II: The Unknown

Chapter 2: The Unknown

Kacume Keep, Acroli, Sanghelios

“Keep firing!” roared Tihar Med Kacumee as he aimed his plasma rifle over the low, stone wall.

Tihar and the few remaining members of his warriors were dug in amongst the ruins of his keep. Once the prideful dwelling place of his family on the western border of Acroli, Kacume Keep was now nothing more than a shameful cluster of shattered walls and burning buildings. Never once in his life had Tihar ever thought that the humans would someday invade Sanghelios. He had clearly underestimated them. Everyone had underestimated them. The humans had shown up completely unexpected, arriving in a massive fleet, which at the time had seemed impossible for them to muster. Yet, here they were, on his home turf. Tihar considered himself lucky to have been at his home during the time when the humans decided to make their largest counterattack in history. If he had been aboard his ship, attacking some far distant human world while his family defended his house without him, the sheer guilt of not being there would have torn him to pieces. This was one of the few times in his life in which he had the opportunity to fight the humans face to face. However this time, he had the chance to fight alongside his brothers. If this was to be his end, then he felt honored to be able to die defending the place of his lineage.

The human forces had completely surrounded the keep, and were shelling it from all directions. The weapons in which the humans favored, fired small metal rounds which blasted chunks of stone off of the walls, and tore through flesh with ease. Tihar was crouched behind an exterior wall, close to the main gate. The wall itself, after hours of nonstop abuse, had been reduced to mostly rubble, and barely provided enough cover for Tihar. Crouched beside him was one of Tihar’s cousins, who occasionally stood to fire off a few plasma rounds, before crouching once more as another volley of human bullets forced him to take cover once again. Through some of the windows in the taller buildings, came short bursts of plasma, which flew over the wall, and splashed up against the human positions outside. About forty meters from the main gate, the humans had parked a stupid-looking vehicle called a Warthog. The transport stood on four wheels, and had a large gun mounted on the back. The human soldier using the weapon would repeatedly fire long bursts into the Sangheili positions, opening up on anything that moved.

Tihar stood up again and aimed his rifle, but the Warthog gunner forced him down before he could acquire a target. Suddenly Tihar could hear the unmistakable whine of a human dropship approaching from the rear.

“Get to cover!” Tihar roared, jumping under a piece of fallen masonry, which was leaning up against the wall.

Tihar’s family members did the same, either hiding under rubble, or running into nearby buildings. There was a difference between being cowardly, and being stupid. Just as they got to cover, the human dropship emerged into view from behind a building, slowly flying over the keep. It reached a hovering point just beyond the main gate, swung around, and fired its nose-mounted cannon into the courtyard. The cannon fire tore everything it hit to pieces. Tihar watched as wooden shed, in which one of his nephews took refuge in, was enveloped in a rain of fire, the walls and ceiling splintering into a thousand shards of wood. A water well in the center of the courtyard was instantly obliterated by the barrage, the cobblestone falling into the pit and splashing into the water below. Soon after, the dropship took its fury out upon a two story building on the eastern side of the keep, putting a missile right in the front door. There was an ear-splitting noise, comparable to very loud thunder. The walls of the first floor were blasted apart, and the entire building came crashing down in a cloud of dust. A few of his fellow Sangheili had been positioned in that building, but Tihar had no time to mourn, he was enraged. By the Gods, the humans would pay for this atrocity.

The dropship stayed in position for another minute before letting up, and settling down to land behind the human front line. Tihar assumed that it would drop off fresh soldiers, and ammunition. The battle had been raging for hours now and there didn’t seem to be an end in sight. The only possible outcomes of the battle were if Tihar and his keep were wiped out, or if they successfully repelled the humans. The second outcome was seeming less and less likely by the minute.

A human rocket flew just over his head and struck the building behind him, showering him in dust and stone fragments. Tihar glanced across the courtyard just in time to see one of his warriors catch a bullet to the neck, and drop to the ground. Tihar stood, and in a moment of selfless fury, hefted his rifle and shot over the wall, killing three human soldiers, caring not for his own well being. Tihar shifted his aim, and without faltering, shot four more. Suddenly, he felt a heavy impact on his chest, then another and another. His shields shattered, his armor spraying sparks of plasma, and venting heat. Tihar didn’t care, he kept on firing before a round caught him in the left side of his gut. He staggered backwards, but shook it off, and raised his weapon. A final round connected right in the center of his body, shattering his chestplate, and sending him careening to the ground. Tihar’s cousin crouched next to him, and reached out to help him up, but then glanced down at Tihar’s wounds. In Tihar’s eyes, his face seemed to pale, but was quickly washed away by anger, and he too stood up and fired upon the humans, and was just as quickly brought down, himself collapsing next to Tihar.

Everything surrounding him slowed. The noise of battle began to wash away, his hearing failing him. Tihar turned his head, and watched as two more of his warriors were cut down. His vision too, began to grow dark, and time seemed to stretch outwards before him. The darkness crept in from all sides. Tihar did not resist. The blackness filled his mind as all conscious thought was swept away by the tide of the ocean of shadows.

Tihar blinked his eyes open. He was lying in his bed, within his private chamber. The room was dark, and only a faint white light emanating from from one of Sanghelios’s moons, filtering through the open window, and provided the room with a slight illumination. He sat up, swung his long legs over the edge of the bed, and scratched the back of his head. At the foot of the bed was a large chest, in which his armor, and more traditional clothing was stored. In the far corner of the room was a solid-wood cabinet. Inside were a few of Tihar’s personal belongings. Inscribed on the stone wall above the head of the bed, were each of the seven ages of the Covenant.

“The First Age: Ignorance and Fear.

The Second Age: Rivalry and Bloodshed.

The Third Age: Humility and Brotherhood.

The Fourth Age: Wonder and Understanding.

The Fifth Age: Obedience and Freedom.

The Sixth Age: Faith and Patience.

The Seventh Age: Journey and Salvation.”

Tihar sat in silence for some time, deep in meditative thought. He had dreamt a terrible dream, which meant that he wasn’t in a proper state of mind. Only the weak-minded dreamt of such things, and he vowed to himself to spend more time meditating, and to train harder, so as not to become atrophic in the mind, and make mistakes.

The door to his chamber quietly opened, letting yellow artificial light flood in through the opening. Tihar turned to face the door. His nephew, Isis stood in the doorway, wearing a brown tunic.

“I apologize for disturbing you, Kaidon,” he said, not looking directly at Tihar. “But your presence is requested for a very important meeting.”

“It is the middle of the night,” replied Tihar, staring intently at Isis. “May I ask who is requesting such a meeting?”

Isis hesitated for a moment, but then spoke up, “The Prophet of Regret, himself.”

Tihar’s eyes opened wide. If he had not been fully awake previously, he was now. His heart rate increased slightly, and a sudden nervousness washed over him. He tried his best to contain these emotions.

“The Prophet is here?” he asked.

“No,” replied Isis. “But he is urgently requesting to speak with you via long-distance communications.”

Tihar wondered what the Prophet could possibly want from him, as it couldn’t be many that many things. Either Tihar had committed some unconscious act of blasphemy against the Covenant and he was going to be executed, or the Prophet had chosen him for an important task. Whatever the reasons, he would find out soon enough.

“Inform the Prophet that I will be ready in a matter of moments, and give me communications access from my office,” said Tihar.

“Yes, Kaidon,” said Isis as he walked briskly away.

Tihar quickly hopped down from the bed, and opened up the large chest. He took out a pure-white decorative tunic meant for ceremonial occasions. He deemed it to be a presentable piece of attire to wear in the presence of a Prophet. He hastily put on the clothing, mentally prepared himself, and quickly left his chamber. He walked down the narrow stone hallway, passing doors to the chambers of his many family members. It was the middle of the night, and most of his family inside his home, as well as the rest of the keep, were asleep.

He passed by paintings of famous Sangheili commanders, and paintings of the countryside of Acroli. At the end of the passageway was the door to his office, and private meditation room. He opened the heavy, wooden door, stepped inside, and closed the door. He took a deep breath, and tapped a button on his desk. The holographic projector at the far end of the room activated, and the unmistakable image of the Prophet of Regret appeared before him. Tihar immediately bowed before the divine leader.

“I am blessed to be in the presence of thy holiness,” said Tihar, groveling. “What holy request dost thou have for a low-being such as myself?”

The image of the Prophet sat on a floating gravity-chair. He was wearing highly decorative green robes, and an ornate golden crown upon his head. He stared at Tihar with blank expression, unblinking.

“Rise, o faithful one,” replied the Prophet. “Rest assured, your devout loyalty to the Covenant has not gone unnoticed.”

Has the Prophet just commended me?

“I have an important task for you,” said the Prophet. “One in which I am sure that only a great warrior such as yourself can accomplish.”

“Name it,” replied Tihar. “Whatever thou doest request, is the request of the Gods. I will complete whatever thou hast tasked me to accomplish with unshakeable devotion. By my ancestors, I swear to...”

“Such a matter cannot be discussed at this time,” interrupted the Prophet. “I have sent a shuttle, which should be arriving soon, to bring you to my ship. Once you arrive, we will discuss this matter further.”

“I will patiently await thy gracious transport,” said Tihar. “I humbly look forward to being in the presence of thy divine self, and the holy assignment thou hast chosen for me.”

The hologram winked out of existence. Tihar felt his legs shaking underneath him.

A task from a Holy One, chosen for me and me alone.

Tihar had always dreamt of the day in which he might be personally recognized by a Prophet. This was truly the most important day of his life. If he completed the task, then he would surely be promoted, and bring great honor to his family. If he failed, certain death and loss of honor.

I will not fail thee. I swear it.

Tihar quickly returned to his chamber, along with three servants. They assisted him in putting on his heavy, golden shipmaster’s armor. Piece by piece, plates of metal alloy were attached. His chestplate, his backplate, arm guards, leg guards, were all attached, and then finally his golden helmet was placed upon his head. He quietly, yet swiftly descended the stairs of his home, and walked out into the courtyard, where he waited. One of Tihar’s uncles named Okmar was standing by the keep’s gate, keeping watch. He turned to see Tihar, and calmly strode over to him.

“Good evening, Kaidon Tihar,” he said with a small bow. “May I ask why you are up so late, and wearing you armor?”

“My presence has been requested by a Prophet,” said Tihar. “I am to be delivered to him shortly.”

“A Prophet?” asked Okmar, with a great deal of surprise. “A holy Prophet?”

“Yes, one of the divine three, the Prophet of Regret,” replied Tihar.

“The Prophet of Regret?” asked Okmar, his eyes widening. “This is truly a great day for the Kacume family. Whatever you have been chosen for, I know that you will bring great honor to our family name. I am proud to know you as my Kaidon.”

The the drive engines of a phantom dropship was suddenly heard by Tihar. He looked up, and could see the blue lights of the craft descending through the clouds. Okmar followed his gaze. It flew rapidly towards the keep, and for a moment Tihar thought that it wouldn’t stop, and that it would crash right into the center of his keep, but the craft slowed and came to settle down in the center of the courtyard. The side door opened up, beckoning him to enter.

“Goodbye, uncle,” said Tihar. “I know not when I shall return, but until then, Elder Yuitikin is to be in charge. You will answer to him.”

“Of course, Kaidon,” he said. “Good luck, and by the grace of the Gods, I pray that only good things will become of you.”

“Thank you, Uncle.”

With those last few words, Tihar stepped aboard the phantom, and and sat down inside of the empty troop bay. He felt the craft lift off, and ascend into the upper atmosphere of Sanghelios.

I will not let my family down.

He rested the back of his head against the cold wall behind him. The phantom stopped shaking as it breached the atmosphere, and passed into the cold space beyond.

UNSC Everest, Slipstream Space

“Standby for transition back to realspace,” Maya announced throughout the ship.

Cole sat in his chair, eyes fixed forward. The bridge was alive with the noise of voices. The bridge crew was busy monitoring computer screens, and making slight adjustments in the Everest’s functions. Cole did not know what they would find once they returned to realspace. They may find nothing at all, in which case he would make the decision to return to FLEETCOM right away.

I still don’t know which decision is the right one.

Transitioning back to real space in thirty seconds,” reported Maya. “Beginning redistribution of power back to the main drive engines, and auxiliary functions.”

Cole simply nodded his head in acknowledgment.

“Prepare to emerge within the Mu Arae system,” she reported. “All crew members brace yourselves. Transitioning in fifteen seconds.”

Whatever happens, whatever we find. I may never know whether it was for the right, or the wrong reason.

“Ten seconds.”

Cole’s mind came back to reality, and he braced himself in his chair. He noticed a feeling that he hadn’t felt in a long time. Fear. Fear of the unknown.

“Five... four... three... two... one...”

The blackness outside of the windows suddenly seemed to ripple as a million tiny dots of light stretched back into view. Cole felt the familiar nauseating twist in his stomach that he always felt when changing into a different dimension.

“Transition successful,” reported Maya. “Beginning proper cooldown of our Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine. All systems nominal. We are within thirty-thousand kilometers of the estimated arrival zone.”

The bridge crew erupted in joyful cheering once again. For the first time in hours, Cole smiled as well.

We are in an all-new place. The first people to ever explore this system.

“Are there any nearby celestial bodies?” Cole asked.

“My scans have detected a planet about three-hundred thousand kilometers from our current position. It does not match with any of the known planets in this system. It is quite possible that we have never been able to detect or see the planet because it has been obscured from the view of our telescopes, by the three known gas giants, much further away in this system. The planet has one moon, and it orbits the sun in the center of the planetary system. There are a total of four planets that orbit the star.”

“So, you’re saying that we may have possibly discovered a new planet?” Cole asked.

“It certainly seems like it, yes,” replied Maya. “This planet seems... strange. Almost familiar. We will need to get closer so that I may acquire more accurate readings.”

“Alright, take us on a direct course to the planet,” Cole said. “I want to see it.”

“Understood,” said Maya.

Cole felt the heavy thrusters at the rear of the ship rumble as they powered up, and propelled the Everest through space, rapidly accelerating towards the planet.

The trip took about thirty minutes. With each passing moment, the unknown planet grew larger and larger on the view screens. The crew’s anticipation only grew as well.

“The planet appears to support life,” said the A.I. “Right now I can make out large oceans, and and several large continents of landmass that appear to have regions of forest.”

“Bring us in as close as possible,” said Cole. “Then put us in orbit around the planet.”

“You got it,” she said.

Within a few minutes, the Everest had settled into a nice, slow orbit around the planet. The planet filled the entirety of the Everest’s windows with its blue form.

It looks like Earth.

“I will begin digitally mapping out the planet, although it will take me several rotations to complete an accurate three-dimensional model,” said Maya. “I also just released a drone to take samples of the atmosphere as well. I should be receiving data any moment now.”

Cole silently waited, watching the new world as the Everest rotated around the planet. It was truly a sight to see. Cole could see mountain ranges, and lush green forests. Clouds lightly covered patches of the planet. Huge, sprawling oceans spread out in all directions, touching practically every corner of the globe. It was beautiful.

“The atmosphere consists of mostly nitrogen, with medium amounts of oxygen,” she said. “I’m detecting trace amounts of argon, and carbon dioxide as well. These conditions are almost identical to Earth. This is truly a remarkable discovery.”

“What’s the plan, sir?” asked Lieutenant McMahon.

“The plan is we wait,” said Cole. “I do not want to take any definitive course of action until we know exactly what kind of situation we are in. We will wait until Maya is done creating a digital globe of the planet.”

“Understood, sir,” said the navigational expert.

Twilight Sparkle’s Residence, Ponyville, Equestria

“So what are you doing tonight, Spike?” asked Twilight. “Do you have any plans?”

“Well, I was supposed to be hanging out with Rarity, and Sweetie Belle tonite,” said Spike. “But Rarity is really busy right now, and she doesn’t have any spare time, so I can’t go over there.”

Twilight and Spike sat across from one another at the kitchen table. It was around five o’clock at night, and the two were eating dinner. Twilight was indulging on a plate of vegetables, while Spike ate baked chicken, and mashed potatoes. Twilight used to get very squeamish when she saw Spike eating meat, but after many years she eventually got used to it.

The setting sun was still visible on the horizon. It cast its yellowish-orange light through the small octagonal-shaped kitchen window.

“Well,” said Twilight. “If you want, its going to be a full moon tonight, and I was planning to go up on the balcony to watch the night sky. You can join me if you want too.”

“I don’t know,” said Spike. “Maybe. I’ll think about it.”

“You do that.” smiled Twilight.

The two ate in silence for a while. Spike finished his meal, while Twilight continued to eat slowly, while at the same time flipping through the pages of a book.

“Hey Twilight?” asked Spike.

“Yes?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Certainly,” said Twilight, closing the book. “What is it?”

“Do you think that we are alone in the universe?” he asked.

“Alone?” said Twilight. “What do you mean?”

“I mean like... like do you think that there are other ponies, and dragons out there, somewhere among the stars?” he asked.

“Well it is certainly a scientific possibility,” she said. “Granted a very small one, but I think that it is entirely possible.”

“Because sometimes when I look up at the stars, I get the feeling that another dragon, just like me is looking back,” he said.

“I know the feeling,” said Twilight. “I have been studying astronomy for many years now, and many smart ponies have all pledged their own theories as to how the universe works, and what exactly is out there. If it is indeed true that the universe is an ever-expanding entity, then it is very likely that there are other being out there. However, the chances of ever meeting beings from another world are very slim. The universe is just too large to comprehend. The distances apart between star systems alone is incredible.” Twilight sighed, and ate another piece of lettuce. “I have always wanted to meet somepony from beyond the stars,” she said. “But unfortunately such an encounter will most likely never happen. Events like this actually happening will most likely remain as a mere production of our imaginations.”

“I know,” said the dragon with a sigh. “But maybe that is a good thing.” he hopped down from his seat, and began to carry his plate over to the sink. “Oh and Twi?” he asked.

“Yes, Spike?”

“I look forward to tonight,” he said with a smile.

“Great!” exclaimed Twilight. “This is going to be so much fun. I’ll get to show you all of the constellations, and the craters on the moon, and-”

“Sounds great, Twilight,” said Spike as he put his plate in the sink, and walked out of the kitchen.

Twilight smiled to herself. She finished eating the rest of her dinner, and washed the dishes. Celestia’s sun had set completely now, and only the fading redness of the dying sunset was visible on the horizon. Twilight walked around the library, closing the blinds on the windows, and turning on lights.

She sat down in her large armchair, and reopened her book on the cosmic constellations. She had read the book twice before, but since this was going to be her first time star-gazing in quite some time, she decided that a refresher would be a good idea.

Plus, I don’t want to get stumped on the name of something in front of Spike. That would be embarrassing.

In an hour the sun will have set completely, and the sun’s light would be entirely absent from the world. Until then, she would wait and read. Spike was most likely upstairs, painting. Ever since he had painted his first picture in art class this year, he had been painting in his free time. For the first time, he had found a hobby that he truly enjoyed. It was wonderful to know that Spike had found something so in which could relate to.

Perhaps the stars will inspire him to paint something truly wonderful as well.

III: Where Loyalties Lie

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Chapter 3: Where Loyalties Lie

April 19, 2543/UNSC Everest, In Orbit Above Unknown Planet

The Everest completed its fourth orbit around the mysterious planet. It had been a couple hours since the ship had arrived in the system, and every passing moment seemed to stretch on indefinitely as Cole and the rest of the ship waited for more information. Finally, Maya spoke up.

“Great news,” she said. “I have completed creating a digital model of the planet.”

“Good,” said Cole. “Lets have it up on the planning table.”

Cole, Fosco, Ramirez, and McMahon all walked over the large, rectangular holographic planning table, situated at the back of the bridge. A perfectly replicated, smaller-than-scale globe of the planet appeared before them. Maya proceeded in stating the facts, without being asked.

“The planet itself is remarkably similar to Earth,” she said. “As you already know, the atmosphere is almost exactly the same, but what you don’t know, is just how similar it truly is.”

“How similar?” McMahon asked.

“The planet is almost exactly the same size, and has roughly the same mass as Earth. The same goes for the moon, which is practically identical to ours, except for the fact that the surface features on both bodies are different. The planet rotates at the same speed as Earth, and thus has a twenty-four hour day.The moon rotates around the planet at the same speed as ours does, and the planet’s gravitational pull is almost exactly like ours, it is almost exactly as far away from its sun as Earth is, the list goes on and on.”

“So basicly what you are saying,” said Fosco. “Is that we just happened to stumble upon a planet that no one has ever has ever put on record, and also just happens to be Earth’s long lost cousin.”

“So it would seem,” said Maya. “Although I highly doubt that the Earth and this planet have anything to do with one another.”

“What are we going to name it?” asked McMahon.

The other three turned to stare at McMahon. He glanced back and forth between the three.

“Well I mean... we discovered it,” he said. “That means that we have to name it. Those are the rules right?”

“Yes,” said Fosco. “I suppose that they are. Well, what are we going to name it?”

“It may already have a name,” said Maya. The four men turned to look at her.

“Please explain yourself, Maya,” Cole said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Well, as we were orbiting around the planet, I took these reconnaissance images,” she said.

The giant globe disappeared, and was replaced by several large, two-dimensional images. One of the images was that of which appeared to be a small village, filled with wooden homes. Another showed a large city center, with tall skyscrapers and sprawling industrial facilities. Finally, the third image showed what looked to be a large city with elaborate towers, and and a large building that Cole thought looked like an ancient palace, all of which had been built on the side of a mountain.

Fosco’s mouth dropped, and McMahon gasped. Cole merely expressed his shock by leaning up against the table, and staring intently at the images.

“What am I looking at?” Cole asked.

“You are looking at what appears to be the civilization of an alien race,” Maya replied. “These images are from the region that our vessel is currently situated above, however there are many other cities and towns scattered throughout the various continents, each with different styles of architecture.”

“Covenant?” asked Ramirez.

“No,” said Maya. “The designs of these buildings are nothing like Covenant structures. Plus, this civilization appears to be rather primitive. As far as I can tell, there is no evidence that this planet has space-faring capabilities. No stations, no ships, no satellites.”

“So that also rules out the possibility of it being an innie-stronghold, right?” asked Cole.

“Right,” she said. “There is no possible way that the insurrection could have built all of this. They wouldn’t in the first place. No, this planet is definitely alien.”

The five of them fell into silence, each of them quietly looking over the images. Fosco finally spoke up.

“What are we going to do?” he asked.

“What if they turn out to be hostile?” asked Ramirez. “If we attempt to establish communications, they might attack.”

“We can’t just stay here and do nothing,” said McMahon.

“Give me some time to think things over,” Cole said. “I’m going to go for a walk. When I come back I will know what to do. I just need some quiet time to myself.”

“Why?” asked Ramirez. “If we don’t do something now, we might not ever get a chance.”

“And what exactly is your plan, Chief Warrant-Officer?” Cole asked, folding his arms across his chest.

“We make our presence known,” said Ramirez, putting his hands down on the table. “We go down there, packing heat, and we try to communicate with them. If they are friendly, then so be it, but if we find out that they are hostile then we will know right away, and we will know how to deal with the situation. If we wait and they discover us first, then we are taking a big risk.”

“And then what?” Cole asked. “We invade? We kill those who acted only out of fear? We make the preemptive strike first so that we crush them before we even get to know them? You know, we have a word for those who do that. We call them the Covenant. I don’t know about anyone else, but you are starting to sound just like the enemy who decided to slaughter our people without mercy.”

“You mean the enemy who you chose to run away from?” asked Ramirez, glaring at Cole.

“How dare you!” Cole roared, finally reaching his breaking point. “I have been fighting against the Covenant longer than you have been in the UNSC. I have won every single battle in which I have fought against the Covenant, and yet I still couldn’t stop the genocide of billions of innocent people. The galaxy is much bigger then you are, Corporal, whether you like it or not. What have you done? Huh? Tell me exactly all the things you have done.”

“What I’m trying to do right now is to put the lives of our crew above all else!” shouted Ramirez. “Something which you clearly have no concern about!”

“No concern?” Cole laughed. “I can assure you, Joseph, that I put the safety of my crew above everything else.”

“Then why aren’t we acting right now?” Ramirez asked. “Why aren’t we going down there and showing them that we aren't a force to be messed with?”

“Because if we go down there, and they attack us out of fear because we have suddenly swooped down in fully armed dropships, and startled them...”

“So what?” asked Ramirez. “They would have started it.”

“Then we would most definitely be putting our men at risk,” said Cole. “And I don’t think...”

“Its a better option than sitting around and waiting to be blown out of the sky.”

“And I don’t think that attacking them would be the best decision if we plan to have peaceful relationships with them.”

“And I’m saying that if we don’t act now, we could all be dead!”

“And I’m saying that blowing their city off the face of the mountain with a MAC surprise will not bode well for diplomacy at all!” Cole roared. “You are out of line, soldier! You need to cool off, and remember just who your enemy is! We don’t need to go around making anymore! We have plenty of extraterrestrial assholes who would love to see us all dead, but for some reason I don’t think that these are the kind of beings who decide to glass planets of helpless civilians.” Cole stopped himself, and glanced around at everyone on the bridge. “Return to your post, all of you. I’m going for a walk. When I return, I will be in a better frame of mind to make a decision. Until then, Everest is to remain in position over this region. Maya, let me know if any of them leave their posts.”

“Yes sir,” said Maya.

Cole quickly strode through the bridge’s bulkhead doors. They slid closed behind him. Outside the doorway he did his best to collect himself, before walking at a much slower pace down the corridor.

I sure hope that I am right.

Infinite Sacrifice, In Orbit Over Sanghelios

Tihar walked calmly down the passageway. Flanking him on either side was a Sangheili Honor Guard, both of whom had been instructed to escort Tihar to the Prophet of Regret. The hallway had a streamlined appearance, and boasted a dark purple and blue color scheme, as was the standard appearance of all Covenant vessels. Lights were spaced about every ten meters or so down the length of the corridor. Occasionally the hallway would come to a four-way intersection, but they never did once turn down another hallway. Having commanded several ships himself, Tihar knew the layout of many types of vessels especially cruisers, and by the route they were taking, Tihar assumed that he was being led directly from the main hangar bay, to the bridge.

The trio reached the final intersection before the end of the hallway, but instead of proceeding all of the way to the bridge, the group took a right turn, away from the main passageway. Tihar was slightly surprised but said nothing, not wishing to sound foolish in front of the guards. They took a left turn halfway down the hallway into a much smaller corridor, where they proceeded all of the way to the doorway at the end of the passageway.

“You may not bring your weapon within the Prophet’s chamber,” said one of the guards. “You will leave it here with us. We shall return it to you when you depart.”

Without questioning, Tihar removed his energy sword from his belt, and passed it to the guard. The two guards said nothing, but instead turned around, leaving Tihar to enter the room alone. He took a breath, and strode into the room with confidence.

Inside was a wide, round chamber with a tall ceiling. In the center was a massive holographic image of Sanghelios, projected by an emitter at the very top of the ceiling. Ornate, golden lights were spread out evenly along the circular wall. As Tihar stepped further inside, he noticed two more guards standing next to him, to further prevent any unwanted from entering the chamber. They both held long polearms with wicked metal blades, fashioning the ends. They both stared straight ahead, not moving, most likely for the entire day. Their job was one which took a great deal of discipline, for if they acted improperly they would be punished severely. The Prophet sat on his gravity chair, gazing intently upon the image of Tihar’s home planet.

“It is truly a beautiful world, isn’t it?” asked the Prophet.

“I am honored to be in your presence, aboard you grand flagship, o’ holy one,” said Tihar, immediately lowering himself to the ground.

The Prophet turned around to face him. “You did not answer my question,” he said.

“I have lived on Sanghelios all of my life,” Tihar said. “I was born there, I was raised there, and I trained to become the warrior I am now, there. Sanghelios has been good to me.”

“Implications, complications, condemnations...” the Prophet muttered to himself, and turning around to face away from Tihar. “Do you know the reason for which I have summoned you here?”

“No.”

“Good,” replied Regret, turning back Tihar. “Then the news has not reached your planet yet.”

“What is it, your holiness?” asked the Sangheili.

“We have recently suffered a great defeat at the hands of a human,” said Regret.

Tihar could feel his blood pressure rise. The humans very rarely had any success in battle. Their short-lived, undeserving victories were usually the result of some cowardly trick, or act of foolish desperation. Very rarely had the humans ever won a battle in an honorific way. The were not noble. They were merely an infestation, gradually encroaching on the farthest reaches of space, and thus, they needed to we wiped clean from existence.

“A defeat?” asked Tihar. “May I ask what happened?”

“Cole,” said Regret. “The human admiral named Cole. Two days ago his fleet attacked one of our fleets in the star system the humans call Psi Serpentis. He wiped out nearly all of our ships, and we responded by sending in another fleet of two hundred ships as reinforcements. Soon after, all contact was lost. We have heard nothing from our forces since.”

Cole. Tihar had heard many rumors about the great human shipmaster. Stories of how he had no remorse, and how he would sacrifice the lives of so many of his men in order to achieve victory. Never once had he lost a battle to the Covenant. As much as he hated the human, Tihar had a hidden respect for Cole. He was one of the few who actually fought with honor. Tihar had always dreamt of having the chance to face him in battle someday.

“Your courage, and lethal tacticality in battle is why I have chosen you to search the system for answers,” said Regret, shifting in place. “Although I highly doubt that the human would have been able to defeat five-hundred of our ships, the possibility remains, and losing that many vessels is not something which we can simply ignore. I have personally chosen you to lead the investigation.”

“I... I am gracious for this task, o’ great one,” said Tihar. “I thank you for the chance to prove myself as a worthy adversary to the humans.”

“Good,” said the Prophet. “I have assigned you command over the battlecruiser, Bane of Defiance. You will report to your ship immediately. The members of your bridge crew are already onboard, however they have not been informed of the mission. You will be the one to let them know. Once you are ready, you will depart right away. You are not to return until you know exactly what happened.” he said, cocking his wrinkled head to the side. “Do you accept my request, or do you find that I am being unreasonable?”

“I accept this mission with pride,” said the shipmaster. “I will not fail you.”

“Very good,” said Regret. “Now go, and bring honor to your family name.” he started to turn in his chair, but stopped. “Oh and by the way. Your brother is going with you.”

“My brother?” asked Tihar, surprised. “Hephar?”

“No,” said Regret. “Folve.” he paused for a moment, looking at the shipmaster with a saddened expression. “Shipmaster, there is something that I feel you should know about.”

UNSC Everest, In Orbit Over Unknown Planet

Space is a cold, unforgiving place. The final frontier, as some used to call it, stretches on for distances far greater than the human mind can fathom. It is full of many perils, and much of it is concealed in utter mystery. Yet among the massive stars, powerful black holes, and barren worlds are a few exceptions. These exceptions are places where life is possible. Places where living, breathing organisms have a chance to prosper. The Everest had discovered one such place. While still shrouded in almost complete mystery, this world provided Cole with a faint hope that maybe, just maybe there might actually be intelligent life, uninterested in mindless things such as war.

The ancient general from the nineteenth century, Robert E. Lee, once said, “It is well that war is so terrible, otherwise we should grow too fond of it.”

This was obviously not the case, for Cole knew of many souls who lived and thrived on the waging of war. Not just the Covenant, but people as well, human beings who only wished to spread more bloodshed. In a time of war it may be an unavoidable necessity, but there were those, who when their quench for blood was not being satisfied, actively searched for it. Whether these people acted out of a sense of revenge for their fallen comrades, or if they had truly reached the point where death was what kept them living, Cole did not know. He did not have the time to wonder about the minds of others, or to judge them accordingly. As a naval commander, Cole had seen more action than most people ever have, and he had killed many people himself, but never did he receive joy by taking someone else’s life. He did his duty to humanity, and nothing more.The most important thing was to constantly be making sure that he, himself, did not become one of those people.

Preston J. Cole had been walking for over an hour. He had walked all the way from the front of the ship, to the end, and was now halfway back to the bridge. It had been a long time since Cole had walked along the corridors of his vessel. It brought a calming sense of nostalgia to wash away his agitated nerves. Young crewmembers engaged in conversation would immediately step to the sides of the hallway, and snap to attention when they saw Cole approach. He would then politely say, “As you were,” and both he and the crewmembers would resume walking to their destinations.

Up until this point, Cole never really payed attention to the sheer number of people who worked on his ship. There were over one thousand people on board, the majority of whom Cole had never met. That however did not make them insignificant. The upkeep of the entire vessel was thanks to the many hardworking men and women aboard. Seemingly small jobs such as mopping the hallways was just as important of a task as monitoring the Everest’s deuterium nuclear reactors. If one person were to not do their duty, then the entire ship could fall into utter chaos. Cole had always found a respect for those who held simple positions, and lived a relatively simple life, as he had always wanted one for himself.

Perhaps I still have that chance.

Cole passed one of the ship’s many mess halls, on his way to the bridge. Inside, Cole could hear the sounds of laughter, and light conversation. Accompanied with those sounds was the smell of food. Cole thought that he could smell roast beef and garlic bread. He was suddenly reminded that he hadn’t eaten much of anything these past two days. He had been relying on caffeine as his only source of sustenance for the entirety of the mission, and he considered quickly getting something to eat, but now was not the time.

Maya’s avatar suddenly appeared in front of him, and judging by her posture, and the sound of her voice, Cole could tell that something was urgent.

“Admiral,” she said. “We need you on the bridge right away. There is something very important which I think you should take a look at.”

“I’m on my way,” said Cole, breaking into a fast walk.

He weaved in and out of corridors, trying to get to the bridge as soon as possible. He knew almost all of the hallways, and thus he knew the fastest shortcuts to get where he needed to go. It was still not a short trip. For a cruiser, the Everest was quite big, being substantially larger than her Halcyon and Marathon-class counterparts. The ship was over fifteen-hundred meters in length and was rather difficult to traverse quickly, especially for a man over seventy years of age.

Damn. I’m seventy-four years old, and I’ve been in the UNSC for fifty-five years of that time. That’s almost my entire life. Have I ever really know anything besides being in the military?

He passed a group of marines, each carrying a metal supply crate, down the hallway. They put down their cargo to salute, but Cole only had enough time to give them a polite nod, before turning down another passageway. He reached an area which was only illuminated by work lights, mounted on red, metal stands. The overhead lights had been shut off, and a group of maintenance workers had opened up a few panels on the ceiling, and and few on the floor. One worker was working on an electrical conduit inside of a hole in the floor. He was using a heavy soldering gun to connect a few cables to a terminal. He looked up and noticed Cole.

“Admiral on Deck!” he said, quickly jumping to his feet, along with the other workers. “Sorry about the mess, sir.”

“As you were,” said Cole. “Is this passageway safe?”

“Yes sir,” said the technician. “But if you are trying to get to the bridge via the main thoroughfare, you are going to have to go down three more corridors, and make a right. A section of this passageway has been sealed off, and artificial gravity has been turned off for some maintenance on the inner deck.”

“Hull maintenance?” asked Cole. “Is there a problem?”

“No problem, sir,” said the worker. “Just a faulty power line or something. This section of the ship has been having strange power fluctuations. We sent in two electricians, to see what the problem is. The only way to get to the cable is to crawl through a panel, and travel about fifty meters between the two bulkheads until they reach where we think the problem is. Due to safety precautions we had to shut down the power to this entire section of A-deck.”

“Alright,” said Cole. “So I make a right, three corridors from now, and then what?”

“Then you will follow that until you reach a left elbow, follow that for two intersections, then make another left, and you will be back on the main thoroughfare,” he said. “Either that, or you could take this maintenance ladder here up a level, and then follow the main B-deck corridor all the down to the end, and climb right back down outside the bridge.”

I’m too old for ladders.

“ I think I’ll walk,” Cole said. “Thank you for the help.”

“Anytime, sir.”

Cole resumed his fast walk to the bridge. The slight detour would only slow him a little bit, and whatever was so important could probably wait a few more minutes. Cole followed the directions, and made his way down each of the dimly-lit passageways. Soon enough Cole made it out of the dark zone, and back onto the brightly-lit main pathway. He followed it all of the way down, and the doors to the bridge slid open before him. Cole tried to hide being slightly out-of-breath, and walked up to the planning table. Fosco, McMahon, and Ramirez stood around the circular holographic projector, waiting. Cole walked up, and all of them looked up from the table to acknowledge him. Ramirez gave an angry glance at the admiral, before looking back down. Cole gave one questioning look to Fosco, and pointed to Ramirez. Fosco merely shrugged his shoulders, and shook his head. Cole shrugged as well, and turned to the board.

“Alright,” said Cole. “What’s the news?”

Maya’s avatar appeared above the table.

“I believe we have made another important discovery,” she said. “I have sent in a couple of recon drones into the lower atmosphere, in order to get a better view of the ground. Let’s just say that what they saw was... unusual.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it was impossible to tell before,” she said. “But now I think I have found out what the species responsible for building these population centers, looks like.”

Cole took a deep breath. “Well then, lets see them,” he said.

The image that appeared before Cole nearly caused his mouth to drop. The other three weren’t able to contain their surprise either. Floating before him, was an image of what appeared to be a small, blue horse. The image was slightly blurry, but Cole could see well enough.

“What is that?” asked Fosco in disbelief.

“That is what I believe is the dominant sentient species on this planet,” said Maya. “They seem to be quadrupedal organisms, with very vivid colors of fur. They closely resemble certain breeds of ponies back on Earth, having both what appears to be a tail, and a mane. Some of them have a single horn on their forehead. I couldn’t get great images because I didn’t want to risk flying the drones too low, and alerting them to our presence, but these are a few good ones that I could get.”

Multiple images flashed in front of Cole’s face. One picture showed a group of these beings standing in what appeared to be a marketplace, inside the mountain-city. Another image showed one at work on top of a roof, while another showed what appeared to be a soldier, patrolling an outer wall of the city, wielding a bladed polearm.

“So they are not entirely peaceful,” muttered Ramirez. Cole ignored the comment.

“I also discovered this,” said Maya. “At first I thought it was a glitch in the video feed, but when I sent in the drones, I found out that I was entirely wrong.”

An all-new image appeared, but it was not of one of the aliens. The image was that of a massive cloud formation, and what looked to be a city built on top of it. Flying around the city were more of the aliens, except this variety had wings. Massive rainbows streaked down from the floating structure, to the surface below. It was unlike anything Cole had ever seen.

“What the hell is that?” asked Fosco.

“That,” said Maya. “That... Well to be honest I don’t know what that is. It appears to be a city. Built on top of clouds. What you are looking at is an impossibility. It goes against the very fundamental laws of physics, but yet here it is. A floating city in the sky. And just wait until you see what’s on the rest of the planet.”

“So perhaps they are more advanced than we thought,” said Cole. “Do you think they have any form of long-distance communications?”

“Well,” said Maya. “The whole time we have been here I have been monitoring for radio signals, and so far I have detected nothing beyond occasional bursts of static.”

“Have you been able to track the signals?”

“Yes,” she said. “But they do not originate from any place in particular. There seems to be very small, random energy, and signal bursts all across the surface. So far I have been unable to determine what is causing these disturbances.”

“Do think that it is at all possible that we we can send a signal to them?” asked Fosco.

“I doubt it,” said Maya. “But there is certainly a possibility.”

Fosco turned to Cole. “Do you want to give it a try?” he asked.

“Whoa whoa whoa,” Ramirez finally spoke up. “If there are any hostile forces in the system, then we could alert them to our presence if we send out a signal. It would lead them right to us.”

“I highly doubt that that will happen,” said Maya. “If there were indeed Covenant or Insurrectionist forces in the area, then they would have noticed us by now, and made their presence known. I have detected no signs of any human, or Covenant activity, and I have scanned the planet many times now.”

“She’s right,” said McMahon. “We can’t just stay up here and do nothing. We have to try to communicate with them somehow, so we might as well try to send a message. What do you think, admiral?”

Cole stared intently at the image of the cloud city. Pegasi. That is what they were. Flying ponies. Ponies on the ground with horns. Unicorns. They were mythological creatures envisioned by ancient man, nothing more than stories. They should not exist, but yet they did. Given they were much smaller, and less majestic than the ones envisioned long ago, but they were still real.

“Admiral?” asked Fosco. Cole broke out of his train of thought.

“Let’s give it a try,” he said.

“Seriously?” asked Ramirez. “Even if they do have communications, its not like they will speak English. Hate to break it to you sir, but there tend to be language barriers between species that live light years apart.”

The other three once again ignored Ramirez, causing him to shoot dirty looks at all of them.

“It is worth a shot,” said Fosco. “There isn’t much else we can do besides go down there.”

“Ready when you are, sir,” said Maya.

Cole said nothing for a few seconds, trying his best to prepare himself for whatever would respond back, if anything. He then opened his mouth to speak.

“This is Vice Admiral Preston Jeremiah Cole of the UNSC Everest, over,” he said, and then waited. There was no response.

“I repeat, this is Vice Admiral Preston J. Cole of the UNSC Everest. Does anyone copy, over?”

Cole waited a few more moments, and was about to call it off, when a long burst of static came through the speakers on the bridge.

“I’m getting something,” said Maya. “Trying to trace the signal now.”

The static continued for a couple seconds, and then finally a voice came through.

“We read you Everest, over.”

Nobody on the bridge moved. As if they mysterious voice was watching them as well, the entire crew had frozen in place. Ramirez cast an angry glance at Maya. Whoever had replied spoke English, and that might not be a good thing. The pause lasted over a minute before finally Cole spoke up.

“Speaker, please identify yourself, over,” ordered Cole.

There was a long pause on the other end.

“This is sergeant-major Greystone of the Equestrian Royal Guard, over.”

Sergeant-Major Greystone of the Equestrian Royal Army. What in the the hell is Equestria?

Cole didn’t know how to reply to that response at first. Royal army. Royal meant monarchy, and there hadn’t been a monarchy in human history since the late twenty-third century. Cole could come up with no explanation for that answer.

“Are you a friend, or a foe of the UNSC?” Cole asked, putting out the most important question right away.

There was another long pause at the other end of the signal, but then the mysterious Greystone replied.

“What is the UNSC?”

Twilight Sparkle’s Residence, Ponyville, Equestria

The cool nighttime breeze wove itself through the many violet fibers of hair, which when looked at under a microscope resembled nothing more than tall, slender stalks of plant life, but when viewed from a normal perspective, all of those purple, and magenta-color follicles, which individually have seemingly no significance, combine to create Twilight Sparkle’s own, beautifully unique mane. The same principle goes for far distant planets. When viewed from afar, a world can seem like nothing more than a pinprick of light, amongst a million others, all competing for an individual’s attention. But when one lucky, heavenly object is looked upon through a telescope by a stargazing pony such as Twilight, everything changes, albeit in a completely different, and far grander scale than that of a strand of hair. One lonely, lifeless planet can instantly change in character when suddenly scrutinized through a series of glass lenses. You can see the swirling atmosphere of a gas planet, and the fine, fuzzy ring which may wrap around its equator. If you look even closer you can see the molten rivers of a planet, burning due to close proximity to its sun, or the thousands of tiny meteorite craters, which dot the grey landscape of a barren moon. Perhaps if one individual is lucky, they might even see a planet filled with life. Lush, green forests, and vast, dry deserts covering entire continents, while massive glaciers, miles in length, carve those continents in half, during their long journeys to the oceans, whose waters wrap around the land, seeking to fill in all available spaces with liquid. A beautiful thing. However, sometimes the most beautiful things in life can be the most mysterious, and the unknown can be very frightening. As Twilight Sparkle rested in her hammock, on the roof of her home, she couldn't help but wonder if somepony else was looking right at her, across the great expanses of time and space. It was a very humbling feeling, but an ominous one as well.

Spike’s question had stuck with her the entire night. While she had indeed studied astronomy to a great extent during her life, and knew almost everything that was known about the universe, she had never in all of her life asked herself that one question. That “What if?” question. What if she discovered extraterrestrial intelligence? What if they discovered her? Would she be prepared for a discovery of that magnitude? The truthful answer was that she didn’t know, and to Twilight, not knowing something was the worst feeling of them all. It frustrated her when she finally realized that she had never come up with a plan should such an event ever occur. If contact with other beings were to be made, she wouldn’t know what to say, or how to act, or what to do. She would be at a complete loss of intelligence, and most likely would do nothing until they acted first. Most likely, but not certainly. No matter how hard she tried to push the thought out of her head, it would always find a way back into the realm of her conscious thought. She tried to overpower the feeling with reason, remembering for a short time how silly such a thought really is. After all, the odds of ever establishing contact with another race were so small, that any logical pony should be able to simply brush off such an extreme suggestion, just like a pony with high integrity would be able to brush off an insult, or rude remark. Science has no place for foolish emotion, as one might say. Yet science is larged based upon ideas, once thought to have been foolish.

Am I a fool, or is what I am feeling, normal?

Twilight’s thoughts were interrupted by a repeating thudding sound, gradually increasing in volume until the source of the beat reached the crest of the wooden stairs, and caused the balcony to vibrate. Twilight turned her head over her shoulder to see Spike staring up at the stars.

“What’s up, Spike?” she asked. The young dragon seemed to almost jump out of his scales when he heard her voice.

“Whoa, Twilight,” he said, whipping his head around to face her. “Don’t do that next time.”

“Sorry.” she giggled. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You didn’t scare me,” he stated, while stamping his clawed foot. “You just caught me by surprise, that’s all.”

“Whatever you say, Spike,” she said, turning her head back to look up at the sky. “You didn’t answer my question, by the way.”

“Oh, uh, is it alright if I stay up here with you?” he asked while kicking his clawed foot against the wooden boards.

Twilight smiled. She didn’t like lying on the roof all by herself, and Spike’s presence would be comforting.

“Sure thing, Spike,” she said. “Come over here, and lie down in your hammock.”

“Cool,” he said. “Thanks.”

“Of course,” she said. “It’s not like I’m not going to let you hang out up here, after I offered.”

The purple dragon trotted over to his hammock, on the left side of Twilight’s. He bent his knees, and jumped up, planting his body halfway on the rope-bed, and then used his arms to grab hold, and pull himself the rest of the way up. Twilight struggled to not laugh at the sight. He finally righted himself, so that he faced the night sky, and let out a deep breath of relaxation.

"Wow," he whispered.

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, however she didn't utter a single word. Spike's comment had no need for a reply. It was true, it was sincere, it was real. If she were to make an attempt at starting a conversation, it would fail. While Spike would likely not be able to see through the falsehood of her words, she would. She knew that it wouldn't be honest, and the idea of corrupting such an innocent comment, remarkable in its simplicity, made her feel guilty. While it was true that she appreciated the beauty of the stars, she also recognized the stars for what they were, and the dangers they may hide, so if she was to second Spike's comment with her own, she would be telling nothing more than a lie. Lack of knowledge frightened her, and there was much that she didn’t know about the universe.

Thankfully, she was never forced to start the conversation.

"What do they mean," asked Spike. He spoke in a soft voice, and his eyes swayed back and forth, flying across the night sky at incredible speeds, but remaining calm, and content at the same time.

"Hmm?" asked Twilight. The question surprised her, and confused her all at once. "What do you mean?"

"The stars," he said. "What do they mean?"

"The stars?" Twilight asked. She too looked up at the sky, as if gazing out into space would give her a sense of clarity, as if she would suddenly be able to understand his question. "They are just stars. They don't necessarily mean anything."

"What I mean is that..." he paused. "You always used to talk about how when you look at the stars in a certain way, that you could see images, and shapes within them."

"The stellar constellations?" she asked. Spike nodded. "Well, yeah, the night sky is filled with constellations. You need to have an open mind in order to notice them, otherwise the only thing that you will see is a bunch of white dots."

"Show me one," he said in a relaxed tone.

Twilight hesitated. "Well, if you look over there." she gestured with her hoof. "Do you see that one really bright star?"

"Yeah."

"That's actually not a star," she said. "That's Cobalt. Its one of the three gas giants in our solar system. Her sister is Amber and her brother is Touchstone, both of which are on either side of Cobalt. If you look closely, you can just barely see Amber with the naked eye, on the right side of Cobalt. Touchstone is too far away to see."

"Oh yeah," he said, the excitement evident in his voice. "I can see it!"

"Alright," she said. "Now look just above Cobalt. There is a series of three stars in a horizontal pattern above the planet. Do you see them?"

"I think so. Yeah."

"Ok, look at the farthest star to the left," she said, pointing with her hoof. "If you notice, there are two more stars, one to the left and up a bit from the left star, and the other directly above it."

"Ok," he said.

"Now imagine that those three stars were connected by lines; they would then form a triangle, correct?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, now imagine that that triangle is the head of a snake, and that the other two stars are part of the body. That's Psi the serpent."

Spike looked at her. "Who was he?" he asked.

"He was a legendary beast of ancient times,” she replied. “Ponies have told stories about him for thousands of years. Legends says that he was a terrible being, who sought only power, and riches. At a point he became so powerful that he threatened to destroy the ancient country of Foalontine. He invaded the land, and left a trail of destruction and despair wherever he went. Anypony who opposed him was gobbled up in his massive, fanged, maw. Eventually he reached the capital city, and with his army of evil, laid siege to it. Now, Psi was no coward, and he never turned away from a direct challenge, no matter how small the opponent. He had far too much pride and arrogance. During the battle, one brave pony stood up to Psi, directly insulting him, and then dashing away. The pony lured the ignorant serpent to the nearby mountain, and into the large tunnel that cut right through the rock, and led to the great ocean on the other side. Psi slithered through the tunnel in pursuit of the pony, but he had no idea that he had been led into a trap. At the last second, just before he was about to be devoured, the pony yelled out as loud as he could, giving the order to destroy the tunnel. The fuse was lit, the explosive charges detonated, and the entire mountain came crashing down upon Psi, burying him in the rock."

"Well... was he ok? The pony?" Spike asked.

"Now that is where the story begins to split," she explained. "Almost everypony thought that he had perished along with the serpent, but the are those who believe that the hero had escaped the destruction of the tunnel by the use of a secret passageway."

"Hmm," said Spike, turning away from Twilight. "I like the second ending better."

"Me too," she said. "Happy endings are infinitely superior to sad ones."

"It’s not because its a happy ending," he said. "I like it because it leaves room for you to continue the story with your own imagination. It makes you wonder where he went, and what he did after he escaped. The whole mysteriousness of it all, you know?"

Twilight turned and smiled at the dragon, and he smiled back.

"You know Spike," she said. "You've been surprising me a lot lately. You aren't the same dragon that you used to be. You really have grown up over the past year, and its... its a little frightening, but I'm... I'm really proud of you."

He blushed, but still remained smiling. "Thanks, Twi," he said.

Suddenly Twilight noticed movement out of the corner of her eye, and she turned to face the object. "Spike look! It's a shooting star!"

"Where?" he asked, sitting up faster than a bolt of lightning.

"Right there!" she said, raising a hoof. "Look where I'm pointing!"

"Where, I don't see... oh wow!" he exclaimed.

"See it?" asked Twilight.

"Yeah!"

The the bolt of light shot across the sky for another half a second before disappearing into the dark void.

"Where did it go?" he asked.

"It burned up," she said. "It's nothing more than ash now.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well you see, Spike," she said. "Shooting stars are actually just falling pieces of rock. It entered our atmosphere and due to it's intense speed, burned up from the extreme friction of the particles colliding with it in the atmosphere."

