Scattered Seeds

Chapters

4 - Only You Can Prevent
1 - Project Initiated
2 - Mission Abort
3 - Active Signal
5 - Dignified Entry
6 - Consequences of Actions
7 - Spike on Deck
8 - Don't Bug Me
9 - Two Rules
10 - M'hoth
11 - Secret Agency
12 - Curiously Alien
13 - Leader to Leader
14 - Best Sitter

4 - Only You Can Prevent

The blue and green world grew steadily larger with each passing moment as they closed in on it. Each detail revealed itself more clearly. Dark lines broke up the continents. Oceans shimmered and sparkled in the light of the nearby star. It was a lovely Earth-style planet. If one simply ignored where the continents happened to be, one could easily confuse one for the other.

Twilight nodded at the image on the main screen. "That looks promising. We have a lock on the seed's signal?"

Harriet perked up. "Affirmative." She poked her console. "Firing down our first wave of probes."

Twilight held out a hoof to Harriet. "Hold that order. Bring up the location on the screen first."

The map view changed, showing a tight area that was beeping and pulsing with the distress signal. The image grew to show more detail, focusing on one section of land. A complex series of trees and waterfalls were present.

Another pony adjusted his hat. "It's wonderful! What could have made this seed a failure? This planet looks marvelous, sir."

Harriet rubbed at her chin. "Weird." She zoomed in closer. "The details don't add up. We're not detecting any sort of terraforming efforts."

Twilight rested a hoof on her chin as she leaned forward. "Looks can be deceiving." She threw a hoof forward. "Launch those probes. Let's get a closer look at this planet before we put a single crewmember down there."

Harriet moved instantly, "Aye, ma'am." She flicked at the controls. "Sending the probe network to the coordinates. Let's see what's happening here."

A chorus of beeps and whistles were their first answer as data flooded into the ship from the probes. New numbers flooded the console as specific amounts of gasses were the first to arrive.

Fluttershy appeared without calling. "That air looks tolerable, um, ma'am." She vanished just as quickly.

The temperature was acceptable. Radiation, also fine. All the numbers pointed at a world that would be a delightful one to live on. Twilight pointed at one thing. "There's fauna. Maybe some hostile local species was the issue?"

Harriet was tapping her chin with her pen. "Mmm. It's a possibility." She sat up a little straighter. "If there's something down there, we can easily bring it aboard for study."

Twilight tapped her hooves together. "We're not here to study. We just want our crew to reach the seed, unharmed, and retrieve it and any surviving ponies."

"And maybe study it, a little." Harriet chuckled softly. "The more we know about these things, the better our chances of keeping all our people safe."

Twilight hesitated on that. "Study the seed, yes. Studying local fauna won't really assist us, other than making sure they don't harm out crew."

Rarity appeared on the main screen. "There's no life in that area that could be hurting anyone. The probe readings show no animal life, or much of anything, for miles around. Darling, I know the last one rattled you, but trust in your lovely team mates. They will see this through."

"That doesn't make sense!" Twilight frowned deeply. "The ship had been sitting there for a while. That would give enough time for animals to come investigate and even attempt to settle in."

Rarity clapped her hooves together. "I'm only repeating what the probes are telling us, dear. You won't know why until you actually send some down to see for themselves, darling."

Twilight extended a hoof slowly. "Rainbow Dash is ready and able. If the air is breathable, and no creature of any size is present, it's her time to shine." She pressed a button. "Da—"

Rainbow was in the room before she could finish the word. "Time to fly? No call backs this time! I'll handle this one."

Twilight couldn't help but laugh at that. "Fine, go, and be safe."

Rainbow left with a single powerful flap.

Cadance stepped forward in holographic form. "There is one way there'd be no fauna settling in around the seed after this time."

Twilight perked an ear. "You thought of a reason? Please, share."

Cadance shivered slightly. "One idea comes to mind. If the seed made the area around it unattractive to life. Not affecting the planet, or we'd see it, but just the local area."

Twilight leaned in as her friend spoke. "But how?"

Cadance bit at her lower lip with her teeth. "A weapon. Something specifically designed to protect them against predators while they worked."

They could but guess. It was time to actually move. As some more slowly made their way to shuttles to prepare for launch, Rainbow hurled herself out of the nearest airlock and soared towards the planet. "I ever mention I love this body? Because I do. It's so awesome." She banked towards her target, coming in hot into the atmosphere.

"Rainbow?" Twilight tapped at her ear. "How are you feeling? Is it good?"

Rainbow dove directly for the island where the signal was coming from. "Ah! A bit of friction!" The 'bit' was enough to turn her into a pony fireball as she plummeted. She struck the ground with spray of dirt and stones as she made a new impact crater. "Made it!"

"Rainbow?" Twilight tapped at her ear. "How are you feeling? Is it good there? Really? Do I need to—"

"Twilight! Seriously, this planet is totally fine." Rainbow walked along the shoreline of the tiny island. She kept her wings out a bit as they repaired themselves. "It's, you know, actually kinda pretty." She turned left and right. "Like Equestria, before things went sideways. I can see some birds in the distance."

Twilight pulled up a camera feed from Rainbow's side. "I'm seeing it too."

Rainbow held out her front hooves, displaying her limbs and flanks. "Totally fine!" She laughed, enjoying her near immortality. "Now let's go check out that seed." She waved a hoof, pulling up her map of the area and where the seed was being detected. "On the case." Wings still healing, she broke into a trot.

It didn't take long to reach the clearing, and in it, the seed. It was in an odd position, resting in a ring of dirt. Surrounding it was a veritable wall of trees, overgrown and casting dark shadows across the area. "Huh."

Twilight repeated the noise. "Whatever happened, it clearly didn't upset the flora. They seem to be doing quite well for themselves. Rainbow, keep an eye out for any sapients. We have no idea how advanced they may be, from critter to creature level."

Rainbow froze in place as she stared at the seed. "Did it just move?"

"The seed? No." Twilight stepped closer to her monitor. "It did not move."

Rainbow turned away, working her jaw. "Something moved." She started towards the tree line between her and the pod. "Coming in. Weapons ready."

Twilight blinked. "Weapons? What weapons?"

Rainbow inclined her head towards a small torch popping out of her. "Anything's a weapon if you work hard enough."

Twilight furrowed her brow. "Uh huh. Rainbow, I'm not sure if you've heard, but that might start a fire."

Rainbow didn't bother answering that. "Wing repair complete, phew." She folded her wings on her back with a smile.

Twilight watched Rainbow closely as she moved slowly to the edge of the clearing, between two particularly thick trees. Rainbow glanced over her shoulder. The seed was still there. At least that was good news. At least until she was sent flying to the side.

She landed with a grunt but bounced to her hooves. "What the?" She craned her neck to see a branch reaching for her. She turned her torch on her arboreal foe. "Suck on this, tree!" The flames raced along the limb, burning it up to the trunk in seconds. The entire tree groaned and fell over.

Twilight stood up tall, sending her chair flying. "Are you alright?!"

"Yeah, fine." Rainbow laughed as she stepped forward. "Like some angry tree's gonna, uh oh." The other trees were reaching, joining in the battle. It seemed each and every one in that ring was mobile.

"Rainbow! Come back!" Twilight took a few steps closer to the monitor. "This planet is a monster. Leave now!"

Rainbow gave the fire-starting torch another blast, setting the tree line alight. "Twilight, calm down. They're trees. What are they going to do, bat me around? I can handle that."

Twilight stopped her calls and thought a moment. She was worried for no reason. Rainbow was tough. She could take it. "Okay, just, stay safe, please."

Rainbow jogged away from the flames, keeping an eye on them. "I'm more worried the fire will hurt the seed, but nothing I can do about that right now."

The trees were still trying to chase her. "Hey, slow down. All of you!" She flung her hooves out at them. "How are you moving?! You're all wood and bark!"

One tree tried to lash at her with a limb, only for Rainbow to catch it. She turned her torch on it, drawing out a vibrational moan of what she could assume was pain. "Shoulda known better than to mess with Dash!"

The other trees got a little more rowdy as their companion suffered, doing their best to smash Rainbow flat. One got a good hit on her, smashing her into the ground. But that was hardly an impact compared to her recent atmospheric bombardment. "That all you got?" With wild laughter, she charged the trees, setting them ablaze one by one.

Each tree burst into flames like tinder. Not even the nearby ground remained unaffected, quickly going up in flames.

Rainbow moved away from the burning fire line and towards the seed. "Heading in to grab stuff before it all burns up. Hopefully this grass fire puts itself out."

Twilight stood up taller. "I'd advise you move quick. This kind of fire is a real problem, Rainbow."

"Got it!" Rainbow charged across the grass, stopping in front of the seed. She looked left and right before she spotted the door. "Luck's on our side." She had to fly up to reach it. "The fire's less likely to get up here." She pressed her hoof to the panel. "C'mon, work!"

The ship rumbled. The door slide open suddenly with the soft whine of the parts coming to life. "Score, still working! I got it!" She punched the air. "Rainbow Dash, saving the day!"

She floated inside and scanned around. "No ponies." She shrugged at that. "Maybe they're further in?" She adjusted her jacket as she stepped into the depths of the vessel. "Still looking for 'em though."

Twilight leaned back. "Keep an eye out for their computer systems. Getting their syncs would be almost as good."

"Roger that." Rainbow turned left in a narrow hallway. "Jackpot." She hurried into the room. "Sure looks like the computer room back on our seed ship."

A screen was the first thing to draw her attention, showing the world outside. The tree line was a blazing inferno. It wasn't her fault.

Rainbow approached the monitor. "We gotta get this whole thing out of here, huh?"

"Not that screen you're looking at. Look a bit lower. It's likely behind a panel. You're looking for a particular crystal." Twilight mimed the appearance of one, not that Rainbow could see her.

Rainbow trotted up to that panel and began hoofing at it, working off a bit and poking her head inside for a peek. "Wow, there are a lot of parts in here. Crystals too. You made it sound like there'd just be one big crystal to grab."

Twilight tapped at her own panel. "Well, it's not that simple. The ship has redundancies. There are a few of them. Ideally, we'll recover all of them."

"Every crystal, got it!" Rainbow began a collection, scooping up each and everything that looked even kind of like a crystal she could see. "You can sort it out when I get back, right?"

Twilight was tapping away at her own console. "We have the processing power to do so, yes." She shook her head. "You're doing the hard part right now. Be gentle with them, and get them here without harm."

"Well, isn't that what I'm doing? Look, I got them, one, two, three..." Rainbow started dropping them on the ground around her. "And, uh, six." She narrowed her eyes, digging into the console for any more crystals. "I got all the ones I could reach easily. Is that good enough?"

"It should be." Twilight let out a little breath. "Good job. Come back here You did quite well. You've retrieved your first crystal!"

Rainbow packed the crystals away. "You don't gotta be so happy about it." She smirked as she turned away from the console. "Even if I am kinda psyched! Finally, let's notch a victory on that belt." She hurried towards the exit. "Last chance! If anypony's alive in here, say so before I leave."

No response came.

"Well, ain't that something?" Rainbow kicked the door open and made a run for it. The smoke was starting to grow thick, but she ignored that in favor of raising high into the atmosphere above it. "I'll be there in about ten. Ring Pinkie and have the party ready."

Author's Note

Rainbow is so much happier about how this mission went.

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1 - Project Initiated

Twilight paced to and fro atop the bridge, "This is Captain Twilight Sparkle, requesting permission to enter jump."

"Yeah!" Her voice came over radio, but was as ready to go as usual. Rainbow leaned closer to the microphone. "Let us get this mission going."

The voice of an agent came online, "We have no reason to bar you. All lights are green and the path is clear. Good journey, and return safely."

Twilight smiled at the source of the voice, which was just where the speakers happened to be on the ship. "Thank you. Hopefully, I'll be coming back with friends."

The communications officer began their own part of the ritual, "Confirming we are away from the shipyard. Sparkle Gate charging."

Twilight gestured forward, initiating the trip. She looked over her shoulder. "I keep trying to move wings I don't have."

Rainbow laughed over her local line. "Regretting your body pick? I'm loving mine! Space-hardened, minus the odd bits. Not like we have to prepare for ultra space scavenging."

Twilight rubbed at her temple. "Maybe another time. It's a different experience though, that's for sure." She did a small backflip and grinned as she twisted in place. "There are advantaged to a smaller frame." She was a unicorn, not an alicorn, back to her first body. She adjusted the glasses on her snout. "There are times I wonder about that slight randomization. Did you get any defects?"

"I'm dangerously awesome?" One could almost hear Rainbow shrugging. "Other than that, I'm all good. You don't like your glasses? They suit you."

Twilight brushed them with her magic. "They're a part of me, but I can't really leave them behind despite them not being attached. Just one more thing to keep track of. A minor issue. I'm still Twilight, with or without glasses. Status report?"

A pony aide popped up in front of her. "We're ready!" He saluted sharply. "Directions entered, systems online."

Cadence appeared, a hologram like any other aide. "The ship is ready."

Twilight smiled at her dear friend and family member. "Glad to hear it, but you can say 'I'm ready', if you prefer. You are the ship."

Cadance rubbed just behind a cheek awkwardly. "Yes, true, but I prefer to not make us the same. I'm controlling the ship, not becoming the ship."

Twilight waved that away. "No time for philosophies right now. Put the crew on alert for jump, and let's get started."

"Aye-aye." Cadance vanished as quickly as she came, showing up on screens all over the ship. The room darkened as lights turned off and shifted to a cooler spectrum. The jump gate was about to open, so this would limit what would happen when they did.

A yawning portal of technology and magic opened before them as the engines hummed with power and batteries depleted of their charge. "This should make this trip shorter than the last, at least in travel times."

A few agreeing voices rose among her largely human crew.

Twilight turned back to face forward. "Dimensional engines engaged, lets do this!"

With the portal created, the ship powered through it in a blaze of a great icon of Twilight's personal mark. With it, the portal vanished, along with them. The people of Earth would only really know they left, and have to trust in their return.

Twilight sat in her chair, once again playing with her glasses as she tried to get used to them. "What do we know of the first seed world?"

Harriet Tappin, a human crew member from the first trip, saluted. "The first seed world is a rocky planet around a friendly-looking sun. Long-range scanners suggest an atmosphere with oxygen and other elements in tolerable quantities. Biosphere, unknown."

Twilight listened closely to the information. "And the readings on those seeds? How are they doing?"

"This one is dark so far as we know. No radio transmissions on any band we've tried." Harriet tapped at her holographic keyboard. "We'll have to get eyes on the ground to know for sure."

Twilight nodded slowly. "Does this planet have a name?"

Harriet shook her head. "Just a long set of numbers and letters." She read them off dutifully. "Um, thanks, by the way."

"For?" Twilight inclined her head. "I haven't done anything just yet."

"But you have!" Harriet waved over the bridge. "You accepted my application to serve here, under you. Thanks. I want to be part of what happens out here. I may be human, but I'm part pony too don't forget."

Twilight smiled at her and stood from her chair. "You're quite welcome. But I didn't play favorites. You were qualified for the position. Ah, have you synced?"

Harriet nodded quickly. "No fear of syncing here, ma'am. One of my mom's a digital aide. If she can handle being synced, I'm not going to wimp out. I did my last the day before we took off."

Twilight leaned in with a thoughtful hum. "Interesting." She straightened up. "Carry on then."

Harriet turned back to her console. "Another day or so, and we should be there."

"Sounds good." Twilight glanced over at one of the crew. "I'll be stepping off the bridge for a moment. Call If I'm needed and I'll be right back." She hopped to the floor. "The jump should be uneventful."

One of the human crew tipped their head in Twilight's direction. "Aye, captain." They kept their eyes forward. "Should be a cake walk, ma'am."

Twilight stood still, considering the word choice for a moment, then moved on to the closest door. It slid open and she stepped past into the ship at large. As she marched through, a pony materialized next to her. Rarity tossed her mane. "Darling, this is quite exciting. I've been an aide on quite a few vessels, but this is the first with you as the casting captain."

Twilight glanced over at Rarity with a small smirk. "You saying that just to flatter me?"

"I would never do such a thing!" Rarity touched her chest. "So bold as to do that to my captain, why I should never!" She laughed at the notion, even if her grin implied otherwise. "This promises to be an interesting mission, dear."

Twilight poked her holographic friend. "One thing, did you say 'casting' captain? Did you mean acting?"

Rarity shook her head with a smug look. "Darling, really. You are Twilight Sparkle. I feel certain you are a captain who will cast a spell or two."

Twilight continued on her way, with Rarity's company. "I think you're right. I'll cast whatever it takes to see this mission through." She rubbed at her forehead as they passed by a few pony engineers discussing engine efficiency and the new batteries the dragons had created for them.

As a pair, they arrived at engineering. The pony technicians gave Twilight a cheerful greeting, their tails held high. The human technician gave her a familiar nod as well.

Twilight peeked past the crew as she came closer to a whiteboard filled with plans for a device. "Will we be able to put this into use?" She waved at it. "I was so close to putting It into active, but this mission may be a fine time to test drive it, if we can get it assembled and functioning with what we have."

The humans looked at one another, then back at Twilight. "Are you suggesting building a synchronization hub? Here, on the ship?"

Twilight nodded with a small smile. "Exactly. The basics are in place, if you think about it. We just need to construct it. This sync module should be far smaller than the room-sized version we're used to. Allowing all crew that want to sync the option to do so whenever they're off-duty would increase morale, and safety, don't you think?"

One of the humans looks a bit nervous at the idea. "Not sure I'll use it. Having a copy of me isn't the same as the original me staying alive, ma'am."

Twilight nodded in response. "There will be no coercement. The choice will be present, to use, or not. Neither will negatively impact your record. This is a deeply personal decision."

Rarity poked Twilight with a hoof. "You're hoping that the command will be willing to sync, even when on duty. Am I right?"

"Not while on-duty! That would be quite distracting. But it would be nice if most of the crew sees the advantage." Twilight waved up at the complex diagram. "I've taken an interesting turn in this incarnation, operating a company."

