Where Nopony Has Ever Gone Before

by Bronycommander

Chapter 5 Old friends

Chapter 5: Old friends

As Wolf came to, she felt that her body was numb but there was a great pain in her body, but she was unable to scream.

Opening her eyes, her heart started to race as she realized that she was restrained on a table in an Assimilation Chamber, her body covered in Exo-plating, one eye, foreleg and wing replaced by cybernetics.

She could only move her eyes to look around. Pip and Noi were regenerating in alcoves, two of the unicorn fillies were working on her body, the third tipping on a console next to her. They all had one foreleg and eye replaced with cybernetics. Out of the corner of her eyes, the mare could see Midnight in another chamber, also restrained and covered in plating and cybernetics, having the same fate as her in "replacements." A now fully assimilated Fletcher was working in him, showing no remorse for the pain he caused his now former leader, assisted by the siblings.

Quick as light, thousands of voices speaking as one, filled her mind, the pegasus tried her best to resist it but it seemed in vain. A tear left her eye, not believing that she, her comrades and foals would suffer to live the rest of their lives like this.

"Wolf..." A strangely familiar voice echoed in her head, but she couldn't recognize it "Run..." Her vision flashed red as a sharp pain entered her head, causing her to scream and panic, letting out powerful storm magic. She breathed heavily as the pain stopped, holding her head, noticing that the storm had short-circuited the restrains and temporary deactivated the assimilated foals, as they fell lightly for- or backwards, their forelegs loose in the air. The chamber Midnight was in was protected by a force field, making it impossible to reach him.

As she looked over to him, Fray and the siblings stared at her but did not move or doing anything. "I promise...I'll come back for you." She said before moving through the corridors.

There has to be a way out and contact the Voyager! There has to be!

She thought in slight fear and panic as she tried to get to a console, but the corridors looked all the same, like a labyrinth. Yet, she encountered no drones on her way, which was a good sign for now.

---

On the Voyager, the crew waited patiently for the shuttle to return, yet grew slowly worried. “Anything from our guests yet?” The Captain asked her tactical officer.

“No, Captain.”

“Maybe they had trouble with the engines and are delayed.” Paris suspected.

“It’s possible but we should check on them, better safe than sorry,” Chakotay suggested with a slightly worried voice.

“I agree, Commander. Mister Paris, set a course.” Janeway ordered.

“Aye, Captain.”

And with that, the Voyager jumped to Warp to the last known position of the Prototype shuttle. “Tuvok, can you detect the shuttle?” She asked him as he did a scan.

“I detect a ship up ahead.”

“On screen.” Her expression was one of shock as he saw the ship was a Borg Cube. “Red alert! Take evasion action!” Captain Janeway knew at once that the knights and children must have been assimilated, yet they had to get up with a plan first to save them.

The Borg opened fire, the Voyager returned it as Paris tried to evade them as good as he could. “Direct hit to their shield emitters. No damage.” The Vulcan reported before the ship rumbled and sparks came out of the consoles. “Our forward shields are down. Direct hit to the port nacelle. We're venting plasma.”

With an expression of guilt, Janeway ordered, “Take us out of here now, Tom.”

Paris didn’t hesitate and the Federation ship went to Warp, leaving the knights and children behind.

“Captain, we must help them.” Her first officer said to her, his expression one of slight worry.

“I know, but we need to get up with a plan. What’s the status of the cube?”

“The propulsion system is damaged but regenerating. They'll be capable of transwarp in less than two hours.” The Tactical officer reported.

“Then we don’t have much time. We need to get the repairs done as fast as possible.”

Suddenly an alert went off and Tuvok tipped on his console. “A transwarp conduit just opened off our port bow. They're on an intercept course.”

“Evasive maneuvers. Battle stations.” The Captain quickly ordered before the Vulcan raised an eyebrow at the readings he received.

“They're hailing us. Only audio.”

“Starship Voyager, we've come to help you in the rescue.” A female voice said on the channel, and Janeway looked in surprise and confusion at Tuvok.

---

Darkness. There was nothing but Darkness as the two knights and the children opened their eyes. “Where are we? What…happened?” Ruby asked in fear.

“I don’t know.” Fletcher replied as slowly light came into their view, finding themselves in a chamber. “What is this place?”

