Ex Astris Scientia

by Octavias Melody

Technical Difficulties

This is… beautiful.

The more Twilight stared at the blueprints for the compound, the more the beauty and elegance of the construction stood out to her.

It’s only been a week… it’s amazing how much work you can get done when you mobilize an entire town. At least I managed to get Tempest recalled; boy, she can really motivate other ponies… I wonder if she trained as a drill sergeant?

Twilight was so engrossed in her reading, she didn’t notice a familiar face approaching behind her. “In here again, huh? Can’t seem to tear ya away from this… whatever this is... what is it?” Twilight was mildly surprised, but no less pleased to see her friend.

“Well, Applejack, these are the plans for the new compound we’re building just outside of Ponyville, to the north. Kalendris suggested we strip the ship for parts since the vessel’s hull is no longer spaceworthy. The west wing is going to be full of… whatever computers are; we’re going to extract the main computer core tomorrow, and build the rest of the wing around it. The east wing is going to be a massive industrial fabrication facility; apparently, the technology aboard the ship is capable of making any kind of building material using something called replicators. They’re going to be installed the day after tomorrow; the north wing is going to be, and I’m quoting him verbatim here, ‘The biggest fuck-off three-dimensional printer you will ever lay your eyes on’; there are apparently blueprints on board for a number of space delivery vehicles, and this place will be able to construct them in a matter of hours. The south wing is the entrance to the facility and includes an ‘airlock security system’... whatever that is. Now, underground, beneath the facility is where things really get interesting, according to him; the ship’s main fusion reactor is being lowered into position first before everything is built around it, and it’s apparently going to power everything we need. But, we need fuel for it first...” Twilight trailed off, momentarily lost in her own ramblings.

Applejack approached her friend but stopped just shy of reaching Twilight when they both heard the hiss of a door opening. In trotted Rainbow Dash, her normally exquisite physical condition stained by a mix of grease, lubricant, and fatigue. “We’ve just finished lowering in the reactor. Damn, that thing’s heavier than it looks; it took twelve pegasi for it to just hover in the air. Getting that thing out was a dirty job and a half, I’ll tell you that. When do we get to turn it on?”

“That could take a while. We need fuel, but we don’t have any. We could synthesise it with the ship’s matter matrix, but that would take too long with just solar power available. We can extract the Emergency Batteries from the ship as an interim measure; in addition to the high-capacity solar panels carried on the ship, we can reliably use the two in tandem to power the replicators that will build the components that we need, piecemeal. As long as we feed it matter that the waveguide conduits we’re installing can convert into energy, we can fabricate any component we need. Ultimately, however, we will need to find a source of ‘helium 3’ eventually, whatever that is, and exploit it; then the reactor can be powered full time, and that’ll lead to a huge boom in manufacturing.”

“So… how big is this place going to get, Twi?” Applejack asked.

“Pretty big; probably as big as Canterlot Castle, if not bigger. The north wing will directly connect to a large warehouse and storage complex, which itself will have its own transport facility to escort what we’ve built to the launch site a little further to the north of that. Because the ship is being stripped for parts, we need a separate warehouse to store everything useful, so to the west of the complex will be a massive storage and cataloguing facility with an underground storage bunker for… ‘dangerous materials’. As for what qualifies as ‘dangerous’... I didn’t ask and Kalendris didn’t seem keen to elaborate further.”

“You sure Celestia’s on board with all this? I haven’t seen her ‘round here in days, I thought she’d be supervisin’ this project.” Applejack countered.

“Princess Celestia is actually in Canterlot at the moment; she’s supervising a very different project…”

---

“Command structure? You mean like we have with the royal guards?”

Kalendris and Dusk Shine were sitting in the newly-finished Mission Commander’s office, inside Canterlot’s new Mission Control facility, still under construction. Princess Celestia was seated in a chair behind an ornate oak desk, specially imported from the castle. In front of her were a series of papers, including proposals for new security infrastructure. Seated opposite of her were Dusk Shine and Kalendris, all three of them doing their hardest to ignore the sound of near-constant construction work going on around them.

“Yes, a command structure”, continued Kalendris. “Any Mission Control facility, or wider foray into space for that matter, needs a clear and precise delegation of authority. In the interests of clarity, I’m going to introduce you to the command structure I worked under.”

