First Contact: The Tymbrimiby MancinChaptersThe Curtain Opens...K'chu-noniThe Stakes are Raised...The Curtain Opens...Author's Note For newcomers to the Saga (and for those who haven't seen it for some time!) here is the list of Tymbrimi glyphs and phrases: gheer transformation — The surge of hormones and enzymes which allows Tymbrimi to alter their physiologies quickly, at some cost. k'chu-non — Tymbrimi word for patronless wolflings k'chu-non krann — An army of wolflings kenning — Sensing glyphs and empathy waves fornell — glyph of uncertainty fsu'usturatu — sympathetic hilarity kiniwullun — recognition of "what boys do." kuhunnagarra — indeterminacy postponed la'thsthoon — Intimacy in pairs lurrunanu — A penetration glyph, for enticing another to become suspicious l'yuth'tsaka — Glyph expressing contempt for the universe nahakieri — A deep level of empathy on which a Tymbrimi can sometimes sense loved ones nuturunow — Glyph that helps stave off gheer reaction palanq — A shrug rittitees — Glyph of compassion for children sh'cha'kuon — A mirror to show others how they appear outside s'ustru'thoon — A child seizing what she needs of her parent syullf-tha — Joy of a puzzle being solved syulff-kuonn — Anticipation of a nasty practical joke syrtunu — A sigh of frustration teev'nus — The futility of communication totanoo — Fear-induced withdrawal from reality tu'fluk — A joke unappreciated tutsunucann — A glyph of dreadful anticipation usunltlan — Web of protection while in close contact with another zunour'thzun — A glyph remarking on how much there is left to experience The Curtain Opens... Bincaltha winced as yet another shot from the pursuing Gubru fighters exploded off her port side, while she desperately flung her shuttle pod into a starboard spin and jammed the throttle of her one remaining engine forward, trying to coax as much speed out of her damaged ship as she could. Her only chance against her heavily-armed pursuers was her ship was smaller and more maneuverable, despite her lack of weapons. If she could avoid being blasted into her component atoms for just a few more seconds, she might be able to give her navicomputer time to calculate a blind warp jump. Under any other circumstances, such a maneuver was tantamount to suicide, as one could find oneself warping through an uncharted star, or trying to do so through a very rocky, very solid planet! But as her avian pursuers began to close, she was quickly running out of options. Fighting down her gheer reaction by quickly forming a nuturunow glyph with her tendrils, she spun her ship evasively again and called out, "Computer! Calculate jump to the nearest inhabitable planet and execute!" There was a second's pause, and the computer responded with, "There are no charted inhabitable planets within range of this vessel." As her ship was rocked by another couple of near-misses, she cried out, "Then jump to any uncharted planets, and execute!" After a beep, she heard, "Working," and at once, the stardrive kicked in. As her vision began to fade and she slipped into Null Space, her last thought was to her family and the hope she'd be alive to warn them in time. An incessant beeping from one of her warning lights on the instrument panel finally woke her. She sat up groggily and looked about the wrecked cabin. Her tendrils waved, automatically forming the nahakieri glyph, the empathic bond she shared with others of her race, a habit she had from her childhood, especially in times of great stress. Finding no others within range, she settled back and took note of her situation. Her ship was beyond repair, and her readouts showed this planet appeared on no known records of the Great Galactic Library. Forming a syrtunu, the glyph of frustration, she frowned and checked the records again, but there was no doubt: if this planet did not appear on any record of the vast Library, then that meant this entire system, even the entire part of this Galaxy, was uncharted. Which meant she was hopelessly lost. She placed a hand on her head, which came away slightly bloody, and she once again forced down the gheer reaction until she needed it, for while it was useful in granting her enhanced strength and agility, as well as the ability to mimic other forms, it took a heavy toll on her body's other functions if done so while under duress. Uplifted untold eons ago by their now-extinct parent race the Caltour, the Tymbrimi is a marsupial race, resembling bipedal Humanoid foxes, but highly adaptable in different environments. They were also a race of empaths. Though capable of vocalization, they were able to communicate with one another through the forming of glyphs, which they could create using the tendrils which sprouted like thin reeds starting from the bridge of their noses to their temples. Other Galactic races with latent empathic abilities could sometimes kenn these glyphs, but few others could fully understand their meaning. Therefore, the Tymbrimi had also gained a reputation for being a race of tricksters, given to practical jokes, sometimes at the expense of their companions. But none of these qualities were of any use to her now, as she painfully unlatched herself from her pilot's seat and stared out the cracked viewscreen. The environment appeared to be a forest of some kind, with thick trees and heavy vegetation, so she ran a quick check of the outside conditions and allowed herself a brief sigh of relief to see the atmosphere was breathable. She took another scan and was able to pick up dozens of lifeforms, but none larger than two or three meters or heavier than forty kilos within a kilometer. Scanning once again, she noted what had to be a settlement ten kilometers south of her position, for it was concentrated with lifeforms, along with several primitive structures. Her instruments were too damaged to give her details on the lifeforms, but if they were able to create structures, then they were at least semi-intelligent. A brief thrill shot through her, for it was entirely possible these could be k'chu-non, like the Terrans of Garth, another race of "wolflings," the term used by the Great Races of the Five Galaxies for those who reached sentience without an Elder parent client race! K'chu-non, wolflings, were looked down upon, even despised, by all but a few of the other Great Races, who considered them to be unruly children at best, or undisciplined savages at worst, but the Tymbrimi was not one of them who believed so! She'd crash-landed during this planet's night cycle, and its satellite hung large and brilliantly in the sky, providing more than enough light for her to forego the use of artificial lighting, so, after suppressing her bleeding and self-healing the light wound, she grabbed a go-pack, checked the charge on her one weapon, then unlatched the door and stepped outside. Her own troubles forgotten for the moment, she released her gheer enzymes to modify her muscles, leg length, and lung capacity, and then began to lope through the forest in the direction of the settlement. Pinkie's eyes snapped open, then she sat straight up in bed. She looked around her darkened bedroom and clutched her blankets to her chest. Something...bad...was coming. She got up and went to her window that looked out over the street. All seemed peaceful; the streets were empty, lit only by the gaslights spaced evenly along the cobblestone roads...every house was dark, or showing a light or two where somepony was staying up late reading, or working, or doing Celestia knows what... She opened her window and craned her neck to the left, and she could see Twilight's Castle off in the distance, sparkling in the Moonlight, Its banners waving in the slight evening breeze...everything looked as it should, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was just...off. Still feeling uneasy, she left her bedroom and went downstairs, to the front door, and stepped outside. Her sense of dread only seemed to grow stronger, but her need to discover its source was greater. And she knew she couldn't do it alone. The Tymbrimi soon came within sight of the natives' settlement, so she paused a good distance apart and took a few moments to observe. She could detect no technology higher than basic electricity...yet there was something...undefinable...in the air surrounding the settlement. She took off her go-pack and reached for a scanner. This close, she should be able to detect better information on the inhabitants: what forms they possessed, if there were any empaths among them, maybe catch a glimpse of a sign or a billboard that would give her some idea of their written language. As she was adjusting her instrument, she froze and looked up as one of the natives came into view. A... quadruped. Pink. Appearing to be some sort of equine. A quick syulff-kuonn appeared through her tendrils and just as quickly was dispersed, as forming the glyph for the "joy of a puzzle being solved" might be premature at this point, and she was ever mindful of her parents' constant admonitions of her impulsiveness. She watched as the equine paused and looked about itself, then turned and stared in her direction! Bincaltha drew back into the shadows, certain the creature could not see her, but was still unnerved that she might have been detected. As she continued to watch, the native shook its head, then resumed its journey, this time with more expediency, towards a large, crystalline structure built at the far end of the settlement. This must house some creature of importance, Bincaltha reasoned, as it was much larger and made of far grander materials than the surrounding buildings. She looked back at her scanner. According to her readings, this settlement