“My personal chamber.” A female voice sounded out of nowhere. “I am the Borg. I am the beginning, the end, the one who is many.” It was eerie but somehow curious and human.

They all looked around in confusion before they heard the sound of a lift and saw how a humanoid female head and shoulders descended from the ceiling, locking into a cybernetic body that had come out of a lift in the ground.

The woman was pale as any other Borg, but had what looked like several cables in the back of her head, like it was her hair. Throughout, she had a look that sent a chill down their spines. Maybe it was her blank stare, maybe how the rest of her body seemed to refuse to move, but something about her looked...dead. Almost puppet-like. There was something about her that suggested this woman was but another vessel for whatever invisible force pulled the Borg, an imposing vessel to be sure, but like the rest of her kind, life didn't seem to touch her.

Dinky and her friends trembled in fear as she came closer with a neutral expression. “Don't be frightened. Stand up, let me look at you. Comply.” The woman said with a commanding, yet somewhat caring tone and they slowly stood up. None of the youngsters could tell why they did, they felt unease around this woman, she was scary in every aspect.

“We will not serve you.” Midnight looked at the woman with a stern expression.

“Me? There is no me. There is only us. One mind. We all originated from lesser species. I myself came from species one two five. But that's irrelevant now. We are Borg.” She countered calmly, like she had expected this answer.

“How could you hurt us? We did nothing to you.” Tootsie spoke up with fear.

“That's the last thing I want to do. I'm here to help you. All of you. Assimilate you.”

“A-assimilate?” Tungsten asked confused.

“Yes. But that's nothing to be afraid of. You like having friends, don't you?” The woman asked and the kids slowly nodded. “Assimilation turns us all into friends. In fact, it brings us so close together we can hear each other's thoughts. I was just about your age when I was assimilated. I was worried then, too. But when I began to hear the others, hear their thoughts, I wasn't afraid anymore.”

“Then, what is the purpose of all of this?” Midnight asked suspicious.

“By assimilating other beings into our collective, we are bringing them closer to perfection.”

“Perfection. If that is truly your goal, than why all the killing? The death of Günther. All of his crew!” Dinky exclaimed in disbelief.

“Human!” The woman said with disgust. “We used to be exactly like them. Flawed, weak, organic, but we evolved to include the synthetic. Now we use both to attain perfection.”

“Like hurting our fellow friends?” Midnight asked with a slight hint of anger.

“We did no such thing. We gave them perfection. And with you, we can give it to Equestria too.”

“Did you really think we would surrender to you so easily? You wouldn’t stand a chance against pony kind!” Fletcher exclaimed confident and the woman just grinned as Pip gulped.

“You must be tired. It's time to regenerate. We've adapted alcoves just for you. Go. It will help order your thoughts. When your cycle is complete we will continue our conversation.” And in the moment she finished, everything became black again.

---

Wolf ran aimlessly through the corridors, yet was hoped there was a way out before she was stopped by a force field. “No, no, no!” She yelled in panic as a group of drones came from the other side. “It can’t end that way!”

The Pegasus looked frantically around as the drones came closer, was that really the end?

Had she failed?

As she blinked, the drones were suddenly gone, but she was in the same corridor as before. “Calm down, White Wolf, you are safe now.” The same familiar voice said and out of the corner of her eye, she saw two ponies walking toward her and she recognized them.

“Domino! Saracen!” She said happy, then stopped and held her throat as her voice sounded gravelly.

“You've been given a subvocal processor.” Saracen explained and as she looked at him, she also noticed her vision was altered. Warped, as if stretched, and dimmed of light and color. Something about the sight made her feel almost...dead...Like somepony who'd died with their eyes wide-open.

“How did you…” Domino held her hoof up to cut her off.

“We explain later, right now we have to save our friends.”

Wolf nodded, hoping it was not too late.

Domino then opened a channel to Janeway. “Captain, we might have an idea how to save them?”

“I’m all ears.”

“Do you remember how Picard was saved?”

“Yes, I do. His crew cut the link. But there was a high risking of losing him.” Janeway replied with concern.

“Don’t worry, Captain, we already thought of a safe method.” The Earth pony assured.

---

Once again, Midnight, Fletcher and the kids found themselves with the woman again as they opened their eyes. “Good morning.” She greeted in a neutral voice.

