Of Friendships and Warships

“Major,” Cutter said to Sheppard after Atlantis got off the Pelican, “Anything to report?”

“Found on of the natives in that facility,” Sheppard reported, “We don’t know how she got there, though.”

“Teleporters,” McKay said out of the blue, causing everyone to give him an odd look. “What? I just thought of the answer,” he said confused about everyone’s reaction.

“Johnny, don’t say anything without context,” Carter berated McKay.

“That aside, take our guests to the sickbay,” Cutter ordered, “Have O’Neil have a look at them.”

“Alright, let’s get this circus walking,” Sheppard said to the eight ponies and his team.

=== ===

The elevator doors opened letting a group of four marines and eight ponies into the steel grey corridor.

“This place could use a lot of architectural flourishing and color,” Rarity said to the group,

“This is a military warship, not a civilian freighter; keep that in mind,” Jackson said in response.

“How fast does this ship go?” Rainbow asked.

“Several thousand kilometers per second,” the chief engineer said in reply as she was passing by.

“That is the max sublight speed, though,” McKay told Rainbow. The corridor the group had been following showed a red arrow labeled ‘Sickbay’ on the floor, pointed to a closed door with a red cross in a white square over it.

“We’re here, pones,” Jackson said.

“Rod, you forgot something,” Carter said.

“What did I forget?” Jackson asked.

“You’ll remember, won’t you?” Carter answered. The group entered the sickbay after the door opened it self when they got near it.

“Doctor O’Neil, eight guests here for you,” Sheppard said. “O’Neil, are you here?” he asked when there was no reply or appearance from the chief medical officer. Sheppard walked further into sickbay toward the doctor’s office, and found him asleep at his desk.

“FIRE! FIRE!” Sheppard yelled, waking the doctor up. “False alarm, and there are guests.”

“Those ponies Cutter brought onboard at their insistence?” he asked, the two of them leaving the office and heading to the group.

“None other,” Sheppard replied.

“How are you all, little ponies?” O’Neil asked the ponies leading the group further into the sickbay.

“So close, mister,” Pinkie Pie said.

“What is that one’s name?” O’Neil whispered to Sheppard.

“Rainbow Dash,” Sheppard replied, whispering as well.

“Rainbow Dash, follow. The rest of you wait,” O’Neil said, then lead her towards his office. Before they reached his office, they entered a room off to the side of the hall. “Okay, first I’ll need some of your blood. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt, he said.

“My blood? NO, you will not stick a NEEDLE in me!” Rainbow screamed.

“I could sedate you first,” O’Neil said.

“By sticking a NEEDLE in me! NO!” Rainbow screamed.

“Would someone hold her still?” O’Neil called out.

=== ===

O’Neil carried Rainbow Dash, who had not yet woken up, back to the group. “Had to sedate her, she’ll wake soon,” he said, “Rarity, you’re next.”

Rarity entered the side room. “Okay, what do I do?” she asked.

“Just sit there, and do not panic,” O’Neil said, and he started taking a blood sample. After he had finished, Rarity looked and fainted.

=== ===

“The blood samples will be sent down to the lab immediately. It should be more than enough for them to figure out a way to synthesis it,” O’Neil said to Cutter, who had gone down to check on progress.

“And keep our end of the bargain,” Cutter finished. “I have a new mission for Atlantis, and I want the six ponies to go with them.”

“Six? But there’s eight?” O’Neil asked.

=== ===

In the hangar that Foxtrot-247 was readying for launch, the Elements and Atlantis were getting their mission objects. “LZ coordinates locked in, ready and waiting for departure,” Woolsey said over intercom to the eleven people outside the dropship.

“That’s our cue, everyone,” Sheppard said, ending the mission briefing. The group boarded the Pelican. Once the hangar was clear, Foxtrot-247 accelerated out of the hanger. Cutter then entered and boarded Alpha-111 with Anders and Kinsano. Another squad boarded Echo-418, the two Pelicans launched to two different destinations.

=== ===

On Foxtrot-247, Atlantis and the six ponies were engaged in conversation.

“I have a hard time something that looks so bricky can pull off a sonic rainboom faster than I can!” Rainbow said, recalling when they first were on Foxtrot-247.

“I suppose being designed to quickly get from a ship in high orbit to the ground, they’d be too fast for normal groundside transport at top speed,” McKay said, “Though normally Pelicans aren’t flown at full speed in atmosphere.”

“Why not?” Pinkie asked.

“Because it’s akin to atmospheric entry,” Carter answered, “Pretty much appears like a guided fireball from the ground.”

“And crashes at that speed leave nothing behind,” Jackson added.

“Why’d you name this vehicle after an animal, a fox in particular,” Fluttershy asked referring to the dropship’s designation.

“It’s not a name, rather it’s a designation. It’s there to differentiate this dropship from the others,” Sheppard said, “The name is actually ‘Predator.’”

“Why does no one ever call it by its name?” Rarity asked.

“I do. No one else bothers to remember it,” Woolsey called to the passengers.

=== ===

“We have our orders, marines,” a marine said. Alpha-111 had been trailing Foxtrot-247 before breaking off to touch down in Ponyville. “Princess Sparkle’s library will be open to us, so no need to hide.”

“Sir, what if we are attacked?” another marine asked.

“You know the drill. If you do anything rash, I’ll nail your boots to ground,” the first marine replied.

“We are approaching LZ. Dust off after sundown,” the pilot said to the marines.

=== ===

“Hope Celestia will tell us if we need more ponies to get samples from or not,” Anders said, “It will give us an opportunity to find out more about the species.”

“I think bringing them up to the ship is a security risk, but if O’Neil will does not think getting samples on the ground is safe; who am I argue,” Kinsano said.

“As long as we limit the stock to Ponyville, it should work out for the better. I’m more concerned about what we’re doing to their civilization,” Cutter said.

“Good point there, Captain,” Anders said.