had a population in the hundreds, presumably all equine, but there was still that anomaly her instrument could detect but was unable to define. Which meant it could potentially be quite dangerous. The situation clearly called for more caution. That native obviously possessed some level of empathic ability, for otherwise it would not have been able to kenn her presence. And until she knew what this anomaly was, and the threat it posed, she would do well to spend a few more days in observation, before she openly approached them. Her ship, though damaged, could still provide shelter for a few days at least. But a few days was all she could spare, for she still had to find a way to contact her people and warn them of the imminent threat posed by the Gubru and their Allies. Her ship would never reach space again, but perhaps she could repair its communication systems. And pray to the Gods the right people would hear her message. "Tell me again what you felt?" Twilight said as she took another sip of her coffee. She and Pinkie were seated in the vast kitchen of her Castle, as the pink mare nervously fidgeted in her place and looked anywhere but at her friend. She set her own cup of heavily-sugared tea down, as her hooves were shaking too much to hold it. "I...I'm not sure, Twilight," she finally managed. "It...wasn't quite my Pinkie Sense...I...didn't get an ear flop, or a tail twitch, or any of those things I usually get...I just woke up feeling something was just...wrong." Twilight sighed. "Pinkie...are you sure you weren't simply having a bad dream?" She held up a hoof as she saw her expression change to one of indignation, and hastily added, "I'm not saying what you felt wasn't real! But...maybe...it's...not something...we should be....worried about?" she finished delicately. Now, it was Pinkie's turn to sigh. "I'm just not sure, Twilight...all I know is I've never, ever felt anything like this before, and I knew I had to tell you." She took a sip of her tea and added, "Also, as I was coming here, I had the strangest feeling of being...watched." At this, Twilight did sit up. "Somepony was watching you? As in, through their windows?" Pinkie shook her head. "No...it wasn't like that at all. I felt a strange sense of...somepony feeling as if they'd...'figured something out,' or 'solved a puzzle?' if that makes any sense, and then I felt them staring at me...as if...as if they'd...never seen me before." She put her cup down and sat back, and looked up at the ceiling. "I wish I knew more. All I know is...something bad is coming...and it's coming here." The zebra Shaman gathered her night cloak about herself, making sure to stay upwind and within the darkness of the trees as she followed the alien. She had been alerted to its presence earlier when she'd seen the blazing light from its craft as it had hurtled from the sky several hours before and had kept her distance as she'd silently observed it emerge from the shattered object, morph its body into one better suited for running, and then take off in the direction of Ponyville! She had no idea of its intentions or motivations, but if it proved to be hostile she could slip into Town and warn the Princess. For now, though, her mission was to observe and, when safe to do so, report. She'd watched as it came to the edge of Town and stopped, and she felt relief that it seemed to be contenting itself to observation as well. Then she saw Pinkie at the same time the alien did, and Zecora tensed. If the alien made a hostile move, she would be ready to try...something. She slipped closer, still keeping upwind, and slowly removed a poisoned dagger from underneath her cloak. She had no way of knowing if it would have any effect, but she wasn't about to allow this...thing...whatever it was...attack a pony. Fortunately for them both, the alien soon turned and headed back into the forest. Zecora faded into the darkness and sheathed her blade, allowing the creature to pass unscathed. Now, she was racked with indecision: should she follow it again, and continue to observe it, or should she immediately go and warn the Princess? In the end, it really wasn't a hard choice. It took her several hours to finally repair a basic com relay, and by then she had nearly worked herself into a state of syrtunu, with many false starts and stops, but reaching success at the end. She climbed up from underneath the panel and seated herself in her com chair, took a deep breath, then her fingers flew over the controls. A detailed map of the current sector of space appeared before her, and on the farthest fringes of it were tiny, bright dots indicating possible communication relay stations. She hit more controls, to show her the actual scale of the map, and her heart sank as it showed those stations to be several hundred thousand lightyears. Only the greatest Capital ships had a hope of traversing distances that vast; without the most stupendous of blessings, she had no hope of rescue from her people for the foreseeable future. Which begged the question of how she'd arrived here, on this uncharted planet in this uncharted system, in this uncharted part of the Galaxy, wherever it was. In a badly damaged shuttlepod on one stardrive engine... And that's when another warning light began beeping on her com panel. The blood drained from her face as she recognized the ships' signatures appearing on the sector map. They'd followed her. K'chu-noni"Balance must be restored!" boomed the voice of Cost and Caution, one of Three Rogue Suzerains. the last of their kind. He turned his right eye to face the Suzerain of Propriety, who was seated (as was proper) several steps lower than himself, and continued. Ruffling his multi-hued feathers, he clacked his beak once and said, "Only We, on this vessel, have truly retained what it means to be Gooksyu-Gubru!" He raised his voice and addressed the room at large. "Only WE, will restore our Race to Its former Glory!" All assembled, Gubru, Kwackoo, and other servants alike all raised their voices. "Zoooonnnn!!" Cost and Caution turned his left eye to the Military and demanded, "Status on the Tymbrimi traitor? Traitor to the Races! Traitor to the Galaxies!! Has it been found?" The newly-gendered General clacked his beak in response and replied, "The traitor's engines were damaged in the attempt to capture it, and left a trail that was clear to follow." He bowed. "This vessel will reach its destination in three days' time." "Signal the rest of our fleet to join us once we have achieved success!" He addressed the vast room again. "And then the destruction of the Tymbrimi and their k'chu-non allies will commence!" "Zoooonnnn!!" Bincaltha was barely over the shock of her com signal's input when her vessel was suddenly surrounded by light! She shielded her eyes and looked out, only to see dozens of the natives clustered about, some standing and pointing what looked to be primitive weapons, and others hovering in the air! A purple being raised its voice and called out in its language, and her shock intensified as she recognized it as a slightly changed, but passable version of GalSeven! How...how could these beings on a far-off, uncharted world be speaking a Galactic language?! The purple being repeated its command, so she stood, unlatched her door, and stepped outside. Immediately, she could feel the tension in the air increase, as well as that anomaly from before she'd been unable to place, but now was highly concentrated. Whatever it was, it seemed to radiate from these beings, and as she drew her attention to the purple being, it seemed to emanate most strongly from it. Bincaltha raised her hands to shoulder height in the universal gesture of compliance, as the creatures leveled their weapons and stepped forward but at a sharp word from the purple one they stood back and waited. It slowly approached her, and announced, "I am The Princess Twilight Sparkle. Who are you and what are you doing here?" Bincaltha swallowed, then slowly bent to one knee. "I am T'yn challa' Thrii Bincaltha, Daughter and Scioness of the House of Chani, of the Tymbrimi. I was being pursued by the enemies of my House, and crashed landed on your world. It was not my intention to cause alarm or to pose any danger to you or to your subjects, Your Highness." Twilight studied her silently, then asked, "And these...enemies...who are they? Do they pose a threat to us?" Bincaltha's tendrils waved uncertainly, which made several of Twilight's guards tense. "I...do not know, Your Highness. I do know that they are quite hostile towards myself, and will not stop until I am captured." At this, Twilight frowned. "Do they know where you are?" She nodded. "According to my instruments...they are on their way here. They will arrive in three of your days' time at the very least." The Princess grew silent, then said, "Please wait a moment," then turned away and approached what appeared to be a group of ordinary-looking beings who were not arrayed in armor as were the guards: there was the pink one she'd seen earlier, a yellow one with wings, an orange one, a white one with the same bony protuberance on its forehead as the Princess, and finally a blue one with a multi-faceted shock of follicles upon its head, along with wings. There was also a hooded one with striped fur and a penetrating stare, who was slightly larger than the six, who never took its eyes off of her while the others spoke together. Even though that one was clearly not of her species, she could almost feel the lurrunanu, the "enticing of suspicion," emanating from it as it continued to stare at her. Bincaltha resolved not to turn her back on that one. "Well, girls...you heard her: what do you all