The Red-Planet Plague
Chapter 1
Far up in space, surrounded by an endless darkness and thousands of stars was a red, and barren planet. The very surface of the planet was plagued by terrible sandstorms, and desolated fields that had once been habitable, but were now just dead plains that would choke one to death in a matter of just a few seconds.
The world, itself, was glowing with a deadly hue.
Down on the surface of the planet, large ruins of an abandoned city stood, in fact, the entire planet was covered in a massive machine city, however, the ruins had long since been officially labelled as dead as not a single lifeform resided there anymore.
Giant bones had sand blown through their lifeless remains as they too reflected on how lifeless the planet now was.
In the mountains, crevices, and canyons of the planet a humming started up as life once more started up on the planet. A large circular hatch started to open, retracting inside the walls, and leaving a large gaping hole, out from which only darkness could be seen.
Slowly, the humming started to get louder, and louder…and louder…and louder. Gently, a round shape emerged out of the opening. And once far enough out, it started to move forward, moving away from the hatch, and making its way out towards the outer atmosphere, away from the planet’s surface.
All over the planet, identical shapes started to emerge out through canyons, large cave entrances, or through other hatches placed all over the planet’s surface. Once they too could move freely, they all set their course out towards the outer atmosphere of the planet to be on their way.
First it was ten, then hundred, then a thousand, and the number just continued to climb as more and more ships emerged.
Soon, a giant mass of silver was moving into space, away from the red planet. The ships were nothing but silent, giving off only the humming ambience of the ship’s engines.
(Or, to put it another way…)
Untold hours later, the ships finally arrive at their destination. On monitors in their ships, they caught glimpses of their target. Equestria.
Inside the primary Command ship, several forms stood before a large shape before them. They bowed before it, and then turned away, and went to attend their just appointed tasks.
Once on their Command ships, the fleet descended…
Their large metal shapes descended down, penetrating the clouds without a sound…
Underneath them, hatches opened, and mechanical appendages emerged, a radar dish with a straight line with a sphere on the end.
Down on the surface, Ponies were gathering to witness all the commotion that was taking place above them.
For a moment, there was only the silence – ignoring the ambience of the Saucers ‘engines – as they got into position, pointing the dishes in random directions…
Then, it was unleashed…!
The dishes released powerful blasts of energy down upon the Equestrians and buildings that was underneath. Once hitting a living creature, the creature’s skin would glow, becoming momentarily visible through the flesh, before the victim would collapse onto the ground, dead. It took some time before the energy finally dissolved all of the skin, leaving not but bones!
Buildings exploded. First their lower, and now weakened foundations would begin to crumble, bringing down the rest of the building in time. Certain tall structures crumbled, breaking apart in mid-crumbling, breaking off into two, and causing the other half to fall down in another direction, crushing a multitude of other buildings underneath it during impact!
Panic quickly spread, as soon as the Equines realized that the new shapes were not friendly, they started to scatter here and there, running wherever they could to find shelter from the incoming green and red colored blasts from the Saucers’ dishes.
Landmarks, entire continents were attacked. None receiving any mercy, except for those that were rounded up, or surrendered when the invaders started landing on the ground. Some tried to fight back, but compared to the superior technology possessed by the invaders the resistance was easily swept aside.
Throughout every city, there was nothing but a large trail of the terrible devastation brought on by the invaders landing parties.
Within a very little space of time entire cities had been reduced too large, burning formation of ruins. There were almost no signs of life now, except for the now dominant numbers of invaders.
Canterlot was surrounded on all sides by Saucers. Ramps led down to platforms that the invaders had brought with them, and were now using to get into the city from parts that were considering un-enterable during their assault on the Primary Capital of the Equine Kingdom.
In the burning remnants of the once proud city, in the castle’s primary Throne room Celestia, alongside many of her strongest warriors.
‘’Shhh!’’ One raised its hoof, motioning for the rest to be silent. ‘’Can you hear that?’’
From behind the main door, the sound of movement was heard. Something even knocked on the door.
Quickly raising her hoof, she held it up, ordering her soldiers to hold back for a little while, as they waited for what was next to follow.
