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// Chapter Twenty- Life with Tyllae 
// Story: STAR TREK: EQUESTRIA 
// by Alicorne 
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CHAPTER TWENTY



LIFE WITH TYLLAE


Caper had given the task of verifying Tyllae’s origins to Sunny. I had a few ideas about how to do it but I didn’t want to step on Sunny’s hooves since my ideas involved her Medical Department.
Sunny had kept the little Fey with her in Sickbay during her watch. Word of our most unusual newest addition had spread at warp speed and an inordinate number of Ponies found some pretext in the form of some imagined ailment or injury to make their way into Sickbay that day. … Until Sunny put her hoof down and started dispensing laxatives and emetics on the spot along with quick check-ups involving archaic and very cold instruments from the display hung on the wall of the Sickbay! (Sunny can be a terror when she wants to be!)
Mealtimes were a circus! It was amusing to remember how the now-gregarious little mite had originally balked at the idea of openly interacting with Ponies. My initial intention was to start dining in the Wardroom all the time but the crew positively thronged out of curiosity. Ponies came in from other watches, sacrificing sleep just to see the Legendary Faery! We instantly collected a crowd whenever we came to eat and Tyllae enjoyed talking and sharing stories with the Ponies she met. 
I originally thought… and prayed… that the novelty would soon wear off and the crew would just take her for granted. But, as Tyllae innocently related the stories of her life… particularly the times she’d been in the presence of Luna Herself… I noticed how they hung on every word. There was a positively reverent look in most of their eyes that made me anxious about the can of isotopes we’d opened. After all, for over twenty centuries the Goddesses and Their Final Gift had been nothing but a ponytale. Science and rationality had all but driven them from the collective mind. Hell, just a few days before I’d only invoked Their Names as a preface to a particularly lurid cuss… usually not in Sunny’s presence. Now, though…
On board the Hermes there were a lot of Ponies who began to wonder if all the old tales were actually true! What would the ramifications be for all the Ponies throughout the Federation? For the Federation itself?
Everything hinged upon what Sunny could or could not verify about the little tyke. With that in mind we took her back to Sickbay to give her an exam.
“Hop up here now, Luv!” Sunny patted one of the new bio-beds that was part of the experimental equipment Hermes was evaluating on this trip.
They were nifty pieces of equipment! I was never fond of being slid into one of the old-style cylindrical examination chamber that were standard-issue in those days. I’m not claustrophobic, mind, but I take up a lot of room in those things and it just wasn’t comfortable!
The bio-bed was mounted to the wall and looked like nothing so much as an overdone cot or wheel-less gurney. A tapering sensor antenna projected over the top that fed remotely collected data to the display above the head of the bed. Lying down on it activated the mechanism and displayed a Pony’s’ vitals, among other things, instantly. It made examinations and diagnoses so much faster and easier. Like I said, nifty!
The little Fey flitted from Sunny’s shoulder for a four-point landing on the thinly padded surface and sat down obediently and looked around.
“Whatta gonna do here, Sunny?”
“We’re goin’ t’ be givin’ ye a wee check-up wi’ yon device, Darlin’.” Sunny gave her both lavender barrels because at the words, ‘check-up’, Tyllae began to look anxious. Her ears and antennae drooped.
“Is Tyllae gonna get poop-an-puke stuff like Sunny gave other Ponies?” She quavered.
“Never in life, Dearie!” Sunny soothed. “Those Ponies weren't sick, they were just pretendin’ so they could come n’ gawk at yer little self! I just didn’ want them a-botherin’ me is all. Now ye just sit right there n’ yon machine will tell us all sorts o’ intrestin’ stuff about how fast yer wee heart beats, how often ye breath, what yer temperature is, all manner o’ bonnie stuff!”
Tyllae peered up at the display suspiciously. Then she noticed the slim spike of the sensor and pointed excitedly!
“Looky-look! A Unicorn horn! Is there a Unicorn sticking her horn through the wall, Sunny?”
Sunny chuckled. “Nay, nay! ‘ Tis part o’ machine-”
“Sunny took some poor Unicorn’s horn off an stuck in there?” The little Few was positively aghast!
“What? Whatever gave ye sich a notion, ye wee flibbertigibbet?” Sunny took a calming breath before continuing. …It was nice to see it happening to somepony else! I carefully kept from snickering, though I suppose I smirked. Sunny shot me a look and I did my best Vulcan impression. “Ahem! Now then… This here is th’ sensor that will look ye over n’ show us what it finds up yon, ye ken? Think of it as a-havin’ verra good, sharp eyes like, oh, I dinna ken… a hawk or summat!”