think?" "Ah say we find out more about these here "enemies" o' hers," said Applejack. "Ah shore don't like the sound o' that, especially if'n they're a-comin' here!" "AJ's right!" said Dash, smacking her hooves together as she hovered next to them. "If these things want a fight, we gotta be ready for 'em! I say we get the Elements together and blast 'em as soon as they show up!" "That...might be a bit premature, dear," said Rarity. "How do we know they'll be hostile to us?" She turned and looked briefly at the alien, then turned back to her friends and lowered her voice. "Perhaps...they'll simply content themselves to taking her, and be on their way? As far as I see it, this conflict of theirs doesn't seem to concern any of us...so why should we get involved?" Twilight nodded. "That's an excellent point, but I'm not comfortable with the idea of a sentient creature being captured by a hostile force...even if we don't know all the factors...yet." Pinkie raised her hoof, "If it helps, she's not the "bad" thing my Pinkie Sense was warning me about earlier, Twilight." Twilight raised an eyebrow. "She's not?" Pinkie shook her head. "No...I'm still getting strong feelings from her, but none of them are bad...at least...they're not directed at us." She stared long and hard at Bincaltha, who felt her stare and returned it, then she addressed her friends once more. "She's very afraid of these enemies, and has been for quite a long time...and I think...they won't be very friendly to us, either." Just as Twilight was about to speak further, Fluttershy spoke up and said, "I...I think we should help her. She seems nice...and...if it were any of us, lost on another world...I would want to be helped." Twilight bowed her head and went silent. Finally, she said, "This is too important for us to decide on our own. I'm going to order she be taken to Canterlot, and speak to Celestia and Luna." Just as she was turning to deliver this message to the alien, she was stopped by Zecora, who had kept her distance but had been watching the Tymbrimi the entire time. "Your Highness, please? A word with thee?" Twilight halted and looked up at her. "Yes, Zecora?" The Shaman nodded at the Tymbrimi and said, "This creature is not who she seems; I saw her change by unnatural means..." Twilight's eyes widened. " 'Change?' Change how?" Keeping her gaze on the alien, she said, "She altered her body when she came from her ship, and then into the night she did quietly slip." She looked at the Princess and added, "If I had not seen it with my own eyes, we would have no way of telling the ways she could lie." Twilight looked at the alien with new eyes at this news, and then her brow furrowed even further when Zecora bent down, pointed at something on the alien's belt with a hoof, and whispered in her ear. Stepping back up to the now-standing Tymbrimi, she said, "What is that on your hip?" Bincaltha was startled, but as she instinctively reached for it, Twilight raised her voice and said, "Don't move!" Lighting her horn, she enveloped the alien in her magic and completely immobilized her, as the Tymbrimi's eyes grew wide. "How...how are you...doing that?" she whispered in awe. But Twilight stared back at her, now unfriendly. Removing the object from her belt, she levitated it in front of the female's face. "I asked you a question: what is this thing?" Bincaltha looked at her, then to the assembled, then back to her. "It...it is purely for defense, Your Highness. I...should have said." She grimly nodded. "Yes. You should have. You've been standing here before my ponies, with my friends, holding an unknown weapon, and yet you said nothing." She looked back at the Shaman, and then turned back to her and said, "Is there anything else about you we should know?" Almost completely in shock, she stuttered, "I...I do not know what you mean...Your Highness!" She swallowed and added, "...but I will answer any questions you may have, that I promise you!" Twilight held her aloft for a few more moments, then released her and said to her guards, "Bind her and take her to Canterlot; we will see what Princess Celestia has to say to her." Bincaltha stared in awe about her as she was led to the throne of the Ruler. The ceiling was high, and soared above her, with guiled tapestries on the stained glass windows adorning the walls on either side of the Grand Throne Room. The floor was marble, shot through with seams of purple and gold, with a thick, carpeted runner that led up to the throne to which she was being taken. Before her sat two beings in like appearance to the purple one who had captured her, though the White One was much larger, and even from the distance Bincaltha could sense Her aura was many times stronger. To that One's right saw a smaller, but no less intense darker One, Who's gaze was the match of that hooded being from out in the forest, both piercing and direct. But what truly caught her attention was the presence of other, apparently sentient beings in attendance: there were creatures who resembled the ones who had taken her, but with wings made of leather, slit pupils, and sharp canines. These were arrayed in armor as guards, but their trappings were darker and more...militant, as were their weapons. She almost stopped walking when she noticed among them one who could have passed for a Gubru...from the face, at least. This one had the body of a feline predator but the beak, talons, and wings of an avian. She continued walking before she could be ushered further, but her mind was in turmoil: how many k'chu-noni did this planet hold?! The Cosmic implications were astounding! Within the governance of the Five Galaxies, a Great Race that possessed a number of "client races" increased Their status among the other Races, so the more One...controlled, if that was the correct term, the greater the status of that Great Race. She shut her eyes as the tutsunucann formed unbidden through her tendrils, while trying to force down the "dreadful expectation" that suddenly sought to overwhelm her. If the Ones pursuing her discovered this planet had a host of k'chu-noni, they could potentially lay claim to it and increase Their status, thus becoming even more powerful... Bincaltha opened her eyes and shuddered. As the only member of her species present, she could legally claim this world for the Tymbrimi...an act she knew her Enemies would never allow. If her life had not been forfeited before, there was now no chance of her survival once they arrived. "My protégé informs Me you are called...T'yn challa' Thrii Bincaltha...and that you are of the Tymbrimi race, is that correct?" Bincaltha bowed and nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty, all correct." Though the White One's voice sounded gentle, the young female was still on edge, both from her earlier conclusions and from that...display of unknown energy that the purple One had used to hold her captive, an energy she could sense all around her...but emanating most powerfully from the One before her. The One smiled. "Then, you may address Me as Celestia." She indicated the One to Her right. "This is My sister, the Princess Luna, Co-Ruler of this land of Equestria. How did you come here, and what is your purpose?" Bincaltha shifted the shackles binding her wrists and said, "Of that... I am not certain, Your High---" she started, but changed at the look she was given, "...Celestia. I was being pursued by Enemies of my Race, when I instructed my ship to take me to the nearest habitable planet." She paused and looked around the throne room at all the creatures watching her. "Your planet, indeed this entire System, does not appear on any known chart or history, so I do not know how I was able to reach you. I am not an expert in warp travel, but if I were to guess I must have gone through a heretofore-unknown pocket of folded space, to be able to have traveled so great a distance." Celestia's smile grew brighter. "Fascinating!" She looked past the alien to her former student, and laughed, "Twilight, this sounds like something in which you would like more information!" But before Twilight could answer, Celestia held up a hoof. "In due time." She lit her horn, and said, "I believe we can do away with those restraints," as with an audible >click!