Author's Notes:

Theme for this chapter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8H2I2xhbhw

Luna looked around the dreamscape. The setting was peaceful, stable and very normal, a good indicator that the dream's creator was sleeping well enough. This place, for how unique it was, was familiar; it was odd, how each individual's dreams were as particular as they themselves were. Some were dark, others bright, but this setting was too lifelike to be created from sporadic wanderings of thought.

She'd been in these mountains before, not half a day earlier, and though the characteristic emerald green grass of the Macintosh Hills beneath her hooves was an intangible concoction of the dormant mind through which she wandered, it felt real. She'd been here before. She'd seen the trees, smelled the crisp air, heard the birds' songs on the mountains' breeze; this dream was a memory, only one not of her own. She was searching through somepony else's nocturnal recollections; she needed only to find the specific memories she was looking for.

She could hear the excited shouts and exclamations of Twilight and Rainbow Dash in the next meadow, chasing after the aliens' craft as it fell from the sky. But she knew what would come of that endeavor; she needed to know what had preluded first contact, what had drawn Twilight into the mountains before the Arbiter's ship had come down. Fire in the heavens and on earth, Star Swirl had said, and Twilight had written that she'd seen smoke, smoke that Luna could now see, though barely, rising above the aspens. She needed to find what had caused the meteor shower, because it certainly hadn't been meteors. The princess waited for the sound of the pair of ponies to disappear into the next knoll, and with a pump of her wings, she took to the sky.

It was easy enough to find the crater, but even for its staggering size, it seemed small compared to some of those she'd seen on the moon. As the alicorn descended into the depths of the expansive pit, the ashen air about her like a calm snowstorm in the mountain's breath, she scanned the greyscale earth for anything to aide her search. As she set down in the crater's center, smoky dust and cooled embers rising up about her obsidian legs, she saw that the desolation of the impact was not completely unyielding.

"So this is the answer," she said quietly to herself as she looked down, seeing the large, smooth purple object in the dust, hoof prints immediately around it in the dirt testifying that the Princess of the Night was not the first to come upon the object.

The alicorn smiled, pleased with her discovery as she bowed her head slightly. She closed her eyes as she felt the dreamscape begin to swirl around her, and she felt a lurching feeling in her stomach as she once again joined the tangible realm. She reopened her eyes when the feeling of falling had passed, the view of a moonlit Canterlot from her bedchamber's balcony greeting her.

She again smiled slightly to herself as she blinked away the trance she'd been in, the white power of alicorn magic vacating her eyes as she slowed her heart. She'd found what she was looking for; she'd found an answer.

Beneath the starry skies, she turned to the West, and flexed her wings. With an exhale, she kicked off from her veranda, and wings pumping, she made for the Macintosh Hills.

Later...

The light of the morning trickled over the horizon, and bled through the window like the flow of a quiet river. The ivory walls were dappled in lambent gold as the sun showed its face and night turned to day. The radiance of dawn reflected off of the dust in the air, creating an essence of glitter all about the room as shadows stretched to the West. All was peaceful; all was still.

And as the peace of the morning charted an illuminating course for the Arbiter's dormant figure, slumped in the corner of the room where he'd originally settled for the night, visions of chaos and horror were dispatched by his eyes' sudden opening. His chest expanded as he drew in a sudden, surprised breath, but when he was reminded where he was in body, he chased his dreams away with a groan. The sun's warmth called his attention away from memories and to the world beyond his window. He blinked at the light as it worked its way up his chest and into his eyes, and he sighed.

He rose, his armor's weight familiar as he slowly stood erect. The room seemed blinding, white walls shining as the light met their stainless exterior. The Arbiter sighed again, relishing each breath of crisp morning air as he began to make his way towards the door.

He pushed the entryway open gently to be greeted by the sound of a synchronized salute, and looked up to find his brothers in arms waiting for him, their fists placed over their breasts in perfect unison. They stood at attention outside their rooms, silent and still as they waited for the bidding of their superior; such was customary regardless of the setting, whether a training common house or a ships' quarters. The Shipmaster stood in the middle of the hallway, the morning light making his armor all the more lustrous as he waited as well, though his rank exempted him from a strict code of conduct when it came to formations; he looked to the Arbiter with a nod of greeting upon seeing him enter their company.

The Arbiter looked to each of the warriors, their faces hidden by their helmets' black masks. He gauged the Mgalekgolo as well, their gargantuan posture not as noble, but disciplined none the less. The Arbiter walked down the center of the hallway, approaching Shipmaster 'Vadum amidst the motionless SpecOps Elites under his command. They shared a salute, the Arbiter dismissing formalities with a grunt of approval.

"At ease," he muttered, and with the sound of the unanimous movement of armored warfighters, the congregation stood at rest.

"All are present. No incidents to report," commented the Commander, his scarred maw catching the Arbiter's eye as he spoke.

"Have you seen the princesses as of late?" the Arbiter asked, looking over his shoulder and down the hall to make sure they were not already in their presence; 'Vadum shook his head 'no'.

"Hmm," the Arbiter hummed to himself, "It appears that we are free to do as we please."

"We await your orders," responded the Shipmaster as he gestured to the others with an open hand.

