towards the center of the street, right as Bradford was passing by. They jumped! Landing one foot on Bradford's arms. Due to his enhanced armor, Bradford didn't even feel the extra weight. Using their momentum, the two First Recon Operators cast themselves into the air into a back-flip, aiming their rifles at the enemy, and dumping the entire mag at them in the process, as the two men arched over Bradford in the air. The rounds wiped out pony after pony, each making their mark until only three were left! Then, both Andrew and Viktor, while still in the air, emptied their weapons, via the patented, TACTICAL MAG FLIP!!!
Using the careful maneuver, each man released their magazines, sending them flying, yes literally flying, towards their enemy. Like Boomerangs, they closed the distance between their targets, in this case, the two unicorns to the left and right of the center pony, who happened to be a certain cyan pegasus with a Rainbow Mane. The magazines swept by, slitting the two enemies' throats in the process and began to circle their way back. Andrew and Viktor had landed from their artful tacticool maneuver, each holding out their rifles as the soaring magazines were once again loaded into their respective rifles.
Rainbow Dash stood no chance as Bradford charged at her, obliterating what little cover their was, and sending her flying back, landing on the ground outside the building. Her head still spinning from the physical hurdle she was sent into, Bradford menacingly walked up to his victim, pointing "Metal Machine" directly into her face. When her sight cleared up, and she saw plain as day what was happening, she did what any smart individual would do in a position like this.

"I-I SURRENDER!" Rainbow Dash yelled, hooves stretched out into the air.

Bradford lifted the mini-gun out of her face and pointed to Andrew, who along with Viktor, were catching up with him.

"Talk to him about surrender. I'm just a scientist."

Bradford walked off to participate elsewhere in the battle, leaving the confused mare at the mercy of Viktor and Andrew.

"Well, well, well! Look who it is." Andrew chuckled. "The native who tried to rush us."

Rainbow, still knocked onto the ground, looked up to see two familiar humans.

"You!" Rainbow spat defiantly. "You're responsible for this aren't you!?"

"If you're implying that I'm overseeing this current operation, then yes, I am."

"You're a monster!" Rainbow snarled. 

"Wouldn't have happened if your leaders weren't so keen on subjugating us." Andrew said defensively.

Rainbow raise an eyebrow at that accusation.

"What are you talking about!?" Rainbow asked.

Andrew got right in her face, a steadfast look on his face.

"We know all about that portal you guys built. It was prototype! And once you deemed it successful your leaders would reproduce it so that they could initiate an invasion of Earth! OF MANKIND! That's why your leaders killed Berfield, because he knew too much. Well you guys made one BIG mistake! You messed with the wrong species! So now, we're invading you!"

Rainbow's jaw was wide open at just how incredibly wrong that statement was.

"WE BUILT THAT THING TO HELP BERFIELD GET HOME YOU DOLT!" Rainbow proclaimed. "Tim came to us because he wasn't expecting a rescue! We've been with him for days, and throughout that whole time we treated him with kindness, and worked with him to build that portal! When we opened it we got attacked by some affront to nature when it opened up in the middle of nowhere! 

"LIKELY STORY!!!" Andrew said in rebuttal. "But we know why you really built it! And why you killed Tim when he found out!"

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!? Tim died by accident! We had no idea magic was lethal to him!"

"LIES!!! No doubt fabricated to cover for your race's crimes against ours! Achmed Sabbag told us everything!"

"And you believed the guy who had to watch his friend die before his eyes?! Did the thought occur to you that he may had made it up as a way of getting payback!? Did it occur to you that he may be EMOTIONALLY UNSTABLE!?!?!"

"Nonsense! Achmed's psychological state is as solid as can be!" Andrew assured her.

At that moment Achmed came running past them, cackling like a hyena and wielding two AA-12's loaded with dragon breath rounds and sporting chainsaw bayonets.

"VENGEANCE!!!!!!!!" He screamed, firing rounds of fiery death nonchalantly around him.

"You see, fit as a fiddle!" Andrew reassured her.

Rainbow's brain began to glitch out at the sheer amount of ineptitude that was being displayed. Tim may not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, but compared to the human perspective she was experiencing now, he was practically fucking Einstein, or whatever pony equivalent exists. Holstein? Einsteed? Hein- ah whatever.
Rainbow groaned quite audibly, the level of stupidity effectively breaking her will to try and reason with the dumb apes. But the fact that she had surrendered was one she hadn't forgotten.

"Celestia help me, you mind telling me what exactly is your policy for prisoners?" Rainbow asked. "Dungeon? Guinea Pig? Turned to stone? Death by stupidity?"

Andrew took a moment to think that over, and came back with an answer surprisingly quick.

"Well...................................Official Militia prisoners are usually processed through the official POW administrator, but given that he's absent in this battle, I'm afraid that responsibility falls upon my friend here. To which he will carry out to his discretion." Andrew informed her while gesturing to Viktor. "Vik, you deal with her, I gotta lead the troops!"

Andrew ran off to who the fuck knows, leaving the the mare to the mercy of Viktor. Rainbow groaned internally, only for a dark looming shadow to be cast over her. Looking to it's source, Rainbow's expression went from annoyed to scared shitless in an instant. What Rainbow saw in the man standing over her absolutely terrified her. His demeanor was cold, his features battered and bruised, his hands grasping one of the marvelous weapons of Soviet Engineering, a chiseled, soulless expression devoid of emotion that would make Stalin proud, the iconic K6-3 helmet with it's fair share of battle scars, and for some strange reason, his very presence seemed to be accompanied by an all male choir singing a song in a language that added an element of foreboding dread to him.





Accompanied by the sight of three Su-25's and a pair of Mi-24D Hinds flying overhead, and he had essentially become Russia incarnate. These combined factors managed to squeeze a very audible gulp from her. Viktor slowly lowered his stance down over her, his eyes devoid of soul and happiness. 

"Sooooooo...heh..Viktor, huh?" Rainbow stammered. "So is this prisoner of war like an official thing or is it gonn-

Viktor quickly reached out and clamped an iron collar around Rainbow's neck and tied a rope tight around her wings. Rainbow's eyes went wide as he pulled heavily at the chain connecting to her collar, bringing her face to face with him.

"Do you know what a Gulag is?" He inquired in a thick Russian voice.

"N-no." Rainbow Dash whimpered. "W-what's a gulag?"

Viktor responded with a malefic grin.

"You're about to find out."





MEANWHILE AT SUGARCUBE CORNER.........................





"INCOMING!!!"

The scene was a massacre, everywhere Pastries and the poor souls who were unfortunate enough to be hit by them we're scattered across the ground. One man who had been impaled by a cupcake and survived now lay on the ground, screaming in utter pain as the medics desperately tried to get to him. Four had already fallen in the attempt, but the Pink pony who defending the building they were trying to take was merciless in dealing out death and...........

......oh wait, I forgot she's supposed to be with Twilight at this point, Fuck, I forgot. Uh, ooh I know! I'll just say she teleported, Pinkie's known for her so random personality anyway, that'll make sense! MAN I'M A GOOD WROTER!

So Pinkie Pie is defending Sugarcube Corner by throwing cakes and shit, and the soldiers, who I assume are high off glue, are pretending it actually matters.

"It's a slaughterhouse out there!" Richards cried. "We can't even break a foot or two without getting iced!"

"MY LEG!!!!" Nazif cried out, a splattered cake covering the entirety of his left leg.

"MEDIC!" Delp yelled.

"YOU BOYS HAD ENOUGH!!!" Pinkie taunted. "THERE'S MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM!!!"

Another oversized pastry came hurling over them landing on the windshield of the Humvee supporting them. The Humvee's occupants jumping out of the vehicle, screaming at the top of their lungs and rolling around on the ground uncontrollably. Nick, assigned as a radio operator for this mission, was quick to call for back up.

"Eagle-1, Eagle-1, this is Chipmunk 4-1, we're pinned down at a dunkin doughnuts, requesting air support over!"

"*Copy that, Chipmunk 4-1, we're ETA 2 mikes to your position, requesting attack coordinates, over.*"

"Copy, Eagle-1, coordinates are, Romeo 34636-Niner Foxtrot Uniform, Be advised, danger close, I repeat, DANGER CLOSE!"

"*Copy that Chipmunk 4-1, preparing for strafing run at coordinates, Romeo 34636-Niner Foxtrot Uniform. Gonna make em' taste firepower.................................................................AND FREEDOM!!!*

A pair of Attack helicopters, one AH-64E Apache and one AH-1Z Viper diverted away from their previous engagement and began soaring their way towards the new destination to the sound of electric guitars blaring at high volume. Each were ready and fired up to deliver a heaping helping of Freedom to the undeserving savages who inhabited this world. Their target was soon in sight, and through the view of their thermal camera, they could see the white silhouette of the pony defending it. 

"*Light em up!*" Eagle-1 yelled over the comms.

Pinkie realized her fate the moment she saw the first helicopter.

"...oh crud..."

Within mere moments, Pinkie Pie was subjected to torrents of 20mm and 30mm fire, along with wave after wave of Hellfire, Sidewinder, and Hydra rockets. Fire and death and explosions and stuff rendered Sugar Cube corner into a newly rendered oil refinery.

"*YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! That's what I'm talkin' about! Chipmunk 4-1, did you-...............oh, shit.*"

It was at that particular moment Eagle-1 realized that his barrage had also killed a majority of Chipmunk 4-1, along with 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, you get the picture.

"*Ah, ah, ah shit.*" Eagle-1 Babbled.

"*Well that's a court marshallin'.*" Eagle-2's Pilot quipped from the other Helicopter.

"*Way go you team-killing fucktard!*" Eagle-1's Co-pilot jeered.

"*HEY! You helped! This is as much your fault as it mine!*" Eagle-1's Pilot said defensively.

"*Should have thought about that before unloading death from above!* Eagle-2's Co-pilot mused in a strange feminine voice.

This was enough to elicit a somewhat confused, if alarmed response from Eagle-1's occupants. Turning to look at the other Helo, what they saw shook their core. In the Pilot's seat was now a Pink Pony, garbed in all the appropriate Pilot Gear, giving them a teasing little wave with her hoof. When they saw the Co-Pilot's seat, they greeted with the sight of Eagle-2's Co-pilot dead in his seat, several eclairs shoved down his throat, no doubt causing death via asphyxiation.

"*Oh, look!*" Pinkie exclaimed. "*Eagle-2 has two unused Sidewinders. I wonder how I can put those to use?*"

"*You're bluffing! That kind of vehicle takes months to know how to operate, let alone use it's weapon systems. You don't know you to even use those things!*" Eagle-'s pilot adamantly claimed.

"*You wanna bet?*" Pinkie cooed.

The Viper turned ninety degrees towards Eagle-1, and soon enough, the Missile tracking alert began to blare within Eagle-1's Apache.

"*SHE'S LOCKING ON! HOW DOES SHE KNOW HOW TO LOCK ON!*" Eagle-1's Co-pilot panicked.

"*EVASIVE! Have the flares prepped!*" Eagle-1's Pilot shouted out.

Pinkie let out a gleeful giggle as she fired the first missile. It erupted at such incredible speed, leaving little time for error on Eagle-1's part. But despite the unfavorable odds, Eagle-1 managed to flip their bird around, popping their flares just before the missile got within kill-range. From there, they began to work their way around to get a possible position behind her, and thus gaining advantage over her. But Pinkie was quick to give chase, beginning an aggressive pursuit of Eagle-1.

"*You can run, but you cant hide!!!*" Pinkie yelled over the comms.

"*Shit! How the hell does she know how to fly that thing!?*" The Co-Pilot yelled.

"*Doesn't matter! She's only got one more sidewinder! All we need to do is evade her last missile and we'll be fine!*" The Pilot reminded.

"*BUT WE'RE OUT OF SIDEWINDERS!!!*"

"*Yes, but we also have access to something she doesn't! The chaingun! Once we get behind her, we can let loose with the-*"

Suddenly a stream of 20mm fire came whizzing past their cockpit, with a few rounds landing on the back of the outside chassis. 

"*SHE KNOWS HOW TO USE THE CHAINGUN!!!*" The Co-Pilot screamed.

"*HOW!?!*" The Pilot squealed.

"*Manual Fire Mode!*" Pinkie mused over the comms

"*Manual Fire Mode? What is this, Arma?*"

Another stream of fire hit them, this time inflicting heavy damage to the tail rotor.

"*SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! We've been hit!*" the Co-Pilot screamed.

Their missile tracking alarm began to let out with the warning alarm.

"*FLARES! NOW!*" The Pilot ordered.

"*THEIR NOT RESPONDING!!!*" The Co-Pilot wailed.

"*Kiss your flanks goodbye!*" Pinkie taunted, followed by a maniacal laugh.

"*This may be it buddy.*" the Pilot said honestly to his friend.

"*Since we're gonna die, I'm just gonna let ya know it was me who knocked up your girlfriend.*"

"*...........................................................................WHAT!!!??!!*"

"*Wow. Pardon my language, but only a bucking flank-hole would do that was kind of thing!*" Pinkie added.

"*I'm sorry! We we're drunk! She came ont-*"

"*I'LL RIP YOUR NUTS OFF MOTHERFUCKER!!!*"

The comms soon, turned into the sound of a violent brawl, and before Pinkie's eyes, the Apache turned underbelly up and crashed into the ground.

"*Wow, I didn't even need to fire the last-*"

The Missile tracking warning began to blast inside the cockpit.

"*What the hay?!*" Pinkie exclaimed.

Suddenly something jumped from a nearby roof and in front of her hijacked Helo and into view. It was none other than Corporal Harris, holding two FIM-92 Stingers in each hand. The Stinger Missiles erupted from their tubular housing and charged at Pinkie's death machine at point blank range. The missiles made impact, and upon detonation, shredded the Viper and its occupant.
As Harris landed on the ground, discarding the expended missile launchers as he watched the attack helicopter go down in fiery blaze. As it exploded upon crashing, Harris said to himself.

"Tango down."

"Not quite!" A voice mused behind him.

Harris turned around, to see Pinkie Pie, completely unscathed. Pinkie however, found herself just a tad bit disappointed at his lack of a response. No jump, no twitch, nothing.

"Huh?" she said aloud. "This is usually when you humans get scared or alarmed."

Harris said nothing, maintaining the same neutral stance, his face obscured behind tac-goggles and a face wrap.

"Okay, the whole silent thing is creeping me out dude."

"THERE'S ONE!" a voice yelled.

Within seconds, Harris found himself surrounded by dozens on dozens of guards, bearing shields, spears, and swords.

"OH HEY EVERYPONY!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

The guards simply ignored her and began to close in on him. Harris went for his gun, yet found out that his firearms were in fact missing.

"Looking for these doohickeys?" Pinkie gloated, displaying his guns, knives, and grenades that she somehow managed to swipe away from him without him noticing. Harris was simply silent, his body language unchanged, much to Pinkie's disappointment.

"Seriously, nothing?" She said unbelieving. "Well, whatever, you're out of options anyway."

Harris simply responded by pulling out his Sapper Shovel.

"PPPPPPPFFFFFFFFT! HAHAHAHAHA!" A guard laughed. "A shovel? And what the hay do you plan on doing with-"

The guard's hilarity ended when Harris cleaved the sharpened spade into his skull, eliciting an ear-splitting shriek from him. Harris followed this by a quick slash to the throat. Like lightning, Harris began his assault on the guards, hacking, slashing, stabbing, bashing, and tearing his way through his foe. The guards were quick to engage, yet their efforts seemed almost in vain, as any attempt to stop him was met with a quick but gruesome death by Harris' hands. 
Harris was merciless as his attacks drowned out the screams and cries of mercy of his victims. Blood poured by the gallon and guts fell by the pound onto the ground as the guards tried to close in on their foe, yet to no success. Pinkie Pie watched in pure horror as guard after guard met a gruesome end to his spade. It was over in less than a minute, as the ground was littered the butchered corpses of those who had tried and failed, leaving only the blood-soaked figure of Harris as the only one left standing, his back turned to the only pony present. Pinkie began to backpedal away from the murderous machine. She didn't even get a step in before his head darted back to her. His goggles had shattered in one spot, giving Pinkie a clear view of his left eye. Her body froze, her gaze completely enraptured by his one eye as it stared right into her soul. Pinkie tried to scream, yet she had lost the ability to speak, her voice completely gone.
Harris began to close the distance between Pinkie and himself, his spade splattered in a crimson coat. Pinkie's innate abilities to seemingly defy logic had suddenly failed on her, as this human somehow defied her powers of absurdity with his own powers of sheer might. That Pinkie sense that she had been known for told every bone in her body to run, as her powers had now been supplemented with pure flight instincts. Pinkie Bolted, running towards anywhere but here as she sought her escape from a human who's sole goal seemed to be putting an end to her. 





MEANWHILE IN PONYVILLE MARKET DISTRICT.........................




As the assault made it's way through town, many a human found themselves indulging in the age old wartime tradition of looting, pillaging, and r.......oh wait, no just those two things, nevermind that last one.
Among them, were Ahab, Lamond and Francis, who, after curb stomping one of the poor guards who thought to surrender, had their sights on what looked like a extravagant business establishment, evident by what looked like a monetary value sign accompanied by a chest with the words that said, "Filthy Rich Brand General Store", although none could actually read it due to the alphabetical differences.

"Yo, guys." Francis started off by saying. "What are the odds that this place has a stable economy?"

"Pretty high considering their civilization seems more structured than ours." Lamond replied.

"So would say things such as private business ventures would exist in such as stable economy?" Francis suggested.

"That would seem very likely. Thriving economic growth usually leads to more private business outlets."

"And if we humans are here to stay, we'll need a way stay financially stable as we compete with whatever other countries or species for monetary gains. Make our own private business outlets."

"Yeah, that sounds accurate. We'll need economic foundation if we're to survive in this new world." Ahab added.

"And that building over there just so happens to look as if it wants to sell certain luxuries. If so, it would need to have a hefty amount of monetary value on hand, right?" Francis assumed.

"That makes sense, I wonder what were to happen if three well-trained heavily armed individuals were to, exchange, whose hands said monetary value belongs too?"

The three men looked at one another, expressions that practically indicated that they all had the same idea.

"Let's rob it!" Francis cackled.





TEN MINUTES LATER.................




Within ten minutes, Lamond, Francis, and Ahab ran out of the establishment, laughing and cheering as they just made bank on robbing Filthy's store of everything that held monetary value. Each man had a cartoonishly large sack of Bits, jewels, and gold slung over their shoulder. 

"We're fucking rich!!!" Lamond exclaimed.

"And that was just one store!" Ahab added.

"What are we gonna do with all the money though?" Francis asked.

"Yeah! What should we spend it on!?" Lamond eagerly inquired.

"I'm gonna invest in a genetics company!" Ahab stated. "That way I can bring back dinosaurs to create my own dino army to take over the world!"

"That's stupid!" Francis mocked. "Let's spend the money on bitches, booze, and guns and start a career in doing this!"

"I gonna buy a fuck-ton of crack with my money!" Lamond announced.

"FRANCIS VANHART, AHAB AL-KINDI, AND LUCAS LAMOND!!!!" a shrill voice shouted.

The three men turned around to see Sarah standing a few feet behind them with a sheer look of disapproval.

"Did you three just rob that place!?" Sarah asked.

"No." Francis lied.

Sarah's expression didn't change.

"I cannot BELIEVE you all stooped to looting..." She went on to say.

Lamond, Ahab, and Francis all looked down in feelings of guilt in shame, though it would be short lived.

"WITHOUT ME!" she wined.

Suddenly their guilt was replaced with a sense of newfound appreciation for her their Sergeant. Sarah proceeded to pull on the charging handle to her M4A1.

"C'mon boys. I saw a bank nearby and Momma needs to make a withdrawal!"




MEANWHILE AT TWILIGHT'S CASTLE................................................................




The scene was what all three princesses feared. All across Ponyville was just one big battlefield that was clearly favoring the humans. All around her castle, the horde of human soldiers did everything in their power to break down the large bubble shield Twilight had conjured to defend her castle. Even with Celestia and Luna, along with every other Unicorn guard and towns pony that sought refuge within her home aiding in the effort of maintaining it, it still a challenging task. Fluttershy and Rarity managed to run back to the castle in time, both cradling one another as the sound of heavy gins battered against their last remaining defense
Tanks fired shell after shell at the shield, unloading everything they had at it. Infantry used rockets, grenades, and whatever other explosives they had on hand to bring it down. The sheer strain of such an assault along with the concentration of keeping it up pressed those magical adept ponies to their limits. The three princesses stood on the castle balcony overlooking the scene of madness, each one strained to their limits.

"I can't............keep....................it...............up!" Twilight said breathlessly.

"We..............must.................for...............every.....pony's...................safety!" Celestia replied.

"It.....................won't..............hold............much...........longer!" Luna cried.
It was at this moment Andrew had caught up where the majority of his men had converged. Seeing they had effectively started a siege, he smiled cheekily. 

"Nothing like a siege and the smell of fire and brimstone to make victory taste so much sweeter." Andrew smirked.

Andrew picked up a nearby megaphone and began to announce orders to stand down. The soldiers complied, and upon noticing that their enemy had ceased attacking, the princesses took a moment to gain back what little strength they could, and looked to see who had ordered the humans to stand down. Peering over the balcony the sight of a mob of heavily armed human soldiers was there to greet them, with armored behemoths and flying death machines nearby. Andrew noticed them the minute they came into view.

"*Ah, good, I have your attention.*" He said over the static boom of the megaphone. "*Greetings! You must be the folks in charge! Allow me to introduce myself. I am Commander Sawyer, head of the Militia. So listen, you guys may have noticed that you've kicked the hornet's nest here, and while you may want to try and resist our assault, it's probably in your best interest if you go and surrender now.*"

Twilight, Celestia, and Luna all had looks of reluctance on their faces, but ultimately went through with his demands. Each cast a voice amplifier spell, so that terms could be worked out.

"What are the conditions of the surrender?" Celestia asked.

"*Unconditional.*" Andrew said with a smile.

That one word and the implications tied to it sent unease spiraling through all three of the Alicorns. They had staunch reasoning to refuse, as so many things weren't guaranteed.

"I can't do that I'm afraid." Celestia informed her. "There must be certain assurances!"

Andrew, surprised that they'd be this ballsy in face of overwhelming odds, decided to humor them.

"*Pray tell, what assurances do you seek?*"

"First and foremost, our subjects safety and the complete ceasing of hostilities!" Luna shouted harshly.

"*Ahaha! One more slight outburst from Bluey McMoonbutt there and we crucify you!*" Andrew snarled.

Andrew's threat was met with resounding cheers and small fits of guns going off in the air by his troops. Celestia quickly placed a hoof in front of her sister, her face alone beaming with an alarmed desire for Luna to step back and let her do the talking.

"*But I suppose that's a reasonable request. And we'd be happy to oblige, hell we'll even release the prisoners we took.*"

"Wait what?!" Twilight exclaimed. "You took prisoners!?"

"*Da!*" Viktor replied as he suddenly appeared handling the megaphone Andrew was just using.

"Where did you come from?" Celestia asked.

"*Not important.*" Viktor replied. "*Just know that 103 pony souls currently reside within the confines of our newly set up....eh........detainment center.*

Viktor gestured in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. Turning to see what he was pointing to, there jaws dropped when they saw the newly erected 14th century gulag--complete with icy tundra setting--that had been erected where Applejack's home had been.

"When the hell did you build that, Vik?" Andrew asked.

"About five minutes ago." Viktor replied. "Isn't it blyatiful? And to think, it only cost sixty lives and a small famine to complete! Here, let of my builders add her input on its construction!"

Still connected to an iron collar was Rainbow Dash, though she was no longer the same mare. Her mane had been cut down to a buzz, her body looked severely malnourished, bags formed under her skiddish and shaken eyes as they stared out into space. She was garbed in a dirty, patched excuse for a winter coat that covered the rugged, torn up, beige jumpsuit she wore underneath, the numbers 000020 printed across the chest area. Twilight saw her friend and found herself struck with horror for what they did to her. She would have derided and cursed the humans on the spot, were the threat of immediate death not looming overhead.

"*Prisoner 000020, tell your leaders how your treatment has been so far.*" Viktor ordered.

Vik lowered the megaphone down to Rainbow Dash. Almost instinctively, Rainbow donned a smile so fake you could practically call it Chinese knock-off worthy. 

"*My time spent under human detainment has brought to my attention the values of the hard working class and how by contributing to their collective effort, it leads to a better, safer, and more equal society!*" Rainbow claimed profusely with a slight twitch in her eye. "*My labor efforts along with those of my fellow comrades builds strength towards the revolution which will forge a society free of hardship and class divide!*"

Viktor pulled the megaphone away and handed it to Andrew, a smile across his voice.

"Very good, prisoner 000020! Here." Vik said tossing her a scrap of bread.

As Rainbow spared no second in scrambling to devour every last bit of the measly amount of food she was given, Andrew went on to discuss further details on the surrender.

"*So we've come to an agreement, all your citizens will be left unharmed and those taken captive will be returned. Now. Onto what you'll be doing.*" Andrew smirked, letting out a small chuckle.

The three princesses couldn't help but feel nervous after that statement, as all three whimpered a little bit.

"*Now if you'd be so kind as to lower your shield and we can-*"

"NOT SO FAST!!!" boomed an irate voice.

Everyone turned to the tree closest to the castle to see Achmed standing among it's branches, his vision fixated on the blue alicorn princess on the balcony.

"Sabbag!?" Andrew called out. "What are you doing up there!?"

With one swift action, Achmed strapped himself into a exosuit jetpack (Essentially just think of that jetpack from Killzone 3 for a reference), and returned Andrew's query.

"REVENGE!!!" He shouted.

Like a bird of prey ready to pounce upon its prey, he took off at incredible speed! Once he was airborne he began to descend down on the balcony. He began to fire a long burst of rounds from the suit's built in MG3, shots pounding against the barrier at 1200 rounds a minute! The assault was quick, so quick that the princesses had little time to react as the shield began to crack like an egg. Cutting off power to the jetpack's thrusters, Achmed plummeted down towards the weak spot in the shield, shattering it upon impact and effectively bypassing the princesses only defenses.

"OH BUCK!!!" Princess Luna screamed.

He quickly reignited the thrusters and began to quickly close the distance between him and Luna. Another stream of tracer rounds fired forth from his MG3, but the rounds scattered around the princesses as they quickly retreated inside, closing the doors with a magical seal behind them to prevent their pursuer from making chase.

"That should hold him for now." Luna panted. "Right?"

Celestia would have concurred, but before she could, she heard the strange sound of what could best be described as a motor on steroids. Suddenly the door began to glow bright yellow and dispersed into fading embers of magical energy.  The blade to Achmed's chainsaw bayonet came bursting through the door they thought secured, sending sawdust, shards of crystal, and wood chips flying in all directions as Sabbag cut a hole large enough for his face to be visible. He withdrew his blade, and pressed his face through the hole, resulting in the princesses screaming in abject terror as they saw the absolutely nerve-racking look of pure insanity across his face.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE'S ACHMED!!!!!"

The princesses wasted no time in gaining a head start, as only a few seconds passed by the time Achmed kicked the door down into several pieces. Purely bolting, the three alicorns turned a corner only to collide at full speed with Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie, ending in all six of them falling to the ground. They were quick to recuperate, and to avoid any wasted time they could spend fleeing their pursuer, offered the quickest explanation they could.

"HE'S AFTER US!!!" all six shouted.

somewhat confused, and even a little amazed by how all six of them said the same thing, they sought to elaborate.

"Who in heaven's is chasing you!" Rarity wailed. "Aren't you supposed to be keeping the shield up?!"

"It's Achmed! Tim's friend! HE'S TRYING TO KILL US!" Luna shouted.

"Who's chasing you!" Twilight asked.

At that the moment, a far off scream could be heard echoing down the hall, followed by the sound of a shovel being scraped across a hard surface.

"The.....s...sh..sh...sh...sh..sh-shovel man!!!" Pinkie stammered loudly.

The sound of a chainsaw revving up followed by maniacal laughter clued everypony in that they were about to be caught in a pincer by two pursuing killers.

"We need to run!" Celestia urged. "NOW!!!"

But it was too late. Too much time had been wasted. Achmed immediately jumped at the group from around the corning with a gravity hammer. Slamming it down on the ground he sent everypony launching towards the walls. Harris soon came into view from the other corner, closing in on Pinkie Pie at a slow and inefficient pace. As Pinkie Pie recovered, she found herself being pulled off of the ground by her tail. Upside and four feet off the ground, she found herself eye to eye with Harris as a pit in her stomach grew to enormous size.

"You want to know what tango down means?" Harris asked.

Pinkie didn't answer, purely out of fear.

"It means when I've killed an enemy, they stay dead."

He brought Pinkie face-to-face with him.

"So when I say tango down. TANGO. STAYS. DOWN!!!

Luna lied on the ground just a few feet away from where Pinkie Pie proceeded to everything in her power to resist being shoveled into oblivion, disoriented from just being sent flying towards a wall, did her best to recollect her vision. Upon doing so, she found herself staring directly at a pair of combat boots. With a petrified gaze, she reluctantly worked her eyes up, only to see the large shape of Achmed towering over her, the most livid, grim, irate, "I'm ready to fucking murder you right now" face she had ever seen.

"VENGEANCE!!!!!" Achmed screamed at the top of his lungs.

"NO PLEASE!!!" She begged. "I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO IT! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!!!"

Achmed responded with a cackling fit of maniacal laughter.

"FINALLY" Achmed cried out. "I have you right where I want you! And now, it's time to answer for what you did!"

"Please! I beg you!" Luna pleaded through her tears. "I never wanted any of this to happen! I had no idea magic was lethal to your kind! Please don't kill me!"

"It's too late for mercy!" Achmed hissed, pointing the Elite energy sword directly in her face. "You took someone dear to me! NOW I'M GOING TO TAKE SOMETHING DEAR FROM YOU!!!"

"My life?!?" Luna cried.

"Of a sorts." Achmed sneered.

Achmed pulled out a large black rectangle object, along with two game controllers. Suddenly Luna recognized it, and felt her heart skip a beat as she realized what would be taken from her.

"NO!!!" She pleaded. "NOT MY PS4 PRO!!!"

"That's right! I know all about your little gaming obsession, and I also know how much time you've spent working through those chalice dungeons in Bloodborne. I say it's time to hit the reset button!!!"

With extreme prejudice, Achmed fired his Spartan Laser at point blank range into the 300 gold bit console and both 60 bit controllers, effectively disintegrating them into a pile of burning plastic. Luna watched in horror, unable to stifle her shrieks as hours upon hours of grinding were rendered into a flaming pulp.

"MY STAT ALIGNMENT! MY K/D! MY MOONLIGHT GREATSWORD!!! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!! MY DOWNLOADABLE COPY OF P.T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Luna screamed at a sorrowful pitch.

"Are you freaking serious!?" Twilight yelled out. "You chased us like a wild animal in the name of revenge, and you destroy Luna's stupid video game machine?"

"Oh Luna's PS4 isn't the only thing I plan to render into a pyre." Achmed smirked, gesturing to a conveniently placed stack of the remaining books Twilight had in her possession after the portal had destroyed her library. 

"NO DON-"

It was too late, as Achmed already torched the pile of knowledge with his flamethrower.

"YOU MONSTER!!!!!!" Twilight cried out in despair.

Achmed then turned to Celestia, he seemed somewhat unamused by the stupidity of the current situation.

"So Celestia." Achmed addressed her with curled lips. "I hear you have quite the sweet tooth!"

Almost as if logic had fallen victim to homicide, a large pile of sweets--most of which happened to be Celestia's favorites-- suddenly appeared behind Achmed as he took a step backwards, almost fondling his USAS-12 with frag rounds. Unfortunately, Celestia wasn't an idiot and pointed a very glaring fact out to him.

"Uh, go ahead and destroy them. I'm pretty certain I can always have more baked for me." Celestia said.

Achmed's malefic look suddenly vanished, realizing she had a point.

"Dammit. I didn't think about that." Achmed pouted.

"Okay, that's enough Achmed. Take five!" Andrew said walking up the hallway with Viktor, Bradford, and a platoon of soldiers following behind him. "Harris, you too."

Harris, who was still struggling to murder Pinkie Pie, ceased his actions upon receiving the new orders.




MEANWHILE IN TWILIGHT'S CUTIE MAP ROOM....................................





Celestia, Luna, and Twilight sat across from Andrew, who currently sat stretched out with his boots on the cutie map table. Each of them, sunken in posture and feeling the soul-crushing defeat as they watched Bradford write out the terms to the official surrender document, which they would no doubt all be signing by the end of this. Feelings of failure and fear plagued their minds as the last bits were written down.

"Okay, I think that about wraps things up." Bradford--still in his power armor--announced before reading over the official surrender doctrine. "Upon signature, Princess Luna, Princess Twilight, and Princess Celestia will formally order all forces, both military and civilian, under their power cease hostilities against any and all human beings, and will submit both the principalities of Ponyville and Canterlot under Survivor occupation. Their majesties will officially be recognized as hostages of war, and will be subject to release upon payment of the 1,000,000 bit ransom. Official communications will be maintained by whomever leads in your absence, one Princess Cadence by your accounts, to discuss negotiations on the ultimatum pertaining to your release. You, along with any remaining military personnel, will be granted rights as Prisoners of War under Survivor Code 321. In return, Militia forces are to halt their advance into Equestrian territory. This is subject to change should the government leading in your absence provoke our forces. Militia forces have also been ordered to cease all hostilities against the local population unless provoked on a case by case basis. Upon ransom payment and your release, Equestria is to pay up to 500,000 bits in reparations and will engage in a 10-year trade treaty with mankind. Henceforth, any and all territory annexed by the Survivors is to be officially recognized as The Holy Human Empire, by both the remainder of Equestria and internationally. Do you agree to these terms?"

Celestia looked to each of her counterparts, and let out a sigh.

"We do." Celestia agreed.

"Each of you sign on the bottom line, please."

Bradford handed them the document, and each proceeded to place their formal signature upon the document, and handed it back to Bradford. Upon looking it over, Bradford looked to Andrew and Viktor, and the room erupted in cheer.

"THIS CALLS FOR CELEBRATION!" Andrew Announced.




Celestia had an annoyed glare on her face as she was forced to watch the humans celebrate their victory in an erratic and chaotic manner. They were all in a rumpus, wrecking shit, driving small vehicles in doughnuts, dancing to Hardbass, and drinking what seemed to be an endless stream of alcohol. Celestia was unable to leave as she, along with Twilight and Luna in utter and abject terror, were tied to the castle's support beam, forced to endure the destructive display of what followed their defeat. At that moment, both Viktor and Andrew slid next to Celestia with the biggest shit-eating grins on their faces.

"Hey, why the long face, Sunbutt!" Andrew teased.

"Yeah, we're just horsing around!" Viktor added.

"I hate you all." Celestia uttered.


> Chapter 30: Growing Fears and Faint Hopes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As storm clouds gather, chance for peace dwindles to a point of impossibility. Two parties now travel to their centers of government, awaiting a multitude of decisions, judgements, and consequences left in the wake of the first of many fights between two worlds.Yet as an ominous fate looms overhead, a small ember of hope can still be found, if but in the faintest traces, simply by word of mouth................




Twilight once again walked through the halls of her castle, several bags of luggage floating behind, enveloped in an aura of lavender magic. Pinkie stood by her side, who had more or less accompanied her there for moral support. Despite what little success she was able to achieve in that goal, Twilight was glad she was there, it made passing Tim's body and room a little more bearable. As she passed Tim's former sleeping quarters for what she would assume be the last time for awhile, something in her mind suddenly clicked. She was pondering how suddenly his demise had come, and in turn how long it had taken for things to deteriorate. This had inadvertently gave way to something Twilight hadn't even previously considered.

"They must have been in a rush to escape, they couldn't have had the time to retrieve all of Tim's things. Could they?"

Finding the need to know incessant, Twilight suddenly turned around, driven forward by the hope that there could be something of value within the room, something they could use to their advantage. This led to much confusion on Pinkie and Summer Breeze's part.

"Twilight? Where are you going?" Pinkie asked.

"Princess, is something wrong?" The guard asked.

Twilight mentally blocked both inquiries, solely focused on the hopes of finding something left of Tim's belongings. As she entered the room, her hopeful thoughts seemed to have some merit, but upon a more through look, they were almost dashed in an instant. While most of Tim's things were still inside, two major items of note were nowhere to be found. His satchel and of course, the weapon he wielded. While the signs were few, they were blatant, as evidence clearly pointed to someone entering the room in a rush, no doubt to take back items that couldn't be left behind. Seeing her newfound optimism vanish, Twilight let out a rather disappointed sigh.

"So much for that idea." Mentally deadpanned.

"Twilight? What's up?" Pinkie asked.

"It's nothing." She replied. "Just.......hoping to find something that could have helped us among the things Tim left behind."

"Like his weapon?" Breeze asked.

"Well.....yes, but it seems the humans were one step ahead of us here as well."

River Breeze began to search around the room followed by Twilight, the two surveying the various objects that once belonged to the human visitor. While their interest was piqued by the prospect of finding something that could be useful against a potential counter-strike by humanity, Pinkie on the other hoof, found herself troubled by what was unfolding in front of her.

"Uh, Twilight?" Pinkie said in an uncomfortably worried tone. "Should we really be snooping around with Tim's things? It feels a little....I dunno..........disrespectful."

Twilight paused to give that some thought, for she had felt similarly before carrying the task out. She understood where Pinkie was coming from, as it did feel a little disgraceful scouring around somepony's things after their recent death. But Twilight was able to look past the moral ambiguity of it and foresaw the items as a crucial boon at a time like this.

"Pinkie, I know what we're doing seems disrespectful, but Equestria is facing a threat we've never could have been prepared for. Every bit of information on humanity we can learn will help us in the long run. Right now we need to focus on protecting Equestria, even if it means doing things we wouldn't normally do."

Pinkie's response to that was less than what Twilight had desired. While she didn't exactly come up with a counter-argument, her face expressed a deep sense of reluctance, no doubt stemming from her disapproval with the situation. Twilight did her best to ignore the objections of her friend, but they bit at the back of her mind.

"Corporal Breeze, if you could be so kind as to round these things up." Twilight asked. "I think Tim had a saddlebag around here somewhere. Best to condense everything in that."

"Of course, Princess." River Breeze responded with a nod.

As the Corporal proceeded to round up the various objects, there was one item in particular that Twilight went out of her way to pick up. It had been laying on the atop the nightstand, and as she enveloped it in a lavender glow, she took the time to really grasp the immoral aspects of what she was doing. 

"It feels wrong but what choice do I have?" Twilight struggled in thought. "If humans wiped each other out, what's stopping them from doing it to us? Morality maybe? Or, perhaps something else? Who knows. I just hope that whatever they used to slaughter each other is never brought here. And I'll do anything to make sure it doesn't!"




After an hour or so through the war torn ruins of Berlin, Andrew and those accompanying him found themselves once again at the gates of Fort Bismarck, it's makeshift walls almost serving as a bastion of defiance in the dead of the wasteland. Two large doors built from destroyed jetliner wings began to recede backwards, opening up the path ahead to them. The Convoy once again rolled forward, past the gates and towards the landing strip where the C-130 Hercules awaited them. It's engines were already on standby as Andrew watched its propellers spin.
Andrew eyed it with an almost slight reluctance to board, knowing full well that the destination it would take them to had the consequences of his action in wait for him. But he was strong, both in will and mind, and he knew very well that he'd have to bring his political and societal A-game in the days ahead, not for himself, but for the betterment of his people.
The vehicle pulled up to the large aircraft, stopping several yards from the lowered ramp, over by a small patch of what used to be grass, now reduced to dried Earth. Andrew and Viktor began to exit the confines of the vehicle, receiving a final farewell from his escorts.

"Best of luck to you, sir!" The gunner yelled to him.

Andrew gave the man a courteous nod before stepping out of the car. As he did though, his foot seemed to bump into something on the ground. Looking down to investigate, he saw large bulbous object rise from the dirt below. Out of some strange newfound sense of curiosity, Andrew knelt down to try and dig it out. The task was rather easy, finding the dirt was rather loose. As he unearthed the object, he found that it was an old helmet of all things, one cold-war era SSh-68, battered, rusted, and otherwise deteriorated past the point of repair. Andrew picked it up in his hands and inspected it in closer detail.

"Wonder how long this has been here?" Andrew pondered to himself.

The helmet itself was of Soviet origin, made in a time where nuclear war was the fear that gripped every living soul worldwide, one which plagued the societies of both sides, one which would see fruition 60 years after the conflict's conclusion. It had long been discontinued by the time of The Conflict, however it had been used by many of the poorer nations in the world, and as The Conflict dragged out, older equipment was being pulled out in droves to simply keep the war machine running. Andrew looked over it with a sense of unease. He himself could recall seeing it worn by many he had slain back then. It served as just another reminder of the war that had been, but now, it served as a warning, a possibility of what could happen should man be dragged into conflict once more. What had once been a soldier's defense turned grim reminder had now given Andrew the means to finally address the situation with himself. He would have to make a commitment for whatever path he would forge for mankind in the days to come.

"Will we end up the same way? Will a war with this new world turn out the same way? Will a war be the end of us?" Andrew wondered.

Somehow, he highly doubted it. With a solemn sigh, Andrew released his grip, letting the helmet drop to the hard ground in a loud metallic thud. Andrew wasn't willing to draw mankind back into another war, especially with a son who'd have to endure the aftermath of it. But a part of him told him that if this chance at brokering peace would fail, then they'd have no choice. He refused have his son grow up in a dying world, the last of the human race.
Starting now he'd be committed to peace. Should that fail, then he'd promise himself that he'd do everything in his power to ensure that this war wouldn't end like the last, that that it even could at least in terms of collateral damage. Nuclear Armageddon was no longer possible, given how the Militia possessed no nuclear warheads of any kind. This war would be different, conventional, and Andrew would make certain of that, and make that if it came to warm, they would win it. 
Yet at the same time, he pondered how many in the past had possibly said the same thing in justification of their actions, how many wars had been started with a mindset like his, and what the cost of those conflicts had been. Would conflict like the one that would potentially, no, undoubtedly arise be truly worth it? Could mankind win it and not lose the values he had maintained before it had started? Could mankind win at all? Andrew could see that those answers would allude him, the only way of knowing for certain would be to see said task through in its entirety. Viktor came up alongside him, drawing him out of his deep philosophical thought.

"Andrew?" Viktor addressed. "Is something wrong?"

Andrew turned around to answer, uncertain, but content and ready to meet whatever fate had in store.

"No, I'm fine, Vik. let's get going."




Militia response teams were forming up around the entrance to the reservoir, ready to eliminate the tunneler threat that had arisen with extreme force. When first response units came unto the scene they found that only one person had made it up to the lift after the alarm went off. This was none other than Suha, and she was a nervous wreck when they found her. She had thankfully been calmed down enough to a point she could convey words to the people up topside, and upon hearing the mere mention of tunnelers, the Militia was there in fifteen to twenty minutes flat. As the troops got locked and loaded, one man wielding a large incinerator unit stepped up to address the troops, one Colonel Billy Bates. Any facial recognition he could have had was obscured by the aged GP-21U gas mask.

"You know the drill, boys!" He shouted in a static-traced raspy drawl. "We go in, kill anything that ain't human, and light the nest! Hooah?!"

"HOOAH!" They all replied. 

Bates pressed the button up to activate lift that would take them down.

"That's what I like to hear!" Bates declared with enthusiasm "Form up! On the double!"

Meanwhile, Suha was being assessed for injuries by one of the medics, a woman in her mid twenties if Suha had to guess. She sat atop an old wooden crate as one of them looked over her. Suha had a bit of blood splattered on her from where the Tunnelers had thrashed at the elevator, but the medics were quick to deduce that she hadn't obtained any injuries.

"Well, you'll be happy to know none of the blood is yours. No severe injuries, at least on the outside. You're very lucky to be alive, little one." The Medic said with a Hungarian accent.

Suha didn't have it in her to reply immediately, her mind was too conflicted with what she had both heard and who she had lost as a result. Kent was yet another soul ripped away from her life, this time in a more literal way. Over the last couple of years Suha experienced a growing feeling of isolation, more specifically in her home life. It started with her brother enlisting, leaving her to attend to her mother's gradually deteriorating mental state. Then it happened again when her mother had practically lost her senses. Then again when she started working at DC10. While her co-workers at DC10 did their best to fill that social gap, it did little to put those feelings of abandonment to rest while she was at home with nobody to talk to. Now Kent, who would sometimes come to visit, was gone. Another soul lost, one more cherished friend taken by the brutal life of the wastes.

"Do you have a name?" the medic asked.

Snapped back to the now by the medic's inquiry, Suha ultimately decided to reply, as she felt staying silent was no proper way of thanking her for at least cleaning the blood off as best she could.

"I-it's Suha." she replied. "Thanks for...thanks for cleaning me up."

"Don't mention it." The medic chuckled with a smile, before it suddenly faded. "I know it sounds prudent, but did you....know anyone working down there?"

Suha was hesitant to answer, but yielded out of a need for some sort of consolation.

"Yes. He......he was a friend." Suha replied.

"Suha, I'm so sorry." The medic replied with sympathy. 

"It's okay. I guess he was looking out for me even in his last moments. He told me to run, just before the tunnelers were on us." Suha informed her, stifling back any tears that may have appeared. "Doesn't make it any easier though, does it?"

"No. I'm afraid It doesn't. If it's any consolation, I think everyone here knows how you feel. We've all lost someone at one point or another. Comes with life I'm afraid."

"I guess so."

Both Suha and the medic knew the feeling of loss, but even more so on how to cope with it. People had learned to build up that emotional armor, had to in fact, as foregoing it would ultimately result in the Wasteland eating you alive. Better to steel yourself for the harsh state of life than to stack on an ever amounting pile of grief. The Medic reached out her hand to her and proceeded to help Suha up on her feet.

"I believe that's all there is to it, Suha. However, I'm afraid we'll need you to stay for a while longer. My CO will probably want a short testimony on record for the official report. Once they're done, you should be free to leave."

Suha nodded, and proceeded to follow the medic to give her CO a short testimony. Just another tragedy for the record it would seem, with any luck, it wouldn't take that long.



Luna stood amongst the ruins left behind in the wake of the portal's destruction. She found herself completely stunned at just how much damage had been inflicted to the library, reducing its pristine beauty to complete rubble. The room echoed with the sounds of crumbling walls and drafts of wind that penetrated into the exposed interior. Other than that there was no other noise. The sheer lack of sound made it feel like a tomb, sending a chill down the spine of the night-toned alicorn.

"I-I'm at a loss for words." Luna said quietly.

Celestia knew perfectly well what thoughts plagued her sister's mind, for they were the same thoughts she herself experienced upon discovering the scene for herself, and the repercussions it entailed. Luna turned to Celestia with a troubled look.

"And to think I was only worried about Tim's weapon." Luna emphasized "If the regular human soldier possess this level of destructive capability-"

"Then it seems the human race possess more surprises for us." Celestia finished. "And it's very likely that their capabilities don't end there."

Luna and Celestia both delved into that thought, conceptualizing the possible weaponry human technology could have given birth to. The possibilities were frightening to say the least, and with each second dedicated to the particular subject, the already insurmountable odds they faced only seemed to grow.

"That's without a doubt. If their whole species centered their technology into fighting wars..........what chance do we have?" Luna asked.

Celestia wished she could answer that, but the truth of it all was that she had no idea.

"What are we going to do, Tia?" Luna said fretfully. 

Truly, she didn't know. But, Celestia did her best to come across as confident, if only to set an example and encourage her sister to stay strong and prevent panic.

"What's expected of us, Luna. Once the elements and their escorts return we shall all head to the train station here in Ponyville. The reserve troops no doubt came her in an armored transport, We'll use that to return to Canterlot. We address the situation from there and proceed to pool every feasible resource we have to defend Equestria."

While she felt like she had just been reiterating her already wishful statements, Celestia meant every word she said. Panic would only prove to make things worse and it would take every fiber of strength to pool together a defense against a threat that could arrive at any time and any place.

"And what are the specifics of that, exactly?" Luna inquired.

Celestia let out a sigh of mental fatigue.

