Project Haven: The snow

by Jakomi of the Rose

Chapter 1: Deployment

It used to be a foalhood wish. But that was something she kept with her for a thousand years. Celestias dream. The dream of places beyond her wisdom. Worlds. She wishes to once in her life-time being able to make her ponies travels the reaches of the stars. Though mocked by her sister, she stayed true. To find new places to settle down. While still having connection with her land of Equestria.

With dreams and with hope inside her, her scientists discovered the use of portal symbols. Symbols power increased by the use of crystals. Crystals from the very depths of the now sealed Crystal Empire. Taking hundreds of years, generation of scientists and now the time arrives. Her soldiers going through. The days that followed gave her nothing. Until the seventh day. A soldier returned. Discovery! Multiple portals were created for her ponies to go through. What they found astounded her. Planets not unlike her own.

Her dreams, her wish. Now true but kept secret. Her soldiers were to scan the planets for habitable guarantees. The project of hers was set into motion.

The name of the project: Project Haven.

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5 years later.

Planet name: Unknown.

Weather circumstances: Blizzard.

Temperature: Minus 36 degrees Celsius.

A unicorn stallion trudging through the snow. His armor colored blue and silver. Between his armor was a thick clothed padding. He looked at some sort of dome. Made of metal. Covered. Almost hidden. His attention was drawn to something sticking up from the snow. Appendages. Claws of some sort. The snow had buried whatever creature lied beneath. The way the claws were positioned it tried to reach the dome but was killed by the cold. He noticed a dark spot slightly lower than the claws. His magic lightened up and some of the snow blew away, revealing the dead creature as well as the second guess to how the creature died.

The creature, he noted, was reptilic in appearance. Not to different from a dragon but at the same time lacking in size, not more than 2 meter in length and lacking a tail. It did have scales but the face, although twisted in a disturbing manner, was plated. Its clothes were padded armor like his but more advanced. From the details he couldn’t determine what killed it or how big the wound was. Nor could he determine the gender. He made a sigh inside his helmet. His helmet crackled as a male voice was heard.

“Icy Star, what have you found?” a stallion asked and he noted from his peripheral vision that the voice came from a unicorn in a gold armor.

He looked at the creature and the unicorn made a groan in slight disgust.

“Two months of not finding life we find whatever inhabited the planet. And it’s dead… and ugly.” The stallion said turning to his fellow soldier.

The unicorn turned to lock eyes with his companion. He stared at him for a short while.

“What are your reports, Inferno?” The unicorn with the armor asked, his dark voice crackling through his helmet as he spoke.

His companion shuddered at the cold and his voice stuttered as his helmet crackled.

“H-High Wind reported that the p-pegasi found s-something above the c-clouds. She asked me t-to tell you to return back.”

He shuddered more until the blue armored unicorn nodded and turned his gaze to a mountain and began trudging through the snow. Hidden within the snow was a settlement. Tents attached to a cave that once housed the creatures that inhabited this planet.

When first arriving on this planet they noted that this cave was a main building of sorts. It already had flooring with painting and pillars that had runes carved on six columns up to the roofing that was carved to look more like a home. Unicorns and earthpony mares wrote down and documented the runes.

In the distance stood armored soldiers in various colors, stating their ranks. Pegasi were levitating around an image of the planet they were on.

The unicorn with the blue armor removed his helmet, revealing his ice-blue coat and black eyes. His mane was sky-blue, messy but handsome. Behind him, his companion removed his helmet and shuddered slightly, getting accustomed to the warm temperature. His coat was true to his name; blazing red with a yellow mane with orange streaks making it look like his head was on fire. His eyes on the other hoof were aquamarine. He looked at his superior with a smirk.

The stallion with the icy coat dismissed this and trotted to a pegasus with a purple armor and grey coat. He trotted behind the pegasus and it turned around. A mare with purple eyes matching her armor looked at him and smiled.

“Finally got away from the snow?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

The stallion levitated his helmet to be attached to his armor and saluted. His companion did the same.

“Captain High Wind.” He presented.

The pegasus motioned them to relax. He placed his helmet next to a wall and closed the gap between them.

“Any reports?” The pegasus named High Wind asked with authority.

The unicorn smirked.

“You first.” He insisted, still smiling.

