• Published 19th Sep 2012
  • 6,716 Views, 284 Comments

Homeworld: Equestria - hiigaran



Finding himself in an uncharted system, the Captain of a military vessel ends up on a strange planet

  • ...
10
 284
 6,716

7: Raids and Ransacks

“All crew to combat stations. Stand by for hyperspace exit.”

With preparations for battle complete well before arrival, the two strike-craft squadrons and Timberwolf, the new destroyer, were ready to launch immediately upon reaching their destination. Turrets, scanners, and the eyes of every crew member frantically scanned the surroundings for signs of the Coor-Lan. For signs of danger. For signs of anything.

Nothing. Not even a whisper or shadow was detected.

“It’s possible we may have sensor interference, Captain,” Zenith noted. “Visibility seems sub-par to me, as well. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we were inside something. This place looks like a dense dust cloud.”

“Correct, Zenith.,” Soban stated, observing the dark environment filled with a faint maroon light. “It’s a molecular cloud; the birthplace of planets and stars. That explains why the Coor-Lan was mining in he—no, irrelevant, let’s focus on the matter at hand. The transmission said they were hiding in an asteroid belt. All ships, look for a—”

“Asteroid belt sighted!” a corvette pilot interjected. “Relaying position data.”

Soban watched as a blip of the relevant position was highlighted on his sensors. “Full forward! Interceptors, move up and assume an observing position. Gunships, cover their rear. If you so much as think something is coming towards you, return to Harmony immediately. I’ve never lost a single life under my command, and I don’t plan on starting any time soon. Timberwolf, remain in formation, but be prepared to broadside.”

The long, sleek destroyer turned itself ninety degrees to present its side, and more importantly, its three triple-barrelled turrets to the collection of asteroids off in the distance. The similarity to seafaring naval warships was uncanny, both in the stance assumed, and in the general appearance of the vessel.

As Harmony and Timberwolf approached the asteroid vein, the interceptors scouted ahead to survey the surroundings. Several passes and flybys later, one of the pilots made out a large, gashed storage container, pivoting slowly as it drifted away from the belt.

“A resource canister,” Soban mused. “Continue your search. Shining Armour, I want you ready with that shield at the first sign of trouble.”

“Understood, Captain.”

Advancing cautiously towards the denser portions of the belt, the interceptors came across a large debris field, littered with the remains of small fighters and frigates, all Kiith Somtaaw’s.

“Sweet Celestia, this place is a tomb,” one of the pilots commented. “I think we can assume the worst.”

“Hey! Focus!” Soban snapped. “Find the Coor-Lan before making assumptions! You can’t miss the giant mining ship.”

“No, sir, I can’t. I think—I think I’m looking at it right now. Stand by, transmitting visual.”

The images on Harmony’s view-screen confirmed the Captain’s fears. The chunky mining vessel drifted lazily past the asteroids in three pieces, and the engine section had lodged itself into a crater on a nearby asteroid. An occasional spark of electricity arced and flashed across one of the many breaches in the segments at random intervals.

“One-thousand five-hundred crew would have been aboard her,” Soban noted, a tinge of disbelief showing through his normally stoic demeanour.

“Wh—who would do such a thing?” Zenith wondered. “What possible gain would there be in destroying a mining vessel?”

“It wasn’t simply attacked. It was hunted. Look over there”—the Captain pointed at the visual feed—“at those top sections that appear to be slashed. Those are the resource canisters. The Coor-Lan was looted for its resources.”

“By whom?”

“That’s what I intend to find out.” Soban turned from Zenith and began a radio transmission. “Interceptors, return to Harmony. Gunships, stand by for more escort duties. Protect our resource collector while it retrieves the bridge data recorder.”


