Chapters Edge of Time- The lost world
The square is much more crowded than ever before. People are gathering for one of the greatest announcement in the history. All colors and species are here, but there’s one thing in common, the shinning badge on their chest, writes: Equestria Institute of Science.
Tick Tock Tick Tock... The central clock is ticking when silence fall. Dressed in White, a unicorn steps on the stage under the central pillar. The crowds clop their hooves and paws as the unicorn steps in the limelight. Everyone knows him, the old unicorn. He is not one of but THE most well-known person in this Institute, the honored dean professor Sehlk.
“Ten thousand cosmic years ago, our predecessors gathered in this asteroid field, from different worlds. They established a common ground of the ultimate power, knowledge. Pursuing this power to benefit all kinds, this Institute was funded by our great Nation. For generations, we have charted the stars, studied the atoms, just in here, this asteroid field.” Professor glances at the crowd and continues. “Some of us may have travelled light years away, orbiting stars or surveying planets. With small transport vessels and limited equipment, they worked hard, yet gained little. Today, that is about to change, thanks to our proud scientists and engineers.”
He takes a deep breath. “Now I present you our leading Science Vessel, the first one of her class, Institute Construction Contract 6101, Equestria Science Vessel Geodesic. Its name, taken from a concept of Shortest path of the Space Time Continuum, symbolizes the growth of this Institute of ours.”
Professor Sehlk raises his head, and glares at the ceiling high above. The blast shield opens slowly, showing the airtight force field ceiling. Below the ceiling is a beautiful ship. Her white paint shines under the focus light. The crowd is getting excited. No one can remain silence any more. Sehlk clears his throat. “Mainframe, transfer command of the Geodesic to Captain Professor Alastair. The Ship is yours.”
Professor Alastair stands up from his seat. He looks straight forward: “Engineering, report status.”
“Engineering to Bridge, the antimatter reactor is stable, impulse engines and warp drives are ready, field generators and shields are online. We have a green across the board, all systems go. The ship is prepared, sir.” Chief Engineer reports back from her station.
“Helms?”
“Course laid in, sir.”
Alastair calmly points forward with his paw. “Engage.”
Through the internal com, Alastair heard Sehlk’s voice:”Professor Alastair, Godspeed..”
Author's Note
Co-Author: Horizon, Theta
Edge of Time- The lost world
ESV Geodesic moves to intercept the unknown probe. Its warp engine running at a sub-light speed mode and matches the probe’s velocity, staying right in front of it.
Thunder Flare is one of the best, coming to tractor beam operations. He stands confidently by the console in the hangar bay control room tapping on the panels trying to lock on to the probe, while Kahley’s team stands by down stairs in hangar bay.
“Locking in 3, 2, 1…” Thunder whispers to himself. Counting down to one, a tractor beam with blue luminescence shoots out from the generator in hangar bay, penetrating the air-tight forcefield and locks on the probe. As the blue beam touches the probe, the entire ship starts shaking. Alarms go off throughout every single deck.
“Bridge, Increase speed by Three point Three Eight KPS,” Thunder shouts through the com,” The probe is coming too fast!”
“Affirmative.” Alastair’s voice seems much less worried while the ship struggles staying in one piece. The ship is gradually stabilized when it speeds up. Thunder sighs as nothing serious done to the ship. With tractor beam locked the probe in place, the ship is able to reduce its speed and enters orbit to the nearest star system. Thunder finally gets a chance to breathe a little bit and a closer look at this probe of unknown origin.
It is a cigar shaped satellite with wing shaped solar sails on its both sides. Solar sail, it only appears on the text book, an old fashioned way for interstellar travels. It offers so little thrust that makes it impractical. Yet someone used it and achieved high sub-light speed with this primitive technology. The more Thunder thinks about it, the more fascination he finds. Suddenly he realized something. The widely extending solar sail won’t fit in the hangar bay.
