Prologue: Just a Normal Day (Edited)

Chirp Chirp Chirp

Vinyl rolls over in her bed ignoring the chirping birds. She groans in protest at the birds and smacks her lips, trying to dose off again. But her attempts were useless; the birds seem to get louder as she tries to get back to sleep. Vinyl’s eyes finally crack open as she rolls over and looks at the birds perched on her window seal. She rolls out of bed and stands up. She gives a long yawn and stretches out, similar to a cat. One can hear her bones and joints popping and crackling. She walks over the window and pushes it open and does what she did every morning. With a loud voice she declares “Good Morning Ponyville!”

Everypony on the street below looks up and replies with a happy “Good morning, Vinyl!” Vinyl delightfully waves back at the then puts her head back into the window. She looks over to her giant stereo. It took up nearly a whole wall within her room. In front of it was her laptop and mixing deck. She gives a happy smirk before she uses her magic horn to turn the doorknob and pushes it open as she walks through it and she kicks it shut. Then she makes her way down stairs.

As she walks she could hear Octavia playing her cello, in a slow enchanting, melodic way. Her music was relaxing but Vinyl prefers her dubstep. The loud pulsating bass line, melodic crushing whirls, and the way the crowd responds to her music. It was her euphoria. Vinyl reaches the bottom of the stairs and walks up to Octavia’s room, the door was shut and but she could tell she was in there. She leans on the wall and waits for her to finish her song. Vinyl loves living with Octavia. Of course, someponies thought it was weird. A lot of ponies think they have something going on. But no, they are merely friends that lived together, that was it. After a few moments she could hear Octavia put her cello away and walk towards the door. Octavia pushes it open and Vinyl steps back and smiles “Morning Octy…” Vinyl says with her trademark smile. Octavia responds with one of her own.

“Good Morning Vinyl. You sleep well?”

“Yeah I did, I’m starving for some breakfast though.”

Octavia pushes her door closed with her head gently and looks at Vinyl. “Well, we are out of food; we need to go shopping today. How about we grab some food and Sugarcube Corner, and then go shopping in the market?”

Vinyl nods and smiles at Octavia “That sounds awesome, let’s go.” Both of them head towards the front door, Vinyl makes sure to grab her glasses off the table next to the door as they head out into the street towards Sugarcube Corner.

“Hey Octy, you excited about our first performance together?” Vinyl asks eagerly.

Octavia, caught off guard a little by the question responds “Yes, I am very excited. Well… more nervous than anything…”

Vinyl smirks at her then looks ahead as she spoke “What d’ya mean? You’re acting like you never performed in front of an audience before.”

Octavia shakes her head, “It's not that Vinyl…I’m just concerned about our sound. How we will sound together…You have to admit, what we are suggesting is a little… odd.”

Vinyl steps in front of her and grins. “Not odd…I prefer… progressive! Yeah, that’s it! Octavia, your cello, backed up by the power of my extreme wubs will work wonders! Everyone will be blown away!”

Octavia sighs, and then smiles at her friend “If you say so, Vinyl…”
Vinyl nods and her smile remains, “Now come on, I’m starving!”

Vinyl and Octavia increases their speed to a trot and hurry to their favorite café. On their way there they pass by Rarity, they wave in a friendly fashion. They noticed that Spike was riding on Rarity’s back, with love in his eyes like always, “Is he still pinning after her?” Octavia asks.

Vinyl replies by shaking her head with a smile on her face, chuckling a bit. “Yep and he will never stop until he has her. It’s actually kind of cute, don’t you think?”

Octavia nods when in the distance they saw Twilight, standing in the street looking up at Rainbow Dash attempting to clear the sky of clouds. She was succeeding mostly, but for some reason she was pounding and kicking this one cloud that wouldn’t go away. Octavia and Vinyl walk closer to them and were able to hear Rainbow Dash barking at the cloud “Aw-come-on! Why-wont-you-just-go-away!?” as she frantically pounds the cloud with each word she spoke. Vinyl and Octavia look up in confusion, there was no cloud that Rainbow couldn’t clear, and no storm she couldn’t divert…for some reason this was different. Vinyl and Octavia look at each other and shrug “I wonder what going on” Octavia asks, with a raised brow.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Twilight will figure it out, she always does. Remember when Rarity was trying to do the weather?” Vinyl responds.

Octavia’s eyes went wide and shudders, remembering that she was nearly struck by lightning that day… Octavia slightly glares at Vinyl “We said we were never going to speak of that day. I was so scared that I didn’t come out for the rest of the day…”

Vinyl chuckles a little and continued to walk. When they reached Sugarcube Corner and arrive at their café. Something… strange had happened, however. Suddenly the sun was blocked by clouds, dark clouds darker than storm clouds. The sky seemed to roar and groan a little. Vinyl looked up as they walked over to their favorite table. “Vinyl…this is really strange… Something is wrong here.” she hears Octavia say.

“I’m sure it will pass if we give it time and plus…” Suddenly Apple Jack and Pinkie Pie rush around the corner, obviously in a huge hurry. They rush over to Twilight down the street. Then suddenly from behind, somepony runs past Vinyl and knocks her off of her chair and she falls to the ground with a loud thud as the pony trips over and falls on top of Vinyl.

Octavia watches and gasps “Vinyl are you alright!?”

Vinyl quickly pushes him off of her and staggers to her hooves and looks the pony in the eyes with her now narrowed ones, “Ow! Hey, watch it you…” she stops mid-sentence as she gazes at him. His dark blue mane, charcoal colored coat, and strange bat wings (rather than feathered ones) makes her awe struck. She then shakes off the feeling and resumes speaking “…You, uh… clumsy punk. You could’ve broken my glasses.”

The pony, revealing to be a stallion, stands up straight and proud, Vinyl feeling a little intimidated by him as she notices he was also clad in dark, violet royal armor.

“I’m terribly sorry miss, are you alright…?” he askes as he looked her over with a voice of concern.
Vinyl sighs and blew a piece of her turquoise and blue hair out of her face “Yeah yeah, I’m alright. Just watch where you’re going…you could hurt somepony, y’know?”

“Once again, I am deeply sorry miss...” The stallion bows and spoke with a frown

Over head Princess Luna flew along with her sister, Princess Celestia. “Harvest Moon, hurry to the meeting area.” Luna calls out from above.

“Yes Princess Luna, of course….” He looks at Vinyl and gives a slight bow before leaving and taking off after Luna.

Vinyl twitches her tail at the pony as he left. “Octy…I think something may be going down. Celestia and Luna are here…” Octavia stands up as the princesses fly to where Princess Twilight was standing at the end of the street.

“Maybe we should cut this short and just go back home…” Octavia suggests seeing the rest of the Café is now cleared out.

“Maybe you’re right Octy…” then she was interrupted by a loud clash of thunder, the sky is painted with a bright red glow and the clouds began to swirl around in the sky, violently. They watched as Rainbow Dash was struck by a bolt of purple lightning and was sent careening to the ground below. Everyone that was congregated in the town square begins to float into the center of the swirling vortex in the sky. Vinyl and Octavia look on in fright as all the other ponies run for cover.

“Octy…what going on?” Vinyl asks with a frightened voice.

Octavia shakes her head, “What makes you think I have any idea what’s happening?”

They begin to start backing away as the rest of the town was starting to be lifted into the swirling vortex. “Time to go, now!” Vinyl shouts, wanting nothing to do with this.

Vinyl and Octavia quickly turned tail and ran away from the destruction that was unleashing behind them. Vinyl and Octavia had never been this scared in their lives. No, they weren’t scared… they were terrified! It was like the world was ending, and even though they were running, neither of them believe that they can out run what was coming. It was a nightmare come to life. Vinyl pushes on with vigor not realizing that Octavia was lagging behind her until she hears her call out “Vinyl!”

Vinyl stops and looked back as Octavia was being carried away into the sky “Octavia!” she cries out. Then she feels herself being lifted into the air. She kicks her hooves in trying to run in the air, trying to frantically get back down. ‘No no no no oh no!’ She thinks to herself, she looks up into the heart of the swirling black empty abyss that they were floating towards. It was just them; everyone in Ponyville, and everything else. Sweet Apple Acres, Mr. and Mrs. Cake’s shop, the library…everything was being swept away by this unknown force that had taken hold of them. “Octy, hang on!” she yells as Octavia disappears into the void…then Vinyl was next, swept up in an instant.

Where did they all go…?