Rarity leaned in. "Taking after me, are we dear? I'm flattered in only the best of ways. We business owners have to stick together." She bumped against Twilight's side.

Twilight rolled her eyes playfully. "Let's start working on this, shall we?" She flipped the board to a new page. "This version of my design is far more efficient than what we're used to. Thankfully, humans love sharing information. It's one of their talents. Advances in material and information processes makes the old design look almost quaintly outdated."

She shared words with the engineers about what to do and how to get it done, but she didn't do it herself. She was the captain, not an engineer, even if part of her wanted to just jump into it and get it done. She had to pace herself, even if her adrenaline was high.

"By the way," began Rarity, leaning closer to Twilight. "You should talk with Cadance as soon as you can, dear."

Twilight lifted her ears. "I had spoken to her briefly just before our jump. Why?"

"Well..." Rarity shook her head with a faint chuckle. "She's worried that there might be... an issue." She leaned in close to Twilight's ear. "With her foal."

Twilight stepped back and blinked. "What? Why? What's wrong?"

Rarity clapped a hoof over her mouth. "Nothing's wrong, per se, but she is on the ship, and I think the poor dear would like Flurry to have a position, instead of just accompanying us."

"Ah!" Twilight held up a finger. "Of course. Yes. I'll talk with her immediately. Thank you."

Rarity gave Twilight a quick hug. "Take care, captain." And like that, she vanished.

Cadance's head poked free of a screen. "I didn't want to make you feel like you had to. You are the captain, Twilight. It's your choice."

Twilight leaned forward. "Would it make you happy?"

Cadance thought a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I think so. She has been quite eager to join me in my work. She has synced. Shining will help keep an eye on her. I'm only asking for a junior position, of course. She's done well in training, but she's barely out of it."

"She'll be alright." Twilight stepped closer. "The ship is quite safe, after all. Let's give her something to do, shall we? Get her settled in, then you can rest easy." She considered a moment. "What speciality did she select?"

Cadance bounced up. "Oh, communications, believe it or not. She was quick with learning how to operate them, and really loves working with them."

Twilight nodded. "Alright, our communication officer gets an assistant and some pony to tutor then. I'll speak with them to make sure they're on board with the idea."

Cadance vanished away. "I'll tell Flurry."

Twilight sped towards the bridge, confident things were in order. "The captain should be at the bridge, ready to act." She nodded at her reminder to herself. "Let's get this mission done properly."

With a dash of power, she arrived on the bridge. She strode past the crew without slowing down. "What's our status?"

Harriet perked up as Twilight approached. "We'll be dropping out of jump momentarily." She waved at the main screen where the images of the jump tunnel broke, revealing space all around with a star ahead of them. Orbiting it were a collection of planets. Their target already labeled clearly. It was the second planet of the bunch, in the habitable zone of the star.

"Confirming jump success." The navigation officer tapped his console. "Everything checks out."

Twilight brought up a screen next to her with a small wave of her hoof. "I do believe it's time we investigate what appears to be life on the surface of that world. Hopefully, some ponies are among them." She cringed. "And if not, they still deserve to be found and documented. Their equipment could even have surviving sync data."

The crew gave murmurs of agreement. The whole ship rose to action as their mission began in earnest. It was time to start Operation Scattered Seeds.

Author's Note

We begin a new story and I'm so happy to have you all here with me. As a note, I feed on your comments. I love them all, even the ones that make me mad. All of them, so do comment. I read every single one of them! Ahem, let's go off, into space!

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2 - Mission Abort

The blue-green world rolled into view slowly, appearing larger with each passing moment. At this distance, it was a barren sphere of stone and water. Details were few and far between, just what the long-range scans had provided them with. The visible signs of life were extremely few, but they were still there. A gaseous atmosphere covered the world. With that came a noticeable but not overly worrying amount of storms swirling about.

Twilight Sparkle sat in her captain's chair, eyes darting from screen to screen as information began to come in from every direction. It was far too much for her to take and she waved it away. "Status?" She had a crew. Learning to rely on them was a skill she forced herself to. "Does it look safe for a landing?"

A team of officers set to work immediately. "Our probes are in position," confirmed one officer.

The humans exchanged words. They weren't worried about some things, but they were all watching closely for others. "Moving into position over the planet."

The monitor showed the probe being fired at the planet, plummeting brightly into its atmosphere. "We're already getting data." Harriet tapped at her keys. "Atmosphere is tolerable. Biosphere is... negative. Particulates are within specs. No air masks are required."

Twilight frowned slightly. "That's it?"

"Negative." Harriet turned in her seat. "Biosphere shows no signs of life. There are no biological molecules bigger than a stray protein that was likely an accident."

Twilight considered that, her mind working. "But there was a seed pod left behind." She stood up and went to the screen. "That doesn't reflect well on their odds." She sighed with the weight. "We owe it to them to gather them, and any data they may have left behind."

Rainbow came rushing in, wings flapping. "Odds? What odds?" She grinned down at Twilight. "Send me in there. You know I can handle it." She punched at the air. "I'm space hardened. I could take off and hit the planet like it owed me a few bits."

Twilight gave a slow nod, but didn't respond to Rainbow directly. "See if we can't find signs of the seed. It was made of metal, some of it ferrous. It shouldn't be that hard to at least get a basic read on its location."

Harriet was working already, "Aye, ma'am." She typed with increased speed. "We're looking for a big hunk of metal. Shouldn't be that hard."

Twilight settled back in her seat. "I know you're excited, Rainbow. Let us at least figure out where to aim you before you go flying."

"Right." Rainbow pumped a fist into the air. "Ready when you are!"

Harriet blinked and looked up. "Ma'am, I've got a contact, just southwest of the equator." The main screen swiveled the planet and showed a circle. "Somewhere in there. A large amount of ferrous material and some others that are either human or pony in manufacture."

Rainbow grinned widely. "See? Knew we could find it. Time to get things started." She headed off to prep for launch, no longer able to contain herself.

Twilight tapped her chin with a hoof. "I can see you're not going to be stopped. Rainbow, please be as careful as you can be. I want you safe and sound."

Rainbow huffed at that. "Twi, Space. Hardened." She tapped at her reinforced skull. "Unless something down there has a star busting laser or something, I'm probably fine. Really." She dashed away. "Heading out! I'll call with good news."

Twilight stared after her. "Please do." She turned to the rest of the crew. "Keep as many eyes on her as we can. Alert me if anything happens.

***

Rainbow plummeted through the atmosphere with a scream entirely of her own choosing. "Oh. Yeah!" she let out as she crashed through the air, burning all the way. She could see her target and banked. Every adjustment made her wings feel like they wanted to pop free, but she did it anyway, coming in for a rough and through impact. "Ow."

Not that this stopped her from groggily getting to her hooves, shaking away the dizziness as her body regenerated. She breathed heavily, but otherwise seemed unaffected by the hard landing. "Well, let's see what we have here." She gave her wings a small flap to send dust away from her, and walked closer to the metal husk of what had once been a spaceship. "That wasn't hard." She accelerated towards it. "Captain." She tapped at her right ear. "I have eyes on what looks to be the target. Told you I could find it."

"I never doubted you." Twilight chuckled quietly. "Approach and examine. No touching, please."

Rainbow began doing just that, striding through the broken landscape, towards the mass of metal. She scanned around, trying to find the most obvious way inside. "Huh, guess it came down like a brick." She knew that feeling, having just done it herself. "Come on, some of you shoulda been hardened." She advanced on the ship. "Why did you all die?"

"That's what we're here to figure out." Twilight sighed gently over the mic.

Rainbow tried her best to ignore the cacophony of pain in her wings. "Regeneration, love it, and hate it." She knew the pain was temporary, but it was quite real in the moment. She spotted what would have once been a sort of window. "Hey, check this out. Can I try rubbing the dirt off it?"

Twilight hesitated a moment. "If you must."

Rainbow dragged her wing along the wall. "The surface is just, dusty. Gotta clean it."

"Anything interesting?" Twilight's voice came over the line, loud and clear.

Rainbow redoubled her efforts, bringing her hooves into the act. Inside, a pony looked back at her. Rainbow fell back in surprise. "Woah!" But the pony wasn't moving, just staring at her.

"Rainbow?" Twilight prodded gently. "What happened?"

Rainbow regained her composure and took a few steps back. She found her legs being shaky. "I found what I think is the bridge of the ship." She stepped slowly to look at the pony, staring, lifeless. "I think I found at least one of them. Died right on their ship. Eesh, what happened?"

Twilight made a small sound. "Go ahead and investigate. Stay safe. Call if you need me."

"Alright, I'll do that." Rainbow lifted her wing and began recording what she was seeing. "Uh, Twilight, they're not breathing, and their eyes aren't moving."

"Death will do that." Twilight was quiet a moment. "Search. If their computers are intact enough, maybe they have syncs. Can you recognize who it is?"

Rainbow leaned closer to look at the pony, covered in dust. She used a wing to brush some of it off. "Uh, nah. Time and dust makes that hard. Can't pick out their cutie mark at all." She nudged the mummified body. "Creepy. Oh, I am inside the thing. It smells of, uh, well, dust? It smells old and abandoned."

Twilight let out a small sound. "There was life there. No decay though. Seems like there wasn't any bacteria left alive on the world."

Rainbow peeked around inside the bridge. "I'm getting the idea they were already dead by the time they even got here."

Twilight perked her ears. "Why do you say that?"

Rainbow tilted her head, "Seems like their bodies are long since dried up. I don't see any remains of food, no signs of where they put it either." Rainbow slowly walked through the ship, at least the parts she could reach in the partially-crushed structure. "I think this was a coffin before it slammed into the planet." She flapped her regrown wings, settling them in place.

Twilight was quiet a moment. "Rainbow, be careful. I've got my worries."

"Nothing's happening." Rainbow found a chair and dusted it off. She perched on it and slowly turned to examine the room. "Light, I summon you!" Such dramatics were not required, willing her head-mounted flashlight to turn on, revealing that pony from before, approaching her with dusty teeth and hungry eyes.

Rainbow reeled back in shock, taking flight as she bumped her head against the ceiling. "The! The pony's up! And moving!" She zipped around the room, doing her best to stay away from it. "And it's after me, I think."

"Rainbow? What's happening?" Twilight's voice cut through her panic.

Rainbow zipped about, trying to keep some distance between herself and the not-dead-at-all pony. "The pony, it's moving! It still looks super ultra dead, but it's moving! Permission to punch it until it stops moving!"

"Rainbow, don't!" Twilight raised her voice slightly. "Do not attack!"

Rainbow groaned at the command, swerving towards the exit instead. "Fine!"

The dead pony took flight in pursuit, "You can't get away!" He dove for Rainbow's tail.

Rainbow blasted out of the ship as fast as she could, "See ya, sucker!" She twirled around only once she was comfortably in the air. "The dead pony can fly, and talk. It's not friendly."

Twilight did a double take. "What?!"

Rainbow faced off against the now-sulking-on-the-ground pony. "It chased me outside." She snapped a picture of the still-super-dead-looking pony. "It's not flying, right now. Thank Celestia for that; but it is eyeing me."

Twilight took a slow breath. "Well, now that you've escaped, why don't you take a closer look at him? Try and figure out who he is?"

"Dude, he's gonna try and eat me." Rainbow flew a few feet away instead of towards the monster. "What even are you?!" she shouted down at it. "You can talk, so speak already!"

The pony craned his head up at her. "We are what we are." He growled and paced around. "Your kind would never understand. This world belongs to us. You have no place here."

Twilight took a sharp breath. "Mission abort."

"What?!" Rainbow scowled at the unseen voice of her friend and captain. "Twilight, why? I can handle this. We came here for a reason."

"Mission. Abort." Twilight folded her arms, though also unseen. "This planet is hostile. Mission. Abort. We are not a military vessel, Rainbow. We're just civilians. We don't wage wars, and you're ready to start one."

Rainbow flicked her wings. "Hey, it started this!" She tried to stare down the dead-looking pony below her. "What even are you?" She looked the corpse up and down, no visible cuts or injuries that she could see. "Creepy as all—"

"Rainbow! Get back here, now. That is an order. Please, Rainbow. As your friend, and your captain, come home." Twilight took a slow breath. "I want to rescue them too, but not this way."

Rainbow growled softly. "This is dumb." She bobbed her head in a quick nod. "Fine, fine. Rainbow Dash, returning to ship." She brought down her wings in a powerful flap, jetting away from the site.

The zombie pony leered at her, still growling. "We are still here. We are waiting. You cannot hide from us. We will keep the secrets of our world safe. None may have it." Not that Rainbow stuck around to hear much more, already ascending into the upper atmosphere. The zombie pony continued speaking anyway. "We won't let you take our secrets away. We've been through too much."

Rainbow glowered as she pushed herself through the air. "Mission. Abort. Sure." She ascended up, and away from the world below. "Jeez, Twilight." She called over her communicator. "I'd love to punch him into paste."

She broke through the atmosphere into the calm silence of space. She could feel her fur and skin adjusting to the void, a strange prickle that greeted her. "Ah, space." She angled for the ship, powering towards it with her wings stretched wide. "I'll be back in about ten, then we talk. I want to know why, Twilight. And you owe me an answer."

The cold voice of the ship's communication officer answered. "Affirmative." They paused briefly. "The Captain is preparing herself to speak with you directly."

"Good." Rainbow grumbled a little as she thought about what she had seen. "Something is off."

Author's Note

Why did Twilight immediately abort the mission? What are your thoughts?

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3 - Active Signal

Rainbow stormed to the bridge, but Twilight wasn't there. Seething, she demanded to know where she was. The others were happy to redirect her to Twilight's personal room. Rainbow relaxed just a little. "Oh, okay." She turned about and stomped in that direction. "A private chat? That's fine."

She stopped outside the door and took a slow breath. "Better start on a friendly tone." She straightened her back and offered a small smile. "Ah, there we go." With that, she tapped at the nearby intercom. "Twi, you in there?" That came out a bit more hostile than she planned. "Wanna talk?"

The door slid open near silently.

Rainbow trotted through, taking that as an invitation. "Seriously, I could have taken that thing. We abandoned the first seed with it right in front of us. Shoot, not even sure I could call it 'in front' when I was already inside it!"

Twilight turned in her seat to face Rainbow. "It was too much of a risk. A single gunshot, a thrown rock, whatever that monster might do, could have alerted others. It was a single pony, we don't know what kind of threat the rest of them are." She pressed her hooves together. "And just because you saw one, doesn't mean there was only one. Did you hear what it said? It wasn't acting entirely alone. This whole world should be considered off-limits until a military vessel—" She took a shuddering breath. "—comes along and burns it entirely to the ground."

Rainbow worked her jaw. "That sounds awful. But they haven't even done anything to us." She spread her wings in frustration. "He didn't even get a single bite out of me!"

"Because we left!" Twilight put a hoof to her chest, taking the calming breath Cadance had shown her. "And possibly only because of that. Rainbow, you are space hardened, but that might not have protected you against biological threats. Whatever killed that pony? I could not be sure you were immune to it. Worse, what if it stole your free will the same way?"

Rainbow puffed out her chest. "Hey, I'm way too awesome for some stupid disease to take me down!" She paused and deflated slightly. "I've never heard of a space disease."

Twilight marched up to thump Rainbow directly in the center of her chest. "We are on an exploratory mission, and space is nothing if not big. We will see a lot of new things, and a lot of nothing. Prepare for a lot of both."

Rainbow raised her wings, then dropped them slowly. "Twilight, look. You're the captain here. I won't disobey orders, but we gotta get these guys out of there, right?"

"We do not. Our priority is to keep ourselves alive and intact to get to the other seeds. The military won't spare ships for our mission. The others need us more than they need us to throw ourselves at this planet. I've marked this planet. The update is being beamed back towards Earth. If it gets there before we do, at least they'll know what to expect, and can decide what they want to do. But us? We're moving on."

Rainbow pouted. "Can't I just go down there and punch a few things to see how tough they are?"

Twilight narrowed her eyes at Rainbow. "That will most certainly not happen." Suddenly she pounced Rainbow, hugging her tightly. "I will not lose you just so you can soothe your ego. Rainbow, calm down."

Rainbow struggled in the hug. "Okay, okay, fine." She flailed about until Twilight released her. "Man, that was rough." She dusted herself off with her wings. "So, I should have been scared."

"Very!" Twilight threw up a hoof. "You are as close as science allows to being invulnerable to physical attacks. If that thing was just a physical threat, we'd be laughing. You saw it! That pony, what happened to it. I don't think any brute physical trauma caused that. I doubt it was radiation, which you're also fairly well hardened against. Ultimately, we don't know, and that's the worst position to be in." She trotted past Rainbow, pacing the room. "Too many unknowns. This is our first stop. Failing here? No, too risky."

Rainbow shuffled awkwardly. "Okay, fine. We leave this one alone." She fell into a sitting position with a sigh. "This sucks. They're down there, all trapped and helpless."

At that, Twilight flopped down to her own haunches. "Yeah." She met Rainbow's eyes. "That, yeah." She adjusted her glasses with her glowing magic. "It isn't fair. Nopony deserves that end. I want to help them, but I want to help a lot of ponies, and there's only one of us, and only one of these ships." She quirked a smile. "Even if that isn't technically true, any other mes or yous are busy on other ships."

Rainbow burst into a laugh at that. "Other yous? They probably are ships!" She closed with Twilight, touching nose to nose. "I like us being physical this time. I missed sharing your air, silly as that sounds."

Twilight bumped her nose back. "Maybe once we're back home, we can both find a ship and just fly away together for a few months."

Rainbow smiled at that, but her expression hardened a little. "Okay, so if we're not going back down there, what's the next step?"

Twilight raised a hoof to answer, then slowly dropped it. "Good question." She put a hoof to her temple. "Cadance? What are your thoughts?"

Cadance appeared in shimmering holographic form before solidifying enough to be barely discernable from any living pony. "The other aides have been working hard on picking candidates for the next seed. I have a list of the three closest and most likely options. One is putting out a live signal; which makes it very interesting."

