//------------------------------// // Chapter 12. // Story: Star Trek: A Knights Gambit // by Sparky Brony //------------------------------// Captain Picard leans back into the biobed. Beverly Crusher leans closer to him. “We had some equipment to monitor Commander Riker’s dreams. We will monitor your bio readings to ensure you are safe.” She places a device on his forehead. “I don’t know how this works, but at least we can learn something about the process.” Moon Shadow walks up to him, her horn already glowing faintly. “I’ve helped ease Sweetie Belle into a light doze, ready to head into the dream. I don’t know enough about hoomans. I’m sorry, Captain. But it will take me a bit to get you aligned with the dream as ponies understand it.” She tilts her head slightly. “Though there is good news on that front. Many species on your ship can dream much as we dream, since your ship has been here, Princess Luna has been entering the dreams of your crewmembers and helping with nightmares.” She leans closer. “It’s one reason that she is trusting of you. Your crew fears failure in this as much as we do. You hoomans do have our survival as much of a priority as we do. And for that I thank you.” She nuzzles his cheek for a moment, before flinching back and blushing. “I’m sorry, helping in this way is a lot more intimate than many realize, we will be diving deep into not only Princess Luna’s mind, but into yours and Sweetie Belle’s. Just lean back, Captain. And I will take care of you.” She turns to Princess Luna, lying in her biobed. “We are here for you, Princess.” She murmurs almost too softly to hear. Picard closes his eyes, noting the sound of the pony’s hooves on the deck as she moves between Luna, the filly, and himself. The chime of her magic slowly increasing in intensity. In moments, sleep washes over him. *** Picard looks around. They are in Ponyville. He has visited the town enough times in the last several weeks to be quite familiar with how it looks. He looks down at Sweetie Belle. “It’s deserted.” She nods in response. “We need to find the Princess.” She starts off, keeping her pace high enough that he has to take longer strides to keep up with the little ball of energy. They get to Canterlot Boutique, Sweetie walks on in. Though the door at the front doesn’t ring as it usually does, getting a frown from the human before he turns and looks around. “Rarity?” Sweetie Belle squeaks. “Are you here?” Picard listens, and after a long moment, Sweetie Belle repeats, again to no answer. Picard waits in the shop as the filly heads up to the residence portion of the building. A few moments later, she’s walking downstairs. “Everything looks right, but there’s nopony here.” She sighs and sits down, looking at Picard. His combadge chirps. He looks down at it for a moment before tapping it. “Picard.” He instantly flinches at the static pouring through the device, which also causes the filly’s ears to fold back. He listens as a voice seems to come through. “Cap… please…something wrong.” Picard frowns. “I don’t recognize the voice. It almost sounds like Princess…” Sweetie Belle holds her chin with a hoof. “But we are in a dream. They couldn’t call you on your badge thingy from a dream, right?” He nods. “Something odd is going on here.” He leads the filly out of the boutique. Then stops for a moment as he sees something that makes him stop in his tracks. “What is that?” He glances down at Sweetie Belle, her ears are pinned back, and her eyes are wide with fear with her tail pinned to her rear. She whispers softly. “Nightmare.” His own eyes widen. “Like what she turned into before?” She nods. “Oh, this is bad. Like really bad bad bad. If the nightmare has taken over her mind. She may be unreachable.” She sighs heavily. “Well, we need to find her. Try to find some way to talk her into sanity.” She starts off, the tall human in tow. After they walk through the town, they end up before an absolutely massive tree, and Picard gapes, “This was your library?” She nods, her ears twitching. “Yeah, Twilight lived here when she first came to Ponyville.” She stops, ears twitching more before swiveling to lock onto the door. “Do you hear that?” He listens for a long moment before shaking his head. She frowns. “Well, I do. Follow me!” She says, the last word squeaking as she barrels through the front door of the tree. The door opens to a large circular chamber, carved into the center of the tree, its walls carved into shelves, each containing a rainbow of different colored books. Several wooden pedestals stand around the edge, some empty other with books on them. A round table sits at the center of the room with several books open, on top of it, a stylized mares head made of ebony. Tilting her head to the side, Sweetie Belle blinks, “Hear it now?” He nods. “Crying.” “No!” Picard says, stepping forward. “Equestria is safe. You