The Arbiter felt his stomach churn as his counterpart concluded, and he remembered none of them had eaten since before they were shot down.

"The princess said meals are served in the hall," he remembered aloud, "We will go there, until we can reunite with them, and continue discussions."

"As you wish," responded the Commander, and he turned to the others, signaling for them to follow as the Arbiter led the way down the otherwise vacant hall.

They came to the massive dining hall after a short walk, and upon approaching the long chestnut table, they found it stocked from end to end with myriad varieties of food on silver platters, causing a hushed albeit excited commotion from the group.

"Thank the gods," one of the Elites began as they collectively quickened their pace towards breakfast, "We've eaten nothing but the starch of the agricultural vessels for years. I, for one, will enjoy this meal."

They reached the table in stride, but found that the first platters were adorned with a green plant of some kind, small red berries spread around the dish's perimeter to create an exquisite presentation. The congregation moved farther down the tale, only to find another dish consisting of only fruit. They moved on again, and found slender, orange vegetables arranged in a very artistically designed salad with small, green treelike plants on the side.

"What is this... foliage?" one of the Sangheili seethed as, disgusted, he let a handful of lettuce fall through his fingers and back to the table, "We are not Colo."

"Where is the meat?" another asked, frustrated as he threw his thick arms towards the table's spread.

The Arbiter groaned in his throat, looking down slightly as the others grumbled all around him and the Mgalekgolo took to standing around, waiting.

"It would appear our hosts are herbivores," the Shipmaster said disapprovingly, shaking his head.

"This is what we have been offered," the Arbiter began, turning to the others as he gestured to the table, "and so we shall accept it. Set aside your desires, and accept the gifts of our hosts without further complaint. Such is the behavior of a respectful guest, and I expect nothing less from the lot of you."

Not another grumble came from the Elites as, begrudgingly, they did as they were told. The Arbiter distanced himself slightly from the group as they began the arduous process of eating, their needle-like teeth and mandibles nearly useless in grinding the fruits and vegetables into a substance able to be swallowed, never mind the sylvan taste.

The Arbiter continued farther down the table, looking for anything somewhat familiar or remotely appetizing. He found no such thing, and was near the far end of the table when he settled for a leafy breakfast. He was struggling to choke the vegetation down when his attention was seized by a newcomer behind him.

"Arbiter," he heard a cordial female voice say, and he turned to see that Princess Celestia had entered from the far side of the dining hall, "I see you have found the banquet table."

"Hmm, Princess" he said a he gave a nod of greeting, briefly looking back wishfully to the many courses adorning the table's platter, "You are alone this day?"

"Yes," she responded as she approached across white tiled floors, her hooves' clapping against the marble seeming to carry through the massive room, "I pray you forgive my sister's absence. Her duties have her currently distracted, I'm afraid."

The princess reached his side, and smiled pleasantly up at him.

"How did you sleep?" she asked to receive a blank look from the towering Sangheili.

"I sat," he said plainly as his eyes drifted back to the table, "and closed my eyes."

The princess drew in a breath as she realized her greeting's failure at conveying her intentions, and befuddled, she tried to correct herself.

"No, it's... it's a customary greeting in Equestria," she explained, "something we say when we first see one another after the sun's rising."

The Arbiter nodded slowly to himself, and adopting a very regal posture with feet staggered and one arm extended before him, he bowed, and asked, "How did you sleep?"

The princess opened her mouth to correct again, to say that he was using the phrase far too formally and that it was a statement of nothing more than good natured hospitality, but no words escaped her mouth. Rather, she decided it best to smile, and casually return the Arbiter's gesture with a bow, saying, "Very well, thank you."

The two straightened up, the Arbiter's tall stature causing Celestia to crane her neck up to look him in the eye. He returned her gaze, and with a subtle hand gesture, he asked, "Have you come to a conclusion, regarding our earlier conversation?"

Celestia was impressed by how to the point the Arbiter was, as if he had no notion of idle conversation. Everything he said served a purpose, and he made no room for small talk. Equestrians' socialization habits revolved around the pleasantries of casual dialogue, and it seemed that the Elites were their opposites in that fashion. She was impressed with his focus, but it made seeing him as more than a figurehead or an ally difficult; it was nearly impossible to think of him as a friend.

"Yes," she responded, returning his formalness, but before she continued, she hesitated, arranging the words in her head so they came across in the best possible form, "My sister and I have agreed that we shall aide you in any way we can. But, should a decision have to be made between your safety and the safety of Equestrian citizens, we shall choose to protect our own."

The Arbiter nodded in understanding, responding with, "Very well."

There was a pause as the princess waited for the Arbiter to speak, but when he appeared to be doing the same she took it upon herself to keep the conversation alive.

"I also would like to apologize again for how brash Luna and I were upon our first encounter," she said with a trace of regret, looking down a bit.

"I understand your actions were done with the intent of keeping your citizens safe," the Arbiter admitted, striking a tone of amicability, "You reacted defensively, and you knew not whether we were foes. Your sister first introduced you to the Shipmaster and I as protectors, and you have proven it so."

The corners of Celestia's mouth drew up in a small smile, "And so, it would seem, we shall have to protect what we love together."

The princess hesitated for a moment, not noticing the Arbiter's subtle nod, before she asked, "Do you fight to protect something?"

