Scotty looked out and up at the two-story cottage in front of him, and the six ponies standing in front of it. Five were earth ponies, and the sixth was a unicorn. He, several science officers, and four security guards, had beamed down to a 'rock farm' on Captain Kirk's orders for a survey mission. An equal number of Klingons were there as well, clustered together in their own group. He paid them no mind as he walked up to the sextet. “Good morning...” He focused on the lone stallion. “Mister Igneous Rock Pie, I presume?”
Igneous slowly looked up at Scotty, a stalk of wheat in his mouth twitching back and forth. “Aye, Lieutenant Commander Scott. I welcome you to my family's rock farm. May providence favor you.” He waved a foreleg to his right. “Allow me to introduce my wife, Cloudy Quartz, and my oldest daughter, Limestone.”
Cloudy Quartz adjusted the glasses perched at the tip of her muzzle. “A pleasure to meet you, Commander,” she said, her voice never rising or lowering.
Limestone stalked forward, head high and upper lip curled back. She jabbed a hoof at Scotty. “You and the rest of your gang better not get in our way too much. We've got a lot of work, especially in the south field.”
Scotty held his hands up. “Don't worry, lass. We'll stay out from under your hooves. I know what it's like to have people underfoot when you're trying to get work done. Or perhaps underhoof in this case?”
Limestone continued staring at him, but her expression softened slightly. “Well... okay. Just keep that in mind.”
Igneous waved his foreleg to his left, his expression never changing. “This is Marble, our youngest, Maud, the second-oldest, and Maud's marefriend, Trixie Lulamoon.”
Marble shrunk back, her cheeks flushing from gray to beet-red and her mane flipping over her eyes.
Maud slowly looked up. “You're from space? How fascinating. How many rocks are there?”
Trixie stood up on her hind legs and waved her forelegs about. A strong breeze kicked up, sending her cape waving about. “Welcome, visitors from the stars! I, the Great and Powerful–sorry, the Humble and Penitent Trixie, am most eager to hear your tales from beyond!” Her horn lit up and fireworks blossomed above her and the others.
Limestone slapped her forehead. She walked around and right up to Trixie, literally butting heads with her. “For Celestia's sake, Lulamoon! Can you tone it down a bit?”
Trixie growled and pushed Limestone back. “This is neither the time nor the place, Limestone! We have visitors!”
“I know. That's why I'm cutting your horse apples short!”
Scotty held out a hand. “Ah, lasses. I think–”
Limestone's eyes narrowed. “Yeah, and you're embarrassing the Tartarus out–”
Maud shoved herself between the two. Her eyes shifted from Trixie, then to Limestone, both mares quickly quieting down. She looked up at Scotty. “My apologies, Lieutenant Commander. Limestone and Trixie can be a bit volatile.”
Scotty held a hand up and waved her off. “No worries, lass. Truth be told, my own sister and I can have a devil of a time getting along. Then there's my brother-in-law.” His expression suddenly grew distant. “I can only hope young Peter takes after his mother.”
Limestone backed up slightly. “Okay. Sorry, Trixie. Sorry, Lieutenant Commander Scott.”
Trixie bowed her head. “I also apologize. That was the old Trixie. The new Trixie is supposed to not be so overbearing.”
Igneous spoke up. “Trixie, Maud, if you could, please take Lieutenant Commander Scott to the north field. Show him the basics of how rock farming operates. Answer any and all questions he has.”
Trixie started to stand up on her hind legs, but a quick glance from Maud settled her down. “Trixie and Maud would be honored,” she said.
Igneous looked to Cloudy, then to Marble. “Very well, then. If there's nothing else, Cloudy, Marble, Limestone, and I have several things to do around the farm. Lieutenant Commander Scott, you have our itinerary if you need to find us, correct?”
Scotty reached back, unclipped a PADD from his belt and held it up. “Aye, I do, Mister Pie. If I need you or the others, I'll come running.” He paused. “By the way, no need to be so formal. You can just call me 'Scotty',” he said, smiling.
Igneous slowly nodded. “I shall keep that in mind, but I would prefer to use your full name and rank. If you'll excuse us?” At Scotty's nod, he and Cloudy turned and headed for the house.
Limestone walked over to Marble, who had shrunk down and was studiously examining a clod of dirt in front of her hooves. “One thing, Scotty,” Limestone said. She pointed to a huge egg-shaped rock near the farmhouse. “Don't go near Holder's Boulder. Okay? Holder Cobblestone found it in a dragon's nest, and it brings the family good luck. You wanna use your doohickeys and scan it, go ahead. But don't touch it!”