“We won’t help you in your goals.” Midnight’s expression was stern but the woman stayed neutral

“We're planning to deploy a new mode of assimilation designed for highly resistant species. You will be of great use regardless of your willingness.”

“Our knowledge is insufficient.” Fletcher quickly replied.

“Your knowledge for the target species is invaluable.” The woman countered and all quickly realized what she meant.

“We will not destroy our home!” Blau yelled with anger.

“I have no intention. We wish only to improve quality of life.” The woman countered calmly before an alert sounded and a screen showed the Voyager. “Captain, I expected a new tactic from you.” She commented unimpressed but all children started to smile.

Help was on the way.

---

“Our emitters are fully charged.” Doming reported and turned to Saracen. “Match their shield modulations and fire.”

“You got it.” He pressed the fire button and their ship fire it’s phasers, the Voyager came in with torpedoes, yet it seemed to have little to no effect, with the cube returning fire.

The voyager tried to locate the assimilated knights and children. “I can’t penetrate their shields.” Tuvok said to Janeway.

“Voyager to Domino. Status?”

“Patience, Captain. They're trying to remodulate their secondary shield grid.” The mare replied as some sparks came out of a nearby console, causing the ship to rumble, and she smiled as she saw the readings of the cube. “Shields in sub-grid forty two are destabilizing. Target that section.”

The unicorn did as told and fired, having the intended effect. “Their shields are down.”

“Excellent! Wolf, It’s time.”

White Wolf nodded and all three beamed on board of the Borg Cube, they were lucky. Just at the end of the corridor were their assimilated friends.

With her quick speed, Wolf passed through the children in a flash, knocking them out with a hypospray, Saracren walked towards Fletcher, blocking an attempted strike and injected him with a hypospray too. Domino blocked Midnight’s strike by grabbing his arm and pinched his neck, he struggled but became tired and fell unconscious too. Then she gently lifted him up with Wolf, Saracen did the same with Fletcher, using his magic to pick up the children and beamed out.

As the holograms of the assimilated knights and children disappeared, the woman took a deep breath, closing her eyes. “Initiate self-destruct.”

In response, the Borg Cube exploded and the ships got caught in the shockwave of it, rumbling a bit but were otherwise undamaged.

Wolf watched with worry as they arrived in the sickbay, seeing her friends were still unconscious. Suddenly they all snapped their eyes open and screamed in pain before panting in exhaustion.

“How do you feel?” Wolf asked Midnight, who was holding his head but managed to smile.

“Almost like a pony again. With just a bit of a headache.” Fletcher and the children nodded to tell the same.

“Good. Now, let’s allow the doctor to get those implants out of you.” Saracen replied with a happy smile.

“Nothing better than that.” Dinky added, slightly wavering.

---

It took the Doctor only a very short time to remove most of the Borg implants, the now de-assimilated knights and children woke up. Dinky looked at herself and the others, their skins had only traces of the pale gray coloration; it was mostly now a shade within the usual range of their respective colors and freed from the plating, their manes slowly growing back, Katja was back in her clothes again. But she noticed they all had still their cybernetics.

Still, she got a good look on the cutie marks of Domino and Saracen. The mare had the build of Fleur-de-Lis, but with a black and white coat and mane, her organic eye was fuchsia, her cutie mark was a checkerboard.

Saracen resembled the Saddle Arabian ponies she had seen before in Ponyville in build, his coat was dark blood-red with a long, dark-gold mane, an emerald-green eye and a unicorn horn that curved like an antelope and Cutie Mark was a gold scorpion.

Fletcher had told her and her friends before about the two, being also Eternal Knights that went missing some time ago, with Saracen being a very close friend. “Thank you.” She managed to say with a weakened voice.

“It’s nothing, Dinky, we just helped you, as you helped us.” Domino replied with a weak smile, she had a Trottingham accent.

“W-what do you mean?” Katja asked confused.

“Well, when we got assimilated, a small part of us was still left, resisting. When we shared your memories, we managed to break free from the collective.”

“I see…Still, why do we have still the cybernetics?” The filly wondered as the doctor entered.

“Ah, you’re awake, good. And to answer your question, while the medical data of you allowed me to remove most of the implants, the inner implants, such as the cortical node located on the brain can’t be safely removed without serve damage, even for a skilled Surgeon like me and the replaced body parts aren’t replaceable. I’m terribly sorry. But you should try to rest for now.”

