This story contains characters from Star Trek the Next Generation and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I've had this idea floating around in my head for more than three years since I re-discovered my old copy of "Planet X", an official Star Trek TNG/X-Men Crossover novel, and I'm delighted to finally be starting it. ^^

'Captain's log, Stardate 47836.2

While on the way to a planned rendezvous with the U.S.S Hood, the Enterprise's sensors have detected some rather incomprehensible readings from a previously unremarkable and fully charted nebula in the region. Though we are still a relatively long distance from the Cardassian border, Lieutenant Worf and I both feel that the unexplained appearance of such a complex and sensor-defying anomaly cannot be ignored as a potential threat to the sector's security given recent tensions. With Captain DeSoto's agreement, we have postponed our meeting in order to investigate more closely.'

Captain Picard stepped out of his ready room onto the bridge, nodding curtly as Commander Riker effortlessly rose from the central seat in the middle of the bridge and stood off to the right, awaiting the question he knew would follow a moment later.

"Report, number one."

An oh so slight smile crossed the bearded human's face, and he nodded towards the viewscreen, upon which the approaching nebula was already visible.

"Nothing yet from sensors, Captain. At least, nothing that makes any sense. As you can see though, the nebula appears normal at our current distance. No signs of any spacial phenomena that could be responsible for such a wild shift in its readings."

As Picard nodded, already settling into his chair as Riker sat down beside him, Lieutenant Commander Data turned in his own seat at the Operations console. 

"If I may clarify something, Sir?"

Picard glanced at Riker, who smirked and nodded in encouragement. The Captain's gaze returned to the android, and no sooner had he nodded, Data was off with a typically thorough explanation.

"While what Commander Riker says is technically accurate, I do believe that the sensor information we have received thus far can tell us a great deal about the nature of the anomaly we are seeking to identify. Most pointedly, the fact that Commander Riker is truly correct in his assessment that the sensor data makes no sense. There is no pattern to it whatsoever."

Captain Picard furrowed his brow for a moment, glancing first to Riker, then to his left, where Counsellor Troi was sitting calmly, examining the viewscreen with a focus that betrayed her intense desire to understand, to reach out and unravel this mystery much as her empathic skills could help untangle the web of emotions in a troubled mind. After it became clear that neither of them understood Data's exact meaning though, he turned back to the operations officer and was about to ask him to clarify, when he paused. His eyes widened slightly, and Data's head twitched in a moment of acknowledgement, recognising Picard's understanding.

"Commander, are you telling me that the sensor data is truly nonsensical? Utterly and wholly different and unpredictable at all points in time for as long as we have been monitoring it?" 

Data's head barely twitched as he responded.

"Precisely, Sir."

From behind Picard, above the curving arch which formed the bridge's sizeable tactical console, Lieutenant Worf muttered just a second later. 

"But, that isn't randomness at all. In any truly random scramble of data, there will be repeated sequences and patterns just by chance, and it would fall to the computer to filter out those fragments of patternation and identify them as random."

Nodding his head in approval to the Klingon, Picard returned his gaze to the viewscreen.

"Precisely, Mr Worf. Which means that the data we are receiving is not truly random at all, but someone, or something purposefully attempting to mimic genuine randomness, to the point of overcompensation."

The Klingon's eyes narrowed beneath his ridged brow.

"Recommend we go to yellow alert, Captain."

Captain Picard nodded sharply.

"Make it so. Commander La Forge, to the bridge."  

A short while later, as yellow lights blinked upon panels across the frame of the Enterprise's bridge while Commander Riker tapped at his chair's arm console, ensuring that all relevant personnel were at their assigned stations in readiness for whatever might follow, the door to the main turbolift hissed open. Lieutenant Commander La Forge stepped out, sweeping around the side of the bridge towards the helm as its current operator stepped aside to allow the ship's Chief Engineer to take over. 

"Geordi, have you had the opportunity to..."

Data began, only to fall silent with a satisfied expression as La Forge nodded while staring up at the viewscreen.

