The Cosmic Lotus spent the best part of a day at the Equus side of the portal, doing a full scan of all six moonlets. They used only passive magical scanning to prevent accidental activation and not just the one that Twilight had identified as the control moon. However, they were not limited to just their magitek systems this time. Boyce had assigned some Federation equipment to their ship and had them trained on its use so that they could study details that their magitek could not accomplish or would not be allowed to do. Twilight Sparkle was thrilled by the sheer amount of data that she had to work with, but she also wanted to share it with the others who were working on the secrets of the portal.
Wandering Path made contact with the team on the other side of the gateway to warn them that they were going to be coming through. It still amazed him that he was effectively communicating in real time at a distance of 18,000 light-years, but the thaumaturgical Law of Simultaneity held firm even at that extraordinary distance. After being given the go-ahead, he ordered that the portal be activated, and they proceeded through just as smoothly as they had on their journey home.
The Federation science vessel F.S.S. Stephen Hawking awaited their arrival, and soon Wandering and Starry had teleported over to it with his mother, Cosmic Dawn, and their research staff. They were met by Doctor Zara Harding who smiled in warm welcome.
“I am so pleased that you could join us,” the skunktaur said. “I believe that you’ve brought data from the other side of the wormhole?”
Twilight held up a data storage crystal in her magic. “Everything is on here. I can hardly wait to see what you have found out on this side during my absence.”
“Oh, we have loads of data too, both exciting and confusing. Hopefully you and Cosmic Dawn will be able to shed some light on that.”
The skunktaur turned around and started heading down the corridor towards hys workplace with two ponies by hys sides. The rest of the research team members followed dutifully behind.
“Well, they’re now oblivious to the rest of the universe,” Wandering said with a smirk. “Will you be joining them, Starry?”
His wife shook her head. “No, they have specialists on the job now, and I wish to do some more astronomy while we’re in this part of the galaxy.”
“Not calling them star whirlpools anymore?”
Starry stuck her tongue out at him. “That was a descriptive term for them. Now that I know the proper name for galaxies, I’ll be using that from now on.”
“I bet the astronomers back on Equus had their minds blown when you presented them with this huge universe that was previously unsuspected.”
“You could say that again. Some of them suspected me of perpetrating a hoax, but with Mama Twilight backing me up, they quickly shut up. Of course, the astronomers on this side of the portal have known about the immensity and complexity of the universe for centuries, and they still have much research to do. I suspect that I will have a lifetime of study ahead of me.”
“Anywhere in particular that you want to go?” Wandering asked with an indulgent smile.
“Ooh, lots of places. But right now, the Chakastra system is enough for starters.”
“That’s good, because I have a ship full of scientists in other disciplines who want to get to work on Chakona, and I can’t just favor my wife’s whims.”
Starry giggled. “Oh, I don’t know. I bet I could persuade you.”
Wandering gave her a flat look. “Your feminine wiles will not work on me, mare.”
Starry merely nuzzled him and gave the stallion a nip on his neck. Not for the first time was Wandering very glad to have a red coat.
While a large proportion of his crew was working on Chakona, usually in partnership with the local experts in their fields, some of them were still doing their jobs on the ship, the astronomers in particular. The Cosmic Lotus was currently parked in parallel orbit with a huge radio telescope and Starry was working with its staff, expanding knowledge for both Equian and Federation scientists. Others were using the TESS to examine Chakastra’s other planets. The crew not involved in either planet-side or astronomical work were busy with the upkeep of their starship. If it was not for the apprentices that needed lessons, there would have been practically nothing for Wandering to do. He was glad when he got a comm call from Techbird to break up the boredom.
“Hi, Tech! How’s the research coming along?”
“It’s both exciting and frustrating, Wandering,” the griffoness replied.
“Nothing’s changed then?” he said with a laugh.
“Not quite. Galena and I are on the cusp of a huge discovery, but we’re being stymied. Metaphorically speaking, we’re at the door of the treasure vault but lack the key.”
“Oh? What’s the key in this case?”
“More expert knowledge; we need Cosmic Dawn’s help.”
Wandering frowned a little. “Dawn’s currently with Mom working on the portal. I don’t know if she would want to abandon that research.”
“She doesn’t have to. I believe this is closely related, and she might be able to bring some fresh ideas back with her.”
“Hmm. Well, I’ll put the request to her and see what she says. If she agrees, I’ll ask Destined to pick her up and teleport her to Earth. It would take us weeks to bring her there on the Lotus, and my crew are otherwise engaged also.”
“Please do so. I’m so close to finding my Answer that I can taste it!”