“But Hawks eat Faeries, Sunny!”
“Och! D’ ye no ken a metaphor? ‘Tis like a hawk, but no a hawk. Fair enough?”
“Well-l-l-l…” Tyllae looked uncertain.
“Just park yesel’ there n’ we’ll be done in a couple o’ ticks! I promise!” Since the Fey was orders of magnitude too light to activate the mechanism, Sunny reached for the switch on the wall.
“Now there’ll be a bit o’ noise whin it starts. Every time yer wee heart beat ye’ll hear a beep. Now sit tight n’ watch th’ pretty lights!”
She thumbed the switch and the display glowed into life. The vertical bars indicating heart rate, respiration, and life energy were quickly scaled by the floating indicators that sprang up from their ‘zero’ positions. With every beat of Tyllae’s heart a soft, red light pulsed in time to the audio monitors ‘weet’.
“There we go!” Sunny declared. “Now let’s see wha we got then…” She studied the readouts as they climbed to their positions.
Weet. Weet. Weet. Weet! The bio-bed chimed away rapidly.
Weet. Weet. Weet. Weet! 
“Aye.” Sunny murmured. “ ‘Tis about what ye could expect from a wee thing like yerself. Ye’ve th’ metabolism o’ a huminbird…” She broke off and frowned as the audio alert sped up. Weet-weet-weet-weet! All the indicators began to climb and bobble and we both looked to the table.
Tyllae was trembling, but holding her ground… for the moment! She raised a trembling hoof. 
“T-the Hawk-machine is staring at Tyllae! How can something not alive stare lika that? Make it stop, Sunny! Make it stop! Tyllae does not like nasty Hawk-machine!” She abruptly turned around with her rump in the air and her head on the bed, covering her little face with her hooves! (I thought with anti-hawk behavior like that, it was no wonder Faeries went extinct! The Mare in my head gave me a jab to shut up and insisted there had to be an Evolutionary motive for it.)
“Tyllae, now, dinna be foalish!” Sunny coaxed. “ ‘Tis no more lookin’ at ye than a terminal wi’ th’ video enabled.”
But the little Fey was having none of it! Without turning she jabbed a shaky foreleg at the mechanism. “Is looking all through Tyllae! Like lotsa, lotsa, lotsa, hungry hawks all together! It stares so haaaard!” She wailed.
Weetweetweetweetweet! 
“It’s scurry, scurry, SCUREEEEE!”
Weetweetwe- Two things happened in the same instant. The monitor darkened and went silent and there was a flare of rose-pink light under my chin! I blinked and dodged aside, thinking that the monitor had somehow exploded! When I did so I felt an extra something sway in my blouse! Something soft and warm and familiar nestled in my cleavage, trembling.
“Tyllae! … Where th’ bloody blue blazes she get off to? I didna see her leave!” Sunny stood, shocked, for a moment then looked wildly around the Sickbay for the panicked Fey. She ducked and looked under the bio-bed!
“It’s ok! It’s ok! I’ve got her! She’s right here!” I hurried to calm Sunny while grabbing my blouse to keep the little thing from sliding down any further.
“Well how’d she get in there?”
“She can teleport!” I pulled my collar open and addressed the figure huddling between my breasts. “Can’t you?” I yanked my head back as Tyllae poked up to hang over the edge of my collar.
“Of course Tyllae can do! How else does Starry think Faeries keep from being eaten up by bad ol’ Hawks?” (The Mare in my head gave me an I-told-you-so look!)
Right then the Mid-Watch Doctor (A Brown and light-Green Unicorn buck named Willowbark.) looked around the corner of the Pharmacy and gave us a questioning look.
“Is everything all right in here, Doctor Eyes?”
Sunny waved him back. “We just hae a wee patient wi’ a braw, great case o’ Bein’ Scared O’ Th’ Doctor is all. Sorry t’ make a ruckus!”
Willowbark nodded and withdrew.
“Tyllae is never, never, never ever scared of Sunny!” Tyllae scolded. “Tyllae is scared of bad, bad, bad Hawk-machine! Tyllae loves Sunny an wants to be good an do as Sunny says, but Tyllae will not go back onna there! Nope, nope, nope!”