Kalendris shuffled his papers and pointed to the first entry. “As you can see from the first chapter, our organization had a council, made up of various representatives from every world, with one of them elected to serve as President for a term of one year, who then presents policies that he, she, they, undecided, multisex, or android, desires to the council, who then vote on it. Obviously, what you have now isn’t quite as broad, but if other nations on this planet were invited to form a planetary council… an ‘alliance’, if you will, then elections could certainly take place to decide who sits at the helm of the space force, at least until you settle more colonies. Individual planetary nations would still retain autonomy under this limited system, however.”

“From what I have gathered from the recovered parts of my ship’s archives, the space force of my creators was a military organisation overseen directly by the Emperor himself,” Dusk interjected.

“Quite the contradiction.” Celestia commented.

Dusk Shine shuffled through various portable electronic journals, handing one of them to Celestia. “Take a look at this PADD. You can see that my universe’s space force had some… rather authoritarian overtones, driven by an organization that was power-hungry and extremely xenophobic. Harsh control and brutal discipline were necessary to keep people like that in line; they were quick to make decisions, but there was no accountability beyond the Emperor. No trials. No appeals.”

Celestia sighed. “Sounds like a very bleak existence.”

“Don’t worry about it too much; after looking through that database, I try not to think about it at all.” Kalendris continued, “One thing we do need to address in the near-future is prospective candidates for crewing the first starship we’re going to build. They’ll need to be trained up in an intensive programme, segregated according to discipline. We’ll also need to start training the youngest members of your society immediately to get a head start in education in the coming years.”

“What do you mean by ‘discipline’?” the alicorn queried.

“Typically, crews are divided into three main areas of career focus, called ‘disciplines’; Operations, Science, and Command. The roles and responsibilities of the crew are determined by what discipline they have elected to train in.”

Celestia was about to ask another question when she heard a knock on the door. Fortunately, the entire forward partition was glass, so Celestia merely waved Princess Luna permission to enter the room.

“Good timing, my sister. We were about to discuss how our first crew should be structured. Come here and take a seat. You were saying, Kalendris?”

The stallion’s eyes met Luna’s as she pulled up a chair, taking up a position to the left of Celestia. “Just call me Kal, okay?”

“Very well, Kal. I think both my sister and I would benefit from a thorough explanation of how each discipline works. Would you be so kind?”

“I’d be delighted to. I should probably start with Operations; Operations covers anything to do with the safety and security of the ship. The two main departments in this discipline are Security and Engineering; Security is tasked with ensuring that the ship is secure against both internal and external threats, while Engineering is tasked with both the repair and ongoing maintenance of the ship and its systems. Security is also responsible for operating the weapons systems on board the ship, and for maintaining the armouries where personnel weapons are stored. They also operate the brig, a sort of jail for when crimes have been committed on board, or for when an individual is too dangerous to be among the ship’s population.”

“... I did not know that space was so violent.” Luna commented.

“You will quickly learn that self-defence is an essential part of space travel. Let’s move on; there are three types of rank: enlisted, commissioned, and flag. Enlisted crew members are put through very short training programmes, usually between one and two years, and are then posted on board a vessel based on their aptitude. All enlisted crew members start off as Crewmen, with their aptitude tests determining what class of rank they start off as, either Third, Second, or First Class. Third Class Crewmen tend to get given menial tasks, such as cleaning waste extraction systems, or purging plasma filters. Second Class Crewmen tend to get given departmental paperwork and the occasional minor supervisory task. First Class Crewmen, however, tend to get the much sought-after duty assignments, often benefiting from direct tutelage from commissioned officers.”

“Is there many opportunities for progression?” Luna continued.

“Yes. All enlisted personnel are assessed at regular intervals. Crewmen get assessed every year; Third and Second Class Crewmen who excel get promoted up to the next class, while First Class Crewmen who test well are promoted to Petty Officer, Third Class. Petty Officers are, for enlisted personnel, their first taste of real seniority and leadership, and are expected to oversee a team of crewmen. Petty Officers are tested every two years and are scored on their ability to lead as well as their ability to deliver results under pressure. Third and Second Class Petty Officers, if they score well, will get promoted up to the next class, while First Class Petty Officers are able to apply for promotion to Chief Petty Officer, a rank that carries much responsibility on a starship; Chief Petty Officers may be assigned the responsibility of maintaining a transporter room, a cargo bay, a science lab, or another location that requires maintenance. Beyond this rank, promotions are provided at the discretion of the ship’s Commanding Officer based on recommendations from that crew member’s superior officers and their performance reports. Promotion to Senior Chief Petty Officer is usually achieved within five to ten years; these individuals usually look after a deck or cluster of rooms on a deck. Promotion to Master Chief Petty Officer is usually achieved within ten to fifteen years; these individuals usually oversee the entire enlisted command structure on a vessel, and they report directly to the ship’s Executive Officer; their duties are quite extensive, organising everything from duty assignments to green-lighting promotions for junior enlisted officers. However, no matter how far up this chain of command someone progresses, they will always be outranked by an Ensign, the lowest rank of the commissioned officers.”

