My eyes snapped open at the unknown sound, my heart racing until I was able to identify the gentle tones of someone singing softly to themselves. Probably the nurse coming to check on me, I thought as my heart slowed down to a more manageable level.

With a bit of a grunt, I pushed myself upright with my un-bandaged arm and took a look around my room. Very little had changed since the last time I was here, which was to be expected. After all, I was only gone for a day; it's not like I had expected an earthquake to have caused the whole place to slide off the face of the mountain or anything.

I quickly spotted the nurse next to my bed. It looked like she had been checking up on the medical thingy on my bedside table, as well as bringing in a fresh batch of towels. She looked a bit surprised at my sudden alertness, quickly putting the towels she had been levitating onto the end of the bed. “Oh, good, you’re awake,” she said, holding her hoof up in an obvious ‘wait’ motion. “Please wait here, I’ll get Doctor Level Head. He’ll want-”

“No need,” I replied, the pony words coming easily to my lips, and causing the nurse’s eyes to widen with surprise. It seemed like a good, solid nap further cemented my understanding of their language, a point that I certainly wasn't complaining about. “I've got far too much do today for a… checking up?” I asked, a little perplexed. I seemed to have the grammar down a lot better, but it looked like I still had trouble with certain words and usages. Whatever, I was okay with calling things thingamabobs until I could be better understood. “Anyway, I'm going to need a… guide? A guide down to Celestia’s… leader room. Chair room? Whatever, I need to see the princesses.”

I quickly threw my blankets off of me, swung my legs off of the bed and, with a short grunt, stood up and stretched. I was in my skivvies, something I hadn’t noticed last night when I had gone to the bathroom, but that was hardly an issue. Wonder had made me plenty to wear, and I was going to take full advantage of my new wardrobe.

Ignoring the sputtering, confused nurse, I made my way to the dresser that had been placed in my room, opened it, then began rummaging through it for what I needed. “Please, Defender, the doctor has a lot of questions for you, and-” I heard the poor nurse finally manage, but unfortunately for her, I was in a bit of a hurry.

“I’m sure he does, but that’s going to have to wait, sorry,” I said as I tossed a pair of slacks and a shirt onto the bed. It was going to be a little tough to put them on one-handed, but if my old man could manage, then so could I. “Luna had something to show me, and the… state? I arrived in sort of put a dampener on that. I also had a few questions for her, such as why you guys put a… following device? into me without telling me about it, but that’s not as important as everything else.”

She gave out a weary, long suffering sigh. “Where should I tell the doctor to meet you after your meeting?” she asked, clearly not happy.

“I’ll probably be down on the… science room?” I thought a little bit as I pulled a green shirt on over my head. I didn't even try to get my bandaged arm through the other sleeve, since that would involve taking it out of the sling it was in. Instead I just let it rest under my shirt as I put my other arm through one of the sleeves. “You know about the thing I'm supposed to help you make, right?”

She nodded as she helped me put on my pants. It was a little awkward since she was a girl, but the species divide and the time spent under these ponies’ care did a lot to banish any sort of uncomfortable feelings about receiving help with basic clothing. “Yes, though I don't know about the specifics. You’ll be down at the kajivatt, then?” she asked, using a word that apparently wasn't in my head yet.

“What does kajivatt mean?” I asked, though I already had a suspicion as to its meaning.

“Kajivatt?” She looked a little surprised that I didn't know. “It’s a place for figuring things out, experimentation, and learning.”

New word added to lexicon… scrolled at the bottom of my vision as what she said clicked in my head. “Ah, a laboratory,” I said, letting the new word rest on my tongue for a little bit as I quickly threw on my lab coat. “I’m sorry, I was unsure what your word for it was. Yes, I’ll be down in the laboratory. Now that I've finally got most of your language down, it's about time that I got working on that device you guys need to defend your planet. If your doctor really needs me, he can find me there.”

She nodded again as she quickly buttoned up my coat. I was about as ready as I was ever going to be, so I started to make my way to the door. I stopped about halfway there, though, when a silvery glint of something on my desk caught my eye.

