Character traits: A brooding, often confused filly, with distributed attention, mediocre abilities for magic, purposeful and resourceful, has extensive knowledge of spaceships and space phenomena.
Notes: Her family owns a small commercial spaceport on her native oceanic planet, she is also rumored to have roots in the old Equestrian aristocracy, and therefore greatly honors historical knowledge.
Tonight, I finally put the finishing touches on my Twitch stream! While I break it in, it’s mostly going to be shiny hunting in Ultra Sun, both through Masuda method breeding and ultra wormhole spelunking, but I have a lot of other fun things in mind for the future!
I have no idea what my schedule is going to be like just yet, and it probably won’t be perfectly consistent even when I work one out, but I’m aiming to go for a couple of hours or so at least two nights a week! Don’t hesitate to follow or stop by when you can! I’ve been blogging about video games for years and I’m super excited to finally be able to do it in such a cool and interactive format.
We welcome everyone who has wandered into our cozy den! (Be careful, the walls are covered with a strange lime, do not press too close).
Today we want to present you with the first chapter of the Pony Cradle project.
Is this a bird? Is this an airplane?
No, this is a pony in deep space, centuries after the Reigning Sisters passed their throne to the Princess of Friendship, entrusting the fate of her people into her hooves.
What has happened to the pony race over these long years? How have they changed? Has Twilight accomplished her mission? Or has it come time for a new generation of heroes to clean up the mistakes of the past and pave their own way into the future? It looks like we'll have to find out together. But in order to boldly move forward, we must first turn to our roots. We must find a tiny grain of sand lost among the myriad of stars, which each of the creatures now living in the vast galaxy once called home. We are going in search of the Pony Cradle.
Author of the idea and text: Outworld Pony
Illustrator and editor: WildLime
⬇️Search chapter below ⬇️
Chapter one:
"Paradise Lost"
Once upon a time , far beyond the magical kingdom of Equestria...
Since time immemorial, ponies lived in happiness and harmony in the vast lands called Equestria, under the protection and patronage of two powerful mythical alicorns: Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. One raised and lowered the Sun, the other commanded the movement of the Moon. Together with the Elements of Harmony, they made life wonderful for all ponies. Equestria's enemies were unable to resist the power of the magic of friendship. Nightmare Moon, Sombra, Discord, Tirek, Chrysalis and many others fell, defeated by the irresistible force of Harmony.
More than five hundred years have passed since then. Our knowledge of magic and technology has gone so far that we have learned to plow the endless expanses of space on huge ships made of metal and crystals. The moment of the invention of the first self-sufficient spaceships by Applen Mares opened a new golden age for ponies, full of high achievements and exciting adventures. However, nothing lasts forever and everything has its price. Too rapid expansion of our habitats created an imbalance. Our state became so huge that even the Great Princesses could not keep track of everything that was happening. Without their tireless care and the help of the Elements of Harmony, our star country quickly fell apart into many separate fragments, plowing through the vastness of cold space, each driven by its own goals and ambitions. And no matter how great and vast the expanse of the endless Universe, two will always find to divide something.
Centuries of wars, quarrels and strife have greatly distorted our way of life, our knowledge, our borders. We have long forgotten where the cradle of the pony is. Did it even exist? We can’t remember. But we believe with all our hearts that it’s still somewhere out there, among the distant stars, and we are determined to find it...
- Shiny Stream! - a thunderous voice rolled through the audience. A miniature, aquamarine unicorn with a long, slightly curled mane jumped up and looked at the teacher with confusion in her lilac eyes.
- Stand up! - a tall, tough-looking stallion in a dark purple space fleet uniform with silver officer stripes roared. - Who gave you the right to catch breezes during my lectures?*
- Negative! Uh... No one, sir! Excuse me, sir, I... I was just thinking for a moment! - Shiny said timidly.
- Oh, and what was that about? Maybe about the uselessness of the pre-flight course!? - the officer's stern gaze burned right through.
- Sir, no, sir! I would never…
- Excellent. Since you haven't been distracted, you can easily handle this short test. Let's see what Miss Stream has learned during our long course. - He interrupted her. - Answer! Quickly! How many crew members pilot a Manehattan-class heavy cruiser!?
- Three unicorns!
- What engines do Commonwealth ships use!?
- Thermonuclear-magic shielded!
- Safe afterburner time!?
- From 93 to 180 seconds!
- How to destroy a bug ship!?
- Plasma magic will burn out the ship's interior faster than they can say "Chrysalis"! - A trickle of sweat rolled down the neckband of Shiny's uniform. She clasped her right hoof with her left, trying to suppress a nervous tremor. A quiet chuckle and a murmur of approval swept through the audience. The stallion's gaze softened. There was satisfaction in it, albeit mixed with a slight disappointment at the impossibility of teaching a discipline lesson.