are safe, aboard my ship.” Picard starts. “Lies!” Luna shouts, loud enough to push him back. “I felt the energy. I felt the loss. There’s no way…” She devolves to crying again.” Picard steps forward, only to be impacted by a large body, an inky black pony with silver royal vestments similar to Luna’s is standing their, her ethereal mane nearly insubstantial, her teeth sharp and deadly looking, her slitted eyes narrowed. “I said go! LEAVE ME BE!” She shouts. And in moments, everything fades to darkness, leaving Picard and Sweetie Belle standing in black nothingness. He looks at the filly. “What now?” “Oh, I was afraid of this.” Moon Shadow’s voice comes from everywhere. Then reality folds next to Picard and the gray unicorn steps in. “I can’t enter the dream as you are. But I can help guide you.” She flickers a bit. “This is really difficult.” She stops and closes her eyes, her flickering slows and finally ceases. She opens her eyes and smiles brightly. “There, that’s better.” She flickers again. “But not for long. I can’t stay here. She doesn’t realize that we succeeded. She’s stuck in a world of pain.” She flickers yet again. “Find her again. Help her see.” She blinks out. He looks down at Sweetie Belle. “So, how do we proceed?” She shrugs. “Only one direction to go, Captain. Forward.” He puts his hand on her mane and they take a step. *** Picard flinches, he’s in the cavern in the Equestrian moon. He looks over at Princess Luna, who tiredly steps away from the dais. She floats her communicator over to her, activating it. “Luna to Enterprise.” “Riker here.” “That was rougher than I thought it would be. Is the planet safe?” Picard can hear hesitation in Riker’s voice. “Physically, the planet is just fine. But…” Her voice gets hard. “But…what?” Data’s voice comes over the com. “The planet seems to have been…stuck…would be the right word, in time. Princess. Initial scans show several thousands of years have passed during the time the planet travelled in subspace.” “What?” I’m coming aboard.” She charges her horn and somehow, Picard and Sweetie Belle are brought along with her teleport. Luna steps over to the android officer. “What’s going on?” Data looks at the screen as his hands work on his console. “I have beamed down camouflaged surveillance drones. We are getting a feed now, Princess.” “On screen.” Riker says. The apparent live video feed from the drone appears on the screen. It is coming up on a small lighthouse. As it approaches, the door opens and a tangerine pony with a multicolored mane walks out, wearing what look like roller blades on all four hooves. The audio feed from the drone starts to come in. Inhaling deeply the pony smiles looking up at the sky closing her eyes for a moment before she starts to sing, “Good morning, sun, No time to chat, I gotta run”. Dropping to all fours she starts to roller-skate down to a modern looking town, “'Cause I've got places to be.” Skidding up to a cart, the mare starts packing drinks into a wheeled cooler, “So much to do, Excited, yes, and nervous, too.” The drone tilts as it zips along keeping pace with the mare as she starts her trip through the town, “A change is starting with me!” “No, that’s impossible.” She murmurs. She turns to Data. “Please tell me.” The screen shows, all through the town, posters for something called CanterLogic, different earth ponies go about daily business, some seem to be preparing for or heading towards a large factory. Data almost sounds mournful. “Princess. According to scans, the three primary pony tribes are scattered in several settlements. I cannot detect any thaumic activity, at all, Princess.” “They aren’t living in harmony? They aren’t together?” Her voice gets really small. “My sister?” “Everyones afraid, always judging never budging.” The drone reacquires the mare as she continues her song puffing her cheeks out as a navy blue and black mare finishes putting up a CanterLogic poster that reads ‘To be scared, is to be prepared’ with the picture of a unicorn and Pegasus attacking a cowering earth pony. Skating up to the sign the orange pony continues her song, “Ain’t it time we made, the team,” With her hoof she draws a big heart on the poster before attaching a cute happy unicorn sticker to it. “Dream! “Sensors can not detect her presence, Princess.” “Discord?” “No, Princess. Nor is Princess Cadance or Flurry Heart showing up on scanners.” He taps his status board and looks at the data being shown. “I am, however, showing that ponies have developed technologically in this intervening time. While the pegasi are not flying, they seem to have occupied what used to be Canterlot. Though the royal palace seems to have been rebuilt. The city has wireless signals, indicative of portable data technology that was prevalent in the early part of the human twenty-first century.” He looks up at the Princess. “There is a small