Dinky stared at what she had just heard, her young friends did the same. “…Okay…” She and the other children then slowly made their way to their quarters, leaving the knights for themselves.

Midnight sighed. “I’m glad it’s over, but Equestria is still in danger of being invaded by the Borg, they know our tactics with our knowledge.” He sounded scared but Saracen held up his cybernetic foreleg.

“Don’t worry about that. When we isolated you from the collective, we also triggered a small self-made virus that deleted all knowledge of Equestria. And we also managed to collect your weapons, as well as the collected data of the prototype for the Voyager.”

The bat pony grinned. “Good thinking, your skills in strategy were perfect, as always.”

“Was there ever any doubt?” The mare asked with a grin of her own.

“Then, can you tell us how you ended up as Borg?” Fletcher asked and Domino took the word again.

“Frankly, we both can’t remember what exactly caused us to end up on the Borg ship, but I guess something went wrong during the fight with Cascadius.”

---

“Ugh…what just happened? Where are we?” She asked as she came to, looking around, finding herself in a metal corridor, barely able to see anything, except the eerie viridian glow of rows of small lights on the walls. Also, she felt warm air, being heavy.

“I don’t know.” Saracen replied and they both started to walk, seeing something on the way they never thought would we see.

Humans. They were only a myth in Equestria. But they had were bald, covered in grey armor and cybernetics, sleeping in what looked like upright beds.

“I don’t like this a bit.” The mare commented before one of those humans “Woke up”, walking towards her and she raised her weapon, a sword with a sheath that was a gigantic hammer.

“Wait!” Saracen held her back, and she noticed how the human walked past her as if she wasn’t there at all. “They appear to ignore us until we are a threat.”

Domino raised an eyebrow. “How did you…”

“Just a feeling and guess.” He replied and moved on until they came to what looked like a force field, blocking the next entrance. “This force field appears to be generated by a nearby generator. If we destroy it, it should deactivate the force field.” The unicorn concluded after having examined it and his comrade looked at a generator with a green node, swinging her sword at it.

The moment it exploded, the force-field vanished. “There you go. Now let’s-“ She couldn’t finish as a group of those human “woke up”, walking towards them.

In response, Saracen attacked with his signature weapon, a whip made of dragon-bone, hitting one of the humans who fell sparking to the ground. His partner managed to take down another one.

“Watch out!” The Trottingham mare warned as one of the humans appeared in a green flash behind the stallion but it was too late. Out of the wrist came a pair of needles coming out of its wrist and stabbed the Saddle Arabian into the neck. Saracen groaned in pain and tried to stay awake, but passed out and Domino saw how he fell to the floor, his skin becoming grey, deforming. “No!”

She yelled, only to feel how another human grabbed her from behind, she struggled before feeling a slight stabbing pain in her neck. Within seconds, her entire body was in pain, like it was cramping, and she slowly passed out.

---

“How long were you in the collective? Over 1000 years passed back home since you went missing.” Fletcher pointed out.

Domino put her hoof to her chin. “Two years if I remember correctly. Time seems to pass way faster in Equestria.”

“You sure all the changes in Equestria are not too much for you?” Midnight asked slightly concerned.

“Not at all. Just like the Borg,” Domino replied before she and Saracen switched to a monotone voice as one, “we will adapt.”

Slightly scared, Midnight then asked, “Are you really disconnected and yourself again?”

Domino started to grin. “Yes, we're just playing with ya.”

“There’s nothing wrong about a little humor. And I’m proud of you how you volunteered to get Dinky home, and it’s nice to see you became her uncle.” Saracen smiled. “If I had been there, I’d have come with you.”

“I know.” Fray lowered his head in embarrassment.”

“By the way, had Project Horizons also drones of us?” Domino asked and Fletcher thought for a moment.

No, if I remember correctly, our creator hadn’t the idea of you two yet at the time.”

“Still, it’s fascinating how these soldiers could process being cyborgs with only the brain left. I don’t know if I could take it.” Domino shivered at the thought.

“Me too, But I’m sure my wife would still be there for me.” Saracen added before faint crying sounded in their ears.

“Mama…Papa…I miss you…” It was Dinky’s voice that echoed in their head and they all five decided to look after the children.