"Oh," he mumbled. "Well that's boring."

"No it's not," she countered. "I happen to find it quite interesting."

"Hmm, I guess," he said, rolling back over to face the sky. Twilight did the same.

For a second, Twilight wished that the shooting star was still around. Spike was right, a chunk of falling space rock that bursts into flames is depressingly boring compared to if stars literally shot across the expanses of the universe.

Spike suddenly gestured with his clawed hand toward the sky. "Hey Twi, what's that?"

Twilight attempted to spy what Spike was pointing at, but ended up seeing nothing. "What is it? What do you see?" she asked.

"That light right there, it’s moving,” he said.

“It’s probably just another meteorite,” she said, lying back down.

“I don’t know,” said Spike, rubbing his chin. “It’s moving awfully slow.”

This got Twilight’s attention, and she sat back up. “How slow?” she asked.

“Well, slow enough to be just barely noticeable from the rest of the stars,” he replied.

Twilight scanned the area of the night sky when Spike was pointing. After about thirty seconds of intense searching she began to believe that Spike hadn’t really seen anything.

“Spike, I don’t think that...” she paused. All of the sudden, she spotted a slight movement among the white, immobile stars. Spike was right, there was indeed an object moving very slowly across the night sky. It was nothing more than dot of light, slightly larger than that of the stars which stood silently in the background. Whatever it was, it was close. “Wha...” she began. “Hey, Spike. Mind keeping an eye on that for me?”

“No,” he said. “I guess not.”

“Thanks,” she said, jumping down from the hammock, and galloping over to the golden telescope, which stood mounted upon a gleaming tripod. Ever since Twilight had enchanted the device to allow for a slightly increased magnification, the polished brass surface seemed to sparkle with an increased vigor, even at night.

“Spike,” she called. “Do you still see it?”

“Yeah.”

She grabbed hold of the telescope and turned it to point towards where the object was. She blinked several times in order to eliminate the moisture in her eyes, caused by the cool evening air. When her eyes adjusted, she reacquired sight the the anomaly, and pressed her right eye up against the viewfinder. What she saw was nothing more than a blurry mess of blended light, so she turned a small knob until the stars, and the object came into focus. What she saw made her mouth drop.

It was a large, grey object which appeared to be made up of several segments. On one end, the segment was rather thick, but each section appeared smaller and smaller than the last, until coming down to a final, slender point. It was too distant to make out any details, but it definitely was producing its own light, as there were several white illuminated areas on the side, and the rear. Twilight thought that she saw what looked to be large, white scratches on the side, but she couldn't tell for certain. Whatever it was, it was foreign, and such an object definitely had never been documented in the past.

Twilight slowly pulled away from the telescope as a wave of goosebumps spread throughout her nervous system. She had to focus in order to keep from shaking. Whether she was feeling excitement, or fear, or a mix of the two, she wasn't about to waste any time doing nothing. Hesitation only leads to failure, and failure can bring serious consequences for herself, and everypony around her. “Spike,” she said. “Get a letter ready.”

“Why?” he asked, hopping down from his hammock. “What was it? What did you see?”

“Just do it,” she commanded sternly, turning around to look Spike in the eye.

“Uhh... ok,” he replied hesitantly, but obeying nonetheless. He turned around, but stubbed his toe on a slightly elevated butt of one of the deck boards. He yelped, and cursed under his breath as he hopped up and down on his one good foot for a couple seconds before saying, “I’m good. I’m good,” and stumbling in the direction of a large, waterproof chest, which sat up against the far railing.

Twilight turned away to stare back up at the mysterious planetary satellite, still continuing to cut across the darkness as it continued to orbit. She could hear Spike rummaging through the chest for a piece of paper, and a quill. Ever since she had first started writing her friendship reports to Princess Celestia, she had strategically placed stashes of parchment and writing feathers throughout her home in case she suddenly received inspiration, and didn't have time to get to her desk. "Ready yet, Spike?" she asked.

There was a rushed shuffle of papers, followed by something that sounded like glass being dropped. Spike muttered something inaudible before responding to Twilight, "One second. Ok, ready!"

"Good," she said. "Now write down everything that I say, exactly as I say it," She cleared her throat. "Dear Princess Celestia. I am writing to you regarding a matter of the utmost importance, and I humbly urge you to look into the subject, and respond to me as soon as possible. Just recently, I have discovered an unknown object, which is currently in orbit around our planet, at an estimated speed of about eighteen-hundred to two thousand kilometers per hour. I am not able to get a perfect look at the object using the instruments I have in my possession, but I can be sure that nothing like this has ever been documented before, and it does not look to be that of something naturally formed. Now, I am not making any assumptions to what the object may be, or where it may have come from, but I do have my concerns. I estimate that the object is over fifteen-hundred meters in length, and an object of such size can pose a serious danger to ponies on the ground, should it enter our atmosphere, and impact the earth at its current speed. If it were to strike anywhere near any major population center, we would be looking at tens of thousands of casualties, not to mention the serious, long-lasting ecological harm it may bring to the natural environment. It may just stay in orbit indefinitely, or get slingshotted out of our gravitational pull eventually, but I don't want to take any unnecessary risks. Whatever the outcome may be, I ask that you make a decision to a plan if action quickly. I suggest that we begin stockpiling food, water, and other essential needs in safe locations, and prepare emergency evacuation routes to said safe sites, should it become necessary to begin the evacuation of a specific city or region. Please respond to me as soon as possible with information of what you plan to do, and how I, and the other elements may be of assistance. Sincerely, your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight could hear Spike rapidly scribbling down the last few words of the rushed notification document.

“Done,” said Spike. “Is that everything?”

Twilight sighed, turning to face him. “I hope so Spike. Send it.”

Spike inhaled a deep breath, then exhaled a vapor of green fire, which engulfed the paper within its expanding tendrils for a split second, before disappearing along with the letter. Twilight stared down sadly at the deck.

“Wh-what do we do now?” asked the dragon.

She looked back up, brushing her mane out of her eyes with one hoof, “We act. Come on.” she said, turning around to head inside. “Let’s go round up the other elements.”

IV: Contact Equestria

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Chapter 4: Contact Equestria

Be advised, this chapter contains some adult language.

Bane of Defiance, In Orbit Above Sanghelios

The ship was menacingly beautiful. Crafted from great plasma furnaces, the metal alloy hull was shaped to create an elegant vessel that demanded attention, yet also struck fear in those it was meant to destroy. Its streamlined curves gave it a graceful appearance as it would fly through the darkness of space. A symbol of the Covenant’s power, and true holiness.

Tihar watched as his new ship grew larger and larger on the viewscreen, as his shuttle grew closer to the vessel. Tihar had never felt prouder in his entire life. The Bane of Defiance had just been commissioned into service, and he had received the honor of taking command of it. Never before had he been issued a vessel nearly as large as it, and its size gave him a sense of increased power, and righteousness.

Along with the ship, Tihar had been given the privilege to hand-pick his bridge crew. Those who he knew he could count on and trust, he had chosen right away. Others, those who he didn’t know as well, or didn’t know at all, would have to establish themselves as worthy allies to him. A solo mission, without the aid of other ships was a perfect way to weed out the weak and the disloyal from his crew. Young warriors would have the chance to prove themselves to him, and veteran warriors who may have made previous mistakes, would have the chance to redeem themselves. Whether they would be successful or not, everyone would have their chances to serve the Covenant in one of the most honorable ways possible. Destroying the humans. Tihar hoped that he could count on everyone onboard his ship, however he also prayed that he would not let them down when they need him to look up to. As their leader, and their shipmaster, he would have to lead them fearlessly into battle, and govern the vessel with utmost policy. A ship is like a small city, there are hundreds of beings onboard at all times, and it only takes one to start spreading distrust, and uncertainty into the masses. This kind of problem was especially common on board ships with mixed species. The small Unggoy were especially prone to doubt, and generally were not the bravest in battle. It only takes one negative utterance, and the entire lot of Unggoy could end up panicking, and even revolting against their leaders. As a general rule, it was never good to depend on them for handling anything more than remedial tasks. There was a reason that they were at the bottom of the Covenant caste. The Kig-Yar, while being a higher rank in the Covenant caste system, were sometimes no more dependable than grunts. They occasionally disobey orders, and often fall back on their natural habits. In fact, they weren’t much different from humans. They were merchants, traders, pirates, and thieves, obsessed over materialistic things. There had even been reported cases of rouge Kig-Yar merchant ships doing business with the humans. The thought that such a race, even after being taken into the Covenant, could have the nerve to work with, and sometimes ally with humans, disgusted Tihar. In a way, he disliked them more than the Unggoy. At least the behaviors of the grunts could easily anticipated. The Kig-Yar on the other hand were far less predictable in the way of their actions. The Unggoy and Kig-Yar are the ones in which a shipmaster must constantly be concerned about. Most of the other races onboard could typically be relied upon to accomplish the tasks given to them. The gargantuan brutes were entirely absent from the vessel. The Jiralhanae hated the Sangheili, and the Sangheili hated them, so in most cases the two were not mixed together in the same ship, as there would inevitably be problems. If a conflict can be avoided, then it is best to avoid it. Tihar could only hope that by succeeding in his task he could become a trustworthy leader, and that in return, he could trust his crew. Those who were disloyal would face serious consequences.

The Phantom passed through the energy barrier into one of the cruiser’s fighter bays, and came to a hovering position just above the deck. Tihar felt the dropship come to a halt, and almost immediately, the side doors opened up, and bluish light came flooding into the troop bay. Inside the hangar, groups of Unggoy were moving crates, and several other Sangheili strode amongst them. Tihar assumed that they were making sure that the grunts did as instructed. When he stepped out of the dropship, one of the warriors barked out an order, and suddenly every living thing stopped what they were doing, and stood to attention. Tihar studied those around him, looking for signs of weakness in the other Sangheili, and thankfully he noticed none. Meanwhile two young warriors walked up to Tihar, both placing one arm across their chest.

“Welcome Shipmaster,” said one of them. “We are honored to have you aboard your new vessel, for the first time.” Tihar simply looked at him and said nothing. The young Sangheili spoke again. “We have been instructed by your brother to escort you to the bridge.”

Tihar nodded his head. “Let’s,” he said, starting to walk across the hangar floor to the nearest corridor. The other two followed him, walking a generous distance behind Tihar. Tihar understood. They didn't want to annoy their new shipmaster by leading the way, or getting to close within in his personal space. Tihar was perfectly okay with it, as he already knew his way around ships like his, however he didn't want to make them uncomfortable. Compared to some shipmasters whom Tihar had served under, he was far more forgiving, and wouldn't become enraged at two young Sangheili who only wished to have his approval. He decided to give them some dignity when they reached the first intersection.

“Where to from here?” he asked.

The other warrior who hadn’t spoken yet immediately jumped upon the opportunity. “Right this way, Shipmaster,” he said, gesturing to proceed down their current path. However, neither of them moved.

Tihar turned around to look at them. “Lead the way,” he said. This would allow the two to get more comfortable with him, and also let Tihar keep an eye on them. He didn’t like letting those who he didn’t know, walk behind him.

The trio walked in silence all the way to the bridge. When Tihar approached the large door, it opened up revealing a large, circular command center. In the center, was an elevated platform with a ramp leading up to it. On top of this platform was the shipmaster’s levitating chair, surrounded by holographic control panels and view screens. Standing up on the platform was a familiar face. Down in the main area of the bridge, various control stations were set up around the room, and underneath the platform. A Sangheili technician was stationed at each of the stations. On the walls were massive view screens, each showing a different angle of the surrounding area. Half of the screens showed the surface of Sanghelios, and the other half showed the expanses of the galaxy.

Somewhere within the galaxy was the place where the Covenant was destined to ascend to the utmost state of heavenly power. Even though the humans were successfully slowing the Covenant down, they were powerless to hinder the will of the gods. The Covenant would reach a divine state of existence, and with each human world destroyed, the ultimate goal grew steadily closer. Although he was well aware that he probably would not live long enough to experience the Covenant's transition to that of godly power, he was extremely devout in his beliefs. The prophets said that all who remained steadfast in their loyalty to the Covenant would walk the path, even in death, and arise during the Great Journey. Tihar was proud to be doing his part to achieve that goal.

The first to see Tihar stood up and shouted, "Shipmaster on the Bridge!"

Everyone else in the room stood and turned to face their new leader. The Sangheili standing up on the platform hastily strode down the ramp, and strode across the room to Tihar. Joy and anticipation was evident on his face. He was clad in dark red armor with an elaborately crafted helmet. While not as outstanding as Tihar's golden armor, it demanded a great deal of respect. The religious armor of a Zealot was a symbol of the Sangheili devotion, and the true might, and loyalty that its warriors provided to the Covenant.

"Welcome, Brother," he said. "It is good to have you aboard. Thank you for selecting me as your second in command."

Tihar reached his right arm out and placed it on the Zealot's shoulder. "Likewise, Folve. It is good to have you as part of the crew again. It has been far too long since we have last spoken, and even longer since we have last seen each other." Tihar patted Folve on the shoulder, and was silent.

"Indeed it has," said Folve, turning around to look out into space. "How many seasons?" he asked, but quickly turned back to Tihar. "Bah! It matters not, now. What matters is the fact that we finally have the chance to fight the humans, side by side. After what happened to Hephar, it would be safe to say that I am looking for some payback. It’s the least I can do for him."

"I look forward to it," said the Shipmaster. "The way things are looking, we may have our opportunity very soon." Tihar sighed. "Just remember not to let your pursuit of vengeance blind you to the events which happen around you. We all honor him in different ways, but proving ourselves to the Prophet... That will do him the greatest of respect."

“I know,” said Folve, sighing. “But Cole has to pay for what he did. To the Covenant, to us, and to him.”

“He will pay,” said Tihar. “I promise you that. He will die by our own hands, and we will paint a mural to honor Hephar, using Cole’s very own blood. The humans will tremble in fear at the loss of their great shipmaster, but for now, we must be patient. We will get our chance soon enough, and when our opportunity comes, I will be right beside you.”

Folve stood up tall. “Then let us waste no time,” he said, turning to face the rest of the bridge crew. “Listen up, my brothers,” he said. “The time has come for us to embark on the most important mission any of us have ever taken part in. It is time for us to avenge our fallen comrades, and our new shipmaster will lead us into glorious battle. Hail, Shipmaster, Tihar Med Kacumee!”

“Hail!” roared the entire bridge. For a short moment, the room became so loud that the universe itself seemed to quake. Tihar felt honored, yet he made no sign of it. Instead he stood tall, as the thunder of voices reverberated throughout the ship around him.

Royal Palace, Canterlot, Equestria

A massive, rocky planet flew by at a incomprehensible speed, and as soon as it was close, one nanosecond later it was lost among the millions of sparkling white stars. At her current speed, the stars themselves also appeared to be moving, some of them speeding by like arrows, while far distant ones moved at only a walking pace. The universe seemed to separate for her as she cut the black fabric of space in half. Her massive, dark wings flapped slowly and powerfully, propelling her closer to her destination. Her domain. Her home. Her place of ultimate tranquility. It was a land barren, deemed unlivable for anypony. But for her, it was her life. Ponies thought of it as nothing more than a cold rock, but it was the fire that gave warmth to her heart, and strength to her body. Like any other place, the moon carried its share of bad memories; dark pasts which she wished had never existed.

The nightmarish images of a world consumed by darkness still filled her mind with dread. She saw the great capital of Equestria, barely clinging onto the rock face as great, menacing tendrils of shadow coursed throughout its streets, snatching up helpless equines, and turning their hearts as cold as she who brought forth the unimaginable terror to the world. She then watched as the sun rose for the first time after a seemingly endless lifetime of darkness. The light cut through the shadow, illuminating a massive army, clad in white armor encroaching upon a force of pure darkness, and corrupted ponies. The resulting battle scarred the great earth for generations, but on that day there was a great victory. The eternal night fled from the golden dawn, and was banished to the moon for a millennia. It was a great day for ponies all around the world, and they celebrated, for the goddess of the sun had returned to restore balance to Equestria, and its neighboring countries. Luna smiled, but her expression was quickly overcome with a lingering sense of guilt. Being defeated by Celestia should have been enough to make her realize that it was impossible for the sun and moon to exist without the other. She should have simply given up on her petty, personal vendetta against her sister, and gone back to living her normal life. She should have apologised to Celestia right then and there, but instead she spent one thousand years loathing her sister, and plotting to overthrow her again. It was only after her second defeat that she realized the true foolishness of her actions. Lives had been lost in her pursuit of ultimate power, and she had never felt one bit of remorse. Now it was impossible to escape the feeling. Her actions were set in stone, and there was nothing she could do about it. Even now, years after returning to her normal self, Luna knew that all the good which she could possibly do for the world, could never make up for the atrocities which she committed. She could never forgive herself, even if all the ponies around her did. She did not want to forgive herself. Doing so would insult all of the souls who had fallen victim to her selfish actions of vengeance. She would rather cease to exist, than live without guilt.

Her destination was rapidly approaching. Previously invisible, the earth was now a tiny pinprick of light in the distance. She had traveled across the galaxy and back in a few hours, and as she grew close to the earth, and moon, she slowed herself down rapidly. Traveling such distances in such a short time would seem impossible under normal circumstances, but these were not normal circumstances.

The planet grew larger and larger in her vision, quickly pushing the vacuum of space back, as it filled up her view with its immense beauty and size. She could see it very clearly now. The continents, the oceans, the ice caps at either pole. She could see the moon, her dwelling place for such a long time, as it orbited about the planet. The white face was dotted with meteorite craters. Everything that she knew and loved about the world in which she lived upon was right where it should be. There was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. Or was there?

At first all she thought was that it was merely a trick of the light, an illusion. Upon doubling back, she saw something was most definitely out of the ordinary. In orbit around the earth was what appeared to be a...

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of many rushed hoof-steps. The space around her rippled from the noise. The shapes, colors and light, rapidly became indistinguishable from one another, until her surroundings were nothing more than a blurry haze.

Princess Luna opened her eyes to find herself sitting on the carpet, in a meditative position. She was within her personal chamber. The black drapes which hung over the balcony door swayed calmly as a cool evening breeze filtered through the door and into the room. She sighed, slightly disappointed that her meditation session had been interrupted. She got up on her hooves, stretching out her wings, before calmly walking over to her door. She opened it, looking out into the wide hallway, only to find it empty. The only other pony in sight was her own face, reflected in the polished white marble flooring. She glanced to the right and to the left. Even at the distant ends of each direction, the only visible object was a small table, on which sat a potted, leafy plant. The sudden vacancy of the eastern wing of the palace was quite unusual. Normally, the halls were singing with life, as maids cleaned the rooms, and guards trotted to and fro. Something wasn't right.

She stepped out of her bedroom, her midnight-colored hooves leaving the carpeted floor, and coming in contact with the marble, making a distinctive clopping sound, which fled from her hooves only to hit the distant wall, and return to her with less emphasis.

Judging by the way she heard the sound of rushed hoof-steps fade in and fade out, she assumed that whoever the ponies were, that they had passed by her room, heading to the left. Celestia's chamber was to the left. Since that her sister's room would be the most logical place in which somepony would be running to, she turned to the left, and trotted briskly down the corridor. She passed by fields and orchards and oceans on her right side, all framed in ornately crafted mahogany. Massively tall glass windows covered almost the entire left side of the hallway between Celestia's and her own room, overlooking the main courtyard, many stories below. The windows let the moonlight mix with the artificial glow, that the chandeliers produced from above.

Luna stepped up to her sister's door and placed one ear up against the solid-wood surface. Inside, she could hear less-than hushed voices, speaking in an almost panicked tone. Luna stepped back from the door, and reached for the handle. Suddenly the door opened on its own, from the inside. Luna was met with a surprised gasp as one of Celestia's councilors responsible for opening the door jumped at the sight of Luna.

"Oh!" said the pony, her hooves landing back on the floor. "Excuse me, Princess Luna." she said, blushing. "I did not mean to frighten you."

"Not at all," replied Princess Luna, looking past the counsellor and into the room. Celestia was facing away from her, talking to a guard. "Is everything alright, Sister?"

Celestia turned around and smiled. "Oh, Luna, you're here. Perfect!" she said. "I was just about to send Blueblossom to summon you."

Luna stepped into the bedroom, brushing past Blueblossom, who stood in the doorway awkwardly. "Why?" she asked, frowning. "What's going on?"

"I'll explain while we walk," said the Princess of the Sun, starting towards the door, with the guard pony following. "Come. We're going to the listening station."

"Listening station?" asked Luna with a puzzled voice as she turned to follow her sister. "You mean that that silly new long-range mana transmitter actually works?"

"Well, yes," said Celestia. "But that's not what's important. What's important is that fact that we just received a... remarkable transmission."

"Do tell," said Luna, as the pair traversed the long corridor, with several other ponies in tail.

"Well," began Celestia. "You may be surprised to find out that the transmission was intercepted by complete accident. The operator, Sergeant Greystone was running the transmitter on an unused frequency instead of the frequency that we use for regular communications." she paused as the two arrived outside the communications room. "The intercepted signal is as unusual as it is foreign. If Greystone had not been in the room, or if he had been listening on a different frequency, then chances are we would have missed it."

"You said foreign," stated Luna. "As in another country?"

"Impossible," replied Celestia. "No. The curvature of the planet does not allow for direct communication to the other countries, and as far as I know, the Crystal Kingdom does not use mana transmitters. It is a new technology after all." Celestia sighed. "No. The signal came from beyond this realm."

"Beyond?" asked Luna. "As in outer space?"

"Indeed," replied Celestia. "Just within our planet's orbit to be precise."

Luna stared at Celestia, digesting her older sister's words. "Now it makes sense," she mumbled.

"How so?" asked Celestia.

"When I was meditating, I thought that I saw..." her speech drifted off. "I saw something... odd in our gravitational field. I wasn't able to get a better look at it, as I was suddenly distracted by the sound of a couple of ponies running down the hall."

Out of her peripheral vision, Luna noticed Blueblossom blush, and turn to face away from the conversation.

"I'm not surprised that you did," said the Princess of the Sun. "I too, deep down, felt a disturbance many hours ago when I assumed the ship arrived-"

"Wait," Luna interrupted. "What do you mean, ship?"

"The transmission was not an anomaly," said Celestia. "We have officially made first contact with an extraterrestrial race."

There was a brief silence. The two sisters both stared at one another.

“Well, was it successful?” asked Luna. “Were we able to communicate in any way?”

“Indeed,” said Celestia with a smirk. “But you will never guess how.”

“How,” asked Luna.

“They speak our language.” replied Celestia. Luna stared at her.

“But,” began Luna. “That’s impossible! How could they possibly-”

“Apparently the universe is a lot smaller than we thought,” interrupted Celestia. “Well, at least in the language aspect.” she paused. “I for one, don’t mind at all. Although strange, it will certainly make establishing relationships with them a whole lot easier.”

There was another pause.

“How will we go about notifying our citizens?” asked Luna. “It’s not like we can just spring this upon them all at once.”

“We shall deal with that in the near future,” said Celestia. “But for now, we must get to know our visitors. I will try to arrange a meeting with their leader. Perhaps there is even more in common between our two species that we don’t even realize yet.”

“Perhaps,” said Luna. “I wish that everything will turn out well.”

“Well, there is nothing else left to do but find out,” said Celestia, pushing the large double doors open with one hoof. “They wish to speak with us immediately.”

Luna followed her sister into the dimly-lit room which was illuminated by a single light bulb. On the near wall on the left, were a pair of bookcases. Inside were various almanacs, geographical binders organized from A to Z, maps of Equestria, her territories, the surrounding countries, and various large texts about military strategy. It was an entire wall filled with tactical knowledge. The other three walls were practically covered in bulletin and chalk boards. Situated at the other end of the room, was a wooden desk, upon which sat several books, a star chart, and the control boxes for the transmitter. The faces of the metal-shelled components were covered with buttons and knobs. A microphone, which sat on top of the star chart was plugged into the transmitter. Several thick cables ran from the hardware, across the floor, into the wall, and up to the antenna, on the roof of the palace.

The stallion sitting behind the desk stood up immediately and bowed before the two princesses.

Princess Celestia spoke before he could. “What’s the situation?” she asked. “Are they still on the line?”

“Indeed they are,” he replied. “It's a good thing that you showed up so quickly, too. I was worried that they might get impatient.”

“Well, let’s not keep them waiting any longer,” she said. “Let me speak to them.”

"Of course, Princess," he replied while flipping several switches. Suddenly, the speaker turned on and crackled with loud static as it did so. Sergeant Greystone winced and turned a large dial, causing the interference to subside. After a few more seconds if adjustments, he looked up at Celestia and nodded.

The Solar Princess took a deep breath, and glanced to her sister. Luna nodded in approval. "Greetings. My name is Princess Celestia, ruler over the land of Equestria,” she paused, glancing across to Sergeant Greystone, who stood nervously behind his desk. “I wish to speak with your leader if he or she is present.”

There was a long moment of near silence in the room. The transmitter crackled and hissed quietly, but no reply came through. After several minutes had passed, Luna spoke up.

“Perhaps we are broadcasting on the wrong channel?” she asked with a shrug.

Greystone shook his head. "It can't be," he said, fiddling with one of the knobs. "I have not interfered with equipment at all since I first-"

A masculine voice suddenly crackled in through the speaker. "This is Admiral Cole, commanding the UNSC Everest," said the voice. "We read you loud and clear, Princess Celestia of Equestria. On behalf of my crew, myself, and the rest of humanity, I would like to assure you that we come in peace, and that we humbly request a meeting in your presence, so that we may better learn about each other."

The various guard ponies and royal advisors who had followed the royal sisters into the room stood with mouths agape. Celestia wasn't sure whether or not their shock was caused by their presence in witnessing the very first contact with another race, or by the simple fact that the aliens spoke the same language that ponies did.

"Greetings Admiral Cole," said Celestia. "I will gladly accept your request for a-"

"Wait!" Greystone burst out, quickly flipping several switches. "Sorry. Okay, now go." he blushed softly.

Celestia let out a sigh. "Greetings, Admiral Cole," she said. "I look forward to meeting you face to face. I can assure you that anypo... anybody seeking peace and harmony is welcome here, no matter who you are or where you may have come from. There will be plenty of time to converse on these topics, but for now I would like to arrange the meeting which you have requested." she said. "Would it be possible for you to arrive at the palace in Canterlot right after dawn, this morning? I assume that you have transport capable of bringing you here, yes?"

There was another pause. "I look forward to it," said the alien admiral. "I will be there at dawn, and I will be accompanied with a military escort just as a precaution. I hope that that is not an issue."

"Not at all," said the princess. "One would be foolish to venture into an unknown land without protection. Not that this is a hostile place. I can assure you that you will be in no danger whatsoever." she said. "I will see you at sunrise."

"Acknowledged," he said. "Cole out."

A single Pop projected out from the speaker and then all was silent as the signal died.

"Well," said Luna. "I would say that that went rather smoothly."

"So far," replied Princess Celestia. "I suggest that you put that statement on hold until we actually meet this Cole.”

"Do you have doubts that an attempt to establish relationships with these beings will be unsuccessful?" asked Luna, cocking her head to the side.

"I feel that we shouldn't get too far ahead of ourselves," said Celestia. "It is far too early to predict the outcome of this meeting. If Cole is truthful about their intentions of peace, then I have high hopes that this meeting will be a success. However, things can always go wrong, and until we know for sure, I do not wish to make any predictions."

Luna nodded her head. "How will we go about informing the ponies of Equestria?" she asked. "We will not be able to keep this a secret for long. Word spreads fast, sister, and if they are going to travel here with no concern that everypony will see them arrive... We may have a lot of frightened ponies on our hooves."

Celestia sighed, and spoke, "We will make a formal public address at a later time. I am aware of the risks, but I have confidence that my little ponies will behave in an orderly way. The ponies of this city, and of Equestria have witnessed far more shocking and horrifying events in the past. They can certainly handle something like this. They are strong. Their spirits are strong. They will not panic."

"I pray that you are right," said Luna.

"I hope so too," said Celestia with a smile. "Until then, however. There is much work to be done." she turned to face the small group of ponies who stood close to one another, seemingly unsure of what to do. “Blueblossom!”

“Yes- yes, Princess?” she asked, while stepping forward.

“Blueblossom, alert the palace staff immediately,” commanded Celestia. “The sun will be up in a few hours, and we need to have everything ready in time for our guests. The more comfortable they feel during their visit, the better.”

“Yes, Princess,” she said before scurrying out the double doors, followed by the other advisors.

As soon as she left, a parchment scroll suddenly materialized itself before the Princess in a puff of green smoke, startling everypony in the room including Celestia. Attempting to cover up her brief moment of weakness, she wasted no time in unraveling the paper within her telekinetic grasp. She read the letter to herself, before rolling it up again and making it disappear.

“What is it?” asked Luna.

“My student, Twilight Sparkle,” replied Celestia. “She knows.”

“What?” asked Luna. “How?”

“It matters not,” said Celestia. “She claims that she is aware of the object orbiting the planet, but knows nor of what it truly is. If that is true, then that is one less situation that I have to deal with at the moment. She will be informed of the truth, along with everypony else when the time comes.”

“I agree,” said Luna.

“I will send her a letter to relieve her of her worries, but then I must get to work,” said Celestia. “Axel, Lightning.” she nodded her head towards the two guards who had accompanied her into the room. “Go fetch Captain Shining Armor for me. I need to speak to him right away.”

“Yes, Princess!” they both said in unison, however neither of them moved. Instead, they merely shot nervous glances at one another. “But... umm... what about y-”

“I’ll be fine for two minutes while you go and get him,” she said with a sigh. “Now please go. We have no time to waste.”

They both bowed their heads, turned, and galloped out of the room. Celestia turned her head to face her sister.

“Why is it that you don’t have guards following you wherever you go?” she asked.

Luna shrugged. “I simply don’t ask for them,” she said. “Plus, I think that most of them are a little afraid of me. I suppose being an evil goddess of shadow for over a thousand years isn’t all a bad thing.”

Celestia tried to suppress a giggle, but ultimately failed. “Not really,” she said. “Your logic frightens me sometimes, sister. However, that might be a good thing.” she said, closing her eyes. “Who knows, if things end up going badly, we might need a sudden display of powerful magic.” she paused, and started to speak softly. “I... I don’t know if I have it in me to- to... It has been far too long”

Luna walked over and nuzzled her sister. “Everything will be fine, sister,” she said in a comforting voice. “You mustn't stress yourself over this. Besides...” she said, stepping back. “I’ve your flank.”

Celestia looked up at her sister. “Thanks.” she smiled.

“Anyway,” said Luna, walking to the door. “I suppose I should get ready, as well. I shall leave you to your thoughts.” she winked at her sister. Celestia smiled back.

Luna walked out of the room, leaving Celestia to stare at the double wooden doors as they silently closed. Greystone sat behind his desk, his headset firmly clamped around his ears, as he fiddled with the communicator. It was going to be a long few hours until morning.

UNSC Everest- In Orbit Above Equestria, Planetary Name: Unknown

"Not at all," said the princess, her voice crackling through the nearby speakers. "One would be foolish to venture into an unknown land without protection. Not that this is a hostile place. I can assure you that you will be in no danger whatsoever." she said. "I will see you at sunrise."

"Acknowledged," said the admiral. "Cole out."

Immediately after saying the last two words, he tapped a touch-key on the mapping table to end the transmission. He let out a deep exhale, resting his head on his arms as he leaned on the glass.

“Are you going to go?” asked Fosco.

The group looked across to their admiral.

“I would seem that I have to,” he said. “I need to keep my word because if I don’t, there will only be more distrust between us.”

Ramirez shook his head. “The fact that they speak is English still seems very sketchy to me,” he said. “For all we know, we could be walking right into an insurrectionist trap.”

“It’s a risk that we have to take,” said McMahon. “This could be humanity’s one and only chance of forging an alliance with an alien race.”

“Besides,” said Cole. “What would the innies want with me? They have helped us out in the past when we desperately needed it. My wife-”

“Your wife was an exception,” said Ramirez. “Not all terrorists have soft spots for their enemies.” he softened his voice. “Look, sir, I don’t mean to show any disrespect, but if I am right and these aliens are allied with the insurrectionists, then chances are they aren’t as peaceful as they claim to be.”

“I know,” said Cole with a nod. “And I understand. You have a right to be concerned. You have been a good friend, and a good soldier, and I know that you would put the safety of our crew above your own at a moment’s notice.” he said. “It’s just that sometimes you have to take a semi-blind leap, and hope for the best.”

Ramirez looked at Cole for a moment. “I understand, sir,” he said.

“Alright,” said Cole. “Well, I suppose I should gather up a team to escort me down to the planet. They will need to be briefed on what’s going on right away, because we don't have long until the sun comes up on this side of the planet.” he looked over at McMahon. “Lieutenant, I am leaving you in charge of the ship while I am away. I expect to be notified right away if any issues come up.”

“Yes, sir,” said McMahon with a big smile. “Thank you, sir.” Cole nodded to him, and then turned back to Joseph Ramirez.

“May I recommend First Sergeant Scott Jeffries, and his squad?” asked Ramirez. “I have worked with him for a long time before I got this post. We are still very close friends, and he is highly efficient in battle. He won’t let you down. I can promise you that.”

“I don’t need him to fight, I just need him to remain cautious,” replied Cole, pulling up Scott’s Bio in front of him. “Are you sure that he is the man for the job?”

“Absolutely, sir,” replied Ramirez with a smirk. “You won’t regret this.”

“Yo Jeffries!” came a voice when suddenly an empty beer can connected with the left side of his head, causing him to look up. “Quit dicking around with your datapad and pay attention.” said Jeffries’s best friend, John Freeman. “Now, let me ask you again. Hit or stay?”

“Hit me again and I will walk out on your ass right now,” replied Jeffries with a smirk. The other three men sitting around the card table chuckled. He looked up from his datapad, which he held underneath the table, away from the view of the others. He cautiously peeled up the corners of his cards. “You know what, John.” he said, setting his cards back down. “I think that I will stay for now.”

“Stay for now?” asked Freeman with a puzzled look. “What does that even me- you know what, nevermind.” he said, turning to the man sitting to Scott’s left. “Ray, hit or stick?”

“Hit,” said Ray. John slapped a card down for him.

Scott looked back down at his tablet, and opened up his personal messages. Among those inside of his inbox, was the Everest’s recreational schedule for the upcoming week, the play-by-play for today’s soccer game between the New Mombassa Courant-Bandaris, and the Sydney Wanderers. New Mombassa had won two to zero. An update on his battle performance ratio, a refusal notice for his “Bagel Friday Every Day Petition,” and plenty of nonsense spam. None of these messages interested Scott in the slightest. There was only one message that concerned him. A reply that was non-existent.

“Whatcha doing on that thing anyway, Scott?” asked his squadmate, Henry.

“He’s busy checking to see if his girlfriend has sent him anymore of those special pictures,” said Brian, the sitting at the far end of the table. Everyone tried to suppress their slightly intoxicated laughter. “Come on man, don’t hog them all to yourself. Lemme see.” he tried to reach across the table, but Scott slapped his hand away.

“Yo back off, man,” said Scott defensively. “At least I actually have a girlfriend, and no she didn’t send me any ‘special pictures.” he made air quotes with his fingers. “Besides, even if she did you probably wouldn’t be interested anyway, seeing as though you have absolutely no standards when it comes to women.”

“Ohhhhhhhhhh!” howled Henry, and Ray in unison.

“That was two got em’s in one!” exclaimed John. “What are you going to say to that, Brian?”

“Two words,” began Brian, throwing down his cards, face-up. They consisted of a seven of hearts, a ten of hearts, and a four of clubs. “Twenty-One.”

“Oh snap,” said Ray.

“Technically, my friend,” said John. “Twenty-One is just one word, but I will let it slide.”

“Yeah, how about that, Scott?” asked Brian, boastfully.

“Well,” said Scott Jeffries. “I guess you have me beat.” he threw down a king of spades and an eight of diamonds.

“Well, at least you know when you’ve lost,” said Brian. He looked around at the others. “What about you guys?”

Ray threw down a twenty and Henry revealed another eighteen, further strengthening the look on Brian’s smug face.

“Well it looks like I win,” he said. “How about it boss?”

“Well, I suppose that this is the time that I should congratulate you,” said John Freeman. Brian smiled at him. “However, that time will have to wait until another game.” he said, throwing down his two cards. “Blackjack.”

The other three immediately burst out into laughter. Brian simply stared at the cards for a good ten seconds before looking up. “That ain’t cool, man,” he said.

“Pffft.” John shrugged. “Doesn’t have to be. That’s just the way the the universe works, my friend. It let’s you get up to a high point, and then just bitch-slaps you back down.” he said, clearly impressed with himself. “Now, gentlemen, there will be plenty of opportunities for you all to earn some of your credits back, but for now I need to go drop a log.”

“Good luck with that man,” said Scott.

“Oh no,” said Ray. “He needs a better send-off then that. Everyone, hold hands now. Scott, you too.” he said, holding onto Scott and Henry’s hands so that the four created a circle around the table. He closed his eyes. “Dear Lord,” he began. The other three immediately lost their straight faces and started to laugh quietly. “Please protect our dear friend, John while he endures this perilous journey to the bathroom. Please prevent the anger of the other facility users from being brought down upon him while he causes a stink. Allow him to to take a shit, and give him the strength to take care of it. Amen.”

“Amen,” said the other three before bursting out with laughter. Brian fell out of his chair.

“You guys are stupid.” chuckled John. “Anyway, I will be back in a few minutes. Peace!” he held up two fingers as he walked through the automatic door, and out into the hallway. The door closed behind him with a hiss.

Henry lit up a Sweet Williams cigar. Scott looked at him.

“Henry,” he said. “When are you going to stop smoking?”

“I dunno,” replied Henry, taking it out of his mouth and looking at it. “When are you going to start?”

“That’s not a legitimate answer,” said Scott with an intense stare. “Seriously, those things aren’t good for you at all.”

“I know, I know,” he said, waving his hand. “Our line of work can get quite stressful sometimes. These just help to dull the edge a little bit.” he sucked in another puff of smoke. “Tell you what. The next time we all get to go home for some R&R, I'll quit.”

“We probably won’t be going home for a while,” said Scott. “Seeing as though the admiral has been acting kinda funny lately.”

“Acting funny?” asked Henry. “How so?”

“Not sure,” said Ray. “Although rumor has it that it has something to do with this planet that we are chilling over. Also, there is a slight chance that he might possibly be emotionally unstable. Fifty-some years of service can do a lot to a man.”

“Has he really been in the military for that long?” asked Brian. Scott nodded. “Damn.”

“Anyway,” said Henry. “What’s so special about this planet?” he asked. “I mean, I know that it has earth-like conditions and all, but what I’m wondering is why we haven’t reported the find back to command yet.”

“I don’t think that he wants to yet,” said Ray. “However, I don’t know of his reasons for sure. Some people say that he may have found something, but I try not to pay attention to rumors. We are bound to find out the truth eventually. You all know how the command system works; they keep us in the dark twenty-four seven, and then once they need our help they spring everything upon us at once.”

“And then they all act shocked when agree without any questions or looks of surprise,” said Brian.

“And that is why we are ODST,” said Henry. “Because we don’t give a f-”

His last word was drowned out when the PA speakers in the ceiling above suddenly came to life.

“Cobra team, please report to briefing room five immediately,” said the female voice.

“Right on que!” exclaimed Ray. “Oh yeah! Tell me I’m awesome!”

“You suck,” said Henry, getting out of his chair, and extinguishing his cigar.

“You smell bad,” said Brian, getting up with the rest of them.

“You know what?” asked Ray, standing up. “Forget you guys.”

“You can forget about us after the briefing,” said Scott. “But for now, we have work to do. Let’s get going, soldier.”

Ray sighed. “Yes sir, First-Sergeant Jeffries,” he said in a joking manner. Scott simply glared at him as he followed his men out into the hallway.

The corridor was bustling with life. Marines and crew members walked back and forth, some carrying weapons, others, tools. The five shock troopers headed down the corridor, to the right. Suddenly, Henry stopped.

“Oh crap,” he said, causing the others to turn around. “We forgot John.” this caused the group to let out a sigh. “Ah, crud. You guys go on ahead. I’ll go get him.” he turned around and ran down the hallway in the opposite direction. Scott and the others resumed their fast-jog down to the briefing room. Along the way, crewmembers quickly hugged themselves to the walls, in order to get out of their path. Only once did the four of them run into a higher-ranking officer. They quickly moved to the sides of the corridor, and let the man pass by, before continuing the rest of the way to the situation room.

When they arrived at the door, Scott punched his identification number into the wall-mounted keypad. A green indicator light above the threshold illuminated, and the door slid open with a hiss, allowing the men to enter. The room was empty and dimly lit, with the only significant light source being the holographic planning table on the one end of the room. On the other side, there were many rows of seats, each elevated slightly higher than the previous, to allow for an optimized field of view. The light from the table hit the seats, casting large, bulbous shadows against the far ceiling.

The four immediately sat down in the center of the first row, and waited. Almost as soon as they had gotten comfortable, a door on the far side of the room opened, and a man walked in. A man who happened to be the one in charge of the ship. The soldiers stood up, and saluted. Cole walked over to the table, eyes focused on the datapad that he held in his left hand. He fiddled with the device for a minute, before speaking.

“At ease, soldiers,” he said. The three sat down. Cole looked up at them. “First Sergeant Scott Jeffries?” he asked.

Scott stood up. “Yes sir?” he asked.

“Sergeant, I received a recommendation to choose your team, from my weapons expert, Joseph Ramirez,” said Admiral Cole. “I believe that you two know each other?”

“We have worked with one another for some time in the past,” said Scott.

“Well,” said Cole, nodding to his datapad. “This clearly states that you lead a team of five ODSTs, including yourself.” he looked around the room, visibly annoyed. “That is correct, yes?”

“Yes sir,” said Scott, quickly becoming embarrassed.

“Yet it fails to explain why Cobra is now down to only three soldiers,” said the Admiral. “Perhaps you can enlighten me.”

“Yes sir,” began Scott. “Actually-”

He was interrupted when the briefing room door suddenly opened, revealing a disheveled John and Henry, both out of breath. Upon seeing Cole, the two immediately attempted to collect themselves.

“Care to join us, gentlemen?” Cole asked, motioning towards the seats.

John cleared his throat. “Yes, sir.” Henry just nodded. They both did their best to stride over to the rest of their squad in an organized manner, in a vain attempt to maintain a partial image of dignity in front of the commanding officer.

“Now that we are all present, let’s get started,” said Admiral Cole. He briefly scrolled through the information on his datapad before continuing to speak. “To begin with, I’m sure you would all like to know the events that have taken place within the last several hours.”

The shock troopers stared at the admiral with blank expressions. If they had any concern about what Cole was talking about, they certainly didn’t show it. Whether they cared or not, Jeffries had somewhat of an interest. After all, everything that was going on lately was completely unconventional, and he had no idea what was going on. As far as he knew, the ship was floating out in the middle of nowhere, next to a planet, doing absolutely nothing.

“Well, as you all know, about five hours ago we arrived in this system, which had been previously unexplored by the UNSC until now,” he said, glancing across the group. “Four hours ago we determined that the planet was very similar to Earth. In two, we discovered that the planet is inhabited by an alien race, and about forty-five minutes ago we made first contact with them.”

Scott widened his eyes as soon as Cole finished speaking. The others showed their disbelief in very discrete ways, attempting to not show any emotion. Brian shifted in his seat, Henry nodded slightly, Ray wrinkled his nose, and John simply stared at Cole, not moving in the slightest.

“We don’t know very much about them,” he said. “Besides their physical appearance, and knowing that they speak our language, they are still very much a mystery to us.”

Several large images of the aliens appeared in the air above the holotable, slowly revolving around a holographic planet. Intermixed with these photographs, were images of several primitive-looking cities and villages. Colorful figures flashed before Scott’s eyes every second. He could have never guessed that this would be what the briefing was about. He never would have assumed that their ship would happen to stumble upon a world filled with vibrantly-colored pony-ish creatures.

“They can speak English?” asked John. “How? How is that possible?”

“We are not yet sure,” replied Cole. “That is a major fraction of the amount of information that we intend to learn from them. By far, that is the strangest thing about them, even though it will dramatically increase of chances of forging strong bonds with them.” he slowly shifted his gaze from one member of Scott’s squad, to another. “That is why I have chosen you all to be here. You are some of the very best soldiers that this boat has to offer, and I am assigning Cobra team to escort me down to the capital city of the country of Equestria. You will remain with me there until our visit is over. The ruler over the country is Princess Celestia.” he said. “I assume that I will be dealing with her for the most part, although I don't know anything about her. You will act polite and respectful in her presence at all times, as well as in the presence of any others. Your main job will be to maintain the security of not only myself, but of anyone I will be dealing with, even if that includes assisting the alien guards who already protect the palace. As far as weaponry, the aliens seem to make use of primitive bladed weapons such as swords, and polearms. However, there is a possibility that they may be more advanced than we believe, so be ready for anything.”

The five soldiers sat quietly at Cole gave his briefing. Scott didn’t know what the others were thinking, but he assumed that they all felt similar to the way he did, during his very first live combat drop. An unshakable nervousness that had lingered within his very spine as the clock slowly ticked until the time of the drop. The months of intense training had hardened him, but nothing compared to the physical and mental ruggedness he received ever since his first mission. Scott remembered the day he was sent on his first mission eight years ago as clearly as looking through a freshly washed window. Although they were not yet a team at that point in time, Scott knew that their experiences were all similar in more ways than one.

Do any of you have any initial comments or concerns?” Cole asked. “I am well aware that this is not the type of mission that you are all normally accustomed to, so I am open to any questions.”

Scott laughed nervously and scratched his scalp, as his thoughts returned to the present. “Sir, permission to speak freely?” he asked. Cole nodded. Scott cleared his throat. “After being a helljumper for several years now, missions hardly ever surprise us anymore.” he said. “We have all gotten used to receiving high priority missions with little to no warning, and then being thrown into some of the nastiest, bug-infested shit holes that this galaxy has to offer. We receive our orders, we drop in behind enemy lines, we accomplish the objective, and then we extract as fast as possible. Get in, get out. No time to take pictures of the scenery. That’s our job, and we have all gotten used to it. However.” he chuckled. “I will admit, sir. This mission takes the cake. Although I must say that I never signed up to be a bodyguard.”

“Ah, but an ODST can easily function as a bodyguard,” said Cole. “Although I highly doubt that any old bodyguard can become an ODST.”

This caused a small smile to appear on the faces of Cobra team.

“I need soldiers that I can trust,” said Cole. “I don’t need any young hothead with a rifle in their hands to do something stupid while I am conducting diplomatic business. Trust me, this is as strange for you as it is for me. You all didn’t train to be bodyguards, and I didn’t study to be an ambassador for the United Nations Space Command. However, what makes a man good at what he does,is his ability to adapt to accomplish any objective, no matter the circumstances. I can count on you all, correct?”

Scott smirked. “Sir, we are ODST,” he stated matter-of-factly. “If we couldn’t be depended upon, they would have shipped us off to work behind desks a long time ago.”

“Good,” said Cole. “We depart at oh-six-hundred via pelican. I recommend that you all get your gear together. I do not know how long we will be saying on the surface before returning to the Everest, so pack several sets of attire.”

“What about armaments, sir?” asked Ray.

“Hopefully they will not be needed,” replied the Admiral. “But bring whatever you feel is necessary. I trust you all to make good decisions. Remember, we don’t want to make them feel nervous. Chances are, you won’t even be allowed to bring your weapons into the palace.”

“Got it,” said Ray. “Thank you, sir.”

“Are there any more questions?” Cole asked, looking over the five men. None of them said anything.

“Good,” said Cole. “I will see you all again at oh-six-hundred. Dismissed.”

The admiral shut down the holotable, and then proceeded to leave the room from the direction he came from. When he was gone, John spoke up.

“What do you think, Scott?” he asked.

Scott stared into space. “I think that we all need some coffee,” he said. There was a muffled murmur of agreement between all five of them as they stood and walked out of the briefing room, and headed back to their private rec room.

As they walked, Scott Jeffries felt the nervousness in the pit of his stomach grow more uncomfortable each second. He hadn’t been this nervous for a mission in a long time. A very long time.

UNSC Resolute- In Orbit above Jericho VII- Eight Years Ago

Jeffries awaited the plunge silently as he sat within his SOEIV, like an ancient sword stuck inside of a massive stone, about to be hurtled down from the heavens right into the middle of hell. He couldn’t see what we below him, as the airlock doors were closed, but deep down inside he knew. He was aware that there was a very real possibility that he would not return home from the mission, as well as the chance that he would likely return instead of someone else. After hearing about the demise of the 105’s Drop Jet Platoon of ODSTs only an hour before, Scott was very nervous. Although the Covenant had begun their assault on the outer colony only a few days before, most of the planet’s built-up infrastructure was already in ruins. The glassing had already begun in some areas of the world as the alien armada efficiently bombarded the planet with plasma, section by section, continent by continent. This was one of the last, relatively intact cities left on Jericho VII, and he was among the many ODSTs being sent in to assist in the evacuation of the last remaining civilian populations on the planet. Although the name of the city had slipped his mind, the objective was all that he cared about. Cities could be rebuilt, homes reconstructed. But human life could never be replaced, and for every person that was rescued, humanity had even more of a reason to fight. To survive.

An alarm sounded, and the large airlock was suddenly illuminated by several rotating notification lights, which shone past the seven drop pods, hanging from the ceiling on clamps, casting heavy shadows across the inner walls. After the warning, the floor disappeared. The massive airlock doors opened wide revealing a massive black marble, which blocked out all view with its heavenly body. No matter how beautiful it was, even godly-creations can suffer from injury. With the sun on the opposite side of the globe, there were no distinguishable features about the planet, besides the massive red scars that had been burned into the surface. They twisted and they dove, severing mountains from their cousins, spreading burning destruction through forests, and shattering continents into uncountable sections of soot-infested, barren land. Menacing plumes of smoke arose from the great gashes, and invaded the atmosphere, choking out everything it came in contact with within its fiery tendrils of shadow. The next target that the great fires would consume, would be the city. The final bastion of humanity on the dying world stood like a beacon in the night sky, shedding just enough light to hold off the encroaching darkness. The lights of buildings were just visible through the smog, and anti-aircraft tracer rounds could been seen streaking through the sky. Thousands of tiny lights flashed all over the surface, constantly in a vain attempt to hold off the unstoppable enemy. But it was no use. This planet would die just like all the others.

Scott’s drop pod shook as its thrusters engaged along with everyone else’s. He counted down to himself. Three... two... one. The next second he was in free-fall as he plunged into the awaiting darkness. Through the thick glass he could see many other pods darting into the atmosphere, their thrusters shining in a whitish-blue, leaving glowing trails as they plummeted. The shrouded atmosphere parted before him, unable to prevent the unstoppable object from reaching the surface. Suddenly, he breached the thick smoke layer, and the city became entirely visible as the monstrous skyscrapers rushed towards him like knives, but they did not collide with one another. Instead Scott fell without resistance between two buildings, which raced past him in an indistinguishable rush of color. The street below rushed up to meet him, and he fell with the full intention of landing right in the middle of it. The pod’s drag fins opened up to slow his descent just so that he wouldn’t become vaporized on impact. He had a job to do after all.

