How the buck do lunar guards survive these kinds of shifts? Turbulence thought. To her, sunlight had almost been forgotten. She lost track on how long she was in there. Whoever was in charge of keeping her alive did so without ever letting her see him or her. She was fed with more than enough calories to survive, but she was still hungry. Uselessness filled her as her body was too weak to do anything.

Her ears perked up to the sound of an approaching individual reached her, and it slowly got louder and louder.

“H-hello?” she croaked.

The door of her room slid open with a hiss. Very dim light seeped in, and two tall shadows entered. They walked on two legs, and they had a dark, bulky look. One had an ace of spades and phoenix feather strapped to one shoulder.

“Who are you?” Turbulence tried to ask, squinting. She tried to back off more into a corner but to no avail.

One of the creatures stooped down, wrapped two arms around her, and picked her up. She tried to kick and buck herself free, only to be held even tighter.

“It’s all right,” the shadow hushed. “We’ve got you now.”

Turbulence’s eyes opened, realizing who it was.“Garrett-”

Garrett placed his palm on her mouth. “Don’t talk,” he said gently. “Save your strength.”

“Mind explaining to me what kind of aliens we’re actually dealing with, Archer?” Jenny asked irritably, staring intently at Turbulence.

“In a nutshell, ponies from a kid’s fairy tale land,” Garrett explained flatly.

“That’s all I need to know,” Jenny said as if the answer was not new to her. She reached for her rucksack and pulled out a canister of water. Then, she carefully tipped it on Turbulence’s lips.

Turbulence drank a very generous amount of water, quenching her dry throat. “Thank you.”

“She looks half-starved,” Jenny commented. She pulled out a plastic-foil package from her pocket. “Think she can take a protein bar?”

“Anything’s better than the food in here,” Turbulence croaked, trying to laugh but ultimately coughing.

“You’re lucky it’s chocolate.” Jenny tore open the wrapper and offered it to Turbulence. She smiled and grabbed it with her hooves, munching on it as if it was her birthday gift.

Still feeling too frail to get up, Garrett continued holding Turbulence in his arms. He carried her out of her cell in the company of Jenny. She kept silent, and her silver visor made it difficult to tell if she was staring.

When they reached the massive control room again, the terminal in the center still stood aglow with its forerunner crystal also remaining in its floating state.

Turbulence looked up to the height of the ceiling. “Woah,” she breathed.

“I know, it’s overwhelming,” Garrett said, still carrying her across.

“How long has this been in existence?” Turbulence asked. “More importantly, where are we?”

“Don’t know the answer to either of those,” Garrett replied.

Turbulence glanced over her shoulder, finding a room severely damaged and littered with several scorch marks. Small amounts of smoke were still coming out of the wreckage, and she managed to spot an intact glass tube large enough to fit her.

“What happened in there?” Turbulence asked again, craning her neck. She cringed as the smell of burned matter reached her nose, her eyes tearing up slightly. “It smells like death, and the damage looks recent--”

Jenny reached over and forcefully made Turbulence look away. “You don’t want to know.”

They reached the end of a hall which was blocked off by the cave walls. The rocks shuffled aside, opening like a doorway. The damp air flushed out and replaced itself with a sensation of life. The outside light leaked in, and Turbulence cringed. She closed her eyes as it was too bright for her. Garrett saw her reaction and brought his handout to protect her vision, but when he attempted to bring up his palm, she jerked in his grip.

“No, I’ll take care of my sight myself,” Turbulence said.

For both Jenny and Turbulence, they felt as if it was a perception long forgotten. Both stared at the scene, attempting to hide their looks of awe.

Garrett activated his radio. “Downburst, come in. I need a private chariot ride. No one else should be aware of it, and those involved must never tell anyone.”

“You better have a very good explanation for this,” Downburst grumbled in irritation. “I’ve got the princesses breathing down my neck, and the entire guard--”

“I have Turbulence,” Garrett said flatly.

There was a moment of silence.

“I’m on my way,” Downburst finally whispered.

It was almost as if the entire Canterlot Castle was in a state of partying. Nearly every guard available was in the mess hall, cheering and greeting Turbulence. She was still slightly weak, but the introduction of real food again was a welcomed treat.

Despite it almost being the end of the shifts, both day and night guards dropped by give her a warm welcome. They all gathered around her and watched as she chewed endlessly on real flavour.

However, two soldiers sat in the corner, fully armored and watching in silence. One was playing around with her knife by twirling it in her palm. Her focus on it was hard, and her brows were furrowed in deep concentration.

“Something’s obviously on your mind, Aves,” Garrett said.