Scotty bit back a sigh. “All right, lassie. We'll leave your... boulder alone...” His brow scrunched as he followed the direction of Limestone's foreleg and took his first good look at Holder's Boulder. “Are you sure that's really a boulder, lass? I mean, found in a dragon's nest? Why would a dragon have an egg-shaped boulder in a dragon's nest?”
Limestone waved him off. “Dragons are instinctive hoarders. If it was an egg, it would've hatched by now. It's completely solid, through and through.” She started to lead Marble off, but stopped, glanced over her shoulder at Scotty, pointed a hoof at her eyes, then jabbed it back at him before finally turning and walking off in a southerly direction, Marble right behind.
Maud and Trixie walked up to Scotty. “Mister Scott, if you'll follow Trixie and I to the north field? I think you'll find our work interesting, there.”
Trixie glanced to Maud. “More weeds?”
Scotty's brow furrowed. “Wait, lassie. 'Weeds'? At a rock farm?” He barked a laugh. “Aye, and if my mother had wheels, she'd be a wagon!”
Maud shook her head. “No. She'd still be your mother.”
Trixie walked right up to Scotty. “As odd as it might sound, calling them 'weeds' is rather appropriate. However, I think it'd be better for us to show you, rather than just stand around and talk about it.”
Scotty rubbed his chin. “Good idea, lass. I might need a geology expert for this.” He pulled out his communicator and flipped it open. “Ensign Naraht, please report to the Pie's house.” He looked back down at the ponies. “Now, Ensign Naraht is a bit... unique. He's a Horta from Janus VI.”
Trixie barked a laugh. “Oh, Scotty! Equestria is populated by a wide variety of people. In my travels I've been all over, and seen a–”
A loud shuffling and scraping cut Trixie off. She and Maud stared as a large, bulbous mass of brown-and-red rock passed through the fence's gate and shambled over to the trio. A Starfleet utility belt was fastened to his hide, a tricorder, phaser, and standard-issue communicator attached to it. “Ensign Naraht, reporting as ordered,” he said, drawing himself up. A pseudopod of rock extended and doubled back, almost as if in salute.
Scotty smiled. “Excellent timing, Ensign. We've got work to do in the north field.” He waved at the ponies. “May I introduce Maud Pie and Trixie Lulamoon. Ladies, this is Ensign Naraht, a silicon-based lifeform.”
Maud's ears twitched back and forth. Her eyes lit up slightly, but her expression otherwise remained unchanged. She walked up to Naraht, reached into her blouse, and pulled out a small, gray rock. “Hello, Ensign. I'm glad to meet you. This is my pet, Boulder.” She held the rock out. “I think you two will be good friends.”
Trixie stared at Naraht. She looked up to Scotty. “Okay. Definitely... unique.”
Naraht shuffled around. Though he had no face or visible eyes, everyone could tell he was looking at Trixie. “Well, thank you. Truth be told, though, back home there's a lot of us crawling around. You'd be the odd one out.”
Trixie grinned. “Perfect. I love being the center of attention!”
Scotty chuckled. “Now that I can believe, lass.” Movement to his left caught his eye. Scotty looked up as Kellett, son of Grix, approached. “Mister Kellet. I'd ask what you're doing here, but I reckon it's the same as me.”
Kellett nodded. He held out an arm and waved it around. “If it's preparing survey teams before our date with destiny at the Punch Bowl, then you're right.” He suddenly grinned. “You're not thinking of backing out, are you?”
Scotty turned to fully face him. He crossed his arms and furrowed his brow. “Not a chance, Mister Kellett. I'm quite looking forward to our little contest.”
Trixie looked from one to the other. “You two aren't going to start fighting, are you?”
Kellett looked to her. “No, small pony. Our battlefield will be a tavern. Our weapons, liquor! A far better fight than the last one we were in.”
Trixie arched an eyebrow. “'Small pony'?”
Maud shrugged. “Well, to them, we are.”
Scotty slowly nodded and smiled. “Aye, Mister Kellett. I'll be looking forward to that, too. Soon as I'm finished here.”
Kellett looked to Maud and Trixie, then to Naraht. “What is going on, here?”
Scotty paused for a moment. He scratched the back of his head. “Well, Trixie and Maud are about to take Naraht and I on a tour of the north field and show us some 'weed's. Care to come?”
Kellett frowned. “Weeds?”
Trixie and Maud walked along a wide, barren, gray-hued plain. Crystals, gems, and other minerals were strewn about the ground, each one glowing and quietly humming. The very ground beneath the objects glowed and pulsed rhythmically, creating a hypnotic light show.