Vinyl wakes up with a loud gasp and sits up straight in her bed, panting and in a cold sweat not knowing where she was or how she got there. She shakes her head and her hair goes back and forth across her face “What a nightmare…” She goes to put her hooves on her face but is greeted by a strange feeling. The things touching her face weren’t hooves at all…they look like… webbed duck feet with longer points on them. She jumps back in fear with a yelp as she looks down examining the rest of her body. What are these things on her chest? She takes her new hands and feels them. They were soft and squishy. ‘Dear Celestia… what are these, what am I…where am I?’ She looks around the room she was currently in. It was dark, covered in metal with a door that had no door knob. Vinyl was scared and confused on top of it. There was a small window next to her bed with a red blinking light next to it. Vinyl looks down at her hands and extends her index finger and hesitantly pushes the red button. In a moment the blast cover flies up from the window exposing where she was. Out the window, spread out like an infinite sheet, was the fast deep abyss of space…

The Rescue

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Vinyl places her hand on the window and she began to pant out of fear. “Where the hell am I?” She said as she gazed out the window. Vinyl presses the button again and closed the blast shield over the window. “This definitely isn’t Ponyville…”

Vinyl jumped at the sound of a groan from the corner of the room followed by a loud gasp. Vinyl turns to see a visage of a young woman sitting up in a bed on the other side of the room. The woman’s creamy white Skin was offset by her dark grey hair and purple eyes. Vinyl turns and backs herself into a corner, looking at the woman across the room. Vinyl was confused and scared; she has no idea what she was looking at. But she has the poking feeling in the back of her head that she knows her, like they have been friends forever. Vinyl brushes a lock of her hair out of her face and looks closer at the woman, slowly starting to realize who it is.

“Octavia…?” she asks hesitantly. The young woman looks at her and nearly jumps out of her skin and backs against the wall.

“What are you!? Please don’t hurt me!” She yells looking away from Vinyl, showing noticeable panic and confusion in her eyes.

“Octy it’s me Vinyl! Chill out!” Vinyl replies, holding up her hands to show she meant no harm.

Octavia looks at her again recognizing the voice. That blue and cyan stripped hair, those bright red eyes. It could be no one else. Octavia sits up straight and looks closer “Vinyl, it is you!” a smile spreads across her face. “Wait…what are you, and where are we?”

Vinyl was dressed in an almost skin tight sleeveless top that had a small bandolier that crossed her chest. “To both questions” Vinyl paused before gazing down at her hand, before slowly closing her fingers and making a fist. “…I have no Idea.”

Octavia looks down at her strange appendages and slowly eases herself off the bed. She stood for a moment, trying to keep herself steady on her new set of legs.

“What are those things?” Vinyl asks pointing at Octavia’s legs with a slight puzzled expression.

Octavia looks down at her new legs and gives an equally puzzled look. “I assume they are some form of hind legs…” She put her bottom half on the ground first before she, decided to fall forward getting on all fours.

Vinyl shakes her head slightly “I don’t think that’s how those work Octy…” Vinyl moves to the edge of her bed and puts her legs down on the floor before she takes a deep breath and pushes herself up off the bed attempting to stand. She stands half way up then fell back down on the bed. Vinyl chuckled and tried again this time making it all the way up, she flails her arms trying to keep her balance.

She finally found her center and plopped down on her heels standing still. She stood tall around 5’10”, wearing a black sleeveless tank top like shirt that covered down all the way past her breasts to her naval, a short skirt like garment over a set of leggings that covered her down to her calves, and a set of black boots that shined with metal plates. Now that she was standing you could see the full length of her hair, it stretched down all the way to the middle of her back.

“I don’t know what I am, but I kind of like it.” Vinyl says as she looks down at Octavia and stretches out her hand. Octavia grips Vinyl’s hand and Vinyl struggles to keep her balance and pulls Octavia up from the floor, when she is finally up and on her feet. They both step back and look at each other.

Octavia was wearing some sort of light armor that encompassed her upper body wrapped in a black cloak with a hood, her legs were covered by a set of combat pants and boots that were covered, (except for the knees and other jointed areas) with metal plating.

“Wow Octy…you look like a guard from Canterlot Castle.” Vinyl says as she leans in closer for a better look.

“Vinyl you look like…like…I don’t know what you look like. I have never seen any kind of dress like that.” Octavia replies.

Vinyl begins to look around the room, It’s small, but enough for two people to stand up in comfortably. Octavia walks over and crawls over Vinyl’s bed and looks out the window, seeing where they were. Her mouth dropped open at the sight of it. “Vinyl, what is all that out there?” Octavia asks her just for conformation.

“Octy, that’s space out there.” Vinyl responded after a slight pause.

“What are we doing in space!?” she asks, breaking the pause as she quickly backs away from the window and back onto her feet.

“Beats me Octy…do you remember anything before we woke up here?” Octavia and Vinyl both stand there thinking.

After a moment Octavia finally spoke “I remember a bright red glow, then just nothing but complete darkness…” Octavia pauses before placing her palm on her forehead, her mind straining from remembering. “…then I woke up here.”

Vinyl lets out a sigh and nods her head “That’s about all I remember too. Well we aren’t gonna get anywhere just standing around, let’s get outta here and look around.” Vinyl says as she walks toward what she assumes is the door.

The door is devoid of a door knob, only thing there is a small panel with a few buttons on it. Vinyl looks at the small panel slowly raises her hand as is if to push it

“Vinyl, be careful. We don’t know what it does.” Octavia adds with a tone of caution.

Vinyl pushes her index finger against a green button on the panel and it does nothing, only a small beep in response. Vinyl purses her lips then presses the button again, and again. She presses it one final time and the door suddenly slides open, filling the room with a blinding light.

Their eyes took time to adjust, having been in the dimly lit room. Vinyl’s eyes finally adjusted, and she was confronted by an armored black Figure that stands roughly another 4 inches taller than her.

Vinyl, and Octavia quickly stand up straight and looks the figure directly in the eye slots that they assumed were his eyes.

“Um…Hiyah..” Vinyl says with a nervous smile and gives a small wave. Octavia gives a weak smile as the figure draws up his weapon is response and points it at the two. “Out, at once…” the figure ordered as he backed away from the entrance and gestured for them to exit, pointing with the front of his rifle. Now that he was in the light of the hallway they could see that this…whatever it was. Vinyl’s heart skipped a beat then picked up speed. Her stomach sank and her hands shook from fear. Octavia stood behind Vinyl peering from over her shoulder. What were these things? The way they acted, they acted like soldiers of some sort. If they were soldiers Vinyl knew that the best course of action was to comply. “Out in the hall now!” the soldier barks at them through his helmet’s speaker. So, Vinyl takes a deep breath and puts her hands in the air and takes her first, slightly wobbly steps into the hall. Octavia made sure to stay close behind her. Once in the hall, the soldier positioned himself behind them as another soldier, dressed in grey clothes with an Odd looking Cap on his head, places security binders on their wrists. Obliviously this soldier dressed in grey was different, his clothes seemed to symbolize that he was of Higher rank and position that the armored soldier, an Officer. Vinyl struggles for a moment to get them off then she looks up at the soldier and sneers.

Octavia doesn’t resist but sighs, “Oh Dear…” she says with worry and fright in her voice.

The soldier pushes Octavia forward shoving her forward into Vinyl “Follow him.” The soldier ordered as the officer in front of Vinyl started to walk forward down the hallway. Vinyl and Octavia look around taking in their environment. As they pass through an area that has a large observation window to their left they look out, and see not only a space, but a there were things also floating in space.

They were on a ship, and there wasn’t just one ship. They were in the middle of a fleet. Vinyl nods her head gesturing out the window with her head “Octy Look!”

Octavia turns her head to see out of the window and her eyes go wide with amazement and at the same time fear “I think it’s safe to say we aren’t in Equestria anymore…” she replies. Yes, they were sure.
Vinyl looked down and swallowed. She had to think, if they were here… did the rest of Equestria come with them? Were they alone? Was there any way to get help from anyone? So many questions ran through her head as she gazed out of that window into the infinite sea of space. If they were going to find out anything, they had to get out of this first.

From behind they heard someone else walk up. It wasn’t the trooper; it sounded heavy, with a grinding that made them cringe a little. Vinyl turns her head to see someone wearing a different set or armor than either the soldier or the officer. This armor was a sky-blue color with flecks and streaks; made of all the colors of the rainbow. Behind the rainbow-colored figure loomed a tall, menacing creature. It was like nothing that she had ever seen: a mass of metal and whirling joints that sent shivers down her spine and put a deep pit in the center of her stomach. It looked right at Vinyl with narrow orange eyes that pierced her very soul. Suddenly, it spoke to her with a distorted mechanical voice “Statement: Greetings, meatbags.”

Vinyl raised a brow at the creature ‘Meatbags?’ she thinks to herself. Could that be what she and Octavia had turned into? This was the first answer they had gotten all day. She was finally happy to know what they were finally. Suddenly the blue armored creature turns to the soldier leading them and starts to talk “Officer, Lord Santus needs you on the bridge, both of you.” The voice was filtered, coming through the speaker on her helmet.

Vinyl blinked and looked the creature over, that voice…it sounded as if she had heard it so many times before, and those colors… Those colors that spread over her armor, who was this?

“What I didn’t get any message about this, what’s this about?” questioned the soldier.

“Beats me, I’m just here to collect the creds for these two and move on. But she seemed very angry. I suggest you hurry. You don’t want what happened to your superior to happen to you.” The officer seemed to jump back in fear and he nodded his head at the soldier behind Octavia and they both head down the hall in a hurry.

Now Vinyl and Octavia were alone and with this stranger and her companion. But Vinyl had a creeping feeling that they were safer with this stranger than the guards.

“Query: Can we dispense with the trickery, Master? I wish to initiate assassination protocols as quickly as your feeble meatbag body, can manage.” said the companion.