- Mm-hmm, well, not bad. Sit down. - he said and returned to the podium again. - You have indeed learned a lot, but knowledge alone is not enough to participate in such an important and dangerous expedition. You are required... everyone in the audience is required to be extremely vigilant and collected. Is that clear to everyone!?
- Sir, yes, sir! - the ponies answered in unison.
- Excellent! Let's continue. Where were we?...
The preflight course ended late in the evening. The tired ponies quickly went out into the spacious hall of the flight academy. Oh, how beautiful it is here! The walls are hung with tapestries from the time of the princesses. The windows are framed in modern, but stylized vintage frames. The walls are hung with portraits of discoverers, generals and captains who managed to sprinkle themselves with glory during their eventful lives. Truly a beautiful temple of science! Shiny Stream hurriedly left the classroom with a stack of tablets supported by magic. Suddenly, two unicorn from her group blocked her path.
- Shiny, that was cool! - the first one squealed enthusiastically, dancing.
- When did you manage to learn all this so well!? - the second one looked at her in bewilderment.
- Oh! Well, ahem, I... just love everything related to space flights. - Shiny answered nervously.
- Listen, listen! You'll like it. Pebble Bed said he's throwing a party tonight! - the first one threw up her hooves in glee.
- We'll party all night! With cider and cookies! Woo-hoo! You'll come, right? - the second one blurted out in one breath. Both unicorns craned their necks expectantly, waiting for a positive answer. The unexpected offer caused all of Shiny's textbooks and notes to fall to the floor and slide across the smooth, shiny tiles.
- Oh, I'm sorry, girls! But Commander Stomper is right, I need to prepare better before the flight. I hope to see you on the expedition! Bye-bye! - Shiny rattled off, quickly gathering her textbooks, and, backing away, disappeared behind the nearest flight of stairs. She could hear the distant snippets of her friends' conversation.
- Eh, I knew it was a dead end.
- Hey, chin up. Nothing ventured. One day we'll be able to tame this wild pony…
Meanwhile, the Commander was leisurely strolling along the corridors with a thoughtful look. He had no specific goal, but his hooves themselves led him to the Hall of Harmony. There were many huge marble sculptures here: Celestia, Luna, Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Cadence, Shining Armor. He slowly walked among them, peering into the faces of these majestic sculptures, and his appearance became increasingly sadder.
- Don’t you ever lose your hope. The captain is breaking into a trot. - an old sports student chant was heard behind him, uttered in a familiar hoarse voice. A slight smile touched the corners of the Commander's lips. He quickly straightened up, turned around and saluted a stately elderly blue unicorn with a luxurious curled gray mustache who approached him. - Admiral Bluespace. - the commander said. The admiral closed his eyes and raised his front hoof.
- I'm too old for all this formality, Thunder. - the blue pony saluted with a slight smile in response. The attentive admiral did not miss the commander's gloomy mood. - Are you worried about the new expedition?
- Negative.
- And rightly so. Our expedition will definitely be successful this time. - the admiral grinned into his luxurious mustache and looked up at the statue near which they had stopped. Above them towered the statue of the Ruling Sisters, carefully spreading their wings over their heads. The corners of the admiral's eyes were touched by sadness, but the slight smile never left his lips. The commander looked only at the admiral's face, and these small changes did not escape his gaze. Thunder took a deep breath, exhaled, bit his lip and still decided to say what had been bothering him for a long time.
- Admiral Bluespace, sir, allow me to speak freely. You know how things are without me. We have already sent ten expeditions over the course of time and not one of them has returned. Not. One. Frankly, I don’t know what to think. Maybe it’s time to stop? What if this is all true? What if Equestria no longer exists? Maybe we should abandon fruitless attempts and stop chasing mirages? Leave our past behind and move on? - the words rolled off the commander’s tongue like heavy stones. Bitterness and fatigue were evident in his voice. Bluespace sighed, reluctantly looking away from the statue, and approached the commander, placing a hoof on his shoulder.
- Come on, Thunder. Any pony planet could have sunk into oblivion in such a long time. Anyone, but not this one. Equestria has been the heart of our empire's culture and technology for millennia. It's definitely out there somewhere. We just have to keep looking and believing. - the admiral said confidently. He shook Thunder in a friendly manner.
- I wish I could share your enthusiasm, too. - the commander shook his head. However, his mood improved. The admiral's confidence was infectious.
- Tell me, have you thought about my proposal regarding Shiny Stream? - Bluespace asked, changing the subject to a more neutral one.
- Appoint her to command the ship? With all due respect, sir, I don't think she's the right candidate.