< they fell off, and she levitated them to the nearest guard. She then arose and descended the Throne. With a nod of Her head, she said, "Walk with Me...let us speak in private." She looked over Her shoulder and said, "Luna, come join us," and then smiled down at Twilight as She passed her and said, "You may come as well!" "This is going to be very interesting!" The Stakes are Raised...Seated in Her Majesty's Conference Room, Bincaltha cautiously sniffed the hot beverage she'd been offered, then took a tentative sip. Immediately, her eyes brightened, and she finished it in one gulp, to the dismay of those around her. "Careful!" cried Twilight as she tensed. "It's piping hot!" Expecting their..."guest" to cry out in pain, her brows lifted as she watched the alien smile, then hold out her teacup for another serving. Twilight exchanged a look with both Celestia and Luna, then set her own cup and asked, "Didn't that...hurt?" Bincaltha smiled. "No, Your Highness...we Tymbrimi are tolerant of high temperatures, so this beverage's heat was not a concern." She held out her cup again. "More, if you would?" Twilight used her magic to pour her another cup, then sat back and continued to watch her. Celestia smiled as she watched this exchange, shared an amused glance with her sister, then asked, "Tell us about yourself and your people...and all you know about this...Enemy." And even though she and Celestia were not related, Bincaltha's tendrils waved in the s'ustru'thoon, or as if she had received assurance from her own Mother as she returned Her Majesty's smile, then frowned as her gaze grew inward. "This is going to take some time." Twenty-four hours later Celestia stood as she addressed the hastily gathered assembly of Equis' leaders and military. "Welcome, all creatures. I have asked you all to join Us in the face of an implacable Enemy." She turned to the huge blackboard behind her and pointed to the being rendered there. "These are the Gooksyu-Gubru. They are one Race of a massive Galactic Empire, one of which We were unaware until less than two days ago. Their fleet is large, their weapons are formidable...and they will arrive to Our planet in less than twenty-four hours." She held up her hooves for silence as all broke into angry shouts and gestures. The Zebrican Emperor stood and demanded, "And why are they suddenly our 'Enemy?!' What did you ponies do to provoke them?!" All the other Ambassadors joined him in his accusation until Celestia looked over her shoulder and nodded. The guard stationed there opened the indicated door, and the Tymbrimi revealed herself and stepped forward. A silence fell as they watched the strange alien come forward, and then she looked around at them all with a mournful expression. In her frustration at their situation, her tendrils formed the glyph of l'yuth'tsaka, an expression of contempt, specifically contempt for the Universe at large, but in those brief moments before she spoke, she hoped none present were able to kenn and get the wrong meaning. However, just before she raised her voice, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the pink one from earlier suddenly whip her head in her direction and narrow her gaze at her. That one is a true Empath. She quickly crafted the teev'nus glyph for her benefit and began speaking. "Fellow creatures, the blame does not rest on the ponies but upon myself. I am T'yn challa' Thrii Bincaltha, Daughter and Scioness of the House of Chani, of the Tymbrimi. I was under attack by the Gubru and fled here by fateful accident and crash-landed a scant day ago. My arrival here has set in motion events that have long been an occurrence in the politics of the Five Galaxies, namely, the discovery of a world with unclaimed k'chu-non and the immense increase of power and influence for the discovering Race. This world is unique in that it appears to hold several k'chu-noni, an event that has not been recorded in vast memory." As she placed a hand on her chest and "sighed" in syrtunu, she added, "As the only member of my Race present, legally, I can claim this world for the Tymbrimi. But...the Gubru have only to eliminate me and do the same." She looked over her shoulder at Celestia. "Your Princess has decided She will not allow that to happen." A cold Silence filled the room once again as all eyes turned to the Princess. Finally, the Gryphon Queen muttered, "You. Did. What?!" She leaned forward as her brows lowered, her feathers ruffled, and she clenched her teeth. Holding forth a bared talon, she pointed at the Tymbrimi and growled, "An advanced alien Army is descending upon this planet, and YOU decided to place us ALL in danger to save ONE! STINKING! CREATURE?!" The Princess Celestia met her gaze without flinching and uttered one word: "Yes." The Gryphon blinked, not expecting this response, then sat back in her seat as Celestia stepped regally forward. She frowned as she met all of their faces. "Perhaps you all missed the import, but the Gubru are not only T'yn challa's enemies but ours. It is true that without her arrival, it is likely they would never have discovered us, for she tells me our world, even our Galaxy, is outside of their normal shipping lanes." Her frown deepened as she added, "But, now that we have been discovered, they will stop at nothing to claim us, and that means whether we want them to...or not." A voice in the back asked, "What does that mean, to "claim" us?" Celestia grimly smiled. "It means exactly what you think it means: servitude, for millennia." Angry muttering filled the room once more as they argued among themselves, and then Celestia spoke up once again. "Servitude will include our "masters" deciding our reproductive rights as well, with a six-color system from White to Red, with Red being the absolute lowest. Those designated 'Red' would not even be able to interact with children in any fashion." At this, the room exploded into fury, and it was several minutes before order could be restored. Once she could make herself heard, Celestia continued. "I have little doubt that "hybrids" such as my Sister, my niece, my former student, and myself would quickly be designated as 'Red,'" and here she paused, then said, "...as well as the entire Gryphon race." This time, Celestia held up a hoof to forestall the Gryphon Queen's indignant outburst. "I did not inform you all of these facts merely to provoke you but to bring home the seriousness of our situation." She lowered her brows as she stared around at the assembled. "Surrender is not an option." "How are we to fight an Enemy capable of interstellar flight?! Their weapons must be far more advanced than ours!" one cried. Celestia smiled. "I'm told by our visitor here that we have a factor on this planet, an anomaly, that is unknown to the Gubru, one that may shift the odds in our favor. Even so, it is likely we cannot directly defeat this Enemy." Then, her smile turned predatory. "But...We are not without...a Plan." Twilight was in a state of near catatonia as she stared at the screen. In a quavering voice, she asked, "T...tell me once again: you are telling me this device is...a LIBRARY?! That holds billions, no, trillions of...of...books concerning the Five Galaxies and Its Races?!" Bincaltha smiled over her shoulder as her tendrils formed the fsu'usturatu glyph and nodded. Switching to another tool as she continued her repairs on her communication system, she answered, "Yes, Your Highness. All of our ships, even one as small as this shuttle pod, carry a device that can access The Galactic Library." She made another delicate adjustment and added, "You are fortunate indeed a Tymbrimi crash landed on your planet in that regard, and not a Human, as I can see you are quite impressed with the Library." At the mention of a Human, Twilight startled and tore her eyes away from the device. "Humans? You know about them? What would be the difference?" Bincaltha wiped her brow and stood back for a moment. "Humans are notoriously stubborn against using the Five Galaxies' advanced technology, which includes accessing the Galactic Library." The kiniwullun formed as she added, "They prefer using their own...hmm... primitive methods, and it is one of the factors that has kept them at odds with most of the other Races." She giggle snorted to herself as another memory surfaced, adding, "I am sure that this will amuse you: one of the more quaint aspects of EarthClan is they still use... calculus!" She looked back at Twilight, who was suddenly trying not to sweat and maintain an innocent expression. "Is that not adorable?" Then, the more profound implication of Twlight's question dawned upon her. "Wait...are you saying that...there are Humans on...this planet as well?!" Twilight nodded her head. "Yes...well, not anymore." She turned and stared out the cracked window of the shuttle to the sun-soaked forest and added wistfully, "None have been seen for millennia, but rumors still persist of their existence...somewhere." She smiled and looked back at her. "If we ever find the time, remind me to introduce you to a mare named Lyra Heartstrings...just be prepared to sit with her for a while!" Then her eyes widened in alarm. "Are you alright?" For Bincaltha had fallen back in her chair with a stunned expression, her tendrils waving erratically as she stared out into Nothingness. In a low voice, she whispered, "Do...do you know what this could mean?" She slowly raised frightened eyes up to the mare. "If the Gubru finds evidence that Humans preceded them to this distant galaxy, then that would give weight to the theory Humans might also have been...The Progenitors." Her fear was contagious, but Twilight still did not quite understand the meaning. "I know the general term, but what specifically do you mean by..."Progenitors?" Bincaltha sighed and began. "I have already explained the meaning of our Tymbrimi word k'chu-non, which refers to patronless wolflings. It means a Race without an apparent Patron Race that Uplifted them to sentience. We believe that Uplift was initiated over two billion years ago by beings known only as The Progenitors. However, any evidence or records of their existence have been lost to time." She stood, and began pacing. "None can explain how Humans achieved sentience without a Patron Race, and it has been suggested that Humans did not need a Patron Race...because they were The Progenitors!" Quickly forming the nuturunow glyph to fight down the gheer enzymes threatening to overwhelm her, her body shook as she stopped, faced Twilight squarely, and said, "Do you not understand?! If the Gubru finds evidence that there is the barest hint that Humans might be The Progenitors, they will not allow the rest of the Races to find out! They will no longer be interested in claiming this planet...they will kill us all and vaporize it..." Then, they both jumped as a button started beeping on the panel. Clamping down her excitement, the alien turned back to her comms and manipulated the controls...then waited. After a few moments, a series of beeps and dashes could be heard, and Bincaltha nearly squeed with delight! Looking back at Twilight, she smiled and reported, "It...worked!"
