Sky Trek: Over Still Waters

Chapter Image

What was formerly yet another cargo bay in the Enterprise’s lower section was now converted into what many of the crew were calling a ‘mini Jedi Temple’. With due reason, too, as its wide open space, pleasing tan and wooden brown colors, and vibrant lighting certainly seemed to encourage one to connect with the Light Side of the Force.

This was all despite the fact it was only actively being used by a Jedi and a half at the moment. The ‘half’ part being readily apparent as a large, formerly levitating crate came crashing to the ground, splintering into many pieces.

“Agh, damnit, not again!” the young Padawan, Ben Solo, growled, standing up from his formerly cross-legged stance. Wincing, he gazed apologetically at the white-robed Togrutan Dryad supervising him. “Guess we’re going to need another crate. Unless…”

“Oh, unless what?” she said, raising an eyebrow.

“Can’t you just Force it back together?” Ben asked.

Ahsoka chuckled at that. “The Force is many things, but that’s the first time I’ve heard it be used as a verb.”

“I’m making it a thing,” he grinned. “Come on, you know you want to, too.”

“No to both questions,” Ahsoka smirked. “The Force isn’t exactly an adhesive, either.”

“You’re no fun,” Ben sighed.

“Your grandfather said the exact opposite,” Ahsoka teased. “That I was ‘too much fun.’”

“Isn’t that usually considered a good thing?” Ben asked.

“Noooot when you’re in the middle of a battle with Separatist Steam Clankers,” she admitted.

“Yeah right,” Ben said skeptically. “You guys used to cut those things down like butter.”

“And that only contributed to their danger,” Ahsoka explained. “You got so used to underestimating them individually that you forgot how dangerous they could be in large numbers.”

Ben thought for a moment, before snapping his fingers. “So you’re saying my problem is that I’ve gotten so used to lifting smaller things that it’s made me too cocky for the bigger things? Or something?”

Ahsoka blinked. “Huh? Oh no, I was just making small talk.”

Ben went deadpan. “By the Light you’re a weird Jedi, Ahsoka.”

“Part time Jedi,” she winked.

Ben rolled his eyes, glancing away from her with a sigh.

Ahsoka smiled sympathetically in turn, walking up to him and setting a hand on his shoulder. “Ben, wise little tidbits are all well and good, but ultimately, learning the Force is something you can’t just think your way through. For a Jedi, mastery comes from inner balance. As younglings say these days, ‘you gotta have 100% chill.’”

Ben gazed at her sarcastically. “Are you saying I’m only at like, 95% chill?”

“Eh, more like 75%,” Ahsoka pointed out, earning another eye-roll from Ben. “Look, I’m only saying this because I’ve seen you lift bigger things before with no problem. However, ever since we boarded the Enterprise…”

“Oh…” Ben sighed.

Ahsoka’s tone grew ever softer. “A coin for your thoughts?”

“It’s just…” Ben looked away from her again. “Can I ask you a personal question, Ahsoka?”

“Shoot, padawan,” she offered.

He took a deep breath. "Did you… did you know your parents?"

The Jedi Master raised her eyebrows. "That is an… unexpected one."

Ben gulped. "I-I'm sorry, that was a little too--"

"No, no it's fine," Ahsoka said, giving him a smile. "Truth be told, I… never got to know my birth parents. Jedi training was simply too taxing and they lived too far away. I hoped to reach out to them after I had more free time, but then the Stone Wars happened and… well, things only got more complicated from there." She gazed out a nearby window, watching as the clouds passed by. "I envy you in a way, having your parents so close at hand during your training."

Ben gazed at her sorrowfully. "I'm… not so sure you need to."

"Oh?"

"They weren’t exactly… close at hand,” Ben explained. “Even before I was sent to Uncle Luke’s school, dad was always too busy either smuggling goods or trying to figure out how to smuggle goods.”

“Hey, it may not seem like the most noble of things,” Ahsoka said. “But your father was actually doing the New Republic quite the service. Who knows how many lives he saved getting so much through the Imperial blockades?”

“It wasn’t that it wasn’t noble,” Ben said. “Him being a smuggler was actually kind of cool. But like you said, it was kind of ‘vital’. No time for kids in that equation...”

“Was your mother similar?” Ahsoka asked.

Ben nodded. “Even worse than dad.”