The Arbiter's look of confusion prompted her to expand, asking, "Do you fight because these Remnants hate you, or because you hate them?"

The silver of the Elite's armor glinted in the morning sun, coming through the skylight, as he growled, "We are enemies. We hate each other."

The princess was unsatisfied with the answer, sighing as she swallowed an expression of discontent.

"A true soldier fights not because he hates what is before him, but because he loves what is behind him."

The Arbiter turned his barreled chest to the princess and stepped closer to her, his imposing stature matching his stern tone as he looked down at the alabaster mare before him.

"Your idea of war is far different from mine, princess," he rumbled with passion but without hostility, "Rarely are its reasons for being waged simple enough to be likened to a coin's faces. And yet, like you, we so often choose to see it as so. It is easier that way."

The princess took a moment to reflect on the traces of pain, masked with conviction, in the Arbiter's voice.

"I assure you, my motives have my people's safety and security in mind, but likening my conviction's origin to simple love or hatred is misplaced," He looked away, taking a short stride in the direction of the other Elites as his eyes rested upon them, "It is much more than that."

"Sister," came a new voice suddenly, and the Arbiter whirled around to see Princess Luna alighting at her sibling's side, her chest heaving with a burden of urgency.

"Princess Luna," the Sangheili said in greeting as he performed a very respectful bow, "How did you sleep?"

"Not a wink," the alicorn said quickly and with little emotion, dismissing his posture as a formality, "I thank you, however, for your hospitality."

The dark mare quickly leaned in closer to Celestia, lowering her voice slightly to avoid her message being delayed any longer; clearly, it was as pressing a matter as any.

"Sister, there has been a discovery," she said, "Your presence is needed in the library."

The ivory alicorn stepped back a bit, eying her sister with habitual and preliminary caution as she tried to gauge what might have transpired without her knowing.

"We will need the Elements of Harmony too," continued Luna, short of breath as if she'd just flown across the nation, "as well as the Elites."

Celestia again looked at her sister with doubt, as well as a hint of confusion.

"You think they are ready?" she asked, not minding her voice's volume as she stole a glance at the Arbiter's tentative stature, "To meet them, I mean."

"They will have to be," said Luna, urgency pervading her tone, "Only by combining the pieces of the puzzle can we see the whole picture, and it's time we began sorting these riddles of late into answers."

The white alicorn was unmistakably doubtful at first, but as she silently reflected on all of the implications and possibilities of Luna's suggestions, her eyes glinted with a trace of understanding.

"Very well," she said as she looked into Luna's eyes, a look of reassurance reflected in her counterpart's gaze, "But I will be the one to retrieve them."

The sisters shared a nod, and after giving a slight bow to the Arbiter, Celestia turned, and retaining her regal composure, walked out of the hall the same way she'd come.

"Arbiter," Luna said amicably, drawing his perplexed focus from Celestia's retreat and onto herself, "would you come with me?"

The foreigner looked back to the others, meeting the Shipmaster's verdant gaze even from the far side of the hall. He gestured for them to join him, and immediately, the white armored warrior gutted the cud he'd been chewing and dropped his plate, and he called the others to duplicate his trek to the Arbiter's side.

The Arbiter looked to the princess before him, his comrades advancing on them from afar, and with a very proper extension of his arm, offered a simple, "Lead the way."

Earlier...

"Twilight."

The unicorn's ears twitched, the simple warmth of sleep sealing her eyes like glue; she remained impervious to attempts to penetrate her closed eyelids, regardless of the familiar voice that kept uttering her name.

"Twilight," the raspy voice came again.

"Five more minutes," she groaned, curling up tighter into the cushions of the chair that served as her current bed.

A sudden thud, accompanied by a sound not unlike a squeaky toy being compressed, hit her head, and Twilight's head came up from underneath the sage green blanket draped over her back like a groundhog resurfacing after a long winter just in time to see a lime green bouncy ball slowly rolling away from her. Groggily, she probed the room with sleep ridden eyes, until she found her assailant lying on the hospital room's bed, and looking to her eagerly with a pair of very awake magenta eyes.

"Did you throw a ball at me?" she groaned, her voice dry and monotonous.

"Why do you think the princess is lying?" Dash asked, leaning towards her from the hospital bedframe.

"Lying?" the unicorn responded with a stifled yawn, specks of light coming through the shutters drawn over the window.

"About the aliens."

"She's not lying," Twilight said, her ears twitching as Fluttershy, of all ponies, growled in a very loud snore from her night's resting place atop Rarity on an armchair in the corner, "She's keeping secrets."

"Like that's any better?" the pegasus responded, trying hard to keep her voice hushed, so that the others may not hear.

"It could be," Twilight reasoned, slowly coming to be fully awake, "Just think about it. What if all of us knew what we know? Even then, we don't know a lot. All we really know is that the Arbiter and his buddies are here, they're warriors from anywhere but here, that they killed the red ones that attacked us, who were definitely not the same faction, and that thing from the crater may or may not be correlated with them."

Dash was quiet, the gears turning in her head as she processed a thought.

"Not a lot to go off of," Twilight admitted, "And the first thing everypony would want to do would be to ask questions. Why are they here? How did they get here? Is it safe to have them around? And nopony knows the answers yet."