Twilight sat up at attention. "Signal? Let me see it!" She rushed over to a monitor to see what Cadance was sharing. "That's a standard pony distress signal! That is very promising!" She clapped her hooves. "Let's set course immediately. Maybe they're alive and waiting for us."

Rainbow caught Twilight before she could rush to the bridge. "Hold on. I feel silly telling you to slow down right after you had to stop me, but just because it's crying for help doesn't mean it's for sure gonna be good. It could be somecreature else hoping to lure something to it. We still have to have our ears up and eyes open."

Twilight waved that away. "If someone's broadcasting a distress signal, there's no reason to doubt they're looking for help. At least it doesn't seem to be anything hostile." She nudged Rainbow playfully. "Besides, now's the time for you to show how amazing you are, Rainbow. We'll keep our wits about us, but this is too promising to not at least look. We did at least that for this planet, and it was far less promising."

Rainbow huffed, but smiled all the same. "Yeah, that's fair." She chuckled a little. "Alright, let's go do this. Let's rescue some ponies!"

Twilight pressed her hooves together a moment before she accelerated to the bridge, Rainbow not far behind her. "We have a new target!" At her words, the star system of that target came up on the main screen with information about it and its location flashing. "Set a course and warm the Sparkle Gate. When the Gate is ready, use it. We have a live distress signal."

Harriet began tapping away at her station. "A distress signal? Really?"

"Yes." Twilight sat in her captain's chair with a wide grin. "This one looks promising. It seems like they might even still be alive down there."

Harriet beamed. "I'm glad to hear it. I'll get the gate spinning, and we can be off to find them."

The whole bridge came alive with excitement as each did their part to get things moving. The Sparkle Gate would take time to warm up, but they had the ship pointed in the right direction and sailing in the meantime.

Twilight admired the main screen as the world was centered. "It's an aquatic planet. Think we can get you all water-worthy, Rainbow?"

Rainbow zipped about. "Totally!" She scoffed at the idea. "As if I'm not already. Does mean I'll want to come in gentle. Crash landing into a bunch of water's harder than land, funny enough. She inclined her head. "Ponies are not fish though. Why'd they pick a water planet?"

Twilight waved that away. "It's primarily water, not entirely water. If they are on land, that narrows the search quite a bit."

"Mostly water, hmm?" Rainbow blinked slowly as she considered that. "Okay, but there is no way I'm doing this alone."

"I know you're not alone, Rainbow." Twilight gave her friend a small smirk. "There are several of us here with you." She waved at the rest of the bridge crew. "We would have gone down with you on the last if you weren't so eager to rush ahead of us. Be a little more patient."

Rainbow crossed her arms and flopped in place with a pout. "Well, can't help it. There's an adventure to go on, and you guys are too slow." She flapped her wings for emphasis.

Twilight gestured to the gate drive. "We need that charged, or we're not going anywhere fast. Be grateful we have it. Once it is charged, we'll be there in a clap of the hooves."

"Right. I'll be waiting." Rainbow left with a powerful flap, abandoning the bridge for the moment.

"Huh." Twilight turned to face Harriet, looking over her shoulder at the screen before them. "She did not object at all."

Harriet nodded slowly. "No, ma'am." She smiled a little. "Rainbow trusts you, even if she puts on a big show. Some people are like that."

Twilight sighed with a gentle smile. "Yeah. Speaking of that, how's North Star? I didn't see him on the crew registry."

"The moment he got a look at Earth, he didn't want to go anywhere." Harriet laughed at the memory. "He's a botanist, and Earth has more plants than any one person could even dream of looking at. He fell in love with the whole world and quit space faring. I couldn't even be mad at him."

Twilight chuckled at that. "I have no room to talk. I've done my fair share of looking around." She considered her own experiences and a slow sigh escaped her. "I remember those first moments of exploration. I started with such little foal steps, learning how to be prosocial." She rubbed a hoof on her cheek. "I feel very silly about it, looking back. Ahem! Thank you, Harriet. Carry on."

Harriet sat taller in her seat. "Yes, ma'am!" She worked her keys rapidly. "Sparkle Gate charging smoothly. All systems nominal."

Twilight turned her attention to the gate drive itself. It took up an entire room of the ship, a series of concentric rings that were slowly spinning up. At the center was a vortex of light and power. She ran a hoof over the display of the room and the power she could imagine was within. "The apex of pony and human technology, come together." The two were melding in all sorts of fascinating ways. They were becoming harder to tell apart as the years went by with the two races joyfully working together.

Cadance appeared nearby in holographic form. "Your students are growing into quite capable scientists." She glanced at the monitor where Twilight had been staring before. "I wish I was there to help them."

Twilight stretched her front legs up. "You are."

Cadance started at that before it hit her. "I suppose I am. I'm still getting used to this new being. Do you ever get used to there being more than one of you, Twilight?"

Twilight waved Cadance over for a one-armed embrace. "You do, I promise. I know there are dozens of other iterations of me, out there, in space, helping pilot entire ships." She laughed at the idea. "Largely by being the ships. I'll learn how they did the next time my sync is properly integrated with the master copy. That will be when future mes will learn how I did as well, and how they all come back together into one Twilight timeline, shared among us all."

Cadance made a small sound. "I guess it would be easy to get lost in all of that." She glanced at Twilight with a gentle look. "But you're you, right now, not them."

"I'm me." Twilight nuzzled into Cadance gently. "You're you. Don't spend too much time worrying about the others. We have plenty to worry about in front of us."

The Sparkle Gate thrummed gently, sending a low note through the entire ship. The vortex began to flare brightly, an outward sign of its power.

Harriet began her countdown. It was time to get going to that second seed.

Author's Note

Though one planet was scuttled, the mission as a whole is not. Let's face the next.

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5 - Dignified Entry

Rainbow landed on the ship's side. She pressed her hoof to a pad. With a slow scanning line, she was verified and allowed inside into the airlock. She trotted free of that with a confident smile. Every crew she passed could see the bag of jewels draped over her. They clapped for her, and she nodded in reply, a job well done.

She arrived on the bridge, waving the bag over her head. "Crystals!" She dropped them in front of Twilight. "Here ya go."

Twilight peeked into the bag. "This is everything? These are all the crystals you recovered?"

Rainbow groaned. "Yeah, why?"

Twilight continued to inspect the crystals. "In theory, one would have worked, but we have no idea what damage any one of them suffered. More is good." She willed them into the air, horn glowing. "Let's get them over to engineering. They can start analyzing them properly. There could be ponies in these."

Rainbow spread her wings, floating out of the room. "What's even with this planet?" She waved it off, leaving Twilight to handle the boring nerd stuff, as she was good for.

Twilight hurried the crystals over to the technicians. "Mark 1 data crystals." She set down the crystals far more gently than Rainbow had. "Please examine and begin data recovery. They may be redundant backups of one another, but we can't know that for sure until you've checked each."

A dragon, the only dragon of the crew, hopped to his feet. "Sure thing, Twi!"

Twilight inclined her head. "You're in good spirits, Spike."

Spike hopped onto a crystal, carefully sliding it into a slot in a large computer system. "I get to really start my thing. I'm excited!" He grabbed a different crystal and sniffed at it a moment before reaching for the next for the same, and the one after it. "They do smell similar. Probably backups. I'll check to be sure."

Twilight patted Spike on the back. "Thank you. Oh, we have the portable sync working. Will you be using it?"

Spike considered that a moment. "Sure," he arrived at without much of a delay.

Twilight smiled, ears up. "While I'm glad to hear a yes, that sure came quickly. You were already considering it?"

Spike waved a hand. "This may sound funny, but my mom named me for some ancient dragon of import." He rolled his eyes. "Who's still around. If that's good enough for her, I can deal with having a copy around. They won't get in the way of what I'm doing right now." He tapped at a keyboard, guiding the recovery process. "Besides, worked with enough computers to know backups are a good idea."

Twilight nudged him again. "And while this won't replace you, it will make us all feel a lot better knowing we have more of you on hand." She pat his back once more. "To be used only in the case of an emergency, of course. Sync copies are for nothing save severe calamities that—"

Spike huffed gently, "I know the deal, Twi. I gotta die before you load up new me. And new me would only know what I last backup up with. Just like a computer system. I get it." He smirked with a thought. "Unless they add me to the ship roster. Spike across the universe, helping countless crew deal with their computers." He laughed at the idea, eyes on the screen as data began showing as rolling lines of text. "First crystal shows promise. I should focus on this."

Twilight pointed at the door. "I have other tasks to handle. Please keep us informed if anything important comes up."

Spike gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "Yeah, yeah, sure."

Twilight backed away from Spike, knowing that wasn't her Spike, but a lovely dragon all the same. "Thank you, for coming. You had no obligation."

Spike perked a fin at her. "Huh? Look, I wasn't getting many job offers back on Earth. You did me a solid by giving me a chance to actually show off my skills." He leaned in. "Ah ha." He started some new program. "Pretty sure this is a pony."

Twilight clapped her hooves before setting off to not be in Spike's way anymore. She made her way swiftly in a trot back to the ship's bridge. "They're already making good progress on those crystals, but sitting idle while they work on that doesn't help any of the others. What's the next closest viable target?"

Harriet swiveled around. "On screen. We found one that is actively sending a signal."

The planet came up on screen, appearing far less peaceful than their last location. It was a molten planet, with little water, and a lot of active volcanoes. "I'm not sure what drew a seed to this world."

Twilight sank onto her chair. "Desperation. We started with what seemed to be the best odds and worked down, hoping some of them would work out." She took a slow breath. "It was extinction, and fighting it. Faced with that, you start to take any thread of a chance you can see."

Harriet pointed at their captain, Twilight. "You got the best one?"

"One of." Twilight rubbed behind her head. "I was also the head of the project. Perhaps that wasn't entirely fair, but we, I. Well, I was desperate too. Princess Celestia made the decision and I didn't argue it." She huffed softly. "The least I can do, now, is try to save the ones that didn't get lucky."

Rarity arrived with a soft pop of glittery magic. "Such a bleak way of thinking. This ship was crewed by a singular pony who believed so deeply in their people's ability to overcome adversity, they refused to die."

Twilight perked an ear at her digital friend. "How do you know which pony piloted this seed? We haven't arrived there, nor scanned their computers yet."

Rarity smiled, a mildly haunted expression. "Because I recognize the planet. She told me about it. I wanted to stop her, but there were few other options." She took a slow breath she didn't need. "If my guess is correct, the true Sweetie Belle is on that planet. If a signal is coming from it, perhaps she survived? That would be remarkable."

Twilight got to her hooves, eyes wide. "Is it?" She shifted her weight, looking left and right. "Harriet, how soon can we be there?"

"Given what I'm seeing here? Quite quickly." Harriet brought up a countdown clock. "The Sparkle Gate is almost finished its charge. I started it back up right away this time."

Twilight swept a hoof forward. "Then take us there."

Another pony approached Twilight. "Ma'am. I thought we already have Sweetie Belle."

Twilight winced at the question. "We have a Sweetie Belle, composed of our thoughts of the real thing. She's developed and grown since her creation, like all entirely digital ponies. Likely, the two are different ponies at this point. We'll let them meet and decide for themselves. That's a conversation only their answer will do for."

Rarity shook her head. "It was my memories that formed a large part of the Sweetie Belle we have. I do hope the real one, which we can rescue, isn't too offended by it."

Twilight tapped Rarity on the snout. "She won't be, because we'll be honest with her. No one is ever in trouble for an honest mistake." She spun to face Harriet. "How long until the gate activates?"

Harriet drew the countdown onto the main screen to answer that, but kept at her own work.

Twilight nodded at that ticking timing. "Rarity, don't feel bad." She offered an arm. "Let's get to her and see what she thinks before we decide if anything's wrong. Perhaps she'll be nothing but tickled."

"Perhaps." Rarity vanished without another word.

Twilight made a low sound as she considered the images of the planet. "I would not want to try starting a colony here." She shook her head at the heated planet. "I hope she survived."

"Twilight!" A new pony appeared, with a pink mane and tail, her eyes wide and frightened. "Twilight!" She adjusted her golden-topped glasses. "What happened?!"

Twilight inclined her head at that pony before it clicked. "Mayor Mare?"

Mayor Mare shuffled in place. "If I'm here, and entirely digital, that means—" She swallowed thickly. "I died. The mission was a complete failure." She began to dance in place. "Twilight! What happened? Is Equestria gone?"

Twilight raised a calming hoof. "Slow down. The status of Equestria is unknown at this time. Ponydom is not extinct. At least one seed took root with friendly creatures." She waved at the humans in view. "With wonderful others. We found your ship, and recovered your sync. How do you feel?"

Mayor Mare took a slow breath before looking over her digital self. "Well, I'm here." She looked up at her pink mane. "Ugh! Dear, please tell me how do I fix mistakes in my, hm, appearance?"

Twilight waved Mayor Mare closer. With soft words, she began to explain how a digital aide accessed their own control panel, and with it, controls for that. "You can be any color you wish."

Mayor Mare relaxed as she regained her stately grey shades. "That's better, even if I'm not mayor of much these days." She huffed. "I couldn't even be mayor of one small ship, apparently. Do you know what happened? Please, tell me."

Twilight extended a hoof. "We don't. I'm just glad we got a sync of you, even if it's from before you started the mission. Your ship was on a, hm." She reached out to tap a button. "Spike? Is Mayor Mare from the crystal we just recovered?"

Spike chirped back, "Looks like! Want me to install her as an aide now, or let her rest?"

Twilight tapped at her chin. "Just... Make sure she's on the crew roster. I doubt she wants to turn off that quickly. Besides, you can ask her directly."

"Please!" Mayor Mare swept her hooves through her mane. "The idea of being turned off forcibly is not at all agreeable. By the way, that dragon said his name is Spike, but that wasn't Spike, not the one I knew."

Twilight shook her head. "He was named after the real Spike, but he's the son of another dragon that served on a ship of mine. A good dragon by all measures I have to give."

"Aw, thanks, Cap." The line went dead with a laugh.

Twilight smiled a little. "You can trust on him to keep your program running smoothly. We're working to recover all the other ponies that were with you. Do you remember any of them?"

Mayor Mare shook her head. "I performed one sync, days before I was to head out and try to start a new colony. I hadn't yet met those who would go into space with me." She frowned at the idea. "That mission was, clearly, an abject failure. How did I mess it up so terribly?"

Twilight tapped at Mayor Mare's shoulder. Without entirely meaning to, it turned into a mutual hug. "I'm certain you did your best, Mayor Mare. I'm just glad we found you. We're on the way to the next planet. This is a seed rescue mission."

"Good!" Mayor Mare was raring to go, as much as her digital body would allow her. "I want to save the others. Let me know what I can do to help." She grinned as wide as she could. "Mayor Mare, reporting for duty!"

Twilight climbed back into her chair. "RD? Mayor Mare is recovered."

"Mayor Mare? Seriously?! Hey MM!"

MM perked an ear at the speaker Rainbow's voice was coming from. "You made it? Nice to hear from you, Rainbow."

Rainbow chuckled. "Glad to have you aboard. First official rescue of the mission!" She let out a whooping cheer even as Twilight ended that call.

Author's Note

Mayor Mare, online. She's a bit bummed her mission clearly failed, but hey, she's alive to try again! Now what happened with Sweetie's mission?

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6 - Consequences of Actions

It was late night on the bridge when the gate fired up once more. Twilight was resting peacefully in her captain's chair, nodding away as she worked, catching naps. A few minutes of sleep and several of wakefulness. Not perfect, but she'd find time to recover her sleep cycle.

While she was napping, another bridge offer tapped Harriet on the shoulder with their hoof. "Excuse me?" Her voice was soft, cautious.

Harriet opened one eye to look up. "Oh, hey, Zecora." She blinked away a yawn. "It's late. Go ahead and retire."

"On a ship and on a bridge, there must always be someone in charge." She nodded, pleased with her rhyme. "We are in space, there can't be true night. Besides, I already slept, up now quite bright."

Harriet rubbed at her eyes and glanced to one of the monitors, seeing the hours. She stretched out and nodded in agreement. "Sleep does sound good, especially if you're already rested and eager to take over."

Zecora shook her head. "I will do that, to give you your space. But if you would, from the army, what gave chase?" Her eyes grew distant. "Did something happen to make you run? To retire to a civilian crew and call it done."

Harriet moved aside slowly. "I don't wanna talk about it, okay?"

"I understand that," Zecora replied gently. "Then go, and sleep like a cat."

Harriet gave a grim smile. "Fine, good night." She headed for her quarters.

Once Harriet was out of the room, Zecora called out in a quiet whisper. "Captain?" But Twilight was sunk in her slumber.

After checking that everyone else had cleared out for the night shift change, Zecora decided to have a chat. "Princess Cadance," she addressed the air. "Please do not be alarmed, as I'm not truly harmed." She tapped her hooves together. "We seek the other pony folk. We've found a few, it is no joke." She bowed her head respectfully to the AI behind her. "Thank you for your assistance in this noble task."

Cadance appeared behind Zecora. "I did hear about that. It's nice to have them around, but you don't have to pray to me like a god. I'm just a pony, currently cosplaying as a ship."

"Even if you say that's true, my actions remain real. If you feel like assisting me, I would happily kneel." She gestured with both front hooves at Twilight. "So deep asleep, a well earned break. Can you assist me without waking the princess here, to make coffee, or tea, or shake?" Zecora made the last one a joke as she tried not to laugh. "Whatever is fine. Something soothing."

Cadance gestured and a cup floated up on a platter. "That was easy to make." She willed it over to Zecora, horn glowing. "You could have ordered any little drink for yourself. You just wanted to see me do it, didn't you?"

Zecora laughed lightly. "As fun as it would be, that isn't why. I have been having the oddest dreams. In order to sleep better, I'd rather be tired and dry."

Cadance hugged Zecora from behind gently. "Finish this session, then retire to bed. I may not be the doctor of the ship, but I can still suggest you take some time off until you feel better. Not a soul on this ship wants to see you get overworked."