“I see,” Ahsoka said, studying his expressions and, most likely, trying to sense his feelings through the Force. “I can’t really judge considering, well, I’m no parent, but I will say this: your mother is a good person. I’m sure she will try to make it up to you-” There was a sudden twinkle in her eye. “-Sooner rather than later.”

Ben cocked an eyebrow. “What do you--” He paused, sensing that a third presence had entered the room. 'Oh. Speak of the devil and she will appear.'

"Hi, kiddo," his mother called.

--

"Alright, time for the fun part,” Tasha proclaimed.

The Enterprise's Combat Training Center (CTC). This massive facility had everything to accommodate the hundreds of the ship’s more martial crewmembers. To live practice golems and automatons to training dummies to sparring arenas to large tanks of healing and stamina potions, it could accommodate and sustain anyone’s development.

Nothing, however, was more important than the large shooting range on its far side, where numerous crewmembers tried their hand at hitting a wide array of targets. It was here Tasha and Undyne held stun rifles, one more firmly than the other.

“Fun, huh?” Undyne said, raising an eyebrow as a nearby crewmember cursed at a missed shot.

“Hey, don’t knock it yet,” Tasha said. “It can really be relaxing once you get the hang of it.”

“I’ll have to take your word on it,” Undyne said.

“Won’t need to for long,” Tasha smiled. “So, how much do you know about regular rifles?"

"Not much, actually," Undyne said. "The bullets come out of the front end, right?"

Tasha laughed. "Well, that's more than some people know. Actually kind of a good thing, since stun rifles are fairly different from them. Might actually help you out a little."

"I don't gotta unlearn what I've learned?" Undyne said.

"You've got it," Tasha said, holding the weapon out in front of her. "The rifle has three settings: kill, max stun, and light stun. The former has a lot more recoil than the latter - just something to keep in mind. Though they’ve probably covered this already, right?”

“Yuh huh,” Undyne nodded, before raising an eyebrow. “Though now that I think of it, isn’t it kind of weird a stun rifle has a kill setting?”

“Technically, I think the name for it is ‘mana rifle’,” Tasha said. “‘Stun rifle’ is just a nickname.”

“Technically ? Now you sound like Alphys,” Undyne chuckled. “Don’t worry, that’s a compliment.”

Tasha smiled. “I’ll say. She was the lead scientist in the Underground, wasn’t she?”

“You got it,” Undyne said. “My boo is one smart cookie. I just wish everyone could appreciate that.”

“Oh?”

“Eh, long story,” Undyne sighed. “Maybe later?”

“I understand,” Tasha said. “So, how about we take down a few targets?”

Undyne grinned at that, about to pull a lever before her marked: Moving.

“Wait, wait,” Tasha said. “We should probably start slow. Stationary targets first.”

“Er, right,” Undyne coughed. “Yeah, that would make more sense. So... me first?”

Tasha nodded. “Just so I can see how your stance is.”

“Here goes, then,” Undyne said.

Twenty meters ahead of her, a thick sheet of paper with a bullseye hung from the ceiling. She raised her rifle, took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled as she aimed down the sights towards it. Then, with a tight pull of the trigger, a blue orb ripped from the front of it, making a new hole in the paper but completely missing the target painted on it.

“Damn,” Undyne groaned. “Now that’s just embarrassing.”

“Actually, you’re not as bad as I thought,” Tasha said.

“Pffft, now you’re just being nice.”

Tasha shook her head. “No, seriously, the way you described it it sounded like you didn’t even know the basics.”

“So, what am I doing wrong, then?” Undyne asked.

“You’re probably not going to believe it,” Tasha said. “But it’s the way you pull the trigger.”

Undyne gave her a sarcastic look. “You’re screwing with me.”

“No!” Tasha laughed. “It’s a common mistake, but one that can throw you off a klick. Tugging it too hard can really mess with your aim.”

“Are you saying I need to be more gentle with it?” Undyne said.

Tasha nodded. “Treat it like you would a puppy dog.”

“A puppy dog, huh?” Undyne said, smirking widely. “Half the dogs in the Underground served in the Royal Guard, you know.”

Tasha did a double take. “Wait, wait, wait, what?”

“Well, Monsters that looked like puppers,” Undyne said. “Though they acted like them, too.”

Tasha gazed at her blankly, not knowing what to say.

