Star Trek: Phoenix

by Dewdrops on the Grass

Chapters

Season 1 Episode 2: "Welcome to the Stars" Part 2
Season 1 Episode 3: "A Pebble In Time"
Season 1 Episode 4: "Ensign Shimmer"
Season 1 Episode 6: “The Choices We Make”
Season 1 Episode 7: "Wrong Place, Right Time"
Season 1 Episode 8: "Confessions of an FTL Pony" Part 1
Season 1 Episode 9: "Confessions of an FTL Pony" Part 2
Season 1 Episode 10: "U.S.S. Phoenix"
Season 2 Episode 1: "It All Begins In Pain"
Season 2 Episode 2: "It's Cold in Space"
Season 2 Mini-Episode 01: "Lonely"
Season 2 Mini-Episode 02: "Always the Last to Know"
Season 2 Episode 3: "Ghosts"
Season 2 Mini-Episode 3: "You Can Lead a Horse To Water..."
Season 2 Mini-Episode 4: "Sex on the Beach"
Season 2 Episode 4: "A Dazzling Introduction Part 1"
Season 2 Episode 5: "A Dazzling Introduction Part 2"
Season 2 Mini-Episode 5: "Raktajino"
Season 2 Mini-Episode 7: "Space Race"
Season 2 Mini-Episode 8: "Parental Concerns"
Season 2 Episode 6: "Simple, Clean, and Anything But"
Season 2 Mini-Episode 9: "To Be a Fly on the Wall"
Season 2 Episode 7: "Research and Development"
Season 2 Episode 8: "Tried and Tested"
Season 2 Mini-Episode 10: “Reminiscence about the Future”
Season 2 Episode 9: "It All Ends in Tears" Part 1
Season 2 Episode 10: "It All Ends in Tears" Part 2
Season 3 Episode 1: "You Can't Go Home Again" Part 1
Season 3 Episode 2: "You Can't Go Home Again" Part 2
Season 3 Episode 3: "The Phoenix Rises"
Season 3 Episode 4: "Unexpected Results"
Season 3 Episode 5: "Foreseen Consequences"
Season 3 Episode 6: "Smashing!"
Season 3 Interlude: "Last Call"
Season 3 Episode 7: "Under the Sea"
Season 1 Episode 1: "Welcome to the Stars" Part 1
Season 1 Episode 5: "Those Academia Days..."
Season 2 Mini-Episode 6: "Doctor/Patient Confidentiality”

Season 1 Episode 2: "Welcome to the Stars" Part 2

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S01E02

“Welcome to the Stars”

Part 2

I’ve never liked mirrors.

Ponies say mirrors show you what everyone else sees, but that’s not true! It shows you a reflection. Bent light hitting your eyes to show a version that nopony else actually sees. Everything you see in a mirror is reversed. It’s backwards.

It’s wrong.

I’m not a vain pony. Oh I take care of my appearance, for hygiene. I make sure it’s always exactly the way it’s supposed to be. But I don’t waste time with makeup, jewelry, or any of that silly stuff. It’s not for me. It’s not what matters.

Ponies who think appearance are all that matters confuse me. Why? What matters is what they have to say, what they think, what they can do. Appearance is just... it’s a surface level examination at best.

So that morning, when I was getting ready for the biggest most important examination I’d ever ever take in my entire life, I spent exactly the time I needed making sure my appearance looked the way it was supposed to and no more. And then I spent the next hour running around my room, making sure I had every possible book and scroll and so on in my bags because you never know what the exam is really going to be about.

Mom and Dad eventually escorted me out of my room, telling me everything would be fine, that I didn’t have to worry and that I had this. But they didn’t understand. If I messed up this exam my whole life would be over. Finished! Done! That’s it! Nothing else would matter. If I don’t get into Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns I’ll be a laughingstock for the rest of my life!

“Relax, honey, you’ll be fine,” Dad said for the ninety-fifth time as he and Mom pushed me out the door. “We’ll be with you every step of the way.”

I all but galloped my way towards the castle, eager to arrive at least a good thirty minutes early, so I’d have more time to study. I nodded politely to the royal guards as I passed them by. Most of them knew me by this point, since my BBBFF Shining Armor began his royal guard training a while back. They tolerated my existence, anyway, though I heard some of the whispers they said on occasion. “Nerd. Egghead.” Feh. What do they know? Not as much as I do, that’s for sure!

It didn’t take long for us to pass through the primary castle courtyard and head over to the tower that housed the School for Gifted Unicorns. Mom and Dad signed me in at the front desk, then we sat down to wait for me to be called up. I had one of the earlier exams so I knew I wouldn’t be waiting too long, but it was enough time to get some last minute practice in.

“Hon, should you really be reading that now?” Mom said, looking askance down at me, her muzzle pulled into a frown. “You might stress yourself out too much.”

“Oh let her read it, Velvet,” Dad replied, waving her off. “It’s how she relaxes. You know that.”

“I know, but it doesn’t mean I don’t worry...”

I tuned out Mom and Dad as I focused on my book. They argued like that a lot, always spending so much time focusing on my mental health. Worrying I wasn’t making good connections with other ponies. But I didn’t need to. I had Shining. I had Smarty Pants, my doll. What more does a filly need?

Sadly, all too soon my name was called. We were led into a lecture hall, where four stern looking ponies, each cradling a clipboard and pencil in their magic, glared down at me fiercely from the seats near the back. Then a stallion rolled in a wooden cart stuffed full of hay, with a picture of split in half eggshell on either side of a cartoonish dragon plastered to its side. The massive purple egg spotted with green dots atop the hay made clear what my goal was.

“So, your exam is simple,” one of the ponies in the back, a yellow coated unicorn mare said. “You just have to hatch the dragon egg.”

“Huh?” I mumbled, staring at the egg with wide, horrified eyes. I hadn’t expected this! Hatching a dragon’s egg? What kind of test is that?! I was expecting some basic telekinesis tricks, maybe moving objects around in various patterns. Some math, or-or a bit of science maybe. A written exam. Multiple choice questions. Essays. Something, anything other than… than this! This is absurd!

“Hatch the egg,” repeated the mare. “Get started.”

I continued to stare at the egg, unsure where I’d even start. Sure, the cartoon on the cart suggested I just pull it apart, but you can’t hatch an egg like that, can you? That’s how you break an egg to make an omelette! If I just broke open the egg, I’d kill the drake inside! Assuming there even was one. How’d they get this egg away from its mother? What kind of dragon was this? Why am I hatching a dragon’s egg for an entrance exam?!

“Well, Miss Sparkle?” pressed one of the other judges.

Ugh. No time to worry about it. I focused on the egg and tried to summon up my magic, my brain swirling with various half remembered spell matrices and magical formulae and everything I’d studied all churned and frothed in a massive mess. My horn barely produced any sparks at all as I strained, grunting and groaning at the egg.

Scratch scratch scratch went the pencils of the judges.

“C’mon, honey, you can do it,” I heard my Dad whisper.

The more this went on, the more frustrated I became. I bounced around the room, gesturing wildly at the egg, even bowing at it at one point, until all I could manage was to try and force pure, raw magic through my horn, as if that was going to do anything.

Of course, as I knew very well, without a proper spell matrix raw magic does absolutely nothing, so nothing happened. My heart sank, I fell to my rump and bowed my head. “Sorry I wasted your time…”

The judges had a lot to write about that one. As I watched their pencils crawl along the paper, my whole body slumped until I all but melted into a puddle. A silly little puddle of Twilight goo. That’s all I felt like now. Worthless. Incapable.

Refuse.

But then the room filled with a distant flash of light. A boom echoed in the distance, rumbling louder and louder as it approached and swept over us. Instantly my horn lit up with a perfectly formed field as my magic reverberated with the distant explosion. Then it fired at the egg.

As if perfectly hatched, the egg fell apart, revealing an adorable little drake. A male baby dragon, in perfect health.

But before I could take that in, the situation accelerated. Like a broken dam, pure magical energy inundated me, so fast all I could do was scream. My eyes glowed pure white as I floated into the air, surrounded by a sizzling, vibrating, gyrating field of raw magic leaching out into my surroundings, as if my own internal stores of magic had been ripped open and exposed. I couldn’t move or breathe or do anything other than writhe.

I felt more than saw my magic lash out, causing the judges to hover, my parents to undergo a brief temporary transformation to potted plants, the dragon to undergo an instant aging process to adulthood, smashing his head through the ceiling and two more ceilings above it for good measure.

I also heard Princess Celestia’s voice. I’d heard her make announcements before, at the Summer Sun Celebration, on vinyl etched recordings, and so on, so I knew it when I heard it. It filled me with a hope that she was coming to save me from myself, to stop whatever was happening.

But then fresh horror tore at my chest, along with… something else. Slowly, my magic pulsed, shifting from zapping out like lightning bolts in all directions to shooting towards the floor. Then it pulsed again, causing me to scream anew at a sensation of pulling, like some mighty beast had taken hold of every hair in my coat and pulled on it at once. Then my stomach lurched. I had just enough time to process Princess Celestia stepping before me, her eyes wide with shock and her mouth open to shout before my surroundings vanished.

I’d emerged into some sort of room of metal, colored in hideous shades of blue. The lighting was so dim I could barely make anything out save for what looked like a mirror at the center of the room. But this was all I needed to focus on. This was what pulled on my magic. I could see the magical flares being suckled into it, the occasional bits of waste magic causing little sparks to fly in all directions as the mirror drew me closer. I tried to stop it, to move my limbs, to pull away, to do something, anything. But I couldn’t.

“Mom! Dad! Heeelp meeeee!” I shrieked as my body touched the surface of the mirror.

BOOM

My vision whited out, my head full of stars as my ears rang with a mighty explosion. Then every one of my limbs stretched out to infinity, like a baker taking a rolling pin to a clump of dough, smushing me flat. Pain exploded along every nerve ending, my head spinning a million miles an hour.

Then a new flash of light; and a brief glimpse of various odd creatures roaming around a park before I slammed face first into the ground and skidded along the grass.

“Ooooh…” I groaned, every part of me feeling like an ursa major had used me like a chew toy then spat me back out. But my horn especially burned like fire. A quick glance upward at my horn showed the tip had a massive burn mark, with trails of smoke curling up into the sky. “What happened? Where… where am I?”

Shouts of alarm filled my ears. My eyes widened like saucers as I realized I was surrounded by massive creatures towering over me on two legs, with long gangly forelimbs ending in hands with claws like knives and teeth like sabers and horrible ear-piercing voices speaking a language that sounded like the speech of Tartarus itself.

I screamed at the top of my lungs as my heart accelerated into overdrive, my lungs pumping air like I was trying to fill the gasbags of an airship at record speed, every sense overwhelmed! The louder I screamed the more the creatures rambled on in their horrifying language!

And then a much louder shout cut through the crowd. While I didn’t understand the words, it sounded… different. Just slightly. Like it had been spoken with a different kind of throat. Another cry joined it, even louder, more authoritative.

Then, salvation! I took in a sharp breath as an older pony pushed her way through the crowd, one I’d never seen before. But still, a pony! She was much taller, ganglier, clearly in the middle of puberty, suggesting she was at least eleven, maybe almost twelve. She bore a brilliant amber coat and a mane of amaranth red, with daffodil yellow streaks. For some reason she wore a full body dress, so I couldn’t see her cutie mark. If she had hers. She might not yet.

As soon as I locked eyes on her, I babbled, “Who are you? What are those? What’s going on?!”

“Relax, kid, everything’s going to be okay,” she said in Canterlot-accented Ponish, whinnying softly. The familiar sounds soothed my frazzled nerves, a little. “Easy. Easy.”

Another voice roared through the crowd in that awful language, emanating from a giant of a creature who towered over the others as much as they towered over me, or so it felt like. It carried some sort of long boxy device in its hands and glowered at the older pony, sneering before it barked some other kind of order.

Far too terrified to think sensibly, I rushed forward and pressed myself up against the older pony, my knees quivering like jelly. “What’s going on?!” I shouted. “Where am I? Where’s Princess Celestia? Where’s Mom and Dad?”

The older pony’s jaw dropped as she looked at me like she’d seen a ghost. “Princess Celestia…?”

Nodding my head super fast I replied, “Yes, Princess Celestia! I-I was taking an exam! For the School for Gifted Unicorns! I was supposed to hatch this dragon egg and it was so hard and I couldn’t do it and then there was this big boom and my whole body was full of magic, then Princess Celestia came by to try and stop it, and there was this pull on my magic, like something trying to draw me in… and… then…”

I trailed off, uncertain what happened next. I barely remembered it. My brain ached like it had been squashed up in a butter churn.

“And then what?” pressed the older pony.

Grunting, it took me a moment to respond, “Then she was gone! So were Mom and Dad! And I was in this weird blue room, with… with...”

The older pony gulped, her pupils shrinking to dots. “With a mirror. You touched it, didn’t you?”

Equal parts fear warring with shame welled up in my chest as I replied, “I didn’t mean to, but I couldn’t get away from it. It pulled me forward, drawing more and more of my magic out until I touched the surface, then there was an explosion...then I… I ended up here.” Wherever here is, I wondered as I scanned the area, seeing a large park, with a lot of tall buildings of a type I didn’t recognize at all. The smell of salt filled the air. Salt water, from the nearby bay. A huge bridge loomed overhead, more tall buildings in the distance.

...and the creatures. Those terrifying, monstrous creatures, still looming nearby despite the dispersal of the crowd. Trying to resist the urge to run away screaming in panic, I turned back to the older pony and said, “Please, tell me, where are we? Who are you? What are those? What’s going on?!”

She glanced around us and sighed. “It’s… It’s going to take a lot to explain. I’m Sunset Shimmer. What’s your name?”

“My name?” I said, holding a hoof to my chest. “I’m Twilight. Twilight Sparkle.”

“Well, Twilight,” said Sunset, wrapping her forehoof around my shoulder to pull me in close, “We need to get you inside as quickly as possible.”

I pushed her hoof away, my panic flash-boiling into ire. “Why? You haven’t told me what’s going on yet! Where are we? What are those things?!”

Sunset grunted, then glared up at the crowd of strange beings still lingering. In the same language the creatures used, she barked something, like some sort of order. The few creatures still remaining all dispersed, save for one. This one wore a blue uniform, who, like many of the other creatures, was hairless save for a single spot of mane atop her head, cut like a bowl, with points on either side framing similarly pointed ears. She seemed feminine, something she confirmed when she spoke to Sunset, who responded back with something unintelligible, then turned to me.

“Sorry about that.”

I stared in mute confusion, and more than a little trepidation, at the creature who lingered. “What were you saying to them? I couldn’t understand it.”

“You couldn’t?” she blinked. Then she rolled her eyes. “No, of course not, because you don’t have a UT yet. Hold on a second. T’Lona,” and then her speech dissolved into gibberish again.

“Youtee?” I murmured, tasting the unfamiliar syllables. They sounded a lot like some of the harsher Minotaur tongues I’d heard Mom speak in once, when she and Dad were playing some kind of game with a few other adults, something involving a lot of cards and books. “What is that?”

She didn’t respond. Instead she seemed to stop, taking a few slow deep breaths, as if focusing in some way. Then when she opened her eyes, she seemed calmer. Much calmer than I felt. “It stands for universal translator. It’s a piece of technology that’ll let us communicate with those who don’t speak Ponish. Which is everybody here.”

“Don’t you mean everypony?” I wondered.

“No, I don’t.”

Meanwhile, the creature took out some sort of device from her pocket and aimed it at me, pressing a few buttons. A warbling trill accompanied by rising and falling beeps emanated from it. “Uuuh… Sunset!” I murmured, pressing up against her again. “What’s that noise? What’s she doing with that, that thing?”

“Don’t worry Twilight, it’s just a tri--err, just a scanner,” Sunset replied. “It won’t hurt you. Trust me.”

“Indeed, she is correct,” added the creature, now speaking in perfect, unaccented Ponish. Hearing the beautiful flowing syllables of Ponish from the throat of something that looked incapable of producing the whinnies and nickers involved left me feeling more than a little unsettled. “My name is T’Lona. I am one of Sunset’s guardians. My apologies for the way in which you were greeted; no harm was intended, I assure you.”

“Oh.” Despite Sunset’s reassurances, I wasn’t sure I trusted this… T’Lona. She seemed cold. Unfeeling. I didn’t like that at all. “Sunset, please, where are we?” I repeated for what felt like the twentieth time.

T’Lona nodded at her tricorder, then dropped her arm to her side, allowing it to hang. “Perhaps that would be a question best answered at home, given no immediate signs of serious injury. Sunset, I will request another site-to-site transport so we can depart at once. . This will only take a moment. But can you please explain to Twilight what is about to happen?”

“Will do.” Then, as T’Lona stepped away, tapping a piece of jewelry on her chest, Sunset said to me, “So, Twilight, we’re going to take you to our home now. It’s going to involve something called a transporter.”

“Transporter?” I questioned. “Is that anything like a teleport?”

Sunset grinned. “Yes, actually. I’m surprised you’re familiar with that. Not a lot of unicorns are, especially not ones your age.”

“I’m not that young!” I protested immediately. “I’m eight years old!”

I saw one corner of her muzzle curl in amusement. “I can see that. Alright, I’ll skip the explanation then. So, you said you were taking an exam.”

“Uh-huh!” I nodded, eager for any kind of distraction from my current circumstances. “I’ve been studying a long time for it. But I wasn’t expecting the dragon egg!”

“Yeah, I can’t say I would’ve expected that either,” replied Sunset with a sudden frown. “That’s not the kind of test they gave me when I applied.”

My jaw fell open. “You were in the School for Gifted Unicorns?”

Winking at me, she said, “I wasn’t just in the school. I was Princess Celestia’s personal student.”

“Wow!” I gasped. “That’s amazing! But… but why did you leave? How did you end up here?”

“It wasn’t by choice,” Sunset said with a disappointed, frustrated snarl. “I got here the same way you did. I touched the mirror.”

“What was that mirror, anyway?”

She shrugged, rolling her shoulders. “I don’t know. No one does. I tried describing it, several times, but it never came up as resembling anything in any Federation database.”

“Federation… database?” I repeated. I knew what the two words that formed it meant, but together? It sounded like gibberish.

“Sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself,” Sunset said, shaking her head.

T’Lona chose that moment to return to us. “We are about to transport. Prepare yourself.” Then she tapped her jewelry again. “T’Lona to Spacedock. Three for site-to-site transport.”

“Acknowledged, Commander,” came a clear, if very slightly muffled, response emanating from her chest.

Filled with a sudden nervous tension, I took a deep breath. Then my whole body twinged, like I’d been immersed in a warm bath and rubbed all over with dozens of little bristly toothbrushes, before I suddenly found myself in a completely different place. It was a street lined with semi detached townhomes in a variety of materials, shapes, and colors that astounded me with their differences. In many ways it resembled the Nobles Quarter in Canterlot, which my family’s estate sat in. Well, I say estate. It’s more like a single house and a parcel of land. House Twilight has a long lineage, but we’ve never been very important in the Noble food chain.

The house we arrived in front of was, at first glance, very similar to the one I’d lived in my whole life. It stood three stories tall, with a small fenced-in backyard overflowing with flowers, and a large tree in the front. But that was where the similarities ended. Like all the other buildings I’d seen, this one appeared constructed from some material alien to me. Like some kind of unusual ceramic or metal.

T’Lona proceeded at once to the door. “Sunset, if you will please excuse me, I have some duties I must attend to before I can speak with Twilight further. Would you be willing to give Twilight a basic explanation of where she is and why?”

Sunset nodded, though one side of her muzzle pulled into a half frown. “Yeah, sure. You got it.”

“Thank you,” T’Lona said, nodding impassively. Then she disappeared inside.

“Well,” Sunset said, gesturing to the door with a hoof. “Shall we?”

Inside was even more impressive, if very strange. Several walls featured black panels with lit up buttons or controls of some sort. A similar screen built into some kind of device laid on a couple of the tables, including a desk in one corner. All the furniture was sleek, not so much modern as futuristic in some unusual way I couldn’t quite define, whether it was the sofas and armchairs in the living room, or the seating at the dining table. Most of the furniture was also clearly made for those on two legs and not ponies, though there were a couple of pieces around that were presumably for Sunset’s use, since they were much lower set to the ground, and conformed to pony body shape. No kitchen either, which struck me as utterly bizarre. “Don’t you cook?” I said as she took me on a brief tour of the lower level.

“Not necessary,” she said as she trotted over to a large slot of some kind on the wall next to the dining table that I’d taken for an empty shelf. “Are you thirsty? Want anything in particular?”

“...do you have apple juice?” I said after a moment of pure confusion.

She winked at me, then faced the shelf and said, “Two apple juices, three degrees.”

“Woah!” I gasped as two clear glasses of apple juice materialized from nowhere. “That’s really cool magic!”

Snickering, Sunset said, “Yeah, you could say that. Not even Starswirl could’ve done this.” She floated the two glasses in her field and strode over to the couch. She set the glasses down on a coffee table then patted an open space on the couch with one hoof. “Come on, sit.”

Frowning, I set my hoof down to feel the material. It was smooth to the touch, like some kind of felt or velour, except it didn’t look like it. Maybe it was some fancy techno-whatsit material like everything else about this place. So I hopped up onto the couch, and sank into it. The sensation against my coat soothed me. It relaxed me, like the most comfortable couch I’d ever sat on. It distracted me from my worries.

For about five seconds. Then they came pouring back in like water through a broken dam. My mouth drying out didn’t help much either. So I reached out for the apple juice and took the glass in my forehooves, not trusting my horn to levitate it yet. A single sip flooded my mouth with a burst of flavor, just like the best apple juice I’d ever had back home, except slightly different. Tarter, slightly less sweet. I drained the glass straight away then set it down on the table, my hooves shaking so badly I almost dropped it on the floor.

“Better?” Sunset said, eying me with a concerned expression.

“A little,” I admitted. “But I have so many questions, I don’t even know where to begin!”

“All right then,” Sunset sighed. She slouched back in her seat and closed her eyes, repeating that odd meditation I saw her perform earlier. Then she opened them again. “So, let’s start with the basics. You’re on a different planet. We’re not on Equus anymore. That mirror portal you came through? It’s one-way. There’s no way back. You’re stuck here.”

“What?!” I shrieked, slapping both hooves to my cheeks so hard I clocked myself. “But that’s impossible! I can’t be stuck here! I have a family! A life! I was going to be a student at the School for Gifted Unicorns!”

Sunset reached out a hoof, offering for me to nuzzle into the crook of her shoulder. I took it immediately, grateful for the familiar touch of a pony, even one I didn’t really know yet. “I know how you feel, Twilight,” she said as she stroked a hoof on my head, the gesture far more soothing than I expected it to be. “I had the same reaction when I first showed up.” Then she snorted and smirked. “Actually, I kind of attacked them and got shot in the process.”

“S-shot? As in, with a gun?!” I gasped. Guns weren’t unheard of in Equestria, though they were very uncommon. I knew how they operated only thanks to reading some of Shiny’s books when he wasn’t paying attention to them. They’re rare even in the Royal Guard, usually only for those in the most important posts.

“A phaser, actually. It’s not really a gun. It’s more like a…” She trailed off, thinking for a moment, then nodded. “Kind of like a sleep spell, except in a beam of light, and... not actually magic. Okay, that was a bad analogy and it’s a lot more complicated than that. Anyway, that’s not the point. The point is, we are stuck here. We can’t go home.”

“But… But…” Those words burrowed into my heart like a parasite, consuming it from the inside till it split into pieces. Unbidden tears came to my eyes as I slumped against Sunset, sobbing softly. “I want to go home. I don’t want to be here.”

Sunset’s grip on me tightened. I could hear her heartbeat speed up, her chest shaking. Wetness trickled onto my forehead. “I know, Twilight. I know.” She sniffled, then rubbed her hoof through my hair. “Hey, but it’s not so bad, you know? It could be a lot worse.”

“How?” I whispered. “I’ll never see my mom or dad again. Or my BBBFF. Or practice magic. Or, or anything. My life is ruined.”

“BBBFF?” she muttered in confusion.

“Big brother best friend forever,” I answered, a sorrowful sigh escaping me. “Shining Armor. He’s very important to me.”

Sunset ran her hoof through my hair some more. “Sounds like it. Well, like I said, it could be worse. We’re alive. We’re not going to starve. We have a place to live. And who knows? Maybe now that they’ve seen the mirror portal open up twice, they can figure out a way to send us back.”

I pulled away immediately, hope surging in my chest. “Really? You mean it?”

She laughed, once, then shrugged as her mouth curled up into a sheepish smile. “I… dunno? Maybe? This society, it’s a lot more advanced than ours. You’ve already seen a bit of their technology, but there’s so much more to see, it’s… you have to see it to believe it. These people, they travel the stars. They have ships that can go to other planets, moving at speeds faster than light.”

“How is that possible?” I breathed, so taken aback by that I feared my jaw would fall off my face. “According to relativity--”

“They have a way around that,” she interrupted, now grinning at me. “You’re really smart for such a young kid, Twilight. You must love to read.”

“I do love to read,” I said, glaring at her. “That’s not a bad thing.”

She sat back and tousled my hair, snickering. “Didn’t say it was. Reading’s pretty awesome.”

“Oh.” I blinked several times, falling back onto my rump. “I… I’ve never heard anypony say that besides my family before. Everypony else always makes fun of me for it.”

Sunset snorted. “And those ponies are stupid. Being smart is a badge of pride, not shame. And if you like learning, well… There's a lot to learn here, too. Though it takes some time to get used to it all.”

“What do you mean?”

In response, she hopped off the couch and beckoned for me to follow. She led me over to one of the desks and pointed at the chair next to it. It was so high off the ground I could barely reach it standing on my rear hooves, let alone get up on it. “This is a normal chair for an adult in this world,” she said. “You saw how they all stand on two legs, right? Well that’s true of almost every single sapient species they’ve ever met. Apparently four legs are extremely uncommon. And when they do exist, they’re as tall as everyone else is, not small like we are.”

“Ponies aren’t that small,” I protested in a huff. “We’re pretty large for Equus.”

“Yeah. Exactly. For Equus.” Sunset reached into a pocket on her dress and pulled out some sort of thin device, shaped like a piece of paper, with a lit up piece of glass. “This is called a PADD by the way. It’s… kind of like a portable library. Except it’s a library the size of a planet. And it’s also got a few other things built in.” At my blank look, she shook her head. “Let me show you.”

She set it down so I could see the screen clearly while she tapped at the buttons with her magic. Then a picture appeared on it, in flawless color, as real as if I was looking through a window. It was of Sunset standing next to two of the two-legged creatures. One was T’Lona, impassive as ever, standing in a manner similar to that of a soldier at ease. The other, with a darker skin tone, a red uniform, poofy hair, round ears, and a bright smile waved at the camera. “That’s Amina Riviera, my other guardian,” Sunset said, pointing to the red uniformed one. “She’s a human. T’Lona is a Vulcan. They’re just two of what are called humanoid species.”

“Humanoid,” I repeated, testing the word. “Is that like an equinoid, only on two legs?”

“Basically.” She tapped another button and brought up a few more pictures, showcasing various others. Pointing to one with sky blue skin and antennae sticking out of her head, she said, “This one’s an Andorian. And this one is a Tellarite.” She pointed to one covered in fur, stouter and shorter, with a swine-like nose.

Then she named a large number of others, an astonishing variety with names I couldn’t even hope to pronounce. All stood on two legs, like variants of the same species, just with different colors of skin or facial appearances. “A lot of them look pretty similar, but even if they look the same on the outside, they’re really different on the inside,” she said. “They’re all from different planets, with different biologies.”

Taking in all this new information left my head spinning, even though I usually read more than this in a single sitting. It was just so different. So bizarre. “So we’re the odd ones out, then,” I muttered.

“Uh-huh,” Sunset nodded with a grimace. “It takes a lot of adjustment. And I do mean a lot. This place wasn’t built with ponies in mind. But I’ve been getting by. I’ll help you get by too.”

The assumption in that statement, that I’d just accept this new situation, with all these weird creatures, with this place that was nothing like home, with no one I knew around… it felt like a slap in the face. And I took it as such.

“No!” I shouted, stomping my hoof on the floor. “I want to go home. So you’d better figure out a way to take us home right now!”

“Jeez, kid, you think I wouldn’t have done that if I could?” Sunset shot back. “I already went through all the crap you’re going through right now. Been there, done that, got the freaking t-shirt! You are stuck here. You’re not going home. You got that?”

Like a punch to the gut, her words impacted me with solid force, knocking me for a loop. I screamed something unintelligible at her and ran for the door. I wasn’t going to stay in this stupid place for a second longer!

Of course, being an older, larger pony she galloped ahead of me, but I skidded under her, sliding between her legs. Then she barked, “Computer, emergency lockdown mode, enable!” which caused a voice to echo something in acknowledgement.

Not knowing what that meant, I hurtled myself at the door anyway, only to find it more solid than a brick wall. “Stupid door!” I cried, smacking it with my forehoof. “Open!”

A loud buzzing noise sounded. “Lockdown is in effect,” echoed that same voice. “Please enter security code to disable lockdown.”

“Unlock the door!” I screeched.

“That access code is not recognized. Please restate request.”

A hoof brushed my back and I shrank away from it at once. “Hey, Twilight, easy, easy. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled. I’m not trying to scare you, I promise.”

“Don’t touch me! Leave me alone!” I screamed back. I sped between her legs and found the furthest corner of the room, wedging myself behind a shelf.

I heard Sunset curse in some language unfamiliar to me, then the sound of her hoofsteps approaching. “Twilight, please come out of there,” she said.

“No! I said leave me alone, you foalnapper!”

“Foalnapper?!” Sunset roared. I saw her face pop up from behind the shelf, twisted up with real anger. “You think I--for pony’s sake if it was up to me you’d still be at home, Twilight! I didn’t want you here either!”

More steps rumbled through the house, this time singular rather than proper pairs. “Sunset, why is there so much commotion?” echoed the voice of T’Lona.

“Because Twilight’s acting like a spoiled little--”

“Sunset,” T’Lona interrupted, a single word command that, despite its lack of volume or emotion, ripped through Sunset’s words like a knife tearing apart a sail.

I poked my head out so I could see what was going on. I watched Sunset take several deep breaths, shut her eyes, and practice that meditation technique again. When she opened them this time, she was still agitated, but much calmer. “I tried to explain the situation to Twilight. I wanted to help her understand that she’s not going home. She became upset.”

“Sunset, how old is Twilight?”

“I’m eight years old!” I answered for Sunset. When T’Lona glanced my way, I hid back behind the shelf.

“I see,” T’Lona said. “Sunset, I believe it might be best if you wait for Amina to come home before you attempt to speak any more with Twilight. You should return to your school project.”

Sunset sighed, then nodded. “Okay. I’ll get back to it then.”

I heard the sound of Sunset trotting away, then more steps coming closer to me. “Twilight, may I ask you to step out from behind the shelf?”

“Do I have to?” I murmured in response.

“No. If you would prefer to remain back there, you can. However, I am not sure it would be very comfortable for you for long.”

She made a good point. Already, my shoulders and back muscles ached from being forced into the small space. The wall and shelf unit chafing against my coat made it worse. “Okay.” I slunk out from behind the shelf.

T’Lona, hunched down at my eye level, gazed at me impassively. “I apologize if Sunset Shimmer upset you. I had hoped she would have more tact.”

Frankly I didn’t trust this T’Lona further than I could throw her either. She was too… cold. Like there was nothing there. No heart. No soul. Just a lack of passion. Like a golem, walking around imitating life without having a true life of its own. So I carefully stepped around her till I could get back to the couch, and opted to sit down on that. “It’s fine,” I said.

She arched an eyebrow at me, then nodded. “It seems my own demeanor intimidates you as well. That is understandable. I will be respectful and give you your space. If you need me for any reason, I will be up two flights of stairs, in the room on the right. If you get hungry, the replicator on the wall can provide. I will check on you in an hour. Does this sound acceptable?”

Seriously, what the heck is with her? It’s like she’s a machine herself. Maybe she is. Maybe that’s what Vulcans are. Logic-based machines. “S-sure,” I murmured, not trusting my own voice right now.

“Very well. Please excuse me, Twilight,” she said. Then without a single look back she departed up the stairs.

It was only after she left that I realized I hadn’t asked her to unlock the door and let me leave. I was still trapped here in this weird house. I sank myself deeper into the couch, wishing it was my bed so I could hide under the blankets. With Smarty Pants. And a good book.

But I didn’t have any of that. No doll. No blankets. No BBBFF. No nothing.

Unbidden moisture drizzled down my face until the exhaustion of the situation claimed me. I fell into a deep, dark sleep.

“Wait, there’s another pony staying with us now?”

“Yes, Amina. Did you not receive my communique?”

“T’Lona, I was giving final exams all day at the Academy. I didn’t have time to read it.”

“Ah, I see. My apologies then. I would have sought to send you a higher priority message if I had realized.”

“So where did she come from?”

Groaning, I opened my sleep-coated eyes, blinking as a groggy, half-awake energy filled my mind. My mouth opened in a massive, tongue-stretching yawn, all four hooves stretching out so hard I could hear the bones crack. Then I fell back against the couch. “Five more minutes, Mom,” I mumbled.

Then my eyes shot open as I realized that wasn’t Mom and Dad I heard talking. I looked up to see, not far away, T’Lona standing next to a vaguely familiar creature wearing a red uniform. It took me a moment or two to recognize Sunset’s other guardian, Amina. Unsure whether or not to draw attention to myself, I shut my eyes immediately and pretended to sleep.

“Sorry, hon, but I saw your eyes open.”

Sighing, I opened them back up to see Amina had come closer. Unlike Sunset, who seemed mostly angry and tried to cover it up by pretending to be nice, and T’Lona, who struck me as cold and lacking in compassion, she had a warm, honest face that instantly reminded me of my Mom. Or Princess Celestia. Or maybe both. She was the first one of these weird two-legged creatures that didn’t look like a monster ready to claw my face off. Her smile was genuine, soothing even. Like she actually cared. “Hi,” I said quietly, still groggy.

“Hey there,” she said back. “Would it be okay if I sat down with you?”

“Uh, sure, I guess,” I replied with a shrug. I shifted in position to get her some more room, since she was so much bigger than me.

She very carefully sat down next to me, and gave me plenty of space. “Thank you. Been on my feet all day. My name is Amina. What’s yours?”

The corners of my mouth turned upward a tad. “Twilight. Twilight Sparkle.”

Her smile grew. “That sounds like a beautiful name, Twilight. I like it. So, I’m guessing you’ve had a pretty rough day, huh?”

“You can say that again,” I grumbled.

“Yeah? You wanna tell me about it?”

I don’t know why, exactly. Maybe it was the sleep. Maybe she was really as nice as she seemed. But for whatever reason, I trusted her enough to dump my entire story on her. And she listened. She didn’t interrupt me, or ask a ton of probing questions, or do anything else other than listen. Finally I got to the point of when I had fallen asleep. “And then I woke up and you were here.”

She nodded, her smile straining a bit. “I'm sorry for how Sunset treated you. She means well, but she’s… she’s still learning.”

I nodded. My mood felt… not happier. Lighter, perhaps. The talk took some weight off my shoulders. But there was a question I had to ask. “Was she right though? Am I… stuck here?”

Amina’s smile disappeared as her gaze turned sad. She looked away for a moment, then looked back at me and nodded. “I’m sorry, but, yes. We’ve been trying very hard to figure out what brought Sunset here, but we haven’t. Yet.”

My forelegs buckled, then gave out under me. “Oh,” I said with a heavy sigh.

“You can come lay over here, if you want,” she said, gently patting her leg.

I looked up at her, suddenly full of doubt, wondering if this was some kind of trick. But she seemed so honest. So kind, too. And snuggling with Sunset earlier was nice. I… after another second’s hesitation I leapt for the chance and promptly plopped myself down atop her lap.

She laid her hand down atop my head, and used tender strokes to soothe me. “I know we’re all strangers to you, Twilight,” she said. “And this is a strange new world to you. You didn’t ask for any of this to happen.”

“No, I didn’t,” I moaned, fresh tears welling up. “I just want to go home.”

“I hear you, honey.” She rubbed my hair some more, and then moved her hand down to my neck, and kneaded at the muscles there. Not hard enough to hurt. Just enough to feel nice. Relaxing. “T’Lona and I have been trying to do what we can for Sunset. We’d be happy to let you stay with us too, if you’d like. I know you and Sunset might not have gotten along at first, but it would be good for both of you to have a fellow pony around, don’t you think?”

“I guess.” I turned over on her lap, letting her have better access to my left shoulder. That was the one I’d slept on, and it hurt more. “I feel so lost. This morning, I knew who I was, where I was going in life. Now, I don’t even know anymore.”

“Oh honey…” Amina leaned in and held me close, a full body hug that left me feeling like I’d been wrapped up in the warmest blanket imaginable. Had anyone else done this, it might’ve felt threatening, or even suffocating, but not with her. “Can I tell you a little secret?”

“Go ahead.”

She laid me back down and returned to petting me. “Well, when I was little, I lived on a different planet. It wasn’t as nice as Earth. There were a lot of mean people there, mean people who hurt others. But I managed to escape, thanks to T’Lona. She was a Cadet at Starfleet Academy at the time, just in training, serving aboard a starship. She rescued me. She brought me here. To Earth. I’ve been here ever since. My life became so much better after I came here. I found a passion, in science. T’Lona and I got married. I’m much happier than I ever was before.”

“Wow,” I breathed, staring up at her with wide eyes. “Really?”

“Mm-hmm,” she nodded. Then she grinned. “Now, I’m not saying some strapping young person’s going to come flying in to sweep you off your hooves, and I’m not saying your life before you came here was bad. It sounds like it was pretty good. But there’s a lot of good here too. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Huh. I guess… Sunset did say things could be a lot worse, all things considered,” I said, smiling back.

“Exactly. And let me make you a promise sweetie, the same one I made Sunset: if we can find a way to send you home, we’ll do it. I mean it.”

“Yay!” I cheered, hopping off the couch to bounce around the room. Then I paused and blushed as my stomach growled loud enough to be heard miles away. “Um, hehe… I guess I haven’t eaten since this morning.”

“Perhaps this would be a good time to enjoy a meal together,” suggested T’Lona, who startled me as I hadn’t realized she’d been standing there the whole time. She must’ve been silently observing. It scared me a little, even despite Amina’s reassurances.

Still, it wasn’t a bad idea. Maybe I was wrong about T’Lona. Who knows?

“Sounds good to me,” Amina said. She hauled herself off the couch, walked over to a panel on the wall and tapped it. “Sunset? Twilight, T’Lona and I are going to have dinner together. Would you care to join us?”

“Sure. I’ll be right down,” came Sunset through some hidden speaker. At least I thought it was a speaker. It sounded so clear she might as well have been standing right next to me.

I hopped into one of the two pony-designed chairs at the table. “Huh. If Sunset was the only pony here before me, why’re there two pony-chairs?” I wondered, not meaning to speak as loud as I did.

“‘Cause I asked them to get two,” Sunset said as she finished trouncing her way down the stairs. She eyed me and sighed, then walked over to Amina and whispered something in her ear.

Amina promptly flushed, then shrugged and whispered something back. Now suspicious, I gazed at them and said, “What? What is it?”

“Don’t worry about it, dear. We can talk about it later,” Amina said, ignoring the harsh glare Sunset fired her way. “Let’s focus on dinner first. What would you like to have, Twilight? We’ve programmed a lot of pony dishes into the replicator since Sunset joined us, so if you want something familiar we can make it.”

“Programmed?” I mouthed. More of their strange techno-wizardry. I had to learn how this stuff worked. “Um, can you make spaghetti and wheatballs?”

Amina beamed, then turned to the slot on the wall. “Spaghetti and wheatballs.” Then she paused to let it form from the sparkly thin air and pulled out a steaming fresh plate. The scent of marinara sauce and freshly cooked buckwheat filled my nostrils with a heavenly odor, and caused my stomach to rumble again. “Here you go, hon.”

She set it down in front of me, along with a pair of eating utensils and a large napkin, then fetched the others their food. I didn’t bother to look at what they had. I was too hungry. I managed, just barely, to pick up the fork in my magic, then shoved forkful after forkful of noodles and sauce into my mouth, moaning with every bite. I cleaned off my plate in about five minutes, then dropped my fork atop it. “Phew…”

“Careful there, Twilight,” Amina said with a chuckle. “You don’t want to get a stomach ache.”

“I’ll be fine,” I said, grinning. “I did that at home all the time. Mom always yelled at me to eat slower, but who has time for that?”

T’Lona arched an eyebrow at that. “Curious. It seems you and my mate share a similar philosophy.”

“Oh stop it, T’Lona.”

Sunset leaned over her plate and eyed me as she scarfed down a bite of what looked like fish atop a bed of rice. “Hey, listen, Twilight, I’m sorry I yelled at you earlier.”

A sullen frown replaced my smile. “You called me spoiled.”

“And you called me a foalnapper,” Sunset pointed out with a matching expression.

My lips curled up into what my BBBFF always called my ‘Twilynanas pout.’ “So what, you expect me to just forgive you like that?”

“No,” Sunset replied, shaking her head. “Just saying, you’re not innocent.”

“Girls…” Amina said in a warning tone.

Sunset scowled and sat back in her chair. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine, Miss Amina,” I said, while giving Sunset a smug smirk. “I accept Sunset’s apology.”

The rest of dinner proceeded with small amounts of back and forth conversation, just enough to teach me a few basic things about the house. Apparently there was some kind of machine called a “computer” that could be asked questions for information and to do things like change the temperature in the room or play music, or even videos, which were apparently like movies except in your own home. Half-way through dinner a couple of people showed up the door to install a bed and some furniture in a bedroom upstairs--evidently I’d have the room across from Sunset’s.

After dinner, Amina showed me a few basic tricks to using the computer, particularly at a terminal or through the portable PADD device that Sunset showed me earlier. Then she took me upstairs and showed me my new room. “I’ll take some leave tomorrow to help you decorate and personalize the place, honey,” she said. Then she frowned momentarily. “Though I might have to spend some time grading some exams here. Anyway, nevermind that. There’s one other thing we do need to talk about.” She explained it to me.

My jaw fell open. “What do you mean I have to wear clothes?!”

We spent a while arguing about it, but eventually she convinced me, especially once she provided me some basic clothes. Then she showed me where the bathroom was, and wished me a good night.

At first I laid down in bed, too tired and sore to do much else. My magic surge took far more out of me than I had realized, and the rapid back and forth of everything since, even with that nap, left me feeling absolutely knackered. I desperately needed a shower.

...and the toilet. I hadn’t had the chance since I left my parent’s house this morning and wow did I need to go bad. So, despite my aching body screaming at me not to move, I pulled myself off the bed and trotted over to the bathroom.

… and then stopped. Nothing appeared recognizable. Was that a toilet? That basin might’ve been a sink, but where were the handles for the faucet? Why is everything so high up? Is that cubicle tank thing a shower? What do I do with any of this? How… “Oh no…” I muttered.

My whole body burned like fire as I trudged over and knocked at Sunset’s door. It slid open after a moment, revealing a grumpy, half asleep Sunset. “What?”

“... can you show me how to use the toilet, please?”

I didn’t sleep well that night. Nightmares of great clawed beasts chasing me through endless hallways lit in eerie blue light, my magic spiralling out of control and hurting everyone around me, Princess Celestia herself declaring I wasn’t worthy of living in Equestria and banishing me… by the time I awoke that morning I’d had every variation of those nightmares and then some.

So I trudged my way down the stairs, wearing the royal blue full body sundress they’d replicated for me, along with a single side saddle bag where I’d stuffed my new PADD into. I still didn’t have much of a clue how to use it, despite what they showed me. It was designed for use with hands, and I didn’t have hands. And my magic wasn’t that strong yet either.

No sunlight streamed through the windows, as dawn had yet to break. Or whoever it was that raised the sun here hadn’t gotten it done yet. I tried searching for a clock somewhere only to remember what they told me about that, that I had to ask the computer. “Computer,” I said, still not enjoying the unfamiliar syllables, “what time is it?”

“The current time is 0522.”

Not even six o’clock yet. No wonder the sun wasn’t up. But I wasn’t about to go back to sleep either. Not with those nightmares. So instead, my stomach rumbling, I wandered over to the replicator food slot thing. Only once I got there did I realize my problem. Like everything else in this darn world, it was too high up, too much for me to reach. So I had to drag my chair over and use it as a stepstool. I still barely reached it once I was up there.

“Um… ummm…” I mumbled as I considered what I wanted.

“That selection is not valid. Please restate request.”

I almost fell backward, startled by the sudden voice. “Sorry,” I whispered. Then I pondered for a good couple of minutes before I finally said, “Pancakes and scrambled eggs, and a cup of coffee.”

“Please specify type of coffee.”

“Prench Roast,” I replied immediately.

“That variety is not available. Please specify another.”

“What do you mean that’s not available?” I groused, smacking the wall next to it with a hoof. “It’s the most basic kind of… oh. Right. Ugh, look, just give me some coffee with cream and sugar, okay?”

That seemed to satisfy the machine, because it made a musical swirly noise and produced a steaming plate of pancakes, eggs, and a mug of coffee. It took me a couple of trips to take it all over to the table. By the time I sat down, I’d heard the thunder of boot-covered feet descending, revealing both Amina and T’Lona. T’Lona was dressed in her uniform, but Amina wore some sort of dark blue fabric pants, a white t-shirt, and a leather jacket. “Oh, Twilight!” Amina said, blinking in surprise. “We weren’t expecting you up so early.”

I shrugged. “Didn’t sleep well.” I turned to my food and took the first bite of pancakes. Just like the food last night, it tasted impeccably delicious. Like the best my mom ever whipped up.

I hated it.

T’Lona and Amina both exchanged a look they thought I couldn’t see, then sat down at the table with their own breakfasts. “I’m sorry to hear that, honey,” Amina said. She reached out a hand to set on my hoof, which I allowed, after briefly pulling away. “I know it can’t be easy, waking up in an unfamiliar house.”

“No.” I popped a bite of eggs into my mouth. Hated them too. They tasted far, far too good for my current mood. “It’s not.”

“Well,” Amina said after taking a moment to clear her throat. “There’s a few things we can try to do about that. If you’re okay with it, I’d like to take you to see a couple of doctors today. One’s going to perform a checkup, just to make sure you’re in good health, that you didn’t get hurt somehow by traveling here. The other is a therapist.”

I carefully lifted the mug of coffee and took a sip. Too perfect. Just like the food. “A therapist?”

She gave me a hesitant smile. “A counselor. Someone you can talk to, who’ll listen. Her name is Belle Hendrix. Sunset’s been seeing her for the past six months, and she’s been remarkable in helping Sunset to adjust.”

Scarfing down another forkful of eggs and pancakes, I replied, “Do I get a choice?”

She winced at that and let out a quiet sigh. “Of course you do, Twilight. We’re not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

“Okay.” I shoved the rest of the food in my mouth, swallowed, and finished off the coffee. Despite my mood, and despite how stupidly perfect the food tasted… It really did help. A little. “When do we go?”

The answer to that turned out to be in a couple of hours. Amina, as a teacher at a place called Starfleet Academy--apparently some sort of school for people in Starfleet, which was an organization dedicated to exploration and defense of the Federation--had a lot of exams to grade, while T’Lona evidently had duties she needed to attend to. That suited me just fine.

So I spent that time practicing with my PADD device, and with a free terminal at one of the desks. At first I amused myself by calling up some basic science information, nothing I didn’t already know. But then I looked up astronomy, one of my favorite subjects. The more I read, the more confused I became. Planets orbiting their parent stars? No alicorn to raise the sun and moon every day? What was this?!

“Wow. You’re even more upset over that than I was.”

Blanching in sudden surprise, I looked up to see Sunset Shimmer gazing down upon me. Despite her words, her smile was sympathetic, not mocking. “You knew about this?” I asked.

“Yeah.” She came around the desk and sat down on the floor next to me. “Had a pretty big argument with Amina and T’Lona about it. But they proved it. They even took me up onto Earth Spacedock to show me the proof with my own eyes.”

“Earth Spacedock?” I said, feeling like some sort of clueless tourist, constantly lost in all these new terms.

She brought out her own PADD and called up an image of a colossal structure, shaped something like an upside down chess piece, with the largest parts a great huge oval up top, tapering down to a pillar like structure all the way to the bottom. The stars visible around it, in addition to the curvature of a planet below, told me it was in orbit. She pointed at a small object entering the structure. “See that? That’s a starship. It’s about five hundred meters long.”

“Woah,” I gasped. “That must mean this Spacedock thing is at least five kilometers tall!”

“Closer to six, actually,” Sunset said, chuckling. “It’s visible from the surface, but only with binoculars. It's in a geosychronous orbit, passing over San Francisco once per day. That's the city we were in where you first arrived."

"But we're not there now," I said.

"Nope." She brought up a different image, this time a map showcasing a large sprawling continent with massive landforms stretching out to the upper left and right, taping down to a pair of peninsulas and a much smaller isthmus furthest to the south. A large ridge of spiny mountains split the western third of it from the rest. “See, here’s San Francisco, on the coast of California. We’re all the way up here, nestled into this harbor, over fifteen hundred kilometers to the north, in a city called Vancouver, in British Columbia.”

“Wow,” I gasped. “But, wait, that means we teleported that distance yesterday, right? How is that possible? Even Princess Celestia herself can’t teleport more than a couple hundred kilometers!”

Sunset frowned momentarily at that, her brow creasing. “I know. But however they do it, fifteen hundred is nothing. Actually, hmm. Computer!” A beeping sound arose from a hidden speaker. “What’s the maximum range of a Federation transporter?”

“The standard maximum range of a Federation transporter is forty thousand kilometers.”

Sunset whistled. “Well, there you go then.”

“Forty… forty thousand…” My eye twitched as my brain tried to comprehend that. Then after a moment I gave up. I peered at the map, taking in the details, the sheer number of cities listed. Then my eyes narrowed. “Um, Sunset, a lot of these city names, they’re--”

“I know,” Sunset said. “They’re a lot like Equestrian names. As far as T’Lona and Amina can tell, that’s just a quirk of the universal translator.” Then she frowned. “Though there’s also a lot of plant and animal life on this planet similar to ours. And most of the species on ours appear in the mythology of many of this planet’s cultures. That’s why they have a word for unicorn.” Turning off the map, she brought up some other images instead.

Instantly my mouth puckered like I’d tasted something foul. “What is that? It’s like some kind of really freaky messed up version of a pony!”

“Apparently,” Sunset answered with a groan, “it’s based upon the equines native to this planet. But I know what you mean. They look… wrong. All out of proportion.”

“You’re telling me,” I said, gaping at the picture. “The muzzle is way too big, the eyes are far too small and way too far apart, the shape of the head is all wrong, and don’t even get me started on those legs!”

She turned off the image. “Yeah, it’s kind of like… well, here, let me show you.” Then she pulled up a pair of images. On one side was a picture of a human, like Amina, wearing one of those Starfleet uniforms. On the other side was a picture of… something similar in appearance to the human, at first. A large monkey of some kind. “This is called a chimpanzee. Apparently they’re a related species to humans. There’s a lot of other similar species related to them, all a lot less intelligent than they are. First time I saw what they call a horse, Amina suggested this comparison.”

“I suppose,” I said, shaking my head. “But wow. I wouldn’t want to meet one of these things.”

Sunset’s whole body shuddered as she made a face. “No. No you don’t. You think the way they look is wrong? Try how they smell. It’s so messed up.”

"I'd rather not picture it, thanks," I said. "Sunset, you said you went onto that Spacedock thing right? That must mean you went into space!"

Sunset scratched the back of her head and shrugged. "Sort of? They beamed--er, teleported--me up there. So I didn't go up in a shuttle or something. They showed me around, let me see out the windows, then brought me back down."

"But you were still in space, right?" I said, leaning forward, my tail swishing in excitement. "What was it like?"

She stared at the ceiling for a moment before answering. "It was like being in any other building. They have artificial gravity so I wasn't floating. If I didn't know I was in space, I wouldn't have realized it."

"Oh." I sat back, a flash of disappointment running through my heart.

"Listen, Twilight," Sunset said, sighing as she gave me an apologetic look. "I really am sorry for the way I talked to you yesterday. It was rude and inconsiderate."

Narrowing my eyes in suspicion, I asked, "Did Amina tell you to say that?"

"No." Sunset's cheeks flushed a florid pink. "I thought about it after going to bed. I was trying to save you the freakouts I went through when I first arrived. But I did the opposite of help. I'm sorry."

I stared at her for a good long moment or two, searching for some sort of sign of deception. But either there was none or she was good at hiding it, so I smiled back. "Apology accepted. I'm sorry I called you a foalnapper."

She grinned at that, and thrust out her hoof. "Wanna try to be friends then?"

I bumped it, feeling some of the weight on my heart lighten. "Sure."

"So, Twilight," Sunset said, with her brow creasing. "You kept mentioning Princess Celestia yesterday. Did you… get to talk to her?"

I shook my head, my muzzle curling into a frown. "No. I didn't. She came by after my magic surge but I never got to say anything. Why?"

Sunset paled and looked away from me. "No reason. Just… just wondering if she misses me."

Worry wormed its way into my heart. “Was… how long were you her student?”

She took several long moments before she said anything. “Five years,” she whispered. “She found me with my magic surging at the orphanage, and stopped it before I could destroy the place. She said my magic was wild, uncontained, and needed focus, so she brought me into the castle to teach me. She…” A dark scowl overtook Sunset’s face. She stomped a forehoof into the floor. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. She probably didn’t care when I went missing. Forget it.”

“But, Sunset--”

“I said forget it, Twilight,” Sunset repeated in a tone that brokered no argument. She scowled for a moment longer, then sat back and performed her meditative gesture. As she did so the lines of tension on her face eased, until they faded. “Sorry. I’d rather not talk about it right now.”

“Okay.” Seeking for a subject change, I asked, “So… how long have you been on Earth then?”

“Six months, more or less,” Sunset replied. “Why?”

“I was just… wait a minute.” My eyes narrowed, my brow furrowed in concentration, then my eyes shot back open as I gasped. “Sunset, that doesn’t make any sense. If you’ve only been here for six months, I should’ve heard about you. I spent a long time studying up on Princess Celestia before I had my exam.”

“So?” Sunset said with an annoyed shrug. “Just means no one bothered to mention me in any books.”

“No, that’s not it,” I said, shaking my head. “Because the books did mention she’d had personal students before, but the last one was… twenty years ago. And she disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Even my mom mentioned it at one point.”

Sunset’s eyes practically popped out of her skull as she fell over backwards onto her rump. “What?” she breathed.

Anxiety gnawing at my belly like a wriggling parasite, I swallowed to clear my throat, then said, “Sunset, what year was it when you left Equestria?”

“Year of Celestia 968,” she answered, her voice trembling. “What… what year was it for you?”

I sighed and said, “988 YC.”

“Holy crap,” Sunset gasped. “Twenty… twenty years passed in Equestria in just six months on Earth? How is that possible?”

“Well,” I said, frowning, “I, um, I remember reading something about time dilation with relativity, about different gravity wells and so on causing different passages of time. It was all theoretical, but… I don’t know.”

Sunset rapidly shook her head. “No, no, it can’t just be that. I’ve learned enough of what these people know about science to know that. It must’ve been that mirror. Something about it might not have just transported us through space. Maybe it did so through time as well.”

“You mean, it sent you in the future, or me into the past?” I ventured.

“I know it’s possible,” Sunset said with a nod. “I don’t know a lot of the details, but time travel isn’t unheard of to the Federation. And you and I both know it’s possible through magic as well, if very difficult. You might not have had a chance to see it, but when I saw that mirror, it was old. The whole place was broken down, like it had been there for millennia, or tens of millennia even. It’s possible the mirror wasn’t working right. Maybe it wasn’t supposed to send us through time, but did so anyway because it was half broken.”

“Is there any way for us to find out?”

Sunset sighed and bowed her head. “No. I’m going to bring this up to T’Lona later. She needs to know about this.”

“Okay,” I replied. My heart sank. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset--”

Sunset held out a hoof for silence, while using the other one to practice her meditation thing she’d been doing. “No, don’t worry about it. We can’t do anything about this right now anyway. It’s just… we just have to accept it. We’ll figure it out.”

“Right.” I fell silent for a moment, then as I watched her, I became curious, so I asked, “So, um, what’s that thing you keep doing to calm down?”

She blinked, then grinned and slowly demonstrated it. “You mean this? It’s a Vulcan calming technique. T’Lona showed it to me. She says it’s one of the earliest things Vulcans practice as kids, to help restrain their emotions.”

I snorted. “What emotions? She’s like a robot.”

Sunset shook her head vigorously. “No, no she isn’t, Twilight. She feels the same range of emotions you or I do. But for Vulcans, they’re… intense. So intense they can drive them mad. So they found ways to control them, harness them, through the study of logic, and meditation. There are a lot of terms they use for this, but T’Lona favors the term ‘passion’s mastery.’”

“Oh.” I glanced up towards the ceiling, where I knew T’Lona was in her office, somewhere in the house. “...you sure she feels things?”

Sunset’s muzzle curled into a small smile. “I’m certain she does. Trust me.”

“Okay, girls,” Amina said as she walked over to us. In addition to her outfit she wore a small backpack. “Ready to head out?”

“Oh, you’re coming with?” I said, looking to Sunset.

“Mmhmm. It’s time for my weekly appointment with Belle, so I’ll be having mine while you’re getting your checkup.”

Amina had us follow her over to the front door. “What’s she like?” I asked.

“She’s really nice. Kind of strange, but nice,” Sunset said.

As we stepped outside, I took a moment to take in my surroundings. All I’d seen yesterday was the townhomes up and down this street, but now I had the opportunity to observe the city around us. Like what little I’d seen of San Francisco, the horizon was dominated by towering skyscrapers, massive structures of glass and metal with most of the available surfaces covered either in trees or in some kind of shiny, reflective dark material. People of all sorts, of all the species Sunset showed me and more bustled about the streets, holding conversations, laughing, a few hawking handcrafted wares or offering services. On the whole, apart from the technology on display, it struck me as similar to Canterlot’s market district on a busy day.

I stayed quiet while Amina escorted us down the street to what she referred to as a train station. While outwardly it resembled the train stations I’d visited in Equestria, the actual train functioned differently. Sunset watched me in amusement as I boarded what she called a “mag-lev” and said I was reacting the same exact way she did. “It really is safe, Twilight, even if it looks unsafe.”

True to her word, we arrived at our destination hale and unharmed. This district of Vancouver featured a number of medical facilities mixed in with small parks and other greenery, and scores of people milling about performing various tasks. While Sunset split off to head into one of the smaller buildings, Amina led me into the primary building, a taller structure with at least ten different floors. Stepping to a screen near the front desk, she signed me in. “It’s electronic, so they know you’re here,” she said.

Not long after, I was called in to see a physician, a human man with a similar skin tone to Amina’s, with a well groomed beard and a pleasant smile. He kept up a friendly conversation while he ran a different version of a tricorder over me, and proved to be especially friendly when I started asking questions about my vital signs and everything. “Well, Twilight,” he said after a few moments. “It looks to me like you’re in excellent health. The only concerning thing I noticed was a much lower amount of the unusual energy signature in your body, far lower than we’ve seen in Sunset Shimmer.”

Tapping my hoof, I said, “That sounds like mana drain. But there’s still some there, right?”

“Yes, there is,” he said.

“Then it’s fine. It’ll build itself back up. Might take a few days but it’ll be okay.”

“All right then, you would know best,” he replied with a laugh. “Now, there’s just one other thing we have to do. We need to install a universal translator. This is a very quick procedure, a single injection. You’ll feel some tingling, maybe a bit of pinching after I inject it. Is that okay?”

“Go ahead,” I said after a moment’s hesitation. True to his word it was a single press of something he called a hypospray. Like he said it pinched at the inside of my brain, like something grabbing hold. Then my vision blurred, just for a second. Once it unblurred, I realized my surroundings had changed. Up till now, except for the stuff listed on Sunset’s PADD, which had been written in Ponish, I hadn’t been able to read anything on any of the walls or screens. But now all the strange foreign characters shifted to match its Ponish equivalent. On occasion, I would still find a word or two I was unfamiliar with, but at least I could read everything. It took a small load off my mind.

Then I was escorted by Amina over to the smaller building. While the larger building had all the accoutrements of a hospital, this one featured a warm, inviting atmosphere. Soothing pastel colors decorated the walls, a calming music played over some sort of speakers, and very few people waited in the small waiting room. “Most people prefer to see their therapists over a communicator, but Sunset prefers to see hers in person. If you prefer, after your first appointment you can always see her by communicator at home.”

The concept of speaking to someone over such a distance still baffled me enough that all I could do was shrug. “Okay then.”

Amina’s smile turned a bit strained at that, but she patted my forehoof and said, “Once you go in, Sunset and I’ll wait out here for you. Then we can go shopping for your room, if you’d like.”

“...can we get some books? I like books.”

She smiled wide, showing off her shiny teeth. “I think we can manage that, yeah.”

Sunset came out of the doorway, followed by a tall woman with skin the color of coffee with cream. At first I thought the woman was a human, until I saw her pointed ears. Despite those, though, unlike all the other Vulcans I’d seen walking down the street, she wore her hair long, streaming down the back of her floor-length forest green tunic and skirt. She was also the first person I’d seen since coming to this planet that possessed a normal hair color, rather than just brown, yellow, or black. Her hair featured a combination of dark olive green with streaks of turquoise and aquamarine in the mix. She also bore a quirky, energetic smile, brimming with obvious emotion. “I’ll see you next week, Sunset,” she said in a perky voice higher pitched than I would’ve expected from her.

“Thanks, Belle,” Sunset said, waving. She trotted over to us and took a seat next to Amina before winking at me.

Belle brought a PADD out from a pocket in her tunic and then smiled at me. “Twilight Sparkle?”

Gulping, I hopped up off my chair. “Um, yes, that’s me,” I said, my voice shaking.

Smiling wider, Belle gestured with a hand to the corridor behind her. “Right this way, please.”

As I trudged after her, every step felt heavier and heavier, like lead weights attached to my hooves. She led me into a small room decorated much like the waiting room, with a window open to let sunlight stream in, and a variety of furniture. To my surprise there was a couch made to conform to ponies, just like in Amina’s house. “Please, sit anywhere you like,” Belle said as she sat down into an armchair.

I hopped up on the couch and settled in, happy to be off my hooves. “Thanks.”

“So, we’re going to try to take this slow, to your comfort level, okay Twilight?” Belle said as she set down her PADD and gave me her full attention. She interlaced her hands and placed them on her lap. “I know you’ve had a rough couple of days.”

I nodded, my mouth slamming shut as if my jaw had been welded.

She shifted in her seat and leaned forward. “Sunset’s told me a lot about Equestria. It sounds like it’s a wonderful place. I’m guessing you miss it a lot.”

I nodded again, still unable to speak.

“I know you only came to us yesterday, and you haven’t had much time to adjust,” Belle said, her smile sympathetic. “That’s why I’m here, to listen. I know it isn’t easy.”

“No, it isn’t,” I muttered. “It’s awful. I never asked to be teleported across the universe to some weird planet with a bunch of weird tall creatures. I want my family. I want Mom and Dad. ...I want my BBBFF…”

“BBBFF?” she prodded.

I explained. I told her everything about my brother, about my family, about my exam, about my life. When I finished, she smiled at me calmly and said, “It isn’t easy, being in the position you’re in. Especially not when you have to adapt to a place like this. I don’t know what that’s like, but I do know what it’s like to feel alien and isolated.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

She pulled her hair back, gestured to her pointy ears, then grinned. “I’m sure you noticed these when you came in. Everyone does. A lot of people assume that plus the long hair and smile means I’m a Romulan, and start treating me like such. Every once in a while some young, fresh-faced security officer calmly asks to speak with me, just to make sure I’m not some Romulan spy.” She laughed, a rich, hearty laugh with only a trace of bitterness. “Oh when I was younger, that really made me mad. Especially right after the Tomed Incident.”

Eying her quizzically, I said, “What’s the Tomed Incident?”

Her smile dimmed considerably. “A very long story, and not a happy one. Suffice to say, it nearly led to war between the Romulans and the Federation. It’s also led to a lot of distrust for Romulans that, sadly, has lasted to this day, almost fifty years later.”

“Oh.” I resolved to look into the details of that later. I do love reading about history, even the sadder parts of history. “But if you’re not a Rom… Romoo… Romoo-lan, then what are you?”

She shook her head and winked at me. “I’m a Vulcan. Half-Vulcan. I took after my human mother, unlike most half-Vulcans, especially after my father died when I was young. So I embraced my humanity.”

Blinking, I stared at her. “But, Sunset told me Vulcans have really strong emotions.”

“We do,” she acknowledged with a chuckle. “Extremely strong. But I keep mine under control, and I use them. I don’t let them use me. I just don’t agree with most Vulcans that repressing shows of emotion is healthy. There’s a lot of ways you can express your emotions while keeping them in check.”

I found myself smiling at that, the first smile to cross my muzzle since I’d walked in there. “I like that. I wouldn’t want to be all gloomy all the time.”

She burst into loud laughter at that. “No, no you wouldn’t.” A small beep emanated from her PADD. She checked it and let out a sigh. "Forty-five minutes already? I apologize, Twilight, but we're almost out of time for today. Do you feel this helped? I’d be happy to keep meeting with you if it did.”

I nodded, smiling wider. “Yeah… yeah I think it did. I feel a bit better about things.”

Grinning back, her eyes twinkling, she replied, “Glad to hear it. Well, tell you what, Twilight. We can do weekly meetings, same time each week. And I’ll give you my contact information.” She tapped a couple buttons on her PADD, and my own bleeped once. “If you need me at any time, day or night, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. That’s what I’m here for. You might be far from home, but you’re not alone, okay?”

“Thanks, Belle,” I said. Then, on instinct, I rushed forward and hugged her. She stiffened for a moment, then relaxed and stroked my head, till I released her, my cheeks flaming. “Sorry.”

She winked. “It’s fine.” She led me out to the main room. “Take care now.”

With a spring to my step, I rejoined Amina and Sunset. We spent the rest of the day out, ordering goods to be delivered, for furniture, posters, and other decorations. “Normally we could just order this stuff from home,” Amina said, “but there’s always something better about shopping in person. Oh, and that reminds me: we need to stop by the farrier’s. They’ve been making shoes for Sunset but you’ll need some too. Can’t have you wearing out your hooves all the time.”

“But wait a second,” I said after we left the third store. “I didn’t see you give the cashier any money.”

Amina eyed me for a moment, then softly shook her head. “That’s because we don’t need any, honey. Earth’s economy doesn’t use money like that for most things. Haven't for a long time.”

That brought me to a halt. “Wait, then how does the economy work?”

Sunset slapped a hoof to her face. “Oh here we go…”

Amina launched into a long, complicated explanation, which I could tell she was trying to dumb down as best she could, but it left my head spinning like crazy. “But, that doesn’t… how… that’s so…”

“I know it’s strange, but it does work,” Amina said, abandoning her explanation. “You’ll learn more about it when we get you enrolled in school.”

“School? I get to go to school?” I perked up at that, excited. “When? When do I get to start?”

Amina bent down and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Well, not immediately. There’s some things you’ll have to learn first. We’ll get you some tutors, just like we did with Sunset.”

Sunset frowned darkly at that. “Can you get her better ones?”

Amina nodded. “Yes, yes. You know I’m sorry about your experience with them, Sunset. If you’d told me sooner--”

Waving a hoof dismissively and snorting, Sunset said, “Forget it. It’s over with.”

“How soon can we do that?” I asked, my tail swishing. “I want to learn.”

She considered that. “You might have to give us a few days, but definitely by next week.”

“Yes yes yes!” I cheered, bouncing around happily.

“Oh, if you’re excited now, honey, just wait till you see this next place,” Amina said, beckoning me along. “You wanted to see some books, right?”

“Yes!” Skipping and hopping I followed along, eager to see what she had in store. She led us to a small, out of the way building, further down the street, tucked into one corner. It struck me as a bit more old fashioned, with a door that had to be pulled open, even, more like the kind of shop you’d see in Canterlot than what I’d become accustomed to seeing. And inside… oh the inside filled my nostrils with the heavenly scent of books. Musky, sweet, soaking in like I’d stepped into my favorite bookstore in Canterlot. For a moment it took me back, and all I saw and heard around me were ponies. I could even hear my mom talking to me, asking me to keep up with her.

Then the image faded, replaced with the real books around me. Books written for humans, or Vulcans, or whoever. But still books. Real books, not just the words on a screen. “How many can we get?” I said, my mouth open, drool running down my chin.

“As many as you want, sweetie,” Amina said with a wide grin. “Well, within reason. We only have so much shelving space.”

“I’m going to get all the books!” I declared.

I did not, in fact, get all the books. But I did get plenty, enough to occupy much of my time. Not sure where to start, I focused on basic informational guides about the society I found myself in, and worked my way out from there. It kept me busy for a few days, before they started me on tutoring.

I liked the tutors. They were nice, and responded happily to my questions. Between them and some occasional assistance from Sunset I found myself adapting, if very slowly.

Though I still didn’t like where I had to stay too much. Frequently I found myself feeling sad, or even distraught, and locked myself away in my room. I still missed my family dearly, and… as amazing and incredible as all this technology was, I still wanted to be home. I wanted to learn about magic.

So one day, a couple of weeks after I’d first arrived on Earth, I asked Sunset about the topic. “You spent years with Princess Celestia, right? Do you think you could teach me magic?”

“Uuuh… I can try,” Sunset said, uncertainty written all over her face. “I don’t have any of the books, though, other than the one I brought with me. And I haven’t had a lot of practice lately.”

“That’s fine, that’s fine,” I said, wrapping my hooves around her foreleg. “Please, please please please?”

She glared down at me for a moment, then chuckled and ruffled my hair. “Sure, Twi. I can do that.”

“If I may interject,” said T’Lona, who’d been sitting at the nearby desk, working on some sort of project related to her primary duties. “I would like to study the two of you as you practice magic. It will help us better understand your physiology, as well as what this magic actually is.”

Arching an eyebrow, I leaned in towards Sunset and whispered, “What does she mean?”

Leaning back she replied, “T’Lona doesn’t like the word magic. She thinks it’s some kind of energy field we’re using.”

“That’s dumb.”

“I know.”

Pulling away from Sunset, I looked up to T’Lona, then gave a hesitant nod. “I’m okay with it. It’d be good, in case Sunset or I get seriously hurt, right?”

T’Lona cocked her head in that way I’d learned expressed significant concern. “Is that a likely possibility with this activity?”

“Not so long as we’re smart about it,” Sunset replied immediately. “But it might be a good idea to do it… somewhere that isn’t the house.”

“I see.” T’Lona looked down at her terminal, then nodded. “I believe, given I have approval from my superiors to perform such observations, I should be able to secure us a place we can use for this purpose. There will be medical personnel nearby, in the event of injury.”

“Awesome, thanks T’Lona,” Sunset said.

It took a while longer before we had the space, but once we did, Sunset set about teaching me some of the basics. I’d gotten a grip on basic telekinesis, but she soon had me performing various feats with it, to strengthen my magic. “You’ve got a lot of power,” she said, “but not a lot of control. You’re going to have to learn that before we can get anywhere.”

Sometimes the basics struck me as boring, but the more time I spent with Sunset, the more I started to care about her. Amina was great. She was almost like an aunt, in a way. She was certainly a friend, after the first couple of months. T’Lona was okay too. But they weren’t ponies. Sunset was.

It was maybe six months after I first came to Earth. A year for Sunset. We’d been in the middle of celebrating it, as something akin to a birthday, since we weren’t sure when our birthdays were relative to the calendar the Federation used. I’d gotten Sunset a gift I’d picked out, a copy of a book she’d wanted for a long while. When she opened up the package, I saw her smile spread from ear to ear. She threw herself on me and embraced me in a strong, fierce hug. “Thank you, Twilight. I love it.”

“You got it, BSBFF,” I replied with a smile. Then I blinked, my jaw dropping as I realized what I’d just said.

Sunset froze. She looked down at me, her eyes wide with shock. “Did… did you just… call me…”

“My big sister?” I whispered. My heart leapt into my throat as I backed myself away. “I… yeah. Is… is that okay? I didn’t, if I shouldn’t have, I’m sorry--”

Her hoof shot forward to cover my mouth. “Don’t apologize. Don’t ever apologize for that.” Her eyes shining, tears dripping down her cheeks as she threw her arms around me once more. “I’ve never had a sister before.”

As she held me close, I happened to catch sight of Amina, who’d fallen against T’Lona, crying softly at the sight. “Look at them, T’Lona,” I heard her whisper. “They’re so wonderful.”

“Indeed,” T’Lona whispered back.

I snuggled into the crook of Sunset’s neck. “Well you do now.”

As the months continued to pass, Sunset and I grew closer and closer. She became cheerier, less sarcastic, far less of the grump she’d been when I first met her. When we hit my one-year anniversary, she took me aside early that day for a serious conversation.

“I’ve been thinking, Twilight,” she said as we sat together on her bed, listening to some quiet music. “I’ve been with T’Lona and Amina for a long time. They’re… they’re kind of like parents to me now.” She laughed and wrapped a foreleg around me. “I don’t think I ever would’ve thought that without you around, but I mean, I’ve got a little sister. Why not a Mother and a Mom too?”

“How long have you felt that way?” I asked her as I laid back, staring at the ceiling, where we’d set some dancing lights to play.

“Not sure,” she said with a shrug. “Probably a lot longer than I’ve been thinking about it consciously though.”

I frowned, sighing. “They’re not my parents.”

“Hey, never said they had to be,” she replied, giving me a reassuring smile. “But, well, you knew your parents. I never did. My first memories are of an orphanage in Canterlot. Don’t know if I would’ve ever made it out of there without my magic surge.” Her smile became bittersweet. “But you know, I spent five years in Canterlot Castle… and now it doesn’t even feel like it could be home anymore? It’s like a distant memory. Like some place I used to go to, once upon a time. But this, here, this house? You? T’Lona and Amina? This is my home.”

“...then you’ve given up on ever going back,” I said, my words tasting sour. My stomach churned, roiling with uncomfortable feelings.

“What? No, no, Twi, no,” she shook her head. “No way. I might think of this place as home now, but Equestria’s where I came from. I’d never give up on it.”

A sigh of relief escaped my lips. “Good. ‘Cause I sure haven’t. I want to see my parents again someday. I want to see the pegasi clear the clouds, see earth ponies growing their plants, unicorns casting spells that aren’t you or me.” The sigh swiftly drew back in as I took a sharp breath. “But… they still have no idea how we got here.”

“Maybe they don’t. And maybe they haven’t found Equestria in the stars either,” Sunset said. A confident smile grew on her face. “But you know what? There’s still a way we could do it.”

I sat up immediately. “How?”

In answer, she brought up her PADD and showed me a familiar image. An image of a place I’d visited in San Francisco many times by now, accompanying Amina on the occasional trip to see her teach her classes. Starfleet Academy. “We join Starfleet.”

A deep frown pulled at my muzzle. “But, but, we’re still too young! Sunset, you’re not even thirteen yet. You have to be at least sixteen or seventeen just to take the entrance exam, and eighteen to start your classes. And then it’s four years before you become an officer, and you’d just be an Ensign.”

She nodded, her smile growing. “Yeah, I know Twi. I’m not saying it’s something we can do right away. We’ll have to wait till we’re old enough. But we can do this. We’re smart enough. We just have to make sure we study, focus our education towards this goal.”

I shook my head. “But, but, Sunset… we won’t get to pick where we go. It’d take forever this way!”

“I know it would,” Sunset said, the determined grin refusing to give even an inch. “And I know it’d take you a few years to join me. And even once we’re in Starfleet together, it might take us many more years. Decades, even. But we’ll find Equestria again. We can do this together.” She looked back down at me and held out a hoof. “Promise me, sis. Promise me you’ll join Starfleet with me. That we’ll use our positions in Starfleet to help find our way back to Equestria.”

It was stupid. It’d take a long time, possibly forever even. We might never see Equestria again in our lifetimes even if we did this. But then… that was already the case, wasn’t it? I’d learned so much in the year since I came to Earth. I understood, even better than I once did, just how massive the galaxy was. The odds of a survey ship or satellite finding Equestria were, well, astronomical.

At least if we joined Starfleet, made our way up the ranks, to the point of having our own ship, our own mission… maybe we’d have a chance. Maybe.

Besides, what else was I going to do with my life?

So I took her hoof and shook it. “I promise. We’ll join Starfleet. And we’ll find our way home.”

Author's Note

Thank you to Blue Horizon for the assistance in developing Belle Hendricks. She's one of many characters we'll get to know in this story, and will have a long part to play yet.

As a heads up: next chapter will contain a lot of time jumping, in order to get us closer to the real meat of the story. They're not staying kids forever, after all.

Also, to help answer the question that's been repeatedly asked: Sunset first arrived on Earth in the year 2358.

Meanwhile, Blue Horizon has a few additional words.

It's ya Blue, here, with an AN.

So, the one notable thing that I feel will be brought up in the comments that is squashable now is Twilight's cutiemark. She gets it just like in the show from the whole rainboom-hatching thing and it happens to look the same. So, why wasn't it included or mentioned?

There wasn't really a logical natural time to include it. She never notices it in Equestria, and then she immediately finds herself on Earth. Out of all the things that were going on for her, she just never actually noticed that she got one.

Additionally, with the time fast forwarding, by the time we see her again, she already knows she has it. Ergo, we don't see her discovering that she has her mark. Thank you for reading My Little Bluetalk, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Also a big thank you to Kris Overstreet for pointing out a grievous mistake with orbital mechanics that has since been corrected.

Season 1 Episode 3: "A Pebble In Time"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S01E03

“A Pebble in Time”

2361: Three years after Sunset’s arrival.

“No, no, Twilight! Twilight! Pull it back--oh crap!”

I dove behind the safety forcefield as the ball of telekinetic force destabilized, the magic lashing out like lightning; arcing against the walls and ceiling. T’Lona, safe behind her own forcefield, wrote notes down on her terminal. “Twilight,” she said. “Are you all right?”

Twilight dropped onto the padded floor, completely out of breath, a light froth forming on her coat. “S-sun… Sunset…” she wheezed. Her eyes closed.

T’Lona hopped to her feet and tapped her combadge. “Medical emergency, magic testing room.”

I rushed from behind the forcefield and dropped to my knees next to Twilight, rubbing a hoof through her hair. “Twilight? Twilight, speak to me. Are you okay?”

“Hmm?” she moaned, one eye cracking open. “I… whew… that took… a lot… out of me…so dizzy.”

A Tellerite nurse in Starfleet blue swept into the room and brought out a medical tricorder, giving Twilight a quick scan. “Just exhaustion and overuse of her horn,” she said as she put her tricorder away and brought out a hypospray. “This will help with the symptoms. But she should give her horn a rest for a few days.”

Twilight blinked her eyes open, then managed to rustle herself up to a sitting position on her rump. “That’s a bit better, phew.”

“Thanks,” I said, a relieved smile crossing my muzzle. “I’ll make sure she does.” The nurse nodded to me, then left the room. Instantly my smile dropped, replaced with an irritated scowl. “Twilight, how many times have I told you to watch your control? You put way too much power into that spell matrix way too fast. You could’ve gotten yourself killed!”

“I admit some severe concern as well,” T’Lona added, approaching so she could kneel down to check Twilight over. “That was quite reckless of you, Twilight. You are not normally so impatient.”

“Not to mention you could’ve seriously drained yourself of magic, doing that,” I growled. “Just because we recover our magic at the same speed on Earth that we did on Equus doesn’t mean you can use it in such a lackadaisical manner. We still don’t know why that is. For all we know there’s a limited source and we’re using it up every time we recover from spell use!”

Twilight shrank in on herself, her cheeks flushing. “I’m sorry. I didn’t… my attention slipped.”

My scowl softened considerably. “Are you still worried about that final for discrete mathematics?”

“...yeah,” Twilight muttered, glaring at the floor.

“Come on, sis, you’re brilliant with math. You’re even better than I am at it,” I said, my scowl faded entirely. “You’re going to do fine.”

Still flushing, Twilight hissed a sigh through her teeth and leaned against me for support. “I know you and Amina keep saying that, but… I’m still worried.”

“Well we can talk about it more at home.” I glanced up at T’Lona. “Thanks for supervising, Mother. I’ll make sure she gets home safely.”

“Very well,” T’Lona nodded in agreement. “However, Twilight, Amina and I will want to talk with you about this further this evening, after dinner.”

“Yeah. Sure.” Twilight snorted. She hopped up to her hooves and trudged for the door.

Giving T’Lona one last wave, I hurried to join Twilight as we emerged into the sunlight, the crisp autumn air of downtown San Francisco bringing relief to my overheated body. I’d gotten used to wearing clothes but sometimes it would be nice to feel a breeze against my bare coat once in a while. “Twilight, don’t be mad at T’Lona. She’s just doing her job as your guardian.”

“I know that, Sunset,” Twilight growled through gritted teeth as she started down the sidewalk for the nearest mag-lev station. “But ever since they officially adopted you, they keep trying to act more and more like my parents. They’re not my parents.”

Darting around a Bolian standing in the middle of the sidewalk staring at his PADD, I sighed and replied, “They know they’re not your parents, Twilight. We’ve had this conversation before.”

“And we’re going to keep having it because they won’t stop!” Twilight shouted, halting in place.

My hackles rose as onlookers all over both sides of the street glanced our way. “Twilight, you’re making a scene--”

“I don’t care!” she interrupted, slamming a forehoof down on the pavement. “I’m sick of it! Maybe you’re fine with them as your parents because you never knew yours, but I still remember mine! I remember what they look like, what they smell like! I still remember the last time my mom told me she loved me. I still remember the look on my dad’s face when he showed me the signup form for Celestia’s School!”

More onlookers crowded us, forming a circle around us, including at least one Starfleet lieutenant in gold with a phaser at his belt. His hand wasn’t anywhere near it, but he was eying us cautiously nevertheless. I flashed him a quick frantic smile and then wrapped a foreleg around Twilight and pulled her in. “Twilight. You are going to get us in trouble. We can talk about this at home, okay?”

She glared at me, her nostrils flaring. Steam from her breath curled up like a pair of smoke trails, giving her a momentary draconic appearance. She opened her mouth to speak, then shut it again and bowed her head. “Fine,” she hissed as she wriggled her way out of my grip.

The train ride to the transporter station left tension roiling between us like a pot left to boil for far too long. Twilight seemed committed to maintaining her anger, which left me more than a little frustrated. I understood where she was coming from, but it’s not my fault Mother and Mom care about us.

Heh. Mother and Mom. I still remembered the first time I called them that, not too long after Twilight and I agreed to join Starfleet. Amina burst into tears and hugged me so tight I almost passed out. T’Lona was more reserved, but she found her own way to demonstrate the same feelings. They both care for me deeply, and… I love them. Never thought something like that would happen.

Well, that’s not entirely true. There was… one time I thought it might. But I was wrong and it’s been years so it doesn’t matter.

Twilight continued to seethe during the queue to transport to Vancouver and the subsequent ride to our neighborhood. Nor did she relax even a hair when we entered the house. Instead she stomped up the stairs, threw herself upon her bed, then glared back at me. “Either come in or leave me alone.”

With significant trepidation, I stepped inside, allowing the door to swish shut behind me. I took a seat on the bed next to her. “Are you ready to be civil about this now?” I asked.

“Civil?” She scoffed. “Sunset, did you hear a word I said earlier?”

“Yes, I did, and this isn’t like you, Twilight,” I retorted, trying to keep my voice from rising in volume. I opened up the crook of my foreleg to invite her in. “Seriously, Twi. You don’t usually get this mad. What’s really bothering you? I know it isn’t just Mother and Mom, and it’s not that final exam either.”

For a moment, as she scowled at me, her forehoof twitching, I feared she’d do something awful like smack me with it. Fortunately she held off from that and slumped into my embrace. I could hear the beating of her heart against me. “I’ve been pretty down lately, sis,” she said after a few moments of silence.

“Yeah?” I nudged her cheek with my hoof. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

She nuzzled against my neck. “I… I didn’t want to make you upset too. You were a real grump when I first met you, you know? But ever since I arrived, you’ve become happier and happier. You… you found yourself. A family, a life. You like it here.”

Twitching my eyebrows at that, I frowned, letting it sink in. “I guess I have,” I answered. “I still meant what I said about Starfleet though, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“No, no, it’s not that, Sunset.” She groaned into my coat, then stared up at me with tired eyes. “It’s just… I’ve been enjoying things here and there. And I love you. You really are my BSBFF, just like how Shining is my BBBFF. But… well, I’m still not that happy. I mean, I like Amina, but she won’t stop trying to be my Mom. And I really like all the things I’ve been learning, but… there’s so much more about our home I wanted to learn that I can’t.”

I pulled her in tighter, holding her with both forelegs now. “For what it’s worth, I get it. I had a life before, but it… in retrospect, it really kind of sucked. But yours? Yours was great. And you still miss it.”

“Yeah. That’s it, in a nutshell all right.” She shifted so her back was against my chest, letting me rest my chin atop her head. “I mean, there’s some days where I all but forget about it entirely, and I lose myself in some new bit of science or math or history I get to learn. But then there’s other days, like today, where it’s all I can think about.”

“You’ve told Belle, haven’t you?” I prodded. “That’s why she’s our therapist, you know.”

“I have,” she admitted with a shrug. “And she’s been helping me work on it. She keeps telling me I need to let go, to accept where I am, and until I do I’ll never be happy.”

“She’s not wrong, you know.”

“I know.”

Twilight went silent after that, laying against me for a good long while before abruptly pulling away. “I’m sorry I shouted, Sunset. And I’ll, I’ll pay more attention to my magic.”

I patted her hoof. “You’d better.”

She smiled at me, then nudged her head towards the door. “I think I need to take a nap. See you at dinner?”

“Sure.”

Leaving the room, I made for my own when a page came through my PADD. “Sunset, would you please come to my office?” asked T’Lona.

“On my way,” I murmured as I pivoted on my hooves, trotting up the stairs. I rarely ventured to the third floor of the house, preferring to give Mother and Mom their space. That, and Mother kept her office far hotter than I liked.

As usual when I stepped inside, a blast of heat struck me, along with the humidity dropping to somewhere hovering around three percent, just like the conditions of Vulcan. I thanked my lucky stars she hadn’t bothered with gravity plating to increase the gravity as well. “I’m here, Mother,” I said.

“Ah, Sunset, good. Please come closer. I wish to show you something,” T’Lona said, indicating to the spare chair next to her desk.

I sat down and focused my attention on the terminal, which for the moment displayed a large number of equations, most of which weren’t immediately familiar. “What am I looking at?”

T’Lona faced me. “Do you recall when you and Twilight first discovered the time discontinuity between your departure from Equus and her own?”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “We were pretty freaked out about it, but we didn’t have a lot of time to worry since we had to leave for Belle’s and shopping right afterwards. We told you the next day, I think.”

“You did,” she said. She raised a hand and pointed to a few sets of equations. “Ever since I have been attempting to calculate the conditions that could have caused this. Your speculations about the mirror allowed me to reexamine all the sensor readings from both arrivals, as well as the resulting analyses.”

“Right, right,” I murmured in understanding. “I remember you mentioned it. But then you never said anything afterwards. That was over a year and a half ago. It took this long to figure it out?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” T’Lona answered in that slightly adjusted tone that I knew carried a note of disappointment. “Between my usual duties and the need for use of a more powerful computer core than we possess for our home, I was forced to keep my work on this sparing. However, in the process, I did make a discovery.”

My eyes widened. “A… discovery.”

“Yes.” T’Lona directed the terminal to switch away from pure equations and brought up a familiar readout of sensor data, one I’d examined thoroughly myself more than a few times once I learned how to properly read and understand it. “Previously, we had detected no trace of chronitons or any other particle that suggested passage through time. However, recent work emerging from the labs on Vandor IV from a doctor Paul Manheim suggested further examination was in order, and in the process I discovered trace amounts of a related particle, one usually only detected in the presence of the event horizon of a singularity.”

“A black hole, you mean?” I wondered, my brow furrowed in thought. “Wait, are you suggesting the time discrepancy is because of relativity? That when one or both of us went through the mirror, we passed close enough to a black hole that we were subjected to relativistic effects?”

T’Lona arched both eyebrows. “Precisely. I am impressed, Sunset, by your rapid conclusion. That is indeed what I have discovered. It appears only your own travel was affected, not Twilight’s. While we still have no true concept of how the mirror operates, and thus this is merely a hypothesis we are unable to test, it is nevertheless logical.”

“Okay,” I said, internally feeling a mote of worry releasing its hold on my heart. “So we probably don’t have to worry that twenty years is passing on Equus every six months here or something like that. I was just unlucky and arrived on Earth ‘later’ than I should have.”

“Indeed. I would consider that a reasonable conclusion at this time.”

“And, and,” I continued, my speech becoming more rapid, “w-we can be sure Twilight didn’t have the same thing happen to her. So she came through instantly.”

“Correct.” T’Lona pushed herself away from the desk, then shifted in her chair to face me, and brought a hand up to stroke my hair. Just a few quick strokes, but from Mother that was akin to a massive rib-shattering hug. “I realize this has been worrying you for some time, and I apologize for not being able to tell you this sooner.”

I smiled softly and bowed my head to her. “That’s okay, Mother. I’m not upset. I’m just glad to hear this news.” Then I raised my head, my grin turning wry. “I don’t suppose there’s been any other news when it comes to Equus.”

T’Lona slowly shook her head. “No, I am afraid nothing has been reported by any exploratory vessels. In truth I suspect it really will be up to you, once you and your sister enter Starfleet, to find your home planet.”

“That’s the idea, at least,” I said. My smile dropped off as I returned to a neutral expression. Whenever I was in Mother’s presence I found my emotions calmer, less expressive. Far less so than they had been three years ago when I first arrived. She was a good influence on me. Kept me from having my temper explode. “Was there anything else?”

The left corner of her mouth quirked infinitesimally. “No, Sunset.”

2362: Four years after Sunset’s arrival.

“And first place in this year’s wider Vancouver Area Science Fair goes to… Sunset Shimmer, for her brilliant experiment with unusual energy fields!”

The crowd of mixed students and parents broke into applause as I all but galloped from my seat at the end of the furthest row from the auditorium stage. Moving through the throngs of students, I hopped up the stairs onto the stage, joining my fellow fair winners, all of whom--save Twilight, in third place--glared harsh daggers at me. Especially Savil, a Vulcan a year ahead of me. Of course, he wouldn’t dream of showing his emotions publicly, but I’d learned enough about reading Vulcans by now to see how mad he was about coming in second place.

He could deal with it. I needed to make as many waves as possible if I was to get an opportunity to take an entrance exam for Starfleet Academy in two years. And judging by Twilight coming in third despite barely being old enough to participate, she definitely was trying her best as well. Of course I knew she was. She’d kept her project secret, refusing my help, but between the two of us Twilight practically dedicated her life to the goal of joining Starfleet.

Sometimes that worried me. She hadn’t had many more bad days like she used to, but… I was afraid she still hadn’t properly let go, like I had. I wanted to find Equestria, yes, but… I can accept where I am now as my home.

At least she was happier than she used to be. That was something, anyway.

The principal in charge of the fair, a human with pale skin and ginger hair named Alexis Goldsmith, approached me carrying a plaque. It was small, about the size of her hand, but it featured my name, my face in brass, and my place in the contest. “Congratulations, Sunset,” she said as she handed it over, allowing me to take hold of it in my magic. “I was hoping the judges would pick your project.”

“With respect,” Savil spoke up, giving us both a cold gaze, “I would like to officially protest the legitimacy of Shimmer’s project. It is based upon her own unique abilities, an aspect of science thoroughly unexplored.”

“Savil, we can discuss this after the ceremony,” Goldsmith said in a no-nonsense tone.

He tried to hide it, but I could see him seethe in response to that. “As you wish.”

While Goldsmith proceeded to give a speech about the fair, Twilight stepped over to me, carrying her own smaller placard. “Nice job, sis,” she said, grinning.

“Hey, you’re the one who should be congratulated,” I replied. “I loved that holographic diorama you made of Sol. Even I learned something from it.”

“At least her work was grounded in something understood by the greater scientific community,” Savil barged in with his own whisper.

“No one asked you, Savil,” Twilight scowled.

After the ceremony, Goldsmith led the three of us back to her office, having us take a seat. Despite knowing I wasn’t in trouble, my heart skipped a beat at the thought of being in the principal’s office. I’d never had a reason to step hoof inside one for punitive purposes, but that didn’t stop me from flashing back to experiences in Equestria, hearing Princess Celestia chastise me over some expression of my temper. “All right, Savil,” said Goldsmith, smiling at the Vulcan. “I understand you have some concerns.”

“I do,” he stated, giving me a momentary glare. “I believe Sunset Shimmer’s project is faulty, flawed, and features irreproducible results outside of her own abilities. It is thus tainted by bias and should be rejected.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Twilight shouted, stomping a hoof on the floor. “I could perform every spell, ritual, and feat she did.”

“So you claim,” Savil replied, his tone turning subtly snide. “However, as her sister, you are also biased.”

Twilight’s eyes blazed with fury as a lavender glow encompassed her horn. “I’ll show you bias--”

“Twilight, that’s enough,” I ordered, using my own magic to clamp down on hers.

Hurt replaced the fury. “But, Sunset, I was just--”

“I know, sis,” I interrupted with a soft smile. “I get it. But I can defend myself.”

Goldsmith cleared her throat, reminding us of her presence. “Twilight, while I recognize your faith in your sister, if you threaten another student like that again I will see you for detention, is that understood?”

Twilight bowed her head immediately, her posture slumping. “Yes, Ms Goldsmith,” she muttered.

“Savil,” Goldsmith said, turning to the Vulcan. “I hear your concerns, and they were similar to my own when Sunset’s project first debuted. That is why the judges had every result independently verified through computer simulations and testing in a holosuite. Sunset and Twilight’s abilities have been studied for years now. The very fact that they are so unusual is why her project was nominated for the top spot.”

“I see,” Savil replied, his face impassive like stone. “So there is little chance my protest will result in an overturn.”

“Unlikely, yes,” Goldsmith said with a nod. “I will have the committee look into it one last time, but I would be very surprised if anything changed as a result.”

Savil stood from his chair, nodded to the principal, then left the room. It took me only half a second to decide to go after him. “Hey, Savil, wait!”

“Can I help you?” he inquired, arching an eyebrow at me.

I deliberately opted not to smile at him, instead maintaining a lack of expressed emotion. “For what it is worth, I thought your project was great. I’d have picked it for top spot.”

He considered that for a moment, then nodded once, quickly. “Thank you for the compliment.” Then he turned and rushed away, as quickly as he could while still maintaining the appearance of walking.

I sighed and plopped myself down on my rump, leaning against the wall. “This is why I don’t want to bother going to school in person anymore,” I muttered. “Too much crap to deal with.”

I’d made friends at school, of course. It took a while, but I did. Casual friends, people I’d talk to while at lunch or during free moments in class. But I never bothered with visiting anyone at their home. No sleepovers or weekend lunch dates or anything like that. Not many wanted to be close enough to me to actually do anything like that, and to be honest I liked it that way. Sure it meant I was a little bit more lonely, but I still had Twilight.

Besides, I couldn’t take the time. I needed to focus. I had two more years before I could take the entrance exam. Three before I could attend the Academy proper.

That night, I filled out the application for the exams. It would take a good year before I’d know if I would be able to take them, but I made sure to include every aspect of my academic excellence, including my victory at this science fair. The wait would be excruciating, but well worth it. I just had to make it in.

I just had to.

2363: Five years after Sunset’s arrival

The towering triple fudge devil’s food cake with cream cheese frosting tantalized me with its sugary smell. The lit candles topping it, however, demanded attention first. So I took a deep breath to fill my lungs, then blew out as hard as I could. All sixteen candles doused themselves instantly.

Amina and Twilight broke into applause. “Happy sixteenth birthday, sweetheart!” Amina cheered.

“What’d you wish for, Sunset?” Twilight asked, beaming.

I laughed and shrugged. “Just wished for my sister to have good luck with her new school year.”

“Awww… thanks, Sunset,” Twi said, snuggling up to give me a hug.

“Curious,” T’Lona commented as she retrieved a knife to slice the cake with. “While I am well aware it is a tradition it does intrigue me that Sunset persists in perpetuating it from year to year despite being well aware such wishes accomplish nothing.”

“Oh, don’t be a spoil sport, T’Lona,” Amina chuckled, patting her on the arm. “It’s just a bit of harmless fun.”

“I am well aware.” T’Lona handed me the cake knife. “When you get to my slice, I would like very little.”

I smiled back at her as I took up the knife. “I remember, Mother. Just means there’s more cake for the rest of us.” With deft strokes I produced four slices of cake, choosing the largest one for myself, of course, with one of the frosting flowers. I made sure to have a glass of milk alongside as I sat down at the couch to gorge myself.

“So, Sunset, should we consider you an adult, now that you’re sixteen?” Amina said as she took a bite of cake.

Before I answered, I popped a piece of cake in my mouth. The chocolatey flavor exploded on my tongue, overflowing with rich, creamy goodness. “Mmm…”

“Sorry, Mom, she’s stuck in a cake coma,” Twilight laughed.

Everyone, Twilight and myself included, froze. As one we all stared at Twilight, who covered her mouth with one hoof. T’Lona was the first to speak. “What… what did you say, Twilight?”

Tears filled Twilight’s eyes as she abruptly rushed out of the room, galloping up the stairs. We heard the door to her bedroom swish open then the thump of her landing on her bed.

“Oh dear,” Amina said, before unleashing a few curses in a language I didn’t comprehend. “I’d better go up there and talk to her.”

“No,” I said, holding out a hoof to stop Amina from getting out of her seat. “Let me go, Mom.”

A worried frown tugged at Amina’s mouth. “But Sunset, it’s your birthday…”

“I know. Just trust me, okay?” I gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ve got this.”

“Very well,” T’Lona said, nodding to me. “Good luck.”

Taking a moment to compose myself, I slowly walked up the stairs, pausing outside Twilight’s room. As I expected she’d locked the door, so I touched the panel on the wall. “Hey Twi, it’s me, Sunset. May I come in?”

“Go away,” came the immediate, tear-choked response. “I want to be alone.”

No you don’t, Twilight. I tapped the panel again. “All right, well, if you’re sure…” I deliberately turned around and started to walk away, one step at a time.

I got about four steps before the door swished open behind me. A smile briefly crossed my muzzle before I schooled it away as I went inside. Twilight had the lights off, buried underneath her blankets, her horn glowing. I sat down on the bed next to the outer edge of blankets and waited. It took a moment, but she pulled the blankets up and let me scoot over to sit with her under them. “Hey.”

She had a book cradled in her forehooves, one I’d noticed she frequently turned to whenever she was distraught. It was an Earth novel, from its twenty-first century. A story about a lost child who was taken from her home only to grow up and forget her parents. Apt, if depressing. She stared at it for several long moments before she looked up at me. “I called her Mom,” she whispered.

“I noticed,” I replied. “We all did.”

“I called her Mom, Sunset!” Twilight repeated, her voice low and heavy, shaking with every word. “I… I did the thing I swore I’d never do. I called her Mom.”

I inched over so I could wrap a foreleg around her. “Hey, Twi, it’s okay if you think of her as a mom. It’s not a bad thing.”

“Isn’t it?” Twilight breathed. “I’m… I’m betraying my original family by doing it! I… I… I swore I’d never, that I’d never…” She swallowed, and allowed her tears to fall. “I can barely remember them now, Sunset. I don’t even remember their names anymore!”

“You mean, your birth Mom and Dad, right?”

“Yes, Sunset!” she growled, briefly flashing with anger before it fizzled away. “Of course I still remember Shining Armor. I’ll never forget his name. But… them… I don’t remember now. I think Mom had a white coat and purple mane, and Dad… blue?” Her face fell into her hooves as she cried fresh tears. “I don’t remember...”

“Hey.” I pulled her in so I could stroke her face with my hoof in an attempt to brush away her tears. “Hey, look, it’s okay. You’re not betraying them, not even a little. Everything you’ve said about them says to me they’d just want to see you happy. If you can accept Amina and T’Lona as parents… don’t you think that might make you feel a little happier? You’ve been a lot happier lately, I know that much.”

“I… “ she sniffled, and looked into my eyes. “I don’t know Sunset. I just… I finally listened to Belle’s advice, a while ago. I let go. Or at least I thought I had…”

“I think you did,” I said back, trying to smile. “I think if you hadn’t, you wouldn’t be as happy as I’ve seen you lately. I’ve known you for almost five years now, sis. For a long time, you were fairly miserable; you rarely smiled or laughed unless you were spending time with me. And even then, well… we’ve had our arguments. But lately? The past few months? You’ve been much, much happier. Mom could see it in you. She told me she did. Even Mother saw the change.”

She managed to smile back, even if it was watery and dull. “I guess I have, huh? It’s been nice. I really do like it here on Earth, with all this knowledge, the technology… the magic you’ve taught me… it’s really good. But, I don’t want to forget Equestria either!”

“And you won’t. I’ll make sure of it.” I switched my smile up to a cocky grin. “Hey, I haven’t even come close to slowing down on my goal of joining Starfleet, and I’ve been accepting this place as home for years. You can accept this as home without forgetting where you came from. I did it. You can too. Besides… it’d be nice to finally make the sister relationship official, wouldn’t you say?”

She laughed at that, a single laugh, bittersweet at the edges, but with plenty of warmth inside. “It would. It really would. And… you know… Amina and T’Lona aren’t that bad, as parents go.”

“Glad to hear it.” I brushed the corner of the blankets up, exposing us to the air. “Ready to come back down and have some cake with your family now, then?”

She bit her lip, then nodded. “Yeah. Just give me a second to clean up. I’ll be down right after you, okay?”

“All right.” I left the room to give her space and trotted back down the stairs, finding Amina and T’Lona waiting for me, their cakes untouched.

Amina, gripping her hands together on her lap, gave me a strained, worried frown. “Well?”

In response, I took a few steps back from the stairs and waited. After a moment of thick tension swirling about the air, we all heard the slow, steady clomp of Twilight’s hoofsteps descending the stairs. Then she appeared, a tiny smile on her muzzle. “Hey.”

“Twilight, are you well?” T’Lona inquired. “Amina and I are… concerned.”

Twilight closed her eyes and bowed her head, taking a few deep breaths. Then her eyes opened again as she focused squarely on T’Lona, her smile now wide and warm. “Yes, Mother. I’m fine.”

T’Lona’s eyes widened just a tad as she gazed at her. “I see… it is very good to hear you say that, Twilight.”

“Twilight?” Amina breathed, her mouth stretched open in shock. “Are you… are you sure?”

Twilight trotted over, brought up her forelegs and gave Amina a heavy, emotion-fueled hug. “I’m sure, Mom. I’m sure.”

Amina broke into a stream of tears, showering Twilight’s dress as she held tight to her second daughter. “I’ve… I’ve wanted to hear that from your mouth for a long time, Twilight. I don’t even know what to say. I’m… god, I’m so choked up inside.”

“How about, I love you?” Twilight proposed.

Shaking like a leaf barely clinging onto its branch in a windstorm, Amina let out a few choked laughs, then muttered, “Yeah. I love you too, Twilight.”

I couldn’t resist any longer. I joined in the hug. “And I love both of you,” I said with a happy laugh burbling forth from my chest. Then I glanced up at T’Lona and waved her over. “Come on, Mother.”

T’Lona arched her eyebrows, cocked her head to the side, then approached. “As you wish,” she said, carefully embracing the three of us, though she shied away from getting too close. “I care a great deal for all of you as well.”

Eventually we all released each other, smiles plastered on our faces, save for T’Lona of course. But she was smiling on the inside. “So, should we get back to the cake?” I asked.

“Yes, definitely,” Twilight replied. “We’ve got two things to celebrate now.”

We dove back into the cake with gusto. I watched with amusement as Amina gobbled hers up and went for a second slice, so giddy she could barely sit still. “So, Sunset,” she said, eyes sparkling. “You never did answer my question.”

“Oh, right.” I swallowed a mouthful of milk, then continued, “Um, well, yeah, in Equestria I’d be an adult. No idea what I’d be doing right now, but… I’m not that ready to be an adult on Earth just yet. If I don’t have to be, I mean.”

Amina smiled and patted my hoof. “No, we’re not about to shove you out the door or anything like that, dear. I was just curious. Besides, you’re going to have a busy year ahead of you. I was going to wait till later to share this with you, but since today’s an even happier day than we all expected…”

My heart skipped a beat as I watched her stand up and make her way over to one of the desks, picking up her PADD. “What is it, Mom?”

In response, she brought her PADD over and turned on the screen, then handed it to me. “Go ahead. Read it.”

I took it and shivered, then read aloud, “To Sunset Shimmer. We are pleased to inform you that due to your stellar test results on the preliminary exam, your application to take the Starfleet Academy entrance exam…has been accepted!” I squealed in delight as I kept reading. “You will take your exam on Stardate 40985.2 at the Academy facility on Denobula. Should you successfully pass these exams with a sufficiently high score you will be accepted for the Academy the following year!” I dropped the PADD and bounced in place. “Yes!”

Twilight whooped and hollered, bouncing around me. “Yes yes yes yes yes! Gooooo Sunset!”

“Congratulations,” T’Lona said. “It is well deserved.”

“Dunno why they need to send you all the way out to Denobula when you’re living on Earth, though,” Amina said, her smile pulled into a half frown. “It’s not like you’re some kid on a starship out on the frontier.”

“Oh who cares?” I said, my voice rippling with happy giggles. “I get to take the exam! Besides, apart from that one visit to Earth Spacedock I’ve never left the planet. I could use some time in space.”

“She does make a fair point, Amina,” T’Lona said. “Though one of us should accompany her. We should look into chartering passage.”

“That shouldn’t be hard,” Amina replied as she picked her PADD off the floor and brought up some information. “Since we’re Starfleet, we can skip the civilian traffic. There are starships that pass along that route all the time. Let’s see… Yes, it looks like the Tokyo, the Kilimanjaro, and the Kyushu all pass through on their regular patrols. They’re all New-Orleans class so the trip from Earth to Denobula won’t take too long. No more than a week. MIght take longer to get back though. Question is, which one of us should go with her?”

“I believe it should be me,” T’Lona answered immediately. “Your duties require you to stay planetside, while I should be able to continue my assignments while off-world.”

“Oooh, can I go with you?” Twilight said, her tail swishing happily. “I want to get some time in space too.”

T’Lona cocked her head to the side. “At this time I see no reason to object.”

Twilight beamed. “All right! Sisters together!” She held up a hoof for me to bump.

I didn’t hold back, bumping it with gusto. “Sisters together, you bet. I’ll definitely want the moral support.”

“Well that’s an easy decision then,” Amina replied, setting her PADD down. “We can put in the request in the morning. We’ve still got plenty to celebrate tonight.”

“We sure do,” I said, laughing.

2364: Six years after Sunset’s arrival

I sat back in my chair in our cabin aboard the Kyushu, allowing the soothing rumble of the ship’s engines reverberate in the otherwise silent room. Resting on my lap was my PADD, one of a good five or six I had scattered about a nearby table, full of information for me to study. I’d reached my limit for the morning, and good thing too, since we were scheduled to arrive soon.

Setting the PADD in my lap aside, I got out of the chair and walked over to the window. Stars streaked by, pulled into long white lines like rice noodles by the effects of the warp drive. From my position on the rear of the saucer I could see the warp nacelles glowing, the bussard collectors at the front pulsing with crimson. In my mind’s eye I could see the warp field they formed, bent around the ship, pulling it from normal space into subspace, allowing the ship to pass through space at speeds once thought impossible.

I wished I could get down inside those nacelles, see their operation first hoof from inside. Or maybe get a good solid look at the warp core. Sadly, while the ship’s captain was happy to have T’Lona, Twilight, and myself aboard, he’d restricted Twilight and me from any vital areas, including Main Engineering. “You’re not in Starfleet yet, Ms. Shimmer,” he’d said with an understanding smile.

It frustrated me, but I understood. I would have done the same thing in his position. At seventeen now, I… I could understand the decisions many of the adults in my life had made while I was growing up, far better than I once did. The distance, time, plus T’Lona and Belle helped me gain a perspective on my life before arriving on Earth that I just didn’t have back before.

Like Celestia. I can now admit that she’d been right when she told me I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t. And I proved it by going after that mirror. I proved everything she had said, with my actions revolving the mirror.

And yet, I didn’t regret it either. Not now, not after everything I’d learned, the connections I’d made. If I had to, I’d have done it all over again.

As I stared out the window, I heard a subtle change in the engines, my ears turning to face them. “Three… two… one…. Now.” Right on cue, the ship dropped out of warp, a white flash briefly filling the entire window before being replaced by a still starfield. I could see a few other ships moving about on impulse in the distance, a couple Starfleet, others civilian. On the far side, just barely within view from my window, I saw a slice of a planet, blue waters, clouds, continents and all.

Doors whisked their way open, revealing T’Lona and Twilight. “Ah, Sunset, there you are,” T’Lona said. “The Kyushu has entered standard orbit over Denobula. They are prepared to transport us down whenever we are ready. Your exams begin in two hours. We will have enough time to check in to our accommodations and take a quick meal.”

“All right,” I said. Gathering up my duffel bag, I tossed my PADDs into it, zipped it up, and placed it around my shoulders. “Let’s go.”

We stepped outside, making our way towards the turbolift. “Ooooh let’s hurry, Sunset, I wanna get down to the planet!” Twilight said, bouncing with every step. “I can’t wait to see all the Denobulans in person!”

“You have met many Denobulans on Earth before, Twilight,” T’Lona said, nodding politely to the few officers we passed by on our way.

“I know, Mother, but this is their home. It’s different!”

As we stepped aboard the turbolift, T’Lona ordered, “Deck Eight.”

“She’s not wrong, Mother,” I added as the turbolift sped along its way through the ship. “And this is the first planet either of us have been to besides Equus or Earth, so… I’m pretty excited too.”

“Did you know one of the most famous Doctors in all of Starfleet came from Denobula?” Twilight said, grinning as she rattled off facts. “Doctor Phlox was the CMO aboard the Enterprise NX-01, an Earth Starfleet ship, before the Federation was founded. He helped keep their mission going strong right up until Captain Archer helped bring the Federation together in 2161!”

I saw T’Lona pull one of her Vulcan almost-smiles as she patted Twilight on the head. “Yes, I am aware of Doctor Phlox’s identity. He was crucial to many discoveries, including ones that benefit all Vulcans.” She held up her hand and spread it as demonstration. “I would not be able to mind meld today without his contributions, among many others.”

T’Lona and Twilight continued to chatter about Phlox and other famous Starfleet Denobulans while I tuned them out, preferring to focus on relaxing my mind for the task ahead. I continued this focus right up through transport down to the surface.

I’d thought cities on Earth were packed. But Denobula boasted a population of over twelve billion on a single continent, and it showed. Massive throngs of Denobulans passed us by, filling up the city streets in great, if orderly, crowds. More people were visible from every window on every structure, whether it was a simple two-story house or a good hundred story or more skyscraper. Many more vehicles whizzed about the air than on Earth, sometimes so fast I could barely process they’d passed by.

It was a bit too crowded for my taste. Fortunately, the hotel booked for us was far less crowded, and we were able to drop our belongings off at our room and then eat in the adjoining restaurant with little difficulty. Though I stayed away from trying any new dishes, requesting something more familiar. Last thing I needed was to sour my stomach right before my exams. Especially since they included some sort of psychological test involving my greatest fears.

But eventually, the time came. I was escorted into a room with many other fellow applicants, all of whom wished each other good luck, and the exams began. At first, it was fairly simple, compared to what I expected. A series of mathematical problems, many of them vector based geometry, a few dealing with subjects such as intermix ratios for a starship engine or warp field calculations. Nothing I couldn’t handle, and I felt I aced those easily.

Then came the historical, social, and cultural tests. These I found a bit more difficult, not in the sense of lacking knowledge, but just in the way many of them were framed, tricky problems that often worded themselves in a deceitful manner, attempting to lead someone to the wrong conclusion. Seeing through those proved a bit tough at times, but I made it through, and felt that by the end I’d aced them as well, if without as much ease.

Third were practical exams, based around a series of tasks to be performed on a starship, with instructions provided. They were difficult in form, but I found this easiest of all so far. So long as I followed instructions I encountered no issue, with only one forcing me to improvise when they deliberately withheld a vital piece of equipment. Judging by the expression on the judge’s face, however, I’d made a very good choice when it came to that improvisation.

Finally came the one I worried most about, the psychological test. They took me out of the main classroom, down a corridor and through a pair of large double doors into another corridor. Then down into a small office, where they left me to wait. What sort of test did they have in mind? I’d heard rumors, of course. That they frequently involved substantial stress placed on the test taker, to judge their fitness in critical situations. Well I wasn’t about to freeze up, no matter what they threw at me.

I sat there, alone, for what felt like hours. No instructions came through on the terminal, no one came by to give me some oral exam or anything of that nature. Attempting to leave the room just met me with a locked door. Anxiety trickled down my spine, but I refused to waver. I was sure something sooner or later would show itself.

And then a voice came through the comm system. “Sunset! Sunset, we’re in trouble!”

My heart leapt into my throat before I forced it back down. “Twilight?!” I said, slapping the panel near the door to trigger the comm. “What’s going on? Where are you?”

“Mother and I are in huge trouble! We’re trapped! Help us, Sunset! Hurry!”

Wait, if they’re trapped, how is Twilight communicating with me? I frowned, certain something about this was a trick. But could I really risk it? So I tapped the panel again and said, “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Are you in the same building?”

“Yes! Generator room, on the lowest level! Sunset, please! There’s a radiation leak; I don’t know how long we can last!”

“I’m coming.” Then I tapped at the panel again to try to unlock the door, only to hear a dissenting beep. “You stupid… augh, no time!” I broke open the panel and messed with the circuits, forcing the door to swish open.

As I stepped out, two officers, including Lieutenant Commander Morox, the Denobulan in charge of issuing the exams, stood up from a table in the hallway. “Shimmer, what’re you doing? You’re supposed to be conducting your psychological exam,” he barked.

“I realize that, sir, but my sister contacted me via comms. She said she and our mother are trapped in the generator room, which is leaking radiation,” I said, eager to get moving.

Morox eyed his fellow officer, then looked at me, his frown deep and twisted. “Ridiculous. Why would they be down there?”

Biting back my instinctive retort, I said, “I don’t know, but they are. They need help, sir.”

“Then you’d best let trained Starfleet officers handle it, Shimmer. You’re not ready for something like this,” he retorted at once, his tone harsh and angry. “Get back in there and back to your test. Now. I will see to this myself. Sherman! With me.”

Both officers left immediately down the hallway dead ahead and hung a left. Inward, I was pissed. Those words... not ready… they echoed through my mind, drilling their way inside my ears like wriggling worms, bringing back the memory of the last thing Princess Celestia said to me. The desire to ignore his orders, to rush forward and save my family burned fiercely within me, not so much like fire as like the heat of a star.

And yet I wavered. I wavered because the responsible part of me, the intelligent part me, managed to just barely keep the rest of me in check, long enough to think. Was I supposed to follow this order to the letter, and stay? Was it all a trick, to see if I’d abandon my duties for family the instant they seemed to be in danger? Or was the danger real, and the test about whether or not I would act to save them even though it risked my own chances at getting into Starfleet?

I didn’t know. I couldn’t know. That was the point. Oh this acted on one of my worst fears all right. The thought of losing my family, the only family I’d ever truly known as a proper family… that scared me to death.

No. Screw it. I am Sunset Shimmer, damn it. I’m not going to abandon my family. They needed me. If this was a trick… then it was a trick and I fell for it. I could always try the exams again next year. But if this was real…

I galloped down the corridor. Alarms blared like mad the closer I got. As I neared the turn, a loud explosion boomed through the whole building, nearly shaking me off my hooves. People screamed and ran for exits as I passed them by, getting closer and closer to the generator room.

And then I entered Hell.

At least that’s what it felt like. Fires raged all over the room, hot fiery steam pouring out of a pipe in the ceiling. The atmosphere inside was choked with smoke and debris. On the far side of the room, beyond a lot of ruined panels and consoles laid an open fusion reactor, its core glowing an ominous green, indicating a shielding failure. Radiation, all right.

Worse, I spotted Twilight and T’Lona, stuck under a fallen beam. Their eyes were closed shut. They weren’t moving.

Morox was also there, struggling to lift a table out of his way so he could get to the reactor. Sherman laid near the door, blood streaming down his face from a nasty cut on his temple. “Shimmer, damn it!” Morox roared. “I told you to stay in that room!”

“Sorry, sir, but you need help!” I eyed T’Lona and Twilight, gulped, then ran forward and used my magic to hurl the table he was lifting out of his way. “Go ahead to the reactor, sir. I’ll get them out of here.”

He scowled at me for a moment, then nodded. “Fine. Work fast. They’ve already taken massive amounts. They might not survive much longer.”

Nodding, I took a brief moment to lift Sherman out past the doorway into the corridor, then made my way over to the beam. This one proved harder to dislodge, forcing me to strain heavily, sweat pouring down my face and stinging my eyes. More than once I broke into a coughing fit from the smoke. But then I managed to lift the beam enough to shove it to the side. “C’mon, c’mon, Twilight, Mother, wake up!” I shouted as I used my magic to carefully lift them and carry them out.

Then I had to shield them with a spell as another explosion rocked the room, scattering debris everywhere. Morox cried out in pain as he bounced off the wall. “Shimmer!” he gasped. “Get out of here now! This reactor’s about to blow. It’ll take half the city when it does!”

“What? No!” I immediately set Twilight and T’Lona down, then surrounded them with a protective bubble. “Forget running. We have to stop it!”

As I rushed over to the reactor, Morox hissed at me. “Shimmer, no, you’re not… not trained. You’re just going to get yourself killed!”

“I’m the only one here who can do it, sir,” I growled back as I used my magic for another shield around myself. It was enough to protect from the heat, but the radiation would quickly penetrate it. I had to work fast. Wishing I had a tricorder or some other scanning device, I made due with a quick visual inspection. It didn’t take long for me to spot the issue: there was a failure in the fuel feed lines, dumping so much fuel that it overloaded the cooling systems. No wonder it was about to explode.

I moved back and forth around the reactor as I performed a quick and dirty bypass of the fuel line, using my magic like a welding tool. Then I forced open all the emergency coolant tanks, the ones not already used up, and flooded the reactor with it. Then I did my best to seal it shut, and only then picked up Morox and my family and moved us all out of there.

And then the instant I passed back through the doorway, the alarms ceased. I stood, gaping in confusion until the whole room shattered and faded away into static, replaced by black walls lined in a gold grid pattern. My family disappeared, as did Sherman, and only Morox remained. “What… the hell?”

“Simulation complete,” spoke the computer as a large pair of double doors framed by an arch, the same ones I’d passed through on my way to the office, split open, revealing an unharmed corridor outside.

A relieved laugh escaped my throat. “That was all the psych test, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, it was,” said Morox, back to the smiling officer he’d acted when I first met him. “Normally we wouldn’t involve family members like that, even in a holodeck simulation, but your Mother presented the situation to us, and we found it to our liking. I admit, I am especially impressed by your workarounds with the reactor. I predicted a different result.”

“Then… then I passed?” I gasped.

Morox’s smile stretched to the point of contorting his face in a manner I found a little disturbing. Then, thankfully, he dropped it. “Yes, Sunset. Flawlessly. You made the best decision at every step of the way. You acted to help people in need, to offer up solutions when you had them, and did not let a superior officer browbeat you into following orders blindly. In other words, you used your head. While nominally we do expect you to follow orders, on occasion, in the right moment, violating one is the best action. As it was here. Well done.”

He held out his hand for me to shake. “I am proud to officially announce you will be attending Starfleet Academy beginning with the spring semester, next year. Congratulations, Cadet Shimmer.”

Beaming for all I was worth, I took his hand in both forehooves and shook it vigorously. “Thank you sir! Thank you!”

2365: Seven years after Sunset’s arrival.

I dropped my duffel bag on the single twin-sized bed, with the sparse amount of belongings I’d been allowed to bring. My freshly replicated Cadet’s uniform hugged me tight, still brimming with that fresh from the replicator smell. In the room, on the opposite side, my roommate unpacked her possessions and stored them away in regulation order. I quickly followed suit, making sure everything was in tip-top shape.

Last thing I needed was to earn some demerits or be reprimanded on my first day.

We’d been given a small amount of time to ourselves before we were to report in for our initial class assignments, so as soon as I finished I took a moment to observe my roommate. She was human, her skin tanned from long hours working in the sun. Blonde hair cropped regulation short ran down her head ending just above her shoulders, though judging from the way it hung it used to be far longer. Light green eyes looked back at me from a face filled with freckles. “Howdy there,” she said, offering up a hand. “Name’s Alma. Alma Smith.”

“Sunset Shimmer,” I said, shaking it politely. “Good to meet you.”

“Likewise, Shimmer,” Smith said, giving me a curious look. “Beggin’ your pardon, but Ah’m not sure Ah’ve seen your species before. Can Ah ask?”

I chuckled wryly. “You wouldn’t. I’m an Equestrian unicorn. There’s only two of us in the entire Federation, me and my sister.”

She snorted at that. “Unicorn, huh? Ah was gonna say, you look like one.” Then she gave me a warm smile. “Well, Ah think we’re gonna get along splendidly then.”

Before I could say a word, a whistle blew through the comms, summoning us to reveille. With a wordless shrug to Smith, I left the room and made my way swiftly with my fellow cadets to the meeting hall.

There, an officer with the sternest bearing I’d ever seen shouted at us for a while about duty, honor, and so on. I listened closely, but with a distinct grain of salt at all times. Amina had warned me about how overblown the Academy could get, especially towards its first year cadets, when it was at its most strict, militarily speaking. This was to drum out anyone who couldn’t handle continuous on-going pressure. It wasn’t fun, but I could understand the necessity. Being warned ahead of time allowed me to school myself against it, using several techniques T’Lona taught me to stay calm and level-headed.

Many of my fellow cadets weren’t so lucky. Smith in particular acted a little too frightened, especially when the officer screamed in her face thanks to her attention wavering. Of course since she was standing next to me, and I was a good two or three feet shorter than almost every other cadet, he moved on to me next, railing about how special I must think I was just because I had abilities no one else did. He accused me of expecting special treatment because of my species, because of Mom, etc, etc, while I didn’t let it get under my skin at all. He was just doing his job.

Eventually he moved on to another target and then distributed our class lists. We’d be given all the same classes for the first two semesters, and then at the end of year one we’d get to pick our primary career path. I already knew which one I was aimed for: engineering. It was just far too fascinating a subject for me to pass up, and I knew I could parlay that into an eventual command position. It wasn’t the fastest way up the food chain, but I wasn’t interested in command for command’s sake.

Though I did want to command my own ship eventually. How else was I going to find Equus?

Fortunately, once inside an actual class, things swiftly went from screaming and irritating to fascinating and educational. I thought I knew a lot coming into the Academy, but I learned very quickly how much more I had to learn. I took to the subjects with aplomb, diving my way headfirst into everything and rarely surfacing other than to say hello, or to study with Smith. She’d told me she was headed for a science role, with a focus on xeno agriculture, since she’d worked on a farm for much of her life. That surprised the hell out of me when I heard it, given I knew Earth didn’t really need farms anymore, and said as much to her that evening, after dinner.

“Ah know, but it’s been in mah family for hundreds of years. It’s not a huge farm, just an apple orchard and some fields of corn and potatoes, but it’s ours. We maintain it more for our own sake than anythin’ else, though most of our produce goes towards local restaurants that prefer to use real ingredients over replicated stuff. You know, the closed minded types.”

“Wait,” I said, shaking my head in confusion. “I was getting the impression you hated the idea of replicator food.”

“What?” she snorted. “Why would Ah be like that? Ah like it just fine. We had a replicator on our farm and used it just like anybody else. But we still grow food ‘cause we like to. It’s a good skill to keep around. Mah brother decided to take that skill and use it as part of a colony, but Ah wanted to join Starfleet instead. Ah’m hopin’ mah little sister will too, when she’s old enough.”

At that, I smiled. “My sister’s going to join Starfleet. She’ll be taking the entrance exam in a couple of years.”

“Where’re you two from, anyhow?” So I told her our story, and when I was done she nodded in understanding. “Well, Ah hope you do find your home planet one of these days.”

“Thanks.”

The next few weeks passed swiftly, full of constant hard work and stress. More than once I found myself barely able to sleep, my head stuffed so full of facts and figures and calculations. It invaded my dreams too, till practically all I could do was eat, sleep, and breathe Academy life.

Fortunately about a month in we got our first bit of leave time, allowing me to go home for a weekend to Vancouver. I’d seen Mom in passing a few times at the Academy, but never for very long. So when I came home, the first thing she did was wrap me in a warm hug. “Oh it’s good to see you, Sunset,” she said. “I’ve been hearing nothing but good from your professors.”

Hugging her back, I replied, “It’s been pretty rough, but I’m handling it.”

“The first year is always the most strenuous,” T’Lona said, coming over to place a hand on my shoulder. “You will find that everything becomes much easier to take from the second year on.”

“Yeah, that’s what you told me before. I remember.” Giving Mother a quick smile, I brushed by them both and headed up the stairs. “Hey, Twilight, you in?”

Twilight’s door opened and she all but barreled me over. At fourteen now she was as tall as I was. Not quite the adorable little tiny filly she’d been when we first met. “Hurray, you’re home!” she cheered, smothering me with her hugs. “I missed you so much, BSBFF.”

“Ack, okay, okay, Twilight, I get it, you can let go of me,” I laughed, pushing her away. “It’s not like I’ve been that far away.”

“Oh, I know, it’s just, I’ve been so excited,” Twilight said, all happy smiles. “I can’t wait to hear you tell us all about your first month.”

“Well, let’s go get dinner and I’ll share, okay?”

“All right!”

Of course at dinner I managed to scare Twilight with a few of my stories. “Wow, it sounds… really hard,” she said, shivering at the description I’d given of the screaming officer.

“It’s not so bad so long as you know it’s coming,” I said with a shrug. “That’s why I’m telling you now, to give you the heads up. How’s your magic practice been going?”

“Fine,” Twilight said, clearly happy to be on a different subject. “I’ve been experimenting lately with some new effects. If I can get them working into a proper spell matrix I’ll write it down and send it to you.”

“Sounds good.”

Amina chose that moment to interject, “So, Sunset, I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of looking into your planned schedule for the summer and fall. It looks like you should have a class with me on solar dynamics.” She winked, beaming at me. “Of course, don’t expect me to take things easy on you. In my class you’re the same as any other student.”

“I’d be offended if you treated me any differently, Mom,” I replied, popping a piece of potato in my mouth. Then I frowned. “I’m going to have to call you ma’am and Commander while there, aren’t I?”

She narrowed her eyes at me, for a moment taking on a stern expression. “I hope you weren’t expecting to be familiar with me while on duty, Cadet,” she said.

Stiffening in my chair I barked, “No ma’am.”

She burst out laughing, and laughed even harder when she saw my glare. “Oh honey, I’m sorry, but you were asking for that one.” Then her gaze softened. “But yes, you’ll have to, I’m afraid, same as any other parent/child relationship at the Academy. While you’re on duty, we’re officers first, and family second.”

“I figured, but it was worth asking,” I replied with a sigh. Shoving another forkful of potatoes in my mouth I chewed for a while, then said, “You know, the hardest thing about the Academy hasn’t been the studies, or the shouting, or the discipline. It’s been the lack of this. This comfortable atmosphere. I’d forgotten how relaxing it is here.”

Twilight glanced at me, worry crossing her face. “It’s going to be really hard for me the first few weeks there, isn’t it?”

“Maybe,” I said, “but I know you can do it. If I can, you can.”

“I hope so.”

2366: Eight years after Sunset’s arrival.

If Mom and Mother were right about one thing, it was how much easier the second year of the academy proved when compared to the first. By now all the worst aspects were routine, and every officer backed off from the abuse by a few notches. Oh, there was still the occasional yelling, but it lacked the harsh, crushing vibe of the first year yelling. As if I’d passed some unspoken test and received their approval.

They swapped roommates out on me, of course. I knew they would, since we’d have a different roommate from year to year. This time I was partnered up with an Andorian, named Nyraa. She was aggressive, adversarial, and looked upon me like an insect scuttling across the floor to be crushed under her heel. At least at first.

And then I cleaned her clock in Close Quarters Combat, or CQC, training. At least the first time, when I was allowed my magic. She pointed out it was an unfair advantage, and rightfully so, so she challenged me to several more matches, without my magic. Those came far closer, and she won a couple. But I still managed to beat her overall.

That won her respect. We’d never be friends, but we managed to get along, and that was good enough for me. Besides, by this point, I’d been given the privilege of nightly communiques with home, so I used those to keep in touch with Twilight. I knew sooner or later she’d take the preliminary exam, and I wanted to hear how that went as soon as possible.

One other thing they had me do, since I had apparently impressed them, was act as a liaison to two of the first year cadets. The first was Amelia Wattson, a dark skinned human with brunette hair, hailing from somewhere in the North American Midwest, albeit with a hint of Boston in her accent. She spoke passionately about engineering work, and knew as much or even more than I did about the subject despite being new. She impressed me with her knowledge, but she was a bit clingy, especially to the second cadet, Jacqueline Cadeneza. Cadeneza, a light skinned, blonde haired woman with a severe looking face first struck me as almost Vulcan-like in how cool and calm she was, an introvert.

And then I heard her crack her first dirty joke, and I knew I’d like her.

Like Mother, she was a xenobiologist, or at least, that’s where her studies and interests lay. So for the sake of helping her out, since it was part of my liaison duties anyway, I introduced her to Mother. T’Lona swiftly built a rapid rapport with Cadeneza, and frequently when Cadeneza got leave time she’d take it to visit T’Lona. Which had the unusual effect of making it look like I’d brought her home on one of my own visits, prompting Twilight and Amina both to tease me about having a girlfriend.

Which was ridiculous. Like I had time for that kind of crap.

Unfortunately, while Cadeneza built a solid rapport with T’Lona and me, when it came to Twilight… the two frequently butted heads. At least that’s what I heard, since I didn’t see them in the same room very often. For whatever reason, Twilight particularly disliked the jacket Cadeneza insisted on wearing whenever she wasn’t at the Academy. I don’t know why. It was just a leather jacket. But it might’ve had something to do with Cadeneza’s combative tendency to drink booze whenever she was seen wearing it.

Personally, I preferred to spend the time I had as a liaison with Wattson. It wasn’t anything personal against Cadeneza, but Wattson’s knack for engineering meshed with my own goals, and she helped me vastly enhance my understanding of a number of different subjects, which landed me a high enough grade to choose a few elective classes the following year.

Halfway through the year we finally heard back from the result of Twilight’s preliminary: she passed. She’d get to take the entrance exam next year, though they were sending her in the completely opposite direction, to Tellar for some bizarre reason. I wished her the best of luck with it, and somewhat wished I could go along.

Near the end of my second year, I was assigned to a special project on an old freighter trawling its way through the Sol system. I spent several weeks aboard maintaining the engine and performing all sorts of grunt engineering work. As hard as some of it was, I loved it. I even managed to squeak some extra efficiency out of its impulse engines. The ship would never go to warp again, but it sure could run around the neighborhood.

Of course right at the end of that journey, they had to bring us home in a hurry. The entire planet went on alert as some sort of alien invasion ship appeared. A lot of my fellow cadets lost family members in a battle at a nearby star called Wolf 359-- I was especially saddened to hear the Kyushu was destroyed there, a part of me hoped I could’ve been posted to that ship upon graduation.

These aliens, the Borg, were thankfully defeated by the U.S.S. Enterprise. The ship was forced into drydock at McKinley station for repairs, allowing a few lucky cadets like myself to go up and perform repairs on the hull. Made me wish I could’ve stepped hoof onboard.

2368: Ten years after Sunset’s arrival.

My third and fourth year felt blended into one long journey. Most of the third year was spent planet-side, embroiled in more classes, with the occasional practical assignments to help maintain Earth’s power grid or do repairs and maintenance aboard Earth Spacedock. I continued to help liaison Wattson and Cadeneza, though I saw them far less often than I had the previous year.

A few of my fellow cadets dropped out after Wolf 359, too afraid or too saddened by the loss of their family to continue. But I persevered, seeing no reason to slow down, let alone stop. Nor did my sister, given she passed her entrance exam with flying colors. She’d start her first year at the Academy in the fall after I graduated. We’d just barely miss attending together by that little.

Fourth year at the academy brought with it some extra privileges, including the chance to join Red Squadron, an elite branch of cadets who focused on being the best of the best of the best. In other words, they took the cream of the crop and filtered it out to have only the highest of highest quality. However they also took their obsession with duty and Starfleet so far they came across as… cocksure and egotistical, reminding me far too much of myself pre-Earth. So I rejected their offer, deciding I’d find my own way without their help.

They weren’t the only squadron so full of themselves they got into major trouble. A group of cadets that called themselves “Nova Squadron” pulled something that got one of them killed, while they all covered it up. I heard the details from Amina, who attended the hearings. She recommended I get to know one of the cadets involved, a Wesley Crusher.

So I did. He turned out to not only be a prodigy, but was just an overall nice guy all around. In fact, he was one of the nicest I’d met at the Academy. I ended up mentoring him in some of his classes after the disaster, since he’d be staying behind an additional year. He didn’t need a lot of mentoring, but I think he accepted it anyway just to find some friendship after the mistake he made. I was more than happy to oblige. We promised to stay in contact after I graduated.

And graduation came fast. Between the various assignments they had me performing throughout the Sol system on ships and stations, and all the classwork I still had to do, it passed so quickly that when I blinked, and it was over. I’d made many friends and acquaintances throughout my time at the Academy, and turned more than a few heads besides.

Finally, one fateful day found me sitting in a crowd of my fellow cadets, wearing our dress uniforms, eagerly awaiting our names. The superintendent, Admiral Brand, called us up one at a time and announced our specialization and our initial posting. Our families watched as well, of course, but they were separated from the cadets. I still caught Twilight, T’Lona, and Amina’s attention and waved to them every now and then. I watched as cadet after cadet walked up to the stage, got pronounced an Ensign, and their assignment happily announced to all. Every one was accompanied by a diploma placard, a handshake of congratulations, and applause from us all.

And then, finally, the very last name was called. “Cadet Sunset Shimmer!” The crowd fell silent as I got up out of my chair and trotted up to the stage, promptly standing at attention once I arrived. “First of all,” said Admiral Brand, “allow me to congratulate you not just on graduating, but becoming the valedictorian of the 2368 Academy year!”

Allowing myself a small smile, I promptly said, “Thank you, ma’am.”

She smiled back. “You’ve earned it.” She pulled out a case from the podium, one she’d used for every cadet up to this point, and pulled out a single gold pip. I bent my neck out of the way, allowing her to remove the 4th year cadet insignia, replacing it with a proper officer’s pip. “No longer are you a Cadet. You are officially a Starfleet officer, Ensign Sunset Shimmer!”

The crowd broke into thunderous applause, but none were louder than that of my family. Even T’Lona demonstrated an excess of noise, albeit through forceful hand clapping rather than shouts of praise.

“Now, as the valedictorian, you do get to choose from several possible assignments,” the admiral continued, looking at me expectantly.

“Yes ma’am,” I said. “After looking them over, I’ve chosen the New Orleans-class U.S.S. Rutledge.”

She considered that for a moment, then nodded in approval. “A good choice, Ensign.” Then she gestured to the mike. “If you would, please.”

Ah. Right. The speech. I stepped up to the podium and up onto a step stool so I could look over it. Then I began my speech. I’d filled it with a lot of the usual buzzwords. Honesty. Loyalty. A dedication to Starfleet’s code of ethos, fond wishes for those who’d attended to look forward to serving on a starship or starbase properly, and so on and so forth. But I gave it my own touch as well, adding a little bit of my story, my sister’s story, how we’d been taken from our home, and welcomed by the Federation without hesitation. Why that meant we wanted to pay back the kindness done to us, by serving the Federation in turn, so we could find our way home.

“Home is what matters, everyone,” I said. “Whether that home is a house on a street, a cabin aboard a starship, or just the people around you… you never, ever want to forget your home, where you came from, where you go at the end of the day. My sister and I, we found a home on this planet. With our adopted parents. But we’ve also never forgotten where we came from. Someday, we’ll find it again. And until we do, we’re going to serve Starfleet and the Federation to the best of our ability. Because the Federation gave us a home, when we didn’t have one anymore. So we never want to forget that, and never will. Congratulations to all of you for graduating, and best of luck with your new assignments.”

I descended the stage to the sound of applause, then joined the crowd in cheering when the Admiral ordered us dismissed. I immediately went to join my family. “I’m so proud of you, Sunset,” Amina said, brushing a hand against my face. “Or should I say, Ensign Shimmer?”

“Sunset’s fine, Mom,” I said with a light chuckle. “I’m looking forward to taking some time off. I’ve heard enough of Shimmer for a while.”

“Excuse me Ensign,” spoke Admiral Brand, startling us all into whirling to see her standing behind us. Everyone, even Twilight, stiffened to a form of attention. “I would like to have a word with you privately.”

Glancing briefly at my parents, I said, “Yes ma’am,” then allowed her to lead me into the Academy proper, ducking into the first available conference room. “May I ask what this is about?”

The Admiral smiled at me. “Easy, Ensign, this is a bit of good news. I just received a personal communique from Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge, the chief engineer about the Enterprise. He likes to put through inquiries whenever a new Academy class graduates, and when I told him about you, he was very intrigued.” She pulled a PADD out from her pocket and handed it to me. “Take a look.”

Taking hold of it in my magic, I glanced down at the PADD and read aloud, “To Ensign Sunset Shimmer, from Lt. Cmdr. La Forge. After careful consideration of your performance at the Academy, you are hereby being offered a posting on the U.S.S. Enterprise, to start on Stardate 46001.1!” My eyes widened in shock as a happy giggle escaped me despite myself. “Ma’am, is he serious?”

“Very much so,” she chuckled. “I know La Forge pretty well. He doesn’t mess around. If he wants you, he wants you. You don’t have to take it, of course. But if I were you, Ensign, I wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to work aboard the flagship of the fleet. Besides, this would give you an extra week with your family. I’m sure you’d appreciate that as well.”

It was a no brainer. No better experience than working on the Enterprise. Grinning like a loon, I nodded to the admiral. “Yes ma’am. I’ll take the posting. I’d be an idiot not to.”

“Good. I’m glad to hear it.” She took the PADD back from me, stuffed it under her arm, then gestured for the door. “Dismissed, Ensign.”

I rushed out the door, so excited I could barely contain myself. It took me a moment to find my family, as they’d wandered off in the direction of a nearby hole-in-the-wall diner that we all enjoyed. “Mother! Mom! Twilight! Wait up!”

“Ah, there you are, Sunset,” T’Lona said, eying me curiously. “May I ask what the Admiral wished to see you about?”

“It was about my first assignment,” I answered, my muzzle still split in a massive grin. “She had another posting to offer me at the last minute.”

Amina eyed me curiously, one corner of her mouth quirking up. “Oh? And what’s that, Sunset?”

I stopped in place, shifted my grin to one basted in smugness, and brushed back my mane. “The Enterprise, of course.”

“What?!” Twilight gasped, a happy smile crossing her face as she jumped in place. “Are you serious? The Enterprise? With La Forge, a-and Data, and Picard?”

“The very same!” I replied with a wink.

T’Lona, both eyebrows arched high enough to disappear under her bangs, replied, “That is most impressive, Sunset. I am surprised to hear you received such an offer.”

Shrugging casually, I started off again, prompting the others to follow. “Well, Commander La Forge asked for me personally, apparently. Guess I’ve made some waves. I start on Stardate 46001.1.”

Amina let out a pleased laugh as she wrapped an arm around my body and squeezed me tight, almost knocking me off my hooves. “Oh, Sunset, I’m so proud of you, I can barely stand it. I knew you’d turn some heads!”

“So, what, you’re just gonna sit around the house for three weeks?” Twilight teased.

“No, I’m going to sit around the house and eat cake in a week when we celebrate your eighteenth birthday, sis,” I replied.

“Oh, right,” Twilight said, a nervous laugh escaping her. “I almost forgot about that.”

“I believe you are attempting to deceive us, Twilight,” T’Lona said immediately, with that single arched eyebrow that was her way of expressing some amusement.

I broke out laughing as Twilight shrank in on herself, her cheeks florid red. “Oh, leave the poor girl alone, T’Lona,” Amina said, batting at T’Lona’s arm. “It’s the first birthday she’s been able to celebrate with Sunset since Sunset started the Academy. She’s allowed to be excited.”

“And speaking of the Academy, I’m looking forward to hearing how your first days go in a few months,” I added. “I know I’ll be some distance away, but I’ll be supporting you as much as I can.”

“I know you will, sis,” Twilight said, her smile drooping. “Doesn’t mean I’m not worried though.”

“It’s fine to be worried,” Amina said, giving Twilight a small hug. “But you passed the exams. You’re just as smart and talented as Sunset is. I know you’ve got this.”

“She’s right you know,” I said. “Hell, I expect you to surpass me. You’re smarter than me, Twi. You always have been.”

Twilight looked away, though this time her expression was bashful. “You’re just saying that.”

“Hey, you remember how often I messaged you late at night asking your second opinion on something,” I laughed.

“But you were usually right,” Twilight pointed out, now looking right at me. “You were rarely wrong.”

“Maybe,” I shrugged, “but I was wrong occasionally. I don’t know if I would’ve done as well without your help.”

She reached over to give me a strong hug. “Well I was happy to do it. Anything for my BSBFF.”

I hugged her back. “Love you, sis.”

“Love you too.”

Author's Note

In case it wasn't clear from the conversation that T'Lona and Sunset have, time is passing normally on both Equus and Earth. So everything will be synced with the main MLP timeline. Why did I do this? Because MLP is so nebulous about when Sunset was Celestia's student, I had to pick some kind of year to nail down when precisely she existed, and since I wanted the sisterly relationship, I needed to keep them close in age. Hence Sunset gets delayed on the way to Earth while Twilight has no such thing happen.

Because of the nature of this AU, the normal Equestria Girls alternates cannot exist. However, I still wanted to acknowledge them in this story, with one character(And only one character.) It took a while for me to decide, but I ultimately settled on Alma Smith, AKA a version of Applejack. Why? Well, there are many reasons, and most of them are spoilers, so I shan't say.

I do need to emphasize she is based upon Applejack but is not Applejack.

As for why Sunset is an engineer, this is an extension of headcanon I've had for Sunset for some time. This has manifested in a similar way in other stories of mine, such as In Harmony's Wake, where she had bachelor's in mechanical engineering. Basically, I took the way in which she chose to test everyone's magic pre-Friendship Games and ran with that as an approach that said she liked the practical aspects of magic and technology. She likes to see how it works, make it work, that sort of thing. Hence, engineer.

Doctor Paul Manheim is a reference to a season one TNG episode called "We'll Always Have Paris." You can read more in the link to Memory Alpha.

Why so much love for the New Orleans class? Because it's one of those kitbash designs that never got to really be seen in the show, but that's super super cool. Just take a look at this:

So cool. You know how they accomplished those three pods with the studio kitbash model? They were dollar store highlighters, painted grey. If you can do that and make something look good, you know you've got a great design.

One other thing you may be noticing is that this story has been establishing a lot of original characters. While a few of these are the one-offs you'd expect, many of them will have important parts to play in the future, and we're getting to see them a bit at a time. Don't worry, it's all intentional.

And for those who are worried that Sunset's posting to the Enterprise means this is going to turn into one massive "And Sunset was there too," story, don't. It doesn't. Like I said before in the comments, this is Sunset and Twilight's story. Her posting to the Enterprise won't last forever.

Season 1 Episode 4: "Ensign Shimmer"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S01E04

“Ensign Shimmer”

“Personal log, stardate 46001.0

I am on my way to the U.S.S. Enterprise to report for my first assignment. I’m going to be honest: I’m pretty nervous. No, scratch that: I’m downright terrified. A posting to the Enterprise at the personal request of the Commander LaForge? Both absolute legends in their own right? I'm not even onboard yet and I can feel the pressure bearing down on me. Anyway, since I am going to the Enterprise I promised Wesley I would pass along a message to his mother, who is the ship's Chief Medical Officer. He told me that the senior staff of the ship are all nice people, easy to get along with. I hope he’s right.”

Tapping a single button on the shuttlecraft panel to end the log, I sat back in my chair and sighed, glaring at the slow moving stars outside the shuttlecraft main viewer. “Would’ve been nice if the Enterprise had waited until after we were aboard to leave.”

Of course I wasn’t privy to why they left. All I was told was that the Enterprise was recalled due to some priority situation, and abruptly left for Devidia II, a planet on the far side of the Federation. Meanwhile, I was stuck in this dinky warp five shuttle crawling my way to a starbase to meet up with them. And I wasn’t alone.

“Ah, come on, Shimmer, it ain’t so bad,” said Alma Smith. She must’ve turned a few heads after our first year, because she was assigned to the Enterprise too. Roommates once again. Evidently her specialty of xeno agriculture required a lot of starship-based laboratory testing. On the one hoof, it’d be great to have a roommate I knew, and for that matter, liked. On the other hoof, sometimes… Smith could be a little too friendly.

“Look all Ah’m sayin’ is, this gives us some more time to catch up. Ah haven’t seen you ‘cept in passin’ in three years.”

I reached out with a hoof and patted her on one tanned hand. “I hear you, Smith.” Sighing, I laid back in my chair, then shrugged. “Well, Twilight's starting at the Academy in a month or so. Parents are both doing fine. Otherwise, pretty much the same daily grind as you for the last few years. Just different classes is all.”

A curious, doubtful look crossed her face for a moment, then she shrugged. “Well, mah brother Max has been doin’ real well in the Ivor Prime colony. Helped ‘em reap a really good harvest this year. They’re one of them smaller colonies that don’t have enough spare energy for replicators all the time, but he's keepin' them goin'.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I remember doing a project on a colony like that for one of my second-year classes. Most Federation colonies prefer to start with agriculture and basic industry first and work their way back up to replicators afterwards. Easier that way. Less chance of suddenly starving.”

“Eeyup,” Smith said. “‘Specially since they’re far enough away Ah gotta wait a good couple of weeks just to hear a subspace message. Ain’t no easy thing sometimes.”

“What about Floryn?”

She started. “Mah little sister? She’s alright. She’s still at home with our Granny. Ah think she said she’d prefer to stay on Earth rather than leave the planet like Max and Ah did. But Ah keep hearin’ her say somethin’ different every time Ah talk to her, so who knows?”

I chuckled at that. I remembered meeting Floryn once. Little thing was barely taller than I was at the time, with her shock of red hair streaming down around her shoulders and a big giant red bow hanging off the back, like she was a walking holiday present. She ran all over the place too, never sitting still, always too much energy. And like her sister, she was far smarter than she looked. I watched her take one look at a warp field calculation I was struggling with and solve it in moments. Might’ve been a fluke, but she always struck me as sharp.

“Oh, and if you’re wonderin’ about Granny, don’t worry,” Smith continued with a grin on her face. “Mah Granny may be a hundred, but she’s a spry old thing. She’s gonna be one of those who’ve got another fifty years in her.”

“Haha, I’ll bet,” I replied, grinning back.

Several loud beeps emanated from the helm, drawing my attention. I moved forward in a hurry. “Hmm. Looks like we’re being hailed.”

A deep and booming voice filtered through the comms, “Shuttlecraft Sagan, this is the Enterprise. Please acknowledge.”

I pressed down on a key. “Sagan here, Enterprise. Go ahead.”

“Due to new orders, we will be rendezvousing with you within two hours. Adjust your heading to the following coordinates.”

I read out the coordinates and punched them into the ship’s autopilot. "Acknowledged, Enterprise." The shuttle shuddered as it momentarily switched out of warp to modify its heading. “Adjusted course laid in.”

“Understood, Sagan. Enterprise, out.”

“Well that’s a mite strange,” Smith commented as the comms fell silent. “That’s a whole day ahead of schedule. Ah figured we wouldn’t see ‘em till we were at the starbase.”

“Well, it’s the flagship, they’re bound to be all over the place,” I replied, though why was the Enterprise zipping back and forth across the breadth of Federation space this much? Even for the flagship it seemed unusual. Then again, it wasn’t really in my purview to worry about it. As curious as I was, I’d learned a long time ago the importance of chain of command. I’d be told what I needed to know, and what I didn’t need to know, they wouldn’t say.

Smith stood from her seat, stretched out all four limbs with a loud moan, then traipsed her way over to the small food replicator. “Well, Ah don’t know about you, but Ah’m hungry for somethin’.” She turned to the replicator. “Steak and potatoes. Medium.”

“Uuuh… sure, maybe like a sandwich or something,” I said, rolling my eyes. When aren’t you hungry, Smith? I swear, you eat more than a grizzly bear about to hibernate.

She set her steaming plate on the deployable eating table between our chairs, then muttered, “Grilled havarti cheese sandwich on sourdough, and two glasses of water.” Once the replicator finished, she brought out the remaining items and set them down. “Hope that’ll work for you.”

I took a deep whiff, allowing the fresh scent of melted cheese and baked bread to fill my nostrils. Since it was a shuttlecraft replicator, this struck me as more of an imitation, like the equivalent of cheap fast food versus a home cooked meal. But it still hit the spot even so. “It’s good, thanks. I’m surprised you remembered my favorite kind.”

“Ah only watched you eat it, what, a good hundred times or so?” She dove into her steak, frowning at the taste. “Ah wish they’d put decent resolution replicators in these shuttles.”

“It’s energy efficient,” I replied, injecting just enough smarm into my tone to get Smith’s eye twitching. “These shuttles aren’t exactly luxury liners.”

“Ah know that, Shimmer,” she grunted, letting out another wordless growl when she heard me laugh. “Ah’m just sayin’, it don’t taste that good. ‘Least the Enterprise oughtta have better ones.”

“If they bother giving us lowly Ensigns decent ones, that is,” I quipped.

She dropped her fork and stared at me. “Ah hope you’re jokin’. Ah dunno if Ah could put up with this kind of food for however long it takes to make JG.”

I stared right back, deliberately taking long, slow bites out of poor quality sandwich, swallowed, then said, “Actually, I already checked the specs. They use one with ten times higher resolution than these for the enlisted personnel, let alone the officers. We’ll be fine.”

“Phew!” She slumped in her chair, took a long drink of water, then went back to eating. “Thank goodness. You had me worried there for a second, Shimmer.”

“It’s because you’re too easy,” I said, finishing off my sandwich. I gulped down my water, then tossed my plate and glass back into the replicator and watched them dissolve into nothing. “I remember that much.”

We kept up a comfortable chat after that, whittling away the time. Two hours passed like nothing, and soon the autopilot signaled for my attention. “Bringing us out of warp,” I said as I entered the commands.

The stars before us shrank into dots, a white flash, and then we were in open space. “Looks like the Enterprise is hailin’ us again,” Smith said.

“Enterprise to Sagan. We will be there momentarily. As soon as we arrive, you are cleared to dock in Main Shuttlebay.”

“Acknowledged, Enterprise,” I said.

A bright flash lit up the viewscreen just seconds later and the Enterprise seemed to burst into existence before us, as if it had just completed the largest teleportation spell in existence. Its vast size dominated our shuttlecraft, like a blue whale next to a guppy. Every part of the ship screamed top of the line engineering. “Look at that,” I breathed, a happy giggle tickling my throat. “Beautiful as ever, isn’t she?”

“I'll say,” Smith said, staring in awe. Unlike me she hadn’t had the opportunity to see the Enterprise up close a couple of years ago during its repairs at McKinley Station. “She sure is.”

“Tell you what,” I said, taking over control from the autopilot, "we'll take the long way around to the shuttlebay."

We inched along on thruster power, passing over the forward edge of the massive saucer section, then following the thin 'neck' of the ship to the stardrive section before slowly looping up and over the enormous twin nacelles. All the while Alma's focus never left the viewscreen, her eyes glazed over like a foal in a candy store.

A sudden beep from the comms unit startled us both. "Enterprise to Sagan."

I fumbled for the open channel button for a moment. "Sagan here."

"Do you need directions?"

Alma and I looked at each other, both our faces as red as beets.

"No, sir! Switching to RCS thrusters for final approach now."

"Good. Enterprise out." The deep voice betrayed no emotion, but that didn't calm my blood pressure one bit.

The massive bay door slid open, revealing a two-level room large enough to give Starfleet Academy’s auditorium a run for its money. I counted at least two dozen shuttles of various types parked in bays throughout, with people and smaller maintenance drones buzzing around in every direction .

As soon as we passed through the blue tinted forcefield holding in the bay’s atmosphere, a tractor beam took hold and guided us down into an open landing bay. We waited patiently for the ship to come to a halt, then I turned over control, allowing the engine core to shut down. “Well, here we go, Smith,” I said as I grabbed my duffel bag and slipped it on.

We stepped out of the hatch together, met by a dour-faced Klingon wearing lieutenant’s pips. I recognized him instantly; the first Klingon in Starfleet, and the one who’d spoken to us over comms. “Sir!” I said, coming to attention. “Ensigns Shimmer and Smith, reporting as ordered.”

He grimaced. “At ease, Ensigns. I am Lieutenant Worf. I was asked to… personally escort you, by your department heads. Follow me.”

Glancing at Smith, who shrugged, I proceeded to follow Worf across the massive deck of the Main Shuttlebay for a good few minutes before we reached the corridor and a turbolift. “Deck 31,” he barked, and the turbolift whisked us off. “I also have for you here your duty rosters.” He handed over two PADDs. “Your shifts will start at 0800 tomorrow, ship’s time.”

“Thank you, sir,” I said, tucking mine into my duffel bag. “Computer, current time?”

“1645.”

“Guess that means we’ll have a bit of time to ourselves, then,” Smith commented.

Worf’s expression didn’t change as the turbolift came to a halt, the doors opening. We followed him out through the corridor, till we passed into a particular section. He stopped at a set of doors seemingly at random, though I saw it already featured our names etched onto the door. “These are your quarters. There is the living area with its replicator, and two bedrooms with attached washrooms. Your duty rosters will also contain information necessary to contact the quartermaster, should you need anything.”

“Thank you, sir,” I said with a nod.

“Of course. Is there anything else you need from me?” he inquired, his tone more sour than ever.

I glanced at Smith, who shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

He nodded at that. “Very well. Good day.” He turned to leave.

“Don’t gotta tell me twice,” Smith murmured as she shuffled off into one of the bedrooms, presumably to use the head.

As soon as she disappeared, Worf paused at the threshold to the corridor. “Ensign, a word, please.”

My blood pressure shot through the roof again, my heart hammering. “Sir, about the shuttlecraft--”

He shook his head and waved a hand dismissively. “No, no, that is not what I wish to speak about.” He eyed me for a moment, then his expression softened. “I understand you are the only Equestrian in Starfleet, Ensign.”

My heartbeat slowed from a pell-mell gallop to a hurried canter. “Yes, sir,” I replied, uncertain where he was going with this.

He didn’t respond for a few moments, then he leaned in and said. “Should you find yourself facing too many difficulties due to this, come speak to me. I will do what I can to… assist.”

Huh. Wasn’t expecting an offer like that. All I’d ever heard of this Worf guy was he was, at best, irascible, unlikely to get along with others. Maybe that was wrong. “Yes sir,” I said, nodding. “Understood, sir.”

His mouth contorted in a vague approximation of a smile, then he pulled away and left the room swift as the wind, just in time for Smith to return from the head. “Well, he sure was charmin’,” Smith groused. “Which bedroom you want?”

“Don’t think it matters,” I said with a shrug, choosing the left one at random. I dumped my duffle bag on the bed, emptied it out, and put away my things. I didn’t bring much. Just a few sets of off-duty clothes, a couple of books, and a picture of me with Twi and our moms that I placed next to my bed. It was a moving holo-image of the four of us happily posing, even T'Lona, in front of Niagara Falls that was taken before I'd left. Twilight had her foreleg wrapped around my barrel while I had one hoof atop her head, both of us grinning and laughing. Amina winked while T’Lona stood at ease, staring impassively with a slight smile accompanying the occasional glance towards us.

I knew I’d treasure it. I needed that connection. And already I missed them… I’d been away on a ship before, yes, but that had always been temporary. Now, I probably wouldn’t see them again for at least a good solid year or longer. Though the situation wasn’t that different from being at the Academy… the distance gnawed at me all the same.

“Feelin’ blue ‘cause you miss ‘em, huh?”

I turned and saw Smith standing in my bedroom doorway, a sympathetic smile on her face. “Yeah… yeah I do. Just a little.”

“Ah hear ya on that one, sugarcube,” Smith replied, her smile replaced with a frown. “Listen, Ah think Ah’m gonna stretch my legs, maybe check out this Ten-Forward Ah’ve heard about. You wanna come along?”

“Mmm…” I shook my head. “No. I want to study my duty roster, familiarize myself better.

Smith raised an eyebrow. “Fine, fine. Ah’ll see you later then.” She disappeared out the door.

I examined my duty roster. Nothing too terribly surprising. I was assigned to Bravo Shift, so my usual shift would involve 1200-2000, roughly speaking, plus whatever extra duties I get assigned. Tomorrow would start at 0800 though, thanks to an additional four hours of orientation, meetings, and mandatory safety and operational training. It’d suck to have a twelve hour shift, but that’s part and parcel of Starfleet.

I moved on to studying some maps of the ship, learning the corridor layouts and memorizing where everything important was. Then I found other ways to utilize my time, until I’d been sitting there for so long, my muscles so stiff and tight I needed to get moving.

Hopping off my bed, I stretched out my limbs, savoring the pops and crackles. “Maybe I should visit the gym,” I muttered. “Computer, time?”

“2037.”

“Okay, no, too late for the gym. Guess Ten-Forward’s as good a choice as any.” I left my quarters and popped into the nearest turbolift. “Ten-Forward.”

After a few moments, the turbolift came to a halt and slid open, dumping me out into a corridor that, if not for the number plaque on the wall across from the turbolift doors, would look identical to every other corridor on the ship. I turned a corner and let the faint sound of music and laughter guide meto the lounge. Two large wooden doors, each featuring a Starfleet logo etched into the integrated round windows, swished open upon my approach. Inside I found a large lounge with a smattering of patrons.

Naturally as soon as one of the civilians spotted me, she pointed at me and whispered to her table mates. The whispers took barely a moment or two before everyone in the room was looking my way out of curiosity, a few with stars in their eyes and hands raised as if ready to pet or stroke. As often as I received this reaction whenever I entered a new place that was unfamiliar with my existence, it never ceased to be annoying. I’m not a freaking cat, damn it.

So I took my usual tack of waving to everyone once, then promptly ignoring them and walking up to sit at the bar. The stools were a bit high for me, but after eleven years of coping I’d learned how to self-levitate just enough to get me up and seated. “Bartender, can I have an ale, please?”

“Certainly,” spoke the bartender, a dark-skinned human woman in a deep royal purple dress wearing the largest, most excessive hat I’d ever seen. Seriously, the thing was like a good two meters in diameter! And yet somehow, it fit her perfectly, complementing her warm demeanor and rich velvety voice.

Then she focused her eyes on me, and my heart stopped.

It was like looking at Princess Celestia. She bore the same mixture of kindness and care, seemingly young, but behind it all lay ancient wisdom. Whoever this woman was, she wasn’t human like I thought. No human could ever live long enough to gain that level of wisdom in their eyes. “Who are you?” I whispered.

She smiled, a few wrinkles crinkling her otherwise youthful face. “I’m Guinan. I’m the bartender here. Well, one of them. And you must be Sunset Shimmer, right?” Her smile grew, showing her pearly white teeth. “I’ve heard about you from a few folks. You’re pretty unique.”

“I’m not the only one,” I replied, finding myself relaxing despite my initial unease. She was no threat. She meant no harm, in any fashion. Quite the opposite, in fact.

She chuckled as she brought out my ale and set it on the bar. “Very true. Not a lot of people can tell that about me from just a single look.”

I muttered a quick thanks, took a pull of the ale, then said, “You’re not the first person I’ve met who’s a lot older than they look.”

Guinan laughed at that, rich and hearty, but with a tang of bitterness, like dark chocolate. Not a lot. Just a bit bitter. Just enough to be tainted by centuries of experiences, some more negative than others. Something I only noticed because I was paying attention. “Well. Been a while since someone said that to my face. I like your candor.” She ducked under the bar just long enough to fetch a cleaning cloth, then went about wiping the bar down. “So, I’ve heard about you, but not a lot of details. What’s your story?”

I found myself opening up to Guinan, telling her all about my past. When I got to the subject of Princess Celestia, Guinan nodded in complete understanding. “Ah, so that’s how you knew. She sounds like a pony I’d like to get to know sometime.”

“She’s certainly... interesting,” I admitted. A bitter taste filled my mouth, like it always did whenever this subject came up. “We didn’t part on good terms.”

“And I’ll bet you regret that,” Guinan said, leaning over the bar. She’d long since put her cloth away, and only occasionally bustled away to assist another customer before returning to our conversation.

A dry chuckle escaped my lips. I was on my third mug of ale now, but I could still focus clearly. Thank you synthehol. “I don’t like to admit it, but… yeah. I do. I’m hoping one day I’ll get the chance to make up for it.”

Guinan nodded at that, and held up a hand to gesture with. “You know, I'm pretty good at reading people too. And I see an ensign who knows what she wants and won't let anything stand in the way of her accomplishing her goals. So yeah, I think you'll get the chance to make up for it--" her pause made me stop mid-sip, "but not as soon as you might want."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Guinan shrugged. "Just a sense, is all. Kind of a thing with my people."

I drained the rest of my ale and set the glass down. “Thank you, Guinan. I think… I think I’m going to head back to my quarters. I’ve got some thinking to do. See you later.”

I trotted out the door and made my way back to my quarters in a hurry. Not out of any sort of distress. Guinan… she’d been wonderful to talk to. A lot like Belle, though not in the same way, not really. She was no therapist. She just listened well.

And she never did answer the question of what she was. Briefly, I considered looking her up in the ship’s computer since she’d be part of the manifest. But after considering it, I rejected the notion. I’d be invading her privacy for no good reason.

So, to clear my head, I decided to record a message to my family. “Hey Twilight, Mother, Mom. I made it safely aboard the Enterprise. First shift is tomorrow. I’m excited! And a little scared. But mostly excited. Also met someone interesting aboard. Her name is Guinan. She’s the bartender in Ten-Forward, and she’s… a really good listener. I think you’d like her. Well, gotta go. Talk to you soon.” I made sure to submit that to be sent off with the morning’s comm traffic.

Then I went straight back into familiarizing myself with the Enterprise. I didn’t want to disappoint La Forge and I hadn’t had a chance to meet him yet. So when I did, I wanted to make sure I proved his faith in me.

The next morning saw me standing at the master systems display, waiting patiently while staring across the deck at the pulsating warp core. The blue light streamed up and down the main housing, coalescing in the center, the intermix chamber, calling to me. I tried to resist but the siren song of it lured me in. I approached the warp core and laid a hoof upon it, allowing the vibrations to flow through me. It tingled, just a bit, as I passed my hoof down over towards the dilithium chamber.

“Everyone does that their first time in here,” spoke a pleasant, charming masculine voice from my right.

“Huh?!” I turned to be met by the smiling face of Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge, a face I’d recognize anywhere, especially with his signature VISOR. He was accompanied by a taller human man with pale skin, somewhat balding, with a perpetual twitch to his movements and a constant edge of fear underlying his gaze. La Forge let out a chuckle at my panicked response. “Relax, Ensign. You’re fine.”

I flashed him a strained smile back and tried to fight off the blush on my cheeks. “Y-yes, sir.”

La Forge gestured to the other officer. “This is Lieutenant Barclay. He’ll be helping you with most of your orientation.”

“I-it’s a pleasure to m-meet you,” Barclay said, roughly sticking out a hand in my general direction.

Trying not to laugh, or roll my eyes, I took it and shook it. “Likewise, sir.” Turning to La Forge, I gave him a soft smile and offered my hoof to shake. “And sir, if I may, I want to thank you for offering me this post. I wasn’t expecting to work on the flagship of all places right out of the Academy!”

Grinning, La Forge shook my hoof once then let it drop. "It was an easy call. Your Academy record speaks for itself. Just remember, out here is the real deal. The only do-overs we get are on the holodeck."

“Yes, sir,” I said, grinning back.

La Forge beckoned with a hand towards the warp core. “So, I’m sure you’ve familiarized yourself with the blueprints, but there’s nothing like getting a first hand look.” He proceeded to point out various consoles and positions, having me ID them, nodding favorably to each of my answers. Then we returned to the core itself. “Go ahead,” he said, gesturing to it. “Place your hoof on it again.”

I did as requested, feeling that same tingle I felt before. “Like touching a beating heart, only a lot less creepy,” I murmured.

La Forge chuckled at that. “Not exactly poetry, but I hear you. The Enterprise is the best ship I’ve ever worked on.” Then he looked at me, adopting a more business like expression. “I understand you specialized in antimatter power and dilithium regulators, right?”

“Yes sir,” I answered.

“Good, so that’s where Barclay’s going to begin with you. I need to get back to my own work.” He started to step away, then halted. “Oh, and Ensign? Welcome aboard.” Giving me one last grin, he walked off towards an office-like area separated by a tall glass wall.

“He’s a g-great man, don’t you think?” Barclay said, drawing my attention back to him. He tried to lean against the closest wall, but missed with his arm and nearly fell over, saved only by my quick reflexes with my horn.

“He seems like it,” I said, a note of irritation crossing my voice. What did this guy do to deserve being here? He’s barely qualified to be in Starfleet! “What’s next, sir?”

“Ah, w-well,” Barclay stammered, pulling at his collar. He brought up a PADD in his hands, then pointed towards a nearby tool cabinet.

What proceeded was a painful two or three hours stuck with a bumbling buffoon who didn’t deserve to wear the uniform, far as I was concerned. Oh he was a nice guy. He meant well. But how did he pass psychological exams? I had Twilight Sparkle for a little sister, so I understood anxiety. But this guy made Twilight look like the most level-headed mare in the entire Federation! Still, like I said, he wasn’t a bad person. I just didn’t like having to take orders from him.

Then he introduced me to the officers and enlisted I’d be working with on a day to day basis. For the most part, they were what I expected, professionals ready to perform their duties. Then he got to the last one, and I had to take a step back in shock. “Savil?”

The grumpy-faced Vulcan hadn’t changed a bit as he glared at me, one eyebrow arched in mute surprise. “Sunset Shimmer. Seeing you aboard the Enterprise is… unexpected.”

“Good to see you too,” I growled. Hearing his snide tone filled me with irritation. He’d never forgiven me for that science fair victory, and despite my attempt at an apology he only grew more insufferable in his last days at school. Then my eyes caught sight of the second pip on his collar, and I unclenched my jaw enough to say the final word in a kinder manner: “sir.”

“Oh, you two a-already know each other?” Barclay asked, an unwarranted smile coming to his face. “Good, good. Well, that’s good because you’ll be working together with him on your first duty detail, Ensign Shimmer. Here are your assignments. Get to it.”

“Aye, sir,” I said, glaring at Savil the whole while. He stared back impassively, the only sign of emotion that I could read being the way he sniffed as he inhaled with his nostrils.

Savil stared at me for a moment longer, then indicated an arm in the direction of the nearest jefferies tube. “We will be performing repairs on several maintenance junctions. You will precede me.” He handed over a container of tools.

Like the professional I’d been trained to be, I took the tools, muttered an affirmation, then proceeded to climb the ladder into the jefferies tube. At least I could stand up in them without scraping my horn on the ceiling. Sometimes.

This was going to be a long first week.

My first day at Starfleet Academy? The school I’d wanted to attend for eight years?

It sucked.

Sunset warned me about the screaming the shouting, the far too early wake-up call after being kept up half the night just to be purposely exhausted the next day. All part of standard military training. Shining… I don’t remember a lot about him anymore, but I do remember he once told me the Royal Guard's training was the same way. Or even worse, since they made him sleep at a desk. They didn’t do that to us, at least they haven't yet.

But I expected all that. I could cope with all of that. What I hadn’t expected was the way everyone looked at me. Like I was some pretender, a carbon copy of my sister. Especially the older cadets, the ones who’d been around while she was. They’d ask me questions or act a certain way around me and expect I'd react as she did as if I was a discolored version of her.

Then I finally met my roommate later that evening. I had hoped I could build some sort of rapport with someone and find at least one friend among my peers.

Of course I was wrong. Completely, totally wrong.

When I met her, staring up at her stoic, unmoving face, skin the color of darkened bronze, eyes of chocolate brown with short strung hair to match, fear raked its icy claws down my back. The look in her eyes. Cold didn’t cut it. Arctic didn’t match. They were dead. Like she didn’t care at all.

“H-hi,” I said, attempting a smile while I put my best hoof forward for a shake. “I’m Twilight Sparkle. It’s good to meet you.”

She stared at my hoof and frowned. “Maia. Kelia Maia." She spoke in an icy tone as she shrugged past my hoof, "and don’t touch me,” she added.

The harsh rejection stung, threatening to break through the last of the barriers I’d thrown up and cause me to break into tears. But I managed to choke back my sad response, “of course,” and retreated to my side of the room.

The next few days grew more difficult each day, and so I buried myself into my work. I focused on things like Starfleet's rules and regulations, early Starfleet history, or even elementary temporal mechanics. And I lost myself in the numbers of fractal calculus. I tried, more than once, to convince Maia to study with me, since we had the same classes our first term. But she refused.

Then came our first day of dedicated physical training. We were all required to log at least an hour of physical activity every day, but every week, one day was set aside during the first term for proper physical fitness. This took many forms; varying based on the cadet, their species, and their preferences. For my part, I elected to focus on an expansion of my magical abilities, mixing it in with martial arts. In my dim memories of my former life in Equestria, I once read a book on unicorn fighting tactics in the Royal Guard, and since some form of CQC training was required, I thought it’d be a good way to reach back into my past. To try and find some sort of connection.

Any kind of connection, even to a past I could hardly remember anymore, would’ve been helpful at that point. I hadn’t seen Mother or Mom once, despite them working at the Academy. If it was for a few moments, if only long enough for them to say, “Cadet,” and nod at me, I needed it.

So color me surprised when Maia joined me and a few others practicing exotic martial arts. Exotic in the sense that we each had our own unique requirements, such as the trio of Edosian cadets whose six limbed forms meant they needed to practice with each other, and the Phylosian and Vendorian cadets who used tentacles in a way that reminded me of some of Sunset’s or Cadeneza's favorite off-color jokes.

“Sparkle,” Maia greeted me, halting me in the middle of a rearward force-charged buck. “What are you doing?”

I allowed the magic on my hooves to dissipate and scowled at her. “Martial arts with magic. What does it look like I’m doing?”

Maia frowned at me. “Magic. You mean your... abilities.”

Ah, yes, the disdain for the word magic. I’d grown used to hearing people express doubt every time the word was used. Mother and Mom had long since adjusted. They recognized that, whatever science was behind it, the term magic was perfectly fine. It was descriptive. It made sense. My abilities are magic. Not mystical, ephemeral, unknowable whatever crap that humans and a lot of other species seemed to have in their cultural mythologies. But real, clearly defined, mathematically based expressions of energy manipulated to perform various tasks that follow experimentally validated rules, just like any other scientific phenomena.

It’d become far worse at the Academy. I’d mentioned it a few times in classes already, and every time my fellow Cadets would snicker, or outright laugh while the drill instructors used it as an excuse to dismiss every one of my successes. Sunset hadn’t mentioned people acting like that when it came to her own magic, but then… Sunset and I looked at magic a little differently. For her, it was a tool she used when needed, But for me… for me it is a part of who I am. Just like reading and learning.

Maybe it was a selfish part of me who refused to let go of what little remained from my old life in Equestria. But even if that was true… I don’t care. It matters to me, and I'll be damned if I let anyone else take that away from me.

So, Maia's words enraged me. They lit a fire I never even knew I had. “No,” I hissed, taking a few steps back and drawing myself up as if I was prepared to strike at her. “It’s magic. M-A-G-I-C. Magic. That’s what it’s called.”

Maia snorted while her eyes studied me like a book. She narrowed her eyes and brought her hands up. “You really wanna challenge me?”

“You know what?” I shot back, my frustration of the past week churning and boiling over inside.“Yeah. Yeah, I am.” A flare of magic built up in my horn, encasing all four hooves in charged energy.

A savage grin split her face, the first one I’d seen her sport. “Sounds like fun,” she said with a malicious chuckle. “Bring it.”

Somehow, that eagerness only stirred my anger even more. I exploded with rage, screaming at the top of my lungs as I charged at her, ducking under her initial swooping kick, pivoting on my forelegs to fire off a rearward buck right to her ribs. The added force from the magic sent her sprawling onto the mat.

To my surprise, however, she barely gasped, turned her fall into a roll and sprung back up onto her feet in an instant. That savage grin of hers only grew. She widened her stance, squatting down on her knees so she could meet me at my height better. “I hope that’s not all you’ve got, Sparkle,” she said.

“Not even close,” I snarled and charged again. I watched her, expecting her to dodge, or attempt to redirect my strike. But she didn’t. She took another rearward buck straight to the chin this time, and collapsed to the mat in a boneless heap.

Worried I’d actually injured her, and severely at that, I paused, bent down to poke at her with one forehoof.

Then she snaked a hand out, gripped me about the belly, and in one quick motion had me pinned into the mat with a free hand ready to strike my throat.“You actually fell for that? Pathetic.”

“Get off me!” I roared, and wrapped her in my telekinetic field, tossing her off. That caught her by surprise, but to her credit she landed back on her feet. I used the chance to stand and observe. We circled each other, waiting for the other to make a move until finally, she struck first, with several sharp kicks intended to sweep me off my hooves. I blocked each one with a single, quarter second shield spell, a derivation of the Aegis spell Sunset and I developed when we first practiced some martial arts techniques Mother helped us adapt from ones made for humanoids. It acted as an equivalent to blocking with an arm, except without the risk of injury.

Maia twitched her eyebrows at this and backed off, saving her from my retaliating forward kick. Not for the first time I wished I had the dexterity of some of the guards I’d seen practicing with Shiny, who were able to rear up on their rear legs and temporarily take on a minotaur. But being low set had distinct advantages of its own. Moves and counters raced through my head as I sought a new line of attack; something to really throw Maia off her game.

"Thinking of how best to quit, egghead?" she snarled, spitting the last word out of her mouth.

'Egghead'. I hadn't heard that insult since magic kindergarten. Nothing anyone could say to me will ever infuriate me as much as that word. If my blood ran hot before, now it boiled hotter than a plasma conduit.

A plan coalesced in my head. I shot her a predatory grin as I prepared to charge again. "No, just thinking of new ways to kick your ass!"

As I expected she leapt to the side, lashing out with a sweep of her leg intended to knock me off my hooves when I bucked. She grunted when my feint allowed me to duck under her sweeping leg and push off the ground, using my back like a lever to send her down face first into the mat.

It was only while waiting for her to get up that I realized we’d garnered some attention. More than a few people had stopped in their own exercises to watch us fight, while one of the drill instructors kept his eyes locked on us, seemingly ready to intervene at any time.

For some reason that just infuriated me more. It gnawed at me, reminded me far too much of the gaping, pointing, shouting crowds from when I first arrived on Earth. So once Maia was back on her feet, I took several steps away, and charged up my horn, this time prepared to use proper combat spells.

She wiped a small trickle of blood off her lips and eyed me curiously, her sadistic grin still firmly in place. “What’re you about to do there, Sparkle?” she asked, her tone full of anticipatory glee.

I sent another surge of magic into my horn and a circle of ten arcane bolts materialized in a glowing circle above my head, each one flickering like candles in an unseen wind. Several gasps rang out from the crowd, all of whom stepped back to give us more space. "I'm going to show you what my abilities can really do."

Then I fired the first force bolt.

It careened towards Maia, who made no effort to move away, instead raising up both her arms to cross in front of her face. The blast of magical energy splattered against her arms, eliciting a grunt as she skidded backwards by about a meter. Then she lowered her arms and examined them, arching an eyebrow when she saw they’d been burned, the equivalent of a mild sunburn. “That hurt a bit,” she admitted, her grin dropping momentarily before returning stronger than ever. “Don’t hold back, Sparkle.”

“Fine.” I fired my second one, and this time she bounced to the side, letting it splash against the mat instead, dangerously close to one of our onlookers. I fired two more bolts at her as she ran around the edge of the mat, each one just missing her in her wake.

Frustrated, I switched tactics, and fired two ahead of her and two behind her. As I expected she stopped still, just long enough for me to fire the remaining four right into her. She shrieked as they battered her across the side and into her stomach, sending her hurtling several meters onto the far side of the mat.

Unwilling to let up now, I ran forward, charging up for a fresh magical assault, a derivation of a sleep spell that Sunset liked to describe as “a phaser analogue.” She didn’t move, grunting and moaning from the pain I’d inflicted on her, and I found myself smirking in satisfaction.

I never registered the kick that struck the base of my horn, which flooded my vision in white, dissolved my magic, and filled the room with my screams. I tried to focus through the pain, to summon fresh magic to raise a shield, to push her away, to do something, anything. But the only thing it'd do was fizzle and bring even more pain than the two kicks to the side of my head that was followed by a chop to my neck.

My legs buckled yet she still didn’t stop. She struck my both forelegs with a kick while driving her elbow into my spine as I collapsed onto the mat. I could barely register her flipping me onto my back, but I definitely felt her knee drive into my throat as she gripped my jaw with one hand while grabbing my horn in the other. “This was a lot of fun, Sparkle." She laughed while my vision swam and greyed. She leaned down and whispered, “but you had no idea what you were messing--”

“That is enough!” barked the drill instructor.“Break it up before I land both your asses in the brig!”

Maia let go and stepped back, her grin vanishing at once, replaced by the impassive, stoney face that was her norm. “Yes, sir,” she said.

I groaned, tears running down my face from the excruciating headache ringing in my skull. A coppery tang filled my mouth, causing me to spit out a huge glob of blood onto the mat. My whole body ached, and when I tried to get up onto my left foreleg I shrieked, only then realizing she’d broken the ankle. A quick test proved she’d done the same to the other one, and judging from the numbing tingles working their way down the lower half of my body, she’d done some hefty damage to my spine, too.

For once, I saw a look of concern and sympathy on the drill instructor’s face. He frowned and tapped his communicator. “Medical emergency, gymnasium.”

“On our way, sir.”

He bent down and patted my shoulder. “Sit tight, Sparkle. Help’s on the way.” Then he shot up, whirled on his heels and screamed in Maia’s face. “What the hell is wrong with you, cadet?! You came this close to killing Sparkle!”

Maia remained unmoving, like a statue. “I defended myself, sir,” she said.

“Defended yourself, bullshit!” he roared, jabbing a finger at her face. “I know what Cadet Sparkle is capable of. I’ve seen the reports. She never even came close to causing you lethal harm and you know that! If she really wanted to hurt you, you’d be burnt to a crisp right now and not even Leonard McCoy’s cryin’ ghost could save your ass!”

Maia's stoney face cracked as a dark scowl like blackest midnight filled her eyes. “Then she should have done so while she had the chance.”

The instructor reeled back and made a fist with his hand, as if about to punch Maia in the face. But he held back, and leaned in to growl at her instead. “The only reason I’m not about to drum you out of this Academy right now is the same reason as to why you got into it in the first place. But, if you keep pulling this kind of shit, I don’t care what Ishihara says about you, you won’t have a place in my Academy, is that clear, cadet?!”

“Sir, I--”

“Is. That. Clear?!”

Maia took a step back, then bowed her head. “Yes, sir.”

The instructor snorted. “Good. Now you’re going to accompany Sparkle to the infirmary, and you will watch over her while they treat her, and you will not budge from her side until she is safely ensconced in her quarters, is that understood?”

“Yes, sir,” Maia murmured.

The sounds of several pairs of boots clomping on the floor preceded the whirring, humming noise of an anti-gravity stretcher and several nurses in Starfleet blue rushing in. The warbling trill of a medical tricorder washed over me as a pale human face with green eyes and rich red hair came into view. “Don’t you worry there, lassie,” she said in a kind, rich voice laden with an accent even my hobbled mind could tell was Scottish. “I’ll have you taken care of in a jiffy. Get her on the cart.”

“W-who?” I murmured as the other two nurses carefully placed a sheet under me then used that to lift me onto the cart.

“Doctor Sarah May,” she responded as she stood up and directed the other nurses out the door. “And you’d be Twilight Sparkle, is that right? I’ve heard a lot about you from your sister. I treated Shimmer more than a few times while she was here at the Academy.”

I glanced around my surroundings as we made our way through the corridors, and stiffened when I realized Maia was right by my side, as ordered, staring down at me with an unreadable expression. “Y-yeah,” I murmured. “Yeah, that’s me.”

She smiled down at me and patted the cart. “Now then, let’s get you into the infirmary. Get some proper scans goin’.”

Barely a moment later we passed through another pair of doors, into the Academy’s infirmary. Due to the size of the Academy, the infirmary was closer to a hospital in its own right than a mere clinic, and I was quickly taken into an examination room and transferred from the cart onto a biobed. A larger full body scanner clipped itself into place above me and beeped to life as high fidelity images of my body appeared on the surrounding screens.

May brought a medical tricorder back over me and ran the hand scanner up and around my head a few times. “Mmm, I was afraid of that. You’ve got a pretty nasty concussion. I’m surprised you aren’t unconscious right now.”

“Kinda… kinda want to sleep,” I answered, my eyes fluttering closed.

She reached over and snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Sorry, not quite yet, lass. You’ve got more than a few injuries elsewise I’m worried about. You’ve got some bruising to your lower spine and, well your horn doesn’t look good.”

I gasped, fear overriding the pain rolling through my body. “My, my horn, it’s not--”

May winced. “No, sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean, you might be out of action for a few days. Let me see what I can do. I’m going to keep the scanner on your head while I fix those broken ankles of yours.”

She bustled about, picking up a bone-knitter, then carefully held up my right ankle. “This might sting a bit. I don’t want to give you anything for the pain, not yet, so just hold still.” I hissed as the knitter went to work- a sensation like dozens of tiny bees stinging me on the inside. But after a few moments, the pain faded, and I found I could move my ankle again. It still stung quite a bit, but the excruciating pain had vanished. “Aye, that’s much better. Let’s get the other one now.”

Once she finished with my other ankle, she went back to the scanner checking on my head injury. “Right. So, it’s not as bad as I thought at first. Looks like you’ll just have to rest your horn for the rest of the day. Same with your head and back.” She moved away from me for a moment then returned with three small devices, which she attached to my head, one on each temple, and then the third about halfway down my back. “These’ll help you recover quicker, so by morning you should be right as rain. Don’t mess with them now. And don’t use your horn, for anythin’. Not even basic telekinesis, understand?”

“O-okay,” I said, sighing. Without my horn, there’d be very little I could do at all that didn’t use voice commands with the computer. Too much of the technology required hands, hands I didn’t have.

May then reached for a hypospray, adjusted its settings, then pressed it to my neck. “This should help with the pain, and will help you stay awake for a few hours. I don’t want you sleeping any sooner than 1800, understood?”

The drugs went to work immediately, prying my eyes open better than a cup of raktajino, and soothing away most of the pain too. “Yes, ma’am,” I said, able to nod now.

“All right then. You should be able to stand,” May said, opening up the scanner so I could move. “Careful now. One leg at a time.”

Slowly, cautiously, I moved off the biobed and stood shakily on my hooves. In the process I caught sight of Maia, who continued to stare at me with the same unreadable expression. I avoided her gaze and focused on the Doctor. “Thank you, ma’am,” I said, struggling to stand to an approximation of attention.

“Oh don’t be doing that now,” she chided with a gentle smile. “I’m not one of your instructors. You don’t need to be salutin’ me every time you come into the infirmary.”

I blinked in confusion at that. “But… Starfleet officers don’t salute.”

She chortled at that, a beautiful, bubbling laugh like a fountain of water gurgling in a city square. “Right you are, cadet. Right you are. Well, you’re to head straight back to your quarters and rest for the day. I’ll make a note. But I’d rather you retain an observer. Cadet Maia!”

Maia stiffened and looked to the Doctor. “Yes, ma’am?”

“I’m assignin’ you to watch over Cadet Sparkle for the rest of the day, you understand?” May gave her a disapproving look. “And I don’t want to be hearin’ about you doin’ anythin’ else to her either. You get to be her hands for today.”

Maia nodded once, but to my surprise she showed no sign of frustration or irritation. She simply showed obedience. “Of course, ma’am.”

May arched an eyebrow. “Good. Now, come here, and let me take care of your burns.” A few quick passes of a dermal regenerator later, and Maia’s injuries were healed. “Better. Off you go now, the both of you.”

I turned to leave, still unsteady on my hooves.

“Oh, and Sparkle?” came a call.

Looking back over my shoulder, I replied, “Yes?”

May gave me a warm smile. “When you get a chance, I wouldn’t mind you visitin’ with me. I was a friend of your sister. I’d wouldn't mind being one of yours as well.”

A small smile graced my muzzle. “Sure,” I said. Then I gave her a polite nod and moved off, followed by Maia.

I said nothing as my fellow cadet followed me all the way back to our quarters. Given the instructions not to sleep for at least a good six or more hours, I opted instead to sit at my desk. As I sat down, I saw Maia take a seat at her own desk, though she kept her eyes locked on me.

After a few minutes of trying to ignore her, I finally barked, “What? Trying to figure out how to finish the job after I go to sleep?”

She stared back, though one corner of her mouth pulled downward by a small amount. “If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead. You wouldn't have stopped me then, and certainly can't now."

That cold assertion made my blood freeze. My mouth dried up as I took in a sharp breath. She was right and she had proved it. “...you were going to, weren’t you?”

“I instinctively considered it,” she answered. Then she smiled, a smile warmer than the savage, predatory, bloodthirsty expression she’d worn before. “But putting up with you and this academy is still far better than the alternative. Plus, it’d be pretty stupid to kill someone who gave me a decent fight.”

“Huh?” I muttered, completely baffled by this response.

She gave me a casual shrug and leaned back in her chair. “You gave me a fun challenge. I respect that. Even if your technique was flawed… I’d like to learn more about what you can do. The instructor said something about burning me alive?”

A sour taste entered my mouth at the thought. “I… technically, yes. I can use magic to light someone on fire. But I’d never do it! It’d be horrific!” I swallowed, wishing I had a cup of water. “It would be so painful. I couldn’t imagine doing that to someone.”

“Oh?” Her smile vanished, replaced by a scowl. “That’s stupid and shortsighted. If you’re in a combat situation, you use the tools you have. You can light someone on fire? Do it.” Then her scowl faded. “But I get it. You have ethics, like most people. That’s fine. I can still respect you.”

My face screwed up, utterly nonplussed. “Respect? What are you talking about?”

Maia smiled again, this time a happy grin. “Exactly that. I respect you. You’ve earned it. You even surprised me couple of times. Your magic isn't something I’ve seen before in combat. And, well, that excites me. I want to fight you again.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. So I remained quiet for a good few moments, picking and choosing my words. Finally, I said, “...you won’t try to kill me next time, will you?”

A flush came to her cheeks. “I really didn’t mean to,” she said. “Instinct is… instinct is hard to fight sometimes.”

“Instinct,” I repeated, the implications worrying me. “You say that like you were born to fight.”

She nodded at that. “Not necessarily born, but it feels like I have. I’ve been fighting almost as long as I've been walking.. I had to, to survive my home.” At my questioning glance, she continued, “Turkana IV. It’s a failed colony. Horrible place. Gangs, trafficking, drugs, and nonstop violence. You don’t want to go there.”

“No. No, I don’t think I do,” I responded, resolving to look up this Turkana IV when I got a chance. “How’d you get out of there?”

“I had help.” Her face returned to a neutral, emotionless expression. “Ajay Ishihara. She rescued me, along with a few others. I don’t remember their names. She helped raise me. Trained me. Helped shape and refine my raw abilities.” She turned to face me directly, locking eyes with me. “I’ve always been a killer, Twilight Sparkle. That is who I am. I'm only here because Ishihara encouraged me to join Starfleet with the hope that Starfleet can change that”

“Well,” I said, after taking that in and considering it, “I can always try to help you. If you want.”

“Fine.” She returned to her still, quiet, statue-like posture. “Let me know if you need something. I will get it for you.”

Sighing, I turned back to my terminal and decided to try and work on some of the required reading for my classes. At least I’d made a friend. Even if that friend tried to kill me.

I was right. The first week aboard the Enterprise did suck. But only the first week. I learned a lot of things I hadn’t been expecting during that time. Like how wrong I was about Barclay, when he somehow managed to prove the entire crew of the Yosemite had been trapped as energy inside a plasma streamer.

I also had a chance to meet a hero of mine, someone I’d never thought I’d see: Montgomery Scott, one of the most famous 23rd century engineers. He’d somehow preserved himself for seventy-five years inside a transporter buffer on a ship that crashed on the surface of a Dyson Sphere. Naturally this excited most of the ship, especially those of us on the engineering staff. I kept my eye out for an opportunity to speak to him, especially after the… incident in Engineering.

The day I spoke to him, I’d just ended my shift, and stumbled into Ten-Forward, hoping to chat with Guinan, or maybe catch Smith just after her own shift. Instead I found Scotty sitting at the bar, clutching a bottle of green liquid, having just finished a conversation with the ship’s operations officer, Lieutenant Commander Data. Some combination of exhaustion and exasperation led me to be braver than normal, so I sat down right next to him. “Hello Mr. Scott, sir,” I said.

“Hmm?” Scotty glanced down at me, blinked in surprise, then stared at the bottle in his hand. “Must be some strong stuff in this here bottle, because I’m seein’ a wee little unicorn next to me.”

I tried not to laugh as I replied, “No, sir, I’m real. I’m really here.” I held up a hoof to shake. “Ensign Sunset Shimmer.”

He twitched his eyebrows, shrugged, then extended a hand out to shake. “Well, nice to meet you, lassie. I think you have me at a disadvantage. Last I heard the Federation didn’t have no unicorns in it.” He glanced down at the bottle again. "Or synthetic scotch for that matter."

“Still doesn’t, not really,” I replied, finding myself more at ease than I expected. “My sister and I are the only ones.”

Scotty frowned at me. “Mm, guessin’ you lost your home, then.”

“Sort of,” I answered with a sigh. “But we’re going to find it again, one of these days.”

“I’ll drink to that for ya,” he said. Then he glanced around the bar and found an untouched second glass, scooting it over to me. “Would ya care for some?”

My smile brightened up. “Please.”

He poured me a shot of the green stuff in his bottle, then poured himself some more, sipping at it. “So, what brought you to talk to someone as obsolete and dated as meself?”

I floated my drink up to my muzzle, grinning a bit at his shocked expression, then knocked back the drink in one go. It burned like an oil slick, greasy and globby as it sloshed down my throat and into my belly where it landed like a collapsed building. I coughed for a solid ten seconds or so to clear my throat, then managed to say, “That’s why I’m here, sir. I wanted to let you know… not all of us think that of you.”

He topped off my glass, and arched an eyebrow. “Oh? Is that so?”

I took a small sip of my drink this time, not wanting to repeat the experience. “You’re still one of the best engineers to have ever served in Starfleet. Your work is required reading for every cadet, even today. For what it’s worth… I know what it’s like, feeling lost. Like you don’t belong. You just have a bit of catching up to do, is all.”

He let out a long, low, wry chuckle. “Lassie, I appreciate hearin’ that, but I’m not sure how much I buy it.” He knocked back his own drink, then glared down at his bottle. “Actually… if ya don’t mind, I think… I think I need to go wander somewhere else. But thank ya for the company.”

I held up my glass and saluted him with it. “Sure thing.”

He tossed off a jaunty half salute of his own, laughed, then bounded out the door, clutching the bottle to his chest.

For whatever reason, watching him go left a sinking feeling in my heart. I knocked back my second shot of whatever that green stuff was, then trudged out of Ten-Forward and returned to my quarters. Ended up passing out till the next morning.

I continued my work after that, with crazy event after event occurring. Whether it was subspace aliens abducting crew members to perform wicked medical experiments--myself included, thankfully without any lasting harm--or Commander Data somehow hooking himself into the holodecks, or even the Captain leaving the ship only to be captured by Cardassians and tortured while we came dangerously close to a new war, there was always something going on.

But I kept at my work, a junior officer performing her duties. Savil and I continued to be at odds, no matter how I tried to be friendly with him or make amends for old mistakes; he just didn’t care. But I did make a few friends aboard the ship. One of them was Wesley’s mother, Doctor Crusher. She liked to sit with me at a meal every once in a while and talk about how Wesley was doing at the Academy, especially once my sister joined him there. She’d had a rough first week, if the fight she had with her roommate was anything to judge by, but after that she started making friends, Wesley included.

Thankfully, a good three months after I started on board, Commander La Forge moved me from basic repairs and conduit work to some testing with the dilithium chamber of the warp core. “You’ve been doing plenty of grunt work, Ensign,” he said to me with a chuckle. “I think it’s time you did something more interesting.”

“Yes, sir!” I said with an enthusiastic grin as I broke out my toolbox. This time I’d be working alongside La Forge himself, which thrilled me to no end.

“Hand me that micro resonator, would you?” La Forge asked, holding out a hand in my direction. I passed it over in my magic. “Thank you.” He switched on the resonator and began passing it over the chamber’s reinforced hatch. “So, Ensign, I’ve been hearing a lot about you and Lieutenant Savil.”

My good mood evaporated like it had been shot with a phaser set to disintegrate. “What about it, sir?”

He paused for a moment, setting his tool down, then waved me over to a small workstation on the far side of Engineering, tucked between a ladder and a power transfer conduit. “Listen, Ensign, first off, you’re not in trouble, at least not with me. Savil’s been a part of my engineering staff for about eleven months now, and he’s… abrasive at the best of times.”

“You’re telling me,” I muttered, scowling. Then my eyes widened and I stiffened. “Err, sir.”

He gave me a sympathetic smile. “Like I said, relax Ensign. You can speak freely. I just want to know what the deal is between you two. You’re the only one he seems to go after.”

I relaxed my posture. “Honestly, sir? He’s a complete jerk. He and I went to the same high school on Earth, and I beat him in a science fair with a project based on this.” I ignited my horn and danced a tool around in the air to demonstrate. “We weren’t exactly buddy buddy before that, but ever since he’s just… he never lets it go. I was surprised to see him here; I didn’t even know he was in Starfleet.”

“Technically, he’s not,” La Forge admitted, causing me to squint at him in confusion. He grimaced in turn. “He’s actually on loan from the Vulcan Science Academy. His Lieutenant rank is acting only, but he never bothers to tell people that. And you didn’t hear that from me, either.”

Arching an eyebrow, I said, “Then, why’re you telling me?”

“Because you’re one of the best new officers I’ve ever seen,” La Forge said with total sincerity evident in his voice. “I’ve seen a lot of ensigns fresh out of the Academy who try to impress their boss, go the extra mile just because they think they have to. You don’t do that. You care about your work, and it shows every time I see you on duty. And the last thing I’d want is for a conflict between you and Savil to harm your career.”

“No, I wouldn’t want that either,” I admitted. “I don’t like the guy, but… wait, sir, is there another reason you brought this up now?”

He eyed me for a moment, then chuckled. “Shrewd, Ensign. Yes, there is actually. Commander Riker likes to perform crew evaluations every six months. I know that’s still three months away, but I wanted to get an idea of what’s been going on between you and Savil before I submit my evaluations to the Commander. And I know for sure that he’s going to ask you about it too.”

Wincing, I turned away for a moment. “That obvious, huh?”

“Little bit, yeah.” He clapped me gently on the shoulder. “For what it’s worth, Shimmer, I didn’t ask you about this sooner because I figured it was something like this. I’ve watched how you interact with him. You’ve never gone out of your way to cause any issues; quite the opposite. But not everyone sees that, and you know how fast gossip can spread, even on a ship this big.”

I faced La Forge again, and gave him a grateful smile. “Thanks for the heads up then, sir. I appreciate it.”

“You bet.” He pointed past me at the dilithium chamber. “We’d better get back to work. Captain Picard wants the warp drive back up and running within four hours.”

Thanks to La Forge’s heads up, I was much better prepared when Riker called me up for my performance evaluation, three months down the line. This was the first chance I’d had to speak with Commander Riker, well, ever, since I’d been a bit too shy to talk to him while off-duty, but he met me with a charming smile and a professional attitude, and we had a long, thorough talk about my work. When he asked me about Savil, I explained the situation honestly and earnestly.

He nodded to me and made a few notes on his PADD. “An impressive start, Ensign, though I'd expect nothing less from anyone Geordi puts on his request list. Keep this up and you'll go far." He put the PADD down and stood from his chair, and I followed suit immediately. "As for Savil, I'll address that with Commander LaForge. Just keep doing what you've been doing for now."” He grinned at me, then gestured to the door. “Dismissed.”

When I returned to my quarters, I found Smith scowling at our shared dining table, an almost empty mug of cider clutched in her hands. Her cheeks were red and rosy, suggesting that was real alcohol she was drinking, not synthehol. “Oh, howdy, Shimmer,” she said, knocking back the last of her mug. “You off duty, right? Want some cider? It’s the good stuff.”

I shrugged. “Sure! I’d love some. I have something to celebrate.”

“Oh yeah?” she said as she got up and went over to the replicator. “Two hard ciders, Smith recipe forty-seven.” She waited for them to materialize then brought them back over. “Whatcha got to celebrate?”

“Uh, well,” I said as I took a sip of my cider, “I just finished my evaluation with Commander Riker. He said I passed with flying colors.”

“Oh, Ah’m glad to hear it went well for you,” she said with an unhappy frown. “He kinda tore some of mah work to pieces.”

“Wait, really?” I frowned. “But you’ve been doing a fantastic job.”

“That’s what Ah thought, but apparently mah own boss don’t agree.” She snorted. “Probably because Ah sound like a country bumpkin or somethin’.”

“No you don’t,” I said, waving a hoof dismissively. “Your accent is fine. I like it. It’s charming.”

Smith eyed me, her mouth quirking up in amusement. The blush on her cheeks intensified dramatically. “Charmin’, huh? You ain’t never said it was charmin’ before.” She smiled mischievously. “Aww, are you startin’ to fall for me?”

“What?!” I spluttered, spilling a bit of cider as my face burned fiercely. “N-n-no! What, where you’d get that--”

She cut me off with a burst of laughter. “Ah’m just teasin’ ya, sweetheart. Ah know Ah ain’t exactly your type.”

“If I even have a type, at least in this galaxy,” I grumbled. “It’s not something I’ve ever really thought about.”

“Really? Huh. Well, in that case...” She extended a hand and patted me on the hoof. “Ah wouldn’t say no if you ever did want to try and figure somethin’ like that out.”

“Um.” I blinked, once, twice, more, rapidly, utterly taken aback. “Uuuh… what?”

Smith paled considerably, but to her credit, she stayed seated, and gave me a sheepish shrug. “Just sayin’. Ah like you, Shimmer. You’re nice. You’re great to talk to. And Ah ain’t like some folk who’d turn their nose up at you just ‘cause you walk on four legs instead of two.”

“Oh.” I continued to blink, utterly nonplussed. “Thanks. I, uh, I appreciate it. I think.”

Her smile vanished, her mouth tightening. “Maybe Ah shouldn’t’ve said anythin’.”

“No, no, it’s fine, it’s… it’s fine,” I said, reaching out a hoof to pat her on the hand in turn. “I’ve just… like I said, I’ve never thought about it. It never seemed important, you know?”

She didn’t respond, merely moving her gaze to stare at the table. As I looked at her, taking in the disappointment clearly written there, it tugged at my heartstrings, in more ways than one. Smith was my friend, a good friend. Despite my initial worries, she’d proven to be a fun roommate, and we hung out a lot together outside of our respective shifts. Maybe there was something worth looking into here. She was rather pretty. For a human. And that definitely wasn’t the cider talking in my head either. At least not entirely.

So, I decided to go with my gut. Lighting up my horn, I gently tugged her hands forward until they rested on my forehooves, then edged her chin up to look her in the eye. “Tell you what. I’m willing to give it a try.”

She let out a quiet gasp. “Really? You mean that?”

I grinned, then decided to push my luck and leaned in. “Yeah. You up for it?”

She took the hint, whispered a quick, “Yes,” then met me across the table, pressing her lips to mine.

I’d never kissed anyone before, unless you count the occasional kiss on the cheek I’d given Amina. I’d certainly not considered kissing a human before, not like this. It was… strange. Wet. Warm. I could taste her last meal on her lips, the sweet flavor of apple mixing with the spicy taste of chicken and sausage gumbo. Our lips didn’t entirely fit together right, being different species. And yet it was… nice. Comforting. It filled my body with a tingling sensation that traveled up and down my body. Not quite full on desire, but… interest.

We soon parted, and she chuckled as she wiped at her lip. “Huh. That was a bit… different.”

“Was that your first kiss too?” I said with a wry grin.

She snickered. “Nah. But it was my first kiss with a horse.”

I glared at her, though inside I was laughing. This was far from the first time she’d jokingly called me a horse. “I’d certainly hope so,” I quipped.

She gave my forehooves a squeeze, then pulled her hands back. “Well, Ah think we should leave it there for now. Let’s take this slow. Ain’t no reason to hop into bed right away or somethin’.” Her whole face turned red like a ripe tomato. “U-unless you want to do that…”

I shook my head. “No. No no no. Slow is just fine with me.”

The blush cleared away from her face. “Good… good.” A sudden yawn split open her mouth as she stretched her limbs out. Then she hopped up out of her chair and made her way over to her bedroom door. “Well, Ah think it’s pretty late anywho. Ah’ll, uh, Ah’ll see you in the mornin… Sunset.”

I waved. “See you then, Alma. Sleep well.”

She grinned, then disappeared through her bedroom doors.

I got up straight away and went into my own bedroom, fetching my PADD. A giddy, happy feeling pervaded me, bubbling up inside till all I wanted to do was giggle like a schoolgirl. So after taking a moment to think about it, I said, “Computer, begin recorded message to Twilight Sparkle, Starfleet Academy, Earth.”

“Working.”

I smiled down at my PADD and waved at it. “Hey, Twi. Hope you’ve been doing okay. Listen, I know I just reached out to you the other day, but, well… something happened I wasn’t expecting. It’s good news.” I paused for a moment. “At least, I’m pretty sure it’s good news. Anyway, you know my roommate, Ensign Smith? Well, one thing led to another, and, uh…” I scratched the back of my head. “We kissed. I know, I know, it felt like it came out of nowhere, but… I think she’s been developing feelings for me for a while, and I just hadn’t noticed. I think.”

I dropped my hoof to my lap, my smile dimming. “Maybe I should talk to Belle about this. Or one of the therapists aboard the Enterprise. Just to be sure I’m not doing something stupid. A-anyway, I just wanted to tell you about it, since we promised to tell each other if/when a first kiss ever happened. Let’s see, what else, what else… oh! I had a good evaluation with Commander Riker. He said I might get promoted next time. I hope things have been going okay with you and Maia. I know you two have been butting heads every now and again. See you. End recorded message.”

I set my PADD aside and laid back on my bed. “Never a dull moment, is it?” I murmured to myself as I slowly drifted off to sleep.

Author's Note

Maia makes a reference to Turkana IV. The astute among you will recognize this as the home planet of Natasha Yar. For those of you who don't know what that means, picture a Mad Max or Fallout or similar hellscape. That's basically where Maia is from. Yeah. It's one of the darker aspects of 90s Trek.

Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer references the events of the TNG season six episodes Realm of Fear, Relics, Schisms, A Fistful of Datas, and Chain of Command.

As for why Sunset's dalliance with Smith? Lots of reasons, almost all of which are spoilery. Suffice to say: this is going somewhere and has a point, like everything else.

For those who don't read the blog posts: next post may be earlier or later in the day than normal.

Also to reiterate a previous point: Smith is not Applejack. She's based on Applejack and is an homage but she's not outright Applejack.

Season 1 Episode 6: “The Choices We Make”

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S01E06

“The Choices We Make”

Personal log, Stardate 47750.3

Well, it’s that time. I’m starting my second year at the Academy today. Summer’s been a lot of fun, between taking some leave time to myself and the optional courses I was able to take. I even got to spend some time hanging out with Maia. She’s… well, she’ll never be perfect, but we’re friends. I like to think so, anyway. I wish I could keep her as my roommate for the second year, but I know I can’t. They force us to change. I hope my new one will at least go a few days before she tries to kill me.

I’m also looking forward to my new classes. Mom’s second-year class goes hand in hand with the observatory internship on Mercury I applied for. I still haven’t heard if I received it, but I’m feeling confident. At least that’s what I’m telling myself so I don’t run around in a panic.

I’m going to miss seeing Wattson… and, yes, Cadeneza too. They both graduated, so they’re out on their own first postings, somewhere on the opposite side of the planet. I intend to write them, both of them. I hope they’re able to stick together.

As I stepped out of the transporter booth onto the grounds of Starfleet Academy, I stopped my log recording. The chill of autumn filled the air, bringing with it a promise of grey skies and rainy days. I adjusted my cadet’s uniform and hurried inside to report for my first day. Fortunately, unlike the last time I began a year, they weren’t making us go through all the shenanigans. We reported in just as if we were coming back from a leave.

Once done so, I was ordered to report to my new quarters, which were on the far side of the dormitory from where I’d been living during my first year. I had a few minutes to put my stuff away before reporting for reveille and first classes. Sadly, no sign of my roommate yet, though I did see she’d already put her things away.

To my delight, my Mom’s class turned out to be my first one, so I hurried over to it, sitting right up front in the same seat I’d chosen before. “Oh, good, you’re early, Cadet,” said Amina as she greeted me. She waved me up to the lectern. “I have some good news for you.”

“Yes, ma’am?” I said, maintaining discipline. By now I’d learned never to slip with Mother or Mom in public, which I’m sure they appreciated. I know I did, because it meant fewer reprimands.

“So, I will be announcing this to the class near the end, but I couldn’t wait to tell you,” Amina replied with a sparkle in her eye. “They’ve chosen who won the internship on Mercury. It’s you.”

A happy smile crossing my muzzle was all the reaction I allowed myself, despite the strong urge to bounce around happily on my hooves. “I’m happy to hear that.”

“You should be. Your internship will take the place of your final exam of your third term for this class, so make sure you do it properly, understood?” Amina beamed at me. Once I acknowledged, she waved for me to sit down.

I spent the whole rest of the class giddy with excitement, and only just avoided taking a bow when she announced the results to the whole class. One cadet, a smarmy brat of an Andorian male who’d always been rude to me did raise his hand and ask if nepotism was involved, but seeing Amina verbally stomp all over him for that eliminated any chance of him dampening my mood. Besides, I was too excited.

I spent much of the rest of my classes like that, enjoying the subject material, having a blast. It was really quite amazing how happy I’d become at the Academy, given the way it started. It really helped that all the drill instructors and everyone relaxed on me. As if I’d proven myself able to handle the worst with my first year, I’d earned some basic respect. It made a massive difference.

Only once I returned to my quarters later that evening did I get to meet my roommate. I’d been sitting at my desk, working on my first homework assignments when I heard claws tapping on the floor rhythmically outside my quarters. Then the doors swished open, and the tapping grew louder. I gulped, a little worried by what that meant, turned around, then gaped.

“Oh my god, you’re adorable!” I said in unison with my new roommate.

She wavered first, a deep blush showing through her pale orange fur. She spread her lips open in a smile, showing off long, sharp canines and equally sharp incisors. A soft purr rippled from her throat as she wriggled her nose and cheeks, waving her whiskers. Lamp-like golden green eyes gazed at me from underneath a long, beautiful mane of dark chocolate brown that streamed down her head to her shoulders, exposing two furry orange ears. She raised one paw-like hand and waved it at me. “Sorry,” she said. “That was unprofessional. I’ve never seen a member of your species up close before.”

I hopped up to my hooves at once, a similar blush on my face. “No, no, it’s fine. I said the same thing, haha!” I trotted over and stuck out a hoof. “Twilight Sparkle. I’m an Equestrian, a unicorn.”

She took it with both hands, careful not to accidentally claw me. “Preta Re’l. I’m a Caitian. Not too many of us on Earth.”

“Oooh, I thought that’s what you might be,” I said, still chuckling. “Well it’s nice to meet you, Re’l.”

“Oh, please, call me Preta,” Preta said as she whisked her way over to her desk so she could take a seat. Her long orange tail swished through the air behind her as she walked. “I’m surprised I never saw you in any classes last year but I have heard about you and your sister. Still, it is nice to finally meet you.”

“Oh, call me Twilight, then. And, well, I study a lot,” I said, wishing this damned blush would get off my cheeks already. But I couldn’t help it. Preta was cute! Not in any kind of romantic, attractive kind of way. More like a fluffy animal. Like I could hold her and pet her and snuggle into her fur.

...and just then I understood why so many people seemed to have the same reaction to me, and a note of shame washed over my heart, dampening my mood a bit.

“Ah, you must be going for a scientific career then,” Preta said, nodding. “I’m a pilot myself. I want to be at the helm of the biggest starship in the fleet, just so I can steer it around.”

“A pilot, huh?” I returned to my own chair. “How’s that working out so far?”

She shrugged, an elegant ripple that worked its way through her fur. “So far, so good. Not too much piloting to be done in the first year, but, well, that’s true of any career path.”

“Well, if you need help with any of your required classes, let me know, and I’ll do what I can,” I said.

She laughed, and gave me a coquettish grin. “Why thank you. That’s very kind of you, Twilight.”

That infuriating blush came flooding back, hotter than ever. “Aheheh, yeah, you’re… you’re welcome.”

I returned to my studies, though my focus broke more than once. Every so often I glanced over to see Preta, and she was always stretching or moving her limbs as she worked, or humming to herself. “Can’t sit still?” I wondered.

“No, not really,” Preta said with a light sigh. “But that’s how I usually am. Too much energy.” She glanced my way and laughed as I looked away immediately. “What?”

“Nothing,” I insisted, even as my cheeks burned like fire.

“I’m not flirting with you, if that’s what you’re wondering,” Preta said casually as she leaned back in her chair.

“What?” I gasped. “I… no, that wasn’t…That’s not why–”

She unleashed a long string of purrs, like her version of a laugh. “Twilight, the same thing happened with my first roommate. I just thought I’d clear the air before you try asking me for a date on our first leave.”

“It… no, that wasn’t going to happen,” I said. I shook my head vigorously, trying to clear my thoughts. “You don’t interest me like that. N-not that you’re not pretty or anything! You are! But I just, what I mean is… I don’t…” I took a moment to take a deep breath, then continued, “I’m not looking for romance, from you or anyone else.”

“Oh.” She considered that, rubbing one hand up against her chin. “Then… oh!” She let out another purring laugh. “Oh I see. It’s that affect. Well don’t worry Twilight. I know I’m cute and cuddly. You can’t go three steps on Earth as a Caitian without finding that out.”

“Same here,” I murmured. “Sorry if I’m acting like that.”

She waved a hand and smiled. “Don’t worry about it. It’ll pass.”

She was right. Pretty soon I was able to look at her like anyone else. It helped that we’d moved on to chatting about our current classes. As it turned out, she did want me to take a look at one of her assignments. The look of gratitude she gave me afterwards was so cute I could hardly stand it.

Later on, as lights out was called and I settled into my bed, I found myself smiling happily. My second year was going to be so much better than my first year, if today was anything to go by. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

After Smith left me, I drifted through the next couple of weeks. I’d made a mistake, an awful mistake, and I’d have to live with it. Despite my best efforts I let it show in my work too, just enough to make Commander La Forge ask me what was wrong. I didn’t give him details, just told him I’d lost a personal relationship, but it was enough for him to send me to Troi.

Troi was… kind. She listened. But as I spoke with her about what I’d done, I didn’t get the same comfortable feeling I’d always had with Belle back on Earth. Part of that was the lack of rapport–this was the first time I’d seen Counselor Troi apart from the annual psychological checkups all officers are expected to undergo, but she also… Well, she told me the same thing I told Twilight.

“You need to remember to be open and honest with your relationships,” Troi said, giving me a patient, but firm smile. “There’s nothing wrong with what you wanted. A bit of fun, a casual relationship, friends with benefits, however you want to phrase it, it’s all perfectly normal. But you cannot just expect your partner or partners to know that’s what you want if you don’t tell them.”

“I… I know that, Counselor,” I murmured, sighing as I adjusted my posture on the couch. “I’ve learned my lesson.”

She watched me for a moment, slowly nodding. “But something is still bothering you.”

Of course she can tell that. She can literally read me like a book. Biting off the urge to snark at her, I said, “Yes. I apologized to her that night, but I haven’t seen her since. I’ve wanted to apologize again, but I haven’t had the chance. Well, that, and I wanted to give her some space...”

Troi held up a hand. “If you’d like, I can reach out to Lieutenant Smith. Ask her if she'd be willing to hear you out, while I or one of my other counselors are available to mediate.”

“No, no, that’s… that’d make it feel like some kind of weird intervention thing.” I shook my head vigorously, frowning hard enough to hurt. “Besides. I know she knows I’m sorry.”

“Oh?” Troi’s smile dropped. “Just like you knew she knew what you wanted, and you knew what she wanted?”

It was a good point. A very good point. Still made a small part of me want to hit Troi though. Belle was never this blunt, even on my bad days. Gritting my teeth, “Okay, so fine. I still should apologize.”

“Yes. You should. And you should hurry.” Troi reached over to her table and pulled out a PADD. “While I can’t share anything any other crew member says to me, out of respect for their privacy, I can show you this.”

Taking the PADD in my magic, I examined it curiously. It was a list of crew transfers, both requests and mandatory. Smith was on the list of requestees! “Wait, what?! And it was granted too...”

I read further. She was scheduled to transfer to the Farragut at Starbase 248. Which the Enterprise was scheduled to dock with in less than five minutes! “Oh my goodness.”

Troi took the PADD back. “If you’d like, Miss Shimmer, we can always pick up this session at another time.” She added a wink for emphasis.

I jumped out of my seat. “Yes ma’am. Excuse me.” I fled out the door in a hurry. “Computer, locate Lieutenant Alma Smith.”

“Lieutenant Alma Smith is on Deck 25, section 5.”

“The airlock.” I cursed under my breath, then ran for the nearest turbolift. “Deck 25, section 5!” As the turbolift doors closed, the shudder of the ship dropping out of warp reverberated up through my hooves. A quick check on my engineer’s PADD showed the ship approaching the starbase, slipping inside the doors right as the turbolift came to a halt.

Dumped out into the corridor, I emerged to find a throng of people, uniformed and civilian alike, gathered about the airlock, waiting for it to open up. Smith was among them, near the front, carrying a duffel bag around her shoulders. “Alma!” I cried out as I pushed my way through the crowd.

Smith turned at the sound of her name and her eyes widened. “Sunset? W-what’re you doin’ here?”

I stopped right next to her, flashing apologetic looks at the people all around who glared at me. “I, listen, I heard you were leaving the ship, and I wanted to–”

“Excuse you,” Smith interrupted in a voice that brooked no argument. Not harsh or insulting, or even full of hurt, but authority, and a certainty of purpose. “Sunset, if Ah wanted you to know Ah was leavin’, Ah would’ve told you before Ah left.”

I winced at those words, like a slap in the face. “I… okay, I hear you, but I wanted to apolog–”

“No. Not here.” Smith scowled at me for a moment, then jerked a thumb towards the far end of the corridor. I followed as she led us away from the crowd and off into one of the storage bays, where fortunately no one else was around. “Ah can’t believe you. Runnin’ up to me in public like this were some 20th century romance flick.”

“It–I didn’t…” I had to take a moment to calm down the flood of emotions surging within me. “Alma, I only just found out you were leaving. What else was I supposed to do?”

“Maybe you could’ve taken the hint? Hmm?” Alma said, a sour expression dominating her face.

I took a step back. “Ouch,” I muttered.

Her gaze softened a bit. “Right, that was a mite unfair of me. But Ah was gonna tell you, Sunset. Ah just didn’t want… this. This is what Ah wanted to avoid. Ah didn’t want this to be some big dramatic thing. We’re adults. More’n that, we’re Starfleet. We can be mature about this.”

I nodded, my ears folding back to hide in my mane. “You’re right. You’re right, and I should’ve sent you a message.”

Her lips thinned as she stared at me silently for a moment. “You know, since you didn’t say nothin’ in the past two weeks, Ah thought it might’ve meant you didn’t care. Ah was hopin’ you say somethin’, even just a communique. And when you didn’t, well, Ah figured that was the end of that.”

“...I’m sorry. I was trying to give you some space...but just like before, I convinced myself that space was what you wanted, so I just went with my stupid assumption instead of opening my mouth and talking to you.” Mentally I kicked myself upside the head. Can I seriously not do anything right? “I do want to apologize though.”

She nodded, came forward, and squatted down so she could look me in the eye, like she so often did when we were together. “I hear you. And Ah… well, Ah should’ve realized that too.” She let out a quiet laugh. “Ah think we’re both comin’ away from this with valuable lessons learned. And Ah forgive you, Sunset. Ah’d like to be your friend again, just… from a distance. For a while.”

Tentatively, I held up a hoof, and she shook it like I hoped she would. “Agreed. Friends.” When she let my hoof drop, a note of curiosity entered my mind. “So, um, the transfer.”

She rolled her eyes in a good natured fashion. “It weren’t just ‘cause of you. The Farragut’s a good opportunity. They’re workin’ with a lot of colonies in the surroundin’ sectors, helpin’ them with their agriculture and other things. Ah heard about the position a month ago. Ah was gonna say somethin’ about it that night, actually. See if maybe you’d be interested in transferrin’. And if you weren’t, Ah weren’t gonna either.”

The overhead intercom lit up with the voice of Commander Riker. “Attention all hands: we are now docked with Starbase 248. We will remain docked with the starbase for seventy-two hours. Shore leave time will be granted to most personnel. All personnel transferring off the ship must depart within one hour.”

Smith’s smile pulled into a frown. “Well, Ah guess that’s my cue. The Farragut won’t be waitin’ for long, and, well, Ah ain’t aimin’ to be court-martialed for goin’ AWOL.”

“Right,” I replied, with a sad smile of my own. “I hope you enjoy your new position over there. I’ll try to write you from time to time.”

She paused for a moment, considering me, then rolled her eyes again as if to say to hell with it before wrapping me up in a hug. “Ah will miss you, Sunset. What happened between us was rough for us both, but I know you’re still a good person at heart, and you’ll always be mah friend. Take care now.” She let go of the hug and rushed out the door before I could say another word.

I sat in the storage bay for a few moments, letting my racing emotions cool down. Then I left. I decided I’d stay aboard the ship. As nice as some shore leave on a starbase might be, I wasn’t in a mood for much other than getting back to work.

And so I threw myself back into it, letting the days go by. Thankfully whatever strange luck or circumstance or what have you that caused the Enterprise to experience so many bizarre events seemed to have taken a vacation, because for a good solid couple of months, everything stayed routine. I exchanged the occasional message with Smith, and heard from Twilight about her success with her finals. When they introduced a new Starfleet uniform, I was one of the first to adopt it, finding I liked the colored shoulders, black torso and pants, and grey undershirt better than the old style. And I continued to expand my duties in Engineering, swiftly becoming one of La Forge’s top aides.

Thus it came as no surprise when he came to me one day and asked to take me aside to his office. “So, Lieutenant, I’m sure by now you’ve heard about Worf’s upcoming promotion.”

“I might have, sir,” I replied with an amused grin. Of course I had. Nothing escaped the ship’s grapevine, especially not when it came to promotions of senior staff.

“Well in that case,” La Forge responded with a matching grin, “it shouldn’t surprise you that the rest of the senior staff and I are planning a little ceremony for him. We’re going to be on Holodeck Four in a couple of days.” He listed a date and time. “I’d like to put you in charge of Engineering while I’m out.”

“Sir?” While not the first time I’d been put in charge, that was in an extremely unusual circumstance. So this still caught me a little off-guard. “Don’t you usually give Barclay that role?”

“I do, but Lieutenant Barclay’s about to go on some extended leave time. He’s taking a shuttle tomorrow.”

I nodded in understanding. “Well, I’ll be happy to take over for you for a few hours, sir.”

“Good. Though it’s too bad you won’t get to see the ceremony,” La Forge said, his smile turning just a touch sadistic. “Commander Riker has something pretty funny planned.”

“Well I’m sure one of these days I’ll get to see something like that,” I said with a shrug.

A few days later I took charge of Engineering, as promised. I feared there’d be some major disaster while I was responsible, like one of the impulse fusion generators exploding, or maybe the starboard nacelle coils failing while the ship was at warp. Fortunately, nothing of the sort occurred. In fact, it was pretty boring, and left my mind wandering even as I focused on a bit of maintenance on the magnetic interlocks. They looked a little worn down, like some of the parts would need replacement soon. I made sure to put in a note in the log regarding it, right alongside the other request I’d made for the phaser EPS manifolds. We’d just had a bit of a refit at Starbase 248, but all they did was replace the bridge module and a few other bits and pieces.

Though I swear somehow that messed up the interior lighting controls in half the ship. It had been a few weeks and we were still chasing electrical gremlins all over the place.

As I finished making my note, the red alert klaxons blared. “Red alert!” said Riker through the intercom. “All hands to battlestations, Captain Picard to the bridge!”

I set my work down at once and turned my gaze to my fellow engineers milling about. “Alright, people, you know the drill! Get to it!” I moved away from the interlocks over to the station most people like to refer to informally as the ‘pool table,’ where La Forge usually stood during a battle. I checked the readouts and put in a few commands to transfer power about, then tapped my combadge. “Shimmer to bridge, weapons and shields fully powered and ready for combat.”

“Understood, Shimmer. Stand by.”

I waited patiently, watching the sensor readouts, until La Forge came marching in. For some reason he was dressed up in a 19th century European naval uniform, complete with a saber strapped to his side. “Shimmer, I’ll take over from here. Status report.”

“All stations report ready, shields and weapons at full power,” I replied, moving over to the other side of the table, my usual position during a red alert. “Do you know what’s happening?”

“We got a report that the Amargosa Observatory was under attack,” La Forge said in a distracted manner as he scanned the readouts. “Looks like we’re dropping out of warp now. Get ready.”

As the ship shuddered, I braced myself in case we came under fire. But nothing happened. Soon the alarms faded, cancelling red alert. “Must’ve been too late,” I murmured sadly.

“Riker to La Forge.”

La Forge tapped his badge. “La Forge here. Go ahead.”

“Captain Picard wants us to send a team over to investigate who attacked the observatory. I could use an engineer.”

“I’ll have one sent to transporter room three right away. La Forge out.” He stopped to think for a moment, then looked at me and grinned. “Shimmer, you look like you’ve been a bit bored. How’d you like to go on an away team for once?”

My whole face lit up like a Hearth’s Warming Eve tree. “I’d love to, sir. I never get the chance.”

“I know. And that’s not because I don’t trust you to do a good job,” La Forge replied. “I rely on you being in Engineering too much. Make sure you take a standard toolkit and a tricorder. Hop to it, Lieutenant.”

“Yes, sir!” I said, nodding to him, unable to keep the big smile off my face. An away team? I actually get to go on an away mission. I’ve been aboard the Enterprise for two years now and this is the first one I’ve ever been on. The thought was quite exciting! And potentially dangerous.

But that’s what my magic was for. I didn’t need a phaser. Not while I had my horn.

I picked up the necessary equipment on the way and reported to the transporter room. “Shimmer?” Riker said as I entered, a deep frown on his face. “I wasn’t expecting him to send you.”

I froze. “Sorry, sir, if I–”

He shook his head. “No, you’re fine, Lieutenant. Take your spot. We’re about to transport over.”

Letting out a small sigh of relief, I stepped up onto the pad, right next to Dr. Crusher, who smiled at me. “Good to see you, Lieutenant.”

Riker waited just long enough for one last security officer to arrive, then stepped onto the pad. “We’re going to have to keep an eye out for survivors. Sensors showed there are still five life-signs aboard.” He nodded to the transporter chief, “Energize.”

The swirl of transport surrounded me with its tingling sensation, and then we appeared in a heavily damaged room, so dark we could hardly see. The odor of burnt flesh, rubber, and other materials flooded my nostrils, making me queasy. While the others broke out flashlights, I lit up my horn with a ball of light on the end, providing plenty of illumination.

Riker eyed me for a moment. “Thank you, Shimmer.”

This showcased the area littered with torn apart metal, and several dozen blast patterns all over the wall. I also saw a body lying in a nearby corner. Whoever she was, she was definitely dead judging by the energy weapon burn covering half her torso. I shuddered at the sight, and swallowed back the sour taste in my mouth.

Riker glanced over at Worf. “Mr. Worf, you’re with me.”

As Riker and Worf headed off, I took one of the guards with me. “This way.” I proceeded in the opposite direction, trying not to shake as I passed by the first of what was likely many dead bodies. In fact it wasn’t long before I spotted a second one, human male, with his eyes frozen open and throat charred black from an energy blast.

The room we were in was small enough I could still hear the others talking. Worf’s rumbling voice said, “These blast patterns are consistent with a type-three disruptor.”

“Great,” Riker quipped. “That narrows it down to Romulan, Breen, and Klingon.”

I brought out my tricorder and began scanning for disruptor energy signatures. I also pre-prepped a shield spell matrix in my mind, just in case. “Keep your phaser ready,” I said as I gestured up a set of nearby stairs. “Up here.”

The security officer with me, some Lieutenant junior grade I’d never met before, murmured a quiet, “Aye, ma’am,” as he drew his phaser out in his right hand, keeping his large flashlight in his left.

“Over here!” I heard Worf shout. I glanced down to see he and Riker were working to free a survivor. At least one person made it.

Since they had that covered, I moved on. We passed a few more dead bodies on the way, with each one tearing my heart a little more than the last. “Focus, Shimmer,” I whispered before speaking loud enough for the others to hear. “I’m not picking up any sign of active disruptors.” I looked around at the damaged hallway we were in. “If there were any,” I added, “they’re gone now.”

“Maybe we chased them off when we showed up?” suggested the security officer.

“Maybe.” I stepped past banks of ruined consoles, past a set of doors and a ladder to the lower deck, then my hoof hit something on the ground. Confused, I glanced down at what I’d touched, and barely stifled a gasp of horror. It was another dead body, but not human. This one was covered in green blood from head to toe. Which meant only one thing.

“Go get Commander Riker,” I ordered. While the officer bustled away, I searched the area thoroughly. I spotted what might’ve been a disruptor once, but something–perhaps phaser fire–caused it to explode, showering the whole area with shrapnel. Which explained all the blood. As I continued to explore, I saw a pair of boots sticking out from under a large piece of metal. I floated it over to the side, exposing another dead body, with pieces of large sharpnel buried in his back, covered in more green blood. There was also a tricorder lying nearby, thankfully undamaged.

As I picked it up, Riker and Worf entered the room and knelt down at the first body. “Romulans,” Worf pronounced.

“Yes sir,” I said and pointed at the other body. “Two of them. I’ve found what looks like a Romulan tricorder too.”

“Good work, Lieutenant,” Riker said. “Keep searching the station. There’s bound to be a few more survivors we haven’t found yet. And Shimmer, as soon as we’re done here, I want you back on the Enterprise analyzing that tricorder.”

I acknowledged him, then left the room via the far side exit. This took me down a long passageway, past some quarters and into a lounge. A lounge with a functioning terminal. I sat down and tried to pull up some records from the central computer’s core but all I saw was missing data and corrupted files. I swore under my breath and left the area.

I did help locate two other survivors while exploring the rest of the station, as well as discovering that the cargo bay had been completely ransacked; supplies, equipment, pretty much everything had been tossed or smashed with some showing damage from disrupter fire. Not really finding anything else, I reported to Riker over comms and was beamed back to the ship where I headed straight to Engineering. “Taurik.” I stepped past the Vulcan officer standing by the ‘pool table.’ “Is Commander La Forge here?”

“No, ma’am,” he replied with an impassive look. “I believe he is in Ten-Forward with Commander Data. Something about testing new equipment.”

“In Ten-Forward?” My face screwed up in confusion, then I shrugged. “Okay, whatever. I need you to help me analyze this.” I held up the Romulan tricorder. “My Romulan’s pretty rusty, but unless I’m wrong you studied it at the Academy, right?”

He arched an eyebrow at me. “I did.”

“Good. Over here, then.” I took him over to one of the consoles behind the glass wall and sat down in the chair, opening up the tricorder. It was about twice the size of a Federation one, more akin to an old 21st century style laptop than a normal tricorder.

Taurik passed me an interface cable and I plugged the device into the console. “Computer, is this a normal example of a Romulan tricorder?”

“Negative.”

“Show me a normal one, then.” An image of a smaller device closer in size to what I’d expect appeared on a nearby screen. “Okay, so are there any records of a device similar to this one?”

“Affirmative. A similar scanning device was recovered from the wreckage of a crashed Romulan scout ship on Stardate 43349.2 at Galorndon Core.”

“Must be an extra fancy one, then,” I murmured. “Okay, let’s see what you’re hiding.” I pressed a few buttons on the tricorder. Romulan glyphs and writing appeared on the screen, along with what looked like some sort of energy pattern. My universal translator stubbornly refused to render the glyphs readable. “Okay, Taurik, can you read this?”

“I am attempting to do so, ma’am,” he said as he stared down at the text, leaning over me in the process. “However, it seems to be encrypted as what I am reading makes little sense.”

“Great. Okay then.” Sighing, I busted out one of my favorite go-to tools and brought it over the tricorder. I switched it on, then tapped on a few controls on the console. “I’m going to try to decode it. Hopefully this won’t take long.”

“Hopefully not,” Taurik agreed. “Though I wonder. Why bother encrypting their own tricorder?”

“Might just be on a timer or something,” I shrugged. “I found it next to two dead Romulans who’d been killed by an exploding disruptor. Maybe it needs an input code as a security measure.”

Taurik stood up straight and frowned. “That suggests whatever they were searching for is highly classified.”

“Or it could just be paranoia. I mean they are Romulans,” I quipped. I tapped at a few more buttons. “Okay, we’re getting somewhere. Looks like the computer’s figured out the encryption sequence. Going to take it a few minutes to decode.” As I kept my tool in place, I glanced up at Taurik. “You said La Forge and Data are testing new equipment?”

Taurik cocked his head, the Vulcan equivalent of a shrug. “Indeed. I believe Commander Data made some mention of emotions, though I do not understand why.”

“Emotions?” I considered that for a moment, then nodded in realization. “Right. This was before you came aboard, Taurik, but last year the Enterprise tangled with Data’s twin brother, Lore, along with the Borg. He recovered an emotion chip, a piece of equipment designed to let him experience emotions. At the time he decided not to install it. Wonder why he would bother now?”

“Perhaps something changed his mind?” Taurik suggested.

“No idea what that would be,” I replied. The computer beeping at me drew my attention. “Okay, decryption is complete. Running the sequence now.”

We waited patiently while the computer worked. “I can read it now,” Taurik said. “May I?”

I moved my chair back to give him greater access. “Be my guest.”

He leaned over and tapped at a few of the controls. “Hmm. I believe it would be best if you were able to perform the full analysis, as there are many things here I do not recognize. But I may be able to… yes!” He pressed one final key and all the glyphs changed to familiar writing. “I have disabled the security mechanism preventing universal translators from translating the device.”

“Perfect, thank you Taurik. I think I’ve got it from here,” I said.

As he stepped away, I scooted my chair back over and began going through the tricorder top to bottom. Now that I could read the writing, it was a simple affair. This wasn’t just a tricorder. It was a portable database, which was necessary for whatever they were trying to detect. It had a lot of energy signatures programmed in, most of which were familiar like Federation’s sensor frequencies. But there was one that stood out that I had no clue what it was which took some digging into the computer’s database to figure out.

I tapped my combadge. “Shimmer to Riker. Sir, I’ve finished analyzing the tricorder. I know what they were searching for.”

“On my way, Lieutenant.”

When Commander Riker arrived, with Commander Worf in tow, I showed them the tricorder. “It took a while to determine, sirs, but the Romulans were trying to find trilithium.”

“Trilithium?” Riker inquired, looking at Worf.

Worf gave me an impressed look, then nodded. “Yes sir, I am familiar with it. It is an experimental compound the Romulans have been developing.”

“In theory, sir,” I added, “it could inhibit or even stop all nuclear fusion within a star.”

“Indeed, but the Romulans never found a way to stabilize it,” Worf added.

Riker glared at Worf, then me, then pressed his hand to his face. “But why would the Romulans be looking for it on a Federation observatory? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Maybe they made some?” I suggested. “I mean, this is a solar observatory. They’re studying the star. They may have attempted to manufacture a small amount to try to test with it. It might explain some of the damage to the observatory if it became unstable. Then the Romulans found out, and trashed the place.”

Worf considered that, then shook his head. “Perhaps Lieutenant, but if that were true, we would have seen the equipment they would need. If the scientists were using trilithium, they did not make it themselves.”

“Which leaves us with a mystery,” Riker concluded. “Worf, I want you to have Geordi and Data go back over to the observatory, have them scan for trilithium. Shimmer, you go with them. I’m going to see if I can’t get anyone to interview the surviving scientists, have them explain what the hell they were doing over there.”

“Aye, sir,” I chorused with Worf. Riker gave us another quick scowl then walked away. I turned to Worf. “Sir, may I ask what’s bothering Commander Riker?”

Worf grimaced. “I wish I knew. It has become most… irritating.” Then he focused his gaze on me. “You should report to the observatory. La Forge and Data will join you momentarily.”

“Right, right,” I muttered. I gathered up my tools along with a more sensitive scanner that could be reconfigured for Trilithium and made my way to the closest transporter room. I began scanning the cargo bay once I was back aboard the observatory..

It wasn’t long before I heard the musical chime of transporters preceding the appearance of Data and La Forge. “Ah, there you are, Shimmer,” La Forge said as he brought forward an identical scanning tool to mine. “Any luck so far?”

“None yet.” I glanced over at Data and stumbled when I saw the huge smile on his face. “Um, sir?”

La Forge caught my gaze and leaned in to whisper, “Emotion chip. Try not to bring it up; he’s been on a humor kick.” Then he backed away and cleared his throat. “Well, Lieutenant, you have the cargo bay covered. Data and I will move on to the central lab.”

I whispered a quiet word of appreciation to La Forge. The last thing I wanted to deal with was a laughing android while surrounded with constant death and destruction. And laugh he did, I could even hear it echo after they left the cargo bay. At first it was almost adorable, in a squeaky, higher pitched guy kind of way. But it quickly grated my ears that I had plastered across my skull in hopes of drowning out some of his cackling.

Just as I finished with the cargo bay and moved on to the barracks, I heard my combadge beep. “La Forge to Shimmer. Data and I have found some kind of sealed door in the outer ring. This might be what we’re looking for.”

“On my way.”

I quickly trotted through the corridors and managed to meet them just as Data, with a panel on his open arm, waved at a nearby wall and declared, “Open Sesame!”

The wall popped open and rose into the ceiling. I covered my eyes at the burst of light that bled through the windows on the far side. It took a few moments, but eventually I was able to adjust to the lighting and quickly noticed the slew of probe casings labeled as “Mark V” and “Mark VI” that lay on shelves with an even larger one that took up the central track which fed into a firing tube. I turned to La Forge, but Data was already bursting with laughter as he told yet another stupid joke about magnetic personalities which left La Forge and I sharing an exasperated look. I brought out my tricorder and looked down at its readings, or lack thereof. “Wait, why can’t I detect anything?”

“You’ll need to step into the room, Lieutenant,” La Forge said. “There’s a dampening field.”

“Oh.” I took a few steps forward, then grunted in satisfaction as readings returned. I got a closer look at the probes. “Huh. Their interiors have been altered with most of the sensory equipment completely gone.”

“Yeah,” La Forge agreed. “Something doesn’t feel right about this.” He examined the central probe for a few moments before turning around. “Data, come here, would you?” He waited for the android to approach, then added, “Have you ever seen a solar probe with this kind of configuration?”

I saw Data bring up his tricorder like a freaking puppet and mime and a growl of irritation escaped my throat as he talked to it, calling it ‘Mr. Tricorder.’ Ignoring the byplay, I moved to the console and popped open its access panels on the probe.

“Thank you, Shimmer.” He glanced down at the probe and whistled. “Woah. I’m seeing something in the theta band. It could definitely be a trilithium signature. Shimmer, can you–”

“Hahahaha!” Data broke into gut busting laughter in our faces.

“Oh come on, sir, with all due respect, I think that’s enough!” I shouted.

“She’s right, Data, we don’t have time for this!” La Forge added.

“I cannot help myself!” Data said, then laughed again. “I think something is wrong!”

Then he screamed in pain as he broke into another laughing fit, before seizuring and collapsing onto the floor in a boneless heap.

I watched, horrified, as La Forge ran to him. “Data?” he said. “Data! Are you alright?”

A sigh of relief escaped me when I saw Data sit back up almost immediately. Data took a moment to breathe before he replied, in a quiet, shocked voice, “I believe the emotion chip has overloaded my positronic relay.”

“Well we’d better get you back to the ship,” La Forge said. He tapped his combadge. “La Forge to Enterprise.”

I heard the static and tried mine too. “Shimmer to Enterprise.” With no response I swore under my breath. “Must be the dampening field, sir. Let me go try–”

“Gentleman, miss, is there a problem?”

La Forge and I turned to see an aged human man with white hair standing there, an amused smile on his face. “I’m sorry, who’re you?” I asked. “Are you one of the scientists?”

“Yes, Shimmer, this is Doctor Tolian Soran,” La Forge said, coming around to stand at the console behind the open solar probe. “Dr. Soran, there’s some kind of dampening field preventing us from contacting the Enterprise.”

“Like I was about to say, sir,” I pointed out, “the field only goes so far. I can just step outside and–”

Dr. Soran punched La Forge in the stomach before slamming his face straight into the console. La Forge collapsed onto the ground unconscious. Before I could light up my horn, Soran had a weapon out and aimed it at me.

My training kicked in and I dove for cover, barely missing the disruptor blast that blew a hole in the nearby wall. “What the hell are you doing?!” I shouted. “Why did you… you...” I paused as things began to click then gasped. “You! You’re the one who stole the trilithium! The Romulans were looking for you!”

“Excellent deduction, Lieutenant Shimmer,” Soran said as he fired another shot and I dove behind the nearest pillar. “And yes, I know who you are. I learned all about you while aboard the Enterprise, you and your abilities.”

“Data!” I shouted at the android cowering along the floor. “Get up and help me!”

“I… I cannot!” Data cried as he ducked his head into his hands, bawling like a baby.

“You see,” Soran continued, “I’m afraid I have some very specific plans, and you are a risk to that plan. A risk I cannot afford.”

“Oh yeah? Like what?” I taunted behind the pillar. I tapped my combadge again, but only received the same static. “You’re going to blow up the star?”

“I am, and you can’t stop me,” Soran said. He fired several more blasts my way as I left the pillar and ran across the room for a better vantage point but once I was seemingly far away, his fire stopped.

“Like hell I can’t.” I summoned up the spell matrix in my mind for a shield then watched in horror as the shape and light from my horn quickly fizzled out before it could cast. I tried again, and nothing happened. The dampening field. Somehow he’s using it to block my magic. How’s that even possible?

Before I could even curse myself for not bringing a phaser, a loud bang rang out. I noticed something fly away from the observatory and into the Amargosa star through the windows. The sensors inside the observatory shrieked as they recorded the object’s impact into the star, and I couldn’t help but watch as the star quickly began to collapse into itself. “What… what the hell is wrong with you?!” I screamed. “Do you know what that’s going to do? You’re going to destroy the entire system!”

“I know. A shame, isn’t it?” Soran said from behind. And I could feel the cooling metal object pressed against the back of my skull. “Now now, my dear. Don’t move, unless you want your head to be vaporized.”

Somewhere a speaker burst to life. “Soran! Transmit your coordinates!”

“Hmm, well, that is a problem,” Soran groused. “I guess it’s your lucky day.” Pain exploded in my head that spread throughout my body. My knees buckled and I collapsed onto my side. Everything was blurred and I could barely keep my eyes open as I saw him fiddle with the console before doing the same to La Forge’s visor.

My eyes were already closed when I heard random shouting and bother phaser and disruptor fire ringing out throughout the room. Then I felt the arms grab me around my barrel that dragged me across the floor. I struggled to open my eyes through my groaning and the pain, but I was just able to recognize Commander Riker before our surroundings dissolved, replaced by a transporter room.

“It’s alright, Lieutenant,” Riker said as I collapsed onto the platform. “You’re safe now.”

“But… La Forge… Data… Soran, he…”

“Ssh,” Riker said, patting me on the shoulder. “Don’t talk. You’ve got a nasty head wound. Let Dr. Crusher take care of it.”

The last thing I saw before my vision faded entirely was Dr. Crusher approaching me, bearing a hypospray.

I awoke lying in Sickbay, listening to Doctor Crusher conversing with Riker and Captain Picard about Soran. Shortly after Picard left sickbay, I attempted to sit up but only managed a groan as everything still spun from the pain.

“Lieutenant.” Crusher rushed over to me and gently pressed her hands against my body forcing me back down onto the biobed. “You need to lie down. I don’t want you up and moving yet.”

“Mrgh. Fine,” I murmured. I closed my eyes to avoid the ceiling’s bright lights. “What… what happened?”

“Doctor, is she well enough to talk?” Riker asked. “I’d like to get her word on what happened on the observatory.”

I opened my eyes and noticed that Crusher was frowning as she looked down at me, before nodding at Riker. “Yes, but try to keep it at a minimum. She has a severe concussion.”

“It’s fine, doc,” I said, wishing I could sit up. “Is… did Commander Data or La Forge come back?”

Riker exchanged a look with someone out of sight, then slowly shook his head. “Data’s fine, more or less. We rescued him from the observatory. But I’m afraid Doctor Soran kidnapped Geordi.” He stepped closer, stopping right at the edge of the biobed. “What happened over there, lieutenant?”

“He stole the trilithium, sir,” I answered, the memory crisp and clear despite the head trauma. “He’s the reason the Romulans attacked. He blew up the star.”

Riker nodded and rubbed at his beard. “Well, we figured that much. But I’m guessing he told you outright that’s what he did.”

“Yes. But that’s not the only thing sir.” I moved a hoof up to check my horn, in case it had cracked. Fortunately, it was unhurt. “The dampening field, the one he used to hide his equipment? It blocked my magic. Otherwise I could’ve stopped him.”

“But that’s not possible,” Doctor Crusher said. “I’ve read the reports over the testing you went through when you first arrived on Earth. He’d need an enormously powerful field to cut off your magic, far more powerful than he should’ve been able to generate on that station.”

“Well, he managed to figure out how to destroy a star,” Riker said. “I’m not surprised he could neutralize Lieutenant Shimmer’s abilities. But now that we know that’s possible, I’m keeping you aboard the ship. No more away missions, at least for now. You’re too valuable to risk losing.”

“Should I take that as a compliment, sir?” I snarked in my daze.

Fortunately, Riker knew how to take a joke. “If you’d like.” He chuckled. “Regardless, it sounds like he took all of you by surprise, and you tried everything you could to salvage the situation. If you’re planning to beat yourself up over Geordi being kidnapped, don’t. It’s bad enough that Data’s doing it.”

Crusher smiled down at me before I could ask anymore questions. “Don’t worry, Lieutenant. Focus on yourself. Doctor’s orders.”

It took a few hours before Doctor Crusher released me and pronounced me fit for duty, so long as I didn’t push it. It took only two steps out of Sickbay before a page sounded on my badge. “Picard to Shimmer. Lieutenant, please report to Stellar Cartography.”

“Right away, sir,” I answered. My mind raced as I made my way to the nearby turbolift. Stellar Cartography? What could he want there?

I found the Captain standing alone beside the console, looking into the holographic displays, when I arrived. “Ah, Lieutenant. I realize you were only just released, but I could use your assistance.”

“Of course sir,” I replied with a slight frown. “Though I’m not sure what I can do for you here.”

“Truthfully, I was going to ask Commander Data to assist me. But what I need right now is someone who can think clearly, which is why I called for you. Although Dr. Crusher cleared him for duty, I believe Data needs a bit more time to come to grips with his new emotions,” Picard said. “How are you with stellar cartography?”

“Uhm, well, I’m not my sister, but I’m decent with it, sir.”

“Good.” He gestured for me to take a seat at the console. “Are you familiar with the energy ribbon that nearly destroyed the Enterprise-B during its maiden voyage?”

“Vaguely, sir,” I answered, trying to think back to what I learned. “I know that was when James Kirk died. It’s some sort of temporal phenomena that circles the galaxy.” I faced the consoles before me and typed a query into it. “Every thirty-nine-point-one years, apparently.”

“Well, I just learned from Guinan that it’s not just a phenomena.” He swiftly explained in detail about how it was a doorway to an alternate dimension called the Nexus, which was Soran’s true goal, since he was also, apparently, an El-Aurian. “Given that you had a personal confrontation with him, I wanted to hear your opinion.”

“Sounds about right to me,” I replied with a frown. “He didn’t say much, but what he did say made him sound… resolute. He has a goal and he won’t let anyone get in his way.”

“Then Guinan was right,” Picard whispered.

“If he’s trying to get back to it sir, I think he’ll have a good chance.” I typed another query into the console. “Looks like it’s passing through this sector in forty-two hours.”

Picard paced back and forth as he considered that. “Which means there has to be some connection to the Amargosa star. Miss Shimmer, would you please compile a list of anything affected by the star’s destruction, no matter how insignificant?”

I nodded. “It’s going to take the computer a few minutes to get that together, but yes.” I put in the request, then sat back to wait. “Sir, permission to speak freely.”

He eyed me, clearly intrigued. “Granted.”

“Do you know if Commander Data will be alright?”

Picard let out a small sigh. “I understand his emotion chip fused into his neural net. It cannot be removed.”

“He cried on the observatory, sir.” I shook a little as I remembered it. “He cried like a child. I don’t know him very well, but that makes me worried for him.”

“It concerns me as well,” Picard admitted. “Mr. Data has long been a colleague of mine. I intend to visit him when we’re done here.” Then he gave me a curious look. “If you don’t mind, Lieutenant, there is a personal question I’d like to ask of you.”

“Yes, sir?” I said, giving him an uncertain frown.

He took a moment before continuing. “When you were first assigned to the Enterprise, I took the time to read your file. Your history, and that of your sister, is most intriguing. One thing I noticed is that her specialization is in the sciences, such as Stellar Cartography, which I can understand. But I am curious as to why, well, you haven’t gone down a similar path.”

I paled, having not expected that of all things. “Uh, w-well…”

“If that was too personal–”

“No sir, it’s not that.” I turned away from him, feeling more than a little flustered. “It’s… the reason I haven’t been doing that is, I wasn’t sure there was much point. While I do still believe that Celestia moves the sun for Equus, I came to realize a while ago that finding our home wouldn’t be as simple as finding a sun orbiting its planet within a bunch of recorded data. It has been over a decade since we first mentioned it, and if it were found we’d have known. So spending all my time searching for it that way just… it felt kinda pointless. I know I won’t be able to find Equus by looking for an unusual star, so I started looking to find it another way.”

Picard nodded. “Of course. I imagine it must be hard to maintain that belief, given what you’ve learned since coming to Earth. Still, I must admit that I have a lot of respect for you to continue to still do so.”

“Yes sir. It’s… it’s not always easy...” I trailed off in thought as I watched the computer compile the results until it beeped. “I have the list, sir.” I gave it a quick look through. “I think I know what’s most important: the Bozeman had to make a minor course correction due to the altered gravitational forces in the sector caused by the Amargosa’s star’s destruction.”

“A minor course correction…” Picard repeated, tapping at his chin. “Miss Shimmer, where is the ribbon now?”

It took me a moment to bring it up, requiring a substantial zooming in on the holographic display till it was located amidst the field of stars. “Right here, sir.”

“Can you project its course?”

Jeez, I’m starting to see why he wanted Data here. “I can. It’ll take a moment.” I typed in the request and we watched a bright red line form on the display, carving through the sector like a long red string.

Picard nodded. “Enhance grid nine-A.” I zoomed in as requested, showing us a closer view of the ribbon’s location. “Where was the Amargosa star?”

I typed a new command in. “Right here, sir. I think I see where you’re going with this. You’re suggesting Soran is trying to change the path of the ribbon.”

“I suspect so, but what I don’t understand is why. Why would he bother?” Picard grunted. “Why not just fly into it with a ship?”

That one I could answer. “Because every ship that’s ever entered it has been severely damaged or destroyed. Even if he could try to enter the ribbon that way, I don’t think he’d survive long enough to get caught inside.”

Picard grumbled something under his breath, then looked at me. “Lieutenant, you said that when the Amargosa star was destroyed, it affected the gravitational forces of the sector. Now did the computer take that into account when it projected the course of the ribbon?”

I checked the computer, and gave a soft groan. “No, it didn’t sir. Let me fix that.” I watched the display as I put in the recalculation, and sure enough, the long red line bent downwards, changing its path significantly.

“There’s our proof,” Picard breathed. “He can’t get to the ribbon, so he’s trying to make the ribbon come to him. Shimmer, does it pass near any M-class planets?”

I typed in the command. The map zoomed onto a star’s system, detailing the star and its collection of planets. “Yes sir. Looks like there’s two of them in the Veridian system. The ribbon won’t pass close enough to either on its own… let me simulate destroying the star.” My blood froze as I watched the simulation shift to intersect Veridian III.

“That’s where he’s going,” Picard breathed.

“Sir,” I hesitated. I could feel my heart hammering inside my chest as I poured over the information on the Veridian system. “Sir, if the Veridian star is destroyed, it’ll produce a shock wave just like the one we saw at Amargosa.”

Picard nodded. “Which would destroy all the planets in this system.”

“It’s not just that sir,” I said, my voice shaking a bit. “Veridian III is uninhabited, but Veridian IV is inhabited. It has a pre-industrial humanoid society, comparable to Earth’s medieval period.”

He looked down at me. “Population?”

I closed my eyes before answering. “Two hundred thirty million, sir.”

Picard took in a deep breath and bowed his head before tapping his combadge. “Picard to bridge. Set a course for the Veridian system, maximum warp!”

“Yes sir.”

As Picard walked down the gantry, I followed after him. “Computer,” he said, “estimated time to Veridian III at maximum warp?”

“Approximately twenty-two hours.”

“Well,” he said as we stepped out into the corridor. “With any luck we’ll either get there before or just after the Klingons do.”

“Klingons, sir?”

He looked back down at me and nodded. “Yes, Lieutenant, there was a Klingon Bird of Prey that transported Soran off the observatory. Presumably that’s how he’s getting around.” He considered me for a moment. “It’s going to be a while before we get there. I understand you’re still injured, but I need the best engineer I have in charge. I’m giving you sixteen hours to rest, then I want you back in Engineering. You’ll be acting Chief Engineer until Mr. La Forge returns.”

“Yes sir,” I replied. “Thank you, sir.”

He considered that. “Don’t thank me yet, Lieutenant. Carry on.”

As much as it left me squirming with uncertainty, he was right to order me to rest. I needed it. I needed it badly. And when I awoke refreshed the next day, I could tell just how sore I was previously. I had to admit, I was more than a little eager for some payback against Soran and stopping his plans was just icing on the cake.

“Welcome back to Engineering, ma’am,” Taurik greeted as I walked in.

“Thank you,” I said. “Status report?”

“Everything is functioning normally,” Taurik replied with a raised eyebrow as he gestured to the ‘pool table’ console. “Though I did notice a slight fluctuation in the phaser EPS manifolds. It could be a problem if we end up in a fight.”

I looked at the screen and frowned. “You’re right. Get someone on that right away. Last thing we need is for the phasers to stop working.”

“As you wish,” Taurik said. He nodded and stepped away.

I kept a close eye on the systems, performing maintenance, giving orders every so often until we fell out of warp. From my screens in Engineering I did have some access to the sensors which let me see the green planet beneath us. It also let me see the Captain sending out a transmission, though not its contents.

I tensed like a coiled spring when I saw the Bird of Prey decloak and I made sure to study every sensor readout we had. As I went through the information, something gnawed in the back of my mind. “Computer,” I murmured, “run a comparison of the energy readouts of that Bird of Prey against Federation records, with emphasis on engine and weapons output.”

“The Bird of Prey’s weapons and engine output are approximately one hundred sixty-five percent of normally observed emissions for this class of ship.”

I thought for a moment. “Compare that to other known Klingon vessel classes. Is it comparable to a larger class?”

“Confirmed. Energy signatures comparable in power to a Vor'cha class attack cruiser.”

“Wow. They must’ve amped this ship up something fierce.” I tapped my combadge. “Shimmer to Bridge.”

“Riker here. Go ahead, Lieutenant.”

“Sir, I’m not sure what you’re seeing up there, but according to the sensor readings, that Bird of Prey registers as having the same strength as a Vor’cha class attack cruiser.”

There was a pause, then, “Good to know, thank you, Lieutenant. Be advised we’re attempting a hostage transfer, in the hopes of getting Geordi back. In the meantime, keep those phasers and shields powered. I don’t trust these Klingons one bit. Riker out.”

“A hostage transfer?” I breathed. “Who the heck are we giving them in exchange?” Snorting, I decided not to worry about it, and busied myself with checking a few other systems, then called Taurik over. “Taurik I need you to run a quick level three diagnostic on the port plasma relays. One of the generators over there is fluctuating like we didn’t have enough things to worry about.”

As soon as I sent him on his way, I heard a few voices raise in greeting. Turning, my heart soared as I saw Commander La Forge walk in. “Sir!” I said, rushing over. “I’m glad to see you’re okay. I wanted to apologize–”

He shook his head and gave me a soft smile, clapping me on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t your fault, anymore than it was Data’s. Soran got to all of us.”

“Still…”

“Forget it, Lieutenant. We need to focus on what’s going on with the ship. How’re things holding up?”

I walked with him over towards the consoles behind the glass. “Just a few minor things. The phaser EPS manifolds on the portside are fluctuating, along with its fusion generators. And I think there’s something going on with the magnetic interlocks too.”

“Hmm.” He looked down at the consoles, carefully scanning each one. Then he pulled up a schematic of the interlocks and gave it a close look. “Yeah, I see what you mean. Well, we’ll just have to keep them working as well as we can till we get back to a starbase. Shimmer, I’d like you to–”

The entire ship rocked as an explosion tore into the hull. People stumbled all over the place as red alert klaxons blared alongside smaller, more insistent alarms. “What the hell was that–”

BOOM!

Another explosion sent me rolling across the deck before I righted myself using my telekinetic grip. Hopping to my hooves, I rushed over to the nearest console. “Damn it! They’re blowing through the shields as if they aren’t even there!”

“How the hell… Remodulate the shields!” La Forge ordered immediately, pointing to several technicians. “You, you, get to the deflector and get some of that damage fixed immediately!”

I moved over to monitor the flow of power to the phasers, watching as several shots were fired. “Sir, we have another problem!” I smacked the console as I watched the power flow drop to minimal levels. “The phaser EPS manifolds! They’ve overloaded!”

La Forge bustled over to my side and nodded. “Yeah, I see it.”

“Riker to Engineering! I need more power to those phasers, Geordi! We can’t penetrate their shields!”

“We’re aware, Commander. We’ve had an overload. I’m going to try to bypass it.” Geordi turned to me. “Shimmer, get up in that Jefferies tube. We’re going to need to rerun main power through the secondary coupling. We might be able to force enough power to the phasers through there.”

“We’ll burn out half the ship’s systems doing that, sir,” I pointed out even as I rushed over to get my toolkit, struggling to maintain my footing as another disruptor blast tore into the ship.

La Forge threw up his hands. “And if we don’t, we won’t have a ship left to fix, Shimmer. Get on it!”

“Aye sir!” I rushed over to the Jefferies tube and popped open the hatch. I eschewed my usual method of climbing the ladder in favor of simply floating myself up with my magic. It was a bit exhausting, and probably the last thing I needed to do with my recently recovered head injury, but I needed to get up there now.

As I reached the right tube and crawled inside, the whole ship shook and threw me against the wall. I winced, gasping for air, then tried to light up my horn enough to use a variation of that old classic Feather Fall around my whole body, like wrapping myself in my own inertial dampening field. It was enough to keep me from getting injured further as I rushed down the tube.

I heard more shouts and screams coming from Engineering and all around us. The realization that my life was in danger struck me hard as I popped open my tool kit and fumbled with the hatch. I’d been contextually aware of the danger for years. They threatened you, repeatedly, with battle simulations. Drills. Maneuvers. All that and more at the Academy. Of course then I spent two years on the Enterprise. I’d been in battle after battle, and yet the Enterprise always came through. We never seemed to struggle.

Not like this. I picked up a hyperspanner and unplugged one of the coils, and found my magic shaking as the thought that we were all about to die continued to clasp my heart with its icy claws. Soran had me at gunpoint just scant hours ago and I’d been lucky to dodge and weave through his disruptor blasts that would’ve ended me in an instant. Hell, if it hadn’t been for Riker and Worf intervening, he probably would’ve finished it then and there. My pony instincts, the ones that told me to run to a place and hide, or stampede with my fellow mares and stallions until we were far away from the threat, clung to the back of my mind.

But I am Sunset Shimmer. I’m the daughter of T’Lona and Amina Riviera. I’ve learned how to keep my emotions in check. So I used the best meditative technique I had, and forced all those doubts and worries aside, stabilizing my magic, myself, and focusing on my work. I quickly replaced a few coils and bypassed the main circuit before tapping my combadge. “Shimmer to La Forge! I’ve got the bypass installed. We should be good!”

“Understood, now get back down here!”

I scrambled back through the tube, the ship shuddering every few seconds from another blast. I could also hear the ship thrum as the phasers went to work, unleashing violent energies into the shields of the Klingon ship.

Then, as I was crawling down the ladder, I heard a massive CRRRACK! as one of the main EPS conduits blew. Lights went out in the tube briefly before they came back on.

By the time I reached Engineering again, the whole place was a mess of smoke, dimmed lights, and people running around all over the place patching up problems. “I’m guessing it didn’t work, sir!” I shouted as I rejoined La Forge.

“No, no it didn’t,” La Forge growled. “Not your fault, Lieutenant. It was a long shot.”

“So what do we do?”

We both fell against the console as another torpedo blasted into the secondary hull. “Looks like they’re doing something on the bridge with an ionic pulse. Don’t know what that’s going to accomplish.”

BOOOOOM!

The worst torpedo hit yet struck the ship, throwing me down and rolling all the way over to the other side of the warp core before I got a grip. “Well they’d better hurry!”

As I rushed back over to the console, I called up the sensor report. “Wait a minute… the Klingons are cloaking! And we just fired a spread of… that’s genius!”

Everyone tensed in Engineering for a moment, no one moving. The whole ship seemed to go quiet, as if awaiting the results.

Then the Klingon ship exploded. “They did it!” I whooped. “The Klingon ship’s been destroyed!”

“We don’t have time to celebrate down here, Lieutenant,” La Forge said, though I saw the satisfied smile that briefly passed over his face. “We need to get repairs going.”

“Right.” I switched over from sensors to internal scans. “We’ve got multiple EPS conduits out, half the fusion generators are down, there’s hull breaches all over the stardrive, and… “ my heart skipped a beat. “Sir, the magnetic interlocks!”

“What?” La Forge walked over to one of the wall panels. “Damn it. Must’ve been that last torpedo.” He tapped his badge. “La Forge to Bridge, I’ve got a problem down here. The magnetic interlocks have been ruptured. I–”

A bright flash of light preceded a loud bang! as the panel he’d just looked at exploded. Then he and I both looked in sheer horror as one of the power transfer conduits into the warp core broke open, unleashing massive amounts of bluish steam.

“Coolant leak!” La Forge shouted! “We’ve got a coolant leak, everybody! Let’s go, let’s get out of here!” He started waving for engineers left and right to flee as a large bulkhead slowly descended. “Everybody out! Let’s move, let’s move! We’ve got to go!”

Time seemed to slow to a stop as I watched the coolant flood the room, every sight and sound falling away. In my head, I knew what that meant. Radiation unleashed like crazy, enough that a few moments spent inside would mean a fatal dose. Worse still, the warp core… without the interlocks or proper coolant, it would explode, and take the whole ship with it. Even if everyone was evacuated to the saucer and they separated… the core would breach so fast there’d be no time. Maybe they could survive, but how likely was that? With so much damage to the saucer from the Klingons, they wouldn’t even have shields. The blast would rip them apart. We’d all die.

There was nothing anyone could do, right?

Right?

My mind wandered back to the psych test. This was the exact same situation, sure different constraints and in a simulation, but I used my magic back then to block the radiation and to seal a breach. So it should work, right? I could… maybe I could fix the interlocks myself, force them to hold with magic while I restored the coolant. Maybe I could stop the breach, or, at the very least, slow it down.

Enough to give them time. Give them all time.

Them. Not me.

I closed my eyes and bowed my head. “Mother, Mom, Twilight… forgive me.”

I shook my head and rushed forward, ignoring La Forge’s evacuation command. I could faintly hear him talking to the bridge over the chaos of engineering, “Bridge, we have a new problem! We’re five minutes from a warp core breach, there’s nothing I can… what the hell? Shimmer!” he shouted, ”what the hell are you doing?! Get out of there!”

“Sorry, sir, but I’m the only one who can stop this!” I shouted back.

I saw him step forward, despite the bulkhead about to close behind him. “Damn it, Shimmer, you’re going to get yourself killed for no–oof!”

I cut him off, wrapping him up in a telekinetic field and shoving him under the bulkhead door, just as it sealed. “I’m very sorry, sir. Go! I’ve got this!”

He watched me for a split second. I saw him reach for his combadge, but then he dropped his arm, nodded, and rushed off.

I turned back to the coolant leak. Already half the sealed room was full of its blueish steam which left little oxygen for me to breathe. With a quick burst of light from my horn, a bubble surrounded my head which constantly replenished air for me to breathe. I cast another spell, a shield to protect me from some of the radiation and heat. But it didn’t block all of it, and I put my hooves into the steam, I couldn’t help but cry out in pain. The heat from the engines… it was like I was walking next to a star.

But I forced myself forwards anyway, just enough to see where the coolant was spilling out from. I lit up my horn, and just like the psych test, welded the hole shut. I then eased as much pressure as I could. And once I saw that Main Engineering and Deck Thirty-Six had been evacuated, I vented the pressure and plasma down into the two ruptured EPS conduits that melted the deck and room.

It helped, but not enough. The pressure continued to build and worse, I felt dizzy and was ready to throw up everywhere. “Computer!” I shouted, “Time to core breach!”

“Warp core breach in two minutes, twenty-five seconds!”

Even the computer sounded panicked and I didn’t blame it. I turned my focus onto the real issue, the interlock.

I lowered myself underneath the burned remains of Main Engineering, digging down towards the lower part of the warp core located near the antimatter pods. I saw the interlock and laughed. I could maybe get it fixed, in ten minutes, with a proper welding tool, if I wasn’t alone and had some luck. But with just my horn? Pointless.

I used my magic to levitate myself upward and focused on the core itself. I needed to release its pressure, slow it down. Oh was it going to hurt like hell… I lowered my horn towards the core, and I pulled. I pulled on it as if it was a source of magic itself. It wasn’t of course, but I could change it. Convert its energy into something my body could absorb. I didn’t need to take in much, I couldn’t take in much, I just needed enough.

The power flooded my mana channels, and it burned. I wasn’t next to the sun anymore, I was the sun. And I screamed. I screamed until I had no voice left. Was this what Celestia felt the first time she touched the sun? I wanted to laugh at the stray thought, but instead I felt the evaporating tears vanish from my face. Then I stopped and slumped into the warp core. “C-computer… enable… enable countdown of time to breach.”

“Warp core breach in one minute.”

With each breath, I gurgled. I looked down at my hooves that trickled blood that quickly dried from the heat, and faintly noticed that it wasn’t just my hooves. I looked at the warp core and let out a choked sob.

“Warp core breach in thirty seconds.”

“Location... of saucer... section?”

“Enterprise saucer section has separated. Distance: ten thousand kilometers and rising.”

My sticky dried eyes blinked. “Damn it!” I slammed the side of my head against the core. “It’s not enough…” Again. “It wasn’t enough!”

“Warp core breach in twenty seconds.”

“No. No!” I shakily forced myself up. “I’m not going to accept this. I’m going to save them!”

“Warp core breach in ten seconds.”

I called upon every last bit of magic I had and forced it down my horn and formed a new shield around myself, and another that swallowed the entire warp core. I focused on taking whatever energy that my shield absorbed and forced it to power the larger one. If I couldn’t stop it, and I couldn’t contain it, I’ll at least make it contain itself.

“Warp core breach in five seconds.”

“Beat that!” I laughed despite my screams and bloody sobs. "They're gonna make it now!"

“Four.”

“Celestia…”

“Three.”

"Mother…”

“Two.”

“Mom… ”

“One.”

“Twilight, I love–

Author's Note

MWA-HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Bet you didn't see THAT coming, hope to see you all next week! You're in for a treat.

Blue

Normal comments will be saved for episode seven. See you then.

Season 1 Episode 7: "Wrong Place, Right Time"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S01E07

“Wrong Place, Right Time”

The hypospray hissed as it injected its medication into my veins. The familiar sensation of hyronalin entering my bloodstream nevertheless made me hiss from the discomfort. “Please tell me that’s the last one I have to take.”

The nurse, a Bolian with the most sour expression I’d ever seen, gave me a flat look. “Yes, Cadet. That’s the last one.”

“Thank goodness,” I sighed. I left the rear cabin of the runabout and returned to the front, taking a seat by the control console next to my fellow researchers. “It’s not much longer till we reach Earth, right?”

“Nope,” said one of the researchers, a kind hearted human woman who always wore a smile. “We’ll be in transporter range in a few minutes. We can beam you down to the Academy then.”

“I’ll bet you’ll be glad to get some recovery time, Cadet,” added another. “Wouldn’t want to wear you out.”

I ignored the jibes as I focused on watching the runabout’s console. Not for the first time I wished they could’ve used a warp hop between Mercury and Earth instead of full impulse, but I knew all too well that was a bad idea inside a gravity well, especially in a solar system as busy as the Sol system.

When we reached transporter range, I wasted no time in beaming straight back to the Academy. I reported in, went straight to my quarters, and promptly cranked the sonic shower as hot as I dared. Sure, I had some more finals to prepare for, and the excessive steam was going to frizz my mane and coat terribly, but I desperately needed to wash every last bit of Mercury off of me.

“Note to self: Next time you have an opportunity to go to Mercury? Don’t.”

“Aww, is that some regret I’m hearing?”

I stepped out of the shower, confronted by Preta, who wasted no time in hugging me, despite the fact I was soaking wet. “It’s good to see you, again,” she said as she let me go and patted me gently on the head.

“Good to see you again too, Preta,” I said, chuckling as I stepped into the drying cubicle, letting the wash of warm air and sonics dry me up in a hurry. Then I came out to grab my hair brush and sat down on my bed.

“Sooo… that bad, huh?” Preta asked as she leaned forward on the tips of her toe claws.

I collapsed onto the bed, glad for the chance to stretch out and relax. The Academy beds weren’t exactly massive, but compared to the puny bunks they’d stuck us with on Mercury it was like a bed in Canterlot Castle. “It was a really good experience professionally, but… let's just say I’m really glad I’m home,” I answered.

She giggled, sounding like a purring cat with hiccups. “I can see that. Well, go ahead and relax for a while before you start studying. I’ll wake you if you fall asleep.”

“No, no, I can’t do that,” I murmured into my pillow before pushing myself back up. Then I proceeded to brush my mane out, eliminating the friz in a swift, measured manner. “If I don’t prepare now, I’ll run the risk of failing! I can’t fail any finals, period.”

“Oh, relax, Twilight, I’m sure–”

The door chime cut her off. “Uh oh,” I murmured as I jumped off the bed in a hurry and ran over to my closet, pulled out a fresh uniform, then ducked inside the head to put it on.

“Come in!” I heard Preta shout.

I heard bootsteps, followed by a voice that sounded vaguely familiar. “Is Cadet Sparkle around?”

Finished with my uniform, and wishing I had more time to fix the rest of my appearance, I rushed out of the head, saying, “Reporting as ordered…” only to skid to a halt and stiffen to attention when I saw who it was. “...sir.”

The man standing there was instantly recognizable, even if I’d never met him in person before. One look at his face, at the VISOR decorating it, told me all I needed to know. Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge took one look at me and sighed, holding up a hand. “At ease, Cadet. This isn’t an inspection. I’m here to speak with you.”

“With me, sir?” I said, blinking in confusion. “May I ask what about?”

He shook his head and gestured towards the door. “Let’s take a walk.”

I eyed Preta for a moment, who gave me a very quick thumbs up from below her waist, then nodded to La Forge. “Aye, sir.”

As La Forge led me through the Academy corridors, I took a moment to observe his posture. He slumped as he walked, more than I would’ve expected for someone in his position. He kept clenching and unclenching his hands, and sweat covered his brow, which he wiped every so often. His mouth kept pulling down in a concerted frown.

Inward I began to quake. Have I done something wrong? I wondered. Maybe my internship on Mercury was actually a complete disaster! Maybe La Forge came by to kick me out of the Academy!

But wait. Why would he do that? Wasn’t he supposed to be on the Enterprise? Did something happen to it? I hadn’t received any news out at Mercury, as subspace communications were kept to a bare minimum due to solar radiation.

Before I could consider anything more, La Forge stopped in front of the door I recognized as Amina’s office. He hit the door chime, then when her voice called out he entered, and I followed. Both Amina and T’Lona were present, sitting behind the desk, matching expressions of concern on their face. “Now that you have my daughter here,” Amina said in a subdued but irritated voice, “will you finally tell us what’s going on?”

“Yes, ma’am,” La Forge said, gesturing for me to take a seat while he did the same.

I trembled as I did so, the worry in me increasing tenfold. Why would he want to talk to all three of us? Was…was it… no! No, it couldn’t be!

“First of all, thank you for waiting,” La Forge said, steepling his hands on the desk. “This isn’t going to be easy to talk about, but… I felt I owed it to the three of you to come speak with you personally, since I was on Earth.”

“Is this concerning Sunset?” T’Lona inquired, her mouth twitching, her usual control over her emotions starting to slip ever so slightly.

La Forge winced, then nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, it is.”

Amina let out a gasp, holding a hand to her mouth. “What… What happened to her? Is she alright? Is she–”

“Please, let me talk, Commander, and I’ll explain,” La Forge interrupted. “Like I said, this isn’t going to be easy.”

Amina’s eyes flashed angrily, but she sat back nonetheless and waited.

La Forge glanced at me and T’Lona, as if waiting for us to interrupt, then continued, “Approximately one month ago, the Enterprise answered a distress call at the Amargosa Observatory. One thing led to another, and it turned out one of the scientists, a Dr. Soran, was performing experiments that resulted in the star’s collapse.”

Amina nodded impatiently. “We’re all well aware of that. It was everywhere on the Federation news. I spent days discussing it with colleagues. I understand he used trilithium to do it?”

“That’s right. Sunset was the one who figured it out, in fact,” La Forge said. “Soran fled Amargosa in a Klingon Bird of Prey. And as you know, we pursued it to the Veridian system--”

“Yes, and there was a battle,” T’Lona interrupted. “Reports said battle damage caused a warp core breach, but the saucer was able to separate in time and survived.”

Geordi nodded. “Right, basically.”

Given the informality I decided to speak up. “Wait, I don’t get it. What kind of a chance would a Bird of Prey have against a Galaxy-class starship?”

“Under normal circumstances? No chance at all,” La Forge replied, his voice tight. “But these weren’t normal circumstances.” He went into some detail about the Enterprise’s systems, as well as how the Bird of Prey was much more powerful than normal. “Now, those alone wouldn’t have done it. But there was something else we weren’t aware of at the time.”

He tapped his VISOR and frowned hard enough to slip into a sneer. “It turns out the Klingons somehow hijacked my VISOR’s signal, and used it to broadcast video to their ship. We only discovered this long after the fact. Because they could see what I could see, they saw every panel, every display that I looked at...including the one with the ship’s shield modulation frequency on it.”

“Which meant they could fire through the shields,” I said, my heart sinking.

“I still don’t understand where this is going,” Amina interrupted, interjecting authority into her voice. “What does any of this have to do with Sunset?”

“It’s because of Sunset that the saucer section survived at all. You see, Sunset was in Engineering with me during the battle. She worked hard to keep the ship running, and we did end up winning. But afterwards, we discovered there’d been too much damage. The magnetic interlocks ruptured, a coolant leak flooded Engineering, the warp core was five minutes from breaching, and…”

To my shock, I heard a quiet sniffle come from him. Just once. I saw no tears on his face, no other sign of sobbing. My blood froze at the sound, and from the look on T’Lona and Amina’s face, I wasn’t the only one. “What… what happened?” I said.

La Forge didn’t respond for several minutes. Then he held up one hand. “You have to understand, I tried to stop her. I did. I had no idea she was going to–”

“What. Happened?” T’Lona interrupted, her voice hard like solid steel.

“All right.” La Forge shifted in his chair, and took another couple of moments before continuing. “Sunset… she stayed behind next to the warp core as the bulkhead sealed. She said she’d do what she could to stop the breach. When I tried to stop her, she used her abilities to throw me onto the other side of the bulkhead, just before it closed. We had a couple hundred civilians, including children, in the stardrive section, and they needed my help to evacuate. We barely got everyone out in time.”

The ice in my veins cracked, threatening to shatter and rip me into shreds. “But,” I gulped. “But I don’t understand! We all saw the fatality reports! You can’t possibly be saying...”

La Forge shook his head. “I’m sorry. Sunset Shimmer… died when the stardrive exploded.”

My heart shattered into a million pieces. I crumpled in my chair, unable to move. “No,” I whispered.

I saw Amina collapse into T’Lona’s embrace out of the corner of my eye, sobbing into T’Lona’s chest. And T’Lona, she… her facial muscles visibly strained as she sought to contain her own grief. “But she did save lives,” she whispered.

“She did. Except for a few fatalities during the battle itself, she saved all our lives,” La Forge answered. “Somehow–and I still don’t understand how–Sunset managed to contain the breach long enough for the saucer to get to a safe distance. If it hadn’t been for her, we might’ve crashed. Galaxy-class saucers are technically designed to survive that, but… I don’t know if we would have, with all that battle damage.”

T’Lona gave La Forge a rigid nod as she held Amina closer, allowing Amina to cry into her shoulder. “That is… good to know.”

I don’t know why I was still listening. Maybe because I couldn’t move. I couldn’t cry, or scream, or say anything. I felt paralyzed. Like my entire world fell out from under me, and all that was left was a yawning void threatening to devour me whole.

Amina wriggled out of T’Lona’s embrace, her sorrow flash boiling into fury as she slammed a fist on her table. “Why didn’t we hear anything sooner? Sunset is our daughter, damn it! We should’ve been told immediately!”

La Forge let out a quiet sigh. “I… I never told her this, but I considered Sunset Shimmer a friend. I didn’t want her family to hear about her death in some cold form letter sent via subspace. And given she was the first unicorn in Starfleet… the news media would’ve been all over you. You didn’t deserve that either.”

Amina looked ready to tear La Forge’s head off, but T’Lona placed a hand on her arm. I didn’t need to use my magic to see that T’Lona was using her telepathic abilities to enforce a sense of calm on Amina. Privately I was glad to see Mother doing that; La Forge didn’t deserve to suffer Mom’s temper. He didn’t do anything wrong.

He was just the bearer of bad news.

“We’re planning to hold a memorial service for Sunset aboard the Enterprise saucer tomorrow at 1800, San Francisco time,” La Forge said.

“We will attend,” T’Lona said.

La Forge gave a solemn nod. “Of course. I’ll be standing by to transport you aboard. Just be aware, the ship’s taken a lot of damage. We’ll be holding the ceremony in Ten-Forward.”

With that, La Forge got up from his chair. He gave each of us one last look, then departed.

The instant he was gone, whatever abyss held me released me. My eyes unleashed a deluge of tears as my throat choked up with snot. I could barely breathe. “Sunset…” I sobbed. “Sunset...why…?”

I heard the sound of footsteps precede both my adopted parents coming around to hold me. Well, Amina wrapped me tight in her arms and held me close, while T’Lona embraced the two of us. “I know, honey,” Amina cried. “I know. It’s not right.”

“She d-didn’t… she never got to go home…” I fell against my Mom’s chest, feeling for all the world like I was eight years old again and it was the first time she’d ever held me. “She was supposed to see Equestria again! We were supposed to see Equestria again! Together!”

“Her sacrifice had meaning,” T’Lona spoke, her voice shaking in a way that would’ve scared me if I wasn’t overwhelmed by grief. “We must take solace in that. She saved over one thousand lives, at the cost of her own.”

“But she shouldn’t have had to!” I protested.

“No. No, she shouldn’t have,” Amina replied in a quiet voice. She’d run out of tears, and at this point sounded defeated, crushed. “But… she… we all know what it means to, to serve in–”

“Mom,” I Interrupted, staring up into her eyes. “Please. I don’t want to hear any of that platitude shit right now. You know and I know and Mother knows we’re all going to hear tons of it tomorrow. Let’s not waste time using it on each other, okay?”

I saw one corner of Amina’s mouth quirk up at the sound of me using profanity, but it just as quickly vanished. “Yeah. You’re right, hon. Forget the platitudes. I’d rather have my daughter back.”

“...and I as well,” T’Lona seconded.

“I want my BSBFF back,” I thirded.

We spent a while holding each other before Amina pulled away, stumbling back over to her desk. “Well, I think it’s safe to say we all need some leave time to grieve.”

“What about my finals?” I murmured.

“Don’t worry about them, sweetheart,” Amina said with a shake of her head. “I’ll discuss it with Admiral Brand. Circumstances like these, with your grades, I don’t think she’ll have a problem giving you credit to move on to third year.” She switched on her terminal, and began to type. “Head back to your quarters and get your things packed up. I’m going to try to aim for the longest amount of time we can. Spend some time together as a family.”

I tried to stand up from my chair, but my legs wobbled like jelly, forcing me to sit back down. “I’m… trying.”

“Would you like me to accompany you, Twilight?” T’Lona asked as she ran a hand through my mane.

I looked up at her, saw the naked sorrow in her eyes, and nodded. “Yes, Mother. Please.”

She nodded in turn, and waved for me to stand. This time, with her hand on my shoulder, I found the strength to do it. I could feel her adding her sense of self-control, just a little, at the back of my mind. Enough to support me. It was exactly what I needed.

We trudged through the corridors, her hand never leaving my shoulder even once. We both ignored any stares or looks of confusion from other cadets as we walked by. “Oh, you’re back,” Preta said as I entered our shared quarters. Then she shot T’Lona and I a look of confusion. “Um, what–”

“Please excuse us, cadet,” T’Lona said as she walked with me over to my bag I’d left on the bed. Fortunately, I hadn’t bothered to unpack yet, so all I needed was a couple of additional things. “I’m afraid Twilight will be leaving the Academy for a while.”

Preta shot up out of her chair and walked over to me, heedless of T’Lona’s fixed stare. “Why? What happened?”

I looked up at Preta, the worry in her eyes wearing down what little strength I had. So I swallowed, and said bluntly, “Preta… Sunset’s dead.”

Preta let out a gasp, which for her sounded a bit more like a hiss, then she shot forward and embraced me. “I’m so sorry, Twilight. How–”

“It would be best if Twilight didn’t discuss the details right now,” T’Lona said. “Neither she nor I have the proper… strength to do so.”

Preta pulled me in tighter, rubbing my face right into her tummy before she let go. “Yes, ma’am,” she murmured. “I understand. Do you know when you’ll be back, Twilight?”

“Not sure yet,” I replied. “I’ll write you, okay? Good luck with your finals.”

We left the room in a hurry, because I didn’t want to say another word if I could avoid it. We returned to my mother’s office, though we didn’t have long to wait before we were officially granted our leave. “I had to call in a favor with an old colleague of mine,” Amina said, “but I found someone to cover my first few weeks of classes. We’re getting a month.”

“Wow,” I murmured, despite feeling no enthusiasm. “That’s more than I expected.”

T’Lona murmured agreement as we all left the Academy together. We didn’t exchange any words till we arrived home in Vancouver. “We can… we can figure out what we want to do together after tomorrow’s ceremony,” Amina said as she slumped onto the couch. “We’ll do something. Go somewhere. Find some peace.”

“I want to see Belle,” I replied. “Soon as I can.”

“We will see,” T’Lona said with a quiet nod.

We spent the rest of the evening at home, sitting together quietly. At one point, T’Lona got up and fetched us all something to eat, despite neither Amina nor me being all that hungry. I ended up falling asleep on the couch that night, laying next to my Mom.

The next day, everything seemed surreal. Like what I’d heard about last night hadn’t happened, that any moment I’d have to go back to the Academy and attend my next class, while waiting to hear about the latest bit of silliness Sunset encountered on the Enterprise. I wanted to hear her voice, see her face.

It’d been years since I last spoke to her in person. The last time I got to hug her was right before she left for her post.

A small part of me, the childish, angry part of me, wanted to start blaming someone, anyone for this. Like Starfleet. If it hadn’t been for Starfleet luring us with its promise of finding Equus, and all we had to do was put ourselves in mortal danger every minute of the day with an antimatter consuming energy core that could wipe us out in an instant.

But that was stupid. It wasn’t Starfleet’s fault. Starfleet was the best opportunity we had. That… I had. Right?

All too soon, 1800 approached. I stepped outside my home with T’Lona and Amina, while my Mom activated her combadge. “Enterprise,” she said. “Three to beam up.”

My world dissolved into light and sound before reforming into a transporter room of the type I’d only seen in pictures and in a holosuite. Scorch marks marred the walls, with a few pieces of broken equipment dumped in a side alcove. Commander La Forge stepped away from the console and gestured to the door. “This way. Watch your step; there’s a lot of damage in the corridors.”

La Forge wasn’t kidding. Stepping into the corridor left me with the haunting feeling of entering a graveyard. Half the ceiling lights were out, many of the rest flickered. Various debris ranging from pieces of broken panels to wiring to fallen bits of ceiling decorated the hallways as if an artist had shoved a bunch of paint into a ketchup bottle, shook it up, and then sprayed it all over the place. For my own safety’s sake I opted to light up my horn to provide more steady illumination. “Why isn’t anyone fixing the damage?” I wondered as we headed down the hallway.

“Well, to be honest with you, Starfleet’s not sure the Enterprise is worth salvaging, even with the saucer brought home intact,” La Forge answered. “It’s not like Utopia Planitia keeps Galaxy-class stardrives sitting around unused. They might just disassemble it for parts, or find some other use for it.” He let out a quiet sigh. “Of course I don’t know what will happen with the crew. The whole senior staff’s going to end up facing a board of inquiry, myself included. Some of us might not get to stay in Starfleet after this. People have already asked me if I’ll be moving on to the new ship class that’s under development at Utopia Planitia. But first we need to see if we’re still in Starfleet in a month.”

“Is this a subject you should be discussing with us?” T’Lona inquired as we reached a turbolift.

A wry smile crossed La Forge’s face. “Technically? No. But you’re Sunset’s family. I don’t mind letting you in on a few extra details.”

Amina matched his smile with one of her own. “I won’t tell if you won’t.”

“What about the saucer?” I asked. I wasn’t sure I cared about the answer aside from basic curiosity, but it helped distract me from what we were about to do.

“If I have any say in the matter, they’ll keep the old girl around, use her as part of a different ship.” La Forge patted the side of the turbolift. “I think Sunset would appreciate that.”

“...yeah,” I muttered, sighing. “She would.”

The turbolift opened into another corridor, just as damaged as the first. La Forge led us past the debris and towards a pair of double doors, into a large lounge dominated on one side by floor to ceiling windows. This place, at least, looked fairly pristine. A lectern had been set up close to the windows, while all the tables were moved into a far corner, allowing them to set up rows of chairs, most of which were already filled with a collection of uniformed officers, the vast majority wearing gold and of low rank, presumably engineers. The front row, however, contained the entirety of the ship’s senior staff–I recognized them all, even if, like La Forge, I’d never met them. Three seats, including one designed for an Equestrian, were set aside right up at the very middle front, between Doctor Crusher and Commander Worf’s seats.

Two very familiar faces sat near the back. Cadeneza and Wattson gave a small wave when they saw me, which I returned. I was glad to see them. No matter what I personally thought of Cadeneza, I know she considered Sunset a good friend, and, well, both were friends of the family too.

There was also one other person I recognized, a blue-uniformed Lieutenant sitting close to the front. I was more than a little surprised to see she was here. I made a note to talk to her after the ceremony.

We attracted a few looks and stares as we took our seats, all of them sympathetic, though a few did a double take when they saw me. I tried not to shrink into my chair, and failed miserably.

Instead of sitting down, La Forge proceeded to the lectern. “Thank you all for coming,” he said, instantly silencing the quiet bubble of conversation. “We all know what we’re here for. I know a lot of us wanted to hold this ceremony sooner, but I didn’t think it’d be right to do it without Sunset’s family.”

He then launched into a speech about Sunset, about her duties aboard the ship, her accomplishments, and a whole heap of crap that went right in one ear and out the other as far as I was concerned. I’m sure it meant something to the crew of the Enterprise, but I already knew about the parts I cared about, and the rest, I didn’t.

A few others went up after La Forge to speak. Doctor Crusher spent some time waxing philosophical about the friendship her son had with Sunset and me. Commander Worf rattled out some nonsense about how much honor Sunset had and how she died well. And so on, until Captain Picard went up.

“I didn’t know Lieutenant Shimmer as well as I might have liked to,” Picard began. “I was her Captain, yes, but outside of a few instances, we rarely interacted. Something I now regret.” He paused a moment, then turned his gaze to look at Amina, T’Lona, and me. “I know what it’s like to lose family that you care for deeply. Just a few days prior to Sunset’s untimely death, I learned that my brother Robert and my nephew perished in a fire.”

I saw his jaw line tense significantly, but he pressed on. “A sudden death is never easy to cope with. But Sunset Shimmer died in the line of duty, protecting not just the lives of her crew, but the lives of an entire planet in the Veridian system. Two-hundred and thirty-million individuals who will never know her, or hear of her, owe her their lives. I want to reward that level of commitment to Starfleet’s ideals, to the ideals of the Federation. Self-sacrifice is a virtue few can live up to as well as she did.

“As such, I am officially awarding Sunset Shimmer a posthumous promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. I only wish I could be giving it to her in person.”

Some deep, dark part of me rose up over this, filling me with a momentary black rage. A promotion? She dies, so you’re going to give her a pointless promotion?! What the hell is that even for? Just to make you feel better?

Then I felt T’Lona’s hand rest on my neck, and slowly my anger faded away.

“Now, are there any others who would like to say something before we turn things over to Sunset’s family?” Picard inquired.

No one spoke up, so Picard took a seat. T’Lona went first, and gave a short, quiet speech about her first meeting with Sunset. Nothing I hadn’t heard a thousand times, but unlike listening to others babble on about such things, from my Mother it was comforting. Like an old family blanket wrapped around you on a cold winter’s night, the familiarity as comforting as the warmth.

Amina gave her speech next. Much like Mother’s, it wasn’t anything I hadn’t heard, but Mom gave her words a sense of emotion few others had managed. Or maybe that was my heart aching over the reminders of times past.

Then it was my turn. At first I wasn’t sure I wanted to. Not because I didn’t care–of course I did–but because it felt like no matter what I said, I might be leaving something out. But after a moment’s hesitation, I got up off my chair and trotted up to the front. I gazed at the crowd, of expectant, patient faces, and began to speak.

“Sunset meant more to me than almost anything else in the world. She wasn’t just my big sister. She was the only other person like me. The only other pony. That’s why we both joined Starfleet: we want to find our home. Find where we came from.” I paused for a moment, casting my eyes from person to person, then continued. “But it also sounds like Sunset found a second home here, on this ship. One that she cared about enough to give up her life for. I… I want to be mad at her. I want to hate her. I want to shout at her, ask her why she abandoned us… abandoned me.” I held a hoof up to my chest. “But I knew her too well. I know that’s not what she did. If she sacrificed herself, she did it because she knew it was the right thing to do. The only thing she could do.”

I drooped, lowering my head. “I know I’m going to miss her. I’m gonna miss her a lot. And I’m going to do what she wasn’t able to do. I’m going to find Equestria, our original home, so I can tell them what happened. So I can carry her home with me.”

With that, I trotted over and fell back into my seat. I wasn’t sure where some of that came from. Like I was trying to give some inspiring speech, rather than pouring out my heart. But it earned some polite applause all the same.

Then La Forge went back up, pronounced there would be a small after-ceremony gathering to talk about Sunset and to speak with each other. Certainly not a party, or even a wake. Just quiet talk.

As soon as I got the chance, I made a beeline for the one I intended to speak with, before she could rush out the door. “Lieutenant Smith, ma’am,” I called.

Smith froze, then slowly turned around and gave me a strained smile. “Oh, um, howdy,” she said. “Ah didn’t realize you recognized me.”

“Sunset told me a lot about you while you and her were together,” I replied.

“Oh she did, huh?” Smith let out a wry chuckle and shook her head. “Ah guess she would. She talked about you all the time too, you know. She was real proud of you. Always had somethin’ good to say.”

“...thanks,” I mumbled, too overwhelmed to figure out a better response. I mean, I’d always known she was proud of me, but… it never hurt to hear it, especially from someone who was as close to her as Smith was.

“Sure.” Smith fidgeted in place, glancing at the door. “Ah, Ah should probably get goin–”

“It would’ve made her very happy, to know you were here, at the ceremony,” I said. “She considered you a very good friend, even after what happened.”

Smith gaped at me for a moment, squeezing one fist by her side. A few tears dripped down her cheeks. Then she spun on her heel and rushed out without another word.

I let her go. I’d said what I needed to say.

The instant I turned around, Cadeneza and Wattson were in my face, looking down at me with matching mournful expressions. “Hey, Sparkie,” Cadeneza said. “Amelia and I are gonna head back down to San Fran, hit up a local bar. You wanna come along? Might take your mind off things.”

My initial instinct was to refuse, since bars weren’t exactly my scene. But then I glanced over at the crowd of quietly chatting people, including my parents, who were mingling with the rest. All constantly talking about Sunset. All talking about someone who was gone and never coming back. And I’d heard so much I just… I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Yeah,” I said. “Let’s get out of here.”

We quickly fled Ten-Forward and found our way to a different transporter room than the one I’d arrived in, this one staffed by a single chief, idly adjusting something on his console. “Oi, chief,” Cadeneza ordered as the three of us hopped onto the pad. “Three to beam down to San Francisco. Valencia Street, Mission District.”

“Um, with respect, ma’am,” the chief said, “I wasn’t informed of any–”

“Excuse you,” Cadeneza interrupted, pointing to her collar. “You understand I’m your superior officer, yeah?”

Properly chastised, the chief nodded. “Yes, ma’am. Energizing now.”

My world disappeared, replaced by late evening San Francisco. The cool air sliced through my cadet’s uniform like knives, making me shiver. “Where’re we going?” I asked. “I don’t know anything about this part of San Francisco.”

“Just over here.” Cadeneza directed us towards the closest establishment, one with a glitzy exterior and an interior full of high-quality wooden furniture and a homey atmosphere, complete with ringing bell when the door opened. The place held few patrons, likely just locals, who all gave us curious glances upon spotting our Starfleet uniforms. Cadeneza ignored them and directed us to the bar.

The barkeep, an older human man with greying hair and a long, flowing beard, stared down at me while polishing a glass. “You know we don’t allow pets in here, Cadeneza,” he said after a moment.

“Haha, very funny, Xu,” Cadeneza snorted as we all took our seats, with me in the center, and Cadeneza on my left. “Give us three shots of whiskey to start off with. And I mean the real premo stuff; Teeling, Vintage Reserve.”

Xu shrugged, set the glass down, then turned and reached for a large bottle hanging on a high shelf. With a few quick movements he set down three shot glasses and filled them up. “Hope your latinum’s going to be good for all this.”

“Relax, I’ve got it.” Cadeneza said, withdrawing her PADD out from her pocket. She tapped a few keys and then nodded to him. “See?”

Xu glanced at something I couldn’t see behind the counter, then a small smile formed on his face. “Good.” He glanced over at me. “You gonna be okay with that glass, hoss?”

Glaring back, I ignited my horn and took hold of the whiskey. “I’ve got it, thanks.”

He raised an eyebrow at that, then shrugged again. As Xu moved away, Wattson leaned over to whisper in my ear, “Don’t mind him. He’s just a grumpy old goose. Never leaves his bar except to go upstairs to his apartment. Helps keep the place quiet. It’s why Jacqueline and I like it.”

I stared down at my floating shot glass full of whiskey. I’d drank alcohol before, of course. Mom introduced me to some of the real stuff at special holiday dinners when I was fourteen. I didn’t touch it that often though, not like Sunset. It never had much appeal.

At least, it didn’t used to. The thought of getting blackout drunk sounded nice for once, and the surprisingly fragrant aroma of raisins and tropical fruit, along with many others, tempted me even further. So I knocked back the dark amber shot in a hurry. The fruity crispiness burned like napalm going down my gullet and hit my stomach like a depth charge. It tasted interesting, but felt horrible.

Just like me.

I thought back to what I said during the memorial. About how I didn’t hate Sunset. How I didn’t blame her for abandoning us. And I wondered… Do I blame her? Am I mad? Do I… hate my sister?

I didn’t know. I didn’t want to know right now. Blacking out crap like this was why I felt the need to get drunk. I didn't even realize I'd been pawing at the empty glass with a hoof when I looked up at the bartender. "Another."

Xu considered that, then nodded and poured me a second. “Take it easy on this, kid. Trust me.”

“I’m not a kid,” I growled.

Wait. Hate? Why would I hate Sunset? I thought, staring at the refilled drink in front if me. That’s impossible.

Right?

I slammed the second shot down my throat and mentally asked myself over and over again, but as the fire spread from my stomach to my head, I honestly couldn’t tell if the ire in my veins was from the whiskey or a growing sense of betrayal.

“No, you’re not, Sparkie,” Cadeneza said, patting me on the back while she sipped at her own whiskey. “You gave a good speech today. I almost cried.”

“You did cry,” Wattson retorted. “Sunset… she’s worth crying over.”

“Yeah,” I murmured as I took another gulp of the crispy fruity drink who's burn had become comfortable. Companionable, even. “She shouldn’t’ve died.”

“No. She shouldn’t have,” Cadenza agreed.

A quiet chirp emerged from my combadge. I glanced down at it and sighed. “Mom and Mother are probably wondering where I am.”

“Eh, you’re an adult,” Cadeneza said. She took the combadge off my chest and shoved it into my pocket. “They can live without you for a bit.”

“We’ll apologize to them later,” Wattson added when my face twisted up with doubt. “You’re with friends. It’s not like you’ve been kidnapped by your worst enemy.”

Sunset would say do it, you know, my mind insisted. Mother and Mom will be fine. You need this. “Yeah, you’re right,” I said, resolving to ignore further attempts at communication. “I’m glad you two came, by the way.”

“Are you kidding?” Wattson gave me a smile, but it was fragile, prone to breaking at the slightest touch. “Sunset was, like, one of our best friends. And she mentored us, ya know? ‘Sides, we’re both stationed planetside for now.”

“I keep telling them to send me out there,” Cadeneza said with a sigh. “How’s a xenobiologist supposed to study xenobiology if she’s stuck on her home planet, huh?”

“What, sleeping with every female alien to cross your path not enough for you?” I snarked, a nasty smile briefly gracing my face.

“Woah! Sparkie's got some sparks!” Wattson laughed, clapping me on the back. “Damn, didn’t know you had that in you.”

Cadeneza scowled for a moment, then gulped her whiskey in one go. “Xu, pour me something harder, would you? Don’t waste my time with vodka or rum. I mean something hard.”

Xu chuckled, a sound like gargling sandpaper, then bent down low under the bar. We heard the sound of a few beeps before a locked door popped open, then he rose again holding a large bottle of blue liquid. “How’s Romulan Ale sound?”

My eyes widened a touch at the sight. “You know that’s illegal, right?” I asked.

“Oh come off it, Sparkie,” Cadeneza said as she held her glass out. “Pour it here.”

Wattson drained her glass in a hurry. “Me too.”

I hesitated for a moment then I swallowed the rest of my whiskey and slid my glass forward as well. “Me three.”

He poured us each a round, then set the bottle back down under the bar.

Cadeneza held up her glass. “To Sunset Shimmer. For being a good friend.” She glanced at me. “And a good sister to this one.”

“Here here,” Watson said as she clinked her glass to Cadeneza’s.

“To Sunset,” I whispered as I did the same. This time when I drank, it went down smooth, tingly, as if to say everything would be alright, that there was nothing to worry about. And then it hit my stomach like a photon torpedo, to the point I doubled over, wheezing.

Cadeneza broke out laughing, her cheeks turning a rosy red. “Ahahahaaha! Just like the Romulans to design a drink that lies to you going down.” She dropped her glass to the table as her laughter flipped instantly into sobbing. She doubled over onto the bar. “Y-you know what I regret? Something I should’ve told Sunset when I had the chance?”

Seeing Cadeneza sob tore at my heart. I scooted a bit closer to her and placed a hoof on her back, gently rubbing her like I would for Sunset when she was upset. “What’s that?”

Cadeneza shrugged and let out a sad giggle. “I had a crush on her. A god-damned schoolgirl crush, if you can believe it.”

Had Sunset still been alive, I might’ve shrieked at Cadeneza. Screamed about how gross it would be, her of all people laying hands on Sunset. But… somehow I couldn’t summon up the anger. The rage over it died before it could ignite. “That would’ve been something,” I chuckled.

“I kept telling you, Jacquie,” Wattson said, her words just a little slurred now from the ale. “Should’a told Sunshet.”

“Eh. Screw it. Not like it matters now,” Cadeneza said, swallowing more of her ale. “‘S’all meaningless.”

I heard the sound of the door’s bell ringing, but I ignored it. “I hear you,” I murmured as I drained my glass dry.

As Xu poured me another glass, Wattson poked me in the shoulder. “Hey, Sparkie, do you think–”

“Excuse me.”

The three of us all lazily turned to see Kelia Maia of all people standing there in her cadet’s uniform, a phaser by her side, glaring at the three of us. “Maia?” I blurted, having to shake my head to clear out the sudden, brief image of two Maias standing there. “What’re… what’re you doin’ here?”

“Seeking to bring you home,” Maia growled. “Your parents are furious with your disappearance.”

“Oh come the hell on, Cadet,” Cadeneza snarled as she jumped off her stool to glare Maia in the eye. “Sparkie’s an adult. She don’t need no Starfleet security wannabe dragging her home by her ears because her mommies are throwing a hissy fit.”

“Um, hey, that’s a bit rude, Jacquie,” Wattson said, also standing up so she could lay a hand on Cadeneza’s shoulder. “I’m sure this Cadet, uh…”

“Maia.”

“Cadet Maia’s just doin’ her job.” Wattson eyed Maia suspiciously. “Right?”

“Yes, I am,” Maia answered after giving me a look. “Part of my training, doing basic security work in the city.”

“Well, thanks, Maia, but I don’t want to go home,” I said, pointedly turning back to the bar. “I’m on leave. You can’t force me.”

“Yes, actually, I can,” Maia retorted. She took a step forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. “If need be I do have the authority to detain you.”

“For what?!” Cadeneza shouted, throwing her hands up in the air. “For having a drink at a bar, like any other adult?”

“For failure to report for duty when asked to by her superior officers,” Maia replied simply.

