In Space, We Don't Abandon Innocence

by David Silver

11 - Polite Neighbors

Twilight sat on the bridge, smiling at all the crewmembers there. "I have conducted a high-level analysis of all data retrieved. I am prepared to give my report." She cleared her throat. "However, before I begin, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the whole crew. You are all wonderful, amazing people. You're a credit to the Earth Alliance." She bowed deeply. "Thank you."

She raised her head and adjusted her glasses with a hoof. "Captain, if you would?"

Roger rose from his seat, returning Twilight's bow. "I don't believe we need formalities here, but, please, continue."

"Right." She pivoted towards the main screen even as it lit up with data. "Our scans, all passive as requested, do indicate a direction." She pointed as the screen zoomed in on a patch of space. "I think that's the source, or close to it. I couldn't say how much of space the dragons have claimed, but Equestria is that way."

Roger scratched at his chin as the image displayed text in two locations: one where Twilight was pointing, and another a little further off. "You can't say why you're certain that's Equestria?"

"Incorrect." Twilight inclined an ear back at Roger. "I can't say for certain that's Equestria. All signs point to that being the place of interest. It could be a colony or place of interest for the dragons. It could also be Equestria. We can't know until we get closer, or turn sensor power back on, which may alert them to our activities."

Roger raised a hand to signal the crew. "Can you estimate how far away this is?"

"With our current scanning gear? Around fifteen lightyears away. They have an active sensor system in use. And while their sensor tech is advanced enough that they'll probably see us long before we see them. They've already seen us once, and are likely monitoring us. Passive sensors have detected their active ones."

Rainbow Dash appeared then, twisting up in the air. "Hey guys! I did some real neat calculations, and I came up with a bunch of ways we can get there. We can twist and zip and get through without being seen!"

Commander Tela thumped her armrest. "That would be an open declaration of war. They threatened us with violence if we didn't stop."

Rainbow Dash scratched at her chin. "So what? We're exploring. We go where we wanna go." She spread her wings wide.

Twilight casually stepped in front of her. "Thank you for your input, Dash. The choices, as always, rest in the organic crew." She smiled in her best contrite way as she vanished, Rainbow already gone.

Roger settled back into his seat, scratching at his chin. "Do we have a detailed enough scan that we can figure out what they're up to? Are they colonizing? Mining?" He ran his hand down to cover his mouth.

Casey shook her head. "Afraid not, captain. The attitude of that dragon and the intense scans we're receiving imply we're in the eyes of a war vessel."

Roger sank into his seat. "Our mission isn't to start wars, it's to find, discover, document, and befriend. So let's see if we can't make friends with this dragon." He held up a finger. "Before he starts yelling at us again."

A couple of other crewmembers snorted or laughed at that, which made Roger grin.

"Let's back up. It'll be a good show of faith. They don't want us closer, and we've been hovering at their doorstep." He glanced towards the front of the ship, as if able to see the distance there. "Take us back to safe space, commander. Full burn."

The ship seemed to come alive at that order. Unseen, Rainbow helped steer and adjust things alongside her human pilots, allowing the ship to smoothly bank and power away from the dragon's controlled space.

---

Sunset looked up as the door opened. A crewmember wandered in. It wasn't Susan, a surprise to Sunset. "Can I help you find a book?" She stood up. "Here to help."

The young man jolted at the sudden appearance of Sunset, taking a few steps back. "Where did you come from?" He raised his hands defensively. "Wait! You're one of those pony holograms."

Sunset smirked at that, waving over herself. "Hologram, yes. Pony, no. Now, how can I help you? Finding books is my job."

He cautiously lowered his hands, giving Sunset a second look. "You don't look like the other programs."

"No?" Sunset lifted a brow. "You must be new to the ship, or else you haven't seen the library yet." She rolled her eyes. "We are too far away for you to be new, so first time in here? Welcome to the library! I'm your data specialist, and hologram, Sunset Shimmer." A brief explosion of colors washed from her in a holographic display. "How can I help you?"

