The six astronauts, having spent the morning undergoing a battery of medical tests, sat in Cape Friendship’s cafeteria, eating lunch.
“Cherries again??” Starlight Glimmer asked as Cherry Berry, last of the group, walked over to the table, tray in her teeth.
“Cherries still,” Cherry replied as soon as she set the tray down. The meal, indeed, was the Cherry Berry Special, a combination Cherry had apparently ordered often enough before the last flight of Amicitas that it had been permanently added to the cafeteria menu. Diced cherry salad, cherry omelet, cherry torte, lime gelatin with cherries, and cherry leaf tea. This fit the pattern of the period since splashdown on Equus, with Cherry Berry ordering any and every cherry option on the menu wherever they went, if cherries were to be had at all.
“I hate to say it,” Mark said cautiously, “but if you keep this up, you might begin to feel about cherries the same way you feel about hay and potatoes.”
“Blasphemy,” Cherry said, and plunged her muzzle into the fruit salad.
“I am ready,” the ESA flight surgeon reported, “to give the results of today’s tests.”
The audience sat at a conference table, all three of them. On one end, Twilight Sparkle; on the other end, Chrysalis; and in the middle, Celestia, present as the eldest of the alicorn princesses and, as such, the highest ranking ruler of Equestria.
The doctor flipped a page on his clipboard. “All the subjects have suffered significant bone and muscle atrophy compared to pre-flight tests where available,” he said. “Messages relayed from Mr. Watney’s world through the Angel Eighteen probe have given us enough basic information to make an educated guess about his bone and muscle status prior to his launch. However, substantial recovery has already occurred, along with rapid strengthening of immune systems. All subjects are improving and expected to improve over time.
“This is most notable in the cases of prolonged magic deficiency. As you recall, all our people showed signs, from significant levels in the pony crew to serious in Fireball’s case to near-fatal in Dragonfly’s. Symptoms in the pony crew members included faded coats, cutie magic atrophy, and in two cases a minor decrease in racial magic talents. Starlight Glimmer is the exception, in that her spellcasting skills have actually strengthened to the point that she is having to learn how to channel less magic.”
Flipping another page, the doctor continued, “On to individual cases. Starlight Glimmer is the least affected by magic deficiency, probably due to her frequent channeling of raw mana as described in her preliminary report. The break in her right forelimb is completely healed, with a minor deformity which can be corrected without surgery with the assistance of a competent alchemist. However, her muscular atrophy is the greatest of the three ponies, and I would recommend therapy and a strength training program before any return to space flight.”
Another page flipped. “Major Spitfire is a worse case. Although her magic deficiency symptoms were the worst of the three ponies, they pale by comparison to her physical ailments. Her lung capacity has increased somewhat since her first post-return examination, but it still lags behind her pre-flight norms, and there are some indications of scarring inside her lungs. She’s lost significant bone and muscle mass. She no longer shows any outward signs of altitude or depressurization sickness, but I would regard her as in potential danger of a relapse for another three months at least. Given the nature of her injuries I would recommend a prolonged treatment plan and an indefinite removal from the flight list, except that the major has already resigned from the astronaut service and requested the reactivation of her EUP commission.”
Flip. “Cherry Berry is the least concern of the crew. Her symptoms of magic deficiency have almost totally vanished. She’s regained significant muscle mass. Bone mass lags, but if we can get her to eat something besides cherries that may change.”
“Yeah, good luck with that,” Chrysalis muttered.
“Our sole concern with her at this point is psychological,” the doctor continued. “She is one of two crew members who consistently performs below pre-flight norms on mental acuity tests. For that reason I recommend, at the very least, a leave of absence from the space program and recommendations for therapy. On strictly physical terms, she could fly tomorrow.”
Flip. “Fireball has suffered more significant magic deficiency symptoms. His natural strength, endurance, and resistance to damage as a dragon are all markedly reduced. He also has a minor mineral deficiency- he hasn’t had any gold in over a year- which is being corrected. But as one of two crew members who suffered no major injuries aside from environmental effects during his experience, I limit my recommendation to temporary removal from flight status. This, again, is academic, since Fireball has also resigned from the astronaut corps.”
