Trixie’s personal log, supplemental. I’ve been aboard the Repulse for two weeks now. Not only is this the longest Cole and I have been apart since we started out together, this has been the most exciting and difficult two weeks I’ve ever experienced. While Captain Remy has been very good to me, he never seems to run out of tasks that my magic and I are, as he likes to put it, ‘perfectly suited’ for. I’ve done everything from levitating heavy cargo and equipment to healing minor wounds like cuts and scratches. The work is hard but it feels…good.
The captain always has something nice to say to me and he’s made it clear that he appreciates my help. He really is amazing…for a human, that is. And then there’s his ship; I’ve never been anywhere like the Repulse before. It’s huge and so complex! The fact that one man can keep it going is something I’m still trying to understand. I know he has a lot of help but he still has to coordinate it and make sure things run smoothly.
It’s also really cold and impersonal. Sure, it’s like the Ranger in some ways; confining and made of metal but that’s where the similarities end. The Ranger is a lot smaller. I know where everything is and how to get there. With the Repulse, I have to ask the computer to tell me how to get to a lot of places. Everywhere I go, the halls and rooms are full of unfamiliar faces. I can hear them sometimes, whispering, gesturing around me. I know they’re probably just curious but it still feels almost ‘accusatory’ at times, like I shouldn’t be there. It’s not like that on the Ranger.
Actually, it’s never been like that with Cole. I know it sounds strange but I’ve never felt unwelcome on his ship. Afraid, yes. Angry, sometimes. But never genuinely unwelcome. That’s what I miss the most; the warmth and familiarity that I have on that ship. I look out my window every night at the Sphere and wonder where Cole is and what he’s doing, hoping that he’s okay and hasn’t let our home become another casualty. He calls me whenever he can, which isn’t very often and any nonessential communiques have strict time limits. Still, it’s nice to see him occasionally and I look forward to rejoining him after our mission is done.
Maybe that’s when I should tell him…
“Receiving incoming transmission,” the computer stated, prompting the blue showmare to end her log entry.
“On screen,” she replied as the human’s tired but relieved face appeared on the monitor. “Cole!” Trixie exclaimed happily as though they hadn’t spoken in eons.
“Hey, Trix,” he said with a smile, evidently glad to see her again. “How are you?”
“Trixie is doing just fine, thank you,” she replied confidently with just a hint of smugness. “H-how have you been?” she added with a small blush.
“Oh, alright I guess,” Cole answered, trying and failing to stifle a yawn.
“You look tired.”
“You’re observant tonight.”
“Well, I am the Great and Powerful Trixie. There aren’t many things she doesn’t notice.”
“I’ll let you have that one,” Cole replied with another yawn. “Mostly ‘cause I’m too tired to argue.”
“Wow, they’re working you that hard, huh?”
“It never seems to end,” the human explained. “I’m always transporting stuff somewhere. Then to top it all off, once I beam the cargo wherever it needs to go, I usually have to stay and help carry it or sort it or whatever. I swear, if I never see that Supply Depot ever again, it’ll be too soon.”
Cole’s tales of his Dyson Sphere adventures usually went something like that. From what Trixie had been able to gather, every side, not just the Federation, seemed to be dangerously low on civilian and non-military personnel, hence Cole’s ridiculous schedule. It was no secret that the majority of the alliance’s able-bodied ships were at the frontlines, ensuring that the Voth didn’t simply sweep through Allied territory and claim the Sphere for themselves. Even a lot of the engineering and science ships had been brought to the contested zone to support their tactical comrades. In fact, with so many of its brethren redirected thusly, the Repulse was the highest-ranking ship behind the frontlines and as such, assumed even more responsibilities. Given Cole’s condition, Trixie had to assume that the Ranger was in a similar situation.
“But enough about me,” Cole continued after what looked like a much-needed stretch. “How’s life on the Repulse? Captain Remy still being good to ya?”
“He’s been very accommodating,” Trixie assured him. “Despite all the work on his plate. I really admire him for that. I can see why you do, too.”
“Glad to hear it,” Cole replied with yet another yawn. “I’m sorry, Trix, honestly. I want to hear all about your day, I really do, but this schedule…I barely get any sleep as it is.”
“It’s okay,” Trixie said with a gentle smile. “I don’t blame you. I’ve had a long day too and we’ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow. Captain Remy’s leading a small fleet to one of the really, really, really far towers. I think they might’ve found something out about the Omega generators but nopony knows anything beyond that.”
“Well then, I guess you’ve got an adventure ahead of you, eh?” Cole asked. Trixie grinned.
“Looks like it.” the azure mare agreed as he smile began to fade. “I miss you.”
“I miss you, too.”
“Promise me you’ll stay safe?”
“Of course. That goes double for you.” Trixie’s smile returned, resuscitated by Cole’s reply.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie can take care of herself just fine!” Cole chuckled at her false indignation.