The stranger quickly gave an agitated growl and turned to her companion, who didn’t even flinch when it started poking him in the face "HEY! Who you callin' feeble, bub!?" she yelled. Whatever it was, it just stood there as if it wasn’t alive. "I--I mean, look, that's not the mission HK. It's a search and RESCUE mission. Not a search and destroy."
Vinyl looked at them with a brow raised ‘Search and Rescue? Wait, are they here for me and Octy?’ she thinks

“Statement: Then I suggest we get to the rescue portion of this mission before we are discovered. Master Harvest is already in route with our escape vehicle.” replied the companion now known as HK.

“Yeah Yeah Im gettin’ to that…” The stranger turns to them and removes Vinyl’s and Octavia’s binders, leaving them on but loosened.

“Oh goodness, thank you, those were killing me.” Octavia says rubbing her wrists.

Vinyl rubs her wrists and smiles “Thanks Bud, mind giving us some answers?”

HK’s head switches its position from looking at its master to looking at Vinyl. “Agitated Statement: Master I seem to remember telling you that you had the stun on your Blaster set too high. It would seem that Master Vinyl is having memory issues. She does not seem to remember her own plan.”

“I didn’t have it up too high; it was just enough to put them down while I stole the data and planted the virus.” She replied and reached onto her belt taking off two long cylinder shaped objects. These were strange looking, and were long, each of them had a red button on them. That for some reason Vinyl just wanted to push. “Obviously it wasn’t enough because they woke up before I got back.” she says handing Vinyl and Octavia one “I forgot how quickly and how well those Jedi minds work. Now hurry we have to get to the hanger.”

Vinyl and Octavia both looked down at their items with confusion. Then something began to click. Like something far off was coming to them then suddenly it crashed over them spilling all this knowledge into their heads. ‘Lightsaber…’ Vinyl and Octavia thought to themselves. ‘Human, Jedi, bounty Hunter, Hk-51, sith…’ suddenly things began to flow, as if their memories from this world and the ones from Equestria were melding. Their eyes were finally open. Octavia gripped her saber in her hand and smirked with glee and Vinyl looked the stranger in the eye and smiled finally knowing who she was behind that mask “Let get to work Dash…” she says with a nod.

“You got it Boss. Keep the binders on until the virus takes effect, and then we go to work, and head straight for the hanger.” Dash orders HK, and they all take off down the hall.

“Oh Vinyl I almost forgot!” Dash stops and removes a set of Purple Goggles from her pouch and hands them to Vinyl. They looked like her sun glasses. “Never leave Raxus without them, right Vinyl? Now c’mon.” Vinyl slid them down onto her face. When they covered her eyes, they blinked, bringing up a heads up display in front of her eyes. It gave readouts on the ship they were in, vital signals of her, Octavia and Dash. “Oh Sweet! Alright let’s get out of here.” she said as she ran with the group

The observation on the bridge of the ship window looked out over empty space. Battlecruisers, frigates and fighters were all getting ready to head off to their destination. Lord Santus hummed a happy tune to herself as she looked out the window, her hands tapping along to a beat in her head. All the officers around her went about their business. Chatter could be heard from the various ships in the fleet, along with the officers talking back and forth to each other. Lord Santus is covered in a black cloak that covers her head and arms. Her Chest plate was painted a bright pink color and was covered in black scorch marks, regardless, it still massively clashed with the rest of her attire.

The song she was humming it sounded… happy. Then she began to mumble to herself “all I really need is a smile smile smile…” Behind her an officer walks up from behind. He is obviously scared out of his wits, his knees were shaking slightly and sweat was dripping down his brow. He gives one final gulp before he spoke “Lord Santus, You summoned me?”

The Lord stops tapping her hand, pausing for a moment before giggling a bit “No I didn’t silly, I just sent the Bounty Hunter to you to collect her fee for bringing the prisoner in silly filly!” The officer’s eyes went wide as dinner plates and he looked over at his fellow officers with a distressed look in his eye, they just shook their heads and looked away, already knowing he was a dead man.

“The Bounty H-Hunter s-said you summoned me…” the officer looks down at the ground, Lord Santus turning and pulls back her hood, revealing the creamy white face of a young woman. Her complexion was slightly pale though as if she had not seen sunlight in months. Her hair was bright pink hair that looked like inflated balloons. Sanctus’ face, still smiling with glee as she slightly skips closer to him, her pearly white teeth gleaming from an unknown source.

All her officers tense up and look away in any direction that they could. “Oh no, that means the Bounty Hunter is with them, and you handed over the prisoner to them. Awww… someone made a boo boo.” The officer was drenched in sweat and he was shaking with fear and at the very sight of her wide grin.

“Im sorry Lord Santus, it will never happen again…” you could hear the begging tone in his voice his legs finally gave way and he fell to his knees.

“Mmmm… it’s okay, simple mistake!” Lord Santus chirps as she walks by him. The officer gave a sigh of relief and began to calm, which only lasted for a moment when he felt his body being pierced by a burning sensation in his chest. He looked down, his face showing nothing but pure shock and was light up from the bright purple glow of Santus’ saber as it burned away at his chest and uniform with ease. From behind he heard her whisper “Just kidding.” Then a happy giggle as the lightsaber pulled out of his chest and he fell to the ground dead. She turns off her lightsaber and reattaches it to her belt. “Now everyone let’s find these Jedi before they escape, with a smile~.” She said smiling at her bridge crew, who hesitate. Santus then tilted her head, her abnormally large grin remaining on her face. “I said with a smile.” She hisses through her teeth. They all quickly gave weak smiles and got back to work. “GOOD!” she chirped before returning to her spot looking out the observation window. “Fill my heart up with sunshine sunshine…”

Dash, Octavia, Vinyl and the Hk-51 walked with haste through the halls of the ship, passing officers, mouse droids and troopers along the way. It was all coming back to them. Where they were, what they had done, and more importantly WHAT they were. They were human females aligned with the Galactic Republic; they were Jedi, the guardians of peace and justice. The one behind them was Rainbow Dash, but here they just called her Dash. She was a Bounty Hunter, allied with them. They were close friends. ‘This is amazing’ Vinyl thought to herself. She began to remember her lightsaber training, as well as her force training. Everything in their head was finally coming together and it was liberating.

She, along with Octavia, couldn’t believe that this was all real, and this was really happening. They still remembered everything that had happened, they remembered Ponyville, Equestria, everything. Just everything they knew was overlaid with the knowledge of this world. Even though one question still remained unanswered… How did they get here?

The group came to an elevator and Dash pushed the panel calling the elevator to their floor. They stood next to the doors, waiting for them to open. Vinyl and Octavia, looking back at each other, knowing that they both need to talk in private to try to figure this thing out. The elevator finally slid open and the group entered. “Hanger deck.” Dash says to the elevator. The doors slide shut and they all take a deep breath. HK spoke from behind them, “Statement: The Virus should be hitting the main systems in 3…2…1” When his finishes his count down all the power in the elevator goes out and it suddenly stops, sending all of them but HK to the ground. “That’s our queue guys. The virus will cripple the entire fleet for a few minutes. We need to hurry.” Vinyl and Octavia drop the binders to the floor.

“Only way to go is down, get cutting.” Dash says. Octavia draws her saber and ignites her bright blue blade, points it to the floor and starts cutting a circular hole in the floor of the Elevator, When she is done the metal plate falls down the empty shaft below. Dash, being impulsive, jumps down along with her HK-51.

Vinyl and Octavia slowly climb through the hole and make their way over to the wall to climb down to the nearest elevator car. They begin to make their way down by jumping from car to car. Dash on the other hand flies down to the hanger floor with her jet pack, and her HK until with rocket boots. Dash and HK reach the hanger deck elevator door and with little effort, sliding the door open. On the other side of the door, however, is a large group of Imperial troopers that draw their weapons at Dash. Dash chuckles “Wrong floor sorry.” She says before the troopers fire on her she quickly pushes off the wall and flies up and takes cover on a Car above the open door. Her HK unit following her, “Statement: It would seem that our attempts at stealth were futile.”

“I can see that HK, just find us another root to the hanger!”

“Statement: This is the only way to the hanger where Master Harvest is expecting us.”

Dash draws her blasters, gives them a revolver-like twirl and chuckles “I guess we’re blasting our way out of here. Let’s get to it HK!”

Vinyl and Octavia finally make it down to HK and Dash, Vinyl drawing her green saber and Octavia draws her blue saber. “Octavia and I will go ahead, you bring up the rear Dash.” ordered Vinyl, pointing her thumb backwards.

“You got it boss.” Dash response as she begins to fire at the troopers.

Vinyl and Octavia quickly jump at the open door, sabers drawn, blocking the incoming blaster fire up until they land and begin cutting down the troopers one by one with quick succession.

The way Vinyl moved was fast and aggressive, striking quick with uncanny speed, using kicks and the occasional grapple to take out her enemies.

Octavia was the same but relied on misdirection and elegance to deceive and strike down her opponents, a more tactical strategy.
Together, they complimented each other and were a deadly coupling. Once the entrance was clear, Dash and HK, rocketed to down to them and covered their rear firing down the branching halls at the oncoming troopers as Vinyl and Octavia cut their way through to the hanger.

