Equestria's first warp drive - Alternate ending

by CCC

Chapter 19: Truth

In Frem's room, a unicorn stirred.

“Argh.” muttered Flam, as he slowly regained consciousness. “What – erk.”

Memory returned quickly, and Flam suddenly realised that the last thing he'd seen was a pair of very surprised Ferengi holding some sort of devices. He sat up, quickly, to try to see where he was.

Let's see, a room – a bit messy – with a bed, somepony's personal possessions scattered about... last I remember we were fleeing from some kidnapping aliens in a hovering cart propelled by an overexcited pegasus filly. Why am I here? What happened while I was out?

...I'm missing something important. Were we rescued?

Flam staggered to his hooves, and headed for the door. Which didn't open. He pushed it back and forth for a bit, to no avail, and then looked around the room again.

Well, there's the hovercart. There doesn't appear to be anyone in here with me, let's check that...

“Hello? Anyone there?”

…

No, no-one. Which implies that everyone left while I was out.

Why was I unconscious in any case?

Flam ran his forehooves gingerly over his head.

No lumps, no headache, I don't remember getting into any sort of sleeper hold – either someone wiped parts of my memory, or it happened almost instantly and painlessly.

...neither of those are really good options.

I've got to get out there.

The air vent's open, but there's no way I can fit in there...

Flam took a good look at the earprint scanner near the door, then took the flying leap of assuming that it was what was holding the door locked. He reached inside it with his telekinesis and started tearing it apart at random.

After a few moment there was a pop,and a smell of smoke, and the door opened.

* * *

The door slammed shut in front of Red Dawn, and she almost hit it horn-first. She muttered something under her breath.

“Ooooh.” said Sweetie Belle, from just behind her. “Rarity only uses that one when she's late on an order and her thread breaks.”

“What's it mean?” asked Scootaloo.

“I think it means 'I'm really cross'.” guessed Sweetie.

“Ain't that what all swear-words mean?” asked Applebloom.

“Would you three shut up?” snapped Red Dawn, angrily. “I swear, you three must be the most irritating fillies in Ponyville...”

“Well, ya do swear.” said Applebloom, smiling.

“Waaaait a minute.” said Sweetie Belle. “How did you know we were from Ponyville? We never said anything like that to you...”

“Yeah, we've hardly spoken at all.” said Scootaloo.

“Accent.” said Dawn, quickly. “Now shut -”

“Mah accent ain't the same as theirs.” pointed out Applebloom. “Yer lyin'.”

Dawn growled. “Shut. Up. And. Go. Away.” she snarled, her eyes flashing with green fire and her horn glowing.

“Uhhh... maaaaaaybe we should just go away?” suggested Sweetie Belle, backing away from the pseudo-alicorn.

“Maybe not.” said Scootaloo, her eyes narrowing and her wings spreading.

“Nopony spies on an Apple an' gets away with it!” declared Applebloom, stepping up to stand at Scootaloo's side.

* * *

“Pog?” said Frem, into the device in his hand, as he leaned against the now-locked door.

“You finally got the dragon?” asked Pog's voice.

“Yes, got him with a dart, he's in the cargo bay, but you know the other ponies you'd captured?”

There was a long silence.

“What did you do?” asked Pog.

“I didn't do anything!” said Frem. “They chased me right across the ship! I'm locked in the bathroom!”

Pog sighed. “You had a stun rifle and a dart pistol.” he said. “What did they have?”

“They had a new friend.” said Frem. “A fourth little filly. And it shot some sort of green phaser beams from its head at me!”

There was another long silence. When Pog next spoke, his voice was slightly muffled, as if he had his head in his hands.

“Don't lie to me, Frem.” he said.

“I'm not lying to you!” insisted Frem.

“Frem, listen. We didn't have any ponies on board before Equestria. We never landed on the planet. Everything went on and off the ship by transporter beam. We have filters in the beam, Frem. No lifeform can stow away on a transport initiated by this ship. I personally paid for those filters to be installed. The local civilisation is pre-warp. Non-starfaring. They have no orbital transport shuttles. They have no transporter beams. They have no teleportation. They have no cloaking devices, and no ship has even approached ours within range of out most delicate sensors since we left the planet. There is no fourth filly on this ship. Now try again, and tell me the truth this time.”

“Where did the buffalo come from, then?” asked Frem. “Maybe the new filly -”

“What buffalo?” asked Pog.

“Um, when you shot the unicorn in the cart, there was a buffalo next to him...” said Frem, nervously.

There was an even longer silence.

“When I figure out what is going on,” said Pog, “I will find a way to make whoever is responsible pay. And I'm almost certain that will be you. Now, get down to Engineering and get that engine fixed! We're going to miss an appointment with a very wealthy buyer while you hide in the bathroom!”

“But – the laser filly –” stammered Frem, nervously.

“STUN IT, YOU IDIOT!” yelled Pog.

Comments

[Kevin Lee]

“What buffalo?” asked Pog.
“Um, when you shot the unicorn in the cart, there was a buffalo next to him...” said Frem, nervously.
There was an even longer silence.

BSODs!

“When I figure out what is going on,” said Pog, “I will find a way to make whoever is responsible pay. And I'm almost certain that will be you. Now, get down to Engineering and get that engine fixed! We're going to miss an appointment with a very wealthy buyer while you hide in the bathroom!”

At least Pog's got a quick reboot cycle!

[Shadow_8472]

Flam shall go down in history as the pony who could open a door.

No teleportation indeed.

7961312
Profit.os has sropped working.

[tsaukpaetra]

CMC Suspicious Pony Investigators yay!