Alastair’s voice coming through the com, ”Lieutenant, everything alright down here? Can you bring it on board?”
“Eh, no…”Thunder replies “Not yet, can’t bring it in while its solar sail extended… but wait a second. I think I can change the anisotropy of the tractor beam and manipulate the folding mechanism on the probe… Here we go…”
The solar sails on the probe are slowly retracted and folded back. Thunder cautiously taps on the tractor beam control console and tows the probe on board, placing it on a stand Kayley’s team just set up in the center of hangar bay.
“Tractor beam disengaged. Thunder to bridge, we are all set.” Thunder finally gets to press the big button with Disengage Tractor Beam written on it. He turns around preparing to go downstairs checking what he just brought on board, while he stumbles into someone. He steps back and sees a black deer accompanied by a yellow unicorn. Thunder recognizes them at once. The deer is Cooper while the unicorn’s name is Bashir. They are onboard inspectors, the government-hired supervision force on the ship.
Bashir starts questioning before Thunder before he could say hello. “What was that?”
Thunder bows to Bashir. “It was the probe, sir. It was coming too fast, but everything is under control now, sir.”
“Why risk the ship for this, probe?” The other inspector, Cooper asks.
Pawwy just came up stairs for Thunder and witnessed this awkward situation. He clears his throat and helps Thunder out. “A distress probe it is, sir. Its transmitter appears to be damaged, so we need to take it on board to retrieve the complete message.”
“Alright then.” Cooper seems to be satisfied by his answer. He turns away and walks away.
Pawwy walks downstairs to the hangar with his tricorder. He starts to examine the probe with Kahley.
Professor Kahley noticed something:” Interesting design. I don’t think I have ever seen something like that before, but the tech, it’s somehow familiar…”
Kahley taps on his badge:” Professor Sivath, this is Kahley. I need your help down here.”
A few minutes later, Sivath walks in. He is a grey cyborg unicorn with green mane and tail. Most of his body parts are replaced by implants. Kahley and pawwy stops scanning the probe the moment they see Sivath walks in. Kahley shows Sivath his tricorder:”Hey, come look at this”
Sivath checks the tricorder readings thoroughly:” Intriguing. I remember this energy signature from the probe’s energy core. It’s an ancient type of power source that we used thousands years ago. It is powered by unicorn’s telekinetic power. It is unique to us, only unicorns can power such energy core…”
“Well, what is a psycho-historian’s business in here?” Sivath gets interrupted by Bashir. It seems that the inspector comes back from inspecting the other areas of the ship, and decides to check out the new discovery once again.
Meanwhile, Thunder Flare have already gotten down from the control room. He decides to speaks up for Sivath this time: “Oh, Siv he’s just helping us decoding the mystery. Cuz… He knows everything a lil bit, I guess”
Thunder nuzzles Sivath’s cheek, leaving Bashir awkwardly standing in front of them. Bashir sighs and walks away.
Edge of Time- The lost world
Sivath Flare is a psychohistorian, a mathematician that studies the historical pattern of vast population and predicts their future. With his neural implants, the cyborg inheres astonishing computing power. He has grown to be a well-known scientist despite his young age. As a psychohistorian, Sivath has not only the skills to solve math problems but also the traits as a historian and a psychologist. He is one of the only few people on board who knows how to decipher ancient binary codes, and that is probably why they send him the computer core of the probe for data extraction.
The computer core is a thirty-centimeter-cubic object set on an anti-gravity cart. After Sivath ran a circuit pathway diagnostic on this core, he is finally able to download the entire computer archive into the onboard computer.
It says:
01001000 01100101 01101100 01101100 01101111 00100000 01010111 01101111 01110010 01101100 01100100 ………
To others, this is just meaningless zeros and ones, but Sivath can read it as plain words as he plugs himself in the computer. He feels something, something interesting, something that can overthrow his entire worldview. The drone can’t hold back his excitement. He calls someone in to share his new discovery.