The Curtain Opens...Author's Note For newcomers to the Saga (and for those who haven't seen it for some time!) here is the list of Tymbrimi glyphs and phrases: gheer transformation — The surge of hormones and enzymes which allows Tymbrimi to alter their physiologies quickly, at some cost. k'chu-non — Tymbrimi word for patronless wolflings k'chu-non krann — An army of wolflings kenning — Sensing glyphs and empathy waves fornell — glyph of uncertainty fsu'usturatu — sympathetic hilarity kiniwullun — recognition of "what boys do." kuhunnagarra — indeterminacy postponed la'thsthoon — Intimacy in pairs lurrunanu — A penetration glyph, for enticing another to become suspicious l'yuth'tsaka — Glyph expressing contempt for the universe nahakieri — A deep level of empathy on which a Tymbrimi can sometimes sense loved ones nuturunow — Glyph that helps stave off gheer reaction palanq — A shrug rittitees — Glyph of compassion for children sh'cha'kuon — A mirror to show others how they appear outside s'ustru'thoon — A child seizing what she needs of her parent syullf-tha — Joy of a puzzle being solved syulff-kuonn — Anticipation of a nasty practical joke syrtunu — A sigh of frustration teev'nus — The futility of communication totanoo — Fear-induced withdrawal from reality tu'fluk — A joke unappreciated tutsunucann — A glyph of dreadful anticipation usunltlan — Web of protection while in close contact with another zunour'thzun — A glyph remarking on how much there is left to experience The Curtain Opens... Bincaltha winced as yet another shot from the pursuing Gubru fighters exploded off her port side, while she desperately flung her shuttle pod into a starboard spin and jammed the throttle of her one remaining engine forward, trying to coax as much speed out of her damaged ship as she could. Her only chance against her heavily-armed pursuers was her ship was smaller and more maneuverable, despite her lack of weapons. If she could avoid being blasted into her component atoms for just a few more seconds, she might be able to give her navicomputer time to calculate a blind warp jump. Under any other circumstances, such a maneuver was tantamount to suicide, as one could find oneself warping through an uncharted star, or trying to do so through a very rocky, very solid planet! But as her avian pursuers began to close, she was quickly running out of options. Fighting down her gheer reaction by quickly forming a nuturunow glyph with her tendrils, she spun her ship evasively again and called out, "Computer! Calculate jump to the nearest inhabitable planet and execute!" There was a second's pause, and the computer responded with, "There are no charted inhabitable planets within range of this vessel." As her ship was rocked by another couple of near-misses, she cried out, "Then jump to any uncharted planets, and execute!" After a beep, she heard, "Working," and at once, the stardrive kicked in. As her vision began to fade and she slipped into Null Space, her last thought was to her family and the hope she'd be alive to warn them in time. An incessant beeping from one of her warning lights on the instrument panel finally woke her. She sat up groggily and looked about the wrecked cabin. Her tendrils waved, automatically forming the nahakieri glyph, the empathic bond she shared with others of her race, a habit she had from her childhood, especially in times of great stress. Finding no others within range, she settled back and took note of her situation. Her ship was beyond repair, and her readouts showed this planet appeared on no known records of the Great Galactic Library. Forming a syrtunu, the glyph of frustration, she frowned and checked the records again, but there was no doubt: if this planet did not appear on any record of the vast Library, then that meant this entire system, even the entire part of this Galaxy, was uncharted. Which meant she was hopelessly lost. She placed a hand on her head, which came away slightly bloody, and she once again forced down the gheer reaction until she needed it, for while it was useful in granting her enhanced strength and agility, as well as the ability to mimic other forms, it took a heavy toll on her body's other functions if done so while under duress. Uplifted untold eons ago by their now-extinct parent race the Caltour, the Tymbrimi is a marsupial race, resembling bipedal Humanoid foxes, but highly adaptable in different environments. They were also a race of empaths. Though capable of vocalization, they were able to communicate with one another through the forming of glyphs, which they could create using the tendrils which sprouted like thin reeds starting from the bridge of their noses to their temples. Other Galactic races with latent empathic abilities could sometimes kenn these glyphs, but few others could fully understand their meaning. Therefore, the Tymbrimi had also gained a reputation for being a race of tricksters, given to practical jokes, sometimes at the expense of their companions. But none of these qualities were of any use to her now, as she painfully unlatched herself from her pilot's seat and stared out the cracked viewscreen. The environment appeared to be a forest of some kind, with thick trees and heavy vegetation, so she ran a quick check of the outside conditions and allowed herself a brief sigh of relief to see the atmosphere was breathable. She took another scan and was able to pick up dozens of lifeforms, but none larger than two or three meters or heavier than forty kilos within a kilometer. Scanning once again, she noted what had to be a settlement ten kilometers south of her position, for it was concentrated with lifeforms, along with several primitive structures. Her instruments were too damaged to give her details on the lifeforms, but if they were able to create structures, then they were at least semi-intelligent. A brief thrill shot through her, for it was entirely possible these could be k'chu-non, like the Terrans of Garth, another race of "wolflings," the term used by the Great Races of the Five Galaxies for those who reached sentience without an Elder parent client race! K'chu-non, wolflings, were looked down upon, even despised, by all but a few of the other Great Races, who considered them to be unruly children at best, or undisciplined savages at worst, but the Tymbrimi was not one of them who believed so! She'd crash-landed during this planet's night cycle, and its satellite hung large and brilliantly in the sky, providing more than enough light for her to forego the use of artificial lighting, so, after suppressing her bleeding and self-healing the light wound, she grabbed a go-pack, checked the charge on her one weapon, then unlatched the door and stepped outside. Her own troubles forgotten for the moment, she released her gheer enzymes to modify her muscles, leg length, and lung capacity, and then began to lope through the forest in the direction of the settlement. Pinkie's eyes snapped open, then she sat straight up in bed. She looked around her darkened bedroom and clutched her blankets to her chest. Something...bad...was coming. She got up and went to her window that looked out over the street. All seemed peaceful; the streets were empty, lit only by the gaslights spaced evenly along the cobblestone roads...every house was dark, or showing a light or two where somepony was staying up late reading, or working, or doing Celestia knows what... She opened her window and craned her neck to the left, and she could see Twilight's Castle off in the distance, sparkling in the Moonlight, Its banners waving in the slight evening breeze...everything looked as it should, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was just...off. Still feeling uneasy, she left her bedroom and went downstairs, to the front door, and stepped outside. Her sense of dread only seemed to grow stronger, but her need to discover its source was greater. And she knew she couldn't do it alone. The Tymbrimi soon came within sight of the natives' settlement, so she paused a good distance apart and took a few moments to observe. She could detect no technology higher than basic electricity...yet there was something...undefinable...in the air surrounding the settlement. She took off her go-pack and reached for a scanner. This close, she should be able to detect better information on the inhabitants: what forms they possessed, if there were any empaths among them, maybe catch a glimpse of a sign or a billboard that would give her some idea of their written language. As she was adjusting her instrument, she froze and looked up as one of the natives came into view. A... quadruped. Pink. Appearing to be some sort of equine. A quick syulff-kuonn appeared through her tendrils and just as quickly was dispersed, as forming the glyph for the "joy of a puzzle being solved" might be premature at this point, and she was ever mindful of her parents' constant admonitions of her impulsiveness. She watched as the equine paused and looked about itself, then turned and stared in her direction! Bincaltha drew back into the shadows, certain the creature could not see her, but was still unnerved that she might have been detected. As she continued to watch, the native shook its head, then resumed its journey, this time with more expediency, towards a large, crystalline structure built at the far end of the settlement. This must house some creature of importance, Bincaltha reasoned, as it was much larger and made of far grander materials than the surrounding buildings. She looked back at her scanner. According to her readings, this settlement had a population in the hundreds, presumably