//------------------------------//
// Chapter Nineteen- A Breakfast and a Briefing 
// Story: STAR TREK: EQUESTRIA 
// by Alicorne 
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CHAPTER NINETEEN



A BREAKFAST AND A BRIEFING


I’d coached Tyllae about how she should behave but the little so-and-so was having doubts as we made our way to the Galley. I had her stashed deep in my mane behind one ear. Ever since I met Sunny I’ve been wearing it loose and down to my shoulders instead of the functional ponytail I’d used before. Tyllae thought it was great fun! I could feel her parting the strands to peek out as we passed crewponies in the halls. I put up with it as long as it kept her occupied but, as we neared the Galley she whispered right in my ear. I supposed she thought it was a whisper, anyway. I winced a little as we strolled because it tickled!
“Is Starry sure Tyllae should let everypony see Tyllae? Doesn’t seem right! Nope, nope, nope! Against Faery rules an Tyllae has always been a good Faery!”
“Will you keep it down!” I hissed. “You have your mouth right in my ear canal! Look, you’re going to have to trust me on this!” I broke off and gave a preoccupied smile to a passing Ensign before continuing. “The Captain needs to know about you running around the ship. I’ve never kept anything from him before and I’m not starting now!”
“Then why is Tyllae hiding now?	 Shouldn’t Tyllae be outside where everypony can see? Tyllae is confused.” In my mind’s eye I could imagine the frown on that tiny face.
“Because,” I whispered patiently. “I don’t want to have to put up with a mob of curious Ponies just now. Be quiet for just a little more, we’re here!” I held the door for Sunny and we threaded our way across the Crew’s Mess toward the Wardroom.
“Not right!” Tyllae insisted stubbornly. “Tyllae does not like lying and Tyllae does not think Starry should lie either!”
We were working our way across the room just then so I couldn’t say anything. Instead, I picked up my pace a little. Sunny gave me a curious look, then glanced into my mane. Just a step away from the door I heard the little Fey call out. “Hi-hiii!”
Melody, my senior Science Department crewpony, looked around trying to see who was talking to her. I ducked through the door ahead of Sunny with a little hop, turning the Faery side of my head away and trying to look nonchalant!
The Wardroom was where the Senior Officers took their meals. I didn’t use it all the time since I genuinely enjoyed eating with the Crew and I was just egalitarian enough to feel a little snobby when I did. From what I understand the custom is a holdover from the Navies on old Earth. Well, Equestris never had a Navy and as long as it wasn’t mandatory I would take my meals where I darn well pleased! This morning was special, though.
The custom extended to Senior Officers inviting juniors to dine with them on occasion. Caper would have some Ensign or Middy come in a few times a week. I suppose Starfleet saw it as a privilege but from what I’d observed it was a rather nerve-wracking experience for the hapless guest, sitting nervously trying to remember every nuance of polite dining etiquette they ever learned in their short lives and trying desperately to contribute to the small talk. Poor things!
The place was as full as I’ve ever seen it. Besides the three Ponies I’d invited there was Mister Sekkack sitting quietly on Caper’s immediate left. The table was a convex rectangle, sporting a centerpiece in the form of a metal sculpture of the Hermes itself in a gold-toned aluminum alloy as well and the ever-present computer terminal Starfleet installs everywhere. The crowd thoughtfully left the far end of the table open for myself. I’d be crowding elbows otherwise. All the friendly, familiar faces looked up as I came in. Except for Little Rock, who never ate breakfast and Jerry, who was covering for one of his Engineers. Bob had just wheeled in a cart heavy with bowls of oatmeal and a big platter of apple muffins. Coffee and tea decanters had already been set out along with a couple of pitchers of apple juice. Everypony had a cup or glass of something in front of them already. We nodded and exchanged greetings as we made our way to the end of the table.
“Good morning, Starry-pushka, Good Doctor!” Caper pitched his voice above the general din. “We have full house today! Is somepony’s birthday or something?” Hoo-buck!
I pulled a chair out for Sunny and steeled myself for whatever was going to happen. Tyllae, intimidated by all the company, maybe, held her tongue. Thank Celestia for little, winged favors!
I ignored the oatmeal and muffin Stimbolt passed down to me and decided to just get on with it.
“No birthday, Captain. This is my doing. I’ve just come across….” I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. “… A situation that I wanted you all to be made aware of.”
The talk dried up and all the faces turned my way is various degrees of curiosity. Under the table, Sunny took hold of one of my hooves and squeezed.
Caper sipped his coffee and sat back in his chair. “You have all our attention, Starry! What is up?”
I drew a deep breath and was fully intending to just tell it like it was when I paused, startled. Reflexively, I reached toward my mane. Tyllae was gone!
I shot Sunny a panicked look. She shot one right back. In hindsight we must have looked pretty funny. Just then though…
“What?” Sunny silently mouthed.
“She’s gone!” I whispered frantically. I gulped and turned toward Caper, trying to figure out how I was going to explain… It was only then did I realize that nopony was looking at me anymore  The room had gone silent and I followed the stunned looks back to their source.
There by my elbow our resident Fey was sitting just behind the muffin I’d been served. She had just taken a huge bite and was chewing away blissfully with her cheeks bulging. She waved a foreleg at the assembly and smiled benignly with her little eyes! The Mare in my mind lowered her head and started bonking it on her console…
“ ‘Ere! Lookit that!” Merry pointed excitedly.
“Bli-my!” Bob dropped his empty tray.
“You…gotta…be…buckin‘…kidding me!” Dazzle stared in open disbelief.
Evee and Guiding Star exchanged looks and thought it politic not to say anything and contented themselves just to stare.
Xantippe said something in some language I’d never heard before, but she actually sounded delighted!