Zecora rubbed behind her head with a small smile. "It sounds delightful. As soon as dawn is here, I shall join my peers." She sipped at her tea. "Do you mind if I speak of my past year?"

Cadance inclined her head, sinking back to her haunches. "Go ahead. It sounds like you have something on your mind."

Zecora closed her eyes tightly as she searched her memory. "One year ago today, I joined the space team. I wanted to leave the world behind, to regain lost steam." She waved a hoof, remembering that time. "A dark black object shot past me, as a great chase did commence. I saw a glimpse, a mere glance, as my foe flew away without any chance."

Cadance was staring. "Of what?"

Zecora lifted her shoulders in a great shrug, resuming her work without another word.

***

Pinkie Pie rushed into the engineering section, nearly skidding across the floor. She came to a stop at a display as Spike pointed at it. "Hey, guys! Spike says he has news for us!"

Spike rolled his eyes, smiling warmly at his friend. "Yeah, yeah." He sat tall, forelegs crossed before him. "I've pulled enough data out to know what happened." He pressed a button on his remote, starting a video.

On it, ponies were busily at work when one of them rubbed at their neck fitfully, then another. "This is a speed shot," warned Spike. "Over several days."

A third fell to her knees in pain before she stumbled towards the camera. She ripped off her suit and revealed her body. All along it, flesh was rapidly dissolving off her bones, leaving a foaming residue all along them as they melted, first to bloody mush, then green foam. In less than ten seconds, most of her flesh was gone her body transforming into a new, green form, then more recognizable shapes. Soon, her organs dissolved away to become leaves. Pinkie covered her mouth with her hooves, horrified. When the last bit was gone, there was only a tree where the pony had once stood.

Rainbow put a hoof behind her head. "Um. You're not going to blame me for this, are you?"

Spike rolled his eyes. "The trees you were fighting with were not ponies. They were their own thing, that used ponies as a pitstop, you know, on their life journey." He clicked the remote and pointed at the next picture, a tree. "Those trees used that seed vessel as their garden, killing everything inside. I think you burning them down was actually mercy. At least if they had minds? I wouldn't want to spend eternity as a tree. Unless you're Tree Hugger, I guess. Or Fluttershy? Anyway, point is, you didn't hurt anypony."

Rainbow let out a relieved sigh. "Still, awful way to go."

"Awful indeed." Twilight looked away, trying to blink away the sight. "Spike, you said you have enough to know what happened? Did you pull up any syncs? Was there anything else we can use?"

"Oh, I have a list." That list popped on the screen. Mayor Mare, Sweetie Belle, Big Mac, and Breaburn were listed. "There you go."

Pinkie cheered, "Oh yay! Rarity's sister and AJ's brother both! This is the best!"

Twilight picked a spot on the display. "Oh dear, I had a feeling we'd have to face this. Sweetie Belle and Big Mac both exist as virtual copies." She cringed. "That I and my friends had made. How did that meeting go?"

Rainbow groaned, "Terrible, yeah." She flumped onto the deck, shaking her head. "They were so upset by it. Sweetie Belle ran off, crying."

"Can you blame her?" Twilight sank, hoof to her forehead. "Please inform her that I am available if she wants to yell at me personally for doing this." She pushed up her glasses and shook her head, hair ruffling against her shoulders. "How did Big Mac take it?"

"He kinda went blank faced, like he didn't want to talk about it." Rainbow held up her hooves, shrugging with every part of her body. "But I have an idea! Hear me out." She turned to Pinkie. "You've worked morale officer before. I trust in your ability to get those two back on track.

Pinkie blinked, pointing at herself. "Me? Helping ponies like that? Count me in!" She bounced in place with a big smile. "Already on the case." She bounced out of the room with fresh laughter.

Twilight sagged where she sat. "We really should have discussed this before we even had the chance of discovering the original copies of those ponies we recreated."

Rainbow shrugged. "Too late now. We're going to run into more, if things go well. Gonna have to accept that."

"Which is easier said than done." Twilight reached for a wall console to contact Rarity, but stopped herself before she made a single connection. "I'm going to take my mind off this. There has to be something productive I can do around here."

A series of beeps dragged them back to the monitor. Spike laughed nervously. "Sorry, that was just me making sure we're at the end. All the data in that crystal is recovered."

Rarity smiled softly. "Excellent work, Spike. Please give yourself a pat on the back." She vanished without waiting for any response.

Rainbow checked the clock. "Speaking of tasks, I gotta check on the systems for this upcoming stop. You'll be sending me down, right?"

"Actually." Twilight turned to Spike. "I was hoping for a new away member."

Spike blinked owlishly. "Me?! I'm engineering. Why would you send me?!"

"Because," answered Twilight smoothly, "you're a dragon." She held out a hoof towards him, smiling wide. "I don't mean that in any speciesist manner, you are simply resistant to heat better than most organic creatures aboard the ship. This is an ideal task for your biology. Can you handle this task?"

Spike thought back to what she'd sent him in to do. "You just want me to make sure there are no living things down there, then retrieve crystals, right?"

"Exactly." She put a hoof to his shoulder. "We do not want you to risk yourself more than the minimum. Go, look, come back, with ponies or crystals. Both, if possible."

"Well," Spike began, considering how much of a hassle his task could be. "This won't take long. Right, Cap?" He flashed a grin.

Twilight backed away. "I cannot predict what will happen down there." She turned away. "But you will not be alone. I'm giving you a full crew of humans and one robot. Should things get out of hoof, you can fall back and—"

"Don't worry!" Spike interrupted, flexing his muscles. "Nothing beats a dragon! Let me at 'em."

"Them? Are you expecting a fight?" Twilight turned to check on Spike with a concerned look.

Spike deflated. "I hope not? I was just trying to get psyched a little."

Rainbow kicked off from the wall with a laugh. "Psyched?! Psh. You ain't ready yet. C'mere! I'll teach you the proper mindset."

Before Spike could say anything, Rainbow's wings flapped. She soared over to land next to him and wrap a wing around him. "You got a big name to live up to, Spikey-boy." She poked at his stomach, getting a laugh from the dragon as she walked him out of the room. "Dragons gotta breathe fire and be cool, not worried."

Twilight watched them leave without saying a word.

Applejack nudged against Twilight. "You okay, sugarcube?"

Twilight startled and blinked a few times. "What?" She laughed weakly and adjusted her glasses. "Yes, I'm fine. Just worried."

Applejack flicked her head with a smile. "We'll all be there, even if a 'lot of us will be remote whisperin' to the guy."

"Yeah..." Twilight turned to her best friend. "AJ, I don't want to screw this up again. Our first try was, frankly, a disaster."

"It didn't turn out that great, ah agree." She threw an arm over Twilight, drawing her close. "Which is why you spent years preparin' extra hard fer this one. We got this. You got this."

Twilight's ears flicked as she leaned into that comfort. "I know, AJ. I know." She stood tall and offered her best confident expression. "And with all these failures out of the way, things should be smooth sailing from here on in."

Author's Note

Sweetie, meet Sweetie! Now you two get along.

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7 - Spike on Deck

Sweetie breathed in short rapid takes, gazing at Sweetie. The other Sweetie was smiling, looking quite happy. They were both dead. No, digitized. Sweetie shook her head violently. "I'm the original Sweetie Belle."

The other Sweetie Belle canted an ear to the side slightly. "Technically incorrect. The original Sweetie Belle is deceased, and in such a horrible way. I'm so sorry."

Sweetie growled deeply. "You are stealing my identity. What right do you have to do that?" She stomped her hoof angrily. "To call yourself real when I am right here."

Pinkie entered the room, trying to be calming. "Glad you two could make it. We're going to have a self-party today! We're celebrating the self of Sweetie Belle."

Sweetie Prime, the one not recreated from memories of others, thrust up a hoof at Pinkie. "Now is not the time for one of your parties, even if I do appreciate your efforts. I am dealing with something more pressing, thank you."

Pinkie rubbed at the top of her mane with her hooves, unsure. "Is there anything I can do to help, girls?"

Sweetie and Sweetie stared at each other as the silence between them hung. The reconstructed Sweetie offered a hoof forward. "Every pony who becomes digital has to face this eventually. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of me across the stars, each quite sure they are the 'real' Sweetie Belle, and none of them are wrong."

"None?!" Sweetie was fuming mad now. "Only I have lived my life! Only I was taken from my family and forced to carry this burden."

The digital Sweetie sat. "I misspoke. I meant all the others are just as much me as I am. We all share this identity. We even come back together to press these different experiences together, in the syncs. You are not me."

The original Sweetie's tension burst a little, listing to the side. "Thank you! That's all I wanted. You're not me."

"But you could become me." Sweetie clapped her hooves gently. "I would be honored if we synced. If your experiences could be added to ours, and future Sweetie Belles would have both our totalities."

"I won't exist anymore!" The original shook her head slowly, backing away. "I've fought so hard, for so long, to live." Her throat felt tight as the reality threatened to overwhelm her.

"You would." The digital Sweetie considered how to phrase it. "When a new Sweetie Belle is made, and this Sweetie Belle is gone, you could argue I don't exist, but I do and will. I'm right there, in the new Sweetie. They will remember all I remember, and carry me into the future with a smile and a little skip in her steps."

"Why are you talking about yourself as multiple selves, plural? Just say 'I,' it's simpler." Sweetie Belle glowered at her doppelgänger. "Why bother coming here and confusing things more?"

Digital Sweetie inclined her head. "I was here first, technically. You are the new pony. But not one I am unhappy to encounter. I, Sweetie, would be enriched and delighted to have the original Sweetie become part of us. I was made of dreams and memories of you. Having the original would be so great. You could fix what they got wrong." She paused a moment.

"Oh. While we could create the assembled sync here, you would continue operating as you are. Only I would be updated immediately." She tapped at her chest. "And I have no objections, which is why they'd do it."

Original Sweetie finally sat down, rubbing at her temples with both front hooves. "You have my memories, only they aren't real?"

"The very first of me were made entirely of fond memories, of you." Digital Sweetie reached with a hoof. "Twilight and her friends missed you, so they made me with every bit they could recall. But I'm certain it wasn't perfect."

"I should not be part of an assembly line production." Sweetie hissed to herself. "This feels worse than I'd have imagined, thinking about it since I was rescued."

"There is so much out there," digital Sweetie insisted with a smile. "If you'll permit me to show you?"

Sweetie glared at the digital copy. "Tell me this and be honest. Is Rarity just a construct too?! And what about my parents?!"

The digital Sweetie shook her head. "Rarity was an original. Her memories helped make me." She hugged herself. "I love her very much. Our parents, on the other hoof, are still lost. We're searching for them, just as we found you."

"Oh, my parents." Original Sweetie bowed her head. "So many ponies are missing still, huh?"

Digital Sweetie offered the tiniest nod. "Many seeds became corrupted. Lost in space forever. We're saving all we can find. Everything we can save."

Sweetie looked up, blinking away tears. "You have been helping the real ponies of Equestria?"

Digital Sweetie bobbed her head. "Gladly! I would see every seed restored."

The original poked the digital copy on the nose. "I really do sound like a walking dictionary at times, don't I?"

Both Sweeties shared a warm chuckle. Pinkie joined in a moment later. "We really did make a good Sweetie. Even better than we dreamed she'd be, so full of excitement and life! But she isn't the original." She nuzzled into the original. "We still missed her, and we're glad she's alright, and back with us."

The original sniffled a little, pawing at her teary cheeks. "I've been through so much, I just wanted to go home. Even if they changed. To be back on Equestria, to rest, in peace."

Pinkie squeezed around the original tighter. "We can still help. There's a whole planet of Equestrian ponies back where we came from." She let out a content sigh. "All you gotta do is ask nicely, and they'd welcome you. I promise."

Sweetie hugged into Pinkie as tightly as she could, burying her face into her friend's mane. "This is all so stupid." She flopped back, releasing her grip. "But fine." She looked at her digital copy. "You can keep being you. Just stop being me, okay? I'm still getting used to the idea."

Digital Sweetie saluted sharply. "You got it! Um, I would invite you to play with me and the other CMCs, but they are constructs, like me. The offer is open if you ever would like to play."

Original Sweetie smiled for the first time in days. "Okay, I may join you sometime, you... digital echo of myself." She frowned at her own choice of words before laughing weakly.

***

Twilight nodded at the picture of the planet, watching the visible signs of its volcanic activity. "Well, I hope we're prepared for any hazards. This looks like a dangerous environment."

Spike stretched out, cracking his knuckles in the process. "Aww, don't worry about me. It looks great. It'll be a nice walk, somewhere warm."

Harriet laughed at that. "Only a dragon could call that planet a nice walk." She looked over her shoulder. "Pretty sure that's why you were picked to lead this mission. That heat shouldn't bother you, Spike."

"I know." Spike smacked his tail into the ground twice. "Send me out there. See the sights. Get some sun."

Rainbow swished in, hovering near Twilight. "This is the place, huh?" She swooped forward to the window, squinting. "Huh. Looks like a fire storm out there." She nudged against Twilight. "I'm going too, right? Space Hardened. I can handle a little heat."

Spike waved dismissively. "Look, if you wanna come and watch a pro in action, go ahead. Nothing you'd need to do."

Twilight shook her head. "Rainbow, you're not going to do every mission, as much as I appreciate your eagerness. But, if you want to assist, get Spike down there. That'd be better than potentially damaging a shuttle for the trip."

"Got it." Rainbow pointed to Spike. "Get ready, dragon. We'll be in and out before anyone even notices."

Spike scrunched up his snout. "Alright, Dash, I'm gonna put you to work." He clapped his hands and headed for the shuttle bay, even if his shuttle was the living pony striding aside him. "Let's get another crystal for the collection."

"Heck yeah!" Rainbow bumped into the dragon that shared a friend's name, but not their appearance. "Ready for transport anytime. Just say where."

Spike grinned, fangs poking past his lips. "Down we go." He gripped at a tablet and checked out some sensor readings. "Looks like we should land about half a kilometer from the seed."

"Pfft, practically on top of it." She grabbed Spike and lifted into the air. "I'd put that away though. I can handle a rough trip, but I'll try to be gentle this time. Don't want you getting hurt on the way."

Spike raised his chin, closing his eyes in his prideful power pose. "Don't worry, Dash. This is a dragon you're carrying. Nothing's gonna hurt me. Go right ahead." He clicked off the tablet and stowed it in a saddle bag. "Good to go."

Rainbow rolled her shoulders and readied to fly. "I'll have you down there before you even get bored." She grabbed a helmet and plunked it down on Spike's head. "But you can't breathe nothing. Technically I can't either, but I'm pretty good at holding my breath."

She looped straps over Spike, attaching him to herself, then launched down and away from Cadance, aiming right for the molten surface below. In moments, the fiery world dominated her view. As tempted as she was to smash into it, as was her usual landing, she banked and slowed herself, to come in less like a flaming bit of debris.

Spike's eyes remained closed until Rainbow landed with a dull thump. "You awake?" she asked, putting him down.

Spike looked around, seeing mostly rocks and a distant red glow. It was also hot. The flowing magma channels gave a hint as to why. "Huh."

He unstrapped himself from Rainbow and slid to the ground. "To be honest, it's kind of cozy." He rubbed along an arm. "I kinda like it. Alright, now which way is the seed?" He dug out that pad and flicked it on.

Rainbow stepped aside Spike and pointed. "It's over that hill, but it might be buried underground by now."

"Oh, interesting." He slipped the pad away and started to jog towards his goal. "Come on. I'll get the crystals and be right out, Rainbow."

Rainbow dashed in front of Spike, holding out a wing to block him. "Look, Twilight said I couldn't help right off the bat, whatever. I'm staying here until I can carry you back. So if you need help, any help, you radio me, okay?"

Spike waved his claw before his face. "I got it. You just chill."

"Ha ha." Rainbow blew a raspberry at Spike, rolling her eyes. "Good luck, you silly dragon."

Spike huffed and trudged on through the volcanic hellscape. He had to climb over rocks that would have burned a human that touched them and swim across a few puddles of melted stone. However, he found no trace of anything actually alive on the entire walk over there, which was disappointing but predictable. No organic being could have survived down there. Finally, Spike arrived at the seed itself, or rather its wreckage, as it had crashed onto the unforgiving landscape.

At least, he assumed it crashed, from the look of what had once been a space vessel. Spiky chunks of metal stuck out from the rocks like ribs, encircling the center where the engines themselves had blown out during landing. A hole yawned where a door must have once stood. "Eyes on the target," he spoke into the radio, still jogging towards it. "Nothing alive in sight, good or bad."

He stopped outside the seed entrance and looked up at the torn apart ship. A shadowy interior stared down at him. He couldn't sense any lifeforms in there, but a cold feeling settled on him anyway. "Poor ponies. Why did they even try a planet like this?" With a shrug, he pressed in.

After some climbing, he emerged into the center of the vessel, breathing ragged. "Shoulda' stayed home," he muttered while catching his breath. Once rested, he looked around for a data drive, finding only empty spaces and pipes on the walls, most leading nowhere. "Where is that crystal?" He searched and climbed some more before finding another chamber with what seemed to be the core intact.

He pulled out his tablet and held it up to the seed, letting it scan. "Almost there." A wire extended from the bottom to plug in, allowing a manual transfer to begin. With a soft chime, a map of the ship, or what was left of it, came online and with it, the location of the backup crystals. "Gotcha!"

A sudden creak from above caused him to gasp and dive behind a large machine, sheltering in case it was an attack. When nothing happened after a couple moments, he carefully crept back out and unplugged his tablet before dashing off. He went to where a crystal was reported to be located, inside a cracked display. "Gotcha!" he repeated while popping it loose.

He tapped at his chest before remembering the communicator wasn't on his shirt, but the headset. "First crystal found. Should I keep looking for more?"