There was a lurch in his stomach as the SOEIV slowed down dramatically, and the next moment he struck pavement, coming to a sudden halt. Two seconds after that, the door lock disengaged, and the lid opened up automatically. Scott jumped out of the pod, and his boots struck the hardened city street. He immediately leveled his MA-5K assault carbine, and scanned the surrounding area for any threats. The briefing hadn’t had much information on enemy activity within the city limits, so everyone on the mission had been advised to stay cautious at all times.

Surrounding him, civilian vehicles sat abandoned in the streets, some with their lights still on and flashing. There was no sign of any life around him besides the tickle of the warm night air. He looked up. Above him, pelican dropships flew across the night sky, undoubtedly traveling to and fro from city hall. Everyone in the city who hadn’t managed to get off planet at the beginning of the invasion, had been instructed to migrate to the city center, for last minute evacuations. That was where everyone was, and that was where he would be going. The others had dropped within the nearby streets, and were definitely close by. Looking over his shoulder on last time, he then proceeded to fast jog to the end of the street. By glancing up at an overhanging road sign, he verified that he was now on Policant Street, the name of which he remembered specifically from the briefing. He looked to his right, and there it was. About ten blocks down, was a tall skyscraper, which unlike the other buildings in the city, had every single one of its lights on. It was a massive beacon of golden light, almost as if it was meant to guide people to it, for salvation. In a way it did.

Scott continued his fast jog down the deserted, quadruple-laned thoroughfare. More abandoned vehicles clogged the streets, forcing Scott to weave in and out between the ghostly sedans and SUVs. He glanced to his right and noticed that the glass doors on a building had been shattered. Mixed in amongst the glass fragments, was a dark substance which looked oddly like blood. Whatever it was, it was smeared all over the threshold, and had been spread further into the building, as if something had been dragged through it. Scott didn’t have time to investigate, nor did he wish to find out.

A low humming sound was suddenly heard by Scott, originating from above him. He looked up, and saw a Covenant phantom dropship for the first time in real life. By far, it looked far more menacing than how the training simulators depicted them. It flew slowly, high above the city. Scott watched it as he continued to jog down the street, already having covered three city blocks. He estimated that there were only six or seven left until he reached city hall. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the phantom exploded in a bluish-purple fireball, combined with a yellow plume of fire. A second later, a squadron of three longsword fighters flew overhead, launching a volley of missiles at a far-distant target that Scott could not see. They too passed beyond view, and it was once again silent, except for muffled, echoing sounds of distant gunfire.

Something wasn’t right. For a split-second, Scott thought that he heard something else besides that of the far away fighting. A shrill sound, unnatural to a combat environment. A sound that demanded attention at all times, no matter what was going on. He stopped jogging and listened. Silence. He waited for a few more seconds, and sure enough he heard it again. As clear as day, he recognized that sound anywhere. It was the sound of a woman’s scream, and it came from a building down the street, to his left. Without thinking, he made a rapid sprint down the road, praying to hear it one more time, so that he could confirm which building it originated from. He asked, and the universe answered. The scream came from a second-floor window, on a apartment complex to his left. He quickly ran up the steps and stepped through the open doors into the lobby. If there was indeed a god watching over him, he mouthed a silent thank-you in appreciation. He switched the vision mode on his visor to a low-light setting, allowing him to easily see in the lightless building. He ran to the back of the lobby, and found the emergency stairs. He opened the door as quietly, and as quickly as he could and began to climb up the steps. He kept his rifle pointed up the stairwell, and he kept his back against the wall. He reached the first landing and checking to make sure the second-floor landing was clear of threats, before proceeding up the rest of the stairs. He slowly opened the fire-proof door, and stepped onto the crimson carpet that made up the flooring for the hallway. There lights in the corridor were out as well, and apartment room doors were spaced out evenly on both sides of the hallway. At the very end, there was an open window, overlooking the street in which he came from. He walked quickly down the hallway, checking doors as he went, all of them locked. Suddenly, out of his peripheral vision, he noticed that the color of the carpet was uneven. Looking down, he noticed that the carpet was not a solid red, but rather a blue color with red splotches in random places. He reached down and touched the discolored rug with his gloved hand. A sticky substance coated his fingers. It was blood. Standing up once again, he suddenly realized that there was blood on the walls as well, smeared all over the place. Scott felt his stomach grow cold when he saw a fresh, bloody handprint on the wall. Little droplets of the stuff trickled down the wall, from the impression. Whatever had happened here, it had happened recently. His thoughts suddenly returned to that of the woman’s scream, and he realized that there was a large possibility that whatever had caused the disturbing mess in the hallway, might still be in the building. He raised his weapon again, and continued to walk down the hall. Every single door that he came to was locked. Every few seconds, he looked over his shoulder to make sure that he wasn’t being followed. As he neared the end of the hallway, he noticed that the last door on the left side was open. The scream had come from a window in that apartment. As he neared the opening, he noticed that the door wasn't merely open, but ripped completely off its hinges. He put his left shoulder up against the left wall, and peeked around the corner. From what he could see, the inside of the apartment was no less unsettling than the hallway, or the empty city streets outside. He felt his heartbeat quicken. Just inside the door was a small kitchen that had been demolished. Cupboards were smashed open, and an oven on the wall was missing its door. Broken dishes were spread across the floor, their fragments creating an impossible maze for any small creature or insect, which attempted to traverse the craggy terrain.

He stepped into the room, being careful not to bump into the door which lay in the middle of the floor, or to step on any of the shattered dinnerware. Barely managing to stay attached, was a ceiling fan, which dangled by that of a thin wire. From where he stood inside the kitchen, there were too doors, one directly ahead of him, and one to the left. Checking the closer door first, he quickly realized that it was just an empty bathroom. He proceeded forward slowly, into what appeared to be a living room. He stopped, and whipped around the corner quickly, scanning the room through the smart-linked sights of his rifle. It was empty. Except for an overturned coffee table, a shredded couch, and a toppled entertainment center, there wasn’t a presence in the room. At was still. All was silent, as if the room itself was preparing to mourn for its coming destruction.

From the room that was probably once a place where a happy family would sit to enjoy time together, there were two more doors, both situated on perpendicular walls, in the far corner of the room. Scott took a deep breath, and crept closer to the two entrances. As he grew nearer, he felt his senses heighten from the increased adrenaline pumping through his bloodstream. His hearing became acutely sensitive, and he felt as if he was seeing the world around him move at a slower pace. The shadowy openings were outlined in white, thanks to the low-light vision filter that was included in his helmet’s installed VISR system. His heartbeat throbbed in his head as he edged himself closer, careful to not make a single sound. He pressed his back to the wall, and slowly peeked his head around the corner. He hoped to find the source of the woman’s screams. He expected to find another bedroom. He ended up finding both, as well as a living, breathing, eight and a half foot tall elite. As much as it surprised him, he did not make a sound. He had never seen one up close before, and its size didn’t make the situation any less intimidating.

It stood with its back to him, looking out the bedroom window, and up at the night sky. It was muttering something in a language that Scott did not understand. It wore a dark-blue set of armor. On one of his hips, was a plasma rifle, and on the other, the hilt of an energy sword. On the ground behind him, lay the motionless body of a woman. Twin, cauterized puncture wounds marked the place where the elite had stabbed its energy sword into her abdomen. He didn’t know who she was, but yet he did. She was another person who had lost their life in a ruthless holy war, waged by aliens. Every day, its seemed like there was less and less of a chance that humanity would be able to make it out on top. How could humanity possibly win against a force that slaughtered innocent women and children, as easily as they killed soldiers?

Scott aimed his rifle at the elite’s back, with his finger ready to squeeze the trigger at a millisecond notice. He adjusted his stance to a crouching position, and prepare to fire. At that very moment, there was a loud crash that came from the kitchen, as the copper strand finally broke, letting the ceiling fan crash to the floor. The elite whipped around faster than Scott could have thought possible. Their eyes met, and they stared at one another for an entire second, before the elite drew his sword, and Scott fired his rifle. The alien’s shields flares as the bullets collided with the bluish energy barrier. It activated its sword, and swung it at Scott’s face. He was forced to duck and roll to right side, into the bedroom, to avoid losing his head. The sword sliced through the door frame, causing a foul, burnt smell to fill the room. Scott got to his feet and fired another short burst into the elite, but wasn’t able to crack through its shields before the alien pivoted on one foot and kicked Scott square in the chest. His rifle was knocked out of his hands as he flew into the far wall, smashing a glass picture frame, before falling onto the bed. The elite turned around to face him, and stalked forward, his sword pointed at the floor. Scott looked around for an escape, but there wasn’t one. He was cornered. The elite raised his sword, and brought the twin, superheated blades within eight inches of Scott’s visor. It reared back, ready to stab, but something stopped it. A voice.

“Hey you ugly, bastard split-lip!” shouted the masculine voice. “Over here!”

The alien turned around only to see a blur of grey, as an armored figure slammed into it full-force, colliding with its chest. The elite was knocked onto its back, dropping its energy sword from the impact. It was another ODST. Scott’s savior then jumped on top of the elite, unsheathing his combat knife. He lunged forward, going for the Sangheili’s throat, but the alien batted the soldier away with one hand, knocking him off to the side. The ODST looked up at Scott.

“Don’t just sit there!” yelled the fellow soldier. “Help me out here!”

Scott was awoken from his near-death trance, and got to his feet. The elite staggered back up as well, searching for its weapon. The soldier stood too, and took a fighting stance, holding his knife out before him in one hand, while his other was balled up in a tight fist. The elite saw the weapon lying on the ground by the window, and made a lunge for it. The other ODST tried to block its path, but the elite knocked him away with ease. Scoot then took the initiative to attack. He jumped off the bed, grappling onto the elite’s shoulders, and wrapping his arms around its neck. The monster attempted to shake Scott off, but the ODST held on with all his might. The other soldier got to his feet once more, and used the opportunity given by Scott’s distraction to plunge his knife into the elite’s side. It roared out in agony, and slammed into the bedroom wall, causing the room to shake. Scott leaned backwards, putting all of his weight behind him. The elite attempted to remain standing, but fell backwards onto Scott when he made a final tug on its neck. With the elite on top of him, Scott drew his sidearm from its holster and placed it up against the alien’s helmet. He pulled the trigger several times, each causing the elite’s shields to flare at a brighter intensity with each impact. The elite brought its arm back, and knocked the pistol of Scott’s hands. The other soldier tried to jump on top of the alien, but was kicked away by its massive foot. The elite then rolled over, so that its four-mandibled mouth looked like it was biting Scott’s face. It raised his fist, and a miniature energy dagger materialized itself, pointed right at the ODST’s visor. It brought its first back, about to finish Scott off once and for all, but suddenly the other ODST jumped onto the elite’s back, yanked the knife out of its side, and plunged it several times into the alien’s throat. Purplish blood sprayed onto Scott’s visor, and coated the knife entirely. The elite reached up to grab at its punctured artery, but it was too late. It groaned, and then fell off to the side, breathing its final breath before going limp.

Both ODSTs stared at the dead alien, entirely out of breath. Neither spoke for a few seconds.

“Thanks,” said Scott, panting heavily.

“Don’t... mention it,” said the other.

Scott sat for another moment before getting up on his feet, and walking over to retrieve his rifle and sidearm, which had both been knocked under the bed during the terrifying fight.

“I saw you turn down this street,” said the stranger. “I wasn’t quite sure why you had, so I followed you. I got inside, and when I heard gunshots I came running as quickly as I could.”

Scott looked over at him. “It's a good thing that you did,” he said. “I would have been seared meat if you didn’t come along.”

The stranger walked over to the dead alien. “Why did you come in here?” he asked. “Did you see this big guy go in?”

“No,” said Scott. “I heard a woman’s scream.” he nodded towards the dead woman.

“I see,” said the stranger, before looking down at the ground. “Did you know who she was?”

“No,” said Scott, as he walked over, and crouched over the woman. “No I did not.”

The other soldier walked over as well, and stood over Scott.

“I could have saved her,” Scott said, growing pale. “But I wasn’t fast enough. If I had just gotten here a little sooner...”

“Hey,” said the stranger. “Don’t beat yourself up over this. It wasn’t your fault.” he turned towards the door.

“But it was,” said Scott. “I wanted to save her, but I failed. I just need to... Just a little more time-”

“It’s a shame, but there is nothing we can do to change it,” said the other soldier. “Come on. We had better get going to city hall. Our help is needed there.”

Scott sighed, but nodded, and looked one last time at the woman, before following the other ODST out into the hallway, and outside into the dreary nighttime city.

V: Beginnings

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Chapter 5: Beginnings

April 20, 2543- 0600 Hours/UNSC Everest, In orbit above Equestria, Planetary name: Unknown

I could have saved her. I could have saved all of them.

“Testing communication link,” said the pilot. “Zenith, do you copy?”

“This is Zenith one. Read you loud and clear, Maverick four,” replied a female voice, which came from the speakers in the cockpit.

“This is Zenith three, communications checks out green,” said a male voice.

“Roger that,” said the pilot. “Be ready to depart in less than five minutes.”

“Copy.”

Scott listened to the conversation going on in the pelican, from outside. He sat upon a large, military crate within one of Everest’s large launch bays. Next to him, sat John and Henry, each staring off into a different part of the hangar. The room was large enough to hold two pelican transports, one of which was their ride down to the planet. The other vehicle was currently being worked on by several engineers, who were removing a pair of external fuel tanks on the wings, and replacing them with dual anvil missile pods. In one corner, a group of marines chatted quietly, while several others walked around on patrol.

Scott turned around in his seat when he heard footsteps approaching from behind. Ray and Brian walked up to the three. Brian sat down, while Ray carried a sniper rifle over to the Pelican, and put it in the overhead storage.

“Ray,” began Henry with a sigh. “What are you doing?”

Ray looked over. “What?” he asked.

“I highly doubt that that is necessary,” said John, gesturing at the anti-material rifle.

“Hey,” said Ray, raising his hands in a defensive position. “You never know when you are going to need it.” he finished stowing the weapon away and walked over to the group. “Why are you guys so quiet?”

“Why aren’t you?” asked Brian in a mocking tone.

“Because quiet is boring,” said Ray. He turned to Scott. “What’s the deal? When are we heading out?”

“The admiral should be here any minute,” replied Scott. “Just hang tight for now.”

Ray opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing, and sat down instead. “Do you think that this whole meeting is going to go smoothly, sir?” he asked.

Scott shrugged slightly. “Can’t say. All I know is that it is our job to do everything in our power to make sure that it does. That means we all have to be on top of our game. I mean it. Although it certainly won't be the most dangerous mission we have been sent out on, it might be the most important one yet. Think about it.” he said. “Forming an alliance with these beings could be a crucial factor that would allow us to be able to resist the Covenant more efficiently. Who knows? Perhaps this is the jump-start that we need in order to finally turn the tide of the war in our favor. We cannot screw this up.”

Ray silently nodded in agreement.

“What do you guys think about them?” asked Brian. “The aliens. They look pretty weird to me.”

“Tell me about it,” said John. “These just might be the silliest looking aliens I have ever seen. Heck. They even outmatch those damn Covenant engineers.”

“I don't know man,” said Ray. “Those floaty-squids are pretty funny-looking.”

“Yeah until they explode in your face,” said Henry. “Then they aren't so funny. I dunno. I think that these guys are kinda cute.”

“Bro,” said Ray. “You are an ODST. You lost the right to use that word a long time ago.”

“How so?” asked Henry. “I don’t remember that being in part of the rules.”

“Yeah,” said Ray. “It clearly states in section G one eighteen of the handbook, that Henry is no longer a human being, and because of this, can no longer have any friendly emotions, or live normally in regular society.”

The group laughed.

“Well, guess what,” said Scott. “You two can argue about which alien looks the cutest or the stupidest, another time. Here comes Old King Cole.”

The five men stood up and saluted as Cole walked into the hanger, and over to them.

“Are you boys ready?” he asked.

“Ready as we will ever be, sir,” replied Scott with a smile.

“Very good,” said Cole, walking past him, and stepping into the pelican. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

“Yes, sir,” the group replied. The all picked up their weapons and helmets off of the crates, and headed into the dropship.

Scott walked up to the cabin, and tapped the pilot on the shoulder. “We are ready to head out,” he said. The pilot nodded. Scott returned to his seat, and the troop-bay door closed, and a red light turned on to illuminate the interior. “Strap yourselves in, everyone.” he said, and looked across the aisle to the Admiral, who was fumbling with his harness. “Do you need some help, sir?”

“No,” said Cole, finally clamping his harness into place. “I’ve got it.”

“This is Maverick four, to bridge,” said the pilot from the cabin. “We are ready to go. Requesting permission to depart, over.”

“Roger that Mav four,” said a voice. “Preparing to open hangar bay doors. Stand by.”

Outside the pelican, yellow warning lights flashed inside of the transport bay, and a female voice echoed from a loudspeaker.

“Warning,” said the voice. “All crewmembers please exit the hangar bay immediately. Please store away any loose equipment, and lock down all crates.”

Everyone in the room immediately stopped what they were doing. Engineers picked up their tools and carried them out of the hangar. The soldiers followed behind them, and once everyone was out, the doors to the hallways sealed shut. An alarm sounded as the room depressurized. In thirty seconds, the entire atmosphere of the room had been sucked out, and the interior vacuum became in equilibrium with that of the cold space outside. A loud metallic click reverberated throughout the hangar bay and soon after, the massive, interlocking blast doors began to slide open in opposite directions. What once used to be a wall of over two and a half meters of solid titanium, now moved aside to reveal a void of vast nothingness.

“Maverick four, you are cleared to depart,” said the voice from the bridge. “Have a safe flight.”

“Thank you, command,” said the pilot, while flipping several switches on the ceiling of the cabin. “Maverick four out.”

The pelican shuttered as the engines started up, and the thrusters engaged, lifting the craft off of the deck, rotating it around one-hundred and eighty degrees, and propelling it out through the wide opening. As the shuttle departed, the second pelican in the hangar shrunk away from view, and the doors began to close.

The ship flew outward away from Everest, and then looped back around to pass underneath the cruiser, and towards the mysterious planet, which loomed ominously in the distance. As the pelican passed by Everest, two bolts of light suddenly fired out of the craft’s port side. The lights closed the distance between the Everest and the pelican within a few seconds, but then slowed to flank the shuttle on either side. The two longsword fighters matched the pelican’s speed, and fell into a triangle formation as the three ships flew straight down to the planet below.

Scott leaned back in his seat, and closed his eyes, attempting to clear his head of any and all doubts. After all, it was just another mission. However, something told him that there would be a lot less action, and a lot more relative inactivity. Something about being sent onto an unknown planet, filled with alien creatures that supposedly were not going to shoot you the second your eyes met, bothered Scott. I was an odd feeling, and he did not like it in the slightest.

“You alright, Sergeant?” asked John, who sat across from Scott.

Scott nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he said. “I’m fine.”

February 12, 2535/Battle of Jericho VII

The reeking smell of phosphorus hovered in the air underneath the starless sky. The atmosphere, being choked out by smoke from the ever spreading destruction caused by the distant Covenant glassing beams, made the sky to look like an ever swirling pool of murky water. An even mix of friendly and hostile aircraft darted to and fro across the grey pool, chasing and killing one another in a never ending dance of chaos and destruction.

The scene above his head and the scene directly before his eyes were no less dreary than the other. Scott jogged alongside the still unfamiliar ODST down Policant Street. City Hall was now only a couple blocks away, and was already showering the two soldiers with the golden light that illuminated from the building. As they reached the final block before the skyscraper, the buildup of abandoned vehicles stopped due to the massive four roadblocks that had risen out of the street, in the middle of each lane. The two passed between the barriers, and made their way down the final, vacant city block.

The building sat upon a raised foundation, that stood about ten meters higher than the street level, and shallow concrete steps were required to scale the wall. The four-laned thoroughfare, upon reaching the building, wrapped around the structure in a circle, and continued in the same direction, on the opposite side. Several smaller streets connected to the circle as well.

As the two approached the building, a large spotlight suddenly cast its blinding gaze upon them, coming from the wall. Thankfully, Scott’s visor adjusted almost instantly so that he could see through the strong beam of light. The two ODST’s stopped in their tracks.

“Friendlies!” called out a voice from the wall. “Coming up the main stairs! Everyone hold your fire!”

The spotlight switched off, and allowed the new arrivals to pass. They climbed up the stairs, and were met by over twenty marines, one of whom rushed over to greet them.

“Troopers,” called the marine as he reached the two. “I’m Lance Corporal, Fox. Thank god you’re here. We are gonna need all of the help we can get. Word has it that all of downtown is lost, and that Covenant forces are coming here next. We only have certain amount of-”

“Corporal,” interrupted Scott. “Where is your commanding officer?”

The marine paused. “He should be in the courtroom, on the third floor,” said Fox. “That’s where the FOB has been set up.”

“Thank you, soldier,” said Scott. He looked over to the other ODST, who nodded.

They both proceeded into the building’s main lobby, which now appeared to have been converted into a field hospital. Instead of civilians waiting for their court appointments, soldiers rested back to back on the benches. Some were asleep, others wide awake, but almost all of them were bloodied and bandaged up in some way.

They both walked into the elevator, and Scott’s new partner pressed a holographic key, to take them to the third floor. The doors slid shut, the elevator climbed up to the third level quickly, and the doors opened again. The two weren’t in the elevator any longer than ten seconds. Before them was a wide hallway, with a solid wall on the left, bearing a single set of double doors. On the right side, were several doors, spaced out every ten meters or so. Scott assumed them to be offices for the city planning board. The other ODST took the lead, and pushed open the double doors that led into the courtroom. Scott followed him inside. In the center of the room, several large tables had been set up, on which rested many computers and heavy metal crates. Thick cables ran across the solid-wood floor from one machine to another. The wooden stands on the side of the room were vacant, as well as the judge’s seat. Several officers were in the room, as well as a guard at each entrance, the closest of whom, walked up and stopped the two ODSTs.

“Hold it right there, you two,” he said. “What business do you have here?”

“We are ODST’s from the 105’s second platoon of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers,” said Scott. “We request permission to speak with your commanding officer.”

“I’m sorry, but he is very busy right now, and-”

“It’s alright, marine,” said a man, who walked up from behind the guard. Quickly glancing at his patch, Scott realized that he was a Sergeant-Major.

“You can stand down, now,” he said to the marine.

The marine nodded. “Yes, sir,” he said, before returning to his post. Scott and the stranger immediately stood to attention before the officer.

“Now,” he began. “How may I help you two?”

“Sir,” said Scott. “Corporal Scott Jeffries, sir. We are ODSTs from the 105’s second platoon. We have orders to assist in the evacuation of any and all civilians from the city. How may we be of assistance, sir?”

“Ah,” said the officer. “Captain De Blanc sent you didn’t he? I was wondering when you guys were going to show up.” he looked past the two. “How many of you came?”

“It’s just us right now, sir,” said the other ODST. “However, there were about another twenty or thirty ODST’s who came down as well. I assume that they will be here shortly. I saw that some of them landed quite a distance from the city center, so that might explain as to why they have not arrived yet.”

“Well,” said the Sergeant Major. “They had better get here fast. Covenant forces are making a hard push uptown. Initial forces will most likely be arriving in less than twenty minutes. We are going to need as many able-bodied soldiers as we possibly can. Much of the garrison here are guys who have been wounded, and transported here, from the front. Unless I say otherwise, you two should head up to the top floor, and see what you can do to help. Pelican dropships have been arriving every ten minutes, to transport civilians out of the city, from the upper landing pad of this building. I have my First Sergeant in charge of the evacuations. You are to report to him, and see what you can do to help."

"Yes, sir," they both said in unison.

“Very good,” said the officer. “Dismissed.”

Scott and the other soldier turned, and quickly marched out of the courtroom, letting the doors close noisily behind them. They made their way back to the elevator, and began their ascent to the top floor. The trip took about forty seconds, and as soon as the doors opened again, the two were thrust right into chaos. The hallway was completely filled with people, almost all of whom were acting anything but civilized. Marines struggled to keep the civilians in line, as they all awaited their rides out of the city. Mothers comforted their crying children, while husbands stood watch, scanning the disorganized scene for any threats to their families. Some people stood with solemn expressions. Others wept quietly to themselves, while a few shouted and cursed at the soldiers, demanding that they be allowed a ride first. Of course, the marines couldn’t allow that. A somewhat sense of order had to be maintained, and that meant that everyone had to wait their turn.

Scott surveyed the scene, and noticed a junior officer approaching rapidly towards them. He had a darker skin than Scott, and he assumed that the man was of Spanish heritage.

“You two,” said the man. “Sergeant-Major Decker sent you two here, correct?”

It was a little difficult to hear the man over the noise of the crowd, but he Scott managed to understand. He looked over at the other ODST with uncertainty, even though he couldn’t see the other’s face behind his visor. “We didn’t catch his name, sir,” said Scott. “But, we were sent by an officer of the same rank, so most likely.”

“Whatever,” said the man. “It doesn't matter to me. I’m First-Sergeant Joseph Ramirez.” he said. “We are up to our wastes in shit up here, and I don’t have time for long introductions. I’ve got another two floors down, filled with angry people that need to be evacuated out of here. Currently, the Covenant are making their advance faster than we have been able to get the civvies out of here. I’ve only got so many pelicans devoted to helping us out, and given the time it takes to pick people up, take them to the ship, drop them off, and come back...” he paused. “Let’s just say that things are going a bit too slowly for my liking, and there isn’t much that I can do about it. I need you two on the landing pad, making sure that no one cuts the line, and making sure that people get onto the dropships safely, and quickly. I have my men spread too far thin, and most of them are maintaining the peace on the floors below us, so I would very much appreciate your help.”

“Sir,” said the other ODST. “Whatever you need, sir. That’s what we are here for.”

“Great,” he said, quickly running past the two and shouting to a marine. “Hey, Bruno! What’s the ETA of the next pickup?”

“Five minutes, sir.”

“Damn,” he said. “What are they doing, taking the scenic route? Tell them to hurry their asses up!”

“Yes sir.”

“Now!”

“Yes sir.”

The two pushed their way through the crowd of nervous people as they made their way down the hallway, to the landing pad. The marine guarding a pair of automatic glass doors let them pass, and the doors slid open. Suddenly Scott was outside again. The platform was wide, and relatively vacant, except for a few soldiers who stood on the platform, holding their rifles at a forty-five degree angle, at waist level. A pair of two marines stood, looking over the railing, on the right side of the platform. One of them turned, and upon seeing the two ODSTs, nudged the marine next to him, and gestured at the two, making an inaudible comment. Scott pretended not to pay attention, and instead walked over to the opposite side of the pad. Below him, about eighty stories down, was the street. He could see in three directions, and could look all the way down every street, on his side of the building. What he saw, frightened him. Approaching from the east, about twenty blocks down, was an entire army of Covenant troops. They swarmed down the street quickly, following behind six wraith tanks, which plowed all of the abandoned cars to the sides of the street, clearing the way for the advance. Looking down some of the others streets, Scott saw much of the same. The Covenant were closing in from all directions, and they would likely be at the building’s doorstep within ten minutes or so. However, that was not all that was approaching. About one or two blocks up from the Covenant push, came small flashes of gunfire. Scott used the magnification feature of his helmet to get a better view.

A couple of fellow ODSTs were scrambling away from the enemy forces, exchanging shots with them as they ran towards city hall. They were the ones who had dropped in that farthest from the city center. Scott could see a few more ODSTs, who were much closer to the building, running as fast as they could, to get inside. Some of the stragglers, weren’t so lucky. He saw one of the troopers, bringing up the rear, drop when several plasma bolts splashed across his chest. Another was brought down in a deadly, pink explosion as a couple Covenant needle rounds chain-reacted, killing the soldier instantly. Those who were lucky, managed to kill a few aliens as they went, and used the cars for cover as they ran. The sight disgusted Scott, and he found himself turning away, unable to watch the slaughter of his fellow soldiers, some of whom he probably knew.

Scott suddenly heard the whine of a pelican’s engines. He looked up, and saw the ship coming down through the clouds rapidly, racing to get to the building as quickly as possible. It leveled out about thirty meters above the platform, and came straight down. Scott made sure to stand clear, so as to not be crushed. It touched down, and the ramp lowered right away. A marine inside started yelling orders.

“Get the next group of civilians!” he yelled. “Come on, we gotta keep this line moving!”

The glass doors that led into the building slid open, and two guards escorted another group of about twenty people out across the platform. Scott walked up to the line of people to make sure that everything was under control. The marines quickly ushered the civilians to the dropship, telling them to walk quickly, but not to rush at the same time. The soldier inside the pelican helped an elderly woman onboard, and then tried to free a young boy from his mother’s shoulders.

“No!” he whined. “Momma, no!”

“Its, ok, Robert,” said the mother, stroking her child’s head. “He’s just going to help you inside. That’s all.”

“Yeah,” said the marine, clearly doing his best to put on a happy face. “Don’t worry, sport. I’ve got ya. Don’t you want to ride in a spaceship?”

The boy nodded, and reluctantly let go, and the man picked him up and set him down in a seat. His mother climbed aboard on her own, and sat down next to her child once he was fastened in. She put her arm around her son, and ran her fingers through his brown head of hair. Scott looked away.

As soon as the last few people were safely aboard, the ramp door closed, and the transport took off, carrying the people off the planet, and to relative safety. Even with the pelican gone, the world outside remained far from quiet. Scott suddenly heard the sharp crack of a high-powered rifle, from below. He looked over the railing again, and saw that one of the marines at the base of the tower was firing a sniper rifle at the oncoming covenant forces. Glancing down the street, he saw several grunts and an elite drop dead, and fall on the ground. The other enemies, towards the front of the advance dogged aside and ran for cover. The wraiths kept on coming, unafraid, as they led the push forward. The marine kept on firing and reloading, but was unable to slow the enemy down much at all. The Covenant were now only ten blocks away. Once they got close enough, things would likely get messy rather fast.

When the Covenant were seven blocks away, another pelican showed up, and another group of twenty people were whisked away to safety. Scott stood next to the other masked ODST the entire time, watching as depressed people walked him by with solemn expressions, all while the Covenant swarm spread towards the heart of the city, rapidly choking out the last remnants of human civilization from the world.

When the next pelican showed up, the Covenant began their assault on the tower. The wraiths angled their main plasma mortar launchers, and began to lob blue bubbles of superheated energy into the defending positions. The marines immediately returned fire, spraying streams of hot tungsten into the front line. The Covenant responded with plasma fire, and suddenly the area in between both forces became no-man’s land, literally choked out by the amount of projectiles flying back and forth. It was awesome in a beautiful, yet terrifying way.

One of the marines on the pad raised his BR55 Battle Rifle, and aimed it over the railing at the enemy troops.

“Stop!” said Scott. “Hold your fire, marine.”

“Why,” he asked, cocking his head to the side. “I have a perfect angle on them.”

“Because we don’t want them shooting back up at us,” replied Scott. “We need to make sure that the civilians get out safely, so lower your weapon.”

The marine grunted, but lowered his weapon nonetheless. As soon as he did, the next pelican came down from the clouds, temporarily drowning out the sound of fighting below. Another group of people were brought out, but this time only half of them were civilians. The others were wounded soldiers, being helped along by their comrades. An audibly distressed woman was shouting from the line; however all of the soldiers turned away from her, pretending not to notice. Scott looked at her, and even though she couldn’t see his eyes behind his visor, their gazes locked. She broke free of the line, and rushed over to him. Other marines tried to grab her, but she escaped his grasp, displaying an impressive amount of strength. Scott braced himself, and she grabbed onto his chest plate, with tears streaming down her face.

“Please!” she cried. “Please, I can’t find my daughter!” she coughed, as she tried to speak though the emotions clogging her throat. “She was wit, me and- and she kept asking to go see her father who was standing further back in the line, but I told her to stay with me, and... then I looked away for one second, and she was gone!” she wept freely as she held onto Scott wish a tremendous grasp. “Please. I saw her running down the hallway, towards where my husband is, further down the line. I tried to call out after her, but- but she didn’t hear me! Please! Please can you help find her? I’m begging of you!”

“Ma’am,” said Scott, trying his best to console the woman, who was now weeping into his arm. “Please calm down. We need to keep the line moving. Your husband and daughter will be on the next flight.” he said, turning her head to look at her. “I promise. Now, please, I need you to help me. Please get onto the transport.”

“You- you promise?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” said Scott. “Your daughter is safe. I won’t let anything happen to her.”

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” she called, as she was forcefully led away to the pelican, by two marines. Scott gave her a nod, and watched as she was led into the pelican. The door closed, and the ship touched off of the planet for the last time.

Down on the street, the fight had taken a turn for the worst. The remaining Marines who were defending the front door, were falling back into the main lobby as the Covenant ground troops rushed forwards. The building was being quickly overrun, and there wasn't much time left until the Covenant breached the building. The wraiths were now launching plasma mortars at the building itself. Windows shattered under the extreme releases of heat, and concrete exploded off the walls. With each successful impact, the skyscraper shook.

The next pelican descended from the burning sky, and landed forcefully, causing the platform to vibrate intensely. The door from the building opened again, but no civilians came out. Instead, a large group of marines, ODSTs and a few officers came out. Scott recognized Sergeant-Major Decker, and First-Sergeant Ramirez among them. Ramirez was shouting out orders.

"Pack it up, soldiers!" he yelled. "Get your gear. We are getting out of here!"

The marines on the pad did as they were told, and followed the group onto the pelican. Scott ran up to Ramirez.

"Sir!" he called out. Ramirez turned to him. "Sir, what do you mean that we are leaving?"

"This is the last ride out of here, Corporal," he said. "The Covenant are getting uncomfortably close to our ships in orbit, and FLEETCOM is ordering a full retreat. The planet is lost. We are going to rendezvous with Captain De Blanc's forces, and we are going to get the hell out of here."

"But sir," began Scott, looking back at the building. "There are still people here."

Ramirez shook his head. "There is nothing we can do," he said. "We just don't have enough time to get them all out. I'm sorry."

The thought of the woman, worried sick about her daughter, suddenly filled his mind. His heart ran cold and time seemed to slow down around him. He turned around and ran towards the door. He had to find the little girl and her father.

"Corporal!" shouted Ramirez. "Come back here! That's a direct order!" Scott ignored him. Being court-martialed was the last worry on his mind.

As he reached the door, the building shook violently, as if an earthquake was ravaging the city. Scott fell to his knees, as a large cluster of banshees and seraph fighters strafed the building, peppering the right side of the skyscraper with plasma, just a couple floors below the pad. The windows broke, and plasma bolts splashed inside, melting anything they touched. Huge plumes of smoke and fire billowed up past the sides of the building, heating up the air around him. Scott could hear screaming coming from below. Screams that would linger within the darkest places in his mind, and haunt him during his sleep for the rest of his life. The screams of people.

The building shook again and again as the Covenant heavy tanks continued to pound the tower, weakening the structural integrity with each successive impact. A second squadron of enemy fighters made its approach, launching explosive, radioactive fuel rods at the building. Scott looked over his shoulder, and he saw the mysterious ODST standing just outside the pelican, watching him through his visor. Ramirez was still shouting.

"Soldier!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, even though Scott could barely hear him. "Come on, or we're leaving you!"

Scott didn't want to leave. He didn't want to give up hope. As much as the urge to try tore his heart to pieces at the molecular level, he knew that there was nothing that could be done.

Scott got up on his feet, and ran towards the pelican, but he fell again as the building shook. A sudden nauseous, physical weakness was overcoming his body, and he found his muscles unwilling to move. Unable to shake the feeling off, he collapsed, dropping his rifle, and landing on his side. His fellow ODST saw him fall, and immediately ran to Scott's side. He tucked his arm under the semi-conscious trooper's arm, and lifted him to his feet, helping Scott all the way to the pelican. From Scott's perspective, everything was blurry, and the sounds of destruction were distorted to his eardrums.

Two other marines helped Scott in to the pelican, and once he was inside Ramirez yelled up to the cabin.

"Get us out of here, pilot!" he shouted.

The pelican lurched upwards, and the ramp closed as they abandoned the city, ascending high into the atmosphere until the view of the destruction was obscured by the smog.

Scott vaguely noticed at tap on his shoulder. Looking over, he saw the other ODST holding out a canteen to him. Scott took it carefully, his hands shaking, as he unscrewed the lid and took a small sip of the water. He swallowed, and leaned his head back against the inner hull of the pelican, his arms hanging limply to the sides. The other ODST reached up, and lifted his helmet off his head, revealing his features for the first time. He had a young face, with green eyes and a short cut of blonde hair. He said nothing, only giving Scott a quiet nod. Scott nodded as best he could in return. His strength was starting to come back to him, never to leave his body again. He closed his eyes, and tried and failed to bring his mind to a peaceful state as the dropship continued up and out of the atmosphere of Jericho VII.

Scott opened his eyes. The pelican shuttered as it breached the planet’s atmospheric barrier. The fighter escorts remained in a tight formation throughout the descent. Outside, waves of orange heat rippled around the hulls of all three military vehicles. They appeared as though they had been engulfed in massive fireballs, and in a way they did. To anyone watching who didn’t know any better, they could have easily mistaken the atmospheric entry as that of the vessel’s demise. But they weren’t destroyed. They finished they journey through the outer atmosphere, and slowed their descent as they reached the cold inner atmosphere, and upon slowing, immediately cooled the hulls of all three crafts. Soon after, the trio of aircraft broke through the cloud layer, revealing a beautiful countryside below. Sprawling acres of open farmland stretched out in all directions until it merged with the horizon and was lost. The three craft descended to a flying altitude of about fifteen-hundred meters, and proceeded northeast. Directly below them, was a small town. Tiny tan squares signified the thatched roofs of the many buildings that made up the village. It had been decided upon earlier, that they wouldn’t fly too low, as not to make any of the unsuspecting locals nervous. However, they had to come down eventually, and they were going to land right in the heart of Equestria. Scott figured that today was going to be a rather surprising day for everyone.

Soon, the town was left in the distance, and the pelican began to rapidly encroach upon the golden city built on the mountainside. It was perched right next to a crystal-clear blue waterfall, which dumped gallons upon gallons of fresh water into the valley below. The sunlight reflected off of the water, and the golden roofs of the city which let tiny dots of light dance across the pilot’s retina. A massive, ivory-colored wall surrounded the city, containing all of the tall buildings and towers within, which in turn, surrounded the city palace at the very center. The pelican began to lower its altitude as the city drew closer and closer.

“Thanks for the escort, Zenith,” said the pilot. “We will take it from here. You may return to the Everest.”

“Roger that, Maverick four,” said the male longsword pilot. “Good luck.”

The two fighters broke formation, banking off in either direction, and ascending back up past the cloud layer and out of sight.

The city was now directly below the dropship, and Maverick four began to descend rapidly upon the city below. Towers rose up past the pelican as it lowered its way towards the center of the outside courtyard of the palace. Cole had kept his eyes closed throughout the entire journey, and was just opening them now as he was about to make one of the greatest leaps in human history.

The landing gear on the pelican extended, and the craft set down smoothly.

“We have arrived,” called the pilot, from the front. “Looks like they are expecting you, sir.”

From where the pilot was situated, he could see one of the alien figures, which was noticeably larger than the other. It wore a crown upon its head, and was flanked by five guards on either side.

“I think that I see the princess, sir,” he said. “You might want to come up here for a second, and see for yourself.”

Cole unfastened his harness along with everyone else, and strode into the cabin to look out of the window. Cole gathered the same idea. The alien who stood in the center looked to be that of royalty, and matched the description of an alien pony-princess to the letter. She wore a crown upon her head and a golden pendant around her neck. Standing to her left, was a soldier, clad in golden armor. While not as tall as the princess, he towered over the other guards, and was far more muscular. Judging by his appearance, Cole assumed that he was the one in charge of the local military forces.

“That looks like it is probably her,” he said. Cole could see the nervousness spread across the faces of the royal guards. It was obvious that they didn’t like this at all. “And that is probably her Captain.”

“Or the prince,” said the pilot.

“No,” said Cole, shaking his head. “She never said anything about a prince. As far as I know, she’s the only one in charge.” Cole stared out the window for a few more seconds. “However, I could very well be incorrect.” he stared out the glass for another moment. “Well, better get this show on the road. Lower the ramp, pilot.”

“Sir.”

The hydraulic pistons that moved the armored hatch hissed, and the ramp lowered itself onto the cobblestone courtyard. Morning light flooded into the pelican, which quickly drowned out the dim, red, interior light with its superior intensity.

“Wait here, pilot,” said Cole, heading back into the pelican's personnel bay. “And have the pelican ready to take off at a moment’s notice. If something goes wrong, we may need to get ourselves out of here fast.”

“Yes, sir,” said the pilot. “I will keep her engines hot.” Cole nodded to him, and walked over to Scott.

“Are your men ready, First-Sergeant?” he asked.

“Yes, sir,” replied the ODST. “Whenever you are, sir.”

“Well then let’s get going,” said the admiral, brushing past him. “I want you standing next to me.”

“You heard him,” said Scott. “Let’s go, men! Brian, Henry. I want you two guarding the Admiral's left. Ray, John. I want you two on my right. Leave your helmets here. You will likely not be needing them, and we don’t want the aliens to feel nervous.”

“Yes, First-Sergeant,” they all said, getting into position.

“Let’s go,” said Cole, stepping out of the pelican. The soldiers flanked him on either side, rifles strapped across their backs in a non-threatening manner. The six of them rounded the pelican, and were met with strange, alien faces.

Twilight Sparkle’s Residence, Ponyville, Equestria

Dear my faithful student, Twilight Sparkle,

I am writing to you in regards to the letter you sent me last night. I would like to assure you that everything is okay. I have been aware of the object’s presence since it arrived, and I would like to quell any and all fears or concerns that you may possess. I assure you that the situation is under control, and that we have been handling it just fine without you. I will contact you again if your assistance is needed. Until then, please continue on with your daily routine, and I still look forward to the weekly letters you send me, involving your experiences with the magic of friendship.

As Always, Your Loving Teacher,

Princess Celestia

Twilight’s eyes swam across the expanses of the note, reading it over and over again until the information was successfully mixed together, processed, and stored within her brain.

“Until then, please continue on with your daily routine, and I still look forward to the weekly letters you send me, involving your experiences with the magic of friendship.”

“Continue with my daily routine?” asked Twilight aloud, pacing back and forth within the library. “How am I supposed to continue with my daily routine? Routines only work when there is no change, and quite frankly, things have drastically changed since yesterday.” she paused, falling back on her haunches. “That’s it. She must think that I am incapable of helping her.” she gulped. “What if she is right? What if instead of not needing my help, she simply doesn’t want my help? What if she doesn’t like me anymore? Did I say something I shouldn’t have, in the letter? What if the friendship reports she claims to look forward to, mean nothing to her at all, and she only uses them as a simple means to keep me out of her mane? What if-”

“Calm down, Twilight,” interrupted Applejack. “I can’t take one more minute of your fuss. Do you really think that the Princess that you have known for so long would lie to you? Consider this for just one second, Twilight. What if the princess actually doesn’t need your help?” she chuckled. “I mean, hay, she is an alicorn, remember?”

“I know, I know,” she said, looking down at the floor. “I just wish that she would have filled me in on a little more information, you know?”

“I am sure that she will, in due time,” said Rarity. “She is probably very busy right now. But when has she ever kept you in the dark for an extended period of time?”

“What do you think it is?” asked Rainbow, out of nowhere. Everypony in the room looked at her. Rainbow glanced back and forth between them. “I mean the thingy that is floating out in space. What do you think it is?”

“Not sure,” said Twilight. “Could be anything. It might just be a strangely formed meteorite or something.”

“Could it be a spaceship from another planet?” asked Rainbow, jumping into the air to hover. She took on a flight position. “Filled with ponies from another world? Because that would be pretty flipping awesome if you ask me.”

Twilight sighed again. “It could be,” she said. “It is certainly a possibility. Although, I am not sure whether that would be my first guess or not.”

“Hey,” said Rainbow, touching back down on the carpeted floor. “At least it’s cooler than just some dumb old rock.”

"Yes!" shrieked Pinkie Pie. Everypony else cringed at the cacophonic sound. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Dashie, you are a genius!" she bounced up and down as her brain forced a tidal wave of words out of her mouth. "Think about it. A spaceship party!" she looked around at the others. "In space! That would be the greatest and most amazing party in the history of the world, of ever!" she rushed over to Twilight's side, wrapping a foreleg around the unicorn's neck. "We could eat floating cakes, and play pin the tail in the pony while upside down. We could have zero-gravity dance-offs, and bob for space apples, and swim through floating lakes of confetti. We could-"

"Pinkie!" shouted Twilight. "Please. Can we lower the volume just a little bit? I am trying to think, here." she looked away from her suddenly quiet, pink friend. "Besides, it all depends if they like parties."

The was a pause.

"So you're saying that it is a spaceship, and that there are aliens?" asked Fluttershy.

Twilight looked over. "No, I-" she hesitated. "I don't know, girls. I am at a complete loss right now. I don't know what to do." she looked around at the other ponies. "I thought I knew how to handle the situation, but ever since the Princess sent me that letter..." she glanced back down at the floor. “I just don't know what to do."

"Perhaps it is best that we all do as the Princess instructed," said Rarity. "We should just go about our lives as if nothing new has happened. If Twilight is right, then that thing is probably just a big rock. Nothing to worry about, right?"

"Yeah," said Twilight. "Except that the rock is almost a mile long, and moving at over three times the speed of Rainbow Dash when she breaks the spectral sound barrier." she looked over at Rarity. "Now picture that crashing into a Manehattan, or Canterlot, or Ponyville for any matter." Rarity lowered her head, and Twilight continued. "A rock is a rock. Nothing special. But once it is thrown, the story changes." she giggled awkwardly to herself. "In a way, an alien spaceship might be less dangerous. At least in that case, there would be somepony behind the wheel of that thing. Less likely to crash, you know?"

They all were silent for several seconds.

“Hey Twilight?” asked Fluttershy. “Do you think that it is at all possible that-” she paused, her ears sticking straight up. “Wait. Do you hear that?”

“Hear what, Sugarcube?” asked Applejack.

“That noise,” said Fluttershy. They all tilted their heads up to listen. “It’s getting louder.”

Fluttershy was right. There was indeed a sound. It was a low, rumbling noise, with a small high-pitched tone intermingled within the lower. It grew louder and louder, and the ground began to shake.

“It sounds like something heavy,” said Rainbow.

Twilight tried to come up with an answer. “The concrete wagon isn’t supposed to stop by until next week,” she said. “Unless they feel like pouring my patio early, but... I don’t know what that could be.”

“Well,” said Rainbow, flying over to the door. “Let’s go check it out! We won’t be able to see what it is, from inside.”

The five other ponies agreed silently, and followed Rainbow out the front door. Outside, the sound was much louder, and more defined than it was indoors. Other ponies looked into the distance, their heads cocked to the side as they listened. The six elements of harmony turned to face the direction of the strange sound, which seemed to originate from the hills, to the southeast. The noise grew louder and louder each second, yet the ponies saw nothing. It was as if the sound was coming from some sort of invisible machine.

“Look!” shouted Rainbow. “In the sky, above us!”

Twilight glanced up. Sure enough, Rainbow had spotted whatever was causing the disturbance. Three large, dark grey objects were cutting across the morning sky, flying northwest towards Canterlot. They flew directly over ponyville, about a mile up, and quickly departed. The noise they created quickly died away as they grew smaller and smaller, until they were mere pinpricks in the distance. Twilight watched them go all the way, until they were gone from sight.

“What... were... those?” asked Rarity.

“Of course,” Twilight mumbled inaudibly to herself. “Of course. Why hadn’t I thought of that in the first place?” she looked around frantically.

“Twilight?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Are you alright?”

“Grrrr.” Twilight groaned, face-hooving. “Stupid stupid stupid!”

“What?” asked Applejack. “Why are ya’ll hitting yourself?”

Twilight quickly glanced over to the farm pony. “Because I was right all along, and I never said anything!” she said out loud. “Of course it is an alien spaceship! Why wouldn’t it be? I just didn’t want to believe it!” she exclaimed. “It’s obvious that Princess Celestia would know too. They probably have already made contact with the aliens, over at the palace. That’s why those... machines are probably heading in that direction. They are most likely going to meet with the Princess right now!” she ran back into the library. “Stupid stupid stupid!”

The other five followed her back into the house, where Twilight had frozen.

“Twilight, are you sure you-” began Applejack.

“Trip!” shouted Twilight, rapidly running upstairs, leaving the others behind. “Supplies!”

“Twilight!” called Rarity. “Would you mind telling us what you are doing?”

“Packing!” shouted Twilight. “I’m heading to Canterlot!”

The five looked nervously at one another. “Right now?” asked Rarity.

“Right now!” replied Twilight.

“Are you sure that that is a good idea?” asked Applejack.

“Of course!” shouted Twilight. “Being one of the very first ponies to meet somepony from another planet? I wouldn’t miss this for the world!”

The unicorn returned down the steps a moment later, levitating a large suitcase, which floated gracefully in her wake. She set it down on the floor, and galloped into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. The five waited awkwardly for a couple minutes, until Twilight came out. She stopped in her tracks when she saw their concerned expressions.

“Girls?” she asked. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” said Rarity. “There is nothing wrong. We are just trying to look out for our friend.”

“You’re all worried about me aren't you?” she asked. They all nodded.

“Well don’t be,” she said. “I’ll be fine. What’s the worst that can happen?”

Applejack raised an eyebrow, encouraging her to think about what she just said. Twilight looked at the floor, kicking her hooves against its surface. “Oh,” she said.

“Twilight,” began Rarity. “Do you think that it might be a possibility that the Princess didn’t ask for you because she is concerned for your safety?”

“Well,” began Twilight. “I suppose so. But, wouldn’t she have said so in the letter?”

“I can’t say,” said Rarity. “I’m just asking that you think this over before making too quick of a decision. If things go badly over there...” she paused, staring at Twilight with concern. “We just want you to make the best decision.”

“I know,” said Twilight. “And I have thought this over.” she paused, biting her lip. “You see, last night I promised myself that I wouldn’t let the fear of danger get to me anymore. All my life I have been doing things the safest way, and whenever I have been faced with great danger in the past, I froze up. I hesitated because I didn’t know what to do. I let the panic get inside my head, and because of that, I was unable to stop bad things from happening. Sure everything turned out alright in the end each time, but I could have stopped it from happening in the first place.” she sighed. “I don’t want to live that way any longer. I tired of doing nothing. I’m tired of running away from my fears. I want to face them. And what better opportunity to face the fear of the unknown is there, beside what’s going on in Canterlot right now?” she stopped, looking around the room at her friends. “Look, if you girls don’t feel comfortable with this, that’s fine. I am not asking you to come along if you don’t want to.” she looked down at the floor. “But this is something that I have to do. For myself, and for everypony else’s sake.” she lifted up her suitcase, and headed towards the door. “If you see Spike, let him know that there is a note upstairs on my desk, of all the things I need him to take care of, while I am gone. I’m heading to the train station.” she opened the door.