“Archer, it’s about... them,” Jenny hissed, switching her gaze to the ponies merrily laughing beside their lost comrade.

“It’s about them being aliens, isn’t it?” Garrett asked.

Jenny nodded.

“I know,” Garrett continued. “All the aliens we’ve known of want to kill us. Seeing new ones that don’t feels awkward, to say the least.”

“Where were you, Garrett?” Jenny asked. “Have you been honestly been here all this time?”

Garrett closed his eyes and nodded.

“Then what the hell have you been doing here?”

Garrett took a long gulp from his drink. “When I crash landed in here, I had the same reaction you are having right now. I was confused and panicked. They attempted to bring me down, and I did whatever ODSTs do best.”

Jenny chuckled a bit. “So, what did you do?”

“Blew a massive hole in the place where they kept my Longsword, interrupted class time, beat the crap out of multiple guards, took a princess hostage, used her as leverage, flew out via wingsuit, took another hostage, and lived off of stolen food and fresh river water.” Garrett had a smug smile form on his face. “I could go on, but you’ll have to buy me a drink in the pub.”

“Damn...” Jenny breathed. She took a long sip from her cup. “What the hell was with that cloning chamber in that cave?”

“I’m with you on that one.”

“I talked with the princesses of this castle, and they said they’re willing to offer you a room in here.”

Shaking her head, Jenny sighed. “I’m sorry, Garrett, but I can’t. The crew...”

“I understand,” Garrett said. “I’ll do what I can from my end.”

Jenny sheathed her knife and stood up. “I can’t stay in here.”

“Where are you going?” Garrett asked.

“Back to the frigate. I want to look after Stanford and the rest. Probably explore whatever the hell the cave still has.”

“If that’s the case, let’s grab our gear back in the Longsword and head on out,” Garrett said.

The two of them got up and walked down the mess hall. As they passed by, the guards’ cheers hushed slightly. They ignored eye contact as much as possible while making their way.

“Hey, Garrett,” Turbulence called out.

Garrett looked over his shoulder and found all eyes towards him.

“I never got the chance to formally say thank you,” she said as she gave a small smile.

Garrett nodded. “You’re welcome.”

“About that place you found me in...” Turbulence started.

“Don’t get involved,” Jenny interjected. “The two of us’ll handle that part.”

“And it’s better you don’t know what else is hiding in there,” Garrett added. He reached for the knob and pulled open the door. He disappeared down the halls in the company of Jenny.

“All this secrecy has been making times very difficult, Garrett,” Luna murmured.

“Agreed,” Celestia added. She glanced back at the guards behind them, who were dragging along a chest. “Bringing Turbulence and an old friend of yours almost out of thin air a few days ago is...”

“I get the point, ma’am,” Garrett said. “But, I’m sorry. I can’t afford to say anything about it. I just need you to trust me on this.”

The ODST combat armor and assault rifle did not give any encouragement.

A pair of doors opened, and a group of guards appeared, escorting Twilight and her friends.

Pinkie Pie waved a hoof with a massive grin. “Hi, Garrett!”

Garrett simply nodded and motioned the guards to leave. He then activated his comms and murmured a few words before moving to the chest. Reaching in, he pulled out the Elements of Harmony and distributed them accordingly. Judging by the silence he was giving, it was very obvious that he was in no mood to smile.

“What you’re about to see and do never happened,” Garrett said sternly. “Are we clear?”

All of the ponies nodded, and Garrett proceeded to a pair of doors.

He opened them wide, and Celestia and Luna easily realised where Garrett was taking them. The massive storage room was almost the same size as the one that kept the crashed Longsword. It stood empty and silent, save for the sound of armored boots and hooves.

He shut the door behind him. The locking the mechanisms’ clicks resonated throughout the entire vault. Garrett then proceeded to the middle of the hall and pulled out a tracker from his rucksack. After placing on the ground, he activated his radio.

“We’re ready, Aves,” he said.

“I got your signal,” Jenny said. “You sure this’ll work?”

“If you can find a better alternative, you’re more than welcomed to shoot me in the ass,” Garrett replied.

Jenny chuckled. “It’s nice having you back.”

“Likewise. Send in the first batch.”

“Already did.”

Garrett turned to them and raised his neck. The ponies looked behind them, and all of them felt themselves freeze.

“Oh, no...” Celestia breathed. Luna covered her mouth with her hoof.

“No way,” Rainbow Dash gasped.

The eight of them stared at the sight of a group of solidified humans, statues in motion. The one in front was wearing an officer’s uniform. Slightly aged, he stood straight. He was lowering his head and closing his eyelids as if he was accepting an execution. The rest were in a state of panic, either running or attempting to accomplish a final task.