The pegasus smiled as she turned and galloped towards the globe levitating in the middle of the room. She began jumping one, two and on the third she spread her wings and flew up to the near top of the floating globe. The unicorns trotted closer to it but as they walked closer, an earth-pony stallion wearing blue armor and white linings came to view.

He stood unmoving near the wall, still wearing his helmet. Unlike the others; his helmet didn’t have a crest on his helmet. Instead it covered his muzzle completely hiding him. He wore a similar padding colored white and he was big. His muscles and strength was enough to match the Apple-family back in Ponyville.

On his side was a sword strapped. The model was simple; earth-guard special. He was the strong one and his posture showed it. He moved his head to look at the newly returned unicorns. As they exchange looks he simply returned his gaze to the globe.

Icy glanced at Inferno who shuddered at this action but Icy brushed it off. He focused his attention on his superior. The pegasus mare cleared her throat.

“The pegasi had some problem reaching the skies on this planet. Blizzard and harsh winds being one case but the second was a much higher atmosphere than in Equestria. The clouds seem to be out of our ability to manipulate. When above they made a scan around the planet to recon the orbits of the sun and moon. They came to the conclusion, thanks to Swifter, that the sun exists in the center while the moon and this planet orbit the sun on its own. From what I can say its gravity in control.” She explained and flew around the globe while explaining.

Icy looked at her and the globe.

“So the daylight's hour is longer than in Equestria?” Inferno asked.

High Wing motioned to a unicorn stallion to change the globe. He nodded and his horn glowed as the globe shrunk and rings expanded. A glowing orb was created in the center as multiple orbs circled around the orb.

“From what we can state; the hours on this planet is 4 hours longer than on Equestria. As you can see.” She hovered to the rings. “The planets have a gravitational pull that runs on its own power. More planets seem to circle but on a different range. It was more thanks to Stargazer that he spotted them.” She explained and flew to Icy and Inferno.

Icy looked at the miniature solar system. A solar system that had its own magic. No alicorn to control the planets. And so many worlds had the same thing? Inferno looked at the orbs like a foal looking at the first winter’s snow.

“How many other planets have the same gravitation?” He asked, not understanding how no magic can make things move on its own.

High Wing looked at the rings and sighed.

“Sadly, that is all we found out.” She stated flying to the floor.

Icy nodded. He trotted towards her and smiled.

“It’s still a lot more than we found two months ago.” He said with hope.

She lighted up and looked into his eyes. Inferno continued his interest in the planets. Icy glanced at the stallion in the corner that still didn’t move from his position. He felt like the stallion looked at them but it was hard to tell. Icy grimaced.

“I found what I could identify as the inhabitants of this planet. They were near a metal construct I can guess is a bunker. The bad news is that they were killed by either the cold or by a wound.” Icy Star reported and after thinking. “One of them showed signs that they’ve been attacked.”

High Wind cocked an eye-brow.

“Attacked?” She asked in doubtfulness.

Icy Star shook his head.

“By what I couldn’t say. The way they looked I’d say that they were dead before our arrival.”

High Wind looked at the stallion as well as Icy Star. Infernos head darted between them and the stallion. After a short while they trotted away to the impromptu mess hall.

Icy placed his food on a table and nibbled a carrot. The bunker was in his mind. The best way to get in was to use unicorns with thunder-magic. A small squad to explore the insides of the bunker was needed. Equipment for any information they could find and, if Celestia forbid, defense should anything await or attack them.

His thoughts were interrupted when Inferno sat down beside him. Another unicorn, a mare, sat down beside him. She had a lightning-blue coat and yellow and blue mane. Another unicorn, this one a stallion with identical mane and coat color sat down with them. He looked at them but kept eating.

“Heard that your niece entered Celestia's School of gifted Unicorns. Never thought that filly were that good.” The stallion with the blue coat said, his voice sounding a little rude.

Icy ate without caring.

“Night Lights daughter being accepted into Celestia's school and I’m not there to see it.” Icy sighed as a bit of lettuce hung from his mouth.

“I almost thought that Shining Armor would be transferred to our location.” The mare with the blue coat said.

“No. Private Armor just finished guard post. He’s more likely to be on Canterlot walls. We were transferred because we’re more experienced. I’m guessing that he needs more than 6 years of combat and guard service to even qualify as a soldier. Powerful or not.” The stallion with the blue coat remarked coldly.

The mare with the same coat stared at him.