“Sivath to Thunder, I need you in the Engineering Lab Three at once.”
Meanwhile, Thunder Flare is taking a break in the mess hall, joking with his colleagues. Hearing Sivath’s call, he puts down his coffee mug and stands up.
Thunder taps his badge:” Coming, love.”
Sivath sighs:” I told you just call me by my name or my rank at work.”
“Yes, sir!” Thunder responds sarcastically.
Thunder Flare steps out the mess hall. He walks upstairs to this Engineering Lab Three Sivath working in. He opens the door seeing Sivath waving at him calling him in.
“Thunder, how much do you know about our history?” Sivath sounds excited, even though his face covered with implants is still showing no emotion.
Thunder giggles:” Well, as much as you know. Why do you ask? Haha… We met in the archaeology site on Twilight-4 where you accidentally fell into a….”
“Oh no… no no. That was not what I meant!” Sivath interrupts him and blushes.” I meant the history of our united nation, Equestria Republic.”
“Oh dear, that’s history 101. Why would our omniscient professor ask that?” Thunder rubs Sivath’s cheek with his hoof.
Sivath sighs. He pushes away Thunder’s hoof and points at the console display:” Because, if I am not mistaken, everything we know about our history is about to change.”
Edge of Time- The lost world
Princess Twilight Sparkle sits on her throne in front of the camera. The background is a banner of six elements of harmony.
Twilight clears her throat and starts to talk:” This is Princess Twilight Sparkle of the Republic of Equestria.”
She pauses, and looks away from the camera, nods to someone, then turns back and resumes:” Roughly a millennium ago, we started to explore the true nature of our power, what we used to call magic.”
The image on the screen dissolves to a few clip of ponies’ daily life. A unicorn holds some boxes telekinetically. She puts the boxes down and teleports away in a bright flash. A group of Pegasus flies in formation and create a giant rainbow in the sky after a sonic boom. A building collapses, but a magic shield protects everyone from the falling debris…
“Magic gives unicorns abilities of telekinetic, shielding, teleportation and other capabilities... Princess Celestia and Luna, the two most powerful alicorns in Equestria, were the ruler of our nation at that time. I studied magic from Princess Celestia, and discovered a new type of magic, the Magic of Friendship. Sounds superstitious right?” Twilight chuckles.
“Yeah... At the same time, some ponies started another approach of understanding of our world, science. Lead by an earth pony called Doctor Whooves, ponies started to learn the world beyond magic. Why would an object unaffected by Magic fall down to the ground, why would boats float on the water even without the help of magic, why a metal pillar without magic reinforcement will buckle under certain load...”
The scene fades to another series of records: An aircraft takes off; ponies defeat a giant creature with cannons and missiles; a earth pony with a wonder bolt power armor flies with the help of a jetpack…
“Through the study of science and technology, we build machines allowing everyone to fly without magic, helping them defending themselves from harmful creatures, and giving them super strength.” Twilight continues. “However, with all those fancy inventions, the power harnessed from science is still no match for magic. two hundred years ago, with the development of quantum mechanics and nanotechnology, we Discovered that the magic is actually na...”
The images and sounds are suddenly disrupted, only noises are shown on the screen.
Tap tap… Sivath knocks the console, but there are still only noises on the screen.
Meanwhile, some other scientists start gathering around the Sivath’s console and the probe computer core.
“Hey, is that the artifact we intercepted yesterday?”
Sivath does not answer. His eyes are still staring at his console, trying to filtrate out the rest of the message from the buzzing mess.
Someone in the crowd replies:“ Yeah, I heard that little thing flew at high sub-light speed and our pilot almost crashed our ship on it.”
“Nah, it’s not a Little Thing… That’s only a core, the rest of it are still in hangar bay.” Thunder corrects him.
“What a catch... And what took Inspections so long to get it here?”
“Not a clue, our safety officer locked that thing up in a tank wrapped with three layers of tri-titanium and thought it was an alien virus or something... By the way, Sivath, how do you get your hooves on it?”
