//------------------------------// // The Best Laid Plans... // Story: DisQord Continuum 2: Friendship is Futile // by ZoidbergIsBestPony //------------------------------// The Best Laid Plans… Apple Family Farm… Twenty-one hours remain until Borg arrival: “What do you mean you’re staying?” asked Rainbow Dash, confused. “I mean, we ain’t goin’ nowhere!” Applejack explained. “But you heard the princess’s orders. Ponyville is being evacuated!” Rainbow Dash and Applejack were arguing at the entrance to the Apple farm. They had arrived in town to begin the evacuation of Ponyville, but when Applejack heard her family was staying behind, she knew what she had to do. “Well, no pony or Borg is gonna kick me and the rest of the Apple family outta our home!” “You heard the princess. Anypony remaining is likely to be captured by these things! They need to get to Canterlot!” “Nothin’ doin’!” While Rainbow and Applejack argued back and forth, the rest of the Apple family was busy at work battening down the hatches and gearing up to defend their homes. “Listen, Rainbow. I need to go an’ help my family. Tell Twilight I’m sorry, but I need to stay and protect them. “Applejack!” Apple Bloom ran up to the pair. “I’ll be right there, Apple Bloom. I’m just finishing explaining to Rainbow here that I’m staying with my family.” “Applejack, we need you,” Rainbow pleaded. “I said no!” “Applejack?” Apple Bloom called softly. “Not now, ‘lil sis.” “Applejack!” she persisted. “What do you want?” “Applejack, you have to go!” “What’re you talkin’ about? I’m staying right here an’ protecting my family!” “You can’t protect us here. If you want to protect us, you gotta go with Rainbow Dash!” “But what about the farm? What about you?” “We’ll save the farm. You go save everypony else.” “Eeyup!” Big Mac concurred, joining the conversation. “You better git going there, Applejack.” “Big Mac…” Applejack was torn. She needed to stay with her friends, but she also needed to protect her family. “Will y’all be okay without me?” Big Mac nodded, but said nothing. Apple Bloom ran up and hugged her big sister. “Good luck!” she said. “You too,” Applejack replied with a tear in her eye. She let go of the hug and turned back to Rainbow. “We better git back to Princess Twilight then.” Ponyville… Twenty hours remain until Borg arrival: Bon-Bon knocked gently on Lyra’s door. “Are you ready Lyra? We need to get to the train soon.” She couldn’t hear any sounds coming through the door. Bon-Bon gently opened the door and peered in. Lyra was sitting on her bed with her head down. A hat covered her now blank forehead. She was crying silently to herself. “Lyra…” Bon-Bon walked in and sat down next her friend. It was awkward for her to sit with her front legs up and her rear ones on the ground, but Lyra always felt more comfortable sitting that way. She put one of her hooves around Lyra’s shoulders. “It’ll be okay. There are dozens of Archmages and highly skilled Unicorns in Canterlot. When this ‘Borg’ thing is resolved, I’m sure one of them will be able to fix this. Maybe Princess Twilight will be able to look at it. She can do anything!” Lyra sobbed and nodded. She leaned into Bon-Bon rested her head on her friend’s chest. “I just don’t want to be seen like this. I’ve never felt so… useless.” “You know I’m an Earth Pony, right?” said Bon-Bon, smiling. “Trust me. Magic is a nice tool and can do many things, but it’s not the only thing in life. You’ll see. C’mon, let’s get you packed and ready.” Canterlot Palace Courtyard… Fourteen hours remain until Borg arrival: “The last time I encountered the Red Guard, they fought with no honor!” Lieutenant Commander Worf spoke aloud. The newly re-formed Red Guard stood lined at attention, facing the commander. Even the new captain of the guard stood in the line. “When you fight for your land and for your people, you fight with honor! These Borg are powerful foes and will stop at nothing until each and every one of your friends and family are made into one of them. However! They are not invincible. They can be defeated. We have engaged them in battle before, and we have defeated them. “Their only drive is the assimilation of species and technology that make them stronger. In my hands is a plasma rifle. It is a weapon from our ship and a powerful piece of technology. When it is fired at a Borg drone, it will fall, but not before transmitting all the information about this weapon to the other drones. When I fire a second time, the weapon is useless. The Borg will have adapted. “That is the enemy we face. Every tool, every weapon, every plan, can only be used one or two times before they will adapt, and it will no longer be effective. That is why those of you who possess magical abilities are forbidden to use them under ANY circumstances. If the Borg gain the knowledge behind your abilities, they will adapt and be able to use that same knowledge against you. We must face them with new weapons, new tools, new plans… We must make sure that they are defeated here and now!” “HOORRAHHH!!!” the line shouted. “Captain, delegate the troops around the castle. Pass out the BFG weapons and remember: These are only to be used against large groups when there is no other alternative. Assign the patrols and rotate shifts regularly. In fourteen hours, I want all shifts present and available.” “YES SIR!!!” The captain saluted. He stepped forward and turned toward the line. He issued the orders to each of the divisions to prepare for battle. Canterlot Palace Throne Room… Twelve hours remain until Borg arrival: “Based on my calculations, only fifty-four percent of the planet’s population