“I don’t understand; why would someone willingly sign up for a chain of command where, even after a decade or more of service, they would still end up being outranked by a junior officer?” Celestia enquired.

“Well, mainly because it provides a quick way for people to enter the military, and a life of space travel in general, backed up by some of the best training anywhere in the galaxy. Enlisted crew members, depending on the vessel’s size, will make up between one half and two-thirds of all posts; enlisted officers serve a very important role, and while senior enlisted personnel may nearly always be outranked, their experience only goes unheeded by the foolish.” Kalendris and Dusk both nodded in approval.

“So, where would someone enlist if they wanted to command a starship one day?” Luna asked.

“Well, that’s where commissioned officers come in; in order to get posted to a starship, they will have to have passed a four-year graduate course at the Academy.” Kalendris continued.

“We don’t have an academy.” quipped Princess Luna.

“Not yet, but one will eventually need to be constructed; the Academy I graduated from had a campus that covered land equivalent to a small city, complete with multi-level buildings that reflected the sun’s light for miles. It really was a beautiful sight, especially at night when there was just you and the moonlight for company.” Kalendris sat back and idly began to daydream before a nudge from Dusk snapped him back to reality.

“What kind of training would these officers have to undertake?” asked Princess Celestia.

“Initially, it would probably be limited to classroom teaching and basic field exercises. As we expand the campus, we can start using holographic environments to cover a wide range of terrain and environments. While training, recruits are given the rank of Cadet; with each year of training, the cadet is given greater responsibilities on-campus, anywhere from inductions for new entrants, assisting with events, or even with diplomatic escorts of dignitaries across the campus. However, before one can even be considered for a position at the Academy, one must be aptitude-tested to make sure that the applicant is physically, academically and psychologically capable of not only surviving the course but of adapting to life in space. If the recruit passes these tests, they get to pick one preferred discipline and one other to get secondary education in while they are extensively trained in their preferred choice; minimal cross-training with other disciplines is also provided so that officers have flexibility in approaching tasks outside of their normal fields of expertise upon graduation.”

“How rigorous is training?” Celestia asked.

“Rigorous enough that roughly twenty percent of all recruits never make it past the first year. The opening year’s training is necessarily brutal, testing a cadet’s ability to survive in harsh and demanding physical conditions, while at the same time teaching them what their chosen speciality is capable of when time, resources, and personnel are minimal. The second year is mainly theory centred around their preferred discipline, while the third year is a practical application of what the Cadet has learned thus far, including limited simulator training. The fourth year is mainly comprised of examinations and short training cruises combined with live-fire exercises; Cadets on their four year, while on a training cruise, are referred to as ‘Midshipman’, with most ship positions being filled by experienced officers in case of unforseen difficulties, such as an unexpected hostile engagement. Training cruises might be a little difficult to organise at first, due to the lack of dedicated training facilities and ships to use.”

“But, one we have finished construction of an Academy, at least in the beginning, this will become easier; as we start building ships, older ones can be decommissioned for training cruises.” Dusk interjected.

Kalendris continued, “Until then, we can use holographic simulators. Now, depending on the Cadet’s final scores, they will graduate as one of two ranks; around ninety-five percent of all Cadets will graduate as an Ensign, while roughly five percent will graduate as a ‘Junior’ Lieutenant, officially termed ‘Lieutenant Junior Grade’. These early ranks determine what responsibilities that officer will be given on their first posting. Officers that graduate as Junior Lieutenants have the option to delay their first posting by one year to attend Command School, a highly-focused intensive-training programme that is designed to find and hone future starship captains, and identify those with exceptional leadership potential. Those that opt for this course and fail are demoted to Ensign and are issued a posting as normal with no further penalty. Those that pass this intensive training course, however, are promoted to the next rank, Lieutenant, sometimes nicknamed ‘Full Lieutenant’; these officers can apply for roles with greater responsibilities on a large starship, or apply for the role of Department Head on either a small starship, space station, or outpost.”