"Yeah, Data, I've been following along with the telemetry from engineering. It's definitely not a natural phenomenon, unless we've encountered the one in infinity chance of randomness generating an entirely unrepeated string of data for... what, over three hours, since we started tracking the anomaly?" 

As he spoke, La Forge's visor never once broke contact with the viewscreen, until he turned in his seat to face Picard.

"Captain, I think there's something inside the nebula. It's tiny, even at full magnification on our sensors. Just a few nanopixels across. But, my visor is definitely registering it as an independent object."

Picard could feel the tension rise across the bridge, and he could almost feel Lieutenant Worf's hands squeezing the tactical console behind him. There was no fear though. No concern. Just preparedness, the readiness to act on a moment's notice. He trusted his crew, and they trusted him. Thus, they waited. For a minute. For another minute, as the Enterprise grew closer to the nebula at Warp four, until the sensor resolution refreshed, and though still at a great distance, the rest of them were now able to see the object that La Forge had already identified. Picard squinted. He heard the seat to his left creak ever so slightly as he saw Troi lean forward out of the corner of his eye, while from his right, Riker just murmured.

"What the..."

The resolution increased again as they drew closer, and now there was no mistaking it. Worf grumbled.

"Is that meant to be a Federation vessel? Is someone mocking us?" 

It did indeed look like a Federation ship. More accurately, the small but increasingly clear image at the core of the nebula looked like a Galaxy class starship, except for one key feature. 

"It appears to have some manner of forward projection emanating from the upper surface of its saucer section."

Data observed.

"A forward projection?" 

La Forge chuckled at his friend, who looked back at the human with curiosity, not understanding precisely why his accurate summation had provoked such humour. The engineer smiled reassuringly and raised an apologetic hand towards the android.

"Sorry, Data. I just mean... it's not like the ship has an extra module attached to it like a Nebula class. That's a Galaxy class starship... with a horn."

Counsellor Troi giggled. Picard resisted the urge to smile, though it was an apt comparison from what they could make out on the screen thus far. Before he could say anything else to gently return his crew's focus to more professional observations though, Troi raised a hand to her mouth, and put the other on the Captain's left arm as though to steady herself. Raising an eyebrow, Picard looked over at her, only to furrow his brow more sharply as he saw tears glimmering in the corners of Troi's eyes. A moment later, she snorted loudly, not in pain or with any trouble breathing, but with an undignified and spontaneous burst of much more raucous laughter. 

"Deanna?" 

Riker leaned over to look around Picard, unable to hide his concern. Picard was scarcely able to contain his own worry for this most valued member of his crew, but he kept his own voice steady.

"Counsellor Troi, are you alright? Are you... feeling something?" 

He had seen her overcome by waves of emotion from other entities, humanoid and not, before. He knew this was a possibility, and sure enough, as Troi cupped her face with both hands to try and mute her laughter at least a little, she nodded.

"Yes, C-Captain... I mean... no, but..."

She managed to get out between briefer gasps of mirth before succumbing to a longer bout of giggles, moving one hand to clutch her stomach as she almost doubled over with apparent amusement while still trying to get ahold of herself. Finally her laughter subsided, at least temporarily, and as she straightened up in her seat again, face flushed with exertion far more than embarrassment, she was still beaming from ear to ear when she met the Captain's gaze.

"Captain, I'm sorry. I really couldn't help myself. It's just... out there, on that ship. I can feel... joy. Pure, giddy, almost impossibly boundless joy. There are life forms on board. Many of them. And I think... no. I believe without any doubt, that they can't wait to meet us."

Picard frowned.

"I understand, and I believe you, Deanna. But, under the circumstances..."

Before he could even finish, the Counsellor nodded.

"I know, Captain. You want Beverley to check me over, to make sure there isn't a telepathic presence affecting me."

Picard nodded, and as he heard Riker already putting in the call to sick bay to have the Chief Medical Officer report to the bridge, Worf spoke up.

"Recommend that we do not get any closer until we know that there is no telepathic threat, Captain. Even if Counsellor Troi is the most susceptible given her abilities, we do not know for sure that it wouldn't begin affecting other crew members as our proximity increases." 