Sunny facehoofed. “Och, fer th’ luv’ o’… Tyllae! Come out o’ there, ye daft, wee imp!” Her horn fired up and Tyllae dove back under cover.
I raised a cautionary finger as I felt something move. “If you’re thinking of going in there after her I’d like to point out she’s got a hold of something I don’t want to risk losing to a misfired teleportation or telekinesis spell. I was born with two and I want to go out with two, thank-you-both-very-much!”
Sunny’s horn dimmed and she shook her wings, irritated. She took a cleansing breath, counting to ten .
“Tyllae, Dear!” After a moment the taupe-and-rose-pink head peeped out. “Have I ever done anything t’ hurt ye, Sweetie? I’m sorry yer scairt but I hae t’ get this done. Come on out n’ I’ll finish this up th’ old-fashioned way. No more time savin’, convenient machines. I promise. Put-a-cupcake-in-ma-eye!” So help me, Sunny made an ‘x’ over her chest! … Must be an Earth thing.
Tyllae wriggled her way out and, while I adjusted my blouse, flitted back over to the bio-bed and landed gingerly. She gave the display a distrustful look, but it stayed dark.
“Tyllae is sorry to be a scardey-chicken, Sunny.” The adorable mite hung her head and looked sheepish as Sunny opened a drawer and rummaged around in it. “Tyllae is sorry Tyllae made a mess, too. Tyllae will clean up!”
“Oh?” Sunny pulled out a stethoscope and peered over to where the little mite was pointing. “Oh! Dinna fash yesel’, Tyllae-me-Lass! I could use a urine sample!” She produced a spray hypo, fitted an empty ampule to it, siphoned up the teeny puddle and scritched the little Fey behind the ears to show no hard feelings.
“Now this wee instrument is called a ‘stethoscope’. N’ ’twill let me listen t’ yer wee heart. Ye work it like this.” She popped the earpieces into her ear, then took them out. “Would ye like t’ take a bash at workin’ it?”
“Tyllae?” The little Fey pointed to herself, surprised.
“Oh, aye! ‘ Tis an easy enough a thing t’ work. … If ye ken ye can manage th’ earpieces!” She brought them down to her level and opened them up on either side of her elfin head.
“Tyllae can do!” She said excitedly. The pips on her antennae glowed like fireflies, enveloping the ends of the earpieces in rosy-pink light. They snugged up to and covered her tiny ears. “Easy-peasy!” She called out in a louder-than-usual voice.
“Here we go then!” Sunny knelt and slipped the other end down her own blouse and held it there patiently.
The little Fey frowned, concentrating. Then her little, black eyes opened wide!
“Tyllae can hear Sunny heart-beaties! …Sounds like Starry’s when Tyllae is sleeping at night. But Starry’s is louder!”
Sunny withdrew the business end of the ‘scope. “Well, she has a bigger heart in more ways than one. Doesn't she?” She crinkled her nose and smiled at me. …How can you not love somepony like that?
Tyllae removed the ear-bits and shook her head. “Tyllae heard really, really, really good! Was almost as loud as Sunny’s snoring!”
Sunny collected the instrument and put it on. “Now let’s be havin’ a listen t’ yerself.” One finger came down and tapped the giggling Fey on the rump. “An’ I dinna snore! Now keep quiet while I do this. I dinna need me eardrums burst!”
It took a little doing but Sunny is nothing if not resourceful. After a little bit she was able to get an idea of Tyllae heart and respiration rate by dint of keeping one eye on the chronometer and an even sharper on her wriggling patient. Sunny jotted the results down on a padd then sat back and frowned.
“… I dinna ken what I can do ‘bout yer blood pressure, ye lil’ scamp. I dinna hae a blood pressure cuff that wouldna squeeze ye into taffy! D’ye ken ye could put up wi’ me usin’ a medical tricorder fer a few ticks? ‘Tis a sensor, but just a wee, little ‘un hardly bigger than yer wee self!”
“Like the nasty looky-box that Starry used inna Food Place?” The little Fey looked apprehensive. “That’s why Tyllae knocked the big bowls over! Tyllae wanted to get away fast, fast, fast!”
Sunny’s ears drooped. “Aye, close enough. Well… bugger!” She chewed the inside of her cheek a little. “Tell ye what! I’ll program th’ bio-bed fer just blood pressure n’ mute th’ heart monitor. I’ll fire it up fer just two seconds n’ shut ‘er right down! D’ye ken ye can make it for that long? Come along on, then! A braw, fierce Faery that tussled wi’ th’ likes o’ Nightmare Moon ought t’ be able t’ go two wee seconds wi’ a harmless biosensor!” She gave the Fey a poke in the ribs.
