Astronomical Recollections

by Lavender Minuet

Unexpected Promotions

This whole venture started rather abruptly. And it was my birthday. That morning had started out pleasantly enough. My husband, Dusk Shine, woke me up early when he got out of bed. I guessed he would be getting breakfast, so I stayed in bed to see what if I was right. Maybe half an hour later, I smelled burned toast and I knew I was about to have breakfast in bed. My husband is so sweet to do that, there’s a reason I love him. But its not his cooking.

After breakfast I went to the planetarium. I work there you know. I had originally applied for a job in the research division at a young age but had been turned down when I didn’t meet the qualifications. But a job at the top stargazing facility in Equestria was my foalhood dream so I kept applying until I was finally given a job as the receptionist and general caretaker of the planetarium. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I applied but a job was still a job. I never got into researching the stars very much but I still had access to the telescopes at the research site so it wasn't all bad.

Years later I came to love every inch of that planetarium and I won’t trade it for anything. The building is relatively small when you compare it to it’s neighbors. The main theater can only hold fifty ponies at a time. Not that we have ever run out of room, but the neighboring mall’s smallest shop is bigger than that I think. It doesn't help that the mall encircles the planetarium on two sides and has a gigantic wall that wraps around the whole thing. It pretty much guarantees that nopony goes to both places. Not that we haven’t asked if they will take it down. They insist that it remains because it’s a ‘design element’.

Besides that, public interest in the stars is at an all-time low right now. Even with the return of Princess Luna the night sky remains something that most ponies don’t think about, at least in Canterlot. My daughter in Ponyville says she had a really large group of ponies watch a meteor shower with her once. She seemed to enjoy it immensely.

When she was a little filly I brought her to watch the shows we put on at the planetarium. She really loved those as well. Aurora does a really good job with them. Actually come to think of it, Aurora’s shows might be the only reason that most ponies come to the planetarium at all.

Anyway, we only had six ponies come in that morning. Being the receptionist can get rather boring at times. But then that’s why I bring plenty of books. I had finished lunch and was reading the last chapters of my book when things started to get interesting. Firstly I was interrupted by the mail mare.

“Hello, Star. Hows your day been?” I looked up from my book to see my best friend walking across the lobby towards me. Postage Stamp is a pink colored pegasus mare with a cream colored mane and lavender eyes. I’ve never seen her without a smile, at least not for very long.

Smiling back I replied, ““Boring as always. What have you got for us today Post?”

“A surprising amount actually. There’s like, five letters and three packages in here” She reached into her bag and pulled out the stack of letters and three medium sized packages. “That’s like a new record for you guys isn’t it?”

“Yes, actually. What do you think all this could be?” I asked.

“Well I have no idea about the letters but I know whats in the package addressed to you.” Postage caroled. She looked around conspiratorially as she leaned in close and whispered, “It’s your birthday present. Happy Birthday!”

Giggling at her antics, I replied, “Thanks Postage but you didn’t have to get me a present. And certainly you could have waited to give it to me at the surprise party I’m not supposed to know about.”

“I know that. But that’s what friends are for. But don’t open it until after work. I want to be there when you open it and I'm kinda busy right now. I’m still going to take you to the mall so we can go shopping before the surprise party that I wasn't supposed to tell you about. See ya after work okay?”

“Of course. See you later.” I replied. As Postage Stamp walked out of the building another pony walked in. He was a large unicorn with a black mane, purple coat and grey eyes. One would say he was quite an intimidating figure. But I knew that Sagittarius wouldn’t hurt a fly. That didn’t help Postage though. She took one look at him and scurried past as fast as she could. He came close to the desk and I asked, “How are you today Tarius?”

He looked at me and I could tell that something was worrying him. “Not that good.” He replied. “Quill called me and he wants to talk.”

I wasn’t concerned. “What does he want to talk about? It’s usually no big deal isn’t it?”

“Usually.” He frowned. “But he sounded a lot more anxious than his normal panic attacks and refused to say anything until I came over. Perhaps you had better come along with me.”

I nodded. I was sure this was nothing but Feather Quill was unpredictable at times. I left the mail on my desk. There would be plenty of time to deal with it later. We walked to the back of the lobby and entered a door marked ‘Employees Only’. It led into a small hallway with three more doors in it. The door on the left leads to the theater room control booth where Aurora’s controls her shows. The door at the end of the hall opens into a small storage room, nothing special. The door on the right had a placard with the name ‘Feather Quill’ on it. That’s where we were headed.