“Where does one go from there?” Luna asked.

“The next rank is Lieutenant Commander. This is the rank most often held by department heads on large starships, where greater experience is often needed for an officer to more effectively take charge and command respect from their subordinates. Up until this point, promotions are granted at the discretion of the Commanding Officer; promotions beyond this rank have to be approved by Fleet Command. The next rank up from Lieutenant Commander is the rank of Commander; I should add that, when addressing either a Commander or Lieutenant Commander, they are both properly addressed as ‘Commander’. Similarly, both Lieutenant and Lieutenant Junior Grade are both properly addressed as ‘Lieutenant’. Now, for an officer to progress to Commander, they are required to undertake the Commander’s Evaluation Programme, which is a both a practical and examination-based system designed to test the many competencies expected from someone of that rank, covering everything from duty rosters, to crisis management, including how to properly take charge of a starship should the need arise. However, on Carrier vessels, Commanders may be promoted to the rank of Wing Commander, which grants them the ability to lead wings of tactical support craft, which may consist of strike fighters, torpedo bombers, or planetary assault vessels, among others. Both Commanders and Wing Commanders can use their position as a stepping stone to being considered for the rank of Captain if the officer so chooses to pursue it. ”

“How is that achieved?” Celestia asked this time.

“Fleet Command would make that call. If a ship is in need of a Captain, they will either promote internally from the ship if the second-in-command has enough experience or promote a Commander from another vessel; they would then grant this officer the rank of Captain. In some situations, a Captain may even be transferred from his existing command if the need for experience on the ship needing a Captain is truly great. While anyone can apply to become a Commander and serve in any department as that rank, in order to be promoted to Captain, that officer must immediately agree to be transferred to Command if they are not already within it. That said, the rank of Captain does not necessarily mean one is in command of the ship; our naval traditions mean that anyone in command of a starship, regardless of their actual rank, is properly addressed as ‘Captain’. On special occasions, the rank of Fleet Captain may be granted, which grants that officer the ability to command a fleet of starships without being a member of the Admiralty, although this usually applies to fleets comprised of small or tactically-inferior vessels. Outside of ranks, there are other roles that also need to be decided upon.” Kalendris shuffled his papers again, smiling as his eyes fell upon an image of his old ship, the Hood.

“What kind of roles?” Celestia pressed.

“Well, there are three main roles crucial to a starship’s operation; Second Officer, Executive Officer and Commanding Officer. The Captain of a starship is usually the Commanding Officer, although they may be a Commander on smaller vessels, space stations or outposts. In matters of the ship, their word is the last word, unless someone of higher rank, like an Admiral, is present. The Executive Officer, usually a Commander, handles the day-to-day running of the ship; they usually deal with discipline, liaising with department heads, and assigning crew rotations. The Second Officer, usually a Lieutenant Commander, typically handles all matters pertaining to ship operations. They are by default the ship’s Quartermaster; all equipment and cargo requests go through them for approval, with hazardous materials needing to be signed off by both the Second and Executive Officers. Crew assignments, reassignments and transfers are first seen by the Second Officer, and then passed to the Executive Officer if deemed appropriate. Section heads for both Command, Engineering and Security departments compile performance logs and crew evaluations that are seen by both the Second Officer and the Executive Officer; for a promotion to be granted, it must be agreed upon by both and then passed to the Commanding Officer for final approval. Have you given any consideration to who will command the first vessel?”

Celestia sat back in her chair. “I think that, given her outstanding contributions to our nation, the only fitting choice for that assignment is Princess Twi-”

“I will be commanding the first ship,” stated Princess Luna.

Celestia wasn’t quite sure how to take that. “... you have responsibilities here, Lulu. Like raising the moon and making sure half our population don’t gouge their eyes out when they wake up after they’ve had a bad dream.”

Luna huffed, irritated. “If we are to encounter others, it would be in our best interests for there to be someone on board the ship with the ability to negotiate on behalf of a nation. Twilight would be inexperienced at best for this task. I would, however, like her as an… ‘executive officer’, as you put it?”

“We’ll discuss this more at a later time, my sister. You mentioned that there are ranks above ‘Captain’?” Celestia continued, looking at the blue stallion.