Cadeneza made a fist with her right hand and punched it into her left. “Oh that’s it. Last warning, cadet. Leave. Or I’ll pound your ass into the ground.”

I spit out the ale I was half-way into sipping. “Uh, Cadeneza… you know that’s my old roommate, right?”

“Yeah, Jacquie, let it go,” Wattson said, tugging at Cadeneza’s uniform sleeve. “Come on. We’re in public, in uniform. Let’s not make a scene.”

Maia tensed up her limbs. I didn’t have to see her face to know what kind of smile was slowly forming there. “Threatening a fellow officer can land you in the brig, ma'am,” she said as she let go of me and stepped away from the bar.

“I think I’ll take my chances,” Cadeneza said as she brought her fists up, her mouth stretched in a savage grin. “Get ready to taste the floor, dipshit.”

“Taste the floor?” Wattson scoffed and turned to Xu. “Xu, you gonna stop this?”

Xu took a few steps back from the bar. “Only if it goes too far.”

I turned around in my chair. “Guys, please,” I said. “It’s not worth–”

Cadeneza threw a punch that landed on the side of Maia's face. Maia took a step back, reeling for just a moment, then brought a finger up to her lips, and came away with blood. “Big mistake,” she laughed.

Maia brought her fists up and fired off a one two punch Cadeneza’s way, but Cadeneza easily blocked them, letting them bounce off her wrists. Even with the alcohol burning throughout her veins, Cadeneza showed no signs of clumsiness or sloth as she bounced on the balls of her feet and studied her foe.

“You know, I grew up in a pretty rough place,” she said, feinting a blow to the head before lashing out with a kick that caught Maia in the side.

Maia grunted as she absorbed the hit, then followed up with a few kicks of her own before sending off an uppercut that just barely missed clipping Cadeneza’s chin. “So did I,” Maia replied.

Cadeneza closed the distance and pummeled at Maia’s face, forcing the younger woman to bring up her arms to fend off the blows. “Bet you mine was rougher!”

I saw the devious glint in Maia’s eye and reached out a hoof to warn Cadeneza, but I reacted far too late. Maia hooked her foot under Cadeneza’s leg, slamming Cadenza onto the ground before following with a stomp from her booted heel that dug directly into Cadeneza's stomach. “No. It wasn’t.”

Cadenza folded in on herself, clutching her stomach, gasping for air. I saw the green on her face and dodged out of the way just fast enough to avoid the splash of vomit. “Jesus,” she choked.

Maia pulled her phaser and trained it on Cadeneza. “If I were you, I’d stay down, unless you want this reported.” She glanced over at me. “Come with me, now, and I won’t say a word about this to my superiors.”

I flashed Wattson and Cadeneza an apologetic glance and a wave, ignoring Cadeneza's faint groans and grumbles of cowards. I stood next to Maia and reached into my pocket with my magic, plucking out my combadge, and placing it back on my chest. “Okay. I’m coming.”

It took a week before my parents calmed down completely. Both expressed severe worry for me, with Mom even saying that the last thing she needed right now was to lose her other daughter. At the time she said it, my booze-addled mind insisted she was overreacting, that I was obviously okay.

Of course she was right. I realized as much the next day, and apologized.

We spent the rest of our leave time together, visiting various places we visited often before Sunset died. I think my parents hoped this would bring some level of catharsis, a way of letting go of Sunset, honoring the presence she’d had in our lives.

To me it just felt like we were trying to forget her instead.

I resumed the Academy a couple of weeks late into the term, and had to rapidly make up what I’d missed. The stress of that plus Sunset’s loss left me crying in my quarters more than once, my tears soaking into Preta’s fur. She practically acted like a security blanket at times, though she didn’t seem to mind at all. I was so grateful they let me keep her as my roommate for the first half of third year.

Twice a week I was ordered to seek counseling. Unfortunately, while Belle was my preferred therapist of choice, even she didn’t have time to see me as often as I needed her. So she introduced me to her colleague and aid, Inanna Eresh, a human woman of Arabian descent, who used to be an archeologist before switching to psychology. She and Belle used many of the same techniques and methods in their counseling, though at times Inanna came off as just a little bit colder, more aloof.

This situation continued throughout the rest of the first half of third year. I threw myself into my studies harder than before, more determined than ever to achieve for Sunset what she’d never be able to do now. I doubled down on combat training, spending time with Maia any chance I got. I applied for every rare opportunity and pushed for every extra bit of credit I could achieve, to the point that by the end of the term, I completely blew away everyone else at the finals.

Yet, when I came home for the weeks of leave before the second half of the year, Mom seemed… worried. One day she took me aside in her office. “Hey, honey, how’re you doing?”

“I’m fine?” I snorted, rolling my eyes. “What about it?”

“Well…” Amina held up her hands, rubbing them together while she thought. “Twilight, T’Lona and I are worried about you. You’ve changed.”

Arching my eyebrows, I glanced down at my body, which had bulked up a bit in terms of muscle from all the extra exercise. “I mean, I guess I have a little.”

Amina shook her head and smiled softly. “No, I don’t mean that. I’m talking about your attitude, sweetheart. You’re…." She hesitated and bit her lip. "You’ve grown colder, meaner.”

I rolled my eyes again. “No I haven’t. I’m fine.”

“Twilight, this doesn’t just come from us,” Amina countered. “This comes from Belle and Inanna too. They’ve both seen it. You’re not as considerate as you used to be. You’re… well, I’d never stoop to calling you a jerk, but–”

“You just did,” I said, glaring at her. “Gee, thanks Mom. I thought you’d be proud of me for doing so well after Sunset died.”

“Twilight, that’s not what I’m talking about. Of course I’m proud of your academic performance, but...” She frowned, then reached out to give me a hug. “I know you’re still hurting. We all are. I’m worried about you. You’re not who you used to be.”

“Of course I’m not,” I replied, my lips pulling back into a sneer, even though she couldn’t see it with my head on her shoulder. “None of us are.”

“Maybe not, but, we can recover,” Amina said. She ran a hand down my head and neck, then brought me forward to kiss me on my forehead. “And the last thing I’d want to see is for you to become cold-hearted. That’s not who you are, Twilight.”

I wanted to push her away. To insult her. To snap at her. But… that wouldn’t have been right. It wasn’t her fault I’d changed. Nor was it Mother’s. Or my friends.

...no. No I knew whose fault it was. It was Sunset. It was her fault I’m changing. Losing her hurt more than anything I could’ve imagined.

Damn you, Sunset.

I snuggled deeper into the hug, nuzzling her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Mom. It’s just… it’s been so hard.”

“I know, sweetie. I know.”

I spent the two weeks till the second half of third year taking sessions with Belle and Innana, and following through on extra credit classes. Nothing much to speak of till I returned to the Academy, until I arrived at my new quarters, where I discovered an envelope waiting on my desk next to the usual PADD with my class schedule.

Inside was a single green isolinear chip, with a simple label that read “Sunset Shimmer.” Feeling a bit shaken, I plugged it into my terminal to check. There were two files, one that might’ve been a holodeck program, and the other one a video message, which I played.

The soft smiling face of Commander La Forge appeared, sitting at a desk in some office on Mars, judging by the red dusty dirt and sky outside the window behind him. To my surprise he no longer wore a VISOR; instead it had been replaced with some sort of new implants, ones that gave him the appearance of having blue eyes just slightly the wrong shade to be normal for a human.

“Hello Cadet Sparkle,” he said, giving me a nod. “I wanted to give this to you in person, but I’m afraid the Enterprise-E is preparing to launch for its shakedown cruise. The technicians working on the old Enterprise saucer discovered this holoprogram deep in its databanks. It belonged to your sister. Looks like it’s something she was working on for several years. She included a message for you too; out of respect for your privacy, I didn’t watch it. It should play after this one. I’m sorry we weren’t able to get this to you sooner.”

His image winked out, immediately replaced by my sister. Seeing her smiling face, her mane of red and yellow spilling out onto her golden Starfleet uniform caused my heart to skip several beats. She was seated at a desk in what I presumed were her quarters. A stardate accompanied the recording, in the lower left corner, 48126.5, meaning it was recorded several months before she died. “Hey Twilight!” she said, waving.

“Hi Sunset,” I whispered back.

“I wasn’t sure when I wanted to record this. Thought I’d do it now, just so I don’t forget. Soooooo, happy graduation! I’m so proud of you. I knew you could do it! Sorry I’m not there to see them slap that Ensign’s pip on your collar; I’m sure there must be some good reason I’m not. You wouldn’t be seeing this otherwise.” Sunset laughed to herself, her cheeks turning red. “Good grief. Listen to me. I’m not prepared for this at all. I should probably rerecord this when it gets closer to your graduation.”

I reached out to the screen and placed my hoof on it. Wetness ran down my cheeks. “It’s okay, Sunset. I don’t mind.”

“Well, anyway, I’ve been working on something here for the both of us, and if all goes well, I’ll be giving it to you as a graduation present. You know, just in case you don’t get posted to the Enterprise with me, or you do right as I get transferred elsewhere. It’s something I think you’ll like.”

I watched her reach forward and tap a few keys on the terminal below, then a smaller picture appeared, inset in the lower right hand corner of the screen. I gasped when I recognized the exterior of Canterlot Castle, just like I remembered it. “You see, it’s a holodeck program,” Sunset said. “Of Equestria. Right now I just have Canterlot Castle and part of Canterlot’s exterior, but I’m hoping to expand it to the rest of the city. It’s… well, it’s having to use a bit of procedural generation with corrections from my memory, so it probably won’t be perfect, a-and I’m still working out the bugs when it comes to the holocharacters populating the environment not being very distinct from each other, but hey, it’s Equestria, right?”

“Oh wow,” I breathed. “Sunset, that’s…”

Sunset immediately bowed to the screen and flashed me a smug grin. “I know, your BSBFF is awesome. Anyway, right now I’ve only got Princess Celestia programmed to respond to me, but I’m hoping by the time I send you this she’ll respond to you too, as if you were her student. Kind of silly to interact with a hologram of the Princess, I know, but I figured it might be a fun little escape if you ever needed it. Just don’t forget it is just a holoprogram. It’s not real. And hey, maybe show it off to a few of your crew mates.”

“...I will, Sunset.”

Sunset winked at the screen. “So, like I said before, congratulations on graduating, and hopefully I’ll be able to see you in person sometime soon. Worst case, I’m sure we’ll find some way to meet up. Gotta stick to that goal of finding Equus, after all.” She gave me a wide smile. “I love you, Twilight. I’m always here for you, whenever you need me. You take care now, okay? Bye bye!” She waved once, then the video winked out.

“Bye…” I whispered as I fell backwards in my chair, a few quiet sobs escaping me. Seeing her talk to me again… in that moment, all my anger, my frustration towards her, it all faded away. All I could see was the sister I loved. “I love you too, Sunset.”

“Are you crying?”

At the sound of the deep but feminine voice, I spun in my chair. Another cadet stood there, one I didn’t recognize, with blonde hair streaming down her back as far as regulations would allow, and sharp, piercing blue eyes. She towered over me, about one and three quarters meters in height. She frowned at me, upper lip curled just enough to imply a sneer without going all the way.

I straightened up in my chair immediately, and wiped my face. “Not–yes, I was, but I’m fine. I’m Twilight Sparkle. I’m guessing you’re my new roommate?”

“It would seem that way, yes,” she answered, her words coming through in a smooth accent with just enough French to spice her words. She eyed me for a moment, then stuck out a glove-covered hand. "Clairicia Françoise Danielle. ”

I shook her hand. “Nice to meet you. Mind if I ask why the gloves?”

She smiled briefly. “Safety requirement. I’m half-Deltan.”

I blinked at that, then turned to my terminal. “I’m not sure I’m familiar with Deltans off the top of my head.”

Her smile reappeared, this time to stay. “There are a lot fewer Deltans in Starfleet these days. It is a difficult profession for most.”

After typing at my terminal, I nodded in understanding. “Oh, that’s right. Deltans are the species with pheromones so strong they have to swear an oath of celibacy just to serve. But you’re half-Deltan, so what does–”

“It means that if you want to avoid becoming helplessly enamoured with me, don’t touch my skin for very long,” she replied. Her smile dropped. “May I ask what you were crying about?”

Any sense of a good mood evaporated. My thoughts drifted back to Sunset. “Just… my sister. She died a few months ago, and they unearthed a message she was supposed to send me when I graduated. Don’t worry about it.”

“Very well,” Danielle said. She strode over to her desk, turned on her terminal, and got to work.

It took a number of weeks before she and I developed any sort of rapport. She was distant most of the time, but every so often she loosened up and turned into a happy go-lucky friendly girl, like she’d just downed ten tons of sugar and was working off the energy. It made for a nice change; I just wish I knew what caused it.

The rest of my third year at the Academy passed much like the first half had. I threw myself deep into my studies, only briefly coming up for air when some combination of Preta, Maia, Cadeneza, and Wattson teamed up to pull me away for a while. Sometimes they brought Danielle along for the ride, but she never seemed to have all that much fun.

Every once in a while I'd stumble into the bar Cadeneza took me to after the memorial service. I kept my drinking to a minimum, but the atmosphere was nice. Helped me to get away from things.

Before I knew it, I’d finished my third year at the Academy. I’d aced all my subjects, of course. It was never in any doubt, not anymore. I was too determined, too certain of my purpose to risk failure.

It was only during that summer I finally got a chance to check out the holodeck program. I took Cadeneza, Wattson, Preta, and Maia all along with me. Though Clairicia turned down my invitation, due to her brief posting on the Crazy Horse for one of her summer courses. We were granted permission by my Mom to use one of the Academy holodecks, “For one time only.”

“So this is gonna basically be like your home planet, right?” Cadeneza asked, her hands shoved into the pockets of that leather coat I hated.

“Supposedly,” I said, trying not to gag. It wasn't the smell, or appearance that drove me insane, she just always acted so… so Cadeneza while wearing the stupid thing. “This is the first time I’m running it.”

“Let’s get this over with,” Maia said, glaring daggers at the back of Cadeneza’s head every once in a while. Despite all the times spent hanging out since, those two never got along. And Cadeneza had doubled down on being a bit of a jerk to me too, like she still hated the fact I went with Maia instead of staying with her that night. It didn’t stop us from spending time together as friends, but it strained our friendship, that was for sure.

“Oh, don’t be so hasty,” Preta retorted, giving Maia side eye. “This means a lot to Twilight. We’re here to support her.”

“Whatever.”

“Okay, everyone, here we go,” I said as I brought out the isolinear chip and stuck it into the arch. “Computer! Run program Sunset Beta-four-seven.”

The grid pattern of the floor and walls faded, replaced with a bustling exterior instantly familiar to me, scents and all. The busy Canterlot marketplace, with its stalls of freshly baked bread and newly harvested fruits and vegetables. Shops for various goods lined both sides of the street corner. In the middle of the square a fountain burbled, casting water atop a bronze statue of Princess Celestia.

And the ponies! The ponies were everywhere. Speaking proper Ponish at that. My ears opened up, taking in the sound of those flowing syllables, the whinnies, the nickers, produced by proper pony throats, not technologically translated. In the distance, the great towers of Canterlot Castle loomed, rising above as if to wave down at the ponies and greet them with kindness and hope. The sun overhead streamed down, bathing the square in its warm light.

“Wow,” Cadeneza said, whistling. “I’m impressed. You weren’t kidding when you said there weren’t just unicorns, huh?”

I turned to see her staring at a pegasus who sat on a nearby bench, his wings outstretched to either side while he sat reading a newspaper. “Nope. I told you.”

“Seems pretty primitive,” Maia commented. She pointed up at one of several streetlights. “Is that an oil lantern?”

“And no computers. No vehicles,” Preta added. Then she glanced up at the sky and her mouth fell open. “Or maybe there are. Look!”

We all looked up to see a large airship flying overhead, its gondola filled up with ponies. The twin rotors at the back spun it on its merry way. “An airship? Wow, that’s ancient tech if I’ve ever seen any,” Wattson said. She beamed and rubbed her hands together. “Might be fun to get my hands on one of those.”

“I doubt it’s properly programmed,” I said dryly as I walked over to one side of the fountain and stuck my hoof out to feel at the falling water. “Sunset didn’t exactly come to Earth with a copy of an airship engine manual.”

“Even so, I wouldn’t mind trying to fly one,” Preta interjected. “Imagine it. The wind in your hair, the slow hum of the engines as you flew on your merry way…”

“....the screams as hydrogen fueled gas bags explode for no reason,” Cadeneza quipped with a mischievous smirk.

“Stop it, Jacqueline,” Wattson said coolly. “I’m sure they’re not stupid enough to use hydrogen.”

I ignored them, too caught up in my fellow ponies, even if they were holographic ponies, to care much. The ponies passed around me without giving me a look or any other form of acknowledgement, as if I wasn’t even there. In a way that was comforting. I was just another one of the crowd, no more or less distinct than any other. I wasn’t the last living member of my race that had been hurtled halfway across the galaxy, or wherever Equus was located. I watched pegasi take flight, including two foals playing and laughing without a care in the world. I watched unicorns casually use their telekinesis without everyone around them gaping in surprise.

Eventually my wanderings led me to the gates of Canterlot Castle. Just inside I could see the path that led over to the School for Gifted Unicorns. The tower that rose above it seemed unchanged, not even a hint different from how it appeared–however faint and grainy–in my mind. Without meaning to, I wandered inside. I passed by a few students going to and from their classes, who ignored me like everyone else, until I came to an empty classroom.

“This is it.” When I closed my eyes, I could see them, the ponies with their clipboards, penciling away, sealing my fate as a worthless pony who’d never get a proper education. I could see my parents over by the chalkboard, cheering me on, trying to encourage me despite a growing sense of trepidation and worry. Princess Celestia, larger than life, appearing to save me. The sudden surge as I…

But when I opened my eyes, nothing was there. Just an empty classroom. Well, that, and Preta standing nearby, looking at me with a worried expression. “Is something wrong, Twilight?” she asked as she closed the distance, ready to hug if necessary.

“This is where it happened,” I said. I stepped over to the window, right where I had been standing when the initial explosion of sound occurred. “I was right here when my magic surged.”

“Oh, yes, you told me,” she said as she stared around the classroom, then wrapped an arm around me. “Why don’t we take you out of here. The others want to explore the castle. That might be more fun. You never got to see the castle as a kitten, right?”

I snickered. “Foal. You mean foal. And no, I didn’t.”

“Well then what’re you waiting for?””

Going into my fourth year at the Academy, the pressure heated up by several notches. Unlike the first three years, my roommate kept to herself, and I barely managed to learn her name and species–Barra, an Antican–before she clammed up and refused to say any more. That suited me just fine, because I never had a spare second for small talk anyway. Every bit of my energy went into my assignments, which I sought to excel at to new heights.

Around the beginning of that year, a war started with the Klingons, of all people. Which was kept to skirmishes near the Cardassian border and outlying colonies, it never came close to affecting things on Earth. But it still worried me.

Early on in the year, they asked me to mentor a second-year cadet in his own scientific studies, a Ferengi named Nog. He was the only Ferengi in Starfleet, much like how I was the only Equestrian left in Starfleet, so they probably assumed we’d get along because of that. He certainly had some interesting perspectives on things, especially when it came to money. And he tried to introduce me to snail juice. I didn’t care for it.

But what I found utterly fascinating was his philosophy--religion?--called the Rules of Acquisition. A few of them were… distasteful to me, given how male dominated Ferengi society seemed to be, but most of them were such a different way of looking at things they stuck in my head. My absolute favorite? Number 208: “Sometimes the only thing more dangerous than a question is an answer.”

Once he left for some assignment on a starbase or starship somewhere far away, I was put onto a ship myself for two months. The Bellerophon, an Intrepid-class starship, had me work in stellar cartography, helping to chart various solar anomalies and other associated phenomena during their short mission. It was more about the experience, getting to serve aboard a proper starship. I spent extra hours almost every night combing the data they’d collected in the hopes of spotting Equus. No such luck, but it did earn me some extra praise from the chief science officer.

The end of my time on the Bellerophon marked the beginning of my final term as a cadet, and I threw every last fiber of my being into my remaining classes. The effort burned me down, night after night collapsing exhausted into bed, but it was worth it. I was so burnt out, in fact, I completely missed the second invasion of Earth by the Borg.

And then just as suddenly, it was over. The final exams passed, the graduation ceremony announced. And I found myself walking to sit down in the crowd of fellow graduates, ready for my chance to walk up on that stage.

Though I would go last. Like Sunset, I was the valedictorian. It was never in question, even if a few other cadets gave me prickly looks, including my fourth year roommate. I was just too dedicated.

I watched cadet after cadet go up to the stage, receive their assignments, and leave as Ensigns, while I sat there, fidgeting in place, impatient. And perturbed. Something at the back of my mind prickled, suggesting something might go wrong. I didn’t know where this sense came from and I didn’t want to listen to it. But I wasn’t going to let a bout of nerves stop me. Not now. Not after everything I’d put myself through to get this far on my own.

“And finally, Twilight Sparkle!”

The crowd hushed as I left my seat and trotted up to the stage, taking my position at attention in front of Admiral Brand. “You know,” said the Admiral after a moment. “Four years ago, I had the privilege and the honor of naming your sister an Ensign in Starfleet. She was the best of her class, and in many ways represented the best of Starfleet’s ideals. She was taken from us far too soon. Yet, here you stand, the Valedictorian of the class of 2373, and with the same determination that I saw in her eyes all those years ago.”

“Yes ma’am, Admiral,” I said. “I won’t let her down.”

“No, I’m sure you won’t.” Admiral Brand gave me a smile. “Well, as usual for our valedictorians, you were given a choice of assignments.”

I nodded. “I’m choosing to return to the Bellerophon.”

“Of course, you were posted there during your fourth year. An excellent choice.” Brand then bustled about bringing out the golden pip. I presented my collar, allowing her to remove the fourth year cadet pin and replace it. “No longer are you a cadet. You are now a Starfleet officer, Ensign Twilight–”

Alarms blared, spewing out red light across the entire area. Then, from every badge and speaker, “Attention all personnel. Emergency measures are in effect. Please remain where you are.”

“Ma’am?” I said, trying not to let the sounds panic me even as my fellow graduates broke into loud, confused chatter. “What’s happening?”

Brand ignored me, stepping away. “This is Admiral Brand! Report!”

“Admiral, we’ve got a Dominion battle cruiser that’s penetrated the Mars defense perimeter. It is making its way towards Earth with no sign of slowing down. No response to hails and its weapons are armed.”

“Dominion?” I whispered. Nog had told me about them. The mysterious faction on the other side of the Bajoran wormhole, in the Gamma Quadrant. They were under the rule of the Founders, a race able to change shape on a whim, with the Jem’Hadar as their foot soldiers, and the Vorta their administrators. And unlike the Klingons, the Dominion posed a grave threat to the entirety of the Alpha and Beta quadrants. But why would a single battle cruiser be hurtling towards Earth?

“How many starships do we have in orbit?” the Admiral asked.

“Fifteen, but most aren’t capable of putting up a proper fight. Still no response to hails.”

Brand cursed under her breath. “Any sign of their intended target?”

“No ma’am, they’re–they’re firing on the Agamemnon!”

The chatter in the crowd rose to a fever pitch as Brand ordered, “Then have all available ships return fire with whatever they’ve got! Bring it down!”

“Aye, ma’am.”

We all listened carefully, waiting for more reports. After a couple of moments of hearing nothing, Admiral Brand spoke up again. “Status?”

“Admiral, the Dominion ship’s taken severe damage but it still won’t stop. It’s on a collision course with the planet. Estimated impact zone… San Francisco.”

Brand shot up at once, pointing with her finger to the crowd. “Everyone, inside! Now! Let’s move!”

The entire outdoor auditorium filled with movement like a knocked off ant hill as scores of people hurried their way into the nearest buildings.

I stayed near the Admiral, choosing to help her direct people on where to go rather than abandon her. I saw her lips thin when she saw what I was doing, then she nodded and allowed me to proceed.

“Admiral, we’ve plotted its descent trajectory! It’s headed directly for the Academy!”

“Understood!” Brand replied as she directed the latest batch of people into one of the lecture halls. “Brand to Academy security! We need emergency structural integrity fields in every building, quick as you can!”

A flash of light reflecting on the glass of the building above me caught my eye, and I turned to see what looked like a fireball aiming right towards us, before the effects of reentry cleared, revealing a battle damaged ship that grew larger and larger by the second. My mind raced as I considered the numbers involved. If the ship’s warp core was even minimally intact, then it wouldn’t matter where we hid. We’d be dead.

“Ensign Sparkle!” the Admiral shouted. “You’re one of the last ones! Get inside!”

“Ma’am, I–”

BOOOM

The ship suddenly broke apart into several pieces, its trajectory changed at the last second. For a moment, just a moment, I thought I saw a hint of dark red energy surrounding the pieces before they plummeted into the ocean hard enough to spray water over the entire Golden Gate Bridge, and send swells pummeling both sides of the bay area.

“What happened?” I gasped. “Why’d it crash into the ocean?”

Brand tapped her combadge. “Report.”

“Ma’am, the ship hadn’t taken enough damage to break apart like that. We were about to activate emergency shields around key portions of the city. I have no idea why it crashed into the ocean.”

“Any severe damage?” Brand said.

“No ma’am. Only minor injuries and minimal damage. It stopped fighting part way through, as if something on board prevented it.”

“Understood. Brand out.” The Admiral turned to me, relaxing in her posture. “Well, Ensign, it seems we might get to hear your speech after all.”

“I’d certainly hope so. I’ve been waiting to hear this for a long time!”

My whole body froze at the sound of that voice, even as my heart jack-hammered, threatening to leap out of my chest. Gaping, I slowly turned around, looking for the source of that voice. That impossible voice.

Then I saw her. Standing right there. Disheveled, dusty, covered in cuts and bruises, wearing no clothing. But despite it, the shine in her eyes was unmistakable. Impossible. Utterly, impossibly, alive.

And then she spread her wings, and my whole world shattered.

“Hey sis. It’s good to see you again.”

Author's Note

Hey, it's your favorite color, Blue, here with some notes.

I will be stepping away from editing and proof reading for Episodes 8 and 9, but I hope to be right back in here for Episode 10. I have a ton of stuff to do. In fact, as of writing this sentence on 5/17, I have 3 papers, 2 presentations, 4 homework assignments, 3 quizzes, an exam, and a short story to rewrite... all due by the 28th. And the first is due tomorrow so just... UGH.

Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's one of my favorites (of the 11 currently written) and provides a good overview of Twilight's experiences over her academic years. I also loved designing these experiences and the characters around them...

Also, that bottle of whiskey Cadeneza orders? It currently costs about $750 a bottle. If I remember correctly.

Sorry for any mistakes that fell through the cracks, like I said... stressed and busy, but I like to think I did a good job.

I know I think you've done fantastic, Blue.

As for me, your lovely author: this chapter was a bit more difficult to write for me than some of the other ones have been thus far. Back when Blue and I were planning things out this would've been one of several, but we decided to condense things to avoid excess padding. As such however, I may or may not still have some lingering timeline errors. Specifically in that I originally wrote Twi's first year ending after Sunset was on the Enterprise for two years, which is obviously incorrect. :facehoof: So I had to go back and fix that, and hopefully I didn't miss anything.

For those of you who are well acquainted with Trek: Twilight never mentions the events of "Homefront/Paradise Lost" because her head was so down in her notes and studies she barely even noticed when the power outage and subsequent security stuff went on. She barely paid enough attention to notice the second Borg invasion. :rainbowlaugh:

Blue is not the only one busy. I work full time as a supervisor at a call center with over seventy employees and we're moving into the busy season for our client. Effectively this means I've got less time to write than I used to have. It shouldn't prevent me from keeping up with the buffer, but it's always possible, just as a fair warning. We will give you all plenty of heads up if the buffer somehow runs out.

Season 1 Episode 8: "Confessions of an FTL Pony" Part 1

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S01E08

“Confessions of an FTL Pony”
Part One

Weak. Weak and overwhelmed. That’s how I felt when I saw my sister collapse at my hooves, breaking into sobs. “Sunset!” she wailed as she clung to my forelegs. “You’re… you’re alive! You’re alive!”

I slumped down onto my rump, wincing at the touch of concrete on my bare rear. I ran my forehoof through Twilight’s mane, while bringing the other one around to hug her more tightly. I took several shuddering breaths, trying not to cry myself. “Yup. I’m here, sis. I’m really here.”

Gasps and shouts filled the air as more graduates and their families exited the buildings, Those who recognized me shrieked in surprise, while those who didn’t just seemed confused at the sight of another pony.

“But… how?” Twilight cried. She snuggled into my legs, making me grunt from the pain that caused. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s… it’s a long…” I broke into a coughing fit, my vision swimming as exhaustion rose up within me. “Long story.”

“I’d be interested in hearing it as well, Commander Shimmer,” said Admiral Brand, kneeling down to meet us at eye level as she spoke.

Blinking blearily in confusion, I said, “I’ll… huh? Commander?”

Before Brand could answer, two more voices shrieked at the top of their lungs. “Sunset!”

Amina and T’Lona burst through the crowd, surging forward to grab hold of me. “Oh my god!” Amina cried. “Sunset… please tell me it’s really you.”

My vision swam more, greying out. Darkness beckoned on both sides, closing in like a tunnel. “Yeah Mom… it’s… it’s me… I…”

“Sunset?” Twilight’s voice trembled like a shaking leaf. “Sunset, what’s wrong?”

I fell over against Amina, using her to keep myself propped up. “I… I’m too… it was too…” I let out a quiet sigh, desperately trying to fight off the urge to slip into unconsciousness. “...I’m tired.”

“More like exhausted, honey,” Amina said as she stroked my cheek with one hand. “I don’t know how this is possible, but right now I don’t care. We should take you home right away.”

T’Lona seemed much more doubtful at first. “With respect, Amina, Twilight… we did just witness a Dominion vessel crash into the ocean. Can we be certain this is Sunset, and not a Founder in disguise?”

Amina’s eyes snapped open, her nostrils flaring as she scowled at T’Lona. “What the hell—how could you say something like that?! This is our daughter, T’Lona!”

T’Lona’s face twitched, her fingers curling ever so slightly inward. “I want to believe this too, Amina. I want to believe she has returned. But we must be rational. We must think logically. We are Starfleet officers first, parents second. We must look at this with our Starfleet eyes.”

Amina sighed, then suddenly let go of me and backed away slowly. I flailed as I struggled to keep from falling over, managing to just barely keep seated. “You’re right,” she said, looking at me with a worried frown. “We… we have to be sure.”

“What’re you talking about?” Twilight murmured. “It’s Sunset! Who else could it be?”

Admiral Brand placed a firm hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “Ensign. Back away from her. Now.”

Twilight sniffled, but she did as she was commanded. “B-but, ma’am, if she wasn’t the real Sunset, why would she have wings?”

“It is precisely those appendages that concern me,” T’Lona said, eying me with no small amount of suspicion. “It should not be possible for her to manifest them, when her body lacks the appropriate muscle and skeletal structure to support them.”

Inwardly, it hurt a bit, hearing Mother speak like that about me. But I understood. After what I’d been through the last couple of years, I understood. “It’s… Twilight it’s okay. I’ll cooperate if they want to test me.”

“Good,” Brand said. She tapped her badge. “Brand to security. We have a suspected Changeling here. Have two officers meet me at my current location.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Brand waited till the security officers arrived, both carrying phaser rifles, which they trained upon me at once. She then indicated the entrance to the nearest building. “I believe you should know the way, if you’re who you say you are.”

“Admiral, she can’t even stand, let alone walk!” Twilight objected. “We should be helping her to the infirmary, not making her walk there!”

But no one else was swayed, not even Amina. Finally, after a couple moments of silence, Brand gave Twilight a look, then nudged her head towards me. “Alright. Then you can help her.”

“Admiral? Is that wise?” T’Lona interjected, glancing rapidly between Twilight and myself.

“It’s fine, Mother,” Twilight said as she rushed back over to me, gently using her telekinesis to lift me up so I was on my hooves, leaning against her. She grunted a bit from the effort, and her doing so let me notice she was a lot buffer than she used to be. “I’ve got her.”

I gave her a weak, shaky smile. “Thanks, sis.”

So, with Twilight’s help, and with weapons trained on us the whole time, I limped forward. The urge to say ‘screw it’ and fall asleep tore at me as we walked. Eventually, we reached the Academy infirmary. There were a few people on duty, none I recognized save for Doctor May, who gasped at my approach. “Am I seein’ what I think I’m seein’?” she said.

“Hey, Doc,” I said, flashing her a quick smile. “It’s me. Sunset. Got time for a walk-in appointment?”

“She claims to be Sunset,” T’Lona added, still eying me cautiously.

“Oh.” May straightened up, her demeanor instantly more professional. “I see. We’re gonna be testin’ her for bein’ a changelin’, then. Right. This way.” She led us into an examination room. “Better take a seat now.”

“And don’t try anything,” growled one of the security officers, a burly looking Bolian with a belligerent bearing. “This phaser’s set to kill.”

“Great,” I murmured as I sat down on the biobed, grateful for the chance to sit again. “Because I haven’t been shot at enough lately.”

Admiral Brand gestured to May. “Go ahead, Doctor.”

“Alright,” May said, popping out the hand sensor from her tricorder. She ran it over my body, taking extra time to scan my wings. Hearing the warbling trill of the tricorder soothed me; I’d missed that sound. “Well, I’m not seein’ anythin’ too unusual, outside of these new wings of course. If she is a changeling, she’s in no condition to fight. I see a series of minor lacerations, along with the remnants of a disruptor blast, more than a few contusions, and clear signs of malnutrition. Nothin’ life threatenin’ though.”

She passed the scanner over my head and back again. “I’m seein’ some differences in her skeletal and muscular structure to account for the wings. She’s a bit taller too, and her horn is longer. And I’m seein’ a lot more of that strange energy.”

“You mean the mana,” I provided. I stretched out my wings, ignoring the glares that got me from the security officers. “Not surprising, since I’ve turned into an alicorn.”

“An alicorn?” Brand inquired.

“It’s what Princess Celestia is,” Twilight answered. “The fusion of all three types of ponies. But… I don’t understand. How is it possible for you to turn into one?”

“Beats me,” I said, shrugging. “I’ve got a few ideas, but that’s part of a pretty long story.”

T’Lona raised a hand. “Be that as it may, we still have not properly tested her for being a Founder.”

“Right,” May said with a sigh. She wandered over to her tools, then pulled out a hypospray and sample tube. “Sorry I have to do this, Sunset.”

I raised a foreleg. “It’s okay. Go ahead.”

She set the hypospray on me and withdrew a sample of blood, then popped the sample tube off the hypo and swished it around. The blood inside didn’t change, didn’t revert to some ephemeral substance or whatever changelings were made of.

Which of course it wasn’t going to, since I wasn’t a changeling. “Satisfied?” I said with a dry smile.

Amina and Twilight both gave Brand pleading looks, but she shook her head. “I want to believe personally, but I’m not sold yet. Doctor May, is there anything else you can do to test her?”

The other security guard, an Andorion with eyes so narrowed it looked like he’d been born scowling, hefted his phaser rifle. “I can shoot her. We know there’s phaser settings that force Changelings into their liquid state.”

“Can we please not?” I groaned. “I’m about ready to pass out as it is.”

May considered that for a moment, then shook her head. “I’m sorry, Admiral, but I’ve done all I can in this settin’.”

The Bolian snorted. “Then phaser it is?”

“Wait!” T’Lona threw her arm out in his path. “This is unnecessary. There is one other way we can determine if it is indeed Sunset.” She held up her hand and twiddled her fingers. “I can mind meld with her. As far as we are aware, while Changelings can duplicate physical appearances, they cannot duplicate memory engrams.” She focused her gaze squarely on me. “If you are Sunset, I will know.”

“Ma’am, I don’t like that idea,” said the Bolian to Brand. “If that really is a Changeling she might use that linking crap to mess up the Commander’s head.”

“Unlikely,” T’Lona replied. “I am skilled at defending myself from mental attacks. I will not be so easily cowed.”

Before anyone else could object, I raised a hoof. “Go ahead, Mother. I trust you.”

T’Lona eyed Brand, who nodded, then came forward. She hesitated a moment, her hand shaking just a little as it approached my face. Then her fingers landed, and the connection began. “My mind to your mind,” she whispered. “My thoughts to your thoughts.”

Years of training and meditation with T’Lona had built up quite the defense to telepathic intrusion in my mind, but I deliberately lowered those shields. I allowed her inside. No resistance.

The touch of my Mother’s mind upon mind dove deep, searching my memories. I let her pull up each one. The first time we met. My first day at Starfleet Academy. The first kiss I ever had, and a few related to that.

I saw a brief blush suffuse Mother’s cheeks. So I deliberately shifted the connection, to show her the memories pertaining to the battle. I saw her expression darken, worry touching her face.

Mother broke the connection with a sudden snap. The corners of her mouth quirked up slightly. “It’s you,” she breathed. “It’s Sunset.”

“Really, huh?” the Bolian grumbled.

“Ooh, sorry buddy,” I said, grinning cheekily at him. “No target practice for you today.”

Amina and Twilight burst into fresh tears and collapsed onto me. “It’s really you!” Amina cried.

I wrapped one foreleg around her and the other around Twilight. “Yes Mom, it’s me. I promise.”

The Admiral gave me one last cursory look, then nodded. “Stand down, security, you’re dismissed. Commander Shimmer, I’ll give you some time with your family, but I want to see you at my desk for a debriefing within two hours, understood?”

“Yes ma’am,” I said.

Smiling, she replied, “Good. Oh, and Shimmer? Find yourself a uniform.” With that, she and the security officers left.

“I suppose I should be givin’ you some space as well, then,” May said. “But before I do that, if you don’t mind, I’d like to give you somethin’ that’ll help you stay awake.”

I nodded enthusiastically. “Please. I honestly don’t know how I haven’t passed out yet.”

May nodded, then picked up a hypospray. She keyed in one medicine, reached forward and gave me the shot, then picked out another and injected that too. “There. I’ve given you somethin’ for your malnutrition, should help you feel a little better, along with a mild stimulant.” She looked me over. “I’d like to treat the rest of your injuries, but… I’ll wait. I’ll be right outside if you need me.” She stepped out and allowed the door to swish shut.

Only then did T’Lona approach me with a look of genuine contrition. “Sunset, please… forgive me for doubting you.”

“Mother, it’s fine. You did the right thing.” I beckoned her forward with one foreleg to join the hug. “Now come on. I haven’t seen any of you for years and I miss you, damn it.”

She closed the distance in a hurry, joining the embrace. She took care to place one hand on my shoulder, and let me feel the sorrow, the worry, and the joy she felt, even if she didn’t show them on her face.

We huddled together for some time, everyone holding onto the others with every bit of strength they had, as if this would all disappear like a mirage the moment they let go. Finally, Amina and T’Lona managed to release me and stand up again, though Twilight continued to bury her face in my chest. “We truly believed you were deceased,” T’Lona said.

“So did I,” I replied. “Maybe I was, at least for a while, till… well, it’s a long story. It might be better if I told it to you at the same time I was telling the Admiral. Besides… I could use a shower. And a decent meal. You know what they have to eat on those Dominion ships? Not a damned thing.”

Amina let out a quiet, happy laugh. “I think that’s reasonable, sweetheart. There should be some bathing facilities in the infirmary. While you’re in there I’ll get you a new uniform. With the right number of pips.”

“Yeah, about that… Commander Shimmer?” I questioned, raising up a hoof.

Twilight finally disengaged, backing up so she could look up at me, her eyes shining bright. “Captain Picard gave you a posthumous promotion to Lieutenant Commander.”

“Oh.” I blinked, a small smile pulling at my muzzle. “Well that’s neat. Hope they don’t take that away now that they know I’m alive.”

“I doubt it, sweetie,” Amina said. She ducked outside, then returned after a moment. “Doctor May’s going to show you where the shower is. We’ll meet you in my office afterwards so you can eat something.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

About ninety minutes later I stepped into Admiral Brand’s office legitimately feeling like a new pony. Who knew that a long shower with actual hot water and a double-layer grilled mushroom and cheese sandwich contained as much restorative power as the essence of magic itself?! I filed the thought away as I brushed down the wrinkles in my new uniform. Still wasn’t sure about the grey shoulderpads, but the colored collar was nice. And, well, the extra pip. That felt pretty good.

Having to stick my wings through slits though? That was annoying.

Brand wasn’t the only Admiral present either. There were two others, one a short, balding human man with a grey mustache, the other a severe-faced human woman with blond hair tied up in a bun. “Commander Shimmer,” Brand said, “these are Admirals Nakamura and Nechayev, representing Starfleet Operations and Intelligence. They requested to sit in on your debriefing.”

“Shimmer,” Nacheyev greeted. She eyed my family, her eyes going cold. “Is it really necessary for the others to attend?”

“With respect, ma’am, I’d like for them to stay," I replied. "It’s a long story and…” I glanced over to my family, “one I’d rather not have to repeat too often."

"Certainly," Nakamura said. "Alynna, it's fine. They're all Starfleet, if you're worried about secrecy."

Nechayev gave Nakamura an icy glare, presumably because he used her first name, then she relaxed her posture. "You're right. My apologies, Commander Shimmer. Please, everyone be seated."

Fortunately, part of the large office space was set up to host meetings, so there was enough room for all of us to sit. She’d also thoughtfully provided a large pitcher of water and glasses. We’d need those. “So, sir, ma’ams,” I said once we all sat down. “How would you like me to begin?”

“From the beginning, Commander,” Nechayev answered. She propped up her elbows on the table then steepled her hands. “The last record we have of you is on Stardate 48650.0, when the Enterprise stardrive was destroyed. How did you survive the warp core breach?”

“To be honest?” I replied, frowning. “I’m not sure I did.”

Everyone shot me a confused look, though only Twilight blurted a “Huh?” before being glared into silence by Amina. Nakamura arched an eyebrow at me. “Care to clarify that, Commander?”

Before I answered, I took a moment to fetch myself a glass of water. “Well, sir, it’s a little hard to explain. How familiar are you with the abilities my sister and I are capable of?”

“We’ve all been briefed,” Nechayev answered, glaring impatiently.

“Understood. So yes, I used my magic to try and stop the breach. First I tried to weld the ruptured coolant pipe, like I did to resolve my Academy psych test. But the pressure was too great for the weld to hold. I tried venting the excess power through the EPS conduits, but the entire grid was already burned out. I considered attempting to fix the interlock but there wasn’t enough time left. So I was left with only one last ditch option; to drain the warp core itself and convert it to magical energy.”

Twilight’s jaw dropped. “Wha… you… you did what?!”

“Ensign,” Nechayev began.

“No, wait, Alynna, let her speak,” Nakamura interrupted, raising a hand. “She is the only other one who understands these abilities intrinsically.”

Casting Nakamura a grateful look, I turned to Twilight. “Twilight, remember how we practiced changing magic into electricity, the same way the electric power lines in Canterlot work?”

“Yes, I do. So you must have reversed that process, then—” Twilight gasped. “T-That’s not just inefficient, that’s incredibly dangerous!”

“Oh yeah,” I replied, nodding. “You’re right about how dangerous it is. It’s… well, let me put it this way: with the energies I was absorbing, I probably wouldn’t have lived even if I didn’t have a warp core about to explode in my face.”

“This is all interesting, but please get to the point, Commander,” Nechayev said.

“Yes ma’am.” I took a sip of water before continuing, “I knew that absorbing the energy wouldn’t stop the breach, but I hoped to slow it down, to buy more time. And it worked, but not nearly enough. The Enterprise saucer was still too close.” I cleared my throat a bit and took a deep breath. “So I did something else that would’ve killed me anyway: I used the power I’d already absorbed to create a shield around the warp core, and then started absorbing power again to reinforce the shield. In other words, I was going to use the core explosion itself to contain it for as long as I could.”

Nakamura and Nechayev exchanged a look. “That would explain the reports we received,” Nakamura said. “According to the sensor logs of the Enterprise-D saucer, the warp breach shockwave failed to breach the stardrive’s hull for thirty-five seconds before the stardrive finally succumbed. You succeeded, Commander. The saucer survived, and was towed back to Earth with no additional casualties.”

Somewhere deep within me, a weight I’d held for two years finally released itself. “Thank goodness,” I breathed.

“That explains the core breach itself, but here’s what I don’t understand,” Nechayev said, leaning forward to stare at me. “How did you survive?”

“Well, like I said, ma’am: I’m not sure I really did,” I said. “Here, let me explain...”

Two Years Ago…

At first, my world was white. White-hot pain, white in my eyes, white everywhere I could see or hear. The world even tasted white, as if whatever caused this leached into my senses. The only other thing I heard was my voice whispering, “Twilight, I love you.”

And then just as suddenly, it all faded away. The pain, the sound, the sights, all went black. Empty, like a void. I felt nothing on my hooves, or my rear, or anywhere else.

I was certain I’d died. None of us know what death is truly like. And truthfully, I’d never been much of a believer in my people’s concept of an afterlife, an endless land of eternal sunshine, rainbows, and open fields. No, I expected my existence to simply cease the moment that warp core exploded.

Yet here I was. Aware, awake, and somehow alive. Maybe.

“Hello?” I called out. Then I blinked in surprise at how clear my voice sounded. I remembered screaming my throat out while absorbing the warp core’s energy, yet my voice sounded clearer than it ever had before.

So, after some amount of time—minutes? Hours? Days?— I dared to move, to stand up. I couldn’t see what I was standing on, except when I took a step. Each step was accompanied by a tiny blip of light at my hooves, just enough that I could see something ripple under me, as if I was walking on water.

“Helloooo?” I called out again. No response came, so I picked a direction and walked. “Hellloooo?”

Still nothing, save for the occasional echo. “Great. I’m alone, in a dark void,” I murmured to myself. “I’m sure this won’t drive me insane.”

So I kept walking, and walking. Without anything save the lighted ripples I had no way to keep track of time. I didn’t even grow hungry or thirsty as I walked, so that didn’t help either.

Eventually, though, I did spot something in the distance. Some sort of light. Small at first, but it grew brighter the more I walked, so at least I knew I was heading towards something. It changed as I drew closer, too, multiplying from a single white light to a multitude in all different colors and shapes. As the light grew in intensity I could finally make sense of my surroundings, such as they were. An endless corridor, sprouting off in two directions, one back the way I came where it opened up into the endless ‘room’ for lack of a better word. The other continued forward into the lights.

I ignited my horn and used it to enhance my voice. “Helloooo?! Is anyone there?!”

But still nothing. No response. Just the echo of my own voice.

Frustrated, I decided to sit down. Not to rest, because I didn’t feel the need to, despite however long I’d been walking, but just to do something different.

Using the opportunity to examine myself, I saw that my body showed no sign of injury or abnormality. No uniform either, as if it had been burned away. “Well, now what?” I said. “Is this it? Is this all I get? A big huge void with a bunch of lights? What the hell kind of afterlife is this? Hellooo?!”

If this was my afterlife, it wouldn’t take long for me to go mad from sheer boredom. As it was, I amused myself by watching the lights, seeing how they undulated. I did notice curiously when three shiny ones, like rainbow sparkles, suddenly appeared out of nowhere and swept about at high speed. They grabbed a fourth one, one a dusky grey that looked sickly and pale judging by how it flickered on and off, and then just as quickly disappeared.

“Wonder what that was about,” I said. Then I shrugged. Not like it mattered. Even more bored now, I decided to get up and walk towards the large collection of lights. As I approached, the corridor ahead of me seemed to decline downwards at a steady grade, as if I was walking down a ramp.

Eventually, the lights grew and grew until any sign of the dark void faded away entirely, replaced by lights in every direction. Colors and shapes swirled around me in every direction, forming a tunnel of pulsating light in front of me. Every so often one would vanish, disintegrating into nothing, only to be replaced by another. “What am I seeing?”

I abruptly stopped when I noticed the floor begin to slope back up again. Not ready to abandon the lights, I turned around and returned a fair ways, till I was reasonably sure I was in the middle. Tentatively I tried to run my hoof through the lights, only for it to pass through without effect. “What are you?” I asked.

No response. “Oh come on!” I shouted, stomping a hoof on the ground. “This is ridiculous. Obviously I’m somewhere but I don’t know where here is!”

Then I blinked, sighed, and smacked myself in the head with a forehoof. “Oh my goodness. Duh, Sunset.” I summoned up my magic and began flipping through all of the navigational spells I could remember. The first one I tried was a simple compass spell. I summoned up the needle and watched it fail to spin at all, completely useless.

I rolled my eyes. “Okay, okay, so that didn’t work. Let’s try this then.” This time I used a variation that focused on using the stars in the sky, like an astrolabe, to get latitude and longitude. Why I bothered, I don’t know, because all it gave me was a headache.

“Fine. Third time’s the charm?” My horn lit for a third time. This time I’d use something more experimental. One of the more advanced spells I learned prior to leaving Equestria used thaumic fields to form a sense of direction. I’d been tweaking it off and on to use subspace fields instead, similar to the sensors starships use while at warp.

The instant I unleashed the spell my head exploded with pain, like another warp core had breached inside of my own head. I screamed and fell over, covering my eyes, curling in on myself as the pain raced through me like lightning. I instinctively tried to cancel the spell, but it refused. Like a jammed open valve, the magic continued to pour forth unheeded. So I had to perform a risky maneuver and cut it off on the inside, before it reached my horn. This is something every unicorn knows how to do, but we almost never do it, because it can lead to head injuries, or in the worst case, fatalities. I strained desperately then managed to cut it off, leaving me huffing and puffing on what passed for the ground.

After several moments, I tried to stand, but my legs refused to cooperate. I teetered over till I crumpled onto my side again. It took another moment of heavy breathing and strained motion before I wrenched myself up into a sitting position.

“What the hell was that?” I murmured as I glanced around at my surroundings. Tentatively I reached up and tapped my horn, but it seemed unphased, despite the pain. “It’s almost as if… wait a minute. Am I in subspace?”

If I was it’d explain a lot. The corridors I was seeing could be gravity wells, hence the up and down ramps. The lights could represent the energy patterns on a planet, like geothermal activity, ocean movements, and so on. Meaning the area I was in was likely the planet we’d been orbiting: Veridian III.

“Was it the warp core breach? Did that knock me into subspace?” I raised a hoof to my chin to scratch at it. “But why would that happen? I was inside the shield. I should’ve been vaporized!”

Then I glanced down at my unmarred body and frowned, my heart sinking. “Unless I actually was vaporized.” Faint memories of subspace mechanics lectures resurfaced, and the never fully disproven stories of uncontrolled antimatter explosions leaving literal imprints of their victims in their wake, like subspace ghosts. The thought left me shivering despite the unnaturally comfortable temperature around me.

Despite the darkness of that thought, I started pacing back and forth, trying to think. “But… if that was the case, why would I feel anything at all? I haven’t been hungry or thirsty, but I feel pain. I can think.” Stopping in place, I ran one hoof down my leg. “I can feel the sensation of touch. Hell, I’m breathing, though who knows what. So that doesn’t make any sense.”

I resumed pacing, looking about at the lights around me. “So let’s think this through, Sunset. If I can breathe, talk, and feel pain, I must be real, in some way. Somehow I was blown into some kind of subspace domain.” Then I stopped again, my head cocking to the side. “Heh, guess if I was still in Equestria when this happened I would’ve thought I’d been taken to some kind of astral plane, or ethereal realm or something. What was that quote from Sherlock Holmes that Twilight liked so much? If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however—”

Sunset, why are you talking to yourself so much?

“Well gee, me,” I said aloud, rolling my eyes. “Maybe because I don’t have anyone else to talk to?”

You’re going to drive yourself insane.

“Shut up,” I growled. Shaking my head to try and clear the annoying thoughts, I resumed pacing. “So, let’s forget about how I got here. Let’s focus on how I can leave. If I’m right, I’m in some layer of subspace. But it’s got a leak; otherwise I wouldn’t be able to perceive normal space in any way. And if normal space can leak in, that implies I can get myself out. But how?”

You’re thinking too hard, Sunset. This isn’t about subspace or warp fields. It’s about magic.

“What?” I frowned, glancing around at my surroundings. That wasn’t me talking to myself. It was something else. “Who’s there?”

You’re here because of magic. You can use magic to leave. You just have to use it.

Snorting, I replied, “I tried that already and nearly melted my head off, in case you didn’t notice.”

That’s because you’re approaching this like a unicorn would.

My frown deepened, wrinkling my brow. “Of course I am! I’m a unicorn, duh!”

Are you?

My heart skipped a few beats. “What are you talking about?”

Accept it. Accept who you are.

I shook my head, utterly nonplussed. “I don’t understand. I’ve never not accepted who I am. I’m Sunset Shimmer. I’m a unicorn. That’s who I am.”

Yes. But you also know you can become more than that.

“What?” I breathed. “More?”

Remember the mirror. Remember the reflection you saw.

“What could you… no. No way.” I shook my head furiously. “No, that’s impossible. I don’t… it can’t be. I don’t deserve it! I never deserved it! That’s why I ended up on Earth to begin with! Because I don’t deserve it!”

It is time… The voice grew quieter and quieter. ...you are ready…

“No!” I slapped both forehooves to the sides of my head as my whole body shook, my heart jackhammering in my chest. “It’s not possible, I don’t… I don’t deserve this. I don’t! I can’t be a… I can’t be a… an alicorn?”

The instant I said that word, my magic flared all around me, swirling like an aura, blazing like fire. Heat filled my body, so hot it was like being dipped in molten magma. Then it pulled in from every part of my body till it focused on my back. I floated up in the air, looking all over in panic till everything went white.

And then I was falling, screaming like crazy as I plummeted towards a canyon full of sharp rocks. In my panic I squeezed my eyes shut, tensing up my whole body, until something on my back shifted.

A pair of wings unfurled, catching the air, slowing me down hard enough to knock the wind out of me as they altered my angle of descent, before I gently glided down to the ground, collapsing into the dirt near the edge of the canyon.

“Hold on a minute there, Commander,” Nechayev said, holding up a hand. “What you’ve just explained sounds completely ridiculous.”

“It is a little hard to believe, honey,” Amina added with a respectful nod to the admiral.

“Maybe it is ridiculous,” I replied, “but it’s also what happened.”

Nakamura frowned at that. “No one is accusing you of lying, Commander. But you have to acknowledge this sounds hard to accept at face value. For that matter, you still haven’t explained what you meant when you said you didn’t survive.”

“Sir, if I may,” Twilight spoke up, a tentative look on her face. “I… might have an explanation.”

He sat back and gestured with his hand. “Go ahead.”

Twilight nodded, then focused on me. “Sunset, how much did you remember reading about Princess Celestia’s past?”

“Not a lot, to be honest,” I shrugged. “I know that she wasn’t born an alicorn.”

Twilight pursed her lips, tapping her chin with her hoof. “Do you remember the legends of how she ascended?”

I nodded. “I remember one of them. It said that when she learned about the way the unicorns used to raise the sun, she tried to do it herself. And in the process she used up so much magic so quickly, her body vanished like ash in the wind. Everypony assumed she had died..”

“And then, later that evening,” Twilight picked up, “she descended from the sky, aloft on a pair of great white wings.”

“And that’s why so many ponies in the olden days worshipped her as a goddess,” I finished. “Because that’s what they thought she’d become.”

T’Lona arched both eyebrows at us so high they disappeared into her bangs. “What you’re describing is a form of reincarnation. Cultures throughout history have believed in such a concept, and indeed some still do. But I must point out that scientifically, such a thing is impossible. When you die, you are dead. You cease to be.”

“That’s what I thought too,” I said. “That is, until I floated down to the ground with these on my back.” I spread my wings out and flapped them. “Look, I don’t know what really happened. Maybe I died, went to the afterlife, and was kicked back as some kind of higher being. Or maybe my magic preserved my consciousness in subspace and reconstituted my body, and everything I thought I experienced in that void was just a hallucination. Whatever the case, I’m here, I’m alive, and somehow I’m now an alicorn.”

The three admirals all exchanged a look, then Nechayev nodded to me. “Very well, Commander. When we’re finished here, I’d like you to submit yourself for testing, both medical and otherwise. I would like to know to what extent you’ve been altered, and what it means for your future in Starfleet.”

I blinked at that. “Um, ma’am, please don’t tell me you’re suggesting I won’t be able to continue my career.”

Nechayev’s stare turned arctic, cold enough I shivered in my chair. “We will have to see, won’t we?”

Swallowing, I bowed my head. “Yes ma’am,” I murmured, trying to keep anxiety from filtering into my voice.

Showing no sign of sympathy, Nechayev resumed steepling her hands. “Please continue, Miss Shimmer. What happened next?”

Just under the table I felt both Amina and T’Lona lay their hands on my back, showing their support. I glanced at them, and both gave me a subtle nod, as if to say, We’ve got your back. “R-right, well, like I was saying, I glided down to the ground…”

The taste of dirt filled my mouth, earthy and gross, moist from recent rains. I coughed and spluttered, spitting it out, wriggling my tongue to try and get every last speck off. Then I looked up at my surroundings.

I’d landed next to the canyon I saw from above, right in the middle of a copse of trees. Not too far away, a field of what looked like grass spread out in the opposite direction of the trees as far as I could see. The trees around me were deciduous, full of large leaves green with life. The scent of fallen rain and foliage filled my nostrils. My ears scanned around, but I heard no animal sounds nearby. I did, however, notice a small buzzing insect, something resembling a cross between a house fly and a beetle.

Shifting my legs a bit didn’t produce any immediate shocks of pain, so I slowly stood and examined myself for other possible injuries. I did a double take when I saw my wings, furling and unfurling at my sides, the feathers the same shade as my coat. Hesitantly I bent around and sniffed at them, then tried biting at it for good measure, only to yelp in pain. “Ow! Okay, it’s real. Got it.”

Out of curiosity, I stepped towards the edge of the canyon, only to leap back when some dust crumbled at the edge. A single glance down told me I didn’t want to be anywhere near it. There was a silvery line of water curling its way at the bottom, but those rocks rising up all around would shred me if I fell. I shivered at the thought. Dying once was bad enough. I wasn’t keen on repeating the experience so soon.

So I trotted out into the field of grass, spotting plenty of other trees scattered around in the distance. It reminded me of the lush valleys that cut between the Appalachian mountains in North America. Sure enough, in the distance I spotted a range of mountains looming over the landscape, with towering peaks crested with snow. The sun rose high in the sky, about what would be noon on Earth, the skies blue and free of clouds, save for the occasional ball of puff. Despite the high sun there was a chill to the air, just enough to suggest local spring had only just begun. It was idyllic.

“I could really use stellar cartography right now,” I said. “Because this has to be Veridian III, right? The sun’s too big in the sky… I think.”

I ran through a few facts in my head, what I knew of the planet. Veridian III resembled Earth in many ways, approximately one hundred and sixty million kilometers from its sun, with a similar axial tilt, about twenty-four degrees, rotational period approximately twenty-eight hours and surface gravity approximately .98 G. So, a little cooler, slightly lighter gravity, but all in all, pretty similar.

“Too bad it’s not Veridian IV,” I said as I passed by a pair of large trees, their branches swaying in the breeze. “They’d have shelter, food, everything ready to go, even if it wasn’t industrial.” Then I sighed. “And assuming I could justify bending the Prime Directive.”

I stopped when I spotted the first animal I’d seen: some kind of bird-like creature with large, leathery wings and a pointy beak. It opened up its jaws, unleashed a sound similar to a crow cawing, then dove at the ground, coming up with what I guessed was a rodent of some kind, which continued to wiggle and squeal despite the teeth embedded in its side. “Ouch. Glad that’s not me.”

I moved away as quietly as I could, lest that creature decide it was still hungry. I ran through my survival training in my head. I knew I’d need shelter, and soon. Given how cool the daytime was, it’d likely plummet to near freezing temperatures at night, which meant I’d run the risk of hypothermia. Potable water and food would do me no good if I froze to death first.

And communication. Not for the first time I wish I’d somehow kept my communicator. Without it, I had no way of signaling a starship in orbit. “Not that anyone would even be looking for me,” I murmured, my face falling. “They all think I’m dead. If any of them survived, for that matter.”

That thought—that my efforts had been in vain and I was truly alone on an empty planet—tore at my mind, and the sheer emotional weight of what I’d just been through threatened to spiral out of control. Even if I could miracle up a way to reach someone, the odds of a ship passing through this system were—

“No,” I ordered, stomping a hoof into the dirt. “No. I’m not doing this. Focus, Sunset. Focus on survival. You can worry about rescue later.”

So with that in mind, I kept my eyes on my surroundings, searching for somewhere I could build some kind of shelter. I had no shortage of building materials, judging by all the trees. And while I had no traditional tools, my horn was versatile. It’d be hard work, but I could use it like an axe, or a saw, or a knife, or any number of other such things.

Normally I’d need a rest—not to mention a drink of water—after a good twenty minutes or so of trotting, but I found my new alicorn body capable of going for a full hour before I heard the rumbling of water nearby. I rushed forward past a line of trees and spotted a winding river at the bottom of a steep incline. A number of animals were drinking from it, including a large six legged beast with razor sharp fangs and cold, calculating eyes, with a muzzle like a fox and ears like a wolf. Its ears perked up as it glanced over at me, despite the distance.

“Oh great,” I murmured. “Local predators. Fun.”

I readied to defend myself, and decided to spread my wings out to their furthest extent to make myself look bigger. The beast sniffed the air in my direction, then backed up a few steps before loping away at an impressive rate, scaring a few other creatures that resembled deer and elk. “Yeah, that’s right, you’d better run,” I said, grinning. I knew it’d be back, and if I wasn’t careful it’d make a meal of me in the nighttime, but it was fun to scare it away nonetheless.

After a short time I walked over to the river, sniffing at it cautiously. I knew a spell or two that’d let me test its potability, so I ignited my horn and went to it. “Damn it…” I frowned, sighing at the results. There was something nasty in this water. I’d need to filter it. Which I could do with magic, but not for any great quantity, not without risking exhaustion.

At least, it would have been before my transformation. Maybe my alicorn magic could go much further? I planned to test this eventually, but not yet. Too risky.

Still, it let me get a small drink, so I went ahead and purified some water, then slowly sipped it out of my magic till I’d drunk it all down. Thirst quenched for the moment, I proceeded to trot down the river about a kilometer or so, getting the lay of the land. Good thing too, because the river emptied into a large lake that spanned the horizon. The lake itself sat in a depression, with raised hills all around every bit of shoreline I could see, possibly formed from some kind of impact crater, or volcanic activity.

I could see quite a few more creatures drinking by the lakeside, ranging from small rodents to a few that seemed distressingly similar to ponies, despite being six legged rather than four. I spotted a number of larger creatures as well, including an extremely strong-looking one that resembled a saber-toothed tiger.

“Right, I should probably settle away from the lakeside. Too many animals.” I backtracked along the opposite side of the river, until I spotted a small breakaway in the hillside I hadn’t noticed before. Not quite a cave, but just enough to provide dry cover from the elements, and seemingly easy to defend too. “Perfect.”

I got to work immediately, first going for loose branches from many of the nearby trees. I used some strong reeds to lash the branches together, forming a roof-like block. It wouldn’t hold for more than a couple of days, but it’d hold long enough for me to start crafting sturdier supports, adhesives, and the like. Once I had it prepared, I propped it up with a couple of thick branches that I sunk into the ground, then covered it with leaves and such for insulation.

After that I tentatively tried to rest under it. It wasn’t much better than lying on the open ground but it kept me dry.

That settled, I went about collecting the materials for a fire. Carrying the rocks and splitting the thicker branches for kindling took far longer than I would have liked, but mercifully my horn made lighting the fire a simple task.

By the time I’d finished with all this, the sun sank low on the horizon, coloring the sky in shades of oranges and reds. As much fun as seeing my namesake was, it’d also grown much colder, and that was before the sun slipped fully behind the mountains. I briefly considered going for more water, or even some kind of food, but I decided it was best not to risk it, not without having any idea what kind of nocturnal animals prowled the area.

Instead, I set about using the few branches I hadn’t been able to use for the lean-to as sharp sticks, sinking them into the ground at an angle just in front of the entrance to my shelter. It’d be enough to ward off a few things, at least. I considered adding some magic to it, like some kind of alarm spell hooked to a rock, in case something crossed the line, but I decided that might be too much magic invested.

So I settled in for the night, falling asleep beside my campfire. Only once during the night did I awaken, when I thought I heard a predator poking around. I stayed up for a good hour, looking out at the darkness, terrified, before I finally settled back to sleep.

The next day I discovered a trail of dried blood on the ground not far away from my shelter.

Despite this worrying sign I continued to focus on basic survival needs. I improved my shelter by adding several more racks of branches, using them to form something of a wall and roof, while leaving room for my fire to vent its smoke. Filtering water continued to be a problem. If I filtered all my water by magic I’d exhaust myself, so I had to invent a different means. So I decided to try and make clay pots, figuring I could use those to boil water, store it, and even cook food. After some experimentation I figured out a way to speed-dry clay. It took a massive toll on my magic reserves in the short term, but in the long term would hopefully be worth the investment.

Food was my next task. It wasn’t until my third day on the planet that I decided to try my hoof at finding some sort of food. I needed it badly. My use of magic left me weaker than I would’ve been otherwise, and my wings added caloric needs, even if I hadn’t made much use of them yet. As appealing as the idea of flying was, I didn’t want to try until I was in a much better place, survival-wise. Better to stick to what I knew.

And I knew I needed protein. I’d tried to eat a bit of the grass in the area, but not only was it disgusting, it left my stomach twisting hard. A bit of magic checking later proved that stuff wasn’t going to do me any good unless I cooked the hell out of it. Maybe I could make some grass tea or something.

There were needles in some of the coniferous trees that dotted the opposite side of the river. The trees also produced plenty of pine sap, which I could make use of for glue. The needles weren’t that edible either, but like the grass I could probably make a tea out of them.

With no edible vegetation nearby, I knew I’d be forced to fish. Or worse, hunt. A pony like myself, we could eat plenty of fish, but the thought of eating any other sort of meat tended to make us pretty sick, since most other "meat" on our world has a name and you can talk to them. Well, that, and we could only stomach so much fat. Despite that though… if I couldn’t get fish, I’d have no choice. Either way, I needed some protein, fast.

Fortunately, I had a whole lake to choose from for fish. I’d fashioned a couple of spears from sticks with sharpened stones tied to them. And I’d used some reeds plus a bit of magic to weave a basket, so I could hold my catch. I had nowhere to store anything, so I’d have to eat what I caught… and I’d only gone fishing once during survival training. I hoped I could remember how to clean it properly.

Of course the other problem was that I had no boat. So I’d had to wade along the shoreline, or swim. I didn’t fancy my chances at swimming, not with two unfamiliar limbs. And while on a good day I could use my magic to find and catch the fish without even trying, I was really feeling the loss of calories at this point. My horn was noticeably weaker. It would be too costly to use my magic this way; without being able to store excess, I’d use more calories than I’d gain back.

So I waded into the water by the lakeside, and remained as still as I could. I knew I’d scare the fish off for a while and indeed it took over half an hour before I spotted anything of reasonable size come near me.

A decent one, maybe a quarter of a meter, showed up before too long. I’d be pretty satisfied with that. So I raised my spear and thrust… way too soon. Not only did I miss, but my spear caught on a rock and snapped in two, worthless. Cursing, I threw away the broken spear, got my spare one ready, and waited some more.

Then I saw it. A huge one, maybe half a meter long. That would make a fine meal. My mouth salivated as I held my spear in my magic, ready to thrust.

“Patience this time,” I whispered. “Patience is key.”

It came closer, swimming so slowly. My magic grip strained, shaking.

“Stay patient...”

Finally the fish came close enough to touch, and I threw the spear!

And it sailed right into the fish’s center of mass. It squirmed, bleeding like crazy as I hefted it out and above me. “Ahahaha! Gotcha!” I cried. The poor thing thrashed and fought to return to the water even as I slowly trudged my way onto shore and headed back towards my shelter. When I returned it was still wriggling, so, out of a fit of conscience as much as practicality, I smashed its face in with a rock.

Then I took the sharpest piece of flint I’d found, the one I’d set aside as a knife. Digging out the guts and spinal column was nasty, and I probably wasted a bit of the meat in the process, but at that point I had to conserve as much magical energy as I could.

But I still had plenty to eat. I popped it over my fire and roasted it. I’d found a small amount of rock salt in the back of my little not-cave shelter, so I used that for a bit of seasoning. If I’d salivated before, oh the smell of cooking fish left me drooling in anticipation. My stomach snarled, clamoring for something to digest. The wait was sheer agony.

And then it was ready. I tried to eat the fish slowly. I did. But as soon as I took the first bite, I fell upon it like the starved beast I was, tearing it apart. It was the single most delicious thing I’d ever eaten in my life. With the sun setting and my stomach full, not even the hard floor kept me from falling asleep quickly.

The next morning I awoke with what felt like more energy than I knew what to do with. I considered exploring further away from my encampment, but a brief inspection of my shelter told me it needed further reinforcement if it was going to survive for the long term. I realized I had been damn lucky to have seen no rain yet.

So I set about making a few better tools to start with. What I wanted were metals, copper if nothing else. That proved easier said than done though, and despite magic’s ability to shortcut smelting it, finding enough raw ore in my surroundings proved so difficult it’d take a very long time before I could have my first tool. So instead I decided to hone the ones I had, and went about chopping down my first tree. Reasoning that my sheltered area would suffice for a proper cabin built around it, I tried my best to carve logs into even planks.

Magic made this easy, but like always, heavy use of it drained my energy. I wasn’t sure why; even with regular food and water aboard a starship or on Earth, I’d never found my magic draining like this. But for all I knew something about Veridian III drained it faster. Or maybe I just needed to practice with it more… I’d noticed my spells were more powerful than they used to be. Maybe I was using far too much power with each one and not even realizing it.

“Did you ever have this problem, Princess Celestia?” I wondered. “Did you ever try to warm up your tea and found yourself melting your tea set or something? Figures. Now I could use her advice…”

Of course, planks wouldn’t do me much good without something for screws, but I had that handled, sort of. I used some scraps to fashion a set of wooden pegs. Still not the most sturdy, but it would last far longer than branches lashed together with vines, and be far more water tight.

And good timing too. I’d just finished putting all this together, complete with a sealable hatch I made using pegs to keep it shut, when I heard the telltale rumble of thunder in the distance. Oh did it rain. It beat a steady tattoo on my roof. Thunder boomed, loud enough to force me to slap my ears against my skull just to keep the noise out. Thankfully, my work proved itself good enough, and only a little bit of moisture leaked through. And as I waited out the storm, I went ahead and marked down the passage of the day with another line scratched into the rock wall. I’d been on Veridian III a week.

I awoke to clear skies the next morning and went on a small expedition away from my shelter. I journeyed further to the north, across the river and towards the mountains. I wanted to see if there was a chance I’d spot some surface deposits of metals. Hematite, malachite, chalcopyrite, cassiterite would be great if I wanted bronze… bauxite would be nice if I had some way of electrolyzing the aluminium, but even with magic that process would be far too intensive for me to get anywhere with it. But since Veridian III was uninhabited, there was a good chance of discovering easy to access metal deposits. If I could just make some metal tools… I’d really start to get somewhere.

Luck was with me, because less than two hours after I started my journey, well before I reached the mountains, I spotted something promising. “What is that?” I said as I peered closer. “Is… is that?” I tested it briefly with my magic, then giggled in delight. “It is! Native copper, what a find.” After a brief examination of the deposit, I opted to use my magic to scoop it out of the ground. It was either that or spend days with a makeshift pickaxe made from stone.

I returned to my shelter carrying as much native copper as I could carry, grinning gleefully all the while. I dropped it all in front of my stone furnace, the one I’d put together when I fired my pots. Now that I had this metal I could smelt it and start making some proper tools, at least once I could make the molds.

“Your ingenuity is most impressive, Sunset,” T’Lona commented, giving me a proud nod.

“Yes, yes, I’m sure it’s lovely to hear every last detail of how you survived the planet,” Nechayev said, sighing. “But we have already spent several hours on this debriefing.”

“I’ve been gone for two years, ma’am,” I replied, trying to keep the growing ire out of my voice. Although she’d been aboard the Enterprise many times while I was on its crew, I’d never stumbled across her, and I wish I’d remained ignorant. She was thoroughly unpleasant to deal with. “With respect, there’s a lot of ground to cover.”

“Very true,” Nakamura said, nodding. “And I would be most interested to read all the details. However, she does have a point. You may want to summarize and move things along.” He glanced down at the PADD in front of him. “Perhaps after a quick meal break.”

No one protested that, not even Nechayev, so I followed my family back to my Mom’s office. As soon as we were inside, Amina sat down at her desk and tapped a button on her console. “Ma’am,” I said to her. “Permission to speak freely?”

Amina gave me a flat look. “I already turned off the cameras, sweetheart. Go ahead.”

“I’d like to smack Nechayev in her stupid face,” I growled as I stomped my way over to the replicator. “Grilled havarti cheese on sourdough with plain tomato soup and coffee, black.”

“A cheese sandwich? Again?” Twilight questioned, giving me an amused look.

I set my platter down and started eating without preamble. “You try going two years without cheese. Or tomatoes. Or coffee.”

“I don’t blame you for wanting to smack Nechayev,” Amina said as she got her own meal. “She’s… well, there’s a reason she’s never been number one on anyone’s favorite admiral list.

“Nevertheless, Sunset, it would be wise to keep such opinions to yourself,” T’Lona said. “I do not know how much you remember of manners or Starfleet procedure after more than two years stranded.”

“Mother,” I groaned, “I think I remember just fine, thanks.” After taking a bite of sweet, delicious cheese and bread, and swallowing it with an equally delicious gulp of hot coffee, I added, “Okay, maybe I’ll need a quick refresher on a few things, but I don’t think I need to start over as a new cadet, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Assuming they don’t turn you into some kind of lab specimen,” Twilight growled, scowling into her mashed potatoes. “That made me want to smack her.”

“That won’t happen,” Amina declared with her full authority. “I’ll fight it. I’ve got plenty of pull, and you’ve got a lot of friends who’ll throw their weight against it too, if you contact them. I know the senior staff of the Enterprise-E will be thrilled to hear you’re alive.”

“Especially Commander La Forge,” Twilight added.

I paused, my sandwich halfway to my mouth. “Wait, why him specifically?”

“He um, he came to tell us about your death personally,” Twilight answered, her expression glum. “He even said he considered you a friend.”

“Oh.” My cheeks filled with warmth, as did my heart. “I… wow. I didn’t realize he cared about me that much. I mean, we were colleagues, sure, but…” I stared down at my food, then pushed it aside. “Mom, do you mind if I record a message to send to him, right now?”

She gave me a knowing smile, and moved away from her terminal. “Go right ahead, sweetie. Just try to make it quick.”

I nodded, turned to the terminal, cleared my throat, then said, “Begin recorded message, for Commander Geordi La Forge, chief engineer, U.S.S. Enterprise.” I waited to see the little flashing recording light before continuing, and made sure to smile. “Hello sir. It’s me, Sunset Shimmer. Yes, it’s really me. I’m alive, and I’m on Earth. It’s… a long story. With a lot of details.” I deliberately opened up my wings so he could see them on the video. “As soon as I have everything written down, I’ll send you a copy. You deserve to hear it. Listen, I know this message is going to raise more questions than answers, but I figured you deserved to know I was alive as soon as possible. I’m going to reach out to plenty of other people, but… I also wanted to thank you. Thank you for telling my family personally. That means a lot to me. And if what you said to them is anything to go by… I’d like to consider you a friend too. End recorded message.”

I stepped away from the terminal and let Amina take over. “There. I’ve sent it off,” she said. “Now hurry and finish your food.”

“Yes, Mom,” I giggled.

Once we reconvened, Nechayav wasted no time in saying, “Miss Shimmer, while your survival on Veridian III is impressive, I believe we should try to move on. Only the necessary details. What we all really want to know is how you got aboard that Dominion ship and why it crashed.”

“Alright, ma’am. I’ll try to condense the rest as much as I can,” I said. “So, after the first two weeks, I’d gotten a handle on basic survival needs, but I knew I’d have to do more if I was going to have any real hope of rescue…”

The wind ticked my feathers as I gently glided over the lake. “Woah, take it easy, Sunset, come on,” I muttered as I experimented with a few flaps. As I turned, I grinned, a sense of triumph filling me. “That’s it. That’s how I--woah, oh crap oh crap oh crap--”

Splash!

I’d flapped one too many times and sent myself into a spin, plummeting into the lake. I splashed my way through the water till I reached the shore and collapsed onto the mud. “Uuugh… stupid pegasi make this look way too easy…”

It was a month into my survival that I finally tried to fly for the first time. I decided I’d do it over the lake, since if I fell, I’d plummet into water, and I’d long since verified that there wasn’t anything similar to a crocodile or alligator or other lake-born predator that’d swallow me whole if I struggled to swim back to shore. I also made sure to take off the clothes I’d made, so I didn’t get them wet. I’d fashioned a few things for warmth from some of the local plants that I’d spun into fiber. They weren’t very tough, but they didn’t have to be.

The first few times went about how you’d expect. My wings seized up and I crashed into the lake. But after a while, I started to get the hang of it. It would take a couple more months of practice, but eventually flight became second nature to me.

When I wasn’t practicing my flying skills, I was working on expanding my shelter for the long haul. I used my magic to carve into the hillside, to give me extra rooms. One I converted into a smokehouse. Another room became a larder for storing foraged foliage. This would be especially important for the inevitable winter season, whenever that might occur. But another, I turned into a workshop and forge. I’d managed to gather plenty of metals, enough to create a proper metal furnace and cast steel. It wasn’t super high quality steel, nothing like what could be turned out by a proper society, but it was more than adequate for my purposes. It gave me a set of sturdy tools that let me conserve my magic usage.

“Now I know why colonists love industrial replicators so much,” I grumbled as I set aside my final finished piece. “Unicorn me never could have done this. My magic circuits would have fried a long time ago.” I reached up and tapped the end of my now significantly longer and pointier horn. “Guess it’s a good thing I became an alicorn after all, huh?”

It also allowed me to rebuild my shelter from wood into something more akin to a proper house, using clay bricks and makeshift mortar. Within a few months I’d gone from basic survival to real forward progress.

By the end of autumn, I’d struck what I thought was paydirt. Electricity, proper electricity. It was generated through a water wheel on the river, using copper wiring spun by my magic and the most crude, basic turbine I could make. It was awful and unreliable, but it worked.

Unfortunately, it also wasn’t enough.

What little it generated would barely power a few lightbulbs. Not that I could even make any, as the tungsten and other rare and heavy metals I’d need were far out of my reach.

Worse still, before I could find some utility for what little power I could generate, winter shut me down for a good amount of time. The climate so far had been so reasonable I hadn’t taken much notice when the temperatures fell below freezing a few times during late autumn. But winter was a whole other story. Not only did it freeze the river and the lake, It snowed, and heavily at that, keeping me indoors much of the time. I found ways to use my time wisely, but my food stores ran very low.

Finally, I had no choice. I left my shelter, a steel tipped spear carried in my magic. I’d long since decided the best animal to take down, one that was as different from a pony as possible. I also knew where they stayed in the winter, so sneaking in was easy. Getting one by itself though, that would be tricky. These were large animals, larger than me, and I didn’t fancy my chances if I had to fight one off on the ground.

So instead I created a distraction, used that to isolate one, and took it down easily with a single blow to the heart. I whispered quiet apologies as I carried it back to my shelter. I had a spare room I’d made for things like this, the dirty tasks, and I had a rack already prepared for it. Butchering this animal… I hated it. I loathed the process. The fish I could stand, because I ate fish all the time back on Equus. But this meat… I knew in my heart that whatever meat came off this animal would likely taste as awful as it was to look at.

Unfortunately, I was all too right on that point too. I threw out the organs immediately. They were too risky to even think about eating, plus they smelled absolutely horrid. I tried to trim as much excess fat as I could before smoking the meat, but what was left was more than enough to twist my stomach into knots every time I ate it. I still got enough nutrition to keep going, but I spent much of the winter on my side trying to keep my insides relatively calm. What energy I did expend was used to construct a bed from spare wood and to reuse as much of the animal I slew as possible. Its hide made for a nice blanket to keep out the winter chill.

I was much happier once spring returned and I could fish in the lake again. And as the weather warmed up, I became healthy enough to go on excursions again. I had a thought in mind, a hope that somewhere on the planet there were some advanced resources lying around, just waiting for me to use them.

Soran’s launch site.

I remember someone beaming down to the surface just before we battled the Klingons, so I knew Soran’s launch site was here. “But where is it?” I asked myself. “For all I know it could be a short trot away or on the opposite side of the planet!”

But it was still a hope. If his launch site was still intact and if he had materials there I could work with, I might be able to make a subspace radio. It would still be horrifically crude, and unless he had something I could turn into a signal booster it’d never reach orbit, but it was worth a try. Otherwise I’d have to commit to years and years of effort to manufacture an alternative, and that was unacceptable to me.

I spent the first few weeks of spring gathering up plenty of fresh fish and other supplies, which I portioned out to make traveling rations. I planned to forage along the way if possible, but I’d be spending most of my time traveling in the air. It was much faster than hoofing it, and by now it was as natural to me as walking. Given I was heading into unfamiliar territory, I’d look to rest on clouds whenever possible.

Then I set out on my first expedition. Using my astrolabe spell, I determined my latitude and longitude. I was much further south than I had expected, deep in the southern hemisphere. That suggested I needed to go north, as logic dictated that setting up a launch site as close to the planet’s equator as possible would maximize Soran’s chance of success.

I traveled north, passing into warmer climates with each new day. Every so often as I traveled I used a spell to locate advanced materials in a manner similar to a tricorder, especially in places with limited visibility. It was mana hungry, so I couldn’t use it often.

Finally, on the seventh day, I hit the sea. The smell of salt in the air, the ocean waves crashing along the shore, the fine white sand beach… if I hadn’t known better I would’ve sworn I was on a beach in Hawaii or southern California. It was beautiful, and a part of me wanted to stay here, where it was much warmer, and likely easier to forage. But knowing I’d have to set up my shelter all over again convinced me to go back instead.

It took me another week before I was ready for a second trip. This time I headed east, however I hit the ocean after only three days, this one cooler and much rockier than up north. And again, not a trace of a launch site, or any advanced materials for that matter.

I took more trips every week or so throughout the spring and summer, each one in a slightly different direction. I did my best to create a map of the land, using my feathers as quills and, much to my chagrin, parts of additional animals I hunted as both ink and parchment. Every time I had to take one down, I found myself whispering an apology, and a request for forgiveness.

Maybe it was silly of me, but it helped keep me sane.

Halfway through summer, I began to despair that I was right after all, that Soran’s launch site was on some other continent on the planet entirely. It would be completely impossible for me to make any kind of trip across the ocean too. I’m not too proud to admit I spent more than a few nights crying myself to sleep over the frustration.

Once it began to feel like the waning days of the summer season were upon me, I embarked on a series of trips to map out the one area I hadn’t explored in detail yet, a large desert that took up a good chunk of the northwestern corner of the continent. It took a lot of water each time I searched, and the sheer amount of heat radiating off the sand dunes meant I could only search for a part of the day.

But then, on my fifth or sixth trip, my detector spell went off right as I flew over a nondescript hill. When I looked down, I broke into ecstatic laughter. “I found it! Hahaha! I actually found it! I can’t believe it.”

At first glance it wasn’t much. A series of metal catwalks, one of which was little more than a twisted pile of wreckage in a deep gully. From up above I could see a set of metal stairs leading to an elevated outcropping, though much of it had been turned into a crater. I swooped down for a closer inspection. “Crater’s way too fresh to have been here long. This must’ve been where the launcher itself was set up.”

But as I examined the place, I realized that someone from Starfleet must’ve been here to clean up, because much of it had already been picked over. What was left was mostly scraps, along with some half-crushed equipment racks and storage containers.

As I flew up to the highest crest, a glint of something metallic caught my eye. “Oh? What’s this?” I gently set down in front of what had to be a makeshift grave formed of stones piled up and over a body. Stranger still, there was a single marker, an old-fashioned late twenty-third century Starfleet pin. I snatched it up when I first saw it, squealing in delight for all of two seconds before I realized it was just a piece of fancy metal, with no circuitry. “Damn it,” I muttered as I placed it back. Then I cast my eyes down on the grave. “Sorry to bother you… whoever you are. Rest peacefully.”

I continued my search, feeling more and more hopeless with every passing minute. And then I found a panel on a wall, inside some sort of cage. At first, I couldn’t figure out a way inside. The access hatch had been sealed up, leaving me flustered. “Wait… maybe… maybe it’s time to use it, Sunset.”

It was a teleport spell. Back in Equestria, teleportation was rarely seen or used, save for Princess Celestia and some of the court mages. I left before she could teach it to me, but I knew it was possible at least. And while it wasn’t exactly the same, the principles of transporter technology were similar enough I eventually derived a spell matrix to mimic the effect. It was one of the most mana hungry spells I had, so demanding I hadn’t ever been able to properly cast it as a unicorn. But as an alicorn, I had all the energy I needed. I’d tested it numerous times, so I knew it could work. But I hadn’t wanted to use it unless I had no other choice. “Don’t think you have any other choices now, Sunset. Let’s just get this over with.”

I focused my magic, seeking out my destination. Mana flowed into my mind like a quiet stream now, not like the tidal wave it used to be. I closed my eyes and let my mind's eye see for me. I could picture my destination now, every centimeter mapped out to the last detail.

A mere thought altered the flow of magic, compacting the matrix and feeding it more and more mana. I could feel the spell's pulse as it flowed up the deep spiral path toward the tip of my horn, finally coalescing into a glowing ball of pure energy.

I took a deep breath and released the spell, and my whole world seemed to dissolve in slow motion. Mere seconds later I found myself standing inside of the cage, exactly where I wanted to be. “Yes!” I cried, pumping my hoof. I turned to examine the panel. “Okay, let’s see… oh no.”

The panel wasn’t lit up, and when I examined it, I saw why. The guts of the computer behind it had been ripped out. All that was left were touchpads, screens, and little else. But while it was useless as a computer, it was a literal goldmine of valuable resources I could make use of.

After ripping out every useful component and carefully loading up my pack, I scoured the rest of the area for anything else I could use. The sun was unbearable by that point, but the small amount of refined dilithium I found in a crate half hidden by a boulder made it well worth the effort. With the sun going down and my energy waning from exertion, I began the trek back to my shelter.

Once back, and after some time spent resting and restocking my food supplies, I started work on trying to assemble a radio from the components I scavenged. It wasn’t easy. None of the circuitry I was using was designed for this purpose. It took a week of constant fiddling before I finally had a crude subspace receiver. It wasn’t any good for transmitting, but that would take far longer to create, because I had none of the tools and had to use my magic in such a finicky, focused way, meaning I could only spare so much energy each day towards it. Still, it was better than nothing, so I switched it on, and waited.

”Great,” I sighed after a few moments. “Just static. At least it’s something, even if it’s just subspace background noise.” I considered leaving the radio on constantly, but I knew the materials I’d used to make it wouldn’t stand that kind of constant use. Instead I decided I’d check it for one minute every hour of the day.

The next few months seemed to pass in a blur. Every day was the same routine: eat, sleep, fish, work on the transmitter while listening to static. It wasn’t long before the static sounded like talons scraping on a chalkboard.

One of Princess Celestia’s favorite phrases was “friendship is magic.” At the time I thought it sounded a bit corny, but with each passing day I felt the loneliness, the isolation, close in on me like never before. I began holding entire conversations with my family as if they were there with me. I had to think even Belle would call me crazy at that point.

The straw that broke the dragon's back came a few weeks later. I had just returned to the cave after what had been one of my most difficult days yet. Thanks to a weather pattern that seemed to have skipped most of autumn and jumped right to the threshold of winter, many of the plants I had planned to forage had already died or gone dormant. On top of that, a steady and bitterly cold rain left both me and the wood I had gathered soaked to the core. Even magic couldn't seem to wring all the water out of my mane. "Ugh. Yuck!"

Tired of futilely squeezing my hair, I looked at the meager pile of vegetation I had accumulated and sighed. "I'll be lucky if I can keep these things alive, much less start an indoor garden to grow more." The prospect of yet another winter surviving on barely drinkable grass tea and questionable animal meat irked me to no end.

I trudged over to the far wall, which had become a calendar and notepad of sorts, accumulating scratches and scrawls all over. But it was then, as I began to etch yet another day onto the wall, that it hit me. "How long has it been anyway?" I stepped back and began counting the lines. One by one, then group by group, the total quickly climbing right along with my blood pressure.

"T-Two? Two years? I..." I stumbled back and plopped down on my rump, as if the weight of time itself had just knocked me over. I glanced down at the flint 'chalk', then at the wall. The etchings felt more like pieces of me that had been tacked to the wall. Each line marking not the passage of time but another wound to my sanity, to my very soul.

"Two.... Celestia-damned... years!" I lashed out at the flint with my magic and crushed it like a bug in my telekinetic grip. "Ha! Look at this power. So much power! But for what?" I spun on my hooves and stared at the rest of the cramped cave I'd survived in for so long.

"Oh, I know! Cutting wood! Pulling grass! Skinning animals! Fantastic!" I kicked the pile of damp wood next to me and snorted. "If only Celestia could see me now! The Princess of Logging!"

The sound of thunder from outside caught my ear and before I could think twice I raced outside, right into the driving rain. I flew up to the top of the rock outcropping and looked to the gloomy sky.

"Why? Why this? Why me?!" Rage burned through me now, warring with the tidal wave of grief and despair to send me over the edge. Magic surged into my core so fast my whole body seemed to radiate arcane energy. I channeled it into my lungs and screamed. "Where are you, magic?! Answer me!"

A clap of thunder and another blast of ice cold rain mocked me in response. "I just want to go home!" I wanted to scream again but all the anger, the rage, it collapsed like an exhausted star, and I slumped onto my side, where my tears joined the falling rain. “I just want to go home…”

Winter arrived not too long after my breakdown, trapping me inside nearly all the time. My mood was still dour at best, but completing the transmitter kept me mostly sane. Finally, after weeks of failed attempts, I got it working and stable. I had no idea how far it would reach or for how long but I leapt at the chance to get a message out.

"To any ship in orbit of Veridian III, this is Lieutenant Sunset Shimmer, please respond.”

Nothing but static met me.

“To any ship in orbit of Veridian III, this is Lieutenant Sunset Shimmer. I’m a Starfleet officer stranded on the planet, requesting rescue. Please respond.”

Still no answer. I tried it for a while longer, then set it aside and sighed. I’d expected this result, but it didn’t make the heartbreak any easier to swallow. "Okay, I need a break before I break something myself."

A few minutes with my thoughts and a cup of 'tastes suspiciously like nettles' tea later, I had begun to sort things out. I hoped. "Alright, I have a working receiver and a working transmitter. I don't know how much range either has, but I also don't have a reliable way to test that either, since I can't be in two places at once. What I need," I said between sips of tea, "is a second set of ears.”

So, I set to work creating a second receiver. I used nearly all of my remaining scavenged materials doing it, but owing to previous experience I got this one operational much quicker than before. To test the entire system, I waited for a day with decently clear skies and a light breeze. I set the transmitter near the sealable hatch to my shelter, since it often squeaked on breezy days, then began to fly away at a slow pace with the original radio. By my estimates I made it about fifty kilometers before the signal stopped entirely and I could no longer hear the squeaking noise on my end. "Good, but not nearly good enough," I grumbled as I flew back to the cave.

Out of both ideas and materials, I could only see one possibility left, and it was a hell of a bleak one. As soon as the snows melted and Spring felt imminent, I began to prepare for another trip to the desert.

The way I saw it, the remains of the launcher were the only thing of interest on the planet, and the trilithium Soran had tried to use would surely leave a radiation signature strong enough to be spotted by most any passing ship. Logic dictated then that the best place to put the transmitter was there.

“Now I just need a real message to transmit.”

After some trial and error, I found a way to infuse a few remaining bits of circuitry with some magic, giving it enough energy to power the device and trigger a repeating message. The night before I planned to leave, I recorded what I was sure would be my final message to the stars.

“To any vessel in orbit, this is Lieutenant Sunset Shimmer. I am a Starfleet officer stranded on this planet for over two years. I have left this transmitter where it is most likely to be discovered. I have a receiver radio which will allow me to hear any transmissions you send, but I will not be able to reply. My coordinates are as follows.” I then listed the position of my shelter. “I will be listening for any response transmissions for one hour each day at local noon. Please. Help me.”

One day, midway through spring, about a month and a half after I first set up the radio, I sat down for my daily ritual of lunch and listening to dead air. Not that I was paying much attention. Somewhere inside me my heart had started to give up any hope of rescue. I’d be stuck here for the rest of my life. That thought depressed me more than any other, enough to start considering whether… whether it was worth trying to stay alive anymore.

As my mind entertained dark thoughts and I lifted a piece of fish up to my mouth, I heard something. Something other than static, something that sounded like a word. I froze, staring in mute wonder at my radio. For several moments, I heard nothing other than the usual static, and the brief bit of hope soaring in my chest started to die away again.

But then… more words. “...received...signal...listening…”

I whooped for joy, bouncing out of my chair. “Someone’s found me!” I cried. “They found me!”

“...assist...stand by...transport…”

“Hahahaha!” Joy flooded my being. I picked up the radio and took it outside with me, flying up to stand on the hill atop my shelter. “Yeeeeees! Haha!” As I waited, I couldn’t help dancing and singing to myself. “I’m finally going home!”

Then I heard the wonderful musical chime of transporter beams. I halted in place, ready to speak with whomever arrived… and then my jaw dropped in sheer horror.

Five Jem’Hadar troopers pointed their disruptor rifles at me. Ugly, reptilian like, with grey skin and so many ridges and bumps their whole body looked like a weapon. I’d only seen their faces once, in records from the destruction of the Odyssey a few months prior to being stranded, but I knew who they were. Foot soldiers of the Dominion. Enemy of the Federation.

Oh I was screwed.

“Commander Shimmer, I’ve stretched my imagination a lot over the past few hours, but what you just said is patently absurd. Do you really expect us to believe that a Dominion ship went to the middle of nowhere Veridian III, and happened to beam down to the one spot on that empty rock that had your tiny radio on it?”

“Yes, I do, Admiral. Because that’s what happened,” I replied. “Believe me, I had no idea at the time why they would’ve thought to come to Veridian.”

“But you did find out why, later on,” Nakamura pressed.

I nodded. “Yes, sir. I’m getting to that as part of my explanation.”

“Are you really just taking all of this at face value, Mamoru?” Nechayev interrupted. “We have no way to verify any of what she’s said, much less trust it.”

Brand arched an eyebrow. “Ma’am, we already tested Shimmer for being a Changeling. She’s not.”

Nechayev shook her head. “Be that as it may, that still doesn’t mean her information is accurate by default. To be honest, I find much of her story difficult to believe. She somehow managed to turn leftover parts of a computer display into a functioning subspace radio, all without a flux coupler or a hyper-spanner or any other modern tool?”

I rolled my eyes so hard they may have hit the back of my head. “Oooh yes, how in the cosmos could a Starfleet Engineer ever work their way out of a seemingly impossible technical challenge?”

“Commander!” Nechayev barked, shooting up out of her chair. “You are out of line!”

Nakamura held out an arm between us, giving Nechayev a flat look. “Enough, Alynna.” Then he fired the same look at me. “Likewise, Commander.”

Sitting back down, he continued, “I think a little bit of agitation on the Commander’s part is understandable, given what she’s been through. That said, I do agree with the spirit of Admiral Nechayev’s argument at least. If you were in our shoes, Commander, I suspect you’d have some of the same doubts we do.”

I took a deep breath, and glanced at my family, all of whom gave me the same supporting look. Then I returned my gaze to the admirals. “I understand, sir. You’re right, I wouldn’t believe all of this myself if the situation were reversed. But like I said before, send a ship out there. You’ll see it’s all true.”

“Which we probably will, especially if there’s Dominion activity in the area,” Nakamura nodded. “Commander, you’ve been away for too long to be aware of this, but… we’re on the brink of war with the Dominion.”

“And we just fought one with the Klingons,” Brand added with a sigh. “While we’ve managed to restore our alliance with them, it may be too little too late. We’re severely understrength, and the Dominion has sent a full fleet through to their allies on Cardassia.”

“What?” I gasped, my eyes bouncing back and forth between the three admirals so fast they hurt. “How’d we end up at war with the Klingons? I don’t understand.”

The three admirals all exchanged a look, then Nechayev answered, “If your story proves to be sincere, and we determine from your medical testing that you should stay in Starfleet, we’ll brief you.”

Frowning, I replied, “Permission to speak freely, ma’am?”

“Denied,” Nechayev replied with a cold glare. “Continue your debriefing, Commander. That is an order.”

It took all my patience not to scowl at her, but I managed to avoid it. “So… as I was saying, there I was, surrounded by several Dominion soldiers. One of them approached me immediately and shoved his weapon in my face.”

The cold metal pressed against my forehead froze me in place. “Bah. Stupid animal,” growled the Jem’Hadar solider as he glared at his surroundings. “Where is the officer?”

“I’m right here,” I replied, while inwardly trying to decide if I could bring up a shield in time to prevent the disruptor blast from blowing my brains apart.

Fortunately for me, the Jem’Hadar had some trigger discipline, because rather than squeeze off a shot in surprise, he took a few steps back and trained his weapon on me carefully. “You?” he questioned.

“Yes, me,” I said, spreading both my forelegs out. “Lieutenant Sunset Shimmer, Starfleet.”

As I moved all five soldiers tensed up and jerked their weapons towards me. “Stay still!” barked the one who’d spoken before. “Do not move.”

“Okay then,” I said, resisting the urge to shrug. “You got it.”

“Good.” He looked at two of the others and pointed down the hill towards my shelter. “Fifth, Sixth, go and investigate. If you find any other Starfleet officers, take them prisoner.”

“Yes, First,” said one of them.

“You’re not gonna find any,” I said as two of the hulking soldiers hurried away. “I’m here alone.”

The First eyeballed me. “I doubt that, judging by this,” he said, jerking his weapon towards my radio, which I’d dropped on the ground. “This planet is uninhabited. Surely you don’t expect me to believe you built this alone.”

“I did, but hey, if you don’t want to listen, that’s your business,” I replied nonchalantly. Inside my mind raced at a million miles per hour, desperate to find a solution. Falling back on my snark was the only thing keeping me from screaming in fear. I did not survive two years on this planet to be killed by a bunch of Jem’Hadar thugs!

He chuckled at that. “We shall see.” He looked me up and down as if I were a piece of meat. “I am First Rinak’tlan. You will accompany us to our ship. The Vorta will want to see you.”

“Sounds fine to me,” I said with another casual shrug. “All I was asking for was to be rescued. I’d appreciate it if your ship could give me a ride back to Federation space.”

He laughed outright. “No. No, I don’t think so. You are now a prisoner of the Dominion. Assuming the Vorta lets you live, you’ll be taken to a labor camp, there to spend the rest of your natural life.”

Oh screw that. “So, not gonna lie here,” I said, “but I don’t think I like that idea. Any chance you could reconsider?”

“Were it up to me? No,” Rinak’tlan replied, his fingers tapping the barrel of his weapon quite deliberately. His amused grin slipped. “But the Vorta will decide. Perhaps you’ll be lucky and he’ll take pity on you. But I doubt it.”

The Fifth and Sixth returned. “No sign of any other Starfleet,” reported one of them. He glared at me. “She was alone.”

“Interesting,” Rinak’tlan said, nodding. “I wonder, how did you build any of this then, Shimmer?” He looked me up and down, then laughed again. “You have no hands.”

I gave him my biggest shit-eating grin. “Magic.”

He scowled, all signs of amusement fading. “Do not test my patience. Perhaps in your pitiful Federation they allow someone as weak as you to become an officer, but in the Dominion, you would be put to work like the beast of burden you resemble.” He reached for a communicator. “First here. We have found the Starfleet officer and taken her as a prisoner. Beam us up.”

As my world faded around me, I steeled my resolve. I expected a rescue but got captured instead. But I was leaving this desolate planet for a ship. Probably one with warp capability. Which meant I still had a shot to get home.

My journey wasn’t over yet. Not by a long shot.

Author's Note

I've been thanking my pre-read team all along, but I want to give an extra special thanks to Grand Moff for his help with this particular episode. The nature of this one left me struggling quite a bit, and with his help it's been massively improved from its original rough draft. Special credit for the scene near the end, where Sunset moans about being Princess of Logging before screaming at magic. That was all Moff.

Nakamura, Brand, and Nechayev are all canon characters. What's not quite so canon is Nakamura's first name. There are conflicting sources on this. Memory Beta suggests a different name, but I went with Mamoru as according to Memory Alpha, this is what Michael Okuda would've wanted his first name to be. And Okuda takes precedence over any book in my opinion.

Sunset's survival on Veridian III took a different form than a lot of you anticipated or expected. I know plenty of you were hoping that she would go into the Nexus, that she would keep Kirk alive, etc... but I didn't want her touching those canon events at all. That was never in the cards. The Nexus is very much a deus ex machina, and we had a much different plan in mind. Keeping Sunset seemingly dead for two years was the intent from the very beginning. The how remained in question for quite a while, till we decided on this method, where she ends up in subspace, pops out onto the planet, and has to play Minecraft Hardcore mode till she gets picked up.

One thing: I know very little about how radios work. A lot of the science there is me fumbling with my limited knowledge and with what we see on Trek. So bear with me on that one.

There's more I have to say about this, but I'll save that for next chapter's AN.

Season 1 Episode 9: "Confessions of an FTL Pony" Part 2

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S01E09

“Confessions of an FTL Pony”

Part Two

As I appeared on a transporter pad, I took in my surroundings. Plain metal in shades of purple and blue lined every surface, stark and without the slightest bit of comfort. There were a few consoles on the walls, with keys indistinguishable from this distance. There was a single station, much like in a Federation transporter room, crewed by yet another dour-looking Jem’Hadar soldier.

Before I could take two steps, the First pressed his weapon against the back of my skull. “Move.”

“Okay, I’m cooperating, I’m cooperating,” I replied as I trotted off the transporter pad. After walking on grass, stone, and wooden flooring for years, the metal floor hurt my hooves. It was uncomfortable, cold, and left me shivering. It made me wish I’d bothered to make a few wrappings for my hooves.

They marched me through corridor after corridor, all maze-like with no distinct pattern to it. Regardless I did my best to map it out in my head. First rule of escaping a dangerous place: memorize every last scrap of information they give you. Eventually we reached an area chock full of prison cells, though their force fields were all turned off. The First signaled to one of the others to open the nearest cell, then he quickly shoved me inside. “Remove your clothing,” he barked.

“Excuse you?” I replied, shocked at the suggestion. “These are the only clothes I have! Do you know how taboo nudity is on my world?!”

Snatching up my mane in one hand, he dragged me forward and shoved his disrupter under my chin, tapping at its settings till it thrummed at maximum. “You are little more than a beast. You do not deserve clothing.”

I swallowed, then tried to relax my body despite the pain he’d just caused me. “Okay! You’re the boss. I got it.” I followed his command and tossed off the clothing, feeling more than a little weird.

“Good.” He picked up what I tossed down and tore it apart, piece by piece, smiling at my expression of dismay. Then he thumbed his disruptor’s settings down and fired, disintegrating the scraps. “You will stay until the Vorta calls for you,” he said as he stepped outside and switched on the forcefield.

I took a brief look around my cell, but there was literally nothing to see. No bed, no chair, not even a toilet. “Lovely accommodations you have here,” I groused. “Any chance you can have an extra pillow sent up?”

“I’ll be sure to let the staff know,” he growled back before he and his soldiers filed out, leaving me alone.

I waited for the doors to slide shut before letting out a loud snort. “Okay, Shimmer, time to figure out how the hell you’re getting out of this mess.” I began examining everything in the cell, from the single overhead light to every panel on the wall. Along the way I discovered a crude pop-out toilet of sorts and a sink hidden behind one panel, but nothing else that had any kind of access port or opening.

“Helloooo?” I called out, banging on the wall. “Any other prisoners out there?”

Silence was my only answer. “Anyone interested in a jail break? Huh?”

Again, nothing. “Well so much for that.”

So I sat down to think, opting to do so silently for once, rather than aloud as was my custom on the planet. Just in case they were listening in. So, I’m a prisoner on a Dominion ship. There’s no way this Vorta’s going to let me go, especially not if they discover I have magic. They’d probably experiment on me, tear me apart to figure out how it works. They obviously have no idea who I am though, so that gives me an advantage.

The question is, how do I use it? I spotted a pebble stuck in my hoof and tapped at it with my other hoof to dislodge it. I picked it up and tossed it at the forcefield, which briefly shimmered a bright orange for a second before flinging it right back at me, prompting me to duck. I could use some mass stunning spells. Maybe flood the place with anesthezine gas, if I can use magic to force it through the air vents. Or maybe even teleport them all into the brig.

“Or I could kill them all,” I whispered.

Then I scowled at myself. “What the hell, Sunset? You don’t know how many are on board this ship. You really want to be responsible for that many deaths when you had other choices?”

No. There was no way I’d do that unless I was forced to. As a Starfleet officer, I’d trained on how to deal with death. I knew sometimes, in the line of duty, you had no other choice but to kill, in order to survive. But it was never a first resort. Never. What’s more, the idea of killing another creature went against my very nature as a pony.

There was, of course, a much better option, I realized after a while. I could try to take a shuttlecraft. This is a big ship, way bigger than those small fighters that destroyed the Odyssey in the Gamma Quadrant. Which means they must have some kind of shuttlecraft aboard. I didn’t see any obvious signage while they escorted me here, and I had no idea if I could even interface with their computers, much less use it.

“But even if they do have shuttles,” I muttered, “How do I get there without getting shot to pieces? I’d need a map. That’d help. Or…”

A small half grin formed on my muzzle for a brief moment. “Or maybe a hostage. It seemed logical enough at first: take the Vorta hostage, force him to lead me to a shuttlecraft, then race towards Federation space with him stuffed in the cargo hold. Of course this all assumed the Jem’Hadar wouldn’t ever shoot down their Vorta leader. But what other choice did I have?

Some hours passed before First Rinak’tlan showed himself, accompanied by two other soldiers. “The Vorta will see you now,” he said as he jerked his weapon towards the door.

Like before the walk hurt my hooves, and my growling stomach didn’t help matters either. I’d become too used to regular meals again, and the lack of food left me feeling weaker than I would have otherwise.

He led me through a myriad of corridors, past dozens upon dozens of other Jem’Hadar, until we stepped into an unmarked room. Inside I could see a single bench, a small prison cell blocked by a forcefield, a long, low metallic table, and another one propped up on the wall. There was also a selection of painful looking devices hanging off a rack near the table.

There was also a figure standing there, very different from the Jem’Hadar, presumably the Vorta. He looked almost human, with blue eyes and short cropped brown hair. Only his ears betrayed his true nature, long and curved like twin bananas, lined with a dozen or more ridges, running from his chin all the way up to his temple.

He looked down upon me with a smug grin as I approached. “Ah, the Starfleet officer,” he said in a voice that oozed smarm. “Please, sit.” He gestured to the floor in front of him. “And don’t mind the First. He’s simply doing his duty.”

The First, who’d taken up a guard position by the door, nodded at that. “Obedience brings victory,” he said, like he was quoting a catch phrase from one of those cheesy self-help holonovels.

“And victory is life,” the Vorta finished, his eyes still trained on me. “So it is. Now please, do sit down.”

Sighing, I took a seat on the floor, allowing him to loom over me. It was a little intimidating, almost infantilizing, which was precisely what he wanted, of course. “Thank you for your hospitality,” I said, only just managing to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

He smiled as if I’d paid him a genuine compliment. “Naturally. All guests of the Dominion deserve courtesy. Oh, but where are my manners? I am Yukarin, the Vorta in command of this ship.” He extended a hand.

I took it with my forehooves and shook it. “Lieutenant Sunset Shimmer, Starfleet.”

“Oh yes. This much I do know,” Yukarin replied. “As I understand it, you were stranded on this planet. I would love to know why that is.”

I considered that, then shrugged, since I saw no reason that information would hurt. “My ship battled a Klingon Bird of Prey here a few years ago. In the aftermath of the battle I was left behind on the planet by mistake.”

“Strange,” Yukarin replied, eying me suspiciously. “You were found with no uniform. No communicator. And, pardon me for assumptions but, you don’t appear to have a means to manipulate tools. And yet according to my Jem’Hadar, you constructed a solid shelter stocked with food, tools, and equipment, primitive though it all was. What’s more, you build a cruite subspace radio and a separate receiver. Very strange indeed.”

I gave him my best smug grin in return. “Like I said, I’m a Starfleet officer. An engineer.”

“Ah, I see,” Yukarin replied with a light chuckle. “Of course. The famed engineers that can transform rocks into replicators.” Then he frowned, his gaze turning cold. “But that explains nothing. Why were you really on that planet?”

Oh joy. Here we go. I kept up my false smile. “I was stranded. It was an accident.”

“An accident, you say. I see. But, tell me,” he replied, his voice heating up with anger. “Why were you on the planet in the first place, if your ship was fighting Klingons in orbit?”

I took a few moments to respond, carefully choosing my words in an effort to twist the truth.“The Klingons had someone on the surface who planned to fire a solar probe at the Veridian star. I stopped him.”

Yukarian shook his head. “No. No, I don’t think so. If that had been the case, you would’ve remained where we found your transmitter. But you didn’t. The place was picked clean, as if it had been scavenged by Starfleet. So, I ask again: why were you still on the planet?”

My smile shifted into a strained grimace. All I could do now was twist the facts a second time and hope it didn’t lead me into a trap. “Ah, well, see, that’s where I was originally. But when my ship tried to beam me up, there was a malfunction, and I was sent back to the planet… without my uniform or communicator. And I didn’t know where the launch site was relative to my location. It took me forever to find it again.”

Yukarian gave me a flat look. “Please do not insult my intelligence. What you just said is ridiculous, and we both know it.”

“Well, what’s the reason you’re hanging around the planet, then?” I shot back, hoping to catch him off-guard. “The Veridian system is way off the beaten track for anyone, much less a species from the Gamma Quadrant.”

“Precisely.” He considered me for a moment, then continued, “You see, the Dominion has a use for planets like this. You may have noticed the abundance of resources on the surface of Veridian III. And Verdian IV, meanwhile, provides a perfect source of labor to harvest those resources, which would make this system a perfect supply base. Off the beaten track, so to speak, meaning no Federation ship would ever have a reason to come looking. Or at least, that was the idea.”

My blood pressure jumped at his last words. “You can’t possibly think I’m a spy sent to investigate.”

“Oh, but you see my dear,” he replied with a toothy grin, “that’s exactly what I think you are. I think you were dropped off here, with a base manufactured for you, so that you could appear to be in need. Then you would simply wait around till you spotted our ship, whereupon you would pretend to be a stranded officer.”

Worry mixed with fear trickled down my spine. The longer this went on, the more likely it was he might have me executed. I’d have to enact my hostage plan after all. But how to do it? While my mind raced to cobble together a plan, I tried to keep him distracted for as long as I could. “Well, isn’t that a little silly, though? I mean, why not leave me some real tools? Even a simple standard toolkit.”

Yukarian exchanged a look with Rinak’tlan, who shook his head. “Yes, it did concern me when we found no evidence of any advanced technology save for what you put into your radio. But the Federation is well known for being able to concoct a good ruse, when it needs to. Such as when you investigate primitive planets.”

“Or,” I countered, “I’m telling the truth, I really was stranded there, and I had no idea you were around until you responded to my distress signal.”

Yukarian chortled, shaking his head slowly. “Oh, please. How do you expect me to believe that when you would need to use your mouth just to pick up a spanner?”

Behind my poker face, I felt the same kind of anticipation I felt when I knew I was only a few moves away from beating Mother at 3D chess.“Like I told your First. Magic.”

He snorted, gave me a look of sheer disbelief, then laughed in my face. “I cannot believe you just tried that. I’ll give you points for amusing me. But, well, I think I’ve had enough of this.” Rolling his eyes, he turned to Rinak’tlan. “First, would you please do us all a favor and exe–

“Wait! Wait, please, Mr. Yukarin, sir,” I said, stretching out a plaintive hoof. “I can prove it.”

He gave me a harsh glare for a moment, then it softened. He gestured for me to go ahead. “Very well. Let’s see this… magic of yours.”

I smirked. “Okay. Here goes.” I lit up my horn, causing Yukarin to jump back and Rinak’tlan to tighten his grip on his disruptor. But I made no threatening moves. Instead I picked up a single loose Dominion-style PADD off the table, and proceeded to change its color a few times, just like I had once upon a time for Mother. “You see? Magic.”

“What a fascinating display!” Yukarin gasped, completely in awe. “I take it this is how you manipulated tools, then. Telekinesis.”

“Yup,” I said, carefully inching across the room, one step at a time, very slowly, slow enough the First didn’t notice. “It’s pretty handy, you might say.”

“Hmm. I suppose I would at that,” Yukarin admitted, eyes locked on the floating PADD as it shifted from a sludge brown to chartreuse. “Tell me, can this magic of yours do anything else?”

A wide smile of triumph spread on my face as I took my final step, placing Yukarin squarely between myself and Rinak’tlan. “You bet it can. Watch this!” I dropped the PADD and immediately switched my focus to Yukarin’s throat, dragging him over to me and propping him up like a shield. At the same time I ripped the disruptor out of Rinak’tlan’s hands and placed its barrel squarely against Yukarin’s temple.

To his credit, Rinak’tlan didn’t waste time gaping at his hands, and instead reached for a small pistol at his belt. “Ah-ah-ah!” I taunted, pointedly focusing my field around the trigger of the disruptor. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, unless you want your precious Vorta’s brains scattered across the room.”

“W-well, it seems you have me at a disadvantage!” Yukarin gasped breathily around the hold I had on his throat. “Do as she says, First. Keep your weapon away.”

Rinak’tlan sneered, but did as commanded. “As you wish.”

“Now, here’s what we’re going to do,” I said, glaring at Rinak’tlan. “You’re going to get out of our way while I take your Vorta with me. Then you’re going to stay here, and you’ll order every Jem’Hadar on this ship to leave me alone. Understood?”

“Do it,” hissed Yukarin.

Barking a single, solitary laugh, Rinak’tlan moved to stand in one far corner of the room, crossing his arms. “Very well.” Tapping a single button on his arm, he sent out the order.

Grinning, I took a moment to strip him of his other weapons, and kept them all pointing at Yukarin while we headed out the door. I found myself moving past many Jem’Hadar, all of whom kept their weapons down, their eyes firmly locked on me with matching expressions of disgust and hatred.

Eventually we moved into an empty corridor. “Alright, Yukarin,” I said as soon as I was certain none would overhear. “Where’s the shuttlebay?”

“F-four decks down, section forty-seven,” he grunted. “Surely you don’t expect you’ll get very far with a puny shuttlecraft.”

“Good thing I’m bringing you along then,” I replied, searching my memory for the nearest turbolift, then making a bead for it.

Yukarin choked out a laugh. “Maybe you are telling the truth then. Because any Starfleet spy would surely know that the Jem’Hadar won’t hesitate to blow you into space dust whether I’m on board or not.”

I directed the turbolift to take us down and hesitated before responding, uncertain if he was telling the truth. I didn’t know the command structure of the Dominion. He could be bluffing. So I decided to roll with it. “I know that. I’m not stupid.”

“No. You’re not. That much is clear.” Yukarin chuckled dryly. “You are far more valuable than you first appeared. Tell me, how did you come by these abilities of yours? Are they natural? Genetic engineering?”

“Natural, plus a lot of training,” I answered, though I immediately regretted giving him any information about myself he could use.

“Interesting. So, every member of your species must be capable of these abilities then,” Yukarin concluded. When I said nothing in response, he laughed the loudest yet. “I see I’m right. Now I wonder where you’re from. I’m sure the Founders would be most pleased to learn of it. Imagine what the Jem’Hadar could do if we added telekinesis to their list of capabilities?”

The very thought chilled me to the core.

“I don't know where my home is,” I said as the turbolift came to a stop. I pulled him forward the moment the doors opened and turned to the right, passing by dozens more Jem’Hadar.

“Oh come now, Miss Shimmer,” he laughed as I dragged him forward, his feet bouncing against the deck. “And to think we’d had such a rapport going. I suppose I won’t get any more information from you, hmm?”

“Not really,” I murmured as I focused on watching my surroundings.

“A shame.” I heard more than saw Yukarin fumble for something, and then my blood ran cold when I heard his voice echo throughout the entire ship. “This is the Vorta! Please stop sitting around and recapture that officer! Stun me if you have to, but take her alive!”

My eyes widened as every Jem’Hadar around me leveled their disruptors at once. I grumbled a curse under my breath as I saw the disruptors hum as their owners prepared to pull the trigger.

Then they fired, and everything happened at once.

I hurled Yukarin at the closest Jem’Hadar, sending his shot wide as he and the Vorta went sprawling onto the deck. Summoning up a shield of protection, I then brought forward the disruptor rifle and pistol I’d stolen from the First and tabbed their settings down to what I desperately hoped was stun. As disruptor bolts flew through the air at me, they washed over my shield, leaving me unharmed.

Then it was my turn to fire back. I unleashed shot after shot at every Jem’Hadar I saw. To my horror, the stun setting seemed to do almost nothing to them. They staggered back, stumbled a bit, then recovered and resumed firing as if nothing had happened to them at all. Unwilling to jack up the settings further, I opted to hold onto the weapons as a distraction. I closed my eyes and summoned up a blinding burst of light, enough to leave them all clutching at their eyes long enough for me to fly far down the corridor.

These corridors, while wide, weren’t very tall, and I found as I flew forward the Jem’Hadar up ahead started hurling themselves in my way, trying to block me. It took everything I had and then some to dodge around them each time they did this. Then one of them clipped the top of my left wing with the barest edge of a disruptor blast. It wasn’t enough to knock me out, but it froze up my wing, sending me careening out of control.

Fortunately I was able to turn just enough to let my left side absorb most of the impact with the wall instead of my muzzle. I let my momentum slide me down the wall until I stumbled down onto my hooves, then took off at a gallop. As I passed by an intersection I saw just ahead a large pair of double doors, labeled “Shuttlebay.” Grinning, I continued to use my magic to keep their shots off me and blast light every so often.

The shuttlebay was massive. It made the main shuttle bay on the Enterprise seem almost quaint. The ceiling had to be at least thirty meters high off the ground, providing room for three whole floors worth of shuttlecraft lining the walls in bays. There was a gantry up at the top, providing control access. There were also two shuttles sitting around waiting to be used. Like the rest of Dominion spacecraft design, it was a sleek affair, twin nacelles positioned at an angle like pincers while two prongs laden with weapons stuck out the front.

The shuttlebay doors, naturally, were closed. That wasn’t going to be a problem. I’d shoot my way out if I had to. There were a ton of Jem’Hadar patrolling, watching out for me. One of them spotted me and shouted, causing the whole lot of them to race for me shouting and screaming. Disruptor fire screamed my way. Out of desperation I used a modified on the fly version of a fireworks spell to create various points of exploding brilliance, blinding them all. Then I made a break for the nearest shuttle and hopped aboard, locking the door. To my luck, it was uncrewed.

I sat down at the controls, trying to puzzle them out. After a few moments I made sense of them and started warming up the ship, getting it ready for a swift takeoff.

Then I heard a peculiar sound, similar to a transporter chime. I spun around immediately, my eyes bulging out of their sockets when I saw a Jem’Hadar soldier decloak as if he had a personal cloaking device! Before I could even process what I had just seen, much less summon a proper shield, he lunged forward and lashed out at my horn with a swift strike.

Stars filled my eyes as my magic concentration fizzled, the shield going out. I cried out in pain and tried to summon more magic, only to have the butt of his disruptor rifle slam into the back of my head.

I fell to the floor, groaning, unable to resist further. I had just enough time to mutter a curse under my breath as he fired a disruptor blast into my back, knocking me unconscious.

“Hold on a moment,” Nekamura interrupted, holding up a hand. “You were aware of what a Jem’Hadar is, but you weren’t aware they could shroud?”

“No,” I answered simply. “I only knew about the Jem’Hadar and the Vorta because they were involved with the destruction of the Odyssey. I didn’t read up on them in detail, or if I did, I didn’t recall enough detail about them to realize they had this shroud ability.”

“They didn’t permanently damage your horn, did they?” Twilight asked, her voice rising with panic.

“No, sis, I’m fine. It wasn’t even that bad a hit. It was the follow up that left me too dazed to fight back before he stunned me.”

Amina reached out to grip my shoulder reassuringly. “I’m glad you’re alright now, honey. I can’t tell you how furious I am for the way they roughed you up.”

I winced at that. “Mom, you haven’t heard the worst of it yet.”

“It does sound as if you picked up some good intelligence,” Nechayev said. She leveled a glare at me. “But we’ll have to verify it. If the Dominion plans to use the Veridian system as a forward outpost, we can’t let them. We’ll need to do something about it. Pardon me for a moment.”

As Nechayev got up and walked out, Brand and Nakamura opted to follow. “Might as well take a brief break here,” said Nakamura.

After taking a moment to use the facilities, I sat back down with my family, who all gave me worried looks, apart from T’Lona, who merely cocked her head. “Sunset,” she said. “I am growing concerned about your mental health, considering what you’ve gone through.”

“...I’m going to see Belle, Mother,” I replied. “I was already planning on it.”

“That’s not what she means, sweetie,” Amina said. She held out a hand expectantly, and after a moment I placed my hoof in it. She then rubbed the top of it with her other hand. “You were alone for two years. And then after that, unless I miss my guess… you didn’t exactly have a lot of fun on that Dominion ship.”

I pulled away and pointedly scooted my chair further away. “...no. No, I didn’t.”

The mix of pain and understanding was written all over Amina’s face. “Are you going to be able to talk about it?”

“I have to, don’t I?” I replied, my tone turning snide. “It’s not like Admiral Nechayev’ll let me do anything else.”

Amina scowled at that. “You’re not wrong. But it isn’t right.”

“It is not,” T’Lona agreed. “However, it is well within the Admiral’s purview as our superior officer. Still, I will be filing a protest after this briefing is over.”

“So will I,” Amina seconded. “This is outrageous.”

“And what, precisely, is so outrageous, Commander Riviera?” Nechayev said as she entered the room, followed by Nakamura and Brand.

Amina stiffened to attention in a way I’d never seen her be forced to do before. It hurt my soul to watch. “Nothing at all, ma’am,” she said.

Nechayev glared at her in suspicion for a moment, then turned back to me. “Continue your briefing, Shimmer. Spare no details.”

“Ma’am, with respect, what comes next is very hard for me to–”

“Don’t make me repeat myself, Shimmer,” Nechayev interrupted. “We need as much intelligence as possible.”

Gritting my teeth, I replied, “Yes ma’am. So, when I woke up, I was in the forcefield cell in the interrogation room…”

I reeled as consciousness slowly returned, pulsing agony beating a firm tattoo in my forehead. Groans escaped my lips as I opened my eyes, wincing at the bright lights. I fell back onto my butt, my stomach twisting into knots, threatening to spill its contents.

“Well, well, well,” said an all too familiar smarmy voice. “Look who’s finally awake.”

I glanced up at the sound to see Yukarin leering at me from behind the forcefield, with several Jem’Hadar, including the First, standing guard nearby. But now they were carrying bladed weapons instead of disruptors. “Oh. Shit.”

He blinked at that, his face blank for a moment. Then he said, “Well, now that you’re no longer gallivanting about my ship, I think I have a few questions for you. And this time, you’re going to answer them.”

I sneered at him and tried to light up my horn to bombard the forcefield. But nothing happened. It fizzled out with a shower of useless sparks. “What the hell?” I whispered.

“Oh, yes, we’ve taken the liberty of instituting a dampening field to block those abilities of yours.” He tittered, a nasty sounding high-pitched laugh that forced my ears to flatten. “I’m afraid you won’t be blinding anyone or ripping disruptors out of our hands.”

I almost spoke up, to say I could do a lot more than that, but the sight of those bladed weapons in the guards’ hands stayed my tongue. “You can’t keep me in here forever,” I said.

He laughed again. “Of course not. While you were unconscious, I spoke to the Founders. It seems that they’re aware of both you and your sister, Twilight Sparkle. They know of your abilities. And they’re very interested in examining you in person, so they can figure out how you do it. We’re on our way to Dominion-controlled territory as we speak. In the meantime, however, they also want me to do something else.”

The sheer matter-of-factness in his voice was like a bucketful of cold water poured all over me, drenching me in fear. “What’re you going to do with me?”

He gave me a flat look. “What do you think, hmm?” He nudged his head towards the interrogation impliments, aka torture devices. “I’ve been asked to interrogate you, see if there isn’t anything else you’re hiding. Like the location of your home planet!”

“If… if you know about my sister and me,” I answered, my voice quaking, “then you know we have no idea where our home planet is.”

“So you say,” he shrugged. “We’ll find out. First, if you would please?”

As the First approached the controls, I tensed my muscles, preparing to run for it. I scanned every Jem’Hadar swifty, taking in their positions. Thus the instant he lowered the forcefield, I galloped forward, dancing between them for the door.

I made it past two of them before the butt of a weapon smashed into me, hitting me right on the brow. I collapsed like a sack of potatoes, screeching as the pain coursed through my head like a herd of tap dancing elephants.

As a rough, leathery hand wrapped itself around me to lift me up, Yukarin came over to shake his head at me. “Tsk, tsk, tsk Miss Shimmer. I do hope you realize we’re not that stupid.”

The Jem’Hadar dumped me unceremoniously onto the cold interrogation table and strapped my legs down.

“Now,” Yukarin said as he approached me, with that same smug, smarmy grin plastered all over his face. He even had the gall to stroke my hair, making me wish I could bite his hand off. “Let’s try this again, shall we? Why were you on Veridian III?”

I clamped my jaw shut, refusing to say a word. Inwardly I continued to quake. I was wildly out of practice with the mental defenses Mother had taught me, and without my magic I had no physical defense either, meaning I was hopeless to defend myself.

After a few moments, Yukarin sighed. “I see you’re going to make this difficult. Please do understand that while the Founders need you alive, they did not say they needed you unharmed. First, if you would? Just a poke should do for now.”

Rinak’tlan’s teeth showed in a malicious grin as he raised his bladed weapon, which resembled a sickle of some sort, like the bottom of an ice skate strapped to a long rod. I squirmed against the restraints as my base equine instincts sprang into ‘flight mode.’ The cold metal pressed against my fur and I shuddered, bracing for the worst, but then he spun the weapon around and rammed the grip end into my side hard.

“Gaah!” I groaned, the pain reverberating throughout my middle. He’d avoided my ribs, managing to drive right between them. If he’d done the same with the bladed edge, it would’ve run me right through.

“I’ll ask again,” Yukarin said. “What were you doing on that planet?”

“I told you,” I hissed back, one eye squeezed shut as I tried to clamp down on the pain. “I was trapped down there after the battle with the Klingon ship.” Then I braced myself for the next blow.

After a moment, when it didn’t come, I looked up at Yukarin, who considered me. “You were reported deceased. As far as Starfleet is concerned, you perished in the battle. Except… there’s something still bothering me about that.” His hand abruptly shot forward to yank at my mane, pulling me up to look him in the face. “You were aboard the Enterprise stardrive, trapped in its engine room, with a warp core that exploded in your face. And yet somehow, here you are. Why?”

“I…” Trying to talk spurred me into a coughing fit. When it faded, I responded in a quiet, hesitant voice, “I don’t know. I don’t. I thought I was going to die. I was ready to die. And then I didn’t.”

He stared at me, shook his head, then nodded to the First. “Again.”

“No, I’m telling the–fwaaah!” I cried out, tears falling from my eyes as the First jabbed me twice this time, in rapid succession. Like before he skillfully avoided my ribs, suggesting he was doing it on purpose.

“How did you survive?!”

“I told you,” I hissed through gritted teeth. “I don’t know!”

Then the First hit me again. And again. And again, and again and again… by the time it was over, I’d been peppered with bruises, cuts, and who knows what else. They gave me minimal treatment for my injuries, enough to make sure I wouldn’t die or be crippled, then threw me back in the cell, with a promise of more to come.

I’m not sure how long I laid there, or how many of my tears were driven by physical pain or sheer humiliation. I was furious, not just with them, but with myself, for being so weak, for getting captured like this. For being tortured.

I didn’t tell them anything, in the end. I tried to tally the number of blows I got versus the number of times I said “I don’t know,” but I lost count every time the pain became so excruciating I stopped feeling much of anything at all except hopeless tears.

They let me rest for a while before subjecting me to another session. And then another, and another. Each time I found myself coming closer to breaking, to shattering, to giving them everything they wanted, saying anything, anything at all just to end the pain.

Fortunately, my fury at Yukarin and the Jem’Hadar won out over my exhaustion. When I climbed to my hooves after the latest session, it was with renewed resolve. I was not going to give in. I would escape, no matter what it took, or die trying.

But I also knew what that entailed. Death, and a lot of it. I’d have to kill a lot of Jem’Hadar to escape, maybe even all of them. There was no other choice. Not if I wanted to get out of here alive. The thought sickened me. I hated even considering it, even more than I hated having to kill those beasts down on the planet.

But I had no choice. And if I failed? If I knew I couldn’t escape? I’d destroy the ship. I wasn’t going to let them capture me again.

They hadn’t bothered to feed me, probably hoping the lack of nutrition would whittle my energy and ability to resist down. But they hadn’t bothered to tie me up either. Their mistake.

So when I stood, I called upon my memories, the meditative techniques I still remembered. To center myself. To prepare myself for what I had to do. To harden my resolve, and my heart, so I didn’t hesitate when the time came.

Once readied, I decided to test the strength of this dampening field, pushing more power into my horn with each attempt. At first, it fizzled out and died, just like before. The fizzling became more impressive with each subsequent power burst, but for a while it didn’t seem to get anywhere.

And then all of a sudden, my horn flared to life, its telekinetic grip strong as ever. When I saw it, I gasped, and the magic wavered like a flickering candle, about to be snuffed out. I allowed it to fade, but as I did so, I let out a small laugh of triumph. “It’s not powerful enough,” I whispered. “They haven’t dampened all of my magic.”

Briefly I considered using my magic to unleash a bolt of sheer force, to try and overload the field emitters. But not only was that not subtle, they’d see the problem and come running long before I could finish. No, the brute force approach hadn’t worked. If I was to have any chance at all, I’d need to be sneaky.

“So how do I break the forcefield without bringing down the house on me?” I wondered as I stared at the forcefield. And then I recalled something. My transporter spell, the one I’d used on the planet. Every security sensor they had was likely tied to that force field. But they probably weren’t looking for any kind of transporter signals. Not that I knew if my magic version would register the same as a normal one.

It was risky. I had to keep the distance small. Just the other side of the forcefield would do the trick.

There was also the possibility of someone waiting right behind the corner, where I couldn’t see them. They’d have plenty of warning to raise an alarm.

But what other choice did I have?

So, I focused. I allowed the spell matrix to form, layer by layer, piece by piece, until it was all in place. Then I slowly fed more power to the spell, just enough to get me to the other side..

I heard the musical twinkle fill the air, smiling in satisfaction as I dissolved into energy and reassembled on the other side. It took agonizingly long, so much time spent, but I was whole again. I was free.

And no one was around. At least, not in the room with me. “Yes!” I whispered, pumping my hoof in the air.

I had no way of knowing how long I’d be left alone or how long I could go before an alarm was triggered, so I didn’t waste time sitting around. Instead I very carefully opened the door.

And saw a single Jem’Hadar standing guard on the other side, his mouth opening to shout as he began to raise his disruptor.

A burst of magic wrapped around his throat like a vice and slammed him back into the wall before he could utter a sound. Another twitch of my horn wrenched his hand in a very unnatural direction and ripped the disruptor away while I quickly dragged him back into the interrogation room.

I threw him down as soon as the doors closed and stood over him. “I’m sorry.”

I exited the room a few seconds later with his disruptor tucked under my wing–and the horrible sound of snapping bone seared into my memory forever.

I located the nearest control console on the wall, and after a few moments I pulled up a deck plan. At first, I focused on the shuttlebay, but then my eyes caught sight of another vital area: Engineering.

If I wanted to take over the ship, that’d be the way to do it. And I could destroy it at any time by… blowing up the warp core with me still inside.

“Now I know what humans mean when they refer to this ‘Groundhog Day,’” I muttered.

After scanning the map for a couple of minutes more, I ducked into a nearby access tube. It'd take me longer to get to Engineering, but I had at least slightly better odds of going undetected. I hoped.

Once inside I found myself wincing as I banged my horn against the ceiling a few times. I’d grown taller thanks to becoming an alicorn, and that plus the longer horn made it harder to move quickly. Still, I did my best to scurry through as swiftly as possible, because there was no way to know how long I had before an alarm was raised.

I got maybe nine tenths of the way before I heard a ship wide address: “The prisoner has escaped! She must be recaptured immediately!”

“Oh come on,” I hissed under my breath. Crawling as fast as I could, I made my way to the access hatch at the end of the tube and opened it carefully. I emerged into a room smaller than I expected, only a couple of decks high, and likely twenty or so meters wide. The twin warp cores dominated the room, with power transfer conduits sticking out of the overhead ceiling. A few raised consoles surrounded a pair of twin warp cores. Like the rest of the ship there were no chairs for the Jem’Hadar crewing the place.

There were also four Jem’Hadar inside, weapons ready. None of them were pointed my way, to my delight. They were all aimed at the single set of entry doors.

So using my wings I gently glided around to roost on an upper balcony behind them. Then I brought out my disruptor, jacked it up to its maximum setting, then took aim. A piercing shriek broke through the relative silence as a flurry of disruptor bolts tore into the soldiers below. I cut down three of them immediately but the fourth managed to dodge just enough to spring around and fire back.

I leapt off the platform just in time. The electric heat sizzled its way through my wingtips as the disruptor bolt whizzed past me and tore through the deck plating. I swooped down from the balcony and kicked him in the face, then shot him in the chest while he was down.

My stomach lurched as the scent of burnt meat wafted through my nostrils, but I had no time to waste. I hopped over to the nearest console, located what looked like a lockdown command, and instituted it. Force fields rose at the doors and atop both access hatches. For good measure I used my horn to weld them and the doors all shut.

The controls were surprisingly simple and clear in their layout, almost like it was designed for a child. So I quickly set about changing our destination. The ship shook like crazy as we dropped out of warp. I hurried to pick out Federation space from their navigational records, but the map was so confusing I finally just had to pick a direction and hope I’d aimed correctly. Then I put us right back at maximum warp and pushed it to the redline.

Right afterwards, I heard the first bit of banging and blasting at the forcefields on the doors. I flipped through as many controls menus as I could, sealing bulkheads, disabling internal systems, and everything in-between.

“Miss Shimmer,”came a sudden voice echoing throughout engineering. “I don’t know how you escaped your cell, but you can’t possibly expect to take over the entire ship.”

I found a communications button and hit it while I continued to work on messing things up for the ship. “Really?” I grunted. “‘Cause from where I’m standing, I’m doing a pretty good job.”

“The only reason I have not ordered the atmosphere vented from Engineering is the Founder’s desire to understand your abilities. Please. Save us the trouble of having to recapture you. You will experience far less pain if you simply cooperate.”

I bristled, struggling to keep my temper in check. “I tried that. You tortured me anyway. So let me be frank, jerk: you try to break in here or vent the atmosphere, I’ll blow up the ship.”

“Oh come now,” Yukarin replied, smug as ever. “Surely someone who survived two years marooned on an uninhabited planet wouldn’t be so cavalier with their life. I’m sure you want to live, don’t you?”

“Not if all I have to look forward to is being a lab experiment for a bunch of shapeshifters.” I looked up, trying to figure out where the security cameras were. Spotting them, I proceeded to gather up every disruptor, cranked them to max, and pointed them right at the warp cores. “You can see me, right? You know I’m not bluffing. I will blow up the ship.”

“...what are your terms?”

I returned my attention to messing with the ship. “Simple: let me take this ship to Federation space, I go free, and you get to run back to your gods empty-handed.”

“Unacceptable. You have intelligence we cannot allow the Federation to acquire.”

Snorting, I replied, “Shoulda thought of that before you blabbed it to me, idiot. That’s my offer. Take it or I'll kill us all right now.”

“...very well. You wish to destroy the ship? Go ahead. If I die, it will be in service of the Founders.”

My heart skipped several beats. I eyed the warp cores, my disruptors ready to fire. One shot is all it would take. One twitch of my magic and it’d all be over, and this time I suspected subspace wouldn’t be there to save me.

I swiftly scanned the controls one more time, searching for the option I needed. It was a mere moment’s hesitation, but it was a moment too long.

“...so, it seems it was a bluff after all. Very well. My Jem’Hadar will retake Engineering. If you surrender immediately, you might still be able to walk by the time we reach the Founders.”

“Oh shut up already,” I groaned, ending the transmission. It didn’t take long for the sound of concentrated disruptor fire to begin pounding away at the entry door, plus the two hatches.

“Come on, Sunset! Think!” Retreating back to the access tubes could work, but the ship was only so big. They’d find me eventually. I frantically paged through the console screens, looking for something else I could use. “Ah! That’s it!”

Fortunately, this ship was built to fight, not to survive, as evidenced by the near total lack of redundancies and safeties in the controls. That made it very easy to trigger a computer core purge, along with enough feedback loops to tie their internal sensors into knots. “Try to find me now, suckers.”

And not a moment too soon, because I looked up just in time to see the forcefields around the doors fizzle out with a loud pop! A disruptor beam carved its way around the door’s outer edges. Hoping I’d done a good enough job, I grabbed all the disruptors up in my magic and with several quick concentrated shots blew out every last control console in Engineering. Then I rigged four of them to overload, tossed them next to the door, and flew up to escape through a different access hatch than the one I’d come in from. I kept one disruptor handy, just in case.

I hung around long enough to hear the explosions and screams, a grim smile gracing my muzzle. “That’s for torturing me. Bastards.”

Then I scurried out and deliberately lost myself in the maze of access tubes aboard the ship. I took an entirely circuitous route that I hoped would be hard to follow at all, but would ultimately lead me toward the bridge.

I knew time wasn’t on my side, but I also knew my body couldn’t keep this pace up forever. It’d already been at least a day and a half since I left Veridian III, and while they did finally give me some water, I hadn’t slept or eaten anything.

So eventually I settled down somewhere in the tubes near the shuttlebay, carefully set up a few runes to act as alarms, and tried to get some sleep.

A violent banging sound jolted me awake perhaps a few hours later. I sprung to my hooves and readied my disruptor. Then a Jem’Hadar face poked up out of one of the nearby tubes, a weapon in his hands. I wasted no time in blasting him in the face, then ducked down another tunnel. Shouts followed me, echoing behind me as I took a side passage, then dropped down a deck and exited the tubes altogether, into a thankfully empty corridor.

The constant exertion wore away at my muscles as I galloped a good fifty meters in a random direction, only to topple head-first into the wall when the whole ship shook like a brick building in an earthquake, the hum of the warp engines grinding to a halt.

I groaned, holding a hoof to my aching head where I felt a spot of blood. “Ugh...Why’d we fall out of warp? I gotta get to the bridge.”

I hopped back inside the tunnels and made my way towards the bridge. I needed to know what was going on, and fast, because if they’d retaken control over the ship’s navigation I was screwed. Eventually I made my way there, and very carefully cracked open the hatch, finding myself looking at the rear side of a Jem’Hadar standing at a station.

Then the ship shuddered again, repeatedly this time. “Return fire!” I heard Yukarin shout.

The ship took what had to have been a direct hit, as I could see sparks fly from consoles all over the bridge. With the entire bridge crew distracted, I flung open the hatch and jumped out.

Yukarin spotted me instantly, his face twisted up in a hideous expression of rage. “You!” He pointed at me, getting the attention of several Jem’Hadar, including Rinak’tlan. “Dampening field! Now!”

Before I could light up my horn to stop them, a Jem’Hadar slapped down on a control console. Just like in the cell, my horn fizzled out, and A forcefield sprung up at the hatch behind me. “Ah hell–urk!” I grunted as First Rinak’tlan ran forward, grabbed me up by my mane and held a large blade to my throat.

Yukarin marched forward, his mouth quirking between a victorious smile and a furious sneer. Curiously, he also wore a headset I hadn’t seen before, with a small screen held right up at his eye. “So! Congratulations, Miss Shimmer,” he snarled as the ship shuddered again. “You may succeed at killing us all yet. Not only did you render the ship nearly uncontrollable, you led us right onto Starfleet’s doorstep!” He looked over his shoulder as another alarm blared. “I said fire at that cruiser!”

“Wait, we’re… Earth is out there?” I blurted, my eyes wide with surprise.

“Yes, Earth!” Yukarin screeched. “If I had control over my ship, I would retreat, but I cannot, thanks to you. All we’ve been able to do is bring it out of warp and activate maneuvering thrusters.”

I glanced at his headset again, then refocused on him, trying to ignore the blade poking into my throat. “I don’t see how that’s my problem,” I shot back.

“Oh but it is,” he said, stumbling as the ship shuddered once more. “You see, your little sabotage routine completely disabled the helm controls. So if your Starfleet friends don’t destroy us first, there’s no way to prevent the ship from plunging into the atmosphere. And if the ship is going to crash, well...”

“What?!” I cried, fear racing through my body. “But… but…”

“But what? Starfleet is down there? Your sister is down there? I know.” He laughed in my face as the ship’s inertial dampeners began to give way, the deck tilting dangerously to port. We all had to struggle to maintain our footing. “Consider it a bit of personal revenge. Perhaps the Founders will be displeased, but I am sure they’ll understand when I explain it was better to get rid of the potential threat that you and your sister pose. So I hope you enjoy your death, Sunset Shimmer. I’ll be here, happy to watch it!”

“You… you…” I ground my teeth together, shaking with righteous fury. My horn sizzled and sparked as I built up magic, fighting to overcome the dampening field.

He shook a finger at me. “Ah-ah-ah, we’ve made the field much stronger this time. Wouldn’t want you to burn yourself out before you get home, after all.” He tapped the side of his head and pointed to the viewscreen visor he wore. “Ah, there it is now. Starfleet Headquarters. Beautiful sunny day too.” He cackled like a mad fool, then leaned in even closer. “I do hope class is in session,” he whispered, his voice dripping with raw malice. “Maybe I’ll see your sister’s face right before she burns.”

I closed my eyes and tried to look inward, to find some sense of control. His twisted words, and the images they evoked became a focal point. A dilithium crystal to channel the rage inside of me. The mere thought of these monsters hurting my family... It was all too much.

"No."

I swore I felt something snap deep inside of me, as if all of my magical circuits had been flipped on their heads at once. My mane suddenly took on an almost Celestia-like ethereal glow as every hair on my body stood on end. Arcane power boiled deep within my core. It raced through my body like lightning–no, faster than that. Faster than I had ever felt before, soaking through every fiber of my body, every inch of my consciousness. I couldn’t comprehend where this power was coming from, how I was doing this, but it was so intense and overwhelming it didn’t matter.

"No."

My eyes flicked to Yukarin, his smug smile fading as he began to back away. His mouth was moving, presumably barking orders to the First, but I couldn't hear him. I couldn't hear the other soldiers, or the bridge alarms, or anything else. Everything else seemed to fade away like so much white noise against the tidal wave coursing through me. All I could hear, all I could feel, was magic.

"No."

I closed my eyes again, but when they opened everything looked different. Like the whole universe was tinted in a crimson red. Even the glow of my horn had morphed from its usual cyan to a deep, deep red. A blood red.

“NO!”

My entire body screamed out at once, snapping the forcefield like a twig and scorching every console on the bridge. I saw the remaining Jem'Hadar begin to reach for their weapons.

“NO!”

I didn't aim my magic so much as I merely thought. My horn was literally sizzling as one red tendril after another lanced across the bridge and ripped them to shreds. Rinak'tlan tried to charge me instead, his bladed weapon ready to strike. A single flap of my wings dodged his wild swing.

A single twitch of my horn carved him up like a turkey dinner, splattering the bridge with his blood.

Spinning around I saw Yukarin frantically banging away at a console. Power channeled down to my legs and I leapt forward like a missile, tackling him to the ground. I rolled him over and stomped my front hooves down on his chest, cracking his breastbone.

"You wanted to know about my abilities? What my species is truly capable of?" I sneered as I let the power flow through me even more, out to the very tips of my wings. In the slight reflection of Yukarin's headset I saw my entire body glowing red, like an otherworldly demon. "Threaten their families and you'll find out."

He was literal ash before he could open his mouth to scream.

"The rest you all know," I finished, slumping back in my chair. I let out a deep sigh. "I killed them all, sliced apart the ship, and teleported out just before impact.”

Everyone stared at me in awe. Even Nechayev seemed sympathetic for once. “I’m sorry you were forced to make that decision,” she said. “It is never easy to take a life, even if that life belongs to the enemy.”

Both Amina and T’Lona laid hands on my shoulders. “Oh honey…” Amina whispered.

T’Lona looked up at Admiral Nechayev, fixing her with a cold stare. “If I may ask, Admiral, will you still be insisting on testing Sunset?”

Before Nechayev could respond, the PADD she carried bleeped insistently at her. She frowned, picked it up, and read it. As her eyes scanned the message, I saw her shoulders slump, her posture weaken. “It… seems the Grissom, which was near the Veridian system, has verified your claim,” she said, looking back up at me and dropping the PADD to the table with a clatter. “There were Dominion ships attempting to set up a base on Veridian IV. They fled on sight. The Grissom also took detailed scans of Veridian III… and found your survival base.”

“Which means, ma’am?” I asked.

Nechayev pressed her lips together and sighed. “It means I owe you an apology, Commander. You will have to forgive me. A life in Intelligence tends to leave one… distrusting of others."

“I did say I spoke the truth, ma’am,” I replied, feeling a palpable sense of relief take hold.

Nakamura nodded. “As I thought you had, no matter how outrageous some of it seemed. It was too ridiculous to be anything but the truth.”

“Agreed,” Brand seconded.

Nechayev sat up in her chair and fixed me with a stern look. “That said, I would still like you to undergo further examination. Starfleet Medical needs proper records of your health, and I want to be sure you didn’t suffer any permanent harm, physiological or psychological. Whichever physician you are most comfortable with will do.”

I glanced at my parents, who both nodded. “I think I won’t have a problem following that order,” I said with a light laugh.

Nechayev’s mouth quirked up. “Good. Dismissed.”

I wasted no time making my way back to the infirmary, with my family in tow. When we reached it, Doctor May was all too happy to perform some more detailed scans. “I’ll want you to stay overnight for observation,” she said as she queued up the first series of scans on the display board.. “Don’t you worry, I’ll be takin’ good care of you.”

Doctor May graciously let my family stay with me, and we spent most of the afternoon chatting away while the doctor ran me through a full battery of tests. After we shared a brief meal May had no choice but to shoo the others back home before leaving me to rest for the night. I had waited two years to get back home. I could do one more night alone.

The next morning I walked out of the medical center with a pep in my step, a strict regimen of nutrient supplements and other medications to follow for the next two weeks, and a good amount of medical leave for me and my family to look forward to.

Later that evening saw me returning to my parent’s home in Vancouver.

...my parents home. I should’ve been thinking my home, but I wasn’t. Like I had no claim to it anymore. It’s supposed to be, but… is it really? After all this time, after two years spent dead... can I really call it mine?

I don’t know anymore.

So it was little wonder that as I approached the house, I found myself shaking. Twilight, who’d met me at the train station, gave me a confused look. “Sunset? You okay?”

I smacked my lips together, my mouth drying up. Nervous laughter bubbled up in my chest, spilling forth in small chuckles. “I… I don’t… everything’s so weird now.” My ears flattened and I cringed as a shuttle flew overhead.

Twilight’s confused look shifted into an irritated glare. “Sunset. I know you’ve been gone a while, but come on.”

“Wha?” I looked at her, then my cheeks warmed, and my laughter turned sheepish. “R-right, right. Sorry. Just… in a way, it feels like it’s my first time here all over again. Like it’s not my home, but a stranger’s. I’ve been gone for so long, I…” Without thinking about it, I rushed forward and wrapped my forelegs around Twilight in a strong hug, just like I used to all the time. “I missed you a lot sis.”

To my shock she groaned and pushed me away. “Ugh. I missed you too, but come on. We’re in public. Stop acting like a foal. You can hug me when we’re inside.”

Reeling as if she’d slapped me, I took several steps back, my eyes misting up. “Okay. Sorry. Jeez.”

As Twilight walked ahead, I followed in her wake, feeling more than a little hurt. The butterflies flocking in my stomach started flapping like crazy, like they were trying to punch their way out of me.

Stepping inside my old home was like walking back in time. For a moment, just a moment, I forgot what I’d gone through. I felt like a cadet again, coming back for a weekend of shore leave. I hadn’t been back since my posting to the Enterprise, after all.

Then my eyes scanned the living room and the mirage shattered. Nearly everything had been rearranged, redecorated. Where there’d once been a series of holoimages depicting us as a family together had been replaced by one featuring me at several points in my life, like a memorial. There was even a sizable painting at the center of it all, one of me smiling at the viewer and winking, like I’d just told some sort of joke.

“Oh, right,” Amina said when she saw me looking at the painting. She came over and rested a hand on my neck. “We commissioned it for you. We… we didn’t want to forget…” She sniffled, then fell against me and held me tight. “Oh honey. You have no idea how much we missed you.”

“I missed you just as much, Mom,” I whispered back. Hearing her say that soothed my quaking nerves. It was the kind of reception I’d expected to hear.

Amina gave me a watery smile. “I’m not sure about that. As much as T’Lona and I love Twilight… you were our first, sweetie. You… having you in my life has brought me so much joy. Losing you was like having a piece of my soul ripped away. I don’t ever want to go through that again.”

“You won’t,” I swore.

Amina gave me one last squeeze, then let me go. “We haven’t touched your room, by the way. We… we wanted to leave it just the way it was. We’ve been keeping it dusted, but otherwise it’s untouched. It was… just in case.”

“Thanks,” I murmured. “I… excuse me.”

I trotted up the stairs to my bedroom, pausing in the doorway for a moment before stepping inside. Just like Mom promised, it was untouched. Every decoration where I’d left it. Even my notebook, the paper one I liked to doodle with whenever I craved the touch of real materials. The lack of change threw me for a loop. It felt unreal, like an illusion.

“I told them they should’ve packed it away, you know.”

Turning, I saw Twilight, who came the rest of the way and sat down on the bed. “You were gone,” she said, her expression colder than I expected. “I didn’t see why we should act like there was any hope you’d ever come back.”

I flumped down on the bed next to Twilight and offered up a hug. But just like before, she refused it. “I wasn’t sure I was ever coming back,” I admitted. “I wanted to, but…”

Twilight shrugged. “Hey, I’m glad you’re home. I missed you a lot.”

Arching both eyebrows, I replied, “You sure have a funny way of showing it.” I opened up my forelegs again. “Come here. I want to hug my sister.”

She hesitated for a good long while before she finally gave in and leaned against me. But even then it was reluctant. Cold.

Distant.

“What’s wrong, Twilight?” I breathed.

She looked up at me, her eyes big with sorrow. “I lost you.”

“Oh…” I wrapped my arms around her tight, pulling her in and setting my chin atop her head. I wrapped my wings around her for good measure. “But I’m here now. We found each other again. I’m not sure how but I guess I cheated death. Or maybe I didn’t die at all.”

“Didn’t you?” she whispered. “You… you’re an alicorn. You even said it yourself, Sunset. The warp core breach should’ve killed you. It did kill you. Yet here you are.”

“Twilight, I–”

She wriggled out of my grasp and looked at me, her breathing heavy. “Sunset, I… when I first saw you I was so happy, I didn’t think about what it meant. But now? Now when I look at you, how you’re taller, your horn is longer, those wings… you’re different. You’re not the same sister I had before. You’re like… like a spectre, a ghost!”

“Oh come on,” I retorted. “I’m not that different.”

“Aren’t you?” she countered. She pointed a hoof at the window outside. “You cringe at every sound, you’re all over Mother and Mom and I, and you… when you mentioned in your story, about how you kept talking to us even though we weren’t there? That scared me. It terrified me.”

”What?” My face screwed up, utterly nonplussed. “That’s what scared you? Not the torture, or the–”

“Yes!” Twilight shrieked, throwing her hooves up in the air. “I mean don’t get me wrong, that torture sounds horrifying and I’m furious that they put you through it, and if they were still alive I’d rip them to pieces! But you talking to some fake mental image of us? It’s like… like you went insane. Or worse, you replaced us.”

“Replaced–Twilight, what the hell are you talking about?!” I hopped up from the bed, my nostrils flaring. “I didn’t do that because I went ‘insane!’ I did it to keep myself sane! I was trying not to lose my mind!” My tail lashed out, striking a model of a New Orleans-class starship and knocking it off the desk. “I was alone, sis. Utterly, totally alone. Do you have any idea how hard that is?”

“Yeah, I’ve got a pretty good fucking idea how hard that is!” Twilight screamed. “I lost you, didn’t I?!”

Hearing her use profanity, especially such a harsh word, was like a slap in the face. I fell back onto my rump, staring at her in mute horror. “Twilight, h-how can you say that? You still had Mother and Mom–”

“Like I said,” Twilight hissed. “I know what alone feels like.”

“But, Twilight, you–”

“No. No, you listen to me, Sunset Shimmer,” Twilight said. She stepped forward to loom over me. “You were the only connection to Equestria I had. The only creature in this entire galaxy who could help us get back to Equestria. And then you had to go and pull some fucking heroic sacrifice!”

She lifted up her rear hoof and kicked at the bed, sending it crashing into the wall. “Oh I told them at your memorial service that I didn’t blame you, that I understood you did what you had to do to save lives, but that was a lie. I spent months asking my self why. Why you threw your life away when you knew there was no real solution left. When you knew you could escape, that survival was right there for the taking! And I spent just as long wondering if I did something wrong, if it was somehow my fault you found yourself in that situation!”

She raised a hoof and jabbed me in the chest. “I was so overwhelmed by your sudden reappearance that I lost control of myself. I cried at your hooves because I felt, in that moment, like you’d forgiven me for whatever I did that made you leave. Of course I know that’s stupid, but I felt it just the same. And now? Now I don’t know what to think.” She sighed, and used her magic to right the bed. “You’re my sister. I love you. But it’s going to take a long time before I get used to you being back.”

With that, she turned her back towards me and left the room, leaving me to sit there alone and wonder.

Wonder if she had a point.

Then the door chime sounded. “Sunset, may I enter?” came T’Lona’s voice.

“Go ahead, Mother,” I said automatically.

T’Lona came in and promptly sat down on the floor next to me. “I heard everything you and Twilight said to each other,” she said.

I let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, I’m not surprised you did. Twilight, she…”

“She has changed, in the time you’ve been gone,” T’Lona said with a nod. “Losing you harmed her psychologically. To most others she appears the same, but she is not the same person she was before.”

“Which means it’s my fault,” I said, bowing my head.

T’Lona’s hand shot out to push my chin up. “It is not. Do not blame yourself.” As she held me, she infused a sense of calm into her touch. I clung to that like the lifeline it was. “I believe you made the right decision that day. You placed the needs of the many ahead of your own. In truth, I was…proud of you.”

“Proud, huh?” I said, a small smile appearing on my muzzle. “Sounds like an emotion, Mother.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “You are well aware I experience the same range of emotions as everyone else, Sunset.”

“I… I know, Mother,” I said, my smile dropping. “I was just… nevermind.”

She shook her head. “I understand. I also understand Twilight is wrong. You are not as different as she thinks you are. Physically, you may have changed. Emotionally, you are scarred. But you are still Sunset Shimmer. You are still her sister. You are still my daughter.”

I responded to that the only way I could, by nuzzling close to her. After a moment of hesitation, she wrapped her arms around me tightly. “Thank you, Mother. I really needed to hear that.”

“Of course, Sunset,” T’Lona replied as she stroked my mane. “I do not say it as often as you deserve to hear it, but I do love you, as much as Amina and Twilight, if not more. And I always will.”

Two weeks later, with my medical leave over, I found myself standing in Admiral Brand’s office once again, along with Admiral Nakamura.

“Ah, Commander, come in,” Nakamura said. “I trust you are doing well.”

“Yes sir,” I answered. The truth was, it really had made a difference, those two weeks… at least for me it had. I felt much more comfortable in society again, less afraid of every unusual sight and sound. The immersion therapy that Doctor May had recommended worked like a charm.

My attempts to reconnect with Twilight, however, had failed miserably. She… was still distant, and if anything, had grown colder towards me. The longer it went on, the more it left me flustered. “May I ask what this is about, sir?”

“Well,” Brand said, “We have a new assignment for you.”

“An assignment?” I repeated. I gave them an uncertain look. “I wasn’t sure I’d receive one so soon. What is it?”

Nakumura smiled heartily. “In a way, this is an assignment that you created. As you know, the Enterprise-D saucer has been in mothballs ever since it was towed back from Veridian III. The fleet’s thinner than its ever been since Wolf 359, and the Dominion situation gets worse by the day.”

I nodded. “Understood, sir, but I know they've already launched a new Enterprise, already fully crewed at that. What does that have to do with the saucer?”

“Commander LaForge has long argued for us to find a way to reuse the saucer,” Brand said, “and now we have just that.”

Brand tapped a few buttons on her console and brought up a picture of a starship on the screen behind her. At first glance it was bizarre. A set of nacelles, a small engineering section, and little else. Then I blinked, “Um, ma’am, is that a Nebula-class ship minus its saucer?”

“It is,” Brand answered with a smile. “Not long ago, the Borg attempted another invasion of Earth. While repelled by the Enterprise-E, there were a lot of ships damaged in the battle, including this one. This ship’s saucer was carved to pieces, leaving the engineering section barely intact. Normally, we’d scuttle what’s left as irreparable.”

“But,” Nakamura continued, “with the Enterprise-D saucer, we have a unique opportunity. Thus, your assignment. You will be overseeing the repair and integration of the two ship parts into one. We’re going to give you some hefty leeway for seeing to its command crew as well. If all goes well, and I see no reason why it wouldn’t, we intend for you to take over the first officer position once the ship launches.” He gave me a quick grin. “It’s not the Captain’s chair, but take advantage of this opportunity and you’ll be there before you know it.”

I fell back in my chair, my brain overloaded. This was so beyond what I would’ve expected. “I… I don’t understand. Why me?”

Brand’s smile slipped. “Like I said during your debriefing, Commander, we’re on the brink of war. We need every ship we can get. And you are a superb officer. You received nothing but commendations from Commander La Forge while serving on his staff. And to tell you the truth… it will also let you get back into the swing of things, having a repair project to oversee.”

“I’ll be honest with you, Shimmer,” Nakamura added. “You weren’t my first choice for this project. Far from it. We’d been planning this for some time, and we had a list of candidates. But after what I heard at your debriefing, combined with your service record? You’ve proven you’re capable.” He leaned forward in his chair and looked me dead in the eye. “And this is a test, don’t misunderstand. We’re not guaranteeing you that first officer chair yet.”

“But… I still don’t understand why you’d make me first officer. Why not just Chief Engineer? I studied engineering, not command.” I wasn’t sure why I was arguing. This was everything Twilight and I had dreamed of since we first decided to join Starfleet. This was the opportunity we needed. This was the chance to finally get a ship of our own, to be able to find Equus, find Equestria, find our old home. But it felt all too sudden. I was only twenty-six. Half the time I should’ve spent in Starfleet involved me trapped on a planet by myself! How could I have possibly earned this?

Nakamura considered me for a moment. “It’s a valid question, Commander, and one Brand and I were both asked repeatedly by the rest of the Admiralty board. It was our suggestion to offer you the position of first officer.”

His expression softened a bit as he continued. “I can see the doubt in your eyes. But while we’re sure you would make a fine Chief Engineer… you have leadership skills. Just surviving on an unknown planet is a feat in itself, yet you did just that and literally engineered your own rescue, such as it was. We don’t need you to be stuck in Engineering, Commander. We need you on the bridge.”

I nodded, a grateful smile pulling at my muzzle. “Thank you, sir, ma’am. I… I don’t know what to say. I… thank you.”

Nakamura chuckled. “I understand.”

I laughed a little with him, then a thought occurred to me. “Err, sir, you did say I had leeway as to who would be on the crew, right?”

“I did, yes.”

“Then, would it be possible to have my sister assigned to the ship?” I asked. If Twilight and I were to bridge the gap, we’d need the chance to make up properly, and we wouldn’t get that if she left on some other assignment. “I realize it’s an unusual request, but–”

Brand held up a hand. “I believe we both understand why you’re asking for it. I personally have no objections, provided you obey Starfleet regulations when it comes to family members serving aboard the same ship.”

“I see no reason to object either,” Nakamura said, “though we will be checking to ensure there’s no violation of regulations in this matter. We do take this seriously, after all.”

“Yes sir,” I nodded. “It’s not about nepotism, I promise you.”

He burst out laughing at that, a full hearty laugh that took him a moment to calm down from. “Commander, of all officers, you’re one I’d believe when it comes to that.”

“You can decide on the rest of the crew over time,” Brand said. “As for who will captain the ship, we have someone in mind, though it may be a bit difficult for you to convince him to come out of retirement.”

“Understood, ma’am,” I said. “Just, one final question. What’s the name of the ship?”

Brand eyed Nakamura for a moment before they both smiled at the same time. “It’s the Phoenix, Commander. The U.S.S. Phoenix.”

Author's Note

Special thank you once again to Moff for some incredible contributions to enhancing this chapter, especially the magic sequence near the end.

So, the end of this chapter finally lets me explain why I used Generations the way I did three episodes prior.

From the beginning Blue and I intended for Sunset to become an alicorn. It was hinted at from the very start, it was obvious it would happen at some point. The question was how. As many analyses of the show, in the comments on this story, and in many other stories have pointed out, this requires two things: some form of self-sacrifice, and a powerful energy source. Given the way in which Star Trek is soft sci-fi, and a warp core is pretty close to outright magic in the way it operates, a warp core explosion to the face became my method of choice. Stopping it, or trying to, would be the self-sacrifice part.

Secondly, I wanted to give Sunset a ship. As you all expected she's on the fast track to command, and while not quite there yet as Captain, being first officer makes sense. I wanted her ship to be one more suited to science, while still having some punch to it, which meant a Nebula or an Intrepid. And I wanted to tie into the title.

The existence of the canon Phoenix helped tie all of this together. I needed a warp core explosion for her to try and stop. I needed a way to get her to a ship. I wanted that ship to be represented by the title, the way it is in every Trek series prior to Picard.

As such, Generations offered a perfect opportunity on a platter I could not turn my nose up at. It was perfect. It gave her the right opportunity to stop a warp core explosion or at least try, a chance to affect canon events in a subtle way, and effectively allow her to save half of what would become her ship in the process, thus not only tying together the name Phoenix, but the idea of what a phoenix, mythologically, is: something which rises from the ashes anew.

I still feel frustrated that there wasn't a better way to go about this, but Generations was too good to pass up. I already wanted her on the Enterprise for her first posting, so everything synced up so well I couldn't turn it down. As such, knowing this would be the only time I'd pull "And Sunset was there too" I held my nose, wrote the chapter, and then waited around hoping like hell I wouldn't have my readers abandoning me in droves because of it.

Thank you for continuing to give the story a chance.

As for the upcoming crew of the Phoenix, you'll just have to see. You've met many of them already. :twilightsmile: There's a few still yet to be met though, and they'll get to make their appearance next time.

Season 1 Episode 10: "U.S.S. Phoenix"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S01E10

“U.S.S. Phoenix”

Watching the work bees, workpods, and other ships weld the Phoenix together reminded me of nothing so much as my old engineering repair class. One day Professor Ngata piled a table high with various parts, and ordered us to create something functional. None of the parts were related or meant to go together, and he gave us no direction on what we were supposed to create. It took me half the class just to figure out what I wanted to make, and by the end I was one of the only ones who’d made anything functional at all.

Stitching together a Galaxy-class saucer and a Nebula-class hull was like that. The melding of turbolifts, corridors, and superstructures of two distinct ship classes to make one functional ship struck a chord in me. It was beautiful, a testament to what Starfleet engineering could really do when unleashed to its full potential.

I watched all this activity from my view in the co-pilot seat of a shuttlepod. Every so often I caught a brief reflection of the command red collar around my neck and poked at it with my hoof. I thought I liked these new uniforms at first, but the more I wore it, the more annoying it became. Maybe I could make my own. I’m sure we could justify that, right? ‘Look, it’s because it’s an experiment, like the ship! Since we’ve never put together two classes of ships like this before, it needs a new uniform!’

Yeah. Right.

“You keep messing with your collar, you’re gonna give yourself a rash,” quipped Cadeneza, who sat right behind me. Ever since she found out I lived after all, she’d been fussing over me like crazy. It was a little odd, but I didn’t let it bother me. After almost three years of no proper social activity, I could do with a little fussing.

“Oh stop worrying over her, Cadeneza,” grumped Twilight from her seat behind us. “If she gets a rash it’s her own fault.”

I glanced over my shoulder briefly and tried to suppress a sigh. It had been weeks since Twilight’s outburst in my bedroom and she was no less grumpy. Even the gleam of that ensign pip on her science blue collar couldn’t part the cloud that seemed to hang over her now. Losing me changed her, and not in a good way.

“Easy, Sparkie,” said Wattson from the seat next to Twilight, patting Twilight on the shoulder. “That’s your commanding officer you’re mouthing off to.”

Twilight snorted, and shifted in her chair. “Right. The Chief Science Officer with the least amount of knowledge in the department. How could I forget?”

“Twilight,” I sighed. “We’ve talked about this. Ensigns don’t get to be department heads straight away, no matter what. Would you rather I pick someone you didn’t know?”

“...no.”

“Besides,” spoke up Ensign Preta Re'l from the pilot seat, who’d been watching the back and forth byplay with amusement on her feline features. Re'l came highly recommended by the Academy as a pilot, and the fact she was friends with Twilight, Cadeneza, and Wattson was just icing on the cake. “I wasn’t picked for a lead position either, Twilight. I’m just the backup helmsperson.”

Twilight’s glum expression softened considerably as she considered Preta’s words. “I know… but still…”

Cadeneza turned around in her chair and flashed Twilight a cocky smile. “There, there, Sparkie. You’ll get your chance some day, I’m sure. And besides, I already picked you for my number two! Doesn’t that make you feel special?”

“Jacqueline,” Wattson said in a warning tone, giving her friend a stern look.

“What? It’s just a question.”

Twilight looked up from her chair at me, a pleading look on her face. “Sunset, are you sure I have to put up with–”

“As sure as I am that this is going to be anything but a joyride for any of us.” I took a breath and put my command face back on. “Now listen, girls. I know we’re all friends. And I plan on picking a lot of other familiar faces for the crew as well. But we’ve got to be more professional when we’re on duty or else I’m going to have to make some staffing changes, understood?”

“Yes ma’am,” Cadeneza and Wattson chorused, with Twilight joining in a moment later.

“Good.” I refocused my attention to the shuttlepod console, and tapped a button. “Shuttlepod Coleman to Phoenix. Request permission to dock in Main Shuttlebay.”

The answer came through a moment later. “Granted, Coleman. Be advised, the tractor system is currently offline. You’ll have to park manually.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem for our pilot, thank you, Phoenix. Coleman out.” I turned over the controls to Preta. “Right, Ensign?”

She beamed, a purr rippling from her throat as she got to work. With a grace I should have expected from a feline, she smoothly brought us around the rear of the ship and into the Main Shuttlebay. I couldn’t help but whistle as we slipped past the bay doors. “What a mess…”

The after action reports from the Enterprise’s battle over Veridian III weren’t kidding when they said this area had sustained severe damage. Blast holes pockmarked nearly every surface, and the wrecked remnants of numerous shuttlecraft sat piled in a corner as if waiting for a galactic garbage barge to come by. I made a mental note to make sure Operations had submitted a requisition for a new complement of shuttles.

As Re’l set the shuttle down, my mind briefly flashed back to my first time coming aboard what was then the Enterprise. I half expected Worf to be standing there to meet us when the shuttle door opened, but instead of a dour Klingon we were greeted by a very short harried human Lieutenant in Starfleet gold who rushed up to us and promptly doubled over, sweat drenched. His black hair, barely short enough to remain within regulations, dripped moisture onto the deck.

“M-ma’am,” he stuttered in a surprisingly deep voice. Then he looked up at me and wiped away the beaded sweat from his pale skin, grey eyes peering through a set of fogged safety goggles. “Lieutenant Christopher Hill, ma’am. Apologies for my appearance. It’s been a busy day.”

I nodded. “Ah, just the person I’m looking for. Commander Shimmer. Pleased to meet you.” I extended a hoof for a quick shake. “So you’re the one piecing this puzzle back together, I hear.”

“Yes ma’am,” Hill replied. “Well, trying to at least. The McKinley crew has been a big help, but we lost a lot of good people in that fight with the Borg.”

“I’m sorry for your losses, Lieutenant. All of us are. I have read your reports, and it sounds like you’ve made great progress already.” I offered what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “Now I know there’s normally some kind of pomp and ceremony to a change in command, but I think we can all agree there’s more pressing matters to attend to.”

He gave me a grateful smile, then glanced up at the ceiling. “We’ll have to go to the bridge to hand over command codes. Computer access is pretty sparse at the moment.”

“That’s fine with me,” I said. “Let’s get introductions out of the way first.” I briefly introduced Re'l, Cadeneza, and Twilight, then finished, “And this is Lieutenant Wattson. She’ll be taking over as Chief Engineer once we’re ready to get underway.”

“Ah, good to meet you in person, ma’am,” Hill said, pausing long enough to give Wattson a quick shake. “I’m looking forward to working with you.”

“Likewise,” Wattson said with a grin. “I still don’t get why they didn’t put you in charge, though. You were here first.”

He shook his head. “They tried to, believe me, but I turned it down. I told them I’d lead the repairs, but I didn’t want to be in charge of Engineering. Not when, well…” his smile dimmed considerably. “I’m not sure I could fill Commander Selassie’s shoes.”

Her own smile vanished as she gave him an understanding nod. “Right. I hear you. Well, I’m itchin’ to help you get this ship fixed up.”

“I could certainly use the help, that’s for sure,” Hill said with a laugh.

“All in good time,” I said, gesturing towards the exit. “Let’s get moving. Lead the way, Hill.”

Hill led us into the corridor, which was blessedly silent next to the shuttlebay. “Watch your step. There’s still a lot of debris.”

He wasn’t kidding. The corridors looked no better than the shuttlebay. Toolkits, spare parts, and burnt debris littered the floor. We had to walk single file most of the time to avoid the mangled conduits and screens still hanging out of wall panels like wilted flowers. As we picked our way towards a turbolift, I hung back to whisper to Twilight, “Was it like this when they held my memorial service aboard?”

“I honestly don’t remember,” she said, her tone almost unnaturally neutral. “Guess I was too focused on my speech.”

She scooted past before I could even think up a response. I stayed silent the rest of the way through the corridor, and through a slow, oftentimes jerky turbolift ride to the bridge.

The lift finally stopped and the doors opened with what could best be described as a painful grinding sound rather than the telltale ‘swoosh.’ Nobody occupied the bridge save for two enlisted repair technicians, both of whom jumped to attention when they spotted us. “As you were,” I ordered.

I had only stepped hoof onto the Enterprise’s bridge a few times, usually to deliver special reports and the like. I never had a chance to see the new bridge module after it was installed during our maintenance stop at Starbase 248 a few weeks before our fateful trip to Veridian III. As I looked around me, I could only imagine what it must have looked like in one solid, shiny piece.

I took in the broken, shattered consoles. Memories of Commander La Forge at the rear engineering console contrasted with the entire bank being obliterated. Others I remembered, like Taurik, Lavelle, Barclay, once stood at the science consoles to either side of the command chairs, which were now so much scrap metal. Even the helm and ops consoles were battered and beaten, a stark change from my memory of Commander Data and some ensign I didn’t know sitting there.

As I stepped down the ramp, towards the center chairs, I paused for a moment, flashing back to whenever I saw Riker sitting there, or Troi. Or the Captain. Data sitting at ops. Then I dismissed those images. This wasn’t their ship anymore. It was my ship now. Well, mine and the Captain’s.

The Captain. I eyed the center chair, sighing. I still needed to track him down and approach him with the offer. Starfleet was leaving it up to me, and after reading his file, I knew why. But I wasn’t looking forward to it. Convincing anyone to come out of retirement, especially an officer as experienced as he was, wouldn’t be an easy task.

But for the moment, I was the ranking officer aboard, so, ignoring the looks of amusement from everyone watching, I sauntered over to that center chair, and sat down in it. Like most chairs built for humanoids, it was uncomfortable. And yet, I couldn’t help but enjoy the view, staring up at the viewscreen, seeing ops in front to my left, helm to my right. The longer I sat, the bigger my smile grew. This felt right, being here. In command.

Nakamura was right. I deserved to be in the center seat. Some day.

“Uh, ma’am?” Hill said.

I hopped up out of the chair. “Right!” I held a hoof to my mouth and cleared my throat. “Go right ahead, Lieutenant.”

He nodded, then stepped over to the tactical console and tapped a key. “Computer, this is Lieutenant Hill. Transfer all command codes to Lieutenant Commander Sunset Shimmer, authorization Hill five-two Baker Charlie.”

The computer made a few unusual error noises for a moment before playing the successful beep. “Transfer complete. U.S.S. Phoenix now under the command of Lieutenant Commander Sunset Shimmer.”

“Sorry about that, ma’am,” Hill said as he strode down the deck. “The connections between the computer cores are still being worked on.”

“I’m sure they are,” I said. I nudged my head towards the ready room door. “Please tell me the ready room is still in working order.”

He smiled at that. “Yes. I’ve already got the status reports on all the repairs loaded up on the terminal, ready for your viewing.”

“Good,” I said. “Hill, I want you to take Wattson down to Engineering. Show her around, get her familiar with the place, and then help her get started on repairs. Re'l, go with them. They could use another pair of hands.”

He nodded. “Yes ma’am.” He turned to Wattson and Re'l. “Shall we?”

“Yes!” Wattson said, beaming. “I’ve been waiting for this. I’ll catch you all later.”

Re'l purred in acknowledgement. “I can’t say I’m eager for repair work, but I’ll do what I can.”

As they headed off, I made my way to the ready room, with Cadeneza and Twilight in tow. When I stepped inside, I was struck by how lifeless the room felt. The paintings, the fish tank, all of Picard’s personal touches that made this feel like a living, breathing room were gone. Now it was just blank walls, a rather uncomfortable looking couch, and a single desk.

To my relief, Hill had thoughtfully provided a pony-friendly chair in addition to the more traditional set of chairs. Considering how much time I expected to spend back there over the next couple of months, I was very grateful.

“So, when you gonna start decorating this place?” Cadeneza quipped as she glanced all over the ready room. “Seems pretty barren.”

“I’m not,” I replied as I sat down and turned on the terminal. “It’s not my office. It’s the Captain’s. I’m just borrowing it for now.”

“Yeah, about that,” Cadeneza said as she took one of the spare chairs, spun it around, and sat on it backwards. “Who’s it gonna be? All I’ve heard is it’s some old guy who’s been in retirement.”

“The rumors have been all over the place,” Twilight added as she took a seat of her own, wincing at the uncomfortable design. “I’ve heard everything from Montgomery Scott to Ben Maxwell. Even Jellico’s name came up a few times.”

“What?” I snapped, looking up. “That’s ridiculous. Scott’s been on the Norpin colony for a few years now, Jellico’s up to his nose in brass back at Starfleet Command, and Maxwell? He’ll be lucky if ever gets to see the inside of a starship again.” I tapped a few buttons on my terminal, then turned it around to show them. “This is who’s going to be our captain.”

Cadeneza whistled as she took a close look, nodding in approval. “Wow. Talk about a silver fox...”

“James Liang?” Twilight read out as she peered at the file. “Oh! I remember reading about him at the Academy. He was one of the best Captains Starfleet had during the 2330s and 40s. But he was severely injured in one of the earliest battles of the Federation-Cardassian War in 2347. He’s been retired for decades.” She sat back in her chair and frowned in confusion. “I don’t understand. Why would Starfleet want you to bring him out of retirement?”

“Because they want an experienced Captain leading the ship,” I replied, giving her a flat look. “Dunno if you’ve noticed, but most of the senior staff I’ve assembled so far are pretty inexperienced officers. Most of us are either fresh out of or only a few years out of the Academy. And with a war with the Dominion looking increasingly likely… frankly they can’t spare any active duty people with enough command experience for us.”

“Well there’s a ringing vote of confidence if I ever heard one,” Twilight muttered.

“Yeah they don’t want a bunch of newbies screwing up a refurbished ship,” Cadeneza added with a smirk. “Though I mean, it’s not like they’ve got anything to worry about with me. Not while I’ve got Sparkie here.” She playfully punched Twilight in the shoulder.

Twilight fired off a hostile look her way, her eyes flashing angrily. “How many times have I told you not to do that.”

Sighing, I returned to browsing the reports, then picked out the necessary details for Twilight and Cadeneza, and sent them to a spare PADD that had been left on the desk. “Here. You can begin your repair work in Stellar Cartography. There should be a team down there working already, so jump in wherever they need you. When that’s complete just move on down the list.”

I saw Twilight’s horn light up to briefly surround the PADD with her field before Cadeneza abruptly snatched it away so she could look it over. She hummed as she read, nodding to herself several times. “Well, Sparkie, we’ve got our work cut out for us,” she said eventually, gesturing to the door. “Let’s go.”

“Ensign,” I said after Twilight was halfway to the door. “A word.”

Once Cadeneza stepped out, I got up from my chair and came around the desk towards Twilight. “Okay, I see what you mean now. I can tell you’re already pretty frustrated, working with her.”

Twilight gave me a brief nod. “Yeah. She’s insufferable. It’s even worse now that you’re back.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Twilight glared at the ceiling for a moment before sighing and answering. “She… remember how I told you about the bar fight, after the memorial service?” I nodded. “Well, ever since then, she’s been acting like an even bigger jerk to me than before. I’m… I still call her a friend, but I don’t know if I can really tolerate working with her on a regular basis.”

I nodded in understanding, and draped a wing over Twi’s back, pointedly ignoring the way she flinched a bit at my touch. “I hear you, Twilight. I do. And for what it’s worth, I know what it’s like to work with insufferable people. I did have Savil for a boss for the first six months or so on the Enterprise. I’ll talk to Cadeneza too, see if I can’t get her to lay off of you somewhat, but, well…”

“I know, I know.” Twilight flashed a small, hesitant smile at me, then pulled away. “I’m sure I’ll survive. See you later.”

As she wandered out the door, I returned to my chair and went back to examining the reports. Overall, the good news was, not every part of the Phoenix was as torn up as the shuttlebay. The secondary hull had sustained relatively light damage from its battle with the Borg, and the vast majority of damage in Main Engineering was already fixed. Most of the issues lay with the saucer, which itself was being retrofitted and restored at a record pace. A tentative launch date had been scheduled for stardate 50975.2, just a couple of months from now. I knew there was some wiggle room in the timeline, but I had every intention of meeting the aggressive date.

I switched over to the crew manifest next. The vast majority would be assigned by Starfleet through the usual means, but they’d given me the ability to choose the senior staff, And there were a lot of positions left up for grabs. A few I had ideas for, if I could convince them to leave their current positions.

My eyes drifted down my list, ordered from easiest to hardest to convince, settling on Counselor. I didn’t have a whole lot of options when it came to that position. Mostly young, eager to prove themselves Ensigns and Lieutenants. But if I was going to trust the mental health of my crew to someone, I didn’t want any of these people. I wanted someone with experience.

And I knew just who to call.

“You must be joking.”

Belle Hendricks laughed and leaned back into her favorite chair with a look of genuine disbelief on her face. She smoothed out the contours of her skirt, a nervous habit of hers I had discovered thanks to the countless hours I had spent with her in my therapy sessions.

“I’m serious,” I replied, sitting up in my usual seat in front of the large picture window to the left of her desk. I made a show of tapping at the edge of my communicator badge. “Do you really think I’d be wearing my uniform right now if I wasn’t?”

Belle arched an eyebrow at that. “Sunset, when you messaged me about this, you made it sound like you needed an emergency therapy session. Given what you’ve been through the past couple of years, I figured it was only natural. Why didn’t you tell me what this was really about?”

“Because if I had, you would’ve refused to meet with me,” I admitted.

She let out a quiet laugh and shook her head. “You’re right. I would have. Because it’s ridiculous. I’m a private counselor, not a Starfleet officer. I don’t belong on a starship, especially not when we’re this close to another war. I have clients who depend upon me. I have a life here. I can’t just drop it all to come on a wild adventure with you.”

“And you won’t have to,” I replied with a sly grin. “The Phoenix won’t launch for another two months, so you’ll have plenty of time to prepare.”

Belle’s lips thinned. For perhaps the first time I could ever recall in the decade and a half I’d known her, her eyes flashed with anger. Cold anger at that. “Let me guess. Next you’re going to tell me you’ve filled out all the paperwork and signed it for me too?”

I winced, but tried not to show it. “I didn’t mean to make it sound like I assumed you’d say yes, Belle. I’m sorry. But I did come to you first because I wanted to be sure you’d have enough time to resolve things if you said yes.”

Belle’s lips thinned more, then she let out a sigh and nodded. “No, I apologize, Sunset. It’s unprofessional for me to lash out like that.” She leaned up in her chair and folded her arms on the desk.

“It’s been a rough couple of years, you know? You and your sister have been my clients for so long, well… I suppose I must admit I started to care for you, like an aunt for her nieces. Especially after we thought you died, I…” She trailed off and looked away.

“It’s okay, Belle. I like to think Twilight and myself, Mother and Mom, we all think of you like family too. You’ve been so incredibly supportive to us despite everything.”

Belle glanced back at me. “That’s kind of you to say.”

“How did my family do, Belle?” I wondered. “I guess more importantly, how are they doing right now? Because I’ve been back for at least a few weeks and I still feel very much like a stranger in my own house.”

“Well.” She straightened her skirt some more. “You know I can’t give specifics, of course. Therapist-client confidentiality. But… as hard as it was on me… let’s just say in some ways the shock of you coming back has hit harder than your loss did.”

After a few moments I gently said, “I see… I can’t imagine it’s easy to adjust when you all had to let me go.”

“No, no it’s not,” Belle answered, looking back with a watery smile. “Especially when you came back with wings. It makes me wonder if my grandmother was onto something when she talked about angels.”

I glanced back at my wings and gave them a flap, then turned back to face her. “I know what you mean. When the Enterprise stardrive was about to explode, I thought ‘this is it, I’m going to die.’ Sometimes I think I really did, and was reborn somehow. And maybe I was. Who knows?”

“Who knows indeed,” Belle echoed with a heavy sigh. “Well, setting that aside… I still don’t understand why you want me. Like I said, I’m not Starfleet. Never have been.”

“You mean, apart from over a decade of personal experience with how skilled you are?” I quipped, grinning. She flashed me a flat look so I dropped the smile. “Because to be honest, most of the crew are young. They’re inexperienced. And every Counselor Starfleet suggested were either fresh Academy graduates with no field experience, or they were what I like to call ‘ladder climbers’ who jump from one assignment to the next as soon as they think it’ll land them a promotion. I want someone who knows what they’re doing, and who will be wholly dedicated to the crew. I’m going to have over seven hundred and fifty people to worry about. I want to be sure the one looking after them can handle it.”

“...You’re asking me to leave Earth. To leave the life I’ve lived here for almost eighty years,” Belle said. “I’ve never bothered to go off-world, you know. That’s why I took after my mother, rather than my Vulcan father. Well, one reason, among many.” She brought her hands together, rubbing one thumb over the other. “I’ve been a therapist for a long time. I’ve counseled many Starfleet officers, your parents included. But I’ve never been brave enough to step foot out there myself.”

“Well, this is your chance,” I replied. I held up my PADD, which had been resting on the table. “Right here. Orders from Admiral Nakamura, giving me full authorization to pick my crew, including the ability to hire civilians. You’d have to pass a security check, but--”

Her hand shot up to stop me, then moved to draw back her hair, exposing her pointed ears. “I hope you didn’t forget what I told you in our very first session.”

“I didn’t.” I tapped a few buttons on my PADD, then handed it over for her to look at. “I’ve already checked with Starfleet Security. Assuming your application is in order, your ancestry alone will not hold you back. All they ask is that you’re honest, like they’d expect of anyone else.”

Her lips trembled as she read the PADD. “So it is. I never… I never bothered to ask. I just assumed that…”

“Maybe back in the day, when you were younger, and incidents more recent, they might’ve been resistant,” I said, gently taking the PADD back. “But not now. Starfleet’s featured a lot of firsts in its ranks lately. Klingons, Ferengi…” I spead my wings again. “Heck, if they’ll accept a pony from halfway across the galaxy into their ranks, much less one who came back from the dead with a new pair of wings, I think you’ll be fine.”

Her whole body trembled now as she let out a bark of nervous laughter. “Well, i-if I did, Sunset, it wouldn’t just be me. I’d have to bring along Inanna. She’s vital. And I will need a lot of time to properly set my clients up with new therapists that are right for their needs.”

Folding my wings back, I smiled warmly. “Consider both of those done. Starfleet will likely add a few assistants to round out your staff, but you’d run the department. You’d need to study up a bit on some Starfleet regs, but that shouldn’t be difficult. Is that all okay?”

She ceased trembling, and gazed at me silently for several long moments, looking right into my eyes, as if she was trying to read my thoughts. Or my soul. “...are you sure you want me along?” she whispered.

“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”

She held out her hand for the PADD, and I gave it to her. She tapped a few buttons on it, then pressed her thumb down on it until it beeped. “I’ll do it, then. When do I need to be ready by?”

“Launch date is in two months, give or take. I’ll let you know the exact date as soon as it’s confirmed.” I stood from my chair. “I’ll make sure to have quarters prepared for you. That PADD should have all the information to answer your other questions for now. And… thank you, Belle. I was really hoping you’d say yes.”

She chuckled at that, and held out a hand to shake, which I shook with my forehoof. “I just hope I don’t regret it.”

As I left her office, I grinned to myself. “One down, Sunset.”

My combadge bleeped. “Ma’am, we could use some more assistance up here with some of the engineering repairs,” said the voice of Christopher Hill. “Are you finished on the surface?”

“For now, Hill,” I answered. “Beam me up.”

No matter how many times I went through it, watching my world dissolve and be replaced by another never ceased to amaze me. As I stepped off the transporter pad, I took a look around the room, nodding in approval at the immaculate state. “Looking much better than it did last week,” I said to Hill.

He stepped out from behind the console and joined me in walking towards the nearest turbolift. Like the transporter pad, the way there was unmarred by debris, though there were still some open gaps in the walls and ceiling panels here or there. “Lieutenant Wattson’s been a fantastic help in speeding things up. She’s a bit better at organizing groups than I am,” Hill said with a sheepish grin.

“I’m sure you did your best while you could, Hill, don’t worry.” We stepped inside the turbolift. “Deck twenty-four. So, when do you think the hull repairs will be finished?”

Hill withdrew a PADD from his back pocket and checked it over. “If we stay on schedule, we should have all outer hull issues fixed within two weeks. They’re still marrying the structure of the saucer though, and that’ll take another week at least. And then there’s the ten thousand bars of latinum question, ma’am.” He pointed to a part of the ship where something was conspicuously missing.

“Right. The pod.” Nebula-class starships came with a detachable pod which could be mounted at the rear of the ship. These pods came with different designs and different payloads, allowing the ship to dramatically shift its mission profile. “They still haven’t decided what our replacement pod’s going to be?”

“No, they have, but… it’s not the one you wanted.” He showed me the PADD.

I read it, grimaced, then sighed. “The tactical pod. Of course. Why’d I even expect anything else given the current circumstances... When will it be ready?”

“One week. It’ll take another day to mount it properly.”

I handed him back his PADD as the turbolift came to a halt. “Then we should be ready for some engine tests soon after that.”

He gave me a flustered look as we stepped out, headed straight for Main Engineering. “I’m not sure about that. We’re still working on integrating the internal power systems. Marrying a Galaxy-class saucer to a Nebula hull is proving to be even more difficult than it looks.”

“We’ll get there Hill. I have faith.” As we turned the corner into Main Engineering I was struck, not for the first time, by how simultaneously similar and different it was from the Enterprise engineering deck. At first glance it looked very familiar. A master systems display took up the wall opposite the warp core, which itself was ringed by railings and work platforms spread across multiple levels.

And yet it all felt different, like a house with a floor plan that’s almost identical to your own, but off by just enough to be noticeable. Instead of a singular pool table console and a glass partition, there were a number of smaller consoles with chairs set against the starboard wall, all positioned to face towards another large screen on the portside wall. With the power transfer conduits moved out of direct sight to a lower level, the computer consoles that sat in alcoves on the Enterprise were instead positioned out in the open, right next to the core itself. The warp core was of a different design too, like a Galaxy-class warp core had been slightly squished to make it wider but shorter. All in all it reminded me a bit of Intrepid-class engineering sections, which were designed to double as battle bridges in case of emergency.

There was one other difference, as when I split off from Hill and strode over towards the warp core, I found a small alcove with a door marked “Chief Engineer’s Office.” Inside I found Wattson, pouring over schematics and plans. “Oh, there you are,” she said, waving me inside. She pulled out two PADDs from her pile on the desk. “Do you think you can take care of these two sections? They’re difficult to access for most of my repair technicians, but you should be able to fit easily.”

“Once again, being short saves the day,” I quipped as I took them. “Question though. Hill said we wouldn’t be ready for any engine tests for at least a few more weeks.”

“And we won’t,” Wattson replied. She dug back into the pile and pulled out a third PADD. “Look, the problem is the saucer’s impulse manifolds. They gave up the ghost when the saucer was pulled out of mothballs and had to be replaced from scratch. It’s going to take another three weeks to solicit the parts.”

“Okay, so we’ll be limited to thrusters. Those still work at least, right?”

Wattson nodded. “Yeah, those should be ready. We can test with those, but not much else.”

“Okay, that’s something,” I said. I glanced out the office’s small window, which looked out onto the warp core itself. “What about warp drive?”

“Noooo, no way in hell,” Wattson said immediately with a dark laugh. “Not unless you want to repeat your near-death experience.”

“I don’t understand,” I said. “The warp core’s brand new. It’s been rigorously tested. It’s both more stable and more powerful than the previous core.”

Wattson gave me a flat look. “You really have gotten a little rusty, haven’t you? It’s not the core, Sunset. It’s the nacelle coils, the plasma conduits, the inertial dampeners, everything. All of it needs to be integrated perfectly to generate a stable warp field, and we’re not there yet at all. Unless you like the idea of shearing the ship apart and spreading our guts across half the sector.”

I took the lumps like I deserved, bowing in defeat. “No, you’re right. I’m out of practice. I need to study back up.”

“Perfect time for some on the job training then. So get to it.” Her eyes flashed with mirth.

“That’s get to it, ma’am,” I corrected, grinning while pointing at my collar with my hoof.

“Yes, yes, Sunset, we all know you outrank us,” Wattson laughed. “Come on. We’ve got work to do.”

“So why exactly are we traipsing through the jungle, again?” I groused as I stepped my hoof into an inexplicably sticky and gross pile of leaves, for what seemed like the tenth time that hour. The tricorder floating in my magic did little but tell me how many life signs were around me. Of which there was a multitude.

“We’re trying to track down our new tactical officer,” Preta said, her voice far cheerier than the environment around us merited. She hopped about from log to leaf pile to forest floor with her perfect feline grace.

“No, no, I understand that,” I sighed. “It’s the jungle part I don’t get.”

“Because this is where she likes to train,” added Kelia Maia. When Sunset asked me for recommendations on who should be on the crew, I insisted Maia be brought aboard as Security Chief, expecting Sunset to reject me outright on sheer petty principle. To my shock she accepted.

“In the jungle?” I asked, grimacing as I stepped into something else nasty. “In India?”

“It’s her home,” Maia answered with a brief cold stare my way. “Is there something wrong with that?”

“Ah, no, no!” I replied, laughing sheepishly. “No, that’s not what I meant. It’s just… it’s the jungle. It’s sticky. And hot. And wet.”

“Um, no offense, Twilight,” Preta said as she paused on a log, hunching over like a cat ready to pounce. “But isn’t your home in the rainiest part of North America?”

“Yes, but it’s not the same kind of wet as this is,” I retorted. “It's cooler and not nearly as oppressive as this. It doesn’t stick to your coat and frizz up your mane the same way.”

“Stop whining,” Maia snapped in a hushed tone. “You’re giving away our position.”

I sighed, but at her request I quieted my voice. “I’m still not sure how you roped us into this.”

“Because I told you it’d be a fun fight,” Maia replied, one corner of her mouth quirking up. “You said that was all you needed to hear.”

“Yes, well, I lied,” I shot back. “If I’d known this was going to take place in a jungle, I would’ve… wait.” I stopped in place and shrank down to the dirt, waving for them to do the same. I stuck up one ear and turned in a specific direction. “Thought I heard something. A snapping branch.”

“Nothing on the tricorder,” Preta whispered as she held hers up.

“Shut it off!” Maia ordered in a loud whisper. “It’s too noisy.”

Preta nodded and shut her tricorder, slipping it in her pocket. She then withdrew her phaser. “What do we do?”

“Twilight, you’re leading us,” Maia said, nodding to me. “You decide.”

“Only because Sunset thought it would be hilarious,”I muttered under my breath. Before I answered, I lit up my horn and used a life detection spell to locate our opponent, narrowing the target for humanoid life. I grinned. “She’s to the west. Preta, you go over here, up this tree,” I whispered, pointing at a nearby tree thicker than two people side by side. “Maia, I want you over there, on the other side. We’ll catch her in a crossfire.”

Maia simply nodded her head and moved into position, phaser rifle at the ready. Meanwhile I located the nearest fallen log and crouched down behind that. I had a type-two phaser ready, but I also began preparing various spells just in case.

We waited. I heard another crack in the distance and prepared to fire. Seconds passed. Then minutes.

And then suddenly a hand gripped the back of my uniform and hauled me up with one arm. “You really should watch your back,” said a beautifully accented voice.

The next thing I knew I was flying through the air at the nearest tree.

Phaser fire erupted all around me as I screamed, summoning up a shield bubble seconds before impact. The bubble bounced safely off the tree, but my momentum sent me careening off the forest floor and back into the air like a pinball. I flailed like crazy until I remembered what Feather Fall was and cast it to arrest my uncontrolled tumble.

The instant I landed I had to duck as a sweeping leg kick soared mere inches over my head. The follow up snapkick with the other leg brushed the side of my jaw as I dodged away from it. Summoning up arcane energies I unleashed it in a shockwave around me, enough to push back my attacker and give me some space.

Unfortunately this also threw up a ton of dirt, debris, and loose leaves, making sight difficult. Through the dusty haze I spotted Preta a few yards away sprawled on her back, motionless. Maia was nowhere to be seen.

Watching my surroundings, I bounded over to check Preta. Luckily she was breathing; she’d just been phaser stunned. Her phaser was gone, and mine had disappeared in the chaos of me being thrown. “Hang in there, Preta. I’ll be back.” Giving her one last look, I backed away from her and used my horn to encase my hooves in force spells.

“The game’s afoot, eh?”

I turned to see a powerful figure bulging with muscles standing just under two meters tall barreling through the dust to lash out at me with a series of fast palm strikes and whirling kicks. I dodged their first volley but couldn’t avoid a strike from my blind side that caught me just below my ribs. I roared from the pain, gritting my teeth and summoning up my shield to block the next few blows that were sure to follow.

And follow they did–right through my shields as if they weren’t there at all. Two strikes to my head and my world exploded with stars, pain rushing through my body. I was vaguely aware of being kicked over to land on my back, but I definitely noticed the boot that landed on my stomach, just hard enough to hurt without dealing serious damage. As I tried to blink through my tears and see through the static I managed to look up to see the figure murmuring something at me while holding a phaser to my face.

But before they could fire, another figure flew into view and clotheslined my attacker, screaming an outrageous battle cry. Furious sounds of kicking and screaming filled my ears as I stumbled to my hooves.

Looking up, I saw the two, in the shadow of the trees. Everything was still spinning but I could tell from the shrieking battle cries and kias that Maia had come to my rescue. The other was the hulking figure I’d tangled with, constantly backing up from Maia's reckless attacks and yet casually blocking the ones that got too close with raised arms or legs. Every once in a while she’d find an opening and pressed it, forcing Maia to leap out of the way or roll across the ground.

I tried to move forward but found my footing incredibly shaky, my head still swimming. Everything went in and out of focus for a moment or two before snapping back to normal. My stomach lurched, threatening to spill its contents all over the forest floor. I stumbled, swaying as I took a few steps, only to fall over again, hard enough to knock the wind out of me.

The sounds of fighting grew closer. I looked up to see Maia carefully backing away from her opponent, as if leading her back towards us. I started to back myself up, only to stumble over the phaser behind me. It took an unreal amount effort to keep from falling over in the process.

As they grew ever closer I strained to light up my horn, summon the phaser over. It took a few errant sparks and some jerking but I finally had the phaser in my grasp. I took a moment to jack the setting up to maximum stun, then struggled to take aim. “M-maia!” I cried, my words slurring. “D-duck!”

Maia looked back long enough for her eyes to widen in alarm. She tried to jerk out of the way, but at the last second, as my magic hit the trigger and fired the phaser, her opponent grabbed Maia and held her, putting her right between themselves and the path of the beam. Maia yelped, then tumbled to the ground, unmoving.

“Uh oh,” I murmured, trying to raise the phaser again even as our opponent raced towards me. I managed to fire off one other shot into a nearby rock before she closed the distance and ripped the phaser out of my magic, then with a single kick sent me flailing onto my back like a fallen turtle.

Then she raised her boot and pressed it against my throat, just enough to get the message across. “Stand down, Sparkle,” she said, an amused smile showing shiny teeth, the sheer white standing out against her coal black skin tone. “You’re dead.”

I heard the trigger click and my world went black.

When I came to, I was laying on a biobed, blinking up at the ceiling. Then a familiar face emerged into view, giving me a droll look. “Well, well, look who’s finally wakin’ up,” quipped Doctor Sarah May.

“About time she did,” spoke another voice just out of sight. “I thought I turned down the phaser settings before I shot her.”

“You didn’t, and I’ll thank you not to halfway roast my patients,” May shot back, her face twisted up in anger. She seemed to stare daggers at whoever the other party was for a moment before sighing and turning her attention back to me. “Well, good news is, Ensign, you’re going to be alright after a day or two. Go ahead, try sittin' up now.”

I did as ordered, grunting a bit as pins and needles attacked my limbs from the inside, but I was up. Up enough to see the figure I’d fought standing over to one side of the examination room, leaning against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest. “You! Just who in the heck do you think… you…” I trailed off the moment I noticed the two and a half pips on her collar. Her Starfleet collar. “Er, um, I mean, hello ma’am.”

She arched a single eyebrow and grinned, then approached me. “Well, now that we’re not fighting each other anymore, let’s get the introductions out of the way, shall we? Lieutenant Commander Ajay Ishihara, at your service.” She stuck out a hand to shake.

I took it with my forehooves and shook. “Ensign Twilight Sparkle, but I think you already knew that.”

“Oh yes. I know all about you,” Ishihara replied with a boisterous laugh, deep and throaty. “Maia speaks of you often. She’s trained you well, too! You put up a much better fight than your Caitian friend.”

I blinked, my mouth falling open. “Um, ma’am, with all due respect… you had me on the ground and unconscious in less than thirty seconds.”

“Exactly. Like I said, a much better fight than your friend.” She winked at me. “Sparkle, don’t stress out about it. I’ve been a combat specialist my whole life, and I’m closing in on sixty. You’ve got some good training and some unique abilities, but that doesn’t match up to decades of experience.”

“Still…” I frowned, then grunted and winced as a surge of pain lanced through my skull. “Ow,” I murmured as my hoof shot up to cradle my head.

“Woah, easy there, Ensign,” May said as she opened up a medical tricorder, ran it over me a few times, then set it down in favor of a hypospray. “You took a hit on max stun setting; there’s gonna be a bit of residual nerve damage. Nothing that can’t be fixed, but it’ll hurt for a while.” She placed the hypospray against my neck and I heard the telltale hiss as it activated. “Don't be makin’ any sudden moves now, or you might lose your lunch. Least you might till this takes effect.”

“Right, okay.” I leaned back down onto the biobed, and closed my eyes for a moment while the medicine began to numb the pain.

“What were you doin’ fightin’ with them anyhow, Ajay?” May asked. I didn’t need to see her face to know she was glaring up a storm with that Scottish temper of hers.

“Just a training exercise, Sarah,” Ishihara replied. I heard the sound of a hand smacking flesh, and hoped that meant Ishihara clapped her hand on May’s shoulder. “Their commanding officer wants me to be the new tactical officer for their ship. I was going to say yes anyway, but, well, Maia proposed a test.”

“You mean she roped us into being a trio of punching bags,” I countered as I gradually sat up again. Then my sense of respect for authority caught up with me and I added, “er, ma’am.”

Ishihara burst out laughing again. “No, you’re right. That’s exactly what she did. It’s what Maia does. I swear, I finally get the girl to understand what friendship is, and she just uses it for more fighting. I love fighting too, but it’s not everything in life.”

“I’d certainly hope not, Ajay!” May said, smacking Ishihara on the arm. Then she let out a quiet huff. “But at least you did the right thing and brought them back here to the academy.”

“Well my home doesn’t have more than a basic clinic, so where else would I take them but to my favorite doctor?” Ishihara replied with a smarmy grin.

“Um, do… Do you two know each other?” I murmured, looking askance at Ishihara.

“Oh, off and on,” May answered, giving me a kinder, gentler smile than the one Ishihara bore. “She and I were roommates at the Academy, and we were posted to the same ships a few times too. We’ve stayed in touch.”

“Shimmer to Sparkle,” spoke my combadge, causing all of us to jump.

I tapped it gently with my forehoof. “Sparkle here,” I said.

“Oh, finally. Where the heck did you all get to? I’ve had the sensors searching for you all over India for the past half hour.”

“Err, we’re actually in San Francisco now, at Starfleet Academy,” I answered. “Commander Ishihara brought us here.”

“Really? How?”

Ishihara stepped forward so her voice could be heard. “I called in a site to site with Earth Spacedock,” she said. “Wanted to be sure they were treated after their injuries.”

“Their what?!”

“No need to be worryin’ Commander,” May interjected, casting Ishihara an exasperated glare. “They’ll be fine. Just some bleedin’ unorthodox recruitment tactics, is all.”

“...right. Well, Commander, since I have you here, what’s your answer to my offer?”

Ishiharai eyed me for a moment, then said, “I accept. When do you need me to report?”

“Not for at least another few weeks. I’ll send you the details. Sparkle, since you’re at the Academy, do you mind passing along another message? I’m sending the details to your PADD.”

I heard the PADD in my back pocket bleep at me and glanced at it. Apart from a cracked screen it was in perfect shape, despite all the fighting. If I’d had the energy I would’ve argued with Sunset… the last thing I wanted to be was her messengerpony while still recovering. “Thanks,” I muttered. “I’ll be sure to do that. Anything else?”

Luckily either Sunset didn’t notice or didn’t care about the sarcasm in my tone. “Nope. Just report back as soon as you’re done. Shimmer out.”

“So that’s your sister, huh?” Ishihara asked.

“Yes,” I grumbled as I shuffled off the bed, standing on my hooves. While a bit shaky, I didn’t experience any dizziness this time. Or nausea, thank goodness.

Ishihara glared at me for a moment, as if she expected me to say more, then shrugged. “Well, I’m going to go check on Maia and Re'l, then I have some affairs to put in order. Sparkle, I’ll see you aboard the Phoenix. Bye, Sarah.”

“Farewell,” May said, giving Ishihara a polite wave as she left the examination room. Then she turned to me and pulled out her tricorder again. “How’re you feelin’?”

“Fine,” I shrugged. “Just a bit shaky. Nothing more.”

She folded her tricorder and put it away. “Good,” she said with a wry smile. “And here I thought I was done fixin’ you up after one of these silly fights. Least this time you didn’t break half your limbs.”

A sheepish smile crossed my face as I let out a laugh. “Ahehe, well, you know... “ I continued to grin, feeling increasingly uncomfortable until I let out a cough, spun around, and used that as an excuse to dig out my PADD and check it. As soon as I did, I smiled.

“Oh? What’s this now?” May asked, giving me a smile in turn. “Some good news?”

“I think so,” I replied as I turned back around and held up the PADD. “It’s, well… you might be getting more chances than you think.” I handed it over.

May took it and examined it. The more she read, the deeper her frown became. Then she set it down. “She wants me... to be the CMO?”

“I think we both know you’d do a great job at it,” I said, trying to give her some encouragement.

May smiled a bit at that. “I suppose. But it’s been years since I was last posted to a starship. After I... “ She sighed. “You should sit back down for this one, Sparkle.”

Shrugging, I took a seat on the biobed. “Go ahead.”

“Well, you see, my last posting aboard a starship was, well… It was the Phoenix. Yes, the same one,” she clarified at my surprised gasp. “Under Captain Maxwell, as a matter of fact. My husband and I were both posted there. He was the ship’s assistant chief engineer.”

“I didn’t know you were married,” I said, wonder in my eyes.

She frowned and let out a sad sigh. “I was. For ten years. Till Captain Maxwell ordered us into Cardassian space. He thought the Cardassians were using the peace treaty as cover to quietly rebuild their military for a new assault. I thought it was hogwash from the start, but, well… Maxwell was our Captain, and he had my husband convinced. We destroyed a Cardassian outpost and several supply ships before the Enterprise caught up with us.”

“The Enterprise?” I gasped. “This must’ve happened before Sunset was posted there.”

“Two years before,” May clarified. “Well, while the Enterprise tried to track us down, and I was busy in sickbay treating the wounded from our last battle, Captain Maxwell attacked another supply ship. This time though… it…” She sniffled, and to my shock the endlessly happy Sarah May broke into quiet tears. “...the E-enterprise sent them our prefix code, so they brought our shields d-down and attacked us, and my husband, he…”

“...Oh no...” I whispered.

She nodded, biting her lips together as she stood there, desperately trying not to fall apart completely. “They didn’t do much damage to the ship itself, but my husband, he was working on the shield generator, trying to fix it, when… it exploded in his face.” She let out a heavy sigh. “I… I’ve always taken comfort in the knowledge that he died instantly. He didn’t suffer.”

Then her eyes flashed with anger. “But Maxwell? He didn’t even give us time to grieve. Kept us goin’, kept us ready to murder more innocents, until finally he was talked out of it by some former officer of his. Well as soon as the Phoenix returned to Earth I put in for a position at Starfleet Medical here and swore I’d never set foot on a starship again.”

“...I’m so sorry!” I blurted, a sense of panic overtaking me. I rushed forward, about to offer a hug, when the instincts the Academy beat into me stopped me in my tracks at a respectful distance instead. “I don’t think Sunset knew about this. I-I’m sure if she had, she--”

May held up a hand. “Please. Twilight. Your sister knows. She’s familiar with my service record, believe me.” She let out a bitter laugh. “I’ve been happy here. I’ve been working for the Academy for over six years. Why would I want to stop now?”

I stepped back, unsure what to say. “Well, um… for what it’s worth, I know I would like to have you around. You’re a great doctor. And, um, well… are you sure you want to treat cadets forever?”

She eyed me with an unreadable expression, then turned away. “No. It wasn’t… When I joined Starfleet, I joined it to serve on starships. I wanted to see the stars. Keep the ship’s crew healthy. When I met my husband, his passion for starships only increased my own.” She let out another bitter laugh, this one quieter, more sorrowful. “And yet here I am, spinnin’ my wheels. I’ve been offered new positions multiple times. Was even offered to join Doctor Crusher’s staff on the Enterprise-E. But I turned them all down. I didn’t want to… to leave where I was comfortable. And yet here your sister is, wantin’ to have me come right back to the same ship where I lost it all.”

If Sunset were here I’d probably be chewing her out right now for putting May on the spot like this. Asking someone to go back to the ship their spouse died on? Still, I tamped down the anger enough to keep my composure in the moment.

“... should I go ahead and tell her you’ve turned it down, so she can find another option?” I asked.

May opened her mouth. I saw her lips form a word, her throat ready to give it voice. And then she stopped. She closed her mouth, turned away from me, and walked over to the corner. I gave her a few moments privacy as she whispered to herself. After a good ten minutes of silence she turned back around to face me again.

“I was just thinkin’, what would my husband say to me if he were here? Been a long time since I asked meself that. But once I did… I knew what Ken would say to me. He’d say, ‘Sarah, don’t be an idiot. Do you really want to waste your time planetside?’” She let out another laugh, but this one lacked any bitterness. “And he’d be right. I’m tired of spinnin’ my wheels. And if I’m gonna be practicin’ medicine on a ship, it might as well be one with two of my favorite patients and a good friend on board.”

“Then…” I held up the PADD.

She took it from me at once and slammed her thumb on it, then gave me a tight smile. “I accept. But you tell your sister I’m gonna be choosy about who’s on my staff. And I won’t be acceptin’ none of that usual commandin’ officer bull about never seein’ to their physical neither. She wants me to be her doctor, well I’m gonna be her doctor, if you catch my drift.”

“O-okay. I hear you.” I took the PADD back and smiled at her. “For what it’s worth, thank you, Doctor. It’ll be good to have you around.”

“Oh, I’m sure it will be,” she grinned.

Rain poured down in sheets as I strolled through the streets of Hong Kong with Cadeneza hanging by my side. “I hope we find this place of his soon,” she murmured as she pulled her jacket tighter around herself. “I hate rain. Warm or otherwise.”

“It is pretty hot,” I agreed, glancing up at the late afternoon sky. Summer in Hong Kong meant heat, rain, and not much else. Even with Earth’s global weather control, the climate couldn’t be altered too much, lest it cause serious problems elsewhere on the planet.

“Try stifling!” Cadeneza scowled. “I can’t decide if I want my jacket open to let the rain cool me down or closed to keep it out. Ugh.”

While she kept whining, I tuned it out, returning my thoughts to why we were walking the streets of Hong Kong in the rain.

Starfleet had sent the communique offering the Captaincy to Liang the same day I came aboard. It took over three weeks to get his one word response: “No.”

That’s it. That’s all he bothered to send them after three weeks of deliberating. No explanation, no justification, no nothing. Just “no.”

Starfleet, of course, wanted to look for other options. See if there was some other Captain out there they could poach. Maybe one who hadn’t been retired for decades. But I asked them to give me one chance to convince Liang in person, and when I found out where he lived and what he did with his life, I knew I had to bring Cadeneza along. She’d be an excellent help in convincing him.

“There!” Cadeneza shouted, interrupting my reverie. She pointed to a small building jutting out from a nearby alleyway. “That’s it.”

I beheld the glowing neon sign hanging above it, which was flanked by a pair of old-world flags. Union Jacks, to be precise. “The Beam and Mast,” I murmured. “That’s his pub alright.”

Stepping inside was like being swept up by a transporter beam and dropped in the middle of England. Everything about the decor screamed a traditional, old-world English pub, Fairly ornate wood panels lined the bottom halves of the walls, their rich, dark brown stain perfectly complementing the dark green paint on the upper halves. High-walled booths and numerous tables filled the space in a way that seemed to give each table its own small bubble of privacy. To our right was a long wooden bar, lined with metal barstools and backed by a vast set of wooden shelves that seemed to cover the entire wall behind it. Some Chinese touches dotted the room too, including some old-world flags from the region, and a few sizable paintings of ancient eastern dragons hanging on the walls.

As we moved towards the bar itself, Cadeneza stopped me briefly and whispered, “We should turn off our universal translators.”

I eyed her curiously. “Why?”

Silently she pointed over to the corner, where there was a sizable group of Nausicaans and Orions drinking and carousing. A few of them cast surly looks our way, and at least one Nausicaan bared his teeth and licked his lips, as if savoring the idea of eating me.

Shivering, I turned back to her and said, “You’re right. Turn them off.”

“Already done,” she said as we reached the bar.

The man we were looking for stood behind the bar, giving us both stern looks that, were I still a raw cadet, would’ve left me withering and fleeing on the spot. Long black hair streaked with grey ran down his shoulders, and his face bore a mustache and goatee that were similarly salt and pepper. His Chinese features were most evident in the eyes and around the cheeks, while his nose and lips lent towards his English ancestry. His clothes oozed poshness, from the sleek white undershirt to the black vest and tie overtop, and the black slacks that accompanied them.

“So,” he spoke in a charming, suave voice with a rich, elite English accent, completely counter to his expression. “It’s not enough that Starfleet pesters me with communiques and videos. Now they send a pair of beautiful angels to me, to lure me in with your siren song.” He switched to a grin that caused even Cadeneza to swoon just a little. He held up a cane and pointed at us with the top of it, revealing a carved Chinese symbol atop. “Sorry to disappoint you, but this dog is too old to learn new tricks. Or repeat old ones for that matter.”

“Speaking of angels,” he refocused on me, “You’re quite the unique one. Four legged, yet as gorgeous as any humanoid. Plus wings and a unicorn’s horn? Impressive. Just need a halo to complete the look.”

Okay, Mr. Flattery, lay off the charm, I groused internally. Despite that, warmth flooded my cheeks. “James Liang, I presume.”

“In the flesh,” he answered, gesturing to himself with both hands. “I hope I’m as impressive in person as my Starfleet records no doubt suggest. They do love to wax philosophical about my youthful accomplishments.”

“I’d say so,” Cadeneza quipped, a coquettish smile spreading on her face. She stuck out a hand. “Jacqueline Cadeneza, Lieutenant. Nice to meet you, sir.”

Somehow, I wasn’t the least bit surprised when he took her hand and raised it to his lips. “A pleasure. I don’t suppose you’d care for a drink?”

Cadeneza shot me a pleading look. “We’re on duty,” I mouthed, but she only gave me a more insistent expression, gesturing at Liang. Finally with a sigh, I nodded, and she pumped her fist in excitement.

“Yes, please,” she said, sitting down at the bar.“Whiskey. Neat.”

“As you wish,” Liang said. He hummed for a moment before selecting a bottle in particular, brought out a shot glass, and poured it. “There you are, my dear. And what about you, my equine beauty?”

“I’m… not thirsty right now,” I said, trying desperately to ignore the ever growing blush flooding my face while I took a seat next to Cadeneza.

“Your face says otherwise,” Cadeneza quipped as she sipped at her whiskey.

“Grr…” I took a moment to compose myself before I faced Liang again. “More to the point, sir, I’m Lieutenant Commander Sunset Shimmer. I’ll be your first officer aboard the Phoenix, if you’re willing to come Captain it.”

His smile dropped. “I see. A shame you’ve come all this way then. You’ve wasted your time, Miss Shimmer. I’m not leaving this bar.”

Cadeneza immediately knocked the rest of her whiskey back. “Another, please,” she said sweetly. After Liang poured her a fresh drink, she sipped at it and added, “So, why not?”

“Why not what?” Liang questioned.

“Why not come back?” Cadeneza said, flashing him a toothy smile. “I mean, I get you’ve got somethin’ pretty cushy going here. You’ve got a stylish bar with plenty of patrons, you get to wear snazzy clothes every day… but is that really all you want out of life?”

He stared at her for a moment, then chuckled. “First of all, I run a stylish pub, not a bar. There’s a difference. More importantly, you missed the most important aspect of my life, one I’d never have in Starfleet: peace.”

“Peace?” I said.

He smirked at me. “Peace, yes. As in peace and quiet. Peaceful contemplation. I’ve served my time in the big chair, done my bit for king and country. Now I’d much rather wile away my time in this pub, behind this bar. Now, if you’d like a bartender, well… you still won’t be able to recruit me, but I know a few people I’d happily refer you to.”

“Huh. Alright then,” Cadeneza shrugged. She knocked back the rest of her drink, then hopped off her chair. “Guess we’re done here, Sunset. Told you it was a waste of time.” Then she winked at me.

It took a second for the gears to click in my head before I gave her a knowing smile in return. “Yes, you were right, Lieutenant.” I got off my own chair and took one last look at the wall of liquor behind the bar. “Nice pub you have here, sir. Though you may want to consider stocking up on kanar soon. Cardassians love the stuff, I hear.”

Liang paused halfway through reaching for Cadeneza’s empty glass. “The Cardassians?”

“Oh, yeah, you know, those big scary guys, with the massive warships who were just barely kicked off Bajor recently?” Cadeneza answered, waving her hands casually. I saw her saccharine grin turn savage as she turned away. “Oh, and whoever their Dominion allies are now.”

Liang’s expression tightened just a bit, but it felt like the entire atmosphere of the room had shifted. “The Cardassians,” he repeated, his voice low but suddenly ice cold.

“Uh huh,” Cadeneza replied. “Looks like war could start any day now. And with how strong the Dominion is, well, if things go poorly, you may end up replacing these old-world flags with Dominion banners sooner than you think.”

I watched Liang’s grip on his cleaning cloth tighten till his knuckles turned white. “That’s impossible. Surely Starfleet would never be incompetent enough to allow such a thing.”

“It’s not about incompetence, sir,” I said, finally turning around myself. “Quite the opposite, in fact. We could use your skills, your savvy, your experience. Because she’s not wrong. The Dominion-Cardassian alliance presents the most dangerous threat to the Federation since the Borg, and you need only turn on the evening news to know Starfleet’s about as thin as it’s ever been.”

“And then there’s that other thing too,” Cadeneza interjected.

“Err, that’s really not important right now, Lieutenant,” I said, glaring at her.

“Oh? No, do please… tell me.” Liang said in a quiet voice that left every danger sense I had blaring with alarms.

“You might’ve noticed I’m a bit unique,” I replied, pointing a hoof at my chest. “My sister Twilight and I, we’re the only two ponies in the Federation. We were brought to Earth by some mysterious mirror portal, and we’re trying to find our home. That’s why we joined Starfleet. And I’m hoping that the Phoenix will help us do that. But we need a captain. A good captain, one we can rely on.”

Liang considered that for a moment. Then he pointed at the stools. “Sit down.”

“Huh?” Cadeneza blurted.

“Sit down or I won’t humor another word you have to say,” he said, his voice brimming with authority.

We both sprang to obey. The sheer strength his voice held just then, it terrified me.

He stared at us both for several long moments, then sank beneath the bar, coming back up with a trio of bottles. “Here. We’ll share some cider, and I’ll thank you not to refuse it this time, Miss Shimmer.”

I nodded, and took the bottle from him, popping off the cap with my magic. A quick sip later had me smiling on the inside. This cider tasted good, but also familiar for some reason. “Where’d you get this from?” I asked.

“A small farm in Texas,” he answered as he took a pull from his own, then held up the bottle to his face to look at it. “They’ve been growing apples for generations. They know how to make cider, proper cider.” He set his bottle down on the bar with a clink. “Worth every strip of latinum they make me spend on it.”

That intrigued me. “I, uh, I don’t suppose it’s run by the Smith family, is it?”

“As a matter of fact, it is,” he said, giving me a nod of approval. “I take it you’ve sampled their products before.”

If I thought my cheeks burned when he flirted with me earlier, they now blazed hotter than a plasma fire. I saw Cadeneza slap a hand across her mouth as she shook with mirth. “Uh, in a manner of speaking, yeah,” I said, trying to laugh it off. To cover it I took another quick drink. It really was good, even better than the replicated stuff Smith and I used to drink together. “It’s the best I’ve ever tasted.”

“It’s not just good,” he said as he held up his bottle once more. “It’s a piece of culture. Of life. Earth’s finest work, produced when all the dangers have fled in the night, leaving everyone in peace.” Then he scowled. “It’s exactly the sort of thing the Cardassians would wipe out the first chance they get.”

“It is,” I nodded. “And not just them. The Dominion too. Stuff like this cider, like this pub? They’d burn it all in an instant.”

Liang took another long drink from his cider, then set the bottle down and looked right at me. “You said you’re trying to find your home, is that right?”

“Yes sir. It’s a long ways away, and we don’t even know where to begin to look.”

He continued to gaze into my eyes for several long moments, enough to make my cheeks heat up all over again. Then he laughed. It was quiet at first, but it grew and grew until it was a full body belly laugh. “Let me tell you something, Miss Shimmer. When Starfleet sent me their request I thought they were confused, that they had made a colossal recruiting mixup. When I saw two Starfleet uniforms walk into my pub mere hours after finally sending a response, I thought they had lost their minds. Now here I am, getting my arm twisted by a flying unicorn with commander’s pips on her collar. Makes me wonder if I’m the one losing their mind.”

He picked up his bottle. “But you know, maybe you two are right after all. I’ve spent a good long time behind this bar talking to people. I like to think I’ve made a difference back here, in the ways that a bartender does. But if I can make a difference again for the people out there…” he looked over at me, “or the people right here in front of me, who am I to turn them down?” He tipped his bottle towards us then knocked back the rest of the cider in one swig. “I accept.”

“I’m glad to hear it, sir!” I said, smiling and laughing. “The Phoenix won’t be ready to launch for another month, but I’d be happy to work with Starfleet to set you up with temporary quarters in San Francisco while you transition back to active duty.”

“I appreciate that, Commander, but that won’t be necessary.” He picked up his cane, tucked it under his arm, then walked out from behind the counter. “I can do it from aboard the ship. Assuming it’s livable.”

“It is… technically speaking,” Cadeneza quipped as she drank her bottle dry. “Still needs a lot of repairs though.”

“Ah, one of those situations,” Liang nodded. “Well, I’ll make do. I don’t need to live in the lap of luxury, after all. However, there is one matter I must attend to first.”

He beckoned for us to follow him into the back, where a large communicator screen hung on one wall. He tapped up a few buttons, then said, “This is for Su Liang, Beijing, China. Please acknowledge.”

After a moment, the screen flickered on with the image of a young Chinese woman with hair black as midnight cut in a short regulation bob. She wore casual clothing, just a shirt and matching skirt, but I saw in the background a pair of red collared Starfleet uniforms marked with Lieutenant’s pips hanging up right behind her. “Dad?” she said, looking askance at the screen. “What do you want? You know I’m on leave.”

“Sorry, my darling girl,” Liang quipped, and I saw Su’s eyes flash with irritation as he spoke, “but you see, your father needs your assistance.”

Su scowled at the screen, then frowned, her brow creasing. “Dad, are those Starfleet officers standing behind you?” She leaned even closer to the screen on her end and squinted. “Wait ...is one of them a horse?!”

Liang glanced back at me and winked, then faced his daughter. “Pony actually, but yes, they’re Starfleet. They’re here for me.”

Su took that information in with a heavy sigh. “A pony? In Starfl–you know, what nevermind. Just please tell me you’re not being arrested?”

“Oh come now, my girl, you know your father better than that,” he replied with a laugh. “No, as a matter of fact, they’re here to hire me. I’m returning to Starfleet, and I need someone to watch over the bar while I’m gone.”

“...wow.” Su sat back in her chair, surprise written all over her face. “I thought you said you’d never go back.”

“Yes, well,” Liang cleared his throat. “Never let it be said your father was perfect in his predictions. But these two here have convinced me that right now, I’m needed out there far more than I am in here. I wish I had time to explain more.”

She nodded. “Alright. But like I said, Dad, I only have so much leave time. I can’t watch the bar forever.”

“I’m aware of that, dear. It’s just temporary. I’ll send you the information you’ll need to get a more permanent guardian for it.”

Su gave him a small smile. “You’re going to sell it, aren’t you?”

Liang shrugged. “I may. We’ll see. It depends upon how long this assignment lasts. I trust I can count on you.”

“Yeah, Dad. I’ve got you covered,” Su said. She waved at the screen. “Love you.”

“Love you too, dear.“ He hit the button to terminate the conversation, then walked back out to the bar and tapped a button hidden underneath. His voice boomed off the walls as he said, “Sorry, everyone, but I’m afraid the pub is closing early tonight! Time to leave, come on now.”

The pub patrons growled and grimaced, with the Orions and Naussiacaans giving us dirty looks, clenching their fists as they stumbled out. But eventually we were the only ones left, and only then did Liang step out and look up the place. “There. Shall we?”

Taking his cue, and eager to get out of the pouring rain, I quickly tapped my combadge. “Shimmer to Phoenix. Three to beam up.”

Reappearing on the dry transporter pad was a blessing, even if my uniform dripped all over the place. “Welcome back, ma’am,” said Hill, giving Liang a wary look. “I, uh, I take it you were successful?”

“Indubitably, my good man,” Liang said, stepping off the transporter pad and bringing his cane forward, leaning on it. “I don’t suppose my quarters are ready for occupation?”

“Um, yes…” Hill replied hesitantly, “and these quarters would be for..?”

I could hear Cadeneza slap her hand up to her forehead behind me.

“The captain’s quarters, actually,” Liang replied, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Captains do still get their own rooms, yes?”

“Wh–” Hill gasped then snapped to attention as if a whip had cracked his rear end. “I mean yes, Captain! Your quarters are ready. Welcome aboard!”

Liang chuckled, patted Hill on the shoulder, and pointed to the door with his cane. “Then lead the way, Mr. Hill!”

“Err, sir,” Hill said as he led us out into the corridor and towards the turbolift. “Will you be needing to bring any personal items or luggage aboard?”

“Oh, a few things, but we’ll have time for that,” Liang said. “After all, Commander Shimmer tells me the Phoenix won’t launch for another month, correct?”

“That’s right, sir,” Hill answered as we stepped inside the turbolift. “Deck Eight.”

The turbolift carried us swiftly to our destination and we stepped out, following Hill toward the port side of the ship. “Then I have about thirty days to brush off thirty years of rust. Number One, I’ll need you to put together a quick crash course for me. Just the basics, nothing too specific.”

It took me a moment to realize he meant me. “Err, yes sir, I actually already have that ready for you. You just need to call it up on your terminal.”

Liang smiled at that. “Good. I like the initiative. Oh, and tell me: do we have a full senior staff yet?”

“Almost, sir,” I answered. “There’s still a few positions I haven’t filled.”

“Send me the list,” Liang replied, then looked at me with a knowing grin. “I have a few arms to twist as well.”

“Aye, sir.”

Hill stopped at a set of doors not too far away from my own quarters. “Here we are, sir. There should be a few uniforms waiting for you in the bedroom closet.”

“Bit optimistic there, weren’t you, Shimmer?” Liang chuckled as he stepped into the doorway. “Well, if you’ll pardon me for a moment.”

When he came out a few minutes later, we all stood at attention instantly. I’d thought I’d seen Liang’s command authority in the bar, but I’d clearly only gotten a small taste. Seeing him now, standing before me in a Starfleet uniform with those four pips on his collar and his hair tied up in a bun… he looked downright intimidating.

The only out of place detail was his cane, which he continued to carry with him. “Fits pretty well, at least for now,” he said, examining the cuffs of his sleeve and tugging at the shoulders a bit. “These grey shoulders though… See, this is why old timers like me miss the double-breasted design so much. It stayed around as long as it did for a reason.” He dropped his arm and faced me. “Well, Number One, let’s go make things official, shall we?”

“I gotta say,” Cadeneza said as she sat monitoring the runabout controls, watching the warp-speed stars flicker on by through the front windows, “Thanks for inviting me along, Sunset. Pretty nice to get away from the hectic repairs for a while.”

“Yeah, well, you weren’t my first choice,” I said with a wry chuckle. “But my first choice kept turning me down. She invented all kinds of excuses. The first few made sense, but after a point...”

“Sparkie’s that desperate to avoid you, huh? Figures.” Cadeneza tapped one final control, then hopped up from her chair and approached the replicator. “You want something?”

“Please. We’ve been stuck on this runabout for over a day already.” I smacked my lips. “Makes for thirsty work.”

Snorting with amusement, she looked down at the replicator and said, “Two raktijinos, double strong, double sweet.” She watched them swirl into existence, then picked up the two steaming mugs and returned to her chair, passing one over. “Here you go.”

“Thanks,” I murmured as I took a long sip, letting the hot Klingon coffee warm up my insides. The runabout was climate controlled, and as comfortable as a runabout could be, but even so, the hot beverage was nice. “So, listen, I’ve been wondering… you mind if we talk about Twilight?”

Cadeneza arched an eyebrow. “‘Bout time you finally asked about her.”

“I come back from the dead and spend two years scratching and clawing my way back home, and she acts like the spirit of chaos just ruined her life or something! I wanna know what the hell happened to her!” I blurted, more bluntly than I had intended. The rush of raktajino always sent my nerves aflutter with jitters, and this was a tough subject to talk about.

Fortunately, Cadeneza took my tone in stride. Setting her mug down, she steepled her hands and took a deep breath. “She took your death really hard. I mean, you know what happened at the bar after the memorial service.” I nodded, so she continued, “She kept to herself after that. Took Amelia, Clairica, Preta… Maia… and me everything we had just to get her out every once in a while. She changed, and… not in a good way.”

I winced, letting out a quiet sigh. “So she backslid.”

“Huh?”

Taking another drink of raktajino, I replied, “That’s how she was when she first arrived on Earth. For the first few months she kept to herself, only ever really interacting with me. In some ways she was like my shadow.”

I closed my eyes as I let the memories flow through me, seeing Twilight in my mind once again eight years old, quiet, scared, and confused by the world around her. “We formed a sisterly bond after only a few months, but it took years before she called Mom or Mother as such, and even then it was a literal slip of the tongue she did it.” I stared aimlessly into my mug for a moment. “I think for Twilight, fully accepting her place, her presence in this world, mean letting go of the life she knew in Equestria.”

“Huh. Well shit, no wonder then,” Cadeneza said. She picked up her mug and chugged half of its remaining contents down, then set it back down with a loud smack. “You were everything to her, you know? Half the time we spoke before you died, she wouldn’t shut up about you. She was so proud of everything you did on the Enterprise. At least, she was until…”

“Yeah.” I snorted, and lifted my mug to my mouth, only to freeze. The taste of sweet soured my stomach. Hopping to my hooves, I trotted over to the replicator and replaced the mug for a fresh one, this time without the sweetner. I wanted bitter, to match my mood.

“For what it’s worth, I think you did the right thing,” Cadeneza said. She flashed me a cocky grin she must’ve thought would be reassuring. “From everything I heard, if you hadn’t, everybody would’ve died. The saucer wouldn’t have had enough time to escape the blast. Took too long to get the civilians aboard.”

“So I’ve been told.”

Her grin dropped into a scowl. She finished off her own mug of raktajino, then leaned forward in her chair, propping herself up on the console by her elbows. “Hey, you know what I’ve been wondering? What was it like?”

I blinked, startled. “What was what like?”

“Dying.” She arched an eyebrow. “I’m guessing it hurt like a bitch.”

I snorted, then burst into laughter. “Uh, yeah, that’s an a-firm on that one, Lieutenant. Doesn’t even come close, actually. You don’t want to know what it’s like to have all that radiation pouring into you, let alone… well… I try not to think about it.” I took a drink, allowing the strong, bitter taste to wash out any last trace of sugar and cream from my taste buds. “It’s what came after that occupies my thoughts… and my dreams.”

“Shit, I don’t blame you,” she said. “I’ve heard you tell me about it like four or five times and I still find it hard to believe.”

“Me too.”

She let out a sigh, then a wry smile came to her face as she leaned back in her chair and propped up her feet on the console, careful to keep the heels of her boots from touching any controls. “Well forget about it then. How’ve you been doing since?”

“Honestly?” I gulped down the rest of my second mug and set it aside. “I’ve been so busy I haven’t had much time to think about it. I’m certainly glad I’m not dead, if that’s what you mean.”

“No, it isn’t.” She eyed me. “I’m talking about Sparkie. How’re you dealing with that.”

“Oh.” I cringed and looked away. “It’s… I wish she’d talk to me more. I missed her more than anyone else… I mean I love Mother and Mom, and you and the rest of my friends. But Twilight, she’s… she’s my sister. She’s the only other pony I’ve known for over half my life now. To get the cold shoulder now, when I think we need each other the most, it’s like a weight slowly crushing me from the inside out.” I laid my chin down on the console and sighed. “And now I’m her commanding officer too, and that puts an entirely different kind of wall between us… I…”

I leaped back, my ears flat against my skull as the console in front of me beeped. Cadeneza took her feet down, all professional now. “Looks like we’re approaching the Crazy Horse,” she said. “I’m dropping us out of warp.”

As the stars shrank back into pinpoints in space, an Excelsior-class starship loomed before us. “Wow,” she murmured. “Check out that 23rd century design. May be outdated now, but those rear-biased nacelles and the sweeping ventral hull have aged pretty damn well if you ask me.”

“Eh, she’s got nothing on the Phoenix,” I said. I took a deep breath to gather myself and forced all thoughts of Twilight from my mind, then tapped a control. “Runabout Euphrates to Crazy Horse.”

A high-pitched, almost child-like voice answered. “Go ahead, Euphrates.”

“We’re here to pick up Ensign Danielle for reassignment to the Phoenix,” I said. “Standing by to transport.”

“Acknowledged, Euphrates. Stand by.”

“What, she’s not ready yet?” Cadeneza murmured.

I shook my head. “I wouldn't blame her if so. Thanks to some paper pushers at HQ, she only received word of this reassignment a little over a day ago, instead of before the Crazy Horse left Earth.”

Cadeneza sighed and relaxed into her chair. “At least the Crazy Horse was close enough to Earth for us to catch up to them. Still wish they could’ve been rerouted back to Earth, save us the trip.” At the sight of my mouth opening, she held up a hand. “Yeah, Sunset, I know it’s bad enough for their mission they were forced to hold position. I heard the Captain.”

“Uh huh.” I rolled my eyes. “At least he said yes to bringing her aboard.”

“As a backup,” Cadeneza snorted. “She deserves better than that.”

“Hey, it’s better than saying no outright,” I pointed out. “I asked for her because you all recommended her to me. I still don’t know who he’s picking for the real deal. He’s been puttering away at Starfleet records for the last week trying to track down some of his old shipmates.”

“You mean he didn’t tell you?” she said, her face screwing up in dismay.

“No.” I frowned. “And he overturned my choice for security chief.”

Cadeneza’s eyes lit up. “Oh really?” she snickered. “Hah, I’ll bet that pissed off Maia, huh?”

“More me than her,” I replied. “He and Ishihara had a talk and they both decided she wasn’t ready for it yet. They’re going to pick out someone they’ve both worked with before to help train her better. Ishihara can’t train Maia herself because of their familial connection, and she’ll be too busy with tactical anyway.”

Cadeneza’s snicker turned into outright laughter. “Can you imagine working all this way and being told you weren’t ready?”

I stared back, my gaze icy cold. “Yes. Yes I can.”

She blinked, reeling back. “What–”

The console beeped. “Euphrates, Ensign Danielle is ready for transport.”

“Acknowledged, Crazy Horse,” I said, swiveling in my chair over to the transporter controls. “Beaming her aboard now.”

We both turned around to the two pad transporter in the middle of the runabout’s forward section and watched Danielle appear before us in a wave of sparkles and sound. As soon as she materialized she stepped off the pad, set down the duffel bag she was carrying, and gave Cadeneza a small smile. “Hello again. It’s good to see you.”

Cadeneza popped off a jaunty two finger salute. “Good to see you too, Clairicia. How’ve you been?”

“We’ve got her aboard, Crazy Horse,” I said, reminding her we still had a comm channel open. “Safe travels.”

“Likewise, Euphrates,” came the answering transmission. And a bare few seconds later, we watched the nacelles of the Crazy Horse glow a brilliant blue as the ship stretched into infinity before vanishing in a distant flash of light.

“To answer your question, Cadeneza,” Danielle said, “I’m better now that I’m no longer posted to that ship. Too many people treated me like I was a walking vector of a plague.”

I uttered a quick, “Brace yourself, we’re coming about,” as I guided the ship around, then sent us back into warp on course for Earth. Once done I hopped up to address Danielle. “I’m sorry to hear you had that experience, Ensign. That won’t happen on the Phoenix. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Thank you, ma’am, I appreciate that,” Danielle said. “May I ask what duties I will be performing once we get back? I understand the Phoenix still isn’t ready for launch.”

“No, that’s at least another month away,” I replied, giving Danielle a small grin. “‘Fraid you’ll be on repair duty to start, much like everyone else. Even Captain Liang’s been getting his hands dirty with it on occasion.”

Danielle nodded. “I see.”

“In the meantime,” I said as I resumed my chair, “take a seat. Not much to do till we back to--”

Beep. Beep. “Speaking of the Captain,” Cadeneza said, frowning at the console. “Looks like he’s hailing us.”

My eyebrows shot up. “What could he want?” I murmured as I answered it. Captain Liang’s face appeared on screen. “Yes sir, what can we do for you?”

Liang flashed us a brief smile. “I hope I’ve caught you just after you left the Crazy Horse, Number One.”

“Yes sir, we just left them, with Ensign Danielle in tow of course. Why?”

“Good.” Liang tucked his hands behind his back. “As it so happens, you’re in the perfect position to pick up our new conn officer. Lieutenant Rodrigo Rodriguez. He’s currently participating in a shuttle race around the moons and planets of Barnard’s Star. He should already be aware you’re coming.”

“We’ll get on that right away, sir,” I replied.

Liang nodded. “Wonderful. Welcome to the crew of the Phoenix, Danielle. Liang out.” His image vanished from the screen.

“So much for a quick trip back to Earth,” I groused as I dropped us out of warp long enough to change heading for Barnard’s Star. “I don’t even know who this guy is. He wasn’t the one I picked, that’s for sure.”

“You mean, the one who was supposed to train Preta?” Cadeneza asked.

“Yeah. Lieutenant Perim. But apparently she was poached by the Enterprise, which left us with just Re'l, and Liang decided she wasn’t ready yet either, I guess.”

“If I may,” Danielle interjected. “It sounds as if you didn’t think Preta was ready either.”

I snorted. “No, but that’s not the point. Admiral Nakamura gave me the authority to pick a lot of the crew, and now Liang’s making changes all over the place. It’s a little frustrating. I knew this would happen when I brought him aboard; he warned me. And I’m sure he’s making good choices. Just...”

I grimaced as a sudden realization struck me. “I shouldn’t even be talking about this with you. Either of you. Don’t repeat any of that to anyone; that’s an order.”

“Yes ma’am,” Cadeneza smirked.

We reached Barnard’s Star a few hours later, dropping to impulse in orbit of the first planet. I responded to the usual flurry of comm traffic as I guided us towards a civilian owned space station. “According to the dockmaster he should be returning soon. The race is almost over.”

“What kind of race is it, anyway?” Cadeneza wondered.

Danielle, who’d taken a seat at the third console, having long since stuffed her duffle bag on one of the bunks in the aft section, answered, “A single lap course that takes the shuttles through a series of difficult maneuvers. They’re only allowed short bursts of impulse and have to manage the rest on thrusters and gravity assists.”

“Wow. Relying on gravity assists, huh?” I commented. “That’s not easy at the best of times. Pretty pointless too when you have impulse and warp drive.”

“Shows a lot of skill, though,” Cadeneza pointed out.

“Well, he must be pretty skilled then,” I said as I called up a silent video of a shuttle passing through a demarcated finish line. “Because he just won.”

It took another fifteen minutes before Rodriguez’s shuttle docked with the station, at which point I hailed him immediately. “Lieutenant Rodriguez, this is Commander Sunset Shimmer, aboard the runabout Euphrates. Please respond.”

“Oh, hello!” replied a cheerful, happy-go-lucky voice, with a hint of a Spanish accent. “Forgive me, Commander, I was not expecting you so soon.”

“Not a problem,” I said flatly. “Are you ready for transport?”

“Yes ma’am, though I am not in uniform. I hope that is not a problem.”

“Shouldn’t be,” I replied, nodding to Danielle, who set about using the transporter controls. “We’re beaming you aboard.”

Soon after, he materialized on the pad, and I did a double take when I saw him. Despite the voice sounding like it came out of a scrawny young man, he was a towering giant, almost as tall as Ishihara. He bore a thick beard and mustache on his cheeks and a ragged shock of blonde hair. Instead of a uniform he wore a form-fitting pilot’s jumpsuit that outlined every last bit of muscle, and hoo boy did he have a lot of muscle! He also wore tape around his knuckles, which showed signs of wear and tear, as if he were an amatuer boxer.

He stepped forward, a huge smile on his face. “Thank you, ma’am, for bringing me aboard,” he said. “It is very good to be meeting you. I must admit, when Captain Liang told me he was coming back to Starfleet, I was so excited, I knew I had to work with him again.”

I stood up from the console and approached him, offering a hoof to shake. Despite his size, his cheerful demeanor was infectious, and I smiled warmly. “Well it’s good to meet you too, Lieutenant.” I gestured over to the controls. “Please, take the helm.”

“Aye,” he said as he stepped forward and fit his massive bulk into the chair. “Oh, this is one of the newer runabouts! Danube-class, am I correct? I have not had a chance to pilot one of these yet.”

“It is, yes,” I said, taking the last remaining seat. “Hopefully not too new for you, mister Rodriguez.”

“Not at all, ma’am.”

Nodding, I said, “Then take us out of orbit.”

“My pleasure, ma’am,” he said. He took barely a few seconds to study the controls before his hands danced along them with a grace that belied his gargantuan size. The ship smoothly shifted out of orbit. “To Earth, ma’am?”

“Yes please, and step on it,” I grinned.

He beamed back. “One question. The Danubes, they are fitted with the advanced thruster package, yes?”

Cadeneza and I exchanged a look. “Yeah,” she said. “Why?”

“Just checking.”

The next thing I knew we were upside down as Rodriguez somehow flipped the shuttle end over end and rotated it at the same time. Before I could even ask what he was doing we leveled off and shot into warp without so much as a shudder from the dampening system.

“There we go!” he said as he spun around in his chair. “Should be there in a few days. I’ll see if I can’t coax a bit more speed out of her though.”

I nodded in approval. “Good work. Why don’t you go get cleaned up, put on a uniform.”

“I would be very happy to, ma’am,” he said as he left his chair. He emerged from the aft living area around ten minutes later with a fresh uniform and nary a hair out of place.

“So,” I said, “Since we have some time… why don’t we get to know each other a bit. You’ve worked with Captain Liang before, you said.”

Rodriguez nodded. “Oh yes. Many years ago, when I was new to Starfleet. I was his conn officer aboard the Fletcher. Ambassador-class, very beautiful ship. Or, it was, at least.” He frowned, his sad expression so pathetic it almost made me want to hug him just to tell him everything would be okay. “The Captain was severely injured, but he survived. Barely. We were some of the lucky ones that day.”

Then he smiled again. “But before that, I served with him for four years. He was the best captain I ever had. I returned to duty after recovering from my injures, but I found I just didn’t enjoy serving under anyone else. So I took up flying cargo transports and convoys. Not very interesting, but, well, it’s kept me busy. Gives me time to have some fun on the side, like with my races.”

“Was there anyone else aboard whom you think the Captain might want to work with again?” I asked.

“Hmm…” Rodriguez curled up one beefy hand and laid his chin atop it, thinking. “I know that Williams might be. Drake Williams. He was our chief operations officer, third in command. Haliian. Telepathic, very empathetic. He served on many ships since the Fletcher, but I think he’s retired now. He’s living on Earth. But if the Captain came back, he might too.”

“That’s likely who I’m a backup for, then,” Danielle nodded. She turned to her console and started searching through the library archives, presumably for William’s file. “Anyone else?” she added casually.

“Well, not very many others are still in,” Rodriguez answered. “Though I do know there was a security officer. First Antican in Starfleet, big deal at the time. Was going to take over as chief before the Fletcher was destroyed. I believe his name was… Zhidar? Something like that.”

I frowned, my brow creasing. “Zhidar… Zhidar… I’ve heard that name before, but where?”

“I believe he is on Earth too,” Rodriguez said. “But like I said, I am so excited to work with Captain Liang again. When he resigned… I thought it was such a waste. It wasn’t his fault, that battle. He led us perfectly.”

“What exactly happened?” I asked. “I’ve read up on it, but I want to hear it from your perspective.”

Rodriguez considered that for a moment, his face going neutral. “We were leading a small fleet of ten ships into a nebula, to chase after a Cardassian supply convoy and their escort. The nebula was well within Federation territory at the time, no reason to suspect anything was there. No scans detected anything unusual.”

He swallowed before continuing. “But we were led right into an ambush! Three Galor-class warships surrounded us in an instant and pummeled us. We destroyed two and disabled the last, but it was a Pyrrhic victory. The Fletcher and the Cortez were the only ships left, and the Fletcher was too badly damaged to make it home under her own power. We were in the middle of evacuating non-essential personnel to the Cortez when half the EPS grid blew out, short circuiting the magnetic interlocks on the warp core. Only the bridge crew and a handful of others made it to the escape pods in time.”

I bowed my head in understanding. “No wonder he resigned. He probably blamed himself for their deaths.”

“I believe so, but that is not for me to say,” Rodriguez said. Then he grinned. “Perhaps a happier subject should be broached. I knew you were not humanoid, but you are even more interesting than I expected! May I ask where you are from?”

I considered that for a moment, then said, “Well, it all started with a mirror…”

I repeatedly tapped the corner of my PADD on the turbolift’s handrail as it swept me up to the bridge from Main Engineering. Launch day was exactly two weeks away, and you didn’t need to be an empath to feel the nervous energy all throughout the ship. Everyone seemed to be running on as much grit as they were caffeine. But as the turbolift doors opened and I stepped out onto the newly revitalized bridge, I couldn’t help but smile.

For the first time since I’d set hoof aboard her, the Phoenix felt alive.

My eyes took in the sights greedily, taking in every last difference. The long row of consoles that lined the outer ring of the bridge had all been replaced, and now sat on an elevated platform lined by fencing, which allowed for each station to be fitted with proper chairs and a handrail. Ops and Conn had been moved slightly further apart and angled towards the viewscreen, while the Tactical station had its rich, dark wood railing replaced with a dark cobalt blue metal, giving it a sleek but intense look. The shift in both design and color, from rich woods and warm neutrals to deep blue and gold atop polished metal, reflected the larger shift in all of Starfleet lately. Beauty with purpose. Elegance with determination.

My eyes shifted to the command chairs in the center of the bridge, and specifically to the chair to the Captain’s right, one suited to an Equestrian form. Seeing that aboard the bridge of a starship, seeing the chair made for me, it almost brought tears to my eyes. Only my sense of professionalism and a deep desire not to embarrass myself in front of my fellow officers kept my emotions in check.

But I smiled and sniffled all the same.

“Number One? What’s the delay?” came a page over my combadge.

My cheeks bloomed with heat as I rushed over to the ready room. When I arrived, I took a moment to examine the decor. He’d certainly spruced up the place. A bookshelf replaced the fish tank, cluttered with a variety of print books and a few bottles of liquor interspersed within. A couple of the paintings from his pub hung from the walls, and there was a large bust of an eastern dragon taking up room on his desk. The pinkish couch had been replaced with a more comfortable-looking grey and blue affair. A small pedestal just next to it held up a decently-sized model of an Ambassador-class cruiser.

I strode up to his desk. “Reporting as requested, sir. Apologies for the delay.”

“Oh nevermind that,” he answered, standing up from his chair, his cane tucked under his arm. “I’ve tracked down the two remaining members of the senior staff we need. They’re both on Earth, so I thought you might like to go collect them together.”

“I’d be happy to, sir,” I said. “Shall I get a shuttle prepared for launch then?”

“Oh, no no. They’re both in major cities. We’ll just beam down.” He gestured to the ready room door. “Let’s go.”

A short turbolift ride later led us to transporter room two, crewed by an actual transporter chief for once instead of Hill subbing in. “We’re going to get our security officer first,” Liang said. “Chief, if you would, beam us down to San Francisco, the Presidio.”

“Aye, sir,” muttered the young human man at the console.

We stepped aboard the pad. “Energize,” I ordered.

Once we’d reformed on the Presidio, Liang strutted off confidently in the direction of Starfleet Security. Not for the first time, I was hit by the sense of the familiar as I walked with him along the pathways, remembering my first time here, back when I didn’t know what a phaser was, or a human, or anything. “Trotting down memory lane, are you, Shimmer?” Liang said, giving me an amused look.

“A bit, sir,” I admitted. “But I always do around here.”

“Well, I don’t blame you,” Liang replied. “It’s apt, in fact. The man we’re looking for is Lieutenant Commander Zhidar, an Antican. I believe you two are acquainted.”

I looked up at him, confused. “We are?”

He chuckled. “You’ll see.”

As we walked, I found the memories flashing into my mind with greater urgency, until I stopped at a particular spot. “Here,” I breathed.

“Hmm?”

I shook my head to clear my thoughts, then pointed with my hoof. “Right here sir. This is where I first arrived. It’s where everything started, for me, and later my sister too.”

Liang arched an eyebrow, then scanned the area. “I suppose,” he allowed after a moment. “Though it doesn’t look any different from any other part of the park to me. You’re certain?”

“Absolutely, sir,” I said, nodding. “I… feel it. Right in here.” I tapped my chest.

He chuckled, this time in understanding, and patted my shoulder. “Of course.” Then he blinked and smiled, pointing with his cane. “Oh, and here comes our goal now.”

I looked...and froze. A distant memory flashed into existence, an embarrassment I’d long since tried to bury. “Oh no,” I moaned. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Commander Zhidar was just as tall as I remembered, just as burly, his canine jaws masked by an immaculately groomed white beard that stretched down to just above his belt buckle. Though he seemed happy to see Liang, the instant he spotted me, all traces of happiness vanished. A deep scowl overtook his features as he bared his teeth, growling. “You. I remember you. Come to light my beard on fire again?”

“Ahahaha!” I laughed, my face florid hot with embarrassment. “Ah, no, no. Listen, things back then happened so fast, I never got a chance to apologize for all of that. I never meant to–”

He broke out laughing, a rumbling roar like a goat gargling gravel. “Oh, it’s about time I heard those words from your lips, pony. Of course, I should’ve known it would take an officer like Liang to finally force them out of you.”

“What?” I breathed. “No, no!” Wide-eyed and confused, I looked up to Liang for help, but he just stood there balancing on his cane, smirking. “That’s not it at all. Like I said, I never had the chance.”

“Really. Hmph.” Zhidar glared at me for a moment longer, then his expression eased. “Consider your apology accepted, late as it is.” Then he looked up to Liang. “I take it you’re here about the position you offered me.”

“I am indeed, Zhidar,” Liang said, clapping the Antican on the shoulder. “I hope I won’t have to mince words convincing you. You’ve spent far too long guarding Boothby’s flower beds. Surely you’re ready to get back out there.”

“Of course I am!” Zhidar shouted back, his jaws twisting into a toothy smile. “You don’t have to say it twice. I’d be happy to accept. I’m tired of this planet, especially after that idiot Admiral attempted his coup. Mislead my entire security team. Unforgivable.”

“Ah, yes, the planetary outage last year,” Liang replied. “Well good. I’m glad we don’t have to waste time. Now, did you read the particulars? You’ll have an assistant. I expect you to train her, and train her hard.”

“Oh yes. I’m familiar with Ensign Maia,” Zhidar said with a light chuckle. “She served with me briefly as a cadet. Her, I’d be happy to train.”

“Excellent. In that case, why don’t we all move along to our second destination, shall we?” He turned and began walking in the direction of the campus transporter facilities. “We’re headed to Miami, Florida, Coconut Grove neighborhood.”

As my world shifted around me again, a blast of heat hit me full in the face, along with humidity far beyond San Francisco or even Vancouver norms. “I hope we’re not going to be here very long,” I said as I followed Liang and Zhidar down a bustling sidewalk. I had only been here a few minutes and I could already feel my mane and coat getting damp and frizzy. “This heat is miserable.”

“Oh, trust me, Number One, I loathe this climate as much as you do,” Liang grunted. “But Williams loves the place. Reminds him of his home planet. So we must make do.”

“So it is Drake Williams we’re chasing down, then,” Zhidar said, giving our surroundings an appraising look.

“It is. And Zhidar, please, put that thing away,” Liang said, glaring at the phaser rifle still held in Zhidar’s hand. “You’re scaring the locals.”

It was true; anyone who spotted the weapon swiftly crossed the street or found somewhere else to be in a hurry. Zhidar glared around, grunted, then slung the rifle around his back by its strap. “There. Sir.”

Liang’s mouth quirked up. “I see you haven’t lost your wonderful sense of propriety.” He glanced around the area, then pointed down a nearby street. “There. William’s humble abode.”

At a glance, the neighborhood seemed pretty similar to the one I spent my youth at in Vancouver. Smaller buildings, larger yards, but otherwise the same set of two or three story houses, and cheerful people going about their day. Liang directed us to one that did stand out, thanks to the two huge palm trees in front and the outlandish choice of exterior paint. Cyan, turquoise, and various other shades of blue to green created a gradient effect that hurt my eyes to look at.

“Did he really have to litter the lawn with plastic pink flamingos too?” I muttered.

Liang wasted no time striding right up to the door and tapping the door chime with his cane. After a moment, the door swished open, revealing a tall man with dark brown skin whom I almost mistook as human, until I saw the crevice between his brow and the indentations above his eyebrows, which betrayed his true species: Haliian. I watched his eyes scan each of us in turn, paying particular attention to me for a moment, then he sighed. “Either you all are lost or this is the worst door to door sales attempt I’ve ever seen. You know I’m retired, James.”

“So was I, Drake. Didn’t stop me, did it?” Liang said, pointing the top of his cane at his combadge.

Williams rolled his eyes. “Am I supposed to be impressed by that? I knew you’d go back sooner or later. But I retired for a reason. I like it here. It’s nice.”

“Pah,” Zhidar snorted. “You’ve gone soft.”

Giving Zhidar a concerted scowl, Williams replied, “I’m sorry, which one of us got so scared by the loss of the Fletcher that he stuck his tail between his legs and spent almost thirty years guarding Starfleet Headquarters? It wasn’t me.”

Zhidar stomped one step forward and reached out to grab Williams by the front of his shirt. “What did you just say?” he hissed.

“You heard me,” Williams said, not bending an inch. “You spent thirty years as a glorified mall cop, but as soon as James shows up you’re right back at his side, like the lapdog you… are…”

My glowing horn held back Zhidar’s fist bare millimeters from Williams’ nose. “Stand down, Zhidar,” I ordered.

Zhidar turned to glare over his shoulder at me. “You and that horn. Cheating as always.”

“Zhidar,” Liang said, his tone turning serious. “That’s an order.”

“...aye, sir,” Zhidar said, releasing Williams and dropping his arm. As soon as he did, I released my hold on his hand.

Williams took a step back from the door and crossed his arms. “Well, James, looks like you’ve added an interesting new pet to your menagerie. What is this, a horse? And one that apparently knows telekinesis?”

I took a few steps forward, pushing my way past Zhidar, and flashed Williams a stern look. “Yes, I’m a pony, yes it’s telekinesis,” I said, pointing up at my horn. “I’m a sapient being, and also your commanding officer. You will refer to me as Commander.”

“Mmm, doesn’t preclude one from being a pet, but I hear you,” Williams replied, giving me a disinterested nod. “At least you’re not as quick to anger as Zhidar. I do like him, but he’s too easy to provoke.”

Zhidar eyed Williams, then barked a laugh. “I suppose so. You always did have a way of getting under my skin.”

“Yes, well…” Williams tapped the side of his head. “That’s what being an empath will get you.”

“So, tell me, Drake,” Liang interjected, “did you read the communique I sent you, or did you delete it like the other four?”

Williams sighed. “I read it, and I did what I’m sure you did when Starfleet contacted you–tossed it aside.”

“I knew you’d read it eventually,” Liang beamed. “Drake, we’ve been friends a long time. You know I wouldn’t ask this of you if I didn’t truly believe it was the right thing to do.”

“I know that, James,” Williams said quietly. “That’s not the point though. I’m tired. I don’t know where you’re getting your energy from, but I’m pushing eighty. That might still be middle aged for humans, but for Haliians? Let’s just say that I didn’t move to Earth’s unofficial retirement center just for the weather.”

Liang gave Williams a solemn nod. “Of course. I suppose I can understand that. Well, we shan’t bother you any longer, then. Come along, Shimmer, Zhidar. We should leave him in peace.”

We didn’t get more than two steps before Williams shot out his hand to reach for us. “Wait!” he called.

“Oh?” Liang said, pivoting cleanly on his heel.

“Why?”

Liang frowned. “Why what?”

“Why did you join up again?” Williams clarified. He pointed at Liang. “You told me flat out that after the Fletcher you’d never sign up again. So what changed?”

“Hmm… well, you see, this young mare here made some excellent points when she spoke to me,” answered Liang. “Much as I craved peace, the Cardassians–and for that matter, the Dominion–are threatening it all over again. I couldn’t stand idly by and watch them destroy everything I hold dear.”

“Oh come on,” Williams scoffed. “It can’t be that simple.”

“...would it help if I said it was for my daughter’s sake?” Liang prodded.

Williams shook his head. “Nuh-uh. I don’t buy it, James. You know Su can handle herself. And dealing with war, that’s for the young, not us old fogies. So why?”

Liang pursed his lips until they curled into a soft sneer. His hands tightened on his cane so hard I feared it would snap in two. Then he sighed, relaxed, and pointed to me. “It’s because of her.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Me, sir?”

“Yes, you, damn it,” Liang snapped. “You and your sister both.” He turned back to Williams. “She and her sister, they were taken from their homeworld. They don’t even know where it is, if it’s even in the same galaxy, or even the same universe given their abilities. Yet they joined Starfleet anyway because for them we represent the best shot they’ll ever have at finding their way back home. Remind you of anyone?”

Williams stared at Liang for a long time, silent. “...I’ll do it.” Williams stepped forward till he was fully in the sunlight, letting me see some of the wrinkles on his face. “I don’t know for how long I’ll be able to keep it up, but… I’ll do it. I’ll join up.”

Liang closed the distance between him and Williams, and to my surprise, he gave Williams a strong hug. “I’m glad to hear it, old friend. It wouldn’t have been the same without you.”

Releasing him, Liang took a step back. “So, we’ll see you aboard in, say, seventy-two hours? Will that be enough time?”

Williams nodded. “Should be. I’ll be ready by then.”

“Splendid!” Liang cheered. “Well, in that case, allow us to give you some breathing room.” Then he snapped his fingers. “Oh, almost forgot. You’ll need this.” He reached into his pocket and tossed something at Williams.

Catching it, Williams eyed it for a split second before chuckling. He then placed the combadge on his chest. “You knew I’d say yes, didn’t you?”

“I hoped. Nothing more.” Liang gave Williams one final nod, then tapped his own badge. “Liang to Phoenix. Three to beam up.”

As we materialized aboard the ship, I asked Liang to hold back a moment. “Sir, what was that about?”

“Hmm?” He glanced down at me. “Oh. I apologize for snapping at you. That was uncalled for.”

“No sir, that doesn’t bother me,” I answered. “But… what did you mean? Who did I remind–”

Liang held up his cane, cutting me off. “I’m sorry, Number One, but that’s something I promised to stay mum on. You shouldn’t have even heard as much as you did. I’d ask that you not bring this topic up again.”

He turned and left the transporter room without another word. I watched him go, confusion already bubbling inside me. “Aye sir.” He didn’t say it, but the cold, distant look in his eyes just then told me loud and clear.

That was very much an order.

Finally, the day arrived. I took one final walkthrough of Main Engineering, poking around every hatch, every panel, looking for anything out of place. I stepped up to the railing right beside the warp core and raised a wing, trailing the tip along the edge of the rail as I stepped around the core. Wattson smirked and said, “Shall I get you a white glove, ma’am?”

I grinned in turn. “Only if we’re breaking out the formal wear in the mess hall tonight. I take it everything is good to go?”

Wattson let out a quiet sigh and smiled. “Yes, ma’am. Computer cores are fully synced, sensors are fully calibrated, warp core power conversion levels are at 97.1 percent. We’re ready.”

“97.1 percent, huh? Better not let LaForge hear that or he’ll start overhauling the Enterprise’s engines tomorrow. Anyway, I’d better get to the bridge, then. Come with me. You can watch over things from the engineering station up there.”

“Sure thing,” she said. She took a moment to search the place, then shouted, “Hey! Hill! You’re in charge till I get back.” Then she faced me. “Okay, let’s go.”

We walked together towards the turbolift and stepped aboard. “Bridge,” I ordered.

The turbolift got all of about five decks up before it opened up again. Cadeneza and Twilight stepped inside. “Oh, hey Sunset,” Cadeneza said. “Heading to the bridge?”

“Yup,” I answered. “Resume.”

“Hello… ma’am,” Twilight murmured, looking right at me.

I opened my mouth to say something friendly, something more sisterly, but then closed it. “Ensign.”

The turbolift halted again. This time, only one boarded, Doctor May. “Oh, I hope you aren’t mindin’ if I joined you on the bridge,” she said as she shuffled into the now crowded lift.

“Nope. More the merrier,” I laughed.

We almost made it to the bridge, but the turbolift opened up one more time, revealing Re'l and Danielle. “Is there enough room for us?” Re'l inquired, giving us a playful look.

“There is, if I ride on Sunny’s back,” Cadeneza quipped. For some reason this comment caused Twilight to blush like crazy.

“Oh ha ha, very funny.” I said as I squeezed against the wall, giving them enough space. “Neither of you are even on duty right now. You’re both Bravo shift.”

“Oh I know, but I wouldn’t miss the launch for the world!” Re'l cheered.

Danielle gave a polite shrug. “Me either.”

Finally, we reached the bridge, spilling out onto it like water from a punctured water tower. I saw Liang look up from his seat, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Well, it seems we have a few more on the bridge than normal,” he said.

I took a moment to give the bridge a once over, spying Ishihara standing at tactical, with Zhidar over at the security console on the portside. Maia sat next to him, stone faced as ever. Williams and Rodriguez occupied Ops and Conn respectively. And, to my surprise, even Belle and Inanna were seated together at two of the rear stations, holding a quiet conversation. “Guess everyone’s here, huh?” I said.

“So it seems,” Liang answered with his trademark smirk.

The others with me quickly filled every other available seat around the upper section of the bridge. I took my seat to the Captain’s right, while Doctor May took the seat opposite me.

“Number One,” Liang said, sitting up straighter in his chair. “I believe I would like to get underway. Readiness report, if you please.”

I looked down at the small console positioned by me, turning it to adjust. “All decks report ready, Captain.”

“Impulse and warp power at your command, Captain,” Wattson added from her station.

“Shields and weapons standing by, sir,” Ishihara said.

“I doubt we’ll need them in spacedock, Commander, but very good all the same.” Liang brought out his cane and held it up. “Signal McKinley Station. Tell them we’re ready to get under way.”

“Aye, sir,” Ishihara said, tapping on her console. After a moment, she stated, “They’re unlocking the umbilicals. We’re free.”

“Good. Well, everyone, this will be a simple shakedown cruise. Just a short journey to Proxima Centauri and back, nothing fancy,” Liang said. “Nevertheless… Number One?”

I nodded. “Helm, ahead, one quarter thrusters.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Rodriguez echoed. On the viewscreen, we watched as the spindly docking clamps of the station pulled away, allowing us to move ever so slowly out. “We’ve cleared the station.”

“Take us to one-half impulse till we’ve left orbit,” I ordered.

After a few moments, Rodriguez called out, “We’ve cleared orbit.”

“Very well,” Liang said. He swung his cane about. “Helm, set course for Proxima Centauri, full impulse. Warp six as soon as we clear Earth’s gravity well.”

“Course laid in, sir.”

I looked up over at Twilight, hoping to catch her attention. I didn’t, but I did see her smiling, her expression looking hopeful. Given how rarely she’d smiled recently, it was… nice.

Liang pointed his cane right at the viewscreen. “Engage.”

The ship thrummed as the warp drive activated, surrounding us in a warp field and accelerating us far beyond lightspeed. The stars stretched past on the viewscreen, just like they should.

“Status report, Wattson,” Liang said.

“Everything looks good sir, well within acceptable parameters,” Wattson answered.

Liang smiled. “Well, in that case, since this is the shakedown, why don’t we put her through her paces, hmm?”

Wattson frowned. “We can, sir, but I recommend gradually ramping up power. This is a shakedown, not a shake-apart, so to speak.”

“Fair point, Lieutenant. Helm, let’s step up the speed, one warp factor at a time.”

“Aye sir,” Rodriguez responded.

There was no discernable difference on the bridge, but I could tell from the subtle change in the shaking of the deck plating. Just enough to know the warp core was thrumming away at full power.

“Everything’s still green, sir,” Wattson said.

“Wonderful,” Liang replied, sitting back in his chair. “Well, I believe we can all sit back and–”

There was an insistent beeping at Ishihara’s console. “Sir, Starfleet’s sent out a Priority One message, to all ships,” she said, her voice hard and firm.

“Don’t keep us in suspense, Commander,” Liang said.

Everyone on the bridge looked Ishihara’s way. To her credit, she didn’t waver at all as she said, “It’s official. The Federation and the Dominion are at war.”

The tension on the bridge quintupled in an instant. My blood froze in my veins. I knew this would happen, but it still scared me deeply. “Did they send any change to our orders?” I asked.

“Not yet.”

Not yet. That was the key. The news left me feeling grim, despite the successful launch. With the Federation at war, Twilight and I wouldn’t be able to find Equus anytime soon. I knew it was still unlikely, even with the Phoenix, but still.

Liang stood up from his chair. “Yellow alert. I want a report on our combat readiness as soon as possible. Shakedown or not, I want us ready to fight.” He glanced around. “I’m afraid if you don’t have a good reason to be here, I need to order you back to your posts. Number One, I’ll be in my ready room. You have the bridge.”

“Aye, sir,” I acknowledged as he swiftly made his way there.

To my surprise, Twilight trotted down to me. “Sunset,” she whispered. “What do we do now?”

For just that one moment I saw the Twilight I remembered: my sister. “We do what we all trained for in this situation. And we watch each other’s backs.”

“Will that be enough?”

I gave her the only answer I could.

“I hope so.”

END OF SEASON ONE

NEXT SEASON ON STAR TREK: PHOENIX…

“Oh you have got to be kidding me,” I sighed. “Computer, delete guards.”

The guards remained firmly in place, their glares darker than ever. One pointed his wingblades squarely at my face. “You need to come with us. We have questions for you.”

A frisson of fear ran down my spine. “Computer!” I called out. “Delete. Guards.”

“I don’t know what you’re saying,” spoke the black coated one, now also pointing his blades at me. “But don’t move. We will use force if necessary.”

“Computer…” I growled. “Computer! Respond!” Nothing. “Oh come on! We’re in spacedock for crying out loud. This is not the time for holographic safeties to--”

“Cadeneza to Phoenix!” Cadeneza screamed as she popped out of cover long enough to fire two shots. “We’ve got two fatalities and Jem’Hadar all around us! We need immediate evac!”

“Negative, Cadeneza,”replied Ishihara. “Four Dominion fighters are on our tail. We’ve got our hands full up here.”

“Say what you will about our guest,” Rodriguez said with a grin as he nursed a margarita. “But she makes the finest margaritas I’ve ever had.”

“Of course I do.” She scowled at the two of us. “Not like I have anything else to do on this ship.”

“What the hell could do that to a group of Jem’Hadar?” Hill gulped. His panicked breathing echoed through the comms in my ears, grating on my nerves.

“Easy, easy, Hill, calm down. That’s an order.” I tugged on his arm to pull him away from the stain. “Come on. We need to find a control panel, something to turn the power on with.”

“O-okay,” Hill said shakily, nodding several times before he followed my lead.

The instant I stepped inside, Preta rose from a chair at our shared dining table to gape at me. “Twilight? What happened to you?”

“Dunno, but she’s drunk,” Maia snorted. “Get her to bed, would you?”

“Err, yeah, okay,” Preta responded. As Maia left, she knelt down to look me in the eye. “You okay, Twilight? How’d you even get drunk? I thought Ten Forward didn’t carry any real alcohol.”

“They didn’t,” I replied.

Author's Note

Hi everyone! It's your favorite color, Blue, with today's chapter's lengthy author's notes!

First off, I just wanna say thank you all for reading this little story, and I hope you all have enjoyed the first season. We got plenty of things planned (and some unplanned) over the next few seasons that I hope you all enjoy even more than this one. There were some lessons we've learned here, and I'm hoping we can continue to grow to make each season far better than the last. But first, I feel like there are a few things to mention (from least important to most).

To start with, I'd like to apologize for any mistakes made that I couldn't fix ahead of time. With as long as each chapter is, some mistakes are bound to fall through the cracks... especially since I'm trying to edit off my phone. Laptop issues aside, it has been quite busy for everyone involved and, for me personally, it's gonna get far more hectic. I get to move twice in the next three months, try and find a job, while also shipping out and either getting cut a hefty check for a new computer, or getting this one replaced. So, in all likelihood, I'll be without a laptop for some time... BUT, before all that, I get to finish school this week... multiple finals, a massive paper to finish, along with a short story that has been a struggle... but that is neither here-nor-there, and just me venting.

Anyway, that being said, we'd like to showcase the upcoming schedule for this story's release!

June 7th - Ep¹⁰ <=== You are here.
June 14th - Season 2 Ep¹¹ (Premier)
June 21st - Season 2 Ep¹²
June 25th - Season 2 Mini¹
June 30th - Season 2 Mini²
July 5th - Season 2 Ep¹³
July 9th - Season 2 Mini³
July 14th - Season 2 Mini⁴
July 19th - Season 2 Ep¹⁴
July 23rd - Season 2 Mini⁵
July 28th - Season 2 Mini⁶
August 2nd - Season 2 Ep¹⁵
...

Now, all uploads will be between noon and 4pm PST on their respective days, and if there is a delay, we will let you know... Though, I certainly hope there won't be.

You may be curious as to what a mini-episode is? They're fun, and I think you'll enjoy them. Each mini episode will give everyone a different perspective and cover events that don't really fit within a main episode.

Lastly, and most importantly, I gotta talk about the science... I hate to say it, but... none of us are perfect with the science, so we will be taking creative liberties. Especially when some of the stuff isn't even understood in real life... but, like, why would you expect perfect realism in a series with magical space-ship flying unicorns? We will do our best, but mistakes in those areas will definitely be made.

Anyway, that's all from me, sorry for wording your ear out after a super long chapter! I hope you enjoyed the new cast, I worked ... a long time making them.

Thanks Blue. You know my heart goes out to you.

As mentioned before, the Captain is an OC. There's a few reasons for this, namely that at one point in production, Sunset was going to outright become Captain and this guy would be her first officer instead. However I realized that didn't make much sense and so I swapped things around.

Additionally I didn't really want to use canon characters for the crew. I'd rather make the characters my own, and while there are a few blank slates out there that people guessed, I felt it better to stick to OCs. There's a few canon characters that may crop up as minor crew members--and we're talking people, like, say, Sam Lavelle or Taurik--but the command crew is 100% original.

And thanks, of course, must go to Blue Horizon for the fantastic development put into these characters. Blue either named or personalitied just about every character, except for Zhidar.

Meanwhile, extra credit to Moff as usual for sprucing up some otherwise dull scenes.

As for those previews... well, you know what they say. Never trust a trailer. :scootangel:

Season 2 Episode 1: "It All Begins In Pain"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02E01

“It All Begins In Pain”

Sunlight streamed down through the gaps in the forest canopy, the dew dripping off the leaves gleaming in the light. A warm breeze wafted through the air, carrying with it the scent of mixed conifers and deciduous trees. The ground was split up by several small ridges. The one before us descended into a small creek about a meter across, babbling cheerily as the water poured over rocks.

But we were far too busy to appreciate it. I carried a phaser rifle and tricorder in my magic, scanning the surroundings for Jem’Hadar. Nearby, Preta and Maia, both carting rifles, watched our flanks. Maia kept a smooth movement, her rifle raised, sights activated, while Preta jerked around every few seconds or so.

Meanwhile Cadeneza, up ahead of us, was running continuous tricorder scans with one hand while gripping her hand phaser in her other. “Nothing yet, ma’am,” she said quietly.

“Keep an eye out,” ordered Sunset, who carried a rifle of her own as she led us. Her horn stayed lit up, ready for a shield if necessary. “They don’t appear on tricorders when they shroud.”

“Are we sure they have a base on this planet?” Preta spoke up in a normal tone.

We all whirled and shushed her at once. “Keep it quiet, Ensign!” Sunset hissed. “The intel was crystal clear. There’s a base here, and if we take it out we can cripple them in this entire sector for months at least.”

“Got it,” Preta replied in a whisper.

We continued to press forward as a group. I shivered as my hooves trod through the cold water of the creek. I tried to focus on my tricorder, which showed no sign of anything save us and the local wildlife. So I switched to scanning for energy signatures or metals. “I’m not picking up any sign of the base,” I said.

Once we finished crossing the creek, we started up a slanted hill, with trees lining the crest up above. Sunset kept her rifle forward as she ascended. But we still saw nothing. “It’s probably stealthed in some way,” she said as she reached the top and passed by a pair of trees. “We’ll have to get close before we can–hrrgh!”

We all froze in place, staring in utter horror as blood streamed down Sunset’s front from a large knife wound in her throat. She gurgled something at us, her pupils narrowed to pinpricks as she stumbled, then crumpled like a puppet with its strings cut, rolling down the hill to come to a stop in the creek. She didn’t move.

“Sunset!” I ran for her at once, shaking, my blood like ice in my veins as I checked for her lifesigns. “She’s… she’s dead,” I breathed.

But I had no time to grieve. Disruptor blasts seared through the air, flash-boiling water on both sides of me. “Take cover!” Cadeneza shrieked as several Jem’Hadar appeared from their shrouds at once, firing down the hill at us.

I galloped for a large boulder nearby, diving behind it as several more shots went wide. Maia dropped prone behind a nearby tree and unleashed a withering amount of phaser fire, covering for Preta and Cadeneza who were still running down the hill.

Cadeneza managed to reach cover in time, but Preta let out a high-pitched feline screech as she took two separate shots into her back. She fell face forward, her rifle unleashing a stray bit of fire as she collapsed on the dirt, smoke rising from her burn wounds. She let out one last mewl of pain, and fell silent.

“Cadeneza to Phoenix!” Cadeneza screamed as she popped out of cover long enough to fire two shots. “We’ve got two fatalities and Jem’Hadar all around us! We need immediate evac!”

“Negative, Cadeneza,” replied Ishihara. “Four Dominion fighters are on our tail. We’ve got our hands full up here.”

“Damn it!” Cadeneza scowled, then glanced over at me. “Sparkle! I need you to bring up a shield so we can flank them!”

“R-right!” I answered, my voice shaking. My heart pounded at warp speed as the disruptor fire continued unceasingly, making every action feel like it would be my last. Nevertheless after a few false starts I managed to form the spell matrix in my mind for the shield. A glimmering energy field formed in front of Cadeneza.

She flashed me a quick grin then glanced over at Maia. “Maia! Keep up the cover fire! We’re going to try and circle around to the south!”

“Got it!” Maia rose up to one knee to take better aim and slapped in a fresh power pack for her phaser. “You’re good, ma’am! Go!”

“Right! Sparkle, let’s move!” Cadeneza leapt out of cover, with me trailing behind. As soon as we showed ourselves disruptor blasts pummeled my shield. As each one washed over it, cracks formed, like glass. But the shield held as we scurried along the hill, showered by hot dirt sent flying from missed shots.

Maia’s returning fire lanced out and burned a hole in the chest of one Jem’Hadar, who screamed as he fell down, rolling in our direction. She continued to fire several more well aimed shots, killing a Jem’Hadar with every squeeze of the trigger.

Finally, as my shield was subsumed by cracks and threatened to shatter, we reached the top of the hill and flanked them. We wasted no time in taking fresh cover and firing into their sides, picking off several.

Then one screamed, “Retreat!” and they all shrouded, fading away like ghosts.

Silence reigned. Not even the animals made a sound, mostly likely too scared by the sounds of battle. “Shit,” Cadeneza breathed, doubling over as she huffed and puffed for air. “Come on, let’s… let’s regroup.”

We ran back down the hill in a hurry, rejoining Maia. As I ran my eyes fell upon the bodies of Sunset and Preta. At that moment, I wanted to cry, but I clamped down on the urge. I wrapped my heart in stone and refused to waver. I couldn’t. Not now. Not while we were still in serious danger.

“What do we do now, ma’am?” Maia asked as she kept a stern lookout. “We’re down two people.”

Cadeneza frowned as she leaned up against a tree. “How many Jem’Hadar did we take down? I counted six.”

“Nine,” I corrected gently, holding up my phaser rifle. The end glowed a cherry red, still warm from use.

“I counted six left as they retreated,” Maia added. She gazed back up at the hill. “Could be that’s all they have left.”

Cadeneza scowled at that, then tapped her badge. “Cadeneza to Phoenix. We’re clear for now, but I don’t think we have enough personnel to take the base. Please advise.”

“...can’t...too much damage...we’re going to…” Then her badge let out a loud whine and the transmission fell silent.

I gazed up at the sky and my jaw fell open. “Look!” I cried, pointing at the burst of light, visible even during the day.

“...well.” Cadeneza sighed and slapped a hand against the tree. “There went our ship. Guess we’re on shoreleave now.”

“Ma’am,” Maia said coolly. “I think we should try to take the base. If we can get control over it, we can send out a distress signal. Starfleet might be able to rescue us.”

Cadeneza sighed, stared at the ground for a moment, then nodded. “Right… right. You’re right, Ensign, that's what we’ll do.”

“But, what about Sunset?” I spoke up. “A-and Preta? We can’t just leave–”

“I don’t want to either, but we have no choice, Sparkle,” Cadeneza interrupted, her tone ice-cold. “We don’t have time to bury them.”

“Besides,” Maia interjected, “if we manage to contact the Federation, the rescue team can find the bodies with their combadges.”

“Exactly,” Cadeneza said. She gestured up the hill. “Come on. If the direction they retreated in is any indication, the base is to the west.”

Swallowing, I nodded, and tightened my grip on my phaser rifle. “Yes ma’am,” I whispered. As I followed them up the hill, I gave one last glance at the bodies, and bid them a silent farewell.

A large grassy meadow came into view as we crested the hill. It was wide open as far as I could see, save for a few scattered trees. The wind whistled as it swished through the grass, the sun shining high in the sky. It was idyllic. In the back of my mind, my pony instincts neighed in delight at the sight, giving me a sudden urge to roll in the grass. I ignored it.

We walked a few moments before my tricorder started beeping. “I’m picking up something,” I said, pointing it forward. “There’s definitely something large and metallic up ahead, about a hundred meters that way.”

“I still don’t see it,” Cadeneza said as she peered forward. “Is it cloaked?”

“Might be hidden by a holographic field,” I said. I tapped a few controls on my tricorder. “I’ll see if I can’t disrupt it with the right resonance frequency.”

“I don’t like this,” Maia announced as I worked. “We’ve got no cover here. They attack us again, we’re dead.”

Cadeneza threw up a dismissive hand. “Take it easy, Ensign. We’ve got Sparkle. She can shield us.”

Maia snorted, and knelt down to take up a firing position, her phaser readied and aimed in the direction of the hidden building.

I pushed a few more buttons and waited for the tricorder beeps to indicate it was ready. “There. I’m initiating it now.” I held up the tricorder and pushed the execute button. It warbled a bit, then before our eyes, a large building materialized from nowhere, standing a good ten meters tall, with several large transmitter towers poking out from the roof. “There!”

“Good job, Sparkle,” Cadeneza said as she hefted her phaser. “Let’s go. Maia, you take point. I’ll watch the rear. Sparkle, be ready with a shield.”

We crossed the distance to the building in a hurry. With no Jem’Hadar in sight, my nerves went haywire. If they weren’t out here, they were inside, waiting to ambush us. “Maia’s right. We’re walking right into a trap,” I said as we approached the closest door.

“I know,” Cadeneza replied. “That’s why you’ve got a shield ready. They won’t take us by surprise again.”

Maia paused at the door, which refused to slide open. “Sparkle,” she said after examining a nearby console. “Need your help.”

“Right.” I bounded forward and aimed my tricorder at the panel, setting up a wireless connection. “Let’s see, here, here… there!” The door slid open.

Maia pushed past me, her rifle ready. I followed shortly thereafter. The harsh interior lighting humming away in the ceiling hurt my eyes as I stepped inside. Everything was metallic and non-descript in shades of purple and grey. There was only one path forward, so we took it.

Eventually after a couple dozen or so meters we entered a new room, this one easily the size of the Phoenix bridge, with an upper balcony running along the wall on all four sides, and a large bank of consoles down below.

“This doesn’t feel right,” Maia said as we approached the consoles. “Where are they?”

Cadeneza stared up at the balcony, then switched settings on her phaser and swept its beam all the way around. “Not up there,” she murmured after a moment.

As she fumbled in her pocket for a spare power pack, I heard that same horrible sound of shrouds switching off and my blood ran ice cold all over again. “Get down!” I screamed, grabbing both Maia and Cadeneza and pushing them into the floor.

Just in time too, as a dozen or so disruptor bolts sizzled overhead, peppering the area where we just stood. I threw up a shield as we dove behind one of the consoles. I heard doors slide open behind us and to our left, and Jem’Hadar began pouring into the room. Far more than just the six that retreated; I counted at least a dozen sets of boots clanking against the deck, or more, each wielding rifles that had to have been set to maximum, since the console we were hiding behind turned into molten slag after just one shot.

I reinforced my shield at once, pouring power into it even as it cracked under repeated fire. “Retreat!” I said. “Let’s go back the way we came!”

Maia brought her phaser rifle up to return fire, the orange beam searing out to strike down a Jem’Hadar soldier, scoring a nasty hole in his chest as he collapsed. “Go!” she cried.

We all backed up quickly until we slipped into the corridor. My shield barely held, all but shattered now as we fled, Cadeneza and Maia firing back every now and again to stave off pursuit.

As we closed on the exit, my shield broke entirely. Disruptor blasts began pelting the walls around us, melting holes in the metal. “I can’t keep it up!” I shouted as I stepped outside.

“We’re almost there! Move, move!” Cadeneza thundered. She fired back a few more times, then popped outside herself. Once Maia joined us, she turned her phaser on the door controls, sealing it. “God damn…”

“Thank you,” I breathed, trying to catch my breath. “I wasn’t sure I–”

“Twilight!”

Cadeneza charged forward and slammed into me, sending me flying. I tried to yell, but my voice was drowned out by twin disruptor blasts.

And a bloodcurdling scream.

Maia whirled around instantly and took out both Jem’Hadar, leaving things silent again. She said something, but I didn’t hear it. I was too busy kneeling down to check our fallen friend. “Cadeneza, “ I whispered as I looked at her broken, barely breathing face. “Why?”

She grinned. “Couldn’t… couldn’t let Sunset’s sister die… not on my… watch.” Then she slumped, the light fading from her eyes.

Before I could even whisper a goodbye, Maia grabbed me by my mane and lifted me up. “Come on. If we go around this way we might still have a chance,” she said, gesturing to one side of the building.

I nodded, and hurried to follow as Maia raced ahead. When we came around the side we found a small paved over yard filled with containers. Unfortunately we didn’t get far before more Jem’Hadar appeared, forcing us to take cover. “Now what?!” I cried.

“Just keep firing!” Maia said as she poked up to fire two shots, both reaching their mark with matching twin cries of pain. “There can’t be that many of them left.”

I started to answer, then my eyes caught sight of what was listed on the container Maia took cover at. My eyes bugged out as I screamed, “Maia, get away from that–”

A stray disruptor bolt seared past and ruptured the container. I leapt away, raising up a fresh shield to protect myself from the explosive blast. The deafening sound overwhelmed me, so painful I screamed just to keep breathing. When the blast faded, I looked up to see what happened to Maia.

There was little left save for a few pieces of smoking meat.

Sheer terror rose up inside me, threatening to eat me alive as I ran for fresh cover and tried to hide away from the Jem’Hadar closing in. My ears were ringing so badly I couldn’t hope to discern which direction the shots were coming from now, so I warped what shield I had left into a full bubble. They continued to fire mercilessly into my shield, threatening to break it once again.

So I threw my hooves up and tossed my phaser rifle away. “I surrender!” I cried at what I hoped was the top of my lungs. “I surrender! Please!”

They ceased fire long enough to close in all around me as I dropped my shield. One particularly ugly one sneered at me as he stepped over, his mouth moving, saying words I couldn’t hear. I pointed at my ear and shook my head, hoping he’d get the message.

He got the message alright. So well that he walked right up to me, grinned, then pressed the end of his disruptor against my forehead. I had just enough time to cry, “No!” before he pulled the trigger.

My world went white. And then a crystal clear voice called out, “Computer! End program!”

Everything faded around me, replaced by the black and gold grid lines of the holodeck. Cadeneza, Preta, and Maia all got up, grumbling or grunting in frustration. “And people say the Kobayashi Maru isn’t fair. Jeez...” Cadeneza snorted.

“Hey, at least you lived longer than five minutes into the simulation,” Preta murred, her nose wrinkling. “I can’t believe I died so quickly.”

“It’s because you weren’t paying attention,” said Sunset, stepping forward to stand before us, her mane a tangled mess. Thankfully the stain of blood and the throat wound had faded with the rest of the holograms. Sunset wasn’t on my good list, but that didn’t mean I wanted to see… that even one second longer than I had to. “None of you were. You could’ve saved my life if you had been.”

Glaring at Sunset, I shot back, “So you mean you weren’t supposed to die right there?”

“Oh, I was,” Sunset said. She looked back at the holodeck exit. “You can come in now.”

The doors wheezed open, allowing Commanders Ishihara and Zhidar to enter, each giving us matching disappointed looks. Ishihara focused her gaze on Cadeneza. “I’ve got to congratulate you, Lieutenant. You managed to step into every single trap in the program.”

“Maia warned you about one of them, even!” Zhidar added, his voice rumbling as he glowered at us. “But you became overconfident. You can’t always rely on Sparkle’s magic.”

“Or mine for that matter,” Sunset thirded, gesturing to her horn with a wing. “Like you saw, if I’m taken by surprise, I could die without being able to cast so much as a spark. Twilight and I are powerful, but we’re not invincible.”

Cadeneza shrugged. “Hey, I threw myself in the line of fire for Sparkie. I saved her life. That’s gotta count for somethin’, right?”

All three Commanders glared daggers at her. “No,” they said in unison.

Sunset stepped in between us and the Commanders. “Heroism’s easy when the safety protocols are on. Look, the point is, you could’ve saved her without getting yourself killed.”

Cadeneza chuckled, but she nodded. “Yeah, okay Sun–err, ma’am. You caught me. I couldn't really take it seriously.”

“But you’re supposed to,” Zhidar said, wagging a thick sausage-like finger at her. “We must all be prepared for combat with the Jem’Hadar.”

“As for the rest of you,” Ishihara said, eyes scanning over each of us in turn. “Re’l, you of all people should’ve sensed the initial ambush. You’ve got a keener sense of smell than the rest of us. Why didn’t you use it?”

“I, I did ma’am,” Preta replied quietly. “But Commander Sunset was talking, so I didn’t want to… interrupt her.”

Ishihara nodded in understanding. “Of course. You did just graduate from the Academy a couple months ago. But while they may have you siring and ma’aming and whatever else, when you’re in a combat situation, you need to use your head.” A slight grin crossed her face. “Tell me, Re’l, you recall your military history class? If they’re still teaching it the way they should, they should’ve mentioned the Japanese fleet in Earth’s World War II.”

Preta blinked. “Um, yes ma’am, I think I remember. What about it?”

Ishihara’s smile grew. “Simple. While there were many factors behind the demise of the Japanese fleet, one of the most important ones is that no one ever spoke up about issues. Higher ranking officials were never challenged or questioned, observations in the moment never made due to extreme deference to protocol. In other words, exactly the same thing you did. If you’d spoken up you could’ve easily kept that knife out of the Commander’s throat. And if you had done that, chances are Ensign Sparkle wouldn’t have ended up with a disruptor against her forehead.”

Preta nodded and bowed her head. “Yes ma’am. I’ll… try to remember that, ma’am.”

“Good.” Ishihara glanced over at Maia and sighed. “You want to explain why you didn’t read that container label?”

Maia stared right back, unyielding. “I was focused on protecting Sparkle. I made a mistake.”

Ishihara snorted a single laugh. “Yeah. You did. I know you’re better than that, Maia. Don’t make that mistake again.”

“And as for you,” Sunset said as her eyes turned to me. “You–”

“Yeah, I know, I know,” I scowled, rolling my eyes. “I shouldn’t have surrendered.”

“Actually, that was exactly the right move,” Sunset continued, giving me a strained smile. “Unlike the Klingons, the Jem’Hadar do take prisoners. You did well in this exercise, Ensign. You kept your wits about you, used your abilities wisely, and…” she paused for a second and swallowed hard, “didn’t let your emotions distract you when the mission was compromised.”

“It’s true. They only blew your head off here because we programmed them to do it, hahahaha!” Zhidar guffawed.

Sunset shot a glare Zhidar’s way. “Regardless, it was a solid combat exercise, even if you did poorly overall. You’ll do better next week.” She waved a wing to the door. “That will be all. Dismissed.”

I let everyone else file out of the holodeck ahead of me before I wandered forward. “Twilight, wait,” Sunset called out.

Sighing, I pivoted on my hooves. “Yes? Ma’am?” I answered, deliberately stressing the honorific so she’d get the hint.

Of course, she didn’t. She eyed me curiously for a moment, then said, “Twilight, I meant what I said, you know. You did–”

“Didn’t let my emotions distract me, huh? You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” I cut her off. “You knew the ambush was there. You walked right into it.”

“...of course I did,” Sunset replied, her expression turning stern. “Who do you think wrote most of the simulation.”

My lips pulled back into a sneer. “So why didn’t you warn me then? You think I like watching you die, even when I know it isn’t real? I don’t! It’s awful!”

“Why would I warn anybody about that, Twilight? I’ve been testing every single squad the same way–”

“Bullshit.” I couldn’t help but grin internally when I saw the look of shock on her face. Every time I used profanity, without fail. Like she couldn’t believe I had the words in me. “You still could’ve warned me. I’m not just another member of the crew here, you know. I wouldn’t have said anything!”

She took a deep breath, and I saw her eyelids flutter a moment as she practiced a meditation technique. Then she continued, “You weren’t supposed to know. Testing your reaction to a surprise loss was part of the whole point to–”

“Oh shut up,” I cut her off, my muzzle twisted with rage, bearing every last one of my teeth. “You’re full of it. You knew that would hurt me, and you wanted to hurt me, didn’t you? Because I still haven’t forgiven you yet for disappearing on us.” I felt a small mote of satisfaction when I saw her grit her teeth, her eyes twitching with rage. “But I really should’ve expected that from the way you’ve been acting ever since you came back. You let that promotion go to your–”

“That is enough, Ensign!” Sunset roared, her voice magically enhanced. Her wings flared out to their furthest extent as she bore down on me. “Like it or not, I am still your superior officer and you will not talk back to me that way.”

The sheer authority in her voice cowed me, despite my own temper flaring. I found myself standing at attention without wanting to. “Y-yes, ma’am.”

“You might be my sister, but I’ll be speaking with your department head about this,” Sunset continued, still scowling. “When we’re on duty I am your superior officer. Period. Is that understood, Ensign?”

I nodded, trying not to shake from fright. “Understood.”

Her eyes flashed as she raised a hoof and pointed it at the door. “Dismissed,” she hissed.

As soon as Twilight fled the holodeck, her tail between her legs, I let out a scream of frustration. “Damn it, Twilight, what the hell is the matter with you?” I growled, slamming my hoof into the metal floor. “You haven’t acted this bad since I first came back.”

“Since I first came back,” I repeated in a whisper.I sighed and slapped a forehoof to my face. “Ugh. Guess I should’ve expected some kind of reaction out of her though.” I knew why I didn’t warn her, but should I have?

“Then again, would it have mattered?” I grumbled, kicking my hoof against the floor a few more times. “Seems like everything I do, or don’t do, hurts Twilight somehow.”

“Liang to Shimmer. Number One, please report to my ready room immediately.”

“Oh what now?” I murmured. Then I tapped my combadge. “On my way, sir.”

I made my way swiftly through the corridors, nodding to the various crew members I walked by. As I did so I tried my hardest to remember their faces and names. I’d need to, for crew evaluations. I felt rather proud when I managed to name most of them, only struggling on one particular human woman. Blalock? Jannsen? Something like that.

Arriving on the bridge, I nodded briefly to Williams in the center chair before I entered the ready room. I found Liang glaring at his terminal, listening to someone speaking. He looked up just enough to wave me forward, then turned his attention back to the screen, “While I am sure your logic is impeccable, Admiral, I must disagree. When Starfleet asked me to come back because they needed my experience, I assumed they were referring to my wartime experience.”

I sat down just in time to catch sight of an Admiral I didn’t recognize, a much older human man, balding with white hair. “And I’m sorry, James, but we just can’t justify putting the Phoenix on the front lines. Your crew is too young, too inexperienced. And you have the only two Equestrians in Starfleet, whom the Dominion are keen to get their hands on. If the Phoenix were lost in combat–”

“But we won’t be, Owen,” Liang insisted. “For goodness sake, you and I went to the Academy together. You know I’m an expert tactician.”

“Yes, I do. But that was thirty years ago, James. Space combat tactics aren’t what they used to be. Hell, nothing is what it used to be. But we all had to change, and you’ll have to do the same. You have your orders, James. Paris out.” The Admiral’s image disappeared from the screen.

“Damn him!” Liang snapped, sneering at his terminal. “I’m not an invalid, and neither is this ship.”

“For what it’s worth, sir,” I said, “I think you’re right. We should be on the front lines.” My lips rippled to show my teeth as I added, “Those Dominion jerks are going to pay for every millimeter of space they take.”

“Yes, well,” Liang replied with a sigh as he snatched up his cane, staring at the top piece, “If wishes were pips on our collars…” He sighed again and sat up straighter in his chair. “If Paris wants us to prove ourselves then that’s exactly what we’ll do, and that starts with escorting back-line supply convoys from Earth to Starbase 375.” He glanced over at me and frowned. “Nevermind my own concerns. Is something troubling you, Sunset?”

Captain Liang had taken to using my first name on occasion over the past couple of weeks, a sign of familiarity I appreciated, even if I was too afraid to repay it in kind just yet. “Just the squad training, sir,” I answered. “It was my sister’s turn.”

He nodded in immediate understanding. “Of course. I can’t imagine your sister was too happy to see you take a fall.”

“...no. No she wasn’t,” I admitted, bowing my head in shame. “She acted out of line. Even told me to shut up, if you can believe it.”

Liang considered that for a moment, then gestured to an empty chair. I took the invitation to sit. “And I take it you responded by putting your hoof down.”

“Of course I did, sir,” I said, my face screwing up in disbelief. “We were both on duty. No one should mouth off to their superiors like that, especially an ensign. Besides, if word got out that I let something like that slide, the favoritism charges would spread like wildfire.”

“Indeed not, but tell me.” Liang leaned forward, his lips spreading in that knowing smile of his “Was anyone else present at the time? Or were the two of you alone?”

I stared back for a moment till my face heated up like I’d stuck it in a furnace. “I… asked her to stay back, yes.”

Liang’s smile grew. He tapped on his desk once with his staff. “So, my dear, don’t you think she might’ve seen it as two sisters talking rather than an ensign speaking to the ship’s first officer?”

I groaned and planted my face on his desk. “I messed up, didn’t I?” I murmured.

“In one or two ways, yes,” Liang answered with a chuckle. “Given what she’s been through psychologically, I do believe you should have warned her ahead of time, even if it compromised part of the training. These squad exercises I’ve ordered are for more than just testing reactions to specific circumstances. I want my whole crew capable of fighting the Jem’Hadar face to face, hand to hand even if necessary.”

“You’re right, sir,” I said, picking myself up off his desk and straightening my mane. “I should have.”

“As for dressing her down, I wouldn’t worry too much,” Liang continued. “However, I would try to avoid it in the future, especially if the two of you are alone. As you intimated, the last thing we need is Ensign Sparkle, or anyone else, thinking they can get away with insubordination. Dismissed, Number One.”

I nodded and got out of my chair. Once I was halfway to the door, Liang called out, “That said, if you’d like some personal advice…”

“Yes, sir?” I said, turning around.

Liang hopped out of his chair, came over to me, and clapped me on the shoulder. “I would consider finding a subtle way to apologize to her for not warning her.”

“Thank you sir, that’s a good suggestion,” I said, still flushing with embarrassment.

He eyed me for a moment, then smiled. “Oh don’t worry so much, Number One. We all make the occasional error in the line of duty. Part of being sapient. Comes with the territory.” He sat back in his chair and turned back to his terminal. “That’ll be all.”

I nodded in acknowledgement and left the ready room. I paused briefly on the bridge to check my duty roster, then decided on my next task. Entering the nearby turbolift I called out, “Deck 12, Main Sickbay.”

A few minutes later I swept through the doors of Sickbay. Like many facilities aboard the ship, Sickbay’s resemblance of its original state when it was part of the Enterprise was almost entirely superficial. The multiple walls and doors that had subdivided Sickbay were gone, along with the warm, neutral colors used for the decor. Now the entire space was opened up, and thanks to wartime necessary, greatly expanded to span at least three more sections. Now Sickbay seemed almost like a small hospital, with dozens of additional biobeds, scanners, and surgical equipment ready to receive the inevitable casualties of war.

I made my way to the CMO’s office, fortuitously finding Doctor May there. But there was also another figure present, one I recognized. “Doctor Selar?” I said.

Selar gave me a cool look, her eyes darting to the pips on my collar, then focusing squarely on me. “Yes, Commander,” she said. “I was assigned to the Phoenix per Doctor May’s request.”

“It’s true,” May said, giving me a smile. “I’ve worked with her before. She might not take much of a joke, but she’s a good doctor. I’ll be needin’ good staff if I’m to succeed here.” She faced Selar. “Thank you for the report, Selar.”

“Of course, Doctor,” she said, then gave me a nod. “Commander.” She courteously stepped around me as she left the office.

“I take it you know Selar, Sunset,” May said, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

“Yes. She was the first doctor to examine me when I arrived on Earth.” I frowned, my expression turning dark as I remembered the experience. “Didn’t exactly have a good bedside manner.”

May chortled, only laughing harder when I shot her a glare. “Oh don’t be givin’ me that look now, Sunset. You can’t be dislikin’ Selar just ‘cause of the way she acted back then. She’s a good doctor. She deserves to be here.”

“Wasn’t gonna question it,” I replied. I cleared my throat. “I came by to ask how you and your staff are settling in.”

May looked down at her terminal, tapped a few keys, then took a PADD from her desk and handed it over. “It’s all right here, Sunset. Really, everything's been goin’ well. No equipment issues so far, and the staff’s already working together like clockwork. We’re ready for triage at any time.”

“Thanks,” I said, taking the PADD. Then I gave her an apologetic smile. “Listen, Sarah, I never apologized for the way I recruited you. I shouldn’t have–”

“Oh no. Don’t be apologizin’ now,” May cut me off with a stern look. “I won’t lie, I wasn’t very happy at first, but I wouldn’t have accepted the post if I didn’t think it was what I really wanted.”

I sighed in relief. “Glad to hear it. I didn’t want you to feel guilted into it. That’s not why I offered it to you.”

May shook her head and smiled. “I know that. You’re a good person, Sunset Shimmer. You make some mistakes, but you’re never intendin’ to hurt people.”

“...tell that to my sister.” I tucked the PADD she gave me into my pocket. “Excuse me, I need to go check on another department.”

She turned her attention back to her terminal. “Right. Just don’t be forgettin’ I have you for a physical next week. I don’t want you bein’ late to that now.”

“I won’t be,” I said as I swiftly made my way out, trying my best to ignore her chuckling. Once outside I tapped my combadge. “Computer, current location of Belle Hendricks.”

