//------------------------------// // Pilot, not Politician // Story: My Little Engineer // by Soren Mercer //------------------------------// Pilot’s Log Date: 01/04/2406 07:46 “Okay, let’s start the log off with building updates: Mining permissions of the Smoky Mountains have been granted so now everything is being moved west to the new mining location. The Processing Facility will be torn down as well and its parts moved to the new base of operations.” I groaned as I twisted on my mattress still partially asleep. I wanted to go back to bed and sleep for another couple hours but my mind was already racing over today’s events. “Temporary cargo space was constructed yesterday at the base of the mountain so the workforce is already moving supplies that way instead of to here. I plan to tear this place down myself before I have to make my first appearance in the capital.” Rolling off my bed entirely, I let my eyes roam over the Worker suit that kept me company despite being in so many pieces. I already knew that I’d have to wear a more… Formal-looking suit to the event, probably go for that Urban design in a black or something; it kind of looks formalish I supposed. “Yeah, I’ve gotta make an appearance at the capital to go over trade negotiations for getting off planet in return for material supplies. I’m just a pilot, not a fucking diplomat but, since it’s ultimately my ship we’re talking about here, I have to make the final choices on who comes and doesn’t in order to get the most return possible.” I groaned again and approached a tiny bathroom unit off in the corner to freshen up. Even the water had to be purified in order to not risk contaminating me with the Xenon. “Honestly,” I had to shout to be heard over the sound of the shower. “I feel like a means to an end for these creatures. It’s going to be remarkable to meet other mythological species in coming hours so I don’t expect to be able to understand any of them.” A few minutes later and I stepped out of the shower completely dried and set to dressing myself in the bodysuit that went under the suits. Once I was properly dressed and nothing was left to the imagination I began the painstaking task of equipping the Worker suit one pieces at a time, starting with the boots and working upwards. “No word on Twilight Sparkle’s location has arisen yet. Celestia and Luna are becoming estranged over this issue and tempers are beginning to flare between the Princesses and the six friends who accompanied Twilight. I’ve gone over the areas around the crash site, Canterlot and Ponyville another few times but still nothing has come up to assist. If it weren’t for the ponies who’d hitch rides during the searches, I know many of them would be, or still are regardless, questioning my resolve to actually help them find their Princess.” I continued on in all boredom while I pulled myself into the top half of the suit and locked everything together to create the airtight seals. Setting to the connection of the Exo-suit frame, I continued. “Ahh… Oh yeah, a second Wyvern is in the process of being built by the ponies under Luna’s supervision. It’s been disarmed and refitted for maximum cargo lift. Rainbow Dash and Spitfire are going to be the first pony team to hopefully pilot the thing and I just realised that I’m going to have to test their ability to fly the craft today before or after the events at Canterlot. They can work as Navigators just fine, but neither of them have pilot training and I’ve been too busy over the last two days to properly teach them so I’m a bit worried. If I could, I’d build them flight-simulators with the training bodysuits and let them work out flight on their own but we don’t have the resources to spare for that right now. We barely have the resources to build the second Wyvern as it is.” With my suit completely on now, my recorder was likely having issues hearing me until I opened the helmet and collapsed onto my desk chair for the last time today. “End Recording.” “Hey, Princess, wake up.” Culus demanded, giving the pony a swift kick in the rump to wake her from her sleep. “Great news, you’re being moved today. Might even mean getting a bit of food and water.” “What? Where are we going?” Twilight demanded as she groaned at the treatment she’d received but sat up anyways. The second groan came from her stomach at the false promise of food but she kept her reservations ready. “I dunno, but my employers have a meeting with your Princesses and the creature today so they’re going to present you in return for their demands.” Culus explained as he dropped a plate of real food at her hooves. Twilight’s eyes widened before, without thinking about the possibility of toxins or poisons, her head dipped down and she tore ravenously into the vegetables and flowers. “So? When do we move out then?” Twilight replied eagerly once she’d come up for air and to wipe off her mouth. “Once my employers get word that their demands have been met, you’ll be released to their custody. No sooner.” Culus remarked as he picked at his claws with a knife to work some kind of gunk from the nail beds. “I gotta say, I’ve really enjoyed our time together, Princess.” the griffon grinned, his face and the undertones of his voice suggesting anything but friendly familiarity. “Oh I know you have, I know you have.” Twilight sighed and laid