Yet another flip. “This brings us to Dragonfly.”
Chrysalis leaned forward over the table.
“Dragonfly’s symptoms of magic deficiency, per se, have reduced rapidly since her return,” the doctor said. “However, the secondary effects on her body left by those symptoms are slow to heal. She’s still down ten percent off her pre-flight weight and shows massive reduction in stamina and strength. She shows the worst drop in mental acuity of the group, which is disturbing, because her scores were second only to Starlight Glimmer’s pre-launch. It’s too early to tell,” he continued, turning to the last page on his clipboard, “but my recommendation is, barring more positive signs in future examinations, that Dragonfly be permanently debarred from future flight status.”
“She’ll fly again,” Chrysalis muttered. “Watch and see.”
Looking at the last page, the doctor said, “Finally, the alien, Mark Watney. Our judgment is uncertain where it comes to the human. We found some cracks in his rib cage in our first examination, on Concordia, and again during quarantine. Those have responded well to treatment. Based upon the past two weeks, we can suppose with some certainty that we have no immediately lethal diseases which he might transmit to his people once returned. We already assume no truly dangerous microbes have made the transit in the other direction. He shows no ill effects from direct exposure to high magic levels.
“But even with the, I admit, limited information given us by his own doctors on his homeworld, we simply cannot make a firm judgment as to his fitness to fly.” The doctor slipped the clipboard into a saddlebag and said, “But based on his experiences visiting our world, I believe it is safe enough for him to have one more launch… to send him back where he belongs. And that, I personally feel, is safest for his long-term health.”
“I see,” Celestia said. “A few questions, if I may.”
“Proceed,” the doctor said.
“How much credence do you put in Starlight Glimmer’s theory that their home planet, which is as full of life as our own, sustains a strong enough magic field for our long-term health?”
The doctor shuffled his hooves. “It’s entirely possible,” he said. “But not proven. We would have to send some astronauts and observe conditions personally to be sure.”
“Very well. Could you indulge me in a hypothetical?”
“Certainly, Your Highness.”
“Suppose that Amicitas had landed with no operating magic batteries at all. None. Yet, despite that, the crew found some way to grow crops and meet all the other requirements of survival.” Celestia steepled her forehooves together on the tabletop, gesturing with them towards the doctor. “Based on the data we have, how long would they have survived? In what condition?”
“Hmmmm…” The doctor sat back on his haunches and considered. “The data we have is, of course, incomplete, lacks a control, and is muddied by the exposures to stored magic the crew gave themselves. But…” He waved a hoof decisively. “Dragonfly would likely have been dead within eighteen months, probably sooner, even given no use of stored magic. Fireball would have begun a slow wasting after about two years, I think, with death within three. The time frame is too uncertain for the ponies, but I would postulate a possible loss of cutie marks within two years and a permanent loss of magic abilities after three to five years.” With one final hoof gesture, he said, “All of this, of course, is conjecture.”
“We understand, doctor,” Celestia said. “Now for my final question. What portion of the damage suffered is truly irreversible- and would be for any other astronauts?”
“It would depend entirely on the pony,” the doctor said. “Cherry Berry and Starlight Glimmer, who suffered the least deprivation, appear to be making full recoveries. Spitfire has medical issues unrelated to the situation that make her example unreliable. And a final judgment on Fireball will have to be made by my great-grandchildren. The only one I’m even close to certain suffered permanent injury is Dragonfly.”
“And for all your training, you are not a changeling healer,” Chrysalis challenged.
“Indeed I am not… Your Majesty,” the doctor admitted. “But I have consulted with a couple, and their diagnosis aligns with mine where Dragonfly is concerned.”
“Very well.” Celestia nodded to a guard, who wordlessly opened the conference room door. “Thank you for your report, doctor. We will be in touch.”
As soon as the door shut behind the pony doctor, Twilight turned to look at the other two. “You heard him!” she said. “Worst case scenario, months or years! And that’s only if there’s no magic at all! If Earth has a magic field, then ponies can survive there just as easily as Mr. Watney does here!”
