PONY EXPRESS, EQUIS ORBIT

1527 HOURS

When Aaron arrived back onto the corvette, he made his way to the bridge where Kenwood would be waiting for him, and hopefully the royal sisters as well. They needed to be informed after all incase their subjects, and their world would be involved in a galactic war.

As he entered the bridge, he saw Kenwood, Zeke, and AJ all present and waiting for his arrival. Celestia and Luna were, for the moment, absent.

“Excuse me, sir. But where are Celestia and Luna?” Aaron asked.

“They should be here soon,” Kenwood replied. The captain wasn’t entirely sure when their arrival would be, but hopefully it would be soon.

“Perhaps they just have to finish their duties before they can get into their arrival Pelican,” AJ assumed.

“Or maybe they prefer a space chariot instead of an enclosed winged and armored box,” Zeke added.

After about several more moments, Celestia and Luna entered the bridge with the escort of two marines who apparently were leading the way. At least that way, the two sisters wouldn’t have to be worried about getting lost on a strange alien ship.

“Princess Celestia and Luna. Thank you for coming,” Kenwood addressed.

“It’s our pleasure,” Celestia replied with a slight nod. “But do you please mind telling us what this is all about?”

“Also; can we please have a better choice for transport next time?” Luna complained. “Those flying machines of yours are not very suitable to our liking.”

“Don’t be rude, Luna,” Celestia scolded.

“Our sincere apologies that your trip here wasn’t convenient to your preferences, your majesties. I’ll give order to put the Express in atmosphere so you can get back to Canterlot when we open our hangar doors for one of your chariots,” Kenwood explained. “I’m sure that would suit you better.”

“Thanks for your generous offer, captain,” Celestia said with a small smile.

“Don’t mention it. But now, let’s get to the reason here,” Kenwood said and faced Aaron.

“Go ahead, Jensen.”

“Thank you, sir,” Aaron said nodding. “Well what I’m about to share with you is just an assumption through--but it’s a pretty credible one because I don’t know what else on this planet would cause it.”

“Cause what?” Celestia asked raising a brow.

“Purple clouds that can burn off fur and flesh at just a touch,” Aaron replied officially.

This statement made Celestia and Luna’s eyes go wide with surprise and shock! Why would this human say such a suggestive thing?

“No. We don’t know anything on our planet, or our kingdom that would cause such a thing. Equis is supposed to be pollutant free,” Luna said.

“Well it looks like it’s not that way anymore,” Aaron said shaking his head.

“But who is doing this, though?” Celestia demanded for the sake of the safety of her and her sister’s subjects. “Pollution is illegal on Equis.”

Aaron decided it was the moment to just cut to the chase.

“I do not wish to cause alarm to you, your majesties--but I fear that the Covenant has made landfall on Equis, and that they have a citadel base set up somewhere in the region the witnesses are calling the San Palomino Desert. The pollution is the result of the citadel’s manufacturing installations,” Aaron stated keeping a calm composure and tone even though he was nervous to report this--especially to the princesses.

The room and atmosphere were dead silent for a bit, but the jaws of Celestia and Luna hung open with their eyes dilated to express their fear and shock.

“Are you sure your suspicions are correct, Jensen?” Kenwood asked, unsure about Aaron’s claim.

“I would never kid about my reports, sir. Especially if I requested to give one,” Aaron said with a now serious tone and expression.

“W..what are we going to do?” Luna asked, visibly shaken. “Everypony’s going to perish if we don’t do something!”

“Like I mentioned before, the Covenant want humanity dead, not your species,” Kenwood reassured. “Plus, they wouldn't come here unless they were looking for something.”

“But for what? You mentioned to us that this diverse extra-terrestrial collective seeked objects left behind by this Forerunner race,” Celestia demanded, expressing close to the same hysteria as her younger sister. “Me and my sister have never been acquainted with the Forerunner empire at all when it existed. We are immortal after all, so we would’ve been aware of their presence in our universe.”

“I'm as confused as you are ma’am. But what we should figure out now is how they found your planet in the first place,” Kenwood stated.

There was yet another brief moment of silence as everyone thought of a credible theory for how the Covenant could’ve found Equis.

Just then, Aaron spoke up.

“I think I may have an idea,” he said.

“What?” everyone else said in unison.

Aaron then faced Kenwood.