“Twilight, stop,” said Rarity. The unicorn did as she was told, and looked back to the ivory-white unicorn. “If this is that important to you, we understand.” Twilight bowed her head and nodded slowly. “But don’t think that we are going to let you go face a bunch of space aliens by yourself.” Twilight looked up, a smile forming on her face. “We are coming with you.”

“Besides,” said Rainbow. “If things don’t go so well, I’ll protect you. It has been awhile since I’ve given somepony a good flank-kicking.”

Twilight giggled. “Alright,” she said. “But please, let’s not go into this with violent thoughts. That is the last thing that we need. Forming, and maintaining a peace with these beings is the most important objective.”

“I know, I know,” she said. “I’m just saying.”

“Great,” said Twilight. “Well in that case, I should probably go find Spike. I suppose I will bring him along after all. I think that he would be quite interested in what’s going on.”

“Well,” began Applejack. “No sense standin around, doing nothin. I’m gunna head back to the farm, and get ready.” she glanced up at the wall clock. “Can everypony be at the train station by nine? It’s gunna take me about an hour to get ready, and to make sure that Sweet Apple Acres ain’t gunna fall apart while I’m gone.”

“Sounds great, Applejack!” said Twilight with a beaming smile. “Is that alright with everypony else? I want to get going as soon as we can, if possible.”

“Hmm,” hummed Rarity. “I suppose I can make nine o’clock. Although I need to get a lot of things done before I do, so I better get going right away.”

“Alright,” said the purple unicorn. “Pinkie, Fluttershy? Are you two okay with that time?”

“As sure as sugar, Twilight,” said the pink pony, who followed the others to the door. “I had better go tell the Cakes that I will be gone for a day.”

“Possibly a couple days,” Twilight corrected.

“Possibly a couple days,” Pinkie repeated. “You’ve got it, Twilight. That will give me even more time to plan for the party.” she giggled, quickly bouncing out of the tree house library. Twilight thought of asking what kind of party she was preparing for, but it was already too late. Pinkie was halfway down the street in a matter of seconds. Calling after her would have been pointless.

“Alright, everypony,” she said to the rest of them. “See you all in an hour.”

They nodded, and turned away from the unicorn’s home, as Twilight closed the front door. She drooped her head and let out a deep breath, then looked back up to head towards the kitchen. Before she was halfway across the room, there was a sudden knock at the door. She stopped in her tracks, walked back to the door, and opened it. It was Spike.

“Twilight!” he shouted.

“Hey, Spike,” she said, wincing at the outburst. “I’ve been looking for you. Where did you run off to?”

“Did you see them?” he asked. “Did you see those things fly over the town?”

She sighed. “Yes. I did.”

“Well,” he said. “What were they?”

“Spike.” she paused, trying to come up with the right words. “I believe that we may be being visited by a race from another world.”

He stared blankly at her.

“Aliens,” she said.

His eyes widened. “Aliens?” he gasped. “Like... like are they from that thing we saw in the sky last night?”

“I think that might be the case,” she said. “They were heading towards Canterlot, and I am assuming that the Princess has made contact with them, however I can’t be sure. I was just about to go looking for you. Where did you go?”

“Looking for me?” he asked, nervously glancing over his shoulder. “Did you just send the girls out to go find me?”

“Oh, no,” she said. “We were just having a meeting, about what to do about all of this.”

“Oh, okay, good,” he said, letting out a deep breath. “I was a little worried that you thought I was in danger, or causing trouble or something.”

“Oh, not at all,” she began. “I trust you to go out on your own- wait.” she lifted an eyebrow at him. “Were you in danger or causing trouble?”

“No,” he replied with a smile. “I was just going out for a morning walk in the park. It’s been awhile since I have gotten out, so I figured a peaceful walk would do me some good. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?”

“Hey,” she said, placing one hoof across her chest. “You are old enough that I can trust you to do what you have said you were going to do. I am not going to question it. Just please, next time, at least write me a note telling me where you have gone. That’s just so that I don’t have a panic attack when I notice that you are not home.”

“Sheesh,” he said, walking past her. “Whatever you say, mom.”

She smiled to herself. “Hey, Spike. Hold up a second.” she said. He stopped, and turned back to her. “Spike, I’m leaving with the girls, and heading over to Canterlot. I want to be there to experience this momentous occasion. This could very well become the most important day in history since the founding of this country.” she paused. “We might be there for a couple days, or longer, depending on how everything turns out, and I was wondering if you wanted to come along. You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I just thought you might want to experience this as well.”

He smiled. “I would love to, Twilight,” he said, walking over to give her a hug. “Thanks for letting me tag along. I promise that I will behave.”

“Oh, I’m not worried so much about you misbehaving,” she said. “It’s the behavior of other ponies that concerns me.”

Royal Palace, Canterlot, Equestria

The strange, loud, metal aircraft touched down in the center of the palace courtyard. Celestia stood by the entrance to the palace, facing the alien vehicle. Flanking her on either side, were five of the most highly-trained soldiers, the Equestrian military had to offer. Standing directly to her left, was Captain Shining Armor, who wore his set of elaborate, golden armor. He stood perfectly still, with a menacing stare upon his face. Celestia knew how devoted he was to his job, and that he would do anything to protect her from harm. However motionless he was, he was not unreadable. Celestia could see occasional glimpses of nervousness on his face. This was the very first time that anypony had met beings from another planet, and the uncertainties that came with such an encounter could prove very stressful to a stallion with an already difficult life. There were so many unknowns, and with each, there was a larger margin for error, and that meant that the security of the royal family was sitting upon a very unstable foundation. Things could go well, or things could become out of control, in which case everything could fall apart in a matter of seconds. Shining was not a risk taker, but his devotion to serving the princesses was far stronger than that of his worries.

“Where are they?” asked the Princess.

“I am not sure,” said Shining Armor. “I believe that they are still inside the aircraft.”

The guards remained motionless, but Celestia knew that their eyes were all intently scanning the vessel, searching for any movement.

“Has anyone heard from Princess Luna?” she asked. “She is supposed to be here.”

“I believe that she is on her way, Princess,” said the Captain. “I heard that she was busy finishing up a few things, to get ready. She should be here any moment now.”

Perhaps I should have told them about my sister.

The thought suddenly sprang into the sun princess’s mind. She had failed to inform Cole that she had a sister, and that she also held partial rule over the country. Celestia hoped that suddenly informing the aliens about this wouldn’t complicate things. Logically, it shouldn’t make a difference, but anything is possible.

A sudden hissing sound came from the back of the aircraft, and Celestia could hear the sound of mechanical parts in motion.

“I believe it is opening up, sir,” said one of the elite guards.

“Steady, gentlecolts,” said Shining Armor. “Just remain calm and cautious. Be ready for anything.”

The noise finally stopped and there was a long pause of silence, until Celestia could hear faint voices coming from the craft. Moments later, six figures emerged from the rear of the ship. They were bipedal creatures, with long leg and arms. They were all roughly as tall as Celestia herself, and each had a short cut of hair on the top of their heads. They all wore suits of what Celestia assumed to be armor, and carried a shouldered weapon on their backs except for the alien in the center of the group. He wore a grey uniform, decorated with many medals, and a pair of grey pants. Celestia thought that this one was probably Cole.

The two sides said nothing, and only stared nervously at one another for several minutes. Celestia felt herself go into a cold sweat as she struggled to not appear nervous. Suddenly, as if her body suddenly decided to act on its own, Celestia took a step forward. It was a small step, however it still surprised Shining Armor, who glanced over at his princess with question emanating from his eyes. She took another step, and then another, each one a longer stride than the last. Shining and the other royal guards moved up alongside her. Across the way, the alien leader took a step as well, his guards walking closely at his sides. The two lines inched closer to each other, until they were spaced apart by only three meters of distance. Celestia looked into Cole’s eyes. They were cold, dry, unmoving. His stare seemed to pierce right through her, and she felt as though he was looking into her mind itself. The feeling made her feel even more uneasy, but amongst his seemingly emotionless face, she saw something more. It only lasted a split second, but Celestia could have sworn she saw Cole’s lips curve into a half-smile. However, as soon as it had appeared, it vanished altogether. Celestia decided to be the first one to speak up, rather than continue the intense staring competition.

“Greetings,” she said, glancing nervously back and forth between all six aliens. “I am Princess Celestia. Welcome to Equestria.”

Cole nudged Scott. “Greetings, your Highness,” said Cole, bowing his head before her. His guards followed suit. “I am Admiral Preston Jeremiah Cole. On behalf of my crew, and the rest of the human race, we come in peace. I thank you for allowing us to visit your most great capitol, and for allowing us to arrange this impromptu meeting.”

“You are very welcome,” replied the princess. “This is the first time any of us have ever met beings from another world. It is truly remarkable that you came here. Some ponies used to think that we were alone in the universe.” she smiled. “How quickly things do change.”

“To be honest, your Highness,” said Cole. “We only showed up in this star system because we were forced to. We never planned to come here in the first place. If things had happened a little differently, than chances are I wouldn’t be standing before you, now.”

“I see,” she said. “May I ask why you ventured here?”

“Well...” Cole began. “It will take some time to explain the exact nature of our visit. I would prefer if we could start from the beginning. Both of us. That way we can learn about one another in a way that makes sense to us both.” he glanced over at Shining Armor. “That is if you don’t mind, your Highness.”

“Of course I don’t,” she said. “I am very interested to learn about you... humans?”

“Yes,” said Cole.

“Well then,” she said. “I suppose I should introduce you to the Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor.”

The tall stallion let out a puff of air, starring Cole down. Cole stared with equal intensity back at him. “It is nice to meet you, Admiral Cole,” he said with a grunt.

“And you, Shining Armor,” replied the human leader. He turned to the guard standing at his right. “This is my First-Sergeant, Scott Jeffries. And these are his men.” the five of them did their best to smile.

“Hello, your Highness,” said Scott. “It is an honor to meet you.”

“Likewise,” she said. Celestia was feeling far more confident now that the initial barrier of ice had been broken between the two races. Hopefully they would be engaged in easy conversation, soon. Things seemed to be going well enough, so far. “Well, let us not stand here like complete strangers. We have introduced ourselves, after-all. We shall go inside, so that we converse without having to worry about the snooping ears of others.”

Cole nodded. “After you, your Highness,” he said with a half-smile.

She smiled back, and turned towards the palace, but Shining Armor stopped her. “Princess,” he said, motioning toward the human guards. “What about them?”

Celestia looked back at soldiers. “Let them come, as well,” she said. “They are our guests after all.”

Shining Armor turned back to Scott. “Weapons are not allowed within the Royal Palace, besides those carried by the Royal Guard themselves. I must ask you to-”

“Captain,” said Celestia.

He looked over to her. “Yes, Princess?”

“I said that it is alright,” ordered the Princess. “Let them bring their weapons.”

“But, Princess,” said the Captain. “That puts the entire security of the palace at risk, which places you in danger.”

“It’s okay,” she said, one last time. “I am sure that they wouldn't feel comfortable either, if they were not able to protect their Admiral from danger.”

“I can assure you, Princess,” said Cole. “We hold no hostilities toward you, or your people, and my men will show the utmost respect at all times.”

“I am sure they will,” she said, looking back towards the Captain. “We need to start trusting one another, Shining Armor. That is the only way strong, peaceful bonds can be forged between two unfamiliar peoples. Trust is the most important factor in any friendship. Know that at all times.”

The stallion let out a sigh, and bowed his head. “Yes, Princess,” he said, and then nodded to his fellow guards. “It is alright. Let them enter with their weapons, however...” he looked back to Scott. “You must keep them shouldered at all times. Any attempt to take them into an operable position may be interpreted as a threat, and my guards will be forced to take action. Is that clear?”

Scott, glared at Shining Armor, but nodded. “Very much so,” he said with an intense stare of his own. “You heard him, boys. You are not to draw your weapons anywhere inside the palace, or around the Princess. However...” he said, still staring at the Captain. “I do give you permission to draw them, if Admiral Cole is in danger. Protecting the Admiral is our number one priority and if-”

“How about we all agree to not draw our weapons,” said Celestia. “All of us.”

“I agree,” said Cole. “Let them remain cold. That way no one’s leader is put into any uncomfortable situation. That way everyone gets along, and no one gets hurt.”

“It sounds like a plan to me,” said Celestia, smiling again at Cole. She was surprised to see how willing Cole was to comply with Shining Armor’s security requests. She could tell that he desperately wanted this to go well, probably as much as she did. As long as there were no hard feelings between him and her, then today seemed like it could yield promising results. “Can we all agree to this?” Shining Armor nodded, and Scott did the same. “Good. Now, let us go inside. We have much to talk about.”

The Princess led the way, with her guards following close behind. Cole and his men walked behind the first group in silence. The Admiral looked around, admiring the architecture of the palace. The tall white towers, capped with shining roofs gave it a very majestic appearance. Beyond the perimeter of the palace walls, the rest of the city sprawled out in all directions until they reached the horizon, and dropped into a massive green valley below. Cole wondered how many other ponies had seen them arrive, although he assumed that the majority of the city’s population heard them arrive. Cole figured that it wasn’t every day that a large, metal spaceship showed up in their city. Some of the city might be afraid of them, others surprised, but surely all would have questions. Questions that would need answers. There would have to be a public address soon, to alleviate the concerns of the native civilian population, but Cole was sure that the Princess already had plans to deal with this issue, so he decided not to bring up the topic.

To the left and right of the front courtyard, were large gardens, which wrapped all the way around the castle. They boasted massive lawns of evenly cut grass, and countless species of flora which lined red gravel paths, that weaved their ways through the trees and shrubs. Cole quickly lost sight of the gardens, as they neared the main palace entrance. His attention was directed ahead of him as they walked up the glistening marble steps. The massive, mahogany doors parted before them, and they walked inside. Cole and his men found themselves in the throne room. Huge white pillars stretch up to the tall ceiling, which lingered a good forty meters above their heads. On both sides of the room, doors led to hallways, that spread throughout the building. Near the far wall, was Celestia's throne, and a smaller throne which sat next to it. Cole wondered what the purpose of the other seat was, and who had the right to sit upon it. Cole suddenly noticed a dark-blue figure making its way towards them, from across the room. It was another pony, just as large as Shining Armor, but this one had a horn and wings, just like Celestia. Cole noticed that the being was female, and saw that she wore a pendant around her neck, but unlike Celestia's, it held the image of a crescent moon, instead of a sun. Cole still didn’t understand what the pendants were for, or what the meanings behind the symbols were. The tall pony approached silently, and stopped before them, eyes wide with curiosity.

“Oh, Luna, there you are,” said Celestia. “I was wondering where you were.” she gestured towards Cole. “Luna, this is Admiral Cole.”

“How do you do?” asked Cole awkwardly. Besides her name, he had no idea of who this pony was. She nodded silently to him with a smile.

“Admiral Cole,” said Celestia. “This is Princess Luna. My sister.”

UNSC Everest- In Orbit over Equestria, Planetary Name: Unknown

“They have just gone inside the palace,” said Maya. “I have detected no signs of hostility from the Equines. All of their vitals are still displaying as normal, and everything appears to be going well, judging by what I have heard from the Pelican’s external microphones.”

“Well I’ll be damned,” said Ramirez. “He’s done it.”

“This is incredible,” said McMahon. “Who ever thought that establishing contact with peaceful beings, from another world would ever be made a reality.” he glanced around at the others. “I mean after the Covenant showed up, that is.”

“He certainly did,” said Fosco. “Admiral Cole never ceases to surprise me in what he can accomplish. We owe a lot to him.”

“Yes we do,” said Ramirez. He bowed his head. “I shouldn’t have doubted him. He has done so much for us, during our time serving under his command. He has saved our asses from the Covenant more times than I can count, and yet I openly rejected his orders, because I wasn’t ready to believe in peace. He didn’t even court-martial me.” he chuckled to himself. “That just goes to show how much of an ass I have been.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Joseph,” said Fosco. “You only said what you said because you wanted the best for the crew.” he looked at the weapons expert. “Hey, you are sorry for what you said, right?”

“Very much so,” replied Chief-Warrant Officer Ramirez, still looking at the floor.

“And you won’t question his decisions anymore, right?”

“Never again.”

“Than that is what he wants the most,” said Fosco. “Cole forgave you a long time ago. I can tell by the way he acts.” he smiled. “You just need to forgive yourself. If you can do that, then you are golden, my friend.”

“You think so?” asked Ramirez.

“I know it as fact,” replied Fosco.

“Huh,” said Ramirez as he nodded his head. “Thanks, sir.” he looked over to Maya. “Is everything still okay down there, Maya?”

“As far as I can tell,” she replied. “I can’t hear them anymore, although I must say, they were having quite the interesting conversation.”

“What were they talking about?” asked McMahon.

“I can’t tell you,” she answered. “Vice Admiral Cole gave me explicit instructions not to snoop on their conversation. Not that I can help it, that is. But he told me that he will give us all an update when he gets the chance.”

“Then I suppose there is not much else to do, besides wait,” said Fosco. “Anyway, I am going to go get some chow. It’s been awhile since I have had a proper breakfast.” he looked at the other two. “You lads want anything?”

“I’m alright,” said McMahon. “Thanks for asking.”

“I’ll go with you,” said ramirez, turning to McMahon. “If that is alright with you, sir.”

“You two go,” said McMahon. “I’ll stay here and keep an eye on things. Cole left me in command of the ship, and I am not about to let things go to hell if I decide to leave.”

“You sure?” asked Fosco. “I can bring you back a coffee.”

“I’m alright,” he replied. “You guys enjoy a hot breakfast. You deserve it.”

“Alright,” said Fosco, turning towards the door. Ramirez followed him out of the bridge.

As soon as they were gone, McMahon spoke up to the shipboard A.I., “Maya, would you mind if I ask you a question?”

“Certainly not, Lieutenant,” she replied.

“What is your personal opinion on what’s going on?” he asked. “I mean, you haven't said much since we have arrived.”

“About what?” she asked. “The wellbeing of your friends, or Cole and the others?”

“About everything,” he said. “I mean, you are a very intelligent A.I. and I know that you can calculate millions of equations at once-”

“That is correct,” she said, slightly interrupting him. Her avatar smiled at him.

“-But you have never really had much input on what’s going on,” he said. “Surely you must be thinking something.”

“I am an artificial intelligence program with enough processing power to almost be considered sentient,” she said. “I was built to think, and to keep thinking until I expire and my matrices fail me. What exactly are you getting at, Lieutenant?”

He opened his mouth, but stopped himself from saying what he was about to say. He sighed. “Never mind,” he said. “I need some time to myself. Call me if you need me.”

“Will do,” she said. “Although I don’t need to ‘call’ you, to get in contact with you.”

“You know what I mean,” he said, walking over to the Admiral’s chair on the deck.

He sat down in the comfortable seat, and leaned back into a relaxed position, stretching his arms out against the armrests. He gazed out of the bridge windows, at the green planet before him. Miles below on the planet’s surface, Cole was busy talking to a bunch of colorful talking ponies. Yet here he was, relaxing in his commanding officer’s chair. He chuckled to himself, but he also noticed a strange feeling manifest itself in the bottom of his chest. He realized that this might very well be the first time, and the last time he was going to get time to himself, with nothing to do. Working aboard a military starship meant that stressful situations, and dangerous conflicts were never too far from becoming a reality. He decided to enjoy this moment while it lasted by watching the swirling clouds dance below him. It was truly a beautiful, little world.

Train Station, Ponyville, Equestria

“Six tickets to Canterlot, please,” said Rainbow Dash as she hovered before the ticket booth.

“Uh, Rainbow?” asked Twilight. “Seven tickets. You’re forgetting Spike, here.”

“Make that seven,” said the pegasus, without visually acknowledging Twilight. “Now are those first-class?”

“Sorry, miss,” said the mare inside the booth. “We only have coach seats available.”

“What!” exclaimed the pegasus. “Now that is a bunch of cr-”

“We will take them,” interrupted Twilight. “How much do we owe you?”

“One-hundred and forty-seven bits,” said the mare. Twilight cocked an eyebrow at her, but decided not to say anything. Twenty-one bits a ticket was a bit steep, but under the current circumstances, she just wanted to get to Canterlot as quickly as possible. Train ticket prices were the last thing on her mind at the moment.

Twilight stepped up, and passed a large gold coin, as well as several smaller coins to the mare, who gave Twilight the tickets in return.

“Thank you,” said the unicorn, who started towards the train. “Let’s go, girls.”

“And me,” said Spike.

“And Spike.” she looked down at him. “Sorry. My brain has been kind of scrambled lately, but trust me. I haven’t forgotten you.”

“Sure,” he said. “Just like you didn’t forget your suitcase, right?”

“Like I said, Twilight,” said Rainbow. “I can easily fly back over to your place and get it.”

“No no no,” she said. “There’s no time. The train will be leaving any minute now, and there is no way that I will be missing it.”

Rainbow shrugged. “Suit yourself,” she said. “Heehee. “ Rainbow Dash giggled. “Suit yourself. Get it?”

“No,” said Twilight sarcastically.

“All aboard!” called the train conductor from across the platform.

“This is it,” said the unicorn. “Do you three have everything you need?” she asked the two pegasi, and Spike,

“I think so,” said Fluttershy, sheepishly. “Although I am still confused as to what we are going to do when we get to the city.”

“I will explain on the ride there,” replied Twilight as she walked over to the train, where the other girls were waiting.

Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack stood eagerly in front of the train, as they waited for the other four.

“Did you get all of your things loaded onto the train okay, Rarity?” asked Twilight.

“Why, yes,” replied the other unicorn, who pointed with one hoof at a pony standing near the end of the train. “That wonderful young stallion over there was most kind to pack all of my suitcases inside.”

He looked across the deck and locked eyes with Rarity. She waved at him. He waved back, looking as though he were about to fall off the platform, and onto the tracks below.

“Anyway,” began Rarity, turning her attention back to Twilight. “How are you feeling, Twilight? It looks as though you are out of it.”

“Oh, no,” replied the purple unicorn, waving her hood in front of her. “I’m perfectly fine. Just a little stressed out, is all.” she walked up the three short steps, and boarded the train. Her friends followed her.

“Well that is understandable,” said Rarity. “I think that all of us are feeling a little nervous, right now.”

“I don’t know what you two are talking about,” said Rainbow, who flopped onto an empty seat, and stretched out her limbs. “But I certainly don’t feel nervous. That is unless it turns out that I can’t fly faster than their spaceship thingy-majigger.”

Twilight giggled as the other girls found their seats, nearby. “And what makes you think that you will get the chance to race their transport?” she asked. “And even if that does happen, what if you lose?”

Rainbow rolled over onto her stomach. “Then we have a problem,” she mumbled.

Twilight smiled at her friend, and took the time to glance around the train car. The ponies around her were engaged in quiet conversation however, Twilight was still able to make out some of the things they were speaking. What she heard was not comforting. There were uncomfortable, lingering words that floated amongst the ponies on the train. Murmurs of uncertainty filled her ears to the brink with rumors of false information.

“I heard from one of my friends, that it was a group of dragons...” said one of the whispering ponies.

“Impossible,” said the mare she was talking to. “Dragons have rarely ever been seen flying this far north, and they certainly don’t sound like that.”

Twilight glanced over her shoulder, only to notice more ponies speaking in hushed whispers. News was already spreading, whether it was true or not. Soon enough, as more ponies learned about the extraterrestrial visit, many would be demanding answers. Twilight just hoped that she could get to the princess before the mobs would. If not, then there was a good chance that the seven of them were not going to be able to get inside the palace. The guards would surely have the Princess’s home locked down until she addressed the public on the matter. Everything depended on beating the clock.

There was a hiss as the air brakes on the locomotive disengaged, and the heavy transport began to roll forward slowly, but quickly accelerated to its normal cruising speed.

Twilight did her best to get comfortable on her padded seat, as she looked out of the window. Ponyville began to grow distant from them, and soon they were travelling past countless rolling green hills, on their way to the giant mountain city on the horizon. The trip shouldn’t take any longer than forty-five minutes, but every second that they weren’t in the city added another layer of stress on Twilight. After looking out the window for several minutes, she realized that the blurring scenery was making her feel nauseous, so she decided to put her head down and close her eyes for a while. She hadn’t gotten any rest the night before, and the long morning was starting to take its toll on her. Before she even realized it, her mind slipped away, and she drifted into light sleep.

VI: Peaceful Relations

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Chapter 6: Peaceful Relations

Royal Palace, Canterlot, Equestria

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess Luna,” said Cole with a light smile. “I thank you for allowing us to visit your home.”

“It wasn’t up to me,” she replied. “My sister here carries the most authority in this palace. It was her decision to request this meeting, not mine. However…” she said, glancing at Cole’s soldiers. “That is not to say that I am not happy you are all here. I for one am quite interested to hear your story.”

“As I am yours,” replied the Admiral. He looked around the room as there was another awkward silence. “Pardon me asking, but is there someplace we can sit and talk?”

“Why yes,” said Celestia. “I was just about to send one of the palace staff to make sure that this morning’s breakfast is ready to be served. We have prepared a large assortment of foods, hopefully at least one of which will be to your liking. I apologize, but we simply didn’t know what foods you and your people enjoy. ”

“That is quite alright,” said Cole. “We really don’t want to cause too much trouble. It really wasn't necessary to have a meal prepared for us. I can assure you that we are quite alright with-”

“Well of course it is necessary,” she interrupted. “You are our guests. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Besides, we both know that great stories cannot be told on an empty stomach.”

Cole smiled. “Why I suppose that you are right,” he said.

“Excellent,” said Celestia, turning to one of her guards. “Axel, alert the kitchen staff to have the dining hall prepared for our guests.”

The stallion bowed his head. “Yes, Princess,” he said, before turning and galloping out of the cavernous room. Cole watched him run out, and then turned his attention back to the princess.

“He has potential to become a great soldier,” said the Admiral.

“Pardon?” asked Celestia with a puzzled look. “Who are you speaking of?”

“Your guard, Axel,” said Cole. “He is a good guard. He doesn’t question orders. He just follows them. That is one of the most important factors that makes a good soldier have the potential of becoming great. There is no sign of disloyalty in his eyes.” he looked to Shining Armor. “But surely you already recognize this.”

Shining Armor grunted. “All of the guards under my command have gone through years of intense military training,” he said. “The Princess only receives the best to be her personal escort. They are the very definition of loyal.”

“But how many of them have combat experience?” asked Cole. Shining Armor was silent. “For some, it takes experiencing deadly conflict first, before they reveal their true colors. Sometimes the best training that is offered isn’t enough to determine if a soldier is fit for battle. Others, you can tell right away on how they are going to turn out. Like Axel.”

“Are you deeming my soldiers unfit for duty?” asked Shining Armor, cocking his head to the side with an angry frown.

“Not at all,” said Cole, staring at the Captain intently. “I am only telling you this because I know what war can do to people. How it shapes their personalities. Some end up going crazy, but for others it gives them an opportunity to become part of something far larger than they are. Only when experiencing dangerous situations first hand, does a soldier truly become great.”

Shining Armor stared long and hard at Cole. He didn’t know what to think. At first he didn’t like Cole in the slightest, but he was finally starting to understand the human. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Cole was right. None of his soldiers had ever experienced true combat, and it had been many years since he himself had been in a fight. There hadn’t been a recorded war in Equestrian history in over a millennia, and the largest conflict that he had experienced was the changeling incursion in Canterlot, during his wedding. Even that however, was several years in the past, and the uprising lasted no longer than a couple of hours anyway, during which there was hardly any actual fighting. The invasion by the changeling queen had been rapid, and the royal defense force had practically no time to prepare to defend the city from the hostile army. Shining himself hadn’t even been given the opportunity to fight. Instead he had found himself mentally paralyzed within Queen Chrysalis’s mind-altering spell.

The memories of his past failure brought a sudden anger to the Captain’s seemingly calm persona. The Queen had fooled him right into her trap, and she had snagged him up as a trophy, like how a spider snatches an unsuspecting insect within its web. While he was being forced to go up against his friends, his family, his princess and his fiancé, the ponies in the city were having their emotions devoured mercilessly. Thousands of Equines were being drained of any and all happiness, and the changelings consumed that happiness as their form of sustenance, literally living off of the misery of others. He had been helpless to stop the atrocity. In the end, it was the mental fortitude of his fiancé that ended up saving him and everypony else in the city. Ever since that day, he had promised himself to never fail the princess again. So far, he had never really been given the chance to live up to his oath. Then Cole arrived, and unintentionally reminded him of that promise, suddenly sparking a forgotten emotion within his heart; a feeling that he hadn’t felt in a very long time.

Shining Armor nodded at Cole, expressing that he understood the man. Cole acknowledged the stallion with his own nod.

“Well,” said Celestia, glancing between the two of them. “If we are all ready, we can proceed to the dining hall.”

“Yes,” said Cole, turning to her. “We are ready.”

“Captain,” she said, turning to face him. “Lead the way, please.”

“Of course, your highness,” he said, giving Cole a final glance before heading to the front of the group.

Celestia walked alongside the human admiral as they left the throne room, and entered one of the side hallways, which ran the length of the palace, and wrapped around to the other side. The corridor was wide, with enough space to easily allow ten people to walk side-by-side. Cole looked up and noticed the ornate chandeliers hanging from the arched ceiling. After a few moments of walking, they turned to the left, and headed into a large stairwell with marble steps, leading up to the next floor and down below the surface. Shining Armor led them up the first set of shallow steps to a wide landing, and then up a second set of steps, which all the way to the second floor of the palace. The second level was no less impressive than the first.

“This is a beautiful palace,” said Cole, gazing around at the architecture. “It must be wonderful to live here.”

“It is,” she said. “Although I must say that the interior hasn’t always looked this way. The palace has gone through many makeovers during its existence. Out of the many interior design themes that this castle has through, I would have to say that this is definitely my favorite.”

Cole looked at her with a puzzled expression. “Does the interior of the palace get changed often?” he asked.

“No, not that often,” she said. “The last makeover took place just over thirty years ago.”

Cole widened his eyes. Celestia turned to him, confused as to why he was looking at her in such a strange way. Suddenly it dawned upon her.

“Oh,” she said with faraway stare. “I am sorry. I haven’t told you.”

“Pardon me asking, your highness,” said Cole. “But how old are you?”

Celestia let out a sigh. “I am just over over ten-thousand years old,” she said. Cole’s mouth hung slightly open. Celestia gestured to Princess Luna. “My younger sister was born just two years after I was.”

Cole was silent for a moment. "Do- do all ponies live that long?" he asked.

Celestia sighed. "No. Not all of us. Not most of us. It's difficult to..." she sighed again. "I shall explain later. We should go sit and eat before the afternoon cometh." Celestia turned from Cole and walked to the front of the group of ponies as they traveled down the corridor. No one spoke for the rest of the trip.

As they approached the doors to the main dining room, Cole noticed them suddenly become covered in a shimmering, golden field of light. As the bands of energy wrapped themselves about the frame, the doors opened. Cole and his men stopped walking to watch the display. To Cole’s displeasure, the two Princesses walked into the room, without comment. Cole and his men hesitated for a few moments out of confusion and amazement, before following the ponies inside. Inside was a long wooden table that could easily seat over thirty people. The right side wall was covered with tall windows that looked down upon the main courtyard below. Sitting in the center, down below, was the pelican, around which, guards walked nervously.

The ramp was closed for a number of reasons, mainly for the pilot’s safety and the security of the vehicle. Cole wondered how the pilot was holding up. It would likely be several hours that the man would have to wait before he would get a break. Cole simply wasn’t comfortable with leaving the pelican unattended just yet. There was still plenty that he didn’t know about the equines. However, he found himself quickly beginning to trust them, especially princess Celestia. There was something about the way in which she spoke that had a soothing effect upon his upset nerves, and so far he had never sensed any lack of honesty from her. Cole noticed that Shining Armor might have a slight dislike of him, but he knew a loyal soldier when he saw one, and he had no worries that the stallion would disobey his ruler, or do anything too radical.

Princess Luna was the difficult one. No matter how hard he tried, he wasn’t able to read her. While it was true that he saw faint expressions of happiness and curiosity from her, he couldn’t properly judge her personality. It was as if she was always wearing a mask to obscure herself from others. Most of the time he had seen her, she had been walking around with a cold stare that seemed to pierce right through him. The only logical explanation was that she was hiding her feelings from him, and that likely meant that she was keeping a secret; something that she didn’t want to express in front of others, not just him. Whether it was for a personal reason, or another, Cole was certainly interested in finding out more on Celestia’s sister. He hoped that they would get the chance to speak with one another at some point during his stay, if only to ease his curiosity.

Cole’s thoughts suddenly jumped back to the question that was on his mind. “Excuse me, your highness?” began Cole, gesturing to the doors, which now began to close on their own as well. “But how is it that...” he paused, suddenly noticing that the Princess’s horn was glowing as well. Celestia turned to him.

“What is it?” she asked with a warm smile.

“It’s nothing,” he said, shaking his head. “My question has already been answered.”

“Your question?” she asked, puzzled. Cole stared at her horn. “Oh. You were wondering how I was causing the doors to move seemingly on their own, yes?” Cole nodded. Celestia continued. “I apologize. It is just so unusual to be around those who haven't witnessed unicorn power before.”

“You have... telekinetic abilities?” asked Cole.

“More or less,” she said. “Although our power is far less limited, and much more complex than simple telekinesis. We prefer to use the term, magic.”

“Magic,” stated Cole. “As in magic magic?”

“Yes,” she said. “I know of no other kind.”

Cole chuckled. “I apologize, myself, Princess,” he said. “But where I come from, magic is nonexistent. It is merely a myth on our worlds; a simple fairy-tale for children to enjoy, nothing more.”

Celestia frowned. “Wow,” she said, unimpressed, yet intrigued. “That seems like an interesting, but less efficient way of life. I never really thought of what this planet would be like if there was no such thing as magic.” she paused, lost in her chain of thought. She looked back at him. “Seriously? No magic?”

“If magic exists from where we come from, then we certainly don’t recognize it,” he said. “Instead, our abilities as humans come solely from the technologies that we have created through science. The reason as to why I am so baffled about this place is that much of what I have seen defies the very laws of seemingly universal physics.” he smiled. “I just don’t know what to make of this planet. There is only one word that I can think of to describe this place.”

“Hmm,” hummed Celestia, with a curious look. “And what would that one word be?”

Cole never got the chance to reply, as suddenly a small door on the left side of the room opened. Celestia turned around, and Cole looked past her. A mare wearing a tall white hat, and pristine white-colored apron walked into the room.

“Your Highness,” she said with a polite bow. The mare suddenly noticed the six humans standing before her, and froze in place.

Celestia looked at her with concern. “Yes?” asked the Princess. “What is it?”

“Oh,” she said, snapping her attention back to the princess. “I apologize, Princess. The royal breakfast feast is ready to be served.”

“Thank you,” replied Celestia. “Do not be afraid. They mean us no harm.”

“It is nice to meet you,” said Cole, trying his best to be polite in the strange situation. The mare took a step back, glancing nervously to the princess.

“You may introduce yourself,” said Celestia. “After all, they may be staying here for a while, and you will need to familiarize yourself with our guests.

“My name is Preston Cole,” said the Admiral. “But you can just call me Cole. Most people find that easier.”

“Nice- nice to m-meet you, Cole,” she said sheepishly. “I’m Madrigal. Head chef of the royal palace.”

“Madrigal,” said Cole with a smile. “That is a wonderful name. Like the form of musical composition, yes?”

“I- I don’t follow,” she said. “I’m sorry.”

Cole smiled. “That is quite alright,” he said. “I was just wondering if you had heard of it.”

There was a long pause.

“I suppose that it is time we sit now,” said the Princess. “Madrigal, you may bring out the feast.”

“Certainly, your Highness,” she said, quickly shooting a commanding glance into the kitchen. Several unicorns levitating large metal trays walked into the room, and began to set the dishes of food upon the table.

As they worked, the princess turned towards her guards. “Guards, you may leave us,” she said. “Shining Armor, you stay.” The stallions bowed out of respect, and walked towards the door. Two stopped and turned around to guard the inside of the room, while the rest of them walked out into the hallway.

“Should I have my men wait outside, as well?” asked Cole.

“Oh goodness, no,” said Celestia. “Just because they are soldiers doesn’t mean that they should be treated as such. You six are our guests. Please, take a seat, all of you. Be comfortable.”

Scott turned to Cole. “Sir?” he asked.

Cole nodded towards the table. “It’s alright, sergeant,” he said. “Consider this as some early R&R.”

Scott smiled. “Thank you sir,” he said, before motioning to his squad to sit down. “Excuse me, Captain?” asked Scott. Shining Armor looked over at him.

“Yes?” asked the guard stallion.

“Is it alright if we remove our weapons, so that we may sit down?” asked the ODST. “It’s kind of uncomfortable trying to sit and eat with rifles on our backs.”

Shining Armor stared at him. “Yes you may,” he said. “Leave them with those two guards over there.” he motioned towards the pair standing by the door.

Scott and his team walked over, and slowly drew their rifles off of their backs. Almost immediately the unicorn guards snatched the weapons out of their hands, within their telekinetic grasps. The guards walked over to a chest in the far corner of the room and deposited them within the container.

The feeling was strange for Scott. Never once in his life did he think that he would ever be caught unarmed in the presence of aliens. While the fact that they spoke English, and that they were not hostile was amazing in its own respect, being without a rifle made Scott feel uneasy. His weapon was a part of him, almost like a third arm. Even though that that arm was one-hundred percent artificial and fired armor-piercing bullets, it still felt that a natural bond had been broken.

John looked over at him. “Weird, huh?” he asked. “Not having a gun?”

“Yeah,” said Scott. “It isn’t pleasant, but I think that we will all get over it.” he walked back over to the table. “At least I hope so.” John nodded in agreement before taking a seat next to Scott, who sat next to the Admiral. Directly across from them, situated on the opposite side of the table, sat Princess Celestia. She was flanked by Luna on her right, and the Captain on her left.

Scott adjusted himself in his seat, and looked down, realizing that they were sitting upon elevated cushions instead of chairs. It was comfortable, and it made sense. Cole assumed that it would be rather difficult for a pony to sit in a normal chair. The mental image of the princess falling out of a wooden chair suddenly popped into his mind, and he had to struggle not to smirk at the thought.

“Well,” said Princess Celestia. “Since we are all now seated, I believe it is time to eat. Please, help yourselves.” she frowned. “Like I said, I apologize if these foods are not to your liking. I tried to have the widest selection available. If you are carnivores, which I assume you are, I must apologize now. We ponies do not eat meat.”

“That is perfectly alright,” said Cole, looking at the table of food. Before his were countless trays of breads, pastries, preserves, grains, vegetables and fruits. Almost everything on the table looked familiar. Apples, lettuce, carrots, grapes, bananas... everything was here. It was really starting to seem as though this planet was Earth’s long-lost cousin, except that instead people had been replaced by a sentient race of talking equines. A question suddenly formed in his mind. “Your Highness?” he asked. “Would you mind if I ask you something?”

“Certainly, not,” she said. “What is it that you wish to know?”

He paused. “Does the word Earth mean anything to you?” he asked.

She stared at him for a moment with a meditative expression. “It is not one that I am consciously aware of,” she replied. “Why? What does it mean?”

“It is the name of our home planet,” he said with a smile, before looking down at his plate. “It’s just that everything on this world is so similar to ours. For example,” he said, pointing at one of the apples. “Is that an apple?”

“Yes,” said the Princess. “How did you know that?”

“There are apples where I come from as well,” said Cole. “Just like these carrots, or those grapes, or that bowl of oats. You all speak one of the most common languages used by humans. The planet itself looks a lot like Earth.” he shook his head, trying to express his disbelief. “It’s as if our two worlds used to be the same, and then we somehow split up, but I know that isn’t true…” he said in an exasperated voice, looking around the table at everyone, who simply stared at him with confused expression. He stopped himself, bowed his head, and softened his voice. “I am sorry. This is just so overwhelming. Just yesterday I was wondering if what my eyes were seeing, was real and…” he looked back up at her. “Would you mind if I take a walk out in the hallway? I just need a minute.”

“Of course not,” she said with a polite nod. “Go right on ahead.”

“Would you like me to go with you, Sir?” asked Scott, with concern, as he started to stand.

“No,” said Cole sternly. “I’m alright. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Scott sat back down, watching his admiral open the door and walk out. Celestia turned to him.

“You humans have Carrots, too?” she asked. Scott nodded at her.

Cole paced back and forth outside the door, trying to calm himself down. In over fifty years of serving in the military, he had never once felt so confused and overwhelmed at the same point. He was in a world, that given all of its characteristics shouldn’t even exist in the first place, but yet it did. He realized that the initial shock of meeting the Princesses still lingered in his body. Cole suddenly stopped himself outside the door. He stared out into space, and went into a cold sweat as his heart rate increased. His hands shook, and his knees threatened to buckle out from underneath him. Cole suddenly remembered something that his mother said to him a very long time ago. Masked behind his military life, an old memory from his childhood began to reconstruct itself within his head. It was as if the arrival upon this familiar alien world had caused the re-emergence of this memory, and Cole grasped it, not letting it go.

March 12, 2481/Wallace Fujikawa Elementary School, Mark Twain, Missouri

Preston Cole sat in an uncomfortable chair, in a silent office. Before him, sitting behind a large metal desk, was the Vice Principal of the school. The man with glasses typed away on a holographic keypad that was linked to a computer screen on his desk. Although Cole could not see what he was working on, he knew it wasn’t likely anything that would help his cause. Behind the Vice Principal, were medium-sized square windows that overlooked the school parking lot. Outside, many of the vehicles in the lot had left for the day, and there was a considerable amount of vacant parking spaces. In one corner of the room, was a United Earth Government flag, with hung limply from its tall, brass pole. Large picture frames on the back wall contained the images of the school’s previous managers of curriculum. They seemed to stare down upon Cole with disappointment. Cole however, paid them no heed. They meant nothing to him, nor did their cold stares have any effect on his persona. He knew that he was being honest, even if his superiors didn’t think so.

The door behind him opened slowly and quietly, and he could hear the sound of soft footsteps entering the room. He didn’t turn around to look, as he knew there was only one possible person who would come into the office.

The Vice Principal looked away from his computer screen. “Hello, Mrs. Cole,” he said. “Thank you so much for stopping by on such short notice.”

“It is of no trouble,” she replied, taking a seat next to Cole. Cole gave her a slight glance, and then returned his gaze to the floor. “What is it? Has Preston done something wrong?”

“That is the issue,” said the man behind the desk as he folded his arms upon the desk. “We are not sure.”

“What?” she asked. “What do you mean that you are not sure?”

“Cole passed his pre-algebra final exam,” replied the man. “However, not only did he pass it. He aced it. Completely. He achieved a perfect score.”

Cole’s mother turned to look down at him with a smile. “That’s wonderful,” she said enthusiastically. She suddenly met the man’s gaze, which was anything but excited. Her voice grew cold. “But there is more to it, isn’t there?” she asked.

He removed the glasses from his face, and ran his fingers along the sides of his nose. “No one has ever achieved a perfect score on this exam,” he said. “This leads us to carry some suspicion.”

“Suspicion of what?” she asked with a frown. “That my son cheated on his test?”

“That may be the case,” he said with a sigh. “I certainly wish to believe that he has passed this test in an honest manner, but-”

“Is it true?” she asked, suddenly facing Cole. “Did you cheat on your exam?”

The young boy said nothing, and continued to stare down at his feet. His mother frowned, and turned back to the Vice Principal. “Are you sure?” she asked.

“No,” he said. “Not at all. We have no physical evidence to prove that he did in fact cheat.”

“Then why is he sitting in your office?” she asked

“Because I wanted to speak to you on how you wish to go about handling this situation,” he said. “Since we have nothing to prove if he cheated or did not, I am offering him the chance to retake the test, while being heavily supervised, of course.”

“I still don’t see why he has to retake the test if there is no evidence against him,” she said.

“This is to maintain fairness for our other students,” he replied. “He knows as well as I do, the policy this school has on cheating, and if he refuses to retake the exam, he is in danger of facing serious academic penalties. We cannot give one student special privileges.”

“I’ll take it,” said Cole suddenly. The two adults turned to him. “I’ll take the test again, and I will get a one-hundred on it, again.”

The Vice Principal stared at him for a moment before speaking. “Alright,” he said. “Is it alright if Preston stays after school tomorrow, to retake the exam?”

“Why, of course,” she said. “Do you have an estimate on how long it will take him to complete it?”

“If he replicates the test perfectly, then it shouldn’t take him any longer than forty-five minutes,” said the man. “This is if he can replicate it.” he stared down at Cole, who looked back up at him with determined eyes. “I will see you again tomorrow, Preston.”

Young Cole nodded to the man, and stood up as his mother got out of her seat.

“Thank you once again for coming,” said the Vice Principal. “By the way, Mrs. Cole…” She turned to him one last time. “If you or your family ever need anything, please just let the school board know. We will be happy to-”

“We are fine,” she said with a glare. “Thanks for asking, but we don’t need any help.” she looked down at her son. “Let’s go Preston.”

Cole gave the man one last glance, before following his mother out of the office. They took the elevator in the hallway down to the ground floor, and walked down the hallway to the main entrance. The corridors were empty, without a single person traversing their polished linoleum flooring. The silence was further emphasized by the lack of conversation between Cole and his mother. Neither of them said anything. Both of them simple staring straight ahead.

The silence lasted until they reached the family pickup truck, parked just outside the main entrance. It was an old, beat-up vehicle. Weathered, and rusted, the truck seemed as though it had existed since the beginning of time itself. The old beige paint job was still noticeable one most of the vehicle, while the rest now bore the color of oxidized steel.

Cole’s mother climbed into the driver’s seat, and Cole hopped into the passenger seat, and fastened his seatbelt. His mother didn’t bother to buckle herself in, and started the car right away. Unlike most modern-day cars, the truck could not drive itself. Instead his mother took hold of the steering wheel, and drove the vehicle out of the parking lot manually. Once they were on the street, and heading away from the center of town, his mother let out a long exhale. Cole glanced over at her, but quickly looked away as his mother began to speak.

“Cole,” she said. “I need you to be honest with me. You always have been in the past.” she looked away from the road, at her son. “Did you cheat on the test?”

Cole was silent for a moment. “No,” he said.

“Damnit, Preston! I need you to tell me the truth!” she said with a raised voice.

“I am telling the truth,” he replied with a menacing stare. “I did not cheat. I would never cheat on anything.”

His mother sighed. “Then why does the school board think that you did?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe it’s because I am the first person to ever get a perfect score on it. They probably thought that no one would ever pull it off.” he turned back to look straight ahead. “I just can’t wait to shut them up with another perfect test.”

His mother smiled, and let out a small giggle. “Your math scores have always impressed me, Preston,” she said. “You are a very intelligent boy, more so than your father and I could ever hope to be.” she sighed. “And I know that you may not like working at home, on the farm. But it’s just because we need your help. Times are hard as of late, Preston. Your father simply isn’t making as much money as he used to. Larger, industrial dairy farms have been stealing away massive amounts of business from small, family-run farms such as our own. That, combined with the insurrection, isn’t causing the economy to be in the greatest shape at the moment. That is why we need you, and all of your brothers and sisters chipping in as much as possible.”

“How do you know that I don’t like working on the farm?” he asked. “What if I do like it?”

She glanced over at him. “Whether you do, or you don’t, it doesn’t matter,” she said. “You will get your chance to pursue your dreams, soon enough.” she sighed. “We all have a role that we need to play in the universe. It’s just up to us to figure out what we can do to help.”

“So, Scott is it?” asked Celestia.

“Yes, your highness,” he replied.

“Now, Scott,” she said. “While your Admiral is away, would you mind sharing as to why your ship came here?”

The doors opened suddenly.

“We came here because we were forced to,” said Admiral Cole, walking back in the room. Everyone turned to him in surprise. “Eighteen years ago the human race came in contact with an alien alliance known as the Covenant.”

Scott widened his eyes. He did not expect his admiral to be so suddenly open to sharing information about humanity’s past, after being so seemingly overwhelmed. The other four soldiers adjusted uncomfortably in their seats as Cole continued to speak.

“We tried to make peace with them,” said Cole, sitting down in his seat. Celestia and Luna watched him with curious eyes, intently listening to his words. “We tried, but the Covenant had different plans. They attacked, and slaughtered our people without mercy. Their fury came so suddenly, and violently, that we didn’t know what to do at first.” he paused. “Eventually we learned of the reasons behind their actions. They were waging a genocidal holy war on humanity. They saw us as an infestation, an obstacle to their religious beliefs that had to been cleansed in order for them to attain a higher state of existence.” he stared hard at Celestia. “We fought back as hard as we could, but they had larger numbers than we did, and their technology was far superior to ours. We tried to hold our ground, but we were unable to stop them completely. One by one, our worlds were destroyed by the Covenant, while we only achieved minor, scattered victories against them.”

“You said worlds,” said Princess Luna, speaking for the first time in quite a while. “You had more than one?”

“Yes,” said Cole. “Humanity had established many colonies in the star systems that were close to our home planet.”

“Where is your home planet of Earth?” asked Celestia. “Is it far from here?”

“Earth is located in a system called-” he paused, stopping himself. Celestia looked at him in confusion. Scott stared at his admiral with wide eyes, cringing at the near-leak of classified information. The fact that Cole had almost broken his own protocol shocked Scott.

“Called what?” Celestia asked with a puzzled expression.

Cole sighed. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have brought it up. It is against protocol for me to disclose Earth’s location. That is to keep it safe from the Covenant, who are searching for it, with the full intention of destroying our home.” he looked at Princess Luna intently. “I cannot allow that to happen. As much as I believe that you and your people are of no threat to humanity, I cannot take any risks.”

Celestia nodded. “I understand,” she said, letting out a deep lungful of air. “Wow. I had no idea that humanity was fighting a war for survival.” she paused, staring intently into his eyes. Cole could tell how pained she was to hear the news. “I am so sorry to hear this.”

“I am too,” said Cole. “But being sorry cannot change the past. Only our actions now can help change the future.” he smiled at her. “Hopefully it is a bright future. Anyway, we came to this system, right after we had won a great victory against the Covenant.”

“What happened?” asked Princess Luna.

“I had led a massive fleet of warships to attack a covenant fleet, two days ago, in a star system only a few light years from this one,” he said.

“Two days ago?” asked Celestia with surprise. “Then I assume that the human race has achieved the capabilities of rapid intergalactic travel, yes?”

“Yes,” said Cole. “About two hundred years ago, two very remarkable individuals invented the Slipspace Drive. A specialized engine that would allow us to bombard a particular area of space with enough energy to cause a rift in the fabric of reality. A wormhole, as you might say. With this device we were able to send our ships distances that we previously thought were impossible. That is how we established our colonies, and inevitably met the Covenant.”

“Fascinating,” said Celestia. “And you say that the Covenant are more advanced?”