amount of unicorns in what was the Everfree forest, among settlements spread out over the planet. Though the total population is quite low. And as we have seen, the Earth pony settlements are also spread over the planet. Though…” He tilts his head slightly. “They do not seem to be in communication with each other. In fact, the planet seems to have reverted to a very provincial setting.” “Dragons? Hippogrifs? Griffons? Kirin? Everything else on our planet?” Data queries the computer sensors for a long moment before looking up at her. He doesn’t even have a chance to open his mouth before she starts to sob. “I failed them. They are lost!” She collapses to the deck, sobbing piteously. Picard somehow has to fight his own body to try to speak, to move, to do something. Sweetie Belle is fighting just as hard. She takes a step, then a second. “Princess.” She squeaks. “We are safe. You haven’t failed.” Everything around fades, leaving them with Luna in infinite blackness, lying down, sobbing. The dream hold on them evaporates. They rush to Luna, who has somehow morphed to the size of a filly and is curled up in a ball. "It’s all because of me, all because I failed... they are left without each other, scattered, separate...They have lost their trust in each other...lost their magic... all because I failed. I failed a thousand years ago, I failed now... " "Luna" The little blue foal turns away curling into a ball hiding her head under her wing. "I'm useless, I couldn't save them, and now...now they have nothing." "Oh Luna...." Picard starts "Begone!" comes a new voice, sounding somewhat like Luna, but immensely more powerful. A black form coalesces out of the darkness, somehow darker than the black around them, her flowing mane a plethora of stars in blackness. "The Nightmare?" Sweetie Belle says softly as she shrinks back. Landing in front of the foal, the nightmare spreads her wings, "Leave her be! She was weak, she was helpless, she was wrong! Now her... Our... sister is gone! The ponies are gone! You won't hurt her any more than she is!" With a thunderous crash, Nightmare stomps her hoof on the ground, sending the pair flying backwards into a field of singing flowers. Sweetie Belle looks around, blinking, "She threw us into an old dream...I think...Nightmare moon is trying to protect Luna's mind... but..." “I remember being told of Nightmare Moon, but she lusts for control, for power. Why would she protect Luna here?” Sweetie shrugs. “I don’t think it’s actually Nightmare Moon, but an aspect of Luna’s personality, what she views as protecting the ponies, protecting herself. It manifests as the Nightmare it seems.” She sits down, cradling her chin with a hoof. “When she turned into a foal, that was her feeling vulnerable, defeated.” She looks around. “This is a trap, her mind creating something to trap invaders in her mind.” She claps a hoof on the ground. "We need to find a portal" "A portal?" "Uh huh, unlike Pinkie Pie. I can't just bounce to the next dream by hopping, ummm.." Looking around, Sweetie Belle blinks, then sticks her head through a flower. "Okay that was easier than I thought." She disappears, climbing into the flower. Picard shrugs and follows the filly, the flower somehow stretching to accommodate his size. *** Picard looks around. “This isn’t Equestria,” His eyes widen. “Those are prefab colony shelters.” Sweetie Belle looks up at him questioning. He gestures to the structures. “When a colony is first set up, there’s no shelter on an empty planet. And it takes time, sometimes years, to build with local materials.” He starts walking. “The Federation will provide shelters that can be beamed down and assembled quickly. I explained to the Princesses how it would go on the colony when the ponies arrived. Several cargo ships were dispatched to deliver this equipment, along with computers, sensor systems, and transporters. To help with setting up a colony before the colonists build their own homes and spread out from the initial point.” He stops, looking around. “This is similar to the images I showed the Princesses about how the new colony would look.” “Hello?” The new voice gets both of them to turn and look. A unicorn stallion steps out from a shelter, though he doesn’t look to have had the best of time. His mane is matted and dirty. Mud is splattered up his legs all the way up to his body. He flinches back on seeing them. “Oh, I thought the Princesses were coming.” He kicks the ground slightly. “I know Celestia refused to join us, but, Princess Luna was supposed to join us, if saving Equestria wasn’t possible. But it’s been so long. She never came.” He takes a step back. “The hoomans…” Picard looks at the filly, then back at the stallion. “The Federation promised…” He screams out. “Promised? They promised? The lied!” Picard stops, one hand reaching out. “Wait…what?” “It’s been two years. Two