John Vacca tapped on the microphone attached to the headset, "Testing... testing. How do you read me?"

Colonel Holiday responded on his own headset, "Loud and clear, Sailor." His voice was an unhappy monotone. The whole scenario did not sit well with him, nevertheless, President Seviston, his Commander And Chief, had ordered this to happen.

Colonel Holiday checked all the printouts from the readings that had been taken earlier. He was looking for an excuse, any excuse to postpone the meeting that was supposed to happen between the Sailor and the dark blue horse creature. Holiday did not trust the thin alien horse. She spoke English entirely too well and she was obviously some... thing that was used to being obeyed. He did not trust it or anything it had to say. By its own admission, it had been willing to invade American soil in a clandestine manner with an unspecified number of likely combatants for untold and likely nefarious purposes. It was so obvious to Colonel Holiday, yet President Seviston demanded that this Sailor be allowed to speak with the creature. Worse yet, the President had ordered him to turn the Command Center into a goddamn daycare. He seethed silently as the sounds of the two children still crying while clinging to their father.

"Would you shut them up, Sailor?" Holiday barked sharply.

John replied to the Colonel calmly, "They're fine, Colonel."

"Their constant blubbering is interfering with my men's radio work. They are about as far from 'fine' as I am from being a woman." The Colonel said. John ignored the man and continued working with his headset. The Colonel shook his head, "What kind of man brings his children to something like this."

John answered patiently, holding his emotions in check, "A man who’s willing to do what’s required of him by his country despite all that’s happened to him and his family." He turned and looked at Colonel Holiday, "Now do you have any other questions you’d like to ask me Sir? Because if not, I’d like to do what I’ve been brought here to do so I can see to my family and spare you any further annoyances."

* * *

John slowly approached the hole in space. His two children were with his wife's mother, who was watching from the side of the parking garage, keeping the two still sniffling children quiet. The entire family and every person who had been taken, were there in the containment facility. John refused to do anything until they were all present and accounted for.

The portal had opened up thirty feet behind the entrance gates of the parking garage of the Complex. Every possible entrance and exit had been sealed and cordoned off. The scientists had taken readings and collected and studied samples galore, before allowing anybody to approach the gate. The scientists had found no traces of any sort of foreign bacteria, radiation, spores, or any hints of disease. Their findings had indicated that aside from the alternating day and night cycle, the world on the other side of the portal might have been earth.

John was nervous. There was some sort of opaque forcefield blocking the mouth of the portal. He had no idea how he would get in touch with who or whatever was on the far side. John finally reached the mouth of the tear in space. He had no idea what to do, "So do I just knock and see if somebody answers?" He spoke into his headset.

"Try talking to it." Colonel Holiday's voice responded in exasperation.

John cleared his throat, "Uh, hello?" He asked the opaque barrier.

"Hello?" A slightly distorted masculine voice answered him in English, "Is someone there?"

John was surprised to hear a voice answer so quickly, "Hi, I guess. It would be nice to see you though. My name is John. I'm, uh, Chris Vacca's brother. Is he around by chance?"

"You're related to Chris?" The voice asked, "Well I would shake your hand, but the barrier is in the way... and Luna isn't here to take it down." The voice paused for a few seconds before it spoke up again, "Officer Thompson to Headquarters, I have a John here at the portal. He says he's Chris's brother and he wants to talk to him."

The voice spoke to an unseen and unheard person, "Copy that." After a short pause, he spoke again, "Hey, John? I just spoke with Headquarters. They're going to get in touch with Chris for you. Just stay put."

John found himself shrugging before remembering that the other person couldn't see him, "Sure."

John waited patiently until he heard a voice he never thought he would hear again, "Hey Thompson, what's going on?"

John heard Thompson answer, "Oh, greetings Princess Luna, Chris. There's a guy on the far side of the portal who claims to be your brother."

John heard a somewhat deep feminine voice answer, "Oh excellent! Perhaps we can finally make some progress."