“Sir. When I contacted this ship from the surface of the this planet; was the channel I was transmitting on secure?”

“We weren't exactly sure,” Kenwood replied shaking his head. “But the COMM officer reported that the signal you were transmitting to us was way above what was necessary. Can I at least ask you how you managed to pull this off?”

Aaron was put at a fork in the road situation now because he had two options that each had their own dire consequence. Either he lies to save the relationship between the UNSC and the equines--also to save Twilight from being punished by Celestia since it included her involvement. This choice could also damage his reputation as a respectable soldier.

The other choice being is to tell the truth, but it would have the opposite effect.

Aaron was tempted to tell the truth, but thought back for when Twilight saved his life from a pack of angry Timberwolves when he was exploring the Everfree Forest. Sure his first contact with Twilight was sort of rough at first, but it smoothed out. It took a bit longer with Applejack though, but he believed he won over her friendship as well. He couldn’t throw that all away after it just happened in a brief moment.

Something about the planet made Aaron want a bond with the equine creatures, even Twilight and her friends. More specifically; it was Twilight and her friends.

The influence they had on Aaron was showing him that he could not only be friends with his fellow soldiers, but with civilians of an unknown but highly intelligent equine race.

“I’m afraid I don’t have any clear idea at all, sir,” Aaron lied. “I’m just going to guess that when the Pelican crashed, the impact somehow must’ve jumbled the signal transponders--but miraculously kept them intact. I’m as confused as the rest of you, I admit.”

“Very well then,” Kenwood said. “Still, I advise that you, Fredrickson, and Harrison go to the site of this incident at once. If the Covenant somehow intercepted your transmission, and traced it here--we have to take action before they can put whatever plans they have here into motion.”

“But why haven’t they engaged us yet?” AJ asked. “If they knew we were here, why haven’t they tried to eradicate us from the picture?”

Aaron took a brief moment to think.

“My theory is that they’re curious about this planet like we are,” he said. “They're probably trying to gain as much intel as they can before they go into action.”

“What will they do though?” Celestia asked. “They aren't going to hurt our subjects as your captain said, right?”

“I wouldn’t think they would, ma’am. But they would want something with your subjects. But I assure you, we’ll get to the bottom of this.”

Celestia was hesitant at first because she wasn’t exactly sure if Aaron was being sincere or not; but she remembered the faith she put into the UNSC for the protection of her ponies. She also recalled the plan they discussed if the Covenant found Equis.

“Should I issue our own military to start evacuating everypony?” she asked Kenwood.

Kenwood put his hand up to his chin as he thought out the situation.

“Not yet, ma’am” he finally said. “The planet isn’t under siege. As far as we know, the Covenant are holding back on any sort of confrontation for the time being, but I’ll have Jensen and company recon the area. Just stay here and look after your people. You should also notify Princess Twilight of the situation as well. Speaking of which, where is she?”

“I told her to stay in Ponyville, sir.” Aaron said. “I wanted her to look after her friends and to make sure they prepared themselves if anything happens.”

“Understood,” Kenwood stated and faced Celestia and Luna. “When we give word for a possible evacuation, do whatever you can to gather all your subjects together and inform them of the situation. I’ll be sure to get as many of the UNSC fleet as I can to Equis so they can help in the evacuation procedures. Is that clear, your majesties?”

Both Celestia and Luna nodded.

“Yes, captain,” Celestia said, before turning to Aaron and his friends.

“I wish the three of you good luck. Please report back anything you find, and be careful. The fate of Equestria, and all of Equis rests on all three of you--and all the UNSC.”

“Will do, ma’am,” Aaron said. “I wish both you, and Luna the same luck to help look over your subjects.”

“Let’s get going,” Zeke urged. “The longer we stand here talking, the more time we’re giving the Covies to draw out their plans.”

“Fredrickson is right. Report to the armory and get yourselves suited up and prepped for your mission. Who knows what the Covenant are up to, but let’s not wait around to find out,” Kenwood ordered.

“Yes, sir,” Aaron, AJ, and Zeke said and saluted in unison before leaving the bridge.

Kenwood then faced Celestia and Luna.

“I’ll bring the Express down and have you two dropped back off in Canterlot. No need to keep you up here.”

“Thank you, captain.” Celestia said.

“We greatly appreciate it,” Luna added, relieved that she wouldn’t have to get in a stuffy Pelican again.