bucking years, and we haven’t seen a ship since we got dropped off. It’s been root, hog, or die. We try to talk on the computer talky thingie, trying to get anypony, talk to Equestria, see if they survived. See if anypony was out there.” He flinches away. “But all we heard was war, and supplies are limited. The Federation can’t help.” “No…that’s impossible.” “They said the Borg, who the buck are the Borg?” That last has Picard stopping, a chill growing in his chest. The stallion is standing before them, though he’s changing as he speaks. “Your Federation is too big, too spread out, to help one single planet of displaced ponies.” He’s gotten bigger, his beige coloring darkening. Even his voice is changing, becoming raspier, and beginning to sound like multiple voices talking at once, taking on a chorus. “We aren’t important. We are on our own. Without our Princesses. Without any pony, or dragon, or kirin. It’s just us.” “Stop!” Sweetie Belle screams out, slapping her hoof onto the ground. The stallion stops talking, though he’s now inky black. He snarls before turning and disappearing. Sweetie turns to Picard. “We need to find Luna here. Show her the truth.” She dashes off. “Sweetie Belle wait!” Picard starts before a familiar voice ring through his mind. Borg implants appear on the black pony, as a second pony, this time an equally dark full borgified mare looks at the captain, “What’s wrong Locutus? Have you forgotten about us already?” Taking a step back Picard blinks, “You.” “You were perfect once, you can be again.” The voice says, “They call can be.” Picard shakes his head, “This is just..” “Just what? A dream? Have you forgotten? We live in dreams too, share information as we regenerate, process information, and this is wide open to me. Thanks you Locutus.” Almost yelling, “No!” Picard said as he turns his back, “The Federation failing the ponies?” That seems completely impossible to him. He blinks and starts walking quickly, trying to keep up with the filly as she runs through the settlement, her ears rotating as she listens for Luna. Several other borg ponies stand looking at them, not interfering, merely carrying about their business. “Ponies are about harmony, about unity, they are prefect for us, their song, joining our own. No sadness, no fear, perfection.” The voice says, “And you delivered them to us Locutus.” After a few minutes, she stops and looks back at Picard with a smile. She gestures then dashes into what looks like a library. Picard follows, and in moments they are standing once again before Nightmare Moon. Several borg seem to be trying to walk forward but keep bouncing off of some kind of shield, one stands there trying to analyze it with sensors. “Oh, I see, we need special crystals to detect this power,” The female voice says, “Your knowledge will always benefit us my Locutus.” Passing through the shield, Sweetie Belle’s teeth are bared and she’s pawing the floor with a hoof as Picard enters the room following her. Nightmare Moon turns her head narrowing her eyes, “You have brought them, you have shown them how to find us, how to get to us.” Passing through the shield, Sweetie Belle’s teeth are bared and she’s pawing the floor with a hoof as Picard enters the room following her. Nightmare Moon turns her head narrowing her eyes, “You have brought them, you have shown them how to find us, how to get to us.” He braces as the Nightmare snarls and then she rushes at Sweetie Belle. Belle is barely able to get her magic started when the larger mare impacts with her. Picard leaps to the side and catches the pony, landing heavily with her on his chest. She smiles at him for an instant before launching herself back at the nightmare. Before she can make contact though Nightmare Moon yells “Enough!”, and the entire room disappears, and once again, they are in inifinite blackness. Sweetie Belle lands heavily, skidding on nothing. She turns back, breathing heavily. “No. We were so close!” She shakes her head, her ears flopping. She takes a long moment to compose herself before looking up at him. “Okay, we keep going?” Picard nods. “You are one brave little pony, Sweetie Belle.” ‘Yes she is Locutus. She will make an excellent drone.” Picard looks around quick before closing his eyes tight, opening them he nods once. She blushes as she smiles in response. “I have to help my Princess.” “Forward?” “Forward.” He places his hand on her mane as they once again step forward. *** Picard blinks, he’s standing next to Sweetie Belle, and they are on the bridge of the Enterprise. He’s speaking before the assembled crew and ponies. Every pony looks on the verge of tears. “Due to every attempt to alter the course of the system failing. We have exhausted every potential avenue available to us. It is our sad duty to save as many lives as possible by ending many lives today.” He heaves a big