John heard footsteps approaching the barrier, "Hello?"

John recognized the voice of his brother. His breath hitched in his throat as he tried to speak. He had not let himself believe his brother might have actually been alive. Now that he was faced with the possibility, John found himself unable to utter a sound. Chris spoke up again, "Is somebody there?"

John choked on his words, "Chris!" He yelled suddenly, "Oh god! Is that really you!?" He touched the barrier, trying to reach his brother, "I... I can't see you!" He felt his chest tighten with desperation. He needed to see his brother, to know he was really there, to know he was still alive, "I need to see you!" His fists pounded against the opaque barrier, "I can't see you!"

"Luna, drop the barrier." Chris spoke.

The barrier dissolved and John's hand passed through, nearly throwing him off balance. He stumbled, bracing his left hand on the edge of the portal. He quickly regained his balance and looked up. The world seemed to stand still as he met another pair of eyes. John knew those eyes. He had grown up seeing those eyes every day. He had seen those eyes for years. He knew those eyes like he knew his own face. In that moment, he knew. Any doubt was washed away. John knew this was his brother. There was something undeniably different about him, but this was Chris.

John's eyes watered as his brother stared at him with his hands on his hips, "Hey John."

John swallowed hard as he reached out and hugged his brother, "Oh god, Chris!" His grip tightened, "I never thought I'd see you again!"

Chris hugged his brother back, "I was afraid of the same thing. That's why I opened this portal."

John sniffed back his happy tears and released Chris, "YOU opened this thing?" John asked, gesturing to the portal.

Chris smiled hugely, "Neat huh?" Chris asked, admiring his portal, "I needed some help, but yeah, I made this. Portals are... kind of my thing."

John snorted, "'Your thing?' This isn't the game, Chris?"

Chris garnered a mischievous look and waved his hand, opening a portal behind himself, "No games, John. Real portals at my command." He gestured to the blue Alicorn behind him, "Luna helped me learn to control them." He shrugged.

John's eyes shifted to the Alicorn, "Uh... what?"

Chris chuckled and turned toward Luna, "Come on, Luna. Introduce yourself."

Luna approached confidently, "Greetings." She spoke in perfect American English.

John blinked once, blinked twice, blinked a third time, and shook his head, "Woah! She talks?"

Chris chuckled and scuffed his foot against the ground, "She does a great deal more than that."

Luna gave John a slight smile, "Indeed, I am co-ruler of our nation. The translation of its name, for American English, would be Equestria." Luna inclined her head toward John, "What Chris meant, is that I helped him learn to control his portals and other skills."

John nodded, "Okay, so what now?"

"We're hoping to let people see their families again. That's why I opened this thing." Chris said, patting the side of the portal, "It took a lot of work to make them safe. The first portal I opened had edges which could all but split an atom. I didn't want them to be sharp so I needed practice to develop a way to blunt the edges. I actually thickened the matter around the edges..."

Luna cleared her throat, "We are getting off track, I fear." She looked squarely at John, "Is President Seviston available to talk?"

John spoke into his headset, "Colonel Holiday, is the President available? Queen Luna is asking to speak with him."

Colonel Holiday responded, voice heard only by John, "The President is not your concern, Sailor. Your objective is to determine whether or not this is your brother and how these creatures kidnapped thousands of people from all over the world."

John grunted quietly, "I can confirm this is my brother."

"How can you know?" Colonel Holiday demanded, "You've barely spoken fifty words to him!"

Chris, hearing John's half of the conversation, shook his head and rolled his eyes, "They don't believe that I'm me? HA!" Chris chuckled, "So what, do they want some blood and a couple of hair samples? Urine? Stool? Semen?" He stuck a thumb under his trousers and gave it a tug. “I mean, if that’s what it’s going to take to clear things up, I can just toss my undies through the portal and let the eggheads take it from there.”

John grimaced and shook his head, "Eew. I'd rather not think about any of that."

