Horse Play

by Alden MacManx

Chapter Seven

The first few days of the cluster check went by smoothly. No reports from the border sentries, and they checked the nearest six star systems without finding any habitable worlds. Chief Lovell, after an hour’s work with Twilight, came up with emergency ‘suit charms’ for the ponies to wear, which will provide life support in case of accident or hostile environments for about fifteen minutes. Design was underway, with Rarity’s help, to make better space suits for the ponies to wear for longer-term space walks.

The seventh star system they visited did have a habitable planet- cold, dry, with an orange sun and three moons, the biggest one in a close orbit and two smaller ones farther out. The air was breathable, and there was life to be found, mostly plant life, but insects and lizard life was also present. “Captain, is it possible for us to go down and check out that planet for ourselves?” Twilight Sparkle asked once the preliminary surveys were done.

“I do not see any reason why not, Twilight,” Captain Somers replied. “However, there are certain protocols we follow when checking out a new planet. First of all, a strict quarantine will be in place until it is proven that no hostile pathogens are present. That means this will be a good chance to see if your environment suits will work as advertised.

“Second, nobody goes alone. That means each person down will have a buddy along, and no one gets out of sight of their buddy, and vice versa. I don’t like recovering bodies.

“Third, every suit will have a Teltrans locator beacon turned on and worn at all times. If trouble should occur, request for beam out immediately and we’ll put things together later.

“Fourth, cutter crews stay with the cutters, period. The cutters will be prepared for immediate launch at all times. In case of trouble, call out and head back to the cutter. That also means if the recall is sounded, drop what you’re doing and get back to the cutter.

“Think you and yours can agree to that, Princess Twilight? It’s your safety we are worried about.”

Twilight nodded. “Understood, Captain. When do we go down?”

“Have your friends report to the cutter Invergordon in two hours time, WITH your suits. Commander Sardon will be in charge of the away mission, so take your orders from him. I will remain in orbit, monitoring. This will be just a quick mission to take samples and do a biomonitor check. However, it gives you ponies a chance to walk on a strange planet for the first time,” Jamie said with a smile.

“Well, not exactly…” Twilight said, rubbing the back of her head with a forehoof. “I’ve been to a different world before, using a magic mirror. I can explain that to you later, if you would like.”

“That would be a good idea, Princess. Now, gather up your friends and brief them in. Cutter Bay Five in two hours. Don’t be late!” Jamie cautioned before going back to his paperwork.

“Yes, Captain!” Twilight said, saluting smartly with a wing before heading out of the Captain’s office.

Two hours later, the cutters Invergordon and Dysart slid out of their docking bays and headed down to the new planet, which had been given the provisional name of Cold Hearth. In the Invergordon, the ponies (and one little dragon) were getting their suits checked out under the critical eye of Master Gunnery Sergeant Mudd.

“Okay, your suits are good for four hours of life support. Since we’re only staying down for two, you should be safe in that respect. Exercise caution that you don’t catch or tear your suits on anything, because the fabric may be tough, it is NOT invulnerable,” Gunny Mudd cautioned the ponies.

“Seeing as I sewed them, I know they are very tough indeed, Master Gunnery Sergeant,” Rarity said, looking up at the Marine.

“Ya did a good job at it, I have to say,” Gunny Mudd replied. “Now, let’s practice putting the helmets on and taking them off.” That took twenty minutes before Gunny Mudd was satisfied with their performance.

The Invergordon landed in a shallow rocky depression, with a stream going into it from a small cave in the rock wall on one side and pooling in the center. Once the ship’s drives had gone to idle, Gunny Mudd released several drones to hover over the landing site. “Okay, ponies and dragon, you may now go outside and look about. Take samples if you wish, just make sure they are securely sealed in your sample cases before returning aboard. When I sound the recall, you drop what you are doing and report back to the cutter. No excuses. Got it?” she told the ponies, using every bit of her experience in training neophytes. Her glare would make a timber wolf think twice. It worked.

“We understand, Master Gunnery Sergeant,” Twilight said, glancing around at her friends to make sure they understood. Spike was under Twilight, grasping her forelegs, avoiding Gunny Mudd’s glare. Even Rainbow Dash was impressed, having gone from her usual hover to landing when she was looked at.