sigh, which internally he is screaming that this isn’t right. “Commander Data, the ship is at capacity?” “Yes sir. The last ponies able to be beamed up have just been brought aboard. We are ready.” “Very well.” Unwillingly, he turns to Princess Luna. “As you have requested, Princess. The order is yours to give.” Princess Luna steps forward, tears streaming down her face. “Forgive me sister.” She murmurs, looking at Twilight Sparkle, lying in a crumpled heap on the deck. She steels herself. “Make ready the weapons.” She says, looking at Lt. Commander Worf.” After a few moments. “Torpedoes are locked on the planet in the programmed array.” “We shall destroy the planet first. So they don’t have to see their beloved moon or sun destroyed first.” She says softly. She stops for a long moment, breathing deeply. “Princess, there are very few moments left.” Captain Picard says unwillingly. “I can…” Luna shakes her head as if emerging from a fugue. “No, Captain, it is my responsibility to give this order.” She sighs heavily. “Mr. Worf. Fire.” The Klingon officer taps his control panel and bright photon torpedoes streak towards the planet. “Impact in ten seconds.” Data straightens in his seat before turning to look at the Captain. “Captain. I’m reading a disturbance at the Vanhoover beam out site. Probe six is transmitting activity.” “On Screen.” Riker says firmly. And the screen flickers to a shaky picture. The beam out site has a ring of pattern enhancers, several lying on their side. One is snapped in half, the top light is flickering. In the center of the circle is a navy blue unicorn, her horn lit as she tries to shield a group of foals around her, the foals are crowding close to her, scared and crying.” “Can we get them out?” Riker shouts. “Negative sir, too much interference.” Data says before a white flash fills the screen, causing the screen to blank out. Picard turns to look at Princess Luna. The pain on her face wrenches his heart. *** Picard blinks, Sweetie Belle is shaking her head. They are on the bridge of the Enterprise. He is speaking to the crew and the ponies. The words emerge from his lips, but they feel as though they are being spoken by someone else. “Due to every attempt to alter the course of the system failing. We have exhausted every potential avenue available to us. It is our sad duty to save as many lives as possible by ending many lives today.” His mind is screaming as he turns to his operations officer. “Commander Data, the ship is at capacity?” Picard fights to do something, anything, different as the scene replays exactly as before. He watches, helplessly, as he again prods the Princess to fire. Which she steels herself and opens her mouth to speak. “STOP!” Comes a small voice. Barely heard, coming from Sweetie Belle. “Princess. No, Equestria is safe.” Luna blinks. “Impossible. I can see that we have failed. I have failed my sister, I have failed all of you.” Picard strains, trying to break the impassive mien. “She’s right.” He’s able to whisper. Luna stops for a long moment, looking between the filly and the human. “No.” She whispers. She shakes her head. “No. We tried, we failed, it didn’t work.” She sits down. “Didn’t it?” Picard fights the hold of her dream on him. Sweetie Belle seems to be having as difficult a time as he trying to break through. She strains, lifting one hoof and taking a step forward. “Princess. You are safe, we are all safe. You…” “LIAR!” The volume from the princess is enough to make him take a step back. Though Princess Luna’s eyes widen before she collapses to the deck. When she does, whatever was holding him evaporates and he rushes forward, Sweetie at his side. As they get to Luna, her body fades away, and in moments the bridge of the Enterprise has faded. *** Picard blinks, looking around. Princess Luna has teleported to the royal palace in Canterlot. She dashes off, sobbing. In moments he can see why. Several royal guards are lying on the floor, bodies mangled and unmoving. The scene looks like the aftermath of some great battle, a grey pegasi lays charred and smoking, several white and grey castle guards lay, their armor crushed, a dark grey, almost black unicorn mare, its horn broken, lays in a pool of dried blood. Picard looks at the filly. “I don’t think you want to see this, Sweetie Belle.” She takes a deep but shaky breath. “No matter what I see, it’s nothing compared to what Princess Luna is going through.” She gulps, looking at the mangled body before closing her eyes for a moment and shaking her head. “We need to help her.” She dashes off, and Picard follows quickly. The hoof beats of the Princess are clearly audible as they make their way through the castle. As he rushes through, he can see severe structural damage to the building. Columns are down, glass is shattered. In moments they make their way out of the castle and they skid to a stop. Luna