“Can you help them?” Garrett asked.

Twilight was the first to take the step forward. She approached the frozen officer and ran her hoof across his cap. A look of pity and sorrow reflected off of her face. “I’m not sure,” she said. “But, maybe...”

She looked back at her friends. “Ready, girls?”

“Ready!” they snapped in unison.

Garrett watched in silence and crossed his arms.

Twilight stepped forward and. closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, then her horn lit up like a blaze. The Elements of Harmony sparked to life, and a rainbow of magic emerged from each of them. It rose to the air and turned to one of the statues.

The energy levels were so intense, Garrett’s VISR started filling with static. He repeatedly tapped his helmet and shook his head. By the time he regained his vision, Twilight and her friends were already finished.

The human’s body was also covered in an aura. Color slowly came back to him as the grey faded away. When his face was back to normal, there were small wheezes from his throat. Garrett managed to catch him right before he would have hit the ground.

“Are you all right, colonel?” he asked.

Stanford coughed dryly and gasped for air, holding onto Garrett for support. “And I thought cryo-sleep was bad,” he coughed.

He blinked multiple times as his vision was still blurry. He looked up and faced Garrett, who unpolarized his visor.

“Garrett Archer, is it really you?” he asked.

“Yes, it is, sir,” Garrett replied.

“Where were you all this time?”

“I crash landed on this planet, sir, and I’ve been stranded here ever since.”

“Did anything interesting during your stay here, then?” Stanford asked.

“I met a new set of aliens,” Garrett answered. “They’re ruled by two princesses, and for once, they don’t want to kill us in the long run.”

Stanford looked up and glanced at Celestia and Luna. He shifted his gaze back at Garrett. “‘In the long run?’ What does that mean?”

“Initial relationships were rough at first, colonel,” Celestia said.

“‘Rough’ doesn’t even come close to the kind of hell ODSTs bring,” Stanford said. He switched his direction back to Garrett. “Where’s the rest of the crew I was with, lieutenant?”

“I’m sorry, sir,” Garrett replied, lowering his head.

Stanford turned around and found the statues. He froze in place, and a wave of guilt rushed over his face. He closed his eyes and sighed. “Who got me out?”

“We did,” Twilight said. She motioned her friends. “We’re capable of getting your crew out of. If you send them here, and we can handle the rest.”

“Thank you for your generosity,” Stanford said, tipping his cap.

“Anything to help, colonel,” Celestia said, attempting to sound positive, but the thought of having to save help hundreds of humans from prisons of stone prevented her.

“I guess we should make space, then,” Stanford said. The two of them back up until the wall, well out of earshot from the princesses.

“How much did we miss trooper?” he asked Garrett in a low murmur.

“Earth’s been found, sir,” Garrett replied grimly.

Stanford’s eyes opened with a fire of rage. He grit his teeth and closed his hand to a fist.

“I haven’t heard of anything other than an order to call back all ships,” Garrett added with a whisper. “I don’t know what’s going on now.”

The two glanced at the ponies, who were busy conducting the spell that covered the entire batch of frozen humans.

“It’s Earth, Archer,” Stanford murmured. “They’re definitely putting up a good fight, even until now if it’s still on.”

“What do you suggest we do now?”

“We’ll have to protect this planet and get our ship repaired, if possible, but the problem is that none of us here know it as well as you. So, we’ll be following your lead.”

Garrett shot him a look. “Sir?”

“We need more leaders, and you’re the best shot we’ve got right now.” Stanford pulled out a datapad from his pocket and placed the sensor near Garrett’s chest. He pressed the screen, and a quick beep came.

“What’s this, colonel?” Garrett asked.

“Just establishing rank,” Stanford replied. “Take a look.”

Garrett pulled out his dog tags and found the digital text altered.

CAPTAIN

“Thank you sir,” Garrett said with a hint of a smile. He glanced at the datapad. “Kind of handy to have that tool around.”

Stanford nodded. “It’s useful if you’ll be doing deep space ops for a long time.”

“Is this sanctioned?”

“Nowadays, would you honestly care?”

The first batch of ODSTs were finally freed. They coughed and gagged, swearing about how uncomfortable they felt. Some were on their knees, blinking wildly and holding their heads.

“Ten-hut!” Stanford barked.

In a snap, they all ceased their actions and stood straight.

“I know that you all have a lot on your mind, but I need you to pay attention to your new captain,” Stanford announced.