“I did indeed. While the positions are as numerous as the departments you’ll no doubt want to create here, the ranks remain the same. Going up from Captain, the Flag ranks are Commodore, Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, ‘Full’ Admiral, and Fleet Admiral. Commodore is usually used for those commanding listening posts and planetary bases, while Rear Admirals typically occupy outposts, often in locations where heavy reconnaissance of hostile activity is needed. Vice admirals are most often found as the head of most minor departments within Fleet Command, or in command of starbases; Admirals are often placed in command of task forces, although Vice Admirals can sometimes be found commanding smaller defensive fleets in critical sectors. Fleet Admirals serve as the heads of the biggest fleet-wide departments and usually form part of the President’s cabinet. Every rank from Vice Admiral onwards is entitled to select one starship to use as their personal flagship, whereupon they are referred to as the Flag Officer responsible for it; that ship then becomes responsible for ferrying their Flag Officer between locations as their position demands of them. This flagship may also undertake missions at the personal request of their assigned Flag Officer. All ranks from Commodore upwards are collectively referred to as ‘The Admiralty’.

“I see. What’s the next discipline?” Celestia asked.

“The next discipline is collectively referred to as ‘The Sciences’, although it is possible to specialise in many different fields, from xenobiology, to cybernetics, medicine, and many more besides. Medical is the specialisation most often cited as the largest, responsible for both the mental and physical wellbeing of the ship’s crew; they are also responsible for enacting quarantine protocols should the need arise. For historical and practical reasons, if the Chief Medical Officer on a ship or outpost elects to relieve an officer of their duties for medical reasons, not even the Commanding Officer of that ship or outpost can overrule that decision. Doctors and nurses handle the physical health of the ship’s crew, while counsellors and psychiatric professionals handle the mental health aspect. Between them, regular physicals and assessments are made of all crew members to ensure everyone is at peak condition, and crew members are regularly encouraged to exercise according to their own personal routines. The medical staff also handle incoming emergency patients, and are able to enact protocols to close off large parts of the ship, such as cargo bays and shuttlebays, as additional triage or treatment centres if so needed.”

“Sounds like a position that needs somepony very level-headed. Because Twilight isn’t here to ask, what happens with regard to scientific research?” Celestia asked.

“While there is no Science department as such, each speciality has a team leader, and they all report to the ship’s Science Officer. The Science Officer manages the ship’s laboratories, ensures that the sensor arrays are properly maintained, and hands out rotas for access to the specialist sensor arrays for any departments that need it.”

Luna pondered. “While I think Twilight is well-suited to the task, I’d like her focused on being my second-in-command. I have heard good things about a former student of yours, Tia, by the name of ‘Moondancer’. I’d like to consider her for the role.”

“Very well, my sister. If we’re picking ponies like schoolyard hoofball, I want Rarity for Mission Control. She can provide clear instructions, has incredible attention to detail, and if I know her like I think I know her, she’d rather keep her hooves on terra firma. Kal, Dusk, you’ve been extremely informative, but I need to have a conversation with my sister on what our next steps are. If you’ll excuse us?”

Both holograms nodded, and they made their way out of the door. Celestis herself got out of her seat, and walked slowly to the windows, taking in the vista of Canterlot City before her. “So… where did this come from, Lulu?”

“I have been giving great thought to this. I knew that you would be comfortable handling the diplomatic situation on the ground… in truth, I seek respite from the duties I have been groomed my whole life for. On your desk, back at the castle, you will find a motion for the Privy Council to reconvene the Circle of the Night that you commissioned after my banishment to the moon.”

“Luna, you and I both know that this is-”

“-my duty. Yes, that is what I have been telling myself. Your brief stint using my powers only showed you a fraction of what I face every night. At first, I was not mentally prepared in the slightest for the horrors I would see as I carried out my charge; early in my life, I encountered the dreams of a young stallion. The more I observed his dream, the more I was convinced it was actually a nightmare. But, then I saw him; he was enjoying it. His mind was conjuring up imagery and sounds that, even now, are too horrifying to remember in great detail; and yet, there he was, getting excited almost to the point of arousal. I had to sit through that. All six hours of his dream cycle. Thinking back, I find no wonder that I succumbed to the darkness… the wonder is, in fact, why ponies were surprised that it happened at all in the first place.”