“Tyllae did not tussle! Tyllae was trying to get away!” Tyllae pointed out, giving the sensor a nervous look. “An it didn’t work!”
“I happen t’ ken tha’ Bob’s a-makin’ sugar cookies fer dessert tonight.” Sunny singsonged, changing tacks neatly. “Ye play yer cards right n’ be a brave lil’ spriggan it’ll be in me t’ gi’ ye me cookie!”
Tyllae was interested, but unsure! “A whole ‘nother cookie just for Tyllae? Oh-o-o-o-o-o…” She fidgeted all four legs and bit her lip. Little Faeries are not meant to make big decisions!
“Big n’ soft n’ still warm! Mmm-mm!” Sunny set the hook and splayed two fingers. “Fer jus’ two wee seconds!
Tyllae looked up at me. “How long is two seconds, Starry?”
I extended one finger at a time. “One thousand one, one thousand two. Just that long! Easy-peasy, Squirt!”
“Well…. Okey-dokes!” She nodded determinedly… after bracing her little self. The little mite hunkered down on the bio-bed gingerly.
“Super!” Sunny declared. “Just gi’ me a couple o’ ticks t’ get set up!” She made the requisite adjustments and gave me a significant look. “Starry, Dear! Will ye no gi’ me a hoof wi’ procedure?”
“Gotcha!” I knelt by the bed and picked up the Fey and re-positioned her facing away from the display. Carefully keeping out of the sensors range I took up a position in front of her, putting my head down on her level. Sunny counted down from three on her fingers…
When she pressed the switch I crossed my eyes and stuck my tongue out at Tyllae who blinked, surprised and cocked her head!
“… Wassa Starry doing? Tyllae gotta concentrate on being brave for Sunny!”
“Sssh!” I put a finger in front of my muzzle. “I’m being a distraction!”
She shooed me away with a hoof! “Starry! Tyllae is trying to be good an brave! Hush, hush, hush!” I gave her a raspberry!
“Hay! Starry! Tyllae wants to get a cookie, no fair making Tyllae mess up!” She started hopping up and down on all fours in protest. I goggled my eyes, tilted my head, and waggled my tongue… hoping nopony else was seeing this!
“Star-ree!” The little Fey stomped a hoof!
“All done!” Sunny declared, switching off in triumph! “Ye’re rollin’ in cookies, me wee Lass! Thank ye, Starry! I may hae t’ git ye transferred down t’ help out wi’ the difficult patients!”
“Thanks, but no thanks!” I straightened up and stretched.
“Hay!” Tyllae whipped around in a quick one-eighty and eyed the display! “No fair tricking Tyllae! Tyllae was not ready!”
Sunny gave the little Fey a scritch! “Ye did jus’ grand, Dearie! I even had enough time to do a quick whole-body scan!”
Tyllae blinked! “All done? Then Tyllae gets another cookie tonight?”
“Aye! Blood pressure’s all done.” Sunny retrieved her hypo and fitted a very small ampule into it. “I just have to get a wee, little bit o’ blood now t‘ get an idea o‘ yer DNA. I can guarantee that this wilna hurt even a little bit n’ll even take less time!”
Tyllae did a whole-body droop! “Aw, burrs! Tyllae just can’t win today!”
I leaned an elbow on the table next to the hapless Faery. “Cheer up, kiddo!” …Sunny moved into position… “You can have my cookie, too! Think of it as hazard pay! But…” I leveled a forefinger at her and gave her a stern look as Sunny came in from her blind side. “I’m not making any more faces!”
Wssst went the hypo and Tyllae squeaked and hopped straight into my mane! She stuck her head out an instant later, indignant!
“Hay! No fair sneaky-sneaking up on poor Tyllae!”
“Sure n’ why should ye have all th’ fun!” Sunny teased, popping the ampule free and tagging it. “I’m sorry if I scared ye, wee scamp.”
“Tyllae was not scared, just startled. There’s a difference! Right, Starry?” I could feel her rubbing her rump.
“Yep!” I agreed. “I guess Sunny and I are still having trouble reading Faery body language. Any big, tough Faery that can wrestle cookies into submission like you wouldn't be scared of an itty-bitty spray hypo!”
…The little twerp stuck her head into my ear and gave me a raspberry! It tickled!