“They checked it for three days and found nothing. So they finally let me do it under our Inspectors’ supervision.” Sivath points at the camera in the corner of the ceiling.
When they are talking, the image on the screen becomes clearer. Although there is still interference in the sound, the crowd can still distinguish Twilight’s voice from background noises.
“We are finding a way to evacuate our planets. Our best scientists and engineers are building a generation ship, but we are running out of time. We have only 2 years left until the planets become uninhabitable… We launched this probe wishing someone may receive this message. It is not only a distress call but a preservation of our civilization. We estimated that by the time anyone can find it, we would all be extinct for centuries... This Probe… archive… We wish…”
The data in the computer core is certainly corrupted. Statics take over the message again.
“A fifty-thousand-year-old distress beacon? That’s...” The fellow scientists start discussing.
“Fascinating, right? But why are they ponies like us? Aren’t we evolved on the Equestria several Millions of years ago?” Some pony questions.
“Does that mean ponies are immigrants?”
“It can’t be…” Obviously the thought makes people uneasy.
“Maybe they are aliens?” Thunder Flare whispers.
“The chance that there’s an alien race taking ponies’ form is so little, besides they speak same language as we do. May I also remind you that the energy signature of the probe matches our old technologies?” Sivath disagrees.
“There is a great chance that ponies are from thousands of light years away.” Sivath continues. “If it is real…”
“Well it is NOT!” A strong voice echoes in the room.
It is Cooper, the Inspector. He just walked into the lab:” Obviously, someone stole the original artifact for some purpose and replaced it with a fake replica. The ship is now taken over by the United Nation and you will stop what you are doing immediately. Each one of you will be interrogated until we are clear the case. From now on, no one is allowed to get on or off the ship. Is that clear?”
The crowd seems to be shocked. Everyone looks at each other not knowing what is going on.
Bashir follows Cooper stepping into the Lab:” The Captain just authorized a command transfer to us. The situation is now under control. Please stay calm until we catch the thief.”
Sivath does not believe what the inspector just said, he argues:” But this is impossible. I cannot detect any variance in the artifact's micro-structure. This is exactly the same one in appearance as the one retrieved three days ago. Also, there is no indication that...”
Cooper will not let Sivath to finish:” That is why you are our major suspect.”
“Security, escort Mr. Sivath to his quarter and confines him there.”
Thunder Flare steps forward, trying to protect Sivath:” That is nonsense, there is no way Sivath would do that...”
Bashir waves his hoof:” Him as well.”
“Hold!” Thunder yells at the security team. “You… You don’t have a warrant!”
Cooper seems to be prepared for this. He slowly takes out a tablet with a National Emblem on it:” In fact, I do. Issued minutes ago. Don't even think about trying anything, thieves... For the rest of you, return to your own quarters, or if you need someone to escort you like those two...”
Edge of Time- The lost world
On the way back to their quarters, Sivath and Thunder were “escort” by the Chief Security Theta. Theta is a brown bat zegasus – half batpony half Zebra. He is in charge of all the security details aboard the ship. Normally, he will just order some redshirts to escort their “guests”, but this time he is under Inspector’s direct order to take the Flares back to their quarter.
Geodesic is only a 200-meter-long ship with five decks, so it doesn’t take them too much time arriving at their quarter. Just before Sivath steps in, Theta whispered in his ear:” Sorry, sir... We don't believe that you are guilty but we have our orders...”
“I know.” Sivath Sighs.
“Sorry, but don't worry, everything’s gonna be fine.” Theta looks down to avoid Sivath’s eyes.” Computer, lock the door, and set up a level 1 security field.”
“Affirmative.” Computer replies with an emotionless mechanical voice.
Locked inside, Thunder sits on the bed, complaining about their mistreatment:” How could they do that to us! So that’s how they do things in the institute now huh? Just accuse someone for no reason and lock them up? ......”