- Why not? - the admiral's eyebrow rose in surprise, merging with his thick gray hair. - She showed herself brilliantly at the exam, she knows everything about the structure of ships, command, and space phenomena. Long story short - take her right now and go to the bridge.
- She has knowledge, true, but she is completely disorganized and confused, does not know how to build relationships with the team, build social connections. On a ship that can plow space for years, this is critically important! - Thunder answered passionately.
- And all these skills come only with experience, Thunder, and you want to deprive her of this experience, and us - from a very promising captain. - Bluespace said politely, but with a slight note of reproach. He adjusted his uniform. Thunder sighed sadly.
- I understand, sir, but I still do not think that she is suitable.
- Well, in that case, I will take responsibility for this decision. I give the order to appoint Shiny Stream to a free ship as captain. - the admiral declared categorically.
- Yes, sir! - Thunder Stomper said crisply.
Commander Thunder snorted softly, unable to contain his displeasure, watching the admiral leave. What a stubborn old mule! However, orders from superiors are not subject to discussion. Even if that superior is your old friend.
*To catch a breeze = head in the clouds = to daydream, to be distracted
(It's still fucking huge. Don't eat the whole thing. No. Don't rush. Wait! There, he's choking. Does anyone know the Heimlich maneuver?)
And while this negligent one is being pumped out, let's take a look at what's there, behind the curtain...
🌳Chapter 5🌳
« Somewhere ends everything …”
The ponies wandered along the winding corridors, examining the abandoned rooms of the complex. Behind some doors they came across server rooms, behind others - conference halls. Nothing unusual. Just an ordinary scientific station. Even the cafeteria with soft sofas was preserved. To the south of the central one, a long hallway went into a large department of development and research with two-story assembly installations and their clawed manipulators frozen over a table with electronic components and boards. Behind it were the living quarters. Most of the rooms were completely intact and only in a few there were unmade beds or mugs left on the table.
- It looks... weird. - Shiny said thoughtfully, leaving one of the rooms.
- Weird? - asked Morning.
- I've been on such scientific stations before. Ponies live here for years. Their rooms sometimes look strange, littered with all sorts of junk, hung with posters and just all sorts of trinkets.
- And this place, despite the fact that it has clearly been exploited, looks... uninhabited. It's like the ponies that lived here didn't sleep or eat or... live here. It's a little creepy.
- Well, not all rooms are like that. Obviously, there was an evacuation. Maybe there just weren't many staff initially?
- Maybe, but then why prepare so many empty rooms? With every step I take, I have more and more questions about this complex.
At the end of a long hall, large double doors were waiting for them, on which was a small, luminous, laconic inscription “Manager". The signature, barely visible under a layer of dust, reads: "Pearl S..." The unicorn tried to gently brush off the dust, but the door creaked open with a slight push. Shiny exchanged a questioning glance with Morning. Inside, they were greeted by a cool, spacious office, covered with a decayed dark green carpet, in which fascinating swirls of patterns could still be discerned. There was a full-length holo picture on the wall opposite, but the screen was so faded by time that only the silhouettes of trees against the background and a group of faceless ponies in the center remained distinguishable. A heavy carved wooden worktable stood in the center, and the reflections of trembling lamps played on the remnants of the varnish. To the right, the corridor led off into the twilight of the bedroom, and against the wall to the left was a huge vintage carved sideboard to match the table, which was occupied by blackened silver sets and folders with paper documents touched with decay. The entire remaining wall was occupied from floor to ceiling by a tall bookcase lined with rows of ancient paper books.
- Whoever lived here had great taste. - Morning said.
- The password must be here somewhere. Don't get distracted. - Shiney immediately sat down at her desk and began sorting through stack after stack of accounting documents from drawers and compartments. Morning started sorting through the documents from the cupboard. After sorting through her sixth stack of papers, Shiney sighed heavily and stretched out on the table.
- "Did you find anything?" - she asked.
- Eh?...Nein. Not really. But what beautiful utensils are here, just look at them! - Morning replied, without looking up from admiring her cloudy reflection in the silver tray.
- Argh! We're obviously doing something wrong! - Shiney complained.- So, a hefty eighteen-digit code, it's quite difficult for even a genius to remember, especially since it's from the terminal located in the central room of the complex. So it must be physically stored somewhere, anyway," - she reasoned, massaging her tired temples with her hooves. - If I were the manager, where would I hide it?
- My dear, tell me, what is the best way to hide a tree? - Morning asked, suddenly frozen.
- In the woods - Shiney glanced sideways at the lemon pony - What are you getting at?
- Right! Let's continue the logical chain. How to hide a bunch of letters or numbers? - Morning smiled trickly, moving away from the buffet.
