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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