“Thank you, sir,” Garrett said. He switched his attention to the humans. “Before any of you make side comments, let me just say that yes, it’s me, the long-lost Garrett Archer. As of now, The rest of your comrades are quite literally stoned, frozen like statues.”

To the surprise of the princesses, they managed to hold their emotions down, but they knew that underneath the polarized visors, eyes were trained on them with distrust.

“As for them-” Garrett motioned Celestia and Luna “-you better show some respect. They call the shots on this planet and are the only hopes of getting the rest of the crew out. I’ll explain everything later, but for now, our priority is to get everyone back to normal. Hoorah?”

“Hoorah!” they all replied.

Garrett activated his radio. “Jenny, bring in all of them and yourself.”

“All of them?” Jenny asked. “That’s quite a lot at once, lieut--”

“That’s ‘captain’ now, thanks to the colonel.”

“Understood.”

The crew stood silent and at attention. When the ponies finished casting their spells, they left the room before the humans regained their senses. As a result, the entire process of getting back to attention went undisturbed. Garrett walked to the front of the crowd, flanked by Jenny and Stanford.

“If I am told correctly,” he started, “the last thing you remember was investigating anomalies in this sector, and a massive surge of energy caused all of you to go MIA. Between that moment and now, several months passed by, and you missed a lot of the action back out there... including me crashing into this rock and the Battle for Earth.”

They still stood at attention. Fists were clenched, and low growls stealthily came and went.

“I don’t know what’s happening now,” Garrett continued. “For all we know, we could be the last humans in existence. Back to present times, it’s quite obvious that we’re on an alien planet. Relationships have been rough at first, but I managed to get it into more stable conditions with the two princesses ruling this place. Be careful with your initial contact with them, and I’m sure as hell that they’re listening to us at this very moment.”

There were a few muffled gasps from the door, followed by the sound of movement that shuffled away.

“I know, it’ll be hard to trust them, being aliens and all,” Garrett said. “But, we just have to make do. Before you know it, we’ll be going back to the safety of our own ship. To play on the safe side, don’t talk to them, hide your reactions, and avoid contact until you’re all comfortable. Any questions?”

“How are these aliens compared to the Covenant, captain?” Stanford asked.

“They’ve done things that amazed me, sir,” Garrett replied, “but they’ve also done things that made me wish for the Covenant again.”

Stanford nodded, silent as everyone else.

“What happened to our AI?” the commander of the Night Stalker asked.

Garrett shook his head. “Athena went rampant. She joined herself with the Forerunner crystal you brought. It gave her the knowledge needed to keep an entire cave in a time-locked space. I had to take her down because she was going to start a war. She kept a terminal with her. Hopefully, all of her data is in there, and I hope that we can shed some light on some of the... disturbing things she showed me.”

The commander lowered her head, the visor of her cap casting a shadow over her eyes.

“Next question,” Garrett called out.

The change needed to accommodate the new humans came in as quick as an hour that passed. When they left the vault for the first time, listening to Garrett’s recommendations, the ODSTs and crewmen avoided as much contact as possible with the ponies, even when they tried to start conversation. Guest rooms were quickly filled, and the lunar guards were generous enough to offer their bunk beds for the night. All the while, the mess hall provided helpful servings of food to assist them in regaining nutrition. But, with the thought of missing the Battle for Earth still afresh, hostility and rage were subtly given to the Equestrians.

The new schedule was only in effect for one night, as all the humans, including Garrett, packed up and marched out at dawn the very next day. None of them argued with their new captain, and all they did was stay quiet and march in formation, following him as he lead them back to the cave.

Listening to Garrett’s requests, no royal guard was to follow them, and it was known to be preferred because the mere fact of them being aliens being peaceful made the other humans uncomfortable and distrusting.

Colonel Stanford sighed as he smoothed his palm over a holo table to remove the dust. He looked up to see the rest of the bridge of the Night Stalker. Other crewmen were in the midst of cleaning up their workstations and turning on necessary systems. Many were saying out loud if their monitors were booting up properly.

“Surprisingly, other than a few simple repairs, the ship will be back up running within the hour,” the commander of the Night Stalker said. “The problem is getting out of this cave.”

“One priority at a time, commander,” Stanford said. He switched on the comms. “Archer, what’s the situation back at that terminal?”

“To our surprise, sir,” Garrett said over the radio, “we can actually fit all of the data into one unit, but we needed to use the kinds meant for delivering AIs. All the information here is intact, but it’s acting like a regular artificial intelligence... like it’s alive. Luckily, we got it secured and have it ready for transport, and someone should be there soon with said core. Last but not least, we found something interesting.”

“And what would that be?” the commander asked.