"Still formulating that out I'm afraid. We can discuss this further once we're en route to Canterlot. Right now we need to regroup with the Elements. Odds are they should be returning to the Castle here shortly."

Celestia began to light up her up horn to cast a teleportation spell back to the foyer of the castle. Luna, recognizing the patterns congruent with the spell, began to cast her own as well, linking it with her sister's via a magic connection. In an instant flash of blue and golden light, the two sisters found themselves at their destination. Luna took another look around the room, comparing it's new visual degradation to the pristine state it had previously been. Shards of crystal, rock, and glass scattered across the floor. Singe and burn marks served as a statement to the fires that had once burned through the castle the previous night. Not to mention that many of her fallen guards still lied dead, small pockets of dried blood staining where they fell.
The scene served as a reminder of what could very well come to all of Equestria, and the prospect of seeing vast portions of her homeland rendered into a similar state, haunted her thoughts. But alas, Luna also felt a sense of pity for who the castle belonged to. It wasn't too long ago that Twilight had watched as her former home was reduced to a crater by Tirek's might. While her castle still stood, the damage dealt to it would take time to repair, and that time wouldn't be coming anytime soon.

"I take it your pupil is having a hard time coming to terms with this." Luna said. "Not only is her home in disarray, but she'll be at the forefront of the oncoming crisis."

Celestia's expression turned to one of sympathy, no doubt to her student.

"It will be tough for her." Celestia admitted. "But she's already showing strong signs, mentally at least. So long as she has friends to fall back on, I'm confident she'll recover."

Celestia caught movement in the corner of her eye, and upon directing her gaze up the stairwell, she saw that Twilight, Pinkie Pie, and Corporal Breeze had returned from retrieving Twilight's things. Most curious however, was the presence of a rather strange and rugged saddlebag, bearing a configuration that wasn't meant for any pony to put on. Recognizing it as Tim's backpack, Celestia was all but ready to inquire on why Twilight felt it necessary to bring it in the first place, especially considering that it's owner had just passed not too long ago.

"Twilight, why are you bringing Tim's backpack?" Celestia asked in concern.

Twilight gently placed her luggage gently on the floor, the lavender field of light overlapping it fading from view.

"I know it seems wrong, given Tim's passing, but I thought whatever things he had could be helpful in our defense. Perhaps there's something we could learn from whatever's within?"

Celestia found Twilight's idea to be quite sensible. She found herself eyeing the backpack with a newfound sense of optimism, curious if it held any details that could aid them in the days to come. At that moment, Celestia felt a slight twinge of pride in her student, respecting that knack for quick thinking she knew Twilight was capable of on more than one occasion. But simultaneously, she wondered whether what they were doing was morally abhorrent.

"That's an excellent idea, but I won't lie, it's a little-"

The thought then suddenly occurred to her, if Tim's backpack was still here, then so should his other belongings.

"Nevermind that. Did you happen to see Tim's rifle by chance, Twilight?" Celestia asked.

Twilight sunk her head a little bit.

"No. Both it and Tim's satchel were gone." Twilight answered back. "When I entered his room it looked like it had been searched."

"No doubt by his fellow comrades." Luna insinuated. "They must have done the act while we we're incapacitated by that bright flash of light."

"Wait, bright flash of light?" Twilight questioned. "What are you talking about?"

"It happened right after Achmed attacked us. Is saw another device of sorts thrown from behind us." Celestia answered. 

"It wasn't a weapon per say as it didn't have leave us in any physical harm." Luna added. "But it did manage to both temporarily deafen and blind us."

"No doubt with the intent to disorient. I recall it being cylinder-shaped with several holes around its exterior."

Pinkie's body suddenly perked up, almost as if shaken.

"What, you mean this doo-hickey?" Pinkie Pie asked, raising the now expended device in the palm of her hoof.

"I.........Yes, actually. That's the one." Celestia said in surprise. 

"Where did you find that, Pinkie?" Twilight asked.

"I found it as we we're leaving Tim's room. Thought it was sort of utensil at first, but then I thought 'who leaves utensils' in the middle of a hallway where..."

Pinkie, for a first, finally intercepted what she was going to say, which entailed the battles of last night. But to prevent any sort of emotional discomfort from being felt by the ponies around her, Pinkie chose to forego that particular detail in her sentence.

"I..uh...I just found it laying on the ground and thought it looked weird. Thought It was some strange type of rock for a second. Boy if my sister Maud were here she'd have probably flipped! But since it isn't a rock and is actually a human weapon of sorts I suppose there's really no reason in keeping it. Here you go princess."

Pinkie extended her hoof out to the princess, where Celestia enveloped the now expended device with her magic, levitating it closer to her to inspect it. The device was as she described, but now their were new details that she could explore that the heat of the moment failed to provide. The object was composed entirely out of metal, the top and base of it being pentagon-shaped, similar to that of a common steel bolt. Resting atop it was a small but complex metal housing, that sported a very strange extension that looked to be like a handle, though what its purpose served on such a small thing, she couldn't say. But there was one question that still plagued her mind.

"Why didn't they just kill us?" Celestia wondered. "Maybe...................maybe they were hesitant...................maybe they knew-"

"Princess, I've been meaning to ask, but, what's to become of Tim's body?" Twilight inquired.

Celestia snapped out from her concentration, deciphering the question word by word and finding herself with a lack of an answer. Celestia looked to Luna, for some, if any, kind of advice. Alas, it seemed Luna had come to the same conclusion as her sister.

"We'll see to it that he's properly retrieved and buried in due time, Twilight." Celestia informed her. "Exactly where and when, I can't say for certain."

Twilight's expression drooped a little upon hearing that, but she understood that more pressing matters took priority. Celestia saw this, a did not neglect to address it.

"I know it seems insensitive and a little bit neglectful, but rest assured, Twilight. Tim will receive proper burial. He deserves that much." Celestia assured her.

While her mentor's words didn't exactly put her feelings to rest, they did take some of the gloominess out of them. Suddenly the doors to the castle foyer swung open and in came the rest of her friends, returned from retrieving their belongings for the trip to Canterlot. Each one of them was carrying various bags of luggage, and for once Rarity didn't over pack, bringing only a bag or two as opposed to the mountainous pile she was accustomed to taking with her no matter the distance traveled. They were all here, along with the guards Commander Spark assigned to accompany them and one particular baby dragon. Spike, who was now seeing the damage for the first time, took on a rather glum expression, no doubt taking an emotional hit upon seeing the devastation left behind. Thankfully Twilight was quick to come to his aid, supporting him with a loving hug, one which he was grateful to receive, and eager to return.

"It'll be alright, Spike." Twilight assured him.


Spike looked up to her, giving her a simple nod. Celestia smiled a little, glad to know that Twilight's resolve was healing. Now seeking to move things along, she could read the tell-tale signs that everypony was just about ready to depart. With that in mind she proceeded to levitate the human device over to her student.

"Twilight, if you could place this inside Tim's backpack, I have a feeling it will be inspected along with everything else that's inside."

"Of course, Princess." Twilight answered.

Celestia then turned her attention to the ponies around her.

"I trust you all said your proper goodbyes? The odds of returning to Ponyville anytime soon are slim." Celestia informed.

"We have, your majesty." Applejack answered. "My family took it hard, but, they understand why."

"Scoots is gonna miss me." Rainbow stated. "But she's a tough little filly, she's capable of taking care of herself. Plus I got her watching Tank, so all my goodbyes are taken care of."

"I gave my animal friends a formal goodbye." Fluttershy said. "Dr. Fauna was even kind enough to house sit, and promised to check in on them regularly."

"Sweetie Belle's staying with my parents here in town. They're coming back from their vacation soon, so she should be well taken care of." Rarity said.

"And I said my goodbyes to the cakes an hour or so ago!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"I think that about covers it." Twilight said. "Are we ready to leave?"

"That depends whether or not the reinforcements from Baltimare have arrived yet." Celestia explained. "Commander Spark should have secured the station for our arrival the minute they arrived." 

"Perhaps we should start making our way there regardless." Luna suggested. "Time is crucial if we're to utilize it efficiently."

Celestia weighted the option, and ultimately would have suggested taking that course of action had another guard not have arrived but a few seconds later. The bat pony guard, adorned in the armor of the Night Guard Reserve--a clear indicator that he was under Spark's command--landed before the group.

"Your majesties." He addressed them with a salute. "Sergeant Comet. I bring news from Commander Spark."

"Go ahead, Sergeant." Celestia encouraged.

"The reinforcements from Baltimare have just arrived and have taken the reigns over the situation. The Commander has secured the station for your arrival, however a number of Equestria's news outlets are here en masse."

Luna couldn't help but slightly groan at the mere mention, made worse by the fact that there was only more of it to come in the relatively nearby future.

"Seems word has finally gotten out then." Celestia announced. "Thank you, Sergeant. We appreciate the fair warning." Celestia said making her sense of approval apparent. "I suggest we take a quicker route to the train station to avoid any unnecessary delay."

"Teleportation?" Luna inquired.

"Teleportation." Celestia confirmed. "Everypony, if you could, please gather round. Teleporting such large group works easier if in closer proximity."

They did as their princess insisted, and began to huddle into a tightly condensed group. Once satisfied, Celestia and Luna began to cast the Teleportation spell large enough to encompass the group and all their things. In a quick flash of gold and blue, the company was transported from the castle foyer to the waiting area of Ponyville station in mere seconds. Upon their arrival, they were met with the sight of a rather startled Commander Spark along with several dozen of his reserve guards surrounding and patrolling the station.

"Ah, your majesties, I see you've arrived." Spark said, fatigue clearly trailing in his tone. "In perfect time too. My guards are spread thin as it is, I wasn't certain we'd be able to push back the oncoming mob of reporters that are popping up around town."

"Best we depart now then." Celestia suggested.

"A good call, your majesty." Spark concurred. "We'll be taking the transport train." 

On the tracks, laying in wait, was the royal night guard transport train, with armored boxcars composed of iron supports, blue-steel plating, and heavy-oak painted in a shade of nightly blue. The guards who patrolled it bore a feeling of almost borderline paranoia, as every move they made came across as skiddish and ready to jump at a moment's notice. Twilight and the others no doubt deduced it from their experiences last night, one nopony could ever forget no matter how hard they tried. It felt strange seeing the usually casual and even friendly atmosphere of the station hopelessly devoid of it, and something told Twilight that only more of that same anxiety was to be experienced in the days to come.

"It's not the most luxurious, but I think with current circumstances I'd say safety takes a bit priority." Commander Spark insisted.

"It will do, Commander." Celestia acknowledged.

With that, Commander Spark nodded and proceeded to relay the orders to his men that they would be departing shortly. As Twilight and company boarded the train, she tried to think of the brighter side of things. For one, she'd be returning to the city where she was raised, where she was taught. To her, Canterlot held a close place in her heart. Perhaps she could use this time to finally spend some more time with her parents. But once again, those thoughts of optimism would give way to dread, stemming from the harsh reality of things.

"I wonder what they know of the situation?" Twilight pondered. "I bet they're worried sick about me and Spike. Just wondering if we're alright. Perhaps it is a good idea to stop by, take some of the anxiety off of their shoulders."

And while putting some of those fears to rest would do both Twilight and her parents some good, there was no way to put the possibility of oncoming invasion to rest. One that could happen at any time, and potentially, anywhere. That alone brought the concept of where the humans could strike next, and that is what truly frightened her.




The confines of the C-130 heading towards home would normally be perceived as a rather welcoming sight to most, but it brought a sense of anxiety to those currently traveling aboard. What awaited them upon their arrival to New Damascus was speculative, as news of whether the word had gotten out yet remained unknown. Andrew saw it as likely, considering the soldier aboard their ground escort's turret currently knew about it. When your Survivor community consists of only about 50,000 people, word tends gets around fast. At this point, any fears of reprimand and resignation as Commander-in-chief had dissipated, with Andrew content with committing to the only two options that laid before him. Peace, or war. Man would have one or the other by the end of this.
Quite frankly, Andrew was actually just looking forward to being back home again, where the wife and son he loved were waiting for him. In contrast, Sarah saw this trip as a disaster waiting to happen. If news had already spread, her family would no doubt be against any and all prospects towards conflict, a staunch stance she knew all too well. Combined with her visit, one would be reluctant to call it timed well. In short, Sarah was ready for this to be over with so that she could get back to commanding the 3rd, as something told her that her command would finally be put up to the hardest test.
Achmed's mind had to be the most preoccupied with thought among the three, one could even say he was outright riddled with it. Vengeance and familial obligation battled for control of his attention, and the more he delved into either, the more conflicted he became. While he put up his best effort to hide and gain control of this unstable train of thought, the fact it loomed over him felt like a huge mental thorn in the side.
These thoughts occupied their minds for the majority of the trip, having taken off hours ago, they were bound to be getting close to New Damascus by now, each second passing adding weight to Achmed's already troubled feelings. While he might have put on a brave face for Andrew and the Colonel, he was beginning to doubt whether he could go through with this.

"Is there still time to back out? Do you really want to do this? Do you really want to pay the price for this?" He struggled to decide in his head.

Just like before, his thoughts returned to his little sister. It then occurred to him that the option of backing down would ultimately spell separation between them regardless, though unlike the separation that going through would entail, the time he'd be spending away from her would be within the confines of a cell, rather than the frontlines of war. 
War. Almost as if on que, the thoughts of his war for vengeance came front and center. That fire he felt watching his friend get killed returned, though not nearly as strong. He knew his vendetta would tie the fate of every human being together, as his personal stakes would be obscured under the pretense that the war would be one of response to retaliation, maybe even outright survival. Achmed knew well enough from what Tim had shared with him that this Equestrian nation would be decimated by a full-fledged and fully-armed human military force. While the reservations of some had merit from the past experiences of The Conflict, there were three major things that Achmed was certain would keep this war from suffering the same fate.
One, humanity was united now, and years of surviving the wasteland had built up their technological and strategic superiority to a pointvwhere they could very well make quick work in a war. Two, the resources needed to sustain their small population wouldn't be much in comparison to an entire world that was supposedly flourishing. With this in mind, collateral damage would no doubt be reduced to preserve the environment they would one day inhabit. And Third, mankind's greatest weapon would never be used again. Not only would it prove counterproductive by destroying the paradise they so desperately needed, but the Militia didn't even have any surviving examples in their arsenal. Case in point, nothing in Heaven, Earth, or the Depths of hell was worth the price of using a nuclear warhead. 
It was at this moment that his panicked train of thought had ceased, and Achmed had decided to rationalize his two options. It would be here and now  to decide, to commit to his story which would lead to war, or admit to his actions, and suffer the penalty of death for almost starting a war. After careful consideration, Achmed made his choice. No more going back, no more reluctance.

"I'm sorry, Suha."




"And your certain of it?" The Lieutenant asked.

Suha sat on the opposite side of a worn and aged excuse of picnic table that sat underneath a large desert camo net within the confines of Militia Outpost 34, the closest Militia strong point to the reservoir. This had been after the sudden change in course, where upon being taken to the medic's Sergeant, the usual quick on-site testimony was suddenly halted by the very officer, questioning Suha now, one Lieutenant Schultz. He was a German man from what Suha could tell, both from his thick Hessian accent and features alike, probably in in his mid-thirties. He was bald, wearing a fade green beret, and M81 Jacket and some dusty khaki cargo pants. Overall, he looked the part of a weathered soldier.
After his insistence to carry out her testimony elsewhere, Suha was escorted inside an old VBL and driven off to the outpost where she was currently held. While this sudden change in procedure was a little out of the ordinary and initially unnerving, it was in no way frightening to her. The debriefing had taken place outside in clear view for all to see. Not the slightest bit like the interrogation Suha had initially expected. And furthermore, some of the fear was taken off by knowing well enough the motive behind it. While the tunneler attack in the reservoir was an important concern, the fact that an entire well's worth of water had suddenly vanished was no doubt the major issue being discussed here.

"Yes sir." Suha replied. "From what I saw, the entire well was empty."

She saw the Lieutenant's expression change from wary, to sullen, and finally to furious. Yet he held back in conveying the latter.

"*Scheiße! Dieses ist sehr schlecht!*" Suha heard him swear under his breath. "*Dann scheint es, dass Berlin unsere letzte Hoffnung ist.*"

While taking a few seconds to regain his bearings, Suha couldn't help but feel some slight bit of sympathy for him, no doubt he'd be bearing a fair share of consequences as a result of it. Letters to the next of kin of those who died and breaking the bad news that shortages were going to be even more stringent in the future.

"Thank you for sparing the time, Miss Sabbag." Schultz said kindly. "I'll notify one of my men to see you out."

As Schultz got up from the table and was about to leave, something Suha said made him pause.

"Things are only going to get worse, aren't they?" She asked.

Schultz was already facing the other way, but every bit of his body language indicated that he had heard every word she said. He hesitated to answer, but ultimately relented, giving Suha an answer that she found rather, confusing.

"It would seem that way. But perhaps not, Young one. Perhaps not." 

And with that, Schultz carried on his way. The way he said it didn't seem like he was trying to hide the truth, but rather as if his mind was preoccupied with another thought. 
Shortly afterwards, one of the soldiers escorted Suha outside the outpost perimeter, where to her surprise, someone she knew was waiting for her on the outside. It was none other than her co-worker and friend, Tony Bertino, who she had been jesting with earlier that afternoon.

"Suha!" Tony called out to her.

"Tony?" Suha addressed. "H-how did you know I was here?"

"We heard what happened at the reservoir." He explained. "The gang DC10 were worried sick, the minute I heard about it I came running as fast as I could. I asked around for you when I got there, wondering where you were. One of the medics there said she treated you, and that I could find ya here. The Militia guys said I had to wait till their officer was done talking with ya. That was about an hour ago I think.

Suha felt a slight bit of comfort in knowing how far Tony went to find her and make certain she was alright. Tony looked her over, and was a little unnerved by the sight of dried blood on her clothes.

"Oh God, Suha. Did you get hurt?" He asked with a startled look.

"What, oh! No. No, the blood's not mine." Suha clarified.

Tony wasn't certain whether or not that was a relief, as neither case really sat well with him either way. However Suha was once again reminded of who's blood it most likely was, and once again felt sorrow grip her thoughts if but slightly. Tony, let out a much needed sigh of relief.

"Well, you're alive. That's what's important." he claimed. "C'mon, let's get ya home."

"Home? But my shift doesn't end till 5:00?"

"Uh, Suha." Tony said with an amused look. "It's about 7:20. It's probably gonna take us an hour or more to get back to The Edge. Besides, even if it wasn't, I don't think anyone would blame you for taking the rest of the day off."

The passage of time honestly shocked her, had she really been gone for that long. Perhaps the thick of it all had warped her sense of time. Regardless, Tony had a point. It would be getting dark soon, and as much as the wastes was a danger in the day, the night time brought even more dangers.

"Alright. I guess I should go home, shouldn't I?"

Tony suddenly bared that quirky grin he'd been known for.

"Well, if you feel like walking home by yourself, it sure save me some time." He quipped sarcastically.

"Haha. Very funny. Jerk wad." Suha feigned.

Tony let a little chuckle before giving her a pat on the back.

"C'mon kiddo."





...................................One Hour Later...................................





The two then proceeded an hour long-trek through New Damascus before reaching The Edge, the neighborhood Suha lived. When Suha and Tony finally found themselves at Suha's house, which amounted to a sheet metal shack, the nighttime dark had finally arrived, with the only remaining light sources coming from campfires outside and the lights within people's homes.

"And here we are." Tony said.

"Thanks for walking me home, Tony." Suha said.

"It's no problem, kiddo."

As Suha climbed the steps to the front door, Tony added his last well-wishes.

"Try to get a good night's sleep. And if your still a bit racked from the whole thing, don't hesitate to call in sick."

"Well, I'll try and good night's sleep. But I should be fine to work tomorrow."

"It's up to you kid, just keep it in mind, okay?

"Alright."

"Thatta girl. Goodnight, Suha." He said.

"Goodnight, Tony."

As Tony walked off into the dark, Suha entered her home, shutting and locking the door behind her. The Sabag household was like many others, a chaotic culmination of different exteriors and interiors interlaced with a connecting vibe. In the Sabbag's case, the home was littered with carpet, decor, and rugs bearing various pre-war Arabic embroidery designs. While it served to create a rather welcoming atmosphere, it did nothing to mitigate that isolating sensation Suha had experienced on so many nights previously. While she felt like she was this home's only occupant, that wasn't entirely the case. 

"Speaking of which." She noted to herself.

Suha kicked off her shoes, placing them next to the door. Once that was done, she lowered the hijab off her head and proceeded to walk past the kitchen, and into the hallway, making her way down to the very end until reaching the very last door. The door was unmistakable as the entry to her mother's bedroom, as it was the only door in the house made from a re-purposed truck door. She pulled the latch open, swinging outwards and stepping inside, Suha was greeted with the less than comforting image of her mother sleeping. Suha was able to eye the half eaten bowl of stew on her nightstand, indicating that one of the doctors from the clinic must have checked in on her, as normal. Suha took the time to gaze upon her mother, and what she saw saddened her. Her once beaming joyous aura had been supplemented with one of sickly weakness, her features were now gaunt and bony, and her skin tone was a ghastly shade or two paler than what she had remembered from years earlier. Suha contemplated whether or not she should say hello, but ultimately decided against it, both out of a desire to not disturb her, and even she did ,there was a good chance that her mother wouldn't even recognize her on the spot. That would lead into a thorough reiteration of the same explanation that she had given her for God knows how long. That was something Suha was honestly too tired to put herself through, thus she decided she'd simply say hello in the morning.
Suha closed the door and proceeded to her own room where she changed into her sleeping clothes. From there she headed to the living room, where she began to cook herself some dinner. Using the tub of rice, the little ground chicken that was left from a few days back, milk, cheese, and a few eggs, Suha cooked up a modest meal for one. After 45 minutes of cooking, Suha walked over to the couch in the living room, taking a seat and ready to settle down for the night. Taking a few bites in, she found she was satisfied with the meal. If taking care of her mother had taught her anything, it was how to cook. Suha found a liking to it, being able to create meal from ingredients presented a bit of a challenge. While she desired to strive into deeper and more complex recipes, food shortages tended to keep that from happening. Just another dream stunted by their current circumstances.
As she sat in the silence, Suha couldn't help but reflect on the day's events, and with essentially no one to discuss them with at the moment, they were beginning to take their toll on her. Knowing full well that it was happening, Suha sought to find something to occupy her thoughts. Suha proceeded towards one of the few remaining form of live entertainment still available in the post-apocalyptic world. This was none other than the radio. A bit archaic it terms of what was available before, but considering TV was now regulated to watching old movies on VHS and DVD--or Blu-ray if you were lucky--radio stations made a major comeback. Odd enough that their popularity was a relatively recent luxury too. The Preservation branch set it up with the intended goal of raising public morale in general, and it succeeded in strives as it became an overnight sensation. That was only six years ago, and while there were only a handful of 5-6 stations available, their mere presence was a blessing to the people of New Damascus.
With a quick turn of the dial, the loudspeakers of the radio set began to bur with static, gradually dying down to a point where the introductory message was beginning to play out.

"*Attention, the following program may contain language not fit for younger audiences.*" The calm and collected voice addressed. "*listener discretion is advised.*"

"Yeah, yeah, get on with it." Suha internally groaned.

Suddenly, Suha's favorite disk jockey could be heard clear as day, eliciting a slight smile from the young teenager.

"*What's up wastelanders!*" A deep but charismatic voice bellowed. "*This is your host,  Bill "Bloodhound" Barkley!! AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH!!! The hour is 8:30, and you know what that means! From now till dawn, it's nothing but smooth blues, and carefree lullabies to rest those weary woes of post-apocalyptia. We got everything from jazz, funk, and everything in-between, baby.*"

Hearing the rather eccentric host play the role of the charismatic radio host managed to mitigate her worries if but for a moment.

"*But first, we're coming at you with some breaking news!*"

Suha felt her heart skip a beat, fearing what would no doubt come next, dashing any hopes of keeping her mind off the very thing she sought to escape.

"*And before you ask ol' Bloodhound. NO. It ain't about the shit that went down at the Reservoir today. God knows that's been talked about to death.*" Bill mouthed.

Suha sat with a sudden sigh of relief, and a growing interest to hear what said news was.

"*No, what I got might just brighten everyone's day! So gather round boys and girls, this is one you don't wanna miss. Your boy Bloodhound here has it on good authority that our dire food shortages may become a thing of the past. Now I know what your thinking, it sounds too good to be true, right? Well that's precisely what your boy Bill thought too. But it just ain't one basket I'm hearin' this from either.*"

Suha was now hooked, intent to listen to the latest rumor if for curiosity's sake alone.

"*Supposedly, our boys in Militia found a pre-war gizmo capable of--and I shit you not--poppin in and out of other worlds!*"

Suha's brow furled in confusion and utter disbelief. 

"*Stuff out of science fiction I know, now before y'all paint me as the newest nutcase, hear me out. This isn't some crack-pot rumor from the ass-end of some cooked up fool like like normal, I got multiple first-hand and eye witness accounts on this one, from both the soldiers in Berlin--that's where this things supposedly at by the way--and even some of the on-site scientists. A lot of em' said they been there for weeks guarding the damn thing, Not only that, many of em' said they even been to the other world. Supposedly it was a hot mess, and a lotta of the details are hazy. But they did verify two things about this other world. For one, it's apparently a Garden of Eden, I'm talkin trees, water, blue skies, and air doesn't smell like ash 24/7. The other thing--and drum roll please--it's inhabited.*"

That last part had effectively hooked Suha, and no doubt every other person tuning in.

"*That's right boys and girls, I'm talking extraterrestrial on this one! I got multiple reports that our boys duked it out with the natives. Our guys thankfully came out on top, little to no casualties save for one, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what comes next. Do we got a war on our hands? Who knows, guess time'll tell. Now I know a whole lotta of you probably still ain't convinced, and that's fine, pretty normal reaction for someone with half a brain. But take this into mind before you think about shrugging it off. Word is both our dear Councilors Bradford and Sawyer are out of town. Where you may ask? Berlin. Coincidence maybe? Pfft, yeah, I think the hell not. Even if ain't a portal, something's definitely goin' on in Berlin. Anyways, that's it for now. With any luck, we can get more details as the night drags on. Until then, it's time for some music. Up first on center stage is Jim Croce with Don't Mess Around with Jim! Enjoy!*"





As the radio began to project the strum of the acoustic Guitar in a  sooth, steady beat, Suha felt as if her body had froze solid, stunned as a realization crossed her mind. Her brother was stationed in Berlin.
> Chapter 31: A Window Into Suffering
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

While Fears begin to grow amongst those within the royal alicorns' company, The Princess of the Night herself hides disturbing knowledge from them. With it would come insight on what they have to fear, what there is to lose from failure. But furthermore, with it would come a soul-shattering experience, one of which she finds unable to hide for much longer............................................




Princess Luna pondered her current situation as she felt the steady vibrations of the train as it practically charged towards Canterlot at full speed. She was by herself at the moment, taking a brief respite from the main car where everypony else currently resided. The steam engine's destination carried with it a multitude of possibilities and problems for the foreseeable future, many of which were in the relative future. Though she didn't necessarily mind that, it did trouble her thoughts on just how she was going to attend to them in an efficient manner. Her injuries were also a factor that played into her thoughts, as the pain, while currently lessened, served as a reminder of the night prior. But those things, surprisingly, was not the major focus of Princess Luna's thoughts. 
Her mind contemplated the possibilities that could happen as a result of last night's confrontation with humanity. From the moment she had cast that spell on Tim, that most damaging and regretful of mistakes that every fiber of her being wished she could correct, she had felt a most chilling fear take over her very soul. 
War, one the likes that Equestria, probably all of Equus, had never seen could come crashing down on them at any moment. Optimism was what Luna hoped to possess at a moment like this, thinking of any positive scenarios or how things could work out without conflict happening as a result. But she found herself unable to, for unbeknownst to those in her current company, Luna had unintentionally seen something that she could now never forget.
She recalled the events that took place before the night prior, most specifically, those few almost intimate hours she had shared with Tim not in the waking world, but that of his own dreams, or more accurately, the reflections of his past.




..........................Two Days Earlier..........................




When the company had finally returned to Ponyville from their journey in the Everfree, it had been a rather eventful one. Luna foresaw that once the word spread that 3/4's of Equestria's leadership took a stroll through the dangerous Everfree with some Alien nopony had ever seen before that things back home would get crazy. Alas, Ponies in the streets celebrated the return of their beloved Princesses, as the worries and fears they held were cast aside upon seeing they were safe and sound. Celestia was quick to disperse any concerns for the well-being of both herself and all the ponies accompanying her. However, many a pony was quick to notice that one member, who in fact was not of their kind, had not fared so well. Much of the excitement died upon seeing Tim, supplemented by feelings of shock when eyes met the severe wounds sustained on his arm. Tim was quick to notice, speculating that he'd be watched by every eye in town as little more than a spectacle to gawk at. To his surprise however, the ponies almost lightened up upon seeing he was hurt. Princess Luna had informed those present of his brave actions in protecting them. That set off a chain reaction, essentially solidifying what reactions would follow.
Suddenly it was if Tim went from being local town outcast to local hero. The ponies applauded him, which elicited a stark look of confusion out of Tim, who wasn't expecting it. However, it was a welcome change if his smile was anything to say about it. As the company continued through town towards Twilight's castle, more of the locals they came across began to feel more comfortable around him, enough converse with the human newcomer. Subjects ranged from about how the events unfolded, who he was, how he got here, and many of the things previously discussed with Twilight and the others. These dialogues of friendly exchange felt almost ceremonious from that point on. A young pegasus filly had even made him a rather crude necklace from local flowers, one which he graciously accepted to the sound of amused laughter from the ponies around him. 
Some conversations soon turned towards the contents of Applejack's wagon, to which Tim explained what he could. Most of the ponies gawked at the level of sophistication some of the items held, while others held a more frightening look upon seeing them. By the time they reached the castle however, the wounds Tim suffered began to cause him some severe discomfort. He nearly fell trying to lift something from the cart as they were unloading it. Nurse Redheart, who just so happened to be watching on her day off, offered to take a more thorough look at his wounds at Ponyville Hospital if he was up to it. Tim, who was being reminded of the pain about every second from just general body movement alone, happily accepted. Twilight and Spike offered to accompany him, and the four departed for the hospital. 
Upon returning to Twilight's home was a very relieved Captain Shield, who was glad to see the princesses safe and sound just as Celestia had promised. Whether or not this did anything to change Shield's potential worries about Tim still alluded Luna, she herself could argue that she still held some level of concern for this otherworldly newcomer, but she could at the very least come to now trust him.
After the contents of Applejack's wagon were relocated to the Library, both Luna and Celestia began their work to prepare the necessary steps in creating a portal to Tim's homeworld. The hours waned into the later parts of the day as Luna and Celestia did their part deciphering book and scroll for the necessary steps needed to pull off this spell. It was about 8:00pm when Tim, Spike and Twilight had returned from the hospital, with the foremost sporting fresh bandages and a more relaxed-looking posture. Luna herself was returning to the library from a short break when she spotted them coming in from the front door, already engaged in a conversation that centered around an encounter on their way back.

"Thanks for the get away on that one, Princess." Tim expressed in gratitude. "Those questions were getting hard to dodge."

"I can't apologize enough on Lyra's part. She's a good pony, just a bit, socially awkward I would say." Twilight insisted.

"Still, who asks how long they can hold out when meeting em' for the first time?"

"It's.........complicated, but Lyra's kind of had this interest with bipedal primates for some time."

"More like an obsession really." Spike stated. "Always mumbling about hands. Probably why she was staring at yours"

"I thought I caught her doin' that!" Tim confessed. "I didn't want to say anything cause it sounded kind of weird and maybe you'd start thinking I was makin' shit up."

"Oh no dude, I saw, she was totally staring at your hands for most of the time." Spike insisted.

"Alright that's downright creepy." Tim admitted.

"Once again, I can't apologize enough." Twilight reiterated.

"Maybe she secretly want's to remove them for some sick experiment! Replace your hands with hooves! OOoooooOOOoooooOOOOhhh." Spike mocked.

"Haha! Think you're so funny ya little scaly twerp!" Tim said sarcastically as he went give him a noogie.

The two exchanged bits of laughter as Tim grappled him with his one good arm, with Spike doing his best trying to squirm free, with Twilight simply rolling her eyes with a smirk. All in all, good fun. This brought a smile to Luna' face as she watched to playful antics unfold.

"A strange encounter on your way back it would seem?" Luna inquired, gaining their attention.

"You could say that." Tim answered in earnest, letting Spike go in the process.

"How are your wounds, Mr. Berfield." Luna asked.

"A lot a better now that you mention it." Tim replied. "Re-cleaned, fresh bandage, and more potent painkiller. She feels a lot sturdier than before. Enough to give Spike here what he deserves."

"Oh, please! You need something stronger than your knuckles to break these scales." Spike argued. "Barely felt a thing!"

"That's just cause my arm's shot! You wait till it gets better, you'll get what's coming!" Tim argued back.

"Ooooh, I'm so scared!" Spike feigned in fear.

"Well, let's hope that leads to a quicker recovery." Luna wished. "Miss Sparkle, my sister and I took the liberty of assessing the necessary steps in creating the portal to Mister Berfield's home. We wrote them down on several sheets of parchment and left them in a stack on the table in your library for you to look over when your ready."

"AWWW! Did I miss going through the spellbooks!" Twilight moaned. 

"I'm afraid so, but no need to fret, Miss Sparkle. My sister believes we'll need the adept talent of three alicorns if we're going to be successful. Am I to assume you're up to the task?"

Twilight's immediate reaction was borderline ecstatic. While she predicted that she'd be playing a major role in the spell that would bring the portal to life, she had assumed it would be planning it out rather than performing it.

"More than ready, Princess!" Twilight replied. "I'll see to it that I familiarize myself with the spell right away." 

"I'm happy to hear that, though I advise you get some rest as well. It's already well into the evening and we will need everypony at their best." Luna advised her.

"That means sleep first, spell later, Twilight." Spike quipped.

"I won't stay up all night, but I'd like to get it memorized before I head to bed." Twilight affirmed. "Would anypony care to accompany me?"

"I was just heading there myself, Miss Sparkle. Celestia is there waiting for us." Luna informed her.

"Tim? Would you care to come?"

Tim was the first to answer, and after a a whole day of increased activity and that rather awkward confrontation with Lyra, he was about ready to call it in.

"Actually I think I might hit the sack early, if ya don't mind." Tim admitted. "Besides, I can't cast any that magic stuff, doubt I'd be much use.

"Well that's a shame, but understandable. Spike?" Twilight said.

"Uh, Can I opt out too?" Spike asked rather timidly, almost expecting his request to be denied, which it ultimately was.

"Actually, I might need somepony to jot down any notes on potential applications or alterations that may boost the spell's viability. It won't take too long, I promise."

"You said the same thing about finding the spell when Tim first showed up, and that took all night!" Spike argued.

"Then it's best we get to it right away, huh?" Twilight said teasingly, rubbing Spike affectionately on the head. "Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning then, Tim. Goodnight. C'mon Spike."

"Goodnight Princess." Tim said as he bid them farewell. "Night, Spike."

As Twilight and her assistant headed in towards the castle library, Luna turned to Tim to address him Before she herself would be heading down there as well.

"I am looking forward to tomorrow, though probably not as much as you." she commented.

"Yeah, I guess it'll be good knowing there's a way back, set a lot of things to rest." Tim said. "Though I wouldn't get too excited, things on Earth are.....well, you'll see."

"Well, I suppose you have better understanding on that than any of us. Yet still, a window into another world is an interesting prospect for me, and a method home for you. I wish a good night's rest, Mister Berfield."

"Yeah, I guess I'll try. Goodnight Princess."

As he turned around to walk towards his quarters, Luna wasn't quite sure of it then, but his expression seemed to correlate more along the lines of troubled than relieved after her statement, almost as if he seemed reluctant to follow through with what he had said he would. Luna didn't say anything though and simply went on her way.
After about two hours of running through the paces of the spell with Twilight, the three alicorns were confident that they should have no trouble in performing the spell. Twilight was practicing with a series of proxy spells with Luna and Celestia casually spectating from the other side of the room.

"She's a very adept pupil, Tia. I can see why you chose her." Luna commented.

"Thank you, sister, she'll make a great leader one day." Celestia claimed.

While Luna would have loved to discuss the growing potential Twilight possessed, he remind began to draw back to how Tim reacted upon leaving to retire for the night. She wasn't quite sure why, but she felt the need to express her concerns.

"Tia, I talked with Tim before he went to bed for the night. Something about his mannerisms seemed, somber."

"Somber?" Celestia inquired.

"Yes, as if he seems to be feeling some sense of hesitation or dread. Have you noticed any sullen behavior from him as of late? Specifically in the latter parts of the evening?"

Celestia response was a look Luna had become all too familiar with, it started by darting her eyes towards the corner, followed by the biting of her bottom lip, a telltale sign of her withholding something. But unlike many a time where Luna would have to gradually coerce the information out of her, Celestia decided to be outright with Luna.

"Yes, I have." Celestia sighed. "And I'm confident that I know the cause."

"And what would that be?" Luna inquired.

"When Tim and I shared breakfast yesterday, he mentioned something about experiencing bad dreams." 

This now had Luna's full attention, as the mere mention of the field of her expertise would often fixate her thoughts on the subject.

"Nightmares?" Luna asked.

"I'm not sure. He claimed that they were no issue, but I have my doubts."

"Did he seem defensive about the subject?" Luna asked. 

"Yes, though much more mild and modest than some of those more prideful ponies who have experienced similar issues. But last night, after you and the others went to bed, he..."

"He what, sister?"

Celestia seemed reluctant to say, but relented, for what she knew would prove to be deeply concerning.

"I promised him I wouldn't tell anypony but, I think it's best that you be the only other pony who knows. He was having one. I came out in the middle of the night for some fresh air and there he was, asleep on the log by the dying campfire. He was up the longest, so much so that he fell asleep before even heading to his tent. I was going to wake him up, try to persuade him to take rest in his tent, but I stopped when I heard him mumbling."

"Mumbling? Did you manage to catch anything he might have said?" 

"A lot of it was incoherent, but I did pick up one, and............well."

The more Celestia described the more it began to sound troubling, with Luna already beginning to piece together the potential problem.

"Well what, sister?" Luna said as she encouraged her to finish.

"It was unnerving, Luna. What he said, and what followed afterwards." Celestia expressed with explicit concern. "Between the muffled utterances, Tim began to feel agitated I guess, as his expression changed from frightened to enraged within a second. And then........tears."

There was a moment of silence between them, and despite the magic being casted by Twilight on the other side of the room, the mood seemed almost dead, making Celestia's words take on an almost haunting tone.

"He was crying, and that's when I heard Tim say,.......It's all my fault. I should have been there."

Luna felt a torrent of sorrow from those words, as it alluded to something much grander in scale.

"Should have been where?" Luna asked.

"I don't know, but he suddenly woke up in a panicked state, almost scared out of his mind." Celestia explained. "It was a miracle that I was able to calm him down, it took a solid five minutes. We talked afterwards."

"No doubt about what he experienced." Luna deduced. "That sounds less like a bad dream and more of a night terror. What did he have to say?"

"Well first off, I did my best to calm his nerves. After I brought him back down to a state where he could speak coherently, we discussed the dream. The unfortunate part of that is that he says he doesn't remember anything about what transpired, and unlike his denial of their mental weight from earlier, he seemed very sincere when he said that."

Luna analyzed the information shared and she found herself at a loss as to what it could be. Tim was experiencing recurring Nightmares, that was obvious, but what their cause could be was unlike anything Luna could imagine. When ponies experienced these sort of nightmares, they often stemmed from life troubles that were more or less current and they were vividly detailed to a point where nopony could forget. Perhaps Tim's, maybe even humans in general, just wasn't the same way. This sort of dream seemed outright vague, puzzling, with almost no way to piece it together when the one experiencing can't even directly state what's bothering him. Whatever the case, it was clearly a sign of distress, and with Luna's ability to traverse the dreamscape, she would see to it that it be rectified.

"Then I should see to that he gets the clarification he needs." Luna stated. "Have you discussed my abilities with him?"

"I have, and well, that's the thing, Luna. He.........he doesn't want your help."

Everything from Luna's expression to her posture took a direct defensive stance.

"Excuse me?" she said in confusion. "Why in Equestria would he not want my aid in this matter?"

"Because much of it is still too foreign to him." Celestia explained. "His world doesn't offer that sort of luxury, and the concept, at least from his point of view, comes off as unsettling and even unnatural."

"Even so, why would he not take advantage of this opportunity? Does he wish to suffer?"

"No, of course not, he's just..............stubborn and cautious. He thinks he can sort this out himself and maybe he can. Not to mention that if you go to him, he'll know it was me who told you."

As much as it sounded like Celestia was trying to cover herself, she had a point in that last statement. Tim had entrusted both her, Celestia, and Twilight with vital information concerning his people, it only seemed fair that they respect that level of trust, even if the information regarding this subject wasn't nearly as delicate as that.

"I guess losing his trust wouldn't be the best way to help would it?" Luna suggested.

"I'm afraid not." Celestia concurred.

"But, what if your wrong? What if it continues, and something happens as a result of our lack of action?"

"I know you only wish to help, but at the same time, I think it's in everypony's best interest that you let him handle this at his own pace. I have a feeling he'll come around and ask you himself when the time is right. He trusts you enough to know you'll help him."

Luna pondered her sister's statement, finding comfort in the fact that Tim trusted her and concern from the fact that she'd have to wait to help him. Alas, she heeded her sister's advice.

"Thanks for telling me this sister." Luna expressed in gratitude.

"You deserved to know." Celestia said before her a rather playfully look of guilt. "Though if you could refrain from telling anypony else that would be great."

Luna shot Celestia a rather devious look.

"What, don't want a repeat of the Griffin Ambassador meeting?" Luna quipped.

"Don't even begin to mention that, Luna!" Celestia said in pure annoyance. "I'm still pretty peeved about that one!"

"Are you still seriously mad about that one! It happened 3,000 years ago!"

"That doesn't rid me of the hundred years worth of letters I received from every disgruntled Griffin dignitary across the globe!" Celestia defended. "You should have kept your mouth shut, Luna! And you know it!"

Luna couldn't help but try and hold back her own laughter at the memories of when she spilled the beans on sister's little liaison with a certain Griffin exile along with her own personal exaggerations of the whole affair. Jokes aside, the hour was growing late when Twilight ceased her practice run and approached the two.

"I think I got a firm handle on tomorrow's construction and activation spell!" Twilight announced.

"I look forward to seeing you it in action, Twilight." Celestia stated. "Now, I think we're all due for a much needed rest."

Luna was quick to concur with her sister, as the time was nearing the midnight hour. But thoughts strayed on the matter that was just discussed, and Luna had no doubt that it would be a subject of concentration for the remaining hours of her night.

"Big things await us tomorrow." Luna stated. "Let's see to it that we approach it at our best."




A slight bump in the tracks brought her back to her current situation, it was a bump she was all to familiar with as the outside windows were suddenly blanketed by complete darkness, with only the interior lighting to serve as a way to see. The door to her isolated cabin swung open, and upon turning her gaze towards it, Luna saw her sister step through it, a look of abject uncertainty stricken across her face. No doubt she was experiencing her own feelings of despair from the whole situation, despite whatever assurances she had previously said.

"They said you were back here." Celestia addressed her. "Are you alright?"

Luna would have said no given all that had happened, but that was beyond obvious at this point.

"I'm just thinking. That's all." Luna replied.

"Of what?" Celestia asked, taking a seat beside her.

"To be honest, I was recounting our discussion on Tim's dreams."

The answer Celestia received was sudden to say the least, yet curious as well.

"Does it bother you that you were unable to give him closure on that matter?" Celestia asked with concern. "It's not healthy to dwell the past like that."

Luna face went cold, and the room became dead silent for a moment, sporting an almost blank expression before closing her eyes and giving way to a distressed squint, one which sent a tear down her cheek.

"I am saddened by my inability to solve his dilemma, but that's not what bothers me dear sister." Luna informed her. "It's what I discovered from little time I spent within Tim's dreams. And his."

Celestia was unnerved by how she phrase that. She was aware what she was referring to, but Celestia still didn't have any clue as to what Luna saw, but judging from her statement, it seemed there were important details that Luna had withheld from her.

"Luna, what did you see?"

Events once again began to unfold in her mind once again, as if Luna were reliving them once again.




Luna woke to the sound a muffled conversations coming directly outside her door. This rather startling realization provided enough motivation to investigate it further. Even as she crawled out from under the covers of her bed she could hear the faint sentences being spoken.

"Look, It's urgent. I wouldn't have bothered stopping by if it wasn't."

"Are you deaf? I said it's not happening, human. Now return to your  quarters. You can discuss these matters with her highness in the morning."

"You know, I don't need to hear you say it to know you ain't just  denying me out of a sense of duty. You don't really like me, do you?"

"You insinuate too much."

"Do I?"

"I'm not going to play this game. Corporal Owl, escort him back to his room. Now."

Whatever was being discussed outside was clearly getting heated, and at quickly for that matter. Luna quickened her pace unlocking the door to her room and swinging it open to reveal the scene unfolding before her. Before her was none other than her Lieutenant, Shadow Charge, with three of his subordinates who were charged with guarding her chambers. Tim was also there, looking like he was about to bring forward yet another rebuttal only to go dead silent the second she came into view, with Corporal Night Owl, who was supposed to be guarding the stairwell leading to the third floor with Corporal Platinum.

"Lieutenant? What's going on? Mister Berfield, why are you up here this late?" Luna asked.

Any sort of pent up aggression seemed to die the minute Luna entered the scene, with both Tim and Lieutenant Shadow easing down tensions almost instantly and finding themselves at a lack of words.

"I-I was just in-forming him...that" Lieutenant Shadow babbled.

"I k-kinda came up to...uh"  Tim mumbled.

While the fatigue of just waking up managed to swirl the thoughts around in her head, Luna was able to gradually deduce that Tim was here to talk with her, but about what seemed unclear. Then it hit her like a freight train.

"Tim's nightmares! What other reason could it be?" Luna concluded.

"Mister Berfield, is something the matter?" she inquired.

"Uh.............yes, I'm afraid so. If it's not too much trouble, can I talk to ya about something?" Tim asked. "And if you don't mind, can we speak about in private?"

Luna was now adamant that he was here for the reason she theorized, given his reluctance to divulge the subject. Luna was eager to get underway, letting herself sport a pleasant smile as she felt she had the chance to repay the debt to Tim for his willingness to trust her and his sacrifice in the Everfree for Rainbow Dash.

"Of course, Mister Berfield. Step inside and we can discuss what's bothering you." She informed him.

This was much to the surprise of the guards around her, who gave her wide-eyed stares, yet did not so much as peep in  protest. Luna stepped aside in a gesture that invited Tim to come inside, to which he obliged. Once he was inside, Luna turned to her guards in an effort to ease their concerns.

"It's quite alright Lieutenant, I trust him."

Despite his obvious discontent with her decision, he respected her to the point where he dared not question it.

"As you wish, your highness." He said solemnly. "But at the first sign of trouble-"

"You'll come in busting the doors down, I know." Luna giggled, upon hearing that particular statement for the umpteenth time.

She quietly closed the door behind, turning to see Tim surveying the room from its center. This was a trait she had noticed form him from time to time, a habit no doubt stemming from his survivalist tendencies. Luna had a feeling that he was looking for points where one could potentially eavesdrop, thus prompting her to initiate a soundproofing spell on the room, which quickly gained Tim's attention.

"What was that?" He asked.

"A soundproofing enchantment." She explained. "Nopony but us will be able to hear our conversation. Now, what is it you wished to discuss?

"Well, it's something kinda......personal."

"Bingo." Luna mentally cheered quite proudly.

What Luna said next completely tore down any sort of barrier Tim had that wanted to keep this subject in secrecy.

"It's your dreams, isn't it?" Luna asked.

Tim's body jolted a little bit, no doubt astonished on how quickly she was able to come to a conclusion as to what was troubling him.

"Is.....is that like a magic thing you just did there? Like, can you pick up what my reactions mean and figure out what's bothering me?" Tim asked quite awkwardly. "Cause you hit that one dead on the money and I hadn't even slightly mentioned what was wrong."