The Captain nodded, first to Worf, then to La Forge. The engineer nodded back.

"Aye, dropping out of Warp. All stop."

The deck of the ship beneath the crew shuddered almost imperceptibly at the drop to impulse, then the equally swift cessation of all relative forward motion. All stations continued to observe the nebula and the object, the small shape of the ship present in the midst of the pinkish blue blob of stellar gases and plasma ejections, on the viewscreen. A brief while later the turbolift opened once more, and Doctor Crusher hurried onto the bridge, moving immediately towards Troi who tried to smile comfortingly.

"I can still feel the presence, but it's more controlled now. Almost as though its owner recognised the effect it was having, though I can't be sure."

Picard nodded, glancing past Troi to where the Doctor was kneeling down, tricorder in hand.

"Is there any sign of hormonal imbalance, Doctor? Any sign that she was physiologically affected by the contact?" 

Doctor Crusher studied her tricorder for another second or two before shaking her head.

"No, Captain. She seems entirely healthy. The only thing my scans can pick up are slightly increased endorphin levels, but only increased to a level that suggests... well, that she either found something very funny a brief while ago, or someone mentioned chocolate."

Troi scoffed, but with genuine amusement at her friend's light teasing, and all those upon the bridge who knew Deanna well, Data aside, smiled too. Picard leaned back in his seat.

"Well, that's good to know. Would you mind remaining here for a little while, Doctor? If it happens again, I would appreciate a medical expert present to analyse the readings at their peak, and to identify if there is any sign of telepathic contact beneath the initial response."

Doctor Crusher rose to her feet, only to pull out a small, additional chair to Troi's left and settle upon it.

"I'd be happy to, Captain. In fact I'll keep my scans open to include everyone here, just in case they decide to target anyone e-"

"Captain!"

Worf's strong, deep voice boomed suddenly over Doctor Crusher's more gentle tones. 

"The ship, it's powering up engines and beginning to move. Their course is... it's a direct intercept course for the Enterprise."

Picard's eyes darted back to the viewscreen, where sure enough the Federation-like, single horned ship was ever so slightly larger as under the sensor's magnification it began to slowly pull away from the nebula and approach. It wasn't moving at Warp speed, so it would be a fair while before it arrived, but the Captain wasn't going to take any chances.

"Mr Worf, red alert."

Chimes blared as a deeper red light replaced the previous blinking yellows. If the other ship was aware of the Enterprise's increased defensive readiness though, it made no sign of showing it. Data spoke calmly as ever from his seat at Ops.

"No sign of weapons systems being charged. No sign of shields being activated or any activation of generators suggesting their preparation to do so. In fact... Sir, I do not believe this to be possible, though I am unable to draw any other conclusion. Geordi, may I ask you to double check my information, just in case I am experiencing some manner of processing malfunction at my console?" 

Data glanced over to the human beside him, who nodded without hesitation. Picard trusted both man and android without doubt, thus he didn't press for any further information until La Forge murmured.

"No, Data. You're right. This isn't possible, but the sensors are certain of it. Captain, the ship approaching us is real. It has mass, energy, everything we'd expect from a vessel of its size and configuration. It's not a hologram or any other sort of projection, unless their technology to develop them is centuries beyond ours, perhaps millennia, even. But... it has no engine signature. No power source for weapons or shields. Its main deflector dish appears to be inert, and... actually, I'm not detecting any power of any kind. No life support. No inertial dampeners. Nothing."

Riker frowned, and uttered Picard's exact thoughts an instant before the Captain himself could speak them.

"How is it even flying, then? A single speck of space-dust could tear a hole through the ship from end to end if they're moving at full impulse without some sort of deflector array."

Data continued to peer up at the approaching ship, and shook his head slightly.

"I am afraid that neither I nor Commander La Forge possess those answers, Commander. You are entirely correct, and yet direct evidence to the contrary is approaching us now. Thus, I suggest..."

Data's voice trailed off, only for him to speak up again another second or so later.

"Captain. The vessel's registration."