Stimbolt, sitting just around the corner to my right and was the very last Pony to notice something was amiss. He was taking a drink of juice when he noticed everypony was staring. He turned to look… and choked on his drink! He kicked his chair away from Tyllae in surprise, who gave him a curious look before returning to her meal, and bent over coughing!
My anatomy hid Tyllae from Sunny until she craned her neck to look. Then, “Well bugger! Yon didn’ go right, dinnit?”
Sekkack leaned forward silently and surveyed the scene. Not surprisingly, his face gave no clue as to what he thought. …Though one dark eyebrow did go up about half an inch.
Caper slowly and deliberately set his coffee down then laid his hooves flat on the table. He didn’t gape or stare, he just… glowered! When he spoke, a moment later, his voice hushed everypony again.
“Commander. You will be good enough to explain, da?”
The last time I’d felt like this was when, as a little Filly, I’d dropped a particularly nice looking (And fragile!) optical quartz crystal that came from the plot of ground behind our house. Daddy had been growing it for years and had finally harvested it a week or so before. Although I was…. well, fairly certain I wasn’t going to get a spanking this time, I still felt about two inches tall! I managed not to hang my head, though. 
“I, uh … seem to have brought a stowaway onboard.” I cleared my throat. “I just found out about it last night.”
Caper’s eyes bored into mine. “And last night was not good time to tell Captain or anypony else about intruder… why?”
I kept myself from gulping with a real effort. “It was late and it took a while before I, ah, had her secured.”
Sunny jumped in before he could speak again. “Yon 'intruder', as ye so call her, was in hysterics last night, yer Honor, an’ about as dangerous as a terrified foal…”
Caper did a one-hoofed mime of zipping something shut at her. It did the trick, but I could feel her just seething next to me! I laid a hoof on her knee…
Tyllae had been following the exchange intently and chose just that moment to zip into the air in front of me with all her limbs splayed as if to protect me from Caper’s ire.
“Wait, wait, wait! Don’t be mad at Starry an Sunny! Is all Tyllae’s fault! Tyllae is sorry Tyllae took the food! Tyllae did not know Big Ponies would starve! Be mad at Tyllae!” I could see the plucky little Fey was trembling.
Caper looked like something just bopped him on the nose! He reared back and quirked a thick eyebrow.
“What food? What is going on? Also… you can talk!” His brows drew back together in a frown. “… Somepony had better make with answers very quickly!” He looked at me, then Tyllae, then the rest of the room with awful expectation.
Bob blanched, wiped his hooves on his apron, then spoke up. 	“It’s loik this, Cap’n. A few days ago Oy noticed there was food comin’ up missing. Jus’ little bits here an’ there… Nuthin’  much, really! N’ Oy thought Oy’d ask ol’ Starry ‘ere ta kinda take a look ‘round th’ Galley ‘cause Oy couldn’ figger out where it was goin’! Oy thought we ‘ad a rat or sumpin’…”
“We both did a search, though our findings left us in the lurch.” Xantippe, in an valiant effort to share in the blame, leaped in. Caper looked at her as if she’d sprouted snakes from her mane!
“I volunteered my services. On my own time, after watch.” I put in. Caper swiveled his head back to me. “It didn’t seem important enough at the time to make it part of ships business.”
“Tyllae had just finally got done with being made to stone after Starry brought Tyllae here where is nice an warm!” The little Fey ventured a few inches closer to Caper and was waving her forelegs around in excitement. He was giving her the same sort of look we Equestrins give Terrestrial comedy shows. “Tyllae was soo happy to be able to move again! But Tyllae was soo hungry, too!”
“Ya see…” Caper snapped back to Bob again. “Oy was a-getting’ a little upset since Oy was ‘avin ta throw out a barrow-load of food Oy thought was contaminated boy some sorta pest or sumpin’.”
“Had this been allowed to continue we’d soon be on a dull menu!” Xantippe chimed in from another direction.
Caper, tired of bouncing from face to face, spread his wings for silence. Sekkack brushed a Primary out of his eye and quietly leaned to one side.
How a Pegasus can thunder so quietly is still a mystery to me. Must be some aspect of their ability to control weather…
“Quiet! Everypony please to Shut Up.” He fixed us all with a Significant Look one at a time finishing up with Tyllae, who dropped to the table and promptly scooted back to hide under my upper torso anatomy.
Caper grunted softly and reached for the coffee decanter and poured himself another cup. He furled his wings, took a sip, and then rubbed his eyes with one hoof before speaking again. “In future when we look back on moment will seem funny.” He declared in a reasonable voice. Then, “Is clear to me that Commander Starry-Eyes had situation well in hoof. Perhaps not waking up Captain in middle of night was good idea, da? Better to wait until Captain has first cup of coffee in this case! I trust Starry’s judgment. This much I know, if was danger to ship she would have been first to act. When in Deep Space, bulk of regulations I prefer to regard as guidelines rather than set-in-stone rules. A Good Officer, and Starry-pushka is Good Officer, knows when and how to interpret. I overreacted. So send me to Gulag!” He quirked a tight little grin for just an instant and I would kissed him if we were alone!
“So…” He considered the little mite thoughtfully. “I will read all your reports later to catch up. Right now, please to come closer, leetle pooka! You have name, da?”
The little Fey fluttered up a foot or so in front of me, uncertain. “This one,” She touched her breast with one teeny hoof. “Is called Tyllae. Hi-hiii, everypony!” She essayed a feeble wave at the silent assemblage.
Caper nodded solemnly. “Good Morning, little Tyllae. I am Captain Cloud Caper of Federation Starship Hermes. You are on my Ship now and I need to know how you came to be on Soul of Cimarron. You understand, da?”
