Luna's Return Trajectory

by Stainless Steel Fox

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Human, Other, Princess Luna
Length: 94419

Princess Luna has found herself on a very different moon after some strange force interfered with her banishment. She doesn't know what the metal objects that keep orbiting and sometimes landing there are, but she's going to find out.

My attempt at a more serious 'Luna meets Neil Armstrong' storyline. What would really happen, both on the moon and on Earth? Inspired by 'The Eagle has Landed' by CyanBlackStone.

Princess Luna has found herself on a very different moon after some strange force interfered with her banishment. She doesn't know what the metal objects that keep orbiting and sometimes landing there are, but she wants to find out. Meanwhile, Neil Armstrong believes that being the first man on the moon will be the crowning achievement of his life. Hoo boy, is he ever in for a surprise.

For those who are interested, the most excellent Zanec has provided this link to an interactive Apollo 11 site.

Published 2014-09-28 16:10:02 UTC
Last updated 2024-02-20 21:51:59 UTC

Reaction Control

Reaction Control

Richard Nixon was a skilled politician with all that implied. With his administration coming out of its 'honeymoon' period, the Apollo mission, especially Apollo 11, the first moon landing was like manna from heaven. Unlike the ongoing war in Vietnam, the moon missions were something that almost the entire country had gotten behind. However, there was more than just simple political gain to be made there, this would be something remembered as long as there was a United States, for as long as there was a human race.

While John Kennedy might have started the ball rolling, the Nixon Administration would be remembered, indeed he would be remembered above all as the president who oversaw man's first steps upon another world. His speech to the two astronauts had been the culmination of that effort, until something beyond belief had happened. He'd seen something approaching them from behind, and even his urbanity had been tested.

“Behind you, right behind you!” A few seconds after he'd said those words, and even as they turned to face the... horse? the TV he'd been viewing the two astronauts on cut out. Mindful of the fact that there was a camera there in the Oval Office, recording his half of the conversation, he turned to face it. “It seems something unexpected has happened. Let us all pray that it is nothing bad. I'm sure whatever it is, our brave astronauts can handle it.”

He looked behind the camera, at Frank Borman, the NASA liason, who was holding a radio-telephone. “Do you have the signal back?”

“Sorry Mr President, but they cut it at Houston. We don't know what's happening.”

“I'll find out.” The most important thing to do was look decisive and calm. He picked up his phone and pressed the key marked Haldeman. “Bob, get me Houston, the Director of Flight Operations. I want to know what has happened to our boys up there.”

The phone call was set up in moments. He plugged the handset into a recess that connected it to a speaker system, used for conferences. The voice on the other end of the line sounded harried. “This is Donald Slayton, Mr President. I know you must want to know what's going on. We're still trying to figure that out ourselves.”

“What's happening up there? Are our boys alright? Why did we lose the television signal?”

“Both Commander Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Aldrin are perfectly fine. We pulled the broadcast signal until we could find out what's happening. Gene Krantz, the on watch Flight Director made the call, and I agree with him, as does Dr Paine. Of course, we're still recording everything. As you yourself saw, they appear to have been approached by a creature.”

“Then there was something?” Nixon frowned at the phone as if it had suggested he vote democrat. “If this is someone's idea of a practical joke on the U. S. of A, there will be consequences.”

“If something's hinky, it's not at our end. We're still confirming things with the deep space network, but the signal delays match and by triangulating from the two ground stations currently seeing the moon, we're certain the signals are coming from the lunar surface. Command Module Pilot Collins confirmed it, he's listening in and not getting the audio delays. Whatever's happening, it's happening up there.”

“So what is happening?” Nixon demanded. “The thing looked like some sort of horse, a horse with wings.”

“That's correct Mr President. A blue horse with a single horn and wings, according to Commander Armstrong. There's some sort of symbol on its hindquarters, but we don't have an angle to see it yet.”

“As long as it's not a hammer and sickle.” Nixon said, quipping for the camera.

“No sir, white on black, some sort of crescent moon pattern. Armstrong has engaged it in a dialogue, while Aldrin is prepping the lander for an emergency return to orbit if needed. Thankfully it doesn't seem like it will. It, she, calls herself Luna and seems friendly. She has somehow provided a bubble of air between herself and Commander Armstrong, and speaks English in a feminine voice.”

“Son, I understand you wanted to shut down to confirm what you were seeing, but the country, the world is watching, and they will want to see this for themselves. Get it up again.”

“Very well sir.” The room could hear him giving instructions off to someone at his end. “We're setting it up on a delay line so we can play back from when we cut out.”

Nixon nodded, and made a mental note to tell Haldeman to listen to the real time speech, as soon as the attention was off him. The delay would give them a chance to cut out anything they didn't want to get back to the general public. They should also get a trained interrogator over there to guide the astronauts questions. “Good thinking. We want everyone to see we have nothing to hide.”

“You have to understand Mr President, while we can confirm what we're seeing is really happening up there, we can't confirm anything else. Though this is no cheap fake, it would have to be an unbelievably complex and expensive fake to do what we're seeing. But we have to consider it may be the real thing, in which case it's the most important thing that's ever happened in the history of the human race. Wait, we're linking in the playback now...”

His TV screen came on, and so from the noises behind the camera did the network feed. The unit director signalled and the light on the camera went dark,and not a moment too soon. Even as he talked to Haldeman on the phone again and watched the unbelievable conversation develop, one of his aides came in with a slip of teletype paper. He recognised the format, it was from the Moscow hotline, which was not a phone as people frequently thought.

Having to write messages back and forth allowed both sides to think about what they were saying, and avoid any heated words that might have unfortunate consequences, such as World War Three. Though this particular missive wasn't particularly sanguine. Translated from Russian and stripped of diplomatic language, it basically asked what the hell the United States were playing at. Richard Nixon, president of the United States of America rubbed his forehead, this was going to be a very long day.

&&&

The set-up of the EASEP had gone ahead faster than they'd ever managed to do it in the simulator. Having an extra pair of hands, even when it was actually a horn, had proved very useful, especially as Luna's telekinesis had proved more dexterous and powerful than space suit gloves. She hadn't trained for it, but Neil and Buzz had, backwards and forwards, which meant they could describe each operation exactly, which was all the alicorn needed. In the process they'd given her a very basic explanation of how things worked.

As the self test button was pressed, Neil said, “Houston, are you receiving telemetry on the EASEP?”

After three seconds, Charlie's voice came back. “That's a roger. We have a good signal... uh huh, all the instruments are checking out okay. Nice work, all three of you, we've made up some time. You have fifteen minutes for any personal activities, then retreat to the lander for scheduled rest period. We'll be extending the stay one orbit to give you some extra down time. ”

“I'll pass on your thanks.” Neil replied. “Luna, they say we did a good job.”

Buzz shook his head, though the motion wasn't too clear through the helmet. “It still seems like magic.”

“That is because it is.” Luna replied humour in her voice. “It was the least I could do after interrupting your work as I did. I find this technology fascinating. Devices that use light and lightning rather than magic, 'radio' and 'electronics' as you call them; powered by light as well. Unicorns have light spells, and pegasi can buck thunderbolts out of clouds, but no-pony ever considered such devices as this might be made.”

“We find your magic just as amazing. Like that spell you did earlier to show us your home. What sort of magical devices do your people have?” Neil moved away from the experiment package, reaching into an external pocket for his pack of memorial items.

“Mostly amulets and other wearable items that give some fixed effect, such as enhanced magical power or protection. Farspeaking and scrying mirrors, though those are rare since careful attunement is needful. A few unicorns and earth ponies have crafted clockwork automata or magically animated golems to do simple tasks, but they are usually too expensive or too fragile for any practical use.”

Buzz had moved back to the lander and collected the Hasselblad still camera.“Could you build them?”

“The clockwork, no, but I could probably turn my horn to golem crafting. While 'tis not a speciality of mine, I have knowledge of the basic animation spells and methods.”

“One moment.” Neil placed the package on the ground, mounding up the lunar soil around it in a cairn. He stepped back and looked down at it, silent. Luna started to ask what he was doing, but Buzz put his finger up to his faceplate over the lips, and when that just got a puzzled look, placed his whole hand in front of his mouth. Luna's eyes widened in realisation, and she nodded and touched a fore-hoof to her mouth as Buzz raised his camera. Neil stood back and saluted.

“Well guys, we made it. I just wish you could see what we've seen. You paved the way for us, and for that we'll always be grateful. Godspeed.”

“Amen.” Buzz echoed. Neil.

“A tribute of some kind?” Luna asked.

Neil turned back to face Luna. “A memorial to three American astronauts and two Russian cosmonauts who've died. Gus Grissom, Roger Chaffee And Ed White were killed in a fire testing the first Apollo module, the ship that brought us here. I knew all three of them. Yuri Gagarin was the first man to fly in space, then ended up dying in a routine training flight. Vladimir Komarov died testing a new Russian space craft.”

Luna nodded her head. “I understand, 'tis a noble thing to remember your lost friends this way. But I thought from what you said earlier, and the way you said it, that Russia is no friend to your nation.”

“Russia may not be, but none of us astronauts had any quarrel with their astronaut corps. We even tried to send a representative to Komarov's funeral, but the guys in charge over there wouldn't allow it.”

“I am sorry to hear that.” Luna stepped towards the cairn and bowed her own head. “Rest well, brave adventurers. Your sacrifice is remembered.”

Buzz had remembered the camera and took a picture of her as she gave her own benediction.

Charlie's voice broke the silence. “Tranquility base, you're down to ten minutes before your rest period, but we need you to ask Luna some questions. Neil, you seem to have a better rapport with her.”

“Understood, Capcom.” Neil replied. “I'm guessing it isn't whether Luna has any walk on luggage?”

“Sorry, but no-one's gotten back to me on Luna's request. I doubt they'll have an answer before you return to the Columbia. Which means it's probably going to be Apollo 12.”

“I understand. I didn't really expect anything else, you don't make a decision like that on the spur of the moment.”

Luna could hear his side of the conversation, and the disappointment in her expression was easy to read, despite the differences in species. “My request to travel with you?”

“With us, probably not. But Apollo 12, our next mission is in four months, four lunar days, so they'll have time to plan for your recovery properly. We'd have to improvise a berth for you in a cramped capsule, and still be able to reach the controls. They'll be able to move things around to give you a safe space.”

“If they will allow me at all.” Luna sighed.

“I'm sure they will.” Neil said comfortingly. “After all, there are so many things people will want to learn about you. You certainly seem to be nice enough.”

Rather than reassuring her, it seemed to distress her. She took a hoofy step back and looked away. “I want to be. I am! But I was not, and I should have told you before now. I swore when I first approached you that I would be completely open and honest about myself, and your kindness in meeting me in friendship rather than with fear only makes that obligation more needful.”

Both astronauts looked at her, puzzled. She visibly steeled herself, and looked back at them. “I wasn't sent to my moon voluntarily. I was banished there. That's why the remnants of the spell act like a geas, binding me here. In a few hours of madness, I turned against my sister, against everything I believed in; I abandoned my duties as a Princess, refused to lower the moon and even struck at my beloved sister with powerful magic, fully intending to... to... destroy her!”

The last few words were whispered, and there were tears dripping from her face and sizzling soundlessly away on the ground below. “Fortunately, she weathered the blow and returned to the fight, or rather to remonstrate with me to turn aside from the dark path I had taken. When in my folly and pride I refused, as a last resort she used the most powerful artefacts in the land, the Elements of Harmony, to seal me away in the moon as a bodiless spirit.

“I do believe that is exactly what happened to the greater part of me. I had taken the name Queen Nightmare Moon, no mere Princess I. My ego and pride were as boundless as my rage and just as foalish.” She shook her head as if dislodging a fly.

“However, I was once the bearer of the Elements of Loyalty, Honesty and Kindness myself, and even though I'd abandoned all three in favour of my delusions, I think some part of me still resonated with them, this part of me.” She gestured to herself with a hoof. “For but a moment I was apart from Nightmare Moon, aware of my folly, and that is when the outside force, this Star Bomber you talked about, tearing me away from the rest of myself, finishing the job.”

She sank to the ground, looking downcast. Her voice was hollow and gloomy, a far cry from the erudite scholar from a few moments before. “But even though the sum of mine anger and malice was separated from me and sealed away, I can not escape the fact that Nightmare Moon and I were once one being, and that the ultimate source of all that rage and despite came from me. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to take me with you. I deserve to be here. I will go, yes, leave you alone. It is the least I can do after your kindnesses to me.”

She sprang back up and turned away. Both astronauts felt a sudden absence, and realised that the spell she'd used to talk to them had vanished. As she bounded away, Neil exclaimed, “I'm going after her!”

“Are you crazy?” Buzz called out, even as Neil set off with the 'kangaroo hops' they'd copied from seeing Luna do it. Capcom added his own two cents, “You're almost at the end of your scheduled EVA, even with the extension!”

Neil kept most of his attention on the princess, who was fleeing in the direction of the shadows, and on watching his footing, but he managed to say, “These things are designed with a four hour operational limit. I've got plenty of time on the PLSS. The risk is worth it to make sure Luna's last contact with humanity isn't what just happened. She's in a bad place right now, and I don't aim to leave her there any longer than necessary.”

Capcom spoke after a few moments. “Surgeon says your vitals are high but acceptable, and EECOM agrees with your life support assessment. The investigator who was going to guide you through the questions states that we need information. He's particularly interested in that lowering the moon comment. You are authorised to follow.”

“I'll try and get her to open up, but I won't push her.” The regolith crunched soundlessly underfoot as he chased her, but it seemed that four legs were better than two for this kind of work, and she pulled ahead, over the slight rise to the west. When he reached it, he had to stop for a second to look around. He stopped himself calling for her, even if her 'farspeaking spell' had been working, it wouldn't have given him a direction.

At first he didn't see her, then he spotted a flash of movement at the edge of a small crater. He walked in long bounds to the edge, and saw Luna just below him, sprawled on a slight mound, and crying silently into her crossed fore-hooves. He made his way down carefully, and moved so his shadow would be visible. She looked up and flinched as if he was about to hit her, which was ridiculous, since her earlier demonstration of telekinesis suggested that in a fight she could handle him like small change.

He moved around until he was illuminated, then crouched, not an easy thing in his suit, and held out his hand as he had when they'd first met. After a moment's apparent confusion, she sat upon her haunches and placed her fore-hoof in his palm, as she had before. There was a sense of a soundless echo in his helmet, and her voice spoke to him.

“Why didst thou come after me? I told you what I was, what I had done. I was sure you'd want nothing more to do with me!”

Neil chose his next words carefully. “It sounded terrible, but you also sounded like you really regretted what you'd done. I hope you don't think I'd judge you so quickly. I have trouble seeing the monster you describe in the pony in front of me. And even if you were, I don't think that's who you are now.”

Luna looked up at him, eyes wide. “Truly?”

“What I see is a pony, a person, who has been nothing but friendly and helpful, someone I'd be happy to call a friend. Someone who was willing to sacrifice the only contact she'd had with anyone in eight years to avoid the remote possibility of hurting us, unless this 'Nightmare Moon' alter ego is likely to pop up at the drop of a hat?”

“No! Never!” Luna rose to her hooves. “That part of me is sealed away for a thousand years, and good riddance!”

“Then come back with me to the lander. I'd like to get to know Princess Luna, and how someone like you could have turned into Nightmare Moon. Maybe if we know what happened, we can stop it from ever happening again.”

Luna closed her eyes, deep in thought for a moment, then opened them with a nod of agreement. “I said I owed you a debt of friendship, and if you truly wish to hear my story, that is a minim of fair recompense.”

&&&

They arrived back at the lander, still talking, and Neil made sure that the three of them were in view of the television camera mounted on the lander strut, close enough for it to record Luna's expression. Mission Control had granted another extension on the EVA, at the direct orders of the president.

“Sir Neil, you asked what I meant by refusing to lower the moon? I believe that is the place to start.”

An image of a blue and white marbled world, the size of a football appeared as her horn glowed. Despite the similarity to the one in the sky above, the patterns of green and brown showed it was not earth.

“Equis, my homeworld, as I have seen it on rare occasions when I flew above the skies to perform some particularly precise piece of astronomy. Even the best light amplifying enchantments are defeated by the distortions of light passing through the envelope of air surrounding our world. Didst also collect some fascinating astrolites before they burned as meteors in that same atmosphere...”

It shrank, and started to show phases as it reached the size of a golf ball. Now two marble-sized motes orbited it at a distance of several feet. One was a brilliant ball of light that illuminated one side of Equis, the other a dappled grey sphere that shone with a softer glow. At first glance they appeared to be simply chasing one another around the same orbital path on opposite sides of the world. However, on closer inspection, it was clear the two had slight and varying inclinations in their paths, in part because the 'moon' moved up and down through the planet's shadow, creating different degrees of full to crescent moon.

“Both Celestia's sun and my moon orbit Equis, providing day and night.” She looked expectantly at the astronauts.

Buzz sighed. “Okay, I'll bite. First of all, if that sun is the size of our moon and works the same way, it couldn't exist unless the laws of physics in your universe are seriously different, enough that I can't believe you could survive in this one. Second, there no way those orbits would be stable. Perturbations would build up until one of those things crashed on your world or was flung off in to space. I'm guessing the answer is magic, but what kind?”

Luna nodded. “As far as I can tell, you are correct on both counts. Both our suns work by elemental transmutation of phlogiston to celestium. However, since I detect no trace of magic in its emanations, I would guess your giant sun uses sheer mass and pressure to hold together and fuse fragments of phlogiston, whereas Celestia's sun has powerful enchantments that allow it to maintain itself, beyond the power of even an Alicorn. Some part of the energy released is converted to magic to power the spells; the excess magic in turn is carried away on the solar wind.

“Both sun and moon also have a passive enchantment, once again of vast power, that amplifies the effect of telekinesis upon them many millionfold, and makes them easier to find and grasp with that power. As you surmise, both orbs require daily maintenance of their paths through the sky, both to prevent catastrophes and to produce the varying months and seasons. In the present epoch, that duty fell to myself and my sister.”

While both astronauts had seen what she was leading up to, it was still a thought to give them both pause. Neil recovered and asked, “and before that?”

“I do not know. When they were created there was a system of controls that maintained them, or so we believe. However, the earliest records from the time of the three tribes say that a team of the strongest unicorns banded together to provide the necessary cornual control, and demanded tribute from the other tribes as payment for their services. They were the first ones to call it 'raising the sun' and 'raising the moon', as propaganda to support their demands, when in fact they would not have been able to stop them. My best guess is that it was all they could do to make the necessary orbital adjustments.

“Celestia and I can actually hold them in position with some effort, though we've never needed to. We still have a ceremony of making adjustments at sunrise and moonrise, but that is mainly because the horizon gives us a reference plane to check the trajectory against. The unlettered may call it 'raising the sun', but any educated pony knows the truth. Even we two sisters sometimes use it as an expression. It is forsooth easier than saying 'adjusting orbital parameters and minimising orbital perturbations.'”

“So when you said you refused to lower the moon...” Neil prompted.

“I didst raise it and stop it at its zenith over Equestria, eclipsing the sun and forcing my sister to adjust its path to avoid a collision.”

“Whew! That's quite a claim.” Neil said. “Out of interest, what can you move without those enchantments, and from how far away?”

Luna frowned in thought. “No easy question to answer, that. Both of us regularly adjusted the orbits of minor moons and comets that threatened to impact Equestria, the greatest of those did mass in the tens of thousands of tonnes, and at a range of many thousands of leagues. But they had absorbed residual magical energy from the solar wind, and to a degree its enchantments, making them easier to move. Also those movements were far less than that needed to hold them up against Equis's own gravity.

“Without any inherent magic? I couldst lift some few thousand tons at a range of a dozen leagues on the surface of Equis, maybe ten or twenty times that at close range. Of course, that was when I was fully empowered, right now I would struggle with a tithe of that, and drain my reserves in moments. Might probably loft yonder vessel back into orbit without excessive strain, but not much more.”

“That's still impressive.” Buzz stated. “But you said they were created; that implies creators. If not you, then who?”

“Once again, no-pony knows for sure. The common term is the Makers, though that is more a label than an explanation. We know of them only two things. That they could craft and alter reality on a planetary scale, that they reshaped Equestria and created the sun and moon between fifteen and twenty five thousand Equestrian years ago.”

“You have a time scale?”

“Yes, from age detection dweomers cast on rocks from undisturbed locations and mines. Also the magical build up on those captured astrolites calculated against their orbits and intensity of emission from my sister's sun. At that time-scale they are not precise, but they at least give a hoof-grasp of the age. The body from which Equestria is formed is far older, of course. There is a shift noticeable in all the deepest mine-shafts, a layer beyond which no fossils are found and the spells give a vast age, years beyond counting.”

“Of course.” Prompted by the voice in his headset, Neil said, “So the big question is why? It sounds like you had an important role, a vital one, and that you care for Celestia deeply. What could have made you turn into this Nightmare Moon?”

Luna hung her head. “Loneliness. Jealousy. Pride. I guided the moon, oversaw the creation of beautiful nights, even patrolled the dreams of pony-kind to ward them against nightmares both self-inflicted and those caused by the denizens of that realm. However, I no longer felt appreciated for it, or that I was even noticed. I was merely a caretaker, while my sister was the sole true ruler of Equestria.”

She shook her head. “It wasn't always so. When we ascended the throne together, we were equals in respect. We had discovered the Elements of Harmony, ascended together, bore them together, and ended the reign of Discord as a team.”

“Discord? There was some sort of civil war?”

“Discord was a monstrous being, he called himself a Lord of Chaos. What he truly was, we know not. A Maker gone mad, some great mistake of theirs, even a force of nature given the personality of a mean spirited foal with a twisted sense of humour. I doubt even he knew himself. He could warp reality with a thought and used his powers to hold all of Equestria in a state of misery and turmoil. Ponies were his playthings, and he frequently forgot how easily we broke.

“My sister and I were born during that era, myself a unicorn, my sister a pegasus, of earth pony parents. As we grew, I discovered I had a talent for magic, especially illusion and conjuration. I was the last apprentice of Starswirl the Bearded, who was seventy years young by that time. He taught me what little magical lore had been salvaged from before Discord's depredations. My sister was a strong flyer, but more than that she had a talent for understanding ponies, what they needed, what they wanted, and a desire to make them happy. She did her best to help, but everything we did was overturned in an instant at Discord's whim. When we received our cutie-marks, we swore a pact to go out into the world, and find some means of bringing down Discord and restoring Equestria.”

“Cutie-marks?” Neil asked. Luna looked quizzical, then moved to present her flank more clearly, flicking her tail across her moon symbol.

“I see, that mark on your hindquarters? Some sort of coming of age tattoo?”

“A symbol of coming of age, yes, but not a tattoo. 'Tis an expression of a pony's magic, their soul, and symbolises what makes them special, often a talent that they both excel at and enjoy. It forms when they realise that talent is special to them. It also acts as a focus, enhancing that talent with a pony's magic. Some-pony trained and working under the influence of their cutie-mark talent can accomplish things beyond the most skilled practitioner whose skill comes from training alone.

“We believed that my moon mark symbolised my talent for magic and astronomy, and my sister's sunburst her ability to bring ponies happiness and understanding. Which they were, but that was only a part of the picture. Both of us were powerful in our respective magics, and both of us were determined to use our powers to end Discord's reign. I sought ancient legends, powerful conjunctions, divination spells and scraps of ancient magic. My sister talked to ponies, helping them where she could, and collecting knowledge and rumours, filly tales, anything that might give me a clue.”

She started to intersperse her story with illusion images from her point of view. Pegasus Celestia was smaller, more compact, and her mane was simply pink with a blue streak. The landscape around them looked like it had been created by a Looney Toons artist who'd been drinking too much, possibly for years.

“Ultimately we pieced together a possible location for the Tree of Harmony, an artefact Starswirl had once told me he once saw in a vision, though had never found himself. It was possibly an artefact left by the Makers, and therefore powerful enough to affect Discord. Our quest to find it would be a story in itself, but find it we did, in a cave in the depths of the Everfree Forest. It was a place Discord had lavished special attention on, and hideously dangerous as a result.

“We were both injured and weary when we finally found the great crystalline tree, but from the moment I saw it, I knew that it had a power beyond anything I'd ever sensed. However, it was dormant, suppressed by the chaos around it, and no spell I knew could revive it. As we rested, I devised a mad plan to awaken it, a direct transfusion of our combined magic to spark it back into life. The drain could easily kill us or worse, permanently drain our magic, but Celestia never even hesitated. I drew the ritual circles and empowered them, and we stepped into place.

“The shock did almost kill us, but the sacrifice we were willing to make as much as the power we supplied seemed to resonate within the tree. The Elements emerged from the tree as gems of different colours and their light washed over us, healing us and binding them to us. I was bound to Loyalty, Honesty and Kindness, while Celestia received Laughter, Generosity and the keystone, Magic, the focus empowered by the other five working together. We fell into a deep slumber, and when we awoke, we were alicorns.”

She paused and created an image of a dark blue alicorn, taller than her and with a mane and tail that moved like Celestia's, though its two tones were deep blue and shot with stars. They saw Celestia in a large room behind her and a fancy gilt frame around the edges and realised this was her memory of looking in a mirror. It was replaced by the confrontation with Discord after a moment.

She frowned. “After all our efforts, the actual confrontation was anti-climactic. We found Discord by going where things made the least sense, and defied him. He laughed in our faces, we were well known to him at this point, and I believe the futility of our prior efforts amused him. We called on the power of the Elements and turned him to stone in mid-laugh.”

The image of a petrified Discord falling from his throne vanished, and Luna continued. “Defeating Discord and cleaning up his mess was the easy part. We had to rebuild our nation, our society from the ground up. It didn't help that many other nations and creatures thought our weakened state made us easy pickings. As the defeaters of Discord we were respected, even worshipped, and more or less drafted into the position of ruling.

“It helped that one of the first things we discovered about our new forms were our connections to the sun and moon, and the true meaning of our cutie-marks. That is why I suspect the Tree of Harmony was part of the original control system that maintained the harmony of the heavens. It had to have been failing even before Discord's reign, or the unicorn council wouldn't have been needed, but his cavalier control finished things, so it chose replacements.”

Her distant look and wistful smile were clear. “It was the happiest time of my life. Together we defied dragons, gathered stalwart ponies of all three races to form the Earth-pony Unicorn Pegasus guard and fend off griffon raiders and marauding Diamond Dogs. We laid the foundations of new towns and cities, brought ever more land under cultivation, set the seasons in motion, tamed the Everfree and created the weather patrol to manage and deliver clouds across Equestria, as Discord's reign had damaged that natural cycle too.

“We collated and crafted a code of laws from the best ideas of all three races, created an elected legislature to maintain them and an honest judiciary to enforce them. We opened up trade routes from the Griffindor to Zebrica, sponsored a renaissance in art and scholarship. Equestria once again became a great nation, greater than it ever had been, a centre for culture, trade and learning. The three races living together in equality and harmony, as the Founders would have wanted.”

Her eyes sparkled as she spoke and they could hear the remembered joy in her voice as she stood tall. Then the light dimmed, and her shoulders slumped.

“But eventually we became victims of our own success, or at least I did. As the centuries passed, and fewer crises needed our combined efforts, we split the duty of ruler-ship into day and night, and it became routine, tradition. We saw each other for only a few hours each day, when we ate our morning and evening meals together and did our duty in maintaining the sun and moon. However, while Celestia's Day Court was thronged with ponies, my Night Court became less and less frequented, until it was little more than myself and my guards presiding over an empty throne-room.

“The ponies worked and played in the day, but slept through my night, and few ever looked at my sky, let alone came to give me compliments, or even to ask for advice or council. I told myself that was a good thing, that it gave me more time for my studies, but it still made me feel like the lesser sister, the spare. I should have talked to Celestia about it, I'm sure she would have helped, but my own foolish pride prevented me. I was a princess of Equestria, I could stand on my own four hooves...”

She gave a deep sigh, which was some trick considering the lack of air. “I denied what I felt, even to myself, and my isolation grew, along with my jealousy for my sister. It did not help that she had received the Element of Magic; yes, she had more raw power, but I was the more skilled as a mage. I put on a brave face for my sister when we met, and the sad thing is that with my understanding of her nature, I was the one pony who could fool her uncanny ability to understand what was in ponies' hearts. It became a habit, until I no longer even considered it.

“I did try and make my own niche, sponsored scholars and mages and worked with them to advance our knowledge, which gained me renown and respect within that learned community, but not the sort of widespread admiration my sister received. I created a mid-winter festival in the manner of my sister's summer sun celebration, to celebrate the longest night rather than the longest day of the year, but it was subsumed by Hearth's Warming Eve, the celebration of the founding of Equestria, and the ideas I created, decorated trees and gift giving, became Hearth's Warming traditions.

“When my studies of planar magic gave me a way to travel to the realm of dreams and trot amongst the dreams of pony-kind, I thought I finally had something that was my own, that could gain me the feeling of being useful again, and proving to my little ponies that I could care for them just as well as Celestia. Rather than sitting in an empty throne room, I would protect them from their darkest nightmares. And for a time it worked, until some idiot courtier claimed I was responsible for the nightmares, 'defeating' them only to make myself look good.

“His scheme seemed to be to blacken my name and sister's by association and use that uncertainty to force us out of power. Then he and a cohort of like-minded unicorns could bring back the glorious rule by a unicorn council that controlled the sun and moon. It would never have worked, and didn't, but that didn't stop him trying. My sister and I denied it, and ultimately exposed him as a fool and a traitor, but once a rumour like that starts, it is impossible to stop. Pride made me continue, but I had to disguise myself, work without ponies noticing me, as it hurt to see them fear me only slightly less than the nightmares I fought.

“It was in the year 852 Post Ascension that things finally came to a head. An allied nation state in the Northern Wastes, the Crystal Empire, was usurped by an evil minded unicorn enchanter by the name of Sombra, who delved deeply into the darkest of magics. He enslaved the populace to mine the magical crystals that would have enhanced his power many-fold, enough to challenge us and take over Equestria, and so we responded in force as soon as word reached us.

“It was like the olden times, my sister and I going out to vanquish a great evil and save ponies, and despite the grave nature of our quest, I'm ashamed to admit I felt some joy over it. We faced him in battle, and won, but at a terrible price. Even as we cast him down he used the last of his magic, his very life-force, to curse the Crystal Empire, twist it out of normal time, so that it vanished beyond our ability to rescue it. It was at best a bitter sweet victory, and I keenly felt that I was the reason we'd failed.

“Then some unicorn noble-pony had the same idea as his predecessor and claimed the same thing, that I had somehow 'jogged Celestia's horn' at the critical moment. He was silver tongued, and did his work carefully, avoiding Celestia's notice until it was too late. When I found out how many ponies were ready to believe him, even some of my own servants, I fell into a deep depression and fled to the summer palace we'd built over the cavern of the Tree of Harmony. I sent the servants and functionaries away and brooded.

“That was when it happened. Maybe Sombra had cursed us too, or some remnant of a nightmare I had not fully destroyed had found the place in my heart where I'd bottled up my unworthy feelings for so many centuries, and fed on them. Maybe I just reached a tipping point, where it was just too much to bear. Whatever the reason, I snapped, when Celestia came to me to find out what was wrong, I raised the moon and eclipsed her sun. I was consumed by my jealousy and rage from centuries of desire for what she seemed to gain so effortlessly, the love and respect of ponies.

“In my madness, I decided that if they would not respect me for what I did, I would blanket Equestria in night until they _had_ to accept me as Celestia's equal, as worthy of love and respect as she. When she called on me to lower the moon, I decided that I would never have what I wanted unless she was... destroyed.” The last word was whispered.

Another illusion formed before them, of the confrontation between Celestia and Nightmare Moon.

“The rest you know. We fought, I injured her, but she came back at me with the Elements, and I found both my connections were broken. That day, she showed why she had been the one to receive the Element of Magic, by wielding all six in harmony. I realise now that magic, true magic is far more than books and cleverness. She used them and... here I am.

“I know what you will say, that my actions would have had the opposite effect. But you have forgotten, I was insane. Madness cares not for logic, or consequences. As Nightmare Moon, I wouldst have seen all of Equestria destroyed, frozen in an sunless eternal winter, and still considered it justified vengeance against those who had wronged me. I have had eight years to reflect on my memories, eight years free of the madness that once claimed me, and I know just how pointless my actions were.

“I understand now what I did, and what it must have cost my sister to banish me. If I could change one thing, it would be to take her place, destroy that monster though it cost me my life. The sad thing is, if I stood before her right now, I know she would forgive me, despite the harm I did her. Whether I will ever forgive myself is another matter entire.”

She looked levelly back and forth between the two silent astronauts. “Now you know my history, told as much without fear or favour as I could. It is no justification for my actions, but it is at least an explanation. Tell your leaders, that they may know who and what they are dealing with.”

“Thank you, Luna.” Neil replied, gently. “I could see how difficult that was for you.”

“What boots it to prevaricate?” Luna asked, then said firmly. “You deserved nothing less than the full truth. I just hope knowing it does not ruin our friendship.”

“I still consider you a friend, and I don't think you should place all the blame on yourself. You made mistakes, but so did others. Someone should have realised what was happening, before it all came to a head.”

Buzz had his eyes closed in thought. “Nobody is without flaws. It is how we respond to them that defines us. God doesn't expect us to be perfect, only that we try our best. However far you fell, you've repented, and seem to have learned from what happened. You've been given a second chance, and you need forgiveness, not condemnation.”

Luna had tears in her eyes again, but this time her radiant smile showed they were for a far different reason. “Thank you, thank you both of you!”

Buzz added. “Though some people may not react as well... Your full story will need to be carefully released.”

Charlie's voice came across the communications relay. “I'm afraid it's a bit late for that. They restarted the feed soon after you met. Nobody told me, or I'd have warned you, it's still a bit hectic down here. Everybody watching saw and heard everything.”

“What!” Buzz and Neil yelled together, while Luna looked puzzled at their reaction.

“Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction too. Sorry about that.”

Author's Note

Okay, sorry about the wait, but this one's fought me all the way. Hopefully the next chapter will be out faster. I wanted to explore Luna's history, as the short form story from the Mare in the Moon never made sense to me. However, Elsa in Frozen gave me some idea of how repressed feelings and depression can warp a person, making Luna's face heel turn more believable. Sorry if this didn't advance things much, but the next chapter will hopefully be a quicker write now that I've done the expostion.

Radio Free Luna

“What is wrong?” Luna's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden outburst from the two astronauts.

Neil got himself under control. “Ah, sorry Luna, we just found out that your confession was broadcast to about half the planet.”

Luna frowned. “How is this possible? I understood that you were using your 'radio' farspeakers to talk to your fellow 'astronaut' in your orbital craft and your allies on Earth, but to so many others? It was cast broadly you say? How so, and why?”

“The first moon landing is kind of a big thing.” Neil couldn't really shrug in the multiple layers of an A7L space suit, but he sounded like he would if he could. “We're in two way communication with the Columbia and Mission Control, but they are also sending out our words and images to everyone who's got a television receiver, a device that displays moving pictures, something like those images you showed us.”

“And these devices are common enough that a great many humans have them?” Luna asked. Her eyes widened in realisation. “Oh my, I can see the advantages. You could send out news to an entire nation, or teach lessons, or even display entertainments...” She looked around. “But where is the device that collects the images?”

Her eyes lighted on the video camera that was still mounted on the Eagle's landing leg. “Aha! A lens, and that device Sir Edwin was holding had something similar. Now I see what you were doing, at first I thought it mayhap some ritual of thanksgiving for your safe landing, especially when Sir Edwin also used it during your commemoration service. You were carrying the image taking device around to get the widest possible view. Hmm... I would hazard that the lens collects light and throws it upon a screen inside, in the manner of a camera obscura, and that the screen somehow converts the image into some form suitable for carriage by radio light, as your speech is.”

Neil was reminded again that, for all her medieval speech patterns, Luna understood science far better than that would imply, and was one very smart pony. “That's right, more or less. It's called a video camera.”

Buzz put in his two bits (U.S, not Equestrian). “Uh, you can just call me, 'Buzz', everyone does. My camera just takes still pictures using a film treated with light sensitive chemicals. However, the problem is, everyone knows your full story.”

“That is only meet.” Luna replied, almost serenely. “I will not hide my past misdeeds. Instead I shall prove my change of heart and ask only, as you have said, to be judged on who I am now.”

“I said, I would, and I know Neil does. But I figure it's going to make things more complicated back home.”

Luna had the grace to look abashed. “I'm sorry, I had not thought on that.”

“Well, it can't be helped. All we can do is what we can do.” Neil put in.

Charlie's voice broke the silence that resulted. “Tranquility Base, Houston, you're right Buzz, Luna's little confession has raised at least as many questions as it's answered, and we need you to relay them, but you're really going to have to retire to the lander soon for your rest period. Surgeon and EECOM are both giving me dirty looks. You won't have time for much of a conversation afterwards before you have to launch. We're trying to figure out some sort of alternate comms, but all the gear on the ascent stage is mission critical.”

Neil relayed the message, and Luna's expression became one of deep thought. “My far-speaking spell relays only sound, and the translation spell converts it to understandable speech. I would need one of your devices to convert the sound... or mayhap not!”

She bounded away with an exclamation, and lowered her horn to an area of regolith as yet untouched. It fuzzed for a second, then became completely flat. A pebble, held in her horn glow, skittered across the surface, drawing out lines of symbols that had the look of equations in some odd notation. “'Tis possible I could duplicate your mode of far-speaking, using radio light.”

“I know you've been helpful setting up the ALESP, Luna,” Neil said, “but I don't think you know enough about our technology to build a radio transmitter.”

Luna looked up from the equations. “'Tis true, your 'electronics' is still a mystery to me, but the operations it performs seem clear enough. It receives and transmits radio light, and translates the meaning imposed on it from and to speech. A translation spell does the same things with sound, and light spells are one of the first things any unicorn learns after using her magic to move things. I couldst also adapt the light amplification spell I use for my telescope to detect the light of incoming messages...”

Her horn lit up, a brilliant ball of white light at the tip. Almost immediately it turned orange, then red, and finally faded out, guttering into the deepest red light like a dying star. “Let us first see if a light spell can produce the necessary colours.”

After a moment, both Buzz and Neil winced as a burst of static crackled in their headsets. Luna saw their reaction and nodded approvingly. “I surmise that was a successful test?”

“If you wanted to rattle our helmets, then yes.” Buzz growled.

“My apologies, since light attenuates fourfold as the distance doubles, I thought it better to err on the side of volume. The energy of each corpuscle of light is very low compared to the visible colours.”

“Your science sees light as a stream of particles then?” asked Neil.

Luna continued to inscribe lines of equations in the soil and some sort of circular diagram in the centre of her work area. “Indeed, though some natural philosophers claim it has wave-like properties. Though they can not demonstrate the medium it propagates through. Besides, it slows, not speeds up in a denser substance, lenses prove this. But I digress again, the corresponding light detection spells should be...”

Her horn glowed with a gentle blue aura, no point of light at the tip, and her face scrunched up adorably in an expression of concentration. Suddenly there was a flare in the aura, and she dropped back on her haunches, shaking her head to clear her derpy eyes. “Odds haystacks! I should remember the amplification factor is an exponential. Still, I could feel the brilliant light from the boxes you wear on your backs, and the device on your landing craft. It buzzed and flickered inside my horn...”

More symbols and a second circle, inscribed with different runes, appeared in the cleared regolith. It touched the first circle and a pattern of lines and symbols formed overlapping and interlinking the two. “By cross-linking the enchantments in a sympathetic balance... Aha, yes!”

She lowered her horn to the circles, and as she touched them, they lit up in lines of light, tracing out the complex pattern in a shimmering silver and blue aura, like a miniature aurora borealis. “Say something, anything.”

“What do you want me to say?” asked Neil, and heard a soft echo of his own voice. “Hey, that's...”

“Didst hear thy own voice echo back?” At his agreement she smiled broadly. “Then my surmise is correct! I removed that part of the spell that converts the thaumic pattern back to light, and instead fed it to a separate light spell, modified to echo that thaumic pattern, as well as matching the base light colour and amplitude.”

“You created a radio repeater? Out of lines of light? How can some drawings on the ground transmit and receive radio?” Neil asked, still slightly stunned.

“When creating a new spell, or modifying an existing one, 'tis common practice to craft it as an arithmantic ritual diagram, rather than to convert the spell matrix into something a horn can cast directly. Far simpler to modify and test, as the caster need only provide power, and not form the matrix within her horn. Do you not create testing versions of your devices before the real thing?”

“Yes, but to create something that quickly, especially when you only just learned about radio...”

“'Twas no great feat.” Luna said, though her pleased smile showed she was glad of the compliment. “The conjuration of light in particular is an aspect of my cutie mark, and I have some considerable experience and skill in such things. Though part of it is that both spells are apprentice level charms, and frequently used as examples to teach beginner level arithmancy and artificing. The translation spell is far more complex, but needs only the smallest modification...”

As she spoke, a larger and far more complex circular diagram appeared, abutting the other two, though the sections that actually touched them were blank. More lines of equations appeared in the dirt, as Luna mumbled to herself. Finally she gave a snort of frustration.

“It should be simplicity itself to replace the runic pattern for sound with light, but the equations do not transform so easily. I believed I could represent the changing energy potentials of the particles as if they were waves of sound impacting on a surface, but there is some aspect I'm missing.”

Both astronauts racked their brains as Charlie at Capcom said, “We're almost out of time. Even if everybody here wants to see what happens next, you're going to have to retreat to the lander and re-pressurise. We still don't have an alternative method of communication. Doctor Sagan's on his way in, but he's not going to get here in time.”

It was Buzz who suddenly had an idea. “Luna, sound waves are vibrations in line with their direction of travel, yes?”

“Indeed, how else could they agitate the air and propagate themselves? But when I try to describe the potentials of light in that manner, the aritmantic equations do not resolve! How can there be vibration without a medium?”

Neil picked up on his companion's idea. “Earth science sees light as both particles and waves, but the wave is transverse, like a ripple on the surface of water. Does that help?”

Luna's brow furrowed as she contemplated the idea. “But that would mean...”

The rock started scratching new lines in the dirt as new blocks of equations flowed out. “That changes the potential term as a function of time in a linear mode... which would match Glimmerlight's third axiom, indeed, yes, that explains it! It seems so obvious now! The light particles themselves form the medium and the wave propagating within it through their instantaneous condition!”

New symbols appeared in the blank sections of the large diagram, but Neil had thought of something else. “One other thing Luna. For your translation spell, does it matter whether the amplitude of a voice is directly imposed on the radio wave as a changing volume, or as a varying frequency around the base? Our radios work the second way.”

Luna thought for a moment. “The manner of encoding should not matter greatly. The translation spell is designed to extract meaning from a symbol pattern, the nature of that symbol pattern matters not. All that was needed was a way of delivering the symbol pattern to the spell.”

The linking pattern between the two smaller circles changed, and the final runes were drawn. Luna pressed her hoof into a space in the centre of the diagram, creating a crescent moon which formed the basis of her cutie mark pattern. She lowered her horn to the diagram and charged it with magic. Then she cleared her throat and spoke. “Doth this work?”

Both astronauts heard a slight double echo as the words came both through their helmets and their 'Snoopy Dog' headsets, though that version wasn't as loud.

“Yes. That's impressive!” Neil exclaimed. “Though you're quieter by radio.”

Luna's horn glowed and their helmets made the soft popping sound of the far-speaking enchantment vanishing. A few small crystals formed from the surface of the regolith and glowed as runes formed on them. They replaced certain symbols in the diagram, and were shifted around as Luna spoke again, this time purely through their headsets.

“Is this better... now... now?”

At the last, the two astronauts voiced agreement, then three seconds later Charlie Duke answered. “Yes, ma'am, that's fine.”

Luna looked around, then glanced up at the sky. “And who might you be?”

“Charles Duke, ma'am, Capsule Communicator here at Houston, at least until my shift ends. It's my job to talk directly to the astronauts, pass on information and instructions.”

“I am pleased to make your acquaintance, your grace.” Luna replied.

“'Your grace?' Oh right, Duke is part of my name, not a title. America doesn't have nobility.”

“Considering my past experiences with the nobility, another excellent reason to go there.” Luna said dryly.

That actually got a chuckle from all three listeners. Charlie continued, “I'll be taking over talking to you, while Neil and Buzz take a rest. Is that okay?”

“Of course! I would not wish to keep them from their repose, and I am glad to have the chance to talk. I apologise for the problems I've caused.”

“Problems are there to be solved. Neil, Buzz, you are clear to return to the lander for your rest period.”

“Will we be doing a second EVA before takeoff?”

“That's a negative. EECOM isn't willing to okay your external gear for a second EVA, especially as you've run it beyond the original mission plan. Dump the gear as planned.”

“Understood Houston.” Neil replied, and stepped up to Luna, holding out a gloved hand again. “We won't be able to come back out to see you again, we need to dump our external life support systems to save weight for the ascent, so I just wanted to say, it's been a privilege and a pleasure.”

Luna raised her own hoof to brush his palm. “For myself the same. At least we will be able to talk some more. Thank you again for offering your trust, and your friendship.”

Buzz made his own farewell, and the two of them trooped back towards the lander.

&&&

Worming their way back in through the surface hatch had been a chore, with Neil nearly breaking one of the switches off as he pulled himself up. They hauled up the pouches of lunar rock they'd collected with Luna's help on a cable grandiosely referred to as the Lunar Conveyor System. It snagged for a second on the edge of the 'front porch', the flat area on the hull between the surface hatch and the ladder. Then it freed itself as a blue glow of Luna's horn pulled it away.

They transferred to lunar module life support connections and divested themselves of all unnecessary equipment, including the PLSS backpacks and lunar overshoes, dumping them out of the hatch to lighten the ship for ascent. Once the hatch was buttoned up they repressurised the capsule. It smelt of gunpowder, and the newly released air was chill when they removed the 'fish bowl' inner helmets. Neither of them really noticed, they were still thinking about everything they'd just witnessed.

They signed off, leaving Capcom to continue talking to Luna, and switched their 'snoopy dog' headsets to standby. Neil spoke in slightly dazed tones. “Did all of that just happen?”

Buzz made a show of checking the air gauges and suit connectors. “Well, we weren't suffering from pressure sickness, so, yes. I understand what you mean, though, it does seem crazy when you think about it. Still, 'There are more things in heaven and earth...'.”

“Including blue alicorns, it looks like. I doubt the Bard was thinking of those when he wrote Hamlet.” Neil yawned, and settled himself down on the ascent engine cover opposite the main hatch. Buzz closed down the blinds that covered the two triangular windows either side of the hatch, blocking out the reflected sunlight, then sat down on the floor space in front of it.

“Never actually read it.” The Lunar Module pilot stifled a yawn of his own. “We did 'The Tempest' in high school. Hopefully this version of Prospero, though I guess Luna's more like Ariel, won't have such a hard time winning freedom.”

“Great, now I'm thinking of Forbidden Planet. Still, if Luna's supposed to have power over dreams, they should have had her on Altair IV. She'd probably have beat the Id Monster over the head with a battle axe.” They chuckled at the mental image, then Neil said, “I want to trust her, no I do trust her. But am I right to do so? It's more than just my neck at stake.”

“The way I see it, she's one of God's creatures, wherever she came from originally. This place is magnificent, but so desolate. Being stranded here for eight years without respite is surely punishment enough, if punishment were needed. She's admitted she did wrong, and wants to be forgiven, no, to make recompense. Isn't that all we really need to know?" Buzz reached up and patted his commander, and good friend on the shoulder. "Besides, it's not our call to make. Good night.”

“Wish it was. Good night.”

Sleep came poorly to both of them. The suits they wore were uncomfortable, and the liquid filled cooling garments they wore combined with the chill air made them feel cold. Between the noise of the environmental control system and the sunlight that leaked around the edges of the blinds, it was not easy to rest, even with the low gravity reducing the pressure on their backs from the hard surfaces.

After about twenty fruitless minutes of attempting to get to sleep, Neil connected back into the surface radio channel.

“... a common misconception. While all dragons hoard gems, many find things other than gold to collect. Gems fuel their magic, but a dragon's physical growth often relates to the value of its hoard.”

“Houston, Tranquility Base. Sorry to interrupt, but I need to ask Luna something.” Neil spoke, his words getting partially interrupted by the voice of Professor Carl Sagan, starting to ask another question.

“Say again Neil?” Charlie's voice came back.

“I need to ask Luna a question. Surgeon can probably confirm we're not getting to sleep here.” He paused, then continued. “Luna, you said your magical talent included dream related stuff. Would that include a sleep spell? We have pills that can do the same thing, but we can't use them because we have to be able to wake up immediately in case of emergency.”

There was a short pause, then Luna replied even as Charlie started to ask him what he thought he was doing, “Indeed such spells are within my purview, including allowing awakening immediately if needful. However, as I believe your friend is trying to say, that may not be a good idea. They work with equal efficacy on any creature in Equestria, but I am not sure if casting a spell directly on a being who has not lived in a magical field, especially a mind affecting one, would have side effects. While I am fairly certain no harm would result, it is not something I wish to test, especially upon a friend. Nevertheless, I may be able to find some other way of accomplishing the same end. What prevents you from sleeping? Surely thou art tired after thy travails?”

Neil replied, yawning as if for emphasis. “It's more the conditions. We're sleeping in our suits because it takes too long to de-kit, it's cold, and the noises and sunlight coming in even through the cover on the windows aren't helping.”

“Ha, then I may have a solution! The Restful Blanket spell. Cast upon the most tattered cloak, or even a pile of rocks, it makes it feel as if the sleeper is in a comfortable bed, and suppresses distracting sensations. Have used it often myself during my sojourn upon this satellite. And unlike a sleep spell, it does not affect the subject directly. Couldst cast it on thy suits for example.”

“That sounds promising. But would it still allow us to wake up if needed, and can you cast it from out there? And could it damage our suits?”

“It was developed for camping in the wilderness, so yes, a sufficient noise or disturbance will awake you, and fully alert. Normally I wouldst need touch your suits with my horn, but I hesitate to teleport into such a confined space. However, you left parts of your suits out here. They should still have sufficient connection to act as a path for the spell. As to harming your suits, nay, as it does not alter the target's substance. It is merely a tactile illusion, altering the way the object is perceived. I know those suits are more than mere costume, but I have handled your devices with my magic before, and they have not suffered any fault, have they?”

“No, they haven't. That seems like the answer, but I have to get the okay from above. Houston, Tranquility Base. Charlie? Have you been monitoring?”

The three second turnaround seemed much longer. “I read you Neil. It's going up the chain right now. I'm not sure whether you're nuts or right, or maybe both.”

“I wouldn't be asking if this wasn't operationally important. We need to be on top form during ascent. If Luna can assist us without risk to us or herself, it makes sense to take advantage of anything that can improve our chances of completing the mission. Apart from our friendship, Luna would hardly do something that might harm us and put her in a bad light... Sorry Luna, but. It needed to be said.”

“I understand, and I agree. It is true my own best interests and my desire to assist a friend align in this.”

Charlie's voice came on the circuit again. “Roger. Wait one.”

After a moment it continued. “Okay, you've been given a provisional go ahead, Neil only. Surgeon will monitor your vitals and EECOM will be checking suit telemetry. If they see anything off nominal, the experiment stops right there. If everything seems good, Buzz can get it too.”

Outside on the lunar surface, Luna trotted over to the boxy PLSS packs. She flipped the one Neil had used to expose the fittings. “I stand ready. You mentioned some 'liquid cooling garment' when describing your suit's functions. Wouldst hazard that is closest to the skin? And that it was sustained by thy saddlebag... backpack.”

“That's correct Luna.”

Luna nodded to herself, and dipped her horn to touch the fitting that, while now dry, showed traces of water streaking on it. She reached out, felt its one time connection to the space suit of which it was a part and cast a spell along it.

Neil suddenly felt far more comfortable, as if wrapped in warm blankets and resting on the finest feather mattress, even though he could see he was still in his suit. Even the thumping of the life support pumps seemed muted, and the leaking light didn't seem to matter any more. He gave a sigh of relief and settled down. “Ohhh... that's much better.”