>BRIDGE AUDIO/DATA RECORDER
>COOR-LAN
>DEEP-SPACE MINER, EXPLORER-CLASS
>9626.32 GSY
>
>TRANSMISSION, AUDIO
>Local resources depleted, fleet. Moving on.
>
>BRIDGE, AUDIO
>Confirmed. All collectors, continue harvesting at the provided coordinates.
>
>OUTGOING DATA TRANSMISSION
>SHORT-RANGE RELATIVE COORDINATES
>021,055,986
>
>COLLISION WARNING
>
>BRIDGE, AUDIO
>Whoah! Getting a little turbulent here. Fighters, keep an eye out for fast-moving asteroids. All frigates, be prepared to clear a path for the command ship.
>
>TRANSMISSION, AUDIO
>Copied.
>
>BRIDGE, AUDIO
>Commence status report.
>
>LEVEL 1 STATUS REPORT
>
>PRIMARY SYSTEMS: ONLINE
>SECONDARY SYSTEMS: ONLINE
>HULL INTEGRITY: WITHIN ACCEPTABLE TOLERANCES
>
>1 CAUTION REPORT
>
>SENSOR READINGS SHOW FLUCTUATIONS
>RECOMMEND RECALIBRATION
>
>END CAUTION REPORT
>
>END STATUS REPORT
>
>BRIDGE, AUDIO
>We’re fine, it just brushed us. Fighters, our sensors are having issues in this region. It’s up to you to spot the asteroids. I don’t want to miss something that big again.
>
>TRANSMISSION, AUDIO
>Command, I’m picking up anomalous readings from one of the larger asteroids. May need to investigate further, but according to my scan—
>
>BRIDGE, AUDIO
>Say again?
>
>Collector fourteen, repeat.
>
>Collector twenty-one, you’re the closest to fourteen. We may be having communication issues. Reestablish contact and relay any messages if necessary.
>
>Collector twenty-one?
>
>All combat vessels to full alert until we re-establish communication or visual contact.
>
>TRANSMISSION, AUDIO
>Collector seven under attack! Fighters inbound! Somebody hel—
>
>BRIDGE, AUDIO
>Collector seven? All collectors retreat to the command ship immediately. Combat vessels, assume formation bravo and cover the collectors.
>
>TRANSMISSION, AUDIO
>Yes, sir.
>
>Collector nineteen under attack! It’s—shit, Raiders inbound! I—I don’t believe it, they have a cruiser! Kiith’s blood, it’s huge!
>
>WARNING
>HYPERSPACE INHIBITOR FIELD DETECTED
>
>BRIDGE, AUDIO
>Nineteen, repeat? Did you say Raiders? Turanic Raiders?
>
>TRANSMISSION, AUDIO
>Collector two under—FUUUUU—
>
>BRIDGE, AUDIO
>Two, respond! Nineteen? Dammit! Any combat vessels reading? I need eyes out ther—Oh. Oh, my.
>
>LONG-RANGE EMERGENCY BEACON ACTIVATED
>
>LONG-RANGE OUTGOING TRANSMISSION, AUDIO
>This is the Somtaaw vessel Coor-Lan to any ships in the area …


The recording came to an abrupt halt, leaving the bridge completely silent, save for the quiet hum of Harmony’s engines. Captain Soban sat in disbelief and merely shook his head.

“I know the Raiders have been a major pain across the galaxy recently, but for them to possess something as large as a cruiser? It just doesn’t go well with their hit-and-run methods. Why the sudden change? Why now?”

The Captain considered his options. “It’s not safe here. Everypony is to remain at combat stations until our hyperspace module is charged. Timberwolf, track anything out of the ordinary. I don’t care if it’s an asteroid. If it moves towards us, shoot it. Unload everything on to it. Stand by, we are moving into more open space.”

“Wouldn’t we be more vulnerable there?” Zenith pondered. “Shouldn’t we hide while we charge the module?”

“Didn’t do the Coor-Lan much good, did it? Besides, the asteroids are the very things I’m worried about. Common Raider tactics involve disguising as asteroids until an unsuspecting ship gets too close. Keep your eyes peeled. All the asteroids should be similar to each other, and follow a similar pattern in their motion.”

“Captain, hyperspace signature detected!” Zenith reported. “It’s Hiigaran.”

Surveying the area, the battlecruiser Liir pulled up alongside Harmony and made contact. “Soban,” Captain Paktu acknowledged curtly. “Do you mind telling me what in Kharak happened here?”

“The Coor-Lan has been destroyed,” Soban replied frankly. “Transmitting relevant data recorder information as we speak. The Turanic Raiders are behind this. Keep alert, they may still be hiding nearby. We can get you out of here once our hyperspace module is charged.”

“Get me out of here? Are you just going to let this slide?” Paktu’s irritated voice blared throughout Harmony’s bridge. “Our people are dead, and you want to just leave? They deserve retribution, you coward!”

“Oh, I’m a coward, huh?” Soban grew equally irritated. “Alright, let’s assume the Raiders are still here and hiding, for starters. We have no idea how many could be nearby, and you want to just go in with all guns blazing? Excuse me for putting the safety of my ship and crew in front of my list of things I have blown up. Do you still keep that in your left pocket?”