back down once she’d kicked the empty plate away from her to be collected. As Culus went to leave with the ceramic dish, “I just have one question first.” “What?” the griffon turned to address the pony again. “Why do you call yourself ‘Culus’? Isn’t very Griffon, is it,” Twilight smirked before taking a bold breath, “Georgia?” she burst into wide grins as the griffon’s eyes went wide with surprise before being traded out for rage. “Where did you hear that name!” Culus/Georgia demanded as he flung the plate at the princess, letting it bash itself against Twilight’s forehead under her horn. “I thought you were a male, right? So why the feminine name?” Twilight persisted and collected the plate to sit down on it entirely. Under her body, the plate cracked and shattered under her weight but remained silent due to the fur masking the crunch. “Don’t tell me you’re actually a woman!” “I don’t have to answer to a hostage like you.” Culus groaned in reply before stomping out of the tent in fury. Twilight grinned to herself again and sat up to inspect the broken plate under her before sitting back down again. Selecting a relatively straight piece, she tucked it safely away within herself -an extremely uncomfortable thing to do- before pushing the rest of the pieces away as far as she could, ensuring that they’d scatter to prevent any of her captors from realizing a piece had gone missing. “Well, let’s just see what your Employers do when they find that their hostage has escaped?” Twilight whispered to herself as she laid back down to wait for the appropriate moment to strike. I had opted to let Spitfire try her first piloting of the Wyvern to Canterlot to start her off and had to really work at ignoring the textual pleas from Dash to change my mind. Now, the Wyvern was parked out in the middle of the Canterlot Gardens for lack of other space and I was sat in a guest room to change into the Urban suit in peace. I had to ensure that I had loaded up an air purifier to exchange the air in the suit for the cleaner stuff after resuiting, otherwise I’d suffocate in my own skin. Wouldn’t make for good first impressions if I’d suddenly dropped dead in the middle of negotiations. A knock at the door alerted me to visitors, though it was likely a guard sent to fetch me, and a note slipped under the door to my room. Odd, since the guards were supposed to enter regardless of whether or not I told them too. Taking a look at the note, Twilight Sparkle will arrive later today after negotiations. It’s her captor's plans to use her to gain a ruling position on your colony ship and to kick the Equestrians off the ship almost entirely. Can’t say who specifically they are but just know that they’re serious about their demands. It’s possible to find Twilight Sparkle before the negotiations are finished, you just have to watch the ground from above. “Okay, so who do I know can write in perfect basic english and can pinpoint the relative position of a missing princess?” I wondered to myself as I paced back and forth in my suit, my face contorting quite unappealingly as I thought about things. With a shrug of the eyebrows, I stuffed the note into a pocket and stepped out into the hallway to aim towards Spitfire’s guest room. Knocking on the door a short and slow walk later, Spitfire must’ve said something in her language before appearing at the door a short while later. With a raised eyebrow, I let myself in. “Twilight may be located before negotiations. Find Dash, have her act as your Navigator. Use the Wyvern to search the area for anything. I got a note that suggested you watch the ground from the skies. Tell Twilight to let us know you’ve found her as soon as you do.” I visually ordered with my HUD. Spitfire saluted with her wing before taking off ahead of me while I followed after but aimed towards the large banquet hall the meeting would be held in. At my approach, the sound of fanfare alerted everyone within the room to my arrival, even if the unintelligent neighing didn’t. The large pearlescent doors gradually swung open, as though resisting the act under it’s own fight with gravity -something I could relate to all too well. Being lead by a guard, I was guided to a table and requested to sit next to a pony with a typewriter and the alphabet translation. Celestia and Luna were two seats to my right. I suppose that was how I was going to understand everything going on at the meeting. The first of a slip of paper appeared at the table ahead of as I sat down with a bit of issue, Celestia being the first to speak her language. Seemed that everyone that were coming would likely be speaking their own language and would get translated for me. Good morning, Pilot, and thank you for attending. I hope you slept well? Celestia’s translation readout. Well enough I suppose. My attendance is kind of not an option given the necessity of these negotiations, though is it? My helmet wrote back as I verbally spoke within. You always have a choice. We don’t want you to feel like a prisoner, or worse, a slave of the country. Celestia replied with a kind smile while another creature entered into the room at the same fanfare i’d received. Up till now, all the guest seating was empty and one was about to be filled. Please feel free to remain seated. Celestia told me through the typewriter. Couldn’t even if I wanted