Tyllae listened attentively, then shook her little head. “Tyllae does not understand. Wassa ‘Star-ship’? Other Big Ponies took poor Tyllae to Big Inside Place when poor Tyllae was all stuck as a pretty little stachoo. Tyllae is confused! Isn’t this,...“ She waved a hoof all around her. “ All parta same place? Tyllae is sorry that Tyllae is not smarter about the way Big Ponies do things. Tyllae will try to learn!”
I thought about some of what the little tyke had said earlier and cleared my throat quietly. “Caper, I think Tyllae believes that Hermes and Cimarron are both parts of the same big building. I don’t think she comprehends the idea of a ship.”
Caper considered that for a moment and was just about to speak when Sunny spoke up.
“I’m thinkin’ it fair t’ point out that wee, little Tyllae’s suffered a huge trauma in th’ course of her past. For her, remembrin’ th’ past is re-livin’ it. For th’ sake o’ not upsettin’ th’ wee Lassie more thin we have to, I suggest that ye approach yer  questionin’ wi’ a wee bit o’ tact, if ye ken what I mean.” She gave Caper a reproachful look.
Caper grunted softly and nodded to her. “Noted, Doctor. Yet in all fairness even you must understand I need to know.” He admonished, then turned his attention back to Tyllae. “Now, leetle Tyllae, I am not ogre…”
“Oh, no!” Tyllae agreed, shaking her head vigorously and making her antennae whip. “Tyllae has seen Ogres before an Cappy Caper is much, much, much nicer! Is okey-dokes, Sunny! Tyllae was a scardey-chicken last night but Tyllae will try an be brave now!” She drew herself up in mid-air resolutely. “Tyllae is just a simple Faery but Tyllae unnerstands… a little. Cappy Caper is like Chief Faery, right? Tyllae will try an do good!”
The Mare in my head stabbed the controls on her board and wiped the grin off my face before it got started. ‘Cappy Caper’!
The Captain narrowed one eye in a squint and raised the other eyebrow at the title, but carried on without comment. “Da. Now, leetle Tyllae, please to tell just how did you come to be little statue in hold of cargo ship? Did you turn self into stone?”
“No-o-o!” The little Fey quavered then collected herself with an obvious effort. “…Wassa long, long, long time ago, Tyllae thinks. More years than Tyllae can count!” She gulped. “One night there was no pretty dawn. Alla Faeries wondered whahoppen. Then, instead of nice Princess Luna, Nightmare Moon came to Faeries an demanded alla Faeries obey! Nightmare Moon wanna make Night last Forever! No more pretty, pretty, pretty, warm Sun ever again! Nope, nope, nope! Tyllae an alla Faeries there tried to talk to Luna inside, but Nightmare Moon got so very, very, very mad! Raged with very, very, very bad Dark Magic! Tyllae saw nice Faeries killed, all burned up inna little crisps…” Her voice sank to a quavering whisper as her eyes wandered off to look at something far, far away. I reached out to hold her but the little Fey, knowing that a friendly touch would set her to crying again, resolutely flitted out of reach. The poor, little thing was trying so hard to be good and help!
“Some Faeries just changed in the Dark Magic! Got all twisted an mean. Beautiful but scary! Tyllae was so, so, soo scared! When changed the new not-Faeries cheered the bad, bad, bad Nightmare Moon!” The pitiful little Fey seemed to literally dim and drift down to the table top where she crouched. “When the Dark Magic came for poor Tyllae, Tyllae tried to fly far, far, far away! But Nightmare Moon said…Nightmare Moon said…” She wasn’t crying, yet the tears over brimmed her eyes. She was beyond mere fear, beyond injustice, and quite beyond the familiar Wardroom just then.
“Nightmare Moon said that if Tyllae would not serve then Tyllae would never fly again ever, ever, ever! Just like that, poor, poor, poor Tyllae was turned to stone and fell onna ground. Thump, thump, thump!” She turned her gaze to Caper. “Cappy Caper is old an wise. Wiser than a little Faery. Can Cappy Caper tell Tyllae what Tyllae did… what Faeries did… to make Nightmare Moon so mad?” She hung her head. Somehow she just didn’t collapse. I was so proud of her, and so sad.
“Leave off wi’ yer Inquisition, Cap’n!” Sunny growled. Caper waved her off with a face set in stone.
“She needs to talk, Doctor. To ask. Leetle one is made of sterner stuff than you give her credit for, da?” He leaned toward the huddled form sitting on the table. “Is good question, little one. But I am only Ship’s Captain. Only person that can give you answer is gone long ago. I. Am. Sorry.” He said quietly, then. “What happened after, leetle pooka? Can tell us, or do you wish to… wait?”
Somehow, the Little Fey lifted her head again to regard the Captain sadly for long moments. She sniffled, then… “Cappy Caper does not lie. Poor Tyllae. If Tyllae only knew then Tyllae could make it up an everthing would be Good again…” The little Fey shook herself slowly, her tiny tears flinging away.
“Aw, give ‘er a break, Skipper!” Merry protested. 
“Eat oatmeal, Merry.” The Captain said quietly. He gave the Faery an unreadable look. “You, Tyllae, would bear responsibility for catastrophe yourself? For sake of all others? Is tall order for little Faery, nyet?”
“But if Tyllae can’t find answer, if Tyllae cannot make it good, alla Faeries dead for nothing! Luna will never have chance to be Good again! Tyllae has to try! Oh, Tyllae feels so very, very, very sad!” I really thought she was going to lose it again. This time when I picked her up she didn’t try to get away. But neither did she collapse into hysterics, brave little thing! She spared me a grateful glance as I cupped her in my hand and leaned on my thumb as I stroked her.
“You see, Doctor. Stern stuff, indeed! Leetle pooka would atone for sins of the world. Could you say same? Could any of us?”
My Darling held her peace, looking like she was tasting something very sour. I tore my gaze from her when Tyllae patted my thumb.