- It's logical, in a bunch of letters or numbers that are not related to our code! - Shiny was surprised by her own answer. It's so obvious! - Books! Of course! You're right!
- I love hearing that I'm right, but it doesn't make the story any easier. - Morning said when they both approached the cabinet. - There are hundreds of different books here, we'll spend hours just leafing through them!
Suddenly, the sound of a blaster, muffled by the distance, was heard. Shiny quickly raised the communicator bracelet to her lips and dialed Groovy.
- Report the status. Are you under attack? How many are there?
- Uh...no, everything is fine. No one attacked us. Tiny just heard a rustling sound, got all alarmed and... (Tiny's thin sob in the background - I shot in the mouseeee…)
- Easy Tiny. It's ok. It's just a little mouse. She ran away and won't bother us anymore. (The sobbing in the background stopped for a moment, but then resumed with an ugly crying - And i even missed!…)
- Ugh, never mind. I hope things are going better for you. - Groovy grumbled. It was definitely not her cup of tea.
- Actually, yes. - Shiny told her.- We found the right office, but we still haven't found the password.
- Oh, Tiny, did you hear that? They've found an office! We don't have to go any further. What a relief! - the gray earth pony exhaled - Tiny and I are returning to the central hall. This place is a damned labyrinth of horrors! ... Transparent walls, talking robots, Discord knows what… - the communicator beeped, indicating that the connection was interrupted.
The fillies have frozen in front of the shelf. Then they slowly looked at each other.
- Turns… - Shiny whispered with just her lips
- Twists… - Morning echoed.
- Labyrinth! Discord's Riddle! - the fillies shouted in unison.
- We don't need to leaf through all the books in the office. We just need to find one! - Shiny's gaze slid over the bookshelves, searching for the treasured spine: "The Origins of the Equestrian Fleet", "The Chronicle of Curiosity: The First Colony", "Basic Principles of Crystal Programming", "Vegetables in Space: Aerodynamics and Agriculture"... Shiny stopped her gaze on a small purple book with the well-known title "Legends of Old Equestria". She wrapped her in a magical cloud and opened it in front of her.
- Hah - a smile flitted across Morning's face - Not the most common reading material on a space station. Don't you think?
- Exactly! Anypony can retell this book by heart! And why would the manager of a specialized complex keep a book for foals in his office? - Shiney flipped through a few pages and came across one of the three bookmarks pointing to the pages of the book.
The first one pointed to about the middle of a story about the feud of three races of ponies from the time before the Warming Hearth. The second was on a section telling about the Elements of Harmony, one of the two pages of which depicted a Circle of Elements. Shiney confidently slapped the page with her hoof.
- That's it! Just think about it. Why would someone bookmark a page with Elements of Harmony that you already know absolutely everything about? I'm sure the password is here!
- Hmm, let's say, but what is the password in the end? The names of all the elements together do not fit into 18 characters. - Morning wondered.
- Okay, turn on the head. There was another element in the hint. The tempo of the waltz. One two three. If there are 18 characters and six elements, it would be most logical to take three letters from each name. In this case, I would take the first ones, since they are the least repeated. - Shiney confidently stormed this riddle.
- "Go on." In what order? Using a circular scheme, it's not so easy to determine where to start.
- Again, we connect the logic. There is no point in overcomplicating an already complex password, which means that the hint to the order should be simple. The elements in the chapter below are listed in a certain order, can I write it down?
- Okay, it sounds plausible, we have to take a chance! - Morning replied. Shiney adjusted her communicator in her ear and turned on the call.
- "Oh, I hope they're back by now."…
Meanwhile, Groovy and Tiny were sitting in the main hall and just passing the time, looking at the inexorably decreasing numbers on the screen.
- "That's what you say? Um... you're not from the Commonwealth? - Tiny blinked in surprise. - "Does Ember know? And the captain?"
- "Shiny? Pfft, nah, not yet. Ember? Yeah, of course, she knew. And she never tires of reminding me that she can legally throw me off the ship for any mistake. What kind of villainess to look for! I can't imagine how you get along with her on the same bridge! I would have hit her on the kettle with a tire iron on the very first day!... Her speech was interrupted by a trill coming from Tiny's bag. - Hey, it's ringing in there!
- Oh.. oh.. it's a communicator! It looks like the captain is calling! - She hurriedly snatched out her earphone, almost dropping it to the floor, inserted it into her ear and connected to the communication channel. - "Um... hello?"
- " Tiny, are you at the terminal yet?" - Shiney blurted out. - How much time is left?
- Uh, yeah. One minute and twenty seconds.
- I'm dictating the code to you by letter groups. Enter it in order. Ready?
