The Crucible of Restoration

by Golden Paw

Chapter Five

“Steady Mr ‘Blerio’. I want this flight to be smooth as a summer lake,” Boldstorm announced to the airship’s helmsman.

Twilight watched proceedings from the raised command dais that dominated the bridge as Blerio saluted. The griffon rested his claws on the pair of steering pads, talons twitching with excitement.

The black and auburn griffon had been flying the Bloomberg since its maiden flight and Twilight was reassured to have his experienced claws to steer them through. She needed it after that last talk with Foresight. Too many unanswered questions, she thought.

Looking about the bridge Twilight let its familiarity settle her troubled soul. A few feet below, forming a semicircle around the dais, were the various stations: Communications, Barrier Control, Flight Wing coordination and many others. All decked out in brass along with the occasional steel decoration.

It was a far more complex setup from the original design, each post being added as newer developments were discovered. Twilight leaned on the rail and studied the latest edition to the Bloomberg: The turret pods, each with their own ensconced gunner. The world was changing our ship along with it.

Twilight glanced up at the new scrying hub and the incumbent zebra within, a stallion by the name of ‘Skyeye’. A native born Equestrian and an example of just how well the integration of new races was coming along within the alliance.

It seemed odd to Twilight to hear a ‘normal speaking’ zebra, the native dialect of Zebrica lending those raised there a habit of speaking in rhymes. She’d had a shock when first meeting Skyeye, the young zebra addressing Twilight in a heavy Baltimare accent. Quite at odds with the musical manner of citizens like Zecora.

She was glad for him though and the new scrying dome that Skyeye now practically lived in. The last few years’ hard won lessons had shown just how frustratingly blind the bridge could be. Many an exploration mission had been hampered by poor information flow and Twilight had doggedly hunted down a solution.

Now dotted about the Bloomberg’s hull were tiny lenses. Each one fed images to the central dome in the hub and allowing Skyeye to see about the ship from almost any angle. Even as she watched Skyeye he gazed about, keenly scanning for anything untowards. His delicate headset with goggles attached rested on his black and white striped head. The images he saw were pictured on the dome’s inner surface, flicking alternately between the skyline of Ponyville and the sprawling streets below.

Life was going on apace down there, the everyday citizens ignorant to the mission the Bloomberg was about to embark on. The unease crept back into Twilight’s heart as she thought about Impasse in his containment chamber.

The Lithi was in there for his own protection of course, sunlight would freeze impasse into real stone while it touched him, frozen in place until darkness returned. But Twilight knew that was only partly the reason for the protection. Impasse was old, very old and like a weathered statue had become fragile. Too many fights and batterings. Maybe that was why they were being more bold in the search for a cure? Were the Lithi running out of time?

The desperate hunger in Foresight’s eyes came back to haunt Twilight. Foresight wasn’t on the bridge, preferring to lurk in the cargo bay away from the other crew. Twilight found it hard to imagine what it was like for Foresight, to be isolated by her very nature. In some ways it reminded Twilight of her own situation, being an alicorn set her apart from those around her.

But that wasn’t a fair comparison, they now looked to Twilight with awe, whereas ponies like Foresight were regarded with veiled abhorrence. That’s why we’re doing this, to make the world a better place for everyone. Twilight reminded herself and focused on the scenes outside.

Drifting with purpose the Bloomberg navigated the airways above Ponyville. Air traffic had quadrupled in the last few years as various enterprising individuals built on the earlier successes in flight technology. All made way for the Bloomberg though, passing by like a slow moving planet, smaller ships standing aside in deference.

With everything being in order Twilight turned her attentions to the map display nearby. With a few simple adjustments she brought up a glowing representation of Equestria on her personal screen. The mountains and forests were all picked out in stylised pictures while the cities and towns each had their names above them.

There, straight as an arrow was their path, a glowing representation of the Bloomberg’s planned journey. A red line leading from Ponyville, heading southwest across the border and terminating in the ‘Sal Palamino desert’.