He was woken a few moments later by Charlie's voice. “Tranquility Base, Houston! Just checking you can be woken up, Surgeon said you went out like a light!”

“I could have told you that.” Buzz quipped. “He snores like an F-1 engine.”

“Well I'm up. What's the verdict?” He still felt the comfort of the spell, but had no difficulty focusing on the conversation.

“Whatever Luna did, no-one could see any change in the suit telemetry. Except Surgeon. According to him your vitals showed a good sleep pattern, the best you've had since take-off. The Restful Blanket effect is approved for full use.”

“Looking forward to it...” Buzz exclaimed, then felt the sensation of being in a comfortable bed himself, while still in his suit. “Whoa, that feels odd. Good, but odd. Thanks Luna.”

“Yes, this is just what we needed.” Neil settled back down again.

“You are most welcome. I look forward to hearing from you on the morrow.” Luna replied, looking up at the covered windows from outside.

“Okay. Houston, we're going to standby so you can continue talking to Luna. This is Tranquility Base, hopefully living up to its name, signing off. Out.”

&&&

They were awoken from their rest four hours later by a new voice, one they both recognised as Ron Evans, the scheduled Capsule Communicator for their ascent program. “Tranquility Base, Houston. Are you up and at 'em yet?”.

Neil grunted and wiped his eyes with an un-gloved hand as he rose. “Well, we're up at least.”

“I feel better than expected.” Buzz added, working his shoulders carefully in the cramped space. “That spell of Luna's did a job of work.”

Neil reached over and raised the blinds on the Lunar Module windows. He blinked as the sunlight flooded in, and quipped, “And it's another beautiful sunny morning here on the sea of Tranquility!”

Buzz chuckled. “Technically, it's the same one as yesterday. How are we coming in, Ron?”

“We're getting your signals loud and clear. Charlie finally signed off, they practically had to drag him away from the mike.”

Another voice spoke, without the delay. “Sir Neil, Sir 'Buzz', I hope you slept well?”

“We're fine Luna.” Neil yawned, more out of reflex than need, as he realised he felt great, still wrapped in comfortable blankets. “That spell of yours is the business. But you can cancel it now.”

“I understand.” The sensation vanished, but the feeling of being ready for anything stayed. “Have they kept you talking all this time?”

“Oh yes, it's been wonderful! I talked to your Professor Sagan and many others. I even have some gifts for you to take along with you.”

“But we can't EVA to collect anything. Even cycling pressure cabin to open the hatch will drop our air reserve to critical.”

“It's alright Neil, we have a revised procedure for this.” Capcom interjected. “Turns out there are some things the science types down here really want. Get yourselves squared away and we'll run you both through it.”

As the two astronauts did their various ablutions and ate their second meal on the moon, Ron continued. “Luna has placed a number of items on the front porch. She'll put an air containment bubble over it, enclosing the hatch. You will both seal up and hook up to the internal cabin pressure connectors, but she's assured us she can maintain cabin pressure inside the bubble while she pushes the items through the open hatch.”

Neil thought about it. “If she loses containment... No, I see, the pressure differential will force the hatch shut before we lose too much cabin pressure. And if the pressure doesn't match, there's no way that hatch will open in the first place.”

Buzz nodded in agreement. The surface hatch was designed to open inwards, and even though the normal pressure inside the module was only four pounds per square inch, on a hatch several feet square, that ran to over a thousand pounds.

The two of them finished their preparations and got suited up. Neil, as Mission Commander was assigned to open the hatch.

“The bubble is in place.” Luna's voice came over their headsets. “I believe there is sufficient air pressure within.”

Neil reached out and turned the locking handle. The hatch swung open freely, and he could see out onto the lunar surface protected by only his inner 'fish bowl' helmet. Luna was visible, her horn glow visible even in the lunar sunlight. However, she now wore some sort of diadem that rested beneath her horn, a v shaped band of silvery metal with a smooth oval gemstone at its point.

He had no chance to ask about her new jewellery before she spoke. “Your scientists wish to study me, both out of sheer curiosity and to see that I would not bring some unknown disease to your world. Here are the samples they requested.”

Several crystal vials, each about the size of a large test tube, floated inside the hatch. One contained a lock of light blue hair, another some parings of hoof, and another a pair of blue feathers. The last one had a volume of crimson liquid inside; occasional dim sparkles seemed to flicker within it.

Neil carefully plucked them out of the air, the glow around each one fading as he got hold of it. He turned to the section of wall where the sample pouches were stowed, and secured them carefully in the webbing.

“Is that blood?” Buzz asked as he saw the final sample.

“Indeed.” Luna's voice came across the radio. “According to your physicians, it is vital to their studies. It will remain fresh, I have placed a minor preservation charm upon each vial that should last at least a week.”

“I'm more interested in how you took it. I didn't see any hypodermic needles out there.”

“I was told of them, a typically ingenious human idea, but having never seen one, I would struggle to manifest it, nor do I believe un-enchanted steel would pierce my hide. I simply cut my fetlock with my horn and collected the blood that flowed out with my magic.”

That got a wince from both astronauts, and Neil looked out through the open hatch again. Now he'd been told, he could see a slight scar across her right foreleg which hadn't been there when he'd shaken it. “That sounds painful.”

“'Tis minor, and soon healed. The same vitality that endows alicorns with un-aging bodies and allows me to survive unaided upon the surface of this moon also heals even the gravest injuries with great speed. It will be gone within the day.”

Some other objects started floating in, surrounded by the familiar blue aura. “I also crafted some small items to demonstrate my powers to the sceptical when you return.”

The first object was a v-shaped band similar to the one Luna wore. It was made of a silvery metal with a number of small gemstones along its length, and as well as the main gem, which was a deep blue and had silver symbols similar to the ones he'd seen her use in her prototype embedded in some fashion inside the gem.

“A radio transceiver, as you would call it. The main gem embodies the spells I developed earlier, though without the translator spell. I have stored enough energy within it for some weeks of continuous use. It will activate automatically when worn. To choose a 'channel' simply touch one of the smaller gems along the headband.”

The second object was a thick wrist band of the same silvery metal, cunningly fashioned with hinge joints and a clasp. A larger, faceted clear gemstone was embedded in it, clearly designed to be worn like a wristwatch. Once again, traceries of silver symbols were barely visible under the surface.

“A translator amulet. Once again, it activates when worn. The wearer will hear any language spoken as her own, and be able to respond in that language. It also shows it is active by the multicoloured glow the gem generates.” She paused for a moment. “That was not actually a requirement of the spell, but an addition one of the scientists requested. Some reference to a well known story.”

Both Buzz and Neil had read the 'Lensman' series as kids, and both got a chuckle out of it. Neil replied. “I'm sure you can get someone to read it to you.”

“That would be nice. Anyway, it should last several months without being re-empowered. The translation spell, while complex, uses little actual power.”

A neatly folded sheet of golden Kapton from their discarded cargo covers followed, with silver traceries written into its surface. “A Restful Blanket for them to experiment with. The idea of tactile illusions seems to fascinate people. It's a static effect, so it should last almost indefinitely, unlike the others.”

The final object was a silver disk, but not made of metal. It had numerous small clear gemstones embedded in it, along with the usual engraved symbols and a larger central gem. When Neil grasped it, his glove touched the central gem, and it glowed, almost causing him to drop it. A montage of solid three dimensional images started to appear over the disk, in a volume about as big as his head. They were pictures of Equestria, Luna, Celestia and other ponies. Touching the central gem again deactivated it.

“Your scientists were eager to see my visual illusions for themselves as well, and to know more of Equestria. So this illusion... projector I suppose you could call it, will accomplish both goals. I have loaded it with images from my memories, touching the large gem activates and deactivates it, while the smaller gems allow you to skip through the images. Once again it has power for a few weeks of operation.”

“Do your magic devices need regular recharging in Equestria?” asked Buzz.

“No, there the ambient thaumic field suffices to sustain most items. However, without it, I must needs provide the power myself.”

“How much power have you used?” Neil asked as he stared through the hatch at the alicorn. “I guess you made the vials and devices the same way you created the air bubble, from materials in the regolith. That must have taken a lot out of you.”

Luna looked up at him for a moment, then nodded. “'Tis true neither alchemy nor artificing is without cost. I have used all the power I had gathered over the last six lunar days, but if it leads to my rescue, it will be effort and energy well spent. Besides, it was wonderful to craft again, to have something to do! Fear not for me, I still have energy enough to survive.”

One more object floated into the capsule, a small ingot of silver metal no bigger than a small eraser, of a different hue to either the headband or the disk. “This cost me the most energy to produce, but it was needed to create the permanent runes. It is mithril, also known as moonsilver. I suspect your scientists will find its properties... interesting.”

Neil made sure the block of light metal was secured with the other items, and prepared to close the hatch. “I think they're going to find everything you made interesting. You may want to move back, we're going to take off soon. We won't be able to talk to you while we get set up, but I for one hope to see and speak to you again, on Earth.”

Buzz was already getting himself secured in the harness that substituted for a pilot's seat and running through a check list, but paused to speak. “I hope so too. Farewell, Luna.”

Neil sealed up the hatch and started securing himself alongside Buzz as he went through a list of Lunar Module consumables remaining in preparation for launch. Luna's air bubble had clearly worked perfectly, as they hadn't lost any pressure.

Back on mission, they ran through their preparations for launch. “Houston, Tranquility Base. The special packages are aboard. We're leaving behind an olive branch, our mission patch, and one alicorn who desperately wishes she was coming with us. How do you read our ascent consumables?”

“We check your read on BATT A and B at 24 volts. Ascent tanks at nominal pressure. We're getting a slight temperature rise in coolant pump A. Could you check that Neil?”

“It's probably local solar heating. Dogging valve 4A. Cycling pump. Check back?”

“Roger. Yeah, that seems to be working. Get ready for launch trajectory pad. Buzz.”

Buzz readied the sheet that would record the times and burns to be entered into the computer that would put them on course for rendezvous with the orbiting Columbia, currently on the other side of the moon. “Houston, Tranquility Base. Ready to copy. Over.”

Even after their experiences on the moon, they slipped back into their roles with smooth professionalism. When you were sitting on several thousand pounds of violently reactive hypergolic chemicals there wasn't any room for error. Soon enough, the chronometer ticked down to the calculated time.

While Buzz, as Lunar Module pilot had the flight controls, that still left Neil as capsule commander and Lord High Everything Else. He flicked off a cover and flipped a switch, triggering a dull thump. “Separation charges have fired! Inertial platform stable, we are go on ascent engine start on the mark! Three... Two... One”

“Throttling up! Mark! How's the separation?”

“We're coming up clean. Ascent rate 20 feet per second...” Neil took the chance to glance out of the capsule window at the ground below and saw the wave of dust and gases from their take-off hit the flag they'd planted, toppling it over. At the last minute it was caught in a barely visible blue glow and replanted just as it disappeared below the edge of the window.

“Thanks for that Luna!” At Buzz's puzzled query, he replied. “I'll explain later.”

He checked his board. “All instruments nominal. We're on track. Houston, we look good from up here.”

Luna's voice came back to them. “My pleasure. If my good wishes have any power, then a swift, safe voyage to you both. May harmony protect you...”

Confirming everything was copacetic and he had time to reply Neil responded. “Farewell, Luna. No, make that 'till we meet again'.”

“May you be safe and well. Goodbye.” Buzz made his own farewell.

As they rose to meet with the Columbia, both astronauts wondered what would happen to the person, no, the friend they'd left behind.

Author's Note

Finally! I spent the last two months writing and rewriting this. Let's hope the wait was worth it. Now we can get onto the fun stuff. Yes, the chapter title is a tip of the hat to Robert Anson Heinlein's 'The Moon is Harsh Mistress'.

While I've tried to keep the environment and feel of the Lunar Capsule accurate, and extrapolate from the original timeline. I may have taken a few liberties with specific sequences, as I couldn't find the relevant ones in the Apollo 11 transcripts. They really did sleep in their suits, or rather, without Luna fail to sleep. I could have made more of their breakfast, but it wasn't relvant that they were eating freeze dried beef stew and cream of chicken soup.

Luna is informed by the version from Andrew Joshua Talon's exceptional and very funny fic 'Progress' a.k.a 'Luna vs the Microwave', with possibly a bit of influence from Ponder Stibbons, the creation of the late and sorely missed genius Terry Pratchett. In short, she's more than something of a geek. One deleted version of her even had her manifest an abacus to help with calculations on the magic radio design. Heaven help us when she finds out about slide rules.

My take is that arithmancy has the same relationship to magic that applied mathematics does to physics. It allows you to quantify and predict magical effects, and so design spells to create them.

Edit: Thank you to the eagle-eyed

Rescue Party

Richard Nixon looked around the room, assessing the various scientists, engineers and other personnel seated around the big table. A round table conference wasn't his usual way of doing things, but he needed knowledge more than an ego boost.

“Well, gentlemen, it appears the Luna situation is getting more and more out of control. On the one hand, that demonstration of those gadgets Apollo 11 brought back from the moon have convinced most of the world that Luna exists, and is not some fantasy dreamed up by NASA to get more grant money. I know that private showing I had convinced me!

“But that brings its own problems. Luna has quickly become a bigger hot button topic than the war. We have some who think she's the first sign of the apocalypse, some who want us to bomb the moon out of existence, while others are ready to start worshipping her, and everything in between! I have crazy people of every stripe yelling their opinions at anyone who'll listen, and some of them are in Congress. And that's just domestically; the situation overseas is even worse.”

He was too smooth a politician to show how the strain had affected him; dealing with the increasingly demanding attitude of the Soviets and various other nations, both ally and otherwise, who were beating on The White House door for answers he wasn't yet ready to give was taking its toll. Which was what this meeting was about in a way.

“However, the buck stops here, at my desk, and I have to decide on a policy. One, do we bring Luna back to Earth? Two, what will it take, and how long? Three, what will we do with her if and when she gets here? To do that, I need information. Dr Paine? As NASA Administrator, I assume you have those answers?"

The bespectacled man who the president questioned indicated the people around the table as he spoke. "Yes sir, my people have been working around the clock on finding out more, and working out possible options. As you know, Doctor Sagan has been brought in full time to head the team in contact with Luna. Director Gilruth is the director of the Manned Spacecraft Centre where the Lunar Receiving Lab is. That is, where the artifacts and the biological samples brought back are being held and tested.

"From there we also have Doctor Schopf. His field is paleobiology, and he's the principal investigator for lunar samples; he put together the team of biologists that did the examination. Finally, we have Owen Maynard, Mission Operations Division. He was a Project Engineer on Project Mercury and is one of the primary designers on the Lunar Module. His team has been looking at ways of getting Luna to Earth, if the decision is made to bring her back."

"That, as the Bard said, is the question." Nixon quipped, subtly reinforcing the impression of quiet confidence he was projecting. "Let's start with Luna's intentions. I'd assume that's being handled by Doctor Sagan's team?"

"Yes, Mr President." Dr Paine replied.

"Doctor Sagan, what are your conclusions? You have a reliable link?”

Carl Sagan was sitting near the head of the conference table. “Yes, Mr President. Though we're having to share time with that English broadcast, and several others that have sprung up. Not to mention the ones that are just listening.”

Nixon frowned. “Can't we do anything about that?”

“Not for the most part. Pointing a radio receiver at the moon isn't illegal. Transmitting at the sort of power needed to reach Luna's communicator is, at least without a licence, but the frequency band is right in the middle of the amateur radio bands, so a lot of people do have licences. Maybe you could do something through the FCC, but a lot of the transmitters are overseas. Fortunately, Luna was happy to agree to reserve her time only for us when the moon is in the sky over the US.”

“Hmmm.” Nixon made a note on a pad to get someone to find out exactly what the FCC could do. “So, you've been talking to her for ten hours a day?”

“For the last two weeks. She's recently put herself to sleep for a week to rest through the coldest part of the lunar night, and recover some of the power she used.”

“So, what have you learned? “ Nixon asked. “About her, rather than this Equestria. I need to understand how she thinks most of all.”

“Remarkably human-like. She shows a similar emotional spectrum, has many of the same behaviours and traits as us. This isn't just my opinion, we've brought in several expert psychologists to analyse all our communications with her, as well as a specialist in witness interrogation from the FBI to help guide the questions.

“She's been willing to discuss almost any topic we've put to her, and her answers are consistent, and too detailed to be improvisations unless she's a far better dissembler than she showed herself to be when talking to the astronauts. She's also eager to learn about Earth, our sciences and literature especially. She hasn't pushed the possibility of us providing a passage here, but it's clear that it's on her mind constantly. She's crafted a more powerful receiver than her headset, and can now tune in to regular broadcasts rather than just things directly beamed at the moon when the ionosphere permits."

Doctor Sagan picked up one of a number of files that were on the table in front of him and checked the contents.

“Part of the dialogue was aimed at finding out her attitudes and beliefs, especially considering the 'Nightmare Moon' revelation. The full report is here, but the short answer is, she is suffering from a significant guilt complex, and the effects of isolation and sensory deprivation over several years. Everything points to genuine, even excessive remorse.

“One of the team suggested that spilling out her history the way she did was in part a catharsis, a confession, and in part an unconscious effort at sabotaging herself, driving away her new friends because she didn't feel worthy of that friendship. She's a mess, but there's nothing to suggest she's the slightest danger to anyone but herself.

”However, it could have been much worse. Any human in her position, assuming they could survive, would most likely have been driven insane from loneliness if nothing else. As far as she knew the only sapient beings anywhere were in the next universe over, and she wouldn't be able to return there for a thousand years.”

“Wait, what was that?” Nixon asked curiously.

“The thousand years? Apparently around that time there's going to be some sort of quadruple conjunction of minor astrolites with her moon. All of them are charged with mana, magical energy, and the effect will be like aligning a set of lenses. There will be a massive surge of power focussed on that moon, enough to release the other part of her, this Nightmare Moon. Luna was hoping by that time to have gathered enough power to form some sort of connection and use that same power to return there to stop her. That's Equis years of course, and only a rough estimate, but Earth years are similar enough for it not to matter for the foreseeable future."

The president frowned. "Interesting, but we've got more urgent matters to decide. What is your team's best guess on her reactions if we did recover her?"

"Best guess? She will live up to her promises to teach us whatever we want to know, both about Equestria and about magic. And that is a lot. This is an unparalleled opportunity. If she were an ordinary member of her society we'd still be able to learn a lot about her culture, society, xenobiology, a dozen other fields. But not only was she a ruling high status member, with all the privileges in education and access to information that implies, she's also a scholar, the equivalent of a polymath with wide understanding of an entirely new field of knowledge.

“An example is the sample of silvery material she gave us, the English translation is moonsilver, though some of the team working on it call it mithril. Mechanically, it’s similar to titanium, though more ductile, very light, mechanically strong, but capable of being shaped and machined. Chemically, however, it’s utterly inert. It’s a total insulator for both electricity and electromagnetic rays, including gamma radiation, and reflects everything from alpha particles to neutrons with equal ease. It doesn’t conduct heat, and appears to have whatever the ambient temperature is on that surface, though that's a result of the perfect reflectivity, rather than an actual temperature. It also doesn't melt or even soften at any temperature we can apply.

“Our best guess at the reason for these properties is that it’s not atomic matter, but something else. All matter as we understand it is made up of fermions; quarks that combine into protons, neutrons and leptons such as electrons, which combine to form atoms. All processes such as radioactivity, thermal transfer, electrical conductivity are down to the properties of atoms and sub-atomic particles. However there is another class of particles, bosons, which include photons and neutrinos. It’s been postulated that we might be able to trap photons in a lattice structure, forming something analogous to a solid, and according to Luna that’s exactly what this is.

“She made it to use in creating the artefacts she crafted because it is a highly efficient conductor of magical energy. According to her it’s made from moonlight stabilised and ‘condensed’ with magic. However it’s made, it has properties that are repeatedly demonstrable and incredibly useful.

"No atoms means no heat conduction, no electrons means no electrical conduction, and being made up of a continuous phase rather than discrete atoms means it's an absolute reflector of electromagnetic radiation, including gamma rays. It could be used for everything from a dielectric for super-capacitors that could store massive amounts of energy to a casing for a zero radiation nuclear power source you could fit in a briefcase. And that’s just an off-shoot of her abilities, something she included because she had some left over and thought we might find it interesting.”

“This power she uses, magic is as good a term as any, is more than just a new technology, it’s a modality like fire or electricity. It has a whole host of potential applications, not only new technologies, but new tools to understand things about the universe our sciences have barely touched. She is both an expert practicioner, a combination of top bracket scientist and master engineer, and an incredibly powerful one, or will be once she’s no longer spending most of her energy surviving and can devote some of it to restoring her reserves. And she’s willing, no eager, to share all of it freely with us!" Sagan's voice rose at the end, showing his enthusiasm.

"How certain are you of your analysis of her thought processes?" Nixon picked up his pen and tapped it on the notepad in front of him. "She's a completely different species!"

"It's not too surprising, we often see simpler versions of human behaviour in primates and mammals in general. And she is a mammal, more specifically an equine, the tests on the biological samples prove that, but she's also definitely not from Earth or any star system in the local cluster.”

“How can you possibly know that? For that matter, how can that possibly be? I may be a lawyer, but even I know that evolution doesn't work that way!”

"That's where Doctor Schopf comes in. His team managed to deduce it from the biological samples."

Dr Schopf was a young man with glasses and an enthusiastic manner.

“The determination of Luna's genus came more from close examination of the photographs and movies. Equine paleobiology has been well studied, and her form shows a number of features that are unique to modern equines, rather than her just having a close similarity. My team's estimate, she has a common ancestor with terrestrial horses within the last ten million years, maybe far less. She's certainly a closer relative of terrestrial horses than zebras or even donkeys. Apparently there are intelligent versions of those in Equestria too. The structure of the feather was identical to modern terrestrial birds, most closely matching raptors. Once again there are several features that have to have come from a common ancestor.

“The various serum tests and chemical processing we did on the blood sample confirmed it, her biochemistry is terrestrial, as near as makes no odds, and several blood factors match those in equine blood. It does mean that when and if she gets to Earth, she'll have no problem eating our food. She could even theoretically accept a blood transfusion from a properly matched terrestrial horse, much as humans could potentially from great apes. Either it's part of this correspondence she's talked about, or when the entities she calls the Makers terraformed... bioformed Equis, they cribbed their designs from Earth. Doctor Sagan also has corroborating evidence that Equis has terrestrial derived lifeforms."

“It has been suggested from the conversations we've had, she refers to terrestrial species from apples to zebras.” Doctor Sagan interjected. “It could be an artefact of the translation 'spell', but the descriptions match. And translations of proper nouns tend to either be overly literal or render as some sort of bad pun. Place names like Trottingham, Cloudsdale and Baltimare. Not to mention country names like Saddle Arabia, Zebrica and the Griffish Isles.“

"So she's a horse from a world of bad puns. How do you know that world isn't Earth?"

"Isotope ratios." Dr Schopf replied. "We ashed part of the feather and did extensive mass spectrometry tests. Every element is made up of various isotopes, similar numbers of protons and electrons, different number of neutrons. They all have the same number of electrons, they're chemically identical. The ratios between these isotopes in certain elements shows minimal variation, as all the material that makes up our solar system and nearby ones, is thought to have come from a common supernova event."

"Luna's feather shows ratios orders of magnitude different to terrestrial ones. Calcium, carbon, even nitrogen ratios that could not have come from Earth, and judging by analyses of meteors that have fallen to Earth, nowhere in the solar system either. Taken at face value, it can only mean she's from somewhere else. Admittedly, she could have used her micro-telekinetic power to adjust the ratios, but why bother? Until Apollo 11 landed, she never had experience with any scientific instrument more advanced than a microscope."

“You’re saying her story checks out?” Nixon summarised.

“Yes, Mr President.” Dr Schopf replied. “Of course, we’ve been running disease and microbial tests in parallel. We’ve exposed lab animals to sera formed from Luna’s blood samples, attempted to culture any bacteria we could, and so far she checks out clean. We even have a horse in quarantine as one of the test subjects. As I've said, her blood and tissue is remarkably clean, and nor does it show any of the degredation that we’d expect from exposure to the radiation environment on the moon.

“In fact, I suspect the same ability that’s keeping her alive, the regenerative ability that she’s talked about in her discussions with Dr Sagan, normally fuctions as a super-immune system and anti-gerone... something that slows or stops aging that is. Which opens up whole other medical possibilities, as I’m sure you can imagine. But the most important result right now is that Luna won’t get ill from our germs either. We’ll have a more complete report in a month’s time, but for now there’s no biological reason she couldn’t be brought to Earth safely.”

“Which doesn’t address the political and social reasons as to whether we do it or not.” Nixon commented.

"Sorry, Mr President, that's not my field of expertise."

“Uh... sir!” The man who spoke wore a neat suit and tie, the perfect picture of a young executive. “Sorry to interrupt, Owen Maynard sir, Mission Operations Division. My team has been looking at ways of getting Luna to Earth, and it’s not so much a matter of whether we do it as who will do it and when.”

"The Russians?" Nixon asked, mouth tightening.

"That's one possibility. They have managed to soft land vehicles on the moon. And if Doctor Sagan's right, they don't need anything as complex as a full Apollo mission to recover her."

Seeing Nixon look his way, Sagan took over. "She can survive unaided in space for as long as necessary, so no need for a pressurised cabin or life support system. And according to her, if she can get far enough from the moon, say a few thousand miles, it will break the geas that restricts her from using her magic to fly, at which point she's her own transfer vehicle. She's flown in space before back over her homeworld, and she doesn't need to worry about a heat shield for re-entry, because she can slow herself down before hitting atmosphere. The only reason Apollo doesn't is because it would take a lot of fuel, more than the Service Module can carry."

Maynard continued. "So, as you can see sir, all you'd really need to land is an engine with fuel tanks and saddle on top, controlled by a basic flight computer, with enough delta V to put it on a lunar escape trajectory. Luna's own weight is reckoned to be under 180 pounds, the weight of an empty A7L space suit. Based around existing hardware we estimate an ascent vehicle weight of around 1200 pounds, fully fuelled. While that's several times heavier than anything Russia has soft landed on the moon, it's a lot less than the 5 ton ascent stage of the Lunar module.

"But descent might not be a problem, Luna has already demonstrated that she can adjust the orbit of the discarded Eagle ascent stage in a 70 mile high orbit. Use a transfer vehicle to put the Ascent vehicle into a low orbit, or even a close flyby, and she'd be able to handle capture and lowering it to the surface herself. Which means they could do it with their existing launch vehicles, as they've already launched lunar orbiters in that sort of mass range. But it's not just the Russians, the Europeans are developing their own launch vehicles, and while they're nowhere near being able to launch a lunar mission right now, a crash priority R and D project could change things."

"Do the Russians know that she can capture orbiting vehicles?"

"We don't believe so sir, we asked Luna to keep quiet about the experiment." Sagan said. "But she said as much in that initial broadcast, so it's possible."

"How truly good!" the president exclaimed with a growl. "Any more bad news?"

"I wouldn't put it that way, but it might be possible for Luna to build something herself, using the discarded hardware that's already on the moon, especially if she had instructions from Earth. She probably never considered it before Apollo 11, because her own society is at the stage of the gunpowder firework as far as rocketry goes. But she saw the Apollo 11 in action, and she's been asking questions. Her powers would allow her to disassemble and reshape components, the only things she's missing is a source of fuel, and a carbonaceous chondrite meteorite or exavating it from a crater would give her a source of nitrogen and carbon, which she could refine into hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide. She might even be able to conjure it and have it last long enough to work."

"I thought this magic spell, this geas prevented her from using her magic to escape the moon?"

Sagan fielded this. "We suspect it's much like a computer program. As long as it remains within its specified parameters, it's fine, but throw in something it wasn't programmed for and it breaks. It will stop her teleporting or using self levitation, but it apparently doesn't consider her telekinesis or other powers a threat. She's used alchemy, molecular level manipulation, already. If she builds a non-magical escape vehicle, even by magical means, the geas won't see that as a threat. After all, whoever set the conditions for the geas, probably her sister, almost certainly believed that the only way to escape the moon was by using magic directly. Equestria can only just build fireworks."

"Wait, she can teleport too? Just wonderful. Any limitations, range, walls?"

"From what she's said, as long as she knows where she's going, or has seen a picture, she can get there with a range of several thousand miles."

"So, to sumarize: this Luna provides a wealth of knowledge that could provide economic and strategic advantages, not to mention her personal abilities which make her sound like a comic book superhero. She will be willing to share those advantages with us if we get her off the moon, but we have to assume that if someone else did so she'd be just as grateful to them. We can't allow that to happen, which means we have no other choice but to try and bring her back ourselves."

That got a lot of cheerful expressions and grins, but he wasn't finished. "However, those same powers make her a major threat if she ever went rogue again, or if despite appearances she's bluffing now. So we also need to be ready to find a way to contain or kill her if something goes wrong."

That got almost universal expressions and exclamations of shock and dismay. Nixon shut them up with a glare and a shouted "Silence!"

He relaxed his expression into a friendlier mein. "Look boys, it's not something I like the idea of any more than you do. You're all focussed on the advantages, the possibilities, and that's okay, that's your job as scientists and engineers. My job as president of these United States is to protect the citizens of these same United States, whether by diplomacy, intimidation or military force. That means considering the unpleasant possibilities, and making the hard decisions.

"You have to admit there's a possibility that she could go crazy again, as she's admitted to doing once before. It may be an absolute last resort, but it has to be considered, for the sake of the nation. Plus, there are other nations who will be far less restrained if they see those advantages come to us, so we also need to know what she's vulnerable to so we can protect her. So, is it possible to kill or contain her?"

He also wanted a similar fall-back position in case some other country beat them to the prize, but he had no intention of telling these guys that. In that case it would have to be utterly black, he didn't need his press secretary to tell him what kind of backlash there'd be if it came out.

After a long, tense pause, Sagan said, "From what we know, it seems any mundane containment system would be ineffective as long as she has her magic, and we know of no way to remove it. Physiologically, she's a mammal and should theoretically be affected by the same things that would kill a human. However, once again there's her magic to contend with. It almost certainly has an autonomic component, operating as automatically as breathing, that protects her. Doctor Schopf?"

"Doctor Wilberforce can give you more detail on that."

Doctor Wilberforce was a greying, bespectacled man in his early 50's with a rumpled looking shirt. "Ah, yes, yes. My group was assigned to experiment with a blood sample and tissue from the base of the feather, to test its structure compared to terrestrial blood and discover its ability to resist damage. Even after being decanted from the vial, Luna's blood remained viable for far longer than most mammals, and showed an impressive ability to counter destroy a number of pathogens we introduced. It's practically a panacea.

"We also cultured tissue from the wing root, and exposed it to everything from acids to radiation. It took far more damage than anything short of specialised microorganisms could before dying. Tissue separated from the growth medium also proved far more vital than it should. Biochemically there is no explanation. Some other factor makes it far tougher than it has any right to be. Microscopic examination showed some structures within the cells that have no parallel in terrestrial mammals. It's possible that these structures relate to Luna's 'magic', and the unusual vitality of the cells. Facinating! To summarise, biological or chemical methods are not likely to be effective at any reasonable concentration."

Maynard was discussing something with his fellows, head down over a note pad that was rapidly filling with numbers and equations as he used a slide rule. Nixon coughed. "You've thought of something, Mr Maynard?"

After a second, Maynard looked up. "Yes, sir. We've done some quick calculations of the mundane energy equivalents required to perform the effects we know Luna's capable of, and applied it to pure kinetic energy. It's a rough ballpark, I don't have exact figures on me, but we can work out the sort of effects needed to overcome Luna if her existing powers were focussed on stopping a projectile. A force shield so to speak. Bullets would bounce, even from a heavy machine gun. Likewise RPGs or pretty much any man portable rocket launcher. We're looking at a main battle tank gun or even a naval shell to do anything. An anti-tank mine might do the job, as with that you might have a chance of sneaking it up on her, but more likely you'd need a block buster."

'Not something you could take to the moon, or use here on Earth without someone noticing. Plus,' he thought to himself, 'We definitely can't afford to attempt it and fail, as that would certainly turn her hostile.'

"Very well, it looks like the only option is to bring her to Earth ourselves, and make every effort to ensure she feels wanted and useful, both to bind her more closely to us and to ensure she doesn't end up in the same mindset that set off her last psychotic break. However, I want to talk to her directly before I make my final decision. So. Mr Maynard, I assume you do have a way to bring her back safely? And what is it going to cost the U.S. taxpayer?"

"Actually, sir, we do." Maynard brought out some papers from a folder. "Our initial decision was to use Apollo hardware as much as possible. Creating new hardware and testing it, as I mentioned before, would take several years and cost a great deal. At first we thought we'd have to wait for Apollo 15, the first J type extended mission. The upgraded LM has fuel to bring back a much heavier sample payload. However, that would be two years away, which is definitely sub-optimal.

"With that in mind, we've been working on a near term plan. With some operational changes and minor modifications to the CSM and LM, we should be able to bring Luna back safely on Apollo 12. The timeline would be tight, but we can do it if we have the go ahead right now. It means pretty much dedicating Apollo 12 to the recovery mission, though we have some ideas on alternate ways and means of fixing that." He passed the papers around.

"The critical component is the Lunar Module ascent stage. We're looking at replacing the fuel tanks with the expanded versions designed for the extended missions. We'll also fit a set of straps on the floor over the centre of balance to hold Luna down during ascent. It's going to be tight, making any kind of mechanical change at this stage of the game is no easy task, but Grumman have confirmed they can make the necessary changes within the stated timeline. It helps that the components are already designed and we have test articles to work with. We have another team working with Dr Schopf's to design a lightweight isolation suit for Luna to put on while still on the lunar surface.

"The descent stage is where it gets tricky. We can't replace the fuel tanks there with J type components without structural changes to the space frame. We'd pretty much have to build a J type descent stage, minus the extended life support package. But we have an alternative, additional tankage in the equipment bays and an extended engine bell for improved efficiency. It means we can't carry the ALSEP, but that would just add to the descent payload mass which we want to reduce. It won't look pretty, but it will work. Once again the Grumman team, led by Thomas Kelly, has verified they can do it in time.

"To provide a little extra leeway, the CSM will put the Lunar Module into a descent transfer orbital track before separation, then boost back to orbit afterwards. While it may not have the fuel to slow down before re-entry, it has sufficient delta v for this manouvre. It was originally designed for the Direct Ascent option, after all. The only other modification will be to the Command Module to provide Luna with a place to rest during re-entry, an additional camp-bed style frame that can be set up in the space between the crew couches and the aft bulkhead. On the journey to the moon, the space will have consumables in it, but by the return trip, there will be enough space to deploy it."

He looked over to Doctor Schopf and said, "From splashdown it's a matter for the Lunar Recieving Laboratory."

"Hm, yes, the plan is to have a second Mobile Quarantine Facility on board the Hornet dedicated to Luna. She will be transferred to the Lunar Recieving Lab and held in quarantine separately from the returing astronauts. That way we will be able to perform extended tests on her biology to confirm that she won't come to harm here, and vice versa. We'll also need a discretionary budget for teaching materials and staff to educate her about Earth. From what Doctor Sagan says, she's very interested in our technology and culture."

Carl Sagan took over the conversation. "Yes she is. After the quarantine period, she could remain on site at Johnson Space Centre, where we can provide housing and protection. I expect we'll need an entire research facility to build up around her. We'll teach her and she'll teach us in return. I have people working on a preliminary proposal for the facility, but it's not ready yet as we're still finding out new things she could teach us."

"Very well, prepare your budget plans and proposals. You have the go ahead from me to start preliminary work on it. Now I just have to talk to her directly, and get Congress to agree to it."

As the meeting broke up, Nixon returned to the Oval office, where his Chief of Staff waited. "Well, it's done, they have their marching orders."

"You've given them the go ahead?"

"I more or less had to." Nixon rubbed his forehead, and dropped into the plush chair behind his desk. "Once they made it clear that Luna is going to end up on Earth somehow, and there's nothing we can do to stop her, I had no choice but to make sure we're the ones who control her. From what they're saying, she's the key to a whole host of new technologies, and that's ultimately going to mean both power and money. And with the ecomomy in the shape it is, and the war, this country can do with both. Between them, they seem to have the technical side covered. Now it's up to us to handle the political side."

"It's going to be rough sir," Haldeman opined.

"Tell me something I don't know. Get Ehrlichman and Butterfield in for a meeting. Let's get the ball rolling. I'm going to need publicity, good publicity. Get on to Zeigler, I want the benefits of us rescuing this Luna pushed. Play the 'noble knights rescuing a damsel' angle too. I'm going to need all the leverage I've got to drive this through Congress. Sagan is arranging for me to talk to this Luna directly, I'm going to need a list of talking points. If we work it right, the recording could be useful."

"Anything else?"

"Yes, get Colson to brief me on the legal position of an intelligent non-human. Are they considered a person? De facto, obviously, but legally, every law assumes that person is synonymous with human. I can see some of the angles myself, but we need to work out what legal hoops we'd have to go through to get her legally declared a person, and whether she could become a citizen."

"That's very generous of you, sir." Unspoken was the question of what advantages it would bring, as doing so would make some of the anti-Luna factions explode.

"I know, I'm practically Santa Claus. Championing her personhood should provide an additional incentive for her to feel gratitude, and generate a lot of positive publicity with the Lunatic faction, which if the latest polls are right is dominant right now. As a citizen she'd be under our laws, which would provide additional constraints, and also make it far harder for any other country to try and claim she should be shared as an invaluable scientific specimen."

Nixon paused for thought, then added, "Speaking of legal matters, it might be a good idea to suggest that she retain some corporate law firm, such as Wingert and Bewley. With all the publicity, people are going to start merchandising her, so having her likeness and identity protected against unauthorised use is only sensible. I suspect that there will be plenty of companies willing to pay well for licences. Do it as a corporation acting on her behalf, and they wouldn't even have to wait for her personhood to be resolved.

"By the time she gets down here, there'd be a nice chunk of change waiting for her, allowing her to buy some luxuries, and not costing the government one red cent. The fact that it would also be another way to control her image the way we want it is just icing on the cake. We may well end up paying her a salary, but for the short term this will have to do." Nixon sighed. "This could all still go horribly wrong, but since we're on its back, all we can do is ride the tiger, or alicorn rather, and hope we don't end up on its horn."

Author's Note

Parts of this has been sitting on my hard drive for over a year, and then on my account unpublished for another six months. I've finally managed to get some time away from writing RPG sessions and other real life hazards to beat it into shape. I'm not happy with it, but I don't think I'm going to do much better.

I have also been writing the next part of Yellow Apple Blossom of New Texas, which was easier, as I know the fictional characters, whereas here, I have to research the historical ones and do my best to write what I think would make sense.

On Richard Nixon, it's clear that he was a magnificent b*****d, someone who was very charismatic and persuasive, utterly ruthless and pragmatic and had his eye firmly on the main chance. He did do some positive things during his presidency though, managing to broker improved relations with China and Russia, create the EPA and sponsor several environmental bills, health insurance reform, and one of the first affirmative action programs in the US. There's a lot more to him than Watergate.

Hopefully I've managed to capture that in this chapter. Sorry there's no actual Luna, but this story is as much about the impact Luna would have on Earth as it is a Pony on Earth story. As well as Nixon, there was all the other people, who were real people too. And that was a bunch of pure fun, figuring out who would have been responsible for what and when. If anybody spots any glaring errors, please let me know?

I promise the next chapter will be out in less time, as the next one is the actual rescue. That's going to be all sorts of fun.

The Conversation

"Alright Mr President, sir, we're connecting you in to the line now."

The speaker was one of Doctor Sagan's assistants, Nixon had memorised his name as any good politician would, but right now he was focussed on the conversation ahead. He glanced over his notes, and the ones prepared by his communications secretary.

"Thanks. Hopefully this phone call won't be interrupted." The assistant relaxed slightly at the quip, just as Nixon had intended.

"Greetings, this is Luna calling. Am I talking to President Nixon?" The voice was slightly distorted and crackly, but unmistakably the feminine voice that he'd heard during that original converation, and in numerous broadcasts since.

"You are, Miss Luna. I assume you've been told why I'm talking to you?"

There was a pause, and he wondered if she was considering an answer until he remembered the three second delay.

"Indeed. You wish to take my measure, face to face, or as near to it as can be arranged. You lead the United States, and wish to decide for yourself whether bringing me to your country will be more of a benefit or a risk, as a wise leader should. I hope I can answer your questions, and allay any fears you may have."

"That is correct, though the decision ultimately resides with the American people, as expressed through Congress." This conversation would probably be broadcast, whatever final determination he made, and it would need to give the best possible impression. He counted out another three seconds.

"But you will be the one to put it before them, so I must needs convince you first. Though my first priority is to apologise to you personally."

"Well, your confession about Nightmare Moon didn't exactly make my job any easier."

"For that as well, I apologise. I believed that I was talking only to Sir Neil and Sir Edwin. However, I meant my earlier trespass, where I interrupted your speech. I should have realised that Sir Neil and Sir Edwin would not simply be standing around doing nothing."

Nixon waved it off, forgetting it was only a radio link. "That's in the past, but if it makes you feel better, you're forgiven."

He wasn't one to fret about things he couldn't change, and whatever happened, keeping a good relationship with Luna cost nothing.

"Thank you, Mr President, you are most generous. As to your decision, I have listened to many of the broadcasts from Earth, and understand that many people fear me for the power I wielded, and the mare I became. I can say all I want that I am no longer that mare, that the Nightmare was stripped from me and that I would never allow it to happen again, even if it could, but I can not demonstrate the truth of my words directly."

"That is the problem. Though it's not just your past. Some people worry about the power you possess, or how the things you can teach us will affect their lives and their jobs."

"That fear, at least is easy to allay. Doctor Schopf has discussed the need for quarantine. Even after that, it would make sense that I stay at the Lunar Recieving Laboratory, or some other institute of learning, and work with whoever you designate to ensure that my knowledge is used to the greatest benefit and least disruption."

"Reasonable restrictions on your movements would be one of the requirements." Nixon had to tread a thin line, reassuring the anti-Luna brigade without offending the Lunatics. "Nothing onerous, I assure you. Spending most of your time at one place would help make any arrangements easier."

"I would guess that the arrangements would include guards of some sort? That would further help to reassure your people."

"The specifics remain to be worked out, but yes, that is a reasonable assumption. They would be there for your protection as well. Your point that we will need to assess any new technologies you help us develop is well taken too."

"To properly reassure those who fear my magical abilities they must needs be armed with tools and weapons that could restrain me. I will work on such as a gesture of good faith."

That stunned Nixon for a second. Luna was actually willing to go that far? His years as an attorney and politician had made him highly sensitive to verbal bovine excrement, but those senses were telling him there was no deception here. Though he had to remember that for all her juvenile appearance, she was over 800 years old, and had been a ruler for much of that time. On the other hand, she'd demonstrated a distaste for dissembling. Best take it as genuine.

"That is more than we could have hoped for."

He heard Luna sigh, and wondered for a second how that worked on the moon. "'Tis about building trust. I am an outsider, and something new and different to most people. I am an unknown, my magic is an unknown, and it seems many humans fear the unknown, and that which they can not control no less than ponies. My admissions about my part in creating Nightmare Moon will not have helped.

"To that end, I have been working on another project that will demonstrate my good will, and allow your people to better understand the power of magic. I believe the term would be a 'photothaumic cell'. I will have them prepared and deliver them to the astronauts of your next voyage whether or not they come to take me with them."

Nixon was not a scientist, but he could derive the context from the name, his knowledge of classics and the science briefings he'd had. "Would this be a device that converts light into magical energy?"

"Indeed, Mr President. I was inspired by the description of photovoltaic cells on the various space probes. It takes some elements from my light amplification spell as used in the radio I designed, but most of it was simply worked out by arithmatic decomposition of a simple 'light object' spell. I inverted the matrix through a Fourcart convolution and reversed the intent. It wasn't easy, but light spells are something of a speciality of mine.

"It takes the form of a thin plate of crystal on a metal base plate, etched with runes. It takes some mana to enchant, but after that, as long as light falls on it, it will produce magical energy, which is stored in the crystal.

"It hath both practical ends and is a show of faith. You will be able to recharge the items I crafted, and your scientists and researchers will have access to a magic power source to experiment with so they can better understand its properties. It also makes your research independent of me. They will be able to test independently any ideas on blocking and supressing magic, as those restraints I mentioned will require. Undertstanding, and a feeling of control will hopefully lessen the fear of those who now rail against me."

"I suspect Doctor Sagan and his crew are eager to get their hands on it. Though you understand if anything this may delay any effort to rescue you, if that's agreed to, as there will be people who will insist on using it to research magic and its implications before we can safely bring you to Earth."

"What boots it? I said this was a gift, and I meant it. After all, your people have already given me the greatest treasure I could ask for... companionship. I may be alone here, but at least I have voices to keep me company, a way to talk to others and make friends, access to your rich culture of stories and songs, and a chance to learn new things no pony has before.

"It may mean I will be here longer, but in the meantime your gift to me will make the waiting easier, and the delay will hopefully mean that when and if your people do rescue me, our mutual trust will be stronger for it."

"That's a pretty magnanimous thing to say." Nixon considered the ramifications. Delaying until Apollo 13 would give the technical people more time to put together the modified lunar lander, and his own team to take care of the non-technical aspects of bringing a sapient non-human to the U.S.A. The additional time and chance to study magic would, as she said, help reduce fears and tensions over the unknowns, which was all to the good.

He'd have to check with NSA and CIA sources as to when the earliest possible Russian launch could happen, but if the answer was, 'not before April', it seemed like a plan. While he'd schemed, Luna had replied.

"I have much ground to make up. I can only do that by being generous in my dealings, even if Generosity was my sister's Element." The last part sounded like a gentle quip.

"Well, as I said, Luna, I have to put the proposal to rescue you before Congress before anything else can be done. I'm sure Doctor Sagan and his team will keep you informed. For now, I must go."

"Thank you for your time, Mr President. May you continue to lead your people wisely."

There was static for a moment, then silence.

Author's Note

This is not the chapter your looking for. It wasn't the chapter I was looking for, which is probably why it was such a long time coming. I had intended to go straight to Apollo 12, which would be the full draw rescue mission, but this makes more sense.

Luna will travel to meet and interact with Apollo 12, but will be scheduled to be rescued by Apollo 13. What could possibly go wrong?

The Menace from Earth Part 1

Author's Note

Fifty years ago today, 3 intrepid astronauts launched from Cape Kennedy in Intrepid, the Command Module of Apollo 12. They were hit by lightning, and lost telemetry and capsule guidance, but that didn't stop them thanks to an EECOM Manager John Aaron, who earned the soqubriet 'steely eyed missile man' for figuring out how to fix the fault, and Alan Bean, who was the only one who knew where the correct switch was, and got bupkiss.

The Apollo 12 crew were one of the closest knit, three friends, and not above the occasional practical joke. But they were true heroes, and it's sad that even people who could tell you all the members of Apollo 11's crew would have to look them up.

In honour of their efforts, and because it finally got me to pull my finger out and get writing again, I present to you the Return version of their story (well, the first half anyway).

I wanted to release the entire mission today, but I haven't finished writing it. Plus it had gotten to 7000 words and I'm barely started with surface operations, so I decided to split things. So the first half is from launch to lunar landing, and the second half will (hopefully) be released on the 19th, which is when they actually landed on the moon. That will cover the rest of the mission.

'The Menace from Earth' is a Robert Heinlein short story which despite its ominous name is about a tourist to a lunar colony, told from the viewpoint of a teenage lunar colonist, who is jealous because her boyfriend has a crush on the titular 'menace'. Since the Apollo 12 flight crew were a bunch of cut-ups, and from what I've read Charles 'Pete' Conrad, the Mission Commander was the biggest joker of the lot, I figured the name fitted better than 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress' my original title (another Heinlein - read it, it is brilliant).

The Menace from Earth Part 1

Charles Conrad Jr, universally known as 'Pete', settled back in the left chair of the Apollo command module as the suit technician strapped him in. Two and one half hours and they'd be hauling freight for the moon. The last three months had been brutal, made no easier by the mission changes to accomodate meeting Luna. But his crew had come through, more or less sane, though the mission was pretty crazy. They'd been slated as primary crew for Apollo 12 since before 11 landed, so he'd followed the intense debate about Luna and what to do with her with particular interest.

There had been the President's phone call to Luna, carried on every news program and dissected in minute detail on talk shows for days afterwards. The bill to recover Luna and afford her aid afterwards had barely squeezed through Congress, but it had gone through. All three of the team had spent hours with Doctor Sagan and talked to Luna themselves, along with Neil and Buzz. If even a quarter of the things she talked about were possible, the US, no, the whole planet was in for the biggest shakeup in history.

"You are secure." Gunter Wendt, the Pad Leader, said and gave his shoulder a firm tap.

"Thanks." He turned his attention to Richard 'Dick' Gordon and Alan Bean, beside him in the centre and right chairs. Dick, the Command Module Pilot, had been his close friend since their Navy days, the two of them having served together. Al was also ex-Navy, and had been Pete's personal pick as a replacement after their original Lunar Module pilot, Clifton Williams had died in an air crash. Al had been one of Pete's students, back when he was teaching at Naval Test Pilot School, and had impressed Pete with his ability and attitude. After training and working together, the three of them were closer than brothers.

"Looks like we're actually doing this. I should rename myself John Carter."

That got a chuckle from the others. Dick replied, "You're the Commander, not a Captain, and the Moon isn't Barsoom."

"But you've got to admit, we are going to the aid of a captive alien space princess, who runs around naked." Pete said with a grin. "Kaor, Princess Luna, at your service."

"You should say that line to Luna, just as you said it." Alan pulled down a checklist. "See if she gets the joke. You've already got that bet going with that reporter. This would prove they don't write our lines for us."

"Maybe." Pete settled down, putting on his 'Mission Commander' face. "Are we on VOX yet? ... Good morning Capcom!"

Gerald Carr, Capsule Communicator replied, "Good morning Apollo 12. How's it looking over there?"

"Still pointing upwards. I'm glad we're going to be in space for the next week, it seems like the entire country's going crazy."

"It's probably going to get even worse when you get back. I hear you almost had a last minute crew change."

"Last minute... Oh yeah, the gorilla." The other two astronauts chuckled as he spoke. "Yeah, when we went to breakfast the stuffed gorilla we adopted as a mascot was at the table sitting in my seat with one of those lifesize plush Luna dolls sitting on its lap. As soon as I saw it I said, 'Somebody should have said if there was going to be a last minute crew change.' I'm not sure which of these two jokers was trying to make a monkey out of me, and they're not telling."

The two hours to launch passed in a flurry of last minute checks, pressure test and scheduled holds. As launch time approached, the weather worsened, though the only indications from inside the capsule was some pattering of rain on the exterior and some slight swaying.

"Abort lights are on, Capcom." Pete said. "We're still good? Looks like the weather's getting interesting."

Gerald Carr, Capsule Communicator replied. "We're about to run the final launch status check. Don't worry, they're not going to call this one off on account of a few drops of rain. Capcom is go! Skip wishes you a good flight."

"Tell everyone we appreciate everything they've done for us." There was nothing left for any of them to do but watch the gauges and report the status.

"This is Launch Operations, The launch team wishes you good luck, and may the wind be ever at your backs."

"Thank you very much." Pete eyed the clock. Three minutes thirty. "GNC is all okay, final checks show go."

There was a tense pause as lights flashed and changed on the panels. "Apollo 12 we have firing command, we've gone over to automatic firing sequence."

"We see it."

"Stages pressurising. Automatic sequence nominal."

Two minutes. "Switching Environmental Control to Internal."

"ECS to Internal, we copy."

Alan Bean flipped switches. "Bringing up re-entry batteries."

The countdown continued. Power switched over to internal and Pete made one final check of the Guidance system. At 10 seconds there was a whirring noise as the fuel pumps started up and a sharp thump and rumble at 8 seconds as the engines ignited. Capcom called out, "Ignition! 3... 2... 1..."

"Liftoff!" Both Pete and Gerald said the words at the same time as the Saturn V majestically rose from pad 39B. "The clock's running."

Al Bean called the times and Dick Gordon, as Command Module Pilot monitored the trajectory. "Cleared the tower."