"We would all start looking for answers," Dash admitted, agreeing with the unicorn, "I sure tried. I just can't seem to think of anything else but what happened earlier. I even dreamed about it."

Twilight took a deep breath in through her nose, letting it out slowly.

"I think the reason they're keeping this a relative secret is to tell the truth at a more convenient time, once they've got everything figured out," the unicorn sighed, "Then everypony will have their answers, and there'll be no need to go crazy with not knowing."

"I guess you're right," Dash admitted as she sat back into her bed, her head bouncing off of her very firm pillow, "But why wouldn't she trust the others with knowing what we know?"

"She didn't tell us everything either," Twilight reminded, holding her blanket close to her chest with her forelimbs, "I sure don't know where the aliens are being kept. All Celestia agreed to was that they'd be offered shelter. Then Luna brought us back here so you could get healed up. By the way, how are you feeling?"

Dash tilted her head as she shrugged, looking down at her swollen midsection with an expression of indifference as she said, "Pretty good I guess. A little sore but that's it."

"And honestly, I think if Pinkie knew, the whole kingdom would know in a few minutes," Twilight said quietly, refocusing the conversation, "She'd probably try to welcome them with a fiesta or something."

"Fiesta?!" Pinkie suddenly exclaimed, her eyes shooting open as her head lifted itself from dormancy, somehow adorned with a massive sombrero; she reached into her mane and promptly produced a pair of maracas, giving them a quick shake as the faint notes of La Cucaracha played in the distance.

The others quickly jolted awake as well, Fluttershy cutting off a snore as she sat up, startled, one of Rarity's forelimbs clutched in her grip like a teddy bear.

"What about a ciesta now?" Applejack asked groggily, somewhat irritated as she too sat up out of the chair she'd fallen asleep in, her hat askew on her brow, "Y'all woke me up to tell me to take a nap?"

"Pinkie, it's too early for a cultural celebration," Rarity said as she tugged her forelimb from Fluttershy's vice-like grip to rub her eyes free of sleep, "But seeing as we are all awake, I don't see why we can't at least send for a spot of food."

"See if they have pancakes!" came the sound of Spike's voice, the mares looking into the far corner of the room to see a purple talon extended out from underneath a blanket, a conspicuous bulge in the cloth completely concealing the voice's owner.

A sudden knock prompted seven heads to snap to the door, and Twilight got up to answer as Fluttershy opened the shutters and Applejack took to her morning stretch, the bones in her back audibly popping as she limbered up.

"That'll be breakfast," Dash said as she glanced at the room's alarm clock, confirming that meal time was nigh.

The light rushed in through the window as Twilight opened the door, revealing the splendor of Princess Celestia, her august mane catching the morning's light in a display of regal majesty. Her presence alone was humbling as her height filled the doorway.

"Princess?" Twilight asked aloud, causing the others in the room to focus on the doorway with surprised eyes.

"Good morning," the alicorn bid maternally, her voice strong and deliberate.

She waited until she had the attention of all in the room before she spoke again, their wide eyes and loose jaws a monument to their surprise at seeing her.

"Everypony, if you're able," she said kindly with a concerned look in Rainbow Dash's direction; the pegasus gave a subtle nod to affirm that she was indeed alright, "I'd like you to come with me. There's someone I'd like you to meet."

"You mean somepony?" Pinkie asked as she leapt from her chair, her attire of earlier gone without a trace.

"Not quite," the princess said cryptically, and she turned slightly from the doorway, gesturing for the others to follow with a turn of her head, "Come with me please."

They followed immediately, trailing behind the monarch as she proceeded down the halls of the Canterlot Medical Wing, heading for the palace's center.

"Who could she mean?" Fluttershy asked quietly, her blue eyes worried with persistent nervousness, "I don't like meeting strangers. I hope they're nice."

"I think I might have an idea," Twilight admitted slowly as she shared a glance with Rainbow Dash, who had walked clear of her first few limping steps, "If I'm right, you're all in for a surprise."

They passed by the throne room, the doors to the massive space kept open and the guards absent with court not being in session. They passed the dining halls of both the West and East Wing as they traversed the palace from one side to the other. It took long enough, but eventually, they came to the doors of the library.

"Before we meet them, I urge you all to remember everything you've learned since you came to bear the Elements of Harmony," the princess said sternly, turning her back to the library's entrance to speak to her followers, "But more than that, I urge you to trust me."

"Why wouldn't we trust you, your Highness?" Rarity asked, looking to her friends for reassurance as Celestia's coral eyes alighted on the alabaster mare's gaze.

With that, the princess turned, pushed the doors to the library gently open, and stepped inside. The bookshelves were massive, reaching all the way to the vaulted ceilings above, rows upon rows of them climbing alongside symmetrical corridors, each originating from the center of the polished floor, a mosaic creating the royal seal in the tiles making up the center piece. But, in the center of the seal, where normally a titanic globe was kept, was an object veiled in a white furniture sheet. The mares, along with Spike, took a moment to appreciate the scope of the library's arsenal of compiled knowledge, as well as the skill in the artwork of the floor, waxed to a near reflective shine. But, as their eyes wandered towards the ceiling, the doors opposite the entrance through which they'd come, on the far side of the library's central floor, were thrown open, and led by Princess Luna, a congregation of tall, bipedal figures strode into the vast chamber housing Equestria's archives.