“That’s the mare I know and adore. Good night, Trix. Take care of yourself.”
“You too.”
With that, the monitor went dark.
***
I awoke the next day to an emergency transmission from Allied Control summoning me and several others to the Allied Tower. As I neared the gargantuan arch-shaped structure, it was clear that I wasn’t the only one. A veritable fleet has assembled around the tower and while that itself wasn’t an uncommon scene, it was the ships that composed the fleet that surprised me.
Usually, the three main classes (engineering, tactical, and science) traveled and worked within their respective classes, the only exceptions being tactical support for scientific and engineering missions and engineering support for scientific expeditions and so on. This flotilla, however, looked like the admiralty had picked ships at random, stuck them all in the same place, and called it a fleet before calling it a day. At the head of the pack sat the Vesta-class U.S.S. Hypatia, one of the Federation’s most advanced scientific vessels, and apparently the lead ship for whatever operation we had gathered for.
So it’s a scientific expedition, I wondered as I joined the rest of the pack, easing the Ranger into position beside a Mogai heavy warbird. I wonder if it has anything to do with What Trixie told me last night. But then why would they be scrambling ships like this? Captain Remy and his engineering fleet are already working on it…unless they didn’t get there yet or something. It’s a big place but still… As I pondered the possibilities, I couldn’t help but sweat. Something was up, I was sure of it. Either that or I was just being paranoid.
I hoped it was the latter.
“Incoming hail from Allied Command.” the computer informed me.
“On-screen.” I replied from my place in the captain’s chair.
“Attention all ships,” the grim visage of Subcommander Kaol exclaimed on the viewscreen. “Today at 0600 hours, we lost contact with Captain Remy’s expeditionary fleet. We don’t know the exact circumstances surrounding this sudden loss of communication but we strongly suspect that the Voth have something to do with it. Just before losing contact, we received a partial transmission from the U.S.S. Repulse, in which they stated that they ‘found something’ at one of the outlying Omega silos.”
My grip on the armrests tightened as I listened to the briefing, threatening to permanently inscribe my fingerprints into the metal.
“We do not know anything beyond that but we cannot allow any more vital information concerning Omega or this sphere to fall into enemy hands. We don’t believe the Voth attack to be a coincidence, which is why we are sending this fleet to the Repulse’s last known coordinates. Under the command of Captain T’lera of the U.S.S. Hypatia, you are to recover any and all information discovered by the Repulse and if necessary, engage any Voth ships in the area.”
My worst fears confirmed, I absentmindedly programmed the coordinates into the Ranger’s computer, unable to focus clearly. Every worst-case scenario my mind could concoct ran a marathon through my head. I could practically see the news; U.S.S. Repulse destroyed with all hands lost, Omega now controlled by the Voth…
Trixie…dead.
My hands shook as I struggled to remain calm and composed. This was a vital mission and anyone who couldn’t keep their cool wasn’t of any use to anyone. If I had any hope of rescuing Trixie or anyone else I could find, I needed to stay focused on the task in front of me, namely providing whatever support needed for the mission. This wasn’t my first rodeo, after all.
It would be the first one without Trixie, though. In a fit of madness borne of extreme anxiety, I actually chuckled as a strange thought came and went.
Not much of a rodeo without a pony.
***
We arrived at the designated coordinates roughly an hour later to find the area completely deserted. Not a single ships for those in our ‘armada’ showed up on our sensors…or any Voth ships, for that matter. I’d half-expected a fleet of cruisers and dreadnoughts waiting for us but fortunately, that wasn’t the case. On that note, nothing showed upon our sensors. It was as if something in the area was preventing us from detecting anything at all. Judging from the fleet reports, every ship seemed to be having the same issues. Even the Hypatia with some of the most advanced scanning equipment available was coming up short.
“I wonder…” I mused, resting by chin on an open palm. “Computer, scan for any Equestrian lifesigns.”
“Unable to comply. Local interference is preventing sensor penetration.” I sighed and wiped my brow.
“Thought so. Well then…isolate the Alicorn Amulet’s energy signature using the data aboard this ship and scan for that energy.” Heck, it had worked once; maybe it’d work again.
“Unable to comply. Local interference is preventing sensor penetration.” A dirty joke came to mind, eking a small grin out of me.
“What if we got closer?” I asked as another idea came to mind. The only thing any of us knew was that the entire general area was flooded with some kind of scattering field, preventing our scanners from picking up anything. I wondered if by landing on the surface, I could get close enough to Trixie and the others for the Ranger’s scanners to pierce through the field. It was worth a shot and with no Voth to be found, there was no better time in which to…
“Attention all ships! Battle stations! The Voth have returned” I looked up at the viewscreen just in time for a Voth fleet to initiate a terrifying light show with our own. That complicated things, to say the least; there was no way Captain T’lera was gonna let me land based on a hunch in the middle of a battle, especially when she needed every available ship to fight the Voth.