"Roger," Pete acknowledged, "Cleared the tower. I got a pitch and a roll program, and this baby's really going!"

"Man is it ever!" Dick agreed.

As they passed twenty seconds Pete gave a relieved, "It's a lovely lift-off. It's not bad at all."

Just over ten seconds later, the fates showed they were listening in. Pete had just notified Cap Com that the roll program was complete, and received an acknowledgement when there was a white flash, and the indicator panel lit up like a Christmas tree as an alert signal started sounding out.

"What the hell was that!" Dick exclaimed, checking his panels. "I've lost a whole lot of buses!"

The three astronauts spent the next few seconds trying to figure out what was wrong, then they had another shock as the primary 'eight ball', the attitude indicator, started to tumble; meaning the capsule's Inertial Measuring Unit, also known as the platform, had failed. Pete had his hand on the Abort handle the whole time, ready to use the Launch Escape System to pull the Command Module clear, but despite the instrument failure in the cockpit, the first stage seemed stable and steady, possibly because the Instrument Unit in the Saturn V third stage, which was actually controlling the flight at this point, was unaffected by whatever had happened to the Command Service Module.

He updated Mission Control. "Okay, we just lost the platform, gang. I don't know what happened here; we had everything in the world drop out."

As Cap Com acknowledged, Dick added, "I can't - There's nothing I can tell is wrong, Pete."

"I got three fuel cell lights, an AC bus light, a fuel cell disconnect, AC bus overload 1 and 2, Main Bus A and B out." Pete was trying to figure out how everything could have gone south at once.

Al had been sliently working his section, but suddenly piped up. "I've got AC!"

So the AC power system was up despite what the board showed. "You've got AC? Maybe it's just the indicator? What do you got on the main bus?"

"Twenty four volts... which is low!"

"We've got a short on it of some kind. But I can't believe that's accurate..."

Pete was interrupted by the voice of Cap Com. "Apollo 12, Houston. Try SCE to Auxiliary. Over."

"FCE... what the hell's that?"

"Fuel Cell...?" Gordon queried.

"SCE. SCE to Aux!" Gerald repeated.

Al Bean spoke up, reaching for a switch. "I know what that is... SCE to Aux."

The displays cleared, and the Gyro Display Coupler, the backup to the main Attitude Indicator started to give sensible readings again. The fuel cells were still off-line, and Al was about to reset them on orders from the ground until Gordon called out to wait for staging. There were a few seconds of tense waiting as the first stage shut down and separated, jerking them forward in their seats, then a slam as the second stage with its five J2 engines kicked in, pushing them back in their seats.

After a few seconds of continuous thrust, Pete relaxed, "Okay. Now we'll straighten out our problems here. I don't know what happened; I'm not sure we didn't get hit by lightning."

Al brought the fuel cells back into circuit, and things started to clear up. The IMU was still off-line, but they had good attitude data from the GDC. As the three astronauts checked over the space craft and went through the procedures to jettison the Escape tower, things calmed down.

"Man alive, that happened!" Pete exclaimed. "That was..."

Gerald quipped back, "I know, we had a couple of cardiac arrests down here too!"

As the second stage continued to burn without issue, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief, at least as much as they could under the G forces of the second stage thrust.

"Man, oh man..." Gordon exclaimed.

"Wasn't that a sim they ever gave us?" Conrad joked.

"Jesus! That was something else. I never saw so many... There were so many lights up there, I couldn't even read them all. There was no sense reading them because there was - I was - I was looking at this; Al was looking over there..." The other two were laughing by this time at the utter bemusement in Dick's voice.

"Everything looked great except we had all the lights on..." Pete acknowledged an update from Capcom with, "Okay. We're all chuckling up here over the lights. We all said there were so many on we couldn't read them."

Al chipped in, "Let's hope meeting up with Luna will be less of a problem."

"Well, that's my job." Pete quipped. Despite Al Bean's title, Pete was the primary pilot for the Lunar lander. Al would act more as a flight engineer, monitoring the LM systems. "At least we have someone on the ground to catch us if I leadfoot the descent burn."

"Great, now I have a picture of Luna with a size 5000 catchers mitt stuck in my head. Thanks for that." Al shot back, equally flippant.

Cap Com broke in, "12, Houston, give us Omni-Delta."

"Roger!" all joking put aside, Al reached out and switched the radio channel over to the requested omni-directional antenna. Pete confirmed it, "Roger. Going to Omni Delta."

The flight continued, the moment of excitement past, as they continued to boost up towards Low Earth Orbit.

&&&

Eighty four hours and quarter of a million miles later, they had just completed their first TV broadcast after placing themselves in lunar orbit. The deceleration burn on the far side of the moon had gone off perfectly, putting them in a low orbit with the perilune only 63 miles above the surface. They'd swept across the lit face of the moon, and were about to make their first pass over the landing area on the northern edge of the Ocean of Storms.

This also meant they'd soon be able to communicate directly with Luna for the first time. She'd arrived at the landing area a month ago; fortunately, she'd already previously visited Surveyor 3, the unmanned probe that had landed there. It was one of the original mission objectives for Apollo 12; they were to examine how it had held up in lunar conditions. She'd rebuilt her magic VHF radio relay at the new site, and had been tasked to make sure the landing zone was clear. One of the other objectives of Apollo 12 was to demonstrate a precision landing as close to Surveyor as they could get without spraying moondust over it with their exhaust.

"12, Houston. We estimate that you should get AOS from the landing site within the next two minutes." Paul Weitz, a fellow astronaut, had the current shift as Cap Com. "Your VHF is in active mode?"

"Roger, Houston." Pete replied. He looked over at Al Bean, "Do we have VHF?"

Al checked his board and gave a thumbs up. The omni-directional VHF antennae were used for voice communication, and were the reason they had to be fairly close to the landing site to talk to Luna directly. The antenna was relatively low power, and without a lunar ionosphere, VHF was strictly line of sight, so the bulk of the moon had blocked signals from the landing site up till now.

"Confirmed Houston." Pete replied. "Looking forward to wishing Luna a good morning!"

"Well, you'll soon have your chance. Landing site call sign is 'Mare Cognitum.' Luna will initiate contact."

All three astronauts groaned at the call sign, Pete added, "Someone must have been saving that one!"

Weitz seemed unphased, a chuckle in his voice. "Don't blame me, blame the IAC."

Al asked, "Okay, I get it, Luna is a mare who knows a lot, but what does the IAC have to do with it?"

Pete answered, "You don't know? Oh yeah, you weren't there for that particular briefing. In 1964, back when Ranger 7 impacted in the Ocean of Storms, the International Astronomical Commission named the region around it the Known Sea, Mare Cognitum. I'm just surprised that no-one made the connection before now."

"You're just annoyed you didn't think of it first." Dick quipped.

Pete fake-glowered at him for a moment, then grinned, "Yeah, pretty much..."

A new voice came over their headsets, faintly at first. "Ahoy, Apollo 12, This is Mare Cognitum base!"

"Mare Cognitum, Apollo 12. We hear you." Pete replied. "It's good to talk to you again, Luna." In the background he heard Dick telling Houston they had aquisition of signal on Mare Cognitum.

"Indeed, 'tis a most glorious morn! It is Sir Pete speaking?"

"That's right, but there's no need for the sir." This was an old, familiar thing from the previous times they'd talked. Even if she no longer claimed a royal title, she still considered every astronaut a knight, and titled them as such.

"Your courage, and that of your companions, deserves no less." Luna replied. "Are both Sir Richard and Sir Alan well?"

"Had a bit of a stuffed up nose earlier," Al replied, "But I'm fine now."

"Fine here! Though we had to run through a bit of a storm on take-off." Dick added. "You should be able to see us."

"For sooth I can. You have deployed the landing legs on your lunar module." That surprised all three of them. While they were less than 70 miles above the lunar surface at this point, and lit up by the sun from astern and below, a human would have seen only a bright dot. Luna must have vision like a hawk to distinguish such small details. "If you look down, you should be able to see my signal in return."

The command module was oriented with its windows still looking down towards the surface from where they'd been showing the TV audience close-ups of the moon. Pete grabbed the monocular they'd been using from one of the temporary storage bags and rose up to window 2. It proved un-needed, the point of light flashing on and off was quite clear, but even with the monocular he could see only the thin black line stretching from it that had to be her shadow from the low sun on the North Western edge of what looked like Surveyor crater.

There were also a couple of other features, a small circle and dot that looked different from the normal craters, and a second object that cast a shadow of about the same height as Luna, neither of which were on the original Surveyor images from what he remembered.

"We see you Luna, what's the light?"

"A shade I made from the remains of that gold fabric on Apollo 11. It makes a formidable heliograph, as well as guarding me from the worst of the sun's rays. I have many other things to show you, so descend quickly."

"Sorry, Luna, we've got several more orbits to go before we're in position." Pete said.

"Can'st see that. Your orbit is offset, you are already past me and almost at the nadir of your orbit. For certes you shall need to encircle the moon several times to align your path with this landing area, mayhap twelve or thirteen." Luna gave a small sigh, "It boots not, Shalt possess my soul in patience for a few hours more."

Pete looked back at the others, surprised, and then replied, "That's a lot to get from observing us for a few minutes, or were you given a detailed plan of our landing trajectory?"

"Was not, but 'twas simple to beagle out. At so short a distance, could'st sense your range, course and speed with ease, e'en with my diminished powers. I have been on this orb long enough to know its effect on such astrolites as have passed close by. You are going too fast to remain at this low height, and while still accelerating, the increase is almost gone. So your path must begin to rise soon to its zenith on the far side. Knowing your position and speed, your orbit and its period are easy to deduce, and this sluggard globe's slow rotation tells me how long it will take to rotate under your course."

"That's impressive. You can judge velocity and distances that accurately? Is that a part of your natural abilities, or a spell?"

"In part talent, in part centuries of experience. As a skilled baker knows the quality of their dough, or a slinger his shot, I have long learned to discern and chart the future paths of celestial objects. Those objects I can see and focus on, their movements I can also sense, e'en without actually holding them in my horn's grasp, as one might feel the air flowing over a wing."

"What are the conditions there?" Alan asked. "Is it clear of obstructions?"

"Indeed it is, I have prepared it most carefully." Luna's voice took on a joking tone. "While the weather is not within my control, it remains sunny, with no chance of storms, despite the location."

That got a laugh from all three astronauts. Once they'd stopped, Pete asked, "Would those preparations include the structures we can see near you?"

"You have the right of it, I knew you were worried about dust so I have cleared away the loose dust from around the site, and hardened an area about twenty yards across to provide a clear parking lot. 'Tis as well that whatever correspondence exists between this moon and mine own, allows me to manipulate its substance with greater ease than normal. The parking lot is encircled with black, and hath a black cross in the center. Further, it is a place of power, enchanted to reject dust, so it will remain clear. The others are my radio relay circle and a shelter I built for myself."

"Sounds like you've been busy, but why did you call it a parking lot? Landing pad would be better, or is there a problem with the translation?"

"But Sir Pete, I was using your own term for it. When we talked of your planned landing, you dids't call the place 'Pete's Parking Lot'. And so I have dubbed it."

That got more laughs from the other two, and even Cap Com, while Pete groaned. He had used that term multiple times in training and preparation, he just hadn't realised that Luna had picked up on it. Well, it was now a part of the official record, so best to just roll with it. Though he'd like to know if it had been an innocent mistake or if he'd just been pranked by an alien space princess.

"Roger. Well, we wanted to demonstrate a precision landing with the LEM, looks like I've got a target. Though you could have just made sure the bigger rocks were cleared."

"Indeed, but I wanted to do something nice for you, my friends. I eagerly await a chance to show you everything else."

Luna's voice, which had been strong and clear, was now starting to fade again.

The Cap Com, Weitz, who had been silent apart from the laugh, spoke up. "Hello, Apollo 12, Houston. We estimate LOS in 9 minutes, and LOS with Mare Cognitum in 2 minutes. Say your goodbyes for now."

"Roger on that, Houston. We're almost at our scheduled meal time, anyway." Pete switched his attention. "Luna, it was great talking to you, but we're about to lose contact. We'll contact you again on the next pass."

"Shalt await your return with baited breath... or would if I could breathe properly." She gave a resigned chuckle. "I look forward to meeting you all in person at last, I have many things to show you, and gifts to give."

"We're looking forward to it too. Apollo 12 out."

&&&

Pete looked out and down as they began the terminal section of the descent, hoping to see the planned landing site more clearly. Apollo 11 had been considered a success just for landing, but one of the other objectives of Apollo 12 apart from meeting up with Luna again, was demonstrating a precision landing. The LEM descent stage had a better fuel reserve, since Dick had used the CSM main engine to 'ferry' the LEM spacecraft into its descent trajectory before separating and boosting back up into orbit.

This in turn meant that the Ascent stage could carry more cargo to the surface and more fuel in its expanded tanks, not enough to lift Luna, but enough to bring some additional material back up to orbit. The Apollo 13 descent stage would be the full extended mission version with larger tanks, minus a rover, which would mean they could fully fill the expanded ascent stage tanks they were trialing on this mission.

They'd swept across the lit surface of the moon, droppping towards a perilune of just 50,000 feet. Powered Decent Initiation had gone off without a hitch, and they'd smoked it right down the centre of the grove, a couple of hundred feet low, but that wasn't an issue. They were well within range of Luna's transmitter, but on the previous pass they'd agreed that she would simply listen in unless they called.

"Standing by for P64." They'd been travelling engine forward, with the front of the lander facing skywards, using the decent stage to brake. Program 64 would flip them over so the engine faced down as well as forward, setting them up for the approach phase and giving them their first good view of the landing site. Al Bean acknowledged monitoring the Primary Guidance Computer, which should perform the transition automatically.

He did his best to look through the footplate windows, where the horizon was just visible. "I think I see the crater... I'm not sure."

"Coming through 7!" Al called out for 7000 feet altitude. "P64... P64, Pete!"

The call was superfluous, the pitching forward of the LEM was obvious. "Roger, P64."

Pete examined the lunar surface through the upper windows, checking against the graduated markings of the Landing Point Designator. The PGC would handle the next phase of descent, and report a number Al would read off, corresponding to an marking on the LPD that lay in line of sight with the place it would land. He enabled the hand controller that would allow him to adjust the targetted landing point. "That's it, that's LPD."

Gerald Carr was once again Cap Com, but his acknowledgement of the program change was background noise as Pete searched for 'the Snowman' a distinctive pair of craters; one of which was the crater where Surveyor had landed, dubbed with stunning originality, 'Surveyor crater'.

Was that... there it was, and they were headed right for it. "Hey, there it is! There it is! Son-of-a-Gun! Right down the middle of the road!"

The long shadows of the early morning sun threw everything into sharp relief, and the five crater chain that Surveyor crater was a part of was clear, but he had a way to confirm. "Mare Cognitum, Apollo 12, give me a light!"

A series of flashes sprung up from the edge of Surveyor crater. "Cans't see my signal?"

"Outstanding!" Al Bean was working the PGC, getting the numbers for where the computer thought it would land, which translated to a marking on the LPD. "42 degrees Pete!"

"Your signal is clear, Mare Cognitum." He checked the indicated marking which showed them landing short of the flashes. "LPD is targetted right for the center of the crater."

"Will you look at that!" Al exclaimed. "There it is baby!"

"I can't believe it!" It was one thing to look at maps and photographs, and talk to Luna via radio, another thing entirely to actually see the place with their own eyes. Though at the moment it was little more than a thumbnail fragment in size.

"Apollo 12, thy course is true. Shalt maintain my vigil and warn if it strays."

"Understod, Mare Cognitum."

Al was just as excited, but didn't let it stop him from working. "Guide it in. 42; we're passing 3500. Coming down at about 99 feet a second. You're looking good."

"Intrepid, Houston. Go for landing." Confirmation from the boys on the ground was the final thing he needed to be able to commit to landing. They swept down as Al continued to call out height and fuel remaining. Pete adjusted the LPD as they closed to bring them up out of the crater, onto the rim. They were on track for the favourite of the four landing sites on the crater rim that they'd discussed and planned for, and the one Luna had apparently prepared.

They were still half a mile out, and around 400 feet up, but now they could clearly see the artifical structures on the Northern rim of Surveyor crater. The only one that was clear was set apart from the other two, the tiny oval with a black rim and a black cross shape in the centre, just as described. Pete did one last adjustment to the LPD and then switched obver to program 66, manual control.

"Luna's been busy!" Al exclaimed. "You're in P66."

"Got it. I'd say so." As he spoke he killed their descent rate, giving himself time to reposition. "Luna, NASA should get you to build all their moon bases."

"I'm most glad it meets with you approval?"

"Above and beyond... " He drifted the capsule forward and to the right as it started to descend again. "I got to get over to my right, I'm going to put us down right on the cross."

"330 feet, down at 4... 13 percent fuel, you've got the gas... 300 feet coming down at 5..." With All calling the board, the two of them worked like the well oiled machine they'd trained as, sweeping around the northern rim and slowing to terminal decent over the landing area which could now be seen as a lighter circle, at least 20 yards across, with the black cross and rim. "50 feet, coming down, watch for dust..."

They'd both seen the camera foorage from the Apollo 11, camera, and expected the last few seconds to be obscured as the thin dust layer around the pad was blown away despite Luna's aid, but the view below them remained almost competely clear.

"30 feet, coming down at 2, plenty of gas.... You've got it made, bady... Contact light!" Pete eased off the thrust, calling out "Drop!" as the LM dropped the last few inches and kissed the surface.

As they went through the routines of shutting down the engine, and all the other immediate housekeeping tasks, they had a chance to see the other two objects clearly. One was a black hemisphere, with white objects sticking out at intervals, while the other was recognisable from the photos taken by Apollo 11, the radio relay circle, though it also had a thick black border around it. From beyond it, galloping towards the area was Luna herself, carrying a square of gold coloured Kapton as big as she was with no visible means of support other than a faint blue glow.

"Houston, Intrepid. We are down at site 3 and safe! Luna built us a regular base here! I can report we had minimal dust, I had VFR all the way in." Pete looked down at the pad. By his estimate they were a couple of feet forward of dead centre. "I wish you could see this, we'll show it as soon as we unship the camera."

"Roger, Intrepid."

"Huzzah! A most elegant landing, Sir Pete!" Luna's voice was far clearer than Carr's.

"Got to say, the landing pad helped, and the lack of dust."

"Was nary a chore. It made a fine final test of my photo-thaumic panel design, which powers the anti-dust spell; 'tis normally used to keep armour and clothing clean in the field. Should also clean your suits when you step back on it from outside the circle."

"That should be useful, as long as it doesn't remove any samples." In truth, Pete was slightly stunned. It was one thing to talk to her over the radio, another to actually see her firsthand. However, training reasserted itself. "You can show us everything after we've made pickup and completed the initial surface tasks, for now we've got to check over this bird and get ready for our EVA. Okay, Houston. Are we Go or Stay?"

"Intrepid, Houston. You're Stay; and if you'd like to recycle and try it again, we'll talk to Sims."

That got a laugh from the LM crew. Carr was referring to their repeated simulated landings, which they'd drilled endlessly.

"No, we're good!"

"Well, best get on with your schedule. I suspect there's a pack of feral scientists clawing at the doors to discover Luna's latest rearranegment of the laws of physics."

"Understood," Pete chuckled, as Al said, "Let's go off Vox."

The Menace from Earth Part 2

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

The Menace from Earth Part 3

Note: Sentences with square brackets [ ] are native Equestrian.

"Mr President, we have no choice but to explore this option." Dr Thomas Piane's voice was calm over the phone, but the experienced lawyer in Nixon could sense the undercurrent of strain. The NASA Administrator had gotten an unenviable situation dumped in his lap, and now it was Nixon's. As one of his predecessors had said, 'The buck stops here!' Apparently, so did the pony, or rather, whether she got involved.

"You've got no better alternative than this? Going cap in hand to Luna to help out won't make anyone look good." His Oval office phone was as secure as he could make it, apart from his own personal recording, so he had no qualms taking turkey.

"We've had some of the smartest people in the country working this problem for the last four days, and no-one's come up with a solution that has a reasonable chance of success. The capsule is too heavy, and will be moving too fast for air capture, even if we could fix up the hardware in time, and the astronauts have no way to even access the parachutes, let alone fix them. The Flight Directors and Deke Slayton all agree we have to try this. I'd far rather catch criticism for going outside our own program, than lose three astronauts by ignoring a possibility out of pride."

"If the problem actually exists." Nixon was considering the politics of the situation himself, and coming up with the same answer. "You said there's a chance that the parachutes weren't affected."

"That's part of the problem, we can't tell, and won't until they get used. On the one hand, the protective cover was over the Command module at the time the lightning struck, so any lightning discharge couldn't strike the explosive bolts directly, but we also know that some charge did leak through, causing the instrument drop-outs.

"Either way, the fact that there was a potential problem will come out eventually, whether the parachutes deploy safely or not. And the same question will be asked. NASA will have to take it on the chin that we didn't anticipate the Saturn V being struck by lightning in flight, or it might cause the pyro charges on the parachute hatch covers to misfire. If Luna wasn't an option, we'd have to trust to Providence that they will work, but since she is, I'll do what needs to be done, and take the fall-out after the Apollo 12 crew are safely back on the ground."

Nixon's own political calculations had ended up with the same answer, a potential disaster divided by zero action would equal infinite trouble where it was real or imaginary. He turned his chair to look out over mid-day Washington and gave his answer.

"Very well, it seems we have no choice for the safety of our boys. I'll support you as much as possible." Which would be as long as politically convenient, and not a moment longer. If heads had to roll, Paine had already offered his for the chopping block. He ended the call, and made a mental note to revise the speech that he'd have given if Apollo 11 had crashed, just in case. He sincerely hoped it wasn't, and not just because of the political splash damage he'd suffer in the process.

&&&

Up on the moon, it was still morning, and would be for the next few days. However, with Pete Conrad and Alan Bean having retreated to the Lunar Module for their rest period, Luna had retired to her own resting place. She had taken some of the loose Kapton film from the Lunar module descent stage, and had shaped it into three large rectangles. Now she was weaving her own magic and the ambient magic field within the interior of the igloo with the moonlight reflected in through the doorway. A carefully crafted moonstone lens collected the light and fed by her careful flow of magic, turned it into droplets of mithril, which fell onto the reshaped Kapton and formed the delicate traceries of the runes for a Blanket of Restful Sleep.

She had used the last of the available Kapton from Apollo 11 to make her reflector and hat, and while Apollo 12 had provided a new supply, until now she'd had no time to work with it. So the two astronauts would have to manage for now with the temporary casting she'd placed on their Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garments via the Portable Life Support System hoses. Unlike the previous version, she'd included a verbal trigger so they could activate it once they were ready. It had only enough power to last the planned rest period.

She was looking forward to the second EVA and having another chance to speak with them. In truth, she knew Sir Pete and Sir Alan better than she did Sir Neil and Sir Edwin. While the latter two had kept in contact, they'd been assigned new tasks which kept them both very busy. Sir Pete, Sir Alan and Sir Richard too had been in frequent contact with her in the run up to Apollo 12, as she was a big part of their mission. Even then they'd seemed more fun-loving and actually meeting them had borne her initial impression out. She hoped they could maintain contact after they went back to Earth.

"Mare Cognitum actual, this is Houston. Luna, please respond." Her radio diadem relayed the message through direct vibrations, but the voice was not one she immediately recognised.

Using the doctrine she'd been taught, she replied. "Houston, Luna, I am here. How goes it? Both Sir Pete and Sir Alan are sleeping, and Sir Richard went over the horizon in the 'Yankee Clipper' but a few moments ago, if I have my calculations aright."

Ther was the usual three second delay before she received a response. "This is Deke Slayton, Director of Flight Crew Operations, and the timing is deliberate. We have an issue, and we do not want to make it known to the astronauts yet, or in general. That is why we are using a different frequency to the standard channels the LM can pick up, but which we know your headset receives.

"Can you disable the translation function of your radio for added security? I have the translator bracelet, so I should be able to understand your native language. We've limited its use to ensure we had it available for such a situation."

"I can." Luna was intrigued and not a little worried. It was the work of a moment to temporarily suppress the translation component of her radio diadem. "[Continue.]"

To the other personnel listening to the call, her words were in some liquid, almost musical tongue, though some of the emphasis or exclamation sounds had a distinct horselike component, with whinnies, snorts and nickers. Deke's replies sounded the same, though certain technical words were almost understandable, clearly just the English term reproduced with alien phonemes.

"[You were told that the Saturn V launch vehicle passed through a storm during launch? A lightning strike, two of them actually, disabled the Command Module navigation and telemetry systems. That has been fixed, but there may have been another effect.

"[The explosive charges that release the parachutes that the Command Module relies on to land safely may have been set off by the lightning. The result is, when the capsule returns through the atmosphere, the parachutes may deploy too early, too late, or not at all. You are familiar with how they normally work?]"

"[Yes, hast had it explained. But 'tis a circumstance most dire! Why wouldn't you allow them to continue as if naught has happened, without even a warning?]" Luna was shocked, and annoyed.

"[Firstly, this only a possibility, the parachutes may be fine. But whether they are or not, they are needed for landing. Aborting the mission early would either show that we had no need to losing them their one chance to travel to the moon, or kill them. Continuing the mission gave us time to try and find a solution.

"[As for not telling them, they are already under great strain, no matter how calm they seem. A thousand things, the slightest mistake could kill them, or strand them in space, long before they return to Earth. Adding to that stress, having them worry about something they can't do anything about, could distract them, cause that mistake. No-one here wants them back safely more than me, I trained as an astronaut, and when I was grounded due to medical problems, I was put in charge of them. I sent them out there and goddamit it, I want them back in one piece!]"

Luna heard the passion in his voice, and felt ashamed of her earlier reaction. "[I must assume thou hast called me because no other solution presents itself?]"

"[That's correct. We have no way to repair them, and neither do the astronauts, and we have no other way available to bring them down safely. With the repair you effected on the video camera, we were hoping that you could provide something similar for the bolts.]"

Luna shook her head, forgetting that the one she was talking to was a quarter of a million miles away. "[Neigh, the spell I used requires the caster to be there to guide it. Even so, if these 'bolts' were truly combustible, the materials will have scattered beyond the ability of the spell to reverse. Alchemy would be required, and even then I would require materials to work from, and to examine undamaged ones.]"

There was a sigh from Deke. "[And Intrepid's ascent stage doesn't have the fuel to carry you up there, since this was only a dry run for Apollo 13. Damn! Pardon me, Luna, but after what you've already done... It bites that we have to leave it to chance.]"

"'['That may not be needful.]" Luna smiled as she considered possibilities. "[The command module, it sheds the greater mass of the Service Module before it lands? How much heavier is the remainder than the ascent stage your scholars have had me heft?]"

"[Uh... the dry mass... roughly two and a half times. But you can't reach the Earth with your telekinesis.]" Deke was intrigued, what would Luna pull out of her box of tricks this time?

"[I need not, for such a light object. If the parachutes will not work, I will provide an alternative. The Falling Feather enchantment is the 'quick and dirty' version of a Levitation spell. Doth not allow one to fly, but slows one's descent greatly. I developed it during my studies of pegasus magic, but it found little favour, as few unicorns travel by flying chariot, or visit Cloudsdale or Griffinstone. Mayhap now it will find better use. What speed can the vessel land safely at?]"

"[Around twenty feet per second, possibly higher if we have to.]"

"[T'would be maybe fifty hooves per second... Faster than the spell normally allows, but that will help, as the weight is greater.]" Luna did some quick mental calculations.

"[I shall construct a talisman, and will invest it with power sufficient to provide the capsule with the Falling Feather spell for 10 minutes, triggered by a command word. As long as it is activated around half a league above the ground... cans't determine that, yes? Or less than 9000 feet by my knowledge of your measures, it will slow the fall all the way to the ground. Shall also add a sticking charm, so it may be afixed to the body of the command module.]"

"[That would be amazing!]" Deke meant it too. Though someone should have thought of something like it already, they knew about Luna's telekinetic abilities, and her ability to make magic devices. "[Does it need to be attached anywhere specific like a structural support, somewhere to bear the load?]"

"[Nay, doth not oppose gravity with an upthrust as such, any more than our horns do, or a pegasus' wings. Instead it will apply an alteration of the effect of gravity upon the craft entire, making it effectively weigh less. If telekinesis were simple force, I would have snapped my horn off the first time I raised the moon. As long as it is secured to the hull of the craft, it should suffice.]"

"[Good. Please get started. And could you add the spell to the ones in your primer? It sounds like a vey useful one.]"

"[It gladdens me that some-po...someone thinks so. I shall have it ready in but a few hours.]"

"[Okay, we'll brief the crew when their rest period is over. And Luna... thanks. NASA, heck, the whole United States owes you a debt of gratitude.]"

"[It is but a trifle set against the many things you have done for me, and it is my pleasure to use my skills to a worthy end, and to safeguard Sir Charles, Sir Alan and Sir Richard. They are my friends too. Shalt call again when it is prepared.]"

"[Understood. We also need a way to brief them without the whole world listening in, we can arrange that in your next transmission. Houston, Out.]"

&&&

The two lunar explorers had slept well, due to Luna's intervention, and gotten their full sleep period. Now they were going over the plan for the second EVA with Houston, where Edward Gibson was once again Capcom.

"...Your first point along the traverse is Head Crater, which we call out 'f'. What we would like to do, in view of the fact that you are going out towards the ALSEP, is to move that site over to the northwest rim of Head Crater; and coordinates there are R-0, 11.0. And then, you will carry out what we already have outlined for Head Crater. That's the two partial pans across Head Crater and document the slumps and ledges.

"One more thing, based on the speed you went through your surface operations yesterday, we have an addtional non-geology procedure for you. As soon as you make the traverse to Head Crater, Luna will provide you both with a translation spell. You'll be going through a brief dialogue with her in Equestrian. I have the translator amulet, so I can monitor it."

"Okay..." Al Bean was puzzled, and Pete Conrad was too. According to some estimates, every minute of surface time was worth around a million dollars, and this sounded like something that could have been done by taking the prepared spell back to Earth in an item like the translator bracelet. "Houston, this is Conrad, what's the purpose of the procedure?"

"Additional language data for one of Professor Sagan's teams. Some of the Equestrian magic terms don't translate accurately to English, and it's felt getting them demonstrated face to face will help. It involves lifting and dropping some heavy blocks of stone, so it will also allow us to provide a known signal for the PSE, since it's located so close. We were going to have you push a large crater... roll a large boulder into the crater, the former would have been a lot harder... but this will give cleaner signals."

"Good recovery." quipped Al, mentally going over the location of the Passive Seismic Experiment in his head.

"You'll take stereopairs of the impact location, for comparison purposes. Okay; that's point 1. Do you copy?

"Understood." Al noted it on the checklist. "Looks like we replace the rock and roll with a magic show!"

Making the rest of the preparations for the EVA put the odd addition out of their heads until they were actually out on the lunar surface. Luna had been unusually tight lipped as she accompanied them out to the top of Head crater.

They'd completed their other tasks and were examining a block of stone, big enough to lie down on, laid flat on the ground. It was shaded by the edge of the crater, next to a cleared area with a slot around half a foot deep that would clearly fit one end.

"Houston, we're ready to begin Luna's language procedure." Pete said.

"Roger, I've got the translation device equipped." he heard Gibson reply, three seconds later.

Al turned to Luna. "Okay, do your thing, milady!"

Luna's horn glowed and sigils appeared on both their helmets before vanishing. "[Can you both understand me?]"

Despite the fact that the lilting words they were hearing bore no resemblance to any language either of them knew, both astronauts did. Pete was the first one to reply. "[I do, though I don't see how.]"

"[Magic!]" Al quipped.

Although they were both speaking normally, the words they heard were in the same musical language.

"[Apollo 12, Houston. I can understand you too.]" Gibson's delayed voice came over their headsets, altered but understandable.

"[Good, I apologise for the subterfuge, but this was the only way we could talk privately without a suspicious silence. I have been asked to brief you on a problem that your superiors don't want to be revealed to the world, and since many people are listening to our radio talk, we needed a way that couldn't be eavesdropped.]"

"[I thought it was odd.]" Pete responded. "[Please, explain!]"

"[When you passed through the storm on your launch, you were struck by lightning. Your people believe it might have done more than disorder your navigation, they fear the parachutes on your Command Module may have been damaged, or rather the release mechanism.]"

Pete started to swear, which sounded like a very equine snort. "[Son of a... the pyro system! How did we miss that!]"

Al's voice was devoid of its normal good humour. "[They kept... no, there is nothing we can do about it. Either they work or they don't. Worrying about it would just take attention from the things we can do something about. Though I'm guessing there's something you can do about it, or you wouldn't be briefing us.]"

"[Indeed. Do not think badly of them, they sought tirelessly for a solution, e'en though it is possible there is no problem. On the chance that there is, they turned to me.]"

Luna's horn glowed, and a disk shaped object as wide as her hoof rose out of her saddle bag. "[Should your parachutes fail of their task, this shall substitute. A Talisman of Feather Fall. Cans't reduce the weight of your Command module and its contents to one fourtieth part of normal for ten minutes or more. Your artificers and planners on the ground agree that this should reduce your speed within the thicker air near the ground to a safe level to land in the sea, even without your parachutes. Activate it within 9000 feet of the ground, it should provide ample service.]"

"[That's... impressive, to say the least. You may well have saved our lives, possibly the whole program.]" Pete Conrad stated seriously, thinking of the aftermath of the Apollo 1 fire. "[You have our deepest thanks.]"

"[It boots not. Even if you were not my friends, I could not stand by when I could help, and so easily.]" Luna ducked her head, clearly embarrassed at the praise.

Al Bean put in his own two cents. "[Luna baby, I'm no expert on magic, but I'd guess it wasn't so easy. You must have poured a lot of juice into that gadget, not to mention making it in the first place. How badly did it hammer your reserves?]"

Luna blushed. "[Did consume some measure of power, but 'tis nothing I can not replenish with some additional rest now I have my shelter. But come, we must not tarry. I must needs show you how to operate it.]"

A midnight blue glow engulfed the block as she raised it on its end, the colour going darker. As she slotted it neatly into the ground, it had turned deep black, even as the sunlight struck it. Now they had a closer look at it, it was about eight inches deep by over 2 1/2 feet in width, and 6 feet high, casting a long shadow in the unfiltered sunlight.

Both astronauts got the joke at almost the same time.

"[I'm getting a sudden urge to go find a bone and hit the ground with it.]" quipped Al Bean.

"[I'm just glad there's no screeching sound on the radios!]" Pete replied with a chuckle.

"[Well, we didn't hear an eerie chorus of voices in the background, so I think we're safe.]" Al responded. "[Where'd you come up with this, Luna?]"

If there was any doubt the shape was deliberate, it vanished at her merry chuckle. "[Some of my British friends have read me the book version of '2001:A Space Odyssey'. I look forward to seeing the film when I reach Earth. I felt a small jape would ease your cares.]"

"[At least I'm less worried about your reserves, if you had enough spare to risk pulling this stunt...]"

Gibson interjected, as Pete was about to continue. "[Apollo 12, Houston. What's the situation? Though I can guess from the comments.]"

Pete replied. "[Houston, Apollo 12. Luna has raised the test mass into position. It's a black monolith, about 6 foot tall. All we need is someone playing 'Thus Spake Zarathustra'. Stand by for seismic test.]"

Luna indicated the monolith with a wingtip. "[On to the test. First without the talisman. Each of you take an edge, and lift. Stand clear though.]"

The two astronauts moved into position on each of the narrow sides. Examining it closely, they could see there were handholds cut into the wider surfaces, sized for spacesuit gloves, and allowing them to put a hand on each side as they lifted. Though whether they could move it was the question. On Earth it would weigh several tons; even under lunar gravity it probably weigh close to a thousand pounds.

They set themselves, keeping their feet to either side and back from the monolith, and heaved up together on a count. As expected, despite their best efforts, it sat there as if it was glued to the ground beneath. "[No go.]" Pete said, stepping back.

"[As expected, now with the talisman.]"

Luna's magic proffered it to him, and he took it, marvelling at the blue glow playing across his hand. It was a disk of titanium, about four inches across with a flat base, with two semi-circular cut-outs in the circumference. Circles of bright mithril or aluminium runes bounded by geometric patterns stood out against the duller titanium, and several large glowing violet cabochon gems over an inch in diameter were set in mithril bands with their own rune sets around the centre.

"[To afix it, grab the talisman by the two cut-outs and press the flat back surface firmly against the target object. It can be removed the same way, but by pulling. The adhesion spell shall only operate if you are holding it by both cut-outs.]"

"[Does it need to be in any particular place?]" Pete asked.

"[Neigh, it applies the effect to the object entire, not at the point of contact. As long as it has a solid connection to the object, it shall work. The adhesion spell also acts as a guide, if it bonds to the object, the connection is sufficient.]"

Pete moved his grip as instructed, an effort that required both hands when encased in space suit gloves. He moved the flat surface of the talisman next to the stone, half expecting a pull like a magnet. Instead, he simply placed it and it stuck as if glued, and when he moved his grip and pulled, it stayed there.

"[The Feather Fall spell may be activated by saying the words Feather Fall in English, or by tapping the symbol in the centre of the talisman twice within a heartbeat or two. Tap twice again to deactivate it before the stored quintesence runs out. Tap it now.]"

Pete tapped the central symbol, a loop with a line running lengthways that looked like a stylised feather and watched as the traceries of silvery runes lit up with a lambent golden glow, visible even in the sunlight. "[Okay, take hold and let's try lifting again. On three!]"

This time when they pulled upwards, the block lifted up as if it were an empty box made of balsa wood. However, there was a slight oddity to the sensation, which redoubled when Pete had the two of them try to move it sideways, and found it just as hard to move as if it was still made of stone, and just as hard to stop, similar to moving a large object in free fall.

"[Whoa, that's freaky.]" Al exclaimed. "[So the effect negates weight but not mass?]"

Luna nodded approvingly. "[Indeed. It is a simpler version of the levitation spell which counters weight entirely, and allows other forces to be imposed."]

"[Okay.]" Pete was still on mission. "[Houston, Apollo 12. Prepare for first impact. Lift it up higher Al, release and step back on my mark. Luna be ready to steady it after it hits.]"

A new voice responded, after more than the normal 3 second delay. "Apollo 12, Houston. Scmitt taking over as Capcom. Gibson is relaying your responses to me. We're ready when you are."

Pete recognised the voice, James Scmitt, a geologist and astronaut in traning for Apollo 17. "[Mark!]"

When they released the block, it started drifting down, slowly even for lunar gravity. "[Everyone stand still! Impacting!]"

The block landed end on about six inches to the side of the slot it was in, and they could feel the impact through the sloes of their boots. It was quickly caught by the blue glow of Luna's power and moved back into the slot.

"Apollo 12, Houston. We got some jiggles and a spike that matches your impact warning. Is everything copacetic?"

"[Affirmative Houston. Luna has us covered.]" Pete stepped forward and tapped the feather symbol twice to deactivate it before removing the talisman.

"Copy that. If it's convenient, are you able to repeat the impact? Experiments would sure like to see another one."

"[Roger Houston. Wait one. Luna, I think we can drop the translation now.]" He held up the talisman. "[This is amazing, but we'll keep it off the comm for now. Thank you again for doing this.]"

"[As I said, 'tis but a trifle, and no less than I could do for any-pony, let alone my friends.]" Luna's horn glow brightened, and the previous runes on their helmets glowed into visibility in response, then died away. "The spell is ended. Our talk should suffice for your needs."

Pete was stowing the talisman in one of the contingency sample bags and securing it to the Hand Tool Carrier they'd brought with them. "Luna, could you lift and release the monolith for a second impact? About knee height should do. Then we'll take some pictures."

&&&

With a second seismic test done, and several pictures, including one of all three of them standing in front of the upright monolith. This was courtesy of an extension handle mounted on the HTC and an automatic timer for the Hasselblad camera brought along secretly by the astronauts, originally to take a similar picture at Surveyor probe. It had gotten mixed up with the samples they'd already taken, but Luna's ability to lift all the bags up at once made it easy to locate. While Luna could have activated the camera remotely, using the timer, her horn remained unlit, adding to the mystery.

Having invented the selfie, they continued the EVA through the various other craters, continuing the selenological survey and sampling mission, aided and abetted by Luna, who didn't seem at all tired by her previous exertions. The cameras were subjected to the cleaning spell after they started to pick up the omnipresent dust.

They went down into the Surveyor crater and circled round, taking pictures of the unmanned probe, until they closed on it from the side opposite the distant lunar lander and Luna's base, the sun at their backs.

"Oh! That's interesting." Pete pointed at the area around the probe, where Luna's hoofprints were just visible. He looked back to compare the footprints they'd left as they descended down the inside of the crater.

"I think I'll take a picture of that." Al Bean had his camera, still mounted on its pole with attached timer. He set it up and took several photos, panning across and finally taking a picture of their tracks. "Luna, are those from before we arrived, or an earlier visit?"

"Many lunar days ago. I saw it pass across the sky when it first arrived, but finding it once it had gone to ground, even having seen some of its orbit..." Luna moved forward, balancing the hand tool holder on her back between her wings. "When I did find it, I knew it to be a thing of artifice, but I had no idea of the shape of its creators. I had speculated that if it followed the form of its makers, you were giant spiders."

That gave both of the astronauts a laugh as they continued to take pictures.

"I'll tell you what. Why don't you mosey on down there and get the close-ups?" Pete suggested to Al.

"Sure, got your cuff checklist?" Al replied.

"Sure." Pete raised his wrist and turned the stiff pages on the list, ready to read off the photo list for Al, only to come across another small prank from the guys on the ground who'd prepared it. While the righthand page had the checklist, the left had a Playboy pin-up, reclining on a haybale and wearing an open jacket across her shoulders and nothing else. The caption underneath said 'PREFERRED TETHER PARTNER'.

It wasn't the first one they'd seen, Al's cuff checklist had a similar cutie in the previous EVA , with the caption, 'See any interesting hills or valleys?' but before Luna had been too focussed on her own tasks to notice, or Al's comment of, "That's my kind of terrain!"

Now, before he could conceal it, she rose up on her hind hooves, placing the HTC to one side with her magic and raising a small hill to be able to look over his arm at it. "Mayhap I can help?"

It was too late to conceal the picture, but before she could say anything else, Pete quickly said, "Luna, that's okay, no need to discuss this on an open comm."

Luna looked curious, but held her next sentence. She threw up an air bubble and spoke without her radio echoing it. "I was only going to say, 'So that's what you look like without your space armour on.'"

Al couldn't help but burst out laughing, and Pete, turning down the gain on his own transceiver said ruefully. "Not exactly."

As Al Bean covered for them with Capcom and the official recording by explaining that he saw something funny in the dust patterns, Pete continued, "I'll explain after we complete the EVA. We'll need that trick you used earlier again."

"Then I shall say no more upon it for now."

After that, actually working on the Surveyor, both photographing it and removing components, was something of an anti-climax. As always, Luna's precise and powerful telekinesis worked vacuum welded connectors free and generally sped up the work, so even with their earlier stop, they were finished ahead of schedule.

When they returned to the landing site Pete called Capcom. "Houston, Apollo 12. We're going over to Equestrian for a moment, we need to confirm something about our earlier conversation."

"Understood Apollo." Edward Gibson replied. "Are there any problems?"

"No problems, just re-checking procedure." Pete replied.

"Can I have an EMU check?" Both Pete and Al checked their suit instruments as they went over to Luna's magic habitat, where she was topping up from the ambient magic it had stored.

"I'm reading 34% oxygen." Pete said, and Al quipped, "32% for me. Must be all the heavy lifting I've been doing."

As they got to Luna, she recast the translation effect, tapping the habitat for power. "[Now pray tell, why did you not want anyone to hear your explanation?]"

Pete Conrad bit the proverbial bullet. "[The picture was a prank by one of the ground crew, likely David Scott, commander of the back-up crew. Probably decided to put one over on us old Navy pilots, since he's Air Force. That's a picture of a woman not a guy. Also, we normally wear more clothes than that, except during... intimate times.]"

"[Indeed?]" Luna appeared to make the connection quickly, chuckling. "[A lewd and licentious image, is it? Placed to surprise you in your work? A merry jape indeed!]"

Pete was part relieved that he didn't have to go into more detail, and part surprised that Luna didn't need it. "[You got it.]"

His surprise must have shown in his voice because Luna said, "[I know this form is a mere filly, but remember, I have seen centuries pass. Back when we were still building Equestria, while some foes were disarmed with diplomacy and cake, others were not, and I led troops into battle on more than one occasion over both land and sea.

"[While I was never a sea mare, I have been exposed to the robust humor of both soldier and sailor. I am familiar with such harmless camraderies, and could hold my own with both shanty and story before it was decided that it was 'improper' for a princess to induge in such 'common' activities. Though that still doesn't explain the need to hide it from your own people.]"

"[Actually, that's pretty much the problem for us too. Anything we say is going to be overheard by millions of people, some of who have no sense of humour about such things, or have some issue with the Apollo program.]" Pete stated.

Al added, "[Yeah, and some of them would just love to make a big thing out of us having Playboy Playmates on our checklists. These missions are expensive, and they'd be complaining 'This is where our money's going?']"

Luna snorted, "[Faugh! Politics again! They would use it as a means to grab attention and belittle your achievements, promoting their own causes in your stead. Would'st wring an ocean of fake tears from a damp cloth, and wail in feigned outrage, I know the type well enough. Very well, I shall keep my council on this matter.]"

Al asked, "[You don't need to answer if you don't want to, but the fact that you don't have any clothing beyond a hat and some saddlebags doesn't seem to bother you. The hologram images you sent showed your people wore clothes though?]"

Luna replied. "[One of the scholars working with Dr Sagan did ask about that. Those pictures were not recent. The more modern mode is less clad in outer wear, as the pegasi and my sister ensure that the climate remains comfortable. Even my sister and mine own normal wear became little more than a tiara, peytral and hoofboots. A sign of confidence in the mastery of our land.]"

She paused in thought. "[Though he did talk of it being more of a taboo for your people, whereas even back then for our ponies it was more about comfort, as tails and fur provide us sufficient modesty. From that picture, for humans everything appears to be... out in the open.]"

Pete said, "[Pretty much. Not that I'm complaining! But I guess we should get back on mission.]"

"[Indeed.]" Luna sighed, looking distant. "[For me it will be many centuries before I see an unshorn fetlock again...]"

Then she realised what she'd said, and rather too quickly added, "[Not that I made a habit of such things! At least not lately...]"

Al chuckled. "[Sounds like there's a story there, and when you get to Earth I want to hear about it!]"

Luna sighed. "['Tis little enough to tell. Legs ungroomed speak of a certain... wildness in a stallion, and draw the eye upwards. As for mares, the new mode from Gallop, though they lately call it Prance, is to wear stockings to the same effect. It is suggestive without the crudity of flicking a tail, or other more obvious signs of salacious interest.]"

"[Okay, fascinating as it is, we definitely need to close out the spell.]" Pete stated, even as Al chuckled.

"[Very well, but I hope that when I travel to Earth, we can meet up outwith duty and pomp, and regale each other with story and song as friends and comrades do! You can tell me of your sea faring adventures, and I can tell you of mine own, and we shall sing and make merry.]"

As Luna cancelled the spell, Pete added, "As for seeing you on Earth, that should be in around four months, if everything goes to plan with Apollo 13."

"Don't jinx it!" exclaimed Al. "Now we'll have to run a black cat carrying a rabbit's foot in its mouth back and forth under the ladder of the Aquarius!"

Explaining that took a few minutes more, but finally they started the preparations for closing out the EVA and buttoning up the ascent stage for return to orbit. Luna was as good as her word, converting some used pages of the descent flight plan into additional pages of instructions for the primer on re-creating the Feather Fall and Sticking spell rune sets. She also provided the promised memory crystal of their EVAs to add to the image projector.

In return she received maps showing the proposed locations on the Fra Mauro region, less than 100 miles to the east of their current site. Unlike Apollo 12, there was no easy reference point such as the Surveyor 3 to mark the landing locations, but with Luna's ability to create radio beacons, and large sheets of reflective material, it was hoped she could be guided to the chosen site ahead of time. This was only made more important by the proof that she could prepare the site to assist with the landing.

For the next few months, she would stay here at Mare Cognitum, recovering her strength, and only move to the new site a month ahead of the launch. That would give her time to create a new shelter and landing pad, as well as having almost two weeks of sunlight to fully charge it. The trip back and forth would only be a few hours journey, so she could easily bring materials from Mare Cognitum to jump start her work.

Another reason for Luna to stay as long as possible was the TV camera, which would be left behind along with the high gain antenna. It had been set up to be powered off the descent stage batteries, and as long as those retained power, Dr Sagan and his team would have visual feedback from Luna on their discussions, including teaching her to read English. There was also the possibility that Luna could extend the battery life by reversing the chemical reaction in the Zinc Silver batteries through alchemy.

With everything loaded, there was one more thing to do. Al Bean had brought Clifton Williams's Naval Aviator wings and astonaut pin with him, to honor the man he'd replaced as Lunar Module Pilot. It was also why the mission patch had four stars. Luna raised a small cairn with a recess to store them, and an anti-dust spell to keep them forever bright.

Ingress went without a hitch, as did policing the interior of the LEM and stowing all the samples for flight. Outside, Luna was clearing away the PLSS's and other equipment they'd abandoned on the surface, placing it well away from the pad. Almost an hour went by as they prepared for ascent, getting updated information from Ground Control, but finally they were on the firing line.

Gerald Carr, their Capcom from the initial launch, was on the other end and Pete was all business. "Mark. One minute. Master Arm is On..."

"Okay." Bean checked his instruments, then glanced out of the window at where Luna stood by the U.S flag, safely placed away from the blast area, watching.

"367, Read."

Bean set verb 367 on the AGS which display the ascent rate on his side of the controls. "I've got it. First stage push at 30 seconds, Pete."

"Roger. You watch the Luna's hab, I'll fly this bird. Luna, keep watching our ascent and be ready to assist."

"I stand ready!" Luna voice rang in their earpieces.

"Sounds good." Al echoed. Watching the direction of the hab, the most obvious thing in view, would give a double check of the guidance system performance. The clock spun down.

"Okay. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5... Arm! ... 3, 2, 1!" Bean fired the explosive charges that separated the ascent stage as Pete brought up the ascent engine. The LEM ascended, the additional acceleration leaving the two standing astronauts feeling like Luna had just dropped a monolith on them. "Lift-off! Away we go!"

"Boy did it fire!" Al exclaimed.

"Indeed! Fare thee well my friends!" Luna's voice came over the comm channel.

"We have a good line of ascent..." Al commented a moment later. "Hab vector looks good..."

Pete gave him the nod, they had one last think to say, or rather sing as they monitored the instruments, something they'd come up with on the cuff as they'd prepared for ascent, now they had Luna's measure.

"🎵 Farewell to thee, oh Equestrian lady, Farewell to thee, oh Equestrian dame. For we're under orders to set sail for old Terra, But we hope in a short time to see you again! 🎵"

Before Carr could call them out, Conrad signalled a stop, "Mark. Thirty seconds. Thirty seconds; 177, 984.6, and out at 1900 feet."

But as they ascended into the sunlit lunar sky, they heard Luna's delighted laughter fading over their comms.

Al commented, "You know, you never got to use that John Carter line..."

Author's Note

It's been far too long, but I finally got this mess going again.

The cuff pictures are a thing that actually happened, and you can easily find them on-line. I haven't put a direct link because they are technically NSFW content. I wanted to include it because 1) It was funny, and 2) it was a way to introduce some ideas about pony culture.

I hope this was worth the wait. Now that I'm writing again, I hope to keep up the momentum.

And Now the News...

Apollo crew splashes down in Pacific 3 miles From ship, ending 10-day trip to the Moon

ABOARD U.S.S. HORNET, at Sea, Nov. 24 -- Man's second expedition to the surface of the moon ended in triumph today when the Apollo 12 astronauts made a near-bullseye landing in the gale-tossed South Pacific. President Nixon has praised their skill and courage, and has raised all three to the rank of Navy Captain.