"Years of magical training and experience has given me the insight into reading the mannerisms of the body, tracing any abnormality to it's direct cause via magical telepathy. After years of practice, I've pretty much mastered the ability." Luna explained in a sincere tone.

"R-really?" Tim asked.

Suddenly Luna's serious face gave way to a amused grin and lighthearted laugh.

"No, I'm kidding." Luna admitted. "My sister told me what was bothering you today"

Tim's lack of knowledge on that that managed to elicit a rather tame feeling of betrayal.

"She told you?" Tim sputtered.

"Tim, you told the biggest socialite in Equestria a personal problem, she was going to inform somepony sooner or later." Luna said in her sister's defense. "Though from what she told me, sooner seems to have been the better choice."

Tim's mood seemed to grow a little more somber, as he was undoubtedly reminded of his predicament.

"Pfft, last time I tell her anything." Tim said defiantly.

Luna smiled and shook her head, picking up the sarcasm of his statement.

"If it's any consolation, Tim, I'm the only one who knows, and she only told me because she was concerned. She has a very big heart."

Tim seemed to warm up a little to that.

"I suppose I can appreciate that." Tim conceded. "So it's true you can enter my dreams."

"I don't see why not." Luna argued. "I'm able to access what's called The Dreamscape, a magical fueled plane allows me to survey the sleeping mind of every breathing soul Equestria, pony or otherwise."

"So there's no problem finding my dream?"

"Well I didn't say that. I'll need to hunt yours down, but once I do, I'll be able access it with no problem."

Tim's mood began to lighten, as his demeanor became ever so slightly more relaxed.

"Well, okay then. So, how do we start?" he asked.

And thus, it was on Luna to reveal the bad news.

"Well, naturally, it's starts with you falling asleep." She explained.

And like that, Tim's mood changed to disappointment.

"Well, ain't that just terrific." Tim mouthed.





While Tim was prepping to return to bed, Luna took the time to deduce the best way to approach this. Dreams were accessed a multitude of ways, and while a direct connection to Tim seemed the most obvious, Luna was uncertain if it would even work. Creatures of Equus who were magically incapable tended to be harder for Luna to reach out to in their dreams, which made Tim, who's world a complete absence of magic, a bit of an enigma. Formulating a strategy for him would be difficult to say the least, but not necessarily impossible.
Tim on the other hand found himself slightly nervous, as the realm of the unknown tended to have that effect on most humans. The ability to access and interact with another's dreams had normally been in the realm of the impossible, yet like many things he had already witnessed during his time in Equestria, the reality-defying tendencies of magic had essentially become common here. nonetheless, the ponies' almost mundane attitude towards it still did little to curve his nerves. Perhaps fear of what mankind could not comprehend was only natural.

"So I fall asleep, then what?" Tim asked.

Luna had finally managed to calculate of plan of entry by the time Tim had asked, giving Tim the impression that she had everything under control.

"Given your inability to cast magic, I'll have to search for your dreams the old-fashioned way." Luna explained. "I'll enter the dream realm, and begin a search from there."

"Dream realm?" Tim inquired.

"Think of it as a world within a world. An alternate plane of reality that only I can access. In it, I can view the dreams of every sapient creature in Equestria. It's mostly pony dreams I come across, so finding yours may take a little time."

Tim stared at her with a baffled look, his inner doubt wanting to label everything she just said as utter nonsense. But this was her world, with its own set of rules.

"And once you find it?" Tim asked.

"I'll guide you in overcoming it." Luna informed with a smile. "But for now, you need to rest. If you want, I have a spell that can put you to-"

"That's okay, Princess." Tim said. "But, I'd rather fall asleep on my own, if ya don't mind."

Luna, processing why he would decline, simply nodded and stepped further back. Tim proceeded lay down on the bed, closed his eyes. There he laid, and after about 15 minutes, Luna could sense that he had fallen asleep. Then came the snoring, which pretty much verified it. Luna stifled a giggle, and proceeded to begin. 
Luna's horn began to glow and as soon as it did, the world around her began to recede as a coat of pitch black coloration overtook everything in the room. It quickly came forth, uniting underneath the princess of the night and began enveloping her as well. For a split second, everything was pure nothingness, but within a moment's notice, Luna's vision was greeted with that of the serene dream realm. Looking around, thousands of small luminescent spheres gently fell at a leisurely pace, each one showcasing what transpired in the sleeping mind of its subject as it let off a gentle hum as they passed her by. These spheres served as the doorway to an individual's dreams and even after so many years, the heavenly beauty of the dream realm was still an astonishing sight to Luna. But appreciating the scenery would have to wait, as she did have a task at hoof.

"Alright Luna, let's narrow things down." She said aloud.

With a quick stroke of her magic, a majority of spheres became enveloped in a bright white glow, obscuring the view indicating they were the dreams of her pony subjects. By doing this Luna was able to separate the dream spheres by any category of her choosing, which left any sphere that wasn't glowing white as indication that it belonged to another creature. Luna began to soar through the realm, searching for any sphere that still offered a glimpse into whoever's dream it was. Luna came across a few, though none belonged to Tim. Two belonged to Ponyville's local donkey residents Cranky and Matilda, the former dreaming of building the house of his dreams for he and his wife to enjoy the later years of their life in peace and the latter dreaming of enjoying a nice picnic outing with her husband. 
While the fondness for one another warmed Luna's heart she could not stay to watch for long. Luna resumed her search and came across another, this one being Spike's, who currently dreamt of saving Rarity from an entire hoard of bugbears. Luna rolled her eyes with an amused smile, and continued on. It went on like this for quite some time, as sphere after sphere offered dream after dream, but no nightmare, no indication that it belonged to the human Luna sought to help.
Luna was beginning to question if she even had the ability to access the dreams of a human being, wondering if him being from another world would somehow cut him off from dream realm entirely. Suddenly the hum of the spheres around her began to fade from earshot, which instantly garnered Luna's attention, as this was a first. She looked around, a witnessed the spheres drastically picking up their pace, falling quite rapidly until suddenly, Luna herself became surrounded by nothing empty empty space and an eerie silence, with little to no spheres to be seen. Luna found this odd to an almost disturbing degree, as this was a first time experience in the dream realm. 
Suddenly, a new sound gradually began to break the silence. Turning around, Luna saw a strange object emerge from the cascade of the realm, but it was unlike anything she had ever seen. The main bulk of the object consisted of spheres  that were larger, nearly double the size of the normal ones she had encountered, and all five were smothered and tethered together by a murky black cloud of unknown make that spiraled across the surface of the links. It too let off a sound, but it was a stark contrast to the gentle hum she was used too. The sound was like that of sand being blown in the wind, violently whisping and lashing with each gust. This substance surrounded the surface of the sphere obscuring everything from view.

"What in Equus is this?" Luna breathed.

The only possible answer had to be that these too were dream spheres, but how and why they were so massive and interconnected like this was an utter mystery. Who they belonged to even more so, though Luna had a good idea of who it was. But how to access this particular manifestation was ultimately the most elaborate mystery of all, as Luna had never once encountered a sphere in such an altered state, making the process of how she usually accessed dreams come under question. Luna quickly analyzed the situation, and saw no other alternative than trial and error.

"Nothing ventured nothing gained I suppose." Luna stated as she approached the hulking mass.

Her horn ignited with a magical aura, which gradually transitioned into a bright blue orb of pure magic appearing at the tip of her horn. She began to concentrate, focusing all her thoughts on what lay before her as she slowly encroached closer towards the black mass. Upon contact with her spell, her surroundings took a drastic turn. Gone was the serenity of the dream realm, replaced by unrelenting winds and unfamiliarity, as every one of her senses became obscured by the black sandy substance. The sheer volume of it was almost too much to bear, as Luna struggled to maintain both her footing and her focus.
Torrent after torrent battered against her, unrelenting with no signs of stopping. Seeing that her spell wasn't strong enough, Luna attempted to make it stronger, diverting more energy into the spell which in turn made the orb grow larger in scale. Some of the pressure of the winds wavered, yet still maintained enough of an impactful presence to prevent Luna from achieving any sort of clarity. Thus it prompted Luna to divert even more power into her entry spell, more than she had ever done so in her life. This continued, to the point where the orb grew to immense size, to that of a full fledged carriage.The intensity of the winds were beginning to die down, but Luna could feel the pressure of it fighting against her.
Suddenly, the orb spontaneously burst into a flash of blinding light, much to Luna's dismay. The moment it did, Luna realized her spell must have failed and made whatever attempt possible to brace for the oncoming torrent. But seconds passed, and there was nothing, nothing whatsoever pressing against her advance. Luna opened her eyes, and saw her surroundings. The winds were still present, yet did not effect her in any capacity, almost as if she found herself in the eye of the storm. The sound of it was present, but far from the maelstrom it was but a moment ago, for now it sounded like nothing than a slight breeze. Other than that, there was nothing to see, at least not right away.
Luna contemplated what next steps she should take, and upon turning her head to the right, she saw a faint orange glow in the distance, flickering ever so slightly. Given it was the only lead so far, Luna did the obvious thing and began to close the distance between her and it. As she got ever so closer, things around her began to almost fade in to existence. The nothingness below which kept her standing began to form into a flat surface of some sort, its vivid details gradually becoming recognizable. The winds around began to disappear, replaced by what looked to be some sort of circular tunnel. That in which she heard also began to change as well, as the sound of wind was supplemented by the sounds of occasional drops of water, echoing around her with each impact.
With details becoming more apparent, Luna managed to decipher her surroundings as that of a sewer tunnel, though one in an almost severe state of grime and disrepair. Aged concrete, eroded by time and the elements, carried a shallow river of muck and putrid water. Upon recognition that she was in fact standing in it, Luna was immediately revolted and took a step back in shock. Yet as her hoof became unsubmerged she noticed that her hooves were in fact clean, as if they hadn't changed in the slightest. She then realized the water beneath her didn't react to her presence, as if she were merely an apparition. This was different, and signaled something far greater. This lack of interactivity to the present environment alluded to a lack of the dream's control, meaning Luna's spell was enough to enter the sphere, but not manipulate it. There were ways around this current predicament, but for the meantime, Luna decided to simply spectate, see where this dream would lead. The faint orange glow grew larger as Luna got closer, and at this point Luna was able to conclude that it was in fact a fire of some sort. Suddenly, Luna began to hear faint voices, muffled by the distance but echoed by the confines of the tunnel.
Luna got closer and closer, seeing that she was about to pass an intersection in the tunnel, and though she couldn't tell, she swore she saw movement behind the flames, which seemed to be housed in rusted metal drum. She passed the strange sight of several chains dangling from the ceiling of the tunnel, with a variety of old soup cans dangling from every other link or so in what Luna assumed was a very crude security device. After she passed that, she began to note impromptu barricades around her. Sandbags accompanied by a base of sharpened wooden spikes and several sets of strange crooked spiraled rods jutting from what looked like busted concrete. She passed several of these barricades before reaching the opening that led to the intersecting tunnel. There she was greeted by the sight of a small walkway, overlooking the tunnel where she had just emerged. As she looked to see what laid ahead in the correlating tunnels, she was surprised to see that both sides had effectively caved in. Turning towards the walkway once more, she saw a doorway, which more or less served as the only way to exit her current interior, and which would also explain the presence of even more defenses. 
Upon the small walkway where the barrel of fire sat was completely covered in a sandbag wall, along with what Luna assumed was a newly introduced example of human weaponry. Like Tim's rifle, it too sported a long protruding barrel from it's base, but it was larger, longer, and looked much heavier overall, too heavy for one human to carry. It sat within the confines of an elaborate swivel stand, one in which it looked like it was specifically built for it. Luna didn't want to think of the results this particular weapon could achieve, and thus wandered off the topic all together.
Defenses aside, the movement behind the fire became a subject of emphasis, as her surroundings begun to gradually fade back into darkness, whilst the ambiguity of the figures surrounding the flames remained obscured. After a few seconds of focus, Luna was able to deduce that they were three human adults, all male. Their faces were obscured from recognition by some constant black fog that formed a silhouette of their body.
Luna could see that the three were conversing, though their speech was severely muffled, as if she were out of earshot despite being directly in front of them. Luna strained to pick up even a semblance of conversation, by honing her hearing and focusing on the movement of their mouths. She pickled up a few things.

"Are we.....safe?" The man on the left said.

"Relax............been here for awhile............have a drink." The middle man claimed.

"I wouldn't get comfy if I.......................anything can happen." The man on the right warned.

"Whatever.............Berfield." The man in the middle shrugged.

That last word was a s clear as day. Berfield. But Luna looked upon the man in confusion. His resemblance was uncanny, but he was far too old to be Tim. Before she could dwell on it further, all sound ceased, yet her surroundings remained. The figures that were there but a moment before were now gone, as if they vanished. An eerie silence lingered, enough to send a chill down Luna's spine the moment she heard the unmistakable sound of water splashing in the distance. Turning around to face where it came from, she saw something moving along the right wall of the tunnel, almost attracting any nearby light as it  crawled out from a nearby outfall. Luna approached, curiosity fueling her every step as Tim's dream seemed to focus around this sudden occurrence.
As she got closer, the movement before her became ever more clear. A fond smile slowly began to grow across Luna's face as she was greeted by the sight of something she could have not foreseen. It was none other than a human child. He was significantly smaller than his adult counterparts, no taller than 3'1 in height, so small that as he had to hang from the edge of the hole in order to climb out, as he wasn't tall enough for his feet to reach the ground. While Luna found that thought almost amusing, it was nothing in comparison to what happened next. When he turned around, Luna was greeted with a face that could honestly melt the heart of any pony in Equestria with its look of pure innocence. Of what age this child was, Luna couldn't say for certain, but he was young enough to be within in his first five years of age at the very least. He features were untouched by any significant age, but quite dirty, no doubt from crawling inside the pipes that had exited in the outfall. His hair was long and brown, and currently in a complete mess. As he attempted to dust off whatever mess he had gotten himself into, a voice from the walkway called out.

"Who's there!" It cried out.

Turning back to the walkway, Luna saw that the figures had returned, in full fledged clarity now. They were scraggly to say the least, each one brandishing weapons that pointed out in her direction, and thus, the child's direction. Luna feared the worst, as the situation started to play out in a potentially dangerous direction. But the child, without so much as a shred of hesitation, nonchalantly walked out into the open. Luna simply observed, holding back the instinct to reach out to grab the child and whisk him to safety, only to remember that she had no semblance of control in this dream. To her surprise, the three figures eased down almost immediately, with the central figure of the three, the man who'd been addressed as Berfield, smiling.

"Well what do we have here?!" He smirked in a thick southern accent. "Looks like we got some sort of new grubby monster crawling through the pipes again!"

"Hi daddy." the boy replied in a giggle.

Luna's worries evaporated upon learning that this was the boy's father. But with knowledge of that, Luna's mind was seemingly hit with a sledgehammer upon coming to a newfound conclusion to who this child was.

"It can't be." Luna said aloud.

But what the father said next, pretty much confirmed it, as he vaulted over the walkway railing, and walked towards his son, picking him up and carrying the child in his arms.

"Whooh lordie! Tim, what mess have you gotten into now?" the father asked.

Luna's mind was thoroughly racked, as this child was in fact, Tim Berfield. Meaning that this current reality wasn't just a dream. Portions of the dream fading in and out, as if experiencing the world through a certain perspective. This wasn't some manifestation of one's thought, this was a direct window into one's past. Luna was reliving one of Tim's memories. Judging from his age, this happened long ago. But why it held relevance to now was an utter mystery to Luna. She decided to continue her observation further.

"I crawled through the caves, daddy." The young Tim replied rather directly.

"I can see that." the father acknowledged. "Didn't mommy tell ya not to do that?"

"Uh......no." Tim suggested in a way that it was obvious that he was fibbing.

"Well, you can bet she will this time." His father insisted. "Good god, boy, you need a bath."

"Problems with authority, he definitely gets that from you, Randy." one of the other men joked.

Luna had now learned the father's name, Randy Berfield. Already on the subject of family, Luna was quick to recall what Tim had said about his family, and upon reflecting on that, her mood suddenly became somber. This was the man who had fathered Tim, and had ultimately perished along with the rest of Tim's family. As Randy began to make his way back towards the walkway with Tim in hand, Tim began to pull at his father's jacket.

"No, daddy, wait a second!" He pleaded. 

"What is it, Timmy?" His father asked.

"I found something for you in there."

"Found something, like what?" he questioned.

"An army helmet." Tim replied.

Randy raised an eyebrow, as Luna speculated that he doubted his son's claim.

"Well where is it, bud?" he asked

Tim simply pointed to the outfall. Luna looked around to where Tim had emerged, but saw nothing but black shadow within the confines of the small hole. Randy ultimately approached the outfall, and after a few seconds, his expression transitioned into a surprised grin.

"Well I'll be damned. You sure did." He exclaimed.

Randy began reaching in the outfall only to pull out a large green bulbous construction, like that of a bucket, but formed to where Luna could tell that it was meant for a human head. Seeing as Tim referred to it as an Army Helmet, Luna figured out rather quickly that it served as some sort of head protection. Randy did his best to wipe away some the dirt with his one free arm before addressing his son again.

"Nice find kiddo!" His father complimented. "I'm sure we'll make good use out of this!"

Randy proceeded to put on the helmet, though without tightening the straps as he'd need use of both arms. Randy began to make his way back when Luna began to hear some shuffling from within the outfall. She also noticed a that Tim had also turned his head towards the noise, indicating that he must have heard it too.

"Hey fellas!" Randy called out, "check out t-"

All of a sudden, something shot out the outfall with a shrill shriek and collided into Randy and his son. Randy was sent to the ground as the creature clung to the back of his coat, with Tim being unintentionally dropped onto the concrete ground as a result. Everything suddenly became pitch black as the echo of Tim's scream filled the air. This was followed by quick image flashes of Randy combating the creature. Quick glimpses of the beast thrashing its claws or snapping its jaws as Randy mustered every bit of strength into prying the creature off of him. Sounds of the encounter accompanied this in almost instant and violent succession, as the creature's terrible shrieks and the sound of struggle filled Luna's ears, coming to a close with a series of blinding light and the unforgettable sound of gunfire.
The surroundings from before suddenly returned, as Randy hastily got back on his feet and retrieved the young Tim, who had backed himself to the closest wall. Tears filled his eyes as he cried in alarm, his father there doing his best to comfort the small child. Behind the two of them were the other two men, one carrying a rifle with it's barrel still smoking.
Blood stained the right wall, and by following it's trail, Luna's eyes were met with the sight of the monster that had been slain. This abomination of nature was almost rat-like in appearance, and like the obelisk, was covered head to toe in unnatural growths and scars. It was nearly boar-sized, sporting a long strip of tufted black fur along its spine. Its head was wide towards the back narrowing out into a short snout, its mouth sporting various external and internal razor sharp teeth, with a pair of large almost bio luminescent circular eyes.
The mood suddenly became tense, as several seconds passed without anyone present so much as saying a word, as their wide-eyed gazes stared at the fallen beast. Finally, the man carrying the rifle spoke.

"H-How the hell did that thing get here!? All the exits are sealed save for the airlock!" One of the other men said in alarm.

"I don't know." Randy replied earnestly in a hushed tone.

"You don't know?! Was there something we missed?!" the man replied back angrily.

"That's impossible!" The other man said. "We checked every inch of this place! There's no fucking way-"

The conversation came to an abrupt end as the door back by the walkway slammed open, revealing yet another man. His posture was hunched and he appeared to be panting, indicative that he had ran as fast as he could to reach this spot. With an audible inhale, the man yelled down to them.

"THE STATION'S OVERRUN!!!" 

Luna's surroundings had once again taken an abrupt turn into pitch blackness, and like before, only after a few seconds, a new scene had appeared before her. The four men could be seen charging down a tunnel, there movement slowed down as if time itself was lagging. The shouts of several men echoed throughout the corridor in complete chaos as they headed towards the sounds distant gunfire. Soon others joined them, and they grew in number. Bells began to go off in the distance, unrelenting as they reverberated down the hall. The noise blend together, to the point of being undecipherable, growing in intensity to the point of being deafening. Luna couldn't make sense of everything, yet at the same time, Luna swore she could hear screaming amongst the chaos of sound. Then suddenly, nothing. No sight, no sound. Pure nothingness as the dark enveloped everything around her. 
Luna took the time to deduce a possible cause for this resurfaced memory, but honestly didn't know what to make of it. Suddenly, Luna heard a voice.

"You need to stay put, honey. I swear you give me a heart attack every time you run off."

The voice was distinctly feminine, but Luna couldn't find a source as to where it came from. A few short seconds afterwards, things began to transition once more. Luna found herself staring at what looked like a projection, as it didn't encompass the entirety of her surroundings, and advanced forward of it's own accord. Before her was yet another tunnel, though this one was much smaller. The cramped space was filled with all assortments of grime and dirt, and continued forward for several seconds before reaching something of note.
The projection's advanced slowed down, enough for Luna to see a pile of what looked like a small collapsed pile of dirt and rubble, and at it's epicenter, was the helmet Tim's father had taken from his son. Luna was able to piece that the helmet must have been embedded within the debris, which must have been plugging up a section of this tunnel. The projection's advance quickened, passing the pile of fallen debris and gaining in speed. As it did so, the tunnel faded into darkness, before coming upon a distant anomaly, almost illuminated by the surrounding black.
As it got closer, Luna was able to distinguish it as some sort of human figure. But it was only until Luna was less than a few feet away, that the projection stopped, giving Luna a full body view of the individual before her. Luna was surprised to see that it was someone she hadn't seen before her. Her proportions were smaller than that she had seen of the human physique, giving off the conclusion that this was indeed a human woman. Her features, while somewhat weathered, had a fair quality to them. Her eyes were an almost emerald green, and her hair was a light shade of brown. Luna couldn't say why, but she felt an almost instantaneous feeling of sorrow upon looking directly into the woman's eyes. This was only bolstered when a single tear shed from the woman's eye, as she too faded into the black. Only but a moment later, she reemerged, but this time, bruised, bleeding, and otherwise unmoving in an unmoving still-shot as her head and back were cradled in the arms of a kneeling and utterly distraught Randy Berfield. This too faded into black, and as soon as it did, another voice came seemingly out of nowhere, vaguely similar to one of the men that had been in Randy's presence but a moment earlier.

"Everything was sealed up, we're certain of that." it proclaimed. "Someone created a new opening. Let out our scent throughout the whole damn subway system. One whiff is all it took. That's how they found us."

Another moment of long prolonged silence, before another voice spoke, young and significantly indignant.

"It's all your fault."




Celestia listened to every word of her sister's tale with both intrigue and sympathy. To experience what was essentially a firsthand account of the tragic life on Earth was enough to shake the soul of anypony, but digging into the finer details of this dream's ambiguity left the two princesses with an even more shocking set of discoveries and implications. Though in the end, they were supposedly irrelevant, as the man they belonged to had sadly passed.

"He must have been deeply troubled for such a awful memory to resurface." Celestia suggested.

"My sentiments exactly." Luna concurred. "The fact that I was unable to help him is.......saddening to say the least."

"You did the best you could Luna." Celestia insisted. "If anything, I think there may even be a takeaway to this."

"And what would that be?" Luna asked.

"As a reminder to what war could bring." Celestia explained. "Tim's world fell to the consequences of conflict, and now conflict threatens our world. Hearing your account of what a world devastated by fighting is like, it frightens me."

"I'm afraid that's only half of what we have to fear, dear sister."

Luna's words carried with them greater implications.

"What do you mean?" Celestia asked.

Luna was silent, not saying so much as a word. It was at that moment Celestia noticed a tear trickling down her sister's face. Something was upsetting her dearly.

"Luna?" Celestia reached out again, one moment of silence away from simply giving her sister a much needed hug.

But before she could, Luna relented.

"Tim's was not the only memory I witnessed within the dream world." Luna admitted. "Just a few hours before the attack last night, I had entered what I thought was another Tim's dreams. But like I told you earlier it was that of the human, Andrew."

"You did mention that, yet failed to share the finer details of what you saw." Celestia noted. "If you're comfortable enough to share those details now, I'm willing and eager to listen?"

Luna peered up from looking down at the floor and directly into her sister's eyes before replying.

"I am, but I give you a fair warning sister, this tale will disturb you." Luna warned.
> Chapter 32: A Glimpse Into Carnage
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

How can one simply walk onward after such trauma? This was a question The Princess of the Night was unable to answer. Even now, she still struggles to come to terms with what she saw, what she experienced through the memories of a complete stranger. Moreover, unlike the human she had become acquainted with, this one had killed others of his own kind. This one had fought in the war that brought about the end of mankind's reign over the Earth.....................





"I give you a fair warning sister, this tale will disturb you." Luna warned.

Celestia remained silent at first, more out of giving her sister the time she needed to recount her tale rather than being unnerved by her statement, although it did carry enough weight to slightly unsettle her, which was what ultimately convinced her to ask.

"What did you see, Luna?" Celestia inquired.

Luna sighed, one undeniably born from anxiety.

"I didn't just witness an ordinary dream." Luna explained. "I...........watched what he went through. I saw The Conflict."






.........................................The Morning Prior.........................................






As Luna's eyes opened, her immediate surroundings were instantly familiar, finding herself in bed in her guest quarters of Twilight's castle. Her body ached, feeling sore in muscle as much as she did in mind, though not nearly to the extent she felt previously. After conjuring every fiber of magical power she could to kill the beast that came through the portal, Luna could barely manage to walk on her own. After that ordeal, she was quickly escorted back to her quarters to recuperate. 

As she climbed out of bed, stretching out the stiffness in her limbs, Luna noted that the hour was now late, so late that the moon had risen in her absence. Deducing that her sister covered for her while she rested, Luna felt a sense of gratitude towards her elder sibling. With one of her nighttime duties taken care of, and earning some well-deserved rest, now seemed a good time as any to address the other tasks that made up her nightly routine. However, just as she was about to set out to them, she was able to recollect on her previous arrangements to discuss the subject of Tim's recurring night terrors. Taking a quick glance at the clock, she noted the time.

"Just a quarter after midnight, Tim must already be asleep by now." Luna insisted. "I guess there's no sense in waking him at this hour, but.....perhaps I can take the time to continue my assistance?"

Luna's horn began to emit a glowing aura of magical energy, her surroundings taken by a wave of encroaching darkness. When the darkness finally converged on Luna, she opened her eyes to the never-ending expanse of the dreamscape. She immediately began her search for the same web of shadowy spheres she had encountered the night prior, the entryway to Tim's dreams. She spent several minutes in this endeavor, zipping past the innumerable dreams of other creatures of the realm. As she did, the number of these spheres began to diminish quite rapidly. A dead giveaway that she was getting close. Soon, Luna found herself in a barren void of the dreamscape, save for one singular object, the very thing she had been looking for. Its appearance had not changed since the last time, maintaining both its shape and shadowy appearance.

"Same as before, no surprise there." She thought to herself. "I wasn't able to do much last time, other than simply observe. I need to see if I can't interact in some capacity. Only then will I be able to truly begin helping him."

Luna did not hesitate to get to work, compelled by the need to help the one she had come to call friend. Knowing that entry into the dream sphere would take quite the effort, Luna prepped herself. Mustering all the strength she could, she was ready to face whatever opposition laid ahead. Her horn instantly flashed in a light of pure white, her eyes taking a similar change. a massive orb of energy grew from the tip of her horn, more powerful than the one she had conjured previously. Luna approached the shadowy mass, as the orb made contact with the exterior she instantly felt the resistance try to fight her back, though not nearly as effective as it had previously been.

The intensity of the spell seemed to do wonders in combating the mental resistance she had experienced prior, but it came at a cost of Luna's direct and unwavering focus. So much so, that she failed to see the see the string of spheres that had emerged behind her. Several akin to the shadowy black one she currently entered, and one whose obscurity had been cleared, the sight of a sewer tunnel taking its place.

Luna pressed her advance, the sound of howling winds and unyielding black winds following suit. A few seconds passed, and with a flash of light, any resistance had suddenly subsided. Luna began to dissipate her spell, as she had successfully entered the dream. Taking a moment to familiarize herself with her surroundings, she found herself in a similar situation as last time, where had seemingly entered into a realm of nothingness. But, this is where the similarities with her previous experience had come to an unexpected end. Only a few steps in, and Luna felt her hoof step in some sort of grainy substance, like that of sand. Looking down to investigate, she found that she in fact had stepped in sand, arid and rigid, sticking to the bottom of her hoof in a dusty smear. Suddenly, her dark surroundings began to emit various glows at infrequent intervals, flashes of red and orange lighting up in the distance, like if a sunset were but a brief moment.

Before Luna could even ponder their nature or significance, she became startled at the sight of something moving towards her. A swirling mass of grayish-black shadow rushing past her right, just shy of ramming into her. Soon another emerged, though not nearly as close as the previous one, and soon another, and another. Luna suddenly saw herself surrounded by these things, as the number of them only grew. Some would race past her, others seemed to almost collapse in on themselves, others huddled together in groups, and all the while, the red and orange glows she had seen in the distance had transitioned into clearly visible streaks, racing back and forth at lightning speed. An array of popping and snapping sounds filled the air, though heavily muffled. Suddenly, she heard words spoken clear as day, as if somepony were standing right next to her.

"What did you do exactly?" asked a female voice.

"I don't want to speak about it." A masculine voice replied. "It's best it stay that way."

As if on que, her surroundings became more vivid and detailed with every passing second, as darkness gave way to desolate ruins, a she could make out what looked like buildings, though shattered and crumbling. The swirling masses began to take on a more human-form, as Luna could make out the parts of the body in motion. The noise around her became louder, increasing in volume to a point where every pop and bang became nearly ear splitting. This caused her to jump and back-step from the direction it came, though it almost seemed to be coming from all around her. She could hear muffled shouting echo across the landscape, increasing in intensity. Voices around her came in and out, gradually drowning in an out of earshot, and in some cases, Luna could swear she could hear screaming echo in the darkness beyond. The unnerving nature of these occurrences were beginning to take its toll on the Princess of the Night, despite Luna’s best efforts to keep her nerves in check. 

This continued for nearly a minute before her surroundings returned to a pitch black. Puzzled for a moment, Luna worried that something may have gone wrong when an almost blinding flash of red from behind her caught her attention. As she turned around and directed her gaze towards it. The intensity of it began to fade, leaving in its wake of what looked to be a silhouetted figure kneeling on the ground facing her. Luna couldn't help but feel a slight sense of anxiety creep up inside her, as something about the figure ticked off every box in what you would call ominous. But she approached it nonetheless, figuring that it that it was important if the dream was showing it off in a significant light. Every step forward carried with it a new sense of dread and fear, eliciting apprehensive feelings in Luna, as if she were walking directly into danger.

Upon her last few steps, the shadowy blackness cascading over the figure dissipated in an instant, and a jolt of pure shock coursed through Luna's body. She reeled back in horror of what she saw, for before her knelt a man, who didn't resemble Tim in the slightest other than age, and even then, this man seemed much younger. However, his youth did little to sway Luna's reaction. He was breathing quite heavily, practically hyperventilating, his expression amounting to an unblinking, wide-eyed stare of pure terror, completely out of his senses. Everything he wore, from his dusty raggedy desert fatigues to the vest strapped to his chest was splattered in a dark coat of crimson. Splashes across his face, torrents across his body, and his arms and hands were completely stained in it. Luna instinctively backpedaled her way back from the figure, stricken with terror at what was before her.

"Blood!?"" She thought, as it was the only word she could coherently muster.

It was then that she looked down, unable to draw her eyes away from what he was kneeling over. The sight almost made her vomit, for the arid ground below him gave way to a pool of red, it's source, the body of another man, his face and features contorted and mutilated. Beside the dead man was a bloody brick, the tool of his misfortune. Luna was beginning to question so many things at once, why the dream showed this, how it related to Tim, and whether she should turn back and leave this hellish nightmare or press forward and face that which frightened her to her core. However, any train of thought was abruptly ended the moment her surroundings became clear as day. How Luna wished that they hadn't.

The surrounding dark gave way to the ruins she saw before, but now in complete and vivid detail. However, this wasn't simply a wasteland, as she quickly found out. It was a war zone. Luna's thoughts immediately turned to the explosion that erupted just several feet behind her, sending debris dust flying skywards. Echoes of those faint popping sounds had given way to blistering cracks erupting all around her. Quickly locating their source, Luna watched as human soldiers, one after the other, charged past her position, giving neither her nor the human before her a moment's notice. The sounds of battle made it impossible to think straight, even for Luna, as any thoughts were drowned out by shouts of alarm and fury, screams of pain and agony, yells of panic and rage. Weapons flared with fury of fire and lead, as red and yellow streaks were exchanged back and forth, flying over and beside her with lightning speed. Luna's head swiveled and darted in all directions as she watched the chaos of battle unfold around her, and upon turning her gaze past the kneeling man, she could see where most of the shots were being directed. 

More humans began to emerge from the decimated buildings resting atop a hillside she was looking at. However, their garb, while just as dirty and patchwork as the others, varied enough to warrant them as the enemy of the humans that currently surrounded her. Soldiers on both sides began to engage in what Luna could only speculate was pure, unbridled ferocity, a ferocity fueled by madness, by pure hate. Luna could hear many a soldier curse or shout out in anger, an anger that could only emerge from bitter conflict. They descended upon one another in a torrent of fury and bullets, turning an already chaotic scene into one of slaughter. Round after round in a fiery hell storm of rage, becoming an almost never-ending barrage that made impact on anything and everything. She watched in fright as bullets ripped through men as if they were nothing, as rounds tore through cloth, flesh, and bone, before finally exiting in a bloody spray. Some bared the worst of it, as rounds severed limbs, blew out chunks of the body, or split men open sending innards to the ground. Others just simply dropped in an instant, their advance and in turn, their life, halted by a single projectile. Others met a more gruesome fate by the surrounding detonations, as Luna watched one explosion utterly obliterate three men before her eyes , leaving one without his right leg as he screamed in agony from the pain of dismemberment. 

Amidst all of this, one of the buildings on the hill exploded in fiery spectacle, collapsing what was left of the decaying structure. Luna turned around to see a massive machine approach the hill. It had a large chassis, propelled forward by some sort of interconnecting metal plates that were intricately patterned in both depth and shape on their underside, spoked around a series of metal wheels. Sitting atop of its main body was an interconnecting box that rotated on a swivel, sporting a massive tubular gun, smoke venting from the end of the barrel. The men seemed to fall in behind it, using it for cover as bullets rained down upon the metal behemoth, but to no effect. It in turn returned fire, as bullets came soaring out from a much smaller tube adjacent to the far larger one. It continued its advance without challenge, shaking the ground as it passed Luna and the kneeling man. Suddenly, just as it passed a few feet away, the ground beneath its plates suddenly exploded, sending scraps of metal and debris into the air and those nearby, inflicting serious injury. The machine halted its advance as the interconnected plates slipped from the wheels that held it in place. 

A loud hiss emanated from one of the other buildings, as a fiery projectile soared out from one of the upper levels and hit its mark on the machine, as the inside erupted in an intense flame. The few soldiers that had been using it for cover began to retreat from the burning wreck, as the fire began spreading within the interior. A hatch from atop of the machine swung open, and out came a man, desperately crawling out from the burning mass as flame shot up from the opening, swallowing him alive as if the fire  itself were possessed by some malevolent demon. Luna watched as the flames seared his clothes and body, ceasing to extinguish despite his best efforts. All the while, Luna could hear his blood curdling shrieks as he was burned alive. It was something she would never be able to forget, never be able to unhear.

Her attention was once again diverted away as the two sides grew closer and closer in proximity to one another triggering them to resort to brutal close quarters fighting. Small blades were brandished; some in hand other fixed to the end of rifles where they ripped men open or stabbed others. Some withdrew small spades or hatchets, weathered but sharpened as they slashed out, caving in bone and tearing through muscle. Others withdrew additional firearms, though smaller in frame to where they could be wielded in one hand, unloading round after round with ease. Some resorted to what their environment could give them, like the human drenched in blood before her. Others either held onto their current weapons, using them as they did before or sometimes smashing the blunt end of them into their foe. Some were forced to resort to simply using their hands, inflicting some of the worst injuries upon one another in fits of unbridled rage.  

Such atrocities and acts were an affront to nature and sanity, and yet they continued to unfold before the Princess of the Night, practically sending her into a petrified state. Any sense of staying calm and collective had all but withered and died in Luna's mind. For the first time in her life, she was terrified, despite merely being an observer. Well aware that this was a memory and that she was far from harm, her relatively successful entry had resulted in a state of presence where she could feel her surroundings as though she was there. The shake of every explosion, the gust of every wind, the heat of every fire and bullet, fully immersed as she watched as these creatures waged battle, neither side willing to give even an inch of territory in what looked like a suicidal undertaking. What unfolded around her didn't seem real, didn't seem possible, and yet she knew what she was seeing. A firsthand account of the war that almost annihilated humanity, this "Conflict" Tim had spoken of. It was just as horrifying and relentless as Starswirl had described, if not more so. The carnage unfolded around her as the same duo of echoed voices returned.

"Andrew, it's okay, it's over, we can talk it about it."

"I said no Jess. I know you've had your share of suffering, we all have. But you don't know what it's like to cause it."

The words caught Luna by surprise, and while she heard them with clarity, she puzzled by the use of that name. 

"Andrew?" she inquired.

Luna's attention was brought back to the battle, when amidst the chaos; a loud battle cry suddenly erupted in close proximity to her, fraught with ferocity as she watched an enemy combatant charge at the blood-soaked man, a short blade fixated to the end of his rifle. He began closing the distance at remarkable speed, but just as he was about to fall upon him, the man in question darted for the blade sheathed to his back along the belt. Luna watched as the bloodied man narrowly dodged his enemy's blade thrust toward him, just inches away from its razor edge. The young man, quickly recovered, bringing his own blade around and proceeding to plunge it into the back of his enemy, following it up with a flurry of stabs. A few short seconds passed and he let his foe fall to the ground dead. 

A callout suddenly caught her attention, and turning around Luna saw three of his comrades approaching his position, only to be gunned down in quick succession in a hail of bullets. Following what had to be the source, two more enemy soldiers had emerged from the top of the hill, one armed with a rather massive rifle, where rounds fed into it from some sort of interlinking belt. This man used it to devastating effect as he laid low many of the young soldier's comrades, but had not yet noticed him. However, the second soldier did, and attempted to sling his rifle around to unleash death onto him. He pulled the trigger, but something went wrong, as the rifle did not fire. The young man wasted no time in taking advantage of his enemy's sudden mistake. With almost lightning reflexes, the young man unholstered one of those smaller handguns and proceeded to unload four rounds amongst the two. The first one missed while the second made contact, lodging itself into the second man's neck, causing him to fall to the ground in an instant, choking in his own blood. The other two rounds were directed towards the first man, the one gunning down his comrades. Firing them off, they both made their mark into the man's torso and head respectively as red splattered against the side of nearby wall.

With the two enemy combatants eliminated, the young man proceeded to turn his attention to where it was needed most. The fighting around him, had only increased in its brutality, as explosions erupted across the battlefield, decimating an already war torn landscape. However, the close quarters combat began to die down, as those aligned with the young man seemed to be turning the tide in the battle. More reinforcements came up from the rear, crossing the battlefield like a swarm of angry ants, their war cries amassing in an audible wave that marked their approach. This had effectively pushed their enemy back, no doubt from fear of being overrun. The young man wasted no time in rearming himself to join in this renewed assault, taking the weapon of the man who tried to charge at him. He reloaded it with a fresh magazine, looted from the previous owner's corpse, and began to open fire on any enemy he could see through his sights. The voices returned, silencing everything around her.

"Andrew.............."

"You don't need to worry yourself about it, okay. It's in the past, I promise."

The sounds of war reemerged, and with it, the enemy combatants around her were routed from their foothold in the buildings. They began to retreat, as the young man's forces chased them down without mercy, gunning them down at any given chance. One of his allied ran up to him, shaking him by the soldier and giving him a directive to press the attack. The young man didn't reply, but complied without hesitation as he began to join the others in their assault. Luna followed, as the dream had connected itself to this character. T the young man and his allies had pushed the enemy back over the hill and upon reaching the top, Luna saw that they were chased down the other side towards the mouth of a large basin of crumbling ruins. The seemingly random explosions didn't cease, if anything, they seemed to escalate, increasing in more detonations around them, taking more to the grave by the second. While the young man aided in the push, something in the distance caught his eye and made him stop in his tracks. Luna could see it too, several flashes in the distance, faint but noticeable to the keen eye, lasting for about five seconds before finally stopping. His expression turned to a frightened stare when the voices returned.

"The one thing you said when we started out was that we need to  learn to trust each other. Do you not trust me enough? Are you afraid of what I'll think? Whatever you did in the past doesn't have any hold on the man you are now and regardless of what it is Andy, I promise it won’t change my feelings toward you."

"....................Maybe one day Jess......................just not today."

At that moment, the man who Luna had been observing this whole time, spoke, his voice carrying with it alarm and desperation.

"THEY HAVE US ZEROED IN!!! FALL BACK!!!"

His warning, of whatever unfortunate fate it entailed, fell on deaf ears. He tried desperately, pleading for any one of his allies to listen, but none would. Luna could not ascertain as to why they would ignore him; perhaps they were too entrenched in the moment to notice. Perhaps they simply didn't care, and would rather let fury guide their actions instead of any sense of logic or reason, preferring to fight and kill the enemy despite whatever danger would come. Whilst that would sound like pure insanity, Luna couldn't completely cross it out as a possibility, for so many of them had died at this point, so many committed such terrible and horrific acts to get to this point. After sacrificing so much, would his comrades have the heart to turn back around and retreat? The obvious answer was a "no", but Luna couldn't bring herself to answer it. Therefore, there the young man stood with a blank wide-eyed look on his face as not even one of his fellow soldiers would heed his warning. His gaze then turned upwards, towards the sky, that ashy-brown abyss that polluted the once brilliant blue that it had once been in the old world. The voices then returned for one last exchange, as something loud and approaching began descending towards them.

"Well........................................if you feel more  comfortable that way, fine. Just promise me there's no more secrets."

"I promise...................I love you."

The surrounding area began erupting in massive clouds of fire and debris, much larger in radius and intensity than those witnessed before. It started low towards the bottom of the hill and quickly made its way upwards towards the young man Luna followed. Their encompassing spread practically swallowed droves of his fellow men alive, as the shockwave of each blast made the ground quake upon impact. Luna witnessed all of this from atop of the hill, and found herself devoid of words as she watched an unseen force of death sweep across the ranks of his allies making its way towards the man she had been following this whole time and in turn, herself. She noticed the man had let his weapon drop to the ground, and watched as he fell to his knees, the telltale gesture of a defeated man. He was ready to accept his death. Luna however, was unable to bear any more of this madness. With every bit of magic she could muster, she charged a spell that would simply halt the dreams progression, one used when Luna wished to speak with the dreamer directly. As it was cast in a wave of Cerulean blue, time and space stopped in an instant, with all the chaos, death, and fire of war frozen in place.

With the chaos of war now subsided, Luna could now collect herself, finding herself short of breath and a stinging sensation in the corners of her eyes. She wondered if she had been crying this whole time, and quickly deduced that she had. However, a movement caught her attention, and upon the shift of her gaze, found herself staring at the young man, still kneeling though moving. His body language spoke of confusion, as though something had gone awry. His head titled slightly, no doubt picking up the sound of Luna's crying. When he turned around, his youth was absent. The man was now older, squinting back at her with a set of eyes, tired and battered by conflict while the years weathered his other facial features, his once bare face sporting a rough scruff.  The spell Luna cast should have paused all of her surroundings, bringing the dreamer to her front so that she could speak. It then donned on her, that this man was the dreamer. This revelation sent thoughts racing through Luna's mind, as dozens of what would be unanswered questions arose.

"What? H-how is this possible? Who is this? How did-"

Her train of thought stopped, as she felt herself slowly but assuredly piecing this puzzle together. The name she had heard from the two voices, Andrew, this was his dream, not Tim's. How then could she have entered his dreams? Creatures needed to be within Equestria itself or somehow connected to it in order for Luna to enter the dreams. For as far as Luna knew, Tim was the first human to enter their world, which made a connection to Equestria impossible. That left only one other possibility. Luna's dismay gave way to feelings of betrayal. There was another human in Equestria, despite Tim's assurances he was alone. The stability of the dream began to fall apart, as their surroundings gave way to empty blackness. As this Andrew faded into it, Luna spouted one word, a word that appropriately vocalized summarized her thoughts and feelings at that given moment.

"Liar." She seethed through her dried tears.





"When I returned to my quarters, I was.....I don't know, scared, shaken." Luna recounted. "It took me well over half an hour before I managed to return to my senses, maybe longer."

Celestia simply sat there across from her sister, a cold, somber expression stricken across her face from the unnerving tale Luna had just shared with her. Hearing such vivid descriptions of the violence that was committed, the levels of depravity humans had stooped to seemed so foreign from the man she had come to know. Nonetheless, Celestia knew better than to doubt her sister on such knowledge. The Conflict had sounded horrible when summarized, but the level of detail Luna recounted painted a clear picture on just how bloody a war it had devolved into. To hear how her sister became subjected to such a sudden exposure of that level of carnage not only elicited a massive sense of sympathy for Luna, but had shined light on what no doubt motivated Luna's more irrational behavior that night. Celestia thought the sudden change in mood seemed to come out of left field almost randomly, but with this now in context, she could see why her sister was so paranoid.

"Is that why you accused Tim of deception?" Celestia asked.

Luna didn't respond right away, feeling a sense of shame for what her rash action had brought about.

"I was so certain Tim had knowledge of their presence." Luna admitted. "I felt lied to. Nevertheless, I should have let cooler heads prevail, tried to coerce Tim's friend rather than subdue him. Maybe then we wouldn't be in this predicament."

"There's no certainty in that Luna." Celestia stated. "Even if Achmed had come quietly doesn't mean we could have avoided this situation."

"It would have at least avoided Tim's death." Luna mentioned. "But like you said, there's no going back now. What's done is done, best we do what we can to salvage the situation as best as we can."

Luna exited from her seat, clumsily so with the added leg brace. Celestia got up to assist her when the windows transitioned from the dark of the tunnel to the serene landscape of Equestria, viewed as far to the horizon as the raced along the mountainside railway to Canterlot. They were getting close, well within half an hour's time.

"These next few days will be a challenge." Luna stated.

"They will, but whatever awaits us Luna, know that we'll be doing this together." Celestia informed her. "You're not alone Luna."

Luna found a little comfort in that fact, knowing she could count on her older sister being there when she needed it. However, despite this, Luna was fearful. Not of the ramifications that awaited her in Canterlot, but of what the humans could bring now that they were undoubtedly hostile. Perhaps a miracle could save them from such a fate as she saw, perhaps if war did break out; it could be quickly resolved through some sort of settlement or diplomacy. But the thought of seeing Equestria laid low into ruins would never escape her mind, for if mankind was willing to slaughter one another, what qualms would they have in killing her own people? Her time spent with Tim showed they could be reasoned with, and yet the memory she recounted showed that they could also devolve into mindless slaughter. Two halves of the same coin so to speak. But which side would Equestria meet with, and would it be at the negotiating table, or the battlefield?
> Chapter 33: The Capital Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Through the heart-pound of engines, and the rattle of the hulls, precede the arrival of two great bastions of civilizations. Those that travel are plagued with doubt, fear, and anxiety of what is to come. Those of their homeland seek protection from their leadership, justice of those slain, and answers of what transpired the night prior, and what consequences it will entail. Those who have trespassed seek a potential settlement to avert hostility, an answer to their dire problems, and a new home that can foster a new age of humanity. However, before both sides can face one another a second time, they must first face their own people. Both awaken to an uncertain future, plagued with uncertainty and unexpected details.......................................





Sun entered through the shabby windowpanes of the Sabbag residence, basking upon the sleeping form of Suha, rousing her from her sleep. As she rose, she proceeded to loosen the tension in her neck and spine in a backward stretch. As muscles eased back and her drowsiness subsided, she looked to her surroundings. Looking to the clock, she saw the time sat at around 7:30 AM. 

"Dang it, I overslept. Again." Suha cursed mentally.