I was torn between jumping into the fight and potentially rescuing Trixie and any others.
Y’know, if you did land and find them, technically you’d have completed the mission, my mind informed me as I considered my options. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask, I thought as I hailed the Hypatia.
“This is Cole Stevens of the U.S.S. Ranger! Please respond!” I exclaimed, trying to get their attention.
“This Captain T’lera of the Hypatia,” the Romulan woman replied hastily as her ship shook. “What is it?”
“Captain, I believe I’ve found a way to get through the interference blocking our sensors. By landing on the surface, I’m sure I can find our missing people!” I kept it short and to the point; the middle of a battle was not the best time for drawn-out explanations. She’d either trust me or not and that was it. It was really all she could do.
“Request denied, Mr. Stevens. We need everyone in this battle.”
“Ma’am,” I began, unwilling to give up so easily. “Please listen; the Ranger is small and weak-looking. The Voth won’t care about what it does. I just need a few seconds to dip down and do a scan. A few seconds, captain! If this works, then our mission is done and we can get the Hell outta here!” There was a pause as Captain T’lera thought about it.
“Very well,” she said. “You have three minutes.”
“Yes ma’am!” I nodded and activated the viewscreen’s panoramic mode, allowing me to manually search for a decent landing zone, made necessary by the absence of working sensors. Usually, I relied on the computer to find a good LZ but since it currently didn’t know up from down (metaphorically speaking), I had to land the old-fashioned way. Fortunately, I soon found a spot flat enough with quite a bit of trees for cover (I should probably mention that I was praying for abnormally tall trees) and without delay, dipped the bow of the ship and headed for the surface.
***
To this day, I’m pretty sure I was holding my breath right up until I felt the Ranger come to rest on its landing struts. I looked about at the fortuitously thick vegetation around me, hoping that the forest combined with the unknown interference would hide my ship long enough for my mission.
“Computer, scan for any lifesigns on the surface.” I ordered, unwilling to waste any of my allotted three minutes.
“Unable to comply. Local interference is preventing sensor penetration.”
“Damnit!” I exclaimed, slamming my fist on the armrest of my chair. “Alright, calm down. We’re not done yet. Computer, scan for the Alicorn Amulet’s energy signature and pinpoint location.” I sat and sweated as the computer went about its task. It hadn’t told me “No” right off the bat, which I took as a good sign, but I was still nervous.
“Energy signature detected. Subject is approximately 100 meters north of this position.”
I immediately hailed the Hypatia.
“Are you kidding me with this shit?” I muttered as my attempt to communicate was met with nothing but static. “It must be this damn scattering field.” I took another look outside and sighed; there was no other choice. I grabbed my phaser pistol from its holster on the side of my chair and stood up. “Computer, beam me as close as possible to the source of the energy signature.”
“Unable to comply. Local interference is preventing transporter lock.”
“Of course,” I said, rolling my eyes. With that, I headed for the loading ramp.
***
My journey through the thick vegetation was quick, quiet, and surprising. Despite knowing that a lot of the sphere’s inner surface was covered in forest, the experience of actually being in it was not what I expected. I was on-edge but not because of the forest. Well, not directly. I had no idea of what might be waiting for me in it. My heart raced as I carefully made my way north and I wondered when an errant orbital strike might vaporize me or if there was a seven-foot spec-ops dinosaur under cloak waiting to put a blade through me. I’d heard the stories about the urban battle zone and I’m not ashamed to say that I didn’t relish the idea of wandering into a war on the ground.
I don’t know what witch doctor or whatever kept me safe for the majority of that trip but if I ever meet them, I’ll be sure to thank them. As I neared the supposed location of the Alicorn Amulet, and by extension, Trixie and the others, I utilized more and more caution, spending most of my time darting from tree to tree with my phaser drawn, ready to blast any Voth that got in my way.
Of course, the fact that my phaser was just a standard hand phaser and not an assault weapon, which surely would’ve been more useful, nagged at me something fierce. Needless to say, I kept it firmly at maximum setting, or as I liked to call it, “liquefy”. For all my bravado and dedication, I also hoped I wouldn’t have to use it. At least in space battles, you rarely saw the faces of those who you’d just condemned to death. The more impersonal war was, the better.
Eventually, I found myself in the immediate vicinity of one of many towering spires that dotted the sphere’s landscape. I quickly checked my tricorder and my heart skipped a beat; they were close. They must’ve headed straight for the tower, knowing that it would provide some cover and a landmark for search & rescue parties. At least, that’s what I was hoping was the case as I approached the tower, keeping my head down just in case they’d been followed by the wrong side. Voices and noises made my hair stand up on end and I instinctively darted behind the nearest tree. I took a deep breath and chanced a look.
There they were, both of them. Huddled behind a glowing barrier stood an exhausted Trixie and a barely-conscious Captain Remy. My blood boiled as the blue unicorn struggled to maintain the shield, barely able to stay on her feet as three Voth specialists unrelentingly pelted it with red antiproton shots. She glared at them, teeth bared in defiance even as the precious shield flickered and threatened to give out completely.