Chris shrugged, "Meh, no worse than having an extra organ we weren't born with."

John blinked. Colonel Holiday blinked. The Command Center staff and President Seviston, who were all listening to the conversation, all blinked.

John summed up their collective thoughts eloquently, "Wut?"

Chris pressed his lips into a thin line and looked down, scuffing his left foot against the ground, "Yeah. Our bodies had to develop a new organ in order to process a type of energy that exists on this world. Don't worry. It isn't harmful and it's not seeping through the portal. Earth isn't ready for this yet." Chris sighed sadly, "Why are you here, John?"

"To make sure you are still you. No offense intended, Queen Luna, but also to ensure you aren't being mind-controlled or brainwashed. I think also to determine if you're a threat." John answered honestly. Colonel Holiday began muttering profanity over the comm system in John's ear.

Chris chuckled dryly, "So because I've been away, I'm a brain-zombie?" Chris turned around and gestured to the world behind him, "If you knew anything about this world, you would know better than to ask that." He leaned against the side of the portal and crossed his arms, "This world is amazing, John. I own an international shipping company. I'm rich beyond measure. Hell, I had to decline the power of being a King." He turned his head and winked at John, "I mean, imagine ME as a partial ruler of a country?" He snorted, "Fuck that shit, man. Running a company is hard enough."

John had to voice his curiosity, "How did you find yourself in a position to turn down a crown?"

Chris turned back to the rest of the world and spoke over his shoulder, "I have the crown, I just turned down the power and authority. I don't want to rule anybody, I'm not better than anybody else. As if I would know how to settle a legal dispute? Or a border skirmish? Heh, I'm not allowed to hold any official rank in the military except here in New Humansville and I'm not inclined to join the Guardians. I like doing my own thing." Chris leaned off the edge of the portal and turned back to face John, "Actually, how is everybody doing over there, financially I mean? I can send some money home if I need to."

John smirked, "I don't think the current exchange is ready yet."

Chris grinned widely, "What's the exchange rate for solid fucking gold?" He asked, pulling a bit out of his pocket and held it out to his brother, "Here, I've got a couple million of these in the bank."

John's eyes bulged as he slowly accepted the coin and held it in front of his face. Colonel Holiday and President Seviston both boggled at the sight. John felt the weight of the gold coin in his hand and looked back to his brother, "Is this real?"

Chris laughed openly and slapped his left thigh, "No, it's totally fake! I just handed you a chunk of iron pyrite. Of COURSE it's real, John!" Chris opened a small portal where John could see it, revealing a mountain of gold coins within a colossal vault, "I can spare some pocket change. It's not a big deal."

John pocketed the coin as Chris closed the portal. John realized something, "You never answered my question though, how did you find yourself in the position to turn down that much authority?"

"Well, in name and title, I'm a King, but I didn't work for that, so I don't put much stock in that title. I'll answer your question later, John. It's personal and I don't think everybody needs to know. Suffice to say, I renounced my authority and only retain the title." Chris was not hiding the fact that he did not want to talk about it right away.

"He's being evasive. He's hiding something big." Colonel Holiday said in John's ear, "Get him to talk about it."

"I'm really curious about this, Chris, but I can wait. I'm glad to know you're doing so well for yourself." John decided not to follow Colonel Holiday's orders, "Is Dan over there with you?"

Chris perked up, "You bet he is. He's an Emissary now. He has his own staff and everything. When he's not doing that, he's part of the C.W.G."

John blinked in confusion, "The what?"

"The Community Welfare Guardians. They're like the Police, E.M.S. and Fire and Rescue all rolled into one. Basically they're the first responders for every emergency that comes up." Chris' explanation was interrupted as Rifin landed in the Town Centre several hundred feet away and knelt down to let Amber Eyes off.

John's eyes bulged at the behemoth Changeling, then had to cringe as Colonel Holiday exclaimed and swore profusely into the headset. John gestured to Rifin, "Emergencies like giant bugs landing in the town?"