all equine, but there was still that anomaly her instrument could detect but was unable to define. Which meant it could potentially be quite dangerous. The situation clearly called for more caution. That native obviously possessed some level of empathic ability, for otherwise it would not have been able to kenn her presence. And until she knew what this anomaly was, and the threat it posed, she would do well to spend a few more days in observation, before she openly approached them. Her ship, though damaged, could still provide shelter for a few days at least. But a few days was all she could spare, for she still had to find a way to contact her people and warn them of the imminent threat posed by the Gubru and their Allies. Her ship would never reach space again, but perhaps she could repair its communication systems. And pray to the Gods the right people would hear her message. "Tell me again what you felt?" Twilight said as she took another sip of her coffee. She and Pinkie were seated in the vast kitchen of her Castle, as the pink mare nervously fidgeted in her place and looked anywhere but at her friend. She set her own cup of heavily-sugared tea down, as her hooves were shaking too much to hold it. "I...I'm not sure, Twilight," she finally managed. "It...wasn't quite my Pinkie Sense...I...didn't get an ear flop, or a tail twitch, or any of those things I usually get...I just woke up feeling something was just...wrong." Twilight sighed. "Pinkie...are you sure you weren't simply having a bad dream?" She held up a hoof as she saw her expression change to one of indignation, and hastily added, "I'm not saying what you felt wasn't real! But...maybe...it's...not something...we should be....worried about?" she finished delicately. Now, it was Pinkie's turn to sigh. "I'm just not sure, Twilight...all I know is I've never, ever felt anything like this before, and I knew I had to tell you." She took a sip of her tea and added, "Also, as I was coming here, I had the strangest feeling of being...watched." At this, Twilight did sit up. "Somepony was watching you? As in, through their windows?" Pinkie shook her head. "No...it wasn't like that at all. I felt a strange sense of...somepony feeling as if they'd...'figured something out,' or 'solved a puzzle?' if that makes any sense, and then I felt them staring at me...as if...as if they'd...never seen me before." She put her cup down and sat back, and looked up at the ceiling. "I wish I knew more. All I know is...something bad is coming...and it's coming here." The zebra Shaman gathered her night cloak about herself, making sure to stay upwind and within the darkness of the trees as she followed the alien. She had been alerted to its presence earlier when she'd seen the blazing light from its craft as it had hurtled from the sky several hours before and had kept her distance as she'd silently observed it emerge from the shattered object, morph its body into one better suited for running, and then take off in the direction of Ponyville! She had no idea of its intentions or motivations, but if it proved to be hostile she could slip into Town and warn the Princess. For now, though, her mission was to observe and, when safe to do so, report. She'd watched as it came to the edge of Town and stopped, and she felt relief that it seemed to be contenting itself to observation as well. Then she saw Pinkie at the same time the alien did, and Zecora tensed. If the alien made a hostile move, she would be ready to try...something. She slipped closer, still keeping upwind, and slowly removed a poisoned dagger from underneath her cloak. She had no way of knowing if it would have any effect, but she wasn't about to allow this...thing...whatever it was...attack a pony. Fortunately for them both, the alien soon turned and headed back into the forest. Zecora faded into the darkness and sheathed her blade, allowing the creature to pass unscathed. Now, she was racked with indecision: should she follow it again, and continue to observe it, or should she immediately go and warn the Princess? In the end, it really wasn't a hard choice. It took her several hours to finally repair a basic com relay, and by then she had nearly worked herself into a state of syrtunu, with many false starts and stops, but reaching success at the end. She climbed up from underneath the panel and seated herself in her com chair, took a deep breath, then her fingers flew over the controls. A detailed map of the current sector of space appeared before her, and on the farthest fringes of it were tiny, bright dots indicating possible communication relay stations. She hit more controls, to show her the actual scale of the map, and her heart sank as it showed those stations to be several hundred thousand lightyears. Only the greatest Capital ships had a hope of traversing distances that vast; without the most stupendous of blessings, she had no hope of rescue from her people for the foreseeable future. Which begged the question of how she'd arrived here, on this uncharted planet in this uncharted system, in this uncharted part of the Galaxy, wherever it was. In a badly damaged shuttlepod on one stardrive engine... And that's when another warning light began beeping on her com panel. The blood drained from her face as she recognized the ships' signatures appearing on the sector map. They'd followed her.
K'chu-noni"Balance must be restored!" boomed the voice of Cost and Caution, one of Three Rogue Suzerains. the last of their kind. He turned his right eye to face the Suzerain of Propriety, who was seated (as was proper) several steps lower than himself, and continued. Ruffling his multi-hued feathers, he clacked his beak once and said, "Only We, on this vessel, have truly retained what it means to be Gooksyu-Gubru!" He raised his voice and addressed the room at large. "Only WE, will restore our Race to Its former Glory!" All assembled, Gubru, Kwackoo, and other servants alike all raised their voices. "Zoooonnnn!!" Cost and Caution turned his left eye to the Military and demanded, "Status on the Tymbrimi traitor? Traitor to the Races! Traitor to the Galaxies!! Has it been found?" The newly-gendered General clacked his beak in response and replied, "The traitor's engines were damaged in the attempt to capture it, and left a trail that was clear to follow." He bowed. "This vessel will reach its destination in three days' time." "Signal the rest of our fleet to join us once we have achieved success!" He addressed the vast room again. "And then the destruction of the Tymbrimi and their k'chu-non allies will commence!" "Zoooonnnn!!" Bincaltha was barely over the shock of her com signal's input when her vessel was suddenly surrounded by light! She shielded her eyes and looked out, only to see dozens of the natives clustered about, some standing and pointing what looked to be primitive weapons, and others hovering in the air! A purple being raised its voice and called out in its language, and her shock intensified as she recognized it as a slightly changed, but passable version of GalSeven! How...how could these beings on a far-off, uncharted world be speaking a Galactic language?! The purple being repeated its command, so she stood, unlatched her door, and stepped outside. Immediately, she could feel the tension in the air increase, as well as that anomaly from before she'd been unable to place, but now was highly concentrated. Whatever it was, it seemed to radiate from these beings, and as she drew her attention to the purple being, it seemed to emanate most strongly from it. Bincaltha raised her hands to shoulder height in the universal gesture of compliance, as the creatures leveled their weapons and stepped forward but at a sharp word from the purple one they stood back and waited. It slowly approached her, and announced, "I am The Princess Twilight Sparkle. Who are you and what are you doing here?" Bincaltha swallowed, then slowly bent to one knee. "I am T'yn challa' Thrii Bincaltha, Daughter and Scioness of the House of Chani, of the Tymbrimi. I was being pursued by the enemies of my House, and crashed landed on your world. It was not my intention to cause alarm or to pose any danger to you or to your subjects, Your Highness." Twilight studied her silently, then asked, "And these...enemies...who are they? Do they pose a threat to us?" Bincaltha's tendrils waved uncertainly, which made several of Twilight's guards tense. "I...do not know, Your Highness. I do know that they are quite hostile towards myself, and will not stop until I am captured." At this, Twilight frowned. "Do they know where you are?" She nodded. "According to my instruments...they are on their way here. They will arrive in three of your days' time at the very least." The Princess grew silent, then said, "Please wait a moment," then turned away and approached what appeared to be a group of ordinary-looking beings who were not arrayed in armor as were the guards: there was the pink one she'd seen earlier, a yellow one with wings, an orange one, a white one with the same bony protuberance on its forehead as the Princess, and finally a blue one with a multi-faceted shock of follicles upon its head, along with wings. There was also a hooded one with striped fur and a penetrating stare, who was slightly larger than the six, who never took its eyes off of her while the others spoke together. Even though that one was clearly not of her species, she could almost feel the lurrunanu, the "enticing of suspicion," emanating from it as it continued to stare at her. Bincaltha resolved not to turn her back on that one. "Well, girls...you heard her: what do you all think?" "Ah say we find out more about these here "enemies" o' hers," said Applejack. "Ah shore don't like the sound o' that, especially if'n they're a-comin' here!" "AJ's right!" said Dash, smacking her hooves together as she hovered next to them. "If these things want a fight, we gotta be ready for 'em! I say we get the Elements together and blast 'em as soon as they show up!" "That...might be a bit premature, dear," said Rarity. "How do we know they'll be hostile to us?" She turned and looked briefly at the alien, then turned back to her friends and lowered her voice. "Perhaps...they'll simply content themselves to taking her, and be on their way? As far as I see it, this conflict of theirs doesn't seem to concern any of us...so why should we get involved?" Twilight nodded. "That's an excellent point, but I'm not comfortable with the idea of a sentient creature being captured by a hostile force...even if we don't know all the factors...yet." Pinkie raised her hoof, "If it helps, she's not the "bad" thing my Pinkie Sense was warning me about earlier, Twilight." Twilight raised an eyebrow. "She's not?" Pinkie shook her head. "No...I'm still getting strong feelings from her, but none of them are bad...at least...they're not directed at us." She stared long and hard at Bincaltha, who felt her stare and returned it, then she addressed her friends once more. "She's very afraid of these enemies, and has been for quite a long time...and I think...they won't be very friendly to us, either." Just as Twilight was about to speak further, Fluttershy spoke up and said, "I...I think we should help her. She seems nice...and...if it were any of us, lost on another world...I would want to be helped." Twilight bowed her head and went silent. Finally, she said, "This is too important for us to decide on our own. I'm going to order she be taken to Canterlot, and speak to Celestia and Luna." Just as she was turning to deliver this message to the alien, she was stopped by Zecora, who had kept her distance but had been watching the Tymbrimi the entire time. "Your Highness, please? A word with thee?" Twilight halted and looked up at her. "Yes, Zecora?" The Shaman nodded at the Tymbrimi and said, "This creature is not who she seems; I saw her change by unnatural means..." Twilight's eyes widened. " 'Change?' Change how?" Keeping her gaze on the alien, she said, "She altered her body when she came from her ship, and then into the night she did quietly slip." She looked at the Princess and added, "If I had not seen it with my own eyes, we would have no way of telling the ways she could lie." Twilight looked at the alien with new eyes at this news, and then her brow furrowed even further when Zecora bent down, pointed at something on the alien's belt with a hoof, and whispered in her ear. Stepping back up to the now-standing Tymbrimi, she said, "What is that on your hip?" Bincaltha was startled, but as she instinctively reached for it, Twilight raised her voice and said, "Don't move!" Lighting her horn, she enveloped the alien in her magic and completely immobilized her, as the Tymbrimi's eyes grew wide. "How...how are you...doing that?" she whispered in awe. But Twilight stared back at her, now unfriendly. Removing the object from her belt, she levitated it in front of the female's face. "I asked you a question: what is this thing?" Bincaltha looked at her, then to the assembled, then back to her. "It...it is purely for defense, Your Highness. I...should have said." She grimly nodded. "Yes. You should have. You've been standing here before my ponies, with my friends, holding an unknown weapon, and yet you said nothing." She looked back at the Shaman, and then turned back to her and said, "Is there anything else about you we should know?" Almost completely in shock, she stuttered, "I...I do not know what you mean...Your Highness!" She swallowed and added, "...but I will answer any questions you may have, that I promise you!" Twilight held her aloft for a few more moments, then released her and said to her guards, "Bind her and take her to Canterlot; we will see what Princess Celestia has to say to her." Bincaltha stared in awe about her as she was led to the throne of the Ruler. The ceiling was high, and soared above her, with guiled tapestries on the stained glass windows adorning the walls on either side of the Grand Throne Room. The floor was marble, shot through with seams of purple and gold, with a thick, carpeted runner that led up to the throne to which she was being taken. Before her sat two beings in like appearance to the purple one who had captured her, though the White One was much larger, and even from the distance Bincaltha could sense Her aura was many times stronger. To that One's right saw a smaller, but no less intense darker One, Who's gaze was the match of that hooded being from out in the forest, both piercing and direct. But what truly caught her attention was the presence of other, apparently sentient beings in attendance: there were creatures who resembled the ones who had taken her, but with wings made of leather, slit pupils, and sharp canines. These were arrayed in armor as guards, but their trappings were darker and more...militant, as were their weapons. She almost stopped walking when she noticed among them one who could have passed for a Gubru...from the face, at least. This one had the body of a feline predator but the beak, talons, and wings of an avian. She continued walking before she could be ushered further, but her mind was in turmoil: how many k'chu-noni did this planet hold?! The Cosmic implications were astounding! Within the governance of the Five Galaxies, a Great Race that possessed a number of "client races" increased Their status among the other Races, so the more One...controlled, if that was the correct term, the greater the status of that Great Race. She shut her eyes as the tutsunucann formed unbidden through her tendrils, while trying to force down the "dreadful expectation" that suddenly sought to overwhelm her. If the Ones pursuing her discovered this planet had a host of k'chu-noni, they could potentially lay claim to it and increase Their status, thus becoming even more powerful... Bincaltha opened her eyes and shuddered. As the only member of her species present, she could legally claim this world for the Tymbrimi...an act she knew her Enemies would never allow. If her life had not been forfeited before, there was now no chance of her survival once they arrived. "My protégé informs Me you are called...T'yn challa' Thrii Bincaltha...and that you are of the Tymbrimi race, is that correct?" Bincaltha bowed and nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty, all correct." Though the White One's voice sounded gentle, the young female was still on edge, both from her earlier conclusions and from that...display of unknown energy that the purple One had used to hold her captive, an energy she could sense all around her...but emanating most powerfully from the One before her. The One smiled. "Then, you may address Me as Celestia." She indicated the One to Her right. "This is My sister, the Princess Luna, Co-Ruler of this land of Equestria. How did you come here, and what is your purpose?" Bincaltha shifted the shackles binding her wrists and said, "Of that... I am not certain, Your High---" she started, but changed at the look she was given, "...Celestia. I was being pursued by Enemies of my Race, when I instructed my ship to take me to the nearest habitable planet." She paused and looked around the throne room at all the creatures watching her. "Your planet, indeed this entire System, does not appear on any known chart or history, so I do not know how I was able to reach you. I am not an expert in warp travel, but if I were to guess I must have gone through a heretofore-unknown pocket of folded space, to be able to have traveled so great a distance." Celestia's smile grew brighter. "Fascinating!" She looked past the alien to her former student, and laughed, "Twilight, this sounds like something in which you would like more information!" But before Twilight could answer, Celestia held up a hoof. "In due time." She lit her horn, and said, "I believe we can do away with those restraints," as with an audible >click!< they fell off, and she levitated them to the nearest guard. She then arose and descended the Throne. With a nod of Her head, she said, "Walk with Me...let us speak in private." She looked over Her shoulder and said, "Luna, come join us," and then smiled down at Twilight as She passed her and said, "You may come as well!" "This is going to be very interesting!"