The next few moments were a blur, although I distinctly remember aiming my phaser at the closest one. I squeezed the trigger-button and watched as a streak of orange hit the orange-clad Voth square in the back. The bipedal reptile arched back in pain before falling to his knees and after a moment, to the ground. The others whipped around as I squeezed again, sending the one to the left off his feet as the orange beam impacted his stomach, sending him crumpling. I looked up at the last one as he aimed his own weapon at me. My eyes widened as a streak of red missed my head by mere inches and it took me a moment to gather my bearings and return the favor. Or, at least I would have, had he not dove to the right whilst taking aim once again. Once more, he missed, but not by much. I cried out as the shot knocked my phaser out of my hand, destroying it in the process. Disarmed and helpless, I could only watch as he aimed again. Nobody misses three times in a row. That sort of dumb luck only happens in holonovels.
I waited for a death stroke that never came. Instead, another orange blast hit the Voth in the back, sending him to the ground in a heap. My gaze darted to the source of the shot, soon falling upon a now semi-conscious Captain Remy as he struggled to keep his own hand phaser aloft. He took a deep breath before dropping the weapon and leaning up against a panting Trixie.
It was in the moment when we finally and truly noticed each other. Throwing caution to the wind, I raced as fast as I could to where the two were huddled. No sooner had Trixie wearily returned to her hooves did she find herself in my arms, crushed by my embrace. Had she an injury, I would’ve been a smouldering pile of ash after gently setting her down.
“H-h-how?” she stammered as grateful tears filled her eyes.
“I found you.” I replied simply. “Let’s just leave it at that for now. I’ll tell you how later, I promise.” She nodded as I took out my tricorder and performed a quick medical scan. Fortunately, Trixie was in good shape, aside from a few cuts and scrapes. The captain, on the other hand, was not so fortunate. Internal bleeding and a broken leg had more or less immobilized him, severely limiting the distance they could travel. All in all, it was a miracle that they’d been able to travel at all. For a brief moment, I wondered if Trixie had actually carried him.
“How is he?” Trixie asked quietly.
“He’s lost some blood and his leg isn’t looking too good but he’ll make it,” I replied, trying to convince myself as well as my azure companion. “What about you? Are you okay?”
“I-I think so,” Trixie replied, giving herself a brief once-over. “Just…really tired after…holding that shield…and carrying the Captain all the way here from the escape pod.”
“That’s my Trixie,” I said warmly, kissing her forehead at the base of her horn. “I knew you’d look after each other if something happened.” I turned to Captain Remy and kneeled down beside him. “Captain Remy…can you hear me? It’s Cole, sir. Cole Stevens.” He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at me.
“Cole…is that you?” he asked, squinting.
“Yes sir. I’m here to rescue you.” The captain nodded.
“I’m glad to hear it,” he replied as he struggled to sit up a little straighter, wincing slightly as he did so. “We spent all Goddamn night in this jungle fighting Voth search parties and trying to find other survivors.”
“Did anyone else make it, sir?”
The captain slowly shook his head.
“When the Repulse went down…well, she took most down with her. Those of us who managed to get to escape pods on time…not many made it past the Voth ships. And then, if anyone did make it down with their pod intact…those Voth search parties….” My hands clenched into fists as images of our comrades mercilessly butchered by uncaring Voth soldiers threatened to overwhelm me. I shook my head, trying to banish them and focus on the task at hand. “My entire crew…” He held his face in his free hand and slowly shook it.
Luckily, that’s when my common sense returned and reminded me of our situation.
“Sir, I hate to rush you but we’re not safe here. We have to move, find some shelter, and get a message back to the fleet.” Remy looked up at me.
“The…fleet?”
“Yes sir. We got your message. There’s a fleet up there right now fighting the Voth. I landed the Ranger about 100 meters from here.”
“But…the interference…how did you…?”
“Long story,” I replied quickly. “For now, let’s get back to the Ranger. Can you walk at all?”
“Not without a shoulder to lean on,” the captain replied with a grunt as I helped him up. “Trixie managed to get us here but she’s exhausted and even if we were all fine, the forest around here will be swarming with Voth soldiers in moments. It’s amazing that you weren’t caught.”
“T-then what do we do? We can’t just stay out here in the open.” Trixie pointed out, worry written all over her muzzle.
“I…saw a door on the…east side.” Remy answered, gritting his teeth as we took a few experimental steps. “It looked like…the same ones…we’ve been working on. I might be able to open in…with your tricorder.”
“That sounds like our best option,” I agreed. “As long as we could keep the Voth out, we’d be safe. Alright, let’s move. Easy, sir, one step at a time.”