- Ready.
- Kin..Loy..Hon..Lau..Gen..Mag. - Tiny quickly poked her hooves on the panel, typing the code as Shiny dictated.
- Now let's cross our hooves, girls. Press.
Tiny closed her eyes and pressed the touch button with all her might. For a moment, there was silence in the communicator.
- D-did it work? It worked! Access is open! - Tiny exhaled.
- Phew! A piece of cake! - Shiny sighed with relief, wiping sweat from her forehead. - All it takes is fifteen minutes to crack an ancient eighteen-digit password on an unregistered scientific base! - She heard applause coming from behind her. The unicorn turned around and saw Morning. She was clapping for her. She was smiling.
- Glänzend****, my captain! - Morning's face lit up with approval. - Glänzend!
A bright flash illuminated the office, blinding the fillies inside. A black portal window opened in the center of the room, and an orange mare with a black mane strode out. Outwardly, she was calm, but the air around her was vibrating. Amber fire danced in her eyes. A blue curly mane and apologetic gray eyes flashed behind her.
-Lady, my patience has run out. I ask you to explain yourself - why did the captain and the heads of two ship sections disappeared from radar for several hours without bothering to notify me?
- Oh, sisters... - the fillies involuntarily blurted out. Shiny pressed her back against the bookshelves and tried to move sideways. Morning tried to hide in the shadow of the buffet. Ember pinned them both with her gaze.
- You're all in big trouble.
…
- Did I hear that right? Based on intuition, logic and guesswork, she "hacked" a pre-commonwealth era terminal in 15 minutes? - Ember pursed her lips, pushing her way through a terminal interface that was completely unfamiliar to her. Memory tanks sparkled with lights and lamps around her.
- Yeah! You should have seen her. She was inimitable. - Groovy chuckled.
- Yes, she was... impressive. - Morning nudged Shiny with her rump as she passed, and gave her a little smile. Shiney returned the smile to the lemon pony .
- I understand you were limited in time, but was it really that hard - to send me a single message so that I wouldn't worry?
- But I sent one! - Groovy exclaimed.
- "We found something super important \ creepy \ interesting. When we come, we'll tell you” - is an extremely uninformative version of the message. Only Tiny was smart enough to send me the coordinates of the descent site. And yes, despite its usefulness, this is also an extremely poorly informative message! - Ember glanced at Tiny. - As soon as we finish here, I'll be waiting for everyone in the first conference room. There will be a lecture on communication between employees. I can't believe it! No connection! The top commander is gone! We're worried! We are responsible for you, Captain! - Ember shook her mane angrily and continued downloading data into the tank.
- If there's no direct connection to the ship, how did she find us in the first place?" - she whispered to the Groove.
- A tracker, - Ember replied briefly.
- Did you put a “bug” on me?! - Shiny gasped.
- Not on you - Morning rolled her eyes.
- Did she put a “bug” on you?! - Groovy snapped, turning to Morning.
- On you too, - the dark-maned unicorn replied calmly.
- On me?!...But... eh? - The gray pony opened and closed her mouth, trying to find something to say.
- By the way, why do you have both “bugs”? - Ember turned her head in Morning's direction.
- I made us pair earrings! - The lemon pony frowned and shook her mane, in which two shiny plates flashed. - I just didn't have time to give it back. It was supposed to be a surprise. - Morning added more calmly, glancing at the blushing gray pony.
- Then I'm sorry, - Ember turned back to face the terminal, scanning the files. - Hmm, that's interesting.- She double-clicked, unfolding the contents of the file to the full screen.
- Wow! Old Equestrian script! Beautiful style, charming language. It's a pity I'm not good at it. I can't even read it, - Morning looking at the screen with interest and a bit of sadness.
- "So am I," - Ember gritted her teeth.
- Lucky me - Shiney replied, running her eyes over the lines.
- "Wait, really? - Ember asked incredulously.
- Yeah. Dad forced me to learn, because: ”This is our culture and history! It's a shame not to know that!” - she parodied the senile voice. Shiny moved closer to the terminal and started reading aloud :
- “I personally convey these instructions to your apprentice. Pearl Scatter, I assign your main task to the foundation of a research complex in sector SM-16, Meridian of Loyalty, Eastern Frontiers of the Galaxy. Remember, young manager, you will be the pioneers of these distant, unexplored stars, the first ponies to step off board the “Princess Celestia”. You have extremely important tasks: Prepare the research complex, provide places for new settlers, study the entire aforementioned sector in as much detail as possible and, most importantly, fit into the supply of resources that was provided to you, since the next ship will be able to reach you only in five years! I understand how difficult and lengthy this project is, but it was not without reason that my sister chose you. All of Equestria is pinning its hopes on your determination and your inquisitive mind. Do not forget that friendship is the basis for the success of the entire project, together with it's power you are able to overcome all the difficulties on your way together. Watch out for signals from the nearest outpost of New Siddle, it is through it that the transport ship will pass. With its cargo and crew, you will be able to begin the second phase of the project: the creation of a self-sufficient colony in this sector... blah blah blah. I think there is no point in reading all these messages here and now. The information here is mainly about how this colony developed and... - Shiny quickly spun the wheel, briefly looking through the reports, until her eye caught a familiar word and she stopped, reading the message carefully - Great Princesses! No way! - Shiny said in a low voice.
