Equestria: The Vast Infinity

by Teru9133

5.5: Reality at Hoof

Author's Note:

This is the only .5 chapter I will recommend and strongly so, to read this. This changes a lot of things, and one of the larger indirect developments of Starsky

Soon after Luna's visit, I was released and allowed to leave the hospital. No one seemed to have noticed, or at least acknowledged, that the princess of the night had come to visit me. But with recent events, I decided it'd be better if I didn't think too much of it. So I just let the tan stallion catch up to as I strolled in the promenade.

"Starsky!"

I turned my head around to see Aster raising his hoof to allow me to spot him easier, I nodded and continued walking apace; Aster followed quickly on suit.

"How are you holding up?" Aster asked with concern as he managed to catch up with me.

I just shrugged, "I guess with everything going on, I must be faring well."

I watched him laugh, then chat away about how the station was doing, which would at least encapsulate a part of my interest, but my mind was elsewhere.

The conversation in the hospital still echoed in my thoughts.

"And it could very well be one of the stations' commanders, like Aster-"

I looked back at the stallion, wondering how he could ever betray the Empire, Celestia, or even his friends. His continual chatter continued more, and at one point he even closed his eyes in a passive contempt. How could he be traitor?

"So what now?"

I snapped back to reality, "What?"

Aster chuckled quietly after he figured out I space out, then repeated himself.

"I was asking what're you going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

He whistled long and low, "did that injury erase some of your memory? Because you don't have a ship or crew mates, you're automatically on leave! So what now?"

"Well I'm going to-"

Trust no one, the thought came like an alarm, the CSA is compromised, it's better they don't know.

Aster became a bit stiff, with a face of concern, but it seemed much more hostile without the contempt which he used to possess.

He asked slowly with transparent suspicion, "Going to what?"

My heart started to slowly work its way up to my throat, increasing its pump and pounding force. I didn't know if I could trust Aster or not, the pony in front of me was no longer someone I could or should consider a friend anymore. I wondered in the brief second which I had before my silence would be alarming. So without thinking, I tried to play it off.

"I don't know, I thought I had something to so, I'm trying to think of something to do, so what have you been up to?"

Aster didn't remove his sternness, and he asked with a little more concern than suspicion, "What was it you had thought of doing?"

I didn't realize we had stopped until this point, so I continued walking sighing, eyes closed. I knew I could play this off well, but I was so nervous that it could backfire on me horribly, which didn't help calm me down.

"Well, I don't want to say..."

"What?" At this point, Aster had risen his voice to almost a demanding an answer volume.

"Well, maybe..... Visit..... My, parents..." I was making it up as I was going along, but I did even try to look embarrassed.

Much to my relief, Aster had returned to his normal self and just laughed.

"Star, I thought you were talking of going to cause some trouble or something of the sort!"

He slapped my back with his right hoof, I chuckled, albeit nervously, and replied meekly, "I would never do something of the sort!"

Behind my voice, as Aster laughed heartily, a voice echoed right behind my words, although obviously only I could hear it.

"Trust no one' sword anymore, suspect everyone and believe anyone, but trust yourself."

The conversation came back to mind once more, "And it could very well be one of the stations' commanders, like Aster-......"