Chapter 70: Going Home Part 2
Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado, United States of America, Earth, December 27th, 1998
There was the Stargate. It was still closed - well, the iris was closed, and the gate was inactive - but that wouldn't be the case for much longer. Soon, the gate would be dialling - and they would be able to return to Etheria. To their friends. To their home.
Adora couldn't wait. And her friends couldn't wait either. Glimmer was alternating between staring at the gate as if she wanted to teleport through it right away and glaring at the technicians operating the gate as if that would make them divert from their schedule. Bow and Entrapta were standing before a screen carried by Emily, giving Micah and Castaspella some unneeded advice - just today, they had already checked the gate's setup at least three times. Hordak was standing to the side and behind Entrapta, outside the angle where the camera would pick him up, but he was looking at the gate as well when he thought no one was paying attention. And Catra was…
…perched on a computer console as if it was a wall and doing her best to fake being bored.
She was trying too hard. Adora shook her head with a smile and wandered over. "Hey."
Catra turned her head to look at her. "That's my line."
"It'll open soon," Adora said, nodding towards the gate.
"I know." Catra cocked her head, then sniffed the air. "Someone's got a tuna sandwich."
"And it's theirs," Adora told her.
"I know." Catra rolled her eyes. "I'm just making small talk."
"Ah." Adora nodded. "So, I don't need t make a run to the cantine and get another one?"
Her lover snorted. "If I wanted one, I'd go myself. Besides, we have a feast waiting for us in the palace."
"And you packed a crate full of the cans," Adora added.
"As trade goods." Catra scoffed. "People will pay anything I ask for a taste of Earth. I'll rake in the cash! It'll be even better than the time we found that Alliance ration on the training ground."
"Ah, yes." They had been able to trade for a dozen of the good Horde rations. But they wouldn't have done that if they had known how good it was. Still… "You could have picked any kind of food you wanted. But you picked tuna."
Catra stuck her tongue out at her. "I wanted something that was cheap and that I liked. Just in case I have to demonstrate that it's safe."
"Of course." Adora grinned at her. She would be surprised if Catra sold half the cans - it wasn't as if she needed money. If they needed anything, they could just ask Glimmer.
"Clear the gate area!"
It was starting! Adora turned around while Catra jumped down from the console, and both of them hurried to the waiting area in front of the gate. They would be home soon!
Their friends joined them as well. Even Emily seemed to walk more quickly as she followed Entrapta.
And there was Jack, walking over to them. "Excited?"
Catra snorted, but Adora nodded.
"Do you expect us to get shot?" Glimmer asked, looking pointedly at the rifle at his side. "In Bright Moon?"
"What? Oh, no. But regulations are regulations. No unarmed gate travel during wartime! Never know when you might end up somewhere else." Jack grinned as the rest of SG-1 formed up next to him.
"Like on Etheria," Entrapta chimed in. "Though the chance that there's a malfunction is very low, in my estimate."
"And we'll test the gate with a bot first," Bow said.
Emily took a step back, and Entrapta beamed at her. "Not you, of course! We've got a spy bot for that!"
The bot - a dumb bot, Entrapta had reassured them - was standing in front of the gate ramp already.
"Let's get on with it," Catra muttered.
As if the technician - Sergeant Siler - had been waiting for her comment, the activation sequence started. Adora took a deep breath as the iris opened, the gate ring spun and the chevrons became locked in. One… two… three…
Soon, all seven were locked in, and the gate formed.
"Go, Spy-Twelve!" Entrapta commanded, and the bot walked up the ramp, then disappeared through the gate.
Everyone turned to look at the screen Emily was still carrying. Adora could see the bot walking down the ramp their friends had erected for the gate.
"It looks good… running a diagnosis… yes. No detectable structural changes," Entrapta announced.
"I assume that means we're good to go," Catra said.
Adora nodded - and stepped onto the ramp. It was time to go home.
A few quick steps took her right to the gate. This was… just another gate trip, she reminded herself as she took a deep breath. She had gone through Stargates many times by now.
But it was also a return home. Smiling, she walked into the gate.