It broke their hearts to see all looking out of the window, sobbing. “You will see your family soon, Dinky.” Fletcher gave a comforting hug.

“It isn’t really that…” The filly sad though her tears and looked at her replaced leg, then wiped a tear of her of still organic eye. “Are we forced to live the rest of our lives like this? Can…can our families and friends take what happened to us?” She asked with a very sad voice.

“I’m sure they will, Dinky. And that the regenerative magic can restore what was lost.” Domino’s voice sounded in their heads and they all looked at her in confusion. “I forgot to tell, while we disconnected you from the Collective, we are still linked to each other. A Sub-Collective so to speak but we can block if we need some privacy.” Domino explained with a guilty expression.

“A little side-effect we hadn’t thought of in the hectic of planning.” Saracen added.

There was silence for a moment before Dinky broke it. “…Okay…”

Then the doorbell rang and Midnight said, “Enter.”

Naomi walked in, together with a woman and four other children. “Hello. I’m glad you’re back safe and sound. Me and Seven thought it would be good for you to meet someone who has been through the same experience you.”

Seven was wearing a unique silver cat suit, having blond hair and blue eyes. The knight and their young friends hadn’t met her in person, only having been told by Naomi about her, having been a Borg drone the Voyager crew had saved. Only a curving attachment over her left eye socket hinted that she used to be a Borg drone.

“I’d like to stay, but me and Seven have to find a way to get you home.” Naomi said and the woman added,

“We will work as efficient as possible.” Then they both walked out.

The girl, having the same eye and hair color as Naomi, walked up to Dinky, stretching her hand out. “Hello, I’m Mezoti.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” Dinky shook her hand with her hoof as one of the boys walked forward. He had also blue eyes and blond hair, but had the same thorns as Naomi, wearing blue shirt and brown overalls.

“I am Azan and this is my brother Rebi. “Rebi was identical to his brother, except he wore a red shirt and blue overalls.

“And I am Icheb.” The third boy introduced himself, he was taller than the other children, his eyes were green, the hair brown, having the same curving attachment over his left eye. His nose was also noticeable long.”

“Hello. I assume you were also assimilated?” Dinky concluded and he nodded.

“Yes. The Borg cube we were on, had…suffered a malfunction, killing every drone onboard save for us. The Voyager noticed the drifting cube and picked us up.” He explained with slight unease in his voice.

“I see. I take it not unease, not knowing what happened to your parents and friends.”

No, it wasn’t. But we are here to help you. I heard you play cards?” Icheb asked and Dinky slowly grinned.

“Yep!”

And so, the kids played together, having fun, forgetting about their implants, the knights played a round of poker instead, also enjoying themselves.,

Eventually, it became late and the children became tired and dinned, with Pip asking Domino and Saracen, “Where do you sleep?”

“Well, due to our implants, we have to regenerate using the alcoves on our ship. Unfortunately, the same applies to you.” Domino replied with regret in her voice.

Confused, the little colt titled his head. “And how does that work?”

“Let us show you.” Saracen said as they beamed over and they found themselves in front of a line of platforms with green disc large at the top of every platform. “Step in, stand upright, facing outwards. It begins as soon as the connection with the station is made.”

The children did as told. The moment they faced outwards the connection was made, and they all heard an almost unnoticeable powering up sound, and suddenly felt tired, closing their eyes.

“Sweet dreams.” Fletcher whispered before he and his fellow knights did the same.

---

The sheen of the cut crystal glass caught the sunlight, glinting as the silent, solemn-faced attendant poured the decanter of Ghoran blue gin into the ornate tumbler.

Trade King Groat wrapped his hoof around the glass without a smile, taking care not to let anypony on the ship see him slip a vial of laudanum into the glass to better ensure a temporary relief from the pain in his rotting gums. The sugar, alcohol and drug trades around the Campibbean had done wonders for his purse but carnage to his teeth. Ordinarily, he would wear his dentures of porcelain but after his last venture with; Groat’s scarred lips twisted with hatred at the thought; that stallion, they were lost to him.

He took a lip of liquor and relaxed himself, confident that what he took from his nemesis today would mean infinitely more to him than his teeth. He stood in his black jacket and towering top hat and surveyed the ship, every officer aboard the IGS Doloire rigidly standing to attention. Before the mast was the prisoner.