“It’s a Monster thing,” Undyne shrugged. “Kind of hard to explain, but we sort of… act like the forms we take when we’re born.” She then shook her head. “Eh, no, ‘act’ is a bad word. Um, we…”

“Are given the personality of?” Tasha suggested.

“Bingo,” Undyne said, snapping her webbed fingers.

“So wait a minute,” Tasha said, her eyes starting to sparkle slightly. “If these Monster dogs were in the guard… does that mean they wore dog-sized suits of armor?”

“Sure, everyone in the guard did,” Undyne said.

“That’s so…” Tasha said, her eyes starting to glisten. “That’s so adorable!”

“Hey!” Undyne protested, half-annoyed, though half jocular. “For one thing, they were badass and adorable. For two, we’re soldiers. Saying the word ‘adorable’ is against military code!”

“Fine, how about cute?”

“No!”

“Precious?”

“Hell no!”

“Scrumptious?”

Undyne paused, before furrowing her brow. “That’s… that’s a weird word for it.”

Tasha thought for a second, then suggested: “Endearing?”

Undyne nodded in approval. “Alright, that one’s okay, but I’m still kicking your ass for everything else later!”

Tasha grinned. “Sparring practice?”

“Maybe,” Undyne smirked. “After magic training.”

“Damn, almost got out of it,” Tasha chuckled, before giving Undyne another sly grin. “But remember, you still need to pass my course first.”

The aquatic warrior narrowed her eyes in determination. “By the time I’m done, the Enterprise is going to be out of targets.”

She raised her rifle, aiming down the sights once more with her one good eye. Then, with a powerful war cry - “NYAAAAAAH!” - she... lightly tapped the trigger.

This time, the shot hit the target, though not the bullseye. Still, Tasha couldn't hide her impressed look. ‘Only a matter of time now,’ she thought, a hint of apprehension filling her for when that time would be up.

--

"I mean, I don't mind the attention; who could help it, really?" Victor sighed, hanging out with Charlie on the bridge. "I'm not exactly subtle. No golem is. And if I got pissed at everyone who couldn't help but stare at me for a second, I'd have nobody to talk to."

"I'd still talk to you!" Charlie beamed.

"That's cus you're too nice for your own good," Victor chuckled. "But yeah, I don't mind that. What grinds my gears is when people treat me like… like some sort of science experiment. Like all they care about is how my body works, what kind of alchemy made me, that sort of thing." He took a deep breath. "I dunno, am I being overly-sensitive?"

"If it bothers you, then it bothers you," Charlie said. "You can't just turn feelings off and on."

"True," Victor admitted. "There are other golems aboard, though. Hell, Rex was born one: him and the other Stone Troopers made for that crazy-ass Galactan war.”

“Oh, yeah, I heard about that,” Charlie winced. “By the fires, so many hellish wars here in the last century. Glad I never had to see them up close. Just the… after-effects.”

Victor gazed at her curiously. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I’m not exactly from around the block,” Charlie said.

Victor nodded in understanding. “Heh, guess that explains a few things.”

“Hey, what is that supposed to mean?” Charlie teased.

“Sorry, sorry, didn’t mean it like that,” Victor laughed. “Just uh, and again, I don’t mean to sound like an asshole, but your species: it’s different than any I’ve seen in the Federation. If you don’t mind me asking, where are you from?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” she said. “Let’s just say it’s so far away I’m not sure I could go back even if I wanted to.”

Now this piqued Victor’s curiosity.

However, before he could ask more, she drew a devious grin and put her hands on her hips. “Wait a minute, though, what’s wrong with being different?”

Victor blinked in surprise. “Nothing!”

“Annnnnd bingo!” Charlie cheered.

“Oh, I see what you did there,” Victor said, a hint of a smirk on him. “Still, it’s just… I dunno. I wonder what Rex thinks about all this? Maybe I should talk to him about it one of these days.”

"It doesn't matter how he feels about it," Deanna said, butting into the conversation. "It's how he acts on those feelings."

Victor turned towards her, a slightly annoyed look on his face. "Counselor, I appreciate the input and all, but I kind of wanted to keep this on the down-low, ya' know?"

"I'm not going to tell anyone," she said, and probably sensing his continued uncomfort, she added: "And no, I'm not going to try to dig around your brain too much. I just want to let you know your feelings are perfectly natural. You have a right to want to be treated as a person and not a curiosity."