Scotty, Kellett, and Naraht all shuffled along, giving the spots of light as wide a berth as possible. They held their tricorders out, the portable scanners whirring and beeping. Scotty held his up and looked the display screen over, eyes wide. “Ensign, is your tricorder registering this?”
Naraht rumbled along. “I can smell the pergium, sir, along with a number of other valuable minerals and crystals. If I had a traditional mouth, I'd be salivating.” He shuffled up to a line of shaped ingots, his body quivering. “Oh, duranium, cesium, it's like an all-you-can-eat buffet!”
Scotty barked a laugh. “Laddie, what do you call that acid you can pump out to tunnel through rocks and eat them up, then?”
Kellett knelt down besides a line of rocks. He shook his head. “I have been on planets in over a hundred star systems in two quadrants of the galaxy. I have seen many things, but by Kahless, I have never seen anything like this.”
Maud walked up to Kellett's side. She looked to a lightly-glowing crystal as she spoke. “Energy from the planet can leak through the ground, here. Normally it's spread evenly throughout the area, but certain kinds of rocks and crystals draw the energy to them, concentrating it within them and absorbing it, becoming power sources for all kinds of things. Metal gets strengthened when it absorbs the energy, too.”
Kellett slowly nodded. “The energy gets concentrated in those few spots, which would explain why the rest of the land looks so... desolate.”
Naraht piped up. “I don't think it looks too bad. Kinda reminds me of home.”
Maud's voice rose, almost imperceptibly. “I've been studying the energy's effects on different materials all my life. It's so fascinating.” She suddenly turned her head and glanced down, her cheeks coloring the slightest shade of red. “I apologize, Mister Kellett. I didn't mean to let my emotions get the better of me.”
Kellett stared at her. “Maud, you would make a Vulcan look gregarious.”
Maud arched an eyebrow. “Thank you, I think.”
Trixie walked up to a mound of white crystals jutting up haphazardly from the ground. She scowled as her horn glowed and a pickaxe floated out of a saddlebag. “Gentlemen, you were wondering about weeds?” She stood up on her hind legs and waved both forelegs at the mound. “This is what we're talking about when we mention weeds.” She dropped back down to all fours as the three looked to her. “The crystals and other minerals don't capture all the energy. Some of it leaks through the ground and forms these useless growths.” She groaned as she tapped her pickaxe at the base of the mound. “Stupid darned useless...”
Scotty's mouth slowly dropped as he took in the shape and color of the crystals. He walked over to Trixie, his gait increasing with every step. As soon as he reached Trixie's side, he dropped to one knee and ran his tricorder's scanner over the crystals. He barely noticed as Kellett dropped down beside him, his own tricorder whirring. “If I dinna' see it with my own eyes, I would never have believed it!”
Kellett snapped the top of his tricorder shut. “I see it with my eyes, scan it with my tricorder, and if someone told me this was happening, I'd call them a liar and fool!”
Trixie stared at the two. She slowly lowered the pickaxe and slid it back into her saddlebag, her eyes never straying.
Maud trotted over, Naraht shuffling behind. Maud walked up to the mound and tapped the mound. “What is it?”
Scotty waved his hand at the crystals. “This-this is insane! Do you have any idea what these are?”
Trixie slowly shook her head. “No...”
Kellett barked a laugh. “If they did, I doubt they'd call them 'weeds'.” His expression turned serious. “These are dilithium crystals. They're the key component in our ship's matter/antimatter reaction assembly.”
Scotty continued. “When exposed to high-enough temperatures and electromagnetic pressures, it becomes porous to antimatter. It's one of the the only known substances to be able to do that, and it does it the best by far.”
Trixie slowly nodded. “I see...”
Naraht rumbled forward. “Sir, may I?” At Scotty's nod, Naraht continued. “Dilithium is one of the key components on our ships being able to go faster than light, and move between star systems. Without it, there might not be a United Federation of Planets, or Klingon Empire. It's one of the most valuable substances in the galaxy!”
Trixie gasped. “Oh, now I get it!”
Kellett stood up and waved his hand around. “Tell me, does dilithium grow like this in all your fields? Or at other rock farms?”
Maud looked to the crystals. “They do, and from what I've read about and seen, they form at other rock farms. They've been growing like this since the Pie family settled here.”
Trixie tilted her head back and forth. “Okay, so what we've been thinking of as 'weeds' are really the most valuable thing in the entire galaxy?” At Scotty's slow nod, she grinned and lightly jabbed Maud in the barrel. “I think your rocktorate's tuition just got paid.”
Maud looked to her. “We might be able to afford you that new wagon you've had your eye on, too.”
Scotty rose to his feet. “Are you two daft? That mound of dilithium alone would be enough to buy your own moon!”