Perhaps overslept wasn't the right term so much as slept too late to cook herself breakfast before school started at 8:30, leaving only enough time for Suha to give her mother her medicine and get dressed for the day. Suha ran through the morning routine rather quickly as she only had an hour to get dressed, grab her back-pack and walk to school, which more or less took 30-45 minutes give or take. On top of that, Suha needed to give her mother her morning dosage. As she walked out her room and into her mother's, Suha looked to the top of the old jewelry armoire nearby, spotting the translucent blue pill bottle the cup & pitcher of water to go with it. She stepped towards the form of her sleeping mother. Suha approached, giving her mother a soft nudge on the shoulder to rouse her from her sleep. 

"*groan* Wha-Azra? Azra, is that you?" She murmured in her native tongue.

"No mother, it's me, Suha. It's time to take your pills. Remember?"

Her mother gave a rather confused look in another direction, almost as if half of what Suha just said to her didn't even register.

"Well....I don't remember any pills. When....when did they get here?" she asked in a stupor.

"Yesterday. One of the nurses from the clinic probably dropped it off." Suha informed her.

"Oh, well wasn't that kind of them." She said with a weak smile. "You know, that reminds me of a story about Doctor Jhaveri at the clinic. He was always a kind man, always so generous to people when they were desperate. Did you know he was the one who oversaw me when I delivered you? That such a-"

"I don't mean to be rude mother, but I need to get to school before I'm late." Suha explained politely.

Her mother stared at her for a moment more before answering.

"Oh..........well I'm sorry to have kept you.....I always seem to rattle on lately." she said apologetically.

"It's no problem mother."

Suha helped her swallow the medicine before saying her goodbye before departing to school for the day. Moments like these always put a strain on Suha, as she watched her mother's mind deteriorate. Azra, the sister Suha never knew, but her brother did. Even to this day, neither her mother nor brother would talk of her. Suha did her best to put her troubles in the back of her mind as she walked out the front door and down the streets of her neighborhood. As she trekked down the streets of the Edge and into central city where the school was, Suha noticed a particular increase in activity around her. The first indicator was when she passed the distribution center nearest to her home, as a plethora of people stood in a congested crowd yet were dead silent, as a radio bellowed at full volume. It so quiet that Suha herself could hear the broadcast from 10 yards away, albeit faintly. 

"*-xpected to return sometime this morning. Whether this is in light of the recent incident at the water supply facility remains unknown. At this time, the water supply facility has been temporarily shut down. Local Militia forces hav-*"

Suha's train of focus found itself suddenly interrupted by the loud roar of engines, as she looked forward to see a small Militia convoy of four armored vehicles make its way on the approaching downhill road, kicking up dust as it past. Suha found that odd, as while every district had the occasional neighborhood foot-patrol, anything larger than a humvee was seldom seen, and in such a large group even more so. 

"What on Earth is going on?" she pondered.

"Suha!" a voice called out.

Turning around, Suha could see two of her classmates racing towards her. Bill Estus and Jacovi Harris, two guys around her age that she had come to call as friends in the very small social circle she had. Bill was a pudgy-faced ginger-haired boy with freckles across his face, who wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed and Jacovi was dark-skinned, slim, and easily excitable. Despite this, Suha enjoyed their banter and company. They had been close since they were all about 6 years old, with the friendship sparking from a fight between the two boys of all things. Suha was the one who managed to put a stop to all of it, but that involved, well, getting involved. One regretful slug to Bill's face later, Suha found herself in trouble as well. However, that was a lifetime ago, and the three had become rather close since.

"Did you just see that?!" Jacovi cried ecstatically. 

"A bunch of tanks just came through here!" Bill yelled.

"What, the lineup of APCs?" Suha said. "I saw, that's a little weird don't you think?."

The two boys looked to one another in confusion, an expression that became regular for the two.

"AP-whatta?" Jacovi said with a confused look.

"APC. They weren't tanks, they were APCs. Short for Armored Personnel Carriers." Suha corrected.

"What?! No way, those were tanks!" Bill insisted. "They were big man! Fully armored and decked out with a bunch of guns! That makes them tanks."

"Sure, despite the lack of treads and a cannon." Suha quipped. "My brother's in the Militia, guys, I would know if it was a tank."

"Well still, they're all over the city! Something big is going down!" Jacovi claimed.

Suha couldn't deny that statement, as she herself could feel a growing tension in the air, a fear that she felt the day prior after the tunneler incident. Alas there was nothing she could do about, being one girl amongst thousands of people, not to mention that the more pressing matter of getting to school held priority. 

"Okay, I got to admit, it's a little weird. But what are supposed to do about it?" Suha asked.

"Watch what happens!" Bill exclaimed.

"That sounds like a bad idea. C'mon guys, let's get going." Suha said.

"Get going? Don't tell me your thinking of going to school?" Bill questioned.

"It was the reason I left my house this morning. Probably the same reason you guys did the same." 

"Man, fuck school!" Jacovi insisted. "What's one day of school compared to missing out on this!?"

"Oh I don’t know, maybe not coming home with a broken leg, or worse. Seriously, guys, do yourselves a favor and let's go. We have no idea what things are like around the rest of town. We could get hurt, get lost, or get mixed up in som-"

"You worry too much, Suha." Bill shrugged. "You can go to school and be bored as shit, me and Jacovi are gonna scope out some of the action."

"Guys, I really-"

Before she could even persuade them otherwise, they were already running down the direction where the convoy had passed. Suha was left there by herself faced with two choices; continue on her way leaving her friend's fates up to chance, or the more obvious choice of going after them to ensure they weren't getting mixed up into trouble.

"I swear at times I feel like their damn mother!" Suha mentally cursed.

"GUYS! WAIT UP!" Suha cried.





"Tower Command, this is Eagle-1, we are carrying high-value passengers, inbound to Site-Alpha, ETA 20 mikes out, requesting clearance to land, over?"

The Pilot ceased his transmission and awaited a response. Andrew stood behind both him and the co-pilot. It was standard protocol to radio in, and while it would have seemed redundant nowadays as any functioning aircraft more or less belonged to the Militia, it was still important to keep the practice regular, familiar.

"*Tower-2 to Eagle-1, your request for clearance has been granted.*" The tower comms officer replied. "*Proceed on course to Runway-D11, we'll have an escort convoy waiting on your arrival, over?*"

The revelation of which runway they would be landing on struck Andrew as a little odd. Nothing particularly interesting about D11 other than it was scarcely used. Apparently, he wasn't the only one, as the pilots looked at one another before the main pilot responded back.

"Say again, Tower-2, did you say Runway-D11, over?" The pilot asked.

"*Affirmative, Eagle-1, directive comes from the on-site commanding officer. We have a bit of a.....gathering at the main entrance. D-11 is closest to the secondary exit route. You have your orders, Eagle-1. Tower-2, over and out.*"

As the transmission cut-out, Andrew was left to make of what they meant by gathering.

"We'll be there momentarily, sir." The Co-pilot informed him. "You may want to take your seat until then."

Andrew acknowledged him with a slight nod, and proceeded back to the cargo bay of the C-130, where Viktor, Sarah, Bradford, and Achmed sat waiting, their things packed and stowed in nearby compartments. Nearly four hours had passed, four hours to contemplate the situation and assess what next steps needed to be taken. For Andrew, it was to go as follows. Take the convoy, travel to the Council Building and call an emergency session to discuss the matter. One of many that was undoubtedly to follow in the next few days. 

Andrew's years of playing the part of the politician were about to be tested in full force, as a plan of action would need to be discussed and implemented. Viktor would undoubtedly have temporary jurisdiction over a good majority of New Damascus' forces during this time, as Andrew would be too preoccupied with the oncoming debates and decisions to keep an eye on the day-to-day on-goings the Militia usually oversaw. Bradford would more or less find himself in a similar situation to Andrew, and would make an effort to argue in favor of any solution that entailed the continued use of the portal device. Sarah would oversee Achmed during this time, and ensure he would be there to retell the details of his account before the Council. All five of them would play a pivotal role in the coming days. The group watched as Andrew approached, ready to hear what he had to share.

"We've been cleared to land." Andrew informed them. "Should arrive in about twenty minutes."

"If you want to escape this by jumping out of the plane, now's your chance." Viktor jested.

Andrew, Sarah, and Bradford responded with a slight smirk, but nothing more. Achmed didn't even seem to react, his cold, neutral expression failing to leave him. 

"Yeah, don't tempt me." Andrew replied. "If you think the Council's bad, I don't even want to think about what's in store for me when I end up meeting with Jess."

"You'll be lucky if you last the night, my friend." Viktor jested once more.

"Yes, well, jokes aside, I was also able to discern where we'll be landing. Runway D-11."

Viktor's look turned to that of a puzzled squint.

"D-11? Towards the back of the base?" Viktor asked.

"Yep. We were redirected due to a gathering at the front gate." Andrew explained.

His words sent a clear message to everyone present. Word had got out of what happened.

"Fantastic. Everyone knows." Sarah said with sarcasm.

"All that remains is to see how the public responds." Viktor implied. "Will it be adoration or backlash I wonder?"

"Why not both?" Sarah insinuated. "I can already tell you everyone in Peace and Justice will pretty much condemn what we did."

"That may be, but that doesn't necessarily mean everyone has all the details." Bradford insisted. "Perhaps we can change the hearts and minds once more information is released. Even more so if we can somehow end this without conflict."

"That's unlikely." Achmed expressed.

"But not impossible." Viktor declared. "And believe me; we'll try our damnedest to avoid a conflict."

Andrew recalled the words of his friend, his express concern of what a conflict would cause to humanity. But this was something he knew well, and gave only a short time of thought to it.

"Guess we'll find out in time." Andrew assessed. "One way or another, good or bad, it'll be a surprise that meets us once we land."

"Yeah, forgive me if I lean towards bad on that surprise, sir." Sarah said in earnest. "One thing I know from my days stationed here, people don't shut the fuck up when it comes to rumors. Always gets to a point where it delves into a bunch of bullshit conspiracy theory crap."

Andrew simply smiled, taking his seat to await their landing.

"Can't say I blame em', Sergeant." Andrew replied. "Not much else happens around here, ain't much to talk about nowadays other than shortages and the last mutant attack."

While Sarah could forgive him for that, as it held a substantial amount of truth to it, her assertion stemmed more from personal experience. Overall, it did a good job of making her contemplate the very thing she had wished to avoid thinking about. The inevitable meet-up with her family was bound to elicit a storm of accusations, towards her, her lifestyle, the Militia, etc. But she too knew well there was no sense from hiding from it, word was out, and with it, knowledge of her unit's involvement.

Sarah along with all the others eventually took their seats as well, and in short time, they could feel their gradual descent as the plane made its way down the runway. With a slight bump, they were once again on solid Earth. As the plane's crawl degraded into a full stop, everyone began to assemble what things they had. A few minutes passed before the ramp of the C-130 dropped, the smell of dust and desert seeping inside as it did. When it had dropped unto the surface of the runway, Andrew and company were greeted with the sight of their convoy. 

On a normal day, Andrew usually found himself either driving or riding inside either a Humvee, G-class, or an old UAZ-469. However, given the circumstances, Andrew was half expecting about two or three Humvees, four if they felt it necessary. What he saw instead immediately took him aback.

"What the fuck?" he said dumbfounded.

It seemed Militia forces pulled out all the stops and then some for his arrival. Before him and his company sat a Cougar 6x6 MRAP, accompanied by a M1117 Guardian to its front and a BTR-90 in the back, which in turn was accompanied by no less than 4 infantry support vehicles, Two heavily outfitted Humvees, one Foxhound LPPV, and one LGS Fennek. Scattered around the convoy were at least a platoon of Militiamen, fully decked out and armed serving as security. To call it overkill was an understatement, even if news had got out about the incident in Berlin, Andrew couldn't see how the reaction would warrant this sort of protection.

"What in God's name is going on?" Bradford cried. "A tad bit much don't you think?"

"Fucking ludicrous is what it is." Sarah said dumbstruck. "What? Did a civil war break out while we were gone?"

"This is strange." Viktor admitted. "I fear this may spell something very bad."

Achmed said nothing, but dwelled heavy on the matter, as he too was just as curious as the others. At that very moment, one of the heavily armed militiaman made his way to greet Andrew and his company.

"Commander Sawyer. Colonel Antonov." He addressed with a salute. "I'm Captain Harper; I'm to escort you to your transport to the Council Building."

"Son, who's your CO?" Andrew asked.

"Colonel Malik, sir." He replied.

Colonel Malik, head CO of Alpha base and a man who Andrew had been in regular contact with over the last few years. The fact that Andrew hadn't received any details on this abnormal level of security from his Captain and not himself more than rubbed Andrew the wrong way.

"Okay, answer me this. You mind explaining to me what the hell made him think pulling out all this for my arrival was necessary? Furthermore, why were we not informed before landing?"

The Captain's expression felt hesitant, no doubt from deducing that the Commander in Chief was just a little pissed.

"A lot has happened since your absence, sir." The Captain informed him. "I'm sure the Colonel himself can fill you in on the details on the ride over."

"Where is he?" Andrew asked bluntly.

"He's in the back of the MRAP, sir. That's what you and the rest of the group will be taking. The other vehicles will be serving as your escort."

All of this puzzled Andrew and the others, but I guess would come once they boarded the armored transport. Taking their things, they began approaching the MRAP, Captain Harper and two other men following beside. As they entered through the back of the steel behemoth, they could see a man up towards the front, garbed in faded OD BDU's, a tac vest and old M98 Forest Cap, yelling at someone through the radio in Arabic.

"La yahimni ma tastakhdumuh! 'iikhdae alhashd wamasahu almasar!"

He hung up the radio, turning around to face the group that entered. He was about in his late 30's, though he looked much older with a shabby brown beard, wrinkled amber skin, and a set of weathered hazel eyes.

"Commander Sawyer." He greeted in a thick Makrani accent. "It is good to see you have returned safely."

"Colonel Malik." Andrew greeted back. "You mind explaining to me why you brought a war chariot to what's supposed to be a Sunday stroll?"

Colonel Malik sighed, the look of a tired man struck across every inch of his expression.

"With all due respect, sir, there's not going to be any Sunday Stroll. Not anymore. A lot has happened since you've been gone, most of it bad."

"How bad?" Viktor asked.

"I believe the word, clusterfuck would best describe the situation we're facing. We have folks racing towards the reservoir, dissenters demanding answers in the streets. The Council Building is practically walled off by half of New Damascus. I have our forces stretched across the city doing the best they can to keep things civilized. In fact, the only reason it hasn't turned violent yet would be due to the rumors concerning your business in Berlin."

Even as their speculations were verified, it did little to concern Andrew at that moment. His focus was trying to divulge what the mood of the people was.

"What exactly has been the word around town?" Andrew asked.

"Depends on who you ask." Malik explained. "Some, like that fucking radio host, Bloodhound, say you found a portal to another world. Others say you found and endless supply of food and water; found aliens that promised to take you to their world, and some of the more religious among us say you found the Garden of Eden."

All among them felt a wave of anxiety as the rumor was essentially dead on the money, while the others correlated to the same core theme surrounding all of them, that they found a solution to the shortages.

"What exactly did you find, if I may ask?" Malik inquired. "Did you find something?"

Viktor and the others were half expecting the Commander to follow it up with some level of discretion, if just refusing to answer at all, but surprisingly, Andrew relented without hesitation.

"Yes. We found something that'll mean an end to the shortages. But we can't go public with it. Not yet."

Malik's stunned expression painted a very clear picture of how he reacted to this revelation. The Colonel would not have time to dwell on it for long though as Andrew followed it up with an inquiry of his own.

"Answer this, Colonel. If the rumors of what we found is keeping the peace, what caused unrest in the first place?" Andrew asked.

Malik was brought back into the now, and the dire circumstances carried with it. 

"In short, our water supply just got dropped by three months." Malik revealed.

The words he spoke resulted in the sinking of Andrew's heart, sudden and merciless in its effect. As the engines of the MRAP revved and the vehicle began moving. Andrew was silent, for what he heard left him at a loss of words. This gradually transitioned into a slight sense of anger, and a few seconds passed before Andrew peered directly into Malik's eyes. There was a pause, as a build up of exasperation was made evident in his posture

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Andrew breathed.





The wheels of the train began to slow, its rhythmic vibrations getting more sluggish as the sharp hiss of the break began to emit from under the tracks. Those present began to gather their things before departing. Sounds of a large crowd echoed through the walls of the cabin, a clear indicator that the public had knowledge of their arrival, and in turn, last night's events. Both Luna and Celestia were dreading this moment, hoping to have a chance to make their way to the castle without enduring the inquiries and concerns of the public. They loved their subjects, but with such an event that transpired, their subjects would no doubt have a tidal wave of questions and worries, and unlike previous situations, there was no immediate solution in sight.

"I suppose it was wishful thinking that we'd avoid the news ahead of time." Luna said, adjusting her foreleg in the crutch.

"I suppose it was." Celestia noted. "But these are our people, and while they may be restless and concerned now, they'll come to understand our silence when the time to inform them comes."

"We could just teleport to the palace?" Luna suggested, "Save us time to get underway?"

Celestia gave the idea some thought, and while it seemed rational, there was some rationality to making their way there by hoof.

"I think it would help ease the tension if our subjects saw us alive and well." Celestia suggested.

"As well as we can be." Luna said, gesturing to her injuries.

The mere gesture sent a vivid image in Celestia's mind, clear as day. The night prior as two rounds from Achmed's weapon shattered her sister's shield and tore through bone and limb. The flash of imagery was made complete with sight of her young sister plummeting to the ground, left to writhe on the ground in a pool of her own blood. Celestia snapped back, able to ease her nerves to continue the conversation.

"It will be difficult for them, but it's better to see their Princesses battered and bruised than cold and lifeless." Celestia stated. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you Luna."

The two engaged in yet another hug, one last gesture of affection before facing the masses. Over on the other side of the cabin, Twilight, Spike, and her friends were divulging in their own conversation that they had continuously kept up on the way over.

"Well here we are yet again. Canterlot." Rarity announced. "And never has it ever felt so daunting before." 

"I know what ya mean." Applejack concurred. "Usually we come here for one celebration or another. But now..."

"Now it's the place where we'll determine how to handle a crisis, and if worse is yet to come, an invasion." Twilight finished. 

Twilight herself had been dreading their inevitable arrival, as she knew the crisis would most likely bring out the worst sort of reactions in everypony, as they often do. However, this was on an entirely new level. Over 200 dead in one single attack, which literally came out of thin air. That level of threat was bound to stir up an unprecedented level of hysteria, both among the masses as well as the inner workings of the royal government.

Twilight cleared her thoughts, as they had an unwanted effect of filling her head with doubt. For now, she challenged herself to simply focus on the task of exiting the train car.

"One thing at a time, Twilight" she reaffirmed herself.

"So, has anypony actually thought of what we're going to do?" Rainbow asked.

The group gave it plenty of thought on the way over, in fact, it had pretty much been the sole focus on everypony's mind, yet for all the time it was given contemplation, the group were not able to come to any conclusive resolution.

"Well, clearly we'll have to act, somehow." Fluttershy answered

She had said that with an ever so slight hint of uncertainty, enough for her friends to pick up on.

"How in Equestria are we supposed to act?" Applejack asked. "We all saw em' and what they can do."

"Well we'll have to do something." Rarity proclaimed. "Sitting idly by and waiting for them to make the first move is clearly off the table."

"They'll have to make the first move." Pinkie noted. "Last I checked, they can pop in out of our world as many times as they want while we can do zilch!"

"One thing at a time, girls." Twilight declared. "We have to actually get to the palace and call upon the royal court before we can do anything."

With a second of thought, they all came to the same conclusion as Twilight. As much as they wanted to dive into their predicament head first, there were procedures that had to be carried out first, as this sort of decision had a usual process tied to it. When they were all ready and packed, a squad of royal guards entered their car. After a quick conversation, the guards began overseeing their luggage for them. As Twilight levitated her luggage over for the guards to handle, Spike came up next to her, an almost timid posture taking over him.

"Canterlot at last." Spike said nervously. "Never thought I'd see it any different than I did before."

"What do you mean, Spike?" Twilight asked.

"I dunno, I always thought of it as home, a welcome sight. But now, with all that commotion outside, I feel a bit intimidated by it. Do you.....do you think everypony's mad that we didn't do more?"

Twilight had been through a lot, and in turn so did Spike. Almost losing one another was a thought that had rushed through her mind when Achmed took her captive, a moment that she prayed would never happen again. 

"No, I don't think anypony's mad, Spike." Twilight explained. "I think they're just scared."

"So, like us?" He asked.

"Like us. But we'll get through this. We always do, don't we?" 

Twilight would hope that would quell some of his worries, but in the back of her mind she knew Spike was too smart to fall for something like that. He was always very perceptive of the situations, sometimes too much for his own good. Despite that, it was the best Twilight could do to ease his nerves.

As the group reconvened by the exit door of the train car, one of the guards that entered, a Sergeant by the looks of his armor, stepped over to Commander Spark to discuss a few words. Commander Spark and the guard conversed for but a minute or two before saluting one another and departing. Neither Twilight nor anypony else in the company could hear what was said, but Commander Spark then soon approached the group, indicting he was about to share the details.

"Your Majesties, elements" He addressed. "It's time."

The company looked to one another, knowing what the implications of his words entailed. Everypony did their best to prep themselves.

"The local garrison commander stationed in my absence took the liberty of having the guards prepped and ready for crowd control." Spark informed them. "Apparently they've managed to clear a path to the grand balcony plaza."

That would get them halfway through the city and within a short distance to the palace. While that would alleviate some of the potential hurdles, they would still have to endure the crowd amassed outside. The guards who had accompanied Commander Spark took positions around them, ready to escort them safely to the palace.

The Door swung open with the aid of Celestia's magic, and upon opening, everything from the streets to the surrounding area of Canterlot Station were packed with an unending crowd of ponies. The scene was loud before, but the minute they stepped hoof outside, the scene became instantly more archaic, as the volume raised in intensity with a wave undecipherable voices. Celestia looked around, and saw that there was only one path available to them, a modest street stood bare before them, a numerous procession of guards, single-file, aligned on both sides.

"Best we make our through this as quick as possible, your majesty!" Commander Spark said in a raised voice, just so it could be heard.

As much as Celestia wanted to put a stop to the chaos around her with one quick use of the Canterlot voice, it would be better to read the reaction first.

"Lead on Commander." Celestia instructed.

With an affirmative nod, Commander Spark did as instructed, as he and the other guards surrounded each side of the group as they moved forward and down the path. The reaction from such was almost immediate. The first notable one would have undoubtedly have been the shock of seeing what had happened to Princess Luna, as a wave of startled gasps emanated in an uproar, standing out amongst the chorus of voices.

Luna herself resisted the urge to lower her head, as she knew that the wounds sustained were in part of her own actions. Even if in the rational right of the situation, she had let paranoia get the best of her, and in turn set off the series of events that had led to the catastrophe that had occurred, and in turn, this made her feel guilty.

The next notable behavior of the crowd would have been the news-ponies that were doing their best to squeeze in closer, despite the royal guard pushing them back. 

"Princesses! Reporter Book Marker, I'm with the Canterlot Courant! Do you have any comments on the situation in Ponyville!"

"Your majesties! Morning Mailer, Manehatten Times! We would like to know what transpired in Ponyville last night!"

"Your highness, Reporter Ocean Eyes with the Fillydelphia Press! What exactly happened in Ponyville!"

The same question worded a million different ways. Celestia opted to ignore them as she had done on numerous times before. Luna couldn't help but roll her eyes at this shtick and dance for the umpteenth time, and turned her head around to the rest of the group with words of warning.

"Whatever you do, don't answer them." she instructed. "They'll take what you say and warp it int-"

Luna's words eased and the instructive look she possessed soon turned into a puzzled glare, much to the confusion of the rest of the group.

"Where is Miss Pie?" she asked.

The group looked around; taking little time to spot her conversing with a reporter, a microphone desperately stretched passed the two guards holding him back. Applejack and Rainbow rushed to sweep her away.

"Well I think it all started when some hum-"

Applejack's hoof soon covered Pinkie's mouth, muffling any words Pinkie had to say.

"C'mon sugarcube that's enough outta ya." AJ said.

As Applejack dragged Pinkie away, Rainbow swooped in to finish Pinkie's statement for her.

"We're not taking any further questions at this time." Rainbow said to the reporter. "So, see ya."

"But-"

Before the reporter could inquire further, Rainbow regrouped with the others as a guard closed the gap. Back amongst the group, AJ and Rainbow were quick to lay the line with her.

"What in Equestria were you thinking, Pinkie!" Rainbow yelled. "You want everypony in Equestria to enter full meltdown mode!"

"Well shouldn't everyone at least be aware?" Pinkie asked.

"They will, sugarcube, but not now." Applejack explained. "Not while the wounds are still fresh and definitely not to one of them reporters!"

"It's like Princess Luna said" Rainbow informed. "Anything you say will be warped and misconstrued. Newsponies have a knack for doing that kind of thing."

Pinkie looked a little hurt by the mere notion of that happening, but nonetheless it was true. Her actions could be forgiven from inexperience with such situations, as a baker/party-planner would know little of the social ramifications of an ill-timed explanation to last night’s events could bring. In fact, most of the elements were in that same boat, but were better familiarized with the basic concept to know better. Thankfully, Applejack and Rainbow rushed in when they did, and thus a crisis on top of another crisis had been averted.

"This isn't going to be like the other times Equestria's faced a threat Pinkie." Twilight explained. "This one is going to be long and drawn out, lots of speculation and uncertainty. Rash action or some magic spell isn't going to save us this time."

That statement alone sent a clear message not just to Pinkie Pie, but the rest of the group as well. The concept alone was so odd, as direct confrontation had ultimately led to success in previous circumstances, but that advantage now lay in the hands of mankind, who could seemingly have the power to launch an attack at any time. This led to Twilight ponder how the rest of humanity would react to what had happened. Twilight couldn't imagine that their take from it was nearly as stressful for them as it was for her kind, she bet it would simply narrow down to one factor. When to attack. 

Up to the front, Luna and Celestia were being led up the street as droves of ponies gazed upon the battered state of their leaders, the former doing her best to appear stoic and headstrong as was possible. But internally, Luna felt as if thousands of prying eyes delved into her soul, picking away to find the guilt she held within herself. The feeling of failure could not escape the back of Luna's mind, failure to keep Equestria at Peace and a failure to all the ponies surrounding her. Luna could hear few words amongst the deafening uproar of the crowds, but what she did hear only added to these feelings.

"Who would do that!? Who would do that to her majesty!?"

"What did those monsters do to her?!"

"Poor Princess Luna. Nopony deserves that. How could this have happened?"

Luna felt slightly undeserving of the sympathy. Nevertheless, she opted to steady her thoughts, and focused her efforts on doing right by her people and ensuring their safety in the task ahead.

"We'll need to call upon the royal court, sister." Luna told Celestia. "Every delegate of the Princess' committee, every representative to form a congress of the Equestrian Senate. Equestria's inner workings need to know the challenge we face."

"Indeed. I'll see to it that the scribes write the summons at once." Celestia concurred. "To think there hasn't been a royal congress in at least a thousand years."

The statement really spoke volumes on just how jarring recent events came across in the context of the relative peace Equestria had experienced for so many years. The last royal congress of the Equestrian Senate took place around the first rise of King Sombra, when he took over the crystal empire. That was thousands of years ago, since then the title more or less assumed a role of status rather than anything else. A secondary title that most ponies would never imagine would actually be invoked.

"The time calls for it sister." Luna insisted. "Though I can imagine the senators took the position for the benefits and title, I wouldn't think they'd hesitate to perform the duty that was expected of them."

"I share that same sentiment. I wonder how the public will react?" Celestia wondered.

"I would imagine the same way they're reacting right now." Luna assumed. "The situation is dire, and there's no reason to treat it any other way. In fact, the pressing nature of our dilemma may force us to hold these councils without full attendance."

"No. Everypony needs to be in attendance, for the sake of unity and the nation." Celestia clarified.

"Sister, time is of the essence, it might take a week or more for all the respected ponies to arrive." Luna argued.

"I understand your sense of urgency Luna, but we need the whole nation working together if we want to form a solution. We stand together in this time of crisis and everypony will be effected by it, thus, everypony will be involved."

"And what will happen if the humans strike us while we're waiting for a sea of delegates to arrive to Canterlot?"

It was clear by Luna's expression that she wasn't willing to drop it that easily, but alas, there was no sense in having the debate here. Celestia sighed, facing her young sister once more.

"We'll speak of this in detail once we reach the palace, Luna." Celestia said. "Right now, let's just show our people we're alive and breathing."

Luna would normally see that sort of gesture as avoiding the argument, but given the current circumstances, Luna was inclined to agree. Thus, the two princesses continued onward, towards what would prove to be a mentally tasking walk to their home, a home currently thrown into crisis.





Suha was led through a gathering crowd, desperately following Bill and Jacovi as they recklessly charged into what was building up into unrest. All the while, she listened in on a barrage of conversations around her, ranging from what the Council was going to do now that their water supply was in shorter supply than it already was, to what this would spell for the future of New Damascus and the Survivors, to talks of outright collapse.

These conversations unnerved Suha, as the thought of complete societal breakdown sent a plethora scenarios racing through her head, feeding into her fear. All the while, Bill and Jacovi couldn't stop talking about how much cred they'd get at school for being out here, witnessing the unrest unfold. Suddenly another convoy arrived, this one easily the largest and most heavily armed amongst the many they had already seen. Suddenly, the convoy came to a complete stop.

"What's happening?" Suha asked.

"Holy Crap! I think some dudes just jumped in front of it!" Bill said.

As soon as he had finished his sentence, multiple vehicle hatches swung open and a multitude of heavily armed Militiamen came pouring out. In a matter of seconds, they began to form a barrier pushing people back.

"Get back! Move it along!" One of the men shouted.

Some verbal exchange was heard, but ultimately drowned out by the gradual volume of the crowd.

"Guys, I really think we should scoot, things are looking like they're about to get ugly." Suha urged.

Alas, they must not have heard her, as the crowd became an entanglement of many voices, shouts, and curses.

"Dude, no one's gonna believe this shit when we tell em' about it!" Bill said excitedly.

"Dude some shit's about to go down!" Jacovi exclaimed.

Suddenly Suha felt someone race past her and through the crowd, much to her dismay. She caught a quick glimpse of the perpetrator, and though she didn't get a glimpse of his face, she noted the brick he had in his hands. Suha watched with wide eyes as he raised his arms.

"YOU THIEVING BASTARDS!!!" He roared as he launched the brick at the largest of the vehicles, hitting it smack on one of the bullet-proof windows.

The brick split in half upon impact. Almost immediately the man in question took a fist to the face by one of the militiamen, before another grabbed him by the back of the neck and shoulder and slammed him face first into the ground. The crowd erupted into a deafening uproar, as many rushed to the man's aid. Suha was pushed and jostled by dozens of people; losing sight of the man, and Bill and Jacovi for that matter. Suha feared that she may fall over and unintentionally be trampled by a horde of angry people. However, just as sudden as the chaos had arrived, it stopped in a similar fashion. After an initial uproar, the crowd transitioned into a murmur as Suha could only hear one voice triumph among the many.

"HEY!!! That's enough!!! THAT'S ENOUGH!!! Let him go!!!"

Suha managed to work her way back through the crowd, trying to find where Bill and Jacovi had gone. It didn't take very long, as the two didn't seem to get separated.

"Guys." Suha said.

"Suha, you alright?" Jacovi asked.

"You're not hurt are ya?" Bill asked.

"I don't think so." Suha said. "What happened to that guy, the one who through the brick?"

"Those militia guys gave him an ass-kicking." Bill said, before pointing towards the general direction where the commotion had taken place. "But look who came to stop em'."

Suha followed the direction Bill was pointing, and found herself stunned by who was there helping the man to his feet. For one of the few times in her life, Suha would do the one thing she'd usually find rather uncouth.

"Holy shit...." Suha swore.

For both Bill and Jacovi, the words rang like a gunshot in the distance, as the two looked at her in utter shock as she actually swore. Suha disregarded their reaction entirely, too fixated on the man who was in front of her. Councilor, Commander-in-chief, Andrew Sawyer. The man who led the Militia. Recent events suddenly came racing into Suha's mind. The debriefing with Lieutenant Schultz, and his mention that perhaps things weren't going to get worse, and then the broadcast she had tuned into. This was the man who discovered a portal to another world, the man who discovered a hidden paradise, and at that moment, Suha set fears and reservations aside, and found some sense of courage. She was going to learn the truth of what he found.






.....A few minutes earlier.....






"And you shut down the reservoir in the middle of the night and deployed armored vehicles to guard it?!" Andrew angrily inquired.

"The Council gave the order. I deployed the vehicles as a deterrent." Malik explained.

"Did it occur to you that maybe that wasn't the best idea?" Viktor asked.

"The troops were nearly stretched as it was!" Malik barked. "Between the tunnelers and the amassing crowd of people, we were lucky that it didn't turn into complete chaos! Besides, my intuitive thinking paid off. Nearly 2,000 people approached the reservoir this morning, no doubt with the intent to swindle what they could before we ran out. Imagine what would have happened if it was lightly guarded?"

It was hard to argue with that, and despite Andrew's frustrations, they stemmed more from the situation than Malik's choices. Andrew could very well imagine that Malik hadn't had it easy when it came to making decisions in Andrew's absence.

"Three months’ worth of water. Down the drain." Andrew seethed. "Always one fucking disaster after the other!"

"Calm down, Andrew, it's not over. Remember what we know and have access to." Viktor reminded.

Andrew was ready to fire back with a rebuttal on how that water was essentially the life line keeping the city in one piece, and how long it would take to set up a sufficient water operation in the new world to replace what was lost in the old one. Not to mention how it could only seemingly be accomplished once an accord, or at worst, war, was struck with the native people.

However, as soon as Andrew opened his mouth, the slow but gradual wave of a thousand voices broke through the rough monotony of the road. Soon Andrew as well as the others felt their mass shift as the vehicle slowed to a crawl. All the while, the voices only increased in intensity. Soon enough the MRAP had stopped entirely.

"Driver, sitrep?" Andrew inquired.

"Gotta large crowd outside, they must be blocking the road." The driver replied.

"Dammit, they must have known we would come this way." Viktor assumed.

"Radio Harper and his men to get out there and clear a path!" Malik ordered.

"Crowd control only!" Andrew added. "Tell them not to do anything drastic that might incite a riot."

The driver nodded and proceeded to relay the order through the radio. Meanwhile, the occupants took the time to look out the small viewing ports to see what was going on. From what they could tell, a group of at least a hundred was amassed outside. Their general behavior was thankfully not too antagonistic, but still restless. Andrew could see Harper and his men disembarking from the BTR-90 and Humvees behind them, quickly making their way up to the front of the convoy.

A small thought in Andrew's mind began to form, as his worries of the situation unfolding poorly began to muster. In fact, Andrew began dwelling on the situation as a whole, and how long the public could be kept in the dark before things started to go south, before things reached a point of becoming violent. How long would it be before riots did start to break out? The longer they sat there the closer the inevitable end of the Survivor Coalition would come. As seconds passed, the situation outside was becoming more tense. Andrew could see Harper's men form a perimeter around the crowd closest to the road as they began to push them back. Some amongst the crowd complied, no doubt wishing to avoid any physical incident. Others however were not so easy to subdue, as they began to shout in obscenities about the current water shortages. 

Despite this, the convoy began moving again as they felt the MRAP shift forward. As they passed the riot line of soldiers, Andrew could see their faces, expressions of concern, doubt, and uncertainty abound in the crowd they contained. Ten seconds passed, and they were reaching the end of the crowd. Just before they passed however, there was a loud crack that could be felt from the side of the MRAP Andrew was sitting on. 

"The hell!" He cursed.

Turning around he managed to catch glimpse of where someone had thrown a brick at the window, failing puncture the bulletproof glass. The commotion outside escalated and looking through the view port, Andrew could see that the person responsible was being apprehended by the nearby soldiers. The crowd grew louder as the commotion became a chaotic mess, as two militiaman responded by slamming the man to the ground to detain him.

Whether it was some primal urge or by incessant need, Andrew needed to intervene immediately, lest things take a violent turn. Andrew jumped out from his seat and swung open the back hatch of the MRAP, much to the dismay of the others.

"Commander Sawyer, where are you going!?" Bradford exclaimed.

"Chert voz'mi vy delaya!?" Viktor yelled as he chased after him.

Andrew didn't give any sort of immediate reply, instead jumping down and racing towards the chaos. Viktor followed behind, as did Malik and Sarah. Achmed leaned out the back door, looking down at the scene. However, he was not compelled to follow. Bradford attempted to walk out as well, but was held back by Achmed.

"Stay put, sir." Achmed said. "This might get ugly."

"It's already ugly." Bradford claimed as he made his way out into the crowd as well, compelling Achmed to chase after.

People en masse gathered compactly, either trying to work their way out or in. A myriad of voices cried out, spat, cursed, or urged in an undecipherable mess. Andrew faced the brunt of it as he managed to work his way in, squeezing his way through as best he could towards the scuffle. Andrew suffered a few unintentional jabs to the arms and torso and an elbow to his face getting there, but was unfazed nonetheless. By the time he reached the epicenter of the commotion, he saw that two of his men were holding him down while three more attempted to fight the crowd. The man's face had been pressed into the dirt, bruises dotted his face, and a trail of blood trickling down his left nostril where he had undoubtedly been punched.

"HEY!!! That's enough!!! THAT'S ENOUGH!!! Let him go!!!" Andrew cried.

Andrew pulled one of the soldiers back, and moved down to help the man up. Slowly but surely, the crowd began to calm upon realizing who it was who was breaking it up, as whispers and gasps correlated with the arrival of a Councilor. The man who had been detained was brought to his feet, and upon looking up to face the man who came to his aid, was struck by an expression of confusion and surprise.

"C-councilor Sawyer?" he said in shock.

"The one and only." Andrew deadpanned.

At that moment Viktor, Malik, and Sarah had arrived, dispersing the crowd a little as Bradford and Achmed came up behind. The crowd slipped into a murmur and man's expression, despite taking a severe beating, turned to that of fear, a fear stemming from when one made a terrible mistake.

"And Bradford too? Sir, I...I didn't know it was you in there! Honest to God I didn't kn-"

"Relax. I doubt throwing a brick at an armored truck would suffice as an assassination attempt." Andrew said in a slightly sarcastic but comforting tone. "What's your name?"

"T-Trey, sir, Trey Ulmer." he answered.

"Mr.Ulmer, what's going on? Why are you and the rest of these people trying to stop the convoy?"

"I-I didn't want to hurt anyone," Trey explained in an exasperated tone. "I-I just......I thought that convoy was carrying the rest of the water."

"We all did, sir." another man confirmed. "The reservoir's been shut down since the incident. No one's allowed in or out." 

"So you decide to start civil unrest?" Bradford questioned. "You'll all still have access to water through the pumps, that we can assure you!"

"Well nothing's been said!" said a woman nearby. "At least not a whole lot. All we heard is that the Tunnelers attacked the reservoir and we lost some water. Then we wake up to find the reservoir's been closed down and under guard. We figured the Council ordered all the remaining water to be taken to their building!"

"We would never do that." Andrew clarified.

"The reservoir's under guard to prevent illegal access!" Malik clarified. "Last thing we need is an angry mob storming and hoarding what little water is left!"

"So we did lose a majority of our water supply!" Another man said accusingly.

The murmurs began to transition into raised voices. Before a shouting match could erupt however, Andrew managed to prevent it.

"YES!!!" He cried. "Alright, yes! We lost a majority of our water! But starting mobs in the street and stopping Militia convoys isn't going to fix it!"

"Then what will?!" A woman shouted. "Shortages were bad enough as is!"

"What the hell are we going to do?!" an older man demanded.

"You'll have an answer!" Andrew cried. "By tonight you'll have an answer! I swear!"

A hush fell over once again, all eyes fixated on Andrew and his company. Andrew turned to Viktor, his expression conveying a since of approval as if he could read his own mind. Andrew nodded.

"There is a solution." Andrew stated. "I can't divulge at this time. But I can say that shortages will most likely be a thing of the past."

"Is that what you found in Berlin?" a young voice called out.

Andrew and seemingly every other person there turned to where the voice came from, finding that it was a young girl in her early teens, wearing a loose green-print hijab. Standing to both sides of her were two younger lads around her age, both staring at her as if she had just pointed a gun at the Commander. 

"You're a long way from classes, young lady." Andrew chided. "You two as well."

"Trust me, I tried." The young girl insisted. "But I have to ask, does this solution have to do with what you found in Berlin? We all heard you found something in Berlin over the radio."

Andrew stared her down, clearly irked by her incessant tone towards him despite his reprimand.

"I gave you an answer already, young lady." Andrew scolded. "You'll know in due time."

She opened her mouth to no doubt vocalize a rebuttal, but before she could, her eyes suddenly widened upon spotting someone nearby, someone recognizably familiar.

"Brother?" she said.

Andrew's brow furrowed in confusion at her statement, before realizing she was referring to the man to his right. She was referring to none other than Achmed, who shared a similar expression.

"Suha?" Achmed said in hushed voice.

No less than a second passed before, they were both able to verify whom they were respectively. A sudden rush of joy swelled upon seeing the beloved face of her older brother before her. However, Suha's joy was suddenly caught off-guard by the drastic change in Achmed's tone, which came off as rather authoritative.

"What the hell are you doing here!?" Achmed scolded. "You're supposed to be at school right now!"

"I-I didn't-" Suha babbled before being cut off.

"Didn't what!? If you didn't want to be here right now, you wouldn't." Achmed scolded before glaring at her two friends. "My guess is that these two dragged you into it? They're not your responsibility Suha, your studies and safety are. You know better!"

Suha found her posture flinch just a bit. She had never seen Achmed take this sort of attitude before, least of all towards her. She had always known him as the sort of timid but understanding type. However, this persona was nowhere to be seen, and the sudden change of attitude hit her at her core. Achmed could see it too, and as much as he felt embarrassed by the fact she had started an argument with the Commander, he didn't find it necessary for any further ridicule, at least not in public like this. He was genuinely disappointed, even angry, but more so frightened that she was here. If this scuffle had turned into a full-fledged riot and she had been caught in the middle of it. Thankfully, that didn’t come to pass, and more pressing matters awaited. Achmed sighed.

"We'll talk about this later." Achmed stated. "All of you get to school. Now."

All Suha could do was nod, too shaken to reply. Andrew turned to a nearby Militiaman and beckoned him.

"See to it that they get there." Andrew ordered.

"Right away, sir." the man replied.

The militiaman approached and proceeded to escort them on their way.

"C'mon you three, let's go." the man ordered.

The trio were sent off. Suha looked back towards her brother, that disapproving glare not once faltering. Suha turned back around, head sunk with shame. Disappointment was something Suha rarely committed and thus it hit home. Her two friends were able to notice this sudden change of posture and attitude in her friend.

"Suha, were sorry about what happened back there." Bill said. "We should've listened to you."

"Yeah, that was our fault." Jacovi insisted. "We shouldn't have run off and tried to get you to follow."

"It's okay guys." Suha said. "Let's just get to class."

The two boys were silent for a second or two, before engaging back into the banter as if nothing drastic had taken place at all.

"Still, did you see that dude get body-slammed?" Jacovi asked.

"I did." Bill said. "That was fucking insa-OW!"

Bill suddenly received a slap to the back of the head by their escort.

"Watch the language, boy." The soldier warned him.

"Haha!" Jacovi teased. "Eat shit!-OW!"

"Context clues, young man! You should learn to pick up on them."

Therefore, the three were escorted away. Meanwhile, Achmed, Andrew, and seemingly everyone in the crowd watched them before turning their attention back to the Commander, who acknowledged that the focus had once more returned to him.

"I've said my peace, spread the word, ease the tension down as best as you can, return to your duties." Andrew stated before turning back to board the MRAP once again.

The crowd was left in a murmur, and thankfully it stayed that way as Andrew and the party accompanying him returned to the vehicle. Once situated, it took very little time at all for the gathering to disperse and calm, letting the convoy resume its course. 

"That could have gone badly." Viktor said to Andrew. 

"Would have been worse had we not intervened." Andrew claimed.

"I've never seen folks get that desperate." Sarah noted. "They looked ready to storm the line."

"Things were tense to be sure." Bradford admitted. "But perhaps that last bit about a solution was tad imprudent?"

"I hope word spreads. Anything to calm the people down can only help our situation." said Malik.

"Jumping the gun with that solution speech might come to bite us in the ass, but it did the job. The crowd settled and nobody died. I'll take that hit."

"Maybe no one died, but someone definitely got put in their place." Sarah said with a smirk.

All the eyes turned to Achmed, who noticed who and what was being referred to.

"I wasn't expecting my sister to be there, sir." Achmed explained. "I apologize for her attitude towards you. She should know better."

"That quite alright, son. I've dealt with worse than curious upstarts." Andrew stated. "You handled that well back there by the way."

"It doesn't feel like it. That's the first time I think I've genuinely yelled at my sister."

"Eh, don't beat yourself about it. You did the right thing. I know it might seem harsh, but the main thing is you got the message across while not taking it too far. Though I doubt she's off the hook just yet."

"Not in the slightest." Achmed clarified.

Andrew chuckled a bit, as memories of putting the foot down on some of the more recent fits by Jake came to mind. Granted it was a lot easier with his son given how he was only four years of age, a completely different ball game from parenting a teenager. But he could relate nonetheless.

"Well, parenting aside, it seems we have quite the situation on our hands." Andrew admitted. "Haven't the slightest in how were going to put worries to rest."

"Let's focus on one thing at a time, Andrew." Viktor suggested. "The Council needs to know first and foremost before we do anything."

Andrew nodded in acknowledgement, deducing that to be the most practical course to take. And so they sat, awaiting their arrival to the Council building, where an even greater set of obstacles no doubt laid in wait for them.
> Chapter 34: The Capital Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monumental decisions affecting thousands of lives dwell in the air, stepping stones of history are now placed before two peoples. One has been weathered by adversity and sheer will. But now they face extinction, lest an accord can be struck, or a force can be amassed, only time and temperament will tell which path will be taken..............................




A stillness hovered over the main council chamber, a silence one could find themselves if stranded in the most barren parts of the wasteland. For those who occupied the room, much dwelled on the mind, and even more so on what course of action needed to be taken. Hours upon hours had been spent discussing the subjects of maintaining order in the city, how to quell the inevitable riots that would follow, what contingencies needed to be placed for rationing, and worst of all, a strategy of survival should the Survivors disband and collapse entirely.
The situation evolving outside did little to quell these concerns, at least by the half-hour reports they had been receiving. The water loss had been detrimental, downright catastrophic if Patel had anything to say about it. Her worst fears were coming to pass, the day she had been dreading for nearly eight years was finally upon the precipice of disaster. With dwindling resources and supplies, any feasible method of relieving the already pressing crisis seemed impossible, and now it just took a direct hit cutting their time for solutions in half. Yeong found himself at a similar conclusion, as his distribution centers were undoubtedly about to face a supply and demand nightmare with no way to remedy it in sight. Schafer was quiet, more out of a sense of contemplation than immediate concern. He'd seen his fair share of crisis, and had learned to steel any reactionary thoughts during situations like these. For him, it was simply running through the options they could take, though none seemed too optimistic.
But as much as the situation outside demanded their attention, they had seemingly exhausted all their options for the time being. As standing Council, there was only so much they could do. Unanimously, they voted to shut down the water storage facilities for the meantime and commandeered temporary command of local Militia forces for security and maintaining civil order. While the decision seemed to be working in terms of suppressing any potential raids on the reservoir, it was only a matter of time before tensions would rise and inevitably come to a head. The announcement came through all public communication outlets; radio stations, public criers, and all official Coalition administrative facilities. But exact reasons for these actions were withheld for the time being, until all acting Council members were present to release an official press statement, so that transparency on the matter was made clear. 
But with two of the active Councilors absent, the task of upholding that transparency was made difficult, and would undoubtedly reflect badly on all of them. Patel just knew something like this would happen, she felt it the moment Sawyer even expressed a desire to see the discovery made in Berlin in person. But alas, hindsight is 20/20, and as much as she could argue and debate on the rationality of their decision, it would do them no good in the resolution of their current predicament. Thankfully their absence wouldn't last much longer, as summons for Sawyer and Bradford to return proved unnecessary, as both parties had begun journey home of their own volition some two hours earlier. Whether it came as a result of the incident or their business in Berlin simply concluding was unknown, but ultimately irrelevant. All they had to do now was wait.

