It had been nearly seven whole months since Starla Shine had announced to Lightning Dawn that she was pregnant with their first child, and the time seemed to fly by rather quickly.

Now it was early springtime, and today, in an open field in New Ponyville, Lightning, and his entire unit were all gathered to face against Starla.

The team stood all transformed in their super suits. “Um… remind me why we’re doing this again?” asked Rainbow Dash. “I already explained this…” said Lightning “We need to test her out to see if she’ll be alright in battle.”

Starla stood ready, and strangely she didn’t look anywhere near as a mare of seven months pregnant would be. Her belly was not any bigger than it normally was for her size.

“Krysta, do you have the traps all set up?” asked Lightning, and Krysta hovered near him, “My fairies are all standing by.” And she waved her wand signaling to the other fairies, and they signaled to their queen.

The team looked ready too. “Okay, Buddy Rose, Applejack… you’re up first.” said Lightning.

Applejack and Buddy saluted, and their charged right at Starla, and began to punch and kick at her, but Starla swerved and ducked their every hit and began to punch and kick them back, and her friends blocked her attacks and swerved and dodged.

Lightning scanned the battle with his visor. Power levels and speed were simple and calm. “Come on, don’t hold back!” he called out.

“Put some pepper on it!” demanded Pinkie. She was acting like she was watching a real wrestling match.

“Hi-ya!” Starla shouted as she kicked Applejack hard in the chest knocking her over, but for Buddy to sneak up from behind to punch at her. Starla just zipped out of the way making him miss. “Where’d you go?” he grumbled, and he got his answer when Starla appeared right above him, coming slamming down, but Buddy zipped off causing her to miss and strike the ground hard making small craters where she punched.

“SONIC RAINBOOM!”Rainbow shouted as she zoomed straight at Starla to crash into her, but Starla leapt, up, up and out of the way, and she looked straight off where Rainbow was heading for,“PULSAR LASER!”and she fired her beam straight at Rainbow, but Artie leapt in and deflected the blast with his Super Staff.

Artie then zipped over quickly and bashed Starla hard in the back, only for her to twirl in mid-air and kick him hard in the side, sending him soaring off.

“PAINT BOMB!”he launched his explosive goop straight at her, hitting her hard and making small explosion rupture.

“So far so good.” said Lightning, “Now let’s try weapon combat.” he snapped his fingers signaling for Rhymey and Fluttershy to leap in.

“Valkyria!” Fluttershy transformed into The Valkyrie of Kindness, and got out her sword and shield. “I’m ready!” she said acting uncharacteristically brave.

Lightning signaled for Krysta, and Krysta signaled for her fairies to start with the traps set up.

The fairies had created small portals in the ground like trap holes for the fighters to step in, and others were in mid-air all around the field for the fairies to shoot small beams of light and throw large stones like projectiles.

Rhymey and Fluttershy flew above the trap holes, swerved out of the way of the stones and batted the magic beams away with their swords as they flew at Starla.

Both them swung their swords right at them but,“STAR BOW!”Starla quickly got out her bow. Since it was made of super strong alloys, it could easily stand up to the two blades.

The fighters engaged in a struggle, and suddenly, more magical beams and stones were thrown at them all, forcing them to fly off in different directions.

His wife nodded, and they split up, coming at Starla from above and below. All the weapons clashed like crazy as Starla parried and dodged the swords swiftly, at the same time, she and the others avoided the fairies traps with ease.

Ignoring that the two of them had just made a rhyme, they joined their hands together and shouted,“BOOM-BOOM FIREBALLS!”

The flames shot at the fighters forcing them to sprint and dodge more swiftly than ever as they all continued to fight.

“Now, bring in the artillery!” said Lightning, and Pinkie Pie brought in her huge party cannon, but instead of being armed with confetti, it was armed with powerful dirt bombs. “This goes against my every better moral.” she complained. Nevertheless she fired her cannon, launching the dirt bombs the clouded things up.

The fighters all dodged and averted the blasts as best they could, but they did get hit several times, even Starla did. So she aimed her bow through the settling dust,“STARLIGHT ARROW!”and fired straight over at Lightning and the others, which they dodged.

“ENOUGH!!” Lightning shouted, and everyone stopped right on the spot, and Krysta ordered her fairies to cease the traps. All the little fairies popped out from the portals.

The ponies and Spike all powered down their suits, but Starla remained in her super suit.