to. Your planet’s gravity makes it a bit difficult for me to repeated stand and sit down. I replied, making both Celestia and Luna smile and Luna giggle a bit. At that moment, my radar detected movement of an unknown species so out of curiosity I turned to view the newcomer. My jaw dropped at the sight of the wings, the scales and the horns on the side of her head. Her body was very much female and she herself stood about as tall as I would were I standing properly. Dragon Queen Ember, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Celestia’s translation announced, giving me a name and confirmation that what I saw was actually an actual dragon. I suppose with unicorns, pegasi and Alicorns, Dragon’s weren’t really out of the realm of possibility. The dragon said something in return, a form of… I don’t know what it was but it sounded like a bunch of hissing, roars and other animal sounds that probably came from a dragon. I looked down at the typist next to me, waiting for a translation however she just looked up at me and shrugged. Great, a translator that can’t translate the dragon language. If she couldn’t understand the Queen, then how did the Princesses? Dragon Lord Ember says it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Luna replied through the typist. She has no idea what you are and the suit makes her nervous. Let her know that I’m just here as the means to getting off planet before destabilization. I replied, aiming the comment back to the Princess. Also, don’t say anything to anyone, Princesses, I began to write out. Both Celestia and Luna watched my helmet for my next words, however I was cut off as more fanfare announced the arrival of Minotaurs. “So, this is the new creature that’s going to get us all off the planet huh?” The Minotaur delegate announced, resting an arm across the back of my chair and offered a handshake to me. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance.” The Typist began to translate for me, however I held a hand up and shook the Minotaur’s hand in reply. “I’m surprised, you’re the first creature I’ve met who speaks Basic Galactic English.” I replied, dropping the jaws of the Princesses and the Dragon Lord. The Minotaur merely raised an enthused eyebrow before taking his seat next to me. Maybe if he could act as a better translator, I wouldn’t need the typewriter. “I don’t know about any of this Basic Galactic English, we speak Minotese.” the delegate announced proudly, thumping his chest with his fist. “Whatever it is you speak, it is similar enough that my Rosetta Stone Program can make verbal translations.” I replied with a nod in return. “I meant to offense.” “Nah,” the bull grinned and pulled me into a massive sideways hug, “I’m just messing with ya!” Well, it’s a pleasure to see you two hitting it off so well right off the bat. Celestia announced through translation. I hope it will make negotiations that much easier. “Now now, Celestia,” The bull held his hands up to halt the flow going for us already. “You are already aware that we’re not financially equipped for trade deals like this. We can’t just up and start mining out our lands for every shred of resource and then send it your way like you request. Even if doing so grants us seats on the colony ship.” But, Prime Minister, your lands are reported to be extremely rich in the fuel source that runs the colony ship. Celestia remarked with a frown. I raised an eyebrow at the mention of this. Without that fuel, no one will be getting off planet, let alone getting the Colony ship to a new planet. “Be that as it may, we just can’t support major mining operations. We just can’t afford the equipment.” the Prime Minister and apparently my new best friend remarked as he rested an arm on the table, his free hand moving with his speech. Perhaps we can help with the trouble? We’re all aiming to find a new home so I think it would be smart if we helped each other. A translation coming from another newcomer replied. If the typist could translate this, then that meant that the newcomer was likely speaking some form of the Ponies’ language. Taking a seat across from the Minotaur, a zebra dressed in what could only be described as shamanistic robes and trinkets appeared looking well for it’s apparent elderly age. Your highness, a pleasure to see you again. Celestia announced and bowed her head to the Zebra. Likewise. It is a pleasure to meet you three again. The Zebra replied with a bow of her own head. Then, turning to me, You must be the traveller of the stars who’s supposed to get us all off the planet? Correct, It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I nodded back before the translation could be written out on my helmet. I feel I must ask, but what are you? I apologize if it’s rude of me to inquire. I am a human from the Great Human Alliance based off of Earth in the Sol System. I announced with the Minotaur translating for me despite the words still appearing on my helmet’s glass. “I crash landed just outside of Ponyville about a week ago and have been making gains to getting myself off planet and back home as soon as possible. I then learned that the planet is at the end of it’s life and have since been working to gather materials to create a large enough space craft to get not only myself, but also a group of the creatures of this planet off world.” I