The newcomers spread out facing Celestia, their stances strong and their physiques imposing, the weapons on their backs and the armor on their bodies ominous. The Elements and Spike, at the princess' back, said nothing, and as Luna joined her sister, two much larger green clad figures ducked in through the doorway, standing just inside the entrance. Once all were assembled, the Matriarch of the Day spoke.

"May I introduce you to Canterlot's most recent guests," she said, turning slightly to look each of the Elements in the eye, some of their expressions calmer than others, "The Arbiter, his Shipmaster, and their comrades."

The newcomers gave a synchronized salute as they were mentioned, the sound of their fists clapping over their breasts echoing through the library.

"What are they?" Applejack asked, taking a subconscious step closer to the princesses as she met the fierce blue gaze of one of the foreigners, his face shielded by a metallic black mask.

"We are Sangheili," the Arbiter rumbled in response, stepping forward from the ranks with the ivory Shipmaster close behind, "but it has been proven much easier for your kind to refer to us simply as Elites."

His lumbering gate brought him to the Elements' presence, and he gave an elegant bow.

"How did you sleep?" he asked, causing the mares to share a confused look between one another; his question went unanswered, and he did not act as if he had expected it to be.

There was an awkward silence in the room, both parties quiet out of discipline or shock, but the Arbiter eventually took it upon himself to break the silence.

"And you are Twilight? And you, Rainbow Dash?" he asked as he took a step nearer the two, their somewhat familiar gazes more approachable than the overwhelmed expressions of the others, "Princess Luna has informed me of your singular titles as champions of this land, Elements of Harmony. May I compliment you both, and you as well dragon, on your tenacity. Rarely have I seen any creature stand so effectively against Zealots, as you did yesterday."

"What is he talking about?" Fluttershy whispered to Rarity at her side, careful to remain unheard as the Elite's eyes silently probed each of them.

"Let's just say Rainbow wasn't exactly hit by a tree," Spike said, deflecting Rarity's look of confusion with a shrug.

"To the four of you, I apologize," the Arbiter continued as he approached the others, his engraved armor working up his torso, directing their eyes to his intense amber stare, "We have never met before, but I assume, united, you make up Equestria's six greatest heroes."

"Arbiter," Celestia interceded on behalf of her company's stunned silence, "this is Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie Pie, and yes, these six before you make up the Elements of Harmony."

"Wait, so they're... I've never heard of Elites," Applejack stuttered, pointing towards the Sangheili with a waving hoof as her eyes implored an answer first from Celestia, then Luna, then Twilight, until she was answered by the Shipmaster's baritone.

"Nor would I expect you to have heard of us," he said, crossing his arms and putting his weight back on one leg.

"Yesterday afternoon was the first meeting of our species," Princess Luna explained to those who didn't know, "The Arbiter and the Shipmaster acted in defense of Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Spike, effectively saving their lives."

"Soooo," Pinkie began, "they're friendly?"

"Yes," Twilight answered, a pink blur shooting from where Pinkie had been standing towards the Elites before she could fully finish; all assembled looked to where the mare had gone, to see she was wrapped around the leg of one of the SpecOps Elites in the formation, causing quite a scene as first he tried to dislodge her with a shake, then a kick, then a much more vigorous kick while her hug of endearment held true, and Twilight, watching somewhat amusedly and somewhat concernedly as the Sangheili became distraught at Pinkie's welcome, continued, "for a militant organization of stranded extra-terrestrials."

"Wait, you said they acted in the defense of Twilight and Dash," Rarity said, looking to the princesses, "What were they defending them from?"

"What did he say earlier... Zealots?" Applejack said, just as confused as her alabaster counterpart.

As the Elite Pinkie had taken a liking to tried to pry her off, at least, until the Arbiter held out a hand signaling to simply let her be, Twilight sighed, and turned to face her assembled friends.

"I should probably just start from the beginning," the unicorn admitted, drawing in a deep breath before she began, "The short version is that two nights ago, Spike and I saw a meteor shower while stargazing. But, the meteor shower was previously unpredicted. It wasn't natural, and the next morning, we saw smoke in the Macintosh Hills."

"I saw the smoke that morning too," Dash added, stepping closer to Twilight as she told her story to her friends, "and when I got done clearing out clouds for the day, I decided to go check it out. I ran into Twilight and Spike about a mile outside of town."

"We went into the hills and found the smoke's source," Twilight continued, "It was a crater, a big one. At the bottom we found an object of some kind. It was purple and made of some kind of metal I think. Before we could inspect it any further, we saw the Arbiter's ship coming down. We left the crater to follow it, and we eventually found the crash site. That's where we were attacked."

"Attacked?" Fluttershy gasped, "B-by what?"

"The Covenant Remnant, Zealot class," explained the Shipmaster stoically, his bulky arms tensed, "We know them as enemies, a splinter faction of religious fanatics within our race."

The Arbiter stepped closer to Twilight, addressing her curiously.

"You say you found something prior to our landing?"