is there, embracing the broken body of her sister. Picard walks slowly forward. “Princess. Please, this is your fears, this is not real.” Luna looks up at him from her sister’s body. “But how? That’s impossible. I can feel her, I can feel the death. Can’t you? We saved your world, your Betazed.” She looks out at the ruined city. “But at what cost? At what cost, hooman?” The rage in her voice gets both of them to stumble back. “Princess…” Sweetie Belle starts. “ENOUGH!!” Comes the now familiar voice of the nightmare, she’s suddenly between Luna and them. “Can’t you see? See what she’s going through? And you sully her with lies! Begone!” Her horn lights and she sends a blast towards them. “No!” Sweetie Belle shouts, her own horn lighting and she throws up a shield. The energy from the nightmare impacts, but Sweetie Belle holds her ground. “You are not real, you may be a part of Princess Luna, you want to protect her. But we need to show her the truth!” The nightmare snarls and leaps towards Luna, grabbing her and both of them twist within reality and disappear, the entire world twisting with them. Picard and Sweetie Belle end up standing before a set of doors. The stench of death and burning is gone. Sweetie looks around. “This almost looks like the castle of the two sisters in the Everfree.” She smiles. “We have to be getting close to her, the real her.” She looks up at Picard. “It’s like going through an onion, we’ve had to peel away each layer and get closer to the core, to the real Princess.” She gestures at the doors. “She’s got to be there. But the Nightmare will be strongest there.” He nods. “Well, let’s help her.” He places a hand on the door knob and pushes the door open. Glancing around Picard notes that they are in a large bed chamber, but this seems to be decorated more like a foals room, with stuffed animals, toys, and even pictures on the wall drawn as if by a child or foal. Slowly he scans the room then blinks, looking back at a pile of stuffed animals, one of the toys, a small dark blue foal, with light blue mane, blinks. Tilting her head looking at the pile as well Sweetie Belle softly calls out, “Princess?” “Go away, no more, please.” The foal cries and tries to nestle back under the toys more. Picard starts to take a step forward, when a loud voice booms out, “Enough!” With an eep Sweetiebelle scampers back and hides behind Picard looking as purple and black mists coalesce into the form of a large bat winged mare, “Ni…nightmare moon?” “She has been through enough,” The mare says putting herself between the two and the pile of toys. “None of what we have seen has come to pass.” Picard says softly, looking at the dark mare. “Equestria is safe.” “You lie, you are just another illusion of the Tantabus.” The mare says defiantly, slamming her hoof down. “Come no further.” “Tantabus?” “But, we beat that in Ponyville, I was there.” Sweetie Belle says, “It was a creature Luna created to punish herself so that she would never forget and never let…” “Never let me return.” The mare says. Picard blinks, “I’ve read and heard some stories about you, but you do not seem… to be the same Nightmare as in the books. That one wouldn’t be protecting a foal.” Nightmare blinks, “She is weak, she always was.” “And you? You are her strength?” Picard asks softly. “I have to be.” Nightmare moons eyes flash to the side where a dark shadow of an equine stands, “Especially with that nearby.” Sweetie Belle blinks, “I...” Turning she looks back at the foal in the stuffed animals, “I understand Luna, it’s safe though, those were nightmares, they weren’t real.” “I can’t.” The foal says sadly, tears in her eyes. Sweetie Belle looks up at Picard, “You… you don’t have song magic, but… can you play an instrument?” “My flute but…” “Think about it,” Sweetie Belle says plaintively, “It’s kind of like a lucid dream, if you concentrate, it will appear. I can’t to do this alone.” Closing her eyes, Sweetie Belle starts to sing softly. “It's hope that rushes within my veins, It keeps me warm on the darkest days,” Opening her eyes “Just like this one, single memory, it may not fade.” Picard looks at the foal confused, “I…” Looking up at Picard, Sweetie Belle motions to the flute that somehow appeared in his hands, “I will promise you that I'll do everything I can.” She sings softly, “I will take you along, And this song, overflows, Like a wish nearing close.” Picking up the rhythm Picard starts to play, matching her, harmonizing with her melody yet playing around it. “Everything in life sings along,” She continues, but as she does the dark form, the black mare starts to approach, sparkles spreading around. In response, the Nightmare steps forward, snarling at it. Her horn glowing as the room flickers, almost as if it’s starting to fade. Picard steps forward to stand beside the nightmare looking at the shadow of a form, as