A familiar but still disorienting moment later, she blinked - she was outside, in the sunlight - oh, the air smelt like…
"Dad!"
"Glimmer!"
Adora stepped to the side when Glimmer charged down the ramp, straight into Micah's arms.
All their friends were there! She had known that - they had been talking to them every day to help set up the gate - but seeing them was different. There was Netossa, Spinnerella, Mermista with Sea Hawk, Perfuma and Scorpia, and…
"Adora!" A shadow fell on her.
Yes! Swift Wind landed in front of her, right on the ramp.
"I missed you so much!" he told her.
"I missed you too," she replied as she buried her face into the side of his neck.
"Watch the wings!" Adora heard Catra cry out.
She felt the wings flap - once; Swift Wind didn't lift off - but she was busy hugging him.
"Whoa!" That was Bow. But the ramp was wide enough for him to go around Swift Wind.
"Our sacred bond was strained but not broken even though you travelled to the ends of the universe!"
"We didn't even leave the Galaxy!" Catra commented.
"Wildcat!"
"Hey, ScoOOF! Lemme go!"
"No!"
"Hello!"
Adora released Swift Wind and looked around. It seemed everyone had decided to step onto the ramp - which wasn't bare metal, as in Stargate Command, but made from stone inlaid with crystal, she noticed. Bow was hugging his Dads, Catra was trying - and failing - to squirm out of Scorpia's arms, Perfuma was beaming and hanging out flower necklaces to everyone, Glimmer and Micah were still hugging, and…
…everyone needed to leave the ramp since Entrapta had just arrived, followed by Hordak, which meant Emily would be next.
"Whoa!"
"Watch out!"
The ramp definitely wasn't big enough for everyone and Emily.
"Mount up!" Swift Wind called out as he stepped off the ramp - and hovered in place.
Adora slid on his back, and he took off.
"Hey!" Catra called after her. "Let me go, Scorpia!"
"No!"
"I missed you so much," Swift Wind repeated himself as they cleared the tops of the trees surrounding the gate.
Adora looked down. The Stargate had been placed on the edge of the Whispering Wood - in Bright Moon's territory but close enough to the actual woods that there were no villages nearby. And it was mounted in a frame that would allow it to be flipped and lowered into the ground. Not quite an iris, but it would do.
"We can't fly off yet," she told her friend. "I need to greet everyone first." And introduce - well, reintroduce - SG-1.
"I haven't seen you in months!" Swift Wind complained. But he banked and turned around, then started to descend in wide circles.
"We'll fly after that," she reassured him as she spotted SG-1 arriving through the gate.
"I'll hold you to that!"
"You know, millions of little girls would gleefully kill us all to take your place," Jack told her as soon as Swift Wind touched down next to the ramp.
"I don't let just anyone ride me!" Swift Wind replied indignantly.
Adora patted his flank before dismounting. She shouldn't have left for so long. Then she got to hug all her friends. Even if they didn't want to be hugged.
"Everyone who hasn't met them yet: This is SG-1. Colonel Jack O'Neill, Captain Samantha Carter, Dr Daniel Jackson and Teal'c," Glimmer announced after she finally pulled back from her dad. "They're our friends and allies."
"And lab and science buddies!" Entrapta added with a beaming smile. "Sam and I built a spacelab! We can do experiments there that would be too dangerous for Earth!"
"Ah." Sea Hawk nodded. "They probably have no empty lots left on a planet with six billion people and vast oceans."
"Actually, we have a lot of deserts," Daniel said. "The population is mostly concentrated in several areas."
"They have cities that have millions of people," Catra added. "And more metal and factories than the Fright Zone had."
"Wow!" Scorpia blinked.
"Really? Do you need help with restoring nature there as well?" Perfuma asked. "I've learned a lot dealing with the aftermath of the war in the Scorpio Kingdom."
"Ah, we still need those cities. You know, for living in them, working in them…" Jack said with a fake smile - Adora could tell. "Please don't turn them into plants."
"Oh, but I can grow living buildings!" Perfuma perked up. "A city in harmony with nature."
Jack stared at her.
