The Ocean's Bounty
by Bitera
(Deep Greenery)
Report, First Officer Ice Trail: We have entered orbit of planet Hiposs and the science team has begun their surveys. The planet's surface is covered in 95% water, a stark contrast to our homeworld of Equus. Initial reports suggest life deep below the surface, but little to none in the shallows.
Additionally, long range sensors have detected strange activity from the system’s sun, but Captain Horizon has assured the crew that the ship is safe.
Report, Acting Captain Ice Trail: Violent solar activity has bombarded the system. I have attached a list of casualties. I have ordered the survivors to abandon ship and take shuttles to the planet, where the atmosphere should protect us from further radiation. May Celestia protect us all.
Ice Trail sighed deeply as she saved her report, watching through the rear of her escape pod as the Princess Twilight drifted further from view. It was almost strange seeing the ship floating derelict with no weapons marks. But of course, she was looking at the side that had been facing the planet and not the sun.
Her view was soon obstructed by the flames licking at the side of her pod as it hit the planet’s atmosphere. She returned attention to her console, hooves working the controls with speed she hadn’t needed since the academy.
The turbulence intensified and suddenly the pod was spinning. Warning lights turned on across the board. She couldn’t tell if they were flashing or if she was just momentarily losing consciousness from the g-forces.
She felt the parachute deploy, the escape pod violently reorienting itself. Her head slammed against the console and Ice lost consciousness.
Report, Acting Captain Ice Trail: 5 hours since landing on the planet, I’ve been unable to contact any of the shuttles that carried the rest of the crew. I was lucky to land near a small island, I worry the others have had worse fates.
Ice sorted through the supplies she had available to her. Half a medkit after treating her own headwound, a week's worth of hay rations and clean water, and a dive suit. The gear had been intended for the science ponies to come down to conduct further studies, but she had distributed them between the escape shuttles during evacuation to aid survival.
There hadn’t been much time to sort through them properly, which meant this one was perhaps a size too small, with useless extra space along the back for wings she didn’t have. It would work in a pinch, if she had needed to escape the pod in the water. Surely the others would be able to do the same.
“They’re a capable crew, Commander Trail,” she said to herself. That’s the sort of thing Captain Horizon would’ve told her. Now she needed to be the one to say it.
She poked her head back into the shuttle, putting a hoof on the radio again. “This is Commander Ice Trail, calling to any crew from the Twilight. Do you read me? I repeat: is anyone out there?”
Report, Commander… Sorry, C-C- Acting Captain Trail: Week and a half since crashing on Hiposs. Still no contact with the rest of the crew. With the aurora I’ve observed every night, I suspect radiation from the solar activity is interfering with communications. Supplies are running thin. I have no choice but to investigate alternate food sources.
Ice grunted as she slid on the helmet of the dive suit, the glass bumping up against her muzzle. All the seals were good despite the material pulling uncomfortable at her fur in some places. Which she constantly reassured herself of as she walked down the bank of her small island into the water, until she was completely submerged.
She pushed herself off of the sand and engaged the built-in propulsion, little propellers whirring at her side to help her move through the water. Ponies weren’t built for swimming like this, she was grateful for the help.
The light of her helmet shone ahead of her, where the shallow water ended in a cliff. As she reached the edge, the light was swallowed by the deep water below. She thought she could maybe make out shapes moving, but when she tried to focus it just turned into an opaque blackness once again.
“Here goes nothing,” she muttered, swimming over the edge and pointing herself down into the depths. “If anyone is receiving this transmission, wish me luck.”
She descended for what felt like an hour. Ice wasn’t trained in diving, but the suit’s computer guided her on when to stop. If it weren’t for that and the cliff wall next to her, she might not have had any sense she was making progress at all.
She was deep enough that she couldn’t see the sun. It was there she saw her first flash of something else. Another light glowing in the dark.
She reached out towards it, paddling with her hooves to try to get there faster. “Hello?” she called over the radio. If it was another of the survivors, maybe they would hear her this close.