Lightning smiled as he approached Starla and he powered down his suit. “Wonderful, I think you’ll be just fine.”

His wife smiled at him, and the others were all happy and excited as well. “Great job everyone.” Lightning said “We all better get home now. The test is over.”

“Eeyup, this could be a big breakthrough for all fighters on the force.” agreed Applejack.

Rainbow hovered up high in the sky, “Well, I don’t know about you all, but I’m going for a fly to celebrate. WHAAA-HOOOO!!” and she was off.

“Well, we better go.” said Dyno. “Si,” agreed Myte “We’re on the verge of breaking through a new mine full of gems.”

“Mind if we tag along?” asked Spike. “Oh, yes…” added Rarity “I’m in desperate need for more jewels for my new line of Springtime Formal gowns.”

I’m off…” said Artie “I have a few art projects to finish for a couple of my buyers.”

“The animals need to be feed lunch,
And then off to my café for a poetry bunch.”

Pinkie looked inside her cannon-- literally stuffing her big head inside-- “HELP… I’M STUCK!!” she cried.

Buddy and Applejack grabbed her by the legs, counted to three, and gave a huge tug, yanking Pinkie out of the cannon, and sending all three of them crashing on the ground. “You all right, Sugar-Cube?” asked Applejack.

Pinkie’s face was all filthy with dirt and soot, “I’m fine, but now I have to clean out my cannon and fix it so it’s a party-cannon again.”

Buddy chuckled, “We better get back to farm. I promised Tree Hugger and DD I’d plant some flowers with them.”

Krysta rounded up all her fairies, “Well done troops, return to regular duties.”

The fairies bowed to their queen, and they headed off. Some went back to Planet Luminous, while others headed to their posts around United Equestria. It was their assignment to help ponies and others get to safety in times of danger if they failed to make it indoors and be protected by the barriers.

Krysta smirked and warped all three of them back to Lightning and Starla’s house. “Thanks, Krysta.” said Starla.

“Hey, it’s what I’m here for.” said Krysta “I have head back to Luminous, but I’ll be back soon.”

Then she teleported away, and Lightning and Starla went inside. Once inside, Starla stopped right on the spot, and her eyes went out. Lightning picked her up and placed her inside a special capsule that she came in.

“Well, that went just fine.” Lightning said, and he turned round to look at the sofa, where the real Starla sat, holding a video game like controller and wearing a special visor over her face. She lifted it off and smiled at her husband, “I think it worked very well.”

Her husband smiled and sat down on the sofa next to her. He then casually placed his hand over her swollen, pregnant belly. “How are you feeling?”

“I feel fat, I feel restless, but I don’t feel too bored anymore thanks to that droid.”

Lightning agreed, “Well, it’ll make your maternity leave a little more exciting. I’ll be sure to add that to the report to give Professor Brain.”

Indeed he was, Professor Brain was reading the letter out loud to their majesties, Grand Ruler Celesto and Queen Celestia.

He quoted “…The test was a success, and we deem this droid and its potential to be satisfactory… most satisfactory.”

Their majesties giggled softly at the irony that Lightning and Starla added Brain’s saying to their letter, but then they got serious. “Your invention is a great success, Professor.” said Grand Ruler, “And just in time, Starla was getting restless.” added Celestia.

Starla Shine had been on official maternity leave from her Starfleet duties, and now she was in a critical stage of her pregnancy and was ordered to avoid stress and overly-exertive activities. This was also a cripple for the Starfleet frontlines, as Starla was one of Starfleet’s best fighters and her skills and resources were needed.

Starla, being strictly an action-pony, grew easily bored of doing nothing but sitting around and doing simple stuff all day and missing out on the excitement. So Professor Brain had used his resources to construct a remote-controlled droid in Starla’s image. He spent months perfecting it, and now, not only did it mean Starla could still help out and be part of the action, but it was also a big breakthrough.

“With these configurations, I can design an entire fleet of droids for officers on disability.” said Brain.

Their majesties, although thrilled with the idea, were just as cautious of it as well. “Be careful, Professor.” said Grand Ruler “We don’t want our officers thinking they can actually be replaced or done out of a job, and we also don’t want indulge laziness and indolence either.”

“But of course, Sire.” agreed Brain “Now if you will excuse me, I have much to do.”