"How much longer do you think it will take?" Yeong asked in frustration. "It feels like we're wasting every minute just sitting here."

"Soon, Councilor Yeong. Soon." Patel replied, slight hints of distress trailing in her tone.

"I understand the gravity of the situation, Councilors. But you mustn't let it set you on edge." Schafer advised. "A clear head will be needed to face this dilemma."

"I appreciate your concern, Councillor Schafer. But I'm afraid I don't possess the same level of resolve as you."

"I at least urge to take a seat at the very least and stop pacing, Miss Patel. And for you, Mr. Yeong, I suggest you exercise patience." 

They would both find trouble in those regards, but heeded the eldest councilor's advice nonetheless. Schafer proceeded to take a seat by Yeong's side, helping his fellow councilor in formulating a plan of rationing from what stockpiles were left. Patel let out a long breath and took a seat across from them, realizing that he was right and that she had been standing for entirely too long.
As soon as she did however, the sound of two doors swung open had her back up on her feet once more, as none other than Sawyer and Bradford had finally arrived. Any composure Patel had managed to recollect had dissipated once more.

"Oh thank the lord you two have returned." Patel sighed with relief.

"Apologies for our absence, had we known of the reservoir incident sooner we would have departed earlier." Bradford announced upon entering.

"So you do know of the crisis?" Schafer asked.

"We were informed en route to here. Judging by the scene outside I'd say we arrived in the nick of time." Andrew commented. "We leave for one week and everything goes to hell. Just our luck in life it would seem."

"We did everything we could to avert outright societal breakdown." Patel asserted. 

"I know, and I'm thankful. It just seems like something of a higher power has it out for us, that's all." Andrew explained.

"Well, higher powers or not, you're here now. Now the real work begins." Yeong claimed. "I just don't know how we're going to bounce back from this."

"Well, I have a feeling that answer lies with our esteemed colleagues." Schafer stated, gesturing to Bradford and Sawyer respectively. "Tell me, what exactly were your findings in Berlin?"

Before either Andrew or Bradford could utter a word in response, Patel raised her voice in protest.

"With all due respect, Councilor Schafer, but this hardly seems appropriate to discuss, especially at a time like this." Patel argued.

"Oh I beg to differ. I believe it will offer new insights." Schafer said with no-nonsense tone. "I simply wish to know if any truth lies behind the rumors across town."

Sawyer and Bradford exchanged looks, giving one another clear indications that they were ready to share the knowledge they had acquired. 

"There is." Andrew stated.

Suddenly the baffled looks seen between Yeong and Patel faltered, giving way to expressions of confusion. No doubt waiting for the two to elaborate further, Bradford and Sawyer wasted no time in explaining the gaps left behind since their last session.

"We found something that will...........undoubtedly serve us in a significant capacity." Andrew clarified.

The ambiguity of his statement did little to satiate the curiosity amassed amongst Andrew's peers.

"And just how significant are we talking about here?" Yeong asked.

"Significant enough to solve our shortages. Indefinitely, if we play our cards right."

"How?" Patel asked. 

The look on her face alone spoke volumes of disbelief. Andrew saw it as only natural. Growing up knowing nothing but hard choices and scarcity tended to jade one's insinuations on supposed miraculous solutions. But Andrew saw this one with his own eyes, and in time, the rest of humanity would too.

"Well, as you all know, the device in question was an interdimensional gateway, a portal between worlds." Bradford recapped. "Through our findings we were able to divulge that Berfield was sent to one of the previously unsurveyed worlds, designated Echo."

"We sent two first reconnaissance teams to carry out the mission to rescue him. Despite our own reservations, we went in blind, so we had no idea what awaited us on the other side." Andrew explained. 

Andrew felt a twinge of hesitation as the remaining councilors awaited his next statement.

"Simply put...........Echo is a garden world." Andrew finally stated. "Lush, fertile, a breathable atmosphere, a plethora of flora and fauna, and an abundance of untainted water."

The looks Andrew received seemed unconvinced, even Schafer, who had brought up this matter, had slight tones of uncertainty in his expression. Bradford clearly picked up on this notion, same as Andrew, and opted that a more analytical approach was required to convince them.

"I can confirm it as well. By all means, the ecological data we procured pretty much points it to being like Earth as it was before the Conflict, even before the age of major industry." Bradford concurred.

"How much of this data do you have to share?" Schafer asked.

"A substantial amount. I compiled it all into a dossier for your convenience. I just sent some of my colleagues to make copies, they should be here relatively quickly."

While Andrew's direct explanation laid out their findings, it elicited more doubt than curiosity. Bradford's seemed to finally bring the others around, slowly but steadily. The expressions around the room could only be classified as mix between joyous and dumbstruck. Even Patel, who had up to this point carried a sense of doubt, immediately broke out into a smile.

"You're.....you're serious?" She stammered.

"We are." Andrew proclaimed. "We wouldn't lie about this, not now."

"And we certainly wouldn't bring it up if we didn't have the evidence to prove it." Bradford concurred.

It was at that moment that the doors to the Council chambers opened once more. Coming in was a young woman with slight amber skin and brown hair, wearing a lab coat over a t-shirt and jeans with a stack of stuffed office folders in her hands.

"Speaking of which." Andrew noted.

"Councilors." the woman addressed. "I have the dossiers as requested."

"Thank you Miss Martinez." Bradford said as he took them from her. "I'll take it from here."

The woman nodded and took her leave as Bradford began passing out each of the folders.

"In these folders you'll see various photographic evidence of the environments the reconnaissance teams came across, as well as a few..........um....indigenous lifeforms." Bradford explained.

The three uninformed Councilors opened their folders and began flipping through the contents that had been provided. Along with physical descriptions of topography and terrain were various photographs taken from the live feeds of Nathan's RARD drone, as well as a few of the team's helmet recorders which were analyzed upon their return. Suddenly it was as if all sense of disbelief had been swept away, and many, Patel in particular, couldn't help but feel a severe sense of elation as all that previous anxiety seemed to evaporate.

"This..this news...it's......it's wonderful! I'm......I'm honestly at a loss for words!" Patel exulted. "You realize what this means, right? Humanity can finally rebuild and prosper!"

Patel's mind went into a frenzy of speculation and potential opportunity, thoughts of mankind's second chance brimming with countless possibilities to forge a future. However, her temperament took a slight hit when gazing upon the two men who had provided this wondrous news. Bradford sported an uncomfortable squint whilst the latter gave nothing more than a sullen expression. Given the circumstances, all parties should be jubilant, ecstatic. But they weren't, and that in turn troubled Patel to the point that it warranted an inquiry.

"Is something wrong, gentlemen?" Patel asked.

She received a brief pause, as the two exchanged a quick glance before nodding to one another in acknowledgement.

"You could say that." Bradford admitted.

"Fellow Councilors, I'm afraid there's a catch to all of this that requires your immediate knowledge." Andrew admitted. "As you all know this whole operation started as a rescue mission to retrieve Private Timothy Berfield from unknown territory."

"Ah yes, our wayward militiaman." Schafer acknowledged, his attitude somewhat joyous from the good news. "Tell me, how is Mr. Berfield fa-"

"He's dead." Andrew said.

Any sense of elation died the minute that was made known. All eyes were now upon him, forcing Andrew to let out a sigh. The next words out of his mouth would undoubtedly bring an end to his career as Commander of the Militia. but if sacrificing his position meant that mankind could be saved from extinction, it was worth it.

"To make matters more complicated, Berfield was alive when we entered the world. Two individuals from each of the entry teams were there to witness his death." Andrew explained. "I was one of them."

Suddenly the feelings of slight confusion transitioned to ones of inquiry.

"Wait a minute." Patel asked. "What do you mean you were one of them?"

"I mean to tell you that..........I led the secondary team. In the field." Andrew clarified.

Patel immediately got up from her chair.

"What in God's name compelled you to-"

"Oh my god....." Yeong mouthed under his breath.

Patel's declaration came to an abrupt halt as everyone's attention was suddenly directed at the Councilor of Agriculture.  He was seen gawking at a particular sheet in his hands. 

"Yeong? What is it?" Schafer asked.

"Page 20." Yeong uttered.

Schafer and Patel began flipping further through their own dossiers, shortly coming to the same findings as Yeong. Before them sat the brief and faded image of something airborne in the night sky, shooting projectiles down on a retreating squad of soldiers, immediately followed by a pristine photograph of two equine lifeforms sitting side by side on a park bench. To say that they felt a sense of shock and confusion was an understatement. Almost instinctively, Andrew and Bradford both knew they had reached the point where the dossier touched upon the native inhabitants. There was no more beating around the bush.

"Before you ask, yes, everything you're seeing in that dossier is real, nothing tampered, nothing shopped." Bradford stated.

A few short seconds later and the first response came from Patel.

"This isn't possible." She argued.

"It is." Andrew stated. "While it's a flourishing world, I'm afraid we got there second. It's already inhabited, and as you can see, they're not human."

The room became quiet once again, as the other councilors were dumbfounded by this sudden and jarring revelation, their eyes darting back and forth across the photographic evidence that laid before them. To learn that mankind wasn't alone and shared its existence with another sapient race had been the stuff of science fiction for centuries, and to suddenly have it supplanted into reality was a lot to take in.

"You.....you mean to tell us that you discovered alien life?" Yeong asked. 

"Yes, intelligent life at that." Bradford clarified.

Another bout of silence, and another torrent of uncertainty and confusion. So many questions arose concerning this revelation that the current crisis could almost be seen as a distant memory. However, as Patel looked over the photos once again, she noted that first one in particular was taken in a moment of panic. It's composition made it evidently clear that they had not only made contact with these creatures, but that an altercation had arisen as a result of it. Putting Andrew's presence on the ground, a sudden surge of outrage overwhelmed her.

"You made contact with these beings?" she asked, anger beginning to rise. "You yourself were there, and Bradford you were there to witness this when it happened, without express consent from the rest of this Council!?" 

Andrew and Bradford were reluctant to answer, but willpower prevailed, and coerced them both to relinquish the truth.

"Yes." Andrew admitted with a clear hint of shame in his tone.

Patel was able to pick up on his distress easily, this in turn led to yet another query, so direct in it's blatant need to be answered that it came off like a direct attack.

"What happened!?"

With two simple words, any delay of the inevitable truth had shattered, as Andrew and Bradford proceeded to inform the Council of the events that had transpired. How Andrew oversaw and carried out the mission personally, the death of Timothy Berfield, the incident that could lead to war with the world's inhabitants, and the testimony of the soldier who had been there when the hostilities began.





When the company had finally entered the Council Building it took very little time to get things rolling. Sawyer and Bradford immediately made their way to the Council chambers, ready to convene and discuss the subject of the new world and the events pertaining to it. Bradford ordered a few of his staff to make copies of the after-action reports and an official dossier on their findings, as well as a written record of Achmed's debriefing. The Council chamber itself was off-limits to all but those bearing the title of Councilor or those who were summoned, and so Achmed, Sarah, and Colonels Malik and Antonov waited in the lobby that sat just outside. The scene itself was quiet, as each person pondered what was being discussed behind those doors and how the remaining Councilors would receive the news. Most accepted that it would be taken rather bittersweet. Access to a garden world was laid out before them, but so was the possibility of war.

"What do you think will happen?" Sarah asked. 

"Who knows?" Viktor stated. "All I can say is that they will wish to be as informed as they possibly can, then from there process what options to take. Obviously that means they will wish to speak with you, Private Sabbag."

Viktor looked at Sabbag with a subtle but scrutinous glare, one Achmed was able to pick up on immediately. Recalling the debriefing, Achmed remembered how inquisitive Colonel Antonov had been throughout. While the Commander had come across as more approachable, Achmed hesitated to call it understanding. Viktor on the other hand pried at every detail he shared, and in many cases fabricated. It was a miracle that Achmed was able to come across so confidently in the presence of both men who were many times his superior, no doubt attributed to his newfound sense of purpose for avenging his fallen friend. Achmed knew he would have to replicate that same composure in the presence of the Council. It also helped that his assertions were the only ones to formulate a decision from. As far anyone knew, what he said could determine the actions that would be taken in the coming days, and if his twisting of the events did its job, there'd be boots on the ground in this Equestria, and his vendetta could finally get underway. 
But Achmed knew too well that it wasn't going to be that easy, as it was clear Colonel Antonov would do everything he could to persuade the Council to take another course of action. While Achmed had the luxury of being the only person there to give an account of the events leading to Tim's death, he acknowledged that the Colonel would argue that many of his points didn't add up. Had Achmed more time he probably would have formulated his cover story to be a bit more consistent with what they actually faced. But alas, he was questioned the moment he stepped back in his own world and worked with what he could. 
That simply left Achmed with one clear goal in sight, convincing every member of the Council that peace wasn't a luxury they could afford. No small task, but one necessary to initiate his revenge. Thankfully there were more than a few factors that could help him accomplish this goal. The shortages were getting to an alarming low, and with a world of abundance suddenly available to them, they'd be insane not to utilize it. Aside from him, the threat of hostile invasion via his fabricated account was a very real threat. And finally the plight of the people, which could prove to be the most effective. They were already in a state of unrest from the reservoir incident, if the prospect of a new flourishing world came to their knowledge it could force the Council's hand, and if that wouldn't, maybe the murder of one of their own would.
Suddenly there was a shift in Achmed's thought process. Upon recalling the unrest, it in turn pushed the thought of Suha into the forefront of his subconscious, so much so that little else would cross his mind. She had grown so much in his time away, and had matured well past what would be expected from someone her age. She had tended to their ailing mother for so long as he searched and searched for the supplies that could potentially save her, but to no avail. The fact that she got caught up in what almost turned into a full scale riot terrified him to his core, and he suddenly found himself accounting for her place in this plan he was about to initiate. Achmed then shook his head in an effort to divert himself from these thoughts.

"No......You have to go through with this, you've already gone too far. No turning back, not even for her." Achmed asserted mentally.

"You alright, son?" Malik asked.

Achmed turned his head and addressed his superior clearly.

"I'm fine, sir. Just tired that's all."

"Sure you're not just nervous?" Sarah asked. "You're about to talk to five of the most powerful people that exist."

"I said I'm fine, Sarge." Achmed reiterated.

The present company made of that what they would. A hush took over the room once again as they watched a woman carrying five files approach the council chambers. Sarah watched as the guard stationed outside stopped her, but only briefly as she presented a certain pass that undoubtedly permitted her entry. The guard opened the door and she was gone as he closed it behind her. Sarah simply observed with indifference as she reappeared shortly afterwards, exiting the room. She gave the group a glance before continuing what Sarah had assumed would have been her uneventful day. But when she briefly glanced at Sarah, she suddenly stopped. She did a double take of the Sergeant and stared at her for a few uncomfortable seconds, enough to warrant a response from Sarah.

"I'm sorry, but do I know......y-you?"

Sarah suddenly found herself at a loss for words upon noting the woman's face. It was rounded but not quite pudgy, sporting a Nubian nose, amber eyes, long black hair and of course, a pair of black frame glasses. The unmistakable features of her youngest sister.

"Sofia?" Sarah pondered.

Sarah hesitated, wondering if she should just ignore the woman and pretend she didn't know her. Unfortunately that option withered and died the minute her sister caught a glimpse of recognition from Sarah's eyes, leaving the Sergeant to acknowledge one of her siblings, something she had been dreading since their arrival. But as Sarah was about to engage in conversation, the woman was suddenly intercepted by Viktor before the conversation could go any further.

"Can we help you, Ma'am?" He asked.

The woman's eyes drew towards the imposing colonel. Sarah could tell by the slight change in her sister's body language that she was intimidated. Sofia gave a quick glimpse over at Sarah, who herself still hesitated to intervene.

"N-no. I was just leaving." Sofia spoke.

Sofia immediately sped her pace away from the party, and in turn her older sister, without a second thought. It took a few seconds for Sarah to fully comprehend what had just happened, only to find she had let the chance to engage with one of her family slip. Her conscience told her that she should be upset, even angry with the Colonel for intervening and scaring off her younger sibling. But deep down, she couldn't help but feel she dodged a bullet. Six years without so much as a visit would undoubtedly take its toll, and it seemed that level of familial love wasn't so strong as before.

"Sarge, did you know that woman?" Achmed asked.

Seconds passed as Sarah wondered the same.

"I'm not sure." she finally replied. "But she certainly knew me."

Attention soon turned back towards the Council Chambers, as all present could hear the faint presence of raised voices emanating past the heavy set of sound-proofed doors. 

"Sounds like things are getting heated in there." Sarah noted.

Viktor, who knew of his friend's experiences and frustrations with the rest of the Council, could only speculate on what was transpiring inside. But he had a very good feeling that flared tempers stood at the epicenter of the conversation.





"You put your own life at risk!" Patel shouted.

Andrew had just finished with sharing his account, more specifically on how 3rd Company came in and single-handedly mopped the floor with the native military forces that gave he and his team pursuit. By the end of it, reactions only went from bad to worse as one crisis seemingly replaced another, and this time with even more unknowns at stake. 

"To be fair Councilor Patel, it was by your request that two First Reconnaissance teams carry out this mission. I was only able to get my hands on one. Given that one team alone wouldn't suffice, as well as my experience in the past leading my own First Recon squad, I improvised."

"Improvised! My request was not meant to be taken as an open invitation for you to lead troops on the ground! In unfamiliar territory no less! You are a member of this Council, Commander Sawyer! If you had died do you have any idea how bad it would have been to us all! A shortage crisis and a Councilor dead within the same week! And that's not even touching the fact that we now have yet another crisis on our hands, thanks to you!"

"Now that's not fair! Sawyer might have taken such a daring initiative, but he never instigated the hostilities!" Bradford defended.

"It doesn't really matter if he started it or not!" Yeong argued. "We have a potential war on our hands thanks to his mere presence! Hundreds of the native population now dead thanks to him and his first recon teams!"

"The natives took action against them! Not the other way around! Everything he and the teams did were in self defense. Without his actions we wouldn't have much of the knowledge we do now!"

"Did you have a part to play in this as well, Bradford? You're awfully defensive for Sawyer than usual." Patel accused.

"Councilor Bradford had no knowledge of my actions." Andrew clarified rather assertively. "Any accusations you have better be directed at me."

"Very well then! Might I ask what gave you the right to start a War! Do you have any idea what the last one did to us?!" Patel exploded.

Andrew stood up from his chair, anger made evident by his expression.

"I didn't start a damn thing! And don't you dare lecture to me what a war brings, what it does to people." Andrew seethed. "I'm very well acquainted with the results!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Schafer boomed, slamming his hand down on the table. 

All eyes set upon the eldest amongst them as he began to speak.

"Are we getting anywhere with this conversation's current course?!" Schafer demanded.

A few seconds passed as each member of the Council stared into the glaring expression of the old man. Schafer was seen as a patient man, but not one without his limits, especially when it concerned public matters and emergencies. He was never fond when any Councilor began to butt heads with another, and though he technically had no more superiority than his peers, all those amongst the Council respected him to a very high degree. High enough to even put aside entire arguments for the sake of getting back on course.

"No. Councilor.......we aren't." Patel answered.

"Then allow me to settle this, so we can get back to addressing the current crisis!"

The old man's attention began with Andrew.

"Sawyer, Patel has merit in her grievances with you, and rightfully so! Your actions have not only put a danger on your life but on the lives of us all! For a member of this Council I expected that you would have used better judgement. Your station carries with it weight that effects the lives of every man, woman, and child. If current events didn't take such precedence, I would call for an immediate reprimand. But alas, we have more pressing matters, and your discovery might very well save us. Your actions aren't excused, but we shall deal with them at another time."

Andrew nodded in affirmation. Schafer's attention then turned to Patel.

"And I will reiterate one more time, Councilor Patel, that you need to control this temper of yours! Flailing blatant accusations towards your peers? Losing your nerve the minute something out of our control effects us unfavorably? These outbursts, especially in times of duress, are not appropriate either! Sawyer may be at fault to some degree, but to recklessly attack and accuse him of bold claims without irrefutable evidence is irresponsible, not to mention childish." 

Patel's posture sunk, realizing rather quickly that she had resorted to her anger rather quickly.

"And to this body as a whole, must I remind you all that this Coalition, one that took decades of work and sacrifice to build, has its foundations in cooperation? We are not enemies, to any degree, and we've all faced hardships! We've all lost friends, family, some of us have even lost everything."

Those last words sunk in hard, as everything that had occurred in each of their lives suddenly came to the forefront of thought. All worst events of Sawyer's life came from his time in the army, the times before the Coalition. If Schafer's goal was to make them see the bigger picture, it was certainly working.

"Nevertheless, we mustn't let further hardship lead us a down a road of further resentment. We are all in this together, what affects one of us will affect the other. The time has come to put this cooperation to the forefront of our very lives. We face shortages, and we face a potential war. Only by working together can we come to a resolution to both of these matters. To do that, we must cast grievances and accusations aside and address the issue!"

As Schafer's words really began to settle in, all present were quick to realize the truth behind them. It took years to truly achieve the level of perspective that could be found in the Councilor of Preservation. Patel was the first to take the initiative in resolving the conflict.

"Councilor Sawyer, I apologize. My nerves got the better of me."

"I'm sorry too, Councilor Patel. My actions were rash. I should have known better."

Content that the matter was resolved, everyone took their seats shortly afterward. 

"Now that heads are cooled to a rational degree, let us resume our current discussion." Schafer suggested.

"So, now what?" Yeong asked.

"I believe getting a good sense of where we stand on this conflict with the native species is a good starting point." Patel suggested.

"As of now, I can safely say we're on more than bad terms with the local populace." Andrew clarified. "I don't know what led to Berfield's murder but I saw it happen. Unfortunately I lack pretty much any details that led up to it."

"But one man does, no?" Schafer inquired.

"Yes. Private First Class Sabbag, he was chosen by his CO to accompany us on the mission." Andrew informed. "He was there in person to witness the events that unfolded. He was.........right by Berfield's side when he was killed. From what I know, they were very close friends. They trained together, served together. A bond quite common amongst soldiers."

With that bit of information in mind, pieces began to formulate as the Council speculated what possible motivations may have influenced Sabbag's following actions. Images of a man unnerved by such a drastic turn of events. A bond like that was strong, and it wasn't uncommon for the surviving party to suffer damage when the other was lost. More often than not, the damage was severely psychological. 

"And his account is the only one with full details?" Yeong asked.

"As full as their going to get." Bradford insinuated with evident tones of uncertainty.

That same uncertainty quickly spread to the remaining Council members, but alas, his account would need to be heard if a proper decision was to be made. With both time and resources running ever thin, the time had come to hear what this Private had to say about the native inhabitants of this garden world.

"Very well. Send him in." Schafer asked.




The shouting could still be heard faintly in the lobby before suddenly subsiding after one last outburst. Those sitting outside where then greeted with a prolonged period of silence.

"Thing's got quiet." Malik noted.

"You think anyone got killed in there?" Sarah said with slight jest.

"If thirties years of hardships hasn't resulted in Councilors murdering each other, I doubt they'd start now." Viktor said.

As soon as Viktor had finished the door creaked open as Andrew and Bradford stepped outside. The noise was so sudden and abrupt that it nearly made a few of them jump. 

"Sabbag. It's time." Andrew announced.

Straight and to the point. With what precious time there was, Achmed should have guessed they wouldn't waste it on small talk. The moment of truth was finally before him. No further delays, no further obstacles. Achmed stood up, and began to walk towards the Council chambers.

"One chance, Achmed. One chance. Don't screw it up." Achmed mentally motivated.

Achmed had never been in this room before, and he never had imagined he would. Very few human beings had in fact. for the chambers themselves were off limits to most, with occupancy being a privilege granted to only a Councilor and a few of their aides. However, on rare occasions like this one, a particular person could receive summons. In his younger years, he imagined the chambers would reflect pre-war opulence, with gold foil and decorum, old portraits hanging from the walls, oak furniture of Victorian design, small gold-plated plaques displaying the names of each Councilor, and so forth. As he grew older and more aware of the general situation he grew up in, these thoughts grew less and less fantastical with each passing year. 
However, as he stepped inside and took a good view of the room, Achmed was honestly astounded. Not by the decorum, but the lack of anything. The room bordered on barren, devoid of any sort of extravagance or decoration save for one floor pole sporting the Survivor Coalition flag. In fact the room was actually deteriorating in a few places. Cracks at some of the foundations, seams where additional insulation was added to soundproof the room, even some of the wall's paint was chipping off. The ceiling hung low, sporting a simple rotary fan light fixture, which rested above the battered round table and chairs with a few more chairs tucked away into one corner of the room. To meet short of expectations was one thing, but the simplicity of it was simply jarring. The fact that the Council convened in such a simple setting was one secret he wasn't expecting. Bradford took his seat while Andrew pulled an extra chair towards the table, gesturing for Achmed to take a seat. He did so without hesitation, and things quickly got underway.

"Private First Class Sabbag." Schafer addressed. "We've been expecting you."

Achmed did his best to keep a neutral composure.

"Councilors." Achmed replied. "It's an honor to meet all of you today."

"We've heard quite a bit about current events, specifically those centered around the operation Councilor Sawyer himself led." Patel informed. "You were among his number, yes?"

"I was, ma'am." Achmed replied.

"Then perhaps you would care to shed some light on certain details?" She added. "We do have you're debriefing, but the Council has unanimously decided to hear your account first-hand, so that we may better familiarize ourselves with the current situation."

The tone of her voice was methodical, but prying, as if she wasn't quite convinced by the details the dossiers had to share. Now would come the time for Achmed to double down, without so much as one inconsistency in his account. He had mulled over every detail, every component of his fabrication, narrowing down what was plausible, discarding what was too hard to believe to give them something that could be taken as a direct attack to them without warranting a heavy amount of suspicion. He had the game plan, now came time to enact it.

"It would be my pleasure." Achmed replied. "I'll tell you what I know. Though, I'm afraid it's not very much, I'm just about in the dark as you are when it comes to the native's intentions."

"And what do those intentions entail exactly?" Yeong asked.

"Well Councilor, from my understanding they were supposedly working on some sort of project, a portal similar to the one we utilized on the mission." Achmed informed them.

From there, Achmed divulged into the same fabricated account he had given to Sawyer and Antonov in the after-action report, all the while, five councilors were present to make every inquiry imaginable. Three hours of prodding and questioning passed. In those three hours, Achmed remained steadfast, his facade not once faltering under scrutiny as every detail of his story went unchanged from the minute he thought it through in Berlin. However, that didn't exactly mean his account was conveyed with the desired effect. Whatever the Councilor's takeaways were with his information, they sure didn't show it. In fact, they showed hardly any emotion at all, retaining a neutral expression the occasional glance towards one another. Other than that, nothing substantial, nothing to give Achmed a feel of the room. That alone did more to unnerve him than any hard pressed questions he had received from. Despite his doing his damnedest to stay calm and resolved, this lack of expression and body language bugged him to no end, tormenting the back of his mind as doubts began to return. Doubts on whether they believed him, doubts whether his plan had any chance of succeeding, and doubts if he'd ever get the chance to avenge his friend. 

"Well I suppose that covers every detail we wished to know." Schafer announced. "Is there anything else you would like to add, Mr.Sabbag."

Before he could divulge on these thoughts any longer, the opportunity to add something else fell upon Achmed. In truth he never anticipated this moment, and thus he neglected to formulate something he could say. Alas, saying something whilst off-guard would undoubtedly cripple what he already worked so hard to achieve, and thus he opted to say nothing.

"No sir. I don't think so." Achmed answered.

Another quick exchange of nods and the pivotal moment had come to an end.

"Very well, Mr.Sabbag. You're excused." Patel concluded.

Achmed proceeded to stand up from his seat and make his way towards the door. As he did, Andrew turned to him.

"Wait outside with the others, Private. I'll need to speak with all of you when our session's adjourned." Andrew directed.

"Yes sir." Achmed replied.

Andrew nodded and sent him on his way. Once the doors were firmly closed behind him as he made his way out, the latter parts of the discussion could be addressed.

"Well, thoughts?" Andrew inquired.

"His demeanor seemed, shaken, but not unstable. It was very hard to tell if he was lying." Schafer added.

"I feel he may have embellished details." Patel admitted. "But his account overall is plausible given the circumstances."

"My thoughts exactly." Andrew concurred. "A man's dead, and at their hands no less. But he could have been killed for any number of reasons."

"Even by accident." Schafer argued.

"Or by expending his usefulness." Yeong countered.

"Well let's analyze the threat in it's current state." Bradford suggested. "Berfield may be dead but the construct his native compatriots built, which according to Mr. Sabbag was a prototype, was destroyed."

"Yes, but we have no idea whether they possess the information to reconstruct another, and if it can be implemented on a larger scale." Andrew argued.

"So then we found out." Yeong suggested.

"And send in another team, after the last mission ended in disaster? Out of the question." Patel retorted.

"I'm afraid we may have no choice." Yeong argued. "I don't think it's any secret that we'll have to send somebody back eventually. Whether it be for verification, negotiation; and the most obvious, resources!"

Had Yeong not gotten to it first, Andrew would have definitely made that same point.

"I have to agree with Yeong." Andrew relented. "At least in terms of obtaining the supplies we need."

"Respectfully Sawyer, you really don't have solid grounds for such an action. Especially after all that's happened." Patel pointed out.

"Solid grounds be damned! This isn't theoretical anymore, Councilor Patel, we have to use this world." Bradford argued. "If we don't, this Council, and the Coalition as a whole will die."

"What you suggest is to invade sovereign soil and steal what isn't ours to have, that is an act of war!" Patel argued.

"It's already happened!" Yeong restated. 

"That's not entirely certain, Councilor Yeong." Schafer insisted. "With no formal declaration from either side, war has not officially commenced. We still have a chance to avoid an open conflict."

"I agree." Andrew said. "We need to at least try and sue for some peace."

"And if they refuse?" Yeong questioned. "According to Sabbag's testimony, they seem intent on remaining our enemy."

Sawyer let out a tired sigh, one lingering with anxiety and frustration that stemmed this whole mess. He needed to avoid a war, at any cost. But Yeong's words echoed a plausible truth that perhaps peace was unobtainable at this point. Even if Achmed's story was an absolute fabrication of actual events, the pile of bodies his team left behind were surely to leave a bitter taste in the native's mouths. Negotiations might even outright be denied on those grounds, as his species had effectively wronged theirs in the heinous fashion imaginable. But despite that, it needed to be done. Andrew what the last war wrought, and he'd rather die than put anyone through that same experience without at least putting the effort into trying.

"All I can say is we won't know until we try." Andrew finally replied.

"And peace is always be worth trying for." Patel concurred.

"Very true." Schafer added.

Yeong and the other members of the council were quiet for bit, contemplating how well these negotiations would play out if they'd even play out at all.

"We need these supplies now. We can't wait for negotiations." Yeong argued once more.

"That is also true." Schafer reluctantly conceded.

It was now Patel and Andrew's turn to contemplate the other side of the argument. Both sides of the argument were fair in their points.

"Well, it seems we have two decisions to make." Schafer announced. "Whether we commence negotiation or conflict, and whether or not we utilize this world's benefits now, or at a later date."

The room was quiet, the decisions ahead of them absolutely foreboding, enough so that one hesitated to commence the vote. It was then Bradford looked to his watch, noting the time. Realizing they had been at this for nearly five hours, he offered his own proposal.

"Perhaps we should give the decision a bit more time?" He proposed. "Let level heads prevail and so forth? We do have a few hours in which we can address a few more immediate duties. Public statements and so forth?"

The remaining Council mulled the idea over, with all present equally preferring the idea.

"A wise decision." Schafer commended. "It will give us more clarity, but we mustn't delay too long. The time is?"

"5:02 PM, sir." Bradford answered.

"Very well. Say we reconvene at 9:00 PM?" 

Everyone present gave their approval with a subsequent, "Aye."

"Very well, this Council unanimously agrees to engage into a temporary recess. We shall reconvene in four hours time. I bid you all a good afternoon, I will see you all tonight."

Every one of the Councilors then stood up and proceeded to leave. Andrew followed behind them all as the doors to the lobby were opened, revealing the company of Sabbag, Sarah, Viktor, and Malik, no doubt waiting for a verdict from Andrew and Bradford.

"Well?" Viktor asked. "Has a decision been made?"

"Not yet. We reconvene later tonight for a final vote."  Bradford answered.

"Until then, we have other matters to attend to." Andrew said, then proceeding to direct his attention towards his subordinates.

"Sergeant Martinez, you and Private Sabbag are dismissed as of now. As his CO, I expect you keep in line with your task of supervising him?"

"Yes, sir." Sarah replied.

"Private Sabbag, try not to give her too much trouble."

"I had no intention to, sir." Achmed replied.

"Good. Know that whatever decision we make, the information you've provided is instrumental. We thank you for that. Once this matter is settled, odds are you'll both be sent back to Berlin. With that said, I'll leave you two to your own discretion. You're both dismissed."

The two gave their Commander a salute before heading down the hallway. As Achmed followed his CO, a sense of accomplishment began to surface in force.

"Did it work? Did I actually pull it off?" Achmed pondered.

Achmed would have loved to believe that he did, but another part of his mind expressed that same doubt as before.

"I guess we'll wait and see."

As they turned the corner and out of sight, Andrew then turned his attention to Colonel Malik.

"Colonel Malik, you're free to resume your duties." Andrew ordered. "Try and see that people don't burn the place down overnight."

"Not on my watch, sir." Malik replied with a salute.

"Councilor Bradford, Colonel Antonov, if you would, I'd like to discuss some things in my office."

The tow gave him an affirmative nod before he proceeded to lead them to said place. A short five minute walk later and the three stepped inside the confines of his office. The place was rather orderly and spacious. A desk sat at the center, where an old pre-war computer was hooked up to cater his needs as a Councilor. A few filing cabinets rested across the left wall, as folders and paperwork were neatly filed and piled as not to take up space. But it also felt lived in, as photos of Andrew's friends, family, and exploits clung to the side of a bulletin board,  few scattered notes here and there of reminders he didn't wish to forget, and a calendar with important dates. Finalizing the room's composition were to chairs that sat in front of his desk, for times such as this when visitors dropped by.

"So this is where you've been holed up for all these years." Viktor said sarcastically.

"Yep, and in all that time you never once dropped by to visit." Andrew countered back. "Some friend you are."

Viktor smiled and shook his head. Seeing no further point in delay, the details of the Council session were ready to be discussed.

"So, where does the decision seem to be leaning?" Viktor asked, addressing the elephant in the room.

"If I had to guess, I think we're shooting for negotiations." Andrew answered, taking a seat behind his desk.

Viktor breathed a very noticeable sigh of relief, but Andrew knew it would be short lived.

"Don't get relaxed just yet, there's another decision on the table." Andrew informed.

"And what decision is that?" Viktor asked.

"Yeong has proposed we utilize this world for obtaining resources." Bradford informed. "Before we commence negotiations."

Viktor was quiet for a moment, contemplating the jarringly different proposals and how they seemed to counteract one another. His expression seemed almost flabbergasted in a sense, but that was before what Andrew said next.

"I'm afraid we may have no choice but to vote unanimously yes on that." Andrew admitted.

Viktor's face then immediately changed to an expression of disappointment.

"Don't tell me you're serious about this!? What happened to fighting for peace at any cost?!" Viktor challenged.

"That hasn't changed." Bradford stated.

"I beg to differ. Sending troops in to get the supplies we need would only seem to counteract those efforts!" Viktor argued. "Why couldn't this proposal be initiated after we settled on terms with the natives?"

"Because most of our water is gone, Vik!" Andrew defended. "Had that not happened, this proposal probably wouldn't have been made, at least not immediately. But it did, and odds are we're going to need to start an acquisition operation the minute we say yes to it."

"So you expect to perform successful negotiations while infiltrating their world to find resources!"

"That's exactly what we plan to do!" Andrew shouted back. "We just don't have the time to wait, Vik. Half the city is in an uproar, and if we don't have a solution soon, hell's bound to break loose."

Viktor looked down on his friend, clearly angered by the decisions that would undoubtedly be made. But alas, Viktor saw the sense behind them.

"How will this operation be handled?" Viktor asked.

"Discreetly, and I do mean, discreetly." Andrew clarified. "Operations are going to be limited to the forest where we arrived. Aside from being sparsely populated, the area's bound to have water sources dotted all over the place. We already found one, give a competent company led by a CO who knows how to keep under the radar, and we'll have our water reserves filled back up in no time. Engagements will be a last resort option once all other alternatives are expended. If we're lucky, they won't even need to fire a shot."

"Any suggestions on who should lead such an operation?" Bradford asked.

"Good question, whoever's going to lead needs to be more than just competent, but exemplary." Viktor stated. "So who did you have in mind?"

Andrew knew many of the officers who led their own company's, but it didn't take long for him to figure who'd be ideal for the job.

"I have a feeling Colonel Panjaitan would be the ideal choice." Andrew replied.

"Hmm, Da, That would of been my first choice too." Viktor admitted.

"Why him?" Bradford asked.

"Aside from being an excellent strategist, he's an expert in jungle operations. A little severe in his tactics, but he knows how to stay undetected." Viktor answered. "Last I heard he was cleaning up the islands in northern Indonesia, apparently there was heavy pirate activity in the area."

"Well I'm afraid that operation's just gonna have to wait." Andrew clarified. "I'll give him the call once we've finalized the decision."

"I still think sending a company in now is a bad idea." Viktor reiterated. "But at least you'll have someone experienced leading the helm. Now onto the first proposal."

"Suffice to say, I think everyone of us will vote for peace." Bradford theorized.

"Yeong's the only one who has slight reservations, but odds are he'll come around." Andrew said.

"Then it's settled?" Viktor asked. "We'll begin negotiations?"

Andrew pondered the question, hesitating whether he should answer yes to that. But alas, while everyone on the Council more or less seemed apprehensive on whether this peace settlement would be successful, they were more willing to give it a chance than resorting to armed conflict.

"I think so." Andrew admitted. "Fingers crossed that the natives want peace as much as we do."

"After the bloody nose we dealt them, I'd say that's likely." Viktor suggested.

"We can only hope." Andrew said. "We can only hope."
> Chapter 35: The Capital Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monumental decisions affecting thousands of lives dwell in the air,  stepping stones of history are now placed before two peoples. One now faces a threat greater than any seen before. With the looming threat of invasion before them, preparations and proceedings must now take place to secure the prosperity they've known for so long....................




Evening fell on the Crystal Empire with an elegant breeze as the first signs of autumn were beginning to set in. The Empire itself was ready to face its second change of the seasons since its return, which meant a whole lot of prepping for when winter finally came. But Cadence had no major concerns, last year's firewood shortage came as an oversight and was quickly remedied with a request for aid. Taking her aunt's lesson on "learning from your mistakes" to heart, Princess Cadence would ensure that this year's winter go much more smoothly. 
While the pressure of running her own Kingdom was certainly a hard adjustment, Cadence felt she had finally gotten the hang of it during the summer of this year, practically turning a nation of amnestic denizens into a thriving cultural epicenter, with so many of the Crystal Empire's traditions still yet to come. But Cadence pushed the thoughts of running her kingdom aside for but a moment, taking the time to enjoy the simple pleasures of the evening, watching Celestia's sun begin it's descent so that Luna's star-dazzled night could take its place. 
A twitch of the ear and Cadence could hear the distinct sound of the door being opened from behind her. Turning her head, she could only smile as her gaze was met with the sight of her husband, the one and only Shining Armor. Practically three years married with trials and tribulations, and yet the love she had for him still stood as strong as the day she had first met him.

"Enjoying the sights again are we?" He asked as he approached her, taking off his helmet and setting it on the table to her side.

"With a view like this, it's hard not to." She admitted.

"Guess that's just another benefit of being royalty isn't it? Getting the greatest views?"

"Well castles tend to have at least one balcony overlooking the city. Kind of requirement if you think about it?"

"Still, the fact that we have at least six is kind of over-doing it. Think that we could convert one into a pool?"

"And deprive this historical structure of one of it's scenic venues? Simply scandalous." Cadence chided in mock disgust.

The two shared a lighthearted laugh before Shining took the spot next to her. The couple began to snuggle up close and proceeded to enjoy each other's company. Between her own royal duties and Shining's as Captain of the Crystal Guard, time spent together was more often than not relegated to the evenings.

"Anything exciting today, sweetie?" Cadence asked.

"Nothing major, a slight scuffle between two vendors in the marketplace, but nothing to write home about." Shining answered. "In fact, this place has really started to mellow out since the crystal heart incident."

Cadence could relate to the truth behind that statement, as she herself couldn't help but notice how things had calmed down. The only recent crisis Cadence could think of would have been Tirek's return, but fortunately the Crystal Empire managed to evade his wrath when both her and Shining Armor traveled to Canterlot, effectively drawing him away from their home. Other than that, things had been pretty calm, enough where Cadence had been weighing her future prospects into consideration. She had been mulling it over these last few weeks, and she had finally come to a decision regarding a certain addition into both their lives.

"Indeed they have." Cadence said with a tone of suggestion to her voice.

Shining Armor was able to pick up on his wife's undertones very quickly.

"What? You not take a liking to the peace?" Shining inquired.

"No it's not that, it's just..............Shining, remember that talk we had that first night, right after the wedding party?" she asked.

"The one about how we should probably do a mandatory changeling check for all future ceremonies?" Shining quipped.

Cadence gave him an unamused smirk, one which he responded with lighthearted chuckle.

"Yes I remember." Shining relented. "You really think it's time?"

"You said it yourself, things are calm. I can't think of a more perfect time."

The two couldn't help but snuggle closer at this moment, as a life changing decision.

"Shining, I want to have a-"

All of a sudden, the doors behind were audibly and forcefully flung open as one of the crystal guards, a unicorn carrying a scroll of parchment in his magical grip, came racing towards them.

"Your majesties!" He addressed. "I carry an urgent missive from Canterlot!"

The couple turned around, caught by surprise and curious as to what could have been so urgent considering the hour.

"Could this not have waited till morning?" Shining inquired, a tad bit annoyed by the sudden intrusion.

"No, my prince. I'm afraid not." The courier stated.

"Why? What's happened?" Cadence asked.

"The letter contains everything you need to know, your majesty."

The courier proceeded to levitate the missive over to them, where shining took hold over it with his own magic.

"I won't lie to you, the contents are......dire, and very disturbing."

The tone of his voice said it all, whatever happened was serious, and more than likely carried with it bad news. Shining wasted no time opening it for he and his wife to read. A few seconds passed, and the two found themselves with mouths agape with what the contents entailed.

Dearest Sister and Brother,

Your presence is requested at once as Equestria faces yet another dangerous threat. I'm afraid I can't share every detail, but I will give the condensed account. About a week ago, a mysterious creature by the name of Tim Berfield came to Ponyville seeking aid. He was not of this world, belonging to a race of beings known as humans. Requesting a means of returning to his home realm, I and the elements of harmony, as well as Princess Celestia and Luna, agreed to help him in his endeavor. What we did not know was that his compatriots back home had the same idea. Unbeknownst to us, they launched a rescue mission of their own, which led them straight to Ponyville. Suffice to say, this has resulted in disaster. An unforeseen altercation resulted in these humans becoming hostile, with Tim being killed in the process. My castle lies in ruins, Princess Luna is severely injured, over 200 ponies lie slain, and the precipice of war now threatens the peace of Equestria. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have called for a royal congress. As co-regents of the Crystal Empire, we ask for your presence in this state of emergency. I urge you to make haste, as an attack from the humans could and can come about at any time.  

Sincerely, Your beloved sister,
Twilight Sparkle.

"Mother of all that's gracious...this can't be." Cadence shuddered.

"I don't think Twilight would of sent this if weren't true." Shining assured her. "How soon can we depart for Canterlot?"

"Commander Gust took the liberty of preparing transport the minute he learned of the situation, sir. A train should be ready within the hour."

"Make sure the engine's stoked and warmed up by the time we get there. We need to start packing." Shining noted.

He looked to his wife, who still stood staring at the missive with a wide-eyed look of horror.

"Cadence?"

Cadence suddenly snapped back to reality, darting her gaze to that of her husband's.

"I'm sorry, you're right, there's no time to delay." She reaffirmed.

The two then practically raced towards their quarters, feelings of intimacy and excitement for the future now supplemented with thoughts of horror and anxiety. What could have led to this, Cadence wondered. How could peace that had withstood for months suddenly be shattered to such a drastic level? Cadence's resolve was ultimately shaken upon learning of the death count, though she did her best to conceal it. Shining Armor, while mentally stalwart, would be lying if he said this news didn't disturb him. In his years of service as a royal guard, he had seen his share of combat, even death in rare cases, but nothing on this level. These humans had managed to bring more death in one night than the combined efforts of the Equine-Griffon War, Equestrian's greatest conflict. Whatever they were, they undoubtedly sought blood, and were not to be underestimated. As to what extent these creatures possessed in terms of destruction and capability still remained unknown to him, but he undoubtedly knew it had to be considerable, and that alone concerned him to no end.




Twilight had been writing up a fury since they had arrived on castle grounds in Canterlot. After a brief period of being shown and situated to her quarters, her and the other elements wasted no time in doing what they could in preparations for the royal congress. For Twilight in particular, it meant writing missives to all of the Equestrian senators, a title which until now had mostly been honorary, but now the time had called for their duty to be fulfilled. There were a total of 251 delegates, and with fervent use of the copy and paste spell she had managed to send summons to all of them in just a little over two hours. 

"There, that's last one." Twilight announced.

Spike had been on standby with spare ink, quills, and parchment, for which Twilight had already gone through a considerable amount of each, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Finally, I thought that would never end." He said, exasperated. "What now?"

"I can't thank you enough for help, Spike. Why don't you take some time to get some rest, it's been a long day." Twilight urged.  "It's already getting dark, and I need to see the Princesses before retiring, if sleep is even up on the table at this point." 

"Actually Twilight, if it's all the same to you, I think I'll go see what Fluttershy and Rarity were able to find with the head over at the school."

That prospect alone still seemed odd, but it was the task the two had volunteered for. Perhaps Fluttershy's expertise with animals and Rarity's craft could provide insight on how to utilize the Obelisk's head into an effective armor? Alas, that was hours ago, and it was no use speculating the results when she had her own duties to attend to.

"Alright, just don't burn yourself out, Spike." Twilight urged.

"Same to you, Twilight." 

With the current task now done, Twilight wasted no time to attend to her second task of finding Princess Celestia and Luna, which would undoubtedly entail a discussion on the next steps towards the royal congress. Thankfully Twilight knew where they probably were when it came to carrying out royal matters, thus making the trip quite short. With a quick casting, Twilight teleported herself to the entrance of the throne room. Two guards standing vigil opened the doors and bowed as she made her way through. Once inside Twilight could see her mentor discussing matters with her chief secretary and adviser, Raven Inkwell. Twilight couldn't make hide or hair of Princess Luna, but considering her predicament and the time of day, it didn't take Twilight very long to assume that she either was attending to her royal responsibility or still required time to recuperate from her injuries.

"-I'll see to it that all the appropriate accommodations get set up, Princess." Raven assured.

"Thank you Raven, I know this is on such short notice." Celestia said in a slightly apologetic tone.

"With all due respect your majesty, I think the same could be said for this whole situation." 

It was then that the two finally noticed the young alicorn make her approach.

"Greetings, Princess Twilight." Raven addressed with a bow.

"Hello Twilight." Celestia greeted, grim with its tone but still considerate in its nature.

"Hello Princess. Hello Raven." Twilight replied, a tone equally as somber. "I just finished sending the royal summons like you asked, and came here to see what else needs to be done."

"Of course, Raven if you don't mind, I'm afraid we'll need to discuss this next bit of planning in private." Celestia instructed.

"Of course, your majesties. If you need me, I'll be in the staff headquarters giving everyone their assignments."

With a final bow the white unicorn took her leave.

"This way, Twilight." Celestia instructed.