Teensie Tott knelt with her hooves bound, staring up at the Trade King without any sign of fear. Her normally pretty face was screwed up with contempt.

Groat didn’t mind admitting that, were she more obliging, he’d take every opportunity enjoy her company. But her current lack of obligations, and the punishment thereof, was worth a great deal more.

“Now then.” he said, his voice hoarse and gravelly despite its refined tone “Seeing as this may well be the last time we talk, have we made some effort to change our minds, Miss Tott?”

The unicorn mare raised an eyebrow.

“None at all, Mr. Groat. And if this is indeed the last time we’ll meet, I would only be too relieved.”

Groat made an effort to hide his impatience.

“Why must you be so cooperative?” he paced around the prisoner “All it takes is a word to me, which in turn will bring that word to my inner circle. Your father won’t refuse you, he never has. And Granport Totty and the cosy island of Hamaica will prosper with the Elite Industrial Guild beside its neighbors.”

“My father always told me all gifts from Elite Industrial Guild are as poisoned as the smoke rising from their foundries.” Teensie snapped “The Tott family will not see a little more money reason enough to trade the ponies of Hamaica into slavery.”

“Define ‘ponies’.” Groat checked the soles of his hoof in tedium “Your father has broken the law. Ordering citizens of Trottingham and its colonies to relinquish their possessions without compensation is not highly thought of. Our pardon and the return of the property he has discarded would save his life.”

Teensie’s amber eyes bore into Groat’s as she barked out the words her father had taught her.

“Zebra! Aren’t! Property!”

Groat and some of the officers beside him gave small chuckles.

“Now, who on earth told you that?” he chortled “Really, Miss. There’s nothing to it. All we need, for now, is your word. I am sure, over time, you will come to see us as the ponies who...really know what’s best for Trottingham...and Equestria.”

There was a pause.

Teensie gave a small smile.

“Goodness.” she sighed “I used to think you were mad, Groat. I was wrong.” She leaned forward, her prim, pretty face keen with resolve.

“You’re just bloody stupid.”

The smile on Groat’s face disappeared. Ordinarily she would have struck her but his free hoof was still holding his gin glass.

“You take advantage of my generosity, it seems. Not a wise move.” He stamped his hoof as officers hauled her by the shoulders onto a raft suspended by ropes above the water.

Groat signalled as a great cast-iron monstrosity was wheeled up on deck. A coal-black cannon of immense size, its length more than half the length of the battleship itself and its width so great a pony could walk down in. The newest creation from the hellish Trottingham Grandworks.

“The Lucratorius.” Groat said, giving it a tap that echoed through its mouth “You will have the honor of testing the device...Not as an operator, mind you, but as a target, but the part you’ll play will be just as important. I only hope that sea-vermin that somehow enamored himself with you keeps it together sufficiently when he finds your pieces scattered across the shoreline.”

“Don’t be too sure.” Teensie replied with a bold look as the raft she knelt upon was lowered onto the waves. The sea was rough this afternoon and she soon drifted almost two fathoms away from the Doloire, staring as the Lucratorius was set, monstrous metallic churns, clanks and rumbles loud even from where she was. She noticed the flame catching the cannon’s wick.

Though there was another sound. The lookouts were trying to yell over the cacophony of the cannon, the loudspeakers giving a brazen holler as they spoke from within their pod-like observation seat, protected from the toxic smog belched out of the enormous funnels from the ship’s engine.

“Hoy! Portside! Black sails!”

Aboard the Doloire, Groat gave a glance to the left. The dim outline of a ship approached, silhouetted in the low sun. As Groat tried to focus his eyes, there was a short thumping sound and a puff of smoke before them.

Groat’s eyes bulged.

With a growing hiss and a sudden slam, a cannonball shot out from portside and ricocheted of the Lucratorius, snapping one of its supports. With a tinny shriek, the enormous cannon swerved, one of the side wheels breaking. It slammed to the ground pointing diagonally, facing the funnels. Guild officers, marines and deckhands panicked en masse and dived for cover.

Groat dropped his gin glass.

The explosion was colossal. The Lucratorius’s massive hail of shot ripped through the funnels, shattered the lookout posts and swatched the ship in smoke. Coughing and spluttering, Groat found his hooves and grabbed an officer.