“Belle Hendricks is in her quarters.”

After a swift turbolift ride to Deck 7, I trotted up to her door and tapped the door chime. “Come in!” she called.

I stepped inside, feeling a sense of familiarity. I’d made sure Belle had the same quality of quarters that Counselor Troi had aboard the saucer once upon a time, and the layout was so similar to my own it confused me for a moment. Then I saw the various decorations scattered about, all taken from her office as well as a few I didn’t recognize that likely came from her home, and the confusion dissipated.

Belle sat on a sofa, and she was not alone. An Arabian woman dressed in flowing robes sat next to her, cradling a cup of tea. “Oh, Sunset!” Belle said, smiling warmly. “Good timing. I wanted to introduce you to my colleague, Inanna Eresh. She’s been an invaluable asset ever since I hired her on. Inanna, this is Sunset Shimmer, Twilight’s older sister.”

Inanna gave me a small smile and offered a hand, which I shook. “It is a pleasure to meet you,” she said, her voice lightly accented, with an ephemeral sound like wind chimes on a cool spring morning.

“Likewise,” I replied, taking a seat in the nearby armchair. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to meet with you sooner. It’s been a busy couple of months.”

Inanna shook her head, her dark hair flowing behind her in a way that reminded me of Celestia’s mane. “It is no trouble. I’m glad to finally have a chance to speak with the sister of Twilight Sparkle. She has spoken a great deal about you, albeit in the past tense.”

I tried not to wince visibly. “Yeah. Been getting that a lot lately.”

“Speaking of which, Sunset,” Belle spoke up, her eyes twinkling, “I did want to speak with you about scheduling some regular counseling. I know I saw you a couple of times while you were on medical leave and I cleared you for duty, but it’s my medical opinion you could use some additional therapy.”

An exasperated frown pulled at my muzzle. “...that’s not really why I came by, Belle.”

“I know,” Belle replied with an innocent smile. “But I thought we should discuss it while you’re here.”

“From what I understand of your psychological history,” Innana spoke up, “I must concur with Belle. It often takes patients many years to fully recover from traumas much lighter than the ones you and your sister have suffered. I suspect you both have much healing left to do.”

I waved my forehooves in a dismissive fashion. “I’ll try to fit it into my schedule somewhere, okay? Send me a communique. I really came here to see how you were settling in.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Belle said. She bent over and reached for her own tea cup, and took a sip. “To answer your question, everything is satisfactory per Starfleet regulations. I have several other therapists working for me. They’re young and inexperienced. But they’re good people too. I’ll send you my official report later.”

“Good.” I adjusted my seating, then looked at Belle. “What about you personally? And you for that matter, Inanna?”

“Personally? I’m fine. Better than fine, actually,” Belle replied with a light chuckle. She turned to look over her shoulder out the window, where we could see the stars streaming by at warp speed, along with the barest edge of one of the convoys we were escorting. “Still intimidates me a little, looking outside to see stars rather than ground and sky, but it’s been exciting, exhilarating even, finally getting to ride a starship.”

“Indeed, it is always a pleasure to travel aboard one,” Innana seconded. “Especially one as comfortable as this ship.”

“Although,” Belle continued as she set down her tea cup, “I do have to make a protest. I don’t like the idea of being required to train with a phaser. I told you before, Sunset, I’m not a Starfleet officer.”

“Normally you wouldn’t have had to do that, but in war time, all persons on a crew, even civiliants, must go through basic firearm and first aid training.” I glared down at the type-two hand phaser sat nestled in its holster on my right side. “I don’t like carrying this thing around constantly either. But the last thing I’d want is for a Jem’Hadar soldier to burst in here and kill you because you couldn’t defend yourself.”

Belle snorted, twitching her eyebrows. “I’m well aware of the logic behind it. But I don’t like it.” She glanced over at the pair of phasers sitting on her desk across the room. “I don’t like having weapons around, especially in my line of work. Makes me and the patients uncomfortable.”

“I know the feeling.” Sighing, I stood up from my chair. “Thank you for meeting with me. I’ll expect your report later.”

Belle snickered. “Yes ma’am,” she said, flashing me a toothy grin.

“You don’t have to say that you know,” I called back as I left her quarters. Like May her chuckles followed me out the door. “Jeez, everyone’s laughing at me today.”

“Cadeneza to Shimmer.”

I tapped my combadge. “Go ahead.”

“Ma’am, can you please come see me in the xenobiology lab right away?” Despite the respectful words, they were encased in a slick coating of snark, and a bit of irritation.

Hoo boy. “On my way.” I hurried over to the nearest turbolift and directed it to deck six.

A short ride later and I was marching down the hallway to the xenobiology labs. Despite the drastic change in the Phoenix’s primary mission, xenobiology had kept almost all of its original space allotment from the Enterprise. The only larger labs on the ship were the physics lab and Stellar Cartography. I found Cadeneza squatting over a lab station, messing with some sort of experiment of hers. Several other scientists crowded the lab as well, working on various projects.

“Oh, good, you’re here,” she murmured, jerking her head over to one door, which led into a small office. “C’mon.”

Bemused, I followed her into the office. The instant the doors closed, I said, “Look, if this is about the squad exercise–”

“You’re damned right it’s about the squad exercise!” Cadeneza hissed. She bent over to glare at me in the face. “Twilight came to me about what happened. Reprimanding a friend is bad enough, but it’s even worse when I know she’s right!” She jabbed a finger into my chest. “I can handle watching you die on the holodeck, but she can’t! Where the hell did you get off not warning her beforehand?”

I calmly pushed away her finger with my magic. I wasn’t going to let my temper get the better of me again. “It was a mistake,” I said simply. “I admit that.”

“Don’t you dare–oh.” Cadeneza blinked and stood up straight, bemused. “I… was half expecting you to yell at me too.”

I eyed her. “I should. You technically struck a superior officer just now. But I won’t, because you’re right. And I know that. I’m going to apologize to her, somehow.”

Cadeneza snorted, and casually leaned over on her desk. “Uh huh. You’d better. But a simple ‘I’m sorry’ isn’t going to cut it, just so you know. You’ll just piss her off more.”

I resisted the urge to snap at her. “What’re you suggesting, then?”

Cadeneza rapped her fingertips on the desk a few times. “Take her out for a drink.”

“W-Wait, what?” I nearly choked on my words. “I doubt a party is going to solve this, Cadeneza.”

She shrugged. “Doesn’t have to be a party. But if you wanna get her to talk at all, well…”

I did not like where this train of thought was heading. “I-is Twi–”

“An alcoholic? No, since that’s what you were going to ask,” She snipped. “Trust me, I would know if she was.”

I decided not to ask how she’d be able to tell. “Still, you mean to tell me the only way I can talk to my own sister now is to get her liquored up first?”

Cadeneza walked around the desk and sat on the corner. “We all thought you were dead. Had to find some way to comfort her, to help her through the pain. Ain’t my fault she found me and the others less helpful than Jack, Johnnie, and Jim.”

A small mote of fear twisted my stomach into knots. “Please tell me you’re talking about booze, not some group of guys she hooked up with.”

Cadeneza burst out laughing, doubling over as she wheezed. “Oh my god, Sunset!” she stammered, slamming her knee over and over with her fist.

I shot her the flattest look I could manage. “I’m guessing that’s a yes,” I said, my words dripping with sarcasm.

“Yes, I’m talking about booze, good grief,” Cadeneza replied, still snickering. “Twilight’s way too much of a prude to do anything like that.”

“Erm, I’m not sure how you know that,” I replied, my stomach twisting harder, “And I’m not sure I want to know.”

Now it was her turn to flash me a flat look. “I haven’t slept with your sister. She’s not the one I’d–” Her eyes widened as her hand shot up to cover her mouth.

“What–”

“Okay that’s enough of that ma’am I’m sure glad we had this conversation I’ve got lots of experiments to run!” she babbled as she pushed me out of the office and back into the main lab. “I hope you have a great day I’ll be sure to send you my report bye now!”

Before I knew it I found myself standing outside in the corridor, utterly nonplussed. “What the hell was that about?”

I squatted in my chair in the corner in Ten-Forward, glumly nursing my drink and wishing the bartender had bothered to stock real alcohol. Synthehol just wasn’t the same.

“Listen, Sparkie,” said Wattson, who sat across from me, a plate of stir fry half eaten in front of her. “I think you’re overblowing it. Sunset’s not that unreasonable.”

“She sure seemed like it,” I snorted as I swallowed another mouthful of useless, pointless liquid. Dropping my glass to the table, I glared out at the stars as they swept on by.

Wattson rolled her eyes at me and dove back into her stir fry. When she came up for air, she said, “Seriously? You told a superior officer to shut up. What did you think was going to happen?”

I shot her an icy glare, then sighed. “Bull. She wouldn’t stop making excuses. She’s let her power go to her head.”

Wattson set her fork down on her plate with a quiet clatter, then steepled her hands and looked at me. “Twilight. You’re my friend. A good friend. You know that, right?”

“Yeah…?” I said, not sure where she was going with this.

She smiled, but it failed to reach her eyes. “Then believe me when I say you’re acting like a complete moron. Your sister is not letting power go to her head. I think we all agree that she made a mistake not warning you, but you acted way out of line jumping down her throat over it. We’re all Starfleet here, Twilight. We need to act like it.”

That foul black hatred rose up in my breast again, threatening to spill out my mouth with harsh retorts and harsher insults. But as I glared back at Wattson, who’d never been anything but a good friend to me, the hatred evaporated, leaving behind a core of hurt. “I… Amelia…”

She sighed, then scooted her chair around the table so she could give me a one-armed hug. “Hey, hey. It’s okay. I get it. Well...” She drummed her fingers on my shoulder. “I sort of get it. For me and the others, losing Sunset was like losing a piece of our unofficial family, so to speak. It’s been three months and it’s still kind of unbelievable to see her here.”

“You’re telling me,” I murmured. I reached out for my beverage with my magic and slung it back, grimacing at its fake taste. “She keeps trying to act like nothing’s changed. Like the past two years didn’t happen. Like she can just walk into my life again and I’d take her back.”

“And again I’ll ask why would you not take her back, Twilight?” Wattson shifted her hand to knead at my neck instead, just the way I liked it. “We’ve talked about this. You know she did what she thought she had to do.”

“Please don’t start that.” I leaned forward, letting her shift her hand down further into my neck muscles, right where they met the shoulders. “I don’t need to hear it right now.”

“Okay.” Wattson shrugged, and kept up her massage for a few moments. Then she suddenly pulled away. “Oh, hey, look who’s just come in.”

I looked up at the doors on the far side of the lounge and spotted Sunset, carrying a large bottle cradled under one wing. “Oh no. Hide me.”

Wattson snickered and moved away from the table. “I think I’ll give the two of you some alone time.”

My jaw fell open as I reached out a hoof to her, desperately wishing she’d come back. But it was too late. Sunset spotted me immediately and rushed over, meandering her way through the crowd. “Hey, Twilight,” she said with a wave of her free wing. “Mind if I join you?”

“Why?” I said, sneering. “Did you think of more ways my apparently inept team could have saved your life in there?”

To my irritation she didn’t even miss a beat as she set down the bottle, along with two snifter glasses I hadn’t noticed she was carrying. “No. I thought I’d buy you a drink. Got this off of a Saurian crewman for about ten strips of latinum. Aged Saurian brandy, real good stuff.”

My eyes locked onto the bottle, my mouth watering at the thought of the taste of liquor, real liquor, dancing on my tongue. Even if it was Sunset presenting it, I… I couldn’t resist. “Okay,” I said, gesturing to the chair. “Have a seat.”

Sunset sat at the table and promptly uncorked the bottle, pouring us each a hefty glass. She floated one over to me. “Here you go.”

I took the glass in my magic and lifted it to my muzzle, letting the odors waft into my nostrils. “Oh that smells good,” I breathed.

“He told me it was aged for over twenty years,” Sunset replied, lifting her own glass up to her muzzle. “Said it was worth even more than I paid, but he gave me a discount in exchange for a few magical parlor tricks.”

“Uh huh.” I paid her no heed as I tipped the glass back, letting some of the brandy wash its way across my tongue. “Ooooh,” I gasped in delight as the smooth, elegant and rich flavor bedazzled my senses. I swallowed and let the warmth wind its way down into my stomach, effortlessly gliding like an expert ballroom dancer. “Wow.”

“Yeah, it’s not bad,” Sunset commented as she drank some, slamming it back.

“Hey!” I grabbed her glass in my magic before she could drain it all. “This is brandy, not whiskey. You have to savor it.”

“Oh yeah?” Sunset stole back her glass from me, then carefully sipped the last of the brandy, swishing it in her mouth before swallowing. “Huh. You’re right. it is better that way. You know your booze, sis.”

I drank the last of my first glass, then reached for the bottle to pour a second. “I’ve had a lot of practice.”

Sunset jerked, her mouth falling open. Her lips strained to form a smile. “Ahehe, yeah, I uh, I’ll bet you have… yeah.”

“Plenty.” Pointedly slamming the bottle down on the table before I passed it over to her, I picked up my glass to sip. The second glass tasted even smoother than the first, like the first glass had laid out a red carpet for the second to strut along. “I had a lot of sorrows to drown.”

Shriveling up like a dried prune, Sunset sank into her chair. “And this morning didn’t help.”

My magic grip tightened on my snifter glass, cracking it. Drops of brandy began to drip out onto the carpet. “You think?”

Sunset sighed, sipping at her glass. “Twilight, for what it’s worth, I–”

“Oh no. Don’t you dare,” I interrupted in loud, harsh whisper. I swallowed the last dredges of brandy from my broken glass then set it aside, opting to drink straight from the bottle. The third glass worth pirouetted through my mind, sweeping aside my inhibitions and what little patience I still had for any of this. “You don’t get to walk up to me and apologize now. You think this is enough?” I held up the bottle in my magic and gestured to her with it. “It’s not. But I heard what you said earlier, ma’am. I’ll obey. I’ll follow your orders. But if you think you can just–”

Sunset’s snifter glass cracked in several places. “You were right!” she hissed. “Damn it, Twilight, you were right, okay? I should’ve warned you!”

Somewhere in the back of my mind I became aware of murmurs and whispers targeted our way, but I paid them no heed. “Oh that’s rich, Sunset. Let me guess. Everyone else yelled at you, so here you are with your tail between your legs, hoping to make up for your stupid mistake. It doesn’t work that way anymore, Sunset. I’m not that forgiving anymore.”

Her face twisted up, her muzzle contorting into a sneer. “Ensign…” she began.

A snort of laughter escaped me as I took another drink of brandy. Spots formed behind my eyes, and Sunset split in two for a few seconds before snapping back. “You don’t get to pull rank on me here,” I chortled. “We’re both off duty and you brought the brandy to my table. Right now? We’re just two sisters having a disagreement.” I set the bottle down and slid it over to her. “Here. Have some more. Might give you some courage to stop hiding behind that uniform.”

Sunset shot up out of her chair, her wings unfurled. She raised one rear leg, preparing to buck. “Oh are we? Because I’ve felt like I’m the one who’s lost their sister now, with the way you’ve treated me,” she hissed through gritted teeth. “I did what I had to do and you know it. If I hadn’t done that, the Enterprise would’ve been destroyed and I would’ve died with everyone else anyway!”

A savage grin split my muzzle as I leapt up to my hooves. “I know, Sunset,” I said, laughing at the look of shock on her face. “You think I’m that stupid? I spent weeks going over every last bit of telemetry from the Enterprise’s sensor logs.”

“What?” Sunset gasped. “Then you know the saucer wasn’t far enough away.”

“Yes.”

“Then you know I had no options left. Nothing else would’ve bought them enough time!”

“Yes!”

“Then what did I do wrong?!” Sunset wailed.

The words came rushing out from the coldest, darkest depths of my broken soul.

“You didn’t stay dead!”

Only after I said that did I notice the crowd that formed. Everyone stared at us with mute expressions of shock and horror. Wattson was among them, gripping her fists and taking a step forward, like she was prepared to intervene. Sunset reeled back like I’d slapped her across the face. Her eyes burned like fire as she opened her mouth to shout back, then she shut it again.

She took a look around the room, then faced me again and said, “If you want to continue this, you know where my quarters are.” She raised her head and straightened herself up, as if she was reasserting her authority. “The rest of you, there’s nothing to see here. As you were.”

She trotted off and out the door before I could say another word.

Had I been in a more sensible state of mind, I might’ve let her go. Might’ve let it drop, might not have bothered to chase after her. But I wasn’t. I was drunk. Brandy was my blood. Blood pumped by a hateful, bitter heart that somehow occupied a gaping, cold void in my chest where somepony named Twilight Sparkle, citizen of Equestria and future student in Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns used to exist.

So I waited just long enough to be sure she’d gotten into a turbolift before I scooped up the brandy bottle in my magic and cantered out the door. As I passed through it I stumbled and smacked my hip into one wall, hissing from the pain. But I used it to maintain my focus, and guided myself to the turbolift. “Deck eight.”

My vision swam as the turbolift carried me up two decks, dumping me out somewhere near my destination. I smacked my lips, my mouth dryer than a desert as I trudged my way down the corridor, using the wall to keep me balanced.. I popped open the bottle and took a long swig, heedless of the brandy spilling down my cheeks on both sides. As I reached Sunset’s quarters, I brazenly charged the doors, only realizing they were unlocked after I passed through them unhindered, just barely avoiding falling on my face.

“...yes sir,” I heard Sunset say. She wasn’t looking my way, so I decided to stay quiet and listen.

“You realize the harm this could do to the crew’s morale,” said the voice of Captain Liang, emerging from her combadge. “A public scene like this is inexcusable behavior from the ship’s executive officer.”

“Believe me sir, I know,” Sunset replied. “It was a mistake, one I won’t be repeating.”

“See that you don’t. I trust your judgement, Number One, but if your sister continues to cause issues like this, I may have to request she be transferred elsewhere.”

“You know I’d rather that not happen, sir,” Sunset choked out.

“I know. I’d rather not either. She’s a stellar officer, when she’s not acting like a child. Get this settled, Sunset. Liang out.”

“Right.” Sunset sighed, and flopped down onto her rump. “Damn it, Twilight. I love you, but…”

“But what?” I spoke up, unable to hold back any longer. I lifted up the bottle, holding it upside down like a mallet. What was left of the brandy spilled out all over the floor. “But what? You’re going to get rid of me? Huh?”

To her credit, Sunset only briefly winced as she whirled about, her horn lit up as she struck a defensive posture. “Twilight, you… no! No, I’m trying to do everything I can to keep you on this ship.”

“Why bother?!” I hopped forward, and unleashed my own magic to charge up my forehooves with force. But my magic sputtered and spurted, winking in and out in a haphazard fashion. “Huh? Why? I won’t forgive you, damn it! I won’t!”

“Oh for goodness–Twilight, you’re drunk!” Sunset effortlessly ripped the brandy bottle out of my magic and set it down far away on the furthest table.

“‘Course I’m drunk!” I slurred, reaching back out for the bottle again with my magic. “You gave me real booze.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m deeply regretting that now.” Sunset scowled, and whispered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like “Damn it Cadeneza.” Then she fixed her gaze on me. “Twilight, I still don’t understand why you’re so endlessly mad with me, but we’re not going to work it out while you’re drunk. You need to go back to your quarters, sleep this off, then tomorrow at 1300 you and I are marching our rears straight down to Belle’s office and seeing her together, okay?”

I howled and tried to charge her, only to end up falling on my face. Then she picked me up in her field and neutralized my magic as easily as a human might snuff out a candle flame with their fingers. “Lemme go!” I shouted, flailing uselessly in the air. “Lemme… lemme go.”

“No.” She wrapped a field around my mouth for good measure to keep me silent, then tapped her badge. “Shimmer to security. I need security at my quarters right away.” She paused, then added, “Make that Ensign Maia.”

Less than a minute later the door chime sounded, and to my dismay Maia stepped in. She took one look at me floating in the air, then snorted. “I take it this is the problem, ma’am.”

“So to speak,” Sunset replied. She set me down on my hooves and released me. I remained standing. Mostly. “Please escort my sister back to her quarters so she can get some rest.”

I considered struggling, or running away, but before I could do more than consider it, Maia stepped forward and placed a single hand on my withers, positioned in just the right way to remind me how easily she could snap my spine in two if she wanted. “Aye, ma’am,” Maia said. “Come on, Twilight.”

Grumbling to myself, I allowed Maia to lead me out the door and towards the nearest turbolift. “This is stupid,” I murmured. “Stupid Sunset. Stupid Maia. Stupid booze.”

“So you are drunk,” Maia said as we stepped inside the lift. “Deck three.”

“Ugh… no… I’m not as think as you drunk I am.”

Maia inclined an eyebrow. “Right. Sure.”

As we stepped off the turbolift, she guided me directly to my quarters, which I shared with Preta. I only picked up four or five more bruises along the way.

The instant I stepped inside, Preta rose from a chair at our shared dining table to gape at me. “Twilight? What happened to you?”

“Dunno, but she’s drunk,” Maia snorted. “Get her to bed, would you?”

“They didn’t,” I replied. I wasn’t sure what was happening just then, but everything seemed to slow way down. Like the brandy in my veins had been replaced with molasses. “It was… it was Sunshet. S-she gave me b-brandy. Tried to...to schweet talk me… into forgiving...”

Preta frowned. “...I see. Okay, Twilight, you need to get some sleep. C’mon. This way.”

She led me, still stumbling, into my bedroom and up onto my bed. Then she sat down next to me. “Are you going to be okay if I leave you here?”

Now that I was lying on a bed, slumber beckoned me with an irresistible call. “Y-yeah. I’ll be fine.”

Preta patted me on the shoulder and stood up. “Okay. I’ll be nearby if you need anything.”

“Sure.”

As she left, I rolled over, and closed my eyes. Darkness sucked me down, sending me into a sleep so deep I barely registered when the red alert klaxons began to blare.

I gulped down another large glass of water before shoving the empty cup back into the replicator. I hadn’t drunk as much as Twilight, but I still felt a bit woozy, and the last thing I needed in the morning was a hangover headache.

“Note to self,” I murmured as I bustled my way over to my bedroom. “Kill Cadeneza for this stupid suggestion.”

But before I could begin to strip off my uniform, the lighting dimmed, red lights flashing, alarms ringing. Then the ship rocked. I spotted the brief glow of Cerenkov radiation from the windows as the shields flared in reaction to weapons fire. “All hands!” called out Williams over the intercom. “Battlestations! Senior staff to the bridge!”

Cursing under my breath, I rushed out of my quarters and galloped to the nearest turbolift. “Bridge!” I barked. “Emergency speed!”

The turbolift rocketed upwards, fast enough for its inertial dampers to slip just enough for my stomach to lurch. The Phoenix shuddering from another burst of fire only added to the effect. But soon enough I stumbled out of the turbolift onto the bridge. Liang wasn’t here yet, so I took the center chair, Williams quickly moving off to my left. “Report!”

“Four Jem’Hadar attack fighters,” Williams said as I took a moment to scan our readiness on the nearest console. “They came out of nowhere. Didn’t show up at all on sensors till they dropped out of warp.”

“Shields down to eighty-five percent!” Ishihara called out. “We’ve got two of them right on our tail!”

“Helm, evasive maneuvers, pattern delta!” I ordered. “Ishihara, concentrate your fire on the closest fighter! Photon torpedoes, full spread!”

“Aye, ma’am!” Ishihara replied as she tapped her console. I saw briefly on the viewscreen the torpedoes fly out to encompass one of the fighters, the explosions tearing into their shields.

Liang emerged from the turbolift, prompting me to move over to my proper chair as first officer. “Status, Miss Shimmer?” After I gave him the answer, he turned to Williams. “And the convoys?”

“One of them was destroyed immediately,” Williams answered, his voice harrowed and drawn. “The others are retreating. Two of the fighters broke off to chase after them.”

“Well, let’s not let them get away with that,” Liang stated. “Helm, pursue the other fighters. Continue evasive maneuvers. Ishihara, as soon as we close to weapons range I want every last phaser and torpedo the Phoenix can muster on them. These convoys are crucial.”

The Phoenix surged to life, fishtailing and spinning like crazy through space to avoid the fire of the fighters chasing us. I kept a close eye on my console, watching us approach the convoys. When we closed, we saw them appear on the viewscreen. Like all the convoy ships, these were bulky freighters, resembling nothing so much as a millipede, with each set of legs clutching a trapezoidal shaped cargo container. Only the greyish white hull painting, the Starfleet chevrons trailing along the sides and the small warp nacelles at the back gave away that this was a starship, not an insect.

Unfortunately we were too late to save this ship. The Jem’Hadar’s phased polaron beams sliced up the freighter’s minimal shielding and ripped it open. Thousands of tonnes of now worthless cargo shredded out like spilled guts before its warp core overloaded and burst in a brilliant flash of light.

“Damn it,” I heard Liang mutter. “Ishihara! Fire!”

On screen I saw every forward-facing phaser strip light up, five orange beams of concentrated energy lashing out to engulf the fighter’s shields. I saw a small breach open up in the ventral shielding, and Ishihara wasted no time taking advantage of it, launching another brace of torpedoes right through the hole. The fighter exploded, the debris and shockwave from the detonation washing over the shields of both the other forward fighter and the Phoenix.

Unfortunately, while that was one down, we still had three to go. As if sensing the Phoenix was a proper threat, all three fighters shifted to focus on us. The freighters, meanwhile, took the opportunity to jump to warp, escaping the battlefield.

As polaron beams and plasma torpedoes pummeled us on all sides, sparks flared from one of the aft consoles. The whole ship trembled. “Shields down to fifty percent!” Ishihara screeched.

“Keep firing!” Liang ordered. “Concentrate on the nearest fighter. We have to thin out their numbers!”

“Trying, sir,” Ishihara replied as she launched another salvo of photons. One punctured through the shields of one of the fighters, blowing off part of its port nacelle and sending it lurching through space in a flat spin.

Another volley of fire from the Jem’Hadar pounded us hard enough to send a shock through Ishihara’s console, burning her hands and knocking her to the ground. Liang grunted, then turned to me and said, “Med team to the bridge! Number One!”

“On it!” I eschewed my hooves and used my wings to flutter up over to the tactical console, and swiftly took control of the weapons. I couldn’t spare more than a glance at Ishihara, who lay on the ground groaning as a med team emerged from the turbolift. “Shields at forty percent! Hull breach on deck six! Port phasers offline.”

“Don’t let up now!” Liang called out. “Keep firing. Helm, shift to evasive pattern Liang Omega. You remember, right Rodrigo?”

“Always, sir!” Rodriguez replied with a brief grin. The ship abruptly plummeted on its Z axis down several hundred meters before spinning out and about in a variation of an Immelmann turn. This allowed us to briefly shake off the fighters and bring them square in our sights.

I keyed up a burst of phaser fire, and followed it up with a good ten photon torpedoes to boot. Despite the lacklustre fire from the starboard strips, the torpedoes got the job done, penetrating their shields and disabling the ship.

That left us in a one on one brawl, but the Phoenix had taken more than a few knocks. The following fusillade of fire from the remaining fighter tore a hole through our dorsal shielding. The ship rocked to the side, the dampers briefly failing enough for us all to grab hold of the nearest object to keep from falling over.

Tapping the key for returning fire from the phasers produced no effect. “Phasers offline!” I called out. “We’ve just got torpedoes left.”

“They’re coming about,” Williams added. “Looks like they’re preparing to ram us!”

“Oh no,” Liang declared as he stared down the fighter rushing at us in a kamikaze run. “We won’t be going the way of the Odyssey. Number one, did they load us with quantum torpedoes?”

“Uh, yes sir, but–”

He turned back and eyed me. “Then use them!”

I winced. We weren’t supposed to use our small number of quantum torpedoes except in a dire emergency. They were much more powerful than the photons, but they were in short supply. Most went to the frontline ships, Sovereign-class and the like. Still, if a Jem’Hadar fighter preparing to suicide ram us wasn’t an emergency, nothing would be. “Yes sir. Loading quantum torpedoes.”

As second after agonizing second of waiting for the torpedo launchers to switch over their armaments passed, the fighter grew ever closer. “Number One…” Liang said, his voice harsh. “I do hope you plan on firing before they run us through!”

“Sorry sir,” I murmured. I had to wait two seconds more, then shouted, “Firing!”

The flurry of blue shimmering lights flew forth, splitting up like buckshot from an old-fashioned shotgun, perforating the fighter’s shields from all sides and annihilating it in a brilliant blaze of glory. Rodriguez reversed course swiftly enough to keep the subsequent explosion from overwhelming our shields.

The bridge fell silent for a few moments as we all took some deep breaths after our close call. “Any sign of more Jem’Hadar?”

“No sir,” Williams replied. “Nothing in the vicinity.”

Liang nodded. “Number One, signal the freighters to return to us, and send a distress signal to Starbase 375. Let them know we’ve taken some heavy damage and will need repairs.”

“Aye,” I acknowledged, and sent off the messages in a hurry. Then I knelt down to check on Ishihara, whom the med techs were lifting onto a hover stretcher. “How’s she doing?”

“I’m fine,” Ishihara grunted. She held up her hands, which smoldered with burns. “Just this. Nothing a dermal regenerator won’t fix.”

Frowning, I glanced at the med tech. “She should be back on duty within twenty-four hours, ma’am,” he said.

“Okay. Don’t push yourself, Ishihara,” I said, clapping her on the shoulder.

“Stand down from red alert,” Liang said. He gestured to my usual chair. “Commander, if you would.” Once I sat down, he gave me a stern look. “We need to go over the sensor logs. I want to know why the hell we didn’t see those fighters coming.”

“Agreed, sir.” I turned to look over my console and took a brief glance over the logs. “I’ll make sure they get analyzed. I don’t get it either. We’re not exactly on the front lines.”

“No. We’re not. That’s what concerns me.” Liang picked up his cane and ran his finger along it. “Makes no sense. Why would a raiding party be this far in?”

“Sir, incoming hail from Starbase 375,” Williams said. “It’s Admiral Ross.”

Liang pointed to the viewscreen with his cane. “Very well, on screen.”

Ross appeared on screen, a pale-skinned older human with short-cropped brown hair and a face like a rough-hewn statue come to life. “Captain,” he said. “We just received your distress signal. Will you need assistance in reaching Starbase?”

Liang glanced over at me, and I shook my head. “No, sir,” Liang said with his usual charm, his dashing smile slipping into place. “The Phoenix can maneuver on its own power. Unfortunately we lost a pair of freighters. We’ll only be bringing you sixty percent of the cargo.”

Ross shook his head. “Understood. Do you know why the Jem’Hadar were so far into Federation space?”

“Not yet, but believe you me, sir, we’ll be puzzling out the answer to that question,” Liang answered. “I’ll be sure to send you a full report.”

“Good. We’ll make sure the repair facilities are standing by for your arrival. Ross out.”

As the screen winked off, Liang turned to me, his smile sliding off like a melting piece of chocolate. “What’s our status, Number One?”

I checked my console. “Phasers are down. Dorsal shields are gone, and the rest are stuck at twenty percent. The high-energy physics lab on deck six was obliterated. Sickbay reports numerous injuries, and… three fatalities from the hull breach.” Inwardly I breathed a quick sigh of relief when I didn’t recognize the names of those who died.

Liang pondered that for a moment. “We were lucky, weren’t we?”

I closed my eyes and nodded. “Yes, sir. The Phoenix is tough, but she’s no Akira or Galaxy-class, let alone a Sovereign. If the freighters hadn’t absorbed some of their fire…”

“We wouldn’t be having this conversation,” Liang finished. “I thought as much. I’m going to need you to coordinate with damage control teams. I want the phasers, and as much of the shields as we can manage, back online as soon as possible. If one squadron can appear out of nowhere, I don’t trust anything. And get someone analyzing those sensor logs right away.”

“Yes sir.” So much for sleep. I made a mental note to get some raktajino.

“Excellent.” Liang hopped up from his chair. “I’ll be in my ready room, composing my report. Williams, you have the bridge.”

I left the bridge and headed straight to Main Engineering. While in the turbolift I tapped my combadge. “Shimmer to Cadeneza.”

“Yeah, I’m here,” came her voice, weak and fluttering.

Worry bubbled up inside. “Are you injured?”

“No, no. Just… took a hit to the head. Damn bulkhead rose up and punched me. Had worse before, just need a few.”

“Get it seen if you haven’t already,” I ordered. “I need you on duty ASAP so you can analyze our sensor logs. Get Twilight to help you, once she’s awake.”

“Oh, yeah, I heard about what happened in Ten-Forward,” Cadeneza said, embarrassment clear in her voice. “Sorry about that. I, uh, I messed up.”

Trying not to sigh, I rubbed a hoof on my forehead to soothe my growing headache. “It’s fine. Now’s not the time to worry about personal problems.”

“I hear ya, Sunny. What’re we looking for in the logs?”

“The Jem’Hadar snuck up on us.”

As the turbolift halted on Deck twenty-four, Cadeneza replied, “Oh. Shit. Out of nowhere, huh?”

“Yup. Get it done. Shimmer out.”

I left the turbolift and made my way into Engineering, ready to give Wattson her orders. I found her already hard at work on repairs herself, fixing a broken panel. “Wattson,” I said without preamble. “Tell me you’re focusing on the phasers and shields first.”

“Oh don’t you worry, I’ve got that under control,” she replied. She set down her tools and looked over at me. “Sunset, about Twilight–”

“Forget about it, Wattson,” I cut her off. “Not right now. We’ve got too much work to do.”

“You’re telling me,” she said, scowling at her engineers milling about the place. “Those Jem’Hadar weapons are nasty. Damned disruptors blew out half the phaser manifolds. I just finished fixing those before we left McKinley!”

“But you can get them back online, right?”

Wattson turned her scowl on me, then after a moment her expression softened. “Yeah, yeah I’ll do my best Sunset. Err, ma’am.”

I shrugged. “Whatever works. I’m here to help. Put me to work.”

Wandering over to the closest replicator, Wattson asked, “You want some raktajino first?”

“Please,” I said. “It’s going to be a long night.”

Author's Note

Hey all, it's your favorite color back with a small AN this time. We're kinda working a little slower than normal with this season, it is pretty hot and we are all tired.

Don't worry though, still hard at work. Hope you all enjoyed the premier. It took a while to come up with an episode title...

But, alas, I am braindead so that is all for me. I'm tired, so I'm gonna stalk these comments and try to sleep.

Thanks Blue.

Like Blue said, we're all tired here in writing town. Not much to say as I feel this speaks for itself. I hope you enjoyed.

Season 2 Episode 2: "It's Cold in Space"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02E02

“It’s Cold in Space”

“Personal log, supplemental.

It’s been three days since the Jem’Hadar attacked our convoy. The ship’s in better shape than we initially feared, but we’re limping the rest of the way to Starbase 375 at a snail’s pace of warp five, thanks to significant damage sustained to the warp drive coils and the nacelles. What’s worse, we’ll likely have to requisition some of the already reduced supply load to finish necessary repairs. At least we’re not arriving empty handed.

Cadeneza’s still working on the sensor logs. She refuses to give an update until she’s finished, claiming she doesn’t want to give us false information. Frankly, I think it’s because she’s in over her head and can’t figure it out, but I’m not going to say that to her face. Wouldn’t help with her morale.

Speaking of morale… the rush to affect enough repairs to get us to Starbase 375 has left Twilight and I unable to attend a counseling session with Belle. Just as well, given how much hostility there was on Twilight’s part. I still can’t believe what she said to me… wishing I was still dead. Her words have haunted my dreams every night since. Just thinking about them opens a pit in my stomach all over again.

Hopefully while we’re docked for repairs we’ll get a chance. Maybe I should tell Twilight about the nightmares. Belle knows, but if Twilight knew just how often I wake up in a cold sweat, afraid that I’m right back in the damp cave on Veridian III... If she knew, maybe she’d understand better.

Maybe.”

The Phoenix shuddered as it dropped to impulse. “We’re within visual range of Starbase 375, sir,” Rodriguez reported.

“On screen,” Liang ordered. The viewscreen lit up with a view of the Starbase, its central core resembling an oversized version of an old twentieth-century Apollo mission capsule plastered atop a duranium cylinder and stood on its end atop two massive floating discs. Six docking ports of various sizes stuck from the core like pontoons, while a gaping rectangular hole in the middle allowed for entry to the main hangar space.

Starbase 375 had quickly become a key resupply and repair stop on the way to the front lines, and it showed in the sheer number of ships floating about. The display on my chair tallied at least a hundred ships in total were present– everything from old Mirandas pressed back into service to new New Orleans and Akira class cruisers, and a half-dozen hulking Galaxy and Excelsior class looming over them all at the highest docking ring. A particularly unique one, a squat starship vaguely resembling an oval with nacelles and a nose sticking out, orbited the station in a holding pattern. It took a moment of computer searching to determine that it was the U.S.S. Defiant, the personal starship of the commander of Deep Space Nine.

“We’re being hailed, Captain,” said Ishihara. True to Doctor May’s words, her hands were healed with nary a trace they’d been burned in the first place. “They’re giving us an inside docking berth.”

“Very well,” Liang replied. “Take us in, helm.”

I watched on the viewscreen as we slowly drifted in, coming closer and closer to the main mouth of the Starbase until we were swallowed up inside. There were two other starships berthed with us, one a small class I didn’t recognize, the other a Centaur-class destroyer. “Coming in to dock now,” Rodriguez said. He inched us ahead on thrusters till we sidled up to the berth and allowed the umbilicals to take hold. “Docking clamps secure, all engines at idle. Docking procedure complete, sir.”

As she did so, Ishihara said, “Message from Admiral Ross, sir. He wants to meet you and Commander Shimmer in his office immediately.”

“Tell him we’re on our way,” Liang said. “You’ve got the bridge, Drake.”

The turbolift doors at the rear of the bridge slid open, discharging Cadeneza, who rushed down towards us “Err, sir!” she spoke up before Liang and I could do more than stand. She waved a PADD clutched in one hand. “May I come with you? I have the results from the sensor log analysis.”

“Oh?” Liang arched an eyebrow. “Perfect timing. Come along then. You can explain once we arrive.”

It was a quick journey via turbolift to the docking port. Once there, we shifted our way through a couple of posted security – I gave Maia a brief wave as I passed her by – and then stepped through the tunnel into the Starbase proper.

While nowhere near the size and splendor of Earth Starbase, Starbase 375 nevertheless managed to impress me with its layout. A vast promenade spread out across three decks worth of space, with balconies and shops and restaurants dotting the alcoves and side passages. In more peaceful times civilians would likely dominate the place, shopping, eating, and passing the time before the next leg of their onward journey.

But with the war, especially at a Starbase so close to the front line as this one, civilians were few and very far between. The few shops that were open were ones most useful for a Stafleet-heavy clientele. You could taste the tension in the air, from the way everyone walked quicker than normal, to the hushed tones they seemed to speak in as they breezed by. Every few minutes a couple of security officers would rush through the crowd with phaser rifles and the few people on the promenade would freeze and look around frantically, as if searching for the nearest cover.

“Wow,” Cadeneza murmured. “Not a fun crowd, huh?”

Liang frowned as we meandered through. “No, I daresay not, Lieutenant.”

“Can’t blame them,” I said as I drew closer to both Liang and Cadeneza. Even now, several months after I’d returned from Veridian III, crowds like this left me uneasy. Even with the reduced civilian presence, so many people in one place made me… nervous.

Fortunately for my mental health, we soon turned off the promenade and down a side hallway that was lined with as many corners as security officers. When we arrived at the Admiral’s office, Liang tapped the door chime with his cane.

“Enter!” came a call.

We strode in, finding Admiral Ross seated at a desk in a plain unadorned room, the lone exception being a United Federation of Planets flag that hung off a flagpole in one of the corners. But he wasn’t alone. A Captain I didn’t immediately recognize, a human with dark skin, a bald head, and a mustache and goatee sat opposite the Admiral in one of the chairs before the desk. He eyed us curiously, his gaze landing on me for several moments. His eyes projected gentle kindness and stone cold determination at the same time. The only thing I knew for sure in that brief moment was this was not a man to be trifled with.

“Ah, my apologies, Admiral, I did not realize you were in a meeting,” Liang said, stiffening to attention.

“No need to worry, we were just finishing up,” Ross said as he stood up from behind his desk, prompting the other Captain to join him. “This is Captain Benjamin Sisko, of the Defiant.”

“Captain James Liang.” Liang held out a hand for Sisko to shake. “And this is my first officer, Commander Sunset Shimmer, and my chief science officer, Lieutenant Jacqueline Cadeneza.”

“A pleasure, Captain,” Sisko said as he shook Liang’s hand, his mouth spreading in a wide grin, showing off perfect pearly white teeth. “Your missions were always a favorite of mine for reading at the Academy.”

Liang chuckled. “So I’ve heard. A shame about Deep Space Nine, by the way. Giving up the station must not have been easy.”

“Oh, we’ll take it back,” Sisko replied, his eyes narrowing. “I don’t intend to let the Dominion occupy our front doorstep for long.”

Sisko’s words almost floored me. Not for what he said, but for how he said it. Nearly every word felt as heavy as it sounded in his smooth yet incredibly deep baritone. Captain Liang was an imposing man himself, but Sisko? If someone told me he could command the gods themselves, I’d believe it.

“Captain Sisko was just about to get underway, rejoining the Seventh fleet,” Ross said, giving Sisko a pointed look.

Sisko nodded to the Admiral. “If only we had the time, Captain,” he said.

“Oh I’m sure we’ll find some time one of these days,” Liang replied. “Give the Jem’Hadar hell for us.”

Sisko’s grin turned savage. “I intend to. Excuse me.” With one last lingering glance my way, Sisko departed.

“Have a seat,” Ross ordered, gesturing to the chairs. Once we sat, he focused his attention squarely on Liang. “I take it by the fact your science officer is with you that you finally have an answer as to how those Jem’Hadar fighters snuck up on you.”

“It appears we do, Admiral,” Liang replied. “Lieutenant, if you would?”

Cadeneza cleared her throat. “Um, right. So, err, sir, I’ve been running an analysis of the sensor logs over the past three days. If I may?” She gestured to the Admiral’s wall screen with her PADD.

“By all means,” Ross said.

She tapped a few keys on her PADD and the screen lit up with a display of sensor readings, graphs of waves and particles and so on. “So at first, there was nothing to see.” She tapped another key and started up a timeline. “Here’s where the ships first show up. You can see it in the sensor readings. One moment, there’s nothing present. No subspace signatures, no polaran energy, nothing. The next, they’ve all dropped out of warp and are firing on us.”

“It’s a damned good thing we kept the shields up.” Liang shook his head and sighed. “If we hadn’t, I fear their first blow might’ve been a fatal one.”

“They certainly tried,” Cadeneza agreed, pulling up one particular sensor readout showcasing the Jem’Hadar weapons impacting the Phoenix’s shields. “Their initial fire was aimed right at our warp core. Once they realized the shields were already activated, they switched up to other targets.”

Ross nodded, his lips thinning. “I’ve reviewed the initial reports from the Phoenix, Lieutenant, so you can skip ahead.”

“Of course, sir,” Cadeneza said, a note of irritation entering her voice. A glare from me got her to stifle it right quick. “It took a great deal of sensor analysis to finally pick up the trick they used.” She altered the display to showcase a graph. “Here’s the energy reading the Phoenix’s sensors were picking up just moments before the Jem’Hadar showed up. Looks just simple background radiation, right? Until you compare it to these.” With a flourish she brought up another pair of graphs. Both appeared remarkably similar to the first, but with a few minor differences.

“What are they?” I asked.

“These,” Cadeneza answered, her eyes twinkling, “are the energy signatures of a Klingon Bird of Prey and a Romulan Warbird when they decloak.”

The atmosphere in the room dropped ten degrees. Admiral Ross’s reply was frosty and clipped. “Are you suggesting the Jem’Hadar have developed cloaking technology?”

“No, I’m not, sir, and that’s just it,” Cadeneza replied. “If it was as simple as that, I would’ve figured it out within a few hours. No, these Jem’Hadar didn’t have cloaking devices. But they were cloaked. In a sense.”

Ross drew himself up and adjusted his uniform, then gazed back at Cadeneza with a steely-eyed look “I hope you have an explanation, Lieutenant.”

“I do.” She stared down at her PADD for a moment and thumbed through a number of graphs before clearing the display and pulling up an entirely new set of graphs. “We all know the bare basics of cloaking technology. A form of gravitational lensing is used to deflect light and energy away from a ship, somewhat similar to the effect a black hole has on light that passes near it.”

“Hold on,” I said, holding up a hoof. “I think I see where you’re going with this, but I don’t see how it solves this particular scenario. Black holes do shift light, but you’d have to get so close you’d risk crossing the event horizon, and any ship that does that is lost forever. I guess it could work at a distance if a ship used a single angle of approach, but even then, starships don’t just rely on visual sensors to find things. Surely one of the other sensors would’ve picked up their energy signature at least–”

“Not if there’s more than one black hole,” Cadeneza said. A smug expression formed on her face. “I didn’t see it at first either, Sunset, but your sister figured it out. Take a closer look at what I’ve got here.”

I peered at the screen. “Uh, looks like the energy patterns of a black hole. Or several black holes, like three or four.”

“Try closer to twenty,” Cadeneza countered.

Liang snapped his fingers at once. “Of course! The Bouman Basin!” Catching sight of Ross’s glare, Liang continued, “The Bouman Basin is an unusual stellar phenomena, about fifteen lightyears from the where the Phoenix was attacked. It’s one of the only known examples of a system with such a high concentration of black holes.”

Ross’s brow furrowed. “I thought black holes merged over time. How is it this field hasn’t?”

“It’s in the process, sir,” Cadeneza said, “but only over an immense time scale. Not long from now, cosmologically speaking, these black holes will merge into a happy little, singular, stellar black hole, roughly about fifty solar masses in size. But right now they’re all separate very small while they erratically orbit each other in a remarkably chaotic display. I have some theories but, from a purely scientific perspective, it is absolutely fascinating.”

“And the Bouman Basin lies just outside Federation space, right along the Cardassian border,” I finished, nodding in understanding. “So if they came directly from there…”

“As long as they parked themselves relatively behind the Basin, with so many black holes orbiting each other… their warp signatures would have been lensed, distorted, and likely arrive far too late for it to matter. And that's if we could even find them with all the radiation from the accretion discs. It isn't exactly a cloak, but would function as one. Likely, if we had stayed longer, we may have picked up their jumbled signatures at some point. Could have been anywhere between a day and century though,” Cadeneza said.

Ross eyed each of us in turn, then nodded. “So it sounds like the Dominion’s deliberately using this Bouman Basin to disguise raids into Federation space. That would explain the raid before yours and the one that happened just a few hours ago.”

“There was another one, sir?” I said, struggling not to gasp.

Biting his lip, Ross tapped at his terminal and switched up the screen to showcase a set of destroyed convoys and a Galaxy-class starship with one of its nacelles sheared off and a gaping scar along its secondary hull that went all the way up the ship’s neck into the saucer. “The Venture was escorting a supply convoy when it was ambushed by several raiders. They managed to survive, but were unable to save any of the supply ships. We’ve got the Crusader, the Hammerhead, and the Voltaire all on their way to tug it back to spacedock.”

“Holy shit,” Cadeneza whispered. “Are they going to be able to fix her?”

“They will,” Ross confirmed. “We’ll have the Venture back in service soon enough. But they were damned lucky to survive. Their shields weren’t at full strength when the fighters hit them.”

“Is it possible they have a base out there?” I wondered.

Cadeneza shook her head. “Maybe a small fuel depot, but even that’s unlikely, to be honest. The gravitational forces in an area like the Basin would require any station to run some extremely powerful thrusters, not to mention the constant tracking of the blackholes' orbits.. They’d likely use up most of their fuel supply just keeping themselves out of the black holes. At most, you're likely looking at a single ship operating as a base with a small crew that is never not working.”

I nodded in understanding. “Yeah, that’s a good point.”

“So, if there is something there, it sounds like it can be easily taken out,” Ross concluded. “I’ll dispatch someone from the Seventh fleet. Might be a good job for the Defiant.”

“Sir, respectfully, I’d like to request the Phoenix join them on that mission,” Liang said. “Even if the base is small, we don’t have any idea of what kind of defenses it may have, or how many ships may be guarding it. And we both know the Phoenix has no assignment at present.”

Ross steepled his hands and cast a deadpan glare at Liang. “And we both know why the Phoenix has to stay away from the front lines too.”

He didn’t have to say it aloud for us to know he was referring to me. “Due respect, sir, this isn’t that close to the front lines,” I pointed out. I floated Cadeneza’s PADD out of her hand and tapped a few keys, pulling up a star map. “See, the main battle lines are here, here, and here, near Bajor and Chin’Toka. The Bouman Basin is well outside that, and on our side of the lines besides.”

“You saw what these raiders did to the Phoenix and the Venture,” Liang chimed in. “No offense to Captain Sisko, but do you want to risk a ship as unique as the Defiant on something like this, without proper backup?”

“The Defiant is fully capable of handling itself in almost any fight,” Ross replied, his voice laced with steel. Then he sighed. “But I see your point.” He tapped his badge. “Ross to Ops.”

“Ops here, sir.”

“Do we have an estimate on the Phoenix repairs yet?”

After a moment’s silence, the response came through, “Yes sir. Looks like we’ll have them underway in eighteen hours.”

“Good. Ross out.” He turned back to us. “Very well. I’ll recall the Defiant, and order it, plus the Phoenix, to investigate the Bouman Basin. You’ll get under way in two days. I’ll be putting Captain Sisko in command on the mission.”

A cold chill filled the room as Liang sat forward. His expression didn’t change a millimeter, but he nevertheless commanded attention. “May I ask why, sir?”

“Experience fighting the Dominion,” Ross replied frostily. “And, you’re still out of practice. I hear what you’re saying, Captain, and frankly? I don’t care. You have your orders.” He glared at each of us then gestured to the door. “Dismissed.”

Liang rose at once, nodded stiffly, then whirled on his heel to leave, the two of us trailing behind. Only once we were well outside Ross’s office did Liang speak. “I am tired of being treated like I am incapable.”

“Permission to speak freely, sir?” I said.

He gave a flippant wave of his hand. “Granted.”

“I don’t think that’s what they’re doing, sir,” I said.

“No?” Liang scowled down at me for a long moment, then his gaze softened. “No, you’re right, Sunset. If they didn’t find me capable, they never would’ve asked me to return to Starfleet.”

“Exactly!” Cadeneza chimed in. I watched her come bare centimeters from smacking Liang on the shoulder before she caught herself, a faint blush on her cheeks. “Err, sir.”

Liang glanced back at her and grinned. “Well, I suppose I should take what they give me, rather than argue. Let’s return to the ship. We have some repairs to oversee, and my first officer has a counseling session she needs to attend.” He looked back at me and pointed at me with his cane. “I want that resolved before we depart, understood, Number One?”

“Err… I’ll do my best, sir,” I replied, scratching the back of my head and laughing sheepishly.

He patted me on the withers. “I expect nothing less.”

My head pounded like a heavy metal artist performing a drum solo, my tongue lolling in my mouth like a dried out piece of jerky. I cracked open my eyes, wincing at the light piercing through. “Uuugh… turn it off, Preta.”

“Sorry, Twilight,” Preta said, her voice loud enough for me to slap my ears down to block it out. “You’ve got to get up.”

“Mrgh. No. No I don’t.” I squeezed my eyes shut and threw the blanket over my head to cut out the light. “My shift doesn’t… doesn’t begin for another four hours…”

“Twilight.” Preta’s voice turned rebuking, almost harsh, or as harsh as the sweet adorable Caitian ever became anyway. “You know you’ve got that meeting with your sister and the counselors.”

I clapped my hooves around my face and curled up into a ball. “Nooooooo,” I whined.

Preta let out a low feline growl and promptly threw the blanket off the bed, leaving me exposed. “Twilight, you are acting like a spoiled kitten,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Get up.”

Moaning, I opened my eyes just enough to look up at her, wincing at the disapproval in her eyes. “But my head hurts.”

She continued to glare at me for a few moments before she let out a sigh and plopped herself down beside me. She wrapped a fuzzy arm around my shoulder and pulled me up against her. “Twilight, I know what the problem really is. I wouldn’t be a good friend if I let you hide away from this. You need to reconcile with Sunset.”

Not for the first time I found myself blushing as she held me. I don’t know why. Maybe it was just how… touchy feely she was. Equestrians are pretty free with hugs… at least, I think we are, if I can trust my old memories… but she made ponies look like Puritan prudes with how freely she hugged and cuddled and nuzzled.

“I don’t want to,” I replied petulantly, burying my head into her side. “Sunset’s a jerk.”

Preta let out a quiet murr of a sigh, then ran her hand through my mane, gently tapping her fingers on my head in just the right way to ease some of the hangover pressure. “You know that’s not true, Twilight. She cares for you. I can see it, smell it even. Every time she sees you, she’s filled with sisterly love.”

“If she loved me so much why can’t she see the pain I went through, that I’m still going through?” I tried to scowl as she rubbed me, but Preta was too good with the massage. She and Wattson both. I swear sometimes the two compared notes. Or maybe they both just like the excuse of petting me like a dog.

...I didn’t mind it.

Preta gave me a quick squeeze around the middle. “Why don’t you ask her that question instead of me, hmm?”

“Damn you, Preta,” I murmured. “Why are you so reasonable?”

She let out that mewling purr of a laugh I liked so much and pressed her fingers under my chin to make me look up at her. “Because you’re my friend and I care about you, silly.” She tousled my hair, then got up off the bed and pointed at the head. “Now, why don’t you take a shower. I’ll get something ready for you to eat when you get out.” Then she snapped her fingers. “Wait, one second.”

She hopped over to the replicator and asked for a small cup of what was officially a Federation Emergency Rehydration Solution Beverage, and what most reasonable people, myself included, called hangover cure juice. “Here,” she said, handing it to me. “Drink this before you go in.”

Knocking back the juice in one shot, I shot her more than a few dirty looks, her laughter following me into the shower and ringing in my ears till I emerged. The combination of hot steam and ultrasonics did wonders for my state of mind, though I was still pretty dehydrated. But that’s what breakfast was for. She’d prepared my usual preference of eggs, a grain–in this case, grits– and some coffee.

I dunked it back before I touched anything else, letting it work its magic. Science. Whatever. It did the job and helped me bounce back from the hangover in a jiffy. “Thanks,” I said as I began stuffing my face with food.

Preta winked. “Sure thing, Twilight.” Then a beep sounded through the cabin and she winced at her terminal. “And I’m on duty in five minutes. Gotta run!” She hurried over to her terminal and picked up her PADD, then scurried for the door. She paused just as it opened to look back over her shoulder. “Please don’t hide back in your room, Twilight. I mean it. You need to do this.”

Then she was gone.

I considered ignoring her right then. I could’ve headed back into my quarters, slept for four hours, and gone to my shift with few regrets. Even if I did care about making up with Sunset, it’s not like it’d work out. She’d just hide behind that uniform and throw her command authority in my face like she always does whenever I’m around.

But… I would’ve made Preta unhappy. Worse, she’d be disappointed. Upset! Outraged, even! And that, that I couldn’t do. I couldn’t make my best friend unhappy with me!

...wait… when did Preta become my best friend…?

Shaking my head to clear the thought, I gulped down the rest of my food in a hurry, then went to fix my uniform, making sure not to leave a single wrinkle or a single hair out of place in my mane. I’d be professional. Composed. For Preta’s sake.

Gathering my PADD, I called out to the computer. “Time?”

“1337.”

My counseling session was at 1345, so I needed to hurry. I rushed out the door, down to the nearest turbolift, and barked my destination. I tried to ignore a few of the looks I got from some of my fellow crewmates as I galloped past them.

I arrived at Belle’s with moments to spare, and took a moment to recompose myself, using my magic to whisk away any signs of sweat. Then, planting a confident smile on my muzzle, I entered.

Inside I found not Belle, as I expected, but Innana. She sat poised in a chair nestled under one of the windows, outside of which I could see the innards of Starbase 375. Two Equestrian-designed chairs sat in front of her, facing each other. Quiet music filled the air, chimes and soft drum beats, something Arabian in sound. A pleasant scent filled the air, from a sprig of burning incense laying on a table.

And Sunset was already sitting in one of the chairs, perched up with her head raised high, her wings folded, like she was posing for a picture. Or for a statue. The sight set my teeth on edge.

“Please, come in Twilight,” Innana said, her accent weaving its way into my ears to relax me, like it always did. “Sit down. I am sorry that Belle could not be here, but she is busy on the station with important affairs.”

“Hey Twi,” Sunset said with a smile and a wave.

“...hi.” I hopped up onto the proffered chair and gave Sunset a patently insincere smile. That tore hers off her stupid muzzle.

Innana favored me with a curious look, but said nothing about it. “So, I believe you both know why you are here. We need to resolve the issues between you two.”

“What for?” I asked, glaring Sunset’s way. “Sunset doesn’t care what I think. She’s–”

“Twilight.” Innana didn’t raise her voice, but the command cut through me sharper than a bat’leth. “Barbs and personal attacks will not help matters. I am here to mediate. This will not become another shouting match like the one in Ten-Forward.”

“...fine.” I shifted back in my chair, and leaned my forelegs over the arm.

Innana nodded. “Good. Now then, I will give Sunset leave to speak first. Let’s hear what she has to say. Sunset?”

Sunset cringed, her eyes fluttering as she took a deep breath. “Alright. Let’s cut to the chase, Twilight. You didn’t actually answer my question the other day. What did I do wrong?”

“Alright. I think that is a reasonable question,” Innana said. She turned to me. “Twilight? Can you answer that?”

I scoffed. “What did you do wrong?” I shook my head and snorted for all I was worth, my nostrils flaring like crazy. “What the hell do you think, Sunset? You left us. You abandoned us. You abandoned me. You were the one connection I had left to Equestria, and then you were gone. And I know why. I get it. I get you did what you had to do.”

“That’s what I don’t understand,” Sunset joined in, her expression unreadable. “If you get that I did what I had to do… why are you still mad? Why did you say what you did?”

“What, that I wish you were still dead?” A bitter laugh escaped me. “Because it’s true.”

Sunset took in a sharp breath. Her muzzle trembled, eyes turning misty. “But… why? Don’t you… don’t you love me? I’m your sister. Mother and Mom don’t have this problem.”

“See? See?! That!” I jabbed a hoof in her direction. “That right there is a huge part of it! Of course they accepted you back. You’ve always been their first, the one they cared about the most!”

Sunset’s lips pulled back, the mistiness flashing away as her eyes lit up with anger. “Excuse you? What the hell, Twilight? They care about us equally. They always have! Don’t pull this ‘oh I’m not the favored one’ bullshit–”

“Sunset Shimmer!” Innana raised her voice now, just a touch, but it was like she’d slammed Sunset upside the head with the back end of a shuttlecraft. “You must tone down the hostility. I realize what she is saying is hurtful, but these feelings must be expressed if you are to sort this out.”

“Right… right. Sorry.” Sunset took a few breaths and untensed her muscles, relaxing in her chair. “Sorry. But I really don’t understand where you’re coming from with this, Twilight.”

“Yeah, I gathered that,” I said dryly. “But you didn’t see what they were like when you were gone. You didn’t spend hours arguing with them over how pointless it was to leave your room untouched. You didn’t spend countless hours alone in your room trying to study while they were downstairs interviewing one artist after another to commission that portrait of you! You know how much latinum they spent on that portrait? Twenty bars. Twenty. Bars. It’s a good painting, but come on! I wouldn’t have spent that much on a painting of Princess Celestia for crying out loud! They didn’t want to accept that you were gone.”

“But I wasn’t!” Sunset’s wings flared, though she otherwise stayed relaxed.

“And we had no way to know that, Sunset!” I fired back. “Look, I get it. Remote planet, no technology, no reason for Starfleet to look for survivors on the surface either. And even I’ll acknowledge that surviving long enough to send a distress signal at all is impressive. But you have to understand. There was literally no reason to even imagine you were still alive. None.”

Sunset stared at the floor for a moment, but seemed to take that in stride. “That’s… a fair point. If the tables were turned I’d have assumed you were dead too.”

Inanna smiled at us both. “Good. You have found something you can agree on.”

“Right, yeah,” Sunset said, nodding. She turned back to me. “Okay, so we’ve got that settled, but it still doesn’t answer my real question. Why is it so bad that I came back?”

I could almost feel the bucket of ice cold water being dumped on the single mote of light we’d managed to find between us. “Because you were already gone,” I pointed out. “And I accepted that. Mom and Mother didn’t for the longest time, but I did. It hurt. But I dealt with it. Maybe I’ve changed a bit since then–”

“That’s an understatement, to be honest,” Sunset quipped. “Before I died, you were smiling all the time, Twilight. You were blazing through your studies, even better than I did. You had friends at the Academy, a family at home, and all the motivation in the world. You were happy. And now?” She laughed, one so bitter it made me gag from the taste of it.

“Now I don’t know what to think. You’re short with everyone, and that’s before throwing an insubordinate fit every time I ask you the simplest question. And now you’re drowning your issues in booze instead of talking to someone about it? I’m not sure how you kept that up and still made valedictorian, but you and I both know that kind of shit’s not going to fly on any starship, wartime or not. I’ve been rough on you because I’ve been trying to keep you out of the brig!”

Innana stood up and held her arms out between us. “Sunset,” she hissed. “You need to restrain yourself.”

“No, she doesn’t.” I hopped up out of my chair and flashed Sunset a toothy fake grin. “‘Cause she’s right. Sooner or later I’ll end up in the brig. But you know what? That’s a good thing. ‘Cause maybe our parents’ll finally pay attention to me. Maybe if I get transferred to a different ship, I’ll get to figure out my own path in life. ‘Cause maybe, just maybe, I’ll be able to do something on my own instead of just following what you’ve laid out for me!”

I raised a hoof as if to slap Sunset across the face. “You were wrong from the very beginning, Sunset. Things can be a whole lot worse than being stuck in this damn world. I wish I’d never come here at all!”

I turned tail and ran. I ran as fast as I could, galloping out the door and down the corridor. I poured my essence into running away, far away, as I nearly rounded the entire saucer before only finally ducking into a turbolift and ordering it to take me to deck eleven. Once down there I found the closest holodeck, booted up the Canterlot program, and threw myself inside.

I found myself galloping through the corridors of Canterlot Castle, headed straight for the throne room. As usual for the program, Celestia was in the middle of Day Court, listening to a petition. I ignored the shouts of guards as I threw open the doors and barreled my way to the throne, shoving the bespoked suit and monocle wearing petitioner aside.

Princess Celestia rose from her throne, curiosity etched across her face. “What is the meaning of this intrusion, Twilight?” she asked. “You know I’m willing to–”

“Where’s the mirror?!” I shouted, cutting her off.

Celestia blinked. “The mirror?”

“Yes, damn it! The mirror!” I stomped a furious hoof into the tile hard enough to crack it. “Where is it? What is it? How does it work?”

“Twilight, my trusted student, I don’t understand–”

“Rrrgh!” I stomped a hoof again as my magic flared, adding force enough to crack several additional tiles all around the impact zone. “Tell me why! Why does it exist? Why didn’t you stop me from being taken? Why didn’t you try to rescue me? Why didn’t you send someone through to rescue me? Why?!”

“Twilight Sparkle!” Celestia thundered, her own magic surging to life as she spread her massive wings in a gesture that demanded obedience. “You will cease this at once–”

“Just tell me!” I screamed, my throat raw from the magic enhancing my voice.

To my shock, instead of saying anything, the holographic Celestia shook her head sadly, then her eyes glowed white. Magic swaddled me in its embrace, and in a flash my surroundings shifted to just outside the castle gates.

“You… you stupid… damned… hologram!” I cried as I turned tail and ran aimlessly through the streets, barreling my way through crowds of ponies, picking them up and hurling them out of my path until I finally reached one of the many parks dotting the city. Only then did I collapse and allow myself to weep.

After a couple of moments, though, a pair of deep voices coughed for attention. Scowling, I looked up to see a pair of pegasi, one a white pure as snow, the other black as coal. Both wore the armor of the Equestrian Royal Guard, complete with wing blades and deep expressions of contempt on their faces. “Excuse you, but we’ve had reports of a unicorn in strange clothes throwing ponies around?”

“Oh you have got to be kidding me,” I sighed. “Computer, delete guards.”

The guards remained firmly in place, their glares darker than ever. One pointed his blades squarely at my face. “You need to come with us. We have questions for you.”

A frisson of fear ran down my spine. “Computer!” I called out. “Delete. Guards.”

“I don’t know what you’re saying,” spoke the black one, now also pointing his blades at me. “But don’t move. We will use force if necessary.”

“Computer…” I growled. “Computer! Respond!” Nothing. “Oh come on! We’re in spacedock for crying out loud. This is not the time for holographic safeties to–”

One of the pegasi guards leapt on me, knocking me to the ground. “That’s it. Cuff her, Anthracite. We’ll sort this out in the dungeon.”

“Really.” I let out a loud groan. “This is ridiculous. You are holograms, you’re not going to–ow!”

One of them smacked me across the muzzle. He smacked me. Hard enough to draw blood, even. “Shut up, you crazy mare.”

My blood flash-boiled, sublimating till it ran hotter than a star’s corona. “Oh I am not putting up with this!” I roared as my magic flared to life, hauling the white pegasus off me and throwing him into his buddy, sending them sprawling. “I’m not going to sit here while my own goddamned program tries to arrest me!”

I galloped away from the pegasi, heading northeast towards the Noble District, where I’d previously spent extra time filling in as much of my old neighborhood as I could remember. As I ran, the pegasi took off in pursuit, their wing blades humming dangerously as they flew after me. “Cease at once!” one of them cried. “You have assaulted a member of the Royal Guard! If you do not surrender we will use lethal force!”

“Hah, funny,” I shouted back, “I don’t remember Equestria being so eager to use force like that! Must be an oversight from Sunset’s programming.” Then I grinned. “Actually, I know it is! I combed the code myself, you know. I saw what she did for your code. She took a basic police force program, one used in tens of thousands of different programs, and wrote some basic scripting over it. She probably never expected someone to trigger you into responding.”

In lieu of a verbal reply, one of the pegasi reached into his armor and pulled out a pair of bolas, swinging it around with his mouth till he sent it hurtling my way. My magic reached out to deflect it, knocking it aside easily.

I skidded to a halt when I reached my old family street. Holographic citizens milled about, more than a few screeching in panic when they saw the Royal Guard chasing me. When I looked back I saw the two I’d been dealing with were joined by three others swooping down out of the sky. They formed a circle around me, extending out their wings so I couldn’t escape. “Stop right there, unicorn,” said the first one. “You’re surrounded. Give up.”

“Nah. I don’t think so.” I charged up my hooves with magical force, a savage grin splitting my muzzle. “I’ve got a lot of emotions to work out right now. And you know what? I feel like working them out on you.”

The pegasus opened his muzzle to respond, but I didn’t give him a chance. I charged, whirled, and performed a sharp twin-hooved buck to the face, sending him to the dirt. I didn’t hold back on the force either, deliberately charging through the impact enough to snap his neck. He was a hologram. He wasn’t real.

“Lethal force authorized!” screeched another as the four remaining pegasi descended upon me. In a whirl of blades they came at me from all sides, slicing through the air in patterns that guaranteed my death, or would have had I not been trained for this sort of thing. My instincts flared to life, summoning up shields to knock their blows aside as I focused on one, lifting him in my magic high up and then deliberately imparting ten times the force as I slammed him to the ground with a horrendous multi-layered crack!

Laughter escaped my muzzle as I dodged and weaved through another set of attacks, though one of them broke through enough to tackle me to the ground. He raised his wing blades, ready to thrust into me, but I rolled over quick enough to end up on top of him, then brought both forehooves down square on his throat.

Ignoring his gasping and choking I turned to the remaining two, who seemed much more wary of me now that I’d disposed of three of them. “What’s the matter, huh? The big bad Royal Guard can’t even take down a single pony in the middle of the street?” I taunted, holding up one forehoof to beckon them forward. “Bring it.”

One of them immediately took flight and soared away while the other kept his gaze locked squarely on me, his muscles coiled and ready to strike. “Oooh, look, your friend ran away,” I said, giggling. “He must’ve been too scared!”

An odd wheezing noise somewhere behind me caught my attention for a split second, just long enough for him to spot my distracted focus and charge at me, blades ready. I ducked under his first strike and parried the second with a shield spell, then fired off a few blows of my own with my forehooves, lashing out more like a human would punch with their fist than a pony would normally act.

It took him by surprise, one blow catching his jaw as he tried to back away. “Oh no you don’t!” I cackled as I grabbed him up in my magic, ready to break him in half.

“Oh computer! Freeze program, why don’t you?”

The battle furor that surged through me evaporated in an instant, leaving me half-frozen, half shaking as I turned around to see Captain Liang himself standing behind me, leaning forward on his cane with both arms. “Ah, Ensign Sparkle,” he said. “I see this is how you enjoy your recreation. A bit violent, wouldn’t you say? What were you about to do to that poor fellow?”

I blinked, letting my magic fade as I glanced around at the bodies surrounding me. The bodies. Broken, battered, one split open on his side in a way that caused me to avert my eyes. Any sense of glee or joy left me. My stomach churned, twisted up in knots as I gaped at what I’d done. “I… sir… I didn’t… I don’t…”

He shook his head once and clicked his tongue. “No, Ensign, I was watching. You see, I was the one who temporarily disabled the safeties. I wanted to see how you’d react after your counseling session. Judging by… this… I don’t suppose it went well, did it?”

I stiffened to attention, despite a desperate, surging desire to flop onto my side and cry. “N-no sir. No, it didn’t.” My knees wobbled as I, without really wanting to, glanced at the bodies again. “I’m sorry, sir, this was unbecoming–”

He held up two fingers for silence. He stared at me for a couple of moments, studying me, then picked up his cane and poked at one of the bodies. “You know, I’ve seen much worse than this, when some of my crew loses their temper in the holodeck,” he said. “We had one of the earliest models aboard the Fletcher. Wasn’t even called a holodeck then. Was more of a 'combat training suite'. They didn’t start calling them holodecks till the 2360s.”

Liang paused for a moment while he circled around me, giving the floating guard a cursory look before returning his gaze to me. “Lieutenant Zhidar was a bit of a hot head at the time, and something deeply upset him. Doesn’t matter what, but when he got the chance, he came down to the training suite and he tore apart a good dozen or more people. Varying races, humans, Vulcans, a couple Klingons. Made a massive mess everywhere. He was covered in their blood.”

“That’s…” I choked, slapping a hoof to my mouth to keep from vomiting. “That’s horrific, sir.”

“It is.” He shrugged. “But he felt much better afterwards, and there was no harm done to anyone real. Holograms are just that, Ensign: holograms. Unless one somehow develops sapience, which I can assure you none of these,” he pointed to the corpses of pegasi surrounding me, “ever would, you needn’t feel any guilt. Though I would also encourage you to tread lightly. Last thing we want to do is feed mania, if you catch my drift.”

“...I see, sir,” I mumbled, unsure what else to say, how to react. I was still so shocked by the thought that the Captain–the CAPTAIN–had witnessed me losing it to the point of homicidal rage.

He chuckled, then tucked his cane under his arm and approached me, squatting down to look me in the eye. “I can tell from what I’ve seen of both you and Sunset that there’s a lot more going on between you than I first suspected. As your Captain, allow me to be blunt: I need to be sure this will not interfere in your duties, or the duties of my first officer. If you cannot contain your feelings, I will have you transferred to another ship at once. Is that clear, Ensign?”

I gulped, nodding like a bobblehead. “Yes sir.”

“Good. Now that that’s out of the way… I’m also ordering regular counseling sessions for you both. Twice weekly on your own, once weekly together. I’m sure Miss Hendrix and Miss Eresh can make that work. Understand this is not optional, nor can you run out on these sessions as you did today. This is a requirement for both of you to keep your positions aboard my ship.”

I nodded again, my teeth chattering. “Right sir. I understand, sir.”

He nodded in return. “I hope so. One more tidbit for you, before I leave you to your recreation: Your sister chose to have you posted to this ship. It was the very first thing she requested when she was assigned the Phoenix restoration project. The two of you have a unique opportunity, Miss Sparkle. A second chance at life in every meaning of the word.” Liang looked past me, his gaze very far away for just a second. “Don’t waste it.”

Clicking his cane on the ground once, he turned and left the holodeck. As he stepped through the doors, the program faded around me, returning to the black room with gold lines. I’m not sure how long I stood there, shaking from a combination of shame, misplaced rage at whoever I felt deserved it, and fear. I didn’t want to lose this position. All my friends were on this ship. I liked this ship. I needed this ship if I ever want to have a chance at getting home. The only bad part was Sunset, and she…

She…

...I shook my head and sighed. “I don’t know what to think anymore,” I murmured as I trotted out the holodeck doors.

I stared, gaping, at the doors that slammed shut in Twilight’s wake. My heart stilled in my chest as my whole body came to a halt, unable to process what she’d just said. Twilight… hates it here?

Twilight?

Hates her friends? Mom? Mother? Me?

It wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be possible.

“Sunset?”

I jumped almost a full meter in the air at the touch of Inanna’s hand on my shoulder. “What?”

She gave me an unreadable look, then pointed at my chair. “Please sit back down, Sunset.”

I did as requested, plopping down backwards as my rear knees collapsed out from under me. The material of the chair met my skin, but I barely felt it. My mind still couldn’t process what I’d heard. “She hates me,” I breathed.

Inanna took hold of one of my forehooves, running her fingers along the front part of the toe, the same way Belle used to in my more panicky moments of my first few years on Earth. The familiar gesture helped center me, enough to bring me back to the moment. “I am sorry it turned out that way, Sunset,” Inanna said. “For what it is worth, I do not think she truly hates you, or anyone else for that matter. I think she has convinced herself she does because she misunderstands what you’ve been through and why. From her perspective, you–”

“Yeah, save it, Inanna,” I interrupted. I pulled my hoof away from her. “Look, not that I don’t appreciate it, but I just had my little sister basically tell me she hates me, our - my - parents, and sound completely sincere doing it. I don’t want to hear the psychobabble bullshit.”

If that comment stung at all, she didn’t show it. She merely blinked, then nodded and said. “As you wish. Then may I make another suggestion? If being here is not helpful right now, perhaps you should speak with those who are friends with both you and Twilight.”

“...you mean Cadeneza and Wattson,” I said after a moment.

“Yes.”

“...fine.” I hopped out of my chair again. “Fine… I’ll… I’ll go find them.”

Before I could reach the door, Inanna held out a hand. “Sunset, please do not make any rash decisions.”

Scowling, I looked back and said, “I’m not going to hurt myself or anything. Worst I’ll do is get drunk or stoned while off duty. Unlike some ponies I actually have a sense of self-control.”

Inanna let out a gentle sigh and smiled at me. “Of course. Forgive me. It is a counselor’s job to worry.”

“Uh huh.” I turned and left, heading for the nearest turbolift. I stopped by my quarters just long enough to catch my breath and send communiques to Cadeneza and Wattson before returning to the bridge.

The rest of my shift passed by in a blur. I gave orders, signed PADDs, and all the rest. But I barely paid attention to any of it. My mind was constantly twisting itself in knots trying to absorb Twilight’s words.

By the time my shift ended and I slumped down to my quarters, I wasn’t too surprised to find Cadeneza and Wattson already in there, hard at work destroying a bottle of rum. “You know,” I grumbled as I made my way in to sit next to them, “just because I invited you doesn’t give you the right to enter without me being home.”

“Eh.” Wattson slid an isolinear chip across the table to me, one I knew belonged inside my door panel. “Your lock is too easy to undo, Sunny.”

I shot her a flat look. “Just pour me some of that rum, okay Amelia?”

Cadeneza snickered. “Wow. Guess some shit really hit the fan, huh?”

I waited until I had a glass in front of me and I’d taken a sip before replying, “Yeah. Things started okay, kind of. We even finally reached agreement on the idea that it was only fair for Twi to assume I was dead, since I’d have done the same thing in her place.”

“But?” Wattson asked before sipping her own drink.

“But she pivoted right to blaming our parents for apparently ignoring her and not letting me go, then me for ruining her plans, and finished by saying she hates everything here and wishes she never came here at all.”

Both of them dropped their glasses to the table and gave me matching shocked looks. “You can’t be serious,” Wattson breathed.

“I wish I wasn’t serious.” I let the next mouthful of rum rest on my tongue before I swallowed, savoring the spicy sweet flavor of cinnamon and cloves. “She ran off right in the middle of our counseling session. No clue where she went.”

“And you just let her run?” Cadeneza knocked back her entire glass, then reached down to her feet and brought up two other bottles, one of vodka, the other of butterscotch. She proceeded to mix all three into her glass, gave it a stir, then sipped at it and nodded. “I would’ve gone after her.”

“I was too surprised by what she said.” I drained my glass then made my own cocktail to sip. I took this one sparingly, as I’d realized this was all real alcohol, no synthehol. Not that Cadeneza would ever put up with the fake crap anyway.

“Yeah, guess you would be,” Cadeneza said.

I took another taste of my drink. The combination of flavors had quickly turned cloying, almost too happy for my mood. “Look, you’re her friends too, right?”

“Yeah,” Wattson replied. “We took her out for drinks right after… right after your memorial service.”

Cadeneza rubbed her stomach. “Still can’t believe Maia kicked me like that. And she pulled that phaser too...”

“You started it, Jacquie,” Wattson said, inclining her glass in Cadeneza’s direction before draining it and making her own cocktail. “You were all ‘I’m gonna make you taste the floor.’”

I broke into laughter as Cadeneza’s face bloomed red. “She was trying to take Sparkie away when she needed us the most.” she groused.

“But that wasn’t the last time you took her out, I’m guessing,” I prodded.

Wattson shook her head. “Nope. She went drinking with us tons of times after that.”

“Sparkie took all the worst qualities from me, I think.” Cadeneza swirled her drink then downed it bitterly. “She just forgot to take the redeemable ones too.”

“I was wondering about that,” I said. I finished my cocktail and poured a shot of straight rum, still barely feeling more than the slightest buzz. Damned alicorn metabolism. “I told her as much. The acting out, the cold attitude to literally everyone, the constant drinking. Told her if she kept it up she’d end up in the brig.”

“And you said that to her?” Wattson’s face screwed up in disbelief. “What the hell, Sunny? No wonder she hates you.”

“Hey!” I slapped my glass down on the counter with just a bit of excessive force. “It sounded harsh but I wasn’t wrong and you know it. Whatever she thinks of me, I’m still her superior officer and she deserves to be called out on all of that.”

“Wow. You are a complete idiot.” Cadeneza rumbled with bitter laughter as she knocked back her drink, poured herself a full slug of pure vodka then knocked that back too. “God damn, Sunset. Did they take your brain in exchange for the wings?”

My hackles rose, a fire smoldering to life in my chest. “Excuse you? She’s my sister.”

“Exactly.” Cadeneza filled her glass with vodka, then gestured at me with it, sloshing liquid out onto the table. “She’s your sister. Meanin’ you oughtta be more nicer to her–" she hiccuped "– or somethin'." She frowned and clutched her stomach for a moment before shaking her head. "Look, you died, Sunset. You died. You were gone. You gotta get it through your head what that did to her.”

“I have a pretty damned good idea what that did to her, Cadeneza,” I growled as I poured myself a new shot. “I was stuck on that Celestia-forsaken planet for two years. Two. Years!”

“And you know, that sucks and all Sunny,” Wattson said, glaring at me, “but Jacquie’s right. You’re so obsessed with your own experiences that you’re not seeing what your death did to Twilight. I watched her cry. Both of us did, many times. But that was only a small fraction of her pain, believe me.”

Wattson’s glare hardened, piercing me like diamond-tipped daggers. “Preta, her roommate? She was there for the worst moments, and there were a lot of those. She’d sometimes call us over for help and her fur would be soaked through with Twilight’s tears. Even getting her to eat much less talk was a chore for weeks and weeks. We badgered her to take a month off from class, and when she came back she was so cold and isolated we had to literally drag her out of her room to get her to leave her books for more than a second.”

Cadeneza sat up in her chair. “Look, we’d be lying if we said we weren’t concerned about how quickly and easily Twilight took to alcohol. But at the time we were just happy she was outside at all.”

“...really?” I whispered. “I… I knew about some of that, but…”

“Yes, really.” Cadeneza slapped me across the shoulder with a backhand, only to end up swaying and falling out of her chair. “Ow.”

I hauled her up with my magic and placed her back into her chair. “Think you’ve had enough there, Caddy.”

“Doubtful, but whatever.” Cadeneza glared at the glass in front of her, still half full of vodka, then shoved it away and stumbled over to the replicator. “Gimme some popcorn chicken, side of chipotle buffalo sauce. Chopsticks too.” The replicator hummed as it produced the food, then she brought out the steaming plate and somehow managed to put it back on the table without falling over. “I can't believe I forgot to eat,” she moaned as she clutched her head then her stomach. “Why didn’t you remind me, ‘Melia?”

Wattson ignored her to look at me instead, her angry frown subsiding. “Sorry if we’re bein’ hard on you Sunny, but we both care about Twilight. And we care about you. It… it really sucks to see you two fighting like this.”

“For real!” Cadeneza chimed in, thrusting a chopstick in the air and waving it like a baton. “You two, like, you gotta get along.”

I looked away from them both. “You’re right,” I admitted with a shrug of my shoulders. “You’re right. I wasn’t really thinking about Twilight, at least not in the right way. But what am I supposed to do about it?”

“Eh you’ll figure it out,” Cadeneza said as she scarfed down her food. “Just think about it, okay?”

“Sure.” I looked back at them and set my drink aside, deciding I’d had enough of booze. Then a sly grin formed on my muzzle. “Hey, Cadeneza, got a question for you.”

She looked up from her plate, her mouth a mess of barbeque sauce. “What?”

“You said something pretty strange to me the other day,” I said, my smile growing. “Something about how Twilight wasn’t the one you… something.”

Wattson chortled as Cadeneza’s whole face turned as red as the barbeque sauce smeared across her lower lip. “W-what? No I didn’t,” she mumbled through a mouthful of food.

“Oh come on, Jacquie,” Wattson laughed. “Just admit it. You really want to waste your chance?”

Cadeneza groaned and dove into her food, scarfing it down for a moment or two before swallowing noisily. “Alright alright,” she murmured. “Look this… this is gonna sound pretty stupid, okay?”

I sat back in my chair and crossed my forelegs over my chest. “I’ll be the judge of that.”

She growled something under her breath, then blew a sigh out through her teeth and said, “Before you died I might’ve...sort’ve… developed a crush on you.”

Even though I’d expected a response like that, I felt my own cheeks warm up. “O-oh. A crush, huh? Not just a roll in the hay?”

“Why not both? Ain't nothing wrong with casual sex either,” Cadeneza replied, pointing a chopstick at me. Then she snorted. “Like I need to tell you that.”

I winced. “Point taken.”

“A-anyway, so, like, I kinda sorta liked you, yeah? Ain't no big thing.” Cadeneza shrugged and went back to eating.

“Huh.” I took that in, and tried to think about it. But it was difficult to process. Especially given the rest of the day's events… my brain was fried. “Okay.”

“Okay,” Cadeneza echoed. She glanced up at me furtively, a frown twisting her mouth. “I uh… we don’t gotta do anything about it. Less you wanna.”

“I don’t think this is a good time to discuss that,” Wattson cut in, placing a hand on both my shoulder and Cadeneza’s. She patted us both once, then picked up the small pile of empty bottles and dumped them all in the replicator. “We should just hang out for a while instead. We’ve got a mission to leave for tomorrow.”

Both the rum and Cadeneza’s tipsy pseudo-confession swirled in my head the rest of the night. But I had little time to really dwell on it. The next morning I was on the bridge at 0730, half an hour earlier than normal, to view the final repair status reports with Captain Liang. “Looks like the last of the repair crews have left the ship, sir,” I said. “We should be good to go.”

“Very good,” Liang said. He tapped his cane on the palm of his hand once. “Ishihara, signal Starbase our intent to depart.”

“Aye sir,” Ishihara replied. A few moments later she reported they were unlatching the umbilicals. “Umbilicals released. We’re free.”

“Helm, take us out, nice and easy,” I ordered. “Gentle with the thrusters, Mr. Rodriguez.”

“Yes ma’am,” Rodriguez replied with his usual grin.

Once out, Liang ordered, “Hail the Defiant, please.”

The grinning face of Benjamin Sisko appeared on screen. The Defiant’s bridge must have been tiny compared to ours, as I could easily see the rest of the bridge crew in the picture–including, to my surprise, a Ferengi at the helm. “Well, Captain,” he said, steepling his hands, “it seems we’ll have some time for that chat after all.”

“So it would seem,” Liang smiled back. “We’re ready to follow your lead.”

Sisko nodded. “Helm, set course for the Bouman Basin, warp eight.”

“Yes, sir!” barked the Ferengi, who I realized was wearing a cadet’s uniform, which struck me as even odder. I made a note to ask about him.

Sisko looked back up at us. “Captain, we’ll be proceeding under cloak. The Phoenix will take point on our approach.”

“Ah. We’re the bait, I take it,” Liang said with a wry chuckle.

“That’s right,” Sisko said. “The Defiant will follow close behind, ready to assist. We’ll communicate on a secured channel. The Phoenix will act to draw out the defenders. Once pulled away, the Defiant will decloak and attack the base. We’ll catch them in a pincer.”

Liang’s smile turned from sly to genuine. “Exactly the tactic I would’ve recommended, Captain. Number One, they restocked our supply of quantum torpedoes, correct?”

I double checked my screen. “Yes sir, they did.”

“Excellent. Then we’ll be loaded for bear. I’ll want the quantums loaded first.” Liang tapped his cane against his palm several times, then set it down. “I don’t want to give the Jem’Hadar a chance to rough us up like they did last time.”

“Very well,” Sisko said. “If there’s nothing else, Captain?” At Liang’s shake of the head, Sisko turned to an NCO sitting at an aft station, one with curly hair and a solid face that for just a moment seemed oddly familiar. “Chief O’Brien, engage the cloak.”

“Aye sir,” spoke O’Brien, who I realized now had been on the Enterprise for a short while during my time there. He glanced up at me and winked, so I winked back.

“Good hunting, Captain,” Sisko said as he broke communication. On the viewscreen we watched the Defiant swirl and fade away.

Liang grinned at me. “Charming young lad, isn’t he? Well, you heard the man, Rodrigo. Set course for Bouman Basin, warp eight.”

“Already laid in, sir,” Rodrigo grinned.

Pointing at the screen with his cane, Liang ordered, “Engage.”

Everything twisted and contorted on the screen before flashing with white as we leapt into warp. I monitored the engines, just in case something had gone wrong during repairs, but the ship performed beautifully.

“Well, now comes the hard part,” Liang said as he got up from his chair. “The waiting. Number One, you have the bridge. I’ll be in my ready room.”

I acknowledged him as I moved over to the command chair, which suddenly began to feel like a bed of spikes pressing into my back. What followed was a tense few hours as we sped across space towards the Basin. After the third hour passed, I called Cadeneza up to the bridge. To my surprise she was joined by Twilight, who gave me a stern, cold glare. I tried not to respond in kind as I gestured for them to follow me to the aft science console.

“This is really more Sparkie’s area of expertise,” Cadeneza said without preamble once we’d brought up the Bouman Basin on screen. “I’m deferring to her.” She gave me a pointed look. “She knows what she’s doing when it comes to stellar phenomena.”

“It’s true,” Twilight said, her voice stony. “Black holes are an integral part of stellar mechanics.”

“Alright then,” I replied. “Dismissed, Lieutenant.”

Cadeneza nodded, then eyed me for a split second and mouthed “Good luck” before she departed the bridge.

Twilight stiffened. “What’re your orders, ma’am?” she said, maintaining the stony tone.

I sighed, biting back the first of what were sure to be many harsh comments. “We’re going to be relying on you for detailed scans inside the Basin. The black holes will make it difficult to navigate in there.”

Twilight pulled out the seat to the console and sat down so she could better study it. “I can do that, ma’am.”

The complete lack of anything personable about her hurt. Each time she spoke it was like she was tearing out bits of my heart. But I forced myself to bury all that. Now was not the time. “Can you give me a quick overview of what we can see from here?”

She snorted, but complied, tapping at the keys until a large display of various singularities appeared on screen. “The Bouman Basin consists of approximately nineteen singularities of varying sizes, all within relatively close orbits of each other covering an area approximately two to three light years across. The area is considered especially dangerous, as in addition to the singularities there are several asteroid fields composed mostly of metals.”

“Any planets or stars?” I wondered.

She shot me a dirty look. “No, ma’am,” she said slowly, as if she was speaking to a child. “Whatever stars were here have collapsed into singularities, and the asteroid fields are likely the remnants of planets.”

My nostrils flared, but I managed to hold down my temper. I called upon the meditative techniques Mother had taught me and I immediately regretted letting myself fall so far out of practice with them. “Do we know what the origin of the Basin is? Why are there so many singularities or former stars close by?”

Twilight shrugged. “Nope. It’s been studied from a distance, but the gravitational effects make it difficult to study up close. About eighty years ago the U.S.S. Toronto attempted to chart the Basin and got caught too close to one of the singularities. By the time they escaped, over a decade had passed. Starfleet ordered the area marked as a major hazard on all navigational charts. Since then, any study of the Basin has been limited to uncrewed probes.”

“Well, we’ll have to be careful then. Last thing we want is to get trapped in there like the Toronto,” I said.

“Yeah,” Twilight scoffed. “Wouldn’t want to be trapped somewhere. People might think we’re dead.”

I cringed, feeling like I’d just stepped on a rake and smacked myself in the face with the handle. “Twilight–”

“With respect, Commander Shimmer,” Twilight cut me off instantly, “I’d prefer we not be too familiar with each other. If that’s acceptable, ma’am.”

And the rake was followed up by a one-two punch to the gut. Great. “R-right, of course, Ensign. My apologies.”

She chose not to respond, and focused her gaze squarely on her console. “Did you need anything else, ma’am, or should I get to work with the navigational assistance?”

Wishing a hole would open up beneath me and whisk me somewhere, anywhere other than on the bridge, I murmured, “No, Ensign. Carry on.” My whole body stiffened, moving mechanically as I trotted back to the command chair and took a seat. I forced my face to be as unmoving as a statue. I had to.

Otherwise I’d start crying, and I wouldn’t know when to stop.

“Helm,” I called out, cursing myself for the shakiness of my voice. “Time to the Basin?”

Rodriguez glanced back back over his shoulder to look at me, his usual grin replaced by a frown. “Err, we’re thirty minutes out. Is something–”

“Eyes on your station, Lieutenant!” I thundered, louder than I meant to, and cringed when I saw him sit ramrod straight in his chair and turn around.

“Yes ma’am, apologies ma’am,” he said, all traces of his normal congeniality vacant, replaced with stark obedience.

“Damn it,” I whispered. “Way to go, Sunset. Great job building that rapport.”

My blood pressure rose when I saw Williams step up from his ops position and stride over to me. “Can we talk for a moment?” he said.

I sighed. “Conference room. Ishihara, you have the conn.”

When we stepped into the conference room, where I could see the large tactical pod looming over the saucer, casting everything below into shadow. The sight made me wish I could sink into those shadows. Instead, I took a deep breath and faced Williams. “I know what you’re going to say, so go ahead. Speak freely.”

“Oh, you do, do you?” he said with a snort. He pointed with one hand back towards the bridge. “Because I just saw you cut a man’s balls off for no goddamn reason. You want to explain why you did that?”

Despite myself, I found my hackles rising once more, my blood boiling. “I said speak freely, not crudely, Williams,” I growled, “I won’t deny that I snapped at Rodriguez, but I honestly don’t feel like explaining a damn thing right now. Not to anyone.”

“Nuh uh. That’s not going to fly with Liang, and you know that.” Williams crossed his arms over his chest. “Look, I’m old, Shimmer. I took this position as a favor to James. I don’t owe you a damned thing. And so far I haven’t been too impressed with you. I’m not sure what you did to earn the position you have, and frankly? I don’t care. But this isn’t the first time I’ve heard about you unnecessarily shouting down a subordinate in public. If this is the way you’re going to treat your crew–”

“I made a mistake!” I snapped. The emotions, the anger, the sorrow, the hurt… it was all too much. I broke. The tears I’d been holding back gushed forth now like a torrential downpour. “I made a mistake…”

Williams’s hard expression washed away, replaced by shocked concern. “Woah, hey... Commander, I wasn’t trying to hit a nerve there–”

“No, Williams, it’s...not that. You don’t understand.” I collapsed into one of the chairs at the table and told him what happened between me and Twilight. I left very few details. “A-and now I don’t know what to do. She’s… she means the world to me, Williams. Twilight is my sister. Before her, before Mother and Mom, I never… never had a family. I don’t want to lose it now, not over something so, so stupid!”

Williams, who’d been both silent and unmoving during my story, finally gave me a nod with a quiet sigh. “I see. I’m sorry, Sunset. I completely misjudged the situation.” He held out a hand to shake in solidarity, which after a moment’s hesitation I took with one hoof. “Given what you’ve been through, if anything I should be praising your restraint. I’d be a lot madder if I were you.”

“I want to be mad,” I said, sniffling. “I want to be furious at her. To shout at her, tell her she’s being ungrateful, a stupid little foal. But I can’t be. She’s too important. She matters too much. I just want my sister back. And I don’t know how I’m going to do that.”

“Well, if I can help… just let me know.” Williams glanced at one of the wall panels, tapped it, then grimaced. “We’d better get back to the bridge. Time for our game faces.”

I took a moment to breathe, and used my magic to wipe away any traces of tears or snot. “Right. Right. Let’s go.”

Following him I stepped back onto the bridge, prompting Ishihara to leap out of the command chair. “Report,” I said, my voice firm.

“No sign of any Jem’Hadar yet, ma’am,” Ishihara replied as she returned to her position at tactical. “We’re two minutes out from the Basin.”

“Understood.” I rounded the command area and stepped up to the helm, just close enough to whisper to Rodriguez. “I apologize for snapping at you, Rodriguez. It was uncalled for.”

He grinned up at me and shook his head. “No worries, ma’am.”

Nodding, I tapped my combadge. “Shimmer to Liang. Sir, we’ve just about arrived.”

After a moment Liang stepped out of the ready room, and I joined him in our respective command chairs. He spotted Twilight, twitched his eyebrows, then sat down and gave me a knowing look. “Any trouble, Number One?”

“No, sir,” I reported. “No sign of Jem’Hadar yet. And Ensign Sparkle is standing by to assist with navigation through the Basin.”

“Is she? Well done, then.” Liang faced the viewscreen. “Let’s get a good look, shall we? Helm, drop us out of warp. Right at the edge.”

The ship shuddered as the star unstretched into points all around us… only to curl in on themselves and stretch backwards, contorting all over the place, while visible accretion disks twisted and writhed. While black holes weren’t visible, their effects sure as hell were, and the end result was so chaotic and irregular it was akin to an acid-fueled drug trip on an astronomical scale.

“Let’s start with some scans, hmm? See what’s out there,” Liang said.

I meanwhile turned to Ishihara. “Any word from the Defiant?”

She checked, then said, “They’ve dropped out of warp, holding position fifty thousand kilometers off our port side.”

“Good to know we’ve got them shadowing us,” I murmured.

“Nothing on sensors yet,” Williams announced. “But there’s a lot of interference. The readings are all over the place, bouncing like crazy. I can hardly tell them apart.”

“Hmm. Maybe our instincts were wrong after all,” Liang said, rubbing his chin. “You’d think they’d have sent a greeting party by now, if they were here.”

“Unless they’re hiding,” I pointed out. “They may be hoping we see these crazy sensor readings and think better of approaching at all.”

Liang clicked his tongue. “Fair point, Number One. Recommendations, Williams, Sparkle?”

I didn’t dare glance back at Twilight, instead seeing her reflection as she turned to face the captain. “If we go in, sir, we need to take it slow. No more than one eighth impulse. Any faster and we risk getting caught in gravitational eddies.”

“Agreed,” Williams chimed in. “Frankly sir, we won’t have much room for evasive maneuvers either.”

“Could be what they’re counting on,” I added. “Wait for us to come in, then they spring a trap.”

“Well, Captain Sisko did describe us as bait,” Liang mused. He leaned forward and placed his cane down perpendicular to the floor, setting his chin atop it. “I believe if we’re going to be bait, we should make ourselves look as appealing as possible.” Liang turned to the science stations. “Sparkle, switch all but one slice of the sensor grid to scientific scans. Make it look like we’re performing a survey, not looking for Jem’Hadar.”

“In the middle of all this, sir?” Williams scoffed.

Liang winked at him. “Oh I know it wouldn’t work against Cardassians, but these aren’t Cardassians. These are Jem’Hadar. And they’re single-minded. They think we’re weak, so let's look weak. In fact… reduce power to weapons. Redirect more to the sensors. Keep the shields up, but reduce to half strength.”

Grinning, I nodded. “Yes sir.” Taking a look at my console, I then tapped my badge. “Shimmer to Wattson. How much power can you leave in reserve for instant tapping when necessary?”

“As much as you want, ma’am. Why?”

“Guile, Wattson,” Liang added. “Guile.”

“...Understood, sir. I’ll keep the lines hot. Wattson out.”

“Well, it seems all our preparations are ready,” Liang said. He brought up his cane and pointed it forward. “Helm, take us in. Nice and slow now.”

As the ship slowly slipped into the Bouman Basin, I found myself filled with a distinct sense of unease. We had no idea where the Jem’Hadar were hiding, if they were even here at all. And despite the venting to Williams, despite getting all the emotions I could off my chest, my mind still kept wandering back to Twilight.

What was I going to do to win her back? Was it even possible? I knew Liang had ordered us to more counseling sessions; that order reached me last night just before I went to sleep. I had a session scheduled with Belle at 1400 in two days. But somehow I didn’t think counseling alone would cut it.

It made me wish Mother and Mom were here with us. Maybe with their influence we’d have a better chance.

Or not. We were adults, even Twilight, and if she wanted to distance herself from me for the rest of her life… there really wasn’t much I could do about it.

But I won’t give up my sister without a fight. I know I can get through to her eventually.

…

I hope.

Author's Note

Hey y'all, it's your favorite color... Blue!

So, I'm typing this up on my phone now. I'm hoping I corrected all the mistakes in the main episode, but I'm far from perfect. Also, phone.

And speaking of perfect, let's talk about science! Black holes are still relatively unknown, and this Basin place? We made it up.

However, it was recently discovered that in a nearby globular cluster that a swarm of black holes in the center. These black holes are small stellar black holes. How small can they be? Well a small black hole about 1.4 solar masses was recently discovered gorging itself on a red giant... it had a diameter of 18km. So when I mean small, I mean small. And while finding a swarm in the main disc is less likely, it is still possible... far more possible than FTL travel within, like, a few centuries that can't even leave the galaxy. So, moral of the story? We will take fantastical liberties with current science and, well, science fiction it up! We'll try our best to keep it grounded in reality, but, magical flying unicorn.

Next up, our first mini episode will be dropping on 6/25, with a follow up on 6/30, that means episode 13 will not arrive until 7/5. From now on, expect main episodes to come out every other week, with two mini episodes in between (if this changes, we will let you know). These minis are roughly between 3,000 and 8,000 words, and will hopefully showcase crew members and others who don't really get all the screen time like our lovely pony duo.

Anyway, that's all from me. I'll be moving out on the 26th, so... that's fun. Now watch as I boil alive while scouring these comments and not packing!

Ciao.

Thanks Blue!

As a small addendum, for anyone who's concerned about timeline issues--ie why is the Defiant here--this is currently set between the end of season five of DS9 and the beginning of season six. There was a three month gap between them leaving the station and the start of season six where we hear all about the massive fleet losses, so this is taking place during that time.

Season 2 Mini-Episode 01: "Lonely"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02ME01

“Lonely”

Between the reconstruction work and the impending war, almost every room inside the saucer formerly called Enterprise was reconfigured to one degree or another.

Almost every room.

Nestled in the forward section of Deck Two was a small lounge that had miraculously survived the reconstruction effort with little more than a mild refurbishment. On the surface it looked like a miniaturized version of Ten-Forward, from the furniture to the shape of the bar. Other than the junior officers who had quarters on Deck Two, very few people on the Phoenix seemed to be aware that ‘Two-Forward’ even existed.

And at the moment, the sense of loneliness that filled the intimate, dimly lit space was exactly what Doctor May wanted. She slumped back in her chair near the windows, sipping on the replicator's attempt at a faux gin and tonic. Stars streaked by, the endless display of the ship at warp speed causing her to tune out reality around her. A glum frown pulled at her cheeks. Every so often she let out a quiet sigh and took another small sip of her beverage.

Then she shifted her head as her ears caught the sound of footsteps approaching her. “Whoever’s behind me, I was wantin’ to be left alone,” she said, her Scottish brogue especially thick. “Why else would I be sittin’ in a lounge hardly anyone ever uses?”

“I was wondering why I found you here, instead of Ten-Forward,” said Belle Hendricks as she stepped into May’s line of sight. The half-Vulcan counselor, resplendent as ever in her floor length royal purple dress, pulled up a chair and plopped herself down in it. She held up a drink of her own, some rainbow-colored confection in a wide brimmed glass. “Mind if I join you?”

May scowled at Hendricks. “I should think I just said no.”

Hendricks beamed at her, tipped her glass to her, then drank. “Oh come now. Surely some company would do you some good? Besides, I want to get to know you. There aren’t a lot of women our age aboard the ship.”

May’s scowl softened considerably. One corner of her mouth turned up for just a moment. “I suppose there aren’t, are there?” she admitted. She shifted in her chair, grabbing another one with one foot and tugging it over so she could prop her feet up. “Well, what would you like to know, Counselor?”

“Belle, if you would,” Hendricks replied, an easy-going grin decorating her face. “Counselor is for the office, and I’m not in the office.”

“Fair enough I suppose.” May peered over the rim of her glass for a moment, casting a wary look at her guest. Finally she took a deep swig of her drink and set the glass down with a sigh. “Doctor Sarah May.” She stuck a hand to Hendricks. “Nice to be meetin’ you, Belle.”

“Likewise.” Hendricks took May’s hand, causing May to shiver. Hendrick’s hand was ice cold next to hers, and even though May knew it was because of Hendrick’s Vulcan physiology, it nevertheless left her feeling like she’d just shaken hands with an iceberg. Worse, Hendricks noticed May’s reaction. “Sorry about that. I run pretty cold even for a half-Vulcan.”

May’s smile tightened considerably, and she tried to ignore the warmth filling her cheeks. “Not a problem.”

A few moments of companionable silence passed as they watched the stars slide by together. “So, Sarah,” Hendricks said, “what brought you to the Phoenix?”

May shrugged her shoulders and sipped at her drink. “Wanted to escape being stuck planetside after six years. I’ve been itchin’ to get back onto a starship.”

“Oh yeah?” Hendricks chuckled. “This is my first time aboard one, to be honest with you. Still feels pretty strange. I can hear the engines humming beneath us. The sun never shines outside. It’s… different.”

“If you don’t mind me askin’,” May replied, “what brought you aboard, then? Wee bit of a rarity for a civilian to be takin’ a shipside position with Starfleet at all, much less at the start of a war. And hurtlin’ right into the deep end as ship’s counselor too? No offense, of course.”

“Oh, that you can lay squarely at the hooves of our esteemed first officer,” Hendricks said with an exasperated roll of her eyes. “That mare’s got a gift for words, I’ll say that. She could sweet talk a Nausicaan.”

May leaned closer to Hendricks, intrigued. “She twisted your arm too, hmm? Do you know her personally?”

“Know her? I’m practically an aunt to her, and her sister.” Hendricks’s smile turned wistful. “I’ve been Sunset’s counselor since she first arrived on Earth, and when her sister arrived I began helping her adjust too. Sunset’s invitation still caught me off guard, but it makes a lot of sense why she’d want me on this crew.”

“Mm.” May sat back in her chair and closed her eyes for a moment, then knocked back the rest of her gin and tonic. “I know both of them well from their academy years. Sunset helped me better understand her physiology, and I saw Twilight in my infirmary nearly every week after her sparring sessions with her roommate. Sunset all but conned me into this job, though, to be honest.”

Hendricks frowned. “I thought you said you wanted to be back aboard a starship.”

“I did say that, and I do, but… well…” May sighed. “To make a long story short, my husband and I served aboard this ship almost ten years ago, under Captain Maxwell. My husband died. I didn’t.”

Hendricks worked her mouth for a moment, then set her glass down. “I can’t imagine it’s easy to back here of all ships. If you’d like to come and see me sometime, I–”

“If it’s all the same to you,” May cut her off, stiffening. Without meaning to, she scooted her chair further away. “I’d rather not. I’m not a big fan of gettin’ me head shrunk.”

Withering under May’s glare, Hendricks nodded. “Of course. My apologies, Sarah.”

“No, it’s… I–” A sour sensation crept into May’s stomach, causing it to churn. “No, I’m the one who should apologize,” she said, slumping into her chair. “I just had so many counselors talkin’ to me, after me husband died… what the hell am I doing?” She scowled at her empty glass before shoving it across the table. “I don’t know why I’m even talking about this right now. Counselor or not, I barely know you.”

Hendricks steepled her hands. “Sometimes, we just have to air what’s on our minds. And for what it’s worth… you looked pretty lonely when I found you.”

May narrowed her eyes and glared at Hendricks as a sudden thought occurred to her. “Wait. You said you were surprised to find me here. Were you lookin’ for me?”

Giving her a sincere smile, Hendricks replied, “No, I wasn’t, actually. Sunset told me about this lounge, said it’s one of the best kept secrets on the ship. Ten-Forward is too popular, and not a lot of people like being this close to the bridge when they’re off duty, so as you can see, it’s rarely used.” She pointed a finger up at the ceiling. “They’re right above us, you know.”

“So you were wantin’ to be alone too, I take it?”

Hendricks shrugged. “Sort of. Not so much alone as… wanting somewhere quiet. I wanted the lounge atmosphere without the crowds, if that makes sense. Ten-Forward isn’t exactly a frontier bar, but compared to this it’s as rowdy as a frat party.”

May’s suspicious gaze turned into an amused smile. “True enough. Well, then here’s to quiet lounge time.” She held up her empty glass and frowned. “One moment.” She got up and moved to the nearby replicator, returning a few moments later with a fresh drink. “Like I was saying…”

Hendricks clinked her glass against May’s. “I’ll drink to that, Sarah.”

About an hour and a few more synthetic drinks later, the two women had covered just about everything from their childhood memories to their reasons for choosing the professions they did. Doctor May was just about to retire to her quarters when Hendricks again posed to her the same basic question they had started with: “So why did you really come up here, away from everyone else?”

“I’m lonely,” May said in a hushed voice. She stared out at the stars, focusing on each individual point as it streaked past her.

“Oh? You don’t have many friends?”

May chuckled. “Friendship, I have plenty of. I’d like to be thinking you’re a new friend of mine, Belle. No, I meant… romantically. I haven’t been with anyone since me husband died. And being on this ship, it… it brought it all back. Took a few days before it hit me, but it did.”

“Aaaah, I see.” Hendrick’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “So why not go to Ten-Forward then? We can check out the people, see if anyone catches your eye.”

“Oh no, no no no,” May said with a quick shake of her head. “I don’t think so. I’d feel like a… like a…”

“A cougar?” Hendricks said as a wide grin stretched her face from ear to ear.

May cast her a flat look. “Not the word I’d use.”

Hendricks waved a hand dismissively. “Okay, fair point. But you really shouldn’t worry so much, Sarah. Everyone’s an adult on this ship.This sort of thing is bound to happen all over the place eventually. You never know. You might find someone who’s interested in a…” Her smile turned devious. “May-December relationship.”

May couldn’t help but snort a bit as she got up and held her glass menacingly over the snickering doctor’s head. “Thinkin’ you’re pretty funny, don’t ya?”

Hendricks laughed and held up her hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, jokes aside, there’s no harm in trying, right? Even if all you do is look.”

May knew the synthehol in her system was just that, synthehol, yet she felt a sudden surge of liquid courage all the same. She knocked back the rest of her drink and slipped it back down onto the table with a light thud. “Fine. Let’s be off then.”

May’s stomach fluttered as they rode the turbolift down to Ten-Forward. The thought of even looking the way Hendricks suggested stirred a nervousness in her she hadn’t felt since she was a schoolgirl. As they left the turbolift and stepped through the doors to the lounge, the sounds and sights hit her hard, and her stomach writhed and twisted like the butterflies were trying to break free.

Alpha shift had ended about fifty minutes prior, and the bustling lounge showed it. Dozens of people, including most of the bridge crew, were scattered around the room drinking, talking, or playing card games.

Hendricks picked them up a pair of fresh drinks and led them to an empty table near the middle, where they could view just about anyone in the room. “Well? See anyone interesting?”

May did her best to let her eyes wander without looking like her head was on a swivel. Her eyes stopped and stared at Rodriguez. The helmsman had swapped his duty uniform for a pair of dark pants and a snug t-shirt that left much of his beefy biceps on display. To her own dismay May found her mouth watering a bit at the sight. “He’s… big.”

“He sure is hunky,” Hendricks nodded, her own eyes locked on Rodriguez’s form. “Not a bad smile either.”

“But what’s his personality like? I like sophisticated men. Charming men.”

Hendricks considered that for a moment, then gently patted May on the shoulder. “Might be a bit disappointed with that one then.” She whispered something quietly into May’s ear.

May frowned. “Oh. Well, forget him then.” She glanced about the room, an unease settling into her system. “Starting to feel like a predator, looking at all these young lads.”

Hendricks giggled as she sipped at her drink. “Nothing wrong with looking, remember? They’re all adults, or they wouldn’t be here.” She winked at May and waggled her eyebrows. “Are you checking out the lasses as well?”

Arching an eyebrow, May said, “Afraid not. Strictly men for me.”

“Aw. Well, suit yourself then.” May watched Hendrick’s gaze track one Lieutenant’s shapely rear end as she walked across the room. "Cause there’s plenty of lookers here, let me tell you.”

“Have you no shame?” May whispered, mortified.

Hendricks blushed at that. “Sorry. I don’t… I don’t usually people watch with others.” She straightened up in her chair and schooled her face into a neutral expression. “I see too many of these people in my office anyway. First rule of any medical practice: don’t date your patients.”

May raised her glass to that and downed the rest of her drink. “Best hope not everyone here becomes a patient then,” she said. Despite the tone of the conversation, May found herself grinning. Hendricks had the right idea after all, she decided. She needed to be around people. Already her usual cheerful demeanor was reasserting itself.

“Oh, wait, look!” whispered Hendricks sharply as she pointed over to the doors on the right side of the room. “It’s Williams. I hear he’s pretty sophisticated.”

“Oh is he now?” May gazed at him, finding her eyes sliding to half mast. “And he’s handsome too.”

She watched him sidle up to the bar and order a drink. He was chatting amiably with the bartender, an older lieutenant in science blues filling in for the role, since they’d left spacedock without a civilian staff for the lounge. As she watched the two men, she found herself more and more intrigued.

Until suddenly Williams took the other man’s hand and kissed it.

“Oh of course… he’s gay. Why wouldn’t he be? Seems like everyone else on this ship is, anyway,” May snarked. “Are we sure this isn’t part of some grand plot by Sunset?”

Hendricks’ lips thinned as she cast a look May’s way. “I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration.”

“Weren’t meanin’ anythin’ bad by it,” May replied, sighing as she flopped her face onto the table. The plastic material was cool to her cheek, which helped soothe the frustration she felt. “But it sure don’t help much when the only real prospects my age are out of reach.”

Hendrick’s expression softened. “No, I know what you mean. I’m on my own here too, don’t forget.” She glanced over to one corner, then her eyes widened. A soft giggle escaped her lips. “You know, there is one other person you might have a chance with.”

May picked herself up and looked in the direction of whatever had caught Hendrick’s eye. A fresh flush flared to life as she felt her pulse quicken. “Oh no, surely you must be jokin’, Belle.”

“I’m serious!” Hendricks leaned over and nudged May in the shoulder with her elbow. “Come on, what’ve you got to lose, huh? You’re both single, and I’ll readily admit he’s pretty sexy too.”

May didn’t really hear what Hendricks said, as she was too busy gazing upon her chosen target. “Maybe you’re right,” she whispered.

“Go on then,” Hendricks prodded. “No time like the present.”

May glanced over. “Is that logic talking there?”

Hendricks gave her a sly grin. “Probably not, but it makes sense to me. Now get over there!”

Hefting herself to her feet, May slowly put one in front of the other as she stepped towards the bar. Each step came with an increase in her heart rate, a steady drum beat that accelerated with each passing second. It wasn’t like her to feel so, so nervous, but she couldn’t help it.

She clenched her sweaty palms as she reached her target. Her voice shook, then died entirely as she tried to speak. Groaning under her breath, she backed away, only to hear a voice call out at the last minute. “Hmm? Oh, Doctor!”

May turned and flailed as Liang’s charming smile hit her like she’d been run over by a shuttlecraft, causing her to gasp. “What can I do for you?”

May swallowed, her throat far too dry all of a sudden. She glanced back at Hendricks, who gave her an encouraging wave of support. “Err, well, um, sir, I was wonderin’ if maybe you’d… you’d like have a drink with me?”

Liang arched one eyebrow, his smile firmly in place as he briefly looked over to where Ishihara, Zhidar, and Rodriguez were playing cards, then looked over to Williams, whose hands were locked around the male bartender’s. With a shrug he turned back to her and said, “Certainly. Seems my chosen company are a tad busy. What would you like?”

She almost blurted ‘you’ before managing to bite it back and instead reply with, “Gin and tonic.”

He nodded, got their order together, then carried their glasses over to a table near the port side of the room, not too far away from Hendricks, to May’s relief. “Here you are,” he said, handing her the drink she requested.

As she took the glass, a spark of nerves surged through her hand. She could feel the warmth of his fingers on the glass, right where he’d held it. Unlike hers, they were free of sweat. Because he wasn’t nervous like she was.

Or if he was, he certainly wasn’t showing it. “Thank you, sir,” she mumbled, immediately knocking back a large mouthful to give herself some liquid courage.

Liang held up a mug of cider and took a long pull “So, what’s on your mind, Doctor? Something seems to be troubling you.”

“Troubling?” May repeated, her voice hitting an octave higher than usual. She shook her head rapidly and coughed to clear her throat. “No sir, nothing… troubling.”

His smile waned as he looked her over. Now those piercing eyes were examining her, studying her, and she shivered. “I may be a bit behind the social times, but I think I know a crewwoman in distress when I see one. Whatever the matter is, I can’t help you if you don’t talk about it.”

“Oh way to go, May,” she said in a harsh whisper.

“Pardon?”

She cringed and shook her head. Clenching her fists, she closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, and summoned up her professionalism. She was an adult, damn it. No, better than that: she was a Starfleet officer. She was not a little girl in high school going on a first date with her first ever crush.

So when she opened her eyes, a smile spread on her face, and confidence filled her once more. “Sorry about that, sir. I actually asked you over here in the hopes of getting to know you better.”

Liang pursed his lips and shifted in his chair. “Oh? In what sense?”

She batted her eyes and brought up one finger to curl her crimson hair. “Personally.”

Both of his eyebrows shot up to crest his hair. “...Doctor, are you flirting with me?”

Those words struck at her newly gathered confidence like a stone through glass, shattering it instantly. “I-I yes, well, trying to sir, I’m sorry, if that was inappropriate.” She scooted her chair out from the table and started to rise. “I’ll just go.”

Liang’s hand shot out like a rocket and took hold of her wrist, gently, with just enough force to give her pause, but without holding her in place. “Now now, my dear,” Liang said as a smile began to spread across his face. “Let’s not be so hasty.”

“Huh?” she gasped. Her heart hammered in her chest like it was trying to break out.

“Do sit down,” Liang ordered, if gently.

May obeyed without thinking, planting her rump squarely back in her chair. She brought her other hand up and set it on the table, while fighting off a furious blush. “Yes sir,” she murmured.

Liang tapped his combadge. “Computer, what is the time?”

“1701.”

He smiled and plucked his combadge off his chest, setting it down on the table. “No need to call me sir, not right now. We’re just two adults getting to know each other. No pesky ranks to get in the way.”

She swallowed, then nodded. Taking the hint she removed her own combadge and set it down next to his. “R-right, si–I mean, um…”

“James.” Liang, ever the charmer, brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. “Enchanted to meet you, my dear mademoiselle.”

Her vision swam momentarily as she found herself swooning, “S-Sarah. It’s nice to meet you… James.”

Author's Note

"Hey ya'll, it's a color with a quick AN. It's absolutely boiling here, so I likely missed some things when editing and such. Apologies in advanced for that.

Anyway, this is the first mini episode, we will be doing two mini episodes between each main one. For reference, this will be the tentative release dates for the next few weeks.

June 25th - Season 2 Mini¹ <== you are here
June 30th - Season 2 Mini²
July 5th - Season 2 Ep¹³
July 9th - Season 2 Mini³
July 14th - Season 2 Mini⁴
July 19th - Season 2 Ep¹⁴
July 23rd - Season 2 Mini⁵
July 28th - Season 2 Mini⁶
August 2nd - Season 2 Ep¹⁵

I gotta get back to packing (for the first move) and boiling. There will likely be more to mention with the next mini episode.

Hope you enjoy getting to know some of the cast and crew!"

Thanks Blue!

As for my comments on this one?

Liang and May are continuing a proud tradition aboard ship that Picard and Crusher started: Captains and their Doctors. :rainbowkiss:

Regarding Two-Forward: this is one of many things we never saw on show that comes from the Enterprise-D blueprints. Given that the saucer section here, while refurbished, comes from that ship, those blueprints still apply. Somewhat, at least.

You can see an example of what it looks like here, along with a few other things: https://forgottentrek.com/the-unseen-enterprise-d/

And if you'd like to see those blueprints, they're here:
https://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/ed-whitefire-enterprise-ncc-1701d.php

Now if only I had similar blueprints for the Phoenix.

Season 2 Mini-Episode 02: "Always the Last to Know"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02ME02

“Always the Last to Know”

The memorial service brought it all back. Standing there, listening to Captain Picard and his command crew give their speeches, even Twilight and the rest of her family… it brought every last mixed emotion back to the forefront. From the love she once thought she felt, to the anger and hurt when that love turned out to be a mirage, the sorrow when she heard she was gone…

But Alma wouldn’t cry. Not here, not in front of the crowd. She’d had a month to process these feelings. She’d been on the Farragut when it responded to the Enterprise’s distress call. She’d seen the Enterprise-D saucer section barely able to maintain a safe orbit above Veridian III and looking every bit like a wrecked farm truck on the side of a dirt road. Her hull was marred and cracked all over from countless disruptor blasts, and half her internal systems were broken beyond repair. She’d read the battle reports, scanned all the casualty lists… and the sole report to come from the stardrive section.

Sunset Shimmer. That damned mare that entered her life at the Academy, befriended her then strung her along for a year before finally admitting all she wanted was to be friends with benefits… Alma found her fists clenching hard enough to pull at the lab-induced scabs on her knuckles as the fury bubbled up inside, only to release them when the cold hard facts of reality washed over her.

Sunset was dead. She’d died saving the Enterprise from a warp core breach. She was gone, and no amount of anger or fury at her mattered anymore.

So when the service finished, Alma turned to leave, only to be frozen in place by a voice calling out, “Lieutenant Smith?”

She fidgeted and turned, giving the mare before her a strained smile. “Oh, um, howdy,” she said. “Ah didn’t realize you recognized me.”

Twilight Sparkle gave her a matching smile, more of a grimace really, that didn’t come close to touching those oversized eyes of hers. “Sunset told me a lot about you while you and her were together,” she said.

‘Course she did. I’ll bet she was braggin’ too. “Oh she did, huh?” Alma let out a wry chuckle. Her granny’s voice rang through her head. Can’t say nothin’ bad to her kin. Gotta be nice to her. “Ah guess she would. She talked about you all the time too, you know. She was real proud of you. Always had somethin’ good to say.” Please leave me alone now.

“...thanks.”

“Sure.” Alma twitched as she waited for the mare to say more. When nothing else was forthcoming, she turned and said “Ah, Ah should probably get goin–”

“It would’ve made her very happy to know you were here, at the ceremony. She considered you a very good friend, even after what happened.”

“What?” Alma breathed as she gaped at Twilight. Moisture wetted her cheeks. One fist squeezed so hard at her side the knuckles burst open. I… I…

She turned tail and fled as fast as she could without outright running, and didn’t stop until she found her old quarters. The place was half demolished and a mess, the bed coated with dust, but she didn’t care. She fell upon it anyway, and only then did she allow the tears to pour out.

“Damn it,” she whispered. “Damn you, Sunset Shimmer. Why’d you have to… why didn’t you…” She slumped into the bed, her tears spent. “Ah miss you, Sunset. Ah really do. Ah still wish… you’d stayed with me…Ah still had so much Ah wanted to say to you...”

The high-pitched whistle of a door chime startled Alma into almost falling off the bed. “What in tarnation? Who…”

The doors slid open, revealing a Starfleet Commander wearing a dress uniform. Smith immediately sprung off the bed and stood at attention, and it was only after she did so that she recognized who the Commander was. “Commander Riviera?”

Commander Amina Riviera gave Alma a solemn nod. Her face was haggard and drawn, the stains of tears decorating her cheeks. “I’m sorry to bother you, Lieutenant,” she said, her voice shaking. “I asked the ship’s computer where you were. I was hoping to speak with you before you returned to the Farragut.”

“Yes ma’am,” Alma replied in a clipped tone. Inwardly she wished she’d had a chance to clean up her face and uniform. “What can Ah do for you?”

Riviera approached her and held out a hand. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to drop the ranks for now. Call me Amina. I just want to be a mother talking to someone who knew my daughter well.”

Fear trickled down Alma’s spine at those words. Right. ‘Cause that’s much more friendly. She hesitantly reached out to take Riviera’s hand. “R-right. Ah can do that… Amina.”

Riviera gave her hand a gentle squeeze, then let it drop. “Thank you, Alma.” She glanced around the room, taking in the sights. “What a mess this ship is. It’s amazing it’s still in one piece.”

“Ah hear that,” Alma agreed. She glared at the most obnoxious piece of debris, a large beam of duranium that had collapsed from the ceiling and divided the room in half. “Kept everyone alive though.”

Riviera pressed her lips together and sighed. “It did. Sunset… She saved all their lives. I’m so proud of her.”

“Um, Amina, ma’am, a-as much as Ah’m sure you are,” Alma said, feeling more and more uncomfortable by the second, “Ah think we both heard enough of that in the ceremony.”

Alma braced for what she was sure would be an admonishment for what she just said, but to her surprise Riviera let out a quiet laugh. “True enough, I suppose.”

“Beggin’ your pardon, Amina, what did you really want to talk to me about?”

“Yes, well… I suppose I’ve been stalling long enough.” Riviera folded her hands across her chest. “I wanted to ask you about what Sunset was like, on the Enterprise. We only heard from her every so often when she’d send us video messages or communiques. You were closer to her than any of us during that time. And T’Lona and I never had a chance to meet you before, well…”

“Before she and Ah broke up?” Alma grunted. A scowl overtook her face as the memory of that fury once again rolled through her mind. “To be honest Ah’m not sure there’s much Ah can tell you that you don’t already know. She weren’t a bad person, and even Ah’d never say she meant to anythin’ but the best for everyone on the ship. But sometimes Sunset was downright stupid in how oblivious she could be. She could read a schematic with one eye closed but couldn’t understand anyone else’s feelings if they clobbered her upside the head.”

“That sounds like Sunset,” Riviera chuckled. “Smart but blind as a bat sometimes. You know I was very upset with her when I heard what she did to you. That wasn’t how we raised our daughter.”

Alma cringed. The last thing she wanted was to hear Sunset’s parents apologizing for the mare’s actions posthumously. “Ah appreciate that, but you don’t need to apologize. Ain’t like it matters much now anyway,” she said. “But if it helps, Ah was gonna forgive her eventually. I just kept putin’ it off...”

“You were?” Riviera’s eyes sparkled with what looked to Alma like a bizarre amount of hope.

Alma sighed and nodded. “Ah was. Ah mean, Ah’m still angry, but… Ah know she didn’t mean to hurt me. She and Ah kept messaging each other after Ah left the Enterprise and Ah had an apology message all ready to go… till we heard the distress call.”

Riviera inhaled sharply, fresh tears brimming at the sides of her eyes. “So she never saw it,” she breathed.

Alma shook her head. Her heart sank as she let out the next few bitter words. “No. She didn’t.”

“Oh…” Riviera reached out with her arms, and despite herself, the emotions of the moment compelled Alma to close the distance and allow the older woman to embrace her. “I wish she had, Alma,” Riviera whispered as she stroked Alma’s head, just like a mother fussing over a daughter. Or in this case, the daughter she’d lost. “She deserved to hear it, before she…”

“Yeah.”

Alma allowed Riviera to hold her for a few minutes before her sense of propriety and the trickle of uncomfortableness with the situation compelled her to pull away. “Uh, listen, Ah need to get back to the Farragut. Tight schedules and all, you know. But it was nice talking with you.”

Riviera nodded once. “Right, of course. And I need to track down where Twilight went. Thank you Alma. For everything.” As she left the quarters she tapped her combadge, and Smith could hear an echo of “Riviera to Sparkle,” before the doors swished shut.

In retrospect, Alma decided as she clung to the handlebars and belt buckles strapping her into the escape pod seat, she really should have accepted that offer of a position on Ivor Prime when she had the chance.

Alarms blared and smoke filled the air as others from the science division stumbled into the escape pod one at a time, a gaggle of ensigns and lieutenant junior grades. “All hands abandon ship!” The voice of the Captain blared on repeat, yet even that was hard to hear over the deafening sounds of the Farragut’s death throes. Everything seemed to rock violently at once as another disruptor blast hit the now helpless ship..

“Oh god, oh god, oh god,” murmured one ensign, some young pale-faced thing right out of the Academy that worked under Alma. She gripped her head in her hands as she doubled over as far as the escape pod seat would allow her. “I don’t want to die!”

“Keep it calm now, Turner,” Alma said as two more people piled into the pod. “We ain’t gonna die.”

“B-but the Klingons!” Turner shrieked as she looked up at Alma with terror-stricken eyes. “T-they’re gonna blow us out of the sky as soon as we separate!”

As the last officer entered the pod, Alma summoned up her courage and answered, “And if they do there ain’t gonna be nothin’ we can do about it. We gotta stay cool and keep our heads focused, alright?”

Turner grimaced and nodded. “Y-yes, ma’am. Sorry ma’am.”

Alma nodded in acknowledgement. “Alright y’all, let’s get this show on the road.” She reached out to the single console positioned in reach and tapped the launch button. The whole pod shook like a snowglobe in the hands of an excited child as the hatch slammed shut and it soared away from the Farragut.

As Alma watched out the window, she saw the starship she’d come to know over the last couple of years crumble to pieces from disruptor and torpedo assaults from several Klingon ships until finally, the poor thing gave up the ghost and exploded in a massive flash of light that left several of her fellow officers screaming from the brightness.

Gritting her teeth, Alma engaged the pod’s autopilot, which, like all escape pods, was preprogrammed to head for the nearest habitable object that it could land on. The Farragut had been in the Lembatta Cluster, so there was a good chance of some sort of planet being nearby.

And then her heart sank as she saw one of the Klingon Bird of Preys moving in their direction, easily overtaking the pitiful impulse engine aboard the escape pod. “Aw hell,” she murmured as it grew closer and closer. Alma looked down at the console to switch off the autopilot, but she already knew there was absolutely no chance they could outrun or evade the Klingons.

So she went for the only other option she had left. She tapped the pod’s solitary transmit button and yelled, “We surrender! We ain’t no threat to you anymore.”

For a moment, Alma’s heart stopped as she saw what looked like the disruptor ports of the Bird of Prey glowing, preparing to fire. She let out a bitter laugh as she closed her eyes. “Guess Ah’m comin’ to see you, Sunset,” she whispered.

But after several moments with no fiery cataclysm or tunnel of light or anything else similar, Alma opened her eyes again, only to gasp in shock as she saw the Bird of Prey move off. A pair of Klingon words echoed in the comm system as it vanished to warp. “bIHnuch p’tahk!”

Then whoops of jubilation filled the small pod as Alma leaned back and let out a sigh of relief. “See?” she said with a grin. “Ah told you we’d make it, Turner.”

Turner openly cried as she reached out to snag Alma’s hand. “Yes you did, ma’am,” she blubbered.

“But what do we do now?” asked one of the other officers.

“Now we sit and wait for rescue,” Alma declared. She took a look at the sensors. “Looks like the pod’s plotted a course to an asteroid a few hours from here. We’re gonna set down there.”

“Um, ma’am, if we’re on an asteroid,” said a third officer, this one a male human with dark brown skin, another ensign just as fresh out of the Academy as Turner, “what’re we going to do for shelter? It’s really cramped in here.”

Alma briefly glared at the ensign before sighing. “Y’all trained on this stuff, didn’t you? The escape pod’s got an expandable shelter module we can put up, enough to give us plenty of room. And we’ve got supplies for a good couple of weeks, even with six of us. We’ll be fine. Bored outta our skulls, but fine.”

“Yes ma’am,” said the male ensign.

True to Alma’s word, rescue arrived less than a week later in the form of the Akira-class U.S.S. Stirling. She and her fellow Farragut survivors stank to high heaven and were sick to death of field rations, but she was alive.

Thankfully, the Stirling’s security chief let them all get some rest, some real food, and a hot shower before grilling them on what happened. The delicious meal she’d just eaten nearly came right back up her throat when she heard that hers was one of only four escape pods to leave the Farragut in time. Twenty-four total survivors, and not a single member of the senior staff among them. Alma felt a pang of loss for many of the people she’d gotten to know. She wasn’t very close to any of them, but you don’t lose a community of seven hundred and fifty people without feeling it deeply.

The Stirling dropped her and her fellow survivors off at Starbase 375, where she’d be positioned temporarily while Starfleet figured out what to do with her. Alma had half a mind to take a couple of weeks of leave and visit her brother on Ivor Prime regardless of what Starfleet said, but she knew better than to do that. Better to sit tight and hope for a good position… preferably somewhere she wouldn’t be shot at.

To Alma’s surprise she hadn’t been at the base for more than a day before someone reached out to her on a live vid comm all the way from Earth. Even more startling was the face that showed up on screen when she answered. “Twilight?” she gasped.

“Lieutenant Smith!” Twilight said, giving her a brief smile before it fell off her face, replaced with an almost cold frown that sent shivers down Alma’s spine. “I heard about the Farragut. I’m glad to hear you’re okay.”

“Thanks. Not that Ah don’t appreciate your call, Twi,” Alma said as she slowly rolled her right shoulder to work out a kink, “but we haven’t spoken since your sister’s memorial service. So why–”

“Mom asked me to,” Twilight cut her off. “She wanted to make sure you were alright, and she didn’t have a chance to message you herself.”

“Huh, Ah guess that makes sense,” Alma said with a shrug. Commander Riviera had kept up correspondance with her, after a fashion, apparently deciding that as a connection to Sunset she should keep up with Alma. “Well Ah’m fine, more or less… Ah miss many of the friends Ah lost though.”

“I can imagine,” Twilight said, though the cold, almost frozen look on her face suggested otherwise. “Do you know where Starfleet’s going to send you?”

“Not yet.” Alma shifted in her chair and straightened her uniform. “Ah’m hopin’ for somethin’ dirtside though. Maybe on Terra Nova, or some other big colony.”

“I see.” Twilight’s ears twitched as she continued to gaze at Alma in a way that left Alma more than a little unsettled. “Well, I hope you get the position you want.”

Alma, eager for a subject change, said, “Hey, how’ve you been, anywho? Ah know it hasn’t been easy since Sunset died. You been keepin’ busy? Gettin’ by?”

Twilight didn’t respond for several moments, long enough that Alma wondered if the signal had been frozen or lost. “I’m fine,” Twilight finally said, her voice rigid. “I’m… I’m fine, okay? I don’t want to talk about that.”

“Okay, Ah hear you, sorry.” Alma held up her hands for peace. “Alright, well, Ah’m guessin’ you must be busy. Pass along mah best to your mom, and you take care, alright?”

“...sure.” Then the screen blacked out, replaced by the standard Federation “signal terminated” screen.

“Great.” Alma flopped backwards in her chair and sighed. “She ain’t doin’ well at all. Ah hope you start gettin’ better sooner, Twilight.”

Alma stayed on Starbase 375 for about a month before she was granted a transfer to a science lab complex on Archer IV, one of the Federation’s oldest and most prosperous colonies. As she typed away studiously at a report she was working on, she smiled at a nearby screen, where her brother Max beamed at her. “Ah gotta say, Max, Ah don’t hear from you nearly often enough,” Alma said. “Ah’m glad they finally got the beacons in place for live transmissions. Ivor Prime’s way out in the sticks even for the Federation.”

“Yup, well, we’re always busy out here,” Max said. He stood tall, taller than Alma by half a meter, with great big muscles bulging under his Starfleet uniform. A shock of blonde hair topped his head. Not for the first time, Alma mused that her brother would be a total lady killer if he could stop being shy around anyone save family. “We’ve got a new harvest comin’ in. Finally got the apple trees ready for the first pickin.”

“Ooh, Ah’ll bet those’ll be nice after years of those replicated knockoffs,” Alma said. She turned her attention to her report for a moment to finish up a paragraph, then continued, “You heard from Floryn? She’s been pretty busy Ah bet.”

“Yup. Daystrom Institute. Ah’m proud of her,” Max said. He bent out of frame for a moment to pick up a sack of grain and placed it to the side. “She’s smarter than either of us, that’s for sure. Ah wouldn’t be surprised if she single-handedly creates a whole new generation of computer hardware.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me in the least with that one,” Alma replied. She turned back to her report and typed another couple of paragraphs. When she turned back she saw Max had taken the small communicator outside into the bright sunlight and blue skies, and was pointing it at a set of trees. “Oh my stars, those trees are lookin’ good.”

The communicator turned back around to show Max’s grinning face. “They sure are.”

Alma pushed her report aside for a moment as a thought occurred to her. A mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes. “So Max, got another question for ya. Ah heard you’ve had your eye on someone there for a while now. What’s her name again? Belle somethin’?”

“Sharlene,” Max said, his eyes fluttering for a moment. “Her name’s Sharlene. She’s a teacher.”

“Ahaha, Ah’ll bet,” Alma said. She pushed her fist towards the screen as if to nudge him in the shoulder before remembering he was several light years away. “Well, Ah’m glad to hear… what… Max, what’s that?”

Max frowned as the sky all around him suddenly darkened considerably. He spun around, pointing the communicator up away from him towards the colony itself. Alma caught a flash of prefab buildings and a few more homely structures, all cast in shadow from something that must’ve been floating not too far above. A great big humming noise filled the air, one that sent Alma’s skin crawling. “Ah don’t know.”

“...Max, Ah think you’d better sound the alarm and get inside,” Alma gulped. “Ah don’t know what that is, but…”

“Yup, on it,” Max muttered as he started running for the nearest building. The bouncing visuals left Alma’s stomach churning a bit before he suddenly stopped and screamed, “Oh mah god!”

“What?” Alma cried. “What is it?!”

“Look!” The communicator pointed up, far up, enough to bring a ship into view.

Alma’s blood ran ice cold. Every fiber of her being frozen in sheer, paralyzing terror. That murkey black hull, that sickly green glow. It meant one thing and one thing only.

“Max!” Alma shrieked, both hands gripping her screen. “Get out of there! Get out of there now!”

Before Max could respond, a blinding wave of green energy filled the skies above the colony.

Then the screen went dark.

“Maaaaaax!” Alma screamed. “No! No!” She picked up her screen and threw it on the floor hard enough to shatter it, then hopped to her feet and ran headlong out the door towards City Hall.

She burst through the front doors shoulder first, nearly bowling over a civilian who was just on the other side of the doors. She skidded to a halt inches from crashing over the top of the reception desk and taking out the civilian staffer. “Lieutenant Smith?” he gasped. “W-what’s the meaning of this?”

“It’s an emergency! Get the mayor! Get whoever, Ah don’t care! We gotta call Starfleet right away!” Alma said, gasping for air. “We… we gotta get them ready!”

“Ready for what?”

She looked up at the civilian with fear and grief blazing in her eyes. “The Borg.”

Alma was ecstatic when she heard the Enterprise-E had destroyed the Borg Cube. But that wouldn’t bring back the other ships it destroyed along the way. Or the Ivor Prime colony.

Or her brother.

She hoped like hell that green energy wave had killed him instantly, that he hadn’t been assimilated and perverted into one of… into one of them. The Borg. Monsters, all of them as far as Alma was concerned.

She’d taken a leave of absence and spent time with Floryn and their granny in Texas. Floryn was heartbroken, and it took everything Alma had to convince her little sister not to give up on the Daystrom Institute because of this. “He was proud of you, sis. He’d want you to stay.”

But it was her granny she was more worried about. Her grandmother had already had to bury Alma’s parents, and now losing a grandchild too, before her own time? Yet to Alma’s shock her granny took it all in stride. “Jest part of life, Alma,” she said, holding Alma’s hand with her own wrinkled, age-spotted one. Despite her age her grip was still strong enough to hurt. “He’s lookin’ down on us from above now.”

Alma had joined her granny in silent prayer after that. Like the rest of her family, Alma kept up a religious belief that many of her fellow officers would say was out of place in the twenty-fourth century. Alma didn’t care though. She preferred to think that Max was indeed watching down on her, just like she’d thought Sunset had been watching her and Twilight.

By the time Alma returned to Archer IV and resumed her post, life had resumed something resembling normal. She continued her research, kept up on her duties. She sent a congratulatory message to Twilight when she heard Twilight had graduated from the Academy, and another one when she heard Twilight had been given her first post aboard a ship called the Phoenix. Apart from that she kept mostly to herself.

So when she received a video message sent to her from the Phoenix, from Twilight, she found herself looking forward to watching it, in appreciation.

When she turned it on, she was met by a visual of Twilight sitting at a desk in Starfleet blues, her ensign’s pip gleaming on her collar. “Hello, Lieutenant Smith,” Twilight said. Unlike the last time, Twilight didn’t appear cold or distant. Rather she was furious, her face twisted up in rage in a way that caused Alma to gape. “I hope you don’t mind my reaching out, but I thought you should know about something. Because it turns out you hadn’t heard yet. And of course you hadn’t. Why would you? She’s been a massive jerk to me. Why wouldn’t she treat you the same?”

“What in tarnation are you on about, Twilight?” Alma whispered.

Twilight hopped out of her chair, the camera following her as she talked. “I really shouldn’t be surprised, you know. She’s so inconsiderate. She doesn’t care about other people’s feelings anymore. The only thing she throws around more than those damn wings is her authority. She doesn’t deserve to be the first officer of this ship.”

“Wings? Huh?” Alma shook her head, completely baffled. She knew it was only a recording, but she asked the Twilight on the screen anyway. “Who are you talkin’ about?”

As if on cue, Twilight continued ranting, “And to think, she actually had the audacity to say she was trying to help me! She’s such a… such a… such an idiot! Can’t she see what she’s doing? How damn blind is she?!”

Twilight let out a wordless groan and flung herself into her chair. “You know, I was originally going to record this because I hoped we could commiserate a bit, since we’ve both been mistreated so badly. But I can’t even do that because you still don’t know! I can’t believe she didn’t bother to at least send you something!”

A suspicion grew in Alma’s chest, one deeply worrying. “Ah… do you mean…”

Twilight faced the screen again and got right up in the camera till all Alma could see was her face. “That’s right, Lieutenant. My sister is alive. Sunset Shimmer is alive! And I wish like hell she wasn’t!”

As the screen blinked out, Alma sat back, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. “Wha… how… huh?!” She didn’t know what to think. One part of her heart soared anew, like she’d found something she didn’t know she still cared for. Another filled up with a fury hotter than a plasma fire, over the fact that Sunset hadn’t bothered to reach out to her at all.

But most of all she was confused. Completely, utterly confused.

It took her a couple of days and a lot of research before she was finally able to compose a response, having needed that long to sort things out. She decided she’d send two messages. First to Twilight, whom she had some choice words for.

“Hey Twilight. Ah appreciate you takin’ the time to let me know about Sunset.” Alma bit her lip as she said that name, but she forced herself to continue. “Ah’ve been lookin’ into things, since you sent me that message. Seems like you two ain’t gettin’ along so well. Listen, Ah…”

Alma paused the recording as she gripped her fists, her palms sweaty. “Damn it,” she whispered. “Come on, Alma. Shake it off, girl.”

She tapped the unpause button. “Ah know you know that Ah lost mah brother Max a good seven or eight months ago. Ah’m still hurtin’, right in here.” She tapped her chest. “Ah’ve got a pretty good feelin’ what you must’ve gone through, ‘cause Ah’m still goin’ through it. But you know what? Ah’d give ten years of my life to get him back. Hell, Ah’d give thirty. Maybe even fifty. But you know what Ah wouldn’t be doin’?”

Inching closer to the camera, she narrowed her eyes in a fierce glare. “Ah wouldn’t be mouthin’ off every chance Ah got. Ah wouldn’t be screamin’ and hollerin’ over mah big brother comin’ back again. Ah’d be ecstatic. Ah’d be happy, damn it. Ah sure as shootin’ wouldn’t be pushin’ him away and actin’ like he’s the worst thing in my life!”

She leaned back in her chair and set her hands on her table. “Look, Ah’m sure it ain’t that much of my business to tell you what to do with your sister. But from one person who's lost a sibling to another? This is a blessing. This is a miracle. Ah’d be down on my knees thankin’ God and whoever else Ah got my brother back. Maybe you oughta consider bein’ a bit more grateful, s’all Ah’m sayin’.”

Pushing off the table, she stood up and paced the room for a moment before returning to the camera. “And hey, Twilight? Ah’m thinkin’ maybe you and Ah should start writin’ each other more often. Seems to me like we could both use a good friend to talk to. If you’re interested, Ah’m always willin’ to listen. Take care.”

The second… Alma found her hands clenching hard as she sat down for the next. An angry smile took over her face as she began to speak. “Hi, Sunset. It’s Alma Smith. Remember me? The girl you dated for a year? Ah hear you’re alive after all. Funny how Ah didn’t hear that from you.” She stretched her lips to show off her teeth as a laugh born of rage bubbled up inside her chest. “Ah can’t believe it took your sister finally messagin’ me for me to find out. Not even your Mom told me. Ah was wonderin’ why she stopped writin’ me a few months ago. Now Ah know.”

Alma brought up her right fist and punched it into her left palm. “Ah ain’t happy to find out this way, Sunset. Ah thought you cared. Ah thought we were friends. You’d better have a damned good reason for why you didn’t reach out to me. You know mah brother Max died a while back? Ah got condolences from everyone in your family ‘cept you.”

She raised a finger and jabbed it at the camera. “You idiot. You’ve had months to contact me. You can’t seriously tell me your duties on the Phoenix had you so damn busy that you couldn’t find time to even tell me you were alive?”

She slammed her fist down onto the table hard enough to knock her PADDs onto the floor. “Ah’ll be waitin’ for your reply, Sunset. And it better be good. Or so help me God Ah’ll never hear another word you have to say to me. Ever!”

Alma, still scowling, cut off the message and sent it before she could think better of its contents. She hadn’t meant to let her temper get out of control there, but Sunset deserved it, as far as she was concerned.

As she sat there, her anger burning away and fizzling out like campfire coals drenched in a morning rainstorm, Alma flopped down onto her sofa and cried angry, bitter tears. Just like she had when Sunset broke up with her. Or when she heard the news Sunset had died. Just like all those times before, Sunset had left her alone.

Angry, confused, and alone.

Author's Note

Couple things here for the readers who aren't as familiar with Trek: this short spans several years, time that was, in the main story, passed over very quickly in Episode 7 of Season 1. During that time period there was a brief war between the Federation and the Klingons, and the Farragut was officially destroyed in the Lembatta Cluster in the Deep Space Nine Episode "Nor the Battle to the Strong."

Canonically there's no mention of whether there were or were not any survivors, therefore what we see here is strictly my invention.

Ivor Prime was destroyed by the Borg at the beginning of "Star Trek: First Contact." Astute readers noted as early as Episode 4 of Season One that I mentioned Alma's brother living there.

Blue meanwhile states "too tired to say anything" this week.

Season 2 Episode 3: "Ghosts"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02E03

“Ghosts”

“First officer’s log, supplemental.

It’s been four hours since we entered the Basin. We’ve only charted a small section thus far, with no sign of the Jem’Hadar or their base of operations. Strong gravitational forces have limited the Phoenix to barely more than thruster speeds, making an already difficult search that much more time consuming, and in more ways than one. Communications with the Defiant are already being subjected to time lag, and even I have to share some of the crew's worry that by the time we get out of here, weeks or more will have passed for the rest of the Federation.

It’s enough to make me doubt our initial suspicions. This could be one big wild goose chase.”

“Ma’am! We have something,” Williams called out, pulling my attention from the latest batch of status reports from key departments.

After four hours of nothing, during which Liang retreated to the ready room, the thought of finding something, anything, overwrote any sense of irritation I had from being interrupted. I trotted over to peer over his shoulder at his console. “What’ve you got?”

He sighed. “Still not sure yet. It’s some kind of power signature. Barely visible through the gravity waves. Could be reflecting off of who knows where, but I’ll try to clean up the readings.”

“I am still thinking we should be examining the asteroids more closely,” Rodriguez spoke up. “Using an asteroid for a base would make more sense than building a free floating one.”

“And normally that would be true, except for the gravitational forces present here, which again a free floating base could more easily avoid,” Williams pointed out. The two of them had shared this exchange with each other many times over the last few hours, and I was more than a little sick of hearing it.

“Rodriguez,” I said, trying to keep my voice from becoming too stern. Last thing I wanted was to pile on to my mistake from earlier. “Can you chart a course towards that power signature?”

Rodriguez grimaced. “I can try. If we can pinpoint its location.”

“Do your best,” I ordered. “I know it’s a minefield out there.”

He flashed me a relieved smile. “Putting it very mildly, ma’am.”

I nodded, then trotted over to tactical. “Anything from the Defiant?”

Ishihara frowned down at her console and tapped a few buttons in quick succession. “They’ve found nothing either, but they are reporting the cloak is causing more power drain than expected. They’re warning us they might have to decloak if we’re here for more than thirty-two hours.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t take that long.”

Then a voice spoke up that sent my heart racing and my mouth dry. “Ma’am,” said Twilight. “I have something.”

I swallowed, wishing desperately I had some water handy. I approached her cautiously, every instinct within me screaming to flee, to leave her alone, to not provoke her further. “Y-yes, Ensign?”

She eyed me cooly for a moment, then turned her gaze back to her console. Tapping at the controls she brought up a map of the Basin. “Here’s what we’ve charted so far,” she said, her tone strictly professional. “Most of the singularities are small, weighing in between one and two solar masses, but several of them, including these three, are much more massive.” She zoomed in on the map at a trio orbiting each other near the center of the Basin. “These three are the only ones that won’t die off within a few centuries. The gravitational lensing is much heavier here, especially in the center area.” She tapped with her magic on the screen, where a set of figures displayed.

I leaned in closer to see. “Wow,” I whispered. “That’s… that’s pretty bad.”

“Yeah,” she snorted. “We get caught in there, we can kiss everyone we know goodbye.”

“So it’s safe to say the base isn’t going to be in the center,” I mused. “Do we have the records of the Toronto’s sensor readings from their original expedition?”

Twilight arched an eyebrow, her muzzle pulling into the slightest of sneers. “Of course we do, ma’am. I made sure to solicit them from Memory Alpha before we left the starbase.”

That snide tone burrowed into my brain like a fire smouldering to life under a pot of water. I was well within my rights as her superior officer to quash that disrespectful tone, but I was smart enough to know now that she was doing it deliberately, trying to provoke me so she could have more confirmation of her mistaken beliefs.

So despite how frustrating it was, I ignored it. “Okay, can you show me where the Toronto was trapped?”

“I can.” She pressed a few buttons then performed a brief library query, after which an icon of an Oberth-class starship appeared on the screen. “Here. In orbit of the smallest of the three larger black holes. They were caught in a gravitational eddy that pulled them too close.”

“How did they eventually escape?” I wondered, wincing as I considered the class of ship. Once numbering in the thousands, the few remaining Oberths had been reassigned as test mules for Academy students undergoing basic ship maneuvering drills and usage of sensors. After one such exercise I fully understood why the other students considered them to be 23rd century death traps. One student in particular, some guy named Paris, liken them to a Pinto, which was apparently a 20th century Earth automobile prone to exploding at the slightest touch. Oberths weren’t that bad, but I still never wanted to serve aboard one.

Twilight launched into a complicated explanation involving the warp engines, which had me mentally kicking myself more than a few times for how obvious it should’ve been to me. “Once they escaped, they were towed to a Starbase, where the ship was scuttled.”

“I’m not surprised, after the damage they suffered.” At least the explanation gave me a few ideas for how to get the Phoenix out if we were similarly trapped. “Can you combine the Toronto’s readings with our own, see what that does to the map?”

“I’m not sure what you expect that to accomplish,” Twilight scoffed. “Their readings are over a century old.”

A brief growl escaped my muzzle before I clamped down on my trained instinct to demand the respect I was owed. “Just humor me, Ensign.”

“Fine.” A few more tapped buttons brought up an overlaid secondary map layer, this one colored in a bright cyan to distinguish it from the original. As I expected, the singularities were arranged in a completely different pattern, outside of the triangle of massive ones. “See? They don’t match up at all.”

“I can see that,” I murmured as I looked over the map. “Is there a chance you can use these two maps together to plot how the singularities might have moved over the course of the past century?”

Twilight’s brow furrowed as she glared up at me. “With all due respect,” she said, her words syrupy sweet and full of insincerity, “what do you expect to get from that, ma’am? The Dominion have been in the Alpha Quadrant for barely a year. This base we’re searching for can’t be more than six months old. Charting the past hundred years isn’t going to–”

“Ensign,” I cut her off, putting just enough steel into my tone to demand her obedience. “Answer the question.”

She rolled her eyes and tossed up one forehoof. “Yes, I can, but it’ll take days if you want an accurate map.”

“I don’t need that,” I said with a shake of my head. “Give me what you can in a few minutes.”

“Fine,” she shrugged, turning back to her console. “If you’re happy with something that’s about as accurate as throwing darts at a dartboard from the opposite end of a football field.”

While she worked I decided to give her some space and check on the other stations, including tactical. I wasn’t sure why I’d asked for this map either. Maybe it was boredom, or maybe some bit of intuition in the back of my mind. Or maybe I just wanted to pretend I could find a map to the maze we were navigating

...no, I knew why. I wanted to show Twilight I could be professional, like she wanted. I wasn’t sure if it was working though.

After a few moments Twilight called me over and showed me a looping image of singularities shifting across the Basin. “There you go, ma’am. Not sure what it is you’re looking for though.”

I watched the loop for a while, entranced by the patterns. Despite the lack of sufficient processing time the computer still produced an unintentionally beautiful video of singularities moving around like a group of cosmic ballroom dancers. No single one was left by itself, each turning another in turn as the loop progressed through a century.

Except… “Wait. Why is that one jumping?” I asked, pointing at the least dense singularity.

Twilight shrugged. “Probably because it's so light compared to the others it can’t be accurately predicted without sufficient processing time.”

I nodded my head a bit. “Well you did say it’d take a few days normally.” I was about to return to my seat when an idea struck me. “Twi–err, Ensign,” I paused for a moment to cuff myself upside the head, “did you include the asteroids on the map?”

She glared back at me, then her frown softened as she concentrated. “No, I didn’t. Hold on.” She went through and changed up both maps to reflect the additional data.

And the instant she did I grinned like a loon. “Do you see what I’m seeing?”

“I-I do,” Twilight said, her jaw wide open in shock. “I-I don’t understand. I would’ve thought any planet would’ve been torn apart long ago.”

“Maybe it was. No one really knows how or why the Basin formed in the first place. Can you rerun the simulation but with the planet and asteroids added?”

She nodded and turned back to her console immediately with the familiar glint in her eye that told me she was enthralled by the task at hoof. If not for the gulf between us I’d have teased her about sticking the tip of her tongue out the side of her mouth, a habit she picked up whenever she was totally focused on something.

After a few minutes she sat back in her chair and held up her hooves in apparent triumph “There, got it.”

I watched the new loop, trying my best not to lean over Twilight’s shoulder too much. “Wow…”

The image looked similar yet different all the same. The same trio of singularities spun around each other, but the cadence of their waltz was entirely remade by the massive, almost gas giant-sized planet that sat between them. As the loop progressed the gravitational pull of the singularities ate away at the planet, one chunk at a time, until their dance floor was nearly obscured in a cloud of planetary shards.

“That’s it then…” I muttered, still focused on the looping image. "The small singularity isn't jumping, it's being tossed around by the gravitational waves left over by the destroyed planet."

"Like wake turbulence on a galactic scale, ma'am," Twilight said.

I nodded my head, though I had to fight the urge to offer her a hoof bump as well. "Pretty much, yes."

As I watched the shards of the planet distribute, I noticed that a small cloud floated out further away from the rest of the Basin. Still well within the gravity well, but once they were flung out there they stayed without moving much compared to the rest of the asteroids.

“Okay, pause the loop,” I ordered. “Where are we?” Two more starships appeared, representing the Defiant and the Phoenix. We weren’t anywhere near the stable cloud, I saw. “Okay, now, add the power signature that Williams detected.”

“Err, okay,” Twilight murmured as she concentrated hard enough she stuck her tongue out the side of her muzzle again. It was such a Twilight thing to do that for a moment, just a moment, I forgot about all the tension between us, and I was just the big sister hanging out with my little sister again.

But then her facial expression turned stoney, shattering the mirage. “Still, based on the reflections,” she said, “the power signature could be anywhere in this area.” She tapped a button and added an orange colored circle to the map that covered half the Basin. “Does that help?”

I studied the map just a little more when something caught my eye. “Ensign, zoom in on grid thirteen gamma.” As the map zoomed in, my suspicions were confirmed. While most of the gravitational eddies were fairly consistent in their coverage, there was a small area with a gap, almost like a tidal pool on the shore of a cosmic beach.

I grinned triumphantly. “I think I know where the base is. Good work, Ensign.” I trotted back towards my command chair without looking back to see Twilight’s expression. I didn’t want to know if she was sneering at me. “Helm, new heading, bearing zero three zero mark one one five. Take us to the following coordinates, quick as you can. Ishihara, signal the Defiant to follow.”

“Ma’am?” Rodriguez questioned, even as he punched the coordinates into his console. “Are you certain? That’s far outside the search pattern.”

“Trust me, Mr. Rodriguez,” I said. “You’ll see.” I tapped my combadge. “Captain Liang to the bridge.”

Liang emerged from the ready room a few seconds later with an almost eager look on his face. “Have we found it?”

“I believe so, sir,” I replied as I shifted over to my first officer’s chair. “Though it will still take us some time to get there.”

“The power signal reading is becoming stronger,” Williams called. “Clearer, too. Fewer reflections. We’re definitely on the right track.”

“Well done, Number One,” Liang said with a grin. He untucked his cane from his arm and set its point down on the floor so he could lean over onto it. “Yellow alert. Let’s set the trap, people.”

I braced myself, prepared for the inevitable combat once we entered within range of the base. We had no way of knowing how many Jem’Hadar ships were present, to say nothing of potential automated defenses or booby traps. The idea that I may be about to lead us into a trap was already gnawing away at me.

“Oh Williams,” Liang said as he drummed his fingers along the side of his cane. “Do be sure to flood the area with our sensors. Make us as obvious and oblivious as possible.”

“Yeah yeah,” Williams grumbled as his hands moved over his console. “We’ll look like the biggest idiots in the galaxy.”

As we crept ever closer to the base, and the sensor readings became increasingly clear, my nerves got increasingly frayed. I found my stomach twisting itself up to the point I had to excuse myself to the head just to calm down. Why the thought of combat was scaring me this much, given the last bit hadn’t, I wasn’t sure.

“Easy Sunset,” I murmured as I splashed some cool water on my face and stared at my reflection. “You’ll be fine. We can do this.”

When I returned to my chair, Liang gave me a knowing look. “Something wrong, Number One?”

“Just nerves, sir,” I said.

“Hmm…” He surreptitiously glanced back at Twilight still sitting at one of the rear consoles. To his credit though, he didn’t say anything about her. “I understand. The waiting. Always the hardest part, the waiting. Hurry up and wait, they used to say in Earth militaries, centuries ago. Still applicable to Starfleet today.”

“Yes sir, they said it a lot at the Academy,” I replied.

“Oh did they?” Liang twitched his eyebrows. “Hmph. Must be Brand. She always was a fan of the classics.”

“Sir!” Williams spoke up, drawing our attention. “We’ve found the base! Three million kilometers, dead ahead.”

Liang stood from his chair, holding his cane with his right hand. “On screen.”

A lump of rock cast in shades of greys, browns, and a bit of rusty red popped up, with a large blur of something purplish covering a substantial portion. “Magnify,” Liang ordered. The picture zoomed in, revealing a complex that resembled an octopus. A squat, rectangular building clung to the asteroid’s surface, while multiple corridors shot off in different directions, each leading to other smaller buildings. Even more strange, hardly any of it was lit up at all.

Something about the sight made the butterflies in my stomach lurch hard enough I had to slap a hoof to my mouth. “I don’t like this, sir,” I said.

“Noted,” Liang snapped. He glared at the screen. “Any sign of Jem’Hadar fighters?”

“Just one, sir,” Williams said. The viewscreen shifted to show a completely broken fighter aimlessly drifting, its hull cracked open like an egg. “But it’s dead.”

“What the hell?” Liang whispered. Raising his voice, he continued, “Any life signs on the station?”

“No sir,” Williams answered. “Life support appears to be offline as well. But these readings are… unclear.”

“Unclear?”

Williams scowled down at his console. “There’s some kind of interference present but sensors can’t clearly identify it. The readings I’m seeing keep fluctuating randomly. If there is someone down there, they’re hiding.”

Liang nodded in response as he leaned back into his chair a bit and closed his eyes, his fingers lightly tapping the top of his cane in quick succession. Williams shot me a curious look after a few seconds of silence had passed, but I tried to give him a reassuring nod. I was about to say something myself when Liang sat back up and pointed his cane at the viewscreen. “Mr Williams, I want a full scan of the area. And I do mean everywhere. If there’s even a hint of some Jem’Hadar ship hiding out there I want to know. I refuse to fall into a trap while trying to set one of my own.”

“Aye sir.”

Liang turned to Ishihara. “Hail the Defiant. I want to talk to Sisko, face to face.”

“They’ll have to decloak for that,” Ishihara pointed out.

“I’m well aware of that, Commander. Just do it.”

Ishihara shrugged, then did as requested. After a moment the Defiant shimmered back into existence, swiftly followed by Sisko’s face appearing on the viewscreen. This time, however, he wasn’t smiling. His grim expression and piercing gaze brought that sense of intimidation rushing back up my spine. Sisko’s voice came through slower than usual, lower-pitched. “I hope, Captain, there’s a good reason for the Defiant to break cover like this.”

“Ben,” Liang said, causing me to raise an eyebrow. When the heck did he get on a first name basis with Sisko? “Please tell me your sensors are showing the same thing ours are. There’s no Jem’Hadar here. Nothing’s alive down there at all.”

“Dax?” Sisko inquired, looking to a blue-collared Trill Lieutenant sitting at the Defiant’s ops console.

“He’s right, Benjamin,” said Dax, which caused my other eyebrow to join the first one. “But there’s a lot of interference. It could be a trick of some kind.”

“Damned strange one if it is,” Sisko muttered. He scratched at his chin, then sighed and nodded. “Alright. I take it you want to send a team down there.”

“Ideally a large one,” Liang confirmed. “We can transport–”

“I wouldn’t recommend transporting anywhere, Captain,” said Twilight of all people. She stood up from her console and showed no fear even as Liang and Sisko stared her down. “There’s far too much interference from the singularities to safely use the transporters. And whoever goes down there is going to be subject to further time dilation. An hour down there could be several up here.”

“She’s right,” Dax added. “Sensor readings are all over the place out there. There’s no telling what effects all these singularities might have on a transporter beam.”

“Then it’ll have to be by shuttle, which means the Phoenix. The few shuttles we have definitely aren’t up for these kinds of conditions.” Sisko concluded. “Captain, pick your team. The Defiant will stand by under cloak to monitor the situation. Dax, do you have a recommended distance?”

Dax exchanged a look with Twilight via the viewscreen. “I’d say at least ten thousand kilometers. That should keep the dilation down to a minimum, while letting us maintain a stable position.”

“I suggest we keep a similar distance,” Twilight chimed in. “From both the Defiant and the asteroid.”

Liang frowned. “Are we sure we can’t get closer? Even that’s going to cause some issues. Communication will be limited.”

“We can’t risk it, sir,” Twilight insisted. “A stable position among these kinds of gravitational forces means we drift all over the place as it is. If we get too close we risk colliding with either the Defiant or the asteroid base.”

“She’s right,” I agreed, the taste of my words sour in my mouth.

“Very well then.” Liang pointed at Rodriguez with his cane. “Helm, take us in. Find the best position at that distance you can hold, and keep us steady. Number One, you’ll lead the away team. Take the Euphrates, and make sure you have security, engineering, and science personnel with you.”

“Yes, sir,” I said, rising from my chair. “Williams, you’re with me.” As I headed for the turbolift I tapped my combadge and gave orders for the rest of the team, then barked, “Main Shuttlebay.”

By the time I arrived, the team I’d call for had assembled. Zhidar and Maia for security, Cadeneza and Danielle for science, and Hill for engineering. Re'l would be our shuttle pilot, of course, and she was already standing by to warm up the Euphrates for launch.

I saw Cadeneza glaring daggers at Maia, her hands clenching at her waist. “Cool it,” I whispered to her. Once everyone was seated, I raised my voice to address them.

“Okay, people, here’s the deal: that Jem’Hadar base appears to be abandoned. There’s no life support so we’re going to have to suit up. Hill, once we’re there, your job will be to get life support and computers back online as soon as you can. Zhidar, Maia, you know the drill. Danielle, Cadeneza, Williams, you’re going to help me figure out what the hell happened over there.”

I walked over to one of the weapons lockers in the shuttlebay. “Everyone takes a phaser rifle and a sidearm. Remember, this isn’t just an away mission. This is war. You see a Jem’Hadar, you don’t hesitate. Shoot to kill.”

“What about any Vorta?” Williams asked.

“Any Vorta, or anyone other than Jem’Hadar, we take them prisoner, if we can do it safely,” I answered as I pulled out rifles and smaller type-two phasers and distributed them. “Okay, let’s get suited up.”

Barely ten minutes had passed since we all piled into the shuttle and I already wanted to get out of the environmental suit. I hated the infernal things.The way your breath echoed in your ears, the pure silence of the outside, the heads up display that bedazzled you with so many readouts you couldn’t be sure where to look, the way you couldn’t see anyone’s faces behind the protective layers placed on the helmets, the awkwardness of using magnetic boots to walk around rather than artificial gravity… I could barely stand it. It was confining, always had been, and ever since I’d returned as an alicorn the feeling was even worse, as if the wings had imparted a small amount of the pegasi’s natural claustrophobia on me.

I looked down at the front of my suit and frowned. Mine was a different color from the rest, a custom model colored in shades of orange and gold rather than the white that everyone else wore. It was a deliberate choice to make picking it out of a locker in an emergency easier, but it also had the side effect of making me stick out like a sore hoof, which I frankly didn’t care for much. I’d have preferred to blend in.

But the worst part was the effect it had on my horn. I could still use my magic, but having the suit in the way was like fumbling around in the dark for a dropped sheet of paper in a room the size of the Phoenix bridge. It made everything clunky and weird, difficult to use.

Re'l, the only one not wearing a suit since she’d stay aboard the runabout, sat ready at the controls. “Ship is prepped for launch, ma’am,” she said. “Too bad Twilight’s not coming along.”

“Shimmer to bridge, we’re ready down here,” I called out, ignoring Re'l’s comment. The last thing I wanted was to bring my sister along. Besides, there were standing orders for the two of us to never go on an away mission together, given the risk to the Federation if the Dominion captured either one of us.

“Understood, Number One. We’re almost in position. Stand by for launch.”

I turned my gaze to the front window of the runabout, where we could see the main shuttlebay door slide open. The outside space was just as twisted and contorted as ever, fascinating to look at, if also just a bit nauseating. As the Phoenix shifted in position I could just barely make out the asteroid in the distance.

“Euphrates, you are clear to launch. Good luck out there, Commander.”

On cue, Re'l brought the Euphrates up and out of the shuttlebay, passing through the forcefield and into space. The instant we left the Phoenix the whole shuttle began to shudder, jerking from side to side. “Sorry, everyone!” Re'l said as she frantically ran her hands over the controls. “Gravitational eddies from the Basin. Can’t do much about it.”

“Great, as if I didn’t have enough reason to be sick,” Hill moaned, doubling over to rest his head between his knees. “I hate these damned suits.”

“Me too,” Cadeneza said, her phaser rifle hanging loosely from her hand. “And these rifles–”

“Stow the chatter, people,” Williams barked.

Cadeneza quieted down, though I caught sight of her flipping Williams the bird from behind her back. I snickered at the sight, and she must’ve noticed, because she switched to private suit comm to say, “I really don’t like these rifles though.”

“I know, I know,” I said. “I don’t like them either. But we’re walking into enemy territory.”

“Yeah.” Cadeneza snorted. “As if I joined Starfleet to be a soldier.” She hung the rifle by its sling around her shoulders, then brought out a tricorder. “I kind of need a hand free to use this, you know.”

“Soon as we make sure the initial area’s clear.” I gently plucked the tricorder out of her hand, placed it back in its pocket on her suit, then floated her rifle back into her hands. “Until then, you keep this on you.”

“Pfft. Fine.”

“Everyone brace for landing,” Re'l said. She hunched over her console, a feline growl starting at the back of her throat. “It’s gonna be rough.”

The runabout shook like crazy as she initiated final descent towards a small landing pad just outside of the base. “No way you could get us inside?” I asked.

“There’s no inside to get to that I can see,” Re'l countered. She pointed at the lone hangar door, shut tight, with no obvious airlock located anywhere.

Zhidar bared his teeth in a menacing chuckle. “We could always blast it open. Use the phasers.”

“And risk blowing whatever’s inside out into space?” Danielle scoffed. “Do not be so foolish.”

“Agreed,” I said. “We’ll be better off spacewalking it.”

“So we’d have needed the suits anyway,” Zhidar barked with laughter. “And you pitiful whelps were whining about them.”

“Zhidar,” Williams said evenly. “I believe I said to stow the chatter.”

Grumbling, Zhidar complied.

“Well there has to be a way inside regardless, but we’ll have to move quickly,” I said as I moved to the runabout’s airlock. “Re'l, forcefield.”

Re'l tapped a control, raising up a blue atmospheric containment field around the cockpit of the runabout, then vented the rest of the atmosphere. “Good to go,” she said via comms.

“Okay, Hill, you’re with me. The rest of you stay here till we get the hangar open and Re'l brings the ship inside,” I ordered as I opened the runabout’s exterior hatch. Engaging my suit’s magnetic locks, I stepped outside. I could feel the force of gravity trying to rip me off the surface already, the asteroid’s meager gravity unable to counter even the slightest pull from the surrounding Basin. I tried not to look up relative to my position and focused on moving one hoof at a time.

Hill behind me wasn’t doing much better. I could hear his whimpering in my suit comm. “Easy, Hill,” I said, trying to soothe the poor guy. “Just keep your eyes down and breathe. We’ve got this.”

“Sorry, ma’am, I know I’m being unprofessional,” he said as he slowly inched his way forward. “It’s the combination of the suit and space around us.”

“I hear you,” I replied as I neared the building. Each hoof step clomped in total silence apart from my own breathing and Hill’s voice. The sheer quiet disturbed me on an instinctual level. “Almost there. Just a little bit further.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

When I reached the building, I brought out my tricorder and started scanning the area. My magic was much clumsier with the tricorder than usual thanks to the damned suit. “I’m not seeing much in the way of power,” I said. Then I scowled at my tricorder and performed the time-honored tradition of hitting a piece of equipment so it’d work. “But I can barely scan anything beyond five meters.”

“There might be a manual access hatch,” Hill suggested as he came up next to me. He shuffled his way along the hangar door, keeping his helmet level with it till he was on the other side, then brought out his own tricorder. “Not much of a power reading here either.”

“Wait a minute,” I said as I brought my tricorder down lower. “I think I found something. Try about a meter off the ground on your side, Hill. Should be an access port.”

“Yup, found it,” he replied.

I slid my tricorder back into its pocket and used my magic to feel out the edges of the cover, then with one telekinetic pull snapped it out. I let it go and it went sailing up and out of sight. “Looks like a manual release,” I said as I awkwardly stooped down to examine it more closely. “Hill, you see one on your side?”

“If you mean a lever, then yeah, there is,” he said. He had to kneel down and use a tool to pop open the panel.

“Okay, we’ll probably have to pull these at the same time. Ready? Three, two, one… pull!”

I yanked the lever down with as much force as I could bear, while Hill strained to match me. The hangar doors pulled apart… by less than half a meter. “Okay, we’re going to have to repeat that a few times, Hill. Ready?”

He flashed me a thumbs up, so we pulled our levers again and again, cranking open the hangar door till finally it opened up enough for the runabout to maneuver inside. “Re'l, hold off bringing in the runabout till I give the okay.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

“Watch yourselves out there, Shimmer,” Zhidar added.

“Understood,” I replied.

As I stepped into the hangar, I switched on a large flashlight, trusting that over trying to use my horn light. As I panned the flashlight over the small shuttlebay, the first thing I noticed was the crushed remnants of a shuttle embebbed into the starboard wall, as if some giant had punched it into the wall with her fist. The force it took to crumple duranium like that… I shuddered.

“Uh, ma’am! Ma’am!” Hill screeched, his flashlight shaking like crazy as he tried to shine it over the wall near his position. “Look!”

“Calm down, Hill, what’s the–holy…”

My stomach flipped as I panned the flashlight over a massive blood stain crossing the floor in front of us toward the port side wall. The light barely glanced off something metallic and I panned further to my right.

“What in Tartarus?”

I saw Jem’Hadar soldiers, all dead. Not just dead, but crushed. Eviscerated. Torn asunder in a brutal, visceral fashion. Visions of my final fight on the bridge of that Dominion ship rose in my mind as quickly as the bile in the back of my throat, but I forced myself to swallow them back down. “There has to be at least ten of them, maybe more...”

“What the hell could do that to a group of Jem’Hadar?” Hill gulped. His panicked breathing echoed through the comms in my ears, grating on my nerves.

“Easy, easy, Hill, calm down. That’s an order.” I tugged on his arm to pull him away from the stain. “Come on. We need to find a control panel, something to turn the power on with.”

“O-okay,” Hill said shakily, nodding several times before he followed my lead. He cast his flashlight up at the ceiling, which stood roughly ten meters above us, then down along the far wall. “There’s a catwalk up there, ma’am, leading to a room.”

“Could be the control hub for the shuttlebay,” I concluded. I passed my light along the catwalk till I spotted a ladder. “Okay, I’m going up there. Stay down here for the moment till I confirm it’s safe.”

Climbing the ladder proved much more difficult than I had anticipated with the magnetic boots, but eventually I got up there with a little help from my horn, and followed the catwalk over to the small room we’d spotted. “Confirmed, it’s the shuttlebay controls. Come on up, Hill. I need some help getting power back on in here.”

I returned to the ladder and waited for Hill, taking a small bit of solace in the fact that the magnetic boots were frustrating my bipedal crewmates as much as they were me. We made our way back to the control room and quickly assessed the lone computer console. “Looks like this connection was severed somehow,” Hill said, pointing to a set of circuitry running near the base of the console. “I think I can fix this. Hold on.”

I watched as he took out a couple of tools and created a makeshift patch to the cable. As he finished, the console sputtered a few times, then fully lit up. “Good job, Hill,” I said, giving him a genuine smile before I remembered he couldn’t see it.

“Thanks, ma’am,” he said, stowing his tools away. “It’s… a little easier in here. Where I don’t have to see… it.”

“Well just be prepared for more of… it… inside the rest of the facility,” I said, patting him gently on the shoulder of his suit. “Now, let’s get the lights turned on in here, maybe some gravity while we’re at it.”

Thankfully the control scheme was just as simple as the one from the Dominion ship that had captured me, so it took but a few moments to get lights and gravity restored, as well as life support to at least the immediate area. “Re'l, go ahead and bring the runabout inside. Should be safe now.”

“Aye ma’am!”

“You know what I realized,” Hill said as we watched the runabout slowly penetrate the force field envelope. He gestured to the whole of the hangar with both arms. “There’s room in here for two shuttles. But there’s only one wreck.”

“Maybe some of them escaped whatever happened here?” I wondered. I tabbed through the console’s control menus, trying to access the base’s computer, only to be firmly shut out by a firewall. “Damn it. I can’t bring up any security footage.”

“We’ll probably have to do that from the main computer core,” Hill said. “This place is a total wreck… whatever did this probably wiped most of the files to keep their presence from being known.”

After taking another look at what little of the computer I was able to see, I nodded. “Yeah. Actually, it’s kind of funny.... They must’ve done it the same way I wiped the computers aboard that ship.”

“Huh?”

“Nevermind.” I left the control room. “Come on, we need to join the others.”

The rest filed out of the runabout in short order, save for Re'l. “Holy shit,” Cadeneza shouted when she saw the pile of blood and body parts, which had smeared down the wall and back onto the floor thanks to the restoration of gravity. “I can smell that even with my helmet on!” Then she snorted. “Actually, If there’s life support, can I take this helmet off now?”

“Not until we verify if we’ve restored it in the whole base,” I said. I held up my right forehoof to give directions. “Zhidar, you’re on point. Danielle, you and Hill take the middle with Williams. Cadeneza, Maia, and I will bring up the rear.”

Zhidar snarled something under his breath. “I hope there are still live Jem’Hadar in here,” he said. “It would be a waste if there weren’t.”

“We’ll see,” I said. With the lights on in the hangar I could spot two ways into the base, one a large hallway presumably for cargo, the other a smaller access corridor leading off the control room. I pointed with my rifle to the larger corridor. “We’ll go this way first.”

Williams, Cadeneza, and Danielle all promptly brought out their tricorders and began scanning. “This is frustrating,” Danielle murmured, her French accent growing stronger. “Just like outside. No more than five meters in any direction.”

“I’m picking up something I don’t recognize, though,” Williams added. “Some kind of odd energy signature I’ve never seen before.”

“Let me see,” I said, taking a look at his tricorder. Then I grinned. “You’re just detecting my magic. That’s why you don’t recognize it.”

Williams frowned as he circled the area with his tricorder. “Maybe. It almost seems like… no, nevermind.”

“I’m detecting a nitrogen oxygen atmosphere behind this door,” Cadeneza called out. “So it looks like life support is restored through the base.”

“Let’s hope the tricorder’s at least reading that correctly,” I said. “Zhidar? Lead the way.”

Zhidar brought his rifle up, then stepped up to the door and tapped the controls. It opened up with a brief hiss of air and equalizing pressure, revealing a long corridor with dim, flickering lighting leading up to a t-intersection. Smashed console screens dangled from the walls, while shards of broken equipment, PADDs, and disruptor rifles littered the floor.

Well, the parts of the floor that weren’t painted with amber Jem’Hadar blood.

“This is becoming obscene,” Danielle commented as Zhidar slowly led us forward. “Why so much blood? What happened here?”

“Good question,” Williams muttered. He waved his tricorder around. “Well I’m still seeing a nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere. I’d say we’re safe to take off our helmets for now.”

I considered that, then nodded. “Fine. Take ‘em off, everyone. Conserve your suit’s oxygen.”

As I unscrewed my helmet to attach to the back of my suit, a wave of nasty smells hit me, the metallic scent of blood mixing with smoke and chemicals to form a nauseating bouquet. Hill outright choked on it, doubling over and retching. We all stepped back in case he vomited, but he shook his head. “I’m okay, I’m okay,” he insisted.

Zhidar snorted, rolling his beady eyes as he leveled his rifle forward. “We should check out this room next,” he said, gesturing to the large pair of double doors on one wall. He didn’t wait for a response from Williams or myself before he sallied forth and opened them up.

The huge metal doors had slid about halfway before the mechanism literally ground to a halt with a sickening thud. Zhidar tried the control panel a few more times to no avail, so we squeezed through single-file. The cargo bay was, unsurprisingly, just as wrecked as the hallway outside. Broken shelves, equipment, and consoles littered the area. Dozens of Ketracel White barrels lay split open like so many eggs, spilling their contents onto the floor and making it like an ice rink under our boots. The overhead lights barely functioned, requiring us to break out the flashlights again.

“I doubt we’re going to find much in here,” Williams murmured after a couple of moments. “I’m not detecting any live energy signatures, nothing.”

“Hang on. Is it just me, or does it look like someone rifled through the place rather than simply blowing it all up?” Cadeneza suggested. “Like they were searching for something.”

“Hmph. Like what?” Maia snorted.

Cadeneza’s eyes flashed as she grit her teeth. “I don’t know, Ensign. Maybe we should take a closer look?”

Maia arched an eyebrow. “As you wish, Lieutenant,” she said, a trace of a smile appearing on her face. She stepped forward, her rifle up and ready to fire as she approached the damaged shelf.

Cadeneza followed right behind, heedless of any potential danger as she whipped her tricorder about in a frenzied pace of scanning. “Damn it,” she muttered. “I’m not seeing much. Just spare ship parts.”

“Maybe that explains the missing shuttle?” Hill suggested. “Whoever took the shuttle needed to fix it first, so they came here for parts?”

“I doubt we’re going to find out that easily,” I said. “We should–”

“Un instant, s’il vous plaît," Danielle interrupted as she pointed her flashlight past the shelf and around the damaged barrel. “There’s signs of weapons fire here.”

Sure enough, as we looked closer, we saw a number of disruptor burns on the wall, scouring the metal. I held up a boot-covered hoof to one and touched it, watching bits of metal flake off. “Damn. High powered too. I’m surprised they didn’t blow clean through.”

“Probably a force field,” Williams said as he shoved his tricorder right up on the wall. “Yeah, yeah now that I’m close enough I’m seeing it. There’s force field emitters running throughout this wall. Must be an exterior bulkhead. Would’ve taken a few photon grenades or a shuttle’s phaser bank to disrupt the force field enough to actually hit the wall.”

“Is it active now?”

“No, it’s not,” he answered. “So watch your fire everyone. Last thing we need is to puncture a hole in this place.”

Cadeneza shrugged as she lazily spun her rifle in her hand. “Like there’s anything to worry about. This place is dead.”

“Oh, yes, obviously,” Danielle said with an arched eyebrow. “Just a pile of dismembered Jem’Hadar and tricorders that cannot see past five meters. Nothing to worry about at all.”

Zhidar rumbled something under his breath and left the room, urging the rest of us to carry on following him. I kept a close eye on Cadeneza, whose expression kept oscillating between lackadaisical and furious.

As we reached the T-intersection, where all three passageways continued on into flickering darkness, my ears perked up. “Wait,” I hissed, holding up a hoof. “I hear something.”

“What is it?” Danielle inquired. “I hear nothing.”

“Ssh,” I ordered as I swiveled my ears around, searching for it. “It’s… it’s like it’s…” My ears locked on target. “It’s in the wall.”

Williams’s tricorder began beeping insistently. “There’s a new energy pattern,” he muttered. “Quickly rising too, like something charging up.”

“L-like a reactor?” Hill said, his voice shaking as much as his grip on his rifle.

“No, more like…” I saw his eyes widen dramatically. “Everyone, scatter!”

A hatch popped open just ahead of us and lobbed a glowing sphere into the air. A high pitched whine followed as it screamed towards us at frightening speed. “No time! Get down!”

I managed, just barely, to throw up a shield in time to protect us as the photon grenade exploded. The shield redirected the grenade blast to the walls on either side of us, ripping them open like tin cans and exposing several rooms in the process with ear-piercing shrieks of metal.

“So much for keeping quiet,” Maia groused.

We were just beginning to climb to our feet when a repeating klaxon blared through the base, and panels in the ceiling, walls, and even the floor began popping open, revealing grenade launchers and disruptor turrets. “They’ve got automated defenses!” I cried out as I saw the barrel of one turret glow cherry red.

Then they fired, sizzling bolts screaming down the hallway towards my shield, which was already cracked in several places. “Retreat!” Zhidar bellowed as he dropped to one knee, rifle held up. Maia joined him, adopting the same pose. “Get to cover!”

The others wasted no time speeding their way back towards the cargo bay. “How long can you keep this up?” Maia cried as she lined up her sights on the closest auto-cannon.

“Long enough,” I answered. I closed my eyes to focus on the mana charging through my horn, and lowered parts of the shield while strengthening others. I molded it around us, protecting us from the disruptor fire as it washed over, while giving Maia and Zhidar just enough room to poke their phaser rifles through. Then my eyes opened again. “You’re clear. Take that cannon down!”

Zhidar and Maia let loose a volley of phaser rifle fire, only to discover a small forcefield wrapped around the cannon, protecting it. He glanced over at Maia and grinned a toothy grin. “Time for the one-two punch,” he growled. “Ready?”

“Aye!”

They turned back to the cannon. Zhidar unleashed a fusillade of continuous phaser fire pummeling the small force field. It fizzled and buzzed until it was overloaded by the sheer energy thrown against it. Now exposed, Maia fired burst after burst of compression phaser blasts, melting and warping the disruptor cannon until its power core detonated and it exploded, scattering metal shrapnel everywhere.

Of course it wouldn’t be that easy. I let the shield drop for now, but we could hear the hum of other disruptor cannons waiting just out of sight. “This has just become a lot more dangerous,” I said as I tapped my suit communicator. “Shimmer to Phoenix. Come in Phoenix.”

All I heard was static, followed up by the occasional burst of noise so high-pitched I couldn’t make it out. “Damn it!” I growled as I turned off the communicator. “We can’t reach them.” I swapped over to another channel. “Shimmer to Re'l. You’ve got the Phoenix on your sensors, right?”

“Yes ma’am,” Re'l answered, “but they’ve moved off. They’re further away than they should be.”

I frowned. “What? Why?”

“I don’t know. They’re not responding to my hails either.”

“Well, keep trying. Some kind of automated defense system just came online and is trying to pin us down. We’re okay for now but the sooner we can get out of here, the better. Shimmer out.” I scowled and waved for Zhidar and Maia to follow as I trotted back towards the cargo bay. Everyone else had their rifles out and ready. “I just tried to reach the Phoenix, but they’re not responding. And they’ve moved off.”

“Think they spotted a Jem’Hadar fighter?” Hill proposed, worry etched all over his features.

“No idea. But if they’re doing that, we’re not going to retreat,” I said. I waved my own rifle in the direction of the now exploded t-intersection. “We should move on. Hopefully we can figure out whatever set off the automated defenses and turn them off.”

“I’m surprised a place like this even has automated defenses,” Williams said, frowning hard enough to add extra wrinkles to his eyes and brow. “That’s usually something you only see in high-priority starbases or other such military facilities.”

“Not enough men,” Zhidar growled. “A base this large should have had hundreds of soldiers, but it’s in the Basin. Why waste the men when you can set up these?”

“And it’s probably a trap, too,” Maia said as she rubbed her chin. “They knew there was a risk the Federation would figure out where the raids were coming from. So they probably set these as a final trap in case they were overwhelmed.”

“You sure we shouldn’t just head back to the Phoenix and blow this place sky-high from orbit?” Cadeneza asked.

I shook my head. “No. We can’t go anywhere until we can locate where the Phoenix is so Re’l can plot a safe course back. But in the meantime, there’s a mystery here, and I aim to solve it.”

Williams nodded. “I agree with Shimmer. Besides, with Shimmer’s abilities, we shouldn’t have a problem dealing with these cannons. They can’t have anything too powerful, or else they’d blow up their own base in the process of defending it.”

“I’m not invincible, Williams. Remember the squad simulations? Proving that was the whole point,” I said. I reached up and tapped at my horn with my hoof. “That first blast took a lot out of me. I wasn’t expecting it.”

“But you tore apart a Dominion battleship with your magic,” Cadeneza said, glaring at me with disbelief in her eyes. “You’re not telling us a simple photon grenade wiped you out.”

My blood ran cold. I didn’t like to think about those moments on that ship, when the magic surged throughout my body, far stronger than I’d ever been able to command before or since. I still didn’t know where some of the power had come from. Was it simple rage and adrenaline, allowing me to tap reserves I couldn’t use otherwise? Did I draw upon something else, drain power from subspace or some other magical realm? I didn’t know, and if I was being honest with myself, I didn’t want to know.

That power I felt when I obliterated the Dominion ship was too tempting, too much of a potential addiction. Like a drug it urged me to indulge, to seek it out and take one more hit, because what would that hurt, right?

Except it would hurt. I was sure it would, somehow. It was too much like dark magic, the sinister, seductive side of magic on my world that gave you easy power in exchange for corrupting your soul. The thought that the power I used to destroy the ship had its origins in dark magic was enough to keep me from ever wanting to experiment with it again.

It scared me. It scared me to death.

“It didn’t wipe me out,” I finally responded. “It just drained me. I can still use a shield. It’s just going to be slow going.”

“Then we’d better find the central computer to this place and fast,” Williams said. “And keep your eyes on everything. Nothing says they can’t suddenly pop out from behind us.”

The next half hour saw slow progress indeed. Just moving into the T-intersection itself put us in awful danger, thanks to disruptor cannons in both hallways. I planted myself like a tree and threw up a shield to cover both sides, allowing us to unleash concentrated fire in both directions. It took three people per cannon to take them down fast enough to avoid my shield shattering under their unyielding assault. By the time it was over, my whole body was shaking, sweat pouring down my face and underneath my pinned wings.

“I… I need a minute,” I huffed as I tried to catch my breath. I took a long drink from my suit’s water spigot, swallowing it greedily, letting it cool my parched throat. I desperately wished I could peel off my suit, even for a moment, just to get some more air flowing over my body. Ponies overheat more easily than most humanoids thanks to our fur, and the wings didn’t help in that regard. Small wonder the pegasi liked to keep their cloud cities high enough in the atmosphere to be super chilled. “Okay… let’s go.”

The next several hallways weren’t any less of a time consuming slog. Disruptor cannons and grenade launchers around every corner, and no cover of any kind to hide behind. As we worked to take them out one by one, I began to worry which would run out first – our phaser rifles or my mana reserves.

Worse, we hadn’t found much of anything useful. Just more blood, more signs of damage everywhere, the occasional torn apart body. That finally changed when we came across a half-destroyed room that I recognized as a Jem’Hadar containment facility. This place suffered the worst of the damage; several disruptor cannons were torn out of the ceiling in a broken heap of shredded electronics, while burns pockmarked the walls. One of the cells was completely blown out from the inside.

“Well well, this looks important,” Cadeneza said as she broke out her tricorder, the warbling noise echoing oddly through the room as she scanned it. “Whatever caused all this damage, it all started right here with a jailbreak.”

“Obviously,” Zhidar snarled as he took up a guard position near the door, using his fingers to silently direct Maia to do the same. “Work faster.”

“Trust me, old friend, we’re all tired of this place by now,” Williams said, patting Zhidar on the shoulder.

“If I may, Commander,” Danielle interjected, a strange look in her eye. She held up her tricorder. “I am reading a lot of that magical signature in here. Are you certain we’re only reading your emenations?”

I arched both eyebrows, resisting the urge to snap at her. “Positive. I’m the only one on this rock that can use magic, unless one of you’s been hiding something from me.”

“Then why is the signature different?”

Everyone froze. All eyes turned to Danielle at once.

“What?” I gasped.

“I recalibrated the tricorder twice, ma’am,” she replied. “It’s not the same.”

Everyone looked back and forth between the two of us with slack jaws. Even the normally stoic Maia looked shocked.

“Huh, she’s right,” Cadeneza said. “Look, you see this energy pattern? See how it’s moving like this?” She showed me her readings, producing an undulating wave.

I reached for my water spigot, my throat suddenly drier than the Sahara. “Yeah? That’s my magic.”

“No.” Cadeneza shook her head. “It isn’t. This is what I got from the cell.” She pointed to the blown up cell. Then she pointedly ran her tricorder over my phaser rifle, which was still hovering in my magic. “And this is your magic.”

My world fell out from under me as I watched the second pattern. It was subtle, the difference between the patterns. Like two waveforms just slightly out of phase with each other.

But there it was, clear as day. Another magic user was out there, somewhere.

And by the looks of it, they were incredibly powerful.

“How is this possible?” I whispered.

Zhidar rolled his beady eyes. “Oh please. Obviously some other pony left your world, just like you and Ensign Sparkle.”

“And came here?” I shook my head. “No way. We both showed up in the exact same place when we arrived on Earth. We had it mapped out to the millimeter. If somepony--” and oh was that odd tasting word after all this time-- “else left Equestria, we would’ve seen them in San Francisco.”

“What if it wasn’t a pony at all?” Maia asked. “What if some other species has the same abilities as Shimmer and Sparkle?”

Hill eyed me, gulping. “Is that possible, ma’am?”

“Leeet’s not get too hasty here, Hill,” Cadeneza said before I could answer his question. “We shouldn’t assume anything in a floundering death trap based off only a handful of readings. That’s just bad science.”

Williams stepped over to the one remaining console in the room. “Which means we need more information. Can you get this thing working, Hill? Maybe we can bring up some kind of security footage, or a prisoner log.”

“Uh, I can try,” Hill said. He broke out his toolkit, and after a moment I joined him in diagnosing the issues. Thankfully it was just an electrical short causing the problem and after about ten minutes Hill had patched around it. “Okay, try it now.”

Williams worked the console like he’d been born to use it, hands dancing across it so rapidly they were almost a blur. “Damn it,” he growled. “It’s no use. The data core was fried. I can only find some outdated log entries and a single audio recording.”

“Well, what are you waiting for, man?” Zhidar rumbled. “Play it!”

“Let us out of here!” shouted an unfamiliar voice. It was feminine, deep and smooth like a dark chocolate mocha, though the effect was somewhat ruined by her screeching.

“No,” replied a different voice, this one higher pitched, masculine, with a sing-song quality. “I’m afraid you’re far too interesting of specimens for us to release.”

“Specimens?” I repeated. “Plural?”

Another feminine voice spoke up, this one coarse and rough, as if she’d gargled gravel on a daily basis. “Specimens? What do you idiots take us for? You really think puny creatures like yourselves can keep us here?”

“Of course,” replied the masculine one, whom I was almost certain was a Vorta, judging by the copious amounts of smarm. “We’re well acquainted with abilities like yours by now, though I must admit the difference in your appearance is… concerning. Cause for experimentation, if you will.”

A third feminine voice, this one full of energy and exhibiting a child-like innocence, groaned, “Oooh, but if you don’t let us go we’ll have to break our way out.”

“Oh I don’t think so,” replied the Vorta. “Not with the defenses we’ve put into place.”

“You stupid, bucking fools--” the recording abruptly cut out with a burst of static.

Williams scowled down at the console. “That’s it. That’s all it had.”

“Did you recognize those voices, Commander?” Danielle inquired, her expression pensive.

I shrugged and shook my head. “No idea. And before you ask, I don’t know what he meant by difference in appearance either.”

“Sounds like the Dominion captured them deliberately to experiment with,” Cadeneza mused, rubbing at her chin awkwardly with her suit glove. “But how’d they catch them in the first place? From where?”

“Asking each other won’t help,” Zhidar said. He gestured to the door. “We should press on.”

“Right.” I took another swig of water from my suit spigot and a few deep breaths, then gathered up my strength. “Back to the slog.”

We journeyed down the only corridor we’d yet to explore. It was slow going, full of even more disruptor cannons. As we fought our way through, it occurred to me to wonder why there were so many of these things left. Given the damage the three escapees had wrought, and the number of Jem’Hadar killed, why weren’t these defenses enabled before? Did they take everyone by surprise? Did they move so fast no one had time to enable them?

If that was the case, what started up the defenses after they left?

The last disruptor cannon exploded in a shower of sparks and burnt metal, prompting me to turn my attention to the set of blast doors we’d reached. A blue force field sparked across the door as we approached.

“Well, someone’s hung around after all, it would seem,” Zhidar growled.

I spotted a familiar Jem’Hadar label next to the door that identified the room inside as an operations center. “Finally, some answers.”

“Ma’am, we have a problem,” Maia said, holding her compression rifle up. “I don’t have enough charge left in my rifle to take this force field down. Neither does Lieutenant Zhidar.”

Everyone else checked their weapons and found they were running on fumes too. “That figures. We finally make it here and our phasers are out of juice.” I groaned as I examined my own rifle, which I’d loaned out during every fight. The dim red lights indicating low charge frustrated me to no end. “Dumb phasers.”

Hill grimaced and held up his tool kit. “I can burn it out, but it’s going to take me a while.”

“We’ve been here far too long as it is,” Williams grumbled. “Whatever we do, we’d better hurry up.

Hill approached the wall to pull off a door panel, only to shriek in surprise as a voice piped through a speaker. “S-stay away! Get out! D-don’t!” The high pitched voice was familiar, the same one we’d heard on the recording.

I stepped forward. “I’m Lieutenant Commander Shimmer, from the Federation starship Phoenix. Who am I speaking to?”

“No one!” replied the voice I presumed was the Vorta, sounding very much like a whiny foal. “N-no one is here!”

“We know attacks against Federation convoys have been launched from this base, which we have now taken control of,” I continued, rolling my eyes. “Disable the forcefield and surrender. I promise you will be treated humanely according to Federation law governing prisoners of war.”

“T-the Federation?! No! No, I won’t! I won’t betray the Founders!”

I glanced over at Hill, who’d brought out several tools and was poking at the panel with a flux coupler. “We’ve already destroyed your defenses. You’ll make everything much easier on us all if you give yourself up, now.”

“Wait.” The sound of the Vorta’s mewling shifted, sounding more menacing. “Wait. That voice. That name. Shimmer. I know you. You, you killed my previous clone!”

That caught me off guard. The voice had seemed somewhat familiar, but I’d disregarded it as coincidence. “Yukarin?”

“Yukarin Four, actually,” he growled back. “Unlike my naive and overconfident predecessor, I understand your power and capabilities. We learned much from your destruction of our battleship.”

Zhidar chuckled under his breath. “Seems your reputation precedes you,” he said, giving me a toothy grin.

Ignoring Zhidar, I called out, “If you know me as well as you say, then you know that forcefield’s nothing to me. We’re coming in one way or the other, Yukarin.”

Yukarin snapped back, “Y-you idiot, Shimmer. You think I survived those, those monsters only to be captured by you? I don’t think so.”

“Uuuuh, ma’am?” Danielle’s voice took on an edge of panic. “I’m showing a sudden rapid increase in energy, like a reactor building to overload.”

“What?” I ran forward and attacked the force field with my boot-covered hoof, which only succeeded in scorching the cut-resistant material. “Yukarin, you idiot! You’re going to kill us all!”

“That’s the idea. I won’t allow the Federation to learn what the Dominion discovered here. My death will serve the Founders, by finishing the job my predecessor started: eliminating you!”

“Oh for goodness’s sake--Hill! How much longer?”

Hill paled as he looked up at me. “I-it’s going to take a few minutes, ma’am! This force field is a lot stronger than most!”

“We don’t have a few minutes,” Williams said, holding up his tricorder. “That reactor’s going to blow in less than sixty seconds!”

Snorting in frustration, I picked Hill up in my magic and pulled him back behind me. “No offense, Hill, but let me handle this. Everyone stand back!”

As my fellow officers took cover, I bowed my head and closed my eyes, aiming my horn at the force field. I took several slow breaths, letting the mana build up as I slowly formed a spell matrix in my mind. The formulae and numbers danced in my head as the energy surged, coursing through my mana channels, drawing most of what I had left to give.

“Thirty seconds!” Williams said.

“I’m so sick of countdowns,” I murmured as the spell matrix finished taking shape. My eyes snapped open, glowing white as a beam of light shot forth from my horn like a lighting bolt, surging through the air with a scent of ozone as it burnt out the force field in a near instant. “There… go!”

Everyone wasted no time barreling through the door, with me following from behind, my body heaving from the magic I’d just expended. I desperately wished I could sit down, get something to eat, maybe take a nap, but there was no time. I barely had the chance to take in details as Zhidar smacked Yukarin over the head with his rifle before going to work on the nearest console. Hill, Williams, and I all joined him at other consoles as we worked to stop the reactor overload.

“Ten… wait… that’s it!” Danielle cried. “You did it. The reactor has stopped!”

Hill fell over against his console, breathing an audible sigh of relief. “I’m so done with today,” he moaned.

“You… you fools,” Yukarin groaned as Zhidar grabbed him by the shirt and hauled him up onto his feet. Blood streamed from a gash on his forehead. “You… still won’t take me alive.”

Zhidar bared his teeth at Yukarin. “Please. If you were not a coward you would have already activated your suicide implant.”

Yukarin paled. “Oh. You… you know about those. Of course you do. Why wouldn’t you?”

I sneered at him. “And you called your predecessor naive? Hmph. But look, it’s okay to be scared. Unlike your boss, the Federation doesn’t kill prisoners.”

“Scared? Scared?!” Yukarin bellowed. He wrenched himself free of Zhidar’s grasp, though he made no other hostile moves, not with six phaser rifles trained on him. “Of you? Of death? Never. Failing the Founders? Yes.”

“Then go ahead,” Zhidar growled, poking Yukarin in the chest with his rifle. “Kill yourself. We’re waiting.”

Yukarin’s face twisted into a dark sneer, but he didn’t move. After wasting a couple of moments staring at us, he sighed. “Perhaps… perhaps I am afraid of death after all.”

“Then stop wasting our time,” Williams said. “What happened here? Who did you take prisoner? How did they escape?”

“Oh no. I won’t be telling you anything,” Yukarin replied. He clamped his mouth shut and pointedly looked away.

Zhidar turned to me. “Let me interrogate him, ma’am. I’ll get the little weasel to squeal.”

“No,” I said simply. “Not happening. Restrain him. We’ll take him back to the runabout with us. Hill, Cadeneza, work with me here. We need to get into these computers and make a copy of their files.”

“You won’t find much,” Yukarin said as Zhidar and Maia tied his wrists into handcuffs. “I instituted a complete data wipe. You think I would be foolish enough to leave evidence?”

Hill wasted no time in accessing the console and calling up queries of the main computer.“He’s right, ma’am,” he sighed. “It’s going to take me a while to sort through all this, see what I can recover.”

“Copy whatever you can, HIll. We’ve got to hurry.”

“Re’l to Shimmer,” came a sudden hail.

I tapped into my suit comm. “Go ahead, Re’l. What is it?”

“Ma’am, I just received a burst message from the Phoenix. They want us back aboard as soon as possible. There’s a small fleet of Cardassian and Jem’Hadar ships on their way here. Estimated arrival in two hours, give or take”

“Great. Wonderful. Thank you, Re’l. Shimmer out,” I replied, trying to keep bitterness out of my tone. “Hill, what’s your status?”

“I’ve just about finished, ma’am,” Hill replied.

Nodding, I said, “Good. And set the autodestruct when you’re done. One and a half hours, silent countdown. I don’t want them to find anything other than pulverized rubble by the time that fleet shows up.”

“First she stops the overload, now she wants to trigger it,” Yukarin said. “Make up your mind, you mercurial beast.”

Zhidar responded with a snap uppercut to the gut, causing Yukarin to double over, wheezing. “Shut up.”

“Zhidar, let’s try not to be so rough with a POW, hmm?” Williams said, giving Zhidar a knowing look.

Yukarin sneered at Zhidar. “Please, sir, may I have some more?” he quipped.

Zhidar reared back, all too happy to oblige, but he stopped at the feel of my magic on his arm. “Don’t. That’s an order, Lieutenant.”

“Feh. Fine.” Zhidar dropped his arm. “Not worth my time.”

Hill’s tricorder let out a triumphant beep as he held up his equipment. “Done!”

“I have set the autodestruct per your request,” Danielle added. “Enabling now.”

I pointed with one hoof to the exit. “Let’s move, people! Back to the runabout!”

We rushed as a group, slowed only by Yukarin, who stumbled and fell over repeatedly until Zhidar picked him up and draped him over one shoulder. Within a few minutes we’d crossed the base and were filing one by one into the runabout.

“Please tell me you’re prepped and ready to go,” I said as I plopped myself down in the co-pilot’s seat.

Re’l, who looked irritatingly fresh-faced next to the rest of us, smiled at me and purred. “Of course, ma’am.”

“Everyone’s aboard,” Williams said as he emerged from the rear, sitting down at the seat behind me. “We’ve got the Vorta tied to a table. Maia and Zhidar are watching him.”

“Then take us out, Re’l,” I ordered. “Back to the Phoenix, fast as you can.”

“Aye,” she said as her fingers tapped the controls. “Everyone brace for a rough ride.”

The shaking and shuddering of the runabout as we left the artificial gravity field of the Dominion base was, if anything, far worse than it had been on arrival. Fighting off the cannons had taken a serious toll on me, and despite the short trip and the bumpy ride I found my eyes fluttering closed a few times on the way there.

But soon enough we were coasting back into Main Shuttlebay, to a much softer landing. A security team greeted us as the runabout door hissed open, and they wasted no time taking Yukarin into custody and leading him out to the brig. “Shimmer to bridge, we’re aboard.”

“Excellent, Number One,” Liang replied. “It’s good to hear your voice. Thanks to the time dilation you were on that base for over two days. Another few hours and we might’ve found ourselves fighting off a fleet.”

I winced. “Sorry to hear that, sir. I’ll have a full explanation in my report.”

“Good to hear it. Report to the conference room in one hour for a debriefing. I’ll want Hill and Cadeneza with you. Liang out.”

I turned back to my team, who all showed matching exhausted faces, save for Zhidar, who simply scowled. “Alright, everyone, good work today,” I said. “Let’s get out of these suits and get some food and rest. Hill and Cadeneza, I’ll see you both in an hour.”

“I’ll start sifting through the downloaded files right away,” Hill said even as he peeled himself out of his suit, unleashing a stink of sweat.

I stopped with two of my legs still in my suit and looked at Hill, then at everyone else. It was at that exact moment I regretted ponies’ heightened sense of smell more than ever before. “Shower first, analysis later. All of us.” Excusing myself to my quarters, I threw myself into the shower and scrubbed myself clean before gorging myself on some spaghetti and wheatballs and two very tall, very cold glasses of water. I followed that up with a double raktajino, just to keep my eyes propped open during the debriefing.

Throwing on a fresh uniform, I made my way to the bridge, and passed through to the conference room. Cadeneza and Hill arrived just after I did, with Hill carting an oversized PADD in his hands. When I looked at it and opened my mouth to ask, he answered me with a simple, “It's my analysis.”

Liang walked in right as we all sat down. “So, I understand we have a prisoner aboard.”

“Yes sir,” I said. Briefly I went over the events aboard the base. “And set the self-destruct.”

“Well done, Number One. Well done all of you,” Liang said with a smile. He’d kept a fairly straight face throughout the discussion, and the only sign of surprise was a brief widening of the eyes and a pair of arched eyebrows when I mentioned the unfamiliar magic. “You should know that the Defiant was recalled by Admiral Ross. Seems there was an opportunity for the Seventh Fleet, and they were needed.”

“I understand, sir,” I said. “What’re our orders?”

Liang pursed his lips and shrugged. “Currently, left to my discretion. The Admiral wants us to finish our investigation first, of course. I’ve ordered us away from the Basin to avoid the incoming fleet, but otherwise… Hill, is your analysis finished yet?”

Hill checked his PADD. “Err, yes, it is sir,” he said, his voice low with surprise. “It looks like we were only able to recover a single file. It’s a video recording, sir.”

Cadeneza, who for some reason had worn her leather jacket to the meeting, tucked her hands inside it and said, “Well, play it already.”

Hill nodded, and tapped a few buttons on his PADD. We all turned to face the screen on the wall.

At first, all I saw was an empty corridor. Jem’Hadar rushed past the camera, carrying disruptor rifles. Screams and shouts from somewhere far away filtered through, mixed with bright flashes and the sound of multiple explosions. Then a volley of force bolts very similar to the ones Twilight and I used rocketed through the air and punctured a Jem’Hadar clean through the chest with so much force it literally knocked him off his feet. As he crumpled lifelessly to the ground, more screams could be heard.

Then a trio of figures ran past the camera, so fast I could barely take in any details. “Hold it, Hill,” Liang ordered. The playback froze. “Reverse it a few seconds and pause.”

“Aye,” Hill murmured as he performed the task. We watched the video play in reverse before suddenly pausing with an image of three humanoids displayed on screen. The moment I saw it the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Something about this wasn’t right, not at all.

“Hill, can you zoom that in at all? And enhance it?”

“I think so. One second…” I kept my eyes locked on the screen while Hill tapped away at the PADD. “Got it.”

A few seconds later a much sharper image reappeared on the screen.

And my blood turned to ice instantly.

I knew these three. They looked different than the ancient texts had described them, but despite their mostly human appearance, the telltale signs were still there. All of them.

Unusually colored eyes with vertical, cat-like pupils. Impressive, voluminous hair ranging from a pair of pigtails in purple and aqua, to a massive bush of orange and yellow to a single ponytail in shades of light and dark, almost black blue...the same shades as the crests they once bore. Ears that looked more like strangely shaped fins. Long, loping tails sweeping behind them, and razor sharp fangs.

“What the heck are they?” Cadeneza murmured as she took in the view. “They’re like… dragon-y fish people.”

“I don’t recognize the species either,” Liang uttered. “Computer, can you identify the species displayed on screen?”

“Negative. No matches found in Federation database,” the computer replied.

“I know what they are,” I declared, trembling. “I’m certain of it.”

“Oh?” Liang eyed me curiously. “Please, do tell.”

I glanced at the trio on the screen one more time, wishing I was wrong despite knowing I was right. “They’re from my world,” I said. “But in my world they look different. Much different.”

“Ah, so that explains the magic then,” Liang said with a nod. “But don’t hold back, Number One. Do you recognize them personally?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “No pony alive today would know them at all, save perhaps for Princess Celestia. They’re a trio of spellcasters who turned to dark magic and were banished from Equestria by Starswirl the Bearded over a thousand years ago.” I sat up in my chair, mainly to relieve the nervous twitching in my wings. “Our history books called them Sirens: magical beings who can swim and fly, and who use negative emotions to power their magic.”

“Sirens, huh?” Cadeneza said, intrigued. “Do they have names?”

I hesitated, then nodded. “I don’t remember their individual names, if they were in the books at all. But I remember what they called their group.” I took a deep breath and glanced one final time at the screen.

“They called themselves the Dazzlings.”

Author's Note

Early on in planning for various episodes, Blue pitched to me an idea about a ghost ship. The crew would stumble across it and have some lovely horror-type tension times while trying to figure out what happened to whomever it was. There were scant details in this pitch, but it eventually morphed into the episode you've just read.

Easily the least scientific part about this episode is the time dilation. I very much took the concept and used it for the sake of writing a story, not following strict exact science. So apologies once again to any physicists out there.

For those who were wondering whether or not The Dazzlings would ever appear, you have your answer now.

Thank you once again to my prereaders who helped take a couple things here and improve them dramatically.

Blue would also like to thank you all for coming. Blue will have an AN once the time comes. For now, enjoy. :raritywink:

Season 2 Mini-Episode 3: "You Can Lead a Horse To Water..."

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02ME03

“You Can Lead a Horse To Water...”

Belle Hendricks quietly sipped her tea as she stared at the terminal screen on her desk, and the incoming message icon that continuously flashed in the bottom corner of the screen. For the first time since she left the friendly confines of her office in Vancouver for the Phoenix, she wished she could just let the call go to voicemail.

“Are you going to get that, Belle?” asked Inanna. She was perched nearby in the large plush chair that was normally occupied by their patients, sipping on a fresh cup of tea. Belle desperately wished she could possess half of the serenity that seemed to follow Inanna all the time.

Sometimes it made Belle laugh to think about it. She was the Vulcan and Inanna, the human. Yet their expected behavior was reversed. It’d certainly been on her mind when she first hired Inanna a few years ago or so. Half the reason Belle kept her hair long was to hide her ears so patients wouldn’t expect her to be cold and logical all the time.

Though lately, aboard the Phoenix, Belle found she didn’t need to hide anymore. Maybe it was the fact that the first officer was a winged unicorn, but the more time she spent with the Phoenix’s crew the more she found her assumptions about Starfleet tested and found wanting.

She hoped that it was just her assumptions that were wrong, that the Phoenix wasn’t a unicorn itself among the rest of Starfleet. It disturbed her a bit to think that Earth – the very heart of the Federation – might be less tolerant than Starfleet as a whole.

“Belle?”

“Hmm?” Belle looked up and set her tea cup down. “O-oh, right. Excuse me.” She tapped the accept button.

The face of Captain Liang appeared on her screen, his expression looking far less relaxed than the last time they had spoken. “Ah, Counselor. I was beginning to worry I had called when you were in the middle of a session. Is this a bad time?”

Belle gave him a professional smile. “No, Captain, I-I was just finishing up. What can I do for you?”

“I was hoping for an update on Ensign Sparkle.”

Belle exchanged a look with Inanna and sighed. “Well, we’ve had a couple of sessions with her, but we’ve not made much progress. Without going into details for confidentiality reasons… there’s a lot to unpack here. And there’s only so much a Counselor can do for a patient who doesn’t want to improve.”

A cold frown crossed Liang’s face. “She’s refusing to cooperate?”

Belle shook her head. “No. She’s coming to the counseling sessions, she’s listening to us, but it’s going to take a long time for her to adjust.”

“I see.” Liang steepled his hands and peered at her over them. “If I sound disappointed, it’s not because of you, Counselor. You see, I’ve recently had to file fresh reports on key members of the crew and senior staff with Starfleet command. It shouldn’t be a big surprise that those reports have included more than a few negative murmurs regarding ongoing, shall I say, sibling rivalry.”

Liang tapped the ends of his fingers together. “I’m fending off what I can, but there’s more than a few higher-ups who are lobbying to have one or both of them transferred. I shouldn’t have to say that such an outcome is one I’d very much like to avoid, especially for Commander Shimmer.”

“That would be a mistake, Captain,” Belle declared, meeting his frown with a frosty one of her own. “Twilight Sparkle is in a fragile emotional state. If we separate her from Sunset Shimmer now, she will never recover. As you said, things are indeed quite rough between the two of them, and I’ve heard many of the same murmurs you have. But they need to serve together to have any chance of mending things between them.”

Liang’s frown faded away as his whole body slumped. “...I realize that more than you know, Miss Hendricks. This situation is… well. No need to bring up memories of old failures.” He let out a heavy sigh. “Making what I’m about to say an order goes against my entire philosophy as a captain. So I’ll say it like this…”

He straightened up in his seat and stared her dead on. “Short of violating safety or ethical concerns, do whatever you can to at least put those two on the path to reconciliation by the time we reach Starbase 375. After that, I’m afraid all bets will really be off. Understood?”

Belle chafed under command structures. She hated them, even despised them. She understood the necessity, especially in an organization like Starfleet, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. So the fact he didn’t make it an order, but framed it as a suggestion… she appreciated that more than Liang would likely ever know. “I’ll do everything I can. I promise.”

“Good. And thank you, Counselor. Liang out.”

As his image disappeared from her screen, Inanna calmly stood up from her seat and walked over to Belle, placing a hand on her shoulder. “It is a difficult task he’s set for us,” she said.

“You’re telling me,” Belle groaned. She laid a hand upon her forehead. “I’ve been counseling Twilight ever since she first came to Earth. She was adorable back then, you know. Like a little lost puppy. Couldn’t even say the word Romulan correctly. And she’s made remarkable progress since then, but…”

“But she has many psychological issues,” Inanna said. She whisked her way back to her chair, her dress flowing around her in an invisible breeze. “Chief among them is her PTSD.”

“Yes,” Belle nodded as she brought up her extensive files on Twilight. “At least two instances… one from her initial arrival, then the loss of Sunset. Recovering from the first, while good, only made the second even worse.”

Inanna swept up her tea cup with one hand and drained it dry, then set it back down. “Indeed. Those are causing the lion’s share of her problems right now. She is stuck in a pattern of self-destructive behavior. She… hmm.”

Belle paused in the middle of reaching for her own tea cup. “What is it, Inanna?”

Inanna rose out of her chair and approached the tea pot, pouring herself a fresh cup and topping off Belle’s. “We’ve been extremely delicate with Twilight so far, carefully crafting every word, every expression we make so as to avoid triggering any of her issues.”

“And with good reason.” Belle sipped her tea, letting the taste of mint fill her mouth. “I learned very early on that the direct approach doesn’t work with Twilight. She recoils, she becomes irate, shouts back, and frequently stomps out. She did that to me a few times when she was younger… especially when she turned eleven. Puberty was harder on that poor mare than any human teenager I’ve ever seen.”

“Agreed, believe me. But while we’ve mostly avoided triggering her issues, we’ve not made much forward progress either,” Inanna pointed out as she swished her way back to her seat. “And we now have a deadline. I believe it is time for more drastic measures.”

“What’re you suggesting?”

Inanna inclined her head towards Belle’s terminal. “Give her exactly what she wants.”

“You mean we should say she’ll be transferred? But he’s already explained to her that if she doesn’t shape up he’ll have to transfer her,” Belle objected. She grabbed for her tea a bit rougher this time as her frustration built up. “And it didn’t seem to make a difference.”

“That’s because she doesn’t think it’s going to actually happen. If she did, she’d be acting exactly as she has been in the past weeks and months. In other words, she’s bluffing. Big time.”

“I don’t know about that. Did you see the way she treated Sunset on the bridge?”

“Not true,” Inanna said. She gazed at Belle, her eyes twinkling. “She was more reasonable than before.”

Belle shot Inanna a flat look, pounding a few buttons on her terminal then turned it to face Inanna. “Did you watch the same security footage I did?” She grunted as the brief confrontation between Twilight and Sunset played out. “She goads Sunset several times with pointed barbs then insists on things being professional only after she’s roused Sunset’s anger. And Sunset took it all out on poor Rodriguez.”

Inanna’s eyes twinkled all the more, accompanied by a sly smile. “I believe you should watch it for yourself again. Twilight’s words may be just as pointed, but it’s how she’s wielding them that’s changed. You’ll see.”

Rolling her eyes, Belle turned the terminal back to herself and watched the confrontation again. And again. By the third or fourth watch, however, her irritation with Inanna faded considerably. “Oh wait a minute,” she said. “You might be onto something here.”

Reaching for her tea, Inanna took a sip, her smile turning from sly to smug. “Out analyzed by a mere human? You’re slipping.”

“Oh hush,” Belle said with a laugh. “I can’t help it if I have so much more to do while on this ship.” She peered down at the terminal again. “But you’re right. She’s still goading Sunset, but instead of poking at Sunset with a rhetorical sword, she’s trying to shield herself instead.”

“Yeah,” Twilight scoffed. “Wouldn’t want to be trapped somewhere. People might think we’re dead.”

Sunset shrank back as she said, “Twilight–”

“With respect, Commander Shimmer,” Twilight cut her off, “I’d prefer we not be too familiar with each other. If that’s acceptable, ma’am.”

Sunset visibly winced. “R-right, of course, Ensign. My apologies.”

Belle snapped her fingers and pointed. “Computer, pause!” She leaned over and pointed at the screen. “Look, right there. See what she tried to do? She’s trying to establish a boundary. She’s trying to find a middle ground where they can work together without having their issues get in the way. But she’s not doing it very well.”

“No, not judging by Sunset’s later behavior,” Inanna agreed. “Twilight’s attempt is admirable given her emotional state, but… it's like she’s trying to approach all of her problems with a hammer instead of a scalpel. It’s good that we’ve identified all this, but it’s surely not enough to keep her aboard.”

“No, it’s not,” Belle said, nodding. “But it makes me think you’re right after all. If we’re blunt about it… it just might get through.”

“Then should I call her down here?” Inanna asked, sitting forward in her chair.

Belle considered that. “Computer, current time?”

“1445.”

“She works Alpha shift,” Belle said. “She’ll be off duty in a couple of hours. We’ll call her then.” She peered down at her terminal and checked her schedule, then sighed. “In the meantime I have two different appointments I need to prepare for.”

Belle watched Twilight’s hackles rise as she stepped inside, her eyes darting back and forth in concern. “Um, Belle?”

“I’m here,” Belle said as she waved from her usual chair. “Come on in.”

As Twilight trudged forward, Belle could almost see the dark cloud hovering over the mare’s head as she walked. “This better be quick. I’m starving.”

“We are sorry about that, Twilight, but I’m afraid it could not wait,” Inanna said.

“Uh huh,” Twilight groused as she took her usual seat. “So what’s this all about anyway? With all due respect, ma’ams, I’m tired, I’m hungry, and my next appointment isn’t for two more days. You both know how much I hate disruptions to my schedule.”

“We know that, Twilight. I know it’s disruptive,” Belle said. She glanced over at Inanna, who gave her a reassuring look. Belle steeled herself and took a deep breath, preparing for her next words. “We also know these sessions have become a burden for you, but you won’t have to suffer through them any longer. Your remaining sessions have been canceled.”

“Canceled? Why?” Twilight asked.

Inanna shrugged casually. “Because a few hours ago we received word from Captain Liang that your transfer has been approved.”

“...what?” Twilight gasped, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks. “B-b-but, no! No no I-I thought he was going to give me more time.”

Belle’s heart sank, but she persevered despite her misgivings. “I’m sorry, Twilight. But the Captain had no choice. Especially after that little dustup on the bridge the other day.”

Twilight’s breathing sped up til she was almost hyperventilating, sweat running down both sides of her face in rivulets. “But, but, no, no no no, I was… I told… I was trying to…”

“I believe you expressed to us that you wanted to be transferred, didn’t you?” Inanna said. “When you and Sunset had your last session together.”

Twilight’s face paled considerably, her jaw opening and closing like a fish. “That’s… I…” She shook her head like a ragdoll. “But I don’t want to leave the ship.”

“You don’t?” Inanna questioned, cocking her head curiously. “That’s not what you said to me the other day. To be honest, the Captain might just feel that he’s doing you a favor by separating the two of you.”

Twilight’s eyes flashed even as her breathing continued to speed up. “E-exactly, I… I want to… I do want to leave the ship.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Inanna said, spreading her hands open.

“I don’t…” Twilight sank into her chair. “I don’t know but something’s wrong.”

“But you just said this is what you wanted. You should be happy. Most ensigns never get transfer requests approved this quickly, if at all. Once we return to Starbase 375 you can step off the Phoenix and never see any of this ever again.”

Twilight cringed. “It is but it also… I… Augh, you’re confusing me. This is...I...” She clapped her hooves to her ears. “I’m getting overwhelmed, Belle! None of it makes sense! Make it make sense!”

“I’m sorry, Twilight. You know I wouldn’t normally push you when you’re overwhelmed like this.” Belle put on a sad expression, which wasn’t difficult given how much it hurt her to do this to Twilight. “But you said you wished you’d never come here. So I would think if anything this would make you happy, right? You don’t have to see Sunset anymore.”

Twilight burst into tears. “But… I don’t… I can’t…” She thrust her face forward into both forehooves. “But I don’t want to lose my sister!”

Belle sighed, and exchanged a look with Inanna, who nodded and set a steaming cup of tea in front of a sobbing, completely deflated Twilight. “I’m very happy to hear you finally say that.”

“Huh?” Twilight glanced up, her eyes still full of tears, and looked around the room in shock. “What do you… what?”

Belle sat forward and reached out a hand to set on Twilight’s shoulder. “What you just said proves to me you care about Sunset.”

Twilight drew back and snarled. “You tricked me!”

“Yes, we did, and we do apologize for the necessity,” Inanna said, bowing her head. “But we needed to get you to admit to yourself that you do care about Sunset, that you do want to remain here. If you didn’t care, you would’ve been happy to find out you were leaving.”

“And it wasn’t all a trick, either,” Belle added. “The Captain said it himself. The order to transfer you is all but official, unless something changes between now and the time we reach Starbase 375.” She pulled back from Twilight and set her hands in her lap. “And speaking for myself and Inanna, we’d very much like to report that something did in fact change.”

Twilight bounced out of her chair, though she paused rather than rushing out the door. “...I do care about Sunset, don’t I?” she whispered.

“Of course you care about her, Twilight,” Belle said with a smile. “She’s your sister.”

Twilight didn’t respond for several moments, till she decided to sit back down. Then she brought out her PADD. “It’s funny you say this. I just got this message from Smith and listened to it right before you called me in.” She set it on the table and hit play.

Belle listened patiently to the message, nodding at the end of every sentence. When Smith finished up with the offer of writing Twilight, she said, “I think you should consider Smith’s offer. You could use another friend to speak with.”

Twilight let out a bitter laugh. “Maybe. Heh, what a thing to bond over, right?” She shrugged lazily and slumped in her chair. “I can’t believe it. My therapists just did the verbal equivalent of slapping me upside the head.”

Belle reached out a hand but Twilight pushed it away immediately with a forehoof. Respectfully Belle backed off and scooted her chair away. “I’m sorry, Twilight. I didn’t want to do this. But… I know you need to be on this ship. You need to be close to your sister if you’re going to have a chance of recovery.”

“Recovery.” Twilight spat the word out like a foul piece of food. “Hah. Like that’s even possible with me anymore.”

“We believe it is,” Inanna said. “And so does Liang, or else he would not have given us a heads up that this was potentially coming at all.” She brought up her own PADD and showed Twilight the full message.

Twilight at first didn’t seem to notice it, but the longer it went on the more her ears quivered till she was staring at the PADD, open mouthed. “Wow. I’m surprised he cares.”

Belle smiled mirthlessly. “Believe it or not, we all care about you. Everyone who’s your friend aboard this ship has been hurt, repeatedly, by your harsh attitude and acting out of line. Yet despite that, all any of us want is for you to get better, to be better.”

“Really, huh?”

“Yes.” Inanna gave her a small smile. “While we cannot share what they have said inside this room of course, we can say that your sister is not the only one aboard whom you have injured in some way.”

Twilight’s eyes brimmed with tears once more. “I never wanted to hurt anyone. But… I’ve been hurting so much… It's like every day, all I want to do is lay in bed and hope like hell I don’t fall back asleep, because then I’ll have to suffer those… those nightmares.”

Belle winced, wishing desperately that she could tell Twilight about Sunset’s reported nightmares without violating every rule she held sacred as a counselor. “It would be a living nightmare for your friends if you were transferred away,” she said instead. “Especially for Sunset.”

“Don’t start with Sunset,” Twilight growled. “She’s the one I’m the most angry at. I…” she let out another bitter laugh. “I was going to say I didn’t care about her, but that’d be a lie now, wouldn’t it?” She let out a long sigh. “If anything… I just want to stop fighting. I don’t want to argue with her anymore. I don’t want to hear her insisting that I shape up or see her shove her command authority in my face.”

“But,” Twilight continued as she sat up. “I… I don’t want her to go away either.” She bowed her head and tears dripped onto Belle’s carpet. "I want to hear her apologize and mean it. It hurt so much having her gone… I’ve already lost my home planet, my parents, my brother, and everything in between. I can’t go through losing her again. I can’t!” She wailed as she cried anew. “I can’t lose her again… I can’t…”

Inwardly Belle’s heart soared in triumph. Real, definitive progress… they’d finally made it. They’d gotten through to her at last. “She doesn’t want to lose you either, Twilight. And the only way you’re going to keep her is if you work on your behavior.”

Twilight nodded wordlessly as she sniffled, wiping at her muzzle with her foreleg. “I’ll try. I’m not sure what to do though.”

“Start just as you did when you first arrived here – with the basics,” Inanna said simply. “Be nice. Apologize if you say something hurtful, don’t interrupt your superiors, follow orders.”

“So…” Twilight looked up and laughed again. This time rather than sounding bitter, it lingered just a bit, like the laugh of one relieved of an immense burden. “Act like a Starfleet officer rather than a spoiled brat?”

“You know I’d never call you a spoiled brat, Twilight,” Belle said. “But essentially, yes. Act like the officer you trained to be, that we all know you can be.”

Twilight stood from her chair in a motion that suggested she’d fall into a heap on the floor. “Okay,” she said with a shudder. “I think I get the idea.”

“And don’t forget apologies,” Inanna added. “They don’t hurt.”

“Okay.” Twilight repeated and moved to leave. “I’ll try.”

Belle watched Twilight leave, then let out a massive sigh of relief. “Well! That went better than expected, didn’t it?”

Inanna frowned, seemingly unconvinced to Belle’s eyes. “I am not certain it went well. I am concerned by the fact Twilight wasn’t more upset with us for tricking her.”

Belle thought about that for a moment, then winced. “Oh dear. You’re suggesting she was telling us what we wanted to hear?”

“I am hoping I am wrong, but…”

Belle checked her schedule and let out an irritated grunt. “Okay. I’m going to go check on her then. Can you handle my 1800 appointment?”

Inanna bowed her head in acceptance. “Of course, Belle. Go ahead.”

Belle wasted no time in hurrying out the door. Thanks to her position as Counselor she was well aware of the location of the quarters of each of her most at-risk patients, so when she reached the set that belonged to Twilight and Preta she immediately tapped on the door chime.

“Enter!”

As the doors swished open for Belle, she spotted Preta Re’l sitting at one of the twin desks. “I’m sorry to bother you, Ensign,” Belle said. “Is Twilight here?”

Re’l tapped a single claw to her chin then shrugged. “Only momentarily. She came in, changed out of her uniform, then said she was going out again.”

“Did she say where?”

Re’l shook her head. “No. Why?”

Belle smiled politely. “I’m just trying to locate her so I can speak with her about a private matter.”

Nodding in understanding, Re’l pointed to the combadge on her chest. “Don’t forget you can ask the computer.”

Blinking once, Belle sighed and just barely resisted the urge to smack herself in the head. “Right. Of course. Good day, Ensign.” She stepped far enough away for the doors to close then tapped her badge. “Computer, locate Ensign Twilight Sparkle.”

“Ensign Twilight Sparkle is in holodeck four.”

“Holodeck?” Belle repeated, worry setting into her heart. “Where is that?”

A series of panels lit up along the wall. “Follow the lighted panels to your destination.”

As she did so Belle cursed herself for not bothering to memorize more of the ship’s layout than she had. But Starfleet ships always seemed to her like beehives or ant hills, so chock full of intersecting passageways, hidden crawl spaces, and vaguely marked rooms that always left her head spinning.

Once there, she attempted to walk through the holodeck doors, only for them to buzz at her. “What… why can’t I go inside?”

“The current user has requested privacy.”

Frowning, Belle moved over to the panel outside and checked to see what program was running. As she suspected, it was the Equestria program, which given recent events could be a good method of catharsis for Twilight, or could be a way she’d throw every last bit of progress down the toilet.

As the Counselor, Belle was one of the few aboard ship with the authority to override this lockout. But if she barged on in she’d only be adding more fuel to a potential fire. And if there wasn’t she’d probably create one just by barging in unannounced.

So with a sigh, she tapped her combadge again. “Hendricks to Sparkle.”

After a long silence that nearly prompted her to repeat herself, the reply came. “Belle?”

Belle silently pumped a fist. “Twilight, I’m outside the holodeck. May I come in please?”

Another long pause. Then finally a weak “...okay.”

The holodeck doors wheezed open, allowing Belle entry. She slipped inside swiftly before Twilight could change her mind.

“Wow…”

Despite showing some interest in the idea originally, Twilight had never extended an invitation to Belle or Inanna to see this particular program. And at the moment, Belle could almost see why. Unless one knew Twilight or her sister, and knew their story, they’d surely assume this was nothing more than some interactive children’s holonovel.

Belle found herself standing in the middle of what looked to be the front entrance of a huge castle. Ornately carved pillars soared above her, holding up high arched ceilings. Sunlight streamed through the many windows and skylights, casting an almost surreal glow to the entire space. She looked down and stared at the smooth marble floors, polished to a mirror shine that brought out its pearlescent coloration.

“Did they really build all this?” Belle muttered as she spun in a slow circle, jaw hanging open.

“Pardon me, miss,” spoke up a quiet voice. Belle glanced everywhere until she looked down, spotting a unicorn mare wearing some sort of maid’s outfit. A nametag hanging from her collar pronounced her name as Ribbon. “I’m sorry, but the castle is closed for tours today.”

Belle found herself grinning as she replied, “Oh, no, I’m not here for a tour. I’m trying to find Twilight Sparkle.”

Ribbon blinked in confusion. “I don’t recognize that name, I’m sorry. Maybe you’ll find her in the foyer? It’s that way.” Ribbon pointed to the south.

“Thank you, I’ll try searching there,” Belle said, giving Ribbon a polite wave as she walked off.

As Belle wandered to the south, she found herself passing through a long hallway, lined with floor to ceiling stained glass windows and various carvings, busts, and tapestries. Belle was drawn to one of the first she stepped past, which seemed to focus on a huge pony with a coat of dark blue, almost black, with a pair of great feathered wings and a horn far longer than the one Sunset or Twilight bore. A splotch of black and a crescent moon on each flank of the winged unicorn made Belle wonder what significance this pony had. “Another Princess, maybe?” she wondered.

A few others caught her eye. One focused on a stallion with the largest, curliest beard she’d ever seen, wearing a cloak lined with stars and with plenty of petite, shining bells sewn into the hem. A stereotypical wizard hat completed the ensemble. A hero of some sort, she concluded.

Still others caught her wandering eye until she finally found herself approaching a massive foyer lined with even more tapestries and carvings, and dozens of ponies milling about in orderly queues in front of a massive set of doors. But she still didn’t see Twilight. So, after briefly rolling her eyes at the thought, she approached one of the guards. “Excuse me, I’m looking for Twilight Sparkle.”

The guard glared at her from underneath his helmet, then stomped his spear once. “Twilight Sparkle is currently meeting with Princess Celestia. You must be the guest they’re expecting.” He gestured with the spear to a smaller door on the adjacent wall opened up as he pointed at it. “That way, ma’am.”

“Thank you,” Belle said, chuckling to herself as she approached the smaller door. It led into a side passage that ended in another door which, when opened, revealed an outdoor patio.

Belle had seen still images of Princess Celestia, the mare that both Sunset and Twilight claimed controlled the sun on their home planet. In her head she had a concept of the size of said alicorn.

Her concept paled in comparison to the holographic version, which rose to her hooves from a nearby table. The giant pony, a misnomer if ever there was one, towered over Belle at least half a meter taller at the shoulder. Belle’s eyes locked onto the mare’s slender, incredibly tapered horn that looked more than long enough to turn her into a skewer in an instant.

But the mare showed no sign of aggression. Celestia smiled, her expression one of polite welcoming. “Ah, Miss Belle!” she said in a rich, warm voice ringing with motherly intent. “Please, join us.”

“Okay then,” Belle muttered under her breath as she approached the table. Only once Celestia sat back down did she spot Twilight also sitting at the table, wearing one of the sundresses she’d favored so often prior to joining the Academy. The table bore a tea set of elegant porcelain and dishes of silver, with a plate of scones and other tasty treats sitting next to it.

As she sat next to Twilight, she decided to roll with the scenario, at least for the time being. “Thank you for inviting me. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness.”

Judging by Twilight’s arched eyebrow, that might not have been the right thing to say. But the holographic Celestia didn’t seem to mind. “Oh, of course. Any friend of my trusted student is a friend of mine. Please, call me Celestia.” Celestia’s horn lit to pick up the teapot, pouring Belle a steaming cup.

“Of course, Celestia,” Belle replied. With a shrug she picked up the tea cup and sipped at it. Like anything ingestible in the holodeck, it was real replicated tea, albeit not of a kind Belle favored. “Err, I hope I didn’t interrupt your conversation.”

“Not at all. Twilight was just talking to me about how her studies have been progressing,” Celestia said. The hologram turned to Twilight and gestured with a forehoof. “Please, continue.”

Twilight glanced at Belle, bit at her lip some, then called out, “Computer, freeze program.”

The holographic Celestia froze in place instantly, as did everything around them. “Why are you here, Belle?”

Belle reached for the tea cup again to give her something to do with her hands. “I wanted to check on you. And apologize again, if necessary.”

“What, for tricking me?” Twilight snorted and reached for a scone, gulping it down in one bite. “It’s fine. I needed the shock.”

“You did. On that Inanna and I agree. But still...” Belle wondered. “I… wanted to be sure. It wasn’t something I’d ever do normally, and I hope you know that.”

Twilight let out a wry chuckle. “Of course I know that, Belle. You’ve only been my therapist for over half my life. I think I know how you operate by now.”

“Still. Given your current state, It might’ve–”

“Stop.” Twilight held up a hoof, her glare turning ice cold for a moment before it defrosted. “Please stop calling me fragile. I’m not made of glass. I’m stronger than that.”

Belle inclined her head to concede the point. “Of course. That’s not what I was implying.”

Twilight shrugged and reached for another scone. This one she savored, taking several short bites before finishing it. “I know. Still feels like it. I’m… I can take care of myself.” She grabbed up yet another scone and devoured it. “I’m fine.”

Only Belle’s professionalism kept her from frowning slightly in disgust at how Twilight stuffed herself. That, and her knowledge that binge eating was all too common a coping mechanism. She thanked the heavens for Twilight’s regular, Starfleet-ordered exercise. “If you’re sure.” Belle reached for her own scone and nibbled at it. “Do you mind if I ask what you were doing in here?”

Shrugging again, Twilight replied, “Just trying to take my mind off things. I come here often, you know. It helps… helps remind me what I’m looking for.”

“Celestia said you were telling her about your studies,” Belle said.

“...sometimes it’s nice to pretend like I’m living the life I was supposed to,” Twilight admitted. Then she looked up at Belle, her face twisted in dismay. “It’s not escapism. I’m… I’m not addicted. I don’t do it that often.”

“Settle down, Twilight, I know that,” Belle said, holding up both hands for calm. “Like you said, I have been your therapist for over half your life. I can also tell when someone’s holoaddicted, and you don’t fit the profile.”

Twilight visibly relaxed and reached for her tea cup to drink. “Okay.” She set it down and faced Belle. “I’m going to take your advice. I’m… I’m going to try, and I mean it. I don’t want to leave this ship.” She shivered. “All I’ve ever wanted is to find home again. I don’t want to lose the best chance I have.”

“You really think the Phoenix represents your best chance, hmm?”

“I do.” Twilight hopped off her chair and trotted around the patio, pausing to look at Celestia, still frozen in mid tea refill.

Belle stood from her chair and walked over to stand next to the seated Celestia. Even seated Celestia towered over her. “She’s so beautiful,” Belle said, meaning every word. “I love her hair… how does she get it to flow like that?”

Twilight chuckled. “It’s… an alicorn thing. Something to do with their magic.”

“But Sunset’s hair doesn’t flow like that,” Belle said, still enamored by the sight.

“Not yet. Maybe someday.” Twilight tugged at Belle’s shirt sleeve with her magic. “Come on, follow me.”

Belle followed Twilight back inside, taking one last glance over her shoulder at the Princess, still bearing that serene smile even while frozen. Twilight seemed to navigate the castle with ease, quickly moving through the criss-crossing hallways, through the foyer Belle had seen previously, and out to what looked to be a central courtyard.

“Over there is the school I was going to attend,” Twilight said, pointing with one hoof to a cylindrical tower with a rounded dome on top. “It would’ve been like a combination of elementary, middle, and high school for me. I would’ve been going there till I was eighteen, then transferring to Canterlot University.”

“I’m guessing you were hoping you might be Celestia’s personal student,” Belle said.

Twilight shook her head. “No… that was Sunset’s thing. I don’t… I doubt she would’ve taken me as a student even if I passed my exam. Then again, I don’t know what would’ve happened if the mirror hadn’t sucked me away. I still don’t know what caused my magic surge. Probably never will.”

She continued to trot in the direction of the castle gates. “Honestly I only indulge in that aspect of the program because Sunset programmed it that way. I checked into the code. She made it so that Celestia sees either Sunset or me as her student, whichever one is in the program.”

“What if you’re both here?”

Twilight frozen in place. A haunted look shone in her eyes as she grit her teeth and glanced back over her shoulder. “I don’t know.”

Belle smiled back, hoping to set Twilight at ease. “Maybe one day you can find out.”

“Maybe,” Twilight growled in a voice that clearly demonstrated she wanted that line of conversation to end. “This way.”

Twilight led Belle past a final set of guards and out into the streets of Canterlot proper. “Welcome to my hometown, Belle. I’ve made a few changes to it over time based on… what little I can remember.”

Belle took in the details, the wide plaza strewn with market stalls and other vendors, the long streets full of restaurants and shops, the various ponies frozen in the middle of their happy lives. “It looks like a peaceful place.”

“It was. Is.” Twilight shrugged. “I didn’t pay much attention to it at the time. I spent most of my time reading.”

Belle chuckled. “I’m hardly surprised to hear that. You’re a regular bookworm, Twilight.”

That caused Twilight’s muzzle to crinkle in something resembling a smile. “And you encouraged it, by the way. You turned me onto all sorts of fascinating stories, especially from Earth’s 20th and 21st century.”

Belle held out her hands and shrugged. “What can I say? It’s the era I like to read most. It’s refreshing to remind myself of how things once were on Earth, back when we came close to annihilating ourselves. The Eugenics Wars, World War III, climate change, ecological disasters…” she shook her head. “It produced a lot of interesting literature as a result.”

“Though some of it was stranger than others,” Twilight mused as they meandered through the streets. “Visual novels, for one.”

“Oh yes, those,” Belle smiled. “Some of my favorites. Early to mid 21st century; what an assortment of strange and wonderful stories they made with such brilliant art and music to accompany it. Makes me wonder what those same writers would’ve done with a holodeck.”

Twilight laughed, a cheerier laugh than her usual these days. “I think I remember this one series Sunset would not shut up about while she went to the Academy. It was a Japanese murder mystery series that one of her classmates had turned her on to. Dangan...something.” She clapped her hoof on the ground. “Danganronpa, that’s it.”

“Oh I remember that all too well,” Belle replied. “She wanted to create a holonovel version of it; I had to talk her out of it because her grades were starting to slip.”

Peals of laughter came from Twilight as she paused, having to hold her chest. “Oh was that a fiasco or what? Mother and Mom were so mad with Sunset because she got a B on one of Mom’s exams. She assigned Sunset so much extra homework that Sunset had to beg me to help her out with it.”

“It’s a wonderful memory, isn’t it?” Belle commented.

Twilight slowed down her trotting as they turned a corner, her happy mood fading slowly away. “...it was.”

“You’ve got a lot of happy memories with her, don’t you?”

Sighing, Twilight stopped entirely and faced Belle. “I know what you’re doing. You don’t have to prod me further; I already said I’d try.”

“Can you blame me for wanting to make sure?” Belle said. She held out a hand and after a moment’s hesitation, Twilight set her hoof in it. “Twilight, as much as I’m your therapist, and Sunset’s too… I’m also a friend. Can I tell you a secret?”

“A secret?” Twilight repeated, her eyebrows shooting up to crest her forehead. “What kind of secret?”

“Nothing harmful, I assure you.” Belle squeezed Twilight’s hoof gently. “I’ve never admitted this because I was afraid it would compromise my ability to stay professional, but… sometimes, I think of you and your sister like the nieces I never had.”

Twilight’s mouth fell open. “Really?”

“Yes, really.” Belle felt a warmth in her heart rise to lift her smile. “I care about both of you. More than I should, if you were to ask the rule books governing my line of work. I hope you believe me when I saw I haven’t let any of that compromise my ability to treat either of you. But I admit that I’ve grown attached to you two nonetheless. When Sunset came back, I was so happy… to be honest, that’s part of how she managed to talk me into accepting this post. Because I knew I’d get to see both of you.”

“...wow,” Twilight muttered. “I’m… I don’t know what to say.”

Belle squeezed Twilight’s hoof again. “The two of you fighting so much… It's been painful to watch, just as I know it has hurt your friends, and your parents. Inanna’s managed to stay more aloof, but she hasn’t known you or Sunset nearly as long as I have.” She set Twilight’s hoof down. “When Liang told me he might have to transfer you, well… I knew that would destroy you. I couldn’t bear the thought of that happening to you. To either of you.”

Twilight’s eyes misted as she gave Belle a watery smile. “Wow,” she said again. “I’m… I’m touched, Belle. That’s… that’s nicer than I frankly deserve, given how I’ve treated everyone lately.”

“Not at all. On the contrary, you deserve as much kindness as any of us can show.”

Twilight’s eyes widened considerably at the word ‘kindness.’

"You're not a bad person, Twilight. Nor are you malicious or evil. You've suffered things the rest of us could have never imagined before now, and you've been lashing out because you're hurt and scared. If anything, it's all of us who have let you down by not recognizing it clearly before now.”

Gasping, Twilight whispered, “I, are you sure?”

Belle’s smile turned mischievous. “Would I say it if I weren’t?”

“...no. No you wouldn’t.” Twilight leaned back on her hooves and rocked for a moment, lost heavily in thought. Then she abruptly rushed forward and embraced Belle around the middle. “Thank you for caring, Belle.”

“Of course, Twilight,” Belle said as she returned the hug. “Like I said, you matter to me.” She released the mare. “So what do you say we leave the holodeck? You can plan what you’re going to say to Sunset when she gets back. And maybe give a few apologies to a couple of friends, like Miss Re’l.”

“Sure,” Twilight said. “I can try… no.” She shook her head and set a determined look on her face. “I will. I’ll do it. I’ll do everything I can to, to shape up, and stay on the Phoenix. I promise.”

This time when Belle heard it, she believed it whole-heartedly. “Good,” she said. “Good. Computer, show us the exit please. End program.”

As the holodeck program faded into black and gold lines and they walked out the wheezing doors together, Belle found herself feeling hopeful. If Sunset and Twilight could make amends, there was a chance for them to find their long lost home after all. She doubted either could do it on her own; they needed to work together.

So she crossed her fingers and prayed with all her might that she was right.

Author's Note

Blue would like to convey that a larger AN will be following up on the events of this and future episodes at some point soon.

As for me, I wanted to use this to show what's been going on inside Twilight's head this whole time. Some of you expressed concern she's just an acting out nutcase or something along those lines. Not true at all.

And I wanted to give Belle and Inanna some more time to shine. We'll get to see more of them, no worries.

As for the reference dropped, I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. Fanfiction lets you get away with this kind of thing. :rainbowlaugh:

Season 2 Mini-Episode 4: "Sex on the Beach"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02ME04

“Sex on the Beach”

Jacqueline Cadeneza found herself grinning as the debriefing finished. Excitement trickled through her senses, like little jolts of lightning tingling from head to toe. She had a challenge presented to her. A new, intriguing challenge.

Find the Dazzlings.

While Hill busied himself with the boring part of tracking ion trails and warp signatures from the stolen Dominion shuttlecraft, Cadeneza had been assigned to track the far more scientifically challenging and thus, interesting, magical readings. Between the tricorder readings she gathered from the Dominion base and the decade’s worth of research Starfleet had on Sunset and Twilight’s magic, she had plenty of data to work with.

She whistled casually as she strode into the turbolift and rode it down to her primary science lab. “You’re doing good, girl,” she muttered to herself. “Betcha if you can crack this one, they’ll finally start calling you Doctor Cadeneza, just like you deserve. Least till the Academy course credits finish playing catch up.”

The turbolift opened, snapping her out of her reverie. She tapped her combadge. “Cadeneza to Sparkle. Please report to the xenobiology lab.”

“Already there, ma’am.”

“Perfect.” Cadeneza swept into the lab a minute later to find Twilight and several other members of her staff waiting. Her usual smirk crossed her face as she addressed them. “Alright everyone, listen up. We’ve got some freaky fish people to track down.”

Confused faces met hers. “Did you mean the Antedians?” asked one scientist.

Cadeneza rolled her eyes. “What? No, not them. These are much sexier freaky fish people.”

“Err, what do you mean?” Twilight asked. To Cadeneza’s relief, the mare wasn’t wearing the steely, cold look she always carried when Sunset was around. Instead she was more like the old Sparkie: cool, and relaxed. Calm. Studious. And obnoxiously curious.

“What I mean, Sparkie, is this.” Cadeneza smacked her PADD against the table, and brought up a three dimensional view of the Dazzlings.

“Meet the sirens, everyone. According to Commander Shimmer, they’re magical beings just like her and Sparkie here. Look familiar to you, Twi?”

Cadeneza gigglesnorted as she watched Twilight stare in awe at the Dazzlings. “But… but they’re humanoid!” Twilight objected.

“Yep. And Shimmer said the same thing, 'that they’re not supposed to be'.”

Twilight nodded and frowned. She brought up one hoof to scratch behind her ear. “I don’t… remember a lot about sirens, but what I do remember said that they looked nothing like this. They were sea creatures, able to fly, long and lithe, with a lizard-like shape, covered in scales.”

Cadeneza peered closer at the image. “Which explains the dragony fishy things all over ‘em.” She flung her hand towards the image in a lackadaisical manner as she examined it. “Like those tails. Those are huge.”

“Ma’am,” said another scientist. “They don’t look anything like Commander Shimmer or Ensign Sparkle. How’s their magic work?”

Twilight cast her a curious look. “If I remember correctly, sirens feed on negative emotions. That’s how they fuel their magic. They use it by singing. But what were they doing on a Dominion base? And how did they get here in the first place?”

“That’s a question we’re gonna have to ask them, Sparkie,” Cadeneza said. “‘Cause that Vorta we captured? He ain’t talkin’. That guy was scared to death of them.”

“So now we’re going out of our way to find some creatures that even the Vorta are scared of?” asked one of her junior officers, a very self-assured Barzan biologist who Cadeneza swore woke up every day with the same smartass smirk on his face. “Are we gonna tell them to stop destroying Dominion bases or something? How would we even track them anyway? Use their magic?”

“That’s exactly what we’re going to do, Vorhn,” Cadeneza replied. She flashed him a quick glare, then softened it as she took in the others. “Captain Liang made it clear: this is a priority mission straight from headquarters. We have to find them, and fast. If the Dominion knows they have magic, then not only are they in danger, but so is our ability to win if their magic falls into the Dominion’s hands. So we’re gonna cook ourselves up a magic detector.”

Twilight’s expression brightened. “You mean a thaumometer,” she said.

Everyone, Cadeneza included, gave her a confused look. “Uh, Sparkie, I don’t think their temperature is going to–”

“No, no, not a thermometer. A thaumometer,” Twilight said. Then her cheeks flushed. “Err, sorry ma’am, I shouldn’t… sorry.”

Cadeneza stood up straight, staring at Twilight. Did she just apologize? Someone program rainbows into her coffee this morning or something? Cadeneza waved off her own thoughts and drummed her fingers atop the table. “No, it’s fine, Ensign. Please continue.”

Twilight’s face seemed to light up like a kid who had just been given the keys to the candy store. “So, in Equestria, we measured magic in units called thaums. It’s an old word with roots in Ancient Ponish. I was quite surprised to see such a similar word in the languages of Earth. It’s really quite fascinating how similar some aspects of our languages–”

“Err, that’s great, Sparkie,” Cadeneza said, holding up a hand as an amused grin crossed her face. “But focus.”

“R-right.” Twilight held up a hoof to her mouth and coughed as another flush turned her cheeks rosy. “A-anyway, a thaumometer, as its name implies, measures thaums. It’s kind of like a voltmeter, in that it measures the difference between the thaumic potential of the environment and the actual thaums being produced by the subject being read. There’s actually a lot of different kinds of thaumometers for various purposes, whether it’s converting magic to electricity, or monitoring the power put into a spell, or measuring magical contamination in an environment, or-or…” She trailed off, shrugging. “Those are just some of the most basic uses, and I admit my memory’s a bit fuzzy on the more complicated types. The public library in Canterlot had dozens of books on this alone.”

Cadeneza stepped around the table to give Twilight a reassuring clap on the shoulder. “No sweat, Sparkie. We all know you didn’t get much of a chance to pack your books before coming over here.”

“I didn’t know–”

“Shut it, Vorhn,” Cadeneza interrupted without missing a beat. “So, we get what Sparkie’s saying? We need to make some kind of magic thermometer thingy and use it to track down these sirens.”

“Err, pardon me, Lieutenant,” said another one of her officers, this one a Vulcan ensign who worked primarily in Applied Physics. “But are we not already able to detect magic with a tricorder? Can we not simply expand that function to the ship’s sensors?”

Cadeneza shook her head. “Nope. I wish it was that simple, Ayhan, but it’s not. Starfleet’s never been able to pin down what exactly it is we’re detecting when we read magic. We’re picking it up using one of a number of different radiological sensors, and usually only when it’s very strong and in use in front of us. We only read the magic on the Dominion base because those sirens used a ton of it blasting the place apart. Nearly every inch of that place was saturated with the stuff.”

She held up a tricorder. “Sparkie?” At Twilight’s nod, she pointed the tricorder right at Twilight’s horn. “Okay, see how we’re reading her magic? We can keep reading it so long as I focus on her nervous system. But the instant I move it away...” The readings vanished. “Not a thing. Sparkie here is full of magic, but unless she’s usin’ it or it’s right in our face, we can’t see it. And that’s the problem we need to solve. We gotta figure out how to passively detect it from a distance.”

Ayhan arched an eyebrow. “It is curious given that Starfleet has had sixteen years to solve this problem that it would be assigned to us. With respect, Lieutenant, what makes you think we can solve something the rest of Starfleet hasn’t yet?”

Cadeneza beamed at her junior officer. “Oh they tried, Ayhan, believe me. I’m sure Sparkie can attest to spending quite a few hours in one Starfleet lab or another. But she and her sister weren’t lab rats. They had lives to live, duties to attend to.” Cadeneza clicked her tongue. "Plus they never actually asked me to solve it, either."

“And Sunset and I, we didn’t really want to be tested all the time,” Twilight interjected. “We were just kids... and once we joined Starfleet, we were officers. The Federation respected our rights.”

“Exactly. We’ve got a ton of data and a pile of hypotheses, but not much experimentation. But that’s where you all come in.” Cadenza tapped on the keypad next to the display and pulled up a database. “I had this loaded before we left Earth. Figured it’d come in handy.”

She spent a few minutes distributing copies to everyone’s PADDs, then said, “Okay, here’s how we’re gonna divy this up. Vohrn, you and Ayhan are going to work on the biological aspect of the magic, how it works inside of Sparkie’s body. Dive into these readings and look for anything that could be valuable, no matter how small. Then you two,” she pointed to another pair, “You’re going to work on the tricorder itself, test every last little sensor this thing has, figure out which one it is that’s picking up the magical signature. If what I read in the database is anything to go by it’s going to be several different ones in different circumstances, but we’ve gotta verify that before we move on.”

“What are you going to need me to do?” Twilight asked.

“Glad you asked, Sparkie. You’re gonna be the most important of all.” Cadeneza said. “Today, you're going to be our beautiful lavender guinea pig. Anything anyone needs you to cast or do for these tests, you’re gonna do.”

Cadeneza circled around the table and clapped Twilight once on the shoulder. “If ya need to rest and recoup, let me know and I’ll get Commander Shimmer to take your spot for a while.”

The instant Cadeneza said Sunset’s name she regretted it, because she saw Twilight’s eyes harden, her jaw tighten. “I’m not sure that’ll be necessary, ma’am,” Twilight said, her words coming out with just a touch of a growl to them.

And then Cadeneza took a step back as she watched Twilight’s demeanor soften, her eyes suddenly full of regret. “Err, that is, I mean…” Twilight smacked her lips together and sighed. “I’m sure she’s busy with other duties. But I see your point. I’ll let you know if I run into any issues.”

Cadeneza’s eyebrows rose. “Alright, Sparkie. But don’t push it, okay? I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

“Aye ma’am,” Twilight said with a swift nod. Cadeneza swore for a moment it looked as if Twilight was going to add a salute to that.

“Okay people, let’s get to work,” Cadeneza said, turning back to the group. “The sooner we come up with something, the better. Dunno how long the trail will last.”

Twilight paused at the door before heading out and looked back.

Cadeneza held out a hand. “Was there something else?”

Twilight’s eyes turned hard, and her horn lit up. “Err, about that lavender thing…”

Ooooh shit. “Sparkie, sorry, that was probably a little too–”

Twilight held up a hoof. Two PADDs floated off a nearby table, revealing why her horn was lit. “Not that. It just… it reminded me of something my dad used to say, that my coat color reminded him of lavender. I… think it was my mom’s favorite flower.”

Cadaneza stared. I thought she didn’t remember anything about her original parents anymore.

“Anyway, I’ll get to work. Excuse me.”

This sudden revelation left Cadeneza so shocked she never remembered to ask Twilight what the hell was up with the change of attitude. She figured someone must’ve spoken to Twilight, but who? It wasn’t as if Wattson or Cadeneza herself had done it. She knew the Captain had said something to Twilight, but that couldn’t have been it either; Liang didn’t come across as that much of a hardass, at least not in public.

She resolved to ask Twilight when she got a chance. “Whatever’s going on with you, Sparkie,” she muttered, “I like the change.”

The rest of the day seemed to pass by in a blur. Cadeneza hadn’t even realized it was more than an hour past the normal end of her shift until Ayhan stopped by with his initial report. Vorhn followed soon after, as did the rest of her team.

Each one achieved a modicum of success that could be summed up as 'jack shit', as far as Cadeneza was concerned. Oh, Ayhan’s team figured out which sensors picked up the magic, confirming what past testing had accomplished. Vorhn’s determined magic was some kind of radiation or particle effect that showed up on a lot of radiological scans and a few other ones. But they still couldn’t solve the basic problem.

“How the heck do we quantify any of this?” Cadeneza gently dropped the last PADD onto the growing stack on her desk and sagged in her chair.

Privately Cadeneza wondered if that was because none of them had magic… maybe there was something to magic that let you see it when scanning for it. Except Twilight had never said a word about seeing something no one else had, so that idea was stupid.

“Alright everyone, good work today, and thanks for working late, ‘specially you, Sparkie. Go get some rest, all of you, come back fresh in the morning.”

She trekked back to her own room. Once inside she stripped off her uniform and tossed it aside. Stretching out her limbs like a cat she grunted as they popped. “Oh that’s better,” she murmured as she went to retrieve her lucky jacket.

She donned it over her Starfleet issue underwear and wandered over to her replicator. “Computer, up the temperature three degrees, would you?” she muttered as she tapped a few buttons on the replicator, then added, “Tequila Sunset.”

“Acknowledged.”

She smiled as the heat flooded into the room, then plucked up her colorful drink and plopped herself down at her desk. “Okay, you stupid magic,” she said as she cracked her knuckles and brought her hands down on the terminal keypad. “Let’s figure you out.”

She was eyes deep in data and halfway through her second drink, a Summer Sunset, when the door chime rang. “Who is it?”

“It’s Sunset,”

Cadeneza’s cheeks flushed a bit as she slightly zipped her jacket, then said, “Come on in.”

The doors swished open, revealing Sunset still in her uniform, a deeply troubled look on her face. In her magic she floated a single PADD. “Hey,” she said, her voice low and heavy. “Mind if I… hang out here a bit?”

Cadeneza shrugged and gestured to the sofa. “Sure. Grab a seat. What’s up, Sunny?”

Sunset slumped onto the couch and let out a low moan. “I messed up. Bad.”

“Hm?” Cadeneza spun in her chair to face Sunset, eying the mare. She frowned as she noticed the tear stains in Sunset’s facial fur. “What happened? It wasn’t Twilight again, was it?”

Sunset shook her head and sighed heavily. “No… no it… wait.” Sunset blinked. “What the… are you seriously wearing only underwear and your jacket?”

Cadeneza dismissed that with a wave of her hand. “Yeah but that’s not important. Keep going. What’s wrong?”

Sunset gulped and held up the PADD in her magic, floating it over. “Here. Just… just watch.”

Cadeneza plucked the PADD out of the air, located the message on it, and hit play. She recoiled instantly as she recognized the person on the screen. “Oh shit, it’s Smith,” she whispered.

The longer the message played, the angrier Smith sounded, until she was screaming into the camera. “Ah’ll be waitin’ for your reply, Sunset. And it better be good. Or so help me God Ah’ll never hear another word you have to say to me. Ever!”

The PADD’s screen turned to black as the message ended. “Damn, girl,” Cadeneza said as she set the PADD down next to Sunset. “Yeah, you messed up really bad.”

Sunset shoved her face between her forelegs as she groaned. A few quiet sobs reached Cadeneza’s ears. “I didn’t mean to do that to her,” Sunset whispered. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Cadeneza watched the poor mare cry for a couple of moments before she sat down next to her on the couch and wrapped an arm around Sunset’s shoulder. “Hey. Hey, listen to me, Sunny. I know you didn’t.”

Sunset nuzzled her way into Cadeneza’s chest. “I didn’t,” she wailed. “But I hurt her anyway. Again!”

“Yeah.” Cadeneza stroked the top of Sunset’s head, running her hand through her voluminous mane. “Yeah, you did. It sucks. Pretty hard.”

Sunset pulled her head up to glare at Cadeneza with eyes reddened from crying. “Gee, thanks.”

“Hey, I’m here comforting you, aren’t I?” Cadeneza replied, pulling Sunset back into the embrace. “You made a mistake, but I get it. Forgetting about your ex is pretty common, you know.”

“It’s not that simple though, is it?” Sunset let out a heavy sigh. “How many of your ex’s have come back from the dead? I broke her heart, got a second chance, and I broke it all over again!”

“So hey, you forgot. She’s mad. What’re you gonna do about it?”

Sunset shifted around and leaned back against Cadeneza’s chest, until her chin came to rest atop Sunset’s head between her ears. “I don’t know where to start.”

“Alright.” Cadeneza wrapped her arms around Sunset’s middle, the better to hold her up. Cadeneza thought this was rather funny, holding Sunset more like she was holding a great big dog than anything else, but now wasn’t the time for laughing. “What do you want to do then?”

Sunset snorted. “Hide until all my problems go away.”

Cadeneza lifted one of her hands and tapped Sunset on the tip of her nose a few times. “Remember the dorm rules from the Academy. You make the mess, you clean it up. Hiding isn’t a plan, Sunny.”

This time a laugh accompanied the snort. “No... no I know it isn’t.” She glanced up at Cadeneza and gave her a soft smile. “What I really want to do is apologize to her. I just dunno how.”

“You want my advice?” Cadeneza ruffled Sunset’s mane. “Be honest. Tell her flat out. You screwed up. You’re begging for forgiveness. Don’t hold back.”

“Is that going to work though? Will she even believe me after everything I’ve done?”

“Dunno,” Cadeneza said, shrugging, “but it’s the right thing to do either way.”

Sunset sighed and slumped deeper into Cadeneza’s embrace. “You’re right. I just hope she listens.”

She gave Sunset one last squeeze then gently pushed her aside so she could hop off the couch. “You want a drink? You look like you could use one.”

Sunset’s eyes narrowed. “This isn’t going to be more real alcohol, is it?”

Cadeneza stared right back. “Of course it is. You think I’m gonna sully my throat with synthehol?” She stuck a finger in her mouth and gagged. “I’d rather gargle sulfuric acid than synthe-crap.”

Rolling her eyes, Sunset gestured to Cadeneza with one forehoof. “Fine. I guess I’ll drink some cider.”

“You and cider… is that the only thing winged ponies drink or something?” Cadeneza teased as she waltzed over to the replicator. “Come on, you can drink something else. Lemme introduce you to something. Malibu Sunset: peach schnapps, coconut rum, and a bunch of different fruit juices. It’s fruity, you’ll like it.”

Sunset took it in her magic and frowned deeply at it. “That reminds me. I know for a fact the replicators are locked to keep you from making real alcohol. How did you--”

“Wattson hacked it for me.” Cadeneza beamed. She turned back to the replicator. “Meanwhile, I’m gonna drink a little something special. Sex on the beach, please.” She picked up her cocktail and returned to her desk, winking at Sunset. “Enjoy.”

“I ought to write both of you up for that,” Sunset said as she took a long drag off her glass. She wiped off her mouth with her forehoof.

Cadeneza flashed an innocent grin over the rim of her glass. “Write us up for what, Commander?”

Sunset glared first at the glass, then at her for several seconds. Finally she sighed and took a another drink of her fruity beverage. “For not wearing pants in the presence of your superior officer. Just don’t give any of this to Twilight, got it?”

Cadeneza winced. “Yeah, about that… I should’ve known better than to suggest that. I’m sorry.”

Sunset shrugged. “I’m the idiot who followed through with it, even after your warnings. If I’d realized she was such an alcoho--”

“Stop it right there, Sunset.” Cadeneza set her glass down with a thump and held up a finger. “Let’s get one thing straight. I got Twilight into drinking, yes. But she’s no more an alcoholic than I am. Trust me. I routinely do questionable things, but letting my friend become a real drunkard? No way!”

“Then why’d she get so drunk with me in Ten-Forward?”

Cadeneza dropped her finger and turned back to face her terminal. “‘Cause she was mad at you, but she also didn’t know what to do with you at that moment. So she acted out. She was trying to push you away so she didn’t have to deal.”

“What do you mean?” Sunset asked as she dragged a free chair over to sit down at the desk.

Cadeneza took a sip from her glass and rocked it in her hands, listening to the ice clink. “There was this girl I knew back when I was a kid. Super sweet, but she had some serious problems underneath the surface. See, she had been backstabbed so many times that every time she sought comfort in someone, she'd turn into an asshole and violently push them away. ”

Sunset’s brow furrowed. “Really.”

“Yeah.” Cadeneza shrugged. “‘Course she had other problems... Smart as a whip but too sharp of a tongue, and all wrapped up in a fiery temper. Took a lot of therapy, but she figured it out eventually.”

Cadeneza sipped from her drink again. "Good thing too, because she grew up super hot. Would be totally wasted potential otherwise."

The sudden whiplash elicited a bark of laughter from Sunset. “So what happened to her?”

Cadeneza grinned from ear to ear and held up her cocktail glass, clinking it against Sunset’s. “You mean the smoking hot part wasn’t a dead giveaway? She spends all her time talking to sapient ponies.”

Sunset’s eyebrows shot to the top of her head as she reared back. “Wait, seriously?”

“Yup.” Cadeneza drained her glass and set it down. “I can’t speak for Sparkie, but if she’s being anything like how I was back in the day? She’s so afraid of getting hurt again that she’s desperate to keep the source of it from affecting her. And ‘cause she can’t escape it, she’s lashing out like a lunatic.”

Sunset rocked back on her heels and didn’t respond for several minutes. “...wow. I… I never thought about it like that.”

“Uh huh. And what’s more, I know exactly what the worst part of all of this is for her.” Cadeneza leaned closer to Sunset and whispered, “She still wants her big sister around. She wants what she used to have, but she can’t have it anymore because she’s acting out. So it’s a negative feedback loop. She’s mad at herself and mad at you and acting out ‘cause of it.”

She pulled back and shrugged. “Granted the issues with my sister are nowhere near similar, but I’ve been where Sparkie is right now, believe me.”

Sunset nodded. “R-right. Thanks, I guess. That’s… you’ve given me a lot to think about. And, wait. You have a sister?”

Cadeneza nodded as she turned back to her terminal and pulled up the research. “Gonna get back to work on this now. You can hang out if you want.”

Sunset peered at the terminal. “Is that the magic detector? How’s it coming?”

“Eh, it’s kind of… not.” Cadeneza launched into an explanation of the details. “...and like I said, I keep thinkin’ it’s because none of us have magic, so we can’t get the damned thing to work.”

“You might be onto something with that, actually,” Sunset said as she leaned over and started typing at the terminal. “I think you’re closer than you realize. I…” Her face flushed a solid crimson. “I don’t remember a lot about this anymore, but I know a good thaumometer needs to sync to the user’s magic field first in order to work at all.”

Cadeneza blinked. “Wait a tic. I thought your planet had a lot more’n just unicorns. Like it was some type of mythological orgy, except most don't get magic, or something.”

“Like dragons, griffons, pegasi, and whatnot?”

“Yeah them.”

Sunset smiled. “They do, actually. Nearly every living creature on my planet has some kind of magic within them. Just don’t tell that to some of the snooty unicorns in Canterlot though. Their heads are so far up their asses they think magic stops at the city’s gates.”

Cadeneza’s scientific interest rose up to the forefront. “Really. How exactly does that–”

Sunset held up a hoof. “Another time, I promise. Let’s not get off track. We’ve got to focus. Like I was saying, the thaumometer has to sync to the user’s magic to calibrate it. In other words, it needs to learn the user’s magic so the magic being used to hold it, or manipulate it, doesn’t get picked up. Otherwise it gets overwhelmed by signals and throws a fit..”

“That might be a problem,” Cadeneza said as she turned back to the terminal. She brought up some of the more specific results and pointed them out. “If we’re gonna find the sirens we have to get this thing hooked into the ship’s long range sensors. And it’s not like we can just plug you into the ship like a battery.”

Sunset cringed and reeled back in her chair. “N-no. Let’s… I don’t…”

Cadeneza bopped herself upside the head. “God, sorry, Sunset. I didn’t mean it that way.”

“No, I know you didn’t,” Sunset said with a shuddering breath as she held out one hoof. The other pressed squarely against her chest. “Sometimes the flashbacks are bad though.”

Cadeneza patiently waited out Sunset till the mare had fully calmed herself. “Okay, so, tell me this. If we could power it with magic, does this design–” she pulled up what she’d been working on just before Sunset came in “–work? And if it does, could we scale this up into the sensors, not just a tricorder?”

Sunset shifted the terminal over so she could take a look. Cadeneza watched quietly as Sunset spent several minutes tweaking components of the diagram, muttering to herself the entire time. “Yes. If we can power it somehow, it’ll work… I think. Hang on a minute. I’ll be right back.”

Cadeneza threw her arms up impatiently as she watched Sunset canter out the door. Shaking her head, she decided now was a good time for a snack and went over to the replicator to get one, along with two Malibu Sunsets, one for her and a second for Sunset.

By the time she laid that all out on her desk, the doors slid open to reveal Sunset, carrying a tricorder and a boxy device about a quarter the size of the tricorder, covered in bare circuitry. Sunset plugged it into the tricorder as she sat down, then showed it to Cadeneza. “Sorry. Had to go down to engineering to use an industrial replicator to make our prototype. Figured we could test with it.”

“How’re we supposed to do that?” Cadeneza wondered.

“So I’m going to try to measure myself,” Sunset said. “I’ll cast a few light ball spells and place them around the room, then try scanning both with and without the thaumometer attachment. Then I’ll have you do the same thing and we’ll see what happens. If we’re right, it’ll work for me, but not you.”

It took them close to half an hour, but by the time they finished Cadeneza whistled. “Wow. You were right,” she said as she ran the altered tricorder up and down Sunset’s body, then pointed it away. “Just like before. If it’s not pointed right at you or the signal’s not strong enough, I can’t detect it.”

Sunset plucked it from her hand and did the same test, then showed Cadeneza the results. “Whereas I can. So it does need magic in order to detect magic.”

“Great!” Cadeneza snapped her fingers. “So all we gotta do is scale it up and have you or Twilight be the one using the sensors, right?”

Sunset shook her head. “No. No, that won’t work. I can use this the way I am because I’m holding it. But the long-range sensors? Those are part of the Phoenix itself. The Phoenix powers them. So the Phoenix has to somehow produce its own magic to do so.”

“Well that’s not happening,” Cadeneza snorted. “It’s not like the warp core… produces… oh. Ohohoho. Ahahaha!” She broke into laughter. “That’s it!”

“What?” Sunset said, blinking.

“So, like… I know what we said earlier,” Cadeneza said as she knelt down to place her hands on Sunset’s shoulders. “But you used the warp core to make magic, when you saved the Enterprise, right? Converted it to magic.”

Sunset sighed and held her chest again. “Yeah… by absorbing it. Fatally. I hope you’re not suggesting–”

“No, of course not, don’t be stupid.” Cadeneza straightened up and walked over to the desk, finding a spare PADD. She opened up the compartment near the bottom and popped out a small circular disc. “Look, this is a battery, right? It charges itself wirelessly, like everything else on the ship. It’s how we keep these things running.”

Sunset glared at her. “Yes, thank you. I’m an engineer, remember? I know how that thing works better than you do.”

“Yes, that’s my point,” Cadeneza said. She held up the battery. “But to use the electricity, it has to be converted, right? ‘Cause most of the electricity in the ship goes through the EPS conduits. It’s got to be stripped down then transformed into a voltage this thingy can use.”

Sunset cocked her head, her ears flattening against her skull. Her tail lashed out as she frowned hard enough to show her teeth. Then she let out a groan and laughed. “Of course! I see what you’re saying. We need to build a converter. Have the ship make its own magic via the warp core.”

“Exactly!” Cadeneza said, beaming. “It won’t be efficient and it won’t be able to do much, but all it’s gotta do is make the thaumometer work, right?”

“Right.” Sunset rubbed her chin with one hoof. “It’ll be dangerous, but I think if we engineer it right, this can work and be safe to use, at least to a point. From what I remember, dilithium’s lattice system is similar to many of the gems we’d use as batteries back in Equestria, so it can probably accommodate the spell matrix. And we can use platinum and palladium to…” She dropped into a low murmur as she hustled over to the terminal and started working. “Come here, I’ll need your input.”

It took them several long hours, long into the night. At some point they switched the colorful drinks for raktajinos, and the desk was littered with as many empty mugs as glasses. “Alright, I think we’ve got it!” she said as she showed off the final product to Sunset.

“Heck yeah, we did it!” Sunset agreed with a whoop. "Way to go, Cadeneza! You rock!”

Cadeneza flushed. “Err, thanks. It was really my staff that--woah!” She flinched as Sunset lunged for her, wrapping her in a tight hug.

Then to Cadeneza’s shock, she felt Sunset plant a kiss on her cheek.

Both of them paused, staring into each other’s eyes. Tentatively, cautiously, both leaned forward and touched their lips together. Sunset purred as she met Cadaneza’s lips several times in light kisses, only to stop when Cadeneza uttered, “Uuuuh, Sunny?”

Sunset pulled away instantly, her pupils turning to pinpricks. “Wait, what the hell am I doing? I’m sorry, that was completely inappropriate, I–”

“Hold on a second there,” Cadeneza said. She grabbed Sunset’s forehooves, holding one in each hand, as much to keep Sunset from running away as to help make her point. “I didn’t say it was bad.”

Sunset cringed and tried to pull away. “No, no, this is the same stupid stunt I pulled with Smith. I’m not going to do this again.”

“Do what?” Cadeneza’s eyes fluttered, lowering to half-mast as she gave Sunset a sultry grin. “I ain’t Smith. You want to have a roll in the hay, let’s do it. I told you I’ve wanted to.”

“But… you said… you have a crush on me,” Sunset whispered as she shook her head. “I don’t want to hurt your feelings. I can’t. I won’t.”

“And you won’t, you silly mare. I know you don’t plan on datin’ me or anythin’ like that. I think we both know what this is.” Cadeneza laughed, hard, as she pulled Sunset in closer. “We’re just a couple of friends about to have some fun together, s’all.”

Sunset’s whole body heated up, judging by the sudden warmth Cadeneza could feel from her hooves. “Okay...let’s say I do want a roll in the hay. There’s still the little problem of my being the First Officer here.”

“I'm the one coming onto you here, so I don’t see any authority being abused right now. Unless you’re into the authority thing in more ways than one.” Cadeneza leaned in close. “Not like anyone needs to know. Besides, Liang's been doing some fraternizing of his own.”

“Really?”

Cadeneza nodded. “Yeah, I heard it through the grapevine. While we were on the Dominion base, Liang and Doctor May were hooking up in Ten-Forward. He took her on a long walk through the arboretum. Didn’t take long before they were kissing under the trees.”

Sunset’s breathing sped up as she brought herself closer to Cadeneza. “R-really. So then this is… this is fine. We can do this.”

“Uh, yeah, duh.” Cadeneza giggled at the glare Sunset shot her way. “Look, let’s both agree: just a one night thing. And if we wanna do it again in the future, we can. No strings attached. Just some fun.”

That seemed to do it. Sunset leaned her head up, their lips a hair’s width apart. “Jacqueline…” she whispered. “This isn’t another one of those ‘questionable things’, is it?”

Cadeneza looked into her beautiful teal eyes and smiled. ”Not a chance in hell.”

Sunset hurtled herself forward, and her lips met Cadeneza’s, full of longing and a deep-seated lust that sent surges of warmth throughout Cadeneza’s body. Damn, this is even better than I thought it would be, she thought as she pulled Sunset closer and closer to the couch.

Then Sunset ripped Cadeneza’s jacket off her and dove right in.

“Hangovers suck,” Cadeneza muttered as she glared daggers at the clock display next to her bed. She blinked her bleary eyes, keeping them open as little as possible even in the dim lighting. That did little to ease the pounding in her head, or the utterly parched feeling in her mouth. She was usually smart enough to drink plenty of water to stave these off, but her usual habits were discarded as quickly as her clothes had been last night.

She rolled over in bed to take a look at Sunset, who snored away peacefully on the pillows. A trickle of warmth accompanied by a tingle ran through Cadeneza as she grinned at the sight. Leaning forward she placed a gentle kiss atop Sunset’s forehead, then sprung out of bed. She stopped at the doorway to give Sunset one more look. “Thanks for last night, Sunny. If only things were a bit different for us both.”

She shuffled out to the living room in a hungover version of her usual saunter and called up some hangover cure juice, downing it in a hurry along with some pain reliever pills she kept in her cabin for just this kind of thing. She slumped into the nearest chair and sighed while she waited for the concoction to start working its own brand of magic.

Beats going to Sick Bay at least.

The early morning calm was shattered by the door chime, which thanks to her headache now sounded as loud as five red alert alarms at once. She hunched over and clapped her hands over her ears. “Shit. Who is it?”

“Twilight Sparkle, ma’am.”

Cadeneza groaned. Awwww hell. And Sunset’s still here. “Err, yeah, gimme a sec okay?” She hurried back to the bedroom and located a Starfleet issue bathrobe, tossing it on over her naked body. She tied it tight, making sure nothing was peeking out, checked to make sure the bedroom doors had closed, and only then said, “C’mon in.”

The doors swished open, and in walked Twilight Sparkle, her uniform without a single crease, her hair brushed to regulation perfection. Her single ensign’s pip gleamed on her collar, as if she’d polished it to a shine. She took a brief look at Cadeneza and averted her eyes instantly. “Sorry to bother you so early, ma’am,” she said. “I-I can return later if this is a bad time.”

“...what do you need, Ensign?” Cadeneza growled.

“Er, um, well,” Twilight said as she continued to keep her eyes firmly anywhere but looking at Cadeneza, “I think I may be onto something with the thaumometer. I was hoping I could discuss it with you before presenting it to the rest of the team.”

Cadeneza’s grumpiness factor amped up another ten as she glared at the mare standing before her. Nothing about Twilight’s demeanor was disrespectful. In fact, judging by the slight frown on her muzzle, Twilight was obeying decorum to the letter. Far better than she had been lately, even better than she had the previous day.

All of that combined to piss Cadeneza off. The last thing she wanted was for Twilight to know she’d slept with Sunset. “If that’s all you’re here for, Sparkie, don’t worry about it. It’s finished. Just gotta do some final testing.”

“Finished?” Twilight blinked. “Err, really? How?”

Cadeneza let out a wordless growl as she stomped over to her terminal. “Fine. Come here, I’ll show you the prototype.”

Twilight hesitantly stepped inside, trotting directly over to the terminal. “Thank you, ma’am.”

“Here.” Cadeneza showed Twilight the graphic for the prototype for about thirty seconds then switched it off. “Now come on, I haven’t even showered yet.”

“I can tell,” Twilight said, sniffing. Then her frown deepened as she sniffed again, longer this time.

Cadeneza noticed this and stiffened. Of course they’d have sensitive noses too. Great.

“Wait, what is that? Ugh, that’s way too strong.” A look of disgust crossed Twilight’s face. “Did you make out with a bottle of musky cologne in here or something?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I had amazing sex last night,” Cadeneza grunted back. “Look, beat it, Sparkie. Now’s not the–”

“Not just someone.” Twilight ignored her, sniffing repeatedly, then froze in place. Cadeneza followed the mare’s eyes to the couch… and the tailored Starfleet uniform that was still draped over the top. Twilight gagged. “Oh god. Ooooh my goodness. What did you do?”

All sense of decorum vanished as Cadeneza froze in place. “Shit,” she whispered.

“You slept with Sunset, didn’t you?” Twilight said as she whirled about. A spark arose in her eyes, threatening to light up the rage Cadeneza had seen all too frequently. “So, what, you’re going to string her along like she did to Smith? Indulge that crush then run?”

Cadeneza grit her teeth and stepped right up to Twilight, looking over her. “Watch your tongue, Sparkle.” She held up a finger, cutting off Twilight’s attempt at a response. “One, I’m not Smith. Two, we both know what this is and what this isn’t. If you don’t believe me then ask her yourself. And last, but most important, none of this is your business in the first place. Got it?”

Twilight gaped. The brief flash of anger vanished from her eyes, replaced with what looked to Cadeneza like contrition. “Yes, you’re right. I’m sorry, ma’am. That was out of line.”

Cadeneza blinked in surprise, not expecting that result. “Err, good. Glad you see it that way.”

Twilight stiffened to attention once more. “Permission to speak freely, ma’am?”

Sighing, Cadeneza threw out a hand. “Well, since you asked nicely this time, go ahead, berate me all you want.”

It took a moment before Twilight continued, “You’ve...obviously gotten close with Sunset lately. Has… Has she ever said anything about me to you?”

Cadeneza blinked again, then did a double take. Of all the things she could’ve expected Twilight to say, that wasn’t it. “Err… yeah. Yeah she has, Sparkie.”

Twilight turned away for a moment, then faced Cadeneza again, her features drooping with what looked like regret. “What did she say?”

Cadeneza bit her lip, trying to think of the right kind of response. Then she waved Twilight over to the desk. “C’mere, sit down.”

Twilight did so, sitting down in the spare chair while Cadeneza joined her in the other. “Err, ma’am, did she…”

Reaching over to Twilight’s chest, Cadeneza plucked the combadge off and set it on the desk. “Forget ranks for a moment, Sparkie. Your sister, she… she cares about you a lot, you know.”

Bowing her head, Twilight replied in a near whisper, “I know.”

“Oh you do, huh?” Cadeneza scoffed. “She’s been really hurting lately, Twilight. Hell, she came in here last night ‘cause Smith sent her the angriest vid I’ve ever seen.”

Twilight winced, and set a hoof on her face. “...that was my fault. I told Smith that Sunset was alive.”

“Not sure why you did that, but whatever, it no longer matters,” Cadeneza said. “She was really upset at herself for not telling Smith. And we talked about you and she became even more upset. She wants her little sister back and she’s tired of fighting with you.”

“...I know. I’m tired of fighting with her too.”

Cadeneza arched an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? That why you’ve been so nice all of a sudden?”

Twilight recoiled, wrapping both forehooves around the top of her head. “... yes. I… I had a long talk with Belle and Innana.”

“Well damn, it’s about time,” Cadeneza muttered. “Glad to hear you listened to them for once.” She set one hand on Twilight’s forehoof and pulled it away just enough to see one of Twilight’s eyes. “You two gotta make up. She’s your big sister. Don’t you want her around?”

Twilight sniffled, tears forming in her eyes. “...yeah. Yeah I do. But… Cadeneza, it hurt so much when she was gone, I…”

“I know, Sparkie. I know. Trust me, I was there for it all, remember?” Cadeneza set her hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “Look, I’m not gonna tell you it’ll all get fixed right away. You hurt her, Sparkie. You hurt her a lot. And she made mistakes too. It’s going to take a long time for the two of you to make amends, to get back to where you were before she died. But you won’t get there if you don’t take the first step.”

“I…” Twilight broke into quiet sobs, falling against the desk. “I know,” she breathed, shuddering with every fresh tear. “I know.”

“Twilight?”

Cadeneza jumped in her seat as she turned to see Sunset blinking, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “Why now?” she muttered.

Twilight looked up from the desk as Sunset stepped closer. “Izzat you?” Sunset murmured. “What’re you doing here?”

Cadeneza braced herself, her muscles going taut with tension as she waited for Twilight to explode again, for the shouting to begin, for it all to blow up in her face. Literally, this time.

Instead, however, Twilight shrank back from Sunset. “I… I was… I was coming to check on the thaumometer.”

“Oh.” Sunset shook her head and rubbed at her eyes some more. “Cadeneza and I finished it. We solved the problem.”

“I heard.”

Cadeneza slowly scooted her chair away from them, giving them space to close the distance between them.

Sunset glanced Cadeneza’s way, then gasped. “Oh no. Look, Twilight, this isn’t what it looks like, I–”

“Yes it is and yes you did,” Twilight interrupted. She looked between Sunset and Cadeneza for a moment. “It doesn’t bother me. I’m just going to have to trust both of you know what you’re doing.”

“It doesn’t bother you.” Sunset sighed. “Okay… that’s… that’s good.”

Both mares went quiet, just staring at each other. Cadeneza didn’t dare move another muscle, lest she break the moment.

“Um, listen…” both mares said at once, before both shut their mouths and looked away with matching expressions.

“...you go ahead,” Twilight said, letting out a heavy sigh.

Sunset looked back up, surprised. “Okay then. Er… I’m… I’m sorry I’ve been so hard on you. I just wanted to… no, no it doesn’t matter what my intentions were. I’m sorry.”

Twilight stayed quiet for so long Cadeneza feared she was gearing up to scream.

“...I forgive you.”

Sunset inhaled a sharp breath as her wings popped out like toast from a toaster. “What?” she whispered.

Twilight closed the distance between them at once and leapt onto Sunset, hugging her so tight Cadeneza heard Sunset grunt in surprise. “I’m sorry!” Twilight wailed as she broke into fresh tears. “I’m so sorry, Sunset… I’m so so sorry…”

Sunset shed tears of her own as she wrapped a foreleg around Twilight, gently, delicately, as if afraid she’d break her. “It’s… it’s okay, Twilight, it’s okay.”

“No it’s not,” Twilight replied at once, pulling away just enough to look up at Sunset. “It’s not okay what I did. What I’ve been doing. I… I’ve been such a jerk…”

Sunset cocked her head to one side and nodded. “Yeah… you kind of have. But so have I, and I’m sorry too.”

Twilight let out a single bark of bitter laughter. “Glad we agree. It’s… I…” She started shaking, her knees knocking together.

“Hey, easy, easy,” Sunset said, running her hoof down Twilight’s back in gentle strokes. “We’ve both made mistakes lately. A lot of mistakes.” She gave Twilight a watery smile. “Just… please tell me… please tell me this means I’m getting my sister back.”

Twilight nodded rapidly, hard, shaking like a rag doll. “Uh huh. I’m… I’m gonna try, at least.” She shivered. “It’s… I know we can’t just turn the clock back, but if you can forgive me, I’ll… I’ll do my best.”

Sunset squeezed Twilight around the shoulders, and made a few tiny noises, like very quiet nickers. “That’s not going to be so easy, but… I’ll do my best too. Is that okay?”

Cadeneza’s jaw dropped. She could barely process what she was seeing. Despite her frequent jokes with Sunset and Twilight, she'd always seen them in her head as just other humanoids. She never properly understood what it meant for them to be equines until she saw that behavior here, in the flesh.

She wasn’t sure whether to laugh, cry, or just keep watching silently.

Twilight nodded. “Yeah… that’s… that’s fair.” She let out a few giggles. “I uh, I guess we’ve got a long road, huh?”

“We’ll walk that road together, Twilight,” Sunset said, her smile turning warm and happy. “We’ll get there from here. Eventually.”

“Good.” Twilight smiled back. She let out a few more giggles. “Um, anyway, I should probably go. You need a shower, sis.”

“That I do,” Sunset laughed. She glanced up at the ceiling. “Computer, what time is it?”

“0725.”

Sunset nodded. “Twilight, would you please meet Cadeneza and me in the science labs at 0800? We’re going to put together the finished version of the thaumometer.”

“Yes ma’am,” Twilight said with a cheeky grin, one that slowly faded. “Though when on duty we should…”

“Remain professional, I know.” Sunset straightened herself up and put on her authority face. “Dismissed, Ensign,” she said with a wink.

Twilight straightened out as well. “Aye ma’am,” she said, winking back.

As Twilight departed, Sunset turned to Cadeneza, who’d been so embroiled with watching she was startled when it was over. “So uh… that went well,” Sunset said.

“Hell yeah it did,” Cadeneza said with a grin. “Good job, Sunny. If I’d known sleeping with you is what it’d take to bring you two back together, I’d have jumped your bones a long time ago.”

“Yeah, no, that wasn’t it,” Sunset said with snort. Her grin betrayed her amusement despite the harsh sounding words. “Mind if I use your shower? My quarters are about six decks down, and I’m not going to wander the corridors in a robe.”

“Go right ahead,” Cadeneza said. “Hell I might join you. Make it faster for both of us.”

“If there’s enough room,” Sunset said.

“Eh, you can just sit on me again if you need to. I won’t mind.”

Sunset reached back with a wing and playfully slapped Cadeneza in the rear. “Just go get the shampoo, would ya?”

As Cadeneza followed Sunset into the shower, she felt a bit of a spring in her step, like the weight atop them all had begun to lift. She could only hope it lasted, and that they managed to repair things altogether.

At least she hoped so anyway. The universe outside of the ship seemed to be fracturing more every day, but at least for the moment, Cadeneza felt, things inside the ship were finally beginning to come back together again.

Author's Note

Hey, everyone, it's ya color Blue here with a mini-AN.

Originally, the title of this little short was "Desktop Confessionals" but the fruity drinker in me couldn't avoid the Sexy pun on the beach. So, I did that.

Remember back in Ep10 where Twilight puts aside her hostilities with Sunset to complain about Cadeneza? Well, here was a brief look into why. She's the modern day Kirk, just hotter and lesbian... and a xenobiologist instead of a captain... so really, a better Kirk. :p But, she can be grating to work under if she's your immediate supervisor or friend (but can be an excellent teacher when given the opportunity).

In all seriousness though, I hope you all enjoyed it! Sex on the Beach is a great triple reference for a title, and if you were curious... a Malibu Sunset is Malibu (coconut) Rum, Pineapple (or Orange [or both]) juice, Grenadine, and sometimes either Maraschino Cherries, Pineapple chunks (I prefer slices), or Orange slices for garnish. A Tequila Sunset swaps out coconut rum with tequila, and Grenadine for blackberry brandy (at least mine does). And then a Summer Sunset is a vodka variation. All fruity and delightfully delicious... I'm going to go make one now, I think.

The next episode, well, I hope you all look forward to it... and we will be shifting our release dates for the rest of the month to accompany it! How? You'll find out on Monday.

I'll be enjoying my Sunset drink and lurking around these comments, as always... I hope you enjoyed this episode and see you next week!

Thanks Blue!

Blue said more or less everything I was going to say, and anything else I had to say is in the blog post. Regardless, I hope this was a good read, and thank you.

Season 2 Episode 4: "A Dazzling Introduction Part 1"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02E04

“A Dazzling Introduction”

Part 1

“Allen, Thompson, good morning!” I said, giving the pair of junior officers a cheery wave with the tip of my wing as I glided past. My ears caught a few whispers from them about my mood as I moved away.

I whistled a happy tune as I casually weaved through the corridor like a pegasus out for an afternoon flight. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt this calm, this rested, this whole. It’s amazing what getting your sister back in your life can do for a mare.

It caused my heart to soar, my smile to grow, and happy butterflies to fill my stomach. “I have my sister back,” I whispered, silently wishing I had the room to twirl and spin for joy. But I’d done plenty of that in the shower, among other things.

It was just the first step, of course. We still had a long way to go.

The doors to the lab swished open before me, revealing Twilight waiting for me. “Hello,” I said, giving Twilight a casual wave.

A small smile graced Twilight’s face. “Ma’am,” she said with a polite nod.

“So while we wait for Lieutenant Cadeneza,” I said, “let me bring up the schematics for the thaumometer.”

Twilight leaned forward, her forehooves bouncing in excitement. Then she frowned. “Wait, that looks almost the same as the one we created yesterday.”

“That’s because it is, minus a few changes we had to make.” Using my magic I pointed out the changes on the screen.

Twilight’s frown deepened, furrowing her brow as she stared at the screen. “But then how did you solve the scanning problem?”

“Well, we didn’t so much as solve it as it came up and slapped us upside the head,” Cadeneza said as she strutted through the door, a smug smile splitting her face. “She’s gonna turn the Phoenix into a magical starship – gonna shit rainbows and everything. Now tell me, Sparkie, what’s the one thing every spell needs in order to work?”

Twilight glanced my way, her head cocked to the side. “Huh? I don’t… oh!” She clapped one hoof to the floor. “Fuel! Magic! Or in the case of the thaumometer, the user’s magic. It needs it to be calibrated or else it can’t function. So to get the ship’s long-range sensors working, we need the ship to make its own magic.”

I beamed at her. “Got it in one. Here, we came up with this design for a converter, using the warp core as a base.”

“Hmm.” She examined the specs. “We might want to rearrange this component here. If it remains connected to these two pieces we could risk an overload.”

“Really?” I said, looking closer. My face paled. “Holy crap, you’re right. What was I thinking last night? This could’ve blown up the entire ship if we plugged it in!”

Cadeneza chuckled at me. “Not all of us can do our best work when buzzed, I guess.”

“Buzzed?” Twilight repeated, giving me a flat look.

I had the good grace to laugh sheepishly even as my face flushed with warmth. “Err… yeah. Not my best decision.”

Twilight stayed silent for a moment, her expression going neutral in a way that caused a frisson of fear to filter down my spine. Then she said, “As an Ensign, I have no right to say anything to my commanding officer regarding what she does.” A sly grin crossed her face. “But as her sister, I’d say: come on! Don’t act like my boss. It is bad enough when she does it, I don't need my sister doing it too....”

Cadeneza and I shared a laugh, and after a moment, Twilight joined us. “Okay, okay,” I said after we’d all had a chance to get the giggles out of our systems. “Point taken. No more tipsy engineering work. So, how does the design look apart from that?”

Twilight glanced back over it, and then made a quick swap of two additional components on the screen. “That should do it. Those were backwards. Would’ve reversed the polarity.”

“What would that do?” Cadeneza asked.

Twilight and I exchanged a look and shuddered. “You… you don’t want to know.” Twilight said.

“Let’s just say it’d make a warp core breach feel like a walk in the park,” I said.

“Uh huh.” Cadeneza snorted. “So that’s two ways you would’ve killed us all, huh Sunset? Sure you didn’t go for a third?”

“I’m certain,” I said at the same time Twilight said, “Positive.”

Cadeneza crossed her arms over her chest and glared at both of us for a moment. She shrugged and let her arms fall to her sides with a clap. “Fine. So we should get this built, huh? Can we replicate it like you did the basic magical thermometer?”

“Thaumometer,” Twilight corrected with a slight growl.

“No,” I replied with a shake of my head. “This is a bit too complex. We’ll have to assemble it, preferably in Engineering. Cadeneza, you and Sparkle head down there and get things prepared. I need to update the Captain on our progress, but I’ll join you as soon as I can.”

“Aye, ma’am,” Cadeneza said, flashing me a wink as she and Twilight stepped out the door.

I thanked my lucky stars she didn’t do something gauche like pat me on the rear as I tapped my combadge. “Shimmer to Liang.”

“Liang here. Good morning, Number One. What can I do for you?”

“I’m reporting on the progress on creating magic sensors for the ship. We believe we’ve come up with something that will work, but it’s going to require an extra piece of equipment.” I briefly went into detail about the converter.

“I see. Level with me, Sunset. How dangerous is this?”

I winced, grateful that Liang couldn’t see my facial expression over the combadge. “Somewhat. Between myself, Twilight, and Wattson’s team, we’ll have Equestrian and Starfleet safety protocols covered, but… it’s still risky.”

“Understood. Nevertheless I believe we should take the risk. Starfleet has made it clear to me the recovery of the sirens is a number one priority. We cannot risk the Dominion having any access to magic.”

“Yes, sir.” I swallowed, weighing my next words carefully. “Sir… about the sirens. Do we know what Starfleet intends to do with them?”

“...we’ll discuss that later. Not over an open comm channel. Come see me in my ready room once we’re under way.”

My breath stilled in my throat. “I… I see, sir. I’ll get to work on the converter straight away. Shimmer out.” I tapped my badge again as I trotted for the turbolift. By now I could count each of the eighteen decks I was zooming past by the slight change in the pitch of the lift’s drive motor. A scant minute later the door swished open, and I strode across the hall into Main Engineering where a buzzing hive of activity swirling around a table set up in the open space near the warp core.

“Commander!” said Wattson, who pushed her way out from the crowd to stand before me, glaring at me with her hands on her hips. “Is there a reason my Engineering has turned into a construction site?”

A snort of laughter escaped me before I cleared my throat and put on my serious face. “Yes, Wattson. We’re building a converter to siphon power from the warp core and turn it into magic, to be used by the sensors.”

“Oh really, huh?” Wattson turned to cast her glare at the center of the crowd, where Cadeneza was barking orders to her junior engineers. “I guess that explains why Jacquie keeps saying she’s here to build a magical thermometer.”

“It’s thaumometer, actually,” I corrected gently. “I need to go over the plans with you, actually. As you can imagine this is not without dangers to us and to the ship, so we need every safety precaution we can think of.”

“How dangerous?” Wattson snapped. I showed her the plans and she winced. “I see what you mean. But there’s plenty of things we can do. For example...” She began outlining procedures as we walked. “Oh, but, just a quick heads up: Twilight’s here too.”

“I know, I ordered her to be here,” I replied. Holding up the PADD I pointed to the converter’s overall structure. “I’m thinking we need to rig this so it can be ejected in case of emergency, just like the warp core.”

“Hang on, what do you mean you ordered her to be here?” Wattson asked. She tugged on my uniform just enough to stop me in place. “Are you crazy? Do you want Liang to kick you both off the ship?”

“That’s not going to happen,” I answered as I pulled away. Before Wattson could say anything else I approached Cadeneza and Twilight. “How’s the setup going?”

“Very well, ma’am,” Twilight answered as she floated a few tools in her magic. She’d already begun constructing the most vital piece, the dilithium crystal lattice. “Lieutenant Hill’s been an amazing help.”

Sure enough, Hill approached carrying several more dilithium crystals in a sealed container, along with an assortment of metal wiring taken from the replicator. “This should be everything you need for the core,” he said as he set it all down.

“Thank you very much, Lieutenant,” Twilight said as she leaned in to focus carefully on her task.

“Alright, I’ll leave you to it for now,” I said. “Ensign, let me know when it’s ready to be enchanted. We should do it together to ensure the spell is as stable as possible.”

Twilight looked up at me, a worrying frown tugging at her muzzle. She blinked once, then nodded and said, “Oh, um, right. Good idea ma’am.”

I smiled at her. “Good. In the meantime I’m going to get to work modifying one of the sensor pallets. I’ll be nearby if you need anything.”

“Aye, ma’am,” Twilight chirped as she returned to work.

I bustled my way to the other end of Engineering, fully aware of Wattson trailing in my wake, gaping all the while. “What the hell happened?” she breathed.

Shrugging casually I answered, “We made up this morning.”

“Just like that?”

I glanced back, trying not to laugh at the look of disbelief on Wattson’s face. “Yes, just like that.”

Wattson’s lips thinned as she pointed towards her office. “Can I see you privately for a minute, ma’am?”

“Sure.” I followed her over to her office, the sounds and sights of Engineering fading into quiet silence as the doors whisked closed. “What do you need?”

“Permission to speak freely?”

I sighed and nodded. “What is it, Amelia?”

Wattson plopped herself in her chair. “I’m feeling pretty suspicious about this. I went looking for you last night. I wanted to talk to you about finding some way to help you and Twilight get along. And you know where the computer told me you were? Jacquie’s quarters. Care to explain?”

“Oh come on, Amelia,” I grunted as I sat down in the other open chair. “It’s not really any of your business.”

“Since Jacquie’s been my best friend for most of my life, hell yes it’s my business,” Wattson pressed, jabbing a finger into her desk. “You better not be taking advantage of her. I checked the computer. You were in there all night, and then suddenly Twilight shows up there this morning too. What the hell is going on?”

“Amelia, it’s nothing bad, I promise you. Look, here’s what happened.” I told her everything – from Smith’s message to my breakdown in front of Cadeneza, to solving the converter and then somehow falling into bed with her. “Twilight showed up in the morning of her own volition. She was coming to see Cadeneza about the thaumometer. I dunno why but she ended up apologizing to me when she saw me, and, well… we agreed to try to make amends.”

Wattson steepled her hands and stared at me for a few moments. “Okay then. Sorry, Sunset. I’m… I’m very protective of Jacquie.”

“I know that,” I said, chuckling. “I’ve only been your friend since the Academy.”

“It’s just, after what happened between you and Smith,” Wattson continued, “I… was worried.”

“If you were so worried, why did you encourage Cadeneza to admit her crush to me?” I asked.

“Because I know Jacquie, and sooner or later she would’ve talked you into bed anyway.” Wattson sighed and rested her chin on her propped up fist. “You ask me, I think the only reason she didn’t do it to Twilight was out of respect for you. I was hoping her admitting it like that would scare you away. I didn’t want her to get hurt.”

Those words pierced me like a flurry of daggers. I sat up straight, my lips beginning to ripple with a snarl. “Amelia, what the hell? I’m a damned fool sometimes but I’m not a monster. You know I regretted what I did to Smith. Hell I just told you about how her message tore me to pieces. The last thing I want to do is hurt someone like that again.”

Wattson had the good sense to look contrite and ashamed, at least to my eyes. “You’re right Sunny. I’m sorry. But, with the way you and Twilight have been acting, and with what happened before, I… I was scared. I care about Jacquie a lot. She’s like my sister. She’s suffered a lot in her life and she’s had a tendency to compound that with a lot of her own mistakes. I didn’t want you to be one of them.”

I bristled at her tone, but I managed to fight off the temptation to snap. I could see where she was coming from, given my past behavior. “I hear you, and I understand. I don’t like it, but I understand. But if you’re worried about something like this, Amelia? Talk to me. We’re friends, or we’re supposed to be. Friends don’t manipulate each other like this.”

Wattson pressed her lips together and nodded. “I… I know that. I apologize.”

I held out a hoof. “Apology accepted. Now why don’t we get back to work? I’ve got about six sensor pallets to modify and the quicker we’re done the better.”

As the turbolift emptied us out onto the bridge, I found my breath stilling in my chest. After everything Belle and Inanna showed me, after what I experienced… Standing before Captain Liang felt worse than being summoned to Mom’s office at the Academy.

“Ah, Ensign Sparkle,” Liang said as he hopped up out of his command chair, cane tucked under his arm. “I’d like to see you in my ready room please, before we begin testing the new sensors.”

My throat, suddenly parched, burned as I tried to swallow. I glanced back at Cadeneza for support, but she shrugged and turned away, focusing on a console. Wishing like hell Sunset wasn’t still stuck in Engineering monitoring the converter, I followed Liang into his ready room.

I never liked being in this room. Ostensibly it was serene and peaceful, but to me it always exuded an almost dictatorial aura that left me more than a little pissed off. Though, I realized as I clamped down on the sudden rising anger in my heart, that was probably just me projecting when it came to Sunset.

“Please, sit down, Ensign,” Liang said, gesturing to the chair as he took his own seat.

I did as commanded at once, and in a scratchy voice I said, “What can I do for you, sir?”

Liang set his cane down on the desk and steepled his hands. “I wanted to touch base with you, regarding your… rapport with my first officer. By now I’m certain Miss Hendricks and Miss Eresh have made clear the stakes.”