As the alabaster alicorn led her pupil to back chambers of the royal throne room, Twilight felt a sudden inclination to the whereabouts of her sister. 

"Did Princess Luna already retire for the night?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. Her injuries were giving her trouble. She's already being treated by the royal physicians. I pray they'll help expediate her recovery."

The subject of Princess Luna made her think of how those grievous injuries came to be. The weapons of the humans able to penetrate the magical might of an alicorn's shield was horrifying, the physical damage it left in its wake even more so. The image of Sweet Apple Acres with the hundreds of corpses scattered across its ground was still burned into her mind. Twilight knew that this was nowhere the extent of their capabilities, and that a war with humankind, if winnable, would come at a tremendous cost.	
Once the two had entered the back room, Twilight's gaze was met with the familiar sight of where Celestia held most of her foreign negotiations. The Princess sat down in her designated seat, and gestured for Twilight to take the seat next to her. Twilight did so, letting out an anxious sigh before speaking. The room was long, sporting and equally long table at its center. Wall sconces and chandeliers of gold lit the interior, as a long array of arched windows gave view to the spanning landscape of lower Canterlot and the horizons of Equestria. Twilight thought the setting would have been breathtaking if other matters didn't occupy her mind.

"So what happens now?" Twilight asked.

"With Luna absent, it falls on us to organize the resolution to present before the royal congress. Are you familiar with the procedures that come with such a summon, Twilight?"

Twilight pondered it, but ultimately her knowledge, while accurate, was very vague.

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the specifics. I only glanced upon it during my studies."

"I thought as much, and I don't blame you for the lack of knowledge, there hasn't been a royal congress in over a thousand years. But I'll try my best to summarize. Royal Congresses only emerge in the greatest of emergencies, anypony who's been granted the title of Equestrian senator is tasked with attending when called upon." 

Twilight nodded in affirmation, indicative that she understood.

"The purpose of a royal congress is relatively simple, if there's anything that the regents of Equestria cannot decide upon in full confidence, they call upon a royal congress to aid in the decision making."

"So....like an advisory Council?" Twilight asked.

"Not exactly, it's more of an open vote, with anypony able to put forward any motion that could remedy the crisis."

"A vote? On a royal level?" Twilight asked confused.

"I admit, it is rare to convene what's usually relegated to mayorship or local government for royal matters, but it is an integral part of the process. The royal congress was set up so that the hard, and even at times morally difficult decisions falls on Equestria as a whole rather than its leaders. Every Equestrian Senator can weigh in their vote on one decision or another."

"So, the outcome is a shared responsibility?" Twilight suggested.

"Precisely, the emergency will undoubtedly effect every Equestrian citizen, but because of the state of emergency, the majority vote, no matter what ratio, will be carried out, regardless of any reservations from ponies with opposing viewpoints."

The sudden realization then hit Twilight, causing her eyes to go wide.

"So what you're saying is, if they decide on something other than peace?"

"I can't stop it." Celestia answered. 

That proposition sent the pit in Twilight's stomach to sink even further, as the already disastrous prospect of potential war could be seemingly made worse if attempts at peace weren't even pursued.

"Princess, we have to sue for peace, whatever the cost!" Twilight pleaded.

"With that we're in agreement Twilight." Celestia concurred. "But you now understand that the decision on this crisis of this magnitude isn't ultimately up to just me and Luna, we'll need to convince the congress as a whole if we want to sway in that direction."

"What about your authority? Doesn't it carry the ultimate decision?"

"My voice will undoubtedly carry a heavy weight with it, but we've already sent the summons. If I were to deny the will of the Congress should a majority fall upon something other than a peaceful resolution, that could be a disaster in its own right. Many could feel the vote was a waste of time, many more will feel their input went unheeded, and some may even claim I overstepped my bounds as a co-regent of Equestria."

"Is all that worse than a war with the human race?" Twilight objected.

Celestia opened her mouth as if to speak, only for a moment of silence to overtake the monarch. Twilight watched as her mentor took on an expression of trepidation in her posture. It seemed that even the great Celestia was uncertain what to do at this moment of turmoil.

"I would say no, but this is very delicate situation, Twilight. Were this any other predicament I would take full responsibility of the matter as I have in the past. But knowing what's already happened, what's at stake, this is a decision Equestria needs to make. The whole reason for a royal congress in the first place is to gain a foothold of Equestria security, with all perspectives taken into account. We may get two ways of resolving this crisis, we may three, five, any number. But whatever the case, we have to abide by wherever the majority vote lies."

"Do you think the congress will call for war?" Twilight asked, dumbfounded by this whole process.

"Absolutely not! Some may call for a rise in Equestria's defense, but I will use my authority to forbid any first strike against the humans! It's not our way, and I fairly certain everypony knows that."

Twilight was confused by this sense of anxiety she was getting from Celestia.

"Then if not war, then what?" Twilight inquired.

"I fear there will be a substantial number who'll refuse to treat with those that butchered our own kind. When the casualty reports are revealed, there will be ponies who'll seek to do everything they can to distance ourselves from the problem than actually remedying it, and with the humans coming from another world, that option would seem viable."

"But the humans know how to come to our world at will." Twilight argued.

"I know, and exactly when and where the reach of that ability spans has yet to be determined." Celestia concurred. "One thing's for certain, some ponies may be eager to sever ties and contact with humanity, but I doubt humanity will ever lose interest in us, or our world."

Twilight recalled the information Tim had shared to them before departing for the Everfree, painting a clear picture on the state of the human homeworld, and the problems they faced.

"Of course they wouldn't." Twilight agreed. "They're basically facing their inevitable extinction. No food, no water, and they suddenly find our world that's abundant in both."

"I agree, but I have a feeling that they don't want a war either." Celestia argued. "We saw firsthand what the last war did to Tim's world. It would be foolish to use the same severity to attack ours, lest they destroy it in the process."

The logic and reason of her mentor's statement seemed sound, but there was still one factor that would need to be addressed, one that had seemingly been tip-toed around during their conversation.

"What about the...incident. What do we tell the congress when they ask how this whole situation escalated?"

Celestia felt a moment of trepidation in touching the subject, but ultimately knowing that it would have to be addressed at one point or another.

"We.........should address that topic at another time. Right now it's best we direct our efforts towards presenting our resolution."

Twilight, while not as experienced as her mentor, did have the occasional spout of perception, especially when the off putting mood of the room had just been made evident.

"Princess, you didn't sound very confident in that statement." Twilight perceived.

"Was it that obvious?" Celestia asked, her stalwart manner somewhat faltering in between her sentences. "Your right, there is a plan in place, but...................."

Princess Celestia hesitated, but ultimately spat out the rest.

"Princess Luna wants everypony to know what exactly happened. She wishes for everypony to know it was her spell that caused Berfield's death."

Twilight's expression shot a look of utter surprise towards her mentor.

"Wait, what?" Twilight sputtered.

"She wishes for us to tell the truth, Twilight." Celestia reiterated. "As much as the thought of revealing my sister's mistake makes me hesitant, she feels it needs to be known."

"Princess, do you know what the repercussions of that will be!?" Twilight worried.

"There are several, all of them severe, all of them unfavorable, some even irrevocable." Celestia answered. "But if we hope to broker peace with humankind, everypony in the congress will need to know how the situation arose. If we admit our wrongdoing, even if it was unintentional, the humans may undoubtedly admit their's. That in turn could form the stepping stones to dissolving the crisis."

"Princess, I beg you to reconsider!" Twilight pleaded. "Tensions are high and everypony is looking for answers! The two of you are wise, and have much more experience in these things than me, but I feel we're thinking too far ahead! Revealing the truth could only escalate things, from either our side or the human's! What if it leads more ponies to shy away from a peaceful resolution? Not to mention how it will tarnish Luna's reputation. Think of what that would do to Princess Luna if everypony kn-?"

"I know!" Celestia shouted.

Twilight was taken aback by the sudden raise in volume, and action Celestia was quick to amend.

"I know, Twilight. I apologize for shouting, but everything that's happened is pushing even my resolve to its limits. But my sister was very confident in this decision. No, more along the lines of adamant, really. If she wishes to push this forward in an effort to broker a peace, I have no grounds to stop her. Even as a sister who loves her."

Twilight recollected, and in her best effort to come across as calm as possible, she asked one simple question she had neglected to ask.

"She has to know what this will do to her, why does she feel the need to do it?"

Celestia pondered the question, a heavy weight already on her shoulders as she stared out the window, watching as the sun had drifted into the lowest point in would allow. Celestia closed her eyes and took a deep breath as her horn lit with a magnificent golden glow. The sun then descended further from sight, as the sky grew dark and the last shimmers of sunlight vanished as night took its reign. When the sun had disappeared from sight, Celestia had finally spoke.

"Because she fears what she has seen, and she fears she'll see it here in Equestria. If she can avoid that fate, she'll do what she feels is necessary. Whatever the cost."





"GaaaAAAH!" Luna yelped in pain.

The process of detaching the mobile leg brace from her injured leg and moving to the bed happened to be more painful than Luna had previously imagined, as working with just three legs proved harder than it looked. Even with a professional aid from the royal physicians at her side, adapting to the pain was still a tremendous challenge.

"Princess, I need you to be more gentle when you climb into bed." The Aid said. "Too much strain is just going to result in more pain."

"I'm trying." Luna protested.

The aid overseeing her care, one Earth pony mare by the name of Nurse Nettlekiss, had been rather to the point with her direction for Luna, almost unapolgetically so. Perhaps it was due to her relationship she had with treating her sister's injuries over the years, but it seemed the Nettle-Green Earth pony wasn't giving any formalities to her when it came to this. Luna, while somewhat unaccustomed to this sort of behavior, knew it was in her best interests, as the pony had been given the monumental task of being entrusted in her care. Luna, who had already stumbled once and fallen on her bed trying to get in it, attempted a second go.

"Easy." Nettlekiss instructed. "Take it slow, and shift the balance so that your right side isn't taking all the wait."

"You sound like you've experienced it before?" Luna stated.

"As a matter of fact, I have. I broke my leg growing up and had to to deal with the same thing, minus the wing of course. And then I had a whole career's worth of helping ponies go through the same thing."

Luna shot her a look of mild disdain. While she wasn't about to weigh in on whether her injuries or a broken leg equated to same level of pain, she was very confident that the literal holes and multiple fractures in bones and wing her made this situation significantly different. Though ultimately, she held her tongue and did her best to listen to her advice, and with a little bit of effort, Luna found all three of her working hooves  on her bed, and began to lie down.

"Alright, let's get you tucked in." Nettlekiss said.

"I do hope you don't mean that literally." Luna mouthed.

"Just a figure of speech your majesty." Nettlekiss clarified with a hint of sass. "Anything you need before you sleep? Refreshment or an extra pillow?"

"Just privacy, if you please."

"Of course, your majesty. But in case you change your mind, I'm leaving you this bell. Just ring it so the guard outside can hear, and I'll come at once. I won't be far."

As Nettlekiss left her the bell and departed the room, Luna found herself with her thoughts, something she both felt she needed and something she had feared. Despite the distractions of the day, nothing could divert her thoughts away from the events of the previous night. Gunfire, screams. Even though she wasn't there to lay eyes on it, she had imagined the worst when the humans had made their attack on Sweet Apple Acres. Visions of what she saw in Andrew's dream played out in her head, a level of war she couldn't have fathomed just two nights before. What could compel creatures to engage in such a level of madness? What she saw could only be described as the worst living nightmare imaginable, where beings were rendered into their most primal of urges, and became mindless beasts, with the sole intent to kill.
This in turn led to thoughts of what the road had in store. Debate, deliberation, and undoubtedly shame. Anxiety plagued every fiber of her mind, as nerves were racked from the guilt she felt mentally, and the pain she felt physically. That pain, that throbbing, ceaseless pain, as if shards cut at every angle of her injury. And the swelling, adding the burning sensation on top of all of it. 

"I guess this is how it felt for Tim. Having a literally tear straight into you," Luna pondered.

That singular thought was one she immediately regretted, as her already troubled mind received another torrent of negative emotion. Tim, her friend, the one human who had entrusted her with knowledge that could bring ruin to his people if fallen in the wrong hooves, the human she promised to aid, killed by her reckless actions. Unintentional or not, the blood on her hooves was irrefutable, and this fact made Luna's grief and guilt effectively endless, enough to bring her to tears.

"Why did I do it? Why couldn't I just talk things out like my sister always does?! Why am I always making the mistakes? How many died because of my mistake? How many more will it take before I can finally stop causing so much harm!"

"Gah!" Luna yelped.

So entrenched in thought she was that she failed to notice that she'd practically been tossing and turning, putting stress on her injuries. She breathed a defeated sigh and took a more comfortable position. Once again she attempted to calm her thoughts and focus on rest. However her thoughts would not give her the inner peace she so desired, and when the minutes passed to hours, Luna came to an obvious realization.

"Who am I kidding? There'll be no rest this night." Luna admitted.

Luna shifted her gaze to the ceiling above, plaster adorned with a majestic mural of the night sky, cast over the realm she called home, the realm she loved, the realm she'd do anything to protect.

"Accident or no, I need to face something for my actions." Luna asserted. "Everypony needs to know what I did. I can only hope they give me the chance to make amends."

The latter part of her thoughts wasn't entirely for her people however, for she knew the humans would undoubtedly want answers as well. But even that wasn't entirely certain. Luna feared they would seemingly ignore their pleas for peace and see them as a threat to their own existence, for it wasn't guaranteed that every human could see reason when faced with dire circumstances. Tim's friend Achmed was proof of that. Luna recalled that look of pure hate on his face when he stared here down, the lack of hesitation when he drew his weapon and attempted to gun her down, what Celestia shared of his actions at Sweet Apple Acres. It took an iron will to face off in a shouting match with a pure-blood alicorn, it was another matter entirely to strike one down and take another hostage. Were the odds not stacked against him, Luna was certain he would have killed Twilight. To make this whole ordeal even more daunting, Achmed the only one present, the only one who truly knew the events of what actually transpired, and it didn't take a genius to realize that his people would take his word seriously.

"What stories would he tell of us? Stories of how we're murderers, liars, beings neither worthy of trust or mercy?"

These fearful notions created a pit in Luna's stomach, as hopes of averting conflict seemed to grow more and more slim. However, almost as if it were a natural reaction, the degree of trepidation and despondence gave way to an immediate outburst of defiance.

"Blasted, Luna! Snap out of this!" She shouted.

The outburst must have been loud, for the door immediately opened for the guard standing watch outside to check everything out.

"Your majesty, is everything alright?!" He asked in an alert tone.

"Yes." She was quick to answer. "Everything's all right, I'm just....frustrated is all. No need for alarm, you may return to your post."

"Of course, you're majesty." The guard nodded in affirmation.

As he exited the room and closed the door, Luna did her best to formulate a way, any way, this situation could be resolved, and what means it would take to achieve it. There were a few, and almost all of them ended in some sort of punishment for Equestria, and even a few for her. But these moves were still at a basic level, and would need time and the slightest bit of courage and sacrifice to achieve. It seemed this newfound sense of positivity helped in giving the Princess of the Night the sleep she needed. As the last trickles of thought left her mind as it transitioned into its unconscious state, they touched upon the humans one last time. According to Tim, his people were led by a Council, supposedly a collection of the best humanity had to offer. Luna hoped maybe they had the foresight and wisdom to see past Achmed's delusions. Perhaps it was a faint hope, but perhaps it wasn't. Regardless, they would know humanity's intentions when humanity saw fit, and time would only tell if their actions spoke of peace or war.





Nighttime had finally descended over New Damascus by the time the Council was ready to reconvene for a final vote. All participants were prompt and present, with everyone showing up a little before scheduled. When the final participant, Councilor Schafer, had arrived, not a minute was wasted to get things underway.

"I'm glad to see you all were very prudent in your timing." Schafer commended them all. "That's good. I suppose now, we cast our decision?"

The others generally nodded in agreement, eager but anxious to get underway. They all stood, ready to cast their vote.

"Then the decisions before us are as follows." Schafer announced. "For our first resolution. This Council has pressed forward the motion to attempt a peaceful settlement between our Coalition and the nation of Equestria, the goal of which is to ease the tension between our two nations and engage in negotiations to broker a peaceful resolution. Those in favor, raise your hand and say aye. All those opposed, say nay."

The votes went around the table starting with Schafer.

"Aye." Schafer announced.

Then to Bradford

"Aye."

Then Andrew. 

"Aye."

And Patel.

"Aye."

All eyes were now set upon the final voter, Yeong, Councilor of Agriculture. A few seconds passed, before letting out a sigh and raising his hand.

"Aye." 

They all put down their hands.

"The decision is unanimous." Schafer announced. "Now, onto the second matter. This Council has pushed forward the motion to send a force of the Militia into the borders of Equestria covertly. The mission, acquisition of desperately needed resources for the people of the Survivor Coalition. Those in favor, raise your hand and say aye. All those opposed, say nay."

Now came the moment of truth, the deciding factor on how much time the Survivors had left. Schafer was silent, contemplating the decision, but it seemed he would not succumb to the same pressure Yeong had.

"Nay." Schafer announced.

While disappointing, it wasn't surprising, as Schafer valued integrity of character above all, and sending troops in before a decision was reached was not something he could condone. 

With one vote already against him, it fell to Bradford to cast the next vote. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and said, "Aye."

Andrew in turn, did much of the same thing, with a resounding, "Aye."

With that came Patel's turn to vote. With it came the difficult stretch for the decision, as the vote would undoubtedly have to be decided by Yeong yet again. But while the previous motion was undeniably the right thing to do, this one was a bit more tricky, and he'd have to be the tie breaker.

"Guess we'll see." Andrew thought to himself. "Hope to God he realizes how desperate a state we're in. Though he does tend to follow Patel and Schafer when comes to guidance, maybe if-"

"Aye."

Everyone in the room shot their gaze to Patel, wondering if there ears had not deceived them.

"Yes, that's right. I vote aye." Patel reassured them, aware of the surprise her decision brought. "No sense in holding up the vote any longer, I'll explain my reasons at a later time. Yeong, the final vote falls to you."

Yeong, like every other person in the room was found speechless, though through some effort, he found his voice yet again.

"A..aye?" he said, still dumbfounded by what just happened.

"The...majority....has voted in favor of this motion, and thus it passes." Schafer announced, a faint trail confusion in his voice. "Sawyer, jurisdiction over the force we send is ultimately up to you, but this Council would be grateful if you informed us on who you planned to over this operation."

"Of course, I had intended to reassign the 27th Field Operations Company led by Colonel Panjaitan for the task." Andrew answered.

"Are you certain there's not anyone else you could recommend?" Patel inquired. "Someone who's not keen on using force as a first resort option?"

"I admit, his tactics might be a bit harsh when it comes to dealing with threats, but his history and skill in dense jungle environments is exemplary. And he'll be given explicit instructions to avoid confrontation, which he's been capable of doing in the past."

Patel, while not entirely approving of Andrew's choice, nodded in agreement nonetheless.

"How soon can they be ready to depart?" Schafer asked.

"They'll be notified the moment we adjourn." Andrew answered. "This mission is to be priority one. With any luck, their withdrawal from their current AO will be expedient, no more than three days I should think."

Schafer nodded, and proceeded with the following.

"Then my friends, I believe the session has concluded for tonight."

"So it seems, though I doubt our work for tonight is over." Andrew claimed.

"That it is not." Patel affirmed. "It's best we discuss the specifics and next steps for our proposals come morning, but for now, we need to release a public statement for the people."

"Agreed. In fact I took the liberty of having all Coalition broadcast stations on standby for such a task."

"If you and Yeong could get started on that, I will begin drafting a proposal ready for tomorrow morning." Schafer asked. 

"Of course." Bradford replied. 

As Schafer left the room, all eyes turned to the Councilor of Peace and Justice, who was ready to face all the inquires her fellow Councilors undoubtedly had. However, Andrew was quick to jump in.

"Hey, look, we all have things to do. We can ask any questions later." He argued.

Andrew gave them a clear cut look, one that blatantly said "not now". Bradford and Yeong looked to one another, but ultimately found logic in his reasoning, and not wishing to cause tension, left without a fuss to see to their own business. Andrew gave Patel a quick glance, and upon seeing she was still silent, opted to do the same thing. However her words alone were enough to make him stop.

"I suppose an explanation is an order?" Patel announced.

Andrew turned around once again, and while his better judgement told him should honestly save this conversation for a later date, he could not deny that he secretly wished for some answers.

"I'll admit, it's not entirely beyond reason." Andrew confessed.

"I suppose it was a surprise to everyone, wasn't it?"

"That's an understatement. I don't think anyone could have imagined you ever signing off on a mission into the new world, especially after all that happened. Why the sudden change of heart?"

Patel let out a light chuckle, one filled that defied the clear cut tone of sorrow her voice adopted.

"Didn't feel so sudden to me. Those hours leading up to the final decision were......I don't even know what word would adequately describe it. Agony maybe. I was angry, angry at you, angry at world really. Every bad thing seemingly working together to undermine our lives, all while trying to hold what essentially amounted to a shit show together. There's days where I've honestly wondered if this Coalition is worth it. It's so easy to think that too, the bureaucracy, the decision making that affects everyone's lives. In a society of people who've had to survive by their own means for most of their lives, it's so easy to fall back on what you know, looking after you, your own."

The melancholic tone of her voice told Andrew that this was a serious conversation, that the words she spoke came from her very thoughts. In one of the few times in his life, Andrew neglected to speak, and instead chose to listen.

"But I've always held the belief that we can be better than that." Patel continued. "I've always believed that with enough effort and dedication, people can work together to overcome any obstacle, most times without resorting to violence. While my faith in the Coalition holding together has always walked the edge of a knife, by belief in people rising above their most basic nature has never wavered."

"An admirable ideal." Andrew admitted.

"Maybe, but still an ideal. Ideals don't hold up well when reality shows its ugly face, Sawyer. I suppose you know that better than anyone else on the Council. In all the years I've been a councilor, my ideals have been put to the test, by desperate situations, things out of our control, and even by conflicting views held by other councilors. And while I can honestly say my mandate of those ideals has not changed, I have had to make concessions for the greater good. This is one of those times. Make no mistake Sawyer, on moral grounds, I find this decision dangerous, and not just in the immediate sense."

"What is it you fear will happen?" Andrew asked.

"I fear for us, Sawyer. I fear that this situation can twist the idea of the greater good, and turn into a means of simply taking what we want."

"It won't come to that." Andrew asserted.

"And are you so certain of that? How many in the past have said the same thing only for them to become the very evil they swore to fight against? We walk a precarious road Sawyer, you're not blind to it, you must see that."

Andrew took a few hard seconds to ponder her words, finding truth to them, as he many events in his life felt so similar. His life and the foundations of the Coalition were very much a precarious set of events, and sometimes it was simply sheer luck that saw the body as a whole survive. But if there was thing that held the backbone of it all together, it was the commitment to seeing its survival.

"Maybe not, and you're right, this won't be an easy endeavor. But I'll tell you this much, so long as I am a member of the Council, I will do everything in my power to avoid that path. Unless this situation becomes literally life or death, I will not let another war befall our people. I will expend every option, make every sacrifice within reason, before I let us be dragged into another conflict. You have my word on that."

Patel looked back at him, herself now silently contemplating his words.

"You're reckless, Sawyer. You're stubborn, difficult, hard headed, and adamant." She announced, her voice gradually leading somewhere more positive. "You're a lot like me in many ways."

Andrew let a small smile cross his face from her bout of brutal honesty.

"But one thing you're not is a liar. In the time I've known you, you've always told us the truth, and while we've been at odds more often than not, you've never betrayed my trust."

Andrew felt a sense of pride from that statement, not entirely sure if it if it was genuine.

"Even in light of recent events?" Andrew inquired.

"You're actions were foolish, and they may very well haunt us for a long time. But you told us, despite the damage it would do to you. You essentially engaged in what many would see as career suicide so that we could be informed and make the right decision in the most dire of circumstances. Not to mention it would have been easy to favor a conflict with the information we have, but despite that, you saw past the inconsistencies and voted in the best interests of humanity. In a sense, you've shown me that you can put any personal grudges aside and put our people first, and that's the kind of man we need in your position. Especially now."

"Funny, thought this whole ordeal was going to cost me my seat at the Council."

"It probably will, Sawyer, just not now. As the saying goes, we have bigger fish to fry."

"I know. But when that time comes, I'll step down admirably without a fuss." Andrew promised.

Patel gave a slight nod, one with approval but not without its fair share of seriousness.

"Well, I hope that explains where I stand." Patel said. "We should probably get to back to our duties."

"Agreed. If you'll excuse me. I have a phone call to make."

As Andrew stepped out of the room, he could almost feel the disdain Patel carried for what details his call would involve. The individual in question had a bit a storied past with Patel, and the two were not on speaking terms. If Patel was the pinnacle of endeavored peace, Colonel Panjaitan was the opposite.





The room was dark, but even in the dim florescent light, one unfortunate soul could make out the tall and muscular figure of a man decked out in jungle DPM fatigues, tactical vest and weapons still attached. The figure proceeded to delivered another punch had been to the battered man who sat tied to an old chair, stained red with years of use in such endeavors which he currently found himself in. Each punch felt harder than the last, but the man remained silent. While the pain had been inflicted across multiple areas of his body, they had all been directed to the same places over and over with ruthless efficiency. 
The figure stepped closer, revealing a muscled face set with thick patches of whiskers. His dark amber skin had seen a lot of damage over the years, ranging from combat to the elements themselves, giving his overall aesthetic a war weathered look and making his neutral expressions akin to an almost stern grimace. This man was none other than Colonel Panjaitan. 

"Are you ready to talk, Baruch?" the Colonel asked.

"F.fuck you!" Baruch screamed.

"Wrong answer." The Colonel stated with a dismissive tone as he delivered yet another punch, this time directed to the man's abdomen.

Many within the Militia, as well as the Survivor Coalition as a whole, described Colonel Iskander Panjaitan as a bit of a ruthless personality. The man was a no-nonsense officer, and formerly ran with Indonesian KSF. During the Conflict, Panjaitan, or "Pan" as he was known to his men, worked in conjunction with the US Navy Seals to fend off the Chinese Invasion forces during their Pacific Campaign. For 15 years, he fought, bled, and breathed jungle warfare, even the less than ethical qualities it would commonly display. This interrogation only served to reaffirm those qualities. 

"I'm growing tired of this, Baruch. Tell me where your buddies are hiding out, and I can make this end." Colonel Panjaitan

Colonel Pan delivered another decisive blow to the tied down man. Baruch, whether or not that was his real name didn't matter it was simply the one they got out of him, ran with a ring of local pirates. Just another name for the degenerates who resorted to violence to take what they wanted. In a sense they were raiders, bandits, outlaws, people who recognized no authority but their own. They'd been raping and pillaging for the better part of five years completely unopposed on the North Maluku Islands. That was until the Coalition sent him two years ago. For two years, Pan had put their feet to the flames, carving a bloody path into their activities until he finally had them on the run. Survivors of their terror gave vital information on their patrols, one of which Baruch had been a member. Colonel Pan theorized their base of operations was somewhere in the ruins of Ternate, all that was required was a specific location. Another punch, this one effectively busting out one of Baruch's left canines.

"I can go at this all day Baruch. If I wanted you dead, you would be with rest of that rabble you call friends. Now tell me what I want to know."

Baruch spat out blood in his direction, which landed on Pan's chest. Pan, not even phased, shook his head and smirked. Pan's strategy for dealing with problems had always been seen by his peers as drastic, even extreme in a few circumstances. But nobody else in the militia had level of expertise when it came to deep jungle operations, which for the Survivor's operations in Indonesia, were absolutely vital. Some of Pan's Lieutenants continued to watch as Pan kept the interrogation going, so entrenched they were with the process that they failed to notice Corporal Nikolai Sevchenko enter the room. The young man was relatively new to the unit but, had been with them long enough to get a grip on who to talk to about important matters that required the Colonel's attention.

"Colonel Pan, sir." He addressed in a slight Russian accent. "Urgent message coming through the communications channel."

"It can wait." Pan hissed, not breaking his sight from Baruch.

"It's priority one sir." 

Pan had halted mid swing at the mere mention of that.

"Priority one?" he asked. "Who the hell is calling for a priority one?"

"It's....the Commander, sir."

It was at that moment Pan turned to face him, as any and all sense of anger seemingly faded away.

"Very well." He said with an ambiguous neutrality to his voice.

Baruch, who's face was practically swelling and bruised at this point, breathed a sigh of relief, a mistake he quickly regretted.

"Captain Kelly, take over for me would you?" Pan ordered.

"With pleasure, sir." He complied in a thick Aussie accent. "Alright mate, let's see if we can't improve upon the Colonel's handiwork."

Pan could hear the grunts and pained moans of Baruch as he left the interrogation room and made his may to the ops center. Their current base was a hold over from the Chinese, who set up shop rather quickly in what was lather referred to as Siwang Bao, or the Death Fort, a name fitting for what amounted to a structure composed of entirely concrete bunkers, Anti-aircraft and artillery dugouts, a triple series of trenches surrounded by about five dozen pillboxes and guard towers. But even a formidable fortress stood no real chance against the nuclear holocaust, and those who didn't die from the swaths of oncoming fallout fled elsewhere.
The local den of pirates had used it as a base a few months back, but the facility was severely undermanned, making it easy for Pan and his men to infiltrate and take it right under their noses. Since then it had served as a very effective forward operations base, a hub to conduct all the operations out the field. The route to comms, located in what was once the central guard tower, was thankfully a short distance, with the only real obstacle being the three flights of stairs one needed to ascend to get there.
Once there, he was greeted by the man standing guard outside. With a quick salute, the militiaman opened the door for the Colonel, who then stepped inside. Sergeant Pang was already on standby with the communications outlet, what essentially amounted to a jerry-rigged satellite up-link that was somehow still operational even after the war, but it made long-distance communication a breeze. Pang gave the Colonel the transmitter, which more or less looked like and old landline phone. As Colonel Pan pressed to his ear, he was the first to speak.

"Colonel Panjaitan speaking." 

"*Hello Colonel, it's been a while.*" said the voice that was unmistakably that of Commander Sawyer.

"Likewise, sir, likewise. How are things in New Damascus? I've heard rumors."

"*If those rumors entail a shitshow, then I'm inclined to say they're true. In fact the situation as a whole plays into what I want to talk about.*"

"I'm guessing we're being reassigned back home?"

"*Reassigned, yes. But not here. I'm sending you to Berlin, something's come up that's of dire importance, and I'm fairly certain you and your company are just the right men to do it.*"

"Berlin? With all due respect, sir, but what's in Berlin that's so damn important that it's worth dragging us out of Indonesia?"

Pan could hear the faint chuckle from the end of the line, one of exasperation than any actual humor.

"*Well Colonel, sit down for a spell, and I'd be glad to tell you.*"





It had been about an hour since Colonel Pan had left to take the priority one call, leaving Captain Kelly, Lieutenants Garcia and Wau, and of course, Corporal Sevchenko to oversee the interrogation in his absence. It had been twenty minutes since they finally managed to get Baruch to talk, as he quickly succumbed to the beating and revealed his gang's hideout some 55 miles southwest of the fort. At this point, Baruch went unconscious and more less was absent as the militiaman stirred a conversation concerning the Colonel's call.

"So what do you think it is?" Sevchenko asked. "Think we're being pulled out?"

"Wouldn't surprise me none." Kelly admitted. "Only had a few month's worth of tucker and water, I gotta feeling things might have finally run dry."

"Then I guess we better start stashing boys." Wau stated. "Only a matter time before the whole thing goes to shi-" 

The door suddenly swung open, and none other than Colonel Pan stepped inside.

"Colonel, sir." Garcia addressed. "He finally talked. His buddies are hiding out in some abandoned village out in the jungle some fifty miles southwest of here."

The Colonel looked over to the hunched over figure of Baruch, bloodied, bruised, and out-cold.

"Decided to take himself a bit of a nap." Kelly informed. "Orders?"

"Pack everything up, tell the Company we're departing for Fort Claret."

Expecting to follow up on their findings, the four were quite surprised what commands came from their CO.

"Wait a minute, that's in the opposite direction." Kelly pointed out. "Where are-"

"We have new orders. Commander wants us in Berlin ASAP." Pan informed them. "I'll brief everyone on the way there. See to it Captain."

As confused as they were, they knew better than to question an order, and each gave an affirmative nod that they understood. Before Pan could turn around and depart the room however, there was one more matter to be addressed.

"What about him?" Garcia asked, gesturing to Baruch.

Everyone watched in silence as the Colonel gave Baruch a good long look before drawing out his Five-Seven and firing two shots into the man. The Colonel didn't speak a word as he holstered his handgun and left the room of startled subordinates to carry out his task.

"Well.....guess that answers that question." Kelly said.
> Chapter 36: The Capital Part 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the moment of revealing truths draws near, steps must be taken to ensure that proper communication is established. Others however, take this moment to reprieve from the pressures placed upon, others seek to ready themselves for the tasks ahead. One way or another, the true obstacles are about to arrive, obstacles that may prove fruitless in the end................




Suha sensed some slight sense of irony, considering how another long day had again ended in the late hours of the evening. Though this time, it was voluntary, as Suha didn't wish to come home at the usual hour fearing the impulsive reprisal that no doubt awaited her. So many questions had plagued her throughout the day. Those pertaining to the crisis were both prevalent and hard to ignore considering it was the talk of her whole school. Jacovi and Bill only perpetuated things further with their claims that they saw a battle between the Militia and the people, which was hardly accurate but undoubtedly boosted their social standing, as a Militiaman did escort Suha and them back to the school grounds. 
Putting that aside, the other thought that she just couldn't shake was whatever circumstances brought her brother back to New Damascus, and why he was accompanying the Commander of all people. Achmed was just a Private, hardly special all things considering. But this crisis, the rumors concerning the Commander's business in Berlin, and the fact that her brother who had been stationed there was now accompanying him. They had to be connected, or so Suha told herself throughout her day, both at school and her actual job at DC10. 
However the revelation of his presence couldn't have happened at a worse time, right when she was questioning the Commander's motives in front of God and everybody no less, her brother included. Achmed had become infuriated with her the minute he caught her out of school and lipping off to one of the most prevalent members of society. To make matters worse, that had been the only time she had spoken with him today, making the intricacies of his stay unknown to her. Was he staying home for his tenure or on-base? Usually it was the latter but sometimes not. To be sure she decided to take up close-up duties at DC10. By the time she got home it was nearing 7:00, and getting darker by the minute.
As she approached the front door she naturally felt apprehensive. Peering inside, she saw that only a few lights were on, whether left on by a visiting nurse for her mother's sake or her brother was still a mystery. Alas, she took a deep breath, and pulled down on the door handle. Closing the screen and old plywood door behind her she entered and had yet to hear anything. The living area and kitchen were dark save for the light above the oven. She stepped further inside, wondering if she had managed to give brother the slip. She was just about to traverse further into the hallway when the living room lamp flicked on behind her.

"Crap." She mentally cursed.

As she spun on her heels, she saw the unmistakable form of her older brother sitting on the sofa, giving her what felt like a death glare, something she had never seen in him and something she was really unaccustomed to. He no longer wore his fatigues, opting for some old jeans and a olive T-shirt with some Chinese characters written on it. Nevertheless, the casual attire did little to alleviate the clear disdain he was directing at her.

"Hey, big bro." Suha laughed sheepishly, timidly waving her hand. "What's up?"

Achmed's expression didn't so much as budge, maintaining it's stern look of disapproval.

"Okay, seems there's no way he's gonna laugh this off." Suha noted rather quickly.

Achmed's voice was unnaturally stone cold when he finally spoke.

"Have a seat, Suha. We need to talk." He ordered, gesturing to the cushion next to him.

Sullenly, Suha complied, setting aside her backpack next to the coffee table as she sat next to her elder sibling. She immediately turned her gaze to his, and now that she was close, the stern expression he sported seemed to somewhat lessen. Achmed let out a sigh, a signal that maybe he was as reluctant to do this as she had been. Discipline was rare given how well Suha had behaved in the past, but she wasn't completely devoid of it.

"Before I get into what happened today, you mind explaining why you were out so late?" He asked.

"I-I had to help close up." She claimed.

"Funny, as I seem to recall, your shift usually ends at 5:00 so that you have time to come home and finish any schoolwork you have. I find it hard believe the distribution center is that short on hands that they need a 13 year old girl to stay late on a school night."

"I...might have asked to." Suha admitted.

"That sounds more likely. Suha, you never have to be afraid to come home." Achmed reminded her.

"I know, I just..........I never saw that side of you before, Achmed. I don't think I've ever had you yell at me like that." She said defensively.

"Because you didn't give me reason until now." He snapped, his irate look returning. "Suha, it was disrespectful to berate an elder, and a councilor of the community like that, it's not appropriate for someone your age and you know better."

Suha couldn't help but find herself feeling a tad bit guilty from his statement. Despite her justifications at the time she found some truth in her brother's words with a bit of context. Despite being many years her senior, respect for Sawyer came from the fact that the commander had been providing and making countless sacrifices for the good of the community well before Suha was born.

"I'm sorry, Achmed."Suha relented, swallowing her pride. "I just got the sense he was hiding something."

"Regardless, that's no excuse for a girl as young as you are to lip off to an adult." Achmed argued. "You may be mature for your age, Suha. But that doesn't make you grown up yet."

Suha resisted the urge to say something in her defense. Alas, she lacked the courage at that moment, finding the sudden authoritative tone in her brother to be all the convincing she needed to stay quiet. Despite her lack of voice, a fire of defiance began to brew inside her. As Suha sat in silence, Achmed's angered expression gave way to one of neutrality.

"So are we clear on that?" Achmed asked, looking for verification.

"Yes." Suha said, short and to the point.

"Good. Then see to it won't happen again." Getting up heading towards the kitchen. "I'll leave it at that. Only reason I'm not grounding you is because I know being out there to begin with wasn't your idea."

"How can you be sure about that?" Suha said, some defiance starting to emerge. "Could have been I wanted to seek out the thrill?"

However that immediately died when Achmed gave her a smirk with a raised eyebrow. She pouted the other way, as Achmed wordlessly called her out.

"Okay, fine. Jacovi and Bill ran off and I couldn't help but see to it they didn't get themselves hurt." Suha revealed.

Those words gave Achmed a moment of pause, as recent events regarding his closest friend came immediately to mind. With a disheartening sigh, he spoke.

"Well, that's commendable at least. Good friends are worth protecting, I just wish I was there for mine."

Achmed proceeded as Suha looked up at him, her eyes filled with shock on how he already knew the fate that had befallen his friend growing up.

"Wait a minute. You know about Kent?" She asked. "H..how?"

Now it was Achmed's turn to give her the same look of shock.

"Wait, what?" he asked.

"Y'know....Kent. You're friend from school."

"I know who he is, Suha. What happened, what about Kent?" He asked once more.

Suha suddenly found herself wishing she had kept her mouth shut, or at the very least had done a better job revealing the subject.

"Suha, what happened to Kent? Please. Tell me." he pleaded.

Just recalling what happened made tears emerge in her eyes.

"It happened yesterday. That incident at the reservoir. Kent and I were both there when it happened, when the tunnelers came. He saved my life giving his." 

Achmed remained silent but contemplative, deeply saddened by this sudden revelation. He took a step back, leaning against a wall, but devoid of purpose.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" Suha began to apologize before being cut off.

"It's alright." Achmed said in a hushed tone. 

But alas, his words were but a lie. It seemed the people he knew and cared for were beginning to succumb to dangers from left and right. Some narrowly escaped death, others did not. And now, thing's were only going to get worse should the declaration of war be announced. However, Achmed remained silent on his troubled thoughts. A minute of tense and awkward silence passed before he spoke again.

"I'm glad to know that there's people here who look after you. I'm glad to know you're safe." He said.

"But for how long?" she asked. "Things are only going to get worse."

Suha looked for some sort of challenge in her statement, something to take the edge of current events off of her, something to tell her that things would be alright. But nothing came of it, not a word.

"Yeah, they probably will. But it won't be the end that we all fear." Achmed stated.

"Because of what you found in Berlin?" she asked.

And once again, Achmed had to put those questions to rest.

"Look Suha, I know you're curious as to what's happening, and I wish I could tell you everything. But I'm not certain that's a good idea until we get some sort of official statement. I simply ask you be patient, just for a little while longer."

Suha gave his request some thought, and while her innate desire to know the clarity of their situation still lingered in her mind, she didn't want that to come at the cost of angering her older sibling.

"Fine." she sighed before transitioning to a jest. "But I wanna know the second something's announced!"

"Deal." Achmed chuckled.

A brief pause played out before Suha embraced her brother in a big bear hug, one he was anticipating.

"I missed you by the way." She said softly.

"I missed you too." he responded.

After a few seconds they both let go and sat up from the couch.

"Have you eaten anything yet?" Achmed asked.

"I had some leftover stew before I headed home." she said.

"Well good, I was honestly dreading the thought of having to cook." Achmed said. "Been a bit rusty at it."

Suha was about to retort with some witty comeback of her own when their previous conversation immediately came to mind, recalling his statement on friends. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but just as quickly kept quiet, not wishing for any more negativity to arise this night. Maybe she'd bring it up later, when the mood was right.

"I'm gonna give mom her medication." she said.

"Alright, afterwards I want you doing homework. After that maybe we can watch a movie or listen to the radio. Lights out at 10 though, okay." Achmed instructed.

"Alright." she replied.

Achmed nodded and set about his own task of making his own meal. When the Sarge had agreed to let him sleep under his own roof during their stay in New Damascus, it came as a bit of a surprise. But alas, these were far from normal circumstances, and the fact that both of them had had run-ins with their siblings on the same day may have given him the excuse he needed for her to say yes, as it seemed she had family business of her own to contend with. Alas, now that he was done lecturing Suha, his body reminded him harshly that he had completely neglected to feed himself.
As he set about his tasks, his thoughts were heavy with the recent knowledge Suha had shared. Another friend of his had died, saving his sister's life in the process. It was a debt he'd now but would never truly be able to repay. He would honor his friends' sacrifices. For Tim, he'd slay his killer. For Kent, he'd fight to claim a new home, so that his sacrifice for Suha would not be in vain. She would have a future because of him, and even if Suha didn't know it yet, things in her life; and everyone's for that matter, were about to alter drastically. One way or another, the future carried with it the winds of change whether for better or worse. Whether or not he would live to see or even act on that change still gave him pause, as did his sister's home life. Achmed silently found himself at a loss, uncertain as what he was before Tim had met his end.
As Achmed was left with his thoughts, Suha stepped inside her mother's room, turning on a nearby lamp. Unsurprisingly, her mother hadn't moved from her place on the bed since Suha had left that morning. Everytime that fact crossed Suha's mind it made her feel depressed and helpless. While the doctor's gave her medication, it was more or less a glorified painkiller, only meant to ease her mother's suffering in hopes that they'd find proper medication down the line, which wasn't likely to happen at all. Add the fact that her brother was clearly keeping secrets and not acting like his usual awkward self, something he never did before, and Suha suddenly felt that wall of confidence she usually carried crumble.

"One thing at a time, Suha. One thing at time." She urged herself.

Her mother was asleep once again, and thus Suha roused her awake.

"Hmm..hmm?" Her mother grunted.

"Mother, it's me, Suha." she explained slowly.

This time, it only took a few seconds for her mother to register what she said.

"Suha? Oh, right my darling." She said with fondness. "How....how are you?"

"I'm fine." Suha lied. "Time for you to take your medication."

"Medication? Hmm,....oh that's right. From Doctor Jhaveri I expect." She said with a weak smile. "You know, that reminds me of a story about Doctor Jhaveri at the clinic. He was such a nice man you know, always so generous and patient to people when they were down on their luck. Did you know he was their to help deliver you into this world?"

As Suha watched her mother's mind deteriorate, recounting the same story she had tried to tell her earlier that morning, all she could feel were the tears that stung at her eyes.




It was late, too late for Andrew's liking. Preparing for tomorrow's announcement was quite the undertaking as he compiled what statements that needed to address what questions would undoubtedly arise at the official press meeting. But he thankfully finished before the night began to drag too late into the early morning. Add that on top of the mission, their escape, and sudden trip back to New Damascus, it had a been over a day since he had slept in earnest. Thankfully that would change tonight, as Viktor, being the dear friend he was, offered to drive him home. The time was nearing 3:00AM when they finally arrived at Andrew's abode.

"Hmm, I figured you would have moved into something a bit nicer." Viktor jested. "What with your promotion and all that."

"You see any mansions lying around unoccupied and I'll move in a heartbeat." Andrew quipped back. "Thanks for the ride."

"No problem. If you survive, I'll see you at the press meeting tomorrow. I apologize in advance." 

"Wait, what do you mean surviv-" Andrew asked.

"I apologize in advance." Viktor said quickly.

Andrew then came to a sudden conclusion, remembering what words he had promised to his beloved wife before departing for this whole ordeal. Before Andrew could hurdle back into the vehicle, Viktor put the UAZ into gear and drove back to the local base with haste, leaving a panicking Andrew alone to face what awaited him. 

"Dammit, Vik." Andrew cursed, before sighing and muttering to himself. "Well, no time like the present."

Andrew began to climb the ramshackle stairs leading to his home, noting the light peering through one of the windows. He went to open the door, finding it to be unlocked. Another tell-tale sign that he was expected. He entered, and as if on que, he caught movement to his left. Standing there was Jessica, his darling wife cleaning the last of some dishes, the one in her hands being the long kitchen knife, which gave Andrew a moment of pause. She hadn't noticed his initial entry, but one footstep was all it took for her to dart her head his way, and let loose an expression of absolute contempt. She immediately dropped the dirty utensil and stormed her way towards him.

"I swear to God, if Jake wasn't a part of our lives you'd be a dead man right now, Andrew Sawyer." She said quietly but with clenched teeth. 

"Good to see you too, babe." Andrew mouthed, trying to alleviate some of her anger.

Unfortunately, it only seemed to anger her further, as she slugged him the shoulder rather hard.

"OW! God dammit Jess! That hurt!" Andrew cursed.

"Don't you pull that crap with me Andrew!*" Jess seethed. "What did I tell you before you left!? What did you promise me you wouldn't do?!"

Andrew was ready for this to be over, but he sincerely doubted Jess was going to let that happen.

"*Don't do anything dangerous.*" Andrew begrudgingly answered.

"And what the hell do I find out happened?" Jess asked rhetorically. "There's talk about portals. That's right, fucking portals and how you went into said portals, and pissed off a bunch aliens!? What happened to Berlin being safe, huh? What happened to you not doing anything dangerous?!"

"Jess, I don't know what you've heard, but there's a lot of rumors and speculations going on right now-"

"Oh cut the crap, Andrew, I already know everything." Jessica revealed.

Andrew was stunned, but somewhat unconvinced at her statement.

"Really? You know everything?" he asked in disbelief.

"That's right, smartass. Everything." She replied sternly. "The portal, your stupid switcheroo stunt, the soldier who died, his friend who went apeshit, the fucking horse aliens, and how you narrowly got out of that shit show with your life!"

And like that, any doubts Andrew had held were shattered in mere moments.

"How? How the hell do you know all of that!?" Andrew asked.

"Vik dropped by for a quick visit seeing as you failed to do that yourself." she scolded.

"He told you?!" Andrew said in disbelief.

"After I forced it out of him, yes. You two may be buddy-buddy, but he knows better than to hide anything from me when I'm angry."

"Viktor what the hell compelled you to-"

"Andrew!" Jessica snapped.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry I didn't drop by sooner to tell you myself, but I can imagine he was kind enough to inform you why I couldn't tell you in person. I was kind of busy at the moment with both the reservoir incident and the riots."

"Oh here we go. It's bad enough you weren't here to let us know you were safe when the riots began, but the fact you were trying to fix the problem you started in addition to that!"

Andrew felt a twinge of anger rise.

"I didn't start anything." Andrew protested. "There were things out of my control. You think I wanted a battle to break out?!"

"I honestly don't even know what you think anymore. I thought once you took the position as Commander, you would stay the hell out of conflicts for our family's sake. And yet here you go behind my back to put yourself in harm's way! Did you even think what you doing through?!" she asked in earnest. "What if you had died!? Is that seriously something you can stomach!? Leaving me a widow, leaving Jake fatherless!?"