The alicorn knew just how obsessed the griffoness was with her Question, but she was also one of the strongest drivers of the Cosmic Lotus project, so her desires were often given priority. “Okay, I’ll let you know soon.”
“Thanks, Wandering. Techbird out.”
The stallion contacted Cosmic Dawn immediately. The unicorn mare was intrigued by Techbird’s hints and agreed to visit Earth. “Twilight can handle everything in my absence,” she assured him.
About two hours later when Destined Path was free, he came to collect the mare and teleported her to Earth, homing in on Techbird’s beacon.
Wandering, meanwhile, went back to trying to find things to occupy his time.
Cosmic Dawn accompanied the excitable crystal griffoness and her more stoic changeling companion from the pair’s temporary accommodations to Stonehenge. Not that she had much choice. Techbird had grasped the unicorn in her talons and flew to the site with Galena trying to keep up. They bypassed the fence that kept the tourists from approaching without paying for admission, but the local staff were unconcerned as they had been handsomely paid for the right to full access by the researchers. As always, their arrival was greeted with excitement, and several sightseers even thought that they were part of a show. Galena was tasked with gently disabusing them of this notion as she was far more diplomatic than her companion.
Dawn immediately saw the implications of the structure, and she demanded to see what Techbird had discovered about the site so far. Several hours later with her mind filled with new knowledge and theories, she waited impatiently for the site to be closed to the public so she could work some high-end spells without interference. The sun was dipping below the horizon when the staff finally closed the gates behind the last tourist and she set to work.
The unicorn’s horn lit up as she constructed a complex spell in her mind. She double-checked it before releasing it in a burst of mana. The light seemed to sink into the standing stones, and then parts of them started to glow. The trio stepped up to the nearest to examine the illuminated figures upon it.
“Runes!” exclaimed Techbird.
Dawn nodded. “Yes, you were right – this site is related to the portal in some way. These runes faded centuries ago but their power lives on. That’s part of what is responsible for drawing the mana from the region.”
“How is it doing that?” Galena asked.
The unicorn gave her a flat look. “Give me a chance to decipher the runes and examine how they are functioning. Besides, look about you. See how many of the stones are damaged or even missing? We’ve got our work cut out for us while we analyze these runes and figure out our next step.”
They set to work recording the revealed markings, the winged members of the group concentrating on the higher stones while Dawn focused on the lower. Then it was a matter of reconstructing the immense rune spell with some of the elements missing. That was easy to say but incredibly complicated in execution. The copies of the rune sequences that Dawn had brought with her from the gateway provided some guidance but no outright answers. Days dragged into weeks of painstaking work filled with discoveries and intense disappointments. Gradually, however, the spell pattern was starting to come together with the help of modern wizardry. While the rune magic had proven extremely durable, advanced thaumaturgy had far surpassed it in sophistication. Experiments were done in making substitutions with mana constructs where the originals were no longer available. Trial and error eventually found the correct way to assemble them. Finally, they were almost ready.
“Why can’t we test it immediately?” Galena asked.
“We’ve built the spell, but we need the trigger,” Dawn replied. “Even the magicless locals know that Stonehenge’s alignment is significant. In two days, the Summer Solstice occurs. Then we will be able to complete our task.”
The group spent the intervening day preparing for whatever happened after the spell was activated. While they suspected what might occur, there were too many unknowns yet to be sure. Whatever it was though, with so much power to feed upon, it would not be a trivial event.
Techbird, Galena, and Cosmic Dawn flew to the site early but found that they were not the first to arrive. A group of druids were there for the solstice too, a detail that had been overlooked by the team. Normally visitors were not allowed on the site before normal opening hours, and they were completely banned within the stone circle. As scientific researchers, the team had been granted an exemption, but there were others who occasionally got that right as well. This was a complication that had not been anticipated, nor had the owners of the land upon which Stonehenge stood thought to inform them about. It was a regularly scheduled event, and no one had considered that the researchers would not know about it.
It took all of Galena’s diplomatic skills to negotiate a compromise with the druids. After altering her appearance to resemble a beautiful fairy of legend, she persuaded the druid in charge that she and her companions were endeavoring to make a mystic reconnection with their past, but it could be hazardous to the druids. They could still observe the solstice sunrise as long as they stood outside the stone circle. If Galena did not have a griffon and a unicorn to back her up, the druids might not have been sufficiently moved by her request, but they were intrigued and curious enough that the leaders agreed to give them a few minutes to complete their task.