Celestia sighed, and extended a wing over her sister’s body, “I know... and you know how sorry I am that I did not see the warning signs until it was too late. Very well, my sister. If you seek this new challenge, I will not stand in your way. I will revive the Circle of the Night as you recommend… but there is one favour I’d like from you first.”

“Name it.” Luna added, without hesitation, freeing herself of her sister’s wing.

“Once Twilight has supervised the construction of the Ponyville Launch Facilities, I need you to supervise the construction of the Academy in Baltimare. I would see the town reborn as a shining beacon of learning, to guide all ponies to the stars, through knowledge and wisdom.”

“Very well. You should know that I intend to ask Tempest Shadow to become an instructor. From what Twilight has told me, she is quite formidable at getting others to do what she wants.”

“That will have to wait. I need Tempest for another task; I want you to ask her to seek out ponies far and wide across Equestria to join the Equestrian Space Fleet. I need ponies of all three tribes, from all walks of life, with a myriad of talents between them. I have no idea what we will encounter when we are ready, but I want us to have the best and the brightest ready for when we are ready… and while you’re at it, I want you to entrust Spike with the device the, uh, bigger Spike brought with him. Have him fly back to Ponyville with it, and have him entrust the device to Twilight for safe-keeping.”

“... hold on one moment. Spike already said that you had asked him to return the device to Twilight. He left for Ponyville an hour ago, sister.”

Celestia‘s expression turned to a mix of apprehension, anxiety and fear, the experienced ruler taking more than a few moments to compose herself. “I gave no such order. Luna, if what you say is true, I fear the machinations of another are at work here; seek out Spike and ensure that no harm befalls him on his errand.”

“At once, my sister.”

Celestia opened a draw in the desk they’d previously sat in, and removed a small device from it, with a strap attached. Using her magic, Celestia passed it to her sister. “Take this with you. It was salvage from one of the cargo bays on the ship. I have been told it is quite useful.”

Luna nodded, and made her way to the building’s exit. No sooner had the sun welcomed the alicorn outside, Luna immediately took to the skies, setting her destination straight for the new launch facility.

---

After enjoying the relatively short flight from Canterlot, Spike flew into the facility, the door opening immediately with its customary hiss. Adjusting his new utility belt upon landing, Spike began looking around. He spotted Twilight in the corner, seemingly engrossed with some plans.

“Hey, Twilight! I’ve got something for you, courtesy of Princess Celestia herself.” Spike smiled.

“That’s great! Come over here, will you?”

Spike started walking over when his nose noticed something; more specifically, it noticed the absence of something.

Spike had been Twilight’s assistant for many years, and had become well-accustomed to the scent that she, like everypony, leaves in any room she enters. Spike was sure that Twilight had been in the room at some point, but the scent wafting over from the pony in the room was different. More musky, with almost no fragrant scent to it, almost as if somepony went to extra effort to hide it.

Spike wasn’t sure who this pony was, but he was certain that this wasn’t Twilight. He hesitated moving any further forward, suddenly aware that he was in a great deal of danger; after all, if somepony can impersonate Twilight, they could impersonate anypony.

Was it really Princess Celestia who gave me this device? he thought to himself. Since he had no real answers to his own question, he focused on the task at hand; exposing who this phoney pony was. Silently, he unclipped a smaller, different device from his belt than the device he was entrusted with. That purple hologram pony said to use this if my life is ever in danger. If that isn’t Twilight over there, I think this qualifies.

“Spike! Get over here; I’m very busy, you know!” she demanded.

Spike took a deep breath, “... I don’t think so, faker.”

The pony in the corner couldn’t hide its shock, before reverting back to a more assertive tone. “... what did you just say to me?”

With more reluctance than he cared to admit, Spike aimed the device at Twilight and pressed the big red button on it with a claw. Instantly, a small beam of orange light struck the pony’s flank, and with a bright flash, the illusion that was Twilight Sparkle disintegrated completely. What replaced it was clearly an adult mare, with orange fur and purple hair, and while groggy, her expression was plainly identifiable as one of both anger and irritation. “You’re going to pay for that, you little runt. Hand over that thing, or things are going to get ugly.”

Spike stared for a moment at the mare before him. “I recognise that voice! Only you look older than her, and…”

“... I’m nothing like her. You got that?” Frustrated, the pony laboriously got back on all fours, flicking back strands of purple hair behind her ear. “I said, hand that thing over, twerp.”