As they move through the hanger a trooper came from behind a stack of crates, grappling Vinyl from behind. Vinyl growls at this and brought her head back, smashing the trooper’s faceplate with a little help from her force power to strengthen the blow. The guard then let go and stumbles backward before Vinyl circles around with her saber and cut him down while doing so. Vinyl then rubs the back of her head “Gah.. damn it…”

Shortly afterwards a group of troopers move from out the corner of the hanger and take a knee, aiming at them with their blasters. Vinyl narrows her eyes and quickly brought her hands forward, twirling her saber to deflect a huge barrage of blaster fire. Octavia, meanwhile, took this opportunity to put away her lightsaber and brought her hands up to concentrate, before moving about half of the amount of large metal crates beside them with her force power. She then opens her eyes and launches the heavy crates at the troopers at a fast speed. The troopers yelped before all of them were crushed to death.

After cutting down the last trooper, Vinyl and Octavia stood back to back scanning the area for more. When they were sure they were done the disengaged their sabers. Dash and HK caught up to them outside the hanger door. Vinyl looked at the door and lowered her goggles and peered at the door, her goggles adjusted seeing the heat signatures through the door into the hanger. She saw the heat from a figure wielding a single weapon, looking like a spear swinging it at a group of troopers.

“What do you see Vinyl?” Octavia asks, a hand on her saber just in case she needs to bring it out again.

“I see someone in there, fighting off some troopers. I think that’s our ride. Let’s get in there.” Vinyl backs away and pushes open the panel for the door and Octavia ignites her saber with a loud BWOW and runs in to support the man, Dash running in to follow her. Vinyl is the last in behind HK-51. Vinyl leaped into action targeting a trooper that she cut down with a single slash across his torso. The others went to work cutting and blasting down all the rest of the troopers clearing the hanger.

That was when Vinyl saw him. He gave a one last killing thrust at a trooper, impaling him holding him up in the air with his saber-pike, Vlad the Impaler style, before bringing his pike backwards, letting the trooper drop, killing him. He looks over in her direction making eye contact with her, his liquid-gold eyes looking her up and down before giving a short nod. His dark, charcoal grey hair reflected the dark-blue glow of his saber-pike. He stood around 6 foot even, wearing a standard dark-brown jedi cloak with a dark violet chest plate for protection. It was him…Harvest Moon, the pony that bumped into her and knocked her over in Ponyville. She knew it was him for sure. She didn’t know what it was, but she instantly felt a connection with him. She gave a quick shake of her head to shrug off her thoughts and returned her focus to the matters at hand. Octavia, Dash and Vinyl all put their weapons away and made their way quickly to the freighter. It was a XS Stock Light freighter, with a different paint job, this had a base dark grey color but the color lining was red and white. and along the cockpits left side was a Cobalt blue symbol. “Everyone, get on board, at once!” he yelled as he ran quickly inside. Harvest and Dash hurried to the cockpit and prepped for takeoff.

Everyone rushed on board, Octavia was the last one on. As the engines revved up and they began to lift off. Octavia fell to her knees and put her hand on one side of her head. “Octy!” Vinyl rushed to her side and knelt down trying to see what was wrong with her.

“Something is coming…get us out of here now!” she screamed Vinyl looked down the open gangplank of the freightor, she felt it too. They were finally airborne when the entrance to the hanger curled back inwards like burning paper revealing the visage of Lord Santus. Vinyl looked closer narrowing her eyes, when she finally recognized the glaring figure slowly marching towards them “Pinkie…?” she asks out loud as the doors close and the ship jets out of the hanger.

Lord Santus just smiles as she watches them leave. “Don’t worry, Im sure we will meet again. Just like Lord Sambra says.” She turns around and walks back through the destroyed door humming to herself.

Once clear of the fleet, the freighter jumps to light-speed and disappears into hyperspace. Inside Vinyl helps Octavia to the cockpit. HK stands behind Dash, his head pivoting from side to side. Vinyl sits her down in the chair behind Harvest moon. “Octy are you alright?” Vinly asks as she pets Octavia’s back

“It’s gone...it’s gone, I’m fine.” She says and finally rises to her feet.

“I assume the mission was a success?” Harvest asks as he turns around in the chair. Dash nods, “Aww yeah it was a pure win Harvest, went down without a hitch. Well… except for these two waking up before I could get to them.”

Harvest shakes his head at Dash “You should’ve compensated, you know jedi minds are stronger than most of the bounties you collect.” Harvest scolds.

“Hey now, I did my best, we got out alive didn’t we? So stop yer complaining.” Dash says as she unlatches her helmet from her armor and slides it off letting her rainbow colored hair drape down. She gives a sigh and wipes the sweat from her brow “I need to get the climate control fixed on this thing, I was burning up.” she says and looks back at Vinyl and Octavia. “You guys alright back there? You guys are never this quiet.”

Vinyl nods her head “Yep we’re okay, just still a little tired from our stun blast nap.” She says with a chuckle

Dash then shrugs, “Alright Maybe you guys should get some real rest then. We will be back home on Raxus Prime on a little over 3 hours.”

Vinyl and Octavia nod in agreement and get up and head away from the cockpit towards the main hold. Once they are away Dash looks at Harvest. “So what did we just risk our hides for anyway Harvest?” she asks as she leans back, putting her feet up on the console.

Harvest Moon shakes his head, “You know I can’t share that Information. That is to be shared with The Archon, the Librarian and the Didact.”

Dash rolls her eyes “Well it must have been important. Vinyl and Octavia never usually throw themselves into the Rancor pit like that without good motivation.”

Harvest leans back and put and rubs the stubble on his face, thinking “Well, trust me it for a good purpose.”

Vinyl and Octavia enter the dormitories and shut and lock the door behind them. “Vinyl, what is going on!? We are in a Freighter, flying through space with a human version of Rainbow Dash. We are using weapons, we just killed people…this is crazy. How do we even know how to use these things, or how do we know anything about this place!?” Octavia paces and is clearly having an episode.

Vinyl quickly grabs her by the shoulders and looks at her in the eyes “Octy calm down! We aren’t gonna figure this out if we don’t keep cool.” Octavia takes a deep breath and closes her eyes calming her nerves, Vinyl takes her hands off of Octavia’s shoulders and speaks

“Alright, we were obviously brought here by whatever that vortex thing was over Ponyville. It did something to us, and we woke up here. It looks like these people already know us…maybe what happened is, this placed already was around when that thing brought us here, and we just took over the place of the versions of ourselves that were here. That’s why after a while we started remembering things about this place.”

Octavia sits down on one of the bunks “You mean…there was a copy of us here, with these bodies and we just jumped into them?” Octavia asks

“Yeah… kinda.” Vinyl sighs and sits down next to her “Look I don’t know everything that’s going on, the best thing to do is to just go with the flow until we can figure this out. Agreed?”

Octavia looks at her and nods her head “Agreed…”

“Good…let’s get some sleep. We are going to be at Raxus Prime soon.” Vinyl climbs into the bunk above Octavia and lies down. “We will get home Octy, don’t worry.” She says as she looks up through the skylight into the vast tunnel of hyperspace. After a while they both fell asleep not knowing what the next day will hold.

The Paradigm

View Online

Rain pours down from the sky, lightning cracks across the heavens, and thunder shakes the very ground. This is life on Dromund kaas, the home planet of the Sith Empire, and seat of the Dark Council, where the darkness resides. From inside the giant window, a figure stands. One can’t tell who or what is standing there looking out the window, but it is tall, broad shouldered and it has a very dark looming presence. The room is almost completely dark; the only light for the entire room comes from the outside. The room has little furniture, what stands out is a large desk positioned behind the figure.

The door on the opposite of the room slides open and letting light in, in walks another figure, one can tell it is female by the way it walks. She looks about 5 feet tall and well-built. Her heels click and clack metal floor as she makes her way over to the figure. The light from the window exposes her face. Her face colored light peach and her hair was pink and draped down one side of her face, her one exposed eye was an aquamarine color and it reflected the flashes of lightning outside. She clears her throat and hesitantly speaks “U-Um…my lord?”

The figure slightly inclines his head to her letting her know that he was listening.

“Lord Santus has returned…but she lost the Jedi.” She says and looks down at the ground.

The figure gives a sighing growl of disapproval. “Raise your head, Lord Evermore, it was her failure not yours.”

Evermore raises her head still looking away from him slightly. “Yes, Lord Sombra…”

The figure turns his head to her revealing a fair skinned man with glowing green and red eyes that seemed to smoke purple. A lighting strike brightens up the side of his face; a smile creeps from cheek to cheek.

Evermore finally looks up at him in the eye and smiles.

Sombra walks closer and wraps his arms around her waist and kisses her on the lips.

Evermore closes her eyes and wraps her arms around his shoulders as they kissed.

Finally they pulled back and they both grinned at each other. Evermore’s face turns red and she turned her head away. “My lord…” she says and giggles.

Sombra released her and walks around her, leaving the room, Evermore quickly following after him.

As they walk the halls of the Citadel, Evermore’s face turns cold and hard as she walked behind her lover. The various people they passed by, officers, guards, and troopers all refuse to make eye contact with them. Sombra fed on fear, he never showed it but inside, he was smirking.

As they walk down the halls they pass the training room. This was no ordinary training room; this was made specifically for Sombra’s apprentice. A deadly sith he trained since she was a Child. Darth Arcana. She rarely used training dummies. Her training was special. Criminals, mercenaries, and slaves, and even fail acolytes were brought to the Citadel for the very purpose of being fodder for her. Over the years she studied and became a master of Sith magic. She proclaimed herself a Sith Sorceress. She twisted the dark side in a way that not most had ever seen.