Sivath, on the other hand, acts more calmly. He takes a deep breath, sits down at his desk, and presses the big Power button trying to start his computer. He wants to find out what is going on, why suddenly the inspectors turn against him.
“Access Denied”
“Authorization Code Sivath Flare 79-Alpha-1-Omega-Lamda” Sivath tries again.
“This Authorization Code is no longer effective.” Again, the computer is not starting.
Thunder stands up, walking around anxiously:” How? I can't believe it... They can't just remove your access code. Who gave them the authority to do that? And the captain... he just lets them... This is nonsense...”
Sivath shrugs. He does not know why he is accused and he certainly feels uncomfortable not knowing what is going on. He has nothing to say. At least there is nothing necessary to say under this circumstance. The cyborg decides not to waste his energy. He gets on the bed, laying down, and quietly listening to his loved one complaining.
Days passed. No one came to visit. Sivath and Thunder have been locked up for so long that even the cyborg lost track of the time. It’s boring locked up in a room with no computer access, no entertainment. Only the food replicator is still working, so they would not starve to death. Everything stays the same as days ago, except for the stars outside. The stars move fast across the dark empty space.
The door finally opens the day when stars become familiar with Sivath. Looking at the stars he can tell that ship arrives at the central campus of the Institute. Two police officers come in. They tell Sivath to come with them.
It is virtual night time in the Institute. Most lights are turned off. Stars reflected on the ceramic tiles shines like diamonds. Sivath walking on the street with two laser rifles pointing at his head is in no good mood enjoying this peaceful view on campus.
Through layers and layers of security nets, Sivath is taken to an interrogation room in the police bureau. It is a bright room, with one rectangular table in the middle and two chairs at the opposite ends. The white walls in the room are glowing, filling every centimeter of the room with light. The room is so bright compared to the dark corridor outside, that not until the two officers press him down on a chair and walk out, Sivath notices that on the opposite side of the table, there sits Cooper, the black deer.
“Name?” Cooper asks as if he doesn’t know him, but this is just the procedure.
“You seriously asking?”
“Yes.” Cooper stares as his tablet, writing something on it. He does not even bother looking up at Sivath’s face when he speaks.
“As you wish.” Sivath is a bit angry about his attitude.” I am Sivath Flare, Institute designation 083105118097116104. Chair of the Department of Psychohistory. I have committed no crime and it is illegal to imprison me for over 24 hours without any solid evidence. I demand that you release me immediately.”
Cooper looks up into his eyes:” Mr. Flare, please calm down. We just need you to corporate.”
“Corporate for... what? I ...”
Cooper interrupts him: “You are the Professor of Psychohistory and you should know that better than any others. With our population size and technology, no... for the lack of a better word, harmony, would not have been possible without your department. We are both trying to prevent chaos from happening.”
“I understand that. But there have been no signs of imminent chaotic factors in any calculation...” Sivath still does not know what Cooper is plotting.
“That Computer core your ship recovered from deep space is our imminent chaos factor. The information will throw the public's mind off...”Cooper explains.” Look, we have all seen what people react to the new discovery you made. They just can’t accept it. More and more questions will be raised by this discovery. How is our Equestria founded, did we have wars between ponies and locals, why ponies are the majority not locals like wolfs and caitians. Some conspiracy theorists may even question the government, even trying to overthrow it.”
Sivath now realizes that he is framed for the “greater good”, but he disagrees with Cooper:” I am aware of the potential impact on our society. However, revealing it to the public will actually result in a better outcome. Masking the truth cannot keep the people in peace. By my calculation, there is only a 5.7 percent possibility that telling our people the fact that the dominant 3 species are outsiders will cause regional disruptive events. The possibility of civil war is less than 0.02 parts per million. However, if someone discovered that the government covers it, there will be 20 percent possibility that the government will be overthrown and this United Nation will be no more.”