“An empty wasteland your Highness, forbidding and inhospitable. I hope you have a good reason for taking us there?” Boldstorm asked, making Twilight jump.

She leaned away from the screen and gave Boldstorm a hurt look, “Of course captain. A very good reason.”

Bold continued to watch Twilight, a frown on his bullish face, “One that you still haven’t explained to us all.” It was then she felt the tension on the bridge. None of the crew had openly voiced their feelings, but Twilight could feel their hesitance.

This veil of secrecy was really starting to gnaw at Twilight’s edges. Not telling ponies was one thing, but actively resorting to mind charms and memory blanking.... Maybe she should just tell them what they were really doing? What harm could it do? It was a noble mission to help others - what was so wrong in letting the crew know?

“It’s complicated Captain….” Twilight mumbled feebly and was rewarded with a gruff grunt.

“As you say your Highness,” Boldstorm added and Twilight felt her stomach knot up. The frustration built in her, it just felt so very wrong. In that moment Twilight realised she wasn’t able to lead like this. She’d always been open with those around her and Twilight trusted that her crew would be understanding.

“Captain I won’t insult your intelligence, there is more than meets the eye to our journey. The cargo below contains...” Twilight began only for Boldstorm to hold up a hoof.

“Thank you Princess, we can see you’re in a tough spot here. Obviously you know more than you can say. I just needed to know that you would be prepared to tell us you know.” Boldstorm’s words hit Twilight like a hammer. “Please don’t violate any trust that has been put upon you on our account, we understand your Highness.”

Twilight looked to Boldstorm and then onto the other crew members manning the bridge and felt her worries evaporate. They were all looking at her with smiles and determined grins. “I...thank you Captain, thank you all,” Twilight finished feeling very silly.

The cloud of anxiety lifted somewhat and Twilight felt better than she had for days. With a renewed enthusiasm she looked ahead, through the view screen and onwards to the distant mountains that marked the border of Equestria, “Okay Captain, full speed to Sal Palamino desert!”

---

Boldstorm hadn’t been kidding when he said the desert was an empty expanse of dry dunes. As the Bloomberg crested the mountains marking the border of Equestria Twilight caught her first glimpse of the desolation.

She’d been to the badlands and thought they were harsh and unfriendly, but here…. The emptiness pulled at the soul. The whistling winds pushed the white sands in a relentless torrent. The only movement below was the shifting dunes; no birds, no animals or signs of any life whatsoever.

Even the sky was barren. No clouds drifted in the sky, and though the sun was present its normally cheery form, void of any assurance. Instead it hung in the sky like a malevolent yellow eye. That struck Twilight as odd. Celestia’s charge had always seemed a friendly and good part of life in Equestria, but here it seemed a far more hostile imitation of itself.

“I don’t like it,” Bold snorted and Twilight didn’t blame him.

“It’s the magic here, it’s all messed up,” Applebloom explained pulling her eyes away from the screen she was studying.

Twilight closed her eyes and tried to feel what Applebloom meant. The currents of arcane force that swept the world always had a certain order to them, like weather patterns for those who could see such things.

But as Twilight cast her senses out beyond the Bloomberg she instantly saw why this place felt wrong. The natural flow of magic had been disrupted. It seemed to pool in swirling eddies like water gathering within a crater only to suddenly fly out again in all directions. It followed no logical pattern that Twilight could see, moving at random in a way that hurt her mind’s eye.

“Is it going to prove a problem for the ship A.B?” Twilight asked slowly as she opened her eye again.

Applebloom clicked her tongue, “Well I don’t reckon it will. The crystal cores are shielded, but I’ll have the maintenance teams keep a good eye on things. Suggest we take it slow.”

“There is nothing living down there. Not one thing,” Boldstorm announced with finality.

“It makes no sense Twi, all the local conditions fer a place like this show it should be perfect fer growin things. The climate ain’t too extreme and if these scrying results are right then there’s plenty of water,” Applebloom’s puzzlement struck a chord with Twilight.