Sam came to his rescue. "We have laws about introducing new species to an area - in the past, such things often caused small disasters. Any such project would require careful and extensive planning and experiments - and the consent of the local authorities."
"Well, of course, but…"
Swift Wind stamped the ground. "Let's go flying!"
Adora looked at her friends. At Catra.
Her lover snorted. "Go fly, or he'll never shut up."
Swift Wind snorted at her before turning to Adora. "You heard her. Let's fly!"
She wanted to, but…
"Just be back in an hour or two for the meeting," Glimmer told her. "We've got this handled."
Well, with her friends' blessings… Adora beamed at them, then quickly climbed on Swift Wind's back.
"I have so much to tell you!" he gushed as they soared up, flying high above the ground. "We've been making great inroads in freeing my people from slavery on Etheria! Some kingdoms are still resisting, but it's just a question of time. But there was that one princess…"
As he talked, Adora leaned back and smiled, looking at the land below, Bright Moon in the distance, the Whispering Woods…
She was finally home again.
Gate Area, Near Bright Moon, Etheria, December 27th, 1998 (Earth Time)
Samantha Carter watched as the winged unicorn - the alicorn, a girl's voice in her head insisted - took off and climbed up. Yes, millions of little girls would indeed love to be in Adora's place. And many boys, women and men as well. Maybe even including one Samantha Carter, but that was neither here nor there.
"Well, nothing's better proof that you're not in Kansas any more than seeing a princess ride a flying horse," the Colonel commented.
"There's only one flying horse on Etheria," Catra commented.
"But one is enough. He's rather… memorable, after all," he retorted.
"And pushy. And needy." Catra snorted.
"Takes one to know one," Glimmer said.
Catra seemed to ignore her, shading her eyes as she looked at the horse and rider in the sky. "Well, they'll be a while."
"Alright, I've told Stargate Command that we arrived safely," the Colonel said. A moment later, the gate went inactive.
"Lower the gate!" Someone - Netossa, Sam remembered the princess's name - called out, and the gate started to tilt back, slowly being lowered into a ready-made pit.
"We have to build a proper iris," Entrapta commented as she watched. "And better defences."
Sam nodded. They had gone over this, after all.
"And speaking of defences…" The Colonel looked around. "This is a little open, isn't it?"
"Fewer opportunities for anyone to hide," Netossa told him. "And we have it under guard."
Sam could see bots and soldiers forming a perimeter.
"And if everything else fails, there's a frigate in stationary orbit above us, ready to bombard the entire area," the princess added, looking directly at the Colonel.
"That's going to leave a crater," he commented. He glanced up, Sam noted, as did she, even though she didn't think she'd be able to spot the frigate at this distance without a telescope.
"As would using a bomb." The princess shrugged. "It's just temporary anyway - we'll build a gatehouse here once Entrapta finishes the control and power supply unit." She grinned. "More guards, bots and automated defences, as well as a bunch of sorceresses from Mystacore. No one's going to get through here."
Netossa was one of the most experienced princesses, together with her wife, Sam reminded herself.
"We'll get right on that!" Entrapta said. "After I've checked in with the bots. Some of them will need special maintenance and upgrades."
"Horde-trained technicians should be perfectly able to maintain and repair any bot produced so far," Hordak commented.
Entrapta pouted at him. "But no one's perfect, so I should be checking their work."
Emily beeped in agreement.
Sam smiled - her friend was correct, but that wasn't the only or even main reason Entrapta wanted to check the bots. They were her friends. Or family, in a way. "We need to reassess them anyway, to incorporate them into the gate defences," she said.
"Yes!" Entrapta agreed, nodding repeatedly. "Can't skimp here - this is the gate to Etheria." She cocked her head. "It's too bad we didn't get the Tok'ra's tunnelling technology yet - we could prepare a complete underground base in a day!"
Which would be safer than a Stargate placed in a base above ground. Both against infiltrators/invasions as well as attacks from the outside. Sooner or later, they'd move the gate on Etheria underground; Sam was sure of that. The advantages were just too great.
But not today.