Cole nodded. “That is correct,” he said with an awkward chuckle. “It’s funny, but we used to think that we were pretty high up on the technological scale. Once we went to war with the Covenant, it was kind of like a giant slap in the face.” he sighed. “It just goes to prove the lifelong lesson, that there is always someone bigger than you are.”

“Very true,” said Celestia. “Anyway, back to what you were saying about the most recent battle you fought in.”

“Yes,” said Cole. “Anyway, I gave the order for our fleet to engage the Covenant forces. Both of our sides fought hard, but our ships were nowhere near as powerful as the Covenant’, and. we were losing vessels at a much higher rate than our enemy was.” he paused, looking down at the table. “Who knows? Perhaps none of us would have made it out of there if the insurrectionists didn’t show up.”

“Insurrectionists?” asked Celestia. “Who are they?”

Cole let out a deep breath. “Wow,” he said. “There is so much to explain in order for this to make sense to you. Unfortunately, much of what I would like to tell you is classified, so I am going to have to tell you some things to you with only bare details. There are also some things which I do not have the privilege to talk about whatsoever.”

“It’s alright,” said the white princess. “We have plenty of time, and I am eager to learn. Remember, we still need to tell you about ourselves. Take your time. No rush. And please eat. Surely you must be hungry.”

Cole looked down at the food before him, before selecting a few tasty-looking pastries, and putting them on his plate. “Perhaps-” began Cole. “Perhaps it would be best if you went first. What happened during the battle doesn’t matter now. After all, I am sure that we would all like to get on a more... peaceful topic of conversation.”

“Alright,” said Princess Celestia, who took a sip of her tea. “What do you want to know?”

“Just start from wherever you feel comfortable to begin,” he said. “Perhaps in this manner, we will be able to realize even more similarities between our two peoples.” He lifted his head up as he suddenly thought of a question to ask. “Oh, here’s something. What is the name of this planet?”

“Well,” began the Princess. “The various races and countries that inhabit this world all refer to the planet by different names. However, if you wish to know the Equestrian terminology, we call the world Equis.”

“You said various other races,” said Cole. “I know that there are different kinds of ponies that live here, but I haven’t had much of a chance to see them all. Are there more than Unicorns and Pegasi?”

“As far as ponies go, no,” she said. “And my sister and I are some of the few remaining Alicorns that inhabit this planet. However, there are many other beings that live in Equestria, and the rest of the world.”

“Like who?” asked Cole.

“Well,” she said. “There are Zebras and Bison, Dragons, Minotours, Serpents, Rams, Deer, Goats, Griffins-”

“And all of them are sentient?” asked Cole.

“If by sentient you mean that they are intelligent, and can speak, then yes,” she said. “Does this surprise you?”

“Yes and no,” he said, debating on whether or not to mention that every being she had listed either didn’t exist, or were simply dumb animals back on earth. In the end, he decided against it. “Not for the reason that they are intelligent, but for the fact that there is so much intelligent life on this planet.”

“Yes,” replied the Princess with a smile. “We are very blessed to have such a diverse populace. As you have found out first hand, everyone is welcome in Equestria. As long as they vow to do their part in maintaining the balance of harmony, then I have no quarrels or discriminatory thoughts against them.”

“What do you mean by that?” asked Cole.

“By what?”

“You said maintaining the balance of harmony,” said Cole, cocking his head to the side. “And I believe that you said that once to me in the past, when we communicated on the radio. What do you mean by, harmony?”

“Well,” said Celestia. “Everything on this world is connected. Every living being, every forest, every mountain. We all share the same bond. It is what holds the fabric of our reality together. It is what maintains the balance of life on Equis. But like everything, just like your Covenant, there are those who wish to destroy that which we hold most dear in our hearts. The country of Equestria was formed for the sole reason of unifying the entire world through peace and love.” she paused, taking another long sip of her tea. “A very long time ago, I took an oath to protect the very foundations of harmony from those who wish only to see it lost under the shroud of chaos. For the most part we have been successful. There have been several times in the past, where the balance of everything on this continent had been placed in jeopardy. And we all have made mistakes which have had grave consequences.” she said, looking at her sister. “But the important thing is that we learned from those mistakes, and we overcame the obstacles that were placed in our way. Harmony has existed in this region, for the most part unchallenged, for tens of thousands of years now.” she paused as her smile faded. “That is not to say that the whole world is like this. There are many countries where harmony is entirely absent; areas where chaos has free reign over the land. Other countries are just finally embracing the power that harmony can provide to them.” she smiled at Cole. “And when we learn that someone else is interested in peace, we do our very best to help.”

Cole was silent for a moment. “Now does this magic have anything to do with the harmonic balance that you speak of?” he asked.

“Oh very much so,” she replied. “Magic and harmony go hand in hand, hoof in hoof. One cannot exist without the other. In a way, harmony provides us all with a little bit of magic in our hearts. It is up to us to discover that power within us. That is how we all learn of the ultimate purpose in our lives. That is what the cutie mark symbolizes. It represents our talents, our destinies, and everything that we are meant to do.”

“Cutie mark?” asked Scott, speaking for the first time in quite a while.

“Yes,” said Celestia, getting up from her seat, and turning her side toward them. On either of her hips was the image of a golden sun, which seemed to give off its own light. “You may have noticed when you arrived that everypony you saw had some sort of mark on their flank. Those are our cutie marks. When a pony finally discovers what they are meant to do in life, to maintain the balance of harmony, a symbol appears on their hip. It usually occurs at an early age, ranging anywhere from six to ten years of age, although the earliest it has ever happened was at birth. That however, has not happened again in a very long time.”

“Who was it?” asked Cole. “Who was born with their cutie mark?”

“Many were,” said Celestia. “Yet few of them remain alive to this day. My sister was the last pony to be born with her cutie mark. The same happened to me, and every to other alicorn. Well… not every alicorn”

Cole nodded his head, starting to understand all of the information that was being thrown at him so suddenly. It seemed as though the alicorns were almost like gods compared to the other ponies. They were extremely powerful, lived for a very long time, and two of them ruled over the land of Equestria, maintaining a seemingly strong and peaceful governmental system. However they did it, they seemed to accomplish it in a very successful way.

“What does yours mean,” he asked. “Your cutie mark?”

“It symbolizes the duty that I was given, and what I must do in order to do my part in keeping harmony safe,” she said. “On every waking day, it is my duty to raise the sun into the sky, on this side of the world. Thus, every evening, it is my job to let the sun settle to the other half of the world, and allow it to shed its radiance to the many others who share this amazing planet with us. That includes regions dominated by chaos. When the sun is lowered, my sister here raises the moon to light up the night sky.” she paused. “Just because there are those who do not openly embrace harmony, does not mean that we shouldn’t try our hardest to be kind to them. If I were to only illuminate this side of the world and not share the sunlight with the rest, then I would be behaving no better than those who wish harm upon us.”

“Do to others only what you would do to yourselves,” said Cole quietly.

“Yes,” said Celestia. “Yes indeed. Who said that?”

Cole smiled. “There were many men and women who said the same thing, but in different ways,” he said. “It has pretty much been a universal rule to live by since the beginning of human history. The golden rule, as some like to call it.”

“I like it,” said Celestia. “Very much so.”

Cole took a bite of one of his pastries and chewed t in silence. It was very good, the sweet dough complemented perfectly by the raspberry preserve filling. The one thing that the meal lacked was a cup of hot coffee, so Cole was forced to settle for a cup of tea, which he poured from a large ceramic teapot. Upon seeing him take the first true bites of his breakfast, everyone else at the table began to select foods for themselves. Admittedly, the two princesses helped themselves to a far smaller helping than that of Cole’s ODSTs. Shining Armor didn’t eat anything whatsoever, and simply gazed out one of the far windows, but allowed his head to be turned just enough that he could keep a wary eye on the six humans.

They all ate in silence for quite some time. No one tried to bring up any more conversation, however the lingering effects of what Princess Celestia had said stayed with Cole. He repeated her words over and over again in his head, trying to make sense of it all. This perfect little world that the ponies lived in was built upon a magical foundation of magic and harmony. Cole almost smirked. That sentence alone would be enough to make anyone laugh. He suddenly thought of what it would be like to explain everything he had seen, once he got back home. He tried to picture the look on Admiral Parangosky’s face if he were to tell her that he visited a world where the sun and the moon were moved by the magic of two alicorn princesses, instead of gravity. It was a comforting thought, and there would certainly be many stories which he would like to tell, but due to the likely interest that ONI would have on the subject, he would most likely be unable to tell anyone for a long time, due to restrictions.

A part of him didn’t want to go home. As strange as it was for him, he was beginning to like being on this planet, and being surrounded by these ponies who had treated him and his men so kindly, without any promise of something in return. If he were to go back home, there was only one thing that awaited him. More war. Cole sighed. He was tired of fighting just as much as he was tired of the military. He was tired of the life that he was currently living. He wanted more, and for the first time in his life, that dream seemed just within his grasp. Who knows? Maybe he could settle down in a comfortable little house in the countryside. He could start his own small farm, and sell his crops for just enough to live a comfortable life. He could get back to a simple lifestyle, like the one he used to know when he was a child.

He stared down at his plate. As much as he dreamed that such a life could be possible for him once more, he knew that it likely wouldn’t happen. It was a selfish thought in the first place. There were over a thousand souls aboard his ship. Those people had families who they still were able to return home to. Children, wives, husbands; people who would miss them if they were to disappear. Perhaps they already knew. It was certainly a possibility that the UNSC had already informed the many families of the loss of their loved ones, when the Everest was “destroyed” during the battle. Though they certainly wouldn’t be expecting their family members to come home, Cole could not allow himself to prevent his crew from seeing their families again. They would have to go home at some point, likely soon, but maybe someday he would be able to live out his dream.

When they were finished eating, and had waited a decent amount of time for their meal to digest, several members of the kitchen staff began to clear the grand dining table. Cole wiped his mouth with a napkin.

“Thank you for the wonderful meal,” said Cole. “I must say, there are a lot of similarities between the foods our two peoples enjoy, specifically the pastries.”

“You liked them?” asked Celestia with surprise. “That’s wonderful! I was worried that we wouldn’t be able to provide any enjoyable food for you all. You have no idea how comforting it is for me to hear that. I don’t know why, but for some reason, that was once of the things that I was stressing over the most.”

“Well,” he said with a large smile. “Now you know.”

“That I do,” she said, watching as the final few dishes were cleared from the table. “I was thinking; perhaps you would like to see the palace gardens? It has been quite some time now since I have had the chance to walk through them.”

“I saw them as we walked in,” said Cole. “I would love to. Do they wrap all the way around the palace?”

“All the way around,” replied Celestia. “The landscapers wanted to keep a natural feel to the structure, and I felt the exact same way. It is never good to get too far from nature, if it can be helped. We have been cooped up inside for quite a while now.”

“I know the feeling,” said Cole. “I must say, it has been a long time since I have gotten much time outdoors. Most of the time, I’m stuck inside of my ship, twenty-four seven. War keeps you busy, and it is about time that I stop fighting for a change.”

Shining Armor opened the door using his magic. “After you, Princess,” he said.

“Thank you, Shining Armor,” she said. “Follow me, everyone. This way.”

The captain followed the two Princesses out of the room, and Cole followed him, along with his soldiers. Scott looked back to the chest, in which his squad’s weapons were secured. He thought for a moment about asking for them back, but something stopped him. Instead he smiled, and decided to forget that the weapons even existed.

“Are you coming, Sergeant?” Cole asked.

Scott turned to him. “Yes, sir,” he said with a big grin. They stepped out into the hallway, and proceeded to walk to the left, and down the stairs they came up from.

“At some point,” began Celestia. “I would like to give you all a full tour of the palace.”

“I would enjoy that,” said Cole. “I am not sure how my superiors would look at it, but perhaps later on you could come aboard my ship. Although I must say, while it is large, it is nowhere near as elegant at this place.”

Celestia smiled. “I can assure you, Admiral Cole, that while we do live in a very nice palace, my sister and I are far from being hoity-toity.” she glanced over to Shining Armor. “That is the word that ponies use these days to describe somepony of extreme elegance and wealth, yes?”

He shrugged. “I can’t say, Princess Celestia,” he said.

Alright, alright,” said Cole. “Just giving you the heads-up. I don’t mean to be rude, but let’s just say that some of the crew might be rather surprised to see you on the ship. Because of this, I am not sure how much I will able to show you.”

“Why is that?” asked the solar princess.

“Well,” said Cole, with a small chuckle. “Not that many people onboard know about you at all. Many don’t even know that I left the ship. Unfortunately, that’s how we operate in the UNSC. The command system is very structured. If information is deemed to be potentially dangerous in the hands of lower-ranking soldiers, or civilians, then it is deemed classified. Only those with a high enough rank have access to that kind information. Although I doubt that we will be able to keep all of this a secret from them for too much longer, I am trying to handle this in a way that won’t cause an uproar from my crewmembers.” he paused. “You do understand my point?”

“Certainly,” she said. “As much of a supporter that I am for equal distribution of knowledge, I fully understand why you must be cautious.” she sighed, staring down at the floor. “That reminds me; since there were likely many ponies who saw you arrive in the city this morning, I will have to present an announcement to the public, soon.” she looked back to him. “Perhaps you could stand by my side during the speech. I am sure that it would do a great deal of good for them to see a human in person, rather than me just describing them.”

“Sure,” he replied. “Absolutely. In fact, I would like to speak to them myself, if you would allow it.”

“Perhaps that is a good idea,” she said. “Although they will likely be very shocked when they hear you speak for the first time. Just that fact that you speak the same language as we do might be all that it takes to keep them from overeating. It is much easier to relate to somepony, or someone, who you can have a conversation with.” she took a deep breath. “But before we get to that, let us at least get some time to walk off our morning meals.”

Celestia continued down the hallway, followed by Shining Armor. Princess Luna fell behind the two, and walked alongside Cole, casting unreadable glances at him from time to time. Cole looked over at her, causing her to look away again. It was very awkward behavior.

Shining Armor kept walking forward, but looked back often to keep an eye on the other Princess. They strode past the main entrance in the throne room, but did not exit that way. Instead, they walked to the far end of the main hallway, and left the building through a small door that led right out into the gardens.

As soon as Cole stepped past the threshold, he felt an immediate temperature difference on his skin. While it was comfortably cool inside, the outside was far warmer. The sun was close now to being perfectly centered at the height of the sky. In just an hour or so it would be mid-day, and for some reason Cole got the feeling that there would be a lot to get done.

He let the sunlight wash the shadow off his arms, and allowed his skin to embrace the shimmering rays that filtered down through some of the tall spruce trees that stood alongside the palace wall. He let his boots fall onto the gravel pathway with a crunch. Looking ahead, he saw that the path they stood upon, wove through several groups of small trees, and tall stalks of flowers, until it darted out of sight around a large boulder, which sat upon a large plot of sand. Here and there, gardeners trimmed the bushes with steel clippers, and watered the flowers with fresh water that came from long green hoses. The scene was very much like what one would see at the homes of rich people, or historical palaces, back on Earth. During his early military years, Cole had received the opportunity during some scheduled leave, to visit the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. The ancient building is still recognized as one of the most beautiful homes in the North American continent, even by modern standards. Canterlot Palace was no less beautiful, and seemed even larger than the building on Earth, although there was far less area outside of the Palace, than the home boasted. The Palace was in the middle of a city after-all, so that restricted its size, and the size of the gardens. However, while size is important, the beauty of the palace made up for it.

“This is amazing,” said Cole. He looked down the path at the boulder, which the gravel road seemed to hug. “I must ask. Why is that boulder there?”

“Oh that?” asked Celestia. “That stone has been sitting there for over a thousand years. “During the time when the city was being expanded, that stone broke free from the top of the mountain, due to the vibrations caused by the blasting, that the excavation ponies of the time were performing.” she pointed up past the tree line, and towards the peak of the mountain high above, on which the city clung to. “It rolled down the slope, bounced off, and landed right where it is now. One of the construction ponies who was working on the palace was scared to death when it landed right next to him, crushing a newly placed statue. It was soon after that we decided to let it remain in the place of the destroyed artwork, rather than haul it off. It has been a part of Canterlot history ever since.”

“Huh,” said Cole. “It makes the place seem even more connected to the mountain that it was built upon.”

“And it symbolizes our willingness to accept change,” said Celestia. “Instead of having it removed, and placing another statue where it sat, we embraced it, and allowed it to stay.”

Cole smiled as the party walked around the large stone. Brain reached out and ran his palm along its smooth surface.

“Trooper!” said Cole, raising his voice. Brain instantly turned to him. Cole shook his head, scolding the soldier.

“No no,” said Celestia. “There is no need for you to reprimand him. It is just a rock, after all.” she winked at Brian, who looked back and forth between her and Cole shamefully. Celestia once again started to lead the group down the path. Cole motioned for Brian to keep up.

Before they could make it much further down the path, the group was interrupted by the sound of hoof beats approaching from behind. Cole turned around to see a guard running up to them at full gallop, only for him to stop running as soon as the Princess turned around. She looked at him with a questioning gaze.

“Princess,” he said, regaining his composure. “There is something important that I have to tell you.”

“What is it?” she asked.

“It’s your student,” said the guard. “She is here with her friends, and they are demanding that they be given entrance to the palace grounds.”

Celestia stood still, however she was not surprised. She had assumed that Twilight would come to Canterlot as soon as she knew the truth about what was going on.

“Well, then,” she said. “What are you waiting for? Let her in.”

He gave the Princess a nervous look, and then glanced over at Princess Luna who looked down at him with a blank expression. “Are you sure, Princess?” he asked. “That might be a little difficult to do. There is already quite a large buildup of ponies outside the main gate, who are demanding to speak with you. More are showing up every minute. They want to know about the strange object that landed here.” he looked over at Cole and the ODSTs.

“So it has already begun,” said Celestia quietly, before turning her attention back to the guard. “Yes. Let Twilight Sparkle and her friends enter, and inform the public that I will address them shortly.”

“Right away, Princess,” he said, before galloping off the way he came.

“I apologize,” she said. “But it seems that our lovely walk in the gardens will have to be postponed until a later date.” she took a single step after the guard. “For now, it seems that there are some anxious ponies out there who need answers.”

“Are you going to give it to them?” asked Luna. “Tell them everything, I mean.”

“No, not everything,” replied Celestia. “But I will tell them everything that they need to know, at the moment.” she turned to Admiral Cole. “And you will speak to them, yes?”

“I will do whatever needs to be done in order to prevent any issues from arising,” said Cole. “I know for a fact that both of us want everything to run smoothly. I am happy to help in any way that I can.”

“Then let us waste no more time,” she said, starting to walk back the way they had come from. “Let’s go. But before we get around to that, I want you to meet my most prized pupil. I am sure that she really wants to meet you.” she smiled. “Just be prepared; she asks a lot of questions. Knowledge is like a drug to her.”

“Don’t worry,” said Cole with a light chuckle. “I know a few who are just like that.”

They walked back down the path, until they came to the door they had come from. Instead of entering however, they just walked alongside the palace wall, until they came to the courtyard. The pelican still sat in the center of the stone yard, looking totally out-of-place in this environment. When they were halfway across the courtyard, Celestia saw six figures approaching rapidly from the main gate. They kept up the pace until the lead, purple figure saw the spaceship. Twilight Sparkle stopped in her tracks and stared with an agape mouth at the vehicle. The other five figures huddled around her.

“Twilight Sparkle!” shouted the princess. The purple pony turned to face the sound of the voice, and saw Princess Celestia surrounded by the aliens. “Please, come over here! There is someone that I want you to meet!”

The six ponies walked towards the other group slowly. As they got closer, Cole could see the nervous expressions spread across all of their faces. The purple pony who walked in front, was a unicorn, along with another white one who walked in the back of the cluster. There was a regular orange pony with a blonde mane, and a pink pony with a pink mane. A yellow pegasus with a pink mane peeked out from behind a cyan-colored pony with wings and a prismatic-colored mane and tail. If this happened to be a dream, then it was certainly the most bizarre mental journey that Cole had ever experienced.

“Twilight!” exclaimed Shining Armor, as he ran over to the unicorn. Cole was taken aback by the stallion’s sudden action towards the mare. The two hugged each other in a warm embrace. “How are you doing?” he asked. “It has been so long since I have seen you.”

“It’s good to see you too, Big Brother,” she said, but with a worried look in her eyes. Now everything made sense to Cole. Twilight stared past her brother, and at Cole.

“Twilight,” asked Shining Armor, tilting his head back with concern. “Is everything alright?”

“I’ll tell you in a moment,” she said, breaking away from her brother’s grip.

"Twilight," began the Princess. "This is Admiral Cole. Admiral Cole, this is my most prized student, Twilight Sparkle, and these are her friends, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash."

"H- hello," she sputtered, walking cautiously towards him. "Nice- nice to meet you.”

“And you as well, Twilight Sparkle,” he said. He looked around to the others. “Hello, all.”

They all smiled at him nervously.

The small purple unicorn turned quickly back to her Princess. “I am sorry, Princess,” she said, glancing nervous at the tall aliens. “But there has been an issue at the main gate. The guards are not allowing Spike to pass. They said that only we could come in, and not Spike.”

Celestia frowned. “Did they now?” she asked angrily, before lowering her head. “I am sorry, Twilight. I don’t know how many times I need to tell them that Spike is allowed to enter as long as you are. Let us sort out this matter right now. Come along.”

“Oh,” began Twilight. “Thank you very much, Princess. I just didn’t want Spike to think that we had forgotten him. The crowd of ponies in front of the palace is so large that I thought we wouldn’t be able to get inside in the first place. We almost didn’t when that first guard stopped us from approaching.”

“How large is the crowd?” asked Celestia.

“The line goes all the way down the street,” replied the unicorn, glancing back at the six aliens who were following. “They are all demanding that they be given answers as to what’s going on.”

“I will take care of that momentary,” said Celestia. “But for now, let us get your little dragon friend out of that dangerous mob.”

Canterlot Train Station-Twenty Minutes Earlier

Twilight was thrown awake from her dreamless sleep when the train pulled into the station with a hiss of steam. The transport finished its deceleration, and came to a halt alongside the stone platform.

“We have arrived in Canterlot,” said the train conductor, over a loudspeaker. “All ponies onboard for this stop, please exit the train at this time.”

Twilight sparkle opened her eyes as everypony around her started getting out of their seats. Suddenly, she remembered her reason for coming to the city, and she sat up with a start.

“Oh, well there you are, sugarcube,” said Applejack. “Didja get a good nap in? You were knocked out for the whole ride. We tried everything we could to wake ya’ll up when we were getting close to the city, but y'all just kept on sleeping away.”

“Yeah,” said Rainbow, hovering in the aisle. “What’s the big deal? I even burped in your ear, and all you did was grumble something to yourself, roll over, and start to snore. Are you on any sleeping medications or something?”

Twilight sighed. “No,” she said. “I am not. I was just really tired. That’s all.” She suddenly looked up at the rainbow manned pegasus. “Wait. Was I seriously snoring?”

“Ha, no,” said Rainbow, who began to hover down the aisle, and towards the exit. “I was just trying to wake you up for good. You will have plenty of time to sleep later, but we have got aliens to meet.”

“Rainbow!” exclaimed Twilight, doing her best to express her disapproval in a hushed tone. “Not so loud!”

“Oh right,” replied the pegasus, throwing a hoof over her mouth, several seconds too late. Several ponies glanced over at her. “My bad.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Where are the others?” she asked.

“They got off the train through the door, at the other end of the aisle,” said Rainbow. “I think that Rarity is getting her things unpacked right now, and loaded onto a carriage.”

Twilight got onto her feet, strapped on her saddlebag, pulling the strap tight with her mouth. She tilted he head to both sides, releasing two confined cracks from her spine, thus relieving some of the discomfort in her neck. The unicorn walked towards the exit, and carefully climbed down the metal steps. With a solid, concrete sound, her hooves met the pavement as she had once again stepped out into the afternoon air. It had gotten significantly warmer outside, since earlier this morning. It wasn’t too hot; it was just right. It was the perfect type of atmosphere for a comfortable day.

Looking to her right, she spotted the other three elements of harmony. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were conversing, while Rarity observed several stallions remove her luggage from the train, and transfer the cases onto one of the many chariots that were parked on the platform. Spike stood next to her, scrutinizing the stallions intently, with his claws upon his hips. Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash walked over to the other three.

“Are we renting chariots?” asked Twilight.

“Well of course we are,” replied the white unicorn. “Well, at least I am. It would be simply too much for me or any one of us to lug all of these suitcases up to the palace, on our own. I figured that if I would be riding in a chariot, then you all would want to as well, thus I rented three.”

“Three chariots?” asked Twilight with surprise. “Rarity, how much did this cost?”

“Oh, never mind the price, darling,” replied Rarity. “This is only me being courteous to my friends. You wouldn’t deny me that privilege, would you?”

“Well,” said Twilight, not wishing to hurt her friend’s feelings. “No, I wouldn’t-”

“Then let that be the end of it,” said Rarity as the last of her suitcases were loaded into the back of Rarity’s chariot. “Since I only got three, there will have to be two to a chariot. Rainbow, you can ride with me if you would like.”

The cyan pegasus backed away, with almost a disgusted look. “Uh,” she began, awkwardly. “That’s alright, Rarity. I would prefer to fly.”

“Oh,” said Rarity, with a bit of a devilish smirk. “Well it looks like I will be riding by myself.” she looked down at Spike. “Unless you want to ride with me, Spike.”

“Nah,” he said. “But I will ride in the back, to keep an eye on all of your things. Don’t want anypony snatching one of your suitcases, do we?”

“Oh, how very thoughtful of you, Spike,” said the unicorn with a pleased smile. “What an excellent idea.” Spike hopped onto the back, resting his clawed feet on one of the large containers.

Twilight climbed into an empty chariot, and sat down. “Whoever wants to ride with me, feel free to do so,” she said, leaning her head back.

“Oh, I’ll ride with you, Twilight!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie, who flew into the seat next to her.

“Well, sugarcube,” Applejack said to Fluttershy. “Looks like we will be riding together.”

The timid pegasus smiled. “Sounds good, Applejack,” she whispered. The two climbed into the last of the three chariots.

Once they were all settled, three stallions walked over, and attached their saddles to the vehicles, hitching themselves in.

“Where to, ladies?” asked the lead stallion, who pulled Rarity’s chariot.

“Canterlot palace, if you would, please,” said Twilight.

The driver looked back at her, raising an eyebrow. “You do know that the road around the main gate to the palace is clogged with ponies, right? he asked. “Traffic is very bad over there. Why do you want to go the palace in the first place? We won’t even be able to get up to the gates.”

“Just get us as close as you can,” said the purple unicorn. “I am the Princess’s personal protégé. She will let us past the gates.”

The stallion shrugged. “Very well,” he said. “Whatever you say, ma’am. Alright, guys,” he said glancing to the other two drivers. “We are going to the palace. Let’s do everything we can to make sure our customers get there quickly, and comfortably.”

The other stallions nodded, and the next moment they were off, trotting quickly down the platform, down a ramp, and onto the main boulevard that headed right into the heart of the city, and to the Princess’s home.

They passed by many buildings, some of which housed small businesses, others, office spaces for larger corporations. The main road that they travelled on was mostly flat, as the city had been built upon and almost entirely level foundation. There weren't even any cracked pieces of masonry in the brick road. Instead, the colorful interlocking stone pieces formed an elaborate pattern of circles and squares, and continued in this fashion for the entire length of the street.

As they drew closer to the palace, more and more vendors started springing up on the sides of the street. Merchants sold all kinds of product, ranging from things like jewelry, to pottery and food. The smell of freshly baked sweets drew Twilight’s attention to a nearby bakery. It smelled good, but she forced herself to look away. They were on a mission. Nothing was more important than getting to the palace as soon as possible.

As the three chariots drew within a block of the palace, the stallions driving them slowed down to a trot. Before them, was a sea of distressed equines. The crowds extended all the way down the road, for a block and a half, before splashing up against the exterior walls of the castle.

“This is as far as we are going to get,” said the stallion. “Are you sure that you can get inside?”

“I am fairly certain,” replied Twilight. “Although I do not know the exact circumstances of what’s going on inside.” she hopped down from the chariot, staring at the wall of shouting ponies before her.

“We will wait here,” said the stallion. “Once you get inside, make sure to send some of the Princess’s royal guard to come fetch the luggage.”

“Sure thing,” said the unicorn.

The other four ponies, as well as Spike, climbed down, and stood next to her. Rainbow soared down from the sky, and landed next to the unicorn.

“Sheesh,” said Rainbow Dash. “These ponies certainly do know how to cause a ruckus. I’m surprised that the Princess hasn’t done anything yet.”

“She could be busy right now, Rainbow,” said Twilight. “If I am right, then I am sure that she has a lot of things to deal with.”

“Whatever she is doing,” said Rainbow. “She better let us inside. There’s no way that we came this far to be turned around at the front gate.”

That’s just something that we have to accept as a possibility,” she said, before turning to face the rest of the group. “Are you girls ready?” she asked, glancing down at the young dragon. “Spike?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he said. The five mares nodded in agreement.

Twilight gulped, and approached the sea of bodies that stood in her way. With an initial push, she passed into the crowd. Her friends followed close behind, while Spike held onto her tail. She accidentally stepped on the hoof of a mare, which recoiled away as the owner yelped with pain.

“Sorry,” she said to the mare, who gave Twilight a dirty look. “Excuse me, everypony. Pardon me. Coming through.”

Ponies gave her annoyed glances as she forcefully pressed through the mob, making slow progress. It took them all quite some time to get close to the gate. The entire experience was anything but pleasant. The whole time they were pressed flank to flank with over a hundred other ponies, who all wanted to speak to the Princess as much as Twilight did.

She took an early lead ahead of her friends and when Twilight finally reached the gate, she was stopped by a guard, who stood directly in front of the entrance.

“Hold it right there,” he said. “Nopony is allowed within the palace at this time.”

“I am aware of this,” said Twilight, brushing her mane out of her eyes. “I am Twilight Sparkle, and I am here with my friends. Would you please inform Princess Celestia that we are here? I do greatly need to speak with her.”

The stallion in armor looked down at her once again, getting a better look from beyond his helmet. He went pale. “The element of Magic,” he said, suddenly recognizing her. “The other elements are here as well?”

“Yes,” she said. “And we would prefer if we didn’t have to wait outside in this crowd any longer.”

“One moment,” he said. “I just need to check this in with the Princess.” he turned to one of the other guards behind him, saying something inaudible over the cacophony of voices. The second stallion nodded, and passed through the gate.

“I just sent my private to go and notify the princess that you have arrived,” he said. As soon as he did, the other five mares finished pushing their way up to the gate, and gathered next to Twilight. They were out of breath, and clearly unhappy about the extraneous trek that just took them fifteen minutes.

“Oh, my,” said Rarity as she brushed her mane away from her face. She looked at Twilight, then at the royal guard, then back to Twilight again. “What’s the problem? Are we not allowed in?”

“Princess Celestia is being notified of our arrival as we speak,” said Twilight, trying to pear through the steel gate. “It shouldn’t take long. I know the princess. She will not delay.”

“Well, I hope that you are right,” said Rarity. “I don’t know how much longer I can stand being in this congested herd of ponies. Besides, I think that everypony here is getting more and more anxious by the minute.”

It was true. More and more ponies were shouting at the guards. Twilight could practically smell the tension in the air. Who knows what would happen if the princess didn't come out soon. Twilight didn’t want to wait around to find out.

“Where is the Princess?” shouted one.

“Why won’t she speak to us?” asked another with pure anger.

Twilight could feel her blood pressure rise. At first she wasn’t comfortable, but she was beginning to grow fearful of the ponies around her. Goddesses forbid that they would decide to break into the palace grounds, and trample her in the process.

“Twilight,” began Spike, who still held a firm grip on her twin-colored tail. “Why is everypony acting so upset? Why are they yelling?”

The unicorn gulped. “They are just concerned, is all,” she said, trying to keep the young dragon from becoming frightened. “They all just want to see the princess.”

“We demand answers!” shouted a stallion. “Where is the Princess?”

“Are they going to be able to?” Spike asked. “Isn’t that what we are trying to do?”

“Yes they will,” said Twilight, occasionally glancing over her shoulder to make sure that her friends were still nearby. “They just need to wait their turns. The Princess will see everypony.”

“But we aren’t waiting our turns,” said Spike, giving her a questioning look. “We just cut the line.”

Twilight looked down at him. His statement had caught her completely off guard. “Our situation is a little bit different,” she said, looking back up at the gate, which still remained closed.

“But why?” he asked “If we are all trying to get in there for the same reason, then why do we get to go first?”

Twilight started to answer him, but stopped as one of the gates opened again, and the same guard came out. He nodded to his commanding officer

“Alright, you and your friends are allowed to pass,” he said, stepping aside to allow the six ponies access to the entrance.

Twilight stepped forward. “Thank you,” she said.

“Everypony!” shouted the lead stallion. “Please stay calm. The Princess will address you all in a moment. Just wait a few more minutes!”

As Twilight an Spike stepped up to the gate, the guard held one hood out

“Hold up,” said the guard, looking down, and behind her. “Who’s that?”

Twilight looked back as well. “Oh, that’s Spike,” said Twilight. “He’s my assistant.”

The stallion brought his head back, and grunted. “The Princess didn’t mention anything about dragons,” he said. “She said to only allow you and your friends to enter.”

“But Spike is my friend,” she said. “Celestia knows that. Celestia knows who he is.”

The guard shook his head. “Sorry,” he said. “Until I have confirmation from the Princess herself, I cannot allow the dragon to enter.”

“Wha- what?” the purple dragon asked, strengthening his grip upon Twilight’s tail. “What does he mean, Twilight?”

“Sir, I can assure you that Princess Celestia has no issues with Spike coming inside with us,” said Twilight, quickly trying to come up with a way to gain the young dragon, access. “She was the one who gave him to me, please, trust me.”

“Unfortunately,” he said. “Things are kind of crazy right now, as you can tell. I can’t take any unnecessary risks.”

“But he’s not a risk!” exclaimed Twilight. “He’s a child!”

“You can either enter, and go get direct permission from the Princess,” he said. “Or you can all turn around and walk away. There is no debating this.”

The violet unicorn glared at him with burning eyes, their fires fueled with rage. She turned back to the dragon. “Listen to me, Spike,” she said. “I’m going to go inside for just a few minutes, and then I will be back out to come get you. I need you to stay right here.”

Spike shook his head in protest. “But I don’t want to stay here by myself,” he said. “I don’t like it out here.”

“I know,” she said. “But I need you to do this for me, just this one time. I need to go talk to the Princesses. It’s the only way that I will be able to get you inside.”

He sighed. “Alright,” he said, relaxing is grip on her tail. “Just don’t be gone too long, please?”

“I won’t,” she said with an encouraging smile. “I promise. Just wait right there.”

With that, she turned around and proceeded to trot through the gates, with her five other friends following her. The cast-iron barrier closed shut behind them, and suddenly Spike was standing alone, among hundreds of other ponies.

“Why do they get to go inside!” one pony roared at the top of his lungs. “What makes them more important than us?”

“Yeah!” shouted another. “What’s the big deal?”

The few guards who stood outside adjusted their position, as more and more anger was direct towards them. Spike pressed himself against the outer wall, as he tried to get away from the crowd. The ponies came closer, but the guards stood still, facing the ocean of ponies with determination. That was until somepony threw the rock.

It came from the back of the crowd. It was a small, insignificant stone, which flew through the air at a fast velocity and struck one of the guards alongside the head. He recoiled away as it bounced off of his golden helmet, and fell to the ground. For two whole seconds, everypony was silent. Then a second onslaught of thrown objects rocketed towards the royal guards. More stones, bottles, bricks, and even some fresh produce were hurled at the stallions, causing them to back away as they were all struck by multiple items of ill-intent.

Spike crouched down against the wall, as the barrage of missiles kept coming nonstop, hitting the guards, and the wall behind them. Glass bottles shattered, and bricks cracked into dust as they collided with the barrier. The guards tried to dodge the objects, but were mostly unsuccessful. After a minute of nonstop abuse, the lead guard gave the order to his soldiers to draw their swords.

The crowd back away with fear, from the now armed guards, pushing and shoving one another to get away from the razor-sharp blades. The soldiers stepped up and formed a half-circle perimeter around the gate, glaring at the mob in front of them. This didn’t cause the objects to cease being thrown, however. The crowd simply back up, and kept throwing things.

“Private!” shouted the lead guard. “Go inside and alert the Captain that we have a little riot going on out here. Tell him to send more guards, quick!” he turned back to face the crowd. “That’s it everypony! Get back, get back! Step away from the gates!”

One of the guards suddenly turned his head away from the swarm, and saw Spike.

“Hey, you!” he shouted, pointing his sword at the young dragon. “Get away from the wall!”

“But… but,” began Spike. “I was told to stay here and-”

“I said, back away!” he ordered, taking a step towards the innocent purple dragon.

Spike fell down as he tried to walk backwards. The guard made another approach towards him, and Spike decided to scramble away towards the crowd. As he backed away, the outraged ponies met him, as the group slowly began to make another push to the gate. Heavy, blunt objects were still being thrown at the stallions, but they held their ground, focused on not letting anypony get past them.

Spike looked around. The crowd has completely surrounded him now and all he could see were the stomping of hooves, in every direction. Ponies pushed and shoved, entirely unaware of Spike, who stood below them. One of the equines suddenly staggered forward, running into the dragon, and knocking him to the ground. Spike lifted his face off of the street just in time to see the ponies at the front of the crowd rush towards the gate with a frenzied charge. The others followed him, and soon everypony was running past him. Spike tried to stand up, but another pony slammed into him, then another, and another, and suddenly he found himself being pressed against the street, as several ponies fell on top of him.

Spike struggled to breath, barely able to draw in enough oxygen into his lungs, to keep himself from falling unconscious. His vision danced with the images of flailing hooves, as he was slowly crushed underneath the pile of colorful bodies.

As Cole followed Princess Celestia and the others towards the main gate, several guards rushed by, heading in the same direction.

“Soldier,” said Celestia. One of the stallions turned towards her. “What's going on?”

“There’s a riot going on, out front, your Highness,” he replied. “We are on our way to put a stop to it, right now.”

“A riot?” asked Celestia, quickening her pace.

“No…” whispered Twilight with fear. “Spike is still out there.”

Celestia gazed down at her student with horror, before starting to run. “Hurry up, everyone!” she shouted, as she sprinted towards the gate behind the guards. “Come with me!”

Cole and his guards broke into a jog after the ponies, as his aged body prevented him from matching the Princess’s speed. Scott and his squad stayed with their admiral, and let the others run ahead.

Celestia made it to the gate within seconds, with Shining Armor right at her hooves. She climbed up an angle of narrow steps, to the top of the wall that overlooked the gate. Several ponies already stood at the top, armed with loaded crossbows, which were being aimed over the edge. Celestia peered over, and what she saw, horrified her. A massive swarm of ponies, her ponies, were practically laying siege to the front gate. Objects were being thrown, and ponies were charging the entrance, and fighting with the guards, who bucked and punched them away, not wishing to use their weapons. She couldn’t see the little dragon amongst the fray. All she saw were hundreds of panicked ponies.

“Enough!” Princess Celestia roared at the top of her lungs. Everypony instantly stopped yelling, and looked up at her. Those who were engaged in mid-fight backed away from their opposing combatant. Those who were on the ground stood, and brushed themselves off. Everypony seemed to step away from one another.

Celestia glared down upon them with the furious rage of the sun, her eyes burning themselves into the minds of the ponies below her.

“Where is Spike?” she growled. Everypony looked up at her in confusion. “The young dragon who was standing down there! Where is he?”

The ponies shot nervous glances to one another as they were questioned by the Princess. They all shrugged.

Suddenly, out from the front of the mob, crawled a small, purple figure. The ponies around him looked down and backed away. He was wheezing, and coughing as he dragged himself away from the crowd.

“Spike!” shouted Twilight, who ran down the steps and out of the front gate. When she got there, she kneeled down beside him, and picked him up in her hooves.

“I’m alright,” he said, with a final cough as he gripped onto her shoulder with one claw. “I’m alright.”

Celestia continued to glare down at the ponies. “Is this how we act?” she asked aloud. “Is this how we choose to behave when we are afraid?”

The ponies looked down at the ground. Some kicked at the stones in the street. None could look their Princess in the eye.

“When even a sliver of doubt is put into our hearts, is this what we become?” she asked, her eyes now sad. She no longer felt anger, but mere disappointment. “Do we simply dump the principles that we all hold dear, down the drain? Because of what? Because you are unsure of what you all may have seen arrive in the city this morning?” she paused, and let out a sigh. “Is anypony severely hurt? Please speak up.”

None of them replied, and the guards all began to sheath their swords. Celestia looked at them.

“Thank you all for choosing not you use your weapons,” she said. “And thank you for displaying proper judgment, and acting on the situation in the least violent manner.” she looked back at the rest of the ponies. “You are all very lucky that my guards decided not to fight. Many of you would have gotten hurt, if they did.” she paused, and bowed her head. “You should all be thankful.”

Down in the street, Twilight Sparkle hugged Spike, as he wept into her shoulder.

“They just kept falling on top of me,” he sputtered. “I was stuck, and I couldn’t breathe.”

“I know,” she said, gently nuzzling his cheek with her own. “I am so sorry that this happened to you.” she gave him a light kiss on his forehead. “But I promise to never leave you alone again. Next time, I will stay with you.”

“When the changelings invades, you all acted much stronger than you have just now,” said Celestia with a stare. “Why now, does all of your spiritual fortitude crumble? You have all experienced far more horrifying events in the past. There is absolutely no reason to behave this way now. After everything that we have all been through, do you all really think that I would leave you all in the dark?

The ponies looked up at her, with wide expressions of guilt and sadness plastered upon their faces.

“Now I understand that you all have a lot of questions,” said Celestia, to the crowd. “But that provides no justification for this kind of horrendous behavior.” she sighed. “Do you all want to know what’s going on? Because if so, I will tell you.”

The ponies looked back up at her with puzzled expressions.

“We have been visited,” said Celestia. “By beings from a world, not of our own.” The ponies before her looked up with awe as Admiral Cole stepped up to stand next to her. He held a calm and friendly expression, and said nothing.

“This is Admiral Cole,” said Celestia, gesturing towards the man. “He is a human. They come from a planet, far away from here. What you saw this morning was the spaceship they came in.” she paused for a moment to let the information to sink in. “Now I know that this may come as quite of a shock to some of you, but I want you all to remain calm, and not act the same way that you just did. The humans are a peaceful people, and they mean us no harm. Admiral Cole here, is a very friendly man, and he really wants to learn about us.”

“How?” asked one of the ponies from the crowd. “How do you know that they are nice?”

Celestia smiled. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

“Hello, everyone,” said Cole, waving his hand at the ponies before him. The crowd gasped. “Yes, I can speak your language; just as you all can speak mine. What Princess Celestia has said is true. We come in peace.” he looked out across the crowd. “I came here in a spaceship, along with many others, and I am very interested to meet you all, and to learn as much as I can about your culture.” he paused. “I also have the intention of forming a strong friendship between our two peoples.”

“As do we,” said Celestia. “I know that you all have many questions, and they will all be answered in due time, but for now we just need to trust one another. Can we all find it in our hearts to welcome these remarkable individuals into our lives?”

There was a long moment of silence, but slowly, ponies one by one began to nod their heads in approval.

“There is still much that Admiral Cole and I must discuss,” said the Princess. “We really must get back to business. We have not had much time to talk much so far, so I am unable to answer many of your questions. Next time, I will tell you everything that you may wish to know, but for now, please clear away from the gates, and free the street so that traffic may get by. Go on with your lives. Forget that any of this violence has ever happened, and go home. I will inform you all when there is more to talk about.”

With that, Celestia turned away from the wall. Admiral Cole and Princess Luna followed her back down the steps. When they reached the bottom, Celestia let out a deep breath.

“I would say that you handled that well,” said Princess Luna. “Given the current circumstances, that is.”

“Same,” said Cole. “You really have a way with your subjects. They listen to you, and they respect you. I must say, that on Earth, there haven’t been many who could do such a thing. The majority of leaders throughout human history have all had tragic flaws that corrupted their characters, and caused them to lose popularity amongst the civilian population, in the end.”

“You use that word a lot,” said Celestia. “Civilian. Is that how leaders on Earth usually refer to their citizens?”

“No,” said Cole. “It’s just an old military habit. I apologize.”

“Don’t,” she said. “I take no offense from your words.”

Twilight suddenly came back through the gate, with Spike sitting upon her back. She walked up to the group, and looked at Cole.

“Are you alright, Spike?” asked Princess Celestia. “I am so sorry for what happened out there.”

“It’s alright,” he replied. “I’m okay now. Just a little winded, is all.”

“So you are really from another planet,” said Twilight, staring at Cole. He looked down at her. “I never thought that I would get the chance to meet someone like you.”

“Unfortunately, I can’t say the same,” said Cole. “The human race has been unlucky enough to have already met several others. None of them as polite as you are, though.”

Twilight smiled at that. “Then I’m guessing that you have many stories to tell,” she said. “And I bet that you have already discussed many with my Princess.”

“That is true,” said Celestia. “However, we have all the time that we need. I will not let anything get in the way of this meeting. We will catch you up on everything, Twilight.”

“Great,” replied the unicorn. “I have plenty of stories to tell of my own, as well.”

“I look forward to hearing about them,” said Cole. “This experience so far has been extremely inspirational for me.”

“Inspirational?” asked Celestia. “How so?”

Cole smiled. “I am not sure yet,” he said. “I just have a feeling that only good things are going to become of this. There was several second gap, during which no one spoke.

“Anyway,” said Twilight. “I am sorry that we haven't really had much of a formal introduction. Sorry, my mind was kind of focused on other things.” she gestured up at Spike.

“I understand,” said Cole, giving Spike a warm smile. “So, you name is Spike, is it?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Whatzit to ya?”

Cole put his hands up. “Nothing to me. I just want to know what to call you.”

“Yes,” said Twilight, glaring up at the fragon. “Spike, please be polite.”

“But, Twilight, you told me to never talk to strangers,” said the dragon.

“Boy’s got a point,” said Cole. “It is never good to fully trust someone you don’t yet know. A very wise practice.”

Spike had no reply for what Cole said, and simply looked back at the man, surprised by his answer. Finally, a smile spread across his face. Cole smiled back, before his gaze suddenly fell upon the pelican which still sat in the courtyard. He suddenly remembered the pilot.

“Oh, shoot,” he said. “I apologize, Princess, but would you mind if I let my pilot come out of the ship, and join us. He has been cooped up in there for hours.”

“You left one of you men inside?” she asked with shock. Cole nodded. “Well of course I don’t mind! You can’t just leave a man to wait inside of a stuffy ship all day.” she said with a horrified tone. “Yes, please, go get him. Let him use the restroom for goodness sakes!”

“Our soldiers are trained to be able to handle long amounts of time in utter solitude,” said Cole. “He’s fine, but I appreciate you letting him come out. I now have complete confidence that your people aren’t going to try and attack us. That’s why I left him there in the first place; just in case we needed to leave quickly.”

“You are always prepared for the worst, aren’t you?” she asked. “I guess people tend to get like that, after all the hardships your people have gone through.”

“It is an unfortunate fact of our lifestyle,” said Cole. “I try to do everything in my power, at all times, to keep my crew safe from harm. If that means taking extra precautions that may not even be necessary, then so be it.”

She nodded. “I am sure Shining Armor can agree with you on that,” she said.

“If you care about your soldiers as much as I care about my Princess, then I know exactly how you feel,” said the stallion, speaking for the first time in over an hour. He then did something that he had never done before. He smiled at the human. Cole nodded in return.

Cole walked over to the transport, with the Princess Celestia close behind him. He knocked on the rear hatch. “Pilot?” he called, out loud. “Pilot, it’s alright. You can come out now. There is no need to wait in there any longer.”

The door hissed, and Cole backed away as the ramp opened, and lowered itself down to the ground. The pilot walked forward, and saluted.

“Good to see you again, sir,” he said. “I was considering coming out to help when I saw you all running towards the gate, but then I thought that you would probably have wanted me to remain here. I am sorry if I was wrong.”

“Not at all,” said Cole. “Everything turned out to be under control.” he turned towards the Princess. “Pilot, this is Princess Celestia. Princess Celestia, this is...” he paused, fumbling for the name.

“Private-First Class, Anderson,” he said, completing the Admiral’s sentence. “I’m just the chauffeur, Your Highness. Nowhere near as important as Admiral Cole here, or Scott and his team.”

“Don’t say that,” said the Princess. “I look upon my personal drivers with the greatest of respect. Your work is very crucial to your Admiral’s work. If you weren’t around, who would have driven them down here to visit?”

“Well,” said Anderson. “There are plenty of other pilots, back on our ship, but I appreciate the compliment.”

“You are welcome,” said Celestia. “Don’t you forget that.” she smiled. “Anyway, come along with us. Be our guest. I am sure that there is a lot that you would wish to see.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” he said.

The rest of the day continued on without incident. Cole and Celestia filled Twilight and her friends in on what she had missed, as they resumed their walk through the palace gardens. Both sides took turns telling one another about the adventures they have experienced.

“So let me get this straight,” said Cole. “Fluttershy got the dragon to depart from the mountain by convincing it that its smoke was harming others, thus guilting it into leaving?”

“Yes she did,” said Twilight. “Didn’t you Fluttershy? We owe a lot to her for being the hero of that day.”

The timid yellow pegasus smiled. “Oh, it was nothing, really,” she said, turning her head away from Cole.

“Wow,” said the Admiral. “How I wish that problems were that easy to solve, back where I come from. Humans sometimes have a tendency to do the wrong thing, and think right by it. As you can imagine, it is difficult to get someone to apologize if they believe that what they have done is good.”

“I know all too well,” said Celestia. “As great as everything that you have heard, seems, you now know firsthand that everypony isn’t perfect. Crime isn’t nonexistent here, but it is certainly less prevalent than the good things that make up this land. It isn’t often that a serious crime is committed here, but when it does happen, we handle it with the utmost tact. I am sure that the crime and punishment system works similar from where you hail from.”

“Are there prisons in Equestria?” asked Cole.

“We have numerous correctional facilities scattered throughout this country, yes,” she said. “Our largest is Gordstine Maximum Security Prison, but only ponies who have committed the most atrocious of crimes are sent there. If one gets any worse than that, then they are sent off to Tartarus, but that world is usually where evil monsters of chaos are sent to be punished, not ponies.”

“Tartarus?” asked Cole, feeling only slightly surprised. “Like the underworld?”

“Yes,” said Celestia. “Let me guess. Tartarus is the subject of myth in human cultures, as well.”

Cole nodded. “So much of what you have told me exists in the imaginations of people, back on Earth,” he said. “I am truly beginning to wonder if our pasts were once connected. How else would we know about dragons, and griffons, and speak the same language, and have the same foods and plants as you do?” he shook his head. “There is no way that this could be a coincidence. There is simply too much in common between us.”