"That would be this," Princess Luna said in response, seizing the Arbiter's attention as she approached the veiled object in the library's center, pulling the sheet clear to reveal the object in question: large, purple and contoured, a few dents in the exterior, the foundation it stood on misshapen, and one surface smooth and clear.

"What?" Twilight asked as she took a double take on the purple object, the Elites looking upon it astounded as well, "How did it get here?"

"I retrieved it," Luna said calmly as she stood at the object's side, "Rainbow Dash's dreams revealed its location, and I took it upon myself to secure an object of such importance."

Without a word, the Shipmaster approached the library's center, and with strong hands, pried a service panel off of the object's shell, revealing wires and power nodes within. He picked at the interior, a few electric shocks complaining against his intrusion as the Arbiter watched over his shoulder.

"So... what is it?" Rainbow Dash asked calmly, leaning against a bookshelf.

"A console," explained the Arbiter as the Shipmaster concluded fiddling with the inner workings of the device, and stood to place a hand on the flat, transparent surface of the object's top, "used aboard Covenant ships."

Somewhat less confused expressions on the faces of the equines than before gave him his response.

"You are correct," the Shipmaster said as he glanced over his shoulder to Twilight and the console lit up green, "The meteor shower you saw was not natural."

The Arbiter took a deep breath in, and standing tall, he grasped the attention of all in the room.

"Prior to our arrival to this system, we engaged the Remnant's combined fleet on the far side of this galactic quadrant," the argentate warrior explained, "After the engagement, one battle-group of their fleet fled here. One of the ships of this battle-group, however, was damaged, and was torn apart when it made the jump. The debris of its destruction must have caused the anomaly you observed. You would likely be able to find more pieces of its hull and infrastructure among the hills, but it would seem this singular piece was all your search yielded."

"Our pursuit of this battle-group led us to this planet" the Shipmaster said over his shoulder, his attention once again seized as he poked at the verdant screen of the console before him, "When we engaged them, our individual craft was shot down, causing us to enter your atmosphere for an emergency landing. The Remnant forces were able to call for reinforcements sometime after we were disabled, and our fleet was forced to retreat. Thus, our stranding."

"And so we know how two of the parties in the hills met yesterday," 'Vadum continued, looking coldly at Princess Luna, who was still standing at the console's side, "But the third has yet to explain itself."

Luna shared an uncomfortable glance with Celestia, and the eyes of the Elements drifted curiously to the Princess of the Sun.

"Twilight sent us a message regarding her findings before her self-induced expedition," the white alicorn explained, "We knew what had transpired was not natural, and so we sought her safety."

The Arbiter stepped forward challengingly, his heavy presence resounding in the otherwise silent room.

"Then why did you arrive dressed for battle?" he rumbled, his growl repeated by the other members of his race at his back.

"A prophecy," Luna responded firmly and without delay from the Shipmaster's side, ignoring his suspicious glare without apprehension.

"Prophecy?" the Arbiter responded with a meager snarl, "If you would learn anything from my kind's mistakes, learn it is wise to refrain from trusting the words of prophets."

"Star Swirl the Bearded was no mere prophet," Princess Celestia retorted hotly, causing the Elements to subtly move nearer to her with wide eyes, "His predictions have proven nearly infallible in the past. He foretold of Nightmare Moon's first and second rebellions, of Discord's return and of King Sombra's rise and fall. The greatest events of this world's history were written of by his quill centuries before they transpired. He even predicted the coming of these six that stand before you."

"What does this prophecy say?" the Arbiter asked half-heartedly.

Princess Luna trotted to one side of the chamber, unlocking a glass case built into the side of one of the bookshelves, and produced one of the many scrolls it harbored. Gingerly, she unraveled it, and turned towards the others, reading it aloud in a projected voice.

"For I have seen fire in the heavens and on earth. I have seen worlds colliding, and the fate of Equestria decided by angels of light and of darkness. In the depths they fought over whether this world would burn. But before Terminus is won, stars shall be swept from the sky, setting the lands below to flame. And the Fallen shall rise from the ashes to claim what is theirs, all as the Oracle has professed. This and much more will come when martyr's blood flows like dusk over the horizon."

"Quite vague," the Shipmaster chuckled from the console's interface as Luna replaced the scroll, locking the case once again, "As prophecies are meant to be."

They all looked to the white armored figure as he worked diligently, his fingers precise in their movements on the screen's surface.

"I will take action on reality," he said condescendingly, turning towards the equines and gesturing to the focus of his attention, "This console is a transmissions relay, the heart of a capital ship's communications functions."

"Like a telegram?" Rarity asked, contributing her refined tone to the communion of voices much larger than hers.

"Can you use it to, ya know, phone home?" Pinkie asked gleefully, suddenly materializing at Rarity's side and looking expectantly with big blue eyes to the Arbiter.

"We could if we had any Huragok. The transmitter is damaged beyond repair," the Shipmaster explained, "but both the log and the receiver are still functioning. We can listen, but we cannot speak."

"What will you listen to?" asked Twilight.

"This console is tuned into the Remnant's battle-net," furthered 'Vadum, "We can eavesdrop on our foes without them knowing."

"Pull up the log," the Arbiter commanded, "See what we can learn about our quarry."