With almost comic timing, the whole of the bridge crew seemed to lean forward, aside from Geordi who leaned back so that he could adjust the focus on his visor to match Data's keen vision.

"What the..." 

He echoed Riker's earlier words, while Picard stood up sharply from his chair and stood tall and proud, brow furrowed sharply.

"Whatever games the owners of that... ship, that object, that joke think they're playing, I for one am quite tired of them. How long until the vessel is in hailing range?" 

Data didn't even have to glance at his console.

"Approximately one minute seventeen seconds, sir." 

Picard nodded, and as he saw Riker stand up beside him, he could almost feel the annoyance radiating from his first officer in a way that matched his own. It was one thing for them to encounter something new. An unpredictable anomaly. A new life form. Such dangers and wonders were part of life on a Federation starship, particularly one such as the flagship itself. But to feel that their ship, that the vessel which carried them and so many other souls so safely on their mission of exploration and scientific understanding, was being in any way mocked or treated as a joke, that was a kind of pressure that neither Picard nor Riker were entirely immune to, despite being fully aware of their need to remain impartial. 

And as it grew closer still, the whole bridge crew could read the registration number emblazoned on the front of the saucer section of the approaching ship, a small portion of it almost hidden by the horn... the unicorn-like horn which rose, pointing forward at an angle of thirty degrees or so from the middle-front region of the saucer just ahead of where those letters were printed.

'NCC-1701-D'

And above that registration, the registration of the very ship which Picard himself had Captained with pride for the best part of seven years now, the name. Not that of the Enterprise, though undeniably, unmistakably close.

'E.S.S Equiprise'

Lieutenant Worf practically growled in distaste from behind Picard.

"Entering hailing range now Sir. Shall I..."

He paused, huffing in even greater annoyance.

"Captain, we are being hailed."

Picard glanced around the bridge, and when he saw only bemused faces regarding him in return, even Data looking quizzical, he nodded slowly.

"Well then, on screen, Mr Worf. Let's see who it is aboard the... Equiprise." 

Beside him, Riker shifted. On Picard's left, Troi leaned forward again, and beside her Doctor Crusher's tricorder chirped as it continued to take readings, seemingly detecting nothing worthy of mentioning as yet. 

An instant later, the screen cut away from the approaching vessel to an interior. A very familiar, though somewhat different interior of a Galaxy class starship bridge. Before Captain Picard could take in both the similarities and differences of the various aspects of the ship itself though, his eyes became locked on the figure approaching from the centre of the bridge on the screen. Walking towards him, presumably towards their own vessel's viewscreen from a chair a little more low-set, but undeniably similar to his own, on four legs. Four lavender hued, hoofed legs, which carried a winged torso bearing a flowing mane and tail of deep indigo blue, streaked with pink and purple. A bright, smiling face with violet eyes stared up at the screen, at Picard himself from beneath a long, protruding horn, and as the human Captain tried not to react visibly; not to express shock, confusion or outright disbelief at the unmistakably equine-like figure, dressed in an unmistakable red and black uniform with its own comms badge, the gold portion in the shape of a horseshoe, the horse... no, the pony addressed him and his crew with a warm, eager voice.

"This is Captain Twilight Sparkle of the Equestian Star Ship Equiprise. I can tell you have a lot of questions, Captain. It... is Captain, yes?"

Captain Picard straightened up a little more as he swore he could see the horned, winged pony's eyes glance at his collar, counting the four pips there, identical in their simple gold stud design to those upon her own neckline.

"Indeed. I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S Enterprise."

Picard almost winced as he heard himself unconsciously emphasising those portions of his ship's name, and yet when he saw a look he hadn't expected on the pony's surprisingly expressive features... one of understanding, of warmth and sympathy, he sighed, and lifted a hand to rub the back of his head.

"And... yes. We have a great many questions, that we would be very grateful if you would be willing to help us answer, Captain..."

He cleared his throat slightly, and could feel Riker trying not to smirk beside him as he hesitated for a fraction of a second too long before clearly and confidently enunciating. 

"...Sparkle."

By Jeeves