he plays his pipe, the last time he played with this much emotion, was with Lt Commander Daren. Almost yelling out in song, Sweetie Belle puts her hoof down. “So don't you dare turn away from this one reality,” Looking at Nightmare Moon, “Find the courage to stand up and fight on.” Luna lifts her head slowly, as Picard plays, the shadow creature retreating a bit. “Turn your anger into strength,” Sweetie Belle continues, causing Nightmare moon to blink looking back at Sweetie Belle, “Melting sadness in its wake.” Nightmare Moon nods looking at Luna, “'’Til you find your fate, that’s waiting here always.” Sweetie Belle nods, “You were shaken to the core by the cries that call your name, but they're the ones that you could never betray.” Nightmare moon turns slowly, walking up to the foal lowering her head, “We have made it here at last, may this future never end.” Little Luna meekly sings out, “And we'll live through this period of time.” Crossing their horns the two sing to each other, “At our horntips, the truth will align.” Everything fades from around them, leaving Luna, Sweetie Belle, and Picard standing in nothingness. Luna seems shaky, but confident. “Thank you my friend.” She says as she bows to Picard before turning to Sweetie Belle. “And thank you, young one. I do not think either of you understand how dangerous that was. To die in the dream would be to die in life, when you are in the dream of another.” She stops and chuckles. “I smell my apprentice’s hooves in this. I shall have to school her better on what not to do in the dream.” She straightens and looks around. “Okay, let us return to the real world.” She taps a hoof and everything turns white. Picard opens his eyes, Beverly is hovering next to him. “That was…unusual.” He’s able to croak. Crusher takes the device off of his forehead. “We got to see some of what you experienced, Captain. That had to have been a wild ride.” Picard sits up, looking over at Sweetie Belle, who is being cradled by her sister, who is also sending evil glares at both Moon Shadow and towards Captain Picard. He smiles slightly as he regains his feet. He looks over at Moon Shadow, who seems rather unsteady on her hooves. “Are you okay?” She stops for a long moment before blinking and looking up at him. “Oh, yeah. I’m good.” She shakes her head hard for a moment. “That took a lot out of me.” She grins. “I think I’m going to sleep very deeply tonight.” She inclines her head. “You may want to see to Princess Luna.” Picard nods and turns towards the two alicorns. Celestia has dragged her sister off her bed and is hugging her with all of her considerable strength. Though, to be fair, Luna is hugging her sister back just as tightly. He smiles and takes a step forward. Only to find himself in bright white light. He blinks, Luna is there, so is Celestia, and Twilight, along with Discord. He looks around. He blinks a few times, looking at Discord. "Q enough." Discord blinks, "Don't look at me..." Then Eris appears with the female Q standing next to her. Along with two older looking gentlemen. Discord groans, facepalming. “Q, and you brought Q and Q with you." Eris and Q both sigh together. Eris glances at her human looking alter ego before she disappears. “You could at lefst TRY and look presentable rather then something that’s been rolling in chaos then tossed into entropy to dry.” "Very funny," Discord says. "Congratulations Q, you don't get to be punished this time." "For what?" Discord says blinking. "Oh, figure it out yourself." Eris says before turning to Celestia and Luna. With a gentle boop of Celestia's nose, "You and your ponies yet again, have proven that you can grow, and change. You've broadened your horizons and taken the next steps in your evolution, just...don't let these two leggers hold you back." She moves over and boops Luna's nose, "Well done princess, you still have a lot to learn, but maybe soon, we'll be seeing you and your children visiting us." Looking at Picard, she huffs. "I can see why Q likes your kind, Mon Capitan." Giving Picard a boop on the nose, "You've proven you too can adapt and change as needed. Though you are still so dependent on your technology, I swear, it’s going to be the death of your race." "I am so glad we've passed your test... again." Picard says, shaking his head. “Oh boy, that arrogance once again.” She looks around at everyone. “The real test, what we wanted to see, wasn’t from you, it wasn’t from the ponies. But you were definitely an integral part of the test. The one who was on trial here. Was you.” Her gaze settles on Discord. He puts a paw to his chest. “Moi? How dare a Q test another…” The older Q look at each other, then one speaks, "Life, evolution, existence itself is about trials. Every day, creatures are tested, and yes, many of these are life and death. If it did not happen, reality would stagnate and slowly