Between Trixie’s near-exhaustion and Remy’s injury, it was slow going. I kept a watchful, almost paranoid eye on our surroundings, and I was rewarded for my vigilance with the greatest reward of all: silence. Besides the group we’d brought down minutes before, we didn’t encounter a single Voth on the way to the door.
I was pretty glad to see that door. Now if the Captain could do what he promised and actually open it, that would be the icing on a really, really shitty cake. I handed him my tricorder the instant we arrived and within moments, he began his work, scanning, pressing buttons, and occasionally cursing. While I didn’t have a clue as to what he was doing, all I knew for certain that I was beginning to really appreciate Starfleet’s aptitude for ass-pulls.
Any second now.
Any second…
There was an awkward silence as we waited for the captain to work his magic. After a few tense minutes, I ventured an inquiry regarding his progress.
“Sir?” I asked, moving closer to see how he was doing. “Anything at all?”
“It’s not good,” he replied, handing the tricorder to me. “I don’t know what the deal is with these doors but they’re locked with some kind of software I’ve never seen before. It’d take a week with my best team and a starship’s computer to get this open.”
“Guess we’ve just gotta make a run for the Ranger and hope we don’t get caught, huh?” I asked as we leaned up against a nearby tree, anxious to get out of the open.
“Looks that way. It’s definitely not my first choice but right now, it’s the only one we’ve got. If my combadge was still working, we could call for help but until someone comes looking for us, we’re on our…”
“Um…Cole?” Trixie called from the door, a hint of shock in her voice. The captain and I turned towards her and our eyes widened in shock at what we saw. Shining like a beacon of hope, the Alicorn Amulet pulsed with blue light and after a moment, the frame of the door lit up as well, pulsing in synch with the Amulet. As quickly as the captain and I could hobble, we made our way back to the door and an astonished Trixie.
“Trixie…what did you do?” I asked, my gaze fixated on the glowing of both the Amulet and the doorframe.
“I…I don’t know!” she cried. “I just…thought about how much I wanted the door to open and then…this starting happening!”
“Was it your magic?” the captain asked as he leaned forward to study the phenomenon.
“No! All I did was think about it and then the Alicorn Amulet just sort of…took over!” I could scarcely blame her for being afraid; based on what she’d told me about the old Amulet, she had every right to be as unsettled as she was, not to mention the fact that up until this point, she’d always been able to control it without any trouble.
Before any of us could ask any more questions, a low rumble sounded and to our utter amazement, the door reluctantly slid open as if pried apart by giant hands. Then, as soon as it opened, it began to slide close again, prompting us to practically leap inside just before it slammed shut.
We clearly weren’t as concerned with what might’ve been in the tower as we were about the Voth patrols. As we clumsily shuffled about the darkness, I hoped that our haste wouldn’t be the end of us. Fortunately, the Amulet stayed came to life mere seconds after we entered the tower, providing a limited look at our new accommodations.
Well, limited until six enormous lights running the entire height of the tower’s interior bathed us in a gentle blue glow, matching the light from the Amulet. I immediately sat the captain down and knelt down to embrace our frightened four-legged friend, trying my best to calm her down. Not an easy task considering our complete lack of control as strange events unfolded before our very eyes.
“Hey, don’t worry, Trix. I’m sure there’s a reason for this. We’ll be fine,” I whispered, gently rubbing her back. I felt her heart rate slow somewhat and moved to relinquish her only for her forelegs to hold me against her. She buried her head in my shoulder, trying to hide from this strange world, her shame from being afraid…her memories of the previous Amulet. All the while I continued to whisper and massage her.
“Trixie,” a calm voice said, prompting us to lean away from each other. We turned to find Captain Remy’s hand on her shoulder as well. “I need you to calm down and focus.” I was about to open my mouth and ask what he was thinking but the look in his eyes told me not to worry. He wasn’t accusing her or implying anything; he was simply trying to help, and he was right. Sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves wasn’t gonna do us any good. “Concentrate…” he winced before taking a deep breath. “Take deep breaths and focus on my voice. I need you to calm down because we need your help. The only way we’re going to make it is if you maintain control. Look deep within yourself and remember how you did it every other time.” Whatever magic he was working seemed to have an effect; Trixie’s breathing became far less sporadic and her heart rate slowed to near-normal speed.
“That’s my Trixie,” I murmured, smiling at her. “Feeling any better?” She nodded and turned to the captain.
“T-thanks,” she whispered. “I…I didn’t know what to do.”
“It’s okay,” Remy assured her. “We all have trouble keeping it together sometimes and after what we’ve all been through, I certainly won’t hold it against you. Now, I think the first order of business is to figure out the purpose of this room. Judging by its size and location, it must be important. I, for one, would like to figure out why before the Voth do.”
“I agree,” I replied, returning to a standing position. “What do you think, Trix?”
“I agree with the captain. We should try to figure out what this place is. I…I don’t want the Voth to use this sphere to hurt anyone else.” I nodded and gave her a thumbs-up.