Sitting as if forgotten were the six, small, metal rods that I had stored the fragments of my friends’ consciousnesses, as was that metal cat I had repurposed. I quickly scooped up the rods and deposited them into my coat, before turning back to the nurse. “If it isn't too much trouble, could I get you to get someone to take the cat and my notes down to the laboratory? I would be very grateful.”

She glanced at the things I had pointed out, then nodded her head. “Fine, but I hope you know that, as your nurse, I do not approve of you leaving without even getting breakfast first.”

As if to further argue the point, my stomach let out a loud, ominous rumble, but I ignored it. “I’ll eat later, saving the world comes first,” I said as I bent down and grabbed the handle of the door. Right before I turned it, though, I stopped and turned, looking at the nurse behind me. “Look, I know I said this before, but let me say it again in your tongue: Thank you. Thank you so much for… everything, really.”

She almost looked embarrassed at that. “Well, you’re certainly the most polite monster I’ve ever met,” she said, inclining her head ever so slightly, her eyes carrying a slightly mischievous glint to them. “Just promise me not to hurt yourself anymore. We’re getting pretty tired of putting you back together.”

I just gave her an apologetic smirk. “Ah… don't make me… Swear? Promise! I make no promises,” I said, figuring out rather quickly what I wanted to say.

With that, I twisted the handle and opened the door, glancing around until I located the guard next to it. “Hey, friend, I need to see the princesses. They told me to meet with them first thing in the… early day?”

“Maktu?” the guard asked uncertainly.

“Does maktu mean the beginning of the day?” I asked the nurse, turning to look at her.

“Sometimes, usually depending on how it's used. He was asking if you meant morning, though,” she said as the increasingly familiar Krin words scrolled along the bottom of my vision again.

“Then yes, they told me to meet them first thing in the morning,” I said, looking down at the soldier with a closed lip smile. “If you could lead me to them, I’d be… thanking? I think?”

“How… how can you speak our language without a spell? Last I heard you just began lessons!” the soldier asked incredulously.

I didn’t answer at first. Instead, I reached up and tapped the back of my head while giving him a knowing look. “You can thank my former masters for that; it certainly wasn’t through any skill on my part. Now, if you’ll be so kind, we have much to do,” I said, gesturing with my hand down the hallway.

He continued to stare at me for a few more seconds before turning and leading the way, all while muttering darkly to himself.

I was a polite alien guest, so I decided not to let him know I could hear his every word. After all, I was honestly the least of his worries. No need to bump myself higher on that list.

“Auntie, I demand answers! First these strange visitors, then a monster escapes from your forbidden wing of the castle and uses me as a pommel mount before disappearing, then I hear that changelings are finding refuge inside our very city walls!” Prince Blueblood said, stomping a single forehoof for emphasis. “Have you taken leave of your senses? And do not feed me that senseless dribble you fed the masses about visitors from the stars. What is really happening?”

Celestia gave the petulant prince a flat look. “What I told the people was the absolute truth. Our nation, no, our world, is traveling through dangerous waters right now. We have attracted the attention of beings from beyond our world and our understanding, and it is still unknown whether or not they are friendly.” Celestia’s flat expression quickly gave way to a disappointed one. “And as for the changelings, they are unrelated. Suffice to say they are our allies, and not the same changelings who attacked us during the assault on Canterlot. They are here because they need our help, and we may need theirs before all of this is over.”

Prince Blueblood scoffed at that. “Auntie, I think that perhaps your age has gotten the best of you. Do you honestly expect me, or anypony, really, to believe that aliens are real, or that changelings are anything but deceitful monsters seeking to devour us all?”

Celestia opened her mouth to respond, anger burning in her chest over the arrogant prince’s remark, but stopped when the throne room doors swung open, revealing one of her Solar Guards, as well as a somewhat amused-looking ~Alex.~ The look on his face was all she needed to know that he had not only heard everything, but had understood as well. Luna had told Celestia before going to bed that the ~human~ already learned Equestrian far faster than he should have, thanks in no small part to the atrocities that had been performed on him during his captivity.

As ~Alex~ approached, she felt no small amount of guilty pleasure when Blueblood became far paler than his normal white as he watched the ~human~ draw closer. With a frightened squeal, the prince dashed towards Celestia’s throne and hid himself behind it. “A-Auntie! Why is your pet monster still free?”