No one responded. As she finally got close enough to hopefully see who it was, there was a blur of motion and the light went out. Ice continued forward, moving her head around in search of the pony she’d glimpsed. There was no sign, but her light did show her something just as welcome: the color green.
“Plants!” She reached out, wrapping a hoof around one of the strands of seaweed waving in the gentle currents. There was a whole forest of greenery here, and she started tugging on the plants. They gave easily to her earth pony strength, pulling from the ground with only gentle persuasion. “Food…”
Report, Captain Ice Trail: I’ve secured a supply of local underwater plants. I have had no success in farming them closer to the surface. I suspect the harsh nature of the sun prevents any plants from surviving long. I shudder what that means for me, but I’ve done my best to shelter from the sun as much as possible. I am noticing some itchiness and furloss on my hind legs, some shortness of breath.
Even without being able to set up any farming, retrieving the plants has not proven to be difficult thus far. They grow in abundance in the depths of the ocean here. I am still uncertain how without light penetrating that deep, but I am not a xenobiologist. The trips have felt like a relief, to be honest, a refuge from whatever radiation this planet has been subject to.
Itching at her legs briefly, Ice made her way into the water eagerly. Every day had felt hotter than the last, while the depths where she harvested her food seemed more and more pleasantly cool.
She could make her way without guidance now, and even found she could go without stopping as frequently as the dive computer wanted her to. Clearly the system was designed overly cautiously without consideration for a survival situation.
Making her way to the next patch of greenery for harvest, Ice pulled at the plants almost without thought. Which is why she didn’t notice until too late when another source of light appeared next to her.
Ice jerked away, facing towards it so her light could shine on it. She hardly needed it, the creature gave off light of its own, a pattern of spots down its body that glowed with a warm yellow light.
It was vaguely pony shaped, except instead of hooves it had fins. It had no back legs, its body narrowing to its tail, which was fish-like with scales and fins as well.
The creature winced as Ice shined her light in its face and moved away, though it didn’t flee, instead swimming around to her other side.
“Er… Sorry,” Ice muttered, adjusting the light to a dim beam no brighter than the creature’s own glowing patterns.
This seemed to satisfy the creature, as it returned, regarding her almost curiously. It opened its mouth as if to speak, but the sounds were low and drawn out. Vaguely songlike but with no meaning Ice could comprehend.
Ice shook her head. “Sorry, I don’t… I don’t understand.”
The creature frowned then bit one of the plants surrounding them, tugging it from the ground and holding it out towards Ice Trail.
She hesitated, then reached out and took it, adding it to the ones she had harvested already. “You… want me to have this?”
The creature showed no comprehension, but seemed satisfied. The natural light went out, and Ice saw only a vague silhouette as it retreated through the greenery back into the depths.
“Huh.”
Report, Ice Trail: Symptoms are getting worse. Even with a steady supply of food and a working water purifier, I feel dry and hot all the time. Back legs are even more patchy, and getting harder to move. I may not have much time left before I won’t be able to make trips down for food anymore. The water is the only comfortable place left, and I dread no longer being able to return…
Ice Trail let herself drift as she approached the familiar green depths. She had to savor this while she still could. She paddled with her forelegs, more effective than it had been her first time in the water. But her hind legs were practically locked up and couldn’t move independently. At least in the water, that didn’t matter as much.
She opened her eyes, not surprised to see a glowing figure swimming around her. “Hello again, I’m glad we got to talk one last time. Not that you’re much of a conversationalist.”
The creature made one of her usual sounds, and Ice almost thought she could recognize the meaning. Excitement, relief… “You’re almost ready!”
“I’m glad you’re happy, but I don’t think you’ll see me again.” She made to move towards the plants, but the creature suddenly got in her way. “What are you… Hey!”
The creature bit at her suit, tugging on the fabric. Ice tried to get away but she didn’t have the maneuverability here. “Stop, don’t!” The creature pulled away, and Ice felt the fabric tear. Water flooded her helmet before she could scream.
Final Report, Ice: This world is so amazing. Recommendation: Please send more friends to visit soon!