Then he went off, and no sooner had he left did a shiny white ball bounce through, followed by three year old Prince Castor. “I got it! It’s mine!” he squealed. His twin sister, Princess Leilani rushed into the room, “Hey! Come back here!” she thundered as she chased her brother.

Cast caught the ball and tried to flutter his way up into the air, only to tumble flat onto his back, and Leilani tried to use magic to get the ball back from her brother, only to make a small spark out of her horn that knocked her down onto her tail. “Ugh…!”

“Children…!” snapped Celestia. Her son and daughter sighed softly at the sound of her voice.“Yes, Mother…”they both said sounding low. Celestia stood and said in a scolding voice, “What have I told you two about flying or using magic?”

The children sighed and said at the same time,“Not until we’re older and trained well.”

“That’s right.” said their mother “You could have broken something, or hurt yourselves. So don’t let us catch you doing it again.”

Their father stood and reasoned with them, “Children, we’ve gone through this before; you’re both still very young and flying and using magic takes skill and patience. We will help you when the time is right, but you need to take it easy.”

The children just sulked. They felt their parents were not being fair. Their parents could only sigh, but keep well in mind that they were very little, but they had to do all they could to make them understand the seriousness of things.

Soon, Goldwin came into the throne room. “Pardon me, your majesties; you’re wanted in the observatories. It’s important.”

Their majesties gawked at one another, and they asked Goldwin to please look after the children while they investigated.

“I’m sorry, children, but this is grown up stuff.” said Celestia. She and her husband went off, leaving the kids in Goldwin’s care.

“It’ll be all right, kids. Don’t worry.” said Goldwin “Hey, let’s go play with your ball on the terrace.”

When their majesties got to the observatory room, Princess Luna was supervising the ponies scouting. “What’s happening?” asked Celestia.

“Sister… Brother-in-Law…” said Luna “Our outposts on other planets have reported sighting of an unidentified craft appearing in space, and nearing our intergalactic borders.”

One of the operators looked up, “Can’t seem to detect it on radar, but the telescopic readings show it’s out there, and heading this way.”

Grand Ruler didn’t like the sound of this, “Send word to the outposts. Launch space patrol to intercept and question.”

The Starfleet squad was traveling along a dimensional pathway, and also wearing their specially designed space-suits which would allow them to safely fly off the path and into space without worry of being teleported.

“I see it!” cried one of the ponies, as he and his other four comrades observed the large and strange looking spacecraft.

On board, Sienna could see them on the monitors, “Oh, and what have we here?” she wondered.

She suddenly got her answer as the ponies got closer and closer, and the captain-- a golden yellow space alicorn with a short yellow mane-- called out on a megaphone. “This is a Starfleet Patrol. You are about to enter a restricted area without clearance. Deviate from your course, identify yourself and state your purpose of being here.”

The ship did not stop, and onboard Slash scoffed, “Starfleet…? I’ve heard stories of them, but I didn’t actually think they were real.”

“Please respond!” the patrol captain yelled again “If you do not obey my instructions will be forced to take drastic actions.”

Mako was feeling a little worried, “They won’t try to hurt us, will they?” he asked. Sienna patted her brother’s head, “Let them try.”

The patrol captain was growing impatient, “This is your final warning! Turn back or we will be forced to disable your craft!”

Still the ship did not stop, and the captain sighed, “Guess they’re asking for it.” and he signaled for his troops to take up positions at different angles around the ship.

“I give you one last chance!” the captain shouted, still hoping those inside would listen, but they didn’t. “Alright troops. Fire low-power blasts.”

The alicorns did as they were told and shot magical beams of magic from their hands at the ship as a warning, but when the blasts actually hit the ship’s coating, the blasts bounced right off and deflected back towards the ponies themselves.

“I saw it.” replied the captain. He tried to scan the ship with his visor, but he couldn’t make out the coating. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Inside, Sienna snickered; “My turn…” and she snapped her fingers ordering the raiders to fire lasers.

“Retreat…!” shouted the captain, but the lasers already fired like crazy in many directions. The ponies zipped and swerved swiftly to avoid being hit by the beams.

Suddenly, one of the ponies-- a light purpled Space alicorn with a long pink mane-- zigged when she should have zagged, and her helmet was shot and shattered, and her face had been grazed by the beam as it passed her, just by a few inches… or it would have blown up her head.