Sombra and Evermore watch as the cages open and 4 slaves run out and charge her wielding vibroblades.

Arcana’s left hand glows a deep black and purple as it swells with darkside energy. She raises her hand and streams of purple light rush from her hand and into the minds of her attackers. They drop their blades and begin to scream a blood curdling scream of fear and pure anguish. Their hands rush to the sides of their heads and fall to the ground on their knees. Arcana extends both her hands outwards on her left and right side as she begins to levitate, her hands pulsing with lighting. Soon the ground underneath her attackers pulsates with electricity then they are bathed in a glowing shower of lighting as it courses through their body, electrocuting them to a crisp. After a few moments of the light show, its stops and Arcana lands on the ground as the slaves simply fall face forward on the ground, their clothes still smoking from the lightning, the rancid odor of cooked flesh filling the room.

Sombra gives a satisfied huff and walks off, not giving her a second glance. “I assume you plan to make her a Lord, Lord Sombra? She certainly has the potential and she has proven herself countless times.” Evermore states.

“I do, but she is going to be my personal errand girl and if Santus does not clean up her act… Arcana’s first errand will be her head on a platter, or heart... I haven’t decided yet.”

“Do you really think that Arcana can even defeat her? I’ve seen Santus in action against more powerful sith. She isn’t a force to be trifled with.”

Sombra stops and looks back at Arcana and gives a smirk, “You mustn’t forget who trained her.” He states before continuing on.

Evermore’s face turns a slight red, “Oh right Sorry you’re right.”

Sombra turns back around to face her and shows her the slightest bit of emotion to comfort her before he turns his head to look at Arcana.

“How long have you had her in training like this?” asked Evermore as the cages opened again sending in more slaves.

Arcana drew her saber and charged at the group and began to dispatch them with ease.

Sombra chuckles as he watched his apprentice. “Since she was 3. I rescued her from Malastare fifteen years ago.”

Evermore stepped into the training room and watched from the edge of the small arena like area. Sombra followed close after her and stood right behind her. “This is the first time I have seen her in action.” Arcana was brutal, every move was fluid and deadly.

Arcana blocked a slaves swing in front of her only to side step allowing the slave behind her black to catch on her sabers as well. In one fluid motion she pushed both of the blades and her opponents away, she then dashes at them and in one slash bisecting both of them. She stood poised for any other attackers for a moment then she stood tall and disengaged her saber and put it on her belt.

“She is skilled, but are you sure she is ready for the masters of the Vanguard?”

“Not yet, she isn’t ready. But she has proven herself ready to join the Paradigm. For now that is enough.” Sombra pauses and turns to Arcana. “Arcana, come…” then he keeps walking.

Arcana exits the room and walks behind evermore and Sombra. “What is thy bidding, my master?” she asked her voice filtered through her vocalizer.

“This is Lord Evermore.” Arcana tilts her head to look at Evermore. Evermore straitens up and looks her in the area where she assumed her eyes were and gave a slight bow. Arcana replied with a quiet and respectful “My lord.”

Outside, on the Landing Pad, there is a small Imperial dropship lands in front of a large procession of troops, guards and officers. The dropship doors open and out steps Lord Santus.

She has a large black cloak over her shoulders and a hood to guard her head from the rain. She begins to walk towards the door where you can see Sombra, Evermore and Arcana standing waiting for her. The troops all stand at attention, all of them standing like statues.

Lord Santus has a slight skip in her step as she walks to the entrance. When she reaches Sombra, she kneels before him. Sombra looks down at her with a slight glare. “You let your Jedi Prisoners get away. You failed in your task lord Santus.”

Santus remains kneeling before him and she gives a slight sigh “It was not my fault Lord Sombra, the Bounty Hunter was an ally of theirs, she crippled my fleet and they escaped.”

“The fact that you allowed yourself to be deceived by a mere bounty hunter is disgraceful in itself.” replied Evermore “If it were up to me I would end you right now.”

Santus looks up with a smile on her face “Awww~! You are so cute when you are being threatening~” Her tongue peeks out from the side of her face and gives a short giggle.

“You have failed Lord Santus, the Paradigm doesn’t take fondly to failure.” Sombra raises his hand at a slight angle pointing his hand at her with as if he is gripping something. Santus is lifted into the air; she struggles and grunts trying to escape his invisible grasp. It’s as if she couldn’t breathe, she can feel her bones, her insides, everything is being crushed. She starts to pant and groan from the increasing pain.

Arcana, Evermore, and the rest of the troops stand there as if nothing is happening watching Santus be crushed to death. Eventually Santus begins to scream out in pain and Sombra just smirks.

After a few moments when Santus’ body begins to weaken Sombra lowers his hand releasing the force grip he had over her. She falls to the ground unconscious, a small trickle of blood falling from her mouth.
“Get her to a kolto tank.” He ordered and turned to walk away. Two of her troops picked her up off the ground and put each of her arms over their shoulders and carried her away. Evermore and Arcana followed behind Sombra. “Are you sure you didn’t kill her?” asked Arcana through her mask.

“As hard as it is to admit, Santus is harder to kill then most.” replied Sombra.

The Group continues down the halls until they reach Sombras chambers. Sombra, Evermore, and Arcana walk through the doors to Sombras chambers. “Darth Arcana, before you are made a Lord you must complete the tasks I set out for you."

Arcana bows and says "Yes, my Lord."

Sombra walks behind his desk and sits down in the chair.

Evermore walks to his side and stands next to him, looking at Arcana with her piercing eyes. "These tasks will not be easy, and failure will mean your death. Am I understood, Darth Arcana?"

"I live to serve, my lord." Sombra smirks at Arcana. "Go to your quarters, i will send the details to your datapad." Arcana bows and walks out of the chamber and the door slides shut behind her.

Evermore puts her hands in front over her and she grips them. She stands there, her shyness peeking through now that they were alone. "Gosh, I hope Arcana can handle the tasks you gave her. I would hate for something to happen to her." She says.

Sombra wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her close. Evermore gives a slight 'Yip' and blushes. "She will do fine I’m sure she will." He says and smiles up at her.
"No one joins the Paradigm without a trial of fire. Yours was no more perilous than hers is."

Evermore gives a satisfied nod "What about Lord Santus? Are you going to tell her?"

Sombra shakes his head. "She doesn’t need to know."

"Oh, I see, yes dear. Now I better hurry and feed Angel before she gets cranky."

Evermore saunters out the door and before it opened she looked over her shoulder and winks suggestively at Sombra.

Sombra just grins as she opens the door and leaves. When she leaves Sombra just gives a growling sigh.

------------

Arcana quickly struts down the halls of the Citadel. She arrives at a set of large doors. She takes her hand and types on the keypad next to the door and the slide apart, revealing the dormitory area. This is where other sith members of the paradigm resided. There weren’t many, only about ten rooms including Arcana. She walked in and the door quickly slid shut. As she walked on her way to her Quarters a few of the other sith began to look at her incredulously. Their eyes were like daggers. Arcana suddenly loomed over in their general direction and they looked away quickly. They know that she is Sombra's protégé, they dare not cross her. They knew she wouldn’t wait for her master to get involved. She would end them herself.

She had done twice already. As Arcana reached the door to her quarters, she felt a presence behind her. She froze and stood strait up. "Leave now..." she says. “I hear you are the Masters apprentice. You don’t look so tough." The voice said.

"3..." she replies
"In fact doesn’t look like you could hurt a Mynock."
"2..."
The other sith have stepped quite a distance away from the two.
"Maybe I should teach you a lesson or two..."
He says as he drags his hand slowly up her thigh to her rear, holding it there for a moment.
“1…”

Arcana brings her elbow up into his face striking him across the nose, and calls her saber to her hand and turns around diagonally slashes him across the chest. He falls to the ground, dead. Arcana just turns, unlocks the door to her chamber and walks inside. The door closes and the other sith go about their business as the smoking corpse lies on the floor, sighing to himself.

The inside of her room isn’t very large, but it is big enough for 2 people. A queen sized bed, and the room it was covered in book and datacrons. Shelves stretched out all over the room. On her one desk were tall stacks of books and papers spread out all over the place. On the other side of the room there was a door that leads to what was basically a bathroom. Arcana took her lightsaber from her belt and placed on the light stand next to her bed. Next was her mask, she took her hands and unlatched it from the neck piece that connected it to her robes. She pulled it off and sat it on the desk.

The face of a young woman presented itself from behind the mask, her eyes were a dark violet, her complexion was clear, and her skin was fair and a light peach color, one side did seem darker than the other, and her hair was Dark Purple with one streak of a lighter violet and a streak of pink right down the middle. Her outer cloak was next, the dark purple and silver cloak she took off and hung over the chair. Under that there was a set of Light Robes and standard leg gear, spread over it was different shades of Purple along with silver and black. She removed her robes and leg gear and boots. She took a seat on the edge of the bed and fell back looking up at the sealing through the skylight the peered into the storm covered sky of Dromund Kaas.

