This story is a sequel to Changeling Space Program

Twilight Sparkle's experimental interplanetary drive has malfunctioned, stranding Starlight Glimmer, Spitfire, Cherry Berry, a changeling and a dragon on a hostile planet in another universe. With limited food supplies, very little magic, no communications with home, and no way to leave the planet, they must survive until somepony rescues them.

Fortunately they crashed right next door to another creature with the exact same problem- a creature named Mark Watney.

They're going to science the buck out of everything- and do whatever it takes to survive Mars and get everybody home.

TVTropes page here! Thanks to GymQuirk for making it!

Commissioned art and fan works from the readers! Thanks, everybody!

This experiment in an updates-daily story was made possible by a generous grant from Canary in the Coal Mine and viewers like you.

(Sex tag for crude talk about sex, but no actual sex in the story.)

It has been several years since Chrysalis’ defeat during the Canterlot invasion. Since then, the fortunes of her changelings and kingdom have rapidly declined. With mass starvation, ponies capturing more of her spies and love collectors every day, and her own powers diminished to the point of being a complete non-threat to her enemies, she fears that it may soon be over for both herself and her entire race.

As Chrysalis reminisces about past failures, a pony named Time Keeper crashes a large metal box into her bedchambers. He claims to not only be a time traveller but also to have accidentally killed Twilight Sparkle on the day she was supposed to go to Ponyville to defeat Nightmare Moon.

In an effort to avoid the prospect of the universe tearing itself apart at the seams from the ensuing paradox, Chrysalis agrees to go back in time and live out a facsimile of Twilight’s life herself, and if time allows, she'll work on her own little project: shaping the future more to her own liking.

Daybreaker: the monster in Celestia's heart, and the age-long mystery of her life. Her friend and tormentor, her companion and foe. Fanatically devoted to their future, yet desiring one horrific to Celestia.

It is growing stronger.

Twilight Sparkle gathers her friends after receiving a rather distressing letter from her mentor, Princess Celestia. She's not happy about the contents, at all.

It seems her friends all went on some magical adventure without her. And now they're all in a lot of trouble.

Sex tag and Teen rating for some crude humor.

The Equestrian Inquisition have taken Twilight Sparkle for questioning. Usually, they would be deliberating over how they might conquer the strong princess's mind and force her to confess, but this time they have an ace up their robes.

They happen to be aware of her rather strong affinity for chairs.

Inspired by a certain scene in Triple Threat, as well as the Monty Python sketch of the same name.

Twilight Sparkle is at her limit.

She has long since dismissed her original objective, forgetting exactly why she is stuck in this alternate timeline in the first place. Her only mission now is to stop the mare in her way— an adversary with uncanny magical strength and indefatigable purpose.

It’s time to finish this... once and for all.

Cover art by Huussii on Deviantart.
A dark twist on the Season 5 finale.
Proofread by Lightwavers and Level Dasher.
Edited by Dreams of Ponies.
Featured 8/28/17 - 8/31/17!