The metal floor beneath everyone’s feet rumbled and shook. The crewmembers looked at each other in worry, murmuring their concerns. Stanford and the commander looked up beyond the bridge windows. The rocks began shuffling way and folding on top of one another. Some stones fell off and rolled to the floor. A bright crack of light broke through the center of the cave wall, filling the bridge.

The dome continued opening, revealing a mountain view of Equestria and a hole large enough for the stealth frigate to fly out.

“Well, that’s a start,” Stanford said. He inspected the looks on everyone’s faces and chuckled at the sight of gaping mouths.

In the darkness of the night, Luna and Celestia met on the top floor the Observatory Tower of Canterlot Castle. The two of them felt a pressure return, the same feeling when Garrett first appeared in Equestria.

“Sister, I cannot believe I am saying this,” Luna started, making her way to the balcony, “but I feel... threatened by the humans.”

She sighed and ran her hoof along the side of the telescope. “Humanity’s background against aliens and their personal feelings about the issue has been ever present, even with the help of their training to hide emotions. I sense as though a conflict will be evident.”

“I feel the same way,” Celestia said as she came to her side.

A knock on the door made them turn, and in came a guard. He bowed before them. “Your highness, a group of humans have returned and went to the Longsword in storage.”

“Was Garrett among them?” Luna asked.

The guard shook his head. “No, your highness. We are unsure why they were not wearing ODST uniforms--”

A thunderous rumbling cut him off. The three of them turned to find a triangular starfighter flying across the sky. Its fusion engines shined brightly like shooting stars, and it quickly flew through the air and off into the distance.

From the safety of cloud cover, a titanic object hovered out. Its sheer size easily challenged that of Canterlot Castle, and it looked more than ready to give a show of force. Along the side, there was a text lit up with light.

UNSC NIGHT STALKER

“Sweet mother of...” the guard breathed.

Luna and Celestia stood silent, staring at it with their mouths hanging.

The frigate opened a bay door and accommodated the Longsword. The ship continued on its path, heading towards the castle. Many Canterot residents popped their heads out of windows and went out to the streets. Some panicked and ran while others murmured and stood still in fear.

The Night Stalker came to a halt on the city outskirts. Its cargo bay opened, and a Pelican flew out. It landed right next to the gate. A team of ODSTs, well armed, jumped off and accompanied an officer and another trooper in off-duty clothing. The drawbridge to Canterlot opened, and the humans made their way in.

“Are we going to have a diplomatic meeting, sir?” Garrett asked Stanford.

Stanford shook his head. He took a deep breath and sat down on one of the seats of the princesses’ private library. “No, captain. I just need to talk to you.”

“Then why not in the ship, colonel?” Garrett asked again, taking a seat with him.

“I needed to do it in privacy, where the other troopers can’t listen in,” Stanford replied. “They are keeping themselves busy, right?”

Garrett nodded. “Yes, sir. They’re keeping the guards and the princesses off, following your orders.”

“You trust these aliens, don’t you?

“Yes, sir.”

“That explains why you didn’t want to wear any armor. Anyhow, there are still more important things at hand.” Stanford leaned with his elbows on the table. “Earth. We have a way back to it. But, it’s not the availability that amazed me. It’s the distance. Scans show that we’re more or less as far as Reach.”

Garrett froze, staring at the table. “It’s your call, sir,” he said. “You’re the highest in command.”

“That’s the problem.” Stanford and stood up. He made his way to the window to see the view of Canterlot. “You said that these aliens manage to both amaze you and make you wish that you were fighting the Covenant.”

He turned around to face Garrett again. “Those are bold words, Archer. Tell me, what are they capable of?”

“Equestria, as you can see, looks peaceful and orderly. Its people have a wide range of power and abilities.” Garrett stood up and took a book from the shelf. “But, it has its own share of people who want to watch the world burn.”

He placed the book on the table and flipped it to a page. “For example, Discord.”

Stanford approached to the table and looked at the image.

“This joker has no goal at all,” Garrett continued. “He just wants to see everything in a state of chaos. Hell, he managed to convince me to attempt to take down half of the royal guard and murder the princesses.”

Wide eyed, Stanford stared at Garrett.

“Attempted, sir,” Garrett stressed. “It failed, obviously. Right now, He’s not a problem anymore.”

He switched his attention back to the book and flipped to another page. “The real threat is Nightmare Moon. She wants to rule Equestria herself. Her deep hatred for the princesses and her supporters has no limits. She is capable of corrupting individuals and forcing anyone to his or her knees. If Earth still has humans and if she gets there...”

