Star Trek: Old Time

by Silent Ghost

Visitor

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"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER ASTRONOMERS YAY!" The three fillies yelled, scaring away a number of birds in the trees.

"Maybe this time we’ll finally get our cutie marks!” Sweetie Belle chimed, bouncing along.

Twilight giggled, “You girls sure seem excited.” she said, adjusting the equatorial mount of her telescope, the sound of crickets chirping filled the night with sound on this small hill.

“We sure are, I’ve never been awake this late. I’m not even tired!” Scootaloo said, hopping around Twilight.

“A’hm glad Applejack let me stay up this late. Thanks fer helping us out, Twilight!” Apple Bloom beamed.

Twilight smiled, “It’s no problem girls, it’s the least I can do,” she said her attention focused on the knobs of the mount. “Just a few more adjustments and….there, it’s ready! "

"YAY!" The three fillies cheered, hopping in unison.

Apple Bloom jumped first at the chance, absolutely filled with joy. "Wow, you can see everything with this." She said, turning the telescope, "So many stars!"

"Ooh, I wanna see!" Scootaloo said, nudging Apple Bloom and looking into the scope, "Oh wow!"

"No fair!" Sweetie Belle squeaked, "I wanna see, too!"

Twilight giggle, "Now now girls, you're gonna have to share the telescope." She chimed, her magic engulfing the telescope and adjusted it. "Why don't we start with the craters of Luna? This time we let Sweetie Belle go first."

"Sure Twilight." Scootaloo said, moving over as Sweetie Belle looked through the scope.

"Oh wow!" She squeaked, "I can see mountains and craters!"

"Ooh, ooh can I see?" Scootaloo said, peering through the scope and adjusting the telescope slightly. "This is so cool!"

"Let me see!" Apple Bloom chirped, eagerly looking adjusting the telescope and peered through the viewer. "Uhh....Twilight? Ah'm no professional, but ah don't think that's supposed to be there." The filly said, her demeanor of excitement replaced with confusion and curiosity.

Twilight tilted her head in confusion. "What's not supposed to be there, Apple Bloom?" She asked, Apple Bloom stepping out of the way as the princess viewed through the scope.

Her eyebrow furrowed, mouth agape at the large tumbling object in her view. "What is that?" She said, checking the mirrors inside the barrel. "No foreign objects inside the telescope, the mirrors aren't cracked...." looking through the scope again, the object moving away quickly but still in sight.

The object appeared as if it was flattened, its edges cut in both sharp and smooth degrees. The body of the object glowed bright as it reflected the moon’s light. Streaks of blue seemed to arc between what seemed to be black discs, the surrounding space rippled around the object.

"Do ya know what it is, Twilight?" Sweetie Belle asked, standing close to Twilight.

Twilight faced the filly, lost in thought, "I...can't say I do..." She said, dumbfounded as the object moved out the moon’s bright glow.

"Should we tell Princess Luna about this?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"We should, but I can’t leave you three here alone. I promised I would take care of you three and I intend to do that.” She said, assuming a triumphant pose.

“Hey, where’d it go?” Scootaloo said, looking through through the scope.

“What happened, Scootaloo?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I can’t see it anymore. It’s just...gone.” she responded, moving to let Twilight see

Twilight’s eyebrows furrowed as she looked through the scope. “Must’ve moved away….the moon’s light was the only thing illuminating it.”

“Do you think it’ll come back?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“What if it’s...aliens?” Scootaloo said.

Twilight giggled, “Now, Scootaloo, there’s no such thing as aliens.”

“Yeah, there’s no such things as aliens, Scootaloo.” Apple Bloom repeated.

“Okay, Okay….just messing around.”

The three fillies huddled around the violet mare, who was carefully adjusting the knobs on the telescope. The stars twinkled as a meteorite streaked through the sky, the fillies attempting to stay awake as Twilight explained how asteroids formed Equus, starting from the Big Bang.

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Celestia awoke in fright, hooves clutching onto the silk blanket. Carelessly throwing it off herself, she trotted over to the balcony, the doors open and the silk curtains waving quietly in the cool summer night.

She looked to the sky, tilting her head a small degree. “What….” she whispered, squinting her her eyes as if to spot….whatever it was she was looking for, scanning the dark and twinkling expanse of her sister’s night sky to find anything unusual.

“This….” Celestia muttered, returning inside and threw open the large double doors. The gentle tapping of hooves on the marble floor resounded through the vacant hall, crystal chandelier bathing the hall with soft golden light.

With her magic, the door opened with a quiet click, the carpeted floor of the library muffling her steps. Her horn again engulfed in a golden aura, she looked to the ceiling, the chandeliers filling the room of bookshelves with gold light.

Scouring through the myriad of bookshelves in the royal library, Celestia searched through the books so neatly placed by the staff, occasionally grabbing one of interest and scanned through the pages, nodding in disapproval and placing the book back in its spot becoming a routine procedure after two hours of searching.

“Late night, your highness?” A voice asked.
Celestia gasped in surprise, turning to find it was the librarian, Feather Pen. “Oh...Miss Pen-”

“There no need for formalities, Celestia. You have known me too long for such things.” Feather Pen interrupted with a wave of her hoof, her old and sky blue eyes still showing a hint of youth in them.

Celestia chuckled, a smile appearing on her face. “You’re right, Feather. You gave me a bit of a fright, though, I didn’t expect anyone to be awake at this hour except for my sister.”

“I thought some air might do some good for these old bones.” Feather said, tapping her hoof on the carpet, “Also, you left the door open.” Feather pointed to the front of the library, the decorated double doors still wide open.

A look of slight embarrassment ran across Celestia’s face. “Oh...I’m so sorry, Feather.”

“All is forgiven, Celestia.” Feather smiled, “Just remember to close it when you leave.” she said, walking away with a yawn.

Celestia nodded, “Sleep well, Miss Pen.” she said, returning to her search as she took another book from the shelf.

As Feather Pen turned the corner, Luna appeared, giving a quick nod to the librarian before she approached her sister.

“Sister.” Luna said, nuzzling her sister’s neck.

Celestia returned the gesture, a gentle smile for her sister. “You felt it as well, didn’t you?”

Luna nodded, “Aye, we did. We have never encountered such a feeling.”

Celestia returned the book to its rightful spot, Luna following as they trotted over to the large stained windows. “We know the magical presence of every creature in Equus….but this….”

“This is truly something genuine…..new.” Luna said, completing her sister’s sentence.

Celestia nodded. “Yes….”

The two sisters stood in awe at the night sky, the twinkling of stars a sight to see. The moon hung high in the sky, its light illuminating the dark valley below and the town of Ponyville.

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