“Perhaps we will eventually discover the truth,” said Celestia. “Maybe fate has had it that we were destined to meet one another, today.” she paused and gave Cole a warm smile. “This may be the first step that will teach us the reasons as to why were are so alike.”

“I hope so,” said Cole. “But forgotten pasts have the tendency to surprise.” he sighed. “I don’t know. I just have a strange feeling that if we find out, that we will learn more about ourselves, than what is good for us. Some things are meant to remain in mystery.”

Celestia nodded. “Only time will tell,” she said, as they neared the end of the garden path, on the opposite side of the palace.

The day waned on as the sun slowly moved across the sky, and descended upon the western horizon. They enjoyed a quiet supper around six o’clock, during which they talked more about Equestrian history. Agreeing to keep the subject on a happy note, Cole and Celestia decided to not talk much more about the Human-Covenant war. Cole enjoyed a bowl of hot, herbal soup, while Scott and his squad chose to eat bread and cheese. Madrigal served the group one of the many fine wines that was fermented locally, and Cole thought the drink was one of the best he had ever had the opportunity to try. It was a joyous evening, during which the two different groups grew even fonder of each other. Cole had a side conversation about military tactics with Shining Armor, during which he talked about some of the many successful maneuvers he had performed in the past, in order to gain an edge over the Covenant.

Cole’s men seemed to be enjoying their newest mission, quite well. Scott had completely forgotten about the initial objective of the mission, since it was now quite obvious that the Equestrians were non-hostile. He now felt comfortable with considering his stay in Canterlot as some well-deserved R&R, instead of a serious mission. He had been surprised the Admiral Cole had allowed him and his team to accompany the man throughout the entire day, instead of being told to stay put and wait for orders. He had learned so much more than he ever thought he would, about an alien race. During his entire military career so far, Scott had never been exposed to nearly as much information about the Covenant, as he was finding out now, about ponies. It was by far, one of the best experiences of his life.

When they were all finished eating, Celestia turned to Cole. “It will be dark soon,” she said. “Will you all be staying overnight? I would like it very much if you would.”

Cole hesitated. “I will have to notify my lieutenant, who I left in charge of my ship,” he said. “But I think that that would be possible.”

“Oh, wonderful,” she replied. “I will have Shining Armor show you all to your rooms.”

Scott raised an eyebrow. “We get our own rooms?” he asked.

“Well of course,” said Princess Celestia. “Where else would you sleep?”

Scott hesitated, before turning to the Admiral. He wasn’t used to being offered a room of his own. “Sir, my squad and I can stay in one location, outside your room, if you wish us to,” he said.

“No no,” said Cole. “That isn’t necessary. You can all sleep in your own privacy tonight, but don’t you think that I will be going out of my way to get you all personal living spaces, back on the Everest.”

“No,” said the First-Sergeant. “Of course not, sir.”

Celestia smiled at the two gentlemen. “Captain,” she began. “Please escort Admiral Cole and his men to the guest bedrooms, as well as Twilight and her friends. Show them around, and allow them to bring in any supplies that they need to, from their ship.”

“Are we staying too?” asked Twilight Sparkle.

“Of course you are, Twilight,” said the Princess. “Why wouldn’t you? I know that you don’t want to miss any of this, so I am sure that you would want to stay.”

“Gee,” said Twilight, blushing. “Thanks, Princess. Can I stay in my old room?”

“Of course,” replied Celestia with a nod. “Now, did you six come here with anything?”

“The luggage has already been brought in,” said Rarity. “I had some of the guards see to getting that done.”

“Oh, well, great,” said Celestia. “One less thing that needs to be done. I need to go take care of a few things with Princess Luna, for now. I will speak to you all in a little bit.” she turned away from them, and proceeded down the hallway, in the opposite direction. Princess Luna followed her out of sight.

“If you will all follow me,” said Shining Armor. “The guest bedrooms are this way.”

Cole nodded. “Lead the way, my friend.”

Shining Armor raised an eyebrow at him, but said nothing as he began to lead them down the hallway. Cole was happy to have Shining Armor as a guide, lest he were to get lost in the palace. They rounded a corner, and found themselves in a hallway, with twelve doors on both sides.

“Here they are,” said the guard, who walked over to one of the doors. He used his telekinetic abilities to reach into a small compartment in his armor, and produced a ring of steel keys from within. Levitating one of the lock-opening devices over, he inserted it into the keyhole, and twisted the object to the right. The lock disengaged with a pop, and he pushed the door open with one hoof. “Sis, you can stay in your room. Your friends can choose which rooms they all want on this side of the hallway. Cole, you and your men get the other side.”

“What about me?” asked Spike.

“You can pick whatever one you want,” said Shining Armor with a wink. “I’ll let you decide.”

With amazing speed, Shining Armor caused the master-key to fly to all of the locks, one after another. In less than a minute, all of the doors were unlocked, and standing open.

Cole stepped into one of the empty rooms. Inside was a large, queen-sized bed with a decorative curtain that surrounded it. A small, mahogany nightstand stood silently next to the bed. On the other side of the room, a large picture frame hung from the wall, displaying a painting of Canterlot, from a distant angle. On the far wall, were two windows. Cole stepped up to one of them, and peered out. Below him was part of the gardens, and straight ahead, he could see beyond the perimeter wall, and out into the city.

“Do you find the room to be of your liking?” came a female voice, from the doorway. Cole turned around. One of the royal maids stood before him.

“Yes,” said Cole. “It is just fine. Thank you for asking.”

The mare nodded to him. “Just let one of us know if you need anything,” she said.

“I will,” replied Cole. “Thank you.”

As the pony turned away, Scott Jeffries walked up to the doorway, stopping to let the mare pass.

“Sir.”

“What is it, Sergeant?” asked Cole.

“The boys and I were wondering if it would be alright if we could go retrieve our gear from the pelican,” he said politely. “If that is alright with you, sir.”

“Yes of course,” said Cole. “Get whatever you need, now. I am not sure whether we will be confined to our rooms for the night, or not.”

“Yes, sir,” replied the ODST as he turned away from the room. “Thank you sir.”

“Oh, Sergent?” called Cole before Scott cold get away. The soldier turned back to the admiral. “Can you grab my backpack, as well? It should be above where I sat, during the ride.”

Scott nodded. “Of course, Sir. No problem.”

About five minutes later, Scott returned with Cole’s backpack, which the admiral had packed before the trip. When Scott left for the last time, Cole closed the door to his bedroom, and unzipped the bag. He took out his datapad, and sat down on the bed, activating the device at he did so. He entered his identification number, and the tablet unlocked for him, giving him access to its functions. He tapped a green icon on the screen, and suddenly, a forward view of the Everest’s bridge appeared on the screen. Before him, sitting in his chair, sat McMahon, who was engaged in a heated game of Solitaire.

“Lieutenant McMahon,” said Cole. “How is everything holding up?”

The man practically flew out of the seat at the sound of the Admiral's voice. The holographic cards before him winked out of existence, and he stood up, raising one arm in salute. Cole’s face was projected upon the bridge’s forward view screens, for the Lieutenant to see.

“Excellent timing, Sir,” said Maya’s voice, which suddenly came through Cole’s datapad. McMahon couldn’t hear her. Cole simply smiled at her comment.

“Everything is going fine up here, Sir,” said McMahon, his face glowing red. “Nothing worthwhile to report.”

“What about Ramirez?” asked Cole. “How is he doing?”

“Oh, Joseph,” began the Lieutenant. “He’s doing just fine. Fosco and he had a little chat, a few hours ago. He’s really sorry for acting the way he did before. I think that he wants to apologize to you, as soon as you get back.”

Cole nodded. “I see,” he said. “Thank you for telling me this. I will talk to Ramirez as soon as I get the chance. I want him to know that there are no hard feelings between us.”

“He is really looking forward to it,” said McMahon. “Anyway, how are things down there? Is everything going all right?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” said Cole with a huge smile. “I just wanted to let you know that we will be staying here overnight, so I need you to look after Everest for a little while longer.” he chuckled. “We have learned so much about them, and let’s just say that we aren’t as unlike each other as we once thought.”

“Really, now?” asked McMahon. “How so?”

“It’s,” began Cole. “It’s very complicated. There is far too much that I need to tell you, and I don’t want to do it unless we are speaking face to face.”

“I understand,” said McMahon. “Any idea how much longer you are going to stay down there? I’ll admit Sir; acting in your place isn’t the easiest. Some of the deck hands aren’t the most faithful when it comes to my leadership. It’s a bit stressful trying to maintain their confidence in me.”

“Are any of them acting out of line?” asked Cole.

“No, sir,” said McMahon. “I would have taken care of any disrespect the proper way by now, if there was any. No, I just think that they miss you, Sir.”

Cole was silent for a few moments. “I’ll check in with you again, in the morning,” he said. “Cole out.”

“”Good Night, Sir,” said McMahon. “And good luck.”

The image of his lieutenant winked out of existence before Cole’s eyes, and the screen returned to the dashboard view. He sat there, looking at the screen for a few moments, not moving.

There was a quiet knock at the door, and Cole stood up to go answer it. Upon opening the door, he found Princess Celestia standing outside. “Oh, good to see you again, your Highness,” he said.

“And you, Admiral Cole,” she said, looking past him, and into the room. “I trust that you find your personal chambers to be an adequate dwelling place.”

“Yes,” said Cole. “The room is most satisfactory. Far better than my personal sleeping chambers onboard the Everest.”

“Well, that is excellent to hear,” she said. “I always try to make sure that my guests are comfortable, and if that means paying for top of the line accommodations, then so be it.”

There was a pause in which neither of them spoke.

“Anyway,” she began. “Are you busy at the moment?”

“Busy?” he asked, looking back over at his belongings, which sat upon the bed. He looked back to her. “No, I am not busy.”

“Excellent,” she said. “Why don’t you take a walk with me? I want to show you something.”

Cole looked at her with curiosity, but decided not to say anything. He nodded.

“This way,” she said, walking away from the doorway.

Cole followed her out, and closed the door behind him. They walked side by side down the hallway until Celestia led them to a thick, painted steel door at the far corner. Using her magic, she pushed the door open, revealing a tight, spiral staircase, which ascended upwards beyond view.

“These are the stairs that lead up to the south-western tower,” she said. “I hope that you don’t mind stairs. It is a bit of a climb.”

“Hey,” said Cole. “As soon as I saw that it didn’t involve ladders, I was fine with it. Hate those darn things”

The Princess giggled. “And how would us ponies be able to climb ladders?” she asked. “There is a reason in which that method of ascension is not commonly used in our culture.” she indicated to one of her hooves.

“Right,” he said. “Forgot about that. I can’t say that much about our culture though.”

The two began to climb the shallow steps, as they spiraled upwards towards one of the highest points of the palace. The sound of Celestia’s hooves echoed off of the stone plates which she walked upon, and continuously bounced around in the cylindrical shaft of a room.

It wasn’t too long of a climb, however it was tiresome. After two whole minutes, the two reached the top, just as Cole was about to get a cramp in his side. They stepped onto a solid platform, and Celestia opened another door. When they walked past the threshold, Cole suddenly found himself receiving a feeling of vertigo. Before him, stretching out in almost every direction was the Equestrian countryside. The sun to the west was just beginning to nudge up against the blue mountains on the horizon, as the rounded pillars of stone began to slice into the reddish-golden sphere, like a knife cutting an orange in two.

He turned to his left. In the near distance was the small town which they had flown over upon their arrival. Cole remembered Twilight say something about it being called Ponyville. It was a suiting name for the place. Beyond the village was a massive forest of green, which seemed to cover the entire Southern edge of the world. He looked down, just past the city’s edge, at Canterlot Falls. Seemingly unlimited amounts of water still flowed from the snowy mountain peak, down the mountain, and into the valley below the city.

Cole looked over at Celestia, who was watching the sun with a strange intensity.

“The sun always sets upon the Unicorn Mountains,” she said. “That is a fact that will never change, even though I could if I did wish it.”

“The sun moves from East to West,” said Cole. “I never really imagined what it would be like if it moved in an opposite direction, or a completely different one for that matter.” he looked over at her. “And you have the power to change that?”

She nodded. “Indeed I do,” she said. “However such an alteration would greatly damage the world. Much of the results would be catastrophic those that live here. The ice caps would melt and shift to the eastern and western sides of Equis. Parts of the world would flood, while others would suddenly rise up out of the oceans. Ecosystems would be destroyed and created, all at the same time. Our very way of life would change entirely, from something that seems so simple. Just by the act moving of something that we only see in the sky.”

“Amazing,” he said. “There are those on Earth who would kill for such a power.” he glanced over at her. “But here, what you do is normal, just like I am sure you would be equally surprised by what goes on, where I come from.”

“Like what?” she asked.

“Well,” he began. “To begin with, no one moves the sun or the moon, on Earth, or around any other planet for that matter. Instead of the Sun and Moon revolving around the Earth, the Earth revolves around the sun. The gravitational processes go on entirely independent of what us humans want to happen.” he paused, looking out onto the horizon. The sun was now halfway behind the mountain range. “Sometimes the simplest actions can have the greatest consequences. That is why some things are never meant to change.”

“You mind contains a lot of wisdom, Admiral Cole,” she said. “I can easily see why you were chosen to be a leader. You have a natural authoritative vibe that many only dream of achieving. Even though I have not many any other humans, beyond Scott and his soldiers, I can tell that they trust you. I assume that most everyone else one your ship does as well.”

“Thanks,” said Cole, with a half-smile. “Although I must admit, that wasn’t always the case.”

“No?” she asked. “What changed?”

“There have been several times where I have been the center of bad attention, of my superiors,” he said. “I have been accused of being involved in a sex scandal, which I had nothing to do with. I was married to a high-ranking leader of the Colonial Insurrection, which got me accused of committing treason, and just recently I was demoted from full-admiral to vice-admiral. Not to mention all the bad attention I have received about my two heart attacks and my liver failure.” he paused, and let out a sigh. Celestia watched him with a worried look in her eyes. “After all that happened, people questioned whether my health was in a good enough condition to make me a dependable leader. Lucky for them, they didn’t have a choice. They needed me more than what the risks presented.”

“Do you feel that your ability to persevere through all of those hardships has made others even more confident in your abilities as a leader?” she asked.

“It’s hard to say,” he replied. “Everyone back home thinks that we are dead. That we sacrificed ourselves in order to defeat an impossible number of Covenant forces.”

“Do you think that it is possible that they know you are still alive?” she asked.

“It’s possible,” he said. “Although I highly doubt that anyone will do enough research to fill in the gaps. At least not for a while. Our government has far bigger issues to deal with, than to spend time trying to figure out what really happened to me.”

“There was a time when something similar happened to me,” said the Princess.

“Yeah?” asked Cole with a chuckle. “I apologize, Your Highness, but you don’t really act like someone who has cheated death in their lifetime.”

She smiled. “I haven’t told you about this yet,” she said. “While it is true that I have never faked my own death, there was a time when I seemingly disappeared from the world for a long time.”

Cole cocked his head to the side as his smile faded. “What happened?” he asked.

She sighed. “A very unfortunate series of events,” she said quietly. “A long time ago, well over a thousand years, my younger sister sought to overthrow me from the world, and extinguish my power.”

“Princess Luna?” he asked. “But she doesn’t seem to be the kind of pony who would do such a thing.”

“Times have changed,” said Celestia, stretching out her wings. Cole backed away to avoid colliding with her wide wingspan. “Much is different from how things used to be. My sister and I don’t try to forget the events that nearly tore the world apart. We simply wanted to put the past behind us, and start anew. I can assure you that Princess Luna isn’t the same pony who she used to be. There is far less sadness and despair in her heart now, although she never allows herself to truly forget all the pain which she caused so long ago.”

“Why did she try to overthrow you?” asked Cole.

Celestia sighed again, and brought her wings back into her sides. “Because she was jealous,” said the Princess. “As you know, my sister was given the power to move the moon, and I the sun.”

“Right,” said Cole.

“And you also know that typically, people sleep at night, and are active during the day.”

“Yes.”

“My sister wasn’t always happy about that,” said Celestia, who turned her head to face Cole. “She was upset that ponies seemed to enjoy the day more so than they did the night. She wanted ponies to stay awake during the evening hours, and embrace the moon, just as much as they did the sun.” she laughed to herself. “It all seems so trivial when you think of it that way, doesn’t it?”

“I must admit,” said Cole. “It wouldn’t be my number one reason to go up against one of my brothers or sisters.”

“But pointless or not, the events still occurred,” she said. “Her anger against me gave her immense amounts of strength; so much that during our very first conflict, she won. I was defeated for a short period of time.” she paused. “When I awoke from my daze, I realized that she could have easily killed me, but something stopped her from doing so. It was then that I also realized that there was still good in her, and if I had any hope of fixing all of her wrongdoings, and writing what was wrong with the world, that I was going to need some help.”

Cole continued to watch her as she told the story.

“So, I set out to gather anypony that was left. Anypony who still had the willpower to fight against Nightmare Moon,” she said.

“Nightmare Moon?” asked Cole.

“Twas what my sister called herself during her reign of terror,” replied Celestia. “Some very wary ponies still call her that until this very day, although she doesn’t appreciate such a title any longer.” She returned her gaze to the horizon. “Anyway, I flew around the world, forming a resistance army, as well as discovering ancient powers that I had lost very long ago. It was during this time that the ponies who had lost almost all hope, thought that I had abandoned them. Many thought that Luna had killed me in battle, and that there was no possibility that things would return to normal.” she paused. Cole saw her eyes moisten as she spoke. “There were many who took their own lives, in order to escape the fear, and the pain, and the suffering.” she let out a long sigh as her eyes continued to follow the sun on its waning decent. “But those who refused to give into their temptation, and chose to instead persevere, were welcomed when the light finally returned to the world.”

“You came back, and restored harmony to Equestria,” said Cole, his gaze falling upon the distant mountain range. “Then what?”

“I did what had to be done,” said Celestia. “Luna was stopped, not because she gave in, but because she refused to. I was forced to banish her from the world, leaving her to dwell in a cryptic state of solitude, upon the moon. It was there that she was forced to stay for a thousand years, a very merciful amount of years given the lifetime of an alicorn.” she adjusted her stance on the platform. “It was from that point forward that Equestria has been mostly kept safe from the creeping darkness.”

“Ponies rediscovered the strength to resist the evil that was trying to overcome them,” said Cole. “I think that is what we need the most. Hope is far from being upon a stable foundation, for us.” he sighed. “Sometimes I wonder if we even have a chance of making it through this war. Right now we are just trying to hold out as long as we can. Make em hurt as much as we possibly can before we go, you know?”

“Listen, Cole,” she said, deciding not to include his military title as she addressed him. “It is hard for me to imagine all of the hardships that you have come from, but if there is one thing that I have learned in my life, is that people never truly lose all hope. There are always those who choose to exist, rather than be consumed by their fears. There is always hope.”

“I try to tell myself that as much as I can,” he said. “I do my best to be optimistic. We just have lost so much. So many billions of lives.” he lowered his head. “But I end up doubting myself.” he looked over at her. “How can we win against an enemy that only knows hate? The Covenant has no more compassion towards a child, than they would toward me.” she paused. “How can we possibly win? Hope is all but existent, now.”

“What would it take to bring hope to your people?” asked Celestia.

Cole smiled. “I am not sure,” he said. “But I think that I am starting to figure it out.” he looked long into her eyes. “Maybe a little bit of magic.”

Celestia smiled back at him, and then turned to watch as the sun finally set beyond the mountains. Cole stood next to her. The heavenly sphere was gone for the remainder of the day, and the moon began to rise in the east. The silence of the reddened sky brought a soothing calmness to his heart. He wondered how long it had been since his last sunset, and he realized that he couldn’t remember. A sun never sets in space. It either is present, or it isn’t.

He smiled as a thought suddenly sprung into his head. “By the way, Princess?” asked Cole. “I have been meaning to ask you something.”

“What would that something be, Cole?” she asked.

“How is it that the sun moves across the sky all day on its own, and you only come out here to lower it at night?” he asked.

She smiled at him. “I am always moving the sun,” she said. “I have never stopped doing so in my life.”

“But why come out here, then?” he asked. “Why climb all the way up this tower?”

“Because,” Celestia said, as a sudden evening breeze began to blow through her flowing, prismatic mane. “Just like many others, I too enjoy watching the sunset.”

VII: Lull of Midnight

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Chapter 7: Lull of Midnight

February 12, 2535/UNSC Resolute, In Orbit above Jericho VII

The pelican shuddered as it touched down inside the hangar bay, forcing Scott to reluctantly open his eyes. Not a soul aboard the dropship spoke as the ramp was lowered. Scott’s companion stood up from his seat, and Scott did the same. One by one, everyone inside began to shuffle out of the giant titanium bird. Scott followed behind them, his mind still locked in a daze. As he stepped into the hangar, his eyes were met with the blinding rays, coming from the large lights on the ceiling. It was bright, far too bright for his liking, and he found himself having to squint until his eyes adjusted.

Aside from the hum of the destroyer’s engines, the hangar was eerily quiet as well. The hallway doors opened and people began to walk into the hanger from outside. Soldiers, civilians, workers. There was an even mix of all three, as they silently flooded into the massive holding room. Scott followed the blonde ODST as they walked up a set of stairs, to an exit. Ramirez had stopped a little way back, engaged in a whispered conversation with Sergeant-Major Decker.

The hallway was no less packed. People anxiously waiting for the return of their loved ones crowded the sides of the hallway like crustaceans on a sea-faring vessel. There was only enough room for one to walk in single file, so Scott walked behind the other soldier, directly in the middle of the aisle. Scott looked to the left, and to the right. The room was filled with sad faces, each only desiring one thing. For many, they would never find what they sought. Scott shifted his gaze, and that’s when he saw the woman.

She was desperately attempting to get by the line of people, and into the hangar, but no one was letting her walk through. She looked up at him, and their eyes locked together. Since he was no longer wearing his helmet, she didn’t recognize him. It didn’t matter though. Seeing the woman standing there, hopefully awaiting the return of her family, was enough for him.

After a while, Scott looked away. He couldn't bear to look into her eyes anymore. Instead, he continued walking, trying his best to act as though nothing was wrong. He followed the other ODST all the way down to the debriefing room. It was during a drawn-out lecture that occurred in that room, that everyone found out about the complete loss of the planet. It was yet another human colony world cleansed by the Covenant. Scott however, heard none of it. He didn’t pay attention, and only stared out into space throughout the entire meeting. He noticed the other trooper occasionally look over at him with concern, but the man said nothing.

When the meeting was over, Scott stepped out into the hallway.

“You should go get some rest,” said the man. “You don’t look so good.”

Scott nodded, and the man turned around to leave.

“Thank you,” said Scott with a raspy voice. The other ODST turned around, and looked at him with a confused expression. “Thank you for saving my life.” he said, the faint curves of a smile just barely evident upon his facade. “Twice.”

“Don’t mention it,” said the man with a light smile, who then continued to walk away, toward the mess hall.

“Wait a second,” Scott croaked. The man turned around one last time. “You never told me your name.”

The man smiled. “The name’s John,” he said. “John Freeman.”

Scott awoke with a start. His eyes opened quickly, and he found himself lying on the bed in his room, given to him by Princess Celestia. He lay for a couple minutes, thinking about his dream, before lifting his arm above his head. He checked his watch. It was just past twelve in the evening.

With a great sigh, Scott sat up in his bed, swinging his legs over the side, and rubbing the back of his head. He wore a white undershirt, and a pair of green pajamas. He looked around the dark room. The windows were cracked open, and the night air moved the transparent curtains back and forth from the window.

He stood up, and walked over to the dresser, which was placed up against the far wall. Sitting up against the large piece of furniture, was Scott’s backpack. He reached inside, and fumbled around for his personal datapad. After thirty seconds of rummaging, he persecuted the item, and withdrew the device from the bag. He walked back over to his bed and sat back down, turning the tablet on as he did so. It sparked to life, illuminating the room with a bright, bluish glow. The brightness was too much for his darkness-accustomed eyes, and Scott lowered the brightness of the screen almost immediately. He took in a deep breath as he awaited for what he was about to see.

He opened up his messages folder, and taped on the refresh icon. After waiting several long seconds, a text-box finally appeared onscreen.

No new messages.

Scott frowned and let out a sigh, as he continued to stare at the meaningless screen. After several minutes he turned the tablet off, and tossed it to the foot of the bed, choosing to instead lie back down. The lack of messages, especially the one particular message that he was expecting, was disappointing. He let it go however, just like he learned to let everything else go. He forgot about the nonexistent message, and he did his best to forget about the dream, as he closed his eyes in an attempt to gain some sleep before morning.

UNSC Everest, In Orbit above Equis

Chief-Warrant Officer, Joseph Ramirez sat at his desk, within his private quarters. About an hour ago, he had tried to force himself to fall asleep, but was entirely unsuccessful. He felt the nagging restraints of fatigue tugging upon his mind, but for some reason, sleep was impossible for him. There was too much on his mind, and the harder he thought about those things, the more unlikely sleep became.

A single lamp, sitting upon his steel desk, illuminated the room. In an attempt to get his mind away from the many stressors that were bugging him, he had decided to read for a little while. He had opened up an actual book, which sat atop many others in a tall pile that had been accumulating on his desk for years now. Physical books weren’t the most common thing anymore, since everything nowadays was written digitally. He cherished the collection that he had been accumulating. Old covers that were being discarded, Joseph snatched up instantly. Some were given to him as gifts, others he simply came across completely by chance, and a select few he had purchased, himself.

It was titled, War’s End, written by Charles W. Sweeney. It was the air-force pilot’s autobiography, which detailed the events of his early life, the beginning of his military career, and all the way up until the fateful day when he flew Bock’s Car to Nagasaki, Japan, basically ending World War II. Although he read that the novel’s factual account of the history had been heavily disputed when it was released, by both his commanding officer at the time, as well as some of his fellow soldiers, Ramirez still found it to be an interesting read. Whether some of the events had been embellished by Sweeny or not, Joseph still enjoyed learning about the man’s life. He had been the second person to deliver an atomic bomb to its target, which impressed Joseph quite a bit. Being the Everest’s weapon’s specialist, he always had been quite knowledgeable when it came to weapons tech. Learning about the old weapons of the past was fascinating to him. Seeing how far things had come in almost six-hundred years from when the atom bomb was invented, really presented a grand scale on just how far humanity has advanced since then.

“What’s up?” asked Maya as she suddenly appeared, standing on the table, before him.

Ramirez shot back in his seat in surprise. Maya sensed his heart rate spike for a few seconds. When he realized that it was only her, her frowned. “Oh, hey Maya,” he said. “You know that you shouldn’t do that to people, right? You might give someone a heart attack one day. Some people onboard have already had a couple.”

“Oh, I didn’t give you one?” she asked, as her avatar gave him a smirk. “Darn. I was really trying that time.”

“Seriously,” he said. “Don’t do that to me again. I mean it.”

“Oh, you’re no fun,” she said, her avatar turning to look at the book in his hands. “Whatcha reading? Sweeney eh? I read that one a long time ago.”

“Good for you,” said Ramirez. “How many others did you ready that day?”

“Quite a few,” she said. “Anyway, that book has been widely disputed as to being historically accurate. Didn’t turn out to be a very good seller.”

“So I have heard,” said Ramirez, as he flipped to the next page.

“I guess that you could say that he really dropped the bomb on that one, eh?” she asked. Ramirez blinked at her. She stared at him for a few minutes, waiting the pun to force a reaction out of him. Ramirez didn’t move. “Oh come on,” she said. “It wasn’t that bad.”

“It was pretty bad,” he said with a smirk, as he turned back to the book.

Her avatar stared at him for a minute. “Anyway,” she began. “Why are you still up?”

“Can’t sleep.” said the weapons specialist.

“Can’t sleep?” she asked, as her avatar cocked her head to the side. “You look pretty tired to me.”

“I am,” he said blankly. “I just can’t fall asleep. There’s far too much on my mind.”

“Too much to think about?” she asked. “Oh how I wish that were a possibility for me, but seriously, what’s on your mind?”

“Why does it matter to you? he retorted.

“Because I am an artificial intelligence program, and all we do is long for more knowledge,” she said. “And quite frankly, the human mind is the most difficult kind of computer to crack. Since you have already admitted to me that you have hidden information locked up in your head, it is only natural for me to make an attempt at accessing it.”

“Very true,” said Ramirez. “But it is also a requirement that you have to stay out of the personal business of humans, if you are asked to.”

“So I am to assume that you do not wish to share?” she asked.

“It’s not important,” he said. “You can’t understand human emotion, anyway.”

“It is true that I cannot feel emotion,” she said, placing her hands upon her hips. “But it is not impossible for me to be able to interpret it.”

“That hardly comforts me,” he said.

“I am not trying to comfort,” she said. “I am only trying to learn.”

“Yeah, well... I’m not teaching right now,” he said, trying to refocus himself on the novel.

Maya said nothing for several minutes. “Alright,” she said. “If you need anything, just let me know.” she paused. “You should really try to get some rest. It will likely be a very busy day tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Maya,” he said, not bothering to look at her. “I’ll try.”

She nodded before her avatar winked out of existence. When she was finally gone, he let out a sigh, and let the book fall out of his hands, losing his place in it as he did so. He didn’t want to read anymore. He didn’t care about the book any longer; he just wanted his mind to relax. His eyes hurt from squinting down at the small text, and he was really tired; he just couldn’t bring himself to lie down on his cot. He instead, flicked the switch on the desk lamp, and put his head down on the table. The room was dark now, but the light that was now absent, still lingered in green patches across his cornea, dancing and fading with the night.

The darkness was nice. It was much easier to think than with the light on. When a room is lit, one feels more pressured into doing things, but when it is dark, there isn’t much that could draw attention away from one’s own thoughts. So he thought, and he thought as his mind raced in a thousand different directions at once. He never even noticed when his brain finally decided to give out from under him.

Royal Palace, Canterlot, Equestria

Metal surrounded her. Metal ceiling, metal walls, metal grating beneath her hooves... everything was artificial. Small lights ran down the sides of each hallway, casting just enough brightness so that she could see. She had never seen a place like this before, nor was she able to makes a guess as to her location. The hallway had no landmarks, and seemed to stretch on forever in all four directions. It was just more and more of the same, everywhere she looked. Above her was a tall shaft, which ascended all the way up until it touched the darkness at the top, even though she had no idea how high that was. Ten, fifteen, a hundred meters? It didn’t matter.

Since she had absolutely no way to gather her bearings, she took a single step in one direction. He hoof struck the floor with a resonating ‘clank.’ It startled her. The sound her hoof made upon the metal flooring was far too loud for her liking. She instantly recoiled back from the noise, causing more in the process. The hallways echoed with the sounds of her trying to be silent. Eventually she got herself to stop moving, and firmly planted all four hooves onto the floor. The noises continued to travel down the hallway, growing weaker and weaker each second, until they faded away forever, never to come back.

She stood for a moment, staring down one of the corridors. She could have sworn that she saw movement in the distance. Some large shadowy-thing moving across the hall. She blinked. It was gone. She wanted to go investigate, but was far too wary of the sound her own hooves. She looked down at them. Surely whatever it was that she saw would be frightened off by the noise that she would inevitably make.

She squinted down the corridor again, trying to notice anything out of the ordinary. Nothing in the hallway moved. It remained exactly as it had just a second before, and the second before that. A suddenly uneasiness spread throughout her body. Twilight looked over her shoulder. The silence of the hallways was beginning to creep in on her mind. She desperately needed to hear something besides the sound of her own heartbeat. Needed to see something beyond that of the grey walls.

She glanced to her left, and to her right, and then straight back ahead. She blinked, looked down, and took a tentative step forward, careful not to cause any more nuisance noise. Her hoof pressed down upon the floor with the utmost grace, so slowly that the air beneath her hoof acted as a cushion to dampen the sound of her movement. As soon as it came in contact with the grated flooring, she looked back up. The corridor still remained perfectly still. No shadows danced, no noises existed. It was just her. Her and the ever-watchful silence.

She took another step forward, being equally careful to not make a sound. She succeeded, and once that hoof was on the ground, she took another. The process continued for several minutes, as Twilight inched herself further from the crossroads. Her gaze remained fixed straight ahead. She didn’t want to take the risk of missing something in front of her. Something important.

She took another step, this one slightly more rapid than the others. Because of the increase in pace, this step was not entirely silent. When her hoof touched the floor, it was just slightly loud enough for Twilight to hear. If there had been any other sound at that exact moment, even something as soft as a pin drop, she wouldn’t have heard herself. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward again, gradually increasing her pace, but being careful not to make a noise any louder than what a mouse could.

It seemed to last for hours. The slow, creeping trek into the unknown took its time. She knew that she hadn’t covered much distance, as she was walking at a snail’s pace. She looked over her shoulder once more, and almost gasped. She couldn’t see the crossroads. Where she had once stood, was now a featureless corridor, just like the one directly before her. Surely she couldn’t have walked so far. The intersection was right behind her just minutes ago. Or had it been longer? She looked up at one of the tiny wall lights. It was useless. Their artificial glow couldn’t tell the time any better than a drunken watchmaker standing in the sun.

It must be an illusion. The four-way intersection was probably right behind her. She just couldn’t see it. He let out a small sigh, and returned her gaze to a forward-facing position. This time, she did gasp. About thirty meters down the corridor, was a large shadowy object. Its massive form hulked in the center of the hallway, moving up and down as though it were breathing. It was easily triple her height, and it looked as though it was standing upon two legs, although she wasn’t certain.

She stared at it for a long time, her eyes dry, and unmoving. It simply lingered in its position, not moving except to breath. The hallway seemed to be the most quiet that it had been so far. Twilight could feel her senses heighten as tiny amounts of adrenaline leaked into her lifeblood. She felt urged to take another step forward, but was unable to will her body to cooperate. Her vision began to grow fuzzy as her eyes continued to dry out. It stung. She didn’t want to close them, but her sub-conscious mind overruled her conscious decision. She blinked. The shadow was gone once more.

Twilight squinted, desperately trying to locate where the massive shape had moved off to. It was gone. All that remained in its place were strange, fluctuating ripples in the air. It was comparable to that of heat waves coming off of a hot summer road, or a gas leak from a stove. She cocked her head to the side. Not only was the illusion moving, it was moving. Moving towards her. Her eyes moved all over it. The disturbance seemed to almost fill up the entire width of the hallway. It came closer and closer, ever silent, just as gases are.

Twilight was unsure of why it was moving, or why the gas, if it was a gas, had yet to disperse. Vapors usually have the tendency to rapidly mix with the natural atmosphere around it. Whatever it was, it was maintaining its consistency throughout the slow journey down the hallway, making no sign that it would eventually dissipate. This bothered Twilight.

She suddenly found herself taking a step backwards. She wasn’t sure why. Logically, she had no reason to be fearful, unless the gas was poisonous. As soon as she made her move, she regretted it almost instantly. The disturbance began to move faster, coming upon her at a moderate walking pace. She took another step back, and then another, not bothering to be silent. The strange mist only moved faster, matching her walking speed almost instantly.

Twilight could feel goose bumps form on her skin, as she backed away from the encroaching vapor. She looked to her side. The lights on the walls began to dim, as the brightness slowly faded from the hallway. She looked back down towards the shifting waves. It was too dark to see them now, but she knew that whatever it was, that it was still coming. She backed up even faster, glancing behind herself every few seconds. The four-way cross roads has to be close, but it wasn’t there. The hallway seemed now seemed to stretch on forever into darkness. She faced forward once again, and she saw something that made her stop in her tracks.

Out of the darkness, coming from no visible source, twin streaks of light appeared, floating as if by their own power. She was unable to determine how far away they were, but they moved steadily towards her, becoming larger as they did. Dual pillars of curved, blue light cut through the shadow. Wicked and hot, the air seemed to evaporate around the glowing shape. Twilight didn’t know what to think of what she saw. She was no longer afraid. She was mystified by the radiating light, creeping towards her every moment. It had to be close now. She could feel its presence, and the warmth that emanated from its blueish form. She gazed in wonder as was finally upon her. It floated before her eyes, swaying back and forth with the utmost grace. Her eyes followed it as it seemed to dance before her. It was beautiful.

Twilight carefully lifted a hoof up. Unsure of what she was doing was right; she reached her hoof out towards it. As she grew near, she felt its warmth caress the fur on her foreleg. It felt soothing. She reached out even further, but the closer she came to it, she began to realize that whatever it was, it was very hot. When her hoof was mere inches away, she stopped herself. The feeling was no longer pleasant. The light was far too hot for her liking, and it almost felt as though it was singeing her purple fur. She frowned, and placed her hoof back on the floor. She didn’t want to touch it anymore. She didn’t like it anymore.

Without invitation, it began to advance upon her again. Its action was entirely unexpected by Twilight. It was close enough as is. She didn’t want it any closer. She started to back up again, the fear once again returning to flood her veins with the impulse to run. Twilight however, being entirely focused on escaping from the twin blades of light, wasn’t paying attention to her footing. She tripped, wobbled for a second, and then fell back upon her haunches. The light kept on coming, just a meter away from her now. She fell onto her back and tried to scramble away, but it was moving much faster than should could ever hope to crawl. Realizing that it was pointless, she stopped herself, staring up at the light as it hovered above her. It swayed there silently as though it were taunting her.

With a quiet voice that she had forgotten that she possessed, she asked the light, “Wha- what are you? What do you want?”

The light said nothing in response, but instead became very still. She looked up at it, and it gazed down upon her. The twin streaks of blue backed up, and tilted to the side, laying down at a forty-five degree angle, in the air. Twilight noticed how thin the light was when looking at it from the side. She blinked. It backed up, and descended upon her with lightning speed. She didn’t even try to move from away from it. She embraced the light.

Twilight opened her eyes, suddenly realizing where she was. She sat up in her bed, and stared at the wall on the other side of the room. Moonlight from outside was flooding through the skylight above her bed. She gazed up at the moon. It sat peacefully against the black void of space, reflecting the sun’s light back down upon the land.

After a couple minutes, she returned her gaze back down to the surface. Getting out of her bed, she trotted across the room, and over to her desk. She sat down on the cushioned seat. This had been the room she used to stay in when she was a filly. Growing up under the guiding example of Princess Celestia was what made her become the successful pony that she was today. She remembered the many hours she used to spend in this room, writing at her desk as the Princess taught her about all kinds of magic. This was her home away from home.

Opening the desk drawer, she levitated out a familiar quill, and an inkwell. She turned on the tall lamp that stood next to the desk, allowing for better writing conditions. Over the course of her studies, Twilight had used many quills, but only Princess Celestia had always given her the greatest in quality. For fear that they would be lost back at the library, Twilight had left most of her best quills in her desk, where she now sat. Now they welcomed her back, as she dunked the tip of one of them into the tar-like ink. She wiped it on the side of the glass well, and pressed the tip to the paper. She began to write.

A long time ago, when Twilight used to dream often, Celestia had told her to write down what she saw in her visions. Sometimes the dreams were good, and sometimes they were entirely unpleasant, but Celestia urged Twilight to write about them anyway. It wasn’t always here most favorite thing to do, but after a while Twilight realized that by writing, she was able to remember the good dreams a lot longer, and was able to forget the bad ones quickly.

She wrote about the strange dream as well as she could. The events were mostly still fresh in her mind, but were beginning to fade away. The mental images of what she saw were growing fuzzy around the edges. She tried as hard as she could to remember as much of the dream that she could, but it was hopeless to be able to recall every detail. Sitting down at her desk, she still was unable to comprehend what she had seen in the dream. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before. Her surroundings, the light. All of it was entirely unfamiliar to her. When she was done writing, she still wasn’t at all sure about what she had seen. It could have had an important significance, or it could have meant nothing at all. Whatever the vision represented, it was impossible to determine.

She finished scribbling down the last of her notes, and leaned back, gazing back out of the skylight. Several large clouds were now passing briskly in between her, and the moon. The grey masses swirled around in the sky, sometimes only allowing trace amounts of light to pass through. Sometimes the moon was shrouded completely behind the collected gatherings of water vapor. Twilight frowned. She enjoyed the presence of the moonlight, but the clouds didn’t seem to care. They continued to roll across the sky, covering up the remaining stars, from view.

Twilight continued to stare up at the menacing, black forms. She saw a single bolt of lightning streak across the sky. She was surprised. She hadn’t been made aware that there was a scheduled storm today. Now that weather was being constantly manipulated by the weather pegasi divisions, naturally-formed thunderstorms were a rarity. Almost all changes in weather were planned. It wasn’t often that the weather teams allowed a rogue storm to form on its own.

She watches as large swaths of sheet lightning spread outwards from a central point, heading in all directions. The power of nature was awe-inspiring. It was one of the only entities that was able to remain beautiful and deadly at the same time, and it did so consistently.

The unicorn switched the lamp off, and walked back over to her bed. As soon as she was in a lying position, the first echoes of thunder began to roll in from the distance. The rumbling noise, along with the spectacular light show was all it took to keep Twilight mesmerized. It was even more comforting to her that generally, the days after a storm tended to be very beautiful ones. She found herself lying in anticipation for the coming morning. There was going to be so much to do, so much to talk and learn about, so many stories to tell and to hear. Today she had met humans for the very first time, and she already considered them to be her friends. Although they were warriors, they were kind, and she felt genuinely comfortable being around them. The best part was that they seemed to feel the same way.

She smiled. Never in her life had she been given the chance to experience something as wonderful as this, and every day brought with it wondrous possibilities. Having been listening to Cole talk, she found herself wanting to learn more about human technologies. She wanted to visit their ship that he often talked about, called Everest. The very name of it made it seem grand. She was fascinated by the fact that long-distance interdimensional travel was in fact, possible. She had even heard Cole mention something about an artificial intelligence program, called Maya. He hadn’t said much on the subject, and Celestia hadn’t asked, so she made herself a mental note to talk to Admiral Cole about it later.

Twilight let out a happy sigh. She had already learned so much, yet she was only scratching the surface of what the humans had to tell. If the humans would allow it, their technology would allow ponykind to make a massive step forward in their level of societal advancement. The humans could very well be the answer to some of the many great mysteries that have long remained unexplained.

Twilight’s smiled faded. Her thoughts suddenly drifted to that of the enemy which sought to eradicate all of humanity from the galaxy. This Covenant which Cole spoke of, seemed absolutely terrible. She was unable to comprehend what might happen if such an evil force was to discover Equis. She shuddered at the thought. The way in which Cole described them was chilling. She couldn’t wrap her mind around the possibility of there possibly being something so terrible, like what Cole had told them all about. Genocide, holy-war, the complete extinction of a sentient race. These concepts were virtually unheard of in Equestria. Events such as these happening were basically impossible here. The balance of harmony wouldn’t allow it, but it seemed that the effects of the harmonic bonds only stretched so far. It was now clear that harmony did not encompass all parts of the galaxy, like ponies had once thought. If such terrible things were able to occur in the universe around them, then it was very clear that the outside world was more different than she had ever imagined.

Twilight felt blessed to live on a world where peace and love was the dominating force, not war and death. Although she was happy, she still wanted to know what it truly felt like elsewhere. She didn’t necessarily want to know the kind of pain which Cole knew, but yet she did. A strange conflict of interests did battle back and forth in her mind. Knowledge had always been a big part of her life, and she was constantly seeking out more of it, but yet she feared that experiencing life outside of Equis would change her forever. She feared that she would become an entirely different pony. She tried to picture all of the horrors that Cole had described, in her head, but she could never truly know what to imagine, or what it was like. Unless she was able to experience it first-hoof, her imagination was useless to her. She just couldn’t decide which action was the right one to do.

As more lightning began to streak across the sky, Twilight closed her eyes. She attempted to clear her mind, in order to not get worked up. Tomorrow was going to be a good day, she could feel it. Tucking herself under the covers, she leaned back up against her pillow, willing herself to fall into a dreamless sleep.

“Was there supposed to be storm tonight?” asked Princess Luna, from the edge of the balcony. “I do not recall being informed about it.”

Princess Celestia looked away from her desk, and to her sister. Princess Luna leaned up against the balcony, staring out towards into the night. Indeed she was right. There were storm clouds swiftly moving towards the city from the southwest.

“I was not made aware either,” said Celestia, gazing past her sister. “The weather teams must have missed this one.”

“How?” asked Princess Luna. “How could they not know about a weather formation this large? It is their job to keep track of these patterns.”

Celestia gazed back down at the letter she was reading. It was one of the many hundred notes that she received from ponies, daily. “There are times when all of us let things slip under our noses,” she said. “Everypony makes mistakes. Why? Are you bothered by the storm?”

“No,” said Luna. “I don’t mind. I just wasn't expecting it.”

“Hmm,” mumbled Celestia. “I guess we could say that about several things recently, couldn’t we?”

“That we could,” said the midnight princess. “Admiral Cole’s arrival was rather... spontaneous. Amazing yet random.”

“Amazing is a word to describe it,” said Celestia. “Strange might also be suiting, but I am starting to feel less and less of a stranger around them, especially Cole. I have no doubt that with some time; they would be able to fit in on this planet, just fine.”

“Alright,” said Princess Luna. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There is no need to get into the ‘what if’ questions.”

“I wasn't asking a question,” said Celestia, flipping the letter over to read the other side. “I was only making a statement.”

“You were wondering what it would be like if humans started living here,” said Luna. “I can tell. You are not very difficult to read, sister. I am just cautioning us not to jump too far ahead. We still know very little about them overall, and we have only known them for a day.” Luna turned, and walked into the room. “Besides, we don’t even know how much longer they will be staying. Chances are they will be leaving soon. These humans don't seem to be the type to stick around very long.”

“But you forget the fact that they have intergalactic transport capabilities,” said Princess Celestia. “It is without a doubt in my mind that they won’t stay forever, but I am certain that they will return at some point in the future.”

Princess Luna sighed. “That’s what worries me,” she said.

“Why?” asked Celestia. “Why does this bother you?”

Luna looked up at her sister. “You heard the things that Cole said.” She stared at her sister. “You heard him talk about all of the human colonies.” she paused, not breaking eyes contact with Celestia. “What if we become one of them? What if other humans aren’t like Cole and his men. He said it himself, talking about the ‘insurrection’. Humans seem to be drawn to war. And this ‘Covenant’ that he speaks of? What if they come here next?”

“Why would the Covenant ever come here?” asked Celestia with a smile. “Just because the humans suddenly showed up with tales of despair, does not mean that we should start being doubtful.”

“You are forgetting the fact that the humans have been here, now,” said Luna. “It is well that they were the ones to discover us first, but it seems as though wherever the humans have spread to make their homes, the Covenant always seem to find them.” she paused. “Have you ever asked yourself what would happen if the humans end up leading the Covenant right to us?”

Celestia was silent. Luna was right. The thought had never crossed her mind before, and now that she was thinking about it, Luna’s question really hit home.

“Look,” said Luna, tuning away from Celestia. “I am all for making a strong friendship with these humans, and I do really like Admiral Cole, but I wonder if it is worth the risk.”

“Cole said that he has not notified his people about us yet,” said Celestia. “According to him, the rest of the humans think that he is dead.”

“Right,” said Luna. “But once they return, surely then the word will spread.”

“I don’t know,” said Celestia, rubbing her chin as she did so. “Cole seems unusually hesitant on the subject of going back home. It seems to me as though he almost doesn’t want the rest of the human race to know about us. That in and of itself would be plenty to maintain the security of our world for at least a little while.”

“But if he does tell,” said Luna. “Our very way of life could be changed forever. Our society could be destroyed in the crossfire of their own conflicts. The rest of them might not be as kind as Cole is. They might try to overthrow us, and take Equis for themselves.”

“Luna.”

“They might invade, attack our citizens without any mercy,” said Luna. “I know for a fact that when someone is threatened with the very survival of their species, that they will do anything that they physically can, to win, even if that means harming those who are weaker than them to do so.”

“Luna.”

“Think about it,” said Luna, acting more and more frantic every second. “When they exhaust all of their places to run and hide, where do you think that they will turn to? Us, sister. They will come here in an attempt to finally escape their fears. At that point, we won’t matter to them. They will only look after themselves, and our world as we know it will end, and-”

“Luna stop!” said Celestia, suddenly raising her voice. Luna paused, and stared at older sister. Celestia took a deep breath. “I know that you are concerned, and you rightfully should be, but there is no reason to go about behaving like this. Nothing bad has happened yet. Is it truly necessary that we lose faith so quickly?” she glared at Luna, but spoke in a much calmer tone of voice. “If we don’t have confidence in them, and in ourselves, then the only outcome will be failure. If we strive to makes things work... that is when the impossible becomes possible.” Luna stared at her sister, saying nothing. Celestia spoke up. “Luna. I need your help to pull this off. I cannot do this alone. I need you by my side. Together, you, me, the humans... we will be able to achieve unimaginable feats if we work together.” Celestia continued to stare at Luna. “There are bound to be many difficulties, but if we remain strong, and hold the powers of harmony close to our hearts.... any evil force will be powerless to hinder our efforts.” she sighed. “I just need you by my side. There is no room for doubt, here. I need to know that you are with me on this. If you truly feel that we shouldn’t try to form an alliance with the humans, let me know now, because once our decision is made, there will be no turning back. I need you to tell me.”

Luna stared at Celestia for several moments before letting out a sigh. “I am with you, sister,” she said with a faint smile. “You are right. I shouldn’t be pessimistic. I am sorry.”

“You need not apologize,” said Celestia. “You did nothing wrong. I am just trying to maintain everyone’s confidence around here, including my own.” she paused, and shook her head, as the first rumbles of thunder resonated from the cloud cover, high above. “Anyway, it is getting late. I suppose that I shall get some rest for the morning. Tomorrow I would like to show them around Canterlot for a little while.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure that is a good idea?” she asked. “I mean, do you think that the ponies in the city are ready to meet the humans?”

Celestia hesitated. “I am not sure,” she said. “I guess I will just have to go with my gut feeling in the morning, and go from there. After the incident that occurred today, I am a little bit worried to take our guests outside. Then again, everypony seemed to calm down once they got to hear from me, and none of them overreacted when they saw Cole.” she sighed, and stretched out her massive wings. “Ah, well. We shall see in the morning.”

Luna nodded. “I will be right with you,” she said, walking to the door. “I always will be. Goodnight, sis.”

“And goodnight to you,” said Celestia. Luna started to step out into the hallway. “Oh, and Luna?” the Princess of the night looked over her left wing. “Please, no over-the-top dreams tonight. I would like to wake up to tomorrow morning with at least some of my sanity still intact.” Celestia winked at Luna.

Luna smiled back at her sister. “Don’t worry, sis,” she said. “I’ll steer clear of your mind tonight. Goodnight.” she walked out into the hallway, closing the door behind her.

Celestia smiled to herself. After finishing up reading the final letter for the night, and jotting down some notes for a reply, Celestia got up off her haunches, and put her materials away. She switched off the light, and let the darkness from outside flood into the room. Instead of lying down on her bed however, she walked out onto the balcony, and looked up at the sky.

A sudden bolt of lightning streaked down from the heavens, and struck a patch of the Everfree Forest, near Ponyville. Thunder followed, rolling in suddenly as the air shook with its intensity. More lightning shot across the sky, darting from cloud to cloud. Celestia’s ears twitched as she sensed another cascade of cacophonic sound approaching. Less than a second later, it did, ripping through the atmosphere with a deafening roar.