“You really are nothing like her; the Scootaloo that I know would be horrified to see you impersonating somepony else. Twilight will be back soon, and I doubt she’d be too thrilled to stumble in here after I tell her what you’ve been up to.”

“You’re a fool. I already saw to it that Twilight was called away, long enough for me to complete my mission.” The adult Scootaloo was now visibly angry, although still mildly shaking from the effect of the weapon Spike used on her.

Spike looked down at the cylindrical teleportation device, before fixing his gaze back at his new adversary. “If this does what I think it does, you’re not getting your hooves on it.” Spike said, rather sternly.

Scootaloo didn’t need words to retort, having now gathered enough strength to use her wings to reach Spike far faster than her hooves were able to; with a swift kick, she knocked the weapon from Spike’s hand before he could activate it a second time, the small phaser flying across the room. While Scootaloo was guided by her training, Spike was met only by inexperience, a meeting punctuated by a swift second kick to his side that sent him flying with a howl of pain into a collection of equipment. The impact from the second kick had caused the teleporter to be freed from Spike’s grip, the cocky pony watching as it ricocheted off a wall.

Scootaloo had it within her sights. “Fuck yeah. It’s mine now, bitch.”

As it fell to the floor, the device began to roll across the room, the pegasus darting to claim it; as she neared her prize, a series of lights started flashing, and a series of slow, loud beeps could be heard emanating from it.

Scootaloo inspected the cryptic-looking device, but after carefully observing the flashing lights her expression changed from one of curiosity to one of sheer terror. Her survival instincts immediately kicked in, and she went straight for the giant glass door keeping them both from the outside world. The orange mare struggled against the mechanism, the door steadfastly refusing to open as it silently mocked her efforts, her struggles causing only impotent dents in the industrial-grade glasswork. “No, no, no, NO!” she screamed, as the device’s sequence reached its inevitable climax; as the device itself fell silent, an energy field bathed the room in an eerie pink glow, followed very shortly by the room’s two occupants completely disappearing from sight. The glow in the room dissipated as quickly as it had arrived, leaving the device itself motionless on the floor, a single red light blinking on its surface.

Looking down from the skylight above, Princess Luna was frozen in silent shock from seeing the events below her unfold. Gathering her senses, she immediately turned her attention to the device she got from her sister not long ago, strapped as it was around her wrist. She touched it with a hoof, and a display flickered into life across her arm.

“Greetings. I am EVA, your Enhanced Visual Assistant. Please state your inquiry, Princess Luna.”

Luna was somewhat taken aback. “Thou… thou knows who we are?”

“I am programmed to connect to my wearer and interface directly with their nervous system. For example, I am not actually talking aloud, I am instead talking within your brain, meaning only you can hear what I say. I have scanned your brain, and as a result, I possess all of your knowledge; I know everything that you know. In addition, I am equipped with a full suite of information, diagnostic, and communication functionality for optimal recon mission success.”

“We… see. If you know what we know, can you tell us where we can find an individual named Twilight Sparkle?”

“Based on your memories, you have described this individual.” A picture of Twilight Sparkle appeared on one of the screens across Luna’s arm. “This individual has been scanned by the device you know as ‘Progenitor’ including direct readings of their magical energies. Based on this information, we have judged their proximity at approximately two-thousand, three-hundred and seventy-two meters from your position. Preparing heads-up display.”

Luna’s eyes began registering a series of partially-translucent graphics moving across her vision. “Wh-What is this sorcery!?” she demanded.

“This software is standard operating protocol for shore parties and hazard teams. I am applying military-approved semi-transparent guidance graphics directly to the visual cortex of your brain; they have been calibrated for aiding crew members during numerous emergencies, including hostile meteorological conditions, search & rescue operations, and mission survival. The directional arrow indicates your target’s position relative to you, while the numbers to the right indicate their distance from you; the smaller the number, the closer they are to you.”

Apprehensive, but knowing that she needed to find Twilight, Luna once again made herself airborne, and began to follow the arrow to her quarry. For now, Luna pushed what she witnessed regarding Spike to the back of her mind, directing all of her attention on finding her friend.

Comments

[Kittamaru]

Woah, update!

[Octavias Melody]

9893264

I've actually had this in the works since the last chapter finished, but I wasn't happy with my initial draft. That said, the next chapter is currently underway with a solid idea, so let's see how that goes.

[dapple26]

1st. Good to see you back.