"Seconded," Charlie nodded. And for the first time since Victor had met her, her voice took on a sorrowful tone. “Didn’t want to bring it up earlier, but believe it or not, I’ve… been down that road before.”

“Huh?” Victor asked.

Charlie glanced away from him, as if looking for the right words to say. “Let’s just say that I was a… curiosity too, at one time. Back home, that is. Part of the reason why I left.”

“And so was Alphonse at one point,” Deanna noted.

Cyborg’s human eye widened. “Say what?! How did you-”

“I saw you two talking last night,” Deanna said.

“And put two and two together?” Charlie said.

“It’s part of the job,” Deanna said.

“So wait a minute, what do you mean by that?” Victor asked. “You’re saying he was a former golem or something?”

“Sort of,” Deanna nodded. “Though like you, not by choice.”

“How?” Victor asked.

Deanna merely smiled warmly. “You might want to talk to him about that. I think you’ll find that you have more in common than you realize.”

--

“Sorry, Dr. T’Soni,” Sunset Shimmer apologized, her previously illuminated palms dying from their glow. “If this thing is magitek, it isn’t responding to, well, magic.”

“Damn,” the hybrid water/forest nymph grumbled. “There has to be something more to it than meets the eye. Dr. Jones was certain of it when he sent it to me.”

In one of the many laboratories in the Enterprise’s science wing, the two researchers puzzled over a strange device sitting on one of the counters. It resembled a gyroscope with a diamond-shaped crystal in the center.

Sunset shook her head in bafflement. “I’m sorry, I’ve tried hitting it with every mana type magitek usually uses: solar, sky, flame…”

“I know,” Liara sighed. “Honestly, I just hope I’m not wasting your time. I’m making a big assumption that it’s even magitek to begin with.”

“Hmm,” The Antlered Elf hm’d, hovering a tri-meter over it. While it did emit a slow beep, none of its lights were shining. “I don’t blame you for bringing it to me. That rock in the middle does look like a mana crystal. It’s not like any I’m familiar with, though.”

“Dr. McKay did say you were the go-to person for Magitek studies,” Dr. T’soni complimented.

Sunset raised her eyebrows. “Dr. McKay said that? Did you threaten him?”

The Asari Nymph laughed. “Not quite. It did take a bit of prying, though.”

Sunset smirked. “In that case, I can’t let you down, Doctor--”

“Please, Liara is fine.”

Her smirk morphed into a smile. “Liara.” She then paused, thinking to herself. “Did Dr. Jones give you any details on its origin?”

Liara nodded. “He found it in a Gallifreyan ruin, and it certainly resembles similar devices of theirs.” She then put on a puzzled look. “It is strange, though.”

“Huh?”

Liara glanced away from her. “Dr. Jones usually has anything he finds put in a museum - most often the Axis Mundi Museum of Natural History. Recently, however, he’s been more… independent. He’s sent me numerous items for what he calls ‘safe keeping’. This is just the latest.”

“Did he mention why they’d need safekeeping?” Sunset asked.

“Not in his recent letters,” Liara said. “Though the last time we met in person, he mentioned something about artifacts being ‘replaced’.”

“Replaced?” Sunset said, squinting. “Like… with fakes or something?”

“That was my assumption,” Liara said. She then shook her head, chuckling to herself. “Maybe I’m just suffering from Aphonia.”

“Hey, I wouldn’t discount your gut,” Sunset shrugged. “I know it’s not a very scientist-like thing to say, but sometimes if something feels weird, it is.”

“Though sometimes it really is just a feeling,” Liara pointed out. “Then again… you wouldn’t happen to know what a ‘Torchwood’ is, would you?”

“It certainly sounds ominous, whatever it is,” Princess Luna suddenly chimed in, smiling at the two as she unexpectedly entered the room. “Erm… hello.”

‘Oh no,’ Sunset winced.

Liara, however, held the opposite reaction, her eyes widened in excitement.“Princess Luna!?”

“Greetings,” she said. “I um, heard you talking about the Gallifreyans and I couldn’t help but to-”

“I’m so happy to finally meet you!” Liara squeed, rushing over to shake the Night Princess’s hand. “I wanted to talk before but you, well, always seemed busy. I have so many questions to ask you - if you don’t mind - about ancient Equestrian history. And um, world history, too. You didn’t happen to meet any Protheans did you? They’re sort of a lifelong passion and--” She would have kept speaking if she had not run out of breath. She quickly took a deep one, filling her lungs and apparently calming herself slightly. “Sorry, sorry, sorry, it’s just… well, it’s a pleasure to meet someone who has seen so much history first-hand!”