- What? What did you find? - Morning asked curiously, coming closer.
- "Admiral Verfree Concrete, I have given my personal order to establish a colony on the planet Wonderfalls as soon as possible. Supplies and equipment will be managed through the outpost of New Siddle. Please make sure that the ships will arrive safely and will not get lost anywhere. Remember: it is friendship and maintaining harmony in our hearts that has brought us this far. Hold on to these ideals, for the sake of the bright future of all Equestria and for the sake of every little pony that inhabits it." - The sweeping, elegant flourish at the end of the message was probably familiar to every pony. It was the personal signature of Princess Celestia herself.
Shiny was speechless after reading it.
- This... this is incredible... - Shiny squeezed out of herself. - Is there a date? When was the message sent?
- Wait a second. - Ember said and brought up the data on the screen. - The year X-156. That's over six hundred years ago, Shiny.
- It looks like it was the time of the still united Equestrian Empire! Incredible! Even in a historical sense, this data is priceless! Okay, let's get together! Supplies for the distant colony were definitely coming from the central space of Equestria! Outpost New Siddle, we need to find its coordinates, Ember! - Shiny got excited.
- There are coordinates in the navigation terminal. Turn on the projector, I'll transmit it now. - Ember answered immediately. Shiny powered the projector with magic, and it displayed a hologram of a star cluster in the air and highlighted the designated system.
- I know this cluster! Cherry Nebula, not far from here. - Groovy exclaimed, looking at the map.
- As far as I remember, the "Free Clans" rule there. I don't even know if they'll let us into their borders. - Shiny said thoughtfully.
- Um.. what if we ask politely? - Tiny Nebula timidly intervened.
- Hah, why not, that may work. If you ask. - Morning grinned.
- Be that as it may, we haven't much choice, and we just can't miss such an opportunity. - Shiny said decisively. She saved the map to a small green flash drive and squeezed it in her hooves. Now they had a real trail. Real proof that Equestria existed and that it was reachable. They just had to keep following this thin thread, from point to point, until they returned to the beginning of this labyrinth. This small thread would lead them through the darkness of space, to home.
…
Blueberry was already waiting for them at the entrance to the cave. She sat with her back to the entrance and bandaged the hoof of an unfamiliar pegasus. She looked shabby and tired. Moss and branches were tangled in her pink mane. Deep shadows were sunken under her pink eyes. Numerous scratches and dirt covered her cream-colored sides, almost completely hiding her radar-shaped cutie mark.
- Oh, praised be Celestia! You're finally back! I have already started worrying. I don't even know whether to kiss you or twist your heads off. Never ever ever make me worry so much! - Blueberry finished bandaging the pegasus's hoof and turned to the ponies who had come out.
- Sorry, Blue, we were a little late. You won't believe what we found there, I'm sure everyone will be delighted! - Shiny said excitedly.
- And who is this? - asked Ember, looking at the pegasus.
- Sorry, Officer Comet, Captain Stream, I should have introduced myself right away. My name is Milky Way, I'm a communications systems specialist. - The pegasus stood up on her hooves with difficulty, standing at attention. - I managed to run to the escape pod while the ship was falling and landed about thirty kilometers from here. I'm so glad I finally found you all!
- How good that you survived! Nice to meet you, Milky Way! Welcome back! And please, just call me Shiny. - Shiny answered happily.
- I guess since we're all here, um, we can head back to the ship. - Tiny Nebula said timidly.
- Yeah, let's go back, we have a lot of work to do. - Shiny said and they all headed to the ship together.
…
- And so, the last check. If we miscalculated somewhere, we will have to start a lot from the beginning:
First group: Unicorns. Your task is to create a levitation cushion under the wing. Remember: we just need a stable spell so that we can carry the wing to the ship. Do not pull, do not push and do not jump above your head. We do not need a burnt-out horns, after the transfer we will need your help in securing.
Second group: Earth ponies. Make sure that all winches are securely fastened and all cables are held tightly. Your task: pull the wing through the portal. Exactly the length of the wing, no more. A team of mechanics will come to your aid at the hull.