Whatever had happened here it hadn’t been natural, nowhere turns from fertile fields to sudden desert. Even with the mountain range in between there should have been some progression. Grass giving way to scrub and then eventually into sand. But it was as if somepony have drawn an arbitrary line through the world, one side life thrived and on the other desolation.

“What are your order’s Princess?” Bold asked and Twilight felt the attention of the crew settle on her like a lead veil.

She gazed at the dust clouds blowing across the scene, whipped up into unpredictable patterns by the forces present. They could still turn back, try and find another safer way? The small voice in Twilight’s head urged only for her to quash it. A sudden recklessness welled up in Twilight’s heart and she grinned with enthusiasm.

Twilight straightened and set her face in a determined expression, “We’re going onwards Captain. In there somewhere is our goal.” The choice made Bold nodded to Belrio and the Bloomberg crossed into Sal Palamino.

As they pressed forward Twilight felt a shiver run through her, like chilled air from an open window as it knifes through a warm room. Looking about Twilight saw the other crew were similarly affected. A few of them shuddered at their stations while one or two of them gripped their controls with shaking limbs.

Nor was this the only symptom, the Bloomberg began to tremble. It started as a fine rattle but grew steadily until every panel danced, straining at their bonds as if eager to flee. As the quaking continued the ship began to list to one side, tilting the whole scene at a twenty degree angle.

“It’s the buoyancy spells big D! The random magic here is playing ‘gahooni’ with em!” Applebloom bellowed over the sudden clamour as the whole bridge seemed to drop a few feet before bouncing up again, throwing all those standing to the ground. Twilight lurched and stumbled, only catching her fall on a safety rail.

Many others weren’t as fortunate and several curses were heard as the crew were thrown about in confusion. Another lurch pulled at the bridge, pressing the crew down as the gravity increased suddenly. Several monitors began to crackle, spilling magical sparks and Twilight realised she’d made a bad call, “Pull us back Captain! Get us clear now!”

Boldstorm slid across the deck before he managed to brace himself against the wall, his eyes full of alarm, “You heard her Highness, get us out of here Belrio!”

The griffon didn’t seem to hear them, but mercifully seemed to have gotten the same idea. With juddering slowness the propellers driving the Bloomberg gradually shifted into reverse, some not even responding at all.

What followed was a gut wrenching ride of dips and peaks. Smoke began to billow from overtaxed stations while the crew shouted in fear and pain. Through the haze Twilight saw the once ordered bridge descending into chaos. The decking swung violently from one angle to another, throwing those not fastened into their chairs around like gravel in a sifting pan.

Gradually the lurching subsided. The shaking lessening until Twilight found herself lying on her back, staring up at the smokey ceiling above. She mustered the effort to look about and saw the crew in similar states of shock.

Coughing and groans filled the air along with a few choice phrases Twilight wouldn’t use in polite company. Through it all cut the angry shouts of Applebloom, “Rotten truffles and pink candyfloss!”

Twilight peered through the murk to see Applebloom glaring at the mess the bridge had become. Grimacing she rubbed her head with a hoof, “Well I guess now we know that Bloomberg don’t like random background magic.”

Applebloom paused and studied the station before her, “Awww stinky bat droppins. My poor colt I am so sorry!” Still shaken Twilight watched as Applebloom hugged the broken monitor with a remorseful frown.

“Give me something boys, do we have any other casualties?” Boldstorm groaned as he picked himself up. The buffalo’s uniform was torn, his hat was nowhere to be found. “Gossip tell me the crew are alright you hear me!” Bold bellowed and a mound of loose cables resolved itself to be the communications officer.

The pale green unicorn raised himself up onto his chair again before replacing his head phones. Twilight jumped as further crackling sparks popped like gunfire and a shower of glittering motes cascaded down from a ceiling panel. There was just so much damage….

“Looks like only minor scuffs and bruises for the most part Captain!,” Gossip reported doing an admirable job of keeping his cool in the circumstances. “The worst hit seems to be the cargo bay there’s talk of….”