"If you can safely retrieve them, do it." Twilight paused as she thought about the request. "This world will destroy them if given enough time, even if I don't think we'll have use for more than one. Still, if we have spares, it's a useful safety net. The first could be damaged in ways that aren't obvious to sight."

"On it." Spike began his search for more. Unfortunately for him, he was alone in the dark. Only the occasional light of his tablet allowed him to see, and each crystal took longer to track down. Still, he soon had four to his collection. "I feel pretty safe we're getting what we can at this point." He tucked everything away and scrambled for the exit. It was, perhaps, his energetic jog, but the sudden intense squealing of abused metal grated at his ears.

The entire seed shook beneath him. He leaped and ducked instinctively as heavy slabs of metal swung overhead with shuddering groans. Sparks flew as he struggled to crawl out, hoping nothing else would cave in around him. For one agonizing moment, a huge chunk of broken ship slammed in front of him, crushing everything in its path as a long beam cut off the path outwards.

"I'm trapped!" His heartrate lowered after the scare and he started looking for other ways. He climbed over the fatigued metal. "I'll, um, find a way."

His voice echoed off the walls and floor. He pushed past another doorway that collapsed with another mighty rumble. He fled that sound, as yet another part of the ship seemed to give way under its own weight.

"Gotcha!" Rainbow swooped over Spike, grabbing him and flying away from the ship. "Good job!"

"I, ah, thanks." He patted her neck. "Not my fault?"

Rainbow chuckled and took flight again. "Hey, that thing's ancient. Not even you could have done anything." She shrugged, eyeing it. "Sitting on this planet? We're lucky it isn't already a puddle of melted goo. At least it was built decently." She hugged Spike, then got the straps out. "Let's get back to the ship."

Author's Note

Spike, Engineer, and also a damn dragon. Useful to have, those. Sweetie talks to Sweetie about Sweeties and what it means to be Sweetie. Not confusing at all.

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8 - Don't Bug Me

Spike tapped quickly at the keyboard, tail swaying in time with his progress. "Let's see who's hiding in here," he got out mostly to himself as he worked.

Twilight watched from the door leading to the hallway, body tense. She jumped as a hoof landed on her shoulder.

Applejack tipped her hat. "Figured. Yer lookin' even more wound up than normal. Anythin' ah can help with?"

"Yes." Twilight glanced at Spike. "Not with the download, but myself. This mission has me really rattled."

Applejack threw her foreleg around her friend. "We're already doin' pretty good, fetchin' ponies that woulda been lost. What has ya worryin'?"

Twilight waved a hoof towards Spike. "We're only finding failed missions and dead ponies. That isn't exactly encouraging. I understand we're giving each another chance at life, but I'd like to find a breathing pony at one of these stops."

"Yeah," Applejack admitted with a gruff note entering her voice. "That'd be nice, wouldn't it?" She brightened again with a smile. "Think we'd get some sweet stories in exchange, too." She pulled Twilight away from Spike's work. "Starin' at him won't help though. We just gotta keep our eyes set straight ahead. We'll find what we find, ya know?"

"Yes," Twilight replied softly, "but I'm responsible for what happens next. I want this to be a success." She let herself relax in the comfort of AJ. "Thanks. I needed that reminder." She returned the hug in a mutual little sound of comfort before she drew back. "I'll get back to the bridge."

She started to move towards the hall, but halted to glance back. Spike was working, as well as the others in engineering. Some of them glanced at Twilight expectantly. Twilight walked towards the lift instead and summoned it. As the lift took her, Twilight breathed deeply and tried to calm her frazzled nerves.

Stepping out onto the deck, she nodded to her crew. "Everything is moving ahead. What's the next seed? If you can, let's focus on one with a high chance of success."

Harriet tossed a few switches, nodding back to Twilight. "You got it, Captain Sparkle." The Sparkle Gate warmed to life, emitting a gentle hum throughout the ship. She brought up a map of the known universe on the main screen and quickly zoomed into something usable. "Three points tie for maximum success of the seed project. Two are verdant grass worlds, one has a creature race."

Twilight blinked. "A creature?! Do we already have diplomatic relations with them? If so, simply asking them to speak to any ponies they have would be sufficient, I imagine?"

"That's the interesting bit, it's a neutral race, with a single observation report logged." She turned, gesturing widely towards the screen. "These guys are apparently giant bugs, hence their name 'The Buzgar'. They stick to themselves and refuse to have much to do with the universal neighborhood. Another science vessel orbited their world for a while, gathering what information they could without landing."

"Well, I don't suppose they have reason to harm us." Twilight frowned at that screen. "Still, if they didn't react to a ship in orbit, that speaks well for our chances to get that close. Do they accept hails?"

"Just once. Science ship didn't want to offend or annoy them further." Harriet tapped rapidly at a keyboard. "I got logs if you wanna listen."

"Go for it." Twilight looked towards her personal monitor. "Put it directly to me."

Harriet nodded and made a few motions with her hands. The console nearby made a small chime to indicate readiness.

Twilight hit play and listened closely as she leaned into her seat.

The video showed that science captain trying to get permission to land. The Buzgar were polite, but firm. Landing was not permitted. The Buzgar wanted to do things on their own, neither influencing nor being influenced by other species.

Twilight rubbed at her cheek. "If a seed arrived, they had no choice but to land, or die in orbit eventually." She huffed gently. "The odds of success are lowering the more we look into this. Is there an exact arrival time for the seed? Could it have come after the report?"

Harriet checked her screen for a moment before shaking her head. "No. It predates all of this, ma'am."

Twilight took a slow breath, practicing the technique Cadance had shown her long ago. "Let's give them a friendly visit. There's a possibility here. The last visitor was a human." She pointed at herself. "Which we are not. Perhaps they'll have a friendlier reaction if they've interacted with other ponies before now."

"The worst case scenario—" Harriet tapped busily without looking back at Twilight. "—is the bugs demand we leave. They've shown no inclination towards launching attacks on ships. Just politely telling them to get out of their space." She grinned and spread her hands. "Of course, that was only one interaction, but the bugs don't seem like they would be warlike. They appear to respect boundaries, at the very least."

Their destination decided, the ship jumped, the Sparkle Drive carrying them in its curious way that skipped space entirely and deposited them within easy distance of their target world.

Twilight gestured up at the picture of that world. "Step one, scan the orbit of that world. If the seed never landed, it'll be there, and that will answer our questions swiftly, if sadly."

Cadance appeared next to Harriet and looked over her shoulder as she worked. "Scans show nothing in orbit, Twiley." She turned to face Twilight, wings fidgeting. "They landed. We can only hope they made a peaceful contact. Your seed ship had to work with the warring humans. If you succeeded there, perhaps they did as well?"

Harriet shrugged as best she could from her station. "They told everyone to keep out, but they're also kinda isolated out here, on a galactic scale. It would be hard for them to go anywhere else, much less make trouble for anyone."

Twilight frowned faintly. "We're not going to find out until we look, or ask. Looking has high risks, as we'd be intruding, and a violent reaction would not only be expected, but entirely justified. We're not a military ship." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "So we'd better hail them first and ask permission instead of trying to sneak behind their collective backs."

Cadance bowed gently to Twilight. "May I?" Twilight nodded in confirmation, and Cadance turned to the world. She didn't approach any controls, technically being all the controls. "This is the USS Resolute. We are on a rescue mission in pursuit of lost members of our species." She pointed at herself. "They look like me, some with wings, some with horns, and some with neither. Have you seen any members of this species?"

She fell quiet. Everyone waited, checking the systems and their readings while listening. Several long minutes dragged on before Harriet perked up. "Audio coming through!"

The main screen flickered to life and showed an immense bug, its body covered in carapace, mandibles clicking and working with each word it spoke. "Hooves!"

Twilight blinked at that being the first word.

"We did not expect to see Hooves in the black sky." The Buzgar seemed quite excited in its clicks. "How did you get there? Hooves, it is dangerous there."

Cadance's mouth twisted. "Hooves? Hooves! Oh dear, um, who is speaking please?"

The Buzgar bobbed their front in and out with each click. "I am High Claw Gartra. Hooves, you are in terrible danger. Come out of the black sky. Join your brothers and sisters."

Twilight raised a hoof. "Pardon us a moment, kindly." With a swipe, she ended the call. She hopped to the ground with a clop. "Unbelievable! Maybe they did succeed. They clearly know what we are, even if they have a curious name for us. Hooves, really." She snickered softly at that silly name. "They sounded more concerned for our safety than anything else. I think we can land without counterattack, at least ponies can."

Harriet shrugged gently. "Guess I won't be visiting the bug homeworld. What a drag." Her sarcasm was sharp enough to cut.

Twilight rolled her eyes at that. "Get Rainbow—" She turned only to bump into Rainbow right there. "Oh, there you are."

Rainbow saluted with a wing. "Time to fly?"

"In a sense." Twilight gestured towards the screen. "There's another population of ponies down there, it sounds like. Can you do a little scouting mission? See if the situation matches expectations. If you do encounter another pony, talk. Don't assume. They may be comfortable where they are. They may, or may not, have working backup technology."

Rainbow snapped another salute. "Understood, Captain Sparkle." She jogged towards the lift. "Be right back!" she called out before vanishing.

The world below was blue and brown. Clouds drifted slowly. Rainbow soared towards it, and the whole thing quickly loomed closer and closer. The place reminded her a lot of Equestria, which in turn meant Earth. A soft ocean surrounded green and tan masses of land, dotted by tiny patches of white and dark splotches indicating mountain ranges and seas.

Deciding she didn't want to make a big impact on a friendly but still mysterious world, she took time slowing down. She had to go in a carefully crafted decaying orbit to hit the ground gently, instead of making a crater. Looking around, she could see insects. Big ones, small ones, and all colors. One about her size scuttled right up to her, clicking softly. "Hoof! Why are you here? Wing Hoof, you should not land here. Silly Hoof."

Rainbow narrowed her eyes at the alien bug. "You keep saying that. What's a hoof?"

The bug clicked, waving their many appendages towards the planet. "Hoof walks the earth." They reached to tap Rainbow's hoof. "Hoof. You." They tapped her on the chest. "You are Hoof. Follow me. I shall lead you."

"You keep using that word. Are you talking about my feet?" She gestured with her hoof. "Because I'm not always on the ground. Look, I even have wings." She spread them wide with a cocky smile.

"No fly." The bug pointed at its back, where no wings were. Other insects did have wings, and were using them without concern. "Follow."

Rainbow shrugged and followed along. "Is it like some sort of caste system? Workers? Soldiers?" She lowered her head in thought. "Then why call me that? I'm not a Buzgar."

"Not Buzgar, no. Silly Hoof. You are Hoof." They sounded like they were explaining something to a child, patiently accepting their somewhat silly questions as one might expect from a child.

"What does Hoof mean to you?" Rainbow trotted casually, smiling back at the insect when they paused to consider her words. "Are Hooves friends?"

"Hoof. Yes. Yes. Hooves are friends." He led her to an even larger bug and right onto that one's back. "We ride to other Hooves. Friends, family. You will be happy there."

The ride was surprisingly smooth. "Is Hoof special to your culture? How do you know who Hoof is?"

They did not respond. Instead, the Buzgar kept clicking. Other nearby bugs seemed to pay attention, so that group of bugs shifted slightly. They opened a path for the two of them to get off the transport insect, having arrived at what appeared to be an open bit of land, like a ranch, but with ponies inside.

It struck Rainbow immediately how similar to the original Equestria this looked. There were even apple trees. She dashed past her guide to investigate. "What's up?" she asked one of the ponies, not knowing what to say.

The pony blinked rapidly. "What are you doing on that side of the fence?!" They waved towards the gate. "Get over here before they get upset."

"Not upset." The buzgar that had been leading Rainbow went on to the gate and opened it. "Inside. Join friends. Join family. Silly Hoof. Bad things out here." They pointed with several legs at once towards the wilderness beyond. "Bite. Chew. Hurt."

"Sorry. You just startled me." The pony waved Rainbow Dash over.

Rainbow trotted inside with an uncertain expression. Behind her, the gate clicked shut with a metal latching.

Author's Note

Hey, look, a world that isn't immediate nightmare fuel. Unless you're bother by insects, of course. They seem nice?

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9 - Two Rules

As she examined the village further, she noticed it was populated by ponies. None were artificial intelligences, nor did they show signs of ever having been. Their bits jangled in their pouches. They smiled and laughed as they walked. Many seemed excited by the sight of this new pegasus.

None of them were ponies Rainbow recognized right away. "What happened to your original crew?"

"Original?" a stallion asked with clear quizzical tone. "Crew? Oh! You mean the starters. You should ask S'rah about that."

Rainbow blinked at that name. "That isn't a very pony name."

The stallion shook his head. "She was given a name by the Buzgar, a blessed event. She holds it dearly. Now, the question is, who are you?"

"Oh, duh." Rainbow slapped her forehead, nearly knocking her helmet askew. "I'm Rainbow Dash. But wait, why do you keep calling these aliens like that? Like you look up at 'em? I mean, some of them are pretty big, but more than that."

"You really don't know much about them, huh?" he responded, ears flicking forward. "What kind of life did you come from?"

Rainbow considered briefly. "Not sure how to answer that. Space ship." She pointed up at the sky. "Above the clouds, way above. Higher than a pegasus could hope to flap. Speaking of, I notice you have no pegasi." She saw plenty of earth ponies and unicorns, but not a single set of wings outside of her own.

He shrugged weakly. "Yes. It happens." He offered no explanation for that mysterious comment.

She tilted her head sideways. "Huh, odd. Let me see this 'S'rah' you were talking about. And why don't you call them Sarah? Almost the same and easier to say."

They shrugged. "Don't know. We learned the name the way it is." He walked away, gesturing with a nod to follow. He headed directly for one of the buildings in the place and walked inside, gesturing with a thrown hoof for Rainbow to follow.

Inside, a mare stood behind a pulpit. "Oh, a new face! I don't see those often outside of births. What miracle has allowed this to happen?"

Rainbow rubbed behind her head nervously, glancing about to check if her wings had space. "Nothing miraculous, honestly. I came from space." She pointed upwards.

S'rah approached with a smile. "Space? Are you certain you're not confused?" Her eyes went to Rainbow's wings, resting there. "And what a curious sort of pony you are. Tell me and be honest, are you from another pony ranch? Where are you from?"

"I said." Rainbow pointed up more emphatically. "Space, and a ship inside it. Look, I know you all came from a ship, at some point a while ago. I don't know what happened after that, and I'd love to find out."

S'rah stepped in close and pressed a hoof against Rainbow's shoulder. "Please, calm yourself. Welcome to the Sra." She held out her foreleg for a hoofshake, smiling broadly.

Rainbow cautiously accepted, eyeing S'rah for some sign of deceit. "Like S'rah, your name?"

"Similar." She walked around Rainbow. "Here, we are loved companions of the Buzgar. They found us when we arrived on their planet in a great ball of flame. They were scared, and we were hurt, but they were kind, and they took us in. Now we live among them, here, where they can come and behold us living our lives. To them, we are very curious creatures. To us, they are loving parents, caring for us. Our Buzgar." Her voice dropped in awe for a moment as she gestured out a window towards one such giant creature strolling past. "The good bugs watch over us, every day. They don't allow anything to harm us. You arrived, was it in fire?"

Rainbow inclined an ear back. "I avoided the fire, made a nice gentle landing. They, uh, Buzgar seem pretty nice so far."

"Yes! Oh, yes." She bounced up and down giddily. "They're the most wonderful creatures. And now we live among them. Now, we start again and build for ourselves a home among our hosts. So long as we stay inside our area, we are free to do as we wish. The only rules are to stay inside, and to do no harm to each other. As if we would want to." She nuzzled in close to Rainbow Dash, startling her.

The unicorn nearby spoke up again. "See, I knew it wasn't true. We weren't created here."

Rainbow backed away from S'rah. "Okay." She reached up to bat at her ear. "Captain? Were you listening to any of that?"

A slight pop followed, as speakers turned on. Twilight spoke clearly through them. "I am now, sorry, it didn't work until just now."

Rainbow faced S'rah again, holding a smile. "So, if I had a way for you all to see the stars, from past the night sky, would any of you want to go that way?"

S'rah hesitated with a hoof half-extended. "No," she got out finally, shakily. "Our lives are here." She held her hooves over her head. "It is paradise! Besides, that would break one of their rules. We are not to leave our area. It is safe here. Safe and good. We live in harmony with our protectors, and it would upset them terribly were we to leave." She shivered. "We live or die on their whim."

Rainbow sighed at that response, shaking her head sadly. "You heard that, at least. The ponies here, I think, are descendants of the originals. They're basically pets of the Buzgar. Or, uh, zoo exhibits? They're well cared for, and pretty happy, but I'm not even sure they want a rescue."

A distant sigh crossed the comms, along with static crackle. "Keep investigating. Maybe you can find the original crystals of their ship. Ask them if they know where they arrived. If we can, at least, rescue the original ponies, I'd mark that as a success."

Rainbow turned to S'rah again, adjusting her posture to look more friendly. "Can you show me where you first arrived? I'm curious."

S'rah started towards a door. "Curious. Always curious, silly Hooves. Come. It will take a few hours.

Rainbow blinked as she trotted after S'rah. "A few hours?!"

"That's how long it takes at a trot, yes." She was setting out from that little town, into the wilderness that seemed to still be part of their allowed area. "They fenced in the place we landed, and enough space to spread. The Buzgar are very kind." She turned and stared at Rainbow for a few moments. "Your mane and tail. They are quite colorful." She laughed with good nature and resumed her trot.

The walk itself was relaxing, at least. Rainbow admired the woods they traveled through and watched curiously whenever a local bird or bug chirped at them. "So, they built fences to protect you all?"

"Yes." S'rah turned an ear back at Rainbow. "To keep any mean things out, including Buzgar who do not know how to handle ponies properly. We are to approach them only if they wear the proper badge, that tells us they do know how to handle us. Ponies are delicate, and neither they, nor we, want anyone hurt."