Commander Charles 'Pete' Conrad Jr, Command Module Pilot Richard Francis Gordon, and Lunar Module Pilot Alan LaVern Bean were in good spirits as they boarded the USS Hornet, and entered the Mobile Quarantine Facility as part of the return process. They will remain isolated until the 10th of December, with the MQF being transported to the Lunar Receiving Laboratory in Houston, Texas in the process.

The materials collected by the astonauts during their two, 4 hour long, Extra Vehicular Activities have already been flown ahead to the LRL. These include samples of lunar material and parts of the Surveyor 3 spacecraft, which will be examined to better understand the effects of long term exposure to lunar conditions.

The most notable items are various artifacts provided by the equine alien known as Luna, who had travelled overland from the site of the Apollo 11 landing in the Sea of Tranquility ahead of the mission, and provided assistance during both EVAs. This included raising flat, dust free surfaces for landing and working on from the lunar regolith, and using her telekinesis to act as an extra pair of hands.

These artifacts included devices that converted sunlight into the type of energy Luna herself uses to perform various effects, translated from Equestrian as 'magic', and storage devices for the same type of energy. These can be used to recharge some of the existing devices supplied by Luna during Apollo 11, such as a universal translator and stereoscopic image projector stated to show views of Luna's memories of her homeworld.

Most critically, there were also a set of designs, translated as 'rune sets', which would allow scientists and engineers on Earth to create new devices using the same energy with numerous different effects. Exact details on the disposition of Luna's gifts are unknown, but it has been stated by NASA spokesperson Miles Henley that they have already been transported safely to a secure holding facility...

New York Times, 25th November 1969

President Nixon's Oval Office Address - 1st December 1969.

My fellow Americans, I am speaking to you tonight to discuss a major policy shift in our ongoing operations in Vietnam. This was one of many issues that my administration inherited, and one which we have sought to alleviate, in response to the increasing public opposition to it's continuation.

Unfortunately, such a vast operation could not be stopped rapidly, not without betraying our allies in South Vietnam, or the sacrifices of our brave servicemen in defending them. However, that does not mean we have been idle. Due to changing circumstances, we can now look to an end to the conflict, and a drawing down of personnel and resources over the next year. We are already committed to reducing our troop strength in Vietnam by 60,000 in the short term, though this may not be completed by the original deadline of December 15th.

Over the next few months, I will be reaching out to both China and Russia to work with the United States to bring both sides of the conflict to the negotiating table, to produce an end fair to the people of South Vietnam, fair to the people of North Vietnam, and fair to those others who would be affected by the outcome; to end the conflict and create a peace with honour.

To further demonstrate our commitment, I will be ordering a moratorium on further offensive operations within the theatre, restricting our forces to a defensive posture only. At home, the draft will be suspended, preparatory to removing it over the next year. This includes the proposed draft lottery, which was to take place today.

As we withdraw our direct aid, we will accelerate the process of Vietnamisation, where the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam will receive materiel and training to enable it to stand alone as it's nation's primary ground defence force. In this way we can maintain our efforts to grant the people of South Vietnam the basic right of self-determination, to determine their own future free of any outside interference.

It is the earnest hope of this administration, and my personal hope, that through a renewed and vigorous diplomatic efforts, and a demonstration of good will in our change of military posture, that we can bring this conflict to a close with a victory, not of force of arms, but of ideals. After so many years of violence, wounds run deep, but surely with determination and honest effort, we can overcome them, as we and others have done before.

Thank you for your attention, and good night.

Multiple TV networks, 1st December 1969

Excerpts from Apollo 12 Post Flight Press Conference

Alan Bean: The one thought I had, that sticks in my mind is that everything in the wo... universe that we know of, we think about seems to have some utilitarian function. So we were up there, circling the moon, and I was wondering, what the function of the moon was.

It doesn't have the capability to support life as we know it, Luna being the exception, and it doesn't do a lot for the Earth, we could probably do without the tides, things would change, the balance would change, and the only thing I could think of is perhaps that thing has been set up there to be, as the scientists have said a little bit, a storehouse of knowledge.

Not only will it help us to find out how our Earth began, and where it came from and looked like 4.6 billion years ago, and a hundred million years ago, which has been lost for ever on the Earth, but it gives us Luna, and all the knowledge she can provide. What are the chances that she would arrive on the moon, out of all human... the history of the world, just a few years before we became capable of coming to find her? I don't have any answers for that, but it was just something I couldn't help but wonder about.

...

Associated Press: One thing I'm sure a lot of people are curious about is your little musical number as you began your ascent. Was it something to do with your discussion in Equestrian beforehand?

Charles Conrad: In a way. If you remember what Luna talked about when she described the early days of her reign in Equestria to Neil, she mentioned defending the new country from outside invaders. It came up with us being Navy that she wasn't just an armchair general, if ponies even have armchairs, she led and fought alongside her troops over land and sea, and shared in their camaraderie, holding her own in 'shanty and story' to use her words.

She deeply missed that, as she was forced into a more formal princess role, and was no longer allowed to go mingle with the common herd. So we figured, since we'd travelled there on the Yankee Clipper, and as Navy types, a short shanty of our own would lift her spirits. Based on her laughter, I think it worked...

Auditorium, Manned Spaceflight Centre, Houston, 13th December 1969

First part based on clip provided by: Fim_jrm

Excerpt of Interview of Arthur C Clarke by Patrick Moore on 'The Sky at Night'

Displayed: Photo of Luna, Pete and Al standing in front of the sunlit side of the Monolith.

PM: The recently released photos from the Apollo 12 mission include one of the two astronauts and Luna standing in front of this familiar looking monolith. According to the accompanying press release, it was a mass simulator that Luna created for a test of the Passive Seismic Experiment. What was your reaction when you first saw it?

ACC: Surprise, mainly. While Radio Free Luna wrote to me to ask for permission to broadcast a reading of '2001', I didn't realise it had made such an impression. Though I'm very pleased it did.

PM: As one of the people asked to do readings for Radio Free Luna, I had a chance to ask her about it. The shape was apparently something of a joke for the astronauts, and the matt black colour was a surface layer of black iron oxide. She said she looked forward to being able to see the film version when she got to Earth, and hopefully meeting both you and Stanley Kubrick in person, .

ACC: That would be a dream come true for me. Though if our movie had come out much later than it did, it would be more of a nightmare. Throughout the development of the script and the production both Stanley and I were worried that actual exploration of space or the moon would make our story obsolete, or even ridiculous. I shudder to think what could have happened to the production if Luna had come across one of the Surveyor lunar probes while its cameras were still working!

Of course, the film is now outdated, but that is more or less inevitable with science fiction. Though I freely admit, I never would have though that the cause would be as strange as an extra-dimensional alien unicorn with magic powers. As I said during the CBS interview just after that first moonwalk, it only goes to show that science fiction writers are indifferent prophets, if only because, as Mark Twain once wrote, 'Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense.'

PM: Though in your case, you did predict alien space unicorns, in your short story, 'Second Dawn'.

ACC: Robert Heinlein mentioned that too, during the interview. Of course, the alien unicorns in that story had no way to manipulate their environment. The premise was that they had developed high intelligence, philosophy, mathematics and even telepathic abilities, while still being pre-hunter gatherer technologically. They then met up with a more primitive intelligent race which had hands, and formed a symbiotic relationship, the second dawn of the title being the dawn of technology. From the images provided by Luna, it looks like the Equestrians have avoided that particular trap.

PM: What do you think will be the effects on our culture and technology?

ACC: Culturally, maybe a measure of sanity? We have proof that the universe is far larger, and more complex than we knew. The Equestrians and other races Luna described prove we, and Earth are not the unique creation of an arbitrary deity, but part of a much vaster tapestry. From Luna's dialogue with Commander Armstrong, their world was created, but not ex-nilhilo, but by terraforming a lifeless body, and from the biological evidence using Earth life-forms as a basis.

That implies a creator or creators, but not a god, even if the powers they wielded seem god-like compared to our present abilites. They left clear evidence of their work, used existing creatures to create the ecosystem, even if they modified them in unique ways. A race, perhaps more advanced than even the Monolith builders from our film, but who were ultimately engineers, not gods or wizards.

PM: Considering the devices Apollo 11 and 12 brought back, that distinction may not be as sharp as you say.

ACC: The difference is, wizards and deities in stories tend to be secretive, their powers mysterious and capricious, used only sparingly for wonders and miracles. An engineer does their best to de-mystify the things they produce, deliver tools that are reliable, reproduceable, usable by anyone, even if they produce effects that seem magical to an outsider. You could say, 'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic'.

From everything Luna has said and done, she's more a scientist and engineer, even if she describes the forces she uses as magic. Some of the effects we've been shown, been given to experiment with, appear to defy our current understanding of physics, but that doesn't mean our existing understanding is wrong, or that this magic doesn't exist, but that our understanding is incomplete, and that magic will expand it.

Our little corner of the universe has no easily accessible natural sources of the force she uses, and it's likely we lack the necessary organs to manipulate it directly anyway, which explains why we've never been able to make it a part of our understanding of the universe. We're the unicorns without hands, the underwater race that can't discover fire, the blind race that can't see a sunset or a spectograph.

Fortunately, we have Luna to help us discover this new facet of reality. From what she says, she's not only willing, but eager to do so. Her race uses magic as a tool, a scientific discipline with well developed theories behind it that she can use to invent and create effects and devices to order. So in this case, sufficiently developed magic is indistinguishable from technology. And thanks to Luna, it is a technology we should be able to use, even if as yet, we can barely imagine what we can do with it.

The Sky at Night, BBC1, 14th December 1969

From the Stars (and Stripes) with Love

Late 1969 was eventful in the United States’ Vietnam War. As of now, 37th U.S. President Richard M. Nixon ordered the first sizeable troop withdrawals that summer and Ho Chi Minh, the political leader of North Vietnam, had died in September on the 2nd. Public opinion polls that autumn showed that a majority of Americans believed the war had been a “mistake,” and the largest antiwar protest to that point in the war occurred on October 15, when more than two million people across the United States participated in coordinated marches, rallies, teach-ins, religious services, vigils, casualty memorials, and candlelight events. In the midst of all these events, the troops in Saigon were still reeling from the latest attacks (including that of the infamous Tet Offensive just eleven months prior that same year in February). Most of the servicemen awaiting in Saigon are eager to leave while many others including the embassy staff, want to see Hanoi relinquish its holdings of American and allied POWs as by now over 578 servicemen were reported to be MIA.

Tensions as well as distress were innately prevalent among the civilians and staff as an incursion from the North is likely imminent. The one saving grace that seemed to have calm the situation amongst the population were unexpected but timely arrivals of crates—not full of munitions—but stuffed plush versions of Princess Luna. A bundle of letters also found within gave a clear reason: These were gifts for an early Christmas to the troops by friends, distant relatives, and charitable citizens back home. Below are a couple pictures of soldier and civilian alike holding "Luna".

(Image of US Army soldiers handing out plushies of Luna to curious staff, a good distance away to show several people)

(Image of several US Marines holding up "Luna", giving grateful smiles at the camera, the crewmen are all situated around a fire enjoying an afternoon cooking)

(Image of a soldier, kneeling and giving two Vietnamese children two Luna plushies, photo was shot at a distance)

"It may seem trivial, but this may be also a means to lift our spirits. Just a little... And it's done a damned good job at it so far." Says a unnamed PFC Marine.

Indeed, despite the ongoing conflict, this move by the civilians back home has paid off. Morale has been stated to have increased overnight at a 38% boost. Hopefully the troops can hold out long enough until negotiations halt the hostilities.

Reason Magazine, 15th December, 1969

Provided by: LeadlessSteed

Luna toys sell out in stores

With the current focus on the recent missions to the moon, and the alien astronaut named Luna, it is unsurprising that companies have rushed to take advantage of the situation. Luna plush dolls and models are this Christmas's must-have toy, both standalone and as part of play sets with astronauts and spaceships. Many of the toys appeal to both boys and girls equally, and demand has been high, outperforming even such favourites as Barbie, Hot Wheels and Peanuts merchandise.

While manufacturers have been quick to bring out a range of products, they failed to anticipate the surge in demand that the recent Apollo 12 mission brought to an already overstretched supply. Hasbro's flagship 'Apollo 11 Luna playset' is sold out in toy stores and department stores across the nation, and on three week back order in many places. While there has been some concerted efforts to ban Luna products by some conservative and religious organizations worried about the references to magic, few of these attempts have borne results in the face of consumer demand.

Other space related toys such as model rockets, telescopes and spaceship toys in general are also among the top sellers, as well as Luna themed merchandise such as mugs and t-shirts, bearing either images of Luna based on the many photographs from Apollo 11 and 12, or her hip marking. A line of jeans bearing the mark has been another popular seller. With the latest expedition still fresh in people's minds, it doesn't appear that the demand for Luna will abate any time soon.

Chicago Tribune, December 22nd, 1969

NASA and NET will produce 'Lessons with Luna' educational program.

Grade schoolers will soon be able to learn basic reading and writing skills alongside the alien pony Luna, thanks to a partnership between the Manned Spacecraft Center, NASA's Education Division and National Educational Television. William Campbell, program director for NET stated, "We hope to provide an engaging and enjoyable series for young children, a resource both for educators, and parents."

One of the secondary tasks of Apollo 12 was to deliver basic educational materials on written English to Luna. While her translation effect allows her to speak not just English, but any language, it does not provide literacy in them. To help her learn both written English, and to speak it without a translator, a series of lessons based around the material were to be part of a follow-up to Apollo 12.

The colour television camera left behind by the astronauts was able to be maintained by Luna, as the high gain antenna it used was intact, and the silver zinc batteries of the descent stage that powered it retained some charge. It was intended to be used to provide visual feedback to the teachers from Luna for the initial tutoring. It has continued to be used when she worked out how to partly recharge the batteries using her alchemy ability, and the sessions were recorded for later study.

The NASA Education Division is in charge of both liasing with universities and educational outreach, and in this case was involved in preparing the materials, and supporting the ongoing teaching effort. On seeing the resulting recordings, they proposed that they could be edited to provide basic writing and language education for children as well, with the novelty of Luna learning the same material being a way to draw children's attention.

Working with NET, the new TV series is still in development, but is expected to begin airing in the late spring of 1970.

TV Guide Magazine, 7th January 1970

Significant progress on thaumic runesets made by NASA

Work at the Lunar Receiving Laboratory on the artefacts brought back by the Apollo 12 mission has been progressing rapidly from the moment the materials arrived there. The abilities displayed by the alien known as Luna suggest the possibility of an entirely new field of science, which has been tentatively named 'thaumics' based on the ancient Greek term for miracle working and analogous to other fields such as optics and electronics.

The energy converters that convert light to thaumic energy (photothaumic panels) and storage devices (thaumic accumulators) have been examined and analysed in great detail, demonstrating their function by recharging the illusion projector and translator bracelet brought back by Apollo 11.

Studies of this energy are still in their infancy, but it has been independently verified as existing and producing demonstrable, repeatable effects, without the presence of Luna. The stored energy is termed 'quintessence' and a flow of energy 'mana'. This is in part due to the terms Luna's translation effect provided for the concepts. Professor Freeman Dyson, Lorentz and Huges medal winner, is a recent addition to the research team.

The current focus of study is duplicating the photothaumic panels and thaumic accumulators with terrestrial materials, as well as producing devices that demonstrate the various other effects that Luna provided designs for. These effects are very basic, and were chosen both because they should consume relatively little energy, and should be easy to reproduce.

Light to quintessence conversion

Quintessence storage

Dust and dirt removal both for clothing and other surfaces

Local refrigeration

Biological preservation

Accelerated healing and antisepsis

Variable light generation

Remote manipulation of objects

Partial gravity counteraction

Metastable adhesion between materials

As of this press release, both functional photothaumic panels and accumulators have been produced from terrestrial materials, and the dirt removal, refrigeration and light generation effects have been demonstrated with proof-of-concept devices. The other effects listed are all being developed, with working demonstrators expected in the next few weeks.

Research is currently hampered by the limited communication with Luna, and the limited amount of quintessence available, but development is expected to accelerate as more panels and accumulators are built, and when Luna is brought back to Earth on Apollo 13.

NASA Press Release, 11th January 1970

Speech of Senator Proximire on NASA Supplemental Appropriations Bill H.R.15859

Sen Proximire: I urge the committee to reject this bill in the strongest terms. The creation of a 'dedicated thaumic research laboratory', if it is needed at all, should be funded out of NASA's existing budget. A budget, I should remind you, that has continually increased over the last decade.

My opposition to the Apollo program itself is well known. While NASA's aeronautics research may not be without merit, the manned space program, especially the 'race to the moon', is a product of politics and prestige, not practicality. In this quixotic quest to meet an arbitary deadline, we have spent vast amounts of taxpayers dollars, which could have been spent right here on Earth, improving the lot of ordinary Americans.

The Apollo program is America's Great Pyramids, our Great Wall of China, a massive project created for prestige, one of the things done 'because they are hard', and soaking up the efforts of hundreds of thousands of scientists, engineers and skilled workers whose abilities could have been put to more practical use. Worse than those examples, because at least the Great Pyramids still bring in tourist revenue. No-one is going to be taking a vacation to the Sea of Tranquility in the foreseeable future, Hollywood fantasies notwithstanding.

While it is too late to reclaim that money, we could at least look forward to a reduction in future funding as the target has been reached, the goal met, the race, won. The Apollo program, what remains of it, would have died a natural death. But now, with this alien Luna, it has a new lease on life, both in scope and in the public imagination. If it were not that any fakery would be impossible to conceal for very long, you could almost imagine the alien was a hoax to continue to drum up interest in space.

Unfortunately, it is all too real, and now even more money is being spent altering the program to include its recovery, something that is premature at best. This being, apart from being an alien in body and mentality, is a self-admitted criminal with considerable demonstrated powers, and yet we rush to remove it from its prison, and let it loose on Earth. The prize, of course is that it promises to share it's power, but so far, we have received only a pittance, just enough to whet our appetites and convince the easily led.

Look at the recent list put out by NASA. It sounds very impressive, until you look at the actual effects. A light bulb, a dry cleaner/duster, an ice box and a pot of glue for the most part. As for the 'healing' effect, we have no idea if it will even work on humans. And while floating small objects around may look impressive at a magic show, they are not something you need to spend millions of dollars to replicate. The few proven useful effects like translation, it's kept to itself.

And of course, there is one of the first things it offered right back when it first made contact, a shield against atomic weapons. A very tempting prize, one that captured the public imagination, but one that it has become oddly silent about, now that it actually has to live up to its promises.

To sum up, I do not believe that NASA has shown sufficient results to justify additional dedicated funding into so-called thaumic research. Until they can replicate more than just parlour tricks, they should find the money from their existing funding. Or maybe Luna can pull some dimes out of an astronaut's ear. Because the one magic trick that NASA is very good at is making taxpayer dollars disappear.

Excerpt of Transcript from Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing, 15th January 1970

Testimony of Freeman Dyson on NASA Supplemental Appropriations Bill H.R.15859

Thank you for having me here today. I hope to shed some light on the concerns certain members of this committee have over this bill, and the utility of a dedicated thaumics research program. Members of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton have been working with the NASA teams almost from the discovery of Luna, and as both a mathematician and physicist, I can assure you that some of the mathematics tools she's already provided to us, without mention of reward, are utterly groundbreaking.

They are not the work of a charlatan and Luna's explanations of them show she understands them thoroughly. She has a first rate mind, and moreover, has never failed to deliver on a promise made, frequently going above and beyond what she promised. So when she has stated that she will assist in every way possible to understand this new field, the smart money is that she has both the ability and intent to do so.

The fact that our astronauts came to her aid, and that we are providing her support and ultimately a new home has given her every reason to feel grateful to America, and current dialogues have borne that out. Psychological profiles demonstrate that she has a strong desire to help, and to be useful, so the committee can put to rest any worries about her motivations.

With that out of the way the concerns seem to split into two related parts. Firstly that thaumics is a field that deserves research, also that we know enough to start funding expanded research. The answer is both yes and no. Thaumics is not just a new technology, it is a new modality, a new tool to manipulate the universe, and in ways we have never been able to before, as well as duplicate some existing capabilities more effectively.

Such discoveries have appeared before. Thermodynamics, aerodynamics, electrical theory, even such basic things as mechanics and optics. Each have delivered a host of different technologies and capabilities allowing things people once thought impossible. Thermodynamics produced everything from the steam engine to the rocket motor and the ice box, and we all know what early development of the steam engine by Britain did for it as a world power. Thaumics promises to be at least as versatile if not more so, just from the effects we've already seen demonstrated. So it is absolutely worth researching!

The only issue would be that we as yet know so little about the field. In terms of electronics, we're poking frogs legs with wires to make them jump and making iron filings line up, for aerodynamics, trying to building a functional glider, or thermodynamics, we're at the level of Hero's engine, the toy that spins a ball due to steam jets.

It took decades, sometimes longer to go from starting to study a field to producing practical products based on it, but in the case of thaumics we have the perfect way to leapfrog that. Luna can teach us rather than having to work out everything from first principles, allowing us to start developing practical applications even as we learn the underlying theory.

The second part is whether the current runesets we've been given to test are for trivial effects, 'parlour tricks'. Once again the answer is once again yes and no. As I mentioned before, we are currently just starting out in this new field and are learning the very basics. For that we only need small effects to demonstrate that things work, and start to understand the basic principles behind them. Right now we don't have the theory and framework to understand more advanced principles. It would be like handing Luigi Galvani a transistor radio, or showing Hero of Alexandria a modern coal power plant.

Also, while the base effects are small and simple, the principles they embody are not, and neither are the potential applications. All of which are dependent on being able to provide a reliable and stable source of quintessence, but that is something we know can be done.

Take the dust and dirt removing effect. It is far more than a feather duster, or even a dry cleaner. It automatically keeps a surface or material clean without human action, and gets everything. The Apollo 11 suits which came back were caked with lunar dust that will never come out, whereas the Apollo 12 suits are completely clear of it.

A lot of wear and tear on machinery is simply from debris getting in the works, being able to apply the effect to internal components on a large scale would save millions of man hours and hundreds of millions of dollars in maintenance costs. Clean rooms, operating theatres, even personal protection from dust filled environments, there are a vast number of applications for the effect as is.

Then there's the fact that it is the basis for a number of other effects that can selectively remove substances. Removing contaminants or pollutants from land, refining materials without complex and dangerous chemicals, filtering harmful gasses from the air, filtering water or desalinating sea water, removing foreign material from a wound... yes, some of these things we can already do, but at a considerable cost in energy and time. From even our preliminary tests, thaumics would be a cleaner, faster option. And it is one of the least impressive effects.

Of the other two effects we've tested so far, while there is certainly a host of applications for a solid-state, solar charged, maintenance free light panel, it is the cooling effect that is the most significant. It appears to break a basic law of thermodynamics, removing energy from the system rather than simply transferring it to a lower temperature state. Finding an exception to a natural law is a red letter day for any scientist, especially a law as well established as this. Investigating them always leads to new insights into the universe, and new tools we can use.

To clarify, all heat engines, from steam turbines in power plants to car engines and rocket motors work by moving energy from a high temperature state to a low one, converting a portion of the energy into useful work. The efficiency increases with the temperature differential. High temperatures are easy to generate, limited by the melting point of the materials containing them. Low temperatures are more complicated, but in general the lower the temperature the larger and more complicated the mechanisms required for producing it.

Simplistically, you are spreading that energy over a larger volume, reducing the energy content. So you have bulky radiator systems in internal combustion engines, massive cooling towers on power plants, pumps and radiators and pipes full of coolant all acting as additional points of failure for a system, and limited in capacity and effective temperature by the size you can afford.

The thaumic cooling effect is different. The heat energy isn't transferred to the outside environment, it vanished entirely from detection. It might well be being transferred outside anywhere we can detect, but the practical outcome is the same. We can create a solid state heat sink that can produce an arbitary effective low temperature, temperatures that would normally require a massive and power hungry refrigeration plant to produce.

This is a game changer. Being able to cool the walls of engines or power plants will allow them to run at higher temperatures, even as thaumic cooling could produce far lower temperatures to replace radiators or cooling systems, making them more efficient, smaller and less complex. We may even be able to convert some of the radiated energy from the hot elements to quintessence to drive the cooling effect, as thermal radiation, infra-red is still electromagnetic radiation usable by photothaumic panels.

The industrial applications of this are nearly limitless, and the benefit to the economy of a nation who can develop it, huge. The other effects we have available to research will prove just as beneficial, and these are only a fraction of the possibilities thaumic technology can produce.

I could spend hours laying out the possibilities of the telekinesis effect, or the healing effect, which will work on humans, as it's not species specific, and the basic biology of Equis is the same as terrestrial life. However, I wanted to stick to things we've been able to test, despite the limits we currently work under.

The main limits we have to developing them are firstly, the limited amount of quintessence we can generate with our current photothaumic panels. We are producing more of them, and already working with Luna to make them more efficient, as well as investigating other ways of generating quintessence.

One promising concept is reversing the telekinetic effect to produce a thaumic dynamo. Secondly, while the video link with Luna has been invaluable, not having her present is limiting what we can show and learn. That will be resolved by Apollo 13.

The final and most serious limit is that we are currently working with repurposed resources and improvised equipment. That is why the committee needs to approve this bill. By the time Luna arrives on Earth, we can have the facilities capable of making full use of her talents, and have made far faster progress on the runesets we already have, both understanding the underlying theory and the practical applications.

And that includes the atomic shield, which is something Luna is going to have to work with us to develop from her theoretical understanding, as it is a new application of the effects she knows. Which is entirely reasonable. The photothaumic panels absorb X-rays and gamma as easily as light. Projecting that effect as a shield would stop the radiation part of an atomic blast, both nuclear and thermal. We also have effects that negate thermal energy, so soaking up the firestorm is possible. And Luna has repeatedly created barriers to contain gas pressure, so a stronger version could counter the shockwave. We may not know how to do it yet, but we know that the capability is there.

Thaumics has the potential to be the most significant discovery in human history, and the United States needs to be at the forefront of it. But we need the tools to do the job. Funding dedicated thaumic research is one of the most sure fire investments this country can make, and the payout is literally beyond calculation.

I thank the committee for it's time.

Excerpt of transcript from Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing, 16th January 1970

President Nixon signs Thaumic Research Funding Bill

Having passed through the Senate with a two thirds majority, NASA Supplemental Appropriations Bill H.R.15859 was today signed into law. This bill provides $10 million of funding for expansion of research into the new field of thaumic energy and it's applications. This will include conversion of existing facilities at the Manned Space Flight centre to act as a temporary home for the program, as well as operational costs, and development of a permanent campus at a location not yet decided.

The choice of MSC as the interim home of the program was chosen as it is the current location for the Lunar Receiving Laboratory, which is the focus of ongoing communication with Luna, the alien who has so far provided all the information and artefacts using this power. It is also the most probable location for her initial residence after she has been transported to Earth on the upcoming Apollo 13 mission.

How this will affect the upcoming budget for NASA for the 1971 fiscal year remains to be seen. The annual budget proposal for US Government spending will be sent to Congress from the White House on February 2nd.

Washington Post , 20th January 1970

Author's Note

Another chapter of reactions on Earth to Luna's on-going adventures.

The title is from a short story by sci-fi author Theodore Sturgeon, a rather grim tale about a man who becomes obsessed with the endless stream of news media he has access to, empathises more with the people they talk about than his wife and children, and ultimately shuts himself off from his family and all human contact. This was written in the 1950's mind you. Just as well it's only a wild science fiction story...

Also thanks go to Fim_jrm and LeadlessSteed for their contributions.

Leadless Steed is creating actual images for his article, so I'll add those when they're done, and notify people in a blog post and the next chapter.

Magic Inc. Part 1

Richard Nixon glared at the thick folder open on the desk in front of him hard enough that ink on the papers within was likely to run, possibly for the state line. His private office and stateroom on Air Force One was as quiet and noise free as any place on the modified VC-137C Stratoliner. However that just meant a lack of distractions as he worked through a review of the budget proposal for the next fiscal year, of which this folder was only a small part.

That meant the knock on the door came as something of a relief. There were very few people who were allowed to knock on that door, and at the moment, an equally limited number of reasons for doing so. "Come in!"

His Chief of Staff entered the cabin, and closed the door quietly behind him. He held some sheets of teletype paper.

"A message from Kissenger." Haldeman stated. "A full update is on it's way, but he reports good progress with the Chinese."

Nixon held out his hand, and took the message sheet. "Good, we may actually be able to pull this off after all."

He scanned the paper quickly, and nodded, then placed it in a 'dispose of' tray. Then he looked back down at the budget folder with a disapproving expression. "One of the things they don't tell you about when you take the oath. Everybody comes to the Government with their hands out, looking for a hand out. You end up having to find out who wants what, what you want them to have, and figure out how to get what you want them to have through Congress. I'm a lawyer, not an accountant."

He shook his head, "Still, at least drawing down the war will free up some funding, and get a goddamned albatross off the administration's neck, now that we're finally in a position to do it. And I have America's favourite alien partly to thank for it."

"Luna does seem to have affected politics as much as science." Haldeman opined.

"I know. The issue was never whether to get out of that goddamned mess in Vietnam. A war of containment with no visible end or victory condition, even before the revelations about that screw-up in My Lai. Trying to keep the lid on that did us no favours. It soaks up endless amounts of money and manpower, alienates the very people we're supposed to be winning 'the hearts and minds' of, while tanking our reputation internationally, not to mention the push-back domestically. On top of that, it produces a stream of dead and wounded U.S. soldiers and a black mark on the character of the ones that are still alive.

"The problem was how to do it without making the U.S. look weak, both abroad and domestically. Nobody likes a quitter, and if the RVN doesn't hold together on it's own, the DRV can sweep in and make all the money and lives we've spent worthless. While they haven't recovered from their losses during the Tet Offensive, and the morale blow from the death of Ho Chi Minh, as long as they have the USSR and China backing them with materiel, they can rebuild, or start new brush fires elsewhere.

"It's what would most likely have happened if those Paris talks had gone ahead, Johnson was so eager to end the war at any cost, he'd have sold the farm to get it, and left the RVN threadbare. I would've been left holding the bag when I took over, blamed for the RVN's inevitable collapse, or there was an outside chance that it might have swayed enough moderate voters to give that liberal Humphrey the win. We need to withdraw on our own terms, and we need to make sure that South Vietnam remains independent for long enough that when it finally does disintegrate, we don't suffer from splash damage.

"Between walking the tightrope politically here at home, and trying to get Russia and China to play ball, it looked like it was going to be a multi-year slog to deal with things, if we could make any progress at all. But with Luna on the board, and in play on our side, the game has changed. The U.S. is now the noble rescuer of stranded aliens, and ending the war is no longer weakness, it's dong the adult thing and showing restraint and mercy, acting quickly and decisively.

"The elements of Congress who'd normally pull together to stall any reduction in war funding, either through egotism or because it would mean less money for their backers, are split over Luna. Some of them terrified over how the new powers she's bringing to the table will change the status quo, while others are drooling over the potential military applications."

"Unsurprising, considering the words you had me place in certain ears." Haldeman interjected.

Nixon gave a grin that should have had a fin on top, "Old lawyer trick. When your opponents are showing a united front, don't just pound the table, pound the weak spots in their unity. And Luna makes one heck of a hammer.

"At least we don't need to do it for the press, they've done a great job of that on their own. And since much of the American public can only think of one thing at a time, thanks to that same press, we're not getting the the push back we would if my recent announcement on Vietnam was the main topic of interest. The people who would normally be screaming that any kind of withdrawl is tantamount to treason are instead arguing about whether a winged unicorn should be recognised as person. And while it might cause some problems come election time, I'm betting more people will be glad the war's over than mad it's not still going.

"And then, of course there's the Russians and Chinese. Without their agreement to reign in their North Vietnamese friends, and stop supplying them with arms and support, the whole thing is doomed to failure. I've been waving multiple sticks as hard as possible, trying to convince them that I'm ready to stop at nothing to end the mess, but now I have the carrot to go with it.

"Russia we can deal with. Their papers may demand loudly that they get everything Luna gives us, but Brezhnev is a realist. He knows that if he wants a seat at the table, he's going to have to build up some good will, and too many people remember the Cuban missile crisis, not to mention that crap they pulled in Czechoslovakia. Helping to stop an open conflict gains him that, and loses him very little; we're not asking him to abandon them, after all, just convince them to stay in their own back yard. For that matter, they will probably be more interested in controlling the release than getting it for themselves; autocracies don't handle change well.

"The Chinese are a tougher proposition. They're far more insular, which means we have a lot less leverage. But it looks like we may have an in, once again thanks to Luna." He glanced at the discarded paper. "Mao Tse-tung and the rest of the Central Committee are old men, and grew up in an older tradition, despite their slash and burn ideology about a lot of that same tradition. We should be able use that."

"That is one of the goals of this visit." Haldeman agreed. "Though I am slightly surprised how much of this plan hinges on Luna delivering."

Unspoken was the fact that Nixon rarely committed heavily to a plan that was dependent on variables he couldn't control.

"When you get dealt a royal flush, you don't bet house minimum." Nixon quipped. "Though Luna is more of an ace in the hole. Besides I'm confident our people will deliver enough, based on the reports so far."

There was a buzz from the telephone on the desk. Nixon activated the speaker.

"Mr President, we're starting our approach to Ellington Airport. Current ETA 17 minutes. Please secure for landing."

"If you'll excuse me, sir." Haldeman made his way to the door.

"They had better deliver." Nixon muttered after the door closed behind Haldeman.

&&&

Building 1 of Johnson Space Centre was the main administration and head office. This made it the first place Nixon's motorcade went to. The main conference room had been set aside for a briefing for the President on what some wags were calling Project Luna.

Nixon took one end of the table, Secret Service men standing back against the wall. The other end of the table had the heads of the Project seated around it. Opposite was Doctor Paine, NASA Administrator. Doctor Sagan, who had remained the defacto head of the project even as it expanded, was to one side, while Professor Dyson was on the other. Several other scientists and engineers were there to provide specific information as needed. Most of them had been present at Nixon's initial briefing after Apollo 11.

"Thank you for coming today, Mr President." Doctor Paine said.

"I figured it was time to see what you folks were up to, especially considering I just signed for $10 million to pay for it."

"That is going to help put this project's operations on a more stable basis." Paine responded, "Up until now, it's been operating on what discretionary funds I could provide, and what equipment and resources we could divert from other, less pressing projects or repurpose. Thankfully, we have excellent co-operation with the various universities involved; they have been supplying the researchers and some of the more specialised equipment."

"That doesn't seem very secure." Nixon opined.

Paine looked to Director Gilruth, Director of the Lunar Receiving Laboratory to answer. "Everyone involved in the project has been approved for at least Secret clearance, and we've been working with both the FBI and the Secret Service to maintain security. Due to the value of the returned lunar samples, the Lunar Receiving Laboratory was already designed as a secure facility, and on site security is supplemented by hand picked Air Force personnel to ensure physical containment.

"We've had to move some non-critical functions to Building 31 next door, and some of administration to Building 226 so a part of the administrative section could be repurposed as additional laboratories, but everything directly relating to the project is within the security umbrella at Building 37, that is, the LRL. Nothing has been taken off-site."

"Very well," Nixon acknowledged. "So let's get to it."

Paine said, "As I'm sure you've read in the itinerary, Dr Sagan will brief you on the current procedures and the results they've gotten so far. We'll break for lunch, then move over to the LRL to demonstrate some of the applications, and finally return here where there will be a briefing on future plans and possible goals they've highlighted as most promising."

Seeing Nixon's acknowledgement, he prompted, "Dr Sagan?"

"Since the return of Apollo 12, we've been working a 8-9 hour contact period each day, cycling once every 28 days, as we're limiting ourselves to when the moon is in the sky from our communication link. It makes for some odd working hours, but people have adapted. We're using the Apollo Deep Space Array at Goldstone, the 29 foot secondary antenna for voice communications, and the primary 85 foot antenna for video."

"Why not longer, don't we have tracking stations around the world?" Nixon asked.

"The connection isn't the limit, it's a mix of economics and practicality. We don't have the manpower or resources to run a 24 hour link, and we need downtime to process the information we're getting. Plus, while Luna may be able to function for weeks without sleep, our people can't. Though we have her sleep for the first few days after full and new moon, the hottest and coldest parts of the lunar day. Today's an example, a full moon, one of the rest days.

"Since we're limiting the communications window anyway, it was only sensible to match it to when Goldstone can see the moon. We have a secure landline, and the 29 foot antenna is normally a back up, so we have minimal conflict with other users. While JPL has been helpful finding us time on the main antenna, it's in demand, and the arrays at Madrid and Canberra even more so. As Administrator Paine said, we're operating on borrowed resources."

"Okay. Well now that's changed." Nixon replied.

"It will help, but we only need it until we can get Luna down here in April. In the mean time, we've been splitting contact time between four areas.

"The first is language lessons, teaching Luna English, especially written English. In that area she's already literate to at least the level of a high school graduate, and speaking at a college level. The literacy limit is in part due to our underestimating exactly how fast she would pick it up, the books we sent were limited to teaching the basics of English. Of course we've taught her modern American English, so now when she's not using the translator, while she's still quite formal, she no longer sounds like a refugee from a Shakespeare play.

"More recently, we've been progressing to physics and chemistry, especially relating to space flight, as that's one area where she has physical examples to examine. Though in part it's bringing her knowledge up to modern levels, she already has an excellent knowledge of the Equestrian physical sciences, which vary from mid 19th century in places to pre-renaissance in others. For example Equestia has had a germ theory of disease for hundreds of years, but almost no understanding of thermodynamics or electricity, despite pegasi being able to generate lightning to order."

"I thought she's supposed to be teaching you magic, not you teaching her science." Nixon questioned, a slight frown on his brow.

"We tend to use the term thaumics, since there are a number of groups who would explode at the very idea of using magic, but by teaching her about physics, we can improve her ability to invent new concepts and designs to suit our needs. For example, look how quickly she developed a thaumically based radio based on just a few simple insights about light from Commander Armstrong. She is also teaching us some Equestrian, as some of the base concepts of thaumics don't really have a referent in English.

"Speaking of which, the second area is thaumic theory and arithmancy. Professor Dyson is leading that effort, working with Professor Wheeler." Sagan nodded to Dyson, who took up the conversation.

"Equestrian mathematics is one field where they've outstripped Earth, as arithmancy, that is mathematics applied to understanding and designing thaumic effects, requires sophisticated mathematical tools. We're still learning to understand it well enough to apply it, but we've made solid progress, enough that we can begin to work through basic alterations to some of the variables of the rune sets Luna gave us, effectively class excercises set by Luna.

"Qualitatively, Luna has given us a basic understanding of thaumics so far, and parts of it are more suited to a philosopher or a theologian than a physicist. However, there are two basic concepts. The first is the source of thaumic energy. It apparently exists as a potential field of unknown but great depth, co-existent with normal reality, a sub-stratum that is apparently common to both her and our dimensions. It can be brought forth into existence as quintessence, stored and used to manipulate physical reality, after which it returns to the potential field.

"One of the reasons I asked Professor Wheeler to join our team is that his recent ideas about a quantum foam may give us a way to tie the thaumic potential field to existing physical science. Quantum theory suggests that at the smallest scale of reality, where sizes are to an atom as an atom is to a planet, pairs of particles are continually being created and destroyed. Our tentative hypothesis is that the thaumic field may underlay even that, and may give rise to the particle creation effects.

"The second concept is the means by which it is realised and manipulated, a concept the translator effect doesn't properly translate, but comes across as 'purpose', or 'directed will'. Ponies, and some other sapient species on Equis seem to be especially capable or possibly specifically engineered to use it to produce quintessence and apply it to alter reality, both intuitively, natural talents, and in some cases through consciously structured patterns, spells.

"Humans, although we also can apparently generate purpose, we can't use it to directly manipulate reality the way they do, though it's possible that legends of wizards and miracle workers may have come from exceptions to that rule. The fact that Luna's repair spell worked shows that we do at least generate it to some extent, as it is the means by which the video camera 'knew' what it's original shape was. Not to mention that the moon's 'fossil' thaumic field may be from generations of humans seeing it as a deity, and unconsciously investing it with quintessence drawn from the potential field.

"Which brings us to rune sets. They seem to be similar in function to a combination of electronic circuit and pre-set computer program, partly defined by the arithmancy and partly by a symbology that defines a semantic set and syntax, derived from the arithmancy. One of the enginers described it as 'telling reality what to do in words it can't ignore'. They replace the natural talent of Equisian life forms as a way to control mana flows, and direct it into producing effects.

"Whether the symbology somehow directly defines reality or simply has that effect from long usage by Equisian mages investing them with 'purpose' at a deep level is something we still don't know. What we do know is that we can use them, and should in theory be able to create effects for almost any purpose, given a deep enough understanding of the mathematics and the syntax to define the effect."

Nixon was clearly considering this, and as Dyson finished asked, "If this stuff is as powerful as you said, what security precations are you taking over it? How easy is it for other people to see these lessons?"

Professor Dyson, to his credit, didn't hesitate. "We have taken precautions, suggested by various security experts. The radio signals can be intercepted, it's inevitable, the signals spread wider than the Earth by the time they reach us. You would need a dish a mile wide on the moon to focus the beam down to the width of a county, so instead we secure the content. A lot of the theory talk has been performed in Equestrian using the translator device, and where Luna has sent us additional rune sets or modifications via the video link, they were sent in pieces. Without context, they are just random symbols.

"However duplicating the existing rune set designs we are experimenting with would be fairly easy. The ones we were given were specifically chosen to be easy to reproduce, after all. Fortunately, modifying them to do anything more than their existing function, let alone creating new ones, is another matter. Even we're not anywhere near that stage. And of course, without a thaumic power source, they are nothing more than pretty patterns. And one of the things Luna is currently working with us on is a thaumic detector. A long range version could monitor for unauthorised thaumic power sources.

"To summarise, we're taking every precaution practical against losing control of this technology in the short term. It helps that Luna is fully co-operating, and at this stage, without her aid, expanding on what we have would be the work of decades at a minimum, possibly centuries. Long term, how to best release it, apply it to benefit the real world? That's an unsolved question, and not a scientific one."

Dr Sagan interjected. "As you can tell, Professor Dyson has also been working with the engineering teams who are actually building the prototype thaumic devices. The video link was invaluable for trouble shooting early design issues, the third area of interest."

Dyson continued, "Initial testing was done with the thaumic accumulators and panels brough back by Apollo 12, first on the illusion projector and the translator bracelet, then on the most basic test bed, the base lighting effect inscribed on card stock with metallic ink. It glowed with a white, isotropic light, and a spectroscope showed it was producing a uniform white light composed of all visible frequencies and nothing else. The card is safely stored, as I suspect it will be a historic artifact one day. We've since tested versions that employ addtional touch runes to control brightness and shift the colour.

"Since then the engineering team has been testing different material combinations and manufacturing techniques, though they have been hampered by the lack of space and resources. One of the first priorities was duplicating the panels and accumulators. Without Luna's 'alchemy' skill, which should more properly be called molecular scale manipulation, we can't produce crystal sheets or large flawless prisms as easily as she could, but for the photothaumic panels we have substituted a thin layer of lead glass on an aluminium titanium alloy substrate with silver filled engraved runes, and used natural quartz prisms sourced from the suppliers for new age shops.

"Lead glass is a poor storage medium for quintessence, crystaline structures seem to be best, but it holds enough to moderate the mana flow, and has a relatively low melting point, making it easier to work. It can be etched very finely, and it turns out that the higher the density of repeating rune sets, the more efficient it is. One area we are well ahead of Equestria is in reprographic techniques; they are still using wood cut printing presses, and even hand... horn or hoof... copying, hence Luna's surprise at the quality of the books she received during Apollo 12. As a result we've improved considerably on the efficiency of the original panels."

"Of course, the lack of in-built storage and a desire to buld arrays meant we required something that Equestria has never invented, thaumic cabling, to connect the panels each other and to the accumulators. While aluminium stranded cabling is easily capable of conducting the mana flow, it has to be deliberately pumped, so to speak. Thaumic devices in Equestria generally either draw quintessence directly from the ambient field as part of their design, or are invested with power directly by a unicorn, using their directed will to create the mana flow.

"The solution was simple enough, aluminium collars at each end of the cable, engraved with a rune set derived from the ones on the accumulators that allow them to charge devices. They also have a metastable adhesion effect built in, so the aluminium plate at each end can be directly attached to the panels and accumulators. Cables are unidirectional, but they function effectively, as do the accumulator arrays they connect to.

"Based on our current, rather ad hoc measurement system, the natural quartz accumulators are less efficient then Luna's, probably due to natural inclusions and faults within the crystal, but they do hold a thaumic charge sufficient for our current purposes. When Luna gets to earth, we're hoping she can help duplicate her alchemy technique, or failing that, with our new funding we can work on growing large, flawless synthetic crystals via one of several current methods. We're also investigating different, smaller semi-precious stones as storage units for individual devices.

"I won't go into detail on the devices we're currently working with, because you'll get to see them in operation after lunch. What I can say is that we've been working with Luna via the video link and added several new designs beyond the ones she originally sent us, as well as expanding on those. It's opened up some fascinating new avenues of development, with applications for the environmental and medical fields as well as engineering."

"Hmm..." Nixon nodded. "Well, I certainly want to see what you've come up with. You're going to need to show results fairly quickly to continue to convince the public that this was the right idea." 'And give me leverage to keep the Russians in line.' he added mentally. "Dr Sagan, there was one project Luna discussed with me when we spoke directly. Has there been any progress on that since your initial memo?"

Dr Sagan answered.

"Ways to restrain Luna's magic? All the people here are familiar with the project, though we've kept it as confidential as possible beyond that. As my memo stated, the base information was in the original documents she gave the Apollo 12 crew, even if she didn't mention them. She's explained them since, rune sets that can be used to absorb and suppress mana flows. We don't yet have powerful enough sources of quintessence to fully test them to the level we'd need to restrain Luna, but our tests and the theory we understand as backing them show so far that she is on the level with this. Though we've used around fifty percent of our current mithril supply in tests, it is the only material capable of handling the power required for the rune sets needed."

"Unfortunately, while she supplied some vials of moonsilver, the liquid phase of mithril, and the process to convert it into solid mithril, we still can't produce it ourselves. The process is relatively complex, energy intensive, and requires high concentrations of moonlight. If we want to produce it on any kind of industrial scale, and considering it's unique properties as a total insulator against heat and electricity not to mention radiation, we do, we either need to import regolith from the moon by the ton to create artifical moonlight, or set up refineries on the moon. Though, if some of our other projects bear fruit, it may not only be possible, but practical to do so. The economic benefits would be... significant."

"Now, that's something I want to hear more about later." Nixon stated, then turned to Sagan. "And what's the other topic you're using the link for?"

"Learning about Equestrian culture and society, not to mention the other races of Equis and their societies." Sagan replied. "Up until Apollo 12 it was the primary focus of our studies. Of course, that has taken a back seat to thaumic research. At least the memory crystals Luna provided for Apollo 12 has given us some further insight into the society. It's from her memories, and a lot of it is from before her isolation. So while it isn't contemporary from when she was banished, their society appears to change slowly, so it's not completely out of date.

"To go into any detail would take a lot longer than we have, However, we have a number of executive summaries that I can provide if you want to know more. Our other research area, Luna's biology, is mostly shut down until we can get more samples to work with. Dr Schopf's team is working mostly with captured imagery at the moment. Once Luna is on Earth and we have a dedicated research facility, we should be able to learn more."

"Do you have any of the original samples left?" Nixon asked. Dr Schopf spoke up for the first time.

"One of the feathers, some strands of hair... mane and some hoof clippings. We'e been using them to compare the fine structure of the keratin, as according to Luna, they act as foci for different aspects of innate pony magic. Hooves for earth-ponies and their biomanipulation or geomanipulation abilities, feathers for pegasus gravity and inertia manipulation and weather control, and of course horns for unicorn spellcasting. If we had horn filings, we could make a better comparison."

"They file their horns?" Nixon mused. "That would be very useful... Well we can go with what we have."

He addressed the table. "I'm going to have to requisition the feather and whatever else you can spare."

That got exclamations of shock and surprise from around the table, and not a few queries as to why.

"I see I'm going to have level with you all." Nixon stated, engaging his full force of personality. "You are familiar with the diplomatic efforts we're making to end the Vietnam situation? One of the key elements is getting the Chinese to apply pressure to the North, stop them from taking advantage of any reduction in our forces. The difficulty is that China is insular, as well as being ideologically opposed to us, and as such we have a limited number of ways to persuade them.

"Fortunately we have a unique opportunity to gain favour and hopefully some ongoing influence with Mao Tse-tung and some other members of their Central Committee, using those samples. They are all old men, and whatever their political stance, they were brought up in a traditional society. That includes traditional Chinese medicine."

That brought a few looks of realisation and understanding. "It's clear some of you understand. It uses a vast number of natural ingredients such as animal parts, including some so bizarre I thought they were some kind of joke when I was first briefed. If they believe mundane animal parts can somehow heal them by putting their chi in balance or whatever, you can imagine how interested they would be in parts from a being that seems to be functionally immortal and can demonstrably manipulate mystical energies.

"Secretary of State Kissinger is currently over there arranging a package that will see them putting a leash on their DRV friends, and hopefully ensure that nothing disrupts the change over. While offering them 'lunar samples' is only a part of it, it is a key part. While we may have been able to hold them to an agreement till May on the promise of some samples, being able to offer something right away will strengthen our position. After Luna is here on Earth, we should be able to continue to get concessions by offering more hoof clippings, shed fur, horn shavings or whatever Luna can freely provide."

Doctor Sagan was the first to speak. "I'd say hoof clippings would actually be the most appropriate, simply because they are a focus for earth-pony type magic. Apart from their other abilities, their innate magic tends towards strength, health and toughness. They tend to be the longest lived of the three pony races, reaching some impressive ages. Luna's own regeneration and vitality may potentially come from the earth-pony component of her nature."

Doctor Schopf added, "Physically they appear to be close to standard keratin, albeit with some odd trace elements, certainly nothing harmful, though they are contaminated with ingrained moon dust. Whether that is a plus or minus for Chinese medicine I dont know, but the amounts are too small to pose any health risk. It is chemically just rock, after all."

Nixon took back control of the conversation. "Dr Sagan if you can write up your ideas, I can pass them on to the Secretary, he may be able to use them. Understand, this is a matter of the highest secrecy. The Chinese want to keep it a secret as there will only be a very limited amount of material to go around, and the last thing we need is an outcry about giving away valuable research materials to a communist country."

"I should have a report for you by this time tomorrow," Dr Sagan responded. "Though it's a strange world where few grams of keratin can stop a war."

"We left strange behind in the dust about the time Luna made her T.V. debut during my interview with the Apollo 11 crew." Nixon quipped. "Moondust at that. Seriously though, this should definitely clinch the concessions we want."

His comment got at least a few smiles, and a general positve reaction. There was a short pause as everyone collected their thoughts.

Doctor Paine broke the silence. "I believe that is everything we wanted to cover in this initial briefing. We can detail the proposed expansion plans after you've seen the practical results of the team's work so far. But before that, we have lunch ready for you in the executive dining lounge."

With that the meeting adjourned.

Author's Note

I hope no-body wants to lynch me for not immediately starting on Apollo 13, but I though I needed a chapter to expand on the things covered in the previous chapter. Part of the story is to explore how Luna's existence would affect events back on Earth, after all. I'm splitting it into two parts so my loyal fans get to see some progress.

It may take another month to write the second half, so I thought it might be better to deliver what I have rather than make people wait. I want to confirm that the previous chapter was not a flash in the pan, I am committed to finishing this.

Plus I wanted to indulge in some unashamed thaumo-babble and world building. The idea of an underlying 'magic' field below the level of quantum foam is in part inspired by a story by mp3.141player, 'Hermione learns a thing.' and the 'H' field a super genius version of Hermione Granger discovers when she tries to figure out how she's doing accidental magic pre-Hogwarts.

The title is a Robert Heinlein short story set in a modern (1960's) America where magic is used alongside science. The titular Magic Inc. is a scheme, run by a demon that tries to monopolise magic under a corporation, and drive independent mages out of business.