The time limit was quickly forgotten when Cosmic Dawn started casting her spells. First, just as she did previously, she illuminated the hidden runes which drew gasps of surprise and awe from the crowd. The next part was trickier though. The unicorn set about fashioning mana constructs to replace or reconstruct the standing stones complete with the additional runes that the researchers had puzzled out. The watchers were mesmerized by the lambent apparitions and they hardly noticed the horizon rapidly brightening.
Cosmic Dawn had left the casting of these complex spells until the last moment as she knew how much effort they would take. If it was not for all the freely available mana still flowing into the site, she might not have managed at all. As it was, she was sweating and straining as the sun finally rose above the heel stone, a shaft of sunlight spearing through the narrow gap between two pillars to strike the reconstructed altar. There came a deep resonant tone that shook everyone there as an ancient spell was unlocked and a brilliant point of light appeared above the center of the stone circle. The point grew and then stretched into a doughnut shape, a lightless void inside of it. The sparkling ring of magic continued to grow in all directions, the bottom reaching the ground and continuing down as if the earth did not exist. Soon a disc of black framed by a ring of magic filled Stonehenge, large enough to engulf the biggest dragon.
“What do we do now?” asked Galena, her eyes riveted on the apparition.
“It’s a portal – we go in!” Techbird declared as she spread her wings and dived into the unknown.
Galena gasped as the griffon disappeared from view but leapt after her beloved.
“Too late to back out now,” murmured Dawn before she too leapt into the portal.
The instant that she passed through, her spells collapsed. The runes stopped glowing and the mana constructs faded. The giant gateway shrank until it disappeared, and the watchers were left with nothing to see but a normal solstice sunrise just like the thousands that had happened in the past. Of the fantastic trio, no trace was to be found.
The Pegasus made its way to the wormhole, and with the aid of a mana projector that the Equians had given them in exchange for the equipment installed on the Cosmic Lotus, it passed through the portal and headed for Chakona.
Forestwalker was in a good mood. Shi had been very much enjoying all the fascinating new things that shi and hir team had been learning about Equian biology, and now they were headed to Chakona where shi could go home and tell hir family all about the great time that shi had been having on Equus. Shi was wearing the crystal horn that Citrine had made for hir, and constant practice had seen hir getting more adept at its use every day. The crystal pony had made a modification to enable the tiara to store ambient mana so that it did not have to rely totally on the chakat’s meagre supply of the energy. Shi was carrying hir PADD around by levitation magic as shi walked down a corridor towards hir department office when a yellow fox morph in Security uniform approached, carrying boxes of something.
“Good morning, Ensign Deanfox,” shi said cheerfully.
The fox had not been paying particular attention to the chakat but responded when addressed. “Good morning, Shir For-wha…?!” Deanfox did a double-take and almost dropped his boxes as he saw the hovering PADD following the crystal-horn-wearing chakat like a puppy.
Forestwalker giggled and said, “That’s Forest, not Forwha.” Shi continued on, leaving the flustered fox to try to figure out what just happened. Shi had almost reached hir destination when the P.A. suddenly started blaring.
“Yellow Alert! Yellow Alert! All department heads report to the main briefing room immediately! I repeat – all department heads to the main briefing room!”
Forestwalker’s PADD dropped to the floor as the chakat lost hir concentration. Shi quickly scooped it up in hir hands and started running in the opposite direction to the translift. Crewmembers of all kinds were hastening to take their places for the Yellow Alert, but the translift’s computer guidance system gave hir priority as the Head of the Biology Department. Shi quickly reached the main briefing room where Boyce and Rosepetal waited for everyone to arrive. When the last department head was seated, the Admiral called for attention.
“Gentlebeings, I bring terrible news from Star Fleet Command. The Swarm has bypassed our blockade and is currently approaching two inhabited worlds. The Stellar Federation faces death and destruction once more.”
The room went into an uproar before Boyce sternly called for order.
“Sir, how did the Swarm get through the blockade?” Midnight asked.
Boyce shook his head. “They didn’t. The blockade stands as firm as ever, but while it was spread wide enough to prevent them going around, they apparently outsmarted us at the long game. From what Star Fleet Intelligence has been able to determine, they have spent years travelling out of the galactic plane and away from the Federation until they were well beyond our furthest outpost before they curved back in towards us. At this point, they were well past the blockade and could continue unobstructed. They may have even taken over other systems along the way that we have not discovered as yet. They certainly have had enough time to do that. We’ve long known that the Swarm is absolutely relentless – no matter how much damage we inflict on their forces, they keep coming with blind indifference to their losses. There never seems to be any fewer ships. Now we know that they don’t lack in strategic skills too.”