Instead of backing into the safety that the indoors offered, like any normal pony would, Celestia smiled up at the sky and spread her wings. She had control over the forces of nature anyway, so she had no reason to be fearful of the storm. With a powerful thrust, she kicked off of the balcony, and flapped her missive wings, propelling herself upwards to the shadowy clouds. She ascended faster and faster, until she reached the black barrier that stood before her.

Celestia dove straight on through, piercing the storm like a needle. A bolt of lightning streaked by her, a mere ten meters away, causing the vapor in the air to crackle, and hiss. Celestia twisted, and spun, weaving her way through the intimidating weather formation. Seconds later, she breached the cap of the storm, and soared beyond its menacing reach. Once she was high enough above the storm, she found herself a small, drifting wisp of water vapor, to settle upon. She touched down upon the friendly cloud, tucking her wings back against her sides. She trotted over to the edge, and laid down, peering into the swirling darkness below. More lightning continued to swim across the blackened pool of moisture.

Even though there was a massive storm system directly below her, Celestia felt comfortable resting high above the world. She didn't want to sleep in her own bed tonight. She had been cooped up inside all day. Fresh air was the only thing that she desired at the moment, and it was invigorating as well as refreshing. Gazing up at the stars, now unobstructed by the storm, Celestia wondered which one the humans called their own. Lost amongst the billions of tiny, glowing pinpricks, was Earth. She smiled, and closed her eyes as another cascade of thunder boomed from below. Stuck between the storm from underneath, and the cold space above, the tiny cloud upon which Celestia rested seemed like a fortress, under siege from all sides. A fortress that would hold, no matter what the world decided to throw at it, because it was part of something. Connected to a mysterious energy that encompassed the entire planet, the cloud was pure harmony, leading the charge against all which sought ill upon the ponies that inhabited the lands both near and far. There were many trials ahead of them, but Celestia was prepared to take them head on, in order to make a relationship with the humans function properly.

Peace is always just a short distance away.

Bane of Defiance, Psi Serpentis System

Time seemed to stand still for a few seconds as the mighty cruiser transitioned back into realspace. Through the view screens, the stars outside the vessel seemed to bend and stretch back into place. There was a flash of blue as the portal behind them dissipated, releasing a cloud of energy which spread outwards in all directions, swirling as it passed by many thousands of tons of debris. Nearby, a once great gas planet stood still, as its hydrogen atmosphere shifted around its core. The floating carcasses of ships were scattered everywhere. Wherever Tihar looked, he saw the same thing in each screen. Human ships, Covenant ships, all dead, and drifting without purpose. Clouds of smaller debris orbited each of the larger husks, all mixed together in an inseparable puzzle.

Cruisers, destroyers, and corvettes drifted side by side, locked in an eternal orbit around the massive planet. Some of the ships appeared to be half melted, while the other sides bore massive wounds, where all of the built-up pressure had been released. Some of the larger pieces were mostly intact, with only some pieces missing. Others had been completely obliterated, their hulls turned into millions of pieces of shrapnel in an instant. Tihar saw a fellow destroyer, and a human vessel fused together, something which would only be possible if the two collided, while their hulls melted together.

The front section of a CCS battle cruiser floated by, only a few hundred meters from the front of Tihar’s vessel. The shipmaster gave the orders to raise the Bane’s shields, in order to protect the ship from dangerous debris. The Bane of Defiance flew slowly amongst the wreckage, carefully navigating through the maze of deceased ships. Tihar gazed around the bridge in horror, as each of the massive view screens revealed even more destruction than the last. Some ships had been smashed inwards from all sides, others were now nothing more than cold, solid blobs of indistinguishable melted material. Tihar was awed. Never before had he seen any destruction on this magnitude before. He found himself unable to come up with any logical explanation at the moment. Instead, he stood silently, along with the rest of the bridge crew. No one said a single word. Some had their heads bowed in respect to their deceased comrades. Others stared along with Tihar, gazing out into the destruction with pained hearts. The overall moral on the bridge was not one of happiness.

Tihar gazed out at the gas giant. Even the great sphere itself seemed scarred. After pulling up an image of the planet beforehand, Tihar had acquainted himself with practically everything that there was to know about the system. Looking at the planet now, it was noticeably smaller than what the information had described as its initial size. It seemed as though it had shrunk by about a sixth of its original size, and its color was much different than what he had seen in the image. Instead of a churning, yellowish atmosphere, the planet now appeared as though it were bleached. The chaotic movements of the atmosphere seemed much more subdued. It moved much slower now, and it seemed to glow slightly against the black of space.

The band of scattered debris wrapped all the way around the planet, locked in orbit as the pieces revolved around the giant. What disturbed Tihar, was that the closer he got to the planet, the debris seemed to display more and more evidence of plasma damage, and much less of kinetic and explosive damage. This would have suggested to Tihar that most of the fighting had gone on close to the planet, with the Covenant making heavy use out of their plasma projectors. That’s what he would have thought, if not for the fact that both Human and Covenant ships had received plasma damage. He could clearly see floating, melted husks of human hulls, and the more streamlined, and colorful hulls of his fellow vessels. There had either been a very unfortunate event of friendly-fire, or something far greater and unknown had been the demise of all these ships.

“What happened here?” asked Tihar in astonishment.

“I don’t know,” said Folve, who stood next to his brother with an equally distraught expression. “I have never seen anything like this. It is as though none survived.”

“There had to have been some,” said Tihar. “I count far more of our ships, than human ones. At least three times as many, if not more.”

“How is that possible?” asked Folve. “How could the humans have managed to defeat two of our combined fleets?”

“I am not sure,” said the Shipmaster. “But I am sure that Cole was responsible. That human is as crafty as he is wise. I have almost no doubt that the humans led our forces into some kind of trap.”

“But what kind of trap could do this?” asked Folve. “Defeating three hundred of our vessels initially is impressive, but then another two hundred were sent in to stop Cole.” he paused, looking at one of the screens. “Now here they all lie, destroyed. It is of no doubt that every single one of them dwells in this place now, destined to drift for eternity.”

Tihar nodded to one of the screens. “Look at how almost every single one has been melted in some kind of way, including our ships,” said the Shipmaster, pointing. “I am wondering as to how that happened.”

“It would have taken tens of thousands of human nuclear weapons to deal enough damage, in order to do this,” said Folve. “A fully shielded battlecruiser can withstand multiple direct hits from human nuclear weapons. That, plus the fact that their weapon’s blast radius quickly dissipates within the vacuum of space, leads me to believe that this was not directly caused by human weaponry.”

“I think that it might have something to do with the planet,” said Tihar. “Just recently, I was doing some research on the system. According to our information, that planet’s atmosphere is comprised of one-hundred percent hydrogen. Since the planet is much smaller than what was recorded, I am led to believe that the humans did something to the planet which caused this destruction.”

“All hydrogen?” asked Folve. Tihar nodded. “Interesting.” he paused for several moments, before turning to face his brother. “Do you think that if might have been possible that the humans could have rigged the planet’s atmosphere to blow?”

Tihar coked his head at the Zealot. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“Well,” said Folve. “If the atmosphere in one-hundred percent, highly pressurized hydrogen, then the humans could have done something which would have instantly ionized the atmosphere into plasma. Doing so would have created a miniature super-nova, basically turning the planet into a star for a short period of time.”

Tihar widened his eyes. “And anything within close proximity to the planet would have been destroyed in the reaction,” he said.

“Exactly,” said Folve. “It is quite the cunning tactic, if pulled off successfully, in which it clearly has.”

“But wouldn’t that mean that all the humans were destroyed as well?” asked the Shipmaster.

“It could mean that,” said Folve. “But weren’t there many more reported human ships than what we are seeing right now?”

“Yes,” said Tihar. “There were over one-hundred and thirty humans ships reported when they first showed up in the system.”

Folve turned, and looked out of one of the screens again. “Then I think that the rest of them escaped,” he said.

“Escaped?” asked Tihar. “Do explain.”

“I think that the destroyed human vessels that we are seeing, were those destroyed in the initial battle,” said the younger brother. “When our second fleet showed up, I think that Cole must have done something to lure our forces close to the planet, allowing the rest of his fleet to flee to safety.” he paused. “Then once we got close, he destroyed the planet, taking our fleet down with him.”

“Are you suggesting that Cole perished along with the rest of our forces?” asked the Shipmaster.

“It would make sense,” said Folve. “He did the honorable thing. Giving his life to save his comrades.”

“You say this as though you are fond of him,” said Tihar. “Even though Cole may be a very respectable shipmaster, he is still a human, and must be killed. No matter how honorable he may be, we must not treat him any differently than the rest.”

“I know, I know,” said Folve. “I apologize, Shipmaster.”

Tihar turned away from his younger brother, and looked outwards into space. “Iritumee!” he called out.

“Yes, Shipmaster?” asked a sudden Sangheili, who ran up to the top of the bridge.

“Run a scan on the surrounding area,” said Tihar. “Look for anything that could be a slipspace vector, and report back to me immediately.”

“Yes, Shipmaster,” said the young warrior with a bow, before running back down the ramp.

“What are you looking for, brother?” asked Folve.

“I am trying to find out where the humans went,” said Tihar. “And where Cole went, if he survived.”

Folve frowned. “Shipmaster, it has been two days now, since the battle took place,” he said. “The chances of us finding any traceable slipspace vectors are slim to none. The radiation would have likely dissipated by now, not to mention the amount of interference from the debris that we have been receiving. There is no way that we will be able to track them.”

“It is worth a try,” said Tihar. “Try not to feel doubtful. We have been tasked by a holy Prophet to find out what happened, and to kill Cole is we get the chance. We have been ordered not to return if we don’t find out anything, and at the moment, we don’t know anything for sure. It is my full intention to please the Prophet, no matter what it takes. This is for the sake of the Covenant, and our family. I cannot fail them.” Folve was silent, and continued to stare straight ahead. Tihar could see the sadness in his eyes.

After several minutes, Iritumee returned. “Any news, brother?” asked Tihar.

“Actually, yes,” said the young Sangheili. “It was quite surprising, but I think that I may have found many slipspace vectors, whose signatures are still somewhat intact.”

“Put it up for all to see,” said Tihar, waving his hand. A massive, holographic, three-dimensional model of the surrounding area appeared in the air. Centered in the middle of the field, was the planet, surrounded by accurate models of the debris in its orbit.

“Alright,” said the Sangheili. “This is an accurate model of everything near us, within two-hundred thousand kilometers.” he pointed to a section of the model, on the far side, where many flickering red dots were clustered. “These markers here show the locations of where the human ships jumped into the system, during the start of the fray.” He then pointed to the planet itself. “Our first fleet was positioned on the side of the planet, facing away from the incoming human ships. After the humans arrived, our forces detected them, and both sides engaged each other, around the planet. Later on, a fleet of about forty human reinforcements jumped in, taking down many of our vessels, and then left the system soon afterwards.”

“We know all of this, Iritumee,” said Tihar. “Please show us what we do not.”

“Oh, yes, Shipmaster,” he said nervously. The holographic map shifted, and focused more on the planet itself. “When the humans destroyed our first fleet, our reinforcements jumped in here.” he said, pointing at another cluster of red dots. “Now this is where things start to get a little bit strange. I cannot tell for certain, but right before we lost contact with our forces, a large patch of jump signatures appeared here.” he pointed at a section of space, quite a distance from the battlezone. “By calculating the age of the slipspace signatures, I estimate that these were jumps out of the system, likely feeling whatever was to destroy our fleet. As far as I can tell, they were human ships. I do not believe that any of our ships survived the incident.”

Tihar grunted. “Is there anything else to report, Tech Specialist?” asked the Shipmaster.

“In fact there is,” said Iritumee. “At first I thought that it was merely a false identification, but upon further analysis, I found this.” The holographic map suddenly zoomed in on the planet, so that it took up almost the entire three-dimensional field. The young Sangheili pointed at the planet. At first, Tihar saw nothing out of the ordinary, but then he noticed what Iritumee was pointing at. There was a single red dot, positioned within the planet’s atmosphere.

“What is that?” asked Tihar, although deep down he knew.

“That is another slipspace vector,” said the Tech Specialist. “A single human ship performed an in-atmosphere jump at the last second, to avoid being destroyed in the fusion reaction.”

“And I think that we all know which human was the one to have performed such a maneuver,” said Tihar. “Is there any chance that we can trace the signature?”

“I’m working on it,” said Iritumee. “Although being that it is quite old, and positioned in the center of a planet with a very strong electromagnetic field; I must admit it is quite difficult to track the ship. I will likely only be able to give you a partial set of coordinates, if anything at all.”

“Anything is better than nothing,” said Tihar. “And I think that we may have just found something. Go do what you must, so that we can find this human.”

“Yes, Shipmaster,” said Iritumee, before running back down the ramp to his workstation. He sat down, and began pressing icons on his screen.

“Brother,” began Folve. “Is it possible that what Iritumee has detected is actually just an error in the readings? Could it be possible that Cole merely escaped with the rest of his forces?”

“I very much doubt it,” said Tihar. “Cole is a very cunning shipmaster. It is without a doubt in my mind that he could have pulled of such a feat. He has killed many of our greatest shipmasters in the past. Besides, even if he did depart with the rest of his forces, there is no way that we would be able to find him now. Ever since the humans enacted their ‘Cole Protocol’, they have been making blind jumps, and then once they realize that they haven’t been followed, they return to their homeworld. If we followed those vectors there would be over fifty to choose from, only one of which might happen to belong to Cole. It is pointless. However, if the vector within the planet’s atmosphere is real, and it was made by Cole’s ship, then we have a much greater chance of tracking him down.”

“You are right,” said Folve. “I trust you and your wisdom, Brother. Whatever decision you make, I will follow respectfully. I hope that you do not doubt me.”

“Fear not, Brother,” said the Shipmaster. “Whether this leads us anywhere or not, we will find Cole eventually, even if that means waiting for him to make his next move, and then confronting him, then.”

After several minutes of waiting, Iritumee was running back up to the top of the bridge. “Good news, Shipmaster,” he said. “I was able to recover a partial set of coordinates. It leads us to a system about six light years from this one. As far as I know, the humans don’t have any forces stationed there. I am guessing that they randomly jumped there, and are well on their way back to their homeworld, now. If you still want to go check to make sure however, then we are ready to go. The coordinates have been entered into the computer, and we are ready to jump. I estimate that we will arrive within one-hundred thousand kilometers of where Cole excited Slipspace.”

“Good enough,” said Tihar. “We may depart when ready.”

“Yes, Shipmaster,” said Iritumee, who once again ran down the ramp to his station.

A few minutes later, Tihar felt the familiar twist in his stomach as the Bane of Defiance transitioned into the slipstream. He felt the ship shudder as it passed in between dimensions. The view screens now showed nothing besides the swirling, purplish shields of the Cruiser as they protected the vessel from being torn to pieces within the slipstream.

Tihar sat down in his chair, and closed his eyes. His brother sat down in the seat behind him, and was silent. No one the bridge spoke as the ship silently tore through the fabric of time and space, travelling to an unknown destination. There was a very real possibility that he was not going to find Cole in the system. If he did end of finding the human’s ship, there was also a possibility that Cole would destroy the Bane of Defiance, just like he did to the many other hundreds of vessels, which his brothers commanded.

Unwilling to allow his mind to be consumed with thoughts of doubt, Tihar thought of his brother, Hephar, who had been defeated at the hands of Cole. Feeling the rage build up in his chest, Tihar latched onto the feeling, and used it to gain confidence. Anger has the ability to destroy fear entirely, yet it also has the qualities of being able to cloud one’s judgment; something which Tihar had experience many times in the past. If is when one uses the correct balance of anger, and self-control, that they truly become a great warrior. The best had been able to master this talent, and although Tihar was still learning, he was far from the immature warrior that he once was. Above all else, he felt pride. The Prophet of Regret had chosen him, and him alone to lead this mission. He could have easily picked any other shipmaster, but for some reason, whether it be the loss of his brother, or if he had done something truly worthwhile, the Prophet picked him.

Tihar rested his head on the back of his levitating chair. It wouldn’t be long until they arrived in the system. It would take a couple hours at the most, and when they reached their destination, Tihar knew that he would be ready. Cole had always been the one to attack the Covenant. This time, Tihar would be the one engaging him, and he was positive that Cole would be entirely unprepared for what was about to come his way. Cole was likely very low on ammunition, and Tihar had the larger and more powerful ship under his command. If everything went as planned, then Cole likely had little to no chance facing him alone. In a couple hours, Tihar was going to make history for being the one to finally put down the great human shipmaster.

If everything goes as planned, that is.

VIII: Twin Peaks

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Chapter 8: Twin Peaks

April 21, 2543- 0800 Hours/Royal Palace, Canterlot, Equestria

Cole slowly opened his eyes, allowing the warm, morning sunlight to filter past his eyelids, and flood his cornea. He stared at his ceiling for a few moments as he reminded himself once more that what he was experiencing wasn’t a dream. He blinked several times as his eyes adjusted to the brightness. Lifting his arm up, he looked at his watch. It read that it was eight o’clock in the morning. He sighed. Generally he didn’t sleep in this late, as his strict military lifestyle didn’t allow it. He suddenly realized that this was the first time in many months that he didn’t have to get up at five o’clock in the morning.

He sat up, and scratched the top of his scalp, cocking his head to the side to look out the window. The storm that lingered above the city last night was now long past, and they sky was entirely devoid of any cloud cover. Crisp, clear blue sky dominated the heavens above as Celestia’s sun shed its warmth upon the land below.

Climbing off of the very comfortable bed, Cole stood up and walked over to the window. Having closed the window that night to prevent rainwater from getting in, Cole now lifted up the glass pane, allowing a rejuvenating spring breeze to blow through the room. Cole took in a long inhale of oxygen. Somewhere out in the city, Cole could smell the bakeries opening up their doors, allowing the sweet fragrances inside, to filter out.

Cole wasn’t sure whether it had rained last night or not, as he had fallen asleep before he was able to find out. If it had indeed rained, there was absolutely no evidence of it. The grass below was dry, bearing not a single droplet of morning dew. From this angle, Cole could just see a little bit of the courtyard, and none of the stones were damp. It was a perfect day.

A suddenly knock at the door got Cole’s attention. He turned around, and walked over to the doorway, placing his hand on the knob, and turning it so that the door would open. First-Sergeant Scott Jeffries stood just beyond the edge of the doorway, as to not get in the Admiral’s way.

“Oh, good morning, Sir,” he said. “I hope that I haven’t just awoken you.” he gazed awkwardly at Cole, who was still wearing his undershirt and loose pajamas. Cole guessed that it wasn’t often that the man saw one of his commanding officers not in uniform.

“Not at all, Sergeant,” said Cole. “What is it?”

“Oh, nothing urgent,” said Scott. “I was just letting you know that Celestia had invited us all down for breakfast, again. She said that if you don’t want to, that it is no big deal. My men and I will hold tight for now, if you say so.”

Cole chuckled. “I think that it would be best for both of us if we accepted her gracious offer,” said the Admiral. “We wouldn’t want this whole thing to fall apart over a couple of blueberry pancakes, would we?”

“No, Sir,” said Scott with a confused smile. “Just wondering, Sir, but how did you know that there is going to be blueberry pancakes?”

Cole shrugged. “Lucky guess? Anyway, give me a minute to get ready.”

“Are you sure, Sir?” asked Scott. “Celestia said not to bother with any of us putting on our uniforms. We put ours on anyway, but she specifically asked that we all dress comfortably.”

“Really, now?” asked Cole. “Are you sure?”

“That’s exactly what she said, Sir,” said Scott.

Cole nodded his head. “Make that thirty seconds then,” he said, before shutting the door on Scott.

Exactly thirty seconds later, Cole came back out of his bedroom. His hair was neatly combed, and he had changed from a white undershirt, into a grey t-shirt which matched his pajamas perfectly, and he had his backpack slung over his shoulder.

“How do I look, Sergeant?” he asked with an intense stare.

“Rather comfortable to me, Sir,” said Scott awkwardly.

“Damn right I am,” he said. He nodded down the hallway. “Lead the way. Where is the rest of your team?”

“I sent them to go scout out the area ahead,” said Scott. “How else do you think that I knew that there would be blueberry pancakes? If I didn't know, then I would have never been able to tell you if you guessed correctly, until we all sat down to eat.”

Cole laughed. “Spoken like a true soldier,” said Cole with a smile. “Knowing everything that there is to know, beforehand. Very good.”

Scott wasn’t quite sure why Cole had been acting so cheerful lately. His only guess was that the Admiral was very happy being here.

“With all due respect,” said Scott. “It’s a very old and difficult habit to break. We ODSTs are too used to finding out everything on our own, that we have turned the process of information gathering into a science.”

The two walked side by side, down the hallway. When they arrived at the dining room, they found almost the entire crew already sitting down at the table. Celestia and Luna sat next to one another in the same spots that they sat the night before. Twilight and her friends sat next to them, looking up at Cole with bright smiles. Cole’s men sat across from the ponies. The only one who was missing was Shining Armor. Cole and Scott sat down directly across from the two princesses.

“Good morning, Cole,” said Celestia with a warm smile. “I trust that you got a good night’s sleep?”

“Indeed I did, your Highness,” he replied. “Certainly much greater than I have had in quite a long time.”

“Well,” said Celestia. “That is good to hear. It pleases me to know that we can provide you all with at least some form of comfort, whether you are used to it or not.” There was a long pause in which no one spoke. “Anyway, after you told us yesterday about the various foods that you humans eat, I decided to have my kitchen staff prepare a few things that I believe you will enjoy.”

“Oh really?” asked Cole, shooting Scott a grin. “Like what?”

“You will find out in a few minutes,” said Celestia. “The meal is almost ready. In the meantime, is there anything else that you need?”

“Actually, there is something that I would like to do,” said Cole. “I told my lieutenant, whom I left in charge of the ship, that I would call him this morning. I was going to get in contact with him right now, if you would like to meet him.”

“Oh,” said Celestia. “Alright. I would be happy to meet this man. Do we need to go to our communications room, in order to speak with him?”

“No no,” said Cole, taking his datapad out of his backpack. “We can stay here, and eat as we speak. All we need is this.” He held up the datapad for all to see.

“What’s that?” asked Twilight Sparkle.

“This is a datapad,” said Cole. “It is a very thin type of computer. It allows me to access information, and to communicate with my ship, on-the-go.”

Twilight’s eyes widened as Cole turned on the tablet, lighting up the screen, and impressing Twilight with the technology.

“We can communicate with him, through that?” asked Celestia in disbelief.

“Yes,” said the Admiral. “And you will be able to see him, and he will be able to see you, through the built-in video camera.”

“So, let me get this straight,” began Twilight. “By useing that little device, you are able to communicate with somepony, or someone, face-to-face, over long distances?”

“That is correct,” said Cole. “I mean, sure you have to charge it up when the battery starts to run low, but other than that these things are very useful.” He tapped his finger across multiple icons on the screen. “There we go. I am calling Lieutenant McMahon, right now.” he suddenly looked around the room. “By the way, where is Captain Shining Armor?”

“He is holding a security meeting with the rest of the palace guards,” she said. “He should be along in an hour or so. We need not wait for him.”

Cole nodded, and then looked down at the facade of the datapad, just in time to see McMahon’s face appear on the screen.

“Good morning, sir,” said the Lieutenant. “How are you this fine morning?”

“Better than I have been in a long time,” said Cole with a smile. “How are things going on the Everest?” he glanced over at Celestia, who was listening intently to the conversation.

“Nothing much to report, sir,” said McMahon. “Except for the fact that is a bit lonely here without you.

“So nothing to report,” said Cole with a grin.

“Uh... yeah basically,” said McMahon. “What about you, Sir? How are things going, down on the surface?”

“Very good,” said Cole, suddenly glancing away from the camera. “McMahon, I would like you to meet someone.” He turned the datapad, so that it faced Princess Celestia. “I am pleased to introduce you to Princess Celestia. Princess Celestia, this is Lieutenant McMahon.”

“It is an honor to meet you, your Highness,” said McMahon, through the datapad speakers.

“And you as well, Lieutenant,” she replied with a smile.

McMahon nodded to someone off screen, and then suddenly two more men walked up, and stood next to him.

“Princess,” said Cole. “These are my two other best officers. This is Chief-Warrant Officer Ramirez, my weapons specialist, and this is Lieutenant Fosco, my communications officer.”

Celestia nodded to the two of them. “It is a pleasure to meet you both, as well,” she said.

They smiled at her was well, but said nothing. Cole frowned at them. They waited several seconds before glancing at one another and walking off-screen.

“Anyway, Lieutenant,” said Cole. “I just wanted you to meet the Princess who has been treating us so kindly while we have been staying here. Hopefully you two will get to meet each other in person, soon.”

“Of course,” said McMahon. “I am sure that Cole would allow you to come aboard the Everest, soon, you Highness.”

“He has already made the offer,” said Celestia. “I do look forward to that very much.”

“As do I.” smiled McMahon, before looking at Cole through the camera. “It isn’t often that non-military personnel visit the ship, but that doesn’t mean that it is an entirely unfamiliar practice.”

“Perhaps tomorrow.” Cole nodded to Celestia with a smile. “That is if you wish to, your Highness.”

“That certainly seems like a possibility to me,” said the solar-princess. “I am not one to decline such a rare opportunity.”

“Then it is decided,” said Cole, turning to face the Lieutenant. “Tomorrow.”

“I will go about making preparations for your arrival, then,” said McMahon with a slight nod. “It certainly will be nice to get something done, rather than...”

The lieutenant's voice drifted off as his attention was suddenly diverted to something off-screen.

“Maya, say again?” asked the Navigational officer.

“What’s going on?” asked Cole, his expression suddenly changing to one of concern as he looked upon his officer, through the datapad screen.

“Where?” asked McMahon, speaking over Cole. “Show me.”

“Lieutenant, what is happening?” asked Cole, adding emphasis to his voice. Celestia raised an eyebrow at him.

McMahon suddenly glanced back to Cole, seeming unusually distraught. “I don’t... I...” his voice wavered. “Something’s happening up here, sir.”

“Tell me, McMahon,” ordered Cole sternly. As he spoke, the red emergency lights began to strobe inside of the bridge command center.

“I... I’ll have to call you back,” said McMahon as he suddenly ran off-screen.

“Lieutenant!” yelled Cole at his datapad. “Come back to the camera, and tell me what’s happening!”

The blaring sound of an alarm was the only discernable noise that came through the speakers. McMahon did not return as he was instructed.

“Luiten- Maya! What’s going on?”

The camera view suddenly switched to the image of Maya’s avatar, projected before a black background.

“Sorry, sir,” said Maya. “Lieutenant McMahon ran off to go speak with Ramirez. I’ve got some bad news.”

“What?” asked Cole. “What’s happening up there?”

“Something very bad, that’s what,” said Maya with a sigh. “It’s the Covenant. They followed us here.”

“What?” asked Cole, his voice suddenly filled with rage. “How could they possibly... how many?”

“I’m counting only one vessel at the moment,” she said. “It is approximately seventy-thousand kilometers from our port side, and holding position.”

Cole glanced over at Princess Celestia. The princess’s eyes were wide. Princess Luna merely stared at him, showing no emotion.

“Why?” asked Cole. “Why aren’t they moving in?”

“Perhaps they are waiting for backup, however I cannot be sure,” said Maya. “It is possible that-”

The A.I.’s speech was suddenly cut off as the screen went blank. Cole stared at it the now lifeless device for a moment.

"Maya?" Cole asked. "Maya, are you there?"

There was no response. Communications had officially ended with the Everest.

"Wha-what happened?" asked Luna. "Did something happen to them?"

"No, not yet," Cole replied, tossing the datapad onto the dining table. The device struck the wood with a thud. "The Covenant have jammed our communications. They don't want Everest to call for help."

"What does this mean?" asked Princess Celestia.

"It means that we are in the dark until communications can be re-established," Cole replied. "That is if the Everest can even last that long."

"What should we do, sir?" asked Scott.

“Prep the pelican for takeoff,” Cole replied. “We need to be ready for anything.”

“Are we going up there, sir?” asked Anderson.

“No,” said Cole. “Going up there would be too risky. There is nothing that we can do right now, besides wait until Lieutenant McMahon gives us the all-clear.”

UNSC Everest, In Orbit Above Equis

“Vessel exiting slipspace now,” Maya reported. “Seventy thousand kilometers off our port side.”

“Maya, report, what is it?” asked McMahon as he ran over to the planning table. A holographic image of a Covenant spacecraft appeared in holographic three-dimensional space, a good distance away from Everest.

“Covenant battle cruiser,” stated Maya. “Reverence classification.”

“Is that the only one?” McMahon asked.

“At the moment yes,” replied Maya. “I am detecting no more slipspace ruptures, and... we just lost the communication link with Admiral Cole. The Covenant have jammed the signal.”

“Can we call for help?” asked McMahon.

“Negative,” Maya answered. “All channels are offline. Even if they weren’t, Cole has forbidden that the Everest transmit signals outside of our area of operations. He doesn’t want the rest of the UNSC to know that we survived.”

McMahon let out a long exhale. “What’s the status on the Covenant ship?”

“Holding position,” said Maya. “They see us, but they are making no efforts to engage. This is certainly odd behavior for the Covenant.”

“Alright,” McMahon said. “What are our options? What weapons do we have left?”

“All missile batteries have been depleted during our last engagement,” Maya said. “However, we still have a few MAC slugs left over.”

“It’s not enough,” said Ramirez, walking up to the table, with Fosco following close behind. “That ship is almost twice our size. Even if could can breach their shields, we wouldn’t be able to deal enough significant damage to stop them from plowing us over.”

“What is your suggestion, Chief?” asked McMahon.

Ramirez sighed. “I don’t have one,” he said. “All we have are bad options, and I cannot decide which one is best.”

“Covenant cruiser is now moving to engage,” reported Maya. “At current velocity, it will be upon us in two minutes.”

“Orders, sir?” shouted several crewmembers from their stations.

“Everyone to your battle stations!” McMahon ordered. “If we are going down, we are going down fighting!” he turned to Ramirez. “Get me an option, Warrant Officer, and get me one fast. You know this boat’s offensive capabilities best.” he turned to face the A.I.’s avatar, which floated above the table. “Maya, move Everest to meet the Covenant head-on. If we move to engage them, they might think twice about being so bold. That might just give us enough time to come up with some sort of plan.”

“Yes, sir,” Ramirez and Maya said simultaneously. Ramirez ran back to his station, and Maya’s avatar winked away.

McMahon walked back to the Captain’s chair, and sat down. As he did, the Everest turned so that it faced the Covenant cruiser. It was still just a spec of light in the distance, but it was growing larger and larger every second. The hull shuttered as Everest’s main drive engines flared, and powered the ship forward to engage the enemy.

I swear, Cole is never going to leave me in charge of his ship again.

Bane of Defiance, In Unexplored Planetary System

“The scan has come out positive, Shipmaster,” said Iritumee. “The vessel matches the classification of Admiral Cole’s. It is him.”

“Excellent work, Iritumee,” said Tihar, turning to look the minor Sangheili in the eye. “You have guided us to our enemy, and have brought great honor to your family. I will be sure to inform the Prophet of the great deed you have done for the Covenant.”

“Thank you, Shipmaster,” said Iritumee, bowing low before the elder warrior. “I am grateful to have your sign of approval.”

Tihar nodded. “Return to your post,” he said. “I will call for you if you are again needed. Until then, gather as much information on that planet as you can. I want to know why the Humans came here.”

“Yes, Shipmaster.”

The young Sangheili scurried back down the ramp, leaving Tihar and Folve alone. Before them, a large, blue planet sat on its very own blanket of space. It appeared to be natural, and entirely untainted by the humans. Besides Cole’s vessel there were no other spacecraft signatures in the entire system. He was alone, and so was Cole.

“The humans are weak,” Folve muttered, just loud enough for Tihar to hear. “I can feel it.”

“Cole is likely low on ammunition,” said Tihar. “If our judgment proves correct, then this shouldn’t be too difficult. However, my judgment has proven me wrong in the past, just as Cole has proven many of us wrong in the past.”

“What do you plan to do, Brother?” asked Folve.

“There is nothing to plan,” Tihar replied. “We must engage Cole. Based on his response, we will know how to properly deal with him.”

“What if this is a trap?” asked Folve.

“If it is, then there is no way to tell unless we move in,” said Tihar. “We must not delay.” he turned outward, so that he would be able to project his voice to the entire bridge. “Now, my brothers, it is time to face our greatest enemy. For the glory of the Covenant, for our families, and for ourselves, we must fight! All crew members, report to your stations, and send us in to engage Admiral Cole! This is the time to prove ourselves worthy to our Prophet!”

“Yes, Shipmaster!” roared the bridge crew.

“Covenant cruiser is not deviating from its current trajectory,” Maya announced. “The gap between us and them will close in less than forty-five seconds. If we don’t change course, we are going to collide with it. What shall we do?”

“Stay on course,” ordered McMahon.

“Sir?”

“Just do it,” McMahon said, raising his voice. “Ramirez, are our Helix guns online?”

“Yes, sir,” said the weapon’s expert. “However, I don’t know exactly what you plan to do with them. They aren’t exactly anti-capital ship weapons.”

“Have them ready, just in case,” ordered McMahon.

“Thirty seconds,” Maya said.

“On my mark, bank to starboard at fifty degrees,” ordered McMahon.

“Calculations set. Ready when you are sir,” replied Maya.

McMahon watched as the Reverence-class cruiser grew larger each moment as both vessels closed the distance between one another at an incredible speed. McMahon wasn’t sure exactly what he was doing, but the last thing he wanted was to sit and wait for the inevitable. If the Everest was going down, then he at least wanted to make an attempt to prevent the Covenant from reaching the planet below.

“Twenty seconds,” said Maya.

The Covenant cruiser continued to barrel through space, seemingly destined to collide with the Everest. McMahon suddenly began to regret his decision. He should have known that a Covenant ship would never back down from such a direct challenge.

“Fifteen seconds,” Maya reported. “If we are going to move, now is the time to do so.”

“Just wait,” muttered the Lieutenant.

The enemy vessel was so close at this point, that it almost cloaked the entirety of space with its massive, curved hull.

“Lieutenant?”

McMahon was silent as he stared at the enemy cruiser.

“Lieutenant!”

“Bank now!” ordered McMahon.

The UNSC Everest’s thrusters engaged, veering Everest off of the collision course. The enemy vessel tried to account for the change in trajectory, but the move had been too sudden. The two vessels blew past one another at several thousand kilometers an hour.

“Plasma torpedoes!” announced Maya.

“Targeting,” stated Ramirez. “Maya, shoot them down!”

“Firing.”

On the exterior port hull of Everest, several fifty millimeter Helix point-defense guns spun up, and sprayed streams of hot tungsten at the incoming plasma missiles. The tracers and torpedoes raced towards one another, before exploding in a vibrant display of yellow flashes and blue discharges of hot energy. Over one hundred torpedos were destroyed by the barrage of cannon shells, however some made it through. The surviving torpedoes sped after the Everest like honey bees chasing after a bear that stole their honey.

The point defense guns retargeted the remaining missiles, but the Everest banked sharply to starboard, preventing them from firing on their targets. The covenant ship was doing the same, banking to the right, so that from a distance it looked as though the two opposing ships were forming a figure eight out of energy trails.

“The remaining plasma torpedoes are closing in,” Maya said. “I don’t have a shot. Brace for impact.”

Seconds after the announcement, the ship shook violently from several successive explosions.

“Status report!” demanded McMahon.

“Multiple torpedo impacts across our stern,” Maya said. “Main drive engine one has taken damage, and is slowly losing power.”

“How long do we have?” asked the Lieutenant.

“A few minutes,” Maya said. “After that, our mobility is going to be cut in half.”

“Can it be repaired?” asked McMahon.

“Yes, but not right now!” replied Maya. “We have a situation. The Covenant ship is coming around for another pass,”

“Let’s meet them, then,” said McMahon. “Divert power to the MAC weapons system, and charge the main gun.”

“A single shot will not be able to breach the enemy’s shields,” Maya said. “Are you sure?”

“I’m positive,” said McMahon. “Just have it ready to fire. We have to wait for the right moment. Take us in for another pass, and this time fire all of our guns at the damned thing. I want to get them annoyed as much as possible.”

“Roger that, sir.”

Both vessels lined themselves up with one another as they prepared to duel it out once again. The distance closed rapidly between the two, as both spacecraft rocketed towards one another at an incredible speed. As they flew past one another, the Everest unloaded a volley of cannon fire at the Covenant cruiser. The fifty-millimeter rounds splashed harmlessly against the alien vessel’s energy’s shields. In response, the Covenant ship fired several high-velocity plasma rounds at the Everest’s starboard side. The energy projectiles impacted the Everest’s heavily armored hull in brilliant flashes of bluish-white. Chunks of extra titanium-A battleplate melted and were blasted off of the ship, exposing the main layer of armor below. This gave McMahon an idea.

Once the two vessels had passed one another, the Reverence-class cruiser fired a massive volley of plasma torpedoes at the Everest as a follow up.

“More torpedoes,” Maya reported. “Over a thousand. Firing all available Helix guns.”

“Will they be enough?” asked the Lieutenant.

“Negative,” said Maya. “There are far too many of them. Engine one is still losing power, and is down to fifty percent energy output. Plasma torpedoes scheduled to impact in twenty seconds.”

“Can our armor withstand that many warheads?” he asked.

“Uncertain. Likely not.”

“What about the additional layer of armor that Cole had installed? What holds those plates to the rest of the ship?”

“The extra plating is attached via magnetic couplings, to allow for easy removal.”

“Can they be ejected off of the ship?” asked McMahon.

Maya paused. “I like what you are thinking, Lieutenant,” she said.

“Can it be done?”

“Yes,” she replied. “Ready when you are. Impact in eight seconds.”

“Wait until they are close enough, and then detach the plates.”

“Sir!” called Ramirez from across the room. “If you eject those titanium plates, we won’t be able to get them back. Are you sure you want to do this?”

“No time. Already decided,” Maya said. “Shedding exterior armor now.”

In an instant, several thousand, thick titanium armor plates peeled off of the hull, forming a debris field right in the path of the oncoming plasma torpedoes. A second later, the wave of missiles collided with the cloud of metal, causing a massive chain reaction of plasma discharge.

A few of the projectiles survived the collision, only to explode harmlessly against the Everest's second layer of protection. McMahon felt the ship shake one last time, and then everything was silent.

“All torpedoes have been destroyed,” Maya said. “Excellent thinking, sir, although I would not recommend we try that again.”

“Agreed,” McMahon said, letting out a sigh of relief. “What’s the status on the enemy cruiser?”

“It’s coming around again,” Maya said. “We cannot afford to duke it out with them again. We don’t have the firepower, or the protection to do so.”

“What about the MAC gun?” he asked.

“Fully charged and ready to fire,” Maya said. “Although like I said, we won’t be able to-”

“I know, I know,” the Lieutenant said, interrupting her. “Hold here. Let’s let them come to us.”

“The humans have suffered some damage to their engine, Shipmaster,” reported one of the minor Sangheili from below. “It is possible that they have lost a great deal of mobility. Also, I believe that the material they released to destroy our torpedoes was their armor. They shed it to prolong the inevitable.”

Tihar stared across the reaches of space, at the now motionless human ship, only the size of a pebble in the distance. “The humans are poorly equipped, and hurting,” he said. “It is only a matter of time before we bring our full judgment upon them. They cannot postpone the coming fire forever.”

“What shall we do, Shipmaster?” asked another warrior.

“Bring us in close,” replied Tihar. “I want them to cry with fear before their doom.”

“Understood, Shipmaster.”

The Bane of Defiance moved quickly towards the human ship, and within a minute they were in a striking range of just over five thousand meters. It idled in space, seemingly inactive, as if it was patiently waiting for its destruction. The Bane halted as well, so that it looked as though both vessels were staring at one another, urging the other to make a move.

“Our boarding crews are reporting that they are ready to move in,” reported Iritumee. “Shall they deploy?”

“No,” answered Tihar. “There is no point in risking our warriors in a close-quarters engagement. There is nothing in there that we need. As for Cole, I am content in watching the smoldering husk of his vessel crash into the planet below. Destroying it from the outside is our best option. They could have laid a trap for us on the inside.”

“A most-wise decision, Brother,” said Folve, with an approving nod. “Prepare to fire all cannons!”

“No,” said Tihar, putting his hand before his brother’s chest, as if to prevent him from wandering off. “I want the ship to burn so brightly that the Prophet can see it from where he sits. Ready the ventral plasma projector.”

“Why are they stopping?” asked Fosco aloud.

“I don’t like this,” Ramirez said, the nervousness evident in his voice. “Sir, we should do something.”

“Just wait,” McMahon said calmly. “I want to see what they do.”

“Sir,” Maya said. “Longsword pilots are reporting ready to launch, if you need them to.”

“Thanks for the info, Maya,” he said. “Any idea as to what they are waiting for?”

“They may be just as confused as we are, sir,” she replied. “I have certainly never seen... wait... something is happening.”

“What?” asked McMahon, as his eyes darted all across the enemy’s ship’s streamlined hull. “I don’t see...”

He paused as the enemy cruiser suddenly began to pitch upwards, revealing its belly to the Everest. A circular point at the middle of the vessel began to glow in a reddish-orange hue.

“Energy spike detected on the craft’s underside!” shouted Maya. “Its shields are dissipating!”

“Its getting ready to fire its glassing beam,” McMahon muttered with wide eyes. “Maya, get me a targeting solution on that weapon!”

“It won’t be enough,” she said. “We won’t be able to destroy her.”

“But we can kick her as hard in the gut as we can,” he replied. “That will at least give us some time to plan our next move. Prepare to fire!”

The Everest’s angle adjusted slightly so that the enemy’s primary weapon was lined up with her own.

“Energy levels have reached critical levels!” reported Maya with a raised voice. “She’s about to discharge her energy beam!”

“That’s not going to happen,” said McMahon. “I’ll be damned before I have the Everest go down under my command. Fire forward MAC.”

“Firing,” she said. “Cover your ears!”

There was a high-pitched screech as the magnetic accelerator cannon discharged a six-hundred ton depleted-uranium bullet at over thirty-thousand meters per second. The Everest shook as the massive round exited the barrel of the gigantic coil gun. A fraction of a second later, the slug slammed into the center of the enemy cruiser’s plasma projector, causing a massive explosion which sent waves of superheated energy to spread outwards in all directions. The MAC round impacted the cruiser with such force that it embedded itself halfway inside the ship, and sent it lurching backwards, away from the Everest.

“Now’s our chance!” shouted Lieutenant McMahon. “Fire all point-defense guns, to cover our escape. We are getting out of here!”

“Roger that,” Maya said, firing up Everest’s one good engine once more. The automatic turrets mounted on the ship whirred up to speed, and began to spray a continuous stream of cannon fire at the enemy vessel, as the Everest pulled away to safety. “Where to, Lieutenant?” Maya asked.

“We need to set her down somewhere to make repairs, and to get boots on the ground,” replied McMahon. “The enemy won’t be crippled forever.”

“Uh, I hate to break it to you, Lieutenant,” Maya began. “But this ship isn’t exactly designed to land anywhere else besides a shipyard.”

“I am well aware,” he said. “Take us down to the surface.”

“Yes, sir,” she said. “Standby for atmospheric entry. All hands, brace yourselves!”

Upon making contact with the outer planetary atmosphere, the Everest began to shake violently. All crewmembers who had been standing, returned to their posts. Once seated, McMahon found himself gripping onto the armrests of the admiral’s chair, as if the ship was about to fall apart around him.

Rippling waves of orange heat billowed around the Everest’s hull as she dived toward the planet below. Once past the upper atmosphere, the outside hull began to cool, and McMahon was rewarded with an amazing view of the Equestrian countryside below. A small village, no more than a patch of tan discoloration on a green canvas sat among the rolling hills, and beyond, perched upon the mountainside, was Canterlot. McMahon smiled.

“Any ideas, Lieutenant?” Maya asked as the cruiser continued to speed toward the planet’s surface.

“We need to set her down on something soft,” he said.

“No really, you think!” exclaimed Maya. “Where?”

McMahon’s eyes were drawn to the valley below where the capital city was situated. A small river ran through the valley, inland from the great waterfall. On one side of the rushing body of water, were several kilometers of flat grassland, stretching all the way to the great mountain, and he countryside beyond. It was plenty of space to put a damaged UNSC flagship.

“Set us down in the valley, below the city,” McMahon said. “Get as close to the mountain as you can, without risking damaging part of the city.”

“You’ve got it, sir,” she said. “Although I can’t be held responsible for any broken windows.”

“I’m sure the UNSC will pay for any of the damages we cause, at some point in the future,” McMahon said with a slight grin. “Gee, Cole is going to give me so much crap for crashing his ship.”

“Don’t worry, sir,” Maya said, her avatar giving him a less-than-comforting smile. “I do this all the time.”

Royal Palace, Canterlot, Equestria

The dining hall was utterly silent. Together, humans and ponies sat along the large table, watching the morning’s breakfast grow cold, before them. Ten minutes turned into fifteen, then fifteen and twenty, then twenty into thirty as the group waited for any kind of update on the situation up in orbit. As much as they didn’t want to admit it, they all were beginning to realize that the Everest might not ever call back, and that the Covenant would be the only ones saying hello.

From where he sat, Cole stared out of one of the large windows, overlooking the palace courtyard below. His expression was bleak, and his face was as pale as a ghost. As much as he wanted to be optimistic, he knew better than to get his hopes up. In its current state, the Everest was hopelessly outgunned against any sort of large Covenant warship. The chances of the ship surviving longer than a few minutes against a covenant cruiser were unimaginably small, not to mention the fact that he had left his second-in-command in charge, instead of himself. Cole sighed. The day had just taken a turn for the unthinkable.

Overall, the feeling that had Cole upset the most, was his guilt. The Covenant had already destroyed so much in their endless holy war against humanity. Equis was a world, left entirely untainted by the evils of the universe. The ponies and other beings who lived on the planet’s surface had existed in peace for many tens of thousands of years, lucky to have been magically sheltered from the horrors beyond, by complete chance. It wasn’t until he had shown up, that the world’s security had been put into jeopardy. He had taken the risk, and now the Covenant had found Equestria. Cole knew that he couldn’t live with himself if the Covenant decided to exterminate the planet. They would exterminate the planet.

As though Cole’s doubts had suddenly decided to become reality, the air around them began to throb and pulse as a great rumbling sound began to shake the entire palace. The glass pitchers of water that sat on the table shook as the water inside rippled violently. Everyone at the table glanced around at one another nervously. Cole looked across the table to Celestia. She was silent, but her eyes were wide with fear. The only thing Cole could do was silently mouth the words “I’m sorry.” It wasn’t enough. I never could be enough. No words could justify what Cole had done to such an innocent little world. After a few seconds, he couldn’t bare to look her straight in the eye, and had to turn away. There weren’t many who could out-stare the man.

Without a word, Cole stood up from the table, and walked over to one of the tall windows. Slowly, one by one, the others joined him. His eyes scanned the skyline, searching for whatever was causing the disturbance. Then he saw it. Approaching from the southwest, beyond the tall towers of Canterlot, was the Everest, and it was coming in very fast. Cole almost forced himself to smile, but then he noticed the massive smoke trail billowing from the rear of the vessel, leaving a dark streak of smog lingering amongst the sporadically placed clouds. Whatever had happened in orbit, the Everest had not made it out unscathed as she did during her previous engagement.

“Is... is that?” Celestia began.

“My ship,” Cole said. “Yes it is.”

“It’s huge,” Twilight Sparkle said with aw. She noticed the smoke too. “Is... is something wrong with it?”

“Yes,” Cole said. “It appears that one of her engines has been damaged.” he sighed. “And she isn’t slowing down.”

“That... that isn’t going to hit us, right?” asked Rarity.

Cole opened his mouth to speak, but to be honest, he wasn’t sure. He instead stood silently as his ship rushed at them at a frightening speed.

The Everest was very close now, at a distance no greater than a few kilometers, still approaching at several hundred kilometers an hour.

“I swear to god,” Cole muttered silently under his breath. “If he crashes my ship into the fucking mountain, I swear I’m gonna...”

Cole stopped himself as the ship leveled out, and began to rapidly decelerate as it neared the front of the city. Cole let out a silent sigh of relief as the ship began lowering itself gently into the valley below. A few seconds later, the entirety of the vessel had disappeared from view, as it landed below the city.

Cole turned around. “Alright, the Everest hasn’t been destroyed, which means that things are already going better than expected,” he said, and then turned to face the princess. ‘Your Majesty, I need to get down there, to my ship, and find out what’s going on. You are welcome to come, if you would like to, but we have no time to waste. I need an answer.”

“I...” the princess began, but stopped when a familiar voice suddenly came out of nowhere, from across the room. Everyone turned around to see.

“Hello?” said Lieutenant McMahon’s voice from the datapad, which rested on the table. “Sir? Are you there? It seems as though we are free from the interference.” he paused. Cole jogged over to the table. “Anyway, I don’t know if you can hear me, but- oh, hello, Sir!”

“Lieutenant, what happened up there?” Cole demanded. “And what did you do to my ship?”

“I’ll tell you what happened, sir,” he replied with a smile. “A good-ol ship-based Magnetic Accelerator Cannon happened!”

“You... you destroyed the enemy ship?” Cole asked, pleasantly surprised.

“No, sir,” said McMahon. “But we put a giant, super-hardened bullet right into her belly.” he chuckled. “You see, sir, she was about to melt us with her glassing beam, and we waited until her shields were down, and then we fired a single round into the damn thing’s gut. Bitch lit up like an evergreen on Christmas Eve! You should’ve seen it, sir!”

“That... that’s great news,” Cole said, fighting the urge to collapse onto the chair out of joy. “What happened to the Everest? What was all the smoke?”

“Not a big problem sir,” reported McMahon. “Maya says it’s just some minor damage to one of our main thrusters. Nothing that we can’t fix.”

“Alright, stay put,” Cole said. “I’m coming down there.”

“Negative, sir,” answered McMahon. “The Everest isn’t too sightly right now, and some of the cargo in the holds wasn’t locked down properly, so some of it shifted around and... anyway, I think it would be best if we came to you. I’ll explain everything to you, once we arrive. Can we land in the courtyard?”

“Ye- yes,” Celestia said over Cole’s shoulder. “That is not a problem.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” replied the lieutenant with a light smile. “We’re on our way. ETA ten minutes to you, sir, out.”

“Copy that, Lieutenant,” the admiral said. “Cole out.”

Bane of Defiance, In Orbit Above Unknown Planet

“Status report!” roared Tihar through the light haze of smoke which lingered inside the command bridge. Whatever had just happened, it had thrown Tihar and his brother off both of their feet, and he was only just beginning to stand. Folve was getting up as well. His coughed from the inhalation of the smog.

“What- hgggt hgggt!” wheezed Tihar. “What just happened?”

“It was the humans, Shipmaster!” called out Iritumee from below. Tihar began to stumble down the ramp, to check on the other members of his crew. “They must have had one shot left in their main cannon! The waited until we lowered our shields, and then they struck! They truly are tricky little vermin!”