Report, First Officer Ice Trail: We have entered orbit of planet Hiposs and the science team has begun their surveys. The planet's surface is covered in 95% water, a stark contrast to our homeworld of Equus. Initial reports suggest life deep below the surface, but little to none in the shallows.
Additionally, long range sensors have detected strange activity from the system’s sun, but Captain Horizon has assured the crew that the ship is safe.
Report, Acting Captain Ice Trail: Violent solar activity has bombarded the system. I have attached a list of casualties. I have ordered the survivors to abandon ship and take shuttles to the planet, where the atmosphere should protect us from further radiation. May Celestia protect us all.
Ice Trail sighed deeply as she saved her report, watching through the rear of her escape pod as the Princess Twilight drifted further from view. It was almost strange seeing the ship floating derelict with no weapons marks. But of course, she was looking at the side that had been facing the planet and not the sun.
Her view was soon obstructed by the flames licking at the side of her pod as it hit the planet’s atmosphere. She returned attention to her console, hooves working the controls with speed she hadn’t needed since the academy.
The turbulence intensified and suddenly the pod was spinning. Warning lights turned on across the board. She couldn’t tell if they were flashing or if she was just momentarily losing consciousness from the g-forces.
She felt the parachute deploy, the escape pod violently reorienting itself. Her head slammed against the console and Ice lost consciousness.
Report, Acting Captain Ice Trail: 5 hours since landing on the planet, I’ve been unable to contact any of the shuttles that carried the rest of the crew. I was lucky to land near a small island, I worry the others have had worse fates.
Ice sorted through the supplies she had available to her. Half a medkit after treating her own headwound, a week's worth of hay rations and clean water, and a dive suit. The gear had been intended for the science ponies to come down to conduct further studies, but she had distributed them between the escape shuttles during evacuation to aid survival.
There hadn’t been much time to sort through them properly, which meant this one was perhaps a size too small, with useless extra space along the back for wings she didn’t have. It would work in a pinch, if she had needed to escape the pod in the water. Surely the others would be able to do the same.
“They’re a capable crew, Commander Trail,” she said to herself. That’s the sort of thing Captain Horizon would’ve told her. Now she needed to be the one to say it.
She poked her head back into the shuttle, putting a hoof on the radio again. “This is Commander Ice Trail, calling to any crew from the Twilight. Do you read me? I repeat: is anyone out there?”
Report, Commander… Sorry, C-C- Acting Captain Trail: Week and a half since crashing on Hiposs. Still no contact with the rest of the crew. With the aurora I’ve observed every night, I suspect radiation from the solar activity is interfering with communications. Supplies are running thin. I have no choice but to investigate alternate food sources.
Ice grunted as she slid on the helmet of the dive suit, the glass bumping up against her muzzle. All the seals were good despite the material pulling uncomfortable at her fur in some places. Which she constantly reassured herself of as she walked down the bank of her small island into the water, until she was completely submerged.
She pushed herself off of the sand and engaged the built-in propulsion, little propellers whirring at her side to help her move through the water. Ponies weren’t built for swimming like this, she was grateful for the help.
The light of her helmet shone ahead of her, where the shallow water ended in a cliff. As she reached the edge, the light was swallowed by the deep water below. She thought she could maybe make out shapes moving, but when she tried to focus it just turned into an opaque blackness once again.
“Here goes nothing,” she muttered, swimming over the edge and pointing herself down into the depths. “If anyone is receiving this transmission, wish me luck.”
She descended for what felt like an hour. Ice wasn’t trained in diving, but the suit’s computer guided her on when to stop. If it weren’t for that and the cliff wall next to her, she might not have had any sense she was making progress at all.
She was deep enough that she couldn’t see the sun. It was there she saw her first flash of something else. Another light glowing in the dark.
She reached out towards it, paddling with her hooves to try to get there faster. “Hello?” she called over the radio. If it was another of the survivors, maybe they would hear her this close.