The Shipmaster placed an open hand on the screen, and slid his fingers together to make a fist while white symbols on a backdrop of green responded to his touch, and the console began to emit a conglomeration of Sangheili voices. Again, the Shipmaster waved his hand over the interface, cleaning up the signal, and a single voice became audible while all present were fixated with perked ears.

"Our communications are once again functioning. Call to the fleet. Tell them we require assistance in keeping these Heretics at bay."

"From the space battle," the Arbiter said, receiving a nod from the Shipmaster as he isolated another transmission.

"Shipmaster Vol, Fleet Master 'Mdama has ordered you to continue your investigation of the planet. The Librarian's pet has convinced him this world is of importance. Scour the surface. Report findings to the Song of Retribution. We will continue our pursuit of the Heretics' ships."

"Shipmaster Vol?" 'Vadum said inquisitively as he once again turned to the Arbiter, the only one in the room who had an expression of comprehension, "It would seem our adversary is commanded by the Justiciar of Truth, Kar Vol."

"Justiciar of Truth?" Princess Luna said, "Is this some kind of office, or perhaps a rank?"

"Do not let his title's noble diction fool you," Shipmaster 'Vadum counseled, "He was an enforcer for the Prophet of Truth in the days of the Covenant, his sole purpose to exterminate non-believers and heretics. He was the most wrathful, ruthless, brutal Sangheili I ever met in my service, and he has had ample time to hone his craft. It would seem the Prophets' absence has allowed him to find new purpose with the Remnant, as many who share his family name have also done."

Another uneasy look went through the equines' gathering.

"What else does it say?" the Arbiter petitioned, and again, a new transmission was isolated.

"Ships will maintain orbit above the planet. Dispatch advance teams to find the artifact, and to secure an area suitable for Fleet Master 'Mdama's eventual arrival. Standard infantry will provide security."

"The battle-group stayed behind," concluded the Arbiter aloud as the Shipmaster continued tapping away at the console.

"We have intercepted a distress beacon on the surface. Moving to investigate. Postpone landing operations until further notice."

"Landing operations?" Twilight asked aloud, her rhetoric going unanswered.

"Heretics' presence confirmed! Cleanse this world of their blasphemous ways!"

"And there's the fanaticism," Spike said sarcastically, pointing to the console as he shook his head, "Whatever happened to tolerance and religion going together?"

Twilight gave him a reprimanding look, but Spike only shrugged it away as yet another signal came over the console's speakers.

"Two of our brothers were lost in the fray. The Heretics are a worthy opponent, but cowardly. They have allied with indigenous beasts, and since slunk back into the shadows like the vermin they are; contact has been lost. Continue with the landing operations. Scouting parties, continue the search. The Librarian's pet would not have directed us here without purpose."

"That was the most recent of the transmissions," Shipmaster 'Vadum said after a pause as the console went silent at his touch, "Everything else I found in the log is either irrelevant or scrambled."

The Arbiter nodded, his focus geared more towards getting the facts straight in his own mind than seeing to it that the others understood as well. When he was sure he had everything right, he turned to his hosts.

"It would seem we know the cause of the Remnant's actions thus far," he said.

"The Librarian's pet? Heretics? Song of Retribution?" Applejack, frustrated and confused, responded, "What exactly did we learn!?"

"The Librarian's pet is likely a Reclaimer," explained the Arbiter, "Who, I am unsure. I know not of any alliances between the Remnant and humans. But, the Librarian... such could only mean they are indeed here to search for an artifact."

"Gosh, every answer brings up more questions," Twilight said quietly to herself, causing Pinkie to zip to her side.

"Yeah, but if we take time to explain everything right now, it might get boring," the pink mare whispered as if telling a secret.

"Who is the Librarian?" asked Princess Luna, oblivious to the words of the mares behind her.

"A god," came the simple answer as the Shipmaster's ragged mandibles twitched, "A Forerunner of Requiem."

"And what of the rest of these... implications?" Celestia continued, her patience beginning to wane, "Please, do enlighten us with your conclusions, and let us make some sense of this babble."

The Arbiter drew a breath, and stepped forward.

"They came here originally to search for an artifact, but were surprised when we engaged them here. They must have thought we would pursue the fleet's heart, the Song of Retribution, away from this system. Their reinforcements saw to our fleet's displacement, and they reassigned a team of Zealot scouts that had been searching for the relic they believe is here to investigate our Phantom's distress beacon. Upon finding Twilight and Rainbow Dash at the crash site, they attacked. The events that followed their aggression forged our alliance, which was witnessed and reported, likely by the third of the Zealots we never found."

The Shipmaster passed his hand over the screen of the console, and more glyphs began flashing across the interface, his eyes watching them intently.

"The good news is they do not know where we are," the white Elite added, "We walked to this palace. They had no communications or ship borne signals to hone in on, and once we destroyed our drop ship, all hints of our existence disappeared in their eyes."

"Except, of course, that they saw you," Rainbow Dash scoffed, feeling quite secure in the princesses' massive shadows.

"All they know now is that we are on the planet," The Shipmaster continued confidently, "And we know right where they will be."

He stepped back from the interface, a series of symbols highlighted at the screen's center, and the Arbiter stepped to his side.