Applebloom’s head snapped up, an expression of horror on her face. “They all okay down there?”

“I don’t know ma’am, seems some ponies got trapped when the cargo jostled loose….” Applebloom didn’t even let him finish. She bolted for the heavy access hatch leading to the passages outside and nearly wrenched it off its hinges before darting through.

“I….” Gossip began only for Boldstorm to lay a hoof on his shoulder, “Don’t mind her boy, she’s just letting off steam.”

Twilight’s insides knotted, “Pip’s in charge of the cargo bay…”

The bridge fell silent, with only the receding hoof falls of Applebloom being heard over the fizzing of broken cables.

---

“Why did yer have to jump in n try and save her? She a unicorn, they have that magic stuff and could easily have avoided the crate!”

Foresight would have laughed at that statement, had the heavy wooden pallet not been pressing down on her ribs like a vice.

“She just stood there Boss, didn’t even try to levitate or use magic at all. I had to try and do something.”

Use her magic to move a crate? These ponies knew nothing about dark unicorns. She may as well have tried to lift a mountain. Thoughts and emotions were her kind’s playground, but ask them to do something as simple as move a quill with magic?

Foresight tried to take a deep breath and push the heavy weight off, but it was no good. Should count myself lucky I guess. The pallet laden down with cabbages had toppled at an angle, half crushing its fellow container and forming a small gap in which Foresight now lay. Very small.

“Well yer should have tried harder, or not at all. Look at that bump! Why do yer always get yerself in trouble tryin to help out other ponies!”

The dazed chuckle filtered into Foresight’s little world, “Well I wouldn’t be the stallion you fell in love with if I didn’t.”

“Don’t yer be makin jokes at a time like this Pip! It could have been you under that there cr…..” She didn’t finish the word before Foresight felt the change in the room. He wouldn’t would he? The assembled crew went through various states: Surprise, confusion, anger and finally fear. All this was summoned by a heavy ‘thud’, followed by a grinding sound that Foresight knew only too well.

“Stand aside,” The heavy tones caused Foresight to tremble. After she’d tried so hard to keep it a secret to have it all brought to light by a silly box of cabbages!

“No! You mustn’t” Foresight began to send but it was no use.

The inevitable hoofsteps drew closer, each one sounding like a boom of thunder in the confined space. Foresight could hear the shocked thoughts of the ponies all around and could almost cry at it. The last thing she wanted was for them to see him like this, the monster of olden myth. He deserved so much more than their fear.

“A reputation is not worth one pony’s life Foresight,” Impasse stated and she felt the weight being lifted.

Foresight took a deep breath, sucking in the metallic air as if it was a gift from the gods. Turning her head around she saw Impasse casually shift the crate as if it weighed no more than a feather. He moved with such care and purpose, every action precise and definate.

The containment pyramid had opened, one side having folded down to allow Impasse to leave its protective embrace. Foresight felt the anger bubbling up inside her as she looked around the crew, all staring at Impasse with horrified expressions.

“Don’t look at him like that! He’s not a monster!” For the first time in months Foresight shouted. She got unsteadily to her hooves and glared at the assembled onlookers. “He’s worth ten of any of you!”

They shrank back more in fear of her than Impasse, but that only made Foresight even angrier. They looked to one another in confusion and Foresight caught their unspoken thoughts. “I heard that you! He’s no such thing!” Foresight screamed at a cowering stallion.

“Enough Foresight. It’s done now,” Impasse cautioned but Foresight was deaf to his words. So much effort and preparation undone by such a stupid accident.

Foresight stood there panting, feeling the fear pouring off those around her. The unspoken ignorance that had alway been there. She could take it on her part, but they would not think such things about Impasse.

She ignited her horn and the temperature dropped sharply. Foresight would make them think the right things. No more secretly fearing her kind just because they happened to hold a passing resemblance to Nightmare Moon.

The years of accusing faces seemed to rise up in front of Foresight. Fillies and colts from school all pointing and calling her names just because she was different. She’d never let them do that to Impasse she’d.....