“Tell Sunny not to be mad, Starry! Cappy Caper is not mean. Cappy Caper does not like acting mean! Why can’t any Big Ponies see? What Tyllae says is very, very, very important to Cappy Caper. Tyllae unnerstands, really Tyllae does! Cappy Caper is Chief an is responsible for whole Herm-ees tribe. Cappy Caper loves all the Ponies in Herm-ees an wants to keep safe! So Tyllae must tell alla Cappy Caper needs to hear. Tyllae does not mind! Tyllae promised to help an be good! Tyllae tries, but Tyllae does not feel as strong as Cappy Caper thinks Tyllae is.” She rubbed her eyes dry on my thumb and drew a deep breath before continuing.
“Worse of all was that poor Tyllae was awake alla time as a stone-Faery. Tyllae tried to cry but stone does not cry, does not even get to sleep!” She sniffled again, then dashed her eyes with a hoof. “Days an days an days went by. Many full Moons. Poor Tyllae lay in sun all summer but never got warm! Tyllae watched leaves fall, but dirt covered poor Tyllae before snow did like Tyllae was drowning sooo slowly inna Earth. …Tyllae does not know how many seasons went by poor, forgotten Tyllae. Tyllae lay there so, so, sooo sad with nopony to talk with, nopony to play with. Only memories over an over an over again and the cold that… never… went… away!” She mewled for just a few seconds. “Tyllae thought Tyllae would go mad! …Maybe Tyllae did. Tyllae would remember that, wouldn’t Tyllae?” She appealed to me with a look.
“Sure, kiddo, you’d remember!” I said softly and gave her a little squeeze.
Tyllae nodded once. “Starry is a fibber, but a nice, nice, nice fibber.” She gave me a weak smile before turning back to Caper.
“Tyllae thought Tyllae was going mad because Tyllae began to feel like Tyllae could almost move again, just a little. Then Tyllae was even more scared! Faeries know that even Magic gets old an tired! Faery spells need to be made again and again over time, why should Dark Magic be different? What if spell went kaflooie an poor Tyllae was buried deep, deep, deep? Poor Tyllae!”
“Then one night Ponies dug lucky Tyllae up! Big Ponies, but strange-looking ones! These Ponies were different than Ponies an Pegasuses an Unicorns Tyllae knew before. When did that happen, Starry? When did alla Ponies lose front legs an get hands?” The little mite looked up at me, her sadness and fear forgotten for a little bit. The Wardroom went silent but for the distant thrumming of the plasma conduits that ran from the Warp Core.
“We always had them, Squirt.” I said gently.
“Nuh-uh! Tyllae remembers Ponies had four legs like Faeries! Tyllae is sure! … Or maybe Tyllae is a little loco inna coco…”
“Only in old pony-tales, Tyllae.”
“Aye!” Sunny snorted. “Like ‘pony-tales’ o’ Celestia n’ Luna! Open yer eyes n’ ears, Ponies! Yon sits an eyewitness t’ yer ‘legends’ n’ ‘folklore’!”
“Tyllae can’t say anything that doesn’t get somepony mad today!” The Fey wailed. “Don’t be mad! Nopony has to believe Tyllae if nopony wants to! When did Ponies get so silly?” Tyllae pranced up and down in frustration in my palm. “Let Tyllae tell rest of first story before arguing abouta nex one!” She whirled back to the Captain and hurried to continue.
“Big Ponies dug Tyllae outa ground an put Tyllae with real stachoos an blocks of stone. Tyllae was soo glad just to see the stars an Moon again! Big Ponies were all inna big, big, big hurry. Tyllae thinks they were scared that Nightmare Moon would find them. Tyllae thinks that Big Ponies knocked Luna an Celestia’s old house down ‘cause it was gone when Tyllae got dug up. Nightmare Moon would be really, really, really mad then! Tyllae was happy to be outa ground but Tyllae did not want to be there when Nightmare Moon came back! No, no, no!”
“Then one Big Pony said something to his hoof an something funny happened. Tyllae felt all sick an dizzy even when all stoneied! Tyllae thinks Big Ponies were not really good at Magic! When Tyllae felt better Tyllae was in Cimarron-place! One Big Pony, Tyllae thinks it was Cimarron-Cappy, took Tyllae an kept safe in Cappy room onna table like this one, only smaller.” She pointed a hoof by way of explanation. “Tyllae did not care! Tyllae was someplace warmer again! Tyllae could tell Dark Magic was getting all weak cause Tyllae could begin to feel an hear again! Tyllae was sooo excited!”
With the change of the memories locale came a change in the little Fey’s mood, thank Celestia!
“Bad Cappy kept Tyllae on toppa desk alla time! Tyllae watched as Bad Cappy sat in front of funny window-thing an did things with hoofs.” She pointed at the terminal at our end of the table with a tiny hoof. “Every time Bad Cappy sat at window Bad Cappy always had yellow brick-thingy in it. Tyllae figured it was very, very, very important cause Bad Cappy hid in secret place when it wasn’t in window-thing. Tyllae was right, wasn’t Tyllae? Yellow thingy was important!”
I nodded. “You’re right, Squirt, it was very important! All the, ah, ‘bad things’ he and his crew did were recorded on it. He didn’t want just anypony to find it! Is that where we found you? In the ‘secret place’?”
“Yep, yep, yep!” She nodded vigorously enough to set her antennae whipping around! “Bad Cappy would hide Tyllae an brick-thingy there to keep safe from…” She knitted her little brows, remembering hard. “The ‘Damfedderayshun Po-leece’!” She announced proudly!