“What is the meaning of this?!” he screamed.

“Sir, we’re...” the officer gulped “We’re taking fire!”

“Ohhhhhh! I had no bloody idea!” the irate Trade King roared, slugging the officer across the face and scrambling up to the aft deck, grabbing a telescope off another officer and looking out.

A fully-rigged battleship glided into view, its decks teeming with ponies, zebra, griffons and other beasts from every corner of the globe. Beside a flag depicting a dancing winged, hippocampus skeleton dancing below a crescent moon, the figure of a rugged pinto in the billowy dapper garb of a buccaneer, giving Groat a mocking salute.

The Trade King ground his teeth or what little remained of them, and growled.

“Not him again!”

Atop the mast, the Captain tensed his neck as Glosswell, the young spoonbill griffon tossed him a rope and shook her head with cackle.

“I used to think you were a fool, cap’n. I was wrong...You’re just bloody mad!”

“And proud of it.” The Captain’s eye’s gleamed as he jumped.

Swinging over a clear fathom, hoping the rope would support, the pirate captain arched across the waters straight toward the raft.

Teensie Tott rose and shut her eyes.

Carried off her hooves, she heard the crew of the Calico Queen let up a cheer. As she found solid wooden floor beneath her again, she looked into the wolfish eyes of the Captain with a smile.

“Not your most impressive entrance, sir.”

“Heh.” the Captain chuckled “Glad to see your captivity did nothing to quench your wit, milady.”

“The crew await yer orders, cap’n.” Grampus, the portly first mate beckoned.

The Captain leered at the IGS Doloire, the Trade King aboard it trying to be heard over the din.

He looked out at his crew, standing ready, and yelled.

“Fire away!”

---

“…Pip, time to wake up…” The voice of Domino sounded and the little colt opened his eye.

“Ah, good morning.” He said with a smile, realized it had been a dream.

As they prepared to beam over to the Voyager, he and the others heard Fletcher mumble, “I guess this is how Scotch Tape felt about regenerating…”

While breakfasting, Midnight remembered something. “I saw no other drones on your ship, who’s in control when you are not on it?” He asked his two friends.

“Well, when we regained our individuality, it created a shock throughout all drones on the ship, killing them all.” Saracen explained with regret in his voice. “So we designed an Autopilot, indirectly controlled by our minds.”

“Sounds like a smart idea.”

The Earth pony mare than looked at the pinto-colt with a warm smile. “I saw your dream, you like pirates?”

“Yes, why?” He asked.

“Because, I used to be a pirate myself.” She replied with a grin and Pip’s eye sparkled.

“Really?” He asked in surprise and awe.

“Yes, during the golden age of Piracy to be exact. So I thought what about you and me, living out your fantasy on the holodeck?”

“I’d love too!” Pip exclaimed in glee and both walked out, with the others looked with smiles after them.

“I can tell they will be good friends.” Saracen commented.

“I think so too. If you don’t mind me asking, as you are married, are you also father?” Dinky asked, catching the stallion by surprise.

“Well, me and Varada didn’t feel ready for that during the years. But maybe, this changes once we are back home.” He replied with a weak smile.

“I’m sure you will be a great father.” Dinky added with smile as they looked after Pip and Domino.

The simulation showed both sailing a ship through the sea, the mare let out a evil cackle, pointing at Pip. “You are a pirate!”

“Hand the black flag at the end of the Mast!” Pip yelled happily, “A pirate’s life for me! We’re sailing away. Adventure waits on every shore. We set sail and explore. And run and jump at day!”

“We float on our boat. Until it’s time to drop the anchor. Then hang up our coats. Until we sail again!” Domino continued as the others watched with smiles as the two walked out, Pip giggled.

“That was fun!”

“Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Pip. Now, I’ll join you shortly in your quarter.” With that, the little colt scampered off, and Domino added with a smile of her own, “That’s gotta be the best pirate I’ve ever seen.”

“So it would seem.” Saracen nodded.

A few days later, they all enjoyed a chocolate cake made by Neelix. It was of cuboid form, decorated with upright chocolate bars to resemble sails and a pirate ship, they all enjoyed it to the fullest.

“Is it weird that I miss wearing glasses?” Tungsten asked into the round. “I know the eyepiece make glasses unnecessary but still, it feels strange.”