“Sir – how do we know that there aren’t more incursions incoming beyond the blockade?”
“We don’t yet. However, every available scout ship and drone has been tasked with finding that out.”
“What is Star Fleet Command doing in response?” another officer asked.
“Fighters have been dispatched to confront the Swarm on the two new fronts, but we lack sufficient ships to effectively combat them. The Swarm’s efforts have not slackened off at the blockade, so only the outermost ships from the blockade can be spared. Obviously, all fighter pilots are being recalled from leave, and maintenance cycles on their craft have been accelerated, but we’re still terribly undermanned to fight them. For that reason, many other warships are being called in to defend against the incursions. The Pegasus is one of them.”
There were shocked looks all around before the Chief Engineer said what everyone else knew. “But the Pegasus has no defense against the Swarm’s mana beams.”
Boyce nodded gravely. “I know. That’s how bad the situation is.”
Forestwalker spoke up. “We could have a defense – has anyone talked to the Equians yet?”
“No, but that’s only because we just got the news from Command. I’ll be contacting Captain Wandering Path immediately after this meeting because the Cosmic Lotus is currently in the Chakastra System, but I will also be holding emergency talks with the Equian World Council soon thereafter. If no suitable arrangements have yet been made with them, I will formally petition the Head of House Path for their assistance. Meanwhile, I want all department heads to switch to war protocol. All unnecessary personnel will disembark at Chakona prior to the Pegasus heading to one of the fronts and preparations made to go into battle. Dismissed! Lieutenant Forestwalker, Doctor M’Lai, Commander Midnight – stay for a moment.”
When all the others had left, Boyce’s stern expression softened into one of concern. “Forest – we don’t need a biology department when going into battle. You may request to disembark at Chakona also.”
Forestwalker shook hir head. “I believe it’s standard procedure that the department heads remain. Besides, you may need a biologist yet. There’s still so much that we don’t know about the Swarm despite the successful raid.”
“While it may be standard procedure, it’s also voluntary for departments such as yours. Forest – between you, Rose, Midnight, and M’Lai, four out of five of my wives are on this ship. Zhane might even be called upon to fight the Swarm directly as one of the new fronts is aligned with Raksha. I can’t bear the thought that all of us may be wiped out and our children left without their parents.”
“All our children have grown up and can cope, even if it’s a bitter blow. My place is by the side of my lifemate. That’s why I chose to join Star Fleet, and that’s why I’ll be staying on the Pegasus.”
“You are a stubborn chakat, love.” Boyce hugged Forestwalker and the other three joined in. After a long moment, they drew apart once more. “Dismissed, Lieutenant Forestwalker, Doctor M’Lai. Commander Midnight – you’re with me.”
They parted with heavy hearts but great determination. They all had too much to live for to let the Swarm defeat them.
Wandering was in his ready room when the call from the Pegasus came in, and he answered it promptly.
“What’s up, Admiral?”
“Captain Path – we have just received terrible news. Could we have an immediate meeting?”
“Where are you, Admiral?”
“Not far away. We’ll be there in a few minutes. Could you and Starry teleport over?”
“No problem. I’ll let Starry know to be ready. Call me as soon as you have rendezvoused.”
“Will do. Pegasus out.”
Wandering used the comm to summon Starry, and she arrived moments before Boyce called back. After advising Bluequill where they were going, the alicorns teleported over to the ship and hastened to Boyce’s ready room. Upon given the news, they were briefly shocked before Wandering asked how they could help.
“After we put ashore all superfluous personnel, the Pegasus will depart immediately to help in the fight against the new incursions. However, we need a defense against their mana beams, and I am personally requesting your help.”
Starry bit her lip and shook her head. “Admiral, I can’t protect a vessel as large as the Pegasus. It’s just too big for either of us.”
Boyce slumped a little and sighed. “I was afraid that might be the case.”
“However…” Wandering added, “Our uncle Shining Armor could if he’s willing.”
“You’re certain that he can do that?” The Admiral’s voice was tinged with hope.
“He once successfully shielded an entire city against a gigantic army. It’s his special talent,” the stallion assured him. “And he’s been itching to get involved. We’ll also stir up the negotiations. While Equus is not in a position yet to help much, I’m sure House Path will do what it can once you formally request it. Some of the magitek mana shields at the very least should be ready to deploy to your smaller fighter ships.”
“The Stellar Federation will be eternally grateful for all your help,” Boyce replied.
Starry and Wandering just smiled, and the mare said, “We can do no less for our friends.”
Silence.
Well, almost...