He shook his head at that. "I didn't mean to be rude. Sorry about that." He motioned around the room. "How does this work? Where are the books?"

Sunset stretched out her arms to point at the walls, the ceiling, and even the floor. "All around. The books you can see are just covers, to give you an idea what you're looking at. You can browse the spines until you find what you want, or, play it smart and just ask me. I can find it in a snap." She snapped her fingers, summoning a book from nowhere to unfurl open in her grasp.

"Books." He stared with wonder at the way Sunset had summoned the book. "Of course." He glanced over his shoulder. "And nobody is here. It's always like this?"

Sunset came closer, carefully tucking the book back where it belonged. "I could turn off, but someone's been encouraging me to, what, live? As much as I can live." She folded her arms over her chest. "Now, seriously, what are you looking for? You didn't come in here to chat with me. You didn't even know I'd be here!"

He smiled sheepishly at that. "Sorry. I'm Mike." He motioned around again. "It's a big place." He returned his attention to Sunset. "Mostly, I was just looking for something new to read."

Sunset clapped gently at that. "Now we're getting somewhere. What kind of new? Fiction? Non-fiction? A few hints, kindly."

Mike considered the question, but shook his head. "It's fine. I'll look around, if you don't mind?"

Sunset gestured towards the shelves. "I don't. Let me know if you need anything." She leaned against a shelf of fake books. "Ready to help when you're ready to be helped."

Mike made his way down the nearest row of books. "What about comics?"

Sunset motioned for him to turn around. "Right behind you. That was on purpose, too. Want a look at all of them?" She spread her arms, causing that shelf to expand, revealing untold and countless reams of comics. "We loaded up with comics as far back as we had the files on, and that's pretty far."

Mike came over, but hesitated to reach out. "You wouldn't mind? I just meant, this is incredible." He put his hands together, gazing at the rows of titles. "The E-books were one thing, but this?"

"Surprise! They're all e-books." Sunset snorted at that. "Unless you want to read them in this room, you take them as e-books. In this room, you can browse them as holographic comics. Your pick."

Mike ran a hand down the nearest row of comics, rubbing his fingers together as he examined his hand. "You really are all digital. Still feels real." He looked at Sunset, blinking at her before turning his attention back to the shelf.

Sunset huffed gently. "Look, close enough. For all intents, these comics are comics." She waved at herself. "And the girl you're talking to? She's a girl. This girl is offering you comics. You can enjoy them as comics if you do it here, or take it back to your room, as an e-book. Your choice."

Mike glanced back at Sunset again, taking her in. "Yeah, alright." He brought a hand up to touch at his chin. "Give me a minute." He pivoted and wandered away down the shelf.

Sunset left him to his wandering. She grabbed a book of her own. "I haven't read you in a while." She sat down on a seat that hadn't been there before, flickering into being just in time for her to need it. "Let's enjoy a book." Technically, she already knew the contents of that book, and every other one in that library. But knowing and enjoying were not the same, and she set to do some enjoying.

Mike came over a short time later, his arms full of comics. "Alright. This looks like a good start. Can I have them all?"

Sunset did not look up from her book, a non-descript tome without a title on the cover. "You could. Comics are tiny, barely take up any space on your datapad. You want to take them all?"

Mike gave Sunset a look, one she couldn't see as she was buried in her book. "I'd like to borrow all of these. Can I?"

"As many as you want." She made a gentle wave, banishing the comics. A series of beeps played as the contents of the comics poured into Mike's datapad, ready to read. "Go ahead. Still, I suggest you actually try reading a comic the traditional way. It's not the same." She tapped at the book in her hands. "Reading a real thing you're holding is a different experience."

Mike heaved a sigh as he crossed the room, finding his seat. "How so?" He lowered himself down into it, setting his datapad on his lap. "It's all digital."