Chris and Luna followed his eyes and saw Rifin. Chris raised his hand and waved at Rifin, "Hey there Rifin. Dropping Amber off at home?"

Rifin raised his massive head and replied in a hugely booming voice, "She needed to go home for lunch. Is there something I can do for you?"

Chris shook his head, "Nope. Go have fun."

In response, Rifin laid down on the cobblestones, "I will wait for her to finish lunch."

"What about you?" Luna asked, "Are you hungry?"

Rifin shook his head, "Not yet. I will get something later."

"Is this normal?"John asked.

Chris and Luna turned back to him, "Yeah," Chris replied, "Rifin's cool. He helps to keep the town safe. He's really useful when we need more lumber harvested. He can take out two or three trees in a single swipe... sorry, I'm rambling. I have to ask though," Chris paused and sighed, "Are we getting anywhere with all this?"

"What do you mean?" John asked.

"Is anybody planning to come down here and make progress, or are we just going to stand here and gab for old time sake?" Chris asked, "Are we going to be able to come home?"

John opened his mouth to reply, when Colonel Holiday spoke to him, "Don't give a solid answer. Say that a lot of things need to be considered first. We're still learning about all this."

Instead, John said what he knew, "That's not my call, Chris. You should know that. Nobody is going to just jump on a development like this."

Chris shook his head sadly and sighed, "Figures. The second we try to reconnect with our home, the bureaucrats tie everything up." Eyeing the cameras behind John, Chris pointed to them and spoke loudly, "When you guys want to reunite families instead of trying to figure out how to make money off this and contemplating your assholes, contact us again."

Colonel Holiday, seeing Chris' sudden mood change, yelled at John through the headset, "Keep him talking! We need information!"

The Colonel was shoved to the side as President Seviston moved forward and pressed the line for the intercom, "This is President Seviston. I'm coming down to speak with you."

Colonel Holiday tore off his headset and glared at the President, "It's too dangerous, sir. We have no idea what their motivations are. They're trying to manipulate us into doing what they want. None of us know what their motivations are and the attempt at manipulation is obvious..."

"Either that, or they're being honest." President Seviston replied cooly. He walked up to the Colonel and placed his right hand on the Colonel's shoulder, "You're missing something, Colonel. If we were dealing strictly with Humans, your concerns would be justified. The fact remains that we are not dealing with Humans. We're dealing with a completely new alien culture and species, in every literal sense. We know little about them and if you read the signs and include what is not being said, they are a powerful species." President Seviston arched his eyebrows, "Should we put ourselves at enmity with them? If they have Humans living with them, they know of our capabilities. We know little to nothing about them. No matter whether or not they are friendly, we need information in order to make a wise decision. What we do will affect the entire world in some way. Our actions will determine whether or not we end up in a war with these aliens. I'm going down there to talk with this Queen and you're going to record everything that happens. I'm going to try to get the Queen to use some of her 'Magic' and you're going to record what happens. Use everything, take every possible reading and find out what this 'Magic' is. We already saw Chris use it once. Now, stop acting like a petulant child, stop harassing John, and make sound decisions that DON'T have to do with your missing daughter. Am I clear?"

Colonel Holiday clenched his jaw and threw a smart salute, "Yes sir."

* * *

President Seviston politely scooted past John's family as his Secret Service swarmed into the sealed off parking garage. John took a step back from the portal and came to attention, throwing a salute. He might not respect the country, but he did respect the man.

"At ease, Sailor." President Seviston said calmly as he stepped up to the portal.

Princess Luna also stepped closer, "President Seviston, I presume?"

"Indeed, your Majesty. And you must be Queen Luna." The President said extending his hand.

Luna smiled and placed her right forehoof into the Latino man's hand, "It is good to finally meet you in person. Before we go any farther, allow me to apologize for the scare when Chris opened the portal. We had no idea anybody would be here and Chris decided that opening the portal anywhere else was more likely to cause alarm, fear, and panic. We now know that the opposite was true instead. Furthermore, we had no way of establishing contact, otherwise we would have opened dialogue well before now, and certainly before opening a portal anywhere."

