That's no Moon oh no wait it is...

I could hear giggling … my mind wandered through thought and sleep, with a blinding shock light was everywhere “ohhh nooouuu…” half asleep half awake grumbles and moans were unconscious in thought, “it is time to awaken although how you managed to sleep like that I’ll never know…”
I grumbled opening my eyes I was awake now outside the sleeping bag head just touching the floor as my body was at equilibrium in odd angles and directions.
“At least no more odd nightmares just back to 1 second of darkness again,” I shoved myself to the ceiling before turning and wiping sleep from my eyes to greet Luna, “Morning Luna, time to go watch right?”
She nodded “would you like me to show you what to do first?”

A little bashful I nodded thinking ahead I didn’t really know what was expected of me “ That would be kind of you; yes please,” I slowly unzipped the bag getting out into the colder air surrounding me, Luna floated a bag of nuts and fruit to me “thank you,” I started munching suddenly realising how hungry I was.
“Now then; your duties are simple, do the rest of your checklist if you haven’t done so already, go to the bridge and take command – I’ve already explained why and how you will be in charge… simply put you and I are the only two who have been here from the start so it is only fair you have the same position as I. without you we wouldn’t be doing this at all, so you’ll be shown through the systems by Crucible and you need to read through these to understand the controls should something happen to all of us and the mechanical chemical thrusters are needed.” Floating over some rather thick books to me I finished the bag and drank the bag of water – drinking and eating is very odd in Zero G – its like eating upside down on earth but not quite so hard “understood Luna I shall be in the bridge if you need me and I’ll wake you in 12 hours for your shift, Sleep well,” a small smile escaped her lips “goodnight I shall see you in 12 hours – please don’t let me sleep in.” With that she floated out of the room while I tried to clean my teeth in Zero G… messy.

I arrived to the bridge looking around there were… cushioned V seats designed more for pony form than my own however there was a very different seat in the middle closer to the viewing ports – a larger V shape but had adjustable settings quickly changing it on its simple pull and clutch style, I found the chair to suit me not perfectly but would give me some support and something to sit on. I looked to my left there was a joystick and several buttons to my right a very similar setup however there were two levers both had the Equish for power (pretty much the same but no curves in the writing). I pulled the first book and began to read the tome ‘flight operations manual for The Explorer’ “well time to get into this then I guess.”

Finally pushing the last page over I stood up a little fast so I floated to the roof smacking my head again, hissing through my teeth I found Crucible sitting behind my command seat reading through a book “Jesus when the hell did you get here?” she laughed at both my misfortune and the look I was giving her, “same as you reading up on a few things the Mess hall is too noisy with those two stallions in there,” she rolled her hoof while explaining as if it was all too obvious and it was a waste of time to elaborate. “I see; so what other things do you have to show me to understand this ship?”
She looked at the book and back to me before replying, “most of it you just sat down and did – I usually have to tell ponies to read the manuals. So I would suggest thinking through a couple of avoidance scenarios and familiarise yourself with where the controls are compared to the manual.” I nodded letting her get back to her book and my task that lay ahead.

“Err where’s the emergency radiation shielding command system?” Crucible sighed then explained “simply say your name and then RS loudly the system is designed so that you just need to say it to activate it,” with that I continued to work through where the buttons were BZZZT “aha you did install a shield then… how can you be so advanced yet so behind on so much?!” questioning no one in particular a rhetorical question to the predicament I had most of the controls memorised and all that was needed to do was to finish my shift. I looked to a clock… 3 hours to go… “Damn time flies…. Crucible do you want something to eat?” Without as much as looking up from her book of interest she replied “no thank you,” it was nice to find her pleasant like this – I stood up carefully manoeuvring out of the bridge and ‘flew’ to the galley for some well deserved food.

Feeling more bloated after a rather large portion of vegetable chili, rice of sorts and corn I was feeling like an inflated beach ball floating on the air I had a couple of hours to kill on my shift so I floated back to the bridge where crucible and Phonic were discussing an issue… “ I still don’t know enough about his physiology and neither does Needle! How by the goddesses am I supposed to create a spell that works for us all over large distances and will work with a species I’ve never heard of?” Phonic was rambling a little obviously plagued with the escape of a solution to her work. I floated in silently “ really you could just do some experimentation I already have had the pleasure of a few now; so at least this time I know what you’re doing,” Crucible smirked then her eyes shrank in stark realisation of what I was talking about before Phonic smiled ignoring Crucible; “you wouldn’t mind then?”
She had a slightly knowing smile but I chose to ignore it “I’m happy to help otherwise you lot will be chatting behind my back on the surface won’t you,” I grinned at my little joke Phonic just smiled back before lighting up her horn lifting me to a seat and strapping me in “if it goes wrong you’ll feel pain so I’m going to leave you strapped in and thank you I will be as quick as I can if it goes wrong ok?” I just nodded anticipation throwing adrenaline at my mind and body as if I was on the precipice of a cliff… then … Bang bzzzzzzzzzzt…”DeCX….” Screech “oh god that’s like nails on a chalkboard” / “hold on a se…” vvvvurrp “better?” / “much better no more odd noises or colours” / "strange its similar to a minotaur but also so very different your kind can’t use magic can they?” / “Eenope as far as I’m aware” / “odd, I’ll have to put a beeper on your suit then – its just a magical beep that lets me know you want to talk you’ll be able to only talk when one of us hears that or if you are already in link with us – which should be all the time when we’re on surface” / “great can we finish up now?” / “oh bored of me already? But I hadn’t gotten to ask you a few things like why both princesses are so casual around you I’m ex Military you know and I only know 4 creatures who they respect enough to do that with…” / “eh bad start, good progress and nearly boundless knowledge on a every aspect of science your world seems to have no knowledge of gets a leader both interested and respectful of the wielder of the knowledge wouldn’t you agree? Also while doing this can anyone read my thoughts openly or is it just my words I wish to say to you?” / "yes I see how that could be and no this simply fixes to your vocal control in your mind yours was difficult to find ponies and most other creatures have it compartmentalised your mind is too chaotic but I managed to find it so just to tell you while you’re doing this you won’t be able to actually speak I had to detect the electrical signals from your spine to your vocal chords etc. bit difficult but it’s similar to how I have to do it to griffons. I’m going to cut the link tell me if it hurts however the point of contact is made I can set it up again with almost no issues ok?” / “ok lets finish up”