“Look, Borg. We have lived peaceful lives for centuries. We don't want anything to happen to this union. But things are changing now... No one ever admits the tiny variances in our historical data that fuel your calculations... But no, chaos cannot happen, not in our generation. As long as we are still here, we do not wish to risk anything. Your 5 percent chance is simply not low enough.“ Cooper stands up and clops on the table, getting quite emotional. “So that’s why we will hide this discovery of yours from the public!”
“With all due respect, sir, I work for the United Nation of Equestria, not anyone's own interest. So should you. It is my duty to study the past and predict the future and act correspondently, and it is your duty, the government's duty to do your best, dealing with any outcome.” Sivath strikes back.
Cooper will not listen:” Borg. I'm not here for your lecture. Sadly someone always has to sacrifice for history... So here is the deal. We will renounce your degree of psychohistory and you shall never talk about your fancy discovery again. In return, we shall provide you a job at the government's logistics department and offer you 10,000 National Antimatter Credits per month.”
“That’s a quite generous offer…”
“So, you accept?”
Sivath is annoyed by Cooper’s bribe:” No! This is unacceptable! You cannot just….”
“Then there is no deal.”
Cooper doesn’t want to waste too much effort on the stubborn cyborg. He tabs a button on the table. The door opens. Two ponies in black walk in. One carries a toolbox, and another holds a pistol. They shoot at Sivath and disables him. Sivath struggles but can't really move his body. One of them place the box on the table and opens it. He pulls out a file and places it in front of Sivath. The other one holds Sivath's hoof and presses a hoofprint on the file.
Edge of Time- The lost world
It’s just an ordinary day, or at least it seems to be one. It has been five years since Geodesic’s first sail. As her captain, Alastair sits on the bridge, commanding the crew. A short message from astrometric lab displays on the front holoscreen: ” Incoming message from astrometric lab.”
“On screen.” Alastair orders the ship computer.
The call is coming from a researcher, Lime Pawwy. He stands before the camera, eager to report his new finding.
“Astrometric lab to Bridge. Captain, I’m detecting an unidentified object at high sub-light speed.”
“hmm...” Alastair doesn’t take it seriously at first. That “High sub-light speed object” is something the ship encounters every day after all.
Pawwy however is particularly intrigued by his own finding: “Well, Captain, the object wasn’t there before. it just appear in the sensor a few minutes ago... I’ve never seen anything like that... It’s glowing red light as a star but accounting for its recession velocity, it’s emitting super-charged photons... It’s not just photons I am talking about... they might be carrier waves of some sort of message. I think we need to bring the ship closer to investigate this... object.”
“Welp... sure... Permission granted.” Alastair nods “Helms, set intercept course.”
Geodesic makes a fine turn and jumps into warp.
As the ship flying closer to that unknown object, Pawwy continues his research on it. However, as more data he gathers, he feels it not simple as he thought it would be. Finally, he knocks on the comm button on the wall.
“Captain, I am confirming receiving some sort of transmission from the object. Seems to be binary code carried by... photons...”
Pawwy is still knocking on the keyboard trying to decipher more words in the message: “Captain, the signal is corrupted, the translator can only translate a few words.”
“What is it?” The captain now is definitely intrigued.
“It seems to be a distress signal. Planet dying, need help. Something like that...”
“Which planet, are we still able to help?”
Pawwy shakes his head disagreeing with his captain: “I don’t think we can do much help them... I traced it’s trajectory for a thousand light years and no planet can be found near it. Maybe, we can bring it aboard see if we can extract some more data from it’s computer core... assuming there is one.”
“Permission granted.” Alastair agrees, then turns his chair towards a brown pegasus sitting by an Engineering console, “Lieutenant Flare.”
“Aye, Sir.” The Pegasus nods at his captain.
“Professor Kahley” Alastair glances at a fossa sitting by the science console.
“Yes, Sir.”
“get your teams ready in hanger bay and assist Professor Pawwy.”