“Why you insolent excuse for a—”

“I think we’ve heard enough of him for a while,” the Captain terminated Paktu’s message “He can wait for his own hyperspace module to charge. Zenith, are we charged?”

“Yes, sir. Course is already laid in, and our strike-craft have already docked.”

“Very well. Engage hyperspace. Excuse me, I have a report to submit to the Hiigaran Defence Fleet. You have the bridge, Zenith.”


“You, uhh, wanted to see me, Captain?” Shining Armour poked his head into Soban’s office.

The Captain turned away from the flaming artwork of hyperspace that served as a backdrop to an entire side of the office. “Yes, Shining. Please sit. You and I haven’t had much of a chance to sit down and discuss things, given our busy schedules and recent events.”

Shining Armour blinked. “Things, sir?”

“I refer to our little altercation, a few weeks ago,” the Captain replied uneasily. “The one aboard Manaan.”

“Oh. That.” The white unicorn flattened his ears and shifted anxiously, making an effort to stare at anything other than Soban. The pen on the floor seemed especially appealing.

“Mmm. I’ve been meaning to apologise about that. I shouldn’t have done that to you, and I sincerely regret it. The last thing I want is to have resentment aboard my ship, be it towards me or towards other crew members.”

“I …” Shining Armour sighed, painfully meeting the Captain’s gaze. “I can understand why you did what you did. I was out of line, and after everything I said, I deserved it.”

“No you didn’t, Shining. Not in the slightest. Truth be told, I was mainly putting on an act to stop morale from dropping even further. Everypony on the bridge was worried. Frightened, even. I thought it might help if I showed a little authoritative strength, but I cannot justify my actions toward you with that.”

“If I recall correctly, I did push you to it. Literally. Still, what’s done is done. Forgive and forget, right?”

“Right. Now then, a few of us are meeting for lunch. You’re more than welcome to join us if you want.”

Shining Armour eased up a little. “I’d like that,” he smiled.


Shining Armour frowned, trotting alongside the Captain as they searched for an empty table. “I don’t get it. One moment you seem so concerned about the loss of those lives, and now you’re acting as if nothing ever happened. How can you do that? How can you simply shrug it off?”

“It comes with this line of work. I can’t afford to dwell on such thoughts. Besides, their deaths were neither the result of my actions, nor preventable by me, so my conscience is clean. I thought you of all ponies would have been taught something like that.”

“It’s an important part of officer training, but I’ve never given it much thought.” Shining lowered his dandelion sandwich and salad onto a free table. Settling in, he continued. “After all, Equestria has always had peace. Sure, there have been a few internal conflicts, and there was that one changeling invasion that didn’t even last a day, but there hasn’t been a death in the military for many generations. The worst we’ve had were some minor injuries, but that’s about it.”

“Most officers I know would envy you and your military,” Soban remarked, turning to greet the pair of newcomers. “Hey, Zenith! Firelance. Where’s Nova?”

“Glued to his chair and playing with his ion cannon. At least I’ve got enough self-control to pull myself away from mine.” Firelance rolled his eyes, before they widened in realisation. “Oh horseapples, that was not a euphemism!”

“That’s disgusting, Firelance!” Zenith admonished, mortified by the charming mental images Firelance’s words had conjured up.

“Friends of yours, sir?” Shining asked, stifling a snicker.

The Captain gestured towards the copper-coated pony. “Shining, this is my tactical officer, Zenith. I believe you two have met before. Wait, who’s got the bridge?”

“The XO took over. Said he couldn’t sleep, so we swapped duties.” Pushing her glasses up over her head to rest on her neatly trimmed, brown mane, Zenith turned to the white unicorn. “Good to see you again, Shining Armour. Truth be told, I feel much safer knowing you are aboard.”

Shining Armour grinned. “I hope I don’t disappoint. And I definitely recognise that mane from Manaan as well!” he addressed the pegasus.

“Yep, this big idiot here”—Soban slapped the pegasus on the back—“is my drinking partner Firelance. Aboard Harmony, he is also my dorsal ion cannon gunner. Firelance, I’m sure you’re aware of who Shining is, but just to refresh your memory, he is currently Harmony’s walking shield generator.”


