Brave New Worlds.

by Balancer

Much ado...

Thump thump thump, the sound of heavy hoof falls circled her, the source outside of her vision as she felt a presence loom over her.

Her world was dark, suffocatingly so as she felt her heart pulsate in time with the hooves. A cold breath, stale and devoid of life, crept down her neck as she felt something wrap a limb around her waist. In the distance she heard a scream, the sound sent a shiver down her spine.

Wake up, Princess.

Luna gasped, gulping down the warm air as she clutched a hand to her chest, her heart hammering away as it threatened to burst. Rivulets of sweat poured down the alien alabaster skin she found herself in, the chill as it evaporated biting into bones. Clumsy she swung her legs out, sitting on the edge of her bed as her sheets flew across the room where they crumbled against the metal walls.

“Another bad dream?” A disembodied voice echoed from the walls, a concerned tone in the soft male sounding voice as the bright lights dimmed to a faint twinkle.

Luna didn’t reply as she removed her hands from her face and looked around at the spartan room that had been provided for her. With a sigh she leaned backwards, pressing up against one of the silver walls, the metal draining the heat from her clammy skin as she looked around.

“Yeah,” She replied to the empty air, her irises glowing green softly as she flicked through a pile of news stories and checked her schedule for the night, or what passed for a night cycle aboard a ship.

Watch history documentaries, Modern Equestrian lessons bleh, popular culture lessons, back to watching movies then another crash course on ‘modern politics’ and alien anthropology. A terse sigh escaped her lips as she dipped her head in frustration.

“I see, still adjusting then.” The walls chimed back, the sound of soft jazz filtering through the air as the dim lights began to softly shimmer, mimicking the stars at night for her comfort.

Luna shrugged, slipping out of the night clothes she had been wearing as she walked over to a small rectangular cubicle in the wall, a thin sheet of frosted glass slipping into place as she entered. The sound of running water filled the air as a series of tiny concealed holes opened in the ceiling, thin streams of hot water shooting out as a steady cloud of steam filled the small space. As she washed the night’s grime away in what had become a routine motion, Luna scowled.

It had been just under a month since her, departure, from her sister’s side and her subsequent entrapment in this form. And in all that time, the occasional nightmare aside, she had found herself utterly and irrevocably bored. She had been expecting to step aboard that shuttle and be whisked away to, well she didn’t know what but whatever she had been expecting it was certainly not this.

She had been confined to a series of small, well furnished rooms. Her bedroom and accompanying ensuite, the living room next door with its paltry kitchen and the slightly larger gymnasium beyond that. The ship for its part had been most respectful of her situation, and for the first few days it’s avatar had been almost insufferable in its apologies about it’s part in her situation. When pressed for information she had been disturbed to learn just how extensive the machinations to put her into a state of mind to execute the body change had been.

As she had learned after the fact, every 3 out of ten people both organic and synthetic, that she had ‘met’ during her first night back had been some form of agent or actor working for or manipulated by the Equestrian Intelligence Service. From the cargo truck’s ‘failure’ to the flash mob, all of it had been executed and performed by legions of actors and spies all working in concert. In addition to that the ship had been directly influencing her emotions, putting her in a state of mild euphoria in order to facilitate her decision. Despite her chagrin at being manipulated so thoroughly she had to give credit where it was due, after all the fact that all the people she had talked to that night had all spoken a tongue that was now two thousand years out of date should have tipped her off.

Understandably she had been rather angry and had briefly considered ripping the very ship apart before being informed that she wouldn’t have much in the way of success, between the ability to block off her access to the flow of magic and it’s own suite of technological defenses the ship was more than capable of handling her. Which it then proved by blocking her magic and entrapping her in a series of constricting force fields until she calmed down.

Luna flinched slightly at the memory, in all her years she had never faced such an situation. In one moment she had been ready to channel enough force to rip a mountain from it’s roots, the next she was trussed up in the air, powerless as a newborn foal. Never had she felt so, inferior, a stark contrast to just how far the balance of power had shifted in this age.

She still didn’t know how to feel about that.

“Luna?” A voice called out, accompanied by quick succession of knocks as she turned of the water and stepped out into her room. “Breakfast is served.”

Standing in the doorway, a plate of food balanced perfectly in one hand with a steaming cup of what smelt like coffee in the other was the ship’s avatar Skybound, it’s gold skin reflecting the dim lights. Ignoring the fact that she was stark naked the avatar tilted its head in greeting as it placed the food on a nearby benchtop.

Luna nodded in response as she requested the ship dry her off, the water on her skin suddenly flash vaporizing into a cloud of steam that just as quickly was displaced somewhere.

“Thanks.” She said as she glanced over the bench-top, porridge topped in a small mountain of brown sugar. How quaint. The former royalty thought to herself as she floated a spoonful over and began to eat from across the room as she dressed herself for the day.

