In Space, We Don't Abandon Innocence

by David Silver

31 - Touching Down

Rarity looked over the line of environmental suits calculatingly. She grabbed a sample and ran a finger over the material with a careful eye. "Hm, not what I was looking for." She tossed the item aside with a sniff. "Why can't we just bring up holographic clothing?"

Alas for her, wearing holograms to ward off physical environmental hazards was a bit too risky. "I can figure this out." With a glowing horn, she began cycling through countless material options. "Something to really work against that pink background and keep our precious explorers safe."

Rarity lifted a case of sample material, eyeing it critically. "Hm, still not quite right. Come on, there has to be something here that will work."

With a subtle wave of her hoof, the case vanished. "You must be in here." She conjured the rolling index of potential materials to work with. "I will not fail on my first real task in too long." She ran a hoof across the selection in thought. "Now what sort of material should I pick?"

She pondered the idea, falling into an introspective trance.

"Rarity!" came a shout from somewhere nearby. Applejack came charging in. "There ya are. Ya really need to keep yer radio on even especially when yer ridin' a robot frame 'round like that!"

Rarity jerked at that, waking from her daydreaming. "Applejack! I'm so sorry, I didn't realize you were looking for me."

Applejack nodded. "Sure was. But now that ah found ya." She peered past Rarity at the suits. "Whatcha workin' on?"

Rarity gave a proud smile as she spun towards the suits. "I'm working on a protective garment for our fine crew. They'll be exploring an unknown world soon, and I simply must make sure they have something appropriate to wear!"

Applejack nodded lightly. "That's important. But yer lookin' awful frazzled. Some part keepin' you from finishin'?"

Rarity snapped her hooves together. "As a matter of fact, yes! I am making them suits that will do more than protect against a planet's weather. These ones will also repel the native life! No tearing from wildlife, no uncomfortable substances rubbing against your skin. Really, it's just about perfect." She frowned, scowling at the suits. "But finding the right material with the right color and the right properties is proving to be troubling to say the least, dear."

Applejack peered over Rarity's shoulder at the assorted material samples. "Maybe I can help ya. Been a while since we worked together on somethin' like this."

Rarity laughed nervously. "The last time wasn't about fashion, darling. Still." She took a step back. "I am stuck for the moment. Maybe a new set of eyes will put this all to right."

Applejack advanced on the line of suits. "Ah have an eye fer just about anything that grows." She plucked up one of the suit pieces. "Still, just tryin' to match the color o' the world? She hoofed through the selection with one hoof and felt the existing materials with the other. "Mmm, what about a little ah this." She held up some. "Wit' some a that?" She pointed at some on the screen.

Rarity lifted a brow at that. "Those combinations never crossed my mind." She shrugged lightly. "If you say so." With a wave of her horn, the materials assembled themselves, melding together in a new combination. Rarity's unsure expression brightened rapidly. "Oh! Look at this! Twilight, turn the lights!" The room turned pink to match the guessed dominate shade of the planet. "Perfect! They'll be able to find each other if they're wearing this, and the darlings will be safe while they do it. Applejack! You were just what the doctor ordered, dear."

Applejack chuffed proudly. "Thanks! So, ah know ya must be pretty busy workin' on these outfits, but ah was wonderin' if ya could spare a few minutes?"

Rarity hesitated at that. "I don't want to be distracted." She pressed a few buttons with her magic. "But it will take some time to manufacture the material I'll be working with." She turned to Applejack fully. "What's on your mind, darling?"

Applejack extended a hoof. "Can ya step away from those things fer a bit?"

Rarity backed away from the suits with a nervous laugh. "Oh, sure, of course. What's up?"

Applejack slid to a quieter corner with Rarity. "Ah'm plannin' a get together, all the girls! Us element bearers. We haven't hung out in too long!"

Rarity clapped her hooves. "Darling! That sounds wonderful. Do you have any plans yet? Is this why you wanted me to spare a few minutes?"

Applejack clicked her tongue. "'xactly! Got most ponies on board, an' it sounds like we can count you in. Fluttershy's busy grabbin' Rainbow Dash, and we should be good to go."

Rarity sagged gently. "Poor Fluttershy. You know how she worries."

Applejack smiled at that. "She does that. Ah'm sure she'll be fine though. She an' Rainbow are thick as thieves. If Flutters asked, there ain't no way Rainbow'd say no."