“I am not risking my subjects,” Chrysalis replied hotly, “on maybe! Or did you not also notice that permanent injury and death hits changelings first? No. Too dangerous.”
Celestia sighed. “I agree with Chrysalis,” she said. “I’m sorry, Twilight, but we just got our friends back. And any new ponies we send in their stead will face the same dangers.”
She bowed her head, closing her eyes as she continued, “And if the dangers are real, then what happens? According to Mr. Watney, it would take his people months to launch a craft that could return our ponies to us, under the best conditions. These are months they might not have.” When she opened her eyes again, the gentle warmth that normally filled them had been driven out by cold determination. “I cannot accept that risk to my ponies, Twilight- the risk that they again might be in deadly peril where none of us could help.”
“But…” Twilight sighed, nodding defeat. “It would be so much simpler if Starswirl would just teach me the enchantment he used to make…” She looked at Chrysalis, who was staring back with unmasked curiosity, and changed what she had been going to say to, “… a certain legendary artifact that would solve the problem.”
Chrysalis snorted at the obvious cover-up, but said nothing else.
“Then I believe we are agreed,” Celestia said. “I’m afraid it will be hard news for them. They have grown close.”
“Let me tell them,” Chrysalis said.
The two alicorn princesses gave her a Look.
“What?” Chrysalis asked. “I can do tact. I just generally choose not to.” She turned her own eyes away and muttered, “Besides, I owe that stink-monkey something.”
“What is the time frame?” Celestia asked Twilight.
“Not immediately,” Twilight said. “We can begin preparations for a return to Concordia two weeks from now. But there’s a couple of other necessary tasks we need to complete first.” Her hoof touched a row of narrow rosewood boxes, lined in silk, each holding a carefully laquered shaft of wood. “And repayment to make for all Mark’s people did for ours.”
The explanation took several minutes, with Celestia doing most of the talking and Starlight running the new translation spell so Mark wouldn’t miss anything. The facts were made plain: health, mental condition, logistics, the known dangers, the unknowns.
When the words ran out, five jaws sagged open. Only Mark Watney appeared unsurprised, though his own face wore an expression of sadness to match the shock on the others’.
Cherry Berry was the first to speak, and she wrapped up all the group’s questions in her first word:
“Goodbye?”
So they’re not going to get to go to earth anytime soon or at all? Lame.
So... what's the over/under on of them (or Twilight herself) stowing away with Mark? My money is on Twilight.
We need people to do sequel.
Comment section, begin the process
No goodbye is ever permanent. Because I have a feeling this isnt the end.
Time to go home.
9229741 No, I intended to show a visit to the CSP version of the changeling hive (plus a castle under construction). There would have been comments about the much less spectacular but still beautiful crystal caves under the Badlands. But with all the other vignettes, I lost track of it.
9229823
Mark gets stuck on the Mun.... Not the Moon, or Equestria's Moon... The Mun?
Anyone else hearing the farewell message from the end of the first run of Toonami?
9229823 At least wait for the story itself to end. Also, I have enough first/second contact stories on my books already:
Life of Lyra
The Embassy (unpublished)
Harry Potter and the Crystal Empire (unpublished)
Scootatwo (unpublished)
I think I'll leave unofficial sequels to this for somepony else.
(Though I fully intend to read the good ones.)
Expected result...
But damn man, not only was this a brutal shot to the feels, it practically kills off ANY options for anybody to do a sequel unless something changes in the next three chapters
The question is not whether Celestia and Chrysalis are willing to take the risk. The question is whether or not Fireball, Cherry Berry, Starlight Glimmer, Spitfire, and Dragonfly are willing to take the risk. It is the choice of the crew, not Celestia and Chrysalis.
And I've been wondering if some kind of Ubernet/Maginet would be possible. Perhaps constant travelling isn't possible, but what about some sort of cross-dimensional internet? It would allow constant communication between both sides, and at least let the crew to stay in contact with each other.
Then they could DnD online, or play modern video games.
Awwwww
9229820 Or Flurry. She seems to have made such an art-form, and could create a lovely interdimensional incident.
9229833
Why so many unpublished works?