The President smiled in return as he shook her hoof, trying not to flinch at the feeling of the thousands of tiny hairs tickling his hand, "Apology accepted, your Majesty. I'm glad nobody was hurt."

"Not immediately anyway." John muttered quietly from the side.

Luna's ears, being turned in the direction of the portal, heard John easily. She let go of President Seviston's hand and turned her attention to John, as Colonel Holiday screamed a stream of vulgarity through John's headset, "What do you mean?" She asked.

John sighed, "Well there's a group of people who have access to a lot of information, who thought my family and I knew something about the portal opening up..."

Chris' expression fell drastically, "The C.I.A. arrested you?" He asked.

"Homeland Security." John corrected.

Chris fumed, "Who got hurt?" He asked in an unusually serious tone.

"Chrissy," John then explained, "She got hit with a taser and now she's unresponsive. President Seviston got us out of there."

Luna looked to the President, "Is this true?"

President Seviston sighed and rubbed his face before answering, "I am sorry to say it is. Certainly not one of the finer moments of the agency. There are a lot of people facing various charges right now because of that mess."

"Where is Chrissy?" Chris asked, "We might be able to heal her. The doctors here can cure Fibromyalgia, I'm sure there's something they can do for Chrissy."

President Seviston's eyes widened almost imperceptibly at hearing Chris' claim, "She is here in this facility. I am afraid there are quite a lot of legal issues with having anybody trying to..."

"Fuck 'legal issues' if we can help, we will. Or does legality take precedence over morals and ethics?" Chris snapped.

Luna placed a calm wing on Chris' shoulders, "The President has many people to answer for and answer to, same as Celestia and I do." She looked back to the President, "May we see her? We can have specialists brought in almost instantly. I already know that the man on the other end of John's device there," she gestured to the headset, "Is suspicious of us. Have him send scientists to record data if it will make him feel better. I have been hearing him speaking angrily through John's device ever since I arrived."

Colonel Holiday stepped back from the screens and ripped off his headset, "FUCK!" He placed his left hand over his nose and mouth briefly before issuing orders, "Send techs down there and have them monitor EVERYTHING that goes on! I want to know how many nose hairs this horse thing has, and if any grow while they're there! Get moving!" He pulled the headset back on and leaned over the display monitor, peering closely at the scene around the portal.

President Seviston issued orders for Chrissy to be brought to the portal, "Bring John's wife in. There might be something Queen Luna can do for her."

Luna gave the man a small smile, "I could, but allow me to retrieve some specialists." Without another word, she powered up her horn and teleported away.

"JESUS CHRIST!" Colonel Holiday exclaimed, "Tell me we got a reading off that!"

"Thermal analysis and E.M. Spectrum got some readings and we have a video recording of the event, sir." One of the techs in the Command Center replied.

"Keep recording! I want to know the picosecond she gets back!"

Back at the portal, President Seviston blinked in surprise, "Now THAT'S a neat trick."

Scientists and technicians swarmed into the parking garage and began setting up equipment. Soldiers hustled into the parking garage but kept back so as to be as unobtrusive as possible. A pair of medics wheeled out the gurney that held John's wife. They pushed the gurney up behind President Seviston and stopped only for a moment before the Latino man looked back stepped away to give them room, "For God sake, bring her as close as possible." He motioned for them to move Chrissy closer. The President moved over to John, "You've done well, John. I appreciate your efforts here. I really hope Queen Luna can help your wife."

Chris addressed President Seviston, "If she can't, she'll bring somebody who can." He stated confidently, "I was wondering if you were up there Mr. President. I'm glad to see you were elected for your second term. You did the U.S. some serious good your first term. Now it's time to do so again. We're no enemy unless somebody makes us one. Right now, we're just trying to reunite families. There are thousands of people from Earth on this world. Many of them want to go back to their families. That's all we're trying to do, but if we can establish positive relations to Earth, that would be nice too. I never intended to cause a scene and I certainly didn't want to get John or his family in trouble, that's why I didn't open the portal in his front yard or something. I figured the Complex would have been empty as a monument or quarantined area and we could make contact then. What can I do to make this situation stable?"

