A pair of Ferengi merchants and part-time slave traders (any time they think they can get away with it) decide to pick up some people from the newly discovered world of Equestria - a world without local space travel. For variety, they decide to pick out one of each of the major groupings - a pegasus, and earth pony, a unicorn. For ease of control, they pick out juveniles.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders fit the bill perfectly.

(Sidequel to Equestria's First Warp Drive)

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Once upon a time, the Federation paid a visit to Equestria. The story of that visit - and some of its consequences - is detailed over here.

Partway through the tale (in chapter 15, to be exact) a Ferengi ship passing through space meets another ship. There were meta-narrative reasons for this, reasons why the author thought it would be necessary.

These reasons were promptly proven incorrect.

This, therefore, is the story of what would have happened, had the Ferengi ship not met anyone else on their way through space. It follows on directly from chapter 14 (Further Communication) of Equestria's First Warp Drive; I strongly recommend that you read the first fourteen chapters of that story first, and then return here.