"Landing coordinates?" the warrior asked as he saw the console's face, confirming he was right with the Shipmaster's determined nod.

An unanimous growl reverberated from the Elites on the far side of the room, and they grew uneasy in their previously disciplined formation, like dogs waiting to be let loose of their chains.

"Wait," Twilight said in anxiety, stepping forward as she spoke the thoughts, blatantly present in their distressed eyes, of all equines in the massive room, "Just wait. Should we really instigate violence without first attempting diplomacy?"

"They do not see you as anything more than common beasts," the Shipmaster growled in response as he stepped between the Arbiter and the ponies, "and they see us as the pinnacle of disgrace. Why would they take time to consider your pleas, or show us any mercy?" The Shipmaster began to pace like a caged lion as he continued, his voice subtly climbing, "Our sole purpose now must be to prevent the Remnant from finding an artifact. Suffering is the only path suitable for non-believers in their eyes, and a relic's presence here marks this planet as a temple of the utmost sanctity. If they do, their wrath will be swift, and this world will burn until its surface is but glass."

As the Shipmaster finished, the Arbiter groaned, realizing what his counterpart had done. The shock value of this revelation was obvious in the response of the equines, the Elements' eyes widening as they stepped away from the aliens, and the alicorns stepping forward in silence, their glaring eyes and parted mouths a prelude to their horns and eyes beginning to radiate an intense white light.

"What?" Celestia seethed, her power, for the minute, contained.

The Shipmaster glared back, facing the alicorns down as his wide chest heaved with each breath, and the Elites behind him tensed their hands over the grips of the weapons on their hips.

"You did not tell me the scale of our enemy's capacity for annihilation!" Celestia accused, her voice well above her regular tone as she advanced upon the Shipmaster, "The entire world is in peril?!".

"Nor did you tell me the truth of this prophet, whom you hold on such a lofty pedestal!" 'Vadum yelled back, bearing down on the alicorn as well.

"Silence!" bellowed the Arbiter suddenly, stepping between Celestia and 'Vadum, his bulk and presence defusing the aggression that had become so prominent in the cavernous archives as he first glared down the princess, then turned aggressively to the Shipmaster, his arms flexed at his sides.

"I will not sit here squabbling like children while our enemies prepare a force to meet us," 'Vadum snarled as he leaned around the Arbiter's girth, pointing an accusatory finger at the alicorns, "We should be out there, meeting them in battle, as our honor mandates! But they would seek to appease them!" He looked into the Arbiter's eyes challengingly, "We should not have entered this alliance!"

"Know your place, Shipmaster!" The Arbiter roared, towering over his counterpart with shoulders cocked; he'd never had to do such a thing before, but that only made his stand against his brother in arms all the more potent, "Do not let your passion endanger our purpose! I am aware of the traditions of old, and of the sacred laws of combat. We will not retreat, we will not surrender, no matter how dark the night or how ferocious the storm, but I will be the one to give orders!"

"And neither you nor I have the authority to risk the lives of millions!" Celestia, emboldened by the Shipmaster's suppression, criticized, "You told me only that Equestria was at risk from this Covenant Remnant, so I acted to preserve my kingdom, but I cannot sanction matters that endanger the entire world!"

"There will be no risk if we stop them," The Arbiter rebutted as he whirled around to face the ponies, "Yes, this world is in danger, and yes, this information was withheld from you. Does this make the threat any less potent? You are the leader of your keep. I suggest you use your position for accomplishing something rather than allowing fear to give birth to inaction."

As the Arbiter spoke, the Shipmaster prowled back into the midst of the other Sangheili, leaving him to consult the still angry princesses.

"If you have warriors, now is the time," the Arbiter urged, "This is the only counsel I can give, and you would be wise to heed my words. I know not if this prophecy of yours has any truth in it, but I assure you, the danger posed by the Remnant is very real and very near."

The Arbiter turned to his comrades.

"Ready yourselves for combat!" he bellowed, causing an excited ruckus from the other Elites as they cast their fists above their heads.

"You would meet them in battle?" Luna asked, shocked, "You are hardly an army, and Equestria must be mobilized if we are to fight these invaders."

"You are correct," the Arbiter answered, turning back to the alicorns, "We are not an army, we are a resistance. We are but a few, daring to stand against many. And so we shall continue to stand, as long as honor flows through my veins and vigor fills my hearts," he placed a fist over his breast as he paused, looking fiercely to the sisters "Will you stand with us?"

The alicorns were silent, and the mares behind, their eyes wide, had subconsciously moved even closer to the exit. There was no response to the Arbiter's question.

"Very well then," he rumbled as he turned around, and stalked back to his own kind, "We will fight our mutual enemy, even if you will not."

He stopped at the head of the formation where the Shipmaster was standing, his shoulders slouched as he glared across the floor to Celestia, whose demeanor was just now beginning to calm down. The Arbiter placed a hand on his shoulder, and the intensity of their eyes met. The Arbiter gave a nod, and walked past his comrades and out of the room while the Shipmaster raised his arms to his men.

"Let us remind this bastard Vol and his dogs that the Swords of Sanghelios still draw breath!" 'Vadum yelled, his roar reciprocated as he drew his icy blue sword and thrust it into the air, "TO WAR!"