“...We could face another war,” Stanford said, finishing the sentence.

“And I bet it’ll be easy for her to get Insurrectionist support,” Garrett added.

“So, we can’t exactly leave because of her,” Stanford said. “but, we have Earth. It’s our priority above everything else, and after that, we still have this planet to protect.”

Garrett closed the book and returned it to the shelf. “Should we really risk going back to Earth? We don’t know what we’ll find.”

“Our last word from Earth was, according to you, a message to call back every available ship. It’s time for us to join the party.”

“Better late than never,” Garrett sighed.

“So, that means you’re leaving?” Celestia asked.

The two turned to find the princess standing in front of the door. It was obvious that she was deeply worried, despite her efforts to mask it. She closed her eyes and lowered her head, the cold hard truth hitting her.

“Ma’am, I’m sorry,” Garrett said, “but it’s Earth we’re talking about, and we need to know what happened to it.”

Still keeping her eyes closed, Celestia lowered her head. Garrett slowly approached her. “Ma’am, please. Don’t take it personally.”

Celestia opened her eyes, which glowed teal and with a fire of rage. “I’m not letting you leave this easily,” Nightmare Moon hissed.

Before he could have reacted, Garrett felt a needle pierce him by the neck. He gasped as he gripped a syringe and fell to his knees.

“Archer!” Stanford barked. He quickly drew out his magnum, but another syringe, coated in an aura of magic, soared through the air and find his neck. He attempted to fire a shot, but it obviously missed and hit the floor. Vision blurring and hearing muffling, the last thing he recalled seeing was Garrett falling to the floor and a black alicorn smiling.

Garrett groaned and blinked. Darkness wrapped around him, and his hands were tied behind his back. Stalactites hung from the ceilings, making him guess that he was in yet another cave complex. The first sight he saw was of the rough outline of a changeling. Only, it looked like it was darker than black. It had scales like a snake, its eyes were teal slits, and he noticed violet instead instead of the green, insect-like features he saw in illustrations.

It wore its own set of armor and was armed with a piano-black arcane crossbow, decorated with purple engravings and pin strips. The changeling-like creature stared at him and tilted its head. It then hissed at him, spreading and showing off its wings. Garrett found no fear and refused to flinch.

“Nice pets,” a voice said.

Turning, Garrett found Stanford right next to him, who was also unthreatened and restraint.

“Well, they do serve their purpose well,” Nightmare Moon said. She appeared before Garrett, flanked by two more of the creatures. She ran her hoof along the side of one, stroking it like a dog. “I like calling them shadows. I created them myself, and they seem fit for me. Of course, Chrysalis was more than willing to help in the making.”

“Makes sense,” Garrett commented. “After all, you aren’t the real Nightmare Moon. You’re just a copy, and you’ll never be who you think you are. Your ‘shadows’ aren’t as real as you, either, just another product of someone else’s work with changelings. At least you aren’t alone anymore--”

Nightmare Moon slapped him across the face with a hoof. “Shut it.”

“So, why take us?” Stanford asked.

“To give you a warning,” Nightmare Moon chuckled. She turned around and made her way down. Her horn glowed, and Garrett and Stanford were lifted up into the air, floating alongside with her. “Starswirl’s designs in the past have amazed me, and they still find their use today. They have also given me something to do on the moon.”

She continued dragging them along and stopped at a sudden widening of the cave.

“Now, I’m impressed,” Stanford said, retaining his posture. Garrett, however, felt the blood drain from his face.

The entire area was larger than a stadium. Inside, a zeppelin was being prepared. It looked like it was made completely out of metal, including the envelope used to hold the air. External platforms provided enough space for arcane cannon platforms, and there were lines of those mounted on the balloon part of the airships. Stanford wondered how it was suppose to fly. Garrett, however, never bothered to ask because he set his conclusion as a thing of magic.

Right next to the zeppelin lay numerous pods growing more shadows, and the ones already born were putting on armor and arming up.

“As you can see, Garrett, you’re not the only one capable of having airborne units,” Nightmare Moon said. “I still have more of these waiting to be unleashed. In fact, my entire fleet is enough to cover all of the planet. Now, off to business,”

Her horn glowed with magic again, and a bright light covered the three of them, forcing Stanford and Garrett to close their eyes.

When they came to, the two humans found themselves in a familiar passage full of cryo-tubes.

“We’re inside the Night Stalker,” Stanford whispered to Garrett.

Nightmare Moon lifted Stanford up with magic. “Just remember, if I see even one UNSC ship off in the distance, I will send my forces to Celestia and Luna, and if you land, you will be greeted by the sight of a hanging. If you mind your own business, I promise to show mercy and bring no more harm to them.”