‘’Wait here, Princess.’’ One of the two closest soldiers said, holding up a hoof to indicate that no one were to move an inch from their spots. The two of them gently stepped closer towards the door…
However, without a second’s warning, the door shook violently, the hinges creaking, as they gave way. Slowly, the door started falling forward, landing with a violent slam onto the ground…Crushing the two guard’s underneath it. Their armor crinkling underneath the wood, as well as the sound of mangled flesh.
Celestia and Equines looked up from the two dead soldiers, instead focusing their attention on what was behind the door.
Up/out of the hallway a group of six forms stepped up, their forms green with no other visible traits aside, aside from a glass dome that covered their heads, and that there seemed to be a lot of tubes involved connected to something that was on their back. They resembled Ponies in stature, but instead of being quadrupedal they were standing up on their hind legs, and seemed to have three claws on their front hooves (front arms). Their heads were obstructed by large glass domes that reflected only what was in front of them.
However, unexpectedly, another group was arriving, though unlike their other counterparts these creatures were covered completely by what could either be described as being their skin, spacesuits, or even armor. They wore triangular helmets, and had a single large ball on the end of their arms. This too was a group of six, and they formed a line on the right side, while the first arrivals took the left flank. After stopping forming their small lines, there was a silence, as none, whether Equestrians or invader tried to move.
Up from the entrance, two lonely figures emerged, one with the same green ‘’skin’’ as the first one that took first entered when the door came down, except this one’s helmet was of a different shape than the others, and it was clad in a sparkly, red cloak/cape, of sorts, that went down from its torso to trailing behind it as it trotted forward, curving at the head, with gold trimmings along the sides, having the meeting ends spiral inwards.
The figure accompanying it just had a cape hanging down behind its back, with clasps that meet at just below the throat. It had several paint streaks on it’s the higher, and lower parts of its arms – and legs – in green colors. It also seemed to have a red dome instead of the same grey as its soldiers.
As they stepped into the Throne room, Celestia and her soldiers were gradually forced more and more back until they actually the throne. Outside the windows, the alien vehicles descended, positioning themselves in front of each window, and aiming their ship’s weapons towards the small group of opposition and government left in this already conquered world.
Celestia and her soldiers looked out at the massive shapes that surrounded the main heart of the Equestrian Empire, and it was in that moment that she realized something about the invading ships. Not all of them were the same! Some of the ships had a much different design that the others, but only slightly, as both designs looked startlingly similar to each other!
‘’T-they’re not the same!’’ Celestia said with a tone which was a combination of fear and dread.
The red-cloaked figure stood forth, taking several steps towards her.
However, several of Celestia’s guards leaped into action! Taking aim of their spears, and preparing to throw them at the invader’s leader…!
With time feeling like it slowed, she turned, looking back at the scene that was about to unfold.
‘’Wait…’’ she raised, and extended a hoof out towards them. ‘’No! Stop!’’ She cried out! But it was too late, they had already raised arms against the red-cloaked figure!
With quick reflexes, the soldiers of the left line raised their weapons and aimed them at the soldiers, letting green and red beams of lethal energy to fly from their incredible firearms. The soldiers, when hit by the beam, let out a terrible scream, their skeletons lighting up, and then going back down, as their now lifeless bodies fell to the floor. Within a few seconds, their skin dissolved away, leaving not but green and red bones in its wake.
After witnessing their comrades ‘deaths, the other soldiers instantly backed away from the smoking bones while the soldiers surrounded them. After seeing these two trying what they did, two soldiers from the right side stepped forward, accompanying the cloaked figure as it approached Celestia. Stopping a few steps away from her. It did nothing but stare at her blankly for a few seconds.
‘’Princess Celestia,’’ it began to speak, it’s voice electric and artificial, ‘’ruler of the Equestrian Species, and guardian of this one but many kingdoms...’’ The two soldiers behind it extended their arms and pointed them at the figure in front of them, ‘’Parlay, I presume is a word you are familiar with?’’ The hints of an existing chuckle were evident at the end of its question to her.
Wearing a saddened frown, she lowered her head down.
‘’I am.’’
‘’Good, because it would be a poor reflection of your ruling skills if you would not know how to call off your forces so that they will lay down their weapons and surrender.’’
