Beneath Distant Stars

by PeppyJoe

Archive Six

Florence Flask pressed her back against the outer door of the airlock, trying to make enough room to fit the large improvised laser weapon inside the chamber as well. "Amethyst, I think we're going to have to leave both doors open for this."

Her partner sighed, nodding resignedly. "I'd really hoped to avoid it, but we know the air outside is harmless, so it shouldn't be an issue." She paused, releasing her hold on the weapon. "Let me go tell Notch to shut off the air filtration system so we don't burn it out."

"Right. I'll be here... waiting..." The blue mare still trapped in the airlock shifted to the side a bit, feeling distinctly uncomfortable with having the operational end of the laser pressing into her gut.

It wasn't long before the ever-present hum of the air filters shut off, and not long after that that Amethyst returned. She pressed a series of buttons on the airlock control, and then the outer door slid open. "Alright, let's move quickly."

As Florence jumped out of the airlock into the snow below, and began tugging on the weapon to bring it outside too, she felt a pang of fear. For the moment, she was defenseless and outside her ship, surrounded by hostile aliens. Their one previous attempt at exiting the ship and approaching these aliens had been met by a warning shot from a crossbow; she only hoped they would not be so hasty this time.

With Amethyst pushing the other end of the weapon, it did not take long to free it from the airlock and lower it to the ground. Once she exited and took a place next to the other scientist, the two of them were able to raise the bulky object into the air and maneuver it adequately. Already, the two of them could see confusion and concern among the alien ranks. It wouldn't be long before an attack.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

Thus far, the two mares had been making a conscious effort to direct their telekinesis field around the exposed arcane actuator sticking out of the rear of the weapon. When the two of them stopped doing so, and allowed their magic to reach that port, it quickly channeled into the core of their weapon and activated the energy storage gems inside. From there, that much-increased energy flowed into a series of eight gemstone conduits that had been stripped of their insulation. The damage to these conduits allowed the thaumic energy to convert into a great deal of light and heat. The single point where these eight conduits converged functioned as a focus, and directed all that light and heat towards a single point in the distance.

In effect, it was a giant laser cannon.

A massive burst of energy erupted from the end of the cannon as they activated it, immediately slamming into the distant hillside and sending up a massive plume of steam as the snow vaporized and the aliens nearby were thrown back by the force of the blast.

The damage was so sudden that both mares reflexively stopped firing. They glanced at each other and exchanged a manic grin, then nodded and returned their attention to the job ahead.

Rotating the weapon proved difficult, given how large it was, but they were able to do so after a moment and set it to a gentle spin while continuously bathing the enemy lines with heat. Though they only had a line of sight to half the circle of alien troops, and could scarcely manage to land a direct hit on any of them, the incredible show of force proved more than enough to scatter all of them. One of the catapult-operators made a token effort to return fire, but once he saw the ship's deflector shooting down his volley of rocks, he too gave up and ran away.

Focus and Top Notch watched the exchange from within the command module of the ship, and had a clear view of the surrounding area as their would-be assailants fled for their lives.

"We might not be able to move this ship 'til we're ready to return home, but at least we can feel confident that our neighbors know better than to harass us now."

"No doubt. So, what's the first order of business?"

"Finding food, and in great enough quantity that we'll be able to survive the trip home. Given all this snow, it might be pretty sparse... We should start with assembling the rover and mounting that laser on top so that we can safely explore the area."

---

WTW Phenomenon
Volume Three
Twilight Sparkle

7/25/1005

Another notebook filled! If I'd have known I'd need to write this much when I started the documentation, I would've picked a better title to write under.

Regardless, for summary purposes (because a table of contents is hardly viable for not-yet-planned research), here's what the previous two volumes covered: discovering the spacecraft in White Tail Woods, making contact, learning their language, and dealing with the second craft in Yakyakistan.

I'll address that last point first, since it's still on my mind... After our warning to Prince Rutherford a few weeks ago, we'd not heard anything from his people. There was a brief 'Message received' form letter, but otherwise nothing. Yesterday, that changed. We received a letter declaring that the 'off-worlders' attacked their peace caravan and wounded many of their diplomats. If that wasn't concerning enough, it wasn't signed by Prince Rutherford but instead 'Regent Reginald'. It didn't say that any harm had come to the prince, but the fact that it's from their regent certainly suggests as much. The letter also asked for Equestria's immediate aid in containing the situation and stopping the invaders.

Princess Celestia's leaving soon to see to the matter, along with some of my more capable linguists. I'm assuming she means to force a civil conversation with them. Thatch Roof has already asked several times about the status of the other off-worlders; I've told him it's being handled safely, but I'm concerned that giving him too much information will just make him more worried.

Regardless, my team and I have reached the point that we can understand most of what his people say. I'm still struggling with remembering the right words when I want to express something myself, but Silver Tongue and some of the others are managing quite well. Thatch Roof explained to me yesterday that his job here is technically done now that he knows why our sun orbits Equus, but that he and his crew wish to stay and see more of the planet. I think this is what he was getting at the other day. I told him his crew is welcome to stay as long as they want.

7/25/1005 (2)

Just got back to camp from the ship. Still making progress, but it was a bit slower with half my team getting ready to leave for Yakyakistan.

I've had my more fluent ponies just talking with the crew lately, learning what they can about their technology. Some of it looks like it came straight out of the local Alfalfa and Arcanum, but other parts are like nothing I've ever seen before. So far, Stem Bolt has been willing to indulge our curiosity and explain the functions of various parts to us, but it's clear that he's limiting what he says. It's understandable that they're nervous about sharing what is effectively, to them, a state secret. I'm grateful for whatever information they're willing to share for now, censored or not.