The Stakes are Raised...Seated in Her Majesty's Conference Room, Bincaltha cautiously sniffed the hot beverage she'd been offered, then took a tentative sip. Immediately, her eyes brightened, and she finished it in one gulp, to the dismay of those around her. "Careful!" cried Twilight as she tensed. "It's piping hot!" Expecting their..."guest" to cry out in pain, her brows lifted as she watched the alien smile, then hold out her teacup for another serving. Twilight exchanged a look with both Celestia and Luna, then set her own cup and asked, "Didn't that...hurt?" Bincaltha smiled. "No, Your Highness...we Tymbrimi are tolerant of high temperatures, so this beverage's heat was not a concern." She held out her cup again. "More, if you would?" Twilight used her magic to pour her another cup, then sat back and continued to watch her. Celestia smiled as she watched this exchange, shared an amused glance with her sister, then asked, "Tell us about yourself and your people...and all you know about this...Enemy." And even though she and Celestia were not related, Bincaltha's tendrils waved in the s'ustru'thoon, or as if she had received assurance from her own Mother as she returned Her Majesty's smile, then frowned as her gaze grew inward. "This is going to take some time." Twenty-four hours later Celestia stood as she addressed the hastily gathered assembly of Equis' leaders and military. "Welcome, all creatures. I have asked you all to join Us in the face of an implacable Enemy." She turned to the huge blackboard behind her and pointed to the being rendered there. "These are the Gooksyu-Gubru. They are one Race of a massive Galactic Empire, one of which We were unaware until less than two days ago. Their fleet is large, their weapons are formidable...and they will arrive to Our planet in less than twenty-four hours." She held up her hooves for silence as all broke into angry shouts and gestures. The Zebrican Emperor stood and demanded, "And why are they suddenly our 'Enemy?!' What did you ponies do to provoke them?!" All the other Ambassadors joined him in his accusation until Celestia looked over her shoulder and nodded. The guard stationed there opened the indicated door, and the Tymbrimi revealed herself and stepped forward. A silence fell as they watched the strange alien come forward, and then she looked around at them all with a mournful expression. In her frustration at their situation, her tendrils formed the glyph of l'yuth'tsaka, an expression of contempt, specifically contempt for the Universe at large, but in those brief moments before she spoke, she hoped none present were able to kenn and get the wrong meaning. However, just before she raised her voice, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the pink one from earlier suddenly whip her head in her direction and narrow her gaze at her. That one is a true Empath. She quickly crafted the teev'nus glyph for her benefit and began speaking. "Fellow creatures, the blame does not rest on the ponies but upon myself. I am T'yn challa' Thrii Bincaltha, Daughter and Scioness of the House of Chani, of the Tymbrimi. I was under attack by the Gubru and fled here by fateful accident and crash-landed a scant day ago. My arrival here has set in motion events that have long been an occurrence in the politics of the Five Galaxies, namely, the discovery of a world with unclaimed k'chu-non and the immense increase of power and influence for the discovering Race. This world is unique in that it appears to hold several k'chu-noni, an event that has not been recorded in vast memory." As she placed a hand on her chest and "sighed" in syrtunu, she added, "As the only member of my Race present, legally, I can claim this world for the Tymbrimi. But...the Gubru have only to eliminate me and do the same." She looked over her shoulder at Celestia. "Your Princess has decided She will not allow that to happen." A cold Silence filled the room once again as all eyes turned to the Princess. Finally, the Gryphon Queen muttered, "You. Did. What?!" She leaned forward as her brows lowered, her feathers ruffled, and she clenched her teeth. Holding forth a bared talon, she pointed at the Tymbrimi and growled, "An advanced alien Army is descending upon this planet, and YOU decided to place us ALL in danger to save ONE! STINKING! CREATURE?!" The Princess Celestia met her gaze without flinching and uttered one word: "Yes." The Gryphon blinked, not expecting this response, then sat back in her seat as Celestia stepped regally forward. She frowned as she met all of their faces. "Perhaps you all missed the import, but the Gubru are not only T'yn challa's enemies but ours. It is true that without her arrival, it is likely they would never have discovered us, for she tells me our world, even our Galaxy, is outside of their normal shipping lanes." Her frown deepened as she added, "But, now that we have been discovered, they will stop at nothing to claim us, and that means whether we want them to...or not." A voice in the back asked, "What does that mean, to "claim" us?" Celestia grimly smiled. "It means exactly what you think it means: servitude, for millennia." Angry muttering filled the room once more as they argued among themselves, and then Celestia spoke up once again. "Servitude will include our "masters" deciding our reproductive rights as well, with a six-color system from White to Red, with Red being the absolute lowest. Those designated 'Red' would not even be able to interact with children in any fashion." At this, the room exploded into fury, and it was several minutes before order could be restored. Once she could make herself heard, Celestia continued. "I have little doubt that "hybrids" such as my Sister, my niece, my former student, and myself would quickly be designated as 'Red,'" and here she paused, then said, "...as well as the entire Gryphon race." This time, Celestia held up a hoof to forestall the Gryphon Queen's indignant outburst. "I did not inform you all of these facts merely to provoke you but to bring home the seriousness of our situation." She lowered her brows as she stared around at the assembled. "Surrender is not an option." "How are we to fight an Enemy capable of interstellar flight?! Their weapons must be far more advanced than ours!" one cried. Celestia smiled. "I'm told by our visitor here that we have a factor on this planet, an anomaly, that is unknown to the Gubru, one that may shift the odds in our favor. Even so, it is likely we cannot directly defeat this Enemy." Then, her smile turned predatory. "But...We are not without...a Plan." Twilight was in a state of near catatonia as she stared at the screen. In a quavering voice, she asked, "T...tell me once again: you are telling me this device is...a LIBRARY?! That holds billions, no, trillions of...of...books concerning the Five Galaxies and Its Races?!" Bincaltha smiled over her shoulder as her tendrils formed the fsu'usturatu glyph and nodded. Switching to another tool as she continued her repairs on her communication system, she answered, "Yes, Your Highness. All of our ships, even one as small as this shuttle pod, carry a device that can access The Galactic Library." She made another delicate adjustment and added, "You are fortunate indeed a Tymbrimi crash landed on your planet in that regard, and not a Human, as I can see you are quite impressed with the Library." At the mention of a Human, Twilight startled and tore her eyes away from the device. "Humans? You know about them? What would be the difference?" Bincaltha wiped her brow and stood back for a moment. "Humans are notoriously stubborn against using the Five Galaxies' advanced technology, which includes accessing the Galactic Library." The kiniwullun formed as she added, "They prefer using their own...hmm... primitive methods, and it is one of the factors that has kept them at odds with most of the other Races." She giggle snorted to herself as another memory surfaced, adding, "I am sure that this will amuse you: one of the more quaint aspects of EarthClan is they still use... calculus!" She looked back at Twilight, who was suddenly trying not to sweat and maintain an innocent expression. "Is that not adorable?" Then, the more profound implication of Twlight's question dawned upon her. "Wait...are you saying that...there are Humans on...this planet as well?!" Twilight nodded her head. "Yes...well, not anymore." She turned and stared out the cracked window of the shuttle to the sun-soaked forest and added wistfully, "None have been seen for millennia, but rumors still persist of their existence...somewhere." She smiled and looked back at her. "If we ever find the time, remind me to introduce you to a mare named Lyra Heartstrings...just be prepared to sit with her for a while!" Then her eyes widened in alarm. "Are you alright?" For Bincaltha had fallen back in her chair with a stunned expression, her tendrils waving erratically as she stared out into Nothingness. In a low voice, she whispered, "Do...do you know what this could mean?" She slowly raised frightened eyes up to the mare. "If the Gubru finds evidence that Humans preceded them to this distant galaxy, then that would give weight to the theory Humans might also have been...The Progenitors." Her fear was contagious, but Twilight still did not quite understand the meaning. "I know the general term, but what specifically do you mean by..."Progenitors?" Bincaltha sighed and began. "I have already explained the meaning of our Tymbrimi word k'chu-non, which refers to patronless wolflings. It means a Race without an apparent Patron Race that Uplifted them to sentience. We believe that Uplift was initiated over two billion years ago by beings known only as The Progenitors. However, any evidence or records of their existence have been lost to time." She stood, and began pacing. "None can explain how Humans achieved sentience without a Patron Race, and it has been suggested that Humans did not need a Patron Race...because they were The Progenitors!" Quickly forming the nuturunow glyph to fight down the gheer enzymes threatening to overwhelm her, her body shook as she stopped, faced Twilight squarely, and said, "Do you not understand?! If the Gubru finds evidence that there is the barest hint that Humans might be The Progenitors, they will not allow the rest of the Races to find out! They will no longer be interested in claiming this planet...they will kill us all and vaporize it..." Then, they both jumped as a button started beeping on the panel. Clamping down her excitement, the alien turned back to her comms and manipulated the controls...then waited. After a few moments, a series of beeps and dashes could be heard, and Bincaltha nearly squeed with delight! Looking back at Twilight, she smiled and reported, "It...worked!"