"You mentioned their tunnelling technology," Netossa said, nodding. "But an underground base also means that if someone took it and had access to that technology, they could easily use it to move from the gate undetected."
"Only if they manage to take the gate without raising an alert," Spinnerella objected.
"And you can detect the tunnels using seismic sensors," Sam pointed out. "Or magic."
The princess nodded, but with a frown. "That'll make the whole base more expensive than planned."
"That's the case with most projects," King Micah chimed in with a smile. "We'll shoulder the costs anyway - this is too important."
Seeing how he was beaming at Glimmer, Sam couldn't help feeling that the king was probably as concerned about the fact that the Stargate would allow his daughter to return home whenever she wanted as he was about the security issues. She wasn't Daniel, but such a view seemed quite typical for the Etherians.
"Anyway," King Micah continued, "Let's move to the palace now. We have a lot to discuss, but we should get comfortable first. We've prepared a small meal as well, in case you're hungry." He grinned. "You've travelled a long way, after all."
"Oh! Do you have tiny food prepared?" Entrapta leaned forward.
"Of course!"
"Yes!" Sam's friend beamed at him, then grabbed Hordak's arm before turning to Sam. "Let's go!"
"We also have normal-sized food," the king added with a chuckle.
"Oh! I've missed homemade food!" Glimmer eyed the spire of Brightmoon, visible in the distance, as if she wanted to teleport ahead, Sam noticed.
She probably could, Sam knew. They were on a planet full of magic, she reminded herself. Etheria might only have a population of fifty million, but between the sorceresses of Mystacore and the various princesses, they would have the most magically active individuals of any planet in the sector.
She wouldn't even think of them as 'magic-users'. The Colonel wouldn't stop cracking Dungeons and Dragons jokes for a long time.
"Let's go then. We've prepared skiffs for the trip." King Micah gestured towards several of the flying vehicles - hovering vehicles, Sam corrected herself; they couldn't fly very high - in the background.
For a change, the Colonel simply agreed without making a snarky comment. It was almost magical.
Bright Moon, Etheria, December 27th, 1998 (Earth Time)
Bright Moon was the same as always, Catra thought as their skiffs entered the main gate. OK, usually, the people didn't line up to cheer whenever Glimmer returned home, but she had been away for months, so that was to be expected.
But the city itself looked the same. Same buildings, same streets. No new construction - well, she could see a handyman waving from a half-dismantled balcony, but that looked more like maintenance. And the people looked the same as well. Well-fed and happy. Happier than usual, but that was likely because they were focusing on Glimmer instead of Catra.
And while it wasn't really home - that was Adora - and she knew that the people still resented her, and with good reasons, it still was… nice to be back. Sort of.
"It's safe."
She turned her head to frown at Scorpia. "Of course, it's safe. It's Bright Moon. Even we never managed to take it." Though they had come close to cracking the shield protecting it. A small reminder that Scorpia had been with her then and there might also do some good - Catra didn't want to get her ribs cracked by another too-powerful hug. It was also undignified; she could already hear O'Neill's jokes.
Her friend kept beaming at her, though. And her pincer twitched a little. "Yes. And it would take an army to crack its defences."
"Or a small fleet in orbit," Catra pointed out. "Maybe a squadron."
"Do you have to talk about how to destroy the city?" Perfuma, sitting next to Scorpia, leaned forward and turned her head to pout at both of them. "You're finally back! That's a time for celebration, not… gloomy things!"
"I'm just pointing out that Bright Moon is safe from ground assaults, but we can't get complacent since now there's also an orbital threat to worry about," Catra retorted.
"But we have a fleet in orbit. A fleet and a half - or one-third, actually, I think," Perfuma said.
But it wasn't Bright Moon's fleet. Catra didn't say that out loud. The Horde remnants were their allies - WrongHordak was a close friend, as far as Catra could tell. But as the recent attack had proven, there were more clones out there. And she had no idea what the rest of Second Fleet thought. Or if First Fleet's remains were still focused on Hordak.
She couldn't help glancing up. Yes, an orbital bombardment would probably raze Bright Moon. Sure, the shield would hold a long time, but they had nothing to shoot back.