“Err, yes sir, they have,” I replied with a rapid series of nods.

Liang eyed me for a moment, his cool gaze studying me, making me feel like a bug under a microscope. “I was being sincere about the orders I was being given by Starfleet. Many of the top brass hated the fact we had the only two Equestrians in Starfleet on the same ship, and a few of them were all too eager to press the issue. Had we not been redirected from Starbase 375 into this search for the sirens, well…”

He reached for a PADD and handed it over to me. I shuddered, every instinct in me screaming to run as I took the PADD in my magic and turned it on. “T-transfer orders,” I whispered. Right there, in bold amber letters, were orders from Admiral Matthew Dougherty requiring my immediate transfer to Starfleet Headquarters for ‘special assignment.’

I set the PADD down, my eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Sir, I… I don’t--”

Liang held up a single hand for silence. “I know, Ensign. These orders have been stayed, pending further assessment of your behavior aboard my ship.” He reached for another PADD. “This is a report that Miss Hendricks gave me after your session with her the other day. I quote, ‘Twilight Sparkle has responded well to the altered treatment plan. She shows a willingness to improve, and I believe it more important than ever she be allowed to stay aboard the Phoenix.’”

“It’s true, it’s all true,” I insisted, breaking into a babbling stream as my anxiety got the better of me. “I-I’ve been improving, just ask Cadeneza! A-and her staff, my coworkers in the science labs, I-I--”

“Ensign.” The single word slammed my mouth shut and sealed it with a duranium deadbolt for good measure. “I am aware of all of this and more. I do keep my eyes and ears open. However... there is still one critical issue.”

He tapped his combadge. “Commander Shimmer, please report to my ready room immediately.”

I sat in my chair, waiting like I was in line for an executioner’s axe, until the doors swished open to reveal Sunset. She glanced at me briefly, but the only reaction I could see was a slight widening of her eyes. “Yes sir, reporting as ordered,” she said promptly.

“I have just one question for you, Number One, and your sister.” Liang stood from his chair, prompting me to stand as he grabbed his cane off the desk and stepped around it. He came to a stop ahead and extended his cane to form a barrier between us. “Are you, or are you not, able to work together?”

I felt a slight tug on the back of my withers, right where Sunset used to give me a reassuring pull with her magic when we were younger. I barely managed to avoid gasping as I glanced over at her. But then she winked, just like we had winked at each other this morning, and I understood.

She faced the Captain. “Sir, I can officially state we will no longer have any issues working together whatsoever.”

“Oh?” Liang’s eyes narrowed, and he turned to focus that fiery gaze upon me. “Ensign?”

In response, I summoned up my courage, and deliberately winked back at Sunset to let her know I got the message. “I concur, sir. I will have no problems working with Commander Shimmer. We have some work to do as sisters, but as officers? No problems at all, sir.”

He eyed the two of us for several long moments. If his examination before was like a bug under a microscope, this felt more like a prisoner under an interrogation spotlight. Then his gaze softened considerably. “Very well. I’m glad to hear it.”

I started to relax, only for my blood to freeze again when brought his cane back up to point at us both. “I have bought you as much time as I can, madams. But I’m all out of favors to call in, and the Starfleet hounds are chomping at the bit. If there is even one more incident between you two in public, I will have no choice but to place you both in the brig pending reassignment. Is that clear?”

“Aye, sir,” I echoed in unison with Sunset.

Liang’s whole demeanor shifted as he gave us a far warmer smile, as if spring had finally ended winter’s chill. “On a more personal note, I am glad to hear you two are making amends. You’ve both made an impact on me in the short time we’ve served together; had you not, I would not have bothered fighting so hard on your behalf.”

He held a hand up to his mouth and cleared his throat. “Now then, I believe we have a converter and magical sensors to test. Return to your duties. Dismissed.”

We pivoted on our hooves and left the room. As we wandered up the ramp towards the rear science consoles, Sunset paused next to the turbolift and said quietly, “Good job in there, sis. That was pretty scary, even for Liang.”

I bristled, the bitterness inside my heart rising to the forefront before I deliberately pushed it back down. “I… thanks. It was terrifying.”

“I can imagine.” Sunset faced me. “I need to get to Engineering. Good luck up here, okay?”

I nodded. “You too, ma’am.”

She snickered as she entered the turbolift.

I made my way over to the science station assigned to me and sat down in the chair, pulling up the necessary readouts. We’d already installed all six modified sensor pallets, and preliminary testing showed they were able to function in a limited sense when held in Sunset’s magic. But now it was time for the real test.

Liang emerged from the ready room and returned to his command chair. “Liang to Engineering. How’s the converter coming along, Chief?”

Wattson’s voice replied clear as day. “Everything looks nominal sir. The converter has been brought online, all safety measures activated. We’re ready to begin operation.”

“Sir,” added Sunset over the open comm channel, “I should add that while we have planned for every contingency we can, there could still be some unanticipated side effects as we start up the converter. If parts of the ship start glowing or crew members report tingling sensations we should terminate at once.”

“Understood, Number One,” Liang replied. “Let us hope no one else sprouts a pair of wings, then. Very well: begin.”

“Aye sir,” came Wattson’s response. “Connection established. Conversion matrix activated.”

“Ishihara, Williams, any unusual readings?” Liang asked.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Williams shaking his head. “Not yet, sir.”

“Nothing, sir,” Ishihara added.

“We’ve got the converter running at twenty-five percent capacity now, Captain,” Wattson reported. “But it will take some time before the ship has generated enough magic to utilize the new sensors.”

“How long?”

“At least twenty minutes, sir,” Sunset answered. “But I wouldn’t recommend running the converter any higher than twenty-five percent, at least for now. Every diagnostic spell I’m using says it’s running just fine, but--”

“But we must be cautious, I agree,” Liang finished. “Very well. Let us wait patiently then.”

While we waited out the time I busied myself customizing the displays on the console and setting up everything I’d need to get proper readings. I made sure to call up every last sensor scan of the Jem’Hadar shuttle’s ion trail, though by this point there was little left to go by. We were never going to find it that way, but it couldn’t hurt to have the extra information.

Right on cue twenty minutes later, Wattson announced, “We’re ready to bring the modified sensors online, sir.”

“Excellent. Ensign Sparkle, if you would?”

I nodded in acknowledgement. “Aye, sir. Bringing the sensors online now.” I tapped the keys in rapid succession, engaging the sensor array. The modified sensor pallets we had installed provided omnidirectional coverage that in some ways was superior to the ship’s standard sensor array. As they engaged, I brought up the sensor readings and transmitted a duplicate readout to the main viewscreen. “Sensors online, sir.”

“Good, good,” Liang said. “Well, let’s begin the tests. Focus them internally, if you please.”

It took me just a few seconds. The image changed, resolving into a wireframe layout of the ship, like a Master Systems Display schematic. To my delight, not only did the ship have two bright lights blinking on the bridge and in Engineering respectively, but throughout the ship were small trails of magical energy, flowing from the EPS conduits into the various sections where we’d installed the sensor pallets. “Preliminary reports look good, sir.”

“Indeed, well done,” Liang said. I could hear the smile in his voice, even if I couldn’t see it. “Then by all means, Ensign, let the search begin.”

To my irritation, we detected nothing. No traces, no trails. “Engineering,” I said, “is there any chance we can boost the power? I don’t think the sensors are getting enough yet.”

“We’ll see, Ensign. Wattson, let’s boost the power to thirty percent.”

“There!” I declared in satisfaction. I’d picked up a signal. I focused the lateral sensors on that point and found a trail leading far away from the Basin, matching the remnant ion trail perfectly, only now it kept going instead of petering out after a short distance. “We’ve got a match, sir. Sending coordinates to the helm.”

Liang clapped his hands together. “Excellent. Mr. Rodriguez, set a course to follow those sensor readings, maximum warp.”

As we traveled through space chasing the sensor signal, we had to drop out of warp a few times to recalibrate the sensors and to wait for more magic to be built up in the storage units. I could hear Liang chafing a bit every time we had to halt, but whenever he asked if we could ramp up the converter further I chimed in agreement with Sunset and Wattson that that was a bad idea. Better to charge up slowly and safely than risk a core breach. Or worse.

Eventually, we reached a star system twenty lightyears away from the Bouman Basin, one known to have a class-M planet with a sapient race inhabiting it. Sunset came back up to the bridge just as we dropped out of warp, moving to stand by Liang’s side. “Slow us to one half-impulse, Mr. Rodriguez,” Liang ordered. “Take us into orbit, nice and slow.”

Sunset spoke up from beside him, “Williams, what do we know about this planet?”

“Erm, not much, ma’am,” he said as he checked his console. While he did so I brought up the information on my own screen so I could read it with him. “Looks like a pretty standard M-class world. Twenty-seven hour rotational period, average temperature 11 degrees Celsius, gravity at 1.05 G. Pre-industrial humanoid-society, roughly akin to Earth’s 1st century C.E. Least that’s what the records say. Sensors aren’t picking up any energy signatures or signs of advanced technology.”

“Nothing?” Sunset questioned. "No sign of the shuttlecraft?”

“No, ma’am.”

Liang hummed and tapped his cane on the floor. “Ensign Sparkle, if you would scan the planet more thoroughly.”

“Yes sir, though it might take a few orbits,” I said as I turned back to my console and brought up the sensor sweeps.

Fortunately for everyone’s patience, mine included, I was wrong about my guess. Barely five minutes into the first orbit a massive magical energy signature appeared on sensors. “Got something, sir. Southern hemisphere, larger of the two continents. There’s an enormous amount of magic occupying what looks like a large city.”

“On screen, Ensign,” Sunset ordered.

I chuckled quietly under my breath and did as commanded, focusing the viewscreen on an overhead view of the city, which sprawled in three sections between the confluence of two major rivers. Stout buildings of stone and marble arose from the city, some stretching as tall as twenty meters, though most stayed below ten. Smoke trailed up from most of the residential homes, most of which were built up around wide open squares that seemed set up as a kind of market district. Dirt and stone roads criss-crossed the city in several directions, with tiny alleys twisting around the buildings seemingly at random. “This is the city in question. And this–” I added lines of rainbow to indicate the strength and intensity of the magic “–is the extent of the magic.”

A great rainbow dome covered the city like the lid on a silver platter. I took the liberty of zooming in to get a closer look at the dome’s epicenter, – a small island to the north end of the city, and the palatial looking building that dominated the space. The sensor readings spiked like crazy the minute I focused on the palace. Magic coated every inch of the expansive building, plus a radius of at least a hundred meters around it.

“I think we’ve located the sirens,” Liang concluded. He sat forward in his seat and tapped a button on his seat arm. “Liang to transporter room two. Locate the sirens’ life signs then lock onto them and–”

“Sorry to interrupt, sir, but we can’t do that,” Williams interrupted. He had the good grace to look contrite. “Sensors can’t penetrate that dome of magic. Whatever they’ve done down there, it’s blocking everything except the good old Mark 1 eyeball.”

Liang sighed and sat back. “Belay that, transporter room.” He jabbed at the button to cut the connection. “So much for the easy route.”

“If I may sir,” Sunset said, “I think beaming them up all of a sudden would’ve been a terrible idea anyway. If they assumed we were with the Dominion–”

“We’d have a hell of a fight on our hands,” Liang concluded. “You’re right, Number One. Very well. If we can’t bring them to us, we’ll have to go to them. We’ll need intel first, however. Ensign Sparkle, can you bring up some details on the locals?”

“I think so, sir,” I said as I shifted the sensors. After a moment a humanoid life form appeared on the screen, wearing a variation of a toga combined with a set of pantaloons. With skin pale as milk, narrow eyes of silver, and elongated ears, I found myself wondering if this is what an albino Vulcan would look like. That picture quickly faded, however, when I noticed this race’s long bronze-colored hair, muscular build, and elongated fingernails that looked just as sharp as their razor edged teeth.

“A face only a mother could love,” Williams quipped.

“Hah! I like them already,” Zhidar declared, grinning to show off his own scraggly fangs.

“Looks can be deceiving, Zhidar. And right now we don’t know anything about these people.” Liang rubbed at his chin a moment, then nodded and tapped his badge. “Liang to Cadeneza.”

“Cadeneza here, sir.” Her voice was strong and firm, showing no sign of the hangover she’d suffered earlier this morning.

“How would you feel about leading an away mission?”

I didn’t need to see Cadeneza to picture her bouncing in place like a schoolgirl. “Yes, sir! What’s the mission?”

Liang briefly explained. “I need you to take Ensigns Maia and Clairica down to the planet to survey the situation on the ground. Before you go, report to Sick Bay and work with Doctor May to disguise yourselves as one of the local residents. Unfortunately we don’t have any anthropologists aboard, or else I’d send one with you.”

“Actually, sir, that’s not entirely true,” I said, raising a hoof.

“Oh?” He arched one eyebrow as he looked back at me.

“Counselor Eresh, sir. She was an archeologist and a historian before she became a therapist.” I frowned. “I know that’s not exactly the same as an anthropologist, but…”

Liang nodded, tapping his fingers on his cane. “Well, I can hardly order her onto the mission, but I can certainly ask her to participate. Good suggestion, Ensign Sparkle.” He glanced down at his badge. “Report to Sick Bay at once, Cadeneza. The others will be joining you shortly. Meanwhile, I’ll see if I can’t talk Miss Eresh into joining you.”

“Aye, sir.”

“One more thing, Lieutenant: try to keep a low profile. This is recon only. No heroics.”

“So no Captain Kirking, got it, sir.”

Liang exchanged a brief look of disbelief with Sunset. “Indeed not, Lieutenant. Liang out.” He eyed me once more. “Ensign, it will be your duty to monitor them via live feeds, with Commander Shimmer’s assistance. The two of you will know what to look for when it comes to magic. Once they’ve gathered sufficient intelligence we’ll bring them aboard and plan our next move.”

“Aye, sir,” I chimed in unison with Sunset, causing her to let out a soft whinny of laughter.

“Very well, let’s get to it, people,” said Liang.

“Wow,” I whispered to Sunset as the camera feeds switched on. Thanks to the magic dome blocking sensors, the away team had been forced to beam down near the outskirts of the city, into a small alleyway strewn with amphoras and other pottery. As they stepped into the sunlight, they emerged into a crowded street lined with market stalls full of locals hawking wares. “It’s almost like back home, isn’t it?”

“Eeeh…” Sunset murmured as she pointed to stall after stall lined with various meats, fish, and other local animals hanging dead. “If we were griffons, maybe.”

“Okay, stay close, everyone,” Cadeneza ordered. She looked right at her team, letting us see Inanna, Maia, and Clarica all modified to resemble the locals, wearing togas and pantaloons, albeit with a few modifications to let them hide tricorders and hand phasers. The butt of one poked out of Maia’s pocket, just the barest hint of silver against the white of her toga. At least I thought it was Maia; they’d been so changed by May’s surgery I hardly recognized them.

“Fascinating,” Inanna uttered as she stepped ahead of Cadeneza, her head moving like a ball on a swivel. “There is a distinct resemblance to Earth’s Roman Empire in the architecture, but the clothing and artistic elements resemble Greece. Look at this–”

She pointed to a large amphora sitting atop one stall, carved with an artistic rendition of a humanoid figure stabbing some sort of beast with a spear, complete with a spray of blood. “Very similar to Grecian designs at the time.”

The owner of the amphora stall glanced her way and shouted a long string of sing-songy nonsense before rushing out from behind the stall to shake her fist in Inanna’s face. As she continued to babble her words shifted from unintelligible to something more resembling language. “...you think/thought/ speaking/saying/talking like that about me/my/ works/possessions.”

I saw Maia and Clairica freeze, Maia’s hand slowly drifting to her pocket, only for Cadeneza to hold up a hand and then approach the stall owner casually. “Excuse my friend,” she said. “We are strangers to this city, and did not mean to cause offense.”

The stall owner only seemed to grow more angry with this display, bringing her hand up with her fingers extended to bear those claws. She hunched down as if ready to charge. “You sniveling barbarian!” she screeched.

Maia’s hand lashed out, backhanding the stall owner across the face before anyone could blink. The woman crumpled like a sack of potatoes. “She said, we did not mean to cause offense.”

Bouncing to her feet faster than I might have expected, the local stall owner wiped a smear of blue blood off her lips, then bared her teeth in a wicked grin. “Eeeh, perhaps not so sniveling after all. Go. I’ll not make more trouble with you.”

The four of them grouped together and fled, ducking down another alleyway. Only then did Cadeneza turn to Maia and said, “How’d you know that would work?”

“I didn’t,” Maia said with a shrug. “But she reminded me of Nausicaans, and they don’t respect you unless you’re aggressive, so I thought she might be the same.”

“Certainly seems that way,” Clairica said, a dark scowl on her face. Even with the surgical alterations she somehow managed to look stunning as ever, like her inner Deltan beauty shined through it all. “Calling us barbarians. Feh. They wouldn’t know culture if it slapped them in the face.”

“Now now, let’s not be too judgemental,” Inanna said, holding up a single finger. The effect was lessened by its claw-like appearance. “For all we know that was an outlier.”

“Perhaps,” Cadeneza snorted. “But if they all start acting like that we’d better be ready to kick some ass.”

I heard Sunset grumble something under her breath next to me, followed by the chirp of her combadge. “This is recon only, Cadeneza. No Kirking, remember?”

Cadeneza pointedly positioned her hand so she could flip off the camera for just a second. “Yes, ma’am,” she muttered.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t see that,” Sunset replied, though as I glanced over I caught a hint of amusement in her eyes.

She turned her attention back to the screen, where we watched Cadeneza and company move back out into the nearby market. This time they kept mostly to themselves as they wandered about. The throngs of locals all dressed similarly in shabby togas and pantaloons blockaded much of the scene, while the stone and marble buildings all around barely rose up more than a few meters above the crowd.

Occasionally they’d spot small groups who pretty clearly stood out as the upper class in this society. They were dressed in much finer clothing than most – elegantly sewn togas made from what looked like silk or some other expensive fabric, fairly thick sandals, and colorful trousers that looked like they had been pulled backwards from Earth’s 18th century. Most of them rode atop large beasts of burden, lizard-like creatures that vaguely resembled dragons, but with turret-shaped eyes and flattened teeth. A few carried swords tied to their belts, long, tapering things more resembling a foil or an epee than a broadsword.

On nearly every street corner a guard stood watch, each one covered nearly from head to toe in chainmail and rough plate armor, and each one armed with both a weapon and a shield. Watching through the cameras, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the illustrations I had once studied of the famous centurions of Pegasopolis. Those in particular eyed Cadeneza’s group warily, baring their teeth every so often as their hands inched closer to their weapons if they so much as glanced at the soldiers.

“Hey, is it just me,” Cadeneza whispered, barely audible to the camera feeds as she elbowed Inanna. “Or are all the guards chicks?”

“Not just the guards,” Clairica added. “I have not seen a single man this entire time.”

Inanna pointed down one street. “I believe you’ll find them there.”

Cadeneza pointed the camera in that direction, revealing several small groups of local aliens, these ones shorter, thinner, and wearing long robes and hoods over their faces. They kept their heads down as each group followed a pair of females who walked in front and behind them carrying long whips. Every so often one of the men stumbled out of line, only to be struck instantly with the whip, leaving him crying out in pain as he was roughly hauled to his feet and shoved back in line.

“Huh.” Maia shrugged. “Guess it’s a good thing we didn’t invite Williams or Hill along.”

“Matriarchal, certainly,” Inanna said. Her usual serenity seemed disturbed, like a thunderstorm rolling onto an open plain, the wind roaring fiercely. Her eyes narrowed to near slits, frosted over so cold I shivered even from up on the ship. She raised one hand, her claws extended. “In a way I find detestable.”

“Yeah seriously,” Cadeneza agreed. “Treatin’ their men like slaves...”

“Should we really be judging this society?” Maia interjected. She cast Cadeneza a flat expression. “We’re talking about one city on this entire planet, and one with a culture far less advanced than our own.”

“I’m shocked to hear you of all people defending this,” Cadeneza growled back.

Maia’s expression barely shifted, save for a brief narrowing of her eyes, but I’d been her friend for far too long not to know how to tell when someone just pressed one of her buttons. Maia’s hand slowly drifted back to the phaser in her pocket. “I know what you’re referring to, and no, that was worse. These people probably don’t know any better. But them? They knew. They just didn’t care.”

“Ensign Maia is correct, loathe as I am to admit it,” Inanna said, injecting a bit of calm into the growing tension. “The Prime Directive applies. This society still needs to develop along natural lines. Which is why we’re here: to remove the outside influence. Not change things ourselves.”

Cadeneza threw out a dismissive hand. “Whatever. Let’s just get to that palace and see what the fishies are up to.”

The four left the alleyway, and hurried along the streets in the general direction of the palace. As they grew closer, the camera feed started to fuzz. Their words began to come back patchy, with the occasional bit of background noise or static interfering. “Ensign?” Sunset asked, her tone telling me all I needed to know.

“Working on it,” I answered, my magic dancing across the keys. “Whatever the sirens are using to interfere with sensor signals, it’s beginning to block all forms of communication.”

Sunset brought up one wing to scratch at her chin. “I think I might know what it is, actually. They’re probably using some variation of a Nullification Charm. Which means we can probably overpower its effects.”

I clapped one hoof to the deck. “Of course! Why didn’t I see that before?” I shifted over to the magical sensors and drew more magic from the Phoenix’s mana battery. The signal cleared up almost instantly. “There. I don’t know if that’ll work when they get into the palace itself, but hopefully that’ll let them get close without losing contact.”

“Phoenix? Helloooo?” Cadeneza’s voice filtered through loud and clear.

“Sorry about that, Lieutenant,” Sunset answered. “Magical interference. Be advised: the closer you get to that palace the less we’re going to be able to communicate.”

“Awesome.”

We watched Cadeneza’s group as they grew closer. For every block or so they passed through, the area became more and more opulent. The dirt road shifted to one of cobblestone, while the market stalls began to vanish, replaced by larger and larger homes, each one more opulent than the one before it.

And the crowds grew exponentially. So many locals milled about that Cadeneza’s group had a hard time sticking together. They heard whispers and snatches of conversation. “The goddesses have returned!”

“They have not forsaken us!”

“The prophecy came true!”

They entered a massive plaza, with a central fountain decorated with bits of what looked like platinum and gold, while the entire plaza itself was lined with marble and spotted with trees and rows of meticulously trimmed hedges. Atop the fountain was a statue that caused me to pause, only for my body to jump in fright as the true realization struck me.

At first, I thought it was a statue of the sirens, a trio of severe-looking women carrying tridents and bearing long lizard tails, and hairstyles vaguely similar to what the sirens wore. But as I looked closer I realized that apart from these details, the statues looked just like the locals, complete with the elongated ears and claws at the end of their fingertips.

“Oooh shit,” Cadeneza swore as she panned the camera up and over the statues. “How much you want to bet the sirens are those goddesses we’ve been hearing about?”

Before anyone could answer, the crowd around them stilled as a single woman climbed atop the fountain. This one wore long robes of crimson silk with a shawl of deep forest green laid across her shoulders. She took a book out from under her right arm, opened it, and held it out like some kind of trophy.

“Women of the People! Hear me, your Priestess!”

“Damn, she’s got some pipes on her to project like that,” Cadeneza whispered.

“Sssh!” Inanna hissed.

“We stand this day with newfound hope! As written in the book of prophecy, the Sisters, our Goddesses, have returned!” The priestess held up both hands and spread them in an odd gesture. “One thousand years ago it was written that they would rejoin us, afloat on their flying chariot, here to once more bring justice to our wicked society! To mete out the punishments that those who sin so righteously deserve!”

“Oh for goodness’ sake,” Sunset moaned as she slapped on the mute button. “I’m sorry, Ensign, I can’t keep listening to that garbage.”

“I don’t blame you, ma’am,” I replied, my face a picture of disgust.

Sunset and I watched in silence until the priestess finished her long, drawn out speech and stepped down from the fountain. As the crowd around them dispersed, Sunset said, “Can you try to get closer to the palace now?”

“Not sure if we can,” Cadeneza replied in a quiet whisper as she glanced over at the parade of guards that followed in the priestesses' wake. The priestess marched herself in the direction of the palace gates, where at least a dozen guards stood watch over a line of prisoners wearing chains. Every so often a prisoner would be brought into the palace and the line would shuffle forward a meter or two.

“Then return to the ship,” Sunset ordered. “Soon as you’re aboard I want you all in the conference room so we can plan out our next move.”

We all gathered in the conference room, the away team plus myself, Sunset, and Captain Liang. “So, what have we discovered?” Liang asked, tapping his cane once on the table.

Everyone glanced over at Cadeneza, who quickly deferred to Inanna to start things off. “Well, Captain,” Inanna said, “the society below is matriarchal, warlike, and highly religious. It seems the sirens have taken the place of their goddesses, deities who apparently preside over justice and law. They’ve been put up in the palace, and criminals are being led to them to be judged.”

“I take it these judgements are harsh,” Liang mused.

“Extremely,” Inanna replied, shuddering. “If the speech their priestess gave is any indication, many of those convicted are burned alive or crucified, both common forms of justice in the similar culture of Earth’s Roman Empire.”

Liang’s mouth twisted into a muted scowl. “To be expected of such a world, of course. Very well. So we know the sirens are in the palace, and the locals think them to be divine beings. What else?”

“The palace appears impregnable,” Clairica replied. “The perimeter is swarming with guards, and as you saw the magic dome blocks communications as well as the transporter.”

“She’s right, sir,” I added. “I had to tie in the magic sensors just to keep communications working close to the palace, let alone inside. If anyone goes in, they’re going to be radio silent.”

“Unless we want to assault the palace,” Maia considered. “Take it by force. A single shuttlecraft could–”

“Out of the question, Ensign, and I’ll thank you not to make such suggestions when dealing with a world protected by the Prime Directive,” Liang snapped. “I’m well aware these sirens are already interfering, but if what you’re telling me is true, I have to wonder if they took the position deliberately, or if they only adopted it to save their lives.”

“Probably the latter,” Cadeneza said. “These aliens are mean. It took us, what, two minutes to get into a fist fight?”

“Their priestess spoke of their goddesses returning on a flying chariot,” Inanna said, a pensive look on her face. “This is common in many mythologies. If they crash landed in the Dominion shuttlecraft, it could’ve easily been mistaken for a flying chariot.”

“And we still don’t know where that shuttlecraft is either,” Sunset said as she pulled up the sensor logs for the planet. “We haven’t detected any warp signatures or other signs of advanced technology. So either it was destroyed, or whatever’s left of it is in the palace.”

Liang sat up straight and steepled his hands. “That presents a problem. We cannot allow this society to hold onto that shuttlecraft. It violates the Prime Directive. Nor can we leave the sirens down there. Suggestions on how to get inside?”

“Perhaps a stealth mission at night?” Clairica said, raising a clawed finger. I shivered and without meaning to I inched away from her. None of the away team had bothered with being altered to look normal again and their appearances were… haunting. “We could sneak inside, stun any guards, then escort the sirens out.”

“That presumes they want to leave though,” Sunset said with a shake of her head. “If the sirens refuse to cooperate, you’ll be lucky if all they do is call the guards down on you. If you’re unlucky, well… you saw what happened at the Dominion base.”

“Agreed,” Liang said. “We need to find some way to make contact with them and communicate our intentions. I realize, Number One, that you described them as dark sorceresses, but surely they’d be willing to listen to reason.”

I exchanged a long look with Sunset. “That’s… not something we can rely on, sir,” I said after a moment of contemplation. “If the legends are true and they did turn to dark magic, there may be no getting through to them. Dark magic corrupts the soul… it twists you into an evil, cold, empty shell of yourself. There’s a reason why every creature who ever tapped into its power was banished from Equestria.”

“And the history that I can remember never showed them in anything but a negative light to begin with,” Sunset added. “It may have been why they were banished in the first place.”

Liang let out a low chuckle. “Strange to think I’m taking such a concept with complete seriousness… do forgive me, Ensign, Commander. You make a fair point, but I still feel our best course of action is to try and communicate with them first.”

“Well we’re not going to accomplish that by walking up to the gate and asking to say hello,” Maia said, her expression grim. “Not unless we have a death wish.”

Cadeneza snapped her fingers and burst into sinister laughter. “Wait, wait, that’s it. That’s genius. I’m a genius.”

Liang pointedly coughed into his fist and glared at Cadeneza. “Do go ahead, Lieutenant.”

Straightening in her chair, Cadeneza said, “So, like, they’re arbiters of justice, right? That priestess said it herself. Every criminal is to be taken before them to be judged. So that’s our in. We break the law, we get dragged before them, and then we negotiate.”

Clairica spluttered, her eyes wide with what I could only assume was disbelief. “Are you mad? What if they’re surrounded by local guards? What if we have no time to talk? What if they simply decide to cast us into an oubliette for all eternity?”

“And you’re assuming we’ll be allowed to say anything,” Maia added with a snort of dismissive laughter. “Why would they assume we’re anything but low life criminals to be disposed of?”

“Hmm…” Liang hushed everyone by leaning forward and rubbing at his chin. “I believe your idea has some merit, Lieutenant, but the others are correct. There are holes. We need to find some way to communicate to the sirens that you’re not locals and that you need to talk.”

Sunset looked over at me and mouthed, “Magic?”

I raised my eyebrows and pondered the idea. Magic made the most sense. There had to be some way to use it to communicate to the sirens, some way to get a message across that the locals couldn’t see. A small smile formed on my muzzle, growing larger by the second till I said, “I’ve got it, sir! Suns--err, Commander Shimmer and I, when we were younger, we developed a way to use magic to write messages that no one else could see.”

“Oooh, I see where you’re going,” Sunset said with a chuckle. “Usually something like that would be useless in our world, where everyone has magic, but here, it’d be the best way to let the sirens know we mean business.”

“Yeah, there you go,” Cadeneza said. “Like glow in the dark paint.”

Liang coughed once more. “And you think this would work?”.

“Yes sir, I do,” Sunset said.

She tapped a few buttons on the display to bring up an overhead view of the palace. “Here’s what I’m thinking. Cadeneza, you and Maia will go back down to the planet, along with me. I’ll tag along using magic to hide myself from the locals, and I’ll cast the magic message spell on you, as well. You’ll deliberately get arrested and brought before the sirens, who hopefully will see the message I’ll have enchanted onto your clothing and heed our request to speak with us later that night.”

“We should test that first before we rely on it, Commander,” I interjected.

Sunset nodded to me. “We will.”

“Question,” Clairica said, raising her hand. “How will you hide yourself with magic?”

In response, Sunset’s horn glowed until she swirled and vanished from her chair. Startled gasps and murmurs filled the air as she said, “It’s an invisibility spell. I based the idea off of a cloaking device. It’s no good for anything except visible light though. Try a tricorder.”

Maia pulled out her tricorder and ran it in Sunset’s general direction. “Yeah you’re showing up bright as day.”

In a swirl of light Sunset reappeared. “Exactly. I came up with it when I was sixteen, but it only blocks light, so it’s never been very useful for anything other than a cool party trick.”

Cadeneza’s face fell. “Aww, man, Sunny, why’d you never tell me about this? We could’ve pulled so many pranks at the Academy!”

Liang coughed. “What was that, Lieutenant?”

Cadeneza jumped and sat up straight in her chair. “Nothing, sir.”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “So here’s the rest of the plan. Once it’s nighttime, I break you out and the three of us meet with the sirens. I’ll negotiate for them to leave with us. Assuming they’re cooperative, we all leave the palace, get far enough away, and the Phoenix beams us up.”

“Hmmm.” Liang closed his eyes and tapped his fingers atop his cane. We all quietly waited for him as he continued to drum his fingers, saying nothing, until his eyes shot open. “I’m not fond of this plan, Number One. It relies too much upon the sirens being willing to cooperate, and gives you no safe way to exit should something go wrong. But… apart from violating the Prime Directive, I see little alternative.”

He stood up from his chair, prompting the rest of us to stand as well. “Miss Eresh, Miss Danielle, thank you for your assistance in surveying the surface. Please report to Sick Bay to have your alterations removed. Cadeneza, Maia, Shimmer… you have the go ahead. You’ll have one local day to carry out your plan. In the meantime I will be contacting Starfleet for approved contingencies. Good luck.”

He left the room and we all began to file out in turn. At the last moment Sunset hung back and said, “Ensign, wait a moment, please.”

“Hmm?” I turned around and gasped when my face filled up with Sunset’s chest. “Wha, hey!”

Sunset wrapped her forelegs around me tight and squeezed, letting out a sigh before releasing me. “Sorry, Twilight,” she said with a sad smile. “I know I’m breaking the rule we agreed to, but...I just wanted to do that in case something goes wrong.”

Irritation and aggression warred within me, along with offense that Sunset still wasn’t taking my request to stay professional while on duty as seriously as she should. A spark of my old rage flared up as my lips pulled back from my teeth.

Then my brain caught up with my body and I forced myself to calm down, bowing my head for a moment so Sunset couldn’t see my rapidly changing expression. “It’s okay, Sunset,” I said, giving her a matching smile. “But you’ll be fine. You’re an alicorn… you can handle anything.”

Sunset’s face flushed red as she scratched at the back of her head. “I uh, I dunno about that.”

A wry chuckle escaped my lips. “Come on, you’re Sunset Shimmer. You had a warp core explode in your face and all that did was give you a pair of wings. You’re not going to be taken down by a bunch of primitive aliens with bows and spears.”

“It’s not them I’m worried about.” Sunset turned away from me. “It’s the sirens. You didn’t see first hoof what they did on that base. They annihilated those Jem’Hadar, Twilight. Smashed them into paste. They coated everything in blood and organs and mashed up bones. They even crushed a shuttlecraft.”

She took a shuddering breath, her knees wobbling and her tail lashing. “They… look, I’m good, but you and I both know how little magic we truly know. These are sorceresses who’ve been around for at least a thousand years, maybe more. We’re betting a lot on them being willing to cooperate. What if they won’t? What if they decide we’re a threat? If it came down to a fight, Twilight… they’d probably win. That scares me. A lot.”

Hearing her voice shake, seeing the quiver in her knees, the way her eyes grew so wide… it tore at my heart. I found myself rushing over to give her another hug, this one accompanied by a nuzzle, like we used to do when we were kids. “It’s going to be okay, Sunset. I believe in you.”

She looked up, a hopeful smile tugging at her muzzle. “You really mean that?”

I shrugged. “Yeah… yeah I do. We’re…” I had to take a moment to choose my words. “Look. You still make me furious, when I think about it. I’m not going to just get over everything I felt because we had an apology moment. Recovery doesn’t work that way.”

“I… I know that, Twilight, but what–”

“What I’m saying, Sunset, is that even though I had every reason to hate you… I still love you.” I nuzzled up to her again and gave her a second squeeze for good measure. “You’re my sister.”

“Hehehe,” Sunset laughed, her smile growing. “BSBFF?”

“Eeeeeh… you’ll have to work to get that title back,” I replied with a snicker.

“Fair enough, Twilight, but I’ll get it back. I promise.” Sunset said. She gave me one last hug, then broke off. “I need to get to the transporter room. Cadeneza and Maia are waiting for me.” She stepped towards the door then turned around. “See you later?”

“Definitely,” I said, nodding.

Right after the doors swished closed, my combadge chirped. “Liang to Sparkle. Would you please see me in my ready room?”

“Oh what now?” I moaned. I tapped it and replied, “On my way.”

Passing through the conference room doors I ascended the ramp, entered the bridge, then made my way around the side into the Captain’s ready room. Inwardly I quaked. What was this about? Sunset and I made up, so it couldn’t be about the transfer orders. Unless he decided to transfer me anyway!

No, no, that was ridiculous. I hunched my shoulders and took some deep breaths to calm myself. He wouldn’t do this to me now. “Reporting as ordered, sir,” I said as I entered.

Liang smiled my way. “I’m sure you’re feeling concerned. Please don’t, Ensign. In truth I called you in here to discuss a few contingency plans.”

My eyebrows rose. “Contingency plans, sir?”

“Yes. I need some options in the event Commander Shimmer fails to sway the sirens.” Liang adjusted his uniform and sat down, indicating for me to do likewise. “Ensign, I need to swear you to secrecy. I’m about to reveal to you something classified above your standard security clearance. Be aware that disclosure to anyone without sufficient security clearance will be grounds for termination and imprisonment under the uniform code of Starfleet justice. Do you understand?”

I blinked in confusion. “Err, yes sir, but why are you revealing it to me?”

“Special orders.” Liang pulled out a PADD and pushed it over. “These came from Starfleet Intelligence during our journey from the Basin to this planet. I’ve already made Commander Shimmer aware of them. You and her are the only people aboard apart from myself with authorization.”

I picked up the PADD in my magic and switched it on. My eyes darted down immediately to the name signed at the bottom, my face screwing up in disgust. “Nechayev.”

Liang chuckled. “Yes, believe me, I heard an earful from Shimmer. I’m well aware of your family’s personal opinion of the woman and frankly they’re not totally wrong. But she’s still our superior officer. More importantly, look at her orders.”

I nodded, reading carefully:

To Captain James Liang,

Stardate 51015.3

You are hereby requested and required to take the individuals known as “Sirens” into custody with all due haste. They are to be kept prisoner aboard the Phoenix until such time as they can be remanded into the custody of Starfleet intelligence. Under no circumstances are they allowed to remain free. Should they prove to be too difficult to contain, you are authorized and required to eliminate them using any means necessary, including magical assistance from Commander Shimmer or Ensign Sparkle. You will be permitted to violate the Prime Directive in order to carry out this order.

Signed,
Admiral Alynna Nechayev

A sick feeling rose in my stomach until it filled my mouth with its disgusting sour taste. “This is absurd! E-even if they’re evil sorceresses, they’re still people! We can’t just take them prisoner, or-or execute them!”

“I agree with you in principle, Ensign,” Liang replied. “That’s why I approved Shimmer’s plan. Any chance for a peaceful resolution to this, I will take. I am doing everything I can to fight this order. I have no intention of imprisoning them unless they violate Federation law in some manner, which they have yet to do. However…”

He sighed and slumped in his chair, bringing one hand up to rub at his brow. “However, we must be prepared for the possibility our peaceful resolution will fail. That’s why I need you, Ensign. As the only other being in Starfleet capable of using magic, I’ll need whatever suggestions or methods you have for neutralizing their powers and, if necessary, their lives.”

“Err, well…They’re still planet bound, sir. We could…” I swallowed, hating myself more with every word I spoke. “We could always bombard their location with photon torpedoes.”

“Destroying an entire city of innocent aliens in the process,” Liang replied in a low, heavy voice. “That’s the last option I want to take.”

“Then… high intensity tachyon beam,” I suggested. “Surround the palace with enough emitters to short circuit the magic dome and we should be able to beam them out on the spot.”

“Risky,” Liang commented, rubbing at his chin. “And it could be interrupted by the locals. Though you’ve yet to suggest anything Shimmer didn’t already. Are there any other options you’re aware of?”

“Err, no, not really, sir,” I answered straight away. “She knows more magic than I do, she’s an alicorn… I’m just a unicorn who learned everything second-hoof. I… wait.”

He sat up in his chair and hunched forward. “Yes?”

“There is one thing I can do that Sunset can’t.” I swallowed again, wishing like hell I had some water. “I can enchant a device with a special version of the nullification charm. This version would… shut their powers down instantly, by blocking the flow of mana.”

“Curious. Shimmer never mentioned such a spell.” Liang eyed me warily. “Why is that?”

I squeezed my eyes shut and sighed before opening them again. “Because it’s illegal, to put it mildly. There are dampener rings that Equestria uses for unicorns who commit crimes, but what I’m talking about… it’s more than that. It doesn’t just dampen the magic. It seals it away so they can’t use it, even though they’re aware of it. Like a prisoner trapped behind a glass wall, but no one outside can hear them scream.”

A shudder forced its way down my spine and straight through my hooves. “I discovered the spell in a tattered old book in the basement archive of the Canterlot library, while preparing for my entrance exam to enter Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. It’s a dark magic spell, sir. I have no idea how or why the book was there. It wasn’t even registered in the library’s records. But I… I still remember the spell. I read it only once yet still it sticks to the back of my mind like glue. I’ve never cast it. Never even thought about casting it, But yes, it is possible.”

“I’m not sure I understand how that’s dark magic,” Liang replied as he drummed his fingertips on his desk.

I choked, staring at him in pure shock for a moment before I remembered who I was talking to. “Magic is everything to our species, sir. To everyone of every species on our world. Cutting off the flow of magic like that… The only real analogy I can think of is losing a limb, but it’s so much worse than that. It’s like having your soul ripped in half. You’d be crippled, cut off from the force that all life on our planet depends upon.”

Liang gave me a solemn nod. “I see. So not something to take lightly.”

“No sir. I… I don’t know if this is true or not, but Sunset told me about stories she read, about the spell being used on a group of ponies who had done some truly heinous acts. In her story they were all subjected to this spell, and only days later they all died, because they...” Another shudder slipped through me. “And that’s without taking into account the cost t-to me for using such magic to begin with…”

Liang looked at me wordlessly for several long moments. “You know, I’m both glad you’ve told me about this, and disappointed. Glad, because it means we have a solution that won’t result in the loss of tens of thousands of lives. Disappointed because it means I can’t ignore the possibility if it becomes required. Ordering you to do such a thing, I...I suppose saying I would feel horrible is putting it very mildly indeed.”

“Yes, sir,” I said. “Permission to speak freely?”

“Granted, of course.”

I sat up straight in my chair. “I don’t think we need to worry about Sunset. If anyone can somehow talk the sirens down and into cooperating, it’s her. I believe in her.”

Liang smiled warmly at me. “Ah, Miss Sparkle... it warms my heart to hear you say that, after all the conflict between the two of you.” Liang brought up his cane and drummed his fingers atop it. “Well, I shall share in your confidence, then. I know my Number One, and you’re right. If anyone can do it, she can.” He inclined his cane towards the door. “Dismissed.”

“Aye sir,” I said, pivoting on my heels and walking out the door. I returned to the science station to monitor the away team. They’d chosen not to use the cameras this time, but I could still keep an eye on their vital signs and track them, at least until they wandered too far into the palace’s blockade field. It gave me something to do at least.

Because otherwise, all I could do was wish Sunset good luck.

Author's Note

Hey all, it's everyones' favorite color with an AN. I'll keep it brief in anticipation for next week.

No mini's this week, instead we're having part two next week followed by four minis in row. Be excited, lots of fun stuff coming soon!

Hope you all enjoyed part 1, I'm going to stalk the comments while burning in the sun. Look forward go next week!

Blue said it. I'm afraid I'm too tired to say much myself, so I hope you enjoyed my lovely readers.

Season 2 Episode 5: "A Dazzling Introduction Part 2"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02E05

“A Dazzling Introduction”

Part 2

Ask most anyone in Starfleet, and they’ll tell you that you only visit the ships’ armory for one of two reasons: either your standard issue hand phaser needs maintenance, or something bad is about to go down.

I'm pretty sure our poor armory officer thought I was prepping for the apocalypse, but with the sirens involved I wasn’t about to take any chances. I grabbed a freshly overhauled type-two phaser and three extra charge packs, enough to keep the phaser running at max setting for hours if I had to. Wartime conditions mandated the addition of an array of non-standard equipment to all ships mainly to support special ops teams, commonly called MACOs, should they be posted to a ship to conduct an operation. I took full advantage of that, snagging a tactical tricorder that was hardened against both physical damage and electronic interference, as well as a pair of programmable goggles that could switch between over half a dozen scanning modes.

After promising the quartermaster a dozen times I’d bring the gear back in pristine order, I snatched everything up in my magic and sped to deck six, where the rest of the team was gathered just outside the main transporter room.

“What’s the hold up?” Cadeneza groused. “It’s gonna be local night in less than two hours.”

“Sorry, had to grab some extra gear,” I answered blithely. “You know, in case I have to come save your ass.”

Cadeneza grinned as she led us all into the transporter room. “Fair enough. So while you were up there, Maia and I were talkin’ out what we’re gonna do to get ourselves arrested.”

“We reasoned that fighting was insufficient, based upon our encounter with the pottery seller,” Maia added, her face a picture of neutrality. “So we’ve come up with another idea.”

“What is it? You’re gonna break as many clay pots as you can find?” I asked. The grin on Cadeneza’s face worried me. I knew that grin all too well, and I could only hope whatever she had thought up wasn’t entirely reckless.

Cadeneza reached into her toga and pulled out a small hammer made from rough-hewn materials, presumably replicated to resemble similar tools from the planet’s surface. “We’re gonna smash up the statue.”

I could feel my face crumple as I glared at her. “You’re trying to get arrested, not incite a riot.” I shifted my gaze to Maia. “And you approve of this plan?”

A small smile briefly formed on Maia’s face, then vanished just as quickly. “It seems to make the most sense. It’ll get their attention quickly.”

“More’n that, it’ll guarantee they’ll wanna bring us before their goddesses for divine retribution,” Cadeneza added as she tapped the end of the hammer against her palm.

“Or they’ll execute you on the spot,” I countered. But it wasn’t as if I’d come up with a better plan. So I turned to the transporter chief. “Chief, I want you to keep a lock on us at all times. You’ll lose it when we cross into the barrier around the palace, but you are to keep a watch out and be ready to transport us out the instant we reappear.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

“And monitor our vital signs while you’re at it,” I said as I stepped up onto the transporter pad. “I expect they’ll get a bit roughed up, but if it looks like they’ve been seriously injured, beam them directly to sickbay without delay.”

Cadeneza snickered as she and Maia joined me on the pad. “What, you think they’re gonna stab us or something?”

“Considering you’re about to tear up their prized statue, they just might,” I said. I closed my eyes to focus and summoned up my invisibility spell, cloaking myself from view. “Chief, you still have full lock on me, correct?”

The chief eyed his console for a moment then nodded. “Yes ma’am, I do.”

“Good. Energize.”

The world around us dissolved and reformed into a back alleyway stuck between a pair of stone buildings. The instant the transporter beam faded out a vicious stench slammed into me like a train. The foul mix of cooked meat, trash, and excrement attacked my nose all at once and left me doubled over against the wall, gagging and wheezing.

“You okay there, Sunny?” Cadeneza asked, looking in my general direction. She had the biggest grin on her face. “The smell a bit much for you?”

“You… you jerk, you know I have a sensitive nose!” I growled back, though it was tainted by a touch of laughter.

“Yeaaaah… figured you’d appreciate the full experience.” Cadeneza snickered, her clawed hand shooting to cover her mouth before she broke into raucous laughter.

Now somewhat inured to the stench, I shot a fiery glare at Cadeneza, before remembering she couldn’t see it. “That’s enough, Lieutenant.”

Cadeneza straightened up at once and cleared her throat. “Um, yes ma’am.”

I pulled out my hardened tricorder, grateful that my spell allowed me to see it clearly even if no one else could. “I’m keying this into your lapel cameras now,” I said as my magic danced across the tricorder’s keypad. “I’m going to feed my own magic into it too, so I should still be able to see and hear everything you do, even inside the palace.”

I waited for the confirmation beep from the tricorder then returned it to my pack for the moment. “Now hold still. I need to cast the message on you.”

“What’re you writing on---aaah, that tickles!” Cadeneza burst into giggles, twitching and convulsing as she grabbed for her chest. “G-gah, Sunset! Watch where you’re pointing that thing.”

“Just a reminder, ma’am, but we can still hear everything you’re saying aboard the ship,” said Twilight through our combadges. I could hear the deep levels of sarcasm and a touch of scorn in her voice, or at least that’s what it sounded like to me.

“Well then tell your sister to stop tickli--there we go.” Cadeneza brushed off her toga and glared at a section of alley wall nowhere near me. “Why didn’t you warn me that it would tickle?”

“Side effect of the magic,” I said, somehow keeping the amusement out of my voice. Of course it was a side effect only because I did it on purpose, but I wasn’t going to admit to that. “Figured you’d appreciate the full experience.”

Cadeneza rolled her eyes and stared down at herself. “I don’t see it.”

“She said we wouldn’t, remember?” Maia interjected as she stepped forward. “Commander, I’m ready.”

“Right,” I muttered as I lit up my horn again and duplicated the message across Maia’s body, taking care to make the sensation as minimal as possible. Even so, I saw Maia twitch more than a few times, her expression cracking. Either she was really sensitive or it was harder to control my magic than I thought. “Done.”

I stepped back to admire my work. I’d written the same message on both of them. It was plain, simple, to the point, and most importantly, written in High Old Ponish, a language sure to get the Siren’s attention. I’d eschewed anything too specific in favor of the following: “Ponies. Magic. Meeting. Rescue. Tonight.” Hopefully those five words plus the language they were written in would be all we’d need.

“Alright, I’m going to wait here,” I said, finding the nearest semi-clean spot to sit down on. “I never thought I’d say this, but… you two go out there and get yourselves into some trouble.”

“Right. Shall we, Ensign?” Cadeneza said, grinning as she took out her replicated hammer.

I saw Maia’s mouth curl in amusement as she pulled out a matching one. “Let's be bad guys.”

I took out the tricorder again and synced it to their camera feeds, also hooking the audio into my universal translator so only I could hear it. The image fuzzed slightly as they approached the fountain, but not nearly as much as the camera feeds on the ship had..

The plaza was much less crowded than it had been earlier. A smattering of locals shopped at the few vendors who were still open at this late hour. A rather shady looking pair were hunched over near the fountain itself, quietly exchanging what looked to be satchels of goods. If they were smugglers of some kind the dozen guards still present didn't seem to notice, or care.

They scurried away as Cadeneza and Maia sauntered up to the statue fountain. In the distance I saw the closest guards stiffen, their holds on their spears intensifying. But like they had no care in the world, Maia and Cadeneza looked directly at the guards, waved at them cheerfully, then hopped into the fountain itself and started climbing on the statue.

Then Cadeneza raised her voice. “Ladies, hear me!” she cried out, getting the attention of all of the guards in the plaza, along with everyone else in the area. “What is wrong with us? You see these sexy fish people? Do they look like you and me? No? So why’re we treating them like goddesses, huh?”

“Oh good grief,” I moaned, slapping a hoof to my face. Cadeneza’s instant religious attack sure was drawing attention. I saw guards close the distance at a steady pace, already shouting out orders.

“Here’s what I think of the latest bout of insanity to grip this city of ours!” Cadeneza said as she raised her hammer. Then she brought it down, right on the face of the middle siren, hard enough to shatter the stone nose and send pieces falling into the fountain with soft little plops as they hit the water.

Maia raised her own hammer to strike, but the first hit was more than the guards could stand. As a unit, they all screamed for Cadeneza and Maia to stop, brandishing their weapons while rushing in. Two of them dragged Maia and Cadeneza off the statue and hurtled them to the ground, caring not a whit for how their bodies hit the cobblestone. I winced at the sight, then cringed again as I saw one of the guards kick Maia in the stomach.

“Blasphemers!”

“Sinners!”

“Unbelievers!”

The guards spewed epitaph after epitaph as they continued to beat up on Cadeneza and Maia. The beating went on for so long I started reaching up for my combadge to beg for an emergency beam out.

Fortunately, one of the guards, the one in charge judging by her fancier armor and sigil pinned on her left breast, ordered them to stop. “That’s enough! Pick them up now. We’re taking them to the goddesses. Crimes like this are far too grave for us mere mortals to pass judgement. Take them to the goddesses immediately!.”

One of the guards sneered and raised her sword, ready to plunge into Cadeneza’s side, only to choke and gasp as a spear punctured her clean through the chest and out the back. She tried to speak and only managed to splutter a spray of blood as the spear was ripped out of her body and a kick sent her flying. She collapsed, blood pooling around her as she twitched, convulsed, then lay still.

“Fool. What did I just say?” growled the guard captain as she wiped the point of her spear off on the dead guard’s uniform. “Anyone else gets any bright ideas, that’s the fate that awaits you.”

She turned to Cadeneza and grabbed her roughly by her hair. I switched to Maia’s feed so I could see Cadenza. Trickles of blood ran down her face from her nose and the side of her mouth. Bruises and welts decorated her body, and from the way she clutched at her side I had to hope it was just an injured rib and not something worse. “I hope they order you burned alive, you disgusting heretic. I’ll draw it out as long as possible, trust me.”

“Yeah, well, I’m too ho–” the guard captain belted her across the face.

“Shut it. No more blaspheming from you.”

The guard captain unceremoniously tossed Cadeneza into the waiting arms of two others who proceeded to drag her by her arms, subjecting the rest of Cadeneza's body to even bumps and bruises along the way. I switched to Cadeneza’s camera feed just in time to see another pair hefting up Maia in the same manner. Maia was far less injured than Cadeneza, probably thanks to her extra training letting her absorb blows in just the right way to avoid taking as much damage. Her face was still peppered with bruises and blotches though.

The twin gates opened with a mighty creak as the wooden beams groaned under the strain, pulled open by teams of slave men tugging on ropes. As the gates closed behind them, I made sure to keep my eyes peeled and memorize every bit of area I saw, even as the image fuzzed up with static. Cries of pain and the cracks of whips followed them past a courtyard lined with interior walls topped by crenelations, an archer stationed by each one. While none of us could see them, I was almost certain there were murder holes above them, ready to pour hot oil onto intruders.

“I can’t see anything more, ma’am,” said Twilight, causing me to jump. “We’ve lost sight of them on our sensors.”

“They’re fine for now,” I reported, keeping my voice quiet. “I’ll let you know if anything changes. For now I’m asking for radio silence.”

A double tap echoing through my combadge confirmed her agreement as it went dead.

I refocused my attention on the tricorder. Most of the guards had split off, presumably returning to the gates as Cadeneza and Maia were carried by a pair each, with the captain overseeing them. They passed through a smaller interior gate, inside a stone corridor just wide enough for the two disguised officers to be dragged abreast.

I swapped over to Maia’s feed just in time to see her looking over at Cadeneza, giving me a better look at her injuries. Despite the clear signs of pain in her face, Cadeneza looked directly at the camera and gave a slight nod, as if to say she was okay.

The innards of Canterlot Castle this wasn’t. Rough hewn stone formed every surface, while torches hung in sconces, burning what had to be a foul form of pitch, judging by the thick black smoke they were belching into the air. The occasional tapestry hung from the walls showcasing what I could only guess were family or clan banners, ranging from stylized images of the lizard beasts to splashes of color surrounding a pair of slash marks and a variety of other animals and vegetation I didn’t recognize. It was an oddly medieval sight amongst what up till now had appeared more Roman.

Then the corridor emptied into a foyer similar to the one before Celestia’s throne room, only without even a shred of the grandeur or cleanliness. Great wooden tables lined with piles of food stretched across the room, with dozens of people sitting at them, most of them wearing some kind of green tunic and trousers combination that must’ve formed the underclothing for the guards. Shouts and cries of merriment mixed with the clacking of wooden goblets and steins together as ale flowed and meat was swallowed.

They fell quiet as Cadeneza and Maia were dragged past them, eying them suspiciously. “What’s all this then?” asked one sitting at the head of the longest table. Unlike the rest, her tunic and trousers were dyed purple and blue, and she openly carried a greatsword strapped across her back, despite wearing no armor beneath it.

“A pair of blasphemers, Centurion,” spoke the guard captain as she came to a halt and raked her claw tips against her chest in some odd version of a salute. “They tried to destroy the statue of the goddesses.”

The Centurion’s face broke into a deep, dark scowl as she rose from her chair and approached them. “Is that so?” she said, her voice low and full of danger as she reached forth to wrap a hand around Cadeneza’s throat. “Tell me, heathen. What possessed you to be so foolish?”

“They’re no goddesses… plus I’m prettier…” Cadeneza choked out as she wheezed, desperate to draw in air.

The Centurion backhanded her across the face, releasing the grip on her throat at the same time, sending Cadeneza sprawling to the ground. The Centurian turned to Maia. “And what about you, hmm? Did you have the same flippant reason? Or do you possess a modicum of intelligence that your cohort so clearly lacks?”

Maia’s gaze turned stone-cold, frozen in time, unmoving as a mountain. She and the Centurion engaged in a staring match for several long moments before she was abruptly backhanded as well.

“I’ve seen enough. Carry on. Our goddesses could use some entertainment for their evening meal.” The Centurion fell back into her chair and returned to rending a piece of flesh from a bone.

The guards wasted no time picking Cadeneza and Maia up again and resumed dragging them. Through Maia's camera I saw them pass by what looked to be a throne room before turning down a side corridor and up a flight of stairs. As they reached the top of the stairs the decorations shifted noticeably. Elegantly carved marble replaced the rough hewn stone, while cheerful and well ventilated fireplaces replaced the crude pitch torches, allowing us to see far more magnificent tapestries and other decorations.

Unfortunately the image also began to get fuzzier the further they went. I was unable to make out too many details save for them approaching yet another large set of double doors, these guarded by a quartet of beefy, towering women carrying wicked large axes. These doors were made of some sort of richer material, judging by the carved silver and gold on the door handles.

“Halt,” said the largest of the four guards, holding her axe forward. “The goddesses will see no more criminals today.”

“They will see these,” insisted the guard captain as he dragged Cadeneza forward by her hair. “They tried to destroy the statue of the goddesses, and this one–” the captain yanked Cadeneza’s hair again, causing her to yelp. “–dared claim that she possessed more beauty than them.”

Rather than say something back, the guard bowed her head, whispering quietly to herself. I caught, at just the edge of my hearing, a rising and falling note, like someone singing, before she opened her eyes again. “They will see them.”

She backed away, allowing the guard captain and those carrying Cadeneza and Maia to enter.

Whatever the source of the interference, it must’ve been something in that room, because the image instantly became so fuzzy I could barely make anything out past the static. I did catch sight of three familiar looking humanoids, dressed this time in flowing white gossamer gowns, and heard what sounded like running water and a soft hum.

Then a trio of voices harmonizing together hit the audio, and my head spun like crazy… falling… listening… all I could hear was the music… listen to them… obey…obey...

Struggling against the implicit command I managed to slap the mute button on the tricorder, cutting off the flow of magic in an instant. This left me with little to see save for flashes of clear images amidst the static, but it was enough. I saw the sirens approach. One raised a hand in Cadeneza and Maia’s direction which started to glow, only for another one to pull her away, her eyes widening in surprise as they danced up and down Cadeneza and Maia’s bodies, right where the magic words were written. The two exchanged words, then they joined the other one in a huddle together, whispering, arguing amongst each other.

Then one of them, the one with the bush of orange hair, approached and looked directly at Cadeneza’s lapel camera. I switched on the audio just in time to hear her say, “...come meet us in three hours. We will be waiting.”

She stepped away and held up her hand, palm outward, her index and middle finger raised and glowing with an eerie white light while the rest were curled. “These two will be imprisoned for tonight,” she declared. Heard clearly I discerned this was the one with a voice like rich chocolate, deep and sensuous. “They will die at dawn, roasting over an open fire. Begone with them!”

The guards wasted no time in dragging Cadeneza and Maia out of the siren's sight. They went back down the same staircase as before only now they turned down a different corridor, one that quickly emptied out into a cramped, stone-walled chamber that was pretty clearly set up as a holding cell. A barred door of iron and wood slammed shut, sealing them inside a dark room lit only by the slightest of light emerging from a few slits in the wall near the ceiling, allowing the twin moons of this planet to shine down.

“Commander Shimmer, come in,” Cadeneza groaned as she fell against one very damp looking wall, slipping into the slime at the bottom. “Come in, damn it.”

“I’m here, Cadeneza,” I responded, keeping my voice quiet. “Looks like we succeeded.”

“Oh yeah? Is that what happened?” Cadeneza glared directly at Maia’s camera, her head lolling. “I couldn’t understand a damned thing. Soon as we went inside all I could hear was… singing… the voices… like they took control of my every thought… all I could do was listen.”

“The same thing occurred to me,” Maia chimed in. “I was able to resist long enough to see them clearly, but… I gave in.”

“Don’t worry about it, Ensign,” I said. “Their magic was strong enough that it came right through the tricorder. I almost gave in till I managed to shut off the sound. I should’ve been more prepared for that. They’re sirens, their voices are their magic. Good thing they stopped when they did.”

“They did?” Cadeneza rolled over and groaned, clutching at her stomach. “God damn, they really did a number on us, you know.”

“You have at least two broken ribs,” Maia declared as she squatted down to poke at Cadeneza. “Numerous contusions as well. But, you’ll be fine.”

“Easy for you to say, Miss I-trained-for-this-shit,” Cadeneza snorted. “Forget it. Look, Sun--err, Commander, what were you saying about them stopping?”

“They stopped singing when they saw the magic written on your bodies,” I answered. “You must have been sufficiently under their spell it didn’t matter, but they figured out pretty quick you weren’t from around here. Looked right into the camera and everything. They want to meet us in three hours.”

“Great. So I guess that part of the plan’s a success, huh?” Cadeneza let out a pained chuckle. “Wasn’t banking on the ass kicking though.”

“What did you think would happen?” Maia asked, amusement clearly written all over her face.

Cadeneza raised both hands for long enough to flip Maia off. “Screw you, Ensign.”

“Okay, settle down, you two,” I ordered. “We’ll need to play our next move carefully. I’m going to approach the palace here soon, try to find a way for me to sneak in, and for us to sneak back out.”

Cadeneza snapped her fingers. “Wait. Wait a damn minute. Why don’t we just ask them to turn off their dampening field or whatever the hell it is once we’re meeting with them?”

“They can’t do that,” I answered simply. “I didn’t see what was projecting it while you were in there, but for it to be as strong as it is, it’s got to be a permanently enchanted artifact. Once it’s turned on you can’t just switch it off. It keeps going until it’s deactivated by the one who enchanted it… or destroyed.”

“I’m guessing shattering it on purpose is out of the question,” Maia said, “or else you would have suggested we do so when we were planning.”

“That’s right,” I said, nodding even though I knew full well she couldn’t see me. “It’d be like breaking open a fusion reactor core, or overloading a phaser.”

Cadeneza sighed and held up her hands together, miming an explosion. “Big boom?”

“Big boom,” I agreed with a snort of laughter. “As in, enough to blow up half the city boom.”

“Great. Just great. That’s a good thing to leave around. What could possibly go wrong?” Cadeneza groused.

“Forget about it,” Maia suggested with a shake of her head. “There’s little to nothing we can do right now. We can suggest a plan to the sirens when we speak to them. I suggest for now that you and I get some rest. Commander Shimmer will need silence to track us down safely.”

“Why didn’t we bring some kind of first aid kit with us,” Cadeneza groused. “Or maybe a sandwich or something.”

“You really want to eat something in this dirty filth?” Maia inquired. As if to emphasize her statement, some sort of rodent creature poked its head out of a hole in the wall, its nose twitched in their direction before it disappeared.

“...no.” Cadeneza shifted against the wall. “Fine. Just… I’m gonna nap then. Wake me up when our ride gets here.”

“Understood, Lieutenant,” I said, keeping the grin out of my voice. “Return to radio silence. You’ll see me next when I’m busting you out.”

I switched off the camera feed and double tapped my combadge, shifting it to a silent vibrate so it wouldn’t chirp and blow my cover. I took a moment to switch the tricorder back to a more basic mapping and life detecting scan mode, I floated it up just ahead of me and quietly trotted out of the alley.

Save for a few tall poles topped with clusters of those same foul smelling pitch torches, the city had been plunged into nighttime. Most of these clustered around guard posts, letting them see clearly around their positions while drowning most of the street in shadows.

I slipped on the goggles and toggled over to night vision. Under other circumstances I might’ve used a spell to achieve this effect, but with the siren’s nullification charm I didn’t risk using magic to augment my vision, especially not when I would be struggling just to maintain my invisibility spell.

Peering out into the streets, I was again reminded of just how large the technology gap was between Equestria and Earth, where the mirror had sent me to all those years ago. The concept of night vision had just been introduced to Equestria when I left. I recall watching the scientists demonstrating the product on Princess Celestia herself, and I remember failing to hold back my comment of how adorable she looked with the magic-gem enhanced goggles strapped to her head.

But those simple goggles could only show the world in an odd shade of green, and any light source other than a candle would blind you instantly. Not so with the Starfleet version. These goggles used a variety of sensors to transform the low light around me into standard visual light, giving the appearance of normal daylight without the sun.

Still, the technology was almost too good. The goggles could replicate light but not shadows, giving everything an almost 2D impression, like the world was nothing more than cardboard cutouts that could be flipped or tipped over at will. The end result felt far too artificial and rubbed my pony instincts the wrong way, making my ears swivel around like satellite dishes and my tail elevate to the point of sticking straight up.

“Come on, Sunset, keep it together,” I murmured as I clamped down on myself with a combination of various meditative techniques to keep quiet, minimizing noise. Even the guards were few and far between now, many of them looking like they were half awake at best. The only building I saw with signs of activity looked to be an inn or pub of some kind, judging by the raucous noise coming from its open windows.

I quickly crossed the fountain plaza and approached the front gates, where a larger group of guards still stood watch, grimacing and occasionally letting out quiet yawns. Going in through the front door was stupid, even with my invisibility spell, so I backed away and trotted down along the walls in both directions for a while. In both cases I reached a dead end of buildings too short to reach the top of the walls.

Out of options from the ground level I took to the air, using careful, gentle wing flaps to keep myself aloft as I surveyed the wall from above. “Damn it,” I whispered. “They’re smart.” The interior side of the walls were all uniform in size, and I didn't see any way to get over or through them that didn't require either a ladder or a passageway that would be easy to block off. "Ponyfeathers. We'll need something different for sure.”

I quickly checked the time on my tricorder then brought up its survey mode. It was dead useless beyond five meters, just like it had been in the Dominion base, but as I drew closer to the ground I was able to map out the wall's dimensions, which only confirmed my visual observations. I’d have to land to get anything from below the surface.

So, taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I came in for a quiet, gentle landing just inside the gates, within plain sight of two guards. One narrowed her eyes and sniffed the air. “Do… Do you smell that?”

I froze, my heart hammering in my chest as the other guard replied, “Yeah… smells… weird. Like a lizard beast without its scales. And furry.”

“I dunno what it is, but it smells good.” The first one licked her lips. “Making me hungry.”

The other one snorted. “You’re always hungry.”

The two guards jabbered on as I slowly slunk away, but now every step I took made my body twitch in fear. Every pony instinct in me screamed to fly away, run away, get as far away from these aliens as possible.

So I stopped in a shadowed area just outside the palace and took a moment to focus. I drew upon one of T’Lona’s meditative techniques, a basic method of controlled breathing, one of the only ones I’d kept up practicing with. Within a couple of moments I’d managed to slow my heart from a full gallop to a brisk canter. Not perfect, but it was enough for now. “Starfleet officer, Sunset,” I whispered. “Starfleet. Remember that.”

I brought my tricorder out again and pressed it down to the dirt, trying to scan for underground passages. There were a few my tricorder could make out, most centered around the palace itself, but nothing too obvious. No boltholes or maintenance hatches I could discover.

My tricorder flashed at me insistently, reminding me two and a half hours had elapsed. I didn’t have time to keep searching. I’d have to hope that the sirens knew the best way out… assuming they wanted to leave at all.

I hurried to the interior gate and slipped inside the heart of the palace. From here, I followed my memories and the recordings the tricorder took to wind my way towards the dungeon where Cadeneza and Maia were trapped. The inside of the palace was about as quiet as the streets outside, making it relatively easy to sneak by the few guards I saw milling about.

Fortunately, the dungeon itself only had two guards, both looking bored out of their minds as they sat at a table playing a game of dice underneath the light of a torch. After considering my options for a moment, I decided the brute force approach was best, and brought out my phaser, switching it to a wide-beam stun setting. I made sure the door behind me was closed to hide as much of the phaser noise as possible, lined up my shot, and squeezed the trigger.

The phaser lanced out with a screech that sounded all too deafening to my pony ears in the small space, but it lasted barely a heartbeat, just long enough to send both guards toppling to the floor. I swiftly grabbed them in my magic to keep them from injuring themselves, and pushed them aside where they could lay against the wall.

After taking a second to listen out for other approaching guards, and hearing none, I approached the door and knocked quietly on it. “Cadeneza! Maia!” I hissed. “It’s me! Sunset!”

The sound of boots on stone preceded a whispered shout through the door. “Yeah, no shit it’s you, Sunny. A phaser’s kind of unmistakable.”

“Okay. I’m unlocking the door now.” I took the key from one of the sleeping guards, slipped it into the lock, and cracked open the door.

Maia and Cadeneza fled the dungeon cell so fast they nearly toppled me over, with Cadeneza taking a deep breath of fresh air even as she continued to clutch at her injured side. “Oh god that’s better,” Cadeneza said. “It stinks in there.”

I glanced inside, gagged at the sight of filth and scum coating the walls, and quickly closed the door. “I can see that. How’re your injuries? Can you move quietly?”

“I can, ma’am,” Maia answered, despite the occasional flash of pain crossing her otherwise impassive face. “I’ll be fine till we return to the Phoenix. However, the lieutenant might be a problem.”

“It’s my ribs,” Cadeneza agreed with a grunt. “I can move but… I dunno if I can sneak. Or run.”

“Damn it,” I muttered as I took a closer look, running my tricorder over her. “You’ve got two fractured ribs and one’s completely broken. Your right ankle and knee are sprained too. I don’t know how you’re still standing.”

“Cause I’m a tough bitch,” Cadeneza snorted, though I noticed her casting a longing gaze at the nearby occupied chairs. “Just gimme some meds. You got a hypo, right?”

I reached into my uniform pockets and pulled out the single hypospray I’d brought along. “Yes, but this isn’t really an analgesic. It’s more of a sedative.”

“Gimme that.” She snatched it out of my magic and examined it. “Triptaceredine? Why’d you load it with this?”

“In case I needed to knock out any guards with it and my magic or the phaser didn’t work,” I muttered.

Rolling her eyes, Cadeneza adjusted the settings on the hypo to dial down the dosage, then pressed it to her side and activated it. The hiss of the hypo was followed by an immediate sigh of relief from Cadeneza. “Aaugh that’s better…” Her face drooped as she handed the hypo back over to me. “Minimum dose. I’ll… I’ll be fine. For now.”

“Alright then. Stay close,” I ordered. “I’m going to make us all invisible. Don’t forget: this is visual only. They can still hear you.” I shivered. “And smell you.”

“Great,” Cadeneza groaned as she and Maia closed around me.

Closing my eyes, I called upon my magic, forming the spell matrix. Our proximity to the source of the nullification spell amped up the difficulty significantly, but thankfully my alicorn magic pushed through it and after a few moments we were all invisible. “Let’s go. Follow my lead.”

“Uh, how? I can’t see you,” Cadeneza said.

Rolling my eyes, I snapped my tail out till it brushed her. “Hold my tail. Maia, you hold onto Cadeneza’s uniform.”

A low chuckle, more like a purr really, burbled from Cadeneza’s throat. “As you wish, ma’am,” she said.

“Lieutenant,” I said in a warning tone.

“What? I didn’t say anything.”

“Would you like me to switch places with her, ma’am?” Maia inquired.

Scoffing, I replied, “No. We need to move. I’m going to walk slowly. Keep up.”

To say progress was slow like this would be like saying a novice’s chances against a grandmaster of Strategema weren’t very good: a drastic understatement. Over and over I cursed myself for not taking time to enhance the spell beforehand so we could at least see each other while under its effects.

A few whispered directions from Maia got us through to the sirens' room relatively quickly, and the lone guard was easily knocked out by a single application of the hypospray set to maximum. Then we opened the door and entered the siren’s chamber.

I’d thought the passageways around the siren’s room were immaculate and elegant, but they were nothing compared to this chamber. Marble walls and elegantly carved columns soared at least ten meters above us to a ceiling virtually covered in tile frescos. Large fur and silk rugs dotted the equally polished stone floor, which gently reflected the light provided by the standing torches arrayed along the walls.

A ruby red run of carpet formed a path to a raised platform on the right side of the chamber, where a trio of four-poster beds with silken curtains sat clustered around a large, ornate fireplace. Opposite them was a large bath that could more accurately be described as a small pool, the water continually steaming thanks to the layer of glowing coals beneath it.

What caught my eyes the most, however, was the large obelisk at the far side of the chamber. Carved from what I could only guess was obsidian, it rose nearly to the ceiling, and seemed perfectly positioned to catch the soft light of the planet's twin moons that streamed through a large window.

And the sirens themselves, still wearing the gowns I’d spotted them in earlier, lounged about on a set of bronze wrought chairs with gold and silver filigree, piled high with various cushions. One of them, the one with the bushy orange hair, looked up at the sound of the door opening and sniffed the air. “They’re here,” she pronounced.

“About time,” groaned another, the one with the scratchy voice and purple and aqua hair. “Party tricks may work on those pea-brained guards, but not with us. I'd drop the invisibility act if I were you, pony.”

“I’m so ready to finally see ponies again!” said the third one. “This place is nice and all but, but… magic!”

“Alright,” I whispered. “Stay calm, you two. Let me do the talking.”

Resigning myself, I let the invisibility field surrounding myself, Cadeneza, and Maia drop away. Instantly the three sirens were on guard, hopping off their furniture. The lead one approached warily, one hand glowing softly at her side. “So. There really are ponies here.” She circled around me, her eyes running over every inch of my body. “Aren’t you a little short to be an alicorn? They must be lowering their standards, because I don’t recognize you.”

“You wouldn’t. Just got my wings recently, actually,” I answered as I stared her down. Those cat-like eyes, with their vertical pupils, threatened to drown me in them. I made sure to stay on my guard. “I’m Lieutenant Commander Sunset Shimmer from the Federation starship Phoenix. These are Lieutenant Cadeneza and Ensign Maia.”

The siren turned up her nose, her lizard tail lashing out with a crack. “Hmph. Starship, huh? When did ponies become so advanced?”

“Technically, we haven’t,” I said. I glanced back up at Cadeneza and Maia. Maia stood stock still in a readied stance, prepared to fight if necessary. Cadeneza, though… to my supreme irritation she’d started making goo-goo eyes at the sirens. Either the meds were beginning to kick in, or just being this close to the sirens could put humanoids under their spell to a small degree.

Or it was just Cadeneza being her usual horny self.

“...so we’re not the only exiles, then, I take it,” the siren said. She grinned, showing off her wicked fangs. “So tell me. What crime did you commit?”

“No crime. Just a mistake with a mirror.” I shook my head. “Nevermind that. It’s not important right now.”

“I beg to differ.” The siren circled me once more, deliberately putting a sway into her hips, prompting me to stiffen in preparation to defend myself. But she stopped just in front of me and squatted down to look me in the eye. She reached out two fingers to stroke me under my chin, and it was all I could do not to shudder. “The only reason I’m not enrapturing you right now is that you’re a genuine curiosity. You’re the first magic user outside of ourselves we’ve seen in a thousand years. Surely you understand that we'd like to know more about you.”

“Fine,” I said, struggling not to grit my teeth. “Have you heard of Princess Celestia?”

The siren stood up, gripping her fists by her side, “Vividly. I take it that the old nag is still alive then?”

“That nag is the leader of Equestria, by the way, and I was her personal student.” I brushed a hoof against my chest. "So I'd kindly ask you to show some respect.”

The siren’s lips rippled in a snarl. “She gets the respect she deserves. You spoke of a mirror. Continue.”

Snorting, I obliged. “There was a magic mirror deep underneath Canterlot Castle. Turned out to be a portal of some kind. I touched it and it dragged me to Earth, the planet these two are from.” I nodded to my fellow officers. “Their society, the United Federation of Planets, is the one with the technology. We were sent here on a mission to find you.”

“Aaaah, now I understand,” the siren said, with a low, rich chuckle. Her laugh filled my ears and left my whole body tingling, filled with a warmth I recognized as touched by her magic. I forced the sensation to subside, despite how nice it was. “Well, found us you have, pony. Now tell me, what would possess this Federation, much less an alicorn far from home, to want to find us?”

“After seeing what you three did to that Dominion base? We knew we had to make contact with you as soon as possible.”

I stepped back as a flash of fury from the mere mention of the Dominion contorted the siren’s face, turning it from gorgeous and stunning to twisted and ugly. “They stole us from our world, where we'd been living for so long. They took us to their base in the stars and interrogated us, screamed at us to give up our magic!”

“We gave them our magic alright,” snorted the purple and aqua haired siren.

“Hah! Yeah we did!” echoed the third siren. “Pop, boom, splat! It was really gross, but they totally deserved it.”

“The one in charge wouldn’t shut up about ‘Starfleet’s ponies,’” said the siren leader. “That’s you, I presume.”

“Yes. And my sister, Twilight Sparkle.” I glanced around the room, then back to the door leading out. “We really shouldn’t linger around here. We came here to rescue you.”

The siren leader rippled with laughter, so rich and sensuous it wormed its way into my skull like a burrowing beetle, refusing to get out of my head. “Rescue? What for? Do you not see this palace they’ve given us? It took us centuries to rise to this level of power on the first world we lived upon. Here, they gave it outright. Why give up such opulence?”

“Oh come on,” Cadeneza scoffed. Whatever spell had taken hold of her must’ve faded, because she looked at the siren with scorn in her eyes. “You’re not stupid. You know the Dominion will track you down eventually. I mean, we did.”

In response, the siren leader backed away from us and strutted up to the obelisk. She leaned against it, stroking it with one hand. “I’m sure you know what this is, pony, even if your lackeys don’t.”

I nodded. “It’s a very powerful nullification charm. I can feel it trying to clamp down on my horn as we speak. It made scanning this place impossible as well.”

“Precisely. You see, we know something of the technology most advanced races in the galaxy use,” said the siren as she backed away from the obelisk. She approached me once more, swaying her hips with every step. “The home the Dominion stole us from? That world had forsworn such technology in favor of a totally agrarian society. But the technology was still there, hidden away in ancient bunkers and abandoned underground laboratories. Force fields, transporters, subspace scanners, even warp drive. All broken and abandoned, but also free for us to study, and learn.”

“Though we did blow up the first reactor we tried to mess with,” said the scratchy-voiced siren. “That was a laugh.”

The third siren giggled hard enough to snort, doubling over with a hand held up to her mouth. “Yup! Aria set off a volcano! Destroyed an entire island, hahaha!”

“Aria?” I asked.

The siren leader sighed and slapped a hand to her face. “Yes, I suppose some introductions are in order. That’s her. Aria Blaze. The stupid one is Sonata Dusk. And my name?” She lowered her hand and smiled at me, a smile brimming with menace. “Adagio Dazzle.”

I nodded to each of them in turn before continuing. “Then if you understand this technology, Adagio, you must realize that Lieutenant Cadeneza is right. The Dominion would figure out where you went eventually. We tracked you here via your shuttle’s ion trail, and believe me, they can do the same.” A lie. I left out the mention of magic sensors for now. No need to give everything away.

“What?!” Adagio growled, her head snapping to face Aria. “I thought you said you’d disguised it!”

“I did!” Aria insisted, throwing up her hands. “I wiped it clean! There’s no way they could’ve tracked it.”

“We have our ways,” I said. “But that’s not my point anyway. My point is, if they found this planet, they'd find you in a heartbeat. That nullification charm is more like a beacon than a cloaking device. You might as well be screaming your position to the heavens.”

“I told you!” Sonata said in a sing-song voice. “I told you they’d see us.”

“But it still accomplished its goal,” Adagio countered. “You couldn’t just transport us aboard your ship. You had to pull this deception just to get inside the palace.”

“Right. That’s because Starfleet respects worlds like this,” Cadeneza said. “We don’t mess with worlds far behind us in technology. But the Dominion? They don’t respect shit.”

“They would land troops. A lot of troops,” Maia added. “If they had to destroy the palace and kill every living being in this city to get to you, they'd do it without a second thought.”

Adagio’s face twisted up into that ugly scowl again. When she opened her mouth, every word came out as melodic, just like a song minus the tune. “They took us by surprise last time. But we won't let them take us again. Do you hear me, pony?” Both of her hands glowed with an eerie light as her eyes turned solid crimson. “We won’t let them take us!”

“Woah,” Cadeneza whispered as we all stepped back from the sight of the angry Adagio. “Chill out there, Adagio. No one’s taking you anywhere. Unwillingly, I mean.”

Adagio whirled, raising one hand to point at Cadeneza. An aura of orange light wrapped around Cadeneza and yanked her off the ground, sending her hurtling into Adagio’s grip. “So you claim,” Adagio sang. “We have been lied to before, and by far more imposing figures than you whelps. We are sirens, and sirens bow to no one.”

Maia dropped into a fighting stance as I in turn brought my horn forward, a small glow already forming around its base. “Let my officer go, Adagio. Now.”

Adagio gestured to her sisters, prompting both Aria and Sonata to take on similar transformations, with glowing hands and crimson eyes. Before I could react, Maia was suspended in the air between them, a mixture of purple and dark blue auras surrounding her throat, ready to squeeze. Adagio looked back to me, a deep malice burning in her gaze. “Give me one good reason we shouldn’t kill you all.”

Briefly I considered my options. I could try to overpower them, but this close to that obelisk even alicorn magic might not be enough. But if I did that, I’d cement the siren’s opinion of the Federation as no better than the Dominion. Even if we got away, we’d be making powerful enemies.

So rather than make myself a threat, I powered down my horn, dumped all my gear, phaser and all, on the ground, and sat on my rump. “Because we’re not here to hurt you. We’re here to offer you sanctuary.”

For several long moments, Adagio continued to gaze back, the hostility in her eyes blazing like twin infernos. I swallowed down the fear bubbling up in my chest, knowing I’d put my fate, all our fates, in her hands. Either she relented… or we’d die.

Then to my relief the glow faded from Adagio’s eyes. Her grip on Cadeneza vanished as Cadeneza crumpled to the floor, groaning from the impact. “Sanctuary?”

“Yes.” I pointed at my collar. “Like I said, Starfleet and the Federation respect the rights of all sapient beings. We’re not like the Dominion at all. In fact, we’re at war with them because they’re trying to conquer us. If anything, we could use your help.”

Adagio stared at me for a long moment, her eyes studying me in a cold, dispassionate way. Then with a bemused frown she nodded to Aria and Sonata, who released Maia. “Fine. Let’s say I believe you. What’s the catch, pony?”

I hesitated before responding, remembering Starfleet Intelligence's order to Liang to collect the sirens and bring them in for interrogation, but I shoved that aside for the moment. If we were to build any trust with these mercurial creatures, now was the time. “No catch. We’d take you aboard our ship and leave this place. You could either stay with the Phoenix or be transferred to a planet deep inside the Federation. There you can lend whatever support to the war effort you’re willing to lend, but otherwise you'd be free to live your lives as you see fit. Citizens or not, you'd still be under the care and protection of the Federation.”

She sneered. “As if we really need protection, when we have our powers. Still…” She smacked Cadeneza on the shoulder, jerking her to her feet, then sauntered over to me. “If your Federation is as advanced as you seem to be, then even I see the odds for our survival only increase if we agree to go with you.”

“Besides, this world is creepy,” Aria complained. “And gross. So primitive.”

“Yeah, even the last one was more advanced than this,” Sonata added.

“Great,” Cadeneza said as she stood up, rubbing her throat and her bottom where she’d hit the floor. “So you’re coming with, right?”

Adagio turned away from us and gestured with her head to one corner. Her sisters followed her over, whispering intently among themselves.

Cadeneza and Maia came back over to me as I strapped my equipment back on. “Pretty sure that means they’re coming with,” Cadeneza said.

“I hope so,” I murmured. “We’d have problems if they didn’t.”

“Eh?”

“Nevermind.”

The sirens finished their discussion and approached us as one. Adagio placed a hand on her hip and leaned over to look down on me. “We accept your offer.”

I breathed a strong sigh of relief. “Good. One question: where’s the shuttle you took to get here? We need to get it off planet. We can’t leave it around for the locals.”

“I don’t see how that’s our problem,” Adagio snorted. “But if you must know, it’s in the palace, in a hidden chamber on the far side.”

“We crashed nearby,” Sonata said with a nod and a wide smile. “Fell out of orbit ‘cause Aria messed up.”

Aria reached out and smacked Sonata across the back of her head. “Shut it.”

“Owww… that hurts, Aria!”

“That’s the idea, idiot.”

“Is it still functional?” Maia interjected. “If so we can use it to escape.”

“And if it’s not we need to scuttle it,” I added. “Like I said we can’t leave it here. It could negatively impact their culture, causing them to advance too quickly.”

Adagio scowled at both of her sisters before turning back to me. “Yes, it’s functional. But we won’t be able to get to it.”

“Why not?” Cadeneza asked, spreading out her hands. “Can’t you just ask to get in?”

All three sirens turned quiet, bowing their heads. Finally Sonata spoke up, “No. They’re... there’s a reason we have this big huge room all to ourselves. They’re keeping us locked up here.”

“The guards they have outside are to keep us in, not others out,” Aria added with a scowl as she crossed her arms. “For our ‘protection.’”

“Whoa, wait, what?” Cadeneza blurted. “You mean to tell us you’re the real prisoners here?”

Adagio’s lips spread in a nasty grimace. “They don’t want to risk their goddesses leaving them, now that they have us.”

“Surely with your powers you could break out at any time?” Maia asked.

Her eyes flashing crimson, Adagio roared back, “Of course we can!” She gripped both fists tightly at her sides and her whole body shook before she managed to calm herself. “But unless we had somewhere else to go, there was no point. We may be trapped in this dirty hovel but at least they cater to our every whim.”

“And we’re not going to kill guards just to escape,” I said, putting my hoof down. “We get out of here with as little harm to the locals as possible.”

“Feh,” Adagio spat. “Ponies and their stupid obsessions with morality and ethics. You sound like that stupid old fool Starswirl, only without the hat.”

“Ain’t just pony morality,” Cadeneza countered. “It's kind of a thing with the entire Federation.” She turned to me. “So what do we do, ma’am?”

“We’ll have to sneak out,” I said. “Get to the shuttlecraft and get out of here. I’d prefer not to fly around with it clearly visible, but it’s better than leaving it here.”

“It’s not gonna be easy, not with six of us,” Sonata said. “If they catch us…”

“If they catch wind of what we’re doing, they’ll swarm us,” Aria said with a roll of her eyes. “They’ve got at least a thousand guards in this palace. ”

“And if they did that…” Adagio held up a glowing hand as her mouth split into a maniacal smile. “We’d have to blow our way through them. Would be such a grotesque display. So many dead.”

“Not necessary. We can do it without hurting them,” I said, tapping my horn. “But let’s try subtlety first.”

The three sirens exchanged a look and laughed in my face. “Oh please. Forget your invisibility spells,” Adagio said. “Allow us to take center stage.”

“Uuuuh, wouldn’t that hypnotize us too?” Cadeneza said. “Just sayin’.”

“Oh, would it now?” Adagio’s grin widened as she winked at Cadeneza. “What a shame that would be, having you completely open to my suggestion.”

Cadeneza swallowed noisily and stepped away, her face flushing crimson.

“We’re not interested in falling sway to your song,” I seconded, taking a firm step forward. “We’re working together on this.”

“Oh save your breath, pony, I wouldn’t waste my time on you anyway,” Adagio scoffed, waving her hand out dismissively. “We have other ways of hiding ourselves. Watch and learn.”

She took a deep breath, and sang a harmony of notes that slipped into my ears and caressed them, subtly pushing my vision away from her before fading away. When I could look back again, Adagio was nowhere to be seen.

I frowned and brought out my tricorder, instantly spotting her on a thermal scan. “Oh there you are. That’s pretty impressive.”

Adagio shimmered back into view. “Yes, well, it’s a useful trick for fooling primitives.”

“We were totally gonna use it to sneak out if we ever found a better place to go,” Sonata said with a wide grin. “And I guess we did ‘cause we are!”

“Shut up, Sonata,” Aria snarled as she cuffed her sister on the noggin.

Cadeneza raised a finger. “How does it work?”

“The same way as the rest of our magic,” Adagio said with a shrug. “It fools the listener into failing to see us.”

“Can you cloak all of us that way?” I asked.

“We can try,” Adagio said with a roll of her eyes. “Any other stupid questions before we get out of here, pony?”

“...my name is Sunset Shimmer,” I growled under my breath.

Adagio held a hand up to her fin-like ear and beamed at me. “What was that?”

“Nevermind,” I sighed. I trotted towards the door. “Let’s go.”

The sirens rushed past us. “We’ll lead,” Adagio said, glancing back over her shoulder at me. “You follow.”

“Fine.”

The three of them linked hands and sang. Each note rose and fell with perfect pitch, striking a chord in my heart that seized my attention and refused to let go. The melody wrapped around us like a cloud, suffusing us in musical mist. I glanced down at my hoof, but nothing seemed to change, nor did anyone else vanish.

And yet the song continued as the sirens walked together out the door. The notes tugged us along, keeping us within the circle of invisibility as we traipsed down the staircase. To my dismay, instead of turning down a side passage, they made straight for the main passage towards the throne room.

“Is this really the best way to go?” I whispered as we slowly marched along.

Aria whirled, her eyes flashing crimson, her mouth in the shape of a snarl even as she continued to sing.

I took the hint and shut my mouth, focusing instead on our surroundings. So far we’d been lucky, passing by only the guards I’d sedated earlier. But according to my tricorder it was nearing local midnight. If these people had any kind of regular shift rotation to their guards, that would be one time they’d do it.

As soon as that thought passed through my mind, the sirens froze in place, then immediately shoved themselves up against the wall. We followed suit, just managing to get out of the way of several guards sprinting through the corridor with their short swords out. “Prisoner escape!” one screamed as she passed us by. “Prisoner escape!”

I glanced up at Maia and Cadeneza, seeing Cadeneza mouth a silent curse. We needed to hurry.

The six of us scurried on, but we’d barely crossed an additional ten meters before we had to cluster up against the wall again as one of the guards came running back. “The goddesses are missing!” she cried, banging against the walls and making massive amounts of noise. “The prisoners have stolen the goddesses!”

“Oh no,” I groaned as the sounds of bells ringing filled the palace, followed by the footsteps of dozens if not hundreds of guards.

The sirens, for their part, seemed unconcerned, continuing to traipse down the corridor with their song echoing in our ears.

When we reached the foyer we all had to shrink up against the nearest wall. The room was full of guards, all of them armed to the teeth and standing at attention before their Centurion. “This is outrageous!” she barked. “Our prisoners free? The goddesses, gone?!” She turned to the captain from earlier. “You. Find the ones who were on duty and see that they’re put to death for their incompetence. The rest of you! Fan out and find them! They can’t have gotten far.”

“Wait, ma’am!” One of the soldiers pointed a finger our way. “What’s that?”

Gulping, I turned to the sirens, who bore a small look of panic on their faces. They doubled their output, struggling to keep their song going despite the number of people they were entrancing.

The Centurion looked in our direction, her eyes narrowed. “...there’s something there.” She pulled out her gladius and approached us. With a sudden lunge she stabbed it against the wall, missing Cadeneza’s arm by bare centimeters. Clearly unconvinced, she pulled her sword out and stabbed again, several times, until finally one wild swing scored a line of red along Maia’s arm even as she tried to duck.

Everyone froze as we watched the blood spill off the edge of the blade and splatter to the floor. The sight caused Sonata to gasp, which was enough to break the siren’s song. We all appeared at once.

“The goddesses! They’re here!”

“And the prisoners!”

“What is that thing?!”

“A monster! Kill it!”

The Centurion rushed forward with her blade, ready to gut Maia, only for the security officer to dance out of the way. “Come back here and die, heathens! You won’t get away with this!”

“Oh screw this shit,” Cadeneza said. “Run!”

I risked a brief glance at the sirens, but they’d heeded Cadeneza’s advice, rushing ahead of us back down the way we came from. Cadeneza and Maia swiftly followed and I was last. As the cries of the guards filled our ears I danced back, reared up on my hooves and spread my wings, my horn alight. “Begone!” I roared with a magically enhanced voice, then fired off a few warning bolts of force, blasting stone free from the walls around us.

With a single flap of my wings I turned and soared back down the corridor to catch up with my comrades, landing gracefully on my hooves as we reached the siren’s wing of the palace. “Is there another way out of here?” I asked, one ear swiveled to pick up the sound of thundering boots headed our way.

“Not one that we’re aware of,” Adagio replied. She gripped her fist as it started to glow. “We may have to fight.”

“No, wait, there’s a way,” I insisted, holding up the tricorder. “I’ve been trying to map the place as I go, and if I’m reading this right, we–”

“But what if it doesn’t lead outside?” asked Sonata. “We’ll be trapped!”

“We’re already trapped, idiot,” Aria growled.

“There they are!”

Several arrows pinged on the walls all around us.

“Move it!” Adagio barked. She gestured for the rest of us to go ahead as she turned around to face the group of guards. “You stupid fools. We neverwanted to be your goddesses!” she howled in a song as her hands glowed to blast the entire area with force. I watched just long enough to see that she was targeting the walls around them and not the guards before I ducked inside the passageway. She joined me after a moment, rushing as fast as she could. “Don’t worry, pony, I didn’t kill anyone,” she snapped.

“Thank you,” I said, trying to inject a note of sincerity even despite my panting as we ran at top speed.

The corridor we ran along was narrower than the others, and rapidly descended, then twisted around seemingly at random. The occasional torch was the only light we had. The sounds of marching boots forever persisted behind us, refusing to let us catch our breath.

We had just rounded yet another blind corner when Cadeneza abruptly collapsed, falling against the wall. “Damnit!” she howled as she clutched at her side with one hand and her ankle with the other. “Aw shit!” Tears ran down her face. “God damn it hurts…”

“What happened?” Aria barked. “What the hell is this?”

“She was injured by the guards trying to get in to see you three,” I said as I picked up Cadeneza in my magic. “Sorry, Lieutenant, I don’t have time to be gentle. Hold onto me.”

“This… isn’t the way I… oh screw it,” Cadeneza groaned as she fell against me. My legs shook briefly as I took on the weight, but as I’d so frequently been reminded ever since I got my wings, I’d grown a lot stronger. Especially once returning to the Federation. Cadeneza’s fifty-five kilos, while not nothing, was still within my ability to carry.

“No time to waste, keep moving!” Adagio shouted even as the first of the guards came into view behind us.

“Heathens!” the guard screeched as she hefted up her spear and threw it at us like a javelin.

I snorted and brushed it aside with my magic. “Nice try.”

Then I blanched as several more rounded the corner, each carrying several proper javelins. “Oh crap.”

“Oh for god’s sake, Sunset, put up a shield behind us and run!” Cadeneza thundered, clocking me in the head for good measure.

Wishing I had the time to smack myself in the head for my lack of thought, I did as commanded, throwing up a curved half bubble behind us, the width of the corridor. I winced as javelin after javelin smacked into it, but none of them struck with anywhere near enough force to harm it

The corridor before us rose up abruptly at a sharp grade, shifting to something more akin to a long ramp. I reshaped my shield to act like a bird’s tail feathers fanning out behind us as we rose up and up. We could see light at the end of the tunnel, and stars, so many stars shining down.

“We’re almost out!” I shouted. “Keep moving!”

Aria and Sonata reached the top of the stairs… and froze in place. Maia and Adagio similarly froze when they reached them.

Still wincing from repeated javelin strikes against my shield, I called out, “What’s the hold… up… oh you’ve got to be kidding me.”

In retrospect, of course the Centurion knew the palace better than we did. Of course she wouldn’t send everyone chasing after us. No, that was just to funnel us right into her lap. The entire rest of the palace guard awaited us outside, arranged in a phalanx formation with shields and spears at the ready, the Centurion leading in front with her gladius held high. “Well, hello again,” she sneered as she lowered her gladius to point it at us. “So nice of you to join us.”

I let my shield crumple as the guards behind us blocked our way. We were trapped. “Listen to me,” I said. “We just want to–”

“Shut your mouth, monster!” The Centurion roared. “I don’t know what you are or how you’re using the magic of the goddesses, but it ends here. You won’t take them away from us.”

“Oh you stupid fool,” Adagio snarled in turn, brushing me aside to take point. “Didn’t you hear me before? We're not your goddesses.”

“I know,” the Centurion replied.

That caught Adagio off guard, sending the siren into a blinking frenzy. “Pardon?”

The Centurion brought her gladius up and smacked it against her palm. “I know,” she repeated, her voice quiet, too quiet for her soldiers to hear. “You think I’m stupid? You may resemble the statues, you may speak and act like the ancient texts foretold, but I know you are not truly them. You’re too different. Too dark skinned. Your claws aren’t sharp enough. Your tails are far too scaly. Whatever you truly are… you’re convenient.”

“Convenient?” Adagio growled in a dangerous whisper.

“Yes.” The Centurion gestured to the palace rising up behind us. “Do you know how valuable you’ve been to the Empress since you were found? With you here to rally behind the old ways, her power has grown immensely. Before you arrived, her position was weak. Assassins struck at her every other day. Then you descended from the heavens and everything changed. The old prophecy rang true. My Empress–”

Adagio’s hand shot forward, enveloped in an orange glow. Her eyes burned fierce crimson as a matching glow surrounded the Centurion’s throat. “You dare,” she sang. “You dare use us like… like trophies!” She spread open her hand and then abruptly closed it, hard.

The glow around the Centurion’s throat squashed it like a slow turning vise, leaving her completely unable to breathe. She clutched at her neck for several long moments making horrific sounding choking noises until she collapsed, perfectly still.

Adagio whirled to face the other guards in front of her, both hands aglow now. “Stand aside, mongrels, or face our true powers.”

A few guards bravely ran forward with their spears, shouting war cries. THey made it no more than a few steps before all three sirens, their hands and eyes aglow, snatched them up mid-stride and tossed them aside like ragdolls. I could see the fury enveloping Adagio as her chest heaved with her breath. If I didn’t act, she’d start killing. They all would.

So I stepped forward myself and used my magic to enhance my voice again. “Enough! Let us go free. All we want to do is leave.”

I waited patiently until finally, slowly, the sea of guards parted to let us through. The sirens kept up their glowing act the whole way as we walked through the crowd and around to the area where the Dominion shuttle had been hidden. The guards opened the gates for us then backed away, none of them daring to get too close.

I sighed as I took in the shuttle. Fractures in the hull, scorch marks along every plasma relay, the front end crumpled inward like a tin can, and those were just the obvious bits of damage. But we boarded it all the same, a tight fit with six of us. “How functional did you leave this thing?” I asked.

“Enough,” Adagio muttered. “Get us into orbit. I’m sick of this planet.”

I gently set Cadeneza down next to Maia, who sat on the floor with her to keep her supported. “I hate Dominion ships,” Cadeneza groaned. “Never a chair when you need one.”

“Relax, Lieutenant,” I said gently. “We’ll get you to sickbay soon enough.” I turned to the control console and powered it up. Adagio wasn’t kidding when she said they’d left it just barely functional enough to get to orbit. The warp engines were shot and the impulse manifolds were a complete mess save for one, which would just barely provide enough delta-v to get us to orbital velocity. Plenty of fuel, at least. So much I’d consider dumping some just to save mass if I’d been able to.

“Okay, everyone hold onto something,” I said as I switched on the thrusters. “I don’t know how well the inertial dampers will hold.”

Thankfully the locals were smart enough to get out of our way as we rose, shot forward, then aimed up into the sky. I performed a few quick calculations in my head then changed course so we’d match the planet’s rotation, get some benefit from it and reduce the thrust needed. The damned shuttle careened more like a late 20th century rocket as we rose slowly up through the atmosphere.

I tapped my combadge once we’d reached an altitude of ten kilometers. “Shimmer to Phoenix.”

“Phoenix here, Shimmer,” answered the voice of Liang. “I take it that’s you in the shuttle we’ve spotted.”

“Yes, sir,” I answered. “And we have the sirens aboard.” I glanced down at Cadeneza, who was still groaning. “Sir, request to beam Lieutenant Cadeneza and Ensign Maia directly to sickbay. They’re both injured.”

“Of course, Commander. We’ll see the rest of you aboard shortly. Liang out.”

I turned just in time to watch my fellow officers vanish in a shimmer of sparkles and light, leaving me alone with the sirens. “What about you three?” I asked quietly. “Are any of you hurt?”

“Tch. No.” Adagio scowled down at me, then her gaze softened. “...thank you for rescuing us, pony.”

“Thank you for keeping the bloodshed to a minimum.” I turned back to the controls and fiddled with them, making sure we stayed on course. “I know it couldn’t have been easy.”

“Are you kidding?” Aria scoffed. “I wanted to rip their heads off.”

“Make ‘em go pop!” Sonata chimed in, bouncing in place, her gleeful smile disturbing in its blood thirstiness.

“Well…” Adagio shrugged. “...you offered us sanctuary. No one’s ever done that before. Least of all a pony.” She smiled, this one far more genuine than any other I'd seen from her thus far. “It’s nice to see an Equestrian again, after all this time.”

“...likewise,” I said, giving her a small smile back.

We allowed a comfortable silence to fill the air as the shuttle reached orbit and made a beeline for the Phoenix, finally settling down for a soft landing in the Main Shuttlebay.

Zhidar awaited us, along with a couple of other security personnel. “Captain Liang requested we meet you, ma’am,” Zhidar grumbled.

“Good,” I said, turning to the sirens, who stared at Zhidar with distinct wariness. “Zhidar, would you please see to it that our guests get some quarters and a fresh change of clothes? I need to meet with the Captain.”

Zhidar rumbled wordlessly under his breath, then nodded. “Aye, ma’am.”

“Don’t worry,” I said to the sirens before they could be led off. “The security is standard procedure, nothing more. We’d do the same for any new guest who comes aboard. I’m sure the Captain will want to meet you soon. Figured you’d prefer to freshen up first.”

Adagio glared down at the now dirt-stained gossamer gown she wore and snorted. “I hate this dress anyway. Good idea, pony.” She looked up to Zhidar and matched him scowl for scowl. “What’re you supposed to be, some kind of dog?”

Zhidar bared his teeth. “I am an Antican, I’ll have you know.”

“Right. Whatever.” Adagio gestured to Zhidar. “Lead away.”

I sighed as I watched the sirens depart, then made my way to the nearest turbolift to join Liang in his ready room. I noted with only mild surprise that Twilight was with him.

“Oh, good, Commander, do sit down,” Liang said. “As much as I would like to hear your debriefing, we have more pressing matters.”

“...your orders,” I grunted.

“From Nechayev, right,” Twilight added. “The Captain… he told me. He asked me for help.”

I looked at her curiously. “What did you suggest?”

“I…” A guilty look crossed her face. “I gave him all the same options you did.”

I stared wordlessly, challenging her, but she remained defiant. “Twilight, what–”

“Nevermind that, Commander,” Liang said, tapping on his desk with his cane. “I’ve managed, barely, to wrangle a reprieve from Starfleet Intelligence for now. They’ll allow us to keep the sirens aboard, so long as we forward everything we learn.”

“...with all due respect, sir, how’d you pull that off?” I asked.

Liang’s face twitched as he rolled his mouth like he was chewing a cud. “With great difficulty, I assure you… I had to promise a few favors I would rather not. One of them… well.” He pulled a PADD off his desk and handed it over.

I glanced down to read it, my heart sinking like a stone. “We’re bringing Nechayev aboard?”

“She wants to meet the sirens personally,” Liang said, his words coated with bitterness. “We’re to return to Starbase 375 to await her arrival aboard the Enterprise.”

“Great. Brilliant. Fantastic,” I said, tossing the PADD to the desk. “As if she doesn’t have enough ego, commandeering the flagship for herself. This’ll surely convince them we’re on their side.”

“I’ll expect the full details in your debriefing, Commander, but tell me.” Liang leaned forward and steepled his hands. “In your opinion, will the sirens be a problem?”

I pressed my lips together in thought, then shook my head. “Not so long as we respect their autonomy sir. From what I’ve gathered so far, all they really want is to survive and be left alone.”

“I see.” Liang leaned back in his chair. “That shouldn’t be a problem, so long as they remain on good behavior aboard my ship. They could turn out to be quite useful.”

“I’d be very careful about saying anything like that, sir,” I replied immediately. “They don’t like being used. If we want anything from them, we’ll have to ask. Politely.”

Liang gave me a flat look. “Please, Sunset, I think you should know I’m well aware of that. I had no intention of barking orders at them.”

“...of course, sir,” I said, nodding in contrition. “Sorry.”

“Oh don’t mind it, Number One.” He rose from his chair, prompting us to rise. “How injured were Cadeneza and Maia?”

I shook my head. “Not too badly, sir. They should be fine.”

“Good. Then I expect to see you in the conference room with the sirens, Cadeneza, and Maia in four hours for a debriefing. Dismissed.”

We departed his ready room. I made a beeline for the nearest turbolift and Twilight followed. “I’m coming off duty,” she admitted as she joined me inside.

“I was about to say, Ensign,” I said with a light grin.

Twilight looked up at me, frowned, and set a hoof on mine. “Right now I’d rather be Twilight, Sunset.”

A surge of happiness hit my heart hearing that. “R-right. Sorry, Twilight. Been a long day.”

“I know, I was watching, till your signal died out.” Twilight followed me as the turbolift came to a halt near my quarters. “Are you okay? How’d it go down there?”

“About as smooth as a Klingon’s spine,” I grumbled as I entered my quarters. “I was fine getting in, but after that… I just want to take a shower and get something to eat.”

Twilight lingered at the door. “Is it okay for me to come in?”

I resisted the urge to snicker. “Yeah, come on in. Make yourself at home, sis.” I winked at her direction. “I’ll just be in the shower.”

I hopped into the shower, focusing on ultrasonics this time, because I knew if I went for the real water shower I’d be stuck in there for an hour letting it soak all the aches out of my muscles.

When I emerged I found Twilight sitting at my table, a large platter of mini cheese sandwiches on sourdough and two bowls of tomato soup waiting, along with two large glasses of what I hoped was apple juice. “Please tell me that’s havarti,” I muttered as my mouth watered.

“Of course,” Twilight said. She floated her cup to her mouth and took a sip, then noticed my staring. “It’s just juice, sis. I promise.”

“G-good, good.” I sat down to join her, taking a sandwich off the platter and dipping it into my soup, letting the flavors mix together before popping it into my mouth. “Mmm… you know, it’s… it’s been too long since we sat together like this.”

“Yeah.” Twilight shifted in her chair enough that she could lean on my shoulder. “...I’m sorry.”

“Hey, hey, let’s not start down that road,” I said, rubbing a hoof along her wickers. “We’re here. Together. That’s what really matters.”

“... I know, it’s just…” She swallowed her sandwich and reached for another. “I spent months being a complete asshole towards you. Looking back now I don’t understand what I was thinking.”

I sighed and set my sandwich down. So much for light talk. “You were hurt, Twilight. You were hurt a lot. I realize that now. As much as I was looking forward to seeing you and Mother and Mom again… if our positions had been reversed? I might’ve reacted the same way.”

“Oh come on, no you wouldn’t have,” Twilight snorted. She glared at me for a moment before the hardness in her eyes vanished. “You’ve always been calmer than me. More in control of your emotions. You wouldn’t have let this get to you like I did.”

I laughed, tampering it down when she glared at me again. “Sorry, I’m not laughing at you, Twilight. I’m just remembering what I was like before I came to Earth. I was a total hothead, you know. Remember, it was my temper that got me sent here in the first place. It was Mother who helped me change. If I was still in Equestria right now? I'd bet you all the bits in the castle that I'd be an even bigger firebrand. A real villain. Hell I wouldn't put it past me to find some backwoods village to take over, bend all the ponies there to my will like some cult leader.”

“What? No way.” Twilight giggled and pushed at my shoulder with her hoof. “Not you. You’re Sunset Shimmer. You’re too good to be a villain.”

“Hey, you never know,” I said with a shrug. “Maybe somewhere out there in some other quantum reality, you and I were always enemies. Maybe we faced off against each other in some big battle or something.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Like that even matters. Who cares what might’ve been? Right now is what’s important. That… it took me a long time to figure that out.”

“You know, you never did tell me what changed your mind,” I said.

Twilight stared down at her plate and took a small bite of sandwich. “Lot of things. Smith’s message. My memories of us. Liang’s warning. Belle and Inanna giving me a cold reality check.” She sighed and reached for her soup. “They had this big talk with me. Scared the hell out of me into thinking I was being transferred. Then they revealed it was all a trick.”

“...I haven’t heard about either of them ending up in sickbay,” I said, only half-joking.

Twilight flashed me a flat look. “The point, Sunset, is that when they did that, they made me admit something I didn’t want to admit, but that I’d been thinking all along: that I couldn’t bear to lose you again. Once I said that? It all clicked, right in here.” She tapped the side of her head. “That’s what I was really afraid of. I’d finally managed to accept you were gone, and then you weren’t, and I… I don’t want to lose you again.”

I nodded in understanding. “So you pushed me away so that, what, because you were trying not to care? Trying to protect yourself?”

“Something like that,” Twilight admitted. She shrugged and devoured several spoonfuls of soup. “It wasn’t really conscious. All I could think about was how much I hated you for abandoning me like that. For making Mother and Mom pick you as a favorite, for leaving me stuck on the path you laid out for me.”

I winced at every sentence. “...I never meant for you–”

Twilight held up a hoof. “I know. At least, I know now.” She brushed her chest with that same hoof. “I still hate you a little bit, if I’m being completely honest. The anger, it’s still there. I’m pushing it away. I’m fighting it, but… it’s still there.”

I gave her a watery smile and reached out with one foreleg. She fell against me, allowing me to hug her. “I’m not the least bit surprised,” I said. “I’d be more surprised if you didn’t still hate me a little. We can work through this together, okay?”

“Yeah.” She smiled back, and held up her glass of apple juice, then clinked it against mine. “Together.”

Author's Note

"Hey readers, it's ya favorite talking color here with an AN. I'll also be keeping this fairly short.

Episode 16 will release on August 16th, we're going to take an extra week cause we could use it. But fret not! We will have four minis that will be releasing between now and then, so don't you worry. You'll still be getting more stuff of everyone's favorite crew!

I'll also be writing up and making the character sheet that I know several people have been asking about. I keep saying I'll do it, and I will! When it is ready, I'll have Dew put the link into the story page and there'll be an AN for it in the mini it releases with.

That's all I can think of for now, hope you enjoyed A Dazzling Introduction, gotta love and worship those sexy dragon-fish wives!"

Thanks Blue.

Not much to say from me this time either... too tired. Have a good day my readers.

Season 2 Mini-Episode 5: "Raktajino"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02ME05

“Raktajino”

She’d never admit it out loud, but a small part of Adagio Dazzle had come to see her banishment from Equestria as a positive event in her more than thousand years of life. Not only did it rid her and her sisters of those meddlesome, perfectly prissy pony princesses, but it opened her eyes to an entire universe she never knew existed. She’d traveled through the stars at unfathomable speeds, aboard vessels brimming with technology not even her genius mind could comprehend. Truly wondrous worlds lay before them, filled with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross.

Yet none of that could compare to the sheer joy of hot water on demand. She fumbled with the small control panel until the water was nearly as hot as it could go, then stood there and let it melt away every bit of grime from the disgusting hovel those mongrels down below had called a palace. The white silken gown they had forced her and her sisters to wear was an uncomfortable dirt magnet, and far too skimpy for her tastes.

Adagio was no stranger to flaunting her figure. It was part of her nature after all. But she preferred subtlety over wanton displays.

The soaps and shampoos that had been provided smelled weird to her, but Adagio couldn’t argue with the results. Her skin felt silky smooth again, and her hair had regained nearly all of its shine and bounce.

She stepped out of the shower and toweled off, not yet trusting whatever that 'sonic dryer' was just yet. As she dried off she hummed a simple tune, letting her magic wick away the rest of the moisture from her hair. That done, she admired herself in the full length mirror for a few moments, taking time to pose and preen, and smiling approvingly as she ran her hands all over herself. "Ah, looking as good as ever."

Stepping out of the bathroom, she searched these new "quarters" for her clothes, finally finding them inside of some piece of furniture the creatures running this ship had called a "dresser.” Instead of putting them on right away, she put the stack of clothes down and took a better look at the room. It was spacious, more so than its name would seem to imply, and while not as opulent as her personal chambers in the palace, in most other ways it was far superior. The dog-like officer that escorted her here informed her the blue slot on the wall could make any food she wanted, for instance. She’d have to explore the depths of that at some point.

For now, clean clothes would suffice. So she picked up the clothes, slipped them on, then went to stand before the mirror. Her mouth curled up in disgust as she beheld the two piece grey shirt and trousers plus accompanying underwear, like some kind of basic one size fits all clothing. Everyone else she’d seen aboard the ship wore one of three variations of a grey shouldered black uniform with a colored collar, so maybe this was what passed for civilian clothing. “Clearly I looked better naked than in this… trash.”

She glared at the mirror again and sighed. “At least they’re clean.” And it was better than going nude, as no humanoid society she’d yet come across was comfortable with such things. It was the one thing she missed from Equestria, their very lax views on nudity. So she swallowed her disgust and resolved to find something more suitable as soon as possible. At least they’d included comfortable shoes.

A bizarre chime startled her. She searched the area for the source, and when the chime repeated she snorted as she realized it was some sort of doorbell. “Get in here.”

Her sisters meandered in, each wearing a similar outfit to her own. Aria gagged as she tugged at the shirt, shaking her head over and over, while Sonata, the brainless idiot as always, seemed unperturbed. “Do they seriously expect us to wear this?” Aria growled.

“Aww, it’s not that bad. See?” Sonata lifted her shirt and pulled at the strap of her bra, snapping the elastic against her skin. “Funny!”

“You idiot…”

“Quiet, morons,” Adagio barked. The two silenced immediately. She nudged for them to take seats at a nearby sofa. “Look, I think we can agree that so far we’ve been treated pretty well, like that pony promised. But we don’t know what anyone else here wants with us, so we’d better start figuring out what we’re going to do here.”

“Uuuuh, I think that one security guy said the captain wanted to see us in a few hours,” Sonata murmured. Then she glanced at her stomach. “Oh but I’m really hungry though. Can we eat first? Can we?”

“Uuugh, I’d rather take a nap,” Aria moaned as she limply smacked Sonata on the shoulder. “We were up all day.”

“Pfft, but we slept while we were waiting for the pony to show up,” Sonata said. Her eyes burst wide open. “Wait! Do you think they have coffee here?”

Aria froze, her eyes going just as wide. “Do they?”

Adagio slapped a hand to her face and groaned, but inwardly she was just as intrigued. She could barely remember what coffee even tasted like, having not had any since their banishment. The lowly societies they'd stumbled upon since had only been able to brew weak teas or other strange brews that tasted as foul as they had smelled.

But if any society might have it… “Let’s find out,” she said as she wandered over to the food slot, or whatever it was called. She frowned at it, poked at it a couple of times, then rolled her eyes as she remembered the dog had told her she needed to speak to it. “Uh… coffee.”

“Please specify variety and temperature.”

“Aaaah!” Sonata leapt from the sofa and rushed over, bouncing in place as she waved her hands excitedly. “They do have it, they do!”

Aria rose languidly and trudged over, but she was no less excited judging by her expression. “I’ll take coffee over a nap any day.”

“Shut up,” Adagio hissed. She turned back to the replicator. “Alright then… what kinds do you have?”

“There are over three hundred and fifty seven varieties of coffee programmed in this replicator. Please specify.”

The three of them looked at each other, then looked back as one at the replicator and echoed, “Prench Roast.”

“That variety is not available. Please select another.”

Adagio rolled her wrist and snorted. “Fine, just give us three of whatever’s the most popular kind. And make it fast!”

“Affirmative. Three raktajinos.”

“Raktajino…” Adagio tasted the unfamiliar word, rolling it around her tongue. It didn’t sound the same as the other words these Starfleeters used. She watched, bemused as three steaming mugs swirled into existence, which she proceeded to pull out and hand to her sisters before taking her own. She sniffed at the drink. It smelled real enough to her. The cup felt real and warm to the touch. Hesitantly, she took a sip.

And her world exploded with flavor, with heat and sweetness. Her eyes propped open almost instantaneously by the sudden burst of caffeine and other stimulants. A soft moan escaped her as she guzzled it down, letting the letting the pleasant warmth radiate through her entire body. “This is... heavenly,” she gasped.

“So good,” Aria seconded, her eyes fluttering as she took another sip from her mug.

Sonata mechanically drank without making a sound, seemingly too overwhelmed to function.

Adagio drained her mug in a hurry, and briefly considered grabbing another. But she managed to restrain herself. Whatever was in that coffee already had her feeling slightly jittery, and the last thing she wanted was to lose control.

That was for the pathetic fools who fell sway under their song, not the Sirens. Sirens never lose control.

The door chime sounded again, drawing her attention. “Who is it?”

“Cadeneza and Sparkle.”

“Sparkle?” Adagio arched an eyebrow. “What do you want?”

Her keen ears caught a quiet snort before the response came. “The Captain wanted us to show you around the ship, help you get settled.”

Adagio exchanged a look with her sisters. Aria seemed disinterested, flicking back her hair with a mutter of “Whatever,” while Sonata continued to drink her coffee, paying her no attention.

“Fine, come in,” she grumbled.

The doors swished open, and Adagio took an unconscious step back. Cadeneza looked nothing like the way she had before, pale peach colored skin with blonde hair and shining purple eyes. Accompanying her was another pony, this one smaller than Sunset Shimmer, a plain unicorn with colors resembling a mixture between Aria and Sonata.

Ignoring the pony for a moment, her eyes locked on Cadeneza. “Hmph, not bad. For a moment there I was worried your real faces were even worse than those filthy mongrels down there.”

“Well not everyone on board can be as gorgeous as me, but I get your point.” She jabbed a thumb towards the unicorn. “This here’s Twilight Sparkle.”

“Hello,” said Twilight with a smile that screamed “trying too hard” to Adagio’s eyes. She held out a hoof. “It’s nice to meet you.”

A half smile crossed Adagio’s face, and she found herself shaking said hoof despite herself. As much as she hated to admit it, seeing native Equestrians brought a level of comfort to her, even if they were saccharine sweet ponies. Whatever hatred she’d held for ponies had long since fizzled away… oh she’d still curse Starswirl’s name if it ever came up, but she didn't care about ponies in general.

“You must be Sunset Shimmer’s sister.”

Twilight nodded as she withdrew her hoof. “That’s right. It’s so wonderful to meet someone else from Equestria! You must have so many stories to tell. Are you the original sirens that Starswirl banished? Or are you their descendents? How have you survived for so long? What–”

As Adagio’s fist slowly compacted one finger at a time, Cadeneza intervened by shoving a hand across Twilight’s muzzle. “Woah, okay there, Sparkie, let’s save the questions for the briefing.”

Snorting, Adagio unballed her fist. “I’m not here for story time, pony.” She glared at Cadeneza again, eying up her leg. “Weren’t you injured?”

Cadeneza glanced down at her leg and touched it. “What, this? Doc fixed me right up.” She beamed at Adagio. “I’m totally riding painkillers right now.”

“Uh huh,” Aria sniffed.

As if only just now noticing they were in the room, Sonata blinked and gasped, pointing at their guests. “Pony!” she shouted gaily, her mouth spreading in an excited, wide smile. “Hurray!”

Before Twilight could react, Sonata rushed forward and picked her up, squeezing Twilight tight against her chest. "Oh it's so good to see more ponies! You have magic just like we do and it's so awesome, I'm totally gonna adopt you now."

"Adopt?!" Twilight blurted as she shook out of Sonata's grasp. "No thanks. I've already got one set of adopted parents."

"Whuh?" Sonata muttered, gazing at Twilight with dull, almost dead eyes. Then she shook her head like a dog shaking off water. "No no no, silly. You'd be like, my teacher, duh!"

Twilight's eyebrows rose. "Teacher? I don't understand."

Adagio groaned, slapping a hand to her face. "Nevermind Sonata. She's an idiot. We've got better things to worry about."

"Yeah, like these gross clothes," Aria groused, picking at her shirt sleeve. "Ugh. So embarrassing."

Cadeneza held a fist to her mouth. “I wasn’t gonna say anything, but… yeah let’s get you something better. We’ll take you down to the quartermaster’s supply room and use the industrial replicators.”

Aria blinked and jabbed a thumb in the direction of the wall. “You mean like the blue shelf thingie over there?”

“Yeah, but built for stuff other than food,” Cadeneza answered. “It can make any kind of clothing you want.”

“Anything?!” Sonata screamed, slapping her hands to her cheeks.

“Well… anything we’ve got designs for,” Cadeneza said, taking a step back from Adagio’s dumbest sister. “Look, just follow me and you’ll see.”

“Fine, lead the way,” Adagio grumbled as the five of them left her quarters. As they did so, Adagio did not fail to notice they stepped past two severe-looking yellow-uniformed Starfleeters, who proceeded to follow slowly behind them, keeping a fair distance. She snorted, not worried in the least. If she wanted, she could kill them before they could open their mouths to scream.

Cadeneza kept up a flurry of conversation between herself, Twilight, and Sonata as they walked down the corridor, took a turbolift to another deck, then walked some more. To Adagio’s irritation the whole time during the turbolift ride both Aria and Sonata acted impressed, despite them having ridden one before. “Here we are,” Cadeneza said, as she made an abrupt left turn toward a plain looking door. As it swished open Adagio barely caught the word “Quartermaster” printed across it as she stepped inside.

The room was smaller than her quarters, and seemingly every free bit of space had been filled with shelves and consoles that she could only assume were these big replicators the Starfleeters had mentioned. A young, dark-skinned humanoid looked up from a desk in the far corner as the door swished closed behind them. Adagio noticed the single gold dot on his collar, then looked quickly at the two dots on Cadeneza's collar. Clearly some low-level grunt then.

“Ma’am?” he asked, looking right at Cadeneza.

Cadeneza shook her head. “Don’t mind us, Ensign. Just helping our three guests here get some extra clothes.”

The ensign fluttered his eyebrows once, grunted, then returned to staring at a screen on his desk, occasionally tapping buttons on it while muttering.

“Inventory guy,” Cadeneza whispered. “Hardly ever leaves this room.” She puttered over to a table with a glowing octagonal panel in the center. “Here, this is the replicator.”

“Over here is a database,” Twilight added, stepping up to a screen hanging in the air next to the table. “It’s voice activated, so you just ask it what you want to see. Computer, show me popular dress designs, late 24th century Earth.”

A series of eye-searing, nauseating outfits appeared on the screen, looking to Adagio like nothing so much as someone spilling cans of paint all over a set of blinds while on a drug-fueled trip and then sewing them into gowns. “I think we’ll pass on those,” she said, fighting off the urge to vomit.

“See, this is why going nude is so much easier. No need to worry about looking like...that,” Aria added, her face turning green.

Twilight let out a bark of laughter. “Yeah, trust me, that doesn’t fly out here either, unfortunately.”

“Lemme work on this, Sparkie,” Cadeneza said, patting Twilight on the shoulder. “Looking at you three, I’m betting you’d look good in leather.”

Twilight instantly took a few steps back, her muzzle curling up. It was all Adagio could do not to burst into mocking laughter at the pathetic pony.

“Oooh, I haven’t worn leather in ages!” Sonata burbled. “At least, not anything good.”

“Maybe as an accessory, but that’s it,” Adagio mused.

“Oh, pfft, definitely,” Cadeneza said, rolling her eyes. “No one wears all leather. Not unless they’re going to a BDSM club.”

“Lieutenant!” Twilight cried, her face flushing a brilliant crimson. “I-is that really something we should be talking about?”

“How long have you been away from Equestria, pony?” Adagio asked, her mouth quirking.

“About sixteen years, why?”

“Hmph. Still as prudish as ever, then.”

Twilight took a step forward. “Excuse–”

“Anyway,” Cadeneza continued, “I’m thinking something a bit more… 21st century for you three. Something cool, casual, but in control. You prefer pants or skirts?”

“Pants,” Aria answered.

“Skirt, skirt!” Sonata chimed in.

Adagio pursed her lips as she rubbed her chin, considering. “Shorts,” she answered finally. “With leggings. And boots.”

Cadeneza continued to refine their selections until she finally produced a trio of outfits and submitted the request to the replicator. “Here, you can try these on in the head across the hallway.”

“The what?” Sonata muttered.

“The bathroom,” Twilight said with a small sigh. “It’s called a head aboard ships.”

“Oh. Neat!”

Once the replicator was finished, Adagio took her bundle of clothes and hurried off, eager to strip herself of the grey two piece. As she emerged from the changing area, she admired herself in the full-length mirror. “Not bad… not bad at all.”

She’d opted for traditional blue denim shorts that ran halfway to her knees, a pair of royal purple leggings bedazzled with stars, an off white tank top with spaghetti straps and an open black leather jacket laid atop it. She’d even gone the extra mile with spikes on the boots, the jacket, and a tiara-like hair accessory, leaving her with an outfit that Cadeneza pronounced “looked like it rode right out of a biker gang holonovel.”

Maybe it was a bit much, but considering the usual clothing she’d worn for centuries, Adagio was aching for a change.

Sonata and Aria joined her after a few minutes and once again Adagio found herself mildly impressed by the Starfleeter's fashion sense. Aria sported form fitting purple capri pants, an off-yellow tank top and a blue denim vest with deliberate wear and tear built in. She also wore spiked boots, albeit in a dark shade of brown rather than Adagio’s midnight blue.

Sonata meanwhile, like the idiot she was, chose a dark blue sundress lined with horizontal white stripes that bent and shuddered like ocean waves, along with matching flats. And unlike Adagio or Aria, her outfit came with some jewelry, a pair of twinkling sapphire studs in her ears plus a small ruby in the shape of a diamond hanging from a leather strap around her neck.

When Adagio saw that, she was reminded of her old gem, which she’d long since absorbed into her body to prevent it from being harmed. Adagio wanted to be angry at this Cadeneza for daring to even try to copy the design of one of their gems, but the fury fizzled as fast as it had risen. There was no way the Starfleeters could know about their gems, even if the two ponies were smarter than they looked.

“Wow, you three look… neat,” Twilight said, holding a hoof to her mouth and coughing.

“Neat?” Cadeneza grumbled. “I spent two hours helping them put these together and you’re calling it neat? Why not awesome? Amazing? Truly haute couture?”

Twilight shot Cadeneza a flat look and did not deign to respond.

Sonata’s stomach chose that moment to grumble, loudly. “I’m starving. We should get something to eat.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Cadeneza said. “Alright, follow me, everyone. We’re off to Ten-Forward!”

Sonata’s hands clutched the curled shell, cradling it like she would a child. “This is the most amazing creation ever!” she whispered as she held it up. “Breaded fish, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese… sour cream… all together in a single shell you can hold!”

“Pfft, she didn’t even know what any of those were two minutes ago,” Aria stage-whispered behind a covered hand into Adagio’s ear. Adagio openly laughed.

Ignoring the mocking of her sisters, she brought the shell up to her mouth and took another slow bite. As the flavors exploded on her tongue again, she let out a quiet moan, her eyelids fluttering. The crispness of the shell and lettuce, the sour tang of the cream, the acidic sting of the tomatoes and above all the fish, it all swirled around in her mouth to fill her with a heavenly aura of pure bliss.

The crunch though, that was the best part. Hearing the crunch of the shell reverberate through her skull sparked fireworks in her brain. She couldn’t help but take another bite, and then another, and another, until she almost bit down on her own fingers trying to take the last chunk in one large bite.

Only then did she let out a sigh and look up at Cadeneza and Twilight, who watched her with amusement and horrified fascination respectively. “So, uh, I guess you liked that, huh?” Cadeneza said, chuckling behind her hand.

“Yes!” Sonata wailed, throwing up her hands and waving them in the air. “That was the best. Food. Ever! What did you call it?”

“...a taco?” Twilight ventured, her eyes darting to look up at Cadeneza in a manner that Sonata found adorable. But then Sonata liked seeing fear in people’s eyes. It made them so much cuter when they were afraid, just a little.

Much more fun to play with that way.

“Yes, tacos!” she cried, balling her hands into fists. “I’ve never had anything like it before… it was sooo gooood!” She brought her fists up to her lips and curled them into a pout. “Can I have another? Can I? Can I?”

Cadeneza beamed. “You can have as many as you like.”

“Oh don’t tell her that,” Aria groused, slapping a hand to her face. “She’ll order way too many and a few hours from now she’ll be complaining about how sick she feels.”

“Nuh uh!” Sonata retorted, sticking her tongue out. Aria was always so mean to her, but she gave back as good as she got. “I only want, like, three more. No wait, four. No! Five!”

“Why don’t we start with two and see how you feel after that?” Cadeneza suggested as she flagged down a server. “Hey, two more fish tacos please. And some more buffalo popcorn chicken for me.”

“Certainly,” said the server, whose bald head and blue skin looked to Sonata like he was a resurrected drowning victim. “Anything else?”

“Oooh, ooh, I want more of this root beer stuff!” Sonata said, holding up her mostly empty glass. “It’s sooo tasty.”

Sonata grinned at the sight of Twilight’s extremely unimpressed flat look. “I’ll take a beer, if you don’t mind.”

Cadeneza frowned. “You sure, Sparkie?”

Twilight shrugged. “Just synthehol. Don’t worry, I’m not touching the real stuff.”

“Of course you aren’t,” Aria said, her smile turning devious. “You ponies always were total lightweights. One drink you’d probably be out for the rest of the day.”

“Fight, fight, fight!” Sonata cheered in a whisper as she watched Twilight’s hackles rise, her lips pulling back.

“Excuse you,” Twilight growled, “but I’m actually–”

“Settle down, Sparkie,” Cadeneza said, patting her on the shoulder. “She’s just having some fun.”

Twilight blushed, her whole face turning a deep shade of crimson. “Err, right. Sorry.”

“Awww,” Sonata moaned, her face falling.

The server politely coughed for attention. “Anything else?”

Adagio waved him off. “We’re fine. Go.”

Sonata snickered at the scowl he sent Adagio’s way before slinking off. Then her eyes focused on Adagio’s plate of food. “Oooh, Dagi, how’s your food, huh? Is it anywhere near as good as a taco?”

Adagio peered at the plate, which held a piece of flatbread folded into a cylinder, dripping with melted cheese atop and leaking some sort of red sauce. She picked up her fork and carved out a piece, popping it into her mouth. “Not bad at all. What did you call this?”

“An enchilada,” Cadeneza answered. “They’re pretty tasty, but too messy for me. I almost always end up spilling some sauce on my uniform or something.”

Giggles erupted from Sonata as she pointed at Adagio’s face. “She’s right, Dagi! Look, your face is all red.”

Growling under her breath, Adagio brought a napkin up to her face and wiped away the stray sauce. “Stop calling me Dagi. You know I hate that.”

Sonata’s bottom lip curled up as she blinked. “Really? But Aria said–”

“Nothing, stupid,” Aria intervened, cuffing Sonata on the shoulder.

“Hey, don’t hit me!” Sonata protested.

“Then don’t say stupid things, stupid.” Aria leaned back in her chair, her eyes suddenly scanning the room like she was looking for something. “Wish there was some entertainment here. Don’t you people have musicians?”

“Well, yes, we do. A number of people onboard are musicians in their spare time. We just don’t get a lot of spare time lately,” Cadeneza answered with a vague wave of her hand. “This isn't a cruise ship, so it's not like we have rock bands on standby every day.”

“No, it’s military,” Adagio said with a nod.

“Erm, Starfleet isn’t a military,” Twilight interjected. “We’re explorers.”

Sonata stared blankly as both her sisters gave Twilight the flattest look imaginable. "Surely you're not that blind, Sparkle," Adagio said. "Look around. You call each other by rank, not name. Ranks which you wear on your uniforms, which you wear onboard a ship armed to the teeth, and if I'm overhearing chatter correctly, you're in the middle of a war. If that's not a military, then I don't know what one is. Don’t waste time pretending otherwise.”

“Eeeh…” Cadeneza waved a hand in the air and shrugged, glancing down at Twilight. “She’s not wrong, Sparkie. Much as we like to pretend otherwise.”

“But, Starfleet’s primary mission has always been exploration,” Twilight countered, her voice taking on a slight whine that caused Sonata to cringe. “We only use our weapons in self-defense!”

Cadeneza patted Twilight on the shoulder. “Oh you sweet summer child,” she said, grinning at the instant glare Twilight shot her way. “Don't believe everything you read in Federation History 101. There’ve been plenty of times the Federation used Starfleet like a bludgeon to get what it wants. We’re not any better than the Klingons or Romulans when it comes to that. We just put on a good face and pretend like we are. You know, offer one hand while arming the other.”

“But…” Twilight’s face fell as she slumped in her chair, pouting in a way that made Sonata want to pick her up and squeeze her and pat her head until her mood improved. “Fine…” She picked up her fork in her magic and went back to eating.

“Anyway,” Cadeneza said, turning back to Sonata and her sisters. “We might not have any live music, but if you want.... I could sing!”

Twilight’s fork dropped to her plate with a clatter as she choked on her food. She reached out clumsily with her magic for her water glass and gulped some down, then slammed it to the table with a thump. “Are you crazy?!”

Cadeneza’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “What?”

“The last time you tried to sing,” Twilight replied, her voice raw, “You literally made my ears bleed.”

“Oh come on, that wasn’t my fault. You were getting a haircut from the barber.”

Sonata grinned eagerly as she watched Twilight’s rebuttal. “Yes, I was. And when you sang he twitched so hard he shoved his scissors right through my ears!” Twilight’s whole body shuddered. “Your caterwauling gave me nightmares for a week.”

As Cadeneza reeled back, Sonata sighed in delight, enjoying the taste of her negative emotions. “But… but I can’t be that bad. I mean, how could I be? I did a year of choir in high school for god’s sake!”

Twilight patted her shoulder as Cadeneza buried her head in her arms on the table. “You keep telling yourself that. Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

Sonata grunted as the flow of negative emotions from Cadeneza cut off. But she was totally unprepared for what she heard next. “Your sister,” Cadeneza said with a smirk.

Twilight pulled her hoof back instantly. “What?” she said in a flat tone.

“Your sister,” Cadeneza repeated, her smile widening till it stretched from ear to ear. “She helps me sleep at night. Especially last night.”

Aria and Adagio openly burst into laughter as Twilight’s muzzle puckered up like she’d bitten into a lemon. “...Lieutenant,” she groaned, “Can you not hold your tongue for even a minute?”

“No, I can’t. Just ask Sunset–”

“Okay, that’s enough of that!” Twilight blurted, her face turning a peculiar shade of green.

Sonata tuned out the rest of the conversation, because the server had arrived with her fresh pair of tacos, and the delightful smell was so mouth-watering she couldn’t resist it. She snatched up the first taco and took a huge bite out of it, letting the taste bedazzle her once again.

“I love this place.”

Aria collapsed face first onto the conference room table the instant Liang left. “Ugh, that was so boring.”

“Sorry about that,” Cadeneza said, causing Aria’s scowl to deepen. Aria found Cadeneza’s apologies irritating...something about her voice made Aria want to shut her up. Preferably with a gag. “As briefings go, it could have been a lot worse.”

“Worse?” Adagio groaned. Aria smirked at the sight of her older sister collapsing face first onto the table, even if she felt a similar level of fatigue.

“Ignore her,” Twilight interjected. “Besides, you're our guests, and you've all been extremely helpful already. I doubt you'll be called upon for more meetings like this. At least not for a while.”

“I dunno, I thought it was fun,” burbled the ever-irritating Sonata. “This place is pretty great. The food is awesome!”

“It is far better than some places we’ve been,” Adagio allowed as she pushed herself off the table. “But I’m not convinced yet.”

“Seriously,” Aria added as she stretched out her limbs, working out all the kinks that these rather uncomfortable chairs had put in her back. “What do you do for fun around here?”

Twilight’s eyes lit up. “We have a very large selection of books you can read in our computer’s library. Millions, no, tens of millions of books spanning hundreds of cultures, from modern day to the beginnings of recorded history on most Federation worlds. And it’s all inside the computer.”

Aria looked at her sisters, then the three of them looked at Sparkle. “Pass.”

“Well… I think reading is fun…” Twilight grumbled.

“That’s because you’re an egghead,” Maia said, a small grin forming on her otherwise impassive face.

Twilight’s eyebrows rose as she looked at Maia. “You know I won our last four sparring matches, right?”

Maia rolled her shoulders and grinned. “Only because I let you.”

Twilight snorted. “Wanna make it zero for five then?”

“Fight?” Sonata whispered, her voice sounding hopeful to Aria’s ears.

Shimmer’s face paled. “Uh, Ensign, I’m not sure this is appropriate–”

Cadeneza’s arm shot out. “It’s okay, Sunny. These two’ve been like this ever since they became roommates. ’Sides, I always love seeing Maia get her ass beat. Again.”

“This I’ve got to see,” Aria agreed, grinning savagely as she lightly tapped her right fist into her left palm. “Fights are great entertainment.”

“A unicorn against a… what was your species called again? Human?” Adagio matched Aria’s grin with one of her own. “I can’t see how the human could possibly win. But, I’d love to find out.”

“I wouldn’t have a problem with that,” Maia said.

“Me neither,” Twilight agreed.

Shimmer blew a sigh out through her teeth as she briefly covered her face with her wings. “Hang on a moment. Computer, time?”

“2137.”

She let out another sigh. “Okay, okay, fine, we’re all off duty so we can do this. But let’s do this somewhere no one else can watch us. We’ll go to the holodeck.”

“Holodeck?” Aria repeated, tasting the unfamiliar word. “What’s a holodeck?”

“It’s complicated,” Cadeneza said as they all got up from their seats and headed for the door. “But it basically uses light, force fields, the replicators, and a few other tricks to simulate an environment nearly perfectly. When programmed well, it really feels like you stepped into another world entirely.

Like an idiot, Sonata stared blankly at the human. “Uh, what? I… I don’t get it.”

“In simpler terms?” Shimmer said. “Magic.”

“Ooooh!” Sonata’s mouth spread in a grin that Aria ached to punch off her face. “Why didn’t you just say so?”

Aria sighed quietly. “Idiot. Anyway, did you say any kind of environment?”

“Yeah! Jungles, ocean, desert, beaches, coffee shops, ski resorts in the mountains, the dead surface of a moon, whatever you want.”

“We’ve never heard of this technology before,” Adagio said, just as in awe as Aria from what Aria could see of her face. “Show us.”

“Okay, this way then…”

After a quick ride on that weird contraption they called a turbolift, Aria followed Shimmer as she led the group toward a large set of hexagonal orange doors that sat at the end of the corridor. “Have any kind of environment in mind?” she asked as the doors wheezed open to allow them entry into a black room filled with a grid of gold lines.

“Ocean!” Sonata cheered, throwing up her hands. “I wanna see water!”

“With a beach,” Aria added.

“A lagoon,” Adagio chimed in.

“Hmm, okay,” Shimmer muttered as she moved to touch the console sitting along an arch right at the entryway. “No, no, no… close, but no… that might work, except… no that’s full of storms…”

“Ma’am, allow me,” Maia said. “Computer, load up program Maia 247.”

“Program complete.”

All around them, the black and gold faded away, blasting them instantly with a barrage of sights, smells, sounds, even tastes that left Aria completely stunned.

Aria took a few steps forward, pressing her boots into the white sand. Sea salt spray filled her nostrils with a deep sense of longing as warm ocean waves washed up on the beach. The cries of sea birds filled her ears as she knelt down to touch the sand. “It feels real,” she whispered.

“Woohoo!” Sonata cheered as she heedlessly ran out into the lagoon, soaking herself to the bone.

“What’s with the buildings?” Adagio asked as she came to a stop next to Aria.

Aria looked up. She’d been so distracted by the beach she failed to notice the several tall buildings just behind them, spaced out in a row that seemed to span the entire length of the beach itself. Each one was built from wood, painted white, with rows upon rows of windows, and various balconies full of furniture. But there were no people.

“This is a reproduction of the Ko Olina Lagoon in Oahu, Hawaii, on Earth,” Maia said. “In real life there’s hundreds of people here every day. It's a very popular tourist destination. But not here. Here it's as quiet as you want it to be.”

“It’s magnificent,” Adagio said, staring out at the waves. Aria joined her, watching the tide ebb and flow just as it should. In the distance she could hear rougher waves crashing against what had to be some kind of rock formation. Aria couldn't help but smile a true smile, one she rarely used.

“Reminds me of home.”

Shimmer trotted over and planted her rump next to them. “Earth is a beautiful planet, full of wonders and life. I still miss Equestria, but Earth… Earth’s a pretty good home.”

“And you can visit it anytime without leaving your ship,” Adagio said, chuckling. “I think I’m starting to agree with Sonata. This ship… I think we’ll stay here for a while.”

“And you’re more than welcome to,” Shimmer replied. “Just… you’ll have to make do without throngs of worshippers and all.”

“After what we just went through?” Aria quipped. “I think we’ll survive.”

Aria heard a whistling noise from behind her, prompting her to turn and see Cadeneza waving everyone over. “Hey, everyone. We’re here to watch Twilight kick Maia’s ass, right?”

“More like see me kick Twilight’s ass,” Maia said as she picked a spot on the beach and started punching and kicking the air to warm up.

Twilight stretched out her own limbs and lit up her horn, allowing lines of magical force to flare into life around her. “We’ll see about that.”

Aria kicked off her shoes and sat down in the sand to watch the fight, eager to lap up any negative emotions from it. She watched the two competitors close the distance between each other and take up martial stances. While the human struck a pose, Twilight’s whole body crested with sparking light as it formed four spheres surrounding each of her hooves.

Cadeneza raised a hand. “Alright ladies, here we go. Round one. Fight!”

Author's Note

Our lovely favorite color is taking a bit of a break this time around, so it's just me here. I've said some stuff regarding the background of this mini in the blog post, so go check that out.

As for what happens here... my goal is to display my interpretation of the sirens. Ultimately, they just want to survive. Any "evil" in them in a world conquest or whatever sense is long since gone, replaced by a simple desire to survive. In that they could be described as more Chaotic Neutral than anything else. Will that change? You'll see.

When it comes to their clothes, I deliberately went for "similar to but not exactly" their canon outfits from EQG. I figured they'd go for similar styles, but making it exact seemed a little silly.

See you next time!

Season 2 Mini-Episode 7: "Space Race"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02ME07

“Space Race”

Rodriguez stared up at the viewscreen, watching the simulated view of the stars flying past. His hands mimed typing on the conn console, practicing the command sequences for various maneuvers to stay in shape. Occasionaly, he glanced back down to make sure they were still on course for Starbase 375, and every time he did he made a little tweak to keep the variance from their plotted course under two percent. It was a matter of pride that never failed to make him smile.

“Feeling a bit bored over there, Rodrigo?” asked Williams, glancing over from his seat at ops.

Rodrigo turned his head just enough to look at Williams, flashing the old man a grin. “A little bit, I cannot lie,” he said. He stretched out his arms, momentarily wincing as his left arm twinged, still tender from the bone-knitting performed by Doctor Selar the night before. As he brought them back in he cracked his knuckles, then set his hands back down on the console. “I am wishing I had some real piloting to do.”

“Careful what you wish for,” Williams said, his tone sounding all too casual to Rodrigo’s ear. “Never know when those Dominion goons will pop up next.”

Rodrigo made a thoughtful noise as he drummed his fingers on the console. “I would prefer that not to occur,” he said. “Flying in straight lines is perfectly fine.”

Williams chuckled at that. “Ah, you’ve become such a sap in your old age. I remember when you were full of fire, young and eager to prove yourself, always ready to punch out a Cardi. Now look at you. You’ve still got the physique, but you’re so… calm now.”

“Time," Rodrigo said, a small smile coming to his lips. “Time has a way of smoothing out rough edges, adding depth to what was once shallow and one dimensional. This is as true for a bottle of fine Monastrell as it is for myself.”

“Yet you still talk like a Spaniard right out of the 18th century,” Williams retorted. “What’re you going to say next? ‘My name is Rodrigo Rodriguez. You killed my father. Prepare to--”

“Please, sir,” Rodrigo interrupted, feeling a bit of a twinge in his jaw. “You have been making that joke for thirty years. I think it is past time for you to stop.”

Williams broke into hoarse laughter, slapping a hand to his console. “Oh come on, Rodrigo. It’s just a classic movie reference.”

“Yes, well, not all of us are having your obsession with terrible 20th century Earth movies,” Rodrigo retorted.

“Aaah, correction,” Williams said, holding up a finger. “Great 20th century movies. Not all of them. Just the great ones.”

A wide grin stretched across Rodrigo’s face. “Sir, you keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

As he hoped, Williams broke into fresh laughter and applauded him. “That’s the spirit, Rodrigo, there you go!”

Rodrigo took a small bow, as much as he could from a sitting position. “I do try, sir.”

The comm system bleeped at him. “Shuttlebay 2 to Rodriguez.”

Tapping his combadge, Rodriguez replied, “Rodriguez here. Go ahead.”

“Sir, Ensign R’el is down here, aboard the Liu Yang. She claims you’ve given authorization for her to launch.”

Rodrigo blinked and shared a confused look with Williams. “I gave no such authorization. Besides, we are at warp. Why would we be launching a shuttle at warp?”

“That’s what I asked her, sir, but she closed the shuttle door in my face. She’s powering it up now and is refusing to leave.”

“What the hell?” Williams grumbled. “What is she doing?”

“I don’t know, but I will be finding out,” Rodriguez said, standing up. “Shuttlebay 2, I am on my way. Please be having security stand by just outside the shuttlebay if needed. I will be attempting to talk her down first.”

“Understood.”

“Good luck, Rodrigo,” said Williams, giving him an odd look Rodrigo couldn’t quite figure out.

Rodrigo hurried for the nearest turbolift, directing it to Deck 22. As he rode, his mind churned, trying desperately to figure out what R’el was doing, or why. He'd been working with her since the day she came aboard, and she'd been nothing but a stellar officer. It had been months since Rodriguez even gave a second thought to R'el taking over the helm during Beta shift, and he remembered beaming with pride when she expertly piloted the shuttle during that dreadfully dangerous away mission to the Dominion base.

Which made the current situation all the more bewildering to take in.

As the turbolift discharged him, he jogged down the deck to the shuttlebay doors, nodding to Ensign Maia and the other security officer standing by. “Please be ready in case I am needing you to restrain her. I am hoping it will not come to that.”

“Yes, sir,” Maia replied. She adjusted her posture. “Permission to speak freely, sir.”

Rodrigo paused just before entering the shuttlebay. “Go ahead?”

“Ensign R’el is my friend, sir. I have no idea why she’d be acting like this. She has a good head on her shoulders.” Maia continued to stare at him impassively, despite the corner of her mouth tugging downward. “Knowing her, either something has her scared out of her wits, or she's upset at herself about something.”

Rodrigo nodded. “Thank you, Ensign. Excuse me.”

Stepping inside, he swiftly located the shuttlecraft in question. The Liu Yang was a type-8 shuttlecraft. It was one of the smallest shuttles on board, but what it lacked in armor and weaponry it made up for with speed, thanks to a warp four capable engine - an engine, Rodriguez noted as he listened to the hum of the deck plates beneath his feet, was primed and ready to go. He also noted the slowly growing glow coming from the shuttle's twin phaser nodes. He began to worry that R'el might try to blast her way out if he couldn't talk sense into her.

Eying the cockpit of the shuttle warily, he walked up to the rear of the shuttle and pressed his finger to the keypad.

After a long moment, the speaker sounded with R’el’s voice. “I already told you I have authorization. I’m not leaving the shuttle.”

“Is that so, Ensign?” Rodrigo asked. “I am curious as to how you obtained that authorization from me.”

After several moments with no response, the shuttlecraft door lowered, allowing him entry. The instant he stepped aboard it closed again, but he expected that. Ignoring it, he focused on R'el, who was sitting at the helm with her back to him. But as he approached, she turned enough for him to see her face.

Her uniform appeared rumpled, as if she tugged it on in a hurry. Her face was blotchy, her eyes red, her cheek fur soggy from freshly shed tears. Even her claws looked out of sorts, as if she'd given up halfway through clipping them. And, though he’d never bring it up, she smelled very much like a wet cat.

She looked up at him, her lips trembling, then spun around in the chair and flopped face first onto the console. “I’m going to the brig, aren’t I, sir?” she mumbled.

Rodrigo sighed as he squeezed his bulk into the chair next to her. “If Zhidar were here, then yes. But that is exactly why I came instead. I am admittedly upset, Ensign, but I am also worried about you. Stealing a shuttlecraft is no small thing, even for a first-time offender.”

R’el’s whole body shook with her answering breath. “I know, sir.”

Nodding, Rodrigo set his hands down on the console. “Truthfully, what is upsetting me about this is my best assistant, an Ensign I have been training for months, thought it was a good idea to be launching a shuttle while the ship is effectively at warp.”

One of R’el’s paws curled up into a partial fist. “I… I know that too sir. I know it would’ve been very dangerous.”

“Extremely so without the cooperation of the ship itself,” Rodrigo added. “It would be very easy for the Phoenix’s warp field to shred the shuttlecraft into a million pieces spread across half a light-year. You would be very dead.”

“...is that so bad?” R’el murmured.

Instantly Rodrigo sat up straight, narrowing his gaze to focus squarely on her. “Ensign. Are you feeling suicidal?”

R’el broke out laughing, a laugh that tasted so bitter it was as if Rodrigo had just swallowed a mouthful of raktajino minus the sweetener and cream. She kept laughing for so long that Rodrigo started reaching at his waist for a phaser he didn’t carry when she finally looked back up at him again. “No, no sir. I’m not. I… I’m not, I promise.”

Rodrigo eyed her up, meeting her cat-like unblinking stare with his own for several long moments until he nodded. “Then why did you attempt to steal a shuttle?”

“...I’d rather not talk about it, sir.”

He crossed his big beefy arms over his chest, glaring at her. “You understand if I do not have an explanation, I may have to send you to the brig after all pending an official inquiry, yes?”

She straightened up in her chair. “I’m aware of that, sir.”

His gaze softened as he looked her over, seeing the fear in her eyes. Whatever reason she had for not disclosing, it seemed it mattered more to her than her career at the moment, which made it very important indeed.

Which gave him an idea. A silly, odd idea, but one that just might work. He might be able to coax it out of her if he followed through. But, first thing’s first.

“Very well,” he said in a quieter voice. “Before we go, please see to shutting down the shuttlecraft.”

R’el’s paws moved over the console quickly in a delicate dance, bringing systems down one at a time in the proper manner to let them cool, each one letting out a hum that slowly stilled as she disengaged them, exactly the way he’d trained her. “Done.”

He nodded, filled with a sense of pride. “Good, good. Shall we be leaving, then?”

“...aye, sir,” she said, letting out a quiet little yowl of dismay as she picked herself up and headed for the shuttlecraft door, her tail, while puffed up, dragging behind her.

As they exited onto the hangar floor, R’el glanced about and muttered, “Oh… no one’s waiting to take me away? I was half convinced this was a setup.”

Rodrigo arched an eyebrow. “Surely, Ensign, you are knowing me much better than that. You know I would not be so underhanded. I am a man of honor.”

R’el’s face paled to the color of curdled milk as she hid her face away. “Sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to insult you like that.”

He shook his head. “Nevermind that. What precisely is your duty roster today, Ensign?”

“Simulations, sir,” she answered, keeping her gaze aimed at the floor. “And shuttlecraft maintenance.”

“Is the maintenance what you were doing when you attempted to steal the Liu Yang?”

Another long pause, then, “Yes, sir.”

Rodrigo glanced about the hangar at the various other shuttlecraft and pods nearby. “Did you finish?”

“Yes, sir, I finished… recalibrating the flight controls on the Liu Yang was the last item on my list,” she answered, another quiet yowl escaping her lips.

“Aaah, I see.” Rodrigo leaned down to her eye level. “So since you were already in the chair, you were thinking, ‘I want to get out of here, I should use the shuttle I am sitting in,’ yes?”

She bit her lip and nodded, her ears flattening against her skull. “Yes, sir.”

Rodrigo resisted the urge to immediately spout “Why?” and instead reached out to pat her on the shoulder. Well aware of his own strength, he deliberately hit her just hard enough to make her stumble, without causing any real harm. “I see, I see. Well, if you have all of the maintenance done, then you should be moving on to the simulations, yes?”

Seemingly dazed by his hit, R’el only blinked in confusion before letting out a “What?” so mangled by cat-noises it might as well have been meowed.

“Am I mistaken? You have only been on duty for a few hours.” Rodrigo flashed a charming grin at her, one that had melted the heart of many a woman in his time.

It didn’t seem to melt her heart, or even reach it, but she did give him a watery smile in return, if only for a moment before it vanished into the aether. “No I do have piloting simulations awaiting me.”

“Very well then.” He held a hand up to his mouth and coughed. “As the lead helmsman aboard, it is up to me to determine the best sort of simulations suitable. We will be throwing out your old plan for today.”

“Huh?” She took a single step back from him, her hands raising up to chest level. “I don’t understand, sir.”

“Do not be worrying, Ensign, I will be helping you with this simulation personally. Come with me.” He led her out into the corridor, past Maia and her fellow security guard, whom he gave a subtle nod to. He didn’t miss the way R’el stiffened for a moment as she passed them by however.

“I thought you said you weren’t so underhanded, sir,” she muttered, her voice turning bitter like day old coffee.

“And I’m not,” Rodrigo said. He turned to the security officers. “Thank you, you may go. I will take it from here.”

“Aye, sir,” said Maia. As her fellow officer walked away, she paused long enough to fix her gaze upon R’el and say, “Sorry if we scared you.”

R’el’s gaze softened as she watched Maia depart. “...I see what you mean, sir. Sorry, again.”

“No need,” Rodrigo said with a measure of magnanimity. “Now then, I believe the turbolift is this way.”

As the turbolift took off, Rodrigo looked down at R’el, who couldn’t stop curling and uncurling her paws. She glanced in his direction and immediately looked away when she realized he was looking at her, but he’d seen her eyes long enough to see what was weighing on her mind.

Guilt. She'd done something - or something had happened to her - and now she was overwhelmed with guilt from it. He'd never seen her act this way before either. Usually she was so happy-go-lucky, with enthusiasm and energy that rivaled his own.

But now she was so quiet and meek, like a completely different person. Something must have happened to her. Something she didn’t care for, something that left her feeling totally exposed somehow.

And he was going to coax it out of her. It was either that or send her to see Counselor Hendricks and take her off duty, but he was hoping his alternative solution would work.

The turbolift discharged them close to Holodeck 1. “Sir?” R’el questioned as he led them right to the doors. “We’re using the holodeck, not the holosuite?”

Rodrigo understood her confusion. Though the Phoenix had four holodecks, it also had twenty much smaller holosuites. They were far less sophisticated, but were perfect for training simulations and other programs where fidelity of detail and sophistication were not as vital. More importantly, the enlisted crew members which made up over three quarters of the crew were not allowed to use the holodecks for recreation, only the holosuites.

“We will be needing it for what I have in mind,” he said, his eyes twinkling.

He led her inside and stepped over to the arch. “Computer, run program Rodriguez 21 Alpha. Two persons.”

“Please specify course length.”

“200 million kilometers.”

“Working… program complete.”

All around them the black and gold lines faded away, replaced by a landing pad twenty meters by twenty meters, sitting naked on a dusty rock of an asteroid, with only a force field dome to hold in the atmosphere. Sitting atop the landing pad were a pair of one-person shuttlecraft, each an exact clone of his personal racing craft he used in competition. The brightly polished hull, swept wings, and twin impulse engines mounted underneath gave the sleek design a look faintly reminiscent of vintage 20th century fighter jets, while a plethora of RCS thrusters allowed the shuttle to turn in any direction at a moment's notice.

Rodrigo stifled a laugh of amusement at the slight bit of drool that ran down R’el’s chin as her eyes darted between the ships and the asteroid field floating all around them. This was one of Rodrigo's favorite courses to run - a super dense asteroid field created by the collision of two class-M planets. Rocks of all shapes and sizes floated and spun about, some large enough and jagged enough to rip even a ship like the Phoenix to pieces if they were to collide. He'd run this maze so many times over the years he'd memorized all the best paths by heart.

“What do you think, Ensign?”

“I… what kind of simulation is this?” R’el breathed.

“Pilot training," Rodrigo chuckled as he began walking toward the further of the two racecraft. “Of a sort. Come along. We have work to do, yes?”

R’el all but raced forward and leapt into the cockpit of her own craft, while Rodrigo ambled into his own at a much more leisurely pace, too busy watching R’el. Seeing her reaction brought a smile to his face as old happy memories briefly surfaced in his mind, days of yore when he was but a young lad boarding his first racecraft. As he took a seat, he slipped on his headset and keyed the radio.

“Sir, this layout, it’s incredible. It’s so intuitive and easy to understand. Even the VIP shuttles back at the Academy don’t have controls this advanced!”

He glanced down at the controls, set up as a half moon encircling the pilot’s seat. Thrusters, impulse drive, shields, power, heading, communications, all set up in just the right positions, at just the right distance for their use. There was even a joystick for manual steering, though that saw far more use in-atmosphere than it did in space. “Thank you, Ensign,” he said, grinning. “I worked very hard on designing it.”

“Wait, you designed all of this?”

“Yes, I did,” he answered, his voice full of pride. “Inside and out. Spent years working out all the details before having a prototype built.”

“Wow… I knew you were a racer, sir, but that’s just–!” R’el’s transmission dissolved into a series of mrrs and mewls, just like a happy little housecat.

He leaned back in the plush leather seating and reached back for the five-point seat belt. While not a common piece of equipment aboard most starships these days, it was vital for any racecraft, as inertial dampers rarely kept up entirely with their lightning-quick maneuvers due to their power draw. Had he been flying this craft for real, he’d also be wearing a pressure suit able to handle the G-forces, but here he could rely on the holodeck safety protocols to allow just enough thrill without putting their lives in serious danger.

“Do not be forgetting your seat belt, Ensign,” he said.

He heard the sound of a click followed by, “Already on it, sir.”

“Very good.” He booted up the ship’s computer and brought up a map of the race course, sending it over to appear on her screen as well. “As you might guess, this asteroid field will be our race course. Checkpoint beacons are being marked by the gold symbols on the screen, and we must be passing within five meters of each one in order to receive credit and move into the next section of the course.”

He imagined the dropped jaw from the yowl of disbelief she uttered. “Did you say five meters?”

“Yes,” he replied, stifling a chuckle. “And there will be other hazards as well. Automated turrets. Mines. Dampening fields. With only the two of us there will be fewer hazards, but they must be avoided.”

“...sir, with all due respect, this is kind of crazy. I don’t understand why we’re doing this.”

A frown briefly replaced his usual smile. “I am realizing that it is a bit unusual, but it will be a very good test of your piloting skills. Of course if you are unwilling to perform this duty, I can always be escorting you to the brig for your attempted shuttle theft.”

It was an underhanded, blatantly manipulative statement, but it got the job done. He heard guilt creep back into her voice as she said, “Right, sorry sir. I’m ready to go when you are.”

“Very good.” He checked his controls once more, ensuring his power core and engines were warmed up and ready. “Computer, begin race countdown. Give racer number two a five minute handicap start.”

“Affirmative. Racer Two, prepare to launch.”

“Wha–sir? Are you sure about this?”

He wished she could see the amused smile on his face. “Would you rather not be having a headstart on one of the best racers in the Federation?”

“...good point, sir.”

“Racer Two, you may launch in three… two… one. Launch.”

A shudder surged through the landing pad and up into Rodrigo’s pilot seat as the other racecraft soared away like a chemical rocket, waggling its wings as a farewell greeting.

Chuckling at the sight, Rodrigo sat back in his chair, wrapping his arms behind his head as he watched the other racecraft peel away on the map, dodging and weaving through asteroids on as direct a path as possible for the first checkpoint. But even at top speed it would take her longer than five minutes to get there.

“Ah, my dear Ensign,” he sighed to himself. “Like any neophyte, always thinking speed is utmost.”

But he was nothing if not generous. When the computer announced he could begin, he calmly brought his hands out from behind himself, cracked his back, hummed a tune, then gently started up the engines and floated away from the asteroid like a butterfly, slow and quiet.

He meandered about, even circling the starting asteroid once before blithely pointing himself in the general direction of the checkpoint. He brushed past a few asteroids as he heard the radio click on. “What’s wrong, sir?” asked R’el.

“Just enjoying the sights,” he said as he swept down and around another chunk of dusty rock.

“Sir… you’re toying with me.”

He muted himself long enough to snicker, then flicked the mic back on. “So you are thinking.”

Right on cue as he said that, his map let out a loud ding sound in a minor key to let him know that R'el had hit the first checkpoint. Four more to go.

He sat up in his seat and re-tightened his seatbelt, a huge grin on his face. He hit a single key, beginning a three second countdown to the engines ramping to max power.

“We shall see.”

Rodrigo could feel the slight twist in the spaceframe as the craft shot forward, even with the dampeners set to maximum power. The engines screamed as he weaved in and out of the first series of asteroids, using each close pass to build more and more momentum toward the next set. As he curled around the last asteroid and gently tapped the lit beacon on top of the first checkpoint with a wingtip, he saw he had already cut the gap to R'el by a half.

Rodrigo took a brief glance at the map, spotting R’el’s position on the course. A grin crossed his face as he watched her charge blindly ahead to the next checkpoint. He meanwhile took a perpendicular route far around. “Wait for it....” he murmured.

Right on cue, he heard R'el shriek in surprise. “Are you okay there, Ensign?”

“You weren’t kidding about those turrets, sir!” she called back. He watched her ship icon on the map spiral seemingly out of control and briefly appear to dip inside one of the asteroids only to pop out the other side, exploiting a small tunnel that most other racers never see at all. He nodded his approval at the move. Clever.

And one he might have to duplicate because his onboard computer was already sounding the alarm over the approaching turrets. Like any race course, these were armed with pulsed ion cannons and spatial torpedoes, archaic technology that had been abandoned centuries ago in favor of the first phasers and photon torpedoes. Any starship could swat these weapons away with only their navigational deflectors, but they were more than enough to temporarily disable racecraft like these with too many hits.

But his shields didn’t have to be strong. The key was to avoid getting hit in the first place, and that was a skill Rodrigo excelled in. He banked hard to the right as the turrets began to unload on him, then spun up and to the left in a corkscrew that kept the turrets just far enough behind him to never get a clean shot. He weaved past the first wave of torpedoes then dove nearly straight down again to zip through another wave of cannon fire, only taking a few glancing blows to the port shield. Spotting the shortcut that R’el used, he dove inside and zoomed out the other side, completely bypassing the last few turrets in that section.

Rodrigo checked the course map just as it dinged again, showing R'el passing the second checkpoint and banking toward the third section of the course, which was spread across a field dotted with massive chunks of ice and jagged debris. These bulky behemoths hid a specialized danger inside, one that Rodrigo was all too eager to let R’el trigger first.

Still he didn’t want her to feel too confident, so he kept the speed on till he’d pulled up alongside, seeing her clearly through his cockpit windows. Only then did he slow down, allowing her to surge ahead again.

“Something wrong, sir?” she taunted. “Afraid to pass?”

“Alas, my dear Ensign, I am but a humble gentleman, and it would be rude not to let a lady go first,” he replied, deliberately exaggerating his accent as he spoke to give it extra panache.

As he expected, R’el let out a snort of disbelief. “Riiiight, whatever you say, sir.”

Ramping up her engines, she soared far ahead until she’d entered the ice fields. She adjusted course on the fly with a skill similar to his own, but without his level of experience. Her natural talent alone allowed her to dodge and weave around every obstacle with the cat-like grace that befit her Caitian species.

But while R’el might be catlike, Rodrigo had a grace all of his own, like a Flamenco dancer, twisting and turning, using momentum and gravity in ways that most pilots wouldn’t ever dream of. Rodrigo had learned how to fly the old fashioned way, without the subspace fields of impulse drives that lowered mass. If he’d been put in the pilot’s seat of a space shuttle or one of the early Mars explorer vehicles, he’d have felt right at home. Newton was his friend, his ally, his trusted co-pilot.

Least, that’s what his old mentor always taught him. Not for the first time, he whispered a silent prayer of thanks to the old veteran, who’d long since left this mortal coil.

Just as he expected, R'el made it no more than a few clicks into the ice field when she sprung the trap. Gravitic explosives, deliberately rigged to turn the huge ice balls into frozen shrapnel and make navigation all but impossible.

R’el’s surprised yelp echoed over his headset as shrapnel thumped her shields, each one causing a flare of blue radiation. But she regained control almost immediately, her smooth reactions helping her slide around the icelike an ice skater twirling about, switching from prograde to anti-normal to radial out, every heading for the splittest of seconds with quick bursts of RCS and the slightest touch of her impulse engines. Yowls of triumph came blaring through the radio, and this time Rodrigo couldn’t keep from laughing. “Having fun?”

“Yes, sir! Wooo! This is amazing, so much better than the other simulations.”

“It is very much my preference as well,” Rodrigo said as he followed her into the ice field, matching her move for move, but letting her stay just ahead. “It becomes very exciting when you add enemy vessels as well. You should see the track I have programmed with Galor-class cruisers.”

“We get something bigger than these for that simulation though, right?” R’el asked as she passed by the third checkpoint and soared out of the ice field. “This racer is amazing, but I don’t think it could take a single hit from a Cardassian shuttlecraft, let alone a Galor-class.”

“Hmm, very true, Ensign.” Rodrigo paused speaking long enough to tap the third checkpoint and follow R’el out of the ice. “I do have many other types of ships for those simulations.”

“Sounds like fun, sir. I hope we get a chance to try them out.”

Rodrigo very much wished so as well. He didn’t want to admit it, but although he’d gone into this race deliberately intending to let R’el win, she was making him work much harder for it than he’d expected. “We will see.”

He returned his attention to the map as he watched R’el’s craft soar far ahead. This part of the course was mostly open space, with easy curves and loops that would quickly lull most any racer into a false sense of security. Which is exactly what Rodrigo was counting on, because what lay ahead would strain the Ensign’s definition of fun quite severely.

Watching carefully, he kept his fingers poised over the power distribution controls, ready to slam additional power into his shields at a second’s notice. The racecraft’s sensors were even weaker than the shields,, and couldn't detect much of anything until he was effectively right on top of it.

He saw the energy spike a split-second before he heard R’el’s shriek of shock, and he instantly jabbed the console, cutting out the engines and shifting all power to the shields. Then his view filled with a flash of light, and a shockwave rumbled through, causing his shields to flare enough to make him cover his eyes.

R’el’s frantic voice filled his cockpit as her vessel lurched to a halt on the map. “What… what was that? My systems are shot, readings all over the place!”

“Blackout mines,” Rodrigo answered. “Variation of a mine used in the 23rd century. Interferes with navigation, like how an old-style electromagnetic pulse would fry 20th century computers. Most sensor arrays these days don't even look for them by default.”

“So we’ll be flying blind?”

Rodrigo shook his head. “For a short while, yes. But it will be passing soon. These are designed to scramble your systems, nothing more. And you have something aboard to let you be getting past this. Check the grey button on the far left side of your console.”

He heard a click and a whirr through the radio, followed by, “What… is this a sextant?! This is something straight out of Apollo! I remember Professor Farnsworth showing us one of these at the Smithsonian.”

“Exactly,” Rodrigo grinned. “Is not electronic. The mines will have no effect.”

R’el answered his words with a laugh, followed by a purr that reminded him so much of his old housecat he found himself stroking the console without even realizing it. “Brilliant, sir. I never would’ve thought of it.”

“No one ever does. Shall we keep moving?”

Obliging him, R’el powered her engines up and continued on course. Though she took it far slower than she had before, to her credit she was almost exactly back on course before her sensors cleared up.

Rodrigo followed in her wake, matching her movement for movement. No need to race ahead, not against these mines. They were everywhere, invisible to the naked eye, and every time one was triggered both their ships would go haywire.

To his surprise, she managed to avoid triggering any other mines, eventually bumping up against the fourth checkpoint without further difficulties. Now through the minefield, she followed the course back into the depths of the asteroids for the final push.

Rodrigo upped his pace, not wanting to be left behind. He tapped the checkpoint within a few minutes and sped back up to match pace with R’el.

“Be very careful, Ensign,” he called over the radio as they both passed right back into the whirling thicket of rocks. “As you might be expecting, races like this are saving the best for last all the time.”

R’el answered with a low, confident chuckle. “I’m counting on it.”

“Oh?” Rodrigo leaned back in his seat and focused on his controls. What have you got in mind, little kitten?

The course sent them hurtling into a small area of gravimetric distortions that caused the asteroids caught in their wake to careen off each other like cosmic pinballs, smashing into each other and ripping apart, scattering tons of debris. They had no choice but to head straight through and compensate for the gravity waves pushing them about.

R’el’s ship was just ahead of his own when it abruptly descended on its z-axis, directly towards a smaller asteroid. Rodrigo’s eyes bulged at the sight. “Ensign, watch out!” he cried.

But he was too late. R’els racecraft broke the fragile rock in twain with the sheer force of impact. Rodrigo gaped at the sight, certain that she’d just hurt herself badly despite the holodeck safeties.

Her ship was nowhere to be seen as Rodrigo approached, only for a massive flash of light to precede a blackout blast. He tumbled to a halt, making him an easy target for the pulse cannons, which quickly began to score numerous hits against his shields.

“Clever girl,” he growled as he began evasive maneuvers, spinning the ship about and sending it flying off in random directions, heedless of his actual heading. The blackout effects would only last for a minute before they’d fade, and it was more important he got out of range of the turrets.

His head slammed into the back of his chair as a torpedo struck him from underneath, causing master alarms to go off all over his cockpit. “Hay que joderse, Señora, Madre de Dios,” he cursed as he fought to regain control over his racecraft, spinning in circles so fast the blood began to rush to his head.

Biting his tongue, he kept up his maneuvers even as his vision turned grey at the edges. Forget giving her the win. She’d triggered his competitiveness big time.

His sensors came back online, along with the map, just in time to see R’el pass by the fifth checkpoint.

“Race over. Racer Two is victorious.”

The simulation dissolved around them, depositing Rodrigo onto his feet, with R’el not far away. He shook his head to clear any remaining dizziness as R’el pumped her fist in the air, yowling triumphantly. “I can’t believe I won!”

“I am impressed, truly,” Rodrigo said as made his way over to her. “Perhaps next time we will be seeing how you do without the handicap, yes?”

R’el smiled up at him, her eyes shining with the bright enthusiasm he’d come to expect from the Caitian. “Yes sir, I’d love the chance.”

Then the light dimmed, her whole body shrinking inward. “If… if I get it.”

He let out a small sigh. “Computer, run program Rodriguez 50, please. No bystanders.”

The computer chimed in its usual pattern, and a few seconds later the yellow grid disappeared – and Rodrigo was home.

“Wow,” R'el muttered as she spun in a slow circle. “What is this place?”

Rodrigo gently clapped R'el on the shoulder. “Welcome to Barcelona, my dear Ensign, and to my favorite tapas bar in the city.”

He smiled approvingly as he watched R'el's eyes take in the room before them. Programming this from memory was easy for Rodrigo, and like always the feel of the bar wrapped around him like a favorite coat.

It was a relatively narrow space, with a long wooden and brass bar running along the left side, and tall two-person tables lining the wall opposite it. Well worn stools provided seating at the bar. Some of the tables had high stools in place, others made do with no seats at all. Warm lights and the occasional chandelier gave off a pleasant glow, while smaller spotlights lit up the fully stocked liquor shelves behind the bar itself. A narrow pathway between the two sides led to a set of wooden swing doors, clearly an entrance to a kitchen of some kind.

Rodrigo gestured toward one of a few larger four-person tables situated next to the windows that lined the front of the space near the front door. R'el followed and took a seat opposite Rodrigo.

“It's cozy,” she said. “I can see the appeal.”

“You haven't experienced España until you've experienced a tapas bar right after working hours,” Rodrigo chuckled. He gazed out the window to the building just across a cobblestone courtyard, its neon sign reading “Tablao Rosa” faintly glowing in the early evening light. “Only thing missing is a pitcher of sangria and a platter of pintxos to pass around.”

“In fact, I almost always start with a plate of–” Rodrigo inhaled deeply, his mind already winding up into an explanation he'd given to many a tourist in his day, but at the last second he pulled back. “But that's a discussion for us to be having later, Ensign. We're here to discuss you.”

She muttered a quiet, “Okay,” and fidgeted in her seat, her good mood seemingly deflated.

“Now that the fun is over, I was hoping you might be willing to tell me why you were stealing that shuttlecraft now,” Rodrigo said after a brief moment of silence.

R’el made a quiet little mrr in the back of her throat, then fixed her gaze upon him, resignation visible in her eyes. “It was for a very stupid reason, sir,” she admitted. “Last night, I was having dinner with Ensign Danielle.”

“Our half-Deltan crewwoman?” Rodrigo asked.

She nodded. “Yes, sir. She and I have been friends for years, since we were both roommates of Twilight Sparkle at one time or another. While we were eating, she cut her hand open by accident.” She shuddered, a slight green tinge coloring her cheeks. “I did what anyone would do, you know? I rushed over to help and…”

Rodrigo took a deep breath and nodded. “...you became enraptured by her pheromones.”

“I lost control instantly,” she whispered. “I was all over the poor girl like some primitive Caitian in heat, raising my tail for anyone to come and use me. It was horrible - no, it was worse than horrible. She was disgusted by it all. Utterly repulsed. But I was so far gone I couldn't understand why. All it did was drive me to desperation. I-I just...” Tears slipped from between her fingers as she threw her hands up to cover her face, descending into sobs.

“Hey now,” Rodrigo said, reaching out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It will be alright.”

R’el nodded past her sobs and managed to choke them back enough to continue. “What's more is, I couldn't do a damn thing about any of it! I just kept chasing her and chasing her. And when I finally came to in Sickbay, and realized what I'd done…”

He waited patiently for her to continue, but when she didn’t after several moments, he gently prodded, “What did you do next?”

She brought her knees up to curl into her stomach, bending over to rest her chin atop them. “I got out of there as fast as I could. When I returned to my quarters, I hid… I… I cried myself to sleep. I felt so, so violated, sir.”

Rodrigo gave her shoulder another squeeze. “She did not do that to you on purpose, I hope you are understanding.”

She bit her lip and nodded. “I know that, sir. Heck, she apologized to me like it was all her fault! But that's not it... that's not why. Not, not really. It’s…” Her eyes watered anew and she ducked her head back into her hands. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

“For what, Ensign?” Rodrigo whispered. “I do not understand.”

R’el leaned forward, drooped her head on the table, and sobbed, quiet little mewls of distress accompanied by fresh tears. “I’m not a very sexual person, sir, especially for a Caitian,” she muttered after a while. “I… oh I can’t even believe I’m discussing this. Ugh.” She swallowed and brushed away some of the tears from her eyes. “I love my friends, but I’ve never felt anything romantic for them, much less anything sexual. Or at least I thought I didn't.… And then, and then this happened, and suddenly… it’s like heat all over again, except this time it won't. Go. Away.”

Rodrigo scooted back from R’el, at a loss for words. This had rapidly gone in a direction he hadn’t expected, far out of his league. The right thing to do now would be to call for Hendricks, or Doctor May, or both even. His hand slowly inched up toward his combadge when she suddenly reached over and grabbed his arm.

“Please, no. I don’t want to talk to a doctor, o-or a counselor. I… just let me finish talking, sir. Please.”

He stared at her for a moment, then nodded, setting his arm down. “Alright, Ensign. But I am very concerned. And I must be admitting that I am a bit out of my depth here.”

“It’s not as bad as I’m making it sound,” she said. She sat up and scooted her chair over to the chair next to her, putting as much distance between them as she could. “It’s more like... like a part of me that I never gave much thought to when I was a growing cub suddenly caught up to me all at once. I’ve started realizing things, that I was feeling things… things that I didn’t know I was feeling before. I… I think I’m in love with one of my friends, sir.”

“In love? I am begging your pardon, Ensign, but may I ask whom you are enamoured with?”

She let out another quiet mewl of distress, which rapidly shifted to her usual purring giggle. “I was so surprised when I realized it, even though I shouldn’t be.”

“Ensign,” he repeated. “Who?”

Looking back up at him, she blinked her eyes once, then answered, “Twilight Sparkle.”

“...I see.” Rodrigo leaned forward enough to place one elbow on the table, propping up his chin on that hand. “I… am still not sure I am understanding how this led to your actions in the Shuttle Bay.”

“Because I betrayed her,” R’el stated matter of factly, as if she was giving a report on the bridge. “I touched Clairica, tried to seduce her, tried to do things to her, and because I did that, I… I betrayed Twilight. Or at least… it felt like I had.”

“You know that is not true, Ensign,” Rodrigo said immediately. “It is no betrayal when one's mind is not their own. Especially when Ensign Sparkle is, I presume, entirely unaware of your feelings.”

She let out a small laugh, which descended into more mewls of distress. “...I know sir. I realized that, even as I was trying to take the shuttle. But I felt so confused, so stupid, I… I just had to get away.”

He nodded in understanding. “You suffered a traumatic experience, which led to a personal realization. It is not an easy thing to cope with. Such things can lead to many stupid actions. But you are not the only one who has made foolish mistakes. I made my own last night, you know.”

“Huh?” She blinked and looked up at him. “How?”

He pointed to his left arm. “I broke my arm while arm-wrestling Ishihara. Broke hers too. Very stupid, very painful, not worth it. And yet I did it anyway. Because sometimes we do stupid things.”

“Sir,” R’el interrupted, “I understand what you’re trying to say, but you both knew what you were getting into. I was a furball gone mad with lust.”

“Fair point. But it is how we act afterwards that determines how we should be punished for them, if at all.”

“How we act afterwards?” R’el repeated.

Rodrigo smiled. “What I am saying, Ensign, is that you will not be in trouble, or even have it noted in your file that you attempted to steal the Liu Yang. We shall be wiping the slate clean.”

Her jaw fell open. “You’d do that, sir?”

“Of course,” he replied, his smile growing. “You are an excellent pilot, Ensign. Moreover, you are a good person, and a good Starfleet officer. This was clearly abnormal behavior for you, and given that it was preempted by an induced effect, I am thinking there is no reason to punish you for it.”

“Oh thank goodness!” she blurted, her whole body heaving a sigh of relief. “I was afraid I’d lose my career!”

“Hardly.” This time he did reach across the table to pat her on the shoulder. “As for Ensign Sparkle, perhaps you should be thinking about that for some time before you do anything. Perhaps you are mistaken, and you simply care for her as a friend. Or perhaps you will find your feelings are temporary.”

“Or she’ll turn me down,” R’el said with a shrug. “She told me once that she's never dated in her life. Maybe she’s not into girls. Or anyone.”

Rodrigo spread out his hands. “Who can say? There is no need to be rushing anything here. Indeed, I would say you should wait at least a couple of weeks before you do anything. Give some time for your thoughts to be getting back together, yes?”

She nodded once, hard. “Aye, sir. You’re right. Better to be safe… I don’t even know if this feeling of interest will last.”

“Precisely. So you will be smart about it, I trust,” Rodrigo said. He winked and nudged her shoulder. “Though if you are ever needing any advice on how to woo her, you can be asking your mentor.”

“Mentor?” She blinked once, then smiled. “Yes, sir! Thank you, sir.”

“You are welcome.” He held a hand to his mouth and cleared his throat. “Now then, if you are excusing me, I must return to the bridge. You have many other simulations to run today, yes?”

“Yes sir, I do,” she admitted.

“Then allow me to make things more interesting for you, Ensign.” He stood up from the table. “Computer, allow access for Ensign Preta R’el to all holoprograms I own that pertain to racing, authorization Rodriguez Eight Seven Gamma Epsilon.”

“Authorization accepted. Ensign Preta R’el now given permission to access all programs in the category of racing.”

“You’re letting me continue here?” she said, hope springing to life in her eyes as she smiled and clasped her hands together.

“I am,” he admitted. “Please do not be abusing the privilege. Which reminds me. Computer, do not allow safety protocols to be disengaged without my authorization.”

“Confirmed.”

R’el’s face screwed up with a funny look. “Sir?”

“You’re good, but you are still a rookie in the grand scheme of things,” Rodrigo said with a wink. “In the meantime, please, enjoy yourself, and be safe.”

“Aye, sir,” she said, her hand raised to perform a crisp salute before she dropped it, a blush briefly coloring her cheeks.

He nodded to her again, then called out for the exit. Right as he crossed the threshold he took one last look back at her. “Good luck, Ensign.”

“Thank you, sir! I’ll do my best.”

Author's Note

Hey, it is your color here with an AN.

So, if you haven't seen the blog yet, we our slightly delaying some releases so we can avoid some crunching and burnout. The new release schedule:

August 18th - Mini 8
August 23rd - Episode 16
August 27th - Mini 9
September 1st - Mini 10
September 6th - Episode 17
September 10th - Mini 11

I have been feeling burned out lately with a lot of things, this included, cause of real life stuff. Just the pains of moving ... and Apex-ing ... and just overall tireding ... apologies in advance for any mistakes, I haven't been able to focus on it so they're most likely my fault. At least the NFL season is starting to get started again. Go Browns!

Anyway, hope you all enjoy this mini and see you next Wednesday as we get back to our standard release schedule.

Thanks Blue!

And thank you all again for your patience. I hope you enjoyed this one... I think it answers a question some of you have been wondering about and might get you a bit excited as a result. :raritystarry:

Welcome also to the new readers from Equestria Daily. I hope you continue to enjoy. :scootangel:

See you next week! :twilightsmile:

Season 2 Mini-Episode 8: "Parental Concerns"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02ME08

“Parental Concerns”

T’Lona tapped the edge of her stylus against the PADD, allowing the sound to perforate her hearing so she could focus on her task. “Correctly deduced outcome of kiwi ingestion by Bolian fruitbat,” she murmured as she scanned the screen line by line. "And a properly formatted diagram. Well done, cadet. Satisfactory grade.”

She set down the PADD and rose from her desk, stretching out her limbs. Grading quarterly exams was one of her lesser preferred tasks, but there was a certain level of satisfaction to be gained from seeing her students learn the subject. Xenobiology 101 might have been a required course for every cadet, but she still managed to capture the imaginations and interest of a few cadets who would otherwise ignore the subject every semester. Rarer still were the handful of students who decided to change their career paths because of her class. Those she counted as some of her best achievements as a teacher.

But the true rarity among them all was someone like Jacqueline Cadeneza. A student not just interested in a subject but passionate about it. A student with real fire in their eyes, and a blazing certainty that this was their calling. This was the domain that they would completely master and make their life's work. Students like her tended to find a mentor in T’Lona, and it was through this mentoring that T’Lona had, for a while, thought she’d satiated her age-old desire for children. She’d entered Starfleet Academy at an older age than many Vulcans, and as she approached her second century, she’d conceded that, perhaps, she’d never have children any other way.

And then one day, Sunset Shimmer arrived in her life, and everything changed.

The instant T’Lona met that little pony, she formed a connection unlike any she had ever formed before in her life. At first it was scientific curiosity, a distinct wonder at what sort of creature Sunset was, or what kind of world could produce an equine form with such vibrant colors, to say nothing of the horn atop her head. But when Sunset spoke her unusually flowing language for the first time, the gears in T’Lona’s mind shifted. She saw Sunset for what she truly was: a scared little girl, abandoned in a situation outside of her control. It was like meeting her mate all over again.

It was never a question in her mind that she’d take care of Sunset, raise her as her own. She never told anyone this, save Amina, who shared her feelings. Anyone else would think it presumptuous, especially Sunset herself, even if the little filly had already formed a strong connection with T’Lona during their initial interactions at Starfleet Medical.

Though it didn’t stop Amina from feeling a bit jealous at times over the close connection T’Lona had with Sunset. In that sense perhaps Twilight's appearance was the universe's way of balancing the scales, because Amina took to Twilight as quickly and as strongly as T'Lona had taken to Sunset. Unlike Sunset, T’Lona was never able to quite convince Twilight to adopt the same level of self-control, especially when it came to her emotions.

Perhaps in the end that’s why things turned out the way they did when Sunset came back... and everything seemingly fell apart.

The slightest of frowns crossed her face as she sat back down at her desk to grade some more papers. She focused her attention on the newest PADD in front of her, a student’s report on their chosen experiments with felines of four different worlds and their respective instincts, but eventually she had to set her stylus aside again. She couldn’t stop worrying about her daughters and how they refused to get along, how they'd begun to tear each other down. At times she found herself wondering if their relationship could ever be repaired at all.

Worry. Overwhelm. Words that most humans wouldn’t associate with Vulcans. Most humans, and other species for that matter, assumed Vulcans were stone-hearted machines. No spirit, no emotion, no soul. Just pure logic.

Where the others saw one-dimensional machines, T’Lona saw discipline and control. Passion's mastery was her philosophy and she held to it steadfast. She had impeccable control over her emotions. But the very nature of such mastery meant admitting those passions existed in the first place, and for T’Lona, they did in abundance.

When she first heard about Sunset’s sacrifice, she’d almost lost herself in the depths of despair, an emotional trainwreck that would’ve left a human sobbing for hours in a broken heap. The absence of Sunset left a gaping wound in her chest, festering, excruciating. Nothing she did seemed to soothe it.

But when Sunset returned, that wound filled in, leaving only the faint scars of past memories. For a time, at least. Until Twilight ripped it open anew.

Her hand twitched, her lips quivering. A sudden urge hit her, a desperate need for some spice tea from her garden. She cultivated a particular leaf from Vulcan that soothed her anxiety and tension like none other, and she needed it. She glanced over at her terminal, where the time displayed in small characters in one corner of the screen, hoping that it might be late enough she could justify leaving the office.

The numbers 13:34 blazed back at her, blinking away as if to mock her desires. She let out a defeated sigh and stood from her desk. She stood up from her desk and wandered over to the replicator. “Vulcan spice tea, and a bowl of gespar fruit.” The replicator chimed and produced the goods in a swirl of light, and she carefully took the steaming mug and bowl back over to her desk.

She stared at the mug for several long moments before she started to drink, wincing internally at the pitiful taste. Starfleet’s replicators were very good when it came to the vast majority of dishes, but she’d never met a replicator that could properly produce a good cup of Vulcan spice tea. At least the gespar was delicious, and helped to settle the gnawing hunger that had begun to grow in her belly.

As she cradled her mug, she frowned, considering her current behavior. “Curious,” she said to herself. “I seem to be losing control.”

So she shook her head, let out another quiet sigh, and set her tea cup down. Closing her eyes, she focused on her breathing, on settling her emotions. Emptying her mind of all concerns. Peace. No emotions. Nothing but pure–

“T’Lona!”

T’Lona’s eyes shot open as she muttered a quiet growl of frustration, glaring at the one who’d intruded, only to find a slight sense of relief in whom she saw. “Amina,” she said, her tone as calm and still as ever, despite her small shows of emotion. “Good afternoon. I am surprised to see you here. I was under the impression you were about to begin teaching a class.”

“I know, but this couldn’t wait. I have good news!”

Amina rushed forward, her face split by a wide smile, her arms extended out to embrace T’Lona. She stopped before actually doing so, waiting for T’Lona to nod in acceptance. It was a small gesture that others might see as awkward but T'Lona saw as endearing. Far too few humans, or others, understood just how sensitive a Vulcan’s sense of touch was. Some Vulcans more sensitive than others besides, and T’Lona… the only ones she knew who were comparable were those with neurological issues such as fibromyalgia. An unexpected touch brought real pain, like lightning surging through her nervous system. While her sense of control prevented her from crying out or doing little more than letting the corner of her mouth twitch, it nevertheless hurt.

But an expected touch was different, and given her current state, she found herself more receptive to it than normal. So as her love embraced her and almost bounced against her in excitement, she brought her own hands up to Amina’s face, tucking one under her chin so she could plant a delicate kiss on her lips. “Any chance to see you is good news, my love.”

Amina giggled in the way that always sent T’Lona’s heart aflutter. “I love you too, T’Lona, but that’s not quite why I’m here.” She drew back and placed her hands carefully on T’Lona’s shoulders, her smile dimming a tad. “Are you alright? You were on edge this morning, but now… is something wrong?”

Inwardly, where no one could see it, T’Lona smiled. As usual, her lover saw right through her self control to the emotions T’Lona experienced within. Her ability to do so, to sense T’Lona’s true emotional state and respect it… that was what made their relationship last, far beyond the initial gratitude that Amina shared for rescuing her from her home planet.

But her curiosity was piqued by Amina’s entrance, far too much for her to worry about her own emotions at the moment. “It has been a stressful time. Which makes me curious as to what brought you here.”

“We received a video message from the Phoenix. When I saw what it was about, I had to rush over so I could share it with you.”

It didn’t take a telepath, touch or otherwise, to understand what Amina was inferring. A hope flared to life in T’Lona’s chest as she indicated for Amina to take a seat on her office couch. She switched on the wall screen and sat down. “Computer,” she said. “Please play the most recent video message sent to Commander Amina Riviera from the U.S.S. Phoenix.”

“Working. Authorization required.”

Amina bounced in her seat, her smile wide as she said, “Authorization Riviera Six November Foxtrot.”

“Affirmative.”

The screen lit up at once with an image that she had feared she might never see again. Twilight and Sunset, sitting together on a couch, nuzzling each other like they used to.

"Hi, Mother," Sunset said, waving at the camera.

Twilight raised her hoof in her own wave. "Hi, Mom."

"Hi honey," Amina whispered, pressing her knuckles to her upper lip, tears in her eyes.

"So…. We know it's been a while since we both messaged you together," Sunset said, her face flushing red. "Between the messages we sent you individually, plus whatever official reports made it back to you from here, you’ve heard all about how we've been…" She trailed off, turning her head away.

"Fighting," Twilight picked up, with the good grace to bow her head in an admission of guilt. "And... Well, it was mostly me. We've had a lot of problems to sort out. And we're still sorting them out. But we've started to make amends."

Sunset looked back up only to lay her head against Twilight's shoulder. "We're trying, and so far it’s been going well. It's not easy for either of us. Least of all me. I've made a lot of mistakes too lately. People that I've hurt. People that I've let drift away without so much as a word from me. There's still so much for each of us to do. It took some shoves from Belle and Eresh in the end, but we found a way to apologize to each other. For real.”

"More than that," Twilight continued. "To make up, to be sisters again." Her horn lit, a soft lavender glow surrounding Sunset's wing and lifting it so it rested around Twilight like a blanket. "I was so stupid… and I'm sorry. I hurt you both too with the way I was acting."

"I'm sorry too, "Sunset said. "I did plenty of damage on my own, and I really wish I hadn't. I know you'll both forgive me too, which makes me feel even worse." She let out a bark of laughter. "But I guess that's par for the course. It's been an emotional rollercoaster to say the least."

"But we're sisters again, and we're not fighting anymore. That's what matters," Twilight said. She smiled at the camera, a smile wider and warmer than one T'Lona had seen in years. "And we've got a mission we're working on together. Using magic and technology to–"

T'Lona frowned as a black bar formed over Twilight's mouth, the audio vanishing for a moment right before a blushing Sunset shot out a hoof to cover Twilight's mouth. "Twilight, we can't talk about that. Remember? We'll have to censor that."

"Oops." Twilight's face turned the shade of curdled milk as her jaw trembled. "I-I didn't mean to...to…"

Sunset made quiet whickering noises as she ran a hoof down Twilight's withers. "It's okay, Twi. Relax. It happens. We’ll edit it out before we send."

T'Lona glanced over at Amina, whose face warred between "angry commanding officer" and "amused mother" before settling mostly in the latter.

"Right... Ahehehe..." Twilight swallowed audibly, her grin returning, albeit forced. "Anyway, we should probably get going. But before we do… I love you, Mother, Mom."

"I love you too, Mother, Mom," Sunset chimed. "We'll see you later."

As the image on the screen winked out, T’Lona’s ears caught the sound of her wife sniffling, then breaking into quiet tears. Steeling herself for the inevitable cuddling, T’Lona closed the distance and opened her arms.

Amina thrust herself forward immediately, holding onto T’Lona with an impressive level of strength. “They made up,” she burbled, even as her tears soaked the shoulders of T’Lona’s robes. “They’re together again.”

T’Lona felt no less jubilant as a heavy weight she’d carried in her heart for almost three years dissipated and vanished. She allowed her control to waver, her lips crinkling into a soft smile, the Vulcan equivalent of an ear to ear grin. “Yes,” she said, her voice shaking with a quiet, almost inaudible giggle. “Yes, they are.”

Amina cried out as she leapt off the couch and lifted T’Lona, spinning her around the room for a moment, whooping all the while before setting her down. “I can’t believe it… we didn’t even have to say anything!”

That stilled T’Lona’s heart, like a bucket of water dousing a fire. “No, though we still should have,” she said, her voice infused with a passion in her plea. “There was much we should have said. While it was ultimately their choice, they should not have had to do it alone.”

Amina drew back from T’Lona, her joy vanishing like a sand castle washed away by the ocean. “...you’re right. We made a lot of mistakes too, didn’t we?”

T’Lona pressed her lips together, one hand curling into a fist. “Indeed we did. Our… My memorializing of Sunset, for one. At the time it seemed logical to celebrate who Sunset was. However, that logic was flawed. We did not pay enough attention to the daughter we still had.”

Amina scowled. “No, no we didn’t, did we? But–”

T’Lona raised a finger and gently pressed it to Amina’s lips. “I know what you are going to say, regarding Twilight’s claim that we chose Sunset as our favorite. I do not think we can blame her.”

“But it’s not true, damn it,” Amina whispered. She held her other hand to her breast. “I love Twilight with all of my heart, as much as I love Sunset. If we’d lost Twilight instead of Sunset I would’ve mourned her the same way.”

“I know that.” T’Lona moved her hand forward to hold Amina’s in full, giving it a squeeze. “But Twilight doesn’t. Perhaps we should tell her.”

“What, just call her up out of the blue?” Amina stared into T’Lona’s eyes, the uncertainty clear as day. “T’Lona, you know how stubborn she can be. If we tell her that, she might think Sunset put us up to it, or told us what to say. Even I know she won't be logical about it at all. And if she does react like that she'll turn on Sunset all over again and they'll be right back where they started.” Amina gave a soft shake of her head "No... it's better...to give her space. Give them both space.”

Space. Yes, T’Lona was well acquainted with Amina’s idea of giving space. It was, perhaps, one of the only flaws in their relationship, as she was all too keen, in T’Lona’s mind, to push things away so she didn’t have to deal with them. And as she thought about it, something occurred to her, something Sunset implied she’d done as well.

“As you’ve given Lieutenant Smith?” T’Lona asked. Her voice turned colder, scolding, though no one save Amina would’ve been able to discern more than a trace change.

Amina frowned, pulling her hand away. “What do you mean?”

“While we believed Sunset dead, you regularly exchanged communiques and videos with Lieutenant Smith, but you have not sent a single one since Sunset’s return. Have you considered how she might interpret that?”

“What?” Amina gasped, scooting back in her chair. “What–T’Lona, how do you even know about that?”

For whatever reason, Amina’s backing away irked T’Lona to no end, causing T’Lona’s tone to turn even more frigid. “I have been tasked with keeping a close eye on communications, for security purposes due to wartime. I was not intending to violate your privacy, but while reviewing the records, I noticed that all communication between our home and Archer IV ceased four months ago, right after Sunset’s return. Why?”

“Why?” Amina’s face went through a series of emotions before she bowed her head, settling on shame. “I… I thought I was giving her space so Sunset could contact her without me getting in the way.”

“Even though you two had developed a friendship?” T’Lona arched an eyebrow. “With respect, Amina… I believe it only logical that you reach out to Lieutenant Smith as soon as possible and apologize. Consider how you might feel in her position.”

“God…” Amina sighed and buried her face into her arms. “You’re right....god but you’re right, T’Lona. What was I thinking? I wouldn't blame her if she thought I was using her like an emotional support crutch or something this whole time. Like I threw her away when I didn’t need her anymore.”

“I know you well enough to know you would never do such a thing, to anyone,” T’Lona said, her tone warming again. “But she does not. It would be good to resolve the issue.”

Sighing, Amina said, “You’re right. I should.” She reached into her back pocket and brought out her personal PADD, tapping in a note. “There. Put in a reminder for myself to do that as soon as we get home.”

T’Lona nodded. “I am pleased to hear that you will be taking responsibility.”

A dark look briefly crossed Amina’s face before she settled on a deep frown. “T’Lona, love… are you really that mad at me over this? Or is something else wrong?”

Sitting up straight, T’Lona’s face went blank. “I do not know what you mean. I am not upset.”

Arching an eyebrow, Amina’s frown shifted into an expression of irritation T’Lona knew all too well. “Don’t give me that crap,” Amina replied. “We just heard our daughters are getting along again, and you suddenly turned things around on me over Smith? Granted I messed that up, and I'll fix it. But something else is wrong here, T'Lona. What is it? What did I do?”

T’Lona’s hands curled into fists at her sides. “Besides the wrong you did to Smith?” she said, her voice starting to tremble ever so slightly with unrepressed anger. “Nothing.”

Amina glanced down, spotted T’Lona’s fists, and drew her arms around herself. “T’Lona… love. I know you. You’re not usually this uncontrolled. Please–”

“My control is fine,” T’Lona hissed as she stomped away from the couch and slipped back into her desk chair. “Perhaps you should return to your class, Amina. We both have work we need to focus on.”

Amina gasped quietly, hurt clearly shining in her eyes, a hurt that carved a piece of T’Lona’s heart out straight away. “...alright then, dear. We’ll, we’ll talk when we get home, okay? …I love you.” She turned and left swiftly, the doors hissing shut behind her.

T’Lona sighed as she leaned over on her desk, guilt worming its nasty way into her katra, her soul, warring with her sense of self-control. “I am sorry, my love,” she whispered as a single tear dripped down one cheek.

Disgusted by this sudden show of emotion, even if no one could see it, T’Lona furiously wiped the tear away and tried to return her attention to her papers. But her mind refused to focus, and after a good ten minutes spent reading the same three paragraphs over and over, she tossed it aside in favor of her tea mug. Frowning ever so slightly at the temperature, she drained the rest in one shot, then turned toward the replicator to order a fresh cup.

While her hands busied themselves mechanically with her actions, inside she brewed with emotion. She hated arguing with Amina, in any sense, especially when she won the argument. While she knew it was foolish, she never could stop the small sense of anxiety that bubbled away inside during moments like this, a gnawing fear that Amina would stop seeing T’Lona as a person and start seeing only the logic, only the cold outer shell.

“Ridiculous,” she whispered. A quick application of one of her favorite meditative techniques squashed the growing anxiety and buried it back in the hole it came from, hopefully for good. She knew her lover’s mind. She’d touched it on many occasions, and every time she saw Amina’s genuine love, understanding, and acceptance.

Instead her thoughts turned back to her daughters. She knew deep in her katra that the Phoenix was where her daughters belonged. If either was stripped away from it, they’d lose any chance of finding that which they’d long searched for.

A search that T’Lona herself had never abandoned. Every spare chance she had, she spent hours pouring over solar surveys, astronomy charts, gravimetric studies. She'd plotted every known singularity in all four quadrants, cross referenced with as much data from long range telescopes and subspace arrays she could get her hands on. The matrix she built up became so data-intensive she had to abandon her home computer and rent out bits of time in some of the Academy's advanced computer labs. All of it aimed at finding the singularity that helped send her daughters through that portal, and delaying Sunset along the way.

And yet she’d found nothing. Sixteen years worth of study, and it might as well have been sixteen years worth of watching paint dry for all she’d accomplished. At times the frustration was so powerful it briefly overwhelmed even her control to show itself in gripped hands or gritted teeth, or the occasional harsh word to a colleague or student.

But despite her failure, she refused to give up. Somewhere hidden in the data was the answer to her question, but the more T’Lona searched, the more she wondered if she was even asking the right question to begin with. She’d seen for herself the raw power of an alicorn, and while destroying a Jem’Hadar battleship single handedly was an impressive feat, it was orders of magnitude below the ability to manipulate the orbit of any steller body, let alone a star. Yet from the moment they arrived both her daughters have been adamant that this Princess Celestia did both by herself.

She knew Sunset’s power had only grown since she’d returned to the Federation. Proper nutrition, exercise, and a chance to practice had allowed Sunset to broaden her abilities, and while she had never since displayed the same level of energy as she did against the Dominion ship, her control improved dramatically, to the point that every so often T’Lona heard whispers wondering why Starfleet didn’t deploy Sunset and Twilight like hammers to smash the Dominion apart.

Of course, she knew her daughters would never agree to such a thing.

According to Sunset, Celestia was over a thousand years old. T'Lona knew such extraordinary longevity was not unheard of among sapient beings, but she was almost certain that Celestia's age had no bearing on her ability to manipulate the sun. Indeed, Twilight had reminded her on many occasions that controlling the sun was the very act that made Celestia an alicorn to begin with..

As she sipped from her fresh mug of tea, T'Lona wondered if maybe this was what should have been the focus of her research. After all, the implications of a geocentric star system even existing – much less being manipulated by a single creature – were exponentially bigger than locating a specific singularity with odd temporal effects.

“Is that the question I should have been asking? What if—”

T’Lona twitched in her chair as her terminal let out a frantic beep. “Priority Three message coming in for Lieutenant Commander T’Lona from U.S.S. Phoenix.”

“Odd,” she commented as she turned down to her terminal. The priority level of the message was immediately concerning. The message that Amina received earlier had been sent through low priority channels, a common practice for non-essential communications during wartime. T'Lona estimated Twilight and Sunset had recorded that message about a week ago, if delivery times were running normally. “But a priority three…”

T'Lona took a deep breath and focused. Logic clearly suggested that a truly dire emergency would have used a higher priority level, and those levels were restricted to higher ranking officers. Priority three messages normally reach their destination in two days or less, which suggested an important but not life-threatening issue.

“Computer,” she said after a few moments, “when was this message sent?”

“Message sent as of 0800 Phoenix time, transmission delay T plus twelve hours.”

“Only twelve hours?” Worry seeped into T’Lona’s heart. Had something happened to Sunset? Or Twilight? Or worse, both? They’d been working on something classified...

She gulped a mouthful of hot tea and swallowed it, hoping it would soothe her nerves. “Display message.”

Her screen winked on, revealing Lieutenant Cadeneza glaring angrily at the camera, her quarters visible behind her. She wore her uniform, but it was half undone, with the jacket unzipped and one arm of it dangling useless by her side. Her hair was also a mess, one that Cadeneza started working on with her brush as she spoke. “Hi, ma’am,” she said, grounding out through gritted teeth. “I’m sorry to bother you with this but I didn’t know who else I could vent to, since no one one the ship seems to give much of a damn!”

T’Lona arched an eyebrow. As with any of her mentees, she was happy to hear from Cadeneza, especially since she served aboard the Phoenix, but…why use a priority three message for something like this?

Cadenza growled, grabbing her attention again. “I don’t have a lot of time, ma’am, so I’ll cut to the chase. For some reason, Wattson decided to mess with the converter. What the hell was she thinking? Why am I asking you that? You certainly wouldn't know the answer. Hell, I don't know the answer because no one will tell me a damn thing!”

“Converter?” T’Lona repeated quietly. Her daughter’s message mentioned something about magic and technology working together. Was that what Cadeneza was referring to?

The smack of Cadeneza’s hair brush hitting something just off screen preceded Cadeneza’s next rant. “They won’t even let me see her. She’s my best friend, damn it and the stupid thing blew up in her face! I just want to see her but they’re all ‘no, she has to rest,’ ‘she was in surgery for seven hours,’ blah blah blah!”

Groaning, Cadeneza reached out for her jacket and stuffed her arm through, zipping it up. “All I want to know is if she’s going to be okay. They claim she will, but I don’t know… Hill said she was really badly injured, but even he won’t tell me any details. I’m worried, ma’am. I’m scared for her. She’s my best friend…”

Cadeneza sniffled. “I, I’m sorry, I know this is probably a big waste of your time, but you’re the only person I can talk to that won’t judge me over this.”

“Certainly not,” T’Lona said, despite knowing that the recorded message couldn’t hear her.

“A-and, well,” Cadeneza continued, her face flushing florid crimson. “I-I don’t know if Sunny and Sparkie told you, but they’re friendly again, and I was a big part of that. Sort of. Mostly by, uh…” She visibly cringed back from the camera and slapped a hand to her face. “What the hell are you saying, Caddy? You really about to admit that you–”

The screen abruptly winked out for a moment, making T’Lona think the message was over until it turned back on, revealing Cadeneza perfectly groomed and uniformed. “Sorry, ma’am, I would redo the rest of the message but I’m afraid I don’t have time right now. But listen, I just want to say… I’m sorry for anything I did that kept Sparkie and Sunny apart, and I’m glad they’re back together. And I’m really, really hoping Wattson’s going to be okay, a-and thank you for being willing to listen.”

Cadeneza moved her hand just out of sight. “Okay, computer, get ready to send,” she murmured as her arm twitched, showing T’Lona she was doing something with her hand.

“Confirmed,” said the computer on the message. “Message prepared for priority three sending.”

“Wait what?” Cadeneza blurted, her eyes going wide. She reached out desperately with a hand towards the screen. “No-no wait–”

The screen winked out again, this time displaying the end of message prompt.

T’Lona leaned back in her chair, somewhat nonplussed by this message. “Unusual for Cadeneza to be so… clumsy in her actions,” T’Lona murmured as she pondered the message’s contents. “But if she is partially responsible for my daughters reconciling, I should thank her. Though what could she have meant by…”

A probable conclusion came to T’Lona’s mind immediately, one that left her numb, with an odd taste in her mouth that another gulp of tea did nothing to wash away. T’Lona was nothing if not observant, and she’d been more than well aware of how Cadeneza looked at her elder daughter whenever she came to visit.

Then again, Sunset Shimmer was an adult, and what she chose to do with her life was her business. T’Lona hoped, for Sunset’s sake, that she hadn’t made a mistake like she had with Smith.

And as for Wattson… T’Lona had met her many times, and found her to be a logical, reasonable individual, calming the impulses of Sunset, Cadeneza, and even Twilight at times. So what had she been doing?

“Pointless,” T’Lona muttered, shaking her head. She lacked the information necessary to reach a conclusion and there was no need to send her mind spinning in circles when an answer could be forthcoming at any time.

T’Lona made a quick note to message Cadeneza later, and returned to grading papers, though every once in a while her mind turned back to her considerations about Equus. And her wife. In fact her mind barely focused at all relative to normal, and the more time she spent staring at PADDs and marking down grades, the more her focus deteriorated.

Finally at 17:00 she slammed her stylus down, growled at the stack of PADDs still yet to be graded, and shoved herself away from her desk. Her jaw tightened considerably as she picked up her personal belongings and rushed out the door, heading down the hallways at a quick pace, keeping her head down to avoid meeting the gaze of anyone she walked past. Each time she passed by someone her left hand curled up into a fist, only to unball again once they were gone.

She remained this tense, ignoring the one quiet call for her name as she strode over to the transporters. Her body burned like fire, far hotter than it should have given the grey, dismal weather San Francisco was experiencing that evening. As her body split into atoms and reformed in Vancouver, she stepped right into a rainstorm, which only left her feeling even worse.

Despite the cover granted by the nearby mag-lev train platform, her uniform and hair were soaked by the time she entered her front door. She bared her teeth as she clomped up the stairs, heedless of the water she smushed into the carpet with every step.

“T’Lona? Is that you?”

T’Lona ignored her wife’s call from her office and passed through her bedroom into the master bath, where she could take a shower. A cold shower, desperate to wash away the heat that still clung to her body like a pair of Tiberian bats. Yet even cranking the water as cold as it would go provided little relief from the smothering heat.

In a huff she left the shower, toweled off, then threw on a set of traditional Vulcan robes, minus the hood. The light clothing would hopefully help cool her down.

As she trampled down the stairs, she came across Amina, awaiting her in the dining room, holding out a cup of spice tea. The aroma hit T’Lona’s sensitive nose like a freight train as she rushed forward to take it. “Thank you, my love,” she whispered as she cradled it in her hands. The heat of the tea mug leached the heat from the rest of her, allowing it to pool in the center of her stomach as she took a long swig and swallowed.

“Is it helping?” Amina asked quietly.

T’Lona nodded. “Y-yes, it is,” she said, stumbling on the first word.

“Good.” Amina sat down at one of the nearby chairs, then inclined a hand to the one opposite. “Would you like to sit with me?”

T’Lona inched forward just enough to set the mug down, and quickly took a seat so she could grab the mug before the heat escaped and flooded her whole body again. “T-t-thank you for the t-tea.”

Amina gave her a small, if watery, smile. “Of course. You are my love, even when times are trying.”

Guilt spread through T’Lona, working up from her chest and spreading out through her arms to the tips of fingers like a wave of sick. “I apologize for my rudeness,” T’Lona muttered as she continued to clutch her mug of tea. “It was uncalled for.”

Amina pressed her lips together and looked away for a few moments, busying herself at the replicator. She returned carrying a mug of some carbonated beverage that caused T’Lona’s nose to wrinkle. “I appreciate the apology,” she said as she took a sip. “And you were right about Smith. Checked my message log when I got home… turns out she’d just sent something to me, asking why I cut her off. Took me a while to put together a good response, but I sent her a reply.”

T’Lona shook her head. “That is good to hear, but that d-does not excuse my b-behavior.”

Shrugging, Amina reached out with her index and middle finger of her right hand, prompting T’Lona to reach out with her own to touch. Vulcan finger touching was a ritual often invoked as a way of expressing affection without something so blatant as an embrace or a kiss. It was a sign of respect as well, when coming from a mate who recognizes that the other is troubled. Given T’Lona’s sensitivity it was especially welcome right now.

But it was also used for another purpose, and when T’Lona’s fingers touched Amina’s, she let out a gasp as a shock rolled through her body, bringing the heat straight back and raising the temperature from a low boil to a roaring inferno.

“Oh dear,” Amina whispered, her eyes full of recognition even as T’Lona’s breathing sped up. “I was wondering, but… I don’t understand how.”

T’Lona swallowed and shook her head. “I… I do not either. This should not be happening. It has only been six years and two months.”

“Stress, maybe?” Amina ventured.

“Perhaps. It has been known to induce it early, but...” T’Lona took in a shuddering breath, focusing on clearing her mind, forcing control back into place, jamming it in like shoving an oversized object down into a pipe. It brought her a measure of stability, allowing her to ignore her symptoms for a short while. But T’Lona knew it wouldn’t last long, especially not when it came upon her so suddenly.

Amina nodded, gave her a quick squeeze of the hand, then walked over to the nearest communications console. “As always, we'll handle this however you wish, love. We can go back to the cabin in the Tian Shan mountains in Kyrgyzstan if you’d like.”

“Please,” T’Lona said, her voice shaking just a tad. “The isolation would be preferable.”

“Alright.” Amina sat down in the chair before the terminal. “Then I think we’d better put in for a small amount of medical leave. I can cover for us if you need me to.”

“No, no.” T’Lona stepped over to stand just behind Amina, placing a single hand on her shoulder. “No, I will not hide it. Unlike some Vulcans I am not ashamed of this aspect of my biology, however difficult it may be to cope with.”

Amina winced. “Still... alright then. I just hate to think what’ll go through Musa’s head when he sees this request cross his desk... that man’s lack of tact–”

“Will trouble me not at all, nor should it trouble you, my love,” T’Lona said as Amina swiftly brought up the requisite form and filled it out. Without hesitation T’Lona reached forward, signed the bottom of the form, and sent it off.

Within a few minutes it came back, signed and approved. T’Lona stood at once. “We should get going… the sooner we handle this, the better.”

Amina yelped as T’Lona closed the distance between them, wrapping an arm around her tightly. “O-oh. Yes, we uh, well, we should, shouldn’t we?”

“Yes,” T’Lona said, her voice ever so slightly tinged by a pant. “It is coming upon me more rapidly than normal.”

“Okay, right. Computer!” Amina called out. “Request an immediate taxi to the Vancouver Transit Hub and charter a private shuttle to await us in Bishkek, authorization Riviera Six November Foxtrot.”

“Acknowledged.”

“We’ll be there soon, T’Lona,” Amina said, patting T’Lona on the arm as they descended the stairs and out the front door, where their requested taxi was descending, the automated vehicle opening its doors to allow them in.

“Good… good.” T’Lona focused her mind on control, on calm, centering herself, struggling to maintain control even as hormones flooded her body. She hadn’t experienced a pon-farr with this rapid an onset since her very first, and somewhere in the back of her mind, she worried this was a very bad sign for her health. But in the forefront even that worry was slowly being obliterated, replaced by pure need.

But she was T’Lona. Control… she could maintain control. Get to the cabin. The cabin.

“I’m here,” Amina whispered as the taxi whisked them up in the air and across the city in a hurry. “I love you. I won’t leave.”

“T-thank you,” T’Lona mumbled. She’d already begun to lose the ability to speak clearly. Soon she’d be upon Amina almost like a wild animal, no matter her control.

Then again, she mused, as she glanced over at Amina, who wore an excited, if worried, smile, she knew her mate would not mind.

T’Lona shifted over in her seat and laid her head against Amina’s shoulder. Swallowing, she managed to summon up her words enough to mutter “I… love you too.”

Author's Note

Hey everyreader, quick AN.

We're hoping to be back with our regular schedule starting, well, today. We'll let you know if we need to delay anything again (hopefully not, but you never know). Anyway, expect Episode 16 on Monday like normal.

Hope you all enjoyed, I'll be lurking in the comments or sleeping (or playing Apex).

Thanks, Blue!

For my part, I wanted to check back in on T’Lona and Amina, since we haven’t seen or heard from them in a while. And good thing we checked too because it seems T’Lona has a condition. What’s causing it? Well, we’ll see. :raritywink: For any background info on this piece please see my blog entry.

See you next Monday my lovely readers. :pinkiesmile:

Season 2 Episode 6: "Simple, Clean, and Anything But"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02E06

“Simple, Clean, and Anything But”

“First officer’s personal log, Stardate 51145.3. The Phoenix has returned to Starbase 375 and is awaiting the arrival of the Enterprise-E, carrying Admiral Nechayev. Captain Liang, myself, Commander Williams, Lieutenant Zhidar, and Lieutenant Hill are currently awaiting their arrival aboard the starbase. Hill is with us as a stand-in for Lieutenant Wattson, who is still laid up in Sickbay ICU following her accident with the magical converter last evening.

I will admit there’s some tension and anxiety, especially from me. I've never trusted Nechayev, and I never will. The last time I saw her, she nearly sentenced me to a life as Starfleet's number one lab rat. Now with the Sirens here, I fear the Admiral may see them as nothing more than a second bite at the magical experimentation apple. And after spending several days with them aboard the Phoenix, I can tell they aren’t the least bit deserving of whatever fate she has in store for them. I’ll be working to protect them as much as I can.”

Standing aboard a Starbase after weeks at warp never failed to leave me feeling just a bit unsettled, what with the lack of proper movement and momentum under my hooves. The station’s antimatter reactors were devoted to shield grids and weapons banks, not warp engines, and that meant the familiar feeling of power thrumming beneath me spiraled around in circles seemingly without a purpose. No movement. Every time it threw me off.

As I rocked back and forth on my hooves, Liang glanced down at me and chuckled. He tucked his cane under his arm so he could pat me gently on the shoulder. “Relax, Number One.”

“Trying to, sir,” I replied, quietly enough that the various people passing us by couldn’t overhear us. “It's a bit difficult though.”

“I don’t blame you,” Williams chimed in. He leaned against the wall next to the docking port, arms crossed over his chest. “I’ve run into Nechayev a few times. Never cared for her.”

“No one does,” Zhidar growled, baring his teeth. “It’s no secret that she is the most hated Admiral in Starfleet. But I respect her. She gets things done.”

“I-I’m still not sure why I need to be here, sir,” Hill said, sticking a finger into his uniform collar and pulling at it. “I should be working on integrating the new converter with Ensign Sparkle.”

Liang pointedly coughed as he shot Hill a momentary glare, then his gaze softened. “Neither do I, but Nechayev asked for my chief engineer to be present for this. No need to worry, young man, we’ll do all the talking. Though do keep in mind much of what we have to discuss is classified.”

“It could always be worse,” Zhidar chimed in, grinning toothily at Hill. “We could be wearing full dress uniforms.”

“Oh good grief, Zhidar,” I said, shuddering. “Don’t remind me. I hate those things.”

“What’s wrong with the dress uniforms?” Hill asked, a tentative look in his eyes. “I like them. They’re really nice.”

“Maybe for you Lieutenant.” I said flatly, pointing a hoof at my mane and what was exposed of my coat. “Have you ever seen me wear white with gold trim, even off duty? Doesn’t exactly go with my colors.”

“Funny you mention that, Mr. Hill," Liang said, his voice rising with amusement. “I've been considering tightening the dress code on board, especially for key positions. If we're going to be on the viewscreen all the time, we may as well look our very best, wouldn't you say?”

The others all chuckled as a looming sense of dread bubbled up in my chest. “Sir, please tell me you’re not serious.”

He stared impassively at me for several long moments, just long enough for me to start fearing for the rest of my career aboard the ship when he broke into grins. “Good to see I haven't totally lost my bartender's humor.”

I breathed a sigh of relief even as everyone else broke into laughter at the sight. “Don’t scare me like that, sir.”

Liang reached out to pat me on the shoulder again.

“Enterprise now arriving at Docking Port 3C.”

We all stiffened to attention. “Here we go, chaps,” Liang said.

After a moment or two of still, tense silence, the docking port opened up. First out was actually Captain Picard, who gave me a quick, tight smile and nod. Following him was Commander Riker, Commander Data, and, to my delight, Commander La Forge. Unlike Picard, his smile stretched from ear to ear.

But I had no chance to say hello to any of them because right behind La Forge was the woman herself, Nechayev. Sporting the newest iteration of Starfleet Admiral uniforms, identical to our own save for a belt with an oval belt buckle bearing the flag of the Federation, and her pips encased in a box surrounding them, she cut an impressive figure. Her eyes took each of us in, nodding to us all, till they fell upon me. “Commander Shimmer,” she said in an ice cold tone. The way she stared down at me, head cocked a bit to one side, reminded me of a Timberwolf that had spotted its prey in the open.

I matched her glare, refusing to let her intimidate me for even a second. “Admiral.”

Liang cleared his throat. “Admiral Nechayev, Captain Picard, a pleasure to meet you both.” He stuck his hand out.

“Likewise, Captain,” Picard said, shaking Liang’s hand in earnest. “May I introduce Commander RIker, my first officer, and Commander La Forge, my chief engineer.”

“Charmed,” Liang said. He gestured to me and the rest of my fellow crewmates. “I believe you are familiar with my first officer, Commander Shimmer. And this is Commander Williams, my chief operations officer, security chief Lieutenant Zhidar, and Lieutenant Hill, assistant chief engineer.”

“Hill?” Nechayev asked, arching one severe eyebrow. “Where is Wattson?”

“Lieutenant Wattson is currently indisposed in Sick Bay,” Liang explained, his diplomatic smile tightening to the point of vanishing altogether. “We will explain. If you would all follow me, please.”

As we entered the conference room, we all sat down together at the large table prepared for us. I was especially happy to see they’d thoughtfully included a chair suited to my form, which, given how long we’d be sitting here, made my whole body appreciative.

“So, before we begin,” Liang said as he spread out his hands, “how much have you and your crew been briefed about the situation, Captain?”

Picard straightened up in his chair and adjusted his uniform. “Admiral Nechayev has kindly given us a full explanation. We understand you’ve taken aboard several other beings from Equus, Commander Shimmer’s homeworld. A trio of beings called Sirens.”

“Indeed we have,” Liang replied as he stood back up. “They’re–”

“I will take it from here, Captain,” Nechayev said with that smug little fake smile of hers. My tail lashed as she stared Liang into sitting back down. “Thank you. Now, the first order of business is, in fact, the sirens. I’ve read your report on the rescue. Your officers took substantial risks with a plan that assumed the sirens would cooperate, despite the damage and destruction they did to the Dominion base. Why?”

Liang drummed his fingers together then inclined his head to me, allowing me to speak up. “Because, Admiral,” I said, “we looked into those other options, but they all risked too much death or destruction. We wanted to win their trust, and we weren’t going to do that by appearing hostile. The Sirens, they don’t know the Federation. They had no reason to believe we’re different from the Dominion. But me? They know ponies. We might have a complicated history, but they’re a lot less likely to start blasting us to bits if they see me. We’re both from Equus and neither one of us belongs out here, so we assumed that would make them more curious than hostile. And it worked. They’re friendly… to a point… and they’ve done nothing to cause any problems aboard the Phoenix since they arrived. If anything, the crew has taken a liking to them. They’ve even begun volunteering in Ten-Forward–”

Nechayev whirled on me, her face colder than the icy poles of Andoria. “By your own admission, Shimmer, these are dark sorceresses who use a form of magic that, to use your own words, ‘twists their very souls.’ I allowed you to keep them out of the brig, Commander, not to give them free rein over your ship.”

“They do not have free rein, ma’am,” Williams said.

“T-That’s right,” Hill chimed in. “They’re forbidden from accessing Engineering, the bridge, or any vital systems, just like any other civilians.”

“But that’s my point precisely,” Nechayev said. “They are not just ‘any other civilians.’ How do we know they haven’t been using their powers to control the minds of the crew, or quietly alter ship’s systems?”

I knocked a hoof on the table for attention. “Firstly, we already have a demonstrated limit to their powers from my report. Secondly, I would know.” I tapped my horn. “I’ve kept a close watch on their use of magic. I can count the number of times they've used magic on four hooves, and none of it has been dangerous at all.”

“So far.”

I cleared my throat and sat forward, giving Nechayev a piercing look. “With respect, ma’am, Adagio, Sonata, and Aria are not our enemies. I wouldn’t call them friends, at least not yet, but they don’t want to hurt anyone just for the sake of it. They’re just as far away from our original home as I am, but they’re not interested in finding Equus again. They just want to find a safe place to live, same as the rest of us.”

“I’m afraid I must agree with Commander Shimmer, Admiral,” said Picard. “They are sapient beings, and as such they should be accorded the same rights and freedoms as anyone else in the Federation's care. We cannot treat them as hostile merely because they have powers that might be used for harm.”

“When I want your opinion, Jean-Luc, I will ask for it,” Nechayev snapped. “As for the freedom of these Sirens, I shouldn’t have to remind you, Liang, that it is contingent upon them meeting with me. Then I will decide what we’ll do with them.”

I flashed Captain Picard a sympathetic look across the table while Nechayev focused on Liang. It filled my stomach with a sick feeling to hear Nechayev browbeat Picard of all people like that. The man deserved more respect than she was willing to show him.

“There is one other matter regarding the Sirens specifically that I wished to discuss,” Nechayev continued. She picked up the PADD in front of her and sent its contents to the 3-D display in the center of the table, revealing a familiar object. “Commander Shimmer, you said this… obelisk was the object the Siren’s enchanted with their nullification spell, correct?”

My heart sank a little as I saw where this was going. “Err, yes ma’am, it is.”

“Then why was it left behind? The whole purpose of this mission was to retrieve any and all magic to keep it out of the Dominion’s hands.”

Liang coughed for attention. “That was my decision, Admiral, as I stated in my report. Extracting the Sirens and the Dominion shuttlecraft was more than enough to rile up the local populace, especially the large contingent of guards around the palace. Going back to retrieve the obelisk presented unacceptably high risks, and would have required me to bend the Prime Directive far more than I am comfortable with.”

“If I may, ma’am, I understand your concern,” I added, “and I raised the issue with the Sirens after we left orbit. They told me that only their magic could power the enchantment. Without them around it might as well be a big hunk of rock for all the good it’ll do the Dominion.” All of that was in my report as well, but I knew better than to mention that.

“I see.” Nechayev sat still for a moment, her brow wrinkling as she thought. “Very well. You mentioned a power source, Shimmer, and that is a perfect segue to the next portion of this meeting.”

“Yes ma’am,” I said. “The converter.”

“Yes.” Nechayev’s eyes flashed as she glared over at Hill. “I had hoped to speak with Lieutenant Wattson, as she was the one who helped you construct it, along with Ensign Sparkle. What precisely happened to her?”

Liang pressed his lips together while I did my best to suppress the cold chills running through me. “To be specific, Admiral,” he said as he gently tapped the top of his cane against his palm. “Last evening, for reasons yet unknown, Lieutenant Wattson attempted to modify the converter, without the assistance of Ensign Sparkle or Commander Shimmer. The converter suffered a malfunction that destroyed it and left Wattson requiring multiple hours of surgery to save from permanent injury.”

Nechayev’s eyes narrowed to mere slits, the temperature in the room dropping by at least five degrees. “The converter was destroyed?”

“The original one, yes ma’am,” I said, summoning my Mother’s meditative techniques to keep my voice from trembling. “But Ensign Sparkle and I rushed to create a new one this morning. She should be finishing up on the construction as we speak.”

“And if I may interject, ma’am,” Hill said, his voice shaking, “Lieutenant Wattson wasn’t involved with the design of the device.”

“That’s right,” I said with a nod. “The actual primary designer was Lieutenant Cadeneza, our chief science officer.”

Nechayev’s eyebrows shot up. “I thought her speciality was xenobiology.”

“It is,” I said, “but that’s exactly why she was involved. Her previous work testing Ensign Sparkle's magic gave us the key to understanding how the sensors could be adapted to interface with magic, and design a converter to make it all work. I helped, but she was the principal one behind it.”

“I see. I’ll want to meet her once we board the Phoenix.” Nechayev smacked her PADD against the palm of her hand, then leaned in to look at me. “Let me be clear: these converters are going to become very important pieces of technology. Whatever the reason this first one exploded, you will need to find it and fix the problem so that it won’t happen again, understood?”

“Yes ma’am, that’s something we’ve been investigating,” I said. “But… what do you mean, they’ll become important?”

Nechayev pulled away from me and gave the whole room a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “That question involves the true purpose of this meeting, and why I have brought you all together. You see, Starfleet Intelligence has picked up some disturbing reports from deep inside the Dominion hierarchy. It seems that between Shimmer’s capture aboard one of their ships and their imprisonment of the sirens, the Dominion is refocusing the bulk of their research efforts to detecting and exploiting magic in any way they can, including weapons..”

“Curious,” Data said, his blinking face impassive, with just the slightest hint of a smile to his lips. “My understanding from reading the reports by Commander Shimmer and Ensign Sparkle is that any technology that runs on magic needs to produce its own magic to function. That is why the sensors used aboard the Phoenix required the converter, to allow the Phoenix to use magic made by its warp core.”

“Data’s right,” La Forge said as he interlaced his hands on the table. “Starfleet tried for years to duplicate Shimmer’s abilities before she even entered Starfleet and we never got anywhere. Is there something the Dominion knows that we don’t?”

Nechayev’s lips curled into a pout as she nodded. “You are both correct, and that is something Starfleet Intelligence is attempting to ascertain. Which is one of many reasons why I need to interrogate the Sirens as soon as this meeting is over.”

“I hope you will not mind my insisting on being present for such an ‘interrogation’,” Liang said, giving Nechayev a beady eyed glare. “I will not allow their rights to be compromised.”

“Nor I,” I seconded.

Nechayev sneered as she replied, “They don’t have any rights, they’re–”

I saw Picard start to rise, but Liang was faster. “Yes they do!” Liang interrupted, slamming the palm of his hand on the table as he shot up from his chair. He pulled out his cane and pointed it directly at Nechayev. “Don’t you dare tell me that they don’t have rights, Admiral. The Federation Charter guarantees the right of habeas corpus to all sapient beings regardless of citizenship, among many other rights. And don't try to tell me they're prisoners of war either, because they most certainly are not! They came willingly aboard the Phoenix. They have cooperated with every request, and have done nothing to break any of our laws. You have no right to treat them any differently than any other being, legally or otherwise.”

Before Admiral Nechayev could even open her mouth to respond, Liang rapped his cane against the table. “If you think I'm somehow exaggerating, need I remind you of the fate that befell those Cardassian refugees the Fletcher saved? Cardassians, yes, but refugees! They were innocent civilians caught up in the middle of a war, and every last one of them was treated as a threat by Starfleet Intelligence. Every single one was interrogated, subjected to rough treatment and then thrown into the most pitiful refugee camp the Federation has ever run, with them half-starving by the time the war was over. That treatment was intolerable! Not again. Not this time. And not on my ship!”

“You…” Nechayev worked her jaw and glanced over at Picard. “Jean-Luc–”

“Not on my ship either, Admiral.” He gave Nechayev a steely-eyed glare. “I will not allow the Enterprise to be used as an off-the-books internment camp.”

Nechayev, for just a moment, turned a shade of red so like a tomato I thought she’d burst into paste. Then it passed, with a simple deep breath on her part, replaced by her usual cold smile. “Very well. You may be present. Now, shall we move on?”

Liang sat back down in his chair, interlaced his hands and flashed Nechayev a winning smile. “Of course, Admiral. Please, continue.”

Nechayev’s own fake smile intensified for a moment, then dropped. “Given the Dominion’s interest in pursuing this magical technology, and given the Federation’s desire to win this war as quickly as possible, Starfleet Intelligence is willing to pursue similar channels.”

“Meaning?” Riker inquired with a frown.

I didn’t need to hear Nechayev say it. I said it myself, letting disgust color my every word. “They want to use magic to develop weapons.”

“Not just weapons, Commander,” Nechayev corrected, raising a finger. “Shields, sensors, power systems, enhanced warp drive… any possible application for this technology. Shields and weapons will be most important for the war effort, but I expect this technology to go far beyond just this one war.”

“Not without my cooperation and the cooperation of my sister, you won’t,” I objected, raising up from my chair. The fact I had to position my rear hooves on it and my forehooves on the table just to reach the same height as the others burned at the back of my mind, but I tried to ignore it. “We’ve told Starfleet many times. Magic is not a weapon. We are not weapons.” I raised a wing and gestured to my horn. “My sister and I are not pretty pastel phaser rifles you can cart around and shoot at every Dominion ship you find. We developed that converter so we could find the Sirens, to help them.”

“And you are also Starfleet officers,” Nechayev countered. “You will follow orders or you will be court martialed for insubordination. And don’t even think–” she said as my horn glowed and a similar glow surrounded my combadge “–that we will accept a resignation like that during wartime, because we won’t.”

I snorted. “Fine. Toss me in the brig then. Because I’m not going to let you pervert the abilities of my species for mass murder.”

Nechayev smiled back, one full of malice. “As you wish.” Her hand raised to tap her combadge. “Nechayev to–”

“Admiral, before you do that,” Liang said, “would you mind giving us the room? Let us discuss this among ourselves before we take any hasty actions.”

Nechayev glanced down at the PADD still in her hand, made a small note, then nodded. “Very well. I will give you fifteen minutes.” She sauntered out the door.

The instant the doors swished shut, we all seemed to decompress at once. “You know, Sunset, it’s great to see you again and all,” said La Forge as he chuckled, “but I’m not ready to see you behind bars.”

“Certainly not,” Picard agreed. “I admire your conviction for the principles of you and your kind, but talking back to any Admiral, let alone Nechayev, can backfire drastically. I believe I can speak for Captain Liang as well in saying that we might not be able to bail you out of such trouble.” He favored me with a warm smile. “But it truly is good to see you again, Miss Shimmer. I never did get the chance to thank you for saving my ship.”

“Half of it, sir,” Riker added with his typical sarcastic grin. “For herself no less.”

“Hey, I had no idea at the time it would become part of my ship,” I said, chuckling. “But thank you, all of you. It’s good to see you too.”

“Yes, well, not to rudely interrupt this reunion,” Liang said with a similar smile, “but I’m afraid we have little time to discuss the matter before the good admiral returns.”

“More like fishwife,” Williams muttered.

A round of snickers went around the table. “Well, if you will allow me to play devil’s advocate for a moment, Miss Shimmer,” Picard said, clasping his hands together, “The admiral is right to some degree. When at war you look for anything that can give you an advantage over your opponent, no matter how small. The potential gain from implementing your abilities in our ships could be the difference between saving trillions of lives and condemning half the galaxy to slavery under the Dominion.”

“I understand that, sir,” I replied. “But like I said, Cadeneza and I didn't build that converter just to see it weaponized. To your point though…” I looked around the room briefly, then focused back on Picard. “Let's say magic did make the difference and we do win the war on the back of my kind's abilities. What will the Federation do with it afterwards?”

“She’s right,” Riker agreed. “Frankly, depending upon how powerful this technology can make ships, it could completely upset the balance of power. And unlike a certain incident a few years ago, this one can’t be swept under the rug and quietly forgotten.”

I knew precisely what he was referring to, even if my fellow Phoenix crew all frowned in confusion.

“On the other hand, imagine what we could do with warp drive,” La Forge said. “Energy thresholds have long been the largest hurdle towards us developing transwarp technology. It’s what doomed the Excelsior program in the late 23rd century. But from what I've seen, magic is entirely different in that regard. It acts almost like a magnifier, producing incredible output with very low energy consumption, relatively speaking. Even a ten percent increase in warp efficiency would be a game changer, war time or not. Scale that up across the warp chart and you could send entire fleets from one end of Federation space to the other in a mere fraction of the time.”

“Not to speak for you, ma’am, but I don’t think even Shimmer would deny there’s some good that could come from this technology,” Williams said, rubbing his chin. “But I’m pretty worried about what those weapons could mean too. Commander Riker's right that the balance of power could be entirely upended here, putting the Federation at an overwhelming advantage relative to every other power in the Alpha and Beta quadrants.”

“Exactly, which means we could crush any opposition!” Zhidar roared, smashing his fists together. “I see no reason to worry over what others might think. If the Federation can make other powers bow down to it, so be it!”

“Uh, no offense, Lieutenant,” Hill spoke up, raising his hand, “But I didn’t join Starfleet to engage in imperialism.”

“I don’t think anyone’s suggesting that Starfleet or the Federation would become an imperialistic state, Lieutenant,” Liang said. “And believe you me, I’m well acquainted with what imperialism can do to a family tree.”

“If I may,” Data interjected, “I believe we are all making a false assumption. We do not know whether or not these weapons will be more powerful than existing technologies, or even feasible to create. It may very well be that we can only create defensive technologies, or it may be that the offensive technologies we do create are easily countered. Or that we can create no such technologies at all.”

“Yes, exactly, Mr. Data,” Picard said. He turned to me. “I understand your moral and ethical objections, Miss Shimmer, and I realize we have not addressed them directly. However, I also feel it would be a mistake to overlook the potential positives that could come from this research. Perhaps there is some form of compromise we could reach.”

“Maybe so, sir,” I admitted, smiling gratefully at him. The truth was I had no desire to be locked up in the brig, no matter how jail-happy Nechayev was. And I’d known this was going to happen as soon as we developed the converter. Sooner or later, Starfleet would wander by and have us craft weapons with magic… it was inevitable.

There were plenty of good points made by everyone in the discussion. Perhaps Captain Picard was onto something. The idea of creating magical versions of shields, enhanced warp drive… None of that bothered me. It was the weapons research I didn’t care for. Maybe we could stymie that research, or come up with something non-lethal.

“I think I see where you’re going with it, Captain,” I said. “All we can do for now is try.”

The doors hissed as Nechayev returned. “Well, Commander?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “Are you through wasting everyone’s time?”

Despite the rising aggravation in my heart I gave no outward sign of it, successfully using meditative techniques to control it. “We will do the research, if that’s what you’re asking, Admiral.”

“Good.” Nechayev turned to leave. “Then we’d best depart for the Phoenix immediately. I want to see this new converter.”

“Actually, Admiral, may I speak with you? Privately, that is,” I said, raising a hoof.

Liang bent down to whisper in my ear, “Are you sure, Sunset?”

I nodded to him then gazed at Nechayev, awaiting her response.

“If you’d like. The rest of you head for the Phoenix,” she ordered. “We’ll be along shortly.”

I could feel the air in the room weighing down on me as everyone filed out. A chill ran down my spine the moment the doors swished shut. Nechayev laid a stony glare upon me as she tapped her PADD against the palm of her hand. “What is it, Commander?”

I grimaced and asked, “Permission to speak freely?”

One corner of Nechayev’s mouth curled up. “Granted,” she said, her voice dropping in register to sound anticipatory.

My lips pulled back, showing my teeth as I growled, “You don’t like horses very much, do you?”

“If you mean the Earth species, no, I’ve never cared for them,” Nechayev replied.

I made a point of rolling my eyes. “I can tell. Because the first time we met you tried to turn me into a lab rat, and now here you are trying to turn me and my sister into weapons of war. So much for that apology six months ago, I guess.”

Nechayev pursed her lips, set her PADD down, then splayed her hands out on the table to lean towards me. “I apologized then only because I made a mistake in front of other admirals, if you must know. Stripping you of your rank would have been short-sighted and foolish. Had you and your sister not come to the Phoenix we wouldn't have such a golden opportunity in front of us right now.”

“A-are–” Gaping, my face screwed up in disbelief. “You know, First Rinak’tlan told me that horses were simple beasts to be used up and then discarded. Funny, I never would have imagined you'd share an opinion on something–”

Nechayev rose up from the table and slammed a hand down upon it with a meaty thwack. “How dare you–”

I swept a forehoof disdainfully in front of me. “So, what, you gonna do the same thing to the Sirens? Turn them into lab rats instead of me? Harness their singing into some kind of sonic cannon?”

Nechayev’s scowl blistered with rage. “I will do whatever it takes, go through whoever I have to, to win this war. I will crush any enemy who stands in front of the Federation's principles.”

I broke out laughing hard enough it nearly caused me to double over. “Do you even know who the enemy is anymore, Admiral? Is it just the Dominion? The Borg? Or is it anyone you can't control? Any technology you can't bend to your will?” My mirth vanished as I slammed a hoof into the floor with great force. “You speak of the Federation's principles so warmly yet you're rather quick to force others you've yet to meet to fight and die for you.”

I flared my wings out as I stepped around the table to get right up in her face. My voice dropped in volume to a near whisper. “You're scared. That's your problem. You're scared because you know deep down you can't control who I am, who my sister is, who the Sirens are. Just like Rinak’tlan and his Vorta Yukarin, you want so badly to use us all up then lock us away like some sort of collective freak show the minute this war is over. But you can't, because we can think and talk and you hate that because it means if you push us too far, we can say no.”

“Enough!” Nechayev thundered. “Permission to speak freely retracted. One more word out of you, Shimmer, and I will have you in irons for insubordination. Is that clear?”

A solid wave of control, like a series of stone gates, closed down over my sense of outrage. I found myself stiffening to attention, a frisson of brief fear trickling down my spine and into my tail, which lashed out at the table. “Crystal, ma’am,” I muttered.

“Good.” She pointed to the door. “Now, go.”

I swallowed and trotted out ahead of her, a light gait meant to allow her to keep up with ease. As I walked, my mind churned over what had just happened. There was more to what Nechayev was saying than her actual words.

I’d been guessing when I suggested she was afraid. Turned out my guess was right on the money. It took most of my control just to keep quiet as I walked with her, the sheer hypocrisy bleeding off of her in thick sheets that reeked, burning my nose. No, more than that. It sank a dagger in my chest and left a festering wound.

She spoke of principles that she broke without a moment’s hesitation. It reminded me far too much of the various nobles that influenced Celestia’s rule, or of some religious fundamentalist. In both cases they’d claim to uphold values of peace, friendship, honor, charity… fundamental goods that they would happily trot all over and spit upon if it means accomplishing their goals.

Worse, what really caused it to fester within me was how easily I could’ve ended up this same way, without Mother and Mom’s help. I’d been little more than a power hungry jerk whose life had been so out of control thanks to the death of my biological parents that I was eager to do something, anything to be better than I was. I assumed I was destined for greatness, and I would’ve happily espoused any belief if it meant it could get me what I wanted.

But not anymore. Not now, not after sixteen years to get over myself. I wasn’t about to compromise principles. And if she tried to make me, well… she wouldn’t get very far.

As my magic prodded the freshly constructed converter with tweezers, moving some last bits into place and aligning the dilithium crystal just right, the whole thing sparked and sputtered, causing me to jump back despite the welding mask I wore.

“Whoa there, Sparkie,” said Cadeneza as she rounded the table to check on me. “You okay?”

“Jeez,” I breathed, my heart hammering a kilometer a minute. I flipped up my welding mask to get some air. Sweat ran down my face and into the front of my uniform, staining it ever so slightly. “I thought it was going to explode.”

Cadeneza frowned and peered at the device, then ran a tricorder over it. “No, no I don’t think so. I don’t see any energy buildups.”

“Whew,” I murmured, wiping my brow. We still didn't have a clue what caused the last converter to explode. A check of the sensor logs showed no sign of a buildup before it exploded; it simply brewed up all at once. One minute Amelia was fine and the next she… She…

“Hey, hey, relax, Twilight,” Cadeneza said, giving me a strong squeeze on my withers. “I know how you feel. I'm fu – err, I'm worried as shit about Amelia. She still hasn't woken up despite what the doc said and…” Cadeneza's grip weakened as she trembled, her whole body shaking from a shuddering breath. “We just gotta have faith in her.”

Ignoring the looks of the engineers around us I nuzzled Cadeneza's side, for once feeling like we were in complete agreement on something. “Right. Faith.”

“Attention! Captain on deck!”

I didn't see who barked the order, but I stood immediately at attention all the same, and good thing too, because not one but two captains entered Engineering: Liang and Captain Picard. I hadn't met him in person since the memorial service for Sunset almost three years ago now, and his stern face was much more grim than it had been even then.

A bevy of officers from the Phoenix and Enterprise both followed him in, and they all came directly to us. “As you were.” Liang ordered. “Captain Picard, I'd like to introduce Lieutenant Cadeneza and Ensign Twilight Sparkle.”

“We’ve met before, actually,” Cadeneza said as she nodded to Picard. “Though I doubt you remember me, sir.”

Picard’s eyes narrowed for a moment, then he raised a finger. “Ah, yes, you were present at Miss Shimmer’s memorial service. A pleasure to see you both again under much better circumstances.”

“Yes, sir,” I said, bowing my head. Thinking about the memorial service brought back bad memories… mostly of my own actions that I now deeply regretted.

Especially the drinking. I never should’ve set hoof in that stupid bar.

“What can we do for you, sirs?” Cadeneza asked.

“We’re waiting for Admiral Nechayev,” Liang said. “In the meantime, get back to it, Lieutenant.”

Cadeneza flashed me a quick irritated look and nudged her shoulder in the direction of the converter. “C’mon, Sparkie.”

Sighing, I pulled my welding mask down and returned to guiding the final set of wires into place. Once they were all set I applied basic voltage to each circuit in turn to verify they were functionale. “Okay,” I breathed as I set my tools down. “Now comes the hard part.”

“And what would that be?”

I nearly leapt out of my skin as I turned and stood at attention, seeing Admiral Nechayev looming over me, her hands on her hips. “A-admiral!” I spluttered. “I, er, I didn’t see you… standing there… ahehehe…”

Nechayev continued with her icy stare. “Well, Ensign? I’m waiting for your answer.”

Sunset poked her head out from around Nechayev and flashed me an apologetic look. Seeing her there gave me just enough strength to refocus on the matter at hoof. “I’m about to enchant the converter, ma’am,” I said, proud of the fact I managed to speak without my voice trembling. “I’m going to overlay the dilithium crystal with a conversion spell that changes electricity to magic. It’s the key to the whole device; without it, it’s just a box of circuits and crystal.”

“I see.” Nechayev glanced up at Cadeneza. “You must be Lieutenant Cadeneza.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Cadeneza said, stiffening to full attention.

“I understand you’re the one behind this device, is that right?”

Cadeneza nodded. “It wasn’t an instant process. The real focus was on creating a thaumometer, which is the sensor that lets us pick up magical energy specifically.” She reached for the tricorder-mounted mini thaumometer and briefly ran it over me before handing it to Nechayev. “See? You can pick out every bit of Sparki – ahem, Sparkle’s mana channels. This took quite a while, but with a little help from Su–” Cadeneza deliberately cut herself off with a flutter of her eyelids and a deep breath “–Commander Shimmer, we worked out the kinks.”

Nechayev’s cold demeanor melted somewhat as she cradled the thaumometer in her hands. “Fascinating. A way to detect a source of energy we never knew existed before Sparkle and Shimmer came to Earth.”

“Admiral,” La Forge said quietly, holding out a hand hesitantly. “Do you mind if Data and I take a look at that? We’ve had a chance to examine the specs, but not an actual device yet.”

Nechayev stared at it for a moment longer before placing it in La Forge’s hand. “Very well.”

“Err, if you need a space, sirs, there should be some over here, next to the warp core,” Hill interjected, showing the two over.

“Don’t forget it’s only going to work for so long, sir,” Cadeneza spoke up as La Forge and Data weaved through the consoles occupying the middle of Engineering.

Nechayev’s eyebrows rose. “Why is that?”

I saw Cadeneza’s eyes flash momentarily, the corner of her mouth tugging, as if she longed to snark about how Nechayev must not have read her report. Fortunately for all of us, she channeled her sugary sweet voice instead of her sarcasm when she replied. “Because the thaumometer needs magic to function. We can make them but we can’t power them without magic. So there’s a little crystal embedded in each one that stores the magic.” Cadeneza glanced my way and twitched her eyebrows.

“It’s called a mana battery,” I said, picking up on the hint. “It’s able to pick up on ambient magic and store it to be used as power for the device, in this case the thaumometer. Because these batteries are produced by the ship's replicators they can only accept this specific ship's magic, which we have been storing in a larger version of this battery located in a cargo bay on deck 28. This is so that in the event of some kind of overload we can jettison it in a hurry.”

“And that battery drains real quick without the warp core feeding into it,” Cadeneza added. “This converter isn’t exactly that efficient either. The math ratios work out to be, what, ten percent?”

“Closer to five,” I countered. “Devices like these exist in Equestria, but they use a much more robust version of the spell… at least, that’s what I remember from my reading.” I held a hoof to my muzzle and coughed. “And those were only used for very specific tasks where it was impractical to have unicorns feeding magic into a system, like the Cloudsdale weather factory. Electricity doesn’t really want to be magic, but magic is very happy to turn back into electricity, so it becomes very difficult to accomplish anything and do it efficiently.”

“But it is an accomplishment, ma’am,” Sunset said, stepping forward to stand next to me. “A converter this small was considered absolutely impossible by Equestrian standards.” A small smile tugged at her muzzle. “Then again, so was a lot of what we take for granted.”

“Not only that, but the way we're using the converter upends entire generations of Equestrian scientific theory,” I continued, smiling back at Sunset briefly. “To apply magic power to any movable object it must be channeled through the pony using the object. In other words, if you want to use magic to move an object you need a pony to make it happen. It's one of the first things any pony is taught in magic kindergarten. Yet here we've made magic a part of the object - in this case, the Phoenix herself. It's completely unprecedented in Equestrian science.”

“So it would seem,” Nechayev said, giving us a smile that not only didn’t reach her eyes, its cold lack of kindness drove our own off our faces. “Very well, Ensign, proceed with your spell.”

“Aye, ma’am,” I murmured as I lowered my head and closed my eyes, tapping into the magic within. Like a second sight, the ambient magic in the air became visible in the darkness, whips and currents of light swishing and washing about. A huge, dense cloud of it in the shape of an alicorn stood nearby, lighting up almost every bit of Sunset’s body. If I’d chosen to glance down I might’ve seen the same from my own. But instead I focused, drawing in the magic surrounding me, weaving it, twisting it into a set pattern, like assembling a mold. It felt like it took ages, especially with a bevy of senior officers watching my every move.

Enchantments like this were less like a typical one-layer spell and more like a matryoshka doll. The security spell was nestled inside the basic safety ward, which itself nested under the first of many layers of mathematical formulae, all of which underpinned the master spell that converted incoming electrons into thaums. Weaved together, it formed a perfect, textbook spell matrix, which I laid ever so gently atop the dilithium crystal, encoding it in every last facet. Once laid in, I gave the whole device one last burst of energy from my horn, then stepped away and opened my eyes.

My vision swam as my body shook, causing me to stumble against Sunset. “S-sorry,” I murmured as a dizzy spell overtook me, nausea twisting my stomach.

“Relax, Ensign, sit down if you need to,” Sunset ordered, gesturing to one of the nearby chairs with her wing.

I flopped my way over to sit down, sighing in relief. “Thank you…”

“That was incredible to watch,” Riker murmured, rubbing his chin.

“I’ll say,” La Forge chimed in with a quiet whistle. “Is it normally so exhausting though? I don’t remember reading that in the report.”

“No, sir,” I said with a quiet chuckle. “But I was… injured last night, and even with Sickbay speeding the process, it takes a lot of magic out of a unicorn when she’s hurt like that.” I carefully left out the details about how much of that magic was consumed in fruitless attempts to beat the stuffing out of Maia. My ex-roommate really had been toying with me those times I beat her.

Oooh I’d show her though. It only made me far more determined to defeat her next time.

“Was your injury related in any way to Lieutenant Wattson’s?” Picard asked.

“No, sir, it was unrelated.” I pursed my lips, struggling to think of the best way to put it. “I... overexerted myself during some martial arts training.”

“How much magic does this converter produce?” Nechayev asked, her eyes fixed upon the now functional device.

“It’s a little hard to say, Admiral,” Cadeneza answered. “Thaums, as Sparkle and Shimmer call it, don't convert to our measurement systems in any meaningful way. So we’ve been trying to develop our own method of measuring it.”

“Right now, we’re using an unnamed unit,” Sunset said. She stepped over to a nearby console and brought up some schematics. “The unit is based upon the number of thaums it takes to power a tricorder sized thaumometer for one second, and projected out from there.”

“Well, we have been considering some potential names for it…” Cadenaza said in an almost sing-song voice.”

“Ahem,” Liang grunted, pointedly clearing his throat. “I believe that I firmly rejected your name for the unit, Lieutenant.”

“Respectfully, sir,” Cadeneza rejoined, a slight smirk pulling at her mouth, “I don’t see what’s wrong with calling it Caddies. I invented the unit, shouldn’t it be named after me? Even cochranes are named after Zephram Cochrane.”

“Oh my god she actually said it, in front of Nechayev even,” Sunset whispered, just loud enough for me to hear.

I barely resisted the urge to plant my face in my hooves even as a chuckle rose from the group around us. “I believe I speak for all of us, Lieutenant,” Nechayev said, scorn heaped atop every word, “that while we respect your contribution, that name is… not acceptable.”

“And we’re not calling them Jackies either,” Sunset shot back, glaring at Cadeneza. “If we're going to go down this road right now, then I'll just say that if any name should apply, it should be one from Equus. Because it’s still our magic that powers it.”

Cadeneza groaned, doubling over with an expressive sigh. “Fine, fine,” she said, twirling her hand. “We’ll call ‘em Sparkies.”

“Sparkles,” Sunset corrected. “The meaning of the name in Ponish relates to magic anyway, so we might as well use it properly.”

As all eyes turned to me, my face heated up to an almost unbearable degree. “Err, ma’am,” I stammered, barely able to look at Sunset, let alone anyone else, “I-I thought I said we weren’t going to–”

“Sparkles, huh?” La Forge interrupted. He nodded a few times. “Yeah, I like it. It’s a little different, but it fits.”

“Hmm.” Data glanced in my direction, then back down at the thaumometer in his hand. “I believe the word is more aesthetically pleasing than Lieutenant Cadeneza’s suggestion.”

Nechayev let out a loud snort. “That’s enough foolishness, everyone. Sparkles it is,” Nechayev declared, putting an end to the debate and, simultaneously, sealing my doom in Federation and Equestrian history. “You were talking about the converter’s production capacity.”

“Right,” Sunset said. “Right now, the converter is theoretically capable of producing approximately anywhere between 2.5 to 5 thau – err, I mean, gigasparkles a day. In practice, however, we’ve barely been able to crank the thing to 30%, so it’s been limited, at most, to 600 to 700 megasparkles a day. And usually much lower, which was why we had to pause so often while searching for the sirens, to let the ship build up enough power.

Nechayev’s enthusiasm dampened considerably. “I see. What has kept you from running it at full capacity?”

“Apart from safety considerations,” I said, “we’ve had some storage capacity issues as well. We’re working on making more storage batteries, but the cargo bay was never meant to serve as a power core, so we’ve been having to use makeshift connections to the rest of the ship.”

“And we can’t just force it directly from the converter into the sensors,” Sunset added. “That’d be like trying to plug a tricorder into a warp core: it’d explode from the level of amperage running through it. So that slows things down too.”

“But we’re going to work on that, ma’am,” Cadeneza said. She scanned the area for a moment then grabbed a loose PADD and brought it up, showing off some schematics. “I’ve been working on a few designs for better transmission cables, stouter infrastructure. Instead of a massive battery in the cargo bay, imagine lots of little storage batteries spread all around the ship, kind of like the bioneural gel packs on the Intrepid-class ships.”

Nechayev snatched the PADD out of Cadeneza’s hand to scan it. “I see… I see, so this could be scaled up, then.”

“Potentially,” Cadeneza said. “Not sure what for yet, but I’m thinking we can probably reengineer the converter too. This thing,” she patted the box, “was always a prototype. Sparkle and I have already begun documenting improvements we can make on the next batch. Biggest limitation is gonna be how much dilithium we’ll have to use.”

“Assuming we can’t find some substitute crystal,” La Forge said, tapping at his chin. “Something we can replicate.”

“Well we’re already using a different kind of crystal for the mana batteries,” Cadeneza said, glancing down at the converter. “It’s something Commander Shimmer programmed into the replicator.”

“What sort of crystal did you utilize, Lieutenant?” Data asked.

“Uuuuh, well,” Cadeneza said, scratching her head. “When I asked her what it was called she neighed at me.”

I could feel the embarrassment radiating off Sunset. I turned and saw her face glow redder than her mane. “Err, yeah, sorry about that,” she said. “The universal translator didn’t know what to do with that one.”

“Well, if we’re using sparkle for the unit, why not call it a Shimmer crystal?” Riker suggested, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

“Commander,” Picard began in a warning tone.

“No, wait, sir, I think that’s a good idea,” La Forge said. “It keeps it consistent.”

“And crystals do indeed… shimmer,” Data provided.

I saw Hill and Williams slap their hands to their faces as the whole room seemed to groan at once. Finally, Cadeneza broke the awkward moment. “Yeah, sure, Shimmer crystals, whatever. Point is they’re very similar to a kind of crystal found on Equus.”

“It’s not exactly the same,” Sunset interjected with a sigh. “They’re…” As she trailed off she descended into little snorts and nickers that forced me to slap a hoof to my mouth to keep from laughing.

“Sunset,” I whispered, “language!”

She rolled her eyes at me. “Equus is a nexus of magic… magic is in everything. Gemstones grow in the ground all over the place, with some places so dense you can barely stick a shovel down past a meter without coming out with a big shovelful of shards and pieces. And unlike gemstones on every other world, these even come out looking pristine, like they’d been processed by jewelers for days.”

She brought up a picture of a perfectly shaped diamond on one of the screens and pointed at it. “You could find these for a dime a dozen, to the point that in some parts of Equestria they’ll even take gemstones in lieu of bits, then convert them in bulk later. The only reason they have any real value outside of aesthetics is the magic they can be used for. Each kind is valuable for different applications.”

“But we can’t just replicate the same exact thing,” I pointed out. “It’s like trying to replicate dilithium or latinum--the replicator just can’t do it. But we can replicate something with a similar structure. It’s enough to be able to store the magic with at least.” I brought up a picture in turn of a crystal shaped roughly like a candle, rounded along all sides and tapering to points at both ends, shining a myriad of colors.

“Have you attempted to use a Shimmer crystal in place of the dilithium?” Data asked.

“Yes, but it won’t hold an enchantment,” Sunset said. “That’s why we have to use dilithium. Whatever quality makes a crystal able to hold an enchantment, it’s beyond our replicators… for now.”

“Sourcing dilithium will not be a problem,” Nechayev stated, drawing everyone’s attention back to her. “If that is what is needed for these converters, so be it. Starfleet Intelligence will see to it that you get as much dilithium and any other resources you need.”

Cadeneza blinked a few times, her face screwed up. “Um, ma’am, why are we getting these resources?”

Nechayev smiled, one that chilled me to the bone. “Because as of this moment I am altering the Phoenix’s mission. The Phoenix is hereby a testbed for magical technology. You will be the center of a small fleet of ships dedicated to testing and creating various applications for this magic, with a primary focus on weapons and defensive technologies, given the war. The Enterprise will also be involved with this project, albeit independently.”

“Admiral?” Picard spoke up. Though his voice hadn’t become any louder, I practically shook from the level of command authority in his tone. “I believe the demonstration that Ensign Sparkle gave us made it clear we would get nowhere without natural magic users aboard our ship.”

“And we had a deal, Admiral,” Liang chimed in, folding his arms across his chest. “You won’t take Sparkle or Shimmer from my ship.”

“I don’t have to,” she said, shrugging. “We have three others we can use.”

Everyone fell silent, with Sunset and Liang shooting Nechayev equally hostile glares. “You can’t be serious, ma’am,” Cadeneza said.

“Of course I’m serious.” Nechayev straightened herself up and tucked her arms behind her back. “There’s no need for one ship to contain all five magic users in the Federation, is there?”

“With respect, Admiral, you still have yet to even meet these sirens, let alone speak with them and ask what they would like to do,” Picard pointed out, sounding surprisingly calm despite the clearly growing anger in his expression. “And if I may raise my own objection, the Enterprise could be far more valuable to the war effort on the front lines, even presuming the Sirens’ magic functions in the same way as Shimmer and Sparkle’s.”

“He’s right, ma’am,” Riker added. “All due respect, a Sovereign-class starship simply isn’t as geared towards research as a Nebula-class. It’s a warship.”

“I’ll admit, I wouldn’t mind getting a chance to play around with some of this technology,” La Forge said, “but... we don’t need the Enterprise just for that.”

“Your opinions have been noted,” Nechayev said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Captain Liang, I would like to meet with these Sirens now. I see no reason for further delays.”

If Liang had magic he’d be glowing with the fury I saw shaking within him. “We’ll see about that,” he said, his voice tight. “Mr. Zhidar, would you be so kind as to see if our guests are willing to meet with the good admiral?”

Zhidar, who I’d forgotten had even been standing there in the first place, jumped to attention with a sneaky grin on his face. “Aye, sir,” he said before tottering off.

“Very well,” Nechayev said. She turned to Picard. “Jean-Luc, you are more than welcome to join me, though we won’t need the rest of your staff for now. They may return to the Enterprise at their convenience.”

“Splendid,” Picard muttered through nearly gritted teeth. He let out a quiet sigh. “Commander Riker, please return to the Enterprise. Geordi, Data, I would like the two of you to remain aboard the Phoenix and continue to study the converter. With your blessing of course, Captain.”

Liang nodded. “No objection. Admiral, Captain, if you’ll follow me. Number One!”

I watched Riker and Sunset pivot on their heels at once and come to attention. “Yes, sir?” they said in unison.

Liang’s eyebrows shot up as he glanced over at the bemused Riker, then back to Sunset. “We’ll be in the conference room. Feel free to join us at your leisure,” he said with a wink.

Sunset, to her credit, simply nodded. “Aye, sir.”

“We may have some imposters among us,” Riker muttered to Picard.

“Certainly appears that way," he replied with a small chuckle.

Nechayev gave them all one last cold stare, prompting them to hurry out. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to the bridge,” Williams said.

“And I’ve got a thing to do… with the… stuff,” Hill mumbled as he disappeared into Wattson’s office.

Riker meanwhile faced Sunset and held out a hand. “It’s been good seeing you again, Commander Shimmer,” he said with a big grin. “You’ve earned every pip on that collar and more besides. I wouldn’t be surprised if you ended up a Captain before me.”

“I dunno about that, sir,” Sunset said, shaking Riker’s hand eagerly. “You’ve had your pick of ships for ages now.”

“Maybe,” Riker allowed. “But you’re reminding me an awful lot of Elizabeth Shelby, and last I checked, she’s one step away from being a captain herself. Making me feel slow as molasses.”

“I’m sure you’re comfortable where you are, sir,” Sunset said. “I don’t think anyone can blame you.”

Riker shrugged. “Well, take care, Shimmer. Geordi, Data, don’t hang around here for too long.”

As he stepped out, Sunset turned to La Forge, who was grinning up a storm at her. “I know I already said it, but damn it’s good to see you again, Shimmer,” he said.

“Please, Commander, I think you can call me Sunset now,” Sunset said with a chuckle. She held out both forehooves to take his hand and shake it enthusiastically.

“Then call me Geordi, Sunset,” La Forge replied. He let out a heavy sigh, his grin fading just slightly. “I know we’ve been corresponding, but it’s something else to see you in person, since the last time…”

Both of them glanced in the direction of the warp core and shuddered simultaneously. “Trust me, er, Geordi,” Sunset said, “I’m not keen on repeating that experience. Ever.”

“Still.” La Forge shook his head and laughed. “You know, we had a second ceremony honoring you a year after we thought you’d died. It was our somber way of christening the new Enterprise, since none of us would’ve been around to see it if it weren’t for you.”

I shifted on my hooves, feeling a bit of cold anger bubbling up from that dark place I’d shoved it all into. The bitter jealousy I’d felt over how Sunset was treated, the hurt from losing her, all began to show up again.

Then Sunset, glancing over to me, rushed over to wrap a wing around me. The physical closeness managed to banish most of that anger back into the dark hole it crawled out of, though a small part of me was still a bit annoyed about being held in public. “Well, I’m back now. I had to come back. I wasn’t going to leave my little sister hanging alone,” Sunset said. She knelt her head down enough to whisper, “Love you, Twilight.”

“Love you too, BSBFF,” I whispered back, feeling the last bit of pointless anger vanish.

“Commander,” Data spoke up, eying Sunset. He held up the thaumometer in his hand. “May I?”

Sunset raised her eyebrows, then shrugged. “Uh, sure, go ahead.”

Data wasted no time running the thaumometer over the both of us. “Intriguing,” he said. “Your wings, they…”

Sunset flared her wings, glancing at each in turn. The sudden lack of winghug left me feeling a bit chilly. “What about them?”

“Oh, you should’ve seen Data’s face when I first got your message that you were back,” La Forge said. “He had his emotion chip on and he couldn’t stop gaping and gasping over how ‘impossible’ they were.”

I glanced back at Data in time to see him crank his neck in an odd way, producing a chirping sound. Then his mouth spread in a smile. “Geordi,” he said, his voice filling up with amusement. “You must admit, it is unusual.”

Geordi laughed. “Doesn’t mean it wasn’t funny seeing your face.”

Data chuckled in response. “I suppose it was quite amusing, in retrospect.” He finished scanning us and tapped a few keys. I heard the briefest of beeps from his pocket.

“Oh wow, so you figured out how to control your emotion chip, huh?” Sunset said. “That’s great, Data! I remember feeling a bit worried for you there for a while after uh, well…”

“Indeed I did,” Data acknowledged. He gave Sunset one more smile, then jerked his neck again, the smile vanishing instantly. “However, I do prefer to keep it off while I am on duty, most of the time. If you will excuse us, I believe Geordi and I should return to studying the converter.”

As they moved away, I turned to Sunset and said, “So, I’m guessing Nechayev’s going to be waiting a while for them, isn’t she?”

“Oh yeah,” Sunset said with a giggle. “Zhidar had this look in his eye like Christmas came early.”

“Hearth’s Warming,” I corrected gently. Holidays weren’t big in the Federation, but if there were two our family always celebrated together, it was Hearth’s Warming Eve and Nightmare Night, to honor Sunset and me. A little piece of our old home, as it were.

“Yeah yeah,” she said. “Anyway, I’m going to stick around here with Geordi and Data. Why don’t you and Cadeneza go check in on Wattson. Last I heard May was trying everything she could to wake her up.”

“Alright sis.” I said.

Sunset flashed me an amused, if exasperated glare. “Ahem.”

I shot back with a flat look of my own. “Aye, ma’am.”

“Better,” Sunset snickered, before bursting into outright laughter as she walked off.

I collected Cadeneza and the two of us walked out of Engineering together. “So that Nechayev is a real bitch, huh?” she said as we entered the nearest turbolift.

I snorted. “You said it. You weren’t there when she tried to order Sunset into a life of medical experimentation.”

Oddly, I saw Cadeneza’s whole body shake as if from fright for a moment before she replied with a flippant, “Eh, who wouldn’t want to experiment with Sunset?”

My stomach flipped as I slapped a hoof to my mouth. “Please don’t say that,” I murmured.

Cadeneza chuckled to herself as the turbolift discharged us onto Deck 12, but as I watched her walk ahead of me, I noticed she was shaking again. Even that crude joke she just made had carried with it a note of sorrow.

“H-hey,” I said, rushing forward to walk side by side with her. “She’s going to be okay. Amelia’s going to be fine.”

“Is she?” Cadeneza murmured as we neared Sickbay. “It’s been close to a day now. She still hasn’t woken up. I…”

I knew Cadeneza wasn’t in the best of moods. Hell, when I went searching for her just before Nechayev arrived, I’d found her in the holosuite belly-dancing of all things, like she was leaping for the absurd just to get her mind off of everything.

Though I could’ve done without seeing her in a badlah. Sure it fit her well but just... ugh.

The doors to Sickbay swished open before us. Much of Sickbay was empty, with only the occasional officer or enlisted personnel sitting on a biobed being examined, including one unfortunate soul who’d apparently broken both of his hands… somehow. But I ignored all of them, passing by the medical staff as we headed for the ICU.

We found Doctor May inside, standing above Wattson with a tricorder. “Oh, Cadeneza, Sparkle, I wasn’t expecting to see you,” said May. One look at her face showed how exhausted she was, from the harrowed, drawn expression to the bags under her eyes and the puffiness of her skin. “You know I’ll be tellin’ you if she wakes up.”

“Yeah, we know, Doc,” Cadeneza said. “Look, just give us a couple minutes, okay?”

May sighed and nodded. “As you wish. I’ll just be in me office, gettin’ some more coffee.”

I looked down onto the bed, where Wattson lay unmoving underneath a clamshell scanner, save for the rising and falling of her breath. Her face was unblemished, unmarred as if she’d never been burned, the same true of her hands and arms. In fact she looked peaceful, completely healthy.

Except she was still in a coma.

“Amelia,” Cadeneza mumbled, her voice shaking. She reached out to run a finger along Wattson’s face. “Wake up already, you lazy little shit.” She sniffled, tears running down her cheeks. “Wake up, please.”

I looked away, trying to give Cadeneza a brief bit of dignity, choosing instead to look at the screen showing Wattson’s vitals. Like always, they looked great. Steady pulse, full lung function, no sign of abnormal brain activity. “So why is she still unconscious?” I muttered. “By their standards she's in perfect health.”

As soon as I said that, a thought struck me. It seemed incredibly unlikely, but if I was right...

Leaving Cadeneza with Wattson for a moment, I wandered over to May’s office. “Doc? Mind if I ask you a question?” I asked after rapping on the side of the glass partition.

May looked up from her desk where she’d been cradling a cup of steaming coffee. “Huh? Oh, sure, c’mon in.”

I paused for a moment. “You okay?”

May flashed me a tired smile. “Oh I’m just peachy. Been a very long day. I was up far too early doing… well, never you mind. What’s your question, Twilight?”

“You’ve been trying to wake Wattson up for a while, right?”

May sighed again, her smile vanishing. “Yes, I have, and no, I haven’t had any success. I couldn’t tell you why she won’t wake up, but she’s been refusin’. Almost…”

“Almost what?” I pressed.

Shaking her head, May took a long drink of her coffee before setting it down. “If I weren’t knowin’ better, I’d almost wonder if somethin’ were keepin’ her asleep.”

I narrowed my eyes, glaring. I was nearly certain I was right now. “Doctor, have you scanned for–”

“I understand that Wattson’s your friend, and I’m your friend too, Twilight,” May snapped, scowling right back, “but don’t you be suggestin’ I’m not doin’ me job properly. I scanned for neural parasites, Vulcan, Betazoid, and Haliian mental suggestions, subspace aliens, bizarre energy fields, the works! Everythin’ in the book and plenty more besides, and there isn’t any affectin’ her. I know what I’m doing.”

Wincing, I gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry, Doc, I didn’t… I didn’t mean it like that.”

May clicked her tongue. “No, you best be acceptin’ my apology. It wasn’t very professional of me to snap at you like that. You don’t deserve it. I’m just frustrated.”

“I don’t blame you,” I said, sighing back. “What I'm trying to get at is, did you scan her for Equestrian magic?”

May blinked, then shot out of her chair. “No I did not!” she confirmed as she scooped up the thaumometer we’d loaned her and snapped it into her medical tricorder. “Come on!”

We burst into the ICU, startling the hell out of poor Cadeneza, who shrieked in fright, her face pale as milk. After a moment of sped up breathing she scowled at both of us. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Sorry, Lieutenant,” May muttered as she scooted past Cadeneza, “But we might be onto something here.”

“What, what is it?” Cadeneza demanded.

“Twilight reminded me I was bein’ thicker than some drunk in a pub,” May grumbled as she unfolded her tricorder and started scanning hastily. “You’d think Equestrian magic would be the first thing I’d scan for after bein’ told she had an Equestrian magic converter explode in her face, but no, like an idiot I assumed Selar already had!”

“Whoa, hold on,” Cadeneza said, holding up her hands. “You mean, no one bothered to do that? Seriously?”

May’s tricorder let out a rising, insistent beep, the sort that usually meant either distress… or jackpot. “Well, well, well,” May said as she held the tricorder’s scanner right around Wattson’s head. “Would you look at that?”

I briefly glanced at the results on the screen, nodding at the number of spots of endlessly shifting light on the otherwise plain brain scan. “Yeeep. Equestrian magic, alright. Doc, mind if I take over?”

“Go right ahead, Twilight.”

“What the hell do you mean, Equestrian magic?” Cadeneza blurted, shoved May out of the way to slap both arms onto my shoulders. “Whose?”

“Err–”

Cadeneza’s face turned purple with rage. “Was it the sirens? Huh? Is that bitch Nechayev onto something? Are they doing evil shit behind everyone’s back? Is–”

“Cadeneza!” I cried, ripping myself out of her grip. “Calm down! It’s not the Sirens. Trust me.”

Luckily for me, Cadeneza partially fell over when I pulled away rather than trying to dive at me or do something else stupid. She caught herself on the biobed just soon enough to avoid cracking her head against it. “If it's not the Sirens then...” she muttered. “It… it’s not Sunset, right?!”

I rolled my eyes. “No, ma’am, it’s not Sunset. It’s my magic.”

Cadeneza froze. “Excuse me?” she whispered. “W-what do you mean, Sparkie? Huh?”

“Before you get into another fit,” I said, rolling my eyes, “It’s nothing I did on purpose. I should’ve figured this out before now, and I’m sorry I didn’t.”

After a moment of further staring, Cadeneza straightened herself out and brushed off her uniform. “Alright,” she said, reverting to her old cold, dispassionate approach. “What’s going on, then?”

“There’s a few safety and security spells that are part of any enchantment,” I said as I gently closed my eyes, once again calling upon my magic. Once more the magic sight appeared before me, though the only light I saw in the otherwise dark room was that of Wattson’s brain, spotted with motes of magic like a glowing disease. “They’re taught from a very early age, according to Sunset. They’re supposed to keep someone from messing with an enchantment. We developed our own custom one ages ago when we first started trying to enchant things. It was supposed to be extra safe, because either of us could undo it.”

“Cut to the chase, Sparkie,” Cadeneza growled even as I focused mana into my horn, forming a new counterspell matrix.

“There’s two things that matter here. The first one disrupts the enchantment itself, rendering it useless. The energy contained within is supposed to dissipate into the environment.” The matrix took shape as I continued to build it, ever so slowly. “Supposed to. But with this being a starship and not Equus, well, it released everything violently instead.

Counterspell complete, I pressed it forward from my horn, beginning to disrupt the hold over Wattson’s mind. "The second one is a sleeping spell that kicks in after a significant delay, so it makes sense that no doctor here would think to look for it. It’s designed to keep a po– er, a person asleep until the counterspell is performed. This is the first time I’ve seen it fully work though. Usually it just leaves a pony feeling really tired instead.”

“Wait, then you’re sayin–” May began.

“That the only thing keeping her asleep was my own safety spell? Yeah.” I shot off one last burst of magical light, wiping away the last traces of magic in Wattson's mind. A few seconds later her eyelids began to flutter open and she let out a small groan.

“Amelia?” Cadeneza gasped.

Wattson’s eyes cracked open. She blinked once, twice, thrice, then sat up straight, stretching out her arms and letting out a massive yawn. “Oh goodness,” she murmured as she smacked her lips together. “I feel like I’ve slept almost a full day straight.”

“Amelia!” Cadeneza rushed forward and grabbed Amelia by the waist, giving her the tightest hug imaginable. “Oh my god I thought I lost you! Damn it you’re my best friend you’re not supposed to scare me like that!”

“What? Huh? Jacquie, calm down!” Wattson spluttered. “You’re... making it hard for me to... breathe!”

“Good work, Twilight,” May said, slapping me on the shoulder. Her hand went straight to the combadge on her breast. “May to Liang. Sir, Lieutenant Wattson’s awake.”

“On my way.”

I went ahead and paged a few more people, meaning that by the time Liang arrived – naturally with Nechayev and Picard in tow – Sunset, La Forge and Data, and even Hill had arrived as well, filling up the ICU to the point we crowded poor Wattson.

Nechayev’s presence put a significant dampener on any cheers or cries of jubilation. “Lieutenant Wattson, you’re awake,” she said.

Wattson looked over, blanched, and sat up into attention as best she could. “Yes, ma’am!” she said.

“It is good to see you up and about, Lieutenant,” Liang said, “but I’m afraid we’ve all got some questions for you.” He placed a particular emphasis on the word questions, brooking no argument over how much trouble she’d be in, depending upon how he liked her answers.

Wattson gulped, glanced around the crowd, then her eyes focused on Nechayev. “Err, well, you see... we’d been having a lot of problems trying to increase the efficiency of the converter. But I had a sudden brainwave just before going to sleep. I thought I could improve efficiency significantly with a few little tweaks, and I was so excited I rushed down to Engineering to get started. I’d helped put the thing together, so I figured I was fine.”

“Is that why you were not wearing safety equipment?” Nechayev demanded.

Wattson frowned. “We didn’t need any PPE to do anything with the converter when I checked last…”

“After your accident it became a requirement,” Sunset interjected. “What exactly did you do?”

Shifting on the biobed, Wattson replied, “My thought process was, the main thing keeping things less efficient was the circuitry around the dilithium crystal. So I powered down the converter, opened it up, and started messing with the crystal. The instant I popped it out though, it…” She winced. “It exploded.”

“And this is where it’s our fault, sir,” I said, turning to face Liang and, coincidentally, Nechayev. I briefly explained about the security spells. “There’s no way Wattson could’ve known about them because we didn’t tell her when we put it together. Not because we were hiding it but because we didn’t think about it, since they’re considered a fundamental requirement in Equestrian society with any magical device.”

“Oh my god,” Sunset muttered, slapping a hoof to her face. “I cannot believe I didn’t even think about that. I’m so sorry, sir, I could’ve figured this out a lot sooner if I’d put my head together.”

“Then it was not Wattson’s fault that the converter exploded in her face,” Nechayev said.

“No ma’am,” Sunset insisted. “If it wasn’t for our security spells she would’ve been completely fine. Twi--err, Ensign Sparkle, we should probably take those off the converter in Engineering straight away, to prevent something like this happening again.”

“Please do so immediately,” Liang said. He turned to Wattson. “As for you, Lieutenant, I am very displeased that you did not wait to consult Commander Shimmer or Ensign Sparkle before attempting to modify an experimental device. That was poor judgement on your part, poorer than I expect out of my chief engineer.”

“Yes, sir,” Wattson said, bowing her head. “Sorry, sir. It won’t happen again.”

“See that it doesn’t,” Liang grumbled. “I will be entering the reprimand into your personal log. In the meantime, rest and recuperate. I’m certain Doctor May will release you to light duty soon enough.”

Sunset and I politely excused ourselves as we took the turbolift back down to Engineering. “Thank goodness that’s over with,” I muttered. “At least she’s okay.”

“Still can’t believe how stupid I was not to think of that!” Sunset groused, stomping a hoof on the carpeted floor of the turbolift.

“It’s fine, sis,” I insisted. “She’s okay, no one’s hurt, and there’s no secret conspiracy or something.”

“Huh?”

I shook my head. “Just something Cadeneza started to wonder just before I figured it out. She was wondering if maybe the sirens had something to do with her actions.”

“No way, nuh uh,” Sunset said. “Their every action is accounted for aboard the ship. If they’d somehow done that, we would know. They’re not here to act as spies sabotaging the ship, Twilight.”

“I know that, but you never know,” I said as we exited the turbolift. “Could always turn out to be a Changeling on board or something.”

“Oh don’t even start with that idea, Twi,” Sunset murmured as we approached the converter. “You’ll make everybody paranoid, and we have enough of that already with Nechayev here.”

I chuckled under my breath as I focused my magic yet again, seeking out the security spells. Unraveling two spell effects from a fused matrix like this was not easy, but I wasn’t just any unicorn. I was Twilight Sparkle Riviera, daughter of Amina and T’Lona, and sister of Sunset Shimmer. So naturally my skills were like a finely sharpened scalpel, slicing out the desired parts and leaving the rest of it completely untouched.

“There,” I said, huffing as I opened my eyes again. “That’s done. That’s enough magic from me right now… whew…”

I collapsed against Sunset’s side when she nuzzled up to me. “You okay there, Twi?”

“Yeah,” I murmured, blinking past the sweat now soaking half my coat. I hadn’t even noticed it forming. “Yeah, just drained. Need to eat something. Bad.”

Sunset wrapped her magic around my hooves just enough to help me walk steadily. “Come on then, let’s go to my quarters. We can get a quick bite to eat before the sirens finally deign to speak with Nechayev.”

“Sounds good,” I said. “How do you think that’s going to go?”

“Honestly?” I nodded into her shoulder as we boarded the turbolift again. “I’m pretty worried. Nechayev has been such a… well, she’s been…”

“A bitch?” I helpfully supplied.

Sunset rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that. But more than that, she’s… she’s probably going to cause us some problems. You remember my report. The sirens almost killed Maia, Cadeneza, and me just because they thought we were like the Dominion. If Adagio thinks the Federation’ll do the same thing, who knows how many people they’ll hurt on their way out to a shuttlecraft? Assuming they don’t just take over the entire ship instead.”

“They wouldn’t really do that, would they?” I said with a nervous swallow even as we stepped out into the corridor again.

“If someone sane like Captain Picard was leading the briefing? Absolutely not. But with Nechayev acting like a goddamned lunatic, who knows what she might provoke?”

I managed to stand, if a little wobbly-knee’d, by the time we reached Sunset’s quarters. “She backed off from us,” I pointed out as we stepped inside. “Maybe she’ll back off from them too.”

“Maybe,” Sunset said, sounding utterly unconvinced. “But somehow, I doubt it. If we’re really lucky, the worst they’ll do is kill her. Which would still land them in prison for a good number of years…”

Pointedly I trotted over to the replicator and ordered my food, watching it swirl into existence. “Let’s not think about the possible murder of a Starfleet admiral right now,” I said as I took my plate over to the table. “Let’s just eat some food, be glad Wattson's okay, and talk about literally anything else.”

Sunset sighed and nodded. “Honestly? Best idea I've heard all day, sis.”

Author's Note

Hey, every-reader, sorry we're upping this so late in the day. It's my fault.

Anyway, we're likely going to start toning down on the mini episodes. Instead of a mini episode on Friday, then the next one on Wednesday, we'll be having Mini 9 next Monday, and then the next episode the following Monday. Will this be the pattern going forward? Unknown. But we'd like to get Season 2 going a little bit faster... maybe we'll go back and add more minis after the fact? No idea. But that's neither here nor there...

Like always, hope you enjoy this episode, and Go Browns! :p

Thanks Blue. As for my thoughts, they're in my blog draft. I hope you all enjoyed and see you next Monday! :raritywink:

Season 2 Mini-Episode 9: "To Be a Fly on the Wall"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02ME09

“To Be a Fly on the Wall”

Maia relaxed into her chair in Ten Forward, a drink in hand. Synthehol, of course, because she was on duty, and the last thing she’d ever do was drink on duty.

“Say what you will about our guest,” Rodriguez said with a grin as he nursed a margarita. “But she makes the finest margaritas I’ve ever had.”

“Of course I do.” Adagio Dazzle scowled at them from behind the bar. “Not like I have anything else to do on this ship.”

Rodriguez chuckled. “I think you know that is not true, Miss Dazzle. Quite the opposite; you have much opportunity here.”

Adagio’s scowl softened as she ducked under the counter and brought up another bottle to serve a guest. “Maybe.” She uncorked the bottle, poured something obnoxiously orange into a shot glass, and handed it over to the waiting officer. “It’s… different, at least.”

“Different from being worshipped as a goddess, you mean?” asked Preta, gulping at some syrupy confection that made Maia gag just looking at it.

Adagio loosed a laugh that tingled every one of Maia’s nerves in a surprisingly pleasant way. “That’s putting it mildly. But yes, it’s different. I think I might be enjoying myself, even.”

“Well, please be remembering that you are not required to volunteer in here,” Rodriguez pointed out as he sipped his drink. “So if it is not to your liking, you can always leave.”

Adagio raised a bushy eyebrow at him, her mouth shrinking to an uncertain frown. “Hmph. Is that so?” She looked away as someone else ordered a drink, which she quickly fetched. “I’m fine where I am.”

Maia normally hated situations like this. Loafing about in Ten Forward with a drink in her hand while the Sirens tend bar, wait tables, or in Aria's case, enthrall an enthusiastic crowd with an impromptu solo concert. Definitely not a duty she'd ever volunteer for. Duties like these fit the lazy kind of security officer, in her mind. The kind who didn't take their role seriously and just wanted to coast along. She'd met a number of such officers over her career. Most of them never made it past a few away missions.

She preferred action, conflict, and fighting. Especially the fighting. It had been such a part of her life for so long that she’d learned to crave it, to love it. Struggling to survive the moment, to make it to the next day, the next obstacle, the next opponent. It excited her like nothing else could.

That’s why she loved sparring with Twilight Sparkle so much, why she’d befriended the mare despite their initial differences. It was why she happily accepted the posting on the Phoenix, knowing that no matter where the Phoenix itself went or what their mission was, she’d always have Twilight around.

These Sirens weren’t so bad either, once you got past their dismissive attitudes. She found her attention drifting away from the bar conversation and onto Aria, who appeared to be reaching the climax of her song. Maia couldn’t understand the words, but she didn't need to. She could feel the emotions radiating across the room with every note. They swirled around her, filling her ears with a haunting melody, a tale of sorrow, of revenge… and freedom.

When Aria finished her song, Maia watched in fascination as Aria beamed before the crowd’s applause. As Aria approached the bar, Maia waved her over, “What was that song about?”

Aria shrugged. “Life,” she grumbled. She smacked a hand on the bar. “Hey Adagio, I’m thirsty.”

Adagio swung her head around, her bushy hair whipping into the wall behind her. “What do you want?” she grunted.

“I don’t care, just something cold. My throat’s parched.”

As Sonata wandered over to join them, Rodriguez raised a finger. “Might I make a suggestion? Miss Dazzle, ask the replicator for a glass of orxata de chufa.”

Shrugging, Adagio did so, and returned with a glass of odd-looking liquid. It looked like a slightly brown-colored milk, though Maia quickly abandoned that thought when she caught a whiff of the drink as Adagio placed it on the bar. “What is that?”

“It is a drink made from tiger nuts,” Rodriguez answered as Adagio handed the glass to Aria, who eyed it warily. “It is a different form of orxata from the more popular version, which is made from rice. This is something I drank almost every day as a young boy growing up in Barcelona, just the thing for cooling your throat after exercise. Try it.”

Aria made a face, smelled at the glass, her face twisted more, then she tried drinking it. As she swallowed, she smacked her lips together and cocked her head at the glass. Then she drank again, this time slower, savoring the taste before she swallowed. “Huh. That’s actually pretty good.”

“It is,” Rodriguez said, his eyes twinkling. “It is even better with fartons. Every time I visited me Tiá in Valencia, she’d make them from scratch. The replicator never seems to capture the recipe right.”

“Did he just say fart-ons?” whispered Sonata.

“I’m pretty sure that’s not what he said, stupid,” Aria whispered back.

“Actually, it is more or less what he said,” Maia interjected. “It’s–”

Maia trailed off when she heard the sound of boots thundering down the hallway towards them. A second later the doors to Ten-Forward swished open, revealing a slightly winded Lieutenant Zhidar. He grinned fiercely as he said, “There you Sirens are.”

“Yup, that’s us!” Sonata chirped, holding a hand to her breast.

Adagio grunted wordlessly at Sonata as she shot her a fierce glare, then turned to Zhidar. “Ah, the dog man. What can we do for you this time?”

“I’m…” Zhidar shook his head and chuckled. “Nevermind. I’m here on behalf of Admiral Nechayev.”

Maia watched the three Sirens freeze in place, matching looks of anger twisting their otherwise beautiful features. “Nechayev, hmm?” Adagio asked. She brought a hand up to twist some hair around her finger. “She must be the admiral that Sunset Shimmer mentioned. So, what does this admiral want with us?”

Zhidar glanced at Maia briefly before answering, “She wants to meet with you at your convenience. She has some questions.”

“Questions.” Adagio let loose a quiet, menacing cackle that lit up Maia’s nerves like she’d been doused in ice water. All pleasant feelings vanished in an instant, replaced with a hostile, untrusting aura. “Tell me. What happens if we refuse?”

”Well–” Zhidar’s mouth snapped shut. He looked at Rodriguez, then the two of them looked right at Maia, who met their seemingly blank stares with one of her own. Whatever answer they wanted, she had none to give.

Adagio eyed all three of them, then broke into a bitter laugh. “I see. So much for the Federation's claims of safety and security.” She slapped a hand down on the bar and glared at them. “In the end you're no better than—”

Maia’s shot up out of her chair, her hand whipping out to rest atop Adagio’s. “Don’t,” Maia said. “Let us explain.”

Adagio’s lizard-like eyes bored into Maia’s like twin phasers, scouring away anything and everything in their path to get down to her very core, to see if she was truly sincere, or if she should burn. Her lips pulled back to show her teeth. “Unhand me, human,” Adagio hissed as her eyes flared briefly with crimson light. “Unless you want to find out how sharp these teeth really are.”

“Sounds fun,” Maia quipped as she slowly released Adagio. “Maybe later, if you’re into that sort of thing.”

Sonata suddenly sprouted from behind Adagio, causing Maia to take a step back. “Come on, Adagio, just hear her out. It can’t be that bad, right?”

Adagio’s lips pulled back as she growled wordlessly at Sonata. Then with a sigh she turned back to Maia. “Fine. You’re not my type anyway.” She leaned against the bar and propped her head up by her palms. “Alright, so go ahead then. Explain.”

“Admiral Nechayev is a high-ranking officer,” Rodriguez said after a moment of giving Maia an odd look. “She is having much control over what the Phoenix can or cannot do. She is likely to be giving Liang orders as we speak. But what she is most wanting is—”

“She wants to interrogate you,” Maia said matter-of-factly. “Probably hoping to use your powers too.”

Standing up straight, Adagio took a step or two back from the bar, just out of Maia’s reach, and her aura slightly flared up again. “We won’t allow it,” she declared.

“Nor will we,” Zhidar grumbled just barely above a whisper, smacking one fist into his palm. “Screw Nechayev.”

“What my boss means,” Maia added, “is that we’re on your side. And first thing’s first. She did say at your convenience.”

“Meaning you can wait as long as you want,” said Rodriguez, his grin turning sly. “I am sure she cannot be complaining if you make her wait an hour or two.”

The doubt in Adagio’s eyes dwindled, though only by a little from what Maia could tell. “And then what?”

“And then we’ll be doing everything in our power to ensure no one forces you to do anything you don’t want to do,” Rogriguez promised.

Zhidar flashed the Sirens a toothy grin. “Agreed.”

“Absolutely,” Maia thirded.

The three Sirens exchanged a few looks, then shrugged as one. “Very well then,” Adagio said, her cocky smirk slipping back into place. “I suppose there’s no harm in… hearing her out. After a while, of course.”

They descended back into conversation for a while, with Adagio and Sonata making the occasional pithy comment about other people in the lounge while Aria took a seat next to Maia and began discussing fighting styles with her. “I still can’t believe some of the moves you pulled against that pony.”

Maia brushed a hand against her shoulder and shrugged. “I’ve had decades to learn. Been fighting my whole life in one way or another.”

“Yeah?” Aria leaned over the bar. “You wanna tell me about some of it?”

Maia had to bite her tongue to keep from groaning out loud. She hated this question every time it came up. People liked to pry all the time. They wanted to know what made her tick, how she handled basic situations growing up, all so they could constantly go “oh you poor child” and piss away their time with needless sympathy and pity. She only told Twilight after demanding that the egghead not pull even an ounce of that crap on her. Every fiber of Maia's being was screaming at her to say no once again.

But when she looked at Aria, the word died on Maia's tongue. In her eyes Maia saw curiosity and amusement instead of scorn and sympathy. She wasn't sure how, but she began to feel like maybe, just maybe, she had finally come across someone who could relate to her story in some way.

“Alright, sure,” she said. “What do you want to know about?”

Aria’s smile turned calculating. “I want to hear all about what it was like when you Federation people found the base the Dominion held us on.”

A chuckle burbled its way out of Maia’s throat before she could repress it. “Eh, that’s actually pretty boring. At least till we got to the automated defenses.”

Eyes twinkling, Aria leaned even more forward. “Yeah?”

Maia went into detail about the various disruptor cannons and photon grenades, and the slog of crawling through it all. “It was only thanks to Commander Shimmer that we escaped without heavy casualties.”

“Though that cowardly Vorta certainly tried to kill us all,” Zhidar chimed in.

“Vorta, hmmm?” Adagio’s silky tone slithered its way back into the conversation as she stepped over to them, holding up a bottle of what looked like Aldeberan whiskey. “I thought we’d finished that little worm off.”

Zhidar grunted. “If only. No, the fool trapped himself in his command center and forced us to break in before he blew up the entire base.”

Adagio halted in mid-pour, her eyes fixed on Zhidar. “He’s still alive?”

“Yes.”

Sonata let out a massive gasp as her hands clasped the sides of her head. “He is?!”

“We took him prisoner,” Maia answered.

“Oh really,” Aria said, stretching out the word with her usual snarl. “Is that so?”

“Well then, girls, I believe things just got a whole lot more interesting, don’t you?” Adagio commented. She waved her two sisters over to her and the three proceeded to whisper for close to ten minutes, occasionally sending Maia and Zhidar furtive glances.

Maia could tell something was up when they finally turned back around, each wearing a matching smirk. “Mind telling us what that was all about?”

“You’ll find out,” Adagio said. “Now, where were we?”

In retrospect, Maia decided, as amusing as it was to see Nechayev’s stupid face scrunched up like she’d eaten a bowl full of lemons, the dirty look Captain Liang cast her left her feeling somewhat flustered. She and Zhidar might’ve interpreted his orders too well.

But if they had, he gave no other outward sign as he rose to greet the new arrivals. “Ah, Miss Dazzle, Miss Dusk, Miss Blaze, please, come in, sit. Allow me to introduce you to Admiral Nechayev from Starfleet Intelligence.”

Maia couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Nechayev’s eyes blazing with indignation, even as the admiral visibly swallowed it away. “Thank you for coming to see me,” she said, her words only containing a slight basting of fury rather than being drenched in it. “I appreciate you taking time out of your… busy schedule.”

Taking a stand by the door next to Zhidar, Maia had a perfect vantage point to see everyone’s expressions, including Commander Shimmer’s barely restrained mirth. “I did say they were volunteering in Ten-Forward, Admiral,” Shimmer said. “And this is typically the busiest time of the day there.”

“So you did,” Nechayev replied, her voice reverting to her usual cold tone.

Adagio stood up briefly and, to Maia’s surprise, gave the Admiral a quick bow. “We are humbled to meet such an esteemed leader of your people,” she said, her tone as insincere as it was syrupy. “I will speak on behalf of me and my sisters, if that suits you.”

Maia had to focus intently to keep a neutral expression, and a quick glance around the room told her everyone else was having similar difficulties with Adagio's theatrics. Even the normally stoic Zhidar was fighting back a scowl. Or a look of amusement, Maia couldn’t be sure which sometimes when it came to him.

Nechayev, however, seemed to swallow it without a hint of suspicion. If anything, the praise seemed to puff the admiral up instantly, like a peacock strutting about a meadow in all its glory. Maia began to wonder if these Sirens weren't even more cunning than she had already given them credit for. “It does, and thank you.” She gestured to her right. “The other gentleman you have yet to meet is Captain Picard, from the U.S.S. Enterprise. You will understand why he is here soon enough.”

Adagio continued to play her game by coyly holding out her hand palm down towards Picard. “An honor, sir Captain.”

Picard arched an eyebrow even as he favored Adagio with a diplomatic smile. “The honor is mine, Miss Dazzle,” he said as he briefly took her hand, though thankfully he didn’t actually kiss it like Maia feared he might. She wasn’t sure she could’ve stood that sight without feeling somewhat ill.

Adagio gave Picard one last fake smile and sashayed over to her chair, sitting down. “Now then, Admiral, Your loyal pet Zhidar tells me you have some questions for us. I do hope this won't take too long. I, or rather, we, have customers to attend to.”

“I do.” Nechayev took up her PADD and tapped the screen with her stylus. “Let’s confirm a few things first. You three are Sirens, sorceresses from the planet Equus, correct?”

Adagio nodded. “Sorceresses is not the word we would use, but yes, we hail from Equus.”

“And you’re out here among the stars because you were banished from your planet for using dark magic in an attempt to conquer pony society.”

A twitch of her eyebrow was the only sign of Adagio’s displeasure at such a direct accusation as she replied, “We don’t use dark magic, Admiral. We’re not foolish enough to let such corruption into our souls. And we don’t need to.” She held a hand up to her throat and spread her fingers out across it. “Our voices suffice.”

Shimmer raised a hoof, her expression contrite. “I apologize, I know this is… in dispute. When I initially explained your existence I could only go on what history I’d learned.”

“So you say,” Adagio replied, though she nodded all the same.

Nechayev frowned as she jotted down a note on her PADD. “But you don’t deny that you tried to conquer the ponies.”

Adagio’s face briefly flashed in an almost pained expression as she squinted back. “We do deny it. We weren’t trying to conquer anyone. We were starving. Shimmer may have told you as much already, but as Sirens, we depend upon negative emotions to sustain our magic, and we need our magic to live.” Her smile slipped, then disappeared. “We did what we had to do to survive. It is not our fault if this was grossly misinterpreted by that wretched unicorn Starswirl.”

Nechayev visibly rolled her eyes, her smile turning condescending. “I see. So not unlike most any wild creature,” she continued jotting on her PADD as she talked. “You resort to violence when starved of your basic needs. Should we assume you are or could become a threat then?”

A ripple in her lip briefly showed off Adagio’s razor-sharp fangs. “A threat? The only one who’s said anything threatening so far, Admiral, is you.”

“Forgive me,” Nechayev said, her tone betraying the lie to her words, at least to Maia’s ears. “It wasn’t my intent to provoke you.”

“Williams is right. Total fishwife,” Zhidar said under his breath. Maia leaned over to elbow him into silence.

Adagio interlaced her hands and set them on the conference table. “Of course not,” she said, her smile dripping with insincerity. “Then, if I may be so bold, Admiral, what is your intent? My sisters and I were promised amnesty aboard this starship. I do hope you’re not planning on… rescinding that.”

“Not without cause,” Nechayev said.

“I see.” Adagio squeezed her fingers till the knuckles cracked. “Then allow me to spare you the worry: my sisters and I are far from starving. With how intensely emotional most of the crew here is, there is no shortage of negative emotions for us to feed on. Compared to the average lovefest that is a pony village, this place is a smorgasbord, more than enough to sustain us so long as we don’t do anything too strenuous with our magic.”

“Glad to hear it,” Nechayev replied with a slight, quiet chuckle.

Maia frowned at the sound of it, as it didn’t sound like something that should please Nechayev. And if she was judging her fellow officer’s expressions correctly, everyone else felt the same.

“So tell me, Miss Dazzle,” Nechayev said after a moment of tapping at her PADD. “About your escape from the Dominion base. Please, give details.”

Adagio’s careful control cracked. “The Dominion,” she growled, a deep, rumbling growl buzzing through her throat. One hand drew back to clench into a fist. “Hurt me, hurt my sisters. Their actions are unforgivable.”

“Yes, so I read in the reports,” Nechayev said blithely, showing not the least bit of sympathy. Even Maia, who usually didn’t give a crap about people being sympathetic to others, found that grating. “Though they didn’t give us the full story. What all did they do to you?”

And so did Adagio, judging by the shift in her expression, the malice previously present in small doses bubbling up to the forefront. “We made the mistake of leaving the planet we’d called home for centuries, testing a shuttlecraft we built. But it failed in deep space, leaving us stranded. The Dominion picked us up, that Vorta slime promising to give us safe passage.” She slammed a palm on the table. “But they lied!”

“They locked us away and tortured us! They used us… forced us to scream along to inane rhythms with blades and blunt instruments, trying to figure out how our magic worked.”

Maia saw Shimmer cringe back, her ears flattening against her skull as her wings ruffled up into her seat. From the look on her face, Maia suspected she was remembering her own experiences.

“Fortunately for us,” Adagio continued, her growl turning eager. “Those fools didn’t understand how much power they needed to use to keep our magic under control. They overloaded their base's power grid and the dampening field failed. We literally walked out of that jail cell. Given their treatment of us, we saw it only fit to respond in kind.”

Nechayev arched an eyebrow and jotted a few more notes down. “The Jem'Hadar and Vorta are surely nothing but negative emotions from head to toe. You should have loved it there then, yet you not only escaped but brutalized them twice over. So again I ask: Why should I not consider you a potential threat to the Federation? Clearly if you don't get your way you'll try to destroy us.”

“No!” Adagio roared as she shot out of her chair, her voice briefly touched by magic as her eyes flashed crimson red.

Maia started to reach for her phaser, but stopped when Zhidar gently shook his head and gestured for her to watch.

As Nechayev recoiled backwards in her chair, Adagio raised one glowing hand, fingers splayed out. “I will not force my sisters to relive the atrocities inflicted upon them, and I will not sit here and make excuses for our actions on that base!”

She closed up her fist and pointed one glowing finger at Nechayev. “I see through your act, Admiral. You think you can manipulate us if you stir up our anger, rip open barely healed wounds. We are grateful that the Phoenix found us. And we will continue to abide by their rules. But I will be damned if I let any of us become pawns in anyone's game. We may be guests of the Federation, Admiral, but we are not yours to command.”

Nechayev, Maia saw, breathed hard in her chair, holding one hand to her chest. Her eyes widened in fear. “I… please stop pointing that finger at me,” she requested, her voice quieter, far less demanding than before. Maia glanced over at Shimmer, noting a distinctly smug and satisfied expression on her face.

Adagio’s angry snarl slowly shifted into an amused smirk as she lazily swept her gaze across the room. Maia saw Picard, Liang, and Shimmer all give Adagio similar looks that clearly said that was enough. A silky chuckle slipped forth from Adagio’s lips like a burst of chocolate flavor. “As you wish, Admiral.” She allowed the glow to vanish and sat back down.

Maia noted how quickly she switched from threatening to silky smooth and made sure to remember. Even if she was starting to like these Sirens, she still couldn’t trust them. Yet.

“But I believe I’ve made my point clear,” Adagio said. “Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? What do you want from us?”

Nechayev straightened herself up, almost all traces of fear vanishing from her face. Almost. Despite the attempt, Maia saw right through it. The Admiral was terrified now that her bluff had been called, and Maia found that very amusing indeed. “Very well. What we want is simple in concept, though it may be difficult in practice.” Tapping her PADD she brought up what looked to Maia like some sort of concept art sketches. “By now I’m sure you’re aware of the thaumometer and magic converter that Lieutenant Cadeneza and Commander Shimmer created in the effort to locate you.”

“Yes,” Adagio grunted, waving her hand in a clear gesture for Nechayev to get to the point.