"I did it for Jake!" Andrew shot back loudly. 

"Horseshit! You did it to relive the glory days!"

"Mommy, daddy?" a voice called out.

The rising sense of tension dropped in an instant as the two directed their gaze towards the watery eyed-visage of their son stepped out of his room.

"I'm scared. Why are you fighting?" he asked.

The two were at a loss, as their primary concern now switched to comforting their little boy.

"No, no, it's okay baby." Jessica said as she knelt to embrace him. "You don't need to be scared."

"Mommy's right. She and I just got carried away that's all." Andrew reassured him, as he picked him up in his arms. "Why don't you go back to sleep, and in the morning, Daddy will cook breakfast. That sound good?"

"Okay, daddy." Jake replied.

"Thatta' boy." He said, kissing his forehead.

Andrew proceeded to carry his son back to his room to put him to bed once more. A minute later he was back outside, seeing that Jess had taken a spot of the sofa in the living room. Andrew took the spot next to her. The anger in his wife seeming to subside somewhat.

"Guess we failed the whole no fighting in front of Jake promise." She mouthed.

"Let's not kid ourselves, Jess, it was bound to happen." He pointed out. "I'm sorry for what happened, what I put you through. I was just eager to know if there was a future for us. And now I know there is. I understand your concern, but everything I've done as Commander hasn't fixed anything, it's only prolonged the inevitable. For ten years I've basically sat on my ass patching up our problems as best I could with the growing realization that all the hard work we've put into this coalition was going to one day fall apart. Until now. The opportunity to save our people, our son, is laid out right in front of us. I couldn't pass that up. I had to see it through."

"There were others, who could have seen it through, Andrew." Jessica argued. "If it had happened without you being directly involved, I could have seen past it. But you were there, and as a result of that we're now at war."

"We're not at war yet." Andrew clarified. "And if the Council's course of action is anything to stand by, we're doing everything in our power to avoid one."

"So you're in unanimous agreement to sue for peace. Unsurprising." Jessica claimed. "But I doubt you'll be Commander long enough to see it through."

"That's where you're wrong. We're in a moment of crisis right now, and a change in leadership due to my mistakes is the least of our concerns."

Jess was still unresponsive, her mood still stuck brooding frustration and anxiety. Perhaps if Andrew shared something positive, and he had just the thing.

"What if I were to tell you we also enacted a proposal to start gathering resources on the other world?" 

Jessica shot her husband a look of surprise, her eyes having the slightest glimmer of hope.

"You're kidding? How did you even get that to slide after everything that's happened?" she questioned.

"To put it simply, our survival outweighed any moral compass. I've already sent the units en route. This water shortage will be remedied quickly."

Jessica wasn't immediate with her response towards his claim, but a clear sense of unease still lingered in her expression.

"So now it really only boils down to a potential conflict?" she asked.

"In short, yes. But I don't think it will come to that. Desperate times call for some sacrifices, and given the circumstances, said sacrifices could be a lot worse." Andrew argued. "But don't think either side wants a conflict."

Once again a moment of pause persisted, both parties contemplating various things. Andrew wondered if things in his life would ever return to normal after this crisis subsided. Jessica worried if a war would arise despite the efforts of her husband and the Council, effectively risking the possibility that their son and his generation would have to deal with the consequences they created.

"Jess, I know that look. You're angry with me." Andrew pointed out.

"I have every right to be." Jessica proclaimed, before her tone transitioned into something more comforting. "But, maybe I let the fear get the better of me. With the reservoir and now this, it just seems like the world around us is falling apart."

Andrew leaned in closer, putting his arm around her in a caring gesture.

"Not if I can help it. One way or another, we'll get through this." 

"For some very, very, strange reason, I can kind of believe that. That's if you don't screw things up again."

Andrew laughed at his wife's jest before replying with one of his own.

"Well, I did warn you years ago our marriage would never be boring." 

"Yes, well, God forbid we get a little boring from time to time." She said before leaning in for a long kiss, one which Andrew graciously accepted.

As their lips parted, Jess pulled him in closer, till the side of her head was resting on his chest.

"Promise me. Promise me you'll do everything to resolve this." Jessica begged.

"I promise." Andrew replied. "We both know how the last war turned out. I'm not about to let us get dragged into another."

A thought then crossed Andrew's mind, a chance to try his luck at something that could further lighten the mood in a direction that would help them both alleviate the pressures of current events.

"You know, for one who wants boredom so badly you had no qualms on trying to combat it before I left." He said with clear intentions as to what he was alluding to.

Jessica however wasn't having any of it.

"Oh, don't even try your luck." Jessica shot back, pushing him slightly away. "Your ass is sleeping on this couch tonight."

Jessica then got up and proceeded towards the bedroom, leaving Andrew with an expression like a puppy who knew it did something bad but desperately wanted to make up.

"Wait, are you serious? You're not actually?" 

"Oh you better believe it. Good night." Jessica teased with a sly smile, shutting the door and locking it for good measure.

Andrew got up, leaning on the door hoping this was just a cruel prank and that he'd be let in. Several seconds passed, and the realization finally set in.

"B-but the make up sex?" he said with disappointment

"You can have that when you come home with good news, or until I'm no longer mad at you. Whichever comes first, really." Jess said, her voice muffled through the door. "Your press meeting starts in about six hours, doesn't it? I suggest you get some sleep while you can, soldier boy."

Andrew's primal urges wanted him to protest, but the rational part of his mind told him to heed her words. With a disappointed sigh he dragged himself away from the door in defeat. After a quick undress to his shirt, boxers, and socks, Andrew plopped down on the sofa pulled down the folded blanket that rested on top, spreading it over himself. Just as he shuffled into a position that felt comfortable is when the old springs of the couch began to dig into his back.

"So much for a good night's sleep."





"Almost finished, Twilight." Rarity informed her friend, squinting through the magnified reading glasses she always wore when doing seam work. "Just need to tighten it up annnnndddd, done." 

Rarity had been fitting Twilight for her attire all morning, adding the last finishing touches to her dress and hair for the better part of an hour. Now all that was left was to wait to be summoned by Princess Celestia. Despite the process of her fitting, it did little to take Twilight's mind off of things. She was uncertain as to what the near future held as the anxiety plagued every fiber of her thoughts. Throughout the fitting, she pondered what was at stake, the risk, nay, the dangers that would lie ahead should war come to their doorstep. The attire she sported did little to help. As a princess, she had been instructed to wear a set of tailored senatorial regalia, a fashion attire unique for a royal congress. Although she seldom wore her regular set out of humility, she never imagined she'd ever wear this outfit in her life. That alone served to further hammer the fact home the gravity of what was at stake.
But the time for humility had passed, as Equestria now needed a princess who was ready and able to step up to the podium, and be the champion for peace at the most dire hour. Today would mark the arrival of most of the Equestrian senators, with the actual congress occurring the day after. While time was of the essence, getting everypony situated and prepped for what would undoubtedly be hours upon hours of debate and delegation was it's own daunting task entirely. In ideal circumstances, the delegates would prep for the immediate congress the minute they arrived. However, centuries of formalities carried with it the expectation that some of the more prominent members of the Senatorial Society be granted a royal audience and they of course would be arriving in their own traditional senatorial garbs, formal togas for the stallions and stunning stolas of exquisite design for the mares, both of which would be befitting the higher echelons of society. Twilight herself wondered if such adherence to a set wardrobe was even important at a time like this, but it didn't eat up too much time either.
Spike had also been in the room with the two mares, helping Rarity get Twilight ready for the royal congress as best he could, going over notes and imperative talking points that would need to be addressed as Rarity finished the final seams. But no preparation in the world seemed to sooth Twilight's anxieties, and while Twilight may have been silent in that regard, he knew his sister too well for him to be oblivious to her current plight.

"Twilight, you need to be calm, everything's going to be fine." He tried to assure her.

"I wish I shared your optimism, Spike, but I don't know if that's true anymore." Twilight relented. 

"Okay, you have a point, but you've been fixating your every thought on this congress thing since we've arrived in Canterlot. You need to think about something else." he argued.

"Spike, I understand where you're coming from, but what's about to take place could very well determine the fate of the nation. That's a lot of pressure." Twilight argued.

"Granted, darling, but you need something to put your mind at ease." Rarity urged as well. "All this stress will give off the appearance that you're too nervous, and right now you need to come off as confident in what you're doing.

"And how am I supposed to do that exactly?" Twilight snapped.

Twilight regretted her tone seeing the impact it had on both Spike and Rarity. Outside perspective might have seen Spike's initial suggestion as ignorant of the circumstances, but Twilight knew he was smarter than those his age, only helped by being raised by prestigious academic family. He was just trying to help, Rarity could see that, and honestly, so could Twilight. Suddenly it occurred to her that she stood to lose nothing by taking up their suggestions.

"I'm sorry." Twilight sighed. "You're both right, I'm just worried."

"It's okay, Twilight. We all are." Spike admitted. 

"Some more than others, I'm afraid." Rarity added.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"Well, it concerns Applejack." Rarity informed her. "She and Pinkie have been helping the catering staff as best as they can, but Applejack is really missing home, and constantly worried about her family."

At that moment, Twilight felt somewhat inconsiderate having failed to recognize her friend's plight.

"I didn't even think about that." Twilight said. "After what happened I suppose she has every right to be, if anything happens, there's a good chance it will land at her family's doorstep."

"Maybe a talk from one of her other friends could help her get through some of this?" Spike suggested.

It had finally occurred how little she had seen of her friends since departing the train and arriving at the palace. Other than this quick fitting with Rarity on the attire she needed to wear, she had spent little time in their company. With so much of her time preparing for the congress, and them coming to her aid after her harrowing encounter with the humans, she had yet to repay that kindness back.

"I'll make it her, to you all." Twilight proclaimed.

"A caring gesture, darling. But if I may speak truthfully, what we all really want right now is for you to be the outgoing and confident mare we know you can be in a time of turmoil." Rarity encouraged.

Twilight smiled at the level of trust Rarity expressed, but at that moment a knock came to the door.

"Come in." Twilight addressed.

As the door swung open, a rather familiar looking guard came walking in.

"Flash Sentry?" she inquired.

The guard took off his helmet and sure enough, the blue-maned pegasus was in fact standing before her.

"Hello again, your majesty." He said bowing.

As he went to rise up, he grunted in pain. Twilight approached, ready to assist.

"Are you alright?" she asked. "I thought you were injured in the fighting?"

"I was, but I'll be fine, princess. I took a slight injury to one of my back legs." He informed her, lifting up his hind leg to reveal a bandage wrapped around it. "Whatever those weapons dished out only grazed me. I was the lucky one, everypony else is in no shape to do much of anything."

"I heard, and I'm so sorry what happened, Flash, and so sorry for how I acted during it. I shouldn't have said what I said."

"You already apologized, your majesty. It was a bad time for all of us, but it wasn't your fault things ended the way they did." He assured her. "Anyways, I was sent ahead to summon you to the throne room. Princess Celestia requests your presence. I'm to be your escort, if you'll allow me."

She turned to Spike and Rarity.

"Where will you two be?" she asked.

Rarity stepped forth and was first to answer.

"I need to return to the university to pick up whatever findings they did on that egregious head." Rarity said with the slightest hint of disdain towards the subject of those findings.

"Care if I tag along, Rarity?" Spike asked.

"It would be a pleasure, darling." Rarity chirped.

"Meet us after?" Spike asked, turning to Twilight.

Twilight nodded and turned her attention back to Flash Sentry.

"I'm ready to depart when you are." Twilight answered. "Lead the way, Lieutenant." 





"Time to rise and shine, princess." 

Luna squinted her eyes from the morning rays that pierced through her window as the nurse opened the blinds. Were Luna any other pony she perhaps thought that she would absolutely despise such a wake up. Alas, Luna was used to this, as royal duties over the years required a prompt schedule. What she wasn't used to was the lack of a certain elderly mustached unicorn. Instead it was Nurse Nettlekiss, the green earth pony mare who oversaw her the night prior, who had opted to wake her up. Nonetheless, Luna rose only for the pain to remind the princess of the night why she was in bed to begin with.

"Careful, princess. Remember what I said about being more careful, it's going to take some time for your injuries to heal." Nettlekiss instructed.

"Noted. By chance do you know where Sir Kibitz is?" Luna asked. "He usually oversees my morning wake-up."

Nettlekiss walked over to the door leading into Luna's chambers, using her teeth to bring in a small cart of pastries, fruit, and punch with all the appropriate dining wear meant to accommodate them. Once setting it in front of Princess Luna, she proceeded to answer.

"Sir Kibitz is currently helping Princess Celestia with the greeting ceremony, your majesty."

"I see." Luna said, levitating a whole pineapple and chowing into it like one would an apple, much to the surprise of Nettlekiss. "Am I to assume we're pressed for time then?"

"Um, I'm afraid so, Princess. Once you're done with breakfast, Princess Celestia instructed me to tell you that you're to don a senatorial set of regalia and join the others in the main hall plaza."

"Senatorial set? My word, it's been many, many, moons since I've heard those words." Luna muttered.

"Come again?"

"Nothing, just, recounting the past. Tell one of the guards outside to deliver a message to my sister and Princess Twilight that I will join them shortly."

Nettlekiss gave a curt bow and proceeded to carry out her request. 

""Okay, Luna, guess we're speed running this.

Luna levitated her wheeled brace and with a healthy amount of trepidation, managed to strap it on with little in the way of pain. As she stumbled out of bed, Luna wondered if she'd ever get used to climbing out of bed in such an awkward manner. While the doctors said the damage wouldn't be permanent, she felt somewhat weaker than the night prior. Luna pondered why and quickly came to the conclusion that it was simply nerves, exhaustion from recent events taking their toll.
Walking over to her vanity set, Princess Luna went to work. Lighting up her horn, she began lifting numerous objects and pulling on the handles to the various drawers in her nightly blue aura. In a miraculous display of her magical fidelity, Luna pulled out everything she needed for her morning routine and the senatorial greeting. Excluding some of the more frivolous tasks for sake of time. Using a dampening spell for her mane and tail in place of a shower, she quickly brushed it to a mirror sheen that made her auroran mane practically shine like starlight, quickly applied a mild touch of makeup, clearing up mild blemishes and removing eye crust the had formed during her night's sleep. In the midst of her routine, she opened her nearby wardrobe, removing the set of senatorial regalia. The chest and crown pieces resembled that of her regular, if a bit darker in color, sporting a more intricate floral design on the metal work. In place of hoofboots were hoofslippers light blue in color with two ribbons to keep them in place. In addition, the attire had a matching set of arm bracelets and was worn with a light blue silk stola, embroidered with dark navy blue floral patterns of similar color and design. 
This style hearkened to the ancient days of Equestria, and was used only in the case of an royal congress, something that hadn't happened in thousands of years. Were it not for the castle staff keeping constant watch on the state of her wardrobe, Luna suspected it would have withered away with the passing of time.
Setting the brush down, she noted a few odd hairs more than usual came out with it. Luna found that peculiar considering she didn't brush very hard and that there weren't many knots in her hair to begin with. But alas, she didn't give much more thought to it. She finished her routine by styling her hair into a crown braid, with a slight ponytail held up by a matching hair cuff. By the time she had donned the entire outfit and looked at herself in the mirror, Luna could swear she was looking at herself in the past, one where peace was never guaranteed. That was so long ago, and now, said peace was now in jeopardy once more. Luna realized the sacrifices that would be necessary to ensure a peace, and while she certainly was ready to face the consequences of her decision, she only felt a natural trepidation of when they finally surface. Wishing to make the most of her time, she ignited her horn and in a moment's notice, she teleported out of the room, her destination, would be the advisory hall behind the main throne room.




"The first arrivals are already entering the premises, your majesty." Kibitz informed.

"Are all the castle guards stationed at their positions?" Celestia asked.

"Ready to direct traffic and give the boot to any tabloids that come knocking." Raven assured her.

"Then I believe we're ready to start once my sister and Twilight arrive."

Celestia proceeded to take a seat on her throne. Adjusting her weight in her attire, giving it one more glance. She wore a white stola with gold highlights to the embroidery designs with arm bracelets, chest piece, crown, and hoofslippers of the same color, her hair was styled in a half updo that wrapped around in a crown. The whole outfit and style beckoned to a time long past, ceremonial attire traditionally worn by senators at a time where peace walked a tightrope. Peaces that were forged, wars that were needed contending with, most fortunately ending in treaties, brokered deals, bandits needing dealt with. It had been ages since that time, so long in fact that Celestia had nearly forgotten what times of true tribulation felt like. Upstart attacks were one thing, the prospect of prolonged and devastating conflicts was a thing of the past. 
But alas, the time called for such another congress, as the echelons of Equestrian government needed to know what they were dealing with. She prayed they would listen, and while she was certainly confident that they would, that uncomfortable thought of a house divided plagued her mind. Another minute passed, with Celestia watching Kibitz and Raven discuss some minor matters concerning the greeting ceremony when the former approached.

"Can I offer her majesty access to some refreshments before we start?" he asked.

"Well..." Celestia pondered.

Then as if on que, the guard she had dispatched to retrieve her pupil returned with the young mare in tow. Seeing as the greeting ceremony was undoubtedly going to be long, her choice came quickly.

"I think that would be wise." She answered.

"I'll have staff send a beverage cart right away." Kibitz said with a curt bow.

As Kibitz left to carry out his task, the new arrivals made their way down the long stretch of the throne room until they were standing right before her. Flash bowed before speaking.

"Your majesty, Princess Twilight as requested." He said.

"Thank you, Flash. Now go ahead and take your position, we're about to get started in just a few minutes." She kindly instructed.

Flash saluted in acknowledgement before setting out with his orders.

"It's good to see you again, Twilight." Celestia greeted.

"Same to you, Princess." Twilight addressed.

A quick hug was exchanged, and as they let go, Celestia felt the need to complement Twilight on her handling of her outfit. When she had informed the young alicorn she sensed she had put a slight bit of pressure onto her at such short notice, but thankfully, the result was exemplary. Much like her own, Twilight's senatorial outfit resembled Celestia's with notable exceptions being the choice in colors to better fit Twilight's natural tones, light lavender for her slippers and stola, with silver arm bracelets, tiara, and neck piece jeweled with amethysts. Her hair was styled in a royal bun, but still letting her bangs hang loose.

"You look very nice." Celestia said.

"Thanks, after you told me what I needed to wear I did some brushing up on the details of traditional senatorial attire. Rarity managed to compile it all together on such short notice too."

"Well her talents are certainly being showcased right now. I just wish it were under better circumstances." Celestia wished.

"I think we all do, princess." Twilight admitted. "Have you worked on our proposal any?"

"Some, but I'm confident we'll finish by tonight." Celestia replied. "Right now, we need to see to greeting the delegation."

"Kind of odd that we'd need to oversee a formality at a time like this."

"Normally yes, but thankfully this particular formality is much more expediate than some of the others you've witnessed over the years. I will warn you, the ponies you'll be meeting are more than likely going to be the most influential, both in status and sway they'll have in the actual congress. But we'll only be sharing a few words at most with each of the nobles before seeing to the next. Given the congress' importance, we wouldn't want the greeting ceremony consuming any more time than it needs to."

"When do the hearings actually begin?" Twilight asked.

"Tomorrow morning." Celestia answered. "The proceedings will take place in the royal atrium. From there, we make our case, and then allow the delegation to congregate and proceed with the voting."

"Simple enough, I guess." Twilight said.

"Not really, anypony is allowed to follow up our proposal with a counter argument, and can then propose something themselves. Each one is taken into consideration and is a viable option when the voting finally commences."

"So maybe not so simple." Twilight fretted.

Another guard soon approached, and by the design of his navy blue armor, she was one of Luna's.

"Your majesties. Princess Luna wanted to inform you that she should be with you shortly." The guard informed.

"How soon?" Celestia asked.

Suddenly the familiar sound of a magical burst could be heard to her right, followed by a pained cry.

"Ow!" A familiar voice cried.

Both Twilight and Celestia rushed towards its source which had come from the back room. Once inside, they saw the slumped form of Princess Luna, recoiling from what appeared to be an attempt at teleportation.

"Princess Luna, are you alright?" Twilight asked.

"Never better." Luna said with sucked breath. "What's important is that I'm here. I see you're both prepared."

"Luna, you really should take it easy with the magic for the time being, at least till your injuries heal some more." Celestia scolded. "You could risk hurting yourself even further."

Luna wanted to protest, but wasn't willing to engage in an argument for sake of time.

"Sorry, sister." Luna complied. "I knew we were pressed for time, so I came as fast as I knew how. Have the ceremonies begun?"

"Not yet, but they start soon." Celestia informed. "Last I checked, we still had seven minutes." 

"Well, best we not delay and take our positions then." Luna suggested.

The three alicorns then set off, ready for what would be the start a very long day. Twilight had poured herself a glass of water courtesy of the beverage cart placed conveniently nearby. However, due to her nerves, she had practically downed the whole glass in a matter of seconds. Before Celestia could offer a few more comforting words, they caught the sight of the great doors leading into the throne room opening. The greeting ceremony had begun. The first groups of ponies were being ushered in, some by themselves, others in pairs if they were partners in marriage or courtship. The fact that Twilight would be engaging the elite of Equestrian society was intimidating, but upon seeing the first two ponies, her heart suddenly felt a sudden reprieve of comfort.

"Princess Cadence, Shining Armor!" She said.

The two smiled as they approached in their senatorial garb, Shining wearing a ceremonial helm in addition to his navy blue toga, with Cadence sporting a rose pink stola with silver regalia and embroidery. Twilight, and in turn her brother and sister-in-law wanted nothing more than to embrace each other in a big family hug, as the trio had been closer than ever following the wedding incident a year and a half ago. However expectations of the ceremony had to be followed, and thus the couple were only allowed a curt bow, before rising and discussing the matters at hand.

"It's so good to see you safe, Twily." Shining said with affection. "We feared the worse, but it seems you're in stronger spirits than I had predicted."

"You have our deepest condolences for what happened to your home, what happened to you." Cadence added. "I can only imagine how terrifying it must have been."

Twilight recounted the events as if they were being replayed before her eyes. Mayhem, death, a gun trained to her head. However she fought off the memory, and opted to look ahead with a more positive outlook.

"Thank you, both of you, but I'm past it." Twilight proclaimed. "Right now, I can only direct my efforts to see Equestria through this crisis."

"Wise words, Princess Twilight." Celestia complimented. "It is good to see you two arrived in time, given such short notice."

"We left just as soon as the letter arrived honestly." Shining stated, before turning to Luna. "How bad is the injury, if I may ask?"

"It will heal, but the pain is still quite a burden." Luna relented.

"Auntie Luna, name anything we can do to help and we will." Cadence offered.

"Thank you, dearest niece, but the medical staff are seeing to my needs appropriately." Luna stated before changing her tone to something more considerate. "But I appreciate the gesture, I really do." 

"While we'd love to chat longer, We do have a long procession to get through." Celestia informed.

"Of course, Princess. I'm sure we'll have time later to catch up." Shining said.

The two bowed once again before descending the steps and out of the throne room, passing the next approaching couple in the process. The next pair of ponies were also easily recognized by Twilight, the two were practically the most important ponies in Canterlot second to the Princesses. Sir Fancypants and his wife, Fleur de Lis, wearing a toga and stola of matching grey and sliver. They bowed as they stood before the three mares.

"Your majesties, I offer be most genuine condolences for the ordeals you've faced, truly my heart grieves in this time of tragedy." Fancypants said with genuine sorrow in his voice. "Although I wish this meeting were under better circumstances, know that this servant of Equestria is at your disposal for whatever course you choose to take. You have my support." 

The words from Fancypants were certainly forthcoming as they were expected. He and his wife had been staunch supporters of Princess Celestia's policies for years, and by extension, they would now support the combined pursuits of all three of them.

"We appreciate your kind gesture, Sir Fancypants." Celestia said.

"That is such a display of trust, despite having yet to reveal our intentions." Luna noted.

"You've more than earned it I would think, seeing as you three have done everything in your power to do right by Equestria since before me and my beloved were but foals." 

Those words stung at Luna's heart, wondering if such trust would prevail when the truth of these circumstances would finally be revealed to the public.

"What my husband is trying to say is that we trust you three out of the appreciation and respect you've shown us, and the subjects of Equestria." Fleur clarified. "Your guiding hooves has seen us experience an era of prosperity, and we have good reason to believe it will see us out of this crisis." 

Again, the topic of such trust made Luna uneasy, though she did her best to masquerade her true feelings.

"You do us great honor. We'll see to it that we can live up to that trust." Luna said.

"We know you can." Fancypants said, before bowing with his wife and departing.

As they walked away, Celestia shared a comforting expression with her sister, one that told her not to be scared, that things would be alright. The next point approached, the first one that was by himself. Twilight upon inspection failed to recognize the middle-aged grey-coated unicorn stallion, sporting a burgundy toga and a look devoid of any particular emotion. While Twilight was unfamiliar with him, Celestia was apparently acquainted as she delivered a respective nod, though the tone in her voice didn't exactly scream positivity.

"Professor." Celestia greeted.

"Princesses." He replied with a bow.

"Princess Twilight, this Professor Neighsay, head of the EEA and director of history and culture studies at the University of Canterlot." Celestia informed.

"A pleasure to meet you in person, Princess Twilight. May I offer my sympathies to both you, Princess Luna, and Princess Celestia in this time of duress, Princess." He said in a very direct tone. "Hopefully, we can all come to an understanding and reach a quick resolution that can safeguard ponykind against this foreign menace."

While his tone wasn't exactly negative, the nonchalant word choice to describe humanity was somewhat off-putting, as far as Twilight was concerned. She wished to redirect the conversation towards something aligned with their goals towards peace, but thought it may be too soon.

"I appreciate your concern, Professor. I too hope we can resolve things amicably." Twilight said.

Neighsay didn't so much as twitch in his expression.

"Yes. Well, I shan't waste any further time as I expect you wish to expedite this process so that the proceedings may get underway. I take my leave, and give you my best wishes for a brighter future."

And just as quickly as he arrived, he was gone, leaving with a formal bow. Despite their brief encounter, Twilight couldn't help but feel as if his attitude had been slightly adversarial. Alas, her thoughts wouldn't dwell too long as the next pony in line approached. This time however, Twilight was somewhat shocked to see Celestia and Luna take on a wide-eyed look.

"*Sister, is that?*" Luna whispered

"*It is. Maintain your composure.*" She said with a slight peeve to her tone.

"*I could say the same for you.*" Luna shot back.

Twilight was more than a little confused, as she gave the approaching unicorn mare a good look and didn't see anything to really warrant such a reaction. She had rich yellow coat, sporting a sunlight yellow stola that highlighted the fiery red mane with yellow streaks. Fairly average, Twilight initially thought. Although, the expression the mare wore was almost a mix of smugness bordering on begrudging as she approached, and soon, she stood before the three and bowed.

"Sunset Shimmer." Celestia addressed with a slight hint of suspicion in her voice. "It's been a long time."

"It has, your majesty." Sunset replied. "But alas, you sent out the summons. I never once thought I'd need to act on the responsibilities that came with being a senator, but nonetheless, I'm ready to do my part for Equestria, despite past..........issues."

Celestia was silent, but Twilight could see a flicker of disdain in those glaring eyes of hers. Yet this pony seemed unphased, unaffected whatsoever. The mare then directed her attention to Twilight, catching the Princess of Friendship off guard.

"I don't think we've been formally introduced." She said with a smile that screamed facade. "Sunset Shimmer, head of Magical Sciences at the University. In fact, I'm personally overseeing work on the head of that specimen you and the elements brought with you. Quite the marvel that. However did you manage to subdue that thing?"

"That was my doing." Luna said, intervening to direct the conversation towards her. "The creature threatened the lives of the ponies around it. We weren't given much of a choice."

"Hmm, odd, I figured Celestia's pupil would have been the one to accomplish that feat." Sunset suggested. "Oh well, it doesn't matter. Right now, we have more important things to worry about. A crisis to manage, a war to avert, should that be your intentions. Unfortunate, but unavoidable. Anyways, know that you have my sincere condolences for what's happened to you three, and that I look forward to the congressional hearings. Good day."

As the mare turned to leave, Twilight couldn't keep her inquires at bay any further.

"Princess, who was that just-"

"I'll explain later, Twilight." Celestia replied bluntly.

Twilight wanted to push the issue, but one look from Luna, one that screamed, "don't go there", was enough for her to rethink that prospect. And so on and so forth, the greeting ceremony continued, bringing with it sympathies and best wishes as well as an assortment of different characters, all with differing views on the matter at hand. It was honestly a lot to process, and made the task of suing for peace seem more and more difficult.
All the while, the three alicorns were anxious for various reasons, some alike others different. But each of them wondered if their congress would commence without interruption, as the threat of human retaliation could seemingly arise at any time. Luna even began to wonder if they were in fact here already, skulking about in the Everfree forest, planning their attack.




"Dude, we totally shouldn't be out here." Dull Razor argued. "We weren't trained for this sort of deep-cover jungle stuff."

This over glorified task of babysitting the new kid was beginning to wane on the seasoned veteran that was Sergeant Gleaming Lance. The last couple of days were a disaster, with most of the reserve unit he served with getting killed in that human assault some two nights ago. Lance was still at a loss at just how many had been killed, many who he had called friend, now snuffed out form this world.
Only adding to his sense of grief and anger were the impromptu replacements they got to bolster the numbers they lost. Temporary conscripts from the local populace of Ponyville and its surrounding villages. To even call them soldiers could be seen as a joke. His most recent comment made Lance wanna strangle the feeble unicorn stallion. He sighed in frustration before turning to him with an irritated glare.

"Technically you weren't trained at all, Razor. But stick with me, do what I say, and shut your trap, and you'll be fine." 
Lance barked. "Being on patrol on the outskirts of the Everfree is already bad enough."

"Hey man, I didn't ask for this." Razor claimed, adjusting the helmet which was a size too big for him. 

"Granted, but Commander Spark gave the Captain orders to bolster our lost numbers. Given you fall into the categories of healthy, able-bodied, and over 18, you got conscripted. At least till we get some actual soldiers sent here."

"Can't happen soon enough man." Razor whined. "The minute I'm discharged, I'm outta here and moving back to Manehattan with my parents. Get as far way from this place as I can. I'm a hairstylist not a soldier!"

"And by all means, we'll allow that when they do." Lance said with forced patience. "But until then, shut up and keep walking."

A few seconds passed without so much as a word, and as they passed into double digits, Lance was hopeful that the message had gotten through. Only to be immediately shattered with Razor asking another fear-fueled questions.

"What if we're being watched by those ape monsters right now?" he asked. "Y'know those human things. That one hanging with the princesses seemed cool but his buddies sure weren't!" What if-"

"We're not being watched!" Lance said adamantly. "If the humans had come back, they'd be close by. Seeing as we haven't spotted any, I'm inclined to think they ran back to whatever backwater they call home. Now no more talking, or I'll have you cleaning latrines!"

Passing some nearby tall grass by a grove of trees, the two guards went along their patrol route without so much as an indication that someone was nearby. As they left visual range, there was a slight rustle in the grass as two tall and ghillie-suited forms rose from concealment. Ahab reached for his head, pulling back the thick veil of fake foliage to reveal his camouflage painted face. His spotter, Brooks did the same, and as soon as they deemed it safe, Ahab couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Closer than you think, pal." he bragged quietly.
> Chapter 37: Conferences Both Private and Public
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As senators across Equestria prepare for their congress and the Princesses discuss the last stages of their role in it, the last bastion of Humanity is about to learn the circumstances they find themselves in, awaiting the answers they desperately need in this time of turmoil. As they do, a fringe of scouts are sent into the brave new world, to seek out the resources that their world is incapable of providing........................




Even in the middle of the day, the ghillie suits were proving very effective for the two marksmen turned impromptu scouts. Through Bradford's findings, the Coalition could now control where the portal would open. However, given the limited geographical data at their disposal, the operational range was limited to where the initial fireteams had traversed during the botched rescue mission. This gave them ample opportunity however, as the two were tasked with finding sources of water for Colonel Pan and his company to pool from, and it just so happened Ahab knew where one was. The two departed the patch of shrubbery that had helped conceal them from the passing patrol, Brooks noting just how effective they had been hidden away.

"They didn't even know we were here." Brooks said astounded.

"And Sarge said these bushwookie suits would never come in handy." Ahab boasted.

"Well, if you think about it, was she wrong? Not a lot of foliage left in our world. Give it 200 years then maybe, but..." Brooks noted before looking up.

He immediately saw Ahab's unamused expression, his discontent made evident from the fact that he really didn't need to address the specifics of Ahab's joke. 

"But I guess you already knew that-"

"Just plant the damn beacon captain obvious." Ahab griped at him.

As Brooks carried out his task with feelings of regret, Ahab shook his head as he reached his hand to transmit a call via his headset.

"Gateway, this is Reaper 1, we're planting the first beacon now." Ahab announced.

"*Copy that, Reaper 1.*" said the voice of Lieutenant Bakowski. "*We're picking it up now on the read-map. What's your sitrep, over?*"

"We've confirmed visual on multiple small-man patrols out here, just ran across one but we weren't seen. Recommend we stick deeper in the forest if we're to avoid contact with the enemy."

"*They're not our enemies, Corporal. Not yet, and if it can be avoided altogether, that would be advantageous.*" Bakowski clarified.

"Understood sir, but I doubt they see it that way." 

"*Regardless, Corporal, your mission is to survey and recon any possible sites for resource acquisition. You're only authorized to use your weapons for self defense  in the event you come across any dangerous fauna. You are not to engage the local populace under any circumstances.*"

"Even if fired upon." Ahab confirmed. "Don't worry, sir, we knew what we were signing up for when you issued the assignment."

"*Good, glad we have that sorted out. As for your recommendation, I feel the same. Putting as much distance between you and the natives is undoubtedly the best course of action at this time. Proceed with caution, Reaper 1, and keep us up-to-date with your progress using this frequency. I want reports on the hour with regular updates on your status. You have three days to complete your task. After that, you're to report back to your POE  for extraction.*"

"Wilco."

"*Then I'll see you in a few days. Good luck, gentleman. Gateway out.*"

As Ahab signed off and turned to Brooks, the man had just entered the code that would activate the beacon, which rested on the base of a nearby tree with several wild ferns concealing it from view.

"You hear all, that?" Ahab asked.

"Course." Brooks said, tapping his own comms set. "First beacon's fired up. Which way now?"

"We go deeper into the woods. Safeties off, don't know what we'll run into." Ahab said, flipping the safety off on his PSL, which was now outfitted with a wrap of fake foliage and a greenish gray spray-camo.

Brooks did the same with his similarly outfitted SVU, and the two proceeded further into the forest, the ones the locals referred to as the Everfree.

"Isn't this the place where you found those tree dog things?" Brooks asked. 

"Yep, and I got a hunch that that's not the only surprise it has in store." Ahab admitted.

"Shit, well, here's hoping we avoid em', rather these three days go by smoothly."

"We can only hope, Brooks." Ahab stated. "But then again, when does anything go smoothly?"

"Given your stroke of recent encounters, I'd say.....never." Brooks quipped.

"Oh, so you do know what a joke is?" Ahab remarked. "Wiseass."





After 3 hours, the greeting ceremony had finally ended, as the last pony to see them had been some chair pony of the Royal Transportation Network. The three alicorns had remained composed, considerate and patient throughout the whole ordeal. But the minute the last pony was out of earshot, all three relented, as if a great burden had finally been relieved.

"Well, glad that's finally over." Luna admitted.

"So many influential ponies. And all of them can propose a solution?" Twilight asked.

"I'm afraid so, Twilight. But that doesn't mean all of them will." Celestia said confidently. "In fact, I suspect very few would, given the years since the last congress."

"A fair argument, but not entirely certain at a time like this, or with certain ponies now on the playing field." Luna added. "Your former pupil seemed to have other motives on her mind, ones that could very well pose a challenge to our own proposal."

Twilight was suddenly wide-eyed in reaction to Luna's statement, with her practically darting her attention to Celestia the moment the subject was brought up.

"Wait, Former pupil?" Twilight asked in earnest, wondering who Luna was referring to.

Celestia would have rather brought that particular subject up on her own terms, a notion further reinforced by the stink eye she immediately gave her sister, Luna. Alas, this subject was going to come back up eventually, knowing Twilight's burning curiosity for things outside her realm of knowledge. Celestia sighed, and in turn, faced her student and fellow princess.

"Perhaps we should have this discussion on the way to the private dining hall. I took the liberty of arranging a private lunch with Cadence and Shining Armor."

Twilight nodded and the three proceeded to stand up and make their way to the private dining hall, as the guards who had been stationed as security detail within the throne room followed behind. It was when they had left the throne room that the question came up again.

"So about your former pupil, who was it?" Twilight asked.

"Do you remember the mare we met shortly after our conversation with Shining Armor and Princess Cadence?"

"I do, Sunset Shimmer, wasn't it?" Twilight inquired.

"Indeed. She and I have a rather extensive history, not all good I'm afraid. She was also my pupil before you."

Twilight felt a twinge of shock. She knew the Princess had taken pupils before, but the fact that she took that kind of pony under her wing was surprising.

"Wait, that smarmy mare was your student?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, that she was." Celestia replied rather bluntly. "But that was some time ago all things considered."

"So if she was your student, what exactly happened?"

"Simply put, she overstepped her bounds, demanded what she had not earned. What you now possess."

"That's putting it mildly." Luna quipped.

"Luna." Celestia snapped.

"Wait, she knew what was to come at the end of her studies? The ascension to becoming an Alicorn?" Twilight inquired.

"Yes, but not by the means she was supposed to. I made the mistake of revealing to her an artifact that I had hoped would provide the sense of self-reflection and humility she so desperately needed, one that showed her a glimpse of a future where she had adopted such qualities. That glimpse just so happened to be one where she achieved ascension."

This artifact in question was intriguing to Twilight, but she knew well enough of what this story was going to entail than to inquire further about it.

"So what happened then?" Twilight asked. 

"I'm afraid my pupil had been too entrenched in her strive for perfection that she mistook the artifact's meaning. To her, it was an inevitability rather than a possibility. She became so obsessed with the artifact, to the point where she would bring it up daily in her conversations with me, almost as if it were a constant need for her to see it again. One day, enough was enough. I outright told her that she would not set sights on it again until she was ready. But I had come to know her too well, as that night she proceeded to go behind my back and seek out the artifact herself. It was a move I had predicted would happen as I and the guards were ready to catch her in the act."

"I take it that didn't go well?" Twilight asked.

Being forced to relive a memory can go either one of two ways, fondly or regretfully, and with Celestia's numerous years, this particular moment is one she regretted.

"No, in fact it went horribly. Sunset immediately accused me of holding her potential back. I gave her one last chance for self-reflection, but she immediately cut me off, demanding that becoming the next alicorn princess was her right. I thought I had saw sincerity and compassion in her at one point, but it turned out only to be blind ambition. That accusation was the last straw. I told her that such a gift wasn't a title, and that it could only be achieved through the abilities only friendship could give, abilities she would never be able to obtain. I stripped her of her place as my pupil, and warned her that if she could not get past this, that her studies would end. I then told her she was no longer welcome on castle grounds."

This story was certainly an eye-opener for Twilight, as the thought of anyone taking Celestia's patience for granted was rather shocking. However what was even more shocking were the circumstances regarding their recent reunion.

"If that's how you two departed, then how in Equestria did she become a senator?" Twilight inquired.

"Time passed, and despite the terms in which teacher and student were separated, Sunset persevered in her studies at the University, ultimately achieving the top marks across all her classes and achieving status of valedictorian. She continued on with her graduates in magical sciences and ultimately achieved a level of degree few ponies do. Given her achievements, the honorary title of senator was bestowed upon her by a.........pony acting in my stead. That was just days after your coronation ceremony."

Twilight was beginning to form the mental picture of this shattered relationship.

"Were you not ready to forgive her?"

"No. I've been ready to forgive her for a long time now, but Sunset isn't ready to admit her faults, she may never be. The thought of our departure from each other's lives still saddens me, but I doubt Sunset feels the same. She's achieved much without me, effectively reaching the higher echelons of Equestria society on her own. As you saw yourself, it seems she hasn't changed much in our time apart. If anything she more than likely feels accomplished by the merits she achieved without my help. And more than likely bitter about you."

"Wait, me?"

"Yes, Twilight. You're the one who achieved the ascension to becoming an alicorn princess, our equal. That feat was earned in a way Sunset could and will never achieve. She had that chance and it slipped her by."

"Sister we don't know for certain if she's still fixated on that." Luna argued.

"You may be right, but it would provide proper incentive to undermine our efforts." Celestia countered.

"Even if it were to put the rest of Equestria at risk? Would she really be that petty at a time like this?" Twilight inquired.

Celestia took on a look that accurately reflected her uncertainty, as she pondered that query.

"I honestly don't know, Twilight, but only time will tell what her true intentions are."

"A topic for another time." Luna said. "We're here."

As Celestia opened the doors, they could see that a bountiful lunch had been prepared, with Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence already present.

"Finally." Shining said, as he immediately got up to embrace his sister in one of the tightest hugs he'd ever given her, one she graciously accepted.

"We were so worried, Twily. I heard rumors, were you hurt?" He asked.

"No, I'm not hurt, at least not in any physical sense. But I'm alive, which that itself is a miracle." Twilight stated.

"No doubt about it. What about Spike?"

"He's perfectly fine." Twilight assured him. "He's with Rarity right now checking in on some things we brought to the university."

While Shining could finally breathe a much awaited sigh of relief verifying that both his siblings were safe, Cadence approached her Aunts.

"Aunt Tia, Auntie Luna, what exactly are we facing?" She asked. "Twilight was vague in her description of events, only that they were dire. What do these humans want, why are they here?"

The two sisters looked to one another before Celestia answered for the two of them.

"It's a long story, one better shared when not on an empty stomach." Celestia insisted.

The group were all willing to accept that offer, and took their seats respectively, where the three alicorns shared their long and detailed recollection of events to their co-regents to the North.









Achmed was still up, even at the crack of dawn, a habit he had picked up since basic, but to neglect the luxury of sleeping in now that he was in his home truly attested to his nerves being on edge. He had barely slept that night after Suha went to bed, maybe two hours off and on before deciding to just stay up. So much on his mind ate away at him, and by extension his ability to sleep was affected. And so he listened in to the radio most of the night, tuning into the same program Suha listened to on a near nightly basis. Achmed didn't care too much for the radio jockey, thought he was a little too bombastic in a few areas, the complete opposite of his son who happened to be in Achmed's unit. But his choice in music for his variety show was more or less close to Achmed's liking, songs that give off a funk and even relaxing vibe at times. But despite their harmonic rhythms, they did little to ease Achmed's thoughts.
Suddenly, he heard the door to Suha's room open, and the frazzled-haired and groggy looking visage of his sister came out. The sight of her at this hour finally brought a smile to his face. Despite the positive effect that had on him, it immediately turned to dire once again, as the revelation that he wouldn't be seeing his sister much at all if conflict were to be declared, the very thing he was hoping for. Achmed did his best to shake these thoughts and live in the moment, as brooding in silence did little to remedy his concerns.

"Finally awake, huh?" He said.

His sister, half-awake just shot him a befuddled look.

"Achmed. It's like, before 7." She revealed to him. "What are you doing up already?"

Turning to the clock hanging on the wall over him, he indeed looked and saw that the time was at 6:23 AM, a good two hours before Suha needed to be up for school. 

"Oh, sorry. I uh.......didn't really get a whole lot of sleep." Achmed said, sounding much like that awkward brother Suha knew before.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." She said, clearly unable to come up with any substantial response to comfort her brother's dilemma.

It was around that time that the current song in the rotation ended, followed by none other than the charismatic radio host himself.

"*And that was Wishlist by Pearl Jam. Funny how lead singer, Eddie Vedder, outlived all the other OG Seattle Grunge vocalists, only to go out in a bang when the nuke hit Seattle where he lived. Legend says as everyone was runnin' for cover, he stayed home to jam out Do The Evolution one last time, which funnily enough comes from the same album as this song. A tune about man's hubris and how it'll inevitably kill us? Bad taste now, but I guess you could say it was Eddie's way of telling everyone I told you so.*"

"Can't believe you like this guy." Achmed jabbed at his sister.

"Hey! Bloodhound's cool!" Suha said defensively, feathers successfully ruffled. "If he's so lame, why are you listening to him?"

"His taste in music choice ain't bad, just wish he'd talk less, that's all."

"*Speaking of I told you so!*" The disk jockey continued. "*Today's morning sign-off comes with an immediate announcement from none other than the Council themselves. All you kiddies half-dead and desperately fightin' off sleep to get ready for school can take a breather, as all classes have been postponed to noon today.*"

Suha silently simply raised her arms in joy, mouthful of cereal and as still recuperating to being awake. It was enough to make her brother chuckle.

"*Now before you go dragging yourselves back into your crypts, hear me out, only reason this is happening is because of the recently announced press conference, where I have it on good authority that Ol' Bill's claims from the other night are gonna be verified by the Big 5 themselves. I'd love to stick around and gloat, but I'm afraid my time on the air is coming to a close, but don't worry, I leave you in capable hands. You got Terry & Tanya Morning Show coming up next, and after that at 9, you got the press conference everyone's on the edge of their seats about. You ladies and gentlemen have a good day, and I'll see ya'll again at 8:30 pm pronto. AWOOOOOOOH!!! This is Bill "Bloodhound" Barkley, signing off!*"

Suha's expression went from groggy to excited in the span of a few seconds.

"Did you hear that!? They're gonna talk about the rumors going around town." Suha claimed. "Finally some answers."

"Yeah." was all Achmed muttered.

"Yeah? Is that seriously all you can say?" Suha said with an eyebrow raised. "You said yourself last night that you'd tell me everything in due time. Guess that time came sooner than you realized?"

"Yeah, I guess it did." Achmed admitted. "But if you think you're gonna get the whole rundown before the broadcast you can think again."

Suha groaned, but was ultimately expecting that kind of answer. Achmed was suddenly a bit more reserved at the announcement. Although Suha didn't realize it yet, He knew they'd release a statement on events in Berlin and soon. As the thought of the announcement crossed his mind, that sense of unease lit a flame under him so to speak, as the thought of his goal ultimately failing put a pit in his stomach. He wondered if they would even mention the business in Berlin, maybe they'd just see to the water situation. But alas, Achmed knew better. They'd have to address the rumors, it had been circulated too many times for it to be ignored.

"Well, looks like I have some free time before I go to school, and the press conference doesn't broadcast for another two hours. Wanna watch something?"

"Sure, I guess I could use the distraction. What are my choices?"

Suha walked around the kitchen island and over towards him, opening the drawer to one of the end tables next to the couch he was sitting on and withdrawing a stack of three DVD jewel cases. She then stood before him, flipping through and showcasing his options.

"Your choices are Mean Girls, Princess Bride, and Mamma Mia!"

"Alright, none of those sound particularly appealing." Achmed deadpanned.

"Okay granted for a guy I can understand that, but I wasn't exactly expecting my brother to be home either, otherwise I would've picked something out for the both of us to watch. But these are all I checked out recently, so y'know, just pick one."

"Whatever one is the least chick flicky." Achmed decided.

"Princess Bride it is then. Don't let the title fool you, it's more of a adventure movie than anything." Suha explained.

"I'll take your word for it." Achmed said.

Perhaps he was worrying over nothing, perhaps not. Regardless, there was this unshakable feeling his mind was unwilling to let go, one where he wouldn't like what details and decisions were going to be announced at the conference. The feeling that no matter what he had tried to do, the opportunity to avenge his friend had faded, and that he himself had been condemned to die for the lies he told. For the first time in several days, that uneasy and scared nature returned, and there was nothing Achmed could do to stop it.





"They destroyed each other? Their world?" Cadence said in disbelief. "How is that even possible?"

"What in Equestria did they do to each other?" Shining asked, just as shocked as his dearly beloved.

"Tim never got around to that detail, and we had the feeling it was very troubling for him to discuss." Celestia relented.

"The only thing he told me was that his people in the past were abhorrent in mind and intent." Twilight explained. "And that the things they made reflected those qualities."

"It sounds like his people are paying the price now." Cadence said in earnest.