“But one day alla Ponies got all excited an scared! Got a message from Green People! Tyllae saw on window-thing! Big Ponies with green fur an black, black, black manes! Green People all mad at Ponies. Ponies in Control-place played message on Bad Cappy’s window-thing. Bad Cappy was really, really, really scared! Bad Cappy grabbed Tyllae an brick-thingy an ran to Control-place to hide. Then wassa a big, big, big boom! Whole Cimarron-place shook an everthing started floating around. Everypony was shouting an Tyllae was getting scared again. Bad Cappy put Tyllae an brick-thingy away in cabin and poor, scared Tyllae listened as Green People came in. Tyllae listened to Ponies an Green People fight. Green People killed Ponies. Tyllae thinks Ponies killed some of Green People, too! Green People got very, very, very mad before fighting was done!” Tyllae shuddered and shut her black eyes for a little bit and paused before going on again.
“Tyllae heard Green People yelling an beating on things. All sortsa noise! Green People stayed for a long, long, long time an got madder an madder an madder. Tyllae thinks Green People were trying to find brick-thingy but Tyllae kept safe! Tyllae had a little bit of Magic, just a little, but Tyllae was able to keep Green People from looking where Tyllae was!”
“I hate to break it to you, Squirt, but I think they didn’t find you because they didn’t have any way to detect Magic. Only Ponies use Magic.”
But Tyllae was Earth-Pony stubborn! She shook her little head! “Nuh-uh! Tyllae used a spell to keep Green People from looking at place where Tyllae hid! Same spell Tyllae used to keep Starry an Sunny from paying attention to Tyllae when Tyllae sat on little table inna bedroom!”
I opened my mouth then shut it again when I realized suddenly just how quickly we forgot about the little statue once it was in our room! I treated the little Fey to a narrow look.
“Well! You’re just full of surprises, aren't you?”
The little mite, recovered at least for the moment from the emotions of her memories, flitted in front of my eyes and gave me a dazzling smile by way of an answer. I would have commented something, but Caper spoke up.
“Rest is evident. Unable to find what they wanted for whatever reason, Cimarron was looted, vented to space, and abandoned for more than five years.” He rumbled.
“Tyllae heard a big whoosh then Tyllae couldn't hear anything! Then it got all cold, cold, cold again! Worse cold than Tyllae ever think of! How could Cimarron-place get colder than Winter? Was like being under the dirt again! Poor Tyllae was all alone in cold, cold, cold dark! Tyllae was beginning to think Tyllae must have been a very, very, very bad little Faery cause Tyllae was always getting stuck inna cold!”
“Then boarding party found you and brought you aboard, da? This part of story we already know.”
“Yes, yes, yes! Tyllae was sooo happy when Ponies came to Cimarron-place! Well… after Tyllae found out Ponies were nice, that is!” She drooped a little and shot a hangdog glance at Dazzle and added. “Mostly nice!” As Dazzle glared back the little mite got positively defensive. “Well… Dazzle Pony called poor, little Tyllae names!”
Stimbolt leaned over to the disgruntled Unicorn and gave her a nudge. “Told you that you should have stopped pissing it off!”
“How the Hell was I supposed to know the damn thing was alive?” Dazzle growled back. “She could’ve just gave me the middle finger…” Her eyes darted to the little Fey who was waving one of her most decidedly non-digitized hooves at her. “Or stuck out her tongue or something! She could’ve killed me messing with my suit like that!”
Tyllae flitted cautiously just out of reach in front of Dazzle. “Tyllae was not trying to hurt! Honest!” Out came that hoof to sketch an ‘x’ over her breast again! “Tyllae just used a little hex enough to piss Dazzle off ‘cause Dazzle made Tyllae mad!”
“Watch yer language, Tyllae-ma-Dear! And yer temper!” Sunny shook a finger at the naughty Fey like she was an unruly niece at a Family Picnic.
“Oops!” Tyllae covered her muzzle with her hooves. “Sorry, Sunny! Tyllae will behave! Tyllae is sorry to Dazzle, too! Really, really, really! Does Dazzle think Tyllae an Dazzle can be friends?” She asked shyly.
Dazzle crossed her arms and considered the little Fey with a wary eye.
“Well… never let it be said that my Pa raised a Filly to hold a grudge! …But no more rough stuff, ok?” She leveled a finger at the hovering tyke.
Tyllae zipped up and hugged the finger! “Yay! Tyllae promises not to be mean to Dazzle ever again! Tyllae will be a good, good, good friend!”
“Ok! Ok! Lay off, will you? Sheesh!” Dazzle, apparently, was one of those Ponies who were embarrassed by public displays of emotion. “Here! Have a muffin on me!” She slid her muffin to the affectionate Faery, a sure-fire distraction for the four-legged Bottomless Pit!
“All for Tyllae?” She goggled at the goody wide-eyed then dragged her attention back to Dazzle. “Aww! Then what will Dazzle eat? Tyllae has taken enough of everypony’s food already…” She shot a guilty glance at Bob.
“Kid,” Dazzle said. “Food’s the last thing on my mind right now. All I really want is a good, stiff belt! …Uh, not while on duty, Sir!” She added in Caper’s direction.
“Sentiment is appreciated, Chief, by all of us here!” Caper nodded. Then. “Which leaves one item of unfinished business. Leetle Pooka, what do we do with you, eh?”
Tyllae, never one to look a gift muffin in the crumbs, had pulled her new acquisition back over by me. Oblivious to everything else, she tugged on my sleeve to get my attention.
“Here, Starry! Tyllae has already starting eating Starry’s muffin so Tyllae gives this one. Now Starry can have a whole muffin!” When the Captain spoke she hurriedly flitted back into the air halfway to where he sat. I stiffened, having agonized over this moment for a while now. I already had my mouth open when Sunny spoke up.
“As for yon, sure n’ th’ wee little ‘un can stay wi’ Starry n’ me. She’s nae trouble n’ she likes bein’ there. Durin’ th’ day I’ll keep her safe n’ sound in Sickbay. Ye won’t hear a peep out o’ her, yer Honor!”