The social gathering between Soban and his three crew-mates quickly came to a close, as Harmony returned to its proverbial throne high up above Equestria and their homeworld. The sight of the blue and green planet abeam the flagship prompted the Captain to return to be bridge, except …

*POOF*

Appearing out of thin air and zooming across the room into a crumpled heap in the corner, two figures scrambled to their hooves. While one appeared to be bursting with excitement and anticipation, the other had a look of sheer irritation.

“Rainbow! I told you multiple times you were not to come aboard with me!” Twilight yelled. “It’s bad enough that one member of the Elements is aboard. Do you know how hard we are to replace if something bad should happen?”

Rainbow Dash placed a hoof to her face. “Ugh, here we go again. Twilight Safety Sparkle is back. Too late now. We’re here. I wanna look around, shoot some stuff and maybe get my hooves on one of those fast little ships. Hey! We should totally have a race!”

“No, Dash, I’m taking you back right now!”

“What? Oh, come on! What makes you so special that you get to stay?”

“I was requested to come aboard. You were not. Now let’s go.”

“Hay no!”

“One moment, Captain. I’ll fix this,” Twilight apologised, catching sight of the fleeing pegasus. “Get back here, you!”

*POOF*

“Huh?”

Twilight appeared beside Rainbow Dash, who immediately pounced upon the confused pegasus. In a puff of purple light, the two disappeared, leaving an entire mess deck full of stunned crew members.

One of the griffons finally broke the silence. “Okay, what was that all ab—”

*POOF*

The lavender unicorn burst in a second time, now with two passengers clinging to either of her forelegs.

“WHEEEEE, WE’RE IN SPACE AGAIN!” the all-too-familiar pink mare bobbed up and down, her stark lack of an indoor voice painfully obvious.

“You know what?” Twilight huffed. “I’m not going to bother. I give up.”

“It’s alright Twilight, I don’t mind,” the Captain assured her, wincing as Pinkie broke out into song. “Much.”

Twilight snorted. “Yes, well, if anypony needs me, I’ll be with the research division. A word of advice, Captain; keep Pinkie away from sugar, and Rainbow from anything fast.”

“Oohh, griffons!” Pinkie weaved between the confused and bewildered crew. “They’re just gonna loooove my party cannon!”

“Did she just say a party ca—”

*BOOM!*

*SPLAT!*

“Oopsie tootsie! I must have put the maple syrup into the wrong cannon!” Pinkie tittered while peeling the unfortunate griffon from the wall with an oversized spatula. Falling to the floor with a sickening squelch, the wall remained decorated with the splayed-wings outline of the dazed victim.

The Captain sighed. “Get a medic down here to make sure that griffon is alright. And somepony clean up this mess. I’ve got work to do.”


Mere moments after Soban stepped foot on to the bridge, Luna had appeared, her timing impeccable as always.

“What happened, Captain? Are you all safe? What of the others?” Luna asked, her voice carrying more concern than she would have liked to admit.

“We’re fine, ma’am. Can’t say the same for the Coor-Lan, though. We—We were too late.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Luna bowed her head in respect. Meeting Soban’s eyes again, she continued. “Captain, if I may be blunt, I wish to express my concern for this mission of yours.”

“I have my own concerns as well, but this is something that has to be done. This is beyond just the Elements. This is destiny. This is a prophecy incomplete. It’s not something I can explain easily to you, but soon I will make you aware of everything in detail. Now, back on topic. This will be a long journey, but we will be bolstering our fleet defences along the way. Two opportunities will present themselves, as our hyperspace module will not take us all the way in one go. By the time we arrive, we should have a substantial fleet at our disposal.”

Luna sighed. “Very well. Your word puts me at relative ease, but my eyes shall remain skyward until your return. I would most certainly like to hear more of this so-called prophecy of yours. In any case, the rest of the crew have been transferred to the briefing rooms. Please take care of them, or I will hold you personally responsible for their fates.”

“Understood, ma’am.”

Without another word, Princess Luna returned to the world below. Despite his many years of service and experience, the Captain felt something a little more than the usual nervousness that accompanied a journey into the unknown. Was it fear? Did the Princess inspire such thoughts in the Captain’s mind with both her words, and the eerily calm tone in which she spoke them?

Catching himself before slipping into another reverie, Soban turned to his right-hand mare. “Zenith, I’ll be briefing the new crew and pilots myself. Notify me when the hyperspace module is charged, and then set a course for the Great Nebula of Kadesh.”