“I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear you through my old mare ears,” Celestia said, venom dripping from her voice. ~Alex~ seemed to find this immensely amusing, and was apparently having difficulty keeping a straight face.

The cowardly prince didn't say anything, choosing instead to whimper a little, his voice muffled slightly from behind Celestia’s throne.

While his cowardice was appalling, it wasn’t completely uncalled for. Regardless of the ~human’s~ intentions or personality, the alien still cut an imposing figure. His bald, gaunt head coupled with his all-black eyes made his face seem pitiless and unfathomable, and every time he opened his mouth or smiled you would catch a glimpse of his too-sharp teeth. The ~human~ had opted to wear his minotaur-made lab coat today, an odd choice for coming down to the throne room, but she was hardly going to argue with him over what he decided to wear. The coat looked… odd, though, and it took the solar princess a few seconds to pin down exactly why that was: his left arm wasn’t in its sleeve. Instead, it seemed to be underneath the coat, probably still where it had been bound into a sling.

The doctors had told the princess that they wouldn’t be using regeneration magic on him for the foreseeable future; not at least until they understood his biology better, and were certain that they wouldn’t accidentally revert him even further into his previous, far more monstrous, form. Because of this, the bruises on his face and one visible hand were still quite prominent, bearing mute testament to the abuse he had endured, and still continued to endure.

Celestia was honestly impressed that ~Alex~ was even standing, much less coming to see her under his own power.

“Your Highness, ~Alex~ requests an audience. He claims that he was summoned to speak with you the first thing in the morning,” the sergeant said, saluting smartly.

“He was, though I did not expect him so soon. How are you feeling this morning, ~Alex?~” Celestia asked the ~human~ while completely ignoring the sniveling coming from behind her chair.

“I’m doing fine. My kind are fast healers,” he said, slowly approaching the throne. At the same time, the guard behind him gave a sharp salute before exiting the throne room and shutting the door behind him.

“It can talk!?” Blueblood gasped from behind Celestia throne.

Celestia just rolled her eyes, then stomped a single hoof on the front of her throne. “Blueblood, you are dismissed. We will continue this discussion later.”

“You're not going to-” the prince started to say, but his argument died in his throat when Celestia turned to look at him, steel in her eyes. “Um… yes, well…” he stammered, right before he beat a hasty retreat out of one of the throne room’s side doors.

“Why do I put up with you, Blueblood?” Celestia asked herself wearily.

“I dunno, but I’ll give him credit where credit is due. He’s got some serious-” At that point, ~Alex~ said something in his native tongue. It was an odd word that almost sounded taurish: Caahonees. It was very close to the minotaur word Cahon, meaning a sphere, or ball. “-to call a lady such as yourself old. Or maybe he's just stupid, I don’t know.”

Celestia smiled at that. She might not have understood the word he used, but she understood the meaning and intent behind it. “I am afraid that Blueblood’s petulant demeanor is a product of his upbringing, and though I had very little to do with that, I am still somewhat at fault, if only because of my inaction.”

~Alex~ gave a short nod, a small frown gracing his lips. “Well, that can wait. Luna said you had something for me to look at. By the way, where is she? I thought she'd be here for this.”

“I'm afraid that my sister is asleep at the moment,” Celestia said ruefully. “As strong as she is, she is still mortal, and only able to go for so long without sleep. I am honestly surprised she managed to go this long while still being awake most of the day.”

You could actually see the moment of realization on the ~human’s~ face. “Ah. You really go all in on the whole day/night… theme? You got going on.”

“It is the basis of our entire culture since the defeat of Discord,” Celestia said with a slight nod. “Before we begin with what Luna wished to show you, however, I would speak with you of something else first. First, I would like to talk to you about the Prometheans, Starswirl the Bearded, and the link between our two worlds in greater detail.”