She cut Stanford free and forced him into a cryo-tube. After shutting the canopy, she started the freezing process and let Garrett go as well.

Garrett attempted to tackle her, but Nightmare Moon’s magic quickly wrapped around him and forced him down. He struggled and kicked against her power but was obviously too weak.

“Aren’t you suppose to be excited, soldier?” Nightmare Moon asked as she opened another canopy, “I’m giving all of you a reason to go back home and stay there. Don’t be so mad. I’m doing you a favor.”

“Shut up!” Garrett barked, still trying to break free.

“Oh, and one last thing.” Nightmare Moon floated out a data tablet. “I thought this would be quite useful to you.”

She tapped it with her hoof, and the record commenced.

“The is the UNSC Broadcasting Network, the voice of humanity,” began a host. “Damage to New Mombasa is still present, but rapid development for repairs have already been noticed. The strange formation the Covenant uncovered has been quickly deactivated, according to the Navy. Other cities have already begun the cleanup. Many memorials are being held worldwide as a tribute for the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect us.

“Fleet Admiral Hood had these words to say during the one he attended near Voi in East Africa, ‘For us, the storm has passed... the war is over. But let us never forget those who journeyed into the howling dark and did not return. For their decision required courage beyond measure; sacrifice, and unshakable conviction that their fight... our fight, was elsewhere. As we start to rebuild, this hillside will remain barren, a memorial to heroes fallen. They ennobled all of us, and they shall not be forgotten.’

“Some civilians refused to attend the memorials, as they believe that their family members or friends are still alive out there,somewhere. For today’s Salute to the Troops, we bring you another guess. Please introduce yourself.”

“My name is Sarah,” a young voice said, making Garrett hold his breath and stiffen up.

“Hello, Sarah. Who are you dedicating your special message to?”

“My dad. I just want to say that mom and I are still waiting for him, and we want so see him again. We love him so much, and we hope that he goes home soon.”

“You heard her right, listeners. If you are the father listening to this right now, well, let me say that you have people waiting for you back here, soldier. Get home ASAP. Until then, this is the UNSC Broadcasting Network, the voice of humanity.”

The datapad beeped, ending the recording. Nightmare Moon gingerly disposed of it.

“My, your daughter sounds grown up now, doesn’t she?” Nightmare Moon asked.

Garrett growled, gritting his teeth. “Don’t you dare--”

He was cut off as Nightmare Moon gently pressed her hoof on his lips, and she slowly inched her face slowly to his, as if she was to kiss him.

“Shh...” she hushed like a mother. She brushed his hair with another hoof. “It’ll all be over soon. Sleep well, captain.”

With a glow of her horn, Nightmare Moon flung Garrett towards the open cryo-tube with a loud crash. Then, she quickly shut the canopy.

Garrett roared and smashed against the glass with all his rage. He pounded his fists hard, attempting to fight the sleeping agents.

“No!” he croaked with all his strength. “Damn it! No!”

He felt his body quickly numb and turn weak, and the last thing he last saw was Nightmare Moon smiling and changing form to look exactly like him, except fully armored.

Reaching upward, Garrett tried to grab hold of the emergency release, but his hand was caught short by an inch a the ice solidified him.

With the sudden disappearance of the two humans, suspicions quickly rose, and fingers began pointing. Violence was narrowly avoided in some cases. The ODSTs decided to confront the ponies right in front of the drawbridge. Celestia and Luna chose to offer help personally.

“Where the hell are they?!” a trooper barked.

One switched his attention the princesses. “You had something to do with this, didn’t you?!”

“We have not done any intervention!” Luna argued.

Another Pelican landed, and the commander of the Night Stalker jumped off and approached the princesses. The look on her eyes was of pure aggression, and she was not pleased in any way.

“Is it true?” she asked them in a hiss. “I’ve just been told that the colonel and one of our own ‘vanished’ out of thin air right after a gunshot.”

“We don’t know!” Celestia reasoned.

“Bullcrap!” another ODST shouted.

“We speak of the truth!” Luna retorted.

“Enough!” a voice barked.

Everyone turned and found Garrett walking across the drawbridge in his armor. His eyes were hard with authority. “Nightmare Moon issued us a warning. She has a fleet and an army ready to take over. She decided to show mercy and not bring any harm to anyone if every citizen of Canterlot, Ponyville, and Cloudsdale transfer to lands not ruled by the princesses. If UNSC forces intervene, she will kill every single one of you.”

The news silenced everyone. The Equestrians had their eyes widen while the humans looked at each other. No words were dared to be muttered.

