//------------------------------// // Episode 1: Denials; Chapter 5: Answers // Story: Why Ponies Aren't in Space // by Raptor //------------------------------// Episode I: Denials Chapter V: Answers You'll just let them go...? Of course. ...I... What else would I do? Detain them? Execute them? No. No, sorry, I... I completely expected this. I don't know why I asked. Maybe you're not used to me being merciful. ...I suppose that's an explanation. After all, I was on the bridge with you during the war. ... ...I... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have- Hmhmhm. Yes, I was quite the ruthless one back then. But things have changed now. ...Of course, sir. Get back to your research. ...Yes sir. ...And Beta? Yes? ...Please. Don't mention the war to me again. ... ...Don't. \v/\V/\v/ "Gazer?" "Yes? OW!! What the hay?!" "DID YOU JUST CHALLENGE AN ADVANCED ALIEN RACE?!" "If I say 'yes', will you hit me again?" "Ugh, Gazer..." Crystal held her forehead with her hoof. "Do you realize... how much trouble we're in right now...?" Gazer pushed off of the bulkhead and floated towards the pilot seat. "Of course I do. Skipper explained-" "WILL YOU BE SERIOUS, FOR JUST, A SINGLE, SECOND!" Crystal screamed. Her hooves pounded the air with every emphasized word. She panted, chest heaving in and out. Her wings twitched and her tail shuddered. But the biggest thing Gazer noticed- the biggest thing- above all else, he noticed her eyes. Her EYES. They shot out at a tremendous speed straight for the head, and were piercing his face, his skull, and his very soul. Then it shot out the back, ready for the next fool to fall into their path of travel. These eyes were the result of extreme irritation and impatience. Two things that did not go well together. These eyes could take the toughest royal guard and reduce him to a crying mess calling for mommy. Were they placed on a god-like princess, it'd probably blow up a dragon, or something. And all this power was being directed straight at the meek blue doctor, who just sat there, half-finished buckling himself in, frozen, involuntary staring straight back into the unblinking eyes of DEATH. He made a small, incoherent peeping sound, which, even with our advanced technology and the world's top scientists and historians at our disposal, was unable to be translated. We do however, know that it was confirmatory. They didn't move for a while, save the deep breaths of Crystal's panting, and the twitching of her extended wings. Finally she sighed and closed her weapons of mass fear, turning away. Instantly, Gazer gave the "All-Clear" signal in his mind, letting himself know that the threat was gone. Not like, "we have won the war", it was more like, "the enemy has decided not to utterly decimate us". Gazer refrained from letting out a loud sigh of relief, however. "Gazer..." Crystal said, eyes still closed, residual anger still in her voice, "...that race has threatened to bombard our cities if we don't comply with them. And you just challenged them to... I don't even KNOW why you challenged them." Gazer remained silent for a few seconds, then resumed buckling himself in. "Well... I don't really think I was challenging him... I was just... warning him." Crystal scoffed. "So now you're threatening the powerful evil alien race?!" Gazer looked at her. "Warning him," Gazer repeated, like he was talking to a wall. Crystal facehoofed. "I just let him know that the majority of ponies won't like what he's doing. And it's true. I certainly don't." He turned forward and started checking the status of the ship. "And I bet you don't, either." Crystal lowered her hoof from her face and looked at him with her mouth slightly open. She didn't know how to respond to that. "I..." she started, but she couldn't finish her sentence. "You know I'm right," Gazer told her, still not looking back at her. "And I'm sorry if you don't like how I handled that situation with my recklessness-" he paused to turn his head slightly so he could almost see her "-but you should know me long enough to know that it's what I do." Gazer's tone had shifted dramatically. Earlier he was joking and cocky- but now he was serious and... well... still kinda cocky. He turned back to his console. "Once we get back- assuming Skipper'll have already contacted the princess by the time we arrive- I'm going to confront her and tell her that we need to act. I don't care how she responds; I've gone against her will once already today, I can do it again." At this point, Crystal managed to gather her words enough to react; "Unless she locks you up before you get the chance this time." Gazer turned his head full around to give her a deadpan look, brows low, eyelids half-closed. Crystal shrugged. "What...?" Gazer rolled his eyes and turned back. "Look. You're right, this is serious. But I need to do this. But first I need some questions answered." He thrusted forward two levers, and the shuttle jutted forward. "The first being..." He turned around again, facing Crystal with a serious expression. "How long did you know about all this...?" Crystal remained silent. Her mouth opened several times to say something, but no words came out. Eventually, Gazer turned back. crystal raised a hoof and opened her mouth to say something- but once again, nothing came out. "Doesn't matter," Gazer muttered. "I'll know enough when we get back." Besides, he thought, your silence says it all. The rest of the way home was in silence. \v/\V/\v/ The doors to the courtroom swung open to reveal a narrow-eyed navy-blue unicorn and a worried-looking aqua pegasus, escorted by four royal guards. They approached, slowly but steadily, towards the princess's throne. Gazer had an enchanted magic-hindering clamp secured on his horn, and Crystal had her wings bound to her sides. Standing next to the princess was Prince Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard, wearing a blank expression. On the other side of the throne was Sonic Boomer, Wing leader of the A.R.C. He didn't look too happy when he saw Crystal, who avoided eye contact. The Princess, on the other hand, did not look angry, or even disappointed. But she didn't look happy either. She looked... nonchalantly determined... if that's even