Most of my time today was spent with Crystal, as usual. She's been teaching me about "magic light studying." There's a better word for it, she says, but nothing that translates well. I'll go into it in more detail in the technical section at the back of the book. I find myself continually shocked by how brilliant she is, though. Not just in the sense of understanding this technology, but simply her ingenuity and diversity of knowledge. I have to wonder why she was the only unicorn that came with these ponies on a ship so heavily reliant on magic.

7/26/1005

Given Thatch Roof's desire to see more of our planet, I think it's high time we start planning a proper outing. I talked it over with Last Detail, and we've agreed (I convinced him) that Ponyville is the ideal first stop. It'll be simplicity itself to have a train stop at the camp and ride it in with our guests, and once we arrive, they'll have plenty of opportunity to see what life is like in small-town Equestria.

Of course, I can hardly let that be the end of it. Once they've had a chance to get accustomed to it, we'll go up to Canterlot. They'll be able to see the Royal Gardens, and the Royal Library, and the bookstore by the castle, and even my old tower! And Donut Joe's!

I'm getting ahead of myself, though. I do need to actually suggest it to Thatch first, and sort out all the logistics. If everypony's reaction to space-ponies is half as strong as their reaction when I first became a princess, they'll be beating down the doors of the train before it's even pulled up to the platform. We'll need to be sure that this visit is kept secret. Although, given that they'll need translators, that could be tricky. I don't like the idea of lying about who they are, but if necessary we could just frame their visit as 'foreign dignitaries.' That's what they are, basically.

7/27/1005

Still sorting things out. Also, I've realized that if the timing works out, Thatch Roof's crew might even get to meet Princess Celestia. There's no telling how long it'll be until she finishes in Yakyakistan, but I'm hoping it won't be long. The sooner she's done, the more likely it'll mean that things went well. I've written her a few times now, but she still has a ways to go. The trains only go so far, and I doubt even she could teleport that whole group across the mountain range without tiring herself unnecessarily, so now they're hoofing it.

8/1/1005

Thatch Roof agreed to the trip. Still no definite date for it.

8/12/1005

Princess Celestia reached Yakyakistan's capital today. After addressing some matters of state, she's headed off to the landing site to confront the off-worlders. I've finished making arrangements for the Ponyville segment of our excursion, and we'll be leaving in three days.

Also, she says Prince Rutherford is alive and well, thankfully.

---

Princess Celestia stood atop a snow-covered hill overlooking the alien ship. It's design was strange, and it rested at an odd angle that she suspected was not intentional. Around her were roughly twenty other ponies, huddled together in the protection of her shield as a blizzard raged outside. These ponies were mostly linguists and scholars who had been working with Twilight Sparkle to learn the alien language, but there were also several of her personal guards in attendance. Beneath her, strewn across the hill and on several others she could see, were collections of hastily-abandoned weapons and shields. She frowned.

Directly outside the ship itself, she could see two unicorns levitating boxes out of a strange chariot and into a hole in the larger craft. They didn't appear dangerous by any means, but the yaks had spoken of a dangerous magical artifact they wielded that seemed to harness the power of the sun. From the rough physical description they had provided, it appeared the device was now sitting on top of the chariot.

After observing for several minutes, still unseen, Celestia began to descend the hill and approach them. The two ponies soon took note of the crowd approaching them, and while one scrambled toward the hole in the ship, the other wrapped her telekinesis around the artifact and appeared to be working to rotate it. The princess immediately enveloped both of them in a shield and shouted in the Royal Canterlot Voice, "PEACE!"

Naturally, neither could understand her, but both froze anyway. Now that they were unable to seek shelter in their craft or use their weapon, they stood together and waited. Princess Celestia approached them, her entourage following. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement in the ship's exit. She expanded her shield to encompass the craft, allowing the ponies inside to join their companions but still protecting her own.

Soon, there were four of them outside, either watching the Equestrian ponies or talking among themselves. Likely they were attempting to plan an escape, so proper contact could wait no longer. The princess nodded to one of the accompanying ponies, Rosetta, and the mare stepped forward to stand alongside her.

"Visitors to our world," she began, and Rosetta began echoing it back in the foreign tongue as accurately as she could. "I am Princess Celestia. Let me begin with the promise that we mean you no harm. The prince of these hills tells us you attacked his diplomats, but the remnants of siege-weapons on the hillside tell another tale." She paused, watching as gathered ponies' expressions shifted from blatant hostility towards guarded skepticism.

"We would like to extend a welcome and an offer of sanctuary to you. Regardless of the circumstances that led to your confrontation with the beings here, you will not be blamed for them if you behave civilly hereafter."

One of the ponies, a stallion, stepped forward. As he spoke, Rosetta began translating again. "I am Focus; I speak for these ponies. We accept your hospitality, and are grateful to have met someone on this world as dedicated to peace as we are. I must say, however, that encountering fellow ponies on this world is startling. I look forward to discussing its implications with you."

"There will be time for that, I am certain, but first we should return to my city. There will be food and housing for you, but you are welcome to retrieve any personal items you desire for the trip."

---

The ponies from the Endeavor reluctantly gathered a few personal items and joined their hosts in a trek to the nearest village, where they could wait for the storm to abate before beginning the journey home. After a show of such overwhelming force from the princess, they hardly had an alternative. Still, as they spoke with the various linguists present and learned more about Equestrian society, they felt optimistic about the trip to Canterlot.

Elsewhere, the crew of the Guiding Wing was resting in their train-car after having also embarked on a trip; first to Ponyville, and then onward to Canterlot.

Elsewhere still, in some strange ethereal realm which no sane creature would ever choose to call home, a pair of eyes watched intently as the two parties converged and a disembodied chuckle echoed through the void.

Comments

[Lux Aeterna]

why am I not surprised...