President Seviston was puzzled about Chris' choice of words, "How do you see the situation being unstable?"

Chris gestured through the portal, "The military everywhere, the scientists treating this like an experiment," he gestured to the medics who were hooking up sensors to Chrissy's comatose form, "Like this shit. Did they ask permission to plug her into a dozen machines? She doesn't need any of that to breathe, she's fine."

John's head snapped over to his wife and began to move toward the medics with clenched fists. President Seviston held his hand to John's chest, "Allow me." He turned toward the medics, "What do you think you're doing?"

One of the medics straightened up and replied, "We're connecting sensors sir, so we can get a reading on what's going on when they," he gestured to the portal, "Do their thing... whatever that is. There is nothing harmful being attached to this woman."

The President was not mollified, "Well did you ask to do so? Her husband is standing right here and unless I'm mistaken, since she is unconscious, he has power of attorney and you just violated quite a number of laws." President Seviston raised his eyebrows after a moment of the two staring at him, "Well? What are you waiting for? Unhook her."

"But Mr. President, Colonel Holiday," the tech was interrupted as the Latino man's eyes narrowed.

"Does Colonel Holiday get free-reign to break the law as he sees fit?" He asked bluntly. He waited for a brief moment then continued, "That was not a rhetorical question."

One of the techs spoke nervously, "Well sir, since this operation is under military command..."

President Seviston's eyes widened at hearing the response, "Jesus Christ almighty." He said cold disbelief, "What in the name of God are they teaching you? Do the words 'Inalienable Rights' mean anything to you?" He placed his right hand on his forehead and sighed, "Arrest these two immediately for Civil Rights Violations and get me a headset line to Colonel Holiday." He blinked then turned toward the cameras, "No, I'll do one better. Colonel Holiday, get down here now." He ordered.

Colonel Holiday arrived less than a minute later. He walked into the parking garage and stopped in front of President Seviston, throwing a salute. President Seviston was obviously not happy, "Why did you instruct technicians to apply sensors to this woman's body?"

"I did not, sir. I ordered technicians to install and set up as many sensors as possible. I will be more explicit in the future, sir." Colonel Holiday replied crisply.

A flash of light signaled Luna's return and she was not alone. Arch Magister Catalyst and a deep green Unicorn mare, rounding out the party was a brilliant pink Earth Pony mare. Luna stepped up to the portal and used her horn to gesture toward the other three Ponies, "The green mare is Medical Specialist Avalon and the pink mare is a Neurologist, Doctor Tender Care. The darker colored mare is Arch Magister Catalyst."

President Seviston nodded to each of the mares as they were introduced, while Colonel Holiday looked suspicious. John's reaction was only to be expected, "How is this going to work?" He was understandably anxious to have his beloved wife tended to.

President Seviston took charge, "It would be easier for them to come over to this side, if it wouldn't be any trouble, Queen Luna. Rolling the gurney through the portal would be troublesome."

Luna became suddenly serious, "I need assurances that my citizens will not be harrassed, harmed, or detained. I will act to protect my people, if I am forced to. Just as you would do for yours." Her expression was stern, even to the Humans who were unused to reading Kavim faces.

President Arturo Seviston turned his head toward Colonel Holiday, "No issues, Colonel?"

"None, sir." Colonel Holiday replied.

Luna turned to the other Ponies and briefly spoke to them in Velensovth before lighting up her horn as the two doctors bowed their heads. A deep blue aura surrounded the heads of the two mares for a moment before she spoke to them in American English, "Speak freely. The Human woman on the gurney has been injured and has sustained some sort of trauma which is keeping her from waking up. See what you can do, but talk about what you're doing. These Humans have not seen much magic before so do not make any sudden movements and remember to ask the Human on the far left before you do anything. The woman on the gurney is his wife."