9229843 In progress. In regards to the Harry Potter crossover, it hasn't reached a point at which there is enough pone in it to be published. The Embassy probably has, but I don't have some cover art for that yet. And the Scootatwo story... okay, I'm just being lazy there.
9229823
I got seven open stories, one unpublished but in the works, anlther sequel concept that is an embreyo, and another that I am actually pissed off at myself at for thinking about but can't go anywhere with...
That's being said, IF ENOUGH (over 50) like this reply I will do a sequel (with Kris' permission) about Mark's time on Eques
And so we come to the other great theme of the source material—administrators making decisions in good faith to minimize risk, while failing to account for the ability of those that would actually be exposed to said risk to work the problems as they arise and achieve the desired result. Or, put another way, to decide not to do the right thing because they are afraid to allow others to judge and take the risk.
This may sound like a criticism of Teddy; it's not. I have no idea how such decisions could or should be made in the real world, other than to err on the side of trying to do what's right and consult with all involved parties when practicable.
TL:DR — Space is dangerous.
They're space pirates. You can't keep them away from Earth if you tried.
I am crying right now. That "Goodbye?" Really hit me hard.
Please let it happen that they somehow find a way to talk or be with each other
I'm sure Twilight could have spotted the flaw in this argument. Give them some months, then. Prepare a rocket so that the moment the pony delegates arrive, they have a ticket home waiting. If something bad happens, launch them and let Concordia pick them up.
This is hardly rocket science!
9229849
Yes please!
I'm still waiting to see what's going to happen with Groot; I'm hoping that Mark'll be able to take a cutting with him back to earth.
9229895
Sandstorm means pressing the thumbs-up button. I'm ambivalent myself.
Bullshit goodbye!
Chrysalis! Celestia! Stop being a bunch of pussies!
...THE END IS NOT THE END IS NOT THE END IS NOT THE END IS NOT THE END IS NOT...
9229919
2/50... Good luck getting the rest
9229891
There are a lot of flaws in the argument Chrysalis and Celestia are making. Doubly so when you consider that they've based their entire space program up to this point on accurately assessing the risks of a situation and then promptly ignoring them.
I thought the ponies already decided dimensional travel was too risky? That it would be rescue and never again after one of the previous chapters that dealt with the dimensions the probes visited (what chapter was that?)
9229936 Stanley? Is that you?
Why not throw up a Space station with a Sparkle Drive that can flip between the universes; let 'em live in Earth orbit for few days, a week, a month, etc. slowly increasing the time until they determine if/when a general problem timetable can be established. Earthlings can come visit as well. We've got the ISS, I'm sure they can build something, especially if we flip them some plans and maybe some tech (whether or not to do it based upon arbitrary fears of magical invasion, not withstanding). I can't imagine that being in orbit of Earth wouldn't be close enough to generate SOME magic influence on a space station.
Eh, I figure they would be able to establish some type of reasonable "permanent" visitation plan within a year or two. I.e. how long is too long.
As far as going to the planet, just don't do that until the Earthlings can come up with something reasonably reliable that can get off the pad consistently..... (it's 203X, by now I would freaking hope they would have come up with some plan to replace the damn Space Shuttle!) Besides, if it means that humans and ponies can't mix until humans fix their end of things, it will get done sooner or later. All the greedy humans who want to know more about what we can exploit from the pony-homeworld will help come up with a good solution. Remember, money makes the world go 'round.
Her hoof touched a row of narrow rosewood boxes, lined in silk, each holding a carefully laquered shaft of wood.
Grats, Mark. You're a wizard. They're wands. (just kidding)
Wondering just how powerful Starlight is now. Add in the power she'd get from the emotonal response of never seeing Mark again. Maybe create a portal to Earth herself.....
SG: Never see each other again!!??? I don't think so!
BAM
Gateway to Earth.