She snorted. In a way, Bright Moon's situation wasn't that different from the United States's.
"Don't worry, Wildcat! Adora will be back soon!"
Catra snorted again. Her friend had misread her mood. "I know," she said, leaning back and watching the palace gates as they approached.
"I bet!" Scorpia was beaming at her. As was Perfuma. Their smiles looked eerily similar, Catra noticed.
"So…" Perfuma looked at the skiff ahead of them, where SG-1 was riding with Glimmer and Micah. "Did you make more friends on Earth?"
Catra refrained from frowning. She should have expected that question from Perfuma. Though Scorpia looked like she wanted to know as well. And Catra couldn't tell if Scorpia would be happy or jealous if they had more close friends. Or both. So she shrugged. "We mainly worked with SG-1. And spent time with them," she added when Perfuma opened her mouth.
"Ah." Scorpia nodded.
"What about the Earth leaders?" Perfuma asked.
"We had some dinners with them, lots of meetings…" Catra shrugged again. "But things are different there. Their leaders are all much older, and… they don't really do things like we do."
"What do you mean?" Scorpia looked puzzled.
They hadn't gone over that before, had they? Not in-depth, at least. Daniel would explain it better, but Catra would still give it a shot. "Their leaders just lead their countries. That's all they do. And they don't, ah, hang out with us. SG-1 does."
"Ah." Scorpia nodded again.
Perfuma frowned. "That doesn't seem very friendly."
"It's not how they do things. They're different. Though some of their meetings are like the Princess Prom, just without dancing and less flirting." She grinned.
"They sound very serious," Perfuma remarked. "Unlike Colonel O'Neill."
"Oh, yes." Catra nodded.
"So, you didn't meet any new close friends?" Scorpia asked.
Catra shook her head. "Entrapta met a Tok'ra scientist, Anise, and her host, Freya, and they and Sam seem close," she said. "But we haven't really had the opportunity to meet many Earth people outside meetings and such, except for SG-1. Though maybe we'll meet more people at the Stargate Command New Year's Party."
"Oh? A party?" Scorpia smiled.
"Great! When is it? After you restored the Stargate, right?" Perfuma leaned forward with an eager expression. A very eager expression. "What gifts should we bring? What's the dress code? Do they have a dress code?"
Catra blinked. Perfuma expected to attend the party, she realised. Although… technically, the invitation O'Neill had passed on hadn't really specified who was invited and who was not. He had just told them that they were invited. And since they were representing the Princess Alliance on Earth…
Catra grinned widely. "Well, I have to ask them about gifts. I know they have a custom of exchanging gifts on Christmas, but that's within a family and already past. And we didn't ask about a dress code either."
Oh, she couldn't wait to drop this on O'Neill!
The palace still looks like someone stole it straight from a Disney movie, Jack O'Neill thought as they stepped through the gate. Clean, shining marble, wide hallways, tall - very tall - ceilings. "Anytime now, they'll break out in a song," he muttered as he looked at the lined-up guards presenting their spears.
"What did you say?" Daniel asked. He, of course, was looking around with a big smile on his face as if he was seeing everything for the first time.
"Nothing," Jack replied. "Just glad to see the palace's still standing. What with the battle against Horde fleets and all, you know?"
Daniel's face fell, making Jack feel guilty. A little, at least. "Ah, yes. But it was just a small, ah, detachment, right? No real threat to Etheria. And it never came close to the planet." And he was smiling at Jack again. "In any case, it's great to be back! This is such a fascinating culture! Unlike most planets we've visited, it's not clearly derived from an ancient Earth culture!"
"Just don't treat the population as some exhibit or specimen," Jack told him.
"I would never!" Daniel frowned at him.
Jack grinned, but he had been only half-joking. Daniel could be a little too enthusiastic sometimes. Of course, he was a good friend of Glimmer and the others, and, seeing how the people had been cheering at their queen's return, that should keep him out of trouble, but a little reminder never hurt.
Oh - the King was walking towards him. It looked like he had finally been able to pry himself out of the arms of his daughter. Jack once again felt guilty for his thought - the man hadn't seen Glimmer for months, so it was only understandable that he'd react like that. Even as a king.