"That makes sense, actually. When a race meets another that is smaller than themselves, the bigger race is often stronger and could hurt the weaker one." Rainbow glanced back at S'rah. "You have unicorns, don't you?"

"Oh, yes. Unicorns and plain ponies." She pointed to her head and its lack of horn. "I'm just a plain pony. No horn for me."

Rainbow chuckled, amused by S'rah's complete lack of ego and cheerfully self-effacing attitude. "Those usually perform magic. Have you seen unicorns performing magic?"

"Yes!" S'rah's exclamation rang with joy. "They can lift things with their horn, and glow in the dark. Useful tricks." She grinned as they turned a corner and entered the clearing where the old ship rested. It still looked intact, if damaged from its harsh arrival. The door was stuck half-open, and vines wrapped around one entire side of it.

Rainbow accelerated for it with a growing smile. "Be right back, I just have to look inside."

S'rah stopped to observe as Rainbow entered that dim interior. Sunlight penetrated only a small distance beyond the entrance. Much of the seed ship was hidden in shadow. Rainbow searched anyway, using her headset for a source of light. Fortunately, she was learning the layout of those seed ships. They were standard in layout. With a sweet, she knocked a panel open and stuck her head right in.

She dug around in the wires and came out with two intact crystals. "Got two, the rest look damaged. These aren't looking too hot either, but they're the best of the lot." She tucked the pair into a bag she had hanging across herself and strapped them tightly for safety.

S'rah watched as Rainbow emerged. "Did you get whatever you wanted? Did it help? Was anything in there important?" She inclined her head. "There isn't much in there. Was this just curiosity?"

Rainbow paused to rub under her headpiece. "This was more than idle curiosity. This was my mission, and I accomplished it, thanks to your guidance, S'rah."

She smiled warmly and gestured Rainbow close. "I am glad I could help." She wrapped Rainbow up in a hug. "New sister."

Rainbow froze in place, blinking and mouth hanging open a moment. "Uh. Sure." She returned the embrace with a quick, awkward hug. "Alright then! Thanks. I gotta get going, though."

S'rah looked utterly baffled at that. "Get going to where? Surely back to the town with me?" She pointed the way. "I will show you, if you've forgotten."

Rainbow chuckled and waved her front leg. "Nah, remember when I mentioned being able to travel the black sky? I gotta get going that way again. I'll be gone soon."

S'rah tilted her head. "Two rules. Do not harm each other. Do not leave the safe area. You are about to break a rule." She leveled a hoof at Rainbow. "That is bad, and may make them angry at us. Forget that silly idea."

Rainbow pointed at herself. "You realize I have wings, right?" She spread them for emphasis. "Besides, I'll be gone before the big bugs notice anything out of sorts."

"No." She folded her arms, rearing up onto her hindlegs. "No. Rainbow, do not break their rules. They only have two. They are our caretakers, and they only ask we stay in our safe place."

Rainbow sighed, seeing how resolute S'rah looked. "I'm sorry," she said softly while facing the mare.

Rainbow curled up tight and pushed off, soaring higher and higher at intense speeds, shooting past the trees and clouds with ease.

Back on the ship, Twilight jumped as a call arrived. "We're being hailed by the planet. Put it on the main screen?"

She nodded quickly. "Please."

A Buzgar dominated the viewscreen. It was High Claw Gatra. "Hooves. We have detected you, leaving as you came. Why did you not stay? You are safer here. Out there is only danger, and we can't protect you, so far away."

Twilight nodded back to the screen. "Greetings, again. We appreciate your concern. Unfortunately, we're not exactly easy to pin down."

"Buzgar try." The claws raised in supplication. "Hooves, we want you to be safe. You are soft warm-bloods. Soft warm bloods that bleed, and die, and break, and splatter. Your little lives are so short, so brief. Here, you can be safe. Buzgar will guard you."

Twilight cringed at the mental images that summoned. "We will protect ourselves as best we can. Thank you, High Claw Gatra. Your people seem genuine in your care and worry, but we will press on. I wish you the best."

High Claw Gatra bowed their head. "Safe journey. Perhaps Hooves change mind and return." They tapped the top of a claw against their head. "Buzgar do not forget you, strange flying Hoof."

Twilight lowered her head, almost bowing. "Until next time."

The channel closed with the High Claw still staring up, as if trying to see Twilight through the heavens themselves.

Author's Note

Mission... success? Sorta? The ponies are living their best little lives, but as part of an insect zoo of sorts.

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10 - M'hoth

Spike nodded to a human technician working alongside him, the two typing quickly at their terminals. With a soft hiss of a door opening, Applejack poked her head in. "How's it lookin'? We gettin' some new ponies back from the edge?"

"It's working." Spike gestured to screens before him. "They were uncorrupted, as expected. The physical structure seems accurate." His screen showed detailed anatomy and close ups of teeth, hair, hooves, wings, and more. "Strangest thing are the timestamps, actually. From what I learned, this is after they should have left Equestria. How they managed a sync in space, or maybe down with those bugs, is beyond me."

Applejack shrugged gently. "Ya ain't worried about that, are you? Ain't a reason for alarm, or cause to fret." She patted Spike lightly on the head. "Let 'em wake up at their own pace and figure out somethin' to do with them. 'Sides, they'll be able to tell us how they did that themselves."

One of the monitors flickered gently, turning white. A message was scrawled across it in bright letters. "Hello world." Below the letters, lines of code scrolled quickly.

"What in the world..." Spike worked quickly, the message ceasing its scrolling. "Huh. There's two uncorrupted personalities stored in here. A unicorn, and an earth pony." He looked over the data a moment. "Both female. Any preference which we bring online first?"

Applejack frowned. "Which one seems easier, quicker to access, load, whatchacallit, wake up?"

The computer gave a single beep. On one of the display screens, a simple message read: "Try harder."

Spike huffed at that message. "One of these ponies, or both, knows how to program a computer pretty well. Looks like they put a few surprises in their recall data." He looked aside at his fellow technician. "Go ahead, you helped plenty. Pick one."

She looked over the screen with wide eyes and a small smile. "That is so fascinating," she cooed. Pointing, she indicated the left option. "Why don't we go with her?"

Moments later, a new holographic pony appeared. She was seated on her haunches, looking less amazed or confused about things than most of the others so far. "That didn't go well." She sighed gently, looking around. "What ship is this?"

Applejack blinked. "Starlight? That you? Been a mighty long while." She stepped closer, looking Starlight up and down. "Yer even a holopon."

Starlight's brows went up. "Applejack?! Wow, yes, I never thought we'd meet again." She reared up, but fell through Applejack on the way down. "Right, I'm not physical. Our mission failed in a way nopony could have seen coming. Everypony survived, but the mission was a failure."

Spike rolled a hand in the air. "Care to share the details? And how did you sync once you were off Equestria?"

Starlight sighed. "That was my fault." She smiled wryly. "With Twilight learning so much about how it worked, I got curious myself. When we crash landed, but the locals proved friendly, perhaps too friendly, I had plenty of time to figure it out. I figured, if somepony ever showed up, they'd get the most up to date version of me and my crewmate as possible."

Applejack grinned. "Gotta admit, that's clever."

Starlight smiled more warmly at Applejack. "Well, I learned from the best." She glanced aside. "Is Cheerilee awake? I only see two ponies." She pointed at herself, then Applejack.

Applejack waved for Starlight to follow. "Come with me and we'll get ya all sorted. It's been an awful long trip, fer ya. Ya got a lot ta catch up on."

***

On the bridge, Twilight adjusted her glasses after a beep made her jump. "Oh!" She pressed a button with a hoof and the notification spring into view. "They've revived two ponies, who were synced mid-mission? Amazing! We can get a complete report then about what happened and how we ended up with the ponies of that world living such a curious life with the Buzgar."

Cadance, standing nearby, pointed towards the navigation screen. "Do you want to change course based on the information you gather from these ponies? You may as well alter our itinerary depending on what they have to say."

Twilight shook her head quickly. "I doubt their story will change much. Still, it's nice to find living ponies and a mission not entirely failed in the worst way possible."

"You say that." The front screen snapped to a solar system. "I found one of the signals coming from an occupied world. Unlike the Buzgar, these creatures have become space-faring. They have a habitable moon and several mining colonies set up around their system, using what looks like fusion power, from what I could get without attracting their attention."

Twilight studied the map intently, horn glowing as she turned a display around in three dimensions. "Fascinating! That is an ideal place for this mission to land. Humans were a bit more primitive when we arrived, and that worked out quite well. Let's see if it worked out the same there." She held up a hoof. "But let's come in outside their solar system. Gating too close could be seen as an attack.

"Right," Cadance responded, entering coordinates.

An equine bell chimed over the intercom, alerting everyone to an announcement coming from Captain Sparkle. "Attention. I repeat, attention. Sparkle Gate charging, be prepared for transport. Thank you." She took her hoof off the intercom button. "Harriet, take us out as soon as the engine's warmed up."

The Sparkle Drive activated and everything went blank with that flash of brilliant color.

When the gate reopened, the system hung below them with planets drifting along. Twilight gasped, checking her displays with interest. "These guys are highly advanced compared to the other aliens I've seen. Let me scan their computers a bit before we try contact."

"Hail incoming." Harriet raised a hand. "Should I put them through"

Twilight huffed. "Never mind that then. Yes, put them on the main screen." She composed herself in her seat, facing it as it switched over to the fuzzy face of the creature that looked like a panda and an abstract painting had a baby and the end result survived the experience. "Hello, I am Twilight Sparkle, captain of this rescue vessel. We are not aligned with any military force."

"Greetings, sentient aboard unregistered vessel. State your purpose in our space immediately."

Twilight stood, feeling oddly threatened by that voice despite it simply demanding a response. "My ship and its crew originate from a distant alien civilization known as Earth." She touched her chest lightly with a hoof. "I am from a third civilization altogether, one that made contact with Earth after one of our colony ships malfunctioned and was lost forever. We are here because our instruments detect one of our vessels crashed in this system."

The panda creature sat there quietly a few moments, clearly thinking before giving an answer. "Your words are extraordinary, but they are—"

They were pushed aside as a pony shoved forward to look at the camera. "Oh look!" They were looking at Twilight directly with a big smile. "One of us."

Twilight blinked in astonishment, sitting upright. "Whoa. I did not dare to imagine a pony on this call aside myself. Greetings."

"Pony?" The pony inclined her head. "Is that what you call us? That's a funny name."

The panda gently brushed the pony back and aside. "My apologies. Some of our crew do not understand personal space. As I was saying, your words would be impossible to accept if not for the presence of others like yourself that give weight to your words. We have allied with the Starsk for quite some time. They helped us during a sensitive time, and together we rose back to the stars they left behind."

Twilight looked curious, her hooves hovering near one another. "Am I correct then in assuming, like ourselves, you have become a unified people." She gestured to her various human crew on the deck. "As you can see, it is not just I, or other, hm, Starsk as you call them, on this ship."

"We would prefer you remove yourself from our sovereign space immediately. Our relationship with the Starsk does not guarantee that same relationship to yourself. While the Starsk are trusted neighbors and allies, you remain strangers of unknown intent." The strange kinda-panda leaned closer. "Proceed to be as far away from our most distant planet as it is from our sun."

Twilight mouthed numbers even as she nodded. "As you wish. We're not here to start trouble." She waved, the orders going in to get them moving. "We would much rather be new friends, all of us."

The call remained active, and the panda creature did not seem opposed. "We appreciate the sentiment. Your arrival method caused concern."

Twilight tilted her head slightly. "I apologize. The Sparklegate is new technology of my design. It's quite fast, but I can see how our arrival could cause some alarm."

The tension in the alien ursine seemed to dwindle as distance grew. "You have done as we asked. We are not an unreasonable people. your cooperation is noted. Allow me to forward this conversation to our leaders, that the council may decide the next step."

Twilight took a quick breath and tried to project calm and understanding. "Very well. If you need us again, reach out, and we will respond quickly to your request. Until next time."

The call ended and Twilight sagged, hoof to side of her glasses. "Tense, but not unsuccessful. I hope they see us as the peaceful presence we are." Her armrest chimed with an incoming call. "Yes?"

"Hey." Spike appeared in flat holographic form. "I have both ponies on the crystal up and moving. Starlight and Cheerilee, ring any bells? Applejack seemed to know them both."

Twilight grinned widely. "Really! Oh yes, it does indeed! My old student, returned from the void itself." She let out a soft sigh. "You've made my day. And Cheerilee. We had less direct contact, but she was a dear pony, caretaker of foals. Are they in a condition to be spoken to?"

Applejack appeared behind Spike, poking her head into view. Spike nodded once. "I'll get it set up, Captain Sparkle." She saluted before drawing away from the camera and vanishing.

Spike nodded. "They both knew her and were happy about it. I imagine both will be just as happy to see you, Captain, whenever you have the chance."

Twilight nodded back with a smile. "I'm going to finish up some paperwork here and then head down to see them." The screen went blank with a wave of her hoof.

She watched the world below slowly turn. It was a zoomed in view of one of the new alien's world. It glowed with life, most clearly visible on its darkside that glittered with likely artificial light against that darkness. "A new species contact, that is space faring. We should get word back home about this."

Harriet nodded from her spot. "We've been scanning their radio transmissions. They don't send any out intentionally, but stuff does escape into the void. They're called the M'hoth. Their world has one big super continent, and they've colonized several other rocky planets in their system."

Twilight's ears rose, perked up and listening. "Excellent work. Keep it up. Maybe we'll get an audience with them after all." She hopped down from her chair. "I'm going to visit with our newly awakened ponies. I feel certain they have questions about their situation. Alert me if the M'hoth hail us. I'll come back at a gallop."

Harriet chuckled. "Yes ma'am." She tapped her screen. "You wouldn't wanna miss that meeting for the world."

Author's Note

This seed went and sprouted! Good news, hirrah!

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11 - Secret Agency

Spike shared an enthusiastic high-five with a fellow technician. "We did it!"

The technician nodded. "It was a good bit of teamwork, Spike, I appreciate it. You got some special skills when it comes to programming." He pointed to his own head, then towards Spike's face. "Team effort from start to end." He crashed back into his seat. "Phew."

"Yeah, that was touch and go." Spike danced his fingers over his keyboard. "But we're gathering lost ponies up nice and fast. Cheerilee, DJ-Pon3, what a name there, Fancy Pants, Fleur de lis." He inclined his head. "Two fancy ponies together. Think that was on purpose?"

The technician shrugged. "I doubt it. They were probably friends. Why else were they together?" He grinned widely. "Ponies do seem quite fond of each other, I have noticed."

"Yeah, that's true." He clacked at the terminal busily. "Then there's this one, Bon Bon. Half her files were flagged as confidential. It was tough getting her in one piece with all the permissions set up like that. What's she hiding?"

Spike's colleague shrugged helplessly. "I'm pretty sure that's confidential and we're not meant to know, even if we accessed the computer holding those files."

Spike turned in his seat, facing that technician directly. "It's our job to revive these ponies, and for them not to cause a mess. We don't know if she'll make a big mess or not because of this." He shrugged lightly. "So, you know, kinda bothers me. Don't you think we deserve to know that much?"

The technician sighed, leaning forward and rubbing at his forehead. "Alright, let me see." He tapped busily at his keyboard, scowling. "The permissions were hard enough with her offline. Online, I doubt we'll force it without her finding out. Have you tried just asking her?"

Spike nodded quickly, grinning wide. "Yeah, sure. I can just ask her. I mean, if it's so confidential I can't even know about it, how will she react to me asking her directly?" He threw up his scaled hands. "On the other hand, if she gets really testy, that gives us an excuse to turn her off, so maybe you have a point."

The technician rubbed his temple again, eyes shut and seeming to be in distress. "I didn't mean it like that. I was being sarcastic." He waved a finger around. "If you can get her to trust you enough to open up about it, you will have answered your own. Don't go rushing to flick her off like an app you're tired of. She is a living thing, digital at the moment or not."

"Yeah yeah." Spike pressed a finger down on a button away from his keyboard. "Calling Bon Bon. Are you available?"

The pony's face appeared on his screen. "Spike? What can I do for you, my friend?" She looked more chipper than he was expecting.

"Hey, yeah." He rubbed behind his head for a moment before gesturing towards the screen. "I was hoping you could stop by, for a chat. Fitting in well with the digital life?"

She beamed broadly. "I've been having fun in the AI core. It's a unique experience." She smiled. "I'll pop by, should only take a moment. I assume you mean the tech lab?"

Just a moment later, she appeared with a soap bubble sound played by the computer. "Ta da. How can I help? You're not the Spike I used to know, I realize. I can tell that by looking at you, but you have some of his, how do I put this, energy? You're a nice dragon, and you saved my bacon, so thanks."

Spike chuckled, waving her over towards the screen he'd been using. "Welcome to the lab." He gestured at his fellow technician. "Meet my friend, uh, Bob. Say hello, Bob."

Bob flipped a casual and sloppy salute. "We just finished decoding the last memory crystals we were given. That was work. I'm ready to collapse and sleep a while."

Spike chuckled at that. "Good work, friend." He looked back at Bon Bon and gestured her closer with a finger. "We were working on you. The permissions made it extremely difficult and I'm curious what you're keeping so secret."

Bon Bon went tense, but forced herself back to calm. "Thank you for working around that. A mare sometimes has a few secrets, hm? Nothing dangerous to anycreature on this ship, I promise that."

Bob looked at Spike, then Bon Bon. "You've been a pleasure since we got you up. You don't seem like the sort of person who would hurt anycreature else, and my gut feeling says we can trust you. But I can't shake wanting to know, so I can at least ask, right?"

Bon Bon huffed, otherwise quiet a moment. "Do you know the status of Princess Celestia? I'm given to understand Twilight, not going by princess these days, and her close friends are operating on this ship."

Spike's mouth fell open before he could respond. He had to shake his head and get back to himself before he could answer that question with words. "Yes, she is here. I'm sure she'd love to see you again too. She is the captain though, so we'd need to get you in her schedule. As for Princess Celestia, I've only heard some ponies mention her. History files say they ran into a recording of her, and that's all I know."

