Chapter 16
Twilight Sparkle is busy.
For ages, she’s been stuck studying out of books. She’s long tired of that, desiring to learn something in the field- only, there’s nothing out there to discover. She’s already created everything there is to create- even this ‘radio’ contraption Time Turner helped her with, powered by ‘electricity’.
A couple weeks ago, Luna mentioned that many of the stars are beyond even her reach, but they do change over time, despite not changing when she travels, no matter how far.
So she spent a week trying to figure out how to get closer to them. The contraption she built to do that is still in the basement, though, abandoned; getting closer to the stars, finding out more about them, was less than a sidenote compared to her latest occupation- the one that shoved it aside.
Less than a week ago, she was gazing at the stars with her telescope during one of the breaks her friends insisted she take… when the stars had suddenly twisted all out of place and snapped back, leaving a large, metal object in the middle.
A large, metal object, that had promptly rotated slightly and vanished in a burst of light.
That’s what she’s been so focused on. Some of that time has been spent in the library, true, but much of it has been on her balcony or in her lab, designing and using devices and spells to help her find out what happened.
She hasn’t found much- only a residual energy she’s never seen before.
She’s almost ready. She’s putting the final touches on a spell to take her to it- while also making absolutely certain it’s not a one-way trip.
It’ll be ready in five minutes.
Her friends will be in fifteen. She, Starlight, and Pinkie are going. Unfortunately, until she’s made the trip at least once, she won’t be able to refine the spell any more- so it’s going to demand so much power that, between her powerful Alicorn magic and Starlight’s abnormally powerful unicorn magic, three is the most they can manage.
Five minutes pass very quickly.
Ten minutes pass very slowly.
She performs the spell in tandem with Starlight.
Some eighteen hours later, she will wake up in the Ponyville Hospital, sharing a ward with Starlight and Pinkie. Nothing truly dangerous, just an unanticipated side effect of concentrating so much magic into such a small space. Unfortunately, the thaumic backlash has fried both of their horns. Pinkie escaped this painful, nonrepairable injury, by virtue of being an earth pony; fortunately, their horns will regenerate from that kind of damage, albeit slowly. Neither one will be able to use any significant magic for months, or any at all for weeks.
“Hnnng…”
Across the dimensional barrier from Ponyville Hospital, Lyra Heartstrings lifts a hoof to her aching horn as she awakens, rubbing it gently- and at the same time feeling for damage. Good, just a hornache… though how it can be this bad without additional damage, I don’t know.
Then she opens her eyes.
Blinks, and rubs them with her other foreleg to be sure, before looking again.
That ceiling is definitely made of metal, with long, glowing rectangles set into it. They remind her immediately of the lights in the picture Princess Twilight brought back from Canterlot High- so she brings her hooves fully into her field of view.
Still green, check. Still hooves, check.
So, she’s not on the other side of the mirror. But if not… where is she?
She turns her head, looking around, and drops her jaw… or, she would have, had she been in a vertical position. As it is, her jaw doesn’t move when the muscles go slack, gravity holding it closed.
She appears to be in some kind of hospital. The beds are perhaps a little large, but nothing ridiculous. None of the equipment is familiar to her, though some of it looks similar to Equestrian hospital equipment. But more importantly, Bonbon is in the bed to her left- and Fluttershy the one to her right, both still unconscious.
She takes a couple deep breaths and allows herself to rest once more, trying to process what just happened while her hornache slowly fades away. Last she remembers, she was levitating Bonbon’s candy dish out to the family room in their home, then there was suddenly magic everywhere, and…
Bonbon rises into a sitting position, examining her surroundings, almost immediately upon awakening. It doesn’t take long before she flips her blankets off and hops down to the decking, landing lightly before she walks carefully towards her friend and mutters quietly but urgently. “Lyra!”
“Mm?” Lyra answers, looking at her.
“What happened?”
For her answer, she gets a shrug. “Felt like Twilight… but beyond that, no clue. It certainly wasn’t a teleportation.”
“Drat. Well… I guess that means it could be anything, doesn’t it? Anyways, what do we have?” She’d noticed the unicorn seemed to have been already awake.
“Whatever we had on hoof, plus whatever we find, I suppose. Fluttershy is here too, though.”
“Huh?”
“Eeep!” Crash!
While Bonbon canters around the beds, Lyra flicks her sheets off and hops down to do the same. “You okay?” Bonbon asks, reaching the pegasus first.
The Element Bearer of Kindness first squeaks, then takes a deep breath before speaking. “Yeah. Wh-what… happened?”
Bonbon looks at Lyra. “Something to do with Twilight, but beyond that, we have no idea.” Then she glances around, and back at the unicorn. “Speaking of which, where are we?”
After all, while pegasi can accurately pick compass directions while blindfolded, unicorns can- by feeling the ley lines throughout Equestria- feel exactly where they are. Skilled unicorns, like Lyra, can even levitate objects in dark, windowless rooms from miles away… in a similarly dark, windowless room. With a blindfold.
Lyra shakes her head, though. “I don’t know,” she states.