Third group: Pegasi. You are responsible for stabilizing the wing during transportation. We need to clearly pass it through the portal. The more clearly - the less additional repairs we will need.
Work quickly and harmoniously. Remember, we are a team! Every wing, hoof and horn is important. - Shiny was silent for a moment, looking around at everyone present. - So, is everyone ready? I count to three:
One...
Two...
Three!
The unicorns swung their heads in unison, directing streams of energy under the giant wing. You could see their faces twisting, beads of sweat appearing on their temples. Finally, the wing trembled, creaked, and, tilting to the side, lifted off the ground. Pegasi immediately flew up to it from all sides, holding and leveling its position. The earth ponies in harness pulled the cables, tearing up the ground with their hooves. Shiny sent out a ping, giving a signal to Ember on the bridge. A huge arched portal appeared in the clearing. All the ponies rushed into it, dragging the colossal wing of the spaceship on themselves. Step by step, with each wing flap. They moved forward. Now the first of the ponies disappeared into the portal opening. Now the wing itself has begun to enter the portal. It's working! They're doing it!
Ding!!!
One of the cables, like a snapped string, cut through the air with a whistle. And another. And another. The wing began to tilt to the side. Now the edge of the wing slashed against the portal frame, striking out a sheaf of sparks and leaving layers of the metal skin to fall down, like crusts cut off with a knife.
- The main thing is not to destabilize the portal! Otherwise, we'll have to drag the wing piece by piece.
Shiny couldn't stand it and broke away from her observation post. While still moving, she directed a levitation spell under the collapsing part of the wing, trying to somehow stabilize it.
- Slower! That's it! Now back a little! Excellent! Let's go left! Are we passing? We're passing! Forward, no hurry! Those who hurry will have to wash tea cups after a picnic! - A familiar voice rang out overhead. A blue curly mane and a dazzling smile flashed. A pink blur settled down next to it. Together they helped a group of pegasi straighten the wing. Shiny only smiled at them briefly and concentrated on the spell. She had no strength left to think about anything else. Step, another step. Maintain a steady flow of magic. Step. Blackness. Step. Light. She passed through the portal! It was much noisier from this side. The mechanic team had already hooked the front part of the wing with the ship's winches and was now pushing it toward the hull.
All that was left was to hold the wing in place until Groovy and Morning's teams welded it to the hull. It wouldn't take long. Just the basic fasteners, and then it would hold itself. Shiny tensed, adding another wave of energy as the pegasi pulled the wing higher, holding it straight. Like a giant jack! The unicorn lifted her head up, watching as the giant wing of the ship took its rightful place. Her horn was starting to go numb, sweat was pouring into her eyes, but Shiny's face was still smiling happily. Finally, the gray dot on the wing began to wave its hooves, and every pony breathed a sigh of relief. The unicorns gradually reduced the flow of magic, allowing the spell to deflate and the wing to take its own weight. It was held. Everypony burst into joyful hubbub and laughter. Everyone shook each other's hooves, clapped each other on the shoulders, jumped and whistled deafeningly loudly. They did it! They brought this wing and now they can fly further! However, it was too early to relax. There were still many things to do before they could rest.
And the work began to boil again. All members of the crew, whoever they were: mechanics and designers, scientists and doctors, used all their skills and knowledge to the maximum to repair the ship. They patched up holes and restored the destroyed sections, and when the work finally died down, Shiny found Groovy on the technical deck. She was at the very stern of the ship, screwing the last panels to the space engines. Next to her stood Morning, complaining to her in a half-whisper about something. Groovy smiled back, chuckling at the jokes and together with her, washing the bones of someone they were talking about.
-Come on, you don’t really think that she will... well, you know...
- I used to think so. Now... I’m not so sure. I agree, I often rush to form my opinion about ponies that I don’t really know, but… she’s so contradictory! One moment she behaves in such a way that you want to shoot her head off. And other times you look at her and ask yourself: How can I not follow her? She knows exactly what she’s doing.
- And that’s what you like about her.
- Yeah, I guess. I like purposeful fillies…
Oh, so they gossip about her. Shiny quietly moved away and pressed herself between two partitions, trying to become as inconspicuous as possible against the gray-red wall. She stood motionless for about ten minutes, until she finally decided to come out of her hiding place and came face to face with the gray filly.
- Oh! Hey… How are you, Groovy? – Shiny asked, trying to look as casual as possible.
- Almost finished setting up, glimmer! The ITMD-M2 "Rainbow" may be bulky, but it's easy to repair and will serve us well for many years to come. - Groovy responded.
- I wonder if it was named after the Element of Loyalty? - Shiny asked thoughtfully.