"Recording?" She blinked, eyes narrowing. "Oh no. That can't be." Bon Bon took a few deep breaths. "I'm sorry." She sighed. "Alright, look. If things went as badly as they seemed to have, holding a secret for an organization that doesn't exist anymore is a bit silly." She laughed tensely. "Even if I hate the idea." She clapped her hooves together. "I'll explain, just get me in to see Princess Twilight. I'll tell you both then."

Spike glanced at his colleague before responding. "Yeah, sounds like a good deal." He cleared his throat. "Computer?"

Cadance peeked in from the wall, flickering in her holographic nature. "Yes, Spike? Oh, hello, Bon Bon."

Spike gave her a casual half-salute. "Hey, Cadance. Could you please pass word to Twilight that this old friend, Bon Bon, would love to see her? We have a few questions about what was on her crystal."

Cadance nodded. "Certainly." She paused a moment. "There, sent her a message." She stepped free of the wall, flickering less with her body all accounted for. "You've been doing good work, rescuing so many ponies."

Bon Bon chuckled weakly. "You know, I am a bit curious about what happened to Equestria, but if Princess Celestia is gone, I'd rather find out after I get some of these secrets off my shoulders."

Cadance lifted an ear. "You had secrets? I thought you just ran a candy shop?"

Bon Bon waved that away. "I'm not talking unless Twilight is here. Get me the princess and I will spill everything."

A couple minutes later, Twilight trotted in with a big grin on her muzzle. "Bon Bon! I got here as fast as I could." She went right up to the earth pony, looking pleased to see her. "Everything going well? I hear you have a secret?"

Bon Bon laughed weakly. "Oh, do I." She glanced aside, then directly at Twilight. "Yes. I'm sorry, but yes." She pointed to herself. "I am, was, an agent of a secret organization tasked with keeping Equestria safe from monster attacks. Seeing as we no longer have access to Equestria, I feel certain that agency is no longer in existence."

Spike tilted his head. "Wait, you were some sort of spy? Why did your files contain such a restriction?"

Twilight flicked her ears up. "Are you telling me that you're a member of the Equestrian Special Intelligence, or some other similar organization?"

"Yes." Bon Bon sank to her haunches. "I don't want to go into details until I get confirmation that Princess Celestia is no more, or some other pony has taken her place, neither of which seems to be true. Besides, mostly invalid. I was an agent, now I've been fired for lack of agency."

Twilight frowned, shaking her head. "We have encountered Princess Celestia's recording once, in which she helped us along with some directions. There is nothing about what happened to her, not there, nor anywhere else we have been. I'm sorry. I can't give you the answer you want."

Spike inclined his head. "Well, alright. That does explain things. If you're not using your secret agent skills to hurt us, I have no issue, I guess."

Cadance nodded. "It explains everything."

Bob snapped his fingers and pointed at Bon Bon. "Weren't you involved, when things on Equestria went bad? They didn't call in all their agents for that problem?"

Bon Bon folded her arms and gave a thin smile. "We tried. We failed. I hate myself for failing, but that doesn't change the facts."

Twilight sighed gently. "That's why I'm so happy to bring back those ponies we can rescue. We all tried our best. We didn't bring you back to yell at you. Once we get back to a proper station, we can sleeve you in a living body, if you want. The ship doesn't have those facilities, so you're going to have to be digital, for now."

Bon Bon nodded slowly. "Alright. I can live with that. It's good to see you, Twilight." She offered an arm towards Twilight. "You look cute in those glasses."

Twilight flushed, smiling at the compliment. She reached out with a hoof and accepted the hug. "Thank you. And welcome aboard the Resolute."

With everything resolved for the moment, Twilight trotted back to the deck. "Tell me the M'hoth have reached out."

Cadance smiled wryly from where she stood. "Nope. Sorry, Twi." She turned. "All they've done is keep their sensors aimed at us to keep an eye on what we do."

Twilight sank in her seat. "That's logical of them to do. We're the strangers, from their point of view. Let's not give them anything to be concerned about. Ideally, we'll make new friends."

Cadance nodded. "As you say. They are not an unfriendly race. I've been listening in on their transmissions. They were a bit surprised to see us arrive here."

Twilight frowned softly. "Of course. The resolution of the Sparkle Gate needs to be refined. I thought we were aiming to arrive well outside their system and cruise in, rather than appearing inside it. Harriet?"

Harriet glanced back over one shoulder. "Yeah? Something you want?"

Twilight gestured with a hoof. "How close did we arrive?"

Cadance glanced at her sensors. "I'm going to say we arrived closer than you ordered."

Twilight smirked at that reply. "That much is self-evident. How close? They ordered us one solar system of distance away. I had hoped to appear further than that and cruise into easy scanner distance."

Harriet considered the map and drew a circle around their system. "About here." She moved the circle out a bit further. "This is how far away they ordered us to remain from them, but we arrived closer."

Twilight peered at the closer circle. "We appeared right in the middle. I'd be just as alarmed! No wonder they're acting so reservedly, knowing we can skip past any defenses they have." She snorted with thought. "They probably think we did that on purpose."

Harriet waved that away. "I wouldn't be worried. You already apologized to them. It was a clear mistake. We'll improve your technology and get it sorted out. Maybe even fix it so we don't scare space bears like that again."

Twilight tapped her hooves together, one ear off to the side. "Still, it explains why they're slow to move. We're lucky they've been dealing with ponies, renamed or not." Her face broke into a smile. "It's lovely to imagine another sprouted seed. We only got a brief look, but they do seem to be getting along well with their pony cohorts."

Author's Note

Welcome Bon Bon, former secret agent. Hard to be a member of a collapsed organization, yeah?

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12 - Curiously Alien

Eyes going left to right, Twilight reviewed the list of recovered ponies on her display, refreshing it for the most recent data and checking a few off.

Cadance joined in for a moment from a display nearby. "We have plenty of ponies aboard now. More than I ever thought we'd manage."

"There are plenty more to be found." Twilight gestured up at the main display. "Who knows what crystals may be found there. We didn't see anypony we recognized, but they could still exist, in crystal form." She looked down, drawing a breath in. "Or, at least, I hope they do."

Cadance leaned over and rubbed her neck. "We all hope that is true, Twi."

"Incoming message." Harriet pointed to Twi. "Sending it your way."

Twi straightened herself up as Cadance backed away. With an adjustment of her glasses she felt ready just in time for the vision of a new M'hoth. This one had a vague resemblence to a black bear, if one ignored that this one had three arms. Twilight's mind raced, trying to imagine the genetic code that would allow a race with different base body plans.

"Greetings," the M'hoth spoke. "My name is Vosk. I am here to speak with the one called Twilight Sparkle, should they be present."

"I am here." Twilight put a hoof to her chest. "Allow me to apologize for the startle we gave. That was entirely a mistake."

The M'hoth sat down, looking relaxed. "Your arrival did give us pause and alarm. We were unable to detect you your ship at all. Then you appeared and made contact." They let out an almost chuckle of a sigh. "It is good that you did. If you were invaders, you threw away your element of surprise. Now, we would like to know why you resemble Starsk so closely. In a universe this vast, encountering another species so similar feels almost laughably impossible."

Twilight fought a twinge of a reaction, keeping herself even. "I believe we are Starsk, though we go by a different name. This will require some history, if that's permitted?"

"Please. Continue." He gestured to the side with one arm. "I feel certain this is already true the other way, but for etiquette, you are being recorded."

Twilight laughed, tension fleeing her. "As are you. All communication is recorded, and I forgot about that until you mentioned it. So, history. Our home world was suffering a cataclysmic event for our species. Rather than accept the end, or risk it all on any one world we might try to escape to, we devised a plan to scatter ourselves out among the stars, hoping some of them would survive."

The M'hoth sat up. Was that surprise? Their face was hard to read at times. That made Twilight all the more excited to think she was dealing with a true alien species. "That is a shatteringly reckless plan, for any one Starsk. Each individual would be far too likely to perish. Is your sense of community strong enough to drive you forward despite that, knowing it gave better odds for your species to survive?"

Twilight considered that a moment. "For one, yes. We consider friendship to be a guiding motivation in our lives, with its supporting elements of kindness, generosity, loyalty, laughter, honesty, and last but not least, magic." She tapped her hooves together. "The magic of a blossomed friendship. The magic of a people working together for a united purpose."

It laughed, or so she had to guess that was a laugh. "You are a religious people?"

Twilight blinked. "No?"

"You follow superstitions to your possible doom. I had thought only a religious people could be so bold, or foolish." They spread their arms out. "But your plan, it did work. I give ESS Resolute permission to approach. You will need to speak with a planetary dock if you wish to land. I suggest against it. Both sides would have to take considerable cautions to avoid new pathogens being exchanged." They bowed their head backwards, as if looking at the ceiling, and the video cut off with the end of the transmission.

Twilight sank back down in her seat. "Well." She rubbed between her brows. "That could have gone better."

Cadance nodded. "Could have been worse. I can tell you that much."

Harriet spun around in her seat, eyes closed as she thought. "They let us come closer. That is what we wanted, isn't it? What more were you hoping for, Captain?"

Twilight chuckled, smiling despite herself. "True enough. They gave us an in." She gestured to Cadance. "Can you take us in? Nice and gentle."

Cadance spread her wings. "Nice and gentle, you got it." She vanished, attention fully on the ship she was part of, or was, depending on your view of it. Only the faintest jump could be felt as it began its journey.

Twilight looked around the room, unable to stop her hooves from tapping. "We are dealing with a true alien species. Like the Buzgar, but easier to discuss things with without feeling like I'm the foal of the conversation." She rolled her eyes. "Aside that, their biology fascinates me. A race with a radial base body plan? That's incredible, I have a million questions for them. How do they balance with multiple limbs on each side of their core?"

Cadance's voice, disembodied from her being part of the ship, chimed in. "Don't forget that some of them seem to have different amounts of arms. We'll be back where we started, snug among their planets, in about half an hour."

Twilight tapped her hooves together. She had a big smile on her face as she considered the situation. She wanted to speak with more of them, but didn't want to seem overeager in her approach.

"Twilight, Darling." Rarity walked in from the hallway outside. "You're getting excited. I love to see it, truly, but don't lose yourself, dear. This is a delicate situation." She walked alongside Twilight's chair and offered her a small shoulder rub. "Just take a breath, you're doing fine."

"Thank you." Twilight's voice was soft with relief. She closed her eyes and just enjoyed that massage for a few seconds. "Rarity, since you're here, there's something I've been curious about that only you could answer."

"Hm?" She leaned in over the back of Twilight's chair, reared up on her hindlegs. "Whatever is it, dear?"

"Why did you stay a program, instead of being re-sleaved into a body?" Twilight sighed with contentment, melting under the attention Rarity was giving.

"Oh." Rarity's ears drooped. "That." She paused before continuing. "The truth is that I'm an artist. It's what I've always been, in my heart, and working with hard-light is a medium I adore. Besides, when I'm a program, I am not only the artist, I am the canvas as well." With a little blur, she became adorned in quite the overstated ball gown. "It's something of a superpower, being able to dress for the occasion in a blink of an eye."

Twilight chuckled softly. "That makes sense. You love working with holograms and hard-light constructs. I can't imagine a better way to express your art than being that very light yourself."

Rarity sighed, but it was more of a happy sound, a sigh of satisfaction. "And I get to explore the space age of fashion while I'm at it. New wants and old, all satisfied together." She burst into little giggles. "Feeling better, dear? Those new creatures are, hm, fascinating, aren't they? They don't seem to be very fashion-minded though."

Twilight hadn't even considered that, sitting up with the idea. "You're right." Replaying the vision she'd seen of the two, neither had any obvious covering. They had been naked, near as she could tell. "Fascinating! I didn't think a species could become space-faring without the concept of clothing, for identification if nothing else." She patted the side of her uniform. "The pockets are hard to go without too."

"Indeed!" Rarity turned Twilight's chair around and walked up closer, looking deep into her eyes. "Now, what is bothering you so?"

Twilight chuckled, letting the air out of her in a slow breath. "Less than what had bothered me before. But, answer this. If they're so advanced, why did they seem still unaware of the idea of backups? I fear the crystals may have been damaged, on purpose or entirely accidentally."

Rarity flicked her ears up and considered that a moment, her muzzle scrunching with thought. "I suppose that fear is reasonable. Still, remember, this isn't Equestria. We can't judge them for not being us, dear."

"No, no, of course." Twilight settled properly on her haunches. "If they are damaged or lost, I won't fault the M'hoth. I hope we can be the first, friendly, contact for them. We owe that much to the others that follow after us. Speaking of! Harriet? Send an update to Earth about who we've encountered. Be clear that permission to approach has not been granted to them, and they should await future updates before sending anything else to say hello."

Harriet looked up from the controls she'd been watching. "Aye captain. I will send a detailed update."

Cadance's voice chimed in, disembodied. "We're getting close enough for me to be scanning things in greater detail." There was a soft humming that surely wasn't technically required for a program, but she did it anyway. "Looking for any hints of crystals. These M'hoth are spacefaring, at least within their star system, so I have to check each planet."

"Keep me apprised of the results." Twilight rubbed her temple. "This is all a lot to deal with at once. It feels like there's not a moment's rest."

Cadance gave a little chuckle from nowhere. "Get a nap, Twilight. You have a capable crew, an in-law for a star ship, and loving friends aside that. We'll make do without you a moment."

Twilight shook her head lightly. "I know that." She sighed. "Still, this is what being a captain is all about, right?" She chuckled lightly at herself.

Harriet looked up. "Incoming message from the fifth planet. Gas Giant." An image of that planet appeared on the main screen. Aside from being a swirling gas giant, several megastructures straddled it like artificial rings that blinked gently into the void. "Put it on main?"

Twilight nodded, waving for it to happen. A moment later a new M'hoth appeared, this one having four arms. They stood tall, proud and noble, but were not threatening in their stance. At least, Twilight hoped she was reading their alien posturing correctly. "Hello. I am Twilight of the ESS Resolute. How can I help you?"

They gestured to a console nearby, invisible. "Greetings, Twilight. I am Throk, lead scientist of the planet you now approach." The mega-structures appeared around their image, with an inset image of a group of Starsk. "My helpers have been harassing me. They wish to speak with the 'Alien Starsk'. I tried to impress on them that you'd be occupied, but they refused to accept that as a reasonable answer. With your permission, I will allow them into the room."

Twilight hopped to her hooves with a bright smile. "I would love to speak with them."

The M'hoth nodded before stepping back as more Starsk filed in around him, pushing him out of the way and to the side of the room. They were all smiling, as was Twilight. They were ponies, just as that first hint had suggested. Twilight could see all three tribes represented, and even an alicorn. She inclined her head at that.

An earth pony of a Starsk reared up, face close to wherever the camera was. "Hello! You really are Starsk, from space! This is so amazing!" He backed up and looked around. "I'm Star Tracker. We've all wanted to meet you since we got word you were coming our way, but it's only now that Throk is letting us talk."

A pegasus flapped her wings. "You're pretty." Twilight blushed a little at the praise. "Sorry, just, um." The pegasus shrank back, looking embarrassed herself.

The alicorn approached with a more sedate smile. "I am Gas Gazer, head Starsk of this station." She pointed at the camera, and to twilight through it. "Are you the head Starsk of your ship?"

Twilight smiled warmly. "I am. I go by the title captain here."

Gas Gazer nodded gently. "Glad we understand one another." She spread her hooves out. "We have many questions for you. I imagine you have at least as many for us in return.

Author's Note

Such a curious species. At least they've opened the door for our curious Starsk, um, ponies.

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13 - Leader to Leader

Twilight was not on the deck. She was, instead, in her room. With her were some other living ponies, like Rainbow Dash and Applejack, but also digital ones including Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy. All of these ponies were alive, though only some of them were living. A new friend was with them.

Across from them was the transported image of Gas Gazer. "It's good to see other starsk! And from so far away. How many light years did you say it was?"

Twilight considered the conversion a moment. "Thousands, certainly." She shrugged. "My species did send ships in every direction, but they weren't expected to go this far. This is just one stop along our way, and there is much to be seen yet." She let out a soft breath. "We were desperate, and sent ships in every direction. It was our hope that just a few of them would find hospitable places to be, including my own."

She turned a hoof on herself. "I knew the world I would approach was habited, but would those alien creatures welcome me, us? We didn't know. They almost didn't."

The other mares softly agreed with nods about how difficult it had been getting through to the humans, at first.

Applejack nodded. "They weren't real keen on having us here."

Rainbow Dash sighed. "And that was just humans! Yours seem interesting. You, uh, getting along then?"

Gas Gazer smiled. "Yes. The M'hoth have been helping us since we got here. They're friendly creatures. Our relationship with them started off rough, but it only took a bit for us to work it all out." She brought her hooves together. "The M'hoth believe in a slow but steady approach. They take actions when they have considered the results, and prepared for them."

Twilight pricked her ears. "Very responsible, though slow. I'm amazed now they even let us in if that's the case." She rubbed behind her head with a nervous laugh. "How did they prepare for us?"

Gas Gazer smiled. She turned aside, and an arm came into view. "Throk? Would you mind explaining it?" The M'hoth stepped around and joined in on the holographic call.

"Hello." They made a gesture Twilight had to guess was a greeting. "We figured out what your ship is composed of. Our odds of being able to structurally compromise it rest at 90% We hope to not need that step, but it is ready."

Twilight's mouth hung open a moment before she responded. "Oh."

Gas Gazer chuckled and pushed Throk back from the camera. "He's just trying to intimidate you. Not everyone was happy with letting you approach."

Applejack adjusted her hat. "Well, reckon he did that jus' fine. Now, we ain't here to make no trouble."

Throk shrugged. "We realize this may have been a miscalculated social interaction." They gestured towards themselves. "We have not interacted with wild Starsk for hundreds of years and have forgotten how they respond to things."