Trixie gasped. She looked up at the sky. “The moon?”
Scotty held his hand up. “Well, not your moon, but a moon, at least.”
Kellett also stood up. “Well, Mister Scott. I must speak with Igneous Pie, talk with my survey team, then make a report to Captain Kang and Commander Mara. I shall see you at the Punch Bowl?”
Scotty nodded. “Aye, Mister Kellett. I have a feeling we'll both be needing a bit o' the strong stuff before this mission's all said and done.”
Rock farm weeds are Dilithium, looks like Equestria just discovered their primary interplanetary export.
PS. You're using a lot of noncorporial lifeforms, but you haven't even mentioned the Prophets, any chance telling us why?
Makes me wonder what the Bit to Gold-Pressed Latinum exchange rate is. The Pies are about to be swimming in money like Scrooge McDuck.
Maud would INDEED make a Vulcan look gregarious :)
...hang on, did I miss and/or forget something? Let me do a quick search through the fic...
...nnnope, no mention of Trixie prior to this...I'm not opposed to her showing up, but being marefriends with Maud out of nowhere? Really?
...uh-oh, I think I'm getting a flashback to The Wrath of Khan as to what will be happening to the kid in a decade or two...
Yay!
Although I still have no idea how Naraht (or any Horta) isn't constantly on fire in a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere. I think one of the Rihannsu novels said that he's basically covered in a thin layer of what amounts to natural Teflon.
Incidentally my local channel played "Devil in the Dark" last night, so good timing! Of the serious TOS episodes, it's my favorite, at least partially because of the story of how it was made - the FX guys in the studio made the Horta creature basically on a lark and showed it off to one of the writers (not Roddenberry, forget who) by wearing it and shuffling into his office on his hands and knees. The writer decided they had to make use of it.
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The Prophets are...limited, as godlike aliens go. And mostly seem to stick to a single point in space. Discord may have honestly never run into them, or even forgotten about them; while meanwhile this is still a good 70 or so years before the Federation makes any real contact with the Cardassians or Bajorans.
8188957 Either that, or perhaps they refuse to mention them because they don't want to think about them. Seriously, they needed to be taught how cause and effect works.
I knew dilithium was going to be showing up somewhere in this.
I like Trixie being with the Pies. And the dilithium reveal.
8188908 wait does this mean equestria.....is warp capable ? i mean with there precious metals and with twilights brains how long would take them to have their first warp capable ship?....plz tell me is will be addressed
8188984 As soon as Scotty and the Klingon engineer give her the basic Warp Theory text book. She was able to force bypass a hard coded lock on an inter-planar gateway by basically tracing a single thread of the time-space continuum. Twilight needs at most an hour after reading the book to make a functioning prototype
Don't feed Spike that 'weed' !
Do you remember what happened last time?
Well duh! He got all silly and waddled around and said lots of funny things then he danced around and grabbed Raritys leg and. . .
Pinkie we already know the details! You want to embarrass our guests?
But Spike makes such a cute little Gorn especially hugging Raritys leg... PINKIE!
She's right you know
And just like that, Scotty killed Trixie's dream of carving her face into the moon.
WElcome to the box!
Oh dear gods... The pies are now the richest ponies in Equestria! A renewable source of dilitium, every species in the galaxy will want to trade with Equestria.
Well dang. This is gonna make negotiations much more interesting.
Given how little Dilithium is needed to throw thousands of tons of starship at high multiples light speed, and just how much dilithium crystal waste exudes out of the mere surface of the planet, I wonder how much dilithium forms the Crystal Mines. Or even the Crystal Empire. And if that is enough, in a Probe Wormhole link, to create the warpfield needed to create and sustain teh Equestrian system, with magic as an areal byproduct?
I mean, somewhere in Equestria theres a rockfarmer with a crystal cutie mark who decided to grow the biggest single pure crystal in his spare time, and what better than smething for which there is a ready source, family want to see rid of out of the field and its worthless so noone would want to steal it.
I mean, If that small mound is worth something, how much would a 2 metre diameter, 10 metre long ultra pure dilithium crystal be worth. And how big a stellar mass would it be used to move?
Dilithium is a unique form of quartz. Its crystalline structure has 4 dimensional symmetry.
And if it's growing on rock farms all over Equestria... Oh my. When Celestia and the Captains learn of this, it's going to bring a major change to the negotiations.
Great chapter!
I think the negotiations took a new turn.
An alien race with female rulers Kirk can't hump?
BLASPHEMY!
8188957
Regarding Naraht: One of the ST:TOS novels prevented him from combusting by spraying him with Teflon. Neat, eh?