The only sound was the echoing taps of hooves and crystal talons on the solid floor. The trio made its way down the gigantic corridor that they had found on the other side of the portal, with Techbird leading the way, Galena close behind her, and Cosmic Dawn bringing up the rear.
“Keep scanning. I want every detail recorded for later analysis!” Techbird barked out as they moved down the hallway.
“I know, I know! My pocket scanner is doing a full arcane scan several times a second; we won’t miss a thing,” Dawn replied.
“This could be the Answer to the Question or yet another clue, or this could be a – oh my goddess!” Techbird gasped and shot forward, prompting the others to follow her. It was only a few more meters before the hall opened up into a dim void that seemed to go on forever. The only light source was a single gigantic crystal in the distance that was pulsing like a slow heartbeat. Small bursts of mana were flowing both toward and away from it in slow intervals through arcane channels.
“It’s... it’s pure mana... not raw, not aligned in one aspect or another. This has never been seen before!” Cosmic Dawn exclaimed as she lit up her horn to move her scanner around. However, when she did, there was an instant response from the cave. A deep rumble was heard as random crystals started to light up all around them, bringing the ambient light levels up enough for them to see that this cavern was easily a kilometer wide and the ceiling was about five hundred meters up. The entire area was covered with crisscrossing mana lines, all of which were completely pure, unaligned mana. When the trio looked down they realized they were on a path leading toward the center spire.
“I... I think the Answer is here!” Techbird cried out, but she still had enough self-restraint to walk slowly, to observe everything that was around them. “Everyone report what you are sensing,” Techbird asked quietly, still in awe.
“I can see the magic flowing in the air, through your body, from my horn, around Galena's horn,” Cosmic Dawn whispered in a hushed tone as they walked. “I should not be able to see magic so clearly; it’s always implied, always on the edge of your vision or felt or experienced. Yes, you can see it when somebody is casting and you can see ley lines with the help of a revelation spell, but this is different. This is dormant, idle magic and I can see it.”
The changeling Princess spoke up next. “I can feel both of you. I can feel the Cosmic Lotus network, I can feel... sense... see other networks. When I close my eyes, it’s like looking out into the stars. They are distant but they are there... so many different colors, so many different intensities, the points become part of a greater form, a shape… a web?” Galena opened and shut her eyes, her mind trying to comprehend what she was seeing, but due to the immensity of it, the true definition evaded her.
It was the griffoness’ turn. “I see everything... the arcane and the mundane. I see the formulas that define everything from the Planck length all the way to what defines the limits of this universe and... there is something even further beyond that.... an infinite sea of probability.” She held onto Galena tightly so that she could ground herself to somebody and not be swept away.
For every step they took, their senses were heightened and their minds were pushed even further to their limits. It was easy at first but the closer they came to the central crystal, the more daunting it became.
“I can’t... it’s too much! I can’t…” Cosmic Dawn started to cry, her senses heightened to a point of which she was losing her sense of self. She was starting to lose track of where her mind ended and the universe began.
Galena responded by lighting up her horn and sending a pulse through dawn, deadening her senses, but even though the spell was strong enough to render a pony complete devoid of sensation for a short time, in here it was barely able to give Dawn the strength to keep walking. By the time the three of them reached the central crystal, they were using each other as a support. Unnoticed until they were almost upon it, a double door was set into the crystal.
“The Answer! I must know!” Techbird pushed open the doors which offered no resistance, and they all stumbled into the room beyond. The doors closed of their own accord, and abruptly the sensory-broadening effect was muted. They collapsed, panting from the extreme mental exhaustion.
“The eye of the storm,” Galena commented.
“Oh, not so much the eye of the storm, so much as it is the control center of a scrying array,” came a new voice.
A figure emerged from a mirror-like section of the wall, a benevolent smile on his face. The being was made out of some sort of multi-faceted gemstone, similar to a crystal pony in appearance. However, unlike them, it did not appear to be entirely alive. It was familiar though. This construct looked like an ancient pony that most of Equestria knew.
“S-Star Swirl the Bearded?!” Cosmic Dawn and Techbird gasped out simultaneously in surprise.
“You know me as that, yes, but since you made it here, my children, you are ready for the Truth, the Question, and the Answer.”
The crystal being’s form shifted around and grew until a strange human stood in front of them. He was wearing a long flowing robe marked with the same pattern as his hat and cape, and in one of his hands, he held a staff with a crystal steadily glowing in the tip that looked like the ones lining the walls of the room. He had a long white beard, and on top of his head, he wore a pointy hat. When he spoke it was with a strong Welsh accent.
“Star Swirl the Bearded is my pony name, but here I am called Myrddin.”
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