"We've prepared your usual quarters," King Micah told them with a smile.
"Our 'usual quarters'? We've come up in the world!" Jack said, grinning at him.
"Jack!" Daniel gasped next to him.
But the King laughed. "Well, we expect you to visit very often, now that we'll soon have an easy way to travel to Earth and back."
The Chair Force jokes would probably never end if that got out. Once that got out. Jack nodded anyway. Who cared what the crayon eaters thought? "Thank you. Although I expect the Alliance will send a diplomatic delegation soon enough." As soon as the Etherians accepted the request, actually.
"Of course. Although, as I understand, you are planning to build an embassy in the future."
"Yes, Dad," Glimmer cut in. "As we told you. But we can sort this out in the meeting later."
Jack had seen younger officers do similar things when they felt their older, more experienced subordinates were undercutting them, but judging by the way Gimmer grabbed her father's arm, it was probably more that the girl wanted to have her father to herself instead of dealing with their guests.
"Yes." Jack nodded. "I think I still know the way."
"Don't worry - I'll guide you there." Catra had somehow snuck up on them. And the way she was grinning widely…
Jack narrowed his eyes at her. "You're volunteering?"
She got the joke and laughed. "Yes. Because a question came up." She pointed at the huge Scorpion-woman and the plant princess behind her. "Scorpia and Perfuma want to know if there's a dress code at the New Year's Party and what gifts they should bring."
Jack forced himself to keep smiling as Catra's grin grew even wider. They also wanted to attend the party? He noticed that others were paying attention as well - all of the princesses? Oh, for crying out loud!
"The New Year's Party?" King Micah asked. Not him too!
"Yes," Glimmer said. "It's held by Stargate Command. And Jack was nice enough to invite us."
"It's not a big affair," Jack quickly explained. "Since many in Stargate Command have to work on the holidays - we have to keep the lights going and watch the Stargate, you know? - and can't travel to meet friends and family, we generally hold a small party for them." And for those who had no family, were estranged from them or couldn't visit them because they were held prisoners by the Goa'uld. Which accounted for all or, now that Carter and her father had reconciled, most of SG-1.
"That sounds wonderful!" King Micah beamed at him.
"Yes!" Scorpia nodded far too enthusiastically. "Like the parties we threw in the Horde, only with good food and friends, instead of rations and subordinates."
"Yeah, right, exactly," Jack's smile grew a few more teeth as he looked at the grinning Catra.
"So, what's the dress code?" Perfuma the plant princess asked with wide eyes and a wider smile.
"Well…" They didn't have one, actually, as far as Jack knew - soldiers and their spouses were expected to know to dress appropriately. "Nothing too fancy," he said. Oh! He smiled. "But I'm no the best person to ask about this - Captain Carter here is actually helping with organising it, so she can answer all your questions!" He gestured at his subordinate, whose look of shock was quickly turning into a glare aimed at him.
"Sam!"
"I didn't know that you were organising the party!"
"Oh, you are? Can we help? I wanted to see if we could build a mix-bot, like in that movie we saw!" Entrapta beamed at Carter.
Who, Jack noted, blinked, then slowly smiled. "Oh, I am sure that can be arranged."
Maybe dumping that on my second-in-command hadn't been a good idea, Jack thought and suppressed the urge to wince as the princesses and other royalty gathered around Carter. He just knew that Hammond and the other generals would blame him for turning their office party into a high-profile event…
Above Bright Moon, Etheria, December 27th, 1998 (Earth Time)
"I've missed this," Adora said, looking down at the fields surrounding Bright Moon from Swift Wind's back. They were high enough so she could see most of the Whispering Woods - which reminded her that she had to visit Madame Razz once she had the time. She could also see the farm they had visited with Jack and someone moving over the fields there, but she couldn't tell who it was.
"...and I've had to personally free more horses since the princess was dragging her feet."
What did he say? "You invaded a kingdom?" Adora asked.
"Micah said it wasn't an invasion," her friend said as he banked to avoid a small cloud.