That's just... dumb. If 3 ponies, a changeling, a dragon, and a human, plus a hundred plants can produce enough magic for the equestrians to survive on Mars, in extremely high stress and hostile conditions for years, the Earth, with 8(?) billion humans and an entire biosphere should produce enough magic for a couple of months. And even then CSA's production time is so insane they could design, build, and launch a descent/ascent craft that uses Concordia as a mothership, purely electric systems, and chemical engines that we NASA or whomever can refuel. And even then what's to stop ESA from landing a probe on Earth and using that as a beacon to hop straight from one world to the other Fringe style?
Are the Equestrians going to give the other astronauts a ride home?
9229919
Got It, you'll have to excuse me, I'm old!
Well so much for the ponies making permanate friends with earth. So much for the princess of friendship throwing her weight around and talking a good game at celestia. Astronauts job is risk. So is an astroponies. Discord should help twilight out after all he would enjoy humans so much.
Chrysalis doesn't want to meet humans and maybe borrow a couple of world-domination-helping technologies, like nuclear weapons? I'd say our favourite evil bug queen got replaced by changeling... oh, right
9229968
Or transplant the whole fucking planet so it was like a "sister" to Eques
Bone mass lags, but if we can get her to eat something besides cherries that may change.”
Just add the cherry milkshake with extra cream and double whey protein powder, as the drink to the Cherry Berry Special. Boom, problem solved.
I could see the Equestrians go the same way the aliens did in "No Need For Tenchi".
Giant space going magical trees.
I agree with many people in the comments that there is no way a visit is impossible. Still, this is gonna hurt.
9229958
They decided that random exploration was too dangerous. This is traveling to a known destination.
Besides, if nothing else, they'll want Earth's computer tech -it will save them decades of R+D.
I'd send an unmared probe to test mana use + recharge rate.
That ending feels like bait. There just seems to be too many solutions to the problem. There's no apparent reason they couldn't just literally send hundreds of mana batteries and a greenhouse with any expedition.
Hell, they could just send one battery with mark and then ask him if the gauge registers anything when he lands.
I'm curious to read the interaction between Chrysalis and Mark. I'm sure she's grateful for the return of Dragonfly, but refuses to show it publically.
There is going to be at least one more trip to Earth, They promised to return Earth's Astronaught.
9229891
A few things to add:
9230077 Not to mention sending over a pile of fully charged batteries so that anypony they send (and I'd assume earth pony, since Cherry has survived the best out of them) would have enough magic to tide them over.
Celestia's reluctance I can happily accept, but Chrysalis doesn't seem like the type to argue this vehemently against. She has been not just firing ponies and changelings into space willy-nilly since CSP started, but she has ridden the shaped charges changelings call rockets several times herself.
A thought occurs to me. Changeling Space Program was a crossover of the TV show My Little Pony with the game Kerbal Space Program; The Maretian added a crossover with the The Martian - the book more than the film. So any further sequels would need to fold in another crossover. And since we've had a TV show, a video game and a book/movie, what better source for the next story than board games?
Here are some ideas:
Monopoly
Contact between worlds spawns all manner of new technologies. Corporations are in a race to patent them before their rivals, with the biggest spoils going to those who can monopolise a market sector. Some of them are even willing to break the law. Will they get caught; and does somebody that rich have a get out of jail free card?
Catan
Humans and ponies return to Mars, intent on settling it. Rival teams work to claim the water, crystals, energy and crops resources needed to build a lasting colony.
Werewolf
A ship is stranded in deep space, and accusations start flying. Is one of the crew really a changeling in disguise?
Scrabble
Learning the pony tongue is hard, as Mark discovered. Can he get the right syllables in the right order without spelling something objectionable?
Pandemic
Though ponies are largely immune to it, the blue flu begins spreading across the Earth. A team of Equestrian scientists struggles to contain the infection before it can mutate into something more dangerous.
A suggestion of a variation on the life support crystal/transfer technology...since air and water can be transferred using Equestria powered crystals, then a tiny airflow both ways can probably be set up to pass on (speech) vibrations that can be amplified at either end, similar to string in tin can tech. Send a few prototypes back with Mark. At least then there could be voice communication and even some old style 14.4 modem data transfer. Sufficient to transfer GIFs and JPEGs even? Low magic proof, long distance instantaneous communication??