Nechayev gave her a simpering smile. “Well, what we would like to do is expand upon that. Find ways to use that same technology to create weapons, shields, sensors, and other such devices. According to Commander Shimmer, for this to work we will need more magic users who can cast the requisite enchantments before we can integrate these devices into our ships.”

A look of sheer disgust took over Adagio’s face in a flash. “Weapons?” she spat in an almost sing-song voice, the word emerging like a slap to the face, making Maia wince. She glanced over at Sonata and Aria, who bore similar looks of disgust. “That’s it? You want to turn us into weapons against your enemies?”

Fresh laughter burst forth like a wave of knives, each note piercing into Maia, and everyone else too judging by their expressions. “No.”

“I understand your objections,” Nechayev said as she grit her teeth. She squeezed her eyes shut momentarily, took a few deep breaths, then opened them to continue. “But we are not asking you personally to be a weapon, nor are we asking you to be foot soldiers of any kind. We simply ask for you to use your magic to enchant devices that we then use to enhance our own weapons.”

“So you can defeat the Dominion,” Adagio said.

Nechayev showed off her teeth as she smiled. “Of course.”

“And then what?” Adagio snorted, pointedly rolling her eyes. “Why stop there? What else will you be doing with magic, hmm?” She leaned back in her chair and tucked her hands behind her head. “Not that we care, mind. We don’t. But we do care if this means we’ll be stuck working for you forever.”

“Of course not,” Nechayev said, her tone sweet enough that Maia instantly knew those words were a lie. She briefly glanced at Shimmer and Liang, both of whom were giving Nechayev matching nasty looks, and hoped they heard it too. “We only wish to use your services for the duration of the war. That’s where Captain Picard comes in.”

“Oh?” Adagio faced Picard. “How is that?”

Picard glanced at Nechayev, who held out a hand as if to say go ahead. “Well,” Picard began as he straightened his uniform, “the Admiral is requesting that we split into two groups, the Enterprise and the Phoenix. Each ship would then accumulate a small fleet and would work independently, to help buoy our chances.”

Adagio’s eyes narrowed to mere slits. “And you expect us to leave this ship for yours?”

Picard’s smile was nothing but diplomatic. “Of course not, Miss Dazzle. It is but a request from the Admiral. In truth, I–”

“Thank you, Jean-Luc,” Necheyav said. She turned to Adagio and gestured with her hand. “Simply put, we would have the three of you join the Enterprise’s fleet, and Sparkle and Shimmer would stay with the Phoenix’s fleet. If you’re willing.”

Adagio sat forward and smiled back, but this time it was savage, deliberately showing off her fangs. Maia noted Nechayev swallowing nervously as Adagio said, “And if we refuse?”

“You won’t refuse,” Nechayev declared. “Surely you realize the threat the Dominion poses to all of us? Even if you were to run to a distant Federation world, without your help, should the Federation fall–”

“Then we would continue on our way, same as we always have. And after what we did to their puny little base, those Vorta fools will quake at the mere mention of our names,” Adagio said with a shrug. She continued to show her teeth to Nechayev as she leaned back again. “I’m failing to see any incentive for us.”

Maia’s eyes widened a hair as she heard those words. It made her wonder if this was what the Sirens had intended all along when they’d said she’d see back in Ten-Forward.

Nechayev frowned. “As you noted before, most of us are quite... emotional creatures. We can help ensure you have as many negative emotions as you need to fulfill your magical needs.”

Adagio chuckled once more, low and sensual, making Maia’s heart quicken. “What for? Admiral, you’ve provided us with so much from this one conversation I think we might be full for days.”

“Ouch,” Zhidar murmured.

A scowl overtook Nechayev’s face. “Then what else would you like? Wealth? Influence? I'm sure we could arrange for all three of you to assume high-ranking positions among the governments of any number of Federation colonies.”

It was only thanks to Maia’s fortitude that she kept from laughing at the incredulous looks Liang and Picard shot Nechayev’s way. Adagio meanwhile spun around in her chair, facing away and waving a hand as if to tell Nechayev to leave. “Money means little to us, and influence? My dear Admiral, we have adoring fans all over this ship already. What need would we have of some official titles, hmm?”

“Control, then,” Nechayev blurted, her voice starting to tremble. “You said this Starswirl banished you from your home. We can give you a new one. Once we win the war there's sure to be former Cardassian colonies in the demilitarized zone you could go to and shape as you see fit.”

“Admiral!” Picard objected, his look shifting to anger. “You cannot be serious!”

“I agree,” Liang said, tapping at the end of his cane. “It’s absurd. This is the Federation, not a gang of pirates and thieves.”

“This is pathetic,” Adagio declared. “Even the unwashed rabble on that backwoods planet groveled better than this.” She stood and motioned for her sisters to follow suit, then cast a withering glare down at Nechayev. “Girls, we’re leaving. No point in wasting our time here anymore.”

“Damn it,” Nechayev cursed, shooting out of her chair. “I will not let the Federation’s best hope walk out the door! Maia, Zhidar, arrest them immediately!”

“Belay that!” Liang ordered, not that he needed to, since Maia wasn’t about to move an inch. He stood from his chair, followed by Picard and Shimmer. “This is beyond the pale, Admiral. I’ve half a mind to have Doctor May assess your fitness to remain in command.”

“I would be more than happy to allow Doctor Crusher to assist,” Picard added. He fired a blistering glower Nechayev’s way, and for once the admiral seemed somewhat kowtowed. “Admiral, I understand your desire to help the Federation. I’m as well aware as anyone of the massive losses we’ve already taken these last few months. But we are not at the line of desperation yet.”

“Indeed,” Liang said. He rapped the end of his cane against his palm. “The wormhole’s minefield remains intact. They’ve no chance of resupplying from the Gamma Quadrant. Our situation is rough, yes, but it is far from grim.”

“And while you might be able to order my sister and me,” Shimmer said, “you’re not going to be able to order them. Face it, Admiral. Whatever game you’re trying to play here, you’ve lost.”

Nechayev’s face worked between a torrent of emotions, before finally reaching resignation. She collapsed back into her chair, looking to Maia like she had aged a decade in a few seconds. “You don’t understand, James, Jean-Luc…” she worked her jaw once more “...Sunset. None of you have seen the reports that we have seen in Starfleet Intelligence.”

The Sirens, Maia saw, paused right at the door as Picard, Liang, and Shimmer all sat back down at the table. “What do you mean?” Shimmer asked.

Nechayev sighed, and seemed to come to a decision as her features hardened once more. “What I am about to share with you all does not leave this room, on penalty of court martial. Or life imprisonment for the… civilians.”

Adagio, Sonata, and Aria all turned around to face Nechayev, arms crossed over their chests in identical poses. “Go on.”

Nechayev tapped her fingers onto her PADD until a 3D picture of the Bajoran Wormhole and Deep Space Nine appeared above the table. She pointed with her stylus to the wormhole. “When the Dominion forced us to abandon Deep Space Nine several months ago, we mined the wormhole with a series of cloaked self-replicating mines. It effectively restores itself, infinitely, assuming you could even find them long enough to destroy them, as they move around at random. With the minefield in place we've been able to keep the Dominion from sending reinforcements through the Wormhole. It hasn't turned the tide of the war, but it has stopped the bleeding.”

Adagio’s jaw gaped as she let out a loud yawn, batting her mouth with her hand. “I’m certain this is all fascinating trivia, but get to the point.”

“The point,” Nechayev said, bristling, “is this.” She tapped another key on her PADD and a series of small flashes of light danced across the wormhole until the entire area lit up in a massive display of pyrotechnics. “The Dominion has found a way to take down the minefield.”

“Merde,” Picard cursed.

“Absurd,” Liang said. “I spoke with Captain Sisko, who personally knows the engineer that created those mines. It's impossible to disable them like that.”

“So we thought,” Nechayev said. “But we were wrong. However they did it, the Dominion expects to bring down the entire minefield… in less than three days.”

“Damn,” Shimmer whispered, her wings ruffling up as the fur on the back of her neck stood on end. “That’s… if the Dominion can reinforce freely, then…”

“Then we are well and truly done for,” Liang said, his voice full of resignation.

“Perhaps not. Admiral,” Picard said, raising a hand. “Surely Starfleet Command is mobilizing a response to this.”

“We are.” She tapped another key to show an image of a large fleet of Federation starships. “Captain Sisko has already assembled a fleet. Or did you think it was normal that we had hundreds of starships positioned around Starbase 375?”

Picard, looking properly abashed, admitted, “I suppose in retrospect, that should have been obvious.”

“Admiral, if we need to retake Deep Space Nine, the Phoenix should be on the front lines,” Liang said.

“Agreed. The Enterprise should be assisting as well,” Picard added.

“No.”

Cries of dismay went up around the table. “With all due respect, Admiral,” Shimmer ground out, “why not? The Dominion knows how strategic Deep Space Nine is. They’ll send everything they’ve got to defend it!”

“Exactly,” Nechayev said, bringing her hands back together. “And you'd still be outnumbered two-to-one even if you did join the fight. Which is why it is critical that the magical technologies research proceed. If we lose control of the wormhole, it will take a miracle for the Federation to survive.” She glanced over at the Sirens, who still lurked right between Maia and Zhidar. “Which is why I am asking… no, begging for your help. Please.”

Adagio and her sisters exchanged a look, then Adagio let out a dramatic sigh as she strutted back to her chair. “Oh, very well,” she said as she sat down. “We will assist you. On two conditions.”

Nechayev switched off the display. “Name them.”

Adagio held up her index finger. “First, we stick together. My sisters and I will only leave this ship to help enchant others should there be only one fleet. Meaning the Enterprise and the Phoenix stick together.”

“That could be far more dangerous,” Nechayev objected.

“More dangerous than us not helping?” Adagio said with a fake smile.

Nechayev grimaced. “Fine. What’s your second condition?”

Adagio smiled, her eyes turning cold, violent. Even a killer like Maia had to shiver at the bloodthirst suddenly present within those lizard-like eyes. “We want Yukarin.”

“Yukarin?” Nechayev said. “I’m afraid I don’t know–”

“You'd be a terrible poker player, Admiral,” Adagio interrupted. “We know you have him. We want him. We have unfinished business with him.”

Liang cleared his throat. “Miss Dazzle, I’m not certain that’s something we can do. Yukarin was captured as a prisoner of war, which means he has certain rights.”

“Rights?” Adagio sneered. “What rights does that cowardly little monster have?”

“The same sort of rights that you do,” Picard intervened. “Unfortunately, we cannot just hand him over to you. It would be a violation of Federation law and, more to the point, runs the risk of setting a truly terrible precedent.” He gave Adagio a peculiar look.

She seemed to take that in and agree because she nodded. “Fine. We won’t take him. But we still want to see him.” She tapped the ends of her fingers together. “Just to talk. I assure you, by the end he’ll still be as whole as ever. So to speak.”

“Agreed,” Nechayev said before Picard could say any more. “Then I take it we have a deal.” She held out a hand.

Adagio sneered at the Admiral’s hand for a moment before taking it. “We have a deal.”

“Thank you,” Nechayev said, and Maia actually believed the naked sincerity in her voice. “You may have just saved the Federation.”

“Not yet we haven’t,” Adagio said. She released Nechayev’s hand and stood. “If you don’t mind, we’d like to fulfill one of those conditions right away.”

“As you wish,” Nechayev said, standing as well. “Captains, if you’ll come with me, we’ll need to decide our task force. I’d like to do that from the Enterprise.”

“Very well,” Liang said. “Number One, I will leave Yukarin and the Sirens to your capable hooves.”

“Aye, sir,” Shimmer echoed as Nechayev, Picard, and Liang all departed. The instant the doors swished shut she let out a loud sigh. Maia could feel the tension in the room dissipate. “You know you really had me worried for a minute there, Adagio. I thought you were going to bite her head off.”

“Naaah,” Sonata said, giving them a wide grin. “If anything we’d make her head go pop! Boom! Explode from the–”

“I think they get it, dumbass,” Aria growled as she smacked Sonata on the shoulder.

“Regardless, we weren’t going to hurt the Admiral,” Adagio said with a bored expression as she glanced at her fingernails. “We’re not stupid. Everything you saw was calculated. Even the rage.”

“Ohoho, is that so?” Zhidar grumbled. “So you had her wrapped around your little finger. Impressive.”

“From the start,” Adagio concurred. “Though I was not expecting the… news she revealed.”

No one spoke for several moments, until Shimmer said, “None of us were. It’s… it’s not good.” She shook her head. “Look, let’s not worry about that right now. And don’t forget: not a word of that leaves this room. She wasn’t kidding when she said it could result in life imprisonment.”

“Hmph. If we were on Antica, such a crime would merit execution,” Zhidar mumbled.

Shimmer tapped her hoof on the table. “Moving on. Yukarin was transferred to a holding cell aboard the starbase. I’ll go ahead and let their security know you’re on your way.”

As they departed the conference room on their way to the turbolift, Maia found herself curious as to what the Sirens were planning. From what they’d said to Picard, it almost sounded like they intended to kill him, or at least torture him somehow.

Maia wasn’t sure how she felt about that. On the one hand, in her experience, betrayers and scum buckets like Yukarin deserved the fate they got, whatever that may be. On the other hand, she’d spent so long in Starfleet now that its morals had worn down her desires for vengeance and killing, turning her into the goody-two-shoe that Ishihara had always wanted her to be. Or at least approaching it, anyway.

They passed through the docking port and onto the Starbase. Maia’s thoughts turned to Twilight. She wondered what her friend would think. If she was like her sister, she’d hate the thought of weapons research. Hell, Maia knew she would. As angry and bitter as Twilight had been after Shimmer’s initial return, she was still a little softie at heart.

They passed into the area containing Yukarin’s brig cell. Maia and Zhidar took a moment to negotiate with the staff on duty, then lead the Sirens inside to the individual cell they had him locked up in

Yukarin looked better than the last time Maia had seen him. Of course, back then he'd been locked in the Dominion base's command room, covered in grime and threatening to blow up the entire base rather than be rescued. By comparison he looked almost respectable now, having been allowed proper showers, fresh clothes, and quality meals, like any prisoner. Far better than he deserved as far as she was concerned, but she didn’t make the rules.

“Well, well, well,” Yukarin said, a slick smile on his face as his words came out coated in oil. “Starfleet sends two more of their little puppets to see me. Tell me, are you here for another round of questioning, hmm? There’s no point. I’ve nothing else to say.”

“We’re not here for you,” Maia said as she and Zhidar stepped to either side of the door. “They are.”

“Oh? Then… no.” Yukarin’s whole body trembled, his breaths turning rapid and shallow. Maia could already smell the cold sweat building all over him. “No, that’s not possible.”

Adagio strutted in, a big fat gleeful smile plastered on her face as she brought Sonata and Aria in tow. “Oh, but it is. So good to see you again, Yukarin.”

“Stay away. Stay away!” Yukarin backed up to the furthest point in his cell, which wasn’t very far.

“Oooh, what’s that? Are you scared of us, little Vorta?” Aria said as she rubbed her hands together.

“Hahaha, he should be,” Sonata chirped gaily. Her features abruptly turned one eighty, twisted with hideous rage. “Because we’re gonna mess him up!”

“Y-you can’t,” Yukarin babbled, holding his arms up in front of him as if to ward them off. “You won’t get away with it. W-we’re on a Federation starbase! They won’t–”

“Who do you think brought us here, hmm?” Adagio took several long steps up to the force field holding Yukarin inside the cell. “Who do you think rescued us after we escaped your pathetic base?”

“Please!” Yukarin shouted, looking directly at Maia. “You can’t let them do anything to me. I-I-I can tell more secrets! I admit, I've been holding out on you. I'll tell you anything! Anything at all! Just make them stop!”

Maia eyed Zhidar, who softly shook his head. “Sorry, Vorta,” Maia said, keeping her expression cold as ice. “But so long as they don’t kill you, we really don’t care what they do.”

“No. No no no, you can’t do that either. I know how the Federation works.” Yukarin shoved himself up against the wall and fell onto the deployable bed. “You’re not allowed to torture me. It’s against your precious rules. And you can’t just stand by and watch it happen either.”

“Who said anything about torture, idiot?” Aria said.

“Yeah, silly, we’re not gonna torture you,” Sonata giggled. “We’re just gonna sing!”

Yukarin curled up on the bed and made some weird sound that reminded Maia of the last time she accidentally stepped on Preta's tail. “No! No, no, please!”

“Would the audience please remain silent?,” Adagio said in a sultry whisper. “The performance is about to begin.” She glanced back at Zhidar and Maia. “You two may want to tune this out.”

She turned back, raised her hands up, and sang. She and her sisters harmonized together, rising and falling notes in perfect sync. As each note sounded, Yukarin let out a fresh scream, scrabbling at his ears, rolling off the bed and onto his knees. “Make it stop!” he shrieked.

“Why should we?” Adagio sang, her hips swaying to the beat her sisters continued to keep moving. “What you’re feeling now is but a small taste of what you put us through.”

Yukarin fell over onto his side, weeping even as he continued to clutch his ears. “Stop… please…I don’t… want to see… it...”

Despite being inured to violence, Maia winced. Torture was an altogether different beast, and it sounded like that’s all they were really doing to him, despite their claims to the contrary. “Adagio,” she called.

“Hmm?” Adagio spun around. “What?”

“I think he’s had enough.”

Adagio shook her head. “Oh no, no he hasn’t. We’re not torturing him really, if that’s what you’re wondering. All we’re doing is letting him see our memories… the memory of every injury and insult he dealt to us.”

“Aaaah!” Yukarin shrieked as he spun over several times to end up on his front. “I… can’t… It… it hurts… why… stoooooop!”

“Eugh, Ensign Maia is right,” Zhidar grunted. “That’s enough. I can only look the other way for so long.”

Adagio let out a dramatic sigh, then saunted back over to her sisters. Their notes rose once more, this time to a crescendo as a magical aura surrounded Yukarin’s body, picking him up to set him on his feet. “Talk, my little puppet,” Adagio trilled. “Give them what they want.”

As the Sirens voices silenced, Yukarin straightened his clothes, smiled dumbly, and said, “Yes Mistress Adagio… whatever you say.”

A nasty nauseous feeling filled Maia’s stomach as she stepped over to Adagio. “You mind-controlled him?”

Adagio glared at her. “I thought you of all these humans would understand. No, not mind-control. Just the power of suggestion. He’ll babble like an idiot for a while longer, but even after that wears off he'll still be more than happy to tell your Federation interrogators whatever they want to know. Consider it a gift.” She turned to her sisters. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“Aww, I was really hoping to spend more time playing with him,” Sonata whined as they walked out the door.

Aria hung back long enough to walk side by side with Maia. “Hey.”

Maia eyed her. “Yes?”

Aria shoved her hands into her pockets and grimaced. “I… I was hoping we could talk some more. Maybe about where you’re from, since you keep showing off those super cool moves.”

Maia shrugged. She’d long since gotten past her trepidation when it came to speaking with Aria. She seemed a bit more comfortable, like how Twilight was. “Alright... I was born on a planet called Turkana IV. It’s in a distant corner of the Federation, a failed colony…”

Author's Note

Hi every-reader, its ya color Blue here with the AN.

So, we're starting to slow down a little bit, life and such is just exhausting so... yeah. We hope to have 17 ready for next Monday, but we might not. If that happens, we'll shoot for the following Monday- or something.

Basically, everything is tiring and we're exhausted in some fashion or another. In fact, so tired that my word choice skills are failing me already in this AN. Yay.

On a plus side, NFL season starts up in 10 days! The Browns' road to 23-0 still lives on this year too... :p

Anyway, thanks for reading, and like always, I can't wait to see your comments.

Thank you Blue.

...too tired to say anything. See you all next time.

Season 2 Episode 7: "Research and Development"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02E07

“Research and Development”

As the ship’s engines thrummed beneath me, sending us hurtling through space at warp speeds, my magic poked at the guts of the converter. Stripped of its casing and laying on a table in Engineering, Amelia watched me as I worked, safety equipment firmly in place. She was far from the only one monitoring though. Commander La Forge and a few of his fellow engineers from the Enterprise observed carefully from a safer distance.

“Okay, that should do it,” I said as I made one final adjustment. “I’ve removed the original safety spells.”

Thanks to my keen hearing, only I heard Amelia let out a quiet sigh. “Good work, Ensign. Alright, let’s back it up people. Time to test this. Computer, enable converter and establish a level 5 forcefield around it.”

A buzz filled the air as a forcefield sizzled to life, surrounding the converter with its bluish glow.

“Okay, Ensign,” Amelia ordered, “Begin the test.”

Using my telekinesis I manipulated the tools and deliberately attempted to mess with the device in a clumsy, inefficient manner, like I had no idea what I was doing. And just as I’d hoped, the modified version of the safety spells triggered at once, shutting down the device and rendering its enchantment inert. A wisp of magenta light emerged from the device and whipped in my direction, only to fizzle out the moment it hit the forcefield.

“Looking good,” Amelia said as she tapped at a nearby console. “Power levels dropping rapidly, no sign of dangerous discharge… I think we’ve got it!”

A brief cheer resounded from the crowd of gathered engineers. “Thank goodness,” La Forge said with a chuckle. “Last thing anyone needed was one of these blowing up in their face.”

“Yes, sir,” I said, a smile tugging at my muzzle. “These modifications should allow engineers to adjust the components, so long as they safely de-energize the device first. And if they don’t, this happens.”

“U-um, e-excuse me,” said one of the officers from the Enterprise, a nervous looking human Lieutenant that I didn’t recognize. “But may I ask what, what was that light that came out of it at the end?”

“Great question, Barclay,” La Forge added. “I was wondering about that too.”

“That’s a precaution against magical tampering,” I answered. I lit up my horn and floated a few objects around to demonstrate. “In case someone tries to mess with it magically while the converter is active, it sends out a pulse to temporarily negate their magic for a short while. It’s better than the sleep spell we were using, won’t affect anyone without magic, and most importantly, it wears off after a short while. And like the other parts of the spell, it only engages if the device isn’t properly de-energized.”

La Forge raised an eyebrow. “Believe me, making things tamper-proof is neer a bad idea, but Is that really something we’re worried about in this case? The only magic users in the entire Federation are you, your sister, and the Sirens.”

I shook my head, “It’s because of the Sirens that, while we were hashing this out last night, Sunset insisted on adding this anti-tamper component during the build process.”

I thought back to the previous evening, when Sunset called me up to her quarters to hash all this out. She told me all about the briefing with Nechayev – picturing Nechayev cowering from the Sirens left me in tears from my giggles – and then relayed that Nechayev had passed along a new order from the Enterprise, saying they needed some kind of security “in case the Sirens try something.” Sunset and I agreed Nechayev was being paranoid, but an order was an order, so we quickly altered our spell on the fly. The end result was a bit more mana-intensive, but it was also keyed so that only Sunset or I could disable it.

In retrospect, we should have expected something to go wrong with the spell when we first designed it all those years ago. It was too cute by a hoof, but at the time Sunset was deeply afraid of either of us running out of mana, so she was obsessed with keeping the mana draw of even the simplest spells as low as possible. It seems a bit silly now, but back then, neither of us knew for sure if we could regenerate mana at all in this world, much less in sufficient quantity to allow continuous magic usage like we were used to in Equestria. I can't fault Sunset for her worry though. Mana is like a second kind of blood for us, and the Sirens too. If we ever ran out entirely, we'd die.

Still, it was our mistake that left such a flawed spell in place, and of course it had to literally blow up into the face of one of my crewmates instead of me or Sunset. At least it didn't inflict any lasting damage to poor Amelia.

“You know,” La Forge said, startling me out of my reverie, “I’m still not fully sure I understand what the purpose of those spells were to begin with.”

“It’s–” I started to say.

“It’s like a c-circuit breaker, right?” Barclay interrupted, giving me an apologetic smile. “Like a ground fault interrupter, o-or a surge protector. But it malfunctioned.”

My teeth gritting slightly was the only way I let my irritation slip through my professionalism. “Yes, sir, for the most part. Your circuit breaker analogy is an apt one. Though in this case, the problem wasn’t a malfunction in the traditional sense. It worked precisely as intended. The problem is that we’re not on Equus, and the basic assumptions underlying the spell don’t apply here..”

La Forge nodded. “Okay.” He looked over at the converter again, rubbed at his chin, then clapped his hands together. “Right. Barclay, I want you to get some equipment and parts together. We’re going to try to build our own converter. Ensign Sparkle, we’ll need you ready to enchant it once the time comes.”

“I’ll be ready, sir,” I said.

“Good. Let’s get to work, people.”

While La Forge and the other Enterprise engineers milled about Engineering, Amelia waved me over into her office. “Something wrong?” I asked as I sat down across from her desk.

Amelia flopped onto her chair and brought up her terminal. “I know the only reason La Forge is building his converter is that both our ships are at warp and he can’t beam back yet, but I wish he didn’t have to take over half my Engineering section to do so.” She tapped a few keys on her terminal. “And I know he won’t be the only one. Liang said there’d be eight ships in total in this fleet, counting us and the Enterprise?”

“I think so,” I answered. Pain briefly flared through my horn, making me wince. “I hope they won’t have too much for me to enchant by myself.”

“Did you already show the Sirens how?”

I chuckled. “Yeah. They took to it right away. Said it was one of the easiest enchantments they’d ever cast.”

Amelia let out a quiet sigh. “That’s good, I suppose.”

I sat there in silence for a few moments, watching her type up reports. “You sure you’re okay, Amelia?” I ventured.

She jumped and looked at me with wild eyes. “Y-yeah, of course I am.” She gave me a half grin and waved me away. “I-I’m fine. Go. It won’t take them that long before they need you.”

Even as I stood I kept my gaze steady on her, sharp pain biting into my heart like a set of fanged jaws. “Amelia, I’m sorry it was my magic–”

“Thank you, Ensign, that will be all,” she cut me off sharply.

“...aye.” I trotted out of her office, her words weighing heavily on my mind. Or rather, the words she didn’t say. Clearly she blamed me for her coma, or was at least afraid I’d somehow put her under again. Even though I brought her out of it the first time.

Or maybe she was angry at herself for getting herself knocked out of action just when the spotlight turned to her department.

Regardless, this sick feeling in my stomach, this feeling of shame… it made me wonder if this was how Sunset felt every time I yelled at her. Even thinking that caused the sick feeling to spread, like a malaise infecting my every nerve ending.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure to whom.

“Ensign?”

I whirled, doing my best to school my face into a neutral expression. “Yes, sir?”

La Forge briefly arched an eyebrow as he looked at me, then said, “Would you mind lending us a hand? We’re having a bit of trouble with some of the finer components.”

I mumbled a quick, “Aye, sir,” as I rushed over to take a look. Their converter was only partially assembled, more a collection of circuit boards and isolinear chips spread across the table without an assembled casing yet. Nothing seemed out of place at a quick glance though. “What’s the issue?”

Barclay lifted a tool and used it to point to a specific cluster of circuits. “Well, I-I happened to notice that this arrangement of circuitry here seems a bit… unusual.”

I peered at the set he was pointing at and promptly felt the urge to smack myself in the face. “Ah. Yes, that's an area where we had to improvise a bit and customize things to match the parameters of the Phoenix's warp core, so it's not purely interchangeable with another ship. The underlying design is sound, you'll just have to retune it for whatever ship intends to use it.”

“Good catch, Reg,” La Forge chimed in as he looked over the components. “And thank you, Ensign. That's a big help. Looks like we’ll have to do some customizing of our own, then. Pull up the schematics while I contact the Enterprise for a few details.”

“Yes, sir.”

After a moment of conversing with his ship, La Forge tapped his combadge and turned to me. “Sparkle, when you were first hooking the converter into the Phoenix’s warp core, you had precautions in the event of overload, right?”

I stifled my initial response for a more polite, “Yes, sir. We did it remotely through forcefields and we had the entire assembly set up to be ejected into space the instant there was a problem.”

“Good. We’ll want to do the same on the Enterprise, then,” he said. “Last thing we need is a warp core breach.”

“Liang to Sparkle.”

Blinking in surprise I tapped my badge. “Sparkle here, sir.”

“Would you please report to my ready room?”

“Right away sir,” I answered, my hooves already carrying me to the nearest turbolift. A swift ride to the bridge later and I trotted up to the ready room door and entered.

Captain Liang and my sister awaited me inside, which didn’t surprise me. What did surprise me was seeing all three of the Dazzlings in there too. “Please sit, Ensign,” he ordered, gesturing to the chair next to Sunset. “Thank you for joining us. I’ve asked you here as the five magic users aboard ship. Each of you will be needed for crucial tasks in the coming days.”

“Don’t forget our deal,” said Adagio. She and her sisters were seated on Liang’s couch, for lack of a better place to sit. “We won’t leave the ship for very long.”

Liang smiled warmly. “Believe you me, Miss Dazzle, I’ve no desire for the Admiral to get her wishes when it comes to you and your sisters. I’ve already ‘placated’ her worries by assuring her I’d send a pair of security officers with you anytime you leave the ship. Which, I should add, will have orders to protect you from others, in case Nechayev gets any bright ideas.”

“Aww, he really is a nice guy,” Sonata whispered, just loudly enough that I could make it out with my pony hearing.

“Shut up, stupid,” Aria grumbled, smacking Sonata on the shoulder.

Adagio smiled back, and to my surprise it seemed just as warm and genuine as Liang’s. “Thank you, Captain. I… we’re not used to such genuine generosity.”

“I understand,” Liang replied. He picked up his cane and tapped it once gently on his desk. “Now then, to business. The Admiral had ordered us to find a suitable location to work in, reasonably close to the front lines should we need to hurry and put our testbeds into action, but far enough away and hidden enough that we would be undetectable. So, we’ve chosen this.”

He turned on the larger screen on the wall behind his desk, next to the window. A nebula appeared on screen, opaque and bristling with the occasional sparks of electrical activity and other interstellar discharges. Its pink color wafted about the screen, suggesting anyone going inside would be swiftly hidden. It also struck me as intimately familiar.

“This,” he said, pointing with his cane, “is Nebula 11037-DR, an uncharted Mutara-class nebula near the Cardassian border.”

Sonata cocked her head. “Um, sorry if this is a stupid question, buuuut I thought you Starfleeters were all about exploration and stuff. Why haven’t you charted it?”

Liang frowned. “Truthfully, It is unremarkable save for being a Mutara-class nebula, and the dangers of exploring such nebula types and its proximity to the Cardassians has always dissuaded exploration.”

Aria snorted. “That didn’t seem to stop a lot of other things you’ve done before, according to what we’ve read.”

“Cut it out, Aria,” Adagio barked, giving her a peculiar glare.

His frown started to deepen, but before he could respond I interrupted. “Sir!” I said, raising a hoof as if I was in class. “Permission to speak freely?”

“Granted,” Liang said, a curious look in his eye.

“Sir, unless I’m mistaken, didn’t James Kirk fight Khan Noonien Singh in a nebula just like this?” I asked.

“So he did,” Liang said, nodding, a slight smile crossing his face. He nudged his cane in the direction of the Sirens, who all bore matching blank looks. “But since we have several guests unaware of these events, why don’t you go ahead and regale us with a brief summary.”

I glanced at Sunset, who shot me an amused but knowing look. She knew better than perhaps anyone how much I relished any chance to channel my inner guest lecturer. I flashed her a quick smile in return, then stood and cleared my throat. “In 2284, Admiral James T. Kirk was captaining the second Enterprise as part of a training mission when they responded to a distress call from Spacelab Regula I, which at the time was in orbit of a small planetoid in the Mutara sector of the Beta Quadrant. On the way there the Enterprise was ambushed by the USS Reliant, a Miranda-class ship that had been assigned to the Spacelab and, unbeknownst to the Enterprise, had been commandeered by Khan, an old adversary of Kirk's. The two ships engaged in a running series of fierce battles, leaving both severely damaged. After affecting emergency repairs, Enterprise fled into the nearby nebula, with Reliant in pursuit. Mutara-class nebulas act like natural energy dampeners, rendering shields and most sensors useless. In this case, both Enterprise and Reliant were reduced to partial visual sensors only. Eventually, however, the Enterprise was victorious, and fled the scene when the Reliant self-destructed, though not without casualties, including Captain Spock.”

For some reason I saw Sunset flash me a brief confused look, and she even mouthed, “Aren’t you leaving out the…” before trailing off. Though I had no idea what she was talking about. It wasn’t as if there was any other ship, or anything else important had happened.

Liang coughed for attention and tapped his cane on his desk again. “Perfectly stated. Thank you, Ensign Sparkle. The most important thing in the Ensign’s summary, you will have noticed, is the way in which the nebula dampens sensors. Now, both the Enterprise and Reliant were old and out of date even at the time. Fortunately, technology advancements mean that nebulas like these have far less effect on today's ships of the line. We will still be more vulnerable in the Nebula, but we’ll be able to keep our shields and sensors up to a reasonable degree. More important, however, is there will be no possible way for sensors to penetrate the nebula from a distance.”

“Meaning we’ll be completely hidden from the Dominion,” Sunset weighed in. “While still being safe.”

“Precisely.” Liang sat down and set his cane atop his desk. “Now, we will also supposedly still be able to beam between ships, but at a much shorter distance. We may end up using many shuttlecraft, both for safety and efficiency.”

“Do we know what ships will be joining us, sir?” Sunset asked.

“We know of a few,” he answered. He switched on his terminal then spun it around to face us, showing a classic Excelsior-class vessel. “The Brynhild is an older ship, and the one that Nechayev intends to make her flagship for the fleet.”

“So she’s sticking around, huh?” Sonata grumbled. “Booo. She’s such a stuck-up jerk.”

I snorted, barely restraining my laughter. “Yes, well,” Liang said, unable to repress a grin, “Neither Captain Picard nor I wanted her aboard our ships, so she was forced to fall back on this one.”

“Looks like there’s other ships too,” Sunset murmured. “Algerie, Intrepid-class, a Nova-class, the Helena, the Saber-class Javelin, and…an Akira and Steamrunner class too?”

“Yes, the Baltimore and Shimakaze. Extra protection, or so I am told.” Liang’s smile dropped. “Though given Nechayev’s desire for weapons, it does not bode well that both are equipped with tricobalt torpedoes in place of the typical photon or quantum torpedoes. Nasty stuff, tricobalt. Prone to leaving residual radiation and other toxins.”

“How… barbaric,” Adagio quipped, making a face of disgust. “Like using primitive atomics.”

“Primitive atomics, huh?” I muttered under my breath. On Equus, we’d barely begun to grasp atomic theory, let alone the concept of splitting the atom. A nuclear reactor to ponies would seem like an almost miraculous achievement. Then again, considering the abject horror that such technology unleashed on countless species in this universe, I wonder if it wouldn't be better if they never figured it out at all.

One of these days I need to ask the Sirens about the years they spent wandering the galaxy. What it was like, leaving Equus, traveling the stars. Did they meet anyone important? They didn’t seem to know of humans before the Phoenix, judging by how they reacted when they were rescued, but that didn’t mean they might not have met some other historical figure. They might have the stories of entire civilizations preserved only in their memory alone. And what technologies did they encounter, if even our most advanced weaponry seems primitive to them in comparison.

Liang’s terminal chirped. “Liang here,” he said.

Even as Rodriguez’s words came through the terminal, I saw the streaming stars in the window dissipate behind us into endless points. “We’ve arrived at the nebula, sir.”

“Understood, I’m on my way.” He tapped a button then rose from his seat, cane tucked under his arm. “Ladies, if you’ll all care to join me.”

The five of us followed Liang out onto the bridge, with Sunset taking her first officer chair and Sonata taking the other seat to Liang’s left, while Aria sashayed up to stand between the ops and conn consoles, taking in the viewscreen. Adagio meanwhile headed around to glance at the tactical station.

As I took in the bridge, it struck me, just how remarkable this was. Two ponies and three Sirens… five Equestrians, all from a planet that had never once known its own form of spaceflight, let alone interstellar travel, all standing on the bridge of a starship looking at a visual of a nebula.

After a moment I took a seat at one of the portside consoles and switched it over to a scientific layout, running a brief sensor sweep.

The viewscreen filled with a live image of the nebula, its pinkish and purplish clouds constantly churning from the gravimetric distortions these nebulas were known for. Plasma eddies rippled through like slow-rolling waves, setting off energy flares in their wake that resembled lightning bolts zigzagging through space. “It’s beautiful,” Adagio breathed, almost too quiet for me to hear her.

“Isn’t it?” I seconded just as quietly. “Deadly, though. I wouldn’t want to be in that nebula without a decent starship around me.”

A repeated beeping alarm preceded Williams at Ops announcing, “Incoming ship dropping out of warp, sir. It’s the Enterprise.”

The trailing edge of the Enterprise’s left warp nacelle, stretched out like a piece of taffy, drew in on itself as it dropped out of warp, followed by the rest of the magnificent starship, its bold lines and streamlined form gliding through space like an ice skater with perfect form.

“So that’s the Enterprise,” Adagio said, prompting me to glance over. She’d propped herself up against the railing lining the outer edge of consoles, leaning back to rest her hips against them so she could focus on the viewscreen. “It’s a beautiful ship. Your Starfleet knows how to design them it seems.”

Sunset looked up at us from her chair. “Starfleet Engineering might not have the best fashion sense, but they do know how to design elegant ships,” she quipped.

I repressed a snort of amusement as I continued to run my sensor sweep. As I expected, I was barely able to penetrate a few dozen meters into the nebula, and what I could detect was mostly a collection of gasses and low level ionizing radiation.

“Incoming transmission from the Enterprise, Captain,” Ishihara said.

“Very well, on screen,” Liang replied.

The viewscreen filled with a shot of the Enterprise’s bridge, letting me get a good look at the layout. Like our own bridge it was dominated by blues and grays, but with a decidedly more militaristic, severe cut to its consoles, the chairs looking less comfortable and more utilitarian. Ours was still a ship of relative luxury, despite the shift in Starfleet since the first appearance of the Borg. The Enterprise was a warship, and it showed. And despite the smiling faces of Picard, Riker, Deanna Troi, and a whole gaggle of junior officers I didn’t recognize, the sight pulled at my stomach just a little.

Though Nechayev lurking behind Picard’s chair might’ve had something to do with it.

“Captain,” Picard said, “now that we’ve arrived, I’d like to do a brief crew exchange before we enter the nebula. Once inside we’ll most likely be limited to shuttlecraft.”

“Agreed, Captain.” Liang’s smile rang loud and clear in his voice. “I’m certain you’d like your chief engineer back. If you don’t mind I’d like to send my own over, along with Lieutenant Cadeneza; they can get started working on some of the basic research ideas.”

Picard nodded. “Of course.”

“Do we know the ETA of the rest of the fleet?”

Picard gestured to Data, who responded, “The Brynhild will be arriving within three hours. The Algérie and Helena within six, the Baltimore and Shimakaze in seven, and the Javelin in fourteen.”

“Sounds like we’d best get started then,” Liang said. “Phoenix out.”

As the viewscreen returned to a shot of the Enterprise against the backdrop of the nebula, Liang stood from his chair. “Well, I’ll need to send someone magical over to the Enterprise to help them install their converter. Ensign Sparkle, you’re up. Report to transporter room three.”

“Aye, sir,” I said, smoothly departing my chair.

Before I could get far, Adagio’s hand shot out to rest on my withers. “Hey,” she grunted. “I’m going with you. My sisters can stay here, but I want to see that ship.”

“Err, that would be up to the captain,” I replied as a shiver ran through my body. Adagio’s touch was warm, almost fiery, brimming with an aura of a kind I had never felt before.

“I see no problem with it,” Liang chimed in. “You may join her, Miss Dazzle.”

Adagio flashed Liang a half smile of gratitude before returning her cool gaze to me. “Alright, pony, lead the way.”

“My name is Twilight Sparkle,” I grumbled as we entered the turbolift, prompting me to add, “Deck 6.”

“I know,” Adagio purred, her smile all fangs and sharp teeth. “But it’s more fun to call you pony.”

“Would you like it if I called you Siren all the time?” I shot back.

Adagio curled her arms over her chest and snickered. “It’d show some backbone… but no, I suppose not. Very well… Twilight.”

I nodded in acknowledgement. “Thank you, Adagio,” I murmured.

The turbolift came to a halt, dispensing us out into the corridor. As I led Adagio around to the transporter room, I said, “You know, you’re really nothing like what we thought you were going to be like.”

“Oh?” Adagio inclined a bushy eyebrow. “I take it you expected us to be bloodthirsty, or maybe crowing for revenge as we took over the ship. Please. Maybe if this had been less than a century since our exile, but we’ve had over one thousand years to reflect on ourselves.”

“I know, I heard about what you said to the Admiral.” We entered the transporter room, which was empty save for the chief, who nodded to us as we swept through the doors. “I’m… glad you’re not like what we thought you’d be like. It’s nice to have someone else from Equus around.”

Adagio inclined her head. “It is indeed. Trite as I make it sound, a thousand years is a long time. Even I was beginning to forget our homeworld entirely. Now I find myself wondering if we'll finally see it again.”

“That's the hope,” I said. “It's why Sunset and I joined Starfleet - to find Equus and return home. Now that we have the Phoenix, we felt closer to the goal than ever before, only now we're caught in this damn war....” I let out a sigh.

“She still may,” Adagio replied with a brief chuckle. “Listen, Twilight. If there is one thing my sisters and I have learned from living among the stars, it’s that you never know what the future might bring, no matter how dire the present may be.”

Then she did something completely unexpected, and crouched down to bring herself eye to eye with me. For just a moment, I thought I saw a genuine smile on her face. "Another thing we've learned? Never assume there's a problem the ponies can't find a way to solve.”

“Maybe.”

The doors swished open once more, revealing La Forge and his engineers, along with Cadeneza and Amelia. Barclay brought up the rear, pushing a cart holding the converter. “N-now sir, w-we’re sure this is safe to send through the transporter?” Barclay stammered.

“For the last time Reg, it’s fine,” La Forge grumbled. “It hasn’t been enchanted yet, and there’s no power flowing through it. It’s inert.”

“Still,” Barclay said, his hands shaking as he looked down at the half-assembled converter. “This is an e-experimental technology. W-we really should be testing this more.”

“Oh for god’s sake,” Cadeneza grumbled, “It’s fine. We did extensive transporter tests on the damned thing. It’s not going to explode in your face.”

Barclay’s face drooped. “O-oh.”

“You see, Reg?” La Forge shook his head and tapped his combadge. “La Forge to Enterprise, we’re ready to start beaming over. We’ll have… three groups, it looks like.”

“Understood, sir,” came the response of what was presumably the Enterprise’s transporter chief. “Standing by.”

“Alright, Reg, you first,” La Forge ordered. “Sparkle, Cadeneza, Wattson, go with him. Once there head straight for Engineering; we’ll catch up.”

I helped Barclay roll the cart up onto the transporter pad with my magic and took up the spot next to it. Without a word Adagio pushed past everyone and joined me; I saw an annoyed look briefly flash over La Forge’s face before it disappeared. “Ready, sir,” I announced.

La Forge nodded to the chief standing at the console. “Energize.”

The familiar feeling of toothbrushes aplenty washed over my body, tingling like mad as the world went white, then came back in the form of a differently layed out transporter room. With practiced ease I dismissed any sense of disorientation and proceeded to help Barclay bring the cart off the pad.

“Thank you, Ensign,” Barclay murmured. “Um, this way everyone.”

As we formed a group to follow him to the nearest turbolifts, I took a moment to observe everyone else. Amelia still seemed withdrawn, judging by her stiff movements, though the frown on her face looked more guilty than irritated or worried. Cadeneza seemed mostly annoyed by Barclay’s presence, while Adagio’s eyes darted about, taking in every detail but without the lack of subtlety of a tourist.

The bulky size of the cart required us to split up and take two turbolifts, but after a few minutes we all met back up outside of main engineering. The oversized doors swished open to greet us, and everyone's jaws seemed to hit the floor at once. "Wow..."

I knew the Sovereign-class' engineering space used an open floorplan compared to most other ships, but I was taken aback by the sheer size of it all. I counted at least five, maybe six decks worth of space above us, with an absolutely massive warp core thrumming away at the center of it all. Curiously, I noticed the coolant tanks looked a little off, just slightly discolored, as if they were hasty replacements. Which, I realized after a moment, they were, because the Enterprise’s original ones were destroyed during its battle with the Borg last year.

“This is incredible,” Amelia gasped as she ran over to examine the warp core. “We’ve got a fairly advanced one in the Phoenix but this… this is a work of art.”

“She is quite something, isn’t she?” Barclay chuckled as he ran a sweaty hand through his hair. “I used to think the Enterprise-D had the best warp core in the fleet, but this… this truly is something special.”

Amelia ran a hand over the core. “It’s got such perfect pitch,” she said, her tone filling with awe. “You can hear the matter and antimatter collisions if you listen right.”

“That’s right,” Barclay confirmed. “A-and you can discern variations in the warp field much more easily t-than you could normally. The Enterprise practically sings to you if you listen.”

“Sings, hmm?” Adagio strutted forward and gently pushed Amelia out of the way, ignoring the engineer’s protests as she spread a hand over the warp core. Her eyes fluttered as her mouth opened, forming a brief ‘o’ of surprise. Shifting to a smile, she said, “You weren’t kidding. She really does… sing. It’s beautiful.”

I narrowed my eyes as I watched Adagio withdraw her hand and shrink into herself, bemused by this reaction. “It’s… it reminds me of what was once our home,” Adagio murmured, so quietly I doubt anyone save me heard her.

But before I could press her on the point, La Forge and the rest entered Engineering. “Alright, people,” he called, gathering the attention of the engineers present. “We’ve got a converter to get hooked up. Rivers, Yoder, how’s the magic battery coming?”

Yoder, a dour looking human who seemed to have a perpetual sour expression on his lips, waved a tool in his hand from across the room and shouted, “We’ve got it online sir. In the cargo bay, just like you ordered.”

“Great,” La Forge said. He pointed fingers at several engineers. “You, you, and you, let’s bring the connections over. Sparkle, I’d like you and Wattson to monitor Reg and me while we do the assembly.”

I mumbled a brief, “Aye, sir,” and had the dubious fun of standing there watching as everyone else did work. My hooves itched to get involved, but I kept my focus on the converter itself.

Adagio sidled up to me and nudged me in the side with her elbow. “Mind if I give the enchantment a shot on this one?”

“Sure. You remember what we showed you?”

She snorted. “I’ve forgotten more about magic than you’ll ever learn, po--err, Ensign.” She patted me on the withers and gave me a simpering smile. “Don’t worry your fuzzy little mane over it.”

Despite her rudeness, I found myself chuckling. Maybe I was getting used to Adagio’s prickly demeanor. Or maybe it was her awe of the warp core, infectious with its wonder.

Watching La Forge and the rest finish up the converter proved as boring as I expected, but at least it was entertaining once Adagio swapped to doing the spells. All unicorns have their own natural flourish they apply when spellcasting, but Adagio was something else entirely. She was like a one woman orchestra, weaving each note out of nothing and slipping it into place in perfect rhythm.

“How’s it looking, Ensign?” La Forge asked once Adagio stepped back and proudly clapped her hands to her hips.

I performed one last checkover, then nodded. “Looks good, sir. You should be able to test it now.”

“Alright, let’s give it a whirl. Reg, let’s turn this up slowly, shall we? The Enterprise’s core outputs quite a bit more power than the Phoenix’s, so let’s maybe keep the conversion rate down to five percent for starters.”

“A-aye, sir,” Barclay mumbled as he fiddled with the controls.

It took another twenty or so minutes of back and forth power monitoring, but eventually they had it cranked up to the current safe maximum of seventeen point three five percent. “Any more than that and we risk overloading the conduits for the energy storage,” Barclay reported.

“Right. Let’s hope they start coming up with something better,” La Forge said. He turned to me. “Alright, Ensign, let’s get started on the sensor pallets.”

“Sir?”

La Forge smiled slightly. “We’ll need magic sensors if we’re to do anything else with magic on the ship, right?”

I blushed. Of course that should’ve been obvious. “Err, yes sir,” I said.

Adagio patted my shoulder softly and flashed me a grin that was half mocking, half sympathy. “Well, Sparkle, I think my work here is done. I’m returning to the Phoenix.”

“Um, Miss Dazzle, I-I don’t think that’s possible right now,” interrupted Barclay. He brought up a readout of the Enterprise’s location. “We’ve already entered the nebula, and are a decent distance from the Phoenix. Transporters are inoperable now; you’d have to take a shuttle.”

Adagio rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll find something else to do.” She glanced back at me. “Good luck.”

~*~

I stood at a console in one of the design science labs aboard the Phoenix, staring at a larger screen currently rigged up with views of science labs of several other starships, including the Enterprise, the Brynhild, Algerie, and the Helena. A collection of science officers and engineers, some of whom I knew well, some of whom I’d never met before, all awaited me to begin.
The one fly in the ointment was Admiral Nechayev, hovering over the shoulder of the Brynhild chief engineer, a Tellarite by the name of Glamgor Pog. “Commander Shimmer, are you ready to begin?” Nechayev asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” I said. I gestured to a screen behind me, which currently showed a schematic of the converter, storage medium, and basic thaumometer. “By now, you should all be familiar with the basics of magic and how to construct the converters and thaumometers.”

“Glamgor Pog is well aware, yes,” said Pog, a peculiarly arrogant humor dotting his face. “He has already built his and is awaiting the shuttlecraft from the Enterprise.”

“We’ve already constructed ours as well,” said the Helena chief engineer, an Andorian whose last name was a tongue-twister for me, zh’Clex. “We’re in the process of setting up our storage capacitor.”

“Unfortunately we’re a bit behind here on the Algerie,” said their science officer, a non-binary human named Moneaux. They gave us an apologetic look. “We’ve had some trouble with our bio-neural circuitry. Something about the converter design is making it incompatible and we’re having to adjust on the fly.”

“I’ll have Sparkle redirected from the Enterprise to your ship then,” said Necheyev. “It’s important we get this done ASAP, Mx. Moneaux.”

“Yes, ma’am,” they said. “I’m hoping if we can find the right way around it we might be able to solve some of the energy transfer issues that have been making scaling up the magic production difficult.”

“Excellent,” I said with a satisfied smile. “I’ve been wanting to explore that route as well. So, since we’re all up to speed, let’s get to the real meat of why we’re here.” I cleared the screen behind me and wrote down a few brainstorming categories, labeled sensors, defensive tech, useful tech, and leaving weapons for last, barely on screen. “We’re here to start research on applications for magic-based technology.”

Two more screens abruptly added themselves to the multi-way conversation, one with a dark skinned human male face, the other a pale Vulcan female. “Forgive us our tardiness,” said the Vulcan. “I am Mena, chief engineer of the Shimakaze.”

“Roy Blackford here, ma’am,” said the human, whose rank I noticed was much lower than the rest of us. “Second science officer, U.S.S. Baltimore. The chief engineer and chief science officer are working on our converter as we speak.”

I nodded in acknowledgement. “You didn’t miss much. So, when it comes to magic, despite the name there are still plenty of limitations. Like with any type of technology or effect, it requires a certain level of energy, in this case Sparkles, to fuel it. So for example, I can project a ray from my horn to make a few people around me fall asleep, but I couldn’t do it to an entire auditorium unless I had a few other unicorns to back me up with their mana pools.”

“Pog understands this. This much was in the briefing Pog read. Stop wasting Pog’s time.”

I noticed a few of my fellow officers repressing grins or snorts of laughter; despite his prickly demeanor the Tellerite was more amusing than he was intimidating. “Just making sure we’re all on the same page, Pog,” I said, repressing the show of amusement. “But here’s what I’m hoping. At the moment the converters you’re all building will be sufficient to partially power an array of magical sensors. These sensors, currently, are only configured to detect magical sources. But I think we can greatly expand on this.”

“Is there a chance we could use them to penetrate cloaks?” suggested Blackford. “I can imagine that’d be a real game changer.”

“Maybe,” I said, frowning with uncertainty, “but as you know, the Dominion don't use cloaking technology on their ships. But I can certainly see some value in context of a few other species at least.”

“Perhaps if we can find a way to enhance the resolution and signal acquisition of passive sensors,” Mena suggested. “Passive sensors function as they do because they do not emit active scanning waves. But what if we were to do so with magic. We could get much better results, and they'd be undetectable by our enemies.”

“Pog likes the sound of that,” Pog said with a big grin on his scraggly face. “Ships could lay in ambush much more easily and surprise Dominion ships.”

“And it would have some useful peaceful applications too,” I pointed out. “Namely in how it would help with evaluating environmental conditions on some types of planets, or monitoring civilizations that are pre-warp, but still advanced enough to detect our active scans.” I wrote it down on the list underneath the sensors heading. “Okay, what else?”

“Um, well,” said Barclay from the Enterprise, “I-I was thinking about shields, and about how the computer has a hard time handling the redistribution of power during combat."

"Which would be why Pog has to assign engineers to do it."

"Yes, sir. But I-I was looking into some of the early experiments done with the forcefield that Commander Shimmer can project and I realized that her field was adapting naturally."

"Of course," I breathed, a sly grin crossing my muzzle. "That's brilliant, Barclay.” I spotted a few blank faces from some of my fellow officers. “To clarify for anyone who doesn’t quite understand, what Lieutenant Barclay is referring to is a magical shield’s ability to react automatically to forces applied to it, without the pony–er, creature who cast it needing to redirect the energy manually. If we can integrate magical shielding into the grid it can react more dynamically. Maybe even allow it to regenerate on the fly and sustain much heavier blows."

"Pog has seen these results. Wasn't it concluded that you used relatively far less power to maintain an equivalent level forcefield?"

"That's correct, Lieutenant." I tapped my horn. "It's due to energy efficiency. The shields have to have their power transformed from EPS conduits into a more useful form of electricity, then transformed again into a projection across a massive area, while dealing with energy loss from distance. By comparison mine is the equivalent of being able to plug the shields directly into the warp core."

"Then this should be one of our primary avenues of investigation," Mena said. "We could drastically improve the quality of our shielding. Perhaps even make metaphasic shielding standard on all ships."

"I'm sorry, metaphasic?" said Monteaux, a quizzical expression on their face.

zh'Clex tutted. "Shielding designed to withstand a star's corona, designed by Ferengi scientist Dr. Reyga. Useful stuff. If a ship could casually fly into a star we could use the star as a weapon."

Nods followed all around, even mine after a reluctant moment. Then I spotted the hungry smile forming on Nechayev's face, and a sick feeling washed over me. The gleam in her eyes reminded me too much of a timberwolf about to feast on its prey. "Speaking of weapons, Commander, I trust you have been considering potential applications. Enhancements to phasers, perhaps?"

Before I could open my mouth and determine something more appropriate to tell her than to go screw herself, Twilight said, "Admiral, if I may."

Her forehead wrinkled as she narrowed her eyes. "Ensign. Go ahead."

"As it so happens, Commander Shimmer and I do have a proposed enhancement, albeit for hand phasers and phaser rifles." As she spoke her eyes briefly caught mine, and while she didn't wink, she didn't need to. I understood immediately where she was going with it and had to suppress the urge to laugh. As it was, a revealing smile briefly snuck into my muzzle.

"Why only the personal sized weapons, Ensign?" La Forge asked.

Twilight smiled slightly. "Well, sir, you could put this onto a phaser bank or strip but we haven't used shipboard phasers for this since the 2260s. I'm referring to stun settings. As we all know, stun settings can be unreliable. Body weight, size, anatomical configuration, species, age, any number of issues can make a stun setting barely effective on one person while almost killing another."

"Not to be rude, but is there a point somewhere here, Ensign?" interrupted zh'Clex, stalks twitching in irritation so much it was distracting.

Twilight's smile vanished, but to her credit she showed no other sign of the rebuke bothering her, which made my heart soar with pride. "Jem'Hadar cannot be stunned and often take multiple shots to kill, and Changelings are even worse. However, Shimmer and I were recently reminded due to an…incident… the potency of our magical sleep spells. A single spell utilized as a safety measure kept someone asleep for a full day."

I was suddenly appreciative of how Wattson was currently busy with finalizing the shuttling schedule, because I knew she'd be pissed hearing Twilight talk about her like that.

"Oh, I see where you're going," La Forge said, a growing smile on his face. "If we can enhance our phasers with this sleep spell we can stun anyone we want in a single shot."

"Exactly," I said with a chuckle. "That's the beauty of it. It doesn't do anything except put the body into a sleeping state for however long you, err, 'program' the spell for, and since no species we've ever encountered outside of Equestria bears natural magical resistance then it won't matter who it is. We'll not only stun them, we’ll do so safely. We could even use it on a wide-beam setting, stun a whole crowd at once."

"...it's not quite what I was hoping for," Nechayev growled as she flashed us both a deep scowl. "But I can see the sheer number of applications this could have. Safer crowd control, easier ground combat with our choice of POWs, and neutralization of key targets. We'll need to do some hard testing… I will see if I can arrange for a couple of test subjects."

All of us looked unhappy at that phrase. We knew what she meant: she meant some unfortunate half-starved of ketracel white Jem'Hadar prisoner being hauled in and repeatedly put to sleep. "Err, begging the Admiral's pardon," said Blackford, "but how will we test if it affects Changelings?"

“... We'll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Nechayev said. "Regardless, I suggest this be a priority."

“Speaking of the Jem'Hadar, one tactical disadvantage we've yet to overcome is their use of subspace mines and other cloaked traps that are nearly impossible to detect, much less disarm safely,” Mena stated, her voice turning dour suddenly. “The Shimakaze recently assisted in an evac of ground forces from multiple battlegrounds. Regrettably, more fatalities than survivors... all victims of these same traps. Would it be possible to use these enhanced phasers to disrupt these devices?”

"That's a pretty big maybe," I admitted. "But what we could do is make them more detectable by using the magical sensor upgrade. These mines are usually undetectable with tricorders but if we can see them using magical frequencies, we'd at least lower the risk to personnel in the field."

"Biofilters," Barclay said, snapping his fingers. "I-in the transporters. Better resolution and detection. Sickbay too."

"Oooh, good idea, Reg," said La Forge. "I remember from when Commander Shimmer served on the Enterprise-D she helped diagnose a number of injuries in Engineering before the med team could arrive, and faster too. Integrating that with medical technology could help save more lives."

“And we could always use better biofilters in the transporters,” I agreed with a slight chuckle. “Never know what might slip through next.”

“Pog swears whatever curse inflicted some starships, any ship he ever served on never had such problems with transporters. Pog thinks it was more likely incompetence.”

La Forge let out a rich laugh. “Better be glad Chief O’Brien isn’t here to hear you say that, Pog. And as someone who’s been a victim of a couple of those incidents… you can trust me when I say it wasn’t incompetence.”

The group almost descended into a byplay of various anecdotes and other incidents until Nechayev interrupted us, just as the doors behind me opened. I paid them no heed. “Officers, let’s focus here,” she barked. “Commander Shimmer, do you or anyone else have any other weapons ideas for how we can use this technology?”

“Admiral,” I began, the tension barely keeping out of my voice. “I would prefer we focus on more benign ways to use this technology.”

“I’m well aware of your objections, Commander. Overruled. What do you have?”

“I have something, ma’am,” said Wattson, startling me. I looked up to see her standing there with a tense posture, tapping a PADD on her palm. “It’s a bit unusual though.”

Nechayev’s predatory smile sent all sorts of instinctual shivers down my spine, my muscles coiling in preparation to flee. “Please, clarify, Lieutenant.”

“Alright,” Wattson said. She looked down at me and gave me a pained smile, then returned her gaze to the console. “So, before I explain, let me ask everyone this: when in combat, what is the number one goal of any of the combatants?”

“To force the enemy to surrender or disengage,” Blackford answered immediately.

“Precisely. Too often people forget that we don’t have to blow up every single starship in a war just to win a battle,” Wattson continued. “In fact even in our most recent conflict with the Klingons, there were still surrenders and retreats on both sides, despite the typical Klingon attitude towards death in combat.”

My brow furrowed as my ears flattened, taking all this in. “Where are you going with this, Amelia?”

“We’ve only been at war with the Dominion for a few months,” Wattson said, “but it has already become clear that while the Cardassians are often willing to retreat when necessary, the Dominion rarely, if ever, does anything but fight to the last man. Their kamikaze tactics alone have been responsible for far more death and destruction than the Federation is used to.”

I winced, remembering one of the more recent reports. The Seventh fleet… ninety-eight ships out of one hundred twelve, destroyed. Beyond absurd losses, something the Federation had never seen against any enemy other than the Borg.

“Then what you have is something we can use to destroy the Dominion ships faster?” Nechayev growled, her posture tensing up more and more by the second as her eyes further narrowed on Wattson.

“Not destroy. Disable.” Wattson tapped her PADD against the nearby control console and uploaded a small animation of the Phoenix tackling a squadron of Jem’Hadar attack ships. “First, we see the results of a typical battle.”

The Phoenix and the Jem’Hadar fired back and forth as they dodged and weaved around each other. The Phoenix took two fighters out with a combination of phasers and torpedoes, but the third managed to deal some serious damage, and the fourth went for a kamikaze attack. The Phoenix was destroyed.

I swallowed back some anxiety on seeing that, given it was quite similar to the battle we fought on our way to Starbase 375 that ultimately led to this. “I’m still not sure I follow, Lieutenant,” I said, my tone warning her this better be good.

She briefly acknowledged my chastisement with a frown and then tapped the PADD again. “Now here is that same situation with the weapon I’m referring to in place.”

The Phoenix was once more subjected to attack, but this time rather than firing traditional weapons, it launched a swirling bolt of reddish purple energy at the closest Jem’Hadar ship, which immediately tumbled end over end in a listless state. Two more bolts fired at the secondary pair, neutralizing them instantly. The last fled, and the animation concluded with the Phoenix hauling the three disabled ships off screen.

Nechayev scowled. “Wattson, this… demonstration of yours makes it look like you disabled the enemy ships in a single attack, which while laudable is apparently not possible. At least, that’s what I was told just a few moments ago.”

“That's why this would fully disable the enemy ship, and for far more than just a few minutes. If my calculations are correct, it would take days to unscramble a ship's power systems after being hit by one of these.” Wattson grinned. “With the right kind of energy dampener, we knock out their ships in one attack, leaving them vulnerable. We could turn the tide of a battle in an instant.”

“Great, that’s just a really great concept there, Lieutenant,” zh’Clex snorted. “Just one problem: how in all the hells would we accomplish this?”

La Forge snapped his fingers. “The Borg! They use energy damping technology; it’s a large part of their weapons systems, since their aim is to assimilate rather than destroy. The Enterprise was half-assimilated during the recent Borg encounter, and while we’ve never been able to get that technology to work for us before…”

“We could use it as a model to create our own that uses applications of magic,” I finished, grinning up a storm with La Forge. “I can think of a few spells that might work… with the right applications of magical power and using something like the deflector array or a torpedo to distribute it, it could make a serious difference. If we can get it to work.”

Nechayev scowled at me through the monitor. “Is that truly worth it, over enhancing other weaponry?”

I tried not to sigh. “Yes, ma’am. We can’t just pump magic into a piece of technology like phasers or photon torpedoes and expect a more powerful weapon. Physics doesn’t work that way. Our phasers and torpedoes can only handle so much energy running through them, and that energy has to be properly modulated to work with the equipment.”

“...but starship captains order more power to weapons or shields all the time,” she countered.

This time I did let out the slightest of sighs, which I hoped wasn’t picked up by the comms. “Yesss, and with respect, Admiral, you’re not an engineer. It’s not as simple as putting X amount more power into those systems. What we’re really doing is reserving power to be injected into those systems when they can handle it rather than using that power on other systems instead. It’s like holding a battery or a power pack in reserve. As soon as one runs out you plug the next one in.”

“And what’s stopping the magic from being a power source for other systems so we could devote the warp core more to weapons and shields during combat? Or vice versa?” Nechayev shot back, the look in her eye clear: I was once again one hoofstep short of insubordination. I needed to choose my response carefully.

The problem was she’d just made a really good point… except she’d forgotten one thing.

Before I could respond, however, Wattson took over. “With all due respect, Admiral, I’m not about to plug Sunset’s horn into the EPS grid and tell her to sit there and run the lateral sensors while I keep the phasers running. And we still can’t run our converters above thirty percent, nor do we have a proper magical power distribution system yet.”

I picked it up to finish. “We may eventually get to what you’re suggesting, but for now it would be more practical to focus on specific applications, and gear the magic for that. Eventually we can work it into a secondary power source of its own.”

“Hmm, I-I wonder if it would be practical to have a secondary, smaller warp core dedicated just to magical energy production,” Barclary wondered, tapping the side of his face.

“That’s something for the shipyards to think about, Reg,” La Forge said with a wry grin. “One of these days we’ll need a proper testbed ship, built from the ground up.”

“Realistically that’s what we should be doing anyway, not this rag-tag research group in a nebula outside Cardassian space,” Moneaux stated. They gave us all a piercing look. “But wartime needs must.”

“Precisely, Mx Moneaux,” Nechayev said. “Starfleet Intelligence and R&D want us to be able to test these technologies in the field. We don’t have time for anything else.”

“Pog appreciates the challenge.” The Tellerite pounded his fists together. “Better to take the fight to the enemy."

In that we all agreed.

The meeting continued for a while yet, with a great many more ideas thrown about, but few that we agreed were viable. Though there was one amusing moment when Pog started ranting about replicators not matching proper home made cooking and grumbling the replicator should have a “chaos factor” that allowed the quality of the food to be different each time it was made. The idea struck me as one with actual merit, so I added it to the list.

If nothing else, trying it should produce some hilarious results. We could use some laughs.

“Ma’am, can I speak with you privately?” Amelia asked me as soon as the conversation ended.

“Of course,” I said, drawing her over to a corner of the lab. While a few others saw fit to get to work, I looked her in the eye. “What’s up?”

Amelia’s fists tightened for a moment, then she reached up to pluck her comm badge and set it down. “This is off the record.”

I nodded in acknowledgement, and set mine aside as well. “Okay, what’s the issue, Amelia?”

“It’s Twilight,” she answered, ringing her hands. Her mouth worked like a cow chewing a cud while she let out repeated small sighs. “Or, rather… it’s me, and my issues with Twilight, and how I acted towards her earlier.”

I inclined an eyebrow as I took that in. “Lemme guess. She tried to apologize to you over the sleep spell and you shoved it back in her face, verbally speaking.”

“Preeeetty much,” Amelia said in a tired moan, plopping herself down in a nearby chair so she could hold her head. “I acted like a complete idiot.”

“Yeah, you did,” I admitted as I adjusted my wings to be more comfortable. “I'll admit, it was mine and Twilight's mistake to leave the old spell in there, but mishandling the converter and knocking yourself out was all on you, I'm afraid.”

“...I know, Sunset,” she grumbled. “But… it… what if you hadn’t figured out why I was still asleep?”

“The spell would’ve eventually worn off,” I answered immediately. “In fact it’s a little odd it lasted as long as it did. Usually a spell like that wears off in a few hours.”

She looked up at me from between her hands, which had her hair laced between her fingers. “So why did this one last over twenty-four hours?”

I set a hoof to my chin for a moment as I considered the evidence. “It… most likely has to do with the same reason the converter exploded in your face. We’re not on Equus. The spell might have been… supercharged by the energy passing through the converter.”

“Meaning?” she pressed.

I rubbed my chin some more as I thought, trying to scrunch some numbers. “Meaning that, since it took close to thirty-one hours for you to awaken… it likely would’ve worn off after a week.”

“A week?” she hissed. “A week?!”

Instinctively I tossed up a privacy warding charm to keep her from disturbing the rest of the lab. “Amelia, calm down. It was a mistake, we’ve corrected it, and you were woken up well before then.”

She shuddered, her eyes filling with tears. “I know you’re right, Sunset, but, you don’t… it…” She swallowed back her tears, almost choking. “When I was kid, I had a lot of… problems. And sometimes those problems meant I had to be put under, sometimes for days. So they had to use stasis chambers. Then I was cured, thanks to an incredible discovery, made friends with Cady… and it all came flooding back when I was told what kept me under.”

I glanced over to make sure the other officers weren’t paying attention before I rushed in to give her a quick hug. “I’m so sorry, Amelia. Twilight and I had no way of knowing--”

She hugged me back. “No, you didn’t. And you’re right, I shouldn’t have messed with the thing by myself to begin with.” She let out another sigh and let me go. “I need to find a way to apologize to her.”

“She should be returning later this evening,” I said as I brought up the shuttle schedules on a nearby screen. “She’s scheduled to depart soon for the Algerie to assist with their converter creation, then return to the Phoenix. If you’d like, I can be there with you. Maybe make it a hangout for dinner. How does that sound?

“...sure,” Amelia said, nodding to me. She scooped up her badge, and I took mine back up at the same time. “Thank you, ma’am. Much appreciated.”

I gave her a respectful nod. “Of course.” Then a sly grin crossed my muzzle. “And thank you for helping to deal with Nechayev. She’s… well, you saw.”

Amelia flashed me one last grin and left, while the rest of us took a few moments to stretch our legs and grab a beverage and small snack; I favored some raktajino and a cream cheese bagel. As the taste filled my mouth I returned to the research, I started crunching some numbers and putting together a few basic simulations on how a few of these things might work. Of them I thought the easiest to adapt would be the sleep spell on the phasers, since all that should require is a use of the same Shimmer crystal used for a battery, a stored spell, and applying it through the nadion beam.

But as I worked, a sour feeling wormed its way into my stomach. Moneaux was right about one thing - hiding out in a sketchy nebula on the doorstep of a warzone is not the best way to do research of any kind, much less do it safely. If the Cardassians or the Dominion stumbled in here and found us…

I shook my head and snorted. The last thing any of us needed was more negativity, more stress. We'd taken every precaution, magical and otherwise. Besides, we were short on time - less than three days until the Dominion completed dismantling the minefield blocking the wormhole.

A ragtag fleet gathered at Starbase 375… barely more than six hundred starships. They’d have to depart soon to have any chance of making it in time, and knowing the Dominion they’d defend DS9 with everything they had.

If we lost that fight, we could lose everything. And losing everything meant losing the only way home we might ever find. That was the only reason I’d even agreed to this whole affair to begin with.

God...I could only hope that we’d somehow win the day. That, somehow, we would survive.

With the magical sensing technology we had now, we were closer than ever to potentially finally discovering our way home. If it weren’t for this stupid war, we'd be out here looking for Equus, not researching ever more convoluted ways to stun aliens that want to kill us all.

We were so close… so close, and yet still so far.

“Please,” I whispered. “Whatever or whoever might be listening… please let my sister and me survive to set hoof on our homeworld once more.”

“...please…”

Author's Note

Welcome back everyone, after a long, long hiatus. I thank you all for your patience, and especially for those of you who never gave up hope. I know that a lot of you concluded this story had died, but I assure you: it was always just asleep.

Having now finally returned, there are a few things a little bit different than they were before; firstly keen readers will notice some references to newer Trek shows that hadn't come out back when this was first being written, such as a blatant Prodigy reference in the form of Glamgor Pog. (And yes, I'm fully aware Jankem only uses third person because of the robot on his sleeper ship; however I enjoy writing people speaking in third person far, far too much not to have Glamgor do it as well.)

Secondly I would like to let you know that Phoenix will not have quite the fully regular schedule it had before. In truth, attempting to keep it running on a regular weekly posting was... ambitious, but simply not possible for me anymore. I have too many health issues and too much outside responsibility going on to be able to manage that. Additionally, I have a second long-form story that is going to be posting regularly, which will demand my attention from time to time.

But that's not to say updates will be sporadic either. I will still attempt to get them out as quickly as I am able; they simply won't be a regular weekly update anymore. We're also coming up on the end of season two here in just a few episodes, which would've resulted in its own small hiatus anyway. So with that in mind, postings will happen, they just won't be regular. Let's say expect two weeks between updates as a reasonable baseline.

Thank you again for your continued faith in this story. I assure you, we will be seeing it through to its completion. We're only halfway there, as it has four planned seasons... and you're not gonna believe what we have in store for the latter two.

Season 2 Episode 8: "Tried and Tested"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02E08

"Tried and Tested"

Tseeww!

The harsh whine of a hand phaser peeled through the air as another beam fired into the target. "No effect," reported Selar as she adjusted her tricorder, which had a larger than usual Sparkle sensor – the new name since no one could consistently say thaumometer without tripping over their words – plugged into the data port.

Sighing, I said, "Adjusting frequency and raising setting to 2.5." My horn lit as several buttons were pressed on the phaser, then I took aim. "Firing."

Tseeww!

Selar shook her head. "No effect."

"Damn it," I hissed. I examined the phaser, a modified type-two currently with a pair of Shimmer crystals sticking out of its exposed inner circuitry. I checked the connections for what felt like the hundredth time. "It's hooked up. No other faults are showing. Every simulation says it should be drawing energy from the crystal. So why in Tartarus isn't it?"

"May I see it, ma'am?" asked Blackford, giving me a kind smile. He'd come over from the Baltimore as part of a personnel exchange plan; the ships were regularly cycling crew around as part of the research and testing, keeping us working on multiple projects simultaneously and with fresh eyes (and magic) every switch. It wasn't the most efficient but it kept us from getting too bored or frustrated, and meant that I, as the premiere expert with Federation technology and Equestrian magitek, was able to oversee all the projects one at a time.

In particular I found I quite liked working alongside Blackford. He was nice, had a sense of humor that reminded me of Cadeneza without the abrasiveness, and more importantly he respected my authority in all respects when it came to magic.

Too many others didn't.

So I handed it over. "Here. Maybe it’ll like you better than me."

He took the phaser and placed it on the nearby workbench, grabbing a small tool and a bright flashlight along the way. “Aha! Found it,” he said after about a minute of tinkering. “Looks like one of the nadion emitters was misaligned when you plugged the crystal in; the beam's been skipping the crystal altogether."

He handed it back to me as I let out a dry chuckle. "Damn… I must really be tired if I missed that."

"You've been up for twenty hours, ma'am," Blackford said as I reset the phaser settings to restart the experiment.

“Not an excuse; we’ve all been up that long or longer,” I replied as I took aim. “Firing.”

Tseeww!

Selar’s tricorder let out an unusual bleep as she scanned the results. “Sleep spell has been deployed.”

“Finally,” I groaned as I turned the phaser over. “Okay, let’s see how… wow. Seriously?”

A quick Sparkle sensor check showed the single phaser shot had completely drained the Shimmer battery, and cracked the crystal enchanted with the spell. I blew a pony-esque snort from my nose. “This never happened in the simulations,” I said as I set the phaser down.

“That is the purpose of these experiments,” Selar stated as she approached me, temporarily swapping over to her medical tricorder and checking me over with it. She inclined a single eyebrow. “Respectfully, Commander, you need rest. You have spent too long awake; I am exercising my authority as a ship’s doctor to order you to take at least seven hours to sleep, eat, and return refreshed.”

I arched an eyebrow at her in turn, but after a moment of glaring I submitted. “Right. Blackford, take the phaser back to the lab. Have the crystals analyzed… make sure one of the sirens gets a good look at it. I’ll be back at, err… computer, current time?”

“0120.”

Damn it; I only just then realized I’d missed sitting down to dinner with Wattson and Twilight. Hopefully I could catch them tomorrow. “0830 then,” I finished.

Blackford nodded. “Understood, ma'am. Goodnight.”

I nodded to him and Selar in return, and headed off. As the double doors hissed open I realized from the sudden brightness of the corridor lights just how tired I really was, hitting my eyes like dozens of sharp needles. A smell caught in my nose too, foul and stale, from the sweat coating my uniform.

Cadeneza awaited me as I arrived, half asleep on an armchair, wearing her typical lack of clothing for off duty. “O-oh, hey Sunset,” she said, sitting up, liquid sloshing in a bottle tucked under her arm. “I, uh, brought you something to relax with.” She gestured with the bottle.

“Ehgh, thanks but no thanks,” I mumbled. “My stomach hurts just looking at it.”

Cadeneza shrugged and set it aside. “Alright. Take a shower… you look like you need it.

“Already on it,” I said as I used my magic to peel off my uniform before heading for my shower. I stuck to ultrasonic, not trusting myself not to fall asleep from the water, but even that almost knocked me out.

When I came back out Cadeneza had a plate of food waiting for me, some simple rice and vegetables with soy sauce, and water. “Thanks," I said, this time with a smile. “Been pretty rough the past day or two.”

“Rough on all of us,” Cadeneza said as she pulled her legs onto the chair. “I’d swear, the way everyone’s acting you’d think the Dominion were about two hours from pouring out of the wormhole or something.”

I seized up, coughing as the piece of broccoli in my throat lodged itself from my sudden gasp, the fork in my magic dropping to the table.

“Whoa, you okay?” Cadeneza cried as I doubled over, desperately trying to cough the piece out before finally having to grab and swallow several gulps of water to dislodge it.

Gasping and sweating from the sudden burst of panic, I fell back in my chair, almost dropping and spilling my water in the process. “No, I’m… I’m fine, just, it’s that close already?”

Shit. I had almost forgotten, in the heat of all the research, just how dangerous the situation truly was. It was just under three days ago now that Nechayev informed us about the wormhole. The bulk of the Federation's fleet, now less than six hundred starships, left Starbase 375 the day before, bound for the wormhole with no Klingon support, and no hope of reinforcement even if they did breakthrough. The few of us in the know have barely been keeping it together since.

Since then, we've heard nothing. Granted, communication outside of the nebula was currently being facilitated by one-way information bursts, since security needs forbade the use of two-way communications, but we still should’ve heard something by now. Some swift calculations in my head told me that even with a massive battle, the fleet should’ve reached Deep Space Nine.

“...Sunset,” Cadeneza said, sitting up straighter. “Do you know something?”

My eyes narrowed. “Sorry, that’s classified.”

Cadeneza snorted. “Yeah, yeah okay.” Thankfully she didn’t try to pry any information out of me; she understood the need for security. “So I was working on the replicator idea earlier today.”

“Really?” I gingerly resumed eating. “How’d that go?”

“About as well as you’d expect,” Cadeneza grunted. She grabbed for a fallen part of her own uniform and pulled it up to show an unusual stain. “See this? This is some kind of enzyme cereal.”

“...what cereal?” I repeated, my eyebrows shooting up.

She let out another snort. “Okay, okay, so like, there’s this grain they grow on Tellar. Some fancy thing they came up with during their equivalent of the 20th century. It’s super vulnerable, barely grows anywhere even nowadays without a ton of pesticides or other things. And you remember your history, right, about how Earth went through a whole phase of food grown with versus without pesticides?”

I swallowed my bite of vegetables and nodded. “Riiiight, I remember. Just about every world running economies like Earth’s went through the same problem. On Earth, they actually referred to food grown without pesticides or genetic modification as ‘organic.’ As if all other food was somehow inorganic! Twilight and I couldn’t stop laughing about that one for days after we first read about it.” I swallowed a chunk of rice and waved my fork in the air for emphasis. "Honestly, it was one of the dumbest things I read about twenty-first century Earth… well, that and some shortlived fad called, what was it, like 'virtual tokens' or something?"

"Pfft, yeah," Cadeneza chuckled. "What a laugh that must have been. I tried explaining it to a Ferengi I ran into at a bar on Risa once and he about fell off of his chair laughing. Anyway, this grain was another one like that. Except that since it’s so rare to be able to grow it without pesticides even today, it’s protected. You have to fork out a ton of credits for a replicator pattern that uses it in any amount; Starfleet’s not allowed to have it aboard their ships unless it’s keyed to a particular person, and even then, there’s limits on how much it can be used.”

I thought about that for a moment, then nodded in understanding. “Right, it’s just like how you have to purchase replicator patterns for particular custom recipes made by restaurants or gourmet chefs; it’s how we protect their creativity from being stolen and wasted.”

It was one of the most interesting aspects of the Federation, I found, how frequently people within it claimed to not use money. Except we did. We simply used it for special things, the unique creations of artists and artisans of all types. A simple credit system based around energy usage helped provide a medium of exchange. Even the Federation still needed a way to parcel out land for homes or other such things; not everyone could have a massive vineyard in France like Captain Picard’s family.

It was a strange system, even considering the world I and my sister came from. Yet the system worked, because with all of their basic needs met, people focused on bettering themselves rather than accumulating as much wealth and property as possible. Estates like the Picards' were a rarity, and almost always had been passed down through the centuries.

It was a fair system, even if I had a difficult time with understanding it, to the point that I didn’t bother explaining it to Twilight that first day we went shopping after she first came to us. But over the years I've realized the rather simple idea behind all of it - contentment.

When society's basic needs are universally met, people are freed to chase what makes them content, instead of what provides their next meal, or keeps the lights on for another week. I wonder what the Federation would think of Equestria's economics–

“Hey, you listening to me?”

I blinked, realizing that Cadeneza was suddenly up in my face. “Whoa, what?”

“You conked out for a minute there,” she said, before collapsing back into the couch.

“Oh, uh, sorry. You were saying about the grain?”

She nodded and continued, “Yeah, so anyway, Pog told me he grew up on the fancy stuff; apparently his family was compensated well for contributing someone to some colonial venture they sent off to the Delta Quadrant back before the founding of the Federation. Crazy to think he’s got some family member out there he’ll never know.”

I winced, finding my last bite of rice and vegetables turning to ash in my mouth. “That’s terrible,” I murmured.

She blew a sigh out through her teeth. “Shit, sorry, shouldn’t have just dropped that one in your face.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” I said, waving it off as best I could in the moment. “Just keep telling your story.”

“...right. Anyway, since he was used to the fancy stuff, he hates the normal stuff, and it’s a popular grain so it’s in a lot of Tellarite dishes. He’s spent a lot of credits accumulating replicator patterns over the years. So he wanted to know if he could use this chaos factor thing to make a proxy of it.”

“...I guess that’s not technically in violation of the law,” I said as I put my plate back into the replicator and fetched another glass of water.

“Yeah, but see, the thing is, it worked. Sort of.” Cadeneza brought out her PADD and showed me some readings. “See here? Except it worked so well it produced the basic amino acids of the grain’s proteins, and nothing else. And since he tried to make it into a bowl of cereal, it produced this bowl of disgusting oily goo. He took one taste with a finger and then punched the bowl across the room; we all got splashed with it.” She grinned and laughed.

“...yeah, that sounds like Pog, alright,” I said with a grimace, holding a hoof to my forehead. “He did clean it up, right? Please tell me he cleaned it up.”

“Of course he did,” Cadeneza said. She looked at me cock-eyed. “Not even a little laugh? You really are tired. Let’s get to bed, then.”

I grimaced harder. “Err, no offense, but I think I need to sleep by myself. I don’t have the energy to be… err, frisky.”

“Hey, I don’t have to be frisky,” she said as she gently led me over to the bed, dousing the lights in the rest of my quarters. She drew me under the covers with her, gently holding onto me. “I can just sleep.”

“You’d better,” I groaned. “Computer, set alarm for 0800.” The computer bleeped in acknowledgement.

As the lights dimmed, I found myself scooting in closer to Cadeneza, nudging her arm till I was nestling in the crook of it. Cadeneza responded by brushing her other hand through my mane a few times, planted a kiss on the crown of my head, then held me just a little bit tighter.

I rapidly fell asleep after that, my dreams a troubled mess of shouting admirals, dinners with Cadeneza, and memories of home.

At some point the dreams seemed to fade, and my mind fully succumbed to sleep - only to be jolted awake when my horn all but exploded in pain.

"Ahh!" My whole body went stiff as a board in an instant, like every nerve in me had been pinched at once. I tried to speak, to reach for Cadenza, but nothing worked. All I knew was pain.

I tried to push through, struggling to reach the bedside console somehow. I had moved maybe a few inches, then it hit me again, blasting down my horn like lightning and setting my inner pool of magic aflame like nothing else ever had. The shock to my system was enough to send me tumbling out of bed and onto the floor like a sack of apples. Now I curled in on myself, shaking uncontrollably and barely holding in the contents of both my stomach and my bladder.

"J-Jacq..."

"Wha–Sunset, what happened?" Cadeneza blurted as she sat up and scrambled across the bed towards me. I blearily watched her scoot off the bed and do her best to get me back into a seated position. "You okay? I'll call sick bay right away."

"N-No..." I managed. "Call Twi--"

“Sparkle to Shimmer!” Twilight’s voice came through tense, almost strangled, like she was in as much pain as I was. “Sunset, did you feel that just now?"

"Yeah…it was like some kind of magic shockwave. What was that?"

"Dunno. But we need to find out.”

“Right,” I groaned. “Report to the science lab. Get them scanning the area pronto." I sighed. "And I know you're tired. I am too."

I could hear the appreciation in her voice even as she answered, "Aye, ma'am," and closed the channel.

“Shimmer to bridge,” I said immediately.

“Bridge here,” answered Williams.

“I need an immediate scan of the area and everything within ten light years for magic; my sister and I just felt an enormous surge shock us. Something's happened somewhere. And contact the other ships and order them to do the same. I'm on my way to the bridge now."

"Understood… ma’am, is something wrong? Are you alright?”

I smiled slightly. “I’m fine, Williams, thank you. I’ll be there soon.”

“Yes ma'am." The channel closed.

“Sunset, seriously, what–”

I shook my head even as I went for a fresh uniform. “I don’t know what caused it, but that’s what I’m aiming to find out. Get some more sleep, okay?”

She drew herself up, eyes narrowing into a deep look of concern. “Sunny…” She got up and walked over to me before kneeling down to hug me tightly. She let out a few deep, shuddering breaths as she held me, then bowed her head against mine before planting a kiss on my cheek. “Be careful, okay? Don’t get hurt.”

I choked up, barely able to respond thanks to the emotions roiling in my gut. I returned the kiss. “I’ll be okay, I promise.”

“You better.” She headed back over to bed and she was snoring before her head hit the pillow.

Blearily I trudged through the corridors, cradling an extra large mug of raktajino that I slurped every so often in the hopes of cracking my eyes open. Despite the magical shockwave, or whatever the hell that was, my body wanted sleep.

But I slipped into the magical lab, nodding to my fellow officers as I stepped up to the console controlling the sensors. “Sparkle,” said a Bolian ensign named Haq’ra, on loan to us from the Brynhild. “I thought you headed to bed hours ago.”

“I did,” I answered as I began working the console. “But Commander Shimmer ordered me to do some scans. A magical shockwave of some kind just passed through this area.”

She eyed me for a moment. “How do you know that happened?”

I tapped my horn. “Unicorns are sensitive to magic, and what Shimmer and I felt held enough energy to wipe out a starbase. Or worse.”

“Good enough for me. Beginning sensor sweeps.”

As I worked, the doors swished open, revealing Adagio Dazzle, her mouth curled up with worry. “Sparkle,” she hissed, “Aria, Sonata,and I almost permanently defeaned the captain of the Shimakazewhen we were briefing her on a research project just now. We hopped a shuttle back over straight away. What was that shockwave?”

“You felt it too,” I said, nodding. “We don’t know yet. We’re not even sure where it came from,” I answered. Then I frowned, turning to the Sirens. “What did it feel like to you?”

“Oooh, at first, it was all shrill and fast, like a bajillion phaser bolts all at once,” Sonata answered, lazily waving her hands around in the air, her usual frenetic energy all but gone. “Then it went through us leaving this weird gross feeling in its wake, like being covered in salad dressing.”

“Oily salad dressing,” Aria added with a snort.

“Oily salad dressing left out to rot for five days on the counter,” Adagio concluded with a shiver. “We screamed at the top of our lungs in surprise. And when a siren screams…”

I flashed them a look of sympathy. “That sounds awful, I’m sorry to hear it.”

“What’d it feel like to you, Twily?” Sonata inquired.

I tapped my horn. “Like an explosion of energy, as if I’d stuck my horn into an electrical conduit. Sent me almost flying out of bed, left me pretty sick to my stomach too. Sunset reported much the same. She's on her way to the bridge as we speak.”

“Whatever it was, it was like no magic I’d ever felt before,” Adagio said, crossing her arms over her chest. “And far, far more powerful. Nothing on Equus ever came close to it, not even Discord.”

I shivered at the name. Discord, the spirit of chaos and disharmony, one of a number of magical creatures with the power to rival Princess Celestia in sheer magical strength. “Yeah,” I said, my voice almost choking on my words. “Definitely not good.”

“Ensign, I’ve got something,” Haq’ra said, drawing my attention back to the console. “The Sparkle sensors are picking some kind of trail emanating from near the Cardassian border.”

I leapt back over to the sensors right away to look for myself. “Confirmed,” I said as my magic tapped the keys, doing my best to follow the signal. “But it’s hard to track…” I tapped my badge. “Sparkle to bridge.”

“Shimmer here, Sparkle. What’s the news on the situation?”

“We’ve managed to identify a trail, but we’re having a hard time following it. Is there a chance we can get the rest of the fleet to tie their sensors into the Phoenix’s, work in tandem?”

“Should be doable. Stand by.”

After a short while spent waiting, Sunset let me know the sensors were tied in. Like old-style radio telescopes all pointed in the same direction, the sensors of the fleet worked together to act as a larger collection array, and with it tracking the signal was made much easier.

The Sirens watched impatiently as I continued to tap keys until I finally muttered, “That’s it. I know where it is. Bridge, Sparkle here. I’ve located the source.”

“Go ahead, Ensign,” said the voice of Liang. Evidently the Captain himself had gotten up to see to this.

“It’s in the Denorios belt, in the Bajoran system. The source is…” I looked over the readings more one more time, still not quite believing the crystal clear data in front of me. “The wormhole, sir.”

Silence reigned for a few moments before Liang’s hesitant response. “Is there a chance we can determine what caused it?”

“Not from here,” I answered, trying to keep any shakiness out of my voice. “Sir, if the source was the wormhole, the Dominion might’ve–”

“I’m aware. Report to the conference lounge. Are the Sirens with you?”

“Yes, they are, sir.”

“Bring them along. Liang out.”

The Sirens all gave me a puzzled look. “What exactly might the Dominion have done?” Adagio asked me as we left the lab and headed for the nearest turbolift.

“The minefield,” I said. “The Federation left a minefield in front of the wormhole before we abandoned the station. If the Dominion took it down, they could bring reinforcements through.”

Oddly this response caused the Sirens to share a knowing look, and rather than say anything Adagio smiled softly and remained silent.

Worry gnawed at my belly as the turbolift reached deck two, depositing us just a few steps away from the ramp up to the bridge and conference lounge. As we entered the lounge I saw that we were joined by the Captain, Sunset, Admiral Nechayev, and, oddly enough, Lieutenant Wattson. I tried to avoid catching her gaze as I took a seat.

“Very well, now that we’re all here,” Liang said, tapping his cane to his wrist. “The Admiral has given me permission to bring the two of you up to speed regarding the situation with DS9.”

“Not to speak out of turn, sir,” Wattson said, “but why me?”

“Same reason all the other command staffs are being advised,” Nechayev answered with a slight glare. “To be brief, we received intelligence that the Dominion were about to take down the minefield. We assembled a fleet of six hundred ships led by the Defiant and sent them to take back the station. The last we heard they were met by a fleet of over twelve hundred Dominion ships.”

“Holy shit,” Wattson whispered, echoing my own sentiments as chills ran down my spine. “Ma’am, do we know if they made it?”

She shook her head. “We don’t.”

“Well, the magic couldn’t have been from the minefield coming down,” I said. “I studied the design; there was nothing about it that involved magic. Ma’am, did the intelligence we received say if they succeeded in taking it down?”

“Yes, they took it down, with an anti-graviton beam using the station’s deflector array,” Nechayev repeated after checking her PADD. “Why?”

“That wouldn’t have anything to do with magic either,” Sunset said in answer for me. “So unless the Dominion has something magical…” She shook her head. “Ma’am, we need to get someone on site to check what happened.”

“Out of the question,” Nechayev said immediately. “We don’t even know the results of the battle. For all we know the Dominion obliterated the fleet and have reinforcements pouring into the Alpha Quadrant as we speak.”

“I’m not saying we send a starship,” Sunset countered. “But we have a runabout aboard. We can quickly tie some Sparkle sensors into it and send that. If we take a circuitous route we can then make it look like it came into the system from a completely different heading than this nebula.”

“I’m sorry, Number One, but I can’t authorize what might be a suicide mission,” Liang said. “We must wait to discover what the status of the station is. If it turns out that we took the station back after all, we’ll see about your suggestion.”

“We’d have to send someone who isn’t one of the Equestrians or the Sirens,” Nechayev said.

“Actually, ma’am, I disagree,” I said, raising a hoof. “If I may.”

“...very well, go ahead,” Nechayev grumbled.

I cleared my throat. “If we’ve taken back DS9 then it would actually be a good thing for either myself or Sunset to be seen in public.”

“But the Dominion would know you’re there,” Liang said, though from the twinkle in his eye I suspected he understood where I was going with this.

“Exactly, sir,” I answered, and received a smile from him that confirmed my suspicions. “If the Dominion sees one of us in public on DS9 then that gives them reason to believe the other is nearby. It helps throw them off any potential scent about the actual location of the Phoenix.”

Sunset tapped the table. “And I have another good reason, actually. Security Chief Odo. The phaser modification to deploy a sleep spell functions well enough a prototype could be taken. If he’s willing we can test it on him, and if it works on him we’ll know it works on all other Changelings.”

Liang nodded. “I see your point, Number One. We could disguise it as a simple crew transfer plus scientific expedition… you’re there to run scans on the wormhole using some special sensors developed on your runabout, you’re transferring crew, and while on the station you happen to speak with Odo and, man willing, test the phaser. I like this plan.”

Nechayev raised an eyebrow and nodded. “It’s a simple but effective bit of guile. Good suggestion, Ensign. Assuming that–”

“Bridge to Liang.”

Liang tapped his badge. “Liang here.”

“Captain, we’ve just received some major news. The Dominion has officially withdrawn from Bajor. The Federation has retaken Deep Space Nine.”

“Sweet,” Sonata muttered, the closest any of us came to what we all clearly wanted to do, which was pound the desk and shout. As it was, there were grins all around, and Nechayev visibly seemed to sit up straighter, as if a massive weight was lifted from her shoulders.

“Do we have word on casualties?” Liang continued.

“Not yet, sir. All we know is the Defiant survived the battle; the word came from Captain Sisko himself.”

“Excellent news, Williams. Thank you.” Liang tapped his badge to end the transmission then looked around the table. “Well, it seems Ensign Sparkle’s suggestion just went from intriguing to practical. I recommend we get on it right away.”

Nechayev nodded and stood. “I’ll need to pass along transfer orders. I’ll see if any crewmen are looking to leave the Phoenix.”

“And, with permission, I’ll see that the runabout gets the Sparkle sensor upgrade right away,” Shimmer said.

Liang shook his head. “I’ll make sure someone else does it; you clearly still need rest, Number One. You should take it. You’ll need it for the trip.”

“Allow me to handle the upgrade, sir,” I volunteered. “With Lieutenant Wattson’s assistance we can have it done within a couple of hours.”

Nodding to me, Liang said, “Very well. However, once you are finished, you are to remain off duty for the next twelve hours. Much as I appreciate the efforts of both yourself and Commander Shimmer, you are too valuable to use carelessly. Especially if we are no longer under the threat of Dominion reinforcements.”

“Aye sir,” Wattson and I chimed.

Nechayev looked around the room, as if weighing if she needed to say anything else. Then with a slight shrug, she said, “Dismissed.”

While the sirens went their own way, I followed Wattson to the closest turbolift on deck two. “Main Shuttlebay,” she ordered as the doors whisked shut, and with it the fresh air that abated the growing stench of tension surrounding the two of us.

It grew, palpable and strong, heavy in my nostrils, until eventually we both found ourselves calling out, “halt turbolift!”

Wattson and I faced each other, and to her credit she got down on one knee so we could more easily look each other in the eye. “Listen, Twilight… I want to apologize.”

My eyebrows rose. “You do?”

“Yes,” she insisted, tapping one hand against her other palm. “I already spoke to Sunset about this, but you deserve to know too. When I was much younger, I had a lot of health problems. The kind that meant I had to be placed under stasis more than once to keep me alive while they devised treatments. Eventually I got through it and I’m fine now, but it was touch and go for a long time.”

I let out a low whistle. “That’s... I’m so sorry, Amelia.”

She gave me a wry smile. “Yes, well, it’s what it is, and I’m grateful for it, but it was also a bit traumatic at times. Enough that I hate the idea of ever being placed deliberately unconscious.”

Instantly I realized where this was going. “Oh,” I muttered, looking away. “So my sleep spell–”

“Was one gigantic trigger, yeah,” she replied, her smile twisting into a half frown. “Not that you had any way of knowing that. I never told you or Sunset about any of this, because it happened well before I knew Cadeneza. Even she doesn’t know the full extent of it.”

I nodded, giving her an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, again, then, that I triggered you like that.”

She shook her head. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault. It was mine for messing with technology I didn’t fully understand, without a knowledge of how your safety spells worked. I’m the idiot that’s lucky to be alive right now.”

“Still, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry I added any stress,” I said, even as I found myself smiling from her words.

She smiled back and opened her arms, which I happily sank into for a hug. “Apologies all around accepted, then?”

“Yup.”

She chuckled and gave me a tight squeeze around the withers before letting me go. “Well, I’m glad we worked that out. I don’t want to drive a wedge into our friendship.” She stood back up. “Resume.”

As the turbolift discharged us onto the Main Shuttlebay deck, we stepped inside. I took a moment, as I always did, to admire the sheer size and scale of it all. An absolutely cavernous space, longer than several sports fields and high enough to fit all but the largest warp cores inside of it with room to spare. Shuttlecraft of all sizes filled the docking bays, the throngs of maintenance personnel looking like so many ants crawling around the gigantic hanger. I watched a pair of Worker Bees lift off the deck and glide out into space, slipping through the blue forcefield with barely a hum from the field itself.

If I'm honest with myself, I've always been equal parts impressed and scared by the realization that only that semi-transparent blue wall was keeping us all from being sucked into space.

But our destination was the runabout Euphrates, the only vessel in the bay that was a starship instead of a shuttlecraft. Barely large enough to justify the name, it nevertheless had everything a starship officially needed, and met the minimum size qualifications by Starfleet Engineering.

Just.

As we approached we saw Hill coming from a different direction, pushing an anti-grav cart laden with sensor pallets and crystals. “Got everything you two need right here, ma’am,” he said to Wattson.

“Thanks, Chris,” she replied. “That was fast.”

Hill smiled and wiped some sweat from his brow. “Well, you know me. I’d better get back to Engineering though; they’ve been having some issues with the EPS conduits on Deck 17.”

We both nodded to him as he left, and I took the anti-grav cart and brought it over to the runabout itself. “Alright, Ensign,” Wattson said as she pulled out a couple of toolkits from a nearby locker. “Let’s get to work.”

I waited for Wattson to step clear before grabbing a toolkit for myself with a bit of magic. “I'll focus on the converter and Shimmer crystals. I should have them running inside of half an hour.”

“Try forty-five minutes; we’re not in that big of a rush and this is a runabout sized warp core; it’s not exactly outputting the same level of power as the Phoenix.”

“Aye,” I acknowledged as I headed for the central compartment, where the Jefferies tube access lay. Crawling inside was easy with my small pony frame, and I swiftly got into place near the warp core.

The warp cores of smaller ships like this fascinated me. Despite not being in engineering like Sunset, antimatter reactors always captured my imagination, just because of how remarkable they were. Back in Equestria we’d barely even come up with the concept of atoms, let alone antimatter. And if we somehow had discovered antimatter, I'm sure I'd have said to everypony who would listen that the very idea of deliberately inducing collisions between it and normal matter for any reason was pure suicide!

Sometimes I wondered if it still was, given all that was keeping the antimatter from escaping was a series of magnetic bottles and forcefields. Maybe one day Starfleet or someone could engineer a better power generation method, one that wasn’t so risky. But it was the only way to generate enough power to warp space-time and enable FTL travel.

By now setting up the converter was a simple matter; the majority was finished within five minutes, including the enchanting. The real kicker was customizing some of the inputs for this type of warp core. I’d seen a variety at this point, from the monster beast on the Enterprise, to the Phoenix’s slightly less powerful but no less impressive core, to the slender one about the Algerie that seemed bizarrely small for an Intrepid’s speed capabilities, to the classic workhorse design housed aboard the Shimakaze.

Compared to those, this one was like an adorable kid sister, pulsing away with power sufficient to bring the runabout up to warp six, but no more, and that was without powering shields or weapons. Bringing those online would slow it to warp five. Yet it chugged away, proud and happy.

In a way it reminded me a little of myself, when I still lived in Equestria.

Equestria… just the thought of it brought a tear to my eye, even now. I couldn’t remember my birth parents' faces anymore; the only reason I still knew their names was the information that had been recorded when I first came to Earth. Even Shining… I didn’t know anymore either. I didn’t even really think of him as my BBBFF anymore. Not when I had my BSBFF in Sunset.

Sometimes that realization haunted me, a guilty conscience, manifesting in nightmares where their faceless forms accused me of betrayal, of forgetting them in favor of Mother and Mom, of being a bad daughter, a terrible daughter, one they were glad they lost…

But that was ridiculous, I knew. I’m sure they were devastated when I vanished. They likely pestered Princess Celestia for days, months, years even, trying to find me before they had to give up. How much had it hurt them? How long had they suffered?

I wonder if they had any other children after me. God, how would I even feel about that anyway? We make it back to Equestria, only to find out they had some surrogate new daughter? Would I hate my little sister? Or would she pull a me and reject me for suddenly showing back up and turning her life upside down?

“Wattson to Sparkle. You good in there?”

Distracted from my thoughts I tapped my badge. “Yes, ma’am. Just finishing up testing. Everything is looking good; the converter is up and running in the green.”

“Great. Come help me with the sensor pallets, then.”

I finished up in the tube and crawled back out, finding Wattson in the forward section, several panels ripped out of the floor. “Oh, we’re replacing these sensors, not the ones on the pod atop the hull?”

“No, they’re gonna have that module swapped out with an extra photon torpedo launcher before they send the ship out,” she answered. “Just in case.”

My stomach soured at the thought. “Of course. Right.”

“You okay, Twilight?” Wattson asked as I got to work helping her with the delicate task of swapping out pallets. Each one took at least five to ten minutes to carefully shimmy out of position without harming it or leaving behind debris, and each new one took almost twice as long to fit back in.

“Yeah,” I answered as I worked. “Just a little reminiscing.”

“Thinking about Equus?” she pressed.

I let out a slight chuckle. “How’d you guess?”

“As long as I've known you, it's been the one thing that's always on your mind, no matter how busy you are otherwise. Even on your worst days, you'd talk about it.”

It took me several minutes of careful pallet installation before I responded. “Yeah. I’ve been kind of hoping these magic sensors will make it easier to find. Equus ought to stand out like a galactic center black hole on these, the magic signal will be so strong.”

“Assuming it’s ever anywhere in sensor range, but I hear you,” Wattson said as she finished slotting in a pallet. “You know we’ll find it someday. I promise.”

“I hope so.”

Soon we were finished with the installation, and after some basic tests, pronounced it a success. “Better go get some sleep now, Twilight,” Wattson said with a sly smile. “You look dead on your hooves.”

I squeezed my eyes shut momentarily to try to wash away some of my exhaustion. “Yeah, yeah I am.” My jaw gaped wide open in a huge yawn, prompting Wattson to snicker. “What?”

“Nothing, just… you stick your tongue out like a cat when you do that,” she said, giggling. “And your mouth gets all huge, like you’re gonna swallow someone up.”

I stared at her, one eye closed from tiredness, the other only half open. “What?” I repeated, more confused this time.

She looked at me, then her hands went to cover her mouth as she laughed aloud. “Oh crap… now you… ahahaha! The only thing missing is the flying part!”

“Huh?”

She waved her hand dismissively. “Nevermind. When you wake up, look up ‘flying purple people eater.’”

“...you’re weird, Amelia,” I groaned as I turned around to head for my quarters.

The good news was, we had no trouble finding crewmembers among the assembled ships who needed to transfer to Deep Space Nine. Seven of them in fact.

The bad news was, we were all crammed inside of a runabout that for practical purposes ceased being comfortable with five passengers aboard. And we had a full day's journey ahead of us too.

I volunteered to take the con, since it was a one person job on such a small craft. The other passengers were ensigns and lieutenants who seemed content to keep to themselves and give me a wide berth, which suited me just fine at the present moment.. It left me plenty of time to sift over the reports of what the hell happened.

Like Captain Sisko’s report of witnessing the ships inside the wormhole disappear, after begging the Prophets to act to save Bajor. He presented it without comment, but the evidence was pretty clear: the removal or destruction or whatever the wormhole aliens did to those ships was what my sister, the sirens, and I all felt.

Which said a great deal about what non corporeal entities like the Prophets were capable of. It was why, as I came into the system, I’d been ordered to pass near the wormhole and scan it. Ideally we’d want scans from inside, but Nechayev didn’t think that was worth the risk, and for once in my life I actually agreed with her. If the aliens saw my magic as some kind of threat, who knows what would happen. They could attack us directly, or reverse course and let Dominion ships pass through after all.

Me, personally? I didn't want to tangle with them. If they really were using magic, they could easily sense my own and see me as some kind of interloper. I’d spent some of the time on the trip reading all of Sisko’s reports on the Prophets and from the sound of it, they’d sooner see me as something to destroy out of fear.

And I liked living, thanks.

The helm ahead of me beeped. "We're coming out of warp," I announced to the rest of the ship. "Make ready for departure."

As the stars shrank back into points, I witnessed a great many starships come into view, Federation, Klingon, and a few others. A mighty Galaxy-class passed near us, as if giving us a look before moving on.

I switched on the comms. "Runabout Euphrates to DS9, we are in system and performing a brief survey of the wormhole. Requesting docking access."

The voice that came over the comms was gruff, male, Irish, and instantly familiar. "Acknowledged, Euphrates. You're cleared for Runabout Pad C. And, Commander Shimmer, welcome to Deep Space Nine."

"Thank you, Chief O'Brien," I said with a small grin. "Euphrates out."

I adjusted course for the location of the wormhole, careful not to pass close enough to trigger it opening, and spent a short while scanning it with every variety of Sparkle sensors we’d managed to come up with thus far, the data from which confirmed Sisko’s report and then some: the wormhole was flooded with magic. Just about every bit of unidentified energy patterns that other starships had ever scanned from the thing showed up as a form of magic, albeit magic I didn’t fully recognize. Some of it looked a bit like teleportation matrices or magical storage, but the rest… I’d have to analyze once back on the Phoenix.

In the meantime I swung around to Runabout Pad C, set down, and waited for the automated docking procedures to secure us.

“All hands, we’ve arrived,” I announced. “Depart when ready. And good luck on your new assignments.”

The various junior officers all thanked me as they filed through; I let them all go ahead and step onto the station before I finally grabbed my own belongings and carried them with me to the airlock.

As I stepped through I took in the gray corridors, the grayer deck plating and the lighter gray accents; Cardassian architecture sure involved a lot of gray.

And yet to my surprise there was an officer waiting for me, a female human ensign I didn’t recognize, with a large afro hairstyle and chocolate toned skin. “Whoa-ho!” she said as she looked at me, grinning widely. “You know they said I was here to meet a Sunset Shimmer, and I was like that’s kind of a hippie name, and they told me you were a unicorn and I was like no way, that’s ridiculous but hey, here you are, hi!”

I raised an amused eyebrow. “Um, hello, Ensign…”

“Mariner. Beckett Mariner,” she said, sticking a hand out. “Chief O’Brien asked me to show you around the station; he’d do it himself but he’s too busy making repairs which is pretty much all he's been doing since we retook the station a couple of days ago. That battle was crazy; I was on board the Atlantisfor it and we took out at least a half dozen Jem’Hadar fighters and a Galor-class ship before it was all over; were you in the battle?”

The speed at which Mariner spoke made me dizzy; I could barely parse it. “Ah, no, I wasn’t,” I said as I shook her hand. “Listen, Ensign. I do appreciate the warm welcome, and a tour sounds great. But I do have some important business with Constable Odo in an hour, so can we make it the shortened tour perhaps? No offense of course.”

Mariner nodded vigorously and gestured to the hallway. “Yes ma’am, of course. Sooooooo… what’s it like as a unicorn, huh? You get a lot of people trying to make wishes on you or something? Or ask you to do magic things?”

I snorted in amusement while we walked; whirlwind or not, there was something about this Ensign I liked. “Uh, not really; usually people just stare whenever they see me do stuff like this.” I deliberately floated my duffel bag up and around my head before wrapping it around my back again.

She watched, an expression of childlike wonder on her face. “Whoa! That is so cool!”

“Yeah, it’s pretty neat,” I said as we reached the turbolift. “So, where are we headed first?”

“Ah, thought we’d start with the habitat ring, so you know where your quarters are,” Mariner answered. “Level 25, section theta.”

“Cancel,” I said, looking back at Mariner. “I should be able to find my way there when I need to; right now I’d prefer to concentrate on more important areas.”

A frown briefly appeared on Mariner’s face before she swapped to an understanding smile. “Right yeah, I hear you. Important areas. So, forget the habitat ring. Promenade!”

The lift surged to life once more. “So, like any station,” she said, “the Promenade is the life of the place. Got so many people up there all the time, from local Bajorans to Starfleet officers to all sorts of neutral traders and more. Lotta people are doing business with Bajor right now due to its neutrality, and they don’t really care who controls DS9.”

“So business has barely slowed at all despite the change in management,” I quipped as the turbolift reached the Promenade, discharging us onto the lower of the two crowded decks. Scores, nay, hundreds of people of all species walked the Promenade, plenty in Starfleet uniforms but the majority in civilian clothing. I spotted a few in Bajoran militia uniforms too, likely part of station security.

Mariner raised her voice as she replied, “Yup, pretty much. So, first thing,” she pointed over just to the left of where we’d come out. “Security office is right there, just so you know. You’ll find Odo in there for your meeting. Second, you got latinum?”

“Uuuh… why?” I asked as she began to walk in the opposite direction of the security office.

“‘Cause if you want anything from the Promenade other than at the Replimat, you’re gonna need it. Credits don’t cut it on DS9; you gotta have cold hard cash.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a few slips, then tossed them to me. “Here. So you can get something at Quark’s once we reach it.”

“Thanks, but you don’t need to give me your money,” I said, trying to hand it back.

She snickered and waved it away. “Don’t worry, I’ve got a pretty swank bank account. I’m good at the dabo table, if you catch my drift.”

I chuckled in turn and pocketed the slips. “Alright. Thanks, Ensign.”

“Mind calling me Mariner?” she asked, her smile turning from mischievous to oddly hopeful. “I-I know you’re a senior officer, but, err, well… I feel like we’re connecting here.”

I eyed her for a moment, then found myself smiling with her. “Alright. Call me Sunset, then, at least on this tour and when I’m off duty.”

“Copy that, Sunset,” she beamed. She then pointed to a nearby stand. “Alright, so, let me give you the skinny on all the shops here. A lot of ‘em are the kind of thing you’d expect, touristy stuff, kitschy goods from Bajor, small food stalls, things like that. This one here, they sell amazing jumja sticks, way better than any you could get from a replicator.”

“I’m guessing that’s some kind of sweet?”

“Yup; made of jumja sap, full of vitamin C. Pretty healthy for a sweet actually, kinda like a Bajoran version of agave nectar,” she answered. “Want one?”

“Maybe later; I’ll try to grab one after my meeting with Odo.”

“Right on, right on. So, over there, that’s Garak’s tailor shop.”

I hissed a breath as I spotted who was working inside: a Cardassian. “Right, Garak, I’ve heard of him,” said. “Most of it bad.”

“Eh, some of it’s exaggerated,” Mariner said with a dismissive gesture. “Garak’s on our side, if that’s what you’re worried about; he even stuck with the Defiant while it was at Starbase 375, I heard.”

“Huh. Odd. I don’t remember seeing him when–” I cut myself off. “Nevermind that. You were saying?”

She eyed me for a moment, then shrugged. “Anyway, you ever want some good clothes, and I mean really good clothes, go to him. Whatever else you say about him, he’s an excellent tailor.”

She continued to lead me around, and when we neared the lower entrance to the restaurant she called Quark’s bar, she led me instead to a ramp leading to the upper level of the Promenade. “Not that many shops up here, but there’s a great view.” She pointed over to the great bay windows, which gave a beautiful view of the habitat ring and outer docking ring, along with all the starships around. “You can see the wormhole open from here too, sometimes,” she said. “Though I don’t know how often you’ll see it right now, considering the circumstances.”

Finally she led me the rest of the way around and stopped at the upper entrance to Quark’s. “So, here’s the other way in. Quark’s a greedy little shit, but he sells good food, and he’s got the only holosuites on the station.” She cleared her throat. “I, uh, was just about to go off duty actually, if you want to join me for a drink.”

“Unfortunately, I'm still on duty myself, and,” I quickly checked my PADD, “it's almost time for my meeting. But if you don't mind waiting, maybe I can join you afterwards?”

“Sure, sure!” she said with a light laugh. “No pressure. Right. Uh, right, guess I’ll go then… see you.”

I nodded, and she shimmied off into Quarks without looking back. Only once she was out of earsight did I laugh to myself and let my cheeks warm with the blush I’d been holding back. “Wow. Someone’s got an instant crush.”

Don't get me wrong, she wasn't bad looking at all, and I'd be lying if I said a small part of me didn't appreciate the attention. But not only did our respective ranks make that a non-starter, but I had Cadeneza already, and that was more than enough for me.

I stopped at that, my breath hitching in my throat for a moment. Did... did my heart just flutter a bit? My mind wandered back to the Phoenix, to the moment before I left Cadeneza's quarters. The way she held me, the words she spoke. The caring look in her eyes. "Is she..."

I blushed again, this time all on my own. I turned and gazed out the huge bay windows, as if I could see my ship somewhere out there. "Am I...?"

Bleep bleep. Bleep bleep.

Blinking in confusion, I pulled out my PADD, wondering who’d be sending me a communique on the station. It turned out it was Constable Odo; he’d become embroiled with a security issue and needed to postpone our meeting for at least an hour.

“Great,” I muttered. “What am I supposed to do till then?”

Briefly I considered joining Mariner, but as nice as she was, I didn’t want to feed her obvious crush, and she struck me as the type to assume I’d postponed things for her sake; it would make letting her down more difficult and I didn’t want to do that to her.

I’d learned a lot since my mistake with Smith.

So instead I found myself wandering down to the lower level of the Promenade, poking around at the shops again. I wasn’t hungry yet, so I didn’t bother stopping at the Replimat. I did spot a few potential gifts I could get Twilight, and picked out a book of Bajoran fairytales, something she’d appreciate. But nothing else caught my eye, so perhaps it was fate that inevitably landed me in front of Garak’s tailor shop once again.

I took a few deep breaths. Was this really somewhere I wanted to step inside? Defector to our side or not, Garak was still a Cardassian, and every security report I’d read on DS9 suggested he was, at best, not to be trusted further than a two year old could toss him, and at worst a potential liability.

And yet, I was curious. Too curious for my own good, it turned out, as after another moment, I stepped inside, triggering some kind of bell to ring out inside the shop as soon as I crossed the threshold.

Inside, I found a mostly empty space, though given the events of the last few days here it made some sense. Several hanging racks were setup in clusters, clearly awaiting inventory. Numerous crates dotted the room, a few marked, oddly, with Dominion and Starfleet security symbols; those were separated from the rest and clustered near the door. Near the back, where a door led into another room, was a single counter with a terminal set up on it, facing the customer side.

“Just a moment!” came a pleasant tenor voice from deeper within the shop. “I’m afraid I’m in the middle of something, but I’ll be with you in a moment. Apologies for the lack of clothing on display; I’m afraid that with the recent reconquering of the station, I’ve yet to properly unpack.”

Garak's voice oozed charm, but in a way that any unprepared person would find completely genuine. That kind of tone took practice. A lot of practice. But at least for the moment, I knew better than that. “Oh that's okay," I called back, putting a bit of extra sweetness into my voice as well. "I doubt you'd have anything that would fit me anyway.”

“Oh?" came a reply. “Then may I suggest using the terminal just ahead of you? In it you will find a catalog most suitable for showing off a vast array of styles to fit any shape or size.”

"I'm sure it does," I said, stepping up to the terminal and tapping the screen awake. "But I'm also sure you've never had a customer like me in your shop."

“Really? And why might that be?” he said, his footfalls approaching the door. “It is rare I find such discriminating customers; usually they’re more than happy to…”

He trailed off as the door slid open, revealing us both to each other. Right away I knew I could pick this man out of a crowd of a million Cardassians, no matter how similar he looked to his brethren. There was something about him, something about how he stood, how he carried himself, his posture, his breathing, the look in his eyes, like he was calculating every thing, every person around him... this was a man trained to be unremarkable, just one lost figure in a crowd, and yet that very fact made him unforgettable at the same time.

For his part, he remained silent for just a few seconds before his mouth spread in a wide smile. “Aaah. I see. I suppose an equine would find clothes designed for humanoids unsuitable at best.”

“That she would, Mister Garak,” I said, matching him smile for smile. Mine wasn't nearly so wide, but one look in his eyes told me he already knew my smile was as fake as his was. The battle of wits was on.

“Mister is what Captain Sisko calls me every time he wants a favor. In here I am simply Garak, a simple tailor plying his wares on this often beleaguered station,” he replied. "Now, might I have your name?”

“Lieutenant Commander Sunset Shimmer,” I answered.

“Ah, wonderful to meet you, Commander.” He stepped up to the counter and turned the terminal to face him. “You’ll have to pardon me while I make a few alterations to my tailoring program here to account for your specific needs. You’re my first non-humanoid customer.”

“Am I now?” I said with a slight chuckle, letting a bit of sarcasm slip into my tone. “You mean you’ve never met another equine before?”

“Personally? No. But there was a species of equines native to a planet Cardassia colonized several hundred years ago, Ellicoria,” he answered, his smile shrinking to a more knowing grin. “They were quite different from you, though. Tall, hulking, with hand-like forehooves that they walked upon, much like a Tellerite ape might. Quite a fascinating species, I’m told. They'd barely mastered spaceflight when my people encountered them, but unfortunately first contact only served to divide the Ellicorians' society. By the time a second survey team returned a few years later, they had annihilated themselves.. A truly tragic loss, one that Cardassia honors forever with museums on their former home world.”

I didn't need to be a member of Starfleet Intelligence to know a bucket of horseapples when I saw one. I'd never heard of these Ellicorians before, and I regularly spent my time off combing Federation databases for any sign of an equine species. But I didn’t show my doubt on my face. “Really? That’s a shame.”

“Indeed,” he said, briefly shrugging. “So, might I ask where you hail from?”

I raised an eyebrow, making it clear I knew he already knew everything about me, likely had from the moment I set hoof on the station. “Equus. Where it is, I have no idea. Neither does Starfleet, or any of the Federation's best stellar cartographers. I was brought to Earth when I was eleven years old by some kind of ancient teleportation mirror. I joined Starfleet to hopefully find my homeworld.”

To my surprise his face bore a trace of genuine sympathy. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, nodding to me. “Being estranged from one's homeworld is a feeling I too understand, believe me. I hope you are able to find yours again.”

He tapped a few more times on the terminal, then turned it around again to face me. "In the meantime, if you're interested in truly bespoke clothing, you're in the right place."

I glanced at the small clock on the nearby wall. Still at least thirty minutes before my meeting was supposed to start. "Just don't try to fit me for a saddle, Garak, and we'll be fine."

He chuckled at that. "I wouldn't dream of it, Commander." He stepped around the counter towards me, pulling a rather well-worn measuring tape from his pocket. "May I?"

I let my eyes wander the room while Garak moved in and out of sight, though I did have a short range stun spell simmering in the back of my mind, just in case.

"I must say, your species is quite remarkable," Garak said as he measured my left wing. "Almost perfectly balanced physical proportions, and absolutely beautiful with those colors as well. Are all members of your species blessed with such vibrant appearances?"

That may have been the first honest question he'd asked since I walked in, though if he was trying to ingratiate himself with compliments, I wouldn't complain.

"More or less, yes," I replied. “Some ponies have less variance in their colors than others, of course, but if you can think of a color, there's probably a pony out there wearing it.”

"I see, I see. Fascinating!" He took a few more measurements, writing each of them down on a small notepad he had with him. "Though I must admit it may prove a bit tricky to find suitable fabrics that don't also clash with your natural colors. But I do like a challenge!"

With that small amount of rapport developed, I began discussing with him, what kind of clothing he might be able to make. We bounced around a few promising ideas, and to my shock he whipped up an example piece that was more comfortable than anything the computers had ever turned out. Impressed, I asked about pricing. “I only really have Federation credits.”

“Not to worry; as this station is once again run by the Federation, there is an exchange office you can contact. The exchange rate isn’t always the best, but I believe we can come to a few compromises if need be,” he said, his smile still in place. “The challenge of making clothing for an entirely different body shape than humanoid is worth a great deal to me on its own.”

In the end I agreed to buy a few outfits, and he promised he would have them for me before I had to leave Deep Space Nine, and was alright with accepting payment upon pickup even, which kept things simple for me.

I left the shop a few minutes later with a receipt on my PADD, directions to the exchange office, and a somewhat bemused sense of satisfaction on my mind. “I ought to get Twilight to see him sometime,” I murmured to myself.

Gurgle.

I patted my stomach. “Okay, okay, I get it,” I chuckled. Since I still had some time to kill, I decided to head for Quark’s bar. The Replimat might be free, but the bar was closer to Odo’s office, and should prove more entertaining.

Entering the place immediately blasted me with noise, forcing my ears back against my skull for a moment, my hackles rising automatically as I looked around before adjusting to the noise level. The inside was as rowdy as I’d expected, with seemingly every table and booth full of patrons, some of whom were from species I couldn't readily identify. Smells of alcohol and food mixed with raucous laughter, loud conversation, and the telltale ding of the dabo wheel, giving the entire place an almost wild west kind of energy. The latter sound drew my attention to the back of the first floor, where I spotted Mariner holding court around the wheel.

"Dabo!" I heard her scream when the wheel finished spinning. The two dabo girls quickly collected slips of latinum from the other players and passed them to Mariner, whose stack of winnings was already impressive.

There were a pair of staircases that led up to the second floor, which was full of quieter tables it seemed, but I chose to go straight for the bar, sitting on a stool next to a Lurian who peered at me as if I was one of the strangest things he’d ever seen; at least he wasn’t trying to pet me like a few people in the crowd looked like they wanted to do.

“Hi there,” I said to the Lurian, sticking out a hoof. “Nice to meet you.”

He stared wordlessly at me, his mouth moving slightly as if he wanted to speak but couldn’t find the words, before he briefly shook my hoof and then hopped off his stool and left the bar.

I looked down at my hoof, then shrugged. “Okay, dunno what that was about.”

“Oh, that was just Morn; don’t mind him,” said a familiar voice as a Trill Starfleet officer wearing science blue sat next to me. She gave me a smile. “He’s usually super chatty, but ever since we retook the station he’s been in a bit of a shock.”

“Gotcha,” I said with a chuckle. I held out my hoof again. “Good to meet you in person, Lieutenant Dax,”

“Likewise, Commander Shimmer,” she said, shaking my hoof. “So, what brings you to Quarks?”

“Just passing some time till I can speak with Odo,” I said.

“Well if you’re hungry for a snack, I recommend the sand peas with yamok sauce,” Dax replied, pointing out a menu I hadn’t noticed was embedded in a panel on the bar. “It’s a bit of an acquired taste, but your species is more on the herbivore side of omnivore I believe, so it should be right up your alley.”

I nodded. “Sounds good. Excuse me, bartender?”

“Coming!” A Ferengi wearing a suit laden with rhinestones carrying a small PADD in his hand approached. “Dax,” he said, nodding to her, then he paused as he looked at me, eying me, then her, then me again, before breaking out into laughter. “Dax, you know I don’t let pets in here.”

“I beg your pardon?” I said with just a touch of a growl in my voice as I reached out with my magic, ready to grab his ear if necessary.

Dax snorted with suppressed laughter as he blinked in shock and immediately launched into an apology. “Oh, excuse me, madam, I-I thought Dax was, err, you’ll have to excuse me, I’ve never met a member of your species before. I’m Quark, owner of this establishment.”

“Maybe you should get her a drink on the house as an apology, Quark,” Dax said with a chuckle. “Something hot.”

“Some sand peas and yamok sauce would be good too,” I added.

He let out a nervous laugh and bowed briefly to us. “Right, of course, coming right up. Excuse me for a moment.”

Once he walked away, I joined Dax in snickering at him. “Okay, I don’t usually play that card when I walk into new places,” I said, “but that was good.”

“He won’t even notice the loss of profit, don’t worry,” Dax said, waving it off. “He loses more than that every day from his usual operating costs. Besides, it’s always fun to stick his nose in it.”

“Fine by me.” I wrinkled my nose. “So this is where everyone on the station hangs out, huh?”

“That’s right,” Dax answered. She pointed over to one side of the room where a dartboard hung on the wall. “Usually you can find Chief O’Brien playing darts with Julian Bashir, our doctor. It’s too bad he’s so busy with repair work; I know he’d love to see you again.”

“I’ll try to say hello before I have to leave the station,” I said. “Speaking of hellos, I understand Worf was posted to DS9. Do you know where he is?”

She let out a soft sigh. “Oh, he’s still on the Rotarran with General Martok. He’s spent the last few months with the rest of the Klingons. I hope he’ll be coming home soon though… he’d better. We've got a wedding to plan, after all.”

I let my jaw drop. “Wait, what? Seriously?”

She snickered at the look on my face. “Yes, seriously. Did Worf never tell you?”

“Er, well, we were never that close on the Enterprise, and we only occasionally send messages to each other,” I answered. “He never mentioned this though.”

She shook her head and chuckled. “Classic Worf. Always keeping these things to himself.”

Quark chose that moment to return with two steaming mugs of tea and the promised food. “Here you are. On the house. Enjoy.” He then moved away before I could say anything.

I peered at the food, sniffing at the sauce. “...this is Cardassian, isn’t it?” I asked after a moment.

“Yup. But it’s good. Like I said, an acquired taste, but I really like it.” She sipped at her drink, then watched to see how I reacted to the food.

With a bit of hesitation, I floated up a sand pea, trying that on its own first. It was quite good; reminded me of a mixture of chickpeas and garbanzo beans. Then I dipped it in the sauce.

And was hit instantly with culinary heaven. “Oh my god,” I moaned as I found myself eating more of the sauce and the peas in rapid succession. “This is so good.”

Dax’s eyebrows shot to the top of her head as she let out an incredulous laugh. “Wow, really?”

“Yeah!” I insisted, finishing off the food in a hurry, and eating any remaining sauce to boot. “I need to get a replicator pattern for the Phoenix. This stuff is great. What’s it made out of–”

CRASH!

“What the hell are you doing?!” shouted a voice from near the dabo table.

“Cheater! You cheat!”

I turned and my blood froze as I saw a pair of Nausicaans standing at the dabo table, patrons that hadn’t been in the bar before, or at least I hadn’t noticed them. One had pulled a knife and was gesturing with it at Mariner, while the other grabbed one of the fleeing dabo girls and put a knife to her throat.

“Dude, seriously, let her go!” Mariner insisted, her hands on her hips. “I wasn’t cheating, you freaking lunatic. I’m just good!”

“Dabo game of chance!” the Nausicaan insisted. “Dabo not involve skill! It luck!”

“Shows what you know, dicks for breath,” Mariner snorted. “No wonder you always lose.”

Patrons around began screaming in fright from the pulled knives, prompting me to hop to my hooves. “Hey!” I shouted in my commander's voice, stomping my way over. I pulled my phaser case out of my duffel bag, though I didn’t open it yet, not wanting it to trigger a fight. “Let’s all calm down here. It’s just a game.”

“Just game?!” barked the primary Nausicaan, who turned his knife towards me. “I lost ten bars latinum to this cheater!”

“And I told you, captain underbite, I didn’t cheat!” Mariner shouted back.

“Ensign, that’s enough!” I barked. I looked up at the Nausicaan. “As for you, need I remind you this is a Federation station. Let the dabo girl go and put the knives away, or you're both answering to me.”

Both Nausicaans burst into laughter. “And what you think you do, little horse? Other than be stomped on by boot?!”

Before I could retort, he tried just that, swinging his foot at me like he was trying to kick a soccer ball. In the process his knife brushed someone’s shoulder, enough for them to scream and flail in panic.

And then all hell broke loose.

Dozens of patrons ran all over the place, trying to find somewhere to take cover as the Nausicaan with the hostage tossed her aside, and pulled out a disrupter, firing it in my direction. I deftly dodged the shot, grimacing as I saw it take out a panel behind the bar, prompting Quark and the other Ferengi to add their high pitched howls of fear to the cacophony.

I dove for cover behind a nearby pushed over table as disruptor fire raked my location. I distantly heard Dax shout, “Security to Quarks, there’s weapons fire!” into her combadge, but I couldn't locate where her voice was coming from.

Suddenly I was lifted up by my withers and thrown to the side, landing flat on my back atop another table, crushing plates and glasses beneath me and knocking the wind out of me. I could feel the small bits of broken glass already digging into my skin like hundreds of pinpricks. “Oowww, what the hell?” I murmured as I looked up, seeing a third Nausicaan I hadn’t spotted before, who was now punching the hell out of a random bar patron.

Mariner grabbed me and dragged me into cover as the disruptor fired at me again, barely missing me this time. “Whoa, you okay, ma’am?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I murmured. I tested my horn, but it wasn’t responding to anything other than telekinesis. Must’ve struck it somehow. Lacking any other option, I reached for the case with the phaser. If I took the sleep spell out of it and jacked up the setting I could easily stun the Nausicaans. They were tough but they weren’t Jem’Hadar tough.

Unfortunately just as I opened the case another patron fleeing the melee tripped over me, knocking it out of my grasp. “No!” I cried, watching the phaser, crystals and all, skid along the floor, stopping just out of reach of my telekinesis at the moment. “Damn it!”

Mariner, who’d leapt for another bit of cover so she could pelt the Nausicaans with fallen dishware, was close enough to the phaser to pick it up. “Okay, time to end this,” she said, grabbing it up.

I watched, frozen in slow motion horror, crying out for her to stop as she set it to a wide-beam setting, raising it to fire at the entire crowd.

Just as a trio of security officers led by Odo came running in through the doors, pointing to the Nausicaans.

Tseeww!

The phaser spread across the crowd, and everyone hit by the beam – patrons, the Nausicaans, Quark and his staff, and even Odo and his security – all crumpled to the deck instantly, filling the room with snores.

Mariner stared down at the phaser in her hand in surprise. “Uh, whoa, okay… phasers don’t usually act like that.”

Growling, I hopped up and snatched it away from her, checking it over. As I expected the Sparkle crystal and power pack were both entirely drained from that one shot. “That’s because it's not your standard issue phaser, Ensign,” I snapped as I put it away in its case.

“Oh.” She looked around the room, then back at me, the only other one still standing. “So, uh, what now?”

I sighed and tapped my badge. “Shimmer to Infirmary. Medical emergency at Quark’s bar.”

A kind, gentle voice immediately replied, “On my way.”

I glared at Mariner. “Return to your quarters. I’ll let your commanding officer know what happened here; they can decide what to do with you.”

She blanched at that, looking at me with unhappy eyes. “...hey, look, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to–”

I shook my head. “Mariner, not now.” I gave her a grin for a split second before it vanished again. “Save it for our exchanged communiques.”

That made her smile a little. “Yes ma’am,” she said. She grabbed up her latinum and left the bar, right as Doctor Bashir came in with a couple of med techs.

“Oh dear, what happened?” he asked, looking about the room. “Even Odo?!”

“Don’t worry, Doctor, they’re just asleep,” I said. “You’ll need me to wake them up.”

He looked at me oddly for a moment, then nodded. “Right, of course. I’m sure there’s a good explanation. There always is around here, it seems.” He immediately began examining me, starting with my horn. As I expected, he took a minute to skim my medical records before continuing. “Ah, got it. Okay, here, this should help,” he said, administering an analgesic.

Thanks to that, I was able to rapidly resuscitate Odo and his security officers. “Sorry about that, Constable,” I said as they all stood up, brushing themselves off. “That wasn’t the way I intended to, err, conduct the little experiment we had talked about.”

He grunted. “Nevermind that now; we need to get these Nausicaans into custody. We can discuss your visit later.”

I nodded, and assisted with waking them up as well, and getting them in handcuffs. Then I went around waking up all the patrons and such one by one till everyone was back on their feet and cleared by Doctor Bashir.

Who then took me aside as soon as he got the last patient cleared out of the bar. “So, care to explain what exactly that was about?”

I grinned. “Sorry, Doc, but I can’t. Suffice to say an experimental weapons test occurred where it wasn’t supposed to.” My grin faded. “Please leave that out of your report. Admiral Nechayev’s authority.”

“As you wish,” he said, eying me for a moment before shrugging. “At least everyone is alright… though you seemed to bear the worst injuries. Let’s get you back to the infirmary so I can finish treating you. Especially those small lacerations.”

As I followed him back, I found myself wondering exactly how I would write my own report about this whole debacle. At least I got the phaser test completed. Not in the way I had planned at all, but somehow I wasn't that surprised. Something about this station told me this level of chaos was nothing out of the ordinary.

I would miss it when I had to leave.

Author's Note

First, a message from my editor, Grand Moff Pony.

Just a quick note from the Editor's desk. (a simple editor, I assure you)

I want to extend a huge thank you to all of our readers for the enthusiastic response we've received throughout this story's run. It's great to see so many familiar names in the comments, along with plenty of new ones too. I hope you're enjoying the adventure as much as we're enjoying creating it!

As Dewdrops mentioned earlier, we'll have a somewhat slower pace going forward, but that assures that we have the time to write and edit it fully, and that you get the best story we can make. So thanks for your continued support, and see you next episode!

Thank you, Moff! Moff has been a fantastic help in improving these chapters before our lovely readers see them, in particular this one.

With any luck we'll have the next couple posted sooner than this one was. The next episode to follow from here will be the tenth and final mini-episode of the season, and then after that we will have a two-part season finale that will have you on the edge of your seat, with any luck.

See you next time, and enjoy. :twilightsmile:

Season 2 Mini-Episode 10: “Reminiscence about the Future”

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02ME10

“Reminiscence about the Future”

Another meeting, another set of failures. She expected it at this point, really. While they’d had a few small victories here and there, for the most part their attempts just weren’t working. Adagio couldn’t be sure why, but she had a sneaking suspicion it was due to the lack of magical gemstones. Shimmer crystals were all well and good, as were dilithium or any number of similar lattice structures, but they just weren’t the same as a good old fashioned mana gem.

At least they were aboard the Enterprise for this meeting, thanks to the latest attempt involving their shield generators. And while they were here, the two ponies suggested visiting the ship’s Stellar Cartography lab. So now they were being escorted there by Riker.

Will Riker… every so often she caught him looking her way, just for a second or two. Those gray eyes, full of humor, wonder, and not a little bit of awe for her, or at least that’s how she read it. Framed by that soft but masculine face, that full beard lending a bushy look to his smile, his pearly white smile that—

Adagio checked herself. This was absurd. She wasn’t feeling something for a humanoid, was she? Especially not one as hairy as these apes. And yet, that face, that beard. Just the way it framed everything so perfectly, and lent a charm to him that she couldn’t resist being attracted to. It helped that he had a pretty good looking body to go with, tall and strong, yet not so bulky or muscular that he’d crush her if he held her in his arms.

Goddess, what was she thinking? She really had been humanoid for far too long.

“Something wrong, Miss Dazzle?”

Adagio shook her head, a light flush blooming on her cheeks. “No, of course not, Commander. Just… thinking.”

He smiled at her – again that incredible smile – and returned his attention to the corridor. “Stellar Cartography is right through here,” he said as he entered a nearby door.

“Huh, it’s very different from the old one on the Enterprise-D,” commented Sunset Shimmer, as they entered a single level room with a large screen dominating one wall, and an array of consoles laid out in front of it in a semi-circular pattern.

“Probably because the Sovereign-class starships aren’t as scientifically-oriented as the Galaxy-class,” added Twilight Sparkle.

Riker nodded. “Unfortunately true, and not just in rooms like this either. The Borg and then the Dominion reshaped a lot of starship design philosophies.”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s great and all,” growled Aria as she stepped up to the console, “but I’d rather focus on why we’re here.”

“Mmmhmm!” Sonata chimed in. She then stared at the console blankly. “So, uh, how does it work?”

Riker gestured to Twilight, who stepped up to show them. “So you access the computer through here,” she said, her magic dancing across the controls, “and then we can bring up the database like this.” A map of the galaxy appeared on the massive screen. “Then we can zoom in to look at anything we have data on, so we can get an idea of where all you’ve been.”

“So what exactly do you want us to enter?” Adagio said as she sauntered over to the controls.

“We were hoping you could recall some of the constellations or stars you could see from the planet you landed on after you were first banished,” Sunset said.

She gestured to the screen with her hoof, which showed an empty canvas of a night sky.

Adagio hummed to herself, then after a moment of studying the keys, began to work the console. She managed to get a couple of stars entered, then hit some sort of cryptic error message she didn't understand. “Damn it,” she muttered.

“Problem?” Riker asked as he stepped up to the console next to her. “Ah, I see what’s going on with that error. May I?” He held himself in place, waiting for an answer.

Adagio smiled to herself. “Go ahead, you can reach around me.” She scooted over, just barely giving him enough room.

He smiled in return, and deftly moved in till he was close behind her. She could almost feel his breath on her neck as he reached for the keys. “This is how you want to work it,” he said as he guided her the next few entries. The whole while, the physical closeness left Adagio burning on the inside more and more with each passing moment. “There, does that help?”

“It does, thank you,” she said, feeling a little disappointed when he stepped away again. So she rushed to get the rest of her entries in, and soon enough the other two Sirens were filling in the gaps.

“Okay, that should be plenty,” Twilight said after a while. “Computer, run an analysis of the night sky produced here against all night skies in the known Enterprise database. Correlate and list any and all similarities in order of most to least, and note any major discrepancies.”

“Working. Process will take approximately five minutes.”

“So what was the point of this again?” Sonata asked gormlessly, eliciting a deep desire in Adagio to smack her upside the head. She loved Sonata, but sometimes she could be so oblivious.

“We’re trying to see if the Enterprise’s more advanced Stellar Cartography lab and more recent database might have something that the Phoenix didn’t,” Twilight said. She pointed to the list being formed. “It’s to help us track down Equus.”

“Since you're not certain about where the planet you were banished to lies in space, we need to come up with a set of likely possibilities based on what you remember of the night sky. With any luck its location will help us out,” added Shimmer.

“You really think the Enterprise has data that the rest of your Federation doesn’t?” Adagio asked, trying to hide how much she cared about the answer.

Sunset nodded. “You never know. The Enterprise attracts weirdness like almost no other ship, and they end up in a lot of far-flung places. But we’re also going to run this against the database of every other ship in the fleet too, just in case.”

“Hmph.” Adagio walked off to a corner of the lab while the others launched into some pointless conversation she had no interest in.

After a moment, Riker joined her. “I hope I’m not interrupting,” he said, holding up his hands in a placating gesture, that ever present smile still gracing his face.

Adagio raised an eyebrow. “Did you need something?”

“Well, actually, now that you mention it,” he said, “I have a proposal. See, I’ve got a couple of people I play in a jazz trio with, usually on the weekends in Ten-Forward. It’s nothing fancy, nothing too dramatic, but it helps us keep our mood up. Especially with the war on, it helps to take some time off to play some music.”

“Uh huh,” Adagio murmured. “And?”

He let out a slight chuckle. “Well, I’ve long since wanted to add a vocalist, to make it a quartet. But I’d never found anyone I thought was suitable, at least… not until you.”

“Oh?” She found herself smiling now as she crossed her arms. “And what makes you think I’m your gal, hmm?”

“I’ve heard you sing in Ten-Forward before a couple of times. I couldn’t get it out of my head; it completely blew me away. With a live band behind you instead of recordings, I can only imagine what you’d be able to do.”

Adagio let loose her own laugh, sultry and rich. “Well, my dulcet tones are famous for reeling in an audience.”

Riker’s smile grew. “Well, you certainly caught my attention. If you'd like, after we're done here, you could perhaps join me in Ten-Forward? I can run you through some of our repertoire, maybe discuss some song ideas?”

Adagio uncrossed her arms, and took a step towards him, deliberately sashaying her hips. “Why Commander, are you asking me on a date?”

He blinked, his smile turning sheepish. “Well, that depends on whether you think I am or not.”

She stepped closer, until their faces were mere inches apart. “If your playing is as sharp as your wit, you may just have a chance after all.”

He took in a sharp breath, moving just a little bit closer. “I do like a challenge.”

“Hey, computer’s almost done,” said Aria, startling the two into moving away from each other.

Adagio glanced briefly at Riker, then sauntered over to the console. “Good. Let’s see what we’ve got.”

The computer picked that moment to state, “Analysis complete.” And on the screen a list of systems blipped into being one at a time.

“I don’t recognize the names of these systems,” Aria said, pointing to the list.

“Not surprising,” Twilight replied. “If the inhabitants have regressed like you said they had, they likely have a different name for it than we would for our database. But these are the most likely candidates.” She pulled the first one up on the greater galactic map, then frowned. “Wait a minute. The next few systems on the list… computer, can you pinpoint the top five systems on the list, and showcase them on the map alongside Sol?”

The computer bleeped once, then showed them the resulting image, and everyone gasped. “Okay, that’s weird,” Sunset said as she drew her hoof across the screen. “Since when do you get systems lined up in a straight line like this?”

“You don’t,” Aria murmured. She rubbed her chin. “Hey, hang on though, how do we know any of these are the right places? We only went to the one planet. The other four don’t matter.”

“I think it’s the first one,” Sonata chimed in.

“It probably is,” Twilight said as she peered at the map. “But, Aria’s right. Seeing these systems lay out like this is bizarre… why would that happen?” She looked at Sunset. “Do you think…?”

“Maybe?” Sunset said with a nod. “Computer! Tie in to the Phoenix database and pull up Shimmer file Alpha forty-two Baker, and cross reference with the list already shown.”

“Working.”

After a moment, a new night sky appeared on the left side of the screen. “That’s the night sky from Canterlot,” Twilight said.

“Oh, no wonder it looks familiar,” Sonata said. She cocked her head. “But I don’t get it.”

“Computer,” Sunset said. “With the data now available, can you plot a likely location for Equus?”

The computer took a moment to respond before it let out a negative bleep. “Negative. Insufficient data.”

“Damn it!” Sunset cursed, slapping the console.

Riker gave her a sympathetic look. “It was worth a shot.”

“Yeah, still…” Sunset sighed and looked at Riker. “Thank you for letting us use your lab, sir. We should return to the Phoenix.”

Riker nodded, then took a moment to glance at Adagio and smiled softly. “I’ll contact you later to set up a good time,” he said. Then he nodded. “Ladies, Ensign, Commander.” The doors swished as he left the room.

“Alright, let’s get to the shuttlebay,” Sunset said, directing everyone.

Adagio followed last, content to make them wait for her. She walked in relative silence while the others chatted, and remained that way until they boarded the shuttlecraft, which Twilight piloted for their brief journey. Adagio, as usual, took a seat as far in the back as she could.

It wasn’t long before Sunset wandered over to join her. “So, Riker, huh?” she said with a grin.

Adagio raised both eyebrows. “What business is it of yours?”

She let out a wry chuckle. “It’s not, not really. Buuuut, if you want some advice, I worked for the guy for a couple of years.”

“Oh?” One eyebrow lowered, replaced by a subtle uptick of the right side of her mouth. “Alright, I’m listening.”

Sunset stretched out her wings before responding. “Riker… is complicated. If you didn’t know him, you’d think he is a womanizer with how often he’s dating women, but the truth is, the guy just falls in and out of love hard, and he treats every relationship seriously.” She eyed Adagio. “So if you’re interested in him, make sure you take it seriously too.”

Adagio snorted, glaring at the wall. Then, biting her lip, she looked back at Sunset. “Thanks for the advice. That’s useful, actually.”

“Oh yeah?” Sunset eyed her knowingly. “You weren’t just interested in him for sex, were you?”

Adagio sighed. “Maybe at first. But I’ll admit, there is something… unique about him. Intriguing.”

“Well, if you do pursue him, make sure you’re serious about it,” Sunset advised as she stood up. “Because you’ll probably only get one chance.”

Adagio reached out a hand to stop Sunset before she could head for the cockpit. “What makes you say that?”

Sunset smiled as she looked back. “Because sooner or later, he’ll remember what a good thing he had with Deanna Troi and they’ll hook back up. For good this time.” She winked, then stepped away to take a seat near her sister.

Adagio snorted. What the heck was that supposed to mean? What did Deanna Troi have to do with anything? Adagio had barely exchanged more than a few words with the woman. She’d tried to get Adagio to submit to counseling, but Adagio told her to stuff it, just as she had to every other counselor on every other ship, except for Hendricks.

Hendricks, she could talk to, because that woman didn’t bother with pointless psychobabble.

“Phoenix, shuttle Muo, requesting landing.”

“Confirmed, Muo, landing approved in Auxiliary Shuttlebay.”

“Acknowledged, Phoenix,” Twilight said as she guided the shuttlepod towards the Auxiliary Shuttlebay. Adagio wondered why the ship didn’t make more use of this one. While smaller than the cavernous Main Shuttlebay, it was positioned on Deck twenty-two, and unlike the Main Shuttlebay it didn’t directly face the pylon leading to the overhanging pod. Who was responsible for that design anyway? Why not build the shuttlebay into the pod’s pylon instead of putting it behind?

Oh she knew it had something to do with the Nebula being, in many ways, a stripped down Galaxy-class, to the point of using the same saucer sections, but it still struck her as a peculiar design flaw. If it were up to her she’d have altered the pod pylon design to make room for shuttlecraft to exit without having to do funky maneuvers to get around it. But no one ever asked Adagio for advice on starship design.

As soon as the shuttlepod landed, Adagio and her sisters exited. “So what’re you going to do now?” Sunset asked as she secured the shuttle’s main door, all of its occupants having disembarked.

“Holodeck,” Sonata answered immediately. “We’ve been trying to recreate one of our favorite places on Equus. Wanna join us?”

Twilight and Sunset exchanged a momentary look. “Sure,” Sunset said. “We’re both off duty now, so we might as well.”

Adagio gave Sonata a long-suffering glare, having not really wanted the ponies along, but maybe they could help.

Soon they were at one of the ship’s holodecks, and Sonata typed on the console. “Computer,” she said, her voice ringing, “Load Siren program E22.”

“Program complete. Enter when ready.”

The oversized Holodeck doors slid open with their telltale mechanical groan, revealing a rainy beach landscape, the area littered with rocks and shoals. The ocean loomed before them, cold and grayish blue, furling and roiling in the stormy atmosphere, waves washing ashore to leave strings of foam and bits of the occasional flotsam and jetsam. As the holodeck exit closed and vanished, Adagio glanced behind to see the beach lay at the foot of a series of hills that rose up above the beach, the land completely covered with trees and other lush, green foliage.

“Oh wow,” Twilight gasped, looking all over, the rain washing her mane against her skull. “This isn’t what I expected.”

“No, it looks like a beach right out of British Columbia, or Washington state,” Sunset added, fanning her wings out to catch some of the rain, before abruptly launching off to do a bit of flying around, soaring up in the sky then rocketing down to wash her hooves along the ocean before riding the wave back onto shore and landing right back where she had started. “It’s pretty nice in a way.”

“Nice isn’t the idea,” Aria said as she found a rock to lounge on. “It’s supposed to be dreary.”

“Ugly,” Sonata added, doing the same. “Dreadful.”

“Miserable,” Adagio concluded, smiling in satisfaction. “Just like the emotions we crave, it’s like home. Or, what had been home once.”

“We were born on shoals like these,” Aria said, pointing to the rocks. “This is supposed to be one of the beaches on the northern continent of Equus.”

“Oh?” Sunset nodded. “Computer, load globe of Equus, based on Shimmer map file EQC two niner Alpha.”

A globe appeared on the shore. “Increase size of globe by five hundred percent.” The globe grew til it towered over them, the metal fixtures of its frame creaking in the rain.

Sonata perked up from her lounge rock. “What’s this?”

“It’s a map of Equus that Sunset and I began building years ago,” Twilight answered as she walked up to the globe. “See, here’s the Equestrian continent, and the layout of cities.”

Adagio and Aria both closed the distance to look at the globe. “...holy shit, you ponies really built a lot of cities after we were banished,” Aria said, her eyes wide with awe. She pointed to a northern city. “Here, this is where this beach is supposed to be.”

“Bridleford,” Twilight read. “Equestria’s most northern town on the east coast. It’s cold there, a lot of the time.”

“That’s right,” Sonata chimed. “Feels like the middle of summer in here right now.”

“I wonder where this beach is relative to the town,” Sunset mused.

“Not a tourist destination, I take it?” Adagio asked.

Sunset shrugged in reply. “No idea, to be honest. I hardly ever left Canterlot when I was younger. I was an orphan, never knew my birth parents at all. So there really wasn’t anyone to travel with even if I had wanted to. I was close to aging out of the orphanage entirely when I won a place at the School for Gifted Unicorns through their open scholarship program.”

“Oooh, that’s the same program I applied for, sis,” Twilight said with a chuckle. “Why did we never talk about that?”

Sunset shrugged. “It never seemed important how I got there. What mattered was, Princess Celestia picked me to be her personal student within the first few weeks. I showed great potential, she said.” Her expression twisted into a cold frown, almost a sneer. “And then she dangled power in front of me like a carrot for three years until she showed me the mirror, and all the while she…”

Adagio, feeling a rare bit of sympathy for the pony, came forward and patted her on the shoulder. “You wanted her to be like a mother to you, and you never got it.”

“...no, I didn’t,” Sunset admitted. She let out a long-suffering sigh and smiled. “But that’s all in the past, and I have actual parents in T’Lona and Amina now.”

“I hope they’re doing okay,” Twilight said as she approached Sunset and nuzzled against her side. “We hardly hear from anyone, stuck in this nebula.”

“They’re probably fine,” Aria said, waving her hand dismissively. “So, sounds like your Equestria is a lot different from the one we remember.”

“Yeah, we remember it being a small alliance of different pony tribes,” Sonata said gaily. She rubbed her chin then pointed to Canterlot, Manehattan, and Cloudsdale. “These three. They used to be Unicornia, Pegasopolis, and Earth. But after they defeated Discord, Celestia and Luna united the three tribes under a new flag, with the two of them sharing rule as Princesses.”

“Luna?” Twilight echoed. “Who’s Luna?”

Sunset shook her head. “Twilight, we’ve talked about this. She’s Celestia’s sister, remember? Used to be around, turned into Nightmare Moon, blocked out the sun, was banished?”

“Oh, right, right,” Twilight murmured, flushing with what Adagio presumed was embarrassment. “I never learned about any of that before I came here. I always thought of Nightmare Moon as a big myth for Nightmare Night.”

“That’s how Celestia wanted most ponies to remember things,” Sunset heaved a sigh as she plopped her rear down on a decent sized rock. “She wanted them to treat Nightmare Moon as a myth so that when she did eventually return, no one would associate Luna with the idea of Nightmare Moon at all.” Sunset let out a bitter laugh. “She told me that in confidence too. She was always afraid somepony would find out about her super secret plans to use the Elements of Harmony to save Luna. You know, I used to wonder if the only reason why she took me as a student, why she ran the school at all, was to find someone to do the job for her.”

Adagio, Aria, and Sonata all hissed at once. “The Elements,” Adagio growled. “Those wretched things gave Starswirl and his “pillars” the ability to banish us through the mirror.”

“We were terrified,” Sonata admitted as she joined them around the globe. “We were hungry, starving almost, and here we were suddenly in some woods we’d never seen, some kind of weird funky alien place.”

“And the first time we met the locals they almost killed us,” Adagio said as she too took a seat around the globe. “Fortunately in the process they also fed us pretty decently.”

“It didn’t help that we were in these bizarre alien bodies,” Aria grumbled.

“Okay, see, that’s what I still don’t understand,” Sunset said as she looked at them. “Why did you transform, and Twilight and I didn’t?”

“Probably the Elements,” Twilight concluded, rubbing her chin. “From what you’ve told me, Sunset, the Elements of Harmony were meant to bring about some kind of, well, harmony to any dangerous situation. When used on people it could help purify them of evil, or lock them away like Tirek if they were too dangerous, or, if the intent was to banish…”

“It could make them appear similar to the people in the place they’re banished to, to let them potentially get along,” Sunset said with a nod. “Good thinking, Twilight. It explains why we didn’t change form; we never interacted with the Elements.”

“Assuming we’re right,” Twilight interjected.

“Well, yeah. But I think it’s a safe assumption, given what we know.”

“Well whatever the case,” Adagio said, “it left us floundering. And we certainly didn’t learn any sort of harmonious lesson from it.”

“All we learned was to distrust people like Starswirl,” Aria added, rolling her eyes. “And that we dearly missed being in our old siren bodies.”

“Ooooh. What I wouldn't give to be able to swim one more time in my old body,” Sonata said with a moan.

“I don’t even remember what it feels like anymore,” Aria admitted. She looked out into the ocean. “Swimming as a humanoid just isn’t the same though.”

Sunset and Twilight flashed them all sympathetic looks. “Err, well… you said you wanted help with this program, right?” Twilight prodded with a small smile. “Anything we can do to make this feel more like home?”

Adagio appreciated what Twilight was trying to do, and nodded, smiling back. “Yes, there is. We’ve done the best we could to make it like what we remember, but some of the details seem off, and well, none of us know the Holodeck as well as you two do.”

“Well then,” Sunset said, “Let’s see what we can do. Computer, arch!” She stepped over to the arch that appeared and brought up the program schematics. “Okay, let’s… make the weather a bit better while we work on this.” She tapped a few keys, and the gray skies changed almost immediately into a bright, sunny day.

“Hmph,” Aria harrumphed, folding her arms. “The rain was better.”

“I know, and we'll get it back in a second. But this'll make it easier to see the changes we make,” Sunset replied. “What do we need to fix?”

“Weeeeell,” Sonata said as she traipsed over to join Sunset at the console. “The beach sand is too fine. It should be coarser.”

“Okay.” The panel bleeped under Sunset’s touch. “What else?”

“Too many large rocks, not spread out enough,” Aria called out.

“And the beach should be at least ten percent wider,” Adagio added. “And with more area for the seafoam to spread out on.”

Sunset made the appropriate changes, and all three Sirens smiled as the beach morphed in front of their eyes. “Okay, anything else?”

The three Sirens exchanged looks for a moment, then Sonata said, “There… should be other Sirens. A few swimming in the sea, one or two lounging on a rock. And a couple nests in the tidepools, with Siren eggs.”

“What kept you from putting those in before?” Twilight wondered as Sunset’s magic rapidly danced over the keys.

“...it just didn’t feel right,” Adagio said with a sigh. “But…”

Sunset nodded, her magic paused over hitting the final button. “I’m about to place them, if it’s okay. But if you change your mind, they’re gone in a flash.”

Adagio bit her lip, then nodded. “Go ahead.”

Beep.

All around them, Sirens of all colors and sizes appeared, precisely in the places they’d indicated, and a few more besides. A couple of smaller ones immediately slithered over to Aria and Adagio, peering at them curiously. “You’re a funny looking Siren,” said one, her voice coming across as adolescent, maybe late teenagehood.

“And you’re about to get your snout kicked in if you insult me again,” Aria growled back, jumping up from her rock to make herself look larger.

The holographic Siren glared at her a moment before breaking into laughter, and after another moment Aria joined her. “I like you,” the hologram pronounced. “Wanna come swim?”

“...sure,” Aria said. She glanced at Sonata. “Hey, dumbass. Come swim with us.”

“Okay!”

Adagio watched the two head directly for the sea and hop in without any compunctions. She felt a warmth fill her heart, a warmth she hadn’t quite felt in a long time.

“I’m a little surprised, you know,” Sunset said as she stepped up next to Adagio. “Every time I think I’ve figured you three out, you surprise me again.”

“Why? Because we’re not constantly wallowing in misery and woe?” A smirk crossed Adagio’s face. “Because we know how to smile and have fun from time to time?”

Sunset shook her head. “No. Because you keep letting us see more about you. I figured you’d always keep cards like these close to your chest, but here they are, spread out on the table for all to see.”

Adagio turned and, to her own surprise as much as Sunset’s, squatted down to look Sunset in the eye. “I’ll admit, when we first met you, we didn’t trust you at all. But ever since… you’ve shown us friendship, Sunset. And… we’ve long since mellowed out of most of our negativity. We may not ever trust all ponies, but at this point, I'd say we trust you two.”

“Wow,” Sunset said with a huge grin. “I feel touched, Adagio.”

Adagio gave her another look, then threw her arms around Sunset in a quick hug. “Thank you. For everything.”

Then she released the hug. “But if you ever tell anyone what I just did, I’ll gut you and use your hide as a hat.”

Sunset burst out laughing. “Your secret’s safe with me, Adagio.” She let out a small sigh as she looked over the beach scene. “Why don’t Twilight and I get out of here, leave you three to it. From the looks of things, you could go for some sisterly bonding time, so to speak.”

“More than you know,” Adagio replied.

Sunset nodded, then suddenly perked up. “Speaking of which…” she turned around and yelled back towards the beach. “Hey, Twilight! How about a trip to Two-Forward; just you and me.”

“Kay!” Twilight called, and after rejoining Sunset, she gave the Sirens a brief goodbye nod, and the two left the Holodeck.

Right afterwards, before the exit could vanish again, the console by the arch beeped. Adagio, curious, approached it, and saw there was an incoming message, which she answered.

“Ah, Miss Dazzle,” said Riker, his smiling face appearing on screen. “Just the person I was looking for. Would now be a good time to work out what we discussed earlier?”

Adagio nodded. “Of course.”

“Hey, Adagio!” Aria yelled from the water. “You coming or not?”

“One second, Commander.” She put the line on mute and took a few steps away. “Just a second, alright?!”

Before unmuting the line, she looked at the screen, where Riker was busying himself with a PADD in his hand. “You're lucky this is catch and release season, Commander.”

We had just left the holodeck when my communicator beeped.

“Liang to Shimmer.”

"Shimmer here, sir.”

“Is Sparkle with you?”

Frowning, I answered, “Yes sir, she is, why?”

“Ah, perfect. I need you both to report to Two-Forward, on the double.”

We gave each other an equally confused look. "We were actually on our way there now, sir. May I ask what this is about?"

“You’ll find out when you get there. Now make it snappy, please. Liang out.”

In our hurry to get to Two-Forward we made one of the classic blunders – hopping on a turbolift going the wrong way, assuming you can just turn it around at the next stop when the current occupants got off and be on your way.

What a rookie mistake that was.

By the time the two techs from the Baltimore thought to speak up and ask for directions to the Engineering Labs, we were six decks and dozens of sections off in the wrong direction. And of course, once they got to the right spot, the turbolift stopped at least once on every deck as we tried to make our way back up.

“Finally. Thank heavens that’s over,” Twilight muttered as I followed her off the lift. “One more stop and I think I’d have lost it.”

“Same here,” I replied. I turned right and trotted around the corner, where Twilight had held up to wait for me. “On the other hoof, at least the door openings gave us a break for fresh air.”

Twilight smiled and laughed a bit. Though our worst days were far behind us now, it never failed to warm my heart to see her smile. And there were plenty of reasons for us both to be smiling today.

“Gosh I know. I mean, the Baltimore team has been wonderful to work with. Perhaps even more so than any of the other ships here with us,” she answered. “But you’d think the only thing their replicators know how to make is garlic.”

“Pfft!” I laughed along with her as we playfully bumped into each other. “Curse our pony noses, I guess.”

“Yeah. Not the best universe for overly sensitive noses. Heh, makes me wonder how Mother puts up with it day in and day out.”

“Good point,” I chuckled. “And who would have thought equines would have anything at all in common with any species here, much less Vulcans.” Though her comment made me wish again that we could communicate back home. It had been months since we’d been able to even send a simple communique out of the nebula, much less a subspace video call. If not for the melee in Quark’s, I probably would have remembered to send a note before leaving the station. Too late for that now, I guess. I just hope Mother and Mom are doing ok.

I slowed a bit to let Twilight take the lead while we squeezed past a maintenance team working on one of the wall-mounted panels, and a few gaggles of crewpersons hurrying back towards the turbolift. I stayed behind Twilight the rest of the way to our destination.

Two-Forward wasn’t blessed with the same extra-wide and decorated doors as its cousin down on deck ten. If not for the nameplate on the wall next to the door, you could waltz right by it and never realize it was there. But the moment those non-descript doors close with their telltale swish, and all the quasi-controlled chaos outside is silenced, you’d be reminded again why most of the senior staff preferred to keep it that way.

“Ah, there you two are,” Liang said as we stepped inside.

Owing to its position near the top of the saucer section, Two-Forward wasn’t very big. Roughly the size of two officer’s quarters put together, really. When this was part of the Enterprise-D, it was most often used as a formal dining room for important groups or functions that were too large for the Captain’s private dining room. The room’s layout reflected that still, owing to it being one of the few parts of the old Enterprise-D interior that survived the transformation into Phoenix relatively unscathed.

A small bar hugged the interior wall to my right, flanked on one side by a pair of single-unit replicators. Though similar in shape to its cousin on deck ten, this bar was dressed in warmer, richer materials. A deep, almost navy blue base, rather than the usual gray. The wooden foot rail was stained a much deeper color, and sported a thin line of polished brass running through the middle of it. The same design formed the top rail of the bar, adding an elegant contrast to the polished white marble bartop. The bar itself sat on an elevated platform, giving it a commanding view of the small cadre of tables that dotted the blue and gray carpeted area just below.

A number of officers crowded the room; in addition to myself and Twilight, Danielle, Cadeneza, Wattson… even Maia were all gathering in a line behind the Captain and Williams, who both stood at a podium in front of a row of seats filled by senior officers from various departments, like Hill and Zhidar. The end result left the room feeling claustrophobic, making my wings twitch.

“Now, Sparkle, Shimmer, if you would line up with the others, please,” Liang said, gesturing for us to join the lineup.

“Yes, sir,” I said as we did just that. “Sir, what is this about?”

Liang simply raised his eyebrows, and I took that as my cue to stay quiet. After a few more moments, he tapped his cane on the podium to get the room's attention. “Well, now that our last two have finally deigned to show up,” he quipped, “we can begin. Normally, you would have all been informed of this ahead of time, but given recent circumstances and the types of schedules we’ve all been working since this fleet formed, the surprise was unavoidable.”

I took a deep breath as I realized where this was going now, and couldn’t help smiling.

“Commander Williams, if you would please assist,” Liang said as he tapped a few keys on his PADD. Williams took a box out from behind himself and approached the first person in line, Maia.

“Each of you have been performing brilliantly as of late, given the remarkable circumstances we find ourselves in. As such, it is my duty and privilege to be able to offer a promotion to each of you. Miss Kelia Maia, please step forward.”

Maia did so, her face impassive as Williams popped open the case and pinned an empty golden circle onto her collar.“ For your outstanding performance as a security officer and in testing new tech, you are now officially Lieutenant Junior Grade. Congratulations.”

Applause filled the room as Maia nodded and stepped back into the line.

Preta was called next, and she too received a promotion to Lieutenant J.G. After her was Danielle, who moved up to full Lieutenant, while Wattson and Cadeneza both moved up to to Lieutenant Commander..Then, clearing his throat, he said, “Ensign Twilight Sparkle, please step forward.”

I smiled proudly as I watched Twilight quietly step forward and present her collar – and I very nearly jumped out of my chair with joy when I saw Williams place not an empty circle, but a full gold pip on her neck!

“In the line of duty, there are those who work, and those who excel. Twilight Sparkle has worked tirelessly and fearlessly, as one of the most important, most sensitive aspects of our current mission. She has excelled as an officer and as a person, and has exceeded expectations at every turn. As such, I am hereby promoting her to full Lieutenant. Congratulations, Lieutenant Sparkle.”

She grinned like a loon as she retook her position in the line, the audience full of applause.

Liang cleared his throat for silence. “Finally, last, but certainly not least, Lieutenant Commander Sunset Shimmer, please step forward.”

It was my turn to grin like crazy as I took my position as requested, with Twilight watching on in glee.

“As my first officer, Sunset Shimmer has been nothing short of extraordinary. She has fulfilled every one of her duties to the fullest, has stepped up many times for special assignments, and still finds a way to keep pace with her sister on every aspect of this research program. In doing all this and more, she has shown herself as worthy of duties that, arguably, are beyond the rank she had been assigned. In every way she has proven herself.”

Williams stepped up and removed the empty gold circle on my collar, replacing it with another full circle, giving me three full pips.

“I hereby promote Sunset Shimmer to the rank of Commander, with all the rights and responsibilities therein. Congratulations, Commander Shimmer.”

The whole lounge filled with applause and words of congratulations.

Liang watched this for a moment, then tapped his cane on his podium and smiled. “Well, thank you all kindly for sitting through the ceremony. Now, enough formalities. Let’s celebrate these officers and their promotions, shall we?” He held up his cane and pointed at the bar. “Ensign Flanagan, you’re up.”

“Yes, sir!” Flanagan said.

Everyone got back up and spread out into clusters of people talking to each other. After we each made the rounds congratulating the others and making small talk, one such cluster formed around Twilight and me. “It’s about damned time they gave you that third pip, Sunset,” Cadeneza said as she admired her own shiny new empty circle.

“Well yeah,” I said with a laugh as I wrapped a wing around Twilight’s shoulder and pulled her in. “But I’m happier for this one. You got the same skipped promotion I did, Twi! I wasn’t sure that would happen.”

“Well, it probably helped that my attitude improved over what it was before,” she chuckled back, giving me a side hug.

“Oh yeah,” I said as I tousled her mane with my other wing. “You’d better believe it did. You’ve become the officer I always knew you could be.”

“Yeah, I guess I am. Feels good too,” Twilight murmured, surprise in her eyes even as she smiled softly to herself.

“Yup. Now come on, sis. Let’s go see Mr. Flanagan about that drink.”

“Alright.”

“Good evening, Commander, Lieutenant!” We turned and saw the bartender, the always affable Ensign Flanagan, waving us over. “Please, step on up!”

We waved back as we made our way over. I waited for Twilight to lift herself up to one of the cushioned bar stools before taking the one next to her.

“What can I get you two?” Flanagan asked, flashing us his usual pearly white smile. “You’re just in time, actually. I was about to announce last call.”

“You were?” Twilight and I said as one.

I half-spun around on the stool to look back at the clock mounted just above the entry door… and immediately groaned. “Aw jeez. 2000 hours already? Yikes, where did today go?”

I turned back to Flanagan with an apologetic look. “Totally our fault for not checking the time, Flanagan. We just got distracted talking to everyone else. But please, don’t let us keep you. We were just going to get a synthale anyway, so we can use the replicator over there.”

“No no, it’s no trouble at all, Commander,” he said, waving me off. “Besides, someone’s got to toast to your new promotions, right?”

Twilight’s cheeks flushed once again as she messed with her collar. “Well, if you insist.”

Flanagan chuckled as he returned a stack of clean glasses to the storage drawers below the bar. “I do insist. You don’t get promoted every day, and you two especially deserve this promotion. Besides, I won the bet.”

“The bet?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“On when you two would get promoted and that the Lieutenant here would skip her J.G. just like her sister.” Flanagan grinned. “I just won me two full bars of latinum.”

I whistled. “Wow. Did you hear that, Twilight? Two bars? For the both of us? Hmph!” I feigned some outrage of my own. “I'd have expected at least two bars each, you know.” I coughed and gave him a mock glare. “You realize, of course, gambling like that is prohibited by Starfleet regulations. I'm not sure if I should confiscate it straight away, or hold it over your head until you tell me who you made that bet with.”

He flashed a sly, pearly-white grin. “Nice try, ma’am, but I’m not giving up my money that easily.”

The three of us broke into shared laughter at that.

“So,” Flanagan said, “Two synthales, right? I’m on it.”

I leaned forward and adjusted my wings a bit to try and get a bit more comfortable while we waited. “So, how’s your day been otherwise, Flanagan?”

“Oh you know the drill, work in the engineering labs, grab some lunch, then go back to the lab,” he replied.

“Wattson’s not working you too hard down there, is she?” I winked.

“No worse than usual, ma’m,” he laughed as he grabbed a pair of glasses and began filling them. “But it’s alright, really. Everyone’s trying to crack this problem. Quite literally trying to make magic happen, after all.”

A few moments later he deftly slid a couple of coasters in front of us, followed quickly by two frosty mugs of synthale.

“Heh. That we are, Ensign. Any luck today?” I asked.

“Sadly, no.” I took a small sip from my mug while I watched him sweep a damp towel in front of us on his way to the opposite end of the bar. Not that it needed more cleaning; I could almost see my full reflection in the polished surface as it was. If Guinan were around even she’d be impressed with how tidy Flanagan keeps the place, to say nothing of the energy he brings to a job he unofficially hired himself for soon after joining the Phoenix.

“But,” he continued, “it wasn’t all bad. We did raise the total strength of a standard containment field by five percent with only a miniscule increase in power consumption, thanks to the Shimmer Crystals.”

“Small wins are still wins,” Twilight said between sips of her own drink. “Nice work!”

“Absolutely,” I added. “And we need any win we can get right now. Please give my thanks to your team.”

Flanagan put the towel down, stood tall, and gave us a nod. “Will do, m’am. Thank you both.”

“Now, enough about me, let’s talk about you two - specifically those shiny new pips I see.”

“Yeah, I wasn't expecting that today, seriously.” I glanced at Twilight, who seemed about as caught between ‘sheepish grin’ and ‘smug’ as I was. “But I have to admit, they do look good. Especially on Sparkle over here.”

“That’s Lieutenant Sparkle to you,” Twilight replied, bumping me in the shoulder for good measure. I couldn’t remember the last time we had ribbed each other like this, but there was no way I was passing up the opportunity now.

“Oh, well pardon me, Lieutenant.” I lifted a wing in a mock salute. “I’ll be sure to remember the chain of command next time.” I held the salute just long enough for all three of us to break down into a laughing fit. For an all-too brief moment, everything felt just a little bit lighter. Like it used to be, before this godforsaken war derailed literally everything we had ever hoped to do here.

We finally calmed down a bit and caught our collective breath. “Really though,” I said, looking at Twilight directly, “Ranks aside, I’m so proud of you, sis. You worked your flank off and then some, and you earned that new pip a hundred times over. Congratulations.”

“Here here!” Flanagan said. He had procured his own mug of synthehol as well, and raised it in the air. “If I may, a toast to you both, and to all of the day’s promotions. Congratulations.”

“Cheers!”

We clinked our glasses together and shared a round of handshakes - and an extra hug for my sister of course, despite her protests of being embarrassed.

I had to almost order Flanagan to actually get some rest, but he eventually bade us a good night and headed out. The last hangers on from the ceremony cleared out shortly after that, leaving us with half-empty mugs and an entirely empty lounge.

At my suggestion, Twilight and I grabbed our mugs and settled into the much more comfortable chairs near the floor-to-ceiling windows. We chatted some more about the Sirens and the many stories they shared with us earlier, what Mom and Mother might be up to back on Earth, and just whatever else came to mind, really. I even threw in a good word for Garak’s shop, and encouraged Twilight to pay him a visit if she ever passed through Deep Space Nine.

After a while we kind of ran out of things to talk about, but I don’t think either of us minded. We just sat there, mugs empty but hearts full, staring out the windows at the glowing, pulsing nebula outside, the only sound the lowkey thrum of the ship’s engines.

I don’t know about Twilight, but for me it was the closest I’d come to a moment of real peace since the last time I had joined Mother in her daily meditation routine. In fact, we were both so lost in the calm that neither of us heard the door open behind us.

“See anything interesting out there?”

I looked out the corner of my eye - and nearly had a heart attack.

“C-Captain?!”

I sprang out of my chair so fast I nearly knocked over the low-slung table with my back leg. Twilight flinched at my sudden motion, then she too leapt to her hooves when she spotted our very unexpected guest standing back near the bar. Some of our easily-spooked equine nature kicked in at that moment, because we both stood there staring straight ahead at Liang like new recruits on the first day of basic training.

“G-Good evening, Captain,” I finally said, willing some calm into my voice.

“Anything we can do for you, sir?” Twilight added.

Liang looked at us both for a moment as if in thought, then tapped his cane on the floor. “Yes, there is. You can stand at ease and join me over here before both of you pull a muscle and I have to explain myself to the good Doctor May again.”

Twilight and I all but deflated on the spot. “Phew,” I muttered, taking a moment to straighten my uniform and reset the table. After giving Twilight a second to sort herself too, we made our way over.

“Apologies, Captain. As you could tell, we didn’t hear you come in. Just, erm, got lost in thought I guess.”

He smiled and shook his head a bit, clearly bemused by the whole thing. “Oh, I figured as much. I suppose I could have announced myself the moment I walked in, but I didn’t want to ruin the moment.”

“The moment, sir?” Twilight asked.

“The two of you, of course. You’ve been through so much on this ship alone, to say nothing of the years prior. Watching you and your sister navigate that minefield was tough to do at times, and my parental instincts nearly pushed me to intervene more than once.” Liang gestured for us to sit. “But you found your way through to the other side - as individuals and, most importantly, as sisters. So I hope you’ll forgive this old man for feeling just a little bit like a proud parent for a second.”

I couldn’t help but to reach out and drape a wing over Twilight’s back. I glanced at her and saw the same happy smile I had reflected back at me.

“Good thing we’re alone in here, Captain,” I said, making sure to inject some sarcasm in my voice. “If Zhidar heard you say that, he’d accuse you of being a softie.”

“Ha! Trust me, he may be perpetually grouchy, but he’s not as tough as he looks. But, that’s a story for another time, I think.”

“Speaking of time, sir, did you need us for anything? We’re both off duty but—”

Liang gently held up a hand to pause me. “No need to worry, Commander. In truth, I intended to return anyway, after I finished with some duties. I was hoping I’d still find you here, and here you are. I’d like to get your honest opinions about something. And, since I didn’t get a chance earlier…” he bent down out of view, only to pop up a second later with two glasses in hand. “I’d like to celebrate your promotions.”

Twilight and I glanced at each other in mutual surprise. “Oh! That’s quite generous of you, sir. Thank you,” I said. “Although…Flanagan went off duty for the night, but if you tell me what you’d like I’ll grab it from the replicator.”

Liang leaned back as if I had taken a swing at him. “The replicator? Commander, you wound me. Need I remind you where you and your compatriots found me?”

I could tell he was feigning outrage, but still, I trotted right into that one.

“No no, I remember, sir,” I finally said, waving my hoof for emphasis. “At The Beam and Mast. Your ba- er, I mean pub.”

“Nice save there, Miss Shimmer,” he laughed. “I guess I’ll let it slide, this time.” Liang lightly rapped his knuckles on the bar. “Now, what’ll it be, you two? It need not be real alcohol of course, but I’ll thank you not to refuse entirely.”

“Anything at all?”

“Two things I never forget,” he replied. “The command codes, and my recipes.”

“Alright then,” I muttered, puzzling over the choices for a moment. “Aldebaran Manhattan, with a twist.” Even after all this time, I still had to force myself to drop the ‘e’ when saying that city’s name. Old habits die hard.

“Excellent choice,” Liang replied before turning to Twilight. “And for our newest Lieutenant?”

“Hmm… I think I’ll keep it simple and say Arcanis Lager. The real stuff.” She looked at me with a confident smile. “One and done for me though. Gotta be up early tomorrow.”

“Not a problem at all,” Liang said, spinning a metal strainer in his hand. “Comin’ right up.”

The next few minutes gave us a look at James Liang the mixologist, and it was fascinating to see. Don’t get me wrong; Flanagan knows what he’s doing behind the bar too. But the Captain brought a level of flair to the process that was similar but also different. Perhaps a bit less showy, but completely lacking in wasted movements. Every pour, every stir, every shake was done with intent and exactly as many times as was needed. No more, no less. Even Twilight’s beer was poured perfectly, without so much as a drop of foam spilling over the top of the mug. Watching him work, I was reminded that when we paid a visit to his pub in Hong Kong, neither Cadeneza or I really got to see him in action.

“Aand here we are, ladies. One Aldebaran Manhattan with a twist, and one Arcanis Lager. Frosty mug, of course.” Liang deftly placed both drinks down in front of us – again without spilling a drop.

“Bravo, barkeep!” Twilight said, lightly clapping her front hooves together in applause. I joined in too, and the Captain took a playful bow in response.

“You’re too kind, but thank you. Now!” He grabbed a second Manhattan that he had made for himself and raised it in front of us. “I am of course proud of any member of my crew earning a promotion, but as I said earlier, I am especially proud of what you two have accomplished. As they say in my native tongue… Gānbēi!”

“Gānbēi!” we both replied, clinking our glasses together. I took a small sip off the top of my drink, considering how full the glass was.

“Mhmm…” I hummed as wonderful tastes washed over my tongue. Aldebaran whiskey was normally quite strong, and could easily overpower anything else it might be mixed with. But this was incredibly well balanced – just enough sweet vermouth to round out the whiskey’s bite but still keep it lively. And a hint of bitters kept the vermouth from building up too much sweetness on the other side. “Perfection.”

I watched Liang sip from his own drink and smile, seemingly quite satisfied as well. “Good to know I haven’t lost my touch.”

We fell into casual conversation after that. Turns out the ‘honest opinions’ he mentioned had to do with the magical research – specifically the lack of big breakthroughs that seemed to be frustrating everyone by this point. We batted around some ideas of our own, plus some we’d picked up in conversations with our colleagues on the other ships. But in the end, even the Captain had to admit the prospects of the kind of game changing development that everyone was hoping for just might not be possible. At least not with the hardware available to us out here.

Finally, a lull in the conversation left all three of us swirling the last dregs of our drinks in our glasses - and stifling a yawn in Twilight’s case. Seeing ‘2130’ on the clock near the door, I could understand why too.

“With your permission, sir,” Twilight said between fighting back another yawn, “I think I should be off to bed.”

“No worries, Miss Sparkle,” he replied. “Sleep well.”

“Thank you, sir. And thanks too for the drink. See you tomorrow, sis?”

“You bet.” I smiled and gave her a small wave. “Good night.”

Twilight gave us another wave, then turned and headed for the door. I guess her yawn was infectious, because no sooner had I finished my drink than I half-stifled a yawn of my own. “Yikes. Excuse me.”

I brushed a stray bit of mane out of the way and sighed. “I think I should do the same, to be honest, sir. With your permission.”

Liang nodded and bid me good night. I took a moment to float our now empty glasses over to him so he didn’t have to reach over the bar, and made my way to the door.

“Commander.”

I stopped just as the door swished open in front of me and looked back. “Sir?”

“If you’ll indulge me a few minutes more, I… do have one more thing I wish to discuss.”

“Oh?” My ears perked up along with my eyebrow. I was tired as heck but this was quite unexpected. “Yes, of course.”

I returned to my seat at the bar, where I was greeted with a pair of shot glasses, each filled with Aldebaran whiskey, and a suddenly pensive looking Captain.

“What’s on your mind, sir?”

He stared at me intently, like he was looking at me and past me at the same time. My sense of propriety told me I shouldn’t stare back, but just the same, I couldn’t look away either. What was he thinking?

Clink

I looked down and saw his comm badge sitting on the bar. My mouth went bone dry in an instant.

“C-Captain?”

“Miss Shimmer. I won’t order you to do this, but I… would appreciate it if you could remove your badge as well. Just for a minute.”

“Er, um, okay.” I plucked my badge off with a hoof and placed it next to Liang’s. “Wh- What’s going on, sir? Has something happened with the war?”

“No. Well, not this war, anyway. I took my badge off because…” There was that pensive look again, like he was hesitating to continue. “Because if we’re going to have this conversation, we need to do it as people. As friends.”

I tried my best to keep a neutral face, despite my confusion. “Yes, of course, sir. I wouldn’t be a very good friend if you didn’t feel comfortable saying what’s on your mind around me, badge or not.”

That charming smile returned to him for a split second. “Thank you. And for the moment, I’m just your friend James, alright? Now…” he paused and took a deep breath, like he was steeling himself.

“Do you remember our visit to Drake Williams’ house to twist his arm about joining the crew?”

“Um… yes,” I replied after a moment’s thought. “It was me, you, and… Zhidar I think? Yes! It was him, because I remember him and Drake getting rather pushy with each other for a minute. I was afraid one of them was going to throw a punch, to be honest.”

“And it wouldn’t have been the first time those two got on each other’s nerves,” Liang replied. “Anything else, Sunset?”

“Um…” Hearing the Captain call me by my first name only sounded almost wrong at this point, but I shook it off. I replayed the scene as best I could in my head. “Not really?”

“Really? You don’t remember your captain throwing you under the proverbial shuttlecraft only a few hours after meeting him?”

“Ohhh… you mean the thing with you and Drake?” I sat up straighter and looked at him directly. “Cap- er, James, if that’s what this is about, I told you then I wasn’t offended. I’m still not.”

“It is about that, but not because of my temperament,” he replied, shaking his head a bit. “Sunset, it’s time I told you a story.”

“2352. More than five years into the Federation-Cardassian war. We were a few months into what felt like the twentieth ceasefire that no one actually trusted further than they could throw the PADDs it was written on. Hell, the only thing more vague than the location of the border was the answers coming out of San Francisco, official or otherwise. As you’ll hopefully recall, I was captaining the Fletcher back then.”

“Mhmm,” I nodded. “Ambassador class, right?”

“Indeed. And by that point in the war, all the Ambassadors were showing their age. We could take a bit more of a pounding than the even older Excelsiors, but even on our best day we could barely keep up with the New Orleans, Nebulas, and all the other new designs Starfleet was churning out. Phoenix could run circles around Fletcher quite easily.” Liang cleared his throat before continuing.

“Anyway. Like I said, a ceasefire was technically in place, but neither side was willing to fully stand down their fleets either. So like most of the fleet, Fletcher was patrolling supply routes, making stops at key outposts, planets, and settlements, and so on.”

“Maintaining a show of force then, just in case,” I said.

Liang nodded. “Precisely. After a maintenance stop, we were patrolling the Igo sector. Not a whole lot out there besides some plasma streamers, but its proximity to some remote mining colonies made it too important to ignore. The sweep was nearly complete when the distress call came in from the next sector over. Two civilian ships transporting refugees had struck gravitic mines.”

My brow furrowed at that. “Gravitic mines? Those fields are usually well marked on civilian nav charts though. How’d they end up in there?”

“That’s the rub,” he replied. “They didn’t. The mines came to them. You see, that sector, like many others, had been mined early on in the war. As you know, the mines are programmed to stay in their assigned pattern and location, unless something enters their detection range.”

“Those mines had been out there for nearly six years by that point, and with the battle lines having long since moved away, they were just forgotten about. And over time, their internal systems begin to fail, allowing them to drift out of formation.”

“Oh god…” I muttered, the picture already forming in my head. “The mines drifted into the civilian traffic lanes.”

“Yes. And with their relatively low-resolution sensors, they wouldn’t have even detected the mines until they were nearly on top of them.” Liang breathed a heavy sigh. I could tell the memories were weighing on him even now. “We arrived just in time for me to watch the lead transport explode on the main viewer, with only a scant few escape pods fleeing the wreckage. But there was still one more ship left. Only reason it was still intact at all was because it was bringing up the rear of the formation and took evasive action at the last second.”

“Of course, transporters weren’t available when we needed them. At least not fully. Radiation leaks in their engine room kept us from getting a clean transporter lock, so I led an away team to set up pattern enhancers.”

“Over the objections of your First Officer, of course,” I replied with a sarcastic smile.

“A good captain never ignores their First Officer,” Liang answered, the corner of his mouth showing a ghost of a smile for just a second. “But they also call their own shots from time to time.”

“Heh. Fair enough I suppose.”

“Beaming over there was like beaming into hell. My tricorder set off a radiation alert the second I turned it on. Fires burned everywhere. Helm controls were burned out, life support was barely functional, structural integrity was dropping like a rock. I knew we had minutes at most. A couple of people got to work on the pattern buffers while the rest of us fanned out to look for survivors. Sadly, we found more bodies than we did living people. We couldn’t even check the engineering deck, the radiation was so bad. We herded everyone to the bridge, where radiation wasn’t critical yet, and beamed them out in groups. Sensors recorded the ship exploding right before we warped out.”

“How many did you find?”

“Twenty-four, plus four from the first ship's escape pods, and unfortunately we lost one of the survivors that night to radiation sickness. So all told? Twenty-seven.” Liang looked down. “Out of over two hundred between the two ships.”

“James…” I reached over the bar and laid a hoof on top of his hand. “I’m so sorry. You did what you could though, and that’s not nothing.”

“I keep telling myself that, anyway,” he replied, patting my hoof in return before pulling back a bit. “But the real kick in the teeth came when I went down to the Fletcher’s cargo bay to speak with the survivors, try to find out what happened.”

“I’m talking to a small gaggle of people when I feel something tugging on my jacket. I ignored it at first, thinking I was just imagining it. But it happened again so I turned around - and found myself looking down at a small child. A girl. Couldn’t have been more than five or six. She looks up at me, then throws herself around my leg and yells ‘Daddy! You’re here!’

I wanted to say something but was stunned into silence.

“‘Daddy!’ she repeated again and again,” Liang continued. “I had no idea what to do, what to say. Thankfully, one of the adults I had been talking to stepped in to comfort the poor thing and distract her. But she was insistent even through her tears, telling anyone who would listen that her dad was right in front of her and her mother was coming right back.”

“Poor girl must’ve been shell shocked,” I said.

“I assumed as much too at the time,” Liang replied. “But she stuck in my mind the rest of the night. So finally I looked her up in the passenger manifest, along with her parents. Turns out I do kind of resemble her father. At least enough to convince a five year old, anyway.”

“What happened to them? Her parents I mean?”

Liang sighed again. “Father died in a Cadassian work camp about a year into the war after the colony he and his family lived on was overrun by the Cardis. Her mother… she was on the transport ship with her, evacuating again to safer territory further away from the disputed border zone.”

I feared I knew the answer already but I had to ask. “Did she…?”

“According to a few other survivors, the girl’s mother had gone with the ship’s lone medical person to try and evacuate people from the engineering deck.”

My heart sank in my chest. “My god… so that poor girl was all alone. No home, no family, no friends even. Just… lost.”

“Remind you of anyone, Sunset?”

“Wh—” I froze in place. I looked at him, he looked at me, and somewhere in the back of my mind, everything clicked. Now I understood.

“That’s… So when you told Williams that Twilight and I were the reason you signed on…” It took me a moment to even begin to process everything.

“In all truth,” he replied, “the moment I heard your story, I was in. I was not about to let the damned Cardassians keep another lost soul from finding a home if I could help it.”

I gave him a warm smile. “Funny thing is, I didn’t want to mention anything about it at the time. Didn’t think it was really relevant to the task at hand, especially with war seeming inevitable even then.”

“Then you owe a debt to Miss Cadeneza, I’d say.” Liang replied. “She’s the one who brought it up, as I recall.”

“Heh. I guess so,” I replied, not bothering to fight the slight blush in my cheeks at the mention of her name. “I owe her a lot, actually.”

“By the way,” I added, “whatever happened to that little girl anyway?”

“She turned out alright. Found a home on earth, made some friends, went to school, did all the things kids do, you know. She even joined Starfleet too; last I heard, she was stationed at a tactical research lab in China.” He looked at me with a sly grin. “And occasionally slinging drinks at some hole in the wall pub in Hong Kong.”

“That’s cool— Wait a sec! That was her on the video call? She’s your daughter?”

“Mhmm. We lost the Fletcher about six months later, and between the paperwork and my injuries, retirement was a blessing. I decided to look her up and she was with a foster home in Northern California. She was well cared for of course, but… adopting her just felt like the right thing, the only thing I could do to make up for all that the galaxy had taken from her.

I could see the glint of a proud father in his eyes. “That’s amazing! I’d say you did right by her and then some, James.” He offered a small bow in reply.

Liang smiled at that. He picked up his shot glass, still full of whiskey, and held it up. “Here’s to home then. In whatever form it may take.”

I lifted my own glass up in a bit of magic. “I’ll drink to that.” We tapped our glasses together and downed their contents in one swig.

“Whoo! That bite really kicks in without the vermouth there,” I squeaked out over the burn in my throat. We shared another laugh, and it felt like the entire room had become a bit lighter, and a cloud had lifted from the Captain’s back.

“Sir?” I asked, reverting to form now that our badges were back on. “Thank you for sharing that with me. It means a lot.”

“You’re most welcome, Commander. And Twilight as well, of course. Now it’s getting late for both of us I think, so sleep well.”

“You too, sir. Good night.”

I left Two-Forward feeling a newfound sense of clarity. The conversation with the Captain was unexpected, but incredibly enlightening for us both. There was still much work to do if Twilight and I were to ever solve the puzzle of how we got here and how we can get home – wherever that is. But a bunch of pieces clicked together today, and that made me happy.

“Speaking of things clicking…” I said as I stepped into the turbolift. “Computer, locate Lieutenant Cadeneza.”

“Lieutenant Cadeneza is in her quarters.”

Perfect. “Deck 10 then.”

A short ride later, I stepped up to Cadeneza’s door and rang. “Coming!” A few moments later, the door swished open, revealing a pajama-clad Cadeneza. “Hey, you.”

“Heya.” Why were butterflies flitting about in my stomach? It’s Cadeneza for pony’s sake! I’ve seen her wear this academy tanktop and lounging shorts dozens of times by now. So why does she look so damn cute? “Can we talk?”

“Like you need to ask,” she chuckled. “Come on in.”

I followed her into the room and flopped onto the couch while she retreated to the bedroom to get something. I was honestly surprised to see her return not with snacks and a beer, but a steaming mug of tea.

“Want one? It’s lavender-honey.”

“Sure. Sounds good.”

She returned a moment later with a second mug, both of which she placed onto the coffee table before sitting next to me. I lifted my mug up and took a careful sip. “Mhmm, good flavor. I never knew you were into tea though.”

“I’m normally not,” Cadeneza replied. “Just a lot on my mind, thought it might help me relax a bit.”

“Work?”

“Nah.” She took a sip of tea. “Well, no more than most anyone else anyway. It’s more like… me. But also you. Kinda. Maybe?”

“It’s us,” I answered. “Or rather, it’s trying to reconcile where we are with how we got here.” I peered at her over the rim of my mug. “And where we go next.”

Cadeneza sipped her tea, seemingly chewing on her thoughts as much as the drink. “I-I’d be lying if I said I had any answers, Sunny. God, I wish I did too. But ever since that magic resonance thing woke you up a couple of weeks ago, I’ve been… erm…”

“Scared.” I said. “Scared for me, for yourself, for all of us.” I waved my hooves around.for emphasis. “Believe me, I’m scared too. I can’t solve this magic puzzle, but I also know that we might not have these magic converters at all if not for your work, and I know neither I nor Twilight would have made it through all this without your presence.”

The next words I spoke ran straight up from my heart and out of my mouth before I could even think about them. “I also know that when I was curled up on the floor in pain, you held me up and calmed me down. And when I forced myself to stumble out toward the lab, you ran to me and hugged me and told me to come back safe, and nothing has ever felt so good in my life.”

Cadeneza let out a slight gasp. She rarely blushes for anything, but her cheeks were on fire now. Finally she put her mug down and drew me into her embrace. “It was… a spur of the moment thing, you know. I just kinda reacted, but it felt right.”

I leaned up a bit to look her in the eye. “I-I want you to say that again, Jacqueline… to say more things just like that, to make me feel like that again. But I don’t know how to ask, much less return the favor.”

“Well, Sunny, that makes two of us, because I don’t know either,” she whispered. My heart galloped in my chest the closer she came, until her brilliant purple eyes filled my vision, and her breath tickled the edge of my snout. “But if you’d like, we can work on figuring it out. Together.”

“Yes,” I whispered in return, my eyes fluttering closed in anticipation of what was to come. “I’d like that very much.”

Author's Note

Apologies once again for the delay, everyone. Life keeps getting in the way, between both my editor and myself. I can't speak for everything with my editor, but apart from my husband's broken shoulder, I have officially contracted COVID. Fortunately, being fully vaccinated, my symptoms thus far have been mild, but it certainly tosses another wrench in my plans.

This mini-episode was co-written by my editor, Grand Moff Pony. Usually he just sticks to editing and helping me flesh out my own words in a better form, but I handed him the reins for the latter half of this mini-episode and goodness did he deliver but good. It answers a few lingering questions and allows for some more character work on everyone involved.

In the meantime, here is the tenth and final mini episode of the season, which is more of a full episode in length. But then this concept was never intended as anything more than an exercise in seeing different points of view outside of our main characters, and truthfully this will be the last mini-episode of the series. There may be occasional intermission chapters in the future that similarly showcase different perspectives, but generally speaking you can expect to see more normal episodes moving forward.

And speaking of moving forward! Our next episode will feature the first of a two-parter to close out Season Two, and it's gonna be a doozy, everyone. Things Will Happen. Events Will Occur. Etc etc. Once Season Two ends there may be a brief delay while we fully organize Season Three, but rest assured that in scope it is planned out and plotted, and we have an expected start and finish and a good sense of what's in-between. That's a lot more, I admit, than I had when I started season two--one of the reasons the poor story ended up taking so much time off.

But enough of my incessant rambling. Enjoy the episode, and should you watch it, enjoy the premiere of Picard Season Three. Will it be good? We'll find out, I suppose. See you next time, everyone~

Season 2 Episode 9: "It All Ends in Tears" Part 1

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02E09

"It All Ends In Tears"

Part One

“Personal log, Stardate 51711.2

It’s been almost three months since we first formed the fleet in the nebula, and well over a month since my promotion to Lieutenant. Since that time we’ve made a number of innovations, but have also suffered numerous setbacks, principal among them being power generation and dispersal through the ship. We've tried everything from neural gel packs and modified EPS conduits to countless variations of Shimmer crystals, but we still can't get the power distribution network to accept the modifications and remain stable. Our best stopgap has been to use multiple converters hooked to both the fusion plants for the impulse drives and to the warp core. Unfortunately this means that we’ve been limited in what we can test when it comes to shipboard weapons or shields.

There’s also been no progress in the hand phaser development since Sunset's literal trial by fire with it on Deep Space Nine. The thing still uses up the entire charge pack every time, and we haven't been able to figure out why.

Adagio’s probably right. We likely won’t get anywhere without real Equus mana gems.

The one success has been with the replicators. Pog's Randomizer, as the program is now known, has become a complete success, and requires so little magical power comparatively speaking that it's already been added to every replicator in the fleet. When switched on, the results really are much more like I remember cooking could be, versus perfect replication. Not everyone likes it, but at least it works. If nothing else, it's renewed our hopes that we can somehow solve the other issues as well.

Personally I'm worried. Admiral Nechayev has been storming all over the place, thoroughly upset. She’s taken to dwelling more on the Enterprise lately. Apparently there’s rumors of the Romulans joining the war… if it proves to be correct she might take the Enterprise out of here to see about it personally.

Hopefully she leaves soon, for all our sakes.

On a more personal note, besides the promotion, there's been some changes for me as well... the result of a talk I had last night with Lieutenant J.G. R'el. Or I should say Preta. She and I…"

I abruptly tapped the button to end my log, feeling a surge of embarrassment. Embarrassment only compounded when Preta flumped onto the bed next to me and threw her arms around me. She let out a purr as she placed a kiss on my withers. "Come on, Twilight. Enough talk. Let's have some fun together."

My body warmed at that, my face especially burning crimson. "I, er…"

She snorted and turned my head. "The proper answer is, yes." Then she kissed me full on the lips.

I should back up and explain how this happened. It was just the night before, and both of us were on the holodeck, exploring my Canterlot program. More specifically, by flying an airship inside said program. Well, Preta flew it. I stood there as a passenger on deck, watching Canterlot and the surrounding area drift by, taking in the sights.

“Wow..." Preta said as we cleared a thin bank of clouds and saw the city in its full glory.

Canterlot, considered by many to be the crown-jewel of Equestria, spread out below us. Ancient stone walls ringed the city itself, following the edge of a plateau that jutted out from the side of Mount Canter in a huge semi-circle that would seem impossible to any Federation engineer.

From its snow-covered peak, a single river wound its way down the mountain, snaking through a dense, lush forest before traversing a long aqueduct connected to the city's northern wall. From there it split into numerous canals before reuniting at the top of the majestic Canterlot Waterfalls on the southern tip of the plateau.

“Past the waterfall,” I said, pointing to the southwest of our position, “the river will continue to gradually shrink in size as it heads into the valley, eventually becoming a modest stream that splits the nearby town of Ponyville in half.”

"That's absolutely amazing," Preta replied. “Just... wow.”

A cold breeze swept across the bow of the airship, courtesy of the autumnal season dominating the landscape below. Shivering, I found myself pressing up closer to Preta as she steered the ship, using the ship’s wheel and elevation controls as if she’d been trained all her life. “Cold, Twilight?” she asked, grinning at me.

“A little,” I admitted. “Computer! Can you make me a jacket to wear over my uniform?”

After a brief moment a pony-shaped jacket appeared on the deck, which I eagerly tossed on.

“Better?” Preta asked.

“Yes, better,” I answered. I smiled at her. “I’m glad you talked Sunset and me into finally implementing a controllable airship into the program. Even for me, this is an incredible view.”

“Not just that,” Preta said, her smile as wide as mine. “This airship is a wonder of technology and magic. On any other world, an airship like this would require a massive gasbag of hydrogen or helium, and the machinery required to make any of it work would make an open deck plan like this impossible. We'd be stuck in a small gondola below the bag, always at risk for something to explode.”

“Aww, now you’re starting to sound like Cadeneza,” I teased.

She cast me a sideways glare for a second, her tail lashing before it passed and she smiled again. “Hey, Cadeneza was being an ass about it, but she wasn’t wrong. Airships were horrifically dangerous. There’s a reason almost no species ever made much use of them after the invention of heavier than air flight. Then again, maybe that's why they’re so popular in fiction too.”

“That’s right,” I said, thinking back to all the various bits of Earth fiction I’d examined that contained airships. The entire steampunk genre for one, as well as a huge assortment of fantasy in books and other forms of media. “But Equus always has to be special.”

“Yeah it does,” Preta said with a chuckle. “Thanks to the enchantments built into this, you’ve got a far smaller gasbag using plain hot air, an open deck that looks like a seaship flying through the air, and turbines that practically function on clockwork! If I tried to show this design to anyone who didn’t know about Equus magic I’d be laughed out of the room.”

I patted her on the shoulder, watching as the ship passed by the peak of Mount Canter, bringing more of the plains and forests around the mountain into view, fields of orange and yellow and reddish leaves, green grass, all lit up beautifully by the setting sun.

“I am a little curious though,” I said as I turned back to her. “What made you invite only me? I figured you’d want to have Sunset and a few others along.”

Preta looked back and shot me a toothy grin. “Because.”

I blinked. “Does this have anything to do with all the time we’ve spent together lately? Don’t get me wrong, it’s been great, fantastic even, just… makes me wonder what’s been up lately.”

“What, I can’t spend time with my roommate?” Preta asked, though her smile waned a touch.

I patted her shoulder again. “Of course you can. I’m just wondering.”

Her mouth drew into a half smile as she let out a slight growl under her breath. “I like spending time with you, Twilight. I care about you.”

“Awww,” I found myself saying, warmth spreading through me as a smile came to my face. “I care about you too, Preta. You’re a good friend.”

Preta didn’t respond for a little while after that, her face unreadable. All of a sudden, she blurted, “Well, would you look at that,” pointing to the far horizon where the sun sank beneath the horizon, leaving the sky colored in reds and purples and deep, dark blues so clear it shined. “The twilight is sparkling.”

I let out a snort of suppressed amusement. “Ha, ha, ha,” I muttered, rolling my eyes good-naturedly. “Very funny, Preta.”

“I thought it was,” she said with her own light chuckle.

She piloted the ship for a little while longer, until the chill night air finally got to her too. “Alright, it’s getting too cold out on the deck. Let’s go inside.” She locked the wheel, setting the ship’s autopilot, and directed me down below decks into the airship’s interior. We’d set this one up like a small luxury airship rather than one of the larger transport ships, so it bore a small but fancy set of quarters laden with bookshelves and paintings and other trappings of wealth, as well as an accompanying stateroom, kitchen, dining area, study, and a few other facilities.

We headed to the stateroom where we had the computer provide a replicated meal via a holographic server, laid on silver plates and true silverware coated in gold filigree, on a mahogany table with cushioned chairs and an atmosphere that screamed money, even the fireplace that burned cheerfully to one side with its crenelated decorations.

I sat down to a plate of steaming catfish and fried rice. “Much better in here,” I said as I opened the bottle of syntheholic wine and poured us each a glass. My tastebuds yearned for it to be real, but even though I was much more cognizant of my limits, I was not about to risk ruining this moment with the real stuff.

“Definitely,” Preta purred as she stretched her limbs, then sat with me and dug into her own catfish. She paused after taking a bite and muttered, “Is it cannibalism if I eat catfish?”

I almost choked on my own food as I broke into laughter. “Oh my god, Preta,” I said after drinking down some water and coughing a bit to clear my throat.

“What?” she snickered. “I mean, it's a valid question. And a tasty one too,” she added before diving into the fish again.

We ate in quiet contemplation for a little while, before she adjusted her chair to be closer to me all of a sudden. “Twilight,” she said, her voice shaking. “I… we need to talk about something.”

I paused with my wine glass halfway to my mouth. “What is it?”

She took a huge breath, then slammed back the rest of her wine glass for good measure. I was about to remind the poor girl that this was just synthehol wine, not real wine, when suddenly she reached out and took my forehoof in her hand. “Twilight… listen. There’s something you need to know.”

Worry bubbled in my stomach like acid thrown into overdrive, leaving me suddenly nauseous and sweaty. “W-what is it, Preta? Did I do something wrong?”

“What? No, no, not at all,” she said, giving my hoof a squeeze. “No, Twilight, I… there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you, for a few months now. You remember my, um, incident I had with the shuttle?”

“The one you told me to forget about as soon as you told me?” I gave her a knowing smile. “Nope, don't remember it at all.”

Preta seemed ready to launch into a reply before freezing mid gesture. "I- er, well, yes. I guess I did say all that in confidence. Thanks for respecting that though, Twilight."

“Of course, Preta,” I replied. “But I do actually remember. You tried to steal a shuttle after being exposed to Claricia's pheromones and it messed with your head. But what brought this up all of a sudden?”

Preta bit her lip, her ears flattening, tail lashing against the table before she calmed herself again. “We all know the obvious effect that Claricia's pheromones had on me. Turned me into a nearly feral, lovesick kitten. But after all of that, after talking to Rodriguez, and visiting Sickbay, and all the apologies, there was one lingering effect that stayed with me. One that I've only now fully come to grips with.”

I gave her a concerned look. “What is it? Are you ok?”

“Yes, I am,” she replied. “Or, at least I hope I'll be.” She held up her other hand before I could ask what she meant.

“What I mean is... if there's a silver lining to all of this, it's that it awakened me on an emotional level; one that I had routinely ignored for much of my life because I had places to go, dreams to accomplish. One that I realized I had ignored for far, far too long.”

Ba-dum.

My breath caught in my throat. “What… what are you saying?” I whispered.

"I'm saying..." she squeezed my hoof tighter. "I realized that I can open up to others and do all of those things too. And that there's already someone here who I care for very much."

Ba-dum.

She got up from her chair and came around to my side of the table, getting on her knees to look me directly in the eye. With both hands she held my forehooves, her expression full of warmth and compassion in a way I hadn’t seen from her before, more than just the friendly kindness she’d shown me in the past, especially when I believed Sunset was dead.

This was different, more rich, more vivid, more…

Loving.

“I’m saying, Twilight,” she said as she brought her face closer to mine. “I care about you. I… I love you.”

“Oh my god,” I whispered. Hearing that filled me with sensations I’d never felt before, something instinctual.

Ba-dum.

She swallowed nervously. “I don’t expect you to just accept it… and I won’t be upset if you say no—”

I interrupted her with a kiss.

It was inexpert, clumsy. My lips barely met hers properly, I pushed a little too hard, moved my head a bit too much. Unlike Sunset, I'd never kissed anyone before. I knew Preta hadn't either, and it showed. She was just as clumsy as I was, moving her head in the wrong direction at first, then accidentally catching my lip with her fangs when she tried to push into me herself.

But neither of us cared. She paused just long enough to look into my eyes, as if checking to be sure, before she threw herself at me. We fell over, the chair clattering to the floor, the holodeck safeties preventing it from being more than a light thump to our bodies. Soon we’d picked ourselves up away from the table and moved to the nearby bedroom, where she laid me on the bed, and began to do quite a bit more than just kiss me.

I learned all sorts of things about myself that night. Places I proved sensitive, ways in which my body… reacted. And she learned just as much about herself. It was probably one of the goofiest attempts at love-making two adults had ever attempted.

And yet it was wonderful.

It was only as we both were relaxing in post-coital bliss that the reality of what we’d just done hit us both. Preta clung to me, her sweat soaking into my coat, and said, “...oh god, did we just go too far? Was that too fast? Should we have—”

“Sssh, sssh,” I said, finding myself rubbing the back of her head with my hoof. “It’s okay. I… I wanted that.”

She looked into my eyes. “But, did you have any feelings for me before I confessed?”

It took me several moments to answer, as I dug deep into myself. Then I nodded. “...yeah, I think so. I've known for a while that I was fond of you, much more so than anyone else I've met. I mean, you were there for me so often when I thought Sunset had died, you’ve been a constant friend ever since. Like you, I've spent so long repressing that side of me, I never understood what these feelings were when they did bubble up, much less how to act on them. But now that we're here, in this moment..." I gave her a small kiss on the cheek, "how could I not respond in kind?”

Preta laughed and held tighter onto me. “You’ve no idea how glad that makes me. Ever since I realized what I felt I’ve been terrified.”

“I know.” I ran my hoof through her hair. “You’ve been tense around me lately; I haven’t seen you relax until we came into the holodeck tonight.”

“Warning: Holodeck reservation time has expired. Program will end in one minute.”

We both laughed and rushed to get our uniforms back on. “I guess we’ll have to continue this in our quarters. Good thing we’re already sharing,” Preta said.

As I got dressed, I paused, and gave into the sudden urge to give her one last quick kiss.

At the same instant, the program vanished around us, and the doors hissed open, revealing Rodriguez, Ishihara, and, oddly enough, Aria, all of them dressed up for river rafting. “Apologies, Lieutenants,” Rodriguez said as they all stepped in. “I’m afraid your time is being up.”

Aria narrowed her eyes as she looked at us, then smirked. “Oh. Were we interrupting?”

“No! No, not at all,” Preta said, her face and mine burning crimson as we rushed out. “Just some fun with her Equestria program, that’s all, ahahaha. Enjoy yourselves!”

We left them with Ishihara’s boisterous laughter following us out the door, both of us doubling over in embarrassment in the corridor. “Yeah, they know,” I groaned.

“Of course they do,” Preta grumbled. She looked askance at me, then added, “Let’s get back to our quarters.”

“Right.” We hopped onto the turbolift. “Preta, before we let this go any further, we should figure out what we want from this. My sister did the same thing with her roommate on the Enterprise, and I don’t want to repeat her mistake.”

Before she could respond, the turbolift stopped at another deck and let on three more officers. She sighed and mouthed, “Wait till we’re back home.”

Soon after another long turbolift ride, we entered our quarters, falling on the sofa together. “So, you were saying we should figure this out, huh?” Preta said.

“Yeah,” I answered as I nuzzled into the crook of her neck. “I… I feel a little ridiculous, if I’m being honest. I’ve never been in a relationship before, but I know what Sunset did to Smith.”

“Oh yeah, no way. I don’t think either of us wants that to happen.” Preta kissed my forehead, then stretched out her arms before wrapping them around me. “To be completely honest, I’m not sure, Twilight. I’ve never been as, err… well, to be blunt, as horny as most Caitians. At least not until I got dosed by Claricia’s pheromones. So I never even thought I’d be in a relationship because I never felt like I needed to be in one. I… I know I care about you. I want to be with you.” She touched a hand to her chest, right over her heart. “And there's a part of me that needs you too. Beyond that?” She shook her head. “I dunno.”

“Well, I think I’d want this to be romantic too.” I reached in to plant a kiss at the nape of her neck, right where I’d figured out she was sensitive, drawing a soft yowl from her lips. “Not just sex. Sex for sex’s sake isn’t enough for me.”

“Me either,” Preta agreed. “So… romance then.”

“Yeah.”

“Good.”

Then her eyes flashed with mirth. “Wanna do it again?”

“Oh hell yes.”

I was tired for my next shift, but it was worth it.

“Hey, you okay there?” Preta asked me, drawing me back to the present as she laid atop me on the bed. We’d just finished another bout of lovemaking, and both of us were sweat-soaked and overheated.

“Yeah, sorry, just reflecting,” I answered.

“Shimmer to Sparkle and R’el.”

We both stared at each other in wide eyed panic for a moment before I managed to stammer, “Err, Sparkle here. Preta is here too.”

“Report to my quarters. Immediately.”

“Uh, sorry?” I ventured, the panic filling more of my being, till I was vibrating with it.

“You heard me, Lieutenant. That’s an order. Shimmer out.”

“Why would she want us in her quarters?” Preta asked me.

“I don’t know! But…” I sat up and all of a sudden my nose crinkled up. “We need to get cleaned up… if we walk in there, she’ll know what we were up to.”

“Right, right,” Preta said with a sigh. “We’ll have to double up in the shower… why couldn’t they have given you better quarters when you were promoted?”

I shook my head. “I didn't want to move so I never asked for anything better. You didn't ask for anything better either, you know.”

As we shoved ourselves into the sonic shower we switched it on to max setting, to try and get through in a hurry.

“Well yeah, because I didn’t want to leave you by yourself,” Preta said, giving me a quick kiss on the head as she helped me clean up.

WIthin ten minutes we were out and in fresh uniforms, and as we left our quarters, our combadges chirped again. “Shimmer to Sparkle, where the hell are you? I said to report immediately.”

“Sorry, ma’am, we had a slight technical glitch we had to resolve,” I said, hoping Sunset would understand that as a turbolift mishap. “We’re on our way now.”

Mercifully, the turbolift got us to the right deck without stopping for once, and we hurried over to Sunset's quarters and rang the bell.

“Enter!”

Oddly, the place was almost entirely dark, with the lights out in the other room and the living area barely visible in front of us. Sunset stood waiting for us, a PADD in her magic, her face drawn up in an expression I hadn’t seen since she and I had been at odds with each other. “So. There you are,” she said, flapping the PADD in the air like a humanoid might knock it against their palm.

“Yes ma’am, reporting as ordered,” I said, drawing myself up to attention, as did Preta.

“I’ve got a report here,” Sunset continued, her tone sharp, cracking like a whip. “A report that says you two were on the holodeck last night. Alone.”

“Uh… y-yes, ma’am, we were,” I said, blinking in confusion. “I wasn’t aware that was against regulations.”

Sunset’s scowl tightened. “You weren’t just alone. According to this report, you were found barely in uniform, and in a very compromising position too.” She tossed the PADD to her desk and took a few steps forward, till she was right up in our faces. “Do you know what you’ve done?”

“I… I…” I shivered, halfway to tears now, so beyond confused. “I don’t understand, what did I do wrong?”

“What you both did wrong, Lieutenants,” Sunset replied, “was making me wait so long to do this.”

The lights abruptly rose up as people burst out of the other room, shouting “surprise!” and blowing light streamers and party favors, while Sunset burst into a huge grin.

“You took way too long finally getting together, that’s what,” she said with a huge smirk. “Congratulations, you two.”

“Wha… huh?!” we both blurted, looking around at the crowd. Which, it turned out, was smaller than I thought at first… Cadeneza, Wattson, Claricia, Rodriguez, and Maia.

Rodriguez shoved a glass of some kind of Spanish liquor into Preta’s hand. “Here. You will be wanting this, Lieutenant,” he said with a wink.

“Wait, you all knew?” Preta said, her face burning redder than I’d ever seen it. And from how fiery hot my own felt, I was certain mine was doing the same. She gave Rodriguez a glare. “Did you tell the entire ship about the holodeck yesterday or something?”

He raised both hands in the air. “I swear, on mi madre’s life, I never once said a thing.”

“I realized it not long after the… incident between us,” Claricia clarified as she sipped from her own drink, some French concoction my brain struggled to recognize due to how frazzled I was. “You treated her differently.”

‘Yeah we all picked up on it, kitten,” Cadeneza said, clapping Preta on the shoulder. “You and Sparkie here, you two make a great couple.”

“But, but… why this?” I blurted, looking at my sister.

She beamed as she broke out a bottle of Andorian ale and poured her and me a pair of frothy mugs. “Because, I wanted to show you my support. And I’m technically the older sister. I have the right to embarrass you when I want to.” She winked.

“...this is payback for my shouting about that hoofmark in sickbay, isn’t it?” I grumbled as I took the offered ale, sipping at it. I blinked as the fantastic taste splashed through my palate, washing away any remaining bit of bitterness on my part. “Oh this is smooth. 2289?”

“2309,” she corrected. “But close. And yeah, it is. Payback’s a bitch, huh?” she giggled as she held her glass up to mine and clinked it. “To you and Preta. You two are gonna be great together, I can tell.”

The party continued in that vein for a little while. Cadeneza broke out a plethora of snacks, though at one point she tried to pawn off some cat food as real food to Preta – who promptly dropped it right into the plate of chips and dip Cadeneza was holding, making everyone laugh.

“Alright, alright, I’ve got a present for you two, by the way,” Sunset said, drawing everyone’s attention. “I know neither of you requested bigger quarters because you wanted to stay together, and I get that. But you've both earned it, so we're going to make that happen.”

We exchanged a brief look. “You don’t have to do that, sis,” I said.

“No, but I want to.” Sunset broke out her PADD and tapped a few keys, then eyed Preta and I and tapped a few more. “Now would you look at that. A set of double quarters just became available on deck seven, starboard side. Great view over there, I'm told. And—” she kept going before I could even try to object “I'm tossing in a few extra amenities just because I can. The quartermaster'll have everything ready for you to start moving by the time this party's over.”

Preta and I exchanged another look, much happier this time, and I broke into a laugh and hugged Sunset tightly. “Thanks, sis. You’re the best.”

Sunset held me tight. “What use is it being your commanding officer if I can’t engage in just a teeny tiny bit of nepotism?”

“Gasp! Can you believe this?” Wattson said as she pointed at Sunset, everyone else laughing once more. “Nepotism, from our first officer. For shame!”

“For shame!” Rodriguez, Cadeneza, Claricia, and Maia all echoed.

“Oh, shut it,” Sunset snorted, making everyone laugh again.

Maia took that moment to float on over and give me an amused look. “Hey, egghead. Glad you finally got your head on straight and got you your girl.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Aww, and here I thought you’d be jealous,” I snarked.

Maia shrugged and sipped at her drink. “Nah. I'll still be kickin' your ass in our sparring sessions, so that's all I need.”

“Oooh, did you hear that, Preta?” I said as I nudged an elbow at Maia. “She’s so generous.”

Preta sniffed. “Oh yes, quite generous,” she said, before downing her drink and chuckling. “Just keep her in one piece. If anyone's going to be rough with her, it's gonna be me.”

“Ooooooh,” everyone else murmured in unison as my face burned like fire.

The party went on for a little while longer, till Sunset’s terminal beeped. “Alright, everyone, it’s 22:00. Time to wrap this up. We’re all on duty in the morning.”

“Yes, Commander,” I said with a laugh. “Thanks again, sis. For everything.”

She hugged me once more. “You bet.”

Preta and I went to get our stuff moved. It only took us about a half hour, since neither of us had much to pack away. “There,” Preta declared as she finished setting the last of my books on a bookshelf in our new living room area. She set her hands on her hips. “Hmm. Feels like we’re missing a few decorations.”

“We’ll figure it out,” I said as I hopped up into my pony-designed chair at the desk to check the terminal. I smiled as I read through the details of our new quarters. Increased library access, slightly higher priority for communiques, and higher resolution on the replicator too. Compared to our old quarters, this felt like a luxury hotel already.

“Oh hey!” Preta called from the head. “Looks like we’ve got a real water shower in here, not just sonic. And it’s a big one too.” She laughed. “Would’ve been useful before the party, huh?”

I joined her, checking out the shower. “Well, there's the extra amenities sis mentioned. Nice!” It was a huge shower compared to the one we had before; similar in design to the ones we used back home in Vancouver. “You know,” I said, my voice dropping half an octave. “We could break it in.”

Preta let out a sensual purr and rubbed up on me. “Is that an order, Lieutenant?” she cooed.

“Does it need to be?” I found myself replying, desire rising in my breast.

She traced a finger along my muzzle. “Maybe. I do appreciate a… commanding presence.”

“Then get undressed and get in that shower," I said, confidence welling up inside me. “That’s an order.”

We didn’t get much sleep that night either.

A deep pride filled me as I walked the corridors on deck sixteen, an unapologetically cocky grin plastered across my muzzle. I nodded happily to each crew member I passed. Anytime I saw my reflection I veered just a bit closer so I could catch sight of that shiny third pip on my collar. My hooves were on the floor, but I may as well have been walking on air.

“If that pip is causing irritation, Number One, I'm sure Doctor May has just the thing for that.”

Next to me, the Captain gave me a bemused look that said he was thoroughly enjoying needling me a bit. My cheeks warmed as I forced myself into a more normal walk. “Sorry, sir. I know it's been almost two months, and I probably look a bit silly. It's just... well I guess I always did like to preen a lot when I accomplished something. Even as a filly.”

“Well, you've certainly earned the right,” Liang replied, clapping me briefly on the shoulder. “And that's not just me saying it either. You've got peoples' attention, Number One, and for all the right reasons. Keep this up and you might just break Jim Kirk's mark as the youngest officer to make Captain.”

“Maybe one day," I said. "But I'm perfectly happy to remain your First Officer as long as you'll have me.”

Liang let out a small snort. “I’d hope so. We’ve a good rapport, you and I. And now that I’m back in… I find myself wholly reluctant to resign again. I had considered staying only until this war was over, but now… now I think I want to remain.” He glanced at me and grinned. “As you likely gathered from our little chat a while back, I still have some unfinished business when it comes to you and your sister.”

The turbolift discharged us onto the bridge, and we both took our usual seats. “Like I said, sir, I don’t want to take over anytime soon. I’m happy to learn from the best.”

He let out a single laugh and rapped his cane on the floor. “Well said.” He looked up at Ops and Conn where Williams and Rodriguez sat respectively. “Report.”

“Nothing unusual to report, Captain,” Williams answered as he tapped his console. “Research shuttle transfers continuing on schedule.”

Liang nodded. “Any news—”

A bleep-bleep from Ishihara’s console interrupted him. “Sir, the Enterprise is hailing us,” Ishihara said.

“On screen,” Liang ordered.

The bridge of the Enterprise appeared, with Captain Picard standing in the forefront, Admiral Nechayev hovering nearby. “Captain,” Picard said, then his eyes caught me and he briefly smiled. “Commander.”

I smiled back as Liang stood from his chair. “Always good to hear from you, Jean-Luc. What can we do for you?”

“I’m afraid this isn’t a social call. The Enterprise, along with Admiral Nechayev, have been recalled to Federation headquarters. There’s been a major development.”

“Oh?”

Admiral Nechayev stepped forward. “The Romulans just declared war on the Dominion this morning; evidently the Dominion was planning some form of surprise attack. Captain, I’m placing command of the fleet in your hands for the time being; I will be returning when I can, but it may be a while.”

“Respectfully, Admiral, I thought the Brynhild was your flagship,” I interjected.

Nechayev nodded. “Yes, but as the fleet's flagship the Enterprise will be needed to help show our cooperation with the Romulans, as a sign of strength, and our commitment.”

“Makes sense,” Liang admitted. “Very well then. Good luck, Admiral, Captain. And godspeed.”

“Same to you, James,” Picard said with a nod. “Enterprise out.”

The viewscreen reverted to showcasing the nebula and the fleet. Soon enough the Enterprise disengaged, and we watched it depart the nebula. “Enterprise has gone to warp, sir,” Williams said.

“Very well. Number One, I intend to depart for the Brynhildimmediately. I’ll need to coordinate fleet movements and it’s best done there where Nechayev had her command structure set up. You’ve got the ship till I get back.” He winked. “Don’t mess with my seat settings though.”

“Believe me, I won’t,” I said.

With another small laugh, he left the bridge, while I sat down in the center chair, using one of the monitors to watch the progress of his shuttle as it departed for the Brynhild.

Once he was safely aboard, I tapped the comm. “Bridge to science lab two.”

“Sparkle here,” answered my sister. Her voice sounded a bit strained, or perhaps tired. Certain as to the reason why, I made sure my next few responses contained a bit of understanding sympathy.

“Sparkle, according to the schedule the fleet is supposed to be performing another test of the magical shield systems. Have the Phoenix’s phasers already been rigged into test mode?”

“Yes ma’am,” she answered. “We’re just about prepared for the test down here.”

“Good. We’ll proceed in order. Ishihara, signal the Brynhild.”

“Brynhild reports ready for testing.”

I squirmed in the chair in a vain attempt to pop a kink in my lower back. Not for the first time I wished Liang had granted my request to make my Equestrian-style chair easily swappable with his. But of course, there was a regulation for that too. Figures. “Very well. Miss Ishihara… fire.”

We watched on the viewscreen as the low power phaser beam lanced through the nebula, bouncing off the Brynhild’s shields, holding for several seconds before shutting down. “Results?”

“Measuring now, Commander,” Twilight said. A slight sigh escaped her lips over the comm. “No regenerative effects noted. The spell matrix collapsed from the first shot.”

“Damn it,” I groaned. “Alright, record all sensor data and set it aside. We’ll have to tweak that spell matrix again. Signal the Algerie, have them ready for the next—”

“Ma’am, we’re being hailed by the Brynhild,” Ishihara interrupted.

Frowning, I stood up. “On screen.”

Captain Liang’s face appeared on screen; he was standing in a science lab. “Number One,” he said, his voice clipped, “Something about that last test has disrupted half of the Brynhild’s systems. It looks like there’s a cascading effect from the converter in the ship’s power supply.”

“Again?” I managed to keep the groan out of my voice this time. “Sir, I thought we had that fixed.”

“So did I, but apparently not.”

I sighed. “Alright, I’ll have Lieutenant Sparkle head over on the next shuttlecraft.”

“Uh, Commander,” Rodriguez spoke up. “I am detecting something unusual in subspace. A large distortion field.”

“Confirmed,” Williams added as he tapped his console. “It looks like it’s headed in this direction.”

“We’re showing the same thing over here,” Liang said.

“The rest of the fleet also reports it,” Ishihara said.

I locked eyes with the captain. “Sir,” I began, “We might want to consider—”

BOOM!

The entire ship shuddered, and on the screen there were screams and shouts, the signal breaking into static. “What the hell—”

BOOM!

“Commander!” Ishihara cried. “Thirteen Jem’Hadar fighters and a Jem’Hadar battleship have just dropped out of warp inside the nebula! They’re opening fire!”

“Damn! Get our shields back to full strength!” I ordered. “Bridge to engineering, we need our phasers back up to full power right away!”

“Working on it, Commander!” answered Wattson’s voice as the ship shook again from another volley of fire. “That first attack disrupted one of the primary EPS conduits, the one tied to the converter. We could use your assistance down here with it!”

Cursing under my breath, I nodded. “Alright, I’m on my way. Williams, you’ve got the bridge!”

“Ma’am, the Shimakaze and the Javelin have opened fire on the Jem’Hadar fleet,” Ishihara said. “They’re trying to keep them at bay. The Baltimore is joining them, and the Algerie is trying to flank them.”

“Status of the Brynhild?” I asked as I headed for the rear turbolift.

“We’re alright over here, Number One!” Liang called over the weakening signal. “Keep my ship intact.”

I nodded to him as the turbolift doors closed. “Main Engineering, emergency speed!”

The ship shuddered a few times before I was discharged into Main Engineering. I rushed into the beehive of activity, engineers running all over the place. “Wattson!” I cried as my magic activated, gathering up the nearest toolkit. “Where do you need me?”

“Over here, ma’am!” she said, pulling me over towards the warp core, where the now wall-mounted magical converter had been piped directly into the grid. “Looks like it’s the primary feed line; it’s disrupting all the other power systems.”

“I see it,” I muttered as I grabbed a hyperspanner and got to work. “Wattson, get one of these screens up. Shimmer to bridge, status report!”

“The Brynhild’s taken a severe beating, Commander,” Ishihara reported. “Our weapons are having little effect.”

“Give me a few minutes, I’ll change that,” I said. I worked swiftly, and had a tricorder up and scanning the whole while.

The ship rocked from another harsh blow. “Shields down to sixty-five percent!” shouted Hill, who was working on another panel and glancing at the screen every so often. “Commander… the Helena!”

I turned to face the screen, just in time to see a volley of torpedoes rake the underside of the Helena as she attempted a hard turn to starboard. She lurched at a grotesque angle and exploded almost instantly. “Was anyone from the Phoenix aboard?” I asked, trying to keep the horror out of my voice.

“No, Commander; the only personnel we have off-ship at the moment is the Captain,” Hill reported.

I nodded, whispered a quick prayer for the lives lost, and rushed to finish. “There!” I said, closing the panel. “Shimmer to bridge, weapons are hot! Fire at will!”

“Confirmed! Firing phasers! Direct hit on—”

BOOOOOOOM!

The ship thrashed from the worst hit yet, tossing half of us to the floor. “Shields at forty-five percent!” Hill screamed from his position. “There’s a failure in the dorsal shield grid! Hull breach on deck one!”

“The bridge,” I gasped. I tapped my badge. “Shimmer to bridge. Shimmer to bridge, respond!” Snarling, I switched tack. “Shimmer to Ishihara!”

“Ishihara here… we barely survived that hit, ma’am! Most of us got out, but… Williams, he…”

“Williams is dead?” I choked.

“Yes ma’am. Forcefields are active now, but bridge is currently inoperable.”

“...alright. Get Rodriguez down here. I’ll take over from Engineering.”

“Warning: Intruder alert.”

“Ma’am!” Hill spoke up. “New problem! We’ve got intruders; Jem’Hadar are beaming in all over the ship!”

Even as he spoke, there was the sound of a shimmering transporter, with several Jem’Hadar soldiers coming into existence, weapons raised. “Everybody down!” I screamed as they began opening fire, taking one unfortunate engineer directly in the throat and another in the side as both struggled to reach cover in time.

Hill pulled a phaser off his belt and returned fire, sending one Jem’Hadar sprawling for the deck. The rest split up and roared as they fired their disruptors, taking down a third engineer before I worked my horn up enough to retaliate, snatching their weapons from them with my telekinesis and tossing them aside.

The precious few seconds that bought us allowed us to pick off one more Jem'Hadar with phaser fire before their comrades drew their bladed weapons and charged. Engineering descended into a chaotic melee. Only the clang of weapons and the occasional burst of a phaser beam punctuated the snarls and screams and roars of a crew fighting for their lives.

I turned to see one Jem-Hadar charging me with one of those blades on a stick; the same kind I'd been tortured with. Just the sight of it drove me into a rage.

As he swung it, slicing through the air with a sharp metallic ring, I deftly juked and brought my foreleg up in a crack to his abdomen. Grunting, he stabbed his blade for my heart. My horn lit, summoning a shield to block it at the last second, then I jabbed him in the sternum with my foreleg. I heard a nasty crack and he gurgled, blood coming to his mouth. Grabbing his blade from his hands I used it to finish the job.

Leaping back into the fray I saved Wattson from having her head cut off by stabbing the responsible Jem-Hadar in the spine and yanking him back, wrenching the blade back out of him in the process. Then she shoved me down, screaming, “watch out!” as she fired her phaser, hitting the last Jem’Hadar in the face and sending him to the deck.

“Thanks,” I said as I reached for a fallen phaser rifle from a slain security officer. A fresh wave of Jem’Hadar flashed into existence, bellowing and firing their weapons. My phaser fire raked them, taking out two before a third forced me to leap behind a panel as he filled the spot I’d been standing in with disruptor blasts.

I threw up a shield in front of me and came back around the panel to eliminate two more Jem’Hadar, leaving a last one to get stabbed through the torso by another security officer who’d snatched up one of their blades.

As a smokey haze filled the air, I took a breath and shouted, “Clear! Alright, let’s—” and the fresh sound of a transporter interrupted me. “Damn it!”

A third wave then appeared in the catwalks above us on the second floor, prompting me to jack up the power on my phaser and deliberately distintegrate one of the support cables to the platform one of them was standing on, making the Jem’Hadar fall and smash his head on the warp core’s forcefield, electrocuting him. The others rained down fire upon my position, forcing me to throw up another shield. But it worked just enough to distract them, allowing Wattson and the others to pick them off with concentrated fire. I did hear a choked scream behind me just before my shield engaged.

Silence fell as I stood back up, looking at the results of the carnage. To my fury there were more dead engineers than living ones, while the living ones seemed mostly injured in easily survivable ways.

Except one. “Sunset!” Wattson shrieked, grabbing my attention.

I glanced over to see Wattson bent over Hill, who was looking up at her, his eyes unfocused, his breathing labored. She was holding her hand plus his desperately to a chest wound that bled all around it as if the pressure wasn’t even in place. “Ma’am, I’m sorry, I… I took a hit trying to…”

“Oh no,” I gasped, slapping my combadge. “Shimmer to sickbay, medical emergency in Main Engineering!”

“I’ll try to have someone on their way, Commander, but we’ve got medical emergencies all over the ship,” came the response.

“Well hurry the hell up because we’ve got people dying down here!” I shouted, even as I used my magic to grab a nearby first aid kit. I grabbed a bandage soaked in clotting agents and moved their hands so I could press it into the wound.

Wattson helped by adding extra pressure. “Come on, Hill, hang on for me. You’re going to make it out of this.”

Hill, his eyes full of tears, reached up to her with a shuddering hand even as the bandage flooded with blood, far more blood than it could handle. “I’m… I’m sorry, Amelia,” he said, his voice turning liquid as more blood ran down the edge of his mouth. “I never… never told you…”

“You can tell me later, whatever it is,” she said, cradling his head while I reached for another bandage, and then another after that one soaked. With the third soaked through bandage and no end in sight, her voice trembled harder and harder. “Stay with me, Hill! Stay with me!”

“Please… call me… Chris…”

She nodded her head almost like a ragdoll. “Okay, Chris, whatever you need. Just stay with us okay?”

His lips curled up in a slight smile. “Nice to… finally hear my first name… from you…guess that’s the best I… can hope for…sorry… Amelia…”

His head slumped.

“No, no, no!” she screamed, but it was no use. The light died from his eyes. With a sob, she laid his body on the floor and closed his eyes. “God damn it to hell…”

I felt a few tears come to my own eyes, but I pushed them away. “Amelia… we’re still in a battle. Can you stay with me?”

Wattson wiped her eyes and did her best to wash the blood off her hands with a wet cloth. “Right… right. Yeah.“ She moved over to a nearby console, and did her best to resume her businesslike persona. “We've got shields back up to fifty percent. Sensor logs show the Baltimore took out a pair of fighters with their tricobalt weapons before being destroyed herself, and the Javelin…”

I glanced up at the screen just in time to see a trio of Jem’Hadar beams penetrated the Javelin’s hull, sending it careening and listing before it abruptly exploded.

“How’s our weapons?” I asked as I made for another console and reconfigured it to tactical systems.

“Uuuhh… phaser power down to fifty percent of nominal, and we’ve lost aft and forward torpedo launchers. But we’ve still got the pod launcher.”

“Right, got it,” I said as I scanned the console then dialed up a full spread of quantum torpedoes. “Firing on the closest pair of fighters.”

I watched the sensors like a hawk as the torpedoes flew out and sought their target, while our main phaser bank pounded their shields. The torpedoes tore away at their hulls, leaving both exploding in flashes of light and Cerenkov radiation, the shockwave collapsing the shields of a third fighter.

But it wasn’t enough. I could already see it wouldn’t be enough. Even as I took aim at the next ship, the Shimakaze, trailing plasma from one warp nacelle, the other shorn off and spinning away through space, took a combined fire from the battleship and three of the remaining fighters at once, and crumpled in before its warp core detonated, sending out a shockwave that rocked the Phoenix.

“Commander!”

I looked up to see Rodriguez heading for me, his uniform torn up, a cut bleeding on his forehead and another gash in his arm tied up with a piece of torn uniform top. He took up a position at another console and swapped it to helm controls. “Reporting as ordered, ma’am,” he said, though his voice shook.

“Where’s Ishihara? The rest of the bridge crew?” I asked as I fired the weapons again, dealing a glancing blow to another fighter.

“We were separated from the rest of the crew; I do not know where they went. As for Ishihara, she met up with Zhidar and the two went to handle intruders.” Rodriguez gulped. “I was having to deal with two by myself, but I slew them.”

“Good work,” I grunted, patting him on the shoulder. “Get us on evasive maneuvers. See if you can’t get us out of the nebula… we might have to make a run for it.”

“I will be trying,” he answered as he sent the Phoenix into a z-axis dive, making my stomach fall out from under me just a little as the inertial dampers struggled to keep up. “But we will need to escape the nebula before we can be going to warp.”

The ship rocked again from another blow as several Jem’Hadar fighters fired their beam weapons. “Ventral shield is beginning to collapse! Shields at forty percent and falling!” Wattson cried.

“Keep that ventral shield up; we do not need to be boarded again!” I ordered as I fired another salvo of torpedoes, doing some serious damage to one fighter. “Damn it, where’s the Brynhild? The Algerie?”

Rodriguez gulped and pointed at the screen. “Look.”

I looked up from my panel just in time to see the Brynhild drift into view, its saucer section sheared in half, the stardrive peeled off by another set of fire before it exploded, sending what was left of its saucer hurtling in our direction before Rodriguez juked us out of its path. “Escape pods?” I gasped.

“Can’t tell; half our scanners are down from all the damage,” Wattson said.

“The Captain was on that ship,” Rodriguez said, his voice taut and shaking with fury.

My heart sank, a deep numbness overtaking me, barely able to breath, let alone speak.

After a moment or two, Rodriguez coughed for attention. “We… incoming hail, ma’am.”

I let out a quiet sigh. “On screen.”

The Algerie’s captain appeared, her face haggard and drawn. “Phoenix,we’re all but dead in the water here. We’re not going to make it out of here.”

“Captain, I—”

Their captain shook her head. “Liang's gone, which means you're in charge now, Shimmer. Get out of here and back to Starfleet. We'll cover you.”

“But that''s—”

“No time. Now go, Shimmer. We can't risk losing you, your sister, or the Sirens.”

I watched their bridge shake with alarms and shouting people as a console exploded in the background. “...yes, ma’am,” I said, nodding. “Godspeed.”

She closed her eyes, breathed, then opened them again and nodded. “Same to you.” The transmission ceased.

“You heard her,” I ordered Rodriguez. “Get us out of here!”

“Trying to, ma’am,” he answered.

I kept my eyes on my panel, showing our trajectory as we made for the safety of open space, only to abruptly bang my head into said panel as another volley of fire blew through the ship. Stars exploded in my vision as I nearly fell out of my chair, groaning from it as I tried to keep alert. Blood ran down my face from a cut, mixing with the smoke in the air to make my eyes water and burn.

“Shields are down to thirty percent! Commander, we just lost warp drive!” Wattson cried as she hopped out of her chair and ran over towards another console close to the warp core. “They’ve damaged the main EPS manifold leading to the nacelles. I don’t know if I can get it back up in time.”

I wiped the blood away best I could as I glanced down at my panel. “Torpedo launchers are offline too. All we’ve got left is a quarter strength set of phaser banks.” I stared at my panel in mute horror.

As the ship shook from yet another blow, a voice came over my combadge. “Sparkle to Shimmer. I’ve got an idea how to handle this. I’m heading to the bridge. When I get there, I need you to shunt all control of the ship’s magic to me.”

“What?” I gasped. “Twilight, the bridge has a hull breach! I don’t know if any consoles are functional up there anymore. What are you planning?”

“Just trust me, Sunset, there’s no time to explain. I’ve got this. Do whatever you can to stall them till I’m ready, okay?”

I hadn’t the foggiest idea what Twilight was planning, or what she could possibly do with the ship’s magic. But I had to believe in Twilight. She’d proven herself a capable officer, and damn it, she was my sister. If there was anyone left on this ship with a trick up their sleeve, it'd be her.

“Alright, Twilight. I’ll do what I can. Keep yourself safe, okay? Shimmer out.”

“Commander!” Rodriguez called out. “The Algerie, I think they’re trying to ram them!”

“They're what—” I wiped another bead of blood and sweat out of my eye and watched in mute horror as the Algerie turned hard about and headed straight for the Jem'Hadar battleship. Volley after volley ripped into the already burning wreck of a ship, but she managed to close enough distance to take out three more fighters when her warp core finally succumbed.

But it still wasn’t enough. The battleship and three other fighters still remained, and they bore down on our position. The ship rocked from yet another blast of weapons fire, prompting Wattson to shout, “Shields at fifteen percent! One more hit and we’re done for!”

“Incoming hail, Commander,” Rodriguez said, looking up at me. “It’s the Jem’Hadar battleship.”

I let out a loud, long-suffering sigh. “On screen,” I said.

My skin crawled as a Vorta appeared, flanked by a Jem’Hadar. And not just any Vorta. No, of course not. It just had to be him.

“Ah, Sunset Shimmer,” said Yukarin, that gleeful, oily smarm particularly foul tasting on my tongue, “how nice to see you again. For the first time, at least, for this particular clone of me.”

“What do you want, Yukarin?” I snapped, not in the mood to play games.

“It’s quite simple, really,” he said, steepling his hands. “Your fleet is destroyed; your ship, crippled. If you want your crew or any survivors of any other ship to have a chance of survival, you’ll surrender immediately.”

“And spend our lives in a Dominion prison camp? No thanks.” I spread my wings out and bared my teeth. “I’ve already experienced enough of your hospitality. I’m not subjecting any of my crew to it. Now I demand—”

Yukarin let out a small laugh, shaking his head. “Sunset, please. You are in a position to demand nothing,” he sneered, his demeanor like that of an adult scolding a petulant child, “and I am in a position to grant you nothing. I could destroy what remains of your puny ship right now, but unfortunately I can't just yet.”

“Why?” I growled, even though I knew perfectly why.

“Must you truly ask?” Yukarin pointed a bony finger right at me. “You, your sister, and those damnable Sirens, you all have magic. Magic the Dominion wants.”

A feral snarl rippled from my throat. “And do what with it? Kill more innocents? What makes you think we’d ever willingly work with you? I’ve broken out of your custody before. So have the Sirens. You take us prisoner, we’ll just do it again.”

“Oh that may have been the case in the past,” he said, pacing through and outside the viewing angle of the transmitter, “but no longer. You see, we’ve taken precautions, ample precautions. I believe you may be familiar with this?”

He tossed up a smaller picture on his end of the transmission, and my heart skipped a beat. I recognized it alright. The obelisk, from the planet where we rescued the Sirens, standing tall and proud inside a Jem’Hadar cargo bay, with all sorts of leads and diodes connecting it to their main computers.

“Never seen it before in my life,” I said with a gormless shrug.

His congenial smile vanished, replaced by an impatient frown. “Really now. You know precisely what this is. At least, that’s what the leader of the primitives on the planet we retrieved it from told us. They told us how you infiltrated their city and stole their goddesses, the Sirens, away from them, and flew off on a shuttlecraft. Though I am curious why you left this behind. It seems like such an oversight.”

“We were respecting their culture by not interfering more than we already had,” I admitted with a sigh, not seeing a point in lying further. “Without the Sirens it's a useless lump of rock, so we left it behind.”

“Ah, yes. The Federation’s vaunted prime directive.” He let out an amused chuckle. “What a pity it betrayed you here. Of course, we had no such compulsion. When we discovered it, we took it by force, and destroyed the city for daring to stand against us. You should’ve destroyed the obelisk when you had the chance; you could’ve saved… how many lives? At least a hundred thousand?”

I quivered with sheer, unadulterated rage, trembling so hard as my wings flared to their fullest extent. “You sick bastards.”

To his credit he seemed much smarter than his predecessors, as he chose not to provoke me further by laughing in my face. Instead he gave me a sympathetic look. “I do wish it had not been necessary, but we had little choice. They attacked us; we defended ourselves. Had they simply handed it over, we could’ve escaped with a minimum of violence. Nevertheless, that 'useless lump of rock' led us straight to you.”

Again I had to bite back a look of shock. What he just said shouldn't be possible. “How?”

His simpering smile returned. “Suffice it to say, we were able to use its unusual signature to develop a way of detecting magical signals over a larger distance. Once we finally solved that problem, we located your fleet immediately. Very good idea, by the way, hiding your research so close to Cardassian territory. Not a place we ever would’ve searched normally, I’ll give you that.”

“That was the idea,” I murmured.

“But, you see, that’s all we’ve been able to do with it. We cannot advance in any real sense of the word without an active source of magic.” His smile grew as he pointed at me. “Such as yourself. So. Turn yourself, your sister, and the Sirens over, and we may allow the Phoenix crew to live.”

I snorted. “Counter offer: we hand ourselves over, you let the Phoenix go. No more attacks, no chasing it down; let it return to Federation space without further harm.”

“Done,” he said, far too quick for my taste. Which meant he was no doubt lying, and probably planned to blow it up as soon as we beamed over. “Now, drop your shields—”

“I'd be glad to, but you damaged our ship so badly the internal comms are out. We'll need to round everyone up first.” I pointed to my combadge. “Give me twenty minutes and I’ll have us wearing these standing inside a pattern enhancer field; you can beam us over then.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Ten minutes. No longer. After that we will take you by force, is that understood?”

“Perfectly,” I growled.

“Very well.” He brought his hands together. “Your ten minutes begin now.” The screen winked off.

“Ma’am, you can’t seriously be considering—” Wattson began.

I held up a hoof. “Of course not, don’t be ridiculous. Shimmer to Zhidar.”

“Zhidar here,” came the immediate, if pained, response.

“Thank god,” I murmured. “Zhidar, how close are you to the forward torpedo launchers?”

“Same deck, why?”

“I need you to get five photon torpedoes rigged with combadges and set in a pattern enhancer field ready to go. There should be a holosuite on the same deck; take them there to use it to disguise their signal. When the Dominion beams them over they’ll get something they’re not expecting.”

“Hah! Brilliant. But I can’t do it alone.”

I nodded to Rodriguez, who got out of his chair. “I know. I’m sending Rodriguez up to you now.”

“Understood. And, Commander, you should know… Ishihara is dead.”

The words struck me like a punch to the muzzle. It took me a moment to foment a reply. “How?”

“Jem-Hadar swarmed us. She must’ve taken down at least a dozen of ‘em on her own before one got a lucky stab in. Saved my life. I did what I could, but…”

I fought off the tears that threatened to spill down my face. “U-Understood. You have your orders. Get it done; you’ve got seven minutes.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

“Shimmer out.” I tapped my badge again. “Shimmer to Sparkle.”

“Sparkle here.”

“Twi, I bought you ten minutes. Whatever you’re doing, get it done, and fast.”

Ever since I reconciled with Sunset and healed the rift I had driven between us over her rebirth as an alicorn, I'd spent a lot of time reflecting on the why behind it all. Why she felt she had to sacrifice herself that day on the Enterprise. I struggled mightily to understand how she could have concluded that her own death could ever be the right answer to anything.

But as I watched helplessly from the science lab monitors as our fleet was ripped to shreds, I finally found some answers amidst the carnage.

“Sparkle to Shimmer. I’ve got an idea how to handle this. I’m heading to the bridge. When I get there, I need you to shunt all control of the ship’s magic to me.”

“Twilight, the bridge has a hull breach! I don’t know if any consoles are functional up there anymore. What are you planning?”

I remembered the horror on Sunset’s face when she spoke of the Dominion torturing her. I remembered the way she cringed anytime the subject came up, how haunted her eyes looked, and how much the Sirens matched her in reaction. The only time I ever saw fear on any of their faces was when they spoke of the Dominion. Which meant we needed to stop them, by any means necessary.

“Just trust me, Sunset, there’s no time to explain. I’ve got this. Do whatever you can to stall them till I’m ready, okay?”

“Alright, Twilight. I’ll do what I can. Keep yourself safe, okay? Shimmer out.”

I grabbed my phaser and headed for the door. With the turbolifts damaged, and the faint sounds of disruptor blasts echoing in the corridor, I dove into the first Jefferies tube I could find. A minute later, my combadge chirped again.

“Shimmer to Sparkle.”

“Sparkle here.”

“Twi, I bought you ten minutes. Whatever you’re doing, get it done, and fast.”

My hooves carried me up the next set of ladders in the Jefferies tube. “I will, I promise,” I said. “And sis? I love you.”

“Love you too. Good luck.”

The channel closed, and I found myself smiling despite it all. For just a moment I forgot about the bloodshed all around me, the countless dead and dying crewmembers I had to race past as I scrambled through the chaos toward the bridge. Jem'Hadar tried to corner me on two different decks, forcing me to waste precious time defending myself before lunging into the next set of Jefferies tubes. Though my sudden appearance through a tube hatch on deck three proved enough of a distraction to a pair of Jem'Hadar that the beleaguered security team was able to gun them down, so at least I saved someone along the way.

Still, the clock was ticking, and I needed every second I could get to pull this off.

The ship shuddered under the weight of yet another impact, momentarily cutting out the lights in the Jefferies tube leading up from deck two. If not for the extra bit of magic securing me to the ladder, I likely would have fallen who knows how far. Even in here, the gut-wrenching sounds of a dying ship reached my ears.

The clang of hooves on metal preceded my landing inside the junction tube leading to the conference lounge. A quick shimmy later and I popped out of the hatch. The scent of smoke, ash, and blood hit my nostrils instantly, and I could hear the buzzing of a forcefield. Stepping out into the lounge proper, I saw how: there was a hull breach in the area from the conference lounge to the bridge.

Luckily the forcefield held as I made my way past it onto the bridge proper. The viewscreen was also a hull breach at this point, though the rest of the bridge was surprisingly intact given the massive hit it had taken. Most of the consoles were completely burned out, but one of the aft flex-consoles was still alive. "Perfect."

While I reconfigured it to Tactical and began rerouting command functions, I thought through everything a dozen more times... yet the answer never changed. This was the only way. We had no weapons, no allies left, and precious little time; and even if Sunset found a way to summon up the same power she used to destroy the Dominion battleship all those years ago, the enemy would surely try to use the obelisk as a weapon itself and neutralize her.

But there was still one trick, one spell... one magic that I know that damnable Yukarin had not accounted for. He couldn't have, because he can't possibly know it exists. Only two people in this universe know it exists, and one of them just died aboard the Brynhild.

Sunset would have confined me to quarters, battle or not, if she knew what I was preparing. Hell, Celestia would have likely thrown me in the dungeon for even knowing about this at all.

“Transfer complete. Relevant command functions now available at this station.”

I threw off the panels underneath the console and located the main EPS tap to the bridge. I closed my eyes. This was the last chance, the point of no return. Once I began, it was either succeed and die… or just die.

Taking a series of shuddering breaths, I whispered, “Forgive me, Sunset. I hope you’ll understand.” Then I tapped my badge. “Bridge to Engineering. Begin shunt of all magical power systems to the bridge.”

“Understood,” came Sunset’s reply. After another moment, several indicators on the console lit up. “Done.”

I closed my end of the channel and tuned the combadge to receive Sunset's feed instead, not trusting myself to speak another word without breaking down. Finally, I locked down any control Engineering had over the magical systems, to prevent them from interfering.

One more deep breath, and I lit my horn. “Here we go,” I murmured.

I used a telekinesis spell to magically connect my horn to the EPS tap, almost immediately feeling the bizarre surge of energy. The initial connection was tenuous, like two bare electrical cords sitting just close enough to share a spark. It took me a moment to adjust to the bizarre surge of energy, but as the connection stabilized I began turning up the converter.

Thirty percent. Forty percent. Forty-five percent.

As I pushed the converter past fifty percent, I could feel the subtle change in the power flow as pure magic began to take over the EPS grid. I felt giddy and heady, like I'd just downed a dozen raktajinos at once. My mana channels surged with energy as I drew upon the ship like a huge mana battery, and I watched a visible spell matrix begin to float in the air above me.

Normally the formation of a spell matrix has virtually no effect on the caster. Any decently trained unicorn would hardly ever feel a thing until the spell was actually cast. But not this one. This one burned the moment it began, tearing through my nerves like a runaway blaze. It bit and clawed and stung at me more and more as the seconds wore on.

I stitched together the foundation of the matrix, sweat already beading under my mane from the effort, and watched the conversion rate steadily climb.

The comms channel, still tapped into Sunset's feed, burst to life. "Twilight, what the hell are you doing?!"

Sixty percent...

“The converter's running far too high! Do you hear me?”

Seventy percent...

"The warp core is starting to overload! Turn it down!"

"I-I've got this, Sunny..." I managed to whisper, not caring that my end was still muted. "Trust m-me..."

I raised my head, stiffened my back, and began drawing the second layer of the spell matrix. Despite the immense pressure I kept my movements steady, like a conductor leading an arcane orchestra. Eighty percent. Eighty-five percent. Ninety percent.

I could feel the ship shudder beneath me, as if it too was struggling under the otherworldly forces being pumped through its veins. Screams came over the channel, Sunset’s voice louder than all of them, begging me to stop, shouting for Wattson to deactivate the converter, or even eject the warp core. Oh how I wish I could stop, sister. But I cannot.

I pushed through the mind-numbing pain and set the third and final base layer of the matrix in place.

Ninety-eight...

Ninety-nine...

Finally, the converter registered one hundred percent... and the fire inside of me became an inferno.

I cried out in agony as my legs nearly gave out. I leaned against the console, gasping for every breath. And somewhere, beneath the all-consuming pain, I began to hear an eerie sound; like the faintest whisper carried on the lightest of winds. What was that?

The console screen blinked in and out under the immense power drain, and for just a moment I caught my reflection in the glassy screen. My mouth opened in mute horror at what I saw.

My magic, such as I knew it, was gone. In its place flooded a terrible, evil, corrupt magic.

A dark magic.

What little was left of my sanity begged me to stop, to run away and pray for survival. But I had to go on. I had to complete the ritual. Stop now and we'd all be dead in minutes. Continue, and hopefully some of us might yet live.

A single tear slid down my cheek as I began my crescendo. I spoke in an ancient and long dead language of old Equus; one that neither Sunset nor the translator could ever hope to understand, but to me sounded as plain as any modern Ponish.

“Let hoof and horn be the essence.
Let wing and the root of magic be the foundation.
Let it be declared now; black is the color I pay tribute to, and in its shadow I prostrate myself.”

Those words acted like a frozen knife to my heart, turning my entire being cold in an instant. I shook under the intense cold, my nerves far too overwhelmed to even make sense of what they were feeling. That eerie voice returned too; a bit stronger than before. I could tell now it was getting closer, whatever it was.

“What the hell is she saying? What’s going on?! Commander, are you hearing this?”

“O Mirror of Darkness, reveal yourself to me.
Answer me and unlock the forsaken gate.
Throw open the Castle of Shadows and release the Umbral Star.”

“Miss Shimmer, we can see a major power build up on your ship. Surely you don't think you can fool us with some kind of improvised weapon. I advise you to stop at once, if you want to live. The Founders may want you alive, but they also did not forbid me from killing you either.”

I could barely make out what any of them were saying now. The roar of the magic around me drowned out nearly everything else. I grit my teeth and continued to build upon the finished base of the matrix, carefully setting the first key piece of the spell into place as I began the next phase of the ritual.

“Hear me, O fallen star of Equus, and rise. Rise and reclaim your rightful place in the heavens!”

The words sounded all but broken leaving my mouth, my voice a deep and twisted echo of its normal self.

“I hear it, Wattson, but I can't make any sense of it! Reset the universal translator! Now!”

“Working on it!”

“Yukarin, we’re having an issue with our warp core due to the battle damage; we’re trying to lock it down now.”

“I am growing increasingly impatient with you, Sunset Shimmer. You have less than one minute left to surrender yourselves.”

“Just give me a chance here, okay?”

I carefully set the next piece of the spell and a ghostly hum began to emanate from the matrix itself. It seemed to shrink in on itself for just a second before bouncing back, now at a considerably larger size than before. It spun and twisted before me, warbling and pulsing and filling the air around me with a smoky purple fog.

“Come forth from the chains of Tartarus, the dark beast that marks the end, and sever the threads of destiny!”

The ship shuddered even more beneath me as that eerie voice seemed to rush toward me now. No longer was it a whisper. I could clearly hear someone, something calling to me. My very soul ached, as if the bitter cold enveloping my body stretched beyond physical limits and leached into my very essence, suffocating me from the inside out.

Still I continued. The sixth piece of the spell clicked into place. My own pained cries flowed into every piece of the ship, a desperate attempt by my body to manage the sheer amount of dark mana coursing through it. The entire ship seemed to cry in agony along with me; even without the comms channel I could feel the crew's pain echoing back at me.

The entire tactical console had changed colors now, along with the EPS taps themselves. Black and purple and green suffused everything now. I blanched under the pressure, the sheer anguish threatening to break me entirely. Yet that voice reached out to me, somehow buoying me. It wasn't eerie now, but soft and pleasant. Soothing almost. It beckoned me to go further, like a lover craving one more touch, one more kiss.

“Swallow the light of the three tribes and reverse the rising sun!”

This was it. One more piece to go. Whatever was to happen, at least this pain, this agony, would finally be at an end.

“For everyone’s sake, Twilight, you have to stop! There has to be another way!"

My magic kept working the console, redirecting the energy flow, setting up the final wave.

"You can’t do this! I won’t let you do this! I won’t lose you again! Twilight! Twilight please! Answer me!”

I’m sorry, Sunset.

And Preta… I’m especially sorry.

"By my command–"

I hope one day you'll forgive me.

"Shatter the harmony! Kur Kigal Irkalla!”

What little was left of me, Twilight Sparkle, crumbled the moment I released the spell. Every last drop of the pent up magic surged into the phaser banks, overcharging them to an unbelievable level.

But through the pain, I could at least watch the results.

Every phaser bank on the Phoenix roared to life at once, sending powerful blasts sweeping in every direction around the ship. Blackish purple beams, each surrounded by a pulsing green lightning, lanced out through space.

The first Jem’Hadar fighter evaporated. No explosion, no fireball, just… gone.

Then the second, and the third. With each fallen ship, my sense of self faded away, my consciousness dwindled further and further into oblivion.

And still it kept going. Fourth fighter, then fifth.

I fell to my knees, feeling my body ripping itself apart. I watched in some insane mix of horror and fascination as the dark energy consumed my flesh, like I was disintegrating in minutes rather than seconds. That voice was there too, now at full volume, soothing me and comforting me, telling me it would all be over soon.

Then the phasers finally fell upon the battleship. Deep within my soul, I could hear the pained, agony-fueled cries of the Jem’Hadar soldiers as it tore through the ship. Too large to evaporate, this one disappeared in pieces, jetting soldiers into space, tearing apart conduits. Yukarin himself let out a gut-wrenching scream before he too was twisted into oblivion.

My head crumpled to the deck, the rest of my body entirely gone now. I watched as the battleship faded away into so much cosmic space dust.

And I smiled.

“...goodbye… Preta… Sssun…se—”

Author's Note

:fluttercry:

See you in two weeks for the conclusion, the finale of season two.

Season 2 Episode 10: "It All Ends in Tears" Part 2

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02E10

"It All Ends In Tears"
Part Two

That mysterious voice was right. The pain did stop.

So too did the blaring alarms and the screams of the dying; the agonizing cold and the sickening, acrid smell of death.

The horror of watching myself literally waste away into ash.

It all stopped the moment the last Jem'Hadar ship was annihilated. Then nothing.

Nothing but darkness. Pure, impenetrable, infinite.

Was this Tartarus? No, it couldn't be. Even that prison of the damned had form and texture. This blackness was all-consuming. Like the vacuum of space but lacking even the idea of feeling, of sensation of any kind.

This was the void.

"Hello?"

Amidst the darkness came a whisper. Quiet, tentative. Hesitant.

"Is anyone there?"

Yes.

Real consciousness hit me like a punch to the gut, sending me reeling. I wobbled, half-spun trying to recover, and landed awkwardly on my side. The impact made no sound, but as soon as I touched what passed for the ground, ripples of light raced away from me, like a rock skipped across the surface of a still lake.

As I stood back up and looked about my surroundings, more became visible. Much more. Swirls and motes of light danced about a vast, wide area, like someone upended a container of glitter and scattered it across the stars.

There were a few much brighter motes of light. Some barely twinkled, so sickly and gray that they had nearly turned black. There were a lot of those. A few others burned brightly but shakily, like they threatened to go out at any moment.

But there was one more point of light - a beautiful, shining rainbow of color. It shone far brighter than the others but even it flickered like a dying lightbulb, struggling to maintain its glow.

I took a step towards that rainbow. "Hello?" I tried again. "Can you hear me?"

Yes. I can hear you.

I took another step. "I can't see you. Where are you?"

All around you.

I whirled about, searching for the voice. "Who are you?"

Who do you think?

I took a moment to process that. "Wait a minute," I murmured. My eyes hurt as they widened. “This place…it looks just like what Sunset described."

I looked back at the shining rainbow dot. "Which means that's the Phoenix."

Correct. Very good, my child.

The more I listened to the voice, the more I relaxed. Something about it soothed me, quieted me. Promised me it would take very special care of me.

…it sounded a lot like the echoes I heard while casting my spell.

"But I don't understand," I said. "Does… does that make you my magic?"

In a manner of speaking.

"Why am I here? How am I here?" I prodded. "I used dark magic. Evil magic. It destroyed my body, and my soul along with it. There shouldn't be a me left to exist."

Fool. Dark magic does not destroy souls.

"It… it doesn't?" I blinked in surprise, turning in place till I was facing away from the Phoenix. "E-Even if that were true, why then does history record that every creature who ever tried to harness it was utterly consumed? And why," I added, “did I literally just watch that happen to myself?”

A lie. One of many told about dark magic to ward away the unprepared, the weak, the unworthy. Rare indeed is the pony who sees the hysteria for what it is. Rarer still are those brave enough to call out to me. But only those who I deem worthy can receive me. To them I offer untold knowledge. To them I offer unrivaled mastery of magics long thought dead. To them I offer power beyond their wildest dreams. Power to rule. To conquer. To create. To destroy.

And I deem you most worthy, Twilight Sparkle.

"What?" I whispered. "But… no! I only wanted to stop the Dominion. Nothing more."

Darkness, even darker than the void, surrounded me. I saw the rainbow sparkle of the Phoenix rapidly dwindle in size, as if it was moving far away.

Or I was being pulled away. I needed to get away from this… this thing.

And as I thought that, a thick, almost viscous sensation fell over me. Like a velvet blanket with a thousand needles poking through had been laid atop me. Not pushed in, not slapped, just laid. But it was somehow more than enough to weigh me down.

And you did, Twilight. You annihilated their entire fleet with but a single spell – a mere drop of the unbridled power that you can call upon. Now imagine sweeping away the Dominion entirely. The Vorta, the Jem’Hadar, the Founders… erased from existence with but a single flick of your horn. Not even the vaunted Prophets could do that. Think about it, Twilight. You could end the war right now, today, this very instant. You can save your friends from more needless suffering and death.

The voice grew closer, as if it were just behind my head.

And all you have to do, Twilight, is say yes.

"And I want to, believe me, but not like that!" I cried, willing my legs to move, reaching out for the Phoenix. For Sunset and Preta. As I reached out, that needle sensation became like frozen knives, squeezing down on my nerves, dropping me to my knees as I cried out in pain. "Stop it! Let me go!”

And why should I? Is this not what you wanted? Is this not why you are here? You brought this on yourself, Twilight!

An eerie, roiling cloud of fog swirled into existence above me, and through it floated a single figure. It was shaped like a pony– no, a unicorn. Black was its only color, deeper and darker than the most endless shadows. Only the ghostly purple glow around it told me it had any real shape at all. It had no discernable eyes, yet I could feel it staring through me.

It was you who performed the ritual. You who used the ancient magics. It was through your voice, your horn, that I was freed from the chains of Harmony. Your soul asked, begged, pleaded with me to help you! And I did just that! You and your puny friends would all be dead if you had not called upon me!

The pain grew exponentially with every word it spoke. My entire being felt at once numb and on fire, like I was evaporating all over again.

"I'm not a foal, you know. I know damn well what I did and, considering I'm stuck in this void talking to you, what it cost me. Of course I'm grateful for your help. But that doesn't mean I want to rule anything; or that we have anything in common."

You really don't see it, do you? it replied.I could hear the contempt dripping from its almost phantom voice.

"See what?"

For somepony so talented, so capable, you are well and truly blind.

"I'm what—" I could feel my hackles raise despite the pain. How dare this thing insult me like that?

You heard me, it continued, cutting my protest off. Did you never stop and ask yourself why you were attracted to the dark arts at all? Why that spell stuck with you all this time, despite only studying it briefly?

"What can I say?" I countered. "I'm a curious pony."

The ghostly unicorn threw its head back and let out the most hollow laugh I had ever heard. Curiosity? Not even close, young one. A curious pony would have shut that spell book the moment they laid eyes on its pages and run away, and pushed the entire event out of their minds. But not you. You read the whole thing. You took the book and studied it, then went back for another.

The voice drew closer still. I could almost feel the weight of its voice pushing on me even more. Those "forbidden" spells stuck with you because your magic itself aligns with them. You sought out those locked corners of the archives because what you call curiosity was your soul hearing the siren call of its true talents. You understood that ancient ponish so well because for those attuned to the night, it is their true native tongue.

"W-What's your point?"

That you were quite literally born for this moment. Your very nature was destined to draw you here, someway, somehow. Think about it. You prefer to sleep the day away and work under cover of darkness, do you not? The stars on your flank, your coloration, even your very name speak of the nighttime. The setting of the light. The rising of the darkness.

My point, dear Twilight, is simple. I have always been with you. And now, after a long, long wait, you have found your way back to me.

I grit my teeth through the constant, numbing pain and glared up at the ghost. "Even... Even if you're right, now what? I still used a dark magic spell, it still ate me alive, and you're still free from whatever godforsaken prison you were in. What the hell do you need me for then?"

To take the place you were always destined to. You were supposed to be the bearer of Magic itself. A Princess of Magic, one far more powerful than Sunset Shimmer could ever hope to be. All the creatures of your world would live in awe and fear of your power, including Celestia.

"I don't care what destiny I was supposed to have!” I cried. That's not who I am!"

But it is who you were meant to be! Behold, Twilight Sparkle, and rejoice! Rejoice, for your birthright awaits you!

The blanket of phantom knives suddenly plunged into me and shoved me flat on the ground, skewering me what felt like countless times. I tried to scream but the pain was so overwhelming, my mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. The phantom unicorn stomped its hoof and the knives yanked me backwards with somehow even more force than before.

Now I screamed.

The knives became like jagged hooks, ripping me open from the inside out. It was pulling me in every direction, from my legs to my barrel to my chest. Dig and twist and pull and yank. I lay there in tears, flopping around like a stuffed toy in need of new seams. Then without warning, all those jagged hooks wrapped around my midsection and yanked at the same time.

What little awareness I had left exploded in pure torture.

Wings sprouted on my back, ripping out of my spine in a manner so excruciating I retched, even as I hung just a few feet off the ground. With mute horror I watched the spindly bones almost immediately begin to grow muscles and sinew. Arteries and veins extended out to cover them, all while the rest of me began to fuse itself back together like a grotesque jigsaw puzzle. Nerves and skin followed, and then the beginnings of a coat of fur. Yet despite the searing, soul-crushing agony of watching my body rip itself apart, it was the feathers that stood out the most.

They were dark. Much darker than my coat. Only the bits of muted pink at the tips broke up the inky purple that covered the rest.

The shadow of the unicorn fell over me, and I looked up to see ephemeral teeth glistening at me in the void.

You could utterly destroy the Dominion, Twilight. Annihilate their precious Vorta, rip their vaunted Jem'hadar to pieces, leave their sanctimonious Founders weeping in supplication at your hooves, begging you for mercy... and you can silence them forever with a sweep of your wing. The war would be over, your precious friends would be saved – along with Equus.

"Equus? H-How?"

If the Dominion found you, then it's only a matter of time before they find Equus too. You may have destroyed that fleet, but more are coming, and your friends won't be so lucky a second time because we both know your sister doesn't have what it takes.

I shuddered at the mere thought of more attackers; of Sunset being captured or worse. My throat was like sandpaper but I forced the words out anyway. "Y-yes she does!"

If she really did, she would have wiped out that fleet the moment they arrived. But she didn't because she can't. She won't. It's not in her nature. But it is in yours. You've seen it for yourself! Reclaim your destiny here and now and it is Sunset who will need your help. You could surpass her in every way imaginable.

"I don't care about any of that!" I screamed. I gathered what breath I could and forced myself to stand, if just barely.

The rainbow sparkle that was the Phoenix had vanished, replaced by more darkness all around me, suffocating me, trying to end me. It felt like that... monster was breathing down my neck.

What you want is irrelevant, Twilight Sparkle. What you have chosen is at hoof. Your soul is mine. It was always mine, from that first surge of magic. From your first steps on Earth, your life with these puny humans, even your career in this Starfleet. All of it leading to this moment, when you took the step you were always bound to take and invited me into your heart.

"But I don't want it," I sobbed, the pain overwhelming me, collapsing me back onto my side, reducing me to hoarse, whispered begging. "I-I never wanted this. I just wanted to s-save the ship. Save my sister. My friends."

And now you can help me, just as I helped you. Together, we can rule Equus. Together we can protect it from any enemy among the stars, annihilate any who oppose us. Even the accursed Day will not dare to stand against us.

Suddenly something took hold of my chin, forced me to look up. And what I saw…

It was like looking at a dark reflection in a broken mirror. She looked like me, but she wasn’t me. A darker purple coat, wings darker still, with curved tips that ended not in pink but in a blood red color. Her mane fizzled and roiled like a cold fire, almost standing on end. Crystalline purple boots with twisted filigree decorated her hooves. And her horn, ethereal and glowing a foggy greenish white, twisted like pieces had been carved out of it. A similar glow surrounded her eyes like ghostly glasses; eyes with small pupils that made her appear utterly insane.

Even my cutiemark was twisted– no, corrupted... surrounded not by stars but murky, blackish blue clouds.

Her magic gripped my chin and jerked my head up, forcing me to look up at her. When she spoke, her voice came out a twisted, maniacal, corrupted echo of my own.

"No one will be able to stop the coming of Midnight.”

And I screamed anew as she raised a hoof and pressed it into me. I felt her dark presence push through my chest, reaching to my heart.

"No…please…”

She kept pushing deeper and deeper, reaching into the pool of mana that makes up a pony's very core. I felt the dark energy flood my mana channels again, but instead of burning, I could feel the last bits of what made me a pony at all fading away. Like an eraser on a chalkboard, I was being wiped away; made a blank slate for this demon's twisted ends.

“Don't... do... t-this..."

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE!"

Some of the darkness split asunder, revealing a much more pleasant blueish white ethereal background. Standing there, her wings extended, head held high, was an alicorn larger than Sunset but smaller than Celestia, with a dark blue coat and a flowing, magical mane glimmering with the light of countless stars. A splash of black with a white half moon adorned her flank.

Midnight's twisted smile collapsed into a furious snarl. "What?! You!”

“Yes,” she said, pointing a hoof at her own breast. “Me!” She then pointed at Midnight. “As for you, foul Nightmare, begone! You will not trouble her any more.”

“P-Princess Luna?” I gasped. “How… how are you. how did you know—”

Another part of the darkness split open, this time revealing an orange, almost reddish white ethereal background. From that background stepped another alicorn, and this one left no doubt who she was.

"Princess Celestia?!"

"You are not alone, Twilight Sparkle," Celestia said, her usual serene expression exuding confidence, reassurance, protection. "We are here for you."

Midnight let out a guttural roar as her wings flared. “No! I won’t allow this. Her soul is mine! She used the darkest of magics! She summoned me of her own accord! I am here to lay claim to one of my children!”

“So did I once, Nightmare,” Luna retorted, her regal posture firm and resolute. “And yet, here I stand, free of your wretched influence.”

“You had the Elements used on you,” Midnight shot back. “But you can’t use those here. Not in this realm. Not where magic itself reigns over the puny creations of a pathetic stallion and his lackeys.”

Luna stepped forward till she was standing just in front of me, on my right, as if protecting me. “Perhaps not. But here, Celestia and I can bring our full magic to bear, without fear of harming anyone. Can you truly stand up to the power two ancient alicorns can bring to bear?”

“Stand firm, Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia said as she took up the position in front of me to my left. “We will protect you.”

Hearing them say such things filled me with confidence, giving me the energy to stand. I struggled, my knees shaking, my legs aching, but I stood, and, as pained as they were, flared my wings as best as I could. “I am not one of your children, Midnight. I never will be.”

“Idiot!” Midnight’s horn crackled with energy, summoning a deep darkness to wrap around us all, choking out the light shone by Celestia and Luna’s entry. “You think these two are here to save you? Have you even asked how they got here? What makes you think that they’re real at all? We were hundreds if not thousands of light-years from Equus when you cast your spell!”

“But by using that magic, by creating such a disturbance in the Ethereal Realm, I became aware of your presence,” Luna said. “Whatever chains Twilight Sparkle unlocked, you are still bound to Equus, Nightmare. You can never leave this place. It is you who summoned her to us.”

“And by doing so, you enabled us to save her,” Celestia added. “We do not understand how or why she is here, or what she did to trigger an ascension of any kind. But she is here now, and we will protect our children!”

Both Royal Sisters ignited their horns, a wave of half light, half darkness emanating from them as they shouted together, “NOW LEAVE OUR SIGHT!”

Midnight’s form blew apart, reverting to the shadowy figure from before, till all that was left in detail was her head as she screamed in agony, the twisted voice pulling at my own heart, fresh pain welling up within me till I was screaming in twain. “Get out!” I choked past my screams. “Leave! I won’t ever let you in!”

Midnight let out a final scream before her face disappeared into her true Nightmare form.

Fine! But know this, Twilight Sparkle. You have only bought yourself a reprieve. I remain unchained, thanks to you. You may banish me for now, but I will be watching. I will be waiting. Waiting for you to slip. Up. And when you do, I will be there to claim what is mine. And nopony, not even your precious princesses, will be able to save you.

The shadowy pony dissolved into smoke, which billowed away into the darkness until every last bit had gone, and the darkness itself faded into an ethereal blue.

And as it vanished, I witnessed both alicorns appear to change in form as well. I saw their magic, their vigor start to fade, wrinkles appearing on their faces. Celestia especially looked… almost haggard and drawn, exhausted; like she aged twenty years in an instant. Hardly close to her real age, but the sight confused the hell out of me.

But there were more important things to focus on. “How…. how did you know I was here?” I asked, my voice shaky and weak.

Luna’s mouth fell open. “Twilight Sparkle, you are severely injured.”

“Indeed, she is gravely wounded, sister,” Celestia said. She brought her horn to bear on me. “Allow me to stabilize—”

“No!” Luna’s hoof shot out to block Celestia. “For all her evil, Nightmare was right about one thing. She is a pony of the night, like myself. I must do this for her. In her current state, your magic would only harm her further, despite your good intention.”

A beam of darkness shot forth from Luna’s horn, enveloping my body. I could feel my wounds beginning to close, my racing heartbeat slow, the pain ebbing into dull aches rather than throbbing.

“This will help, but only for a while,” Luna said as she slowly unwound her spell. “You are still far from healed though.”

“T-thanks,” I murmured. “So… how…”

Luna raised her jaw to appear more impassive. “Ever since the disappearance of Sunset Shimmer, my sister has been searching for a sign of her existence, hoping to feel a trace of her magic. When I was restored by the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, I joined her in searching for you both.”

“We never once stopped looking, Twilight,” Celestia said, lowering a hoof to edge under my chin, giving me a smile of motherly warmth. “I knew you had both disappeared because of that mirror, the Artifact. It used magic unfamiliar even to me, but I knew it was responsible for your disappearance.”

“Then, several months ago, we finally felt something. An unusual shift in the magics of the stars,” Luna continued. She pointed a hoof and an illusory image appeared of a wave of power emanating out and hitting Equus. “I know not what it was, but it was so powerful it shifted the entire dreamscape beneath me. So we traced its general direction and focused the search there.”

“The wormhole,” I gasped. “The wormhole aliens, of course! That must’ve been when they destroyed the Dominion fleet!”

Both of them peered at me quizzically. “I don’t understand,” Celestia said.

I shook my head. “Nevermind, it’s a long story. Please continue, your majesties.”

Luna nodded. “Yes, well, while the magic did not appear similar to yours or to Sunset Shimmer’s, we nevertheless thought it best to focus on that area of the sky. And so we have. Each night we were watching, until this night, when we felt… It.”

I gulped. “The Nightmare.”

Celestia moved her hoof from my chin up over my head, resting comfortably on my withers. “Yes. The spell you used, Twilight… it was never meant to be used the way you did.”

“Truthfully you still exist only because the Nightmare needed to possess your soul in order to manifest Itself in reality once more,” Luna said, her expression grim. “Had it not been for that, you would not be here now.”

“And I’m afraid you’ll suffer some… consequences,” Celestia said with a sigh. “Your wings, for example.”

I glanced back at my wings, then blinked in surprise. The pink tips I had noticed previously were gone. In their place was a bright cyan line, a highlight that followed the outer edge of both wings, from the joint out to the feathery tips. The bold color shone like a beacon against the deep blacks and purples that dominated the rest of my wings.

“What—”

“Our magic,” Luna said, stepping forward to place her own hoof just as gently on me. “Celestia’s and mine. You will see it more clearly when we return to the physical realm. However, it is likely not the only effect.”

“Your magic itself was changed, Twilight,” Celestia finished, before giving me a quick comforting nuzzle. “I’m sorry.”

“Changed?” I let out a soft gasp. “Did I, did I lose some? Am I weaker? I-Is it all gone?”

“Nay. Quite the opposite; you are as strong an alicorn as any we’ve ever seen,” Luna answered with a shake of her head. “And therein lies the problem. Your magic is almost too powerful, and carries with it certain…complications.”

“I don’t understand,” I blurted, pulling away from them both. “How do you know? What makes you so sure? I’ve barely seen you for five minutes!”

The two exchanged a look and both sighed in twain. “Because this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this kind of Ascension,” Celestia said. “It has happened once before, long ago..”

Luna deeply bowed her head. “The first… was mine.” Her horn lit up, and for a moment I recoiled in pure fright as her eyes turned green, with purple smoke billowing from them, and her magic taking on that same sickly shade of purple. Then it vanished, restored to her usual blue.

“I used the same spell you did, Twilight Sparkle. The circumstances are at this moment irrelevant, but the aftereffects were… deep and twisted on my magic.”

“I’m so confused,” I murmured, looking down at the endless sky below us. “This is all happening so fast, so much information…”

“I realize it’s overwhelming,” Celestia said as she stood up to her full height. “But some good has come from all of this. Because of the spell you cast, and the Nightmare's reaction to it, you've done the impossible.”

“What?” I whispered.

“See for yourself,” Luna said. She gestured with her wing behind her, revealing a truly massive sphere of lights. There were so many, in all shapes and sizes and colors; all of them glowing and moving constantly, twinkling like rainbows. “You have crossed the gap between the stars. When we leave this place, we will return to Equus. You are home, Twilight Sparkle.”

The weight of those words hit me like a runaway shuttlecraft. I fell over on my rump, tears immediately streaming down my face. “I am?” I said, choking through the tears to get something out of my suddenly raw and burning throat. “I… I made it home?”

“That you did, Twilight,” Celestia said with a soft smile. “And I am sure you have lots to tell us. Come; we should return to the physical realm now.”

“Wait!” I cried, reaching out with one hoof. “Wait, we can’t! I… I can’t be here, I was supposed to be on the Phoenix! Sunset still needs me.”

“Sunset?” Celestia's eyes widened like she had just seen a ghost. She stepped closer and crouched down to my level. I could see desperation hiding behind the intense focus in her eyes. “You know where Sunset Shimmer is?”

“Of course I do,” I answered. “She’s on the Phoenix, andin serious trouble. We were just attacked by a fleet of Dominion ships and barely survived. The rest of our allies were destroyed and I-I don't know if they’ll be able to make repairs before they can get back to the safety of Federation space."

Celestia all but flopped back onto her rump. "She… she’s alive?”

It was only thanks to my complete attention being locked on her that I heard Celestia’s quiet gasp. Then, with a few tears of her own, Celestia leaned in and gave me a full body hug this time. “Then we’ll do what we can to save her. But we can’t do it here.”

“Indeed. If she is in the physical realm, we must also be there to find her. We know roughly where she must be from what we felt of your own spell,” Luna said. “It is not without risk, but there is one thing we can try.”

“We won’t be alone, either,” Celestia said as she stood back up. “We’ll enlist the help of the Elements, the Pillars, Discord, anyone who can help. We’ll need every bit of magic we can get.”

“Did you say Pillars as in the Pillars of Equestria? And Discord?” I almost shouted in disbelief.

Celestia chuckled. “Like your own, it is a long story. We will have all the time in the world to exchange stories afterwards. Now… prepare yourself. Your first few moments in the physical realm may still be painful.”

I nodded and braced myself. “How do we get back?”

“Follow our lead,” Celestia said. She lit up her horn, forming a spell matrix I’d never seen before. After a second, Luna did the same.

The very thought of trying to cast magic brought fresh waves of pain ebbing through me, but I refused to let it stop me. Anything I could do to save Sunset. I did my best to memorize the matrix on the spot, adding my magic to theirs.

And then I found myself—

“Twilight!” I screamed, the words ripping out of my throat like they were slicing their way through with bat’leths. “Twilight, respond! Answer me, damn it!”

But there was nothing. No response. No sound. Just an open comm channel to nowhere.

“Sunset,” Wattson said gently, placing a hand on my shoulder. “She’s gone.”

“Rrgh!” I shoved her off. “Computer! Playback bridge security footage, aft station, last three minutes! Maximum audio and video enhancement!”

After a brief bleep the requested footage appeared on the screen. I saw Twilight standing at the aft console, tapping into the EPS grid. I heard her voice become increasingly broken as she enchanted a spell none of us, not even the computer, could hope to understand. And now... now I could clearly see the effects it had on her.

Every second was agonizing to watch. The pressure, the pain, the magical forces must have been crushing her in every way possible. I saw the spell matrix building around her, a design I had never seen before, with interlaced layers too numerous for me to count.

I saw her lean into the console, press a final few keys, and aim her horn toward the EPS tap itself. With a final yell she triggered the spell...

And the screen went dark.

"W-What?! Computer, why did playback stop?"

The computer made another negative bleep. “Camera footage is corrupted.”

“Fine,” I declared. I began making my way to the nearest turbolift. “I’m heading up there. Get a damage report ready, Wattson; we need to triage the ship so we can get the hell out of here.”

“Sunset, I—”

“That’s an order, Commander!” I roared, my eyes flashing dangerously with magic for a moment as I turned back to glare at her. “And find the Sirens! If anyone knows what the hell Twilight was saying, it's probably them. Now go!”

She let out a sigh and nodded. “...aye, ma’am.”

Snorting, I turned back to the turbolift. “Main bridge.”

“Unable to comply. Bridge turbolift access is damaged.”

“Fine, deck two then! I’ll crawl up the Jefferies tube.”

The turbolift started up, saving me further irritation. I slapped my combadge. “Shimmer to Zhidar. Status report.”

“Rodriguez and I finished setting up the torpedoes, but we saw some bizarre readings on our tricorders, and now it appears they stopped firing? What's going on?”

“They stopped firing because we managed to destroy the enemy fleet. I’ll explain later. Right now I need you to keep those torpedoes in place and ready to go, because we could see more enemies at any time. Then start coordinating with sick bay and engineering. We need to get our wounded taken care of and get this ship moving again. Be back in Engineering in half an hour so we can discuss the situation.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Shimmer out,” I grunted, slapping my badge again. My body trembled, quaking so much I had to lean against the turbolift wall not to fall over.

Wattson’s right. Twilight was dea—

“No. Not until I see for myself,” I vowed.

The turbolift dropped me off just outside of Two-Forward, and I went straight for the Jefferies tube in the back, which led up to the conference lounge. As I passed by I noticed a few spots of blood… and a few traces of purple hair.

Twilight’s coat.

Spurred on by the sight, I climbed faster, nearly leaping out of the tube into the conference lounge. The room suffered severely in the attack, with half of the furniture and other decorations missing entirely – sucked out into space when the bulkhead near the wall-mounted screen blew out. Fortunately the emergency forcefield was holding... for now. The rest of the lounge was just as bad; the few remaining chairs were broken in pieces, the walls pockmarked with dents and scorch marks from burnt out terminals and conduits. Even the grand display case, a relic from when this room was part of the Enterprise-D saucer, was destroyed, with shattered glass and model ships strewn all over the floor.

I gingerly crossed through and onto the bridge itself, which was much more intact, save for the massive hole in the viewscreen, and bloody finger marks all over the ops console where Williams must have…

Must have held on…

I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a breath before moving on to checking the rest of the bridge.

And then I spotted it. The burned out carpet, the sickly purple and green glow flickering in the console screen, the eldritch symbol still partially etched in it from the flames. Bits and pieces of purple hair…

And a pile of ashes, where a single Starfleet combadge lay atop, half melted into slag.

“No,” I murmured as I fell to my knees, sifting my forehooves through the ashes. Tears ran freely down my face. “No, no, no!” Horrible sobs wracked my body as I imagined just how much pain Twilight must’ve been in. “NO!”

I snatched the melted combadge into my hooves and tapped on it over and over again. "Computer! Locate Lieutenant Twilight Sparkle!"

“Lieutenant Sparkle is not onboard the ship.”

“Wattson to Shimmer.”

Twilight was gone. She was dead.

“Sunset?”

My sister was dead.

“Sunset, come in, please.”

Dead.

Dead dead dead

dead dead

dead dead dead

dead dead

dead dead dead

“God damn it, Sunset, answer me!”

“What?!” I roared into combadge, my wings flaring, my magic exploding around me, lashing out with red electric sparklers that lanced into nearby consoles. “What the hell do you want?”

“...Sunset, you need to get a grip. We need you right now.”

“Twilight… she’s…she’s…” I choked on my words.

“I know she is, Sunset. Look, I understand—"

"No you don't!" I yelled through another wave of tears. "There's no body, Wattson. Nothing at all. Just a pile of ashes. A pile of ashes, a melted combadge, and the remnants of something that... if this is what I fear it is, Twilight's very soul is gone! You hear me, Wattson? Gone!"

"And so are a hell of a lot of other people!"

I flinched as if she had reached through the comms channel and slapped me in the face.

"I won't pretend to understand what you're going through, Sunset. But right now, you are our commanding officer, and we need a plan to get out of here. I promise you, there will be time enough to grieve later."

“No, no,” I said to myself, forcing myself to stand. “You’re right. I’m a Starfleet officer; I can deal with this.” I bowed my head a moment, calling upon every technique Mother ever taught me to calm my emotions. To pack away all of my grief and anguish in stasis and lock it away. It wouldn’t last long. Sooner or later I’d be overwhelmed again. But I just needed to reassert control over myself long enough to deal with the current situation.

Calm. Centered. I am a Starfleet officer. I’m the officer in charge of this ship. My crew needs me to lead.

I let out another sigh, and stared down at Twilight’s half-melted combadge for a moment before I pocketed it. I turned to leave the bridge. “Okay. I’m on my way back to Engineering. Report.”

A clear sigh of relief came through the comms. “We’re receiving distress calls from a number of escape pods and shuttlecraft. Main shuttlebay is wrecked but we’re directing any shuttles to head for the secondary bay on Deck Twenty-Two.”

“Understood. Get triage teams down there pronto to help with any medical issues. Do we have access to transporters?” As I spoke I used a Feather Fall to slip down the Jefferies Tube in a hurry. As soon as my hooves touched the deck again I raced for the nearest turbolift.

“No, but we have limited tractor beams, thrusters, and minimal impulse power. I’ve already got Rodriguez piloting us around to pick up the escape pods and bring them in as we can.”

“Good work, Wattson,” I said. “Any sign of survivors from the Brynhild?”

“Not yet, but there’s still a number of escape pods out there.”

“Understood. Keep it up, Have a damage report waiting for me when I reach Engineering.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

Right as I stepped into the turbolift I received a new hail on my badge. “Doctor Selar to Commander Shimmer.”

“Shimmer here,” I said shakily.

“Commander, I realize you are likely busy, but we need you on Deck Seven. Counselor Hendricks won’t stop asking for you and won’t let us treat her without you.”

“Without me?” I whispered. “On my way. Deck Seven!”

After a short turbolift ride I exited and made my way to Hendrick’s quarters, where I found myself momentarily taken aback. The whole section of the ship was an utter bloodbath. Bodies lay everywhere, a good dozen or more Starfleet officers with disruptor or melee weapon wounds, and just as many Jem’Hadar. One shadow on the wall in the shape of a human told me at least one officer had been outright disintegrated.

A pair of security officers flanked Selar, phaser rifles in hand but not raised. And as I stepped past them into the quarters proper I saw why. Hendricks leaned against the wall, her left arm bleeding profusely and dangling like it was popped out of its socket. In her right hand was a type-two phaser which, given the high-pitched whine emanating from it, was set to kill.

My eyes drifted to the body that lay in front of her... and my heart fell into despair all over again. "My god."

It was Eresh, lying in a pool of her own blood. Her stomach had been torn open, spilling its contents everywhere. Her eyes and mouth were frozen open in a silent scream.

“S-Sunset?” Belle said as she looked up at me, her face haunted. “Is that you?”

I gingerly stepped up to her. “Yeah, it’s me, Belle.”

She let out a choked laugh, with no mirth in it. “I… I tried to stop them,” she said, gesturing at the nearby Jem’Hadar body, a phaser wound on his chest and his melee weapon still clutched in his hands. Blood covered the blade, along with flecks of flesh and internal organs. “They were breaking into everyone’s quarters, dragging them out and, a-and shooting them, a-and I tried to stop them, only I-I didn’t… I couldn’t… my aim…”

Her hand holding the phaser rose, prompting the two security officers to step inside and point their rifles at her, but I waved them off and ever so gently used my magic to take the phaser out of her hands, immediately adjusting it down to stun before slipping it into a pocket in my uniform.

“It’s alright now. You’re safe,” I said. “They’re gone.”

She shook her head. “No, I, one jumped me. He wrenched my arm… it hurts so much, Twilight, it hurts. I fell over. He raised his blade, and then Eresh, she…” Tears ran down her face. “She jumped in front of it and took the hit. She let out a horrible scream, Sunset… it was so loud. So I picked up the phaser and shot him, shot that Jem’Hadar.” Her knees buckled, and she only remained standing because my magic caught her, prompting Selar to rush forward with her tricorder. “And then I shot the next one that came in. And the next one, and the next one. I kept shooting and shooting till they were all dead.”

She looked up at me and set her free hand on me. “I’ve never killed anything before, Sunset… eighty years old, never killed a single thing till today.”

I used my magic to grip her hand comfortingly. “I know how you feel, trust me.”

“...I know you do…”

Selar looked at me. “Her shoulder needs immediate surgery if she wants to preserve its function. I need to get her to sickbay.”

I nodded. “Belle, you heard the doctor, right? You need treatment. You can go with her. It’ll be safe.”

Belle’s hand gripped my own shoulder. “You promise?”

I looked her right in the eyes. “I’ll do what I can.”

She let go. “Alright. I’ll go with her.”

“Good.” I gave her hand one last squeeze with my magic, then nodded to Selar. “Doctor, we’re going to have a lot more headed your way.”

“I am aware,” Selar said as she helped Belle start walking in the direction of sickbay.

I returned to the turbolift and made my way back to Engineering. A medical team was sweeping through, moving bodies into bags, getting wounds treated. Wattson, meanwhile, stood with Rodriguez and Zhdiar at the auxiliary control consoles, along with, to my surprise, Cadeneza, who was being fussed at by a female Bolian nurse. “Lieutenant, you should be in sickbay getting treated,” the nurse said.

Cadeneza waved her off, and coughed into her fist. “I’m fine,” she said, her voice hoarse. “I’ll live.”

“But the damage to your lungs will be much harder to fix if we wait too much longer,” the nurse insisted.

“What’s the problem here?” I asked as I walked up.

The nurse met my eyes. “Ma’am, Lieutenant Cadeneza suffered some radiation damage to her lungs and heart along with smoke inhalation from a plasma fire. Her lungs need immediate treatment or else she could suffer serious further harm.”

“Is it life threatening?” I asked.

“Well, no, not immediately, it’d take at least a few days—”

I gently shook my head. "Noted. You're doing all the right things, Ensign, believe me. But right now we need every set of hands we can get, so focus on triage first. Understood?"

The nurse sighed. “Yes, ma’am."

"Do what you can for the Lieutenant to stabilize her, then keep moving."

I watched the nurse run a few more scans before administering a hypospray to Cadeneza, who flashed me a brief thumbs up once the nurse left.

“Thanks for that. She wouldn’t—” she broke off into a brief coughing fit. “Wouldn’t leave me alone.”

I placed a hoof on her arm. “She's just doing her job, as am I. Believe me, part of me wants to drag you to sickbay right now myself, but I can't do that either.”

“I know," she replied, her eyes briefly darting past me. “I'll go to sickbay as soon as things calm down a bit in there, alright? Now go. Wattson needs you.”

I gave her a brief smile despite my worry for her, then turned to Wattson. “Alright, damage report.”

Wattson winced. “It’s not good, ma’am. Warp drive is more or less completely shot; they did too much damage to the nacelles. Without access to a starbase or at least some equivalent replacement parts, we’re looking at a good month to fix it. Assuming the warp core holds out.”

“We’re not running low on antimatter or deuterium, are we?” I wondered.

“Antimatter no, deuterium, yes. That’s the other major bad news.” Wattson tapped on the console and brought up an image of the ship’s impulse engines on screen. “They tore into the primary and auxiliary storage. Most of our supply is gone and we’ll be lucky if we can get more than a single fusion reactor running for impulse. The manifolds are a wreck too, so the most I can give you is one fiftieth impulse.”

Cadeneza and Rodriguez both let out a whistle at that. “Might as well be sticking to thrusters at that rate,” Rodriguez said.

“Well, those are good at least,” Wattson said with a sigh. “One of the only things still half-way functional.”

“What about weapons? Shields?” Zhidar prompted.

Wattson drew a hand over her neck. “Nada. We’ve still got basic deflectors – and thank goodness for that because otherwise we’d be taking a lot of hull damage from all the debris flying around out there. But the shield grid is totally dead, and you can forget about weapons. Unless you want to go out there and throw rocks at them.”

“We are still having some shuttles,” Rodriguez pointed out. “A few of them have weapons. Enough for minimal defense.”

“Yeah, if we had to fight off some twenty-second century Orion pirates or something,” Wattson snorted. “The only thing we’ve got that could handle anything the Dominion might throw at us is the Euphrates.”

“Wait, the runabout is still intact?” I pressed.

She nodded. “Far as I’m aware. Most of the shuttlebay is a wreck of course, and the doors are jammed so you'd have to shoot your way out if you wanted to go anywhere, but… it’s still a fully functioning craft.”

I pressed my hoof to my chin. “Still, that's not much to work with, especially in these conditions. We need help, and fast.” I let that thought gel for a moment as I turned back to Wattson. “What about communications, sensors? And the crew?”

“We’ve got internal communications and sensors, and some long-range sensors. Short range are just fine. But we lost our primary and secondary transmission arrays for subspace. We can talk to anyone within light-speed distance, but that’s it.

“God damn, is there anything still working on this ship?” Cadeneza muttered.

Wattson shrugged. “Sickbay is about the only thing functioning normally right now.” She eyed me and held out a PADD. “As for the crew… it’s not good.”

I took the PADD and examined it. Once again I took a serious punch to the gut as I absorbed the casualty reports. “We’ve lost almost half the crew?” I gaped.

She nodded, squeezing her eyes shut. “Between the various hull breaches and all those Jem’Hadar running around killing people, along with MIAs…yeah. But we’ve still got our full medical staff, and last I heard the Sirens were reported as uninjured. And covered in blood.”

I blinked. “Must’ve run into some Jem’Hadar.”

“Yikes. Would not want to be those Jem’Hadar, lemme tell ya,” Cadeneza said.

“Survivors from the other ships?” I asked.

Wattson checked her console. “Recovery operations are still ongoing, but so far we've recovered just over forty, mostly from the Algerie. We got a few from the Helena and Baltimore as well. None from the Shimakaze or the Javelin. I'm afraid they were both lost with all hands.

“Auxilary Shuttlebay to Engineering.”

I tapped my badge. “This is Commander Shimmer.”

“Ma’am, we just retrieved a shuttle with additional survivors from the Brynhild. They have Captain Liang aboard.”

Gasps went all around as I barely restrained my own surprised reaction. “That’s great news indeed. What’s his condition?”

“Bad, ma’am. He’s unconscious, with severe injuries to his spine and legs, as well as a major concussion. We’re having him moved to sickbay as we speak.”

“Understood.” I tapped my combadge twice to close the channel and open a new one. “Shimmer to Sickbay, we’ve just rescued the Captain. I want to know the instant he wakes up, understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” answered a voice I didn’t recognize, probably some med tech.

I tapped my badge again to close the channel. “Well, that’s some good news at least.”

“Hey, there’s something I still don’t quite get,” Cadeneza said, her hands on her hips. “How the hell did we survive? Where’d the Jem’Hadar fleet go?”

A rage came over Wattson’s face as I recoiled from Cadeneza’s words; Amelia looked ready to slap Jacqueline upside the head. “It… was Twilight,” I choked out. “She… she sacrificed herself to save us.”

“She… she what?”

The gasp of shock didn’t come from Cadeneza, despite her question. It came from the person who was standing in the doorway, frozen in mid-stride.

Preta Re’l.

I squeezed my eyes shut, letting the pain flow through me once more, not able to stand the sight of the horror that crept across her face, or the tears she’d already begun to shed. “She’s dead, Preta,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

Preta let out a feline shriek of dismay and fell against Rodriguez, who hugged her tightly in his beefy arms, cooing soft platitudes of reassurance.

“Fuck, Sparkie’s gone?” Cadeneza swallowed and shook her head, biting back tears of her own. Then she suddenly looked at me. “Wait, how do we know for sure?”

“What?” I snapped, scowling at her. “What do you mean, how do we know? I yanked my sister's combadge out of my pocket and held it up in my magic. “I picked this up from the pile of ashes, which is all that's left of her!”

Cadeneza held up her hands. “Okay, okay, yeah, and?”

I took a step towards her. “And?” I growled.

“And you didn’t leave even ashes behind when you were obliterated by a warp core. But what happened next?”

I rocked back on my hooves, my anger freezing in my chest, the smallest measure of hope beginning to blossom. “I Ascended.”

Cadeneza nodded. “Exactly. So let’s not write Sparkie off just yet, okay? I mean, I know it’s a long shot, but…”

I rushed forward and hugged her. “But it gives me hope. Thank you, Jacqueline.”

She ran a hand through my mane, then leaned down and gave me a kiss on the head, protocol and public be damned. “You got it, Sunset.”

“Okay, so, that’s great and all, ma’am,” Wattson said, drawing my attention, “but what’re we going to do next? Like I said before, without spare parts, materials, or a starbase, we’re dead in the water.”

“And I am certain that more Dominion forces will be coming,” Rodriguez said as he gave Preta one last squeeze before letting her go. To her credit, Preta managed to clean her face off and look just as calm as I did; maybe she was holding onto the same hope. “They will not be risking leaving us here.”

“No, you’re right,” I said, rubbing my chin. “As soon as Yukarin fails to report in, they’ll send a fresh fleet after us. We need to do something.”

“Ma’am,” Rodriguez said, stepping forward. “Let me take the Euphrates and try to get some help. I can carry with me all of our logs and reports, plus the accumulated magical research. At the runabout’s maximum warp I can be at DS9 in a day, and once in Federation space I can be broadcasting a distress call to get someone’s attention. Then they can send someone to tow the Phoenix to a Starbase for repairs.”

“...and if you fail to get help in time, then at least you’ll have all our records so that they understand what happened to us, and maybe can rebuild some of our research from there.” I sighed. “I really ought to send more than just one person though.”

He shook his head. “I disagree. This is a very risky thing I will be doing. What if there are Dominion ships waiting just outside the nebula? I will never be able to outrun them; they would kill me easily. Better to only be risking one person.”

“Well if that’s the case,” Cadeneza broke in, after letting loose another small coughing fit, “you ought to let someone like me take the runabout.”

“What?” several people, including myself, blurted. “Jacqueline, no, you’re seriously injured,” I continued. “And you’re not exactly the pilot that Rodriguez is.”

“Exactly,” she countered. She pointed at Rodriguez. “He’s right when he says there’s the possibility the Dominion will be waiting for us. If they are, it doesn’t matter how fancy his flying is; he’ll never escape them. Whereas if he stays here, he’s your best bet for evasive maneuvers.”

She set a hand on my shoulder and placed the other on her chest. “Besides, you heard the nurse. I’ve got a good several days before this becomes a really serious problem.” She took a shuddering breath and grinned. “I’ll get treated when I get to DS9. Better to take up a bed in their sickbay instead of ours right now anyway. Let me do this, Sunset.”

I frowned, looking between her and Rodriguez, and then to Preta and Wattson. “She’s not wrong, ma’am,” Wattson said, eying Cadeneza for a moment. “Jackie’s got as good a shot as any of us.”

“And you need good pilots here,” Preta added.

I let out a sigh between my teeth, then nodded. “Alright. Get up to the Main Shuttlebay. Wattson, we can still link the ship’s computer to the Euphrates computer, right?”

She walked over to a console and input a few commands, then nodded. “Barely. Bandwidth is fifty percent of normal, but…”

“That’s fine; just means it’ll take a little longer. Load everything onto the Euphrates. Ship’s logs, personal logs, research reports… everything related to the battle and to our research over the last few months.” I turned to Cadeneza. “Once you board the Euphrates you’ll have to shoot your way out of the Main Shuttlebay. If you could get the secondary bulkheads closed so you don’t depressurize half of deck’s three, four, and five while you’re at it, please do so.”

She smirked. “Yes, ma’am.” She turned to leave.

I grabbed her in a sudden hug, holding her tightly. “And Jacqueline? I love you. You know that, right?”

She squatted down to look me in the eye, then kissed me on the lips. “Of course I do. Love you too, Sunny. I’ll see you soon as I get help.”

She gave me one last hug, then she made her way to the nearest turbolift.

“Alright,” I said, once she was gone. “We need to start repairs immediately. Preta… I know you’re hurting, like I am. Are you fit for duty? I need to know now.”

She bit her lip and nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. Work with Rodriguez, get some decent helm control back. Wattson, we need our engineering teams to focus on shields first, then engines. I want to be able to mount some kind of defense if the Dominion comes knocking on our doorstep again.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the three of them echoed, and they dispersed.

I tapped my badge. “Shimmer to Auxiliary Shuttlebay. What’s our status on recovering the escape pods?”

“Ma’am, we’ve just brought the last escape pod aboard.”

“Good. Have any able-bodied people join their respective departments in repairs of the Phoenix.”

“Err, ma’am, one of them wants to speak to you, actually.”

After a moment, a different voice came on the line, gruff and clipped, with the usual undertones of constant snorting I was used to hearing from Tellerite voices. “Commander Shimmer, this is Glamgor Pog.”

“Pog!” I blurted, feeling a brief smile come to my face. “I’m surprised, but pleased. How did you make it out?”