- Hmm, maybe, but I always thought it was because it produces a powerful rainbow stream of flame. By the way, that's a drawback. It gives away the ship a lot, but then again, when you need to escape at full speed - what’s the difference? - Groovy answered.
- Since everything is ready, Groovy, I'm gathering the entire crew on the living deck. I'll be there in a couple of minutes - Shiny stepped aside, making way for the gray pony.
- Okie-dokie, Cap. See you there - Groovy saluted, prancing past and disappearing behind the forest of partitions.
Shiny gathered her courage, exhaled and walked forward. This conversation had to happen sooner or later anyway.
As expected, Shiny found the lemon earth pony sitting and twisting something in her hooves.
- Well, how much did you hear? - Morning asked without turning around.
- Something about purposeful fillies and that I need to shoot off a head - Shiny grinned and sat down next to Morning.
- Fair enough… - Morning sighed and put aside some intricate mechanism that she was holding in her hooves. - I suppose the captain wants to talk to me about something.
- Yes, I suppose so. - Shiny sat down more comfortably - Look, I understand that I inadvertently touched some delicate structure inside you. It was unintentional, but that does not excuse me. Forgive me. In the future, I will try to get to know you better so as not to step on the same rake. But please understand me too. I am the captain. I have to give orders and I expect them to be carried out. It may not always be pleasant, however... - a lemon hoof shot up into the air, stopping the flow of words pouring out of Shiny.
- I should apologize - Morning looked down - Sometimes I can... kick up a fuss. Das ist mein Wein.***** From now on, I will unquestioningly carry out any of your orders, captain.
- You misunderstood me. - Shiny hastily stopped her - I am not a despot with a thirst for control, demanding that everything be as I say. I need a friend on the other side of the intercom. Who will listen to what I need and offer the best solution. The best for the ship, for the crew. For everyone. Let's make an alliance. I will try to do things better, and you will teach me how to do them right. Deal?
- Ja - Morning nodded after a short thought.
Together with Shiny, they went down to the living deck, where the entire crew had gathered in front of one of the promenade bridges, in the main compartment of the living deck. Three hundred ponies stood below, waiting for the captain. Shiny climbed up to the second tier and came out onto the bridge in front of a large crowd. The crew fell silent and looked at her expectantly. Her hooves involuntarily trembled, her anxious consciousness was ready to do a triple somersault, but she found the strength to say what had been lying on her soul for a long time.
- The crew of the ship "Friendly." - Shiny began, gathering her strength. - It is no secret that our expedition began with a real catastrophe. The attack on Shulu. The shipwreck. Many of us have friends, relatives, loved ones left in the Commonwealth. We ourselves were on the brink of death, but we survived! The fact that we were able to restore the ship with our combined efforts tells us that we have not given up yet! We have been given an important mission - to find Equestria. To find help for the Commonwealth! Now we are left alone, on our own, which means our mission has become many times more difficult, but has not become impossible! If we want to bring it to a victorious end, we must all become the best of the best, focusing on our unshakable ideals! We must become honest and hardworking like Applejack, generous and sympathetic like Rarity, loyal and brave like Rainbow Dash, optimistic and cheerful like Pinkie Pie, kind and caring like Fluttershy, resourceful and organized like Twilight Sparkle. Only such ponies are capable of completing such a serious mission, and I have no doubt that we will succeed! Be sure of each other, as I am sure of you! And may Friendship and Harmony guide us! – she said loudly and distinctly. The air rang with the inspiring words spoken. A moment of silence. Then someone began to stamp their hooves. Then again. And again! Now the entire crew exploded with joyful cries and applause.
Shiny took a deep breath and saluted them. Everyone threw their hooves up in the air, saluting their captain. Shiny returned from the observation balcony and went down to the bridge.
- Come on, all the ponies! To your places! Quick! - Ember was shouting orders. The crew quickly took their places.
- Phew! It was so exciting, I thought I would faint. But it seemed to work out well. - Shiny was coming to her senses. - Is everything ready, Tiny?
- Uh, yes, all systems are active, we are ready for takeoff. - She smiled back. Shiny Stream powered her panel with magic and the ship began to rise higher and higher on powerful atmospheric thrust. The crew in high spirits worked tirelessly and the ship soared faster and faster to the stars, leaving the abode of the abandoned colony of Wonderfalls.
*Groovy, du bist ein gerissener Manipulator! - Groovy, you are a treacherous manipulator!
**All the names listed by Morning are variations and retellings of the well-known fairy tale “The Giant Turnip” in other countries.
*** And this is a local variation of the story by Hans Christian Anderson “The Little Match Girl”. If you haven’t read it yet, read with caution. Very touching. Very sad. Really a bucket of tears.