will be able to fit within the city and only thirty-seven percent will have arrived before the Borg are expected to arrive,” Lieutenant Commander Data reported. “It is lucky that your population is so small as to fit so high a percentage in its capital.” “You call saving only thirty-seven percent of my people ‘lucky’?” asked Princess Celestia, bitterly. “I meant no offense,” he replied. “I was merely trying to establish a strategy for evacuation that would maximize our efforts, while understanding the size of acceptable losses.” “THERE ARE NO ACCEPTABLE LOSSES!!!!!” “Understood. Then might I recommend, rather than attempting to have all of your people evacuate to the city, we have them evacuate to rural regions in small groups. While losses are unacceptable, please keep in mind, they may also be unavoidable, and it is best to limit them where possible.” “You’re not human are you?” the princess asked, suspiciously. “No. I’m an android.” “Android… I remember seeing a movie when I was a little filly about androids, though that was over two thousand years ago… So you’re a walking, talking machine?” “That assessment would be correct, but only in the most literal sense. I am actually a higher-functioning computer capable of processing several billion instructions per second. I am capable of independent thought and endeavor to become more human.” “Fascinating, I’m sure, but could you show a little more heart in discussing the possibility of my people being killed?” “I do not possess a heart, but I do have an emotion chip installed which allows me to experience emotions. However, in times that require a more logical approach to a difficult situation, I find the emotions to be distracting. It is currently deactivated.” “That distraction is called a conscience. It is a necessary part of difficult decision making, and I suggest you RE-activate it.” “Yes, Ma’am…” Data twitched his head. “…Done.” “Now then, we were discussing how to save each and every one of my people...” Romulan Warbird Haakona… Eleven hours remain until Borg arrival: “What’s your progress?” Admiral Tomalak inquired, entering the laboratory. “We’ve learned the horn is absorbing an unknown particle from the surroundings,” said the Romulan scientist. “We haven’t been able to detect the particle itself, but we can witness the effects caused by its buildup.” “Explain.” The scientist activated a device that held the Unicorn horn enclosed within. A humming sound could be heard and the horn started to glow. “You may want to stand back a bit, Sir.” Tomalak moved away from the device behind the scientist. The horn glowed brighter and brighter until the entire room was bathed in mint green light. The light erupted forth from the horn into the wall in front of them. The wall didn’t explode or burn. It disappeared. It completely vanished, exposing the lab to the outer hallway. “What just happened?” ask Tomalak, a nervous excitement pulsing through his veins. “The matter that makes up the wall has been rearranged so that it no longer interferes with this plane of existence. It has been rendered out-of-phase.” “Can this be weaponized?” the admiral asked, greedily. “Absolutely. I need to run some more tests on its effects on shielding, but we may be able to remove a ship’s shields, rendering the hull vulnerable, or possibly even removing a segment of the hull, resulting in a breach.” “Wonderful. When the Borg are defeated, we can deliver this new technology to the Romulan Senate. This may very well be the ticket I need to become the next Praetor!” U.S.S. Enterprise… Ten hours remain until Borg arrival: “Report Commander,” Captain Picard ordered entering onto the bridge. Commander Riker relinquished the Captain’s Chair and took his seat alongside it. “All ships but one have arrived,” he answered. “The U.S.S. Magellan is overdue and out of contact.” “Keep an ear out for them in case they make it. In the mean time, how is the defense perimeter looking?” “The defense perimeter has been established, and advanced warning buoys have been placed. If Twilight Sparkle’s timeline was accurate, then they should become visible on our sensors in six hours and arrive four hours after that.” “Excellent. Open a channel to the fleet.” “Channel open, Sir,” said the ensign seated in Data’s chair. “This is Captain Picard. When the Borg arrive, we will target the vulnerable area of the cube. After my last encounter at the Battle of Sector 001, they have no doubt relocated their plasma exhaust manifold, among other things. I will assess the cube and determine which area to focus our attack. Until then, focus all fire on their weapons platforms. The Borg will be able to repair them, but this could buy us the time we need to successfully destroy the cube. We’ll keep you informed of all developments. Picard out.” “Sir, the buoys are picking up something on sensors,” the ensign announced. “Is that the Magellan coming in?” Picard asked. “No sir. The sensors are picking up Borg Signatures. It’s definitely a Borg Cube.” “Alright. It looks like our dinner guests are arriving earlier than expected. Go to Red Alert and send word to the fleet. We’ve got four hours left to prepare.” The sound of Red Alert rang through the ship as the red lights flashed along the walls. “Um…actually, Sir…” the ensign squeaked turning a mixed shade of grey and green. “What is it, Ensign?” “The Borg are accelerating their speed. They’ll be here in two hours.” “Fine. Send word we’ve got two hou–” “Sir…” he interrupted. “What is it now?” “It’s not just one cube.” Picard swallowed hard. “How many are there?” “Sir… there are three Borg Cubes headed this way.”