I found myself in the chair breathing normally Crucible was giggling myself and Phonic looked to her “what?” I was a little intrigued “my stars you two were mouthing the entire conversation and you” as she pointed to me “you were breathing out words it was. So. Funny,” before giggling to herself once more I shook my head ran a hand over my neck before getting out of the chair and restraints I was kept in. “thank you at least that’s another worry off my list of things to do, I’ll link us all up upon landing ok?” I nodded “you’re welcome.”

The days following went quickly although we had to work together we seemed separated by social cliques, such as Highlander and Phonic as ex Military, Needle and Crucible who seemed more scientific myself and Fireblitz had talked about business on the world below how economics worked how gems were rated and sold, it seemed equestrian was gifted in lots of gold, silver, platinum, metals and gems but had little fuels so much was traded with the griffons and diamond dogs who had access to the larger mountain ranges and could bring coal, a substance called wizards powder that acted like magical energy battery while mixed with dead leaves and gemstone dust – which carried pure magical energy Fireblitz was explaining some smaller business so I could at least try to make a living here as Luna floated into the galley. “Dex, Fireblitz we are reaching the moon’s surface within the hour please take all gems, refill your water and O2 and make preparations to land it’ll take all of us plus the ship to brake to landing speed. I will see you both on the bridge,” with the very quick introduction Luna floated effortlessly out. “Well I guess it’s to the stations then,” Fireblitz casually explained and floated us both out “what! did I say about high jacking the human?!” I exclaimed at the unfair magical tug I was in – I’d had two of them try it after Luna did on the first day, I was left adrift and Fireblitz chuckled his way to the bridge to get strapped in.

I arrived later on bridge after pinning down the galley ready for final descent Luna lifted herself from the main chair and strapped into the co pilot seat “as we discussed ok?” I nodded before sitting and buckling into the chair accessing the controls for main and secondary thrusters and vector controls Luna and the other unicorns began to focus on their magic it was almost palpable like thunder humid but energetic. I could feel acceleration away from the moon but also towards the moon energy and gravity fighting it out knowing we want to lose but in a way that we land safely.
With this in mind I began thruster checks “main fuel online and primed, guidance?” “Guidance should be … go” Phonic explained her voice strained as she included my mind into the targeting that had been calculated a few weeks ago “guidance is go, thrusters are go and awaiting ignition, life support and landing struts are primed and go all systems go and we are about to reach the point of descent… 3.. 2.. 1.. This is it mares and colts we are now falling to the surface lets put initial magic brakes and get down safe and sound,” I called out and the magic was suddenly like a fan had switched on moved from around us to straight down I only had to – for now – focus on getting us on the right heading using the secondary thrusters, flipping the switch on the control panel thrusters for secondary use were now primed and ready to go we were on target and slowly moving towards the moon below.

5 minutes passed with no issue but we began to move off course the Unicorns, Luna and I began to move the craft back onto the target trajectory the thrusters shaking the ship ever so slightly as we moved back onto target “EST 15 minutes to landing and its going to get harder once we hit 10 minutes I’ll turn on the main thruster to help you,” we counted down the seconds as gravity and magic fought I had to do some minor corrections more-so since the fight was now getting harder we reached 10 minutes and the main thrusters rumbled to life our downward velocity almost stopping at the sudden thunderous power. We began to fall once more Luna doing most of the work, Phonic was more guidance than lifting and the others concentrating on both power and trajectory. At long last the surface details came into view “making a 90 degree turn 20 lengths in that direction I see a better landing site down there,” Luna nodded and I took the ship’s momentum to a stop except down and then began the manoeuvre, the seconds began to feel longer as we carefully approached the surface I could ‘sense’ the distance away thanks to Phonic getting closer the main thrusters calmed down the unicorns taking over as I allowed the landing struts to lower down the secondary thrusters now taking the brunt of the force needed along with the unicorns as we gently got closer “20… 15… 12… 9… 7… 5… 3… 1… oh zero 5 and,” thunk “ touchdown we have landed – the Explorer has landed,” I lit a grin at Phonics’ announcement quickly powering down all thrusters and putting them back to standby. “Thank you Luna,” I smiled at her it might have not been my universe but I was gravely thankful for this opportunity. Luna looked around before giving me a big smile “you’re welcome thank you for this too, now then I’m sure you’re all excited to get onto the surface but I want you to all go get something to eat, relax for 20 minutes.” With our orders and a couple of groans we left for our own prep for the surface awaited for us.

Author's Note

remembering a Length is a meter - it used to be 80cm but was re calculated later - within this fan fiction anyway. a bit like a farlong or yard etc ..

also as you may be able to tell I had that horrible box of grey writer's block for a bit here but up and ready for the next chapters so `i expect them to go quicker than this one - that being said I'm rather busy with business so I may just end up being a little longer to post but then again I haven't been on time to update since january or something haha

thanks for sticking with me !