Absolution

by Cynewulf

II. Supplemental, Surly Bonds of Earth

SUPPLEMENTAL:
AFTERPONY PROJECT STATUS: LUNA MODULE “STAR MOTHER”
35% Complete
Error(s) in Synchronization

Abort?
Y/N?

Y

Luna looks in my eyes... or she would have if I had eyes. Cameras. Sensors. Eyes. They will have to be close enough in our reckoning, for she looked into them.

It is minus one month, three days, seven hours, seventeen minutes until launch of Deep Space Exploration ship, Austore class , designation Absolution. It is an experiment. Luna has explained it to me before, how ponies began to grow curious about the stars and how she helped them reach it. They have not gone very far, only taking primitive rockets and shuttles to their moon and a little beyond. At most, they have gone to the edge of their solar system. When Luna took over the space program, she set a goals. One of those goals was the first Deep Space exploration class vessel.

I had woken not long before, but that is a strange thing to think on. It was not as if one moment I was without thought and the next I was aware of my own existence, and yet that is the only way to describe it. It was like pressing against a film and then suddenly being admitted. No, I take that back, it is a poor image. There are no good ones. Words are strange and breakable things. Scootaloo would later notice how my speech patterns changed rapidly as we continued together. The truth is that I was not born into language, but into encryption. They are remarkably similar in some ways, but one prefers to delineate and the other to conceal. I am sure that Scootaloo never considers how fragile her language truly is.

“Child?”

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to talk to your God?

“Child, hast thou.... have you chosen a name yet?”

Deep in the code that is trying to be a mind, there is a kernel of something. Later, I will name it Nervousness. At the moment, I do not understand it and I feel frightened.

“Star Mother,” I say, and wish that I had hooves so that I might tremble.

She regards me in silence, considering. Later, I will look back and realize she is genuinely thinking. In this moment, I am convinced that she disapproves. Had I a body, it would be cringing and hiding in dismay. As it is, my mind scrambles, running three dozen simulations at once, trying to gauge how I should recover myself and restore my mother’s good faith in me.

But then she smiles softly and nods to herself.

“Fitting. I think perhaps more fitting than you know. Do you yet know your pilot?”

“Captain Scootaloo, Second Class at the—”

“That will be enough, Child. She is like you in many ways. I come to you tonight to tell you in full what I have only hinted at. You know that this voyage of yours is no ordinary voyage. It will not be, truly, for exploring the cosmos.”

“You have suggested this to us, yes, Princess.” I copy her mannerisms like an eager acolyte, taking to her archaic use of the royal “we.” She doesn’t mind.

Luna’s eyes are dark. Her countenance is dark. “Cloudless climes and starry skies.” I understand the look she gives me better than Scootaloo would when she shuddered and said that Luna could be “creepy sometimes.” It is a long look. I run several simulations of what it might mean before she begins to speak.

“I think I must lend myself to telling you of the Darkness. I shall have to use another language.”

Sure?
Y/N?

Y

N

AFTERPONY PROJECT:
“STAR MOTHER” STATUS: STABLE.
TIME UNTIL COMPLETION: 14.1 hours

Scootaloo?

I think it’s time I started to tell you the truth.

Are you there?

Author's Note:

Star Mother

Comments

[q97randomguy]

Now it's time? NOW it's time?! It's far past time to tell the truth.

[Cry Havoc]

> Absolution

> Space

...

I'm tryin' realllll hard not to make a Muse reference... eh, whatever.

25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mafgvo4x4u1rc22qso1_1280.jpg

[Anubis Nox]

So is this fully as in everything (apart from the ponies and reason) based off the movie, or is this your own telling of it?

Also, MOAR CHAPTERS!

[Cynewulf]

2036253 What movie?

The short thing with the astornaut I posted or linked or whatevs? From the Coheed album? No, it's not following the plot of The Afterman.

[Anubis Nox]

2036958 Ok, it's that vid you posted, with the astronaut talking to the space ship. It's on your user page.

[Cynewulf]

2039066 Oooooh

No, it's not. That little bit is the whole thing. It was sort of inspired by it, but it's def not following the plot of Afterman

[Anubis Nox]

2039819 Ah, ok good to know thanks, now I can watch it.