~Alex~ looked distinctly uncomfortable at hearing this. “I do not know how much help I'd be, I was… not good, student of history at best. There isn't a whole lot I could tell you about the-” he then used that word he used before when referring to the prometheans: Greeks. It was an odd word that Celestia found difficult to say. “-That would be accurate. They were important to the development of what my people would call ‘western culture,’ but-”

“I do not need specific details. What I would like to hear is why they did not send more people to aid Titania,” Celestia interrupted. The ~human~ looked even more worried at that, but Celestia quickly clarified her statement. “I know you would hardly know of what happened two thousand years ago, but that is not what I am asking. You keep speaking of the prometheans as if they were ancient history, as if there is nothing remaining of them. I would surmise that whatever destroyed them also prevented them from sending aid; that is what I would like to know.”

This seemed to relieve the ~human.~ “The Greeks… still exist. Just not as nation Titania knew. They were conquered by another, bigger nation.”

Celestia was no stranger to warfare. As much as the historians would like to paint post-Discord history as peaceful, that was only by comparison to the hell that the draconequus wrecked upon the world. “I take it you know who conquered them, then?”

“It was the Romans,” ~Alex~ said, using another unfamiliar word. Celestia opened her mouth to ask another question, but was interrupted before she could even finish forming it in her mind. “And before you ask, the Romans don't exist as a nation anymore, either. They fell apart, and their empire’s pieces were conquered. As far as I know, there is no nation from that time that has survived until now, though their descendants and records survived.”

“Your people sound… fractured,” Celestia remarked dryly.

~Alex~ let out a barking, humorless laugh. “Lady, you don't know the half of it. Human history can be summed up by humans conquering other humans, who in turn get conquered. To be honest, we can be kind of crazy, but… that can be a good thing.”

It took Celestia a couple of seconds to realize that he was referring to his species name. She had always thought that it was pronounced ‘hoo-mana,’ but hearing it alongside her native tongue quickly made her realize her mispronunciation. “Hu-man…” she said, letting the word roll around on her lips. She had a feeling that, now that it was known that they had a portal to ~Alex’s~ homeworld, she was going to have to become much more acquainted with the human’s original language.

“What?” ~Alex~ asked, somewhat confused.

Celestia shook her head. “It’s nothing. Just… thought your species name was pronounced differently. You were saying that the… disunity, of your people was a good thing?”

“I didn’t,” ~Alex~ said, grinning a little bit. “I said that us being crazy can be a good thing. I didn’t say anything about our lack of unity being one.”

If anything, this just confused Celestia even more. “Alex, I hardly think that a race or society as insane as the one you describe could form an individual as compassionate as yourself,” Celestia rebuked him. “You have put your life on the line for the lives of my little ponies and the lives of Titania’s changelings alike, without any thought of reward or recompense. The fact that you exist as you do now, despite the evil inflicted on you, should reveal a lot about the goodness of your people.“

The human seemed taken aback by this. “You… flatter me, Your Highness, but I wasn’t calling my people evil. I wasn’t calling them ‘good,’ either. I called them crazy.”

At this point, Celestia was at a complete loss as to what ~Alex~ was getting at. “Please explain.”

Before answering, ~Alex~ walked over to one of the stained glass windows and took a good, long look at it. It was the one that depicted her sister and her defeat against the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. “About sixty… Revolutions?” He thought about it for a few seconds before snapping his fingers together in a way that was very reminiscent of how Discord would warp reality. “Years. About sixty years ago, my people went to our moon, despite the fact that most of the… science? Not existing yet.”

Celestia looked at the human in wonder. “You mean that your people can also travel the stars?”

~Alex~ giggled a little, then shook his head. “I wish. No, the furthest we’ve gotten by our own power is our moon. We did it to one-up another nation that was trying to beat us in space. After that, we basically forgot about going anywhere else because we already did what we wanted to do.”

Celestia thought about that for a few seconds. “That… doesn’t make any sense.”

The human made that curious snapping sound again, and pointed at Celestia with his one, uninjured hand. “Bingo,” he said, using another word in his native tongue.

“I… see what you mean. But how is this a good thing?” Celestia asked, somewhat worried by this point.

“Humans are complicated, greedy, spiteful and evil,” ~Alex~ said, giving out a weary sigh. He then turned to Celestia, a smile as bright as the rising sun on his face. “They are also kind, gentle, heroic and good. We are what we choose to be, and I will not try and disguise their true nature from you, not after all that you’ve done for me. It will be hard to get all of humanity to unite, but we don’t need to do that. We just need to ensure that when they do unite, that they see ponies as friends, not enemies. And let me tell you, Princess. We humans, we do not forget our friends.”