“Raaagh!” Tihar shouted, punching his fist into the hull of the ship, once he made it down the ramp. The metal buckled, and dented where he struck it. “What’s that status of our primary weapon?”

“Plasma projector is completely offline,” reported Iritumee. “We have sustained severe, critical damage to the weapon itself, and have lost all firing control. The explosion sent a surge of energy throughout the entire ship, damaging several other critical components. Our slipspace drive is offline, engines are experiencing uneven power fluctuations, navigation systems need to be re-calibrated, and our communications are offline. Also, there’s an eight-meter wide hole, penetrating halfway through the ship, where the human round hit us.”

“Can it be repaired?” Tihar asked, as he approached the younger crewmember. Folve followed behind his brother, silently. “The ship. Can it be repaired?”

“Ye- yes,” replied Iritumee. “I’ll get engineers on everything, right away, although it will take some time before the beam is ready to fire again.”

“I am well aware,” Tihar said. “Do it. In the meantime, what information did you discover on the planet?”

The young Sangheili hesitated. “I think that you are going to want to see for yourself, Shipmaster,” he said. “There is a lot happening here that I did not expect.”

Tihar stared at him for a moment, before nodding. “Very well then,” he said.

“Yes, Shipmaster,” said Iritumee with a slight bow. “Right this way.” Tihar nodded to his brother, instructing him to follow.

Iritumee led the two over to his station, and moved his levitating stool out of the way. After tapping one of his long fingers against the terminal several times, images of the planet’s surface began to scroll across the holographic screen.

“After the scan was concluded I discovered some... interesting... well take a look for yourself.” Iritumee tapped his finger on the console one more time.

Wide, distant images of the planet’s surface faded away into one of a more enhanced, close-up view. Tihar’s eyes widened.

“So that’s why the humans chose to stay here,” said Tihar.

“Records in the archives contain no information on the indigenous population,” said Iritumee. “I believe that the beings who live on this planet are the very first whom the Covenant has ever encountered. But if that is the case...” The young cadet turned to look up at his leader. “This situation has become far more complex than we once thought.”

“Indeed,” replied the shipmaster, as his eyes swam across the expanses of the orbital images.

Iritummee stared at Tihar for a moment, before a quick glare from his superior encouraged him to look away. “What shall we do?” he asked. “Shall I contact the Ministry of Conversion?”

“Do you know where the human ship landed?” asked Tihar, ignoring the younger sangheili’s inquiry.

“I... well... yes, Shipmaster,” he relied.

“Show me.”

Iritumee’s fingers flew across the screen, as he entered in several coordinates. In an instant, the image had changed into a top-down view of Cole’s ship. Small plumes of smoke were billowing out of the rear of the craft, becoming less and less noticeable, as human workers extinguished the fires. Two human transports were circling the rear of the ship, spraying white foam on the most pronounced hull breaches.

The ship has settled down alongside a river, which flowed from the mountains nearby. Tihar’s eyes followed the river all up the mountain, before his sight settled upon a mountainside fortress. Another human pelican had departed from the ship, and was settling down inside the city.

Tihar grunted. “It appears as though these beings and the humans are already well acquainted,” the shipmaster said, as he tapped one of his long fingers on the screen. The view zoomed in on the craft, which was landing next to another, long since arrived. They both were situated within the courtyard of a large, ornately decorated building. Tihar could see both humans and more of the strange, unknown aliens rushing out of the building to greet the new arrivals.

“When I pledged my oath to the Covenant, I swore to destroy the humans, no matter the cost,” said Tihar. “Whatever these being may be called, they seem to already be in an alliance with the humans.” he paused. “The way my eyes see it, the humans have already enticed these beings with their tales of woe and sorrow, into helping them. The humans made their decision, and so did they. It is too late for the Ministry of Conversion to act. The opportunity has been lost." Tihar released a sigh and bowed his head. "Inquisition had, after the time of their trial, deemed all humans to be heretics. Therefore, they all must be purged from the galaxy." he turned to face Iritunee. "And all those who ally themselves with the humans are considered Heretics as well. This situation has never been, nor will it ever be the concern of the Ministry of Conversion. This is military issue, and we will deal about it accordingly. Brother!" Tihar shouted, turning to face the Zealot. “Ready our warriors for a ground assault. We will launch our strike at nightfall. In the meantime...” he said, turning back to Iritumee. “I want our engineer teams working non-stop, until our primary weapon is once again operational, and the ship has returned to a combat-ready state.”

“Understood, Shipmater,” they both said in unison. Folve bowed out of respect to his brother, before proceeding out of the command bridge. Tihar watching him stride out of the room, until the door sealed behind his path.

“One last thing, if I may, Shipmaster?” asked Iritumee with a short glance up at his superior.

“What is it?” asked the elder, before turning back towards the younger.

“I want you to see this,” Iritumee replied, while tapping a long finger against the screen.

The orbital image of the courtyard magnified and enhanced itself, revealing each and every detail of the beings populating the open area before the palace. Tihar’s eyes locked onto the image of an older man, who was in the process of listening to one of the new arrivals. His eyes were cold and the hair upon his head had been reduced to a pale grey, from all the years of endless stress and conflict. Tihar wanted to feel anger, but the only emotion he received by watching the scene, was determination.

“Cole was never onboard the human cruiser,” said Iritumee. “He has been on the surface of the planet, this entire time.” the young Sangheili looked up at his shipmaster, causing Tihar to look down at him. “Even if we had destroyed the human vessel, Cole would not have perished. We would never have known that Cole was still alive, if not for our defeat.”

Tihar silently nodded as he allowed the scope of the situation to settle in. “This is the last mistake I shall ever make, regarding this human,” he said. “Their warship is crippled, and so is ours. They have the numbers, yet we have the strength. Their notion of hope gives them the commitment to fight, and the will of our gods is the wind beneath the wings of the Covenant.” Tihar paused. “I couldn’t ask for a greater fight. This is my destiny. Tonight, I will be judged on both my strength as a leader, and my allegiance to my faith. If it is my destiny to fail, I fail with honor. But if I am to succeed, we will strike a blow so severe into the hearts of the humans, that their morale will be forever scarred.” He paused. “And I have absolutely no intention of failing.”

Royal Palace, Canterlot, Equestria

“How long before their weapons systems are back online?” Admiral Cole asked.

The group of both humans and ponies had convened within the confines of the dining hall, to discuss the best plan of action, in regards to the Covenant’s unanticipated arrival in the planetary system. For the Equines, the emergence of a new threat, of which they have only ever heard stories about, was both confusing as it was surreal. Outside, the great sun continued to shower the land, and its inhabitants with light. By now, news seemed to be spreading that something big was happening, even though none of them truly knew of the deadly war which had now been brought upon their world. Messengers had reported to the princess that the majority of Canterlot’s inhabitants were perched upon the far walls, gazing down in wonder at the human spacecraft in the valley below. By now, the fires on the craft had been extinguished, and the vessel appeared only as a toppled column of metal, as if the Everest had once been a twin of the tall mountain which stood proudly above her. Several human dropships went to and fro, around the larger vessel, offloading supplies into the wide-stretching plains surrounding the Everest. Dozens of ground vehicles offloaded crates from the ship, while hundreds of human workers organized and stacked the chaotic amounts of supplies in an orderly fashion.

Both inside the palace, and beyond, ponies stood silent, wondering as to how something so large and powerful had ever found its way to the peaceful planet of Equis.

“Assuming that they likely have several Huragok onboard, the weapon will probably be back online in nine or ten hours,” said Ramirez, as he scratched his scalp with his right hand. “Twelve, if we are lucky.”

“That’s just too little time,” said McMahon. “We’re sitting ducks down here, and I don’t like it one bit. We have to do something.”

“We have to assume that they will launch an invasion of the city,” replied Cole. “Thus we must take every preemptive measure we can, to ensure the safety of everyone who lives here.” Cole sighed. Everyone sitting at the table was staring at him. Those who knew him, were trusting the Admiral to be the great leader they had always known him to be. Those who didn’t, were hoping that Cole would turn out to be as much as a hero as he appeared to be. “He wants me- the Shipmaster in charge of that vessel- and he will come after me, even if that means slaughtering thousands of innocents to get to me.” Cole turned to face Celestia. “Where can they go? Your ponies. It is no longer safe for them to be here.”

“In... the caves in the mountains,” she replied, her voice quivering. “They stretch on for miles, deep into the world’s crust. During the last battle of Canterlot, I evacuated the inhabitants of the city into those very caverns. If the city falls... they will be safe... at least for a little while.”

“Good,” Cole replied. “I need you to give the evacuation order, as soon as possible. The Covenant will likely choose my vessel as their primary target, but with the city being so close, we have to figure that they will attack Canterlot as well. As long as you get your ponies to hide deep within the mountains, our soldiers will be able to fight the Covenant, without the risk of civilian casualties.”

“Understood,” replied Celestia. “I just worry that...”

“I will make you a promise right now,” Cole said, interrupting her. “As long as I am alive, the Covenant won’t come anywhere near the entrance to those caves. I swear by my life, that I will do everything that I possibly can to keep your people safe.” he sighed. “This isn’t your fight. This never should have happened.”

There was a long moment, during which, no one said anything. Celestia merely nodded and looked away from Cole.

“Your highness?” asked Twilight Sparkle, timidly from across the table. “What about Ponyville? It’s so close to the city. Shouldn’t we evacuate my town as well?”

“Yes,” said Celestia, to her student. “I seems that we have to. Blueblossom!” called the Princess.

“Yes, your highness,” said one of Celestia’s advisors, as she stepped forward from behind a larger crowd of ponies, situated at the opposite end of the table.

“Blueblossom, I need you to contact the transportation authority. Have them divert all available trains in the area, to Ponyville. If they question it, tell them that it is a dire emergency and that there is not time to delay.”

“I will send some of my men to assist in the evacuations of both the city and the town,” said Cole.

“Good,” replied the Princess with a slight smile. “Thank you.”

“I’m not sure how effective my soldiers will be, when fighting this ‘Covenant’, but I will stand by your side,” said Shining Armor, who had arrived after receiving news about the situation. Cole glanced over at the stallion, and gave him an approving nod.

“I will see to it that your soldiers are instructed on how to use our weaponry,” Cole said. “I don’t mean to sound insulting, but you are going to want something that packs a bigger punch than arrows and swords.”

“Thank you,” replied Shining Armor. “I will ready our forces, right away.”

“Good,” said Cole, before turning back to face Celestia. “The more help that we have, the greater chance we have of fighting the Covenant off. Are there any additional forces that you can call upon?”

“There are,” said Celestia. “But when the Covenant interrupted your signal earlier, they seem to have also disrupted our mana transmissions, so we can’t send out a call for help. The nearest garrison of our forces is at Fort Dune, over on the western peninsula of the San Palomino Desert. However, even that is a two day’s ride by carriage, from here. I could send out one of my messengers to...”

“Umm, your Ma- Majesty?” asked Rainbow Dash, as she stood up from the table. “If you need a pair of fast wings, I’m your mare. I can get over there in less than a day, and deliver whatever message you need me to. Remember, I am the fastest flyer in Equestria.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow at the pegasus. “Indeed you are, my little pony,” said the Princess with a smile. “Very well, get over to the base, and find General Unprecedented. Inform him that Canterlot is in immediate danger, and needs immediate reinforcements. If he questions your authority, tell him that Princess Celestia says that the harmonic balance has not yet been broken. He will know what I mean. Ask him to send over his pegasi units right away, and follow up by sending in his entire airborne fleet.”

“Harmonic Balance. Not Broken. Send reinforcements. Got it!” said the cyan pegasus. “Is that all?”

“Yes,” said Celestia. “Now go, there is no time to waste!”

With that, the pegasus, turned around, snatched up her saddlebag and goggles, and soared out one of the open windows, heading due west, in pursuit of the retreating sun.

“The rest of you,” Celestia said, turning to face the five remaining Elements of Harmony. “I need your help.”

“What would you have us do, your highness?” asked Twilight Sparkle, standing up with the rest of her friends.

“Twilight, I need you by my side, to assist me in the coordination of all our actions,” replied Celestia. “Rarity and Pinkie pie, I need you two to oversee the evacuation of Ponyville. You two are the only ones that I can trust with that responsibility. Can I count on you two?”

“You’ve got it, your Majesty!” exclaimed the pink mare.

“Of course,” replied Rarity. “We shall see to it that everypony gets out safely. You have my word.”

“Excellent,” replied the princess. “Fluttershy, I need you to stay with everypony, once we get them to safety. If the city does indeed come under attack, they will certainly hear the commotion on the surface. They will be frightened. I need someone to stay with them, and keep them calm.” she smiled. “I know of no pony more qualified for the job, than you.”

“Thank- thank you, your Majesty.” smiled the timid Fluttershy from behind her pink mane, which covered half of her face. “You can count on me.”

“Remember,” said Celestia. “If all else fails, have them find comfort in each other. As long as they believe that everything is going to be okay, they will still have something to hold on to, even if...” her voice quivered slightly as a tear came to her eye. “Even if that something is no longer existent.”

Fluttershy shook her head in understanding, and Celestia turned away for a moment.

“Princess?” asked Twilight. “Are you alright.”

“Mmm? Oh, yes. I’m fine,” replied the Princess with a half-faked smile towards her student. Twilight simply stared at her with uncertainty.

“What about me, your Highness?” asked Applejack. “If ya’ll don’t mind me requesting, I would sure love to kick some flank when these aliens get here.”

“Applejack,” began the sun-goddess with a warm smile. “I look upon you as though you were a daughter of mine. I could never ask you to take up arms.”

“You’re not the one askin, your Highness,” said the farm pony, with a smile. “I am.”

Princess Celestia opened her mouth to speak, but no words came forth from her lips. Instead she nodded to Applejack. Her body movements were clear enough. Applejack nodded a quick “Thank you” to the princess, before looking away.

“It’s settled then,” said Admiral Cole. “I will send forces to assist in the evacuations of both Ponyville and Canterlot, and will have your soldiers given basic training on how to use our firearms. In the meantime, with your permission, your Highness, I will have my men begin fortifying the city perimeters. We will set up a perimeter defense of the cave entrances, as well as a blockade at each of the city’s entry points. The majority of their forces will likely insert via airborne drop ships, so I will have to dedicate many of my soldiers to anti-aircraft duties.” Cole paused. “If you have any objections, then...”

“No no no,” replied Celestia. “You do what you do best. I will not interfere. Just keep my ponies safe.”

“I gave you my word, and I intend to keep it,” Cole said. “Thank you. In the meantime, I will be heading back over to my ship, to oversee our operations. From there, I will be coordinating my forces. I know that I would be unable to sway your decision not to get to shelter, but I do ask that you stay in the palace. It is the next safest place that you could possibly be. I will dedicate a team of my finest soldiers to defend the palace, along with your guards. You have already met five of them.” Cole said, giving Scott Jeffries a glance. “They will keep you safe. I promise you that.”

“My own well-being is the least of my concerns,” said Celestia. “But I do appreciate the security. I will ask that my citizens stay out of the way of your soldiers, and move to safety in a calm manner. Hopefully you will have no interruptions from them.”

“Right now, time is our greatest enemy,” began Cole. “One which is very difficult to defeat. We must waste no more time. Here-” said Cole, handing his datapad over to Celestia. She picked it up, and studied it within her telekinetic grasp. “-They have shut down our long-range communications, but short-wave form still works. I will maintain contact with you, from my ship. Until then, your Highness, good luck.”

“Good luck to you, Admiral,” she replied with a light smile. “Be safe.”

Cole nodded, and turned away. McMahon and his other two officers followed Cole out of the room, and out into the courtyard, where a pelican was waiting for them. Scott and his team stayed behind, looking unsure of what to do.

The remaining ponies and humans inside the room walked over to the window, and watched as Cole’s pelican sped off towards the Everest. In the distance, the sound of thousands of tons of heavy machinery in motion was echoing throughout the city.

Celestia looked down, and watched as over a hundred of her guards rushed out into the city, and began knocking on doors. Several human soldiers were already fortifying the palace walls with weaponry and tall metal barricades, that had been offloaded from several human transports, while they were having their meeting.

“What do you think is going to happen?” asked Twilight Sparkle. “If the Covenant is as ruthless as the humans describe, do we have any chance at all? Do we have anything to hope for?”

“There is always hope,” replied Celestia. “All we can do is hold onto our belief that the powers of harmony will prevail. They always have in the past. There is no reason to doubt that power now.”

The violet mare looked up at her princess, doubtful but silent. Outside, a dark cloud cover was creeping in from the west. As the blanket of water vapor encroached upon the countryside, miles and miles of rolling hills were slowly cast into shade.

“I hope that the weather does not impede Rainbow Dash’s progress,” said Twilight as the wind began to pick up, throwing her mane haphazardly over her eyes. She flicked her head to the side, clearing her vision. “Not that I have any doubt that she will be successful, that is.”

“A lot rests upon her shoulders, at the moment,” said Celestia, as she analyzed the incoming cloud blanket. “Depending whether or not she reaches Fort Dune in time, could be all it takes to decide whether this city is to perish or to not.”

“And if the General’s forces are not enough to turn the tide?” asked the Element of Magic. “What then?”

Celestia was silent for a moment. In the distance, sheet lightning spread across the storm formation, sending sharp, bright flashes of light onto the countryside below. The princess thought about her evening flight through the storm just last night and how quite it was once she breached the cloud barrier.

“Admiral Cole has risen above the most dangerous of storms, in the past,” began the Princess. “And so have we. Countless times has he defeated foes who outnumbered and outmatched him, and so have we.” she turned to look down at her student. As their eyes met, Celestia gave Twilight a warm smile. “Through our combined strengths, and faith in each other, I know of no reason how we could possibly fail.”

The filly’s dark evergreen eyes reflected the sunlight which flooded in through her bedroom window. Sitting upon the window seat, she gazed down upon the wide Canterlot lane below. Citizens and soldiers hurried past one another in a chaotic frenzy of galloping hooves. Across the street, the Equinox family was loading copious amounts of furniture onto a wagon that clearly was not designed to bare such an extreme load. As they continued to stack, the crowd in the streets grew thicker. Random pieces of belonging floated about in the air as unicorns carried whatever the deemed most precious to them towards the heart of the mountain.

Suddenly, the low rumble of a zeppelin's mana engines could be heard from above. The filly looked up towards the sky, but what she heard was not a dirigible. Instead, a strange, sleek metal aircraft was following the crowd of ponies, from above. She squinted, just barely making out the shape of a uniformed stallion standing at the rear of the alien vessel.

“This is the Canterlot Security Council,” announced a loud voice from above. “Take only what possessions you can carry in a compact saddlebag. Leave everything else behind, and proceed calmly towards the shelter. You will not be able to bring anything else inside. I repeat, proceed calmly towards the shelter. Stay calm. Don’t rush. There is plenty of time to-”

The sound of the stallion’s voice was cut off as the aircraft hung a sharp right, turning down another street, hidden from view by a large building.

“Jane-Rose?” called the voice of a mare with a sophisticated accent, from the hall. “Jane, have you packed your bag?”

“Yes, mother,” said the little filly, turning towards her mother’s voice, before looking back out of the window. Held close to her chest by her forelegs, was a purple pony doll. Jane rubbed her cheek against the doll’s soft mane, which was made out of several strands of green yarn. It comforted her, just as she hoped the doll felt comforted the same.

Jane heard the sound of soft hooves approach, and stop next to the open bedroom door. Jane turned around.

Her mother was standing in the doorway, an elaborately decorated saddlebag strung to her flank, and a brush magically passing through her ivory-white mane. To Jane, she looked stressed. This bothered her.

“Are you ready to go, darling?” asked Jane’s mother, keeping both eyes fixed upon the mirror at the end of the hallway.

“Where’s father?” asked the filly, hugging her doll even tighter. She didn’t like it when her mother looked upset, as it made her feel uncomfortable.

The older mare hesitated for a moment before speaking. “He arrived at the Ponyville train station just a few minutes ago,” she said. “He just sent word in a letter. It shouldn’t be anymore than a few hours, and then he will be back with us.”

“Is he going to be alright?” asked Jane.

The question caught the mare off-guard. “Why of course he is going to be all right,” she replied with a less-than-believable smile. “Why wouldn’t he be?”

“What if the aliens get him?” the filly asked, as moisture began to form in her eyes.

“Oh, Jane,” said her mother, as she hurried over to comfort the filly. “The aliens are here to help us, not to harm us.” She wrapped one foreleg around the filly as she nuzzled her child.

“But I don’t like them,” said the young pony, as she whimpered into her mother’s shoulder.. “They’re big and loud, and mean-looking.”

“That’s because they are soldiers,” replied Jane’s mother as she ran her hoof through the filly’s short mane. “Don’t you remember the one time that those two guards told you to stop splashing around in the fountain, at the royal fair?”

The filly silently nodded into her mother’s shoulder.

“You were frightened of them because they looked mean and scary, right?”

The filly nodded again.

“But not all ponies are mean, are they?” asked the mother.

“N- no,” replied the filly, as she looked up into her mother’s eyes.

“Then why look at these humans any different,” replied the mother, kissing her filly on the cheek. “I’m sure that most of them aren’t mean at all. Right?”

The filly nodded, wiping away her tears with one hoof. They smiled at each other.

“Alright then, I suppose that it is time we should-”

There was a knocking at the door downstairs. Both of their headed whipped around towards the noise. There was a moment of silence, then the visitor at the door knocked again.

“Stay behind me,” said the mare, as she got up on her hooves and walked out into the hall. Jane followed close behind her mother. The two proceeded down the stairs, and to the front door of their city apartment. The older mare placed an eye against the small glass lens in the door, peering out into the street beyond. Two royal guards stood upon her stoop.

At the sight of them, the mare unlocked the door, and opened it for the two gentlecolts. Their gazes immediately fixed straight ahead, to address the mare.

“Good afternoon, ma’am,” said one of the stallions. “Our commanding officer told us that this apartment was to be visited. He said that we should check to see if you two were still here, and if you were, to escort you to the shelter, ourselves.”

“That would be my husband, yes,” said the mare. “We are all ready to go now, right, Jane? Do you have you things?”

The filly nodded as she peeked from her hiding spot behind her mother's leg, at the two tall soldiers.

“Alright then,” said the mare in a hurried voice. “Lead the way, sir. Jane, don’t let go of me, okay?” The mother suddenly lifted the filly onto her back, and noticed some degree of comfort return as she felt the little hooves cling tightly around her neck.

“Of course,” said the guard with a polite gesture. “Right this way, ma’am.”

With that, the four ponies proceeded down the front steps, taking the first leap out into the chaos that filled the streets of Canterlot. The guards brushed ponies out of the way, clearing a path just widen enough for the mare and her filly. The trek to the shelter wouldn’t be easy, but to the mare it was well worth it. If the princesses were frightened enough to order a mass evacuation of the city, then she wasn’t willing to take any chances when it came to the wellbeing of her child. No journey was more harrowing than the thought of losing her filly. That was all the justification the mare needed to make her decision.

UNSC Everest, Equestria

“Alright, Maya,” Admiral Cole began. “I want a list of everything we have. That means every single warthog, down to the very last M6 sidearm. I need to know all that we can use to hold off the Covenant if they decide to attack, and trust me, they will.”

“Retrieving log files now,” Maya reported from Cole’s earpiece, which was wirelessly connected to the datapad held in his palm. “Standby.”

Flanked on both sides by his officers, the vice admiral of the UNSC Navy strolled along a makeshift pathway, carved out of the various items which were being offloaded from the Everest. Stacks and stacks of heavy metal containers filled the space between Cole’s mighty flagship and the winding dirt road which was being used by various land vehicles to reach the city that loomed above.

Cole looked up, gazing up at the massive ivory-white silhouette that blocked out most of the sky to the east. McMahon followed his gaze.

“What is it, sir?” asked Cole’s executive officer.

Cole said nothing for a moment, simply staring up at the great mountainside city. “It would be a shame if such a beautiful monument were to fall, yes?” asked the Admiral.

McMahon glanced over at him, puzzled. “I’m sorry sir,” he began. “I am slightly confused. If it is the city you refer to, then yes. I wouldn’t appreciate it very much if it were to fall.”

“And why is that?” asked Cole, continuing to look up.

“Well,” began the Lieutenant. “While it is indeed a nice place, the safety of the Everest would be my concern. After all...” he turned around, facing the cruiser. “The Everest is currently the only way off this planet, and well... it is currently positioned beneath the city... which would be very inconvenient if it were to fall and crush the ship.”

Cole whipped around and looked at the Everest, and then back up at the City. “Indeed.” he said, and then continued to walk. “Maya, let me see what you’ve found.”

McMahon shot a glance over at Ramirez who responded by twirling a finger next to his head, and mouthing the word, “Crazy,” gesturing towards the Admiral. McMahon glared at him, before following in his commanding officer’s footsteps.

“Well, to begin with, we have plenty of food and medical supplies to last our garrison of forces for several months,” said Maya, as she relayed archive information to Cole. “When it comes to small arms, we have enough rifles and ammunition to supply more than five times the amount of our forces put together.”

“Good,” Cole replied. “Maya, I want our extra weapons to be sent to the Canterlot army. I have instructors ready to show the locals how to handle our weaponry as soon as they get the delivery.”

“Do you want everything sent, sir?” asked Maya.

“Everything,” replied Cole. “I don’t want there to be a single stallion in that city who is forced to go up against an energy-sword bearing elite, with just their steel blades. Remember, this is going to be the very first time any of them have faced a foe as strong as the Covenant. We need to drill it into their heads that all of the conventional tactics which they have been practicing for the entirety of their lives, is going to be almost useless against the Covenant. If we fail at that...” Cole hesitated, staring off into the distance, as he halted abruptly. “If we fail, then we are going to have a lot of dead ponies on our hands.”

His three officers looked at one another, behind Cole’s back, unsure if they should speak. Cole stood perfectly still for several more seconds until suddenly, for a reason as mysterious as to why he stopped in the first place, something brought the Admiral’s mind back to the present. He continued walking once more.

“Anyhow, what else do we have, Maya?”

“All warthogs are currently active, and assisting in preparations for the invasion,” said Maya aloud. “Twenty-five combat hogs; twenty LAAG and five gauss, plus fifteen more transport variants. Forty-five total.”

“Alright,” said Cole. “I want all combat variants set up at strategic chokepoints and blockades around the city. I want to make the city streets as treacherous to traverse for our enemy foot soldiers, as possible. All city entrances are currently being heavily fortified, so insertion via drop ship is going to be a must for them, if they want to take this city. How many tanks do we have?”

“Twelve M808s, sir.”

“Put two at each of the city's three main entrances,” Cole said. “That’s the Eastern Gate, Eastern Train station, and the Northern Gate. I also want four more to stay put, and protect the Everest. Keep the remaining two on standby, within the city. Accompany each with an engineer team. I want these things to last as long as they can.”

“Yes, Sir,” responded Maya enthusiastically.

“What else do we have?” asked Cole. “I know that we have four pelicans and four longswords, but other than that we have no air support. I don’t want to commit the fighters unless I absolutely have to, so keep them inside the hangars. Have the pilots stay on the alert, in case I need them.”

“Yes, Sir,” Maya said. “We do have several HAVOK tactical nuclear weapons in storage, but all missile delivery systems were used up during the battle of Psi Serpentis, so they are as useful as overly-sized footballs at the moment.”

“For the moment, yes,” Cole muttered. Maya threw a curious glance at him. “Anything else?”

“Yes... yes there is,” she replied. “Archives indicate that we have have a disassembled 15 cm Mark/2488 1.1GJ MAC, which has left to be offloaded from the ship.”

“An Onager?” asked Cole with a slight grin. “Well... that will certainly come in handy. Have it offloaded right away, and set up in the palace courtyard. I’m not sure how pleased Princess Celestia will be with a massive cannon put right in front of her home, but that is our best defensive weapon that we have at the moment, and I cannot think of a better place to place it. Can you?”

There was an awkward silence as Cole stared at his three officers. The three gentlemen glanced nervously at one another before Fosco spoke up.

“Um, Sir?” he asked hesitantly.

“I asked you three a question.” stated Cole blankly.

“Oh, no sir!” they all said in unison.

“Very good,” replied the Admiral with a smirk. “I’ll give the princesses a status update.”

Ponyville Train Station, Equestria

“What in Celestia’s name is going on?” asked Mayor Mare with a stubborn frown of her brow. “You can’t just barge into my office, and demand the immediate evacuation of my town, without at least explaining to me the Princess’s reasoning.”

“Ma’am, I...” began the armored stallion, just before the door behind him opened. Rarity and Pinkie Pie strolled into the office, just behind the guard.

“It’s alright, soldier,” Rarity said to the stallion, before turning to face the mayor. “I’ll handle this.”

“Rarity!” exclaimed the middle-aged mare. “Finally somepony who makes sense! Would you care to explain as to why I am being asked to...”

The tan mare’s voice trailed off as her gaze shifted to who had followed Rarity and Pinkie Pie into the room. A tall bipedal alien stood awkwardly in the doorway, clad in greenish-grey armor, and carrying what appeared to be a weapon of some sorts.

Rarity glanced behind herself and sighed. “I take it that this is the first human whom you have met?”

The man standing in the doorway nodded politely. “Pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” he said, his voice filled with uncertainty.

“I... I didn't expect them to be so tall,” said Mayor Mare. “Are all humans of your height?”

“Not at all,” replied Rarity, preventing the man from answering, himself. “Some are short and some are tall. This man just happens to be taller that some.”

The marine shifted uncomfortably on his feet, as the two mares discussed the physical characteristics of his race.

“I see,” said the Mayor, examining the alien. “Anyway, again, might I ask why I am being given this order?”

“It’s a long story, Mayor,” Rarity replied. “And I must admit, I do not quite understand it entirely, myself. All you need to know is that Ponyville is in immediate danger, and that everypony needs to be evacuated.”

“Evacuated to where, exactly?” she inquired with a frown. “It isn’t exactly easy to evacuate a town filled with several hundred ponies.”

“To Canterlot,” replied Rarity. “Princess Celestia has ordered all trains in the area to assist in delivering the ponies of Ponyville, to Canterlot.”

“Yeah, and-”

“Pinkie,” hissed Rarity. “Didn’t we agree that I would handle the talking?”

“Oh, right,” said the pink mare, pretending to zip her lips together with one hoof, before throwing that hoof up in salute.

“The Canterlot Caverns?” asked the Mayor with wide eyes. “What sort of evil is one that warrants moving so many Equines that far underground?”

“I am afraid it is a force unlike anything we have ever seen before,” said Rarity with a somber voice. “Something the humans have been fighting for decades. Something more powerful, and more evil than anything you or I can possibly imagine.”

“Dear Goddess,” replied the Mayor, her eyes widening. “And it’s coming here? To Ponyville?”

“I honestly don’t know,” said Rarity, truthfully. “In fact, no-one knows where it is heading. Not even the humans. Just know that it is here, and will likely make itself known to us very soon.”

The Mayor sucked in a deep breath of oxygen, held it in for a moment, before releasing it back into the atmosphere. “Alright,” she said. “If what you are telling me is the truth, then what would you have me do? The safety of the inhabitants of this town is the most important thing in the world to me.”

“Give the evacuation order, and ask all ponies to take only what they can fit in a saddlebag, and then proceed calmly to the train station,” Rarity instructed. “I have soldiers already there, ready to assist everypony onto the train.”

“Alright, alright,” said the Mayor with a nod, taking in all of the information being thrown at her.

“Tell them to take their time,” Rarity continued. “Once the first train is full, another will arrive shortly after to pick up the next group. This process will continue until everypony is safely away.”

“How much time do we have?” asked Mayor Mare. “What’s our window?”

“I don’t know,” Rarity said, her ears drooping. “I wish I did, although I am guessing no more than a couple of hours, at best.”

“A couple of hours?” asked the tan-colored mare. “That’s it?”

Rarity nodded to her.

“Well then,” said the mayor, standing up from where she sat behind her desk. “While we don’t have the best possible time frame to work with, I am not the kind of pony to say that it can’t be done. You have my permission. Do what must be done to keep my ponies safe, and please do let me know if there is anything else I can do to help.”

“You can start by getting ready to go, yourself,” Rarity said, turning around to walk out the door with Pinkie Pie and the two soldiers. “Once you are all packed up, we could use your help at the train station. No pony in this town listens to anypony, more than they listen to you. It would be great if you could help maintain the peace.”

“Can do,” replied the mayor with a half-smile. “Thanks for bringing this issue to my attention.”

“You’re welcome,” Rarity said, closing the door behind her as the human and the three ponies walked out of the office, and back out into the hallway.

Rarity let out a deep sigh, and said nothing as she leaned her head up against the far wall.

“Mmmmmggh!” Pinkie Pie explained, flinging her hooves up in the air.

“You may speak now, Pinkie,” Rarity grumbled into the white plaster.

The fluffy pink mare unzipped her lips and exclaimed, “WhatdowedonextRarity!”

The two soldiers winced at the outburst. The marine took one awkward step away from the mare.

“Actually, you could do me a really big favor,” said Rarity, slowly turning to face her friend. “I’m going to go tell the troops to get things underway, here.” she smiled. “Could you go over to Applejack’s farm, and let the rest of her family know that they need to get ready to go. I want them on the first train out of here. Please stay with them until they arrive at the station.”

“You got it, Rarity!” Pinkie Pie bounced straight up in air, hovered for a few seconds, before descending as slowly as a feather.

“And one more thing,” Rarity said. “My little sister is staying with them. Please help her to get all packed up, and look after her.”

Pinkie sucked in a huge breath of air, as if she was going to have another outburst, but instead she replied like a normal pony. “Sure thing, Rarity. You can count on me.”

“I know that I can,” replied Rarity with the most sincere smile she had given to anypony all day. “Thank you.”

The passenger train ground to a halt just as Sergeant-Major Greystone finished writing his letter. Glancing out the window, next to where he sat, the familiar thatched-roof buildings of Ponyville met his eyes graciously. He smiled. Being born and raised in the small village, Greystone jumped on the opportunity to visit his home town, as often as he could.

His smile suddenly faded as he suddenly remembered why he had been sent to Ponyville in the first place. As the train doors opened, and he stepped out into the warm sunlight, he tried to picture what the surrounding landscape would look like, should Ponyville suddenly cease to exist.

He couldn’t.

With a sigh, the letter that he held in his telekinetic grasp exploded in a plume of white smoke as he sent the document on its way.

He looked in both directions. Soldiers, both equine and human, crowded the platform. Some were offloading equipment for the loudspeaker system that they had planned to set up, in order to keep the evacuees informed. Others talked quietly, watching as the two embodied Elements of Harmony strode off towards town hall.

He wanted to help them. He wanted to do everything that he possibly could to keep the ponies of Ponyville safe. After all, he had grown up with many of those who lived in the small town.

Random townsfolk halted in their tracks to gawk at the strange gathering of force at their train station. The stallions waved politely, while the humans tried to do the same. Greystone couldn’t imagine what the human soldiers were going through at that very moment. After traveling the stars for distances he couldn’t even fathom, battling an enemy which sought with all its might to erase the human race from the galaxy, being separated from their families for years on end, and now here they were - being forced to play peacekeeper for an alien race which many of them had only met today.

While it completely boggled his mind, Greystone could not doubt the respect that he had for the human soldiers. Despite being placed in a situation which, in a way, was the most stressful one they had experience to date, their overwhelming loyalty to their Admiral and his wishes was enough to give them the motivation to help the ponies of Equestria. Being a pony of rank, himself, he was well aware how meaningful that kind of loyalty is to a leader.

“What are our orders, sir?” asked a female voice from behind him. Greystone glanced back.

Flanking him on his right side was a petite female guard named Diabyx and her brother, Miguerav, who was quite the opposite. She brushed one of her dark violet bangs to the side, as she awaited a reply from her officer. Her fur was that of a dark grey, which was a vivid contrast compared to Greystone’s lighter-colored coat. Tucked closely at her side, her bat-like wings flexed, causing the interlocking steel blades attached to them to clink together.

Both were once part of Princess Luna’s personal guard, but had since been reassigned to serve under Greystone’s command. While they were his subordinates, they were also two of his closest friends.

“We do what we were sent here to do,” replied Greystone, turning back around to gaze down the main street of Ponyville. “Follow me.”

With that, he started down the wooden ramp, followed closely by his two soldiers. As his hooves left the solid surface, and made contact with the dirt road, he smiled, remembering how much he preferred the soft feeling of the earth rather than the perfectly interwoven stones of the Canterlot streets.

As the trio proceeded down the middle of the street, ponies stopped what they were doing to watch them. Greystone gave a couple of polite nods to some of the familiar faces, but kept walking nonetheless. It wasn’t every day that these ponies saw Canterlot guards in uniform, let alone in their very own town.

They walked for another couple of blocks before Greystone turned down one of the side streets. Now away from the scrutinizing view of ponyville’s citizens, Greystone broke into a fast trot. Miguerav and Diabyx matched his speed as the trio quickly made their way down the street. At the very end of the narrow lane, Greystone came to a halt, and walked towards a small, single-story building on the right side of road.

Compared to the other homes in Ponyville, this building appeared no different than the rest. There was a small, brown picket fence surrounding the front lawn. The building itself didn’t stand out at all. It had a normal looking oak door, with normal-looking curtain-covered four-pane windows, and a straw-covered roof which was the same color as every other roof in the neighborhood.

Greystone walked forward, and pushed the oil-deprived front gate open with a loud squeak. His two soldiers followed close behind, visibly wondering as to why this building was so important. He trotted down the cobblestone pathway and up the front stoop, and knocked three times on the door. They waited for a full minute, but no one opened the door from the other side.

“I don’t think that anypony is home, sir,” said Miguerav with a chuckle.

“That would appear so, wouldn’t it?” replied Greystone, before slapping one hoof against a piece of siding, next to the doorframe. A seamlessly concealed panel in the wood slid away, revealing a black metal opening with a glowing red light above it. “Luckily they left a key under the mat.”

With that, Greystone fired a bolt of magic from his horn, into the opening. The red light turned to green, and the normal-looking wooden door slid straight up, granting the three ponies access to the building. Greystone stepped inside, and flipped on a light switch.

The room was entirely bare. Not a single piece of furniture decorated its interior. As it turned out, the windows that were seen on the outside of the building were fake, since their opposite sides were not present inside the room. Instead of a normal interior, the walls, ceiling and floor were all solid concrete. A single fluorescent light illuminated the perfectly clean room.

In the far corner of the room, a steel hatch on the floor was promptly opened by Greystone with his telekinesis. This revealed a set of concrete steps that descended deep underground. Miguerav and Diabyx followed close behind Greystone as he proceeded down the cold, hard stairs. The shaft descended for about thirty meters, before coming to a stop at a thick, steel door. Greystone opened up another panel, and entered in a number combination, followed by another blast from his horn.

On the opposite side of the door, they could hear the sound of gears turning, and machinery coming to life. Several seconds later, the door began to slowly slide open, and the trio of ponies were immediately met with a blast of cold air that made all three of them shudder. The door was over a meter thick of solid steel. Cold, metal rods jutted out from the side, pistons which would lock into the doorframe when the opening was sealed.

Finally, the door slid all the way into the opposite wall, and all was silent.

“What is this place, sir?” asked Miguerav with awe.

“Climate controlled archive storage,” replied Greystone as he walked into the room. “Everything that the Equestrian government doesn’t want our enemies to know about is kept within the confines of this room.”

“But why here?” asked Diabyx. “Why here, and not in the capitol?”

“Oh, these are just copies,” replied Greystone, as he flipped on another light switch to reveal a massive room, filled with rows upon rows of metal shelving. Stacked on these shelves were countless numbers of cardboard boxes, all filled with sensitive paper documents. “Our main storage center is actually in Canterlot. This facility was built so that in the case of one facility being compromised, the others would still be able to function.”

“Others?”

“That’s enough questions for now,” said Greystone, waving her off. “With both Ponyville and Canterlot being threatened, it is our job to make sure that none of these documents fall into the hands of the enemy.”

There was a pause.

“So... what are we supposed to do, sir?” asked Diabyx.

“Just hang loose for now, soldier,” replied Greystone, as he walked out of the main storage center, and into a side-room that looked strangely like a lounge. Several, large chairs were situated in the center of the room. Off in one corner, upon a small table, sat a record player, with a stack of dusty albums next to it.

“There is nothing to do at the moment,” said Greystone. “Not until the bad guys attack for real.” he opened up an ice box in the wall, and retrieved several glass bottles in his telekinetic grasp. After glancing at one of the labels for a moment, he held two out to his subordinates. “Cider, anypony?”

Fort Dune, Equestria

The sun was on its downward descent towards the western horizon. In a few hours, it would be sunset.

Covered in a thin coat of sweat, and standing upon the highest prairie-grass covered hill for miles, Rainbow Dash let the thin blades of grass tickle her hooves. She fumbled inside her saddlebag for her canteen, and took a healthy sip of the refreshing rainwater, which she had collected from the thunderstorm that she had passed through, only a few hours earlier.

She had made it through the hottest region of the San Palomino Desert, where the sand once stretched as far as she could see, but the temperature on the peninsula wasn’t too much cooler. Dotted here and there, amongst the hills, traces of the desert were still present. Tall cactuses and short, brown shrubs -peculiar dead-looking things- dotted the landscape all the way to the western sea. The scenery, however, was not what caught Rainbow’s attention.

Reaching up to remove the precipitation-covered goggles from her eyes, she then squinted in an attempt to block out the excess amount of sunlight flooding her vision.

Stretching out before her, reaching all the way to the tip of the desert Peninsula, was a massive, fenced-in complex, consisting of a large airstrip, several dozen hangars, barracks, a control tower, office buildings, a firing range, and many other buildings that Rainbow Dash couldn’t identify. What truly amazed her, though, were the several dozen large airships parked on the runway.

She had never seen such a concentration of military vessels in her life. They were all large, but there was one which was just massive. Held aloft by three, huge hoof ball-shaped balloons, it’s gigantic wooden hull was laced with cannons, all aiming outwards in different directions, so that the ship was able to maintain a three-hundred-and-sixty degree field of fire. On the front deck, was a massive ballista built upon a swivel mount. The steel-tipped bolt loaded inside looked as though it could pass through an entire building. It was the only ship in the air, mainly because it would not be able to fit amongst all the small ones crowding the airstrip.

She reached up, and wiped some of the sweat off of her brow. “Sheesh,” she muttered to herself. “Who ever thought it to be a good idea to build anything in the desert?” she took another swig of water. “This stuff is pretty cool, but I mean seriously, of all places!”

The desert responded with a sudden gust of wind, sending a loose wave of sand flying into her face.

Some of the sand went into her open mouth, and she struggled to spit out the fine particulates.

“Auuggghhhtttt!” she spat, expelling bits of spittle and sand from her mouth as she wiped her eyes. “Friggin’ A!” she ended up rubbing more of the stuff into her eyes, than what she was able to get out. “Buck you too, sand!”

With that final insult, she carefully stowed away her canteen, and kicked off the hill with a gust of wind from her wings as she sailed down towards the only visible entrance along the fence perimeter.

She had contemplated just flying over the fence, but the thought of being torn apart by cannon fire didn’t really appeal to her.

She calmly landed about thirty meters from the front gate, and proceeded in a normal walking pace to the border. Two uniformed who were inside the booth next to the gate, jumped from their seats at Rainbow’s sudden landing.

She could see one of them mutter something into a small device, before both stepped out of the booth to meet her at the gate.

When Rainbow Dash got within ten meters of the perimeter, one of them raised up a hoof, and ordered her to halt. She silently obeyed.

“What business do you have, here, traveller?” asked one of the guards.

“I have come to speak to your General,” Rainbow Dash spoke up, so that her raspy voice was audible to the two stallions. “I have been told that I could find him, here.”

“No civilians are allowed inside the perimeter without special permission,” said the other. “I am sorry ma’am, but I am afraid that I am going to have to ask you to leave.”

“And I am afraid that I cannot do that!” replied Rainbow. “Please let me speak to the General! This is an emergency!”

“Ma’am, I am not going to ask you again,” repeated the stallion. “Turn around, and return to wherever it is you came from.”

“If you don’t let me in, there may not be a place for me to return to!” shouted the pegasus. “Or anypony for that matter. Canterlot is in danger! You must let me speak to General Unprecedented immediately!”

The stallion said nothing, instead choosing to glare menacingly at the pegasus. Rainbow could see the muscles in his body tense.

“Oh,” Rainbow muttered under her breath. “So that’s how it’s going to be.”

Without another word, she turned around, and began walking down the dirt road, as though to leave, but then quickly whipped back towards the two guards and broke out in a frenzied charge.

“Rauuughh!” she shouted as she galloped mightily towards the two stallions. Both drew their swords, preparing to defend themselves.

Instead, before Rainbow even reached the two ponies, she kicked off the ground, spread her wings, and sailed over the gate, far from the reach of their steel blades.

“Alert alert!” shouted one of the guards into his communicator, as Rainbow sailed towards a row of office buildings. “We have a perimeter breach! Single pegasus, heading towards the northeast wing! Requesting additional security detachments to the office complex, immediately!”

Rainbow didn’t hear their calls for help, as she closed in on the first of several large buildings.

“Now if I were a boring, old general, where would I be?” she asked herself, scanning the building tops below her.

General Unprecedented stepped out of the lounge with a smile. Held in his telekinetic grasp, was a fresh cup of coffee, which he took a sip from with delight.

“Oh yeah,” he said to himself, chuckling. “That’s good.”

His coat was a cold, dull grey that contrasted greatly with his whitened mane. His face, covered with the wrinkles of age tensed and relaxed as he took another sip. He wore a brown-colored uniform, decorated with several military patches, and countless multi-colored medals. Atop his head, covering most of his white mane, was a brown-color beret, which too was highly decorated. In fact, the stallion had so many pins attached to his uniform that it looked as though any normal pony would not have been able to stand under the weight of it all.

Closing the door behind him to allow the officers inside some privacy, he then made his way down the hallway. On both his left and right side, large portraits of legendary Equestrian military leaders covered the hallway walls. As he passed one particular photograph, he gave it a respectful nod. The inscription below the portrait read, “General Unprecedented I.” After that photograph came three more, all of which he was related to. Unprecedented the Second, Unprecedented the Third, and finally his own portrait, which he didn’t glance at for a single moment.

As he reached the end of the hallway, he pushed the door open with one hoof, and was immediately greeted by the sound of sirens, and the wail of loudspeakers.

“Warning! Perimeter breach! All security teams to the north-east wing!”

Unprecedented frowned. Before him, about a hundred meters away, almost a hundred soldiers were running towards him. Airships began lifting off from the runway, battlewagons raced just behind the sprinting group of soldiers, and those standing watch in the towers took aim at the skies with their crossbows.

The general took one last sip of his coffee, and he gazed towards the onrush of ponies, emotionless. Half a second later, he felt a disturbance in the atmospheric pressure, just above him. He looked up just in time to see the cyan-blue pegasus descending upon him.

With one fluid burst of telekinesis, he caught the winged pony in his grasp. She tried to resist, but his magic was too strong, and he was able to completely paralyze the pegasus within the field of white magic.

Subdued, and immobile, the general brought the mare to float just inches from him. He took another sip of his coffee.

“Graaugh!” she groaned, struggling against the telekinesis. “Not friggin’ fair!”

The General said nothing as he stared at her without emotion. Several seconds later, the crowd of guards had the two surrounded, their weapons aimed at the helpless pegasus.

“Nevermind, command,” said one of the many soldiers into his personal communicator. “We have the subject detained. Situation under control.”

Unprecedented cocked his head to the side as he opened his mouth to speak.

“You lost, young miss?” asked the General with a smirk. “On the off-chance that you may have gotten drunk, and wandered out her by accident.” he pointed with one hoof, towards the north-east. “Los Pegasus is that way.”

“She must be, sir,” shouted a soldier. “She charged me and my buddy like a drunken lunatic!”

“Yeah,” affirmed another. “She was talking all kinds of nonsense, saying things like-”

“Enough!” shouted Unprecedented, shutting up the soldier.

“Ngghht- no!” exclaimed Rainbow, continuing to pitifully struggle against the strong field of magic. “I’m not drunk!”

“I didn’t think so,” said the General, his smile fading. “So, if you aren’t lip up like a light bulb, then tell me, why are you here?”

“I came here-” she coughed, struggling to breath from the intense pressure on her chest. “To talk to you. Can you-” she groaned. “Can you friggin drop the force-field thingy? It’s hard to breath.”

“And what if you decide to run off, again?”

“Like I said,” Rainbow answered back. “I came here to see you.”

The General held her gaze for another moment, before giving her a wide grin, and releasing the energy field. The pegasus fell on her flank, hitting the ground with a thud. As soon as she came in contact with the surface, the soldiers surrounding them tensed, and raised their weapons, taking aim at the pegasus.

“Ow!” she glared at him as she got up on her hooves. “You don’t have to be such a jerk.”

“Stand down,” he said to his men, waving them off with one hoof. The soldiers immediately lowered their weapons. The General took another sip of his coffee, returning his stare to the pegasus. “What do you want?”

“Did a simple hello really have to be this difficult?” she asked aloud, brushing a loose bit of her mane from her eyes. “Anyway, hello.” she said sarcastically. “My name is Rainbow Dash, and I am the element of-”

“I know who you are,” the General said, interrupting her. “Why are you here?”

She glared at him for a moment. “Fine then,” she answered. “I came here to inform you that Canterlot, and perhaps all of Equestria is in danger, and that Celestia-”

“Princess Celestia.”

“Princess Celestia, whatever!” exclaimed the pegasus, flinging her two front hooves into the air. “She is requesting that you send the entire fleet to Canterlot immediately. More than the fleet! Everything that you have!”

General Unprecedented gave her no reply for well over a minute. Rainbow stared intently at him. He met her stare with one of equal intensity.

“Forgive me, miss Dash,” began the old stallion. “You are they element of loyalty, and I know that you can be trusted. However, your request...” he chuckled to himself. “I apologize, but I am going to simply need more sufficient evidence before I commit the entire garrison.”

Rainbow Dash smirked. “Princess Celestia told me that you might say that,” the pegasus said with a grin. “And in the event that you did, she told me to tell you that the harmonic balance has not been broken.”

General Unprecedented’s stare went cold. His grin faded, and his muscles relaxed. The fire behind his eyes disappeared, only to return seconds later as a roaring inferno.

“Back to your posts!” shouted the General. “All of you!”

The soldiers hesitated for a moment before backing away, and scurrying off in different directions. The battle wagon drives pulled their vehicles away with sound of creaking wooden wheels, leaving the two ponies alone in front of the building. Only a cloud of dust lingered with them.

“Come with me, into my office,” said the General, holding the door open for the pegasus in a rather polite manner. “I need you to tell me everything you know.”

The Mountain Among the Stars

by Johnjohns

Prologue

I: Change

II: The Unknown

III: Where Loyalties Lie

IV: Contact Equestria

V: Beginnings

VI: Peaceful Relations

VII: Lull of Midnight

VIII: Twin Peaks