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Remy agreed, grunting in pain as his leg momentarily tormented him for the umpteenth time. “Shame you didn’t have a medical kit. This damn leg of mine’s determined to make this an unpleasant stay.”
“I’m sorry, sir,” I said, my head hanging low over such a blatant oversight. “When I heard about the Repulse…I guess I just rushed into this without thinking it through.”
“Well, rushed or not, I’m glad you did,” the captain assured me. “Better a forgotten med kit than two more corpses for the Federation to bury.” I nodded solemnly.
“I…I might be able to help…” Trixie ventured, taking a look at Remy’s outstretched leg. “I practiced a few healing spells on the Repulse just in case. I might be able to do something about the pain, at least.”
“That’d be mighty kind of you,” the captain replied, giving her a pained but grateful smile. Concentrating, Trixie focused some magic from the Amulet into her magically-fatigued body and after a few moments, her horn began to glow. Breathing deeply, she aimed a small beam of light at Remy’s leg, eliciting a wince from the captain. She maintained the beam for several seconds before that small amount of magic she’d been able to gather gave out and she fell onto her haunches, breathing heavily.
“Captain?” I asked after a few moments. “How are you feeling?”
“Well, I’ll be…” he muttered, gingerly touching his injured leg. “She damn near fixed it. It’s not completely right but I think…” Using my shoulder as a crutch, he slowly got to his feet and took a careful step. “Amazing! I can actually walk on this leg now. Thank you, Trixie. You’re certainly earning your nickname.” She looked up at us and offered a small smile, blushing slightly at the compliment. “Well, now that I’m mobile again, let’s do a quick check. We’ll start with that big column in the centre of the room. It must be a control for something.”
It wasn’t until the captain had issued his orders that I truly noticed the room around us. Like the tower, it was enormous and oval in shape, and looked to extend all the way to the top as if the structure was completely hollow. As we made our way to the control column in the middle, I snuck cursory glances at the Amulet. It continued to glow, although it had since stopped pulsating wildly, granting some credibility to my theory that Trixie had regained at least most of her control. It was almost as if…
I shook my head. That couldn’t be. Still, all the signs were there. What if the Amulet was reacting to the room and vice-versa? After all, the Mirror Universe’s Princess Luna had found it on Iconia and if the Sphere was reacting to it…that meant that they were all linked somehow! Maybe the Alicorn Amulet was the key to mystery of the Sphere! Maybe it was an actual, literal key and by bringing it here, we had accidently started something we couldn’t hope to control! A thousand and one theories bombarded my thought process until I kicked them all out and took a deep breath before hurrying to join my friends at the central column.
“Sir, I believe that the room and the Amulet are reacting to each other,” I informed the captain the second I’d joined them. “You see, the Amulet is…”
“Iconian, I know,” Remy replied in a surprisingly calm tone.
“You do?” I asked, dumbfounded.
“Trixie was kind enough to fill me in,” he explained. “I was curious and asked her to tell me about it. She was very forthcoming, a favor for which I was extremely grateful. Don’t worry,” he added, seeing the look of worry on my face. “I’m not going to report it to Starfleet or anything. As far as I’m concerned, that relic belongs in a museum but based on what I’ve heard about you two, I know it’s in safe hands…er, hooves.” he added for good measure.
“I have to admit I’m glad to hear Starfleet’s not gonna confiscate it,” I confessed. “Without Trixie’s ability to use it, I’d be space dust right now.”
“Indeed. Trixie, what do you make of this?” Remy asked of the azure showmare.
“It’s hard to say,” she replied, looking over some glowing control panels. “There doesn’t seem to be anything I can do here...” she mused, absentmindedly placing a hoof on one of the glowing panels. “Hey!” she cried as the panel suddenly lit up with incredible intensity. Remy and I looked just in time to watch Trixie jump away from the panel, her eyes wide with shock at what was happening.
“Hey Trixie, are you…o…kay?” I asked as the floor beneath us began to vibrate.
“Cole! Trixie! Look!” Remy exclaimed, pointing at the enormous lights. We watched in amazement as each one began to change color, beginning with purple, then orange, then blue, then white, then yellow, and finally ending with pink. Before any of us could utter a single word, we felt the floor begin to carry us up the tower like a gigantic elevator.
Curiously, we stayed silent during the surprisingly short ride up the tower. Maybe we were just too dumbstruck to speak. Maybe we were too scared to speak. Whatever the case was, the moment we laid eyes on what met us at the top we found our words again.
“What the fuck is that?” I murmured as we beheld the object in the centre of the room. Perched atop the central column, which, contrary to our expectations, did not extend all the way to the ceiling, was a tall, slender figure with a red body covered partially by sections of black metal. It stood about 10 feet tall and its jagged eyeless face seemed to stare down at us as with its arms outstretched, its hands flattened and level as if expecting some kind of offering.
It was then that the Alicorn Amulet began to pulse again, matching the glow of the figure’s hands just as it had the door.