fall to entropy." The second one nods, "Tests, trials, however you wish to call them, do not only apply to you, but to everything, even our own kind. So take that as you will." Eris turns to Discord. “Your pets might just make it, Discord. The two legged ones.” Her gaze moves over to Celestia. “And four.” She turns to Picard. “And don’t worry about long term effects from all this chaos. The Betazed system will not be harmed by having an extra planet with its couple of moons in orbit. You can’t say the Continuum doesn’t clean up after itself.” She turns to Celestia. “You ponies are outside your protective cocoon. What you do now, is up to you, what journeys, what mysteries you choose to involve yourself in, will all be there to expand your very horizons. Do you have plans?” Celestia looks at her sister, then at Twilight. Twilight smiles slightly and inclines her head slightly to the side. Celestia clears her throat. “Before we made this attempt.” She stops and smiles. “Before we succeeded at saving our world. We all discussed with each other what would happen. We will petition for entry into the Federation. Some ponies have already expressed interest in joining Starfleet. I believe I heard a group of foals shout out cutie mark crusader Starfleet engineers.” She stopped for a moment, smiling brightly. “Apparently there are more groups of younglings who haven’t gotten their marks yet who are trying to find their place. And they are looking for that place in a much wider universe than we have ever known.” She looks at Picard. “With your assistance, I would hope. But ponies would take our place among the citizens of this galaxy. I would think we would need to find a way to purchase a starship, or get the knowledge to build one that would be more pony friendly in it’s design. And we would certainly desire to get to know new friends out in the wider universe.” Eris smiles. “Good, now the lesson is learned, Discord, you are back to your normal omnipotent self.” With a flash of light, her and the other Q disappear, leaving them in sickbay. *** Captain’s Log Supplemental Given the time of this mission and the potential damage to the ship from our attempt to push Equestria into subspace. We will be staying in orbit around Equestria for several more days as final repairs are made. At Princess Celestia’s request, I have allowed all non-essential crew and civilians the option to beam down and enjoy the hospitality of the ponies. And also, per second contact procedures, a California class vessel, I believe the Cerritos, has been dispatched to assist with those procedures. As they are now a part of the Betazed system, ambassadors from Betazed have arrived to talk with the Princesses about various issues about having two completely different societies in one star system. Captain Picard walks into the observation lounge, he stops as he can see the humanoid among the ponies. He takes a deep breath. “Lwaxanna, I must apologize that I wasn’t there when you beamed aboard for your discussions with Princess Celestia. My duties…” “Oh, please, you were trying to avoid me, Jean Luc, but I find I must forgive you. Getting to meet these delightful equines has been an exhilarating experience.” She turns and looks at Rarity. “So, you were saying.” “You were mentioning you had plans in nuptuals in the near future darling. I would love to make you the most beautiful wedding gown.” The white mare side eyes Picard as she’s talking. “The chance to actually craft a dress for a two legger!” Rarity giggles clapping her hooves together “A wedding dress?” Lwaxanna says blinking. “Why yes, its one of my favorite things to make.” Rarity says smiling. “The long flowing dress, the frills, the white and with gems, the…” “The Fru Fru.” Applejack says with a strange smile. “Oh hush you.” Rarity says puffing out her cheeks. “Interesting, I’ve seen that style with some humans. Betazed weddings, however we normally go naked.” “Naked? How… Gosh. How boring.” Rarity says, “There’s simply no originality with that.” “Um, Rarity, you do realize, we are normally naked as is?” Applejack says. “Exactly,” Rarity says, “But, A wedding. A wedding is a special occasion, and its always fun to dress up for this.” Lwaxanna blinks, “True you are normally naked, and this is a diplomatic mission, how rude of me, perhaps I should undress as well.” Looking to her side, “What do you think Jean Luc? We wouldn’t wish to upset their traditions or culture.” Picard blinks, then shakes his head, “I… I believe I have another meeting to go to…” “Oh but Jean Luc, don’t you want to see me naked?” she asks with a coy smile, reaching for the bodice of her dress. “I’m sorry, I’ll leave the diplomatic talk to you right now,” Tapping his com badge, “One to beam out….” Muttering low, “Emergency beam out?” “Your loss, Jean Luc,” She says smiling as she starts to pull off her dress.