Luna blinked. “I, um, would be happy to answer whatever questions I can.”

Liara coughed, wincing. “By the goddess… I really do apologize. I didn’t mean to make this so awkward.”

“It is no large matter,” Luna said, giving her a forgiving smile. “You’d think that after over a decade of adjusting to the modern world, I’d be used to those interested in the one I’ve left behind.”

“Yeah... “ Sunset said, glancing away from the night princess. ‘Whelp, I suppose it was only a matter of time until I ran into her.’

Liara seemed to catch this, giving Sunset a concerned look. “Is all well?”

“Er, yeah…” Sunset coughed.

Luna put on a slightly worried look. “My apologies if I’m imposing, Sunset Shimmer. I would be happy to come back at a later time.”

She shook her head. “No, you’re... fine, it’s just--” She suddenly furrowed her brow. “Wait, you know who I am?”

“Indeed. My sister often spoke of you,” Luna said. “Of the student she had before my return.”

Sunset looked sorrowful. “Did she mention I wasn’t the… best student?”

“Nonsense,” Luna laughed. “Corruption via magical artifacts is common in your line of work. She said you handled the incident quite well.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. ‘Yeah, after mind controlling half the students at Hogwarts.’

“You certainly seem capable to me,” Liara said.

“You’re giving me too much credit,” Sunset said. “I haven’t even cracked your artifact yet.”

“Perhaps I can help,” Luna offered. “You stated it was Gallifreyan, yes?”

“Indeed!” Liara said, excitement once again filling her tone. “Wait, did you… did you ever visit them? Back when they were still around?”

Luna took a deep breath. “I’m sorry if it disappoints you, but no, I never saw their civilization, if that’s what you mean.”

“Oh,” Liara sighed.

“You must understand that at the time, we didn’t even know there was a world outside the home continent,” Luna explained, though she quickly put on a whimsical smile. “Though that world often found its way to us.”

“W-What do you mean?” Liara said.

Luna took a deep breath. “Though I didn’t know his species at the time, long ago, I’m certain I met a Gallifreyan...”

Liara’s eyes widened in glee. Even Sunset, despite her trepidation at Luna’s presence, couldn’t help but be curious as Luna continued.

“He was a traveller who wore many faces…”

Liara leaned forward in anticipation.

“Known for his many good deeds…”

Then she looked like she was about to start bouncing.

“... But that story can wait for another time.”

The Asari practically deflated. “Oh come on!”

Luna chuckled. “It is too long for one sitting. However, I will say that there was a device aboard his vessel resembling the one on your counter.”

Sunset raised her eyebrows. “Do you remember any details?”

“It was attached to one of the many control panels aboard it,” Luna explained. “I remember it twirling spontaneously at times.”

“That’s… actually pretty helpful, princess, thanks,” Sunset said. “It means this was likely part of a machine, not a machine in and of itself.”

“Perhaps we should continue to ‘put our heads together’, as they say?” Luna said, a hint of excitement in her tone.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Sunset said, giving a yawn that she hoped didn’t come across as fake. “I’d like to, but… I am getting kind of tired. Think I might sleep on this for a bit.”

Liara raised her eyebrows. “Are you alright? It’s only 1800.”

“You don’t seem tired,” Luna said suspiciously.

“I uh…”

Luna folded her arms. “As I said before, if I am imposing, I would be happy to depart.”

“No, it’s just…”

“Just?”

Finally, feeling almost defeated, she turned to Liara. “Alright. Alright, let’s do this. Dr. T’Soni - whoops, Liara - I’m definitely down to hang out later, but the princess and I…”

“Say no more. I need a bite to eat, anyway,” Liara nodded, making her way to the lab’s exit. Before she left, she turned and gave Sunset a polite smile. "Thank you again, Dr. Shimmer."

“Hopefully I’ll be able to earn that thanks,” Sunset joked. “See you later.”

And so, Sunset and Luna were left alone , leaving the former to wonder if what she was about to do was the smartest thing ever.

‘Will she believe I had nothing to do with it?’