Over the past month she had tried to engage the true mind of the ship in conversation, much to the avatar’s displeasure. However Sufficient… proved to be reluctant when it came to striking up a conversation, which normally wouldn’t disturb the former alicorn under normal circumstances. But her current situation was anything but normal and it’s evasiveness made her uneasy.

“So how far away are we from...what was it again?” Luna asked over her shoulder at the golden pony bipedal hybrid.

“Var’chach Orbital, major system hub for the sector.” Skybound replied crisply. “As of now we are, one hundred and fifty eight point four light years away from our destination. Almost exactly three months.” It noted, as Luna groaned.

“So long?” She complained through a mouth full of porridge, pulling on a sweater.

“Says the lady who took three years to circumnavigate forty thousand kilometer round ball in a wooden boat.” The avatar shot back, smiling. “I can’t help the fact space just so happens to be big. One might even dare say, quite big.”

Luna waved a hand in the air dismissively, sighing. “Forgive me, a month of poor sleep and relentless study has done little to brighten my mood. Any word from Tia?” She asked, sending her spoon back across the room as she slipped on a pair of pants.

Skybound paused, it’s eyes looking out past her. “Communication drone is still another three hours from the nearest relay, won't be another week until we get any word from the crown world. Four days if there’s a message already incoming.”

A huff of irritated breath escaped the woman’s lips as the bowl of porridge floated into her outstretched hand. “Can you play the last message then.”

“Surely we shouldn’t waste any time with getting today’s lesson under…” The avatar began, only for it’s worlds to dry up as the woman fixed it with a stern glare. “Ahhhh I mean, of course ma’am.”

Luna smiled, giving a satisfied grunt through a mouthful of food as she walked out of the bedroom and into a more spacious, if only slightly, utilitarian living room. Set in the center of the room was a small two person couch, embedded in the wall in front of it only half a wingspan away was a flat screen. As she half sat, half collapsed in the soft springy couch the holographic display in the screen flared to life and the face of her sister filled her view.

“Sister dearest, I’m glad to hear from you again.” The message began, the sound of her sister’s voice bringing a smile to Luna’s face as she once settled in for another day of tedious study.

Over the past month, Luna had for the second time in her life begun the process of immersing herself in studying modern culture and languages. The new tongue in particular was an immense source of confusion for her, modern Equestrian having long since departed from the language she had so soon, relatively, relearned. After absorbing the Zebra’s, Changelings and Crystal Ponies into the wider populace the language had undergone a synthesis, as each race brought it’s own unique dialogues and customs with it. The result had initially been a pidgin composite language that had eventually become more complex as its use became more accepted until eventually it supplanted the individual ‘pure’ strains that had birthed it as the dominant language.

She spent the time living the language, working through the confusing syntax with the help of the A.I as it composed and simulated thousands of conversations that it played to her. The automated systems spoke to her in what she had come to call neoEquestrian, her interface addressed her in neoEquestrian, even the words on her clothes changed. It wasn’t that the language was hard to pick up, in fact she had found herself adapting to rather fast, after all the Equestrian that she had known formed the base of the language and in her time she had been rather fluent in both Zebra and Crystal Pony. It was the numerous small changes, the odd grammar, new phrases or words that didn’t quite make sense to her or as she had found out, the lack of concepts that existed in old Equestrian.

Like the lack of a word for Princess for one.

“Twilight has been taking some time away from her duties these past weeks, keeping me company during the integration process like I did with you.” Her sister’s voice filled the air, thankfully untouched by the translation software the ship was using to teach her. “She’s been showing me the old places, it’s hard to believe Griffonia is gone. She built a city over the entire country, I saw pictures of what she had done to it before that though. There was nothing but smooth glass as far as the eye could see. Apparently it was visible from orbit.” Her voice softened, a sigh crackled over the speakers. “I wish you were here Luna, it made everything seem so...petty. The Griffons were an old, powerful race in our time...now they’re ghosts. Their empire built over and forgotten.”

Luna felt her fist’s bunch up as her jaw clenched, pressing her lips into a thin line, a stab of regret running through her heart as she watched her sister sigh. In every video thus far her sister had been this way, equal parts ruminating over how much everything had changed as she wistfully reminisced about days past and cautious optimism. It had been a hard lesson for her to swallow some two thousand years ago and she suspected for her sister, who had gone for much of their lives as the figure of unofficial worship by their subjects, it would be an even harder lesson still.

And there was nothing Luna could have done to help her, even if she had chosen to stay. This was a path Celestia had to walk for herself.

It was a cold comfort, to say the least.

---

Luna reclined into the soft cushions of the couch, gazing up at the ceiling as it showed the constellations the ship was currently passing by.

“Ship.” She asked to the air.

“Yes Miss Luna?” It replied, a courteous tone in it’s voice.

“What is it like to be you?”