This was it for her, her trials to become a Sith were about to begin. She would be a fully fledged member of the Paradigm. This is what Lord Sombra was training her for her entire life, and when she was a full member. She would have the power and the means to track down and kill the leaders of Vanguard, the rouge Jedi group that killed her parents. Her hand clinches with rage and the rush from the thought of revenge. As her mind drifted in the sheer joy of revenge, her datapad beepes on the other end of the room. She turned her head to see it and she called it to her hand with the force and looked at the message.

SECURE ENCRYPTION:ACTIVATED//ENCRYPTION SUCCESSFUL//DISPLAYING MESSAGE//…

Your first assignment Darth Arcana,

Location: Utapau
Briefing:
Intelligence has suspected that Vanguard has been using a company to mask and fund their operations. They have found a probable link and are closing in on the Location of its leaders. Our first lead is this shipping company. It is believed that this company is supplying Vanguard with materials for their business. You must see if this lead is correct. Tactical information, high density scans of the facility, Ordinance and location for Infil and Exfil are attached to this message.

Objective: Search for the Owner of the company and interrogate for information
Directives: No witnesses, upon completion destroy the facility.

Good Luck and may the force grant you strength Darth Arcana

END MESSAGE//…

Arcana sat up strait in her bed and grinned down at her datapad. “Finally…” she says before she gives and evil chuckle, her cackle grew to a loud laugh that seemed to carry throughout the Citadel.

Knights of the Vanguard

View Online

VWOSH VWOSH VWOSH

The large refresher fans of the Raxus shipyard went, sending cool, renewed air through the vents and halls. The sun shined through the shutters on the window that pointed directly at the sun of the Raxus system. Nhym slowly opened his eyes and blinked repeatedly as he tried to fight waking up, but it didn’t work. The black haired, shirtless man sat up in his bed and yawned. His hair was long but it stopped at his neck, he was well built but not very large but still big and intimidating. He looked around the dim lit room.The sun created a out of place striped pattern that spread across the room like a fashion designer's nightmare.

The room is large and very well furnished; it looked like a mixture of Jedi artifacts and décor of a large corporate office. After all that’s what Nhym was. He was the master of The Vanguard. A secret organization composed of Jedi and other affiliates. Ex-military, smugglers, privateers, and bounty hunters. They even had a few senators in their corner to help keep their little group secret. Since they were a neutral group, senators and others could get their assistance when they needed it, republic or empire alike. They masquerade under a company called Raxus Sun Inc. A starship manufacturing company that produced ships from freighters to frigate class vessels. Nhym was the CEO. It wasn’t an easy job but he did it, him and his darling wife.

Nhym stretched out then looks to his right, there was a woman lying next to him, her naked body half way covered up by the sheets and blankets. Her skin was a soft cream color. Nhym smiled and traced his hand from her lower back all the way up her to the back of her neck. She gave a small sighing moan and fidgeted a bit. Her hair was lengthy and soft, and colored a stunning green, aqua, and pink rainbow. Nhym leaned down and kissed her shoulder and she groaned and swatted at his face with her hand before her eyes slowly peeked open revealing the enchanting rose pink eyes. She rolls over and looks at Nhym in his steel blue eyes and smiled widely and wrapped her arms around him.

“Good morning…” she said to Nhym. “Good morning Princess Celestia.” Celestia chuckled

“Princess huh?”

“Thats right, my princess.”

“You haven't called me that since the war.”

“Back then it was out of respect and duty. Its a little different now.”

Nhym lightly runs his hand down her cheek and kisses her. Celestia just chuckles and lightly pushes him off of her and slides off the bed. Nhym does nothing but eye her as she struts to the other side of the room. His eyes never left her, eyes her figure as she made her way around the room. Nhym chuckled as his eye caught sight of her tattoo of a sun on her flanks, one for each side. Symmetry is a beautiful thing. Celestia was a magnificent woman, and an extremely talented jedi. After Nhym armed escort mission to protect her during the war, and after her term ended as princess. Nhym found her and began to train her as a jedi. Back then he knew she was strong and he soon fell in love with her. Now look at them, married, running a company together, and their own ragtag group is exiles. He couldn't ask for a better life.

After a moment he finally gets up out of the bed and walks across the room to where his armor and robes were. This armor set was black, made from plasteel, with and internal energy shield, like the ones used by Mandolorians, along with a Cobalt robe under it. Then to bring it all together,the mask of the fearsome harbinger, to Nhym, it was an Identity. He was ‘The Archon’ of the Vanguard, their master, and Leader.

He began to dawn his armor and robe placing piece after piece over his body. When he was done he looked his armor over with a satisfied smile over his face. The he looked over at Celestia for a moment watching her walk around the room gathering her clothes, and then dressed herself. She wore pant suit type clothing, her top being mostly just a black vest and a red tank top. The vest was lined with red and her pants were an off white color with black and red to match her top. On her belt, were her single lightsaber, and her blaster pistol on the other. Nhym crossed over to the window and touched the panel next to it, raising the shudders letting in the orange light from the Raxus sun. Out the window you can see the junk covered planet of Raxus Prime, and the giant black smog clouds that sprawl over the upper atmosphere.

As they dressed themselves there was a knock on their door. Celestia replied with a happy. “Come in.” The door slides open and in walks Luna. A fair skinned woman, dressed in a dark purple armored Robe, lined with strips of black and silver. Like a light jedi combat armor.

Luna, the master jedi, walked with an air of authority and pride. Despite her feminine figure, she still keeps an imposing stance. Her sharp, teal eyes pierce those before her. Always judging, studying and scanning the world around her. Her midnight blue hair waves with grace as she moves, in and out of combat. Unlike her sister, she doesn't think twice to remind people what she is, a jedi master. More importantly, Luna was a force to be reckoned with. On her back is a saber pike resembling Harvests, except hers is a rather Dark Purple color, with the top part of the hilt transparent, displaying her black purple crystal.

“Sister, Harvest has reported in they are returning to the shipyard. With Vinyl and Octavia, the mission was a success.” Luna gives what passed for a satisfied look.

A very tiny smile peeked from the side of her face. Nhym and Celestia gave a sigh of relief. “Good…I was thinking I might regret sending them on that mission.” Nhym says.

“That’s why we sent Rainbow Dash as part of the plan.” Celestia ties her hair back into a long ponytail and turns to Luna.

“Thank you sister, we will meet them in the hanger.” Luna gives a small bow and walk back out of the door. Nhym and Celestia walk after her. Celestia grabs her black robe off of a hanger next to the door, and Nhym pulls his double-bladed saber from the wall and clips it to his belt as he leaves the room.

They enter the hall, the sunlight shined through the large observation window. Below was the entire station. Machines and workers could be seen assembling a whole matter of ships from freighters to frigate sized ships. This was no ordinary shipyard; this also housed the small academy for Vanguard, and the offices of Raxus Sun Inc. The company the group used to fund their endeavors. It wasn’t a large company but it brought in the revenue they needed to get the job done. All they needed was provided; including the secrecy that the cherished so much. The level that they currently were on was composed of the private offices and quarters for the vanguard council. The few senators that that helped them were had access as well. But they never stopped by often. The hall was empty besides the three of them as they walked, their heels knocking against the floor. Luna remained a persistent 2 steps behind Celestia at all times.

Nhym, Celestia and Luna proceed to the turbolift and entered it. The doors slide shut the repulsors kick in sending them down to the main level.

“Sister, the Librarian has returned with more orphans from the civil war on Alderaan.” Luna says.

“More Orphans? Oh Dear.” Replies Celestia

“Don’t worry sister, I will see to it. You and Archon have more pressing matters to attend to.” Nhym nods at Luna.

“Thank you Luna.” Nhym replies with a smile.

“Celestia, we need to analyze the data that Dash stole from Santus fleet. It could finally reveal what the Paradigm has been looking for.” Celestia nods in agreement with Nhym.

Luna removes her saber from her back and collapses it down to the size of a normal hilt and attaches it to the back of her belt. The turbolift hums to a stop and the doors slide open into the hallway. This hallway had people in it. A few security personnel and other members of the Vanguard. Not just Jedi, smugglers and ex-military. It was clearly seen as some still wore their armor, still bearing the republic insignia. Luna, Nhym, and Celestia step out of the turbo lift and look around for a brief moment.

“Sister, if there is nothing more, I will tend to the Orphans.” Luna asks and gives a slight bow waiting until Celestia bowed in response allowing her to leave.

“Why is she like that again? You she knows you aren’t a princess anymore right?” Nhym asks jestingly. Celestia turns to him with a smile

“I told you, her oath to serve me wasn’t just for as long as my term, it was for life. Being my servant is all she knows.” Celestia walks past Nhym towards the hanger, Nhym walks right after her quickening his pace to get next to her.

“She was taught and trained to serve and protect me. That is all she has known since she was a little girl.”

“It’s a little odd though isn’t it?”

“Only because you haven’t had someone at your beckon call all your life. I’m used to it.” Celestia says with a smirk.

Wraps his arm around her waist. He hugs her tight as they walk down the hall to the hanger. “If you say so.”

Vinyl blinks her eyes open hearing the loud WHOMP BOOM of the hyperdrive disengaging, dropping them out of hyperspace. She covers her eyes for a moment then opens them as she rolls to her left looking down off the top bunk across the room. Octavia stand there leaning against the wall looking down at the floor. Vinyl turns and hangs her legs over the side of the bunk and jumps down to the floor.