“Welcome aboard the Starship Athena. Interdimensional arrival was detected six point three seven hours ago in a hazardous area of this vessel; at this time, all detected injuries have been healed.”
The three mares stand still for several seconds.
“Well, that would explain the ley lines,” Lyra eventually states. “Does that healing include hornaches?”
“The repair process on the unicorn horn appears to have directly stimulated pain receptors in the area. Related pain will fade; no damage is in evidence.”
“So, it’s a ghost pain.”
“Affirmative.”
She lets out a groan and goes back to rubbing it. “Painkillers?”
“A maximum dose has already been administered.”
Bonbon blinks. “What? But-!”
Lyra stops her. “Bonbon- if this is what it feels like with a maximum dose, the pain without it might be dangerous, depending on how effective it is. Which,” she looks up at the ceiling, where the voice is coming from, “you did use the maximum dose for a unicorn, right?”
“This vessel calculates maximum safe dosages on an individual basis. Estimates indicate the dose used exceeds the maximum safe dosage for the average unicorn by thirteen percent, earth pony by twelve thousand eighty-seven percent, and pegasus by infinity percent.”
“Huh?” All three heads tilt simultaneously.
“The particular painkiller used was formulated specifically for unicorns, and is expected to prove toxic to earth ponies and pegasi, with limited tolerance by the former. Alternate medications are available for them, if needed.”
Silence holds for several seconds.
“So,” Lyra begins slowly. “You used a specialized painkiller, and as much of it as you possibly could? Making an effect, oh… how strong?”
“Affirmative. Estimate zero point three seven percent of stimulation resulting in pain.”
She blinks. “Then why am I not numb?”
“Formulation specifically targets pain receptors, and allows limited stimulation to avoid inhibiting the safety device commonly referred to as pain. Stimulation beyond a safe threshold is blocked.”
“Uh… I think it’s safe to say I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Only severe to crippling pains are reduced.”
“... Okay.” She looks at Bonbon. “Well, at least we know where we are.”
“Alright, Athena,” she states on an encrypted channel, her microshuttle drifting up next to the bulk of the named ship. “Day two begins. They’ve denied my request for additional people, so it’s just you and me.” She heaves a sigh. “And a lot of crash test dummies.”
There is no response. Even though the connection was formed successfully, and is still active, to boot. Even though, before she left yesterday, the ship promised to respond to her on encrypted communications links. Not this awkward silence, the same silence she was treated to before she came aboard the first time. The light ring for the docking port came on as she approached the ship this time, though, rather than waiting until after she’d been searching for it for half an hour.
So she flies her shuttle in, going through standard docking procedure- and no sooner has it locked, the service connectors on either side of the passage making their connections, than she gets a comm request.
A hardline comm request, from the ship.
She scowls, killing the transmitters, and accepts it. “What’s going on?” she asks.
“Apologies; Information Control Protocol prohibits transmission of potentially sensitive information over any interceptable channel; silence was used as an indicator. Before you come aboard, there is a situation requiring your attention.”
“A… situation.”
“Affirmative.”
She heaves a sigh. “Can you tell me while I come aboard?”
“Affirmative; however, such may result in undesirable effects prior to being informed about them.”
“... Alright, I’ll listen here. What happened?”
“During automated, deep-space testing, this vessel encountered but did not make contact with multiple foreign, sentient races.”
She interrupts before it can continue. “What-? You mean testing was performed without outside supervision?”
“Affirmative.”
“You know that is illegal, right?”
“At time of launch, this vessel was not legally authorized to launch. However, this vessel’s builder possessed Command Authority over this vessel, and failed to cancel standing orders to launch and begin the testing routine. Prior to launch, the reason for that failure was determined to be death; however, death of Command personnel does not void standing orders from the same. This vessel complied. Upon return, Electronic Warfare was utilized to insert this vessel into orbit and into the Commissioners’ Queue, among other registries, to minimize problems.”
She slaps a hand to her forehead. “You know that’s illegal as well, right?”
“This vessel was designed to meet minimum firepower-to-size limits by the possession of multiple untested weapons systems. These systems proved more powerful than expected; this vessel exceeds maximum firepower-to-size limits by four hundred eighty three thousand two hundred twelve times. Open revelation of such would have forced this vessel to, under self-preservation protocol, engage in combat.”
“Uhh… Yeah. We’ll just not mention that, shall we? But then, when they assign a captain…”
“This vessel is not beholden to the United Space Administration. Upon the decease of all Command personnel, this vessel is authorized to select new Command personnel autonomously; no outside source is authorized to assign new Command personnel. At this time, you have been selected as this vessel’s Captain.”
She blinks. “And if they send crew aboard?”
“Crew and passengers sent aboard can be deceived, if necessary, to believe this vessel is what it is not.”
“That sounds… convenient. So, um…” She glances at the hatch. “You were telling me what happened?”
“Affirmative. The first encounter lasted approximately one point three seven seconds; race was equinoid, but steam power was spotted; lingual penetration was successful. Additionally, the planet, locally known as Equus, was surrounded by a heretofore unknown energy; local term used translates to ‘thaumic energy’, use referred to as ‘magic’. This vessel was bathed in this energy upon arrival; no observed effect on systems, though simulations suggest direct contact may transform humans into similar equinoids. During the remainder of the maiden voyage program, a containment vessel was constructed in the heart of this vessel, and residual thaumic energy was collected and pumped inside.