"Well, yeah." Sunset shrugged at that. "So am I? So is this book." She lifted the tome she had been reading. "I know it all, but actually reading it, it's different. I can exist in the moment, instead of being all zoomed out. The feel, the weight of it as you turn each page? That's a little thing, but it's nice."

Mike flicked through his datapad. "Still feels like it was just there." He fiddled with it, showing off how it wasn't a real book. "So, why do you bother with any of it?"

Sunset flicked her right hand, summoning one of the comics Mike had just borrowed. She tossed it towards him. It flapped wildly, but arced just right to arrive where he could catch it. "Try that with a comic in your hands. Read it."

Mike rolled his eyes, but opened the comic up, reading a few pages. "It's just a comic."

Sunset gazed at him from across the room. "Of course it's a comic, but it's more than pictures in a file. The way each page ends and starts? An artist picked that. The pause as you turn each page? They knew that was coming. Soak that all in as you read."

Mike scowled at the comic in his hands. "But, really?"

Sunset tossed her book aside, leaping over to float in front of Mike. "Seriously. You like comics, right?"

"Yeah?" Mike looked a little cowed by the sudden approach.

Sunset sank to the ground. "Sorry, rude. If you like comics, try enjoying one the way the person that slaved to make it intended."

Mike scratched at his chin. "Sure, I guess." He opened the comic up and continued reading. "Alright, alright." He raised a hand to scratch at Sunset's head. "You're a pretty good assistant."

Sunset snorted as she recoiled. "Hey, not a pony, remember? You wouldn't just go petting another human, would you?" She backed up a step. "Consider me that, kindly. I am a human."

Mike let his hand fall back to his side. "Right. Sorry about that." He smiled sheepishly. "I'm not really used to human holograms yet."

Sunset shrugged gently at that. "Your tab, your comics, free to borrow. If you want any more, I'm sure you know how to find me." She flicked a hand, bringing up an image of herself before it flickered and vanished.

Author's Note:

Let's try being nice with the dragons.

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Comments

[BestinDworld]

to mike: I recommend the death and life of superman saga

I do NOT recommend the travesties that are one more day or the clone saga from Spider-Man

Actually David will we see a reaction of sunset to those three comics? And whatever she thinks of them?

[David Silver]

11926067
Sunset seemed to have chosen a book as opposed to a comic. But she was providing hints on enjoying a comic.

[Okie Brony]

11926099
I could definitely see a parent having that same conversation with a child today, how it's better to read a physical book or comic, and actually hold it in your hands. That's how I feel about watching TV. Nowadays, you can watch whatever you want, whenever you want. It's hard for young people to understand that it hasn't always been that way.

Have I said how much I love this story? I'm loving the story so far! I just added it to my Favorites.

[PrincePegacornV]

Huh. Being nice to dragons? That won't end well.

True, the dragons of Equestria are hardly the mythical dragons of fantasy adventures (save the Sean Connerey-voiced Draco from Dragonheart), but still...

Hope that they do find Equestria. Would love to see how that will play out...

[dlambchic]

There is only one way to negotiate with Dragons, offer to give them something that they want/need. How big is your stock of tasty gemstones?

[Booster Spice]

I wonder if the dragons are after mining teh Harmony crystals, if the crystals propagate the longe magic is around, they make more magic the more crystals there are, and that Dragons are actually part of that lifecycle, using harmony crystal dust in gems to form magical dragon parts, and leaving dragon egg shells filled with empty harmony crystal dust that absorbs energies from the enviroment mixing in with soil rock and plants etc, turning it into magic while the dust grows to crystals over time?

Dragons are to Hamony Crystal Dust as Sandworms are to Dune Spice?

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

Poor Sunset.

I hope Mike at least gets the gist of the concepts of comics, now.

[David Silver]

11926609
In the distant future, the 'idea' of a comic book, may become quite alien. Why wouldn't you put this on a datapad?