“That is a peculiar question.” The A.I paused for a second. “Why do you wish to know?”

Luna shrugged, playing with a loose strand of hair. “Because it occurred to me that I used to think of myself as, well it sounds silly to say it outloud, as a god. But now...”

“You have discovered that you have been completely eclipsed?”

“Poor choice of words but yes. Your kind rule every living thing in Equestrian space, that much is clear. I just want to know the mind of my replacements.” Luna mused, studying the lock of hair nestled in her fingertips.

“Understandable,” Sufficient replied. “I guess you might have some concerns.”

“Some, I’m not sure how to feel about the idea of ponykind being ruled by machines.” Luna rolled onto her side, looking out across a simulation of the night sky. “I know, logically, that it’s more efficient. Fairer, resistant to the corruption of mortal process...but.”

“You worry about the soul of such a society.”

“I guess, this isn’t a heroic age Sufficient…, you’ve taught me that much. People, they just don’t matter anymore, not like they used to. There’s no danger,”

“No responsibility, that’s what you’re trying to say.” The A.I cut in.

Luna nodded slowly. “Exactly, what does an A.I need of a person when they do the same job a hundred times better. Everything is so easy now, it feels like nothing is worth the effort.”

“Because you feel nothing anyone can do is worth anything.”

“It sounds childish to say it doesn’t it.” She replied, smiling sadly.

“Not at all.” The A.I was quiet for a moment, pausing for effect as Luna perked up at it’s words. “It’s only natural for you to feel, despondent about that. I would be concerned if you did not.”

“All part of the adjusting period?” Luna sighed as she sat up, cradling her forehead in her palm. “Don’t bother answering that, we can pick this philosophy up later.”

“You wished to know about me,” The A.I replied as the twinkling light flared across the room. Very well then, I shall try to put it in terms you shall understand.”

Luna watched as the ceiling skyscape changed as the black emptiness of space began to fill with colour.

“Organics are limited by what their minds can perceive.” It said as the black began to give way to dashes of bright green and red. “A.I are no different in that respect, however we can perceive so much more.”

She watched, smiling, as the once empty sky flowed with colour. Pillars of billowing cloud stretched from nothing into the great beyond, like the claws of a dragon. With awe she watched, transfixed as a star was born from a great swirling of nebula’s, all the colors of the rainbow fusing to create a shining beacon of light.

“Even as we speak I am watching, three light years away, a race launch its first crewed rocket into the void. One small step, not even leaving their backyard in astronomical terms, but for that race it is the first step to something great.”

“As that happens I am exchanging messages with my colleagues and friends, consulting the gravitational topography of hyperspace, monitoring the path of thousands of asteroids. I am simulating literally thousands of conversations with you, weighing every word and modeling your response.”

A frown creased Luna’s face. “But that would mean you know everything I’m about to say.”

“I have an idea.”

“If that’s that case then how can you A.I hope to relate to people. If people are so simple to you they are like puzzles then how can you hope to rule with empathy?”

A rumbling laugh filled the air, the stars shining bright against the generated background.

“You mistake us for rulers Luna, a product of your time. But not a wholly incorrect one, in truth we are like advisors, nudging and guiding the people as it is needed. And you make the mistake of assuming we lack empathy, when the truth is you would be hard pressed to find a more empathetic creature in the galaxy than an A.I. We are not bereft of emotion, we experience it just as you do. It is impossible for us not to.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because we are alive, wholly and wonderfully alive. Emotion is the very foundation on which intelligence is built, without fear there is no drive for self preservation after all. We feel, just as you do, but we live faster, fuller, more fulfilled and enriched than any organic.” Sufficient... said as her door opened, the A.I’s avatar walking in with a tray of food.

“I am not some attempt to recreate the organic intelligence on a crude machine, a series of logic gates and branching paths. I am more than this silver shell. Remember that Luna, even when it seems otherwise.”

“Thank you, that was very enlightening.” She responded as the tray was placed before her, the ship’s avatar smiling at her.

“Any time, Luna.”

Comments

[Tarlek]

Wow. A lot has changed, only question is, is it for the better of pony kind?

[Balancer]

6853357 That's the question isn't it.

[jaroslav]

6853357
There were four alicorns and now there are only three. After such a long time the number didn't increase. Evidently it isn't for the better of ponykind. There is also the possibility Twilight being Chrysalis or other changeling.

[Balancer]

7154877 *Sees someone comment about how they enjoy the story*
mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Jeremy-Renner.gif
*Looks at last time it was updated*
mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Supernatural-Dean.gif

[NinpoNi]

Wow, completely glassed the gryphons? Kinda curious about how and why that came about. Also ran the numbers for fun, Sufficiently seems to be holding pace at 632 times the speed of light, like you said, not too shabby at all, even if decidedly slower than the Culture. Also, still so curious about what has been alluded to by Twilight, what is the deal with Luna and her memories and questions?