"But you went into another kingdom and…" She couldn't say 'stole'; Swift Wind didn't consider horses as property. "...freed horses?"
"Yes. They were keeping them leashed to carts and ploughs, can you imagine?" Swift Wind turned his head to look at her with a - for him - shocked expression. "It was slavery, plain and simple!"
So he had raided another kingdom. Probably more than one. "And where did you take the horses?" He wouldn't just release them, would he? They would just be recaptured, wouldn't they?
"Micah had them relocated to pastures in Bright Moon."
That was… concerning, actually. "Ah, OK," she said. "How did you get them to Bright Moon?" He couldn't carry them away after all - well, maybe he could carry a pony if someone helped and tied it to his back, but…
"I led them," Swift Wind said matter-of-factly. "I flew ahead, and they followed. Although I had to convince the stallion that I knew what I was doing."
Adora narrowed her eyes. He was staring at the ground a bit too attentively as he said that and avoided looking at her. Still, it was probably a minor thing, even if he thought it was important. There was something else that was bugging her more. "So, you're working with Micah on this?"
"I lead the freed slaves to him, and he sends them to pastures."
Adora suppressed a sigh. She had to talk to Micah about this. As much as she loved Swift Wind, you couldn't just go and raid other kingdoms. And sooner or later, someone would stop Swift Wind. He was magical and smart, but, ultimately, he was a flying horse, not a princess. Well, he was probably as powerful as some princesses she had heard of, but if he were to fight any of Adora's friends, she'd bet on them, not him. He must have gotten lucky so far.
Or, she realised with a gasp, the other kingdoms thought he was acting on She-Ra's orders! Swift Wind was her magical steed, after all. And her friend.
Oh, no! What if Micah thought the same? They had never talked about what Swift Wind was doing, had they? She really needed to talk to Micah. And the others.
She took a last look at the land below her, and the mountains, woods and glittering sea in the far distance, then sighed and patted Swift Wind's neck. "We need to land."
Bright Moon, Etheria, December 27th, 1998 (Earth Time)
"We've been invading other kingdoms?"
Adora winced a little at the volume of Glimmer's… well, it was technically a question. It was a good thing that they were in her living room with the doors closed or the entire palace probably would have heard her.
"It's not an invasion," Micah said.
"I'd say it's a raid," Catra commented from the couch. She was grinning - apparently, she thought this was hilarious. "Sneaking over the border and stealing livestock."
"Invasion, raid - it doesn't matter! We're attacking other countries - condoning raids by Swift Wind," Glimmer added with a glare aimed at Micah before he could correct her again.
He closed his mouth and looked a little sheepish.
"You've gone full bandit queen!" Catra laughed. "Or is that pirate queen? We have to ask Mermista if you can give letters of marque to horses."
"Letters of marque?" Micah asked.
He hadn't seen the Earth pirate movies, Adora reminded herself as Bow explained the term. Apparently, Salineas didn't issue such letters but formally commissioned the ships that raided Horde transports. Which worked out the same, as far as Adora could tell.
"Whatever!" Glimmer paced in front of them, gesticulating. "This is a diplomatic crisis!" She turned to glare at Micah again. "Why didn't you stop him?"
"Ah…" Micah smiled weakly. "Technically, what he does outside our borders - or the borders of our allies - isn't a concern of ours?"
"That…" Glimmer shook her head. "This has to stop!"
"Yes," Catra agreed, chuckling still. "You're going to run out of pastures to put horses on if this continues. And all the manure the herds must produce…" She grinned at the glare sent her way.
"It's not funny!"
Adora had to agree with Glimmer.
Catra, of course, disagreed. With a shrug, she said: "It kind of is. Everyone must think that you're backing this."
"We compensate the owners for the loss," Micah said.
"Everyone thinks we are behind this!" Glimmer snapped. "And the Alliance! Why hasn't anyone stopped him?"
"Well…" Micah looked at Adora.
Oh, no! "Because everyone thinks he's doing it for me," Adora said, sighing. "Or that if they stop him, I'll get angry at them."
Micah nodded, confirming her fears.