“To give Sunny a break I could keep her in the Science Department. My Ponies could keep an eye on her until I collect her at the end of watch. It’ll be no problem!” I put in.
“Or she could accompany me.” Xantippe said. “I would be delighted with her company. My duties are comparatively light so the burden would be quite slight!”
“Tell ya what, Boss!” Bob stood with his hands on his hips and grinned his crooked, disarming grin. “Since th’ little Sheila already knows ‘er way ‘round the Galley already she can come down there! The food sitchation’s all apples now we know what’s goin’ on. Now that we ain’t throwin’ stuff out we’ll be awright! We pitch out scraps that’d make more n’ enough ta keep ‘er fed roight proper! ‘Sides, my lot’d get a kick outa her bein’ round! We’ll foind sumpin’ fer th’ little choom ta do. Whaddya say?” He flashed his brilliant teeth like a used ground-car salesman!
Caper followed each speaker silently, his lips pursed and slightly twisted, letting everypony have their say. But I knew Caper and I could tell that he’d already made up his mind… and the Captain’s Word Is Law onboard! I’d really hate to buck him on this…
“All generous offers.” He said evenly. “Is clear that Leetle Pooka has charmed one and all! Please to remember that we have only word of tiny being as proof of existence of species that may never had existed in first place.” He fixed Tyllae with a penetrating look. “Tyllae may, in fact, be Alien (Visions of Tyllae in the Brig bouncing off four bare walls for years crossed my mind!) with Alien agenda. Space is deep! Things in it are very strange sometimes. Similar things have happened in past, da?” He shot a hard look at me. “Da, Science Officer?
Internally, I writhed. There was just a possibility that Caper was right. Ever since the Enterprise mission five decades earlier Ponykind has run into everything from Romulans to enigmatic artifacts to evidence of unimaginable Alien civilizations that leave us all in the dust. No, it’s not all rainbows and cupcakes Out There… but we’re not Romulans or Klingons. Ponies offer Friendship and Cooperation and Understanding. It’s what makes us better, damnit! Tyllae is about as dangerous as a stale donut… and she trusted me!
But in the end… I had to nod, conceding the possibility.
“Oh, Starry!” Sunny’s voice was sad… and pitying. I felt like a real jerk. But I was a Starfleet Officer and Caper was my Captain and there was the Ship and everypony on it to consider.
I raised a hoof to keep her from adding anything else, then spoke. 
“I admit there is a chance Tyllae isn’t what she… portrays herself to be.” Some of the Hardest Words I Ever Said. “If such is the case, then she represents an unknown Intelligence with no proven history of hostility to the Federation. It isn’t Federation policy to toss strangers in the Brig just because we don’t know them. However subsequent developments play out, what we seem to have here is a genuine First Contact. Whether it is with an actual Alien species or a previously Extinct one makes no matter. Personally, I believe Tyllae. Though I concede that my judgment is not backed up by any concrete evidence. I just take Ponies… and Faeries… on a Pony-by-Pony basis. Everypony deserves a chance.”
“Well… and logically… said, Commander.”
The whole table turned as one to regard the heretofore silent Vulcan. Sekkack folded his paws on the table before him and looked at the Captain.
“I regret if I speaking out of place. I am not part of the Command Crew of this ship. However, I am compelled to point out that Commander Starry-Eyes has made a cogent point. The being, Tyllae, from all accounts, has not displayed any hostile or belligerent behavior aside from acts of pure self-preservation that stopped well short of doing physical damage. Furthermore, her ethical behavior, though admittedly bizarre, indicates a thought process that passes for logical, rational behavior in the context of her unknown culture. Without more detailed information in order to be more precise regarding her I can only conclude that there is a high probability that she indeed poses no threat.” He stated placidly, then added. “Since I have no duties directly related to running the ship any infringement upon my time is less than critical. Therefore I wish to offer my services toward keeping Tyllae company.”
“You tell ‘im, Smiley! …Ow!” Xantippe had apparently kicked Merry under the table! …I wondered if the Vulcan had the barest inkling of what could be in store for him. The very idea of Tyllae chatting up the Stoic Vulcan made the Mare in my head reach for an aspirin!
Caper nodded cordially to Sekkack who inclined his head in acknowledgement. Then he turned his head to me again, his expression quizzical.
“Who here mentioned the Brig, Commander?” He wondered, looking at me searchingly.
“Whether it’s the Brig or a Specimen Cage doesn’t make a difference. Captain. I respectfully submit that neither is a proper option under the circumstances.” I took a breath and refused to let go of his eyes. “I wish to assume full responsibility for Tyllae. If I’m wrong… but I don’t believe I am for an Andorian minute… I want it to be my fault and nopony else’s.”
Caper grunted thoughtfully. “Are finished, Commander?”
“Yessir! I am.” I dropped my gaze only for a moment in embarrassment when Sunny kissed my cheek.
Caper stayed silent for a little while, taking all his officers and crew in before speaking. “Have said… before now… that Starry-Eyes is good officer.” He inclined his head slightly and regarded me out of the top of his eyes. I felt a chill race down my spine. Well… here it comes!
“Recent events show that I am right in these regards, da?” The Mare in my head sagged in relief! “For what is worth I, too, believe Leetle Pooka. But!” He raised a hoof. “Am not Federation Council! These things must be proven to satisfaction of all. Doctor, believe you can provide such evidence, da?”
“Sure n’ it’ll be me great, good pleasure yer Honor!” Sunny, well, beamed!
Caper grunted and nodded, then turned back to me. “Safety of Ship and all Ponies aboard is of top priority, but…” He shrugged his wings. “This is Starfleet ship on voyage of exploration. Everypony here knew there would be risks before coming aboard. Leetle Pooka is risk I think we all can afford to take… on my responsibility, Starry-pushka! Captain bears all blame all time!” His gaze softened. “… Though I will mention your initiative in personal log, hokay?”