“Sparks, that was cold.” The mare scolded.

Icy finished his meal and tapped his hoof on the table to get their attention. Inferno smirked at the look Icy gave them. He had a plan. He knew his friend long enough to recognize it. Icy leaned over the table to close in on his team. They leaned in to meet him.

“Regardless. I need you to listen. We are going to deploy shortly. I need your help as well as the earth soldiers. Sparks and Light, you’re coming with me.” He said with a low voice. Both ponies with the same color nodded.

He looked at Inferno, who was still smiling.

“Inferno, find Luminous Lore and get her to meet us at the main hall. I’m meeting up with Mane. I need him and his troops to help us out.”

Inferno smirked but the smirk died as the name Mane was heard.

“Mane? You’re bringing Mane with us?!” Sparks burst out and got up from his seat.

The mess hall became silent enough to hear the drop of a spoon from a unicorn on the other side of the room. Icy looked into his eyes and nodded. The stallion sat down trying to calm down. He breathed hard but took his plate and trotted of. The aura around his horn producing sparks as he got further away.

The mare named Light sighed. She picked up her plate with telekinesis and galloped to catch up with the stallion. Inferno looked at Icy.

“What’s wrong with Mane?” He asked.

Icy took his plate and trotted past him. Inferno followed with his plate levitating next to him. They were silent. Icy’s breathing filling the quiet.

“During a mission three years ago; Sparks, Mane and I were on a deployment in Zebrakistan, trying to establish a way of mutual trading. There were difficulties and Mane wasn’t patient. He got in trouble with their leader and ended up killing five of their soldiers. Took Princess Celestia years to patch together their relation with Equestria.” Icy explained and his face turned sour. “He faced court martial for the years after but was returned to active duty afterwards. The problem with him is that he’s brutal and unpredictable.”

Inferno cocked his head, eyes wide. They walked out before going separate paths. Icy trotted the halls of grey. The only thing that seemed to be of any color was the paintings on the floor.

He arrived in the main hall and as expected, his team was assembled. As was the stallion with the blue armor. The stallion trotted to him with slow and heavy steps. His armor clanking on the floor. He was in a hoof reach of Icy when he removed his helmet. His coat was a color white with a cloud gray mane that was cut clean. His eyes were ocean blue as he looked at Icy.

“You wanted to see me?” He asked, his voice growling and rumbled as he spoke.

Icy nodded. He looked to his team. A unicorn mare with black coat and white mane spoke with Light with a somewhat smile on her muzzle.

“I’m going on a mission and I need your help. I’ll debrief all of you but I need you to assemble them.” He explained shortly.

Mane nodded. He turned to see five ponies by the entrance. He trotted up to them, puffed up his chest and let out a growl which caught the attention of all the ponies in the room.

“ATTENTION!!!” He bellowed.

Icy as well as the ponies near Mane cringed at the volume. The ponies stood in line and in alert.

“STEP IN LINE AND RECEIVE ORDERS FROM COMMANDER ICY STAR!!!” His roaring voice echoed past the halls.

He stepped away and let Icy stand by his side. Icy looked at the guards.

“This is the mission: Just three hours ago I discovered a metallic construct like a bunker. This is the first discovery in two months so I expect nothing. However I do feel that it’s worth looking for information. The inhabitants may still be alive and might be hostile. So we’re going in troops. Light and Sparks are going to use their electrical magic to power up and open the bunker. Luminous is going to help us charge our light crystals should we need it. Once inside we will separate into two groups: One will remain topside to guard. The exploration team is going inside. Any information we find down there, documents, books or anything will be taken with us and translated here. Now, gear up and meet us back here in five minutes.” He explained.

Mane once again stepped up.

“YOU HEARD HIM! I NEED ALL OF YOU TO GET YOUR EQUIPMENT AND MEETING US HERE IN FIVE MINUTES! MOVE YOUR FLANKS!! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!” His voice bellowed.

A collected; “YES, SIR!” was heard from them all as they galloped of.

Mane looked at Icy.

“I’ll meet you here in five minutes, Commander. Don’t be late.” He growled with a smirk.

Icy nodded and saluted. Mane returned the salute.

“Got it.” He replied.

Mane placed his helmet on his head and galloped of. Icy cringed slightly.

“And my ears are ringing.”

Author's Note:

A new story that came while at work. Feel free to comment if you notice any faults.