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.

A thank you to my Supporter Patrons: Zap Transfer and Dapple!👋🏽

Join the special community of folks who like my stories and/or get your own here at atreon!

Don't want to do an ongoing thing? You could

Join my discord to chat!