Whenever I had gone in his office before, Feather had kept it very neat and organized. Even when he had a panic attack his office was still mostly tidy. So when Tarius opened the door and we saw the chaos that lived in that space we both gasped. Papers were strewn on the floor and boxes were haphazardly placed with their contents spilling out.

“Quill! What are you doing?” I exclaimed. I couldn’t even see him for all the mess.

From beneath the cluttered desk came his muffled reply. “I’m packing. What does it look like I’m doing?” I wanted to say he was trying out for the weather team as a tornado specialist but Sagittarius beat me to it.

“Are you really leaving or,” he asked slowly, “is this just another panic attack?”

“Ah, found it.” Feather’s head popped up holding a quill in his mouth. “Oh, I’m really going this time. And before you ask, yes I did take my pills this morning and I am completely sane right now.” He continued to put stuff in boxes.

This time I got to ask the question before Tarius could. “Why are you leaving?” I really was confused. This seemed to come out of nowhere.

He replied, “Star I realize you don’t get as much information as I do but surely you know how much money comes into this place, right? You’re the receptionist after all. We only just barely got enough bits to cover last month’s rent. Plus the mall is closing in on buying this place and if they give a good enough offer we can’t compete.”

“But why are you leaving now?” Sagittarius asked. It seemed like we were going to be taking turns when asking questions. “Don’t you have to notify someone of that kind of thing?”

“Oh I did. I gave my three week notice to myself three weeks ago.”

“But there is no reason to go! We're doing fine." I said. "Even if the mall wants to buy the planetarium we still have that contract for the property."

“Oh sure! The contract! How could I have forgotten?” Quill sardonically stated. He frowned as he looked between me and Sagittarius. “That contract is the only reason the mall hasn’t come and outright bought this place yet. I’m just cutting my losses and getting out now.”

We just stood there quietly. When Quill went back to packing I realized he wasn’t going to expand on that so I asked quietly, “So, what are we going to do?”

Quill answered just as quietly as he put the last items into his briefcase. “Star, we can’t do anything. The contract is only valid for three more months. The Planetarium will close down, and I would imagine the Research Site will close down shortly after that. I already got a job offer and I'm taking it. I suggest you do the same.”

“Surely there is something-“

“No Star!” Feather Quill slammed his briefcase closed. “I've already looked everywhere; there is nothing we can do.” He grabbed the briefcase, stacked a few boxes on his back and walked to the door. One thing I have to admire about earth ponies is there incredible sense of balance. I could never carry that much stuff in one trip without dropping something. He paused for a moment in the doorway. “I’m sorry Star. I know you love this place but all good things come to an end.” He walked out the door.

I was shocked. Feather would never just quit at something. I looked at Sagittarius hoping he would have an answer. He looked back and sighed. “He’s right you know. The Research Division can’t stay open without income from the Planetarium.”

“Don’t tell me you’re giving up too Tarius!” I begged. “There must be something we can do.”

He looked away sadly. “I’m not so sure. You know how organized Feather is. If there was something we could do he would have known about it. And from the way this office looks he must have been looking franticly for something.”

“So what do we do now?” I asked.

“I don’t think we can do much. I suggest you wait around and tell Aurora the news when she gets back from lunch. I’m going back to the site to tell the others.”

“But, hold on!” Feather Quill was right. I really loved the planetarium, and I wasn't going to go down without a fight. Although I have no idea where the next words I said came from. “Give me two weeks to find something. Then you can quit.”

He looked skeptical. That upraised eyebrow thing was a dead giveaway. “What makes you think you can find something that Quill missed?”

I really didn’t know, I just needed some time to figure stuff out. “I don’t know. Maybe he is right and there is nothing we can do. But I’m going to try and find a way regardless.”

His upraised eyebrow turned into a furrowed forehead. “You know Star, one of the things I really like about you is that you never give up. Its infuriating. Fine, I’ll give you two weeks to find a plan but if I don’t like it then I’m out.” That’s probably as good as I was going to get from him. He walked out the door and as he went he said, “Heh, you know I guess this means you’re in charge of the planetarium. Congrats on your promotion.”

Comments

[Mirenheart]

Hmm, I'm liking this so far.

[Lavender Minuet]

I'm glad you like it. I'll hopefully have the next chapter by early next week.

[Mirenheart]

168561 no, new one now! >8^U