“Tavi...you alright?” she asks as she makes her way over to her. Octavia slowly looks up and tears from down her face. “Tavi…whats wrong?”

“I can’t do it Vinyl, I just can’t do it. I haven’t slept at all. My mind is filled with thought that aren’t mine. Half of my brain is telling me this is all wrong, the other side is telling me that this is right. I don’t know which to listen to.”

Vinyl hugged her close, feeling her best friend’s pain. “Tavi…I think the best thing right now is to just trust your instincts. Whatever side of your brain is telling you what you need to do to survive. Listen to it.”

Octavia hugged her back and sniffled a bit “Okay…okay I will.” She had to accept the situation they were in, at least until they found out how to get home. “How are you dealing with this Vinyl?”

Vinyl let her go and stepped back “I don’t know. I just listened to my survival instincts.”

“Vinyl, Octavia, we’re here come up to the cockpit.” Harvest voice blared over the Intercom.

“We still haven’t figured out how we are going to get home Vinyl.” Octavia says with a little more distress in her voice.

“We will think of something right now we just have to worry about blending in.” Vinyl replied before giving her one last comforting hug.

She Steps back and adjusts her clothes and steps out of the dormitory Octavia following close behind Vinyl. They walk into the cockpit and Dash is sleeping in the co-pilots seat with her legs up on the console snoring quite loudly. Hk-51 is still standing there his head still looking from side to side repeatedly awaiting a set of orders. Vinyl just looks over at her gives a slight chuckle Octavia just smiles and shakes her head. Vinyl and Octavia look out the cockpit at the Massive shipyard. It was at least 5 times the size of a normal space station. It looked like a giant Circle, where the inside was completely empty but the outer circle was were all the work was being done, where the ships were constructed.

“Welcome home you guys.” Harvest says as he lays in the course to land. Vinyl looks back over at Dash as she snores

“How did you fly here with that right next to you?” Octavia ask Harvest.

“Eventually you don’t hear it. It eventually it just sounds like the engine hum.” He replied with a smirk on his face. His eyes drifted over to Vinyl and she locked eyes with him the quickly looked away to kick the back of Dash’s chair, resulting in her snores ending abruptly with a pig like snort. “Huh! Whats going on!?” she asks

“We are back home Dash.” Vinyl says

“Oh good, finally some good food, and Apple Jacks famous Cider!” she says with an eager smile.

The ship drifted down through the thin layer of debris towards the inner circle of the Shipyard. These are where the private hangars were. Safe for the members of The Vanguard to land where they wouldn’t be noticed by the employees of Raxus Sun Inc. They ship glides into the hanger and the landing struts appear under as they touchdown onto the floor. Inside the hanger, Nhym and Celestia are waiting for them with smiles wide on their face. The gang plank lowers and the others step out Vinyl and Octavia stay out of sight for a moment and look at each other.

“Here goes nothing…” Vinyl says before taking a deep breath and stepping out of the ship and over to the rest of the group. Octavia follows after her.

“Thank the force you are all alright.” Celestia says.

“We are back!” Dash shouts in excitement “Nhym, Celestia, did you miss us?”

That Archon and Didact remember?” Nhym says correcting dash

“We arent in public, you said that rule only applies when we are in the eyes of the public.”

“Use the titles until you are given permission Dash.”

Celestia looks at Nhym “Being a little rough today are we?”

“Well she has to set an example for the new members.”

“I am a hell of good example. Not like these two need it. You should’ve seen them boss.” Dash says as she walks up and puts her arm over Octavia and Vinyl’s shoulder.

“They did a good Job Nhym, some of the best fighting I’ve seen in a while.” Harvest says as he walks up next to Vinyl and he gives her a smile of approval.

Nhym and Celestia look at each other “Looks like a trial won’t be needed. I think it’s time we give them their rites.” Celestia says. Nhym gives a nod in approval. “Vinyl, Octavia, make yourselves comfortable,relax for a little while. We will send you codes when we are ready for you. Dash, the data.”

“Here you go boss.” Dash says as she reaches in her pouch on her belt and pulls out the data stick and tosses it to Nhym.

“I’ll get to analyzing this right away.” Nhym says before turning to leave the hanger, followed by Celestia. Vinyl follows close behind Celestia and Nhym

“You guys got a bar?” Vinyl asks as she enters the turbo lift.

“Several.” Celestia says with a smile

“Sweet!”

“I’m gonna head up to the firing range. Come on HK.” Dash says while she crosses into the second turbolift.

“Acknowledgment: Yes Master.” Dash and HK head out the hanger and after her.

Octavia stops just outside the hangar door lagging behind the group along with Harvest. Harvest looks at her sensing something is amiss with her. He gently put his hand on her back.

“Octavia, are you alright?” he asks. Octavia jolts a little feeling his touch then she steps forward a little then turns to him.

“Yes I’m alright.” She responds looking away a little. Harvest looks at her then gives a slight nod. He starts to walk into another turbo lift. “Harvest…” Octavia calls out. He stops and turns to her. “The Killing…does it get easier?” she hesitantly asks. He looks at her then gives a slight sigh and a stair that said that signaled to Octavia that the answer wasn’t going to be pleasant.

“Im going to give you the same answer my master gave me.” Octavia looked at him, his pause seeming to take an eternity to pass.

“No…it never does. But take solace in the fact that their deaths allow others to live. I had to learn this lesson early in life. Be glad that you are better equipped to understand and deal with it.” He said before turning away from her allowing her to absorb his answer.

He Collapses his Saber pike into a small hilt and puts it onto the back of his belt. “Remember, stay away from the main deck until we get you some civilian looking gear.” Harvest said as the turbolift doors slid shut leaving Octavia standing there outside the turbo lift. Octavia gave one more deep breath.

Children run about the play area in the orphanage, the little ones playing with toys, the older ones just lying in their bunks chatting amongst themselves. The orphanage was hidden along with their academy. It was very large but it was big enough for the children they had saved. They had been saved from war zones, gangs and some were just abandoned in the streets. It was Nhym’s policy to not leave any behind. There is a woman walking in between the rows of bunks picking up a few things off the floor. The Woman is about five feet tall with a long blonde ponytail falling down her back. She looks to be in her early twenties. Her skin was a soft peach color and her, her cheeks speckled with freckles and her eyes a deep lime green. “Aye, make sure y’all er pic’n up yer stuff. I aint y’alls maid.” A few kids shout back over the ruckus “Yes miss Apple Jack.”

An attendant enters the room and calls over to Applejack “Librarian…Miss Luna is here to see you…”

Apple puts a few items back in the intended place and turns to her “I’ll be right there, can you look after things here for a while?” she replies

“Yes miss.” The attendant says as a few children run pass her feet. The attendant chases after them making playful roaring monster noises. One of the Kids was a boy, about five years old with mud brown hair and matching eyes. The other was a girl the same age with orange hair and blue eyes. “Pound, Pumpkin I’m gonna get you!” the attended says. Pound and Pumpkin, sequel with joy as they run through the room.

In the front of the orphanage Luna stands there with her strait contemplative look on her face awaiting Applejack. Harvest soon walks up behind her and speaks “Master Luna…” then he bows. Luna turns to him and a wide smile breaks through “You don’t have to call me master while we are here Harvey. We talked about this.” Harvest smiles at her

“Right, Hi mom.” He replies. Luna opens her arms wide inviting him into a hug. He walks into her arms and she grips him close.

“Good to have you Home Harvey.”

“Good to be home mom.”

The release their hug and take a step back from each other. “How was the mission Harvey? How did Vinyl and Octavia do?”

“They both did well. For a plan that seemed half baked, they made it work. So well that Nhym and Celestia want to induct them today.”

“That is definitely impressive…” Luna stops for a moment and looks at Harvest for a moment as if she can sense something in the air around him. “Harvey I sense something more…” Luna shows a slight smirk.

“I’ve told you everything there is to know.” He looks at her wondering what was going through her head

Luna gives a chuckle and she is about to speak but Applejack comes in from the back.

“Oh hi thar you two. What can I do yah for.” They both turn to her with a smile.

“Hello Applejack, we are just coming to check the condition of the orphans rescued from Alderaan.” Luna says

“Oh I plum forgot to tell Nhym about what happened down Thar, I was in such a hurry to get the two to a kolto tank for recovery.”

Harvest and Luna’s face turn to a frown, the children had been hurt. Applejack leans against the desk and folds her arms.

“Two of the children were being taken by two sith. As the the others were being led safely to house Organa's spaceport, I followed them. I figured they was special or else they wouldn’t bother taking them. When they reached the shuttle and realized what was happening I sprung into action. After an exaspuratin’ duel I took’em down, but the shuttle started to leave. The pilot ended up damaging the shuttle trying to stop me from takin’ the youngns’. The Shuttle crashed with all of us in the darn thing! Pilot died, I managed to protect the kids.”

Luna and harvest took a deep sigh of relief. At least the children were safe. “Oh my goodness, im pleased that you and the children are alright.” Replied Luna

“I knew I should’ve come with you to Alderaan.”