Long term I think the story will have five more chapters, the second part of this one, three detailing Apollo 13, and a closing chapter, plus an epilogue. Of course, people who followed the writing of 'A Different Bridal Path' know that my estimates are sometimes way off, so wattch this space (pun toitally intended).

Magic Inc. Part 2

Building 37 at the Manned Spacecraft Centre was a mostly single story, square, flat roofed building with large windows that wouldn't have looked out of place in a light industrial park. One corner had a second story square structure and on top of that a smaller third story in the same corner, like a lopsided cubist layer cake. Its mundane appearance belied the fact that it was the home of the Lunar Receiving Laboratory, the place where lunar material samples, and astronauts during their quarantine period, ended up after being transported from the USS Hornet.

Now it had an additional function as the main facility for Project Luna, though the only change visible from the outside were some peculiar metal frameworks built on top of the main roof area and the Air Force Security Force guards at the entrance. The President's motorcade pulled up with several NASA marked vehicles, and the President and his NASA escorts were checked through into the building with appropriate pomp, circumstance and security measures.

The NASA part of the party had shrunk to Robert Gilruth, Director of the Manned Spaceflight Centre, Carl Sagan as overall leader of Project Luna and Freeman Dyson as the head of Thaumics research. Nixon was accompanied by his Secret Service close protection detail.

The first stop on the tour was a door with an electronic lock, two columns of number keys under the handle. Sagan punched in the code and let the group into a large interior room, lit by ceiling panels with the shapes of fluorescent tubes behind them, that was clearly originally designed as a conference room.

At one end was a large boxy device with a white screen dominating the inward face, racks of equipment on each side, including reel to reel audio and video tape recorders. Butterfly clamps had been fitted to the top corners of the screen. Set in the centre was a conference table and a number of executive chairs, and various shelves with anonymous folders and locked cabinets clustered at the other end. The conference table had a microphone in front of the chair facing the screen, and several phone handsets.

"So this is where the magic happens..." Nixon quipped genially. The lunch had been excellent, and having secured at least one part of his requirements, he was feeling distinctly jovial. It got some quiet chuckles from the others.

"Where it starts, anyway." Sagan replied. "From here we communicate with Luna, using the same link that Apollo Mission Control uses to Goldstone. We have the rear projection TV set up for the video link; when Luna provides us with a new rune set, or arithmantic equations, we can mount a sheet of tracing paper over the screen, and draw the pattern with high fidelity. Everything is recorded, and the tapes are held here securely.

"Arranging to communicate in Equestrian required some additional measures. Luna sent us the design of a simple relay unit, a ring that would mount on the lens of the translator bracelet. It repeats what the wearer was hearing and speaking in their own language to a linked speaker device, a palm sized disk of metal that can be up to a couple of yards away. While only the person wearing the Lens can actually communicate with Luna in Equestrian, it means other people can listen in and understand what's being said, also that the recordings were comprehensible. Both it and the bracelet are stored under constant guard in another area when not in use."

"This is certainly a more advanced set up than the one you had back when I talked to Luna last year." Nixon said.

Gilruth replied. "Yes, Mr President. It took some time and effort to set up the relay to the LRL from the main feed to mission control, but it has been more than worth the effort. While not as good as face to face communication, being able to get feedback from Luna on various projects has sped up the work considerably, according to the good doctors here. Of course, it's only temporary, as soon as Luna is brought down to Earth it will be decommissioned."

"Speaking of that talk you had, Mr President, Luna did record a message for you before she went to sleep." Dr Sagan added, moving over to the video recorder, and setting the tape mounted on it to play back onto the TV. Gilruth went to the panel of light switches by the door and switched off the lights at the projector end of the room. An image lit up and sharpened into a stark, bright view of the lunar landscape, with the descent stage of Intrepid still sitting on it's landing pad in the background, contrasting with the bright colours of the US flag next to it.

Luna stood there, minus her saddlebags, but wearing her conical Kapton foil hat and a Kapton foil blanket across her back, covering her wings. Traceries of silvery runesets were just barely visible against the shining gold of the material in the brilliant sunlight that shone down from high in the sky, as it was approaching local lunar noon. When she spoke, her voice was different, her English had an indefinable accent, an almost musical tone to it. Nixon quickly realised this was because she was not using her translator.

"Greetings, President Nixon. I must thank you for allowing your scientists and engineers to work with me so freely. After so long alone, to work on such stimulating puzzles and learn so many new things is a great joy. In return, I have done my humble best to assist them in better understanding magic and it's applications, and I hope I have given some measure of satisfaction. I will continue my own studies of your advanced sciences to enable myself to do so more effectively in the future.

"I must congratulate you on your own recent successes. I learned of the terrible conflict in Vietnam from the news broadcasts I received, and was at first shocked. While I was involved in several conflicts when we were first working to establish Equestria, none were as prolonged or brutal. It was clearly a war you inherited from your predecessors, and I am glad to see you are working to end it and bring peace. It can be no easy task, with such a legacy of violence on both sides. If there is any way in which I can help speed the process, you have only to ask, and I will provide what aid I can.

"As to my earlier promise, I have been working with you Doctor Dyson on magic countermeasures, to restrain my power should I fall once more. While magic restraining horn rings and shoes do exist, the main issue is crafting ones that can absorb my full mana output, especially once I am fully healed and return to my adult form. Similar runes can be used to make devices that can suppress active magic within an area, allowing for a room to provide containment, not just for myself, but for any magics that might prove a problem.

"Fortunately, I do not think such things will be needed, for myself at least. For the first time in a century or more, I feel... valued. The Nightmare was ripped from me by the Elements, and with my skills and services actually being called upon, to know that they are appreciated, even if my original malaise was not in part caused by some dark seed planted by a foul enchantment of Sombra, there is no well of ill feeling to create another.

"Nevertheless, Dr Sagan has had me speaking to a mind healer, psychologist, to bring to light any problems I may be hiding from even myself. Our time is limited at the moment by the many other calls on this means of communication, but I will continue to work with them more frequently once I am on Earth. Rest assured, I will continue to do everything in my power to repay your peoples' many kindnesses to me.

"Farewell, Mr President. I look forward to meeting you in person, when Sir James and his crew bring me to Earth, and may harmony guide you."

The video ended abruptly, and there was a moment of silence as the lights were brought back up.

"I see what you mean about her learning English, she got to that level in two months?" Nixon asked, sounding taken aback.

Sagan answered. "Wherever possible we've used English, plus she had other English language transmissions to listen to in her own time. She often came to us with a list of words to clarify. But yes, it is remarkable. Her recall is near eidetic, which makes sense if you consider that her body was adapted by magic to live for many centuries. To be able to even function after that long would require a far more efficent memory than humans have. And of course she is highly intelligent as well. The most surprising thing is her ability to make the necessary sounds, by comparison, Equestrian is hard on human throats. She may be using magic to aid her in modulating her voice, but it is clear she understands the words."

"The only other issue I can see is that she's seeing a psychologist. Some of the anti-Luna faction could spin that as her being unstable, especially after her original confession. I assume he's been vetted thoroughly, and sworn to secrecy above and beyond normal patient confidentiality?"

"Actually, it's she, Doctor Barbra Venmore." Director Gilruth said. "While the medical support for the Apollo program include psychologists, they are all men, and it was decided a female would be more effective, given Luna's surprisingly human mentality, and her lack of female contact otherwise. She came highly recommended by Doctor Grether, the Technical Director of the Behavioural Sciences Laboratory at Wright-Patterson. His team did the initial evaluations you received during that previous briefing. She has proven to be both discreet and highly capable so far."

"As long as she can keep her involvement under wraps, that's all that matters." Nixon stated. "How does it fit in with that list you gave me in the briefing anyway?"

Sagan answered, "We've mainly been fitting her sessions in within the language and cultural studies periods. It allowed Doctor Venmore to ask questions somewhat indirectly, and gave her better context for the answers."

They left the comunications room, Sagan locking it behind him. As they went back along the corridor, Sagan said, "The rest of the converted offices are being used in our pure theory work and cultural study efforts. While they are important, there is nothing much to demonstrate beyond the scenes from Luna's memories. While fascinating, they are probably not what you want to focus on. The practical thaumic development work is split between the astronaut quarantine section, the samples lab and the radiation lab. Dr Dyson can give you a better general overview."

The Crew Reception Area was behind airlock style double doors with a constant hum of a ventilator. "The quaraintine section and samples labs are sealed off from the outside, a precaution against any lunar microbes escaping, or terrestrial ones contaminating the samples. Though things have been relaxed somewhat as so far we've found no such contamination within the rocks or anything harmful from Luna."

As they entered the astronaut quarters, they moved directly to the medical section, which had clearly been expanded into a biological laboratory, with microscopes and cabinets full of jars and bottles as well as work benches and a number of animal cages. Several of the staff were there, including someone who looked familiar, but who Nixon couldn't place.

Sagan jogged his memory by saying, "Doctor Wilberforce, you may remember him from the initial briefing. His team did the primary testing on Luna's bio-samples, and he's been working firstly to discover any possible negative effects from biological exposure to thaumic energy, and then to characterise and test the biologically oriented thaumic effects; the preservation effect, the restful blanket effect and the components of the so-called battlefield healing effect."

"And they've proven remarkable!" Doctor Wilberforce exclaimed. "The preservation effect alone is revolutionary! The version we are using is a metastable effect rather than the limited duration one cast on the original vials. While it's active, it slows the speed of biochemical reactions by a factor of ten."

"I heard the term metastable before." Nixon interrupted, "Care to explain what that means in this case?"

"Certainly." answered Dyson. "We characterise effects in three categories for duration. Permanent, where the effect once created sustains itself with no further mana input, such as the Restful Blankets, Metastable, where an effect has can switch between an active or standby state, and Powered, where it requires a contant mana input to stay active. Many permanent effects can also be cast more cheaply as a limited duration version, where a fixed charge of quintessence is applied when the effect is created, and sustains it for as long as the charge lasts, or as metastable by adding a control runeset."

Wilberforce continued. "We started experimenting with common biological materials, and have more recently been experimenting with fruit flies and small animals. Initially our experiements were just bleeding off thaumic energy from an accumulator into a test chamber to expose the materials to raw thaumic energy. We even had a couple of human volunteers expose themselves once our initial test sequence showed no adverse effects on the animals. Of course we are still monitoring them, and the workers who regularly come into contact with thaumic energy.

"Once we were assured of the safety of using thaumic energy, we proceeded to testing the preservation effect. For materials it slows the rate of decay or activity, for creatures, it also slows their metabolisms and biological processes, even growth, and placing them in a torpor-like state."

He pointed to a cage of several guinea pigs, taped with several medical sensor pads, apparently sleeping. It was framed by an open fronted box which had shining runesets engraved in the walls. The medical sensors were plugged into recorders with spooling rolls of paper tape, recording the results with quiet scratching sounds.

"These guinea pigs have been sleeping for over fifty hours, and show no ill effects. Previous tests have been similarly promising. There are a vast number of possible applications, especially if this holds true for humans, though so far we have not had the resources to try. Setting up a proper long term test chamber is one of the things we hope to do now we have the funding."

"I'm sure you can explain some of them?" Nixon prompted.

"As a trivial example, it could replace or supplement refrigeration for foodstuffs, especially where they would normally require freezing, which damages the cell structures. A more practical use would be for blood, transplant materials and other medical treatments that have a limited shelf life, or as it was originally used, medical samples.

"But the real possibilities come from applying it to humans. Consider how many people with life-threatening but treatable injuries die on their way to the hospital every year, all because their condition deteriorated too quickly. That initial treatment period is sometimes called 'the Golden Hour', though in practice the window for intervention can be much shorter.

"An ambulance with a blanket or gurney that could generate a preservation effect would save hundreds of lives. And in many surgeries, the ability to slow metabolic effects and necrosis due to cutting of tissue or organs from their blood supply would be invaluable. Or cardiac arrest, where loss of blood flow and the oxygen carried can cause irreversable brain damage."

Director Gilruth added, "Thene there are the applications for manned space flight, which are of more direct interest to NASA."

At Nixon's questioning look he stated. "Interplanetary space flight, at least with our present technologies would take months. For example a Mars mission would require over a thousand days, six months each way, and over five hundred days on the planet to wait for the low energy 'window' that allows the vehicle to return with the least propellant expenditure. The outer planets required even longer travels durations.

"The use of cryogenics or other methods to allow astronauts to 'sleep' through the long cruising periods where no intervention is needed have been a common idea in science fiction, such as the hibernation pods in the film 2001. It saves on life support, since someone sleeping requires only about half the oxygen compared to being awake and consumables such as food, and avoids long periods of boredom, which can potentially be as much a killer as an asteroid strike. If the preservation effect plays out the way Doctor Wilberforce hopes, we could have a real world example."

"Didn't the people in 2001 die?" Nixon asked.

"Fortunately we're not Hollywood, and avoid designing systems that can be subverted by an insane artificial intelligence. Besides, this system would be inherently failsafe. Consider a pod which activates a limited duration preservation effect when an astronaut lies down to sleep, possibly with the addition of a restful blanket or direct sleep effect. It converts that 8 hour of normal sleep into 80 hours, followed by them waking up for a regular 16 hour work day. You limit the thaumic energy reserve so it will only activate for 80 hours at a time, and you build in a cut-out that is linked to the ship's instruments which will deactivate it immediately if they detect a problem.

"That adds up to an astronaut experiencing one work day for every four days of travel, and since it slows all biological processes, even aging, one full day for every four of real time. It also reduces total oxygen requirements by the same amount, beyond the reduced respiration rate when in torpor. If the effect can be increased to a factor of one hundred safely, the reduction would be one day in thirty four. That would turn that one thousand day Mars mission into just over a month of experienced time. In an emergency where you needed to stretch out limited life support, this could also be a life saver."

"Well don't start planning any Mars missions just yet." Nixon quipped. "Congress is unlikely to provide funding for another big space mission so soon after Apollo, let alone a more expensive one."

He didn't mention that he had been the one to reject any attempt at a Mars mission from the report that had been presented by the Space Task Group last year. He had also originally been looking at what else they could cut from the NASA budget, especially the manned space flight part of it, now that the primary mission of Apollo had been achieved, and Luna about to be retrieved. However it's renewed popularity, mostly due to Luna, was giving him second thoughts.

Gilruth didn't look particularly discouraged, "Then we will have to find ways to make it cheaper. But for now Doctor Wilberforce still has more to show you."

"Indeed I do!" Wilberforce exclaimed. "Fascinating as the preservation effect is, it pales in comparison to the Healing effect in importance. It is actually a composite of three effects, one that removes pain, one that cleans the injury of all debris and bacteria, and one that seems to hyper-accelerate tissue repair of the affected area. We have been testing the components as separate effects, and the results have been astounding!

"Firstly the pain relief effect, on it's own it's similar to the Restful Blanket effect, though in some ways simpler. Place the active device over or around the affected area, and pain sensations vanish, without affecting other senses. Remove it and sensation returns instantly. Also, unlike the Preservation effect, we can do limited human testing fairly simply. In fact..." He went over to a drawer, and removed a box from it.

"What's in the box?" Nixon asked.

"I'm tempted to say, 'Pain', but I don't know how many people would get the reference." Wilberforce stated, then grinned as he opened it. "It's a set of metal probes. They are normally used to measure loss of sensation due to nerve damage, but it is also ideal for testing the pain removal effect."

A medical cuff similar to the ones used in blood pressure testers, but covered in the familiar silvery rune patterns, followed the box. "We had this set up so you could see for yourself, or have one of your people verify it. I press on a fingertip with the probe, not hard enough to break the skin but enough to cause a painful sensation, first without the pain relief cuff, then with it so you can feel the difference. If you'll permit me, that is."

Nixon had not had a chance to interact with any of the artefacts from the missions, and this had him curious. "Go ahead then."

Doctor Wilberforce got him to rest his hand palm up on a table, wiped it and the one of the probes with a swab dipped in alcohol, and pressed the probe to his index fingertip. "Tell me when the sensation first becomes uncomfortable. There are no prizes for toughing it out."

He pressed down, and Nixon soon felt it, supressing an instinctive flinch reaction. Despite Doctor Wilberforce's warning, he held out until it started to go from uncomfortable to painful. "Okay, enough!"

Doctor Wilberforce withdrew the probe, and started fitting the cuff around his forearm, over his suit jacket. As it was pulled tight and the velcro strips engaged, Nixon felt an odd sensation, a pressure as if the cuff had filled with water for a moment, and the residual sting from the dent in his fingertip vanished. He let his hand be laid out as before.

"Now with the effect active." Doctor Wilberforce took up the probe again, and pressed on the fingertip next to where he had the first time, but this time, although Nixon could feel the pressure, his skin being pressed down, there was no pain.

"I'm pressing as hard as I was before, can you feel the difference?" Doctor Wilberforce asked.

"Yes, that's remarkable." Nixon was genuinely impressed, and showed it.

Wilberforce removed the probe. "We've had volunteers subject themselves to more significant levels of pain, electric shocks, below the level needed to cause damage, but more than enough to cause involuntary flinch reactions. With the cuff on, they didn't even react, though they could still feel different temperatures and textures. Luna is working out a version that is combined with a sleep effect to emulate a general anasthetic at our request.

"It adds up to an analgesic effect that can be switched on and off almost immediately, does not require a constant supply of medication or careful dosing, lacks the addictive risks of opiates, and has no effect on the other senses or mental faculties of the patient? Add to that the fact that this cuff was relatively simple and cheap to make, and uses a permanent effect that affects anything it's wrapped around? Even by itself it's incredibly valuable!"

He removed the cuff and put the tools away. "Similarly, the asepsis effect is revolutionary. While at base it's a development of that dust cleaning spell Luna used, the fact that it removes all debris from the wound is incredible, and it selectively removing harmful bacteria even more so. And it does so almost instantly. Conventional cleaning of a wound requires time and care, and antiseptic cleaners. Even then it's a best effort, we in part rely on the body's own immune and waste cleaning systems to deal with whatever you can't get at."

Wilberforce led the group through to a modest lounge area where an overhead projector had been set up, facing a whiteboard on the wall. He gestured for everyone to take seats, though he and the Secret Service men stayed standing. He switched on the OHP, and put a transparency of a microscope slide, with mysterious printed serial numbers and magnification factors around the edge. It was a mishmash of black dots, grains and semi-transparent hot-dog shapes.

"We did some experiments on simulated wounds, and then on some animal subjects. This is the control, sera taken from before..." He swapped the transparency, "... and after."

Most of the larger pieces of dirt were gone, and many of the bacteria gone or clearly damaged, but it was equally clear they hadn't all been removed.

"Compare this to cleaning the wound using the asepsis effect." Here the before picture was similar, but the after picture was almost clear.

"The only objects remaining are cell structures from the body of the subject. I can't stress how important that could be. Bacteria, like any other living thing evolve. While mutations are random, selection pressure is not. As we continue to increasingly use antibiotics and antiseptics, some biologists and medical researchers have started to worry that strains of bacteria might become more resistant to them. Then there are viruses, which are even harder to deal with. But this effect avoids that, Dr Dyson can explain why, better than I can."

Dyson stood up, and strode over by Wilberforce. "It's one of those semi-metaphysical concepts that tie into the idea of 'purpose'. At the very simplest level, the effect isn't targetting chemical bonds, but the concept of 'harmful bacteria'. The only way a species of bacteria can evolve to resist that is to become either neutral or commensural to the subject, at which point they are no longer a threat."

Wilberforce nodded. "Obviously this goes beyond simply cleaning wounds. It could potentially be targetted at specific diseases or substances in the bloodstream, even viruses. It could be applied to more efficient dialysis techniques that wouldn't require you to be hooked up to a machine for hours, or ensuring the quality of blood for transfusion. If you could place an entire room, or building under such an effect, it would make for a far safer hospital from a disease point of view. Though that would be more complicated to deploy."

Dyson clarified. "Like the de-dusting effect it's derived from, this effect is powered. Fortunately, it doesn't require much energy to maintain, at least at human scale. It does mean that a room or building would requre a dedicated thaumic power source. But a bandage or pad to clean a wound? That could have small crystals woven into it to store enough power for a sustained application, charged from a central store. The final effect, the actual healing, is far more power hungry."

"But capable of practically miraculous results." Doctor Wilberforce stated. "That isn't hyperbole. If a similar effect was performed by a person, I have no doubt it would be classified as a miracle and qualify them for sainthood. As it is, it is the least well tested of the effects, due to a lack of subjects to test it on, apart from some very limited animal testing. But we had a lucky, unlucky break, so to speak. one of the workers constructing photothaumic panels got their forearm soaked in hydrofluoric acid."

"We managed to keep the news in-house," Gilruth interjected, at Nixon's unspoken question. "In large part due to Doctor Wilberforce's work, and in part because of the security cordon the LRL is under. An internal review of hazardous material handling procedures was performed, additional training was mandated, and measures put in place to prevent a it happening again, but it was a genuine accident, caused in part because of the limited working spaces."

Wilberforce continued. "First aid was rendered almost immediately, removing the acid by extended washing and treating the affected area with calcium glutenate cream, but the acid was in contact with his skin for long enough to cause severe tissue damage over the hand and forearm, and large enough in area that there was a high risk of secondary effects, from chronic nerve pain to possible cardiac arrest.

"Normally, they would have immediately been transported to a full medical facility for advanced care, which might have included removal of the damaged tissue, but we had a fully charged tablet with the healing effect ready for testing. Applying it would only take a few moments, and from our testing we were certain that it would at least reduce the damage the hospital had to deal with."

He brought up another image on the OHP, a colour photo of a man's forearm, much of the hand and top surface greay and leathery, almost mummified. "The prognosis was not good, even with continuing treatment. At the very least he was looking at permanent partial loss of function, loss of sensation, reduced range of motion and heavy scarring, possibly chronic pain as well. Given the option to test the healing effect he agreed, even when the fact that it was highly experimental was made clear to him. The short notice meant we couldn't do a rigorous baseline physical or set up a movie camera, but we had the capability to take a series of photographs."

He started replacing photos on the OHP, one after another. The first was a slightly wider shot showing the injured arm resting on a table or other surface, and a thin slab of metal engraved with runesets and hooked to an odd looking cable with a wide flat pad on the end. "At this point we connected an accumulator."

The second showed the runesets lit up, and the grey, puffy tissue bulging up and cracking. The third showed the outer layer of skin sloughing away from the hand and arm, showing smooth skin underneath. The next few showed the damaged skin falling away, leaving an arm and hand that looked completely normal, surrounded by a shed layer of greyish tissue. The runes on the tablet were dark once more.

"As you can see, the results exceeded our highest expectations. Extensive testing was performed on the patient after the treatment, and showed that the healed arm had been fully restored, and was free of contamination. The effect grew new skin, tissue and even nerves, and simply ejected the necrotic tissue, pushing the remaining fluorine compounds into it. The process was painless, due to the pain relief effect, and took no more than twenty seconds. The only side effects noted were that after being healed, the patient was hungry despite having had a meal less than two hours before. Weight measurements before and after show he'd lost over 3 pounds in weight."

Wilberforce removed the last transparency and switched off the projector.

"However, powering it half drained an accumulator that had been charging for 12 hours from an array a dozen square yards in size. In order to deploy it on any large scale, we need better methods of powering or charging it. Even so, it is one of the more remarkable things I have seen in my career."

He looked directly towards Nixon. "I can't stress just how important these effects are. Any one of them is the equal of any major medical advance in history, on the same level as germ theory, vaccination, antibiotics or blood transfusion. If we never gained anything else from thaumic research, but can develop these techniques into a generally usable form, the Apollo program, no, the space program would have paid for itself.

"It would enable us to save lives, end human suffering on a scale that is hard to imagine. It's only a pity that Luna doesn't know any other healing effects, but her knowledge is that of a battlefield medic, from her time in combat. While she knows there were more focused and sophisticated healing spells, mostly developed in the Crystal Empire, it was not her field of expertise. But there may be non-medical effects we can adapt to medical purposes, such as the sleep effect.

"Our next step, one that is now possible thanks to the new funding, is to build some proper research facilities and rigourously test these effects, enable proper human trials, develop them into a practical form that can be widely used, and prove beyond doubt that there are no long term side effects or issues."

"Wait, you mean you're not sure?" Nixon exclaimed, thinking back to the pain relief demonstration.

"Oh no, all our existing research indicates that these effects are nothing but beneficial. They are, after all, results of a medical tradition that's considerably older than ours, and our testing has shown that species doesn't affect their efficacy. While quintessence as a form of energy is exotic beyond imagination, in it's raw form it has no effect on biology from every test we've made. And when directed through a runeset, or presumably a spell, it has only the specific effects that runeset is designed to evoke. For it to to do otherwise would be like your record player suddenly starting to shoot lasers.

"However, it's one thing to determine that these effects are safe and useful, it's another to demonstrate it at a level that will allow it to become a recognised treatment. We need to work with the NIH and FDA to develop a proper testing program, for that matter we need to do a lot of development work to work out the best way to deliver these effects in the first place, and what applications we focus on to start with. Something of an embarrassment of riches, so to speak."

Nixon was sincerely impressed, but he was also already considering the political possibilities, and pitfallls. Healthcare was a contentious subject at the best of times with the recent introduction of Medicare by the previous administration. These new therapies certainly sounded promising, but a lot of how they were received would be down to their price tag. Even so, the fast healing spell effect would almost certainly be a very popular, even if in limited use due to availabilty or cost.

With Vietnam still looming large in everyone's thoughts, a way to save soldiers gravely wounded on the battlefield would garner a lot of attention; the continual rise of motor crash deaths despite new safety measures, and industrial accidents, yes, it could be a very visible benefit from supporting Luna's integration, with positive outcomes both for the American people, and the administration that sponsored it. Even some of the groups who opposed Luna on various religous or political grounds might waver when faced with their own mortality.

Of the remaining effects, the pain relief one would likely be the most problematic, simply because it directly competed with existing pain relief drugs. The pharmacutical companies would not be happy at the impact on their bottom line, if this new therapy proved to be cheaper and more effective, and Wilberforce's description certainly suggested it was.

However, the idea appealed to him, a non-addictive painkiller with no mental side effects. Drugs had long been a personal bugbear of his, and he was only too aware of how medical painkillers and their precursors often ended up being diverted into 'recreational' uses. Anything that could cut down on the need for them was a good thing in his book.

The anti-dirt and disease spell might also affect production of antibiotics, but that was dependent on just how effective they could make it. However, with the recent scares over the safety of blood supplied by paid donors, a way to clean it, and secure America's blood supply could be a very welcome solution. Reduced disease rates in general would mean fewer and shorter hospital stays, which could only reduce the demands on Medicare and Medicaid.

On the whole, the political down sides to continuing development of these effects were outweighed by the advantages. He could see several angles to boost the administration's approval rating, not to mention that it could be a fairly safe 'carrot' to use in future international diplomacy. And there was the genuine good it could do as well.

"I have to agree. Developing these techniques for more general use would be of great benefit to the United States, for all mankind even. Expedite your development work, and if you run into any hold ups with the NIH or FDA, we'll see if a some presidential pressure clears any blockages."

"Thank you Mr President!" Wilberforce replied gratefully.

"If you'll come this way, sir, we have some other projects you may find interesting." Dyson said. "Including at least one other that would take relatively little development work to provide another life saving device."

"Lead on then." Nixon followed the scientists out of the astronaut section, and into the high ceilinged workshops of the lunar samples laboratory.

Author's Note

Well, it looks like once again I have underestimated just how much my characters had to say. I didn't find out Luna had left a message for Nixon until they were in the comms room, and I didn't expect Doctor Wilberforce to wax quite as lyrical as he did.

I suspect it will take at least one more chapter to finish off this little visit, but at least my muse seems to be cooperating in getting them out at a reasonable rate for once.

I am not entirely happy with this chapter, as it has a lot of tell, to relatively little show, but I intend for the next and final chapter of Nixon's visit to the LRL to have at least a bit more of a demonstration focus.

For anyone wondering, the healing spell they're geeking out about is roughly equivalent to the basic Cure Wounds spell in 5th edition D&D. Something any 1st level cleric, paladin or bard can cast. Of course, in a world without magic it is rather more impressive. And in canon we've had main characters recover from crippling injuries in days (Rainbow Dash in 'Read it and Weep'), which really shouldn't be possible without some sort of enhanced healing effect.

Magic Inc. Part 3

The Lunar Samples laboratory had a far more industrial feel with its two story, semi-open plan construction. Rectangular fluorescent light fittings hung down on cables from the roof, and areas were partitioned off with dividers, or broken up by machinery. A few people were visible, some in labcoats, masks and bouffant caps, others in business casual wear. The smell of metal, electricity and a faint scent of acid hung in the air, and there was the muted chatter and clatter of science being done. The visible people, on seeing the party enter, stopped what they were doing and stood in the classic pose of people who didn't know if they were supposed to be standing to attention or not.

Doctor Sagan said, "Rather than have some sort of formal presentation of the people here, we thought it best if you saw what we normally do. We have a number of ongoing experiments that need continuing attention."

Nixon took the cue. "By all means, let them get on with it."

Dismissed, the scientists and technicians went on their somewhat relieved way, while one of the business suited people came over.

Gilruth introduced him. "This is Joseph Piland, the manager for the LRL. He keeps everything around here running, and was project manager when it was constructed. When we had to rebuild things to deal with the additional work on Luna, and then thaumics development, he was the one to turn to."

"It's an honour to meet you, Mr President." Piland said, in a deferential tone.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what you have for me." Nixon replied.

"Well first, we have the section where new photothaumic panels and other thaumic components are being manufactured. It was the single biggest problem to find space for, as we are continuing our normal sample analysis work on top of everything else. We had to replace some of the sample vacuum chambers."

They went to a partition where a teltale light shone red over the closed door, a green one dark beside it, and a speaker box sat at head height beside the door. Through windows, they could see a compact workshop with machine tools, benches and large sealed rectangular tanks with overhead winch mechanisms. There were even a couple of crucibles and an area lined with thermal tiling containing a sealed oven. Numerous dire signs and hazard striped safety cupboards completed the scene. Though Nixon did notice some marks on the door, as if something had been attached to it with scotch tape.

Several workers inside were in full hazard gear. One was working at a machine tool, using a jig to inscribe something on a strip of metal, while two others were working at a tank, activating the winch to lift a sheet out of it, still dripping. Another was working on polishing the surface of a panel with a polishing wheel. Two other panels sat on a bench, each about two feet by three. There were also several foot high hexagonal crystals, one banded and capped at both ends with metal.

"We're currently working on expanding the photothaumic array on the roof. One panel has just had it's runesets etched, and will now be moved to a cleaning tank to have the remaining acid washed off and the mask dissolved away. Then it will be ready for inlaying with a film of molten aluminium. Another is having the excess aluminium polished away to leave just the runes. We have a panel ready to be activated in the next room."

They moved along to a second, smaller room, which had a couple of drafting tables along the edges, along with some large office machines and a couple of heavily armoured safes visible through the window. Another table was up against the wall the window was in, with one of the panels on it on a raised stand. It was close enough that you could clearly see the repeating patterns of fine silvery runesets on the surface against the grey of the titanium back panel, which was visible through the eighth inch of lead crystal separating them.

A man was standing there in clean room gear with one of the metal capped hexagonal crystals in one hand, but this crystal glowed with an internal white light, visible even under the fluorescents lighting the room. Piland went over to the door where there was another speaker box. Pressing a button he said, "Proceed when ready."

Dyson spoke. "The glow isn't generated by magic, it's due to a change in the crystal structure caused by the presence of quintessence. The light actually comes from the ambient light being concentrated. So you can see, this thaumic accumulator is fully charged."

The man, moving over to the table, clearly seeing his audience, placed the accumulator on the panel at one end. A rainbow diffraction pattern flowed out from it through the glass, like the shine of a cut glass decanter being turned in a light, runesets glowing in sympathy as it washed over them. It was quickly followed by a black sheen, as if someone was mixing ink into the glass. In just a few seconds the entire surface was matt black, like a rectangular hole in the universe.

"Looks like the runesets laid down correctly. He'll test it to check mana output all the same."

The man put down the accumulator and checked a device the size of a cigarette case with a metal cable that disappeared under the panel. Pressing a recessed symbol on the box, he nodded when a screen that took up most of the rest of the surface glowed an even white. He made some notations on a clipboard that rested on the table, checking some numbers and turned his attention to a sheet of labels, writing date, time and a matching number on two of them, and an area beside them. He peeled it off and carefully placed it on one corner of the panel where the black was absent, laying it down carefully.

Off to one side was a roller device which had clear, plastic film peeling off through a dispenser. The dispenser was wide enough to cover the panel across it's width, and he expertly laid down a sheet of the film on the black surface, taking care to avoid ripples or flaws. Trimming it with a craft knife, he checked his work and the still glowing teltale on the device, before removing the cable, which terminated in a plug similar to a doctors stethoscope, if the bowl of the stethoscope was a quarter inch thick and inscribed with runes. The finished panel went into a padded sleeve, and the duplicate label was attached to the outside. The whole thing went into one of the safes.

Piland said, "Each panel is mounted on a steerable, two axis mount that allows it to follow the sun for most of the day. We also have floodlights that cover the roof through the night. Not only are they a part of the 24 hour security monitoring, but they provide enough light to continue to generate quintessence. When this panel and the others you saw being made are all completed and the mounting hardware set up on the roof, they will be added to the array."

"And where do you build the mounts?" Nixon asked.

"We don't sir, we buy them in from outside suppliers, along with the blanks for the panels. A speciality company makes those to order, under a confidential contract. Not that the blanks tell anyone anything about the design. You understand, we only have space to do the critical manufacturing stages, the ones that involve the runesets or enchanting them, sorry, activating them."

"If I understand correctly, the panels are the most critical part of the whole deal, generating this mana, or quintessence. I assume you have more security keeping them safe than just labelling them."

"We do have other measures in place, but I can't talk about them in an open area." Piland said, then added, "Sorry, sir."

Nixon gave a look to him and the others that indicated he wanted an explanation later, but nodded. "And the sign on the workshop door, the one someone took down?"

"Sign?" Piland blanched, looking guilty, then sighed, "It was a joke by one of the draftsmen. It was drawn in the style of an illuminated manuscript, labelled 'Beware, Wizards Workshop. Here be dragons and all manner of hazards'. It did serve a useful purpose, laying out the new rules we instituted after the accident, though in an archaic style, reinforcing the standard signs. Obviously we took it down for your visit."

"No to need on my account." Nixon said, putting him at ease. "I can see that would be more likely to stick in the memory than plain instructions."

"I'll have it put back up. For now I need to check on the other preparations. With your permission sir?" Piland waited until Nixon nodded, then left the group.

Dyson took over. "For now we have a number of demonstrations set up to show you some of the thaumic effects Luna already taught us about in action."

They moved through the laboratory to another partitioned off area, split up into several sections. The first was centred around a large glass case on a table, with humming machinery underneath. Holes with gloves fitted in them and sealed doors allowed access to the interior. Inside it was a beaker resting on a heat resistant mat which had a band of runes on a metal strip around the base, and was hooked via a metal stranded cable to the now familiar capped hexagonal prism of a thaumic accumulator. However this one was no bigger than a can of soda, and had a dimmer glow.

The accumulator itself had some sort of sensor attached to it, feeding to a desktop meter on a shelf outside the glass case. Several other sensors were attached to the surface of the beaker, and one probe was held by a rubber gripper on a lab stand, and poked right down into the bottom of the beaker. Each had their own matching meter outside. Two researchers were monitoring them, recording measurements as they checked a timer.

The contents of the beaker were just some clear liquid, though there wasn't any visible meniscus. There did appear to be some sort of surface layer, and a thin layer of still mist on top, like dry ice. There was also a taped label, 'Do not touch! Freezing Hazard!'

Dyson said, "The fluid in the container is liquid nitogen, cooled by the thaumic cooling effect to well below it's boiling point..." he checked one of the readings, "... currently 70 degrees kelvin or minus 333 degrees farenheit. Hard to believe, but the beaker is removing heat as fast as the surroundings replace it. Normally the beaker would be bubbling and giving off plumes of condensed water and even some CO2 vapour. But here the surface is still enough that a thin solid crust of both ice and dry ice has formed, along with a static boundary layer of sublimated CO2. In fact, gentlemen, please demonstrate the control."

One of the researchers brought out a second beaker and mat from a cupboard under a workbench, and placed it well away from the experiment. Then he put on thick gloves and brought what looked like an overweight thermos flask out. Handling it with the sort of caution one normally uses for unexploded bombs, he partly unscrewed the lid, and poured some of the contents from a built in spout into the new beaker. The clear liquid started bubbling and frothing as soon as it landed in the beaker, quickly sending up clouds of vapour.

"That is what liquid nitrogen should be doing in these conditions."

"Impressive, I agree, but what is the purpose of this experment beyond demonstrating this cooling effect works?" Nixon asked.

"We are trying to characterise thaumic power consumption for the effect against several variables. Volume of liquid, molar mass, surface area of container, relative temperature, that's why it's in a temperature controlled enclosure, absolute temperature; the idea is to work out relationships and how difficult it is to sustain a particular set of conditions. It will be key to working out how much power is needed it for a particular practical application, as well as possibly giving us further insight into how the process works.

"There are multiple themocouples attached to the outside of the beaker, and one in the liquid. While we still have no way to measure mana flow directly, we can monitor the discharge rate of the accumulator. A photocell detects the light level, giving us a relative rate of power drain. We are still trying to determine unit quantities for both quintessence and mana, analogous to electric charge and current, or energy and power.

"Part of the problem is trying to relate it to conventional energy, as different effects seem to produce variant mundane power outputs for the same mana flow, including some where the maximum possible solar energy used to generate the mana is less than the mundane power equivalent the mana produces. We already knew from our tests that thaumics frequently treats mundane conservation laws as mere guidelines, but it makes fitting it into more conventional physics awkward at best. All we can do at the moment is test and measure, and gather data."

"I would have thought Luna would have been able to help there." Nixon said.

"We have been teaching her thermodynamics, Equestria's version is far less developed than ours, and I suspect it's been retarded in part because thaumic energy interactions do not necessarily follow the principle of conservation of energy. They've also never needed to quantify mana, as they are effectively self-generators, and they are either powerful enough to create effects or not. They measure the effects, such as the wing-power of a pegasus, or the amount an Earth-pony can lift, or whether a unicorn can cast a spell effect or not, but not the actual mana flow required. However, Luna was quite taken with the idea, and is already working on ways to do so."

"Anyway, so far the results are promising." Dyson walked round glanced over the instruments. "The current experiment is maintaining a temperature over 300 degrees below freezing in the beaker vs 68 degrees outside it. The small accumulator charges to full capacity in just over an hour from a single panel, and has been maintaining the effect for two and a half hours, and is about forty percent discharged. Normally it would require a specialised refrigeration system the size of a washing machine or a completely sealed dewar flask, and even then there would be some boil-off."

He led the party into the next partitioned section, which had several experiments running. Dyson indicated the first one, sitting on a work bench.

"Here, we're testing variations on the de-dusting effect. It's another powered effect, partly at least, so it requires a thaumic power source. Power consumption increases with mass moved and area, but doesn't care about how deeply ingrained the particles are, only that they're discrete. Chemically bound particles can't be moved though. However, the total power consumption is very low for the basic effect, which we've completed initial testing on."

Nixon noticed a device on a low shelf, a wheeled box with a vacuum cleaner nozzle on a short tube feeding up and over into it. A handle was mounted on a spar that was currently folded down. It had various attachments built into it that he recognised from the cooling experiment. "What is that? It looks like some sort of vacuum cleaner."

"That's because it was built using parts from one, a testbed I designed for an experiment. Actually, when I said the de-dusting effect was powered, I was simplifying. It actually has two components which work together, the powered component that moves dust out of the protected volume, and a static component that acts as a barrier to new dust entering the volume. With the cast spell, the second part ultimately fades due to leakage, but with runesets it's permanent, or near enough. This only implements the powered component, and adds a couple of enhancements.

"Rather than pushing the dust out of the volume directly below the nozzle in all directions, it directs it in through the nozzle and into the box. It was partly to see if the effect components could be split, how far the effect would lift the dust against gravity, and if increasing the maximum particle size affected was possible, though that was quickly shown to require an exponential amount of power, ineffective for particles above a grain of rice in size. It was surprisingly effective otherwise, no noisy fan or power cable, not clogs or loss of efficiency due to the dust bag filling up, as the suction comes from an open section of tube. If it didn't run on the world's rarest power source, it would be ideal for housework."

"The Dyson vacuum cleaner. Cleans dust like magic." Nixon quipped and got a polite laugh.

The first bench had a curious arrangement, a metal funnel that had a hopper at the top and two spouts splitting from the base of it, all held up by a stand, and connected to a wired-up accumulator. Two beakers at the bottom held powder, one white and one red, and streams from the funnels were adding to them. A technician was adding pink powder into the funnel. He noted the time and readings on the meter attached to the accumulator on a clipboard. Dyson explained.

"This is one variation of a concept we're testing, adding a filter term to the arithmancy. The powder is half red and half white coloured chalk. Normally it would be almost impossible to separate them, but by setting up the effect to push the material different directions depending on the colour... well, you can see for yourself. We've also been testing separating a mixed solution of materials."

Here the equipment was more like a chemistry set, with flasks and a pumping arrangement that was passing a liquid from a tank into a device that looked to be across between a lawn sprinkler and a musical instrument. Fluid circulated through a metal tube that circled round with two angled upward spouts dribbling steams into flasks, fed by the pump. The liquids in the flasks had different colours, one straw yellow, the other a deep blue.

"Describing arithmantic filter terms for chemical compounds is involved, but a logical progression of their terminology of alchemy. Equestrian chemisty describes many elements and understands valency, though they did not yet have a comprehensive periodic table. It may be why their elemental transmutation experiments tended to be hit and miss. Without a proper understanding of isotopes, their spell effects were basically brute forcing the changes, and soaking the excess energy was sometimes problematic.

"Anyway, each section is typed to divert a different chemical compound into it's feeder pipe and block others. The industrial applications are obvious, many processes require separating materials from a feedstock, usually through a series of chemical reactions under various conditions of temperature and pressure, requiring a lot of power. Whereas we've been able to separate chemicals accurately and completely at room temperature. As you can see for yourself."

The technician who was monitoring the experiment, at an indication from Sagan, drew fluid the beakers into several separate test tubes. He then took a pipette of some other chemical from a bottle, and dropped some of the chemical into one of each of the test tubes. The blue one turned milky while the other stayed clear. The test was repeated with a different chemical, and this time the yellow fluid turned red, while the blue was unaffected.

"As you can see, there is no trace of any other chemical in the filtered solutions, otherwise you would have seen a reaction in both. While the process requires more power than the basic effect, it's not a vast amount more. Although some of the specific descriptive elements of the runesets change, conceptually it is all based around a common principle, generating and directing a flow of particles. We believe in theory it could be equally applied to molten materials, or even high temperature plasma. Though we also came up some more humble, but useful applications."

The device he showed them was set back on a bench, a flared square funnel feeding into a clear container the size of a cereal box. A cut out corner section at the base had a downwards feeding tap above a coaster, and above it in the overhanging part, a diagonal runic plate with a gap in the centre. The plate was connected to an accumulator, and separating the tap from the rest of the box. The bottom of the container was filled with water, and had a tray with a crust of off-white gunk streaking it.

Dyson set a glass under the tap, and brought up a jerry can from under the bench to pour into the funnel and top up the box. The water flowing from it was slightly discoloured and cloudy. He turned the tap and water flowed into the glass, but this was clear as the glass itself. The water was swirling at the diagonal plate, partly flowing through, partly flowing down into the sump. When the glass was full, he turned off the tap.

"This water was drawn from the sea shore this morning. The thaumic filter only allows pure H2O through, everything else is diverted into the sump, which has a tray we can remove. It is an example of only using the 'passive barrier' component of the effect in an application. The result, pure, potable water, no salt, not dirt, no germs or micro-organisms, desalination, filtration and purification, all in one go." He held up the glass and took a sip, then filled another glass, offering it to Nixon.

"Desalination is not a new idea, but it is very power hungry, as it either requires boiling the water to distil it, or more recently developed, using high pressure pumps to force it through a porous membrane, called reverse osmosis, which so far only produces marginal yields anyway. You can use solar power to heat the water with big parabolic mirors, or power the pumps with photovoltaics, but the overall efficiency and complexity of the hardware has limited it's use, especially on a large scale, or in poor areas.

"This is far more power efficient, since it only needs the initial thaumic power input to set up the static barrier, and will maintain it afterwards almost indefinitely. It is also very simple in manufacturing terms, simply a metal plate with stamped runes. Unlike reverse osmosis filters, it also operates at normal pressures, like this gravity fed design, it doesn't clog or wear out, and it deals with everything from salt to dirt to germs in one operation. It could be scaled up to any flow rate you wanted very cheaply, and only needs some method of pumping water into the system, tidal pumps even.

"In fact, if it could be deployed on a worldwide scale, it would probably save more lives than even the healing effects. Even in America, right here in Texas, it could be a life saver. After all, there was the drought here at the start of the fifties, and throughout the East Coast only five years ago. I'm not saying there aren't engineering problems, such as dealing with the run-off materials, powering the pumping system, building pipelines on a large scale, but they are problems that can be solved with conventional technology."

Nixon had cautiously taken a sip of the water in the glass, and found it tasteless, but in a good way. He could see the potential of this application for himself, and the main problem. "But it would require allowing wide distribution of a thaumic technology, allowing anyone to copy it."

"Let them." Dyson's answer was surprising. "Like the healing effect, it has only one use, cleaning water, and working back from those specific rune sets to the thaumic and arithmantic principles would require so much knowledge of thaumics, that they would be able to design one from first principles. Once the rune sets are empowered, the quintessence is unavailable for any other uses. We've brainstormed this, and believe it would be about as safe a test case for distribution of thaumic technology as we can imagine."

As Dyson led the party through to the next section, Nixon considered it. People on the East coast and Midwest still remembered the drought during the first half of the sixties. Being able to deliver water security to at least parts of the country would be a massive vote winner, if they could deliver what Dyson claimed. Deploying something like this internationally, especially in Africa and the Middle East, would be a far trickier proposition politically, but an incredible coup for international relations if it could be done without compromising their head start in thaumic technology.

But more than that, the fact that it wasn't just desalination, but complete purification, aligned with a proposal he had his administration working on to propose to Congress, a comprehensive 37 point plan to deal with environmental pollution, one component of which was water polution. While it wouldn't be a magic bullet. a cheap and efficient method of water filtration would synergise nicely with the overall goals of the plan.

"Definitely something to continue developing, I agree. Could it be used to clean up water pollution in the field?"

"With some modification, yes." Dyson stated. "It was one of the possibilities I mooted during my speech to the Appropriations Committee. It might need a powered component to divert pollutants into a catchment area, but in theory it could be set to clean out specific materials from a volume of water and leave fish and even microscopic life alone."

"That is something we can certainly use in the near term. Make sure that's one of the applications you focus on for further development."

They had arrived at the next bay, which had one of the glovebox vacuum chambers, set up with the standard hatch replaced by a larger, more complex one, ringed with runesets. A vacuum pump whirred away underneath. But Dyson first led them over to a bench where a square frame with runesets was mounted, in front of a spray device. A film camera was focussed on it, as well as several other devices, including an anemometer, set up on the opposite side of the frame.

"You'll probably be interested in this then," Dyson said, "since it basically does for gasses what the other plate does for liquids."

The technician at this station turned on the sprayer, which was connected to an air pump, and a spray of smoke jetted out, hitting the empty air in the centre of the frame and bouncing, spreading out. However the anemometer spun, showing that air was going through.

"It only passes oxygen and nitrogen molecules. Ideal for containing toxic fumes or filtering exhausts from power plants. And best of all..."

He moved up and pushed his hand through the frame. "It doesn't block solid objects, only gasses and vapours. We're also testing versions that are designed to reject gasses above or below a certain temperature. Protection against the heat of a fire is one potential application, environmental shielding another."

He moved over to the vacuum chamber and opened the hatch, which had a visible label with Grumman Aerospace Corporation on it. "And this hatch, which is identical to the model used on the Lunar Module, has been modified with a permanent barrier effect that stops all gasses passing through it. This chamber is depressurised down to a high vacuum, but the pressure containment field extends enough that the hatch can be opened safely. We've been testing it extensively to see how robust and stable it is. The answer is very, we've had more leakage from the seams of test chamber. The test sequence is finished, however, we've kept it in operation for demonstration purposes."

He put on a heavy looking glove from a work bench, and picked up the glass of water he'd carried from the desalination device and a thermometer which he placed in it. "Water at room temperature and normal atmospheric pressure is too cold to boil as the vapour pressure of water, that is the pressure water vapour exerts at that temperature, is around 3 percent of the ambient air pressure."

He moved across to the vacuum chamber and placed the glass inside. Froth started to form on the surface, followed by bubbling and boiling, but the clearly visible thermometer remained around 70 degrees farenheit, even dropping several degrees in a few seconds.

"But in vacuum, the external pressure is lower than the vapour pressure, so water can vapourise. Of course, that takes energy, and as we're not heating it, it draws the energy from the remaining water, lowering the temperature."

"Or more simply." He took an empty plastic bottle with a screw lid from the bench and placed it beside the boiling glass. Even as it went through the hatch it started to swell up, and seconds after he released it, it ruptured soundlessly, leaving a split and distorted shell.

"I can see why you wore the glove." Nixon commented, "You could lose a hand!"

"Actually, the human body is tougher than that, it can resist that level of pressure with only some swelling, but yes, low pressure exposure is not fun. It's why we're looking to add these... atmospheric containment barriers to Apollo 13 and all the future Apollo missions, not to replace the conventional hatches but to supplement them. We've tested them with electronics, magnetic fields, even radiation, and confirmed there is no effect either way, as well as having volunteers sit in close to them for extended periods of time with before and after medical screenings. No detectable issues were found."

Dyson sealed removed the test articles and sealed the hatch. "This sort of barrier may also be a stepping stone to the blast shield and particle screen components of an atomic bomb shield, just as the photothaumic panels are a starting point for the radiation screen. But that development will have to wait for Luna to be here to lead the research."

They moved through a short corridor formed by partitions to a more open area. Over to one side was a gantry structure reaching up to the second story, with a platform at the top and a thick mat underneath. A man in a harness wearing a jumpsuit and a helmet stood at the top, and two film cameras covered the area. There was a cable attached to the harness which ran out to an overhead spar beyond the platform, but it hung in a loose curve below his waist. A technical crew was preparing some sort of test.

"We've been developing our own smaller versions of the 'Featherfall amulet' Luna created, with her help, one scaled for a human. We've also tested the full sized one Luna provided by dropping a mass simulator from the back of a C130 Hercules cargo transport into the water, several times. As with everything Luna makes, it worked to specification, the loads fell as if they were under an invisible parachute, exactly as designed.

"We're still in the early stages of testing a personal version, a Personal Thaumic Arrestor Device, or PTAD, making sure the device is reliable and reduces terminal velocity suffciently. We also intend to duplicate the original device as a cargo version, or CTAD, scaled for larger loads, initially 10,000 lb, a standard air cargo pallet. Our current test sequence is trialling different levels of gravity compensation against terminal velocity, and ground impact."

He walked over to the crew and spoke to them for a moment, then came back. "They're ready to do the next test. The jumper is Major Michael Dermott, a parajumper and instructor supplied to us from the 38th Rescue Squadron, an expert skydiver and parachutist. He will activate his PTAD as he steps off the platform. Cameras are recording the drop so we can analyse the descent profile."

The group turned to watch, and a moment later, Major Dermott stepped off the platform, tapping a metal badge on his harness as he did so. He started falling, but no faster than a party balloon, taking several seconds to reach the ground. The cable let out after him, but it was clear from way it hung that it was doing nothing to support him. He landed, knees slightly bent with no more effort than someone jumping off a tall step.

"It's another powered effect, but one that uses very little actual power. A small storage gem no bigger than a dime built into it can give more than 30 minutes of support for something the size of a human. In practice it would probably be returned to some charging point after each use."

"And I assume there are reasons for using it instead of a normal parachute?" Nixon asked.