Celestia looked uncertain at this. “You just said that your people were fractured. What makes you so sure that they will unite?”

If anything, this only caused the human’s grin to become wider. “Because if I know anything about my people, it’s this: They always unite against a perceived greater, outside threat. And believe me,” he said, reaching up and tapping on the back of his head where Celestia knew the alien machinery was located. “There is no greater threat to my planet, or my people, or yours, for that matter, than the Krin Empire.”

Celestia thought about this for a second, before conceding the point. “This is true… But do you think that they will believe the evidence that your body so eloquently provides?”

~Alex~ shook his head again. “Some will, some won’t, thinking it to be just a… deception? Yes, deception. But I honestly don’t think I’ll have to. I don’t trust the Krin in the slightest, but I do trust them to be complete and utter-” ~Alex~ then said something else in his native tongue, something that Celestia couldn’t even begin to try to pronounce, but still caught its meaning clearly from the human’s tone. “Though to be honest, I really don’t want them anywhere near my home or yours.”

Celestia frowned a little at that. “I believe you are right. We must be ready, then, to administer aid to your world should they need it, or to request aid from them should the… Krin, come here.”

~Alex~ inclined his head somewhat gratefully. “Thank you, Princess. But as important as this is, it’s not why Luna called me. She said something about a book you wanted me to look at? Still don't know why, I only just became competent in speaking your language. I haven't even begun trying to learn to read it, yet.”

Celestia smiled knowingly. “I believe you may find your expectations dashed after looking at this,” she said, beckoning him closer with her hoof.

The human looked thoroughly intrigued as he got closer, his face turning to watch the book that Celestia levitated from a nearby table. It was hard to tell where his eyes were looking at, simply because of their current coloration. However, if Celestia looked really closely, she could still see the slightly raised bump that denoted the human’s pupils, both of which were currently locked onto the book floating between them with interest. “Well, if you think I should, it wouldn’t hurt to give it a shot…” he said uncertainly.

“That is all I ask,” Celestia said as she carefully held the front of the book up for ~Alex’s~ inspection, mindful that the injured human probably couldn't hold up the heavy, oddly-bound book comfortably with one hand.

The human took one look at the cover, before completely seizing up in shock. His mouth hung open, and a barely perceptible squeaking sound could be heard as he stared at the cover of Starswirl’s last work.

“We once thought that Starswirl disguised his work behind a code, one whose key he took with him to the grave. Now, after seeing your writing and designs, and learning the true purpose of the mirror he kept in his study, I believe it is not a code, but a language,” Celestia explained, watching the human’s expression carefully. “I do not know how Starswirl learned this tongue, for you are truly the first living human I have ever laid eyes on. I do know now, however, based solely on your reaction, that this language is not from this planet. Perhaps you can tell us what Starswirl’s last words were?” Celestia asked hopefully.

~Alex~ looked up at Celestia, then back down at the book, before swallowing loudly. “I… I can't read it,” he said, gently pushing it away.

Celestia gave the human a worried look. “I know there are a few differences, but your two languages are close enough to be brothers! Please, tell me you can read a little of this?” she asked, pushing the book towards him once more.

“Celestia Princess, you misunderstand me. I recognize this language, very much so. I just can't read it,” he explained, pushing it back. “What I speak and read is English. This is also English, but not what I speak. This is old. Really old. So old that you can still smell the Anglo-Saxons. It's another language entirely, one that no one speaks anymore; it is only remembered by scholars of the past.”

Celestia felt a pang of sadness at hearing this, but felt a surge of hope that quickly overwhelmed that feeling. “You mean-”

“I mean that yes, this is a human language. One that, once we get the portal between our worlds going, we’ll be able to read,” ~Alex~ said, giving the sun princess a rueful smile. This smile quickly turned into a frown, though. “This does tell us why Starswirl stole the mirror: he was using it to get help from the other side. Though how he knew about it isn't something I could even guess at.”

