“So you're Celestia's daughter?” Spike asked.
“Yep.” said Dawn, nodding. “Mommy doesn't talk about me much. I don't think I'm actually supposed to mention it.”
“Who she's never mentioned to anyone?” continued Spike.
“Some ponies know.” said Dawn. She was hoping that the idea of scandal would justify the fact that Spike had never heard of her.
“Such as her faithful student.” said Spike, flatly.
“Um...” said Dawn, frantically trying to remember anything she might have heard about Celestia's student. Her horn glowed greenish, as she tried to pry the name from Spike's brain
“The one who only helped to save the world from Nightmare Moon and save her sister Luna.” clarified Spike.
“Oh, right!” said Dawn, remembering some vague rumours, and, more importantly, picking up a name from the forefront of Spike's thoughts. “Auntie Rarity!”
Spike fell over laughing.
It was at this point that Frem, peering around a corner, fired. The dart passed through where Spike's head had just been, hitting the wall behind him instead.
“Missed!” said Frem, frantically loading another dart.
Spike had no intention of taking this lying down; he got to his feet, roared, and let off a tiny blast of flame.
Frem let out a high-pitched scream and ducked behind the corner.
“You do know he'll just be back in a few minutes?” asked Dawn, as Spike ignored the fleeing Frem and went towards the dart on the floor.
“Yeah,” said Spike, “but right now I gotta stay here and wait for the Crusaders.”
* * *
“Is he still there?” whispered Sweetie Belle.
Applebloom peered carefully around the edge of the door, watching Frem peer with equal care around the corner.
“Eeyup.” she whispered. “Ah think he's trying ta shoot Spike.”
“We gotta do something!” whispered Scootaloo, urgently, hopping from one hoof to another. “Cutie Mark Crusader Dragon Rescuers!”
Applebloom reached into her mane, and pulled out a zap apple seed. “If Ah only had a bit o' soil ta work with...” she muttered.
“Hold on...” said Scootaloo. “He's only got two legs. So if you sneak up behind him, and buck him in the back of his knees, he'll fall right over!”
Applebloom peered around the corner, then looked back at Scootaloo. “Why me?” she asked.
“'Cos you're best at bucking.” said Scootaloo. “Also, you know martial arts.”
“Ah guess so...”
“Wouldn't that mean he'd fall on top of you?” whispered Sweetie Belle. “And besides, I don't think it's a good idea for us to attract his attention... is there any way we can get around him?”
“We could try ta go through the air vents again.” whispered Applebloom.
“No!” insisted Scootaloo – a touch too loudly.
* * *
“The dragon's picked up the dart(1)!” said Frem, into his communicator. “The dragon's picked up the -”
Spike vanished(2), and from somewhere behind Frem, a voice said, sharply, “No!”.
Frem spun around, dropping the dart pistol and fumbling to draw his stun rifle. There was no-one to be seen, but the door to the forward observation lounge not far away was open -
There! A head poked around the corner, and Frem fired at it reflexively. He backed away from the corner, and then remembered the alicorn filly he'd seen next to the dragon.
Frem turned to the side, as Dawn's horn began to glow. His stun rifle also glowed, and jerked in his hands; Frem pulled the trigger, and a stun bolt flew down the corridor, narrowly missing Dawn but breaking her concentration.
Regaining control of his rifle, Frem fired a few more shots at Dawn; she took to the air, and fired several green bolts of her own from her horn.
Frem, being a bigger target, unable to fly, between two forces, and with poor aim, screamed and ran for it.
* * *
“What's happening around there?” asked Sweetie.
“Ah'm not lookin'.” said Applebloom. “Last time Ah poked ma head round the corner, Ah almost got it shot off!”
“I'll look.” whispered Scootaloo.
“No!” said Applebloom. “He knows we're here now, we gotta get back in the air vent!”
“I'm not going back in there!” insisted Scootaloo. “It's too tight!”
“Look!” said Sweetie Belle, pointing at the door, as Frem ran past pursued by bolts of green energy. “Somepony's chasing him away!”
“Somepony's come to rescue us!” cheered Scootaloo. “It's Dash, right? I bet it's Dash, she's the fastest pegasus ever, so she'd get here first!”
“...it's an alicorn filly.” said Applebloom, as Dawn flew past the door. “Hey! Miss alicorn! We're over heeeeeere!”
Dawn backwinged to a stop, turning to look at the Crusaders. “Hi.” she said.
“Have you seen our friend Spike?” asked Sweetie Belle. “He's a baby dragon -”
“They shot some sort of dart at him.” said Dawn. “He picked it up and disintegrated. Now, if you'll excuse me...”
She picked up speed, and continued to chase after Frem.
“Coooooool.” said Scootaloo.
“Hey, maybe she knows where the exit is!” suggested Applebloom.
“Yeah!” said Sweetie Belle. “Let's follow her an' ask!”
(1) It contained a small transmitter, allowing the onboard transporters to pick up whoever it was attached to, despite the shielded hull.
(2) To reappear in Cargo Bay Four (which was specially shielded for the transport of materials that are radioactive, particularly illegal, or suspected of carrying a hidden subspace radio to call for help with). Pog considered that since he'd tried to escape, he could deal with any residual radioactivity, and so could anyone who wanted to buy him.