explained with the translation of my new friend. He turned back to me in mild confusion. “Sorry my new friend, but are you actually aware of how many species are on this planet?” he inquired with a look of mild entertainment. “I’m guessing enough to fill the dozen seats here, at least.” I shrugged back where I sat. Celestia and Luna both shared glances before turning to me again. There are six times more creatures on this planet than there are seating. The twelve of us who will be appearing here are the representatives for the others who won’t appear. Luna explained, destroying my ideas for a smallish ship. Already I was making notes to scale up the ship design to fit everyone. “Oh. That makes things difficult then…” I sighed and slouched back in the chair. There was something you wished to tell my sister and I? Luna requested as she broke back to the topic I had intended to discuss in private. Oh, right. I nodded back as the words flashed across the screen. I got word from someone that Twilight could be found before the end of Negotiations. I’ve sent Spitfire and Dash out in the VTOL to find her. What? When did this happen? Has there been any word since? Celestia requested, her voice loud enough to suggest heightened emotional reflection, however the words I saw remained just as dull as before. Nothing. I told Spitfire to have Twilight send you a message as soon as she’s rescued from her captors. I’m told she’s going to be used as a bargaining chip to have the Equestrians booted off the Colony ship entirely. I replied, rolling gasps from everyone at the table. I figured that by announcing this information to the two delegated already present would either have more on our sides against the upcoming enemy or would disarm the enemy now. “I can’t believe a country would go so far as to do that!” the Minotaur Prime Minister remarked, scratching at his chin with worry. “Celestia, Luna, you have my full support in finding your missing Princess.” Twilight’s missing? A female voice shrieked before a large white stallion with blue hair appeared at Celestia’s side. I tilted my head at the confusing comparison before a bright pink alicorn appeared opposite Celestia and took a seat next to Luna and the Prime Minister. What happened to her? The female demanded, fixing my views of the stallion as he sat down next to Celestia. “Foalnapped, apparently.” the Prime Minister remarked before welcoming the new Princess. “Princess Cadance, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I’ve heard nothing but good things about you.” Prime Minister, a likewise pleasure. Unfortunate that my sister-in-law is unable to be here as well. Cadance replied before turning to me. You must be the human i’ve heard about and saw buzzing around my towers a few days ago. Princess Cadance, Crystal Empire I presume? I nodded back welcomingly while the stallion across from us nodded in reply. Prince Shining Armour, Princess Twilight’s older brother. Shining Armour announced with a courteous bow of the head. What’s this I hear about my little sister having been foalnapped? About a week ago, Twilight went missing and hadn’t been found. Apparently the Pilot got a note before appearing here denoting Twilight’s status. He’s sent out a pair of ponies to go and try to find her before negotiations end and she’s used as a bargaining chip to knock the Equestrian’s off the Colony ship. Celestia explained in detail. The Prince didn’t look too happy about this declaration but remained silent. ~~~ A couple hours later having met the remaining delegations from Griffonia, Yak Yakistan, and even a group of red shelled creatures called Changelings. The coolest delegation had to be the aquatic Sirens who had to remain with their tails in large bowls of water lest they dried up. Apparently relations with the Sirens were sketchy at best after an encounter with three of their criminals in Sunset’s human realm. Sir, a note passed to me from a nearby guard while Celestia and Luna handled the actual negotiations broke me out of my random thoughts. I’d already managed to have fallen asleep for a few minutes before the Prime Minister gave me a nudge to wake me back up again and I was in the process of working myself back to sleep. Spitfire and Rainbow Dash have returned with news. They require your aid immediately. I stood suddenly at this note, startling everyone at the table at my doing so. I apologize but i’ve been requested on an extremely urgent matter. I shall be back momentarily. I wrote out, widening the eyes of those who knew what’d happened to Twilight. With a nod of the head I turned from the table and hurried out the door, slowed only by the gravity but fueled by my need to find Twilight before the Griffons managed to close negotiations and seal the Equestrians’ fate. They’d openly announced that they had the Princess and would only surrender her upon the Equestrians surrendering their seats to more of the Griffons. “Go get ‘er!” the Prime Minister shouted back at me as I took off from the ground with my jetpack and ripped down the hallways after the pegasus who’d taken flight to continue to lead me in the direction of the Wyvern. Get in, we’re already gone. I ordered as soon as I flew into the courtyard and swapped out positions with Spitfire who took up a seat at the back of the ship. We had a Princess to rescue.