“Any idea what this is, Captain?” Trixie asked as we slowly approached the figure.
“No idea…” Remy muttered, borrowing my tricorder. “The tricorder can’t even identify what it’s made of. I don’t think it’s likely to jump up and bite us, at least. But now we have another problem. I don’t see another console or anything up here, which means that statue is our way out. See if you can find anything that resembles a control mechanism on it.”
“Yes sir,” I replied, looking for Trixie. “Hey Trix, the captain wants us to…hey, what are you doing?” I ran over to the blue showmare as she walked towards the statue’s outstretched hands…almost hypnotically in fact. She stared up at the statue’s face as she approached, never taking her eyes off of its non-existent ones. “Captain! You’d better come here, quick!” I called as I ran over to the showmare, just in time for her to unfasten the Alicorn Amulet and place it in the statue’s hands.
Trixie shrieked as the statue’s hands suddenly grasped the Amulet. She ran and hid behind us as the statue raised its hands to its chest and held them there. Immediately, a force field encased the entire figure and we watched as bright blue specks began to bombard the Amulet. We watched transfixed as the radiance intensified until finally, there was a bright flash, followed by some kind of discharge that sent us tumbling to the floor.
“Ugh…” I groaned as I slowly picked myself up. I shook it off and frantically looked about for my friends. “Captain! Trixie!”
“I’m alright!” Remy replied as he attempted to haul himself to his feet. “Could use a hand, though.” I quickly complied, assisting him and very soon after, Trixie as well. “Is everyone alright?”
“I might need new corneas but besides that, I’m in one piece,” I replied. “Are you okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine,” Trixie assured me. “Cole, look…” she added, pointing at something behind us. “The Amulet…”
“What the Hell…?” the captain mused as we slowly made our way towards the statue, made easier by the absence of the earlier force field. The arms had since returned to their original position, granting us an easy look at the object resting on the outstretched hands.
The Amulet had changed. It no longer resembled the visage of an alicorn; rather, it had morphed into something completely different, something that looked remarkably like…
“Trixie…” I whispered as we all leaned forward to examine it. “It’s your cutie mark.”
Dead silence.
It was unmistakeable. A star-tipped wand flanked on the left by a ribbon-like quarter moon shone with crystalline blue light beckoned to us.
“It is, isn’t it…?” Trixie mused, looking it over from all angles. “Can I…I mean…should I…take it?”
“One moment,” Remy replied, scanning it with the tricorder. “Hmm…I can’t identify the material but it’s not radioactive. In fact, it’s not emitting anything at all. It’s actually identical to your energy signature, Trixie.”
“Then…can I?” she asked again, aiming the question directly at me as if seeking my approval.
“It’s your call, Trix. I mean, it is your Amulet.” After a brief pause, she nodded and slowly reached towards the Amulet.
Needless to say, we all breathed a sigh of relief when she clasped it around her neck and nothing happened.
“So…how does it feel?” I asked after a moment.
“It feels…like I’ve always had it,” Trixie replied as her face shifted from one expression to the next as if trying to decide how she felt about it. “It’s like…I can hardly remember not having it. I’m sorry; I can’t really explain.”
“It’s alright,” Remy assured her. “We’re just glad you’re okay. We’re dealing with technology here that no one knows anything about. I think we should just thank our lucky stars that everything turned out as well as it did.”
“I’m with the captain on that one,” I agreed. “We should probably get out of here as soon as we can.”
As if agreeing with my plan, the entire structure began to shake as if hit with an earthquake.
“Like, right now!” I added as we frantically searched for an exit, only to find none. “Captain! Elevator’s not working!”
“I know!” he shouted as we ran about the room in desperation.
“Trixie! Can you teleport us out of here!?” I shouted towards the unicorn.
“I don’t know! I’ve never tried that with more than just myself!” she cried.
“Well, maybe that new toy of your can help us out! I think we should try it!”
“Easy for you to say!” she rebuked.
“No time!” Remy interrupted, grabbing me by the arm and Trixie by a front leg. “Trixie, if we’re gonna try this, now’s the time!”
“Okay! Just…don’t let go of me or each other!”
With that, her horn flashed and we were gone.
***
“Oof!” I grunted as I hit something metal. I opened my eyes to find myself tangled in a pile of human and equine limbs, a pile that soon dissipated as we got to our feet. It was then that I noticed where we’d ended up. “Ha ha, yes!” I cried joyfully as I practically danced on the cold, hard floor of my beloved bridge. “Trixie, you did it!” I exclaimed, picking her up and planting a wet kiss right on her nose.
“Mr. Stevens, I’m just as relieved as your are, believe me, but I think we should save the celebrations for later. We’ve got a fleet up there that needs our help.” Remy reminded me.
“Oops…” I said sheepishly, gently setting a bewildered and tongue-tied Trixie down before sitting on the first officer’s chair.