“What does Stanford suggest we do?” the commander asked.

Garrett looked down to the ground. “Pack up and leave,” he grumbled.

There was another wave of stillness.

“Run away from a fight?” the commander asked.

“Look, I’m just relaying orders,” Garrett said. “Stanford and I have seen what we’ll be up against and what the demands were.”

“What are we up against if we decide to fight?” the commander asked again.

Garrett shook his head. “Enough ships to cover this entire planet and an army big enough to back it up. We should board the frigate and get a move on. The colonel wants us in cryo-sleep and a skeleton crew to get us to Earth. He’s already gone ahead to ice himself.”

The commander closed her eyes and sighed. “You heard him,” she said to the ODSTs.

“Garrett, you can’t do this!” Celestia snapped. She stepped into the way between him and the Pelican. “You know how dangerous she is! We have what it takes to stop her!”

“This is war, ma’am,” Garrett said grimly. He took off his helmet and looked at her straight in the eye. “It’s not about if you can save a million lives. It’s more like sacrifice a thousand to keep a billion alive. If we kept on bull-rushing everything, humanity would have lost the war when Reach was attacked. We have Earth again, and we know our priorities.”

All the humans and Equestrians within earshot broke into murmurs and chatter.

Garrett leaned forward and lowered himself to a whisper. “According to intel, the planet’s still alive; humanity has survived.”

Celestia kept silent, blinking. However, just by looking at Garrett’s face, she easily saw one thing amidst all the noise.

Fear.

“Garrett, have you forgotten?” Luna asked. “You have been fighting an alien race with all the odds against you, but you relied on your friends beside you to be there until the end. Of course, your opponents are more advanced and brutal, but you still manage to win. All you need now is the courage to finish this.”

“Look, ma’am,” Garrett said, “A man known as Winston Churchill said that courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”

The princesses were silenced. The three stared at each other for a moment, lost within their own thoughts. Eventually, Garrett closed his eyes and shook his head.

“I’m sorry, but I just want you safe,” Garrett finally said. “Please, trust me on this. What’s the nearest piece of land not directly under your rule?”

“The Principality of Monairco,” Luna said, “a close ally of the Griffon kingdom.”

“And where is it?”

“Right along our coastline, but it is extremely small.”

“How small?”

“About two square kilometers,” Celestia added, as if it was the answer expected to change Garrett’s mind.

“Build up some clouds on the water to be used as makeshift homes over there,” Garrett recommended, “and order some unicorns to make some spells that allow non-pegasi to stay on them. Then, get yourselves some assets for protection. Do you have any forces that could help you?”

“Captain Shining Armor,” Luna said, “we sent him and a number of forces to give aid to the gryphon kingdom. He recently wrote a report claiming that they plan of returning, as the griffons told them they can handle the rest.”

“Then tell the captain what’s going on and to hit land on the principality,” Garrett said.

Mists formed on the eyes of Celestia and Luna. Pain formed in their hearts, and their breathing constricted as the reality was hitting them.

Garrett took a deep breath. “I guess... this means goodbye.”

Walking right past them, he boarded the Pelican and gave them one last look. The three of them locked gazes for the last time, then Garrett slipped on his helmet and polarized his visor. “Take us to the ship, pilot,” he ordered.

The doors shut, and the Pelicans took off and entered the stealth frigate. The Night Stalker spun around, heading towards a new course. Once it cleared the atmosphere, a massive ball of energy formed before it. It entered the sphere, and within a moment’s notice, the vessel vanished from sight.

“Gone...” Luna whimpered.

“So, we’re really leaving them, huh?” the commander asked Garrett as both of them hopped off the Pelican.

“We have Earth again,” Garrett said. “We know our priorities.”

“I’ll see to it that we come back, get them out of the hell we just deserted them to.” She shook her head, her gut feeling hollow. “Damn, just saying that hits you hard.”

Garrett nodded.

The commander activated her comms and started making her way to the cryo-chamber. “All right, everyone, let’s hit the ice and head back home,” she said through the announcement systems. “Be in cryo before we get into slipstream.”

The rest of the crew followed, some murmuring amongst themselves in the process.

Leaning back against the Pelican, Garrett waited until he was the last one. The hangar eventually fell empty, deserted like a ghost town.

Fools, Nightmare Moon thought to herself with a chuckle.

She trotted alongside the Pelican, sliding a hoof over the armor. They’ll believe in anything.

With a flash of her horn, she teleported herself out and glanced behind her one more time to see the frigate disappear from sight. Satisfied, she flew over Canterlot and off into the distance.