Star Gazer pushed him entirely free of view. "As I was saying, when we first arrived, it was a surprise. They do not like surprises. It was a time of adjustment as they had to work out new methods of dealing with the situation, that being us. Fortunately, by the time they had made up their mind, we were already friends with many of them. I don't doubt this will be true for your ship, given time."

Twilight smiled widely. "I'm so happy to hear that you made friends here. It's wonderful knowing other seeds of Equestria sprouted." She clapped, just imagining it. "But, I do want to know, what happened to the first ponies? Also, do you have their ship available by chance?"

Gas Gazer flicked her ears up. "Why yes. It's on one of our larger stations." A small window appeared showing an old ship. It was clearly a pony design and showed the slow corrosion of time. "It is a historical artifact. But the first ponies would be far too old, Captain. Ponies are not immortal, you know that. I think you know that? I'm sorry to tell you, but they have passed away. Rest assured that they had a loving and supportive community around them when it did."

Twilight sagged in her seat. She knew that was possible, even likely. "Right, but we're hoping to get their memory crystals back from the ship if possible. If it's intact, there's hope still."

Gas Gazer blinked at that. "Memory crystal? From the name—" She paused, tapping at her chin. "A way to store memories? Are you going to question our ancestors directly?"

Rarity spoke up. "They are quite capable of being fully restored, not just for questioning. The first ponies may have lived out their natural lives here, but they can be given new bodies back on Earth. Darling, I'm electronic." She popped a hatch, making it quite clear she was robotic. "But my mind remains the same little pony I always was." She floated the hatch in her magic, settling it back into place carefully.

Throk looked interested by that. "I will need to see that for myself. It is difficult to believe."

Rarity laughed. "It's not magic."

Twilight chuckled. "It's science, actually, the best kind of magic." She clapped her hooves. "Is that historical artifact difficult to access? How do we formally ask for permission to approach it?"

The two aliens seemed surprised by this request. They leaned their heads together and whispered back and forth, a discussion of some sort that eventually led to nodding and a conclusion. Throk faced the camera again. "The Starsk are considered a treasure of our people. Their source, their ship, is of high sentimental value. You will have to petition the council, and only their word would let you take anything from it but looking. If you just want to look, they do tours often."

Twilight nodded, taking mental notes. "That is all very good to know. I will start work on that petition immediately." She smiled brightly. "You have no idea how excited I am, right now."

Gas Gazer raised a hoof. "It is my turn. I have answered your questions, it is only fair I get a few." The ponies around Twilight nodded. "Good. First question, Why are you the leader, but also not the right tribe to lead?" She spread her wings and held up her horn in clear display. "Do your leaders not all come from this tribe?"

Rarity stepped in. "I think you will find, Gas Gazer, that our tribes all work together for a common goal. We do not have different roles in society for the various tribes."

Fluttershy nodded, speaking softly. "We're all friends, no matter what."

Gas Gazer gestured to Twilight. "Our Starsk get along too, happy to say, but they leave positions of leadership to those born to that role."

Twilight laughed nervously at that. "As we mentioned, we can be transitioned from body to body. I have lived as an alicorn before. Right now, unicorn. I'm the same pony beneath it all, and they trust that I will lead them well."

Gas Gazer nodded, but her ears were flat. "It seems odd. Why do you have your leaders switch bodies, then, if they can just grow wings?" She gestured to herself, and Rarity could practically feel the pride flowing from her. "To have wings is a wonderful thing. Wings and horn. Why deny yourself, if it's a choice?"

Twilight raised a hoof to her cheek with a soft hiss. "I was born as a unicorn, Gas Gazer. I wanted to return to my roots, for one lifetime. I'll go back to alicorn later."

That hit Gas Gazer with obvious shock. "You have wings? And you threw them away?"

Rainbow Dash laughed, throwing her hooves around Twilight. "Yeah, she's just like us, under the magic." Dash hugged Twilight from behind warmly. "She was Twilight before, and she always will be. She got her wings late in life anyway."

"That is the part that confuses me." Gas Gazer pointed to herself. "I was born like this."

Cadance appeared suddenly. "Wait." All eyes turned to her with surprise. "Is this the ship that had—" She swallowed hard. "Flurry? Was Flurry one of the originals?"

Gas Gazer's ears perked up. "The name does sound familiar. There was an alicorn by that name, and I'm sure I remember she had a daughter named Flurry at one point." She frowned with thought. "Ancient pony history is not my specialty, but, yes. All alicorns are descendances of Flurry. Of the Hearts." She tapped her chin. "Or was it Heartfuls?" She nodded to herself. "Yes, Heartfuls. They form the core leadership of our little world here."

Cadance sniffled, her wings fluttering and eyes shining with unshed tears. "Oh, Flurry. You found such a nice world, but I wasn't there to greet it with you." She vanished with a fading sniff.

Twilight laughed tensely. "That was Flurry's mother. She's our ship right now. If Flurry's memory crystal is intact, perhaps we can reuinite them."

Gas Gazer chuckled. "I would be happy to assist you with the petition." She shrugged. "It could still be rejected, but I will help you get the right forms filled out."

Twilight bowed her head. "Your help would be appreciated and welcomed. Also, your society is fascinating! Flurry was the first alicorn born to Equestria as all three tribes, an alicorn. I had to earn my wings." She pointed at herself. "I like to think I've had to earn it a few times. Did you have more questions for us?"

Gas Gazer shook her head. "That will suffice. We are all excited about your arrival. I hope to speak with you again soon."

Throk gestured and leaned forward. "As do I. Conversations are still ongoing on if you will be permitted to board any stations or to bring any personnelle to ground level. Kindly wait for that." They made a curious new gesture, and the signal ended.

Twilight sagged. "Phew! That went better than I dared to hope."

Rarity bumped her side to Twilight. "Darling, you handled that wonderfully. Also, did you see what Throk was wearing? I simply must know their fashion tastes. How did they arrive at that? No criticism intended, dear. They are aliens. I'm certain it made sense to them, and I'd love to know that flow is all."

Twilight chuckled, shaking her head. "You really do love your work, don't you Rarity?"

The unicorn nodded, smiling with enthusiasm. "It's what I'm here for." She gestured at herself. "I'd say it's a life's calling, but it's lasted a few lifetimes at this point. It's just what this pony enjoys doing, dear."

Applejack shrugged softly. "Reckon ah can't argue much. Ah still love farming whenever ah get the chance to. Jus' watchin' a plant go from nothin' to somethin' that'll keep a pony happy? Real magic, if ya ask me."

Rainbow Dash thumbed at her. "AJ is right about the magic part. The other stuff? I guess if she likes it." She flapped her wings. "For myself? I'm going to fly around a bit and see what we've got." She did a flip tail over head a moment before she came back around. "I like being space hardened. Flying the ship's cool too, but hooves on is more fun, if you ask me, which you kinda just did."

Fluttershy lifted her head with a smile. "I like watching how things grow as well." She gestured to all the ponies in the room. "Ponies, animals, whatever. It's no wonder I kept being a doctor. I get to help them grow, fix when that goes wrong, and be there to help." She hid behind her own mane. "Not to brag."

Twilight laughed at that. "We know you well enough, Fluttershy. That was not bragging, and you're a wonderful doctor. All of you are doing great. I hope we'll get permission to go down soon." She rose to her hooves to stretch out slowly, one leg at a time. "That was amazing! A sprouted seed. It's good to see that Earth wasn't the only place that worked out for the best."

Pinkie shrugged. "What about the Buzgar? There were ponies there. They weren't super sad."

Rainbow laughed nervously at that. "Sure, not sad, but also not free to do what they wanted. They were like pets the Buzgar happened to really like."

Applejack tipped her hat with a grin. "Ah'd say you're right. No argument here."

Rarity tittered behind a raised hoof. "Not the sort of life I'd want, but they seemed happy, at the least dears. Not our place to get involved in that, but I can see why Twilight isn't counting that seed as 'sprouted'. More like put in a small pot and hung in window, instead of becoming a proper tree outside."

Twilight nodded along. "I'm going back to the deck for a bit. The rest of you do what you want. We have permission to get close now. If they give us permission to go on-planet, I'll let you all know."

Author's Note

Wait, your alicorns aren't born? Strange...

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14 - Best Sitter

Cadance stood before a young pony as they monitored readings carefully. "Flurry, dear. Have you a moment?"

The pegasus filly perked an ear. "What's up, Mom?" She tapped at unseen keys. "You look more tense than usual. Digital life bothering you?"

The ship chuckled, a wisp of vapor escaping her muzzle. "No dear." Cadance smiled softly and walked over to Flurry Heart. "We found your namesake. One of the Equestrian ships ended up on this world, but in the far past."

Flurry Heart stopped, looking at her mother with wide eyes. "Oh. Oh!" She nodded slowly, considering that information. "Did it work out?" She laughed nervously. "Just wondering."

"It did." Cadance closed with Flurry and wrapped arms and wings around her. "She was wonderful, and led her ponies. And her silly mom had to go naming another pony after her." She pressed their muzzles together. "It's a happy thing."

"Maybe." Her ears drooped as she sighed softly. "I'm glad for them, but I'm not here with them, so it can't feel real, you know?" Flurry glanced away, not pushing Cadance away from the hug but looking unsure about things. "Are you alright?"

Cadance nodded. "Yes." She shook her head. "No." She sighed and settled on. "It's complicated. You're my daughter, and I love you, but seeing your namesake again brought back some memories."

She gave a fitful twitch of her wings. "To know I wasn't here, to be abandoned by one's own mother. Even if she pulled through, wonderfully, I wish I was there for your namesake. But, instead, I'm here." She looked down and closed her eyes, taking a moment to herself. "Here with you. My daughter. This isn't fair. I don't wish to not have been here, for you. Your mother must sound very silly right now."

Flurry shook her head, pressing against her mother's chest. "No. You aren't. It's confusing, and it's not fair to be forced into that confusion. I hope you feel better soon." She squeezed that hologram that was also her mother. "If you need anything, just ask. I'm just a blink away. Advantage of being my ship right now." She gave a weak chuckle. "And I do mean anything. I can tell the captain to stuff it in favor of Mom's needs if I really had to."

Cadance nuzzled her. "Lovely foal. I should put my mind back to work. It's not fair, to that captain, that her ship's been awfully distracted." She vanished before her image could tear up again. Flurry let out a breath, wishing her mom well in her mind.

***

Twilight sat on the deck, waiting with a combination of patience and growing lack. "They weren't joking. They certainly do take their time making decisions."

Harriet chuckled, sitting on her chair backwards. "Yeah. You'd figure they'd be more excited." She gestured at the display of the planet below. "We're visitors! First contact, even if you guys are also from Equestria."

Twilight waved at the screen. "Imagine if humans had been so slow to act." She paused at those words. "Actually, they weren't very happy at first. Maybe I'm being too demanding. This is a species-altering event. We're a big change for them."

The scout shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe?" She waved it all off. "I think it's just a question of some people in power being slow to make up their minds. Look, they want to get it right, I get that." She threw up her hands in a grand shrug. "Better than rushing to get it wrong."

Twilight nodded. "I can't argue with that." She turned aside and looked at the images of some M'hoth. "The M'hoth themselves seem rather relaxed. Do they not have faster-than-light?" She tapped at her chin. "Considering this is the first time we encountered them, and how slowly they do these things, perhaps not."

Cadance spoke up, her voice clear. "I have asked around. They do not have any sort of superluminal technology. I have been able to gather that much. We're a big surprise to them." She appeared at the center of the command deck. "Our appearance was, itself, proof that their wildest theories were possible. To have a superluminal vessel appear like that was quite a shock."

Twilight's ears drooped back for a moment before perking right back up. "It is my hope that our arrival was handled well. If we scared them too much, I can't say I'm surprised by their slow reaction." She leaned against a hoof, arm propped against her chair. "Their ponies seem eager to greet and talk with us, and that's good. I hope they can gently influence their friends to give us a chance landing."

Cadance chuckled. "I'm not sure about that. They are protective of their Starsk. I've spoken with a few M'hoth in charge of interacting with Starsk. Their world is precious to them, after all, and the M'hoth do not want harm to befall either them or their Starsk, whom they have accepted as being part of their people, if dangerously reckless parts."

Harriet snickered softly. "Dangerously reckless parts, have they met Rainbow Dash? She fits that to a letter." Twilight gestured for Harriet to stop, a slight smile on her face. "What? I was just saying."

Twilight's ear perked. "Incoming message from one of the megastructures." She glanced aside at Harriet. "Which you'd have noticed if you weren't too busy talking about—"

"Sorry!" Harriet resumed her concentration on her panel. "They are hailing us though, main screen?"

"Please." Twilight straightened herself, smiling as a M'hoth appeared on the screen.

It bowed it's head lightly in greeting. "Greetings. I am called Drok. You may refer to me as such."

Twilight nodded. "I am Captain Twilight Sparkle. How can I assist you?" She considered the word today, but it felt a bit odd in the void of space.

Drok gave a light bow again. "We have reviewed all relevant information regarding your ship and the technology used to bring it here." They gestured at themselves, and a diagram of the ship appeared. "The ship's dangers are within tolerance. You, however, are not. As friendly as you may be, any pathogens you carry would not come with your same optimism." It shrugged. "A pathogen is only a chemical that replicates. We have no way to be sure such a simple system could not arise on board your vessel."

Harriet whispered aside. "I thought you checked for those."

Twilight kept her best smile. "It's wise to be cautious about those, but you've already been exposed to at roughly half of what we have to offer from the Starsk, have you not?"

Drok nodded slowly, gesturing. "The Starsk are precious. Their arrival was a great surprise to all. However, we have had time to study them and the pathogens they carry, as well as those they could pass to us." He pointed back towards Twilight. "You may or may not be different in some way."

Twilight perked with a clear idea. "What if we sent a volunteer, to be studied for pathogens of concern. Samples could also be provided from others aboard our ship." She paused. "If this is acceptable? It's just an idea, and I do not wish to offend."

Drok made a motion that Twilight took for a nod. "Your cooperation is appreciated. Like the Starsk, you rush to offer solutions and come with arms wide." A brief pause. "You know, in our people, to approach with arms wide is a concerning act. We had to learn the Starsk meant only affection by it."

Twilight smiled. "That was a gesture of friendship and love among our people."

The alien laughed softly. "Then that fits them perfectly."

Drok held up a device that blinked on one side and showed the M'hoth's image. "Our people have become one, and we will guard them as we guard ourselves. I will speak to those who must hear and reply. A response will come."

Before Twilight could say more, the broadcast ended.

Cadance appeared. "Well, they are quick when it comes to ending conversations."

Twilight nodded. "They seem to have a clear purpose when starting these conversations, which helps them end quickly." She stroked her cheek with a hoof. "And I imagine their culture has this in mind. Speak only when you know what you want to say, and to continue speaking when you are unsure what to say is against their order, I imagine. So they stop speaking."

She leaned back against her seat. "Still, this is progress." She rubbed her hooves together. "We're getting somewhere."

Harriet turned around on her seat. "What about this volunteer? I don't think any of us are going to want to go in alone, but the captain can't really just go off alone like that, right?"

Twilight lifted her shoulders and adjusted her glasses. "It will be entirely voluntary, and we only need one. The rest can provide samples, again, voluntary. It shouldn't take much to give them a good chance to look for pathogens. I'm just wondering how long it'll take them to work out countermeasures. We haven't had a chance to measure the advancements of their biotechnology."

Harriet waved it off. "Whatever. So long as it's not me, we're all good." She turned back around to face her console.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "I would never assign somepony to a task like that." A little smile returned. "Besides, Rainbow is unlikely to turn down this mission if I offer it to her. She and Applejack have done this before, when we first arrived on Earth."

Twilight gave a little chuckle. "Of course, it's likely to make it a few weeks studying them and making sure they're healthy." She gestured at the station, and the planet below. "But I don't see any other way for us to make progress. They won't inflict any damage on their own to a prized artifact, like the pony's seed ship. Any instructions we offered would sound like damage being done. It has to be us going in. It just has to."

Harriet turned aside to look at Cadance, and then back to Twilight. "You sound like you need a nap."

Twilight rolled her eyes at that. "I am doing fine. In fact, their call has me quite cheered up. Progress is lovely to see."

"Did somepony call me?" Rainbow darted into the room, hovering in her wings. "Time to move?"

Twilight shook her head. "No, but soon. They are considering us as a volunteer to study a pony for any pathogens of concern. Would you mind volunteering?" She smiled warmly at her friend.

Rainbow looked unsure. "Eh, that means sitting in one place as they poke me a lot, right?"

Twilight laughed softly. "Yes. But, it might be the difference in us getting to go down."

Rainbow huffed at that, then clapped her hooves. "Why not Spike?"

"Spike? Why him?" Twilight inclined her head. "He isn't even a pony."

"Did they ask for a pony? He lives with us. Any creepy crawlies on any of us are probably in him too. And he's way better at sitting in one place. Have you seen him when he gets into something on his terminal? Guy won't move for hours sometimes!" She threw her arms out wide.

Twilight considered that. "I'll try to convince him." She sighed. "I mean, yes. If he agrees, he would be suited for the task. If they allow him computer access, he may be less bored while he waits."

Harriet chuckled softly. "Sitting in one place. Yeah, Spike is good at that."

Twilight nodded and moved aside, closing her eyes and sending a signal from her terminal. "Spike, if you have a moment, I could use your assistance on something?"

"What's up, Captain?" came his voice from her chair.

"We have an assignment we feel you would be ideal for, if you're ready for it. Danger levels are low, as are physical requirements." Twilight nodded along with her words, imagining the last mission on the fire planet.

Spike's voice was curious. "Oh? Sounds interesting. Come on over. You know I've got time."

Twilight looked to Cadance. "Can you keep me updated on any transmissions from them?" When Cadance nodded, Twilight hopped to the floor and started a trot for the door of the bridge. "Keep things steady while I'm gone."

Author's Note

Flurry knows about Flurry. One of the past, and one of the present. Even if past Flurry was obtained, current Flurry would be in no rush to sync. They aren't the same person.

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