Rarity peered into the distance in thought. "But of course. What should we do?"

Applejack rubbed at her chin. "Nothin' too special, just us six and a room together. We get to catch up, lotsa hugs, maybe a game er three? We friends gotta take time to keep on bein' friends, ya know?"

Rarity plucked up Applejack's hat with a soft laugh. "It sounds perfect." She folded it over and slipped it over her horn. "Oh, you were saying?"

Applejack swiped the hat back and fitted it over her own head. "Ya goof. Asides, yer wearin' a robot body, to remind. Go get a real hat instead of this digital one." She tipped het hat to the right position. "There we go."

Rarity curtsied. "What if I want to keep it?"

Applejack put a hoof against Rarity's chest, pushing her back lightly. "Not a chance. 'Sides, yer a seamstress. Y'ain't gonna convince me ya couldn't just make one fer yerself if ya wanted."

Rarity gave a startled snort. "Yes, I could. But that's not the point! The point is, the point." She scowled playfully. "You're still taking it back, aren't you?"

"Yup." Applejack turned away. "See you at the shindig." She vanished, taking the hat with her.

Rarity looked around in surprise. "I just got played, didn't I?" She hung her head with a quiet sigh. "But she has a point." She swirled her own hat onto her head with a proud smile. The hat was a holographic one, invented in that instant of imagination. "I think it's past time I made some nice hats."

With a happy sigh, she sat and got to work making that a reality.

---

Harriet saluted sharply, holding the stance as Roger paced in front of her.

He stopped at her side with a raised brow. "Well, Harriet, are you sure you want to do this?"

She stood up proudly. "Yes, Sir!" She swayed, barely able to stay upright under the weight of her supplies. "I have completed my level 1 training, Sir!"

Roger considered her silently a moment. "Good to hear, but this isn't an easy mission." He held out a hand. "There is a planet down there with a completely unknown ecology. A wrong move could get you hurt, or worse. The worse outcomes we may not even notice until long afterwards. Of all the missions to throw yourself into, you've picked a wild one."

Harriet gave a broad smile. "Sir, I've trained for months! I can do this."

Roger dropped to a knee before her, eye-to-eye. "You're still so young."

Harriet put both hands behind her back at proper attention. "I've passed the tests, Sir. I want to help the ship, and the people on it. I'm ready to do my part, and I understand the risks."

"No, you don't." He pat her on the shoulder. "You can't. Life will teach you what the meaning of risk is, but it hasn't yet. At your age, everything is exciting, not scary. But, if you're set on doing this..."

Harriet perked up at that, still saluting sharply. "I am, Sir!"

Roger swiped his fingers over his face. "God, you really are your mother's daughter." He laughed lightly. "Both of them. They must be so proud of you, or they want to throttle you before you get into trouble. Maybe both."

He let out a slow breath. "Getting distracted. Private Harrier!" Harriet stiffened. "I welcome you to live duty. I only ask that you try to bare in mind you're still learning. Listen to others, and do what you're told. Some of the things we have you do might not make sense at first, but we're trying to help you learn. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" Harriet squeaked the reply, barely able to keep her emotions in check. "I'll do my best."

"All I can ask."

---

"We're over the planet." Casey struck a few keys, bringing up the image of the world on the main screen. "She really is a gorgeous marble, viewed from up close."

Roger rubbed his chin with a smile. "Any signs of intelligent life? Cities? Colonies?"

Casey shook her head lightly. "We've not spotted anything so far. Still, there's only so much we can see from the time we've had."

Twilight appeared next to Roger. "I can confidently report that they are not emitting obvious noise. Sapient species of the proper developmental stage become quite noisy. If any exist on this world, it is either too simple, or too advanced. The sun shows no sign of advanced engineering, nor are there any cities. Those are typically visible."

Roger gave Twilight a raised brow. "Too simple or too advanced?"

Twilight huffed at that. "Simple refers to things like us not so long ago. We haven't the technology for space travel, but we make a lot of noise. Go much further than that and humans were quiet, making very little noise in their dotted settlements."

Roger hummed at that. "Makes sense. Well, unless we spot something that makes us reconsider, this place should be perfect." He pressed a button on his chair. "Crew assigned to shuttles, prepare for launch." He released the button and looked to Twilight. "Do we have a good time window on when we should release them for a safe landing?"