“Enough Foresight,” The steadying command of Impasse sounded out and she snapped back to the here and now. Foresight blinked and looked at the cowering crew with clear eyes again. Gone were the taunting faces of yesteryear. Now there were just scared fellows all around.

Foresight felt sick and giddy, the strength fleeing her limbs as quickly as it came. She looked up into the eyes of the watching crowd and felt her heart crack “I…”

“What you will do is come with me Foresight, I need your help on the bridge,” An authoritative voice resounded about the chamber.

Looking across the room Foresight saw Twilight standing tall and terrible in the hatchway. She was looking at Foresight with undisguised anger. Twilight made no effort to block her thoughts from Foresight and under all that fury was profound disappointment. That was the worst part Foresight decided. Twilight had given her a chance to prove she wasn’t going to be a problem, and now she’d gone and lost it in front of the crew.

Foresight looked to Applebloom who was frowning coldy at her, sensing the engineer’s burning desire to have Foresight and the newly revealed Impasse off her ship as soon as possible. Foresight then glanced at Pipsqueak, all confusion and disquiet. He was little better in his opinions of her.

As she looked from one face to another foresight realised she’d gotten what she wanted. None of them were focused on Impasse, oh no. They were all afraid of the crazy mare who’d been ranting only moments before.

“I said you are to come with me Foresight, we’ve reached the desert and it’s time to put your knowledge to good use,” Twilight still hadn’t moved. Her eyes were grim and her face stern.

Hanging her head in shame Foresight began the slow walk across the cargo bay. The stares tracking Foresight the whole, agonisingly long, way.

“As for you Impasse, I suggest you return to your quarters, “ Twilight added in clipped tones.

Foresight couldn’t look at him. She’d forced Impasse into interceding. The secret was out now and there were too many minds to cloud effectively. The crew were now aware of what they carried and Foresight could already picture the curious citizens all trying to sneak a peek at the lithi.

“I obey your Highness. Please don’t blame Foresight, it was a genuine accident,” Impasse asked almost sadly and under all that anger Foresight thought she caught a flash of guilt from Twilight.

It burned her to think of them crowding in to see him as some sort of freak show exhibit. They’d done it in the past. After an age Foresight reached Twilight not daring to look up at her, yet driven to find out what her part in this mess was.

Applebloom was the next to speak up, “Okay ya’ll, this don’t change nothin. Save what yer can of the cargo then get back to yer normal duties yer here me?” That’s what Applebloom said, but inside Foresight saw the burning question. What has Twilight gotten us all into? Quickly followed by, “Should have known that ice heart would be the cause of all this stink.”

With her heart in her hooves Foresight followed Twilight out of the room. She continued to stare at the floor, ears drooping as Twilight led her along the cramped corridors. Foresight’s guide didn’t say one word and having replaced her mental barriers Foresight had no clue as to what Twilight was thinking.

“Twilight I’m sorry, the crate just fell and I was just scared,” Foresight began and Twilight stopped so suddenly that Foresight nearly walked into her.

“It was an accident Foresight, I put you in that very difficult position,” Twilight replied still looking straight ahead of herself. Foresight blinked in confusion but Twilight wasn’t finished, “I made a bad call and the ship has suffered for it. I made a bad call in trying to play this whole thing so secretly.”

Out of habit Foresight tried to see what Twilight was thinking, but yet again was rebuffed in a definite manner. Finally Twilight swung her head around to look at Foresight directly, “From now on the crew is to be allowed to know what they find out by themselves is that clear. I promised to keep this all low key, not to hide the truth. Do not go around clouding their minds is that understood?”

Foresight opened her mouth to respond and simply left it hanging there, all the words she wanted to say dissolving under Twilight’s scrutiny. She watched as Twilight gave a pained sigh before continuing, “This desert we’re going to, it nearly shook the Bloomberg apart as we crossed into it. We’ve put them in danger Foresight and now we are going to find a way around it.”