“Hokay!” I agreed.
Caper nodded. “Hokay. Commander Starry-Eyes was faced with difficult position, nyet?” He addressed the table. “She made hard decision for excellent reasons… as pointed out by good Meester Sekkack.” The Vulcan inclined his head to the crowd then took a delicate bite out of one of the synthetic meat bars on his plate. “Is type of decision that often comes back to haunt even best of  Officers. Who would think that extra bit of gold braid on sleeve could be so heavy, eh, Starry-Pushka? This time… this time, risk is reasonable. Other times Will Not Be. But lives of fellow crewponies are always responsibility. Be prepared!” He admonished me with a heavy finger and I nodded my acceptance.
Caper nodded one final time. “Now, as regards Leetle Pooka…” He gave the breathless Fey a hairy eyebrow. Tyllae cringed in mid-air but stayed resolute.
“Since is my belief that Tyllae is telling truth then I have no choice but to consider Leetle Pooka resident native of Earth and therefore Citizen of Federation, da? But she is not Starfleet member! She is Civilian! Therefore is not beyond reasonable expectations that she may stay in lodgings so generously offered by Commander Starry-Eyes and Doctor Solar Cross. She may also have access to all of ship except for Command or Control areas. Until further notice,” He looked at Dazzle for her to pass the word to Little Rock. “Security will be posted outside these places until am sure Tyllae knows where she can and should not go, da? Tyllae, as long as keeps promise to be good, will be Guest onboard like our Vulcan and Tellarite friends. Is reasonable, nyet? Am nothing if not reasonable Pegasus, but know this, Leetle Pooka…” He gestured Tyllae closer and leaned in. “I am Captain of Hermes. As Good Doctor will tell you, I outrank Celestia, Luna, and Federation President on my Bridge. Even cutesy Leetle Pooka civilians must obey what I say and not Starry or Doctor Sunny will be able to help. Leetle Pooka will be eating muffins in Brig! Is clear to you, bubula?”
Tyllae blinked and nodded. She raised a hoof for permission to speak. Caper nodded graciously. …I wanted to alternately hug and kick the older Pegasus!
“Does that mean,” She quavered, uncertain. “That Tyllae can stay an be part of Her-mees Tribe?”
“You are as free as any other Civilian on board, da.”
“Wheeeee!” The little mite launched herself straight at Caper and tried to wrap her forelegs around his neck in a hug… which couldn't happen, of course, so she contented herself with nuzzling his neck. A second later she was orbiting his head in a display of aerobatic dance moves! “Thanks, thanks, thanks, Cappy Caper! Tyllae will be good an listen really, really, really good to Starry an Sunny! Tyllae wants to help! Tyllae can do all sortsa stuff! Tyllae can clean, carry messages, an fix things inna jiffy! Tyllae is sooo very, very, very happy!”
Caper rolled his eyes and offered the ceiling an imploring look that usually was prompted by Merry.
“Oi! One crazy Pony on ship was enough. Now is two! Next time Captain gets such good idea feel free to shoot, Starry-pushka!”
“You know what they say about no good deed going unpunished, Caper!” It was time to rescue him, though. “Tyllae!”
She zipped back to me in less than an eye blink! “Starry, Starry, Starry! Tyllae gets to stay! Nice Cappy Caper said so!”
“I know, Sweetie, I was there!” I offered her a palm to sit on and she did, executing a loop-the-loop four-point landing that would make any of the Wonderbolts proud! “But there is something you must learn. A Starship Captain is A Very Important Pony and must be treated with respect! You mustn’t carry on like that with him, ok?”
“Oopsie!” Tyllae covered her muzzle with both hooves then whirled to face Caper. She waved! “Sorry, sorry, sorry, Cappy Caper!” She warbled. “Tyllae will not do again! Tyllae wants to be good member of Her-mees Tribe!”
“Don’t you worry, Tilly! The Skipper ain’t ‘alf the Old Poop ‘e lets on ta be!” Merry snatched her hoof back with a yelp when Caper whacked it with his spoon!
“ ‘Tribe’ is right word!” Caper grunted as he polished his spoon with a napkin. “Younger generation of Officers need more discipline! Maybe should bring back flogging to keep unruly Cossack element in line!” He gave Merry a glare nopony who knew him believed.
“Don’t take it ‘ard, Skipper! Wot with the floggin’ n’ all yer a kinky Old Poop, but we all luv ya anyway!”
Caper shook his head wearily and addressed the Vulcan.
“And for this I postponed retirement! Oi!”
Sekkack nodded sagely. “However unorthodoxly it is expressed I have no doubt of your crews sincerity… though their emotional displays are difficult for me to understand.”
“Da.” Caper agreed. “Just so! Still, would not trade for any other crew… with few notable exceptions!” He shot a look at Merry who just smiled her no-hard-feelings smile. Caper pretended not to see that and cleared his throat. “Matter of Tyllae is tabled in favor of breakfast. Starry and Good Doctor will keep me appraised of progress. Leetle Pooka! Avail self of new roommates and study hard! Is very different life than what you knew before, nyet?”
“Tyllae will work very, very, very and learn alla what Tyllae needs to know, Cappy Caper!” She sat up proudly and put a hoof to her chest. “Tyllae issa  'per-vert'! Starry said so! … What? Why is everypony looking at Tyllae like that?”
I hung my head as everypony turned to look our way. “It’s a long story! I’ll tell you all later. Eat your breakfast, kiddo!” I fiddled my oatmeal just to avoid the eyes and tried to block out Merry’s whoops and Sunny’s titters!