“Sephy…!” shouted the captain “Quick, get her on the pathway!” but it was too late. Now that she was exposed to space, the teleportation energies got her before her team could get her to a pathway.

“MAGNUS…!!” Sephy shrieked… and then she vanished and was gone… teleported to who knew where in the galaxy or the entire universe, but most likely she would never be coming back!

The remaining troops were devastated, but not nearly as devastated as the captain was, almost at the verge of tears. “Sephy…!” he sobbed softly “… Sephy!”

Much as he and the others were distraught of their lost comrade, they had no choice but snap out of it and retreat to warn United Equestria of the hostile craft approaching.

Sienna didn’t seem to care so much that she had most likely just killed a pony. “If they want to get tough with me, I can get tough too.” she hissed. “Nothing shall stop me from getting that treasure!”

Mako liked the sound of that, “Well is so rich and powerful, no one will stand in our way.”

Sienna held her brother close to her, “No joke, Mako. Your big sis will be invincible, and the universe will be ours. I’ll be able to get you anything you want and more. After everything we’ve been through, we’re entitled to it anyway.”

Slash didn’t say anything, but just softly tapped the tip of his sword, raring to get his game on.

Back at the royal palace, Grand Ruler had received report that the ship was headed straight for United Equestria, and also the loss of one of the fighters… how she vanished into space!

She and the patrol captain,Magnus Majik,ID-Code: UJ5X, were engaged to be married.

Celestia and Luna were equally upset by the loss. “Celesto… what do we do now?” Celestia asked. Her husband looked up fiercely and said softly but firmly “Prepare for interception!”

An air-raid siren sounded in every town, every village, all across the planet. Everyone who heard it dropped whatever it was they were doing and a worldwide announcement was made by Celestia, via, using her magic to transmit her royal voice.

“Attention! Attention to all! Hostile alien vessel is approaching this planet. Repeat: There is a hostile alien spacecraft approaching this planet.

All civilians began to race for their homes, schools, or shopping mall… anywhere that they could get inside. Some were even forced to go into a total stranger’s home, but other Starfleet officers and royal guards on duty went inside with them to ensure that no funny business or domestic disturbances would occur. In times of emergency, everyone was to behave accordingly!

Many other Starfleet fighters began to take up their positions, ready for anything.

Grand Ruler then ordered Lightning’s team to come to the palace in New Canterlot at once, should the attack start there first, but Lightning stayed behind to look after Starla. Emergency or not, she couldn’t go in her condition.

“Figures…” groaned Krysta “I step out for a hot minute, only to come back and trouble’s coming.”

“Never mind that.” said Lightning “Take Starla’s droid to the palace with you, we’ll keep in touch through it.”

Starla got on her control helmet which allowed her to see, hear and speak through the droid.

“I’m ready.” said both Starla and her droid at the same time. Lightning and Krysta both felt a little stunned seeing both Starlas do that. Nevertheless, Krysta warped away with Starla’s droid in tow.

Lightning then sat down next to his wife on the sofa, and activated his battle-visor. By tuning into the frequency wavelengths to the control helmet, he could see exactly what she saw through her screens.

Krysta and the Starla-droid arrived at the front of the royal palace where the rest of the team had already arrived thanks to some of Krysta’s other fairy soldiers.

Grand Ruler, Celestia and Luna were all there to greet them at the drawbridge of the palace. “Good, you’re all here.” said Grand Ruler.

“It’s okay, Pinkie.” said Starla “He’s right here with me, he can see everything.”

Lightning could not answer them as he had no way to talk through the drone, but he could still see everything. “Strange…” he said “It’s like I’m actually there in New Canterlot.”

Suddenly, the sky grew dark as a big object passed over the path of the sunlight.

Suddenly, a whole swarm of Raiders appeared… teleported down from the alien ship. Then appeared Slash, Omnisha, Mako… and finally, the captain herself.

In our next episode: Sienna confesses to her crimes and demands that the ponies surrender to her demands of what she came for, but when the ponies refuse and are unable to, things get really rough as the villains show just how powerful and skillful they are.

What does Sienna want from the ponies, and will the ponies be able to stand up against her and her evil crew?

Don’t miss the next exciting episode of “Starfleet Magic!”

(Next Episode: “The Hunter’s Prey: Part 2”

My Brave Pony Starfleet Magic: Season VII

by DakariKingMykan

Episode 1: The Hunter's Prey: Part 1