Equestria has witnessed centuries of rapid technological advancement during Twilight's rule. Innovations in the production and integration of magic has led to countless improvements in the quality and efficiency of life in Equestria, and enabling ponies to finally touch the stars and new worlds. However, with the rise of more and more energy-heavy processes and a stagnation in development regarding the extraction of energy, Twilight turns to the biggest and final step in energy extraction: a dyson sphere: a massive device that would surround the sun and allow virtually all the energy released through nuclear fusion to be harnessed by Equestria.
Two former princesses have some concerns.
Written as an entry for the Science Fiction Contest III.
That's an abrupt ending. Or maybe it's just me. I still like the story at least.
I have to agree with the princesses; use the Penrose process on a black hole instead. Or make a Dyson sphere that doesn't completely encompass the sun, just a partial one of orbiting mirrors to focus the light. (I've not read the fic yet; this is based on the image and desc)
This story strikes me with an interesting tone. It's ... solemn? It's rare for a story - particularly a sci-fi story - to have a solemn tone without delving into true sadness. This one's solemn, but leaning toward the happier end of the scale. I don't think I've often been struck by a feeling of "pride"(?) at progress at the same time as solemness for what used to be. Very interesting tone, and a fascinating glimpse into what seems like a somewhat unique take on future-Equestria.
Fallout: Equestria depressed me at the loss of the Equestria we're familiar with, but this story makes me nostalgic for the Equestria we're familiar with. I sympathize with Celestia and Luna in that regard.
... I appreciate the good-naturedness of this story. The princesses aren't here to disparage Twilight's plan, only for her to have to either give up on it or disappoint them (potentially driving a wedge in between their relationships forever), they're here to express their thoughts, share in this moment. It's nice.
Is it wrong that I’m disappointed that this story isn’t even 5,000 words long? Please respond to this question.
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It's great. What you experience is commonly known as enjoyment and can be considered as a greatest compliment the author might receive. Sadly, some stories do not stretch as long as we'd like them to
I have now read it and big sad... although, why can't Twi pipe in power from a star that isn't Celestia’s? It's either a matter of lazering back to Equis or portaling it. And poor Celestia and Luna. Twilight, how don't you understand its literally their cutie marks.
Я почему-то ожидал, что они скажут, что если светила будут скрыты сферами Дайсона, они умрут.
I mean cmon!
Like DYSON SWARMS WORK BETTER!
*phone call sean!*
Hang on...
Oh so im getting words that ...apparently dyson swarms aren't as good huh?
B S!
Like cmon THEY WORK
"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened" 🙂
Also now I wonder... is there Flurry, Cadence and possibly others Alicorns out there?
Fascinating. A thought experiment: Twi said that a Dyson Swarm would only suffice for a millennium. Well, she can move stars, so why can't she use that millennium to move a nearby star closer, and then build the sphere around that one?
It's sad that she doesn't even see the problem with blocking out Celestia's sun, and basically replacing it with a giant light bulb.
As a Trekker, I was expecting the Dyson Sphere to be like the one from the TNG episode.
🖖
This is a charming story! Though poor Luna is always the butt of everyone's jokes.
"In the far corner, obscured in shadow, was the tattered remains of the Wonderbolts back before flight enhancements were even a thought."
Damn. I guess she really is a fan
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That would be called a Dyson swarm. On a second note, have you ever played Dyson sphers program?
Never mind the story brings that up
At least the story didn’t imply that I said project would kill them somehow
To tell the truth, this is the type of story that causes a particularly sad aftertaste.
I wonder if she would go as far as to try and control death. She’s already controlling or manipulating all nature has to offer except for the last vestiges being the sun.
I'll just leave this one here:
derpicdn.net/img/view/2021/5/10/2611466.jpg
Source.
She's making a dyson sphere... that surrounds the sun but not also the moon an Equestria? Really? Was the plan to somehow shoot the energy back via microwave?
The concept of making a Dyson Sphere would seem a logical extension for any civilization at that level of technology. And in this story, it does seem that Twilight has engendered that level of advancement. Here, the point of the story is both Celestia's and Luna's feelings regarding the loss of their particular milieu, that being the sun and moon respectively. If Twilight had been thinking about how her old mentors feel (which she obviously didn't), there is another alternative: a Ring World, the logical extension from a Dyson Sphere. (No Puppeteers, please.)
This one’s certainly interesting. The view from the top leaves a lot obscured, and as such we can’t really appreciate all the losses the sisters are mourning. (Though that may not be the right term.) We only have broad strokes of this world… but it is very much optimized, almost every thaum and joule accounted for and so little left for whimsy, for nature, and for the kind of unteachable, heartfelt magic that got Twilight where she is.
Maybe.
Again, there’s no telling from this perspective how ponied live their lives; the closest the story comes is that old Wonderbolts poster. It’s hard to say how much of the sisters’ concern is genuinely fearing something ephemeral being lost and how much is, as they admitted, two old mares losing one last bit of the good old days. A bit that cuts especually close to home given their special talents.
I really don’t know how to feel about this one, in part because I’m not sure how the characters feel about it. There’s a lot going on under the surface, but I’m not sure how to parse it all. This was an intriguing read, but again, it’s left me ambivalent.
And seriously, Tia, talk to your sister. She worries.
Hey there, 6-D! Here's a review for ya!
The story illustrates a fascinating concept without necessarily telling the audience how to feel, which I like, and delves into the age-old question of "What is the cost of progress?" Weirdly, this is the first story to make me think about the fact that a Dyson sphere would result in the moon no longer shining, and perhaps its the unique cosmology of MLP that made me think about the concept in new ways.
I also think you've done a good job with all the characters. Nopony feels out of place or mischaracterized just for the plot, though Luna does feel a bit more like she's just there for comic relief compared to Celestia, but that's minor.
On the other hand, I think the ending is really abrupt. It doesn't give the reader a lot of time to reflect on things or consider the issue beyond the surface-level consequences. I just think it could have gone a bit deeper.
Also, you might want to give it another go-through with editing. It has some mistakes when it comes to tense consistency, in particular.
That said, it's still a fascinating story, and I'm glad to see that it's become such a big success for you!
interplanetary-scale architecture is befitting for a world with a being whose powers are interplanetary-scale
ooh, they really know how to make an entrance!
skill issue
aww, Rainbow Dash became a sci-fi nerd!
ahaha literally using magic to obtain enough material to build a Dyson sphere that really is something i love it
oof! that would explain their objections
aww so true
oof, just really underscores how far Twilight’s world has come in feeling from the whimsical magical pony land of the canon world she once lived in. thank you for writing!
... While any sufficiently advanced technology may be indistinguishable from magic, sufficiently adaptable magic will render it obsolete, until the point where the magic itself becomes the technology.
Those last few lines are a sad implication, but one I about expected. Loved it, thank you for sharing this.