Small Favors

by Latrans

Rating: everyone
Tags: Science Fiction
Length: 1473

A collection point for any micro-fics I might write. They are all terrible. You should downvote them.

A collection point for any micro-fics I might write. They are all terrible. You should downvote them.

Letters to Home: A small look into the very early days of Equestrian extra-planetary exploration. Written for Estee's Swift Selections Contest

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2016-06-29 08:43:47 UTC

Letters to Home

Dear Mom,

Flight camp is AWESOME!!! Today we practiced agility trials and I was second in the WHOLE CAMP! Tomorrow we're going to get to do freefall practice. Did they have that here when you were a filly? The drop is huge! I'm so excited I can hardly wait. The only down side is the food. Everything they serve here is pre-made stuff served in a big line. Nothing like Dad's cooking. Anyways, the councelors are making the wake-up call for the pegasuses so I gotta get to bed. But I'm too excited to sleep.

Love,

Comet Blaze

Dear Mom and Dad,

I'm sorry I haven't written sooner. The Junior guards has been quite the change from living at home and I just now got a chance to sit down and pen this letter. Living in the school dorms certainly isn't bad. I've actually quite enjoyed it. I especially enjoy our patrols. I know it's not actually some vital military function, but being in the sky with only yourself, a wing mate and the stars above is possibly the best feeling ever. Like I was born to be up there.

Aside from that, school is kind of boring. Same books. Same studying. Same tests. I promise to keep at it though. I want to make you both proud.

All my love,

Comet Blaze

Dear Mom and Dad,

I got in! I've been accepted to the Lunar Officers Academy! I knew I would, but that didn't stop me from being nervous. This whole last week I've spent more time trying to unwind than actually studying. But it's all been worth it. I can't stop grinning. Or dancing. Or cheering. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I inadvertently let the whole dorm know. But I don't care. I'm in! I'm going to be an officer of the Guard! I just wish I had the patience to tell you in person when I get home next week.

All my love,

Comet Blaze

Dear Mom and Dad,

My time at the Academy is finally coming to a close. It's almost surreal. School has been my whole life up until now. You remember what I mentioned in my last letter? About the Equestrian Space Exploration Group? I think I'm going to go for it. I know you always wanted me to be military, but I'm not so sure any more. The more I think about it, the less sure I get. The ESEG is talking about putting ponies among the stars! Just the thought of being part of something like that gives me adrenaline shivers. I can't pass it up. It just feels like this is what I'm meant to do.

All my love,

Comet Blaze

ESEG Magitek Inovations

Distance Communications Lab 03

1085ys, 22nd of 10th Moon

Cpl. Dusk Blaze (Ret.)

923 West Sunset Court

Canterlot, Equestria

Dusk Blaze and Shooting Star,

As part of the backup flight team I am allowed to become familiar with some rather cutting-edge developments. You have before you the fourth letter ever delivered by synthetic bottled Dragon's Fire. The process has become finely tuned enough that we are now able to direct it to the recipient of choice almost regardless of distance. Processes like this are some of the most important to the mission of the ESEG as it will allow near-instantaneous communication between two points without need of a friendly dragon's immediate presence. For now the process of synthesizing Dragon's Fire is resource intensive, but if the process can be refined it will revolutionize the way the world communicates.

Your son,

Cpt. Comet Blaze

ESEG Flight Backup

Dear Mom and Dad

I am assured that the Dragon's Fire letter reached you just fine. As you can see we're doing some amazing things at the ESEG labs.  I must apologize for the formal tone, but the lab ponies were already upset that I chose you as the recipients of this test letter instead of some snobby noble. I at least had to make them feel like I was trying to take it "seriously". They are more likely to get some sizable donations that way, but you're my parents. If I'm sending anyone a casual letter by Dragon's Fire, it's going to be you.

All my love,

Comet Blaze

Dear Mom and Dad,

I've got butterflies in my stomach just writing this. We're going to be launching our first true flight in four days. ESEG autonomous mission 01. It's un-ponied, but I've still got a lot to do so I'm afraid I won't be able to meet you at the over-look. I really hope you can make it. It's an unprecedented step forward in magitechnology. And we get front row seats!

All my love,

Comet Blaze

ESEG Magitek Inovations

Distance Communications Lab 05

1086ys, 15nd of 8th Moon

Cpl. Dusk Blaze (Ret.)

923 West Sunset Court

Canterlot, Equestria

Dear Mom and Dad,

This is it! tomorrow at 10:17 in the morning we are launching ESEG ponied mission 01! I haven't been this excited since I was accepted into the Lunar Officers Academy. I'm supposed to be asleep right now, but I can't. I'm just jittery. Even my favorite standby of a high-altitude solo wasn't able to calm me down. Tomorrow, ponies will no longer be confined to Equus. It's almost scary really. But an exciting scary. The morning can't come fast enough.

All my love,

Comet Blaze

Dear Mom and Dad,

I can barely hold the quill, I'm shaking so bad. I knew this was coming, but to actually have it happen! I can't describe how it feels. I'M PRIMARY FLIGHT FOR PM04!!! I'll be the third pony in history to propel themselves beyond our home! There's still so much to do, but right now... I think I'll repeat my performance of Academy Acceptance Dance. I may send pictures.

All my love,

Comet Blaze

ESEG pm04

1087ys, 16th of 3rd Moon

My calculations indicate that my pod should be re-entering the Equus atmosphere in just under three hours of this writing. All instruments retain their last reported reading.

As this is the final letter of my mission, I've decided to do something that the academics are going to frown on. I welcome them to come up here, see what I see and then tell me I'm wrong. There are some things instruments simply can't record. For want of a thesaurus, I haven't the words and pictures simply can't describe.

With the almost imperceptible hum of the craft's systems now silent, I am left with perhaps the single most serene silence a pony can experience. And with it, I see Equus turning below me. From my position over the Celestial Sea, I can make out the bright reds and oranges of the Badlands crawling towards the western horizon. Then there is the Sea, itself. A deep, fathomless blue lightly swirled with immaculate white clouds. Coming up in the east I can make out the green forests and snow-capped mountains of Gryphonstone. To the south, the tan sands of Saddle Arabia. It all blends together in a brilliant splay of vibrant colors lit under all Celestia's glory.

In the north, a wild storm is blowing over the ocean: giant columns of blinding white set against the deep blue-green water. Further on, the horizon disappears in darkness. Soon, Luna will be visible as the blanket of night sweeps below me.

Luna has been visible for several minutes now. I simply haven't the words. Both sisters, in all their radiant beauty, and Equus cradled between them. I'm not ashamed to admit I'm crying. Looking down, our individual concerns seem so... small. There are no more borders. No countries. No “us” or “them”. This is our world. ALL of ours. Ponies. Dragons. Gryphons. Yaks. Deer. Cows. Buffalo. Minotaurs. Diamond Dogs. Even the Changelings. We all live here. Together. And it is unimaginably bigger than we've ever imagined.

A small creak has just broken the silence. I'll be reentering the atmosphere soon. Without instruments and only some jury rigged manual controls, I don't have high hopes, but Celestia knows I'll try.

Luna guide me home.

Cpt. Comet Blaze

ESEG Flight Primary