“Okay, then,” Gunny Mudd growled as she first glanced around to make sure the rest of her squad was suited up. “Put your helmets on and I’ll open the airlock.” Quickly, seven helmets were emplaced and locked down. After a quick look and a nod of approval, she pressed the button that opened the side door of the cutter. “All yours, Princess Twilight.”

Cautiously, Twilight went down the ramp to the end of it, looking at the greenish-blue mosslike substance that carpeted the ground. She tapped at the moss with a suited hoof, then stepped out onto it. “Today, ponies first set hoof on a new… RAINBOW DASH, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” she shouted as Rainbow Dash took off, flew around to be in front of Twilight, and started making faces at her!

Dash was joined by Pinkie Pie, who bounded out from behind Twilight onto the springy moss. “Wow! This moss has a lot of bounce to it! Maybe we can take some back to Ponyville and build a bouncy castle out of it!” Pinkie shouted gleefully.

Twilight’s teeth ground audibly for a second or two before she snapped out, “Girls! Behave! This is a serious scientific expedition here, not a place to clown around yet!” Immediately, Rainbow Dash landed and Pinkie Pie stopped her bouncing around. The two ponies stood next to each other, wearing innocent expressions that didn’t fool anypony.

“We only have two hours here, so let’s make the most of them, okay?” Applejack suggested. She wanted this done and over with so she could put her hat back on.

“Good idea, AJ,” Twilight said. “Pinkie, Dash, you go one way. Rarity, Applejack, you go another way, Spike and Fluttershy, you’re with me.” The three groups headed out, looking at the alien world.

Gunny Mudd stood in the open hatch of the cutter, watching the ponies explore the depression. Twilight headed for the stream and pool, Spike and Fluttershy in her wake. Off to the right, Rarity and Applejack were looking at the stream and its surroundings, while Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash made for the cave where the stream issued from. The rest of her half-squad fanned out, alert for trouble.

Connie Mudd may be a career Marine sergeant, but she did have her hobbies, one of which is geology. She took her love of gemology and expanded on it. She looked at the rocks scattered about, and the cave the stream issued out of. After about ten seconds, two things hit her at once. One, the rocks scattered in the depression did NOT have any moss on them, and they seemed to have been sprayed in a pattern from the cave. Connie went to the nearest piece of rock to the cutter and looked at it closer. It was sharp, clean and unoxidized.

“Pinkie! Dash! Stay away from the cave!” Master Gunnery Sergeant Mudd said in her best command voice. “Sirrath, Tomkins, break out the analyzer and check the cave out! Briscoe, deep scan on the cavern and surroundings!”

Pinkie and Rainbow both stopped in mid-motion, turning to look at the Gunny. “What’s going on, Sergeant Mudd?” Twilight asked.

“There may be something in the cave, Princess Twilight. These rocks here are freshly scattered. What threw them out?” Sergeant Mudd replied.

The two privates brought the analyzer out of the cutter and set it up, antennae pointed to the cave mouth. As they started their scan, Briscoe reported from the cutter. “Gunny, there is something in that there cave that should not be there.”

“Thank you, Briscoe. Is there enough room to move around in there?”

“Sure is, Gunny. Just be careful, okay?”

“You got it, Briscoe. Holloway, Takahashi, with me, weapons ready!” Gunny barked. The two troopers, who were wearing heavy armored suits, headed for the cave while Gunny stopped at the analyzer to look at the readout. “Hmmm… Princess Twilight, keep your friends away from the direct line of the cave mouth until I say it is safe to come near. In fact, all of you, put the cutter between yourselves and the cave mouth.”

“Will do, Sergeant Mudd. You heard her, everypony, back behind the cutter!” Twilight ordered. Swiftly, the six ponies and one dragon did so, Rainbow Dash flying up so she could see over the cutter at what was going on.

“Okay, let’s go in!” Sergeant Mudd declared before doing so, the two privates trailing her, weapons drawn.

Author's Note:

First Landing on a new world for the ponies. What will they find?

Comments

[harts fire]

ok yep what code go wrong ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,go wrong,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,go wrong.

ok who is holding the leash for Pinkie and Dash.
this is going to be fun times for all or will it?