“Glamgor Pog was off duty when the attack happened. Before he could get to Main Engineering he was shoved into an escape pod by a helpful Lieutenant.”

“I just didn’t want him to waste his life trying to save a doomed ship,” said another familiar voice.

“Blackford,” I said, shaking my head. “Well, I’m glad to hear from both of you. We could use your help in Engineering, so long as you’re not hurt.”

“Only our pride, ma’am,” Blackford replied. “We’re on our way.”

“Glad to hear it. Shimmer out.” I sighed. “Well that's two bits of good news now.”

I joined Wattson in repairs on the shield grid, which took me crawling through the Jefferies tubes to one of the many shield generators spread throughout the ship, specifically the dorsal generator. Its failure had allowed the Jem'Hadar to board the ship, so repairing it first was critical.

Shield generators were like sets of large capacitors. They charged up the shield grid itself, but just as importantly they absorbed incoming weapons fire. Whether it took the form of particle weapons, torpedoes, outdated ballistic weapons, or any number of energy-based types, the shield generators absorbed all of the incoming energy, transformed it into electricity, and grounded it into the ship's hull. The more energy it absorbed at once, the more sparks and shorts would appear all over the ship; and given the beating we had just taken, I was not at all surprised to find the dorsal generator in about a hundred pieces.

This generator tore out half the bulkheads around it, damaging an EPS conduit in the process. I had no real hopes of fixing the bulkhead damage, but at least I could get a patch on the conduit. “Shimmer to Wattson, this generator is completely fried. Any chance we can replicate a replacement?”

“Not unless you want to use up way too much power. Besides, our parts replicator is down anyway. We’ll have to make due without that generator.”

“That’s going to put extra strain on the others,” I muttered as I went to work on the patch.

“I know that, ma’am, but we don’t really have much of a choice right now.”

“Right. Shimmer out.” She wasn’t wrong; my own extensive engineering knowledge taught me that much. But it would leave the ship even more vulnerable during an attack.

Nevertheless, I finished up the patch and soon crawled down to the next generator. Thankfully, this one was repairable, though I quickly realized it would take far more time than I had hoped to spend at each generator.

“Commander, the Euphrates has been loaded with all the logs and ship’s information. Commander Cadeneza is ready to launch.”

“Understood. One moment.” I crawled out of the tube onto the deck. “Shimmer to Cadeneza. How’s it looking on the runabout?”

“All systems up and running,” she responded, through a series of coughs. “I got all the secondary bulkheads in the Main Shuttlebay closed, including the one nearest the main doors. All that should depressurize is a small section of the bay; the rest should be left intact.”

“Good. Try to be surgical if you can. I’d like to be able to repair the doors without too much effort,” I said, injecting a note of concern into my tone. “I’m gonna check with you one last time… you sure you’re good for this?”

“Relax, Sunny, I’ve got this.” She paused to cough once more, an especially wet and gross sounding cough that tore at my nerves. “I know I sound bad but I’m fine. I’ll just shoot myself up with triox and call it good; I’ve got a shitton in the medical kits on the runabout.”

“Just don’t overdo it,” I ordered, though my voice trembled. “Triox is meant for emergencies, not long-term use. And it won’t work if your condition worsens.”

“I know, Sunny. I'm a xenobiologist, after all. Don't worry about me. I'll head to Sickbay as soon as I step foot on DS9. You worry about getting the Phoenix back together; I wanna celebrate with you on DS9 during the shore leave we’ll all get.”

“That’d be nice,” I murmured. “Alright, Commander, you’ve got leave to launch.”

“Yes, ma’am,” she said, her voice turning professional. “All systems online, charging phasers.”

I used the closest wall console to pull up security footage, so I could watch the Euphrates carve its way out. Thankfully Cadeneza listened and didn’t just blast the doors apart, but used the phasers to cut open a space large enough for the runabout. Alarms went off and the computer warned about a new hull breach, but I deliberately kept the emergency force fields from engaging, to allow the Euphrates out.

“Exit successfully created. Launching now… Euphrates away. It’ll take me about ten minutes to pass outside the nebula to get to warp.”

“Understood, Euphrates,” I replied.

I returned to my repairs, but I kept the channel open, even as it began to fill up with huge amounts of static thanks to the nebula. “Phoenix, this… Euphrates… bout to… through the…. nebul… will go to warp… goodbye, good luck…”

“Godspeed, Jacqueline,” I whispered.

The channel went dead, then closed.

I let out a sigh and put the last pieces in place for my repair, having bypassed a few basic pieces of the system to get the generator functional. It wouldn’t last for too long but it was the best I could do.

As I left the Jefferies tube and headed for the turbolift to return to Engineering, I was joined by a trio of figures half covered in Jem’Hadar blood. “Sunset Shimmer,” Adagio barked. “You wanted to see us.”

“Yeah… you three okay?”

“We’re fine,” Aria said, slamming her fist into her palm. “The Jem’Hadar? Not so much.”

“Sunset, what the hell was that magic we felt earlier?” Adagio demanded as the turbolift discharged us just outside of Engineering.

I swallowed, my whole body quavering at the memory. “...see for yourself,” I said over my shoulder. I led them into Engineering and pulled up the footage on the nearest screen.

I watched their faces rather than the screen, tuning out the sound. The more Twilight spoke, the more fearful and horror stricken their faces became, until Sonata started screaming, “turn it off, turn it off!”

Switching it off immediately, I asked, “What was—”

“That,” Adagio said, her voice thick with fearful tension, “was some of the darkest, most insidious magic I have ever seen or heard in my thousand plus years of life. It…” She clapped her hands to her ears and shuddered along with her fellow Sirens. “You… your pony ears would never hear the true evil underlying it, not how we can.”

“It hurt,” Aria murmured. “Where the hell did she find this spell?”

“Like seriously,” Sonata added. “How’d she know how to cast it?”

“But do you know what exactly she was saying?” I pressed, trying not to be too demanding.

“No. And pray that you never find out, because if you do, your soul is surely damned,” Adagio declared.

Before I could properly absorb that, a fresh alarm rang through Engineering. “Commander!” Rodriguez cried. “We are detecting six more Jem’Hadar fighters!”

“Damn it! Red alert! Raise shields. Whatever weapons we’ve got, I want them online yesterday!”

Right as I finished that sentence, weapons fire hit the shields, causing the entire ship to buck like a small boat in the middle of a storm. I stumbled backwards, wings flailing in an attempt to keep my balance. I avoided falling, only to smack my side into the edge of the master systems display and nearly knock the wind out of me completely. “Evasive maneuvers, Mister Rodriguez!”

“Already doing what I can,” he said, shaking his head. “But it is not much. The ship, she simply has so little to work with.”

Two more volleys slammed into us, raking the ship on all sides. The combined impact overloaded the already struggling inertial dampeners and sent the ship lurching wildly on both axis, flinging us all around like ragdolls. I heard a console explode on one of the upper levels, followed by a horrific scream. I turned just in time to see someone tumble over the upper catwalk and fall, too fast for me to catch them with my magic. A second, even higher-pitch scream followed for a moment, but was cut off – perhaps mercifully – by the plasma conduits below.

“Glamgor Pog did not leave his ship only to board another doomed one!” shouted Pog as he fussed with the controls. “Intermix chamber is having issues. We’re beginning to lose control over the warp core.”

“Get it tied down, now!” Wattson screamed as she rushed over to another panel. “We breach, we’re dead!”

“Glamgor thinks we are already dead…”

“That's enough, Lieutenant! Focus!" I turned to Zhidar, who was quickly reconfiguring one of the few open consoles for tactical use. “Mister Zhidar, fire phasers!”

I saw phaser fire briefly appear on the viewscreen, passing over the shields of one of the fighters. “No effect,” he growled. “We simply don’t have the power.”

“Sorry, ma’am, we didn’t get to them in time; we barely finished with the shields,” Wattson clarified.

The ship trembled from another blow, “Shields at twenty percent!” Rodriguez called.

Then the console in front of me bleeped. “We’re being hailed,” I murmured. “Putting it on-screen.”

Another Vorta, this one a female I didn’t recognize, appeared on the screen. “So. I see you killed Yukarin. The fool always was overconfident. No matter, we'll just activate his next clone. You, however, will have no such mercy.”

“Who are you and what do you want?” I asked.

She shook her head. “My name is not important. As for what I want, it’s simple. I want you, your sister, and the Sirens. Dead or alive. Your corpses will still prove useful, if we can’t keep you around for experimentation.”

“You can forget it,” I snarled. “I’ll destroy this ship before I let you lay a finger on any of us. Dead or alive.”

The Vorta sighed. “Fire once more,” she said, and the Phoenix spun as once again the inertial dampers failed thanks to the sudden blow of energy.

“Shields at ten percent! One more hit and they’ll collapse entirely,” Rodriguez cried.

“I trust I have made my intent clear,” said the Vorta, aiming her vision directly at me. “Now, surrender, and spare the lives of your crew. Or don’t, and we’ll board the ship and slaughter everyone.”

“Alright!” I said, throwing my hooves up. “Alright… alright. You… you win. We surrender.”

The Vorta smiled slightly. “Excellent choice. You will drop your shields and prepare to be boarded. Anyone who dares resist will be executed.”

The words in my mouth tasted bitter and foul as I spoke them. “Okay, okay, just… give us a couple of minutes. Thanks to you, our warp core is on the verge of collapse again. Once it’s fixed, I’ll gather up the Sirens and we’ll transport over.”

The Vorta glared at me. “Very well. I will give you three minutes. Then we expect your shields to drop.”

“Understood,” I sighed. The screen turned off as the channel closed.

Wattson looked up at me. “We’ve got the warp core as stable as it’s going to get for now, but we can’t risk any more damage. So you can forget about fighting.”

“So that’s it, then?” Preta murmured. “We’re all going to rot in a Dominion prison camp?”

I shuddered and shook my head. “No. I won’t let them capture us. I’m… I’m sorry everyone.” I bowed my head, then looked up at the ceiling. “Computer! Begin auto-destruct sequence, authorization Shimmer Two Four Charlie Delta.”

The computer bleeped in acknowledgement.

As the looks of horrified resignation spread across everyone’s face, I turned to Wattson, who to her credit only took a deep breath before saying, “Computer, this is Chief Engineer Amelia Wattson. Confirm auto-destruct sequence, authorization Wattson One Four Yankee Tango.”

Once more the computer let out an acknowledging bleep.

He slammed a fist on his console, but Zhidar nevertheless stood and spoke, his every word dripping with disgust, “Computer, this is Security Chief Zhidar. Confirm auto-destruct sequence, authorization Zhidar One Zero Zulu Foxtrot.”

“Command authorization accepted. Awaiting final code to begin auto destruct sequence.”

“This is First Officer Sunset Shimmer, destruct sequence Alpha One. Ninety second silent countdown,” I ordered, as I fell into the closest nearby chair. One more breath escaped my lips as I uttered the final word. “Enable.”

Even the computer sounded tired when it responded, “Self-destruct in ninety seconds. There will be no further audio warnings.”

“So, we’ve given up,” Zhidar snarled as the countdown appeared on almost every screen on the ship. “Just like that.”

“We can’t risk the Dominion having control over my magic, or the Siren’s magic,” I said, hanging my head. “I… we all knew the risks when we signed up for Starfleet.”

“Indeed,” Rodriguez said as he sat down next to Zhidar and wrapped an arm around the burly Antican. “We must accept this is the end, my friend.”

Adagio gaped at me in sheer disbelief. “What the hell are you doing, Shimmer?! Why are you blowing up the ship?”

“Would you rather be captured by the Dominion?” I asked as I pointed a hoof at the one screen not covered by numbers. “Because that’s our only other option.”

Adagio drew back. “...no. I’d rather die than subject myself to them again.”

“Same,” Aria uttered.

Sonata gulped and nodded.

Sixty seconds remained on the clocks.

“Then there you go,” I said. I gave them an apologetic smile. “At least this will be quick. Warp core breach. Take the whole ship with it.”

“Funny, that,” Wattson said as she walked over to me. “Guess you’re coming full circle, huh?”

“Yeah… but, Twilight…” I shook my head. “It was a long shot that she survived anyway.”

Forty seconds remained.

Adagio gave me a curious look. “If she’s lucky, there’s nothing left of her at all.”

“At this point I hope you’re right,” I replied as any sense of a smile vanished from my face. “I wouldn’t want her to come back just to suffocate in space.”

Thirty seconds remained.

All of a sudden the console in front of Zhidar beeped. “Ma’am, the sensors are detecting something… bizarre.”

“Bizarre?” I sat up to look at the reading. “...that’s the magical sensors. There’s a huge build up of energy.” I blinked, then drew back. “It’s beginning to surround the ship!”

“Incoming hail,” Rodriguez said, before putting on the Vorta from before.

She gave me an utterly furious look. “So, you’ve broken your deals yet again, Shimmer? Not only are you trying to destroy your ship, you are trying to take my fleet with you! I’ve already ordered my ships to move away from your anomaly. Now turn off your self-destruct immediately.”

The ship rocked as a fresh bolt of fire from the Jem’Hadar struck the shields. “Shields back down to ten percent!” Zhidar reported.

“Computer!” I cried. “Cancel auto-destruct sequence, authorization Shimmer Two Four Charlie Delta!”

“Acknowledged. Do the Chief Engineer and Chief Security Officer comply?”

“Yes, confirmed, absolutely!” Wattson added, at the same time as Zhidar barked a simple, “Yes!”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as the countdown froze at five seconds before disappearing. “Auto-destruct sequence aborted.” Then the computer let out an alert noise. “Warning. Structural integrity fields at eighty percent of maximum capacity.”

The ship started to shake and rattle, like it was caught in an earthquake. “What the hell is happening?” I barked.

“Stop pretending to be a fool, Sunset Shimmer!” the Vorta shouted, reminding me we had an open comm channel. “Cease this... this magical display at once!”

“It’s not us,” I said. Then I rolled my eyes. “Also, go screw yourself!” I closed the comm channel. “Report!”

“Confirmed. Some sort of spatial anomaly is forming around the ship,” Zhidar uttered.

“Move it, dog,” Adagio growled before pushing him aside enough to examine the console herself. Her eyes widened considerably. “This is... this looks just like—” She looked back at me, her face awash with panic. “Everyone brace yourselves! Now!”

“Why, what is—”

The entire ship yawed, as if a cosmic force had grabbed hold of the Phoenix and stood it up on its aft end. Everything and everyone not bolted down flew backwards and slammed backfirst into whatever was behind them only seconds earlier.

“Commander! We’re being drawn into some kind of... of vortex! Type unknown!” Wattson shouted. “If these readings are correct, we're being pulled into subspace itself!”

“What do you mean it’s pulling us into subspace? How is that possible?” I asked.

“It shouldn't be!" Wattson stared at her display in complete dismay and threw her hands up. "I can't even tell where this thing originated from, much less how it's working. But it's acting like a superpowered magnet on the ship!”

For a moment my stomach dropped out from under me as the entire ship seemed to spin three hundred sixty degrees beneath me, sending me flying till I landed back on the deck, wincing from the impact. “What about the Dominion fleet?!”

“Nowhere to be seen! Whatever this is, it's only focusing on us!” Zhidar said.

“Warning. Structural integrity fields at maximum.”

“We’re getting some buckling in the hull!” shouted Pog. “Glamgor Pog thinks we will see hull breaches if this keeps up!”

“Confirmed, hull breach on decks four, eleven, and sixteen!” Blackford added from another console.

“We’re definitely in subspace too,” Wattson reported, her face a mask of terror. “Sunset, I have no idea how but we have to get out of here. If we go too much deeper we'll be trapped.”

“Not just trapped,” I said, nightmares of senior year Quantum Subspace Theory lectures resurfacing in my mind. "Physics will stop working entirely. The entire ship could lose molecular cohesion. Are the shields holding?”

“For the moment but they’re draining rapidly; the radiation outside is building at an incredible rate,” Wattson replied.

The largest tremor yet rolled through the ship, and I had to grab several people with magic to keep them from splattering into paste against walls that suddenly became floors multiple decks down. “Rodriguez! See if you can get us out of here. Or at least slow the descent, buy us some time!”

“I have been trying, ma’am,” he said, his hands rapidly dancing across his console. “But whatever this is, we don’t have enough engine power to compensate.”

“Wait!” Wattson said. She grinned. “I think we just stopped sinking. In fact... yes! We're springing back towards normal space!”

“Like a rubber band snapping back to form,” I replied. “Hold on though. We don't even know which direction we were just 'sinking' in. Wattson, can you confirm we're moving in the exact reverse of whatever trajectory we were just on?”

“Negative. All I know is, normal space was getting further away, and now it's getting closer again.”

Blackford climbed his way back into his chair. “Ma’am we’ve got new hull breaches on decks eight and twelve,” he said. “No casualties reported, but the hull breach is damned close to sickbay.”

“May to Shimmer. What in tarnation is goin’ on up there? I keep endin’ up with more injuries; I had to secure the Captain in a forcefield just to keep him from poppin’ his spleen open!”

“Sorry, Doctor,” I replied, “but we have no idea. An unknown anomaly formed around the ship and drew us in. It’s beginning to dump us out… somewhere.” I turned to Wattson. “We have moved in space, right?”

“Yes, but I have no idea how far until we get out of the subspace layers and back into normal space.”

“Ma’am! The dorsal shield just failed!” Rodriguez cried. “Radiation is streaming in!”

“Close all emergency bulkheads!” I ordered. I tapped the comms key. “Anyone in the saucer section, get yourself to the interior on the double. Sickbay, be ready for radiation sickness.”

“Oh, yes, as if we didn’t have enough to deal with. Understood, Commander,” May growled. I could hear the anger in her voice, but I knew it wasn’t directed at me. It was directed at the Dominion who’d dare hurt her beloved. She and James had become quite close in the last few months. To lose him now, after all they had both been through... I shuddered at the thought.

“We’re getting close to normal space again, ma’am,” Wattson said. “I estimate no more than thirty seconds.”

“Glamgor Pog has gotten the shields back up for just a moment,” Pog added, looking particularly pleased in his Tellerite way. “He will not let radiation kill anyone after everything we’ve been through.”

I patted him on the shoulder. “Good work, Lieutenant. Rodriguez, as soon as we emerge, set course for the nearest starbase or outpost you can find. Best possible speed.”

“We’ll be headed there at a crawl,” he muttered.

“A crawl is better than nothing.”

“Warning: starboard nacelle structural collapse imminent.”

“Shit,” Wattson snapped. “Pog, Blackford, help me get these fields reinforced! If we lose the nacelles the backlash will tear the ship apart!”

“Fifteen seconds to normal space,” Zhidar reported.

Alarms and klaxons continued to go off for another few seconds till one blessedly went silent. “There! Got it. Nacelles should stay intact now,” Wattson said as she returned to her other console. “We should be hitting normal space in five, four, three… two… one…”

BOOM!

A fresh wave of nausea rolled through me as the ship rocked again, this time with a keening sound ripping through the hull. “What just happened?!” I demanded.

“We’ve emerged inside an atmosphere!” Rodriguez cried.

My eyes about bugged out of their sockets. “We’ve what?!” I looked up at the viewscreen in horror to see nothing but the horizon of a planet, closing fast. “Reverse thrusters! Get us into orbit, now!”

“I can’t!” he roared, smashing a fist against his console. “¡Cójanse del asiento! ¡Nos vamos a pegar la gran hostia contra el planeta!”

I didn’t need to understand Spanish to know what he meant by that. I slapped the comms console. “All hands! Brace for impact!”

Once again my stomach fell out from under me as the ship careened through the atmosphere, ready to tear itself apart on the land below.

My body flew backwards. My head hit the wall with a sickening thud.

Then…

Nothing.

The next thing I knew, I was laying on the floor of engineering, hearing moans and groans around me. The first thing I noticed was the complete lack of other sounds. No hum from the EPS grid, no thrum from the warp core, no subtle vibrations in the floor from the impulse reactors. Just dead silence.

I tried to blink my eyes open, only to see blurry blobs of light. “Uuugh… report… damage report,” I murmured.

“Easy now, Sunset Shimmer. Relax. You’re safe.”

Those words hit me like lightning. That voice… apart from the holodeck I hadn’t heard that voice in almost twenty years.

My eyes shot open despite the tortuous flickering lights above me; I tried to sit up, only to flop onto my side as the entire world seemed to spin around me.

Then a cool sensation enveloped me. Like a gentle breeze on a perfectly warm spring day. Slowly, my vision cleared. And standing above me… no.

No, it was impossible. It couldn’t be possible.

Could it?

“Princess Celestia?” I croaked.

Princess Celestia took in a sharp breath and smiled at me through tearful eyes, as she brought a hoof up to stroke my face. “Yes, my trusted student. It's really me. You're on Equus now.”

I gaped at her, so taken aback by shock I didn’t know what to say other than, “H-How?”

“It’s a bit of a long story… one that I think can best be explained by Twilight when we go see her.”

Lightning hit me again. “What?” I whispered, my mind going again to the broken combadge in my pocket. “T-Twi... she's…”

“She is indeed,” Celestia said as she carefully wrapped a hoof around me, pulling me into a deep embrace. “Your sister lives.”

I tried to speak but just fell into a river of tears and relief and everything in between. And Celestia just squeezed me tighter, her warmth surrounding me just like it always used to.

“Now, let us check on your friends and get you all outside,” Celestia finally said, releasing me from her embrace. She reached up with a wing and wiped some of the tears from my cheek, and smiled.

“Welcome home, Sunset.”

END OF SEASON TWO

NEXT SEASON ON
STAR TREK:
PHOENIX

“Witness before your eyes, a truly glorious sight, for before you stands The Great and Powerful Trixie, Element of Laughter. And she is pleased to meet you,” said the powder blue unicorn as she stuck her hoof out to Pog to shake.

Pog let out a piggish snort as he clapped a hand to her hoof. “Hah! You speak like Glamgor Pog. He likes you already.”

Trixie smirked and fluffed her hair with her magic. “Trixie is just as pleased to meet a fellow speaker of pride.”

Starlight slapped her hoof to her face and dragged it down. “Hoo boy… Trixie… please don’t start flirting with the aliens…”

“Trixie is not flirting, Starlight. She is just being friendly!”

“With you, that’s flirting!”

“Hi, hi, hi! I’m Pinkie Pie, and it’s great to meet you!”

I reeled back from the pudgy pink earth pony sticking her face in mine, and tried to give her a simple hoofshake instead. “Err, good to meet you, too, Miss Pie. What’s your specialty?”

Pinkie shook my hoof so enthusiastically I thought it would fall off. “Ooooh, nothing special, I’m just one of the best bakers in all of Ponyville, and I make lots of other great food too! And I’m a party planner, and I like to make ponies smile, and--”

Luna’s magic wrapped around her muzzle. “She will be useful for morale. We hope.”

“Princess, I don’t understand,” I said as I looked at her. The wrinkles, the haggard facial expression, the sheer age she showed. And she wasn’t the only one; Princess Luna too had begun to show signs of wrinkles. “What is happening to you?”

She let out a low sigh. “It’s not me, Sunset. It’s the sun.”

“The sun?” I repeated.

“That’s right. It’s… dying.”

“Your home planet is beautiful, Twilight,” Preta said as she nuzzled against me, resting her head against mine. “I kept wondering if the holodeck simulations you made were exaggerated, but…”

“Nope. If anything, we didn’t remember well enough how beautiful it really is,” I replied in turn as I stretched a wing out to embrace her.

“So what’re you going to do?” she asked me.

I took a deep breath, and let it out. “I don't know, Preta. I... I need to find out which world I belong in again.”

Liang’s hand rested on my hoof, his strong eyes boring into mine. “It’s up to you, Sunset,” he said. “Keep them safe. No matter how long it takes, you must get them home.”

I swallowed and nodded, the emotions swelling within me threatening to burst. “I will, James. I promise you.”

He smiled back. “And I expect you to keep that promise… Captain.”

SEASON THREE WILL BEGIN

APRIL 5th, 2023

First Contact Day

Author's Note

First of all, thank you everyone so much for having read up to this point. We have finally reached a point in the story I have been looking forward to from the very beginning, where things take a dramatic turn and we finally bring the true MLP side of this crossover back into the light. Up until now it's been strictly Star Trek, but starting with season three we'll have some real MLP again. Though I warn you: things may be different than you're expecting. Quite a bit different, in fact~

I also want to thank everyone for the discussion they had regarding Twilight's fate, and those of you who said things about Nightmare Moon were bang on, so congrats there. This, like many things, will be explained in much further detail in seasons three and four.

Regarding Twilight, why go ahead and show her ascension flat out from the start? Because from my perspective as the writer, I expected the readers to see this coming, after Sunset's ascension back in season one. I pulled the wool over your eyes once, in suggesting that Sunset may have been deceased, with huge passages of time, only for her to show up in the very last sentence of the following chapter.

But here, I saw no reason to waste your time pretending otherwise. Twilight ascended. A few of you seemed to dislike this idea, and I can understand why you feel it's redundant or unnecessary, however let me reassure you it most definitely is, and not just for the obvious reason you see in this chapter. There is more going on here, a lot more.

As stated at the end of the chapter, we will be delaying the publication of season three till First Contact day. This is to celebrate the story's two year anniversary--even if it did go on hiatus for a long while--as well as the simple fact that this is, technically, first contact for Equus. And it also allows me to get some more buffer going, not only for Phoenix, but for my other concurrently running story as well.

We'll see you all again on April 5th, and in the meantime, thanks again for sticking with the story thus far. It has been utterly wonderful to see just about every regular commentator return from before the hiatus, and a blast to see how many new faces we have around. You're all great.

Season 3 Episode 1: "You Can't Go Home Again" Part 1

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S03E01

"You Can’t Go Home Again"

Part One

T'Lona ran her hand over the Federation flag covering the torpedo tube, until she reached where the occupant’s head would be. She spread her hand as if performing a mind meld, and bowed her head. “I am truly sorry. May you find peace in your rest,” she whispered.

“Present arms!”

T'Lona stepped back into the small gathered crowd, and stood at attention with the others as an honor guard stepped forward and aimed their weapons at the ceiling of the starbase’s docking bay.

“Fire!”

Tssew!

Seven low-level phaser beams streaked for the bulkhead above, scattering sparks as they singed the duranium.

Amina grabbed T'Lona’s hand.

“Fire!”

Tssew!

T'Lona gave Amina’s hand a gentle squeeze, and sensed her relax ever so slightly over their mental bond.

“Fire!”

Tssew!

As the last of the twenty-one phaser salute shrieked through the air, a band of Starfleet ensigns and lieutenants carrying instruments played the traditional Starfleet funeral salute.

Were T'Lona without her renewed level of control, she would’ve wept. But seeing the distraught faces all around her, feeling the anguish flooding her mental link with Amina... they left T'Lona wishing desperately that she could, if only for a moment.

The torpedo casing advanced along a track as the band played, and Admiral Nechayev stepped up to a podium. “We now consign Lieutenant Commander Jacquelene Cadeneza to the stars. May she find in death the peace she fought for in life. She will forever be remembered, her memory treasured among her comrades.”

As her short speech finished, the torpedo loaded itself into a tube. Everyone watched in silence as the breach door slowly hissed closed behind it. A small light above the tube turned green, and Nechayev quickly raised her hand and dropped it. “Launch!”

Most of the assembled crowd turned to windows and monitors to watch the torpedo streak away in a final blaze of glory. It was visible only briefly before its small onboard thrusters accelerated to maximum – where they would stay until its fuel cell was exhausted, and the casing would begin its forever drift through the stars.

Nechayev turned to the crowd. “Dismissed.”

The collection of Starfleet officers and a few civilians dispersed, some returning to duties, others heading for shore leave or off-duty activities. Nechayev herself, however, turned her gaze upon T'Lona and Amina, and with a single jerk of her head directed them to follow her to her office.

They followed through the corridors of Starbase 375 until they reached a simply decorated office, which to their surprise bore a signpost that read: “Admiral William J. Ross.”

“Pardon the sign,” Nechayev said as they entered and took seats before her at the desk. “I’m borrowing the office from Admiral Ross while he’s on DS9 coordinating the new combined fleet tactics with the Romulans.” She steepled her hands on the desk, her piercing gaze laid directly on them. “For what it’s worth, I am sorry for your loss, Command T'Lona.”

T'Lona gave the admiral a respectful nod. “The feeling is appreciated, ma’am. However, I remain deeply concerned over the fate of the Phoenix.”

“So do we all,” Nechayev replied, her mouth turning to a thin line.

“Ma’am, permission to speak freely?” Amina asked.

T'Lona braced herself for the coming storm as Nechayev inclined her head. “Go ahead.”

Amina stood up immediately and slammed both her hands flat onto the desk. “What the hell happened? You left the fleet with the Enterprise and barely half an hour later the Dominion swoops in to blow six starships and over three thousand lives to pieces? And that’s assuming the Phoenix survived!”

“Commander,” Nechayev began, but she barely managed to utter two words before Amina’s tirade cut her off.

“No, Admiral, don’t you ‘Commander’ me. I’m not the one who ought to be up before a court martial board right this very second. Why didn’t the Enterprise detect the Dominion fleet on their way? Why were all the starships in the fleet out of position? And why did one of our daughters have to sacrifice her goddamned life again to try and salvage another colossal screwup?!”

“Commander!” Nechayev barked as she shot up out of her chair. Despite her shorter stature when compared to Amina she nevertheless seemed to tower over the junior officer. “You are out of line! Sit down, now, or I will have security remove you.”

T’Lona feared for just a moment that her wife would push the matter, the fury evident on her face, but fortunately for both their sakes she managed to sit back down. “Yes ma’am,” Amina muttered. “My apologies, ma’am.”

Nechayev acknowledged that with a nod. “I’m not unsympathetic to your feelings, Commander, believe me. Had I delayed the Enterprise’s departure it is quite possible – even probable – that we could have successfully fought off the Dominion fleet long enough for everyone to make an escape. That decision will haunt me for some time.”

She briefly curled one hand into a fist before letting it go. "Now, to answer your other questions, Commander. There was no way for the Enterprise to detect the incoming Dominion fleet. They emerged from the opposite side of the nebula the Enterprise left from, and due to the nebula’s interference, any ships approaching would’ve been obscured until the last moment. A sensor buoy network could have mitigated that, but setting it up would have most likely alerted the Dominion to our position far sooner, thus defeating the entire purpose of hiding in the nebula. And needless to say, we had no way of knowing the Dominion would even find the artifact left behind by the Sirens, much less figure out how to use it.”

“If I may interject, Admiral,” T’Lona said as she briefly laid a hand on Amina’s shoulder, “I would also like to point out Cadeneza’s speculations regarding the fate of Twilight Sparkle.”

Nechayev nodded. “That’s correct. For now, Starfleet does not consider Twilight Sparkle or the rest of the crew of the Phoenix to be KIA. Due to prior circumstances and the lack of evidence of sufficient debris, we consider them to be MIA.”

“Not much better,” Amina murmured.

Nechayev inclined an eyebrow. “I beg your pardon?”

Amina shifted in her chair and took a slow breath. “Admiral, we have no idea where the Phoenix is right now, or if it's even still in one piece. It could still be adrift in that nebula for all we know. According to the logs, the last known status of the ship left her without warp drive or weapons, hardly any shields or impulse power... they were defenseless.”

“I have been briefed on the situation, same as you,” Nechayev said tartly. “It is precisely for that reason Starfleet will be dispatching the U.S.S. Solstice to search for the Phoenix, starting with the nebula where it was lost.”

“The Solstice?” Amina repeated, the scoff in her tone evident even if she didn’t voice it directly. “With all due respect to her crew, the Solstice is a Nova-class ship. She can barely make warp eight on a good day, much less hold up to any kind of extended duration missions.”

“I am quite well aware of this.” Nechayev tapped a few fingers on the keypad for the screen behind her, then tapped once more to bring up a fleet distribution chart. “However, we simply cannot justify any other starships for this. The original assembled fleet already used up almost every spare resource we have. The Dominion leaves us stretched far too thin.” A sigh escaped her lips. “For what it is worth, if it were up to me, I would be sending the Bellerophon instead; as an Intrepid-class she would be perfect for this sort of mission. But, shocking as it may sound, even I can be overruled, and the only ship made available to me was the Solstice.”

T’Lona nodded in acknowledgement. “I believe we understand, ma’am. Respectfully, I would like to request permission for a transfer of duties to the Solstice, on special assignment to assist with the search.”

“I second that request, Admiral,” Amina added.

Nechayev paused and leaned back in her chair. “I'm not a parent myself, as you know. If I'm honest with myself, I'm not sure I'd make a good one anyway. But if I were, I have to believe I'd be sitting where you two are right now, ready to stop at nothing to find my child, whatever their fate may have been.”

“Which is why..." she cracked a rare smile before pulling a PADD out of a desk drawer, "I've already approved your transfer orders. You’ll be posted to the ship as specialists for the mission, with additional duties as determined by the Captain. I hope you haven’t lost your space legs with all those years planetside teaching at the Academy.”

“Not at all, ma’am,” Amina replied as she took the PADD. “We won’t waste this opportunity.”

“I don’t expect you to.” Nechayev glanced about the room, then hit a button that sealed the windows and doors. “There is one other fact I wish to share with you two, however be aware this information is still classified, pending a decision on how best to inform the rest of the fleet.”

T’Lona raised an eyebrow. “Does this have something to do with the Phoenix?”

“Indirectly, perhaps,” Nechayev answered. “To be more precise, it should provide some additional… hope, so to speak.” She turned and tapped a few more buttons on the screen before an image of a starship design neither of them were familiar with appeared. “This is the U.S.S. Prometheus. She’s a testbed for a number of new military technologies, including a multi-vector assault mode. On Stardate 51462.1 the ship was briefly stolen by Romulans operating under the authority of the Tal Shiar. The starship was later recovered, thanks in large part to the actions of two Emergency Medical Holograms.”

“An E.M.H. repulsed Romulan borders?” The incredulity in Amina’s voice rolled out like a tidal wave crashing into shore.

“Two E.M.H.’s,” T’Lona corrected. “However, I also find that difficult to believe.”

“So did we, at first,” Nechayev said. She tapped another button and two figures appeared. T'Lona recognized the first picture, despite the outdated medical blue uniform. The bald head and generally sour face of Doctor Louis Zimmerman, forever preserved in the image of the E.M.H. Mark One, was unmistakable. The second figure, however, was wholly unfamiliar to her, though she did note the use of the more current uniform style.

Nechayev pointed to the second. “This is an E.M.H. Mark Two, another feature being tested by the Prometheus. The Prometheus is equipped with holo-emitters on all decks and inside the Jefferies tubes, allowing the E.M.H. to travel wherever he is needed. The other is of course a Mark One, who happened to be transmitted through an unknown but quadrant-spanning alien relay network to the Prometheus while the hijacking was in progress.”

“I don’t understand,” Amina said, crossing her arms. “This is fascinating but what does this have to do with anything?”

Nechayev’s mouth quirked up a notch at that. “Well, it so happens that the Mark One E.M.H. came from the U.S.S. Voyager.”

“The Voyager?” Amina whispered.

T’Lona shook her head. “That ship was pronounced lost in the Badlands four years ago.”

“Fortunately for us all, we were mistaken,” Nechayev said, her smile growing. “According to the Mark One E.M.H., the Voyager was actually taken by an alien entity known as the Caretaker seventy thousand light years away, and has been making its way home ever since. Of course we performed a full debrief of the E.M.H., who also left us with a wealth of charts, logs, and data that Voyager had compiled throughout its journey so far. We'll share what we can with the wider fleet as soon as we finish processing it all. But for now, I bring this up because I wanted to give you hope for the Phoenix’s survival. Voyager is an Intrepid-class, and lacks the full capabilities of the Phoenix. If they can survive four years in the Delta Quadrant…”

Amina smiled in realization. “Then the Phoenix can almost certainly survive wherever it ended up.”

“At the very least, the probability rises substantially, even with the damage it sustained,” T’Lona added. “I thank you, Admiral, for giving us this information.”

“Of course,” Nechayev said. She gave them both an even-handed look. “I’d like to think I got to know your daughters far better over the few months we worked together… and I would… like to apologize for some things I suggested or said regarding them in the past, especially Sunset Shimmer. I have come to regret the decisions I was prepared to make after her reappearance on Earth… and I am hoping, desperately, that she and her sister are both still alive out there, wherever they may be.”

T’Lona and Amina exchanged a look, then Amina smiled at Nechayev. “Apology accepted, Admiral.”

Giving them one final nod, Nechayev said, “The Solstice should arrive within twelve hours; you’ll board then. Dismissed.”

As the two of them left the office, Amina guided them to an isolated corridor before turning around and all but collapsing into T’Lona. “God,” she cried openly, tears flowing freely down her coal-toned cheeks. Her hair tickled at T’Lona’s nose. “I… damn it, Twilight… Jacqueline…”

“I, too, grieve for them, my love,” T’Lona said as she calmly wrapped her arms around her mate, holding her close. “Even though I hope desperately that Twilight is, in fact, alive, we cannot be certain, and… Cadeneza herself is an egregious loss.”

“It’s not fair,” Amina sobbed. The tears kept flowing as her swirling emotions finally overwhelmed the mask of protocol and decorum she had tried in vain to wear all day. “It's not fair at all. Run that trip a thousand more times and she makes it every time. And of all the systems to be damaged too... my god how much did she suffer?”

“There was no way for her to realize the scope of the damage until it was too late,” T’Lona reminded her. “Even a seasoned engineer with the proper tools would have faced tall odds to identify and make the necessary repairs fast enough. If not for her pre-existing injuries, she may have survived, albeit barely. But in her weakened state....”

Amina beat a fist on T’Lona’s arm, but there was no malice and little strength to it. “I know that,” she grunted. “Don’t quote the damned report at me. Not now.”

They walked in silence for several moments after that, until they reached their temporary quarters.

“...apologies. I am finding it difficult to…” T’Lona paused, and concentrated on her breathing for a moment before continuing. “Difficult to maintain my own control. It seems I was closer to Cadeneza than even I had realized.”

“Jacqueline was quite the person, wasn’t she?” Amina said. She sniffled and rubbed at her eyes as she pulled away from T’Lona.

“She sure was.”

Both of them turned in shock at the new voice, to see a figure that at first glance left T’Lona feeling like she’d seen a ghost. She looked again though, and the differences began to emerge; a different hair style, the way this person carried themselves, the finer contours of her face. After a moment, T'Lona realized who this must be. “You are her sister, Penelope.”

Penelope Cadeneza bowed slightly, though her face bore a trace of a sneer. “In the flesh. I was at the funeral; guess you must not have seen me there.”

“... in truth, I saw you, but I believed you would prefer to be alone,” T’Lona admitted.

“So did I,” Amina said as she raised her hand to shake. “Commander Amina Riviera. This is my wife, T’Lona.”

Penelope scowled at Amina’s hand for a moment before she shook it, quickly dropping it. “I know who you are. You’re Sunset’s adopted parents.” She flicked her eyebrows upward briefly. “And… Twilight Sparkle’s.”

“That’s right.” Amina’s mouth twisted into a frown. “I’m sorry for your loss, Penelope.”

Penelope bit at her lip and rubbed the back of her head. “Err… look, can we talk about this inside? I don’t want to hash this out in the corridor.”

Amina glanced to T’Lona, then nodded. “Of course. Please, come in.” She waved Penelope inside, and walked over to the replicator. “Care for a drink?”

“Yeah… glass of orange juice, thanks,” Penelope answered as she took a seat on the sofa. The quarters were spartan, just a few basic pieces of furniture, a small dining area, and a double bed in the attached bedroom. The lack of personality struck T’Lona as disheartening, casting a pall on the talk to come.

Amina fetched the orange juice, along with some milk for herself and a mug of tea for T’Lona. She set the drinks on the coffee table and sat on the end of the sofa, leaving the armchair for T’Lona.

Penelope, to her credit, waited till she’d taken a few gulps of orange juice before she dropped the proverbial bomb. “I wish we’d met before today, because you two being so close to my sister… It feels wrong. I want to be mad at you. Both of you. All of Starfleet. I keep telling myself if I had been there, maybe I could've fixed the shuttle along with her. Maybe I could have forced her to go to sickbay first, or avoid injuring herself in the first place. Maybe it should have been me on the shuttle instead of her.”

She gulped down the rest of her orange juice and set the glass aside, then hopped up and started to pace. “I was supposed to go to the Academy too, you know. Did she ever tell you that? Both of us wanted to. Wearing that uniform was the only goal we ever felt like reaching. But after our parents died, I knew one of us would never get there, and I decided it would be me. Instead, I focused everything I had on ensuring Jackie's success, on making sure at least one of us got to walk these halls. And now she's dead.”

Penelope turned and punched the wall. “And all for what? For this war? For whatever godforsaken ‘secret project’ had her hiding in a nebula for months, completely unprotected?”

She turned back to them, her face twisted up with raw emotion. “Say, you're Commanders, right? What did my sister throw her life away for anyway? What was so goddamn important that she went on a suicide mission in a shuttlecraft to get help for a ship that was probably going to be in a thousand pieces by the time she got back?!”

T’Lona arched a single eyebrow as she stared up at Penelope, not the least bit intimidated. “Truthfully, we do not know the specifics.”

“Liar!”

T’Lona inclined her head. “I am Vulcan. I cannot lie.”

“Oh?” Penelope took a step forward, looming over T’Lona, her hands curling at her sides. “Then what was all that talk during the ceremony about the bond you had with Jackie? And don't you dare think you can claim to know her like family.”

Resting her hands around her mug of tea to allow the warmth to fill her hands, T’Lona replied, “Jacqueline Cadeneza was my teacher’s assistant during her fourth year at the Academy, and in many ways my protege. She was a skilled xenobiologist, with a passion for the field I have not seen since I first began teaching at the Academy. I saw her frequently, even outside of her normal duties. She engaged in constant communiques with me once she was posted to the Phoenix, up until not long before her death.”

“You'll forgive me if I'm not quite seeing a super close bond here,” Penelope growled.

“She was also dating one of our daughters and was best friends with the other daughter,” Amina added cooly. She sipped at her milk, slurping in a way that prickled at T’Lona’s ears.

Penelope worked her jaw and crossed her arms. Blowing out a huge sigh through her teeth, she glared at the floor for a short while, before finally looking back up at them. Her face relaxed, partially, to more of a well-worn frown. “...I’m sorry. I know, I’m being a jerk here. I just… damn it, I barely ever heard from her this past year, and I sacrificed so much for her, and she… god damn it, I thought that girl would live forever.”

Amina set her glass down and reached out a hand, which Penelope took after a bit of hesitation. She ran the fingers of her other hand over Penelope’s bronzed skin in a soothing motion T’Lona recognized as one she frequently used on Twilight’s hooves. “I can’t say I know exactly how you feel, but I can share our story. For two years, we thought Sunset Shimmer died in a warp core explosion, yet the entire time she was stuck on an uninhabited planet just trying to survive. And when she was finally able to send a call for help, the Jem'Hadar showed up and captured her, and she barely escaped. Even now we don’t know if our other daughter is actually still alive, or if she…”

Amina let out a shuddering sigh. “Point is, we know what loss is like, and we’re suffering too. So I get it. I know how easy anger is, how much you want to lash out. Just ask any of the cadets who received harsher than deserved reprimands from me during that period.”

“Pain is difficult to cope with,” T’Lona said softly. “But it is better handled with others together, not alone.”

Penelope’s eyes watered, and she blinked away her tears. “Yeah. You’re right.” She squeezed Amina’s hand, then pulled away so she could reach into her bag. She pulled out a familiar leather coat, one that T’Lona recognized immediately. “This was Jackie’s. Here.”

T’Lona took the coat and examined it, her fingers running along the fabric to automatically tug at a small hole she accidentally tore in it once when catching Cadeneza in a fall. “You are her family, of course. Would it not be better for you to keep this?” she said, her voice a notch quieter.

Penelope shrugged. “She was adamant that the coat go to Sunset, actually. Jackie didn't hang on to much stuff, not unless it meant a great deal to her. You can tell by all the wear lines in this old thing.” She sniffed and wiped away a few more tears. “But she knew Sunset would appreciate this more than anyone, and after listening to the message she left for me, I can see why. I'd have brought it straight to her, of course, but since she's MIA, that means I gotta give it to you for now.”

“Are you certain?” T’Lona inquired. “At this moment we do not even know for certain if Sunset is alive.”

“Oh, she’s alive,” Penelope declared with a bark of a laugh. “She has to be. No girl tough enough to handle dating my sister is going to let the Dominion finish her off, not without a hell of a fight. Besides… I always thought my sister had her head literally in the clouds, but she was never wrong about her gut feelings, and she told me she never once stopped believing in Sunset’s ability to solve just about any problem. So keep it, and make sure it gets to her.”

Carefully folding it over one arm, T’Lona nodded in acknowledgement. “I thank you, Miss Penelope; for this gesture, and for renewing our sense of hope. Amina and I will ensure it is well taken care of, and once we locate the Phoenix I will deliver it to her personally.”

“You’d better.” Penelope eyed her a moment, then reached into her pocket and pulled out an isolinear chip. “One more thing,” she said, handing it to Amina. “Jackie left a message for Sunset too. It's... well, you can probably guess.”

Amina took it, her hand shaking as she placed it into her own pocket. “Thank you. We’ll make sure she sees it.”

Penelope then pulled out her PADD, tapping it a few times before she turned it over to them. “Here. My PADD address, so you can comm me when you need to.”

T’Lona and Amina brought out their own and they exchanged details. “We will keep you apprised.”

“Cool,” Penelope said as she tucked her PADD away. “Look, my transport’s leaving soon, heading back to Proxima Centauri. But you make damned sure you find your daughter, hear me? She needs to hear what Jackie had to say to her.”

T’Lona nodded, her head feeling heavy, even as Amina reached out to grasp her free hand. “We will.”

The bright sensors of May’s medical tricorder flashed in my eyes for the third time in less than a minute, prompting me to growl from the pain it induced behind my eyes. “I’m fine, Doctor,” I said as I pushed away her tricorder with my magic. “I’ve recovered, I promise.”

May gathered herself up and gave me a stern, almost motherly glare. “I don’t think so, Commander. You suffered a severe concussion and a number of contusions along your side besides. You’re not leaving this sickbay without a full examination.”

Princess Celestia watched on with amusement. “You should trust your doctor, Sunset,” she said, that regal smile firmly in place. “Remember, healing spells can only do so much. It is best for you to be checked by a proper doctor.”

May, not for the first time, furtively glanced up at Celestia, whose massive form towered over most of the humanoids in the room, and visibly swallowed. “Err, yes, thank you, your Majesty,” she said. She then focused her eyes back on me and that laser-guided confidence was firmly back in place. “Now, Sunset, I’ll not be takin’ no for an answer anymore. And I don't think the princess here will be either.”

“Fine.” I blew a bit of mane out of my face. “Just hurry up, please.” As she passed the scanner over my body, I tried to let go of some of my tension. “How’s the Captain?”

The wince I earned for that question felt better than it should have to me. “...still unconscious,” May finally answered. “Whatever happened during the crash, it was soft enough to prevent him from bursting his spleen open, which would’ve killed him outright. But as it is…” She shook her head, and I caught the softest sound of a sniff. “He’s going to struggle. Especially without the help of a starbase medical facility. This sickbay can only handle so much.”

“Doctor!” came a cry from one of her med techs as they wheeled in an Andorian ensign on an anti-grav stretcher. Blue blood leaked from several tears in his body. “We need to get him into the OR immediately.”

“Damn it,” May cursed. She glanced briefly at the ceiling. “Computer! Is there enough power to run the E.M.H.?”

“Affirmative.”

“Activate the E.M.H.!”

A bald human in a Starfleet uniform with a dour expression that seemed permanently welded onto his face appeared in a flash. “Please state the nature of the medical emergency.” His eyes then fell upon the ensign. “I see.”

May stuffed her tricorder in his hands. “Take over with the Commander here. Baker, Rish, with me in the OR!” She flashed me an apologetic look.

“Go, go,” I said, urging her on. The four of them disappeared into another part of sickbay, while the E.M.H. eyed me suspiciously and began to scan me with his tricorder.

“...I see signs of a concussion, contusions, and some minor lacerations. But all seem to be receding smoothly,” he muttered after a moment. “A wonderful use of my talents.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’ll have plenty of other ways in which you can help, Doctor. Start working with the rest of sickbay, and if anyone complains tell them Commander Shimmer said it was an order.”

“Aye, ma’am,” he grumbled as he shuffled off, immediately favoring another unlucky patient with his awful bedside manner.

Celestia gaped at the E.M.H. as he walked away. “What was that? Some manner of golem? And you can summon them out of thin air?”

“Just a hologram, Princess.” I hopped off the bio-bed and stretched my limbs, sighing as I popped more than a few kinks out of my joints. I was still sore just about everywhere, but for the moment it would have to be good enough.

“Hollow-graham,” she repeated, sounding out the unusual syllables. “Another word I don’t quite understand.”

I chuckled under my breath as I watched her. In many ways she reminded me of myself when I first arrived on Earth and everything was new and entirely mind-blowing. Now here I am dropping a literal starship's worth of advanced tech right in her backyard. Definitely not the homecoming I had always dreamed of.

As I stepped out into the corridor, Princess Celestia followed me, ducking to avoid clocking her head on the doorframe. “Princess, are you certain you can’t use your healing magic on my crew?”

“Much as I wish I could, I cannot,” Celestia answered with a gentle shake of her head, barely disturbing her ethereal tresses that rode an unseen wind. “At present I do not know how such magic would interact with any of the other creatures here with you, and I do not want to risk adding more work to your already beleaguered doctor's plate. Also, I suspect my healing spell worked as well as it did on you because our individual magic aligns so well with the Light.”

“Yeah, about that… you never got a chance to broach that subject with me before I, err… left.” I bit my lip awkwardly. “You only mentioned it in passing when you told me about your sister.”

Her smile faded ever so slightly. “Yes. That is one of... many things I wish to discuss. But now is not the time. Are you ready to go see Twilight?”

I could sense a bit of awkwardness in Celestia's response, and admittedly I shared it. I was not looking forward to the tough conversations I knew were waiting for me. But I pushed all that aside to focus on the good, and at the moment that was my sister. “Yes, of course. Just, hang on one second.” I tapped my badge. “Sunset to Engineering. Status report.”

“Watson here, ma’am. We’ve got a single fusion reactor up and running, but that’s all that’s currently powering the ship. The warp core was knocked completely offline during the transit, and the EPS grid is still a godawful mess. Matter and antimatter storage is secure, thankfully, but otherwise it's going to take at least a few days to sort out the rest. As for other systems… I still don’t know yet. I have everyone not working on the warp core focused on repairing the structural integrity field generators, because right now I have no idea how the ship is sitting on a planetary surface without collapsing under its own weight. I need not remind you that a Nebula-class was never designed for a landing.”

Celestia’s ears flickered up and pointed right at me as she cocked her head ever so slightly, her eyes watching my combadge. “Take your time, Amelia. We’re in no danger for the moment. As for the landing situation, I’ll let you know soon as I have that figured out myself. Shimmer out.” I glanced at Celestia, who immediately resumed her normal posture. “Princess, remind me how you got aboard?”

“We built a gangplank up to the keel of the ship where we found an access hatch.” She blinked. “It was strange how it had two sets of doors.”

“That’s because it’s an airlock, Princess,” I said with a chuckle. “Helps prevent loss of atmosphere in space.” I tapped my badge again. “Shimmer to Re’l and Rodriguez.”

“Rodriguez here, ma’am. Re’l is with me.”

“Please report to docking port twenty-four immediately.”

“On our way.”

Closing the channel, I nodded to Celestia. “Alright, let’s go.”

“Your ship is remarkable, Sunset Shimmer,” Celestia said, unable to stop looking all over the place as she followed me through the corridors. “The technology aboard it is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.”

“We’ve had a hell of a journey.” We stepped onto the turbolift. “Deck twenty-four.”

Celestia, to her credit, barely adjusted her footing as the lift carried us down to the lowest deck on the ship, where she’d had a gangplank hooked up. Preta awaited me, along with Rodriguez. “Ma’am,” he said, then his eyes took in Celestia. To his credit, he managed to avoid reacting apart from a brief widening of his eyes. Preta gawked openly, however.

I nodded to him in turn. “Princess Celestia, this is Rodrigo Rodriguez, the ship’s helm officer. Rodriguez, this is Princess Celestia, one of the diarchs of Equestria.”

Rodriguez bowed low to Celestia. “It is an honor to meet you, your majesty.”

Celestia tittered and tapped her hoof on his shoulder. “No need to bow to me, Mister Rodriguez. You aren’t one of my subjects.”

He flashed her his trademark grin. “Perhaps not, Princess, but I was raised by mi madre to show respect where respect is due.”

“And, if I may, Princess, this is Lieutenant Preta Re’l, ship’s secondary helm officer and, err… Twilight’s girlfriend.”

“Oh, is that so?” Celestia said, her smile widening in amusement. I doubt Preta noticed, but I could see that familiar twinkle in Celestia's eyes that said she was quietly excited. She raised a hoof to Preta. “A pleasure to meet you, Preta.”

Preta gulped and shook her hoof. “Err, likewise, your highness.” Her eyes darted to me, full of desperate concern.

“I am sorry I was not able to speak with you sooner to tell you that Twilight is here. Alive.”

Preta seemed to gasp and cry at the same time. Both her paws covered her mouth as she stood there in complete shock. “I-Is... Twi's really?”

Before I could react though, Celestia quickly stepped over and wrapped a wing around Preta, drawing her close.

“Yes, she is,” Celestia replied in that same hushed, motherly tone that I'd heard from her countless times before. “Try to relax, little one. When you're ready, we can go see her if you'd like.”

“Can we?” Preta mewled. Looking at her in Celestia's embrace was like looking at myself so many years ago. In a way, it was good to see that Celestia's motherly instincts hadn't changed a bit.

“Of course, Preta. That's why I called you here, so we could all go together.”

Preta visibly stood up straighter, the relief erasing what seemed like years worth of anxiety off her body. “Oh my goodness, Commander… thank you!”

“Ease up on the rank for the moment, Preta,” I said, extending a wing to give her a quick embrace as well. “We can relax.”

A soft giggle escaped her lips. “Got it, Sunset.”

Rogriguez’s own grin stretched from ear to ear at the news. “Twilight Sparkle is alive? Thank goodness!”

I turned back to Rodriguez. “Rodrigo, much as I want to bring you along too, I need you here at the moment., While the Captain is out of action and with Williams dead, I need an experienced officer to keep the ship safe while I’m away. For now, that’s you.. Concentrate on repairs, especially on the warp core and structural integrity fields.”

He squatted down briefly to look me in the eye. “Respectfully, ma’am, wouldn’t Zhidar be the better choice?”

“Zhidar is currently sweeping the ship with security for damage assessment and locating any injured officers who haven’t been seen by sickbay yet.” I replied with a soft shake of my head. “I know I can count on you, Rodrigo. You’ve got this.”

Nodding, he chuckled and straightened up. “If you are saying so, Sunset. I will do the best I can.”

“That’s all I ask.” I patted him on the side. “The crew needs to know they’re in good hands, and I can’t think of any better.”

He nodded one last time to both myself and Princess Celestia, then headed for the turbolift.

I then gestured to Celestia. “Lead the way.”

She led us out the hatch and onto the top of the gangplank. Emerging into sunlight from the ship felt odd; odder still when accompanied by birdsong and a gentle breeze carrying a warm, springtime air with it.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Equus.

Home.

I fluffed my wings a bit and turned my head up, basking in the glorious warmth. "Oh wow..." I moaned.

Celestia patted me on the back with one wing and smiled as we continued to walk. We began to descend the gangplank and my head was on a swivel, taking in every detail I could. The trees in the distance, the rather large field we had landed in, the teams of construction workers scurrying about. I spotted numerous gaggles of royal guardsponies too; some patrolling, others assisting in the construction of what I could only assume were more fortifications.

My heart beat faster and faster the closer we got to the end of the gangplank. It was all so close I could literally smell it.

Then my hooves touched grass, and it took all my self control and then some not to burst into tears.

Home.

I could feel it in every part of me all at once. The natural foliage and magic of Equus reached up through the ground to embrace me. A burst of wind rushed through my wings, awakening my pegasus magic like never before. And my horn almost buzzed with excitement as it tasted pure Equestrian magic for the first time in ages. Every part of me seemed to glow for just a moment, as if my very soul sang out in jubilation.

I had not stepped hoof here in almost twenty years… technically closer to forty, counting the time dilation. And Equus knew it. It welcomed me back with open arms. I looked inward and could feel the planet sing right along with me, celebrating the return of its prodigal daughter.

Celestia’s wing tip stroked my back, and she whispered, “I feel it too.”

The Phoenix, I soon discovered, had landed in a field in the plains south of Canterlot, not far outside the village of Ponyville, which was easily visible in the distance, a good thirty or so minute walk at least. The construction work, I was told, was to provide temporary shelter for the ship's crew if needed, and also to house the Royal Guard squadron that had been detached to provide security until further arrangements could be made. The ship itself was propped up on some kind of dais of stone and ceramic, looking for all the world like a model starship on a stand.

“How is the ship able to stay on that?” Preta wondered aloud.

“Magic,” I said.

“Mana stones powering focused reinforcement spells directed at key points along the ship's hull, to be precise,” Celestia added. “Twilight was able to warn us that your ship was not designed for a planet’s surface. But even so, we needed a lot of help from others to make any of it work.”

As she pointed them out, I saw them, a good couple of dozen of small obelisks spread through the fortifications, each topped by a cluster of emeralds and rubies.

Preta had a thoroughly confused look on her face. “Focused reinforcement what? And you're doing it with rubies?”

“Like I said. Magic." I smiled and bumped Preta in the side. "Don't worry, I'll try to explain some of the specifics later.”

Walking over to one, I examined it closely with my own magic. “These’ll do great for the moment. Hopefully we can get the ship’s own structural integrity fields back up and running properly… though we might still need these to take off again, at least til we get out of the atmosphere. We’ll have to adjust the spell matrices…”

Celestia’s laughter rang like bells through the open air. “I see you haven’t lost your touch with your magic.”

“Oh, no way,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s been one of the most important parts of my career. I couldn’t function as an officer without it.”

“You’ll have to explain what all that means, in time.” She directed us to a magic circle etched in stone. “This will teleport us to Canterlot, where Twilight has been since her rescue.”

I blinked as we stepped into the circle. “This is new.”

Celestia’s smile turned mysterious. “There’ve been a few new developments in magic thanks to my faithful student and her paramour. You will see.”

Before I could ask what that meant, we were engulfed in a flash of light. The buzz of unicorn teleportation felt familiar, but I could already sense something new, something different underneath it. How much had things changed? A few moments later we popped back into reality, this time inside of Canterlot Castle – in a room that I remembered used to be a little used storage space on the west wing of the castle complex. As we disembarked, another alicorn met us, one I recognized immediately. “Sunset Shimmer,” said Princess Luna with a respectful nod. “It is an honor to finally meet you.”

I bowed deeply to her, and Preta, after a moment, followed suit. “Princess Luna, the honor is mine.”

She shook her head and pushed her hoof under my chin. “Please, there is no need to bow to me. We are equals now, after all.”

My eyes almost popped out of my skull as a cat-like yowl of confusion emerged from Preta. “Uh… what? I’m not— ”

“Luna,” Celestia said, with that slight change to her tone I recognized as her polite scolding, “I thought we agreed we would discuss this later.”

“I see no reason to delay, sister,” Luna replied, her face impassive. “We wrote the very laws in question, did we not? If you ascend, you have the right to lay claim to a crown.”

“Uh, don’t I get a say in this?” I asked, my voice shaking along with my body.

Celestia sighed. “Yes, you do, Sunset. I promise. We will discuss this later. For now, let us focus on our reason for being here. Your sister.”

I thought I saw Luna’s eyes briefly twinkle with mirth before they reverted to something more cold. “This way, then.”

As we began to navigate the corridors of Canterlot Castle, I couldn’t help feeling shiver after shiver of reminiscence run through me. Years of memories both buried and fond flooded back to me. I saw ghosts of a younger me everywhere I looked. In that corner, I was seven years old, casting my first fireball spell and blowing up a priceless centuries old vase. Along that wall I was eight, my nose firmly in a book trying to ignore a noblepony colt who attempted to woo me with his rather pathetic charms.

And so many more memories hit me when we entered the Royal Corridor, where the two sisters had their rooms, in addition to a few guest rooms made for visiting nobility. Everywhere I looked, recollections and images, sights and sounds and smells and tastes all hit me like a full spread of photon torpedoes, each blast propelling me into a new wave of nostalgia, or regret, or a mix of both.

It all came to a head as Luna led us to one room in particular. The naked gasp that escaped me drew everyone’s attention. “My old room…” I whispered.

“That’s right,” Celestia said gently. “I preserved it just as it was, just in case we were able to somehow find you. Despite the head maid's misgivings, this just felt like the right place for Twilight to rest as well. I hope you don't mind.”

“No no, not at all, Princess," I replied. "Makes perfect sense.”

“Please, before we enter, let me ensure she is ready for company.” Luna pushed the door open, shutting it behind her. After a few moments, she opened the door again. “Twilight is awake, but please, take care, for she is in a fragile state. And… she may look different from what you remember.”

Preta and I exchanged a confused look as we stepped inside. The room was indeed just as I remembered it, right down to the circular wear spots on the desk from countless coffee mugs, the scratches in the door frame to track my height... and the note I left right before I ran off to find that mirror. I paused as my eyes landed on it, still sitting half-folded beneath that silver parchmentweight Celestia had given me for my seventh birthday.

“Nice to know your desk got as cluttered as mine always does, sis.”

The voice was hoarse, raspy, weak. But unmistakable. Preta and I spun around toward the bed, where a familiar purple lump lay tucked beneath the quilts.

“Twilight!”

I abandoned propriety and charged in, almost leaping on the bed in my enthusiasm to hug my sister. “Oh thank goodness you’re alive,” I cried. Tears ran freely down my cheeks in droves, and feline whimpers filled my ears as Preta joined me in hugging Twilight. “Damn it, Twilight, don’t you ever scare me like that again.”

“Sorry, sis,” she replied, her voice choking up as her own cheeks wetted with moisture. “I-I didn’t know what else to do, I had to save the ship somehow, it was all I could think of…”

“I’m just glad you’re safe,” Preta mewed as she nuzzled her fuzzy face into Twilight’s cheek. “I… I…” She leaned further over to properly embrace Twilight.

Twilight rolled in the bed to make room, then cried out in pain, her face briefly tensing. “Ow, ow, ow… stupid new joints,” she murmured as she unfolded a wing and spread it out, carefully stretching it a few times before flopping back onto the pillows. “Aaah... much better.”

I let her go, staring in shock. She’d unfolded a wing. Twilight had wings! “Twilight… what …?”

Preta hissed some kind of cat-like growl that sounded suspiciously like a curse. “Twilight, you… you have wings!”

Twilight’s face flushed a brilliant red. “I-I know. It’s… a long story.” She raised a hoof up to Preta’s face. “I’m so sorry, Preta… I had no idea this would happen. if there’d been any other way, I…”

“Twilight,” I interrupted. “What happened, exactly? And your wings, their color, that dark purple...”

“She cast a dark magic spell, and was nearly consumed by the Nightmare itself as a result. Celestia and I sensed the Nightmare's sudden appearance, and were able to use Twilight's spell to find and stop it. But not before it tried to subvert Twilight's ascension. Besides the wings, Twilight's ascension brought with it incredible and new powers, none of which are under control at present.” She glanced briefly toward Twilight. “I know it is tempting, but you must stay your horn for a while longer, Twilight. We cannot risk you hurting them.”

“Yes, Luna,” Twilight said quietly, holding Preta all the tighter. She glanced at me and quipped, “Guess you’ll have to finally give me those flying lessons, sis.”

I wanted to smack her upside the head but I settled for a dirty look instead. “We’ll see.” I gave her another quick squeeze then let her go. “So what did Princess Luna mean by “nearly fell to the Nightmare?”

“...err, well…”

As Twilight told her story, I quaked on my hooves, and found myself hugging her again more than once – especially when she described the tortuous experience her body went through at the end. “It was so painful,” she said, her words jumbled up as she trembled like a little foal hiding from her first thunderstorm. “I thought I was being ripped apart.”

“That’s horrible,” Preta whispered. She ran her claws through Twilight’s hair and gave her a peck on the cheek. “I’m so sorry.”

Twilight continued her story, prompting both Preta and me to thank Celestia and Luna a dozen times over for saving her. “Once they brought me to Equus, we had to grab everyone we could to help pull the ship here as well – the Elements, the Pillars, and even Discord.”

“Whoa, whoa, hold on a sec,” I said, raising a hoof and turning to Celestia in shock. “Did she say the Pillars? As in, Starswirl the freaking Bearded? A-and Discord?!”

“A lot has happened since you’ve been gone, Sunset,” Celestia answered simply. “To that point, I was hoping to hold a formal dinner this evening, so we could begin to fill you and your friends in on some of what's happened in your absence. And of course celebrate your return too.”

I shook my head. “While it’s a great idea, this evening would be too soon. Can we perhaps wait a day, and hold the dinner tomorrow evening?”

Celestia briefly considered that, then said, “I don’t see why not. Do you know who would attend?"

I nodded. “I could have the senior officers attend, at least whomever I can spare. And maybe the Sirens too.”

Now it was Celestia who raised a hoof in near total disbelief. "The Sirens? H-How?”

"They came here with us. They've been with the ship ever since we located them about six months ago."

“Wait, you found them? How did they even get to wherever it is you came from?”

Feeling a sudden burst of mischievousness, I gave her my own imitation of her regal, mysterious smile. “You’ll find out.”

One royal eyebrow raised, but she laughed regardless. “Very well. I look forward to meeting them, and your senior officers.”

I turned back to Twilight. “Have you met with your biological family yet, sis?”

“Not yet,” Twilight answered with a shake of her head. “I… I’m scared. I barely remember them anymore, Sunset. I don’t…”

Celestia raised a hoof. “You will have all the time you need to be prepared for that, Twilight Sparkle. For now we should let you rest.”

“Oh, speaking of that, Princess,” I said. “You might want to have the cooks make a few Griffish meat dishes. Almost all the species aboard the Phoenix are omnivorous or carnivorous.”

“Truly?” Luna said, pursing her lips. “How interesting. It will be fascinating to meet others who enjoy a good steak for once.”

“...what?”

She smiled broadly, clearly displaying a pair of sharp-looking fangs where normal, flat-topped canine teeth would be for any other pony. “As ponies of the Night, we require a bit more… protein in our diets.”

I whipped around to look at Twilight, who visibly blushed as she showed off her own set of fangs.

“Well, I guess that explains why you always liked fish more than I did, sis.”

“Wattson to Shimmer.”

Celestia and Luna looked up, startled, as my combadge bleeped at me. “Sorry, gotta take this,” I said. As I tapped my badge, I noticed Luna lean forward and tilt her head a bit, eyeing my combadge like a cat examining a new toy. “Shimmer here.”

“Commander, I've been able to bring a second fusion reactor online. Our teams located a nearby water source, from which we were able to distill a small quantity of deuterium. It's not a ton, but we've been able to restore basic power to most of the ship, including limited transporters.”

I grinned. Finally, some good news about the ship. “Great work, Wattson.”

“Thank you ma’am. Also, if I might ask, do you have an ETA for returning aboard? I could use your help coordinating further repairs.”

I nodded, despite the fact she couldn’t see it. “Stand by.” I looked up at Celestia and Luna. “I’m sorry, Princesses, but duty calls. Preta, you can stay here with Twilight if you like.”

“Of course, Sunset, I understand,” Celestia said.

“As do I,” Luna added. “You will be returning for the dinner, we trust.”

“Of course; we’ll transport over tomorrow at 1900.” At their blink of confusion, I smirked and corrected myself. “Seven o’clock.”

Celestia chuckled. “Very well. We will see you then.”

“See you later, sis,” Twilight said, giving me one more embrace.

I planted a kiss on her forehead. “See you then. Love you.” I tapped my badge. “Phoenix, one to beam back.”

As the shimmer of transportation whisked me away, I reappeared in Transporter Room Two, met by Wattson. “Sunset,” she said, joining me as we strode out of the room and towards the nearest turbolift. “How’d it go?”

“Twilight’s… managing,” I answered, a shiver running through me as I realized I could barely feel the magic of Equus from inside the ship, and now that it was missing again, a part of me longed to have it back. I ignored it the best I could. “She’s alive, just injured and worn out. And she’s an alicorn.” I swallowed. “Which apparently, according to Luna, means we’re both Princesses now.”

“Whoa, seriously?” Wattson said as we stepped into the turbolift. “Main Engineering.”

“Well, that’s what Luna’s insisting, but I intend to talk it over with Princess Celestia. I didn’t spend over half my life searching for home just to get a crown and call it a day. Maybe when I left it I would’ve wanted that, but now…”

She squeezed at my shoulder with one hand. “I hear you.”

As the turbolift doors opened, I straightened myself back into a commanding posture, and Wattson accordingly adjusted herself as well. “So, report. How’re the repairs coming along?”

“Like I said, we have basic power restored to most of the ship, so at least the hallways aren't all dark now. With the second fusion reactor back we've been able to fully restore life support to all decks, and reactivate replicators in Ten-Forward and a few other lounges as well. The crew will have to put up with mess hall style dining for now, but Flanagan and a few others are already down there coordinating meal service.”

I nodded, taking a look at the Master Systems Display, which despite the great progress still showed an alarming number of systems with critical damage, if not offline entirely. “Guess it’s going to be a while before we can get this ship back into space.”

Wattson’s head snapped up from her PADD, and she let out a suppressed snort of laughter. “Uh, to be blunt, ma’am, this ship is surviving in one piece right now thanks to a hell of a lot of magic and best wishes. It’s not going anywhere until we can do some serious repair work, and that’s going to take time.”

“Tell me there’s some good news.”

“Sickbay is still running at peak efficiency,” she said as she glanced down at her PADD. “In fact the ponies have already sent in some nurses and doctors from the local village to help. They’re mostly running around doing basic errands but it’s freed up more hands to work on actual repairs.”

I had to smile at that. “Hope they’re not too afraid of Doctor May’s acerbic attitude right now. She’s not in the best of moods.”

“I’d be more worried about Doctor Selar, to be honest,” Wattson quipped.

“Alright, do we have anything else working? Sensors, thrusters, anything?”

Wattson shook her head. “Besides what I just mentioned, just basic library computer access. We barely have enough power to run the main computer core right now, much less even try to restart more power-intensive systems. We need to get more fusion reactors online, but for that we need more deuterium. A lot more. The small lake nearby is better than nothing of course, but what we really need is some ocean water to really speed up the refining process.”

“I’ll see what I can do about that,” I answered as I looked over the MSD one more time. “Oh, the Princess would like to see the senior staff for dinner tomorrow at 1900 local time.” A brief glance at the ship’s chronometer showed it thought it was closer to 0300. “While we’re at it, get the chronometers reset.”

“Will do,” she replied. “Permission to speak freely?”

“Granted.” I fixed my gaze on her. This ought to be good.

“Err, is a state dinner really the best use of our time right now, ma’am?” Wattson set her PADD down. “The ship is in shambles. We lost half the crew, our captain is still in a coma in sickbay, and right now I’m having a hard time seeing how we might ever get home.” She shivered in place. “Not to mention Counselor Belle is a complete wreck, Zhidar and Rodriguez are both torn up over losing Williams and Ishihara, and I…”

She closed her eyes and shuddered once more. “I can still hear his death rattle. Hill… no, Chris. He, we, I…”

I came around the MSD, briefly checked to ensure no other engineers were nearby to see, and hugged Wattson around the waist. She clung to me, her fingers clasping at my withers like a lifeline. “You’re right, Amilia. That's why I told the Princess tomorrow instead of today like she originally suggested. But you're absolutely right, and I'm sorry I let myself get caught up in the pomp for a second,” I said. “I know it's hard but just try to breathe, okay? Equus is a safe place. No one’s going to hurt the crew or the ship while we’re here. We can take as long as we need for repairs and recovery. Equus might be a pre-warp society, but it has industrial capacity. Just look at the platform we're all sitting on right now.”

Wattson quietly laughed at that, which seemed to calm her just a bit. "Still," I said, wiping away her tears with my magic, "you're right that the ship is in shambles. And so are we, to be honest. In fact…”

Letting go of her, I stepped over to one of the consoles rigged for ship control and tapped a key. A boatswain’s whistle filled the air on every deck as my voice echoed out. “Now hear this.” I gave the crew a moment to pause in their actions. “This is Commander Shimmer. As you should all be aware by now, the Phoenix has landed on Equus, my home planet. Where we are in space, how far that anomaly took us, or even how we landed in one piece, are admittedly still a mystery. One that I promise to find answers to, believe me.”

I took a deep breath, trying to focus on the task at hoof. “I'd be lying if I said I hadn't always dreamed of finding home again, but never like this. I need not recount the losses we endured getting here, to say nothing of the rest of our little fleet. We are all hurting from at least one loss in our lives right now.”

I paused briefly, looking over the faces of the engineers present, and saw the pain, the exhaustion, the worry in all of them. “Fortunately, we are indeed safe for the time being. I'm sure Equus will seem strange to many of you, understandably so. But be assured you are among friends here. This is a welcoming place, and as you may have already seen, the locals are already coming to our aid."

"But even so, a ship is only as good as its crew, and right now we all need recovery as much as Phoenix does. So, apart from mandatory positions in sickbay, I am ordering that the entire crew take the rest of the day off. Until 0800 tomorrow morning, local time, your time is yours to do with as you wish. The holodecks are still offline, so I suggest as many of you as possible get outside and get some fresh air while you have the chance. Believe me, sunlight and a warm breeze can work miracles. All I ask is that you stay near the ship if you do go out, defer to the locals, and be back onboard and lights out by 2200 local time. The senior staff and I will be coordinating with local authorities to discuss further shore leave options, as well as planning a memorial service for our fallen comrades.”

I bowed my head. “In the meantime, please, stay strong and resolute. We are all Starfleet officers. We have a duty to ourselves, and to each other, to ensure we make it home. Anyone who is unable to take the time tonight off, including medical staff, will be receiving special consideration for shore leave. Senior staff, please report to Engineering. Everyone else… dismissed.”

The engineers, to their credit, took the time to stash their tools properly instead of leaving them where they fell, nodding to us as they left. A few minutes later, Rodriguez, Zhidar, Maia, Danielle, and Doctor May arrived, along with, to my mild surprise, Glamgor Pog and Blackford.

“Glamgor Pog believes we should be involved in this,” Pog said as he gestured to himself and Blackford.

“This better not take long; I don’t want to be out of sickbay for longer than I need to be,” Doctor May said, flashing me a look of irritation.

“Doctor, last I heard, triage was basically complete, right?” I asked, hoping her answer would be yes.

She harrumphed and folded her arms over her chest. “Well… yes. Most of the serious injuries have been dealt with and the few that still need surgery are being handled by others.”

“And how’s Captain Liang?”

May’s posture tensed further, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly. “No change. I’ve ordered Sickbay to alert me the instant he awakens.”

“That's good. I dare say you especially could use a small break. But I will try to keep this short nonetheless.” I turned my attention to the full group. “I have some good news, first of all: my sister is alive.”

Sighs of relief and applause went around the room. “Thank goodness,” Wattson groaned.

“I knew the egghead wasn’t gonna bite it,” Maia quipped.

“And you should know that she’s just like me now, an alicorn. But she’s injured.”

“Injured?” May asked, reaching for her tricorder. “Should I be seeing to her?”

I shook my head. “No, Princess Luna has it covered. This is an injury of a more magical sense, not one that you can help with.” I looked to the rest of them. “Princess Celestia has also invited us to a state dinner tomorrow evening at 1900. It’s a diplomatic affair, so we’ll have to go for full dress uniforms.”

“...Commander, is such a thing really appropriate at this time?” Rodriguez asked, his face contorted with doubt. Similar looks flashed across the faces of everyone else present, forcing me to sigh.

“I know the timing is off. I get it. We’d be going to dinner today if I hadn’t pressed Celestia for a small delay. But it's probably the best way the princesses know to roll out the red carpet, so to speak. And, though we dropped in very unannounced, we are still guests on their planet, and without their help we'd probably all be dead right now. So I think we definitely owe them a debt of gratitude.”

“No one’s denying that we should show gratitude, Commander,” May said, her voice whip-crack sharp. “But must we all attend?”

A few choice Ponish curses made a jailbreak from my throat before I shut my mouth to think about a proper response. “...I won’t order anyone to go,” I finally said. “And of course, if your patients' needs require you to stay here then by all means do so, Doctor. But I would prefer if as much of the staff were present as possible.”

Zhidar grimaced. “I’ll attend. But I won’t like it.”

“You rarely enjoy these sorts of diplomatic affairs, my friend,” Rodriguez said with an understanding smile as he patted Zhidar on the shoulder. “Very well, Commander. I shall be attending.”

Maia and Danielle nodded their assent, and after a moment of sighing, so did May. “As you said, patients take priority, but…” May fidgeted with her hands. “Perhaps I need the space.”

“I think you do,” I agreed. “Trust me, I’m just as worried about the Captain. We all are. But right now, it’s just us here. So real talk us, Doc. Even if he wakes up, how likely is it he’ll be able to retake command?”

“Not without medical treatment that we just can’t get on this planet. Er, um, no offense intended,” May quickly added, waving her hands in front of her.

“None taken, Doctor,” I replied. “I get this isn't exactly Starfleet Medical here.”

That seemed to calm May down a bit. "I will admit their medicine is more sophisticated than I had feared, but with the severity of his injuries we'd need a proper starbase regardless. Even with the right equipment James is looking at weeks of recovery at minimum, probably months. Without it…”

A hushed quiet went through us. If any doctor out there could pull the Captain through, it was Doctor May. Of that I had no doubt. But I also knew what protocol demanded of me in the moment.

“Thank you, Doctor. I appreciate your candor, as always.” I scanned the faces of those around me and could see them hitting the same conclusion I had. My heart grew heavy in my chest as I stepped forward.

“Note for the record that the Captain has been declared medically unfit for duty by the ship's Chief Medical Officer. Is there any objection?”

No one so much as blinked.

“With the Captain unable to resume his post, as First Officer I will assume command of the ship going forward. The same will be noted in the ship's log. With that, we'll need to reshuffle the senior staff a bit as well to ensure coverage in all departments.” I eyed Blackford and Pog. “Pog, you can come along as a temporary assistant chief engineer. Blackford, you’re temporarily taking Cadeneza’s role as chief science officer while she’s gone.”

Pog grimaced. “Glamgor Pog would prefer— ”

“Don’t push it, Pog,” Wattson grunted. “You’re not taking my job.”

He snorted, turning around and sticking his head up in the air. “Pog wasn’t going to request that.”

I ignored him. “Maia, you’ll be taking over as chief of security while Zhidar focuses on tactical. Neither position needs much at the moment, but…”

“I’ll make sure we don’t get any thieves among the ponies,” Maia said with a grimace.

I smirked. “I doubt you’ll find many who aren’t just trying to take a souvenir, and even those would be few and far between. All the same though, keep them out of Engineering and any other vital areas for now, other than sickbay.” I then turned to Danielle. “Danielle, I'd like you to take over at Ops, while Zhidar does a bit of double duty as the Second Officer.”

“So who will be your temporary first officer, ma’am?” Danielle asked.

I looked them over for several moments before my eyes landed on my choice. “Rodriguez, I realize command isn’t your forte, but of all of us, you have the most experience in Starfleet, and Preta can take over as primary helm officer. Are you willing?”

Rodriguez immediately shook his head. “Ma’am, I never wanted a command. There is a reason I never bothered with a promotion past Lieutenant despite my lengthy career. Doing so would take me away from what I love.” He slapped Zhidar on the shoulder. “Zhidar would be the better choice. If I must, I can be second officer, but Zhidar would be a better first officer.”

“That would leave Maia as running both tactical and security, but… very well, then. Zhidar?”

Zhidar bared his teeth at Rodriguez, then shut his mouth and glanced at Maia, giving her a brief nod before he turned to me. “Maia is ready for it,” he grunted. “And with due respect, Rodriguez is right. He’d never fit well in the position.” He stood up straighter and grinned toothily at me. “We’ve come a long way since you first burned my beard.”

“So we have,” I chuckled, though I felt no real mirth from it. Not under the current circumstances. “Alright. We’ll announce the changes to the structure of the senior staff tomorrow morning once the crew is properly back on real duty. Dinner will be at 1900 tomorrow evening, so be in the transporter room by 1845. Don’t forget, dress uniforms.”

The group dispersed, leaving me alone in Engineering. Without the thrumming of an active warp core, the cavernous space felt more like a mausoleum, or a tomb. Sighing, I turned to leave, heading for my quarters.

As I stepped inside, I was hit with achingly familiar smells, including one whose dullness tore at me. A reminder that someone dear to me was missing.

I needed that worn out jacket of hers now more than ever, but I couldn't find it anywhere. On my way to the bedroom, I spotted a discarded uniform on the floor next to the fresher. I thought it was one of my own, but the lingering scent told me right away it was hers. “She must have come here before heading to the shuttlebay.”

I traced along the front of it with a hoof, grimacing at the singed and torn fabric where she had been injured. It wasn't the jacket, but right then I needed some piece of her to hold. Something to keep me from falling apart at the seams. “I hope you're okay, Jackie,” I whispered into the fabric. “Please come back to me.”

Too tired to eat, too drained to think, I laid on the couch and clutched the uniform to myself until sleep finally took me.

The rest of the day passed without much incident. I awoke after only a couple of hours of mostly restless sleep and made rounds among the crew, checking on various people. Belle in particular was doing significantly better, though that was very much a relative term. She wasn't shell-shocked anymore, but now she had become almost eerily quiet, saying little more than a few words to me or anyone else who talked to her. It was as if she had shrunk in on herself so far she disappeared. I made a mental note to request an Equestrian counselor for her, since I doubt she’d want to be counseled by any of her few surviving staff, and they would be far too busy with the rest of the crew.

I also encountered the Sirens in Ten-Forward, who to their credit were doing their best to raise crew morale given the circumstances. I asked if they’d been outside yet, but they said no, citing fear of how Equus would receive them. I flat out told them they were being silly, and let them know how I’d been received, even adding that Celestia was legitimately curious to meet them at some point. After that they followed me to the airlock and I watched as they sighed with sheer joy on stepping foot on Equus soil, feeling the magic embrace them.

I did invite them to the dinner, but they refused. “No offense to the princesses, but we’re not much for pomp and circumstance,” Adagio told me.

I let them be, and spent most of the remaining time helping wherever I was needed. Around midday I gave the full crew a situation update. I could almost feel the roller coaster of emotions throughout the ship as they learned of Twilight's survival, followed by the news of the Captain's continued incapacitation. Still, I tried to keep myself busy to keep my mind off of things, and before long I realized it was nearly time to leave for Canterlot.

I took a brief sonic shower, long enough to get reasonably clean, if not royally pristine, then dug my dress uniform out of the back of my closet. The white uniform with its gold trim and red lining around the collar never seemed to go too well with my coat, and I had the sudden feeling I’d be laughed at by Princess Celestia for wearing it.

Well, on the inside. She’d never show it on the outside, of course. Far too serene for that.

On my way to the transporter room I stopped by Preta and Twilight’s shared quarters and grabbed their dress uniforms. Though I then took a good long look at Twilight’s and realized it probably wouldn’t fit, not with her sudden growth spurt and new limbs. And I couldn’t replicate a fresh one with the replicator out.

So I decided to take it anyway, just in case.

Arriving in the transporter room, I found the rest of the senior staff awaiting me, milling about. “Zhidar, ditch the phaser,” I ordered upon spotting it on his belt. “This is a diplomatic function.”

“I told you she wouldn’t go for it,” Rodriguez said as Zhidar grumpily stuck the phaser back into the wall locker and sealed it.

“Besides, we’re almost as safe here as we would be on Earth,” I continued as I briefly took a moment to give the Benzite ensign working the transporter the coordinates for Canterlot Castle.

“Almost?” Blackford asked, a curious twinkling to his eyes.

“Eh, there's always the chance of a pack of Timberwolves running through town, or Diamond Dogs trying to raid the gem storehouses, and every once in a while some evil power tries to take over the world again for the fiftieth time. But nothing we ponies can't handle.”

“Diamond what now?” he and Pog blurted in unison.

I winked and stepped up onto the transporter pad. “Ensign, how many can we beam at once?”

“Only four at a time, ma’am,” he said, his breathing apparatus smoking visibly. “And even that’s pushing it.”

“Alright, I’ll go in the first group. Zhidar, Wattson, Pog, with me.” The other three stepped aboard. I took a deep breath, then ordered, “Energize.”

The familiar tingle of the transporter surrounded me, though this time with a slight itching sensation, probably due to the power expenditure. Thankfully the sensation stopped when we rematerialized in the main foyer of Canterlot Castle. The magic of Equus once again surged forth from all around, welcoming back. The wonderful feeling calmed my nerves a bit, though I dearly wished it could do something about the stuffiness of these dress uniforms.

A small retinue of royal guards stood at attention. “Welcome back to Canterlot Castle, your highness,” one of them said to me.

My left eye twitched. “That’s, uh, yet to be decided; for now, I’m just Commander, if you please.”

“...yes, ma’am,” the soldier replied, straightening his pike.

“Your highness?” Zhidar muttered with deep amusement.

I stretched out my wings and nodded back towards them. “Comes with the wings, or so I'm told.”

A musical twinkle filled the air as the other four members of the senior staff beamed in. Right on cue, Princesses Celestia and Luna pushed through one of the sets of doors, prompting the various members of my staff who hadn’t yet seen them in person to gasp at their sheer size.

“Ah, Sunset, I see you and your fellow officers have arrived. Twilight and Preta will be joining us shortly.” She frowned ever so slightly for just a split second before her serene smile snapped back into place. “Are the Sirens not with you?”

I shook my head. “Apologies, Princess, but they elected not to attend, though they were appreciative of the invitation. They said they’ll wait for something… less formal.”

“I see.” She coughed politely. “Well, nevermind that then. Please, come this way, everyone.”

I passed the uniforms I brought off to one of the attending servants, who promised to carry them swiftly up, and followed her and my crew into the formal dining hall. A pair of guards opened the massive wooden doors in a well-practiced motion as we drew near – and the moment I stepped inside, I realized how little justice my holodeck program had done to the place. Either that or she’d made renovations since I was last here.

Standing a good fifty meters end to end, the formal dining hall was truly a grand space in every respect. Paintings, tapestries, and artifacts – nearly all selected from the castle's vast archives – adorned the perfectly smooth stone walls. Polished granite columns, each intricately decorated, soared from the pristine marble floors to support the equally decorated arched ceilings above. Torchieres and sconces were spread all around, their arcane gem batteries providing an artificial but pleasantly warm light.

I couldn't help but smile at the 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from my crewmates as they tried to take in their surroundings.

As I followed the group in, I slowed a bit to take a look at the long wall to the left, which featured numerous stained glass windows. More torchieres did their best to light them despite the late hour. Each window featured a set of ponies I didn't recognize facing off against equally unrecognizable foes, save for one. Discord.

Fortunately I did not have to wait long for answers, as the ponies depicted in those windows awaited us at the enormous mahogany dining table – a gift, if my memory was still correct, from the then small hamlet of Manehattan to celebrate the diarchs' Silver Jubilee, marking twenty-five years on the throne.

These ponies, six in all, were seated to Celestia's left, and all dressed in elegant outfits that would have been just at home at a Grand Galloping Gala.

Two Earth ponies, one dark blue grey of coat with a straight mane of pale ash, the other with a nearly identical coat, but white hair, split into a pair of pigtails on either side of her face, which was framed by a pair of glasses.

Seated next to them were two pegasi, the first of whom also had a grey coat, albeit lighter than either of the Earth ponies. Her blonde mane seemed especially bright in contrast, though most curiously, her eyes never seemed to stay fully aligned, always going slightly out of sync. The other pegasus, meanwhile, was the most unusual one yet. A light, almost sandy colored coat and a mane split almost down the middle between layers of platinum blonde and a deep ebony black. Her bangs hung over her eyes so much, I couldn't make out what color they were right away.

Then there were the unicorns. One bore a seemingly permanent smirk on her muzzle, which went well with the cyan coat and silvery white mane half covered by her outfit, which unlike the others looked far more like a variation on a magician’s outfit. The other unicorn…

No. Wait. My jaw dropped ever so slightly as I saw her ruffle an extra set of limbs. Another alicorn? Truly?

I had to snap my jaw closed before somepony caught me staring. I noticed she was about the same size as Twilight and myself, though her wings looked to be a bit less swept back than my own. If not for the occasion at hoof, I'd have been sorely tempted to pass on dinner and ask this pony about a million questions instead.

Odder still was the feeling I had on looking at her. For a moment it was like looking at a distant reflection of my sister. Similar body type, similar coat color, even the same three-toned mane with two shades of purple an a brighter highlight... except this pony had a aquamarine stripe in their hair that itself reminded me of Aria's hair.

She caught me staring and looked right into my eyes, then glanced at my wings, and raised an eyebrow. I smiled back at her in turn, trying to be polite.

“Please, everyone, take a seat,” Princess Celestia directed, pointing to the empty side to her left, which had just enough chairs to seat everyone. I took the chair immediately to Celestia's left, with the rest of my officers organizing themselves along the chain of command down the table. Once Princess Luna had taken her seat, I quietly motioned for all of us to sit as well.

And right on cue, as soon as we finished sitting down, Twilight came limping in, assisted by Preta. Preta was wearing her dress uniform but, as I’d been afraid of, Twilight’s dress uniform no longer fit her, so she was wearing a simple dress instead. The two of them sat down with Twilight at Luna’s right and Preta next to her.

“We will be served shortly,” Princess Luna said. “For now, I believe introductions are in order. Sunset Shimmer, would you please start us off?”

I stood, and nodded to the six ponies. “Thank you, Princess Luna, and thank you all for inviting us to join you this evening. My name is Sunset Shimmer, formerly a student of Princess Celestia.”

“We’ve heard of you,” said the alicorn, her voice immediately making me think of an inventor or professor of some kind. “You disappeared decades ago.”

“That’s right,” I said with a brief nod. “Approximately thirty-six years ago, I ventured into the restricted passages beneath the castle in search of an artifact; a mirror to be exact. Against the princess's wishes, I should probably add,” I began. “I activated the mirror and was transported to another planet called Earth.”

“You don’t look like you’re fifty years old,” said the earth pony wearing glasses, her tone brisk and almost nasty.

My expression soured. “Err, that one’s going to be difficult to explain. I… don’t suppose the theory of relativity became common knowledge while I was away? Time dilation?”

Most of the stares, including from the Princesses, were blank, but the alicorn clicked her tongue and perked her ears up. “Oooh, I think I get it. I’ve been working on some new math along with the royal archmage, Moondancer, and we’ve made great strides in better understanding how gravity can affect the passage of time.”

“Yes, yes, exactly. Well, sort of. It’s a lot more complicated. We can go into it later. What matters is that from my perspective, six months after I arrived, my sister Twilight Sparkle joined me.” I gestured to Twilight as I spoke. “But for her, twenty years had gone by.”

“Oh yeah, you’re the one the Princess told me about a few times,” the unknown alicorn said as she eyed Twilight. “Huge magic surge, turned her parents into potted plants, hatched a dragon egg so hard the dragon's head broke through the castle roof. And then poof! You were gone.”

“The mirror,” Twilight said, her voice still somewhat hoarse. “It took me away, same as Sunset.”

“Indeed,” Princess Celestia said with a sorrowful look. “I am so sorry for that, Twilight Sparkle. I had thought I had secured it in the wake of Sunset’s disappearance, and was prepared to race after you, but the mirror, it… it was destroyed by the time I got there. Completely obliterated. There was no putting it back together either. Believe me, I tried.”

“Whatever is still left of it, we’ll definitely want to examine it at some point soon,” I said, eying Blackford and Wattson.

“To finish up though... a kind family on Earth took us both in and raised us as their own. Seeing it as our only real shot to ever find our way back, Twilight and I joined Starfleet, which is part of a larger organization called the United Federation of Planets. We eventually became part of the crew of the starship that you all just rescued, the U.S.S. Phoenix.I’m the first officer. Our Captain would have attended but he was severely wounded in the battle that immediately preceded our arrival here. Sadly, he is still in a coma, though our medical staff is doing all they can for him as we speak.” I then introduced the rest of the senior officers one by one, finally finishing with Preta.

“I’m sure you all have a lot of questions, and I promise you we want to answer as many of them as we can. But there’s a lot that we shouldn’t really be saying. Technically we’re violating one of the most important rules of the Federation just by being here, since Equus is a pre-warp civilization.”

“I’m not sure what ‘pre-warp’ means,” said the black and blonde maned pegasus.

“She means we’re primitive, Songbird,” snapped the glasses wearing earth pony.

I winced, hard, as glares from most of the ponies at the table followed that statement. “Nono, that's not it. Well, not really. you see—” I scrambled to try and formulate an explanation that wouldn't either bore them all to tears or melt their brains, but all I could do was hang my head a bit. “In a way that's... kind of correct, yes. I wish I knew how to explain it. Sorry.”

“There is no need for apologies, Sunset Shimmer,” Celestia said as she waved for me to sit. “What little I have seen of your ship tells me this Federation you come from has mastered a level of science and technology that far surpasses our own.” She nodded at me again and then stood from her chair. “Now, allow me to introduce to you the Elements of Harmony, starting with my faithful student, Starlight Glimmer, the Element of Magic.”

The alicorn waved a wing to us. “It really is fantastic to finally meet you, Sunset. I’ve heard a lot about you from the Princess.”

“Um, mind if I ask how you became Celestia’s student?” I asked. “And for that matter, err…”

“Oh, these?” Starlight extended her wings. “Long story, but the short version is, I finished an ancient spell of Starswirl’s, fixed a cutiemark swapping problem that was caused by that same spell, and boom. Wings and a crown.” She tapped the tiara on her head that up until now I’d taken as part of her dress. “Princess of Friendship, at your service.”

“As for how she became my student, the simple truth is, I had every intention of making Twilight Sparkle my student until I lost her,” Celestia said, her voice taking on a note of sadness. “But once she disappeared, I was forced to search for someone who could take her place. Rumors of Starlight's talents led me to find her in Sire's Hollow, and, after witnessing her abilities for myself, I offered her a full scholarship.”

“How could I say no to that?” Starlight picked up. “I even got to see my best friend Sunburst again.”

“And in the process I also found the second Element— ”

“—Thank you, Princess, but Trixie can take it from here,” interrupted the unicorn. She stood and posed as if she were awaiting a round of applause anyway. “Witness before your very eyes, a truly glorious sight, for before you stands The Great and Powerful Trixie, Element of Laughter! And she is pleased to meet you,” said the powder blue unicorn as she stuck her hoof out to Pog to shake, as he was sitting across from her.

Pog let out a piggish snort as he clapped a hand to her hoof. “Hah! You speak like Glamgor Pog. He likes you already.”

Starlight stared wide-eyed at Pog. "Wait, you speak in third person too?" She slapped a hoof to her face and dragged it down. "Great. Now there's two of them."

Trixie smirked and fluffed her hair with her magic. “Trixie is just as pleased to meet a fellow speaker of pride.”

“Trixie…” Starlight groaned, “please don’t start flirting with the aliens…”

“Trixie is not flirting, Starlight. She is just being friendly!”

“With you, that’s flirting!”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “You must excuse Trixie’s wife; she is overprotective of Trixie at the best of times.”

“And if I didn’t watch out for you, you’d shake your flank at —”

“Well, I do believe that’s enough of that,” Celestia said, her casual tone telling me this was far from the first time she’d broken up an argument between the two of them. “Please sit down, Trixie.”

Trixie fluffed her hair and sat back down. “As you wish, Princess.”

I recognized the look of exasperation that briefly passed over Celestia’s face as one my own bore far too often at times. “Yes, well, continuing…” she pointed to the blonde pegasus with grey coat. “This is Miss Ditzy Do, of Ponyville. The Element of Kindness.”

“Hi!” Ditzy said with a massive grin. “It’s really neat to meet you. I’ve never met aliens before.”

“No one has, Derpy,” snapped the other earth pony, the one not wearing glasses.

“One of my regular mail route clients says she has. More than once even.”

“And you believed her? For pony's sake, Derpy—”

Celestia scowled at her. “Limestone, how many times have I asked you not to refer to her by that offensive nickname?”

“Aww, it really isn’t that bad, Princess,” Ditzy insisted. “I think it’s endearing.”

“Regardless, I prefer it not be spoken in my presence,” Celestia said, the displeasure evident in her tone. “Is that clear?”

“...yes, Princess,” Limestone grumbled.

Celestia sipped some water from her glass and gestured to the other pegasus, who’d been smiling serenely this whole time. “This is Songbird Serenade, our Element of Generosity.”

“It really is nice to meet new people, even if they’re from further away than usual,” Songbird said. Her voice carried a lilting accent that reminded me, oddly, of Australia. “When I get the chance, you should let me put on a show for you.”

“A show?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Songbird’s smile turned prideful. “You're looking at one of the most popular singers and stage performers on Equus.”

“Songbird and her friendly rival, Countess Coloratura,” said Starlight Glimmer, “are constantly battling for the top spot on the charts.”

“Oh.” I coughed politely. “What kind of music do you perform?”

“Pop.” She beamed. “My songs are always playing on the radio. Princess, could we show them?”

“Certainly, I don’t see why not.”

I sat up straighter in surprise, as did Twilight, and we both exchanged shocked looks. “Since when does Equus have widespread radio stations?” I blurted. "The last I knew, radio was barely out of the experimental stage."

"It wasn't any different when I left either," Twilight added. "It was used for PA systems and some emergency contacts but never for broadcast. We didn't have transmitters with anywhere near the range or power to make it worthwhile."

“Not till I came along,” preened Starlight Glimmer, as a primitive radio device that looked like it came out of Earth’s 1940s was wheeled in on a cart. “Just one of the many inventions of yours truly.”

Celestia beamed with a matching sense of pride. “Starlight Glimmer is one of Equus’ most successful inventors. She’s created numerous devices, like that transportation circle we took from Ponyville, which has been a massive boon for Equestria’s economy.”

Starlight switched on the radio, and soon our ears were filled with a surprisingly pleasant pop song about seeing rainbows. Although I could see a number of my fellow officers were cringing at the saccharine content, to me it felt so much like an Equestrian heartsong it gave me goosebumps. I glanced at Twilight and saw she had a similar reaction judging by the huge grin on her face.

Songbird leaned onto her forehooves, looking at me expectantly. “Well, what do you think?”

“It was absolutely beautiful,” I said as I wiped away my tears. “Pardon me. It’s been far, far too long since I’ve heard music from home. I’d love to hear more of it sometime.”

“Maybe a concert for the crew,” Rodriguez suggested. “For part of their shore leave.”

“Assuming they can stand it,” Zhidar grumbled under his breath.

Celestia cleared her throat as the radio was switched off and wheeled out. “Next is Limestone. Limestone Pie, to be precise, our Element of Loyalty.”

Limestone glared at me. “I get you were famous around here at one point but lemme make something clear: you mess with my friends, you answer to me, got it? That goes double for you aliens.”

“Whoa, easy there, miss,” Rodriguez spoke up, giving her his most charming smile. “No one’s threatening anyone here, I promise you.”

Limestone huffed. “We’ll see.”

“You’ll have to forgive Limestone,” said the last pony, the earth pony wearing glasses, which she adjusted as she spoke. “She’s dedicated to protecting anyone she cares about because she’s used to protecting her little sister, who couldn’t hurt a fly if her life depended upon it.”

“Hey!”

A glare followed that response. “You know I’m right; I wouldn’t say it if I wasn’t.” She turned back to us. “Sugarcoat. Element of Honesty. I’m from Manehattan originally, but I was in Ponyville during the Summer Sun Celebration where I met the rest of them.” For the first time her impassive face cracked ever so slightly into a smile. “They’re my best friends. Good ponies.”

At that moment, our nostrils filled with the scents of various delicious foods as servants rolled carts in and began setting dishes out in front of each of us. “Please pardon the delay in serving food, your majesty,” spoke the lead servant to Princess Celestia. “We needed to secure additional ingredients for some of the more unusual dishes.”

“Not at all, it’s perfectly fine.”

“Very good, madam,” he said as he walked off.

Celestia smiled at the rest of us. “I hope the food proves to be delicious to our guests.”

As we began to eat, the table filled with conversations, my crew becoming steadily more comfortable with speaking up as time went on. Several of them took time to thank Twilight personally for saving everyone’s lives, and Wattson in particular cooed over Twilight’s new wings, pronouncing them adorable.

About halfway through dinner, just after the servants served the third course, Princess Celestia was about to launch into the story of how the castle was originally built when she let out a sudden cry of pain and dropped her fork. She tried to stand but only managed to stumble and fall to the floor in a heap.

“Princess Celestia!” I shouted in alarm, leaping out of my chair. I laid a hoof on her. “Are you alright?”

“Nnggh!” Luna abruptly groaned as she too crumpled to the ground.

“Oh damn it, it’s happening again,” Sugarcoat groaned as she and Trixie rushed to Luna’s side.

“I was hoping we could avoid this happening so soon,” Celestia moaned. “It’s getting worse.”

“What is, Princess?” I asked. Then I gasped as I took in her appearance. She’d changed. Where before she seemed as strong and serene as she ever had, she now looked like she’d aged a good thirty relative years or more. She looked old.

“You’re right, it is worse, Princess,” Starlight said as she came over to stand behind me. “I’m not sure how much longer we can hide this.”

“Princess, I don’t understand,” I said as I looked at her. The wrinkles, the haggard facial expression, the sheer age she showed. And she wasn’t the only one; Princess Luna too had begun to show signs of wrinkles. “What is happening to you?”

She let out a low sigh. “It’s not me, Sunset. It’s the sun.”

“The sun?” I repeated.

“That’s right. It’s… It’s dying.”

Author's Note

(Note: all of this was written before I came down sick, which is why I'm still able to publish this chapter.)
For those who were fans of Cadeneza... I'm sorry. I am. But there are many reasons why this needed to happen, reasons that at this time I would prefer not to go into, but rest assured that story quality was paramount among them.

Moving on to the rest of the chapter, here we get our first glimpse of Equestria without Twilight Sparkle. Some of our choices for the Elements are likely unusual, which was partially the point. We didn't want to go the typical route of "Lyra/Bon Bon/Octavia/Vinyl Scratch" etc etc. I wanted to do something different. Starlight Glimmer being Princess of Friendship with Trixie close by her side was part of that, but she was chosen for multiple reasons, including to help demonstrate that yes, even without Twilight, Equestria is fine. In fact, in many ways this Equestria is better off than the Equestria of the canon timeline, at least in terms of technology.

Though in some ways it's not so lucky, as you will find out.

Briefly, to touch upon our Element choices:

Starlight Glimmer was always going to be Element of Magic. I know many speculated Moondancer, but TBH I never felt like she would fit that role. She's a better follower than a leader.

Trixie as Element of Laughter is a take on how I see it being more about hope, finding joy in life, and being optimistic, all of which Trixie has. Plus she's Starlight's closet friend, has been since they both became students at the School for Gifted Unicorns, and yes, they are married.

Ditzy as Element of Kindness, I hope I shouldn't have to explain at all, but I wanted to include the girl because I've got a soft spot for her. She's a precious bean, darn it.

Now the last three are the weird ones, the outliers that no one would normally pick. But all three have good, solid reasons, and they're reasons I prefer to leave to the story itself to reveal as needed. The one I want to mention is Sugarcoat, who exists here as a pony because there is no Equestria Girls world in this story, so any unique characters from EQG are walking around on Equus as either a pony or some other creature that best suits them.

Thanks again for reading, happy First Contact day, and see you next time.

Season 3 Episode 2: "You Can't Go Home Again" Part 2

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S03E02

“You Can’t Go Home Again”

Part Two

“What do you mean, dying?” I asked, my face a mask of worry.

“It is… difficult to explain,” Celestia answered in a haggard tone. “Luna and I... we're not just connected to the Sun and Moon. The link between us is intertwined at our very cores. So when something is wrong, we know. And the Sun is definitely not working like it should. I feel it every morning when I raise it. The Sun grows a little colder each day, the day just a little bit shorter. At first it was imperceptible to all but myself and Luna. But not anymore. I burn up most of my magical reserves every day just trying to maintain its normal appearance, and we're still nowhere close to figuring out why.”

Doctor May pulled out her medical tricorder and scanned Celestia. “My god,” she murmured as she read the results. “Her magical core. I recognize the basic design of course, but past that... it's like looking at something entirely different than either you or Twilight.” May tapped at the controls and the tricorder made some odd warbles, as if it was just as confused by what it was seeing as May. ”Her core is in this constant, almost hyper state of flux. There's a constant draw on it too, sucking the energy out as fast as it regenerates.” She tapped a few controls and raised the tricorder towards the ceiling. “Whatever it is, it definitely seems to be solar related. And it’s affecting nearly all of her biological functions too, not just her appearance.”

Those words cut right through me, terrifying in their implications. “Princess, maybe we should get you to the Phoenix, let the Doctor put some of the more advanced tools in our sickbay to use.”

“No!” Celestia declared as she stood up from the floor. She bowed her head, her horn lighting up brilliant yellow and flaring to the point of near blinding us. Once it passed, she looked young and healthy again. A burst of blue light quickly followed and when I turned, Luna looked equally as perfect once again. “No, that won’t be necessary, Sunset. Neither I nor Luna wish to burden your overworked medical staff.”

Doctor May frowned, and went to perform a few scans of Luna before closing her tricorder. “Begging your pardon, Princesses, but the Commander’s concern is very warranted. I’d like to run a few more detailed scans on board regardless. You're right. There is definitely something wrong, and it's clearly taking a toll on both of you. I…” May paused and took a deep breath. “Look. I know how this must look. Alien doctor wants to run fancy tests on the rulers of a nation. But I promise you, I would be failing myself and my duty if I didn't do anything I could to help.”

“I am sorry, but I must agree with my sister: no,” Luna said archly. She extended her wings. “We will continue to handle this our way; in truth we had hoped to avoid your discovery of this issue altogether.”

“What?” Twilight said, standing up from her chair, a grimace of pain the only sign of the strain the effort must’ve caused. “But, Princess, why would you hide this? I mean, you saved the Phoenix and me along with it.The least we could do is look into this for you.”

Celestia and Luna shared a look before Luna went over and wrapped a wing around her shoulder. “Twilight Sparkle, we appreciate your concern, truly. But we didn’t rescue the Phoenix just to foist Equestrian problems upon the crew. I’m sure between myself, my sister, and the Elements, we will figure out a way to deal with the situation without needing to involve outside help.”

I drew myself up and glowered at Celestia. “Princess, remind me: you said these wings come with a crown, yes?”

“I-I did say that, yes, why—”

“Then if there's a crown on my head, that means we're equals. And if we're equals, that means I get a real say in the fate of our nation's rulers too. Wouldn't you agree?”

It was Celestia’s turn to frown. “Sunset, where are you going with this?”

“Whether you meant for us to help you out or not, we’re here. And we have ways of helping far beyond anything you can imagine, especially if we’re talking about a sun. How much do you even know about what a sun really is?” I raised a hoof. “Don’t answer that. My point is, we’re here, we can help, and we’re going to. Equus is my home, and right now, I’m in command of the most advanced scientific and medical facility on the planet.Which means it’s my decision.”

Celestia let out a long suffering sigh, her smile returning to place. “Sometimes, Sunset, I think I missed our arguments most of all. You always did have a way with words.” She raised her head ever so slightly. “That said, I will be willing to allow you to help and examine us further tomorrow. Tonight, Equus welcomes back its missing daughters, and you have brought honored guests. We can begin to solve this issue tomorrow. Tonight, I insist we celebrate!”

I smiled right back. “Agreed, Princess.”

“Mmmhmm!” Twilight seconded.

“Here here!” cheered Rodriguez, with the rest of my crew joining him after a moment.

Celestia quivered with a small laugh. “Well, in any event, my apologies for disrupting the dinner.”

“That’s quite alright, Princess,” I said as I helped Celestia back to her chair. “As for tomorrow, I'd like you and Luna to meet us aboard the Phoenix in the morning. And please bring along everyone that was involved with bringing the ship here.”

“Ooooh, yay, I get to bring Dissy along!” Ditzy cried in jubilation, clapping her hooves together.

“Ugh, I wish you wouldn’t call him that,” Limestone groaned, planting a forehoof on her face. “You make him sound like a pet.”

“She means Discord, right?” I asked Luna, who nodded. I turned to Ditzy. “How the heck did you ever make friends with Discord?”

“Loooong story,” Starlight answered for Ditzy. “Short version: Princess Celestia felt he could be of real use to Equestria, so she had Ditzy work her skills on him.”

“It took a long while, but I made him into a good friend,” Ditzy said. “He comes by to visit all the time, and he’s really nice. And funny!”

“He’s chaotic in every sense of the word,” Limestone grumbled, “...but yeah, he can be pretty funny. Especially after you get a couple of ciders in him.”

Trixie sighed. “Please don’t remind Trixie of that. The last time you took Discord drinking the entirety of Ponyville turned into an upside down bowl of pea soup that rained onto a ground made of saltine crackers.”

“Oh, is that why I kept smelling peas for weeks afterwards?” Luna interjected, prompting most of the Elements to laugh.

That burst of levity helped to pass the time for the rest of the dinner, but I could see the lingering tension behind everyone's smiles. Especially Twilight's. Celestia's pronouncement left a deep pit of worry in my gut, and not just for her and Luna's health. If she was right, if the sun truly was dying... Equus itself could die along with it.

The very thought made my heart want to shatter. I refused to accept that as a possibility. No, there had to be something else to this.

That thought followed me through to the return trip to the Phoenix and all the way to my quarters, where I spent a furtive night sleeping and flashing back to my time on the Amargosa observatory, seeing Soren cackle as he fired a trilithium torpedo into Equus’s sun just to watch Equus burn, while I was helpless, unable to do more than scream.

I was still screaming in horror when the dream suddenly shifted. Now I was eleven again, having just fallen through the mirror to Earth. I was surrounded by security officers, but now they tried to shoot me on sight instead of scan me. I ran like hell, frantically dodging the red-hot energy bolts that sizzled past me, singing my coat dozens of times.

Then I was back in Main Engineering on the Enterprise-D, withering under the intense radiation of a warp core nearing its death throes. I was there all over again, trapped inside a bubble of my own magic, ripping myself to shreds to try and buy my crewmates every second I could.

Only to finally be back on that accursed Dominion ship, with Yukarin's smarmy face looming over me, taunting me. I could feel the kicks, the punches, the abuse of his Jem'Hadar minions all over again, beating me to within an inch of my life. Yukarin nattered on about Dominion superiority while his subordinates struck me and and again and again till my whole existence was nothing but the agony of torture.

And then I was back on Amargosa, only this time Soren aimed his disruptor weapon right at Twilight, who shrieked my name right before the green particles blasted into her back and disintegrated her into a pile of ash.

I collapsed before that pile, seeing her half melted combadge atop it, and wailed in sorrow. I did nothing even as Soren pressed his weapon to my forehead, his finger lining up to squeeze the trigger.

Until Princess Luna abruptly appeared and bucked Soren in the face, knocking him out cold.

“Hail, Sunset Shimmer. I apologize for what must feel like an intrusion of sorts. But I sensed your troubled dreams early on this night and decided to stay close in case things worsened.” Luna looked around Soren’s still half-cloaked lab. “Such unusual dreams you are having. I must admit I do not quite understand it all.”

“Princess Luna?” I gasped in relief. “Oh thank goodness. I... I guess part of me knows this is all a dream, but I'm glad you're here. I'm sorry you had to see all of that. Especially from him.” I turned and kicked Soren in the side a few times for good measure. “A lot of this is related to the events that triggered my ascension.”

“I see… and that included someone destroying stars? Holding you hostage?” Luna shook her head in disbelief. “The society you came from is so beyond us, it is inconceivable at times.”

“Yeah. Long story short – this guy here was trying to blow up stars in order to alter the course of a weird energy ribbon, all so he could go back to an alternate dimension he called the Nexus. We stopped him, but in the process our ship was severely damaged. As you saw, I sacrificed myself to buy the crew time to escape.”

Luna eyed me. “And in doing so, you ascended.”

I nodded and quickly filled her in on my two years of isolation on Viridian III. “And after all of that, it's the Dominion who show up to answer my hail, and as you saw, did nothing but torture me for information.”

She stepped over to me and wrapped me in a tight embrace. “While I cannot say I understand everything you are talking about, I comprehend enough to know that you went through some truly traumatic events, and I am sorry you had to suffer such things.”

I leaned into the hug, grateful for it. “Life throws a lot of things like that our way, but you know, I wouldn’t trade my life for any other. Maybe when I was a kid.”

She blinked balefully down at me. “Truly, the magic of an ascension is even more boundless than I ever thought, if it can turn a goat into an alicorn.”

I stared blankly at her for a moment before I remembered goats were among the many sapients on Equus. “Oh, sorry, I meant foal, yes.” I decided against trying to explain the variances between Earth and Equus language in this regard. That might be another nightmare altogether.

“It is a truly fascinating world you and your sister have come from," Luna replied. She leaned in and spoke in a softer tone. "But that is for another time. Rest peacefully now, Sunset Shimmer. I will stand guard for the rest of the evening.”

The world slipped away from me before I could reply, and true to her word, I slept peacefully through the rest of that night.

Soon after awakening, I fetched a quick breakfast from Ten-Forward, where I checked in with Flanagan. I told him how glad I was to see the improvised galleys were still humming along so well, since the replicators were still quite limited. After a brief check in with sickbay on the Captain, whose condition had not changed, I then headed to Engineering for the meeting. As I boarded the turbolift, my badge beeped. “Shimmer here.”

“Commander,” came Wattson’s voice, “Several ponies we don’t recognize are waiting at the airlock for the meeting, along with… something else. Some kind of bizarre creature standing on two legs, made of a mish-mash of parts.”

“That would be Discord,” I grunted. I was not looking forward to this meeting, no matter what the Elements had said at dinner. Everything I remembered from history said Discord was not to be trusted. That he was a charlatan at best, capable of mayhem and destruction in equal measure. “Deck 24. I’ll handle it, Wattson. Shimmer out.”

Briefly I considered contacting security, but after a moment I decided I’d settle on my temporary first officer. “Shimmer to Zhidar. Please meet me at the docking port to the surface.”

“On my way.”

As I arrived at the airlock, I took several deep breaths in preparation, and used a calming technique. It took just long enough for the turbolift to discharge Zhidar.

“Something wrong?” he asked me, his brow furrowed in concern.

“We’re about to bring aboard some more Equestrians, including one who’s potentially dangerous. I wanted you here just in case.”

He grinned, baring his teeth a moment. “A wise choice.”

Feeling more confident with Zhidar by my side, I opened up the airlock. As I expected, Discord stood there, arms crossed over his chest, tapping his foot impatiently, but it was the pony next to him that caught my attention.

The blue cloak strung with stars and bells, the matching hat with images of stars and moons, and the glorious beard laden with curls. “Starswirl the Bearded…” I whispered.

He grunted to me and approached, holding out a hoof. “Yes I am Starswirl the Bearded. You are Commander Sunset Shimmer, I presume.” He glanced up at Zhidar, thoroughly unimpressed. “And this is?”

“Uh, yes, yes, sir, forgive me, this is Zhidar, my temporary first officer,” I said as I shook his hoof and then Zhidar in turn, an embarrassed smile crossing my muzzle. “It’s hard to believe I’m actually meeting you, when I read about you in history books.”

“Hmmph. Then you should have no trouble recognizing and identifying the rest of the Pillars?”

I looked over the group, each one of them instantly recognizable “Mage Meadowbrook with her mask, Mistmane…” I pointed to the female pegasus wearing a veil. “Somnambula, Flash Magnus, Rockhoof.”

“Ah should think ya could suss me out of a crowd, lassie,” Rockhoof said as he banged his shovel against his shoulders.

“Well done,” Starswirl said, nodding approvingly. “You know your history. Very good.”

“Oh yes, it’s so good that Shimmer reads as many books as Glimmer does, but really now, must you keep us waiting, Commander?” said Discord.

My heart dropped out of my chest. I took several steps backward, stumbling against the bulkhead. “...Q?” I murmured. “Is… that you, Q?”

“It cannot be,” Zhidar gasped in turn. “He does not look anything like Q.”

Everyone exchanged looks of confusion. “What is a Q?” murmured Mistmane.

“It’s a line for waiting in as far as I know,” Meadowbrook said with a shrug.

Discord meanwhile uncrossed his arms and walked towards me, his face twisted in amusement. “Oh, this is more like it. Someone who remembers the fear I used to strike in the hearts of ponies!”

“Discord…” Starswirl said, his tone warning. “Come now.”

Rolling his eyes, Discord extended one of his mismatched paws out and helped me back to my hooves. “There. Better?” he grumbled at Starswirl.

“Hmph.”

“No, seriously, is that you, Q?” I pressed, my surprise flashing to anger. “Because if that’s you, then you’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”

“Madam,” Discord said with all the sarcasm he could muster, “I do not know for the life of me what this Q you’re talking about is.”

“You… you don’t?” I glanced up at the ceiling. “Computer, run voice comparison analysis for Discord against historical records for Q.”

“Working.” While the Pillars looked around for the source of the mysterious voice, I waited patiently, and after a moment the computer stated, “Comparison complete. Voice similarity ninety-six percent.”

“Huh.” I glared up at Discord. “Tell me. What’s Captain Picard’s favorite drink?”

“What?”

“Commander Riker, what did you do for him?” I continued.

Discord’s face took on an edge of actual worry. “Who?”

I took a step towards him. “How do you feel about Guinan?”

“Guinan? Is that a type of food or something?”

“That’s enough, Sunset.”

Princess Celestia stepped into view on the gangplank, giving me the same stern look she always wore when I stepped over a line. “I’m not sure what a Q is, but whatever it is, Discord isn’t it. He’s as part of Equus as much as the rest of us are.”

Zhidar, having watched this whole affair, stepped forward before I could loose a retort. “I share your misgivings, but the princess has a point. If this, whatever Discord is, wanted to hurt us, by now he's clearly had plenty of opportunity to do so. However, as XO I will be keeping a constant monitor on him, just in case.”

“That works for me.”

“Oh, to always be suspected everywhere I go…” Discord moped, prompting Celestia to pat him on the shoulder with a wing.

“I am not sure I can fully blame her. It sounds like this Q was some sort of menace.”

“You don’t know the half of it, Princess. But we don’t really have time to go into it.”

I turned back to the other Equestrians. Even as I looked I saw the Elements of Harmony, Twilight, Preta, and Luna were all coming. “Alright, everyone, follow me. We’re headed to Deck twelve, section two.” Briefly I educated them on how to use a turbolift, as there were far too many of us for one ride.

“I think I could make something like this for Canterlot Castle, maybe,” Starlight said as she exited the turbolift. “Or at least something that responds to vocal commands. Maybe integrate it into the fast travel circles…”

“This way,” I grumbled, directing everyone till we’d neared a huge set of double doors that led to Holodeck Three. “Shimmer to Wattson. Is the Holodeck up and running for the meeting?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m inside now with the rest of the senior staff.”

“Great. Everyone, if you please, head down to those sets of double doors there and enter. You’ll find a meeting room there.” I took a step back to fall in line next to Discord. “Discord, may I speak with you a second?”

“That depends,” he said, though he remained back even as the set of double doors wheezed open to allow the others entry. He placed a paw on his chest. “Are you planning to hurl more ridiculous questions and insipid accusations at my innocent personage?”

It took a supreme amount of will not to roll my eyes. “No, I want to apologize. Your voice caught me off-guard. Q… like the Princess said, he’s at best a menace that plays havoc with Starfleet crews whenever it suits him. At his worst he’s introduced us to mortal enemies that we are still fighting off to this day. Hearing what sounded like his voice come out of your mouth, well…”

Discord started impassively at me for a moment, a single eyebrow raised. “Well. It sounds like this Q and I might be best of friends, if we were to meet.” A long, reluctant noise poured forth from his lips. “Oooooh, very well, apology accepted. I’m sure Ditzy would be unhappy with me if I didn’t accept it.”

“Thank you,” I said, and I meant it. Now, we—”

A wordless screech of pure rage so loud and high pitched I instantly clamped my ears to my skull rocketed through the corridor. “What the hell?”

Discord’s face drew up in confusion, then snapped into a grin. “Well, I’d know that screech anywhere. Why didn’t you tell me there were Sirens here? I’d have brought my swimming trunks.”

“The Sirens… oh shit, Starswirl!”

I rushed into the holodeck. The twin doors opened with their groaning hiss, revealing a large meeting room set up with a table surrounded by a couple dozen or so chairs, most of them suited to the equine form, the rest already filled by the senior staff, and each chair had a terminal input keyset before it, with a central display hovering over the table, currently showing a rotating Starfleet chevron.

For a brief moment I was reminded of something else, perhaps a stage in the round. But whatever it was escaped me because there was another scream of rage that rippled through the Holodeck with enough force to briefly short out the holodeck projectors, revealing a glimpse of the yellow grid beneath it all.

“Oooh, this should be good,” Discord murmured, gleefully rubbing his paws together.

I spotted the Sirens standing at the far end of the table, hands raised and simmering with power. Adagio's eyes glowed with more menace than I had ever seen from her. “You!” She stalked forward, her sisters trailing close behind and humming a ghostly melody, further amplifying their magic. For the sheer rage in their eyes, you'd think a Vorta had just waltzed in the door.

“Me!” Starswirl thundered back, his own horn glowing with power. Zhidar and Rodriguez gave each other a confused look before quickly backing away from the table, while Rockhoof and Flash Magnus took positions to either side of Starswirl. What worried me most was that I couldn't immediately tell whether they were intending to hold Starswirl back, or join the impending fight.

“You think I will fall for these disguises, you witches? Reveal your true forms, Sirens!”

“Disguises?” Aria snapped. “Thanks to you, this form is all we have now! Our true forms are gone because you destroyed them!”

Starswirl scoffed at that. “Perhaps then I did not do a good enough job, for here you stand regardless.” He lowered his horn. “Take whatever form you want. You still will face justice once again.”

“You dare to speak to us of justice.” Adagio spat the word out. “The only justice here would be killing you where you stand!”

I glanced at Celestia and Luna, but they made no move to intervene. “To borrow a bit from your words last night," Celestia said as she leaned over my way, “the ship is your castle in a way, so you're in charge.”

I could only groan in response. All these years later and still she can get one up on me when she needs to. “Fair point.” Channeling some magic into my voice, I stomped a hoof onto the deck plating as hard as I could. “That’s enough!”

Mercifully, the whole room froze in place, as if someone had called time out on the entire world.

“Shimmer, this pompous gelding is Starswirl the Bearded,” Adagio hissed as she pointed a glowing finger at him. “You know what he did to us! You know what we’ve suffered because of him!”

“I know, Adagio. I hear you, believe me. But I also know that he, along with every other creature who just walked in here, just saved all our lives."

"As for you—" I wheeled around and turned all my attention to Starswirl. "There's no denying the debt we owe to you for saving us. But you also have a lot to answer for when it comes to the Sirens."

"For what I did?" he snapped back. "What about what they did? Or did these three tell you they entered those small villages on glowing rainbows, asking only for a cup of water?"

"I know what they did, Starswirl," I replied. "They told me everything. The good, the bad, and yes, the ugly too. I can't condone what they did, and they know that too. But they were starving. They wanted food, not power." I shifted in place and pointed a wing back towards Adagio. "Did their actions merit punishment? Sure. But banishing them through a mirror when you damned well had no idea what would happen to them on the other side was completely unnecessary!"

Starswirl sneered back at me. “Foolish words of a foolish child. You did not see what they did to that village. There was no harmony, no pony spirit, only anger and hatred and jealousy!”

Adagio let out another shriek. “Which we only created because we were dying otherwise! Would you have condemned us to death simply for the nature of our existence?”

Then, to my surprise, Aria and Sonata backed down, letting their magic fade out. “Come on, Adagio,” Aria said, placing a hand on her arm. “He’s not worth it. Let go.”

“Yeah. He’s not like those Dominion jerks. He thought he was defending ponies,” Sonata added. She looked at me and smiled. “Which you know, I totally get. He was trying to do what he thought was the right thing."

Adagio took a shuddering breath, and the glow died from her eyes and hand, which she lowered a moment later. “Fine. You’re both right.” She then pointed at Starswirl again. “But don’t even expect me to like you.”

I watched the Sirens for a moment before turning back to Starswirl. "Whatever they may once have been, the Sirens are not your enemy now, and haven’t been for a long, long time. What's more, they're a part of this ship's crew, and as the commanding officer, their safety is my responsibility. If you can't handle that, I'm sure Mr. Zhidar will be glad to escort you back to the gangway."

Starswirl watched this, his mouth agape, bouncing between the three of them like he was watching a springball match, before he faced me. “...it seems I owe you an apology, Commander,” he said. “Perhaps you were not as foolish as I believed.”

I bit off the snark that I wanted to retaliate with, opting for diplomacy. “The Sirens have been aboard the ship for the past six months, and in that time they’ve helped us on numerous occasions. I wouldn’t call them angels, but they’re certainly not demons.”

“Who wants to be an angel anyway?” Adagio said, her trademark smirk returning to her face.

“Certainly not me,” Discord answered, leaning back in an incongruous lounge chair, applauding. “Bravo, bravo, excellent! Well played, all of you.”

“Dissy!” Ditzy said, grabbing his side. “Stop egging things on. You know that’s not good.”

“...sorry, Ditzy, dear,” he said, bowing his head. “But it was such good chaos.”

“Mmhmm, and we’ve talked about you enjoying Chaos without having to add to it, right?”

“Oh but that’s so much less fun….”

I took a second while they were chatting to lean over Wattson. “Next time, please warn me before I send two sets of formerly mortal enemies to meet with each other.”

Wattson cringed. “Sorry, ma’am.”

I cleared my throat, and used my magic to enhance the volume of my voice just a little bit, to make it easier to hear in the simulated meeting room. “If I could have everyone’s attention, please, so we can get this started. Thank you. Now, I called this meeting for two purposes. First, to learn precisely how you brought the Phoenix here, in the hope that we can use the same method to get back to Federation space. Second, and arguably of even greater importance, is determining what is happening to Equus's Sun, and how it's impacting the princesses. The more we can learn here today, the better my crew can assist you all. With that, I yield the floor to Princess Celestia.”

I sat down and Celestia stood, her gaze passing over everyone before settling on me. “Thank you, Sunset. And thank you all for coming.” She took a deep breath. “To start, I can quickly address the first order of business. We can of course explain how we pulled your ship here, but I am sad to say that the process cannot be reversed to send you back. We will need to find another way.”

“But from what we could tell we passed through some kind of subspace passage or wormhole, right?” Wattson interjected.

“Pog is certain of that from sensor readings.”

“In a sense, yes,” Twilight said, her voice still hoarse. “But it was more complicated than that.”

“In essence,” said Starswirl, standing beside Celestia, “we utilized a variation of a summoning ritual. These rituals require far more magical energy than most normal spells, which means they're only used in specific cases. Transporting precious or time sensitive cargo, moving VIPs in a hurry, and the like. The rituals theoretically have no upper limit to what they can move, provided enough power is supplied to them. So we adapted the underlying spells on the fly and, well, here you are.”

Pog stared blankly. “Pog still doesn’t understand. That explanation meant nothing to him.”

“Not to offend, but I’m afraid it didn’t make much sense to me either,” Blackford interjected.

Starlight coughed for attention. “Listen, you’re engineers, right?”

“Pog is an engineer, yes,” Pog answered. He jabbed a thumb at Blackford. “He’s a scientist.”

“Close enough. Let me draw it out for you.” Magic filled her horn as she briefly concentrated, and a chalkboard of all things appeared at the head of the table.

“You know,” I muttered under my breath as Starlight withdrew from her chair to use the board. “The whole point of setting this meeting in the holodeck was to use the computer displays for stuff like this.”

“Now, we… oh feathers, I forgot the chalk,” groaned Starlight.

Trixie, beaming, bounced out of her chair. “Allow moi to help you, Starlight.” Doffing her hat, she grunted as she waved a hoof at it, straining as much as possible for a moment before she reached inside and brought out a piece of chalk. “Here you go!”

Starlight took the chalk and chuckled as she waited for Trixie to sit back down. “Thanks, Trix.” She took the chalk to the board and began to draw. “First thing we did was, Starswirl and I drew the ritual circle. We then gathered as many diamond and sapphire mana gems as we could, utilizing them as matrix foci.” As she spoke, Starlight quickly drew gem-like shapes at various points around the circle, then added dotted lines connecting them all in overlapping patterns.

I nodded in understanding. “Then, I presume, someone used the magical signature of the Phoenix itself as the target for the ritual.”

“Correct,” Luna said. “Once we located you, and with the circle acting as the anchor point, we summoned your ship back to the anchor, essentially. We quite literally combined all of our magics and channeled every bit we could into the ritual.”

“Even little old me,” Discord cooed. “And it was quite exhausting. Why, I had to spend a couple of hours in Sugarcube Corner just to recover!”

“Sugarcube Corner?” asked Preta.

“It’s a bakery in Ponyville,” Starlight answered with a wave of her wing. “Limestone’s sister Pinkie lives and works there. She’s nuts.”

“For pony's sake, Starlight,” Limestone grumbled, slapping a hoof on the edge of the table. “Pinkie's not nuts. She's just... unique.”

Starlight sighed and rolled her eyes a bit. “Yeah yeah, I know. But pulling whole cakes out of your mane is more than just a bit unique, Limestone. Besides, you call her nuts all the time.”

“I'm her sister, so I'm allowed to call her names. It's a sibling thing.” She eyed me directly. “You and Twilight are sisters, right? So you get what I'm sayin'.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Twilight trying to look slightly less embarrassed than I was at the moment. “Haha, well... I suppose we've called each other names here and there, yeah.”

“Anyway,” Starlight continued, seeming to brush off the topic entirely, "My point is, Pinkie's inarguably a bit... chaotic. So naturally, being around her is kind of comforting for Discord here. He loves chaos like she loves cupcakes.”

Most of the Starfleet officers exchanged dubious looks at that, and I couldn’t blame them. Even I found it hard to believe completely.

“If I may continue the explanation,” Celestia said, prompting everyone to go quiet again. “Once we began the summoning ritual, we next had to determine a landing site. Twilight Sparkle warned us about both the size and the nature of your ship, so I had the royal guard prepare a number of stabilizing spells, as well as a landing platform. Once we got the ship through the magical aether and into our reality, setting you down was comparatively easy.”

“You mean subspace,” Wattson corrected.

“I beg your pardon?”

“It’s what we call the aether,” I answered for Wattson. “To us, subspace is a series of alternate domains in the fabric of space, akin to an endless series of honeycombs. It’s what we use to travel faster than light."

"Which explains how you were able to bring us here so quickly," Wattson said, stroking her chin with thumb and forefinger. "You tunneled through so many lower subspace domains you ripped us across space almost like a wormhole, but without leaving anything in our wake we could use to go back." She leaned back in her chair and let out a quiet whistle. “I gotta say, that’s damn impressive. Untangling that would keep even the Vulcan Science Academy busy for a century.”

"Though impressive, it also means that if we want to return to Federation space we'll have to go the slow way," Zhidar pronounced.

"But we are not even knowing where we are in the galaxy," Rodriguez said, holding his hands up in a plaintive gesture.

"We are still working on repairs," Pog responded, with a piggish snort. "But Pog thinks we can have short and long range sensors up before the day is out. Tomorrow morning, worst case."

"Good," I said. I set my forehooves on the table. "So let's get to the next bit of business. Princesses?"

Luna and Celestia exchanged a forlorn look, and slowly Celestia clapped her hoof for attention. "I first began to notice it when Luna returned to us a few years ago. At first I thought it was a lingering effect of our battle."

"Battle?" Zhidar asked, sitting up straighter.

Luna stood to answer. "It is a long story. To summarize: one thousand years ago, I attempted to usurp my sister by inviting in the Nightmare, a terrible entity of dark magic. It quickly overpowered me and tried to use me to not just overthrow my sister, but kill her outright. Instead, Celestia used the Elements of Harmony to defeat me and seal me away."

"Soon after the battle, I received a vision of sorts from the Elements themselves. It said my sister would return after one thousand years," Celestia added. "I could not know what would happen upon Luna's return, but I did know it would be my one chance to save her. So as the time drew near, I had events set in motion that would lead to Starlight and Trixie gathering the friends they needed, taking up the Elements, and freeing Luna."

“It helped that you warned us ahead of time,” Starlight said with a chuckle. “I’m not sure we would’ve succeeded otherwise.”

Celestia smiled slightly. “In truth, I did so because I knew if I didn’t, you wouldn’t have taken to new friendships, and instead simply stayed with Trixie. And as lovely as you two are together, you alone would not have been enough.”

“You’ll have to tell us about that in more detail sometime,” I said in an attempt to keep us on track. “But you said that you and Luna fought.”

“Yes,” Celestia said, her smile vanishing. “For those of you unfamiliar, the Summer Sun Celebration is a yearly celebration of the longest day of the year, the summer solstice. It also celebrates my reign, or did, until Luna’s return. Now of course, it celebrates us both. During the event, ponies typically stay up all night in preparation to watch the Sun rise. However, as I expected, when Luna returned, her first act was to attack me in Canterlot.”

“On the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape,” Twilight whispered, which I only heard thanks to my pony hearing.

“More than just an old pony's tale, as it turned out,” Luna quipped, favoring Twilight with a slight smile. “Still, I recall it being easier than I expected it would be,” Luna added. She stepped closer to her sister and extended a wing. “In hindsight, I should have seen what you were really doing; lowering your guard to lure me into a false sense of security. Always the manipulator.”

“I am ultimately more of a caretaker than a warrior, and always have been, sister,” Celestia chided mildly. “Sometimes that means ensuring my ponies follow the right path.”

“In any event,” Luna continued, focusing on me. “We fought, drawing upon our respective celestial bodies. But as the Moon lay resplendent in the sky while the Sun was below the horizon – or at least, that’s what I thought at the time – I proved more powerful. I subdued her and sealed her within the Sun, much as she had sealed me in the moon.”

“With respect, your highness,” said Blackford, a puzzled look on his face, “I of course recognize this is an entirely different world from our own. Still, I'm finding it difficult to believe what you're describing to us. Stars are gigantic, incredibly dense fusion reactors, churning out energy at pressures and temperatures that are completely inhospitable to any lifeform we know of. I'm not suggesting you're lying of course, but if the situation was reversed, surely you'd find this a bit impossible?”

Celestia looked at Blackford as if he had just offered her a piece of mud pie. I had seen that bemused 'oh you sweet summer foal' look more times than I care to count when I was younger. “No offense taken, Mr. Blackford. You are quite correct. Equus is an entirely different world from your own. But that should make you all the more curious, especially as a scientist. Who's to say anything here works like you presume it should, hmm?”

Blackford bristled, opening his mouth to retort, but I coughed for attention. “I empathize with you here, Lieutenant. Much of what I heard when I first arrived on Earth sounded pretty impossible too. But try to keep an open mind, alright?”

He sat back in his chair, frowning ever so slightly. “Aye, ma’am.”

Luna’s eyes flashed briefly with bemusement. “Going only on what I have learned from Twilight so far, I dare say there is much about our world you might think impossible,” Luna added.

Somnambula chuckled at that, briefly drawing the group's attention. "Look at this way. Two of your colleagues are talking ponies, and you just landed on a planet full of creatures just like them. A sun and moon that can double as a magical prison isn't such a big leap after that."

Even Luna couldn't help but crack a smile at that. The peel of laughter that rolled around the table helped lighten the mood just a bit, which was good.

“Anyway," Luna continued, "With Celestia defeated and imprisoned, I made my way to Ponyville, which she had chosen as the site for that year's Summer Sun Celebration. It was a small town. Barely bigger than a village in some respects, and much more, erm, po-dunk, than Canterlot. It seemed an odd place to hold such a festival, but if it was good enough for Celestia it was good enough for me to herald the coming of eternal night.” She chuckled to herself. “Truly, my arrogance was only exceeded by my hubris.”

“And the rest, as they say, is history, Starlight found the Elements, and they used them together to return you to normal, somehow,” I finished for her.

“You just skipped the best parts of the story, but yeah that’s more or less right,” Starlight answered.”But if you’d like we can fill you in later.”

“So when did you first notice the issues with the Sun, your highness?” asked Wattson.

Hmm..." Celestia frowned momentarily. “Ah, yes. It was about a week later, I believe. You see, in the process of exorcising the Nightmare from Luna, the Elements had stripped away nearly all of her powers. Even her natural unicorn magic was reduced to nearly nothing. So I continued handling the Sun and Moon as usual while she recuperated both her physical and magical strength.

“I didn't quite realize just how much an alicorn could ingest until I helped watch over Luna back then. I've never seen a pony eat that much food!”

“Good grief did she eat,” Starlight snorted.

Sugarcoat adjusted her glasses. “At times she practically ate a pony’s weight in food.”

“At least she wasn’t eating any actual ponies!” Ditzy said, giggling to herself.

Luna heaved a long-suffering sigh. “I do not understand where that notion came from or why it became associated with Nightmare Moon, but I never have and never will gobble a pony's backside. Or any other part of them for that matter.”

That elicited vaguely confused looks from everyone in the room – except for the Equus residents of course, who giggled like foals for a second.

Celestia coughed politely. “Later that day, Luna informed me that she felt well enough to try raising the moon on her own again. She met me on the balcony at the appointed time, just as I was preparing to lower the Sun. But the moment she looked at me she gasped in fright, begging me to look in a mirror. That's when I saw the first wrinkles.”

“The next morning, it was unusually cold for summer,” Starlight added. “I remember having to put on a scarf before I left the house.”

“Fortunately, I was able to regain control over the Sun and return the temperature to normal,” Celestia said. “At first we thought it was a random anomaly related to Luna's return and the re-division of our respective powers. But since then it's happened on several more occasions, each one worse than the one before it.”

“Has there been any pattern to it?” Blackford inquired, sitting forward.

Celestia gave a regal nod. “Yes. Always after some form of battle that I or Luna have participated in, such as when we attempted to take on Queen Chrysalis during the Changeling invasion.”

Every single one of my crew sat up straighter, a few gasping in shock or surprise. “Did you say Changelings?” Zhidar barked as both he and Maia fumbled at their waist, as if trying to grab for a phaser they weren’t currently wearing.

I winced. Of all the things to share a similar name with ones from our universe, it just had to be them. “Calm down, everypo— er, everyone. The name may be the same but these Changelings are far different than the ones we all know. I promise this has nothing to do with the Founders.”

The various assembled ponies all gave us blank looks. “I do not understand,” said Starswirl, who’d been pensively silent. “What other Changelings could there be? And who are these Founders?”

“It’s a long story,” Twilight said, turning to Celestia. "You remember I said the Phoenix was in danger? That it had been attacked by forces from the Dominion? The Federation is fighting a war with them as we speak. They're led by the Founders, an alien race of shapeshifters who can assume nearly any form. They're commonly called Changelings.”

“How curious,” said Mistmane, her aged face wrinkling even more than usual. “That sounds quite similar to the equine-related species who can change shapes in an instant, and who feed on the love of other creatures. We also call them Changelings.”

“Feeds on love?” May blurted. “How in all things holy—”

“It’s a magical effect, Doctor,” I interrupted. “But the point is, while they can shift forms, they don’t have to revert to a gelatinous state like Founders do every sixteen hours. Also, they aren’t bent on the total destruction of every other race on the planet. At least I’m pretty sure they aren’t… my memory is a bit rusty.”

Rockhoof nickered, shaking his head. “You remember correctly, young lass,” he said. “Though the Changelings do not feed on love anymore, not since the second invasion attempt.”

I blinked in confusion. “Second attempt? They didn't learn their lesson the first time?”

“It happened just after the Pillars returned,” Starlight answered with a sigh. “My old friend Sunburst wanted to reclaim some lost glory, so he worked with a unicorn named Tempest to bring them back to the real world. Unfortunately, in doing so he also brought back an ancient evil called the Pony of Shadows, whom the Pillars had sealed away along with themselves many moons ago. While Trixie and I were busy cleaning up Sunburst's mess, Queen Chrysalis, then the leader of the Changelings, took advantage of the situation. Her drones successfully replaced most of Equestria's senior leadership, including the other four Element bearers.”

“My god,” I replied. Just thinking about a successful Changeling invasion – either here or on Earth – sent a chill down my spine.

“Fortunately, word of the near coup reached us as we were on the way back to Canterlot. Ironically, we found out from a friendly Changeling named Thorax. Thanks to his help, we tracked the location of Chrysalis's central hive and eventually defeat her.”

“The wretched Queen escaped,” Starswirl growled, his beard whipping about. “But at least her spawn were able to reverse the curse upon their kind. By sharing love instead of trying to siphon it, they transformed.” His horn ignited, and an illusory series of images playing back for us that showed a series of Changelings transforming from the black, imposing forms I was used to seeing to brightly colored bug-like creatures. If nothing else, they at least looked a lot more friendly.

“Now they're rainbow bugs?” May griped, rolling her eyes. “Beggin' your pardon, but this sounds utterly absurd.”

Starswirl’s eyes narrowed to slits as he raised his chin. “You doubt my word?”

“No, I doubt the scientific plausibility of a species that feeds on emotions being able to transform by sharing the very same emotions they were taking by force the day before.”

Danielle raised her hand a bit to draw May's attention. "Doctor, if I may." She tapped a few keys on her terminal, and the central display shifted to showcase several different beings in sequence. “I too am mystified by these creatures' sudden change in behavior, but there is some precedent for the basic concept. The Enterprise NCC-1701 under Captain Kirk encountered several such entities, including the Beta XII-A entity and the Redjac. There is also the Drella, which also feed on love.”

“I’m not doubting that it’s possible to feed on emotions,” May countered. She gestured to the Sirens. “I’ve certainly scanned these three enough times to know it’s plausible.”

“Hey hey, let's all slow down for a sec,” Blackford interjected, slowly setting his palms down on the table. He looked over at May. “Believe me, Doc, I get ya. Bad guys frozen in time, suspiciously similar Changelings that become rainbow bugs. It's a lot. But remember what the tan one over there whose name I'm forgetting said,” Blackford continued, gesturing towards Somnambula with his thumb. “Planet of talking horses.”

May seemed to process that for a second before taking a deep breath and pinching the bridge of her nose. “No, you're right. Sorry. Just... ach, fine. Colorful bugs it is. What's next?”

I decided to not risk prolonging the topic and just move on. “Princess, if I'm understanding Starlight properly, you didn't fight Chrysalis at all during her second invasion attempt?”

“That’s correct. The second time, she overpowered me while I was reading reports in my study,” Celestia admitted, her features twisted with embarrassment. “It turned out that my trusted head maid, who would never be questioned by any guard regardless of her location in the castle, was personally replaced by Chrysalis herself.”

“Hmph. A good reason to subject everyone to testing, if your foe could replace any trusted pony with ease,” Zhidar opined.

“Indeed, which we have done. As Starswirl said, Chrysalis has not been seen since, and the vast majority of her former drones have embraced the return to their true, original natures. But I most definitely have a score to settle with her, should she ever dare return. Anyway,” Celestia shifted in her chair and ruffled her wings a bit. “Other than that, there have been a few more minor altercations with various malevolent forces here and there over the years. The effects they had on myself and Luna were much less pronounced, but still present.”

“So I understand why it would affect you, but why would Princess Luna be affected as well?” Twilight asked. “She is connected to the Moon, not the Sun.”

Celestia and Luna exchanged looks. “There is something you should see, both of you,” she said, nodding to me. “It is something we can only show to the two of you.”

“And I take it that it's pertinent to this discussion,” I asked, just to make sure.

“It is,” Celestia said. “However, there are other related topics we should discuss first; you and Twilight can follow us back to the castle once the meeting is over.”

“Agreed,” I said.

The meeting continued for another few hours as we discussed various topics, ranging from detailing other attacks on Equestria that the Elements dealt with in one way or another, to further matters regarding the ways in which the failing Sun had manifested itself. At one point we took a short break, allowing us to bedazzle our pony guests with the ability to summon real food to the holodeck… as well as demonstrate that it was a holodeck by briefly turning off the simulation. The wonder in their eyes, especially the Princesses, brought warmth to my heart.

Though I couldn’t help chuckling when Princess Luna tried to order Prench Roast, only for the computer to tell her that beverage was not available. The look of irritation on her face was almost too good, as was her excitement when I showed her raktajino instead. “Truly, this is a wondrous beverage!”

But eventually, the meeting ended, and once it did, Twilight and I followed Celestia and Luna out the door. “So, where are we headed?”

“Canterlot Castle,” Celestia said, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Specifically the caverns underneath it.”

“Really?” Twilight answered. “I've always wanted to see what's down there, to be honest.”

“Not much to see,” I replied. “And I've looked everywhere down there.”

“Are you sure about that?” Celestia looked at me, chuckled, and kept walking.

“I—” I started to reply and just sighed in defeat. Twilight stepped over and took her turn ruffling my mane now.

“You kinda trotted into that one, sis.”

I couldn't help but laugh at myself for a moment. "Yeah, don't remind me.”

As we entered the transporter room, a thought occurred to me and I stepped over to pop open one of the equipment cubbies that lay tucked away behind wall panels. I pulled out two communicators and handed them over to Luna and Celestia. “These are just like my own combadge; you can tap them to communicate with us. As you've both seen, they work both on and off the ship, even in Canterlot.” I quickly showed them how to operate the combadges, and they nodded their understanding. “Of course I am happy to speak with either of you, but please try to keep it to critical or time sensitive messages only.”

“Of course, Sunset,” Celestia said as she attached it to her peytral.

We found out that Celestia and Luna barely fit on the transporter pads. As it was, the itching sensation I’d experienced before felt closer to burning before we were rematerialized in the castle foyer.

Luna shook off the aftereffects, grimacing. “I believe I prefer standard teleportation to your ship’s device, Sunset.”

“Sorry about that, Princess,” I replied with a sheepish grin. “It’s usually a much smoother ride. It’s on the list for my engineers to figure out, but as you can imagine, it’s a very long list right now.”

“If you say so.”

Celestia’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “This way, everyone,” she said, leading us towards the west wing of the castle, stopping just short of the long spiral staircase that led up to Luna's personal chambers and offices. From there, we ducked into one of the maintenance passages, then through an otherwise unmarked door that led down into what appeared to be a dimly lit storage room.

“This is an emergency food storage room, in the event of a sudden famine,” Celestia explained as we stepped gingerly around stacks of crates filled with grains, seeds, and other dry goods.

“I didn’t think a famine was possible in Equestria, with earth pony farming and all,” Twilight commented. She walked slower than the rest of us, still seeming to favor her right side a bit.

“Given what has been happening with the Sun, I thought it prudent to begin creating emergency stores, just in case,” Celestia explained. “Before then, this room was usually empty.” She stopped along the far wall, which looked the same as any other, apart from bearing an additional torch sconce and a few bricks that upon closer inspection seemed a bit more worn than the others.

“I'm guessing you didn't bring us down here to show us grain storage," I said. “So, what secrets did I miss during my previous exploits down here?”

“You'll see,” Celestia replied before eyeing us both. “Consider this your first lesson in alicorn magic school.”

She lit her horn, gathering a small ball of magic at its tip. Then she leaned forward and tapped the torch to her left, then a series of four different bricks, before moving to the torch on her right. Then, with a flick of her horn, she slid a crate over from the near corner, stopping it directly beneath the first torch she had tapped.

As soon as the box stopped, the flame coming from the two torches briefly changed colors, flashing from their usual warm red-orange to a bright blue for just a second. I heard a loud hiss, and suddenly the wall in front of us slid open like it was a holodeck door.

“Wow…” I heard Twilight mutter behind me.

Before us was a familiar looking hallway. “This looks just like the corridor that led me to the mirror,” I said as I scanned the metallic walls with my tricorder.

“Yes, we believe it to have been created by the same entities that made the mirror,” Luna said. The lighting turned bluish as we followed the gentle slope of the corridor deeper into the mountain.

I grunted as my tricorder readings proved mostly fruitless. “Well, whoever made it, I sure as heck can't tell you what they used to build it. It's using some kind of duranium-tritanium alloy as a base, but there's at least two other materials in here that the tricorder doesn't recognize at all.”

“Maybe the ship’s database has more information,” Twilight suggested as she gently took the tricorder from me to scan one of the light sources. “Hmm. It doesn’t recognize the type of power system either. I can see there's power flowing to it, but the circuit design I'm picking up is completely non-standard. It makes an EPS grid look simple by comparison.”

“I am not surprised your device fails to recognize it,” Luna said, a chuckle in her voice. “These devices are ancient beyond measure. Perhaps even divine.”

“Divine?” Twilight and I said in surprised unison. “But, Princess… what makes you say that?”

“You are about to find out,” Celestia said as we reached another doorway. This one hissed open for us as we approached.

The room lit up as we stepped inside, and both Twilight and I froze in our tracks.

“Oh my word.”

"What... what is this?" Twilight whispered beside me.

The room before us was spherical in shape. Where the corridors had been lined with muted, almost cold-looking metal, this chamber felt intimate. Inviting. Like it was meant for something, or someone, important. A polished, dark stone floor reflected the warm light of the many sconces and torchieres spread around the space. Smooth metal panels, these colored in a gentle off-white that reminded me of porcelain, covered the walls and the ceiling.

Attached to each wall panel was an opaque sheet of glass, colored in a brilliant cobalt blue. Thin light strips in the walls backlit all of them, revealing an intricate set of patterns etched into each one. In many ways they reminded me of rune circles, only infinitely more complex.

I tried scanning the room, but the tricorder only told me the space was approximately twenty meters in diameter before it began spitting back 'unknown' readings for literally everything. I slapped it closed and tried to take it all in instead.

“Sunset, look.”

Twilight's voice drew my attention to the center of the room, where a large pedestal rose up from the floor. The base was made of similar stone to the floor, albeit more roughly hewn. A circular slab of what I could only guess was some kind of marble lay atop it, bathed in the light of a recessed light fixed directly above it in the center of the ceiling. The pedestal itself was surrounded by an array of very comfortable looking cushions and chairs, as well as some blankets.

“Where are we?” I finally asked.

“The Communion Chamber,” Celestia said, her voice taking on an air of reverence. “It is a place where Luna and I can directly commune with the Sun and Moon in ways few ponies know is possible.”

“What?” I said, my face a twisted mess of doubt and confusion. “What are you talking about?”

In response, both Celestia and Luna approached the pedestal and laid their hooves upon it, bowing their heads. “Oh Sun, giver of life, your chosen one calls to thee," Celestia chanted. "Arise and hear the needs of your children, Equus.”

“Night, protector of the stars, guardian of dreams, your loyal retainer beseeches thee. Show thyself and grant unto me your blessed counsel,” Luna intoned.

For a brief moment, nothing seemed to happen, and I began to wonder if Celestia and Luna had gone mad in the years since I left.

And then all the other lights dimmed as the recessed lighting above the altar glowed brightly. As a rune briefly appeared on the pedestal and then vanished, they appeared.

A pair of alicorns, each at least double the size of the princesses, shimmered into existence as if they were a ship dropping her cloak. And there was absolutely no question what each of them represented.

To the right stood what I could only describe as an alicorn of fire. Endless shades of orange and yellow covered her body, slowly churning much like the surface of Sol. Her mane and tail closely resembled Celestia's in shape, only made of roiling, pulsating flames instead of glistening rainbows. She turned to survey the room and I could feel the wave of intense heat wash over me.

Next to her stood her opposite in every imaginable way. Everything about this second alicorn spoke of the cold darkness of the night. This one bore a muted blue-gray coat, with gigantic wings of a slightly darker shade. Streaks of white flowed through her steel gray mane and tail, reminding me of the lunar surface itself. Like her fiery counterpart, she too looked at us with glowing eyes of pure white.

Both of them took a single step forward, bathing the room in twin blasts of almost scorching heat and freezing cold at once.

“I am the Day.”

“I am the Night.”

A slight pause, then they both spoke as one. “Speak, chosen avatars. What is thy need?”

"What is this?" I whispered, stepping back a few paces.

"This can't be real," Twilight whispered next to me. "They can't possibly be the Sun and Moon, right?"

"I... no, there's got to be something else," I muttered as I fumbled for my tricorder.

I heard Twilight gasp suddenly, causing me to look up, and what I saw took my breath away as well.

In all the years I spent under her tutelage, I had never seen Celestia bow to any creature. Yet there she and Luna were, forelegs bent and heads bowed in reverence. And if literal royalty saw these two otherworldly creatures as their superiors... could it really be true?

“We thank you for gracing us with your presence, and we welcome your counsel with open minds and hearts.” Celestia spoke with the kind of respectful tone usually afforded to her from others.

The fiery alicorn nodded her head, taking on a gentle glow for a moment. “Rise, my child, and speak.” At that, Celestia and Luna stood in turn.

"As you are aware, the... difficulties we have experienced with the Sun and Moon have continued despite all our efforts to understand and correct it. Recent events have caused these issues, and their effects on me and my sister, to increase in severity."

"My sister speaks the truth," Luna added, her gaze trained up at the Night alicorn. "We grow increasingly worried that we are reaching the limits of our ability to negate these effects through sheer magic alone."

“Of this we are aware,” Day said, its voice carrying the faintest of echoes. “The Sun is dying.”

“We feel the same,” Celestia replied with a slightly frustrated tone. “That brings us to the other reason why we called to you now. We bring before you two new alicorns; both children of Equus thought lost long ago, but now returned. We believe they can help us.”

“New alicorns?”

“Ponies continue to Ascend. This is worrisome,” said Night.

“They were a great distance away, and Ascended through the need of great magic,” Luna replied. “In returning to us, they have brought not only their unique magic, but the knowledge and experience of countless other worlds far beyond the stars. We are hopeful that in them we may find a cure.”

“This is impossible,” Twilight whispered. “Are they holograms?”

“If they are, they're a type of hologram far beyond us,” I said as I looked down at my tricorder, which was still showing me absolutely nothing useful in the way of data. On a whim, I switched it over to the narrowest scanning band possible and pointed it directly at them. The first scan had barely begun when both alicorns seemed to startle, and they quickly turned to stare straight at us.

For a split second I thought I saw Day's ghostly eyes blink in surprise. “Advanced technology detected.”

“Confirmed. There is a starship on the planet,” added Night, whose eyes also focused on me.

“Scanning... Confirmed. The starship is not of Equus origin. Chance of alien presence on Equus: Ninety-eight percent.”

“It should be destroyed. It is a threat to this world’s safety. Safety cannot be compromised.”

Celestia and Luna stared at each other, clear shock all over their faces.

“Wait!” I called out, slapping the tricorder closed and setting it aside. “My name is Commander Sunset Shimmer of the Federation starship Phoenix. We are not an enemy of Equus!”

“Irrelevant,” said the Night alicorn as she flared her wings. “Equus must be preserved. The knowledge of its existence must not reach the wider galaxy.”

I shook my head. “It’s too late. It’s been too late for twenty years. This is my sister, Twilight Sparkle. Both she and I were ensnared by a mirror device located beneath the castle, and transported to the Federation capitol world of Earth. We grew up there, raised by a local family. We joined their spacefaring organization, Starfleet, with the goal of one day finding our way back to Equus. The wider galaxy may not know where this planet is, but they absolutely know that Equestrians exist.”

“Day and Night looked at each other, then back at us. “Repeat previous statement,”Day said, its voice suddenly taking on a much sharper tone. "How did you escape Equus?”

“The mirror,” I repeated. “Big, metallic, kind of oval shaped. I found it beneath the castle and as soon as I touched it, it sucked me in.”

"And what about this one?" The Night followed, training its gaze toward Twilight.

“Me?” Twilight replied. “I, erm, well, I had a magic surge while trying to perform a spell. The surge teleported me beneath the castle and through the mirror before I even knew what was happening.”

“The gateway,” Day said, its eyes narrowing. “Initiate log scan.”

“Scanning,” Night said. Her eyes seemed to lose focus, as if she was staring at everything and nothing. As I watched her, I couldn’t help but begin to wonder if we weren’t talking to sophisticated computers, not spiritual beings. “Logs show it has been activated twice. Once forty years ago, the other twenty.” Night paused and cocked her head to the side.“Fault detected: black hole interference. Time dilation effects detected.”

“That’s right,” I said. “My travel to Earth took twenty relative years. Twilight’s journey through the mirror, however, was not affected in this manner.”

“Extreme malfunctions in gateway detected prior to activation. Time dilation should not have been possible,” Day said.

“Critical fault detected. Confirmed, gateway destroyed,”said Night as she stomped a hoof. “Fatal error: Gateway cannot be rebuilt. Emergency evacuation plan no longer possible.” She scowled down at me. “Reverting to original conclusion. Starship must be destroyed.”

“Please, you mustn’t!” I said, spreading my forehooves plaintively. “We’re here to help. The Federation is a peaceful society. We have no desire for war or conquest of any kind!”

“Unlikely. Those who knew of this world once sought to destroy it. Directive to protect Equus from further harm is clear.”

Luna spoke up, having spent the last few minutes stunned into silence at the scene playing out around her and Celestia. “She does not lie, I assure you. These two, and the other crew of their ship, have been nothing but peaceful toward us. Truly, they mean us no harm.”

“We will see,” Day answered. Day and Night lit their horns at once and cast a beam of golden light that passed over both of us in turn, leaving a bizarre tingling sensation in its wake.

The Night shook her head. “You are tainted. Corrupted. This one was infected with the Nightmare virus.” She pointed her wing to Twilight.

“Nightmare virus?” Twilight whispered. She then stood up straight. “Yes, I did encounter the Nightmare. But with the help of the princesses, I defeated it! I’m free of its influence!”

Night cocked her head again. “Scanning... “confirmed. No trace of Nightmare virus remnants detected in mind.”

The two alicorns powered down their horns and we both sighed in relief.

“Query,” Day said, looking down at me again. “You are of Equus, yet you represent this Federation. What does the Federation want with Equus?”

“The Federation would want to befriend us, not harm us. If we chose to join them, they'd welcome us as allies and partners. If not, they'd respect our wishes, but even then they'd offer to come to our defense against any who would seek to harm us,” I answered.

“Like my sister said before, two Federation citizens raised us into the adults we are today. But all the while, they honored and cherished everything that makes us unique as ponies. We joined Starfleet so we could find home. And we did! Eventually. And now that we’re here, all we want to do is help.”

Day and Night looked at each other. Their mouths opened, but all I heard was an electronic whirring noise, like two Bynars talking to each other. Eventually, after what felt like a solid ten minutes, the Day alicorn faced me again. “We will allow you to assist. However, this access point is insufficient. It was designed only for the avatars. You must locate a suitable mainframe.”

Any doubt I had left about the true nature of these creatures before us had vanished at this point. “Okay… can you tell us where one of these mainframes is?”

“Mainframe is loc—. Error. Mainframe is loc-loc-loc-loc-loc—” All of a sudden the Day alicorn’s form sparked, shuddered, and vanished, followed soon after by the Night.

All lights went out in the room, leaving us in darkness save for a small amount of blue light leaking from the corridor.

“Pardon my Prench,” Celestia said as her horn lit up, giving us enough light to see by. “but would somepony please tell me what in Tartarus just happened? I've never seen them behave like that at all.”

“I do not understand what we witnessed,” Luna added. “It was as if they ceased to be the Day and Night and became something else entirely.”

“They were some kind of AI, I think,” I answered as we followed Celestia back to the corridor.

“AI?” Celestia said over her shoulder.

“Short for artificial intelligence. Think extremely sophisticated robots, though in truth it's far more complex than even that. Either way, this raises a lot of questions.” I tapped my badge. “Shimmer to Phoenix.” After a moment of no response, I tried again. “Shimmer to Phoenix!”

“We must be too deep inside; the signal’s being blocked,” Twilight pointed out.

“Alright, let’s get out of here then. I’m returning to the ship once we do,” I declared, heading for the exit.

“Sunset, can I come with you?” Twilight asked as she stumbled, requiring Luna to assist her in continuing to walk. “I… need to stay here a bit longer to get past the worst of the recovery process, and I'd like to have a few things with me here.”

“Of course,” I said, ruffling her hair slightly with my magic. “Like you even have to ask.”

“...Sunset, they referred to the mirror as a gateway,” Twilight pointed out. “You don’t think…”

I blinked, then as the realization hit me, I started moving at double time.

Soon enough we’d exited back into the castle, allowing us to contact the Phoenix once more. Twilight transported back to the ship, while Luna returned to her study, claiming she needed time to think.

Before I could do anything else, however, Celestia stopped me, grave concern written all over her face. “Sunset, you and Twilight clearly have a better grasp of this than Luna or I do. What is going on? And what did Twilight mean about a gateway?”

I paused to consider my answer. “I don’t understand as much as you might think, Princess. I have a hunch, but I need more information. I don’t suppose there’s a chance you’ll allow me to examine the wreckage of the mirror?”

“Of course, this way.” Celestia led me to the old access corridor to the mirror chamber. “We originally had this sealed to all but myself, but, well…” She used a quick burst of magic to undo said seal. “Good luck.”

Stepping back into this corridor brought back fresh waves of nostalgia, even as I moved at a brisk canter. I remembered the confusion I’d felt the first time coming through here; a stupid foal hellbent on an equally stupid plan. Yet now my growing unease was for an entirely different set of reasons. And as I set hoof inside the mirror chamber, I took in a sharp breath.

No wonder Celestia couldn't reconstruct the mirror – it lay broken into dozens of pieces. Shards of glass and chunks of twisted metal littered the room, forcing me to step gingerly to avoid cutting myself. Shakily, I brought out my tricorder to start scanning. At first, like with the corridors before, and the Chamber, the results were inconclusive.

And then I passed it over the mechanisms of the mirror itself.

My tricorder went crazy immediately. Every audible alert sounded at once as the display lit up like a Hearthswarming Tree. "What the hell, you piece of junk?

I looked down at the display, expecting to see some cascade of error messages, but all it showed was a single terrifying word.

Iconian.

“Oh my god…”

I sank back onto my rump like a ragdoll. Short of the Borg, detecting Iconian technology of any kind was about the worst possible result of any scan. What little the Federation knew of this ancient and long-lost race was more than enough to scare even the boldest Klingons. All we knew with any certainty was that their gateways gave them the power to traverse space and time on a whim, and they possessed terrifying mental and physical powers. Still unconfirmed legends told of their devastating wars for control of entire galaxies.

To find one of their gateways here of all places... to realize that both myself and Twilight had fallen victim not to some odd Equestrian artifact but a ghastly relic of a race so terrifying they make the Borg seem quaint...

It scared me more than anything else ever had.

I quickly took as many scans as I could, filling the tricorder's memory bank completely. I galloped all the way back up to the main level of the castle, slapping my combadge the moment I popped back into the main foyer. “Shimmer to Phoenix.”

“Phoenix here, Commander,” came Wattson's voice. “I was just about to call you again. We got short range sensors back about thirty minutes ago, and... you're going to want to see this for yourself, ma'm.”

“Understood. Beam me directly to Engineering.”

“Acknowledged.”

The transporter beam hurt even more than last time but I didn’t care. As I rematerialized in Engineering I saw Pog, Blackford, and Twilight waiting for me alongside Wattson. “Blackford,” I said, handing the tricorder over. “Get these readings analyzed immediately. I caught Twilight's gaze for a moment and we shared a look that screamed 'it's true isn't it'.

“Wait a minute,” I said as a sudden thought occurred to me. “Are the locals still on the ship?”

“Yes, they’re mingling in Ten-Forward, at least some of them,” Blackford answered. “Zhidar and Rodriguez are keeping an eye on them.”

“Good. Other than the princesses, what I’m about to share does not leave this ship, understood?” I took a deep breath and looked at the others. “I was able to scan the mirror device that originally transported myself and Twilight to Earth. It’s not a mirror at all. It's an Iconian gateway.”

Gasps went all around. “Iconian? Holy shit,” Blackford breathed.

“What’s an Iconian gateway doing here?” Pog wondered.

“I hate to pile on the bad news, but that might be related to our own scans too,” Wattson said.

“That bad?” I replied.

“Probably, yes. That's why I called the others here too.” Wattson paused and looked at me, her face a mask of worry. “Sunset, I want to be crystal clear that I ran these scans every way I know how. Dozens of times. I showed the results to Twilight and had her run the scans again herself, just to be sure.”

Now even Wattson was beginning to worry me. “I trust you, Wattson. What've you got?”

“How much do you know about this solar system? Specifically its makeup.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Wow. Been a long time since anyone asked me that. Well, Equus is the center of the system of course, with Sun and Moon orbiting it. There's five smaller planets in the system too, called, um... oh! Right. Aprion, Sleipnir, Epona, Tulpar, and Tikbalang. Maybe not in that order, but it's those five for sure.”

She blinked in confusion. “Those all sound like names from Earth mythology, if I’m not mistaken.”

I rolled my eyes and chuckled, having gone over this so many times with T’Lona and Amina back in my first year on Earth. “It’s a translation thing, like how there are cities in Equestria named Manehattan and Vanhoover; the actual names are completely different in Ponish.”

“Right…” Wattson continued. “And what do you know about the night sky? The constellations?”

“Err, well… actually, I don’t remember all that much anymore.” I stared briefly at the ceiling as I tried to remember. “I vaguely remember Twilight and I explaining them to our parents, and being surprised when we realized how many of them were named similarly to constellations seen from Earth.”

Wattson nodded. “Right. So... please forgive me, Sunset, but I have to tell you that everything you just said is wrong. All of it.”

I recoiled as if she had slapped me across the muzzle. “Excuse you, Lieutenant?” My simmering tension and worry flashed into near anger in an instant. “You want to repeat that again?”

“Believe me, I wish I didn't have to say this at all." She hurriedly tapped a few buttons on the Master Systems Display and brought up a floating diagram of a star system. "This is the Equus system according to the information you and Twilight provided. Right?”

To most anyone else, the star system floating before us was all but impossible. Theoretical at best. But to me it looked right as rain. Equus stood proudly in the center of the system, with first the Moon and then the Sun orbiting it. I ticked off the remaining planets in my head as I skimmed the diagram: Rocky, lifeless Arion; Sleipnir and its acidic, pressure cooker atmosphere; and far past it lay Epona with its massive set of rings, Tulpar and its many moons, and finally Tikbalang.

“Yep,” I said, “That's exactly it.”

“Twilight said the same thing,” Wattson replied with a defeated sigh. “But that's not what our sensors show. At all.”

She tapped the console and the display changed. Equus was still there, but nearly everything else was gone. No Sun, no Moon, no planets. Even the constellations were gone.

“Wha—” I gasped.

Wattson tapped a few more keys and the display zoomed in on Equus, adding more layers of data as it went. Now I could see a huge network of satellites orbiting the planet, most of them no more than a dozen meters in size. They orbited in seemingly random trajectories, but together I could see the makings of a network of sorts surrounding Equus. It vaguely reminded me of a planetary shield grid. And amongst all of that zipped two massive satellites, each closer in size to Earth Spacedock. These two were clearly set in geosynchronous but opposing orbits.

“...Wattson, what the hell am I looking at?” I demanded. “This can't possibly be right. If there really were that many satellites in the sky above Equus, I'm pretty sure somepony would have seen them by now. We have telescopes too, you know.”

“But that's just it, Sunset,” Wattson replied. “You've been looking at them this whole time, you just never realized it.”

I didn't even try to stop a very unladylike snort at that. “Never realized what, Amelia?”

“That this entire system is a fabrication. None of it is true. It's been entirely made up.” She winced as she pushed more buttons on the console. “According to our sensors, Equus isn't even in a star system. It's a rogue planet, one that's sitting smack in the middle of a massive class nine nebula.

“This system of satellites,” she pointed to the network of objects orbiting the planet, “appears to be a gigantic holographic imaging system, displaying false images of stars, planets, constellations… the daytime sky… if these weren’t in place it would be pitch black outside except for where the light of one of these larger satellites reaches the planet.”

“But that’s impossible!” I yelled. “That doesn’t make any sense!”

She winced again. “And that’s not all. We also detected numerous power sources all over the planet. They’re all underground; some by only a few dozen meters, others by hundreds, but they’re scattered everywhere. Sensors can't determine exactly what each of them are, but they do show signs of what looks like some kind of data network tying them together." Wattson rested her palms on the display and looked at me. “Bottom line, Sunset, Equus isn't what you, or Twilight, or any other local, thinks it is.”

For the second time that day, I found myself knocked back on my rump in shock. I just sat there, frozen, for a few minutes, unable to do much more than stare ahead. My pony essence rebelled at the heresy it had just heard, but somewhere deep inside, the pieces had no choice but to fit together.

And I started laughing. I laughed, then I cried, then I laughed some more while tears ran down my cheeks. “Oh wow,” I choked between a mixture of sobs and laughter. “No wonder Princess Celestia can move the sun. No wonder Luna can redecorate the night sky on a whim. It’s all holograms!”

My choked laughter continued to echo louder and louder as everyone watched until finally I found myself abruptly grabbed by Twilight. “Sunset, can we talk?” she hissed, pointing a hoof at Wattson’s office.

“Yeah, sure, why not,” I said, still giggling. “Maybe next you'll tell me that Princess Celestia actually hates tea—”

The instant the office doors slid closed, her hoof landed right on my muzzle, hushing me. “Computer! Activate privacy mode!”

“Privacy mode activated.”

She scowled at me. “Okay, Sunset, you need to calm down, right now.”

“Calm? I’m calm, Twilight,” I replied, my laughter strained. “I’m totally calm. Completely, utterly centered. No emotions here. Just pure Vulcan-level calm!”

“Sunset!” Twilight raised a hoof like she was ready to slap me, then seemed to think better of it and stomped it on the floor instead. “Look, I’m freaking out just as much as you are, okay, but you need to get a grip!”

My laughter died away, leaving only the tears. “Twilight… Twilight, do you even hear yourself right now? We just found out that everything we thought we knew about our home planet is a lie.” I held my forehooves up, with barely a few centimeters between. “How are you not just a little bit totally cracked right now like I am!”

“Yeah, me too!” Twilight shouted, throwing her hooves up. “Are you kidding? This is nuts! It’s ridiculous! Even heretical to some corners of pony society!” And then her face brightened. “But it’s also cool!”

All emotion drained from my face, leaving me giving Twilight a completely flat look. “...what.”

“Think about it,” she continued, “nothing about how we thought things worked made sense anyway. It didn’t fit with everything we’ve learned about physics and science since we ended up on Earth. And this has to mean something. A huge something. Our world was made artificially, Sunset. Someone built this. But who? And why? Was it ponies who did this? Or did they work with others? Why bury all of this technology in the first place? Is this even our real home planet now? Or did we come here from somewhere else?” Twilight looked me in the eye and smiled. “We don't know any of these things, sis. But we can find out.”

The more she spoke, the more centered I felt. I grabbed hold of her voice, her statements, and used them with Mother’s techniques to reground myself. After a moment I managed to stand up and regain my composure.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right… you’re right. We should’ve known we weren’t going to find a place like what we thought it was. But… what do we tell the Princesses?”

“Right now?” Twilight rubbed a hoof on her chin. “I don’t know… but I think they’ll take it well, if we tell them slowly and lay out the facts and evidence, rather than just dumping it on them all at once. But they do need to know.”

“They do,” I agreed. “But… we can only tell them. And whoever else they say it’s okay to speak with. How they tell the general public, and how much, is up to them. If we try to do it, we'll either be laughed out of the room or incite global panic.”

“Definitely,” Twilight said. She wrapped her forelegs around me and pulled me in. “You okay now? Feeling a little less like a crazy pony?”

“Yeah.” I hugged her back, letting out a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Twi. I needed that.”

She laughed, a much happier sound than my own crazed laughter had been. “Yeah… I’m still freaking out a little myself, but I’ll deal. Let’s get back out there.”

“Right.” I stepped outside the office. “Sorry about that. I needed a moment.”

Wattson raised an eyebrow. “Sunset, you sure you’re okay?”

“No, not entirely. But we don’t have time for me to completely come to grips with things,” I said. “This does explain why there were two AIs.”

“AI?” Pog asked, giving us a stern look. “What AI? Pog doesn’t trust AI.”

“The Princesses showed us to some kind of holographic imaging chamber,” I answered. “Which was probably one of the power sources you detected. They claimed they could communicate with the Sun and Moon, and they were able to summon two giant alicorns that looked just like you might imagine the Sun and Moon would look if they were ponies.”

“They must be representing the two major satellites,” Blackford suggested. He pointed to one. “This satellite here contains a massive fusion reactor, and appears to be directing heat energy down toward the planet.”

“The Sun,” I whispered. “The Sun is dying.”

“Then the other one must be the Moon,” Twilight said, looking at the sensor readings. “But what is it for exactly?”

“We detected a lot of complex computer systems inside of both satellites, Energy patterns suggest they are sending and receiving data from the surface, most likely via the mainframes that Twilight said the alicorn holograms mentioned. So perhaps in the Moon's case, they're tasked with environmental controls.”

I shook my head. “Ponies manage the weather, or at least they do in Equestria. Maybe these… satellites help, but I know for a fact that weatherponies do real work.”

“With magical assistance, maybe,” Wattson allowed. She brought up the sensor readings. “The nebula all around us, like most nebulas, is made up of primarily hydrogen and helium, along with traces of other gasses like argon. There appear to be a few smaller satellites roaming the nebula and acting like mobile Bussard Collectors, collecting hydrogen from the nebula and taking it back to the solar satellite.”

“So then it’s not a question of fuel,” I said, eyeing Wattson. “Does the computer recognize the technology present? Is it Iconian?”

“No, it isn’t,” she said, shaking her head. “Err, well, there’s a few signals that might be Iconian, but the rest, the computer doesn’t recognize.”

“We’ll need to analyze the data, maybe send some shuttles out to do further sweeps of the planet,” I replied. “How long till we have long-range sensors?”

“We’re hoping to have those online within the next twenty minutes or so,” Wattson said. “But there’s a lot of interference due to the nebula. It might be difficult to determine our exact location.”

“What about the satellites? Will it be possible to board them?”

She shook her head. “Not likely, at least right now. They’re shielded, and strongly. We’ve only been able to detect the reactor and computer systems because they contain so much power. I can’t even be sure there’s a habitable area on either satellite.”

“We’ll keep trying.”

“Erm, Celestia to Shimmer? Hello?”

Wattson’s face broke into a huge grin as she heard that. “You gave the Princess a combadge?”

“I thought it was prudent,” I answered as I tapped my badge. “Shimmer here. Is everything alright, Princess?”

“Sunset, I thought you should know that we’ve been working on something for you and your crew, specifically the losses that you’ve suffered. At your convenience, would you and Twilight be willing to join me?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Can do. We'll be on our way as soon as we can.”

“It’s… beautiful,” I whispered.

“How did they build this so fast?” Sunset mumbled as we both stared in abject shock.

Spread out before us was a series of small gardens, each laid out in the shape of the Starfleet chevron. Colorful roses and orchids, set in an alternating pattern, formed a natural border to each one. Small bunches of lilies and chrysanthemums dotted the interior space in neat rows.

Rows that were filled with small gravestones.

And there were many. Far, far too many.

Sunset and I quietly stepped forward to get a closer look at them. A small Starfleet chevron was etched into the top of the gravestone, followed by name with rank, then date of birth and death. To my complete surprise, not only were the dates written out in the Earth calendar style, but all of the text was done in Federation Standard and not Ponish.

Finally, in the center of each garden stood a modest but slightly larger gravestone – one for each of the senior officers who had perished.

“How did you get the information you needed for this?” I added, staring at Celestia.

She smiled softly, but it was a sad smile. “In truth, Luna first brought up the idea after hearing you describe the many friends and colleagues you lost. I recall Ms. Wattson remarking that your ship has some facilities meant for... storing the deceased, but Luna and I felt we should try our best to do something more fitting for them. As for how we pulled it all together so quickly,” she continued, “magic always helps. And maybe some assistance from an officer who prefers to remain anonymous.”

“Still… this is incredible, Princess,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief.

Sunset breathed heavily, her eyes wet with moisture. “This is an incredibly kind gift. I…. we’ll have to arrange for a ceremony—”

“Already done,” Celestia said as she slipped a PADD of all things out from behind her peytral and hoofed it over to Sunset. “This plan came from the same anonymous officer.”

She scanned it over and over, and sighed. “This has Rodriguez written all over it,” she murmured. “He formats almost all of his reports just like this.” She cracked a bit of a smile for just a second. "Oh? There's a wake planned too?”

“That suggestion came from a local Ponyville resident, Pinkie Pie, Limestone’s sister,” Celestia answered. “She’s been planning on throwing some form of welcome party for the ‘alien visitors’, but given the tragedy involved in your arrival, I asked her for this instead.”

“Pinkie Pie, huh?” Sunset scanned the PADD some more, then pocketed it. “I’ll get everything organized, Princess, and inform the crew. We can hold the actual ceremony tomorrow, if that’s alright with you.”

“Of course.” Celestia nodded to us both. “If any last minute changes are needed, please contact me and I'll see to it personally. Twilight, are you prepared to return to Canterlot with me?”

“Yes, Princess,” I answered, holding up the small bag of belongings I’d gathered. Carrying it was proving stressful, and I was tiring rapidly. “Sunset, I’ll see you later?”

Sunset gave me a brief hug. “Sure thing.”

Celestia and I stepped over to one of Starlight’s magical circles and teleported to Canterlot. By the time I arrived back at my room, I was utterly exhausted. Mercifully, Luna gave me the evening off to relax and I promptly showered and collapsed into bed.

Much of the next morning was spent practicing some of the mental and physical exercises Luna had given me. Part of me felt like I was back in magic kindergarten, and I had to remind myself to keep up a steady but reasonable pace with the exercises. Repetition and building stamina were the keys to success here, as Luna often reminded me, and with my magic still in an unruly and unpredictable state, pushing too hard too fast could prove extremely dangerous to both of us.

“The magic of the Night is inherently defensive in nature,” she’d say. “It seeks to eliminate aggressors wherever it travels. By its very nature it does so through sheer brute force, and as such requires restraint and patience if one is to ever control it, much less master it.”

Fortunately, many of the mental exercises were much easier to handle, as they were very similar to Vulcan exercises T'Lona had taught to me and Sunset. While I had fallen out of practice with those, it nevertheless gave me enough experience to find mastering Luna’s techniques easier than they would have been otherwise.

At least the exercises were beginning to show some tangible progress. My stamina and physical strength were noticeably improving, and my magical aura was beginning to shift back to its normal pinkish hue.

As it was, I barely used my magic at all, and only to simply hover an object closer to me, like a book or my toothbrush. I had pressed Luna on this a few times already, but she'd only cryptically say it was due to a potentially lethal aspect of my new magic.

Testing it on a piece of lettuce saw said leaf wither and die almost immediately. “Ugh, again?!” I scraped away the remnants into a garbage can.

A knock came at the door. “Enter,” I said.

Luna pushed the door open. “Good morning, Twilight Sparkle. I trust that you are doing better?”

“Yes, Princess Luna,” I replied as I stretched out my wings, giving them a few experimental flaps. The muscles were still far too sore to risk even attempting a basic flight, but at least the stretching helped relieve some of the tension.

“Good. May I?” I nodded, and Luna cast a simple diagnostic spell on me, sweeping her magic past me multiple times. Feeling magic sweep through my body tingled in a way a tricorder scan never could, and it still gave me the jitters despite once being used to such things. “Your health is improving dramatically. How are you adjusting to your dietary changes?”

“Still a little strange,” I admitted, “but probably not nearly as it would’ve been had I not lived among omnivores and carnivores for the past sixteen years.” I gave her a plaintive look as hope soared in my breast. “So... what do you think? Can we visit my family soon?”

“Not yet,” Luna said with a shake of her head, dousing my hopes like a forcefield cutting off oxygen to a fire. “As unicorns they would be especially vulnerable to the changes in your magic, and I know your family members well enough to know they would not be able to resist linking their magic with yours. Your family seems to treat such a thing as casual as most would a hug.”

“Oh. Right. I… forgot they did that,” I muttered, looking away as shame wriggled in to replace the hope. “They know I’m here though, right?”

“Indeed. Prince Shining Armor is especially insistent on seeing his little sister, and I have received several stern letters from Twilight Velvet and Night Light.” Luna wrapped a wing around Twilight’s shoulder. “You will be able to see them soon. A week at most, if your recuperation continues apace of course.”

“A week?” I grunted, suppressing the urge to roll my eyes.

Luna flashed me a rare sympathetic smile. “At least it is not a thousand years?”

Despite my mood I couldn't help laughing a bit at that. Luna frequently joked when she was with me personally, I’d noticed, but remained so stodgy and serious around almost everyone else. As if she still wasn’t comfortable in her own skin.

Good god did I know the feeling.

“True enough.”

Luna let go and stood back. “I hate to switch to this of all topics, but I wanted to let you know that the burial service has been set for late this afternoon. I fully expected you to want to attend, which is why I canceled our usual lessons yesterday evening.”

“Thank you,” I replied. "I really needed some extra sleep."

“Indeed you did. Now, there is a wake planned immediately after the ceremony as well. I'd say your attendance is highly encouraged, though given your health, please feel free to retreat when you feel the need to.” That smile briefly returned to her face before it flickered out again. “Per your request, there will be a private airship waiting for you in Ponyville’s Aerodrome. You and Miss Preta will have free reign anywhere within one hundred miles of Mount Canter.”

I mentally translated that to kilometers, after a moment of struggling to remember how long an Equestrian mile was. “Understood. Thank you, Princess.”

She gave me a regal nod. “Please, call me Luna. And thank you, Twilight Sparkle, for returning yourself and your sister to us. You may very well be our salvation.” She pivoted on her heels. “Now, come. Breakfast awaits. They have prepared us rashers of bacon and fried mackerel.”

I spent the rest of the morning resting, repeating the prescribed exercises, and reading a charming Equestrian science-fiction novel about “incredible rockets that fly to the moon!” The science was hopelessly backward, but I didn’t care. It was wonderful to hold books in my hooves again, to smell the musty scent of paper and bindings, to hear the page turn as I read, and to close it with a satisfying thump when I finished. That was one thing even the holodeck could never fully replicate.

Just after lunch, Princess Luna knocked on my door. “Twilight Sparkle, I’ve brought someone to see you. Her name is Rarity Belle, the owner of Canterlot Chic Boutique. She is here to help adjust your… I believe Sunset called it a dress uniform?”

“Oh?” I stood up out of my chair. “I’m ready for her.”

Luna nodded, and opened the door again. Immediately my jaw dropped at the sight of the pony who entered. Immaculate white coat with fetlocks perfectly trimmed, slender frame filled out in just the right places, and a spectacularly coiffed mane of deep royal purple arranged in delicate curls on either side of her head. The trio of blue diamonds on her flank drew my attention to her tail, just as expertly maintained as her mane.

Rarity stepped forward and held a hoof out to bump. “Delighted to meet you, darling,” she said, her voice elegant and refined, flowing like a rich red wine right through my ears and into my heart. “I must say, those are some beautiful wings you have. I've never seen wings with such different coloration before. The contrast with your coat is divine!”

“Aaah, aah, right,” I stammered as I bumped my hoof to hers in the pony version of a handshake. “I-it’s nice to meet you too. I’m Twilight. Sparkle! Twilight Sparkle.” A stupid grin stretched across my face.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Luna slap a hoof to her brow at my behavior. “Miss Belle, do not forget my warning to avoid using your magic directly on her, lest you accidentally activate hers.”

“Not to worry, your majesty, I am well aware,” Rarity said as she floated several long pieces of measuring tape and a sewing kit out of her saddlebags. “I wouldn’t dream of harming Equestria’s newest Princess.”

My blush intensified till it felt like my cheeks were twin fusion reactors on overload. “I-I’m not a Princess!” I blurted. “I haven’t… haven’t decided if I want that yet, anymore than Sunset has.”

“Nevertheless, you are under Princess Luna's care, and I am of course here at her request. So the royal treatment you shall receive,” Rarity said as she brought her measuring tape over. “Now, stand still. This should take just a few moments while I get your measurements.”

Luna excused herself as Rarity got to work, noting she'd return after a scheduled meeting with Celestia. Initially I kept still and quiet, not wanting to disturb Rarity's work. But the silence quickly became unbearable, and I rifled through my brain for something to break the proverbial ice with. “So, um, Rarity,” I said, watching the unicorn hum to herself as she stretched her measuring tape one way around me, then another, while scribbling numbers down on a small pad of paper. “I, um, haven't been to Canterlot in quite a while, actually. What's changed around here in, oh, say the last sixteen years or so?”

If my sudden revelation that I'd been away for nearly two decades surprised her at all, she didn't show it. She smiled demurely, briefly flashing a set of teeth that looked as pearly white as her coat. Was there any part of this mare that didn't shine? “Oh I wish I could tell you, but I’m afraid I actually live in Ponyville. Have all my life.”

“Really?” I raised an eyebrow. “But your Canterlot accent…”

“Is an affectation, darling,” she replied. My heart skipped a beat at the use of the word darling. “I’m afraid I grew up sounding a bit more… Whinnyweagan.” Briefly she let the accent drop, and the sudden change elicited a snort from me. “Oh, but I don’t think Canterlot ponies will be wantin’ to buy a dress from somepony who speaks like this, dontcha know?”

The snort transformed into laughter, and judging from the smile on her face, that had been her intent. “Fair enough,” I admitted.

She set her measuring tape down and went over to fetch my dress uniform, which had been laid atop a ponyquin. “I must say, when I heard that not one but two ponies missing for decades had returned, and as alicorns no less, I was quite shocked. Even more when I saw that… that ship.” She held a hoof to her chest. “It is simply astonishing. And it truly flies through space?”

“Err… yes?” I blinked. “Wait, how did you know all that?”

“Oh, it’s all over the radio news, darling. By now there isn’t a pony on the continent that doesn’t know a ship from the stars has crash landed, bringing with it hundreds of aliens. News travels a bit slower once one leaves Equestria, but give it another week or so and even Yakyakistan will know you're here.” She looked back up at me from her sewing. “You didn’t know?”

“I don’t have a radio in here to listen to,” I said flatly.

Rarity tittered, her laughter like chiming bells. “I suppose you don’t.” She returned to her sewing. “My, this material is unlike anything else I’ve ever worked with. It breathes like cotton but flows like silk, and… well, I don’t suppose it would be possible for me to obtain a few sample pieces to work with? Just thinking about the range of outfits I could make with this has me excited already.”

I shrugged. “You’d have to ask Sunset, since it’s a material from our ship’s replicator. That means it might be protected by the Prime Directive” I blinked. “Speaking of that, I wonder why she didn’t just replicate me a new dress uniform.”

“I was told something about power constraints? I didn’t quite understand what they meant by that though.” She searched through her bag till she found some form of fabric. “I’ll use this… it’s the closest I have to the same material, and the right color… you’re not allergic to any synthetics, are you darling?”

A chuckle slipped from my lips. “No.”

“Wonderful. You can relax now, Twilight. I'll let you know when I have something ready for you to try on.” After futzing with the material for a minute and arranging more tools, she took a seat nearby and began working. Almost immediately she began humming again, and I found myself relaxing a bit just listening to the soft melody.

“Twilight,” she said after a few minutes of relative silence, “may I ask a personal question?”

"Please."

“Pardon my forwardness, but I'm curious as to your hesitancy to accept the title of Princess. If it were me, I'd leap at the chance.”

I sniffed, immediately regretting opening myself to questions at all. “Let’s just say my experience of becoming an alicorn wasn’t exactly pleasant. Besides, I’m a Starfleet officer. Not only would doing so be a conflict of interest, it'd pretty clearly violate the Prime Directive.”

“Surely this Starfleet would understand your predicament,” she countered as her needles swished back and forth through the fabric in several places at once. “It's not as if you crashed your ship here on purpose just to break rules. Besides, can they really take away all of your rights and privileges as an Equestrian citizen?”

“Well, technically, no, but…”

“But?” she pressed.

A sudden flash of anger ran through me. Who did she think she was, asking me this crap, when I hadn’t even begun to figure it out for myself? I drew upon the mental exercises Luna had taught me, using them to restore calm before I finally said, “I’d rather not go into it right now, please.”

She drew herself up. “Of course. My apologies. Forget I asked.”

The rest of her work passed in silence, some of it comfortable, some decidedly not as I caught her casting glances my way every so often, traces of a blush on her cheeks. It was a little awkward, doubly so since I already had a girlfriend and had completely forgotten anything I ever read about ponies' verbal and physical cues related to romantic attraction. I could be inadvertently signaling myself as available by the curve of my tail and I would have no clue.

Thankfully, she seemed to finish a few minutes later, gently floating the uniform in front of her. “Ah, there we go,” she said, carefully eyeing the uniform on all sides. “Of course it'd be ideal if I had more of the same material from your old uniform, but I do think this worked out quite nicely. If you would try it on, I can make any final adjustments.”

I gently retrieved it with my hooves and slipped it on, only using my magic at the last moment to nudge it into place. I stepped in front of the tall mirror that had been brought in just for this and turned in place. “Oh wow…” I sighed.

It really did fit better than any uniform I had worn, formal or not. The seams were placed in just the right spots to prevent itching or rubbing, the colors were spot-on... even the wing slits were perfectly shaped, allowing me full range of motion without any pinching near the joint. This mare would give Garak a run for his bits for sure.

“It's perfect. Thank you, Rarity.”

“Of course, of course, think nothing of it.” She gave me a delicate look, her smile turning into one of sympathy. “I sincerely hope the ceremony goes well. Or, at least as well as such things can go, I suppose. Please convey my condolences to your sister, and to the rest of your ship's crew.”

I nodded in acknowledgement. “Thank you, Rarity.”

She bowed briefly to me. “You’re quite welcome. Oh, one more thing. I do have a boutique in Ponyville, Carousel Boutique. You are always welcome to visit, whether you need more clothing or just wish to chat.” She flashed that pristine smile once more. “I hope to see you again sometime.”

I smiled at her in return. “I'll keep that in mind. Thank you again, Rarity. It was lovely to meet you.”

Rarity collected her gear in a field of magic and took her leave with a final “ta-ta!”. A few minutes later, Luna returned.

“I trust things went well?”

“Yes, very,” I replied, turning a bit to show off the new uniform. “Fits better than a glove.”

Luna smiled, but gave me a questioning look. “What is a glove?”

Just then the clock on the far wall gonged, signaling the top of the hour. “We should probably get going.”

"Indeed," Luna said, turning for the door. "Let us be off.”

She led me to the fast travel circle, as Starlight called it, teleporting us to the one just outside the ship.

If not for the solemnity of the occasion, I would have been awe struck at the assembled crowd. What appeared to be the entirety of the remaining crew had gathered in front of a small stage that had been setup near the bottom of the gangplank. The crew split into two sets of rows, with a central aisle between them. They must have cleared every lounge onboard the ship of chairs to make it work, but they did it.

Just behind them was a far larger crowd of ponies than I ever would have expected to see, especially for something like this. If the entire crew was outside, so too was the town of Ponyville, nearly all of them dressed in whatever formal wear they had available to them. Seeing that about brought a tear to my eye anyway. These ponies barely know me or Sunset, much less the hundreds of bipedal creatures that just crashed here. Yet here they were paying their respects as if they had lost some of their own.

Sunset stood behind a simple podium set at the center of the stage, with the rest of the senior officers arrayed behind her. Luna parted ways with me then, taking up a position between the assembled crew and locals. I continued down the aisle to the stage, sharing a brief, fragile smile with Sunset as I passed her and took my place.

"Crew of the U.S.S. Phoenix, attention!" Sunset's voice seemed to echo over the silent crowd.

A crewman in the front row blew a single note into a whistle as Sunset turned to face the ship. I followed her gaze to the top of the gangplank, where a line of ponies began carrying out one coffin after another.

“Thank you all for coming.” Sunset took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, then let it out.

“This... this is a moment that everyone in Starfleet, from Ensigns to Admirals, prays they never have to experience. Losing a comrade in arms is never easy. Knowing that someone we served alongside for days, months, sometimes years, won't be there tomorrow, is hard. Doubly so when that person gave their lives to save yours.” Sunset looked over the assembled crew.

“To the survivors of the Algerie, the Baltimore, the Helena, and the Brynhild, we share your pain, we join you in your grief, and we honor the sacrifice that too many of your own made in the Phoenix's defense. It is because of their heroism, plus the herculean efforts of many of the ponies gathered here with us, that we were able to survive at all. To say we owe all of you an immense debt is an understatement, and I know I speak for us all when I say thank you for offering us shelter from the storm.”

"Now, as my fellow ponies help us to lay our people to rest, let us honor them now, as I read out their names. We will salute each casket as it passes in front of the stage.”

She lit her horn, sending out a flare, which signaled an assembled band of ponies I hadn’t noticed at first, led by Songbird Serenade. They played Starfleet’s traditional funeral song, looping it complete with a haunting harmony from Songbird herself, a wordless melody that interwove with it to bring tears to my eyes.

“Crewman T’than. Crewman Stonn. Crewman Jace Watanabe.”

Each name was accompanied by a coffin lowered gently into their appropriate grave site.

“Crewman Sergei Sokolov. Crewman Shrelan sh'Aras, Crewman Grace McCarthy.”

I found my eyes drifting to watch my fellow officers, officers reacting to the seemingly endless list of names. With each name read I'd spot a few more faces tense up, hear a few more quiet gasps, see a few more tears shed. Some even gripped the hands of the people around them.

“Ensign Mariano Mendoza, Ensign Joseph Acres, Ensign Saul Walter.”

As the names went on and on, rising in rank every so often, I began to wince as I recognized more and more of them. Fellow science officers that I worked alongside with Cadeneza, or engineers that I saw frequently in Ten-Forward chatting around the table. Even security officers I sparred with from time to time. I glanced around at the rest of the senior staff, and spotted just about all of them reacting to the occasional name as the ceremony went on.

Finally, Sunset reached the last few names, and she stumbled briefly before saying the next one. “L-Lieutenant Christopher Hill.”

I heard Wattson’s soft, almost imperceptible sob only thanks to pony hearing, and I gently wrapped a wing around her waist. She set a hand on my neck in turn, her fingers interlacing into the exposed part of my coat.

Hill’s body was laid in the first of the special tombs. I braced myself, for I knew there were still more painful names to come.

“Counselor Inanna Eresh.”

I heard a much louder sob this time, and I looked to the opposite end of the stage, where Doctor May was holding poor Belle as tightly as she could. I felt Preta place a paw on my back now, and I slowly leaned into her. I hadn’t been as close to Inanna as I had Belle, but she still helped me through so much... when I lost Sunset, when Sunset returned, and so many tough days in between. She was even the one who gave me the kick in the flank I needed to stop being such an idiot when it came to my anger at Sunset.

Damn it, losing her hurt.

“Lieutenant Commander Ajay Ishihara.”

Looking over at Maia, I saw her stoic face twitch more than a few times, her hands squeezing till her knuckles turned white and her nails drew a bit of blood. Zhidar, to my shock, looked almost ashamed… possibly because he felt guilty over Ishihara saving his life from the Jem’Hadar. Not that he’d ever tell anyone, of course.

“Lieutenant Commander Drake Williams.”

As the final coffin was laid into the tomb, a flash of fury crossed Zhidar’s face, and only Rodriguez’s snap reflex in grabbing his arm stopped him from moving out of formation with the rest of us into doing something stupid.

By the time the music faded, there wasn't a dry eye left in the crowd, including the gathered ponies. Sunset bowed her head and led us all in a moment of silence. As she did so, another crewmember quietly stepped into view just off to the side of the stage and rang a bell six times – one for each of our ships and their crews.

Finally, Sunset raised her head and looked over the crowd once more, taking a moment to wipe away fresh tears. “May our fallen friends rest in the peace they fought to defend in life. We owe them our lives, and we will carry their memory forward.”

She attempted a smile, but it was shaky and barely remaining in place. “For those who are willing to attend, the local community of Ponyville is holding a wake for our fallen comrades in their town hall, to celebrate their lives, and allow us to commiserate. If you wish to attend, please form a queue to the transportation circle. The rest of you, dismissed.”

While a number of officers turned right around to head back up the gangplank, the majority followed Sunset through the fast transportation circle, where they were split into groups of ten, which was the maximum group the fast transportation circles could handle.. It took a little while, but eventually the group rendezvoused just outside Ponyville proper. A trio of Royal Guard were there to escort us, and provided instructions on how to walk back to the ship for those wishing to do so..

Ponyville. I’d visited the town once, when we stopped there to sample a then new local bakery on the way back from a family trip to Baltimare. I couldn’t remember much from that, but walking through the streets brought plenty of it back to me.

The place looked like it had hardly changed. Cobblestone and dirt streets. Mostly wood and stone homes, nearly all still topped with thatched roofs. Streets and alleys meandered through town, weaving past tidy blocks of homes that were organized just enough to not be a mess, but not so much as to render it a sterile, boring place. Other than the gas powered street lamps, the only signs of advanced technology were the small electrical wires reaching up from the ground to some of the homes, and the sizable radio tower perched atop a hill just north of the town square.

Town Hall itself wasn’t much different, more like a large indoor auditorium with a few stages of various sizes, plus some balconies, the latter presumably for the mayor or other visiting officials to speak from. Despite the short notice the interior was set up quite well, with plenty of seating, dozens of tables large and small, and copious amounts of food. Unfortunately for my slightly growling stomach, nearly all of it was a type of dessert, with a few of them looking more like impossible structures of sugar and frosting than actual food. At least there was soft jazzy music playing over the radios scattered about, and a full bar setup in the far corner. If ever a day deserved a drink or two, it was definitely this one.

I mingled, talking with Zhidar and Rodriguez about Williams, chatted with Maia a bit about Ishihara and comforted Wattson when it came to Hill. I would’ve done the same for Belle when it came to Inanna, but Sunset informed me that Belle and Doctor May had retreated back to the ship soon after they arrived.

But after those initial talks, I found myself wandering off to a corner, even as many of the crew began to cheer up a little. It was that very cheeriness that wore on me, irritated me. I understood that being cheery was the point, to celebrate good memories of those we lost rather than just being sad over them being dead, but it still hurt a little to see how many smiles there were.

I’d been so close to joining that list. I could picture Sunset reading out my name and bursting into tears. “Lieutenant Twilight Sparkle,” she’d say, and then have to be led off because I’d died without even properly saying goodbye.

“Hey there! Whatcha doin’?”

The sudden voice made me leap nearly half a meter in the air as I whirled about, my wings spreading in a defensive posture as I reflexively sunk into my close combat stance. This only made the pony who spoke snort with laughter.

She was a plump mare, and if there was a single word that could be used to describe her, it was pink. Pink hair with so many curls everywhere it was like a forest or a maze, and a similarly curly tail coming off a pudgy flank bearing sets of balloons of yellow and blue. Even her coat was a lighter shade of pink, with the only non-pink thing about her being her eyes, which sparkled like sapphires.

Her hoof shot out, ready to meet mine. “My name is Pinkie Pie. You must be Twilight Sparkle, huh? I’ve heard about you! My friend Rarity told me she even fixed your uniform thingie.”

She spoke a kilometer a second, and I could barely keep up with her. Still, I managed to give her a hoofbump. “Nice to meet you, though I wish the circumstances were a bit better of course. Can I help you with something?”

“Nope! I’m good,” Pinkie said with a grin. “You’re the one who looks like she could use a bit of help."

“Why's that?" I replied.

“Because a pony drinking alone is a pony with something on their mind and the middle of my tail twitched as I was walking over which means you're sad too.”

Between the presumption in her comment and the complete lack of pauses in between her thoughts, my head was spinning. “W-What does your tail have to do with any of this? And with due respect, I'm not seeing how this is your business.”

She shrugged. “I’m just trying to make sure the party is fun for everyone despite the occasion. I’ve never met so many aliens before, and they all seemed like they needed a good cheering up to help fill in that hole in their heart.”

“Hole? What hole?”

Pinkie giggled again and pressed her hoof to my chest. “Right here. Like with you. You’re one of the ponies that was gone from Equus for so long, right? I’ll bet you really missed home.”

“You got that right,” I grunted. The alcohol swimming through my system loosened my tongue, and at the moment I was in no mood to mince my words entirely. “Lost my family, lost my home, lost everything.”

“Yup!” Pinkie nodded sagely. “But I’ll bet you made a new family, right? You and Sunset, you two are total sisters. I can see it, you’re just like me with Limestone, or Marble, or Maud! Super close, super special, super awesome!”

“Super something alright,” I said, feeling a little woozy. I took another slug of liquor, hoping it would help. It didn’t.

Pinkie touched my chest again, gently. “But that hole never went away, huh? You kept trying to fill it up with stuff like Sunset, and your ship job, and so on. It’s different, but still there.”

“...what the hell are you getting at?”

Her smile grew. “Aww, don’t be grumpy, silly filly. I’m just trying to help. You know, sometimes, finding our way through life is like trying to find the right cupcake. See?” She pointed to a nearby table laden with cupcakes of various flavors, and indicated each one for a few seconds as she spoke. “This one might lead you down a path of making lots of friends, while this one could see you going on adventures, and this one sees you holding lots of parties! But each one is different, and they’re all good. The problem is figuring out which one you really want.”

She reached over and scooped one up. “Like, do I really want red velvet, or do I think the cream cheese frosting just sounds better than, say, double chocolate fudge?” She scooped up a second one, then scarfed both down at once, followed by picking up a third. “Or there’s buttercream and vanilla, or cherry and raspberry, and blueberry and pineapple and all sorts! How do you choose?”

My head ached as I tried to grasp what she was getting at. “I don’t know, I guess you just try them?”

“Exactly!” Pinkie said, clapping her forehooves together. “The life you've been living up till now is like that first cupcake. Now that you're back on Equus, you have a second cupcake to try out. So give it a shot! Don’t be mopey in the corner and ignore everyone. You’re obviously still missing something from your life, something you’re deeply craving. Maybe it's life out there, but maybe it's life here instead. Only one way to find out though! Just saying.”

I had to shake my head to try and get everything straight, but the more she said, the more it began to click in my brain… and my heart. I found myself looking at her again, this time like a scientist. “Who are you?”

“Like I said, I’m Pinkie Pie! I’m just a baker here in Ponyville. Nothing too special.” She giggled at the top of her lungs. “But it means I get to organize all kinds of parties, and I’ve got plenty of friends. I’m happy with my life, because it’s the one I chose.” She winked. “I’ll tell you the story sometime.”

And just as suddenly as she’d shown up in my face, she pronked away, vanishing into the crowd so quick it almost felt for a moment like she hadn’t been there at all.

Mulling it over, I wasn't sure what surprised me more – the wisdom of this Pinkie Pie's words, or the fact that she was related to Limestone. Still, she had a point. A damn good point.

I set my drink down, grabbed a sobriety medication from one of the medical officers who had attended, and went to find Preta. After a few quiet goodbyes, we were outside and on the way to Ponyville's Aerodrome.

“Where are we going?” Preta asked.

“You'll see soon. We're almost there.” A few minutes later we caught sight of the Aerodrome, where the private airship that Luna had promised awaited us.

Oddly, unlike the airships I was used to from my childhood, and what we’d programmed into the holodeck, this one looked far more sleek, with a gondola made out of metal, and a lifting balloon full of helium aligned with a magical crystal engine of some kind I didn’t recognize. It must’ve been another bit of progress enabled by Starlight, like the radios.

Fortunately, the flight controls were nearly identical to the ships I remembered, and soon enough Preta and I were off the ground and slowly gliding through the night sky toward Mount Canter. “Okay, this was a good surprise," Preta said as she snuggled up next to me on the airship's bridge and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. “So, where to, Captain?”

I smiled and leaned into her a bit in return. “Somewhere quiet, I think.”

We flew in silence for quite a while, until we located a bluff a decent distance above the city with enough room to safely land. I was just about to curse myself for not remembering that even with pegasi weather control, the air would be chillier up here, when Preta emerged from the passenger cabin with a handful of cushions, and an array of scarves and blankets. Clearly, Luna knew me better than I had anticipated.

“Thank goodness we’re away from all of that,” Preta said as we sat down on the grass and snuggled under a large blanket. “The ceremony and wake were absolutely necessary, but…”

“But it was a little much,” I agreed.

“I'm glad Princess Luna made this airship available for you. Well, us, I should say,” Preta added.

“She knew I'd need it. And that I'd want you with me.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes, leaning on each other while the sun slipped below the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant colors. “I'm glad we did it though. We all needed a time to collectively mourn and pay our final respects. If nothing else, giving them a proper burial is far more than I thought we'd be able to do given the circumstances.”

“Mmhmm,” Preta nodded. “The princesses really were kind to do that for us.” She sat up a bit and held a hand to her chest. “I care about those we lost, and I’ll miss them all dearly… especially Hill and Williams… but it was too much for me in the end.”

“I know the feeling,” I said, giving her what I meant as a supportive look.

She must’ve taken it in a different way because she sighed and mewled just a bit. “I guess it's just my Caitian nature. Caitians aren’t huge on mourning ceremonies and parties and all that. We feel sorrow, we lay them to rest, then we move on.” She bowed her head. “It probably sounds insensitive.”

I moved over to hug her, bracing against the cold. “No, no, it doesn’t. That’s just the culture you came from. You’re good in my book.”

Another mewl escaped her lips as she nuzzled into me. “Thanks.”

We sat in silence for a little while, watching the stars begin to twinkle against the darkening sky.

“Your home planet is beautiful, Twilight,” Preta said as she rested her head against mine. “I kept wondering if the holodeck simulations you made were exaggerated, but…”

“Nope. If anything, I didn’t remember well enough how beautiful it really is,” I replied in turn as I stretched a wing out to embrace her. “Though… Preta, while I was at the party, some pony I’ve never met came over to me and gave me a mini-lecture about holes in hearts and cupcakes.”

“Oh?” Preta arched an eyebrow. “I thought I saw you talking to an extremely pink pony, but I didn't want to intrude. I thought maybe it was someone you knew from your childhood or something. So, what was that all about?”

I bit my lip. “I don’t know how she could tell, or why, but she seemed to notice how… torn I’ve been lately. You know me. I’ve wanted to find home since forever. It’s why I joined Starfleet. It’s what I’ve dedicated my life to for the past sixteen years. Now I finally make it here, and this place has never felt so foreign to me. Everything is different from what I remember, and it leaves me feeling lost, like a guest in my own home. I feel like... like I need to make some kind of choice.”

“So what’re you going to do?” she asked me.

I took a deep breath, and let it out. “I don't know, Preta. I... I need to find out which world I belong in again. And to do that, I think I need to stay here, on Equus. At least for a while.”

Her grip on me tightened. “How long is a while?”

“I don’t know… a few months? Maybe a year?”

She turned to face me, her expression a mask of hurt. “But even the longest estimates on repairs say we’ll be leaving in less than a month. We’ve got to get back to the Federation if we’re going to have any chance to help here.”

“I know.”

She swallowed. “You… you’re not coming with us, are you?”

I turned away. “...probably not.”

She let go of me, and curled her limbs around herself, rocking back and forth. A few soft sobs escaped her lips, and I wanted badly to hug her again, to tell her it would be okay.

And just as I started to reach out to do just that, she practically tackled me with her renewed hug.

“Then I’m staying too.”

Author's Note

Apologies everyone for the long delay! Unfortunately this one took a while longer to finish up than usual. With any luck the next one won't take quite so long, but we'll see. I thank you once again for your patience and I hope that the quality of the chapter makes the wait worth it.

First, a word from editor Grand Moff Pony:

Greetings, everyone! Your trusty editor here. First, allow me to apologize for the delay in getting this episode out to you all. Between work and family, a lot of IRL stuff happening at once for me lately and it sapped a lot of my time over the last week or so. But as both Dewdrops and I have said, we'd rather take a small delay and ensure we make every episode as good as it can be.

Quite the big reveal in this episode! Lots of profound questions to consider. But as Twilight said, "we can find out". And they definitely will eventually. Also, I know a few people have been wondering how the rest of the 'original' Mane 6 would factor in here, and today we get our first taste of that. I won't say too much other than to say that they'll each have a part to play in the introspection Twilight will be undertaking.

Thanks as always for your support and see you next episode!

Thanks Moff!

I have two reference points to address. First up, Sunset with Discord references several early TNG episodes when she mentions Q, including "Hide and Q" and "Q Who?" with the questions about Riker and Guinan respectively, and just about every episode when it comes to Picard's favorite drink. "Tea, Earl Grey, hot."

Secondly, the Iconians! A few of you guessed the mirror was an Iconian gateway all the way back at the start, and you were right, so congrats! Now, I need to address a substantial elephant right here and now: Yes, I am fully aware there is a huge Iconian plot in Star Trek: Online. However, I want to be clear: that plot has nothing at all to do with this story. Any similarities will be purely coincidental, as I don't even know what the story is about in ST:O, since I've never played it.

So if you're expecting something or other to happen, sorry to disappoint there. I'm using the iconians here for an entirely different purpose. If this bugs, just remember two things:

The AU tag.
The MST3K Mantra.

In any case, thank you again for your patience everyone. See you soon for the next episode~

Season 3 Episode 3: "The Phoenix Rises"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S03E03

“The Phoenix Rises”

First Officer’s Log, Stardate 51832.1. Today marks the seventeenth day since we landed on Equus, and the repair list looks only slightly shorter than it was on day one. The damage to the ship was far more widespread and severe than our initial assessments, in some cases extending into the core superstructure of the ship itself. While we’ve been able to use our replicators to create the more delicate parts, particularly isolinear chips, EPS conduits, and ODN cabling, the hull breaches and superstructure damage is another matter entirely. We've discovered plentiful deposits of iron, titanium, and aluminum, but without the industrial replicator capacity of a spacedock, putting them to use seemed all but impossible.

That is, until Wattson stumbled upon some data on twenty-second century refining methods buried in a forgotten corner of the ship's computer library. And of course Pog wasted no time reinventing the refining wheel a few times to transform these natural minerals into stacks of duranium and tritanium. SCE would have a fit if they saw how rough these alloys are, much less the way we're having to put it all together. Hell, my inner engineer cringes at some of it too. But we don't have a choice. Not if we want to have any hope of getting this ship off the surface and back into space.

But at the same time, it’s heartening, seeing all the pony assistance we’ve received. To help us conserve replicator power, the locals have been providing meals to us all, with a whole galley set up outside on the ground complete with a dining area for the crew to get locally sourced food. Crew response to the mostly herbivorous meals has been surprisingly pleasant, though there’ve been an incident or two where a well-meaning pony made something with hay and no one was able to eat it. Eh, that just means more hay bacon strips for me and Twi. But apart from that, the locals have been all smiles, and supremely generous of their time and treasure. As far as crash landings go... things could be far, far worse.

We–

I paused in my recording of the log as my combadge bleeped at me. “Shimmer here.”

I heard nothing. Glaring at my reflection on the nearby terminal, I repeated, “Shimmer here. Who’s contacting me?”

Still I heard nothing, until finally a voice filtered through. “This is ridiculous, Tiberius. I placed those scrolls right over here. Why can I not find them? Did you hide them from me again? You silly rascal, you did, didn’t you?”

A flush crossed my cheeks as I realized who it was. “Uh, Princess Luna?”

“What? Who’s ther– ah! How did I– oh dear. Apologies, Sunset Shimmer,” answered the voice of Luna. “It seems I accidentally activated this device while searching for a scroll.”

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, then giving in when I remembered she couldn’t see me, I answered, “That’s okay, Princess. Just try to avoid using it if you don’t need to.”

“Of course. Erm, Luna… out. Yes, out is the wo–” the channel closed before she could finish speaking.

Shaking my head, I gave up on finishing my log entry and left my quarters, heading for a nearby turbolift, which I took to deck nine to check on some of the repair work there.

“Commander,” said Pog, working alongside an earth pony I didn’t immediately recognize.

“Pog,” I said, nodding to him in greeting. I turned to the pony, a stallion with a goldenrod coat, two-toned mane of burnt orange and mustard yellow, and two shining green eyes peering out from under a stetson. “Pardon me, sir, I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“Aww, howdy there, Commander,” said the pony, whose accent reminded me strongly of Smith, sending a brief wave of nostalgia rolling through me that I quickly suppressed. “Ah’m Braeburn, from Appleloosa.”

“Really?” I chuckled. “Well, welcome to Phoenix. Though I must say, that's quite a long train ride just to patch together metal panels.”

“Shucks, twas no problem at all, ma'am,” he replied, tipping his hat. “Most of the iron you've been getting has come up from Appleoosa, and I heard rumors y'all needed extra mechanics. I've got some family up in this neck of the woods anyway, so I thought I'd come up and lend a hoof.”

“He’s been useful,” Pog said, which was high praise from the Tellerite. “Look at how he’s applying the new deck pieces. Show her, Braeburn.”

Braeburn proceeded to do so, using tools in a manner I’d never seen from an engineer or an earth pony. “That is impressive,” I said as I watched him complete the task in half the time it would usually take. “How’d you manage that?”

“Reckon it'd take me a bit to explain it all, ma'am,” he said, stopping to wipe a bit of sweat off his brow. “But we did much the same when constructing the first bits of Appleloosa. Weather out that way gets fierce in no time at all, and we needed to be plantin' crops, not hammering boards. So we just found ways to get it done quicker, I guess.”

I glanced at Pog. “And it’s holding?”

“It is,” he confirmed, showing me a tricorder reading. “He’s not the only one either. All the ponies we’ve brought aboard have been able to work this quickly. Pog is no longer surprised you were such a good engineer yourself.”

I laughed, knowing that from Pog that was friendly ribbing... which of course I was obliged to return. “Yeah, yeah. Well, keep up the good work, both of you. And nice to meet you, Braeburn.” As I turned to leave, I called back over my shoulder. “Oh, and Braeburn? Don't let Pog make you do all the work either.” I laughed as I heard a few choice Tellerite words fly in my direction as I left.

I made my way further down the corridor, where I suddenly came across a section where the floor had been stripped out and panels removed from the walls, exposing the innards of the ship’s wiring. A pair of pegasi were laying ODN cables and EPS conduits while being monitored by Wattson. “Ah, Sunset, there you are,” Wattson said from her vantage point at the edge of the stripped out section.

I watched the pegasi work for a moment, smiling as they managed to slot everything in with only minimal direction from Wattson here and there. “It’s amazing how quickly they’ve all learned,” I said, keeping my voice down.

“It really is. These ponies were working on things like telephone wires and hydroelectric dams before they came here, and they've taken to it with surprising ease. A few of them are so good you'd think they were Academy trained,” Wattson said. She nudged me. “I wanted to give you my latest estimate on when we’ll be done. With the superstructure repairs mostly done, we're finally moving ahead of schedule for once. I think by this time next week, we’ll have the Phoenix in the air again.”

“I hope so,” I replied as I watched the two pegasi briefly argue over how to plug in one of the larger cables before one of them pointed out the fact that it’s keyed to only work in one direction. “We’ve barely had time to investigate the planet at all, save for a few short range scans and my tricorder. The sooner we can get this ship back to the Federation and bring back some proper science teams, the better.”

Watson sighed. “I just wish we could get the Princesses a definite answer on how long they’ve got before that satellite’s fusion reactor fails. The shielding is so strong it’s been more or less opaque to our sensors on the ground, and the shuttlepod we sent up…”

I winced. “We were damned lucky we didn’t lose it or the crew piloting it,” I murmured. “I still can’t believe the satellite fired on them.”

“It was an authorization code issue,” Wattson explained. “The sensor data confirms it. If we can locate that mainframe the AI you spoke with mentioned, I'm guessing we can get the authorization code we need there. But to your point, all we have to go on are a few hazy energy signatures beneath the planet's surface.”

“And we haven't had any time to search for any of them, much less decipher which ones might be mainframes,” I concluded. “Which means it’ll be up to the science team we leave behind.”

“You still sure it’s a good idea?”

“I’m certain,” I said. “I know we haven’t spoken to the Princesses about it yet but I can’t see them saying no. But we’ll find out later at the meeting.”

Wattson nodded. “Hope so.”

“Sparkle to Shimmer.”

“Shimmer here,” I answered, tapping my badge. As I recalled, Twilight was currently aboard the ship. Which meant this was likely about that. “What do you need?”

“Ma’am, may I speak with you privately?”

I thought about that for a second before replying, “I’m closesttoMain Engineering, so meet me there.”

“On my way. Sparkle out.”

That had been unusually formal, given that ranks had relaxed a little bit while we were on the surface, especially between the two of us after Twilight’s near death experience.

“What’s this about?” Wattson asked me as I turned to head for the nearest turbolift.

“I’ll find out.”

Personal log, Stardate 51832.1. It’s been two and a half weeks since the Phoenix landed on Equus. Since that time I’ve been mostly isolated, save for the occasional visit from my crewmates, as well as Preta, who’s taken every chance she can get to be by my side. I’m looking forward to finally being able to meet my biological family, as Princess Luna feels it’s safe enough now with my magic that I won’t immediately age them into dust or outright kill them if I so much as touch them with it.

I’m also scared. I… I haven’t seen them in so long, I had to have Princess Luna remind me what their names were. Well, except for Shiny of course. I’ll never forget his name. But… god, what will they think of me? What will they say when I explain that I, I… I still think of Mother and Mom as my parents rather than them? When did that even happen?

Maybe when I spent most of my life as a member of the Federation. God I was so young when the mirror took me, I still can’t hardly believe it. Who would I have been? That question’s been on my mind ever since I ran into that one pony at the wake, the one who blithered on about cupcakes being life choices. Like I’m supposed to know how things would’ve gone if I’d stayed. What could I have accomplished? The Nightmare claimed I was destined to be the Princess of Magic. Celestia herself admitted as much... that she had plans for me to take up the Element of Magic and use it to free Luna from the Nightmare's clutches. A small part of me wants to be jealous when I look at Starlight Glimmer, as if she's somehow usurping my entire life or something. But that's not fair to her. It's not her fault I was sucked through that mirror. Neither is it Celestia's. But still... why? Why me of all ponies? What can I possibly do that all these other heroes of Equestria cannot?

…

I went silent for a good while, sighing repeatedly into the recording, before I finally found the wherewithal to continue.

Forget it. I shouldn’t be dwelling on that. Were she here, Belle would probably remind me that living in the past is what got me into so much trouble in the first place. Besides, there’s more important things to worry about, like how I told Preta right away that I was planning to stay, but I haven’t bothered to tell Sunset that. At least not yet. She’s been so busy with repairs and planning shuttle expeditions for the planet’s technology and so on that I’ve been giving her space.

I think before I go to Canterlot, I need to tell her.

My ears flattened against my skull, the force of her shout sending me reeling to the point I almost bumped into the desk of the chief engineer’s office, which was being used as a temporary ready room while the ship was being repaired. “You want to what?!”`

I stood my ground, looking right into my sister’s eyes to show I was neither afraid nor intimidated. “You heard me. I want to stay on Equus when the Phoenix leaves.”

Sunset’s scowl seared my skin, or would have had it possessed the actual heat I could see burning in her eyes. “That’s not— You can’t— I-I won’t allow it!”

“Why not? We already know we’re going to have to leave some crew behind! You told us yourself last night that you planned to leave a science team behind to study the planet in preparation for the Phoenix’s return. So what's wrong with letting me stay? Even if this wasn't my home planet, I'm easily the most qualified science officer left onboard, which makes me the ideal person to lead the science team!”

“No!” Sunset thundered. “Yes, I understand what I said last night. But leaving a team behind is risky enough as it is. You staying behind is out of the question. It’s not happening, and that’s final!”

“Damn it, Sunset!” I snapped. My magic briefly hovered over my combadge, ready to fling it to the desk in a gesture of resignation, but I already knew Sunset wouldn’t accept it. Crisis protocols, and my sister's hard head, wouldn't allow it. So instead my magic went into my voice.

“Why won’t you listen to me?!”

“Because I don’t want to lose you again!”

I stomped my hoof in frustration, a chill wind surrounding the air around me. At the same time Sunset slammed her own hoof down, the air around her heating up into flames. Carpet disintegrated at our touch, our magic warring with each other, threatening to overflow.

That was until we both stepped back, gaping in shock at each other as our magic dissipated.

“Oh... oh my god…” Sunset mumbled.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to, to do that,” I said in a near whisper.

Sunset rested a hoof on my shoulder for a moment before drawing me in for a hug. We stayed like that for a minute, just trying to calm down. Finally, Sunset pulled back a bit and looked at me. “Neither of us did. I'm just... I'm just scared of either of us losing the other again, sis. Even for a moment.”

“But you won’t be losing me,” I replied as I leaned over and draped a wing over her shoulders. “I’ll be right here, on Equus. One of the safest places in the universe.”

“We don’t know that anymore though,” Sunset insisted as she leaned into me a bit. But though her words were sharp, her tone was soft and careful. “We still don’t know how far we are from the Federation, or how long it will take us to get there and back again. And in the meantime we also don’t know how long the solar satellite will last. It could last for another hundred years, or it could die days after we leave and we come back to nothing but a cloud of dust.”

“We also don’t know if the Phoenix will even be able to make the journey,” I pointed out. “The repairs might not hold up. More problems might pop up that leave you stranded. The Dominion or some other hostile race might attack and destroy you and neither we nor the Federation will ever know it happened at all.”

Sunset looked away from me, even as she wrapped a wing of her own around us both. “I know that, Twilight. I know, I just… I’m scared for you. You don’t know what it’s like to—”

“I don’t?” I interrupted, a note of warning in my tone.

She winced with her whole body. “No, that's not what I'm saying. I know you know, sis. What I mean is, I don't want either of us to have to go through that a second time.”

Any anger within me evaporated as I relaxed into her embrace. “I get it, Sunset. I don’t want to have to face that either. But I need to do this. I… I need to know what I missed. I hate to use the same phrasing, but it's the best way I can think to put it when I tell you that you don't know what it's like to miss your entire foalhood. You at least got the chance to grow up on Equus. I didn’t. I was yanked from my life before it even properly began!”

She pulled away, the shock at my vehemence evident in her eyes. “Did I miss something?” she asked after a moment. “Please, if I've made a mistake don't let me continue making it. Did I say or do something to make you feel this way?”

“No, it wasn't you,” I replied. “Remember the wake?” I used my horn to project an image of what I remembered that pink pony looking like. “I spoke to this pony… I want to say her name is Pinkie Pie? She made me realize that I’d spent all my life with only one real path to choose from: Starfleet. And you know I’ve always had a hard time fitting in with Starfleet. I love the science, the discipline it’s taught me has been endlessly valuable, but…like I said, it's all I've ever known. I know Starfleet me, but I haven't a clue who Equestrian me is.”

I looked at her with pleading eyes. “I need to stay.”

She watched me for a while, not saying a word, till finally a breathy sigh slipped through her lips. “Okay.”

My eyes popped open as I stared up at her. “You mean it?”

Sunset bit her lip, frowning heavily. “Part of me still hates leaving you at all… but you’re right. You deserve the chance, and you are indeed the most qualified officer to lead the science team. And, well… I had a feeling something like this might happen if we ever did find Equus.” She helped me to stand up. “Alright, Lieutenant Sparkle, you’re officially in command of the stay-behind science team. I expect to see you at the meeting at 1600 later to go over whom you’ll be keeping behind with you.”

Jubilation burst through me like an exploding torpedo, sending waves of excitement sizzling over my nerves as I bounced up to hug her. “Thank you, Sunset… thank you… BSBFF.”

Sunset’s gaze softened as she hugged me back. “You’re welcome, LSBFF.” She chuckled under her breath as she let me go. “By the way, isn’t it almost time for you to go see them?”

“Yes, I know,” I said. “Did you decide whether or not you’re coming with?”

She raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at one side of her muzzle. “You sure you want me along and not Preta?”

“Yeah. One big hurdle at a time. Besides, they need to know who’s been my sister these past sixteen years,” I said.

“Alright… let’s go, then.”

As we left the office, Sunset informed Wattson she’d be in Canterlot with me. We made our way for the gangplank, opting to take the local transportation circle rather than waste power on the ship’s transporters. They still hadn’t quite fully worked out the kinks in the system and most of the ship’s power was being used on trying to run what few industrial replicators we had to make critical small components.

At least deuterium was no longer a problem. Last week, Sunset and a team took a shuttle over to Baltimare to rig up a small distillation plant. While not generating a massive amount of deuterium by any stretch of the imagination, it was more than plenty for our purposes, and we used the local train system to deliver it in the form of heavy water.

As we teleported into Canterlot Castle, I felt the nervous apprehension I’d managed to fight off take hold of me, making me tremble. I wasn’t the only one; I could see it in the way Sunset’s ears kept swiveling, her feathers rippling and her hackles rising. Part of me took a sliver of comfort in knowing that she was as scared out of her mind over this as I was.

Leaving the castle only heightened the apprehension as we boarded a pony-drawn taxi, paying the driver with a bit of local currency we’d been granted. Apparently even if we didn’t take the crowns we were offered – which we still hadn’t decided on – we were still owed a stipend by the Equestrian government. It was more amusing, given we could just as easily have replicated any gold or other valuable metals onboard the ship, but I wasn't about to say that out loud and possibly implode the global economy overnight.

As the taxi would through the cobblestone streets toward the Noble District on Canterlot's northeastern quarter, waves of nostalgia began to hit me like pounding surf. Memories flooded my brain, each one stronger and more visceral than the last. Playing tag with my foalsitter here, reading books under the shade of the trees over there, fighting off a stupid bully over that way. Flashes of a childhood I’d all but forgotten kept coming back, more and more and more, till we finally stopped outside the gates to my family home.

Sunset hoofed over a good amount of currency to the driver. “For your trouble to wait for us,” she said, before giving me a look. “Ready?”

“No,” I murmured, but I got out of the taxi anyway, putting one hoof in front of the other, passing through the gate, walking along the stone path carved through the grass, till finally we reached the front door.

I raised a hoof to knock.

And the door flew open.

“TWILIGHT!” screamed a unicorn mare, one I recognized as my birth mom. Twilight Velvet. She all but tackled me, squeezing me so tight I could hardly breath. Moisture dampened both my shoulders as she held me, her sobs loud and happy. “Oh thank Celestia… oh, my baby, my sweet little daughter… I can’t believe how long they kept you from us…”

“Is it her? Is she here?!” I heard an excited male voice cry, before an older unicorn stallion with a deep blue mane and lighter but still dark blue coat emerged. My birth father, Night Light. His eyes locked onto me and his smile lit up the world. “Oh thank Celestia!” He joined Twilight Velvet in hugging me.

“Guys,” I gasped. “I can’t breathe!”

“Oh, sorry, dear,” Velvet said as she loosened her grip substantially. “I’m just so thrilled to see you, I…” she squeezed me tightly once more before letting go, and her eyes turned to Sunset. “Oh! I almost didn’t see you hiding back there. You must be Sunset Shimmer.”

“That’s right,” Sunset said, her voice taking on that slightly higher pitch I recognized as her “this is awkward” voice.

“Well, you have our appreciation for being there for Twilight all this time,” Night Light said as he strode over and offered a hoofshake. “I can’t imagine how much worse it might’ve been for her if she hadn’t had some sort of family to turn to.”

“Please, please, come in, come in!” Velvet encouraged as she waved for us to follow her into the house. “Night Light has a lovely brunch all set up for us in the dining room, and I’m sure you’d like to see your older brother.”

“Shiny is here?”

“That’s right,” Night Light said. “He’s setting the table right now.”

I gingerly followed them inside. I froze not far past the foyer.

On the wall, hanging alongside various framed photographs, was a painting… a painting of me, as a filly, reading under a tree in the park we just passed by a few minutes before. A much smaller photographed version lay in a frame next to it, the clear inspiration.

Surrounding it were many photos of me; as many as they had, no doubt. There was even a bookshelf, which had all my favorite books as a little kid sitting on it.

“Shit,” Sunset whispered. “I guess Mother and Mom aren’t the only ones who like to make a memorial.”

My face burned like fire as the embarrassment dug its way into me.

Night Light caught my expression immediately, and a matching blush suffused his cheeks. “Ah, uh… I told Velvet she should take some of this down so it didn’t look so… shrine-like.”

“I understand,” I said, smiling politely. “You… you missed me.”

Night Light’s blush faded. “Missed you is putting it mildly. We thought we lost you, honey. We thought you died. Princess Celestia told us you went through that mirror portal thing, but she also showed us the wreckage. Your mother wept for weeks afterwards, and I wasn’t much better.” He shook his head, and his smile returned. “But that doesn’t matter now. What matters is, you’re home.”

He led us to the dining room, where Velvet fussed with bringing in the last few serving dishes from the kitchen. Two more ponies waited for us there, one a slender pink alicorn with a crystal heart adorning her flank that I didn’t recognize. But the other, I’d know anywhere. His brilliant white coat contrasted with the electric blue shades of his mane, and his hulking form bore more muscles than ever.

He turned to look at us, brilliant white teeth glistening as he opened his mouth. “Twily!” he blurted, exactly like how I remembered he used to do.

“Hi, Shiny,” I said, giving him a little wave.

“Oh you can do better than that,” he said as he rose from his chair and trotted over to give me a powerful hug, using a hoof to tousle my hair. “I missed you so much, LSBFF.”

I sank into that hug, so much more familiar than Velvet or Night Light’s. “I missed you too,” I whispered.

He held me for a bit before he pulled away and gestured with a hoof to the other alicorn in the room. “Twily, this is my wife, Princess Cadance. You remember her, right?”

I gingerly stepped around him and towards her, blinking in confusion. “Am I supposed to?”

Shining’s smile dimmed. “Twily…”

“No, no, it’s okay, she was really little when she last saw me, I don’t blame her,” the alicorn said as she rose from the table. Even for an alicorn she was short, barely taller than Sunset or I, and yet she seemed to loom over me, even as she smiled. “Maybe a little thing will help spark your memory. Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake…”

My jaw fell open. “Clap your hooves and do a little shake,” I whispered. “You’re my foalsitter!”

“I was, that’s right,” Cadance said, her smile growing substantially.

“Wait, you had an alicorn for a foalsitter?” Sunset said, looking archly at me. “And you never said anything about it?”

“I didn’t remember she was an alicorn,” I answered. “Besides, to me she was always just my foalsitter.”

“That was the idea,” Cadance said, extending her smile to Sunset. “Princess Celestia had me foalsitting for a number of noble pony foals, but Twilight was always my favorite.” She held out a hoof. “You must be Sunset Shimmer. It’s wonderful to meet you.”

Sunset nodded politely as she shook said hoof. “Likewise.”

“Alright, everypony, let’s all sit down to eat!” Velvet said as she set the last serving dish down. “And please, eat as much as you like. We have plenty.”

Sunset and I sat down at the table with the others, with me seated in the same spot I remembered I used to sit as a child, oh so long ago. Even the chair felt the same.

“Princess Luna didn’t tell us much about what you two were up to while you were away,” Night Light said as he ladled some food onto his plate. He pointed at our respective uniforms. “What exactly are you wearing?”

“Starfleet uniforms,” Sunset answered. She pointed to her rank insignia. “This indicates our rank. I’m a Commander, and Twilight is a Lieutenant.”

“Oooh, just like the Royal Equestrian Navy,” replied Shining between bites of a hay and alfalfa sandwich. “So, would that make you the first officer, Sunset?”

“Yes, although at the moment I'm the temporary captain too,” Sunset admitted. “Our captain is still unconscious, after the battle with the Dominion.”

“A battle?” Twilight Velvet gasped, her eyes widening with panic. “Nopony said anything about a battle!”

“It’s… a long story,” Sunset said, her smile straining to remain in place. “But I think it's Twilight's story to tell.”

“Yes, please!” Night Light said, excitement overriding the concern.

“Okay, this is a bit of an abridged story,” I said, “but it started when I first arrived on Earth…” I patiently began to explain, trying to shortcut details where I could or keep things from requiring too much explanation. Eventually, long after we finished eating and retired to the living room, I reached something of a conclusion.

“Wow… just, wow!” Night Light exclaimed. He gave me a look that was half pride, half understanding. “So… Mother and Mom, huh?”

“...I thought I’d never see you again, and they’re the ones who adopted me and raised me,” I said, bowing my head. “I’m sorry if it hurts.”

“Not at all, sweetheart,” Velvet said as she patted my shoulder. “If anything, I’m happy… though I hope someday we get to meet this Teelona and Ahminha.”

“T’Lona and Amina,” I corrected gently.

Shining gave Sunset an appraising look. “Honestly, I’m more interested in how close you two became. BSBFF, huh?” he said, his eyes falling on me.

“...can you blame me?” I asked, a feeling of melancholy taking hold.

His chuckle rang through the room, brightening my spirits. “No. I can’t. Like Mom and Dad, I’m just glad you had someone you could count on. Someone there for you, through thick and thin.”

“Sunset’s definitely been that,” I replied with a smile. A smile that almost immediately dimmed. “Though we've had our rough patches here and there. Like those first few months aboard the Phoenix…”

Sunset visibly winced as everypony seemed to glare at her at once. “Err, that was a complicated situation. And we were both at fault, right Twilight?”

“Yes, definitely,” I hurried to correct myself. “It wasn’t just Sunset. In fact, it was mostly my own damned fault.”

“Honey, language,” Velvet said with a frown. “We do not curse in this house.”

I blinked. “We… we don’t?”

“Nope,” Shining answered, clapping me on the shoulder with a hoof. “Though trust me, I get it. Mom was after me for weeks after I finished my first tour of duty with the Royal Guard.”

“So you did get in!” I said, a smile crossing my muzzle. “I always hoped you would.”

“That’s right. Made it all the way to captain of Celestia’s personal guard,” he said, preening with pride. “It was through that assignment that I reconnected with Cadance. We started dating, and well, here we are.”

“Speaking of Cadance,” Sunset said as she briefly eyed Cadance’s pink wings, “when and how did you become an alicorn? You look closer to my age, or what my age should be.”

“Well,” Cadance said, “it’s also a long story, but it all started when I was adopted by a pair of earth ponies…” She went on to tell a tale about some evil unicorn named Prismia who cast a love-stealing spell on her hometown. Cadance was able to steal Prismia's magic-enhancing necklace and reverse the spell, which triggered her ascension. “At first I thought I’d died… I felt like my whole body twisted apart when I reversed her spell, like I was somehow wielding magic I wasn’t supposed to be able to use.”

“That tracks with our experiences,” Sunset said with a nod. “It’s looking more and more like death, or some form of it, is a key part of Ascending to alicornhood. So what happened next?”

“Well after I arrived in the ethereal realm, Princess Celestia found me. She was super surprised to see me there, and ended up adopting me as her niece. This happened around… thirty years ago? I was barely more than seven.”

Sunset’s smile turned wan. “Sounds like if I hadn’t left, we might’ve become friends.”

“Nothing says we can’t be friends now,” Cadance said, her own smile growing as she extended a hoof to Sunset.

Sunset bumped it and chuckled. “Guess not.”

Velvet abruptly sat up. “Oh, shoot. I almost forgot. I planned to serve coffee and cake; I lost track of time. Let me go get it.” She winked at me. “It’ll be your favorite blend.”

Sunset and I looked at each other, then back at Velvet and as one blurted, “Prench Roast?!”

“That’s right!”

As Velvet disappeared into the kitchen, Sunset and I bounced with excitement. The castle so far had only served tea for breakfast, as coffee was banned due to Luna having had one terrible experience with the stuff early on in her return.

“It’s just coffee, Twily, relax,” Shining said with a chuckle.

“Oh, I don’t blame her, son,” Night Light butted in with his own laugh. “Your mom’s coffee always tastes better than anything they serve even in the fanciest of coffee shops. It’s worth getting excited for.”

“I have wanted to drink Prench Roast for sixteen years, Shiny,” I said as I hopped off my chair and playfully stomped a hoof. “Sixteen. Years. Don't you go deflating the moment on me.”

“God, me too,” Sunset added, visibly salivating. “Just imagine how strong it is.”

“The depth of its flavor!”

“The way it goes down so smooth yet feels so hearty.”

“How it energizes you just right like nothing else.”

We sighed in unison. “Aaaaah…”

The look in Shining’s eyes said we were clearly insane.

The smell of freshly roasted beans steeping in hot water hit our nostrils soon, along with the sound of slicing cake and the clatter of plates and cups. Soon Twilight Velvet returned from the kitchen, a tray full of cups and plates, with a large platter holding the promised cake and a carafe of steaming fresh coffee alongside saucers of milk and sugar.

“Here you are, dears,” she said as she poured two mugs of coffee and floated them over to us. “I have milk and sugar if you need it.”

We both shook our heads. “No, straight black is fine,” Sunset said as she held the cup up to her face reverently.

A similar sense of awe filled me as I held my own to my nose, taking in the full body of its scent. “Ready, Sunset?” I whispered.

“I was born ready,” she vowed. “On three. One.”

“Two.”

“Three!”

We both knocked our mugs back, sipping on the hot, acrid liquid. The flavor of it burst onto my tongue, filled my mouth, and…

And…

And I found myself smacking my lips as I swallowed. “Wait, that’s it?” I said.

Sunset stared at her own mug, her eyes screwed up in concentration. “This can’t be right… this is Prench Roast, yes Mrs. Sparkle?”

“Of course. Top of the line, imported directly from Prance,” she said, confusion evident in her voice. “I don’t understand.”

“Me either,” Night Light added as he sipped his coffee. “It tastes just fine. Are you two okay?”

“No, no, I'm fine," I said, staring at Sunset with pure confusion blazing in my eyes. "It's good! But it's…”

She nodded. “Not what I remembered at all.” She gasped, drawing back, a hoof coming to her lips. “Oh no…were we ruined forever by raktajino?”

“We can’t have been,” I argued, shaking my head. “Raktajino is good but it’s not that good, is it?”

“Sorry, a rakta what?” Night Light asked.

“Klingon coffee,” Sunset answered absentmindedly as she reached for her tricorder and scanned the coffee. “This is authentic alright. But why doesn’t it taste the way we remember it?”

“I don’t know.” I swished mine around the cup, then reached for the milk and sugar, adding small amounts of each and tasting it again. “Still not even close,” I moaned.

Velvet, Night Light, and Shining kept exchanging looks while we tried to experiment. “Um, excuse me,” Night Light interjected. “What’s the problem? Did she do a poor job with the coffee?”

“Night Light!”

“What? It’s a worthwhile question.”

After a moment of furrowed brow concentration, I shook my head. “No, you didn’t do a bad job at all. But it’s… it’s not what I remember it being. At all. It’s not bad, it’s just… there.”

Sunset sipped it some more. “But it’s still good for what it is,” she said.

“Oh, definitely,” I agreed as I sipped some more coffee. My expression softened considerably. “Sorry if we, err, offended.”

Twilight Velvet smiled warmly. “No, don’t worry about it dear. You’ve been gone a very long time. And while I’m not sure what a Cling-on is or what a, um, raktah-jino might be, I’ve taken a few long trips myself to know it can change you, make you forget things. And that was just with me being gone for a couple of months! You’ve been gone for nearly two decades.”

From there, conversation drifted to a number of other topics, including the subject of love. Sunset briefly mentioned Cadeneza, but I could hear the choked back sobs in her voice as she spoke, and I didn’t blame her… we still had no idea what happened to her. Either she made it back alive, or… she didn’t.

I mentioned Preta, and both Night Light and Velvet were quite excited to meet her. “Will you bring her along the next time you visit, sweetie?” Velvet asked me.

“I’ll try,” I said.

Sunset’s badge beeped twice. “Unfortunately, that’s our cue to start heading back to the ship. But this has all been wonderful.”

Shining, Nightlight, and Velvet stood, and soon I was inundated with hugs. “Remember dear, if you end up tiring of staying in the castle, you’ll always have a place here with us,” Twilight Velvet said. She smiled at Sunset. “And that goes for you too.”

“Err, thanks,” I said with a slight chuckle. “We should… we should go. But this was great.” I bit my lip and looked at Sunset.

“Right.” She tapped her badge. “Shimmer to Phoenix. I’m on my way back. ETA is fifteen minutes.”

“Understood, ma’am.”

She bowed her head to Shining, Night Light, and Velvet. “It was a pleasure to meet you all. Please, excuse us.”

They gave us a series of waves as we headed up the path and out the gate, boarding our taxi back to the castle. During the whole trip I found myself stiffening up further and further, like pressure building up behind a crumbling dam, and only once we’d been dropped off at the castle and teleported back to the ship did the dam break, and I burst into tears.

“Whoa, whoa, Twilight, are you okay?” Sunset asked me, wrapping me up in her wings as I crumpled to the ground mere steps from the gangplank.

“I… I didn’t even once think of them as Mom and Dad,” I blubbered between my sobs. “Or-or think of Shiny as my BBBFF. They felt like… like total strangers.” My sobs rose in pitch and strength as my body shuddered. “They’re supposed to be my family and I felt like I was meeting them for the first time!”

“Hey, hey. Sssh… sssh…” Sunset held me close, her feathers stroking down the length of my neck and onto the middle of my back. “Hey, hey, it’s okay, Twilight, it’s okay. To be honest I kinda expected this would happen.”

“What?” I whispered, looking up at her with tears running freely down my face. “But… why?”

She used her magic to brush away the tears from my eyes, a light warmth suffusing my cheeks to dry up the moisture. “Because you’ve spent two-thirds of your life elsewhere. You were just a filly when you came to Earth. You’ve changed, in a lot of ways, ways I don’t think could’ve happened if you’d stayed on Equus. So they’re gonna feel like strangers at first. It just means you gotta get to know them again, that’s all.”

“Heh… hehehehe…” I chuckled a little to myself as I managed to stand back up. “I guess you’re right.” I found myself laughing even more. “It was that stupid coffee that did it.”

“Hey, it caught me by surprise too,” Sunset said with a matching laugh. “Guess we’re not programming that one into the replicator.”

“Probably not,” I agreed. “God, we set ourselves up with that one, didn’t we?”

“We really did.”

“May to Shimmer.”

Sighing, Sunset released me and tapped her badge. “Shimmer here. What can I do for you, doctor?”

“James is awake.”

We gaped at each other. “On our way!” Sunset shouted, and we barrelled our way up the gangplank.

I raced through the corridors, a fine froth forming on my coat even as I barrelled out of the turbolift like it was the start of the Academy’s Championship Relay Race. I swerved left and right, barely avoiding collisions with several groups of people and ponies working on repairs. “Sorry, excuse me, coming through!” I shouted.

I looked back just long enough to see Twilight rounding the bend in the corridor just a few paces behind me. The strain was evident on her face, but the fact that she was mostly keeping up spoke to how focused she had been in every aspect of her recuperation. After weaving past a few more officers, we both skidded to a halt in sickbay just seconds apart from one another.

Doctor May awaited us, a half smile, half frown on her face, worry lines creasing her cheeks and forehead. “Whoa there, easy now, you two,” she said, holding her hands up like any number of horse wranglers I remembered seeing on Earth. “Relax. Take a breather for a second. I won’t be lettin’ you in there if you’re gonna overwhelm him. He’s not got a lot of energy right now.”

“How is he, doctor?” I asked after taking a moment to breathe and calm myself. “What’s his condition?”

“Stable for now,” she said as she brought up her pad. “He’s gonna be drifting in and out, so don’t be expectin’ him to have too much to say. I really should only let one of you in there.” She eyed Twilight. “But since you’re here, Lieutenant, I’d like to do a quick physical, see how you’ve been improving since I last scanned you.”

Twilight hung her head. “Sorry, Twilight, but she’s right,” I said with an apologetic frown. “We can't clear you for duty on or off-planet without it anyway.”.

“I know,” Twilight said with a sigh.

“Look at it this way, Twi, you galloped all the way here. It’s a good sign,” I said, giving her a small smile.

Twilight smiled in turn. “Where do you want me, Doctor?”

“Over here,” May said, pointing to a biobed near the opposite wall. She glanced back at me. “You can go on in. Don’t push him now. If he starts to flag, let him fall back asleep. He needs his rest.”

“Understood,” I said as I faced the oversized door leading to the ICU. Taking another deep breath to steady myself, I tapped the adjacent panel to unseal the door and stepped inside.

Unlike the discretely separated surgical bays, the ICU in ward was really one larger space that was subdivided into six alcoves, each designed to afford a reasonable level of privacy. A display on the wall to my left showed three patients still in ICU protocol. The Captain was listed as being in the first room, and as I slowly made my way over, I took another sharp breath, seeing him sitting up in bed.

“Number One,” he said, his voice weak, hoarse, almost unrecognizable at first. “It is good to see you. Though, I'm not quite sure this is what I had in mind when I asked you to keep my ship in one piece.”

“It’s good to see you too, sir,” I said, my voice choking up. “The saucer is still attached to the engines, so we are still in one piece technically.”

He started to laugh, only to break into a coughing fit. I raised a hoof to try to assist him, but he waved me off. “No, don’t,” he said through his coughs. “Let me do it. I didn’t… didn’t let myself become an invalid with my last injury. I won’t with this one.” He let out a longer cough and sat back, his breathing steadying. “Though… this is a bit worse than last time.”

“Indeed. We thought we had lost you for a while there. Did Doctor May explain the situation to you?” I asked him after a moment.

He shook his head. “Not exactly. She told me my overall condition, said I would be laid up for a few months.”

“Well… we won the battle, but we’re not exactly in Federation space anymore.” I briefly explained our circumstances, prompting him to smile, of all things.

“So, we found your home planet.” He closed his eyes, and to my utter shock, when he opened them again, there were a few tears with his smile. “I’m so happy for you and your sister, you understand. Even with the circumstances as dire as they are… this is something to celebrate.”

“We’ve had moments here and there to enjoy it, more or less,” I said. My own smile slipped away. “But not everything is well. Escaping the nebula exacted a huge toll on our ships and our people.”

Liang nodded shakily. “What’s our situation?”

“I can have a copy of the full reports sent here for you to read, but to sum it…” I briefly went into how the Phoenix was the only ship to survive the battle, the loss of half the crew, and the current work on repairs. “We’re hoping to leave fairly soon, thanks to ponies volunteering to help. But we’ll be leaving some crew behind. Especially those for whom the mental scars might not heal.”

“I see. Leaving a team behind is a good move. Especially given the grave issues facing your home world." He broke into another coughing fit. "It boggles the mind. An artificial world with an equally artificial but dying sun..”

“Well, from what we can tell the planet itself isn’t fully artificial, but it was definitely terraformed. We've yet to locate a mainframe access point, or any other access points for that matter. With all of the repairs, we simply haven't been able to spare anyone for a real search effort. However, I'm confident that Twilight can lead the science team in our absence and find some answers.”

“Oh she will, will she? Good. That’s precisely what you should be doing.” He lifted a trembling, shaky hand to set on my shoulder. “Listen to me, Sunset.”

I nodded, leaning in closer. “Yes, sir.”

He shook his head. “No, no. You can’t call me sir. Not anymore. Not while I’m like this. Call me James.”

After a moment’s hesitation, I nodded again. “Alright, James.”

He chuckled, a weak little sound that barely reached my ears. “Better. Now… you said that you don’t know how far you are from the Federation?”

“Not yet, but we’re working on it. Long range sensors should be back up soon though. If I'm honest, I'm just praying we're still in the same quadrant right now.”

He looked up at me, his eyes focusing. Strong as ever, those eyes, despite the frailty of his body. “Lean in closer,” he ordered.

Blinking, I did so, not entirely sure why. I had to place my hoof on the side of the bed to brace myself, lest I fall over.

The hand he had on my shoulder moved away, shaking and quaking as he struggled to reach up to his collar, finally plucking one of the pips off. It was everything I could do not to gape as he brought it back over to my own collar and reached up. Despite the trembling in his nerves, he managed to perfectly put it into place.

“You’re in charge now, Sunset,” he said. “I can’t do a damned thing from this bed. And I accept that. I-I’m sure you’ve already rearranged your crew, but in a situation like this, a crew needs a sense of certainty, in both the plan and the people asking them to make it happen.” He coughed again, then his eyes briefly looked up at the ceiling. “Computer!”

An affirmative bleep sounded in the room.

“This is Captain James Liang. As of this date, I am officially granting Sunset Shimmer a field promotion to the rank of Captain.”

“Field promotion logged.”

“James?” I gasped, reaching my hoof back up to my collar as if to strip the extra pip away. “I… I don’t know that I deserve—”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence, Sunset,” he growled, his voice regaining some of its usual depth for just a moment. “You know damn well this is what you deserve. You’ve wanted that center chair for as long as you’ve been in Starfleet, and by god, you’ve earned it.” He managed to smile at me again. “Besides, those stuffed shirts back at HQ would’ve taken forever to do this. I’m just expediting matters.” He glanced at the ceiling again. “Computer, transfer all command protocols to Captain Sunset Shimmer, authorization Liang One One Echo Lima.”

“Transfer complete. U.S.S. Phoenix now under the command of Captain Sunset Shimmer.”

My vision swam as tears threatened to burst forth. “I… I’ll make you proud, James.”

“I know you will.” Liang’s hand rested on my hoof, his strong eyes boring into mine. “It’s up to you, Sunset,” he said, stifling a yawn. “Keep them safe. No matter how long it takes, you must get them home.”

I swallowed and nodded, the emotions swelling within me threatening to burst. “I will, James. I promise you.”

He smiled back. “And I expect you to keep that promise… Captain.”

All of a sudden, he went slack, falling back against the bed. A momentary flash of panic ran through me, till I realized the vitals monitors hadn’t changed, and a soft snore escaped his lips. He just fell asleep.

I briefly stood at attention, giving him a respectful nod, before leaving the room. As I emerged into sickbay, a hush fell over everyone. I nearly made it to Twilight before one brave ensign shouted, “Captain on deck!” causing everyone to stare at me.

“A-As you were,” I ordered, quickly walking the rest of the way over to May before I died of embarrassment. “Let me guess. He told you he was going to do this before we even got here.”

“No, actually,” she said, her mouth quirking with amusement. “But he might have keyed the shipwide intercom just before you went in to see him.”

“Well, it saves me having to announce it myself,” I said with a bemused sigh. “One of these days I’ll have to get him back for his sly little tricks though.”

“Congratulations, sis,” Twilight said as she hopped off her biobed and gave me a quick hug. “How am I looking, Doctor?”

“Mmm, some of these readings are still fluctuating a bit more than I'd like, but overall you look to be in much better health than when I scanned you two weeks ago,” May answered. She folded her tricorder away. “So definitely good progress. But I’d like to run some deeper scans.”

“Then I'll leave you to it, Doctor,” I replied. “I'll see you both at the meeting in an hour.”

Precisely one hour later, I returned to the same holodeck we used for the previous meeting. This time it was just the senior staff plus the Princesses, along with Starlight Glimmer. “Thank you for attending, your majesties,” I said to the three of them as I took my seat at the head of the conference table.

“Of course… Captain,” Celestia said after she eyed my collar and grinned. “Am I reading your rank insignia correctly?”

“You are,” I replied with a wry grin. “Captain Liang awoke from his coma a few hours ago. I spoke with him briefly and he surprised me with a field promotion. I'm glad, yes, but more so because he is back with us.”

“Huzzah!" Luna clapped her hooves on the deck a few times. “Truly it is wonderful to hear he is improving. I have been hoping to speak with this James Liang before your departure.”

“Well, you still might. We’re not quite ready to leave just yet. Speaking of which, Wattson, you’re up. How’re the repairs coming?”

Wattson tapped a few controls to bring up reports on the central display. “Repairs to the ship's inner structure and critical bulkheads are complete, as are all outer hull breaches. Bridge consoles are still in work but we should have everything back online up there within two days. We’ve also restored most of the EPS grid, and I’m hoping to bring the warp core online by the end of the week.”

I nodded as I perused the reports. “What about shields and weapons?”

She shook her head. “There’s only so much I can do with the resources at hand. Shields will be at fifty percent of nominal at best, and we won’t have the strongest phasers. Frankly, to be honest, we’ll be able to take on some minor pirates, but we’re toast if a Dominion patrol finds us.”

“What about torpedoes?” Zhidar inquired.

“Those, at least, we still have most of our complement, and both forward and aft launchers are fully operational.”

“Engineering to Wattson.”

She glanced at me as she tapped her badge. “Go ahead.”

“We’re ready to test the long range sensors, ma’am.”

Smiles surrounded the table, apart from our Equestrian guests, who merely appeared quizzical at the sight of us seemingly talking to the air. “Perfect timing. Get them on and get the scans sent up here ASAP.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

“While we wait for the results of that,” I said, turning to face the Princesses, “my staff held another brief meeting last night where I made a decision that I hope will meet with your approval. With your permission, I would like to leave a science team behind when the Phoenix leaves. They'll be equipped to perform a range of tasks, from monitoring the satellites' condition to continuing the search for the access points we've spotted on our earlier scans.”

“Ah, yes, it would not be an issue for you to leave a team behind,” Celestia responded. “Do you already know who will be on it?”

I gestured to Twilight. “Twilight Sparkle will be leading the team, giving it an Equus native perspective… and she wanted to remain behind regardless. Twilight, your team?”

She passed over a PADD. “These are the likely candidates. I’ll need to speak with them to confirm their willingness to remain behind.”

“Understood.”

Celestia took in a sharp breath, shaking her head softly. “It is still so difficult to believe that we have been mislead for so long.” She smiled, but it was weak, with little energy. “Though it helps explain why I was unable to defeat Queen Chrysalis during her first invasion, or how Luna and I were so easily overcome by her in the second. We are not as powerful as we thought we were.”

“In truth, I find it a comfort,” Luna added, brushing her sister briefly with a wing across the shoulder. “It speaks to a greater history to our people, to our world, than we truly know. It means there is so much more to learn.” She chuckled without mirth. “Ironic too, the more I think about it. Just last night I found myself staring up at the sky and wondering if actual stars look anything like the ones I thought I had been looking at for so long.”

Doctor May raised a hand. “Captain, if I may?”

I turned to her. “Go ahead, Doctor. Is something wrong?”

“No. Truth is, I’ve been givin’ this a great deal of thought, ever since you said you were plannin’ to leave a science team, and I’ve decided...” She gave me a plaintive look. “I need to stay behind too.”

I nodded, having expected something like this. “It’s because of the Captain, isn’t it?”

“Not just him. We have a few other crew members in similar condition, all of whom could be usin’ a starbase. Now I know we don’t know yet how far away Federation space is, but unless it’s less than a week away, I just can’t justify takin’ the most injured with us. They need more stable care than we can give ‘em on board. And the sunshine and clean air would do them a world of good.”

Before I could respond she tossed me a scowl and held up her fingers to make air quotes. “And yes, I know it’s not a ‘real’ sun. But it sure feels like one when you stand out in it, and that’s what matters.”

“I wasn’t planning to object, Doctor,” I replied, giving her a reassuring smile. “I was going to agree, actually. It’s an excellent idea.” I rubbed my chin. “What about adequate facilities?”

May smiled in turn. “I had an idea for that. What about the captain’s yacht?”

“What about it?”

She pressed a few buttons on her terminal, then turned it to face me. “Accordin’ to the damage reports, it’s in perfect workin’ order. It might not have warp drive but we won't be needin' it if it's instead used as a kind of semi-permanent housing. And unlike the Phoenix, it's built for landings, so in some ways it'll be like leavin' behind an extra shuttlecraft for the science team to use.”

I took a good look at the specs, as it had been a while since I bothered to examine the yacht. It was still the original yacht that had been part of the saucer when it was part of the Enterprise-D; we hadn’t even bothered to rename it from its old name of Calypso, though its internals had been overhauled during the Phoenix rebuild.Its unusual design made it look like a true flying saucer, but because it was designed for a Captain's holiday, it was far better equipped than even our best shuttlecraft: a full sensor array, high resolution replicators, a small sickbay, multiple living quarters, a galley, and an upgraded impulse drive.

“Wattson, your opinion?” I asked her.

She glanced over at me. “I don’t see why not. Though if we’re leavin’ the Calypso, I recommend leaving some engineers as well. They could pull double duty with the science team, and affect repairs to any of the shuttles if they need to. Maybe they can help the locals too, in case the satellites get worse while we're gone.”

“How many do you recommend?”

“I'm thinking two, maybe three. Can't spare more than four though.”

Starlight perked up at that. “Are you suggesting something along the lines of sharing technology?”

Wattson and I frowned, exchanging a look. “Err, not exactly,” Wattson admitted.

“But I thought you said that this Prime Directive of yours didn’t apply to Equus,” Starlight said, her own expression matching ours. “Since the nature of our planet is, err, artificial, and we were able to summon the Phoenix to us.”

“Yes, but even outside that, the Federation isn’t quite in the habit of accelerating technological development, even with species that we have contact with. It can be extremely dangerous, and the last thing I want to risk is something that could cause my own planet to go to war with itself,” I answered.

Starlight snorted. “Oh please. Like that’s even possible.”

I met her eyes and stared deep into them until she was swallowing nervously. “With all due respect, Starlight, you have no idea how bad it can get. The Federation has ignored this tenet more than once over its long history, and nearly every time it played witness to the self-destruction of an entire species. Don't think for a moment that it can't happen here, because it can.” I glanced back at Wattson. “Besides, I'm sure the Commander had an entirely different intent in mind there, right?”

“Right. I was referring more to ways in which we could help you cope with the changes in the solar satellite output, to help safeguard your society while we work on solving the crisis. Like better food storage or farming techniques, things along those lines. Emergency measures.”

Starlight opened her mouth, but Princess Celestia held a hoof out for silence, and stood. “I understand precisely where you are coming from, Sunset. I have closely monitored our society and its development for one thousand years. In that time I have seen our ponies achieve marvelous things, but I also helped moderate those discoveries so they helped instead of harmed society.”

“Like the train system,” I said with a nod. “If I remember your stories correctly, you ensured its introduction was spread out over a lengthy period of time, with tracks expanded only as needed.”

“Indeed. No matter what we do here, all of Equus will be exposed to an abundance of technologies they have never seen before. Moving too quickly now would only compound the risks we already face.” She sat back down, her expression defrosting into her usual friendly nature. “With that said, we welcome your science team, engineers, medical personnel, and anyone who wants or needs to stay behind.”

“Furthermore,” she continued, flashing a smile towards Wattson, “Miss Wattson's suggestion of a more permanent structure is a splendid one. With your permission, I will assign a team of our best architects and builders to assist your engineers in constructing an outpost of sorts. If I may, I'd suggest placing it close by, along the local rail line.”

“That would be wonderful. Thank you very much, Princess,” I said, giving her a small bow.

“One more thing,” May said before I could leave. “I’m recommendin’ that Counselor Hendricks stay behind for medical reasons. She’s not in a good place, hasn’t been since we got here.”

“Do it,” I sighed, letting my ears droop along with the rest of me. “She'll be a liability otherwise, as much as I hate to say it.”

“I only met this Belle for a moment, soon after your arrival,” Celestia said. “I did not realize she had been injured.”

“It's... not a physical wound, princess, but a mental one. Psychological. Belle was forced to kill multiple intruders during the battle, but not before they slaughtered her best friend right in front of her.” I smacked the desk lightly with my hoof. “Damn it, I wish there was more we could do to help her.”

“There is, Sunset, by doin' this for her,” May answered. “She always did prefer it planetside anyway.”

“That sure is the truth. Alright. Doctor, send me your report once you’ve chosen your medical team that’ll stay with the injured crew.”

“Aye, Captain,” she said, her eyes twinkling.

Wattson’s badge bleeped again. “Engineering to Wattson. Ma’am, you should see the scans immediately. We have a… problem.”

Wattson tapped her badge. “Acknowledged. Please transfer the readings to Holodeck two.” She tapped a key and the scans appeared on the central display a moment later.

My heart sank, and I could see a similar reaction from the rest of the staff, as well hear a few whispered comments of, “Damn it,” or “This is bad.”

“Engineering, are you sure these scans are accurate?”

“We’re getting the same results each time, ma’am.”

“I don’t understand,” Celestia spoke up. She hopped out of her seat and walked around the table to get a closer look. “What is the issue?”

“Me either,” said Starlight, who joined her in examining the readings. The two of them made such puzzled expressions it took an effort of will not to laugh.

I examined the scans another moment before answering. “Well, between the effects of the atmosphere and the surrounding nebula, the readings are still pretty hazy. But we've been able to at least determine our rough location in the galaxy. The good news is, we’re still in the Alpha Quadrant. We’re not in the Delta Quadrant or anything like that.” At her blank stare, I added, “this means we’re much closer to Federation space than we might’ve been.”

Starlight raised an eyebrow. “So what’s the bad news, then?”

“The bad news… is that we’re in an uncharted section outside of Federation space, on the far side of a few minor but still very nasty powers…” I bit my lip. “And we’re not going to be moving at a fast clip either, so we can’t just speed right past them either. Wattson, has our estimated top speed improved any since you last checked?”

She winced as she answered. “Unfortunately not. Still looking at warp four; four point five, tops. Assuming the scans are correct, the closest Federation starbase is Starbase 395, which at warp four point five… is almost a year away.”

A hush fell over the room. “Y-you said that was the initial scans… can we be sure there isn’t a faster way?” Danielle asked, voicing the question on all our minds.

“Stellar navigation is tricky under even the best conditions… there are places we can cover more ground more quickly, but we’d need much more detailed scans than we’re going to get from within this nebula, especially while planet-bound,” Wattson answered. “It’ll be an on-going thing, in other words. The other bit of good news though, again assuming the scans don't change much, is that at maximum warp the same trip should only take around two weeks. So once we get repaired, the return trip will be a lot faster.”

“But in the meantime,” Zhidar concluded, his expression one of resigned irritation, “we'll be outgunned by most foes we might encounter, and so slow that no friendly starship would ever hear a distress signal if we tried to run.”

Wattson sat back down and folded her arms across her chest. “I know, Zhidar. I know. But you know as well as I do that there's only so much we can do without a proper shipyard. We're making all kinds of compromises as it is just to get this ship flying again.”

“I guess I’d better bone up on my knowledge of how early long-distance starships did business,” I said with a slight groan. “We’re going to need every bit of experience and then some.”

“I’ll see what I can put together from the NX-01 Enterprise’s mission to the Delphic Expanse,” Twilight said. “Their experiences should be especially helpful.”

Princess Luna raised a hoof. “Sunset Shimmer, there is another matter I wish to address.”

“Oh?”

Luna frowned, seeming to choose her words carefully. “I have been receiving some requests ever since your ship first landed… it seems there are many ponies who wish to join your crew, to aid you in your travels. As it became clear the ship would fly once more, the number has increased substantially. I had chosen not to mention this, thinking it was an unnecessary risk, but given what we have just learned…”

“Right.” I steeled myself for reactions. “The simple truth is, the Phoenix is understaffed. Between the losses we suffered to the Dominion and the people we’re leaving behind, we’re going to be shortstaffed in nearly every department. So, in fact, I’ve been harboring similar thoughts.”

“Wait a minute,” said Maia. “Captain, are you seriously suggesting we recruit local volunteers?”

“Some, yes,” I answered. “To help out where they can. We’ve already had medical personnel working on board assisting Doctor May, and, well… we’re going to be racing back to the Federation to help this planet. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it would appear there are more than a few locals who'd love to help with that.” I looked directly at Princess Luna. “It’s a relief to hear you’re thinking the same thing. And, if I may be so bold, the Federation always welcomes diplomats to help make cases like the one we will need to make to the Federation Council for assistance.”

Luna nodded in understanding. “I would be more than happy to act as an ambassador in such a role.”

“Sister!” Celestia objected, scowling briefly at me before turning to face Luna. “Are you certain that’s wise?”

Luna smiled back at her. “Celestia… you ran Equestria for one thousand years in my absence. I am certain you can run it again for another year or so while I am gone on what we both know is a mission of the utmost importance. The words of Sunset and her crew will surely carry great weight with this Federation, but in the end, it is we, the citizens of Equus, who must make the appeal.”

“Agreed. But we could send someone else. Cadance, perhaps, or Starlight Glimmer.”

“We could,” Luna admitted. “But both Cadance and Starlight Glimmer are desperately needed here. We cannot break up the Elements of Harmony, not when their abilities could be crucial in the days ahead. Cadance is needed to help maintain the Crystal Heart for the Crystal Empire; without it, they would fall to the abysmal cold of their surrounding climate. We can run through every possibility, Celestia, but it would always come back to me. I am the most logical choice.”

Celestia’s expression shifted through a myriad of emotions, before settling on sorrowful acceptance. She wrapped both wings around her sister and held her close. “As you wish, Luna. You’re right.”

“Captain, if we’re going to do this, we’ll need to vet every possible candidate,” Zhidar said. A soft canine growl escaped his lips as he frowned deeply. “With due respect to our hosts, we still have protocols we must follow, especially if we're going to be taking on volunteers.”

“Totally understandable,” Luna said. “I would be doing the same were I in your place. I will be glad to assist Miss Maia and your security staff to thoroughly screen every volunteer.”

Rodriguez raised a hand as well. “Captain, I am thinking there may be a few other considerations for this journey. If we are to be traveling for a long time, we will be needing to conserve resources, yes? Especially if we are to avoid running into any dangerous adversaries.”

“He’s right,” Zhidar grunted. “Almost everyone in our path will be hostile towards us; we cannot rely on finding a safe port to take on supplies.”

“What are you suggesting, Rodrigo?” I pressed.

He tapped a few buttons and brought up a picture of a plant. “Hydroponics. We can grow food on board to help substantially reduce the need for replicators, especially if we take on some supplies here.”

“That’s a great idea,” Starlight said, nodding. “In that case you might want to check the volunteer list, see if there are any earth pony farmers among them. They can help make the crops more productive and grow even faster.”

“I’m going to second that suggestion, Captain,” Wattson said. “The crew has so far taken to the local cuisines pretty well, and the more energy we can save from the replicators the better.”

“I thought deuterium wasn’t going to be an issue,” I said, frowning.

“Deuterium, no. Antimatter, on the other hand, is a different story. We don’t have the facilities needed to make more, so we’ve got to hold onto what we’ve got. Replicators use up a lot of energy. Turning Ten-Forward and other lounges into galleys has helped, but even that minimal usage draws substantial amounts from the fusion reactors. The numbers I’ve been running show that isn’t sustainable in our current state, especially not when we need every bit of energy we can to get what speed we can out of the warp drive. We’re going to have to cut corners somewhere, and the way I see it, growing and storing food is the least disruptive way to do it.”

“We can always implement a replicator ration system,” suggested Danielle. “Even in limited use, keeping the replicators available will be good for morale.”

“Sounds like we’ll need some cooks too, then,” I said, nodding. “Danielle, I’m assigning you the task of constructing a kitchen in Ten-Forward. Inventory the equipment we have, and replicate more if you must, but keep it to a minimum. Source anything you can from the locals, especially plates, bowls, and silverware. If you need any local currency let me know and I'll draw it from my personal stipend.”

“Aye, ma’am,” Danielle said, pulling out her PADD to make some notes.

I glanced at Wattson. “Are we going to have to worry about water as well?”

“No, that shouldn’t be an issue, thankfully. We can use the Bussard scoops to collect enough hydrogen and oxygen from the off-gassing of any comets we pass by. Worst case we can manufacture it on board using existing supplies of both. So long as we conserve energy where we can, life support issues like that will be a non-factor.”

I let out a sigh of relief. “Still… I’d like to convert some of the currently unused space on board into extra storage facilities for basics like that. Just to have some backup. Whatever we can take with us from Equus, we should.” I glanced at Princess Celestia. “Of course we're happy to offer up trade goods as well to help offset anything we take.”

“No need; I will fund everything directly from the royal treasury,” Celestia said, an amused smile on her face. “Besides, as large as your ship is, it is still only one ship, and will have fewer people aboard than there are ponies living in Ponyville. I believe we can handle supplying it without breaking the bank, so to speak.”

“Thank you, Princess,” I said, feeling confidence swelling in my breast. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for us.”

“It is the least we can do, especially as you and your crew may be the key to saving us all,” Celestia said with a slight shrug. “We will give everything we can and then some to see this ship make it back here.”

“Very well.” I stood. “Then we have our courses of action. Wattson, Sparkle, May, have your finalized list of personnel remaining behind for me by week’s end. Princess Luna, I will have Commander Zhidar work with you directly on our volunteer selection. Wattson, if you could please have the numbers of how many volunteers we should take on for each department, including food production by this time tomorrow, that will be ideal. Dismissed.”

Between the various new duties assigned and the plans established for the ship, the next few days passed like a blur. Hours and hours of coordinating with department heads and princesses alike, with regular interruptions of even harder labor to knock out the remaining repairs. You don't realize how big a Galaxy-class saucer really is until you have to re-install EPS conduits that span the entire width of a deck.

As the final days began to tick away, the make up of the planetside crew began to take shape. Twilight's science team would be the largest, with seven science officers joining my sister. Pog would be leading a team of four on the engineering side, while May tagged three med-techs to join her team. All told, that stretched our ranks even thinner, especially in sickbay. Even with the E.M.H., Doctor Selar was going to need more help.

With the teams finalized and the repairs finally reaching completion, I shifted gears to help Luna and Zhidar vet some of the new pony personnel coming aboard. Most of them met with my automatic approval, including Doctor Redheart, a former nurse practitioner from Ponyville General who’d gone on to become a full Doctor and had just completed her residency in Fillydelphia when we arrived. But there were a number that I wanted to speak with directly before approving them. With the bridge finally repaired and fully operational, I met them in the ready room.

The first stood before me, a pegasus with a butter-yellow coat, hiding her face in her rose pink mane in a manner that was, frankly, adorable, albeit it did not speak well as to her self-confidence. “This is Doctor Fluttershy,” Luna informed me, reading from the PADD she held in her magic. “She is a veterinarian operating in Ponyville.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Doctor Fluttershy,” I said, holding out a hoof.

Fluttershy trembled, but she managed to raise her eyes to look at me, if only for a moment, before sticking her hoof out. “Um, nice to meet you too, C-Captain Shimmer.”

I briefly glanced down at my own PADD, which showed me Fluttershy’s application. “So, I will admit, I was a little concerned when I saw a veterinarian applied to work for the medical team. It says here however that you were top of your class at Cloudsdale University, and you’re highly regarded as the best in the area. What made you want to come on board the Phoenix?”

“Um, well, I, I… I really want to help out,” Fluttershy said, her voice as shaky as her body, which worried me.

“Of course,” I said with what I hoped was a disarming smile. “It’s okay… you can relax. You’re safe here.”

She cringed. “S-sorry. I um, I have a lot of, um, anxiety… I’ve been working to control it, a-and I’m usually much better than this, I promise…”

I glanced at Luna, who nodded. “It’s true, she was much more confident when she first submitted her application, and I can personally vouch for the quality of her veterinarian work. She has treated my Tiberius on more than one occasion.”

“He’s such a good opossum,” Fluttershy said, perking up at the mention of the animal. “And if there are any other animals on board, I-I can help with them too.”

“That likely won’t be needed, but that’s alright.” I leaned forward at my desk. “Are you sure you feel up to the task of helping creatures that are arguably more complex than birds or opossums?”

“Oh, o-of course!” Fluttershy insisted with a quick little nod. “My cutie mark talent, it, um, it lets me speak with animals, so I’m used to being able to understand what’s wrong. It’s what makes me so good at my job.”

“Wait, hang on, are you saying you’re an empath of some kind?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Fluttershy stared at me blankly. “I, um, I don’t know what that means, but I’m able to understand them, especially when they need help. A-and I’m used to handling many other species, and most of the species on-board this ship are, um, well, more foreign than the doctors would be used to.”

“That’s a good point,” I admitted. “Alright, well, I need to make something clear: if you choose to come along, you’re making a big commitment. We haven’t had many pegasi volunteers because of the closed quarters situation on board the ship. We have holodecks that can simulate a larger environment, but we'll be able to use them sporadically at best. Is claustrophobia an issue for you?”

“No,” Fluttershy said, her voice firm this time. “I’m not like most pegasi… I prefer the ground.”

“Fair enough,” I said. “But you’re still committing to something dangerous. I won’t lie to you: there is a real possibility you could die on this mission, if something goes wrong. I see here you have a spouse, a… Rainbow Dash, it looks like. You’ll be away from her for at least a year, probably longer. Is that going to be an issue?”

Fluttershy’s reaction to that surprised me; she chuckled. “Oh, I’m used to spending long periods of time away from Rainbow; she’s a Wonderbolt.” She blinked, then shrank away. “Um, do you, do you know what that is?”

I smiled. “Yes, I do remember the Wonderbolts. Now that you mention them, I definitely have to see a show when we get back here.” I flipped over my PADD and slid it off to the side. “Well, alright then. One last thing I need to make you aware of before I can accept you: there may be times where you will have to follow orders. In a dangerous situation I can’t have ponies wandering all over the place or debating what they should be doing. Will you have a problem with that?”

She drew herself up. “No. I-I can manage it. I promise. I know I’m risking my life, b-but I feel like it’s worth it. No, I know it’s worth it.”

I nodded. “Very well then. In that case, Doctor Fluttershy, welcome to the crew of the Phoenix. You’ll be assigned quarters and a uniform. There will be a training session led by Lieutenant Twilight Sparkle for the volunteers before we leave for the ship; it is critical you attend that. In the meantime, please see to your affairs, and report back at 0800 tomorrow morning.”

Fluttershy stared blankly at me. “Um, eight hundred what? Do I need to bring eight hundred of something?”

“She means early in the morning, at eight o’clock,” Luna said.

“Oh!” Fluttershy’s face lit up. “I got it.”

“Oy vey…” I groaned, shaking my head.

She stuck her hoof out to shake again, which I took and shook with gusto. “T-thank you, you won’t regret this!”

“I sure hope not,” I murmured as soon as she left. I’d have to keep an eye on that one. She struck me as someone who might panic in the heat of battle, which was the last thing we needed. “Who’s next?”

Luna opened her mouth to answer, but before she could speak, the doors swished open and my face filled with pink. “Hi, hi, hi! I’m Pinkie Pie, and it’s great to meet you!”

I reeled back from the pudgy pink earth pony sticking her face in mine, and tried to give her a simple hoofshake instead. “Err, good to meet you, too, Mrs. Pie. What’s your specialty?”

Pinkie shook my hoof so enthusiastically I thought it would fall off. “Ooooh, nothing special, I’m just one of the best bakers in all of Ponyville, and I make lots of other great food too, like mashedpotatoesandburritosandfriedriceandpaninisandsubsandchimicherrychangas! And I’m a party planner, and I like to make ponies smile, and—”

Luna’s magic wrapped around her muzzle. “She will be useful for morale. We hope.”

I clipped a hoof on the desk. “Wait a tick, I remember now, you’re the one who planned the wake for the funeral. I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to meet you yet.” I smiled softly at her and waved for Luna to take her magic away. “I wanted to thank you personally for it. It was perfectly tasteful, and it made a huge difference for a lot of the crew.”

Pinkie grinned up a storm. “You bet! Sooooo, what made you want to meet me, huh?”

“Err, well, I was primarily concerned by… ahah, here.” I turned my PADD around to face her and pointed at the screen. “You’re the sister of one of the Elements of Harmony.”

“Thaaaat’s right! Limestone’s the best. Sometimes I wish I could shoot rainbow lasers like her, pew pew pew!” Pinkie’s laughter was infectious, bringing a smile to my own face. “Aww, but I guess I don’t need to do that to make people smile. And when I heard you could use some cooks, well… I’m good at more than just sweets. Here!”

She reached into her mane and withdrew a plastic container of food. “Try this.”

“Wait, did you just pull that out of your mane?”

“Yeah! It's way easier than bulky saddlebags most of the time. Here, give it a taste!”

Grimacing slightly, I opened it up, my nostrils instantly filled with delicious aromas. It appeared to be something akin to mashed potatoes and cheese, but mixed with vegetables. I took a bite, and moaned as my mouth exploded with flavor. “Oh my god, that’s incredible!”

Pinkie beamed. “I don’t usually make a lot of non-baked goods. I leave those to my hubby. But he's taught me a thing or two about savory dishes anyway, so I've got your crew covered no matter what they're craving!”

“Right, yes, that was another concern of mine, your husband, Cheese Sandwich.”

“What about him? Wait, do you need a polka band? Because Cheese can totally do that.”

“N-No, we definitely won't need a polka band for this trip,” I chuckled.

“Or ever,” I heard Luna mumble from the far corner.

"Reason I ask is, since we've had so many volunteers, we're trying to discourage too many ponies with families from joining up. Not that we don't want them, to be clear. It's just that, well, space is a risky place on a good day, and the trip we have to make is going to be long and extraordinarily dangerous for all of us. A year plus is a long time to be away from one's family, assuming we make it back at all.”

Pinkie seemed to deflate ever so slightly before perking back up. “I know I’m gonna miss him. We were just talking about having foals too, buuuut I guess we’ll have to wait a while on that.” She looked right up at me. “But this is important. You’re important. My Pinkie Sense made that clear. I gotta come with you. You’ll need every bit of good food and happiness and cheer you can get.”

“She does make a fair point,” Luna admitted. “And, though I hate to bring this up again…”

“There’s the fact that most ponies will have a hard time adjusting to being on the ship long-term, I know.” I looked back at Pinkie Pie. “Alright, Mrs. Pie, so long as you can settle things with your family, and it won’t create any issues, welcome to the Phoenix crew.” I gave her the same spiel I had given to Fluttershy. “And thank you.”

Pinkie’s grin spread ear to ear. “You got it! Woohoo!” She spread her hooves and confetti seemed to explode out of nowhere. She pronked right out the door like some kind of ninja, leaving me and my desk covered in a cloud of glittery paper shards.

“What... was that?” I finally asked, blowing another clump of confetti out of my mane.

Luna gave me a look. “Chief Cook and Morale Officer, it would seem.”

“Oh what are we getting ourselves into…” I groaned. “Alright, next!”

We went through several more, including a dragon named Smolder that struck me as being a bit too young, but she was quite insistent that she had skills that could help. Plus, Luna highlighted the value of having non-pony volunteers among the crew too, so in the end I let her on board.

After bidding farewell to the last volunteer on our list, I got up from the desk, cracked more than a few sore back muscles, and promptly slumped onto the nearby couch. “What a day…”

“Indeed,” Luna replied, stifling a small yawn. “Even I am beginning to flag a bit.” She quietly stepped over and sat near the end of the couch, leaning against the side. We sat in silence for a minute or two before I spoke up again.

“You know… I really should’ve said this sooner, but are you absolutely certain you want to go? You’ve heard what I’ve been telling everyone. We're a year away at best, assuming the repairs and our energy reserves hold up long enough to get more than a crawl out of these engines. And with minimal shields and weapons, even a ragtag band of pirates could blow us to Tartarus.”

“Don't forget, we ponies can smell danger a mile away. Yet all these volunteers showed up anyway. Believe me, Sunset, they know the risks they're undertaking.”

“Exactly, which is why I was so hesitant to bring up the idea myself. Equus residents putting their flanks on the line for aliens they've just met is hard enough to swallow. But risking one of the Princesses?”

Luna sat up straighter, smiling in understanding. “I thought you might make such an objection. But I disagree. On the contrary, seeing one of their Princesses step up to go is why we’ve seen so many volunteers. That we are willing to, as you say, put our flanks on the line too and not just sit back and hope for the best inspires them all. After all, if the sun dies, so do we.”

I nodded. “Okay, fair, but remember what I told Fluttershy and Pinkie. They’re not just going on a long trip. They have to leave behind family, loved ones. And they aren’t the only ones to be doing that either. And, well, you… look, I know you’ve been gone a thousand years, but take off the crown and you’re just a pony leaving her sister for god knows how long.”

“As are you, my dear,” Luna said with a deep, melodic laugh, one that admittedly sent shivers down my spine. I hadn’t missed how beautiful she was, or the furtive second glances I'd see thrown her way by a few ponies here or there. Not that I could blame them, of course. I shook my head a bit and refocused. Damn my libido lately but I was missing Cadeneza something fierce.

Luna continued, “But like you, I share your confidence in your sister to find her way in our absence. Just in these past few weeks, Twilight Sparkle has made remarkable progress. She has much further to go, true. But I choose to believe in her abilities.”

I sat up, feeling a bit of weight fall off my shoulders as I did so. “That’s reassuring to hear, thank you.”

Luna stood and turned to leave, but paused a few hoofsteps from the door. “And for what it is worth, I can empathize with Fluttershy, Pinkie, and the others with spouses. Leaving one for an extended period is never fun.”

I stared at her slack-jawed for a moment. “Y-You’re married?! Wha, I, who–”

Luna laughed again. “Indeed. Just over two years now, in fact. It is not publicly known, save for Celestia and a small group of close friends and colleagues. Even a fake planet has geopolitics to consider, you know. But I will ensure you two meet before our departure.”

When I agreed to teach for the training session, I hadn’t quite anticipated just how big the class would be. Or that I would be teaching Princess Luna herself. But Luna thought it critical that she not lead the session in any way, especially with such a varied group of volunteers.

And varied they were. Looking at the assembled crowd was like looking at a nearly perfect group photo of Equus itself. Zebras, Dragons, Griffons, and Yaks were all represented, along with Hippogriffs, the newly reformed Changelings, and the normally reclusive Kirin. Even Equus' rare bipedal species were present in the form of a bright green parrot and an Abyssinian feline named Capper, who would not stop winking at me, probably because he could smell Preta’s pheromones all over me.

Speaking of Preta, she’d been beside herself when she found out there was a feline species native to Equus. And even more surprising was how similar they looked to Caitians – so much so that I asked Doctor May if the two species were somehow related. Turns out they aren't, at least not more so than every other humanoid species. Still, put this Capper in uniform and I doubt anyone at Starfleet Headquarters would think he wasn’t a Caitian.

Still, it didn’t stop her from expressing a desire to visit a community of Abyssinians at some point while staying on Equus. She’d been assigned as the primary pilot for the stay-behind teams, so I wasn’t sure how much free time she’d get for such a thing, but I told her if we could manage it, we’d try.

I took it as a good sign that everycreature on the roster was present and accounted for inside of Ponyville's Town Hall when the small clock on my PADD ticked over to 0800. Rapping a hoof on the stage, I brought the room to attention and, after a brief introduction and administering the traditional Starfleet Oath of Enlistment, launched right into things.

I focused the first few lessons on basic starship procedures, the chain of command, and general discipline. Over and over again I stressed the importance of following orders, but to not do so blindly.

“In a way, this isn't that much different than joining the Royal Guard. You're all starting off as enlisted crew, which means basically everyone else has seniority over you in some manner. Following their orders is crucial to a ship's day to day operation; doubly so in a crisis.”

“But remember,” I continued, “you're not mindless robots either. If you have an idea, speak up. If you sense a risk that others have not mentioned, point it out. We follow orders but we also work as a team. That's the only way a ship of any size gets through even the simplest mission, much less one as fraught as yours will be.”

Fortunately with rare exception almost everyone present understood this, as it had been a majorly stressed point in the recruitment. “We cannot afford anypony to maverick their way through a crisis, such as a battle.”

“Indeed,” seconded Princess Luna, who cast a foul glare at two ponies in one of the back rows who’d started sniggering in response to my statement. “I need not remind all present that in giving their blessing for me to represent them, the leaders of all the races represented here also charged me with overseeing the conduct of everycreature as well. Any who disrupt the safe completion of our journey, especially in a moment of crisis, will have to answer to their Starfleet superiors and me.”

That shut those two ponies up instantly.

We then spent the next few hours running through some basic drills. Sunset authorized the use of the holodeck for this, and I took full advantage, working with Maia and Wattson to make the hull breaches, radiation alarms, and blown EPS conduits as real as possible. Not only did that help drive home just how hazardous and chaotic real emergencies can be, but I think for the three of us it was a bit cathartic to be on the other side of an Academy holodeck test for once.

I feared that some ponies might get disheartened when it was made more clear just how dangerous being on board the Phoenix would be, but none of them faltered. Not even the pony who caught my eye early on, a butter-yellow pegasus named Fluttershy, who struck me as one of the possible weak links in this colorful chain of volunteers.

After breaking for lunch, we added one more simulation, this one a suggestion from Rodriguez and specific to the small contingent of volunteers who had wings. The test itself was quite simple in comparison. No simulated warp core breaches or intruder alerts. All the recruits had to do was make one lap of Deck Seven, then go down a Jefferies Tube to Deck Ten and repeat the lap.

But they had to do it without artificial gravity generators.

If not for the Holodeck safeties, Doctor Selar would have spent the rest of the day applying wing splints. Also, under extreme circumstances, a group of panicked pegasi sound a lot like a flock of angry geese.

The one exception was a young female dragon named Smoulder. She adjusted her approach after only a few minutes and quickly completed the test before the pegasi had made it through the first lap. Between her and some timely assistance from Sunset, we eventually got everypony gliding along reasonably well.

A rather grueling day finally wound down after a thorough tour of the ship, and a stop by the Quartermaster to distribute uniforms and combadges. I dismissed the newest members of the Phoenix crew just in time for them to grab some dinner in the galleys and settle into their quarters. Thanks to the lower crew numbers everyone would still be able to have private rooms, for those who wanted them, though it didn’t stop a few from requesting to share quarters. That's us ponies… always making new friendships.

While I was in my office afterwards punching in reports on their progress at my terminal, Fluttershy stopped by to visit. “Um, excuse me, ma’am. Can we speak about something?”

“Yes, Crewpony?” I asked. I’d made a point of addressing them all that way, avoiding using names directly where I could on purpose to make a point about military discipline. Fortunately some of the ponies who’d served in the Royal Guard or Equestrian Navy helped the rest get used to it pretty quickly. The lone exception had been Princess Luna, due to her dual role as an ambassador and a kind of first officer for the volunteers on Sunset's behalf.

Fluttershy shrank into her mane, taking a few deep breaths before she continued. “Um, actually, I’d like this to be pony to pony, not, um… crewpony to superior. If that’s okay, of course.”

I let out a mild sigh and looked up into her eyes. She really was quite beautiful, in an ethereal, almost willowy way; not quite as naturally elegant and refined as Rarity, but still gorgeous in her own right. What was it about me and finding so many ponies attractive lately? I shook off the thought and managed to make myself smile. “Alright, Fluttershy. What is it?”

“Well, it’s… it’s about you, actually,” she said, pushing her mane aside so I could see both of her shining, sapphire blue eyes. Pony eyes… so big compared to most species, so expressive. These contained such a plaintive, worried expression it tugged at my heartstrings.

“What about me?” I asked, feeling myself go on guard.

“Forgive me if this is prying, but, um, when I noticed it, I had to say something. Princess Luna agreed with me when I spoke to her about it. So, um, here goes.” She took another deep breath and straightened her stance, till she held herself with confidence. “I think you're too hard on yourself, Twilight.”

I leaned back, my hackles rising. “What?”

“Please hear me out,” she insisted. “You're an extraordinarily talented pony, and you work extremely hard. Nopony would ever doubt that. But you set almost impossibly high standards for yourself, which causes you to push yourself to the limit all the time. And even if you do meet that bar, you beat yourself up as if you failed anyway.”

I shot up out of my chair, my eyes flashing with fury. “What the hell does that mean? And who are you to presume you know anything about me?” I hissed, gritting my teeth.

She whimpered, shrinking back. “P-Please, don’t shout, Twilight. You're right, I don't know you that well. But Princess Luna does, and like I said, she sees the same things that I do.”

“Then why is she not here right now then?" I shot back.

"Because I decided to tell you all of this. She said I would be able to do this nicer than she could.”

A huge breath forced its way through my lips like a steam engine letting out a cloudy puff, all heated and swift. I managed to force myself to sit back down. “Okay, fine. What exactly is this about?”

She sighed in relief and stood up straight again, holding a hoof to her breast. “This is, um, this is really hard for me to talk about, so please, let me keep talking till I’m finished, okay?”

I narrowed my eyes, my lips curling back. “Got it.”

Fluttershy bowed her head a moment before she raised it again, her eyes focused on mine. “When I was a little pony, I hated myself. Really, really hated myself. I was weak, timid, scared of almost everything. I, I still am, in a lot of ways. You’ve seen how anxious I can be. My brother, Zephyr, is completely the opposite from me. Strong, confident, successful. Sure of his place in the world. He owns a series of barber shops in Manehattan and Fillydelphia, with plans to expand even further soon. Me? I couldn’t even make it through flight school.”

I nodded as I listened, finding it odd how she was speaking with so much strength and conviction now. Like she’d found some core of herself to draw on.

“Like magic kindergarten for unicorns, flight school is one of the most basic things a pegasus can attend. It’s almost impossible to flunk, but I did it. I fell off a cloud and dropped like a stone, completely unable to fly. I would have died, if it weren’t for a group of butterflies that caught me at the last moment. But right after I hit the ground, there was this loud explosion… it was my future wife, Rainbow Dash, doing something called a Sonic Rainboom.”

I sat up straight immediately. “Wait, hang on. What’s a Sonic Rainboom?”

“Oh, it’s when she flies so fast, she passes the speed of sound and creates a visible shockwave.”

My eyes practically bugged out of my skull. “Faster than the speed of sound?! Are you serious?” And then I gasped all over again when a memory hit me. “Wait… how long ago did this happen?”

“Um… about sixteen years ago?” Fluttershy eyed me. “Why?”

“My magic surge…the one that made the mirror lock onto me and pull me through,” I whispered. “It was triggered by a huge explosion in the sky, and a flash of rainbow light.”

“Oh my goodness,” Fluttershy said, holding her forehoves to her mouth. “That’s incredible. Um, you’re staying behind, right?”

“Yeah.”

She ruffled into her saddlebag and pulled out a picture of another pony, this one a cyan pegasus with the most prismatic mane coloraton I’d ever seen. “This is Rainbow Dash. When she's not traveling with the Wonderbolts, she's at home with me here in Ponyville. We have a house just east of Town Hall. If you get the chance you should talk to her sometime.”

I made sure to memorize that face before I handed it back to her. “I will, thank you.” I sat back in my chair. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your story. Please continue.”

“Oh, right.” Fluttershy giggled, a quiet little laugh that made me smile despite the situation. “A-anyway, after the Rainboom happened, the animals in the area were spooked. I tried to calm them down and in that moment I realized that I could understand what they were saying, and they understood me too. That's when I got my cutie mark. I think that's why I'm such a good vet. Any vet can fix their injuries, but I can tell that so often what they really need is a little kindness. That's all.”

“Kindness, huh?”

“Mmhmm.” Fluttershy nodded. “And that’s what I needed too. It took me a long time after that to realize it, even as I started attending veterinary school. It took a lot of effort, but I finally learned to be proud of who I am and what I am capable of, even if it isn't what other ponies might expect of me. I can't always do what other ponies can do, and that's okay. It doesn't make me any less of a pony than they are.”

“You showed yourself some kindness,” I whispered.

"Exactly." she pointed a hoof at me. “And that’s what you need too. That's why I realized it so quickly... because at least in this regard I saw a lot of myself in you. You have a lot of anger and hatred for yourself, and I think you need to learn to let go of it, to forgive yourself. Show yourself some kindness… it’s the least you deserve. You’ll find you’re happier that way. Because you’re not happy, and we can all tell.”

Another sigh escaped me, but this one was less angry and more resigned. “You… might have a point,” I muttered. “It’s a long story. A really long story that would take too long to tell right now, unfortunately. But… maybe I’ll give it some more thought.”

“That’s all we ask,” Fluttershy said, giving me a soft smile. Then it vanished as she yelped in sudden surprise. “Oh dear. I should get to my quarters. I need to unpack if I want to have time to say goodbye to Rainbow Dash.”

I nodded. “Alright. Dismissed. And Fluttershy? Thank you.”

She fled, leaving me alone to my thoughts. Kindness for myself… Part of me wanted to forget about it, to simply toss it aside like I usually do when I'm told things I'm not willing to hear. Who did she think she was, telling me, or Luna for that matter, that I wasn't happy?

But she was right. I wasn’t happy. Even with Preta a part of my life now… there were far too many things in the way of my happiness. Like how furious I still was with myself for how I’d acted for so long with Sunset. Or the trauma of losing her the first time, which still burned even now. The simmering anger that never entirely went away, even once we reconciled. The near brush with alcoholism. The ways in which Mother and Mom snubbed me while Sunset had been gone, even if they never fully realized it until much later. Losing the crew we did, especially a couple of colleagues.

And now my Ascension... a twisted, dark cherry garnish floating in a cocktail of misery, stress, and self-loathing. Sure, I put on a smile when I needed to, but there was no denying that grumpy was my default state; had been for most of the last sixteen years.

It all added up, in the end, to a cocktail of misery and stress that dragged me down and left me… grumpy, at the very least, as my default state. Sure, I put on a smile or two every now and then, but the stress kept getting to me.

Perhaps it was just as well that I was staying behind. At least on Equus my duties were much lighter, albeit still important to the overall mission.

I just hoped I wasn’t making a terrible mistake.

I looked in the mirror, double checking all four pips on my collar were in place, and adjusted my uniform. Standing in the ready room on the bridge, in what I still thought of, in some respects, as Liang’s office, brought a sense of melancholy to the affair.

Perhaps appropriate, since we were about to launch.

A chime came at the door. “Enter,” I said.

The doors parted, revealing an unfamiliar pony, a slender unicorn with a brilliantly shining white coat and a mane of pastel pale pink mixed with white. On her flanks was a fleur de lis symbol. She held her head high, but despite the expression, she had nothing but kindness in her eyes. “Captain Shimmer,” she said, an unusual lilt to her accent. “Apologies, but Luna was delayed speaking to some ponies on the bridge.

“Not a problem, Miss…” I said as I held out a hoof to shake.

To my surprise she leaned forward to kiss my hoof before backing off at the last second. “Oh my word, pardon me. Old habits; I am so used to doing that for nobles and officials at all the endless soirees and meetings I attend that I forget myself outside of them. Fleur de Lis, at your service, Captain.” She then shook my hoof normally.

I chuckled despite myself. “I understand. I used to live in the castle; I remember what it was like, if only vaguely.”

“Oh yes, Luna did mention your history,” Fleur said with a smile. Even as she spoke though her eyes were darting this way and that. “Oh, my, I still cannot believe how wondrous this ship is. The technology aboard is like no magic I have ever seen. Luna showed me this rather plain-looking wall panel. I thought it was merely a shelf, but then she spoke to it and conjured a glass of wine from nothing!”

“That’s a replicator for you,” I said, suppressing the urge to frown at Luna’s replicator use; showing off once for a spouse before leaving was perfectly understandable. “I’m sure she’s showed you plenty of other technology.”

“Oh yes, especially that unusual shower… sonic I believe she called it? I would love to have such a thing in my own home.”

Despite her words, I noticed she continued to tremble or fidget every few seconds. “Something wrong?”

“I’m deeply worried for Luna, to be honest with you, Captain,” Fleur said, rubbing a hoof on the floor. “But even so, while I will worry endlessly until she returns, I trust Luna’s confidence in you. If she says you will succeed, then you will succeed.”

I straightened my posture. “Absolutely, we will do our best.”

“Of course. One question, if I may.” She glanced back at the doors, then leaned in closer to me. “I don’t suppose there will be any way to communicate with Luna once you leave?”

I sighed and shook my head. “I’m sorry, but no. Once we leave the nebula surrounding this planet, we’ll be on our own, at least until we can reach Federation space.”

“Oh.” Fleur’s expression drooped. “More’s the pity, I suppose.”

The doors parted suddenly, revealing Princess Luna. Or, as we’d both agreed while on board, Ambassador Luna. She wore an outfit similar to the sorts of things that Twilight and I frequently wore off duty, albeit fit for her frame, and suited to her position. She was the only pony volunteer who wasn’t considered a crewperson, instead more like a civilian contractor working with the authority of a Lieutenant Commander. It was the most suited way we’d both decided for her to serve while still respecting her position and intended role once we returned to the Federation.

“My apologies for the delay, Captain Shimmer,” Luna said as she took up a position next to Fleur, rubbing her side against the smaller mare’s ever so slightly. “I’m afraid I was forced to approve a few last minute cargo alterations. It seems we did not have nearly enough pony-designed furniture aboard.”

I smacked a hoof on my desk. “Of course, why didn’t I think of that?”

“Not to worry. I dispatched a small group of ponies to a business in Ponyville, I believe the name is… Quills and Sofas? They should be able to get what we need there.”

“...Quills and Sofas?” I repeated. “Really?”

Fleur hid a laugh behind her hoof as Luna shrugged. “It is a Ponyville business. They have many oddly named businesses there.”

“Luna swears it’s the Everfree Forest making ponies a little bit… what was the word you used, darling? Wacky?”

Luna’s brief blush accompanied Fleur’s laughter, and I admit it was hard not to join her. “In any event,” Luna stressed, clearly done with that topic, “My dearest Fleur here will be assisting me with handling some of the more mundane administrative tasks of my position while I am away, in addition to her position as Director of Charitable Affairs.”

“Songbird Serenade once tried to claim the position, due to her Element,” Fleur added. “But she gave up when she realized it would interfere too much with her publicity schedule and song touring.”

Luna wrapped a wing around Fleur as pride creeped onto her face. “Indeed. My beloved is most capable.” The pride slipped away as her face tightened, her mouth twisted into a deep frown. “Unfortunately she must also be going, much as I wish otherwise. I will escort her to the transporter room.”

“Understood,” I said, standing to extend a hoof in a shake once more. “It was wonderful to meet you, Fleur. Don’t worry. I’ll keep Luna safe.”

“I trust you will,” Fleur said as the two departed the room.

I watched them go and returned my gaze to the mirror just to the right of the desk. For just a moment, I saw a ghostly image of Cadeneza standing behind me, her hand on my shoulder and a proud smile on her beautiful face.

It took all I had in me not to cry.

Sighing, I nodded to myself, slipped on my mask of command, and stepped out onto the bridge. I could feel the energy in the air. It was the kind of buzzy, almost giddy feeling any crew gets on launch day. More of a re-launch in our case, but if that phased anyone on the bridge, I couldn't tell.

“Captain on the bridge!” I heard Zhidar bark. For a moment, everyone stopped and snapped to attention.

I smiled and nodded. “As you were, thank you.”

As I made my way forward, I nodded at each of the bridge crew in turn. Rodriguez at the helm, Danielle at ops, Maia hovering above it all at tactical, and finally Zhidar, taking his seat next to the Captain's chair.

My chair.

“Report,” I ordered as I slipped into the seat.

“Engineering reports the warp core is online and fully functioning,” Maia stated. “They’re performing final tests now.”

“All members of the teams staying behind have disembarked, Captain. Lieutenant Re’l is standing by on the Calypso ready to launch,” Rogriguez said.

“What’s the status of our cargo?” I asked.

Zhidar checked the console next to him. “They’ve just finished loading the last of the stores. We’ve got a full inventory… it seems there were a number of last minute gift additions, including six barrels of cider and a dozen crates of apples from a local farm, and... hmm?"

I glanced over. “What is it? And please don't say polka band.”

“No, Captain,” he replied. "It's just, well, I wasn't expecting to see "six sofas" on the inventory list.”

"Oh!" I chuckled. “I apologize, Zhidar. That would be due to Princess Luna. She noticed we were still lacking additional pony or, should I say, quadrupedal-friendly seating. So she sent a few ponies to pick some up from a store in Ponyville called Quills and Sofas."

"Funny name for a furniture store," Maia quipped.

"Indeed," Luna replied as she stepped out of the turbolift. "Starlight tells me she orders her furniture and her writing supplies from there all the time."

Zhidar looked at us like we were crazy, but just shook his head and returned to reading off the rest of the list. After he was finished, I turned to Luna, who sat down in the chair to my left.

"Status of volunteers, Ambassador?”

“They are all aboard and prepared,” she said.

“No last minute runners?”

She smiled proudly. “None.”

I nodded, pleased. “Good. Bridge to Calypso.”

“Calypso here, ma’am.”