“Nonsense Darlin’ I handled it just fine. Besides, I bet yah had yer hands full with Vinyl and Octavia and all. I’m assumin’ that the mission went well.”

“Very well, we even managed to steal the Data from the Paradigm’s computer.” Harvest Answered

“Well good, finally we can start puttin’ the hurt on’em.” Cheered Apple Jack

“I'm sure it will happen soon enough.” Replied Luna

Suddenly all of their datapad start to beep, they all looks down at them and they display a short snippet of code:‘9237’. It’s an access code. It’s for the secure turbo lift that leads to the observation deck. They all knew what it meant. When they got the code it was something of note, and since Vinyl and Octavia had just completed a big mission. It was time for them to become one of them.

“Well then, I guess it’s time…” Luna said

“I reckon it is…lets not keep the young girls waitin’.” She said as she made her way past Harvest and Luna. They quickly followed after her. All of them walked with enthusiasm to their goal. They leave the orphanage and head towards the turbo lift. On the way they run into Octavia and Vinyl, they are walking in the opposite direction coming at them.

“Um…what does this mean?” Vinyl asks holding the datapad in the air pointing at it with her finger.

“We are a little confused as to where to go.” Said Octavia

Harvest smiled at both of them but his eyes lingered on Vinyl for a moment. Harvest found her personality charming. She was a bit of wild card though. When he first met her on Mar Shaddaa, she was a simple DJ in one of the floating Casinos. He was with Nhym and Celestia when they found her. It wasn’t his place to question the Archon’s choices. But in his head he figured that he picked her for her physical ‘assets’. Which Harvest couldn’t deny, she had plenty of. He noticed he was lingering too long and hadn’t said a word. He looked over at Luna who had a small smirk on her face.

“Follow us, I forgot you haven’t been shown this yet…” said Luna.

They continue to walk down the hall until coming to a room that looked like an archive library. Once the all enter the room Apple Jack closes and secures the door behind them. Luna and Harvest walk over to one of the Archive shelves. Vinyl and Octavia looked on waiting to see what they would do, they weren’t very surprised when the shelves rotated around revealing two input panels, with number pads. Harvest and Luna enter the code ‘9237’. The wall at the back of the room slides away revealing the secret turbolift. The shelved rotate back around hiding the panels.

“Clever…” Vinyl says

“Come, they are waiting for us.” Luna says as she steps into the Lift, everyone else follows her in. The lift doors shut and the wall

Celestia pushes the data stick into the terminal, and types her way through the interfaces,humming joyfully as she does. Nhym on the other hand walks over holding a small black case under his left arm making his way over to Celestia. The room they are in is huge and circular, with a glass dome spread out over the top peering up at the planet Raxus and the stars above. The room was full of chatter coming from the second level pathway that circled the outer rim of the room. The Pathway was full of other members of Vanguard. There were at least 200 plus people there, composed to various races and positions. Nhym looks up and takes a long sigh “Why don't we have of these in the room?” Nhym asks

“I don't know, we should add one.” she replies to him.

Nhym stops next to her at the terminal looking at the screen as Celestia looks over the data.

“Hmm doesn't look like much. Are you sure it was the right fleet?”

“Absolutely, I recognized the formation. Darth formations are very particular, do we know who is leading the Paradigm yet?”

“We’ve got nothing yet, I have all my contacts working on finding out.”

“What about Layla?”

Nhym looked at her with a very serious look on his face “No, I'm not going to bother her.”

“She is the best asset we have in imperial space.”

“She has enough to deal with already and I dont want to add to it.”

“But Nhym…”

“No.” he said in an unusually stern voice. He rarely if ever used that tone with Celestia.

“Have the computer go over the data, Vinyl and Octavia are almost here.”

Celestia turns away from the computer and walks with Nhym to the center of the room. Nhym open the box; inside are 2 small pins, both other the Vanguard insignia. The insignia was a modified galactic republic symbol with a small modification. At the center, was the embossed head of a Varactl. it was a fitting symbol for their organization. Ironically it was Nhym’s favorite animal. Celestia let out a tiny chuckle.

“What?” Nhym asked

“Nothing, its just a big day.” she replied and looked up at him.

The turbolift door slides open, Luna, Harvest, Apple Jack, Octavia and Vinyl step out and spread out in a small half circle near the center of the room. The room goes silent. Everyone on the outer rim stops moving and watches the group below. Luna, Harvest, and Apple Jack remove their sabers form their belts and ignite them, spreading a slight multicolored glow on the floor. Octavia and Vinyl look at them and let out a small sigh. It was obvious they were nervous, and they knew that the rest of the group could sense it.

Octavia and Vinyl were still uneasy about their predicament. They wanted to go home, and lost in the strange universe, they had no idea how they were going to get home. They just knew that all they could do was play along and let their minds take over and tell them what to do. They made eye contact when Nhym began to speak.

“Knights of Vanguard, guardians of the Aegis, we come here to welcome 2 new members. Adding another layer the shield of light that we are. Vanguard, it means that we are the leaders of a movement, Aegis means a shield a protection for those who cannot protect themselves. Not just people of the republic, or the empire or anywhere in between. But of all. That is what it means to be a member of Vangaurd.”

Nhym took both of the insignias out of the box and handed the box to Celestia. He walked up to each of them and pinned it to their tunics. “Both of you, kneel.” They followed his instructions and got down on one knee still looking up at him. Nhym ignited one side of his double bladed lightsaber, with a loud snap-hiss, filling the area around him and bright Cyan light. He hovered the blade over Vinyls shoulder.

“We are…” Suddenly without warning, Rainbow Dash burst through the turbolift doors, everyone's head snaps to her as she runs past Nhym and takes her place next to Applejack and stands at attention. She acts like she did nothing wrong trying not to make eye contact with anyone. Luna shakes her head in disappointment. Celestia just keeps looking at Dash, almost dumbfounded at her actions. Nhym clears his throat and goes back to what he was saying.

“We are an unyielding Shield of Light.Protection of the innocent, the weary, the broken. This is our code, do you both swear to uphold it until the day that your hearts cease to beat?”

“Yes Archon…” they both responded. In their hearts they both knew that it was the right answer, even though their minds were conflicted. They went with their hearts and answered firmly in the affirmative.

“Welcome to Vanguard, Knights…” he said hovers the blade of his sabr over each of their shoulders. After that he let out a loud chant. “In alis Aegis.” everyone in the rooms responded with an equally loud chant
In alis Aegis!”

“Rise knights, welcome to the family.” Nhym said with a smile as he turned off his saber and put it back on his belt. Vinyl and Octavia rose to their feet and Dash let out a loud sharp whistle and cheered for the two of them.The room roared with sound of whistles and applause.

“You are all Dismissed, return to your duties.” Nhym yells to the onlookers.

“Everyone go get wasted!” Dash cheers but no one responds. Luna and Harvest both look down and shake their heads.

“You guys are so dull sometimes.” Dash complained “Don't know why I signed up for this.”

“Yah got tired of Devin stealing your bounties in the empire. So you joined us hoping to make some credits.” replied Apple Jack

“I told you never to mention that credit stealer around me.”

“Oh here we go…” harvest said rolling his eyes before he started to walk away. “Luna, will you come Spar with me, I need brushing up on a challenging technique.”

“Sure, Harvest.” she replied and made her way into the turbolift followed by the bickering Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Celestia and Nhym followed close after them arms wrapped around each other like a pair of newlyweds. Octavia and Vinyl how ever stood in the room as they all left. Vinyl walked in a small circle around the huge room. Awestruck by the sights above, octavis was so amazed that all she could do was stare in disbelief.

“Octy...this is unreal.”

“Its almost unbelievable…”

“Maybe...this place isn't so bad. You see how they treated us? We they treated us like family. Just like they would in Ponyville. Its like...they all were transported here with us. Just a little different.”

“This place does have a certain, alluring factor to it.”

“Look, maybe we don't look for away home just yet, let just enjoy this.”

“Vinyl what about the fighting? I dont think I can deal with the killing…”

“I know its tough but, Nhym said we are doing it to help people, thats what these guys are all about.”

“I dont know Vinyl…”

“How about just for a few days, then we start looking for a way home?”

Octavia groans as she thinks over Vinyls proposal. Vinyl puts on her puppy dog eyes in an attempt to placate the woman.

“Oh, alright Vinyl...3 days. That all you are getting.”

“Sweet!” Vinyl cheered “Well come on lets see what this place is like.”

Octavia was uneasy about being being here, and Vinyl was treating like a vacation wasn't helping. Vinyl had a sunny disposition about most things, unless she was faced with a present danger which was almost never. In Ponyville at least. Vinyls system for avoid breaking was apparently at work here. Or maybe it was her new found powers that calmed her spirits with ease. Either way, they could be in some serious danger here. There were things in play that they couldn’t see. Octavia doubted that the versions of themselves that were supposed to be here even understood. But Octavia could do nothing without Vinyls help so she went along. Vinyl started to walk towards the turbolift but Octavia stands there in thought.

Vinyl turns to her and ask “Tavi, you comin’?

Octavia puts on a half smiles and walks over the the lift and enters it. They are all in for a ride that they won't soon forget...

Tale of Vanguard

by Skystrike

Prologue: Just a Normal Day (Edited)

The Rescue

The Paradigm

Knights of the Vanguard