"Several. Firstly, even the smallest parachute is far more bulky than a PTAD. Unlike a parachute, someone could wear it anywhere there was a risk of falling. Not just because of the size, but because there would be no risk of fouling, and it can deploy almost instantly, in just the first few feet of descent, rather than needing the hundred plus feet a conventional parachute does. It could even be set to trigger automatically if it detected it was falling for more than a couple of seconds. But the biggest advantage is for larger loads. As Director Gilruth can tell you, parachutes do not scale well. It's not just that they need to be bigger, the deployment of the rigging is more complex, and the risk of failure is greater."

"That's true, the parachute system for the Apollo command module was one of the more complicated components to get right. The scaling problem is why we have three smaller parachutes rather than a single larger one." Gilruth agreed. "Even then, we use a water landing for a reason, the terminal velocity is still fast enough that impacting the ground risks injuring the crew. From what Luna has said, and Dr Dyson's experiments confirm, with the CTAD all you need is enough power to sustain the effect for the mass of the payload and desired degree of gravity cancellation.

"Potentially it could be used to support payloads in the hundreds of tons, such as a used rocket stage, allowing a soft landing and possible re-use. On a wider scale, it could be added fairly easily to the airframe of an airplane or helicopter, to mitigate the impact of a crash landing, and raise the survival chances of the passengers and crew. We are going to be testing it with one of the Apollo Command Module boilerplates with an eye to integrating it into the Apollo 13 CM and all subsequent ones, as a backup to the existing parachutes."

"It certainly sounds promising," Nixon said, "But I'd like to get an opinion from the person who used the system."

He walked over to where Major Dermott was removing his harness, and talking to one of the technicians.

"Major Dermott?"

Dermott turned, and immediately sprung to attention, giving the President an Air Force salute. "Sir!"

"At ease son," Nixon said. "I wanted to find out what someone who's used this PTAD gadget thinks of it."

The parajumper relaxed into a parade rest, and stated, "The short answer is, it works just as advertised sir. I was sceptical at first, but I've done dozens of simulated jumps with it, and it performs exactly the way it's supposed to. It even supports you more evenly, as if you're floating in water rather than hanging from the harness. I can't wait until I can go up in a plane and test it for real.

"I know we could have used them during my tour in 'Nam sir. A parachute can be giant 'shoot-me' sign, especially as you have to deploy it well clear of any obstructions, but with one of these babies," he tapped the amulet which was mounted on a wrist strap, flush to the skin, "I reckon we could have dropped to just above tree height, popped it and still landed safely, without giving a large, easily spotted signpost for Ch... the enemy."

"So you're not worried about the fact that it uses such an untested power source? Or that you can't see it's ready for use?"

"Testing is why I'm here, sir, and I trust these guys, and Luna. They know their stuff. As for knowing it's ready, for now I see them top up the amulet before every test, and they're talking about adding a widget you tap, and the colour it glows tells you how much charge it has left. Not to mention you can test it by jumping off a step, which you can't do with a parachute."

"I see, carry on then, and good work." Nixon nodded, and came back to the group.

Dyson led the party away from the gantry area.

"We aren't doing any further testing of the adhesion effect at the moment," he explained, "but that's because we don't have the needed heavy-duty test equipment, a tensile testing machine with several tons loading. The effect bonds surfaces at least as effectively as the most powerful conventional adhesives, and it works on anything solid, even the most rough or dissimilar surfaces. In previous tests one of the two materials broke before the binding layer did, where we could even apply enough force to cause a break.

"We are still working on examining some of the broken surfaces to try and determine how the bond is formed, but our results so far are inconclusive, other than it's not promoting conventional electro-chemical bonds. Being able to turn it on and off rather confirms that. However, we're confident enough that we know how to reproduce the effect that we are using it in the plugs for thaumic cabling, and a number of other places."

"Though we do have one more demonstration for you," Dyson stated, as they moved towards the rear part of the samples lab.

Author's Note

Okay, this is the first half of what was originally going to be a single chapter, but which ballooned out of control as I tried to cover all the topics involved. Even splitting it in two, they are still two of the longest chapters in the story.

I'd hoped to have them out in September, but real life intervened. I hope people find it worth the wait.

Magic Inc. Part 4

The area Nixon was led to was long and relatively narrow, an afterthought space that may well have been for utilities. It had been cleaned up, and a table at one end had a number of objects on, such as a bowling ball, a foot high statue of a gnome, a cardboard shoe box, and several others. At their end, a smaller table had a sealed case, with an airman standing guard over it. Dyson unlocked and opened the case to reveal the contents.

It looked like a large flashlight that had extra controls. At one end of the foot long cylinder, a cut-out showed the presence of a D-cell battery-sized thaumic accumulator that glowed brightly with a full charge, and near the other end, in front of the obvious grip, there were two push buttons flanking a rocker switch, currently in a neutral position. If you held the grip, it was clear you could reach the controls with your outstretched thumb. There was also a large, unfriendly arrow painted on it, pointing away from the accumulator.

"This is one of our most sophisticated designs so far, we've only had it working a few weeks. Mr President, please pick it up, arrow pointing away from you."

"It won't give me a shock or anything?" Nixon asked, slightly wary of the mysterious device.

"No shock, but maybe a surprise." Dyson stated, smiling. Nixon picked it up, finding it solid but no heavier than a similar sized flashlight. Dyson was clearly going for a big reveal. While Nixon normally had little time for mysteries, he was willing in this case to allow Dyson his moment of theatre.

"Please press and hold down the left button sir." Nixon did so, and a small bright circle of blue light appeared on the far wall, in line with the axis of the device.

"Nice flashlight" Nixon quipped.

That got a chuckle from the group, and Dyson replied, "A coherent beam of monochromatic light from a thaumic light emitter, effectively a low power laser, but that is just the targetting system. Move the light to focus on one of the objects, and release the button."

Nixon did so, choosing the bowling ball. As he released the button, the circle of light disappeared, replaced by a glowing light blue aura that enveloped the ball. A similar aura flickered and played around the end of the projector. He recognised the effect, if not the colour, this was a similar aura to the one that had enveloped the objects Luna had lifted in view of the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 video cameras.

He slowly moved the end of the projector upwards, and with no more resistance than when it was projecting the light spot, it rose, and the bowling ball rose with it. "Blackstone eat your heart out!"

As Nixon moved the projector back and forth, the bowling ball followed, though he noticed it would take a few seconds to catch up if he swung the device too quickly. "What does the middle one do?"

"It moves the object held towards or away from you." Dyson explained. "It's applying an accelerating force, so you need to push the near side to start it moving towards you and the far side to slow it down or start it moving away. Use short presses at first, and don't worry about it hitting you, there's a hard stop for the minimum distance between the projector and the object. That was actually one of the most complex factors to include."

Nixon somewhat gingerly followed the instructions, giving a brief press of the half of the rocker switch nearest him, and seeing the bowling ball start floating towards him, speeding up until he released the rocker. He quickly pressed the other end and the ball slowed down and started to drift away. It didn't take long to get the hang of the controller. He played with it for a few moments, then asked, "So how do I let go?"

"The right hand button releases the grip. Try to place the ball back on the table first."

It only took a moment to do what Dyson asked, and the bowling ball gave a thunk as the glow vanished and it dropped the last fraction of an inch onto the table.

"That's one heck of a party trick!" Nixon exclaimed, putting the device down. "How much can it lift?"

"It's rated for about 30 pounds of force, and configured to apply a baseline upwards force that just counters the downwards force of gravity. The remaining force is applied to keep the target in line with the projector axis, or in the case of movement along the axis, applying the force towards or away as the rocker switch is pressed."

"So good for getting a box of files from off a high shelf without a ladder, but I'm sure you have other ideas?"

"This is obviously just a prototype, and the force is limited. In theory, you could move far larger objects, at greater distances and speeds. Raise the force by a factor of 10, and it becomes and ideal search and rescue tool. Pick a man from the ocean or a cliff face where a rescue helicopter can't approach, lift away obstructions without having to risk getting caught under them, the possibilities are endless. Or in space, moving objects around outside a spacecraft, satelites or even other astronauts. Scale it up further and you have a classic sci-fi tractor beam; move tons of cargo around, or lift entire vehicles out of a hazard."

Dyson made sure the projector was secured back in the case, and led Nixon and the others away, back past the workshops they'd first visited. Nixon noted with mild amusement that the workshop door now had the hand drawn sign with illuminated warning text stuck on it. They moved to a different entrance to the one from the astronaut quarters, and back towards the communications room. Dyson continued to talk as they walked.

"The only things the current design can't do is rotate the object it's holding, or move itself. The first is just another set of controls to be able to apply differential forces to points on the surface, a step up in complexity, but easily developed once we have Luna here full time. However, the other requires a whole new base arithmantic form, and a far more complex one. In layman's terms, for conventional telekinesis all distances and the forces are calculated with respect to an origin point, the projector. If the projector itself is the thing that's moving, the formulas don't work, though we have a partial work-around for that. Which is good, as an engine built using this principle could change the way we consider space travel."

Dyson paused for a second.

"You may have noticed something about the effect, the lack of reaction force. You didn't feel the weight of the bowling ball the way you would have if it was simply on a long stick. Whether it's the kick of a shotgun against your shoulder when you fire a bullet, or the exhaust of a rocket engine pushing out in one direction and driving the rocket in the other, forces and momentum must balance. The law of conservation of momentum and Newton's Third Law. Except that thaumic telekinesis treats those laws with contempt, it might as well be putting on a mask and using a six shooter to hold up Newton and steal his apples.

"If we could build a self-propelled engine using this principle, the technical term is a reactionless drive, it would be the holy grail of spacecraft design. All spacecraft are limited in potential targets they can reach by the amount of propellant they carry. The key is not so much distance as velocity, known as delta-v. You need around four and a half miles a second to achive a stable orbit around Earth, and almost seven to reach the Moon. And that doesn't count propellant for slowing down and landing, or getting back. There's a reason the Saturn V is 3000 plus tons, mostly fuel.

"But a reactionless drive could go anywhere, as long as it had enough thrust to lift itself against the gravity it encounters, and an adequate power supply. The moon, Mars, the outer planets, even to other stars, and if it had enough energy to continuously accelerate half way and decelerate the rest of the way, it would take far less time than a normal rocket using a minimum energy orbit to conserve propellant. That six month journey to Mars we were discussing earlier? With a 1 G drive, that is a drive that could accelerate a spacecraft at 32 feet per second every second, the trip would take around 4 days."

They reached the communications room that had earlier been the site of Luna's message, and Sagan once again let them in. More behind the scenes slight of hand had meant that a couple of workers had appeared almost immediately, carrying refreshments. Dyson waited until they left, and everyone had gotten their choice of beverage before continuing.

"We will be working with Luna to explore the idea when she arrives on Earth, but the problem is a hard one even for her. Only a few unicorns in her long experience ever learned to self levitate, the nearest thing to what we want, and none of them recorded their spell designs, at least not as far as Luna had ever been able to discover. One bright spot is that Luna herself can do it, but for her it is an innate ability, tied to her talent, not a spell effect, so she has never had to understand the arithmancy behind it.

"By comparison, conventional telekinesis is practically an innate ability for all unicorns, but because it is so universal, it has been extensively examined and deconstucted arithmantically, both to learn how to develop it most effectively, and as a gateway for unicorn spellcasters to learn arithmacy and magical theory. So it was easy for Luna to convert it to a form we could use with runesets. Whereas self-levitation is something she will have to work it out from first principles.

"We would also have to develop more compact and powerful sources of thaumic energy, which is a whole separate field we are only starting to explore. But the goal is worth it, a spacecraft that operates like an airliner, with no need to discard massive, expensive pieces of single-use hardware to operate. Cheap, reliable access to space, the moon, the entire solar system! Though for the short term we have two alternative concepts that combined could deliver most of the same benefits based on the techniques we already know how to produce, with only one relatively minor development needed."

"Is this what you were hinting at earlier when you talked about making future missions cheaper?" Nixon asked.

"Yes, in the long term the full reactionless drive will take over, but in the short term we could use a telekinetic projector with much greater range and power to launch payloads into orbit, and a pulsed reactionless drive for travel in space."

Nixon considered this. "What even is a pulsed reactionless drive?"

"Exactly what it says, rather than having a continuous thrust output, such as with a rocket engine, a Pulsed Reactionless Drive, or PRD gets pulses of thrust. It uses a separated heavy mass known as the pusher mass, accelerated by a telekinetic projector just as you moved that bowling ball. The pusher mass is free to move along the axis of the spacecraft, encased in a cage connected to the rest of the vehicle. At the front end of the cage there are shock absorbers, and the telekinetic projector.

"A cycle starts with the projector accelerating the pusher mass forward. Since there's no reaction force, the cage and spacecraft isn't pulled backwards. When it hits the shock absorbers they catch it and transfer the forward motion to the rest of the spacecraft, while rebounding the pusher mass backwards. They smooth out the impact into a gentler pulse of acceleration. The projector catches the pusher mass before it reaches the back of the cage, pulling it forward to avoid hitting the rear of the cage, and slowing the vehicle down. Then the cycle repeats.

"Since the projector is always moving a separated mass, the basic telekinetic formulae are sufficient. The result is a space drive that can reach an arbitrarily high velocity, and could be ultimately powered by solar energy through photothaumic panels. In practice, a working spacecraft would have dozens of smaller Thumper units, set up in an array around the axis of thrust, working in opposing pairs and staggered in cycle time like the pistons of a car engine. That way you would always have some units in the 'push' stage of the cycle, smoothing out the acceleration further."

"Thumper units?"

Dyson sighed, clearly realising he'd said more than he intended. "An acronym we've been using for the drive module, THaumic Unidirectional Mass Pulse Reactionless Engine, or THUMPER, though we've also been calling it 'the booststrap drive'."

"A piston driven spacecraft." Nixon summarised. "What are its limitations? You wouldn't be working towards that other version if there weren't any."

"The main one is that the acceleration of a PRD is probably going to be fairly low, on the order of one tenth G, or three feet per second squared. That would be partly to keep wear and tear on the shock absorbers to something reasonable, and partly to reduce pusher mass and power requirements, which in turn would require smaller photothaumic panels, with less mass and structural reinforcement."

Seeing Nixon's frown, Dyson continued, "But that's still a big upgrade in capability, since it could still accelerate constantly for days. Constant boost to Mars at one tenth G still only takes twelve and a half days, longer than the four days for one G, but much less than the six months a conventional rocket would. While the acceleration is much lower, the increased duration means it has more time to act. A trip to the moon would take just over eleven hours compared to the three and a half hours it would take at one G. And still means that you would no longer be restricted to the narrow time windows where the planets are in the right positions to use the minimum energy transfer orbits.

"There is also the issue that the pulsed low thrust would be less than ideal for manoeuvring. So it would still need auxiliary rocket engines for precise orbital manoeuvres or to move rapidly to avoid a collision, similar to the auxiliary motor on a sailing yacht. And of course, with the low thrust, it wouldn't be able to take off from Earth. It would have to be built in space, and stay in orbit while dedicated landers or shuttle craft actually transported people and supplies to and from the surface."

"That doesn't sound cheap." Nixon said.

"On it's own, no, using rocketry to lift components into orbit and carry crew and supplies would be very expensive, but that's where the Thaumic Orbital Projector System or TOPS comes in. It's based on the telekinetic projector we already have, but would require some development, extending the range, or rather the ability to register on a target at range, and being able to control it via electronic signals rather than manually. Scaling up the force is just a matter of using more units in parallel.

"Conceptually, it's simple enough, an array of telekinetic projectors with a range of 1300 miles. Which is a lot further than across the room, granted, but a distance that Luna was easily able to reach when she was in her full, adult form, and assures us we should be able to duplicate with thaumics. Even when she was effectively running on fumes, she could still nudge the Apollo 11 ascent module into a more stable orbit at a range of 70 miles.

"Now she has access to a way to easily replenish her own power, she will be demonstrating long range telekinesis by recovering the Apollo 12 ascent stage from lunar orbit and landing it back at Mare Cognitum. The mission team were originally going to crash land it to obtain seismic data, but held off against it being useful, as Luna could do more just using rocks. She will recharge the batteries and send it back up, and we will monitor it to collect data on the effect, to confirm that telekinesis can be managed at longer range."

"A TOPS array, based at Cape Kenedy for example, would pick up a vehicle off the launch pad and accelerate it up out of the atmosphere and into it's orbital or lunar trajectory, controlled by a computer similar to the ones at Mission Control, or on the Saturn V. A 40,000 pound thrust array could loft a nine ton spacecraft into a 450 mile high orbit of Earth at a constant acceleration of 2.2 G, or a 5 ton spacecraft into a lunar transfer orbit at 4 G, all without a launch vehicle. For comparison, the Surveyor 3 lunar probe the Apollo 12 mission visited last year was just over 1 ton in mass at launch.

"Scale it up to a super-array of ten 40,000 pound projectors, and you could launch the 50 ton Apollo spacecraft stack onto a lunar transfer trajectory, replacing the Saturn V entirely, or put 90 tons in orbit. That would be enough for a large self-contained manned outpost, a space station. It's something the Soviets are bound to try, their recent experiments in orbital docking point towards it, especially since they've lost out on the manned moon landing. There is even a candidate design under development by the Apollo Applications program, based on a refitting a Saturn third stage, and originally designed to be launched on a Saturn V."

"It still seems like something of a solution looking for problems." Nixon said, sceptically, sipping his coffee.

"It's more than that, it would be a paradigm shift in space exploration and ultilisation. Especially if you built a matching but smaller array on the moon, which would only need 40,000 pounds of thrust to return 50 ton payloads back to Earth, and only 4000 pounds thrust initially to soft land payloads for expansion. With that in place you would be able to deliver fully reusable crew and cargo vehicles, initially derived from the Apollo CSM and Payload Adaptor respectively, back and forth on a daily basis if needed. Not to mention delivering payloads to anywhere in the Earth Moon system or even on to interplanetary trajectories, all without any expendable rocket stages."

Nixon asked, "So what would it be used for, and more importantly, what would it cost?"

"There are a vast number of applications. To start with, the number of satellites in orbit, both commercial and government owned, are going to increase massively over the next decade. Communications, earth observation, even navigation satellites are all going to become something we rely on more and more, even if we are restricted to rocketry to launch them. Monitoring weather, reliable broadcast and point-to-point radio communication, navigation beacons that can't be obscured by ground or atmospheric interference, the capabilities are just too valuable.

"TOPS would allow satellites to be launched into almost any orbit, even the hard-to-reach but extremely useful geosynchronous orbits, at a fraction of the cost of a rocket. There's also the fact that because launch vehicles are so expensive, they are generally built for the mission, which means you need to plan your launch months or even years in advance. Even when you have the rocket on the pad, it can take days or even weeks to test and bring it to launch status.

"With TOPS, launches could happen within hours of having a payload ready, for example an observation satellite tasked to monitor a suddenly developing natural disaster or military situation, or a communications satellite to replace one that has failed, cutting a vital communications link. It's generally accepted that as a business sector it is going to be worth hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars annually before the decade is out, and having something like TOPS would allow the U.S.A to dominate the market, even with the smaller 40,000 lb thrust version.

"It will have an equally positive effect on future NASA deep space missions. Unmanned interplanetary probes and landers would be vastly cheaper to launch, allowing funding to be focussed on the mission space craft rather than the launch vehicle, reducing costs and delays. The proposed Grand Tour of the outer planets is just one example. While they might still need a deep space manoeuvring stage, depending on the mission, it would be far smaller and cheaper than a full multi-stage launch vehicle, especially since it could use a small PRD as a main propulsion bus.

"Of course, if you've built the infrastructure and manufacturing capability for the smaller version, expanding the array would be simple. That's when the opportunities really start to appear. It would cost little more for the large array to launch a 90 ton payload as for the smaller one to launch 9 tons. You could end up with a case where it costs more to transport the space craft from the manufacturing plant to the launch site than to launch it into orbit, or to the moon. Under those circumstances, space becomes a place for industrialisation and colonisation.

"There have been a recent study on building massive solar power satellites in space, using materials mined and refined on the moon, and launched by an electromagnetic catapult, which could be replaced by the TOPS. They would beam power down to earth as microwaves. Microgravity offers all kinds of possibilities for manufacturing of materials, pure crystals for electronics and thaumics applications, specialised chemicals and alloys that would be impossible in a gravity field. Even tourism becomes possible when the cost of building and travelling to an orbital resort hotel goes from 'significant fraction of the US GDP' to 'equivalent to building a remote ski chalet or tropical island hotel'.

"Asteroids, particularly metallic asteroids, carry vast amounts of valuable industrial metals, gold, platinum, iridium, all available and able to be smelted by a large parabolic foil reflector focussing the sun's light onto it. And of course, any mining or refining done in space no longer has any environmental impact on Earth.

"And speaking of impacts on Earth, space based telescopes are our best bet for detecting rogue asteroids that might wipe out a city, or a country. The same Pulsed Reaction Drive mining vessels that would go out to bring back materials, could fly out and divert such an asteroid to no longer hit Earth. If we could detect it soon enough, a change of a few feet per second in velocity would be sufficient to turn a hit into a miss."

"Then there's mithril. There are two ways to produce it. First, transport tons of regolith down to Earth to create artifical lunar surface to reflect light off to produce moonlight, which will only work short term as there's a non-physical component beyond just the light spectrum, and moon rock will eventually lose it's 'connection' to the moon and become useless. Second, build a production factility on, or in low orbit of the moon where there is ample moonlight as well as sunlight to power photothaumics for the quintessence needed.

"Considering the myriad uses of a frictionless, perfect thermal and electrical insulator that has no melting point, acts as a perfect reflector of all electromagnetic frequencies and particles, and can be cast into any shape needed, it would be an assured revenue stream. It could act as an 'anchor tenant' for a TOPS system on the moon, and once the double ended system was in place to send cargo and crew vehicles back and forth cheaply without rockets, or to anywhere in the Earth Moon system, American industry and ingenuity would do the rest.

"And consider, TOPS doesn't just launch vehicles, it can capture and land them too. One of the reasons the Command module is all that lands of the Apollo spacecraft is because it has to use atmospheric re-entry to shed speed, and more mass means more energy. But TOPS could engage an incoming spacecraft outside the atmosphere and slow it down to sub-orbital speeds before it even encounters atmosphere, and land the craft back on the pad it took off from, greatly improving safety and recovery time for re-use.

"Of course, the same thaumic projector array that could intercept a 5 ton vehicle incoming from the moon could also intercept a ballistic nuclear warhead on a sub-orbital trajectory and deflect it. An super-array of ten, with proper computer control, could deal with a serious attack. A super-array at Vandenburg could support space launches there, and cover the West Coast. Other stations could cover other aspects. While it wouldn't be a perfect defence, it would degrade the chances of a major attack doing damage, and act as a deterrent.

"However, I think the main focus should be on peaceful uses. The best analogy for TOPS would be the transcontinental railroad, and how it opened up the West Coast to settlement and exploitation. We talk about 'the conquest of space' and 'the final frontier' but TOPS and the bootstrap drive could actually make it a genuine frontier, not just for astronauts and scientists, but for everyone. The initial work could be done by reusable Apollo derived hardware that's being developed by the Apollo applications program, we've even come up with a reference mission architecture for it, but once TOPS is in place, aerospace companies will be developing their own reusable space vehicles."

"That's a lot of options, but it still doesn't say how much this wonder would cost." Nixon prompted. In truth he was impressed, but he didn't want to seem too taken by it. He could see some of the possibilities now they'd been explained, but how practical were they?

Dyson paused. "At this stage it's hard to say. At a very rough guess, including development and construction of the thaumic component manufacturing, I'd say the Earth end of the TOPS super-array would be between $100 and $200 million, and it could well be lower. However, since a Saturn V launch is around $185 million before payload, and even smaller launch vehicles run to several tens of millions of dollars per launch, it would recoup it's cost very quickly in a few launches. Plus you'd have the capability to build additional TOPS arrays at other locations, and photothaumic panels and accumulators for other purposes. Additional stations would cost much less on the order of $10 million each.

"The lunar end would be more expensive, mostly because of the non-reusable landers and Apollo stack that would be needed to land the initial components and astronauts to install them. The price there is likelty to be more than $400 million, but less than $600 million. Expensive, I know, but it makes every subsequent lunar mission cheap, and since it also delivers a permanent lunar base as a jumping off point for exploration and prospecting of an area four times the size of the United States, it is well worth the cost. Of course, you can build and start operating the Earth end for non-lunar missions before you ever start the lunar end."

"And what will it cost right now?" Nixon asked, "I can tell a sales pitch when I hear one."

"Actually nothing." Dyson responded. "Both the PRD and TOPS require considerable development and study before they're in any sort of state to propose as actual projects, maybe as much as a year. Myself and others have been working on them as a side project in our spare time. We need Luna to help fill in some of the gaps, and we don't know what other effects she'll show us that could impact on the idea, make it cheaper and simpler or even obsolete.

"Maybe self-propulsion is easier to work out than we think, or full levitation can make it practical for a PRD to launch a spacecraft directly from Earth. Or the acceleration from a PRD is high enough to land directly on the moon with a rocket assist, removing or reducing the need for a lunar TOPS. Maybe Luna can even produce teleportation systems or fuel tanks that are bigger on the inside than out, like the Foldbox from Heinlein's story Glory Road. We've barely begun to scratch the surface of thaumics, but the take-away is that space travel is almost certainly going to become a lot cheaper and more accessible in the near future. However, it does lead to a consideration..."

Director Gilruth, who up until now had been quiet, spoke up. "To take full advantage of these new technologies, we need to maintain our capabilities in manned spaceflight. We've anticipated that once the primary goal of the Apollo missions was completed, funding for NASA and manned spaceflight in particular would drop. It doesn't help that the Apollo programs took a very expensive route to achieving those goals, and have left us with hardware that's equally expensive to continue using and not easily adapted to many other tasks.

"To achieve going from barely being able to put a man in space to landing men on the moon in nine years required a tight focus on the essentials needed to achieve the goal. The original Von Braun ferry rocket was based around re-usable stages, and building a large outpost station in orbit to support a re-usable lunar transfer vehicle. No-one in 1960 would have thought we'd get to the moon by loading everything needed onto a massive expendable launch vehicle and launching it at the moon.

"It was, however, the right strategy for the goal. Scaling up something we knew how to do already, an expendable staged rocket, required the least time and had the fewest question marks, even if it forced us to save mass wherever possible. Likewise with the ballistic re-entry capsule. Just developing the components that were brand new took up most of the time we had. And that was with developing the components in parallel, which saved time and spread the development efforts across many states, giving it a broader base of political support at the expense of making it more... expensive.

"However, now we have to deal with the results. Luna has given us an unexpected additional boost, but the American public is unlikely to want to support many missions at hundreds of millions of dollars apiece for short duration science missions. And to be fair, we could do dozens of them and still only scratch the surface of the moon, literally, as well as in terms of the knowledge available. And Saturn V launched missions are not going to be practical for building up in-space infrastructure or industrial uses. Saturn V may be a magnificent piece of engineering, but it has no long term future, with or without thaumics.

"On the other hand, thaumics opens up new possibilities for further development and cheaper re-purposing and re-use of the other components we've spent so much to develop, such as the CSM, a highly capable and proven crew transport. It could be modified to be closer to the Direct Return design, with fold out landing legs on the Service Module, and better thermal shielding around the base. With TOPS doing the heavy lifting at both ends, no pun intended, it could go from a launch pad on Earth to the surface of the moon and back hundreds of times.

"And that's just one idea. Director Paine and I have put together some proposals for additional funding of the Apollo Applications program towards integrating thaumic technologies into Apollo hardware to enable reusability and reduction of operational costs. Also to maintain or mothball manufacturing capability for the Apollo hardware so we can still actually build the upgraded designs when we finalise how we are going to proceed.

"Manned spaceflight will eventually continue on some level, even without this investment. But if we abandon all our hard won experience and knowledge from Apollo after the current missions play out, start to build the next generation of manned hardware from scratch, even with thaumics as a force multiplier, you're unlikely to see a replacement before the end of the decade. Not least because we can't expect the same high level of funding that Apollo recieved, despite what Doctor Von Braun and some others believe.

"By comparison, if we can combine thaumics and developments of existing hardware, we can reasonably expect to have the next generation of hardware ready to deploy by the time the existing Apollo missions finish. By 1976, we could have the beginnings of a permanent industrial and commercial presence in space, an actual economy, with all the benefits that would bring to the United States economically, and culturally."

Nixon considered Director Gilruth's words. It was a pretty blatant appeal to his political legacy. If he couldn't pull a second term out of the advancements he'd already been shown, let alone what other rabbits Luna would end up pulling out of her saddlebags, he should probably go back to hanging out a shingle as a lawyer. The reference to 1976, the end of that second term, was a direct challenge. Did he want to be remembered simply as the president who completed the Apollo program, or the president who opened up a new frontier?

As president of the United States he was already a member of a very exclusive club with only 37 members. However, there were presidents and presidents. Only a handful were household names, Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Wilson, Roosevelt... Nixon already had a shot at that level, just from overseeing the first moon landing, but in that he'd always play second place to Kennedy as the one who initiated it, and then had the lack of consideration to get assassinated, pretty much assuring a top place in the rankings, while Nixon would be left playing second fiddle as the steward of the martyred president's grand design.

He would also be the president who recovered Luna, but that was less an accomplishment, and more a necessity. Whatever wonders Luna produced, they would be her wonders, and he'd once again be simply the president who oversaw the process. But this, this could be his great work, building on Kennedy's legacy, and exceeding it. There was also the fact that it would genuinely benefit the United States, as Gilruth had stated. The parallel to the Trans-Pacific railroad was well made, new frontiers were usually highly profitable, once you could get to them.

If he was seen as opening up such a new frontier it would cement his place in that pantheon of presidents who you didn't need to look up in a textbook. Still, there was no need to go all in at this stage. He had no problem with quid pro quos, and this was even a reasonable one.

"I admit, it does sound very promising, but I'll have to look over those proposals to see how practical they are, and what is feasible given the current political climate. For example, it may be too late to make any significant alteration to the current budget proposal. Still, there are ways and means, even after the budget goes in, and you can be assured I will give this the most serious consideration if I see developments from some of the other projects you've shown me, such as the pain killer effect and the water filter.And of course the atomic bomb shield is still a priority.

"I'll need your written reports on the projects you've been working on to take back to DC. I suspect I'm going to have a series of sleepless nights as I consult with various government departments to decide what other applications of these thaumic effects you should prioritise. I'm not minimising your present efforts, indeed I'm very impressed at what you've accomplished in such a short time, and you should tell your teams that. However, some outside analysis should help to focus your efforts on the best options to deliver the greatest and most imediate benefits."

"We'll welcome the guidance if anything. We already have something of an embarrassment of riches, and remember these are just the beginner level effects Luna gave us because they were relatively simple to recreate in rune sets. Once she's down on Earth and able to work in a more hands..." Dyson puzzled for a second, "... hooves on? Horn on? direct capacity, it may be more of a matter of coming up with solutions for problems, rather than looking for problems we can solve, with our current solutions."

Sagan checked his watch and added, "Mr President, we should get back to Administration, where we can give a proper presentation on what our next steps will be. Director Paine will be there, and we should have the papers you require, and the biological samples for your diplomatic efforts ready at the end of it."

"Good, then let's go..." Nixon paused, half out of his seat, and sat back down. "Though I still want to know what security you have on those magic producing panels."

Dyson explained. "It's simple enough, the base arithmantic equation uses an experssion which fits one of a sequence of numbers. Translated into a rune set in needs the expression of that number to effectively complete the circuit. The tester device supplies such a number for the inital test, but the label has a layer of metal film which the tester encodes with one of the potential numbers, unique to each panel. It replaces the tester device, completing the rune set, and also has additional runics that turn it into a radio locator beacon that will start sending it's code with all the power of the panel when we send ot a triggering signal, with a range of hundreds of miles both ways.

"The labels are produced separately, and aren't known to be anything beyond identifiers. If a panel goes missing, we send out a coded signal for that panel, and the beacon will respond. If it's been stolen and they try to remove the label, the panel becomes nothing more than a paperweight. We can even overload the beacon and destroy the label remotely. It's an elegant solution, based on nothing more than the thaumic radio techniques Luna worked out during Apollo 11. It's not fool proof, but it should work as a stop gap, especially as none of the workers know of the additional function."

"Good, I'm glad to see you're keeping security in mind." Nixon got up once more, and the rest of the group followed.

&&&

As the gear lifted and Air Force One rose into the sky, Nixon considered what he'd seen and heard. The final meeting discussing their next steps had held no surprises. About $3 million of the special appropriation he'd signed off on would be going to build a dedicated Thaumic Research facility on the open area opposite the Lunar Recieving Laboratory. It would include confortable quarters for Luna, and the same level of security the LRL was currently under.

They intended to build out in sections, moving the existing test and manufacturing facilities across as soon as they had enough room built out, so the LRL could return to it's original purpose. He'd secured a commitment to focussing on the water filter and pain relief applications, and the parachute replacement certainly seemed promising, but beyond that, it was difficult to say what they would be working on, since Luna had barely begun to teach them.

The reports he had would form the basis of his discussions with his administration and advisors from the various Government Departments, but he already had the shape of the strategy they'd reccomend in mind. He wanted applications that could show results quickly, and potentially be distributed out at least in the U.S. without giving away any of the technology behind it. Applications what could boost the economy, or reduce expenditures would be top of the list too.

He also had a separate briefcase which would be delivered, under heavy security to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, where Special Ambassador Kissinger would proceed to use the contents where they would do the most good. It was a strange world where the fate of a war hung on what were effectively toenail clippings. More than that, the possibility of further 'gifts' might well be the key to unscrewing the inscrutable. Closer relations with China would hopefully lead to opening up greater trade and cultural exchanges, beginning to break them out of their isolationist mindset.

He should get Haldeman to arrange a meeting with the Soviet Ambassador too. Or better yet, once the talks with China were more advanced, let Ambassador Dobrynin discover at least part of it, and manoeuvre him into asking for a meeting instead. Given the border clashes between the two countries, he would be concerned that a warming of relations between China and America would leave Russia out in the cold. With some finesse, he could play one off against the other, establish a balance of power with his thumb on the scales.

It was a strategy he'd already been planning for with Kissenger, but Luna gave him an opportunity to advance the timeline considerably. He'd have to do something nice for her, quite apart from the fact that keeping her happy would make it easier to get her future co-operation. He wondered just how far and how quickly she could actually help Sagan, Dyson and their teams advance this thaumics technology, especially their space travel ideas.

When he'd taken office, he'd fully intended to cut NASA budgets to the bone, specifically the Apollo program, as between the cost of the war and the rising level of inflation, America didn't have the money to spend on continuing what was essentially a vanity project, since the major objective was achieved. However, ending the war quickly would have a postive effect on inflation, as well as freeing up money for other urgent programs.

If they really could develop a much cheaper route into space, and one that would deliver actual economic benefits rather than just a few pounds of moon rock and bragging rights, he could see his way to ensuring some of that funding went to supporting their efforts. as for being the president who opened up a new frontier? He liked that idea, he liked it a lot. Especially if he could achieve it with very little personal political risk.

Now that he'd had a chance to consider it, the TOPS system's potential secondary function as an effective anti-ballistic missile system could be just as valuable, complementing the defensive shield technology. Such a thng would disrupt the current strategic doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction even more than the defensive shields, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. MAD was a good acronym, a strategy of necessity or even desperation, because of the very lack of an effective defence.

It was rooted in Games Theory and the idea that rational actors would understand that they would lose far more than they gained by starting a nuclear exchange. However, it had one glaring and fatal flaw. It assumed the actors _were_ rational. All it would take was one irrational actor, a General Ripper or on the Russian side a General Ripoff, or even an error in detection, to cause everyone a very bad day.

While TOPS could counter this, on the surface it might also increase risks by encouraging any unstable parties to act before the balance of power changed. However, it would be more useful as a tool in negotiating treaties to limit strategic weapons. The more obvious strategy was to use it as a bargaining chip, limiting it's deployment and scope to purely space launch activities in return for concessions, restoring the status quo ante.

The higher risk but higher reward strategy was to go all in, degrading the usefulness of ballistic weapons. In the context of a treaty, the US could afford to be generous in reducing their offensive strike capability, which currently had to be overwhelming to provide a credible threat, as a single strike was likely all they had to respond to any attack. It would reduce their ability to launch an offensive first strike, but that was an acceptable tradeoff considering there were very few reasons for doing so.

Trading nuclear warheads for defensive TOPS installations, and for enemy missiles and warheads which would be less effective because of TOPS, could prove superior in the long run. Fewer warheads meant fewer potential failure points on both sides, and less possible damage in the worst case scenario. Also defensive intallations were by their very nature defensive, not a threat to an opponent, only to their ability to be a threat.

There was also the financial incentive. Maintenance of the current nuclear triad had an annual cost of tens of billions of dollars, even without the costs of replacement of warheads that had decayed, or disposal of the nuclear waste from their production and decommissioning. Replacing even a part of it with installations that cost only tens or hundreds of millions of dollars to build, and a lot less to maintain would be a massive benefit to future budgets.

A reduction in the threat of nuclear war, and a second future peace dividend on top of the immediate savings from ending the conflict in Vietnam, on top of the other opportunites it would create? Not only would it provide objective benefits to the United States that even the most rabid left wing Democrat couldn't gainsay, it would definitely catapult the architect of such a plan to the topmost tier of presidential fame. To join Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt... He had an amusing thought, based on the names, if he could pull this off they might need to add a fifth face on Mount Rushmore.

Author's Note

Well that's done. I felt awfully self-indulgent as the main purpose of these four chapters was to be able to geek out over some of the possibilities of applying magic to technology.

It does set up some important things for the next arc, and give an idea of how something like this would impact the real world. One of the things I loved about the Harry Potter crossover fic, 'If Wishes Were Ponies' was the exploration of how contact with Equestria impacted the non-magical world, especially the U.K. to the extent that I would have been willing to read a story purely focussing on that over the actual A-plot of Harry and the CMC going to Hogwarts.

I don't think the last part is unreasonable. Nixon and Kissinger did pull off pretty much what I've described, setting up a triangular balance of power, but not until several years later. Opening up China and detente with Russia was always one of Nixon's goals, as he felt the previous strategy of containment, typified by supporting anti-Communist regimes, was not working, as the Vietnam war tragically demonstrated.

In this timeline, Luna has provided a short cut. Originally, as stated Nixon felt they couldn't support a war and a massive manned space program at the same time, so the Apollo missions never led anywhere as funding dried up. But between the war ending earlier, the potential influx of capital that some immediate thaumic applications could bring in, and the big reduction in the cost of spaceflight, Nixon can have his cake and eat it too.

A Sound of Thunder...

Author's Note

This is a bonus chapter before the first one of the Apollo 13 mission. It will show a number of vignettes showing some of the changes due to Luna's appearance, covering the 3 months from Nixon's visit to the LRL, to the launch of Apollo 13.

The title is a seminal short story about the danger of time travel from sci-fi writer Ray Bradbury. A big game hunter goes back in time to hunt dinosaurs on a trip carefully curated to avoid altering history (the dinosaur in question would have died of natural causes seconds after he shot it). However, in the past he accidentally treads on a butterfly, and when he gets back to his own time things have changed...

The concept has been endlessly parodied in TV and cartoons. In this case I thought it was appropriate as if the flap of a butterflies wings can alter history, the flap of an alicorn's wings could do a lot more.

Edit: Thanks ObsPerson for the proof read.

A Sound of Thunder...

Long Tieng, Plain of Jars - 16th Febuary 1970

"Another strong point has been discovered, abandoned." The messenger showed days of hard travel on by his face and the state of his clothes, but his expression was joyful. "Phou Nok Kok is clear of PAVN and Pathet Lao forces, and Colonel Phonasa has retaken Objective Tan, overlooking Route 72. The engineering work there has been abandoned."

He placed a satchel full of papers, mostly photos, on General Vang Pao's desk. The general opened the satchel and started looking through the photos. "It has to be some sort of trick, to draw our forces out of our defensive positions, this is insane!"

Up until a week ago, things had looked bleak for the Laotian Royalist irregulars he commanded. His Kou Kiet operation had gained him the strategic Plain of Jars, but in the months following, his force of less than 6000 men had faced a renewed offensive by 3 times that number of soldiers, People's Army of Vietnam and Laotian communist rebels, the Pathet Lao. The PAVN forces were regular troops, 16 battalions of combined arms with engineering support and 60 tanks.

Only the air superiority and additional weapons afforded by clandestine American support through the CIA had allowed his outnumbered and outgunned men to stem the advance, and in recent weeks, the bad weather had mostly negated that advantage. The strategic mountain of Phou Nok Kok had been taken, and route 72 and 7 lost to PAVN forces. They had been poised for a final push up Route 71 and 7 to smash his key defences at the intersection, which would open the way for them to spill out into the Plain of Jars, and despite his efforts to set up spoiling attacks, it looked like nothing could stop them.

But over the last week, rather than pushing their advantage, the PAVN forces had simply held their ground. Intelligence reports even suggested preparations for a withdrawl as far as Dien Bien Phu. He'd been sceptical, believing it to be misinformation, to abandon their hard won gains so close to victory made no sense.

"Maybe not," One of his CIA 'military advisors', Will Green, said, "The backbone of Campaign 139 has always been the PAVN regulars..."

"Pah! without them, the Pathet Lao would never have emerged from their mud holes!" Vang growled.

"... we've received word that there have been high level talks with the Chinese Government, very high level talks, to pressure the DRV into de-escalating combat operations. Without that logistical support, continuing their offensive would be reckless."

"What could your people offer the Chinese to get..." Vang mused, and his eyes widened in realisation. "The moon horse! She has something they want, and your people have promised it to them!"

"I'm not aware of the details, just that a deal is in the works." Green replied.

The Hmong general continued reading the reports, such as they were that came with the papers. Unless his forward units had been subverted wholesale by the PAVN, it looked as if this was the real thing.

"I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth, as your people would say, even one on the moon. We can consolidate, reinforce, maybe even get some proper support up here." Vang noticed the messenger was still stood there. "You're dismissed, get some rest."

He decided that after he'd worked through this intelligence, and sent out new orders based on it, he'd take a rest himself. And possibly stop off at a shrine and make an offering to the moon horse in thanks, and to the spirit of the moon so as not to leave her out. He liked his ears attached to his head after all.

'Luna in the Sky with Astronauts' - Beatles release new single

In a surprise announcement, the world famous musical group, The Beatles, will be releasing a single in addition to their widely anticipated 12th album, 'Let it Be'. The song is a reworking of the classic song, 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' from their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The song is stated to be a homage to Luna, the alien pony stranded on the moon, and has brand new lyrics as well as a revised musical arrangement to reflect it's new, space-inspired theme.

John Lennon, the co-songwriter, with Paul McCartney, for the original, was quoted as saying, "We've never really thought about space as a subject for our music before, but the idea of this magical alien pony on the moon, and the pictures they released showing where she came from, it inspired me. It's as fantastic as anything we ever sang about, whereas space is so hard edged and mechanical, the idea of the two meeting was enough for me to sit down with Paul and come up with some new lyrics.

"I'd love to meet her when they finally bring her down to Earth, and hear more about Equestria. Imagine, a place where many different kinds of being live together in peace and harmony, no more wars or arguing about religion. It's something I'd like to imagine Luna could teach us. You may think that I'm just dreaming, but it isn't hard to do."

He refused to be drawn on the rumours of a spilt in the group, and the announcement of Paul McCartney's solo album of the same name, saying only that, "All of us are growing, finding our own voices. We all still have a lot of music to make."

The B side has an extended, purely instrumental version of the new musical arrangement.

Top Pops and Music Now -14 March 1970

Johnson Space Centre, Temporary Medical Test Annex - 22 March 1970

Sergeant Willard Johansen, USMC, awoke quite suddenly, not unusal for a marine, especially one recently returned from active duty in Vietnam. The antiseptic smell and mat-like mattress underneath him made him think hospital before he even opened his eyes.

When he did, he saw a nurse and doctor standing over him, on opposite sides of the bed. The nurse was putting away some sort of headband in a case on a side table. Definitely a hospital, and a private room, no less. He was also hooked up to a couple of machines on stands that were doing... something, and was aware of pads on his skin, so he gusessed it was some sort of monitoring set-up. He hoped the marines were picking up the bill for this.

"How do you feel, Sergeant?" The doctor, his name badge read 'Doctor Wilberforce', asked.

How did he feel? Pretty good actually, he shifted in bed, levering himself up slightly and then realised, "I can feel my legs again!"

He moved and flexed them, just to be sure. Ever since the accident (and wasn't that a kick in the pants, making it through a tour of duty in that hellhole with nothing worse than sun burn and mosquito bites, only to get crippled when he was supposedly safe back in the World) he'd been unable to feel anything below his waist. The medics on site had saved him from dying, but they hadn't been able to save his spine.

"That's as expected. Would you like some water?" The doctor said.

At his nod, the nurse raised the head end of his bed and gave him a glass with a straw in. He drank carefully, while he was thirsty, he didn't have the parched throat he'd had when they put him under for the initial surgery.

"Shows what that so-called quack knew! He claimed I'd be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life."

After he'd woken up from that first surgery, there'd been a whole dance of people telling him how he needed to start adjusting, that despite the surgeons' best efforts, his legs would be useless. Then along has come a guy in a suit, a spook type he'd thought, or some damned lawyer covering the hospital's ass.

But it had been an offer to take part in some medical trials of a new medical technique that might be able to restore his spine. He'd decided he didn't have anything to lose, and signed up. Cue him being whisked away by airplane to Texas.

"Under other circumstances they'd have been correct. You had near total nerve mortality in your lower spine, multiple shattered vertebrae, ruptured disks. Fortunately, we got to you in time, the technique we used was designed to repair recent trauma, if you'd been allowed to heal naturally for too long, it might not have worked. As it was we were at the upper end of the time limit. The X-rays show complete regeneration, you should have full function."

"I'm glad it did." He noticed something else, or rather a lack of something else, which had been overshadowed by the massive shock of having working legs again. Being slammed into a wall by an out of control truck had left plenty of aches and pains on the parts of his body he could feel. "In fact, it feels like it fixed everything!"

"That tracks with our current analysis." Dr Wilberforce replied, making notes on a clipboard. "Are you feeling any side effects, dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, headache?"

"Uh huh, I feel like I could jump out of bed and do PFT right now." Johansen exclaimed, then realised a certain pressure. "Though right now I need to run to the head!"

Unfortunately, even though he felt ready to get up, they wouldn't let him until he'd had a full examination. One mildly annoying session with a bedpan later, and they were ready to continue.

He was checked out from head to toe, which only confirmed that he was fully fit and healed, though old scars, such as the one on his left arm he'd got from playing high school football, were still there. He was told he'd have to take it easy for the first couple of days, simply because he'd spent the last 72 hours in bed.

He was curious, though, and as they went on it was clear from the way some of the other people who came in acted that Wilberforce had some juice. "So doc, what exactly was this technique, and who's paying for it?"

Wilberforce looked surprised, and slightly annoyed. "That should have been covered in the papers you signed, and explained to you before you got here. But rest assured, NASA and the NIH are splitting the bill on this one."

Johansen grimaced, "I'll level with you, I was kind of stuck in my own head for most of that. Thinking I'd never walk again, or even go to the bathroom without help... Not in a good place. To be honest, I'd have probably signed those papers if the guy in the suit had been red, with horns and a barbed tail. But NASA? So this is some sort of fancy new space medicine?"

"You could call it that." Wilberforce chuckled. "You're aware of the alien, Luna, that Apollo 11 found on the moon?"

"I may have been stuck in some goddamn South East Asian armpit, but I wasn't that out of touch. Though some of the squad were calling it fake."

"Oh no, she's very real. I've spoken to her a number of times myself. And she has some remarkable abilities in a field we're calling 'thaumics'. More importantly, she's found ways to show us how to replicate some of those abilities. One was an effect used for battlefield healing, or rapidly regenerating traumatic damage, without surgical intervention.

"It works by repairing, restoring the body's structure to what it was before the injury, as far as we can tell. While it works in part on leveraging and supercharging the body's own healing processes, it uses the body's past 'pattern' to guide the healing, allowing it to heal things, like nerve damage, that normally couldn't be healed naturally. That's why the time limit, after a certain amount of natural healing the 'pattern' is over-written by the new state. But used in time, it can restore even normally un-healable injuries."

"Like my spine." Johansen stated.

"Indeed. You're part of the first wave of human testing on that and a couple of related thaumic medical devices."

"That headband?"

"That's one of them, it can be set to negate all pain sensations throughout the body, induce a deep sleep state, or both. Pain relief and general anesthesia without drugs or the side effects that come with them. While the healing system has built-in pain negation and asepsis, this unit is far simpler, and could be used as a stop gap, or even carried as a first aid tool."

Johansen thought back to some of his experiences on active duty. While there had been drug use among the servicemen there which had nothing to do with medicine, he'd known a couple of good soldiers who'd been seriously injured and ended up addicted to the morphine commonly used for pain relief, turning to other drugs when they could no longer get it. He could definitely see the uses for that gadget, not to mention dreamless sleep. He'd used marijuana a time or two himself when the nightmares came...

"I hope you can get those things tested and out there, doc, I remember more than a few places where they could have made a big difference."

"That's the idea, and why we're working to such an agressive schedule." Wilberforce replied. "The number of lives they could save or make better are literally incalculable! Fortunately the President himself is supporting us, and he's pushed the Department of Health and National Institute of Health to help us fast track testing, and lock down these technologies as safe for general release as soon as possible."

Wilberforce didn't say anything about the battle that had happened behind the scenes, to get the testing on track. 'It's just as well we managed to get them classified as surgical and operative procedures rather than medicines, especially the sleep and pain relief effects. If the FDA had gotten a hold of testing, we might see them released for general use some time in the next century.' He shook off his momentary brown study and continued.

"Anyway, you don't need to worry about that. Your only duty for the next couple of days is to relax and ogle pretty nurses while we monitor you for any after effects. not that we expect any, these things have been used safely on Luna's home world for centuries."

Johansen grinned. "I'm on deck for that, doc, and thanks for fixing me up."

Wilberforce nodded. "No thanks necessary, By doing this you'll help many others. But appreciated anyway."

He left the sergeant sitting up, and checking out the menu for dinner. There was a long way to go, but the pay-off was well worth it.

(Note: USMC - United States Marine Corps; PFT - Physical Fitness Test )

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Part 1

Revised Apollo 13 Mission Patch

Art by Asaph 💛

"Okay, coming up on shut-down..." Commander James 'Jim' Lovell was watching the DSKY or display and keyboard of the lunar module computer and the timer, monitoring the critical lunar insertion manoeuvre that would put them into orbit around the moon.

Jack Swigert, the Command Module pilot, checked his own instruments. "Copy that, I make shut-down in 22 seconds, chamber pressure 100%, balance is on the money..."

The Apollo 13 spacecraft, currently comprising the Command and Service Module (CSM) Odyssey, and the Lunar Module (LM) Aquarius, was on the 'dark' side of the moon, though the surface ahead was half in sunlight as they swept past the terminator into the lunar dawn. Aquarius was the first Extended Lunar Module or ELM, with larger propellant tanks and other features to allow larger payloads and longer stays on the moon, though in this case it had been adapted to the goal of carrying Luna back to lunar orbit.

With Earth hidden by the body of the satellite they were reliant on the initial trajectory data provided by their capsule communicator, or Capcom, Jack Lousma back in Houston, before their spacecraft had been eclipsed by the moon, and now their own measurements and calculations. Their seats pressed into the backs of the three astronauts as the Service Module Propulsion System, or SPS, continued to fire retrograde, against their direction of travel, slowing the spacecraft into a low lunar orbit.

"5... 4... 3... 2... 1, Shutdown!" Lowell called, echoed by Swigert as the pressure let up, and they returned to free-fall. "Ball valves shut off. Check Gimbal motors."

The trio went through the shutdown procedure for the SPS, taking readsings and checking propellant reserves. A combination of data from the guidance computer and observations allowed them to check their final trajectory.

"Nicely done, Jack." Lowell commented, "Looks like that put us right in the groove."