“Perhaps he left an explanation inside, then,” Celestia said wistfully as she set the book down on the table. “Only time will tell, I suppose…”

“Captain, we’ll be returning to real space in a few moments.”

Captain Kalizar started from her sleep, her eyes looking for her clock. “Twenty-five, sixty-three?” she grumbled to herself. “Why can't we ever enter real space while I'm awake…”

“Did you say something, Captain?”

“I said I'm on my way, let me get dressed first…” she said a little louder. “We’ll probably get some of our orders the moment we’re back in real space.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the lieutenant said before the intercom shut off with a beep.

It took her a little while before she was awake and ready, and by that time they had already received their orders: they were to move to sector Gamma Three with The Indomitable and The Emperor’s Will and wait for further word from the generals. Apparently there had been some new information about the enemy movements that needed to be accounted for.

This gave Kalizar plenty of time to wake up, brew herself some tea, and get herself a bite to eat before her lieutenant got back to her with anything.

“Captain, incoming transmission, it's the high general.”

“Put him through in my ready room,” Kalizar said, setting her tea down on the desk in front of her.

“Ah, Captain, good to see you,” High General Inos said as his face appeared on Kalizar’s monitor. The old war crustacean was really showing his years. It looked like he was getting into his final shed; his antenna barely moved, and his left eye had a milky white film over it, a mute testament to Inos’s stubborn refusal to use the rejuvenation vats.

“It's good to see you too, sir. I heard there was going to be some changes to the plan?” Kalizar said, bringing her tea up to her mandibles.

“Some new information from our spy has us worried. Apparently one of the Holy Armada’s witches had one of their infamous visions.”

Kalizar groaned at this. “Do we even know how those things work? It should be impossible to see the future!” she said, her frustration palpable.

“We’re still in the dark about that, but regardless of how it works, it does,” the general said smoothly. “At any rate, they’ll be splitting their forces once they reach system zero-zero-eight-three-two. We need to keep them there to ensure our invasion and extraction operation goes as planned.”

“And that means splitting our forces…” Kalizar said, her voice falling. Whomever they were going to send to that system was basically going on a suicide mission.

“Not… quite. We’ll be activating the sleeper ships for this, so we’ll only need one or two actual loyalist vessels to serve as relay points for the attack. Once everything is said and done, the few loyalist ships will retreat,” the general said, typing a few things on his keypad.

Captain Kalizar gave the general a questioning look. “Are we certain that that is wise, sir? We can only use those once before the traitors catch on…”

“It’s important enough that the emperor himself has given the order,” the general said, banishing her doubts. “Since you’re the only ship and crew that has actually been in that system, we want you to lead this operation.”

Kalizar gave a sharp salute, but inwardly she groaned. “But sir, what about our cargo?”

“Your experiments, all the data you have up to this point, and the scientists working on them, are all to be transferred to my ship before you leave,” the general said, dismissing Kalizar’s only excuse for not leading this mission. “Review your updated battle plan carefully, and be sure to make any changes you deem necessary due to the system’s layout. Remember: your primary objective is to cause enough damage to the savage’s homeworld to keep the holy fleet there, but not so much that they deem saving the planet’s people a lost cause, am I clear?”

Kalizar’s eyes briefly flickered to the corner of the screen, noting the icon letting her know she had received a data package from the general’s ship. “Crystal, sir!”

“I’ll let you go, then. I expect to see your updated plan in four hours, and news of your departure in five. The sleeper ships are already on their way, under the assumption that they’ve been summoned by a Quzin inspection committee, meaning you have a very small window to get over there and override their computer systems. Time is of the essence, Captain.”

“I am aware of that, sir. I won’t let you down,” Kalizar said as the general’s face disappeared from her monitor. Without another word or thought, she opened the attachment that she had been sent and got down to business.

She had a lot of work to do if this was going to go off without a hitch.

Author's Notes:

Whoops, forgot to add this part.

NEXT CHAPTER IS UP! HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!

Yeah, I'm all moved in, but I'm kinda bummed. Turned out my new job is part-time (for now), something they PROBABLY should have told me when they said "Yes, please! COME WORK FOR US!"

That being said, I'll have a bunch of free time for a while until I switch to full time again. Which, of course, means more chapters for you guys... so yay?