No one responded. As she finally got close enough to hopefully see who it was, there was a blur of motion and the light went out. Ice continued forward, moving her head around in search of the pony she’d glimpsed. There was no sign, but her light did show her something just as welcome: the color green.
“Plants!” She reached out, wrapping a hoof around one of the strands of seaweed waving in the gentle currents. There was a whole forest of greenery here, and she started tugging on the plants. They gave easily to her earth pony strength, pulling from the ground with only gentle persuasion. “Food…”
Report, Captain Ice Trail: I’ve secured a supply of local underwater plants. I have had no success in farming them closer to the surface. I suspect the harsh nature of the sun prevents any plants from surviving long. I shudder what that means for me, but I’ve done my best to shelter from the sun as much as possible. I am noticing some itchiness and furloss on my hind legs, some shortness of breath.
Even without being able to set up any farming, retrieving the plants has not proven to be difficult thus far. They grow in abundance in the depths of the ocean here. I am still uncertain how without light penetrating that deep, but I am not a xenobiologist. The trips have felt like a relief, to be honest, a refuge from whatever radiation this planet has been subject to.
Itching at her legs briefly, Ice made her way into the water eagerly. Every day had felt hotter than the last, while the depths where she harvested her food seemed more and more pleasantly cool.
She could make her way without guidance now, and even found she could go without stopping as frequently as the dive computer wanted her to. Clearly the system was designed overly cautiously without consideration for a survival situation.
Making her way to the next patch of greenery for harvest, Ice pulled at the plants almost without thought. Which is why she didn’t notice until too late when another source of light appeared next to her.
Ice jerked away, facing towards it so her light could shine on it. She hardly needed it, the creature gave off light of its own, a pattern of spots down its body that glowed with a warm yellow light.
It was vaguely pony shaped, except instead of hooves it had fins. It had no back legs, its body narrowing to its tail, which was fish-like with scales and fins as well.
The creature winced as Ice shined her light in its face and moved away, though it didn’t flee, instead swimming around to her other side.
“Er… Sorry,” Ice muttered, adjusting the light to a dim beam no brighter than the creature’s own glowing patterns.
This seemed to satisfy the creature, as it returned, regarding her almost curiously. It opened its mouth as if to speak, but the sounds were low and drawn out. Vaguely songlike but with no meaning Ice could comprehend.
Ice shook her head. “Sorry, I don’t… I don’t understand.”
The creature frowned then bit one of the plants surrounding them, tugging it from the ground and holding it out towards Ice Trail.
She hesitated, then reached out and took it, adding it to the ones she had harvested already. “You… want me to have this?”
The creature showed no comprehension, but seemed satisfied. The natural light went out, and Ice saw only a vague silhouette as it retreated through the greenery back into the depths.
“Huh.”
Report, Ice Trail: Symptoms are getting worse. Even with a steady supply of food and a working water purifier, I feel dry and hot all the time. Back legs are even more patchy, and getting harder to move. I may not have much time left before I won’t be able to make trips down for food anymore. The water is the only comfortable place left, and I dread no longer being able to return…
Ice Trail let herself drift as she approached the familiar green depths. She had to savor this while she still could. She paddled with her forelegs, more effective than it had been her first time in the water. But her hind legs were practically locked up and couldn’t move independently. At least in the water, that didn’t matter as much.
She opened her eyes, not surprised to see a glowing figure swimming around her. “Hello again, I’m glad we got to talk one last time. Not that you’re much of a conversationalist.”
The creature made one of her usual sounds, and Ice almost thought she could recognize the meaning. Excitement, relief… “You’re almost ready!”
“I’m glad you’re happy, but I don’t think you’ll see me again.” She made to move towards the plants, but the creature suddenly got in her way. “What are you… Hey!”
The creature bit at her suit, tugging on the fabric. Ice tried to get away but she didn’t have the maneuverability here. “Stop, don’t!” The creature pulled away, and Ice felt the fabric tear. Water flooded her helmet before she could scream.
Final Report, Ice: This world is so amazing. Recommendation: Please send more friends to visit soon!