“Lieutenant, you are go for launch. You know where to set her down.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Rodriguez helpfully switched our view to our ventral section, allowing me to watch the saucer shape of the yacht detach itself from the lower saucer, floating gently like an old-timey UFO across the landscape to settle into its new docking port amidst the facility. Umbilicals linked in, allowing it to serve as one part of the core of the building, albeit one that could come and go as it pleased.

The viewscreen switched to an image of Twilight standing in front of a console, flanked by Pog and May. “This is Equestria Base, reporting in. Calypso is docked and secured. We are live and online.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” I answered, my voice catching briefly in my throat.

“...Sunset.”

I frowned ever so slightly at this breach of protocol, finding it harder to maintain my mask. “Yes, Twilight?”

“I love you, sis. Good luck out there.”

A single tear ran down my cheek. “Love you too, Twi. Take care. All of you.”

The transmission ceased, and after taking a moment to get in a deep breath, I called out, “Contact Princess Celestia and her entourage. Let them know we’re prepared to depart.”

“Acknowledged,” Maia said. After a couple of moments, she continued, “Princess Celestia reports that she, the Elements, the Pillars, and Discord are standing by, ready to assist.”

It was a bit farcical to my science-oriented engineering mindset I’d cultivated in Starfleet, to have to rely on magical support just to get a starship off the ground. But the Nebula-class was never meant to land, so it was never designed to take off either. It simply lacked the ability to properly escape a gravity well from within an atmosphere, at least not without potentially destroying hundreds of square kilometers of surface by briefly jumping to warp. For obvious reasons that was a no-go.

Additionally we’d need to thread the needle of the satellites in orbit. Due to their overlapping orbits we'd have to time our maneuvers tightly while avoiding passing too close to any one of them. After the experience we had trying to access the solar satellite I didn’t want to risk damage to the ship before we’d even left the system.

“Understood. Helm, plot our course. Engage on my mark.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

I used my magic to tap the intercom, broadcasting to the entire ship. “Now hear this. All hands, this is the Captain. We are preparing to lift off the surface. But before we do, I want us to give thanks to the Equus natives who are willing to stand by us, and join us on this journey. I want us to be grateful to those who hosted us these many weeks, and gave us the resources we needed to repair our ship. We have a duty to them. As you all know, the Equus solar satellite is failing. While we cannot yet say for certain when it will fail, the available evidence suggests it is likely no more than a few years away.

“And we are on a time limit ourselves. It will take us a year to return to Federation space, and during that time our resources will be limited. Tensions will run high, and it is paramount that we do not forget our duty to ourselves, to each other, to Equus, and to the Federation. The natives joining us do so not simply to assist us, but to help us help them. Equus is my home planet too, and my sister's as well. Believe me, I want to save it just as much as you all do.

“But, whether you've been with this ship for a day or many years, I believe in you. The Phoenix has within its walls one of the finest crews in the fleet. A crew I am and will always be proud to serve with. We have weathered many storms together, and there are still many ahead of us. But we will persevere. We will survive. Together, we will return to the Federation and get Equus the help it needs, because we are Starfleet. It's what we do.”

I stood and turned to look at the bridge crew, so many of whom had been with me since nearly the beginning and seen me through so much.

“Today, the Phoenix rises from the ashes.”

“All hands report to your stations. Blue alert.”

I hit the button again to turn off the intercom, watching the alert lights flash blue, an unusual condition meant only for situations like this, where a ship might take off from a planet’s surface.

“A good speech, Sunset,” Luna commented, startling me into looking at her. “I do not believe my sister could have done better.”

My cheeks warmed as I waved off the compliment. “Thanks, but I don’t think it was that good.”

She shrugged. “Perhaps not. But I have confidence in you nevertheless.”

“Thank you.” I turned back to the viewscreen. “Helm… mark. Begin our ascent.”

Rodriguez tapped a few keys as he shouted, “Aye!”

The entire ship shook like a building rising and falling in a major earthquake, threatening to shake itself apart. “Structural integrity fields at eighty percent!” Danielle reported.

“Steady as she goes, Mr. Rodriguez,” I ordered.

Just as suddenly as it began, the shaking slowed to more of a steady tremble than a cataclysmic shaking. “The Princess and her helpers are using their magic to steady us,” Maia reported.

“Altitude three kilometers and rising,” Rodriguez added.

I watched the view on the viewscreen of the ground steadily peeling away, replaced by a layer of clouds. For just a split second I saw what looked like a huge flock of pegasi waving us off.

“Ten kilometers.”

The shaking increased once more, heightening the further we got away from the surface as the magic used by the Princess and the others was forced to travel a longer distance to affect us. Like a laser, the magic scattered the higher up we went, attenuating until its effectiveness was severely reduced.

Fortunately the higher we ascended the less we needed it too. “Fifty kilometers!”

“Structural integrity fields at sixty percent and falling!”

I tapped my badge. “Bridge to Engineering. Wattson, I need more power to those SIFs.”

“Doing what we can, Captain, but we’re using a hell of a lot of power just getting this ship into orbit.”

“Forty percent!”

“Ninety kilometers. Approaching the Kármán line!”

I heard Luna whisper briefly, “What is a Kármán line?” but I didn’t have the time to answer her question. “Wattson! It does us no good to be in orbit if we break apart!”

“Well aware of that, Captain!”

“Twenty percent!”

The ship’s shaking was so bad it almost knocked Rodriguez out of his chair, and Maia fell against her console, rolling along the deck before she managed to haul herself back to her feet by the wall.

“Helm, tell me we’re almost there,” I begged.

“Almost, Captain! We’re at one hundred fifty kilometers!”

Danielle looked back, her eyes flashing with panic. “Ten percent!”

“Warning. Structural collapse in thirty seconds.”

“Thank you, computer,” I growled. “Wattson!”

“I’m shunting all the power I can give you, Captain! I don’t have anything more!”

Luna stood suddenly. “Sunset, I have an idea, but I will need your help. Join me, quickly!”

I saw her horn ignite and I did a double-take. “Are you sure? Aren't our magics opposed to each other?”

“Yes, but it need not always be so!” She replied. “Just follow my lead.”

Biting my lip, I stepped closer to her and lit my horn, adding my magic to hers. The moment they touched felt like a rough jolt through every nerve, igniting a throbbing headache instantly. I pushed through it and followed the trail of Luna's magic with my mind as it raced through the innards of the ship towards the generators that powered the integrity fields.

“Two hundred fifty kilometers.”

Danielle’s voice took on an edge of wonder. “Integrity back up to thirty percent and rising.”

“We’re almost there,” Maia said. “The Princess’s magic is falling off.”

I merely grunted, trying to keep the SIFs stable with Luna, feeling less and less of a need with each passing second, until finally, blessedly…

“We’ve reached a stable orbit, Captain, at four hundred kilometers.”

As Luna and I let our horns go out, we heard a rising sound of applause from the other officers on board the bridge. “Well done, ma’am, your majesty,” Rodriguez cheered. “I was thinking we were about to die for a moment there.”

I held a hoof to my head and winced. “Almost feels like I did, damn.”

The turbolift doors parted, revealing Doctor Selar, who examined Maia for injuries before coming down to see about Luna and myself. “Hmm. Major headache due to mana strain. I see.” She pulled out a hypospray and administered some pain reliever to myself and Luna. “This should alleviate the pain.”

The medicine worked its way through my system, the pain melting away. “Thank you, Doctor,” I said, earning myself a respectful nod from the Vulcan.

“Indeed, it is much appreciated,” Luna added.

“Any other injuries to report, Doctor?” I asked her while she was here.

“Only minor contusions and the occasional small laceration. Nothing major.”

I nodded. “Bridge to Engineering, Wattson, how’re we doing for warp?”

“Now that we’re not using all our power just to keep from falling to pieces, we’re doing just fine. I can give you warp four on your command.”

“Acknowledged. Stand-by. Danielle, do you have a path out of the nebula for us?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m transferring it to the helm now.”

“Any sign of a shorter way back to the Federation?” Zhidar asked.

Danielle shook her head. “No, sir. Readings remain the same for now.”

Zhidar grunted. “It was a long shot.”

“Worth checking for, at least,” I said. “Helm, take us out of the nebula, full impulse.

“Aye, ma’am.”

As the ship pushed its way through the gaseous clouds of the nebula, I called up a smaller rear view on my personal console, watching Equus get smaller and smaller the further away we went, until it faded from view entirely.

Once again, I was leaving my home planet for Starfleet. Once again I stood on the precipice of departing, never being certain I would return.

But I would try. Damn it, but I would try.

The clouds faded away from view, leaving a starfield glistening in space.

“We’re clear of the nebula,” Danielle reported. “We are free to engage warp.”

I hopped up out of my chair and held up one forehoof. “Helm, warp four, for Starbase 395.”

“Warp four, aye,” Rodriguez answered. “Standing by.”

I breathed in.

Breathed out.

And lowered my hoof.

“Engage.”

Author's Note

"Blue Alert" is a real thing in Star Trek, but one seen incredibly rarely, meant for unusual conditions, such as when Data vented the bridge atmosphere during the TNG episode "Brothers." But its most common use was on Voyager, where it was used to signal both landing and take off, hence its use here.

We get a bit more reveal here, and we see a bit more of the way life is different for this Equus versus the one we know from canon. Without the Elements affecting their lives, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash went on a slightly different path, and Pinkie got hitched to Cheese earlier as well.

As for why Luna and Fleur? Well, you can thank our esteemed editor for that. It's his favorite ship, so I figured, why not? :twilightsmile:

Season 3 Episode 4: "Unexpected Results"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S03E04

“Unexpected Results”

I watched the Phoenix closely on the sensors, monitoring their ascent until they left orbit. “That’s it,” I said, a tremble in my voice. “They’re gone.”

“Here's to a swift journey back for them, then,” said Pog, raising a tumbler of some brand of Tellarite ale local to his home province. “And a year on this planet for the rest of us.” Hearing him say that made a small part of me wish for some real ale instead of synthehol.

Preta, half slumped over the helm controls, gave a brief wave of a paw. “What he said.”

“Hear hear,” cheered Blackford. “It won't be easy for us or them, but we've made it through worse.”

I could tell he was trying to lighten the mood a bit, despite everyone's tired state, which only reaffirmed for me how glad I was that I chose Blackford as my second for the science team. Sunset had objected initially, but I pointed out, correctly, that she wasn’t going to need much in the way of an active science team on the ship beyond those who were involved in keeping the hydroponics and aquaponics going for their survival, so she let me take him. I had built up a friendly rapport with Blackford over the time we'd worked together too, which made him a natural fit for the role on a personal level too. The other members of the team, while eminently qualified, ranged from stoic to downright asinine in their personalities.

“Well, if you’ll be pardonin’ me, I need to be gettin’ back to my patients,” said May. She eyed me as she turned to leave. “Twilight, when you get a chance, you should speak with Belle. She could use a bit of company.”

I nodded. “Sure thing. I'll go as soon as I wrap things up here.”

“Pog will check on his engineers, make sure they’re not getting into trouble,” said Pog as he followed May off the bridge. Soon after, with just a nod, Blackford left too.

Which left just Preta and me alone in the control room. “Still sure you made the right decision to stay behind?” I asked her, wrapping a wing around her shoulder.

She looked at me with tired eyes. She’d been up since 0400 triple and quadruple checking every inch of the two shuttles Sunset left for us as well as the Calypso, ensuring there wasn't so much as a loose stem bolt to be found on any of them. She might have napped for thirty minutes somewhere in between that and piloting the Calypso into place, but she somehow smiled at me like it was the only thing she could focus on. “I wouldn't have it any other way, Twi. I love you.”

I smiled in turn, giving her a quick peck on the lips. “Love you too. The real work starts tomorrow, so go get some rest. I’m going to go see Belle for a little bit.”

“Alright,” she muttered, stumbling out of her chair and towards the door leading to our shared quarters aboard, which in reality was the combination of the two small staterooms ostensibly designed for diplomats or other VIPs. As mission commander, I’d be aboard the Calypso anytime it departed base, so putting my quarters onboard made sense logistically. And, I'll admit, maybe a little 'mission commander's prerogative too.

I made my way over to the rear of the Calypso’s bridge, where a ramp led down to the lower deck, and from there used the aft access hatch to enter the rest of the facility, which we had dubbed Equestria Base. Much of the base was prefab and slapped together in a hurry, even by the normally speedy standards of pony engineering. The primary building was a multistory affair, with an expansive sickbay for Doctor May, offices and labs for our equipment, and quarters for the rest of the team. The quarters were all set up like small studio apartments, complete with functional kitchens so we could keep replicator usage to a minimum. A small skybridge connected the third floor to a shorter structure that served as the landing pad for the Calypso.

As I made my way across that walkway I glanced up at the bundles of power and data cables that lined the ceiling, serving as a kind of umbilical cord to the ship. This let us augment the ground equipment with Calypso's own systems when docked, while also allowing us freedom of movement when needed..

Reaching the ground floor just outside Belle’s apartment, I pressed the door chime. “...come in,” came the call.

As I entered, I found Belle standing at the stove, fussing with a whistling tea kettle. “Oh. Twilight,” she said flatly, her voice barely holding any energy. “I made enough water for two. Would you like a cup?”

“Um, alright,” I said, standing awkwardly just inside the doorway.

She gestured to an armchair, one suited for a quadrupedal rather than humanoid form. “Go ahead, sit down.”

I hesitantly stepped inside, and after a moment I allowed myself to sink into the armchair. Like most of the furniture we’d acquired, it was surprisingly comfortable. “So, um…”

Belle chuckled as she brought over the two mugs of steaming tea. It wasn’t a pleasant sound. “Relax. You act like I’m about to shatter.”

“Err, well, I just… wanted to come see how you were doing.” I picked up the mug of tea in my magic and gave it a brief sip. “Darjeeling?”

“Dianhong, actually. Thought I’d try something different.” Belle flopped onto the sofa across from me, her body sinking into it like a half collapsed puppet. “Thanks for coming by, I suppose.”

I set my tea aside. “Belle, I know Sunset said so for the both of us earlier, but... I'm sorry about Inanna.”

Her mouth quirked up, briefly forming into a smile as she let out another little chuckle. The smile quivered, trembled, then imploded as her face fell into her hands, quiet sobs soon emerging. “Me too,” she whispered. “Me too.”

Frowning, I got up from the armchair and, design be damned, sat down on the sofa next to Belle and wrapped my forelegs around her. She immediately clutched at me like I was a life preserver, her hand moving automatically to stroke at my mane. Normally I hated being treated like some kind of cat or dog, but in this case, with someone as important to me as Belle, I made an exception.

“Oh Twilight,” she whimpered. “I still remember her scream… her terrible, horrible scream. I hear it in my nightmares. It never goes away, never…”

I nestled into her embrace and managed to use my magic to stroke her back in turn. “I’m so sorry, Belle,” I said. “I miss her too.”

“I know you do,” Belle replied, her voice shaking in time with her crying. “I hadn’t realized just how much I cared for her… more than I should have.”

I blinked. “Wait, you weren’t… were you?”

She laughed mirthlessly. “No, no, nothing like that. She was beautiful inside and out, yes, but far too young for someone like me. Plus it would’ve been a horrible breach of professionalism to even consider it. But she was one of my dearest friends. I trusted her completely, professionally and otherwise. We worked together better than I’d ever worked with anyone else; it’s why I brought her along. Damn it… if only I’d left her on Earth like I should have…”

“Then you would’ve likely been killed by the Jem’Hadar and we wouldn't be having this conversation,” I pointed out. “They showed no mercy… so many of our dead were found in their quarters. If we hadn’t repelled them they would’ve killed us all.”

“...does it surprise you to learn I wish I had died…?” Belle whispered.

I drew back from her, staring in astonishment, but there was no lie, no deception on her face. “Belle…”

She smiled through her tears. “Oh, I know what it is. Classic survivor’s guilt, coupled with some post traumatic stress disorder, all placed on a psyche that’s so used to helping others I was never properly, truly prepared for how I’d cope if I had to deal with that level of stress myself.”

Belle pulled out a handkerchief to blow her nose. “I may have fretted while I was on Earth about people mistaking me for being Romulan, for Starfleet security dropping by every few years with some new fresh-faced Lieutenant bent on earning their pips by interrogating the possible spy. But right now, I’d take that all back and then some. It was nothing next to… this.”

A pang of regret ripped at my heart, prompting me to hug her tightly again. “We never should’ve asked you to come aboard the Phoenix. It was a stupid move.”

“No, no it wasn’t,” she disagreed, shaking her head. “It got me out of my comfort zone, and in a way I needed that. I helped a remarkable number of people too. To avoid breaching doctor-patient confidentiality, let’s just say there were many crewmembers whom I saw on a regular basis, with substantial issues. A lesser counselor might’ve been overwhelmed by their needs, but not me. I can safely say they were much better off with me around. And there wasn’t just the one… There were dozens of others. Including you, I might remind you.”

A flush filled my cheeks with warmth. “Oh… right.”

She chuckled, and for once there seemed to be actual laughter in it, not just bitterness. “I don’t regret it, if that’s what you’re wondering. My only regret is that Inanna had to save my life the way she did… she didn’t, didn’t deserve it.” Her hand twitched.

“...is that really all you regret?” I asked after a moment of that movement catching my eyes.

She frowned, her lips pursing like she’d just bit into an especially sour apple when she’d been expecting it to be sweet. “If you’re asking, do I regret killing those Jem’Hadar?” Her frown deepened, anger lines forming across her face. “No. No I do not. I’d do it again, a thousand, a million times over, if it meant I could bring Inanna back.”

The intensity in her eyes as she spoke caught me by surprise. An ugly, bitter anger seemed to overtake her all at once. It melted away as fast as it appeared, but for a moment she looked as Romulan as every ignorant person who saw her smiling suspected she was. “I… can’t blame you, I suppose.”

She shook her head and picked up her tea mug, taking a long drink. “Please, Twilight, we both know you’re judging me for it, and you should. It’s not the least bit healthy.”

“Maybe not,” I countered as I drank my own tea. “But it’s understandable.”

“So it is.”

We sat in companionable silence for a while, sipping at our tea and just leaning on each other. Our mugs ran dry after a while, and after noting the darkening skies outside, Belle sat up and hugged me again. “Thank you for coming to see me. And… Thank you and Sunset both for letting me stay behind. Yours is truly a beautiful planet.”

“Of course,” I replied, hugging her back. “Needless to say this mission is going to have us all busier than ever, but... I'll try to come by whenever I can, alright?”

She smiled at me, and for once, it felt like a real smile. “I’d certainly hope so. Just don’t worry too much about me. I’ll find my way… eventually. I just need time.”

“Well, time is something we’ll have plenty of,” I said. I placed my mug in the kitchen sink, then nodded to her. “Have a good evening, Belle.”

“You too,” she said as she saw me to the door.

Of course, barely two seconds after it hissed shut, a smarmy voice spoke up. “Oh, ma’am, there you are.”

Ugh. Vohrn. The Barzan biologist and more than occasional thorn in my flank. When we were developing the original Sparkle sensor, he spent as much time working as he did acting the cocky smartass in the room, constantly needling myself and Cadeneza. That he was damn good at his job made his attitude doubly frustrating too. If not for Belle's counsel, I'd probably have bucked him through a wall by now.

I put on a neutral expression and turned around to face him. “Yes, Vohrn? What is it?”

He handed me a PADD. “I’ve been doing some preliminary scans with Ayhan. She said she picked up some interesting readings from a nearby mountain. With your permission, we’d like to take a shuttle over there tomorrow to get a closer look.”

I glanced down at the PADD, examining the readings. “I can tell you what that huge biosign is,” I muttered as I scrolled through. “That’s a full size dragon. The Elements did say we might find a dragon or two occupying various caves or mountains. If these energy readings are correct, that's likely a full-grown male too. We’ll have to secure his permission if we want to examine anything.”

Vohrn snorted, a smirk crossing his face. “Really? I thought we had the blessing of the Princesses to go where we wanted. What do we need to ask him for?”

“Because this full size dragon could melt a shuttlecraft with his fire breath before you could blink, Lieutenant,” I snapped, glaring up at him. His height irritated me, as he stood taller than most humanoids, almost as tall as Zhidar. “And despite living in Equestria, that dragon’s lair is sovereign dragon territory. It’s no different than a Vulcan embassy on Earth. We can’t just barge in.”

“If you say so, ma’am,” he said, still smirking. “Though to be honest I find your claim a little hard to believe.”

“Vohrn,” I groused, irritation slipping into my voice. “We’ll discuss it in the morning. For now, dismissed.”

“Aye,” he said, the laugh in his voice almost but not quite there, and it took an effort of will for me not to zap him with my horn.

As it was, my wings trembled at my sides, aching to spread in a threat gesture meant to intimidate. It wouldn’t have worked on him though. Not for the first time I was beginning to regret not picking one of the other biologists, one of the three we rescued from the other starships. But none of them were nearly as qualified as he, so I held my nose and picked him.

I’d ground him down eventually.

Returning to my quarters aboard the Calypso, I quietly sat at the small dining table and read the report, doing my best not to wake up Preta. Aside from the biosign, Ayhan had noted some peculiar energy readings. Her analysis concluded they were almost certainly not the result of any latent volcanism, but artificial, and reminiscent of similar readings taken from the satellites.

Definitely worth checking out, then.

I set the report aside and changed into my bed clothes before settling on the bed next to Preta. “Hmm?” she groaned as she stirred awake.

“Sorry,” I whispered as I got under the covers. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Preta stretched out her limbs in her usual cat-like fashion, complete with overly wide yawn, before shifting over to wrap her arms around me. “I don’t mind. I was barely asleep anyway.”

I shuffled till I was comfortably ensconced in her embrace. “I’m taking the science team to Canterlot tomorrow, since we found something of interest. We’ll probably be taking a shuttle when we get back.”

“I’ll be ready,” Preta mumbled into my mane. Her lips brushed the base of my neck, making me shiver just a little.

“Good.” I shut my eyes. “Love you.”

I didn’t hear her whispered response before sleep claimed me. I worried that without Princess Luna around, my nightmares might intensify, but either I didn’t suffer one or it faded from my mind as soon as I woke, because the next thing I knew I was slapping my alarm and dragging myself out of bed to get ready.

“Good morning, everyone,” I said to my assembled scientists, who sat around the rather finely polished oval table situated in the center of the Calypso’s main conference room. Vohrn and Blackford were seated on the right side of the table, while the third member of the team, Ayhan, took one of the two chairs to the left. Ideally, I would’ve added two or three more people to the team, but three was all Sunset could spare me. That left more subjects uncovered than I think any of us would like, but between Vohrn's mastery of biology, Blackford's skills in xenotechnology, and Ayhan's multiple doctorates in vulcanology and mineralogy, we were far from helpless either.

“I hope everyone was able to get some good rest last night,” I said as I settled into the one remaining seat at the table. “Let's get started.”

“Ma’am, have you examined the readings I took of the mountain?” Ayhan asked. Her dark features masked any sign of aging, despite her being almost as old as Mother. I knew little about her, other than that she didn’t bother signing up for Starfleet till she was almost seventy, and she was a rare mustang, an officer who worked her way up from being enlisted. Why she did that when she could’ve easily qualified for the Academy, no one knew, because she sure wasn’t telling anyone.

“I have. I intend for us to check it out, but first we will need to go to Canterlot, to consult their archives about the history of the mountain, and, more importantly, to negotiate access.”

“I see. The dragon residing there is unlikely to let us in?”

“Depends.” I tapped a few keys to bring up a scanned photograph of the dragon in question. “This dragon was previously confronted by the Elements of Harmony due to, and I quote, him producing enough smoke to blot out the atmosphere around Canterlot and the surrounding villages. Due to snoring.”

“...that’s ridiculous,” Vohrn said with a dismissive snort. “How is that even possible?”

“Atmospheric conditions,” Ayhan suggested. “The mountain is taller than even Mount Canter, and is clearly an ancient cinder cone volcano that has since gone extinct. This would give the dragon adequate access to wind currents, allowing his exhaust to spread over a wider area.”

“Hang on,” Blackford objected, raising a hand. “I thought that the local pegasi controlled the weather around here. Couldn’t they just remove the smoke?”

“They could, try, sure. But the dragon's snoring would replace the smoke just as fast as they could clear it,” I replied. “That's why Princess Celestia sent the Elements up there, to convince him to stop. They succeeded, and little has been heard from him since.”

“Very well. When do we proceed?” Ayhan asked.

I stood from my chair, prompting the others to stand. “If everyone is ready, I'd like to depart immediately. Assuming we can successfully negotiate access, Lieutenant R’el will have a shuttlecraft prepped and ready.”

We left the Calypso and filed out of the building, heading directly for the nearby transportation circle. Starlight had taught me the spell to activate it, a surprisingly simple incantation that didn't sound or feel too different than something you'd use to switch on a mana battery at home. Which probably explained why they had quickly grown in popularity. According to her these circles were becoming so commonplace they were beginning to overtake even trains and airships as the primary mode of personal travel around Equestria.

Once in Canterlot we wasted no time in securing an audience with the ambassador to the Dragon Lands, a frumpy, tired looking stallion whose face bore the scar marks of old burns. “Oh no, that’s not going to happen,” he said immediately upon being informed why we sought him out.

“For what reason?” Ayhan asked.

“For starters? That dragon is mean. H-have you ever spoken with an Elder Dragon before?” he shook his head, his eyes twitching as he spoke. “Starlight was lucky to get him to stop smoking up the place when she did. Typically an Elder Dragon like that would’ve just flambéed them and gone right back to whatever they were doing. This one in particular is ornery as all get out, especially after the Elements paid him a visit. Now he refuses to even give his name, and most dragons are too proud not to name themselves to everyone they speak to.”

“It’s vital that we gain access, though,” Blackford pressed. “You do understand why we’re here.”

“Yes, of course I do,” answered the ambassador with a tired sigh. He rubbed his head with his forehoof. “Princess Celestia informed all her ambassadors weeks ago, not long after your ship crash landed. But you’ll have a hard time convincing this dragon to care. Besides, I can’t just hand out permission to you. Remember, that cave is sovereign dragon territory as long as that dragon is loafing about in there. Do you understand what kind of message that would send to the Dragon Lord? It’d tell her we had no respect for her whatsoever.”

“Okay, okay, we get it,” I said, ruffling my wings in frustration. “Is there anything you can do?”

“I can try having a message sent ahead of you to the cave. But that’s it. No promises. Just try not to get yourselves burned to a crisp, alright? I have too much paperwork to deal with already.”

He left before I could say another word to him. “Well, it’s better than nothing,” I groused.

“Reminds me of some of the ambassadors I used to know at HQ in San Francisco,” Blackford quipped while I directed us to the Royal Canterlot archives on the opposite side of the castle.

Fortunately, the unicorn mare who greeted us there gave us a much friendlier reception. “Oh, that mountain is one of my favorite subjects,” she said. “It’s been host to a lot of dragons throughout the centuries.”

“Really?” Vohrn commented. “Why is that?”

“Oh, many reasons. It’s an ideal location for younger dragons who’re seeking a resting place to leave their hoard, and it has a unique feature not present anywhere else in Equestria that we’re aware of. The local supply of mana gems regrow, effectively giving any dragon who lives there an infinite food source.”

That made me pause. “Wait, really? I thought that wasn’t possible.”

“Not normally, no. Nopony knows why they regrow there, but they do. We’ve tried to experiment in the past to figure out what causes them to grow, but there’s been almost no success, except for a few grown in a lab. So like clockwork, everytime a dragon grows too large for the mountain to hold them and seeks out a new locale, some new dragon eventually comes to take their place.”

She led us over to a nearby drafting table where she pulled out a few historical maps of the area, pointing to them as she spoke. “This has resulted in a lot of conflict over the years. Villages and even some proper towns have popped up around the base of the mountain over the decades, all drawn in by the fertile soil and favorable weather in the mountain's shadow. Normally the villagers and the dragon manage to coexist, generally staying out of each other's way. But invariably, some hotheads would whip up a manufactured "crisis" and eventually send a mob up there to try and drive the dragon out. They'd fail, of course, and lose their village to a fiery end as a result.

“The worst example of this unfortunate pattern occurred eight hundred years ago in the infamous Trog-Dor incident, during which the village of Dor was incinerated without warning.”

“Dor?” Blackford interjected, working his mouth for a moment. “Dor, huh? That sounds entirely different from any other town name I’ve heard since we arrived.”

“It uses an old dialect of Ponish, one of many lost to time, unfortunately,” the archivist replied.

“Still, destroying a village is pretty extreme even by dragon standards,” I said. “Did the villagers really have no warning?”

“None at all. The dragon in question went by the name Trog, and he was extremely territorial. He hated just about every non-dragon species, but ponies most of all. Why, I have no idea. But as soon as Dor got big enough to begin expanding their farms out to the base of the mountain, he swooped down and burned the entire town down. Three ponies perished in the attack, the only known deaths to come from these conflicts.”

“Wait, so there’ve been other villages destroyed,” Vohrn said, his eyes rolling in their sockets, “and no one ever died?”

“No,” said the historian with a shake of her head. “The mobs I mentioned trying to drive off the dragons? Those were far and away exceptions to the rule, believe me. Ponies tend to run from danger, not towards it. It's just in our nature. Oh, there have been injuries aplenty during conflicts with dragons, some quite serious, but rare was the day ponies were outright killed like that.”

“So, what exactly is the timeline we’re talking about here?” I asked. “How long do dragons stay before they leave, and how long before a new one arrives?”

“Oh it’s practically a generational thing,” she answered as she pulled out a book to consult briefly before nodding. “Yes, it's a twenty year cycle, give or take. A dragon shows up, spends twenty years on the mountain, then they leave, taking almost their entire horde with them. What’s left gets picked over by local diamond dog tribes and any ponies lucky enough to stumble across the remains. The mountain remains vacant for approximately a year, then a new drake moves in.”

“Curious,” Ayhan said, raising a singular eyebrow. “A regular cycle of new habitation implies that the gem regrowth coincides with the dragon’s arrival.”

I exchanged a brief look with my team. “When did the most recent dragon arrive?”

“Hmm… one moment.” The mare took her time searching for a few books before pulling a very thick tome off the shelf and flipping through to nearly the end.. “It appears he moved in ten years ago. So if he sticks to form he’ll be there for another ten years before he leaves.”

“Then that removes the possibility of waiting for him to leave,” Ayhan commented as she made a note on her PADD.

“Wait, you’re going up there?” she asked, her face a sudden mess of panic. “You really shouldn’t. This dragon is almost as territorial as Trog. The first thing he did when he arrived was torch all homes within ten miles of the mountain. I understand that the Blueblood family lost a country home that had been in their family for centuries due to that. The Elements were lucky to have survived their encounter, much less talk him down at the time. I doubt he will be friendly to you. Especially to you, miss Sparkle.”

I extended my wings. “Because of these?”

“Precisely. After the Trog/Dor incident, Princess Celestia herself confronted Trog and drove him out, but in the process left a lasting impression upon the Dragons that to this day results in many of them distrusting alicorns out of sheer spite. It is for this reason that Princess Celestia sent the Elements to confront our latest dragon instead of going herself.”

“Well, thank you for the advice and the information,” I said, giving her a respectful nod. “Unfortunately, we’re going to have to go up there regardless. There are some unusual energy readings coming from that cave, and we need to find out what they are.”

“Then take the utmost of care,” the archivist said. “And remember one thing: this dragon is vain, territorial, and has little empathy for others.”

As we left the archives and returned to the transportation circle, Blackford said, “How’re we going to get past this dragon, ma’am?”

“I’m not sure yet,” I answered. I activated the circle and returned us to the base. “But we’re just going to have to try to negotiate with him. Barging in there like we own the place will only get us turned into crispy hay fries.”

“Respectfully, Lieutenant,” Ayhan said, “but perhaps we should consider taking the Calypso instead of a shuttle.”

“The Calypso has no weapons,” Vohrn said. “The shuttles at least have phaser cannons.”

“Lieutenant!” I barked, turning on him. “I hope you’re not suggesting that we use lethal force.”

“Of course not,” he scoffed. “I’m just saying, maybe instead of asking we could just use the phasers to, I dunno, stun him so he can’t do anything while we’re investigating.”

“You presume we could stun him to begin with, an illogical notion,” Ayhan retorted. “It is highly unlikely that our shuttles will be able to produce enough energy in the phasers to properly stun him without risking serious injury or worse.”

Vohrn waved a hand. “Look, I can figure it out. Just get us close enough so I can do a bioscan, then we set the phasers accordingly, and boom, no need to talk to anyone.”

“And probably starting a war with the Dragon Lands in the process,” I said with a shake of my head. “Request denied. Besides, I have another idea.”

We returned to the base, where I had the others wait in one of the offices while I went to find Pog. “Question: is there a chance you could enhance a shuttle's shields enough to withstand dragonfire?”

“Hmm… Pog is uncertain. He doesn’t know how strong or hot this dragonfire gets.”

“Depending on how negotiations go with this dragon, we might find out for ourselves; assuming we make it back of course.”

He rubbed at his chin. “Pog isn't sure he wants to know either way. But, Pog thinks he might be able to re-tune them to be closer to metaphasic shielding.”

“Thus treating it like a star’s corona. Good idea. How long do you need?”

“Give Pog an hour,” he said with a grin.

We broke for lunch while we waited for Pog to work his magic. Before my ascension, I usually took light lunches at most, preferring heartier meals for breakfast and dinner, respectively. But with the new wings came an entirely new palate, and the appetite to go with it.

“Steak sandwich with cheese, and a garden salad.”

The replicator whirred to life and seconds later a delicious-looking sandwich and a crisp salad appeared before me. I still wasn't entirely used to eating meat, but the inviting aromas and delicious tastes went a long way toward easing my discomfort. That, and getting it from the replicator ensured my meat didn't have a face and a name before it appeared on my plate.

Preta was very happy about my new diet though, and I got the feeling that she would eventually introduce me to just about every legally edible meat known to the Federation and then some.

I stayed in my quarters while I ate, reviewing the information we had collected so far on both the energy readings and the apparently grumpy dragon that currently called it home. Just past the top of the hour I returned to the bay, arriving just before Pog.

“That’s as good as Pog can make it,” he informed me as he handed me a PADD with the updated shield configuration displayed. “How long they will hold, Pog cannot say.”

“It’s much appreciated, thank you, Mister Pog,” I said. I gestured to Ayhan and Vohrn, and we boarded the shuttlecraft, a type-six whose warp core had been drained of all antimatter to bolster the Phoenix’s stores, rendering it incapable of leaving the planet's atmosphere. But that’s all we needed it for, and it was roomier than the other two shuttlepods we had been left with.

We attracted a few curious pegasi who flew alongside the shuttlecraft, which always happened whenever we took one anywhere, but they veered off well before we reached the mountain.

“Ease it back, Lieutenant,” I ordered Preta as we neared the peak, with its massive gaping cave that stretched open like the maw of a giant, complete with jagged stalactites and stalagmites to act as teeth. “Nice and slow. We don’t want to startle him.”

“How are we going to get the dragon’s attention?” asked Vohrn, who for once sounded genuinely worried instead of cocky.

“Assuming our beleaguered ambassador did as he promised, he should know we’re coming, remember?”

Sure enough, as the shuttle’s nose neared the cave, our sensors all went off at once. “Massive biosign approaching, ma’am,” Ayhan said.

“Is there any sign of an energy buildup?”

“Not yet.”

Yet. The word tasted foul in my mouth, as I’m sure it did in everyone else’s. But that’s why I had Pog alter the shields.

“Keep those shields up,” I ordered, even as the dragon made his way into view.

His crimson scales shined iridescent in the morning light, the lighter burnt yellow of his belly contrasting rather beautifully. His head alone dwarfed our shuttle craft, each of his teeth the size of the average adult humanoid.

“So,” he spoke, his words powerful enough to be audible easily even through the shuttle’s hull. “Despite my desires, the alicorn and her alien compatriots have come to bother me in their metal carriage. Tell me, little morsels, why shouldn't I incinerate you on the spot?”

I nodded to Preta, who enabled the shuttle’s broadcast function. “If you know who we are, then you know why we’re here. Our messenger should’ve informed you.”

A growl rippled through the dragon’s throat. “I care not for the concerns of puny ponies. Was it not enough that I no longer pollute your skies with my exhaust? Why must you continue to intrude on my domain?”

“Those puny concerns, as you put them, are yours as well,” I retorted, refusing to show even the slightest bit of fear. Thank goodness for Starfleet discipline. Without it I might’ve been turned to a quivering mess at just that growl. “Did the messenger not explain?”

“I care not!” The dragon roared, and warning alarms blared all over the shuttle, with Ayhan and Vohrn both echoing warnings of spiking energy readings inside the dragon. “Your messenger was lucky to escape with her life. Flee now or you will not be so fortunate!”

I scowled. “Mute. Miss R’el,” I said, “arm phasers.”

“Uh, what?” Preta turned to stare wide-eyed at me. “Are you serious?”

“I thought you said lethal force was out of the question, ma’am,” Vohrn said, his usual sarcasm creeping back in.

Raising an eyebrow and ignoring Vohrn, I replied, “Deadly. Arm phasers. Set them to two thirds power, and aim for… here.” I pointed out a location on the dragon’s belly. “Fire only on my command.”

“...aye,” Preta said as she did as ordered. “Done.”

“Good. Unmute.” I returned my gaze to the dragon outside. “I will say this only once. The sun is dying. This is not just a pony concern. The strength of your kind is indeed legendary, but if the sun dies, your kind will perish just as surely as the rest of us.”

The dragon’s scowl only intensified. “You say this as if it is a certainty. But why should I listen to the mewlings of an alicorn?”

“Energy levels reaching critical!” Vohrn interrupted.

“I grow weary of this. Final warning: flee or perish!”

I straightened my spine, refusing to bow. “Fine. We’ll just head over to the Dragonlands right now and take it up with the Dragon Lord. I’m certain she would be shocked to hear that one of her subjects is refusing to help during a planetary crisis.”

Vohrn blinked as he stared at his console. “Energy levels are beginning to drop.”

The dragon, for the first time, showed a sign of hesitation as small bursts of flame puffed from his nose. “...surely not. Your puny hunk of tin would never reach her. I would ensure it.”

“Oh?” Having recalled that dragons, like Klingons, respond better to displays of bravado, I took a step forward till I was as visible as I could make myself from within the shuttle cockpit. “This ‘hunk of tin’ can breathe its own fire; more than enough to bring that cave down on your head.”

Plumes of smoke billowed into the air like so many fireworks as the dragon laughed in our faces. “Try it. And when you fail, I will enjoy breathing in your dust!”

“Energy levels back to critical!”

Even at this distance, my horn tingled from the immense amount of magic the dragon drew upon as he inhaled. We had scant seconds before those flames engulfed us. “Miss R’el, fire!”

As a massive fireball took shape in his wide-open jaws, the twin phaser beams lanced out and seared into his belly, directly on target.

Those flames sputtered and faltered as he began coughing and wheezing. “What… what did you do?!”

“Gave you an antacid, that's what. You'll be fine in a few minutes.,” I said, not wanting to be any more specific. “But now hopefully you will listen to what I am saying.”

The dragon made a half-hearted swipe at the shuttle, but Preta easily dodged it, showcasing that even in atmosphere the shuttle was far more than the flying brick it appeared to be. Another growl rippled from his throat, but this one stank of resignation. “Very well. It… is true that I have noticed some days are colder than they should be. At first I assumed your princesses were simply failing at their jobs, but... even I have begun to wonder if something else is at fault.”

“You're right. It is getting colder,” I said. “And it will continue to get colder, until the very air freezes and falls from the sky like walls of ice. Only you'll be dead long before that, as will everything else on Equus.”

He snorted, a gout of flame puffing from his nostrils. “Assuming I believe you, why must you intrude upon my cavern? What does this have to do with me?”

“It will take time to explain,” I answered. “May we enter and speak face to face?”

His scaled lips pulled back into a toothy sneer. Rotating his left paw, he gestured. “You may. Be quick. I may once again lose patience.”

“Thank you,” I said sincerely. “Land the shuttle, Lieutenant. Vorhn, Ayhan, you’re with me. R’el, stick with the shuttle. If that dragon so much as hints he’ll seriously try to attack us again, do whatever it takes to distract him while we retreat.”

“Aye ma’am,” Preta said as she directed the shuttle. Once landed, the other two disembarked, but Preta held me back for just a second. “Be safe,” she said.

I smiled and winked, then trotted off the shuttle.

The inside of the cavern dwarfed us all, and even the dragon seemed relatively normal sized by comparison. As I took it all in, I could only imagine how a Ferengi might react if they could see this. Heaps of treasure lay everywhere, each one seemingly dedicated to different types of items. Gold and silver coins, gems, pearls, and jewelry, paintings, sculptures, even objects d'art... all of them arranged in surprisingly organized rows besides.

“Fascinating,” Ayhan said as she brought out her tricorder and started to scan the nearest bits of treasure. “Many of these objects are far older than they appear.”

The dragon immediately leaned in and snorted, gouts of smoke puffing from his nostrils. “Do not touch my horde,” he warned, before baring his teeth. “Unless you wish for me to discover what you alien beings taste like.”

Ayhan immediately retreated from the object, though of course she showed no sign of fear on her face. “My apologies,” she said, giving the dragon a slight incline of her head.

“Hmmm…” He turned his attention to me, the spines on the back of his head rising. “Alicorn. Speak. Why are you here?”

“To be brief,” I said, after taking a moment to choose my words, “We have reason to believe there is advanced technology hidden in this cave, something potentially more advanced than our shuttlecraft. According to our research, the mana gems in this cavern regrow, correct?”

“Mmm, that they do,” he grunted. “They always have. It is the only place we dragons know of outside our homelands where this occurs.” He narrowed his eyes. “You believe you know why?”

“We suspect we know why,” I corrected. “But that’s why we’re here. We believe it’s connected to the issue with the sun, and we’d like your permission to investigate. We promise we will not touch your horde unless absolutely necessary, and only with you observing the entire time. We’ve no desire to steal your treasure.”

“...very well.” He settled down on his pile of gold and watched us. “But know this, alicorn. If you try to leave here with that which does not belong to you, your life will end in fire and pain.”

I tried not to roll my eyes at that. Whatever this dragon could do to me was no worse than what I’d done to myself in the process of earning these wings to begin with. “I understand.”

“Good. Now, be quick. I wish you gone from my sight as soon as possible.”

Pulling out my tricorder, I began to scan the area, prompting Vohrn and Ayhan to join me. “Try to filter out the treasure from your scans if you can,” I said as I began reconfiguring the tricorder to ignore the gold.

“Understood,” Ayhan said as she began to walk around the area, stepping past piles of coins. “Lieutenant,” she said after a moment, “it is perhaps too soon to be certain, however I feel it is reasonable to presume this cavern is artificial.”

“Well of course it’s artificial,” Vohrn said with open disdain as he wandered down one of the other aisles formed by the treasure. “This is an extinct volcano. All of this is metamorphic rock.”

“Indeed,” Ayhan confirmed. Not for the first time I was glad her Vulcan nature made it so that she took little to no offense from Vohrn’s nasty attitude. “Large quantities of basaltic andesite, feldspar, hornblende, and many others. A typical extinct cinder cone. It should not be possible for any cavern to be here, given the geologic composition of the mountain. Look at these readings.”

She showed me her reading. “Definitely appears to have been constructed.”

“This surprises me not, given your claims,” the dragon interjected. He pointed with one slender, razor-sharp talon. “The mana gems may be found over here.”

“Thank you,” I said, giving him a nod, even though I knew he only told us because he wanted to hurry us out of there. The rumble of irritation he gave me in return only confirmed that.

Nevertheless we walked in the direction he pointed, which sent us back, deeper into the cavern than Starlight had mentioned the Elements had gone. As we descended down a well-worn ramp of stone, we entered a second, smaller cavern.

And stopped, my jaw dropping.

To say that there were plentiful mana gems was like saying a continent was an island: technically true, but vastly understating the matter. Even the crystal caverns deep inside Mount Canter seemed almost dull compared to the sea of gems spread out before us. Gems of every shape and color imaginable were literally everywhere, jutting out of the floor, the walls, even the ceiling. Some of the gems were so potent they glowed, bathing the entire space in a glittering rainbow of color.

“It’s so full of rubies, sapphires, emeralds, a-and I don’t know what else,” Vohrn said, awe present in his words. “But the odd thing is, they're all cut and polished, like you just pulled them out of a jewelry case.”

Even Ayhan seemed wowed as she scanned the field, judging by the look on her usually stoic face. “Despite appearing like common gemstones, these contain an energy source.” She flipped on the Sparkle sensor attachment. “Confirmed, the energy source is magical in origin. They contain immense amounts of power.”

“Yeah they do,” I breathed. “More than I would’ve thought.” I glanced back and, as I’d expected, the dragon had followed us, so silently I hadn’t heard his claws tap against the stone. If he wanted us dead, we were dead. Still, since he was there… “May we have your permission to examine the gems more thoroughly?”

“Do what you must.” He snorted once more, the gout of flame larger, the scent of brimstone far more present inside the cavern. “You may take one to examine further, as you will no doubt be requesting.”

“That would be most appreciated, thank you,” I said, nodding respectfully. “Ayhan?”

She reached into her bag, opened up a sample case and withdrew a set of tongs. After a moment of scanning, she selected a sizable sapphire, one that glowed with an inner light. She set it inside the case, closed it, and placed the case back into her bag. “Sample obtained.”

“Lieutenant,” Vohrn said, holding up his tricorder. His trademark smirk formed on his face. “I think I found the source of the energy readings. See, look here.”

He squatted down and pointed to a section of the field of gemstones. I looked closer, then reached out with my magic. “It’s a switch,” I said, feeling it for a moment. The energy signature was definitely different from the surrounding gems. I turned back to the dragon. “Did you know there was a switch here?”

The dragon snorted, filling the air with a small cloud of black smoke. “Of course not. If I had, I would’ve attempted to use it long ago. I will not abide secrets in my cavern.” He glared at me, then gestured with a paw. “You may attempt to activate it, if you wish.”

The other two took a few steps back, and even the dragon appeared wary as my magic manipulated it. It was odd… though I could feel the switch with my magic, it didn’t respond like one created by pony magic. Fortunately, during my education on control, Luna taught me a little bit about other sorts of magic, enough for me to recognize it for what it was.

Draconic. This switch required draconic magic to activate. But why? How?

Mulling it over, my thoughts stumbled over something I had learned from Princess Luna during my convalescence. By their nature, alicorns possessed a limited ability to emulate non-pony magic, including draconic magic. I was by no means an expert, but I did know that much of the basics of casting it weren't entirely dissimilar to pony magic. So I decided to give it a try.

“I'm going to try something, though I'm unsure if it'll work. Stand back, everyone.”

I closed my eyes, and willed my horn to summon up dragonflame. As my mana swirled about me, the room heated up, and Vohrn let out a yelp of alarm.

“Uh, Lieutenant, are you trying to set yourself on fire?” he asked.

“Sort of,” I answered, willing myself to focus harder.

For the briefest of moments, there was a spark of purplish flames from my horn. But they faded as soon as they emerged, leaving me panting and sweating. “Damn it.”

The dragon laughed at my failure. “I’ll grant you this, young one. You have spirit. I like that. Now, my umbrage at a mere pony trying to cast dragon fire is for the moment outweighed by my need to know what has been hiding underneath my kind's scales all these years.”

He took a few steps towards us and leaned his head in.“Now let me show you how it's done.”

He leaned his head down and gently breathed a single burst of flame onto the switch itself.

Blackford arched an eyebrow. “Did it w—"

Click.

Immediately the cavern was filled with a great scraping sound, like nails on a giant stone chalkboard. I pinned my ears back as tightly as I could to try and block out some of the piercing noise while I watched a large section of the far wall roll back and out of view.

When the noise finally stopped, the opening in the wall had grown large enough to fit a small shuttlecraft inside. A single light flickered to life above the entrance, reminding me a bit of the porch light that would turn on every time we'd return to our home on Earth after sundown.

The dragon reared back and flared his wings, his spines coming up. “I had no knowledge of another chamber,” he said. “Nor has any dragon before me, that I am aware of.”

“It seems likely this chamber has rested undisturbed for several millennia,” Ayhan said as she brought her tricorder forward. “I am detecting stale air. The scent is… unpleasant.”

“Try revolting,” Blackford said, gagging as he waved his hand in front of his nose. “Uuugh.”

I waved a wing in front of my face to waft away the stench. “Give it a few minutes, the air will mix,” I said. I brought my own tricorder up and stepped forward. “Looks like there’s more energy readings up ahead.” I glanced back at the dragon. “No offense, but I do not think the passageway is big enough to accommodate you. But I hope you can trust us to proceed further.”

The dragon thankfully seemed far less bothered by our presence now that he’d seen this extra chamber. “So it seems. Your investigation did not waste my time after all.” His eyes narrowed. “You may proceed. Of course, I will want to know everything about whatever is inside.”

“We’ll let you know,” I said as I stepped into the stone aperture.

My hooves alighted onto metal not long after entering, a catwalk of some sort. As Ayhan and Vohrn followed close behind, more of those lights began to flicker in front of us, bathing the pathway in an interesting mix of blue, green, and a warm, slightly yellow white. As the path ahead illuminated, I immediately noticed that not only was the catwalk fairly lengthy, it was far wider than it needed to be for a humanoid or even a pony. So too was everything else around us – wall panels, light fixtures, what looked like more access hatches, everything. All of it was big. As in dragon big.

“Ayhan, why couldn’t we detect any of these before the door opened?” I asked as I continued to scan, letting my tricorder record the data for later analysis back at the base.

“There appears to be an energy dampening field in place around the door. I am no longer able to detect anything outside the chamber,” she answered as she continued to scan the room. “Also, the materials here are inconsistent with the readings taken by the Captain and yourself of the chamber the Princesses showed you earlier.”

“Inconsistent with the mirror chamber too,” Vohrn interjected, his voice shaking. “It’s… whoo…” He suddenly doubled over, holding his knees.

“Whoa, hey, you okay, Vohrn?” Blackford asked.

I was at his side in an instant. “Vohrn? What’s wrong?”

“Getting harder to breathe,” he gasped. He tapped at the sides of his face. “I think… my breather… it’s not…”

Ayhan brought her tricorder over. “The energy dampening field appears to have had a negative effect on his breathing device. It is struggling to produce the chemicals needed for his physiology.”

“Okay, let me take a look,” I said as I brought up my own tricorder, then used my magic to examine them further. “Hang tight, Lieutenant. I'm going to try something, but if it doesn't work we'll get you out of here pronto.” I set the tricorder down, fired up my horn, and called up a protective charm that Sunset and I had been tinkering with just before she left.

Vohrn took a few sudden deep breaths, gasping for air as he managed to stand up straight, if leaning against me. “That’s… that’s much better,” he said after a moment of recovery breathing. “Wh-what did you do?”

“A charm of sorts, one that isolates the signal given off by your breathing apparatus from other nearby energy sources. It's not foolproof, but it should buy us enough time. Are you able to continue?"

He took a few more deep breaths, then nodded. “Yeah. yeah I think so.” He gave me a rare smile of appreciation. “Thanks.”

“Good. Take it easy. We’ll have Doctor May look you over when we return to base,” I said. “Let's get going.” I glanced at Ayhan. “Try to get as much data about that energy dampening field as you can. I’d like to see if we can program his breather so it’s properly shielded against such things in the future. What I did won’t hold for too long.”

“Aye, ma’am,” Ayhan said, doing as requested.

Meanwhile I turned my tricorder back to the wall panels. “You were both right, the materials are different. But there’s still some sort of advanced alloy here… similar to tritanium but with something else I can’t identify…” I swapped to the Sparkle sensor off a hunch, and grinned as it lit up like a Christmas tree. “Looks like mana gems have been melded into the panels. They’re working like a version of an EPS grid but without any wiring. It’s magitek, pure magitek.”

“That’s bizarre,” Vohrn said as he continued his own scans. “I’m also picking up a lot of traces of DNA.” He eyed me. “It looks pretty similar to our big friend outside.”

Bemused, I swapped my tricorder over to biosensing and scanned for myself. “Yeah, that’s dragon DNA alright. But this doesn’t make any sense. Dragons don’t have technology, especially not magitek. Other than their fire breath, the most magical thing they have is some ancient scepter that gets passed from one Dragon Lord to the next, but that's it.”

“Then what do you call all this?” asked Vohrn as he waved his hand around.

I continued down the catwalk scanning till I saw we were coming up to something at the end. It took me a moment to realize it was a computer terminal, just one sized for, presumably, a dragon. Like the rest of the chamber it didn’t quite resemble what I’d seen below Canterlot Castle, but it wasn’t entirely alien either.

I approached it in a hurry, and scanned it, only to sigh and scuff my hoof on the metal plating beneath me. “Damn. This looks completely broken,” I said as I looked over the dull and cracked screen and the heavily corroded input mechanisms. Suddenly my tricorder began a new series of beeps. “Wait. I'm picking up another reading, but it's faint.”

“Confirmed,” said Ayhan. “They begin just behind this terminal, and lead all the way out to the chamber beyond.”

I stared at the terminal. “And if the gems are still growing, this terminal is still alive. Which means there’s a power source somewhere inside it.”

“Should we try to open it up to see?” Vohrn asked.

“No,” I said immediately. “We don’t want to disrupt the formation of mana gems. We’re not here to destroy it, even unintentionally. But let me see if I can figure anything else out here.”

I studied the panel for quite a long while, trying to discern some meaning behind the symbols etched onto the various buttons and switches, most of which were so worn down there was barely anything left to read.

Not that I could understand any of it anyway. It was like no language I’d ever seen before, and far different from the script Sunset and I saw in that chamber with the two AIs. Nor did it resemble any form of Ponish I’d ever studied.

“Any ideas?” Blackford asked, peering over my shoulder while his tricorder scanned away.

“I wish,” I replied. "I can only guess this is some kind of ancient draconic language."

But since when did dragons have written language? Yes, there were many dragons who knew how to read and write, but they usually learned to do so in either Ponish or Griffonian. They didn’t have a separate writing language of their own.

Or at least, they didn’t anymore.

I took all the scans I could so I could reproduce the script for later analysis. The Universal Translator had no basis from which to come up with a translation yet so we’d need to analyze it properly to understand.

I was just about to leave the terminal when I spotted one button that I could read; in this case a bit of what would have been considered high Ponish in the old world. It took a few tries, but the UT was able to roughly translate it.

Memory.

Out of curiosity, I pressed it.

The screen lit up with a grainy, somewhat distorted image that was made all the worse by the cracks in the screen. All three of us raised our tricorders immediately to record it.

The image showed a green and purple dragon using the terminal, with two humanoids standing next to them. At least, they appeared to be humanoids, but they were shadowed out, with no clearly discernible features.

“Done,” said the dragon, in a clearly feminine voice. “The chamber is prepared.”

“Good,” said one of the humanoids, whose voice came out with an electronic warble that made it impossible to deduce anything about it. “You will now need to submit to the procedure.”

“...are you sure this is necessary?” asked the dragon. “I don’t see the harm in remembering, so long as I don’t teach my hatchlings.”

“It is a necessity to protect you and all of your kind. Unless you wish for the—” the sound buzzed suddenly, like a word erased. “—to find you and destroy you.”

“We regret the need, but it is the safest, surest way,” said the other humanoid, whose voice was equally garbled but at a slightly higher pitch. “They are relentless. If even a handful of them remain, they will not hesitate to kill every last one of your kind.”

The dragon sighed. “Then allow me to record a message… in the event one of my descendents finds this chamber.”

“Such a thing should not occur.”

The second humanoid shifted as if to look at the first. “But there would be no harm in leaving a message. The others have made similar requests.”

“It will need to be brief. Our time runs short.”

The dragon nodded, then looked directly at whatever was recording her image. “To whoever finds this chamber… I hope I am speaking to fellow dragons, and if not, well... I hope I am speaking to someone with peaceful intentions. If my words mean nothing to you, I only ask that you leave this place in peace, so others may one day find it as you have.

Whoever you are, know this: We dragons were once a species that—” The message briefly turned to static, then began skipping. “Our -- empire that spanned—. Whatever we may be now, we were once – I hope –- we can reclaim–”

She placed a paw on the screen. “One day, I hope you – step – home–”

The message abruptly broke up and the screen went black. “Damn it,” I snapped, swapping back to scanning mode, and breathing a sigh of relief that the mana gem growth function was still working. “Well, that was… something.”

“It appears we were fortunate the message played at all,” Ayhan said. “It appears the recording had been corrupted. It is no longer playable.”

“Good thing I thought to record it, huh?” Vohrn said with a chuckle.

I chose not to chastise him. “Take a few more readings, then let’s get out of here. I don’t want to overstay our welcome.”

So we did our best to hurry on, after playing the message we recorded for the dragon. It made even less sense to him than it did to us, funnily enough, but it did make the impression upon him about how important the cavern was, as well as the mana gems and their regrowth. As such, he promised to protect the gems and the mechanism for their growth, and even said he would contact the Dragon Lord to let her know about it.

Feeling like we had accomplished more than we set out to do, the four of us reboarded the shuttle.

“Alright, Miss R’el, return us to base,” I ordered as I flopped into a seat.

“Aye,” she said, glancing at me with relief clearly evident. She leaned in and more quietly added, “I’m glad you’re safe, Twilight. He kept looking at me like I was his dinner.”

“Oh trust me, he gave us a few of those looks too,” I murmured. “I’m not keen on being any dragon’s food, thank you. Even if they don’t need to eat things other than mana gems that often…”

“No point in risking it,” Preta finished for me. She peered at me, then sniffed, making a curious face. “You smell like sulfur.”

“Oh, I tried to use a bit of draconic magic to open up a chamber,” I said. “It almost set me on fire.”

“W-Wait, what? Since when can you use dragon magic?”

“I would’ve been fine... probably. I’ll explain later.” I shook my head, and in a louder voice, said. “Miss R’el, signal Equestria base. Let them know that we’ll need Doctor May to examine Vohrn when we return. His breathing device malfunctioned.”

“Aye, ma’am,” Preta said, tapping a control. “Equestria Base, this is shuttlecraft Sunbird. Lieutenant Vohrn will require medical attention for his breathing device on arrival.”

“This is Equestria Base,” answered one of Pog’s engineers. “Message acknowledged.”

“Thank you, Equestria Base. ETA, fifteen minutes. Sunbird out.” Preta switched off the comms, then leaned back in her chair. “So what exactly did you find?”

I spent the rest of the short trip informing her of our discoveries, till she had to concentrate on landing. As we disembarked, Doctor May met us with her medical tricorder in hand.

“So, what did you do?” she asked him, her accent unusually thick, even for her. Then I remembered that one of the med techs who stayed behind was also from Scotland. Knowing May, she might have us speaking a bit of Scottish before too long.

“It was some kind of dampening device,” Vohrn explained.

I left them to their work as I headed into the base, taking my tricorder and placing it into a reader to dump its memory into the computers.

Ayhan did likewise, then opened up her sample case to bring out the mana gem. “This would appear to hold quite a bit of energy,” she said as she placed it into a geological scanner and programmed it for a full array of tests.

“It does. Be careful with some of your tests, Ayhan. Mana gems have been known to explode if their lattice structure is suddenly destabilized.”

“Understood. I will start the scans at a reduced intensity and work up from there,” she said as she turned on the scanner. “This would appear to contain more energy than the Phoenix was typically able to generate through conversion.”

“I’m not surprised,” I said. “That conversion was never exactly efficient, especially without a natural mana gem to regulate the conversion. Thank goodness we were able to obtain some for the Phoenix before the ship left. They're going to need every bit of energy they can get.”

And, I feared, more than a little bit of luck too.

Feeling the rhythmic thrum of the Phoenix's warp core reverberate through the deck plating brought me back to my first day aboard the Enterprise-D, to the moment I touched the warp core for the first time. It was like touching the beating heart of a living, breathing giant. The Sirens likened it a bit to a song, like the warp core was a ship's voice.

And after lying in silence for so long, it felt damn good to hear the Phoenix sing again.

I closed my eyes and focused on the cadence of the vibrations. Nice and steady; almost as smooth as it was just before the crash. She was singing alright, and very much in tune, all things considered. Though with such a reduced speed, Phoenix's song was more like a gentle hum at the moment.

But at least she was running, even if she was being fussed over by a pair of Equestrian volunteers, a hippogriff and an earth pony with a turtle for a cutie mark. The hippogriff yammered at least as fast as the ship was flying per second to her companion, who seemed to take it all in stride.

I turned to Wattson, who watched over the Equus crew members from just outside of her office like a proud mother hen. “They performing well?” I asked her.

“They are,” she said, her voice thrumming happily. “These two especially have taken to warp mechanics like they were born to it. Silverstream’s the hippogriff and Sand Bar is the pony. Get these two to the Academy and I'd bet you're looking at two future Chief Engineers right there.”

“I don’t know about that,” I replied. Watching them work out a problem during Silverstream’s endless barrage of chatter was entertaining, but in a real crisis I hoped she’d have the sense to shut her beak. “But they’re definitely serving us well.”

“Speaking of serving us well,” Wattson said as she gestured over to the new, now third generation magic converter. “These natural mana gems make a huge difference. At just ten percent this is already generating more magic than the previous converters could at forty percent.”

“That they do,” I replied. “It’s too bad we’re not able to use them to power the warp core in reverse, though.”

Wattson shook her head. “You and me both. I used any free time I had while on the surface to run as many experiments as I could, but none of the gems I tried had a lattice structure similar enough to dilithium to be effective.” She sighed and leaned against the wall. “We’re not inventing any newer, more efficient warp drives here. Not yet, anyway.”

I used a wing to pat her on the shoulder. “It’s alright, Amelia. You’re doing your best to keep us moving, and that’s what matters. We should focus on trying to use the magic to enhance other systems instead. Especially shields. I don’t want to crumple like a tin can the instant someone tries to step on us.”

Wattson nodded, giving me a soft smile. “I’ll try, Sunset.”

“That’s all I ask. Carry on.”

I left Engineering, and headed for the nearby turbolift. I heard hurried footsteps coming down the corridor and a moment later the Sirens squeezed onto the lift just before the doors shut.

“Sunset,” Adagio said with a polite smile. “Deck ten.”

“Adagio,” I greeted. “Bridge. So, still glad you decided to come along instead of staying on Equus?”

“Pfft, you needed us,” Sonata said insistently, giving me a silly grin.

“Like we wanted to hang around Starswirl the Bitchded anyway,” Aria groused.

As I tried not to snort at the goofy joke, Adagio replied, “We’re sure. It was nice to visit, but… Equus hasn’t been home for us for a long time.”

I nodded in understanding. “So… does that mean the ship is your home now?”

“Perhaps,” Adagio allowed. “If nothing else, it’s… comfortable. And welcoming.”

“Adagio just didn’t want to lose out on being able to drink raktajino,” Aria blurted, smirking at Adagio.

A sneer pulled at Adagio’s lips as she flipped Aria off. “Shut it.”

I kept my laughter to a brief under my breath chuckle. “It’s okay, Adagio, I don’t blame you. Prench Roast didn’t taste that good to me either, not anymore. Even Twilight was disappointed.”

“It was foul,” Adagio growled. “Offensive to my palate.”

“It really sucked,” Sonata added.

“Mmhmm,” Aria thirded.

I raised an eyebrow, sensing a bit of deception on their part. “So we all agree the coffee was terrible, but, but what’s the real reason?”

Adagio sighed, scowled up at the ceiling, and called out, “Halt turbolift.”

So it was going to be one of those conversations, I realized as she looked at me, her expression… torn. Like she couldn’t decide if she wanted to be furious or sorrowful. “...while we were on Equus, we went to visit other Sirens,” she said, the words coming out haltingly, like pulling teeth.

“When you were gone for that week in Baltimare,” I said, remembering vaguely that the Dazzlings had accompanied the crew who flew over there to build our distillation plant.

“That’s right,” Adagio confirmed. “There used to be a large colony of Sirens living off-shore in the waters further to the north. So we borrowed the shuttle to see if it was still there, and we were right. It's still there.”

“There were dozens of them,” Sonata said, her usual smile and peppy attitude fading, replaced by a cold seriousness. “All ages too. Turns out they found a new way to get negative emotions without having to induce them in ponies first.”

“They just needed someone to go into a city like Manehattan and harvest the ambient negativity for a while,” Aria said, and like Sonata her usual attitude dissolved in favor of one much more despondent in tone. “They had an agreement with the local government; so long as they never tried to cause any problems they were allowed in.”

“Well, that’s great news, isn’t it?” I asked, though I wasn’t blind to the atmosphere of this discussion. “I mean, for your people, that they have a way of living sustainably while avoiding any further conflicts.”

The three of them bursting into laughter was not the reaction I expected from that, especially not laughter that sounded two steps away from transforming into tears. The lack of mirth left a sour taste in my mouth. “Damn it, that was insensitive of me. I apologize.”

Adagio waved off the apology. “Oh, if only,” she said as she clutched her stomach. “Good for their survival, sure. But socially? They were more insular than ever.”

“...not to mention huge meanie-pants,” Sonata grumbled.

“Yeah, they wanted nothing to do with anyone who wasn’t a Siren,” Aria said. “Didn’t matter what it was about. We even tried to explain about the sun, and they wouldn’t listen.”

“Wait… you say that as if…” I gasped as realization hit me. “Oh no… they, they didn’t— “

“No, they didn’t,” Adagio confirmed for me. “They didn’t see us as Sirens at all.”

Silence reigned in the turbolift like a dark, ugly cloud. They tried to hide it, but the heartbreak in their eyes was palpable. “But…” I finally insisted. “But that doesn’t make sense. You’re obviously—“

“A trio of pretenders who thought they could act like Sirens just because they, and I quote, ‘share a few similar attributes.’” Adagio interrupted with a growl.

“But your singing magic—“

“Was like torture to their ears, according to one of their supposed leaders.” Aria interrupted me with yet another bark of mirthless laughter. “You’d think having the same kind of magic would make a difference, wouldn’t you? Nope. Apparently their magic has changed over the past thousand years.” She clutched at her gemstone necklace. “Their songs aren’t even remotely the same anymore.”

“So we just looked like a bunch of fish people pretending like we were Sirens, and they thought we were the insulting meanie pants!” Sonata finished.

I swore I could feel my own heart breaking in two at this news. To be so rejected by their own people, after being away from home for so long… pony instinct won out over propriety, and I began to spread my wings and forelegs in preparation to give them a hug.

Only for Adagio to stop me with a palm to my chest. “Don’t,” she grunted, though despite the frown I could see a flicker of appreciation in her eyes. “I know you mean well, but don’t give us that pathetic pony hugging routine. We’re not… we’re not so weak that we need that.”

“...it’s not a weakness to want comfort,” I countered. “But I understand.”

“Do you?” Aria snapped. “I’m not sure you do.”

“Shut it, Aria,” Adagio said with a weary sigh. “There’s no need to be antagonistic towards the Captain of our home, much less one of the only friends we have left.”

That sent me reeling back. “Wait, so, did you return to the ship because... because you have nowhere else to go?”

“Pretty much, yup,” Sonata confirmed, hanging her head. “It’s not like we’re welcome anywhere else. Starswirl the Bearded made sure of that.”

My lips pulled away from my teeth ever so slightly. “What did that buffoon do this time?”

“Oh, nothing much. Just sent a warning to all the coastal towns of Equestria that we were the ‘bad’ Sirens, and weren't to be trusted,” Adagio said, another note of mirthless laughter escaping her. “And it’s not like we were about to live in an inland town.”

“So we had nowhere to go,” Aria finished. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Besides… we like it here.”

“I can’t believe he did that!” I said, snorting in disgust. “I’ll be having a talk with Celestia when we return about this. You’re certainly welcome to stay for as long as I’m Captain.” I gave them a firm, understanding nod. “If you’d like, you could consider joining the crew officially.”

“What, and have to wear those grody uniforms? Ugh, no thanks!” Sonata said, throwing her hands out to gesture as she spoke. “Plus I totally would suck at military discipline.”

“Yeah, we’re a bit too free spirited to be tied down like that,” Aria added, a smile crossing her face ever so briefly.

Adagio laughed, the rich chocolatey velvet sound with real mirth wonderful to hear again. “I don’t think you’ll be calling me Crewman Dazzle. Ever.”

I smirked along with them. “Fair enough. All I can ask then is that you keep pitching in where you can, as you've done so well already.”

“Oh don’t worry about that,” Adagio said with a matching smirk. “We’re finding ways.” She glanced up at the ceiling. “Resume turbolift.”

They disembarked on Deck Ten, most likely headed for Ten-Forward, while I continued to the bridge. The regular officers were in their standard positions, including Zhidar in the center chair with his new red command uniform in place of the old gold he used to wear. I was still trying to get used to seeing him in it, since it seemed so strange.

He started to rise from his chair, but I waved him off. “We’re still on course,” he reported. “No changes.”

“Good. I’ll be in my ready room if you need me.”

As I sat down at the desk, I glanced about the room. I still hadn’t bothered to decorate it… I’d removed the decorations that Liang put up, so he could have them on Equus during his recovery, but put up none of my own in their place.

I switched on the terminal to work on some reports and other paperwork, but the empty desk and barren walls continued continued to gnaw at me, till finally I had to push my terminal aside and step over to the replicator. While ostensibly only a food replicator, it was relatively easy to reprogram to produce other things, at least to a reasonable degree. So I did just that, and after a few moments of tinkering, had several still pictures, each enclosed in a simple frame. There were several family pictures, along with a few of Twilight and me, and one of Cadeneza and me.

I hung them up around the office, placing the one of Cadeneza and me on the desk. It was one she took not long before the Dominion attack on the fleet, with me laying my head on her lap, covered by her uniform jacket. I hadn’t even known she’d taken a picture till she showed me later.

Damn it, I missed her terribly.

As soon as I finished placing the last picture, the door chime rang. “Enter,” I called.

Prin – Ambassador Luna entered the room, smiling slightly as she took in the new decorations. “Your family,” she said, pointing to a picture of Mother, Mom, Twilight and I posing just after my sixteenth birthday. I still had a smile on my face from the news about testing for the academy.

“That’s right,” I answered. “What can I do for you, Luna?”

She cleared her throat. “If I may have a few moments of your time, I wish to discuss with you the matter of crew integration.”

“Of course,” I said, indicating for her to sit. “So, how is the crew doing so far? Hopefully everyone is getting along?”

She frowned as she sat. “Although most have caused no issues, there is one pegasus, a Lightning Dust, who has been training as a pilot for Gamma shift. While she obeys orders, she has displayed an attitude that I find is… unacceptable for somepony in her position.”

“Lightning Dust…” I murmured as I pulled up her file on my terminal. “She’s an ex-Wonderbolt… I thought the Wonderbolts used military discipline as part of their training.”

“They do. They may appear to be literal showponies, but they are still an active aerial division of the Royal Guard. And just as capable as you might expect, I might add.”

“I don’t doubt it.” My frown deepened. “So why would she have a discipline problem if she was officially a Wonderbolt? You don’t get to become a Wonderbolt without passing a lot of tests and proving yourself at their Academy, or so I thought.” I glanced back at the file. “Wait a minute… there’s no details here about how she became an ex-Wonderbolt.”

That prompted a sigh from Luna. “Indeed. I am beginning to wonder if she was discharged for lack of military discipline and failed to properly inform us when she volunteered.”

I scowled at the thought that we managed to let something like that slip under the radar when we’d been so vigilant about choosing the right volunteers. “She’s training under Rodriguez, right?” Luna nodded. “Then I’ll have him step up the reinforcement of discipline with her and his other trainees. Hopefully that’ll solve it. If not, I’ll speak with her myself.”

“Sickbay to the Captain.”

Blinking, I tapped my combadge. “Shimmer here.”

“Captain,” came the ever-calm voice of Doctor Selar. “I am afraid there has been an incident with one of the volunteers. I request your presence as soon as possible.”

I suppressed a sigh and looked at Luna, who nodded and rose from her chair. “On my way,” I said, tapping my badge again to close the channel. “Great. This better not be Lightning Dust.”

“It would be most unusual timing if she caused a problem right as we were discussing her,” Luna said as we left the ready room for the turbolift just across from it.

“Wouldn’t be the first time something like that happened,” I muttered. “Deck twelve, sickbay.”

As we stepped into sickbay, I felt a brief sense of relief when the pegasus I saw standing there, a look of horrified dismay on her face, was not Lightning Dust. But that feeling evaporated almost immediately when I realized who it really was.

Fluttershy.

And Danielle was standing not too far away… with a dermal regenerator being used on an open wound…

“Oh no. No no no, don’t tell me it happened again,” I groaned under my breath as I looked between the two of them.

Fluttershy looked up at me and shivered, her whole body trembling with nerves. “Oh my goodness, oh my gosh, I can’t believe she said those things, why would she ever think such things, I’m a married mare for pony’s sake…”

Luna stepped up beside me. “Please, be calm, Crewpony. We are here, we will help resolve the matter.”

Fluttershy meeped and began to bow out of habit before Luna softly shook her head. Fluttershy’s face flushed a solid crimson as she ended her tirade and swallowed, nodding. “A-alright.”

“Can you explain what happened?” I asked her.

“Well,” she said, glancing nervously at Danielle before turning back to me. “I was on duty, inventorying the medical tricorders and hyposprays, when Lieutenant Danielle came in, complaining of a headache. I e-examined her, and I noticed in the process that she had a small cut on her wrist that was bleeding.”

“Did she say how she got it?” I pressed.

“No, but she refused to let me treat it at first. I insisted, and in the process of pulling away, she, um, she accidentally rubbed some blood on me.”

“Wait, you were handling her without protective equipment?” I raised my eyebrows. “I thought your training covered Deltan physiology.”

Fluttershy frowned at me, her mouth curling to show distaste with my words. “It did, and I was wearing gloves, just as the training instructed. In the commotion, her hand brushed up against my face.” She pointed with a hoof to the side of her mouth, where there was still a slight trace of blood. “I think I ended up tasting it by accident too.”

I sighed. “What happened next?”

“She panicked, and started saying all kinds of things to me about me staying away, how I shouldn’t try to touch her or kiss her or, or do things to her, a-and I couldn’t believe she’d even suggest— “

“Wait a minute,” I interrupted, turning to Danielle. “Lieutenant, can you corroborate what Fluttershy told us?”

The expression on her face spoke volumes. “Yes, ma’am,” she said glumly. “It’s just as she said. She was using the proper precautions, but I didn’t want to risk her being affected. And when she, err… I panicked, and we both moved suddenly, and... well, here we are.”

I looked next to Doctor Selar, who was still at Danielle's side finishing up her treatment. “Doctor, can you confirm what she just told us? Did she really ingest some of Danielle’s blood?”

Doctor Selar nodded. “Indeed. It was an infinitesimal amount, but technically more than sufficient to induce the effects of Deltan pheromones. Once I realized what had transpired, I contacted you immediately.”

Luna stared at me blankly. “I don’t understand,” she said.

“Neither do I,” said Fluttershy.

“You'll recall that Deltans' physiology gives them incredibly potent pheromones, which can have an immediate and sometimes severe effect on anyone who comes into physical contact with them. Lieutenant Danielle is only half-Deltan, but the risk is still there – especially if blood is involved. A few months ago, we had an incident where Danielle’s blood mixed with… another crew member, and as a result, that crew member became infatuated with her, excessively so. The fact that you touched her skin and her blood, Fluttershy, but appear to be unaffected, is..."

Luna clopped a hoof on the floor in realization. “Ah! I see the issue now. Thank you, Captain." She turned to Selar. "Doctor, do you have any idea why was Fluttershy not affected by the pheromones?”

“I do not know. In truth, I had assumed the effects were simply delayed, so I have yet to examine her.” Before I could order it, she picked up her tricorder and began scanning Fluttershy. She arched one eyebrow and scanned her again, then a third time. “This is highly irregular.”

Fluttershy peered up at her. “Um, what is it, Doctor? Am I sick? Am I going to become… infatuated?”

“No,” Selar answered simply. “You are not. It seems the Deltan pheromones have been neutralized by your immune system.”

Everyone in sickbay paused to turn and look at Selar in shock as she said that. “Are you serious?” asked Danielle as she tried to crane her neck to look at Selar’s tricorder. “She’s really immune?”

“It appears that way,” Selar said, moving away from Danielle. “Fluttershy, with your permission, I would like to perform some additional testing.”

“G-go ahead,” she said, allowing Selar to lead her to one of the biobeds. “I’m not sure I understand what all this means.”

Selar helped her climb onto the bed. “Allow me to reassure you that you are well and unharmed, as is Lieutenant Danielle. What occurred here, while accidental, is beneficial. This testing is simply to establish why this occurred, is all.”

Danielle’s accent thickened as she responded. “Sacre bleu, Fluttershy, this could be something my people have wanted for a long, long time.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here, Lieutenant,” I said. “This could be something unique to her that can’t be reproduced.”

“I am glad all is well," Luna said. "But I must confess, I still do not quite understand why Fluttershy's immune system is of such interest all of a sudden."

I eyed Danielle and gestured to Luna with a wing. “Care to explain, Lieutenant?”

"Gladly," she said. "Ambassador, as you no doubt just heard from the Captain, Deltans possess incredibly strong pheromones. To the point that any sexual contact with a non-Deltan species effectively brain-washes the other party. They become a slave to their hormones and, as you can imagine, their more basic urges. That very real possibility is why any Deltans wishing to join Starfleet must swear an oath of celibacy, which they keep until they retire or otherwise leave active service."

Luna frowned a bit. "That is... an unenviable position to find oneself to say the least. And no effective treatment has yet been devised that could at least lessen these effects?"

"You see, that's the ironic thing," Danielle replied, a bit of salt already creeping into her voice. "Experimental but promising treatments have been out there for years now. But because they involve genetic engineering, they're banned anywhere in the Federation. And before you ask, no I can't go on a medical vacation. That would only get me court-martialed and tossed out of Starfleet overnight."

“Aaah, I am beginning to understand now,” Luna replied with a nod. “I recall reading some of the history that Sunset prepared for me, particularly in regards to these Eugenics Wars that were fought, and the bans against such genetic manipulations that came as a result.”

Danielle’s mouth curled into a nasty frown. “Yes, well, I have much to say about how fair it is for the Federation to make a blanket law based upon one world’s screw-ups, but that's going to require a few wedges of brie and a bottle of Pinot Noir. The point is, no species has ever been known to be immune from this, save for non-humanoids like Hortas. Ponies are non-humanoid too of course, but... and correct me if I'm wrong, Doctor, so far ponies have proven to be more compatible with humanoids than you'd ever expect."

"So it would seem," Luna nodded before glancing my way. "Why has this never been examined before?”

“Because of that very compatibility she just mentioned,” I said. “Twilight and I both went through countless medical exams when we first arrived on Earth, and in that process we learned pretty quickly that we likely have ribosomes or other genetic donations from humanoid species, and vice versa. It’s actually pretty fascinating how similar we are in some ways. Then again, we ponies are the first non-humanoid species ever encountered by the Federation that is also mammalian. So it was just assumed that Deltan pheromones would affect us the same way, and no one ever bothered to test otherwise.”

Selar looked up at us. “I believe we may need to change that, however. I cannot say from a simple examination of Crewpony Fluttershy alone, but it is quite possible that this immunity is shared by other Equestrian ponies. With your permission, Captain, I would like to ask for volunteers to test this. I have already verified that the process used to filter out the effects from those afflicted will work on your species, so there is little risk.”

“Well, little risk other than a hell of a lot of embarrassment.” I sighed and looked at Danielle. “Lieutenant, I’m alright with this suggestion, and to be honest I would be willing to volunteer as well, but this is obviously going to need your participation to work. Are you okay with this?”

“Captain, to be frank with you,” Danielle said, a wide grin on her face, “I would suffer any amount of embarrassment if it meant a treatment could finally be made that didn’t require genetic engineering.”

“Then it’ll be done,” I said, smiling back at her. “Though for now it’s a low priority project. This won’t be something we’ll be solving overnight.”

“Oui oui, Captain, I understand,” Danielle replied. She stepped over to Fluttershy, her grin dimming substantially. “I apologize for making you uncomfortable, Fluttershy. It was not my intention.”

Fluttershy’s lips curled into an uncertain smile of her own as she said, “It’s okay. I get it now, and I hope something good comes out of all this for you, Lieutenant.”

Danielle stuck her hand out. “Claricia, if that’s alright with you.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Fluttershy shook it with her hoof. “Claricia, then.”

Nodding to Doctor Selar, Luna and I left those two to form their new friendship, leaving sickbay behind. “How curious that occurred,” Luna said. “I wonder how Lieutenant Danielle injured herself to begin with.”

I shrugged, rolling my wing joints. “Honestly, there’s still a lot of places that need spot repairs, even on the bridge. She could’ve cut herself on any piece of metal. What’s bothering me is the possibility that Twilight and I have been walking around with the solution to the Deltan problem all this time and no one ever knew.”

“It was impossible for you to know, Sunset.”

“I know. Still kinda sucks, though.”

A brief, quiet rumble echoed through the corridor. “It would seem it is time for me to partake in a meal,” Luna said. “Would you care to join me in Ten-Forward?”

“Might as well,” I answered as we returned to the turbolift. “I can work on reports while we eat.”

A quick turbolift ride later, we stepped through the doors of what the senior officers had begun to lovingly dub the Ten-Forward Cafeteria. One look around the space and it was pretty easy to see the resemblance.

The wall behind the bar had been entirely removed, giving a mostly clear view back into the kitchen area, which itself had been significantly expanded into rarely used meeting rooms on either side of it. Much of that space was used to support the vast array of Equestrian cooking implements that the volunteers brought onboard, plus pony-friendly utensils, pots, pans, dishware, and everything in between.

The dishwashing system though, that was all Federation tech. Efficient, and most importantly, fast. It allowed those working in the galley to concentrate more on food and serving and less on cleaning up after themselves. And indeed I could see several crew members working there alongside our self appointed Head Chef and Morale Officer, Pinkie Pie, who directed the whole affair with a cheery charm.

All in all, it was an eclectic mix of crisp-clean 24th century industrial kitchen design and Equestrian cooking. But with each passing meal the more I came to like the unique vibe to the whole setup. Not just for the quality of the food it was creating, but the microcosm of what it represented for everyone on the ship – two entirely different worlds working together to help each other.

Working with Pinkie, we'd set up a rotating menu system that featured both vegetarian and meat-based items, rotating them at set intervals so as to cover as many of the crews' "usual" meal times as possible. For those few who had special needs, such as our resident dragon, we kept a supply of their required supplemental food available at all times. Any food waste was recycled and resequenced so that it could still be utilized in some capacity.

The service setup reminded me a great deal of military or school cafeterias I’d seen in some of the historical vids I'd watched, allowing people to line up at one side of the bar with a tray to pick up their chosen food, a beverage, and whatever cutlery they needed before stepping away to take a seat. It was far from a perfect system, but we were refining it as we went.

As Luna and I lined up to obtain our meals, Pinkie Pie spotted us from the kitchen and pronked her way over. “Hiya, Captain, Ambassador!” she said as she took over at the line to serve us personally.

“Crewpony,” I said, though I couldn’t help smiling. Something about Pinkie Pie just put a smile on my face whenever I spent any time around her. Despite her manic energy, she seemed to always fill the air with laughter and cheer.

It was enough to make me idly wonder if she would’ve been a good fit for Trixie’s Element of Laughter.

“How are things here in the kitchen?” I asked as I selected the mashed sweet potatoes over the corn.

“Great! It’s been fun learning all these new recipes, and a real challenge to make enough to feed everyone. But don’t you worry. I’m up to the task!” Pinkie ladled a few dumplings onto my plate. “The biggest help has been Ensign Flanagan. He’s a pretty good baker, and he’s teaching me a lot about mixing drinks. Did you know there’s a whole field of drink mixing called mixology? I didn’t!”

A snicker slipped out before I could squash it. “I’m glad to hear he’s been such a huge help.”

“And how are you doing personally, Miss Pie?” Luna pressed.

Pinkie’s smile dimmed ever so slightly for a moment, and I swore her hair seemed to deflate by just as much. “I’m adjusting,” she admitted. “I do miss my husband though. Poor Cheesie. I hope he’s not too sad by himself at home.” Her smile brightened back up. “But I’m making all sorts of new friends among the crew. There’s so many interesting creatures on this ship! Like Lieutenant Rodriguez. He’s such a charmer.”

“That he is,” I said, smirking ever so slightly.

“Oh, Captain, I had an idea,” Pinkie said, pivoting to place beverages on both my tray and Luna’s. “I was looking into the history of stuff done aboard ships to keep morale high, and I found an old tradition on the NX… 01! Yes, the NX-01 Enterprise that I think might be good for the crew. They held a movie night at least once a week. They showed a lot of old movies from Earth’s 1950s, but I think we could do a bit better than that. Like, we could even show some Equestrian movies. I know some ponies brought recordings aboard too.”

I eyed Luna. “What do you think?”

“I don’t see why not,” she said after mulling it over. “It would be interesting to see movies from various cultures, both of Equus and other worlds.”

“Agreed. Crewpony, put together a plan for it and send it my way when you get a chance. I’ll evaluate it and see about getting it implemented.”

Pinkie beamed. “Aye aye, Captain,” she said, giggling to herself as she returned to the kitchen.

As Luna and I carried our trays to a table and sat down, Luna murmured, “Miss Pie continues to surprise me with ideas. I had my doubts initially, but I am quite glad she came along.”

“Me too,” I said as I began to eat, and let out a brief sigh at the shockingly good taste despite the food being mass produced. “If nothing else, the food is way better than it probably would’ve been otherwise.”

“Indeed. We could have been cursed with a far worse chef,” Luna quipped. “Like my sister.”

I almost choked on my food as I burst into laughter, Luna grinning along with me. After chewing on some peas, she added,“Sunset Shimmer, I’ve been meaning to ask you about how your magic has been doing, since we ascended from Equus.”

“What about it?”

She cleared her throat, and looked me in the eye. “I am referring to the two of us mixing our magics to aid the ship in its ascent. I wanted to check and ensure your magic has not suffered as a result.”

I tapped my horn with a hoof, feeling it out. “Nope. After some rest I was just fine.”

Luna nodded, relief clear in the way her whole demeanor relaxed. “This gladdens me to hear. I worried that due to our Light and Dark opposition, we might suffer especially ill effects from attempting to mix our magics.”

“Yeah, I’m still surprised that we pulled that off,” I said. I chewed thoughtfully on one of the dumplings. “I never really thought of my magical aura as being Light. At least, it didn’t used to be.”

“Indeed, Light and Darkness are among the rarest of magical auras,” Luna said. “At least, among ponies. I have witnessed it only in alicorns.” She frowned. “Though I have heard many legends and ancient tales of Light and Dark wielding Kirin and Deer. It is likely that when you Ascended, your magic changed, much like your sister’s had.”

“That makes sense to me," I replied. "After all, before the wings, Twilight and I had very similar magical auras. When she first came to live with us I was worried we'd be incompatible, but thankfully we dodged that problem, and since then I've never really thought about auras much at all. At least until now, anyway. Now our magics are like oil and water, basically."

Luna took another bite of peas, along with a forkful of a salad before continuing. "Speaking of auras... I suspect your time on Earth has changed your understanding of them. Or how they function, at least."

"Very much so."

"And what was your reaction to that?" Luna asked between sips of what looked to be iced tea.

"Equal parts fascination and sadness, to be honest. Fascinating science, and of course it's amazing to understand exactly how what we call magic works. But also sad that everything I thought I knew just couldn't be true. So much of our understanding of auras is grounded in what turned out to be false assumptions about physics and the way real chemical elements functioned, it was kind of hard to accept that what ponies would call ice or fire was actually something much more along the lines of temperature control, or oxidation."

"I share the sentiment, Sunset," Luna replied. "You can imagine the shock to both myself and my sister when we came to understand the reality of what our Sun and Moon really are." She took another sip of tea. "Still, it is good to see that you and Twilight have not suffered real incompatibility since your ascensions."

I nodded in agreement as I dug further into my food. Unicorns with opposing auras could still live together, of course. It happened all the time, it just required they use different charms or other spells to keep in sync. A strong bond helped quite a bit, which often meant that unicorns with opposing auras formed some of the strongest, longest lasting relationships. No doubt, Luna and Celestia would rightly be held up as the epitome of that delicate balancing act.

Regardless, if nothing else had been drummed into me from magic kindergarten on up, it was how vital it was to avoid mixing opposing magical auras without taking special precautions.

Which prompted me to ask, “Actually, how did we pull that off? Twilight told me you kept Princess Celestia from trying to heal her with magic when she first ascended because it would have been fatal.”

“Indeed, it likely would have been,” Luna responded. She ate a slice of her pork chop, giving me a plaintive look. “Your sister's magic was in an extreme state of flux when we found her. The manner by which she ascended put both her body and her magic through drastic changes, and in the most violent, painful way possible. With that much unchecked dark energy flowing through her, adding Celestia's Light magic would have been akin to pouring acid into an open wound. It would have poisoned her magical core like a toxin, killing her within minutes.”

She shook her head. “And before you ask, Celestia is well aware of the risk, believe me. But I know her well enough to know she is always the first to jump in to help when others are hurt, and she believed that her mastery over her magic was sufficient to avoid causing further harm. In my absence, I would entrust her with such a task without hesitation. But, since I was present, I saw no need to take the risk at all.”

“Couldn’t you have worked together, like you and I did on the bridge?” I asked, now curious.

Luna let out a small sigh. “Nay. Mixing magics as potent as ours is taking the danger to an immensely higher level. We have done it before, yes. But in a more hostile context, such as the first war with the griffins, or fighting Discord. Combining in a healing context, especially with a third pony's magic potentially fighting the both of us? Entirely too risky, even for us. Ergo why I stopped Celestia and tended to Twilight myself.”

My brow furrowed as I digested that. “That's... a lot to take in. Though now I'm wondering what exactly you did on the bridge to make things work between us. All I did was follow your lead as best as I could.”

Luna smiled. “You recall your education, about how unicorns with opposing magics can still work their magics together if they are sufficiently in sync?”

“Well, yes, of course I do,” I replied. “That’s why I’m confused. I did it, yes, but it wasn't a trot in the park. I feel like I worked harder in those few seconds than I ever have, even when learning to control my pegasus magic.”

“I sensed that, yes. That you followed me, magically speaking, without severe difficulty is admirable. A testament to your mastery of both the form and function of your magic. Should time and holodeck energy allow, I would suggest joining me for some training. The better 'in sync' we are magically, the better we can respond should the need arise again, and with less risk to ourselves.”

Luna took a last bite of her meal and set her fork aside. “Additionally in a way you and Twilight are as bonded as siblings as any two blood siblings might be. Both Celestia and I sense that bond between you. I am not Twilight of course, but I am a dark magic user just like her. Training now may well make it easier for your magic to interact with hers upon our return to Equus.”

“Thank you for the kind words, Luna,” I nodded, “and I agree, some additional practice can only be a good thing.” I paused and tried again to wrap my head around everything I had just learned. “But, that still doesn't really answer my question. I think. I'm guessing it's something to do with how you've trained my sister?”

“Indeed. The bond she shares with you was easy to sense, even during our initial lessons. So I used that to my advantage by giving you something relatively familiar for your magic to follow.”

“I see, I see. That makes sense.” I frowned as I realized something else. “By the way, what exactly were you implying with the suggestion that my magic would work better with Twilight’s?”

Luna looked me directly in the eye. “Equestria has been saved on more than a few occasions by the ability of Celestia and I to combine our magic. Mayhaps, the fate not just of us, but all of Equus, will rest on a pair of alicorns once again.”

At first I opened my mouth to respond that of course Twilight and I would give everything we had to help, especially since we now knew that the planet was facing a technological problem they could never hope to solve on their own. But then I actually thought about what she said, and I shut my mouth. It struck me as ominous… and concerning.

Unfortunately I didn’t get long to think about it. Before I could take another bite of my food, the comm system bleeped. “Captain Shimmer to the bridge, repeat, Captain Shimmer to the bridge.”

Tension filtered into the atmosphere of Ten-Forward as the ship abruptly switched to Yellow Alert, the lights flashing from a few panels scattered throughout the room.

I set my food aside and made for the nearest turbolift, Luna hot on my heels. Arriving on the bridge, I called out, “Report,” as I moved to take the center chair.

Zhidar moved over to the first officer’s seat. “We’ve detected a trio of ships approximately two light-years away.”

The turbolift doors opened again, revealing Danielle, who took over at Ops. After a moment, she nodded. “Confirmed, Captain. The readings are consistent with that of Orion pirate vessels.”

Pirates. Normally not a threat, but with the ship in its current state… “Is there any sign they’ve detected us yet?”

“Not yet,” Maia reported from tactical. “They appear to be holding position.”

“Let’s hope they stay that way,” I murmured. “Helm, alter course. Take us away from those pirates.”

“Aye, ma’am,” said Rodriguez. It was only as he spoke that I realized he was being shadowed by a familiar looking pegasus, the Lightning Dust that Luna had mentioned earlier. For the moment she seemed to be watching Rodriguez's every move intently, but now that I knew she was there I made a note to keep an eye on her.

An insistent bleep came from Danielle’s console. “Captain, the Orion pirates have abruptly leapt to warp.”

“Heading?”

“Directly for us at warp seven.”

“Damn it,” I grunted. “Bridge to engineering. Wattson, what have you got for weapons and shields?”

“Not much. I can give you shields at fifty percent, and half power to forward phasers, but that’s about it.”

“What about the magical enhancements to the shields?”

“We haven’t tested those since before the attack on the fleet. I can’t promise they’ll be worth anything.”

I considered that, then made a decision. “Be ready to bring them online anyway. If nothing else, the unusual energy signature will hopefully give the pirates pause.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

As the red alert klaxons wailed through the ship, I watched the Orions approach us. Fighting was a horrible option, but there was no way we could outrun them either. “Helm! Are there any nearby star systems or anything we can try to lose them in?”

“Yes, Captain,” Rodriguez replied. “We will be passing through the outer edge of a red dwarf’s Kuiper belt.”

“How dense is the belt?” Zhidar asked.

“Not dense enough,” Rodriguez answered after a moment. “But there is a gas giant with at least twenty-nine moons. We could be trying to lose them there.”

I nodded. “Change course, make for the moons.”

“Aye. ETA is three minutes.”

“Captain!” Maia called. “We’re being hailed by the pirates.”

I sighed, and stood from my chair. “Well, no need to be rude. Maybe we can negotiate here. On-screen.”

The screen switched from the swirling starfield at warp to an image of an Orion bridge, laden with filthy looking consoles crewed by Orions wearing haphazard clothing that I hesitated to even suggest were uniforms. But there was a center chair, with a captain who immediately began laughing when he saw us.

“What is this? A Federation starship, all by itself, with animals on its bridge?”

I narrowed my eyes. “I’m Captain Sunset Shimmer of the U.S.S. Phoenix. What can we do for you?”

He sat up straighter in his chair, taken aback. “And the animals talk?! My my my, the vaunted Federation really must be desperate for officers these days!” Smarm dripped from his every word, the mockery digging into me like steel pinpricks. “Forgive me, I’m used to Federation ships having humanoid captains, not… whatever you are. I am Dessan, of the Orion ship Venom of Deceit.”

Repressing the sigh, I did my best to keep any irritation out of my voice as I replied, “Again, do you require assistance?”

“Assistance? Noooo. Your cargo?” He grinned toothily. “Yes.”

“If you’re interested in trading, we could— “

He cut me off with another burst of laughter, one matched by every Orion on his bridge. “Don’t be stupid, Captain. I think you know I’m not about to trade a damned thing with you. But I will be having anything precious aboard. You seem like a rare specimen too… in fact… I do believe the Dominion is looking for creatures like you.”

My blood turned to ice in my veins. If these pirates were in contact with the Dominion, we were in far more danger than I had anticipated.

Fortunately, Luna stepped in to assist. “I believe you are mistaken, Captain,” she said as she flanked me, her own cold gaze burning like a plasma fire. “There is no need for violence.”

He about doubled over with guffaws. “No, no, I’m certain of it now. Forget the cargo; your ship and its crew will make a far finer prize.”

“If you attack us, it will be a declaration of war,” I snapped.

“Oh please, you and I both know you’re alone, isolated. You’re crawling along, and according to my sensors you’re injured. You’re bleeding, Captain. A little lamb lost in the woods without the protection of their precious Federation, struggling to find a way out. Well, lemme tell you something. This forest belongs to the wolves. And you're our next meal.”

The communication cut off. “Well, so much for that,” I groused as I resumed my seat. “Thanks for the assistance, Ambassador.”

“I only wish it had been effective,” Luna added.

“Maia,” Zhidar said, “tactical analysis?”

“They’re standard Orion pirate cruisers,” she said as she tapped through her controls. “Aged, each one comparable to a Klingon B’Rel class bird of prey. Under normal circumstances we’d wipe the floor with them. But with us damaged as we are…”

“We’ll just have to outmaneuver them,” I said. “Divide and conquer.”

“We’re coming out of warp now, ma’am,” Rodriguez said. “Entering the gas giant’s moon system.”

The viewscreen showed as much, a gigantic ball of gas that looked, at first glance, similar in composition to Jupiter, though it bore a set of brilliant rings laden with pieces of ice and stone. Moons of all shapes and sizes crisscrossed it in a wild mix of orbital paths.

“Mister Rodriguez, I want us on—”

“The Orions are dropping out of warp!” shouted Maia. “They’re arming weapons!”

“Raise shields!” I ordered. “All hands: battlestations!”

Author's Note

Picture by the absolutely fantastic LupiArts, who was kind enough to do a commission that just so happened to fit perfectly into the chapter, hence its inclusion here.

Thank you again for your patience with Phoenix. Hoping to have the next chapter out sooner, but as always, life can sometimes get in the way.

Also, for those watching Strange New Worlds: the fact that the most recent episode that aired today features genetic engineering as central to its events is entirely coincidental to why there is a similar mention of genetic engineering in this chapter, I assure you. This bit was planned long before SNW even premiered. :twilightblush:

Season 3 Episode 5: "Foreseen Consequences"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S03E05

“Foreseen Consequences”

The red alert had barely sounded before a pair of blasts rocked the ship, nearly sending me tumbling out of my chair. I could see sparkles of Cerenkov radiation flying across the viewscreen, which told me the shields were already beginning to buckle under the strain. “Shields at forty-seven percent!” Danielle cried.

“Miss Maia, target the lead Orion ship and return fire, full phasers!” I ordered.

On the viewscreen we watched as Rodriguez pivoted the ship on its axes enough to bring the forward phaser banks to bear on the enemy ships. Phaser fire built up along the strip and arced out with a whine that reverberated through the hull.

“Damage?”

“Minimal!” Maia reported. “Our phasers just aren’t strong enough.”

“Bridge to engineering,” Zhidar barked. “We need more power to phasers.”

“I don’t have it to give.”

“Take it from whatever systems you have to!”

Wattson’s answering reply carried a tone of desperation. “It's not a power issue, sir, it's a capacity issue. We restored the phasers' functionality, yes, but we lack the parts to fully restore their energy capacity. Until we can solve that, channeling more power into them won't make a difference.”

Damn it. She was right. Even seasoned bridge officers sometimes fail to realize you can’t just shove power into a system and expect it to work just like that. If the system couldn’t handle the load you were putting into it, all the power in the world meant less than nothing.

“Then we need another solution!” I shouted as the ship shuddered under more disruptor fire.

“Photon torpedoes, full spread!” Zhidar said.

“Now, Ms. Maia!”

My eyes darted to the viewscreen expecting to see a full brace of torpedoes streaking toward the enemy. Only two emerged into view though, striking the lead ship's port side and causing their shields to buckle in that area.

“Quick, phasers, target their warp core!” I shouted.

The phasers laced out once more, but to my dismay the shields had already come back up to full strength, leaving our phaser fire limp.

“What happened?” Zhidar demanded.

“Damage to the torpedo tubes, sir,” Maia replied. “They keep targeting our weapons.”

Before I could give any new orders, the ship bucked so hard Zhidar was sent rolling across the deck, alarms blaring like crazy, a number of consoles shooting sparks out of the wall panels. “Shields at twenty-five percent!” Danielle reported.

“What the hell did they hit us with?” I demanded, just barely catching myself from falling out of my own seat again.

“They overcharged their disruptors,” Maia said. “We’ve lost torpedoes. Power to the tactical pod has been knocked offline; our sensors aren’t as effective.”

Luna used her magic to help him back into his chair. “Are you hurt?”

“It is nothing,” he said, waving it off.

“Bridge to engineering,” I called out. “We need that tactical pod back online.”

“Sorry, captain, it’s taking everything we can to keep main power online throughout the ship.The EPS conduits in the deflector dish are barely staying stable as it is.”

Damn it. We needed options. I swapped the viewscreen to a rear view of the three Orion spacecraft chasing us. The curved hulls of their ships evoked the shape of a boomerang, though in this case both ends were bristling with weapons. A central spine jutted out from the center, narrowing to an almost jagged point at the forward-most tip. At a distance they cut a similar profile to a Klingon B'rel or Romulan D'Deridex class.

Birds of prey.

Yet unlike birds these three hunted in a pack, with the lead ship showcasing additional symbology on its outer hull, like a kind of war paint marking it as the pack leader.

I switched back to a forward view, staring at the dancing moons in their orbits, and frowned as one in particular caught my eye. “Danielle, is that moon geologically active?

“Confirmed,” she said. “It appears to be similar in composition to Io. I am reading substantial plumes of sulfur and sulfur dioxide, as well as plentiful magma flows on the surface.”

A grim smile crossed my face. “Helm, take us in. I want us as close to the surface of that moon as you can. Singe the paint if you have to.”

“On it,” said Rodriguez.

I felt the inertial dampeners spike for just a second as the ship pirouetted into a dive toward the fiery moon. “Miss Danielle, I want you to find the most active volcano. Maia, as soon as we pass by it, I want a phaser strike to trigger an eruption,” I ordered.

“Aye, ma’am,” the two women chroused as they worked on their task.

“Rodriguez, keep us on the deck as best you can till Danielle gives you the location.”

“We will be caressing it like a gentle lover, ma’am,” he said.

I sat back in my chair to wait, but fortunately I didn’t have to wait long. “Helm, I have the coordinates,” Danielle said.

“Adjusting course to match,” Rodriguez added immediately.

“Good. Nice and steady, Mister Rodriguez.”

The viewscreen showcased the unusual sight of craters and blasted out rubble of an atmosphereless moon, with us skimming it like a racing shuttlecraft. The ship creaked and groaned under the strain, but what caught my eye was the faint cyan glow just to my left. I turned and saw Luna's face wrinkled in concentration, her horn glowing brightly. “I am attempting to reinforce the ship’s hull,” she said quietly. “It is difficult, but I can manage.”

“The Orion ships are bearing down on us,” Maia reported. “They’re moving into formation for a three way tractor beam.”

“Probably think we’re crippled already. Helm, keep her steady. Time to volcano?”

“We’re passing by the volcano in eight seconds,” said Danielle.

“Get ready with those phasers, Maia.” Zhidar ordered.

Maia replied, “Ready… preparing to fire in three… two… one… now!”

“Helm, away from the moon, full impulse!” I barked.

I swapped the viewscreen over just in time to see the phasers strike the volcano, which was a particularly long and slender looking one that bore the appearance of an ancient cannon atop a battlements. The phaser beam kicked up a thick cloud of debris as it drilled through the side of the volcano. For a split second the viewscreen was blinded by the haze, until a huge column of lava erupted into the sky like a trail of hellfire.

“Eruption confirmed!” Maia shouted.

I watched with a bit of glee as the wall of magma engulfed the lead ship, which exploded almost on impact. The shockwave shoved the second Orion ship out of the way, but the force of the blast tore off one of its nacelles, leaving it drifting and trailing plasma.

“One down, the other disabled!” Maia reported. Her console bleeped. “We’re being hailed!”

“On-screen,” I said, standing from my chair. “Maybe he’ll be willing to negotiate now.”

Dessan wore a mask of pure rage, his face taking up most of the viewscreen. “Dessan, we’re prepared to render assistance to your ship if you’ll just stand down—”

He cut me off with a bellow of rage. “You just killed my mate! That was your last mistake, Shimmer. You’re dead!”

A fresh alarm blared as the signal cut off. “Photon torpedoes, incoming!” Danielle reported.

“Evasive maneuvers Mister Rod—”

BOOOM!

I must’ve hit my head, because for a moment everything went black. When I came to, red alert klaxons blared like they’d taken up residence inside my ear canal and roared at full blast. “Reh… r-report,” I coughed out, slurring my words.

Once again Luna’s magic surrounded me, shifting my position till I was standing mostly upright. “Easy. You momentarily lost consciousness.”

“Med team to the bridge,” Zhidar ordered.

I swept out a wing, despite the blast of pain this summoned in my head. “Belay that. I’m fine.” I sat back in my seat. “Rep—”

Another blast of disruptor fire sent us reeling again. Through the renewed ringing in my head I could barely hear Danielle shouting, “Shields at ten percent!”

“Damn it,” I hissed. I looked up at the viewscreen, and pointed with a forehoof. “Helm, take us into the rings. Maybe we can lose them in the debris somehow.”

“Aye, ma’am, but the helm, it is becoming less responsive. We cannot be maneuvering as well,” Rodriguez reported, even as the ship surged ahead and the screen was filled with dozens upon dozens of rocks and balls of ice the size of houses. The view dipped and bobbed in an almost nauseating fashion as Rodriguez sent us on a curling course in and out of the path of the rings to keep from getting too close to any of those chunks of debris.

“Just do what you can, Rodrigo,” I grunted. “Maia, did Dessan’s ship take any damage during the eruption?”

“Some. Their shields took a big hit when their lead ship exploded.”

“Then we just need to disable him,” I concluded. “Rodriguez, we still have warp, yeah?”

“Yes, ma’am, but we cannot be outrunning him just yet.”

I nodded. “Right. Take him down first, then we can escape. Alright, let’s coordinate. Maia, we’re going to use the phasers to keep blasting chunks of rock into his path, force him to dodge till he can’t. His ship’s smaller but we’re more agile; it’s a losing game. I hope.”

The ship abruptly rocketed forward from another beam of disruptor fire, lurching like a drunkard stumbling out of a bar at closing time as another alarm blared. “Shields at five percent!” Danielle cried. “One more hit and they’ll collapse!”

Maia tapped at her keys, then in an uncharacteristic burst of anger, snarled wordlessly and slammed her fists into the pad. “Sorry, ma’am, phasers just went offline.”

“Tractor beam—”

“Also offline.”

Cursing under my breath, I tapped at my comm panel. “Engineering, the phasers—”

“On it, ma’am, but it’s going to be a few minutes.”

“We don’t have a few minutes, Wattson!”

There was silence on the other end for a moment, then both she and I abruptly blurted the same thing. “The deflector dish!”

“Right, of course. You have someone who can configure it in place?”

“Yes ma’am!”

“Then get it done! Rodriguez, buy them time!”

Rodriguez grunted out a quick, “Aye,” as he sent the ship spinning, fast enough to turn the bits of rings ahead of us into a kaleidoscope of color and smearing visuals, leaving my stomach twisting in knots despite the inertial dampers keeping us from feeling it. Much.

And as we dodged through, I winced at every burst of disruptor fire from Dessan’s ship that flew past us, blowing apart pieces of frozen, jagged rock. If even one of those shots hit us…

“Captain!” chirped Wattson’s voice over the comms. “Deflector dish is ready.”

“Miss Maia, fire!” I ordered.

Rodriguez spun the ship on its axis like a ballerina, pointing the deflector back at Dessan's ship just long enough for Maia to light the deflector pulse. A wave of energy washed forth from it and slammed into a number of different pieces of ring debris, sending them directly into his path.

And this time he couldn’t dodge. They pelted his ship like so many wrecking balls, sending him hurtling off in a trail of sparks and plasma.

“Hah! Well done, everyone,” Luna cheered.

“We are being hailed,” Maia reported.

“On screen,” I said, feeling a smirk cross my face. “So, Dessan, ready to surrender?”

Dessan’s bridge looked like absolute hell, with fallen beams, scorched chunks of consoles, and dead bodies littering the floor around him. “You think you’ve won, Shimmer?” he snapped. “This is just a minor setback.”

I sighed. “We’re willing to render assistance if you’re willing to cease hostilities.”

He threw up a rude gesture with his hand. “I’d sooner die! You haven’t seen the last of us, Shimmer. We’ll hunt you down eventually, and next time, you won’t have a convenient moon to shoot.”

The comms cut off.

“Well, that’s your decision then,” I said with a snort. “Helm, get us the hell out of here.”

“Captain,” Zhidar said quietly as the ship slowly accelerated. “We should consider finishing him off. If he contacts the Dominion like he threatened—“

“Then we will die regardless of if we destroy his ship or not,” Luna said. “If he was intelligent, he would’ve already notified them, and postponed any attack until they arrived. Perhaps he was bluffing.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I sighed. “We’re not at war with the Orions, and we can’t afford to be either. I’m not going to destroy a disabled ship just because it might be more convenient. We’re Starfleet. We’re better than that.”

Zhidar let out a canine-like growl, but he nodded. “I didn’t like the idea either,” he said. “And, the ambassador does make a point. Surely there is a bounty on our heads if found. A more savvy belligerent, even an Orion, would tail us at a distance and wait for the Dominion to capture us.”

“Besides,” I added with a bit of sarcasm, “it’s not like we have active weapons anyway. Unless you want to take a shuttlecraft and shoot potshots at him.”

Then another klaxon blared, more sparks flying from several panels as a loud thud reverberated through the ship from below decks, a tell-tale sign of an explosive power failure. “We just had an EPS overload across the board,” Danielle reported. “Shields are offline.”

“Do we still have navigational deflectors?” I asked.

“Yes, barely.”

I stood up, feeling my vision swim as I did so. “Then helm, get us out of here, warp four. Put our backs to the rings and debris fields to help obfuscate our warp trail, then resume previous course once we're clear. I don’t want us being tracked if we can manage it.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

Briefly I watched the viewscreen as the ship leapt to warp, then once the stars were streaming by, I said, “Zhidar, you have the bridge. I’ll be in sickbay.”

I stumbled into the turbolift, feeling weaker on my hooves by the minute. My head pounded like I’d taken a few shots of Dessan’s disruptors personally to the face. A few more minutes in those rings though and he may well have gotten the chance too. That was way, way too close for comfort.

Damn it, I’d known running into Orion pirates was a possibility out here, but they were shockingly close to Equus. We’d only left the nebula behind ten days ago. If they ever got it in their heads to try and hide inside that nebula…

On the other hoof, I reminded myself, Dessan had been genuinely surprised to see a Federation ship out this way at all, much less the Phoenix. And Equus did have a stout defense in the form of the two satellites. So hopefully we didn’t have anything to worry about.

As the turbolift discharged me onto Deck Twelve, the pounding in my head flared up even worse than before. “Oh damn... oww…” I grit my teeth and tried to push through the rest of the way to Sickbay, but the moment I turned right and tried to head down the corridor, the floor seemed to spin sideways on me and I crumpled to the deck like a sack of apples. For a moment I couldn't see anything, but I could vaguely hear a voice shouting at me. “...tain? Captain? Can you hear me?”

“What?” I murmured, managing to wrest my eyes open, to see Fluttershy standing over me, a medical tricorder held up by one forehoof on a brace designed to let her use it without having to hold it with her mouth.

“I was just on my way to the bridge to check on everyone, since no one ever updated us about the call for a Med team. Then I saw you stumble out of the turbolift. You passed out,” she said as she ran the tricorder over me. “You have a severe concussion.”

“Y-yeah,” I murmured, feeling my words slur a little in my mouth. “Took a… took a blow to the head on the bridge.”

Fluttershy frowned, and folded her tricorder away. “We need to treat this right away. Can you stand?”

Shakily, I managed to stumble to my hooves, and she helped support me as we walked into Sickbay together. Many other med techs milled about, and I heard Doctor Selar shouting for assistance with some sort of emergency operation, but it was all a bit of a blur to me.

Was that Braeburn over by one of the beds? What was he doing in sickbay?

“Captain,” Fluttershy said, drawing my attention back to her. “Can you get on the biobed for me?”

“Mmhm,” I muttered, and climbed up onto it, flopping over onto my stomach. It wasn’t the most comfortable position, but I didn’t really want to move anymore either.

“Alright, hold still. I’m going to do what I can to treat you,” Fluttershy said. She stepped away for a moment and came back with some kind of medical tool that she aimed at my head. For a split second it reminded me of my first day on Earth, in the science lab with Mother and Doctor Selar. “This might sting a bit.”

“Nnngh!” I groaned as she switched it on. Sting wasn’t quite the right word; it felt like she was rummaging around inside my skull with a piece of glass. Thankfully, the feeling subsided after a few minutes, as did much of the blurriness in my vision. I hadn’t quite realized how foggy and blurry it had become.

“How’s that?” she asked me. “Better?”

“Little bit,” I said, my words much clearer this time. “What happened?”

“Like I said, a severe concussion,” Fluttershy answered as she pulled out a hypospray and administered it to me. The pain melted away from my head, leaving me sighing in relief. “You were this close to needing surgery though. You really should get treated as soon as you have a head injury.”

“I’ll make sure to tell the Orions to pause the battle while I go to sickbay next time,” I snapped.

Fluttershy took a step back, a hitch in her voice. “Right… sorry.”

Grimacing, I sat up and reached out a hoof for her shoulder. “No, I’m sorry, that was uncalled for. You’re absolutely right, I shouldn’t have belayed the request for a Med team. Believe me, if I could’ve left the bridge, I would have.”

She smiled softly, then gently pushed my hoof away. “I understand. You’ll need to rest for at least twenty-four hours. No strenuous activity.”

“I'll do my best, I promise,” I answered. I glanced around Sickbay, now that I was feeling a bit more capable, and took in the situation. Seeing nearly all of the biobeds occupied with injured crew made me nauseous. We shouldn't be this banged up, not over some two-bit Orions. What was I thinking, not trying to just outrun them anyway? Was there really no choice but to fight?

Sickbay’s doors slid open and a familiar-looking pegasus with a persian blue coat and silvery cerulean hair came galloping in, directly over to Fluttershy. “Where is she?” she blurted. “Where’s Flitter?”

Fluttershy swallowed and pointed at one of the biobeds covered in a sheet, where Braeburn was standing, looking distraught at the lump underneath.

A pony shaped lump.

I immediately leapt to my hooves, ignoring both the dizziness in my head and Fluttershy's protests as I barreled my way over.

I watched one of the other nurses briefly pull back the cover, revealing a badly burned pony face. Only the remaining color in their mane and coat gave their identity away. Cloudchaser let out a pained wail and flopped back onto her rump, her whole body trembling.

Braeburn looked over at her, his face tear-stained. “Ah’m sorry, Cloudchaser,” he stammered. “Ah tried to stop her.”

And then I remembered where I’d seen these two before. When I was speaking with Braeburn about ongoing repairs, there’d been a pair of pegasi arguing over a conduit further down the corridor. These pegasi.

“Cloudchaser,” I began. “I’m sorry this—”

Cloudchaser burst into tears and flopped over the dead body of Flitter, clutching at it through the blanket. “Flitter… oh no, no… no… Flitter…”

“They’re sisters,” Braeburn said, though I’d already figured out that much. “Close as any two kin can be. From what mah cousin told me these two were near inseparable in Ponyville. Ain’t never seen one without the other.” Braeburn’s face fell. “Till now.”

His words cut through me, hard. I pulled him away, leaving Cloudchaser to grieve. “What happened?” I asked.

“It were that damned EPS conduit,” he answered. “Near the deflector dish. The one we weren’t able to get workin’ right.”

“Danielle did report an EPS overload right after we disabled the last pirate ship— oh god.” I felt like I had taken another blow to the head. I knew exactly which conduit he was referring to. It was one of many we had to patch together for a lack of appropriate parts, leaving them at a much higher risk of rupture than normal.

Staring back at the grieving pegasus clutching her sister’s body, I felt my breath catch in my throat. “But, how did she…”

“Ah was gonna be the one to reprogram the deflector to send out that beam you asked us to do,” he said. “But she said she could get there faster, ‘cause of her wings. She flew up there and she was working like crazy, tryin’ to get it done fast as possible. Ah ran up there anyway, but by the time Ah got there she had already fired off the beam. The overload alarm went off seconds later. Ah was gonna try to shut the thing down but she shoved me out of the way and then…”

Doctor Selar came over to me. “She was the only fatality in the battle, Captain,” she said, her dispassionate tone suddenly grating to my ears. “She was burned over ninety percent of her body, and that plus blunt force trauma from impacting the bulkhead was sufficient to kill her almost instantly. She did not suffer.”

“Small favors,” I grunted. This was my fault. This was absolutely my fault. I’d known the EPS conduit by the deflector dish was especially fragile. I'd known that this conduit, and the ones adjacent to it, needed additional stress testing badly, but I put it on the 'test along the way' list. Simulating battle conditions would have delayed us another week at best, and that was time we could be spending limping home instead.

But we didn’t get to it fast enough. And now a pony was dead, less than two weeks after we’d left Equus.

Because of my failure.

Fluttershy set a hoof on my shoulder. “Captain? Is something else wrong? Is your head hurting again? I can get you some more medication.”

“N-no, no, that’s… that’s not necessary,” I said, giving her a smile that didn’t come close to reaching my eyes. “I’m just tired. I’m going to head to my quarters and rest, like you said.”

“Oh. A-alright.” She smiled back. “I’ll be here if you need anything.”

Giving her a nod, I left Sickbay, and galloped for the nearby turbolift. “Deck Seven, Captain’s quarters,” I barked at it.

As the turbolift took me up, I found it was getting harder to breathe again, and my whole body ached fiercely, but no part more so than my heart.

My fault. All my fault.

I stumbled out of the turbolift and into my quarters. “Lock doors,” I ordered the computer. “Dim lights to twenty percent.”

As the lights dimmed I trotted over to the couch, where I’d left that uniform jacket of Jacqueline’s. I still hadn’t found the heart to put it into the fresher.

I collapsed onto the couch, and wrapped that jacket around me.

Only then did the first tears fall from my eyes.

Equestria Base mission log, supplemental.

Our first attempt to investigate the mysterious energy signatures around the planet was a success. As expected, the dragon was none too pleased to see us at first, and seemed particularly annoyed over the fact that I’m an alicorn. Do all dragons dislike alicorns for some reason? Or is this one just particularly grumpy?

The dragon’s tune changed though, once we proved to him there was more to his cave than he thought. I think we all expected to find some non-native energy source down there, but what we did find blew away any of our expectations.

Dragons at one point had written language. And magitek beyond anything Equestria has ever seen. Even our tricorders can’t identify some of the materials used to construct the hidden cavern we discovered. And that lone computer terminal… that alone is worth at least a dozen research papers. Not only is it responsible for the gem regrowth that keeps attracting dragons to the cave itself, but we stumbled upon a message in a bottle, so to speak. A grainy, choppy video recording stored away in its ancient memory banks. The video was only able to play once, but thankfully we were able to record it ourselves. And thank Celestia we did, because the implications are massive to say the least. Who was the dragon who spoke in the video? Where did she come from? And who were the almost ghostly figures behind her? Did they create that cavern, or build the terminal? What does it all mean?

I’d love nothing more than to dig into just that ad infinitum, but there are of course more pressing matters in front of us. That’s why I’ve given everyone a few days to catalog and begin analyzing the troves of data we gathered from the cave. I’d rather get at least some headway on that before we visit another energy signature location and pile even more data on top of our plates.

Ayhan is focusing on the gem sample we took from the dragon’s den. It’s similar in appearance to the kinds of gems Equestrian miners normally find, but both its lattice structure and its mana capacity are wildly different. The increased purity and efficiency the gem possesses, at scale, would revolutionize everything from fashion to energy production across Equus.

I tasked Vohrn with analyzing the scans we took of the dragon himself, as well as the cavern, looking for any clues as to how the enhanced potency of the mana flowing through it affected the dragon’s physiology, whether for better or worse. Meanwhile, Blackford has been dissecting the recording, poring over every nano second of footage for any more clues as to who made it and when. At the same time, we were all doing our best to decipher the technology behind it all. It definitely wasn’t Iconian in origin, but we still had no idea what it was either.

Meanwhile, the engineering team has had their hands full working out shelter plans and new farming techniques for the locals. The solar satellite fluctuated not once, but twice recently, with scheduled rainstorms in northern Equestria actually turning to sleet and, in the case of Vanhoover, snow. In late summer. It worried all of us, as without access to the satellite we couldn’t be sure how close it was to failure.

I’d never say this aloud, but personally I am beginning to fear it is much closer to failure than we first thought.

Regardless, while the rest of the team kept busy, that gave me time to work ahead a bit and run a few surveys of the surrounding lands, gathering information on possible new sites to examine. We’d detected one such place in the lands to the southwest of Ponyville, an area inhabited primarily by Diamond Dogs. Their extensive tunnel system no doubt held many secrets, but just like with the dragon, we couldn’t just barge in there. We’d need a guide.

So that brought Preta and me to Canterlot to meet said guide, along with the rest of the science team. Or at least, that was the plan. Unfortunately, when we arrived, we discovered that an unexpected meeting had come up and she would be occupied until later in the day. So, with more than a few hours to kill, I had the brilliant idea that now might be as good a time as any to make good on my earlier promise to Sunset and introduce Preta to my Equestrian family.

A decision I quickly began to regret…

“So, this is Preta? The one who’s captured my sister’s heart?”

“Y-yes sir, that’s me,” Preta said, flashing Shining a huge toothy grin. Which might’ve been a mistake, because I caught the way he flinched at the sight of her sharp teeth.

Preta’s hand gripped my hoof fiercely under the table as she tried very hard not to wither under the scowl being directed at her from across my biological parents' kitchen table.

“I don’t know about this one, Twily,” Shining said after a moment. “You sure about her?”

“Now, now, ease it on back, Shining,” said Night Light as he carried over a few tumblers filled to the brim with sweet iced tea. He set them down, giving us each one before taking the last for himself. “I know you're trying to be the protective big brother here, but Twilight's a grown mare too. And I'm sure she's more than capable of judging who she wants to spend her time with.”

“Hmm, so long as she’s sure her girlfriend won’t eat her in her sleep,” Shining grunted.

“Shining Armor!” barked Twilight Velvet, giving him a glare so sharp even Maia would have flinched. “You apologize for that, right now!”

“No no no, it’s okay, ma’am, it’s alright, I’m not offended,” Preta said, shaking her head. A feline growl of amusement escaped her throat before she continued, “It's... not the first time I've heard something like that. And I get it, really. To you I must look pretty fearsome.”

“Maybe, but that still doesn't make his comment any less hurtful,” I said, shooting a glare of my own toward Shining Armor. “I'd say an apology is definitely in order.”

“No no, you're right. I was out of line,” Shining finally huffed. He sat up and looked at us straight. “I'm sorry.”

“Thank you,” I nodded along with Preta.

“I will admit, dear, it is a bit… unusual, at least around here, for a pony to be with someone so… carnivorous,” Velvet said with a polite smile.

“Um, she’s not the only one in this relationship that eats meat, remember?” I said, flashing my own fangs. Granted, like my wings, I was still not entirely used to them, but after the almost two months since I’d returned to Equus, I’d at least stopped having the need to feel them out with my tongue every few minutes.

Velvet tittered, a laughter tinged with a bit of anxiety. “R-right, of course, I keep forgetting.” She sipped at her iced tea, then eyed Preta. “And you’re sure you’re not an Abyssinian?”

It was Preta’s turn to laugh. “No, no, I promise. I’m a Caitian. We come from the planet Cait, many many hundreds of lightyears from here.”

“You're right, of course, and I meant no offense. It’s just, you look so much like that Capper fellow we met, it’s astonishing. You could easily pass for one if you weren’t wearing that, err… that uniform.” A frown crossed her face. “You’re certain it’s a uniform, and not your sleepwear?”

“Uh…”

Shining snorted, muttering under his breath, “Now who’s being rude?”

Night Light cleared his throat loudly. “So, how did the two of you meet, again?”

“I was her second roommate at the Academy,” Preta answered, and from the way she squeezed at my hoof I could feel her relief at the change in subject. “It’s actually a funny story, when we first met we both overreacted to how cute the other one looked.”

“Cute?” Velvet raised an eyebrow at me.

I sighed. “Especially after Sunset and I had first arrived on Earth, it was all too common to have people look at us like we were giant adorable house cats or something. I've literally walked into a room and seen people reach out with their hands like they wanted to pet me. Apparently some Caitians, like Preta, earn similar reactions. It's not a problem among those we work with of course, but anytime we arrive in an unfamiliar place, there's almost always one or two people reacting like that.”

“Aaaaah,” Velvet nodded in understanding, a smile crossing her face now. “I can imagine how frustrating that must have been. And embarrassing too.”

“More so for me than her,” I grunted as I tried to fight back a bit of a blush. I remembered all too well the way Preta teased me at first about being attracted to her. And judging by the way her own face flushed a bright crimson, I wasn’t the only one remembering that.

“A-anyway, we became friends pretty quickly, and have remained so ever since,” Preta answered. “Not sure what this says about our sense of timing, but we only got together romantically the day before the Phoenix crashed on Equus.”

“Is that so?” Night Light said with a smile. “Well in that case, congratulations. What finally brought you two together, if I may ask?”

“It’s pretty complicated,” I answered right away, covering for Preta who I noticed briefly hung her head in shame. “Long story, lots of personal details. I think we were both dancing around our own feelings for a while, to be honest. Especially me. But when she confessed to me how she felt, I just... went for it.” I squeezed her hand in turn with my magic. “And I wouldn't have changed a thing, trust me.”

“Are interspecies relationships common in this Federation of yours?” Shining asked, arching an eyebrow. “I mean, there’s your adopted parents, then there’s Sunset who said she’s with one of those humans, and then there’s you two…”

“It’s pretty common, yes,” Preta confirmed. “Most humanoid species are quite compatible with each other, and can even produce offspring with the right medical intervention.”

“Humanoid,” Shining said, tasting the unfamiliar-to-him word. “That’s what you call creatures who stand on two legs, right?”

“Err, yes,” Preta said, grabbing for her tea to cover her sudden flush of fresh embarrassment. “I-I realize that’s far less common on this planet, but most sapient species we encounter are either humanoids, or they’re something entirely different. Like Medusans.”

“Medusans?” Night Light asked, raising an eyebrow of his own.

“They’re a noncorporeal species,” I answered, and when that was met with blank looks, I added, “their bodies are comprised of clouds of energy. In their natural state they’re actually so unusual to the humanoid mind that one look can drive you insane. So any Medusans that travel outside of their home system have to wear exosuits that hide their true form.”

“That’s… actually pretty cool,” Shining said, a smile crawling onto his face for the first time since we sat down together. “And there’s others like that?”

“Loads,” Preta answered, her voice taking on an air of wonder. “Like the Horta, who look like living rocks. Or the Xindi Insectoids, which are like gigantic ants. The Tholians, who are literal living crystals, and so many more. There’s so much life out there in the galaxy, I could sit here for hours talking about dozens and dozens of species. And that’s just what we know about; we’ve barely explored a tenth of the full galaxy.”

“That’s incredible,” Night Light said with a chuckle. “And to think, Velvet ribbed me for being so interested in those science fiction novels while you were gone, Twilight.”

“They did seem a lot less realistic before last month.”

“Yes, love, but I was right in the end, wasn’t I?”

I blinked, sitting forward. “Wait, what are you talking about?”

“Oh,” Velvet sniffed, waving a hoof dismissively. “Your father was desperate to figure out what happened to you… after all, we were plants at the time, we didn’t see you disappear.”

“Plants?” Preta said dubiously, raising both eyebrows.

“Err, yeah, that was my fault,” I said with a sigh. “Magic surge. Happens sometimes, results in uncontrolled magical outbursts. Usually pretty harmless and easily reversed.”

“Though it was actually quite nice, being a plant,” Night Light said, a wistful expression crossing his face.

“Maybe for you. Some of us were stiff for weeks afterwards,” Velvet grunted. She rubbed at her back. “In any case, we had no idea what happened to you. All Princess Celestia would tell us was something about a magical mirror. After the first couple of months, I started to lose hope you were even alive.”

“I never did though,” Night Light added. “I’ve always been an avid reader, so in my grief I turned to books, and fell in love with science fiction in the process. I began to speculate you’d fallen into some kind of portal to another dimension or something.” He rubbed at his chin. “Actually, the day after we were first told about your return and shown some pictures of some of your colleagues, I had a dream that the mirror took you to another universe entirely, to a school that looked like Celestia's but was full of nothing but these humans. And everyone was playing in a band for some reason too.”

“...that’s a really weird dream,” I replied, laughing at the thought. “One trip through high school was more than enough, believe me.”

“Seriously,” Preta agreed. “I went to high school on Earth too. I swear, if there’s any place on the planet that’s still as dark and dismal as pre-first contact Earth, it’s high schools. So much drama.”

“Teenagers and drama go together no matter the species, it would seem,” Night Light said with a chuckle.

My combadge bleeped at me. “Sparkle here,” I said, tapping it.

“Lieutenant, the guide just arrived at the castle. She’s ready and waiting.”

“Understood. We’ll be there shortly. Sparkle out.” I tapped my badge again and stood. “Sorry, looks like we’ve got to get going.”

“We understand, dear,” Velvet said. She and Night Light both got up and came over to give me a hug, one I tentatively returned. “Come back and see us anytime, okay?”

“And bring Preta along too,” Shining added as he tousled my mane. “I want to chat with her more about some of those interesting species. And make sure she’s treating my little sister right.”

I brushed my mane back into place, but I smiled all the same. “Alright. See you later.”

As Preta and I walked over to the carriage waiting to take us back to the castle, Preta breathed a massive sigh of relief. “Thank goodness that’s over with. Felt like I was this close to standing in front of a firing squad the whole time.”

“Really? I thought they liked you.”

“You didn’t see some of the glares Shining Armor sent my way.” Preta shivered hard enough to shake the carriage seat. “I swear he still thinks I'm some kind of dangerous wild animal.”

“...yeah, he did seem pretty protective of me,” I admitted. “But can you blame him?”

“No, but maybe yes just a bit though?” Preta said as she leaned over and wrapped an arm around me. “I get it to a point. You were gone for so long, after all. But still, it was more than a little intimidating.” She snuggled me closer and sighed. “Thanks for sticking up for me there, by the way.”

I snuggled into her side a bit in return. “Sure thing. He was being rude for sure. That said, he was the Captain of Celestia's Royal Guard for a while before becoming Prince Consort of the Crystal Empire. So it’s in his nature to be intimidating.”

“You’d think a one point two meter pony would be easy to stare down when you tower over him by over fifty centimeters, but I swear it felt like I was the tiny one.” Preta nuzzled her face into my shoulder, the fluff of her cheek fur mixing with the fluff of my own coat in a funny but comforting manner. “I’m no Maia either. If he came at me with that horn, I’d be hosed.”

I wrapped a wing around her shoulder and pulled her in tighter. “Then don’t worry about it. He warmed up to you, trust me. And if he ever actually tried to hurt you?” I smirked. “I’d kick his ass.”

Preta and I shared a laugh.

The carriage dropped us off at the castle’s main gate, where the rest of the team awaited us next to the shuttlecraft, which was parked just inside the expansive lower courtyard. What I wasn't expecting to see, however, was the striking unicorn standing alongside them.

“Rarity? What brings you here?”

Rarity, wearing a large sunhat and some protective boots on her hooves, lowered her sunglasses and smiled brilliantly at me. “I'm your guide, of course.”

“Really? Huh, that's neat. And unexpected. I would never have guessed you were so knowledgeable about Diamond Dogs.”

“Oh, darling, there’s no pony who knows them better! You are looking at the pony who made first contact with one of their settlements after decades of silence, eventually paving the way to regular trade with these normally reclusive fellows.” She eyed the team as she lifted up her saddlebags and secured them over her back. “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”

“Oh, yes, sorry. Everyone, this is Rarity Belle. She's a renowned fashion designer, and also the foremost expert on Diamond Dogs, it seems. Rarity, this is Lieutenants Preta R’el, Blackford, Vohrn, and Ayhan.”

“Oh my. So many different species,” Rarity said as she politely shook each of their hands. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all. If not for the pressing matter at hoof, I'd invite you all to my boutique here in Canterlot. With your unique builds and colorations, I'm already imagining so many outfit ideas!”

“Likewise, Miss Rarity,” Blackford said. “Um, pardon me for asking, but going back to what you were saying earlier, how exactly does a fashionista end up nearly kidnapped by these Diamond Dogs? I was under the impression they lived outside of pony society.”

“They do. Typically the Dogs want little to do with ponies. Until I bumped into a trio of them a few years ago while gem hunting, the only interactions Equestria had with them was occasionally sending the Royal Guard to repel bands of raiders who tried to overrun smaller villages and press the residents into slave labor,” Rarity said as we boarded the shuttlecraft. “But lately that’s been changing. There are many tribes, or kennels, as they like to call them, throughout the continent, but the one outside of Ponyville is one of the largest. This particular kennel has been setting the example in this regard, with multiple dogs bravely going out into the world to learn entirely new trades. I may not be Equestria's official ambassador to the Diamond Dogs, but I like to think my efforts at trading gems with this kennel in particular helped to get the ball rolling, so to speak.”

I heard the shuttlecraft's rear hatch close behind us, followed quickly by the engines going through their warm up cycle. After checking to make sure everyone was secure, Preta's hands danced across the console and a few moments later the shuttlecraft lifted us into the air. "Coordinates locked, all systems stable. Estimated arrival in five minutes," she said.

“Oh my, this is fantastic!” Rarity said, standing up from her seat to look at the view through the cockpit window. “I’ve flown on airships many times before, but this is amazing. It hardly feels like we're moving at all, yet the ground is zipping by at incredible speed!”

“Inertial dampers cancel the sensation of momentum,” Ayhan helpfully informed her.

“Oh? How precisely do they work?”

My inner lecturer wanted to jump at the chance to explain more cool science, but I had to keep us focused too. “It's... a lot to explain. If we have time afterwards, I'd be glad to walk you through the basics,” I offered. “Now, what else can you tell us about the Dogs you trade with?”

“Oh, yes, well.” Rarity cleared her throat and sat back down. “Of those few brave Dogs I mentioned, there is one in Manehattan who sources gemstones wholesale and sells them. Aidi is her name. I first met her when I was opening my shop here in the city and needed a local source for gems whom I could trust, and found her trying to run a store of her own, with little success. She’d actually been about to give up the whole affair and close up shop when I took a chance on her and effectively saved her business.

Rarity took a deep breath before continuing. “It turned out that she was from the kennel closest to Ponyville; the same one we're headed to now of course. We hit it off surprisingly well, and eventually she introduced me to their tribal chieftain. Ever since I've been working to further boost relations. It's a grand arrangement, really. Aidi and her tribe can supplement their resources and connect more with the outside world, and I get to adorn my fashion lines with the kind of gems one would normally only find in the most bespoke jewelry stores.”

She used a hoof to fluff her hair as she beamed with pride. “It’s a minor thing when it comes to my overall business dealings, but Princess Celestia appreciates it, and given recent events it may prove most fortuitous.”

“You can say that again,” Vohrn quipped. “So why exactly were they trying to kidnap you, again?”

“Foolish reasons,” Rarity said, her voice tightening a bit. “As I mentioned before, I had been out gemstone hunting when I ran into a trio of Dogs. They wanted to, and I quote, ‘gain enough strength to overthrow the chieftain.’” She rolled her eyes.

“That was the first contact you mentioned before? Yikes,” Blackford said.

“Indeed. Utter ruffians, the lot of them. Fortunately, the authorities had been made aware of their scheme, and caught up with them just before they would’ve taken me hostage. I recall at the time hearing unusual sounds from the earth, but thought little of it, as I was having to dig for gemstones with a shovel. At the time I cursed my misfortune, but it turns out that had I been much faster in digging I would’ve been easily caught. Though I’d like to think I could have rescued myself if it came to it.”

“I’m sure you could have,” I said, smiling at her bravado. “So who will we be meeting with?”

Rarity paused for a moment to think before answering. “I believe the current chieftain is Saluki, a member of one of the eldest clans. He has been chieftain for less than a year, but in that time he has been attempting to, for lack of a better word, modernize the political and economic structure of the kennel. He has instituted a council of elders, for example, and placed a far stricter limitation on how long someone could be chieftain.”

“Sounds progressive,” Blackford commented. “Maybe we’ll have better luck with him than we did the dragon.”

Wincing, Rarity said, “I don’t know about that. I have heard little from Aidi since your starship first arrived, but from the one letter she did send, she said the Diamond Dogs are… unhappy with your presence.”

The shuttle’s engines let out a smaller whine as Preta brought us in for a landing. “Did she say why?”

Rarity shook her head. “Something about ancient legends of oppression or something. I’m afraid she wasn’t clear, and I didn’t have a chance to press her for details.”

“Landing complete, ma’am,” Preta said.

“Thank you, Lieutenant. Well.” I stood and stretched out my wings. “Let’s hope that being led by a pony helps mitigate any concerns they have. Still, just in case…” I reached into an equipment locker and passed out phasers in addition to tricorders. “Keep them holstered and on low stun. Use them only if absolutely necessary.”

“Aye, ma’am,” they chorused.

I turned back to Rarity. “I don’t suppose there’s anything else we need to know before we head in? Such as the dogs only respecting strength or something like that?”

“Oh, heavens no, if anything they would prefer your submission,” Rarity said as she adjusted her saddlebags. “They’re not that aggressive, certainly nothing like, ugh, dragons, but they do tend to be uncomfortable with those who don’t show a submissive posture.”

“So, be respectful, got it,” I said, nodding. “Alright. Lieutenant, remain here in the shuttle. We’ll check in with you every fifteen minutes; if after an hour you fail to hear from us, return to Equestria Base and secure a rescue team. I doubt it will be necessary, but…”

“Yes, ma’am,” Preta said. She flashed me a brief smile. “Good luck.”

“Thanks.” I smiled back at her, then gestured to Rarity. “Very well, Rarity, please lead the way.”

As the shuttle doors opened up and Rarity led us out, we were almost immediately met by a quartet of Diamond Dogs. A trio of stout soldiers blocked the way, each wearing mail hauberks and helms, with gambesons underneath, and carting very sharp-looking pikes. Behind them stood a Dog bedecked in fancy, flowing robes trimmed in a rainbow of gemstones. Clearly an official or officer of some kind. This was my first look at Diamond Dogs in the flesh, and they certainly were far more canine-like than, say, Commander Zhidar’s Antican race was. In fact at first glance the soldiers looked a lot like English bulldogs, all muscle and flat faced, while the fancily dressed one bore a longer, more slender muzzle and figure, his eyes shining with intelligence and cunning.

“Your excellency, it honors me to see you wearing the robes I designed for you,” Rarity said as she bowed her head. “I humbly greet you on behalf of the visitors from the stars.”

The Dog turned his paw and waved it over Rarity’s head briefly. “Your greeting is acknowledged. Rise.” As she did so, he turned his gaze to us, and his lips ever so briefly pulled away from his muzzle. “So, these are the visitors. The rumors are true. You do indeed bear a great resemblance to the ancient legends. Save for the pony in your midst.”

I took that as permission to step forward, and emulated Rarity’s bow. “Your excellency, I am Lieutenant Twilight Sparkle, here on behalf of the Phoenix. We humbly request permission to enter your home, in the pursuit of scientific endeavors.”

“Scientific endeavors,” he sneered. “Pony speak. It means little to me. I only honor this request because it came from Princess Celestia herself. Were it up to me I would never allow any of you to step foot in our tunnels.”

Taking that as reason to continue bowing, I answered, “Respectfully, your excellency—”

He cut me off with a rapid wave of his paw. “Save it. I am well aware this has to do with the dimming of the sun. I know all the reasons you would give. Thus, for the benefit of my people, I will allow you entry.” His eyes narrowed, and briefly dipped to take in the equipment we carried. “Without your weapons.”

That set my teeth on edge for a brief moment. So much for being prepared. “As you wish. Blackford?”

I passed Blackford my phaser, and he collected the ones from Ayhan and Vohrn, and took them back into the shuttlecraft.

The Dog relaxed a hair, his sneer disappearing. “Good. You obey well.” His eyes drooped to take in the tricorder still on my belt. “What is that device?”

“It’s called a tricorder,” I answered, still keeping my head bowed. “We use it to detect various phenomena. We’ll need them if we’re to accomplish our intended mission.”

“I have seen them in use, your excellency,” Rarity added. “I can confirm they are harmless.”

He growled, a very dog-like sound that chilled at my spine. “Very well. You may keep them.” He glanced down at me. “Rise, pony. You may know me as Chief Saluki. Remember it well.” He turned, his robes sweeping dramatically. “Come. The tunnels are this way.”

“Well, that went better than I hoped,” Rarity whispered to me.

“That was good?”

“Very. He didn’t even attempt to strike you once. We must have caught him in a good mood.”

“Great…”

One of his guards moved to take up the rear of our procession as we marched towards the plain, stone archway that marked the entrance to the tunnels. My prior research indicated that Diamond Dogs always concealed the entrances to their tunnels as a security measure, so the fact that this one was marked at all gave me a bit of confidence that this kennel was as open to the world as Rarity had implied.

Though I quickly got the sense that they had a ways to go on making things feel welcoming too. As we stepped down into the earth, and sunlight was replaced by glowing gemstone lanterns and bioluminescent fungi, the tunnel narrowed, forcing us to walk no more than two abreast. We had to pass through three separate checkpoints, each more imposing and heavily-guarded than the one before it.

We walked in silence for quite a while, accompanied only by the sound of our footsteps and the rhythmic beeping of my team's tricorders. “These tunnels have been engineered with deliberate structural weaknesses,” Ayhan said. “They’ll collapse if there’s a substantial geological event.”

“Hmph. Astute of you to notice, star visitors,” commented Saluki, for the first time appearing to grin, if only for a brief moment. “We Dogs are no fools. We will not leave ourselves open to invaders from the surface, should any dare attempt to attack us.”

“A wise decision, your excellency,” Rarity chimed in.

We passed by one final checkpoint, this one reinforced with multiple metal obstacles that looked no less dangerous than the pikes the soldiers were carrying. Once past though, we emerged into a far wider tunnel that was buzzing with activity. For the first time we saw Dogs who were clearly civilians. The few who took notice of us seemed ambivalent about my presence, but once they noticed Ayhan, Blackford, and Vohrn bringing up the rear behind us, they scurried away immediately. I was about to ask Rarity about that when I heard someone's tricorder make a very loud pattern of beeps.

“Lieutenant, this tunnel is far more structurally sound than the ones we passed through earlier,” Blackford informed me. “It also appears to be far older.”

“Indeed, this is one of the ancestral arteries,” Saluki confirmed. He paused and turned around, peering at the tricorder in Blackford’s hand. “Your device can tell you such things without the need to smell the earth around you?”

“Smell the earth?” I repeated.

Saluki reached out and tapped the end of my horn. “Yes. Like your pony magics, all Dogs can sense the earth around us. We see, we feel it all, from the content of the soil to the makeup of the most delicate gemstone.” He reached down and scooped out a chunk of rock, seemingly with little effort. As he did so, I noticed Vohrn swap to his Sparkle sensor on his tricorder.

Holding up the rock to me, Saluki said, “It is a measure of pride among us Dogs to be able to manipulate the earth by force of will.” He took the rock, which by all appearances was a solid chunk of granite, and crushed it to powder in his paw. “We can dig anywhere we choose, and build tunnels stronger than any pony mineshaft. What’s more…”

He began rolling the broken chunks of rock between his hands and, with little more than a brief wisp of amber light, the chunk reformed as if it had never been touched. “We can build however we like, so long as we work with stone and earth.”

“That’s incredible,” I said, a big grin forming on my face. “Diamond Dog magic is more advanced than I knew.”

He let out a barking noise that, after a moment, I realized had been a brief bit of laughter. “Pony ignorance is Dog strength,” he said as he placed the chunk back into the floor of the tunnel, seamlessly melding it back into place. “We have long preferred our solitude. Many Dogs would be content to never see another creature for the rest of their days. In truth I empathize with that sentiment. But as Chieftan, I must ensure the continued prosperity of this kennel, and in that I see value in expanding our relations with the outside world.” He glanced Rarity's way as he continued. “Changing Dogs' habits even a little has not been easy. That we have come this far is due in no small part to the efforts of one of our own, Aidi, as well as Miss Belle here.”

Rarity smiled and gently dipped her head. “You honor us both, your Excellency.”

“Lieutenant,” Vohrn said quietly, “you should look at this reading.”

“Pardon me, your excellency,” I said to Saluki as I fell back to look at Vohrn’s tricorder. “What is it?”

He held it up to me and pressed a few keys. “Here is what I recorded while Saluki manipulated that piece of rock.”

I watched intently as the readings played back. “On the surface, these readings are roughly consistent with the energy output we see whenever you, your sister, or the Sirens use magic. But,” Vohrn tapped a few extra keys, “here is what it looks like in the narrow-band filter.”

The readout changed and I saw it immediately. There was an undercurrent, a secondary energy wave, beneath Saluki's own thaumic output; one that didn’t go away once he had finished his spell.

“What is that?” I wondered as I broke out my own tricorder.

Saluki growled for attention. “Is there something wrong, pony?”

“No, your excellency, just unexpected.” I looked up at him as my tricorder continued to record signs of the constant magical current. “You said that this was one of your ancestral tunnels?”

“Yes, I did,” he confirmed. “It is one of many tunnels, as old as Dogs themselves, perhaps even older. Legends passed down through the generations say that the very first Dog was brought to these tunnels as a place of salvation, after he was cast down from the surface to dwell in the dirt by those who oppressed us.”

“Respectfully, your excellency,” said Ayhan, “but these oppressors of yours, who were they?”

His lips rippled, exposing his teeth briefly as he scowled at Ayhan before sighing and relenting to her question. “I am not the one who should tell such stories. It is better you hear from Elder Ibazan. She is our storyholder, the one who knows the ancient legends best. I shall guide you to her.”

He resumed walking, and as he did, Blackford moved to walk beside me. “Lieutenant, perhaps these oppressors he speaks of have something to do with the message we witnessed in the Dragon cavern.”

“I was thinking that too,” I said, remembering what we’d seen. Those humanoids, so devoid of any features, and yet distinctly different from any other species on Equus. Enough so that Ayhan, Vohrn, and Blackford, despite all being different species, all garnered the same levels of ire and wariness from the Dogs. “Keep taking readings. It’s possible there’s another terminal here like the one from the cavern.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

We followed Saluki through more tunnels than I could count, each of them varying in size and direction. The only constant was the suspicious looks we got from nearly every Dog we passed by along the way. Finally, Saluki turned and led us to a tunnel that looked setup for residential use, judging by the relatively uniform spacing between things. Each home was marked with a curtain of unusual fabric, something my tricorder indicated was fungal in origin, colored in different shades.

“Each curtain represents the status of different clans of Dogs,” Rarity helpfully informed me as we walked. “The more intricate the curtain, the higher their status, and the more important jobs they’re allowed to do for the kennel as a whole.” She sniffed. “Most of them are laborers, helping to grow the various types of mushrooms and other cave flora that the Dogs eat, or helping to raise the animals they use for meat… some sort of lizard-beast. Terribly foul creatures though, utterly horrid temperaments.”

“She speaks the truth, star visitors,” Saluki said, a note of amusement slipping into his voice. “The cave lizards bear terrible claws, and would rip you to shreds if you ever gave them the chance. But a Dog needs meat to live, and so we must raise them, much as some of us wish otherwise.”

“Pardon the question, Chieftan,” Blackford interjected, “but if raising such meat is difficult, have you considered trading with the griffons or dragons for access to better meat?”

Saluki paused and looked at me, his eyes narrowing considerably. “Your subordinate asks a difficult question, Twilight Sparkle. Trade with ponies is difficult enough for dogs. Trade with others…”

“It is something I have suggested to him before,” Rarity mentioned. “But this kennel is the only one open to trading with the surface world at all, and griffons and dragons alike are very far away.”

“Oh. That surprises me,” I said. “Given the exquisite quality of the gems here, I’d be shocked if dragons weren’t bursting down the door to trade.”

Saluki’s lips quirked into a brief, if cunning smile. “It is something I wish to see us do eventually, it’s true. But it will take much time.” He resumed walking, and soon turned a corner, and gestured to a larger cavern decorated by the most extensive, ornate curtain we’d seen yet. “The elder awaits within.”

Even as he spoke, the curtain drew back, and a Dog stuck her wrinkled, aged face out to look at us. Her eyes bore the clouds of cataracts, and she moved stiffly, occasionally grunting with pain. Nevertheless she greeted us with a smile, as if she was welcoming back old friends. “Aaaah, the star visitors come to speak with one such as me? You honor me with your presence.”

Saluki grimaced. “I shall leave you with her— ow!”

Ibazan trundled out from behind the curtain and smacked Saluki upside the head, eliciting a most dog-like whine of pain. “You think you can leave without at least saying hello to your grandmother?”

“Grandmother, I have duties I must attend to,” Saluki groused. “I cannot stay.”

“Even so, the least you could do is remember your clan properly,” Ibazan snarled, before abruptly wrapping her arms around the taller Dog. “Proud of you though I am, your constant striving for progress sees you forgetting your past.”

“It is not intentional.” Saluki sighed, and hugged Ibazan for a moment before retreating away. “Now, I must attend to my duties. I shall leave the guards with you, in case the star visitors decide to show hostility.”

“Oh, nonsense, they are hardly the Oppressors of old,” Ibazan said with a snort.

“Nevertheless…” Saluki turned to one of the guards. “Stay with them. Escort them wherever they wish, but keep them away from the pups.”

The Dog soldier let out a single bark in response and pounded his pike into the dirt, prompting Saluki to nod. “Then, farewell for now, visitors.”

As he walked off, Ibazan waved us into her cave. “Come, visitors, come and sit with me.”

We stepped inside, finding the cave a cozy place, with a small fire burning in a hearth, its smoke funneled through a narrow, stone chimney of sorts that connected to an equally sized hole in the ceiling, presumably part of a shared ventilation system. Furniture formed from stone and covered in pillows and blankets made of fungal cloth were tastefully arranged near the fire, and another curtain marked what was likely a smaller bed chamber.

A small rectangular table sat against one corner, with a small dining set on one side and, to my surprise, a pony-made radio on the other. The brightly colored radio stood out like a beacon amidst the otherwise muted color palette of the room.

Ibazan took a seat by the fire and warmed her paws, while the rest of us found seats in the room. “Aaah. It pleases me that you came to speak with me… I had hoped to share the stories with the visitors ever since I first heard of your arrival.” She glanced at Rarity and grinned. “And it is always a pleasure to speak with you, Rarity.”

“Likewise, Elder,” Rarity said with a matching smile. “May I introduce Twilight Sparkle and her, err, crew.”

I briefly named each of them, then bowed again to Ibazan. “It is an honor.”

“Oh, fie, you needn’t bow to me,” Ibazan said, waving it off. “I’m too old for that nonsense anymore. That’s for the younger Dogs to worry about.” She took a moment to stare at me. “You are originally from our world, aren’t you?”

“That’s right,” I said. “I was born in Canterlot, but I was transported to a distant world when I was young, much like my older sister, Sunset Shimmer.”

“Sunset Shimmer, that name I know. The leader of you and your visitors.” Ibazan hummed to herself. “I had hoped to speak with her before she and her ship of the stars left, but I suppose I shall content myself with the four of you. And you, Twilight Sparkle... You are as much a child of Equus as you are a child of the stars now, so I hope you too find value in the words I speak here.”

I could see a mild look of scorn in Vohrn's eyes, but I silenced him with a look of my own.

“We would be honored to hear your stories, Elder.”

Ibazan moved towards her hearth to place a kettle of water on, letting out a canine-like whine of contentment as she sat back down in a more comfortable spot. “Well, I hope you don’t mind if this old dog makes tea while we speak. You’ve heard, I trust, of mentions of the Oppressors before.”

“We heard a small amount when we came in, yes,” I answered.

“Though to be honest with you, Elder, I had not, prior to today,” Rarity admitted.

“That’s because ponies didn’t need to know about them; at least not until they arrived. You caused quite a panic among the kennels, you know. One of the northern ones has shut its tunnels entirely, and several others are on the closest we Dogs ever come to a war footing.” She growled under her breath. “Fortunately, my grandson is a smarter Dog than most. He listened when I told him there was nothing to be afraid of.”

“But what exactly is it that the others are so terrified by?” Blackford pressed gently. His voice matched Ibazan’s in its calm, relaxed demeanor, like we were a few academics clustered around a table in a library discussing historical theories.

“Oh, it is a long tale, going back many generations, to long before the ponies encroached on Dog land.”

All of a sudden, Ibazan reached into a pouch on her belt, one I hadn’t noticed she’d been wearing, and tossed some kind of dust into the fire. It let out a poof and the fire glowed with renewed intensity, though I felt no excess heat coming from it. Clouds of thin, wispy smoke roiled above it, shifting into ghostly images of a savanna-like landscape. And as Ibazan spoke, her voice took on a slight echo.

“Once upon a time, many, many centuries ago, we Dogs ruled this land. We built homes, towns, cities. We warred with each other, traded, and thrived. We were a civilization!”

The savanna landscape transformed before our eyes, first with a few Dogs rapidly building a house made of grown earthenworks and stone, then more buildings popping up, and more and more until an entire city sprung up as if overnight, with countless Dogs working and playing. The images shifted again and again, like a montage of a lost society. In each one I could see the growth in their cities, the advances in their technology from roughly medieval levels to industrial.

“The stories of this time vary. Some claim we were but a singular country among many. Others claim we controlled entire nations, perhaps even most of the world!”

The image zoomed out to show a turning planet, presumably class M. Its geography reminded me of how a foal might imagine Equus looks like, with the continents oddly shaped and far out of position. Then the map began to move, depicting changing borders between nations; some expanding, others contracting or merging. It all seemed almost ludicrous to my pony mind. If that really is supposed to be Equus, then Diamond Dogs controlled all of what is now Equestria plus half the dragon lands and even the Griffish Isles. That didn't square at all with any history of the Diamond Dogs that I knew of, much less the rest of Equus in general.

“But then, the Oppressors came. They came from the stars, in flying chariots of metal and light. They destroyed our lands, immolated our homes, and drove us Dogs to the brink of extinction.”

The globe zoomed back to the city landscape, only now everything was engulfed in flames. Bodies lay dead in the streets as pulsating beams of light rained down from the heavens, obliterating anything they touched. And all the while those same ghostly humanoid figures, the same ones we had seen in the Dragon's recording, roamed about, killing indiscriminately. The images were silent, yet in my thoughts I could hear the death throes of the innocent all the same.

“Those few Dogs who survived retreated underground, using our magics to dig tunnels and build caves where we might hide away from those who sought to destroy every last one of us.”

We witnessed in the illusory imagery a family of Dogs dive into the earth, carving away a lengthy, looping tunnel, until they were far below ground. They then cut away smaller tunnels and offshoot caves, which slowly began to fill once more with Dogs.

“We were forced to learn swiftly, the cave flora we could eat versus that which we could not, how to tame the beasts of the cave, bending them to our will. We learned where we could safely dig, and where the beating heart of the earth would drown us in her fiery blood.”

A series of Dogs flitted about a cavern, lit from above with bioluminescent fungi, picking up various mushrooms of different sizes, shapes, and colors. Some of the dogs fell over clutching their stomachs before their bodies faded to dust, while others grew and multiplied. In another image, a Dog dug into the cavern floor until it hit a vein of magma, burning to a crisp in an instant. Then many different sorts of lizard-like creatures came into view, many times larger than the Dogs and bristling with claws and sharp teeth. The creatures terrorized the Dogs, hunting them like prey. But then the image shifted and now it was the Dogs hogtying them and placing them into pens.

“Life for us became one of constant hardship, but as time passed we grew content with our kennels. We became creatures of the underground, hiding and living beneath the very ground that ponies and dragons and griffins and so many others controlled in our place. But we kept to ourselves, because how could we ever trust anyone but our own selves?”

The image of one cavern switched to a side-on view of a continent, with ponies and others shown in cities dwelling on the surface while below ground were scattered tunnels of Dogs, eking out a meager existence next to the splendor of the surface.

“And never, ever, did we allow ourselves to forget. That once upon a time, we Dogs ruled the world, and were cut down by the Oppressors, those who sought our destruction.”

One final image showed an elderly Dog telling stories to her children, and those Dogs growing up to do the same, stretching out over many many repeating instances spanning countless years. We watched in silence as that final image floated down to obscure Ibazan before it faded, leaving her sitting before us.

“Fascinating,” Ayhan whispered. “An intriguing display.”

Vohrn sneered. “More like a load of bull—”

“Lieutenant!” Blackford hissed. “Don’t be rude.”

“That story is unlike anything I’ve ever heard,” I said at a normal volume, drawing everyone’s attention. “I don’t believe it’s ever been recorded in any volume of Legendary Myths or Mythological Mysteries, or any other historical volume for that matter.”

“Of course not,” Ibazan said with a doggish whine of laughter as she pulled her now steaming kettle off the fire, pouring some into an earthenware cup. “You think we would tell ponies about Dog history? Oh, the tales I could share of pony offenses against Dogs, how we were driven out of so many of your towns and cities, how a kennel where your grand city of Manehattan is now located was destroyed and the Dogs forced to move elsewhere.”

“But that’s absurd,” I said, the pony historian in me overwhelming my sense of propriety. “Ponies don’t do that. And even if we did, we would’ve recorded it.”

“Would the architects of paradise record every pebble they crushed to build it?” Ibazan shook her head slowly. “Perhaps, perhaps not. Who can say which of our stories are exaggerated, which might be tales taken from other kennels who have reasons to lie? I don’t know. To be honest with you, Twilight Sparkle… I too think many of those stories are, at best, exaggerated. But I have never once doubted the story of the Oppressors and their endless atrocities. Some things may be tall tales, but those... those I am certain of.”

“Do you have any proof?” Ayhan asked, raising a dispassionate Vulcan eyebrow. “I do not mean disrespect with this question, but oral traditions rarely preserve the truth of history due to the distortion that occurs each time it is retold.”

“Hah!” Ibazan broke into laughter at that, her tongue lolling as she let out many canine-like whines. “You think Dogs don’t have writing? Think again, little missy!”

She reached up to one side of the cave and pressed her paw deep into the stone, which melted and flowed under her touch until it revealed a small alcove, from which she plucked three slate gray carved tablets.

“Here, take a look at these,” she said as she handed them over to me. “Careful now, these are far older than I look!”

Blackford, Vohrn, and Ayhan crowded around as I held them up for us to examine. They were covered in writing in a language I failed to recognize at first glance. “Interesting, look at this,” Blackford said as he pointed to the first tablet’s writing. “These lines here, the symbology bears a passing similarity to that of ancient Antican writing.”

“Really?” Vohrn asked as he peered at it. “Too bad Zhidar’s not here to ask about it.”

“Both races do share canine-like origins,” Ayhan commented. “Perhaps it is mere coincidence.”

“True, there are only so many ways that a symbol can be written,” I agreed. I looked up at Ibazan. “Can you read this?”

Ibazan glowered at me for a moment, then sighed and shook her head. “No. No one’s been able to read them for centuries. But we know they’re not like anything that we Dogs could make today. The feel of the stone is… different.”

“Ayhan.”

“Aye, ma’am,” Ayhan replied. She glanced at Ibazan. “With your permission.” At Ibazan’s nod, she pulled out her tricorder. A few quick scans later, she added, “The Elder is indeed correct. This stone is far different from anything we have observed here presently. While it resembles it in appearance, in composition it is more akin to an alloy, similar to tritanium or duranium in strength.”

“A metallic alloy with the appearance of stone?” Blackford asked.

“Diamond Dog magic has always dealt with the earth and its lifeblood,” Ibazan said as she flopped back down into her seat. “We still make tablets these days, and do so regularly.” She picked up a loose rock off the cavern floor and within moments it had flattened out into a miniature tablet, with a single word in Ponish carved upon it. See? “Though admittedly a tablet of this nature is beyond our abilities, even to my long memory.”

“Then if Diamond Dog magic was stronger and more developed in the past, they could have had unique manufacturing techniques for materials of all sorts,” Ayhan said as she tapped at her tricorder. “As well as unique construction methods and a different perspective on all forms of technology. A more naturalistic approach, perhaps.”

I brought out my own tricorder to examine the tablets, and cursed under my breath. “Wow. Look at the Sparkle sensor readings on these tablets. The amount of magical energy contained within them…” I looked up at Ibazan. “Have you ever seen these tablets do anything? Change their environment or manifest some kind of effect?”

“They’re stone tablets, honey,” Ibazan said with another snort. “I don’t think they do anything other than show a record. I’ve certainly never tried to do anything other than handle them briefly. They’re too valuable.”

“But they seem to have a magical potential like mana gems.” I moved the three till they were hovering side by side so we could examine them more closely. “There.” I pointed at a repeating symbol, some sort of hook shape, which appeared on the lower left corner of each tablet. I pressed it with my magic, but nothing happened.

Rarity, who had been silently observing since Ibazan had begun her stories, leaned in from behind me. “Allow me, darling.” I watched her horn light up and her blue aura take over from my own. “I do have a few earth-based spells to help me locate gems and such. Perhaps I can— Oh!”

As soon as her magic hovered over the hook symbol, the tablet’s surface shifted like water rippling in a pond, till an entirely different set of lines was written there, and in a different script besides.

“Fascinating,” Ayhan whispered as she ran her tricorder over the tablet again. “It appears that the entire composition has altered slightly, in order to present this new… page, for lack of a better word.”

“Let me see that.” Ibazan all but snatched the tablet out of the air and ran her eyes over it, her pupils shrinking with every line she scanned. “This… this is impossible.”

“What is it, Elder?” Rarity inquired. “Are you able to read it now?”

“Not precisely… it is still an old Doggish script, difficult to parse, but I recognize a few words here and there,” she replied. She pointed with an aged claw. “Carriage… metal ship… power of the first…” She moved her hand over to the hook shape on the tablet and concentrated, and the tablet rippled once more, now displaying a set of pictures. She blinked and scowled. “This means nothing to me. Here, you give it a try.”

I took the tablet back and almost dropped it in sheer shock. “Please correct me if I am wrong,” I said as I held the tablet up for the others. “But does this appear to be…”

“A picture of the electron orbits and atomic structures of the first ten elements on the Periodic table,” Ayhan confirmed. “Hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine, and neon.”

“Power of the first,” Blackford repeated. “Could it be referring to fusion?”

As Ibazan and Rarity looked at us quizzically, my mind raced with possibilities. “Diamond Dogs having fusion power would confirm something to Ibazan’s story… but you would think that they would use geothermal power, given their connection to the earth.”

“Geothermal? Are you talking about using lava?” Ibazan asked, her eyes tight as she spoke. “Let me see that tablet again.”

I passed it back over, and she pressed a different hook symbol on the opposite corner I hadn’t noticed before. The tablet rippled once more, reverting to the previous “page.” She ran her claw down it for a moment, then tapped a few words. “Here. There’s a phrase here I recognize. Mother’s lifeblood. It’s an old Doggish way of referring to lava.”

I nodded. “Ayhan, Blackford, switch to scanning for geothermal power sources. Vohrn, you and I will check for Sparkle readings.” Turning to Ibazan, I added, “Elder, with your permission, I would like to take these tablets with us while we explore the caves, to examine them further. They might be able to answer a lot of mysteries. I promise to treat them with respect and to preserve them intact.”

Ibazan’s lips drew back into a Doggish smirk. “Go right ahead, Twilight Sparkle. They’re not doing any good just sitting in an alcove. Just make sure you let me know what you find. This old Dog’s curiosity needs to be sated.”

“Of course.” I packed the tablets away in my sample case, which would keep them protected from harm.

Ibazan stood up from her seat and waddled over to the exit to the tunnels. “Hey, you,” she said, poking the Dog standing guard in his armor-plated chest. “You’re going to escort these visitors wherever they like, on my authority, got it? Take them to the Heart of the Kennel.”

The Dog soldier growled, a low, guttural noise that set my hackles on edge. “That is forbidden to outsiders.”

“Yes, it is. And I just gave you my authority to take them there anyway.”

“I’m sorry,” Vohrn interrupted, raising a hand. “What’s the Heart of the Kennel?”

“Oh, I can answer that, darling,” said Rarity. “It is the center of the entire tunnel network, the hub from which all the tunnels emerge. It is considered a sacred place, used primarily for cultural ceremonies. I’ve never been.”

I didn’t fail to notice the blush on Vohrn’s cheeks from being addressed as darling, which prompted an eye roll from me and a sigh from Blackford. “O-oh, right. Um, thanks,” Vohrn said.

“Why should they have access?” the Dog guard snarled.

Ibazan all but barked back, her own teeth showing. “Because I said so, that's why. You do know who I am, right?”

The guard let out a whimper and shrank back, then pointed with his pike. “This way,” he grunted.

“Good luck,” Ibazan said to us as we started to follow him. “And thank you for coming to see me. It warms this old Dog’s heart.”

“No, thank you, Elder,” I said with a brief bow to her. “Your efforts may just help save the entire planet.”

“Hah! Wouldn’t that be something, eh?” Ibazan chuckled as she disappeared back behind her curtain.

We followed the guard Dog through the tunnels, our tricorders making a symphony of beeps and buzzes as we took continuous scans. “Lieutenant, I’m seeing stronger readings the deeper we go,” Vohrn said. “It’s starting to look like the entire tunnel is surrounded by magical energy.”

“That’s not surprising if they’ve been using their magic to dig,” Blackford said.

“No, he’s right,” I countered. “These readings… This is more than just residual energy patterns. There’s something constantly running through it. Almost like a structural integrity field.”

“Dog magic keep tunnel intact,” the guard Dog grunted.

“But it’s only so strong, right?” Rarity asked, her eyes narrowed into a squint. She’d been twitching every so often the deeper we went, no doubt irked by the amount of dirt we were encountering. Rarity struck me as the type to find dirt inherently offensive, and the looks she kept casting at her hooves seemed to bear that out. “That is, you can only dig so far before the tunnels start collapsing anyway.”

“Yes.”

“And yet it’s getting stronger,” Vohrn said. “The closer we get to this Heart thing, the stronger these readings. This isn’t just some magic leftover from digging, is it, ma’am?”

“No, absolutely not. Ayhan, Blackford, anything?”

“There is some trace of volcanic activity in this region,” Ayhan replied. “I am detecting remnants of lava tubes and magma chambers.”

“I think there might be one coming up, actually, though it’s pretty deep,” Blackford said. He glared down at his tricorder and cuffed it with his palm. “Damn readings are inconsistent though. There’s some kind of interference.”

“Indeed,” Ayhan said. She tapped a few buttons on her tricorder. “And just like the energy readings, the interference is only increasing the closer we get.”

“A dampening field?” I suggested.

“Possibly. I can verify it is not minerals in the rock, as there is nothing about the composition here that would interfere with sensors.”

“Halt!” called out a pair of voices.

I looked up to see two of the largest, beefiest Diamond Dogs I’d ever seen in my life, wearing full plate armor, carrying halberds lined with gemstones. They weren’t just for show either; I didn’t need my tricorder to tell those gems were carrying enchantments to boost the effectiveness of their weapons.

The two guards blocked our path with their halberds, their beady Dog eyes glowering at us from the slits in their visors. “No outsiders allowed!” they snarled in unison.

The guard Dog leading us grunted, “They have permission. Orders from Elder Ibazan.”

“What?”

“Impossible!”

Our guard Dog pushed his way forward. “They have permission!” he repeated.

Halberds at the ready, the two larger, more powerful Dogs both began growling, and one of them reached out to grab our Dog and snarl in his face, only to have his grip disrupted by Rarity’s magic.

“It’s the truth,” Rarity insisted. “I could scarcely believe it myself, but she wanted us to visit it. It’s vital to the success of my companions’ research here.”

The two plate-armor wearing Dogs exchanged a look, then one briefly ran a hand over us before whimpering. “Very well,” he said as the two moved their weapons out the way. “Be quick about it. We will be watching you.”

“Charming, aren’t they?” Blackford muttered as we moved on past them into the Heart of the Kennel.

Rarity was right about one thing – this was unquestionably the center of the entire cave network. Dozens of tunnel apertures surrounded us, each one leading in different directions. The floor itself was a wide-open space, easily big enough to accommodate a hundred Dogs or more. Though there was no formal seating, the well-defined patterns of scuff marks and divots indicated a kind of seating arrangement for gatherings. My eyes followed the pattern to the far side of the room, where an altar of obsidian stood, laden with stacks of stone tablets.

“Spread out, let’s see what’s around us,” I said as I glanced down at my tricorder. The Sparkle readings were climbing rapidly, and in seemingly random patterns as I scanned the area. The altar in particular shone like a beacon under the scan, but not in a way that stood out as anything more than a relative concentration of the residual magic.

“There’s absolutely some kind of artificial SIF in this chamber,” Vohrn said. “With the way it’s positioned, to say nothing of the myriad tunnels carving right through the supporting walls, this chamber ought to have crumbled. Something artificial has to be keeping it together; it's the only thing that makes sense.”

“Is it just me, or does this chamber seem to be below the rest of the tunnel network too?” Blackford said as he looked at the various apertures to different tunnels. “All the tunnels look like they’re heading up.”

“They surround us on all sides too,” Rarity added. “There’s not a single wall that doesn’t have a tunnel or two.”

That caught my attention. “Ayhan, what about below us?”

She raised a Vulcan eyebrow, then turned her tricorder to the floor. “The Sparkle readings grow much stronger in the floor than in the rest of the room,” she said. She moved about till she paused near one side, close to the altar. “Here. They are strongest here.”

“I guess it would be too convenient if there was a switch like in the Dragon cavern,” Blackford muttered as he ran his hands along the altar.

“Last time the switch required draconic magic,” I said. “Perhaps this time it needs Doggish magic. Rarity, can you—”

“What are you doing in here?!”

We all looked up to see Chief Saluki, his paws contorted into fists, his teeth bared, mouth practically covered in foam as he screeched at us. “How dare you enter the Heart of the Kennel?!”

“Your excellency, Elder Ibazan—”

“Does not have the right to allow you into our most sacred of caverns!” Saluki railed. “I should have you executed for this!”

“I beg your pardon?!” Rarity all but roared as she stomped over to him. “You gave us permission to be in these caves. You allowed us to speak with your Elder. She specifically asked that we investigate this chamber. If you don't believe me, ask that guard over there. He escorted us here, again on the Elder's authority.”

“I apologize if we have offended you,” I added. “But we have only done this because we were given permission, and because we are trying to find the key to saving the entire planet. Princess Celestia spoke to you about this in her letters, didn’t she?”

“She did,” Saluki answered after a moment of standing there vibrating with fury. “But that still does not justify profaning our most holy of sites. It is foul enough that we ever allowed those who resemble the Oppressors to enter these caverns, but to see you standing here? Get away from that!”

He stomped over to Blackford, who’d been hovering near the altar, and shoved him aside, knocking him to the ground where he was sent rolling to a halt near Vohrn. Then Saluki paused to examine the altar, as if examining it to see if we’d harmed it somehow.

“Are you alright?” Vohrn asked Blackford as he helped the other man to his feet.

“Yeah, just a couple of bruises. Nothing bad.”

“Chief Saluki,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. “I understand you are upset, but I assure you, we would not be here if we did not think it absolutely vital. I daresay the Elder feels the same, otherwise she would not have asked us to come here specifically. Please, allow us to continue.”

“I will have a discussion with the Elder at a later time. For the moment, her "authority" is the only thing stopping me from eviscerating you myself!” Saluki growled. He approached me and stared down with his admittedly impressive height, having almost a meter on me. “Tell me, pony, why are you even here?”

“Because we think we might’ve found something, something hidden to your people for a long time,” I answered, bowing my head to him. And as I looked down at the floor, I abruptly spotted something I hadn’t noticed before. It was faint, barely visible, but there was a symbol like a hook embedded there. I pointed at it with a hoof. “Chief Saluki, if you would do me the favor of using your magic on that.”

“Using my magic on what?” He looked down at the spot in question, then squatted down. “What is this?” he asked, his voice calmer, more quiet.

“I don’t know, but it's similar to a mark we found on the stone tablets the Elder showed to us, and it's not something I can activate myself. We need your help.”

“If this is a trick…”

Ayhan coughed for attention. “Then we are at your mercy. We are at the center of your tunnels. Even if we knew the way out, it would be impossible for us to escape without you cutting us down. It is therefore not logical to assume we would attempt hostile action given the circumstances.”

Saluki raised a bushy Dog eyebrow, but he seemed to concede the point. And as he stared at the symbol, he grew calmer still. “I have never seen this here before,” he murmured. “I have looked upon this floor many thousands of times, and never have I seen such a thing.”

“Could it be the tablets we borrowed?” Blackford suggested quietly. “Maybe they revealed something when we entered this chamber.”

“Maybe,” I allowed. “Which means we’re on the right track.”

Saluki let out a few quiet Doggish snuffles of thinking. “Hmmm… very well. I admit, this intrigues me too much not to try.”

He pressed his palm to it, and concentrated.

The cavern echoed with the sudden sound of scraping stone on stone as a seamless circle of floor abruptly pulled up and away, like an opening hatch, revealing a staircase that descended into darkness. Saluki jumped in surprise. “What is this?” he cried.

“Something for us to explore, I think,” I said. “Chief Saluki, I think you should have the honor of going first.”

He frowned, and reached into his robes, pulling out a pale yellow gemstone which I recognized as a flashlight of sorts. “Then come, quickly.” He made his way over to the staircase and descended.

I followed behind him closely, with Rarity behind me and the other three bringing up the rear. We followed the spiral staircase for quite some time, until the cavern we had just left was but a small speck of light above us. I couldn't see much past Saluki's portable light, but I could definitely tell it was getting warmer the further we went.

We emerged into a larger chamber, which lit itself on our approach with larger lanterns similar to the gemstone torch that Saluki was using, revealing a chamber full of machinery. Some of it looked vaguely like a SIF generator on a starship, but the rest looked utterly alien to me. According to my tricorder, the room around us was just over thirty meters by thirty which, like the chamber above us, seemed physically impossible.

“Lieutenant!” Blackford called, waving me over, gesturing with his scanning tricorder. “This is a geothermal generator alright. Looks like it’s drawing power from a magma hotspot approximately ten kilometers below us.”

“Scan everything,” I said as I reset my tricorder for a full sensor sweep. “I want a full record of this place.”

“What is all of this?” Saluki whispered.

“It would appear to be your people’s legacy, your excellency,” Rarity murmured in reply.

Saluki took cautious, slow steps, his mouth agape as he kept looking around like he was watching a tennis match, head snapping to and fro everywhere. “This… this is Dog technology?” He set his hand onto one of the machines, and suddenly smiled. “...yes, it is. It feels… right, to my touch. Different, given the odd materials. But still very right.”

“It all appears to function on some form of magic,” Ayhan said as she continued to scan. “While I hesitate to speculate, I suspect this machinery is the reason these tunnels are able to be maintained as they are.”

“Like a twentieth century bomb shelter,” Blackford added. “Meant to keep its occupants safe.”

“But… but that makes no sense,” Saluki insisted. “All our stories tell us the Oppressors forced us underground. They made us retreat here. But this… none of this could be built by Dogs today.”

“Perhaps the story is inaccurate,” Ayhan suggested. “Or incomplete.”

“Ma’am!” Vohrn cried out all of a sudden, drawing my attention. “Over here.”

“What is it?” I asked as I trotted over, the others hot on my tail.

He pointed to a console standing against one wall, a clear computer terminal if ever there was one, with multiple screens and an array of buttons and switches. “I think this is like the one we found in the Dragon cavern,” he said. “Just… different.”

“Perhaps it has a message as well,” Ayhan commented.

“There’s one way to find out,” I said as I approached the console and looked it over. “Chief Saluki, would you look at this with me?”

“Hmm?” He looked down at the console, briefly gasping. “This is like the ancient records,” he said. “These symbols… We have studied them for generations.” He pointed to a seemingly random button near the middle of the console. “This one I recognize. It says… ‘Remember.’”

He pressed it.

One of the screens flickered to life, the image covered in static, grainy and out of focus. On it appeared a pair of humanoids, just like the ones from the draconic message, and just as before their features were shadowed out, indiscernible. They stood next to a single Diamond Dog, who wore an outfit unlike any we’d seen on any Dog today, some sort of vest and trousers that almost seemed like a sort of uniform.

“The tunnels are prepared,” said one of the humanoids, their voice just as indistinguishable as before. “Your people will be safe.”

“I still do not understand why we must hide below ground like our ancient ancestors. Why can we not dwell upon the surface?”

“Too risky.”

“Your technology is unique. Remarkable, even to us.”

“You might be detected. If you are detected, destruction is all but inevitable.”

I made sure my tricorder was recording every second of this, watching as the Diamond Dog on screen sighed, seeming to deflate. “Then, allow me one final message for my people.”

“Hurry. We do not have long.”

The Diamond Dog approached the screen and looked at us with plaintive eyes. “My Dogs… my dear, sweet Dogs, I know what you must be thinking, if you are watching this. You have lost so much of what made our people special. We—” the signal began to cut out just as the first one had, skipping and bursting into snowy static every few words. “-- once lived -- never forget that we are more than -- dirt does not define -- cannot -- Oppressors must never return -- demons of -- destroyed everything, if not for the Saviors -- remember the Saviors, as we would not have survived without them -- please, be safe. And tell this story, our story, to all who come after.”

The message abruptly ended. I turned to Saluki, and almost gasped audibly when I saw tears running down his face.

“The stories were true,” he whispered. “Dogs always believed the Oppressors forced us underground, stole away our home. And they were right, but…” He set a hand onto the console screen, as if he was trying to reach through it. “Who… who are the Saviors?”

“We don’t know yet,” I answered gently. “But you’re not alone. We witnessed a similar message for the dragons, and your Saviors were present in that one too. Whoever they are, they saved more than just the Diamond Dogs.”

“They seemed to be like you,” he continued, looking in astonishment at Vohrn, Blackford, and Ayhan. “Perhaps… perhaps over the centuries, we forgot the difference between the two.”

“It is most likely,” Ayhan agreed, “but not without precedent. Even we Vulcans have gaps and unexplained twists in our own ancient histories.” She glanced back down at her tricorder. “Lieutenant, I will need to examine this further when we return, but I believe there was more to that message than what we saw visually.”

“What do you mean?” I asked her, stepping past Saluki to look at her tricorder.

“This is a recording of the message we just witnessed,” she answered. She then pulled up a side by side comparison. “This is the draconic message. There appears to be some sort of similar carrier wave underlying them both.”

“Huh, let me see that,” Blackford said. He took Ayhan’s tricorder and examined it carefully. “You know what, ma’am, I think she’s right. There’s something embedded in both messages.”

“What does it mean?” Vohrn asked.

Blackford shook his head. “I’m not going to determine that from a tricorder. I’ll need to analyze them both back at base.”

“If you were to speculate?” I pressed.

He frowned, tapping at his chin. “...it might be a secondary signal. They look like… pieces, almost, like they could fit together somehow.”

“Perhaps a password,” Ayhan suggested. “Or a set of coordinates.”

“All intriguing possibilities for sure. But, we’re not going to figure it out standing here,” I said. I turned to Chief Saluki. “I apologize again for the intrusion into your sacred cavern, but, I hope what we found here has made up for it.”

“It has,” he agreed, smiling at me for the first time since I’d met the Dog. “You have given my people a new piece of their history. Though… I do not know if I should show all of this to many others.”

“I would recommend against it. This technology is clearly what’s preserving the caverns in their current state. Until we know more, I would restrict access to this only to those you can trust not to interfere with its operation.”

He nodded. “I agree. I would not wish to cause the destruction of our home, not now.” He stood up straighter. “Perhaps, if you are willing, I may request you return to investigate the machinery more thoroughly, help us determine its method of operation.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” I said with a nod. “Though it may be a long while. There are still other energy signatures we need to investigate, much as we have done here.”

“I understand. There are more pressing matters. Still… to think we Dogs used to be so much more, that we have proof now… that alone will change everything for us.” He smiled again, and set a paw on my shoulder. “Thank you. And… my apologies.”

I smiled in turn. “Of course. Alright, everyone, a few more scans, then we’d better get back to the shuttle.”

As soon as we finished, we began the long trek back, though Rarity hung back with me. “Twilight, would you mind if we spoke privately? I have something important I need to discuss with you.”

“Of course,” I said as we boarded the shuttle. “As soon as we land back at base. Lieutenant?”

“Ready,” Preta said. “How was the trip below, ma’am?”

“Illuminating. We found a second message,” I answered. “And more proof that there used to be more advanced societies on this world.”

“Assuming they are native to this planet,” Ayhan commented as the shuttle took off. “An assumption I am beginning to question.”

“What do you mean?” Vohrn asked her.

Ayhan shook her head. “I am not yet ready to discuss it, save to say that the evidence of what we uncovered with the Diamond Dogs, and the Dragons before them, raises many questions indeed.”

The crew continued to chat among each other for the brief shuttle trip, then everyone disembarked save for myself and Rarity. “I’ll pack up here,” I informed the crew.

“Aye, ma’am,” the others chorused.

Once we were alone, I began to put away the last of the equipment. “Alright, what is it, Rarity?”

“Well, first of all, thank you for letting me go along with you on this journey. It was most interesting,” Rarity said as she brushed her hair back. “Secondly… I wanted to ask how you were doing.”

“Hmm?”

Rarity grimaced. “Well, it’s just… If I may be a bit direct, something seems to be bothering you, Twilight.

“There does?”

“Yes. I'm fairly certain of it, in fact. I could see it nearly every time you spoke. Your muscles tensed just behind the nape of your neck, like you were forcing yourself to focus.”

“So you were watching me the entire time?”

“No. But ponies are highly expressive creatures, after all, and it doesn't take a professional detective to see when a mare's trying very hard not to think about something.”

I sighed, rolling my shoulders, when I abruptly felt a pinch of tension in my neck, exactly where Rarity said it would be. It gave me pause for several moments before I managed to find the words to respond. “It’s nothing, just… thinking about my path in life.”

“Oh?” Rarity smiled knowingly. “You’re wondering about what life might’ve been like if you’d stayed on Equus, and now that you’re finally here again, you’re trying to decide where you really want to be.”

My eyes snapped up to stare at her. “How…?”

Rarity sat forward in her own seat and set a hoof on my shoulder. “Darling, do you recall the little secret I shared with you when we first met? About my accent?”

I blinked, not quite comprehending. “Err, yeah, but what’s that got to do with anything?”

Rarity chuckled. “You’re putting on an act for us, Twilight. You’re trying to act like the officer you’ve become, all in charge and responsible, while in reality you’re quaking under the surface, afraid everypony will catch on.”

She removed her hoof and touched it to her own chest. “In many ways I do the same thing all the time. My persona, my accent, my whole demeanor, it’s all about getting where I want to be in life.”

She abruptly dropped her hoof and leaned back in her chair, taking on a far more casual posture. And as she spoke, her refined tone disappeared as easily as one might flip a light switch. “Ya know, if I’m honest with myself I’m just a simple girl next door from a simple little unicorn family, yeah? But like I said before, no one’s gonna be buyin’ no dress from a girl who sounds like this, don’tcha know. If I wanted to be more than where I came from, I had to change myself.”

Drawing herself up, her usual accent returned just as quickly. “Were they to find out my little secret, no doubt many ponies would say I'm putting on an act. A facade to hide who I really am.”

“Aren't you though?” I replied. “If, as you say, I'm acting like an officer, then you're acting like a member of high-society. And I have to assume you're afraid of being exposed just as much as I apparently am.”

“Am I putting on a facade? Yes. Are you? Also yes. But am I truly pretending to be somepony I'm not? To that I say no. I am the elder daughter of a simple unicorn couple from Ponyville. My father made his bits playing sports while my mother stayed home to raise myself and my sister. I remember where I came from, Twilight.”

“But,” she continued, staring intently in my direction, “that alone does not define me, nor will I let it. I am Rarity Belle, trendsetting fashionista extraordinaire, self-made businessmare, and the face of every fashion magazine from here to Saddle Arabia. Fashion, culture, glamour — they're my talents, my focus, my life's ambition. To me, the real facade would be eeking out a life as the homey seamstress in a podunk village.”

She raised her hoof to touch my chest. “You are the officer you act as, because that’s who you’ve become. But suppose you do choose to stay here after your ship returns. Suppose you remain on Equus for the rest of your life. Would you ever look at the stars the same way again, now that you’ve traveled them? Would you lay awake wondering where your ship is now, what wondrous and fascinating things they are exploring? You've seen things little ponies like me wouldn't believe. Can you really leave all that behind? Or would you pine for that which you could no longer have?”

I was so taken aback I didn’t know how to respond. Where had any of this even come from? How did she cut so deeply to the heart of my own worries? It was just like Pinkie Pie, or Fluttershy… both of whom did the same thing, getting right to the core of my insecurities as easily as I read a book.

And the worst part was, just like Pinkie and Fluttershy before her, she was right. I hadn’t really thought about it from that angle. “...I do like the stars,” I admitted. “Even as a little filly, I liked to look at the stars through my father’s telescope. I even majored in stellar science at the Academy.” I smiled a little. “I know more about how stars work than anyone else on the planet.”

Rarity’s smile lit up her face. “You see? You enjoyed traveling the stars, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. I did.” I sighed. “But I only did it so I could find home again. Now that I have…”

“Now that you have, you have a choice to make,” Rarity said with a nod. “And it’s far from an easy one.”

She stood and moved closer; so close I faintly smelled her perfume waft past me. “Forgive me for cutting to the quick, Twilight, it's just... in you I see a bit of a kindred spirit. Two mares far from what we once called home, both of us moving heaven and earth to build the life our hearts dream of, to be the ponies our souls know we truly are.”

Every word she spoke seemed to ring out like bells in my mind, as if she was speaking to another me entirely; another Twilight still struggling under the weight of protocol and responsibility and worry about her sister and her now two families and Celestia knows what else.

“I know who I am, and I know where I'm at today is where I want to be. What you need to ask yourself, Twilight, is what is it that you, the one that exists past the uniform and the complicated family history, truly want? Is that Twilight's home on Equus? Or in the stars?”

I stared back at her, biting at my lip. “I don’t know,” I whispered.

She leaned in and wrapped her forelegs around me in a hug. The close proximity made my cheeks burn as I was abruptly reminded of both how attractive she was and how easily equine hormones can be triggered. “I don’t expect you to know right now, mind you. This isn’t a science or a math question, Twilight. It's a question of the heart, one that can't be solved with any fancy computers or spells. Believe me when I tell you, the only resource you'll have is yourself. You’ll need weeks, probably months to even begin to see the answers take shape. But… it’s important that you are true to yourself, to your real desires. To who you really are beneath it all. Finding that isn’t going to be easy. But it’s worth the journey, every time.”

I leaned back from her embrace just enough to look Rarity in the eye. “How…” I whispered, “how will I know when I've found the answer?”

Rarity leaned forward again, bringing her muzzle right beside my ear, close enough to tickle the tiny hairs with her breath. “You'll know, trust me. Suddenly all the pieces will click into place and you'll never want to lose that feeling ever again. You'll feel like, well, you. True, wonderful, beautiful you.”

She stepped back, smiled, and trotted toward the hatch, stopping just past the edge. “Tata for now, Twilight. I'm sure we'll be meeting again in the future.”

I watched her step over to the transport circle just past the landing pad and vanish in a flash of light.

“Huh, what was that about?” asked Preta as she stuck her head back inside the shuttlecraft.

“Just… some advice,” I answered with a slight sigh. “Let’s get inside.”

As we walked towards the entrance to the base, my mind continued to replay Rarity's words over and over again.

I looked up at the sky, at the stars that were currently hidden behind the illusion of afternoon sunlight, and I wondered.

I wondered where home truly was for me.

At some point, I must’ve fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, the door chime awoke me. “What is it?” I asked, my voice hoarse from the tears.

“Captain, it’s me,” came the voice of Wattson. “May I come in?”

I sighed. “One second.” I shucked Cadeneza’s uniform jacket and sat up, wiping at my face. “Computer, resume normal lighting.” As the lights came up, I added, “Go ahead.”

The doors hissed open and Amelia walked inside, approaching and sitting next to me on the couch. She reached for her combadge and set it down on the table. “I’m here as your friend, if that’s okay, Sunset.”

“Y-yeah,” I said with a nod. “I’m sorry, I must look ridiculous.”

Amelia wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me into a half hug. “It’s alright, Sunset, I think just about everyone gets it one way or another. For the record, though, I really don’t think it was your fault.” Her voice tightened. “If it was anyone’s fault, it was mine. I’m the one who assigned Flitter to that section.”

“No,” I grunted. “I’m the one who insisted we move on without properly testing those EPS conduits.”

“And I signed off on it,” Amelia countered. “Flitter knew the risks. She agreed to come along, knowing her life could be in danger.”

I laughed bitterly. “And now she’s dead, and her sister probably wants my head for it.”

“No, she doesn’t. If anything she’s blaming herself,” Amelia said. “I heard her talking to her sister in Sickbay. She was apologizing for insisting that they come on board and volunteer. She was the one who’d been so enthusiastic, and Flitter the one who was unsure. She talked Flitter into signing up with her.”

“Really?” I shook my head. “Doesn’t make it her fault. I’m the Captain. In the end I'm ultimately responsible for every life aboard this ship, and I’ve managed to get somepony killed less than a week after we left Equus. What must that look like to the rest of the volunteers?”

“Are they mourning Flitter's loss? Absolutely. We all are. But if they're doubting you or the mission, I haven't seen it. Neither has the other senior staff. If anything, they seem even more determined now. Like they don't want her sacrifice to be wasted at all.”

“Maybe so,” I murmured. I let a long sigh escape my lips. “How long was I out?”

“A couple of hours,” Amelia answered. “I’ve got people working on repairs as we speak, should be done with the most critical items by the end of the current shift. Oh, and apologies for bringing it up right now, but I have to ask. We need to plan a funeral, and given our current situation I'm not sure what we'll be doing with the body of the deceased.”

“She’s a pegasus, so it’ll be relatively easy,” I said. “Pegasus funeral traditions typically see the dead cremated, and their ashes spread from high above to be carried by the wind.”

“So, space burial then.” Amelia gave me one more squeeze, then stood and scooped up her combadge, placing it back on her chest. “Well, I’ve got to get back to work, Sunset, but I think you should make an appearance sooner rather than later. They need to see you.”

“Yeah.”

I waited for Amelia to leave before I hauled myself off the couch. Stripping my uniform, I popped into the sonic shower long enough to clean myself up, put on a fresh uniform, and force myself to eat something. Only then, and after another short bout of tears, did I head back to the bridge.

I wanted to believe Amelia was right, and part of me knew she was. But the other half of me couldn't just accept that. I'm the captain, I'm responsible. The fault lies with me, and I had to find a way to make up for my failure.

But first I had an even more sobering task ahead of me.

As soon as the turbolift discharged me, I sat down in my command chair next to Zhidar. “Report.”

“No sign of pursuit,” Zhidar rumbled. “Engineering reports repairs fully under way, though they estimate more than a day before we can restore shields to any semblance of working order. Lack of parts.”

“Then we need to find some, and fast,” I said. “Somehow.” I sat up straighter in my chair. “Lieutenant Danielle.”

“Ma’am?” Danielle said, looking back at me.

“I want you to start scanning the surrounding space for a possible port of call. A repair facility, abandoned space station, even a space junkyard will do. Just something that we might be able to scrounge or trade for parts we need. We can’t keep flying around with minimal phasers and worn down shields. We might not get lucky next time we run into those pirates.”

“Aye, ma’am,” Danielle said. “Commencing scans. I will let you know when I have something.”

“Acknowledged.” I let out a sigh and hefted myself from my chair. “I’ll be in my ready room. You have the bridge, Commander.”

I sat down behind the desk and pulled up my terminal, hoping I could work on my official report for this whole mess. But inside I couldn’t stop shaking, trembling, feeling a mixture of rage and grief and frustration, all directed at myself.

All my fault.

What would Twilight think, if she knew I couldn’t even get two weeks away before I got somepony killed? What would Princess Celestia think?

I could see it, in my mind’s eye. That frown of disappointment. The way her eyes would narrow into a scowl, the way her lips would pull back ever so slightly as she spoke, the way her wings would spread out just enough to make her already imposing stature seem overwhelming. Ever the monarch, ever the perfect pony Princess who never makes a mistake, never has a bad day, and never, ever lets them see her at anything less than her best.

Once again, Sunset Shimmer screwed up. Once again, Sunset Shimmer made a massive mistake, and once again Sunset Shimmer would deserve all the blame.

If it wasn't firmly attached to the desk, I'd have picked up my terminal and flung it into the wall.

Turning in my chair, I rolled it over to the window, looking at the stars sweeping by. As I did so, I wondered how often Captain Liang, or Picard before him, had stood here and stared out this same window, contemplating his own decisions. How many times did they agonize over every call they made, tearing themselves to pieces every time they had to write another report for someone who died under their command?

Flitter was an innocent pony, who just a couple of months ago had no idea aliens even existed, let alone traveled the stars only to crash in her relative backyard. Yet she’d volunteered to help them all the same, and I led her to a pointless, stupid death.

If we’d just tested those damned EPS conduits, would she be alive right now? Would she be sitting down in Ten-Forward with her sister, clinking glasses together as they drank a celebratory ale?

I had no idea.

A chime came from the ready room door. Sighing, I called, “Come.”

Ambassador Luna entered, and gave me a look. “I sensed you might need to speak with me.”

“Good timing, Ambassador,” I grumbled. “I do, actually.”

She gave me another look, this one more stern. “If you expect me to blame you for Flitter’s loss, you may think again, Sunset Shimmer. I will not heap scorn upon you.”

I shook my head. “I appreciate that, but what I need is your assistance in arranging a funeral for her. I think that Cloudchaser would appreciate you being in charge of this, given the circumstances.”

Luna nodded. “I suspect you are right. But I hope you will take the time to say a few words as well.” She pulled out a PADD. “In truth I have already begun to plan something, even before we left Equus.”

She handed me the PADD and I examined it, seeing plans for a small ceremony to be held in Shuttlebay Two, with the deceased’s body to be launched via inverse tractor beam out into space at the end.

I had to suppress a sudden bit of rage that swept through me at the sight of it, managing to hand the PADD back to Luna with little more than a tight frown. “I see. The plan is good, though I'm not sure what that says about my leadership if you were planning for funerals before we even had the ship fixed.”

“It says only that, like any good military commander, I hope for the best but plan for the worst,” Luna answered, showing no visible offense to my reaction. “I took your warnings seriously, and it seems they were quite justified. Those Orion pirates nearly slew us. It was a close battle, closer than I believe any of us would’ve liked.”

“It was,” I agreed. “We had to pull a pretty big rabbit out of our hat to get away with that one.” I sighed. “All the more reason we need to do better. I’ll leave the planning to you, and I will prepare a few words to say as well. We should hold it, say, tomorrow, 1900?”

“Agreed, that seems adequate,” she said.

“Right. I'll announce it to the crew then.”

I started to get up but stopped midway, let out a deep sigh, and sunk back into my chair.

“How do you do it, Luna?” I finally said after a long pause.

“Do what?”

“All of... this I guess.” I chewed on every word, trying to make some sense of the thoughts tumbling in my head. “I mean, I'm over here sorting repair lists and trying not to fall apart every time I think about the crew we lost just to get here, and now Flitter's death on top of it all. And here you are overseeing half the crew and pre-planning for death without missing a beat. I-I get the feeling you've done this a few times before.”

“One thousand, two hundred and forty-two.”

It took me a second to recognize she was directly answering the unspoken question. I looked up at her with wide eyes. “You... you remember them all?”

“Sadly, some of the faces escape even my memory after so many years. But I will never forget the number. It is as seared into my mind as my cutiemark is on my flank.” Luna quietly pushed the guest chair away from the desk and sat on the floor, bringing herself more level with me.

“Most of them were lost in the various wars that plagued Equestria's early days. Border wars with the griffons and the dragons, Discord's reign of chaos, and more. The campaign against Sombra in the frozen north was the worst, claiming over a third of the total alone. The final one hundred though... they were my personal Night guard. Bat ponies all. When I became Nightmare Moon, they stayed with me rather than join Celestia's Guard in fighting the demon in their midst.”

Now it was Luna who seemed to sag under the weight of it all. For a brief moment she looked as beaten down as I felt at that moment. “Drunk on power, I imbued them with a sliver of dark magic, turning them into raging banshees. It was only after I stood amongst their broken bodies, cornered and defeated, that I realized the folly of it all. They stayed to try and save me, not fight for me. But I led them to their deaths all the same. That I had to wait a thousand years to visit their graves and apologize for my sins makes their deaths the heaviest ones to bear.”

“I... I never knew. I'm sorry, Luna. I did not mean to open old wounds on you like that,” I whispered.

“It is alright, Sunset. Mayhaps it is good that you brought it up, as up until a moment ago I was worried I had not the words to help you through this difficult moment.” She rose and stepped around the desk, then sat again and placed a hoof on mine. “I'd be lying if I said it gets easier. The hundredth eulogy stings no less than the first one. But what I have learned is that the most important thing is not the words you speak, but the action you take when the speeches are done and the mourners have left.”

“To avenge their loss, you mean?” I muttered.

“In some cases, yes. In others to finish their project, or fulfill a dream for another that they could not themselves do. Or simply carry on their legacy. Either way the goal is the same – do not let them be forgotten. If you can do that, then even the most tragic loss can become a small mote of good weighed against one's mistakes.”

I squeezed Luna's hoof a bit and sat up. "That's... a lot to take in. But it's also what I needed to hear, I think. Thank you, Luna."

"You are most welcome," she said, standing up and giving me some space. "It is what friends do, after all.”

“Bridge to Captain Shimmer.”

“Go ahead,” I said, tapping my badge.

“Ma’am, I think I’ve found what we’re looking for. There’s an abandoned starbase orbiting the second planet of a nearby system.”

“Change course for that system. I’m on my way.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

I tapped my badge again and returned to the bridge, with Luna following close behind. “Danielle,” I said as I took my seat, nodding to Zhidar. “You said you found an abandoned starbase?”

“Yes, it is orbiting what used to be a class-M planet,” she answered. “From what I can determine based on long-range scans, the planet’s atmosphere was irreparably damaged approximately ten years ago, leaving the planet a lifeless husk.”

“And thus making the starbase absolutely worthless,” Zhidar concluded. “Do we know who it used to belong to?”

“I can’t tell from this range, but I did confirm no other warp signatures in the system.”

“Alright, we’ll get some teams ready. I’ll be heading over myself to help search,” I said as I stood. “We’ll use shuttles for this. Zhidar, start assigning teams. How big is this starbase, Danielle?”

“It is relatively small, comparable to a Federation outpost.”

“So we might not be able to find much,” I concluded. “Still, far better than nothing at this point.”

I hit a different key on my chair, resulting in a bosun’s whistle sounding throughout the ship. “Attention all hands, this is the Captain,” I said, listening to my voice echo. “First of all, I wish to congratulate everyone on a job well done with the Orion pirates we just encountered. Especially given the circumstances, we would not have pulled through that battle without the dedication of each and every one of you to your duty. Repairs are underway, and we have altered course to investigate an abandoned space station for spare parts.”

I swallowed nervously. “Secondly, I am afraid I have some unfortunate news. As many of you may already be aware, we suffered a… casualty, during the battle. Crewpony Flitter, one of our Equus volunteers, was performing a vital service in reconfiguring the deflector dish to allow us to survive the battle, when an EPS conduit exploded. She did not survive.”

I repressed the sigh I wanted to let out. “Ambassador Luna will be holding a eulogy for Crewpony Flitter in Shuttlebay Two tomorrow at 1900, for those who wish to attend. I…”

My voice trembled. “I personally wish to say how grateful I am for her sacrifice. She gave her life in the process of saving this ship and everyone else aboard. This can be difficult to accept for the officers who attended Starfleet Academy, let alone our Equus volunteers. But please, do not lose heart, and do not give up hope. I, for one, refuse to allow her sacrifice to be in vain. Flitter gave her all to make sure this ship and her crew make it to the Federation and return with a solution to save Equus in turn. Now it is our job to finish that task for her. Thank you. As you were.”

As I ended the transmission, Zhidar leaned over. “Well done,” he murmured. “I can tell it’s hit you hard.”

“You think?” I said, a mirthless smile gracing my muzzle. “It never should’ve happened.”

Soon the ship arrived in the system, dropping out of warp in orbit of the planet. I winced at the sight on screen. Danielle hadn’t been kidding; the planet was a brown, desolate wasteland, with sterilized oceans and a sun-blasted surface. “What a waste of a good planet,” Zhidar murmured.

The starbase in question soon came into view, a blocky, oblong mess, definitely not a Federation design, or Klingon or Romulan. “Looks like this must’ve been an Orion base,” I murmured once I spotted a few markings that looked somewhat similar to those on Dessan's ships.

“Well, that’s a bit of irony for you,” Zhidar said. “Any life signs?”

“None, but the base still has operational life support,” Danielle reported.

“Alright,” I said as I stood. “I’m headed to the shuttlebay. Danielle, Maia, you’re with me. Zhidar, you have the bridge. Get our other teams ready to board the station. I want this place stripped for parts, people. Anything of value that we can use to repair our systems, we’re taking. I don’t care how much jury-rigging we need to do to make it function.”

“You sure it’s a good idea for you to be going aboard, ma’am?” Maia asked me as she and Danielle joined me in the turbolift.

“I’m still an engineer at heart,” I answered with a slight smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “I know what I’m looking for. Just keep your phasers ready in case it turns out there’s some squatters or something hiding out in there.”

We hopped into a shuttlepod and I piloted it myself, followed by several other pods full of teams, some of whom I knew included Equus volunteers. As we drew closer to the station, I was able to get a better look at the place, which seemed far more intact than I would’ve expected.

“I wonder why they abandoned this place,” I said as I brought us in to dock at an airlock. “Even with the planet uninhabitable, you’d think they’d still use it as a pirate base.”

“It’s not a pirate base,” Maia replied. “That’s why. This used to belong to some of the Orions that weren’t part of the Syndicate itself.”

“How do you know?” Danielle asked her.

I wanted to know that too, but Maia simply smiled. “Because if this was a pirate base, we'd never have been able to just pull up in shuttlecraft and waltz in here undisturbed.”

I wasn’t sure how much I bought that logic, but I didn’t question it. Instead I passed out phasers and tricorders. “Alright, let’s get aboard. Maia, you take point.”

She opened up the airlock and we stepped foot onto the station. Much like the predatory design of their ships, this station oozed with the intent to take advantage of others, with narrower corridors with intentionally designed chokepoints, and dim lighting with the occasional flickering. In some ways it reminded me a little of the station where we found the Sirens.

Thankfully, there were no dead bodies littering the place this time. Nor was there a stench of blood. Instead, it smelled musty, like the environmental controls hadn't been cycled in a very long time. If there were squatters in here, they surely couldn't be breathing very well by now. “These environmental readings are all over the place,” I muttered as I keyed my tricorder. “Look for an access point for that system if you can. We definitely need to verify pressurization before we move too far.”

Maia continued to lead us down corridor after corridor, till we reached what looked like an auxiliary command center, some of which looked to be operational still. “Perfect,” I murmured as I accessed one of the consoles, bringing up their library computer system.

I immediately dug into one of the logs, which said the station had, in fact, belonged to “The Righteous Ones,” a self-described group of anti-piracy Orions who wanted only peaceful commerce with other worlds. They had colonized the planet and were experimenting with defensive technology. Fascinating, but not something I needed. I swapped over to inventory.

“Captain, I’ve got everything online now for life support,” Danielle reported. “Looks like the station’s fusion reactors are running low on fuel though. They won’t last much longer.”

“We'll need to make it last then. Power up only what you need to,” I said as I scrolled through the first few lists, which looked to be as thinly populated as I feared they might be.

“I have internal sensors working,” Maia said. “The only life signs are ours. No one else.”

“Good.” I spotted a mention of a smaller hold with crates of EPS conduit cabling. Bingo. “Keep searching any system you can access for storage or equipment logs. I'm going to check a cargo hold two decks down from here.”

“Ma’am?”

“You heard me, Lieutenant,” I grunted as I left the room, heading down another corridor till I found a functioning turbolift that could move in the direction I needed it to.

The cargo hold was just down the corridor as I disembarked from the turbolift, but as I turned the corner, I spotted something… odd.

It was a sign, hanging above a door. A neon sign, of all things, resembling something from Earth’s twentieth century. The sign didn’t have any letters. Just a single, glowing symbol.

My own cutie mark.

“What the hell?” I murmured. I tapped my badge. “Shimmer to Maia. I’ve spotted something unusual near the cargo bay that I’m going to investigate. Come find me if I don’t report back within ten minutes.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

I approached the door, only just realizing it wasn’t a regular sliding door, but one made of wood, with a metal doorknob and everything. I immediately brought out my tricorder and scanned it, only to scowl as it bleeped an error noise at me, the screen blank. Taking a deep breath, my magic gripped the doorknob, and opened the door, revealing a dark emptiness. I took another breath, and stepped inside.

The lights came on.

And I spotted something I never thought I’d see in a million years.

“Who the hell are you?!” I cried.

A human woman looked at me with warm, teal eyes. The same color as my own. Her hair, golden and red, just like my own. She smiled at me as she finished polishing a glass and set it down on the bar in front of her.

“Hi, me,” she said in my own voice.

“Welcome to Sunset's Isekai.”

TO BE CONTINUED
In Sunset’s Isekai

Author's Note

Thank you all very kindly for your patience with the gap between this and the last chapter. A lot of personal things have been getting in the way for myself and my editor both.

As you can see from this ending, yes, this story will have a chapter featured in Sunset's Isekai! For those who are concerned about this affecting the story in a negative fashion, please do not worry, as we had already planned for this very sort of thing. In Star Trek beta canon in the books there is a bar called "The Captain's Table" that is effectively the same kind of extradimensional bar as the Isekai bar, and I had every intention of having Sunset visit said bar, so when Wanderer D offered to feature Phoenix in the story, we simply adapted the original plan to use the Isekai instead.

The Isekai chapter can be accessed here: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/441859/101/sunsets-isekai/breather-star-trek-phoenix

See you next time, hopefully with less of a gap than we had between these last two. :twilightblush:

Season 3 Episode 6: "Smashing!"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S03E06

“Smashing!”

”Roseluck’s personal log, stardate 521, er, 5221… no, wait, it was 523— oh for Celestia’s sake. Computer, what the heck is the date again?”

“Stardate 52109.6.”

Right. So, let’s try this again. Personal log, stardate whatever the computer just said. Or, in case anypony back home ever hears this, Summer’s End 12th, YC 1005. This is my first time trying one of these log things, but recent events have me thinking of the little diary I kept when I was a filly, and I’m hopeful that putting my thoughts somewhere can once again help me sort my thoughts a bit.

It’s been a little over two weeks since we left Equus. Two weeks since I, and dozens of other creatures from across Equus, boarded the starship Phoenix as volunteers. Our mission? Limp the ship home, make even more repairs, and then get back to Equus and fix the sun before it dies and turns the entire planet into an icy grave.

It’s still crazy to think about, to be honest. Two months ago the entire concept of aliens seemed nuts to all of us; well, maybe except for Lyra. That all changed when Phoenix quite literally crashed into our backyard after falling through what I can only describe as a huge tunnel through space. There’s a more technical term for all of that but I honestly can’t remember it right now. Just remembering how to talk to the… the— oh, what do they call elevators? Oh right, the turbolift. Just getting the turbolift to take you where you need to go is a challenge some days.

And I haven’t even gotten to the part that this ship, which hails from something called a Federation, counts among its crew not just the mythical Sirens, but both of the mares at the center of the biggest ‘missing ponies’ cases Equestria has seen in generations. And one of them is the captain of the ship too! Well, I guess Captain Shimmer was the second in command, but the ship’s usual captain was seriously hurt and had to stay behind on Equus while the rest of us went to find help, so she’s in charge now.

Obviously I would prefer that Captain Liang had not been hurt at all, but under the circumstances, I think a lot of the volunteers, myself included, take some comfort in the fact that a pony is the captain of the ship. Even the non-pony volunteers, I think, get at least a sense of familiarity from it. Ponies may not be their best friends ever, but they’re a known quantity; they pretty much know what to expect from us in most situations. They know what makes us tick.

Which is why none of us were surprised at Captain Shimmer’s reaction over the death of Flitter.

Perhaps more so than any other species on Equus, ponies share a collective sense of responsibility toward each other, one that goes far beyond common courtesy or manners. It’s more like a duty to look out for each other’s wellbeing, to help them maintain success and stability in whatever path they and their cutiemark sets them on, and perhaps most importantly, to protect them from danger. That sense of mutual duty is ingrained in all of us from the time we’re foals. Everypony knows that duty and what it means for them.

So the sudden loss of a pony, especially in tragic ways like this… how do I put this? Hmm… it’s not just about the death itself, though that’s obviously bad for all the obvious reasons. For us ponies, it’s the sense of failure that comes along with it. You knew that pony. They were your friend, your neighbor, your coworker, your regular customer at the shop, and so on. You knew them better than almost anyone, and yet look what happened to them. Why didn’t you do anything to help? How did you miss that risk to them? OR, worst of all, what did you do to put them at such risk at all?

I can all but guarantee you that’s what’s been eating away at the captain since she discovered it was Flitter who had died when that conduit exploded. Volunteer or not, Flitter was her crew, her responsibility. And she let her die. That the cause of her death was a flaw in the ship itself only amplifies that sense of guilt Sunset is feeling.

Pinkie Pie and I have ended up taking turns trying to explain this dynamic to some of the Starfleet crew who have stopped to talk to us in the dining hall, including a few of the other senior officers. I can tell they’re trying very earnestly to understand, and I credit them greatly for that. But I can also see the confusion in their eyes too; the wonder why Sunset seemed more visibly shaken at Flitter’s funeral than she was at the service for the dozens of crewmembers lost in the horrific battle that brought Phoenix to Equus in the first place. It’s not that Sunset cares less for them than she does Flitter, or any other Equus volunteer for that matter. I have no doubt every person Sunset has lost along the way weighs on her. It’d weigh on me too. But it’s that extra biological knife in the back that makes the grief and the mourning that much more personal.

I hope to get some time with the captain when she returns from this salvage operation mission. Not just to see how she’s doing, pony to pony, but also try to relay to her what Pinkie Pie and I have observed in the rest of the crew. I don’t know Sunset all that well personally, but I know if I were in her horseshoes, I’d want to know if my closest colleagues were wondering what was going on in my head and trying to make sense of it. She deserves a chance to explain it on her terms too.

As for the rest of us… I’d be lying if I said the rest of the volunteers took Flitter’s death in stride. There were more than a few rattled nerves amongst the volunteers who showed up at a rather impromptu meeting that had been called by Braeburn the evening after Flitter’s memorial service. I think he just needed to not be in his room alone, and wanted others to help him process, and I can’t say I blame him.

Don’t get me wrong, we all knew this was going to be a dangerous mission. Heck, what part of this isn’t dangerous? The only thing separating us from instant death in a vacuum is this ship, which is currently patched together like a huge metallic jigsaw puzzle and is powered by an energy source so volatile that one malfunction could blow us all to Tartarus in the blink of an eye. Then again, another attack from those, um, Or-ions, though, and we could end up as spacedust anyway. And that’s assuming there aren’t even worse things out there that we haven’t run across yet!

Absent maybe Pinkie Pie, I’m not sure any of us thought we’d get all the way to the Federation and back without at least one brush with serious calamity or worse. I… guess I just didn’t think we’d have to face it so soon is all. Some of us are still getting used to walking around the ship without getting lost and we’ve already had to bury one of our own.

We ponies, to say nothing of hardheads like dragons and griffons, don’t give up anything easily. But to say morale among the group was impacted would be an understatement.

Surprisingly, it was Cloudchaser of all ponies who took the floor at that point. But if she had any anger or resentment to vent, she didn’t show it. Rather, she spoke plainly but movingly about not just her late sister, but what being here meant for the both of them. Flitter was always the more cautious of the two, but she also dreamed of a chance to step out of her routines and do something new. Something big. For her part, Cloudchaser had always been the rebel of the pair, always drifting from one idea, one passion to the next.

But, in an echo of that sense of responsibility that underlays all ponies’ lives, Cloudchaser said that in this mission she saw the focus she had always lacked. A big challenge, but one with a concrete goal – protect and defend the ponies around you.

And in her act of bravery, Cloudchaser pointed out, Flitter demonstrated that basic principle to the fullest. She gave her life to save the ship, and every creature on it. Even ones she hadn’t met yet. In her shoes, would any of us not have done the same? Pony or not?

Not a single hoof, paw, or claw raised an objection. And I think at that moment, a renewed bond between all of the volunteers took form. Now we have a second goal besides saving the planet – ensuring that Flitter’s selfless act to protect us pays off.

Oh, wow. Ten o’clock already? Or, I guess I need to get used to saying… twenty-two hundred. Yes, that’s it. I should get some sleep. Wallflower and I will be trying out some new environmental settings in Hydroponics tomorrow, in an attempt to get some more specialty vegetables and flowers to grow consistently. Even I get tired of just daisies on my sandwiches after a while, you know?

And while we’re doing that, apparently the ship will be checking out some nearby systems in hopes of finding a willing point of trade, or at least a junkyard we can scavenge from. Not like we have much of a choice at this point, but I trust the bridge crew to do what they need to do.

I just have to hope that when we all came aboard the Phoenix, we didn’t bring some of Ponyville’s affinity for craziness with us.

I flopped onto my couch in my quarters, still shaken despite the services having finished over an hour ago. A cup of chamomile and mint tea floated in my magic, with a matching cup in Luna’s as she took a seat next to me. “I believe that went well, all things considered,” she said as she took a sip before setting the cup down in the saucer on the coffee table. “Your eulogy was quite poignant as well.”

It took me a moment to realize she’d spoken in native Ponish, rather than using the universal translator. Hearing her with her natural accent instead of the flat pronunciation provided by the UT was as refreshing as it was surprising. So I elected to respond in kind and deactivated my own UT before replying.

“...yeah, it went better than I thought it would,” I admitted. I brought my own cup up to my mouth and cradled it in my forehooves to feel the warmth, appreciating it for a moment before taking a drink. “I’m also glad it’s over.”

“As am I,” Luna replied. “Perhaps a change of subject is in order.” She plucked a scone from her plate and took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. “I don’t suppose you’re willing to finally talk about your experiences on the station.”

The station. After I’d spoken with Isekai and left the bar, I did my best to pretend that nothing untoward or unusual had happened. Most of the crew bought it, but Luna hadn’t. She’d known, somehow, upon seeing me on the ship again after we finished gathering supplies. She'd asked me about it twice already, but I kept putting her off, citing the need to focus on the memorial service first. And in all honesty I did. But with the service done, I knew there was no squirming out from under Luna's questioning gaze this time.

Sighing a little, I set my cup down and reached into the inside pocket of my uniform with my magic, floating out a card, upon which were the words Sunset’s Isekai backed by a symbol of a martini glass in neon. Oddly, despite clearly being in English, I could still read it clear as day, even with the UT off. I handed the card over to Luna, who took it, her eyes widening ever so slightly. “I didn’t want to tell the crew, because I was afraid it would cause morale issues if they knew their Captain had spent a couple of hours relaxing in an interdimensional bar.”

“What is this?” Luna said as she turned the card over in her magic. “It is clearly enchanted, and substantially so. I am able to read these words despite clearly not being Ponish.”

A smirk crossed my face as I reached for my tricorder on a distant table, floating it over to take a reading of the card before showing Luna. “Not to mention unusual. It might look like paper, but this card is made of something far more complex. And it’s old; several centuries old at least.”

“And yet it bears your name.” She held it for a moment longer, and handed it back to me.

I slipped the card back into my uniform. “That’s because I met myself there. Or a version of myself, at least, from another universe. She looked young and vibrant in every sense, but I could tell right away that behind it all was someone ancient.”

“Truly?”

“I could see it in her eyes, Luna. There was an immense depth to them, one that only comes with wisdom and untold amounts of time. In a way, it was like looking into Celestia's eyes, only these were far, far older.”

Luna's ears perked up at that and she sat up straighter. “Older than Celestia? How much older?”

Shrugging, I replied, “I honestly don't know, and I doubt I ever will. Besides,” I chuckled, “you don't need to be a Starfleet officer to know you don't go around asking potentially god-like creatures running extra-dimensional bars for their ID.” I sat back on the sofa and floated my tea over to take another sip. “The important thing though is what she had to say, and well, she had a lot to say. But it was all stuff that I needed to hear and, if I may be blunt, I needed to hear from myself.” I gave Luna an apologetic look. “Not that our talk before wasn't helpful too. It was. She... just had a way of cutting to the heart of things so quickly.”

“As I suspected.” Luna finished her scone. “You seemed to carry less weight on your shoulders when you returned.”

“It was the funniest thing, though,” I said. “I saw a strange door, I entered it, and there she was. You know, I never once wondered what I’d look like as a human before I saw her?”

Luna, in the middle of sipping her tea, spat it out messily all over the carpet. “She was human?!”

“Yeah. We… we took a picture too.” I reached back into my uniform to show Luna, who all but snatched it in her haste to stare at it so intently I feared for a moment it would catch fire from her gaze alone. “Apparently, it’s actually pretty normal for other Sunsets to spend some time as humans. I’m one of the lucky few who doesn’t, I guess.”

“You must forgive me,” Luna whispered, her eyes never leaving the picture. “I am still finding it hard to believe that a human version of you would even exist.” She glanced up from the picture. “Perhaps this means there are other versions of myself. Or Celestia. Could we both be humans somewhere, perhaps?”

“Yes, well, this stays between us. I cannot let the crew find out about this. At least not now.”

Her eyes dropped back to the picture. “So you said before, but I am afraid I do not understand why.”

Gently, I took the picture back, and got up from the couch. I went over to a small lockbox sitting on my desk, one in which I kept my most precious keepsakes, and tapped in the code before opening it and placing the picture inside. “Because the bar is extra-dimensional. It exists outside of what we consider normal time and space, which means it can open from anywhere, to anywhere. But, the me who runs the bar is also sworn to not interfere with the people or timelines that pay her a visit. Which I can understand, of course, but I don't need to tell you what the crew's reaction would be if they found out I gave up a chance at a shortcut home.”

Luna let out a frustrated-sounding sigh. “Of course. Much like your Federation’s Prime Directive. But why allow you in at all? Or anyone for that matter?”

“Because…. She helped me take some time to actually relax, clear my head. She gave me some useful advice, and I needed all of that. She said that's what she does. Be in the right place for the right person at the right time. And believe me, I'm not her only customer. Some of the pictures I saw on her wall… there were all kinds of species, all sorts of people. And so many versions of me, it was unreal.”

Luna let out a small laugh. “Of course. Now I understand. Something about this seemed familiar, but until you said that I hadn’t fully recalled.”

“Huh?”

She got up from the sofa and trotted over to me. “Celestia told me a lot of things after my return. Catching me up on the thousand years I missed. She spent so much of it speaking of you, though, and said that once upon a time, shortly before Twilight Sparkle’s examination, she found a door she’d never seen before in the castle. When she stepped through, she broke into tears, because she saw you. Or what she thought was you.”

I remained silent for a moment, digesting that. “That’s… interesting. Isekai did say she'd met a lot of different Celestias, though if this occurred before Twilight came to Earth then it makes sense that she wouldn't know that she's actually met my Celestia.”

“Ee-sick-eye?”

A snort of laughter escaped me. “Isekai,” I corrected gently. “It’s what she asked me to call her. Made it a little easier to speak with her.” I pulled out the card again and tapped the word Isekai on it. “Anyway, she gave me this so that if I ever need to speak with her again, I can use it to summon up an entrance. Which, I might. Maybe. If I ever feel I really need it.”

Luna nodded in understanding. “Of course, there is something to be said for not becoming reliant upon an exit from your problems.”

“Exactly. Trust me, I have no intention of abusing the privilege. It's just, well, nice to know she's out there if I really do need her.” I slipped the card into the lockbox and sealed it, then went to sit back down on the couch. “But not right now.”

“Indeed.”

My combadge chirped, automatically re-engaging the universal translator in the process. “Wattson to Captain Shimmer.”

“Go ahead, Wattson,” I said after tapping it.

“The last team has returned from the station. We’ve scavenged all we can here. Skimming the inventory of items, I'm estimating we can get phasers back to three-quarters strength, and make improvements in a number of other systems while we're at it.”

“I don’t suppose that includes the warp drive?”

“No, ma’am, unfortunately not.”

A wry smile stretched at my muzzle. “Very well. Let's make the improvements we can, and keep looking for more repair opportunities along the way. Good work, Amelia.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

I tapped my badge once to end that transmission, then tapped it again and said, “Shimmer to bridge.”

“Bridge here.”

“All away teams have returned, and we’ve done all we can with the station. Resume our previous course for Federation space.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

I glanced out the windows to watch the planet and station disappear from view as the ship pitched itself around, before the thrum of the warp engines matched the view outside as the ship accelerated to warp speeds. “We’ve still got a long road ahead of us, Luna, but we’ll get there.” I nodded to myself firmly. “I won’t let Flitter’s sacrifice be in vain.”

Luna reached over and gently patted my back with a wing. “Of that, I never had any doubt.”

One Month Later…

I sighed in frustration as I looked over the latest test results from the scans we took of the Diamond Dog caverns. “You’re certain about this, Blackford?”

“Positive, ma’am. This,” he said, holding up a second PADD, “and that are two parts of a combined password.”

This was a copy of the results from the Dragon’s terminal message. Ever since the caverns we’d been struggling to locate any other energy signatures or terminals, despite several attempts to scan the planet during the myriad of shuttle trips. But shuttlecraft sensors were limited in both range and resolution, meaning it took us multiple trips to get the detail a starship could get with a single sensor sweep. I thought about sending the shuttles up in pairs to increase scan efficiency, but recently they spent most of their time away from base, helping one community or another prepare measures to combat the worsening weather.

And it was worsening quickly too. A simple glance at the window showed it was snowing in Ponyville. Snowing. In what was supposed to be the first rainstorm of autumn. The local Running of the Leaves hadn’t even taken place yet, let alone Nightmare Night or any other autumnal festival.

Just last week, the solar satellite took its lowest dip yet, the output abruptly falling to ten percent of normal before shooting up to nearly ninety percent in the span of a few minutes – while Princess Celestia was delivering a major speech in front of a massive audience in Manehattan. A speech that was also being broadcast via radio to all of Equestria.

Which meant they all saw or heard their indomitable princess age centuries in a matter of minutes, then regain much of her youth just as quickly. To say panic ensued would be a massive understatement. The secret was out now. And ponies were scared.

So listening to Blackford prattle on about passwords wasn’t helping much. “Have you at least figured out how it’s assembled, or how many parts we’re missing?”

“Not yet,” he said. The glare of irritation must’ve been evident, because he added, “I’m sorry, Lieutenant, I am, but we’re doing the best we can.”

I sighed and tossed both PADDs down onto my desk. “I know, I know, just…” My face fell into my forehooves for a moment as I tried to rub my face clear of the exhaustion that was becoming a regular feature of daily life. “Everything’s starting to get to me.”

“You’ve had a lot on your plate.”

“You can say that again,” I murmured as I picked up the two PADDs again, looking at them side by side. My weary eyes could barely parse them.

Blackford gave me a soft, understanding smile. “You want something to drink, ma’am?”

“Yeah… yeah, just, no more coffee please.” I glanced at the trio of mugs sitting next to me I hadn’t yet stuffed back inside the replicator, all three of which bore the stains of quadruple strength raktajino. “I’ve had too much already.”

He chuckled and collected the mugs, then hummed as he tucked them into the replicator. “Two raspberry teas with rose hips and hibiscus, lightly sweet,” he told it. After a brief hum, he reached in and came back with two steaming mugs, setting one next to me.

“That’s a little unusual,” I murmured as I took it and sniffed, noticing the aroma quite pleasant.

“Just a little family blend to help relax after a hard day.” He glanced at my terminal. “Hey, those’re the combined scans of the Elements of Harmony, right?”

I looked up at the scan, something I’d been examining a while ago more for the sake of taking a brief break than anything else. The intricate ways the patterns weaved together, the six pieces, it was fascinating. “Yeah, what about it?”

“I’m wondering,” he replied, taking a sip of his tea. “What would the scan look like if you only had two of the Elements?”

I rolled my eyes and separated the combined scan into its six different pieces. “We took those already, see? They only match together partially. It’s incomplete.” I sent the computer through several permutations to demonstrate.

But as I did so, I found my eyes narrowing more and more through each version. “Wait a minute… six pieces…” A gasp escaped my lips. “Oh my god, you might be onto something.”

He chuckled. “Yeah?”

I picked up the PADDs again and moved the scans to the terminal. “Yes. Look at these two pieces. One from the Dragons, the other from the Diamond Dogs. Computer, extrapolate the probability of there being missing pieces to a combined carrier wave.”

The computer bleeped for a moment, then said, “Probability estimated at eighty-nine percent confidence.”

“Damn,” he whispered. He took another drink of his tea. “You think they could be with other species?”

“I’d count on it,” I said with a firm nod.

“Well, I—”

“Shuttlepod to Lieutenant Sparkle.”

I couldn’t help a small bounce in place as Preta’s voice filtered through the comms. “Go ahead.”

“Ma’am, we’ve just detected something extremely unusual up here in the mountains north of the Crystal Empire.”

I sat up straighter in my chair. The shuttlepod had flown to Trottingham, and the quickest route from there to here passed just to the east of the Crystal city. “Define unusual?”

A moment’s pause passed before the reply came. “According to Lieutenant Pog, there’s some kind of dampening field in place. It’s strong enough to block detailed scans of the area while still registering on sensors.”

A dampening field. Blackford's eyes and my own met momentarily. “Can you confirm there were no readings of this previously?”

“Pog is certain of it!” answered Pog’s rough voice, his usual blend of humor underlaying his inflections despite the seriousness of the matter. “Pog has passed over this region many times and never once did this appear.”

I brought my terminal up and switched one of the displays over to a map of the northern part of the continent. “Transmit the location of the field.”

“Transmitting now.”

After just a split second, another display lit up with the signal, and I overlaid its coordinates.

Squarely on the capital of Yakyakistan.

“I think we just found our third piece of the password,” I said.

“I’m sorry, ma’am?”

“I’ll brief you on your return,” I said. “Sparkle out.”

“Yakyakistan, huh?” Blackford let out a deep laugh. “That sure is an interesting quirk of the universal translator.”

I raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding. “What do you mean?”

“It's... a bit of a history lesson to get the full explanation.”

I smirked and leaned forward. “You know I'm always ready for a history lesson.”

“Oh, just, on Earth, most nations ending in -stan were influenced by Persian and other Iranic languages, and it’s typically associated with the Islamic faith.” His smile brightened the room. “My father comes from Tajikistan, but he took my dad’s last name when they married. He taught me a lot about the cultures and the languages of the region. The -stan ending actually means something like ‘a place abounding in’ or ‘a dwelling.’ So it fits. It’s just giving me some amusing pictures in my head.”

As much as I wanted to be jotting down notes and asking follow-up questions, I forced myself to keep things on track. “That's really interesting, Blackford. Thank you. We'll have to save the rest for later though, unfortunately. Please contact Ayhan and Vohrn. Have them prepare for an expedition as soon as I can secure us access.”

“Aye, ma’am,” he said. As he left, the doors opened briefly to admit Doctor May.

“Lieutenant, mind if I speak with you for a moment?” she asked.

A quick look at her showed me a face that looked too much like my own lately – haggard and drawn, exhausted from repeated work. Even with the local hospital assisting with the long-term medical care, Doctor May had her hands full and then some. I doubt she’d had a day off since we landed. And given our personal friendship, that bothered me.

I just hadn’t had any time to see to fixing it.

Gesturing for her to take a seat, I said, “Of course, Sarah.”

She dropped herself into the armchair with a soft sigh, leaning back against its comfortable support. Like all the furniture in what I’d fashioned as my office, it had been meant for diplomats and other VIPs, and so was excessively comfortable first, and practical second. “Thank you, Twilight,” May murmured, her Scottish brogue thicker than usual. She carefully rubbed the bridge of her nose. “It’s just been one thing after another.”

I hopped out of my chair and trotted over to the replicator. “Raspberry and… what was it? Oh, just one more of the last item replicated,” I said. After a moment I pulled out the steaming mug and brought it over to May. “Did something happen?” I gently pressed.

She cradled it between her hands, which bore more wrinkles than I remembered. Sarah wasn’t elderly by any means but she wasn’t a youth either, and the stress made it show. “It’s Ensign Banasiewicz.”

“Radoslawa?” I said, raising my head. She was half-Bijani, from engineering, one of the many cut down by the Jem’Hadar during their attack on the Phoenix. As I recalled from the records I’d studied of all of our injured crew left behind, she’d initially been listed as one of the casualties until it was realized she was in a pain trance, which had the unintended side effect of making her appear deceased on initial scan. Unfortunately that meant her injuries went untreated for too long, and she’d developed numerous complications.

“Mmhmm.” May took a long gulp of her tea. “Poor girl’s been struggling even to stay conscious the last few days, and now…” Her hands trembled as she set the mug down on the counter. “She’s lapsed into a coma, and won’t come out of it. There’s nothing more I can do, other than keep her on life support, and hope.”

While I didn’t know Radoslawa personally, I had spoken with her a couple of times over the last month, just like I had with the rest of the long-term care patients. She’d been sweet, kind, and remarkably intelligent. Someone I could easily see myself befriending.

“We knew we’d only be able to do so much,” I murmured, trying to school my voice into a comforting tone. “It’s not your fault, Sarah.”

“Like hell it’s nae,” she grunted, scooping up her drink to knock the rest back in one gulp. “If I had half the equipment I should, she’d be doin’ just fine. But with what we’ve got, I’m helpless.”

I sighed. “No luck with finding a way to utilize pony magic in assisting the healing process?”

“Nope.” She got out of her chair, her spine audibly creaking as she walked over to the replicator. “Gimme another one of those teas, ya daft machine.” Her mug was replaced with a freshly steaming one that she brought back with her. “It’s nae able to do much more than act like a basic dermal regenerator or laser scalpel. Better than nothin’ of course, but it can’t help with what Radoslawa’s goin’ through, nae wit her mixed biology.”

I cursed under my breath, though I wasn’t much surprised. Pony healing magic relied on using the user’s own mana channels and internal magic to accelerate the healing process, so long as the magics of the ponies involved were compatible. But without magic of her own, Radoslawa might as well have been a plastic doll for all the good it would do her. That we’d been able to accomplish anything with it at all was impressive.

There’s a good reason neither Sunset nor I ever even considered going into the medical field in Starfleet.

“If there’s nothing more we can do, I can arrange for an indefinite long-term room at the local hospital,” I said after a few moments of tense silence. “They should be able to accommodate whatever equipment you need to bring with you and continue monitoring for changes. I've spoken to their head nurse, Tenderheart, a few times now, and she's really good. Radoslawa will be in good hooves there.”

May snorted. “Nae sure how much she’ll be appreciatin’ it, since she’ll be unconscious.” The lines on her face softened a little. “Though it’s a good idea. Best we free up the bed and time spent for the rest of the patients.” She leaned back in her chair, and I could tell she was fighting the urge to slump altogether into slumber. “Little less work for all of us, as much as I hate ta say it.”

I weighed my next words carefully. “Sarah, you seem like you could use a few days off. You’re working yourself to exhaustion.”

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. “Aye… James said as much. Tried ta order me to take some time to myself. But I cannae do it.”

“Sarah,” I said more sharply. “You know better than I do the limits of the human body. You’re the CMO, but even CMOs need to take care of themselves. Other than Radoslawa, is there anyone else in serious danger?”

She took a while to respond, glaring into her tea the whole time. “No,” she grunted. “Nae really. Some’re doin’ worse than others, but no one’s nearly as bad as she is.”

“Then take some time to yourself.” I used my magic to open up a drawer in the desk and withdrew a bag of Equestrian bits. “Here. Be a tourist for a few days.” She opened her mouth to protest, but I pushed the bag into her hands. “I’ll make sure everyone else on your staff gets some time off too. A minimum of forty-eight hours without work, Doctor.”

She stared down at the bag before placing it into one of her pockets, a smile gracing her face for just a moment. “You and your sister both have become so much more assertive and forceful since the Academy.”

I chuckled and spread my wings briefly before tucking them back at my sides. “We’ve gone through quite a few changes since then.”

“That you have.” She drained her mug, and got up to set it in the replicator, watching it disappear in a twinkle of light before she came back over to me. To my surprise she actually hugged me, and it took me a moment before I was hugging her back. “I can’t tell you enough how glad I am that you and your sister convinced me to take this post.”

“Even with the excessive work?” I said with a slight grin.

“That’s just me being a stubborn old goat,” she said with a laugh, one brighter and more vivid than the rest had been. “Tryin’ to do as much as I can to save lives.” She let go of me and headed for the door, but turned back around just before reaching it. “Forty-eight hours. Not a minute more.”

“Enjoy yourself, Sarah,” I said, chuckling as she left. Despite the grimness of the circumstances, and especially despite the worry we were going to suffer over Ensign Banasiewicz, I found myself in better spirits than I had been before the shuttlecraft contacted us. Despite everything, there was still plenty of hope.

One of the other things we’d taken the time to do in the last month had been to establish a better communications network across Equus, with a number of government officials able to be reached as needed. Thus it didn’t take me long to negotiate Banasiewicz’s long-term care, and from there I turned to contacting the castle.

Of course it wasn’t long before I was stymied and frustrated again. “What do you mean, we don’t have an official ambassador to the Yaks?”

“Just that,” answered the pony whose name escaped me at the moment. “Princess Starlight negotiated a visit from Prince Rutherford to Ponyville last year, but while that’s led to more talks, the only ponies with any real experience outside of her would be those of the Crystal Empire.”

“...of course,” I murmured, shaking my head. I thanked them and closed the channel, then opened a new connection, one that I tried to use as sparingly as possible. “Shining.”

“Twily!” Shining’s voice came through after a few seconds, his excitement palpable. “It’s good to hear from you. We haven’t seen you since that visit with Preta last month. How has the research been going?”

“I know, I’ve been busy. As for the research, well, that's actually why I'm calling. Is Cadance available?”

“Yeah, one second.” I heard the sound of hoofsteps, followed by Shining’s voice calling, “Honey! It’s Twilight calling. She wants to talk to you!” A rustle came through, followed by a different, far more feminine voice. “Twilight, good to hear from you. What can I do for you?”

I paused to yawn, glad that there was no video feed. “Excuse me. Yes. I need a guide, someone who can help me deal with a visit to the Yakyakistani capital.”

“I’m surprised you’re not asking Starlight.”

“She’s too busy helping with the information campaign in Manehattan, or else I would.”

A note of laughter echoed through the voice channel. “So I’m your second choice, huh? Alright, that’s fair. I can be in Ponyville in an hour.”

Nodding, despite the fact she couldn’t see it, I said, “Thanks, Cadance. I appreciate it.”

“Don’t thank me yet. Yaks are extremely difficult to deal with. You’d better be ready for some silliness.”

“Will do,” I said as I closed the channel.

One hour later, right on the dot, the transportation circle lit up with its usual chime indicating an incoming passenger, and Cadance materialized in a pop and flash of light. “Twilight!” she blurted the instant she saw me, rushing forward to wrap her forelegs around me in a rather lopsided hug. “It’s good to see you.”

“Err, yeah, definitely,” I murmured as I gently pulled away. Smoothing the creases in my uniform, I gestured with a hoof to the others standing nearby. “These are Lieutenants Ayhan, Vohrn, and Blackford. They’ll be coming with us to Yakyakistan. Crew, this is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of the Crystal Empire and today, our guide to the yaks.”

If Cadance was bothered by my reluctance to hug her back, she didn’t show it as she gave the others a quick bow. “A pleasure to meet you. Please, just call me Cadance.”

The others, who’d been standing at attention upon her arrival, relaxed their stances. “As you wish,” Ayhan replied, only slightly inclining her eyebrow.

“Cadenza, huh?” Vohrn said, a brief smirk touching his lips. “Sounds pretty similar to Cadeneza.”

“I’m sorry?” Cadance asked.

I sighed, resisting the urge to brush the bridge of my nose with my hoof. “That’s just a coincidence, Vohrn. The translator’s making her name in Ponish understandable for you.”

Cadance gave me a quizzical look. “I’m not sure I understand now.”

Sighing again, I groused, “Like I said. Translator quirks. I’ll explain later. Right now, let’s focus on the mission at hand.”

“You mean at hoof,” Cadance gently corrected as we followed the group outside towards the shuttlecraft.

“Fine, fine, at hoof,” I replied with a roll of my eyes. “Are there any protocols we need to be aware of for meeting with the yaks?”

She frowned as we boarded the shuttle, the two of us having to stand in the back as the hatch slid shut. “The yaks are somewhat aggressive creatures. They respect strength, and expect to see it in those they interact with.”

“Indeed, the little information we were able to gather suggested as much,” Ayhan commented with a slightly raised eyebrow. “According to records of Prince Rutherford’s visit with Starlight Glimmer, they were destructive and adversarial, up to and including a brief declaration of war.”

“Yeah, Starlight kinda messed that one up a bit,” Cadance agreed with a giggle. “Good thing she had Trixie and Ditzy around to mend relations.”

Vohrn snorted in amusement. “Sounds like the Klingons would love these yaks, that’s for sure.”

“Given the nature of the report we read,” Blackford said, an amused grin on his face, “I doubt that they were serious about that war declaration. What information we do have suggests Yakyakistan is far too weak to seriously threaten Equestria.”

Cadance shook her head. “Oh no, they were serious. Yaks don’t do things by half measures. If they say something, they mean it.”

“Preflight complete, ma’am,” Preta interjected, her expression serious and flat.

“Take us out, Lieutenant,” I ordered. “Nice and easy. We don’t want to spook them by popping up out of nowhere.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

Cadance leaned in to whisper into my ear. “Is something wrong between you two?”

I blinked in confusion for a moment before snickering and shaking my head. “No. We’re just on duty, so right now I’m her superior, not her girlfriend.”

“Ah.” Her eyes twinkled, her mouth creasing into a sly smile. “You ever let that dynamic slip into the bedroom?”

“Cadance!” I blurted, even as she burst into laughter.

She brushed my shoulder with a wing. “Oh come on, Twilight, I’m your sister-in-law. I’m required to tease you every so often.”

The mixture of amused stares from Vohrn and Blackford, embarrassed glances from Preta, and flat bemusement from Ayhan left me flustered. A note of irritation mixed with my command authority crossed into my voice. “I have a sister, remember? I know all about required teasing. But there’s a time and a place, and this isn’t it.”

I saw her roll her eyes, but her spine stiffened nevertheless. “Of course, Lieutenant.” Her smile tugged at the side of her mouth.

“Thank you,” I grumbled. Straightening out my uniform, I adjusted my posture in my chair. “So, you said the yaks respect strength. Are they expecting us to be aggressive with them when we speak?”

Cadance hummed under her breath. “Not quite,” she answered. “That’s likely to provoke them. But they will roll right over you if you let them.”

“Um, pardon the interruption,” Vohrn interjected, “But the yaks do know that we’re on the planet, right?”

“They do,” Cadance said, nodding. “They’re not a backwards people by any means, just… isolated. They have their own radio station, which they use for their own news and music. And we’ve been reaching out to them over the change in weather.”

“Ayhan,” I said, turning to face her. “Can you see if you can tap into the yak radio signal?”

“I shall,” Ayhan replied, futzing with her console for a moment.

“I’m not sure that’s the best idea,” Cadance said, her expression and body language abruptly tensing up. “Yak music is kind of—“

An utterly ear-splitting cacophony of sound that purported to be music blasted over the shuttle’s speakers, prompting everyone save Ayhan to cry out and cover their ears. “Loud!” Cadance finished, having to shout to be heard.

“Turn it off!” I barked. The sound cut out less than half a second later, leading to sighs of relief all around. “Ayhan…”

“Apologies, Lieutenant,” Ayhan said, a few wrinkles on her brow the only indication that she’d suffered the same level of ear pain as the rest of us. “The signal required substantial boosting to make it through the dampening field.”

I shook my head. “No, I should’ve realized that. Still, have the shuttle record the broadcast. The Federation Archives will love it. Citizens' ears, however, maybe not so much.”

Ayhan nodded. “Aye, ma’am.”

“We’re nearing the Yakyakistani capital, ma’am,” Preta said. “Entering range of the dampening field. I’ll have to rely on visuals from here.”

I sat further forward in my chair to look outside through the shuttle’s viewports. The Yaket mountain range loomed below us, the peaks covered in thick layers of snow and ice. A series of clouds blocked some of the higher peaks from view, no doubt adding to the snowpack.

Then as we lowered in altitude, the Yakyakistani capital became visible. It was hard to even see it as a city at first, with the only real sign of technology being the radio tower poking up from a scaffold near the center. The rest was a series of yurts, log cabins, and other such buildings, most of which were sunk into the ground to help preserve heat. A massive wooden wall topped by lit torch sconces surrounded the capital, with a single, well-guarded gate being the only obvious way in or out. Two impressive statues flanked the gate, each one depicting a yak soldier in full regalia, a shield in one hoof and a huge torch in the other.

“Take us down just outside,” I ordered, waiting for the shuttle to descend, till eventually it settled down onto the snow with an audible crunch. “Good work, Lieutenant. Remain with the shuttle. If the yaks look like they’re going to attack it, just take off, understood?”

Preta frowned at me, her ears flattening against her skull. “Aye,” she said, a feline growl brushing her words.

“Alright, everyone, let’s depart,” I said, pressing the button to open the hatch, which lowered to become a ramp.

We had barely stepped onto the ramp when two yaks stepped into view, standing very intently at the bottom of the ramp. Unlike the dogs, they didn’t point spears at us, but they didn’t need to, not with those massive horns. “You!” one of them snarled. “Pony! What is meaning of this? What is this metal carriage?”

“I’m Lieutenant Twilight Sparkle,” I replied, “Representing the United Federation of Planets. This is— “

“Answer question!” the yak thundered, smashing his hooves into the ground hard enough to kick up a cloud of snow.

Okay. They wanted to be all up in our faces? I’d show them.

I deliberately stomped up to his face, the bit of height I’d gained from Ascension just enough to let me look up into his eyes without feeling like a child. I also spread my wings for good measure. “This is my ship,” I snapped. “We’re here on business, to see Prince Rutherford.”

He leaned in and snorted quite intentionally, sending his hair and mine flying, but I refused to even twitch in response. After staring him down for a few more seconds, he finally stepped back and gave a slight nod. “This way. Prince Rutherford want to see you.”

“Thank you,” I grunted, though I didn’t move until both yaks turned around to approach the gate.

“Charming,” Blackford quipped.

Cadance’s laughter warmed the air as we disembarked from the shuttlecraft. “Oh, trust me, that was tame.”

We paused momentarily before the grand gate, staring up at the statues. “These are most impressive,” Ayhan said. She aimed her tricorder at them, but the device made a few error bleeps before she stuffed it back into its holster on her belt. “Though I am unable to analyze their composition.”

“Yak statue made of finest and strongest bronze!” one of the yak guards said, pride in every word. “Me helped put it in place!”

“Bronze?” Vohrn said as he peered closer. “If I didn’t know better I’d said they were made of wood. They look carved, not molded.”

The two yaks shook with laughter and stomped their hooves into the dirt a few times. “You funny! Yak statue not made of wood!”

Blackford arched an eyebrow. “Then how did you make the statues?”

“Is yak secret.”

“Very secret. Yak no tell outsiders!”

I was about to reply when the guard turned, opened the gate, and resumed his previous posture, clearly not intending on making further conversation.

“Come!” the first yak yelled from the front of the group. “We see Prince Rutherford now!”

Despite it's rather rough-hewn design, inside the city walls things were as bustling as any major city back in Equestria might be. New huts being built, others repaired. A number of yaks stood around what looked to be a marketplace, each of them hawking their wares to passers by.

Still, like the other races we had previously visited, our presence did not go unnoticed for long. Fortunately, the eyes I saw looking our way were equal parts curious, excited, and suspicious. A vast improvement over the Diamond Dogs, at least.

“Fascinating,” Blackford said quietly to me. “The architecture around here is reminiscent of ancient Mongolia, during the times they roamed the steppes of central Asia.”

“It’s funny, isn’t it?” I murmured. “It’s another one of those uncanny similarities between Earth and Equus. They always kept to themselves in the past, so contact with Equestria has been minimal over the years.”

“Is that why they’re speaking with broken grammar?” Vohrn asked. “Because they don’t know Ponish that well?”

“No, they can speak Ponish just fine,” Cadance said. “They just don’t like to mince words.”

Eventually we reached a larger yurt, near the base of the radio tower. Besides being the largest structure we had seen so far, this one was extensively decorated too. Flags and other banners hung from the edge of the roof, and a large, intricately patterned quilt covered what looked to be the main door. “Prince Rutherford!” the yak leading us bellowed, punching the door with a hoof.

“What?! Me very busy fixing radio!” thundered a different voice as the door flew open. A new yak poked his face out. He looked very similar to most of the other yaks we had seen so far, with a tied beard and a heavy quilt coming up from his back onto his neck. The only things that gave him away as the Prince were the detailed marks painted onto his horns, and the sizable green gemstone set into the onyx crown on his head.

He stared at us for a moment, his eyes wide as he took in the humanoids, then his gaze focused on Cadance. “Cadance!” he roared, pointing at us with a hoof. “Who these? Why outsiders here?”

“Prince Rutherford, a pleasure,” Cadance said, her trademark smirk coming into play, even as her tone changed to be as deliberate and polite as I might expect from Celestia. “I’m just acting as ambassador for our visitors from the stars. The one actually leading us is Twilight Sparkle here.”

“Your highness,” I said with a nod.

He glared back at me, steam hissing from his nostrils. “You also alicorn,” he commented. “That make five alicorns now.”

“Er, six, your Highness,” I replied, bowing slightly again. “My sister, she is also an alicorn.”

“Six alicorns?” His eyes went back to Cadance. “Why so many?”

“It's... a long story, Prince,” Cadance chuckled. “I'll fill you in another time, I promise.”

He seemed to accept that, at least for the moment. “You from spaceship?” he asked, turning back to me.

“That’s right.” I gestured to my officers. “These are Lieutenants Blackford, Ayhan, and Vohrn. We’re investigating a dampening field we detected in the city.”

Despite the way he spoke, Rutherford was clearly an intelligent yak. His frown deepened for a moment before he repeated, “Dampening field,” under his breath. “That why radio not work?”

“Most likely, your highness,” Ayhan answered. “Though as the field is disabling our tricorders, we cannot be certain.”

“More importantly,” I added, “it sprung up very recently. We’re hoping that it means one of the terminals we’ve been looking for is around here.”

He glared at me a moment before turning around and heading back inside. “Come. Sit. We drink and you explain!”

Glancing briefly at Cadance, who shrugged with a smile, we followed him inside. The yurt was well lit, with plenty of pillows lining a circle of carpets in the main room. A large jug made from fired clay sat in the center of the circle, along with a number of pewter mugs. Rutherford, showing the deft dexterity of the yaks despite their size, easily picked up the jug and poured us each some of its contents.

“Here!” he said, hoofing one to each of us in turn as we sat down on the pillows. “Is best yak vodka. Me brew from potatoes in me own garden.”

As I watched everyone clink their mugs together, I was very thankful in that moment that I had insisted that all away teams carry anti-intoxicants to their med kits for just this kind of situation. I had little doubt that this stuff would be way more potent than any of the cider we had been given by the Ponyville locals. Given my own past habits, I stopped short of actually imbibing myself.

Prince Rutherford growled in frustration when he saw that. “What you wait for? You no appreciate yak hospitality?” The ripple of anger in his voice gave me ample warning of what might happen should I refuse.

“No no, it's just—” I began to say before stopping at his insistent glare. “Ah, hell with it.” I grabbed my mug and knocked it back in one big swig. The initial bite of alcohol burst into my mouth, leaving a growing warmth in its wake as I swallowed. I tensed, expecting the afterburn to kick my flank, but instead what I got was... vanilla? and juniperberry? Maybe? I leaned back and looked at the mug, trying to hide my shock. “Huh. that's pretty good.”

“Hah! Rutherford like pony with good taste. You drink like yak too!” Rutherford cheered, before doing the same with his vodka. “Is good vodka. Flavored with yak-grown vanilla bean.”

The others followed my lead, and the reactions among them were… mixed. Vohrn seemed barely able to stomach it, coughing up a storm, while Blackford let out a soft whistle, chuckling to himself. Cadance seemed to force a smile while trying not to scrunch her muzzle in the most adorable way possible, while Ayhan appeared entirely unaffected. “It is satisfactory,” she pronounced.

“Good!” Rutherford refilled our mugs, but he didn’t drain his in one gulp this time. Instead he savored it with a single sip. “Now, explain why you here.”

“Well,” I said as I set my mug down. “Like I said before, what drew us here was the dampening field we detected in this area. If I may ask, Prince, how much are you aware of what we’ve been doing since we arrived on Equus?”

Rutherford flashed me a toothy grin, his beard bouncing. “Me listen to radio, know about pony princess speech in Manehattan. Sun going bad.” He glanced up at the ceiling. “It getting colder. Crops fail soon. Yaks not afraid though! Yaks strong. Yaks survive!” He thumped the ground, making the yurt shake.

“You're quite right. The sun is, as you say, going bad," Cadance said. "That's why Twilight and her crew are here though. they're trying to fix the sun.”

“Fix sun? Sun not machine.” Rutherford frowned, then narrowed his eyes at me. “How you fix sun?”

I flashed Cadance an annoyed glare. Explaining the minutiae of the artificial satellites to anyone would take hours. Hours that I didn't want to spend at the moment either. “From what we've discovered so far,” I quickly interjected, “there are a number of ancient computers scattered about the planet that hold clues to the sun issue. We’ve located them in a dragon cave and in a diamond dog kennel so far. We think there’s likely another one near here somewhere. It might be responsible for the dampening field.”

Prince Rutherford stared at me quietly for a moment, as if studying me, before knocking back his second mug of vodka. “Me not sure me understand everything pony say,” he admitted. He abruptly tossed the mug down and crushed it under his hoof. “But yaks not stupid! We send best yak daughter to ship, to help space visitors.”

“That’s right,” I said. I scoured my memory and then nodded. “Yona.”

“Yes, Yona,” he agreed. “Yona one of smartest yaks. She help yaks uncover historical yak settlement underneath capital before she leave.”

That got our attention. “What kind of settlement?” Blackford asked.

Rutherford snorted, filling the air with steam. “Ancient. Yaks build many settlements in mountains. Yaks once nomads, not build true cities, but villages yak travel to with seasons. Then yaks learn agriculture from ponies, and settle down. Yaks much happier with true cities!”

“Then what you discovered was one of your older nomadic villages,” Ayhan noted.

Rutherford gave her a nod. “Yes. Old yaks not as forward thinking as yaks now. Every year they smash entire village, rebuild from ground up! Many old settlements under this city. Yona discover oldest.”

“Wait, wait, you destroyed your villages every year?” Vohrn said. “Why?”

“Yickslurbertfest!” Rutherford cheered at the top of his lungs, loud enough that Cadance and I had to press our ears to our heads to keep from the sound hurting. “Is most important yak holiday. Yaks love smashing! So yaks smash in celebration!” Rutherford had the good grace to blush, if only slightly. “But, yaks realize destroying entire village in Yickslurbertfest foolish, so yaks stop doing that when yaks build cities. Now yaks only smash ground. And leftover wood yaks not able to use.”

“That is… a logical decision,” Ayhan said with a slightly raised eyebrow. Only years of living with a Vulcan mother helped me hear the tiniest note of incredulity that slipped into her voice. “May we ask how Yona discovered the old settlement?”

“Yona a smart yak. Always curious. Yona always digging, looking for things,” Rutherford said proudly. “She do much more digging when we hear of spaceship falling from stars. She found old settlement just before we send her to be volunteer. Old settlement very deep, below many layers.”

“Then we’ll likely have to climb down,” Blackford murmured.

I looked Rutherford in the eye. “Can you show us?”

“Yes!” Rutherford leapt to his hooves, causing the rest of us to rise as well. “Follow me. Me will lead you. Then once you see settlement, you join yaks for dinner at fire pit!”

“That would be lovely, thank you,” Cadance said as we followed him out of the yurt. She hung back briefly and poked at me with her wing. “You should have Preta join us. She shouldn’t be stuck inside the shuttle all by herself.”

“I would if I could,” I sighed. “Starfleet policy requires I leave someone to guard the shuttlecraft. Since she’s the pilot and I need the rest here, she’s the one who has to do it.”

“No offense, but given the situation I doubt anyone from this Starfleet would know you parked a shuttle alone for a few hours.”

Damn it, she was right, but I also knew I couldn't say that. “I know. But we have procedures for a reason, and they need to be followed.”

“Alright, alright. I shouldn't be telling you how to do your job anyway.” Cadance sighed. “By the way, are you sure there’s nothing wrong between you two?”

I stopped in my tacks, glaring at her. “Yes, Cadance, I’m sure. Preta and I are doing just fine.”

“Really. Because it doesn’t look that way from my perspective.”

A whinny of irritation slipped out of me before I was able to reply, “You’re not getting the whole story. Like I said before, we’re on duty. We’re Starfleet officers first, our relationship second.”

“And how often have you spent time with her lately, hmm?” Cadance raised her eyebrow sharply.

I glanced back at the others, who’d kept following Rutherford. “Look, we can discuss this later. Right now we’ve got more important things to do.”

“Fine. But we’re going to discuss it,” Cadance declared.

I ignored her as I focused on catching up to the others, trying not to fume over this absurd interruption. What was she even talking about? Things between me and Preta were just fine. Sure, we didn’t see each other much, but it wasn’t as if we were the only ones busy. None of us had put in anything less than a ten hour work day since we arrived on Equus, and between shuttle flights, shuttle maintenance, and my own duties, we only saw each other for dinner sometimes, and for a few minutes before we'd collapse into bed for a few hours' sleep.

So maybe we hadn’t spent a lot of time together lately, but that didn’t mean there were any problems. Even if half the words out of Preta’s mouth to me these days was, “Aye, ma’am.”

After all, if something was wrong, Preta would tell me.

Wouldn’t she?

Shaking my head to clear the thoughts, I hurried to the front just in time to hear Prince Rutherford exclaim, “Here!” and halt in his tracks. He pointed one huge hoof at a smaller yurt, one that looked like it had been hastily constructed to provide little more than shelter from the elements. “Inside, stairs carved in rock down to older settlements.”

“Great, more stairs into the abyss,” Vohrn muttered. “Because we didn’t get tired of that with the diamond dogs.”

“Thank you for leading us here, Prince Rutherford,” I said while silencing Vohrn with a very pointed gesture while the prince had his back to us.“Will you be accompanying us down?”

Rutherford stomped a hoof into the ground, causing us to have to catch our footing. “Of course!” He turned to face us. “Me not let outsiders wander around yak settlement by themselves. Might smash important yak artifacts!”

“We definitely wouldn’t do that on— “ Blackford began, before he stopped briefly as Rutherford flashed him a furious glare. “— purpose.”

“Not point! Must be careful. Yaks already smash one old object. No want smash more!”

I stepped in before things could escalate.“Of course, we’re happy to follow your lead, your highness. And yes, we’ll be respectful of anything we come across.”

“Hmph. Pony need not call me highness. Pony is princess, yes?” Rutherford said, giving me a scrutinizing glare.

My cheeks bloomed red. “Err, no, not exactly,” I said. “Technically I can’t be a princess and in Starfleet at the same time. It’s a… regulation.”

He scowled at me for several long moments before nodding in apparent understanding. “Me understand. Yaks who move to pony cities grow and prosper, but they also not forget yak traditions. Me respect you greatly for this.” Before I could respond he turned back to the thinner yurt and kicked the door open. “Come!”

He grabbed a torch in his mouth and lit it before securing it in a rather ingenious sconce of sorts that he attached to his left horn. He walked down the revealed stairs. They were rough hewn, carved from glacial ice with wooden planks tacked on to provide traction. I could see Ayhan and Blackford taking it all in carefully, no doubt wishing their tricorders functioned.

Things got progressively colder and damper the further we went. We followed behind Rutherford as closely as we could, but after a rotted piece of wood broke under my hoof and nearly tripped me, Cadance and I added light from our horns as well.

The base of the stairs opened up into a larger cavern, the ground littered with the wreckage of dozens of old yurts. Most of it was rotted nearly into little more than soggy dust, though some parts that were partly or mostly trapped in the ice were relatively well preserved. More remnants could be seen in the surrounding walls, crushed over time by the ice and stone mixed within the layers of time. What wasn't covered in ice looked to be a granite or hard stone of some kind, which continued further down into the darkness.

“This geology is incredible,” Blackford said. “I know it's cold here, but I wouldn't have thought you could build an entire city on top of a glacier.”

“Glacier move into area over time, crush old settlements,” Rutherford said. “We at edge of city above us. Most of city build on proper stone and soil, where Yak farms are.”

It was impressively cold down here, even through our winter gear, and I found myself casting a warming spell just to keep my joints from seizing up. “So how did Yona know this cave was down here, then?”

“Yona didn’t. Yona found it by accident,” Rutherford admitted. “But once she found, Yona told all yaks, so yaks help her dig much faster.” He gestured forward. “This way.”

We continued to walk through the cavern, which was shored up by freshly cut wooden support beams every so often. This wasn’t quite like the diamond dog caves… Vohrn was right, climbing this many stairs again wasn't fun at all. But the further we went, the more convinced I became that these caves were entirely different from the ones we encountered in the diamond dogs' kennel. The winding path Rutherford was leading us down was carved not by technology, but by immense physical forces and the inexorable march of time. I wondered how many past settlements had been built around here before the glacier slowly chewed them all up.

After a while I noticed the amount of debris began to shrink, and the downward slope of the path began to feel almost uniform by comparison. Finally we reached what looked to be the end of the road – a fairly large cavern that had been clearly carved with more precise tools than anything the yaks had at their disposal. “This deepest settlement,” Rutherford pronounced, gesturing with the torch on his horns. “Yaks have tried, but yaks not able to dig further. But, yaks find many ancient things here.”

“Lieutenant,” Ayhan said, pointing to the ceiling, where something was faintly glowing.

I peered up at the glow, and then touched it with my magic. “Great work, Ayhan,” I said after a moment, grinning. “That’s definitely just like what we found at the other two sites. Meaning there must be a terminal here somewhere.”

“Uh, ma’am?” Vohrn called out from across the room. “I don’t think you’re going to have to search very far.”

“What?”

I looked over where he was standing, and my blood froze in my veins.

There was a terminal alright. Shaped similarly to the dragon one and the diamond dog one, it was just laying there, in the open, nothing blocking access to it.

And it had been smashed to pieces. Wreckage littered the ground, along with the shards of the terminal’s monitor.

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” I murmured as I approached the console, picking up a few pieces of debris to examine.

“Oh, yes, that artifact Rutherford spoke of,” Rutherford said with a shrug. “Artifact make loud noises, say many words yaks not understand, startle yaks. So yaks smash it.”

“That is most unfortunate,” Ayhan said, crouching down to examine the wreckage more closely.

“Now what do we do?” Blackford asked.

“Danielle?” I whispered. “Status report.”

“They’re still out there, ma’am,” she replied. Her accent came through thicker than normal, which she only did when she was nervous. “Still scanning.”

“Damned Orions,” Zhidar grumbled angrily, albeit at a quiet volume. “How much longer must we hide like rats?”

"As long as we must," Luna said over her shoulder. She had been about to leave the bridge for her quarters when the long-range scanners picked up Dessan's ships in the sector, sending us into a mad scramble for a hiding spot while reducing the ship's power signature as low as possible, which included shutting down the turbolifts.

Absent their exchange, the bridge was eerily quiet, and dark. The bridge lights were dimmed to minimum, leaving us all bathed in the faint blue glow of the few consoles we couldn't afford to turn off entirely. Even the viewscreen was dimmed, offering us little more than a dim view of the cavern we had nestled the ship into inside of an asteroid field.

It’d been over a month since we last saw them, but Dessan had finally caught up to us, and I wasn’t foolish enough to tangle with them a second time, even if the ship was in better shape. No way was I letting him take another member of my crew.

Not this time. Not unless we had to.

“Orion bastards,” I heard Rodriguez mutter. “Leave us alone.”

“If the metallic deposits in these asteroids do their job, they will, Lieutenant. We just have to wait them out.”

Silence fell again. Every second that ticked by on the small chronometer built into my chair display felt like an hour. Waiting... waiting... praying the sensors didn't light up.

“Captain,” Danielle abruptly said, drawing my attention. “They’re moving off, going to warp.”

No one cheered, not yet. We weren’t so foolish. “Any sign they left anything behind? Mines, a probe?”

“I can run a short burst scan…”

“Give it a few more seconds first, then do it.”

Danielle waited, then triggered the scan, the audible ping on her console sounding as loud as a gunshot on the otherwise quiet bridge. The tension hung thick in the air like a dense fog. No one moved even a millimeter until that scan came back. “No, ma’am,” she finally said. “We’re clear.”

“Alright,” I replied, letting out a slight sigh of relief. “Bring main power back online. Mister Rodriguez, soon as you can, plot a new course and get us out of here. We’re going to have to shake them off our trail for a while.”

“I will be using a few new tricks I picked up from reading old logs from Travis Mayweather, ma’am,” Rodriguez said with a nod. “We will not be seeing those Orions again for a while.”

“We’d better not,” I said as the lights came back on, bringing the bridge to full illumination. The thrumming of the warp core resumed, reverberating through the deck plating. “We’ve got a hell of a ways to go yet.”

I watched the viewscreen as the ship left the bounds of the asteroid and negotiated an unusual course directly perpendicular to the plane of the system’s ecliptic before engaging the warp engines. As the blobs of starlight streamed past, I rose from my chair. “I’ll be in my quarters. You have the bridge, Commander Zhidar.”

I’d barely taken a few hoofsteps towards the turbolift before Luna joined me. “Deck seven,” I said as we boarded it.

“Deck ten,” she intoned, then turned to me. “If I may say, Sunset Shimmer, I am proud of you for finding a way to evade the Orions this time.”

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t eager to tangle with Dessan again, even if he is down a ship,” I murmured.

“Even so.” Her eyes twinkled. “Would you care to join me in Ten-Forward? I do not wish to dine alone.”

I chuckled. “Sorry, but I think I’ll pass.”

“Oh?”

I ruffled the feathers of my wings, looking away briefly before I replied. “Oh, it’s just, it’s my birthday today, and I don’t want Pinkie Pie throwing me a party. You saw what happened last week when Ensign Hallett let slip that it was his birthday.”

“Indeed, it was most impressive how she summoned party decorations from seemingly nowhere.” Her eyes twinkled again as the turbolift came to a halt. “Very well. If anypony understands a desire for solitude, it is I. Good evening, Sunset.”

“Mmhmm.” I left the turbolift, the doors swishing shut. I rolled my eyes when I realized I’d failed to specify the section, so I had quite a ways to walk around the saucer before I reached my quarters. I keyed in the pad to open them as I passed through.

For some reason the lights were off, which was odd. Usually they came on as soon as I entered the room. I sighed, hoping we didn’t have another power malfunction. “Computer,” I grumbled. “Lights.”

POP!

“SURPRISE!”

I nearly leapt out of my skin as a wave of what felt like confetti and streamers rained down around me. The lights came up a moment later, revealing Wattson, the rest of the senior staff save for Zhidar, and Pinkie Pie, along with a smattering of other ponies I recognized, like Fluttershy, Braeburn, Cloudchaser, and somehow, Luna too.

To my dismay they burst into a round of the birthday song, while continuing to fill the air with debris from streamers and more party favors than I could count.

“Happy birthday, Captain Sunset!” Pinkie chirped as she approached me carrying a large sheet cake bedecked with candles on a platter. “Were you surprised? Were you? Huh, huh?”

I let out a small groan and gave Luna a glare, prompting the other alicorn to snicker. “You planned this,” I accused her.

“Of course,” Luna said. “Though the Orions nearly caused us to cancel. Fortunately, Miss Wattson was able to reprogram the turbolift to give everyone enough time to get in place once it was clear the danger had passed.”

Sighing, I leaned down and blew out the candles on the cake, which earned me a round of applause. “It is unfortunate we could not be having this party in Ten-Forward,” Rodriguez said as he handed me a glass of champagne. “It would’ve been good for crew morale.”

I took the glass and drank, enjoying the taste. “Yeah, I would’ve said no,” I grumbled. “I really didn’t want a party.”

“Sorry Sunny, but we weren’t letting you get away without one,” Wattson said with a grin.

“I um, I hope you’re not mad at us,” Fluttershy said, wincing away from me.

Rolling my eyes again, I answered, “No… no, not really. Just a little annoyed. If Twilight was here, she'd be the first to tell you that I never got too worked up about my own birthday. At least, not after I turned eighteen.” I smiled at her. “But I appreciate the gesture.”

Cloudchaser, the one I’d been most surprised to see, came over to me next. “Flitter, however, would have been begging you to have a party,” she said, a pained smile on her face. “I know we haven't spoken a great deal since... but, well,” she straightened up and looked me in the eyes. “I don't blame you, Captain. None of us do. We know it's never going to be easy, but we're determined to see this through for her.”

My own returning smile was strained, but I nodded to her nevertheless. “To Flitter, then,” I said, raising my glass.

“To Flitter.”

Our glasses clinked.

“Speaking of people who ought to be here,” Wattson said as she helped Pinkie set the cake down on a nearby table and begin slicing pieces to pass around. “Jackie would love this too. She kept telling me she wanted to throw one in Ten-Forward for you this year.”

“Yeah, she would for sure,” I murmured, clenching my eyes shut as a pang ran through me. “I hope she’s okay. I miss her pretty badly.”

“You and me both.” She handed me the first slice of cake. “But I’m sure she’s fine. She’s a survivor. It’d take some pretty rough shit to bring her down.”

I found myself taking a bite even though I wasn’t sure I wanted it, expecting it to taste like any other replicated cake. To my shock, the taste was far better. “Oh my god,” I moaned as I took another bite. “This is amazing!”

“Heehee, thanks, Captain!” Pinkie said, flashing me a huge grin.

“Seriously,” I said between bites, “What's your secret? Forget replicated cakes, this might be the best cake I've ever had.”

“Just some ingredients I brought along from Sugarcube Corner.” She leaned in and played at whispering in my ear. “I'd tell you, but then it wouldn't be a secret.”

“Ha!” I laughed. “Fair enough, I guess. That’s that bakery you work at, right?”

“Yup! The best bakery in Ponyville, probably in all of Equestria!” Pinkie beamed. “Mr. and Mrs. Cake, they run the place, but I work there pretty often. I’ll take you when we get back. There's so much stuff you have to try. Oh! Like these chimicherrychangas; they are so good.”

“Well you did a great job, Pinkie, damn,” I said as I gobbled down another bite.

She flashed me another grin. “So, who’s Jackie? I know a Jack. Well, I know an Applejack.”

I nearly spit out the cake in surprise. “Wait, what?”

“Did Ah hear ya talkin’ about mah cousin?” Braeburn said, sauntering over.

“Cousin?” I repeated in a squeak.

If she noticed my distress, Pinkie didn’t show it. “Yeah, Applejack is his cousin. And I think maybe one of mine? It’s reaaaaaallly hard to say. Anyway she’s a farmer in Ponyville, owns Sweet Apple Acres.”

“Best Apple orchard north of Appleloosa,” Braeburn added. “Ah kinda wish she could’ve come along, but when Ah asked her she said she could do more stayin’ behind.”

It took a moment for me to find my voice, having not expected to hear the name that the Isekai owning Sunset had brought up to me. “Uuuh, right, right,” I said, a nervous laugh escaping me. “A-anyway, the Jackie we’re talking about is Lieutenant Commander Jacqueline Cadeneza. She’s, err… she’s my girlfriend.”

“Ooooooh, I didn’t know you had a marefriend!” Pinkie said, fluttering her eyes at me while nudging me with one shoulder.

“Well, it’s pretty complicated. She’s not here right now. She left the ship right before we… crashed.”

Pinkie, thankfully, seemed to get the hint, because she switched to giving me a brief hug. “You seem like you miss her.”

“Pretty badly, yeah,” I admitted, my voice a little shaky. I pulled out of the hug and flashed her a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “But hey, she’s probably doing better than the rest of us, since she’s not stuck on this ship.” I swallowed nervously. “I hope.”

Pinkie nodded sagely. “Then let’s make sure this party is super extra special good for you! Computer, hit the music!”

A snazzy dance beat with a Spanish guitar filled the room, and a few of the party attendees started to dance together, in particular Rodriguez, who whooped at the music. “This reminds me so much of flamenco! But the tempo, it is faster than I am being used to.”

“Heehee, I thought it would be great for dancing,” Pinkie said as she moved to dance in turn with Rodriguez. Everyone else made room for the two sashaying about, and I had to admit, the sight of it got me grinning.

“Señora, you honor me with this dance,” Rodriguez said with a wink at Pinkie.

“Awww, you flatterer, you,” Pinkie giggled, winking back.

“Um, Pinkie… should you really be doing all of, er, that?” Fluttershy said as the two of them began dancing side by side. “You're a married mare.”

“I know that, you silly filly!” Pinkie shouted back as she tried to follow Rodriguez's footwork. “You really need to let your mane down once in a while. C'mon, this is fun!”

Rodriguez’s chuckle rippled through the air as he took Pinkie and, in a surprising show of dexterity on her part, spun her around and dipped her like he might any humanoid dancer. “Do not be worrying, Fluttershy, I am not trying to steal Miss Pie from anyone. It is just a dance.”

Pinkie rose from his arms and spun around him, her mane and tail flying with the movement. “Althouuuuugh,” she said, her eyes slipping into a flirty gaze as she moved up to poke him in the chest with a hoof. “If anyone here could…”

I watched Fluttershy turn about as red as a beet while Rodriguez and Pinkie resumed their impromptu duet. I left them to their dancing and wandered over to a couple of the party guests that were isolating themselves by the windows, the two I’d been more than a little shocked to see: Maia and Doctor Selar.

Maia, at least, seemed to be less irritated by being present and more like she didn’t know what to do with herself. “Captain,” she greeted me with a nod.

“Kelia, you don’t have to stay if you’re not comfortable,” I replied. “I promise I won’t be offended.”

The use of her first name, so rarely spoken even by Twilight, caught her off-guard just as I hoped it might. “Err, ma’am, it’s not… not that. Just, usually I only attend… Twilight’s parties.”

Maybe it was the constant presence of other ponies making me resort to old habits, or the flowing drink that carried with it the warm buzz of alcohol that wasn’t synthehol, but it took a small effort of will to resist the urge to give her a half hug or a nuzzle. Not that she’d appreciate it even if I had. “You miss her.”

A wan half-smile briefly broke through her cold facade. “Yeah. She’s my friend… one of the only people I can actually talk to.” The smile vanished. “No offense, Captain.”

“None taken.” I thought, for a moment, about broaching the subject of Ishihara. She’d been the closest thing Maia had to a mother, and it still bothered me that I no longer saw her laughing face in Ten-Forward or on the bridge or anywhere else throughout the ship. And it made me wish I’d taken the time to get to know her better too.

But I did know Maia well enough to know that doing so would be actively harmful to her right now. Maia had proven herself one hell of an officer already; doubly so since stepping up to take Ishihara's place. The last thing she needed was someone undoing all of her progress by trying to help her in a traditional sense that didn’t work with someone like her. Especially since I was no counselor. Maia had a core of strength, but that core came from years of sustained trauma and only partially-resolved closure.

That she even offered that brief half-smile told me that deep down, she was doing ok. Maybe not perfect, but I had faith she'd get there in her own way.

“Alright,” I said. “Carry on.”

Carting my drink in my magic, I moved over to the other isolated person in the room, Doctor Selar. I’d warmed up to her since my initial reaction upon learning she’d been posted to the Phoenix. Somewhere in the back of my mind I still recalled the Vulcan who’d been far less kind to a lost and scared foal on her first day on an alien planet, and nearly got her face burned off as a result. But holding that kind of grudge against her was pretty foolish as an adult, especially since I’d long since learned she was just being another fairly typical Vulcan when it came to her attitudes towards me that day.

Still, I thanked my lucky stars once again that Mother had been present back then as well.

“Doctor,” I said, raising my glass to her. “I’m surprised to see you here.”

Selar arched an eyebrow and did not reciprocate my gesture with her drink. “Indeed, however, Commander Wattson impressed upon the senior staff that attendance was… highly encouraged.” She cast a look over at Rodriguez and Pinkie, who were now dancing to a different piece of music, one with a lot more clapping involved. “I confess uncertainty as to why.”

“For what it’s worth, Doctor, you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to,” I said. I sipped from my drink. “Though I do appreciate that you’re here. It’s a thoughtful gesture.”

Her brow furrowed by a few millimeters, but otherwise she showed no reaction to that. “You are the Captain,” she said, as if that explained anything.

I frowned for a moment, then moved over to her other side. “You know, Doctor, if we can drop the ranks for a moment… I hope you don’t think I’m still upset at you over the circumstances of our first meeting.”

Most wouldn’t have noticed, but my time with Mother and other Vulcans taught me enough to see how her hand tensed ever so slightly on her glass, the minute adjustments to the crease of her jawline, the way her cheeks took on the slightest touch of green. “It would be illogical to presume such. That event occurred seventeen years ago. You are not the child— er, foal, you were.”

“No, I’m not,” I replied gently. “Believe me, I still cringe a bit looking back at how young me approached things.” I paused for a moment, chewing over my next words. “Selar... I realize this past month has been especially nerve-wracking for you. Our mission's been turned upside down, Doctor May's not here to help, and on top of it all you're stuck with me as the Captain now. I don't need to be a vulcan to know this is less than ideal for you.” I shifted on my hooves and gave her a pointed look. “I'm not asking to be your best friend overnight, but I sense there's some lingering tension between us, and I'd like to work that out with you.”

Selar didn’t respond for so long I began to think she was giving me the silent treatment, until finally she said, “If you are asking me to be direct with you, Sunset, then understand I am… dissatisfied with my actions that day. I believed you to be a curiosity. I did not respect your sapience as I should have.”

It took a measure of self-control not to laugh. “From your perspective, I was a pastel talking horse that shot fire and threw stuff around with my mind like a crazed animal. I don’t blame you for the way you reacted.” Despite my self-control, I still smiled. “As for me, I was a quivering little ball of rage and fear that day. I never once thought about how the other people in the room might be perceiving me, and for years I just remembered you as that mean jerk who kept trying to scan me for no reason.”

I caught the ever-so-slight wince on Selar’s part. “But I don’t think that now,” I added quickly. “You were doing your job, and your attitude was logical given the circumstances.”

“Was it?” Selar whispered. Her eyes widened ever so slightly after she spoke. “Forgive my impertinence. It appears my emotional control is proving difficult to maintain.”

“I’m the last person on this ship who’ll judge you for that,” I said gently. “But like I said, I'm all for working out whatever tension still sits between us. Doesn't have to be right now either. But I'd like it if we can start fresh, and build a healthy working relationship.”

“I agree, a restart of sorts would be beneficial for us both.”

“Good,” I said with a nod. “And to start, I’ll add that if you’d prefer to return to your quarters, that’s perfectly fine by me. I won’t make anyone stay.”

Selar turned away from me, but I could still sense the way she was fighting with her emotional control, feeling something tense underneath her facade of detachment. “I… appreciate that, Sunset. Thank you,” she murmured.

Then she set her drink down and walked out, causing a few other guests to glance her way as the doors hissed shut behind her.

“Awww, is something wrong?” Pinkie said as she trotted over, her mane seeming to deflate a tad as she looked forlornly at the door. “Is she okay?”

“She’s fine, Pinkie, don’t worry about it. It’s just… Vulcan things.”

“Okie dokie loki!” Pinkie chirped. Her expression remained concerned for just a brief moment before it wildly shifted and she looked up at me with excitement, her hair popping back into place. “Oooh, Oooh, Sunset, Sunset, I just remembered! I gotta tell you about something!”

As most of the party-goers looked over with interest, I finished my drink and went to grab a refill. “Oh yeah? What’s that, Pinkie?”

"It's a long story! You see..."

“Sooooo, I was searching the computer for music ideas, and I came across a bunch of music that sounded a lot like heartsongs.”

“Heartsongs?” Something about that sounded vaguely familiar. “What do you mean?”

Pinkie reached into her mane and pulled out her PADD, tapping it a few times. “Let’s see… ah, here we go. Stardate 2398.3. U.S.S. Enterprise incident report labeled Subspace Rhapsody. Computer, play first— “

“Belay that!” I interrupted, my blood half frozen. I snatched the PADD away from her and glanced down at the screen. “Pinkie, these reports are supposed to be classified! How did you get this?”

Wattson, glancing over my shoulder at the PADD, said, “What was that from, 2258? Yeah, a whole ton of stuff from that time period was declassified last year. Hit the time limit on classification. It’s pretty interesting stuff, actually. The Enterprise messed with some kind of subspace fold and briefly changed the laws of reality, making everything like a musical. I thumbed through it a while back myself, actually. I gotta say, Nurse Chapel really knew how to belt out a tu—”

“Nevermind that,” I said, jerking the PADD towards myself so it was covered. “Part of the reason these were classified to begin with was to protect people's privacy. Whatever caused them to sing, everyone affected spilled their most closely held thoughts and secrets in the process. To the entire ship's crew, I might add.”

“Um, pardon my asking, but what exactly are heartsongs?” Rodriguez asked.

“Pretty similar to the incident here, except heavily influenced by Equus’s natural magical properties. Twi and I researched the topic a bit, but from what we can tell it’s highly unlikely we could trigger one here, even with the extra volunteers, due to being off-world.”

“Heartsongs have been pretty rare on Equus lately anyway,” Fluttershy added.

Pinkie flashed me a pair of puppy dog eyes so cute that I gave in and handed her back her PADD. “Well, if we can’t listen to that, we could try one of the musicals from Bridleway!”

“As the birthday girl here, I'm going to exercise my authority to request something else. Please.”

“You do have a point there, Shimmy Shim,” Pinkie replied. “What would you like to hear?”

I thought for a moment, choosing to focus on song ideas instead of whatever nickname Pinkie had just conjured up for me. “You know, while we were on Equus, I heard more than a few catchy tunes from someone named, um, Vinyl Scratch, yeah, that was it. Got any of that?”

“You bet your flank I do. Vinyl's only one of the best DJs in all of Equus. Comin' right up!”

She looked up at the ceiling. "Computer, switch to "Wubz" playlist and resume music!"

As a fresh electronic beat dropped the bass hard enough to shake the walls, we all went right back to dancing and laughing together.

The wreckage of the console let out an almost petulant seeming spark as I sifted through it with my magic, gritting my teeth more and more with every passing moment. My blood boiled just underneath my skin, every hackle raised, my wings refusing to sit still. All too familiar, the bitter taste of rage flooded my mouth, and I tensed up a hoof before lashing out with it, crushing a half shattered stalactite of ice laying on the ground. “This,” I hissed, “is the only clue we’ve found in over a month. And you smashed it?!”

Rutherford’s nostrils flared as he snorted hard enough to throw out jets of air in the cold, squaring up to look me directly in the eye. “Yaks startle easy! You have problem with yak reactions?!”

“Yes I have a problem with your reactions!” I snapped back, jabbing my hoof through the air to point at the destroyed console. “You said yourself you've known we were here since shortly after our ship crashed on Equus. So pardon me for thinking for just a second that, after discovering a bizarre piece of technology in a cavern you never knew existed until you dug it up, you might think to call the newly arrived aliens instead of breaking the damn thing!”

“How was yak supposed to know this?!” he bellowed. The cavern walls trembled as he all but mauled the stone with his crashing hooves.

“Maybe if you had more thoughts in that tiny little brain of yours than smashing everything— “

“Whoa, whoa, okay, okay, that’s enough, both of you,” Cadance shouted, rushing between us and displaying an alarming amount of strength as she physically shoved us both apart. “Prince Rutherford, please tone it down just a few notches? Thank you.” She turned to me and pulled me a bit further away, moving to block my view of Rutherford. “As for you, Twilight, what is going on with you?”

“What do you think's going on, Cadance? Our first big clue in weeks now and they broke it!" I seethed. "you'd be mad too!” For just a moment, my horn swirled with purplish magic so dark it was almost black, filling the air with a burst of warmth, my fury simmering like a pot threatening to boil over its cover.

But before I knew it, Cadance tapped her horn to mine, and I let out a gasp as something magical flooded my body, reminding me a lot of Mother’s occasional partial mind-melds.

Except instead of Vulcan logical calm, this was love. Pure, nonjudgmental, supportive love, an empathy that was almost overpowering.

My anger fizzled like a campfire in drizzling rain, the smoke billowing away to nothing from my horn. “I’m sorry,” I whispered to Cadance.

“It’s alright, Twilight,” she said, setting a hoof on my shoulder. “I’m not the one you need to apologize to.”

“Right.” I nodded, took a deep breath to steady myself, then faced Rutherford. “I apologize, Prince Rutherford.”

“Yak not accept apology!” Rutherford barked, his regalia nearly flying off his head. “You insult yak intelligence! Always ponies do this. Always say yak stupid. Yaks not stupid! Yaks just emotional!”

“I’m sure she didn’t mean it,” Cadance insisted, casting a brief glance of sympathetic understanding my way. “Twilight is under a lot of stress. Take it from me, even princesses say things they don't mean from time to time.”

Rutherford scowled at me, narrowing his beady eyes. “Yak understand words said in anger, but words hurtful! Me show you nothing but hospitality.”

I looked away for a moment, grinding my teeth together until I managed to wrest some control over my anger again. Not for the first time, I wished I’d had even a modicum of Sunset’s self-control. “I’m sorry,” I repeated, this time more sincerely. “I shouldn’t have insulted you like that. I just…” A massive sigh escaped me. “I spent sixteen years looking for Equus after I ended up on Earth. And when we finally find it, we're greeted with 'welcome home also the sun's dying and if you can't fix it we're doomed'. I know that's not an excuse for my behavior just now, but it's... it's a lot to bear.”

“Hmm…” Rutherford rumbled. He stomped his way over to me and raised a hoof to my forehead, then nodded. “Me understand. Me forgive… for now. But don’t say anything like that again, or me smash you!”

“That’s fair,” I said with a bitter chuckle.

“Lieutenant,” Ayhan spoke up, reminding me that my officers had witnessed the whole affair. I hadn’t noticed but she was on her knees, digging through the wreckage of the console. “I believe that we may be able to salvage some data from this console after all. There are still some intact crystals.”

“The kind that act like isolinear chips?” I asked as I stepped back over to the console.

“Indeed,” Ayhan replied. She reached in and brought out a verdant crystal, shining green with its many facets. “I would need to scan this thoroughly with a working tricorder, but I believe this is the central storage unit. It is similar to the ones we discovered in the other caverns.”

“Speaking of scanning things,” Blackford interjected, holding up his tricorder. “There’s still a dampening field in place, and Whatever’s generating it isn’t part of this console. It’s something else.”

“Which means there might be a chance we can still find some vital information,” Vohrn concluded. “Err, ma’am.”

A smile briefly tugged at my muzzle, and I made a mental note to thank them all for their professionalism once we were back aboard the shuttlecraft. “Good thinking.” I turned back to Rutherford. “Prince Rutherford, when Yona and the others were digging down here, did they find anything else? Any other potential artifacts?”

Rutherford raised a hoof to his bearded chin, running it through the rough fibers for a couple of minutes before his eyes lit up. “Yes! Yaks find many old yak tools and articles of clothing. But, yaks did find one item precious to yak history. May be important.”

“Can you show us?”

He nodded, and pounded a single hoof into the stone. “Come! Me show you.”

“Good. Blackford, Vohrn, you two stay down here and keep examining the console, in case there’s anything else we can recover from it. Ayhan, with me,” I said, as I started to follow Rutherford back up the winding path.

Only for a bit of magic to abruptly tug on my tail, and I turned to see Cadance’s face burning with disappointment. “Twilight,” she said, her tone just on the dangerous side of gentle. “Do you realize how close you came to undoing years of painstaking diplomatic work with the yaks? Hmm?”

I bit back the grimace that threatened to spread over my muzzle. “Yes.”

“And it's a good thing Shining Armor isn't here right now. He'd be even more disappointed in you than I am.”

“I know, I know. I get it, Cadance.” I tried to keep moving, but she tugged my tail again.

“No, I don’t think you do,” she shot back. “Twilight, you scared me for a moment, truly.” She closed the distance between us and extended a wing around me, her soft feathers gracing my shoulders. “I can understand being upset, but that was more than just anger. That was something else entirely; I felt it the moment we touched horns. What happened to you?”

A cold shudder ran through me as I looked Cadance in the eye. She felt…it. What the Nightmare left on me. “It’s… a lot to explain. And I thank you for calming me down. But is this really the time to be discussing this?”

“Maybe not, but between this and what seems like relationship issues with Preta, I’m worried about you.” She pulled me into a tight hug, ignoring my squirming. “You’re my sister-in-law. You’re family to me, and I still remember caring for you when you were a little foal. It hurts to see you like this, and I want to help you if I can.”

“You should’ve seen me when I thought Sunset was dead,” I grunted as I managed to use my own strength to break free of the hug finally. Good grief, for a mare who didn’t have any obvious muscles like I did, she was strong. Then again, without Maia around, I’d been slacking on my training routine. Maybe I needed to get back into the swing of it. I could probably find a guard or two to train with.

Cadance looked at me, her eyes brimming with concern, and reached out like she planned to hug me again when Rutherford’s bellow of, “Ponies coming or not?” interrupted us. She looked away and sighed, dropping her hoof to the stone floor.

We caught up to Rutherford and the others just as they reached the surface, and followed him to another yurt nearby, one with a pair of guards, and a number of excited yaks milling about. “In here,” he said.

The inside was littered with relics, laid out in neat little rows, with a single lady yak wearing pince-nez glasses going over each one and jotting down notes on a clipboard. She looked up as we entered and yelped, shrinking back. “P-P-Prince Rutherford!”

“Yasmerelda!” he proclaimed, stomping over to clap her on her back. “These ponies and others from spaceship, come to see old yak things.”

“Why they want see old yak things?” she muttered as she managed to recover from her initial fright. “Old yak things old. Only interesting to yak scholars. Like me!” She jabbed a hoof into her chest and beamed.

“Historical artifacts are of great interest to many cultures,” Ayhan answered. “Furthermore, we believe one of them may be responsible for the dampening field that drew us here.”

“What?”

I ran my tongue over my teeth to try to resolve an odd itching sensation that sprung up the moment we’d entered the yurt. “It’s blocking your radio signals,” I said, trying not to let my discomfort show.

“Oh.” Yasmerelda glanced down at her clipboard, then back at the various bits and bobs. “Me not sure how that possible. None of these have any power.” She glanced back at the clipboard. “Except maybe Helm of Yksler.”

“What is this helm?” Ayhan asked.

Rutherford’s eyebrows disappeared into his bushy mane. “Helm of Yksler most important yak artifact.”

“Wait a minute, I think I might’ve heard of this,” I said, holding up a hoof. I concentrated for a long moment while I tried to dig up Equestrian history lessons that I hadn't thought about in what felt like a lifetime. “It used to belong to an ancient yak named Yksler, and was supposedly… enchanted? Yes! Now I remember. It was enchanted, and he used it to disarm his enemies.”

“Yes!” Rutherford exclaimed. “Is most magical yak artifact. Ancient helm. Very precious. Was lost for centuries, but discovered in ruins below! Yaks shocked to find it, thought it lost for good.”

Cadance moved up next to me. “Twilight, are your teeth tingling? Because mine are really bugging me.”

“Yeah, I can feel it in my magic too. It's like two comms channels partially stepping over each other.”

“The helm, maybe?”

“Well, if it really was enchanted, then...” I looked back up at Rutherford. “Prince Rutherford, with your permission, may we see the helm?”

“Mmm. Yes. Yasmerelda!”

“R-right away,” she murmured as she rushed over to a wooden box near the back of the yurt. She picked it up and brought it over, then opened it up for us, revealing the helm resting atop a furred interior.

At first glance, the helm didn’t seem all that special. Its design evoked yak horns, with two curled, thick protrusions on either side, carved from some sort of metal. Yellow bands of what might’ve been a form of gold or electrum wrapped around either side of it, with a prominent diamond shaped piece of metal set in the center. Atop it was a crest of reddish fur.

And it oozed magic. I didn’t even need to use a magical examining spell to see it; I could feel it all over me now, not just in my teeth, like I was itchy everywhere all at once.

“Ayhan,” I said, nodding to the helm.

She squatted down to examine the helm more closely, one slender eyebrow cresting her forehead. “Fascinating. Lieutenant, although I cannot be entirely certain without a proper tricorder scan, I do not believe this helm was made of steel or gold as its appearance suggests. It seems to be made of some form of tritanium.”

“Tritanium?!” I gasped. “Are you sure?”

She shook her head. “As I stated, I cannot be certain without a tricorder. But given the helm’s age, it should have visible signs of wear and degradation if it were made of simpler materials, but it does not. With that, as well as the apparent association with the other examples of technology we have uncovered, it seems eminently logical to conclude.”

Rutherford glanced between us, eyes narrowed in apparent confusion. “Me don’t understand. What tritanium? You mean titanium?”

“No, we don’t,” I answered. “Tritanium is an alloy. It’s also impossible for anyone on Equus to manufacture because it requires far more advanced technology.” I peered closer at the helm. “Ayhan, I think we might’ve located the source of the dampening field.”

“Perhaps so. It would be consistent with the mythology of the artifact, if it did indeed ‘disarm his enemies,’ as creating a dampening field would do just that for any space-faring society that uses energy weapons. Yasmerelda, when precisely was the helm discovered?”

The yak scientist took a moment to examine her clipboard. “One week ago. Was found in ruins of old box.”

“And when did the radio start malfunctioning?” I asked Rutherford.

“Same time,” he rumbled. “Me think you right. Helm cause issues.”

“When the helm was discovered,” Ayhan asked, “what precisely was done with it? Was anything about it handled in a particular way?”

“No, yaks very careful,” Yasmerelda answered. “Me handle helm meself. Only touch it once.”

“Perhaps it was already functioning but the glacier was enough to hide its effects,” Ayhan speculated.

“Well, either way, we’re going to need to examine it more thoroughly,” I said. I reached out with my magic to take the helm.

Only to have Rutherford smack my horn, dissipating my spell. “What you doing?! You not hear me? Helm of Yksler most precious yak artifact. You think you just take?”

I bit back my initial retort, because he had a fair point. “With your permission, yes,” I said. “This artifact might hold some of the answers we’re seeking. We need to study it further, in a laboratory setting.”

“No!” His scowl intensified to a burning passion. “You no take! You want helm? You earn helm!”

Cadance’s visible wince sent a pang of concern through me. “Oh dear,” she murmured.

“Look, if this is about before, I really am sorry.”

“No, not about that. This other matter entirely. Yaks test all who ask big favor like this, must earn right.”

“Earn how, exactly?” I asked, more than a little afraid I already knew the answer.

Rutherford’s savage grin confirmed it. “Strength contest! You prove you smash better than yak, can outwrestle yak, then we let you borrow helm.”

And my regret for letting my routine wane only grew at that statement. I could already feel the beginnings of the muscle strain in my shoulders and flanks. “Uh, alright then. Where do I—”

“Not you!” Rutherford interrupted. He jabbed a hoof in Ayhan’s direction. “Her!”

My brain almost short-circuited at that. “What? Why?”

“Because pony might cheat with magic,” Rutherford said, the humor in his voice grating in the way it mocked me. “Puny alien not have magic, can not cheat.”

“Wha, I wouldn’t cheat with magic!” I protested, my wings flaring in irritation.

Cadance held out a hoof for me to quiet down. “No, no, it’s a fair request Twilight, and you know that. Although… are you sure that one of the, err, others wouldn’t be… better? Maybe that dark-skinned one with the gorgeous smile?”

I shot her a disbelieving look, about to question this, when Ayhan interjected, “There is no need. Unlike Lieutenant Blackford, I am Vulcan. I estimate that my strength will be more than sufficient for the task.”

Rutherford all but fell over guffawing at that. “Hahahaha! If say so, puny, uh, Vuhl-kan. What your name again? Me need to know in case need to carve new tombstone, hahahahaha!”

Ayhan folded her arms behind her back in an at-rest position, the only sign of reaction on her face being a momentary raise of her eyebrow. The effect was all the more jarring considering that even with the height advantage the humanoid crew had over most of Equus’ inhabitants, Rutherford still towered over her in both height and size. “Lieutenant Ayhan. With your permission, Lieutenant Sparkle.”

I managed to resist the urge to facepalm with my wing, only using it to rub the bridge of my nose briefly before dropping it. “Granted, Lieutenant, if you’re certain.” I tapped my badge by automatic, and thanked good fortunate that the comm channel was going through despite the dampening field. “R’el, this is Sparkle. Please have the shuttle on hot standby, as Ayhan might need swift medical attention soon.

“Uh, aye, ma’am,” Preta replied, her voice patchy with static. “May I ask why?”

“The yaks are insisting she participate in a contest of physical strength,” I grumbled. “I’ll let you know if we need the evac. Sparkle out.” One extra tap of my badge later, I added, “Vohrn, Blackford, get back topside please.”

“On our way.”

“Alright, Prince Rutherford,” I said as I dropped my hoof to the floor. “What kind of contests are you subjecting her to?”

“Three contests!” he insisted as he guided us back outside and over to an otherwise empty space near the radio tower, and opposite his yurt. There, small fire pits and plenty of wooden benches ringed a large circular patch of ground that seemed ready-made for everything from sports to public speeches. A number of younger yaks struggled against each other in the circle, arm wrestling or beating their horns against each other.

“Move!” Rutherford thundered to those gathered, who all swiftly fled the circle at his command. “Yaks, gather round! We hold big triple threat contest, for visitors want take Helm of Yksler!”

A crowd of yaks swiftly gathered, booing and laughing at us, even as Blackford and Vohrn joined Cadance and me on one of the front rows of benches. “Wait, what’s going on?” Blackford whispered.

“Just a small demonstration of Yak culture,” Cadance said with a grin. “Grab a seat!”

Ayhan was led by Rutherford into the center of the circle, and gestured grandly to her with one forehoof. “This alien, Lieutenant Ayhan, she fight for visitors!”

Huge amounts of laughter echoed around the crowd. “She so small!” One yak shouted.

“She no even smile!”

“No fear on her face!”

Rutherford smirked at Ayhan, the expression a little weird with his fur covering half of his eyes. “So, we hold triple threat! Contests of smashing, wrestling, and drinking! Who will fight for yaks for first contest?”

A huge number of yaks, mostly males, all began clamoring for attention, until Rutherford pointed at one seemingly at random. “You! What name?”

“Yannick me name,” answered the yak, one with a more reddish cast to his coat and mane, wearing regalia of plain leather. He thumped his chest with one hoof. “Me best sport be smashing!”

Rutherford pointed to the circle. “Come, Yannick. Show Ayhan what it mean to smash!”

As a couple of yak guards brought in several small cords of oak and shaped them into little statues, I found myself irritated that we had to go through this whole song and dance at all. I began to run through some scenarios in my head about how I could sneak in and get the helm, then teleport us all to the shuttle at once.

And cause an international incident in the process, probably spark a war, and really, really piss off Cadance in the process.

Damn it, I wish Sunset was here. She was so much better at this diplomatic game than I was. She probably could’ve sweet-talked Rutherford into handing it over without all of this absurdity.

“Good! Now, for Ayhan sake, explain rules,” Rutherford said. He pointed at the two assemblies of wood. “This first contest, very simple. Each get only three strikes. Whoever smash into more pieces after three wins!”

“I understand,” Ayhan said, not budging from her at rest position. Though I could see she was calculating in her head. I hoped, for her sake, she knew what she was doing.

“Yannick go first! Now, smash!”

“Raaaaaaugh!” Yannick bellowed at the top of his lungs, and came down with his hooves onto the assembly, breaking it into several larger pieces, which he rapidly stomped on two of. The end result left it a broken pile of wood, and the air filled with thunderous applause from his fellow yaks.

“Very good! Me impressed! Now, you turn, Ayhan.” Rutherford chuckled. “If think you can do better. Me doubt it though.”

Ayhan drew her hands out from behind herself and approached the assemblage, glancing at it from a few different angles. Then her arm lashed out at a speed I could hardly believe.

The first strike caused the assemblage to break into about as many pieces as Yannick’s trio of blows, and two more swift jabs with her hand left the pile more sawdust than wood.

The crowd stared in shocked silence as Ayhan drew back and resumed her previous stance as if she had expended no energy at all. “I believe that should be satisfactory, based upon your criteria,” she said.

“H-how you do that?!” Rutherford shouted, before throwing his hooves up and laughing. “Hah! You not as puny as Rutherford think! Ayhan win first contest!”

The stomping of hooves and shouts of jubilation from the crowd were almost deafening, even as Yannick let out a roar of irritation and kicked one of the remaining pieces of wood careening into the air and out of sight.

Rutherford waited for the crowd to quiet down a bit before continuing. “Next, we wrestle!” He glanced around, then picked out a yak personally. “You. Yohan. You good at arm wrestling. Ayhan too small for full body wrestling, so arm wrestling better.”

Cadance let out a giggle. “Ayhan and Yohan. They rhyme.”

“She’s so going to kick his ass,” Vohrn whispered, smirking. “I’ve seen Ayhan arm wrestle Commander Zhidar once. This yak’s got nothing on him.”

“I dunno, he’s pretty huge,” Blackford murmured.

The guards came in and swiftly set up a podium out of a carved tree stump for Ayhan and Yohan to wrestle on, and gestured for them to take their places. Ayhan had to kneel down in a somewhat awkward way before she rested her arm on the podium. “Me trust you know rules to arm wrestling,” Rutherford said to her.

“Indeed. It is a common practice among the Phoenix crew.” Ayhan faced her opponent. “I am ready.”

“Very well. Yohan!” The yak in question rested his hoof against her hand, the size difference making many of the yaks watching laugh in mockery. “Begin!”

Yohan grit his teeth and pushed hard on Ayhan’s arm, at first without much strain on his part, then with grunting and straining to follow, but all the while Ayhan remained stone-faced and unmoving. She seemed content to wait for him to exhaust much of his strength, and the jeers from the crowd clamoring for her to do something fell upon deaf ears.

“Rrrgh!” Yohan cried as he put his full weight into wrestling, only to falter.

And the instant he showed he was weakening, she struck like lightning, and his arm slammed down onto the podium hard enough to send wood splinters flying.

“Aaaaugh! You hurt Yohan arm!” Yohan whimpered, pulling it back and cradling it as the crowd erupted in cheers.

“My apologies. I miscalculated the amount of force required for victory,” Ayhan said as she stood once more.

Rutherford shook his head in disbelief, then pushed Yohan away. “You go get arm fixed. Pathetic.” He then clapped Ayhan hard on the shoulder, though she didn’t budge. “Ayhan win again! Me super impressed!”

“Okay, that’s got to be enough, right?” Blackford said. “She won two contests and it was a best out of three, right?”

“Wrong!” Rutherford shouted back. “Must win all three! Last contest is drinking! We see who can stand longest after drinking whole jug of yak vodka!”

Cadance leaned in next to me. “Oh no. This is not good.”

“Oh, this should be easy for her,” I said, smiling a little as the yak guards went to fetch the jugs. “Vulcans have strong constitutions, and there’s no way that the amount could be… that… much…” My jaw fell open as I saw the size of the jugs the yaks were carting in. “Ooooh dear.”

“Mmhmm.”