“… Da.” Caper eyed the little Fey for a moment, then rapped his spoon on the table to get all our attention. “One last thing!” He leveled the spoon like a phased-balefire gun at the table. “Anypony says to me ‘Cappy Caper’ while on duty… bread and water in Brig! Everypony understand?” He slid his eyes to Merry… who busily tucked into her oatmeal with every indication of delight and thus avoided committing herself to a definite answer!


*   *   *

I couldn’t eat much breakfast after that. Truth be told I was feeling pretty weak in the knees and emotionally exhausted after all that. I gave my food to Tyllae who packed it away in an amazingly short time! With the now-plump Faery tucked back into my mane I took a detour before dropping her off in Sickbay.
Below the Primary Hull, the ‘saucer section’ of the Hermes, is the Secondary Hull that connects the Warp Nacelle to the rest of the ship. About halfway down that is a corridor that runs along the outside on either side. In that set of corridors are some of the few actual portholes on the ship. Thick windows of reinforced transparent aluminum, now clear of the armored shutters that protected them in hazardous situations. I paused there to look out at streaks of starlight that smeared themselves on our Warp Field, tens of thousands of tiny rainbows Doppler-shifting from white to indigo is silent parade.
I felt rather than saw the tiny head poke through my mane…
“Ooh! Pretty-pretty!” Tyllae exclaimed. “Is like the window-thingy Starry an Sunny have in little house. Why put window-thingies in hallway, Starry?”
I raised my hand up and the little Fey dutifully hopped onto it. I held her close and scritched her teeny head.
“In our cabin we have a monitor screen, kiddo. That’s what the Captain of the Cimarron had in his, too. It’s for watching entertainment or reading data.”
“Tyllae knows! Tyllae hid onna bookshelf an watched what Starry an Sunny watched inna bed!”
I stiffened, feeling a blush break out on my muzzle. “Er…, everything we watched?”
“Yep, yep, yep! Tyllae liked the Three Stoogey Ponies with the funny manes! An the cartoonies, too!” I began to relax just a little when she concluded, “An the sexy-sex stuff, too! Starry should have been taking notes! Maybe Sunny was trying to teach Starry by showing!” The little twerp tittered and giggled.
“These,” I tapped on the view port, desperate to change the subject, “Are view ports! Actual windows. We’re looking outside the Hermes.”
The little Fey flitted up and touched the view port with a hoof, excited!
“Ooh! Tyllae had looked an looked by Tyllae had never ever been able to find a door to go outside! Tyllae loves to be with Starry an Sunny an Her-mees friends, but Tyllae wants to go outside an play inna flowers an trees. Looky-look! Is night outside!” She paused, cocking her head and squinting at the star-streaks. “… But why are stars all funny-looking, Starry? Where issa Moon?”
I gathered her close again and sighed, wondering how to break this to her as I gathered my thoughts.
“Tyllae… remember that we call Hermes a ship? Do you know what a ship is?”
The little mite sat down, turned her little face to me, and got ready to learn.
“I think you think the Hermes… and the Cimarron… are houses.” I began, “In a way they both are. Both of them are places Ponies live in. Lots of rooms full of lots of things Ponies need to live.” I paused a moment. “Ships are like houses, but made of metal and synthetics. The roofs and walls all built tight so air can’t get out. Ships have things called engines that let them move from place to place. The first ships moved across oceans of water. But the Hermes is a starship, and flies among the stars. Cimarron was a starship, too! …A much smaller one, of course. Instead of a single house, you can think of Hermes as being a small village in a metal shell zooming through space.” I was actually proud of my little analogy. I cocked an eye at my pint-sized pupil. “… Is any of this making sense, kiddo?”
Tyllae blinked three times, then raised a hoof in front of her eyes and made a zooming motion over the top of her little head and resumed waiting patiently to hear something she could understand. I sighed.
“The stars look like that because the Hermes is inside a… a…” I waved my free hoof and tried to think of a better word to describe a Time Warp Field. After a second I gave up. “…Magic Bubble that lets us travel between stars. The bubble changes our view of the space around us like looking through wavy glass. Outside this window is nothing. No air, no gravity, nothing but energy and radiation. If you were to go outside you’d pop like a little balloon while you cooked to a crisp!”
That much seemed to sink in, at least. Tyllae’s ears drooped and she looked shaken as she strove to digest all this.
“Tyllae was thinking Tyllae could just poof through glass an play outside! Tyllae is very, very, very glad Tyllae listened to Sunny first!” She turned to look outside wistfully and sighed a teeny sigh she couldn’t quite suppress.
“Tyllae is happy to be where Starry an Sunny are. Tyllae likes being part of Her-mees Tribe. Tyllae will ride in funny flying village an be very, very, very good. But… Starry… ?” She hugged my thumb, drawing strength enough to ask, maybe. Her little black eyes were wide and trusting while voice brimmed over with barely contained hope. “If Her-mees village is going someplace, does Starry think there will be grass an flowers an trees? …Will Tyllae get to go outside an play someday?”
I lifted her up and nuzzled the little mite.
“We’re on a voyage of exploration, Tyllae. We’re going places we've never been before. Anything could be out there, we just don’t know yet! That’s why we’re here. It’s what we do. I can promise you this much, kiddo. If we get somewhere where we can go outside… I’ll bend Caper’s elbow till he authorizes Shore Leave for ‘Leetle Pooka’, hokay?” I gave her my best Caper impression, heavy Rushin accent an all!
“Oakey-dokey-lokey, Starry!” The Fey giggled and nuzzled my muzzle. “Tyllae will wait an be very, very, very good! Tyllae promises!”
“I know you will, kid!” I gave her a little buss and looked out at the streaming Beyond. “One day, when we get back to Earth, we’ll take you to meet Sunny’s Daddy. He lives in a castle with a mountain and a huge forest all around it with lots and lots of gardens to boot. You’ll love it! …Just stay away from the uskebaugh!”