“What are you doing?” Remy asked.
“You’re the ranking officer on board, sir,” I replied with a shrug. “I would be honored if you would take the con.”
“My ship is gone,” Remy said, shaking his head. “This is your ship, Mr. Stevens. That captain’s seat is yours and I would be honored if you’d allow me to take the tactical station.”
“Well, since you asked nicely,” I replied with a grin. “Tactical is yours, sir.”
“And I’ll take Engineering,” Trixie interjected, running over to the Engineering station.
“Excuse me?” I asked, taken aback.
“I’ll keep those shields up, don’t worry,” Trixie assured me. “Captain Remy was kind enough to teach me a few little tricks just in case you ever needed some help.”
“Trixie, have I ever told you that I freaking adore you?” I asked in disbelief.
“Once or twice…” she replied with a blush. I smiled.
“Alright! Let’s get this show on the road! Computer, take us up and rendezvous with the main battlegroup!” With that, the ship lifted off and it wasn’t long before we were just on the very edge of the battle.
To put it simply, we weren’t doing very well. We had been outnumbered from the beginning but without a strong dedicated tactical presence, it had turned into a damned turkey shoot. We were giving them a Hell of a fight for sure…just not enough of one.
More action for us, I guess.
“Captain! I need those phasers!” I shouted. “Trixie, route as much power to the shields as you can without impacting our offensive potential!”
“Roger that,” Remy replied rather calmly.
“Yes sir!” Trixie replied rather eagerly.
“Fire at will, full phaser spread!” I ordered. Captain Remy obliged and we soon found ourselves in the middle of the fight, firing at any Voth ships that came within range. “Damnit,” I growled as the powerful Voth shields seemed to simply absorb any damage we tried to inflict. “Captain, we’re not getting through! Any ideas?”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve,” he replied, hitting some buttons. “There! I set the weapons on a rotating modulation! We usually save that one for the Borg but it just might do the trick here!”
“Nice!” I exclaimed as a burst of phaser fire ripped right through the shields of a passing Voth frigate. A second barrage tore holes in the hull, reducing the ship to burning slag before it collided with a large Voth cruiser and exploded, crippling the cruiser. “Good shot!” I turned to Trixie. “Hey Trix! How’re the shields holding up?”
“The Aegis is keeping them up for the most part but we can’t do this for much longer!” I turned back to Remy.
“Suggestions?” I asked.
“How about asking them for a hand?” he replied, pointing to something on the viewscreen.
“Holy crap!” I exclaimed, rubbing my eyes in disbelief. “It’s the Enterprise!”
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the tide of battle turn so quickly. What was once shaping up to be a crushing, ruinous defeat, rapidly became the exact opposite. Flanked by the U.S.S. Prometheus and the R.R.W. Lleiset, the mighty Odyssey-class swept through the battle after unleashing a spread of quantum torpedoes, annihilating most of the smaller Voth ships in one fell swoop while the cannons of the Prometheus and the Lleiset finished the job shortly after.
“Receiving incoming transmission.” The computer announced.
“On-screen.” Remy and I replied in unison. We looked at each other and shared a laugh as the face of Captain Va’Kel Shon appeared on the viewscreen.
“Captain Remy. Good to see you alive and well.” Shon stated as Remy nodded respectfully.
“You arrived just in time,” Remy replied. “Things weren’t exactly going to plan.”
“They never do,” Shon said with a nod of his own before focusing on me. “We thank you for your assistance but I think it’d be best if you returned to Joint Command. Your ship could use a few repairs and by the looks of it, so could all of you.”
“That’s for sure, sir,” I agreed. “Would you like us to beam Captain Remy to the Enterprise?”
“If you would be so kind.”
***
Captain’s personal log, supplemental, Stardate “never want to see that stupid Sphere ever again”. Our goodbyes were brief. Heartfelt and sincere, yes, but brief. There was simply no time for prolonged partings, not with the Voth already regrouping for another kick at the cat. After Captain Remy had beamed over to the Enterprise, I set a course back to joint command according to Captain Shon’s recommendations. I attended the debriefing while Trixie slept corpse-like in her quarters, a privilege she rightly deserved. Her slumber gave me the opportunity to answer some big questions, questions like what to do next, where to go next, and so forth. I realize now that I need to do two things: concentrate more on allowing Trixie to build the career that she always wanted (and that I promised her), and finally tell her that I…(End recording)
“Hey,” I said, ending the log entry as a sleepy Trixie entered my quarters. Well, ‘stumbled into’ might be a better way to put it. “What’s up? Can’t sleep?” She hopped up onto my bed and snuggled ‘neath the covers with a happy little smile. “Alright, you can sleep here tonight. Just don’t hog all the sheets, okay?”
“Okay…” she whispered, although it was more of an exhale; I just like to think she agreed. I yawned and crawled into bed beside her and had barely finished the first half-dozen sheep when I too was out like a light.