Fred Haise was taking the opportunity to look through one of the command module viewports at the moon. "Then why does the street sign say, 'Welcome to Mars'?"

That got a chuckle out of the other two. Swigert exclaimed. "Damn, I knew I should have taken a left at Albuquerque!"

Despite the fact that all three had been thoroughly professional, there had been a certain tension between Jack and the other two astronauts initially, as he'd replaced Ken Mattingly, the scheduled Command Module Pilot only two days before lift-off. After months of training together, the loss of their original CMP due to a potential case of measles had hit hard. While as back-up, Swigert had undergone the same training, they didn't have the same rapport with him.

However, three days of living together in a space not much bigger than a walk-in closet had smoothed a lot of the rough edges. It helped that he had proved just as capable, and done his best to fit in the gap left behind.

"Will you look at that!" Jim Lowell exclaimed taking a turn at the port looking down at the lunar surface. "It looked just that way from Eight, and it never gets old..."

"Well, you're going to get a much closer look at it this time," Fred Haise replied. "Plus we finally get to see this secret gift Luna has been building at Fra Mauro, the one she hinted at when we last talked to her."

"What's with that, anyway?" Jack Swigert asked, "Bringing Luna back is the name of the game, but we're landing over 100 miles east of where Luna set up camp in Mare Cognitum. I know I'm late to the party, but asking her to up stakes and move sites when we could just go to her?"

Jim shrugged. "Bureaucracy and politics, as usual. Fra Mauro was chosen as the landing site for Thirteen well before Eleven launched. Remember, the original mission was to compare a highland area to the mare of the previous missions, and collect ejecta from Mare Imbrium. It's what was originally paid for, and when the idea of revisiting the Apollo 12 site was mooted instead, there was a minor palace revolution led by the selenologists.

"Even with our extended tanks and the mission profile changes, we won't be returning with a lot of samples, as most of the excess ascent mass budget is for Luna. However, they still expect us to follow the reduced sample schedule. Maybe if the sites were further apart, things might have been different, but a hundred miles is a couple of hours travel for Luna, so a compromise was reached."

"And as part of it, Luna gets a half hour of our first EVA to demonstrate her latest developments, including this surprise, partly because of that reduced schedule." Fred added.

"Well, at least you guys get to go down there. I'll be stuck up here, for the duration, keeping the lights on." Jack was monitoring his station as they talked, and following his checklist. "Rolling for attitude control. What's our time to AOS?"

"I'll check the schedule. Hey Freddo, where's the pad for the orbit 1 changes?" Jim asked, dropping back into his seat.

Fred passed the pad to him, which contained a form for orbital calculations. "Transition comes out to 84:05 for the latest update, based on our revised burn time."

Jim checked the figures, punching verbs into the DSKY to get the matching data. "Okay gang, so it's 84:32 for Earthrise and reaquiring communication from Houston. Make sure we have the cameras ready, it's a sight not to be missed, especially the first time."

Fred exclaimed, "Heck of a thing, that's later than Twelve managed, wasn't it? You'd think with how smooth things have gone so far we'd be ahead of them."

"Not a race Freddo, besides, we're hauling more mass with a modified ELM." Jim Lowell replied. "We took it up slow and smooth. Less wear and tear on the components. We even avoided most of the pogoing on the second stage we got on eight, maybe the extra mass or slower impulse created a damping effect."

Jack tapped the arm of his seat, even as he brought the combined spacecraft into the correct orientation. "Odyssey's solid. She can take it. Okay, we have lunar surface attitude."

They carried on the complex process of putting the spacecraft into it's lunar orbit mode, and the housekeeping tasks of maintaining the craft and themselves.

Several orbits later, they made their initial pass close enough to the landing site to examine it at 'close' range, from only a few hundred miles away. They were still in their initial, higher lunar orbit, preparing for the CSM to ferry the LM down to the lower orbit where it would separate and initiate Powered Descent to the lunar surface. It was just coming out of the darkness of the lunar dawn, another reason it had been difficult to see on their inital passes.

They were also hoping to make contact with Luna on the VHF band the command module would normally use for co-ordinating with the Lunar module during docking. As such it was low power, both in transmitting and recieving, but Luna's thaumically powered tranciever station would be considerably stronger as it could be laid out on a larger scale.

Jack Swigert was using the optical unit, a binocular telescope with a hood that was built into the command module and looked a lot like the science instrument Mr Spock frequently used. He was checking the landing site land marks against their maps, refining the trajectory of their orbit against the calculations.

"Okay, coming up on Fra Mauro... I can see the D crater and the edge... Old Nameless should be... what the hell?"

Jim was immediately by his side. "Do we have a problem?"

The question was echoed by the Capcom, currently Joseph Kerwin.

"I'm not sure what we have! Old Nameless has changed shape, and there seems to be a dark feaure next to it, I think it's rectangular..." Jack moved back to let the Mission Commander take a look.

The high magnification mode of the optical unit had a field of view of 1.8 degrees, which even at this close range translated to an area 5 miles in diameter. The features were smaller, but there was a definite impression of straight lines in the crater, and a small rectangle of blackness to the immediate south of it, and he was sure they weren't just artefacts of the long shadows cast by the lunar dawn.

"Houston, Thirteen, we are seeing changes to Old Nameless crater, south of the landing site. There are structures inside the crater, and a small black rectange just south of it. That could be a shadow cast from a low wall, or it might be an active thaumic solar array. If it's the second, it has to be a hundred yards wide at least."

"Apollo 13, this is Houston. We read you, is the landing site clear?"

Even in the short while they'd been talking, the ground had moved underneath them, and it took a few seconds to refocus on the area.

"Houston, this is Thirteen, we're not seeing any changes in the area north of the crater, Cone crater looks unchanged, but at this height we can't see much detail... with the sun so low, the light isn't helping. Even so I'm betting Luna has been busy. This has got to be something to do with the gift she talked about."

Fred Haise had been working with the VHF system, activating it far earlier than normal, as in other cicumstances it wouldn't be used until they co-ordinated separation and PDI for the lunar module. "Maybe we can ask her directly."

Cross-linking the VHF into the voice loop, he gave the nod to Lovell.

"Fra Mauro, this is Apollo Thirteen..." Jim paused, it was possible the omni-directional VHF antenna was still too weak to work at such a distance. "Luna, are you receiving?"

"Indeed, my friends! Fra Mauro Actual, responding!" Luna's voice was exuberant, not the full Shakesperian of her translated voice, but regular, of formal English.

It wasn't the first time they'd talked, or even the tenth, they had been having regular conversations with her since Febuary, first at the LRL, and lately at the new complex that had sprung up acrross the road from it at JSC. Jim knew that the Apollo 11 and 12 lunar crews had visited occasionally as well. It had been generally agreed that maintaining her previous connections and ensuring she was familiar with her rescuers and vice versa would be helpful. Of course, with Ken Maddingly being replaced at the last minute, James Swigert hadn't been introduced.

"This is Commander Lovell. It's good to hear from you."

"Sir James, you also. I was sorry to hear that Sir Ken was laid low with illness, I hope for his speedy recovery. Sir Fred is there, and Sir Ken's second?"

Fred Haise answered, "We're here Luna, I can't wait to get down there and see you, and what you've been doing. About that, is the big black square a part of it?"

There was an adorable little whinny of annoyance over the comms. "You are most eagle eyed to have spotted it, I had hoped it would be a surprise entire. It is in truth a part of it, but only a small part. I will say no more for now, even as I speak, your craft had passed it's closest point, and I wish to greet your new companion before we pass beyond calling range."

Prompted by the others, Jack spoke. "Jack Swigert, ma'am. At your service."

"Sir Jack, I am honoured by your service. If I remember rightly, you will helm the command module as your companions descend to the surface. A lonely job, but a needful one."

Jack grinned. "I'll be here when you need me."

"Then may the stars and harmony keep you on your course, and may we meet soon." Luna replied, her voice already getting fainter as the distance increased and the signal to noise ratio decreased, fading beyond the range of the VHF system to decipher.

Jim spoke for the S band connection back to Earth. "Houston, Apollo 13. We have made sucessful first contact with Luna, though we didn't find out much about what she'd been building down there."

"I was monitoring Thirteen. Luna seems to be in fine form today." Kerwin replied. "I'll need you to check the PDI schedule against our latest returns..."

The process of ensuring the tandem spacecraft was ready for the next mission phase continued.

&&&

"Ready the hatch Freddo." Jim Lovell said as he moved to the opposite side of the LM command section, from Fred Haise. The hatch was hinged towards Fred's position, and the swing arc required them both to stand aside. "Cabin pressure is down to 2.6 psi, check suit pressure."

"I have 4.1." Haise replied, He flexed his right arm, reaching up to the right side of his PLSS backpack. "Gotta say this isn't bad at all."

"3.9." Jim reached out and closed the dump valve above the LM hatch, as the gauge reached 2.5 psi, stopping the depressurisation, then reached up to touch the feedwater valve handle on his own Portable Life Support System, testing his range of motion. This would feed water from the PLSS through the Liquid Cooling Garment against his skin, carrying away heat from the LCG to a sublimator on the PLSS, where the water would evaporate, taking the heat with it. "Let's hope this new procedure works out as well as it did in simulation."

Aquarius had a feature not found on any previous LM, a permanent thaumic atmospheric containment field across the surface of the front hatch. It meant the hatch could be opened without any depressurisation of the cabin down from the 5 psi of pure oxygen it normally operated at. Unfortunately, at 5 psi, the AL7 space suits used by the two astronauts would starfish when exposed to vacuum, the pressure differential being to great for their muscles to overcome.

For the suits to reach their nominal internal operating pressure of 3.85 psi meant that some depressurisation of the cabin was still needed, as the suits simply exhausted the excess gas. Testing had suggested maintaining the cabin pressure at 2.5 psi during EVA operations was a good compromise, allowing the astronauts to adjust more gently to the pressure change, and giving greater freedom of movement during EVA preparation. It would also ensure the LM was a safe haven in the event of an emergency, without the full force of an emergency pressurisation and the stress it would put on the hull, and extend the oxygen reserves used to refill it after each EVA.

Jim pulled the lever that opened the feedwater valve. Fred opened up the hatch, and Jim dropped down, levering himself carefully through the now open hatchway. He could feel the way the suit legs stiffened as they passed beyond into vacuum, but passing through the hatch in at least partial pressure made things easier. It was still an effort to get the larger visored helmet which fitted over the inner transparent pressure helmet past the ascent stage engine cover without banging into it, but with some assistance from Fred, he managed it.

He manoeuvred himself out onto the 'porch', the platform in front of the ladder, turned to sit with his back to the hatch. Haise had moved around to look out through the open hatch and help with a visual inspection. Lovell checked the instruments on his Remote Control Unit, the front mounted device that controlled his PLSS.

"Okay, Houston, CDR, I have water flag, pressure 3.75, battery, O2 at 98%. Min cooling and other readings okay."

"Copy, Jim, that matches our telemetry." Ken Mattingly was currently Capcom, and lacking the measles. It had been decided that as he'd trained alongside them, he would be their communications link for this most vital part of the mission.

"Jettison bag coming out." Fred Haise passed a large white bag out through the hatch, which Jim turned to collect and throw over the porch railing opposite the camera. It contained the cabin refuse produced from the LM.

Once the final checks were done, Fred reached through, fully extending Jim's PLSS antenna. By waiting until he was fully outside, it removed the risk of it being snapped off during the tight squeeze through the hatch. Jim simply sat and looked out for a moment, appreciating the view.

The landing pad Luna had built, modelled on the one for Apollo 12, was invisible from this angle, hidden underneath the lander. It was almost directly north of the feature they'd called Triplet crater, a set of three craters running north to south, and just to the west of a trio of overlapping craterlets they'd named Wierd crater. The early morning shadow of the lunar module stretched out ahead of him, throwing every variation in the terrain into sharp relief.

There were no other immediate signs of Luna's presence apart from the oddly regular shapes around Old Nameless further to the south and the eager pony herself, bouncing between her left and right hooves near to the foot of the ladder.

However, she kept silent, as Fred Haise levered himself out of the hatch, and Jim moved to accomodate him. climbing over the edge onto the top of the ladder. The lunar module pilot went through his own checks to see that his suit was fully functional, and Jim helped with the inspection. Fred pulled through the Equipment Transfer Bag and Lunar Equipment Conveyor, the fancy names for the bag and line used to lower equipment down from the cabin.

Lovell triggered the the Modular Equipment Stowage Assembly, the fold-out storage tray which carried the colour video camera currently set to view the foot of the ladder and the pad underneath, and the eager alicorn filly in the background. It also held some larger equipment they'd need right away, such as the flag and deployable S band antenna. "Houston, MESA deployed. Are you recieving a good signal?"

The three second delay of the response still caught him off guard. "Copy MESA deploy, Jim. Picture is coming through."

Jim Lovell started downwards. "I'm heading down the ladder. If I wait much longer, our friend may not need the ascent stage to reach orbit!"

There was a chuckle from Ken. "We see that Jim, and we're seeing you come into view... looking good, you're on the bottom rung."

Dropping down onto the LM footpad, he steadied himself and stepped out onto the fused regolith of the landing pad. "Okay, I'm stepping off the LM pad, Luna's landing pad is solid, it's a fine job, but feels slippery underfoot. I'm guessing the low gravity. About to cross onto the lunar surface..."

He crossed the de-dusting band, and stepped out onto the regolith, feeling it crunch under his boots, and the oversoles that protected them from direct contact with the regolith. "I'm on the moon's surface. Following in the footsteps of brave explorers, and adding my own. I've dreamed of this my whole life."

Luna had stopped bouncing and watched more calmly, if no less eagerly. She finally spoke over his VHF loop. "I am pleased to witness your dream come to be, Sir James."

"Thanks Luna." He wasn't yet comfortable bending down, but he went over to the alicorn, who was wearing her regular PLSS cover saddlebags and gold foil 'coolie' hat, but had added a cloak or horse blanket of the same Kapton gold foil underneath the saddlebags with wing slits, allowing her wings free movement. He winced slightly as he moved out of the LM's shadow, partly side-on to the rising sun, and turned to face directly away from it. He didn't pull down his gold visor as he didn't want to hide his face from Luna. "Man, that's bright."

As he reached Luna, the ground rose up before her, the regolith forming into a solid pillar she could stand on. She jumped up and landed on the flat top, at the height of his waist. While her muzzle was level with his chin, it made it possible to see eye to eye with her without looking or kneeling down.

"It is good to finally meet you face to face, after a fashion." she said, smiling and spreading her wings slightly.

Seeing her up close like this was very different from seeing her on the screen back at the LRL, something that had happened several times before a month ago, when she finally had to move across to the Fra Mauro site full time. The movement of her wings, her bright intelligent eyes, her eager, easy expression, for the first time he saw her as a real person, rather than an image or a mission goal.

"It's good to see you for real too, Luna." He suddenly realised what her posture meant, and leaned forward to give her a hug. He knew intellectually that she was an alien, once co-ruler of a kingdom, and a polymath with literal centuries of experience and knowledge, but right then, all he could see was his younger daughter.

Thinking of which, he joked, "My daughter Susan will be annoyed that I got to hug you, and she didn't!"

Luna released the hug, and said, "You mentioned her in our talks, yes? Very well then, when I am on Earth, I shall visit her for a hug of her own. It is fortunate I have an unlimited supply."

"First we have a schedule to keep, quite apart from what you want to show us." Jim stated, turning back to the Lunar Module to see Fred Haise lowering the ETB from the porch with the LEC. A Hasselblad camera sat around his neck.

"Indeed, then let us not tarry!" Luna jumped from her pillar and glided towards the lunar module, wings outstretched.

"Wait, you're flying?" Jim exclaimed, following her. "I thought you weren't able to do that on the moon, even though you use your powers and not airflow for lift."

Luna's delighted laugh as she landed showed she had hoped for a reaction like that. "In truth, I am not flying, Sir Edwin, Buzz that is, described it as 'falling with style'. He and Sir Neil have talked with me by radio, and he was interested in exactly how the geas that binds me to this orb is triggered to block my magic. While intent was a possibility, such things are complex, and for all their power, and being driven by such forces, the Elements of Harmony are direct, one might say, elemental, in their actions.

"He is greatly learned in matters of celestial navigation, beyond what was needed as a pilot; some experiments he suggested allowed us to discover a simpler answer. The geas prevents me from using my magic to move further away from the centre of the moon. My theory is that the power of the elements was divided, diminished in the dimensional split, so where it's full power would have been sufficient to bind me to the very substance of the moon, the reduced power forced it to find a simpler, low energy solution that fitted the parameters of the geas.

"It is why when I raised the pillar by magic, I had then to jump up by the strength of my own legs. Had I sat atop it, the pillar would not have risen. Fortunately it ignores non-magical effects, whether it be my own strength or your fine ship Aquarius, or this would be a somewhat wasted journey."

"Thankfully it isn't." Jim said, checking his cuff checklist, and moved to the foot of the ladder and started removing the contents of the ETB. "Houston, Apollo 13. We have made contact with Luna, and are proceeding with scheduled tasks."

Author's Note

Yes, Apollo 13 has had a total lack of explodingness, thus far at least. In the original timeline an oxygen sensor failed in the number 2 oxygen tank on the way out to the moon, resulting in the tanks being stirred more frequently to compensate. This aggravated the issue with the bare wires that ultimately caused the explosion, and meant it happened a lot earlier than it would have otherwise.

This actually saved the mission, as if it had been stirred on the original schedule, the tank wouldn't have exploded until they were on the lunar surface, or if the lower rate of use gave it more cycles to failure, after they'd returned. Does this mean that there may still be a 'problem' in their future? Stay tuned to find out!

Many thanks to macdjord for suggesting the concept.

The title is from a Robert Heinlein novel, about a revolt at a lunar prison colony that turns into a revolution. For my money it is one of his best works.

Also the fact that this is part one implies a part 2. That is almost ready and will be published shortly, as in within a few days. I just need to do some final checking. I had originally planned to publish this chapter and the next as one big chapter, but together they exceeded 9000 words, well beyond my normal allowed limit. So you will get two chapters for the price of one!

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Part 2

The next hour was a rush of unloading the LM, and setting up equipment around the Lunar module, including taking several contingency samples from the area which were dutifully lifted up to the Ascent stage by the LEC. While the timeline had been devised to take into account Luna's assistance, they had not considered that she'd done it before, and as a result, they were still ahead of schedule.

Then came the task of unloading the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package components from the LM descent stage compartment known as the Science EQuipment bay or SEQ. The video camera had been placed on a stand to cover the area, and the three of them were working together.

The filling of the RTG with the fuel rods that would power it was done by Luna via telekinesis, as while the exposure was minimal, having the two astronauts avoid it was easy enough.The central control box and the various experiments were fitted into two vertical pallets, connected the Hand Carry Tool, basically a horizontal bar. As the last parts were strapped into it, Jim said, "Houston, Apollo 13. We are loaded up and ready to move to ALSEP deployment site."

"Roger 13, please give us an PLSS status before you start out." Ken Mattingly, the Capcom replied.

Jim responded first, squinting at the gauges on the RCU on his chest, somewhat shadowed by his position, and using the verbal shorthand for Commander. "CDR at 3.75 psi, uhhh, 71% O2, no flags, cooling low."

"LMP has 3.75 psi, oxygen at 69%, cooling low to medium." Fred added, likewise using his Lunar Module Pilot identifier. "It's taking the heat."

"And I have a hat and cloak." Luna piped up, making it swirl despite the lack of air, which got chuckles from the two astronauts, and Capcom.

"Good to know Luna." said Ken. "Okay, Jim if you can reposition the TV camera to cover your route, Set the focus to infinity."

Jim moved to the camera set up to alter the settings. "Roger Houston. Even so we'll be barely visible."

"Maybe I can help with that." Luna stated, opening one of her saddlebags with her magic and pulling out a pair of polished metal mirrors with jewelled frames, each the size of a paperback book. The gems on both mirrors glowed in sympathy with her horn, and the reflection in each mirror rippled to be replaced with a different one, which changed as she passed one to Jim and one to Fred.

"Paired magic mirrors. I have calculated the angles and distances from the TV camera at Mare Cognitum, and if we place one mirror directly in front of it at the correct distance, it will be able to view anything visible from the other mirror as if the video camera was there. The idea came to me thinking upon the mission there, such time and effort spent to bring such a weighty device, and then the greater part of the expedition barely used it."

Jim and Fred were both examining the image on one mirror with fascination as Jim moved the other to sweep across the moonscape. The mirrors were far lighter than the bulky video camera, or for that matter, a similar sized CRT screen, even though made of a metal sheet.

"This is impressive, but I'm going to have to check with Houston to see if we can use it. They may want to keep the whole site in view, rather than a close-up." Jim spoke up. "Houston, have you been following? Please advise."

Luna frowned. "I had not considered that, but it is easily enough resolved. May I?"

As Ken acknowledged the transmission, Luna's horn glowed again, and she lifted Fred Haise's mirror from his hand, the image winking out. She held it in front of her as a number of items rose from her saddlebags, a crystal stoppered jar of silvery liquid, a black stick and metal stylus, and an abacus of metal wires and glass beads. Finally an angled metal desk surface on a stand, similar to a lectern, that while low enough to bring it to her height, could not have fitted in the saddlebag. Jim was reminded of when he'd taken the kids to see Mary Poppins at the movie theatre.

Placing the mirror, active side down on the stand, she started scribbling on the desk with a stick of black stuff, while making rapid calculations with the abacus, as the other objects floated in a halo around her hat.

"How did that fit..." Fred trailed off, "... was the desk shrunk, or is the bag bigger on the inside?"

"The second, an application of conjuration. Space inside is expanded by a set factor, and the effective weight is reduced in inverse ratio." Luna stated absently, while still continuing her calculations. "These saddlebags each normally encompass one and a quarter cubic feet of volume, and have a linear expansion factor of two, giving eight times the volume, or ten cubic feet. But when full of some material, they would only weigh as much as three tenths of a cubic foot of that same material. Though I expanded this one downwards, rather than equally in all dimensions."

"That's fantastic!" Jim exclaimed, "... and it would have simplified recovering you if it could be applied to Apollo."

"Unfortunately, I only recently managed to craft one successfully." Luna sighed. "In Equestria they are luxury but not uncommon items, requiring a skilled enchanter and a considerable amount of energy to create, though the space is permanent once created. However, while I understood the theory, I am not as practiced in it's application as the correspondence effect of the mirrors. It took some experimentation to maintain a stable pocket. I lacked the spare quintessence for such experiments until this last moon."

"Is that something to do with that huge photothaumic array at Old Nameless crater?" Jim guessed.

"Indeed, though that was not it's primary purpose." Luna replied, her tail twitching. "Ha! I have it!"

The stylus went to work, scribing additional rune sets on the rear surface of the frame, as some regolith was scooped up and processed into some small gems that were affixed within the runes. The silvery liquid was poured into the engraved symbols, and froze in place. Luna's horn glowed more brightly and the mirror glowed all over in response. Placing down her tools on the desk, she held it up with a critical eye, examining it, and stated, "Mirror Mirror."

Clearly visible to the astronauts, and less so to the camera, the reflection in the mirror once again went to a view from the other mirror.

"Mirror, See Through." The metal mirror surface suddenly changed to look like a sheet of glass, transparent within it's frame."

"Mirror, Off." The mirror once again reflected it's normal view.

"Now it can be commanded to show your mirror view, or pass light as a window. It is tied to our VHF communications, so Capcom should be able to select it." She held the mirror closer to the video camera lens. "Houston, that is Sir Ken, please say the commands."

"Mirror, mirror" Capcom's somewhat bemused voice replied, and the mirror once again activated, showing the lunar module and Luna standing in front of the video camera.

"Mirror, See through?" The view changed to Luna head on, as viewed directly from the camera lens, the frame being outside the field of view of the camera.

She beamed at the success. "Now it can be commanded to allow both! And I have charged it with enough power to enable several days of use."

It took some more testing, and some adjustments to allow for the TV camera being at maximum zoom when viewing the distant ALSEP site, but the use was approved, and a lightweight but sturdy wire frame was quickly crafted by Luna to mount the mirror to the front of the camera.

The actual trip out to the ALSEP deployment area was uneventful, with Luna carrying the HTC bar across her shoulders in place of her saddle bags, the two pallets barely clear of the surface. This freed the novice moonwalkers to pick their way across the low ridges in between the LM and the ALSLEP site. Luna had prepared a low, solid, de-dusted pad to mount the central station on, complete with adhesion effects, meaning placing and securing it went very quickly.

Geo-phones and a long connecting line were laid out to the south, and the various other experiments were deployed and calibrated, all under the watchful gaze of the viewing mirror, variously held by the astronauts or placed on a pillar that Luna raised for it when all three were occupied. Ken informed them that according to estimates, the audience for their expedition had now exceeded that of the Apollo 11 first footsteps on the moon.

When they returned to the LM, both astronauts were tired, hiking across the moon in space suits was an effort despite the low gravity, but also energised. Finally, they would find out what Luna had been doing to the south at Old Nameless crater. Checks of their suit reserves, dampened their enthusiasm.

"Houston, CDR. I show my O2 reserve at only 41 percent, do you confirm?" Jim asked.

Three seconds later, Ken Mattingly's voice responded, "That's correct Jim, Surgeon and TELMU agree that based on the distance to the site south of you, the round trip would take you to less than ten percent reserve, even without dwell time at the site. As such we are currently no-go for the visit."

Luna exclaimed, "Wait! I knew the distance might prove a problem, and have prepared a solution. Behold!"

Her horn glowed, and an object flew towards them from the south. It landed just beyond the edge of the landing pad, a framework with two broad skis and a flat gridded load bed, well named as the load carrying surface was about the size of a double bed. It was made in part from raw metal, probably aluminium, similar to the desk she'd shown earlier, and in part from components of a lunar module, such as the hand bars on two vertical posts, and a neatly stowed harness at the front that owed it's genesis to the support webbing that the astronauts used in place of seats.

Two slings were also fitted to the posts as not-a-seat belts, and looked to have been adapted from a hammock the Apollo 12 mission had carried after feedback from Apollo 11 on how uncomfortable it was sleeping on the bare metal of the LM without using the Restful Blanket spell. Foot loops large enough to easily fit the moon boots into, completed the amenities.

"A sled?" Fred asked, slightly incredulously.

"Indeed." Luna said proudly. "Broad and long enough with wide skis to remain stable, and with ample room for both of you to stand securely and hold on. I said I needed only half of one hour to show you my workings, and at the speed I can tow you the journey will take but a few minutes. Nor will you need to exert yourselves beyond holding on."

Jim was swinging the video camera around to point at the device. The mirror attached to it was currenltly in transparent mode. "Houston, Apollo 13, does this change the no go decision?"

"Wait one, Apollo 13. Poll is being taken." Ken's voice responded three seconds later.

Luna was already unfurling the harness, and placing it on herself, having removed the cloak for now. The harness comprised a girth strap resting between her wings and front legs and a breastplate, but no headpiece or reins. Her saddlebags were secured to a load point at the front of the sled. Jim wondered where she'd gotten the ascent stage hardware from, then remembered hearing that as part of the tests of her long range telekinesis ability, she'd been tasked with recovering the still orbiting Apollo 12 ascent stage, and soft landing it at Mare Cognitum.

"You're really going to tow us with that?" Fred asked. "I'd have thought you'd just move the sled with your telekinesis."

"I could, but this is more fun!" Luna replied, checking the girth buckle was secured. "I may have missed your Hearth's Warming, that is Christmas, celebration, but as this work is a gift, it seems appropriate for you to be brought there in a one horse open sleigh, as the song from the radio suggested."

She lifted two strings of metal harness bells out of her saddle bags, and attached them to the traces, before fitting the traces to her harness. She shook them, and the astronauts heard the jingling sound over their headsets. "I even got the bells right, their sound anyway. They are attuned to my radio diadem, so the vibrations modulate my radio channel."

The radio link crackled. "Apollo 13, Houston. The excursion is approved, contingent on two factors. First, you need to ride that sled in a circle close to the LM, under the view of the camera so it can be seen to be safe, and second, when either of you hits 28% O2 reserve, you start back immediately. Surgeon believes that even on foot, that would give you adequate margin for safety."

The test run didn't take long, with both astronauts finding the slings acted more as seats to lean against, while the foot loops held them to the load bed even through the minor jolting caused by moving over the uneven terrain. After the test, Luna deactivated the bells.

"I'm surprised a Princess knows how to wear a harness like that, let alone make it." Jim commented, surprised at the ease with which Luna had towed them.

"I may no longer claim that title, but I understand your confusion. It is based on the Royal Guard model 12 revision 5 logistics harness, used for light transport carts and the royal courier chariots, though it's usually a twin harness." Luna replied. "I must have inspected it on parades and readiness reviews at least a thousand times, and am thoroughly familiar with it's use and construction, even if I never wore it myself."

When it came the trip itself, the front of Jim's handlebars had a mount for the magic mirror, showing a view of the front of the sled and the back of Luna to the watching Earth audience. They practically flew over the lunar dust, twice as fast as even the most enthusiastic bunny hop or the planned lunar rover, and far more safely, as the faint glow of her telekiesis did encompass the runners, cushioning the ride.

As they approached Old Nameless crater, the expanse of black beyond it to the south became clearer, now clearly a vast square of photothaumic panels etched into a slightly raised surface of solid regolith. They had arrived at the north western corner of the crater which was to their left, while to their right was a separate flat area of paving, bounded by the familiar de-dusting line.

At one edge of the paving there were a three sets of widely spaced landing pad markings laid out, as well as a large thaumic radio relay circle. The lip of the crater hid whatever was in the northern part, but there was a wall on the south edge with a concave reflective inner surface and a bar running along the focus like the world's largest one bar electric heater.

As they came to a stop, Jim exclaimed, "Houston, are you seeing this?"

He detached himself from the sled and held up the mirror to sweep the area, Fred Haise stepping up beside him with his Hasselblad camera held by it's grip and taking pictures as Capcom responded.

"We're seeing it, Jim, that paved area has to be a hundred yards square, and the photothaumic array which has to be half as as large again."

Luna also unhitched herself from the traces, and stepped forward onto the paved area. "Come, I have so much to show you!"

"What is all this for? What could you need that much mana for anyway?" Jim asked, stepping on after and feeling the ripple on his suit as the dust from the journey was stripped away, leaving the exterior as clean as when he first put it on.

"You'll see." Luna replied. She absently recovered her cloak and saddlebags, and put them on over the harness.

As she led them down the side of the crater, additional features became clear. Although it was towards the sun, they could look down into the crater, and see arrays of angled panels, not mirrored or black, but the matt grey of normal lunar regolith. It gave the impression of a huge ampitheatre or lecture hall, with the reflector as the stage. Meanwhile, in the southern part of the pavement, set into the rock, there were a number of circular iron hatches, each hinged at one side, and with a T-shaped handle on top.

As they reached the wall with the parabolic mirror, they could see the back side, where an array of thaumic accumulators of the latest NASA design stood in a row between it and the photothaumic array. However, while the largest NASA accumulators were about a foot tall, these were three yards tall and over a yard and a half in diameter, giant hexagonal prisms capped at each end with metal, with more bands of metal at various heights. These glowed white when fully charged, and blue when charging, but right now they shone with the green of discharging, and although the sunlight made it less than clear, they were dim enough to show that they were almost discharged.

The wall was half again their height, but the thing that Luna led them to was the end of the bar that was the focus of the reflector, which turned out to be a hollow tube of crystal, about eight inches across, with a central tunnel three inches in diameter. Traceries of complex rune sets worked into the crystal itself, though it glowed with a strange translucence that made them hard to focus on, and even harder to photograph. A rivulet of silver flowed from it, into a channel that guided it down to a hole where it vanished, next to the first of a row of hatches. Unlike water or even mercury there was no rim caused by surface tension at the edges.

"What is that?" asked Fred, examining the stream of liquid.

"Liquid mithril, moonsilver to be precise, Dr Sagan and the other savants have suggested moonsilver as the liquid phase and mithril as the solid substance. This is the first ever mithril refinery! No more the drips and drabs I've been able to produce so far, this will produce more mithril in a lunar day than I ever produced by horn in a dozen years."

She gestured to the crater. "Sunlight falls upon the various panels of moon rock, which reflect it as moonlight into the parabolic reflector, which focuses the captured moonlight onto the crystal tube. Meanwhile, the photothaumic panels produce quintessence, which is fed into the accumulators and from there to energise the runesets in the tube which cast the spell to convert the moon light to moonsilver. It is working at a lackluster pace right now, as the sun is still low in the sky, but I have hopes that it can produce on the order of twenty tons of moonsilver per lunar day."

"I wouldn't have thought you'd get any reflected moonlight with the sun so low." Jim commented.

"If the moonlight conversion panels were polished, yes. But as unpolished moon rock, the light hitting them is diffused in many directions, so some will almost always fall on the reflector, excepting just after dawn and before sunset when the crater itself is in shadow. If the panels were steerable, and the photothaumic panels likewise, the design could have been greatly compacted, but this has the advantage of no moving parts and no maintenance. It's not as if I was lacking space after all." Luna gestured with a hoof to the open sweep of the moon's surface.

"So where is the moonsilver stored, in underground tanks?" Jim asked, looking at the hatch.

"You guess most precisely, Sir Jim. Each hatch leads to a chamber which can store an estimated lunar day's worth of production. They are connected by overflows, so as one is filled the next one starts filling in turn. I have crafted fifty chambers, enough for around four years of production in total. Hopefully by then we should have a vehicle able to come and collect it. If not, the system will cease it's work as soon as the last chamber is full."

She opened up the hatch, turning the handle on top to release a simple latch, and showed them the rock cistern underneath. Jim Lovell used his suit penlight to light up the interior, which had a surface of liquid silver, rippling slightly and oddly slowly under lunar gravity as the stream ran into it. He also directed the viewing mirror at it.

"When you said you had a surprise, I don't think anyone realized it would be something on this scale!" Fred Haise stated. "How did you create all this in just a few weeks? And what made you decide to build it anyway?"

Luna lowered the hatch. "The crafting of it took lessons I have learned from your own scientists and engineers, applied to my abilities. Concepts of mass production, automation, moulds and forms to stamp or shape items; these are ideas that Equestria does not have. In truth I had been crafting these plans for moons, only needing to adapt them for the terrain I found. Fortunately the soil here was rich in the needful materials.

"The starting point was the photothaumic array. I had horn crafted a version a ponylength or about one and one third yards square, incorporating all the latest advances both the scholars on Earth and I had developed, with some additions. One was a set of arcane marks and guides that would allow it to self-tessellate, creating a continuous pattern, another was incorporating automatically raising a solid surface of regolith beneath it that would take the imprint, and a substrate layer to collect the energy.

"I then encompassed that pattern within a 'wrapper' spell matrix, effectively a custom transmutation spell, allowing me to stamp it down on the bare surface as a single action, requiring only a moment rather than the hours it took to horncraft the prototype. I then created a five by five array of the pattern, then adjusted the wrapper to stamp this new arrangement, the limit of the spell I could comfortably cast. When I arrived on the previous lunar dawn, that was my first act, after creating a new radio relay circle."

Luna waved a hoof at the array. "Even though the shaping of the moon's substance comes easily to me and costs but little energy, laying out such a large area as this would have drained my reserves twice over. However, once I had laid down the first few sections, I raised an aluminium foil mirror to reflect the just risen sun more directly onto them, and could start to tap the array for power. The more I repeated the process, the more power I could call upon, until I was casting as quickly as possible, and still refilling rather than draining my magic reserves. It took only a few hours to complete a great area.

"Once I had a source of quintessence in place, the rest came easily. I had built prototypes of the components at Mare Cognitum, once again wrapping the patterns in a spell matrix and simply repeated them here, first the accumulators, then the reflector and the conversion tube. That last I designed in repeating sections, crafting one to produce some mithril, then using that for the enruning of the full scale version. While the crater already did a fair job of directing moonlight onto the reflector, I then reshaped it as panels to improve that.

"The first few buckets of moonsilver I poured into the engravings of the photothaumic array, inlaying the runes with mithril, and thus increasing its mana output even further. The parabolic reflector was originally polished moonrock at the cost of being a less than perfect reflector, as another substance would have interfered with the unique qualities of the reflected light. However, a mere pint or two of moonsilver, layered as a thin film over the surface, created the perfect reflector you see now, reflecting the moonlight without alteration.

"All told, it took me some large part of the lunar morning, maybe four Earth days, to complete the work, as there was still some trial and error. I still had my conversations with Earth to engage in as well, even without a visual link. I rested a while, then laid out the paved area as a place for the astronauts who come here to collect the moonsilver to create a permanent base. I had ample time during the lunar afternoon to experiment and develop my other new tools like the bottomless saddlebags and magic mirrors, aided by the luxury of ample power. I overbuilt the array so the excess could be used for other projects, and to charge the accumulators so mithril production could begin at first light each morning."

Luna had not been standing still as she talked, guiding them around the site, showing the accumulators, and a blockhouse style building next to them. The single room inside had an angled stone platfom as a desk, with ledges for tools and the books the Apollo 12 crew had brought her, and hung up in one corner was the other Apollo 12 hammock. Thaumic crystals shone both light and quintessence throughout the room.

"As to why, a gift, as I said, but one that will keep giving. When I first gifted that sample of mithril to Sir Neil and Sir Edwin, it was as a curiosity. I had no idea it would have so many uses beyond enhancing magical artificing. To make it on Earth on this scale would require a moonlight collector the size of a large city, while here it is easily created and collected.

"It also inspires the development of better spacecraft to come and collect it, something many of the scholars I have talked to dream of, even as they worry that many see this enterprise of space travel as costing too much in time and treasure and returning too little. While I understand that the public purse will have many demands upon it, it seems a poor ending for such a brave endevour to falter for lack of funds.

"Dr Sagan told me of the early days of air travel, and how the U.S. Government encouraged aircraft development through offering air mail contracts, a so-called 'anchor tennant'. While the moon is rich in resources, there is little call to come mine for them, or to use it as a stepping stone beyond, because of the great expense and danger of such journeys. I have begun assisting the researchers at the Lunar Research Laboratory and now the Thaumic Research Facility in developing better methods, both far cheaper and safer."

They had returned to the hatches, and Luna brought with her a metal bottle that looked to hold about three pints, that she then filled from the pooled mithril, using her magic as a siphon. It drew in a far greater volume, visibly dropping the level of the pool. She sealed it before carrying it on her back, secured by a loop in her harness. She also held up the smaller crystal jar of mithril from before to show Jim's viewing mirror.

"However, even if we can provide the tools, there must be the will to use them. A thin film of mithril can be used for everything from coatings that will resist any level of heating, to radiation protection, and apparently even to allow vastly more compact electricity storage. Not to mention it's use in artificing. It is an assured source of both treasure and the key to more puissant enchantments that is already here for the taking, and the ships that will collect it can also carry other cargos and passengers, not to mention travel to other destinations. They will open up a new frontier, but one without limits."

They returned to the sled, and as they reattached themselves, Jim said, "That sounds like something I definitely want to be a part of. As I told some folks back home who were asking why we should continue manned missions once we rescued you, 'what if Columbus had come back from the New World, and no-one had returned in his footsteps?' Considering you built up an entire base from bare rock in a few days, I can't wait to see what you come up with when you have the industry and science of the whole United States backing your plays."

He put the viewing mirror back in it's mount on the sled, and checked his suit status. Oxygen was at 33%, well within the safety margin. Luna placed her saddlebags on the front, and secured them before reconnecting the traces. "Houston, Apollo 13. CDR has 33% O2 remaining, suit pressure nominal, we are preparing to return to Aquarius."

Fred echoed his call with his own suit status, and they were quickly acknowledged by Capcom.

"Roger Apollo 13. Boy, I wish I could be there, that refinery looked spectacular." Ken chuckled, "Though even if I were on the mission, I'd be up where Jack Swigert is, and not get to see it until we got back."

Fred Haise put in his own question to Luna. "Not that I think anyone will bring a manned mission here before we come back to recover some, but there could be unmanned missions, even sample return ones, and this installation will be left open for them to visit and study. Is it safe to leave it unprotected? Not that we have much of a choice."

Luna gave a merry laugh as she started back. "Fear not, even should someone send something to espy, it will avail them little. The runesets throughout are enclosed and shrouded against both vision and more subtle methods, and other protections have also been prepared against damage, which I will not discuss in detail. While my greatest skills are in illusion and conjuration, I am also learned in abjuration, guards and wards, enabling protection against diverse threats both direct and subtle."

"And if they simply take some of the moonsilver?"

"I have stated it to be a gift to your nation, a small token of the kindness you have shown me. However, even if another should come to steal it away, it is of limited use without the knowledge of how to convert it to solid mithril. And to recover more than the smallest amount would be a vast endevour, your own ship could carry away only a part of a lunar day's production, even if it carried nothing else. That is, without certain advantages." She gestured to the metal bottle with a turn of her head.

"Another expanded space?" Jim asked.

Luna nodded as she started trotting, "The smaller volume and aperture as well as the solid walls allowed me to expand it further than my saddlebags. It holds sixty four times it's apparent volume, around 190 pints. It currently holds over four hundred pounds mass of moonsilver, yet weighs less than one, and most of that is the the flask itself. I did not place it in my saddlebags, as nested expanded spaces can prove troublesome. While they can work together, oft times one or the other will fail randomly and spill it's contents."

"Well, if it's as light as you say, we should be able to fit it into our ascent mass budget." Jim Lovell mused. "We need to evaluate how that's changed, if we can use you using your expanded saddlebags to carry samples and the exposed films. Assuming you're okay with that."

"Gladly. I have few items that I wish to take back for my own part. The rest of the space is yours to do with as you will."

"Then we need to figure out a way to weigh your saddlebags empty, so we know what mass we have left, and if it's even feasible."

The return to the LM was uneventful, but visually impressive, as for the first time the audience watching Apollo's video feed could see the lunar module, the US flag and other items in the vicinity as one panoramic sweep that expanded as they got closer.

"Man, this is the only way to travel!" Fred exclaimed. "I know they're supposed to be building powered lunar rovers for the later missions, but I doubt they'll go this fast, or smoothly."

"I'm glad you approve." Luna replied, showing no sign of strain in her voice as she galloped. "As I understand, you will rest, eat, and replenish your suits, and perform a second expedition to the deep crater to the north east, the Cone crater as the map calls it."

"That's right." Jim replied, as they drew up alongside the landing pad. "We were going to collect a lot of samples on the way, before the changes to the mission profile. The samples from the rim of the crater are most important, the geologists reckon they come from deep under the surface, thrown out by the impact that created it, so the current plan was to head straight there. I guess it's up to Houston whether we revert to more samples or stick with the revised mission."

"In that case, maybe we can get another sled ride." Fred quipped.

Arranging to measure the saddlebags took some ingenuity, as they were heavier than the spring balance used to weigh samples could measure. But by setting up a simple set of scales and using the spring balance to calibrate smaller, Luna created weights, they measured it, and duly reported the figures back to the Capcom at Houston.

This took up a good amount of their remaining reserves, both of oxygen, and energy, so as soon as the work was done, they closed out the video broadcast, and retured to the lunar module, taking the mithril container up after them on the LEC, while Luna went back to the mithril facility to pick up the few items she wanted to bring with her, and refresh her own magic from the massive thaumic array there.

Author's Note

Here's the second half of the chapter. Yes, this is going to cause explosions on Earth (hopefully figurative), as the UN Outer Space Treaty gets it's first workout, decades ahead of our own asteroid mining questions.

I hope this second part was worth the wait. It will probably be some time before I have the next chapter ready, partly becasue I need to do some in depth research. I've tried throughout to counterblance the essential fantastic elements by being as careful as possible with the real world ones. With any luck I've gotten the balance right.

In places I've told rather than shown, but I'm also trying to balance detail with chapter length, and some parts don't really need much detail.

First Contact

Ex-princess Luna bounded across the plains of a moon that was not her own, chasing a falling star. For the first time, she would arrive to see one land, rather than just finding some dead metal object. It had been just under a hundred of this satellite's long, slow days since she had been cast here, and at first her greatly diminished magic had been barely enough to protect her against airlessness and the pitiless rays of an unguided sun, or the surface temperatures that varied between sufficient to boil water and low enough to liquify air.

Her body was that of a yearling filly, and even walking more than a few miles at a time had exhausted her to start with, so she'd simply found a place, a shadowed canyon that nevertheless got some light and heat reflected from its sun facing wall and used the barest minimum of magic to create a pad of vacuum foamed rock to insulate her from the lunar surface.

There she had rested, half dozing the day and night away as she carefully husbanded what magic she had. Slowly, over many lunar days she learned to tap this moon's thaumic field, begin to repair her own magical powers and consider the many puzzles this world offered. If the not-Equis that hung eternally in the sky hadn't been clue enough, the conditions, the very cycle of day and night would have proved this was no part of her moon.

While her own moon had a cycle of phases, it had come from the inclination of its orbit with respect to Celestia's co-orbiting sun. They had guided their respective orbs to always remain on opposite sides of Equis in an eternal pavane. But here it appeared that the very structure of things was different, a world and moon circling one another and both orbiting a far distant and far vaster sun than Celestia's, which had been little bigger than her moon.

The main clue had been the stars in the sky, which returned to a particular position at a particular lunar time of day one every 12 and a bit days. This could only occur if the sun was orbiting the twinned worlds, but the distance needed to explain the slowness of the circuit and the difference in actual size needed to explain its apparent diameter implied that the opposite was true. She has a facility for calulating orbits, a side effect of having managed her own moon for so long, and she had repeated them many times with that same unbelievable answer, even expending carefully hoarded magic to manifest an abacus to double check her calculations.

It seemed that, unlike their own planetary system which needed daily adjustment to avoid orbital perturbations building up, this 'solar' system appeared to run without magic, though she shuddered to think what some wandering planet or asteroid would do to its careful balance. There were even other planets, also orbiting the sun from the paths they followed in the sky, a far cry from the scattering of minor moons and comets that circled Equis.

However the star she followed now was no wandering planet or falling meteor, but some manner of crafted object under intelligent control. As she'd slowly healed the hideous tear in her magic and soul that had happened when Nightmare Moon and most of her power had been ripped away, she'd seen other objects cross the skies. At first she'd taken them for the rare shooting stars that occurred even in the almost non-existent atmosphere of this moon, but as she traced their movements across the sky, she'd seen them show stable orbits, and in some cases even changed their orbit as she'd watched.

Even years later, having partly restored her magic, though not her physical form, Luna's senses were still too attenuated to reach out and sense them directly. However her eyesight was far better than any pegasus, and she'd been able to track them, even calculate where the ones that had fallen to the surface had landed. With a rough knowledge of their positions, and experience of the geography (or rather selenography) of the moon, it had taken many lunar days to find them, especially as even now she had to lie dormant through the coldest part of the lunar night.

The ones she'd found intact were of two distinct types. One reminded her of a three legged metal spider or a caltrop used by earth pony warriors, while the other was really two pieces, a large spindle and an open clamshell-like object some distance away. They were clearly artefacts and not creatures, and showed an amazing degree of craftsmanship, but why some-pony would send them to land here was beyond her.

All that would hopefully be resolved this time around. It was larger and brighter than any of the previous ones, and had appeared to separate from another object still in orbit. Something similar had happened only four days ago, and the star then had skirted across a large dust plan on the surface facing the planet, in what she'd come to call the north-east. It had come almost low enough for her to reach out and brush it with her telekinesis, if she'd been directly underneath it.

However, by the time she had bounded there, it was already ascending, and far beyond her reach, though she had been able to vaguely discern that its form was similar to the spider type, and that it had a bright light under it. It appeared to return to the orbiting star and join with it if her estimates of its path were correct. She had 'played a hunch' and stayed in the same general area watching for another one, and now her patience was being rewarded.

Her bounding mode of travel, though undignified, was almost effortless and would easily see her reach its projected lowest point ahead of it. She raced over a smooth surfaced plain, and then into a boulder field as the object descended. The sun, low in the sky created long shadows that should be even more visible from above. Surely it didn't mean to land here? A wrong move would land it on a boulder. Or maybe it would simply leave as the last one had. She wasn't sure what she would do in that case.

She hoped she was wrong, and raced ahead, even using some of her magic to increase her speed, hoping to be in place well before it came down. She would help clear a landing area if she could, to encourage it to land. Fortunately, the field thinned out to another more open plain, so her aid wasn't needed. She was well ahead of it by now, and stopped on a ridge to turn and look back at it as it approached.

It definitely had the wide splayed metal spider legs, four of them, but the 'body' was much larger, bulkier. If she'd thought it truly an insect, she might have considered it a queen, come to lay her eggs here, and the others drones or scouts sent to find the best place. In fact, if she remembered correctly, one of the spider ones had landed no more than a few leagues to the south, hadn't it?

She watched in fascination as it glided towards her. floating with a tongue of flame flaring beneath it. It puzzled her; then she realised it was similar to the exhaust from a firework, though this flame was far more controllable and powerful than black powder. Maybe the lower structure contained some igniferous liquid or alchemical preparation. She realised it must also contain saltpetre or some similar substance to provide the anti-phlogiston to make it burn without air, as there seemed to be no trace of magic in it.

But it was the upper body that was most fascinating. It had the same graceless, angular design as the others, but on one side there seemed to be lit triangular windows, if her more than pegasus keen eye-sight told her true, and between them a pony sized hatch and ladder, though their narrow rungs and steepness would prove a trial for even an earth pony. This was not merely an object, but a vessel, some form of carriage that had travelled here, possibly from the blue world in the sky!

She was suddenly both elated and terrified. At last she would have company, some-pony to talk to, assuming she used magic to create an air-bubble around them both. Would they even be ponies though? Considering the array of forms intelligence had taken on Equis, this new world, this new dimension might have anything. Would they be spider-like, as their creations were? Would they be terrifying? Would they be terrified of her? Would they be friendly or hostile to anything different?

While her current power level was only a fraction of her full potential, she was already powerful enough to defend herself against most mortal threats, even a unicorn arch-mage, but who knew what other powers these beings had. They were clearly peerless artisans and alchemists, and did not lack for courage or imagination to have travelled here without a trace of magic, and such inventiveness would lend itself to other fields of endeavour, such as weapons.

She stilled her wild emotions. She might no longer be a Princess, but she had been, and the bearer of the elements of Loyalty and Honesty. She had faced dread foes, from Discord to Sombra, and oft-times been the envoy to other nations. She had taken tea with zebras, talked medicine with buffalo chieftains and mathematics with camels, stared down dragons and even flown a wild hunt with griffins, though she had declined to make a kill of her own, and beaten into the ground a flock leader who called her weak because of it. Diplomacy in the lands beyond Equestria took many forms.

She would face these new beings with honesty, friendship and an unlit horn. But first she would watch them and seek to understand them further beforehand. She found an outcropping on the ridge that formed a shadow and stepped into it, watching as the 'space' vessel floated across the surface below, only a few pony-lengths above it, and throwing up dust as its flame scoured the surface. It slowed, hovered for a moment and sank gently to the ground, coming to rest on its four wide-spread legs.

It rested there, and she waited for the hatch to open, for some sign of life beyond its presence. There were some fumeroles of gas venting, movement behind the lit triangular windows, and the blinking of odd lights. However for a long time, several hours by her guess, there was no real change. Several times she stopped herself from galloping down there to find out what was going on, but she managed to restrain herself. That design implied that they intended to leave the vessel, so she would possess her soul in patience.

Then, there! The hatch came down, and a creature climbed, more wriggled out of it to rest on the platform it created. It reached out and manipulated something on the body of the craft, and a golden coloured section folded out further down, revealing some sort of box on it. After a moment it turned round and clambered down the ladder. It paused at the lowest rung for several moments, then dropped down. It moved around a little, taking short steps, clearly cautious about the new environment.

Its body-plan was closest to a minotaur, though there was no indication of large horns on its head. The huge, blank golden eye that made up its face disturbed her slightly, as did its wrinkled white skin and the tendrils that wrapped around it in addition to two stout arms. But after a few moments she realised this was probably not its body but instead some form of armour against the airlessness and sun.