Twilight flicked her tail. "Sunset estimates a few hours before conditions are right. There's plenty of atmosphere and weather, and she can guide them down safely. Give or take."

Roger gave a soft huh. "When did Sunset become an expert on this?"

Twilight leaned in, fluttering her lashes. "When her wife started riding shuttles down to potentially dangerous planets. It's amazing how that can motivate a person, be they human, pony, or hologram."

Roger scratched his cheek with a little snort. "True enough. Casey, I'd like you to stick around and help me direct things from up here."

Casey smiled at that. "Aye aye, Captain. I'd only consider going down if they found some ancient technology they want me to study anyway. I'm an engineer." She shrugged as she returned to typing. "But you have me at your side, Sir."

Roger returned a faint smile. "As soon as the landings are made, the planet is ours. If anyone finds anything interesting, contact us before you go digging."

They watched as the first ship propelled from the USS Resolute, dropped out of warp, and began their descent.

A few minutes later, a second shuttle separated from the mothership, and began following the first one down. The only real difference was the numbers on the sides of each craft. Both made it through the thick atmosphere, their occupants jostled, but arriving with dual soft thumps on the verdant soil of the planet.

"They've landed." Twilight vanished without another word.

Roger watched with bated breath as the first team began unpacking their equipment.

One of their number, a scientist, worked furiously. "The composition of the atmosphere has enough of what we need." They already knew that before coming down. "But I'm detecting plenty of organics. We don't want to risk that. I suggest nobody steps foot off either shuttle without their suits on full environmental lockdown."

Roger gave a solemn nod at that. "Excellent advice. Good luck out there." He pressed the button again. "Shuttle crews, be careful out there. It's all new, and we have no idea what could happen. Your lives are more important than anything else. If things look dicey, you get home safely."

"Aye aye, Sir!" The three pairs of occupants replied in unison.

Two more shuttles sped from the ship to join the other two down below. Each pair carefully lowered their craft into position near their compatriots. Of them, one shut down and went dormant, waiting for the chance it hoped never came to help rescue the others.

The other three shuttles began to disgorge ready crewmembers down onto the surface of the new planet. With fascinated eyes, they took in the splendors of the world from behind their protective helmets. They scanned things here and there, even gathering samples that could be easily transported back to the ship for study.

With cooperation with the main ship, it started to become clear what could be harvested, and what was relatively useless. In the case of a tall pink grass, it looked great, but had hardly any nutrients or protein. This plant was just perfect for looking at, but not eating.

While most of the crew got right to work, one meandered out of sight. Harriet followed a small creature that scampered from cover to cover. "So cute!" She gave chase with a laugh, unable to resist.

Roger spotted the chase. "Harriet! Keep in sight of the others."

She raised a hand at that. "I'm not far!" She reached out. "Almost got—"

Great talons closed around the small creature. Some bird-like creature snatching it and darting away in one smooth motion. It let out a triumphant cry, having secured its lunch.

"Oh no!" Harriet skidded to a halt as the creature vanished into the trees. "Is it gonna be okay?"

Fluttershy appeared on the inside of Harriet's visor. "Unfortunately, the odds are against it. The circle of life, um, requires this. Saving it would mean that other creature would go hungry. It wouldn't be fair to one of them. I, um, appreciate that you feel bad, but we shouldn't try to tell animals how to live their lives."

Harriet walked back towards her shuttle slowly. "I just want to help everyone. Is that so wrong?"

Fluttershy broke eye contact. "Sometimes what helps most is letting go. I'm sorry. When you get back from this mission, I have some animals that would love to meet you."

Harriet smiled at that. "That sounds nice." She rejoined the crew in stocking up the shuttles with biomass.

Author's Note:

Dang Internet issues slowed this one down, but here it is, on time, if a little later in the day.

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Comments

[Booster Spice]

Just watch out for the perfectly innocuous stick hive mind that wants to make everyone happy by being apart of the community whole.

Oh look, the entire planet is the colour of a brain.

[Okie Brony]

I can't help but imagine seeing this in one of the ship's windows:
i.pinimg.com/originals/8e/51/2e/8e512ee21f5a58562e580d97223985e3.png
Oh, my Celestia, it's so pink! I wanna go I wanna go IwannagoIwannagoIwannago.