In the future, ponies have settled on other planets. Transport with starships is common.
These ships are spaceplones - voidcraft plane ponies equipped with artificial intelligence sophisticated enough to feel true emotion and experience friendship.
The friendship between the pilots and the AI is not only necessary to maintain the pilot's sanity on long, lonely journeys, but also to keep the FTL Friendship Drive operational.
What is life like for these ship AIs for whom the words ownership, friendship, and employment are almost synonymous?
An introspective story from the life of Connie, a heavy freighter.
The setting is mostly inspired by the game Elite Dangerous and its famous misunderstanding of the ship computer's voice line "Frame shift drive charging". However, the FTL experience is vastly different and the story also incorporates ship designs and ideas from Star Citizen and other scifi. Cover art by Reterica. Design of Dirius' OC used for Pinwheel with permission.
i am very open to comments and welcome them
Proofreading is being done by Vayandas and Triton Mk IX. Thank you so much, my spelling really needs it <3
now with a discord server: https://discord.gg/axcw2DB7ZC.

Now with an audio reading by AJ the Autistic Pony and friends!

Chapters ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, and SEVEN available now!

Applejack and the Apple family are prepared for a visit from their best-kept secret—Applejack's autistic younger brother, Calvados. "Cal" comes home from a special school in Fillydelphia, and during his visit, the Mane 6 must try to make him feel welcome in spite of his differences. With the Apple family's usual work and an upcoming celebration making the whole town busy, this will soon prove to be a difficult test of friendship and teamwork.

But not nearly as difficult for anypony as for Applejack.

Above all else, the Apple family makes time for, and takes pride in, family. Applejack struggles to keep this in mind, reminding herself that her decisions were for his benefit. However, even a pony as morally strong as Applejack can't keep hiding her guilt, and she resolves to fight back the shame of having a brother with autism. Meanwhile, Cal struggles to adjust to his stay in Ponyville, but if he can avoid the panic and stress—something no autistic colt can take lightly—AJ's little brother may just surprise her. And himself.

Gorgeous cover art courtesy of the amazing _Vidz_!