If they came from the blue planet above and lacked alicorn powers they would need air, possibly held in that pack which the tendrils, or rather hoses, attached to. The head was a helm, and the 'eye' must be some sort of visor of darkened glass to ameliorate the power of the unfiltered sun, similar to the smoked glass used by astronomers to view her sister's sun. Assuming the world above was similar in size to Equis, the being should also be used to five or six times the gravity it was now under, which explained its caution.

The being was joined several moments later by a second creature, and together they started moving around the vessel. They tore away golden foil from around the legs and took objects from cunningly fashioned compartments in the exterior of the craft. She had no idea what most of them were for, but she was eager to find out. However it was clear that they were following some careful plan, and she didn't want to make a bad impression by interrupting them.

Then they set up an object that she did recognise, a standard, made of cloth, but with a solid bar at the top holding it spread in the absence of a breeze. It showed barry gules and argent, and in the first quarter canton azure with molet argent of five points sans nombre, alternating six and five. Whether the standard of their princess, or their nation, it was most definitely a flag and gave her some point of reference to start with.

They now seemed to be standing, facing their vessel, no longer occupied with work. She left the shadows and moved down towards them.

&&&

“Tranquility base, this is Houston. Could we get you both on camera for a minute please?”

Neil Armstrong, now the first man to walk on the surface of the moon, couldn't quite hear Capcom's full message due to a slight wash of static. “Say again Houston?”

“Roger, we'd like to get both of you in the field of view of the camera for a minute.” Charlie Duke, capsule communicator or Capcom for the mission went on to explain, “Neil and Buzz, the President of the United States is in his office now and would like to say a few words to you, over.”

“That would be an honour.”

As they moved over in front of the video camera that had been mounted on the leg of the lander, they could hear Charlie say, “Go ahead Mr President, this is Houston. Out.”

The next voice in their headsets was instantly recognisable. “Neil and Buzz, I am talking to you by telephone from the Oval Office at the White House. And this certainly has to be the most historic phone call ever made. I just can't tell you how proud we all are of what you... for every American, this has to be the proudest day of our lives. And for people all over the world, I am sure they too, join in recognising what... what is that!?”

The two astronauts looked at each other confused. “Uh... say again Mr President?”

The three second delay that the moon's distance imposed on all communications was never as maddening as right now. “Behind you, right behind you!” There was a crackle and Capcom cut in just as they turned around. “Can you confirm what we're seeing, Tranquility base? “

The two of them did indeed spot what everyone watching the camera feed could see. Both of them started to reply, then Buzz said, “Uh... if you're talking about the small blue horse that appears to be bounding towards us, yes we see it too. Please advise.”

It was an insane thing to say, but it was an insane situation, and both of them were trained to deal with the unexpected, not freak out about it. Doctrine said to relay information back and get Control's advice on anything that went outside the mission parameters, and if this didn't fit that, nothing would.

Another three second pause and Charlie's voice came back. “Uh, Tranquility base, we don't have a procedure on tap for this. Professor Sagan wrote up a set of first contact procedures, but we're going to have to hunt them down. Wait one.”

As the horse got closer it slowed down, flaring feathered wings slightly to stabilise itself, and finished the last few steps at a trot, leaving hoof-prints in the regolith. Now that it was close enough they could see large, intelligent looking eyes, and the horn peeking from under mane. Armstrong raised his sun shield to see it more clearly, and said, deadpan, “Houston, be advised, we have a unicorn.”

“Say again, Neil?”

“The 'horse' appears to be a unicorn, with wings, and is about the size of a small pony.” Beside him, Buzz stifled a snort of laughter. It was either that or start gibbering. Neil moved sideways so the video camera on the lander leg would have a clearer view and considered the look of interest that he'd seen on its face when he raised his visor. The initial shock had passed, and now he felt intensely curious, in part to find out if what he was seeing was real, and if so, how.

“It doesn't seem to have any form of vacuum protection. It's just sitting there, watching us. Capcom, I intend to approach the creature. It's clearly waiting for us to respond, and doesn't seem to be hostile.”

There was a long moment of undecipherable chatter after the pause, and then Charlie called back. “We're still trying to locate those First Contact protocols, but Gene Krantz agrees that you can't just stand there and do nothing. You have a go to attempt closer contact with the creature. Be careful, and don't do anything that could be construed as hostile. Buzz, retreat to the lander and enter. Start pre-flight check-list for emergency take-off.”

“Let's pray it won't necessary.” Buzz seemed to have recovered his professional mein too.

“Amen to that.” Charlie echoed.

Neil stepped forward slowly, and went to his knees, making sure the camera could see them both. The pads covering them were not as robust as the overshoes that protected his feet, but they would survive the hot surface of the moon for a short time, especially as this close to lunar dawn the ground would not yet have heated to boiling point. Coming down to its level seemed a good way to avoid startling it... no, her. It might have been an illusion, but the long lashes framing its oversized eyes and the way its long mane hung gave it a distinctly feminine appearance.

He slowly offered a suited hand to the pony, and was surprised to find it raising a fore-hoof and touching it in return. He almost sprang back when the horn on her head started to develop an aura, like a coronal discharge, but deep indigo. However, he held himself in place. Whatever this alien wanted, running away wasn't going to change it, and finding out was of paramount importance. The ground beneath her hooves seemed to fizz, the dust on it vibrating like the surface of a drum.

“Hello? Canst thou understand me?”

The voice sounded feminine but it wasn't coming from his head set. It was coming through the faceplate of his suit, actual sound. Well, one more impossibility more or less wasn't a big deal. He replied.

“Yes, I can understand you, though I don't know how. How can we even talk without air?”

“'Twas a simple matter of alchemy to break some of the rock into its separate parts, and contain those that were gaseous to form an air-bubble around us, though costly in magical energy. As to understanding, I cast a translation spell on myself that makes my speech understandable, and translates what I hear into Equestrian. I do thank thee for your courtesy, but I am no longer a princess. Please, rise, the coverings on thine boots indicate that the rest of your protective armour is not designed for over-long contact with a hot surface.”

“Thank you.” Neil heard the explosion of chatter in his earphones, obviously the sound had been loud enough to be caught by his microphone. As he stood back up, he muttered, quietly, “Everyone stay off this channel, I need to reply.”

The face of the unicorn frowned in a puzzled manner. “You talk to others? But where are they? Do you count some manner of far-speaking talisman among thy accoutrements?”

“Yes, more or less, I can talk to my friend in the capsule, and my superiors back in Houston.”

“In?” The unicorn tilted her head in a gesture both curious and adorable. “That is the name of thy capital or country if my spell has it aright, rather than the world you came from?"

“You are correct ma'am.” Neil felt he should take back some control of the conversation. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Neil Armstrong of the United States of America of planet Earth. I am commander of this mission to visit our moon. Behind me is our lunar excursion module, the Eagle, and inside is the pilot, Edwin Aldrin.”

“I am most pleased to meet you, sir Neil. Thy farspeaker is a most puissant artefact if it can reach so far. Unless backed by alicorn magic, even the best far-speaking spell has a range of less than a thousand leagues.” The wiged unicorn gave a curtsey with its fore-legs, dipping her head politely. “I am Luna, once Princess of the realm of Equestria on the world of Equis, now simply an exile on this moon which is not even mine own.”

“I'm sorry to hear that ma'am.” It could have been just an empty courtesy, but the hurt and, more deeply the resignation he heard in her tone made his heart go out to her. “Your Equis has a moon too? From your name, I assume you had some association with it.”

“Indeed so, but to someone of this universe, it would sound like madness.”

“This universe?” Up till now her archaic speech and mannerisms had him pegging her as sort of medieval, but this didn't fit.

“Have thy philosophers considered the notion that this one universe is not all there is?”

Neil nodded, then bobbed his suit to make it clear what he was doing. “You're talking about multiple universes like sheets of paper in a book, each page different, yes?”

“Tis sooth, though a stack of thick blankets is a better analogy, as no universe is a single sharp plane. While the core, a prime material plane...” she tapped the regolith with a hoof, “... is the most stable,'real' if you will, a universe has many demi-planes, less real, but still tangible under the right circumstances... but I digress. What small experiments I have been able to perform indicate that the very laws of this dimension are different to my own, though thankfully not enough to make my powers inoperable, or I would not have survived.”

On the face of it, her matter-of-fact statement sounded bizarre, but then this whole situation was crazy. “How did you get here?”

The pony, Luna, shook her head in a very human gesture. “That is something I would like to know myself. The force that was sending me to my moon was interfered with, that much I could feel. My form was semi-substantial, vulnerable to change, when a new power, some great disruptive wave of energy merged with the power of the Elements and struck me. It tore my semi-solid form apart, the greater part of my power and... strength being carried onwards while most of my soul and memories coalesced into this part.”

She gestured to her body with a hoof.

“As the force subsided I was drawn away on the ebb, across the dimensional planes like a... leaf being carried away from shore after a great wave has washed upon it. And eventually I did arrive in this universe, which I surmise must have been the source on the interfering force. I suspect your Earth is correspondent to Equis, and our moons are similarly linked. So the remains of the original spell did cast me here, and allowed my physical body to reconstitute, though as a filly. And here I have stayed since, as I have not the power to return, nor to send myself forth from this orb.”

“For how long?” Neil asked.

“Does thy world's cycle of seasons coincide with its circuit around its sun? Its year?”

The astronaut felt non-plussed. “Of course, what else?”

That seemed to amuse the pony as she gave a small smile. “What else indeed? Then I have been here, as best as I can make out, two lunar days short of eight years.”

That floored him, figuratively at least. She must be made of very tough stuff mentally to have avoided becoming a raving lunatic after being so utterly alone for eight years. “I'm sorry.”

“'Tis none of your doing,” she replied, shaking her head and making her mane wave. “but my thanks anyway.”

That got him thinking. “That would be... September or October of 1961. One moment, Miss Luna.”

He spoke again, this time to a different audience. “Houston? You've been monitoring everything?”

Charlie answered. “Yes, and there's a lot of very freaked out people down here. We've switched to frequency 3 for Buzz and Mike, though they're listening in, and Buzz is working the pre-flight by the numbers. Deke is talking to the President right now and going quietly mad. Dr Paine is on the line too. We cut the live feed to the networks almost as soon as you started your conversation, but I suspect every reporter, journalist and cameraman on the planet will descend on us in short order. Not to mention the ones already in the press room.”

“Oh boy, it must be brutal down there. But you heard the arrival date? If Luna's date is right, what could it have been?”

“We'll check. It would help if we knew more about what it would have looked like from this side.”

Neil spoke out. “Miss Luna, can you give me more information? Where it might have happened on this side, what sort of things might have caused it.”

“Hmm...” Luna mused, bringing her hoof to her chin in an unintentionally adorable pose. “Once again, correspondence plays a part, sympathy if you will. Wouldst have been on the world or more likely in its air, as that was where my journey started. An intense, brief release of power, not some ongoing force like a storm. Intent, as my journey was no accident.”

Charlie spoke up in his headset. “Okay, that narrows it down some. by the way, you're down to one hour ten on the planned EVA profile. Right now, keep getting this Luna to talk, but you're going to have to retreat to the capsule before long.”

“Understood. But I'm winging it here, we didn't cover how to talk to an alien princess during training. If we see a Chinese girl or a big rabbit, I'm leaving!”

Mike Colins's voice came back in on the channel. “Just think 'What would Captain Kirk do?'”

“Uh huh.” Neil could hear the smirk in his friend's voice.

Buzz said what he was thinking. “I don't think ripping his shirt and getting in a fist fight, or seducing this Luna will help matters.”

Capcom spoke next. ”Wait, we've got a match on the event. Of course! Tsar Bomba, that Russian bomb they were waving about. The time period fits, and at over 50 megatons yield, it's the biggest explosion on the planet since Krakatoa.”

“Understood.” Neil looked back at the pony, who was observing him with polite interest. “A nation called Russia set off a large bomb around the right time. That may have been what caused your problem.”

“A bomb?” Luna looked distant for a moment. “An artificial eruption or explosion like the head of a firework? Equestrian has no direct translation, but that is the sense I get, of a weapon also.”

“That's right. Your people have explosives too?”

Luna nodded. “Indeed. Earth ponies did invent them for mining and use fireworks to fend off flying enemies, but this must truly be a vast device, and of something more than simple black powder.”

“Yes... Wait, Earth ponies? We have ponies on Earth, but they're not intelligent beings, just simple animals.”

“Oh, the name of your world, I see. How curious that you should have a race akin to ours on your world, another correspondence mayhap. However, I mean it in the sense of ground or the land. Equestria is home to several races, and Equis many more. Chief among the Equestrians are the three pony races, earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns. Maybe I have enough power to spare for a small illusion.”

A glowing window appeared in front of him showing a scene that would not have been out of place in a display on early medieval Europe; thatched single story cottages and cobbled roads in a verdant forested countryside, with a grey fairytale castle in the distance. Of course, in medieval Europe the inhabitants would not have been small technicolour horses in various period attire.

She showed several scenes as she talked about them, ponies tilling fields while pegasi marshalled clouds and created precise rain showers in their wake; unicorns with horns alight with coloured auras crafting jewellery or scribing scrolls with tools that floated in mid-air with a matching glow and a market day scene of all three types along with a smaller number of sheep, goats and donkeys, trading and haggling with abandon.

The final image was what he guessed might be the interior of the castle he'd first seen, grey stone and stained glass windows enclosing a hall hung with banners. It was populated with pony guards of all three races in hoplite styled barding and on a throne at the far end a white alicorn with a multicoloured mane and tail that seemed to float of its own accord, wearing a golden tiara, peytral and hoof-shoes.

“My sister Celestia getting ready to hold the day court...” The image flickered and faded as Luna's voice cracked and came to a halt. “I'm sorry, but remembering her like that... I miss her so!”

Neil was too stunned to speak for a moment, but finally managed to say, “Don't apologise, that was amazing! What other things can you do?”

Luna sniffled and blinked away teary eyes, but looked grateful to get away from what seemed to be a sore subject. “'Twas a small illusion, nothing to what I could do were I to have my full power. But I am versed in many of the magic arts, though my magic lends itself best to illusions and conjuration and, to a lesser extent, abjuration magic. I am learned in arithmancy, alchemy, magical artificing, and astronomy, and have studied philosophy, rhetoric, statecraft and diverse other arts of a noble nature.”

“I'm not sure what some of those even are. Arithmancy? Abjuration?”

“The first is the application of mathematics to magic, vital to describing and decomposing spells as well as modifying or creating new ones. The second is the creation of wards and shielding spells.”

“A pony for every season?” Neil quipped.

“You are too kind...” Luna gave an actual grin. “My circumstances gave me much time to study.”

Neil saw her happy expression fade as her eyes grew distant. He could almost see her remembering something that pained her, and found it pained him. “Are you alright?”

Luna realised she what she was doing and waved a wing in a dismissive manner as she focussed on him again. “'Tis nothing I wish to remember. We were talking of these Rushing people, and what alchemy they used to produce such a vast explosion.”

“Not alchemy.” Neil said. “I don't know if your language has the terms for it. Breaking apart atoms of an element to form lighter atoms, or fusing atoms together to form heavier ones?”

Luna looked thoroughly shocked, her eyes widening and her wings flaring. “You mean it employed elemental transmutation, the art of transforming one unique element to another? And if so, what mad-pony would deliberately unleash such a power as a weapon?”

“Unfortunately, quite a few nations on Earth, including my own. When someone figured out it could be done, there was a war, with nations who would have used it to attack others indiscriminately. The only way to prevent it was to have similar weapons of our own,and be able to say, 'If you destroy one of our cities with it, we can destroy yours.'”

“Ah I see, diplomacy.” Luna said, wryly.

She shook her head. “I did not mean to impugn your county's character. I am the last pony who has call to act the high horse. 'Tis simply that such an art is risky in the extreme. While simple alchemical transmutations of compounded substances is simple enough, to apply sufficient power to transform elements requires a team of powerful unicorns, and if done improperly, can result in vast explosions and a burning fever in those who are nearby or even inhale the dust. But 'twould make sense, such a powerful, concentrated explosion could breach the boundaries between dimensions.”

“No-body's happy such weapons exist, but no-one's found an alternative to threatening each other. Wait, you said 'if done improperly'. Does that mean that your people can do 'elemental transmutations' without a big explosion or poisoning?”

“Not so much do without it as draw away the energies to other uses. Some is fed back into the transmutation spell to control the rate of reaction, preventing the material being boiled to a vapour and the formation of poisons, while the rest goes into empowering a warding shield that blocks both energy and substance. The very magnitude of the energy released allows for some very powerful wards.”

“Something like that would be very valuable to people on earth, if you could figure out how to apply it to protecting a city from an explosion outside it.”

Luna thought for a moment. “I know the theory of it, and with my skills I could make an honest attempt to adapt what spells I know, but the idea of controlled elemental transmutation is the conversion of cheap metals to more expensive ones, such as lead to gold or tin to silver. The containment and absorbtion of the energy released is a side effect. I couldst not promise what I might not be able to deliver, but I could try and would. Though it would require more power than I can spare, as much of what I have is needed to support my body in this inhospitable environment.

“Sir Neil, I would ask you a boon. When you return home, please grant me passage on your vessel. What remains of the spell that brought me here acts as a geas to turn my power against me, slowing my attempts to restore myself, and preventing me from using my powers to escape, or attempt any spell requiring significant power. But if I left its influence by some other means, I could recover more of my old strength. I would of course offer my services and knowledge in recompense.”

Her eyes teared up, and she turned to look at the distant Earth. “It has been so lonely, trapped here with only my thoughts and regrets. I greatly desire to see your world up close, to meet your people and make friends among them, to discover the many wonders your people must have built with your mechanic arts. I implore you, carry me away from here and I shall owe you whatever aid I can muster.”

Neil could see the tears in her eyes now, watch them drip down her muzzle and boil away as they landed on the sun warmed regolith. He impulsively went down on his knees again and leaned towards her, opening his arms to give her a clumsy hug. Part of him was worried about what physical contact might do, but he was a test pilot, and in one of the most complete environmental protection suits known to man. If something bad did happen despite that, better to know it now than later. Besides, she looked like she really needed a hug.

She stiffened for a second then leaned into it, and though he couldn't feel it through the many layers of the suit, he could see she'd rested her head on his shoulder, and her wings had come forward to hug him in return. He hadn't turned into a radish, and he was fairly sure that any bugs would find direct solar radiation unpleasant.

“There there...” He gave a gentle squeeze. “It isn't my call as to whether you can come with us. That's for my superiors to decide. But I promise you I will do my darnedest to get them to say yes. It may not be on this mission, we may not have the fuel to carry you, but there will be other missions coming here after us, and I'm certain the next one could be set up to take you with them if we can't.”

Luna sat back on her haunches, eyes sparkling through the remaining tears. “Thank you, Sir Neil.”

“Give me a minute. Capcom, you heard the lady. Could you pass on the message?“

Charlie's voice spoke in his ears. “We're still recording everything, but I'll kick this up the chain as fast as possible. Wow, this is going to be huge! By the way, fifty five minutes on the EVA mission plan remaining, and you still have mission items to do, if you can. I'll see if I can authorise a second moon walk; the suits seem to be performing well above minimum expectations. Gene's given me the okay to cancel the emergency launch option.”

“Understood. Buzz, you want to come out and meet Luna?”

“Coming.” His friend's tone was light. “I look forward to it.”

“Luna, can you move around and maintain this air-bubble for us to speak to you? My friend Buzz and I still have work to do, but I don't want you to feel left out.”

Luna thought for a moment. “'Twould be easier for me, and less costly, to place a far-speaking enchantment on your helmets, if you would permit me. 'Twill last only a few hours without a properly prepared spell matrix to receive it, but that should suffice. And it will free me from maintaining the force field.”

“Alright then.” Neil knelt down and let her glowing horn touch his visor. A pattern of glowing symbols appeared at the point of contact, then faded. “You are just full of surprises!”

“Why thank you.” Her voice was different; clearer, as if she was in his helmet, and her horn had ceased glowing. “I shall do my best to help you with your tasks. Is there anything I can do?”

Neil started walking around to the Scientific Equipment Bay where the Lunar Surface Experiment Package was stored. “Thanks, but I'm not sure how you can help.”

He started to rig the gantry and pulley system that would allow them to haul the trunk sized main assembly out of its recess, a time consuming task, made no easier by the fact that some partial vacuum welding had made it stiff. He pulled on the lead rope but it would not budge. Then it was enveloped in a dark blue nimbus, and the package came forward without him pulling on it.

“I shalt find a way. Cans't loft this device if thou wish?” He could hear the humour in Luna's voice. "I have sufficient power to do so even in my current diminished state."

Neil decided to see what she could do. If the power was likely to compromise electronics, it was probably already too late. “Be my guest.”

The ALSEP drifted free and floated in mid-lack-of-air. “Where woulds't thou like it?”

He couldn't help himself. Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon and first human to communicate with an extra-terrestrial, burst out laughing.

Author's Note

Reposted this revised version to take into account some of the feedback I've had in the comments. Particular thanks to FinalFan for his awesome proof read of the original. Some of the other concerns will, and were going to, be addressed in the next chapter.

Update: The heraldry of the flag has been corrected. Thanks pjabrony.

Update Update: Gone through and tweaked some stuff in preparation for chapter 5.

The Songs of Distant Earth

Apollo 11 Mission makes First Contact with Extra-terrestrial Intelligence?

Viewers of the live transmission of the Apollo 11 lunar surface excursion were astounded yesterday as a speech by President Nixon to the two astronauts, Commander Neil Armstrong (38) and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin (39), was interrupted by the apparent appearance of a being initially described as a 'small blue horse'. Both visual and audio recordings show the being as establishing a dialogue with the two astronauts...

New York Times, 21st July 1969.

Magical Alien Pony Princess found on Moon!

(We told you so!)

National Enquirer, 21st July 1969.

Noted Psychic claims prior contact with alicorn 'Luna'

Jeane Dixon, psychic and best selling author stated today that she had long known of the existence of a powerful alien psychic presence on the moon, and pointed to a prediction she had made in late 1962 that 'great and astounding discoveries were to be found on the moon'. When asked why her prediction was over a year after the probable arrival date of Luna, and more closely followed the famous, 'We go to the moon' speech of President John F Kennedy, she stated that Luna must have been too weak to register before then.

Chicago Sun Times, 22nd July 1969.

Soviet Space probe finds first evidence of alien creature on moon.

The people and workers of the Soviet Union extend their congratulations to the people of the United States on their manned moon landing, and their successful first face to face meeting with the moon alien. However, it is important to note that the space scientists of the Soviet Lunar program already had proof of a living being existing on the moon. Shown below are the final two panoramic views taken by the Luna 13 landing craft, with certain details highlighted and enlarged. The object seen in the first highlighted photo is quite clearly quadrupedal, and in the second highlight had moved distance and changed shape...

(Inset are two grainy panoramic TV scans with enlarged inserts showing blurry blown-up images of certain sections. These show what could charitably be called a pointy blob)

... as co-discoverers of the being known as Luna, the people of the Soviet Union expect that any scientific discoveries made by the United States will be fully shared with them.

Izvestia, 22nd July 1969.

Alien Luna 'a seducing spirit', states Baptist Minister

Birmingham, Alabama – The Reverend Joel Hinton of the First Mission of God struck out today against the alleged alien discovered during the Apollo 11 moon landing. In a speech from the pulpit, he quoted 1 Timothy 4:1, 'Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.'

He stated that the Apollo missions were an offence against the sanctity of God, and that Luna was 'a deception and delusion created to seduce the unwary away from the Word of the Lord'.

Montgomery Advertiser, 23rd July 1969

Transmission from Columbia, 7:10 pm EST, 23rd July 1969.

(Image of the Apollo 11 mission patch, clearly from a close-up of someone's suit.)

“This is the commander of Apollo 11. A hundred years ago, Jules Verne wrote about a voyage to the moon. His spaceship, Columbia took off from Florida, and landed in the Pacific Ocean after completing a trip to the moon. It seems appropriate that the crew of this modern day Columbia share their reflections on the events of our own similar journey before complete our rendezvous with earth and land in the Pacific tomorrow. Though not even Jules Verne could have imagined what we experienced.”

(The view flickers and stabilises to show Neil Armstrong against the background of the command module interior.)

“Firstly, I'd like to look back on what has occurred. This mission was the culmination of years of hard work and effort by tens of thousands of highly skilled, highly motivated people, and both great sacrifice and great courage on the part of our fellow astronauts. We knew that we would be accomplishing something that would be remembered not simply for as long as there is an America, but for as long as there is a human race. Though we imagined it would be for setting foot on the moon, not for what actually happened.

“Mission control has kept us informed of the many reactions that our discovery of Luna generated, including the disbelief, despite the live video feed of events. Both Buzz and I can understand, we sometimes have difficulty believing it happened, and we were both there! All I can tell you is that what you saw was what we experienced. Luna is real, and her discovery may be one of the most important things to happen in mankind's history.

“We have met our first extra-terrestrial, non-human sapient alien, and made peaceful, friendly contact. Just her existence will require us to reconsider the nature of the universe, and our place in it. However. as you all saw, she has abilities that seem to defy what we know of physics. If we can understand them, the possibilities are endless. And she has already offered that knowledge to us freely. It seems incredible, but we have further evidence beyond our actual meeting.

“Mission Control has been able to maintain intermittent contact with her after we left through the Eagle Ascent stage. Before we left it behind in lunar orbit, we switched off all systems other than the S Band transceiver, the relay system that allowed us to talk to Earth. The radio Luna created, based on our suit radios, is short range UHF. It interfaces with the relay in the same way when the capsule passes over the landing site, giving a communications window once an orbit for about fifteen minutes every two hours.

“Of course, we also have the artefacts she created as gifts to bring back. Unfortunately, we won't be demonstrating any of them in this broadcast, but after we return and they've been through the quarantine period, I've been informed they will be publicly demonstrated. I look forward to seeing other people experience the wonders we've encountered.

“Each of us has our own thoughts on the mission, and I want to pass you over to the the others. First Mike Colins.”

(The image flickers for a moment, and the camera centres on Mike Collins, who's floating just below the control panel of the Command Module computer.)

“Roger. I can't really say anything about Luna, other than that she had a nice voice. But I have plenty to say about everything else. This trip of ours to the moon may have looked to you simple, or easy. I'd like to assure you that has not been the case. The Saturn V rocket that put us into orbit is an incredibly complicated piece of machinery, every piece of which worked flawlessly.”

(The image shifts up and to the side as he continues to speak, then back to him gripping one of the switches on the panel.)

"This computer above my head has a 38000 word vocabulary, each word of which has been carefully chosen to be of the utmost value to us the crew. This switch which I have in my hand now has 300 counterparts in the Command Module alone, one single switch design, in addition there are various circuit breakers, levers, rods and other associated controls.

“The SPS engine, our large rocket engine on the aft of the Service Module must have performed flawlessly, or we would have been stranded in lunar orbit... barring a boost from Luna.”

(He grins at his quip, and some quiet chuckles are heard from off camera.)

“The parachutes above my head must work flawlessly tomorrow, or we will plummet into the ocean. We have always had confidence that this equipment will work, and work properly, and we will continue to have confidence that it will continue to do so for the remainder of this flight. All of this is possible, only through the blood sweat and tears of a number of people. First the American workmen, who put these pieces of machinery together in the factory.

“Second, the painstaking work done by the various test teams during the assembly and retest after assembly. And finally, the people at the Manned Spacecraft Center, both in management, in mission planning, in flight control, and last, but not least, in crew training. This operation is somewhat like the periscope of a submarine. All you see is the three of us, but beneath the surface are thousands and thousands of others, and to all those, I would like to say, thank you very much.”

(The camera is switched around again, this time to show Buzz Aldrin, or rather half of him as the other half is in shadow. He starts to speak, but there's no sound. There's a beep as Cap Com speaks.)

“11, this is Houston. We're getting a good picture of Buzz now, but no voice modulation. And would you open up the f-stop on the TV camera; try 22, please?”

(There is a brief pause as they wait for results. The light levels shift, but the cabin audio is still mute.)

“That appears to be a lot better now. We're still not receiving Buzz's audio.”

(There is another pause as some more adjustments are made behind the scenes. After another moment, Buzz finally gets to speak.)

"Good evening. I'd like to discuss with you a few of the more symbolic aspects of the flight of our mission, Apollo 11. As we've been discussing the events that have taken place in the past 2 or 3 days here on board our spacecraft, we've come to the conclusion that this has been far more than three men on a voyage to the Moon; more, still, than the efforts of a government and industry team; more, even, than the efforts of one nation. We feel that this stands as a symbol of the insatiable curiosity of all mankind to explore the unknown. As always with those that dare to do, that curiosity has been rewarded by discoveries we could not have imagined.

“Neil's statement the other day upon first setting foot on the surface of the Moon, "This is a small step for a man, but a great leap for mankind," I believe sums up these feelings very nicely. We accepted the challenge of going to the Moon; the acceptance of this challenge was inevitable. The relative ease with which we carried out our mission, I believe, is a tribute to the timeliness of that acceptance.

“Today, I feel we're fully capable of accepting expanded roles in the exploration of space. In retrospect, we have all been particularly pleased with the call signs that we very laboriously chose for our spacecraft, Columbia and Eagle. We've been particularly pleased with the emblem of our flight, depicting the U.S. eagle bringing the universal symbol of peace from the Earth, from the planet Earth to the Moon; that symbol being the olive branch. It was our overall crew choice to deposit a replica of this symbol on the Moon.

“Luna understood that symbolism, and appreciated it, which showed that these ideals are bigger than one species, one world. Whatever happens with Luna, we will one day meet the rest of her race, or others like them, and we can only hope that it is in that spirit of peace and desire to learn that we greet them, as we greeted her.

“Personally, in reflecting on the events of the past several days, a verse from Psalms comes to mind to me. 'When I consider the heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars which Thou hast ordained, what is man that Thou art mindful of him?"

(After a short pause, the video blanks for a second, and comes back to Neil.)

“The responsibility for this flight lies first with history and with the giants of science who have preceded this effort; next with the American people, who have, through their will, indicated their desire; next, to four administrations, and their Congresses, for implementing that will; and then, to the agency and industry teams that built our spacecraft, the Saturn, the Columbia, the Eagle, and the little EMU, the space suit and backpack that was our small spacecraft out on the lunar surface.

“We would like to give a special thanks to all those Americans who built the spacecraft, who did the construction, design, the tests, and put their - their hearts and all their abilities into those crafts. To those people, tonight, we give a special thank you, and to all the other people that are listening and watching tonight, God bless you. Good night from Apollo 11.”

(The view shifts to a slightly fuzzy view of a crescent, the streaks on its surface indicating it isn't the moon. It slowly and slightly shakily zooms in to become a clear view of the Earth from space. As it does there is a transmission beep.)

“11, this is Houston, we're getting a zoom view out the window now.”

“Apollo 11 signing off.”

(Transmission ends)

Lunar Eavesdropping
Louisvillians hear Luna First Contact on Homemade Equipment

Thanks to some homemade electronic equipment, including a rebuilt 20 year old radio receiver from an Army tank and an antenna made from spare pieces of aluminium and chicken wire, a small band of Louisvillians were able to "eavesdrop" Sunday night on the American astronauts as they talked to the alien being who called herself Luna.

They recorded only 35 minutes of the more than three hour long conversation between Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Luna, but it was recorded directly from the signals of the astronauts' radios, not through Houston Space Center...

Louisville Courier Journal, 23rd July 1969.

Richard Nixon visits Apollo 11 astronauts on USS Hornet

Yesterday, the President of the United States visited the three Apollo astronauts at their mobile quarantine facility on board the USS Hornet. He gave them warm congratulations on the success of their mission and quipped that hopefully this discussion wouldn't get interrupted, and that he was glad he'd made that particular phone call collect...

New York Times, 25th July 1969.

Transcript of Broadcast Transmission, The Merv Griffin Show, 8:30 pm EST, Saturday July 26th 1969.

Merv Griffin: Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, our program is going to cover one of the hot topics of the moment, the discovery of intelligent life on the moon by the crew of the Apollo 11 lunar lander, Eagle. We have some clips from the film recordings of the alicorn pony, Luna, as she called herself.

VT clip: Luna approaches the two astronauts from behind, over the surface of the moon, in black and white low quality TV footage. Luna partly obscured as Neil kneels to greet her, both TV and the 16mm colour film camera from the LEM window. Luna crossing the field of view of the camera in front of Neil, the large boxy shape of the ALSEP held aloft in nothing more than a faint luminous aura, matching the one surrounding her horn.

M G: One of the first things that happened was of course her casting 'spells' to enable her to communicate with them. So the astronauts had no trouble talking to her, even though they'd found themselves a little horse. As unbelievable as it may seem, NASA has endorsed Luna's existence fully, and has stated they are continuing contact with her.

With the Apollo 11 astronauts currently in quarantine on board the USS Hornet, and the artefacts they brought back with them unavailable for the same reason, further proof had to wait until independent verification of a sort recently came from Louisville, where a group of amateur radio enthusiasts had managed to record conversations between Luna and the astronauts directly from their suit radios.

They have continued to monitor transmissions from the moon, and Luna has apparently continued her conversations. Many people still believe that this is a massive hoax, though they are at odds as to why, or exactly how it could be accomplished. Tonight, we will be discussing both the latest news on Luna's existence, and how it could be faked, if it was.

(The camera pans across the guests, spread across several sofas and armchairs.)

My guests are Carl Sagan, the noted astronomer and science author, Douglas Trumbull, the lead special effects designer for '2001: A Space Odyssey', Roger Broggie, one of the lead Disney 'imagineers' and an expert in crafting robots that emulate real creatures, known as animatronics, and finally James Randi, stage magician and professional skeptic. Good evening, everyone.

(The guests give various greetings.)

M G: Doctor Sagan, thank you for coming. You have been part of the team continuing the dialogue with Luna, and an advocate of the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence in general. So it should be clear which side of the debate you are on.

Carl Sagan: Not completely. Do I want to believe Luna is real? Yes, I have always said that our first contact with extra-terrestrial intelligence would be a defining moment for our species. From what we've already discovered, that may even be understating the impact Luna will have. However, a scientist has to accept the possibility that he may be wrong. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof, and if ever anything qualified, this does.

That being said, I intend to go on acting on the belief that Luna is real unless someone proves otherwise. I am certainly not part of any hoax, and I find it hard to believe that any hoax that would need to involve so many people to succeed could be perpetrated for any length of time. I have more than just belief though, I talked at length to Luna, and she has discussed many subjects, including some that can be independently verified.

M G: What sort of information, Doctor?

C S: As you know, I've been involved in both SETI, and an examination of the 'flying saucer' phenomenon. Most of the contact stories that have been reviewed have the aliens explaining things with faulty science, or not stating anything that hadn't already been discovered by humans. However, although Equestria appears to be behind us in the physical sciences, they are ahead of us in pure mathematics.

It took some doing over a pure voice link, an intermittent one at that, but Luna managed to provide several mathematical tools and proofs that are in advance of anything we have. They have been handed over to a number of leading mathematicians, and so far they've held up.

M G: Could you explain any of them? And keep it simple for the rest of us.

(Audience laughter)

C S: One of the easiest ones to explain is an analytical solution to the three body problem, actually an algorithm that can extend it to an n body problem. If you have a universe with just two bodies orbiting one another, their future positions can be calculated for all time. However if you have more than two bodies, the calculation becomes intractable, impossible to complete, except for some specific solutions.

For real world calculations, such as for the motions of the earth and moon around the sun, we use successive approximations, calculating it as a two body problem for the target and the largest mass, then adding in the perturbing effects of the smaller bodies. Luna's solution allows you to calculate it as a single operation. Like calculus, it is easy to understand when you're shown how.

M G: Easy for you, but not for most of us, I suspect. (More laughter) That will convince someone who understands mathematics, but most people are going to want something more obvious.

C S: Unfortunately, the biological samples brought back are only beginning to be examined, and the other artefacts are still in strict quarantine, so the audio visual recordings and astronaut accounts are our only current evidence, that, and our continuing communication with Luna. Until there can be a public demonstration of the devices the astronauts brought back, that is all we have.

We are currently setting up a more reliable two way link, but we've continued talking to Luna in shifts over the last few days whenever we had a connection. The signals are definitely coming to us via the Lunar ascent stage and the time delays match. Also Luna has remained alert and ready to talk whenever we were able to communicate with her, which suggests unusual endurance.

M G: I understand. While I'm sure a lot of our audience would like to know what you've learned, we need to cover the other possibility. Doctor Sagan provided copies of some of the still images taken by Buzz Aldrin, and we've had our other guests examine them as well as the video footage. I'd like to turn first to Mr Trumbull. Thank you for being here tonight.

Douglas Trumbull: I'm glad to be here.

M G: So, you've had a chance to examine both the videos and the pictures. What are your take on their authenticity?

D T: First of all, I'd have to say that if this were a fake of some kind, it would have to have been done here on earth. Quite apart from the fact that lifting that experiment module with any sort of hidden rig would require some fairly heavy equipment, the only way I can see to add the 'glowing' effect around it would be through rotoscoping, adding the outline in post production. The same with the magic effects for the magic circles and illusions she displayed.

As to whether the footage is faked, I wasn't able to see any obvious clues in the landscape. With the images the earlier lunar landers have sent back, it's not too difficult to duplicate a convincing lunar landscape on a sound stage. I wish we'd had them when we were in production on 2001. The lighting was a strong, single source, and while there were a few shadows that looked as if they were at an angle, it was clear from the video following Luna around that they were caused by the uneven terrain.

When the flag was initially planted, it appeared to flutter, but later sections of video show it standing completely still, even when Luna moved right past it. The air movement should have made it flap again. So the initial flexing must simply have been from it being planted. The shadowed side of the lander wasn't as dark as you might expect with no atmospheric scattering, but as we found when setting up the TMA1 excavation in 2001, you get considerable back scatter from the ground, especially with light coloured material.

Then there is the initial shot where Luna arrived, and the other where she was running away and Neil was chasing her. It wasn't centred in the shot, since the camera was set down on its arm on the lunar lander, but both of them bounded almost directly away from the camera, into the distance. To get that bounding motion in even a fake space suit would require wire work, but for one thing, it didn't look quite right for wires, and two it would have required an extensive overhead rig which would need masking and a huge sound stage to accommodate it.

To sum up, it might be possible to fake the footage. But if it was, it was done with great care and artistry not to give anything away. And I'm not sure how you could fake Luna herself. One of the reasons Stanley Kubrick ultimately went with the monolith as the only 'alien' was because a living creature would have been almost impossible to make convincing.

C S: I remember, they, he and Arthur C. Clarke actually consulted me on how to portray the aliens. I advised them not to go with a humanoid form, as it was unlikely that alien life forms would be that similar to humans. Consider ourselves and dolphins or elephants, species born on the same planet in the same epoch of time, yet very different in form. How then could you predict the shape of a lifeform born on a truly alien world?

M G: Well, if Luna is real, I think you've proved your point.

D T: It's just as well that 2001 came out when it did, and that Luna didn't display herself in front of one of the lunar probes before then. I hate to think what that'd have done to the film, especially since we'd already completed production.

M G: What about the Russian claim that they did catch her on camera?

D T: I've seen those pictures, and I think they're indulging in wishful thinking. The black blob they highlight could just be an artefact of the image. It might be, but I don't think it is.

M G: And about Luna herself?

D T: If that film was taken on the moon, and I can't say it wasn't, then she has to be real. As I said, there's no way I can see they could've done it live.

M G: Indeed. Thank you, Mr Trumbull. Luna herself is the biggest element of the story, particularly her appearance. Hopefully, our expert on animatronics, Roger Broggie, can shed some light on how difficult it would be to fake her appearance. Thank you for coming on the show.

Roger Broggie: Glad to be here. As to your question, the answer is 'extremely'. Could you show the image I requested?

(A still, showing Luna looking towards the camera with her wings slightly open and a hoof held to her chin, appears.)

R B: Looking at her from an artist's point of view, she's almost cartoon-like. From the story she told, and that image she displayed for the camera, this is her younger form, but even so, the head and especially the eyes are bigger in proportion than a real pony, or almost anything else. Human-like eyes, with a visible white and irises, forward facing, forelimbs with a far more flex than a horse, she's remarkably anthropomorphic in design.

(The view switches back to him.)

R B: However, I can't see it being animation. The detail, the shading, the textures, that's something you can only get from a physical object. Stop motion, possibly integrated with the live action or matted in over it might do it, but that's not really my field.

D T: I started out in animation, and while I haven't worked extensively with stop motion myself, I have seen some examples, and I'm pretty sure that's not the answer either. I'm certain you'd see the jerkiness in some of the more active scenes from the astronauts, and mismatching in the colour balance and shading if it was matted in.

M G: Which beings us to some sort of live action model, a puppet or robot...

R B: Which is my area of expertise. Creating an animatronic for some parts of her would only be very difficult. The hardest would be the face and those wings. Her eyes don't just move, they track objects, and the irises change size. Her ears twist and flick like a real horse. In fact her whole face is amazingly expressive. Even with the size of her head, the actuators to create that many degrees of movement inside it would be a nightmare to mount, and worse to control.

Her wings are almost as bad. They don't just extend, they flex and change shape, almost as if they were an extra pair of hands. And let's not forget that she walks and runs with an incredibly natural motion, sits and lies flat, and the forelegs have a range of motion that rivals human arms. To build that all into a single body that size just makes things harder.

In our line of work, we often say, 'if you can dream it, we can build it', but Luna would be an incredible project, even for us. You'd need extremely complex control electronics and probably have to custom develop the necessary actuators. It would probably cost as much as a Saturn V, and take years to research and design.

M G: So you think Luna is for real?

R B: I can't say she's not real, simply because I can't see a single flaw in her that would indicate a puppet, and because of how difficult it would be to fake her.

M G: Thank you Mr Broggie. So we have one yes, two maybes and one last guest to ask, James Randi. What's your take on Luna?

James Randi: Let's first consider the elements of a convincing hoax. One, it should put forward some striking claim or proposition. Luna has that in spades. However, at the same time it should be vague enough to allow for interpretation or marginal results, and be hard to disprove. This was anything but vague, however, superficially it is hard to disprove. After all, Luna is stated to be on the moon, and therefore a little hard to visit for confirmation.

Finally, a scam or hoax always profits someone, whether in money, publicity or both. Here, the US government, and NASA in particular are the winners if this claim is believed. As Doctor Sagan said, this would be the defining moment for our species. Being able to claim to be the ones who made it possible, well, I forget exactly who it was, a senior member of the Airforce who stated after the Blue Book study that if there really were UFOs flying around, they'd have all the money they could ever want.

That's the stance of the people that are most vocal in calling it a hoax, and the first point where it fails to launch, so to speak. Creating a hoax this elaborate and complex, as we've heard from our other guests, would require huge amounts of money, not to mention a ridiculous degree of co-operation from a huge number of people in NASA, including the astronauts involved. So money as a motive doesn't really make sense.

Prestige might, but to capitalise on it, they need to follow up on the discovery. And that's the second point where it's difficult to see the benefit of creating this particular hoax. I'm sure if you wanted to convince people that there were aliens, and that you'd made first contact with them, they could have come up with a lot less involved and outrageous story that would serve the same purpose. 'Alien' artefacts found on the moon, or mysterious radio signals.

M G: What about the idea of 'the big lie'?

J R: Making a claim so outrageous that people will believe it simply because they think you'd never be crazy enough to try and convince anybody of something so outrageous? My point still stands. The 'big lie' technique is usually used to cover something up, or muddy the waters about something that's already happened and can't be easily refuted. Luna, is almost completely the opposite. Communications are ongoing. The astronauts brought back items that are going to be examined more closely than anything in history. If anything happens to Luna, or stops those artefacts being investigated, even if it's a genuine accident, the publicity will rebound on everyone involved.

Now, I am not opposed to the idea of extra-terrestrial beings on principle, I said as much when I addressed the Fourth Congress of Scientific Ufologists in New York two years ago. Though once again, I agree with Doctor Sagan that being an extraordinary claim it requires extraordinary evidence. That's what we have here, and why I said the story was 'superficially' hard to prove.

All we have to do is wait until the 'magic' items are examined by independent investigators or other people establish two way communication with Luna on the moon. I don't know how hard it is to transmit rather than receive, but I'm sure others will try to duplicate what the Louisville radio enthusiasts did. A conversation with Luna on the moon, weeks after anybody could have survived, would be a big piece of positive evidence.

M G: How about the magic Luna demonstrated? As a stage magician yourself, you must be able to tell if they were faked.

J R: All the effects that were demonstrated on camera could be fairly easily duplicated on stage, given time and equipment. Levitation is an easy trick...

(James Randi pulls a ping pong ball from a pocket and rests it on a palm, with his other hand over it. Slowly, the ball rises into the air, seemingly unsupported. He has Merv Griffin come over and pass a hand over and under it.)

J R: The projections are more difficult, but they could be some variation of the Pepper's Ghost illusion. A glass screen at a 45 degree angle to the viewer reflects a bright object or image from off stage to the side. Or they could have been added to the film afterwards, as Mr Trumbull suggested. The other 'spells' involved didn't have obvious visible effects.

However, some of the effects ascribed to the objects brought back would be hard to impossible to fake. If the translator really can be shown to allow someone to speak and understand a language they don't know perfectly, or this 'restful blanket' actually makes you feel phantom sensations, then that will be far more convincing. For that matter a live demonstration of the projector device will be solid evidence, if people are able to examine it up close.

C S: I will see what I can do to get you invited to any such demonstration. The more independent witnesses we can get to examine the items, especially someone used to finding fakes, the more chance we have of determining the truth.

J R: Ultimately, the final proof would be a face to face meeting with this Luna, seeing her do magic live and test for fakery. Are those wings she has supposed to be functional?

C S: Luna has made frequent mentions of flying back in Equestria, but stated that pegasus wings were mainly focussing elements for flight magic, a combination of levitation and inertial control as best we can understand it. The horn does the same job for unicorns, and the hooves for earth ponies. The implication is that she could fly in space equally well, or on the moon if it weren't for the geas that prevents her from leaving.

J R: That would be fairly easy to test for trickery. So, is there any chance we're going to see her brought here?

C S: That's not my call. I'm certainly going to push for it though.

M G: So to sum up, while none of our guest are certain that Luna is real, no-one here is able to say that she is a fake either. The question will continue to be asked until we see her with our own eyes. Doctor Sagan, you can tell Luna that if she ever does come down to earth, she has a standing invite to come on the show.

C S: (Chuckles) And every other talk show I suspect. But I'll tell her. She will probably be surprised that you aren't a real griffin. Apparently that's one of the other intelligent races they share Equis with.

M G: We should have a chance for you to discuss the things you've learned about her later on in the show. For now. we'll be back, after these messages!

Sky is not the limit as Ham Radio Operators Form 'Radio Luna'

Independent radio operators across the country have taken their hobby to new heights today with the first broadcast of their 'Moonrise to Moonset' radio station, dubbed 'Radio Luna'.

What makes this special? While new radio stations are far from an uncommon occurrence Radio Luna's technicians and equipment are unique. Aimed at the moon using a horn antenna over 12 feet in length, with a broadcast power of over 1800 watts, operators are hoping that Princess Luna can pick up their signal and aim to showcase the best of humanity's music and literature across all genres. Notable personalities hired for literature readings include the long running 'The Sky at Night' presenter and lunar specialist Patrick Moore and Alistair Cooke of the equally long running BBC home service Broadcast 'Letter from America'.

The Programmers for Radio Luna are also planning to broadcast international news and are said to be in negotiation for rebroadcast rights to various radio comedy dramas such as 'Round the Horne' and 'The Navy Lark'. Insiders at the BBC have reported that management are interested in the possibilities.

Funded by hobbyist groups, the husband and wife team providing the impetus behind the project are.......

The Independent (Uk), August 1st 1969.

(Madfish)

It's Magic!

Where others are asking about the repercussions of the fact that we are not alone the University of Stirling stole a march on competing institutions by organising an open debate in response to the visitor's revelation that 'magic' is a real force.

Attendees included Cardinal Gordon Gray of the Archdiocese of St. Andrews and Edinburgh of the Roman Catholic Church, John Holland of the Magic Circle, prominent local new age-ists, mediums, psychics and a late addition in the form of a representative of the remaining temple of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in Bristol.

Those present were treated to a spirited debate about a variety of topics including the nature of magic as currently understood, how it could benefit from the application of scientific method and what place it should be allowed in our lives.

The debate lasted well past the official three hours allotted and into the evening. The event however met with an unfortunate rise in tempers between......

Stirling Observer in co-operation with Brig, 23rd August 1969.

(Madfish)

Remarkable demonstration of Luna's artefacts at MSC.
'Magic' devices provide further proof of NASA claims

A presentation showcasing the items allegedly created by the alien known as Luna was held at the Manned Spacecraft Centre in Houston Texas. The Lunar Receiving Laboratory at the facility is the site of the quarantine facility for returning astronauts and lunar samples. Members of the press, both national and international, were invited along with a number of prominent scientists and politicians. The three Apollo astronauts, Neil Armstrong, 'Buzz' Aldrin and Michael Collins were also present.

It was stated by Centre Director Robert Gilruth that the various artefacts had already been experimented with during the latter stages of quarantine, and had so far proven to be fully functional. The presentation covered the testing procedures used, and an outline of the results...

The highlight of the presentation was the demonstrations of the artefacts. Doctor Carl Sagan, who has been in charge of the ongoing communications with Luna, provided a dialogue as the illusion projector created a free standing stereoscopic image in the air, showing scenes that apparently came from Luna's own memories of her home world.

Numerous audience members were asked to come up and confirm that the projection was just that, and that no concealed cameras or screens were in use. When the projector was lifted up in the air by hand, the projection followed. Audience members were also involved in the demonstration of the translator device. Multiple people of various nationalities wore it in turn and found themselves able to talk to and understand anyone else in the room, while others heard the relevant language.

Two of the blankets created by Luna from insulating Kapton film that had covered the Lunar module's descent stage were also passed around and used, demonstrating that the 'tactile illusion' effect cast upon it really existed. This reporter had a chance to try it, and felt, as described that he was lying in a comfy bed, even though he was standing in the auditorium.

When asked about the biological samples taken from Luna, it was stated that they were still being analysed. Asked about whether Luna herself was going to be retrieved, the only answer was that they had no information as of yet.
The Times (UK), 13th August 1969.

Luna-mania takes the world by storm!

Halifax- With the discovery of Princess Luna on the Moon by the astronauts of Apollo 11, and later independent proof from other radio contacts and the press demonstration of the artefacts brought back, a phenomenon based upon the lost princess has swept the world. Called "Luna-Mania", it consists of her new fans, known as Lunatics including those attempting to reach her by radio...

Mail Star, 14th August, 1969

(Harry Leferts)

Author's Note

Gahhh! I really should not be publishing this at 2:30 in the morning! But I finally ploughed through the last changes I wanted to make. This has been written and rewritten over the last year and even more time spent doing research. As a Brit who was born 2 years after the moon landing, I'm relying on google searches and wikipedia, so if I got some elements wrong, let me know.

The talk show was the most painful. I now know far more about the career of Merv Griffin than I ever wanted to know. I'm not sure if Douglas Trumbull or one of the other three special effects techs from 2001 would have been the best choice for talking about Lunar landscapes, and at one point I was going to have Jim Henson, who was known for his muppets even before Sesame Street started in November 1969, as the one talking about faking Luna.

I wanted to do a Robert A Heinlein style, telling a story in news headlines, chapter to showcase the reactions of the human race to the discovery. Writing it was far harder than I'd imagined. Thankfully I had two excellent contributers from Spacebattles, Madfish and Harry Leferts, credited after each piece. All credit to them, any errors are mine.

Hopefully this will finally unblock my muse, not just for this, but for all my stories. Here's hoping, and keep watching the skies.

Edit: Corrections made based on the suggestions of Ultimate Proofreader FinalFan, who is clearly an alien robot considering his insane eye for detail. Thank you.

Also, something else I failed to note, the title is a shoutout to Arthur C Clarke's work 'The Songs of Distant Earth'. Since I robbed 2001 as grist for the mill, it was the least I could do. Also, he was a master of the epistolary short story, a story told in letters or other other series of documents.