The two mares moved forward and through the portal, completely ignoring the importance of the fact that they were the first Kavim to step onto Earth. Colonel Holiday stepped back and President Seviston made room for the two colorful mares. Avalon stopped on the far side of the gurney and Tender Care stopped on the side closer to the portal. Avalon turned to John and looked him up and down briefly, "What was the cause of her current condition? I need to know what I'm dealing with before I do anything."

John took a breath and simply replied, "She was hit with a taser and she never woke up."

Avalon held up her right forehoof, "What is a taser?"

Colonel Holiday provided the answer, "It's a non-lethal weapon which delivers an electrical current in order to incapacitate a person."

Avalon blinked and looked at Chrissy's body, then back to Colonel Holiday, "Somepony hit her with a lightning weapon." She said bluntly, "Does she have any preexisting medical conditions which might be exacerbated by being hit with a small lightning bolt? Irregularities with heart beat, neurological disorders...?"

"She has a heart murmur, but that's it." John replied.

"Do I have permission to perform a basic neurological scan to check for normal brain patters? I am familiar with Human brain patterns." Avalon explained.

Tender Care spoke up for the first time, "Do I have permission to monitor her physically while Dr. Avalon checks the rest of her?"

"Yes, to both of you." John replied.

Colonel Holiday's eyes flicked to the techs to make sure they were recording everything. They were. He then looked to President Seviston subtly. The President met his eyes and gave him a slight smile, 'This is what you wanted.' His smile said. Colonel Holiday huffed and looked away.

Dr. Avalon's horn lit up and a matching aura surrounded Chrissy's head. The Unicorn mare closed her eyes and concentrated. She searched through the constant activity, watching every neutron as it fired until she came to a section which was not active. She identified the area and withdrew from the woman's mind.

She shook her head, lessening the disorientation which always clung to her mind after delving in such a manner. She blinked owlishly and turned to John, "The electricity has damaged her brain. I traced the source of the damage to an excessively prolonged electrical current of eighteen seconds with multiple sources which I traced hack to a series of puncture marks on her back, the ones responsible were a series of four punctures, two on either side of her spine and two in the back of her head. I traced them by checking which tissues which are still repairing themselves from electrical burns."

John sighed heavily through his nose, "Is there anything you can do about it?"

Dr. Avalon nodded, and explained, "Yes, I can repair the damaged pathways which are keeping her from regaining consciousness, but there is a risk." Dr. Avalon turned her entire body toward John, "For me to do that, I have to use Thamaturgic Energy, or magic as is the common term. I can begin the repairing process and leave the spell in place to repair the damage over time so as not to send her into shock, but her body has not acclimated to an environment rich with Thamaturgic Energy. The spell fixes the neurological pathways over time, but without an environment rich with Thamaturgic Energy the spell will not have the Thamaturgic Energy to sustain itself and will stop functioning." She paused and looked around the gathered Humans, "How do Humans repair neurological pathways?"

President Seviston decided to answer for everybody, "We do not have any way to do that. We allow them to heal naturally."

Avalon lowered her head and shook out her mane in frustration, "We cannot leave this up to chance. After a time, her body is going to atrophy and without the correct neurological connections she is going to need to relearn how to speak and walk." She looked back to John, "I am familiar with Human laws regarding medical treatment. You have power of attorney?"

John blinked in surprise, "That is correct."

Avalon continued, "I know full well that we cannot provide any treatment without your permission. The decision is yours. If you have any questions, I will answer you honestly."

John cleared his throat and shifted his weight, "Okay, the mention of spells doesn't sit well with me. Can you explain it a bit more?"

Avalon launched into the explanation as Luna sat down on her royal backside and whispered to her husband, "This could take a while."

Author's Notes:

Guess who!

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack everybody! My muse has struck!