The jugs weren’t the size of wine bottles, or even the moonshine whiskey jugs I once made the mistake of drinking from. They were more like the size of foals. I wasn’t sure Ayhan could even ingest that much liquid, let alone handle the alcoholic content.

“Ayhan,” I said, standing from my seat. “That’s enough. You don’t need to do this last one.”

Ayhan raised her eyebrow at me, then examined the jug she held in her hands. “With respect, ma’am, I do not believe it would be logical for me to abandon this now, as I have already successfully completed two of the required three challenges.”

“Yes, but they didn’t require ingesting insane amounts of alcohol either. That poses just a bit more risk to you than arm wrestling.

Ayhan was unmoved. “I am aware ma’am, and your concern is of course valid.I will let you know if I require aid.”

I raised my hoof to object, only to stop half-way through. “Well, if you're sure about it. Proceed, but be careful please.” I sat back down, and glanced at my fellow officers, who looked just as worried.

Not Cadance though. She simply smiled and sat forward, eagerly awaiting the results.

“Now, last contest, me do meself!” Rutherford announced as he hefted his jug. “Is not chugging contest, so take time if needed. But must drink whole jug!”

“Acknowledged,” Ayhan said. She lifted it up to her nose and smelled it, both eyebrows raising briefly. “I am ready.”

“Begin!”

The crowd’s voices rose in volume, urging the two of them on, cheering as Rutherford immediately ignored his own advice and chugged his entire jug as fast as possible before tossing it aside.

Ayhan, meanwhile, raised it to her lips, and began to rapidly swallow at a pace that was so consistent in speed it was almost disturbing. Where had she learned how to do that? A quick glance at the rest of the team told me they were just as shocked as I was at what we were seeing. We couldn't look away from watching her every move, till she drained the last of the jug's contents, then gently set it down in front of her.

As she set it aside, I realized she’d taken at least a minute longer to finish it than Rutherford had his, but she seemed to be almost entirely unaffected. Resuming her at-rest posture, she looked him in the eye and said, “We must simply outlast each other, correct?”

He hiccuped, and stumbled a little bit. “Yes!” he said, his voice slurring already, warmth apparent even on his furred cheeks. “Me… me good at hic holding liquor. This batch extra hic strong. From me own stock.”

Ayhan nodded, and we watched her refuse to move or show any sign of inebriation, even as he began to stumble around and laugh. She didn’t even acknowledge him pushing at her shoulder. “You… you strong,” he stammered. “Yak never see creature puny like you able to stand up hic yaks before.”

“As I stated before, I am Vulcan,” she replied, not a trace of a slur in her words. “My constitution is superior to that of most humanoids.”

“Me can… can see that…” Rutherford murmured, before abruptly letting out a massive belch, leading most of the crowd to laugh uproariously. “You… me can see… can see me cannot win. Urp. Me… me give you victory.” He stomped his hoof, almost crushing her foot as he missed where he was aiming. “Ayhan win all three contests! She get helm!”

The crowd erupted into fresh cheers as they rushed forward, many of them choosing to lift Ayhan into an impromptu parade of victory, and plenty of them trying to get her to say or do something to respond other than a simple declaration of, “I appreciate the opportunity to participate in your cultural celebrations. It was most illuminating.”

Yasmerelda soon emerged through the crowd, the helm carried in her hooves, which she presented to Ayhan. “Here. Your prize.”

“Be careful with helm!” Rutherford said as he abruptly fell onto his side. “Is… is precious to yaks.”

“We will be respectful with it, and avoid harming it, I assure you,” Ayhan said as she brought the helm over to the rest of us, handing it to me. “Lieutenant, do you think you can disable the dampening field now?”

“Maybe…” I picked up the helm in my magic, turning it over a few times, before touching the center gemstone. All of a sudden, sound erupted from a number of the yurts near town, and Blackford, who had his tricorder out, smiled and held it up.

“Looks like that’s an affirmative, ma’am. The dampening field has been lowered.”

I let out a sigh of relief. “We’ll still need to examine this more thoroughly. It might be the only real clue we have to go on, given the wreckage of the console.” I glanced over at Blackford. “Is there any point to getting further scans of the wreckage?”

“I don’t think so, ma’am, Vohrn and I already gathered some samples to go with the data crystal that Ayhan retrieved.”

“Then let’s get going, before the booze catches up to her.” I glanced over at Rutherford, who looked half asleep on the ground. “Prince Rutherford, thank you for allowing us to visit.” A slight frown touched my lips. “Do you need medical attention?”

“No, he been much worse than this,” Yasmerelda said. “He sleep it off.”

I nodded. “We’ll be in touch, then.”

“G-good. Yaks hope you find success.” He shivered. “Is colder than yaks like already. Not want freeze. Freezing to death is yak nightmare.”

“We’ll do our best,” I murmured.

As we headed back for the shuttlecraft, Cadance pulled me aside briefly. “Hey, Twilight, listen…”

I sighed and looked her in the eye. “I know, I know. I owe you a conversation about a lot of things,and to be honest I probably need it too. For my own sake... and Preta's too.”

She drew her lips back into a concerned frown, then reached out to hug me with her wings again. “I’m sorry, Twilight, I’m just worried for you. I know we haven’t known each other as adults for long, but… you’re still family. Just promise me you’ll speak with her, alright?” She smiled a little. “And maybe work on that anger of yours.”

“Yeah, heh,” I chuckled, rubbing the back of my head with a hoof. “I’ll do that.”

As we boarded the shuttlecraft, Ayhan finally showed signs of succumbing to the alcohol, stumbling into the side of the shuttle hatch. “I appear to be more inebriated than I first suspected,” she said.

“Gotcha covered,” Preta said as she left the pilot seat, opening up a first aid kit and pulling out a hypo, which she quickly administered. “The anti-intoxicant should help cancel it out in a few minutes.”

Ayhan cocked her head, then nodded. “Thank you, Lieutenant. It was becoming difficult to withstand.”

“You bet,” Preta said. She looked up at me, and I winced inwardly when I saw the hesitation in her eyes and the awkward way she straightened herself up. “Prepared for departure, ma’am.”

I nodded, and moved to sit next to her in the co-pilot’s seat. “Then let’s get back to base, Preta.” I reached out with a hoof just long enough to touch her hand gently, then pulled back. “We’ve got a bit of talking to do.”

She glanced at me, her ears flattening in a cat-like display of dismay, until she saw the twinkle in my own eyes, and she relaxed. “Yes, ma’am,” she said, smiling toothily.

I don't know if Preta's ears caught it, but I definitely heard Cadance's very self-satisfied tittering from the back of the shuttle.

I gave the team the rest of the afternoon off once we returned to base, with the idea that we'd reconvene briefly just after dinner to plan out the next few days.

It turned out that I had way more on my mind than I had thought. Preta too. Just so many little things, and so many deferred chances to just be present with each other, had piled up between us that it was weighing us both down more than I had ever imagined. Then again, Cadance is the Princess of Love, so the two of us must have set off every alarm in her head right away.

But after a few cups of tea, a lot of conversation... and a bit of non-verbal talking as well, both Preta and I were in much better shape emotionally and mentally.

A few hours later, just after dinner with the team, I was finishing up some paperwork at my desk, when Ayhan came into the office, and handed me a PADD. “Lieutenant Sparkle, I have finished my analysis of the data crystal.”

“Already? That was fast,” I said, sitting up straighter so I could examine it in detail. “Looks like it was mostly corrupted, though I can’t say that’s a surprise considering how we found it.”

“Indeed. It seems that unlike the others, this console was more exposed to the elements, less protected. The physical damage was also most severe. However, I was still able to extract a single fragment of a message buried within the crystal.”

“Oh?” I leaned forward. “What did it say?”

She paused, and I could see her weighing her response before finally replying, “Yak smash.”

“...uuuugh,” I groaned, my face landing in my hooves. “Good grief.”

Author's Note

Thanks for your patience all! Apologies for the long delay. Vic Fontaine has this to say:

Apologies to everyone for the delays on my end this time. Due to a very sudden layoff, much of my time recently has been absorbed in the insanely painful process of job hunting and adjusting budgets. But as always, I hope you all enjoy the chapter, and thanks for your continued support.

And I wish to second him on this.

As for this particular episode, the intent here is for a bit more of a light-hearted feel after some of the heavy stuff lately, and I hope that does come across. If nothing else, yaks are funny.

This is also the start of some big time jumps, so expect to see things advance further in time as we go on.

Thank you again for your support, and I hope to see you next time.

Season 3 Interlude: "Last Call"

Interlude

“Last Call”

Stardate: 52473.4

Location: Los Angeles, California, Earth

Forward Avenue was a study in contrast. By day it was just another street in a relatively buttoned-down shopping and business district just to the south and west of downtown Los Angeles. But once the sun went down, the area’s maze of narrow streets and twisting sidealleys transformed into something else entirely. Bars and restaurants of all types sprang to life, tempting late workers and party goers alike with all manner of food and drink. Cover bands and street performers filled the air throughout the district with song, dance, and spectacle, as people young, old, and young at heart sang, ate, and danced the night away.

As the midnight hour approached, mobile food carts and street vendors began to replace the more traditional restaurants and cafes, their well-worn neon signs a final beacon of sustenance and clarity for the hundreds of night owls who would soon be streaming – or stumbling – out of the many nightclubs that ringed the outer edges of the district. In some ways, the night was only just beginning for this trendy neighborhood. With one curious exception – the cozy bar nestled on the basement level of the stony brick building at Number 10, Forward Avenue.

“Sorry, boss. Got time to make one more?”

Guinan glanced up at the waitress, a young woman with short, powder-pink hair and bright blue eyes. “I might…” she muttered as she dunked a trio of glasses into each half of the wash sink in quick succession, “if I hadn’t called last call fifteen minutes ago.”

“I know, I’m sorry, Guinan,” the girl replied. “I had just cleaned that corner booth, and was working on the tables across from it. I dropped the cleaner bottle, and when I looked back up, this guy was just sitting in the corner booth like he had been there the whole time. I swear he wasn’t there earlier either. It’s like he beamed right into the chair or something.”

Guinan moved the glasses to a drying rack and swiftly dunked the next set into the soapy solution without looking down. Years of practice had made the required motions as automatic as breathing. “Nah, it’s alright, March. Is what it is.” She stopped to wipe her brow and looked back up. For her part, March looked about as tired as Guinan felt. And she didn’t normally feel real fatigue either.

“Still, we close in five minutes and we’re both beat, so whoever this guy is, he gets one drink only. What did he order?”

“That’s just it. He said he didn’t need a drink at all,” March replied, slipping a bit of her hair back behind her ear. “He says he came by to see you, actually. Something about sparing a moment for a weary traveler?”

“Did he now?” Guinan grabbed a small towel and began drying her hands as she stepped a few feet away and peered over at the booth in the far corner. She focused her mind for a moment and a spark of recognition hit her almost immediately. She wasn’t sure yet whether she should be concerned or not, but she hid it behind a gentle poker face for now.

“Ah, him,” she said, walking back over. “I’ve run into him a few times, actually. So sure, I can spare him a few minutes.”

“Hmm… okay, I’ll let him know.” March hesitated a bit. “You want me to hang around anyway, Guinan? Just in case he gets weird or somethin’?”

Guinan chuckled and shook her head. “Thank you, but I’ll be alright, I promise. He’s a… unique character is all.”

“Alright, if you say so.” March nodded.

“Great. Thanks as always, March.” Guinan exchanged a quick fistbump with the younger girl. “Be careful on the way home and see you on Monday.”

Guinan made quick work of the remaining cleaning, before finally approaching the corner booth.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting.”

“Don’t worry, I have time,” the man replied.

“Says the guy who pops in literally at the last minute, and on the busiest night of the week too.”

“Would you believe me if I said I forgot what day of the standard calendar it would be when I got here?”

Guinan looked down at her guest and smirked. “I’ll let it slide this time, I suppose. For an old friend.”

The man dipped his head a bit. “Thanks. At the risk of sounding glib, I really do need someone to listen right now.”

“Well, you came to the right place for that at least.” Guinan stepped closer and gestured to the empty chair opposite him. “May I?”

He opened his hands in a plaintive gesture. “It’s your bar.”

“Touche.” Guinan quietly slipped into the empty side of the booth and fixed her eyes on her new guest.

“So, what’s on your mind… Wesley.”

Guinan sat back and let out a low whistle. “I knew Sunset had come back after seemingly dying trying to stop the Enterprise-D from exploding, but I lost touch with her after that. Any other time I’d say the story you just told me is impossible, and I’ve seen a lot. Then again... what part of that poor girl's journey has been normal?”

Wesley nodded. “By comparison, my life seems almost simplistic.”

Guinan chuckled at that. “Care for a drink?”

“Actually, yeah. If you don’t mind.”

“Follow me.”

Guinan led him up to the bar, where Wesley took a seat on one of the bar stools. Guinan slipped behind the bar and quickly produced a bottle filled with green liquid and a pair of glasses, each filled with a single large ice cube. “Aldebaran whiskey?”

Wesley tipped his hand. “Go for it.” He watched her begin to pour the drinks. “By the way, I'm surprised I found you planetside.”

“I did follow the rest of the crew to the Enterprise-E, if that's what you mean. Beautiful ship, don't get me wrong. And I was glad to be there.” She finished pouring the second drink and slid the glass over to Wesley. “But I had a feeling I'd be needed down here sooner or later, so here I am.”

“Fair enough," Wesley replied. "Oh, and cheers.”

"Yes, cheers indeed." They softly clinked their glasses together.

“So,” Guinan said as she took a small sip, “where are they now?”

“Still at least half a year from the Federation and stuck at low warp.”

“And their planet? Equus, you said?”

“Mhmm.” Wesley sipped from his drink and he smiled a bit. “Ah, forgot how good this stuff tastes. Anyway, yes, their planet is Equus. And from what I could tell after quickly peeking in on them, they’re in rough shape. And the worse their sun gets, the worse conditions on the ground will become.”

Guinan frowned at that. “Where’s her sister Twilight? And if you don't mind my asking, what prompted you to look in on them anyway?”

“Twilight is planetside, with a team in tow. Considering what they’re up against, they’ve made more progress than I might have guessed. But they still have a lot of work left in front of them.” Wesley sat up a bit straighter. “As for why? I've been keeping my eye on a number of different potential... flashpoints lately, and this is a pretty big one.”

“Can't say I totally like the sound of that,” Guinan replied. “Can they fix it?”

Wesley took another sip and gently spun the glass around on the table. “Not entirely. The technology is recognizable, but fixing it is only a part of the larger problem.”

“What about magic? If it can literally save their ship…”

“Part of the equation, but again, not enough by itself.”

Guinan took a longer sip from her drink and gave Wesley a curious look. “Why do I get the feeling one or both of us are about to get pulled into this whole situation?”

“Never could slip anything by you, could I?” he chuckled. “This time though it’s just me, I promise. Your part is right here, helping me decide.”

“Decide what?”

“Whether I should get involved at all.”

Guinan turned the glass between her hands, spinning the slowly melting ice cube a bit. “I see. So… be honest here. If you do nothing, can they still succeed?”

Wesley paused for a moment, considering his words carefully. “There are permutations where they do, yes.”

Guinan eyed him over the rim of her glass as she took another drink. “You don’t sound too confident.”

“I’d be lying if I said their odds were great at the moment.”

“Then why the hesitation?”

“Because…" Wesley grimaced. "Because I can’t tell if I’m wanting to intervene because it’s the right thing to do, or simply because I can.”

“Do you want them to succeed?” she asked.

“Sunset and Twilight are my friends. Of course I want them to succeed.” He sighed. “You know as well as I do that it’s not just about what I want or what you want though. It’s what results in the right outcome for the universe.”

Guinan tipped her glass a bit in recognition. “Understood. But on the other hand, watching the sun go out on an entire world and freeze it to death doesn’t sound very right in any universe.”

“But that’s just it, Guinan. It could be. For instance, I doubt the miners on Praxis – Klingon or not – would have seen their lives as a fair trade for anything, much less détente with the Federation.” Wesley rapped his knuckles on the edge of the polished wood bar top. “Of course they wouldn’t, not that I’d blame them. But the thing is,” he took another sip of whiskey, “in the grand scheme, the lives saved, the advancements made as a result of that peace deal are almost incalculable. The universe all our friends inhabit inarguably benefitted from that chain of events.”

“Okay then.” Guinan leaned forward onto the bar a bit and pointed her finger at Wesley. “Does the universe benefit at all from Equus dying out?”

“I-In some permutations, yes. To some degree.” Wesley looked down into his drink, seeming ashamed of his answer.

“Then what you’re really torn between is,” Guinan answered after a moment's thought, “whether one path might be more ‘right’ than the other.”

He looked up at her. “When you put it that way, yeah, that’s probably a lot of it. Normally, any Traveler’s decision to intervene in an event or not is far more clear cut than this. Pruning clearly rotten branches instead of putting our thumb on the scale for a preferred option, so to speak.”

“Then perhaps,” Guinan replied as she nursed the last few sips of her drink, “you should take a page from my book and listen to yourself a bit more.”

“What do you mean?” he replied.

“I mean, listen to Wesley more, Wesley. Stop thinking like a Traveler for a second and ask yourself what choice Wesley Crusher would make instead.”

“But I’m not Wesley anymore, Guinan. You know that.”

“You’re more than just Wesley, yes,” Guinan said. “But you’re still Wesley. Believe me, I still see and hear that part of you. And I think I know my friend Wesley enough to have a good idea what he would choose, too.”

“Think about it this way,” she continued. “From what you’ve told me, none of the ponies or other creatures would be on Equus at all were it not for outside help. None of them asked to be there, hidden away from everything they once knew. So in that sense, they’ve already been wronged. Preventing their demise would seem to be right in line with ‘righting the wrongs’ that Travelers so often do.”

“Huh…” he muttered.

Wesley just looked at her for a few moments without saying a word. Finally, he took a deep breath, threw back the last sip of his drink, and slipped off the stool. “This is exactly why I knew I needed to come see you, you know.”

“Oh?” Guinan asked.

“Before you sat down, I said I needed someone to listen, and who better than you,” he replied. “But I also needed someone to talk back to me too, and again, who better than you.”

Guinan laughed a warm, hearty laugh. She hadn’t laughed that deeply in a long time; not since a surprisingly quick-witted pony literally walked into her bar on the Enterprise-D.

“Well,” she finally said through her mirth. “It’s the least I could do for a friend. I’m just glad I could help.” Guinan put her now empty glass down and walked out from behind the bar. “Now don’t you go leavin’ without giving me a hug, young man.”

Wesley laughed as he embraced her, his smile growing. "Glad to know someone still thinks I'm young," he added, causing them both to laugh some more.

They eventually parted, and Wesley made for the door.

“By the way,” Guinan called after him, “a final thought for you.”

“Sure,” he said, pausing just before the stairs back up to the street level.

“You said the planet Equus, it used to be an Iconian world?”

“Yes, as best as we can tell.”

“Ironic then,” Guinan replied. “So often, Iconian technology is a harbinger of death and destruction to any race who encounters it. Yet it was some of that very technology that brought Sunset, Twilight, and by extension all of Equus, into our lives. Had they never discovered the gate, they’d have no clue as to the danger they face.”

Guinan brought her hands together. "It would be very right, I think, if those damnable gateways delivered a planet to its salvation for once, instead of its demise."

Wesley seemed to ponder that, then smiled and nodded. “Thanks for the drink, Guinan. And for listening.”

“It’s what I do,” she replied. “You take care now.”

“You too.”

And with that, Wesley was gone.

Guinan was left alone with her thoughts… and a fervent hope that, whatever Wesley might be planning to do, he’d get there in time to make a difference.

Anything else just didn’t feel right.

Author's Note

A short little bite-sized piece for you, courtesy of my lovely editor, Vic Fontaine. What's this about, you might ask?

You'll see. :raritywink:

For those who don't recall, we last saw Wesley in the story waaay back in season one, where he was friends with both Sunset and Twilight at Starfleet Academy.

We're hoping to have the next full chapter fairly soonish. See you next time, my lovely readers.

Season 3 Episode 7: "Under the Sea"

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S03E07

“Under the Sea”

The screams of ponies reverberated through my ears, barely audible over the gusting of the wind and the hammering of rain. “Come on!” I cried, using magic to enhance my voice as I directed a seemingly endless stream of panicked civilians into the concrete bunker behind me. “Keep moving! Don’t look back!”

I should have taken my own advice, because what I saw when I glanced back to the east terrified me like little else ever had.

A gargantuan wall of cumulonimbus clouds stretched across the horizon, pounding Baltimare's central marina area with a storm so fierce it almost defied description. Lightning screamed through the air, setting some structures ablaze despite the howling winds and torrential rain. My eyes had become more accustomed to low-light since my ascension, but even I could barely see more than a few meters in front of me.

“Lieutenant!” Pog shouted through my comm badge, his voice patchy with static. “Pog has sealed up the other bunkers. Yours is the only one left!”

“We’re still—” I cut myself off briefly, switching off the magic so I didn’t explode his ears. “We’re still getting civilians inside! There were a lot more tourists than we expected!”

“Pog doesn’t think you have much time. The storm surge is less than two kilometers out; it’s going to flood your bunker unless you get the forcefield up!”

“I’m well aware of that, Lieutenant. I’m keeping it open till the last minute!”

As I spoke, the stream of civilians into the bunker continued, guided by Vohrn and Blackford, who were as soaked and miserable as the evacuees despite their Starfleet issued rain ponchos.

To say this storm caught local officials and residents alike by surprise would be a massive understatement. Hurricanes rarely occured at all in Equestria. Teams of pegasi managed the weather patterns coming in off the eastern and southern coasts, unknowingly working together with the solar satellite to keep everything manageable. On the occasion that a more serious storm popped up, these teams whittled it down to little more than strong thunderstorms. It was a tricky but well-honed balance, allowing the region to support both healthy agriculture and a bustling tourism trade, with Baltimare's iconic cobblestone, salt-washed streets at its center, and Equestria’s meager navy protecting its shores.

What no creature could have possibly taken into account though was the inconsistent operation of the solar satellite. The see-sawing temperature fluctuations had already thrown the offshore atmospheric flows into chaos, resulting in stronger and more frequent weather fronts. But uneven heating over the surface of the planet as well as the occasional bursts of extra energy from the satellite overcompensating for its growing failure had sent global weather patterns into a tailspin almost overnight. In a way, it was similar to the rapid heating cycle that Earth experienced as it industrialized in the 20th and 21st centuries, only exponentially faster and more concentrated.

So when this hurricane spun up, it did so out of a massive storm front that popped up out of nowhere, and intensified so rapidly the weather teams were helpless to contain it. Evacuating a city the size of Baltimare in less than two days was clearly impossible, so we raced to construct shelters and bunkers whereever we could. They had little more than beds, rations, and Class Two forcefield generators for protection, but there was literally no time to do anything more.

At least it wasn’t a tsunami.

I ducked inside the shelter briefly to do a headcount. Vohrn, Blackford… where was Ayhan? “Ayhan, report,” I said, trying my combadge, but there was no response.

Rushing back outside, I bellowed in a magic enhanced voice, “Ayhan, report!”

Ayhan emerged through the curtain of solid sheets of rain pelting us, carrying a crying pegasus foal no more than five years old in her hands. The panicked parents of said foal stood next to her, looking around in fear. “Lieutenant, this is the last group I was able to locate. If there are any others, there is nothing more we can do for them.”

I nodded. “Alright, let’s get inside! Vohrn, Blackford, move it! I’ll set up the forcefield.”

“Aye, ma’am,” the two chorused, and accompanied by Ayhan and the civilians, they shut the door to the bunker.

I glanced back at the ocean, and cursed under my breath as I saw the storm surge washing over the shoreline.

Hastily I turned back to the bunker and began futzing with the forcefield controls. We didn't have the time to set up a proper infrastructure for the wiring and power, so both the forcefield generator and its control module had to be placed outside each bunker, protected only by the forcefield itself. The technology was pretty waterproof, but if the shield went down...

“Work, damn it!” I screamed at it as the system chugged, its cheery startup tones seeming to make a mockery of the current situation.

I could hear the surge washing over and through buildings behind me, approaching with a rapidity that made me shiver from more than just the rain-soaked cold.

Pog’s voice thrummed through the open comm channel. “Lieutenant, get it online! NOW!”

I slammed my hoof into the console. “Damn it, you stupid piece of shit, work!”

The forcefield began to sputter to life, but it wasn’t going to stabilize quickly enough, I could see it already. Horrific images flashed in my mind. The generator dying out, water bursting into the bunker and turning what should be a shelter into a watery grave for so many. But not today. Not on my watch.

I stood back from the console and my horn ignited, suffusing the generator with a huge burst of energy. "Turn on damn you!"

A breath later, the forcefield sprang to life.

"Yes—"

The water hit me like a battering ram, hurling me toward the sizzling forcefield. I closed my eyes, ready to be splattered into pieces.

And my world dissolved.

The next thing I knew I fell onto the hard deck of the Calypso like a sack of potatoes, along with a ball of sea water that promptly fell right on top of my head like a huge water balloon.

"We got her!" I vaguely heard Pog shout from somewhere in front of me.

I looked up and opened my mouth to speak, only to immediately begin spitting up water and coughing like crazy. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Doctor May kneel down next to me.

“Thank heavens you made it back,” she said as she flipped open her tricorder and began scanning. “I see some bruising, and a few strained muscles from that impact. But nothing serious.”

I felt her put a hypospray up to my neck and activate it. “Here, this should help dull the muscle aches for a bit. But you need some rest, Lieutenant.”

I sighed in relief. “U-Understood, Doctor.” She helped me slowly get back up to my hooves.

“Next time,” I groused to Pog, who was standing there smirking at me, “Try not to cut it so close.”

After the storm passed, we spent the next two days setting up temporary housing, distributing relief supplies, and helping the local hospitals with triage. Finally, out of supplies and running on fumes, we re-boarded Calypso and returned to Equestria Base. It was rare that we had to move the ship rather than take a shuttlecraft, but the need over Baltimare had been too great.

Baltimare's mayor lauded us all for our efforts that saved thousands of lives, but all I could focus on were the hundreds more whom we couldn't save, or the thousands more who were injured along the way. And beyond that, the city itself lay in ruin. Billions of bits worth of damage that would take years and years to fix.

What grated at me the most though was the lack of progress as of late. It had been over two months since our excursion to Yakyakistan, and in that time, we’d spent more time evacuating residents and building emergency shelters than we had on solving the damn problem in the first place. We had only vague clues where the next piece of this puzzle even was, and still no idea where the main computer hub was located.

Meanwhile, all of Equestria was, if not quite in a panic, then steadily approaching that point. Protests had sprung up in various cities, demanding that Princess Celestia do more to combat the failing of the sun, while a few others had begun to take advantage of the situation in a far more worrisome way, using radio broadcasts and print media to further fan the flames of fear and terror.

I listened to one such broadcast while doing some paperwork, in order to keep abreast of the situation.

“My fellow ponies, do not be deceived,” echoed the charismatic voice of a stallion from a pirate radio tower somewhere in rural Equestria. “The ancient crone that has lied to us for so long, presenting a false image of youth and tranquility while hiding her true nature, would have you believe that the encroachers from the stars are here to help us. She would have you believe that all this began before they appeared, that they are here not as conquerors, not as invaders or occupiers, but as friends. I say that is folly!

“Every single of those so-called visitors are here for one thing and one thing only, my fellow ponies, and that is to use us! To destroy us, and our way of life! Make no mistake, they are not to be trusted. Consider the recent hurricane in Baltimare, a cataclysmic storm unlike any our weather teams have ever seen! Or the blizzards in Manehattan and Vanhoover, the freezing of the Rainbow Falls, and so much more! This is a prelude to invasion, mares and gentlecolts. These aliens mean to weaken us today so they can conquer us tomorrow! Our way of life will be destroyed, I tell you! Destroyed!

“Oh, the fools out there would have you believe these events are out of the control of these aliens, that they’re trying to help save lives. But isn’t it convenient how every time they act, it results in destruction, in displacement, in more and more of our fellow ponies being subject to their desires and their whims? It is no coincidence, my friends, but deliberate design! After all, the proof is right there, in their leadership! Two ponies, seemingly vanished like ghosts, return with wings, claiming to be alicorns themselves?

“Why this could well be a plot cooked up by that decrepit hag Celestia herself! Keeping these other alicorns, these false idols, in the wings, so she can use them to crush us under her gilded hooves. But that's not all. No no! Anonymous sources from inside Canterlot tell me this could be traced back not to Celestia but her secretive little sister Luna! How convenient that she leaves Equus just before all this calamity starts, hmm? Why, I'd say that sounds like a plot a Nightmare would cook up, don't—”

The radio broadcast ceased playing as a hand moved to tap a control on my console. “Sorry, ma’am, but there’s only so much of that complete bullshit I can take,” Blackford said.

I hadn’t even noticed him coming in, and said as much. “It’s not easy to listen to,” I admitted. “But it’s important to know what they’re saying.”

“Oh I know, trust me. If this was any other planet, there’d be riots going on, and people like this idiot,” he jerked a thumb towards the console, “would be leading those riots, or worse, leading terrorist groups.”

“Not ponies,” I objected. “Ponies wouldn’t go that far.”

“Maybe they wouldn’t have before they witnessed their Princess age a hundred years right in front of them, but…” he sighed and sagged against my desk. “I hate to say this, but I’m going to recommend we all start carrying phasers wherever we go. Ma’am.”

A whickering sigh escaped my lips as I all but folded over the desk. “I know… you’re right, I know. But they should be kept inside their kit, not worn openly. I don't want to give any more fodder to fraudsters like that guy.”

“Neither do I, ma’am.”

“I know, you're just doing your job. And thank you for that.” I forced myself to sit back up. “So, did you come in here just to mute my radio, or was there something else on your mind?”

He brought out a PADD he’d been keeping tucked under his arm, and handed it to me. “Actually, it's more like a bit of good news for once. As you’re aware, we’ve been keeping in communication with the various other nations on Equus since we found the Helm of Yskler in Yakyakistan, via proxies in the Equestrian government. Negotiations especially with Queen Novo of the Hippogriffs have been progressing for some time now, and our ambassador has finally received a response from the Queen herself.”

Curious now, I took the PADD and hit play on the video file brought up, revealing Queen Novo in her land-based Hippogriff form, staring rather curiously into the camera. “Greetings, Twilight Sparkle and the visitors from the stars. I was told that if I speak into this device you would see this message from me.”

A voice off-screen interjected, “That’s correct, your highness. Treat it like you would any missive.”

Queen Novo nodded to whoever spoke. “Thank you. Now, we here among the hippogriffs have seen many issues arise since the sun began to falter. In Seaquestria, unusually cold water has depleted food stocks and driven some out of the water entirely for their safety. Meanwhile, heavy, unseasonable snow continues to fall on Mount Aris and the Harmonizing Heights, disrupting commerce, food supply, and everything in between. All across the kingdom my subjects fear for the future, and rightly so. However, given the prior injustices my people have suffered, especially due to the Storm King, I was reluctant to trust that you visitors were benign. But, I have been convinced otherwise. I therefore invite you to come visit me here.

There are many things we need to discuss, some of which I hope will aid you in your task. I will enclose with this message several fragments of the Pearl of Transformation, imbued with the knowledge needed to allow some of you to visit Seaquestria in comfort. I look forward to your visit.”

Queen Novo then looked over to the side. “So how do I stop it? Do I just— “ the video file cut to a blank screen as it ended.

I whistled under my breath. “Wow. I’m surprised that Queen Novo would be so willing to let us visit. I was under the impression that she was fairly xenophobic, though she can’t really be blamed for it.”

“She mentioned a Storm King?” Blackford said. “That’s the Yeti who invaded much of this world before our arrival, right?”

“That’s right,” I confirmed. “It was only a few months before the Phoenix crashed that he assaulted Canterlot and nearly conquered Equestria. And prior to that, he drove the Hippogriffs from their mountain home and into the ocean to hide. They’ve since begun to reoccupy Mount Aris, but while they were willing to let one of their number volunteer to serve aboard the Phoenix, letting us come visit them was another matter entirely.”

“What did she mean by ‘visit in comfort?’”

A mischievous smile spread across my muzzle. “Well, she does prefer to live in the ocean.” I reached up and tapped my horn.

He went slack-jawed. “You’re not serious.”

“I am serious. Besides, we have no diving equipment or anything else we could use, and while a shuttle could act as a submersible, we’d be extremely limited. And if anything went wrong, we’d have a hell of a time fixing it too.”

“Are you certain this pearl thing would even function for us?” he asked. “I was under the impression that the reason we couldn’t use healing magic on our injured was that we lacked mana cores, or something like that. Wouldn’t that prevent transformation magic too?”

“Normally, yes, but that’s because a typical transformation spell would use your own mana to aid in the transformation. But the Pearl works differently. All of the magic is within it, acting like a forcefield to affect everything within its range.”

His chest rumbled with laughter. “Well. I’ll let Ayhan and Vohrn know we’re going to be turning into mermaids. Life is so weird sometimes.”

“We’re Starfleet officers,” I said, grinning. “Weird is part of the job.”

I was busy sorting through paperwork on my terminal in my ready room when the door chime sounded. “Come in,” I called.

The doors swished open, revealing Adagio Dazzle, carting something I couldn’t quite identify at first glance, but which had isolinear chips sticking out one side and a couple of lit up LCARS buttons on another. She slid it onto my desk, beaming in apparent triumph. “I’ve done it, Sunset.”

Peering at the device, I raised a single eyebrow. “Done what?”

She dropped into the seat like a falling bomb. “Why, successfully fused magic with Federation technology, that's what. You do remember we had been working on doing just that, right?”

I looked back at the device, spotting what appeared to be a type-one pocket phaser fused into one side, with only the emitter node poking out of the other side of the box-shaped device. “Yes, of course. I had meant for us to pick that back up once we got the ship mostly repaired, but well,” I threw up my hooves a bit as if gesturing to the entire universe at once, “you see how things have gone so far out here.”

“Understandable though,” Adagio nodded. “Anyway, my sisters and I picked up some mana gems of our own while we were on Equus, and we've been tinkering with them a lot in our down time. And we finally have something to show for it.”

My ears perked up in excitement. “Well, don’t keep me in suspense. What is it?”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a portable mana battery, a relatively rare piece of Equestrian tech that was much harder for us to get compared to their larger-sized cousins. I watched her quickly adjust the phaser's emitter node, then step over to the replicator. “Raktajino, iced.”

Setting the freshly replicated beverage down on the other end of the desk, she pointed to it and said, “Shimmer, use one of your shield spells to protect the cup.”

I frowned as my horn activated. “Okay, but where exactly are you going with this?”

“Just watch, and keep that shield up.” She then tapped a button atop her device.

Instantly a phaser beam lanced out at the shield, albeit one tuned to an unusual color, like a shimmering ocean blue instead of the usual orange. I was about to ask Adagio what I should be looking for when I felt a pull on my horn. Not a physical pull though; more like from the inside out, like it was pulling on my magic instead. I saw the shield flicker a bit, like it was weakening. “Huh?” On reflex I channeled more power into the spell, but rather than strengthen the shield, the pull on my horn got significantly stronger instead. “W-What the—” I tried it again, and again, until I was hunched over my desk, straining to keep the shield up at all. “What... how in the hec— aaah!”

The shield finally collapsed with an audible pop, and I recoiled back into my chair. Fortunately, the phaser beam seemed to do little more than warm the outside of the cup for a few seconds before Adagio cut it off. “So, what do you think?” she said, smirking with obvious glee.

I gripped the edge of my desk with both hooves for a moment, struggling to slow my racing heart. I glowered at Adagio, suddenly feeling a bit of rage burning within me. I wanted to scream at her, to curse her out for doing whatever it was she just did to me, but just as quickly as it appeared, the rage disappeared, leaving me a sweaty, fatigued mess.

The sensation of mana drain is unnerving for any unicorn. It's like having your blood drawn at the doctor's office, only the blood is your magic, and it's being drawn right through your horn. That feeling lasted but a few seconds just now, but I felt on the verge of passing out. My skin was all clammy, and for a moment everything seemed to float a bit.

“That was… ouch,” I weakly muttered. “That hurt. What was that?”

Adagio let out a purring snicker, her voice dropping to that low octave that sent shivers up the spine. “What do you think it was, Captain?” She flashed me a toothy grin. “You’re a smart cookie. You can work it out.”

My body trembled from the combination of mixed signals and the sudden drain on my mana, forcing me to shake my head to clear my thoughts and focus. I glanced at her, then back at the device, as well as the cup of raktajino. “First, coffee.”

Using as little magic as possible, I slowly floated the cup over and took a few long sips. The splash of cold, sugary goodness did wonders for my head after a minute. “You drained the shield with the phaser beam,” I finally answered after replaying it all again in my head. “The more I tried to strengthen it, the more it drained. And I felt angry afterwards, as if…”

Realization struck me as I faced her once again. “As if you were feeding on my emotions.”

“Bingo,” she said. “That’s precisely it. It’s just a proof of concept, but it works.”

“What does it do with the drained energy?”

She picked up the device and turned it over, then undid a little hatch, revealing another mana battery, though this one was only partially glowing. “For now, it dumps it into this gem, which is functioning like a capacitor here. There's a different capacitor for almost any type of forcefield or shield of course, but the basic idea is to capture the energy feeding the shield and send it back to us instead.”

I was midway through another sip of raktajino when the lightbulb finally went off in my head. “Ohh, I see now! So we drain their shields to power our own. That's brilliant, Adagio! And absolutely perfect for our current situation. Well done!”

Adagio preened under the praise. “It is brilliant, isn't it though?” She slinked back into the chair opposite me and played at buffing her nails on her blouse's collar. “Though it does risk overloading the phaser if pushed too far. I've solved that for now by reducing the phaser's power level, but that results in it doing no effective damage either.”

I couldn't help but smile and chuckle at Adagio. She could give my foalhood self a run for her bits in the self-praise department. But, she did make a good point nonetheless. “A smart adjustment, though not a surprising one. Phaser coils weren't exactly designed with this in mind. They're meant to send energy out, not absorb it back in. So if we scale this up, we'll probably only be able to use it in short bursts.” A slight frown creased my muzzle. “Does it usually have the emotional effects as well?”

Adagio shrugged. “No idea. That might’ve only been because you were powering the shield. It’s not as if you can make a ship angry.”

“You’d be surprised,” I quipped. “Still, I want to test this out on a smaller scale first, like with a pair of shuttlecraft, before we scale it up to any shipwide systems.” I tapped my badge. “Shimmer to Wattson.”

“Here, ma’am.”

“Amelia, Adagio just showed me a fascinating new piece of magical technology she and her sisters have been working on. It's a device that can drain a target's shields and, if I'm understanding things correctly, recharge our own shields in turn.”

I heard Wattson snort in disbelief. “Really? Wow, now that’s a new one even to me.”

I nodded on reflex. “I’m going to approve small scale testing with a pair of shuttlecraft, as I’m concerned about possible side effects related to her Siren abilities. If we can prove it doesn’t have those side effects, or find a way to mitigate them otherwise, I’ll approve larger scale tests.”

“Understood. I’ll put together a team to work with her. Please have her come see me whenever she’s ready to get started.”

“Good. Shimmer out.” I turned back to Adagio. “Well, congratulations. I’m genuinely impressed.”

“As you should be,” she said as she tucked the device under one arm. “I’ll get to it right away.”

As she turned to leave, I coughed for attention. “One more thing, Adagio.”

“Hmm?” Her expression veered into contrition. “Ah, right. I just barged in without asking. Sorry– er, I mean sorry, Captain.”

I smiled at her, friendly and genuine. “It’s not that. I just want you to know that I appreciate everything you and your sisters do for us and for the ship, even when you don't have to. You've more than proven how wrong Starswirl was to treat you the way he did, and you can bet I'll make sure Celestia hears that too.” I stood from my chair. “I know I speak for us all when I say we're glad to have you with us.”

Adagio looked at me for a second, then smiled in return. “Thank you, and... likewise.” She turned and left without another word, leaving me to finish my raktajino in peace.

“Zhidar to Shimmer.”

Or not. “Go ahead.”

“Captain, we’ve been tracking a Talarian cargo vessel on a similar course to ours, less than two light-years away, traveling at low warp. They appear to be developing a radiation issue with their engines.”

“Talarians,” I murmured, racking my brain. “They’re one of those patriarchal species.”

“Correct. But their technology is inferior to ours. They may not be aware of the leak. We might be able to assist them.”

“I’m on my way.” I closed the channel, took one last good sip from th coffee, and left the ready room, and made my way back onto the bridge. “Miss Maia, contact the Talarian ship,” I said as I approached my chair, which Zhidar swiftly vacated.

“Aye, ma’am,” she said. After a moment of tapping, she added, “Channel open.”

“Talarian vessel, this is Captain Sunset Shimmer of the Federation starship Phoenix. We’ve detected what appears to be a radiation leak in your engines. We’re standing by to assist.”

After a moment, a Talarian face appeared on screen. Like a lot of humanoids, the basic appearance was human-like, but with a distinct cranial ridge that split his forehead almost like a fleur de lis, rising up to occupy a substantial portion of his cranium, making him look half bald despite his well-maintained beard and hair. He sneered at me, his face rising to stick his nose in the air in a manner that wouldn’t be totally out of place in some sections of Canterlot. “What is this? I’ve never seen your species before, woman.” He said the word like it was slimy and foul, spat out in disgust. “What would you know about engines?”

My eye twitched as I attempted to respond politely, “A great deal, given I was an engineer before I assumed command. More to the point, if you require proof, we can send over our sensor data. The leak has only just started, so it may not be detectable yet on your end. But like I said, we're happy to assist with repairs, and the faster we can fix the leak, the less risk your crew will be in.”

His sneer intensified. “What makes you think we want your help?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Zhidar, if you would please explain to this kind gentleman why he needs his engines fixed before it becomes a problem.”

Zhidar’s toothy grin took the Talarian commander aback. “Assuming the engine leak doesn’t destroy your ship outright,” he rumbled, injecting a substantial amount of humor into the words, “Any cargo you have will be tainted with radiation and therefore useless, and if left unchecked, will kill your crew one by one due to radiation poisoning, horrific burns, or—”

“I am well aware of the effects of radiation poisoning!” The Talarian captain interrupted, his fist clenching at his side. “Do you think me a fool?”

“Of course not, sir,” I replied congenially, suppressing a smirk. “We’re simply doing our due diligence as Starfleet officers in rendering assistance to our stellar neighbors.”

“Captain,” Danielle added, briefly turning to me. “The radiation leak in their engines is intensifying.” The sound of an explosion in the background of the Talarian captain accompanied a shower of sparks. “Rapidly.”

The Talarian captain made a chopping motion over his neck with his hand. “He muted the transmission, ma’am,” Maia helpfully said, as the captain began shouting soundlessly at crew members behind him.

“Well, Commander, it seems you are not the only one who is having the charm and wit of a Spanish boar,” Rodriguez quipped.

Zhidar’s only response to that was a sinister chuckle.

After a few moments the Talarian unmuted his hail. “Very well, Captain Shimmer,” he snapped. “We will allow your engineering staff to assist us with repairs, as it seems your Federation sensors were correct.” His sneer transformed into a grimace. “We would appreciate your prompt assistance.”

“Certainly, Captain. I will have my chief engineer transport a team over at once.”

“Err, ma’am,” Danielle interrupted. “I recommend not using the transporter. The radiation will introduce increasing interference. Getting a solid lock will become quite difficult.”

A slight shrug of my wings accompanied my response. “A shuttle, then.”

“We will await it,” he snapped before ending the transmission altogether, leaving us with a view of his ship floating in space. One of the nacelles appeared to be outgassing plasma.

“Bridge to engineering. Wattson, apologies for adding to your workload, but we’ve just met a Talarian ship that needs assistance with repairs. Assemble a repair team and have them take a shuttle over ASAP. And please, make sure someone male is leading the team if you can.”

“Talarians, huh? I’ll send some of the Equus volunteers. They’ll enjoy the challenge.”

“Works for me. Bridge out.”

Personal log, supplemental. We’re about to embark on our mission to the hippogriffs, and I admit I’m… uneasy. These past few months have been so difficult, and despite what Cadance told me, and my own words to Preta, I haven’t been giving her the attention she deserves. It isn’t that I don’t want to. Goodness knows I do. But… sometimes, it’s just…

Just so difficult. I still feel uncertain in my new body, despite having had wings for months now. And while I’ve developed a taste for a lot of new foods thanks to my, err, dietary changes, it still feels strange to willingly put a piece of replicated steak in my mouth.

Still won’t eat hotdogs though.

What’s more, I think sometimes my mind still hasn’t fully grasped the reality of living on Equus again after so many years on Earth and aboard starships. Like my biological family. I thought when I saw my parents again, my brother again, I’d feel happy, content, like a hole in my heart had been filled. Instead… I feel cold uncertainty.

Are they truly my family anymore?

But then I look at pictures of Mother and Mom and Sunset and myself, and I feel just as cold and uncertain. Two sets of parents, two families, yet I feel so little attachment to either of them. I'm not sure if I should be scared, ashamed, or both.

I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when this all ends, if it ever does. Do I stay here? Do I go back to Starfleet?

The fact that this whole time I’m having to work my Starfleet job while living on Equus just makes it all the more surreal. Not to mention all these disasters and just…

It’s like my life isn’t even real anymore. Like I’m trapped inside the galaxy's worst holonovel, with no idea who I am or what my goals even are, yet the stakes get higher with every step I take.

But there’s one thing I am certain about. I won’t let my world die. Even if I’m not sure if it’s where I belong anymore, Equus is still the place I came from. And I will not let it die. I’ll do anything to protect it, to save it.

Anything.

End log.

As the shuttlecraft flew south, I sat in the copilot seat next to Preta. “I’m sorry you can’t go with us to Seaquestria,” I said as I extended a wing to briefly hug her shoulder. “We only have enough Pearl fragments for four of us, unfortunately.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said, smiling at the touch. “It’s just as well. Cats and water don’t mix, you know.”

“Aren’t there catfish on Earth, though?” Vohrn quipped from his seat in the back. “At least, that’s what my roommate at the academy said. Always tried to feed me catfish sandwiches; they were revolting.”

Preta rolled her eyes. “Not the same thing and you know it.” Her hands moved across the console as she adjusted our heading. “Besides, you’re not going either.”

“Well, someone has to investigate topside while the rest of you go swimming,” he replied as he tapped at his breathing apparatus. “And I'd rather not have this thing malfunction again without warning.”

“True,” I added. “There's no real way to know how the magic will interact with your breathing device, and I don't want to take unnecessary risks with anyone's health.”

So while the rest of us investigated Seaquestria, Vohrn would be taking a couple of Pog’s engineers with him to wander the mountainside, accompanied by Princess Skystar, Queen Novo’s daughter, who, upon our first meeting when she visited Canterlot Castle as part of a delegation, performed a kind of puppet show using different color shells as characters.

I did not envy Vohrn in the least.

But it also meant we’d need someone else to accompany us beneath the waves. I went to speak with Belle, but she declined, not being a fan of swimming. Though at least she had improved somewhat from how she was when we first crashed, and was spending more time exploring Ponyville and the surrounding areas. Not for the first time I found myself wishing I had more free time to go speak with her and see her.

Instead, I was left with a different choice.

“Pog is grateful because it gives him a chance to experience the oceans of this world without the risk of drowning. For once.”

“Do you even know how to swim?” Vohrn asked.

“Of course!” Pog jabbed a thumb into his chest. “Pog grew up not far from Lake Miracht on Tellar. He went swimming all the time.”

“That’s funny,” Blackford said with a big grin on his face. “I seem to recall you sinking like a stone on the holodeck whenever we tried boating off the coast of California.”

“That was different! Pog is certain the simulation was misprogrammed to make Pog look bad.”

“You keep telling yourself that.”

“Alright, settle down you two,” I grumbled, feeling not unlike a parent on a family road trip. “Mount Aris is just ahead.”

We sank back through the clouds as we began our approach, and Mount Aris finally came into view.

“Wow…” everyone seemed to mutter at once, including myself. Until now I had only seen Mount Aris through pictures in a travel book. The singular peak dominated the skyline above smaller, broader hills that formed the central part of a fairly large island. Towns and villages came into view as we descended, as well as what I presumed to be a capital city cut into the mountainside on all sides. The architecture was beautiful in its own way, though I spotted many areas that seemed to be under reconstruction of some kind. More worrisome though was the snow covered roofs and cliffs, despite it being in the middle of the spring season here.

“Pog is curious about one thing,” he said as we swung to the right towards a predetermined landing spot on the beaches. Or, they would be beaches if they weren't currently covered in a blanket of snow. “Why is the undersea kingdom called Seaquestria?”

I resisted the urge to snort. “Translation quirk. The actual name in Ponish is very similar to Equestria, so the translator turned it into another pun.”

“If I didn’t know better I’d swear half the things on this planet were named to appeal to little girls,” Vohrn muttered.

“Says the guy from a planet full of volcanoes,” I grunted, turning to playfully glare at him for a moment before turning my attention back to the view. “There, that’s our landing site.”

Preta brought the shuttle to a halt, landing on the beach with a distinct crunch of snow underneath. “Good luck, Twilight.”

While the rest disembarked, I hung back for a moment so I was the last to leave, giving me the opportunity to give Preta a brief hug. The appreciation brimming in her eyes made it worthwhile, which made it all the harder for me to let her go and join the others outside.

Pog and Ayhan immediately brought out tricorders to scan the area. “It appears we will be limited in our scanning range,” Ayhan commented as she calibrated the tricorder. “The concentration of ambient magic is markedly higher here than we have observed elsewhere. The tricorder is having difficulty filtering it out.”

“Not surprising, given how every citizen around here is wearing a sliver of an artifact,” I said as I stepped towards the ocean, looking over the waves.

As the shuttlecraft took off again, heading for the peak, I saw a hippogriff emerge from the ocean, triggering his transformation back to his land-based form. “Lieutenant Sparkle?” he said, giving me a polite nod. “I am General Seaspray. Queen Novo asked me to escort you and your party to Seaquestria.”

“General,” I greeted, gesturing to my crew. “These are Lieutenants Ayhan, Blackford, and Pog.”

He nodded briefly to them, his eyes narrowing as he took in our equipment. “Pardon me for asking but, are you certain your devices will work underwater?”

“Our tricorders are waterproof and able to withstand the depths we will be experiencing,” Ayhan answered. “They will be necessary for us to gather data as well.”

“Very well.” He gestured to the ocean with a claw. “Please, step into the water. Your Pearl fragments should trigger with a simple exercising of your will.”

“Oooh, damn it’s cold,” Blackford muttered as the four of us ventured into the water, a bitter cold penetrating almost immediately into my bones, and I only just managed not to yelp from the shock of it. I did not want to spend more time in this water than I had to!

“You will adjust,” Seaspray replied. “Though I will admit it has become much less comfortable underwater as of late. Ready?” He tapped his Pearl with a claw, and with a flash of magic his form shifted to that of a seapony before he dove into the waves.

I glanced back at the others. “G-go first, I’ll w-watch,” I said, despite shaking worse than a jello mold in an earthquake from how much the cold was affecting me. Preta was right. She would not like this at all.

“Oh this is so weird,” Blackford muttered as he held a hand to his Pearl fragment and squeezed his eyes shut, along with the other two.

Ayhan was the first to transform, which didn’t surprise me, given the fact that Vulcan touch telepathy made it easier for her to focus. As the magic engulfed her, I witnessed her shifting take hold, her upper body remaining the same, including her uniform, while her legs melded together, and formed into a porpoise-like tail, with scales scintillating in Starfleet blue and grey. Pog soon followed, his form more resembling that of a shark, with rugged, brown scales and more prominent tusks.

Blackford finally shifted as well, and his tail, much more dolphin-like than the other two, shone even more so than Ayhan’s, in brilliant scales of Starfleet yellow.

The three of them took a moment to paddle and get their bearings. “This is most unusual,” Ayhan said, having to shout over the sound of the waves.

“Pog likes it, hahaha! Pog can swim better than ever!” Pog demonstrated this by diving underneath and leaping out of the water, catching the sunlight before splashing back down.

“Well, at least it isn’t as cold,” Blackford said as he felt his tail with his hands. “It’s incredible.”

Satisfied they had it under control, I swiftly went to transform myself. To my frustration, my uniform, unlike the others, mostly disappeared, save for a single collar around my neck with my pips on it in Starfleet grey, while the rest of the transformation manifested in shaping fins out of my wings and tail in scales. It was absolutely beautiful though. It was like I was wearing a bit of the famed auroras that shone so often over the Crystal Empire.

And I felt naked, even though there was nothing exposed.

“Curious. I wonder why your uniform did not remain,” Ayhan said as she swam over to me. She briefly scanned me with her tricorder, as if that was going to tell her anything.

“Who knows,” I muttered.

General Seaspray chose that moment to crest the waves. His mouth opened to speak, but he paused, surveying us momentarily. “Ah, you are different than I expected. I have never seen such a variety in forms before.” He cleared his throat. “Please, follow me underneath. And do not worry, you will be able to breathe just fine.” He dove back beneath.

It took me a moment to muster the courage to follow, but eventually I braced myself for the cold and dove in. Instinct had me trying to hold my breath and keep my eyes closed, but as my prior research indicated, the transformation magic took care of all of that too. Gills circulated water and oxygen without effort, and a nictitating membrane gave my eyes the shielding needed to be able to see clearly beneath the waves.

“Testing, testing,” said Pog, glancing between us. “Can you hear Pog?”

“Reading you just fine,” Blackford said, blinking in confusion. “How I’m doing that though, I’m not sure. I can barely tell we’re underwater!”

“Most fascinating,” Ayhan said, her tricorder continuously scanning. “It appears the transformation is allowing us to perceive sound waves in a manner identical to the surface, despite the difference in medium. I am uncertain as to the mechanism.”

“Don’t worry about it right now,” I said. “We can figure that out later. For now, concentrate your scans on locating the terminal.”

“Is it even likely to be underwater, though?” Blackford wondered.

“If by terminal you mean the ancient device you are searching for,” Seaspray interrupted, “then it is quite possible. The hippogriffs have had a long tradition of going to the sea well before the Storm King forced us under.”

“Indeed?” Blackford swished his tail, rocketting forward almost past the general before he corrected his momentum. “So the Pearl has been in your possession for generations, then?”

“Going back centuries, yes,” Seaspray answered. “The Queen would be able to tell you far more. Please, save your questions for her.”

“Is it just Pog, or does the water feel colder than it should?” Pog said as we swam on, going deeper underwater. Despite the depths, we were able to see just fine, as our eyes adjusted to the lower light levels. There were a substantial number of bioluminescent fungi and other such sea life floating or attached to structures, lending a cheery, if dim, atmosphere to the whole area. We also passed by a number of seaponies, all of whom watched us with great curiosity, especially as we began to pass through the actual city portion of Seaquestria.

“Curious,” Ayhan commented. Her swimming was far more elegant and masterful than I would’ve expected from a Vulcan, given that world’s dearth of surface water relative to most class-M planets. That she managed it with a tricorder in her hand only added to the impression. “I am experiencing a similar sensation.”

“It’s definitely colder,” Seaspray confirmed. “While we’re used to colder temperatures throughout the darker seasons, we should already be in the midst of spring warmth, and yet it still feels like the depths of winter. The icebergs in the oceans to our south have failed to melt, and if anything are growing in size.”

“Well, we are much closer to the planet’s southern pole,” Blackford said as he darted past a family of seaponies who watched him in utter fascination. “So it’s not that surprising you’re seeing some pretty hefty effects from the lowered intensity of the solar satellite.”

Seaspray paused to peer at him, his expression sour as spoiled milk. “I still do not properly understand this concept, even though it has been explained to me several times by the ambassador from Equestria. That what we see in the sky is mere illusion and trickery, and in reality is a construct orbiting our planet much closer than any moon… it is difficult for me to grasp.”

“It’s been difficult for us all, believe me,” I said as we passed by an increasing number of homes built into the reefs around like they were grown out of coral. Cavern walls began to appear on either side as we swam into a series of caves underneath Mount Aris, which I couldn’t tell if they were natural formations or purpose built through magic. “Where is the ambassador? I expected them to meet us.”

“They are on the surface above,” Seaspray answered. “They will be helping Princess Skystar escort your other officers, as they expressed a dislike for being in the water.”

“Understandable,” Ayhan said. She raised her tricorder to scan some of the surrounding sea formations and plants. “Lieutenant, I believe the rock formations around us are not as natural as they appear.”

Score one for magic then. “Take as many readings as you can. This could be another case like the diamond dogs.”

Other hippogriff guards began to dot the area around us, each one armed with a vicious looking spear. I didn't need a tricorder to guess that the glowing mana gems attached to them were enchanted with all manner of combat-specific spells too. I made eye contact with a few guards, and they just stared at me like I was dinner. One of them even ran his fins over the tip of his spear, as if he was just looking for an excuse to attack.

As we passed by another family, I heard the small child among them murmur, “Mommy, who are those strange looking seaponies?” Only for the father of the group to rush in front of them, pushing them back and away from us.

“It would appear that the hippogriffs are not keen on our presence,” Ayhan said.

“Pog can’t blame them,” Pog replied. “Not if they were as insular as Pog has heard.”

General Seaspray coughed in disapproval. “My people are not insular. But we have been hurt before, especially by the Storm King, and there are a great many of us unhappy with the fact that we allowed one of our number to go aboard your spaceship.”

Ahead of us the undersea palace began to loom, hanging down from the underside of a cavern as if Canterlot Castle had been turned upside down. The entire structure was massive by any definition, with smaller towers leading the eye toward the immensely tall tower in the center. Crafted entirely out of stone and coral, marked with more intricate filigrees than I'd ever seen before, and all backlit by more bioluminescence, it was simply breathtaking. The general kindly let us pause for a moment and just take it all in.

I was very glad Ayhan was scanning away with her tricorder, because my inner filly was completely geeking out at what I was seeing. I never thought I'd have a chance to visit Mount Aris at all, much less this. It reminded me again how beautiful and amazing this planet could be – and why it needed to be saved.

“That is incredible,” Blackford murmured. “Simply gorgeous architecture. And this was present before the Storm King invaded?”

“Indeed, though it had not been used for some time,” Seaspray said. He gestured with a fin. “Come. Queen Novo awaits.”

The inside of the palace was, if anything, even more impressive than the outside, with long streamers of jellyfish like luminescent life adding to the magical lanterns hanging from the ceilings, giving the entire space a sense of serene beauty that arguably eclipsed Canterlot itself. Countless types of sea life, from sponges to sea cucumbers and everything in between, dotted about like brilliant decorations, with corridors being more like suggestions than fact, everything made of stone and coral, just like the exterior, as if the entire place had been carved out of the ocean floor itself.

Yet even here the cold in the water could be felt, despite the presence of enchanted glass spheres that were, upon closer inspection, meant to act as heaters.

As we passed through, the waters converged on a central chamber, where there was a great circular floor lined with arrangements of intricate arches around a central hole that descended somewhere out of sight. Steps of elegantly arranged stones leading up to a throne that spread out like a carved clamshell with arms and positions for fins to lay. Above the throne was a larger jelly-fish like creature that left my teeth itching with magic. No doubt the Pearl of Transformation was stored there, and those tendrils… I had the suspicion they were like a security device.

I discreetly pulled out my tricorder to scan it closely, just in case.

Sitting on the throne, flanked by guards, was a larger seapony than the rest, and she looked every bit as regal as her title implied. Brilliant shades of amethyst marked her mane and fins alike, each glowing like stars against her pearly white body. A golden crown sat upon her head, its elegant form marked by a trio of glowing cyan gems that, as I got closer, were arranged in such a way to match the swept-back feathers I remembered seeing on her hippogriff form.

“Presenting her royal majesty, Queen Novo of Seaquestria and Hippogriffia,” General Seaspray said with a bow, prompting us to do the same. “Your majesty, may I present to you Lieutenant Twilight Sparkle, of Starfleet, and her officers, Pog, Ayhan, and Blackford.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, your majesty,” I said as I kept my head bowed.

She gestured for us to rise. “The pleasure is mine, Lieutenant Sparkle,” she said, her voice richer and more delightful to the ear than I had realized from the recording we were sent. As she spoke she rose from her throne and swam up to us, before briefly breaking into peals of not-so-royal laughter.

I blinked, having not quite expected that. “Your majesty…?”

She gave us a wide smile. “I’ll be honest, it’s hilarious seeing the way you all look under the effects of the Pearl. It’s pretty ridiculous.”

“Err, yes, well, it was hard to predict what the effects might be on humanoids. I wasn't even sure what to expect for myself, for that matter, since the transformation affects every pony differently.”

She waved it off. “Honey, don’t worry about it. I’m just glad to finally see some of you face to face. I sent my niece on your ship, after all. I should’ve insisted on a face to face meeting then.”

“Your niece?” Blackford said.

“I was unaware the hippogriff volunteer was your niece, your majesty,” I added.

“Of course you were. Silverstream never brags about her connection to me. She’s smart enough to keep it quiet, which you wouldn’t think if you knew her. Honestly, the way she never shuts up…” Novo shook her head and tutted. “Anyway, that’s not why you’re here. You’re here because you think we might have something you’re looking for.”

“That’s right,” I said with a nod. “Specifically we’re looking for an ancient device, a piece of technology with, we hope, a leftover message on it.”

“That computer thingamajig your ambassador was yapping on about,” Novo concluded. She waved a fin dismissively. “Yes, well, I’m fairly sure I already know where that might be.”

“Wait, you do?” Blackford said, surprise written all over his face. “How long have you known about its existence?”

“For as long as I have been queen, though the knowledge was passed to me by my predecessors, who received it from their elders.” She nodded at Blackford. “There is much I feel I must tell you; secrets our kingdom has kept for centuries. But I fear these things can be secret no longer if we wish to have any hope of alleviating our suffering. But first, I’m sure you have some questions of your own.”

“We do.” I gestured to my officers. “With your permission, may my officers use our tricorders to scan the area while we talk?”

“So long as your… tricorder… doesn’t do any harm,” Novo said, narrowing her eyes.

Ayhan gave the queen an impassive look. “You may be assured, your majesty, that they are harmless.” She held up hers to show the queen.

“I see. Go ahead, then.” She turned her attention back to me. “Now, ask your questions.”

While Pog and Ayhan swam about the chamber, scanning the walls and sealife alike, Blackford remained by my side. “First of all, your highness,” he said, “Do you know how old your kingdom is?”

“Really?” Novo’s eyebrows rose. “Hippogriffia and Seaquestria have been around for well over a thousand years, though I confess that the exact year of our kingdom’s founding is unknown even to me. Prior to that, we don’t have many records, though we do have stories going back many centuries further. And, of course, we have this.”

She rose from her throne up to the jelly-fish like thing hanging above her, and reached into it with her fins, emerging with a glowing pearl, which to my surprise showed no sign of fragments cut from it, despite knowing there were a great many. “The Pearl of Transformation is sacred to us. We know that in the past it was frequently used to allow us to live both on Mount Aris and here in the sea as well, but about a century ago, we abandoned Seaquestria altogether. At least, until the Storm King forced us back under.”

“That explains what General Seaspray said about the place being abandoned,” I murmured. “Do you know why your people left Seaquestria?”

Queen Novo’s expression drew in on itself. “We trusted too much.”

“I beg your pardon?” Blackford questioned.

Novo let out a long-suffering sigh. “My people have always been a kingdom apart from others. We didn’t need much in the way of trade, and the Pearl allowed us to swim the waters as easily as we soared the skies. The only ones close to us, besides the older Yeti kingdoms, were the Abyssinians. And they are very outgoing, gregarious types, eager to trade with others, and frequently at odds with our isolationist approach. Eventually they persuaded us to open our borders, and for a time, we subsisted more on trade than our own resources.”

She swam around her throne before resting her fins on it, holding the Pearl under her chin. “But then that trade dried up a few years ago, along with nearly all communication with the Abyssians. We had no idea why until the Storm King’s vanguard assaulted Mount Aris. That’s when I made the decision to abandon the mountain in favor of Seaquestria once more. Now that we’re straddling both again, I don’t see us abandoning either anytime soon. At least, I hadn’t, until it stayed colder well past the point it should.”

Her eyes fell upon me, and for just a moment I could see them brim with a deep, frustrated rage. “I must be clear with you, Twilight Sparkle. Inviting you here, while solely my right to do as Queen, was not without controversy. There are those among my court, including some of my most trusted advisors, who tell me that this ongoing calamity is your fault.” She gently set the pearl down on the throne and swam closer to us.

“Some say that starship of yours brought with it evil magics that cursed the land and sea alike. Still others claim you and your compatriots are doing this on purpose in an attempt to drive us out of the ocean. They would have me imprison you, interrogate you for your secrets, and hold you for ransom. And frankly? If I hadn’t seen the newspapers and heard the radio reports of things like that hurricane in Baltimare? I’d be listening to them right now.”

I found myself reflexively reaching for a phaser that was currently not by my side. “There are those in Equestria who feel similarly,” Blackford said. “Lieutenant Sparkle and I have heard the same broadcasts you have. I can assure you, on behalf of all of us, that we did not cause any of this, nor do we have any intention to do anything of the sort. We only wish to help, your majesty.”

She swam up to him, her face centimeters from his. “You really want to help? Find a way to keep the oceans from freezing. If this continues, the sea ice will eventually encircle this island and trap us underwater, assuming it doesn't freeze below the surface as well.”

“We’re working on that, your majesty,” he said, refusing to budge. “That’s why we’re here.”

She sneered at him for a moment before swimming away, picking up the Pearl once more. “I know, which is why I allowed you to come here to begin with. But I’m watching you closely. If you even begin to abuse my trust, you won’t be leaving these oceans for a long, long time. Am I clear?”

“Crystal, your majesty,” I said, trying not to sneer in turn. Damn it, I wasn’t a diplomat, this was exactly the sort of thing Sunset ought to be managing, not me. She’d know how to handle this better.

“Lieutenant,” Ayhan called. She swam over to me, holding up her tricorder. “Pog and I have concluded our scans of this area. I believe I can safely conclude the caverns are not natural formations. The walls of stone appear to only be a few thousand years old, too recent to be formed by natural processes.”

“Is the age comparable to that of the diamond dog caverns?”

“No, these are more recent, by at least half a millennia.”

Queen Novo gave me a quizzical look. “What exactly do diamond dogs have to do with this?”

I weighed my next words carefully. “In addition to the messages that we previously discussed, we’ve also found evidence to suggest that many, if not all, of the civilizations on this planet have regressed technologically over time, and may not in fact be native to Equus at all.”

“Regressed technologically?” Her mouth worked over the words as if she didn’t quite grasp them, before her expression dipped into suspicion. “And what exactly does that mean?”

“We still don’t know, your majesty,” Blackford added. “We can’t conclusively say either way yet.”

She snorted, bubbles wafting from her nose. “Of course not.” She glanced at her guards, then gestured to most of them. “Out.”

“But, your majesty,” one objected. “For your safety—”

“I said out. General Seaspray is more than enough to defend me against these incompetent swimmers.”

The guards all bowed to her, and swam out of the throne room, leaving us alone with the Queen and the general. To my surprise, Queen Novo’s body language shifted, becoming more relaxed. “Well, now I can speak my mind more.”

I felt my face twist in confusion. “Your Highness?”

She waved a fin dismissively in the direction the guards swam out of the room from. “Oh, just… most of my subjects are so skeptical of you all that I had to take a hard line initially, at least in public.” She narrowed her eyes slightly. “That said, I still share some of their skepticism. Some. Not all. Now, what I have to say next is a closely guarded secret, one my royal line has kept hidden to all but our own descendents and our most trusted servants.”

“I promise not to abuse this privilege, your majesty,” I answered.

She lifted the Pearl back into the embrace of the jellyfish-like entity, then swirled around to the back of her throne and began to press at it in several different places, followed by whispering a word that the universal translator failed to convey. All of a sudden, a section of ceiling directly above the throne seemed to depress inwards, then slid out of the way with a muffled grinding noise. A few seconds later a smaller tile slid out from the dais supporting the throne, and a huge, utterly majestic trident rose into view. It was larger in every way from the ones carried by the guards, and was made not with gold but with an iridescent, glowing material similar to the Pearl. I watched Novo grab it with one fin and give it a few short spins, displaying absolute mastery of its movement.

“My Queen, are you certain?” Seaspray questioned. “We’ve never once allowed outsiders into the Chamber.”

“I am well aware, General. But, our waters only grow colder. We must act.” Novo gestured to the opening. “Come.”

I briefly glanced at the others, then followed her and the general up into the hole in the ceiling. It was lit by more magical lanterns, but otherwise was like a tunnel, only a few meters across, heading straight up before curling around in many different directions. After a while, we emerged into a far larger cavern, and surfaced. The cavern was so dimly lit we could hardly make out anything beyond a few meters, save for a rocky outcropping directly ahead.

The Queen showed no hesitation in swimming over to the outcropping, hopping up, and with a touch of her Pearl fragment transforming back into her hippogriff form. “This Chamber can only be accessed via Seaquestria, but it rests within the depths of Mount Aris.”

The rest of us slipped onto the stone, and one by one we shifted back into our usual forms. I was more than grateful to see my Starfleet uniform return unharmed. Pog shivered and shook out his limbs, splashing a bit of leftover water from his fur. “Pog enjoyed the swimming, but he is glad to be standing on his feet again.”

“I dunno, I kinda miss the tailfin,” Blackford said as he adjusted his pants.

General Seaspray cautiously moved between Queen Novo and my officers. “Don’t let them get too close, your majesty,” he whispered to her, too quiet for any to hear save me.

“Lieutenant, there is a dampening field in place within this cavern,” Ayhan said as she shook the last of the water off of her tricorder screen. “I am unable to detect anything beyond its walls.”

I brought out my own tricorder. “Confirm for me, I’m reading signs of the same sort of magical EPS conduits that we detected with the dragons and the diamond dogs.”

“Confirmed,” Blackford answered.

“Pog also confirms it.” Pog grinned toothily. “He cannot wait to examine this tech first hand.”

I turned back to the Queen. “Your majesty, what exactly is this place?”

“The Chamber of our Ancestors,” she answered. Before I could respond, she took the trident and plunged it into a receptacle on the floor and murmured a few phrases in a dialect that might’ve been ancient Hippogriffish but again left the universal translator stumped. She paused for a split second before yelling out a single word. “Awaken!”

We all squinted as bright and very harsh artificial lights sprung to life all along the ceiling and down the walls, revealing a chamber far larger than I would have guessed initially. A quick scan told me the space was well over a hundred meters across, and at least twenty meters tall. All around us I could see metallic walkways heading off in numerous directions, but what drew my eye, and really all our eyes, were the objects between the walkways.

Row after row of seemingly tomb-like structures, each one shaped like a slightly rounded rectangle and painted to resemble marble, or quartz.

“What in the world?” I muttered.

I took a few tentative steps down the nearest walkway, being careful not to even look like I was about to touch something. As I got closer, I noticed that each object had a single door carved into it, with a small window near the top. A plaque fixed to a post above the structure had a single string of characters etched into it that were wholly unfamiliar to me.

My eyes followed the row of objects to its end, then across the room to a large platform that seemed to loom over the rest of the chamber. A wide set of stairs led to what looked to be a terrace of some kind, a large plaque with more of that unrecognizable script on it hanging above the entrance.

I stepped up to one of the structures and peered inside, then breathed a soft, “Holy shit!” under my breath.

Inside, with her forelegs crossed and her eyes closed, lay a single hippogriff, upright inside a tube of some transparent material.

Queen Novo wasn't lying. This was indeed a chamber. A stasis chamber.

“Oh wow, these engines are so cool! Look at how they function, Gallus. It’s like those old models Twilight showed us in training, but set up all weird!”

“I know, Silverstream, I can see that. Stop fiddling with that, you’re going to break it.”

Shaky camera footage from the viewpoint of the team leader Gallus accompanied the banter on the Talarian ship, giving Wattson and me a grainy, occasionally staticy picture of their work. As they spoke, the camera shifted to focus on a pair of horizontally mounted bars with red lights blinking inside them.

“But what’s this for? It doesn’t seem to be a readout. I don’t get it.”

“What, those? Okay, one second, let me scan it then… huh. It… It doesn’t seem to do anything. Maybe it’s decorative?”

A gruff Talarian voice intruded from off-screen. “I do not understand why they sent us beasts to work on our engines.”

“Hey, we’re not beasts! I’m a hippogriff and he’s a griffin.”

“Bah! You all look like animals to me.”

“That’s just rude.”

“Not the best of diplomats, this Gallus,” I quipped as I stood with Wattson near the warp core.

“I know,” she groaned. “But you told me to send Equus volunteers, and while I could have sent Braeburn instead, I need him working on Adagio's experiment right now. But Gallus knows what he's doing too. They'll be fine.”

“Ouch! Who the hay made these thresholds so high anyway?”

“Probably.”

“True enough.” I watched the camera footage jerk around. “You know, Jacqueline would get a huge kick out of this if she could see it.”

Wattson smiled briefly. “Yeah, she would. Damn, I hope she’s okay.”

“You and me both.”

“Hey, watch out!”

There was a burst of steam and the sound of a plasma fire igniting, followed by alarms. “Aaah heck, get the masks on.”

“How do I put this on again?”

“You incompetent fools, you’re going to break our ship!”

“Technically, your ship was already half-broken.”

Wattson let out another groan and tapped her badge. “Wattson to Gallus. Knock down that plasma fire now, or else you’re going to take a huge dose of radiation.”

“Working on it, ma’am.”

On the screen, another Equus native stepped into view, the one medical assistant we’d sent over, instantly recognizable by her stripes and the fascinating gold rings she wore about her neck. She lifted up a hypospray presumably loaded with hyronalin. “Do not worry. I will inoculate you in a hurry.”

My eyes narrowed as I took her in. “That’s… Zecora, right? The one who works the opposite of Selar’s shift?”

“Yeah,” Wattson said. “She volunteered to go along with them in case there were injuries to either crew.”

“Good call.” I turned away from the screen to call up a different report. “Looks like they’re about to test Adagio’s modified phaser in the Main Shuttlebay. That was fast.”

“Braeburn is a whiz with the phaser coils. Managed to get the design hooked in a lot faster than I would’ve been able to do myself,” Wattson said. “Honestly, more than a few of these volunteers would be shoo-ins at the Academy, seriously.”

“Don't say that too loud, Amelia,” I chuckled. “You might make some of the original crew jealous.”

Wattson laughed along with me for a moment. “There were a few bruised egos at first, I gotta admit. But really, the extra help has been a godsend, especially down here. I'm really proud of how both crews have performed under the circumstances.”

“Heehee, that tickles!”

“It will protect you from the radiation, but please try not to test the limits of the inoculation.”

I glanced back at the screen when I heard the sound of something exploding in the background. “Uh-oh.”

“Well, we got the plasma fire solved, but…”

The camera swirled around, briefly filled by an angry Talarian face before said Talarian was pushed aside by the blue feathered wing of Gallus. “Look, we got this, okay? Stop getting in our way and we might be able to fix this before your whole ship explodes.”

“You had better, you big ball of bird feathers.”

There was the sound of an impact and the camera feed abruptly cut out. “Wattson to Gallus, give me a status report.”

“Plasma fire is contained, but their dilithium chamber took some minor damage. It’s going to take us another few hours to repair and re-align it. And, uh, the camera got smacked with a hyperspanner.”

I tried not to snigger in amusement at Wattson taking a deep breath and visibly counting to five on her fingers before she replied, “Alright, just, take it easy over there. The Talarians are counting on us.”

“Yes, ma’am.” There was the sound of a small explosion in the background. “Oh ponyfeathers, gotta go!” The channel closed.

Wattson drooped against the railing around the warp core. “I swear, Sunset, if they weren’t so brilliant…”

“I know, I know. They don’t exactly have the best discipline.” I glanced back down at my own console. “Hmm, looks like they’ve got the first test results coming in… no sign of emotional side effects or power surges. I’ll have them run the tests a few more times to be safe, but it’s looking like we can safely hook the device into the ship’s main phaser array.”

Wattson came up behind me and began reading over my shoulder. “Hmm, looks like it, if this initial data bears out. But it’ll take a few hours at least to get it all hooked up, Sunset.”

“I’m aware. Just let me know once it’s done, so I can explain to the Talarians why we’ll be shooting at a shuttlecraft.” I rolled my eyes. “Last thing I need is them trying to do something stupid.”

Pog rushed to my side in an instant, his tricorder out and scanning. “Pog is certain. It is a stasis chamber. From what Pog can tell, this technology is several thousands of years old.”

I looked up at Novo, who stood proud, a clearly amused smirk on her face. “How long have your people been keeping this a secret?”

“For as long as we have history.” She gestured to the stasis pods with a claw. “We revere them and guard them, for it has been passed down that one day they will awaken to guide us once more.”

“So that’s why you brought us here,” Blackford posited. “because these chambers are the message?”

“It is a logical presumption, given the technology is unfamiliar to us,” Ayhan added.

Novo shook her head. “Not the chambers themselves, no. But I believe a message is indeed here.” She gestured to the platform at the end of the cavern, “Up there, you’ll find what I think you’ve been looking for.”

I gave her a polite nod. “Thank you for allowing us to examine things here, your majesty.” With another nod to my crew, we approached the central building.

I paused outside it to examine the plaque over the door. “Blackford, is there any chance of translating this text?”

“It’s going to take some time,” he said, standing up on his toes to more closely peer at the plaque. “These characters don’t look like anything we’ve seen in other writing samples on this planet.” He pointed his tricorder at the plaque only for it to emit an error beep. “Yup, at some point they must’ve changed languages, or lost writing entirely.” He glanced back at the queen. “Your majesty, do you have any other information on this place?”

She shook her head. “Only that we have been protecting it for a very long time.”

My brow creased as a frown worked its way onto my muzzle. “And there’s no records about when this kingdom was founded, or any old stories or legends?”

Novo eyed Seaspray, who spoke up, “There is one, actually. It's a story that adults tell to their children, and has been passed down from generation to generation as long as we can remember. I will summarize.” He cleared his throat, then began.

“Once upon a time, there was nothing living upon Mount Aris, or in the sea. The two were empty, cold, and alone, left only with each other. And while their company subsisted for a time, they ached for a people to care for, life to nurture and grow and protect. They looked up at the stars and asked for them to send them children.

“And so they did. One night, a shooting star came down from the heavens. As it blazed through the sky, it split in two, with one half landing on the mountain, and the other in the sea. From these blessed stellar remnants came the first hippogriff and the first seapony, from whom we are all descended.”

“Now that’s an interesting creation myth if I’ve ever heard one,” Blackford said. He glanced my way. “A crashed ship, maybe?”

“Maybe.” I rubbed my chin with a wing. “But that wouldn’t explain the artificial caverns or the layout here. Unless… Ayhan, the substance that these stasis pods are constructed from, have you identified it yet?”

Ayhan peered at her tricorder. “Uncertain, Lieutenant, however it does appear to have a biological component similar to bone.”

“Coral,” Blackford said, snapping his fingers. “You’re suggesting their tech is like coral.”

“It would make sense,” I said as I held up my tricorder, checking the previous readings. “Calcium carbonate is everywhere in the rocks around here.”

“Pog is good with biotech, he thinks he can probably figure out how these—”

All of a sudden the lights began to blink in an unruly pattern, and a deep klaxon thrummed through the chamber almost like the cry of a whale. “What is that?!” I shouted.

“I don’t know, I’ve never heard that before!” Queen Novo cried out in turn.

“Lieutenant, there appears to be a major power surge, emanating from the stasis pod on the platform behind us,” Ayhan said. “And I am detecting a life-sign, growing stronger.”

Immediately I rushed up to the stasis pod on the platform, only for it to open before I got there, emitting a massive quantity of white smoke-like fog, forcing me to shield my face with a wing and peer through the gaps. Then a figure fell out of the open pod, convulsing as wretched coughs wracked their body, spittle and other liquids flying out of their beak.

I barely caught the falling hippogriff with my forelegs without falling down myself. “Easy, easy, you’re going to be okay.” I found my balance again and gently laid them down on the ground. Or her, rather, as she appeared to be female. “Blackford, get the medical kit!”

As Blackford fumbled with our equipment, I heard Ayhan attempt several times to contact the shuttlecraft, only to fail to receive a response. “There is too much interference.”

“What have you done?!” General Seaspray demanded as he raced over, brandishing his own trident, a look of sheer murderous rage on his face. “How dare you awaken one of the ancestors?”

Novo swiftly swooped in front of him and grabbed the trident, halting his momentum. “Stand down, General. This wasn’t their fault.”

“But, your majesty…”

The coughing of the ancestor hippogriff intensified briefly as the hippogriff attempted to raise one paw for attention. She spoke, but all that emerged from her mouth was more of the same language that Queen Novo had used earlier. “I’m sorry, I don't understand you,” I said to the hippogriff, who shuddered with a few more coughs. “Queen Novo, can you understand what she is saying?”

Novo was by my side in a heartbeat, leaning down. “She’s asking why she was awoken improperly… if the system malfunctioned.”

“Judging by the power surges Pog is detecting, he is certain it did,” Pog said. He brought out a few tools from his engineering kit and went up onto the larger platform to examine the mechanisms of the stasis pod more closely.

The ancient hippogriff clung tighter to me and moaned a few words. “Cold,” Novo repeated. “She’s so cold…”

“It is quite chilly in here,” Seaspray growled.

Queen Novo’s answering reply failed to translate as she spoke in the ancient dialect, but her body language evoked an image of a parent cradling a hurt child.

“Hey,” I said gently to the ancient hippogriff, even though I knew she couldn’t understand me. “It’s alright. We’re going to help you.” I looked up at Blackford. “Right?”

He had the medical tricorder in his hands, frantically tapping at it before hesitantly reaching for a hypospray. “I don’t think there’s much we can do with just a medkit. The stasis pod malfunction appears to have done some serious damage to her vital organs.” He adjusted the contents, then pressed it to the ancient hippogriff’s neck, injecting it with a hiss. “Maybe if we had Doctor May and the Phoenix’s sickbay, but without either… all we can do is give her something for the pain.”

“But she is one of our Ancestors,” Seaspray howled, thrusting himself into Blackford’s face. “You can’t just let her die!”

“...s-stop… shouting… young one…”

We all looked back with a start at the ancient hippogriff. “The universal translator just kicked in,” I murmured. “Blackford, quick, your tricorder, so they can hear it too.”

“Done.”

“...it is not… their fault…”

Seaspray, now just as humbled as the rest of us, knelt down to hear her words. “But, Ancestor…”

The ancient hippogriff looked up at me, her eyes blinking desperately as if trying to banish the cloudiness visible there. “You are… a pony.” She then took in Blackford with great interest. “But… your species… I do not recognize it. You are not of the Saviors…”

The Saviors. That word again, the same one the Diamond Dogs had used. “No, I’m not,” he confirmed. “I’m a human. We also have a Tellarite and a Vulcan with us.”

“Those names are… unfamiliar to me… but you, I recognize… a night-born alicorn.”

“Night-born?” I whispered, before shaking my head. Not important right now. “We don't know why you woke up like this, why the system malfunctioned. We never intended to wake you.”

“The cold,” the hippogriff said with a creaking nod. “It is too cold… why is it so cold?”

“There’s a malfunction in the solar satellite,” I answered, hoping that this hippogriff would understand what that meant. “We don’t know what’s causing it. We’re trying to gain access so we can attempt to fix it.”

“Then… you will need our key… where is the Pearl?”

“If you mean the Pearl of Transformation,” Novo spoke up, “it’s being kept in my throne room.”

The ancient hippogriff blinked, looking up at her. “You… are the current queen?” She let out a raspy chuckle. “Then from one monarch to another, you should… give it to them.”

“One monarch—” Novo gasped. “Queen Cano? Is that you?” At the ancient hippogriff’s nod, she added, “But that Pearl is our most sacred artifact.”

“To give it away to outsiders, especially these, these aliens,” Seaspray added with a hateful hiss. “It would be unthinkable.”

“Aliens? These ones? Have we fallen so far… as to let insularity and hatred cloud our minds?” The ancient hippogriff closed her eyes for a long moment, and when they opened again, there were tears. “I see now, how foolish you’ve become. You do not understand anymore... how this technology functions. You... you no longer travel the stars as we did.”

“Travel the stars?” Novo whispered. “We did that once?”

“We did… for so many years… until the Destroyers came. They killed so many of our people. Whole worlds slaughtered… ruined by their hatreds...” She looked squarely at me. “I… am dying, aren’t I?”

I let out a sigh and nodded. “If we had more time, our sickbay, maybe...”

She reached up with her paw and touched my head behind my ear, like a grandmother might do to their grandfoal. “I do not blame you… the Saviors warned us that this world could not hold us forever. That one day it might… falter. That you are here, and that you have the understanding means there is still hope. I only ask that you please save my family, and the others in stasis… if my people are to ever recover their lost legacy, they will need leaders with the knowledge to do so.”

Nodding, I bit at my lip before replying, “We have so many questions, so many things we don’t know, I don’t know where to begin.”

Another raspy chuckle escaped her beak. “Oh, young one, I have faith that you will… see things through.”

“But, you don’t even know who I am.”

She pressed her other claw to my breast, and her eyes began to glow. At the same time, I felt the distinct sensation of a touch on my mind, hauntingly similar to Mother’s calm, but different in some inscrutable fashion. “I see you, young Twilight. Child of the Night. Your fiery sister, born of the Day. I see this... Federation. So many creatures working in Harmony. Those who raised you as their own while you searched for home. Only together can you... you...”

The magic faded from her eyes as she let out a huge set of wracking coughs, far stronger than the ones she’d endured before. “My time grows short… the Pearl, you must take the Pearl! Take it, and the other keys… to… to…”

She took one more gasping breath, and the light faded from her eyes. Blackford sighed and closed his tricorder. “She’s gone.”

I gently let her body fall to the stone, and closed her eyes. “Rest in peace.”

Before I could get up, Novo’s paw snaked out to grab my foreleg. “Sparkle. Don’t you dare allow anymore of my people to die. Do you hear me? Do whatever it takes.”

“I promise, we’ll do all we can to save them.”

She stared at me for a moment more, then released me. “Then do it.”

I rose in an instant, and grabbed up my toolkit. “Pog, what can you tell me?”

“Pog is a genius but even Pog needs more time to study this technology,” he said as he made a rude hand gesture towards the stasis pod’s innards.

“Ayhan?”

“There are more power surges… I am attempting to isolate the source.”

“Lieutenant, this pod over here!” Blackford said, standing at one not far away. “It’s showing the same sort of mechanical issues the first one was showing.”

“Pog!” I shouted as I rushed over to it. “We need to stop it before it tries to wake up its occupant!”

Pog waddled over, fiddling with a hyperspanner. “Pog can only do so much… no, wait… there!” Pog grabbed another tool and jammed it into the machine, switching it on. “Lieutenant, Pog needs your help. He has figured out how to reset the system but we need to hurry.”

“Show me.”

He nodded to my tricorder. “Put it in mode Delta four.”

I did so, and immediately saw what he meant. “I see them… looks like a whole string of code, a lot of red, blue, and purple lights.”

“Pog thinks we need to shift the blue ones to purple here, here, and here. But we need to do it simultaneously.”

Nodding, I began inputting commands into the tricorder in combination with another one of the many tools in the engineering kit. “On three. One, two, three.” The tricorder emitted a series of beeps, and the readings appeared to normalize.

“Looks like that did it,” Blackford said after a moment. “No more power surges in this one.”

“But there are more forming elsewhere in other pods,” Ayhan said. “It would appear the failure of this first pod triggered a negative reaction in whatever the main power source is, destabilizing the whole system as a result.”

Pog spat a string of Tellarite curses that I was very glad the Queen could not understand. “If we do not find the reactor, the failures will cascade until there are too many to deal with.”

“Ayhan, you and Pog try to locate the reactor. Blackford and I will keep stabilizing the pods. Hurry!”

We burst into a flurry of activity, and soon my world was little more than numbers and those bits of code. I didn’t fully understand what I was looking at on my tricorder, but I didn’t need to. So long as we arranged each set in the same way, it seemed to fix the issue, and keep the hippogriff inside in stasis. As I sprinted back and forth, I caught glimpses of the general watching us like a hawk, while the queen fretted and paced.

The number of cascading failures was growing at an alarming rate, however. “Pog, where is that reactor?” I shouted as Blackford and I stabilized another pod.

“We have located it, Lieutenant,” Ayhan shouted back. “It appears to be underneath the primary stasis pod. Most probably why that one malfunctioned first.”

“Can you access it?”

“We’re attempting to locate a means.”

Queen Novo suddenly turned on her heels. “You mean access the computer thing? That I can help with.” She took flight and swooped over to the larger pod.

“Pog isn’t sure how you could, but sure, try it.”

While Blackford and I worked to stabilize another pod, my tricorder let out a warning message. “Pog! We’re starting to see more pods destabilizing than we can keep up with!”

“Pog is aware of this, it… there, your majesty.”

Queen Novo let out a triumphant laugh as she pressed her paw to some part of the back of the stasis pod, and a door, previously hidden, opened up to reveal some buzzing machinery throwing out sparks. The sound attracted my attention, making me briefly pause to watch. “The reactor, I presume?”

“Yes!” Pog rushed to examine it, fiddling with his instruments.

“Can you stabilize it?”

“Working on it.” As he spoke, more whale-like alarms went off all throughout the cavern.

“Well work faster!” I ordered while Blackford and I stabilized two more pods. “This is getting out of hoof.”

“Lieutenant, I don’t know if we can keep up,” Blackford said, sweat staining his uniform despite the chill in the air. “The pods are starting to fail all at once.”

“Confirmed, a total cascade failure is imminent,” Ayhan said.

“No, Pog has this, trust him!”

Blackford and I kept moving, but there was almost no point. I braced myself to watch the pods open one by one and spit out these poor hippogriffs that had been frozen for millennia only to die within minutes.

There was a series of massive mechanical groans from the stasis pods, the whale-like klaxon rose to a fever pitch, then all the lights went out.

And then, after a heart-stopping moment that had me ready to scream, the lights came back on, and the pods… stabilized.

“You did it!” I cheered as I examined pod after pod, finding them all stable. “They're all reading normal, like nothing ever happened. What did you do?”

“Pog is a genius,” Pog said with a shrug. “But Pog is unsure how sustainable this is. He can preserve the system for a while, but… we may have to wake them up eventually.” He glared at the reactor assembly. “Pog also recommends we bring in a secondary power supply. This biosystem isn’t nearly as reliable as it should be.”

“It is logical to presume it was not designed to last as long as it has, especially under the colder conditions the planet is suffering from,” Ayhan said as she closed her tricorder. “Now that we have isolated the power system, I believe I may be able to contact the shuttlecraft.” She tapped her badge. “Ayhan to R'el.”

“R'el – barely hear – where – you?”

“We are in a cavern deep inside the mountain, where we have located the ancient technology we sought.”

I tapped my badge to chime in. “Preta, get Vohrn back aboard the shuttle, and contact Equestria Base. Let them know we’re going to need some additional power systems and other equipment here.”

“Underst– get Vohrn – meet you soon – R'el out.”

Sighing, I turned to Pog. “Please tell me you can locate some means of leaving this cavern other than through swimming.”

He shook his head. “No. Pog has accessed the limited computer system and there is no way out.”

“Hmm, in that case, with the reactor isolated, could we beam out?”

“Lieutenant, I recommend against that course of action,” Ayhan immediately said. “The local geology presents too much interference.”

“We’re not finished yet anyhow,” Queen Novo interrupted. She gave me an unreadable look, then her expression relaxed. “Thank you for saving the rest of the Ancestors.”

“I don’t understand how you can thank them, your majesty,” Seaspray said, scowling at us, “When they clearly were responsible to begin with. One of our Ancestors has died!”

“And you heard what she was saying!”

“Through their machinery. How do we know it was not a trick?”

Novo slapped a forepaw to her face and dragged it down over her beak. “Oh Seaspray, you are my most trusted general, but sometimes you can be so thick. I was able to understand her words without their technology. I can confirm everything she said. Whoever put this technology here, it was not them.” She turned to me. “I will put my faith in the words of Queen Cano... and entrust the Pearl to Twilight and her team.”

“Your majesty!”

“Seaspray, that’s enough!” Novo roared. “I am the Queen and I have made my decision.” She rested a paw on my shoulder. “And that decision is to trust them. If our Ancestors trusted them, then so do I.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” I said, giving her a brief bow. “We will keep it safe, and we will return it as soon as it is no longer needed.”

“You’d better,” she said with a chuckle.

The Talarian captain sneered at me over the viewscreen. “You intend to do what?”

“It’s a simple weapons test. We’ll be firing our phasers a few times at one of our shuttlecraft to test out some new… tweaks to the system. But I wanted to alert you so that you didn’t misinterpret it as an attempt to attack you.”

“As if your ship of womenfolk could actually destroy us.”

My eye twitched as my smile became strained. “My tactical officer is a bit overdue for her ship to ship combat requalification, but if you'd like to put her to the test...”

He grimaced, though from his expression he seemed torn between scorn and laughter at the suggestion. “Do as you will. And instruct your engineers to hurry up. I am wasting valuable time sitting here with my cargo not at its destination.”

As the screen switched back to a view of the Talarian ship, I let out a sigh and fell back into my chair. “Danielle, please tell me there’s some good news with the repair team.”

“Checking, ma’am… yes, it looks like they’re reporting they’re nearly complete. Should be done in about fifteen minutes.”

“Good. Bridge to Engineering. Status report on the phaser adjustments.”

“We’re just about good to go down here, bridge,” Wattson answered. “I recommend keeping the phasers at no more than thirty percent though, since we had to jury rig a few of the phaser coils. We can make a better patch for combat, but this will do for now.”

“Understood. Bridge to Main Shuttlebay. Braeburn, Adagio, how’re things looking for the shuttle?”

“Ah’ve got us all ready to go, soon as you give the word, ma’am.”

“For the record, I could’ve flown the shuttle on my own.”

“I know, but I wanted an engineer with you, and Braeburn was the one we had available.” I nodded to Danielle. “Go for shuttle launch.”

“Main Shuttlebay, you are authorized for launch,” Danielle said. After a moment, she added, “Launch underway. Shuttlecraft Katherine Johnson moving to test location.”

The viewscreen shifted away from the Talarian ship to show the shuttlecraft flying through space to approximately five hundred kilometers off the starboard bow. “Shuttlecraft reports shields up and ready for testing.”

“Alright, let’s initiate test one. Shields up. Bring the dorsal saucer phasers online. Watch the powerflow. Keep it at twenty percent, Maia.”

Maia’s hands flew over the controls. “Aye, ma’am. Phasers and shields at twenty percent. Shuttlecraft target locked.”

I nodded. “Fire.”

The hum of the phasers charging preceded the beam emanating from the ship. As before with the test phaser, the beam was a shimmering ocean blue instead of the usual orange-white. “Direct hit. Shuttle shields down to ninety percent… and our own shields have risen to twenty-one percent.”

“Ten to one ratio,” Zhidar commented with a frown. “Not the most efficient.”

“It’s still a prototype, Zhidar,” I chided gently. Personally I was ecstatic. The math Adagio showed me suggested we could maybe get a five to one at max, but seeing ten to one already was impressive. “Alright, test number two. Have the shuttle begin evasive maneuvers.”

“Confirmed,” Danielle reported, as the shuttle visibly began to bob and weave. “Evasive pattern alpha.”

“Ready target lock… and fire.”

The phasers easily struck the target, reacting just as they would under normal circumstances. “Direct hit. Shuttle shields down to eighty percent. Our shields… at twenty-four percent.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Maia, did you increase the power to phasers?”

“No, ma’am, but… wait a minute.” Maia studied her controls. “Phaser power is increasing on its own.”

“Engineering to bridge. Captain, I said to keep it under thirty percent. You’re almost at that maximum already.”

“It’s not us, Wattson. The phasers keep drawing more power on their own.”

“Adagio to Phoenix. I was afraid of this. Something similar happened in my initial tests, a problem I thought I had worked out. The phaser is probably getting feedback from the effect itself… powering itself up. But it’s a feedback loop, meaning—“

The phasers lanced out once more, raking the shuttlecraft. “—okay, that one shook us up a bit.”

“What the hell? I did not give the order to fire!” I shouted, standing up from my seat.

“Sorry, Captain, the phasers are beginning to discharge on their own,” Maia said, her hands moving rapidly over her console. “I’m trying to shut them down, but—”

The phasers fired again, this time briefly penetrating the shuttle’s shields, damaging one of its engine pods. “Uh, ma’am, Ah don’t mean to alarm you, but Ah think we’d both appreciate if y’all could stop firin’ at us.”

“We’re trying, Braeburn. Get away from the ship. Rodriguez, take us away from both the shuttle and the Talarians, one quarter impulse. And adjust our attitude to orient us out of the dorsal firing arc.”

“One quarter with attitude adjustment, aye.”

“Captain!” Maia shouted. “Phasers are not responding to shut down commands. They’re at fifty percent strength and rising.”

Once again, phaser fire lanced out, though this time it only brushed the shuttlecraft.

“This is ridiculous. Engineering, cut the power manually if you have to!”

“I can’t do that without risking blowing out half a deck!”

“Then at least stop them from auto-discharging.”

“I’ll do it, but we’re risking an overload.”

I worked my jaw in frustration. “How bad?”

“...with the shape the EPS taps are in right now? It'd take a miracle not to blow us all to hell.”

I snapped up to look at the viewscreen. “Danielle, hail the Talarians. Tell them to get their shields up, now.”

The viewscreen shifted to show the Talarian captain, sniggering at me. “Technology not listening to a woman's commands again, Captain? How predictable.”

“Captain, we don’t have time for banter. You need to raise your shields to maximum right away.”

He flashed me a simpering smile. “Why bother?”

“Because we need to discharge those phasers if we want to avert an overload that’ll take out both ships. Your ship is tough, right? Surely you can take a single hit at max shields, even from our superior tech.”

His nose wrinkled. “Well… I suppose I can help out another woman in distress.” He held up a finger. “But no tricks. If this is an attempt to take over my ship—”

“Captain, please!”

Wattson’s voice rang over the comms, “We need to fire in the next twenty seconds or we’re all dead!”

The Talarian captain looked behind him. “Raise shields to maximum!”

“Maia, target them and fire!”

Maia’s hands danced over the controls. “Controls not responding, the phasers are refusing to target!”

Zhidar stood up next to me. “We need to fire, Captain.”

I nodded to him, then glanced at Rodriguez. “But is the shuttlecraft out of our firing arc yet?”

“Not entirely, Captain,” Rodriguez replied with a frustrated grimace. “Helm controls, they are being sluggish at the moment.”

“Wait, Captain!” Maia interrupted. “The phasers are re-targeting by themselves!”

I jumped out of my seat. “FIRE!”

The phasers screamed through space, the ocean-blue blasting the Talarian ship hard enough to drain most of their shields. At the same time, the entire ship was rocked by a secondary explosion somewhere in the saucer. “Phasers just overloaded!” Danielle reported. “Hull breach on Deck Six.”

My heart stopped in my chest. “Was anyone hurt?” I said, my voice so quiet it was almost a whisper.

“...no, ma’am. No injuries reported. Forcefields are in place and holding.”

“Oh thank goodness,” I groaned. “Engineering, please tell me the phasers are offline.”

“They’re offline alright. And like I said, we lost the coils. We’ve got our aft secondary phasers and the strips on the nacelles, but both the dorsal and ventral saucer phasers are kaput unless we can find some kind of replacement parts.”

“I don’t suppose those parts are something the Talarians might have?” I wondered.

“Maybe? It’d be subpar at best, but it might work. Worth a try. Assuming they even want to talk to us at this point.”

“Yeah, I know. You worry about the phasers, I'll worry about these... charming fellows. Bridge out. Danielle, contact the Katherine Johnson, have them come back aboard.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

I rounded the bridge till I was face to face with Maia. “I’ll want a full report on what went wrong, soon as you can,” I told her. “And… good work. You did your best.”

“If you say so,” she grunted.

“I do say so,” I said with a small grin. “Just take a breath, alright?” Then I returned to my chair. “Hail the Talarians.”

Almost immediately the Talarian captain’s face leered at me. “Now that your out of control ship has drained most of my shields, are there any other mistakes I can correct for you, Captain?”

I tried not to bristle at his tone. Tried being the operative word. “Thank you, but no. Everything is under control here. Was anyone injured aboard your ship? Given the circumstances, our medical team is at your disposal of course.”

He waved it off. “Minor injuries. A few bumps and bruises. One of your bird officers took a larger blow to the head than any of mine.”

My spine stiffened. “Are they alright?”

“They’ll live. Now, about firing on my ship…”

“I assure you, Captain, that was an unanticipated consequence of the test.”

He grinned toothily. “Oh, I believe you. But I think you can forget about most of the compensation I was willing to negotiate for when it comes to our repairs. I’m sure you understand.”

It took an effort of will not to bare my teeth at him. “Of course. But I was hoping we could still trade for something. A replacement for our destroyed phaser coil, specifically.”

Ugly laughter spilled out of him like refuse from a torn garbage bag. “I thought our technology was too primitive.”

“Technology need not be cutting edge for it to be useful. And as I'm sure you've seen, we have quite the talented engineering team. I know this is an odd request considering what just happened, but we're far from home, and with enemies chasing us too. From one captain to another, surely you understand the imperative to not leave your ship defenseless.”

“You’ve yet to convince me I should care.”

“You…” I bit off my next words, considered carefully, and then smiled in a much more ingratiating manner. “You know, you’re right. I mean, truth be told, it was my incompetence that caused a malfunction which damaged my own ship and yours. So maybe, just maybe, out of the goodness of your heart, you’d deign to assist a lowly ship run by mere beasts in their time of need. Were something like that to show up in your next report, surely your superiors would heap accolades upon you for your brave deeds this day.”

He snorted. “Oh, very well. Have your engineers look over our manifest before they leave our ship. If you can find something you can use, you may have it. But nothing else!” He slapped his console. “And don’t expect us to come running to defend you if you encounter this ‘enemy’ of yours.”

A strained smile split my muzzle. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

He ended the transmission after one more disgustingly grating laugh at my expense. “Zhidar,” I groaned. “Next time I get the idea in my head to help a bunch of Talarians, please relieve me of command.”

He chuckled. “As you wish, Captain.”

The turbolift doors parted, Adagio stepping out. I hopped out of my chair immediately to meet her. She hung her head in shame. “Sunset, I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

A frown creased my muzzle. “We should discuss this in the ready room—”

“No.” She fixed her eyes on me. “I want the others to hear.”

“Adagio, it’s not your fault,” I said reassuringly. “You said it yourself, you thought you had the problem worked out, and we didn’t see it in any of the small-scale tests. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine for proceeding without running more simulations first.”

“Still…” Her face worked through a myriad of expressions before settling on a sour bitterness. “It was my bright idea, and now it's endangered us all. Even more than we were before.”

I shook my head. “No way. Is this a setback? Yes. But it's a solid concept, and I'm sure we can work through whatever the problem is and get it fully operational. And you'll still have our support too, because we're going to need that bright idea of yours working before we run into Dessan again. And believe me, we will.”

She worked her jaw for a moment before replying, “Alright. I’ll work on a report of what went wrong. “You know,” she added after a moment, “even while I was testing it, I never saw it go completely out of control like it did just now. That part still doesn’t make any sense to me.”

“Me either. I don’t understand how or why that could happen, unless…” My brow furrowed. “Could it have been driven by the spell? It’s based on emotions, right? Is it possible it, I dunno, picked up on our fear or anxiety and self-fed off of that?”

“No, that’s not possible.” She shifted on her hip. “Then again, with the previous tests, it was powered through a mana gem, not the ship’s converter.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You’re not suggesting that the Phoenix was somehow anxious about the test.”

“Of course I’m not,” she groused. “But there’s always a chance that running it through the converter altered the spell matrix. I never bothered to test that part of it because I assumed it would function just like a really big mana gem.”

“...maybe we need to rebuild our converter again with some of the mana gems we took from Equus, then,” I mused. “It’s worth looking into. I’ll trust you to investigate this, Adagio. I hope you can get this device working properly, and I mean that. We learned a lot from this failure, and most importantly, no one was hurt.”

“This time,” she muttered. She let out a sigh. “Still… Thank you, Sunset. She looked past me to the other bridge officers. “Thank you all. You’re kinder to me than I deserve.”

“Nonsense.” I gave her an encouraging smile. “I consider you a valued member of this crew and, if I may say so… a friend. You deserve every bit of kindness we can offer and then some.”

That got her smirking again. “A friend, huh? …Yeah, alright. Friends.” She started to hold out a hand to me, hesitated, then stuck it out, and allowed me to shake it before drawing back. “I’ll get a report on your desk by 2100.”

“Make it 2200. I’m treating you to lunch. Zhidar, you have the bridge.”

As we stepped into the turbolift, I felt a particular sense of glee at seeing a particularly rare sight in any galaxy – a genuinely happy smile on Adagio's face.

Personal log, Preta R'el, Stardate… oh, computer, just display the stardate as a timestamp. It’s not important.

What matters is Twilight. I’m worried about her, a lot worried. We just got back from dealing with the hippogriffs, and the experience should’ve been a fantastic, fun adventure. I mean, she and the rest of the science team literally turned into mermaids and swam under the ocean! How cool is that?

But… mrrr, it was lost on Twilight. I wasn’t there to witness it, but I saw her expression after the fact. We found the artifact we were looking for, and so much more besides. The massive chamber, the stasis pods... despite a tragic loss when a pod malfunctioned, they got a hugely important glimpse into the hippogriffs' history, and where this alien technology may have come from. But to see Twilight's reaction, you'd think they came away empty-pawed from the whole ordeal.I'm just glad Queen Novo agreed to all this. Because if she hadn't, Twilight said to me, she had been working out a way for us to beam the artifact right out from beneath them. I mean, what the hell kind of idea is that? We're Starfleet, not Orions!

She’s been distant, and not just lately, but nearly all the time. It was especially bad the first month after the Phoenix left, but while she’s made an effort to spend time with me since, it hasn’t changed the sorrow she exudes every time I see her. It hasn’t made a difference in her levels of happiness. I care for her and love her, but… but I’m afraid I’m beginning to lose her.

Not in the sense of our relationship falling apart. I know she loves me dearly. She shows it every time she holds me, runs her hoof through my hair, presses those pony lips of hers to mine. And she’s a hell of a kisser too.

No, it’s not that. It’s… I’m afraid she won’t stay in Starfleet.

I know it’s a question that’s been on her mind this entire time. We’ve been on Equus for nearly six months now; three since the ship left. In that time, I’ve seen so many wondrous things, so much magic. It’s ever-present in this world, in a way that Twilight and Sunset had always told me, but that I never truly believed till I saw it. I’ve had flights of pegasi race my shuttlecraft, walked in a cloud city – a cloud city – held up only by the spell imbued in an amulet around my neck. I’ve seen the results of a Vulcan outdrinking a yak three times her size, witnessed the very weather be shaped not through technology, but by a team of pegasi literally kicking apart clouds.

And I’ve seen other things too, stuff right out of fantasy holonovels or ancient myths and legends. Hell, most of the sapient creatures here on this planet are in myths, and not just on Earth. It’s just another mystery in a long line of mysteries.

This is the world that Twilight came from. That she was supposed to grow up in, to affect, to change. I sometimes wonder, and I know it’s not just me… if she hadn’t been drawn through the portal to Earth, would she be in Starlight Glimmer’s place, the so-called Element of Magic? Would she be the one who assembled an unlikely group of ponies together to battle forces of evil?

I still can’t believe I even said that just now, but it’s true. The sorts of things these ponies do on this world defies belief. And don’t even get me started on their bizarre combination of technologies. I’m sure a xeno-historian or xeno-anthropologist would be losing their minds trying to study it all and figure out how the same race that has plastics for bottles is still using coal-fired locomotives, or why skyscrapers dominate a city less than a few hundred kilometers away from villages with thatched roofs and a town market straight out of Earth’s medieval period.

Starfleet offers so much more than this, but in a way, it all feels so mundane compared to this place. It's an incredible draw for me, and I'm not from this planet at all. But Twilight is.

I’m scared that she’ll decide at the end of this year, when the Phoenix hopefully returns, that it’s time for her to stay.

And if she does that... then that means... that means I'll have to make a choice of my own. To stay with her or not.

I don’t want to have to have to make that choice. I don’t want to give up the stars. But I didn’t join Starfleet with the purpose of finding my homeworld. She did, and she succeeded.

And really, what could Starfleet give her next that could beat staying here? Why risk more unknowns, more dangers, possibly more wars, when you can stay here on a world seemingly made of rainbows and happiness, where the locals will want to make you a princess besides?

How... how could I ever compete with that anyway?

Please, Twilight.

Please don’t force me to choose.

Please.

…computer, end log.

Author's Note

Thank you once more my lovely readers for enjoying Phoenix this year. This will be our last update for the year, due to the holiday season, so all of us here wish you a merry holiday and a happy new year! :pinkiehappy:

As for the chapter itself, I hope it was as exciting to read as it was to write. We had fun with this one, I can assure you. :twilightsmile:

The Talarians appeared on TNG in the episode "Suddenly Human" and I thought would be an amusing foil for Sunset to deal with:
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Talarian

Season 1 Episode 1: "Welcome to the Stars" Part 1

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S01E01

“Welcome to the Stars”

Part 1

I’ve always liked mirrors.

Mirrors reflect who we are. They show us what the world sees of us. They help us figure out who we are, and who we want to be.

I know who I am. I’m Sunset Shimmer. I’m the personal student of Princess Celestia.

I know who I want to be. I want to be a Princess, just like her. Just like I deserve.

She showed me my future, this morning, in a mysterious, magical mirror. Said it would show the future. She said it showed me as powerful. Strong. A true leader among ponies. Exactly what I deserved.

And then she took it away. Said I hadn’t earned it yet. That I needed to grow. To learn. To make friends.

Pah. Like friends matter. She doesn’t have any friends. She just has subjects… and me.

I tried to tell her that. I tried to tell her it didn’t matter, that I was ready, that this was the time. But she wouldn’t listen. She screamed at me, louder than I’d ever heard her shout. She even said she’d rethink having me for a student if I persisted in this!

Well I’d show her. After that fight, I went to my room in the castle, threw together some supplies, and went to track down the mirror. I knew it had something to do with getting the power I wanted. I just had to figure out how.

But it wasn’t in the room where she showed it to me. Nor was it anywhere else I usually visited in the castle. No big surprise. Of course she’d hide it.

It took a great deal of time, but I eventually located a secret passage in a small broom closet, one of many such passages hidden in the castle. A twisting, winding tunnel, curving in on itself so many times it felt like it violated at least three different laws of mathematics. I trotted my way down the corridor, carrying with me a lit torch for light. The flickering flames fizzled and flared, casting an eerie glow to my surroundings.

The further I descended, however, the more the corridor around me changed. At first, it was marble, like the rest of the castle. Then it became sheer rock, granite, like Mount Canter. But then it surprised me. It changed to metal. Not iron or steel or copper or bronze, nor gold, electrum, or platinum. Some metal unfamiliar to me, alien to my hooves, warm to the touch but unyielding. Pausing for a moment, I tried to use my horn to scratch the wall.

Big mistake. “Owww!” I groaned as I held a hoof up to my aching horn. “Feels like I just chipped it.”

I had to pull a small hoof mirror out of my pouch to examine it. I’d done a bit of damage all right. Not a lot. Just a little bit. Nothing that interfered with my spellcasting.

Still hurt though.

Taking up my torch again, I moved on, further down the corridor. I’d never heard of a place like this in the castle before. I’d seen the other secret passages before. Most led down into the crystal mines below the city, inside the mountain. But this? This was nothing like what I’d seen.

A cold sense of unease trickled down my spine and into my rear hooves as I walked still further. For what seemed like hours now. When would it end?

Then I finally reached a doorway. At least, I thought it was a doorway. It resembled no door I’d ever seen before. Two large hexagonal panels, pressed together with a seam in the middle. No clear handle or knob, no way to open it I could see. I tried walking right up to it, in case it was enchanted to open without a touch, but it didn’t budge.

Not to be defeated by a mere door, I powered up my horn, and tried using Jackle Benimble’s Easy Greasy to apply some lubricant. That plus some applied telekinesis was enough, after a few moments of patient effort, to force the doors open with loud, horrific squealing. I had to flatten my ears against my head just to block out the noise. But eventually I had them open enough to allow me inside.

To my surprise, I found a lit room, about twenty feet by twenty. The lighting was electrical, or so I presumed, since it didn’t resemble the smokeless sconces favored in Canterlot, but the harsher fluorescents and neons Manehattan preferred. Except instead of white or yellow, the room focused on some sort of hideous blue shade. They constantly flickered, like their electrical circuits were faulty. Or old.

Shelves lined three of the four walls, but there was little-to-nothing left save piles of dust and broken pieces of what might’ve once been boxes or other equipment. A few of what might’ve been tables and chairs littered the area around the shelves, equally crumbled to bits.

But by far the most prominent element of the room was a large standing mirror, dead center, held up by a large framework of more of the alien metal. A small pedestal stood about five feet away, in front of it, with a few buttons atop, still faintly glowing as if they were powered. The mirror shone solidly, reflecting the light around it like it had been freshly polished.

Although it was contained in a different frame… somehow I knew this was it. This was the mirror, the one Celestia showed me. A squeal of joy escaped my lips as I cantered over, eager to reflect myself in it. Sure enough, as soon as I did, I saw the same image I’d seen before.

Me, standing tall. Not as tall as Celestia, but certainly much taller than my gangly eleven year old self had any right to be. My mane streamed around my head, brushed to perfection. Curiously, I wore an outfit of some sort, in a style I didn’t recognize, with an unusual symbol on my chest and jewelry on the collar. That hadn’t been there the first time I saw this.

But I didn’t care. My eyes fixed on the real prize. The real reason I wanted to see this again. That is, the two massive wings spread out behind me. Alicorn wings. The wings of a Princess.

So enraptured by the sight, I didn’t realize I’d taken a step too close to the pedestal. My tail brushed over the buttons. Instantly, the mirror shifted, my gorgeous Princessly self vanishing like a mirage, replaced by some sort of cityscape, with bizarre creatures walking about on two legs while odd carriages of metal flew through the air.

Horrified, I ran forward, reaching out to the mirror, as if trying to wish the image back. But the instant my hoof touched what I thought was glass, it sucked me forward, engulfing me like a tatzelwurm consuming its prey.

For what felt like several long moments my body stretched out, agony filling my every limb, my stomach churning and bouncing like a ship caught in a fierce hurricane, so dizzy I thought I’d vomit up my entire intestinal tract.

And then I emerged, shooting out like a rocket into a park, bouncing off the ground and rolling to a stop amidst a pile of grass. It knocked the wind out of me, forcing my eyes shut as pain leeched down every nerve ending, like my whole body was on fire. It swiftly faded, however, leaving just the aches and bruises from the landing. Only after a few minutes was I finally able to get enough air back in my lungs that I could stand.

And instantly wished I hadn’t. My ears drew back, my eyes widening as I realized I was surrounded by a throng of those odd creatures I’d seen on the image. All of them towered over me, easily five or six feet tall, far taller than the average stallion, let alone a filly like me. They all wore clothing too, covering most of their bodies. Some wore outfits that looked a lot like the dresses or suits I’d see ponies in Manehattan or Fillydelphia wear, but most of them wore something else, some kind of uniform maybe. Black on their long, slender legs, their torsos covered in shades of red, gold, or blue. All of the ones in uniform bore a piece of jewelry on their chests, some sort of oval overlaid by a chevron shape.

Everyone talked at once, babbling about in what sounded like twenty different languages, all harsh and guttural, nothing like the smooth whinnies, neighs, and nickers of Ponish. They pointed oddly proportioned forelimbs at me, with digits on the end of large paws… no, hands, not paws. Like minotaurs. Except unlike minotaurs, they seemed like little more than gigantic, furless apes with bizarre tufts of mane on their heads, with a variety of skin tones, though lots of them had varying features. Some with pointed ears, others with odd knobs or spots on their foreheads or neck. Still others looked like some sort of horror writer’s version of a gremlin, with large, sharp teeth and bizarre ears shaped like fans. Others were furred, with tusks and fangs. Still others bore scales. Some of them even resembled felines or canines! But they all walked on two legs, every last one of them.

Terrified for my life, I spun around in place, shrinking in on myself, squealing as the crowd grew thicker by the second. “S-stay back!” I shouted. “Don’t come any closer! I mean it!”

Some in the crowd grew concerned by this and brought out odd devices from pockets in their clothing, pointing them at me. Some sort of weapon, perhaps, though like nothing I’d ever seen before, long and slender, colored silver, with a gaping front that, oddly enough, vaguely resembled a cleaning device some inventor tried to pawn off on Princess Celestia at Day Court a while back. I think he called it a… vakum cleaner? Something like that. All I remembered was a hideous shrieking and it trying to suck my mane off my head.

Unwilling to be cowed despite the fear running through every inch of my body, I grit my teeth and powered up my horn, readying up a ball of pure telekinetic force. The instant that appeared on my horn, many members of the crowd shrieked. Some fled the area, while many more of those wearing the golden uniforms brought out their boxy weapons and shouted something in their harsh excuse for a language, obviously some sort of threat.

“Back off!” I shouted as I lowered my horn, preparing to fire.

Then an authoritative voice called out, this one deeper than the others, as a new creature in one of the golden uniforms stepped forward to reveal themself. This one loomed over most of the crowd, even taller than the rest, maybe six and a half feet, covered in thick fur over much of its body, including a magnificent mustache and beard. Its head was elongated and bald, devoid of anything save for some kind of odd ridge that extended from the very top all the way down to just above their dog like muzzle. They carried a larger looking weapon, similar in design to the smaller ones but with an extended back end piece made to be carried in their hands. They pointed it at me and barked something in their harsh language, exposing a full mouth of razor sharp teeth.

Unwilling to find out what precisely that weapon was capable of, I fired my spell. The force bolt shot forward like a rocket, impacting the largest creature. Their weapon flew out of their hands and up into the air as they fell back, knocking over many of the other creatures behind them like bowling pins.

I pivoted on my hooves and fired off several more charged bolts into the crowd, enough to break up a hole. As I did, several screamed a single word and their weapons sizzled with an ear-piercing high pitched whine, beams of golden orange light lancing out in my direction. A quick jet of light from my horn summoned up Stalwart Aegis’ Energy Barrier, a shield of scarlet energy, angled towards my attackers. It wasn’t very strong, nor was it a complete bubble like what Princess Celestia could utilize, but it was enough to deflect their fire. The beams bounced off, a couple of them hitting a pair of creatures, sending them topping like puppets with cut strings, completely unmoving.

I didn’t have time to gasp in horror at that, because whatever these things were, they wanted me dead. Another fusillade of energy beams screamed in my direction, my shield cracking under the strain. Scanning my surroundings I spotted a nearby patch of freshly turned soil, awaiting some sort of plant. A savage grin split my muzzle as I scooped up the dirt in my telekinetic field and hurled it all in the direction of the creatures, obscuring their view of me long enough to let me gallop out of the circle and find a more defensible position.

Even despite their gargantuan legs they had no chance of catching up to me. An excited laugh burst forth from my chest as I dodged beam after beam heading my way, throwing up a fresh shield every so often while searching the area for something, anything to let me get away from these monster beings.

Then I spotted a nearby boxy carriage thing landing on some sort of landing pad made of concrete. As its back door opened I leapt inside, and used my rear hooves to kick one of the creatures off the door that doubled as a ramp. I sent another one spiraling to the ground with a bolt of force, then pointed my horn at the third, a shorter one sitting in a chair at some kind of table of controls at the front, who raised its hands and spouted some string of gibberish at me.

Phezzew! Phezzew!

A few deadly energy beams blasted against the inside walls of the carriage, leaving scorch marks. Grimacing I searched the wall next to me then hit the largest and most obvious of the buttons with my field. “Nice try, jerks!” I shouted as the door to the carriage shut itself.

Then I faced the other creature again, whose hand darted towards a smaller version of the energy weapons on its waist. “Don’t you even think about it!” I ordered as I stripped the weapon away from it and tossed it on the floor. “Make this thing fly! Now!”

It stared at me, nonplussed, then shook its head and muttered something unintelligible.

“Aaugh! You stupid--look, do this!” I grabbed its hands in my field, making it shriek in fright, then slapped them down onto the control table. “Make it fly!”

Seeming to get the idea, the creature tapped at the controls. I prepared for it to ascend, to take flight and take us somewhere away from those who were hostile.

And then my whole body tingled, like being softly caressed by a piece of Hearth’s Warming Eve tinsel, over every last bit of me, before my surroundings abruptly changed and the sensation disappeared. I found myself outside again, next to a building, with no creatures in my immediate vicinity.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, the thought that I had--possibly--killed two of these creatures, and severely injured several more, gnawed at me, a sick sensation worming its way down into my gut, dropping in like a stone. But I tried to ignore that as I scanned the area I found myself in. It was an entirely different part of the park, as if the creature who teleported me hadn’t bothered with aiming it very well. Which, judging by the carriage rapidly ascending into the sky like a bat out of Tartarus, was probably a reasonable assumption.

Then a few shouts of alarm caught my attention. A small group of golden uniformed creatures spotted me, pointing their fingers at me before aiming their weapons. As I was standing next to one of the buildings now, I dove for cover around the corner, trying not to wince as bits of material went flying off the building in puffs, scattering me with dust.

Only to come face to face with a whole row of uniformed creatures, weapons raised and pointed at me, ready to fire… led by that same one that had the massive larger weapon. It grinned at me in satisfaction as its fingers twitched.

I tried throwing up a shield, but against that much firepower, I had no chance. The shield held up for about five seconds, then it shattered.

But I refused to die without one last spiteful act. I dove to the ground right as the shield shattered. Rolling along the ground to dodge most of the beams, I summoned up a burst of magical flames, and shot them in a jet-like cone at the tall creature, setting its beard ablaze. It dropped its weapon in a hurry and cried out in horror, batting at itself to try and put it out.

Then a blast from one of those weapons caught me straight in the chest, and then a second one caught my flank from behind at the same time. My whole body froze up, as if submerged in ice.

Then nothing.

Light. Bright light, right in my eyes.

“Uuugh…” I groaned as I raised a foreleg to try and block it out. “What… what happened?”

Then my eyes shot open wide as I gasped, taking in great lungfuls of air. Unfamiliar scents hit my nostrils like a series of thrown rocks. My hooves searched my chest, trying to find the horrific burn mark I surely must have possessed, only to find nothing except smooth, unmarred coat and skin. “What… huh? I’m alive?!”

Something feminine spoke words in that bizarre, guttural language. I sat up immediately, finding I was laying on some kind of bed laden with sensors, especially at the head, which bore a few lighted panels covered in shifting symbols and patterns. Like a heart monitor or an EKG, only much more sophisticated. Similar equipment decorated the room, pieces unfamiliar to me, but clearly medically related. I knew a hospital when I saw one.

Which meant that the creature standing before me now must be some sort of doctor or nurse. She stood tall, just like all the other creatures, though she wore a blue uniform rather than gold. Unlike most of the other creatures I’d seen, the mane atop her head was cropped short, like a bowl cut, except with points crawling down each side of her face, perfectly framing her prominent pointed ears. She eyed me cooly, but with a clear shine of intelligence twinkling in her gaze.

A different voice spoke, eliciting a frisson of fear down my spine as I turned to see another one, almost identical in appearance to the first one, right down to the pointed ears, pointed hair, and blue uniform. Except this one seemed much more severe, colder. Almost hostile even. And then she raised her hand, one carrying a device far too similar to the weapons for my taste. I tensed, ready to move the instant she tried anything. Then she pulled some kind of small peripheral out of the front of the device and pointed it at me.

I rolled off the bed, on my hooves in an instant, my magic flaring up to raise a shield to protect me as I backed up into a corner. These stupid creatures didn’t kill me the first time? They’d regret it. “Don’t come any closer,” I warned.

Both creatures paused in their movements and exchanged a glance, briefly communicating in their language. Then the more severe one touched a button on her device. It warbled and trilled in a rising and falling pattern with several repeated beeps accompanying it. No energy fired towards me. No spells of any kind. Nothing, in fact, save the noise. Eying them suspiciously, I decided to cancel my shield, just for a moment, in case it was blocking the effects. The less severe one seemed to almost nod in approval when I did so.

Then a third creature entered the room, from a doorway I hadn’t recognized was one at first, because it looked like another piece of the wall. This one was taller, also female, wearing a red uniform, with a deep dark brown, almost coal black tone to her skin, similarly dark hair, and bright, shining chocolate eyes. Unlike the two blue uniformed creatures, she lacked pointed ears, and showed very obvious signs of emotion, looking at me with an excited, happy expression, in a manner similar to that of somepony going goo-goo eyed over an adorable cat. She squealed and made a few happy sounding noises to the less severe pointy ear creature.

The one with the device, meanwhile, took a step closer to me, apparently feeling less afraid now that I’d dropped my shield. She murmured something to me as she tapped at her device. “No!” I growled immediately, warming up my horn with an overflow of magic, preparing half a dozen different possible spell matrices in my mind ready to utilize. “I’m getting out of here. I want to go home, and you’re not stopping me!”

The severe looking creature stepped back, though she showed not even a hint of emotion on her face, simply cocking her head and arching an eyebrow. She then looked to the other one like her and said some gibberish. That one shook her head, so device lady turned back to me and approached me once more, this time taking several steps in rapid succession.

The closer she got, the more furious I became. “I told you, back! Off!” My horn swirled with energies now, roiling with the power. As her device unleashed an alarming rapid beep, rising with every passing second, the sound drilled its way into my ears, boiling my blood. I didn’t know what it was about and I didn’t care anymore. No holding back this time. I lowered my horn and prepared to fire off a brutal blast that could shatter bones.

The one in red barked something at the less severe one, who abruptly rushed forward at blinding speeds. Before I could let loose my volley of magic, she pressed her hand up against my face, spreading her fingers.

A presence hit my mind all at once, undeniable, inescapable. Calm it ordered. Not in words, not in thoughts, but in feeling. At the edges of my mind there were words, nonsensical, unintelligible, but while they were there, the pervading request for calm dominated the exchange. Along with it came a sense of reassurance. As if the creature was promising no harm would come to me.

I gasped, my mouth falling open, the energies dissipating from my horn with a single flash of light. I stared into the eyes of the creature, which didn’t blink, didn’t show any sign of emotion. “I… I… how are you…”

Then another feeling came forward, despite the lack of emotion in the creature’s gaze. It was… ashamed. As if it wanted to apologize for the intrusion. Like this wasn’t something the creature would’ve done if she had any other choice.

I still couldn’t understand a word from her. But I understood her intent. My heart rate slowed, my anger and fear evaporating, replaced by the same calm she insisted I feel. I closed my mouth, then my eyes, and nodded. “Okay. Okay, I’ll… I’ll be calm.”

Satisfied, the creature released her hold upon me, causing the one in red to smile happily and flash her an odd gesture, a closed fist with a single fat finger on the end sticking up. This time, when the other one approached with her odd warbling device, I allowed her to get close. I still flinched as she ran it over me, but after a couple of moments, when I felt no sensations or anything else threatening, I relaxed again. “Must just be medical equipment,” I mumbled to myself.

The one in red looked at me quizzically when I said that, then patted the bed I’d been sitting on before, as if beckoning me over like I was a dog or something. That got under my skin, just a little, but I stepped forward even so. When I reached it I realized it was too high for me to hop back up on by myself, so I looked at it, then up at her. She stared back, seemingly confused for a moment before she held out her hands. I nodded and allowed her to pick me up and place me on the bed.

This allowed the one with the equipment to scan me some more, this time more symbols and lights flashing up on the screen behind me. Definitely my vital signs, it seemed. “So, now what?” I asked them, trying not to wince every time that sensing device passed over me. “I don’t know any kind of translation spells. Princess Celestia never taught me any. So I don’t have a clue how to talk to you.”

The three creatures all exchanged glances at that, then the one who used her mental powers on me brought out a device very similar to the one the doctor used. This didn’t have the peripheral at the end, but it produced the same warbling trilling sounds. She looked at me, arched an eyebrow, then held out a hand as if to say “go ahead.” Go ahead and do what?

I eyed the scanning device suspiciously, then said, “What is that thing, anyway? Is it like a thaumometer or something?" Just because it didn’t look or feel like a weapon didn’t mean I should trust it. “Look, whatever or whoever you are, I don’t know where I am or how I got here. I didn’t even mean to show up here.”

She tapped her device several times with her hand, then looked directly at me and said something long and rambling, like a question. Or maybe three, I couldn’t tell.

I shook my head. “I don’t understand. Talk to me all you want, but it’s not going to make any sense to me.”

Bizarrely, she nodded at that, as if she understood what I said! Then she tapped some more at her device, and opened her mouth. This time however, when she spoke… it sounded like Ponish! “I am/are officer/scientist/person. Not/isn’t threat/danger. You are clearly intelligent/sapient/thinking. Speak/say/talk more/greater.”

Well it sounded like Ponish, but it was also complete nonsense! Still…it was better than before. “You need me to say more?” I asked. “Well, I can do that. What are you? Where am I? What is this place? Why am I here? What did you shoot me with? What is that thing you keep pointing at me?”

She arched an eyebrow as her sensing device let out a loud, disapproving squeal. She blinked, her mouth creasing up in a frown so slight I thought I might’ve imagined it. Several more taps on her device later, she spoke again. Except instead of the mangled Ponish it was a stream of messy gibberish, with the occasional word like “speak” or “uncertain” mixed in with a whole lot of useless garbage.

“Uugh!” I rolled my eyes and sighed, bowing my head. Whatever translation spell matrix they used clearly didn’t work very well if it tripped up after just a few sentences. “This is hopeless. Just… just stop. I can’t understand you. Just let me go and I’ll… I’ll figure out a way out of here myself.”

The creature glared down at her device. Although her expression and body language betrayed no hint of emotion, nor did her eyes, I got the sense that she was… displeased. Setting it down on the end of the bed, still pointed at me, she glanced at both the other creatures and said something long to each of them. The doctor one went back to scanning me, causing my hackles to raise, while the other left the room. “Where is she going?” I wondered, not that I expected an answer.

Then I got one. She returned, carrying a stack of something white and uniform, as well as what might’ve been a set of writing utensils? Then she set it down in front of me and gestured to it, smiling and saying something that might’ve been encouraging. Raising my eyebrows, curious now, I shifted over on the bed, enough to get a closer look. “Is that… paper?”

Using my field I picked up a sheet. Sure enough, it was. Crisp white paper, fresh and warm like it had just been churned out of a paper mill five minutes ago. The writing utensils were larger than I expected, and smelly too when I popped the cap off. Some kind of marker, it seemed. I glared down at it then looked up at them. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

In response, the scientist took up a marker in her own hand, pulled out a sheet of paper, then laid it down on some kind of table on wheels nearby, in clear sight. She drew a single large dot on the paper, then pointed at it with the marker, and spoke a single syllable. She repeated the syllable a few times, then tapped on the table once with her finger, and said the syllable again. Then she looked at me expectantly.

I frowned, my brow creasing in thought before the realization hit me. “That must be your word for one,” I murmured. “You’re trying to communicate the old fashioned way. All right. I can do that.”

Using my magic, I took the marker I held and my own sheet of paper, and drew the same kind of large dot. Then I pointed at it with my hoof. “One. One. One.” I tapped once on the bed. “One.”

The red uniformed one let out a happy squeal at that and chattered at the scientist excitedly before the scientist held a single finger to her lips. Then she took up her marker, and drew a second dot next to the first. She enunciated clearly as she spoke the syllable several times, tapped twice on the table, and spoke it again.

Having caught on now, I repeated what she did, this time repeating “Two” over and over in the same pattern.

We repeated this a few more times, and then switched to prime numbers. We got up to thirty-one, then backtracked and focused on regular numbers, till we both established we both used the same sort of number system, base ten surprisingly enough. I would’ve thought these creatures would use something else, like base five, or maybe base twenty, if their feet had the same number of digits as their hands.

Then again if you judged ponies that way, you’d think we use base four. And we did, once upon a time in the distant past, until minotaur mathematicians proved the superiority of base ten. Not to mention the existence of zero.

She tried fussing with her device for a couple of moments, and looked at me while speaking. At first it sounded like Ponish again, but then the device made another loud squeal and her speech reverted to nonsense. I saw that almost frown appear on her face again, for longer this time, long enough that even the red uniformed one seemed to notice it, judging by her concerned reaction.

While they continued to talk, I decided to take the initiative this time. I brought out a fresh sheet of paper, and drew two dots, side by side, with the symbol for addition between them, then the equality symbol then two dots closer together. Clearing my throat, I startled them into looking at me, then pointed with my hoof. “One plus one equals two,” I said.

This prompted her curiosity and started a rapid back and forth exchange. We moved swiftly through small amounts of addition and subtraction, then I decided to try multiplication and division. She handled those easily, and I picked up a few of her words in the process. After the third division problem, I held up a hoof, then with a new sheet I drew the original addition problem again. But this time, I decided to try using her words for it. The guttural growls escaping my voice sounded more like a minotaur choking to death than actual, proper language, but it nevertheless caught her attention. She even arched both eyebrows.

Smirking, I then proceeded to repeat the next several math problems we did, using her words again and again. As I did so, she scooped up her device and readjusted it, drumming a rapid series of button pressed and beeps that seemed meaningless to me. After a few moments, right as I finished reading out the final problem, she nodded to herself, then pointed at me, and repeated the gesture she used before, to encourage me to talk.

“What, you think you’re going to make it work now?” I said, my muzzle twisting into a frown. “I don’t think it’s going to work anymore than it did before.”

Red uniform lady gasped at that however, and then looked at the scientist with her eyes gleaming with excitement. Several more taps on her device later, the scientist spoke again. “Is/are better/good/improving. Please speak/talk/ more/greater.”

“Wait, really?” I leaned forward, close enough that I could reach out and touch the device. I wanted to get a look at the thing myself now. However, she pulled it away when I tried. Not far, but enough for me to get the hint. “Okay, okay, I won’t touch it. Look, you really think this is going to work?”

“Yes/correct. I/we understand/recognize you/your words better/well,” she answered. “Continue/carry on math/numbers/concepts.”

While bizarre, I understood what she was getting at. While this had been going on, a greater sense of calm filled me. This, I could handle. This, I could do. Princess Celestia trained me to do things like this. To meet new creatures, to speak with them, to negotiate. At the time it had all felt pointless--why bother learning how to negotiate if I was going to be a Princess and could just order ponies to obey my every whim--but now I was grateful to her for the instruction.

So taking up more sheets of paper, I switched to geometry, mapping out shapes and using the respective words. As I did so, rather than draw them herself, she kept her sensing device locked on me, and occasionally uttered her own word for what I drew. “Square. Circle. Triangle.”

Then I decided to get crafty. First I drew a series of quick numbers, using the proper symbols this time rather than dots. “One, one, two, three, five, eight, thirteen, twenty-one,” I said as I pointed to each set of symbols. Then, setting that aside, I took another sheet of paper, and sketched out a large grid. They’d provided several colors of markers, despite us so far using only the one shade of black, but I used that to my advantage now, marking out the grids in several different colors. Each grid was progressively larger, matching the pattern I’d written. And then once done, I took the black marker and sketched out a single curve, starting at the middle in the pair of singular squares, then slowly out, catching the edge of each larger set as I went.

She watched me, very curious indeed until I finished, and set my marker down. I patted the paper with my hoof. “Golden ratio,” I said, my muzzle split in a wide smirk from ear to ear. “Beat that.”

“Fibonacci,” she replied. At my puzzled look, she pulled out my original sheet, with the pattern of numbers, and pointed at it. “Fibonacci,” she repeated.

That must be her word for it. I spoke aloud the pony term for it, then nodded and tried out the word she used. “Fibonacci.” It tasted odd, even odder than most of the other terms she’d used. Almost like it wasn’t even the same language. Maybe it wasn’t. The pony term wasn’t Ponish, after all, but the name of a griffon mathematician that first discovered the golden ratio.

“Better. I understanding you better muchly now,” she abruptly said, having brought her device back up. She tapped out a sequence on it, then eyed me. “Just little more.”

Her grammar certainly improved. It’s actually reasonable now. “Alright. Do you just want me to speak, or do you need me to draw out some other kind of concept?” As I spoke I found myself smiling, a genuine one this time, rather than the mocking smirk I’d adopted just moments ago. My words took on a note of sincerity that surprised me. “You know, I think I’m actually a little sorry I threatened you all when I first showed up. Yeah, sure, I just wanted to go home. And maybe you were pointing weapons at me. But I guess I started the fight, huh? I didn’t mean any harm.” As I spoke that last word, a realization came to me, and my heart sank, the smile vanishing. “I didn’t, but I sure caused some, didn’t I?”

“Translation analysis complete,” spoke a new voice, this one emerging from the device in the authoritative creature’s hands. “Universal translator online.”

“Nice!” shouted the red uniformed one. “It’s about time. What the heck took it so long?”

“That should be fairly obvious,” spoke the doctor, who shot me a look that seemed almost nasty, despite the lack of emotion. “Her method of speech is unlike that of most sapients the Federation has encountered. Much like her physiology. She is a unique lifeform.”

The scientist, meanwhile, ignored the other two and focused on me. “I believe we should now be able to understand each other perfectly,” she said. “My name is Lieutenant Commander T'Lona. I am an officer in Starfleet, with the United Federation of Planets.” She held up her hand to the doctor, then the red uniformed one. “This is Doctor Selar, and this is Commander Amina Riviera. May I ask who you are?”

I held a hoof up to my barrel. “Me? I’m Sunset Shimmer. Princess Celestia’s personal student.” My ears flattened against my head as I wilted under my own shame. “I really didn’t mean to hurt those creatures. Are, are they… dead?”

Riviera shook her head and flashed me a reassuring smile. “No, kid. You didn’t kill anyone, don’t worry. You just bruised a few egos. Though I think Lieutenant Zhidar might want a second go at you. It took him a long time to grow that beard.”

“Oh.” I took a moment to process that, then grinned, my heart soaring till it felt light as a feather. “Well in that case, tell him anytime, anywhere.”

“Perhaps we should not encourage further violence, competitive or otherwise,” T’Lona said, cutting through the mood. “In any event, do not worry, Sunset Shimmer. We understand you were acting in self-defense. Please forgive the initial reception.We were unprepared for your arrival, and did not realize at first that you were intelligent.”

“Yeah, I kinda figured that out,” I grumbled, my smile slipping. Then with a mental kick to my own head I fixed it back in place, drawing upon my diplomatic training. “May I ask where I am?”

With a small nod, she replied, “You are in the Presidio, Starfleet headquarters, in the city of San Francisco.” She paused a moment, then added, “On the planet Earth.”

“Earth,” I repeated, running the word through my mouth. “As in, earth pony?” Then my brain caught up with the other word she’d said. “Wait, planet? As in, I’m in another world?!”

“Presumably,” answered Doctor Selar without a hint of sympathy, or any other emotion for that matter. “Although you appear to resemble the equines native to this planet, you are far smaller, with different proportions. Your coloring strikes me as especially unusual, particularly the vibrancy of your hair. No species like yours has ever been encountered by the Federation before. This would appear to be a first contact situation.”

“First contact? What? No!” I lost all sense of diplomacy, all my training forgotten as fresh waves of panic filled me, sending my heart stampeding like a herd of startled cattle. “No, this doesn’t make any sense. It’s impossible to visit other worlds! This has to be some kind of, of a trick. Or I must be somewhere else on Equus. That’s the only possible explanation.”

“Woah, woah, easy, Sunset,” Riviera said, her eyes widening. “It’s okay. Relax.”

Once more T’Lona arched a single eyebrow. “Fascinating. Despite clearly being from a pre-warp civilization, you’ve crossed an unknown distance to arrive here. Do you know how?”

“No!” I railed as my breathing rapidly accelerated, to the point of hyperventilating. “No, I-I don’t! All I know is I found some weird blue room under the castle and it had a mirror and I touched it and then I ended up here!” Then my eyes bugged out. “Wait… the mirror. Is it still here?!” I hopped off the bed in an instant and ran for the door, only to bounce off of it as it made a loud bzzt noise at me, refusing to let me through. “Oh no no no no no! Let me out!” I reached up and tore at my hair with my hooves, tears filling my eyes. “Let me out of here! I need to go home! I can’t be here!”

Riviera took a step towards me, but T’Lona held out an arm and shook her head. Then she approached me, slowly, one step at a time. “I must ask that you please be calm, Sunset Shimmer. We will investigate this. We will find you a way home.”

Shrinking away from her, I fell over, onto my side, and curled up, crying now. Fear overwhelmed my senses. Why am I so stupid?! Why didn’t I just listen to Princess Celestia? Why did I have to argue with her? Why can’t I stop and think for two seconds? No, it’s just go go go with me! No time to think when I can just act like a complete idiot!

Then her hand touched my shoulder. It was cool to the touch, much cooler than I would have expected, as if she was suffering from hypothermia. I hadn’t noticed that the first time she touched me. I jerked at the sensation and tried to pull away. She didn’t fight me, but she did keep in contact, moving her hand till it ran through my mane, as if she was brushing it. “You must be calm,” she repeated, her voice as steady as ever. “Calm.”

Although the effect was lessened, just like the first time I could feel her instruction radiating from her hand. As if she was casting a spell, but without any of the traditional signs or appearances of magic. It helped, a little. Enough to let me relax my breathing, slow my heart rate down to dozens rather than hundreds of miles per hour. “Calm,” I repeated, focusing on the word like a mantra. “Calm.”

Out of the corner of my eye I caught Selar eying T’Lona who, after a moment, nodded. Selar then approached me with her medical equipment. At that I hissed, and took a step back. “No. No more scans. Get that thing away from me,” I growled.

Selar glared at me, disapproval clear in her eyes. “I am just attempting to ascertain your condition. I do not mean any harm. I would have thought this clear by now. You trusted me earlier.”

“No I didn’t,” I retorted with a snort. I pointed a hoof at T’Lona. “I trusted her. You? I don’t trust you. So stay back. Or else you’ll find out what I did to Lieutenant Zhidar first hoof.”

Riviera visibly winced at the sound of my threat. “Doctor, maybe you should leave the room for a while. Give T’Lona and me some time to build a rapport.”

Selar arched an eyebrow, then set her equipment down. “Aye, ma’am,” she said, then swiftly left without another word.

“Doctor Selar truly means you no harm, Sunset Shimmer,” T’Lona said as she stood back up, giving me some space. “She was simply attempting to perform her duties, nothing more.”

“Maybe,” I allowed, “but I don’t care. I’ve had too many blinky loud things pointed at me today. I’m tired of it.”

She paused to consider that, then nodded with a deep bow of her head. “Of course. Our apologies.”

A small smile of relief crossed my muzzle. “Thank you for listening.” I don’t know why, but the more time I spent around T’Lona, the more I felt like she was trustworthy, despite her odd lack of emotion. She reminded me a lot of Princess Celestia in her more serene moments, except without the sense of humor. Like a bulwark, unmoving, unyielding to any pressure. I needed that kind of reassurance right now.

“Of course,” T’Lona said. She gestured over to the bed. “Would you care to sit back down?”

I shook my head. “I’d rather stand, thanks. Look, can I ask a couple of questions?”

“As you wish,” T’Lona replied. She reached for her sensing device, which made me fear for a moment she’d disregard my request and pointed at it, but all she did with it was fold it up and place it in her pocket.

“First question then,” I said, pointing at the pocket she’d stuffed the device in. “What’s that thing you keep pointing at me? It’s some kind of thaumometer, right? With a translation spell?”

“Spell?” Riviera muttered, her mouth pursed in a pout. “No, Sunset, it’s called a tricorder. It’s a piece of technology, a multitool. It can detect a lot of different things.”

“Okay then…” I muttered. “Second question then. What the heck was that weapon used on me earlier? Why didn’t it kill me?” Or the ones I reflected the beams into.

T’Lona cocked her head. “It is called a phaser. It is a defensive weapon, capable of stunning without harm.”

Phaser? What kind of word is that? That didn’t translate. Sounds like some term from their weird language. Shaking it off, I said, “Fine. Third question then: what’re you planning to do with me?”

T’Lona straightened her head and pulled out a different device, vaguely similar to the tricorder, though this one was flat, almost like a thick sheet of paper, except with an obvious screen. She tapped a button on it, then said, “Sunset, as I said earlier, this is a first contact situation. We simply wish to learn more about you. You are not being held prisoner here.”

“Then why won’t the door open for me?” I retorted.

“That was just for your safety, Sunset,” replied Riviera. She held a hand to her chin, stroked it a moment, then nodded and approached the door, tapping a few buttons on a panel next to it. “There. I’ve made it so it’ll open now. If you want to leave, you can.”

“Okay…” I took a couple steps back from them, slowly circling around T’Lona and Riviera till I was on the other side of them, closer to the door. Then I backed up towards it, not looking away, till I heard it swish open. Only then did I glance back to see she’d told the truth. Somehow… somehow seeing that eased my desire to leave significantly. Now that I knew I could… my curiosity got the better of me. I no longer wanted to. So I moved back away from the door, and sat down on my rump. “You said you wanted to learn more about me.”

T’Lona nodded. She gestured to her device. “I have a series of questions I would like to ask. First, what do you call your species?”

“My species?” I repeated, blinking owlishly. “Um, I’m a pony. A unicorn pony.”

“I see. You mentioned a term earlier. Equus. Is that the name of your world?”

“Yeah,” I said, a frown pulling at my muzzle. “But nopony calls it that, usually. Usually we just call our home Equestria.”

“Curious,” said T'Lona, cocking her head. “I may need to ask that again later, without the translator. It seems to be interpreting some of your words in an unusual manner. Perhaps it is still failing to properly function.”

“Huh?”

She shook her head. “Nevermind. My next question. How old are you? Are you an adult of your species?”

My face heated up, my muzzle contorting into a pout as I glared at her. “I’m not a baby, if that’s what you’re asking. I’m eleven years old.”

Once again she arched that single eyebrow, then lowered her head to look at her device. “I meant no offense. Is eleven the age of maturity for your species?”

Trying not to roll my eyes, I replied, “...no. No, I’m still a foal. You’re not an adult in Equestria until you’re at least sixteen and have your cutie mark.”

Her head shot up, the very first sign of anything approaching shock crossing her face momentarily before she dismissed it. And she wasn’t the only one to react in a funny way. Riviera slapped a hand to her mouth, choking noises escaping her as she squeezed her eyes shut, her face burning. “Did you say, cutie mark? What is a… cutie mark?”

My first instinct was to bark, “What kind of a question is that?” before I managed to restrain it, reminding myself these weren’t ponies I was talking to, but weird two-legged creatures. “It’s something everypony gets when they discover their special talent. Mine is magic.” I pointed at the red and yellow sun gracing my flank. “See?”

“Magic?” she repeated, her eyes full of doubt. “This is the second time you’ve referred to that. What do you mean by magic? Are you referring to the abilities you demonstrated against our security officers?”

Now I did roll my eyes. What kind of so-called scientist doesn’t know what magic is? Good grief. “Not just that. I mean magic. Like this.” Lighting up my horn, I gently removed the rectangular screen device from her hand and floated it around us.

Riviera froze, a shocked look crossing her face while T'Lona pulled out her tricorder and rapidly pressed many buttons on it. “Fascinating. This is a reading unlike anything I have ever encountered before.”

The corners of my mouth turned up, the beginnings of a smirk gracing my muzzle. “Oh, you think that’s impressive, huh? Watch this.” With a few quick zaps of my horn, I swapped the colors on the device, from the silver to a bright pink, then a forest green, then chartreuse, before finally switching it to a rich scarlet red.

“Uh, T’Lona? Should she really be doing that?” asked Riviera with a concerned frown.

T'Lona cocked her head. “I am not detecting any harmful radiation, if that is your concern. But I believe that is sufficient demonstration of your… magic, Sunset. Please return my PADD to its original color and give it to me.”

With a shrug, I dismissed the prestidigitation spell and floated the PADD back over to her waiting hand. “There you go.”

“Thank you,” she said. She ran one final scan of her PADD with her tricorder, then returned the tricorder to her pocket. “With your permission, Sunset, I would like to examine your… abilities further, when you are more comfortable with such things.”

“If it’s all the same to you, T’Lona, I’d rather just go home,” I said, finding myself growing bored with this. “Look, when I showed up here, did anyone see any sign of any kind of portal?”

“I do not believe so,” T’Lona answered. “However, it would be prudent to check the records.” She tapped a piece of jewelry on her chest, something I’d dismissed as meaningless. “T’Lona to Grav.”

“Grav here, ma’am.”

T’Lona moved over to the single desk occupying the room and sat down in the chair, moving some other device with a screen on it closer to herself. “Please transmit all sensor data from the arrival of our new guest to the terminal in examination room seven. I wish to examine it presently.”

“Aye, ma’am. I’ll send it straight away.”

“Thank you. T’Lona out.” She tapped her jewelry again, then glanced over at me, and gestured for me to take a seat next to her. “If you would like, you may look at the data with me. We might be able to discover how you arrived here.”

With a shrug, I walked over and sat next to her. Although I still wasn’t sure how much I trusted these creatures, I felt like I could trust T’Lona. For now. I’d still keep my eye on her.

“Dunno how much we’re gonna be able to figure out that way,” Riviera commented as she grabbed up a chair from the corner and placed it down to T’Lona’s left, sitting down next to her. “Might take a lot of analysis.”

“I am aware,” T’Lona said, “but it is worth taking a look. It could be that Sunset has a key piece of insight that will solve the problem quickly.”

While the data, whatever that was, took its time to arrive, I asked the next question that occurred to me. “What’s that thing you pressed on your chest?”

She glanced down at it. “This is a combadge. It is a communications device. It allows me to speak with others at a great distance.”

“Huh. So it’s kind of like a radio, then.”

Arching an eyebrow at me, she gave a swift nod. “Of a sort, though far more complex. Your civilization is more advanced than I expected. One other question, if I may.”

I gestured to her. “Shoot.”

“Is it normal for your species to not wear clothing, or was your clothing lost when you were transported to Earth?”

Riviera slapped a hand to her face. “Oh my word, T’Lona, is this really the time to be asking this?”

T’Lona glanced dispassionately at Riviera. “It is as good a time as any to ask. It needs to be addressed before she can walk around in public.”

Heat filled my face as I unconsciously moved my tail over my rear, scooting back slightly. “Uh, what do you mean? What’s wrong with no clothes?”

“In my experience,” T'Lona answered, “it is extremely rare that a species reaches your level of development without the social requirement of clothing.”

“So what?” I retorted. “Ponies don’t feel the need to wear clothes all the time.”

“But most sapients do,” she said. “There will be many who will find someone who doesn’t wear clothes… unusual at best. And in many jurisdictions a lack of clothing is considered a misdemeanor. We will have to find you something suitable.”

Now my face paled. “Wait, I’m breaking the law? By being naked?”

“Technically, yes, but it can be excused due to the manner in which you arrived and your ignorance of local cultural norms,” she answered matter of factly. “Doctor Selar’s initial scans should have provided us with enough data to allow the computer to replicate something that will fit your form. I will take care of that when we are finished.”

“Thanks, I guess,” I muttered, repressing a shiver. Jeez. These creatures are bigger prudes than pre-Exodus Unicornia was. Nothing wrong with not wearing clothes.

The terminal bleeped, indicating it was ready. “Curious,” T’Lona said as she scanned through the data. “Nothing was detected upon your arrival. No chronitons, tachyons, or any other unusual particles. Nor any radiation, at least not until you began using your abilities. You simply appeared.”

“Is there a visual we can check?” Riviera inquired, leaning forward to look more closely at the terminal.

“There is.” T’Lona ran her hand on the terminal’s button. “Computer, display visual record of Presidio Park, camera 3J, time index 1527.65. Begin playback.”

Like a movie in a movie theater, but with far greater fidelity and sound, almost as if it was a three dimensional image leaping off the screen, we saw a view of the park. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen, save for various two-legged creatures passing by on their business, until suddenly there was a single flash of light, and I came flying out of it, hurtling onto the grass. “What was that flash?” I wondered.

“Pause playback,” T’Lona ordered. “Reverse to time index 1528.12. Resume playback, one quarter speed.”

The terminal obliged, and showed the footage once more. This time, the instant the flash appeared, T’Lona ordered it to pause again. The frozen image revealed what looked like a rectangular window floating in the air above the grass, through which we could see a hint of blue light, just like the blue room I’d been in before. “The mirror,” I said, pointing at it. “That must be the mirror. The thing that brought me here.”

“Fascinating,” T’Lona commented as she examined the image. “But why did our sensors not detect anything unusual? Surely some form of energy must have been emitted by it.”

“Somethin’ tells me we’re not gonna figure this out by staring at a computer screen in an exam room,” Riviera said with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Sunset, but I don’t think you’re getting home anytime soon.”

“Then I’m stuck here?” I said, my voice rising in pitch as my heart hammered in my chest. My coat soaked itself with sweat. “I-I can’t be stuck here! I have a life back home! I’m Princess Celestia’s personal student! I have a destiny!”

Instantly T’Lona’s hand shot out to stroke my shoulder. Once more I felt the sense of calm pervade me, this time accompanied by a strong element of concern as well. “Apologies for resorting to this so often,” she said, the slightest hint of actual shame in her voice as she spoke. “But please, do not forget to stay calm, Sunset.”

The magic, or whatever it was she used, provided me with a lifeline to grip hold. I took it with fervor, and managed to still my beating heart. “H-How do you keep doing that?” I wondered.

T’Lona, after taking a moment to ensure I had relaxed, withdrew her hand. “I am a Vulcan. Vulcans such as myself are touch telepaths. I have been using this ability to help you control yourself.”

I blinked, then my eyes widened. “So when you put your hand on my face earlier…”

“Yes,” T’Lona answered. Despite the lack of emotion on her face, I could hear it. I could hear her regret. “Those who are well versed in the ability can perform what is called a mind meld. It is… truthfully, using it in the manner I did earlier would normally be considered a violation of the sanctity of one’s mind. It is not something I would ever resort to under normal circumstances. However, you had already been stunned once, and it seemed unlikely you would allow Doctor Selar to sedate you.”

“I guess,” I murmured, trying to shake off the memory of the feeling. It wasn’t unpleasant, just… unexpected. Similar in some ways to a few of the mind spells Princess Celestia had once shown me, as a demonstration of what not to do with them. And yet, I hadn’t felt T'Lona attempt anything other than simple communication. Communication that penetrated my mind more effectively than any spoken word, yes, but still just communication. Nothing more. So while it was unexpected, it somehow didn’t feel invasive.

I’d still rather she not do that again without permission though.

As if reading my thoughts, T’Lona continued, “Nor would that have been a good way to obtain your trust. I apologize for my intrusion. It is not something I will do again.”

“Good. You’d better not,” I said, sighing. Then I rolled my eyes, mentally kicking myself. I could all but hear Princess Celestia’s disappointment at my lack of diplomacy. “Err, I mean, apology accepted.”

She nodded, accepting it as given. “Of course.” Then she exchanged a knowing glance with Riviera, who nodded. Then T’Lona stood. “If you will excuse me, Sunset, I believe I should go fetch some clothing for you. Amina has something to offer you, if you are willing to listen.”

I froze. Despite how strange this place was, how bizarre, utterly beyond anything in my experience as Princess Celestia’s student, I didn’t want the one person I felt I could trust, even slightly, to leave. “Wait, you’re leaving?” I said, looking up in alarm at T'Lona. Without meaning to, I reached out a hoof to touch her hand.

Though she didn’t display it outwardly, I could feel, just like before, a sense of concern from her. Concern, and responsibility. She patted my hoof and said, “I will return, Sunset, do not worry.”

I watched her leave, then turned to Riviera, who thankfully kept a bit of distance between us. Gathering up my thoughts, I said, “S-so, what am I going to do? I can’t stay here, in this world. I need to get back to Equestria.”

“We understand, believe me,” Riviera said with a rapid nod and a reassuring smile. “And we’re going to do everything we can for you. But for now, well… you’re going to need a place to stay. That’s why I’m here, actually.”

I blinked. “Huh?”

“We know you’re far from home,” Riviera continued. “And while there may have been a bit of a… let’s say kerfuffle, when you first arrived? No one’s holding it against you. Trust me, there’ve been far more violent first contacts than that one. By comparison, a few stunned security officers? Not a big deal. Like T’Lona said earlier, we never meant any harm, and you never meant any either, right?”

Shaking my head, I said, “No, I didn’t.”

“Exactly,” she said. “So, since the Federation isn’t going to hold your actions against you, as they were justifiable self-defense, you need a place to live. And the Federation isn’t about to let people be homeless, especially not on Earth of all planets.”

Narrowing my eyes at her, I said, “What are you getting at?”

Before she could respond, T’Lona returned, carrying a bundle of cloth in her hands. “I have the clothing for you,” she said, setting it down. “You may put it on when you are ready.” She eyed Riviera. “Have you made the offer yet?”

“I was getting to it, hon,” Riviera replied with an exasperated look.

“Okay, can one of you give me a straight answer, please?” I growled, not happy with this sudden evasive talk.

The two exchanged looks, then Riviera answered, “All right. I don’t know much about your world--though I’m really eager to learn--but here on this one, we try to take care of folks, you know? And you’re a kid. A smart kid, but still a kid. You might be stuck on this planet, but you need a place to stay. So, what I’m offering is for you to stay with us.”

“Amina is my mate,” T'Lona added, stepping closer to Riviera. “We would do our best to make our home welcome to you for as long as you need to stay there.”

“Wow,” I murmured. It’d been a long time since anyone had made an offer like that to me. A very, very long time. Not since Princess Celestia.

Princess Celestia… was she worried about me? Was she afraid for me, not knowing where I was? Would she even care that I was gone? Or would she find someone to replace me with, now that she no longer had to deal with me for a student?

Dismissing that thought, I said, “That’s… that’s very generous of you. Um, just so I know, is there… another option?”

“Of course, Sunset,” Riviera said with a chuckle. “The Federation would be more than happy to provide you with a foster family while we try to figure out where you came from. Doesn’t have to be with us if you don’t want to, but you’ll be taken care of regardless.”

Immediately I shook my head. “No, no way. I…” I looked up at T'Lona, who stared back, impassive, and yet somehow, still caring. And despite myself, despite every ounce of instinct in me screaming that this was foolish, that I was being an idiotic foal listening to my heart instead of my brain, I said, “I want to stay with you, T'Lona.”

For a moment, just a moment, I thought I saw the corners of T'Lona’s mouth turn up in a small smile. Then just as quickly it vanished. “As you wish, Sunset. Given the special circumstances of today, I will request some leave time for Amina and myself, to allow us both time to help you adjust to your new living situation. There will be much for you to learn about.”

“There’ll also be a lot we have to do to make things official,” Riviera said, her smile dimming, “but we’ll take care of that, don’t you worry.”

“A-all right,” I said, and though I smiled outwardly, inwardly a large mote of doubt took hold. How do you know you can trust them, Sunset? I asked myself. Yeah, sure, they’re acting nice now, but you remember the way they acted when you first showed up. Don’t trust them so fast. Keep your head, for pony’s sake.

“Before we can leave, there is one other matter,” T'Lona said. She picked up the bundle of cloth and presented it to me.

Oh. Right. The clothing. Sighing, I picked up the bundle with my field and unfolded it. It was some sort of slip, like a robe, except long enough to run over my whole body. There was a built in hole for my tail, and for all four legs as well. There was also a pair of… undergarments. My face turned a unique shade of red as I picked those up. “Uuuh… are… are these really necessary?”

“They are...optional, but usually worn,” T'Lona answered, arching an eyebrow.

Memories of the magazine I’d once discovered stashed in Princess Celestia’s study filled my brain before I tried desperately to banish those images back to the pits of Tartarus they’d emerged from. This is a different world. A different culture. You just have to blend in. It’s not the same as it would be back home. Plus, she said they’re optional. You don’t have to wear them. “Okay, um, thanks. Can I have some privacy, please?”

“Yes, yes, of course. Just come out when you’re ready, okay?” Riviera said.

I waited for them to leave, and then promptly balled up the undergarments and stuffed them in my bag. Then I tossed on the robe afterwards, which fit better than I would’ve expected for something a tailor must’ve tossed together. No, wait, she said she’d have the ‘computer’ ‘replicate’ it. What does that mean?

While plainer than any dress I’d worn for the Grand Galloping Gala or other celebrations with Celestia, the robe was serviceable, more comfortable than I expected. Still felt strange, having something like it hanging all over me… and I’d have to deal with that all the time… ugh.

Putting on my bags over the robe, I left the room and rejoined T'Lona and Riviera. “Okay, I’m ready,” I said.

“Glad to hear it!” Riviera said with a giggle. “Well, shall we?”

Stepping outside finally gave me some time to properly take in my surroundings. The patch of grass I’d landed on, far in the distance now, was one of several in a large park, split up by various hoofpaths of cobblestone and asphalt. Looming all around the park were tall buildings vaguely resembling the types I’d seen in Manehattan, except made of some white material I didn’t recognize. A few other boxy carriages flew overhead, with the sound of humming filling the air as they passed. Not far away a massive steel bridge painted a burnt rusty red spanned a large body of water. I took a moment to sniff the air. The smell of sea salt spray filled my nostrils, along with a mixture of other scents unfamiliar and strange. Far away, across the body of water, I saw another land mass filled with more buildings, skyscrapers reaching up in large shafts of metal spotted with greenery, as if trees were planted in every available spot.

I followed the two of them out of the hospital area, where they led me to some sort of grand central gathering area, set up around another small park. Various booths lined the street in pairs, with creatures queued up in lines. One at a time they’d enter the booth on the left and vanish, while creatures appeared from nowhere exiting the booth on the right. I noticed a lot of writing atop each of the booths, but I couldn’t read any of it. It was all in lettering that made no sense to me.

“I guess I’m going to have to learn how to read all of this stuff, huh?” I said as we got in line for one of the booths.

“Actually, that’s one of the things we’re going to take care of for you,” Riviera said. “As soon as we can, we’ll be getting you fitted with a universal translator of your own. That should make it so you can read Federation Standard as if it was your own language.”

“Woah. You can do that?” I gasped.

She beamed, her teeth brilliantly shining white. “You betcha! There’s a lot we can do. You’re going to have so much to learn about.” She held a hand up to her breast. “Sorry if I’m too enthusiastic about that. I’m a teacher. I teach stellar mechanics at Starfleet Academy. That’s the study of how stars work.”

I blinked in confusion. “Um, isn’t there someone who raises and lowers the sun for you each day, like Celestia does for Equestria?”

Now it was Riviera’s turn to be nonplussed. “I’m not sure what you mean. You’ve mentioned this Celestia before. Is she some sort of religious figure?”

“Uh, no, she’s the leader of Equestria,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I’m her personal student. And I’ve watched her raise the sun before. I’ve even helped her.”

Riviera smiled at that, but I recognized that kind of smile for what it was instantly: fake, forced politeness, cloaking the fact that she didn’t believe a word I said. She exchanged a brief look with T'Lona, who shook her head. “Well I’m sure you can tell us all about that while we get to know you better.”

“Oh I will,” I vowed. I wasn’t going to put up with doubt in Princess Celestia’s abilities. Maybe she and I had our differences, but I know she raised the sun. I’ve seen her do it countless times. I wasn’t going to let some ape creature tell me otherwise. “Where are we going, anyway?”

“We do not live in San Francisco,” T'Lona answered as we neared the booth. “We live in a city further to the north, called Vancouver. These transporter booths will take us there much faster than any other method of transit.”

That caught my interest. “Huh. Vancouver. Sounds a lot like Vanhoover, a city in Equestria.”

T'Lona arched a single eyebrow. “Curious. A city with the same name, but with a pun based upon a part of your species’ anatomy.”

“Oh, relax, hon, it’s just a quirk of the UT,” Riviera said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I’m sure the real word in her actual language is nothing like that.”

Before T'Lona could respond to that, it was her turn to step through the booth. “I will be waiting for you,” she said as she stepped inside. I watched her dissolve into sparkles and vanish to the tune of a musical sounding hum.

“Sunset, you go ahead. I’ll be right behind you,” Riviera said.

Feeling a distinct sense of trepidation roll through me despite the fact I knew this was safe, I took a deep breath then stepped forward, into the booth. It buzzed at me impatiently until I adjusted my posture to stand on the pad properly. The whole body tingle filled me once again, till I found myself automatically stepping forward in a completely different location.

Like San Francisco, this city sat along the shores of a great body of ocean water, the smell of salt filling the air. But most of the other scents changed. There was more humidity in the air, the clouds greyer in the sky. More vehicles flew through the air as well, with these being many different shapes, not all identical like the ones I saw at Starfleet Headquarters. But just like San Francisco, dozens upon dozens of great huge skyscrapers dominated the skyline, all coated in greenery to beautify the place. It was a testament to technology, far larger than Manehattan dared to dream of being.

We rejoined T'Lona, who led us a short walk down the street to a train station, though the trains were unlike any I’d ever seen in Equestria. These floated along the rails, whooshing about at supersonic speeds, making me wonder how anyone could ever operate such a vehicle. Then Riviera explained they were automated--more of that computer nonsense I’d been hearing about--and that made me terrified of setting hoof in one. But after a few moments they managed to cajole me into doing it.

I needn’t have worried. While I’d been afraid of being pasted to the inside window like a pegasus crashing to the ground, we never felt a thing. “Inertial dampers are amazing, aren’t they?” Riviera said, as if that meant anything to me. Though after a moment I figured out what she meant. They used some kind of technology to eliminate inertia inside the train, so that we felt less movement than I would have in an elevator back home. How that was possible, I didn’t understand, but I was sure there was a reasonable explanation.

After an all-too-brief train ride, we departed the station, and spent a short while walking down the street till we arrived at a small semi detached townhouse, with a backyard full of fresh grass and flowers, and a tree out front with massive branches thicker around than I was. They led me inside and showed me around. It was a three story building, with a living area on the bottom floor, and bedrooms on the middle and top. “No kitchen?” I wondered as they finished the tour.

“Don’t need one,” Riviera said with a knowing smile. Then she introduced me to my newest favorite thing in the world: the food replicator. According to her it could replicate just about any kind of food, instantly, so long as it had a stored pattern. I gave it a try with a simple request for a glass of milk.

Almost like the transporter booth, a glass materialized in a soft swirl of sparkles and light. Floating it out, I took a taste. “Wow,” I said, impressed. “That’s just like the real thing.”

“That’s because it is the real thing, just made in a different way,” Riviera replied. Then she frowned. “Well, sort of. It’s a bit more complicated than that.”

“Oh I’ll figure it out eventually, I’m sure,” I said, eying the replicator like it was my newest prized possession. I finished off my glass of milk, then, as instructed, put the glass back in the replicator and tapped a button. The glass vanished, gone like it had never been there in the first place.

Then they led me back upstairs. “This’ll be your room. We haven’t been using it for anything except a bit of storage, but I managed to get someone to install a bed and some basic furniture before we got home,” Riviera said.

“We will help you customize it more to your liking,” T'Lona added. “However, that will require planning. We will have to do that tomorrow.”

“It’s… it’s great, thanks,” I said, feeling a spark of genuine appreciation. “I’m sure I’ll love it.”

“Glad to hear that, sweetie,” Riviera grinned.

We left the bedroom and went back down into the living room, where they showed me a bit more about their day to day lives at home. Riviera was quite the amateur gardener, it turned out, as she grew all the flowers herself. “One of these days I’ll grow some herbs, but I just love the flowers too much to give any of them up.”

Then they showed me how the computer worked, which led to a good two or three hours spent asking them various questions and investigating various new subjects, all the way till we sat down to dinner. That was an experience in and of itself, learning some of the differences between human--what Riviera was--and Vulcan diets. And, for that matter, pony diets. Like before, I focused on a dinner consisting of vegetables and fish.

Though I did try a bit of that odd bird Riviera favored. She called it chicken. It wasn’t bad.

Then we spent more time talking, until the computer announced it was 2200.

“Unfortunately it is quite late now,” said T'Lona.

They led me up to my bedroom, and Riviera gave me a little wave. “Well, good night. We’ll see you in the morning.”

She shut the door behind her, leaving me alone. I tossed off my annoying clothes in a hurry and fell onto the bed. It wasn’t as plush as the royal one in my suite in Canterlot Castle, but it was still surprisingly comfy. More so than I would’ve expected.

Canterlot… Equestria… just thinking about them caused my heart to ache. Without warning, tears came unbidden to my eyes, and I broke down in a mess of sobbing and crying that should’ve been beneath me. “I want to go home,” I whispered. “I want to see Princess Celestia again. I’m sorry, Princess. I’m so sorry. I never should’ve tried to find the mirror. I… I never should’ve… tried…”

Exhaustion claimed me, and I knew nothing till morning.

The next few days were a blur of new knowledge and attempts to make myself at home. There was so much to adjust to, it was all I could do to take it all in and hope that somewhere I’d retain it. So many new technologies. Like being able to talk to the computer, anywhere in the house, and have it answer any question I had. Or the food replicator, which I found myself experimenting with several times. T’Lona and Riviera tried to introduce me to some comfort foods through it. I loved the Plomeek soup, but then I was shown a hot dog. It… tasted good. At first. And then I found out what went in it.

I have never thrown up something that fast in my life, and never ever want to eat one of those things again.

I also spent a great deal of that time telling T'Lona and Riviera all about Equestria, about Princess Celestia, about magic, about the way things worked there.

I also learned that, allegedly, everything I thought I knew about the sun and moon was a gigantic lie. Allegedly. Apparently, stars weren’t meant to be moved by a single being expressing their will upon it. But I also swore to them, top to bottom, that I knew Princess Celestia moved our sun. “Well, if you think she did, I believe you, darling,” Riviera said. “But I just don’t see how it’s possible.”

“But I know it is!” I cried, fury rising in me over this denial of Celestia’s power. I knew Celestia better than most ponies, so unlike some insane ponies I didn’t think of her as something akin to a goddess. But that didn’t mean I was going to accept a denial of what I knew she could do. “I’ve seen it. I’ve helped her raise the sun before. I felt it with my magic! I touched it! With her help, I moved it. Everyone on my planet will tell you. They’ve all seen it.”

Riviera frowned at me, her eyes flashing with ire of her own. “I said I believed you, didn’t I?”

“No you don’t,” I snorted. “You’re just saying that to get me to shut up.”

“Excuse you? Don’t you think that is just a little uncalled for, young lady?”

“Ugh, don’t call me that,” I groaned. “You’re not my mom.”

T’Lona chose this moment to interject, subtly moving between us. “Perhaps there is something unique about the Equus star that allows this to occur,” she proposed. “It may be worth taking into account with newer stellar surveys. This may be a way to help find Equus for Sunset.”

“Well, I can always call in a few favors, see if I can’t get some of the survey missions looking out for something like that,” Riviera said, her face twisted up with doubt. “But I’d be very, very surprised if they found anything.”

“Please,” I pleaded, grabbing hold of her hand with my forehooves. “Please. I want to find home.”

She sighed, smiled at me, then leaned in and tousled my hair with her free hand. “I’ll do what I can, I promise.”

“Thank you!” I whispered.

But then days turned into weeks. Every day I’d ask them if there was any news from the stellar surveys, and every day they’d tell me no. Nor was there ever any word regarding the portal. They had a full science team investigate the area, but nothing was ever found. If the portal was still there, there was no way to access it from this side.

Eventually T'Lona and Riviera had to go back to work, so they enrolled me in a local school, to start in a couple of months. Prior to that I would have private tutors, who would help me catch up in various subjects I had little to no knowledge of, so they could place me with other kids my age. While the math was no problem--I could do differential equations in my sleep--the science was another thing entirely. Oh I took to it with gusto, eager for the knowledge, but there were so many things I had to unlearn, almost as many as I had to learn.

They also introduced me to a therapist, named Belle Hendricks. At first I resented that, with a passion. Like I really needed to talk to someone about my feelings. But it helped. I had a lot of homesickness to deal with, apparently. And anger. And resentment. T’Lona had introduced me to a few meditation techniques, but Belle helped me refine them. It was… useful. Especially in dealing with some of the tutors, who were often insensitive. Not rude. They just kept forgetting I didn’t have hands, or that I walked on four legs and needed extra time to take stairs or go through doors.

And then weeks turned into months. At some point, I don’t know when, I began thinking of the Vancouver house as… if not home, then the place where I lived. The place where I belonged. I know I preferred being there, rather than interacting with the other kids my age. Between T’Lona’s teachings, Belle’s assistance, and the way the other kids acted in school, constantly making fun of whenever they got the chance for being ignorant of basic facts or questioning things repeatedly, I couldn’t stand them. They were too uncontrolled and too nasty.

I liked the teachers at school though. They were kinder, more considerate than the tutors had been, even when I had to ask how to use my terminal to do something other kids understood intrinsically. Or how to use my PADD to perform a certain calculation. Or for a special accommodation for something, given my lack of hands, and the fact the world around me wasn’t designed for creatures on four legs. They understood. Though they still kept their distance emotionally, which was just fine with me. I didn’t need them to be my friends.

Though I was beginning to think of T’Lona as a friend. And Riviera too, if a little less so.

Six months after I’d first arrived, midday on a weekend found me in my bedroom, working on a science project involving fusion power. I’d found I had an aptitude for engineering knowledge. Despite all the technology being alien, the way it was put together, the math behind how they worked, it all made a great deal of sense. Okay, sure, I still needed some help getting any technology to do what I wanted, but I think the fact that I grew up without all this crap meant I could be given some slack.

I was just in the middle of a series of important calculations when my door burst open. “Please forgive the sudden interruption, Sunset,” said T’Lona. “But there has been a development regarding the portal that brought you here.”

I dropped my project in an instant. “Did someone find something? Did they figure out a way for me to go home?!”

T’Lona shook her head. “Not quite, I am afraid. You must come with me at once. We cannot afford to wait. Please, step close to me.”

I did as instructed. As soon as I closed the distance, T’Lona tapped her combadge. “T’Lona to Spacedock. Two for emergency site to site transport to the Presidio, immediately.”

The tingle of transport wrapped itself around us at once, depositing us in the Presidio. T’Lona pointed ahead to a gathered crowd, circled around an area, chattering wildly about what they saw. I gasped, feeling an intense sensation of deja’vu take hold.

And in the middle of the crowd, I saw it. Something impossible, unbelievable. Inconceivable even.

It was a pony. Another unicorn, this one smaller than me, much smaller, younger too. Maybe no more than eight years old, tops. She possessed a lavender coat and a tri-colored mane of sapphire blue, purple, and raspberry red. She had a hoof held up to her horn, which bore a burn mark, billowing smoke trailing up above it in thick curls.

“What happened?” murmured the younger pony, her Canterlot accent sounding odd and unusual to my ears after all the plain unaccented universal translated Ponish I’d heard for the last six months. “Where… where am I?”

The sound of her speech caused a few in the crowd to shout in alarm. The younger pony shouted right back, her eyes bugging out of her skull, her whole body taking on a slick sheen of sweat. She screamed, her words becoming more and more unintelligible by the second.

“Make way!” I cried, trying to push through the crowd, T’Lona by my side.

“Disperse immediately!” T’Lona added, shouting orders to the Starfleet personnel.

As soon as I pushed my way to the front, the younger pony locked eyes on me. "Who are you? What are those? What’s going on?!”

“Relax, kid, everything’s going to be okay,” I said in Ponish. I eschewed the universal translator so I could add a few soothing whinnies to my words. “Easy. Easy.”

“All right, break it up!” added another voice. Glancing over I recognized the tall form of Lieutenant Zhidar, who eyed me, his lips pulling back to show his teeth before he regained control of himself. “Everyone get out of here. Give the pony some room!”

“What’s going on?!” repeated the younger pony as she rushed forward, pressing against me, hiding against me as much as she could. “Where am I? Where’s Princess Celestia? Where’s Mom and Dad?”

“Princess Celestia…?” I breathed, my jaw dropping.

“Yes, Princess Celestia!” the younger pony repeated, nodding her head so hard I feared it’d pop off. “I-I was taking an exam! For the School for Gifted Unicorns! I was supposed to hatch this dragon egg and it was so hard and I couldn’t do it and then there was this big boom and my whole body was full of magic, then Princess Celestia came by to try and stop it, and there was this pull on my magic, like something trying to draw me in… and… then…”

“And then what?” I pressed.

“Then she was gone! So were Mom and Dad! And I was in this weird blue room, with… with...”

“With a mirror,” I finished, dawning horror filling me. “You touched it, didn’t you?”

She nodded, her muzzle contorting into a sad little frown. “I didn’t mean to, but I couldn’t get away from it. It pulled me forward, drawing more and more of my magic out until I touched the surface, then there was an explosion...then I… I ended up here. Please, tell me, where are we?”

Oh hell, I groaned internally. “It’s...It’s going to take a lot to explain. I’m Sunset Shimmer. What’s your name?”

“My name?” she said, holding a hoof to her chest. “I’m Twilight. Twilight Sparkle.”

Author's Note

So, here we go! Welcome, welcome to all, whether you're a returning reader from my other stories, or a new reader fresh on the block.

I've wanted to do a Star Trek crossover for a long time when it came to MLP, but I never seemed to get the concept right. Then I hit upon the concept I use here. It's fairly simple, but it will allow me to do quite a bit.

Like with my prior crossover, I will be doing my utmost to make this accessible to readers, so that you don't have to know Trek in order to enjoy it.

There are three planned "seasons" total, representing the three story arcs planned for this story, hence the season/episode naming format for the chapters. Like with many things, you can thank Blue Horizon for suggesting I do it this way.

Amina's first name comes from Arabic, and means "to feel safe." Riviera meanwhile, came as a suggestion from Blue Horizon, who has been such an absolute massive help in developing this story, you have no idea.

T'Lona, meanwhile, has the Kirshara Wordpress blog to thank for their excellent source of Vulcan lore. Her name means "lady of great learning." Both she and Riviera are scientists.

Where does the name of the story fit in? Well you'll see. It'll take a while before we get there though.

To clarify a few people's confusion: the character seen early on that stunned Sunset was not Worf, but Lieutenant Zhidar, who is mentioned in dialogue in the following scene. He is an Antican, a season 1 TNG race: https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Antican

Season 1 Episode 5: "Those Academia Days..."

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S01E05

“Those Academia Days...”

“Personal log: Stardate 47012.2

It’s been a pretty busy past few months here at the Academy. I’ve been so busy that I forgot I could even record one of these! Though maybe the concussion Maia gave me that first week was partly why. And that wasn’t the last one she gave me, either. Every week on our PT day she’s been helping me train up, to get better at fighting. She doesn’t hold back much, though, so I still end up pretty injured. The drill instructors get on her over it, but I’ve told them as long as there is no permanent harm, it’s fine with me. Hurts, but, well… at least we’re pretty friendly now. She’s not the only friend I made though. Sunset told me about her friend, Wesley Crusher, and he’s been mentoring me with a few of my classes. He is smart. I like him a lot.

I’ll be starting my newest set of classes today, including one with Mother! She’s teaching a basic xenobiology course required by all cadets. I’m looking forward to seeing her on a regular basis, even though I know she’ll be grading me pretty hard. Hopefully next term I can take a class with Mom, who’ll be even more fun. Okay, how do I end this log–”

I found the right button on my PADD and hit it. “There we go.”

“Are you done talking to yourself?” grumbled Maia.

Letting out a quiet sigh, I leaned back in my chair and gave her a polite, if strained, smile. “Yes, I’m done. You can study now.”

Maia glared at me for a moment, then one corner of her mouth quirked up. “Good. How’s your head?”

Another sigh escaped me as I reached up to tap a hoof at the latest pair of cortical stimulators Doctor May had me wearing. “Well, I don’t have any headaches or dizziness, so that’s a good sign. Though it’d be nice if you could stop smacking my head every week.”

“Stop making it so easy to smack, then,” Maia replied with a snort.

The insensitive comment rankled at me, reminding me of what happened just after the original fight.

As I sat in my chair, slowly whiling away the hours till I could get some sleep, trying desperately to ignore the cold stare constantly aimed my way, a page came over the intercom. “Cadet Sparkle, Cadet Maia, please report to Commander Riviera’s office immediately.”

“Mom?” I whispered as I stood up as quickly as I dared.

“We’d better go,” Maia said, staring at me impatiently.

I nodded. “R-right, okay.” As I headed out the door, a small part of me whispered worries in the back of my head, that Maia would decide to finish the job as she followed so close behind me. Or worse, of punishments from mom.

Fortunately nothing happened and we reached my mom’s office within a few minutes. I tapped the door chime. “Enter!”

Maia and I went inside. She snapped to attention while I moved to it much more slowly, still aching from my injuries. “Reporting as ordered, ma’am,” said Maia. Then she corrected herself. “Ma’ams.”

I’d seen my mom’s office several times in the past, when visiting the Academy, but it was an altogether different feeling to stand in front of her desk while she glared back, in full Commander mode. T’Lona standing behind her, the corners of her mouth curled downward in a show of disappointment only added to the growing fear in my heart.

“So,” Amina said, setting her hands down flat on her desk. She locked her authoritative gaze squarely on Maia. “I understand you fought with Cadet Sparkle earlier today. You nearly killed her.”

Maia stared back, stoic like a stone statue. “Ma’am, I–”

“Your hands were on her jaw and her horn, Cadet!” Amina barked, louder than I’d ever heard her speak before. “You shattered several of her limbs and did serious harm to her spine. Doctor May reported to me earlier that you came within literal millimeters of paralyzing Cadet Sparkle for life!”

Nodding her head ever so slightly at that, Maia replied, “I realize that, ma’am. The drill instructor made that clear–”

“No, no I don’t think he did,” Amina interrupted, jabbing a finger into her desk. “Tell me, Cadet. Are you aware of the maternal connection Commander T’Lona and I have with Cadet Sparkle?”

For the first time I saw Maia’s eyes widen. “No. I wasn’t.”

“I gathered,” Amina growled. “So, you tell me, Cadet. Explain, in detail, why you thought it was necessary to nearly paralyze my daughter?!”

“Mom!” I shouted, unable to stand watching this any longer. “Stop shouting–”

“Sparkle, you will not speak unless asked to speak, is that clear?!” Amina roared.

I took an involuntary step back, tears filling my eyes. I squeezed my eyes shut, then bowed my head. “Yes ma’am,” I whispered.

“I provoked her, ma’am,” Maia spoke up. Her voice didn’t waver, her demeanor stayed firm, but nevertheless I could hear a note of sorrow in her words. “I insulted her magic and her intelligence, and I allowed instinct to drive me.”

“In other words, you did exactly what you were sent here to unlearn,” Amina finished. “I see.” She turned her eyes on me, causing me to gasp in fright. “Sparkle?”

“T-that’s what happened, ma’am,” I answered, my voice shaking like crazy. “She provoked me, I fought back. We’re both at fault.”

She nodded, then spent a good solid minute glaring at the two of us. “Well. I will be entering an official reprimand into your file, Cadet Maia, subject to review by the superintendent. Cadet Sparkle, you will also be officially reprimanded, though mitigating circumstances could see that dropped.”

A reprimand was bad enough, but hearing my Mom speak to me like that tore at my soul. I’d upset my parents a few times when I was growing up, just like Sunset did, but… they never yelled at me like this. Like I was trash. “Yes, ma’am,” I chorused with Maia.

Amina glowered for a moment more. “Cadet Maia, you are dismissed. Please wait outside.”

Maia nodded once, then disappeared through the door, leaving me alone with Amina and T’Lona. There was a moment’s pause, where neither moved or acted, till Amina tapped a single button on her terminal. Then she relaxed, her Commander’s glare fading into something I was more used to seeing. “You can relax now, Twilight. I turned off the cameras,” she said, her voice shaking. She opened up her arms. “Come here, please.”

I hesitated. “But… Mom… you just yelled at me.”

“Amina acted within her purview as your superior officer, Twilight,” T’Lona said, coming around the desk. “I realize it was unpleasant to hear. But we are speaking as your parents now.” She held out a hand.

Still uncertain, I took a few hesitant steps forward, then raised a hoof to place in T’Lona’s hand. I let her lead me behind to Amina, who threw her arms around me, careful not to dislodge the medical equipment. “I’m sorry, Mom,” I whispered.

“I’m sorry too, honey,” she said, clutching me like she was afraid I’d vanish into thin air. “How are you feeling? When I read Doctor May’s report, I almost had a heart attack!”

I swallowed some of the tears clogging my throat. “Um, still kind of hurts, a little. And I don’t like these things very much. They sting.”

“Why did you let Cadet Maia provoke you like that, Twilight?” T’Lona asked, setting her hand down on my shoulder, letting me feel the concern emanating through the telepathic touch.

“It’s…it’s so hard here, Mother, Mom,” I said, shaking my head. “I thought I was prepared, but…”

T’Lona and Amina exchanged a look, nodding at each other. Then Amina turned back to me and placed a kiss on my forehead. “You’ve always been more sensitive than Sunset. I’m glad you’re okay, sweetheart. I know it’s rough, and I know I didn’t exactly help just now. But I also know you understand what the uniform sometimes requires of us. I know you can make it through this, Twilight. Just please. Please don’t do this again.”

“Indeed. If you must fight with your fellow cadets, please ensure you do not risk lethal harm to yourself,” T’Lona added, giving my shoulder a squeeze.

“...okay,” I whispered. “I won’t get another reprimand. I promise.”

“Oh, that?” Amina winked at me. “I think it’s safe to say the superintendent will drop that one. I’ll try to make sure she does.” She smiled, gave me one more squeeze, then released me. She held a hand to her mouth and cleared her throat, then tapped that button again. I saw the authority slip back into her gaze, albeit this time without any disappointment or fury. “Very well, Cadet. You’re dismissed.”

A sad little laugh escaped my throat, but I stood to attention all the same. “Yes ma’am.”

Maia returned to her own work, pouring over the material for her latest class. “Your next class is in five minutes, by the way.”

“What?” I glanced down at my PADD and paled. “It is!” I hopped to my hooves and double checked my cadet uniform for neatness. I galloped out the door, speeding down the corridor, weaving through the throngs of fellow cadets and arriving at the lecture hall on the far side of the campus. Fortunately there was a free seat front and center, exactly where I liked it, so I took it and logged into the terminal.

I looked up at the lectern and smiled at T’Lona, who eyed me curiously with a single arched eyebrow. “It is good that you are on time, Cadet Sparkle,” she said.

“Yes Mo–I mean, yes ma’am.” A faint blush warmed my cheeks. Had it been Mom, she would’ve giggled, or winked. As it was, Mother gave me an impassive stare, a brief nod, then moved on to addressing other cadets. She tapped at one key on her lectern.

“Good morning, cadets,” she said, her voice echoing through the speakers in the lecture hall. “Welcome to Xenobiology 101. I am Lieutenant Commander T’Lona, your instructor for this term. You will be expected and required to achieve a satisfactory grade in this class to continue your stay at the Academy, regardless of your chosen career path.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I chorused with the other cadets.

She nodded in acknowledgement, then tapped another key on her lectern. “Joining me for this term as a teaching assistant will be fourth-year cadet Jacqueline Cadeneza, due to her specialization in the field. Cadet Cadeneza, please step forward.”

What?! My hackles rose, my heart accelerating as every muscle in my body tensed at once. A scowl twisted my features as I turned my neck to fire off a harsh glare at her. Cadeneza sauntered down the middle aisle, caught sight of me, then flashed me a cheeky grin and a wink.

At least she wasn’t wearing that stupid jacket. Whenever she wore it, she’d constantly stirred trouble. That, and I saw the kind of looks she liked to give Sunset. No one looks at my sister like she was a… a… a piece of meat.

Still scowling, I leaned back in my chair as Cadeneza joined T’Lona by the lectern. “Hello, everyone,” she said with a casual wave. “I’ll be here to help you out whenever you need it.”

“Good,” T’Lona said. “Please assist me as we begin with the first lesson.”

I seethed throughout the lesson, despite my Mother’s repeated glances my way. I hung behind once class ended, long enough to join Cadeneza in leaving the lecture hall. “Oh hey, Sparkie.” She smirked. “What’s up?

“What are you doing here?” I hissed.

Her smirk vanished, replaced by the cool, calm expression I was used to seeing by her. “It’s part of my career path,” she answered. “I need to earn some credits as a TA with Commander T’Lona for my specialization. Didn’t I tell you this was going to happen?”

“No, you didn’t,” I shot back, raising a hoof as if to poke her in the chest before I thought better of it and dropped it again. “You didn’t say anything.”

She halted and crossed her arms over her chest with a frown.“Fine. I forgot. So what? Why’s it such a big deal, anyway? Why’re you so mad?”

“I’m not mad!” I paled at the sight of various onlookers eying us and pulled Cadeneza into the closest unoccupied classroom. “I’m not mad,” I repeated in a quieter voice.

“Yes you are,” she said, scrutinizing me with her expression. “Why? I thought we were friends.”

I bit back my initial harsh response and said, “Friends is pushing it. And…” I let out a sigh and pointed at the blinky devices on my head. “It might be these. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, yeah, I heard about that.” I noticed the corner of her mouth curled upwards into a faint smile. “You and your roommate keep kicking each other’s asses like you’re practicing a Klingon mating ritual. So when’s the wedding?”

My stomach soured as a nasty taste filled my mouth and sank down my gullet. “Ugh! No! What? No!”

She chortled with laughter, snorting like a pig. “Oh Twilight, you’re so easy. Relax, I know you wouldn’t go for her. Honestly I’d be surprised if you went for anyone ever.”

That set my teeth on edge. “Yes, well, unlike some people, I don’t spend half my freetime drinking like a fish and sleeping around with any female with a pulse!”

“Hey, that’s unfair.” Cadeneza grinned. “I only do that a quarter of the time. And besides, that qualification leaves out a few of the more interesting cadets, like the Phylosian. Have you ever spoken to Cadet Acantha? The things she can do with those tentacles of hers–”

My horn lit up and slapped a telekinetic field across her mouth, instantly silencing her. “Nope. Don’t want to hear it. I am not interested.”

She glared at me until I cancelled my spell. “Spoilsport. Look, what’s the real reason you’re upset? Because I know it’s not just about me. Maybe we don’t always get along, but we’re not exactly enemies.”

Oh please. LIke I’d tell you. “Look, just forget it, okay?” I pulled out my PADD and sighed at it. “I need to get to my next class.”

“Alright,” Cadeneza shrugged. “Fine. Just for what it’s worth, I’m not your Mother’s TA just so I can be a jerk to you, Twilight. Like I said, it is for my career.”

I tried to put the thought of Cadeneza out of my mind, at least until much later in the day, when I returned to my quarters. Maia was nowhere to be seen, so for once I had some privacy. I tooled my time away studying for my new subjects until the doorbell chimed, startling me. “Uh, enter?” I called.

The doors slipped open, revealing a taller human cadet with a friendly smile on his face. “Hey, Twilight. Thought I’d come by and see how you were doing with your first classes of the term.”

“Wesley!” I said, a relieved smile spreading on my muzzle. “Yes, please, come in.” I gestured to the absent Maia’s chair. “I’m glad to see you. It’s been a bit of a rough day.”

Wesley Crusher took the chair and scooted it closer to me, then sat down. “So what’s on your mind? It’s not Maia, is it?”

“No, no, we’re getting along pretty well now,” I said. Then I winced and tapped at the cortical stimulators. “Well, mostly. I held my own against her the past few times we fought. Still lost though...”

Wesley snickered. “I’m not surprised. I’ve told you before how much Maia reminds me of Tasha Yar, right?”

“Yeah, since they’re both from the same planet.” My smile tightened. “Err, well, was, in Tasha’s case.”

Wesley waved a hand dismissively. “Hey, don’t worry about it. Tasha’s been gone a long time. I’ve accepted that.” He scooted his chair a bit further forward. “And I noticed you trying to change the subject. What’s wrong?”

It took me a few moments to find the words to respond. “It’s… it’s about my Mother. Sort of. Kind of. Not really?” I screwed my face up in confusion, then shook my head. “I was, well, I was hoping that after the first few months here I’d be able to relax a little. Seeing my Mother every day in class would’ve been nice.”

“But?” Wesley prompted.

“Buuut, then that stupid little jerk Cadeneza decided she had to be a TA for the class!” I slammed a hoof down on my desk, startling poor Wesley into jumping back. “It’s bad enough she took up so much of Sunset’s and Mother’s time at our house before I came to the Academy. She… damn it, Wesley, I know she has a good reason for it. I know it’s got nothing to do with me. But it feels like I had one of the only good things I’ve looked forward to yanked out from under me!”

My anger swiftly boiled away. “Ever since I came to this Academy, I’ve been mocked, and insulted.” Tears filled my eyes. “My parents shouted at me over the first fight and I can’t even relax in my own quarters cause my roommate might kill me if she gets bored... and then--” I let out a sob “--this morning I received this…”

I reached out and tapped on my terminal that played Sunset’s message. “Hey, Twi. Hope you’ve been doing okay. Listen, I know I just reached out to you the other day, but, well… something happened that I wasn’t expecting. It’s good news. At least, I’m pretty sure it’s good news. Anyway, you know my roommate, Ensign Smith? Well, one thing led to another, and, uh… We kissed. I know, I know, it felt like it came out of nowhere, but… I think she’s been developing feelings for me for a while, and I just hadn’t noticed. I think.”

I cut off the message there. “Yeah. So now Sunset’s got herself a girlfriend, meaning I’m even more alone.”

Wesley sat back in his seat and stared at me impassively for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he frowned and shook his head. “Twilight, you’re not alone. You do have friends here. I mean, I’m here, right?”

I sniffled, feeling tears run down my cheeks. “I know, but–”

Wesley wrapped his arms around me. “But nothing. I know it’s hard, Twilight. Believe me, if anyone here gets what you’re going through, it’s me. You and Sunset are the only friends I’ve got after that stupid stunt I pulled.”

I eased into his hug. “I guess so...” His touch soothed me and I could feel my frazzled nerves slowly fade. Wesley was good for hugs. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be insensitive.”

He patted me on the back then let go. “You’re not, trust me. I’ve been where you’re at too. The first year of the Academy… it’s pretty rough. And, uh, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re pretty sensitive.”

A fresh blush bloomed to life on my cheeks, this time from embarrassment. “I… no I’m not!” He gave me a flat look. I trembled, spluttered, then broke. “Okay, okay, maybe I am. I thought I was prepared for how military-like Starfleet is. But I wasn’t.”

He shook his head. “I wasn’t either. And I served on a starship, as an acting Ensign. But here it’s different. It’s a lot like what I’ve read boot camps used to be like for militaries on Earth centuries ago. They want to break you down, then build you back up in their image. They ease up on it after the first year, but…”

I nodded, a flustered frown making its way onto my face. “Yeah. It’s that first year that’s hard.”

“Well I know one thing.” Wesley grinned. “Sunset Shimmer made it through. And you’re not weaker than Sunset Shimmer, are you?”

“What? No way!” I snorted. “I’m not weaker than my sister. Why would you even ask me that?”

His grin shifted to a smirk as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “I guess that means you’ll make it through the Academy just like she did, right?”

Rolling my eyes, I shot back, “Of course I will!”

“Well there you go.” Wesley winked at me, then scooted his chair closer. “So, what’re your new subjects?”

Recognizing the distraction for what it was, I nonetheless took it and allowed him to fulfill his mentorship role. I made a promise to myself to speak with Belle when I had some free time on the weekend. I could definitely use some counseling.

Carved marble, cool to the touch, sapped the heat from my hooves as I trotted in through the large wooden door wrapped in wrought iron. A fire burned cheerfully in the hearth near one of the walls, while nearly the remaining space was filled with stuffed bookshelves that towered above and groaned under the weight of its tomes. The only other free space was occupied by a writing desk carved from oak that sat underneath the lone open window that looked over the courtyard below and down past the mountainside. Completing the room was a four-poster bed, squat and low to the ground, but with sheets made of the finest silk and pillows stuffed full of pegasus down.

“Wow,” I whispered, as I stepped inside my room in Canterlot Castle. I trotted over to the desk, where I found a copy of some scrolls I’d written for Princess Celestia and an old note was pinned to the desk. “Right, she wants to meet with me during her morning tea break from Day Court, to discuss my latest studies. The shield spell.”

I spotted movement outside the window and nearly jumped back, only to realize it was just the pegasus guards flying a typical patrol route. How long has it been if I’ve forgotten about that? I wondered.

Sticking my head out the window I spotted one of Canterlot’s many plazas on the left, just outside the main gates to the castle. Hundreds of ponies bustled about on their daily business; perusing shops, hawking fruit and vegetables, or mingling with each other, chatting about their day. Every once in a while some street musician would strike up a familiar tune, allowing the gentle musical notes to drift on the wind and float in through my window.

I closed my eyes and let the hum of the city fill my senses for a few minutes before heading out into the corridor. Everything was laid out just as I remembered it. There was the spiral staircase leading down from my tower. The corridor that opened up at the bottom of the stairs, with flowers and banners hanging from nearly every wall, and doors branching off to the War Room, Celestia’s private dining room, and more. I nodded to the occasional Royal Guard as I passed them by, though none of them paid more than a passing glance in return.

I passed into the main chambers, the foyer where supplicants for Day Court gathered each day. Dozens of ponies and other creatures milled about in orderly queues with bored expressions on their faces. A few shot glares at me as I walked past them, and the guards alike, cutting to the front and pushing my way into the throne room.

The stained glass windows showcased various events from Equestrian history separated by the pillars and walls that hung murals and held up the high marble ceiling. Even the long red carpet stretching up to the throne itself, high on a golden dais flanked by a pair of fountains, was exactly how I remembered.

And her.

Princess Celestia herself, idly sitting on her throne, patiently listening to some earth pony discussing farming in Baltimare. He’d be her last petitioner before her morning tea, so I waited. And as I waited, as I watched, I found myself feeling weaker and nervous. Then he finished, trotting out the foyer and giving a polite nod as he passed by. Unable to delay any longer, I approached the throne. I approached Celestia.

Celestia gave me a warm, wide smile. Just like I remembered. “Ah, Sunset! There you are.” She hopped up off the dais and gestured to a side door. “Come along now, my most trusted student.”

I swallowed, nodded, and followed her through the doors into the adjoining chamber. The room was small, with a smattering of furniture sized for Celestia, and a wide open-air view of the city below. Tea and various accompanying sundries awaited us on a table where two chairs had been prepared. “Please, come sit down,” Celestia said as she took her own seat.

I trembled. “I…” My breath caught in my throat.

Celestia’s horn lit up with yellow light, levitating the teapot to dispense into two mugs. She handed one over to me, and I took it in my magic by reflex. “Well, Sunset, I hope you’ve enjoyed your morning so far.”

Blinking, trying to quell the hammering of my heart, I set about pouring cream into my tea and mixing in two sugarcubes. “Y-yes, Princess. I-it’s… it’s been… it’s been good.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Celestia replied. “It’s been quite the exciting one for me. The minotaur ambassador came by today.”

The ambassador. Right. She’s going to suggest I help with negotiations. “O-oh?”

“Yes. She had a number of interesting demands to make.” Celestia drank her tea, then floated a scone to her mouth and took a bite. “Of course, I turned most of them down. They were a bit over the top.”

“Well, o-of course, Princess, you can’t let someone l-like that… bully… you…”

Celestia paused, giving me a curious look, then shook it off. “No, but that’s just the way she is. She always makes such outrageous demands, hoping we’ll agree to the thing she really wanted because it’d seem reasonable by comparison.”

I froze. I knew how I was supposed to respond to that. I was supposed to laugh, to say something insulting, something prideful. Something that would lead Celestia to turn this into a lesson. That’s why she wanted me present.

But as I looked up into her eyes, my teacup halfway to my mouth, I found myself shaking. My magic lost control until I dropped the cup, and it shattered on the table.

Celestia frowned, giving me a stern look that almost immediately softened into concern. “Sunset? Are you alright? Is something bothering you?”

A gasp escaped my throat as tears filled my eyes. “...Princess, I… I can’t…”

She stood from her seat and trotted over to me, raising a hoof to trail through my hair. Her eyes scanned me. “Sunset, I can tell something’s wrong. What is it?”

Tears ran down my face and my throat ached from the repressed sobs that threatened to break free. “...it’s not, you don’t… how…”

She wrapped a wing around me, pulling me in close. Then she placed her chin atop my head. “I don’t know what’s bothering you, Sunset, but you can always tell me. I’m here for you.”

That did it. I couldn’t take it anymore. “Computer! Freeze program!”

The holographic Celestia froze and I quickly pulled away from her. I couldn’t take two steps before I collapsed to the floor, crying my heart out. “This was so stupid!” I shouted, slamming my forehooves on the floor. “What was I thinking?!”

The electronic wheeze of the holodeck doors opening was my only warning. “Sunset?!” cried Smith as she ran over to my side. “Are you alright? What’s wrong, hon?

Through my tears I could barely make out Smith running towards me. “Alma? What’re… what’re you doing here?”

Smith gave me a quick hug. “Don’t you remember? We were gonna have dinner together, an hour ago. Ah was gettin’ worried ‘cause you were so late, so Ah asked the computer where you were.”

“Oh,” I sniffed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“S’alright, hon,” Smith said. She stood, her head swiveling to stare all around her. “Ah don’t think Ah’ve seen this program before.” Then she halted when she saw the frozen Celestia. “What in tarnation? I’m guessin’ that’s another pony, though she’s huge! Sunset, is this what Ah’m thinkin it is?”

“It’s Equestria. Where I came from,” I replied. “I’ve been working on this program for a few years, off and on. Finally got a chance to test it properly; that’s why I was late to dinner. I’m sorry I forgot what time it was.”

Smith’s gaze softened considerably. “Then Ah’m guessin’ that must be that Princess Celestia you’ve told me about a few times, right?”

I looked back at the holographic Celestia. Now that she was frozen, unmoving, she seemed far less intimidating.

Far less real.

I let out a wistful sigh, and nodded. “Yes. It is. I can always show you this another time, since we have a dinner date. Computer, end program.”

The holographic throne room faded away, replaced by the smooth black walls lined in a golden grid. “That’s better,” Smith said as she led us out the door. “Ah never did like holodecks. Ain’t real enough.”

“It felt too real, at least while the program was running,” I said. I trudged alongside her, each hoof step difficult, like I had lead weights attached.

Smith waited until we were safely in our quarters and sat down on our small sofa before she replied, “Ah could see that. You okay there, hon? You were cryin’ pretty hard.”

I pressed my lips together and nodded. “Yeah. I… I knew she was there, Alma. I knew she’d be in the throne room. I designed the program. But when I came face to face with her, I… I broke down.”

Smith pulled me in closer, running her hand through my hair. “Ah saw that. Ah remember everythin’ you’ve told me about Princess Celestia, why she matters so much to you. Ah wasn’t expectin’ her to be so big though.”

That got a laugh out of me. “I think I made her a bit too big, actually. I forgot how much smaller I was when I first came to Earth.”

“So why were you in there tinkerin’ with that holoprogram anyway?” Smith asked as she switched to rubbing at my neck.

“Mmm,” I said as I savored the sensation. “Um, well, I… we’ve been through a lot lately. The ship, I mean. I wanted a distraction.”

A sultry chuckle slipped from Smith’s lips. “Well if you wanted a distraction, hon, why didn’t you just say so? Ah’m sure Ah can think of somethin’.”

“Oh yeah?” I let my eyelids droop to half mast as I looked up at her. “What’s that?”

In response, she closed the distance, prepared to kiss me.

“La Forge to Shimmer.”

Smith pulled away at the last minute, groaning in frustration as I slapped my combadge. “Yes, sir?”

“Sorry to interrupt you when you’re off-duty, but I need you to report to my office in Engineering immediately.”

I saw Smith mouth something which caused me to roll my eyes. “On my way, sir,”I replied. I tapped the badge and deactivated the signal before pulling out of Smith’s grasp. “Sorry. Guess dinner’ll have to wait a little longer.”

Smith sighed. “You mind if Ah go ahead and eat, then? Ah doubt you’ll be back before 0300.”

“0130, and leave some leftovers for me, dear,” I said, patting her on the hand with my hoof. I made my way out the door in a hurry, ducking into the nearest turbolift. “Main Engineering.”

The turbolift carried me swiftly to my destination, dumping me out just a few steps around the corner. I passed by a few of my fellow engineers as I rushed to La Forge’s office, or what he termed his office anyway. It really just meant the partitioned area behind the glass wall next to the warp core, but who’s to judge. To my surprise, though, I found Commander Riker waiting with him. “Sir? Reporting as ordered.”

“Shimmer, good,” La Forge said, stepping forward. “Commander Riker and I have something we need to speak with you about.”

A frisson of fear trickled down my spine. “May I ask what, sir?”

Riker gave me his usual smile. “Relax, Shimmer, it’s nothing to worry about. The truth is, we were trying to find the right time to present you with this.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, handing it to me.

“Usually there’d be a bit of a ceremony,” La Forge added as I took the box. “But given recent events we figured something low-key would be better.”

I opened up the box. Inside, resting on a bit of cloth, was a single gold pip, fully filled out. “S-sir?” I started up at them with equal parts confusion and anxiety. “Is this what I think it is?”

Riker nodded. “That’s right. We’re officially promoting you, Shimmer, to Lieutenant. Congratulations.” He offered a hand to shake.

It took every bit of my focus to avoid shaking his hand like a school filly on a sugar high. “Thank you, sir, but I don’t understand why–”

“Why are we making you the new Lieutenant on my staff instead of Takahashi?” La Forge asked with an understanding grin.

“Yes sir,” I said. “I thought Takahashi was going to be the new Lieutenant once Savil left. We all did. He deserved the promotion, and he’s already a JG.”

Riker withdrew the pip from the box and attached it to my collar. “And you’re right,” Riker said. “But Takahashi just requested a transfer to Starbase 375. A position opened up that he’d been interested in for a long time, and he jumped on the opportunity. ”

“Wow,” I murmured. “I had no idea. But that still doesn’t explain why me.”

“Well, the truth is,” La Forge replied, “I believe you were the most qualified. You proved yourself when you were put in charge of Engineering during the latest mess with the Borg. And you were critical to the implementation of the metaphasic shielding, without which the Enterprise would’ve been destroyed. And with Savil gone, well, I do need another lieutenant. Plus I’ve seen you demonstrate your leadership skills.”

Riker continued, “We already have your new quarters prepared, Deck 32, section 12. I’m sure you’ll appreciate the chance to have your own quarters for once.”

I took a moment to breathe deeply, composing myself. “Thank you, sir. I’ll get my belongings moved over tonight.”

Riker nodded. “If you’ll excuse me, Shimmer, Geordi.”

After he left, I turned back to La Forge. “Sir, I don’t know what to say. This is the second time you’ve done something special for me.”

La Forge shook his head and shrugged. “Don’t be too quick to thank me, Lieutenant. You’re about to have a whole slew of new responsibilities and duties waiting for you on your next shift. I’ll send over the details to your terminal so you can review them tonight. I expect you to be prepared by 1200 tomorrow.”

I smiled proudly. “Yes, sir. I won’t let you down.”

Letting out a laugh, he said, “You haven’t yet. See you then, Lieutenant. Dismissed.”

Nodding politely, I made my way back to the turbolift. Any leftover anxiety, worry, or frustration over my experience in the holodeck was completely gone, replaced by a flutter in my stomach and a bounce in my step. I practically skipped my way back to my old quarters. When I entered, I found Smith sitting at our table, a pair of chopsticks cradling a piece of sashimi halfway to her lips.

“Sunset?” she said, setting her sashimi down on her plate. “You’re back early.”

I sauntered in and elegantly waved a hoof through my mane. “So I hope you weren’t planning on eating all of that yourself,” I said, my voice coated with sheer smug.

Arching both eyebrows, Smith glared at me with narrowed eyes. “Uh huh. Sunset, what’d you do this time?”

“Do? Why, I didn’t do anything,” I replied with a laugh in my voice. “It’s what they did for me.” I raised my head and pushed my collar forward.

Smith shot up from her chair so fast she spilled her plate on the floor. She hooted and hollered as she ran forward to embrace me, pulling me off the floor into a hug tight enough to strangle. “Oh mah stars, Sunset! You got promoted! And not just JG either! Ah’m so proud of you.”

“That’s–thanks–can’t–breathe! Put me-down!” I squeaked, flailing my limbs helplessly in the air.

Her face bloomed like a garden of roses as she dropped me in a hurry. “Yes ma’am,” she said with a shit-eating grin. “Sorry about that, ma’am.”

As soon as I caught my breath I shot her a withering glare. “Haha, very funny.” She continued to chuckle as I made my way around the table, taking a moment to clean up her spilled food with my magic and toss the leftovers back into the replicator. “I’ve already got new quarters assigned. Help me move my stuff over.”

“Is that an order, ma’am?” Smith said, her grin wider than ever.

A matching grin spread onto my muzzle. “You know what? Yes, it is. Ensign.” I pointed my hoof at my bedroom. “Get to it.”

We both broke into laughter as she made her way inside. I followed her soon after and helped gather up my belongings, since I didn’t have much. “In all seriousness, I hope your new roommate is tolerable.”

Smith paused for a moment. “...you know we could always ask to share quarters, right?”

My face heated up as my eyes widened. “Huh?”

She set down the stuff in her hands and turned to face me, cupping my face with one hand. She stroked my cheek with her thumb. “Well, Ah mean, we’ve been together for what, six months now?”

Uh-oh. I trembled under her touch, my mouth drying up. “I mean, we’ve been having a lot of fun together, yeah.”

Smith blinked in confusion at that statement, then gave me a hesitant smile. “Sunset, Ah don’t want to have any other roommate. Ah know I gotta, ‘cause Ah’m still an Ensign, but Ah’d rather stay with you. If you don’t mind.”

Oh. Okay. Phew. I gave her a quick peck on the palm of her hand. “Yeah, I don’t have a problem with it. Like I said, we have a lot of fun. Why don’t you keep getting my stuff together while I put in the request with the quartermaster?”

“Sure,” she said, her smile growing. As I stepped back out into the main room and sat down at the desk, I heard her quietly humming to herself.

It took me just a few minutes to put in the request and sent it off. To my surprise, the quartermaster responded instantly, authorizing permission and advised me that my quarters would be extended with hers while we were both on shift tomorrow. After thanking the quartermaster I returned to my old bedroom and gave Smith the news.

“Wow. Ah’m surprised he agreed so fast,” Smith said as we finished packing up.

“I’m hoping it means I’m not the only one who’s been promoted,” I replied as I carried my stuff out the door. We swiftly made our way to the turbolift. “Deck 32, section 12.”

“Ah hope so.” Smith blew a sigh out through her teeth. “Ah’ve been workin’ real hard to make up for things since mah last evaluation. Ah’d like to think Ah’ve earned JG at this point.”

“You have in my book,” I said as the turbolift dumped us out. It took me a moment to locate my new quarters, but then I spotted it, with my name and rank etched into the door. As I stepped inside, I took a moment to examine the place. It was a little larger than the quarters I’d shared with Smith, with a desk tucked away in a nook like a small office instead of shoved against one wall. The living area had more room, with a large couch, and the bedroom featured a larger, comfy looking bed as well. There was also a single window looking out into space. From my low down posture I could clearly see the starboard-side warp nacelle.

“Wow, you even get a window, huh?” Smith said, grinning like a loon. “Ah heard that not all senior officers get windows in their quarters.”

I shrugged. “Lot fewer crew quarters in the stardrive section versus the saucer. And it’s narrower.”

“Still, Ah’m bettin’ they’d be jealous.” She dumped everything in her hands on the table. “Where do you want this stuff?”

“In here,” I said, pointing to the bedroom. “Should all fit in the same places as before.”

It took us only a few minutes to finish putting my belongings away. “Well, there you go, ma’am,” Smith said with a cheeky grin. “Whaddya say we celebrate? Ah can break out one of the bottles Ah brought from mah farm.”

I lit up my horn and gently pulled her towards the bed. “I’d rather break something else in.”

“Oh…” Her laughter turned sultry. “Well why didn’t you say so sooner?”

Our lips met and we fell back against the bed.

I trotted through the Academy corridors with a smile on my face and my PADD in my magic field by my side. I ignored the occasional whisper I heard from some of the nastier cadets. After half a year at the Academy, I’d finally learned some proper coping strategies.

I reached my destination, a studying room adjacent to my Mom’s solar physics classroom. Inside I found a couple of classmates, as well as Amelia Wattson, a fourth year engineering cadet and Mom’s teaching assistant for the class. She smiled at me, showcasing her brilliant white teeth, a stark contrast to her dark skin tone. “Oh, hi Sparkie! What’s up?”

I’d always liked Amelia. Granted, she was Cadeneza’s best friend, but unlike Cadeneza she was friendly, nice. Always ready with a joke, or an electric pun. She’d been the one to bestow the ‘Sparkie’ nickname on me, and from her I didn’t mind it. From her it was a sign of appreciation, of adoration. A sign that she really liked me.

A sign she was my friend.

“I was hoping to go over a few things with you,” I said, bringing forward my PADD. “About the solar surveys assignment.”

“Sure!” she replied. She held up a pair of fingers. “Give me two seconds.”

While she busied herself with checking on my classmates, I took my preferred seat on the far side of the room, near the corner. As I activated the built in terminal, I brought up the solar surveys assignment. As part of the solar physics course Mom had us examining orbital periods for the planets of fifteen systems, as well as the star’s orbital periods in the Milky Way. It was fascinating, if a bit basic. But then, I was in the most basic of the classes she taught. I’d have to go into the more complicated ones later on.

And oh did I plan to. Somewhere, somehow, stellar cartography and solar physics would be the key to locating Equus. I still held faith in Celestia’s ability to move the Sun, despite having been on Earth for a decade. I knew it was unusual at best, and I had a lot of hypotheses as to how it could be possible. But it still had to be the key.

Wattson sat down next to me. “Okay, Sparkie. You’ve been grasping this subject easily so far. What do you need help with?”

“Well,” I said as I brought up the first solar system, the Sol system itself. A charming infographic of Sol, its planets, dwarf planets, and other important bodies popped up, everything moving slowly around the sun. “I understand the orbital periods of the planets. It’s Sol’s orbital period around the Milky Way I’m not sure I fully grasp.” I zoomed out the image till we were looking at a rotating infographic of the galaxy, focused on the Orion spur of the Sagittarius arm.

Amelia arched an eyebrow at me. “I don’t get it. What’s hard to grasp? Sol orbits the Milky Way every two hundred and thirty million years.”

I shot her a flat look. “Yes, thank you, I know that. That’s not what I mean. It’s this part of it that’s throwing me off.” I pointed out some of the finer details of the gravitational interactions between Sol and nearby stars, the way it stayed on its orbital path.

Wattson nodded in understanding. “Okay. I see why you’re getting confused.” Her hand danced on the terminal’s keypad. “This is why, see?”

When she showed me the new calculation, I wanted to slap myself upside the head. “Ohhh. That’s so basic! How did I miss that?”

“Because I know what you’re really trying to do, Sparkie,” Wattson said in a sing-song voice. She winked at me. “You’re not that subtle.”

“Wha–I don’t know what you mean,” I retorted, my face burning.

Her eyes twinkling with mirth, Wattson crossed her arms over her chest. “Sure you don’t. So why don’t you go ahead and bring up the other stars, hmm?”

“Okay…” I brought up the others, and showed how I’d calculated them in turn. “What about it?”

She pointed to several of them, including Wolf 359, 40 Eridani A, and Barnard’s Star. “Look. Look at what you’ve done with each of them. You keep trying to find a way to show how the galaxy might orbit around them, rather than the other way around.”

A strained, nervous smile sprouted on my muzzle. “What? No. No, I wouldn’t do that. I-I’m smarter than that. It’s not possible for a larger body to orbit a smaller one! Hahaha… haha… ha…”

Her smile flatlined into a glare as her eyebrows rose to the top of her head. “Oh? Sparkie, how many times have you told me about what this Princess Celestia allegedly does for Equus?”

“Sssh!” I looked over at the other cadets nearby, horror stricken, but they didn’t seem to be paying attention. “Please don’t tell anyone about that!” I said in a much more quiet voice. “I’m enough of a laughingstock as it is.”

Her gaze softened. “Sorry, Sparkie. Look, I know it’s important for you to find Equus, but you’re not going to do it by inverting basic solar physics. I think someone would’ve found Equus by now if it was that simple.”

“...I know.” I laid my head down on the table. “I’m… impatient. I’ve been waiting ten years just to begin my Starfleet career. Ten years, Wattson. I’ve been on Earth longer than I ever was on Equus. It’s changed me. And I don’t want to forget where I came from.”

“I hear you,” she replied, clapping me on the shoulder. “But moping and messing up your assignments won’t help. Look, how about this? I know you’ve got leave from the Academy this weekend, and I do too. Why don’t I take you somewhere, just the two of us? We can go have some fun. Get physical. You ever play Parrises Squares? Or gone skiing, or snowboarding?”

“No, I haven’t done any of that before,” I said with a shake of my head.

She grinned a toothy smile. “Well, I happen to know of a place in North America that’ll be perfect for trying out all three, and we can even fit in some relaxing too. Ever heard of Glenwood Springs, Colorado?”

“Um, once, I think,” I said, staring up at the ceiling as I searched my memory. “Oh, yes, I remember I did an essay on that for geology in middle school. Glenwood Caverns. It’s a huge cave system, and there's natural hot springs in the area.”

“That’s right! It’s been far too long since I soaked in a hot spring,” Wattson said. “And they have skiing and snowboarding during the winter, plus it’s a really popular stop on the amateur Parrises Squares circuit.”

“Isn’t Parrises Squares really dangerous, though?”

Wattson snorted. “Oh come on. You’ve been practicing CQC with Maia nearly every PT day. I’ve seen the bruises. You wear those silly neck thingies so often I’m beginning to think they’re jewelry.”

“Cortical stimulators,” I corrected gently. “And point taken. Will we have a place to stay? I’m trying to save up my transporter credits for special occasions.”

“Pfft! Of course!” She shook her head and laughed. “I’m saving my credits too. There’s plenty of places to stay, so we’ll be fine. Whaddya say, Sparkie? Up for some real fun for a change?”

“Uh, well…” A concerned frown crossed my face. “You’re not bringing Cadeneza along, are you?”

She rolled her eyes and flashed me an amused grin. “No, no. I told you, it’s just you and me. I’m not gonna spring Jackie on you like that. I know you and her barely get along at the best of times. She can live without me for a weekend.”

“Well… okay then!” I held out a hoof to her. “I’ll do it.”

She made a fist and bumped my hoof. “Sweet. Okay, so let’s get back to helping you with this assignment. Shouldn’t take long, right?”

As it turned out, it didn’t, once I stopped making silly mistakes at least. That left me plenty of time to return to my quarters, inform Maia of my plans for the leave time, and file the official request for leave outside San Francisco.

The next day, as Wattson and I took a walk out to the transporters, we found ourselves joined by a surprise third. “Wesley?” I said as he lined up behind us. “Where’re you headed?”

Wesley had grown more and more sullen over the past few months, despite our friendship. Although he smiled when he saw me, it was tight, small, and dropped almost as soon as it formed. “Vacation. I’m going to Starbase 310. Going to meet the Enterprise there.”

“Oh!” I brightened up, bouncing eagerly. “Then you’ll get to see Sunset! Would you please say hello to her for me? I haven’t heard from her for weeks and I really want to know how her Lieutenant duties are going.”

He reached out to pat me loosely on the shoulder, a single, quick gesture, then withdrew his hand. “Yeah. Sure. I’ll… I’ll do that.”

Wattson tugged on my uniform. “Come on, it’s our turn.” She stepped forward into the booth and vanished.

“You okay, Wesley?” I asked, looking him over, seeing his haunted eyes, his apathetic expression.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about it,” he replied, and gestured for me to move forward.

I gave him one final glance, muttered, “Okay,” and then stepped into the transporter. The tingling sensation of toothbrushes all over my body preceded me appearing aboard Earth Spacedock. Wattson waited just ahead and pulled me forward. I lingered just long enough to see Wesley step into view before Wattson had me lined up for the queue to Denver, Colorado.

Once in Denver, we hopped aboard a mag-lev, switching at a couple of stations till we arrived at Glenwood Springs, little more than an hour’s journey. “Too bad we couldn’t transport here directly,” Wattson sighed as we departed the train. “But they put a stranglehold on you first years when it comes to your credits.”

“I appreciate that you didn’t force me to take this trip by myself,” I replied as I took in the sights. I breathed in the fresh mountain air, cold and brisk, crisp with the dryness of winter in a semi-arid climate, so different from San Francisco. The peaks of the Rockies rose all around us with their dense forests of conifers and pines coated in a thick blanket of snow. I shivered despite wearing the Academy provided scarf and winter jacket. “Wow, it’s cold.”

“It’s about six degrees below zero, of course it’s cold.” Wattson scanned her surroundings then headed off in a seemingly random direction. “Come on. Let’s get checked in so we can go skiing.”

Of course it wasn’t that simple. Like so many other things, skis weren’t designed for quadrupeds. I did attempt to ski while rearing up on my hind legs, using my forelegs to hold onto the ski poles via straps, but that resulted in me tumbling end-over-end halfway down the mountainside before I was brought to a halt via safety equipment installed along the slope. An attempt to put me on four skis with the poles controlled by my magic ended in a similar disaster.

But then they tried me on a custom, extra-wide snowboard that felt more like a sled than an actual board. Still, that worked like a charm, and my howls of excitement and exhilaration echoed throughout the entire valley as I snaked my way through the fresh powder. Compared to the expert snowboarders around us I was clumsy and slow, but it didn’t matter to me. I had far too much fun to care. This was exactly what I needed to help me get away from the stresses of the Academy.

Parrises Squares though… as much as it thrilled Watson, watching her dodge to and fro on the ramp, I didn’t care for it. I played one game and then went straight back to snowboarding.

Later that evening, the two of us got to soak in the hot spring. Wattson hadn't prepared me for how huge it was--olympic didn't begin to cover it; it was more like a gridiron football field. Several dozen people thronged in the spring, playing, laughing, having a blast. I, however, was too tired to do more than soak, but wow did I soak. The warmth seeped into my muscles that erased the lingering aches and pains from the daily life of the Academy. And the light smell of sulphur added to its soothingness and nearly lulled me to sleep.

By the time we rode the mag-lev back into Denver, I’d forgotten all about my worries at the Academy. Even the pursuit of the mystery of Equus seemed distant and unimportant. At least for a while.

La Forge wasn’t kidding when he said being a Lieutenant would be rough. The very next day after my promotion, I found myself run ragged, caught between directing various Ensigns and enlisted personnel in their duties and overseeing my own repairs to the starboard nacelle EPS conduits. Days quickly turned into weeks flashing by, broken up only by the occasional strange event, as ever aboard the Enterprise.

Smith was promoted a few days after me, to Lieutenant Junior Grade. They put her in charge of a new set of experiments that kept her busy at odd hours. Between that and my own change in duties we rarely saw each other, despite sharing quarters. We still made time once a week to have some fun and go on a date, however. She was a good friend.

La Forge put me in charge of Engineering as a whole for a couple of shifts after an incident with his mother’s ship, the Hera. That was quite the experience, above and beyond just my normal duties. Answering Captain Picard’s queries about various shipboard operations personally left me quaking in my boots. Fortunately that was only for a couple of shifts, and then La Forge took over again.

As the weeks went on, I rarely paid much attention to events outside Engineering. I remembered feeling awful when Captain Picard was pronounced dead–for all of two days–and there was some nonsense about warp travel damaging subspace. That occupied all of Engineering with ridiculous experiments for a while.

Commander Data tried to stab me while I was in Ten-Forward one day because he was having nightmares–yes, really. A while later, upon returning from some leave he took, Lieutenant Worf saw me in the corridor and abruptly fled the other way. I only learned a few days later, when he sat down with me for a meal, that he’d apparently been shifting through parallel realities and I was, to quote him, “more and more intimidating and terrifying with each passing reality, until I was like a demon who ruled over Engineering like an evil queen.”

Wish he’d gotten pictures.

Then there was… Barclay’s Protomorphosis Syndrome. I still can’t remember what exactly happened beyond galloping around the ship hiding in panic from every predator, while desperately wishing I could eat some grass. The nasty taste of arboretum Kentucky bluegrass stuck in my mouth for a week.

But right after that, a guest came on board that I was all too happy to see. Wesley Crusher, on vacation from the Academy. As soon as I heard he was aboard I made sure to visit him in his quarters, in hopes of inviting him to dinner. I had to tap the door chime twice before he called for me to enter.

“Oh, it’s you,” he said when the doors swished open.

I took in the sight of him. Sullen, haughty, a sense of disgust. My hackles rose as I took in his apathetic sneer, so similar to one I’d worn all too often prior to coming to Earth. “Well hello to you too, Wesley,” I snarked. “Not happy to see me?”

He glowered at me for a good moment before sighing. “Sorry. It’s good to see you, Sunset.” He eyed my collar for a moment and stiffened. “Ma’am.”

Snorting in amusement, I trotted over and wrapped a foreleg around his shoulders, pulling him closer to the ground. “Forget ranks, Wesley. We’re friends.”

“Yeah. Friends.” He shrugged my foreleg off, then walked over and collapsed onto the couch. “Twilight says hello, by the way.”

I bit back the instinct to growl something nasty. What the hell is up with your attitude, Wesley? Instead I joined him on the couch. “How is Twilight? I know she’s been better since that first fight with Maia, but–”

He cut me off with a single downward chop of his hand. “She’s fine. When I left, Wattson was about to take her skiing in Colorado.”

I took in a sharp breath to steel my patience. “Skiing, huh? That sounds fun. Never been, myself.”

“It’s not that interesting,” Wesley shrugged, looking away from me.

Okay. That’s it. “Wesley, what’s going on? Why’re you so moody?”

His head shot up, eyes glaring at me like twin laser drills. “None of your business, Sunset!”

I hopped off the couch, fed up with his attitude. “Excuse you? Wesley, I’m not trying to pry. I’m just trying to figure out why my friend’s being such an ass!”

He snorted and faced away from me again, raising one hand behind his back, his middle finger extended. “Leave me alone.”

My blood boiled. “Okay, you want to cop an attitude like that? Fine. I’ll leave.”

“Good,” he shot back as I trotted to the door.

I stopped right at the threshold and turned back to face him, summoning up every bit of the authority I did have. “I better not see you showcasing that attitude in public. Cadet.”

He stiffened in place, and faced me just long enough to say, “No, ma’am,” before turning away again.

Scoffing, I trotted away before my temper could get the best of me. Instead I tapped my combadge. “Shimmer to Smith.”

“Ah’m here, Sunset. You on your way with Wesley?”

Hearing her voice helped splash some cold water on my burning anger. “No, Wesley’s… not coming. We’re having dinner by ourselves.”

It was only a few days later that I learned why Wesley was so upset. His issues with the Academy, with authority, with a lack of belonging. The Traveller, that mysterious Tau Ceti alien he’d mentioned to me showed up again a short while later, to take him away, far away. He came by just long enough to apologize and wish me goodbye, before he vanished like a mirage.

I made sure to send Twilight a message right afterwards, letting her know. Maybe if she was lucky, Wesley would take the time to say goodbye to her too.

In the meantime I busied myself with my duties again, until, a few weeks later, I was on the Holodeck with Smith. I was showing her around the holo recreation of Equestria. “You’ve done some amazin’ work here, Sunset,” Smith commented as we passed through one of Canterlot’s bustling marketplaces. “Almost feels like Ah’m really there.”

“Not entirely,” I said as I watched the crowd of holographic ponies milling about. “There’s a lot of details that still aren’t quite right. And look.” I pointed to a pair of identical yellow coated earth pony mares. “There's only so many individual ponies running around.”

“Huh. Almost like they’ve got a bunch of clones,” Smith chuckled.

I laughed with her. “Or the computer’s being lazy and copy/pasting everywhere. Still, it’s… something.”

Smith wrapped an arm around me and gave me a tight squeeze. “Well, Ah hope someday you… you… what in tarnation?”

My ears perked up as I scanned the surroundings. “Is that… a train whistle? But I haven’t programmed Canterlot Central Station yet!”

Smith gulped and pointed down the street. “Uh, Sunset, is that a light comin’ towards us?”

“What light?” I squinted and focused beyond the fake sunlit sky. Then I saw the tell-tale puffs of smoke billowing from the locomotive’s stack. “Look out!”

I dove to the side and dragged Smith down with my telekinesis, just quick enough to dodge the steam locomotive that barralled toward us and watched as a series of train cars passed by before plowing through the street and every unfortunate holographic pony in its way, like cute equinoid bowling pins.

“The hell… computer, end program!” I shouted. Nothing happened. “Computer?” Again, nothing. “Exit?” That, at least, summoned up the arch and the doors. “Okay, let’s get out of here .”

“Sounds good to me!” Smith blurted, her voice shaking.

As we exited the holodeck, we nearly ran right into two very familiar figures. “C-captain, Commander! I’m sorry about that,” I said, snapping to attention.

Captain Picard, imposing as ever in his captain’s uniform despite the cut on his cheek, narrowed his eyes at me, then shook his head. “Nevermind that, Lieutenant Shimmer. Were you and Smith in the holodeck just now?”

“Yes sir, we were,” I answered with a frown. “Sir, something very strange just happened.”

Commander Data, who wore some sort of Shakespearean costume, perked up at that. “Was it by chance a train, Lieutenant? One that came from nowhere?”

“It sure was, sir,” I said.

“We tried shuttin’ the holodeck down,” Smith added, “but the computer weren’t respondin’ at all.”

Picard nodded, bringing a hand up to his chin. “We encountered the same thing just now. It seems it wasn’t just in our program. Mr. Data, I want you to perform a full diagnostic of the holodeck systems, see what could have caused this. And discontinue all crew use until further notice.”

“Of course, sir,” Data replied. He nodded politely and walked away.

Picard turned back to me. “Miss Shimmer, I’d like you to head down to Engineering, work with Commander La Forge. See if the two of you can’t figure out what’s going on, just in case this isn’t simply a holodeck issue.”

“Aye, sir,” I replied in a clipped tone.

“Good. Now if you’ll excuse me,” Picard replied, tapping at his chin, “I need to head to sickbay.”

As the Captain walked away, I headed down the opposite path towards the nearest turbolift. Smith stayed in lockstep with me, letting out a sigh of relief. “Ah swear, every time Ah’m face to face with him Ah feel like Ah’m gonna have a heart attack.”

I smirked. “That’s because you’re way too jumpy. Relax. Captain Picard’s not that scary.”

“Speak for yourself,” Smith muttered.

Of course, once I got to Engineering, La Forge and I swiftly discovered there was far more to this than a mere holodeck issue. The whole ship was becoming intelligent, all so it could produce some sort of offspring. It took several more days before we got the ship back under control, and once we did both the thing it created and its own intelligence vanished as if they’d never been there at all.

I did my best to put that incident out of my mind, chalking it up to yet another bizarre aspect of serving aboard the Federation’s flagship. Everything returned to normal, more or less, outside of some drama involving a Bajoran lieutenant I’d never heard of and, supposedly, Captain Picard wandering around in his bathrobe muttering about the date.

Sometimes I wondered why none of the other Starfleet ships seem to attract these sorts of strange events. At least, judging by Starfleet’s internal reports, they rarely seem to have any. And when they do, half the time it’s the Enterprise who comes barrelling in to save them.

Eventually, one night found me in my quarters with Smith, having a nice dinner together, complete with glasses of wine. Synthehol wine, not the real stuff. I insisted. “You know,” Smith said as she clinked her glass against mine, then took a sip. “Tonight’s pretty special.”

“Yeah?” I said as I took a generous drink of my own wine. “Wait, don’t tell me. It’s your Granny’s birthday.”

She gave me a flat look. “Ah think you know what Ah’m talkin’ about.”

Ooh dear. Like always when this subject came up, goosebumps ran up and down my skin. “We’ve been together a while,” I provided.

“Eeyup,” Smith said with a smile. “Pretty sure it’s been a year to the day. Ah know it hardly feels like it some days, but it’s really been that long.”

In an attempt to hide my growing sense of panic, I took another drink of wine. “R-right. Well, you know, time flies when you’re… having… fun?”

She stared at me for a moment, then sighed and set down her glass. “Sunset, Ah get the joke, but Ah’m bein’ serious. We’ve been together a long time. That means somethin’ to me.”

Oh no. Ooooh no. “Means something?” I questioned, my voice starting to shake.

She reached out to take my forehoof between her hands. “Sunset, Ah… Ah’ve been wantin’ to say this for a while, so Ah’m finally gonna say it. Ah love you.”

And there it was. The three words I’d been dreading. Ever since I realized the mistake I’d made. I knew this was going to happen sooner or later. But, like an idiot, I’d ignored it. I pushed away the problem; acted like I could always tell her tomorrow, or the next day, or the next day. And then I never said anything and led her on, like an ass.

While I was busy thinking to myself, she dropped my forehoof on the table and scooted her chair back. Her eyes filled up with hurt. “You… you don’t love me back, do you?”

Shit. I sighed, bowed my head, and decided to get it over with. “No. I don’t. Not, not romantically.”

She let out a quiet whimper as she stood up from her chair, backing up further towards the door. “Ah… oh my god. Ah’m such a fool.”

“No, Alma, wait, please!” I said, shooting up from my chair. “I didn’t mean to–I should’ve… I’m sorry!”

Smith turned back from the door and glared at me with tears dripping from her eyes.“You’re sorry?” she snarled. “Sorry ain’t gonna cut it! You’ve been usin’ me! Ah thought we had somethin’ special, Sunset!”

“I know. I know! I should’ve… damn it, Alma, I didn’t mean to mislead you.” I kicked my chair with my right rear leg, knocking it to the floor. “I tried to tell you.” I growled. “That’s,” I hesitated, “that’s why I kept saying we had a lot of fun. I… I thought you’d get the idea,” I meekly added.

She sneered. “Thought Ah’d get the idea? Why didn’t you just say somethin’?! It ain’t like we don’t talk about all kinds of other things!”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered as tears came to my eyes. “I never meant to hurt you.”

She continued to glare for several moments before her glare eased. “...Ah can see that.” She came back over from around the table, reached down, and gave me a hug. “Ah know you pretty well by now, Sunset. Ah should’ve realized you weren’t interested in nothin’ serious.”

“You don’t have to hold me,” I said, half-heartedly pulling away from her, to no avail. “I’m the one who acted like a jerk.”

“No. It weren’t just you, sugarcube.” She released her hug, and pulled me over to sit down on the couch. “Ah should’ve said somethin’ too. Ah’m, Ah’m not big on casual datin’. When Ah’m interested in someone, it’s ‘cause Ah think there’s a chance of makin’ a life together with them. And Ah should’ve told you that before we started this.”

Now I was the one giving her a hug. “You really thought that about me, huh?”

Smith shrugged, her cheeks blooming red. “Well, yeah. Ah don’t have to tell you why. Ah think you know why by now.” She gently pushed me away. “Well, Ah think that’s enough of that. Ah think it’d be best if we stopped sharing’ quarters too.”

“Yeah. Definitely.” I gulped, then looked up at her. “I really am sorry.”

She nodded. “Ah know. Ah am too. But it’s gonna take me a while before Ah’m ready to be your friend again, Sunset. Whether you meant to hurt me or not, you did.”

“That’s fair,” I whispered. I stood up from the couch, sniffling as moisture ran down my face. “I’ll… I’ll go put in the request with the quartermaster.”

“You do that.”

I retreated immediately to my bedroom side of our shared quarters, opting to use the terminal in there rather than the one at my desk. Mercifully, the quartermaster responded immediately, and said it’d be done by the end of our next shift. So after sitting in silence for a few moments, just to try and deal with the overwhelming emotions, I went to tell Smith.

“Ah already heard,” she said by way of reply. “Ah’ve been assigned new quarters. They’re in the saucer section this time. Ah’m… Ah’m gonna go move my stuff.”

“...do you need help?”

She shook her head. “Ah’d rather you not.”

Nodding in sorrow-filled understanding, I backed away and retreated back into my bedroom, this time locking the door. I collapsed onto my bed, and only then did I let myself shed the tears I’d built up. I cursed myself out, using as many inventive profanities as I could think of. Then I asked the computer if Smith was gone, and she was.

So I returned to my bed once more, and this time pulled out my PADD. “Computer, begin recorded message. Dear Twilight…”

The rest of Sunset’s message played out on my terminal, “...and now she’s left. I’m such an idiot, Twilight. You ever get together with someone, learn from my mistakes. Ask them what they want out of the relationship, versus what you want. Don’t mislead each other for a year. Trust me, you’ll only hurt yourself if you do that.”

“Wow,” Maia commented after the message ended. “She’s an idiot.”

I scowled. “Don’t be a jerk,” I said, though she did have a point. Sunset was usually a lot smarter than how she acted with Smith. Okay, so Smith was her first girlfriend and neither of us had bothered with high school romances. Not that many humans, or others, found us that interesting, and vice versa. Granted, I wasn’t interested. At least not now, not when I had too many other things to worry about.

But even if I wasn’t, I knew my sister was. She and Smith had been together for a year before things broke apart. That… well, I wish I was there on the Enterprise to give her a hug.

So, ignoring Maia’s snort of disapproval, I moved over to my terminal and began recording a message. As the video feed began, I made sure to put a concerned, apologetic look on my face. “Hey, sis. I’m so sorry to hear about you and Smith. I know you two were pretty close, and I’d be giving you plenty of hugs if I was there.”

Maia leaned in, shoving me over. “You’re an idiot and you should’ve been open with her from the beginning!”

“Maia!” I shrieked, wrapping her up in my magic and hurtling her over to her side. “I’m sorry about that, Sunset. Maia doesn’t know when to butt out.” I fired off a glare Maia’s way, my horn igniting in a threatening show of light.

Maia’s teeth pulled back in a savage grin. “Oh? You want to do this here?”

“Grrr…” After another moment of glaring, I doused my horn and refocused my gaze onto my terminal. “Anyway, Sunset, I’m here for you. I know it takes a good week or two for our messages to reach each other, since the Enterprise is on the far side of the Federation right now. But if you need to hear from me, reach out to me. Oh, um, while I’m at it… thanks for letting me know what happened with Wesley. I’m glad he found a way to be happy. He never really was happy with Starfleet.”

I cast a brief look over at Maia, in case she wanted to interrupt again, but Maia had returned to studying. “We’re finishing up our last week at the Academy for our first year. I’m pretty excited. And not just for the month of mixed leave time and optional summer classes. I know I’ll be taking at least one or two of those. But I’m excited because I’m ready to move on from the basics. There’s a chance for an internship at the Sol observatory on Mercury late in the second year. It’s just three weeks, but I’m going to apply. I hope I get it. It sounds like a lot of fun. If a little dangerous. Even with proper shielding they’ll still have to load us up with preventative shots of hyronalin, since Sol’s entering its most active year in its eleven year cycle.”

“Egghead,” Maia taunted, without bothering to look my way.

Rolling my eyes, as by now I’d long since become immune to that particular taunt from her, I continued, “Anyhow, I hope you’re doing okay, the business with Smith aside. I know you’ve been impressing Commander La Forge a lot with your work. Maybe if I’m lucky, I’ll get posted to the Enterprise in a few years too and we can work together then.

“I’ll also pass along the news to Mother and Mom. They’ll be sad to hear it, especially Mom. I think she was rooting for you and Smith to be together for a long time. But, then again, you know Mom. She’ll probably do that with whomever either of us get together with. You take care now, sis. Love you. End recorded message.”

Once it ended, I briefly considered editing it to remove Maia’s intervention, but I decided to leave it in. Knowing my sister, Sunset would think it was hilarious. So I put in the request for it to be sent off with the morning’s com traffic, and went back to studying for my final exams, which were now less than a week away.

Although I’d had finals in every term for every class thus far, this was the end of year finals, thus the Academy wanted us to take extra time and revisit our older subjects, to keep our knowledge fresh. Refresher courses would be available for second, third, and fourth year cadets going down specific career paths. I made a special note of the few I’d need.

As the finals grew closer, I grew far more nervous. The anxiety pulled at me to the point I’d doubt every bit of information I thought I knew. I was honestly grateful to Maia. She’d know exactly when, and how, when I needed a distraction which helped me check out of my worries and ensured that I stayed physically, and mentally, healthy. I was surprised at how good close we became, especially given where things began.

Still, as good of a friend as Maia was, I question whether she actually understands the concept of friendship. Kinda.. But, with fun fight after fun fight for her, I do think she’s learning… not that I would actually know any better. I am glad, though, that she’d decided that she was fond of me and the constant fights have paid off. I even came close to beating her once, in one of our latest practices. She was probably toying me that day, she loves to do that, but I’ll forever ignore that little tidbit.

Then test day arrived. My first involved a mixture of temporal mechanics and basic warp theory. Easy peasy. I aced that without even trying. Then I aced the next one, and the one after that. When it came to T’Lona and Amina’s subjects, I found myself trembling, quadruple checking every answer. If I even came close to missing a single answer on these exams I feared they’d have my hide.

By the end of the week, when all the exams were over, I found out I’d had a near perfect score with every exam. The exam I actually faltered on was the exam on Starfleet rules and regulations, and that was because the professor strongly disagreed with my essay response to the purpose of the Prime Directive.

But I put that all out of my head, too excited to care. The next week saw us cadets dismissed for some proper leave time, save for those required to stay behind to take remedial courses in subjects they’d failed. I made sure to put in my request for a couple of optional electives over the summer, and then made my way up to Vancouver.

Vancouver in the summertime wasn’t all that different from San Francisco. It was the dry season for the Pacific Northwest, so the sun regularly shined which meant the heat soared, as did my mood. I pranced my way down the street from the mag-lev station till I arrived at home, happy to be back.

Inside I found T’Lona and Amina waiting for me, ready with a small celebration. “I hope you realize we graded you extra harshly,” Amina said as she handed me a plate of Mom’s famous chocolate cake. “We had to, in order to avoid a conflict of interest.”

“I know, Mom,” I said as I popped a piece of cake into my mouth, savoring the sweet flavor. “You only warned me about six or seven times.”

“I believe it was closer to nine,” T’Lona interjected, with that small quirk to one corner of her mouth. “I was quite satisfied with your results. Are you certain you do not wish to change subjects? You would be an excellent xenobiologist.”

“Oh no, you’re not taking my favorite student away from me now,” Amina said as she wrapped both arms around me. “I’ve got three higher levels of classes to teach her in and I aim to do it.”

I giggled and snuggled into Amina’s embrace. “Sorry, Mother, but you know why I’m interested in solar science.”

“Indeed.” T’Lona took a small sip from a cup of tea. “Has there been any news from Sunset?”

That dampened my mood. “Oh, um, yeah actually. Sunset… well… she broke up with Smith.”

“Oh no!” Amina gasped, her mouth twisted into a sorrowful frown. “But they were so good together!”

“Uh, yeah, about that…”

As I gave them the details, I saw T’Lona’s eyebrows rise ever so slightly, while Amina’s frown switched to one of disappointment and more than a little anger. “I thought I taught her better than that,” Amina growled. “Damnit, communication matters.”

T’Lona reached out to set a hand on Amina’s shoulder. “I am displeased with Sunset’s actions as well, but she is still learning.”

“Even so, I think I’m going to go give her a piece of my mind about this,” Amina vowed. She gave me a quick apologetic smile. “Sorry, honey, but… excuse me.”

As Amina ran up the stairs to her office, I exchanged a look with T’Lona. “Oh dear,” I murmured.

“Indeed.”

Author's Note

So we see yet another year pass in story, with a lot of episode references in Sunset's parts. She refers to or is involved in the events of Descent, Interface, Gambit Parts 1 and 2, Phantasms, Force of Nature, Parallels, Genesis, Journey's End, Emergence, Preemptive Strike, and All Good Things...

I realize that thus far Sunset's involvement in events has been minimal. But this is no Mary Sue Isekai story. I felt it better to take a realistic approach, and realistically, Sunset's just another junior officer aboard ship.

That said, we'll be seeing her heavily involved in one particular upcoming event, which is to say the events of Star Trek: Generations. There's multiple good reasons for it, and for any who are worried: this will be the only time this ever happens. But it does happen for a reason, trust me.

Meanwhile, Twilight's first year at the Academy finishes out. Been pretty rough for the poor girl, but at least she's making friends, and is growing up. She's becoming more and more like the confident mare we see in the latter half of MLP now.

Season 2 Mini-Episode 6: "Doctor/Patient Confidentiality”

Author's Note

Hey, quick surprise! The AN is on top since we finally have a character sheet for Phoenix. Also, for those who don't know about Selar, she is a canon character, and her background here comes from beta canon. See blog entry for details . Hope you enjoy, and see you next week!

Season 2 Mini-Episode 6: "Doctor/Patient Confidentiality”

STAR TREK: PHOENIX

S02ME06

“Doctor/Patient Confidentiality”

Doctor Selar was many things. A Vulcan. A medical doctor. An expert in rare diseases and autopsy. The first doctor anywhere to study the Equestrian pony species.

What Doctor Selar was not, was overly emotional. Unlike some Vulcans that she would never name publicly, she fully embraced the teachings of Surak, and ruthlessly crushed any of her emotions under the boot heel of unyielding logic. Whenever she thought she might be upset, frustrated, or dissatisfied, she thoroughly buried those emotions.

Thus, it was not irritation that colored the tone of her voice as she examined Counselor Belle Hendricks. It was not disdain that guided her hands and equipment in ways rougher than strictly necessary. It was not scorn that contorted her face into an ever so slight frown.

No, regardless of the… distastefully emotional way in which Hendricks carried herself, Selar would not succumb to any such deviant thoughts.

“So, doc, how’s my heart ticking?” Hendricks said, her mouth crinkled with a smile. She sat on a biobed tucked away in one of the many corners of Sickbay, her flowing gown blasting Selar's eyes with its inappropriately bright colors. She'd changed the color of her hair again, this time to a florid pink that clashed horribly with the dress. Even the perfume she was wearing stung Selar's nose with its obnoxiously strong floral scent. Altogether, it was as if Hendricks deliberately set out to assault Selar's senses.

But Selar shoved any emotional reaction--anger what kind of Vulcan is she--aside and brought up her hand sensor, running it over Hendricks' chest. "Your heart is functioning as precisely as it should given your age."

"So, stone cold and frozen, hmm?" Hendricks said, her grin taking on an edge of mockery. "Too bad. I thought I still had some emotions left in me."

Selar refused to rise to the bait. "The rest of your organs are also functioning satisfactorily, though I am showing slightly elevated cholesterol levels. You should alter your diet to lower them."

"Noted," Hendricks replied, chuckling under her breath. "Oh come on, Selar, I know as well as you do you’ve got to be feeling something underneath that cold-hearted exterior. Come on. Let it out. Be mad, sad, glad, something!”

Selar paused for a moment as she warred internally with her self-control. A deep, primitive part of her desired very much to give in to Hendrick’s banter, to show this, this faker what it meant to be a true Vulcan. But she managed, with some effort, to shove that back down. Outwardly she showed no sign of her hesitation. “Feeling and expressing emotions the way you do is not logical.” She slapped her sensor back into her tricorder and folded it up. “Or healthy.”

“Not healthy?” Hendricks burst out laughing. “Not healthy? You do know you’re speaking to the ship’s counselor, right? I was treating psychological issues in patients from dozens of races while your parents were enrolling you in logic kindergarten on Vulcan.”

“At least I was raised on Vulcan,” Selar retorted, immediately cursing the lapse of her self-control.

“Aha!” Hendricks pointed right at Selar. “I knew it. I knew I could get something out of you.”

Selar bowed her head a moment, refocusing her thoughts, before rising to stare directly into Hendrick’s eyes. “With respect, Counselor, I do not understand what you hope to achieve by goading me. It strikes me as unprofessional, especially coming from a therapist.”

“Maybe so,” Hendricks allowed, dropping her hand to her side. “But can you blame me? I don’t get to see a lot of Vulcans in my line of work. T’Lona, at least, she admits to her emotions.”

T’Lona. A name that so often rang through Selar’s head, usually as a curse of aggravation. It was thanks to her that Selar's career had been defined by, and now seemed inextricably linked, to the Equestrian ponies. Selar never saw Sunset or her sister after their first few examinations, yet despite her best efforts Selar spent nearly all of the next six years researching these two beings, from how their bodies functioned to how their unique powers worked. When Dr. Crusher contacted her with an offer to join her medical team on the Enterprise-D, Selar had never been more thankful for a reassignment in her life..

Only for the ponies to show up once again in her life when Sunset Shimmer was posted to the ship. In a fit of what surely was logic and not pique, Selar managed to arrange her duty shifts and all of her assignments so as to avoid ever seeing Sunset during the two years she was aboard the ship. Selar’s pon farr came upon her, prompting her to return to Vulcan with her husband just before the battle at Veridian III, and in retrospect she was very pleased that she didn’t have to thank Shimmer for saving her life like so many others did.

Or she would have been, had her husband not suffered a fatal heart attack during their coupling. She blamed herself… The added frustration and stress from dealing with the Equestrians had in one way or another heightened her pon farr to the point she effectively exhausted him to death.

She took a leave of absence from Starfleet after that, and ignored all offers, including the Excalibur. She buried herself in logic, even beginning the pursuit of the ultimate expression of logic, Kohlinar. but eventually, the desire to travel the stars again overcame her regrets. While colder and harsher than most Vulcans, Selar nevertheless decided to return to Starfleet, and took the first posting offered, the Phoenix.

Had she known who the first officer was, she’d have fled to the most isolated, darkest temple on Vulcan and remained there for the rest of her life.

But now she was stuck with her position. In wartime, Starfleet stopped giving its officers the ability to choose their postings. They went where Starfleet ordered them, and Selar was no different. And while she could always resign, she knew that would not only be giving into the very emotions she so despised, it would also be the height of foolishness. The Dominion was as much a threat to Vulcan as the rest of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. Better she be here to help heal those wounded in battle, than hiding away in a temple.

Still, that wouldn’t stop her from obtaining satisfaction where she could. Perhaps she should return the favor to Hendricks. “One other question,” she said, unfolding her tricorder and bringing out the hand sensor again. “Tell me: how long has it been?”

“Since what?” Hendricks’s eyes twinkled.

Selar arched a single eyebrow. “You know of what I speak.”

“Nope,” Hendricks replied, crossing her arms. “Can’t say I do. You’d better be more specific, doc.”

Selar’s lip curled ever so slightly downward. “Your cycle.”

“Cycle?” Hendricks raised a hand to her chin and scratched it for a moment, then snapped her fingers. “Oh, you mean my pon farr, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Selar all but hissed as her eyes darted about. Fortunately, no one else in Sickbay was within hearing distance. She already regretted bringing this subject up; of course Hendricks wouldn’t understand the need for propriety in such sensitive matters.

“Funny, I’d think you of all Vulcans would understand how improper it is to even ask one about such a thing,” Hendricks said, smirking.

Selar nodded, conceding to Hendricks' logic. “You are correct. However, as a Vulcan doctor, given your personal history it seemed logical to investigate.”

“Because I've lived on Earth my whole life, you mean.” Hendricks deflated, all amusement fading away. "You're not wrong, Selar. It's… frustrating at times. Especially when I don't have a spouse."

Selar waited patiently, but when no further details came she submitted to further prodding. “But you have found solutions.”

“Yesssss… though not ones you would approve of, I’m sure.” Hendricks faced away from Selar, but she couldn’t hide from Selar’s tricorder, which showed elevated levels of adrenaline. Embarrassment. “They work for me, they’re legal, and they don’t cause lasting harm. Let’s leave it at that.”

“And is it something you can manage aboard the Phoenix?”

Hendricks spent several long moments quiet as she seemed to close in on herself, like a child trying to hide in plain sight from an upset parent. “...probably not,” she whispered.

Any satisfaction Selar might have felt at turning the tables on Hendricks faded away, replaced by her medical professionalism. “...will this be a problem?”

Hendricks sat up straight, and when she turned back her face was impassive, cold, exactly as any Vulcan’s should be. “Yes.”

“When?”

“My cycle is very regular… two, maybe three months at most.”

Selar nodded. “And you did not consider this when accepting this assignment?”

Hendricks’ lips thinned, but she showed no other sign of emotional response. “I did. I considered it worth the risk.”

“Because of your… methods.”

“Yes.” A pause. “I didn’t anticipate how much harder it would be to… implement them.”

Selar arched one eyebrow. “I fail to understand, but I do not need to. We have alternative treatments we can look into.”

“If you’re about to suggest I go screw a hologram, it doesn’t work for me,” Hendricks replied, though despite her words her face remained impassive. “I need to know they’re real.”

Selar's other eyebrow didn't so much rise as it twitched. She tamped down any feelings of revulsion in favor of the medically appropriate response, “The alternate techniques I speak of involve deep meditation.”

A small smile briefly appeared on Hendricks’ face. “Of course they do.” The smile vanished. “I’ll figure it out, Doctor. Thank you. And for what it’s worth, I apologize for trying to get under your skin. Is there anything else you need from me?”

Selar shook her head. “No.”

“Then excuse me.” Hendricks hopped off the biobed and departed without another word.

Before Selar could even fold her tricorder, the doors swished open again, bringing with it the sounds of pained laughter, groans, and plenty of raucous voices. Her keen Vulcan ears instantly recognized most of the voices, and she immediately recited a few meditative techniques to herself to stay calm.

“Owww…” Ensign Sparkle moaned as she was carefully carried in, floating in the yellow aura of Commander Shimmer’s magic. Welts and bruises covered most of her exposed skin, and one of her legs was bent in a way it should not be. A pained giggle escaped her lips. “I still say you cheated, Maia.”

Ensign Maia stumbled in next, clinging to Lieutenant Cadeneza for support. Like Sparkle, her body was covered in bruises, welts, and several large burns, including one on her cheek. “I told you I was letting you win before,” she shot back with a grin. “It’s not my fault you made me prove it.”

“By breaking my leg?!”

“I thought it was hilarious,” said a short stranger with aqua and purple hair following them in. Two others, one with dark and light blue hair and the other with a gigantic puff of orange hair walked in behind her. It took Selar a moment to realize these were the Sirens. Selar forced herself to focus on the fact that protocol dictated she perform an initial examination of all three of them, rather than the fact that even more Equestrians had intruded upon her life.

The one with blue hair, whom Selar remembered was named Sonata Dusk, let out a loud guffaw. “It was sooo loud! Snap! Ah, music to the ears.”

“I admit, it was an excellent fight,” said the third siren, their leader if Selar remembered correctly. “Seeing a human take down a pony who was free to use magic… it was quite a treat.”

“But my leg…” Twilight whined, still hovering in the air like a ragdoll.

Lieutenant Cadeneza hauled Maia up to one biobed and promptly let her sit down on it. “Hey, she’s right. An equine with a broken leg…” She clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Might have to put her down.”

“Oh haha, very funny,” Sparkle shot back with a flat look, her words dripping with the kind of sarcasm that Selar loathed. “Can you get me on a bed already?”

Selar’s self-control twitched by a miniscule amount as she surveyed them, her tricorder at the ready. “What precisely happened, Commander?”

“Sorry, Doctor,” said Shimmer as she floated Sparkle over to the nearest biobed. “They were sparring in the holodeck, and things got a little… heated.”

“Heated?” Cadeneza snorted with laughter. “Eight rounds. They went eight. Rounds. It was crazy. They just wouldn’t stop.”

“Curious,” Selar commented as she brought her medical scanner over to Sparkle first. “My understanding is the two of you usually have more restraint.”

“I… had a lot of steam to blow off,” Sparkle muttered. “And my leg hurts like hell. Did I mention that? Because it’s broken.”

“Least you’re handling the pain a lot better than you used to,” Maia said, her smile partially ruined by a couple of missing teeth, which Selar quietly noted she’d have to regrow. “Remember our first fight?”

“Oh don’t even start about that,” Sparkle groaned. “Doctor, not to be rude, but do you mind putting that tricorder down and giving me something for the pain before I start screaming?!”

Selar nodded, picking up a hypospray. “This will help numb some of the pain while I perform my examination,” she said, pressing it to Sparkle’s shoulder and thumbing the activation button.

Sparkle let out an almost instant sight of relief as she collapsed onto the bed like a sack of plomeek roots. “That’s better,” she murmured, blowing a few relieved horse noises with her lips.

Selar continued to run her scanner over Sparkle. “You have numerous contusions, abrasions, and several small lacerations, in addition to the snapped cannon bone. Fortunately, the analgesic I administered will not interfere with the bone-knitter or the dermal regenerator, but you will have to remain still for some time.”

She engaged the automatic equipment to perform Sparkle’s treatment while she moved on to examine Maia, swiftly passing her scanner over the injured ensign. “Multiple fractures of the ribs, contusions, and first to second degree burns over five percent of your body. Dermal regeneration should be sufficient. You may take this for the pain.” She swapped vials then injected Maia right in the carotid artery, perfectly placed as always. Selar took satisfaction in never missing her mark with hyposprays.

“Thank you, doctor,” Maia mumbled, her limbs falling limp like wet noodles as Selar treated the rest of her wounds. Between the additional burns and the missing teeth, it took Selar just shy of an hour to treat Maia. Selar took it as a small mercy from the hands of fate that both Maia and Sparkle stayed quiet and still while she worked, leaving only idle chatter among the others to contend with.

Finally finished, she helped Maia sit up on the biobed. “I’m tired. Do you need me here, or can I return to my quarters?”

Selar shook her head. “You are dismissed. Please avoid any strenuous activity.”

“Mind if I tag along?” asked one of the sirens, Aria Blaze was her name, a small smirk on her face. “You’re from a pretty tough place, and I want to hear some stories about it.”

Maia considered that for a moment. “Alright,” she said with a shrug.

“I’m afraid I have to disagree,” Selar interjected. “We have yet to perform a physical examination of our guests, to ensure their health. They may as well do so while they are here.”

“Sorry. Another time perhaps,” Maia said, leaving before anyone could respond.

“Doctors? Feh.” The sirens’ leader, Adagio Dazzle, sneered at her, radiating a flood of something that caused Selar’s latent touch telepathy to tingle as if she’d attempted a mind meld with an electric eel. “We’ve lived without doctors for centuries.”

“Perhaps so,” Selar said with a brief nod. “But Federation protocol dictates that all guests staying on a starship for an extended period must undergo a cursory examination. In addition, it would be prudent for you to take advantage of our medicine regardless. If you were to be injured, we would not understand how to treat you without understanding how your body functions.”

“And I wanted to be here for that anyway,” added Cadeneza. She jabbed a thumb into her chest. “I’m a doctor too, of xenobiology. Studying alien races and species is my raison d'etre.”

“Just as a warning,” said Sparkle, her words coated in syrupy sweetness, “her idea of studying usually involves the bedroom and copious amounts of alcohol.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Hmph.” Dazzle crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine. So long as these… scans aren’t intrusive, we’ll submit to it. And I still expect the alcohol as well.”

Selar frowned. “I will be unable to provide any alcohol, but I do promise the scans are not intrusive.”

“Wow,” said Blaze with a small laugh. “What a stick in the mud.”

“Yeah, a real party pooper,” chimed in Dusk.

Dazzle snorted. “Is this just how you act all the time? They said you were something else… Vul-can?”

“Vulcan,” Selar corrected gently. “And if by ‘stick in the mud’ you mean, I do not regularly display emotion, you would be correct.”

“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that,” Blaze quipped.

Dazzle threw her hands up to let them clap at her sides. “Oh, fine, let’s get this over with.”

“Very well.” Selar gestured to an empty biobed. “Please be seated. This will not take too long.”

Consenting to the request, Dazzle took a seat, allowing Selar to run her tricorder over her, though she cringed away when it neared her head. “Can you turn down the noise on that thing?” Dazzle growled. “It’s...shrill.”

Selar arched an eyebrow, then fiddled with the tricorder, adjusting the sonic frequencies. “I apologize, as I was unaware those frequencies would bother you. Is this better?”

Dazzle sighed and nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

Cadeneza brought out a PADD and scribbled down some notes with a stylus. “Sensitive ears… hmm…”

Cautiously, lest she upset the siren again, Selar ran her sensor over Dazzle’s ears and around her head. “Your ears are quite fascinating,” she commented. “I take it they are similar to your original form.”

“Almost identical, actually,” Dazzle said as she glanced at her fingernails.

“May I ask how your forms shifted?” Selar said her scanner switched to internal scans, building up images of the brain and nervous system. “When Commander Shimmer first explained you to us, she said your forms were very different.”

“Ugh, we already answered this at that boring as hell briefing,” Blaze groaned.

“Seriously, I don’t wanna go over it again,” added Dusk.

Dazzle’s lips spread, showing her teeth in an angry growl before she turned to Selar. “If you’ll pardon my idiotic sisters… in short, we changed ourselves on purpose to try and imitate the species we lived among on our first world. But we could only change so much.”

Selar nodded in understanding as her scan moved to Dazzle’s lower body. “Hence the eyes, teeth, ears, and tail. Are these changes permanent?”

“Yes,” Dazzle admitted with a shrug. “Maybe at some point in the past they could’ve been reversed, but we’ve been like this for so long, we’re stuck this way.”

“It’s not so bad,” Dusk added, glancing down at herself. “Sometimes I still can’t get over how jiggly these are!” She raised a pair of fingers and pointed them at her chest, rearing back to poke.

Blaze’s hand snapped out like a predator to take hold of Dusk. “Seriously, Sonata? Even I know that’s rude.”

Repressing a sigh, Selar switched settings on her tricorder again, and ran the scanner along Dazzle’s body one more time. “Your magic has a different signature to that of Commander Shimmer and Ensign Sparkle. It is quite… hmm.”

“What?” Dazzle grunted.

Selar frowned. “While I was examining Ensign Sparkle, I discovered a different magical signature on her. One that matches yours.”

“Mine?”

Taking a moment, Selar turned and briefly scanned the other two Sirens. “In fact, it matches all three of you.”

Blaze rolled her eyes. “Oh, right. That. Remember, Sonata?”

“Oooh, ooh, yeah!” bubbled Dusk. “I uh, I might’ve sung for them a bit. To cheer them on.”

“Sung,” Selar said flatly. “To what end?”

“Doctor, I saw the whole thing," Sunset interjected. "Their singing is their magic. Trust me, nothing weird was going on."

“We were just happy to have a healthy dose of negativity to soak up,” said Blaze.

“And while it might be… entertaining to manipulate minds,” Dazzle added with a disdainful smile, “we’re no fools. We’re not here to abuse your hospitality.”

Selar took a long moment to digest that before nodding in acknowledgement. “Very well. I am finished with my examination of you, Miss Dazzle. I would like to scan Miss Blaze next.”

The examinations of Blaze and Dusk proceeded with little fanfare, with Selar asking a few other basic questions about their diets and sleeping patterns. Once finished, she went over to check the instruments working on Sparkle and nodded in satisfaction. “We are done here. You are all free to go.”

“Ugh, thank goodness,” murmured Sparkle as she started to amble off her bed.

“Here, lemme help you Sparkie,” Cadeneza said, reaching out with a hand.

“Oh, thanks,” Sparkle murmured as she allowed Cadeneza to take her hoof.

Slowly, Cadeneza lowered Sparkle’s hoof to the floor, and went to do the same with the next, only to suddenly cry out and stiffen as Sparkle brushed her side.

Selar was upon her in an instant. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” Cadeneza growled, waving her off. “Just… aggravated one of my injuries from earlier. It’s fine.”

“Odd,” Selar commented as she brought up her tricorder, ignoring Cadeneza’s disdainful look. “Your wounds should be entirely healed.” She ran it up and down Cadeneza swiftly, cocked her head at the results, then tapped a hand on an empty biobed. “I am detecting a new injury. We should examine it.”

“H-huh?” Cadeneza protested, swallowing noisily. “N-no there isn’t. You’re wrong.”

And she was not the only one. Selar’s keen ears caught the sound of Shimmer whinnying quietly under her breath in distress, a sound she knew the pony only made when she was afraid. Afraid of what?

Selar resolved to press the matter. “I apologize, but it is an order, Lieutenant. Allow me to examine you.”

“...tch. Fine.” Cadeneza leaned against the biobed. “Just… make it quick.”

Sparkle finished getting off the biobed and stretched her limbs. “Yeah I think I’m not gonna watch this,” she muttered as she trotted over to hide behind Shimmer.

Had Selar been one to emote, she would’ve rolled her eyes at such a display. As it was, she moved over to locate the seam in Cadeneza’s uniform, pulling the pants down with one hand while holding her tricorder with the other, just enough to expose her hip and the top of her rear. “It appears to be a deep contusion. Very deep. Almost as if you were…” Selar found herself trailed off, uncharacteristically forced silent at what she uncovered.

It was a contusion alright. Gleaming, glistening almost, black and blue.

In the exact shape of a hoofprint.

The three sirens burst into immediate laughter at the sight. “Wow. That’s hilarious,” Aria said between low chuckles.

“Looks like she’s been branded!” Sonata giggled.

“Nice tattoo,” Adagio added, shoving a hand into her mouth as she doubled over with her belly-shaking laughter.

“What are you laughing abou--oh my god!” Sparkle snapped, glaring directly at Shimmer. “Seriously? Again?! When did you even have time to do that?”

“W-w-wait a minute,” Shimmer stammered. “It’s n-not what it looks like. We didn’t–”

“No, you know what? Forget it,” Sparkle interrupted, holding up a hoof. “I don’t want to hear it. I don’t. This is not what I needed to see! Bad enough I smelled it the other day…”

Cadeneza whirled on Sparkle. “Hey, I thought you said it didn’t bother you, Sparkie.”

“Yeah, in the abstract!” Sparkle retorted. “It’s a bit different seeing my sister’s hoof print on your ass. I don’t need to see that. No one needs to see that!”

Selar took a step back from the bio bed as Cadeneza shot up, pulling her pants back up. Every bit of exposed skin steamed red, her adrenaline readings spiking rapidly on Selar’s tricorder. “Shut up, Sparkie! You don’t know anything,” she grunted. “Like Sunny said, it’s not what it looks like, okay?”

“Oh really,” Sparkle asked flatly. “Then what is it?”

Shimmer sighed. “When we finished eating, Twi, I went to Sickbay to check on Ja...er, Lieutenant Cadeneza. I escorted her back to her quarters. I didn’t stay for long, but before I left, she made some random comment about my wings.”

“Her feathers were kind of a mess. Like bedhead but with feathers instead of hair,” Cadeneza added with a shrug. “So I offered to help her fix ‘em.”

Sparkle blinked. “So… you helped preen Sunset’s wings.”

“Yes. And that was all.” Cadeneza glared back. “See? I told you. Not like you thought.”

“Logical,” Selar commented, tapping a finger to her chin. “But how did you get the bruise?”

“Oh, that was my fault,” Shimmer said, her face aglow with a blush. “I was standing on the couch so she could reach me, and she kinda sorta accidentally touched the base of my wings the wrong way, so my back leg… lashed out.”

Cadeneza rubbed her hip, wincing. “Yeah, sent me straight into the wall.”

“I said I was sorry!” Shimmer blurted.

“Hey I know, Sunny, I forgive you. Not a big deal.” Cadeneza sighed and looked right at Sparkle. “That’s all it was, Sparkie.”

Sparkle cringed, her muzzle contorting in what looked like disgust to Selar’s eyes. “Okay, okay, fine. But I still don’t want to picture that. Preening… getting that oily stuff in your mouth. Ugh, so gross.”

“I dunno, sounds pretty good to me,” Blaze countered with a smirk aimed Cadeneza’s way.

“Maybe you were onto something when you suggested she was branded,” Dazzle added, nudging Dusk in the shoulder.

Dusk simply giggled and snorted.

Cadeneza and Shimmer both shared a look. “Uh, okay then,” Cadeneza said. “Look, just don’t tell anyone, okay?”

“Seriously,” Shimmer added. “It’s embarrassing enough. We don’t want to give people the wrong impression.”

“Oh, if you insist,” Dazzle said, rolling her expressive eyes. “I suppose I can understand one wanting privacy. Pony.”

“Do we have to?” Dusk said, holding up her hands to her chin as she stared at Dazzle with misty eyes.

“Yes. Fool,” Blaze barked.

“Aww…”

“Thank you,” Shimmer said, though Selar heard the slight growl undercutting Shimmer’s voice.

“I will, of course, respect doctor-patient confidentiality,” Selar said with an agreeable nod.

Shimmer looked over at Sparkle, who pointedly rolled her eyes and flashed her a grin. “Oh come on, sis. You really think I’m going to blab about this?”

“...no.” Shimmer stiffened. “I just… don’t want it to come between us.”

Sparkle waved a hoof, beckoning Shimmer to come closer to her. Once Shimmer did so, Sparkle set her hoof on Shimmer’s shoulder. “It won’t,” she declared, her words falling into place like an avalanche of stones. “I promise.”

Shimmer visibly wilted, letting out a breath Selar hadn’t realized she was holding. “That’s good to hear. I was a little afraid I’d just…”

“What? Messed up? Nah.” Sparkle patted her sister on the shoulder then withdrew her hoof. “I’m sorry I overreacted. Forgive me?”

Shimmer beamed back at her. “Sure thing.”

“Well if we’re done with the sappy pony crap,” Blaze grumbled, thrusting her hands onto her hips, “let’s get out of here. I’m wiped.”

“Saaaame,” Dusk said.

After escorting everyone out, Selar was left alone in a quiet Sickbay. “Computer, time?”

“2339.”

Near the ship's midnight, a time Selar preferred for quiet. While any starship had its constant ups and downs no matter what time of day its computers declared it to be, the Phoenix tended towards calm around this time, most likely, in Selar’s opinion, because the Gamma shift was about to start and those working on Gamma shift were not nearly as... eccentric as those on Alpha or Beta shift.

Her own shift would normally be ending in twenty minutes, but not tonight. Tonight her relief, a surly Telleratie who’d followed Selar to the Phoenix from the Enterprise, was sick with some illness that would last several days, requiring Selar and Doctor May to pull extra long shifts on opposing days. Today was her turn for the sixteen hour shift, which made Selar appreciate the quiet all the more.

Thus the sudden burst of noise and boisterous laughter preceding the Sickbay doors swishing open acted fiercely upon Selar’s nerves, forcing her to take a deep breath lest she start to display a loss of control.

“Ah, Doctor, there you are!” boomed Lieutenant Commander Ishihara. The towering woman’s left arm hung limply by her side, the other wrapped around the shoulder of her accomplice, Lieutenant Rodriguez, whose left arm was similarly limp. “I’m afraid we need your help.”

“Yes, please be seeing to us,” Rogriguez added, forcing Selar to repress a slight frown at his manner of speech. Much of the crew found his mannerisms and odd phrasings endearing in some way, but Selar found it… displeasing.

“Very well,” Selar said, gesturing to the nearest pair of biobeds. “Be seated.” She went to collect her medical tricorder and brought out the scanner, starting with Ishihara. “What happened?”

“Rodrigo here cheats at cards,” Ishihara said with a smarmy grin. “And I’d had enough of it, so I called him out on it. He challenged me to some arm wrestling and, well… we were enthusiastic.”

“I see.” Selar’s eyebrows twitched as she ran her scanner over them. “Enthusiasm seems to be contagious this evening.”

“As I was telling you, Ajay, I do not cheat,” Rodriguez said, grinning in turn. He raised a finger to tap his heart. “Spanish luck, nothing more.”

Ishihara snorted. “Spanish luck. Sure. Good thing your piloting is better than your lying, Rodrigo.”

“I speak nothing but the truth, my friend,” Rodriguez replied with a shrug. “It is not my fault if you do not believe me.”

Selar actually breathed a slight sigh when the doors swished open again, the room filling with a thundering shout of “There you are!”

Lieutenant Zhidar stomped into Sickbay, his Antican feet thumping the floor like a herd of stampeding sehlats. Letting loose a laugh of his own he clapped a hand each to Ishihara and Rodriguez’s shoulders, ignoring their winces of pain. “Don’t think I forgot about the deal! Whichever one of you won promised to wrestle the victor between Williams and me.”

“Was there a winner, Rodrigo?” Ishihara inquired.

Rodriguez shook his head. “I do not believe so, Ajay. I believe we both, how do you say… came to a draw?”

“Oh, ridiculous,” Zhidar rumbled, clapping them both on the shoulder once more. “Your contest was superb! Don’t tell me breaking your arm is enough to stop you. On Antica that’s expected from every match.”

“Is it now?” Ishihara said, chuckling to herself. “So where’s Williams then? Please tell me you left our second officer alive.”

“Alive? Yes. Whole?” Zhidar’s grin stretched from ear to ear. “Not a chance.”

Were it not for Selar’s sense of logic and self control, she would be palming her face then, trying to rub away the frustration of dealing with these muscleheads. Where Commander Shimmer dug any of these people up, she didn’t understand, nor did she care to. Instead she tapped her combadge. “Selar to Williams. Commander, are you injured?”

Before her combadge could chirp in response, the doors swished open again, revealing Lieutenant Commander Williams, who, like Rodriguez and Ishihara, had one arm dangling at his side, though it was bleeding for good measure. “Zhidar, you little piece of trash,” he teased as he stumbled inside, a wide smile plastered on his face. “This hurts like a bitch, you know.”

“Commander,” Selar greeted, though privately she wished was somewhere, anywhere else on the ship. Maybe down in the bowels of the ship, a jefferies tube perhaps, or the cargo bays on Deck 28. They seemed suitable enough to escape the madness aboard this ship.

“Ah, Doctor,” Williams replied, nodding to her. He tried to hold up his broken arm only to fail, wincing in pain. “As you can see, yes, I am injured. But it was all in good fun.”

“Strange,” Rodrigo commented. “I am not sure I would use the word fun, considering we are once again here in Sickbay.”

Williams rolled his hands in the air. “I mean fun, so to speak. At least with this lot. I swear, dealing with you three is like serving on a Klingon ship.”

Selar reached for her bone-knitter and brought her tricorder up. “Shall I treat you then, sir?”

“No, no,” Williams said, waving her off. “Ajay and Rodrigo were here first, see to them. I can wait.”

Selar frowned. “Are you certain, sir? Your advanced age–”

“Is meaningless when it comes to this,” Williams interrupted. The look of amusement on his face dimmed considerably. “It’s a broken arm, Doctor, not lung cancer. I’m not so fragile that a broken arm’ll reduce what’s left of my lifespan.”

“As you wish, sir,” Selar replied, returning to Ishihara, who obligingly held out her arm.

Ishihara gritted her teeth even as she let loose another flurry of chuckles. “Damned bone knitter. Always feels like a swarm of bees stinging you. But it was worth it, to try and put Rodrigo in his place.”

“You know I do agree with him, Ajay,” Williams said as he took a seat on a third nearby biobed. “He wasn’t cheating.”

“Uh huh,” Ishihara grunted. “Zhidar, you were playing. Was he cheating?”

“Of course he was cheating,” Zhidar agreed, flashing Rodriguez a toothy grin. “He always cheats.”

“Zhidar, my good man, you know that is not true,” Rodriguez replied with a serene shake of his head. “But I do not blame you for having poor memory. Guarding Boothby’s flower beds for thirty years must have left you severely understimulated.”

Ishihara and Williams broke out laughing as Zhidar fired off a nasty glare Rodriguez’ way. “If you’d like, Rodrigo, I can just break your other arm now and have the good doctor ship you back home to Spain until you recover,” he growled.

Before Selar could intervene, Williams raised his good hand. “Now now, let’s not be too hasty here. We all found our careers circling the drain after the Fletcher.”

“Speak for yourself, sir,” Ishihara said. “I was never on the Fletcher.”

“And you’re lucky you weren’t, Ajay, trust me.”

“Commander, I am finished with your arm,” Selar said. “You will want to rest it for at least a day, light exercise only. Do you need any analgesics?”

Ishihara tested out her freshly repaired arm, curling her fingers one by one, forming a fist, very lightly swinging it through the air. “That’s much better Doc, thanks. And uh, no. I’ll be fine. Better get Rodrigo treated though. Make sure he gets his lollipop afterwards.”

Fortunately Selar had heard enough similar jokes from Commander Riker while serving aboard the Enterprise that she understood what Ishihara was saying. “Very well. Lieutenant, if you would present your arm please?”

As she bustled about fixing the pointless damage these imbeciles had wrought upon themselves, the four of them continued to jibe and make juvenile conversation, displaying the typical sort of military bravado that Selar had heard all too frequently from others of their ilk. As much as she understood people like them were necessary in Starfleet, especially during wartime, it didn’t mean she had to put up with them.

Fortunately she managed to escort them out in a hurry, leaving her Sickbay in blessed silence once again. She began to wonder just then if it wouldn’t have been better to take up that position on the Excalibur after all. Surely Captain Calhoun would never allow the kind of shenanigans that occurred aboard the Phoenix.

Unfortunately for Selar’s blood pressure she failed to get much peace. “Danielle to Sickbay,” chimed the intercom.

Selar stepped over to the console and tapped a key. “Go ahead, Ensign.”

She recoiled at the sound of a lusty moan that blasted through the intercom, followed by heavy breathing and the sound of someone being pushed away. “Doctor, I have a medical emergency I am bringing to Sickbay. There has been a… breach of protocol.”

Selar read between the lines easily. “Species of the victim?” she inquired.

“Caitian.”

“Very well. Do you require a security escort?”

Another female voice came over the intercom, one that Selar didn’t immediately recognize. “Clarica, where’re you going? Why are you going into a turbolift? Kitten, come back!”

“No, Doctor, for better or worse, she is following me without much trouble. I should arrive at Sickbay soon.”

“Understood. Selar out.”

Selar immediately set about preparing one of the surgical biobeds with a sterilizing field and several strong anti-pheromone treatments.

Her timing was good, for less than a minute after finishing the biobed setup, Ensign Danielle strode through Sickbay’s doors, with Ensign R'el literally hot on her tail.

“Clarica,” R'el purred, her chest heaving as she stared at the half-Deltan with naked lust in her eyes. “Why’d you make us come all the way to Sickbay? We were doing just fine in your room.”

Danielle ignored R'el with a serenity that struck Selar as almost Vulcan in its lack of expression. “Preta and I were having a late dinner in her quarters,” she said. “And I accidentally cut open my glove with my knife slicing a steak.” She held up her left hand, revealing the damaged glove and the laceration.

Selar nodded. “Therefore, Ensign R'el immediately reached out to apply pressure so she could treat it.”

Danielle arched an eyebrow and glanced back at R'el, who’d sidled up to her and stretched an arm around her waist. “Yes.”

“Oh kitten, come on, enough with the boring Vulcan,” R'el murmured as she nuzzled her face into Danielle’s shoulder. “Let’s find a bed. Or a couch. Or the floor. Or somewhere, anywhere. I need you.”

Danielle’s lips curled in disgust. “Doctor, are you ready to treat her?”

“Yes, though she may need persuading to lay on the biobed.” Selar gestured to the bed in question.

“Putain de bordel de merde,” Danielle muttered under her breath as she faced the pheromone-addled R'el. “Preta, you said you wanted a bed, yes?”

“Yes kitten, yes.” Thankfully for both Selar and Danielle’s sake, Preta managed to keep her hands to herself, despite them curling closed and open repeatedly as if she wished to use them upon Danielle. “Where?”

Danielle strode over to the biobed. “Right here.”

R'el giggled uncharacteristically and leapt onto the biobed with reckless abandon, flipping over onto her back in a heartbeat and opening up her arms. “I’m ready for you. Take me.”

“Not this time, I’m afraid,” Danielle said as she switched on the restraining field. The forcefield buzzed to life even as the clamshell closed around the pinned R'el.

“Hey! What gives?” R'el growled as she fruitlessly fought back against the restraining field, her words rapidly descending into feline hisses and spitting.

“I’m sorry, Preta,” Danielle said, her voice turning sincere to Selar’s ear. “This won’t be very fun for you, but trust me… it is better than the alternative.”

“Wha… I… oh…” R'el’s eyes fluttered closed as the biobed automatically administered a sedative, sending her into unconsciousness.

“It will take a while for her system to be flushed of pheromones,” Selar stated. “Especially given she was exposed to blood. We will need to heal your wound in the meantime.”

“Of course, Doctor,” Danielle said as she sat down on a nearby biobed.

Selar took every precaution, putting on a pair of sterilized surgical clothes and subjecting her dermal regenerator to three full passes through a sterilization field before bringing it over to repair Danielle’s hand wound. “I will also have to file a report with the Captain over this incident,” Selar said.

Danielle exhaled a deep sigh. “I understand,” she murmured. “What else will you need to know?”

Selar liked Danielle, as much as she liked anyone. Danielle, even more so than the other full blooded Vulcans on the crew, understood the need for logic, for the proper chain of command, and for respecting her fellow crew mates. As such, Selar found herself closer to Danielle than most of the crew, albeit for a very Vulcan definition of closer.

“I will need to know why you and R'el were eating dinner together.”

Danielle sighed. “After the away mission to the planet, Preta called me up to the bridge to assist her with a number of duties that required Ops and Helm working together. It took us many hours, but when we finished, Preta offered to make up for the extra hard work by treating me to dinner. Preta and I have been friends for years, because of our mutual association with Ensign Sparkle.”

“I see. There were no romantic overtures involved, then,” Selar concluded.

Danielle’s face turned stony. “None. No offense to her, but I am not the least bit interested in her that way. Besides...she might have eyes on someone else.”

“Of course,” Selar said with a nod, repressing the tiny bit of curiosity compelling her to ask who Danielle was speaking of. “I am well aware, Ensign, but protocol requires me to ask.”

“...stupid protocol,” Danielle muttered, so quietly Selar barely heard her.

“I beg your pardon, Ensign?”

Danielle turned away, so Selar was willing to let the subject drop. Then Danielle spoke up. “I said it is a stupid protocol,” she repeated, her accent growing thicker with every word. “For every other species in the Federation, they are free to be as sexual as they want, with whomever they want, so long as they are consenting adults. Polyamorous marriages are common. For heaven’s sake, Risa is considered one of the crown jewels of the Federation and its entire existence is based on sex! Sex is a part of life, of culture, and everyone can experience it freely. Except for Deltans.”

Selar tried not to let the sudden ferocity in Danielle’s voice interfere in her work with the dermal regenerator. “But that is because unlike every other species, Deltan pheromones can act as a form of mind control, overwhelming entire ships with desire.”

“Hmph. Betazoid telepathy is capable of controlling the minds of others, but no one has ever suggested they be forced into never practicing it!” Danielle scowled, though she didn’t budge, allowing Selar to finish with fixing her hand.

“The difference, Ensign,” Selar said as she set down her tool, “is that Betazoids can actively control their telepathy. Deltans cannot control their pheromones except through vows of chastity. While it may be unfair, it is the most logical course of action.”

“Va te faire foutre!” Danielle declared. “As if it would be that difficult for the Federation to create a genetic treatment to solve this problem once and for all. It has been done on a few worlds outside the Federation, you know!”

Selar drew herself up, unwilling to bow to this Ensign whom she was beginning to rethink her respect for. “And any Starfleet officer found guilty of using such a treatment would be summarily dishonorably discharged for breaking one of the Federation’s most important laws. Genetic experimentation and manipulation is forbidden for many good reasons. You are half human, Ensign. You should be well aware of humanity’s disastrous experiences with the follies of genetic engineering.”

“Connerie,” Danielle muttered. “Genetic engineering should not be forbidden because a few humans made mistakes centuries ago. Why should we suffer today for the sins of our ancestors?”

“Those mistakes led to the Eugenics and subsequent Third World War on their planet, with over one billion dead between the two,” Selar countered. “Not to mention the later fallout with the Klingons in the 22nd century, which saw tens of millions more dead, or Captain Kirk’s encounter with Khan in the 23rd. And many other instances. Besides, were it not for his heroics out on Deep Space Nine, Doctor Julian Bashir would have been imprisoned for life the moment his genetic manipulation was discovered.”

Danielle bristled, her features twisted with an anger that some might have called ugly. “Imagine if you had to walk around with a blindfold on all the time because everyone else was scared you might go pon farr on them, when all the while there's a possible solution right in front of you.”

Selar nodded. “Your position has logic to it, Ensign. For what it is worth, I do agree that there is a sense of unfairness to the way Deltans are treated, relative to other sapient species.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Danielle said, her tone still bitter. She moved away from Selar to look over the sleeping R’el. “How much longer will the treatment take?”

Selar moved over to the biobed to check a few measurements. “No more than a few minutes. It was only necessary to sedate her due to the blood exposure.”

Danielle remained silent and still while the process finished, which Selar appreciated. Selar kept a close eye on her instruments, and the instant the system indicated R’el was cured, she administered a stimulant to awaken her.

“Mrr...what...where am I?” R’el muttered after a moment, blinking her eyes.

“You’re in Sickbay, Preta,” Danielle said, an apologetic smile on her face. “It was my fault.”

R’el stared at her for a moment, puzzled, until her eyes widened with what Selar assumed was a sudden regain of her memories. “Oh dear. Oooh no. Oh Clairica I’m sorry, I didn’t mean–I never wanted to–”

Danielle held up a single finger to her lips. “I know, I know. Like I said, my fault. Pheromones.”

Despite Danielle’s tone, Selar’s keen senses noticed the pain and anguish hidden behind it. She was putting on a front, and not a very good one.

R’el’s face flushed a deep crimson through her fur as she looked away from Danielle. “Um, doctor, may I be released please?” she asked quietly, pressing gently against the buzzing forcefield keeping her restrained.

“Of course.” Selar obliged at once, unclamping the clamshell and allowing R’el to leap free of it.

R’el instantly leapt off the bed, stretching out all her limbs while making cat-like noises until she finished and faced Danielle. “I’m, um, I’m guessing that we probably should call it a night.”

“Probably for the best.”

R’el squirmed in place for a moment. “You’re not going to tell Twilight about this, right? … o-or anyone else?”

“Of course not, Preta,” Danielle said, her smile turning warm. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Okay... goodnight then.” With one last glance back at both of them, R’el scurried out the door.

“Preta…” Danielle sighed and faced Selar. “Thank you Doctor. I think that will be all. I should return to my quarters.”

Selar nodded, and after Danielle left she swiftly cleaned up the area, prepping it for the next patient. Judging by her evening so far, she didn’t have long.

So naturally her combadge rang the instant she finished, reminding her she should look up the Murphy’s Law that May was so fond of mentioning. “Hill to Sickbay! Medical emergency in Main Engineering!”

Selar promptly tapped her badge. “On my way.” She grabbed up a triage kit and an anti-grav stretcher. She rushed to the nearest turbolift, used her medical override to force the swiftest possible transit to Deck 24, and emerged into Main Engineering.

The instant she entered the hallway her nose was assaulted by the stench of burning circuitry and, more disturbingly, cooked meat. Unease warred in her stomach as she pushed past the crowd of engineers. “What is the nature of the emergency?”

Hill waved Selar over and around one of the consoles where Lieutenant Wattson was laying on the floor, groaning as her hands and arms shuddered and shook. Nearby an unusual device Selar did not recognize sparked and sputtered. “She was messing with that magic converter thing Sparkle and Shimmer built. Blew up in her face.”

Selar’s medical professionalism and Vulcan detachment combined to keep her from reacting the way a small part of her wished she could when she knelt down to examine the burns on Wattson’s face. Over three quarters of her face was covered in second degree burns, with a few third degree spread across her left cheek and nose. “Lieutenant, can you hear me?”

Wattson’s whole body shuddered as she looked up in Selar’s general direction, her body wracked with coughs. Fortunately a passing visual inspection showed no obvious damage to her eyes. “D-d-doc?” she spluttered. “I…” She broke off into fresh coughs.

“Help me get her on the stretcher,” Selar ordered Hill as she bent down to pick up Wattson by the legs. He swiftly assisted her, and followed along as Selar guided the stretcher out.

Selar tapped her badge as she walked. “Selar to Greer and Kinsey. Prepare the surgical bay for an incoming burn victim.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

“Tell me what happened, Hill.”

Hill squeezed his fists together, and even past the stench of Wattson’s burning skin Selar could smell the reek of sweat off him. “Wattson came running into Engineering about twenty minutes ago, claiming she’d had some brilliant idea how to boost the power in the converter more quickly while still within safe parameters. I told her we shouldn’t experiment with it without Commander Shimmer or Ensign Sparkle but she insisted she’d be fine.”

“And then?” Selar asked as they stepped into the turbolift.

“I’m not sure. I was watching her alter the circuitry. She was manipulating one of the wires next to the dilithium crystal when…” Hill reached up a hand and wiped off his sweat-slicked face. “The crystal shattered and blew out half the boards with it. The whole converter is busted now.”

“We will need to report this to the Captain,” Selar said as the turbolift discharged them on Deck 12.

“I’m going to file a report right away,” Hill said. “I don’t understand why she didn’t want to wait.”

“We’ll have to get that answer from her, I suspect,” Selar said as they entered Sickbay. She crossed through several units directly to the main surgical bay. “Excuse us, Lieutenant.”

“Right, right…”

Selar entered the bay where her nurses were waiting, already clad in surgical prep ware. “Please get her onto the table. I will prepare at once.”

“Yes ma’am,” said Greer, a male, dark-skinned human nurse.

Kinsey, an equally dark-skinned female human nurse, assisted with moving Wattson then focused on the console readouts. “Second and third degree burns over the face, torso, neck, arms, and hands. Multiple minute lacerations from debris... twenty grams of dilithium crystal buried in her skin. More in the uniform.”

“Stripping the uniform now.”

“Mggh… I…” Wattson stammered. “What’s…stop...”

“Easy, Lieutenant, you’re in Sickbay,” Kinsey said as Selar returned, clad in the red gloves, suit and surgical hat that was standard Starfleet surgical wear. “We’re going to treat you.”

“But… the conv… augh…”

Selar brought up a hypospray. “Please do not attempt to speak right now, Lieutenant. I am administering 50 ccs of melorazine.”

Wattson fell unconscious immediately as Kinsey continued checking the scanners. “Looks like major nerve damage, including her face. Flash blindness damage to the eyes… should be easily fixed.”

“Noted,” Selar said. “Surgery begins at 0102.”

The surgery itself consumed another six hours of Selar’s time, but by its conclusion they had successfully treated Wattson’s wounds and the nerve damage, and discharged her into the ship’s ICU unit for monitoring. She would be unconscious for another fifteen hours, then bedridden for several days after that.

Selar shucked the surgery wear off into the replicator and finalized her report on the surgery. Even her vaunted Vulcan stamina couldn’t hold out much longer, but fortunately it wouldn’t have to. Doctor May would be starting her shift in less than an hour.

All she needed until then was some peace and quiet.

And then the doors to Sickbay swished open yet again.

“What in the bleedin’ ‘ells were you thinkin’, James?” emerged May’s Scottish brogue, especially thick as it so often became when she was off duty.

Doctor May, clad in her typical off-duty clothing, stepped inside, followed swiftly by Captain Liang, who was smartly dressed in a casual suit, with his usual cane oddly absent. “I did tell you my dear that I apologized,” said Liang, his voice so hoarse even Selar could barely make it out from this short distance.

“And I’m sure you’re thinkin’ that’s good and all but apologies don’t fix me hand!” May held up the hand in question, which sported a nasty impact wound, clearly delivered by a blunt object.

“Sarah, honestly, you are a doctor, you know well enough that can be easily fixed–”

“Not the point, James,” May retorted. She raised a finger from her good hand and shoved it into his chest. “And I’ll be thankin’ you to tone down the enthusiasm next time.”

Liang harrumphed, drawing himself up. “You told me you liked my enthusiasm.”

Selar’s lip curled slightly when she heard the word, making her begin to think if she heard the word any more she’d lose it.

“Not when it ruins your throat I don’t,” May countered. “I’m still your doctor and I won’t be havin’ you mess up your health.”

“Oh come now, you’re being patently unfair.”

“Are you listenin’ to yourself, James? You can barely talk! I’ve been enjoyin’ bein’ with you but that don’t mean I want you to run yourself into the grave tryin’ to please me.”

“Well then! Forgive an old man if he thinks a woman’s pleasure ought to come before his own.”

In Selar’s imagination, she all too briefly pictured herself falling over and cradling her own face in her hands, too overwhelmed by all the ridiculousness of this ship. Even the Captain was getting in on it… the last thing she ever wanted to hear was what sounded like the sexual habits of her commanding officer and direct superior.

Outwardly however she barely frowned as she approached them, medical tricorder in hand. “Pardon me, sir, ma’am, what is the medical issue?”

“Oh, Selar,” May said with a shake of her head. “I’m so sorry to be botherin’ you just before the end of your shift, but I’m afraid we’ll both be needin’ your services.” She held out her hand.

One eyebrow crept up Selar’s forehead as she ran her tricorder’s medical sensor over it. “Fracture of the third, fourth, and fifth metacarpals and a significant contusion to match. Blunt force trauma… may I ask what hit your hand?”

Selar dearly hoped she wouldn’t regret the answer. Too many nasty possibilities flew through her head and each was worse than the last.

“A cricket bat.”

“A what?” Selar asked, nonplussed.

“A cricket bat,” May repeated. “We were on the holodeck, watching a cricket match.”

“One of the very best cricket matches of all time, mind you,” Liang interjected, a big smile on his face. “The world cup semifinal match between Australia and South Africa at Edgbaston, 1999. Rooting for South Africa, of course. The underdog.”

“They lost,” May added with a quiet snort.

“Of course they lost, Sarah,” Liang said with a brief shake of his head. “We went in knowing they would lose. That wasn’t the point. The point was the competition, the drive, the skill!”

“Didn’t stop you from swingin’ that bat around all angry like when the game ended.”

“I was swept up by the crowd, Sarah,” Liang retorted. “The enthusiasm carried me away so much I’d hoped maybe the game would end differently!” As his voice rose on that final word he burst into a coughing fit, wet and ill sounding to Selar’s ears. “Oh... excuse me.”

“I was tellin’ you, James, shoutin’ so much ruined your throat,” May grumbled. “Selar, would you please examine him and figure out what he’s done to himself?”

Silently grateful that the situation wasn’t what she feared, Selar turned her tricorder on Liang. “Curious,” she commented as she ran the scanner up and down his throat. “It seems you have contracted a bacterial throat infection. Streptococcus pharyngitis.”

Liang blinked. “Strep throat?”

“Indeed,” Selar said, folding her tricorder and setting it back down. “It will be a simple matter to treat, though we may wish to enact sanitation protocols about the ship. It is rare for an illness such as this to come aboard a starship.”

“...I’m not especially vulnerable to this, am I, doctor?” Liang inquired, his face turning grim.

Selar shook her head. “No, sir. Standard treatment will see you recover within the day. However I will recommend that you pursue light duty only, to allow your body to heal.”

Visibly relaxing, Liang flashed May a soft smile. “I’ll take that under advisement, Doctor.”

May lightly smacked him on the shoulder. “Oh, don’t be grinnin’ now. I’ll be holdin’ you to that light duty.”

“I’m sure you will, Sarah.”

“While I have you here, sir,” Selar added, reaching over for a nearby PADD, “there is one other matter. An unfortunate incident occurred last night, necessitating the hospitalization of our chief engineer.”

Liang stiffened, all sense of amusement vanishing instantly. “Is there a reason I was not informed sooner?”

“Unfortunately I was in surgery until just a few moments prior to your arrival,” Selar replied. “Her life was not in danger, but she will need several days rest in the ICU. However, there is a much more pressing matter, that being the reason why she was injured.”

Taking the PADD up, Liang’s eyes scanned it line by line, narrowing more and more by the second. “Damn it,” he cursed. “The converter.” He set the PADD down. “When can I speak with my chief engineer?”

“At least fifteen hours, sir,” Selar answered.

“Hmph. She’d better have a damned good explanation for why she thought she needed to experiment with it.” Liang tapped his chest. “Liang to Shimmer.”

Selar watched May stare at Liang blankly for a moment before the Scottish doctor broke into quiet laughter. “James, you don’t have your combadge on.”

Rolling his eyes, Liang fumbled in his suit pocket till he’d plucked the silver badge out and placed it on his chest. “Liang to Shimmer,” he repeated.

“...yes, sir, Shimmer here.”

“Apologies for waking you, Number One, but I’m afraid we have an urgent matter that requires your attention as well as Ensign Sparkle’s. The magic converter was destroyed last night.”

“What? Why?”

“Lieutenant Wattson was experimenting with it, for reasons unknown. I’m ordering you and your sister to create a new one immediately.”

“...yes sir, we’ll get right on that.”

“Good. Liang out.” Liang dropped his hand to his side and sniffed, then swayed a moment. “Oh dear. Perhaps that fever is starting to hit. Doctor, please make with the treatment so I can return to my quarters and change.”

Selar nodded and reached for a hypospray and several vials. She injected each one into Liang’s blood stream. “You will need to take another dose every four hours,” Selar said. “I can provide you with a kit with the necessary medications, as I would prefer you minimize the amount of walking around you do.”

“Please do.”

Selar quickly assembled the necessities and handed the kit over to the Captain, who proceeded to nod to them both and wish them a good day.

As soon as he left, May wilted just a little. “Oooh, that man will be the death of me one day, I tell you Selar,” she murmured as she brought her hand up.

Selar nodded politely as she picked up her bone-knitter for what felt like the twentieth time that day. “This will sting,” she said.

“I know it wi–ooh, that is harsher than I remembered,” May hissed, closing one eyelid as she cringed away. “Well, nevermind me. How was your shift?”

Selar stopped in the middle of her ministrations to fix her gaze on May’s eyes. For a moment, just a brief moment, she was tempted to erupt, to explode, to vent all the myriad frustrations and stupidities she’d encountered.

Then the urge was gone, just as quickly as it came. “Eventful,” she replied as she resumed her procedure.

“Sounds like it,” May chuckled. She stood still for several moments longer to allow Selar to finish, then flexed her freshly fixed fingers. “Ah, that’s much better, thank you. I’ll be watchin’ out next time I go to the holodeck with him, that’s for certain.”

“I would hope so, ma’am,” Selar said. “It would not be logical to allow such an error to be compounded.”

May’s chuckle switched to an outright laugh. “No it wouldn’t.”

The doors to Sickbay opened once again, eliciting a slight twitch from Selar’s eye muscle. Eye strain, of course. Nothing more. She certainly wasn’t feeling frustrated to the point of madness that even Surak himself couldn’t stop.

She should’ve expected the one who strutted through the door, her dress flowing behind her. Inanna Eresh, the only part of the senior staff that hadn’t bothered Selar during her shift at some point or another. “Oh, Doctors, pardon me,” Eresh said in her lilting voice.

Selar swallowed back any remnant feelings and faced her. “What can we do for you, Counselor?”

Eresh smiled enigmatically. “I’m certain that, as one of the ship’s doctors, you’ve been made aware of my artificial organs.”

It took Selar a moment to recall the details, then she nodded. “Yes, if I recall correctly from your file, you have an artificial kidney, pancreas, and liver due to a climbing accident.”

“Yes.” Eresh brushed a bit of dust off the front of her dress. “I don’t like to talk about them, but they are necessary for my continued life. They need maintenance every three months. I was hoping to accomplish that this morning, if it would not be any trouble.”

While only a slight frown touched her face on the outside, inwardly Selar was moaning, her control rapidly beginning to fade. Eresh’s request was perfectly reasonable. It would also take her at least an hour or more, and after the day she’d had...

May interrupted her thoughts with a quietly whispered, “It’s okay Selar. I can see you’re exhausted. I’ll take over from here. Give you some extra rest.”

Selar nodded gratefully. “Thank you ma’am.”

“You’re welcome. Have a good day.”

Selar rushed for the door as quickly as a brisk walk would take her. Various emotions warred within her, ranging from leaping for joy to falling to her knees and unleashing tears.

But she pushed them aside, and remained cold and impassive all the way back to her quarters. Only then, with a bowl of plomeek soup and a cup of warm Vulcan spice tea did she dare to relax.

What a day it had been. At least, she comforted herself, she only had to worry about a short shift tonight. And with luck, she would have peace and quiet until then.

So she picked up a PADD and lost herself in a Vulcan novel, letting the world around her fade away.