8189432 So nice to see Naraht here.
8189414 Wana bet?
8189414
Not can't. Won't. There is a difference. Blame him growing up on a horse ranch. That said, given the number of half-breeds running around by the time of Next Generation, we'll be seeing Satyrs in a generation or two.
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If theyre like any regular weeds, theyre plentiful, stubborn, and regrow quickly.
8188983 mmmm...Trixie Pie.
8189760 Well shit, I think Equestria just broke the Galactic Economy with their renewable source of Dilithium...
Awww no Trixie Glimmy ship
...WUT
Great chapter and indeed, the negotiations become more interesting with that discovery!
Bar brawl coming!
Nice characterisation of Trixie and the Pies. I particularly like Maud's reaction to Naraht the Horta (my favourite OC from from Diane Duane's Rihansu books). A living, sentient and talking rock must be something out of a fantasy for her!
I really hope that somepony remembers to tell Celestia that Equestria has suddenly become the single most valuable lump of rock in the sector, possibly in the entire quadrant. Valuable enough to fight over. Valuable enough to die over in the millions and, nightmarishly, even in the billions.
8190314 dominion war anypony?
8190314
True, but I get the feeling that she is aware of it... maybe not of the specifics, but as she have connections with the Organians, she could have a good guess...
8189414 You underestimate Kirk's power!
8190555
I'm waiting for the duel with Blueblood. The turning point will be when Bluey foolishly rips Kirk's shirt!
Welp, at least Equestria has physical resources to trade with
I'm just trying to figure out how and why Maud and Trixie hooked up. That's the baffling thing.
Huh. Wasn't expecting Mauxie in this story. Did Trixie insist on that part of the role, or was it a concession you wrangled out of her?
Double huh. A horta crew member. And it isn't even your OC. I have many questions about the logistics involved, but at the very least, Trixie had best ieep a close eye on her marefriend.
Oh. Oh my. Naturally growing dilithium crystals. This could be very good or very bad. Equestria isn't just a curiosity anymore. Now it's a commodity. One neither side may be willing to share. Let's hope the princesses' plans can account for this development.
now this I didn't see coming!
Very nice scene. I'm really glad you included the Pies. And having them unknowingly grow the most valuable chrystals in the galaxy is a brilliant idea.
Good to see someone else see the significance of having a "rock farm" and "growing crystals".
Plus, you've set us a future red alert issue with Holder's Boulder--I'm sure there's a mamma dragon somewhere still looking for her egg.
8189957 Well, with this fic taking place mid-S5, Starlight is still on the run.
8190314
Yow. Sometimes I do need to be reminded that the future's a bit of a scary place.
Maud should teach Vulcan's about how to control their emotions, she could be the second coming of Surak.
Don't worry, Scotty! I'm sure he'll be juuuuuust fiiiiine!
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Oh... ohhhh... wow... geez.
8190926 The Princesses have the ability to handle a fleet of starships like small change. Moving insane masses around in space is what they do. So anybody trying to take it by force is in serious trouble. So not so much a comodity as a power broker.
Even if they don't want to get their horns dirty, with an effectively unlimited supply of dilithium they can buy their own orbital defences and fleet. The Federation and the Klingons may end up in an alliance ahead of schedule simply because playing nice with each other is a condition of access to Equestria.
Klingon: Ally with us!
Federation: Ally with us!
Equestria: ( puts mountains of dilithium on table)
Now kiss.
This killed me. A Horta starfleet officer! What's next?! A Nanobot serving with the ugly bags of mostly water?!
8190926
To be honest, how long would it take from Equestrians to buy few star ship designs and then make their own fleet with magic and capital with the said crystals? If it came to that they could also just arm the MOON itself and have it act as planetary death star. Also am certain a LOT of lesser factions would be all too eager to toss any and all of their obsolete ships Equestrians for modification for a right price and lucrative trade deals. And that is if they do not want to dedicate actual warships on the case.
With magic and technology combined i am quite sure Equestria would be quite a force to reckon if they put effort into it.
8323642
Actually, in the books, the Horta have appeared few times and are part of the federation. The federation even has a ship crewed mostly by them for geological surveys of extremely mineral rich star systems that appeared in the next generation books.
8190054
Yeah that is a very werid ship
Meh, crossover stories usually tend toward the ridiculous.
But this story shows some attention was paid to the details. I definately appreciate that.
Also - your explanation for the 'rock farm' is by far the best I have ever encountered.
The 'dilithium weeds' however, was truly an inspired touch.
It made me smile. If you think that's nothing; think of Maud - smiling.
8706678
I don't know, I've seen it several times in various different works.
Or maybe it's just me and those other bronies who can see it.