“It’s natural, given you never experienced something as this.” The piebald mare pointed out. “And the eyepiece has its perks. Like this.”

Her laser pointer pointed at Fletcher’s head, then went down to his chest, with the stallion looking at it in surprise, then became slightly irritated. “I don’t know what you’re staring at, but I don’t like it. Just be careful where you point.” He warned as the children suppressed giggles, with Domino grinning.

“What? Can’t take a little humor?” Then she used her cybernetic leg to drag Saracen away by pushing him by the chest, he struggled in vain, causing the kids to giggle again, even Midnight and Wolf couldn’t suppress it.

“I really missed your humor, Domino.” Midnight chuckled. “Has Seven found a way yet?”

“Yes she has. You see, the green portal that sucked you in was actually a transwarp conduit by the Borg, They wanted to send out a scout to see if Equestria is worthy of assimilation as years passed. As we still resisted, we tried to sabotage it and succeeded in a malfunction, which unfortunately you became victim of.” The Earth pony told with regret and Noi’s expression become one of guilt.

“Does…does that mean we are to blame for the death of Günther and his crew?”

In response, the dark blood-red held up his hoof. “No. The log says the Gabilan was supposed to travel to earth for leave by the time you landed on it, it was just bad luck with the Ferengi. But now, we should get the transwarp conduit up and running. We’ll see you on the other side.”

“Alright.” Midnight replied as Saracen and Domino left for their ship, while he and the others went to the bridge.

“We are engaging the transwarp conduit now.” Domino informed on the coms.

“Understood, our engineer will assist with the main deflector.” Janeway acknowledged and they all, saw how a big green portal appeared in front of the two ships.

“Alright, here goes nothing.” Tom mumbled as he steered the Voyager into the green corridor.

While there was only a green-white color to see, it was just as fascinating as the normal Warp Jump, both ships rumbled a bit but otherwise it went smoothly.

“Is…Is this home?” Tootsie asked as a planet with a blue and white color was on the screen in the distance.

“Yes, it is.” Dinky smiled, glad to be finally home.”

“Luna, we are back.” Midnight spoke to himself with a grin.

“Varada, sweetheart, I’m coming home.” Saracen added in their minds.

They all looked at their home planet with smiles, knowing they would be home soon

Out of the corner of her eye, Wolf noticed how the ship of her two fellow knights had strangely faint sparks of lighting around the hull.

“Guys, everything okay over there?”

“Just a small malfunction, nothing to worry about.” Domino replied in her mind.

“I hope you are right.” Wolf was slightly worried.

“Don’t worry, we have it under control.” Saracen assured her.

Still, the lighting slowly increased, becoming almost like a thunderstorm.

“Captain, the power matric of the Borg probe is highly unstable.” Tuvok reported and Janeway asked on the coms,

“What’s going on over there?”

“It appears the conduit had an undesirable side effect but I think I can fix it.” Saracen’s voice sounded as he took a look at the transwarp coil. “The magnetic interlocks have been ruptured. I...” An explosion interrupted him and the coil started to hiss. “Coolant leak! We're one minute from a warp core breach. There's nothing I can do.” He reported.

“Copy that. Mister Paris, get us to a safe distance.” Janeway ordered after the unicorn and Earth pony had beamed on board an arrived on the bridge, the kids watched the Borg ship with worry.

“Engaging impulse engines.”

“Core breach in progress.” Tuvok added shortly as the Voyager was only a short distance away and the Borg probe exploded, catching the Federation ship in the shockwave, throwing everyone over.

“Primary stabilizers off-line. Engaging secondary systems.” The computer informed.

“Report!” Chakotay yelled

“Helm controls are off-line!” Tom replied and the eyes of all ponies and children went wide as they realized the ship was hurtling towards the planet.

“Oooooooh curd!” All knights exclaimed in unison as the ship entered the atmosphere and was hurling towards a desert like area.

“I have rerouted auxiliary power to the lateral thrusters. I'm attempting to level our descent.” Tom said as his Captain warned,

“All hands, brace for impact!”

The impact was very strong, the children screamed as they got thrown around, the ship was sliding through the sand before coming eventually to a halt.

Fletcher, after seeing it was over, slowly raised his hoof into the air. “Another happy landing.”

Then everything went black.