"Well, tell him to stop. At least he's only been hitting the smaller kingdoms," Catra said, looking at the map on the table where all the raids had been marked. "None of them are members of the Princess Alliance. And they're too weak to matter militarily."
"But there are quite a few of them," Bow pointed out.
"Yes," Glimmer agreed. "And that is going to be a problem now that we have to decide how to handle the Stargate on Etheria."
Adora winced. She hadn't even thought of that.
Gate Area, Near Bright Moon, Etheria, December 27th, 1998 (Earth Time)
"Alright… the converter is connected! Wanna test it now?"
Samantha Carter nodded at Entrapta's question. "Yes." She took a step back from the crystal array that would provide the magic power to be converted. Not that she expected or feared that the array would explode, but it was the unexpected disaster that tended to kill you. "Ready?" She glanced at her friend.
Entratpa had also stepped back. "Yes!"
"Powering up." Sam pressed the main power button. The array started to hum, and the various lights on the control panel lit up, all indicators showing green. Then the main unit started to glow softly, red hues slowly turning brighter as the power increased.
"Converter's working!" Entrapta announced. "Power outflow… steady. Steady. Capacitors charging up."
Sam raised her head and looked at the capacitors. Those were an Earth design, familiar but also looking strangely out of place next to both the Stargate and the Etherian gear.
But they worked, and that was what counted. Sam watched as the charging indicators changed until they lit up green - the power necessary to run the gate had been stored in them. She let out a soft sigh - the first step to get the Stargate on Etheria operational had been achieved. The easiest step, too - but they were ahead of schedule.
Of course, they were ahead of schedule because Sam had used the excuse of having to work on the gate to escape the gaggle of princesses asking about the New Year's Party; the original schedule would have had them start working on the gate tomorrow.
Sam felt a little guilty for asking Entrapta to start their work immediately instead of letting her reconnect with her friends - especially since Sam had known that Entrapta would agree. On the other hand, her friend loved the work, and establishing the Stargate was of crucial importance. Not the least since SG-1 was stuck here as well until the gate was active.
A fact that Sam had been counting on to get out from wasting time on the New Year's Party assignment that the Colonel had saddled her with. She was a scientist, not a party planner! And her work on the gate control unit was much more important than preparing an oversized office party.
But now the office party was set to become a major diplomatic event, with the top leaders of the Princess Alliance all going to attend. Sam was torn between a little satisfaction that the Colonel's punishment had backfired on him and dread that she would have to actually spend quite the effort on planning the party, probably having to rope Daniel into it as well.
She shook her head as the array powered down, then set the capacitors to slowly release their charge.
"So, do you think we'll get a mixing bot ready in time for the party? If we continue to finish ahead of schedule, I think we'll have enough time, right?"
Apparently, Sam couldn't even escape the party planning here. She forced herself to smile - it wasn't Entrapta's fault that Sam had been assigned to this farce. It was the Colonel's fault. And just because she had done what she knew the Colonel would have done himself if he had known - doing it without his knowledge had only served to help protect him!
But her friend had asked a question. "Yes, I think we'll be able to finish the bot - at least the construction part," she said. They could reuse the schematics and parts from one of Entrapta's servant bots. If they could serve tea, they could pour any other liquid as well. "But we will have to see how we can program it with the necessary recipes." And they'd have to calibrate the sensors so it could check that the liquids it would be mixing were of the correct type - it would have to be refilled during the party, and Sam wasn't keen on supervising that kind of work during a party, so it was best if it didn't have to rely on a competent operator. Alcohol and competency didn't tend to mix well in her experience.
"Oh, right. I'll have to ask my cook and Glimmer's cooks about their recipes. And the others as well! Although probably not the former Horde cooks - I don't know if their stills are still active."
Oh. Sam hadn't even considered using a bot to make Etherian cocktails. If only because importing the ingredients from Etheria without permission would probably violate not just regulations but the law. She winced. "That might be a bit complicated."
"Oh?"
Sighing once more, Sam started to explain.
It was a good thing they were alone here. If her peers in the scientific community could see her now, dealing with the legality of a booze-producing bot instead of advancing physics, her reputation might never recover.