"Their situation sounds dire, maybe even more than ours. That could mean they're desperate." Shining suggested.

"Desperate for what though?" Twilight asked. "Vengeance, peace, land, resources. We hardly know anything about their societal structure other than the brief rundown Tim gave us. They're led by a five person Council. If there is a way to contact them, those would be the humans to speak with."

"Truly though, the humans will undoubtedly play the first move, and from what I learned from my talks with Tim, humanity has taken up a harsh mentality to any threat it faces." Celestia explained.

"Threats that have the inability to reason." Luna clarified. "Up until now this sect of humanity has had to deal with unprecedented danger on a daily basis. But they must know there is rationality in us and vice versa. Their handling of our civilian populace during their escape, while condemnable, was restrained all things considering."

"As much as I'd like to argue against that, Luna is right." Celestia concurred. "They could have wiped out the majority of Ponyville right there in one swift stroke, but they didn't. They only attacked targets that were threats, meaning guards and any civilian that took action against them. Instead of indiscriminate slaughter, they were selective with their attack, that alone is why their lives were spared when we managed to contain them."

"But they attacked over the accidental death of one of their own." Cadence argued. "Lethal action against any sapient creature is not something to ignore. These humans are violent, shaped by the world they live in. No offense, Aunt Celestia, but they hardly scream reasonable to me."

"Achmed attacked." Luna clarified. "The others undoubtedly did so because of him. They couldn't have had any idea of what transpired between us and him."

"Sticking with your own, watching your buddy's back, a tried and true tactic." Shining commented. "When things get dodgy you run on instinct, don't start asking the questions till after the fact."

"The experience of a soldier." Celestia commented. "If my former Commander can come to that conclusion, then I can say the humans can too."

Cadence and Shining exchanged looks. A conflict of opinion was certainly there, but it hadn't reached a level of animosity, only consideration for the other's side of the argument. 

"But what if they don't?" Twilight asked, breaking the brief silence. "What if they take the word of Achmed's testimony and openly attack in retaliation?"

Nobody had an immediate answer. In reality, Twilight understood, how could they? They were dealing with a potential enemy who's technological prowess surpassed anything they could conceive of. The worst part of that was what was unknown. It would be foolish to state that they had seen the full extent of human technology, what truly terrified them all was what they hadn't seen, more specifically, what managed to reduce the human homeworld into the barren wasteland it was now.

"I suppose then we would have no choice but to amass an army capable of maintaining Equestria's defense." Celestia admitted. "We do have a few advantages. Numbers are certainly on our side."

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but massive amounts of conscripts won't make a dent, Princess." Shining stated. "From what I've learned, these humans aren't just more technologically advanced, they're trained, hardened by their environment. In short, we're dealing with professional soldiers who've practically been fighting a war their whole lives."

"But our magic is lethal to them. If we focus on unicorn conscripts as our deterrent maybe?" Cadence began.

"An admirable thought, my dear, but not one that holds up to scrutiny." Celestia sadly revealed. 

"What do you mean?" Cadence asked.

"Most unicorns in Equestria aren't magically adept, they know a levitation spell or two at most." Twilight explained. "Maybe less than 1/8 of the population even knows the most basic offensive spell, which takes a year to get the hang of for most."

"Offensive spells are challenging to take on, defensive ones even more so." Luna added. "It would take a year at least to train a sufficient amount of battlemages to face a human attack."

"Time we don't have. Which is why it is imperative that a peaceful resolution be pursued." Celestia stated.

"Agreed, but in the off chance it doesn't, we need a contingency plan. What about the elements of harmony?" Shining suggested. "They've saved Equestria in times of need numerous times before."

"Will the elements even provide aid?" Twilight questioned. "Threats with evil intent are one thing, but humans are far from evil, Tim showed us that."

Celestia herself wondered about that too. Who could say, the elements were the embodiment of friendship and pure good in the world, and could banish threats of dark intent without impediment. While humans certainly carried a mountain of crimes, there was good in them, it just so happened they were victims of their time.

"I don't know Twilight, but all options need to be considered." Celestia said. "I'll have a contingent of guards sent out to the old castle ruins to secure it for your arrival should the need for them be necessary."

Heads around the room silently agreed to that notion. But Twilight wondered if she would have the resolve to utilize them if needed. Somehow, she doubted it, praying that the humans were in the same predicament, wishing to avert the war that laid before them.




The Press conference room had never looked busier than it did on this particular morning, much to the shock of Andrew, who currently took a moment to peer into the bustling scene happening behind the heavy curtains.

"What's taking Patel and Schafer so long? It was at their behest that everyone be here on time." Bradford fretted, displaying a clear sense of nervousness that was honestly surprising given his normally eccentric behavior.

"They said they were applying some last minute touches on that statement you wrote up last night, Sawyer." Yeong said, doing his best to remain calm himself.

"Jesus, I admit my grammar may not be the best, but is it really worth taking up all this time?"

"What I think Yeong meant to say is that they're changing some of the rhetoric you used. Quite frankly, I saw nothing wrong with it when I gave it a glance, you practically giving the whole truth. But it figures Patel and Schafer would want to sugar coat some of the details, you know, damage control."

"You don't know if that's what they're doing." Yeong said defensively. "It may very well be grammar. No offense Sawyer, but you do often neglect to proof-read anything."

"Oh, bollocks!" Bradford objected.

"Will you two get a grip!" Sawyer chided. "Look, a few minutes isn't a setback, and it won't be the death of us, we know that for a fact now, so what's got you two so jittery?"

"Kind of hard to keep composure with societal stability on the line Sawyer." Bradford said. "Your statement needs to address everything. The water situation, plans for resource acquisition, the fact we found an entirely new world!"

"AND the fact that we pissed off the native population, with the possibility of war looming overhead!" Yeong added. "Sabbag may have embellished details, but if there's a chance that what he said was true, war is an inevitability."

"Not if we pursue a peaceful resolution, and trust me, we will." Andrew affirmed. "But you two are acting like there's an angry mob behind that curtain. People just want answers and we're going to give them, you have nothing to be afraid of!"

"We're not afraid of anyone Sawyer." Bradford clarified. "But you can't honestly tell me that you're not the slightest bit nervous on what the public reaction to all of this will be?"

Andrew wanted to object, say everything would be fine, but that would be an outright lie given the circumstances.

"I don't know how'll they'll react, Bradford. But we have solutions ready, and explaining them to the people is what's going to buy the confidence we need for folks to wade this out."

Yeong and Bradford, while still having their reservations and concerns, certainly saw the logic in his statement. Going up there and announcing for everyone to remain calm pretty much never worked, especially if the resolve of the people was weak. Whether that was the case remained to be seen, but Andrew knew that this particular hour would be the deciding factor on that status. Just as one conversation ended, another was about to begin, as an escort arrived with Councilor's Schafer and Patel in tow, the latter of which holding the pamphlet detailing the official statement Andrew would be giving to the public.

"Apologies for being late." Schafer said in earnest. "The final briefing took longer than anticipated."

"What all did you change?" Bradford asked, a tone clearly divisive and implying some level of hostility.

"Oh quit bellyacheing, Bradford." Patel snapped. "We spent all that time fixing grammatical mistakes, all of the original talking points are unaltered."

"See, told you so." Yeong stated.

"Sawyer you really need to get a proofreader at this point, your writing is quite frankly atrocious."

"Okay, I get it! I was trained to be a soldier not a professional writer." Andrew vented. "I'll see to it I have someone qualified to do the job later. Now can we please attend to the task at hand?"

The others silently agreed, and proceeded towards the heavy curtain, currently being drawn back by the escort of Peace Branch Personnel that had accompanied them. Their place for the press conference would be at a long table draped with a black tablecloth, with a series of microphones, one of each seat hooked up to a PA system and the others giving audio feedback to every radio station in the city. The crowd that had gathered consisted of many parties, high ranking officials of the various branches; Viktor being among their number, press reporters for both herald and radio outlets, and a wide variety of community leaders representing the various districts and neighborhoods of New Damascus. All in all it was a crowd of around 120 people, all dressed in the everyday attire their job required, however there was a certain level of formality to address for such events, albeit brief.
The Councilors took to standing by their seats, with Andrew taking the center given he would be the one conveying the majority of the official statement. Before anyone sat down however, Andrew unhitched the microphone from its stand, raising it a decent distance away from his mouth.

"Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the 319th public conference of the Survivor Coalition Council. Let's start this off with the pledge, shall we? All arise."

Those who had been sitting down stood up, looking towards the forged brass centerpiece of the Survivor Coalition symbol that hung above the wall parallel with the table at which the Council sat. Deeming that all were ready, Andrew began.

"Let's begin." he announced, and as soon as he did everyone in the room recited the pledge in unison, one they had known by heart for many years.


"United we stand, divided we fall. Placing my fellow man before all."
"God as our witness, may this peace last. May war stay buried in the past."
"Ad illustrius futurum."


"Please be seated." Andrew said.

As everyone took their seats, Andrew decided to test the waters so to speak.

"So, I take it you all slept well too?" Andrew jested with obvious sarcasm.

A slight chuckle took over the room, not an outright uproar, but enough to set some of the edge off.

"Alright good, if they're laughing I guess that means folks aren't desperate yet." Andrew pondered to himself.

Andrew proceeded to grab the sheet that was handed to him, flipping to the first page and reading off of it while still maintaining a visual with the crowd. Andrew's grammar skills were certainly rusty, but public speaking came naturally to him.

"Getting to the matter at hand, you're all wondering what steps are being taken to ensure stability and resource management. And no doubt many others are looking for the validity of certain...rumors circulating around the city. We'll address everything in due time, and I ask that all questions wait until the open forum has commenced. With that out of the way, let me begin on the measures that will be enacted. They are as follows. First off, in light of the recent tunneler incident at the reservoir, I am afraid water rationing will need to be increased for a limited time."

Naturally, this didn't bode too well as some disruptive murmurs began to overtake the crowd.

"Settle down. I do stress the word limited."

Surprisingly, the crowd went almost silent upon hearing that, as if eager or surprised to hear something other than damage control.

"This ration extensional period is expected to last no more than a month at best. As an incentive for the people's patience during this crisis, all water requisition cards dated past 9/14/87 will have their expiration date extended by a total of three weeks. As a precaution however, Militia personnel will be doubling security measures at the reservoir at this time, both to safeguard the location from external threats, as well as internal thefts. Leading into that latter half, there will be a crackdown on any unauthorized water withdrawals. With shortages at the levels they are, all volumes of water will need to be accounted for until new sources are obtained, anyone caught and found guilty of the act can expect 2 months in their local district jail. Repeat offenders can expect harsher punishments."

Another murmur traveled across the crowd, and while the general unease and discontent were there, this one expressed more confusion than grievance, with statements such as "Have they gone insane?" or "Do they expect water to pop outta nowhere?" and "Where do they expect to get it?" being thrown around. Others were somewhat skeptical, but more than a few looked on in anticipation, undoubtedly waiting for some rumors to be verified. Andrew then looked down at his speech, hesitant to continue onto the next announcement, one that would flip society on its head.

"Moment of truth." Andrew mentally muttered.

"Now onto the second matter at hand. This Council is aware of the rumors being circulated to the Militia's recent activities near Fort Bismarck in the ruins of Berlin. Many claims have been made, but we wish to clarify what had been confirmed at this point. Many a claim has been made, but we'll address the ones that most closely reflect the actual reality of it. Did we find another world? And is it teeming with life that can sustain the resources we need?" Andrew said in rhetoric.

The room was dead silent now, with not so much as a peep as everyone waited with bated breath. The moment of truth had come at last, as Andrew sighed in anxiety, he blatantly stated the answer everyone was waiting for.

"Yes."





It had been a couple minutes since the movie involving the escapades of a thief and a princess ended, and in the nick of time as Suha was eager to tune into the broadcast, just managing to catch it after the pledge had been said. While she listened to every word with bated breath, Achmed could feel the pit form in his stomach the minute the rumors were addressed, surprised that the Council would do so so deliberately and so soon. But alas, the time was now.

"*Did we find another world? And is it teeming with life that can sustain the resources we need? Yes.*"

At that split second a commotion came over the crowd, one that needed to be quelled quickly if this press conference was to resume or even be heard by those tuning in from home. Suha however was stunned. The rumors she heard from Bloodhound Barkley on the radio, the thing the Lieutenant at the reservoir had alluded to, the very thing her brother had kept from her the night prior. This was it, this is what they found. A paradise that could save them, another world, a new hope for everyone on Earth to begin again. She was at a loss for words, only able to enthrall herself into what the Commander had to share next.

"*Please! PLEASE SETTLE DOWN!" Andrew urged assertively. "I will answer everything I can, but please, let me finish!*"

Through his raised voice and the coercive shushing of many within the crowd who wished to hear the rest, the noise returned to an acceptable level, for both the Council and those listeners at home.

"*Thank you, as I was saying, I can confirm that Militia forces in conjunction with members of the Science Branch did in fact find a garden world capable of providing both food and water at not just sustainable, but excessive quantities. No doubt it sounds too good to be true. And you'd be right*"

Achmed and Suha immediately noticed that the somewhat joyous ambience was immediately quelled upon his last statement. A similar effect had happened as Suha's joy had also quickly subsided. Achmed however was tense, unresponsive emotionally, as he practically stared down the radio in the living room.

"*While many of you might see this as a sigh of relief, I do unfortunately bear some bad news. Precisely one week ago, a Militia Scouting Team under the command of the 3rd Motorized Infantry Company was conducting a search of nearby clinics in the Berlin area. One potential spot yielded the discovery of a pre-war CIA research facility, one whose purpose was to conduct and expand upon interdimensional travel devices. Code named "Gateway" this two man scouting team came across one of these "gates" and inadvertently activated one. One of the two men, Private Timothy Berfield, was pulled into the device by accident and vanished. It wasn't until later that we knew he had been transported and was unable to return to our world by his own devices.*"

"Wait?" Suha cried out. "Wait a minute? TIM? You mean our Tim-"

"Be quiet Suha." Achmed ordered. "Just listen."

Her brother was using that tone of voice that was so unfamiliar. Her burning curiosity to what her brother and his best friend got caught up in ate away at her mind, but whatever was about to be shared must have hurt her brother, as she could see tears of anger and pain trickle down his eyes. She stayed silent, doing as told and listening in to the broadcast once more.

"*His unit was immediately dispatched to the area and secured the site. The Council was informed of the circumstances surrounding this event and in response, I and Councilor Bradford with a team of some of his best scientists and researchers boarded a plane to Germany to see this facility ourselves. Upon arrival, research on the facility and devices immediately commenced, and through the combined efforts of the Militia and Science Branches, we were able to divulge the location he had been sent, an unexplored plane codenamed "Echo". With this knowledge in hand, I...personally...oversaw the staging and commencement stages of a rescue operation, in the field no less.*"

The crowd wasn't quite clear on how they felt from such a revelation, as voices came back in a mix of disapproval and admiration. Derision for his irresponsibility, and respect for seeing this mission out himself, even more so when it involved humanity's last salvation.

"*I would like to apologize for this reckless action, and those that I put in danger in doing so. But more so, I take full responsibility for the events that happened, and once this crisis has subsided, I will stand down if asked of me. There are more things to discuss, and I will divulge my mistakes as they come up. But getting back to the subject, Private Berfield had not been killed upon entry to this other world, and had opted to find his own way home. In an attempt to find help, he had inexplicably made history.*"

This whole time Suha had been listening and correlating this new information with the info from Bloodhound's broadcast a few nights ago. Thus it was almost as if she had expected what was to come next, yet was still shocked to her core to hear it from the Commander's mouth.

"*At an unknown time and date, Private Berfield somehow managed to make successful first contact with an extraterrestrial species native to Echo.*"

Achmed and Suha could hear the gasp fall over the room, the crowd enthralled with his recounting of events. Suha herself had her jaw dropped, looking to her brother instinctively. But instead of a surprised reaction, his expression went unchanged, as did his gaze.

"*Before I continue further, I would like to give Councilor Bradford the time to share a brief rundown of our findings about this newly discovered race. Councilor.*"

Though they couldn't see it, Achmed and Suha could tell that Bradford took over at this point, as the sound of a microphone being switched emanated from the sound waves.

"*Thank you, Commander.*" Bradford said before continuing. "*For the sake of time, I will make this public description brief. These creatures are equine in nature, though they vary heavily from any specimens that were known to inhabit Earth. They're short in stature, with the average height suspected to be somewhere around 3-4 feet. They possess vastly superior intellect for equines, akin to that of a human, as well as possessing the concepts of rationality and sentience. They're vibrantly colored, and technologically they seem to be experiencing the beginnings of an industrial revolution. However these creatures vary in several subspecies, some of which possess abilities that humans do not. One is flight, as several specimens were observed to possess wings capable of flight. Others have a strange horn protruding from the forehead of the creatures. This, appendage gives them an innate ability of high level energy manipulation. The extent and capabilities of this ability are still speculative, but know that they can be and are used for offensive and defensive means. For anyone wishing for a more detailed list of queries concerning the subject, I ask you to save the questions for the public forum. I return the floor back to you, Commander.*"

"*At exactly 1900 hours CET, a rescue operation carried out by two First Reconnaissance fireteams, Osaka and Wolfpack, traversed into the world in an attempt to locate our missing soldier, who was found in the supposed custody of these native inhabitants. Under my command, I issued a nighttime infiltration of the facility he was relegated to. Once inside, members of Fireteam Wolfpack and Osaka found both evidence of a reconstructed device in a similar shape and function of the ones at the Berlin facility, as well as the decapitated remains of a mutant native to our world, indicating they've already achieved interdimensional travel themselves. Unfortunately, in the midst of our infiltration, visual feed from on-site drones inexplicably cut out, leaving one member of Fireteam Osaka cut off. I will not be revealing his identity for security and privacy concerns. This separation in turn led to him becoming compromised, but not before he made contact with Berfield. Berfield claimed his stay was humane, and that his hosts had peaceful intentions, even beneficial ones. However the forces who discovered this operator happened to be none other than the leader's of this native populace. This member of Osaka claimed they were angered by his presence, however it was not only from our trespassing, but supposedly our presence interfered with ulterior motives related to Earth, maybe even humanity. Regardless, events quickly deteriorated, and by means and reasons that still remain inconclusive, Private Berfield was killed during an altercation between him, the operator, and the native leadership.*"

"INCONCLUSIVE!?" Achmed seethed, getting up from his seat and looming over the radio as if he were to destroy it. 

This sudden outburst made Suha recoil. Rage filled every fiber of his being, for that word alone was all he needed to hear to know he had failed to sway their minds. All was lost, the chance the Equestrians would settle for conflict was minimal after the bloody nose they were dealt, they'd have to be suicidal to refuse a peace deal. Soon enough he would be called out as a lair, and soon enough he'd reap the punishment that came with it. Tim's death would go unavenged. Achmed turned around and proceeded to vacate the living room, silently leaving his sister to listen to the remainder of the conference alone, though her attention was barely focused on it now.

Everything made sense now, the change in her brother's character gave her some suspicions, but his outburst just now outright confirmed them. Achmed wasn't just angered by Tim's untimely death, he had to have seen it in person to be this angry, he had to. Though the identity of the operator who fired the first shot had yet to be identified, somehow, someway, Suha knew it was her brother. 





"Following this sudden aggression, the operator returned fire but was ultimately unable to do harm as the leadership summoned a barrier in their defense. We luckily were able to link back up, and by using non-lethal means, subdued the leadership momentarily to both escape and recover Berfield's belongings. Things quickly deteriorated further, as me and the fireteams were beginning to be cut off, native forces attacked in pursuit, and as standard operating procedure dictates, they forced our hand, and we had no choice but to return fire. I gave the order for a strategical retreat, as well as the destruction of the native's device using explosive charges. We were pursued, and en route to our exfiltration point, we were subdued by the abilities inherent in this species. Additional reinforcements of the 3rd Motorized Company were called in to provide support for our escape, a move that proved successful. As of now, our casualties only numbered 5. One confirmed KIA in the case of Private Berfield, with four others sustaining non-critical injuries in the battle that followed our temporary capture. Casualties inflicted on the native populace are inconclusive, though speculation paints their number of losses above at least a hundred."

The crowd let out a series of sharp gasps of shock and slight disgust, immediately followed by viscous reprimands of some of those in the crowd who saw these actions as a betrayal of everything humanity now stood for, something Andrew was expecting and ready to address.

"I know many of you are angry!" He admitted. "What I've done can be seen as a blatant disregard for our ideals, ones that go back to our founding 22 years ago. But things played out the way they did, and it boiled down to two choices in the end, saving my men and escaping by any means necessary or jeopardizing the security of the Survivor Coalition as a whole by our capture. I regret how things played out, but I stand by my choices, and will bear the consequences that come with them, as I've said once already."

While many a glare still could be seen on a fair number of faces, his answer was enough to stop the heckling and verbal attacks for now.

"Now I know what many of you are thinking, are we at war? Truth is, I don't know. Considering the native populace have yet to reply by any means at their disposal, I suppose it's safe to assume we play the next move. I, and by extension the rest of this Council, would prefer to avoid a conflict if we can. Despite the testimony of the operator in question, and even the death of Private Berfield at the hands of this native leadership, this Council determined that his sole testimony leaves too many holes and does not provide enough evidence to conclusively determine any foul play. Even if what he says is true, we will not enter a conflict unless given no other choice. We all suffered from the last war, all of us. It's scars are all around us, daily reminders of the hell left in its wake, one we've had to endure almost all our lives. With that in mind, let me make this abundantly clear. We will not start another war, until we've expended every option for peace first."

The room was yet again taken aback with silence, one that lasted a fair second before a faint clap could be heard. With heads turning to see who had started it, it turned out to be none other than Colonel Viktor Antonov. While Andrew appreciated the gesture, he doubted it would gain him anything, a mindset shattered almost immediately when others began to join. Eventually the room echoed with applause. Andrew was taken aback. He was expecting resentment, contempt for his actions, and yet here he was being treated with the kind of reverence fit for someone who was more qualified than him. Maybe Patel was right, despite his shortcomings, he did what needed to be done, even if it put him holding the short stick. Maybe those in the crowd saw that, maybe they were just happy that a competent solution was being carried out with confidence, maybe it even just boiled down to Vik's peer pressure being contagious at unprecedented levels. It didn't matter, the response was far from the worst he was expecting, and that alone was a blessing he could most certainly live with.

"Thank you. I hope I can live up to the faith you have in me and in this Council." He said when the applause finally died down. "As of last night, this Council drafted a correspondence expressing desires for a peaceful settlement. Given the constraints of time, this exchange of correspondence will be handled by an on-site senior staff member of the research team dispatched by the Science Branch, accompanied by one enlisted member of the Militia. At the same time, Militia forces under the command of Colonel Panjaitan are en route to Berlin to begin resource acquisitions, codenamed Operation Hydra Wood. They are under strict orders not to engage the local populace, and to acquire the water we need to reclaim that which we lost. Now, onto less pressing matters."

Andrew then proceeded with a few minor announcements that needed to be addressed anyway, before the crisis hit. After about twenty minutes, the stream of announcements finally concluded, and the forum could begin. This is where the bulk of the press conference was going to occur, the part where he and the other Councilors would have to answer query after query.
The majority of questions asked were reasonable. Capabilities of the local populace and their technological advancement, geographic descriptions, hours in a day and so forth. But towards the end of the open forum is when the more ludicrous questions came out. Do the aliens shoot lasers out of their eyes? How soon can we expect an invasion and which variety of saucer would they be using? Some were jokes, others were unfortunately more genuine. These particular questions had no doubt been stirred up by the rumors and Andrew couldn't help but think about the man who had perpetuated them in the first place. As his fellow Councilors professionally handled these ludicrous inquiries, Andrew couldn't help but think how he really wished he could just throw "Bloodhound" off a roof. While an exaggeration for his anger, Andrew wasn't necessarily livid either. Him leaking knowledge of the new world and those who inhabited it ahead of time was certainly an annoyance, and no doubt played into the problems that plagued New Damascus on Andrew's arrival.
But they were going to be announced regardless. In fact, his leaking of the situation might have even softened the blow of the people's response, not to mention the official statement. However, he was curious who leaked it to Bill in the first place, and Andrew would be hell bent on finding out. One way or another, it had to have been someone from the Science branch or his own militia, and if it happened to be the latter, there was certainly a conversation to be had, and a demotion to be carried out.




"Dammit Dad! I knew you'd do me dirty like this!" Nick practically hollered through the video call.

The on-site comms room had been set up relatively quickly, he had to hand it to those science guys, they knew their craft and knew it well. Linking up connection literally hundreds of miles away in the public call rooms of the Council building was certainly an achievement of its own in this day and age, and one that allowed militiamen to speak with family members on a semi-regular basis. However at this time, one of Nick's family had taken advantage of his trust, his own father, renowned radio jockey, Bill "Bloodhound" Barkley.

"Son, if you wanted this hush-hush you should've told anyone but me." Claimed his father.

"That's because you guilt tripped me into saying it!" Nick barked before transitioning into an impersonation of his father. "Your momma and Tanya are worried sick, they just wanna know if you're safe, if everything's gonna be alright for us back home. You can tell me anything, son. I can keep a secret. They should call you Bill "Bullshit" Barkley."

"Now son, you wound me." Bill said mockingly, stifling an urge to laugh. "You didn't have to tell me everything, you could just said I'm fine and been done with it. It's on you for leaking the whole alien tidbit, and you know I've always been terrible at keeping a secret when it's too good to pass up. Remember the time you told me to keep that little incident where you fell face-first into some dogshit a secret. Shit, son, everybody we knew was laughing their ass off that day."

Nick flustered at the reminder of that and held back the urge to swear at his father again.

"Look dad, my day's been stressful enough, by sheer luck I managed to wriggle my way out of going' back to that alien world to find resources, and now I get word that it was you who spilled everything to the public! Did you think that maybe leaking that to the public incited some of the unrest in New Damascus?" Nick suggested.

"Now you know that's not true." His father shot back with a little more serious intent in his voice. "I didn't even mention a thing about the reservoir, you can blame the big five and all them other stations for that. Making things sound worse than they are, feeding off the negativity, portion sizing the facts they want you to hear! Not me! I give people hope, every time I speak, it's about fighting that good fight. I have told you about that, right boy?"

"...Not the damn good fight again..." Nick hissed in the midst of his father's spiel. 

"Keeping the people informed and givin' it to em' like it is! People deserve the truth, no matter how bad it hurts!"

"Yeah well, it hurt your son most of all." Nick condemned.

His dad proceeded to raise an eyebrow almost immediately, taken aback by the melodramatic voice his son adopted.

"Oh don't give me that crap, drama queen! You'll be fine." Bill proclaimed. "You act like I do it to make ya' miserable, believe it or not things were primed for an all-out riot over here! But I just so happened to announce things in the nick of time, and what happened. No deaths, less than two dozen arrests, and only one clash with militia forces. Folks were primed for a fight, but they opted to hear the Council out. I don't think that's coincidence."

"Oh sure, pop, you're just a public hero for everyone." Nick said sarcastically.

"I'm glad you think so. Hell they should open a sixth Councilor seat just for me!" Bill said in equal jest.

"Yeah sure, Councilor Barkley, head of the Ego Branch." 

"I like to think of it more as a Branch of Personality myself."

At that moment Corporal Richards who was manning the comms room at that time, received on-site call via his headset from elsewhere in the facility.

"Yes sir?............Yes sir he's here..................Of course, sir, I'll send him right up." Richards said before hanging up and turning to Nick. "Barkley, wrap it up pronto, Lieutenant Bakowski wants to see you, he's on level 7."

"Copy that." Nick replied. "Sorry Dad, love to continue this talk, really, but duty calls."

Before Nick walked away, Bill had one more thing to say.

"Hey son. You take care of yourself."

Nick nodded before the screen cut feed and went black. As Nick made his way down to the seventh level of the pre-war facility, thoughts of what the Lieutenant needed him for raced through his head. It certainly wasn't a promotion, he'd only been in active duty for less than two months, and even a scrape with aliens wasn't going to get him up the ranks that quickly. When he reached his destination and asked for Lieutenant's whereabouts, he saw three of his fellow compatriots standing outside the LT's temporary quarters, sporting big-shit-eating grins across their faces. This was enough for Nick to know something was up, and he'd be dead before he'd not inquire what exactly that was.

"Why are you all smiling?" Nick asked.

"Oh nothing, just envious of the emissary's newest security detail." Francis smirked.

"Security detail?" Nick questioned. "For what?"

"Y'know, for the emissary? The one the Council just announced they're sending?" Nazif explained. "Weren't you listening to the broadcast just a half hour ago?"

"No I was talking with-"

It took Nick a few seconds to comprehend what they were implying, and when it finally did hit, Nick could only feel the sense of distilled hatred return once more, one made evident by his lifeless and scrunched up expression, much to the amusement of Francis Vanhart and those who .

"Did you sign me up?" Nick worded slowly before Vanhart interjected.

"Technically, as acting NCO, I gave the LT the recommendation to assign you this task. So in short, yeah, I did." Vanhart beamed, unable to hold back his laughter.

Nick only stared at his comrades in arms, the rage only intensifying.

"WWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYY."Nick hissed with clenched teeth.

"Given how much effort you put in not to be selected for the scouting mission, we thought the only rational thing to do was to make you face your fears head on. It's only healthy for you, dude." Delp explained. "But hey, no sweat Nick, it's only war on the line."

Nick's death stare didn't falter in the slightest as he returned with a response.

"For the record. I hate you all." Nick stated in a grated voice.

"For the record, we don't give a shit." Francis smiled before gesturing for him to make his way through the door. "Good luck!"

Nick stepped forward, starting to wish he had been picked for the resource scouting, at least the aim of that mission was to avoid contact with the laser shooting aliens. As he stepped towards his inevitable doom, he wondered if Brooks and Ahab were experiencing the same level of anxiety he was.





"I cannot believe we scored on this hideout!" Brooks chimed. "Who else can say they've bunked in an old castle in the woods during an op?"

"Fucking nobody, that's who!" Ahab chimed back.

The two exchanged a quick high five, clearly happy to have stumbled across their temporary shelter for the night.

"Hey, so if this is a castle then that means-" Ahab wondered before gasping at his conclusion. "DIBS ON THE THRONE ROOM!"

"HEY NO FAIR! I WANNA BE KING!" Brooks yelled back.

As the two raced towards the giant decrepit archway that led further into the ruins, it took little time for the two men to find the room in question, finding the remnants of two thrones that stood at the edge of the giant room. While neglecting basic doctrine on clearing structures, the two men had hardly run into anything dangerous throughout the whole day. It was nighttime now, and after a day of tagging well over a dozen or so sights for resource acquisition with little to no contact with the native populace, there attentiveness was relatively relaxed. Add the fact Sarge was out of the picture, and the two were due a little room for goofing off.

"Hey look! One for each of us!" Brooks chimed.

"But there can only be one ruler!" Ahab yelled.

Ahab stood upon the more intact of the two, placing one foot on the armrest and sporting a regal stance.

"I hereby pronounce myself, SULTAN of these woods." Ahab proclaimed in a bad British accent.

"Fuck you!" Brooks yelled in mock protest. "I pronounce myself KING of the Forest. Bow to your king!"

"I shalleth not!" Ahab quipped, maintaining his accent.

"You shalleth so!" Brook shot back in an equally bad accent.

"USURPER! This slight will not go unpunished." Ahab stated, picking up an old rusty sword that fell off one of the many suits of rusty horse armor that dotted the walls and raising it towards Brooks. "I demand you honorably duel me!"

Brooks did the same, fining a sword and taking up a stance of his own before shouting, "En Garde you wretch!"

The mock battle commenced, as Ahab started to badly sing out the tune to Duel of the Fates, with Brooks joining in. However the duel was short lived, as when the two blades made contact the seventh consecutive time they shattered to pieces, leaving the two men in a state uncontrollable laughter.

"That wasn't much of a fight." Brooks managed to wheeze out.

Ahab was about to return with a comment of his own when his ear picked a series of voices being carried on the wind.

"Hey, wait a-" Ahab started to say before cut off.

"C'mon man." Brooks interjected. "We must finish-"

"No! Dude, shh. Hear that?"

As silence overtook the throne room, the sound of voices was becoming more and more audible, and worse, closer.

"Shit." Ahab said. "Hide. Now."

The two wasted no time, taking advantage of the overgrown patches of flora that had made its way inside over the centuries. With the ghillie suits, they were practically one with the scenery. A minute past, and the orange light of a torch being levitated by magic illuminated the stone walls of the ruins, followed by no less than six native guardsmen.

Brooks and Ahab were still as corpses, watching like hawks for the slightest hint of recognition that they had been seen. Alas it never came, as the night's darkness helped conceal them and the guards were too preoccupied in conversation to actively look for anything out of the ordinary.

"Where did they say the tree was?" A tall unicorn mare asked, the one who held the torch in the air.

"Commander Spark said it was deep underground, we'll have to make our way through the old tunnels." said the steel colored pegasus stallion leading them.

"We shouldn't be here, they say it's haunted. In fact I think that's what the weird chanting we heard a moment ago was. Ghosts!" Said a timid looking earth pony stallion.

"A local like you would believe in such nonsense." The unicorn quipped. 

"Ghosts are a foal's tale sure, but the tree of harmony is very real, and so are its powers. It might be leading us the right way for all we know, it might even save us from the humans." said the other unicorn mare.

"Somehow I doubt that." Said the other pegasus, a mare of green coloration.

The voices gradually faded and eventually went silent entirely as they left out the line of sight and out of earshot. Giving it a minute to verify the coast was clear, Ahab and Brooks finally vacated their hiding spot.

"So much for the castle." Brook griped. "We need to find a new spot, this place is compromised."

"What were they going on about? Tree of harmony?" Ahab questioned.

"Who knows man." Brooks said. 

"Maybe we should find out. Any intel we an get can be vital for the folks back home. C'mon, let's follow them. See where it leads us."

"That wasn't our directive, Ahab." Brooks argued.

"No, but whatever they're talking about seems important, could even be a threat to the mission at hand. We need to see what this tree really is."

Brooks sighed and begrudgingly nodded. Content they were both on the same page, the two proceeded in the same direction as the native patrol, eager to find out just what purpose this Tree of Harmony served, and if could be used against their planned operations. If so, there'd be only one choice. Neutralize it.
> Chapter 38: Premonitions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Premonitions of the future of two that are at war now serve to tailor the path ahead. All that they fear will come to pass, and all that they dread will be surpassed in tragedy..................................




The evening sun was beginning its final descent by the time Twilight found time to meet with her friends, who they themselves had finished their duties. They had taken to gathering around a local bistro, one of the more popular ones in Canterlot. It was fairly quiet at this hour, and it seemed to fit the somber mood that had seemingly fell over the city as a whole. As she approached, Twilight could hear the drawl of Applejack's voice, no doubt discussing something of importance given the concerned tone it expressed.

"I have no idea what any of em' are thinkin'. How they're handlin' this whole situation, how Applebloom is reacting to all this."

"She's a strong kid, AJ." Rainbow assured her. "She'll get through it."

"I know, but I'm more worried about her safety. Them humans could come back, and if they're fixin' for a fight I don't have a doubt where they'll strike first!"

Twilight paused, as she watched Applejack practically break into tears in worry. This whole time Twilight had spent away from her friends left her in a state of guilt, as she began feeling as if her duties as Princess were superseding her duties as a close friend, and in way, they absolutely were. Alas, she'd be for them now. Twilight approached, her friends taking notice as they smiled at her arrival.

"Hey Twi'." Applejack said, doing her best to wipe away her tears.

"Hey guys." Twilight replied. "I'm guessing you all are holding up about as well as I am. But we'll get through this, we always do."

"I suppose so, but I think even you have to agree that this feels different, Twilight." Rainbow said, a hint of frustration in her tone. 

"I know what you mean. We're so used to having the threat on our doorstep or directly on the way. But now it's unknowable, unpredictable when or if an attack will even come at all."

"Part of me says it won't, another part says it will." Fluttershy added. 

"And it definitely will if everypony is so scared they don't want to sue for peace." Pinkie claimed. "Some of those senators seemed the stuffy type."  

Speaking of which, how did the introductions go, darling?" Rarity asked.

"Well, I suppose." Twilight admitted. "Everypony we met was more or less the same, and I don't know if I could conclude what their stance will be. But I guess we'll find out tomorrow morning."

"Anypony in particular that could stir up trouble?" Spike asked. "One that happened to be a yellow unicorn with a fiery mane?"

"Don't even get me started on her." Rarity spat.

Twilight wasn't surprised from her friend's reactions, as the mare in question certainly didn't make her superiority and passive aggressive attitude a secret.

"Yes, I met Professor Shimmer during our introductions. She mentioned that you two delivered the Obelisk's head over to her."

"Yeah, and she was none too grateful upon receiving it. She immediately began wondering if we had damaged it in any way on our way over."

"As if I'd bring myself to touch that thing. I don't know what relationship the Princesses have with that mare, but I do hope she's essential in utilizing it for all the attitude she threw our way."

"She definitely struck me as the confrontational type." Twilight added. "But she is head of the Magical Sciences at the University. So if there's anypony who can figure a way to use it to defend ourselves it's her."

"No offense, but I don't see how a monster's head can help us in any way." Rainbow said. 

"Kind of on board there, sugar cube. Ain't like we can just pop off that thick hide and use it as armor with just the one." Applejack concurred.

"Well that's why they're studying it. They very well could find a way to transmute the minerals in its hide and incorporate it into an armor." Twilight added.

"But they could also find nothing." Spike said.

"That is.......also true." Twilight added.

Prospects in general seemed to put Equestria's chances in a severe disadvantage, and while her friends around her could obviously see that, Twilight feared the upper echelons of society would be too detached or unfamiliar with the reality of the situation to see that. It had been centuries since a war was fought, and as much as Twilight hated to admit it, Equestria was in no position to be fighting one, as recent threats undoubtedly proved just how fragile the security could be. Ass that to a force that was technologically and tactically more advanced, and Twilight could only envision a defeat. The only advantage they had were numbers, and unfortunate that advantage alone would only prolong the conflict. No, there was only one option that could secure Equestria's survival.

"We have to make peace." Twilight finally said. "War would mean the end of Equestria as we know it."

"I agree, Twilight, but do you honestly think those in the Equestrian Senate will?" Rainbow asked.

"I don't know Rainbow, but we'll wait and see. I do know they value the Princess' judgement greatly, and they could certainly look to her as their example." Twilight argued.

"But how many would see that as giving up, or at least giving in?" Applejack asked next. "Many ponies are fired up at what happened at the farm. Those humans killed a lot of us Twilight. Knowing folks, they'll want payback."

Twilight shook her head, almost glaring back at Applejack.

"Those ponies weren't there! If they want payback, they'll be slaughtered!"

Her friends nearly recoiled at the brutally honest nature of her statement. It took a second for Twilight to regain her composure.

"I'm sorry. I just don't want what happened to repeat itself across Equestria."

The others silently acknowledged her fears, as they were rightly something to be concerned about, coming to the same conclusions more or less. But it seemed they were dancing around the issue that Rainbow had been trying to hit home.

"I don't want a war either Twilight. But what do we do if we can't avoid it? We need a plan." Rainbow insisted.

Twilight knew that was true, but it was best to wait until a decision was made.

"We wait until the Congress comes to a decision. We plan ahead from there." Twilight stated. She then noticed that the moon had effectively risen into the night sky by now. It was getting late.

"I have a big day ahead of me, girls. I'm heading to bed." Twilight said.

"Whatever happens, Twilight. We're with you." Rarity insured. 

The others nodded in agreement. Twilight nodded back before heading towards her chambers with Spike following behind, the anxiety in the back of her mind plaguing her every thought as she couldn't help but feel things were only going to get worse.




Nick didn't think the facility housing the portals couldn't have gotten any busier, but the arrival of Colonel Pan's 27th proved that assertion wrong. Nick knew there were units better outfitted in than the 3rd but some of the stuff the 27th were hauling seemed to make his own unit look like a rag tag operation in comparison. Camo was mostly uniform, with troops sporting nothing but m81 woodland and DPM patterns, with the occasional Russian Floral Pattern. The unit had been prepping topside, effectively turning the surrounding area into a staging area, ready to depart when the order was given. Then their were the arms they were packing. Nick had never seen them before now, some sort of gas-piston assault rifle with picatinny rail on top and wooden furniture. It was clearly a 5.56 assault rifle of sorts given the stanag magazines but the rifle itself seemed to take ques from a litany of platforms as some sported Grenade launchers akin of russian designs. The more Nick though about it, the more he realized that they were more than ready, seeing as they brought with them some of the best scouting equipment, vehicles, and gear that the world had made prior to the devastation the Conflict wrought upon it. Then there was the men that made up the company and they were certainly what he had expected. Gruff, mean looking, hardened and outfitted with light but practical kit, perfect for the wild overgrowth they were about to operate in for the next few months.
Nick and some of the others watched as an EBRC Jaguar passed them by when Lt Bakowski approached the group. Nick and the others immediately gave a salute, one which the LT returned. 

"Getting a good look I see?" The Lieutenant said. 

"You could say that." Said Richards. "These guys seem like proper commandos."

"Eh, they're not that impressive." Francis insinuated.

"They're so much better than us, mate. Just take the L." Richards argued.

The Lieutenant seemed amused by the banter, but it was clear that he didn't drop by just to listen in on conversation.

"The Colonel's unit has earned much prestige, but we may be garnering our own if Barkley's assignment goes well." Bakowski asserted.

All eyes rested on Nick and but all but the Lieutenant sported an amused grin.

"Yeah, Nick. You're gonna be our very own walking olive branch for peace with the first alien race man's made contact with. Y'know the one that killed Tim! No pressure." Francis teased.

As much as he hadn't wished it, it was true. Nick had been the one selected to accompany the envoy for peace with the natives of Echo, a task that while on paper seemed simple enough he feared would be turned on its head the minute he had to step through that damn portal again. Why the LT had chosen him of all the men in the unit was beyond him. But there was no refusing a direct order, nor escaping the jokes of amused squadmates.

"Yeah man, by the end of it you're gonna be famous! Just keep from shitting your pants the moment they light you up and you should be just fine." Nazif taunted.

"And when you die we'll build a statue of you in the act." Richards finished.

The present company seemed to get a kick out of that, much to Nick's annoyance. However it seemed the Lieutenant wasn't finding the mocking all that funny.

"Alright, enough of the jokes." Bakowski ordered. "Enough meandering as it is, break was over ten minutes ago, back to your posts. Barkley, if you could join me in my office, I'd like to discuss some things with you."

Nick was lees than enthusiastic that he got picked for this mission, and even more pissed that those in his unit were getting a kick out of it. He thought that maybe Tim's death would put a damper on the ball busting, but alas he should have known better. Nick Followed his CO to his office, where a young woman, donned in field fatigues and sporting a blue patch indicating that she was from the Science Branch was also in attendance. Bakowski then gestured for them both to sit before taking a seat himself behind his desk.

"Private Barkley, I would like to introduce you to Miss Hendricks." he said.

"Hello ma'am." Nick said sticking his hand out in a kind gesture, one which she responded with a smile.

"Finally, a militiaman with manners. And here I though the esteemed Lieutenant was the only one." she said jokingly.

Nick found her comment lifting his spirits slightly as she didn't seem to convey any ill-will with it, more of simply breaking the ice with a joke.

"What can I say, I'm a rare exception." Nick said in earnest. "I just wish you had someone more capable accompanying you."

"And what makes you think you're not capable, Barkley?" the Lieutenant asked.

"Well I mean, I'm not sure it's that much of a secret that I'm not the most prestigious or confident soldier here."

"But you are the most observant, and the most restrained when its needed."

That comment took it by surprise before Hendricks took the turn to speak.

"Mister Barkley, as much as your friends would love to be the tip of the spear that avenges your friend who was killed, the Council knows we don't have the capability to fight a sustained war, which is what we'll be getting if this peace initiative fails." she explained.

"While I am proud my unit can stand in a fight, that comes with the detriment of many of them having an extra itchy trigger finger, a trait you thankfully lack." the Lieutenant clarified.

At that moment it became clear to Barkley to why he was picked as he wasn't likely to pull an Achmed and start shooting the minute things went south. As the conversation continued, Barkley and in turn Miss Hendricks were given the details of how this was going to play out and what measures were in place to help ensure their safety. If all went well the call for peace would be graciously accepted and things could start to deescalate. If not, well Nick was very certain of just what purpose Colonel Pan's unit would be serving beyond "resource acquisition".





Ahab and Brooks were stalking the squad of Equestrian soldiers like ghosts, as it seemed the native troops were clueless that they were in fact being followed. The two were led deeper into the Castle ruins, through crumbling corridors and dusty junctions. Through cellars, dungeons, and secret passages, they were eventually led into a large open cavern, the walls illuminated by an unseen bright greenish-white glow.

Upon turning the corner of a nearby rock wall, the two stood in awe with wide-eyed faces at what they saw before them. Rooted into a large underground basin was something akin to a crystalline tree, the entirety of it glowing with a vibrant aura that seemed to emanate within its crystal structure. The trunk sported reliefs depicting the sun and moon, mirror-like disks hung in vibrant vines from the branches which in turn bore several gems, and at ts center, was strange almost unnatural star like growth.

"Okay, there's something you don't see everyday." Brooks said quietly.

"No shit." Ahab said as he reached around back for his trail camera.

Ahab took aim as he held still to get a good shot off, with Brooks curious as to whether this was worth trailing their enemy for.

"You really think it's that important?" Brooks asked.

"Hey, they're guarding it, which tells me all that I need." Ahab replied quickly as he took another snap.

Brooks more or less came to accept his comrade's answer, wondering what significant this strange tree held that could warrant military detail guarding it. It was then he heard something akin to a faint whisper.

"Why have you come?"

Brooks shot his head around. The faintness of the words made him wonder if it wasn't just the equestrian guards, as this cave would undoubtedly have made one's voice echo.

"What are you two?"

Brook suddenly had his rifle at the ready, warranting Ahab's attention.

"Dude, what's the matter with you?" Ahab asked, curious as to why his friend was so jumpy all of a sudden.

"Did you hear that?" Brooks asked frantically.

"Hear what?"

"That fucking voice! That's what!" Brooks shot back.

"Dude! Shut the hell up, you want them to know we're here?!" Ahab spat back.

Ahab darted his head back to the guards, and it seemed they were still none the wiser. Brooks was spooked, as he knew what he had heard. Someone or something was setting off alarms in his friend.

"Dude, it's just those schmucks talking by that crystal tree. Voices like to reverb in caves., you start jumping at every shadow and-" Ahab insisted.

"I know you're here. "

Now it was Ahab's turn to be paralyzed.

"You heard that too? Didn't you!?" Brooks asked. "Were we followed?"

Ahab looked to the guards, and they seemed as oblivious as before with no hint of change in their behavior. But he heard a voice, and it sounded faint, yet near.

"I don't think so. But we've officially overstayed our welcome. We got what we needed." Ahab insisted. "We make our way back to the woods and we steer clear of this place."

Brooks was eager to agree to that conclusion, and the two men made like bandits and began to quickly retrace their steps out of the ruins.





An hour or so had passed before Brooks and Ahab got their signal back to HQ, and the two scouts wasted no time in relaying what they found.

"So you two believe this is a prime target of importance?" Colonel Pan asked.

"*Confidently, sir. They saw fit to assign a unit in protecting it.*" Ahab reassured the Colonel.

Pan was uncertain whether this tiny force guarding some tree far from the natives settlement indicated something needing guarding, or some asinine decision making to safeguard something of sentimental value. Nevertheless, it warranted investigating once his unit got the green light to engage to enemy. Despite only a second hand knowledge of the events that had unfolded days prior, every bone in his body told him that war with these aliens was coming, and that it would be the one that determines man's fate. With that hunch embedded so deeply, Pan would take no chances.

"Very well, mark it for us when we rendezvous, Corporal." Pan ordered.

"*Yes sir.*" Ahab relayed.

And with that the comm feed went dead, and Pan walked away from the console at the head of his unit, standing at the the ready as they awaited the portal's activation. Behind them stood a fleet of vehicles ready to perform the task assigned of them. 

"And so it begins." He said to himself as he readied his weapon and led his unit through the unknown.