possible. The two guards in front of the rogues stepped aside, presenting them to Princess Celestia. Gazer noticed Luna was absent. She's probably asleep at this time of day, he thought. Too bad. She knows me a bit better... She would've been a bit more lenient with me. Oh well. Maybe I should speak first... Gazer opened his mouth- "I'm glad you made it back, Dr. Gazer," Celestia said in a soft voice. Gazer's mouth shifted to one that expressed confusion. That wasn't exactly the first reaction he was expecting. Celestia looked at Crystal. "Same for you, Miss Sky." Crystal nodded nervously. Gazer cleared the confusion from his face and narrowed his eyes again. "Your Highness," he said, "I need to speak with you." Celestia nodded as if to say, I know, but continue. "The alien race that is... confining us... needs to be stopped." Shining armor got a surprised look at this, while Celestia cocked her head back slightly and raised an eyebrow. Gazer continued: "We shouldn't be contained like this. We can't be. We need to expand, and these... aliens are keeping us from that. I honestly don't give a dang about any treaty signed years ago." He paused. "Which brings me to my first question- how many other ponies have thought up the idea for space travel?" Shining Armor looked at the princess, who continued to stare at Gazer. I'm assuming you've already heard from Skipper, Gazer thought, considering you haven't tried to stop my train of thought, or question me as to why or how I know all this. Or... you know... lock me up. Celestia sighed. "Four," she said. "Four great minds of their time. Two unicorns, one male, one female, one Earth pony male, one pegasus male. Two of them are still alive, one retired, the male unicorn, one in a different field of research, the pegasus." A look of sadness dawned on her face. "I've had to turn them all down... Just like I did to you. I'll never forget their faces. But most of all, I'll never forget Sky Watcher..." She closed her eyes. "The Earth pony. He wanted to go to the skies, like a pegasus, but he wanted to go farther. He was the first to get the idea. Everypony thought he was crazy, but once he presented the idea to me, I, being open-minded, approved of his project. He went up, and..." She paused. "...They came down. They told me who they were and what they were doing... and what they had done to Watcher..." Another pause. Crystal was looking at her with saddened eyes, as was Shining, at the floor. Gazer, however, had not shifted his mood. "...I, of course, was outraged," Celestia continued. "I told them that I wouldn't allow it, and that I would protect my land and my subjects. They... laughed, and demonstrated their... weaponry, in the badlands. The explosions they created were devastating... enough to destroy Canterlot in two hits. They told me to sign the treaty or face war. With no other option, I complied. Then came the next innovator, the unicorn mare, whose project I had to turn down. After the pegasus, Spark Wing, presented his project, I denied it, but used his technology to create the Ariel Reconnaissance Control, to be used in keeping others from breaking the treaty- such as you, Star Gazer. After him came the unicorn stallion, who did not present his project to me ahead of time, and instead launched his prototype without authorization, which forced us to deploy A.R.C., who managed to bring him down. After the incident, he immediately retired... I don't know of his current whereabouts, but I haven't heard from him since. Then came you, Dr. Gazer. You know the rest." There was a long pause. Gazer's expression remained static. "Actually, not all the rest," he said. "While that answers a lot, I still need more answers. Next question: who are they, exactly? While I was on their ship, the two alleged commanding officers introduced themselves as 'Alpha', or, 'Captain', and 'Beta'." Celestia nodded slowly. "Yes. Those are the two I spoke to, along with one called 'the Prime'. They call themselves 'the Warden'. Their actual species name is unknown to us, and we do not know much of their anatomy or culture." "Or technology..." Shining Armor added, still glaring at the floor. Gazer nodded. "Alright. Next question. How many ponies know of them- and for that matter, how many non-ponies know of them?" Celestia shook her head. "As far as I know, they have only shown themselves in Equestria, but it isn't too far-fetched to believe that they have a world-wide containment in progress. As far as how many ponies know... not many. Only the highest representatives and VIPs are aware of their existence, including the secretaries, the advisor, the Supreme Commander, and of course, Princess Luna and I." Gazer nodded again. "Alright. Good. The more the merrier." Everyone in the room shared a perplexed look. Well, except Gazer. "Next question. Have my charges been revoked?" Celestia smiled and half-closed her eyes. "Yes, doctor. You're fine." "Cool. Next question. Have her charges been revoked...?" Gazer motioned to the mare standing next to him, who looked at him with surprise, worry, and appreciation. Celestia looked to Sonic Boomer, who looked up at her like he wanted to say something. Before he could, however, Celestia turned back to the doctor and nodded, still smiling. "Good. Next question. I have an idea, do you want to hear it?" The princess paused. "I suppose..." "Next question. Do you promise not to keep me under lock and key so I won't go over your head and go through with my idea, should you disapprove of it?" "...Perhaps." Gazer paused. Eh, close enough. "Alright. Last question... "How much metal do we have access to...?" With secrets come lies, with lies, comes suspicion, and with suspicion, comes the need for answers. As long as there are those who hold secrets, there is always those who seek out the truth... for better or worse. And there will always be secrets. And with secrets come denials, denials of the secrets, the answers, the truth. No matter what, there will be denials. As long as something is denied, it remains the truth for someone, even if, in reality, it isn't. But we, the Warden... we deny your Exodus... We deny your ability to leave... we deny your FREEDOM! And as long as we do... it WILL remain the truth.