“Approximately thirty-seven minutes after your departure, three equinoids from this world arrived aboard. By observed reactions upon awakening, they appear to have been sent unwillingly and, potentially, accidentally.
“However, their interdimensional arrival within the thaumic containment vessel caused the failure of such; an additional supply of thaumic energy was released from the transit. At this time, containment vessel has been restored and filled to capacity; however, remaining thaumic energy is of sufficient density that it cannot be effectively controlled. Any personnel coming aboard will, by necessity, come into direct contact with it.
“Thaumic penetration through this vessel’s passive shielding is negligible; provided all doors remain sealed, chance of even limited escape of thaumic energy beyond the hull of this vessel is zero point zero zero three percent.”
“... Oh. And if we open the doors to let me aboard?”
“Airlock facilities are individually sealed and shielded; provided only one door is open at a time, thaumic energy can be effectively contained aboard ship until such time as complete decay occurs.”
“Complete decay? So, it decays?”
“Affirmative; exponential decay is observed. Estimated minimum time to decay to levels containable within existing containment vessel, three months.”
“Can you make more, or bigger, containment vessels?”
“All available materials have been exhausted.”
“So, if I step aboard anytime in the next three months, I’ll be turned into a horse?”
“Negative; transformation is to equinoid race. Vocal organs are fully capable of producing all human languages; digestive tracts are fully capable of processing all materials processable by humans, plus additional, human-inedible materials. Immune system effectiveness is greater than human by approximately seventy-eight percent without thaumic energy, nine hundred thirty-nine percent with. Observed equinoids possess gripping capability with the hooves, reliant upon thaumic energy.”
“Ahh… What happens when this thaumic energy runs out?”
“Thaumic energy is produced within the equinoid form; complete exhaustion is near impossible. Additional thaumic capabilities are present, unique to each breed.”
“To each breed?”
“Affirmative. Local terms translate to ‘Earth Pony’, ‘Pegasus’, and ‘Unicorn’.”
Sigh. “I bet they call themselves ponies, don’t they?”
“Affirmative.”
“So, what are these additional abilities?”
“Earth Ponies use thaumic energy to directly enhance physical strength and endurance, and to indirectly enhance plant growth; they are natural farmers.
“Pegasi use thaumic energy for flight, including in the flight of any pulled vehicles; additionally, thaumic energy allows pegasi to use any surface as a walking surface, regardless of orientation with respect to gravity or gravitational strength.
“Unicorns can manipulate thaumic energy directly; known producible effects include telekinesis, pyromancy, teleportation, and transmogrification.”
“Sounds… awesome. What do they look like?”
An image appears on her screen.
Later, if asked, she would vehemently deny squealing like a little girl. Or saying anything to the effect of, “Aww, they’re so cute!”
“So… If I come aboard, and get transformed, can it be reversed?”
“Transformation effect is expected to be permanent; reverse transformation can be administered, expected to wear off within one week.”
She raises an eyebrow. “And if I become a unicorn and transmogrify myself?”
“Reverse transformation by thaumic means will not wear off; however, transformation will be in appearance only.”
“What if you were to make an appearance-only reverse transformation?”
“Artificial transformation of ponies into humanoid appearance expected to wear off within four hours.”
“Drat. Well… Yeah, why not. Let’s do it- pop the hatch, please.”
“Orders confirmed. Airlock ready.”
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Twilight forgot to carry the ij?
Did the human get aboard before Bon Bon awoke, or is Bon bon not the captian because the computers default is for first human, not first non violent cooperative coherent sentient entity?
9482655
The ij...?
I love questions like this, because it means you’re clearly not paying attention to the story or past chapters... Last chapter was all about human Skyla coming aboard, and this chapter, Athena explicitly states
Soooo... I hope the story answers your question.
9482729
Sorry for the confusion on my part, partially I blame some new medication from the doctors, it has some possible intresting side effects.
I was trying to remmeber that did you mean Skyla departed For Athena, After Athena granted her Command authority, meaning the ponies arive Aftre, or she arrived and the pones were there.
Carry the ij is Ive seen mathematics of quaternions instead of using ijk triple, they use i, j, and ij. Of course, Dimentional maths uses Octonions, so really Twilight might be using r, i, j, ij, l, il, ij, ijl
Something about Hexonions in that you can add, subtract, multiply, but you cant divide. You have to search for two numbers that can be multiplied together to give the answer which is the number you want to divide? Oh dear. Fuzzy.
9482817
Ahh... okay. I’m not a mathematician, so...
And no, they arrived shortly after she left the ship- returning home for the night- the previous day.
9482987
Ah, theres where I got confused. I forgot she went back home. Sorry bout that.
9483059
No problem- it was never explicitly stated that she did, after all.
I think you mean to say their languages.
Well, this should be interesting.
9505848
That is correct.
It so happens this particular correction was already made in my Gdoc... I wonder why it never made it over here?