Captain Starlight rested his hooves on the polished chrome banister, overlooking the crowded bridge. He watched as ponies scurried back and forth between one another relaying information, young soldiers guarding the entrances and exists to every door way, colts staring idly at computer screens pushing buttons that would correspond to the ships movement and speed. He observed them, listening to their hoof steps pattering on the metallic floor. Captain Starlight had never seen anything like this before on his previous ventures, he was mesmerised by their team work, their efficiency and speed, the way the fluidly co-operated was like clockwork. However to him, the sight was flawed. The impersonality of it all saddened him. He grimaced at the thought that the crew themselves had no say in the matter, or even what they wanted to do. All making eye contact with one another but not talking, all they had one set expression that they could not change even in the face of death. They were brilliant, but controlled.
The Imperial army was a certainly a force many rulers begrudged. All soldiers willing to die for their emperor because he simply had programed them to do so, a program far too sophisticated for anypony to copy. A program which simply turning young colts, with aspirations, hopes and dreams, into mindless drones for the slaughter. This was the type of power that made the empire seem vastly enormous, the type of power that had enough force to conquer the world.
The thought alone sickened him; he had wondered from time to time what the crew would be doing if they were allowed their free will back.
‘Living fulfilled lives probably.’ He thought to himself.
‘At least they wouldn’t be victim to the republic’s ruthlessness, surely.’
He took his hooves off the banister and stood tall, trying to reassure himself. But of course, his attempts at reassuring himself had become a lot more frivolous over the months. The impersonality of everypony had become more noticeable day by day, he couldn’t even tell if his crew liked him or hated him. No one talked about anything other than the task at hand, there were no smiles, no laughter, no crying. Only salutes. Salutes were the only functional response a solider could give besides a report, and maybe there was something behind those salutes, ponies crying out to him to release them.
Perhaps it was just the isolation getting to him; they would be landing back in Canterlot in two weeks after all.
‘I can hold out till then’
He furrowed his brow.
‘Right?’
“Captain Starlight.”
The Captain jolted at the announcement barked from behind him. Spinning around he saw a grey colt wearing an army issued helmet with a black mane with sickly green eyes, much like every other colt aboard the ship. His serious expression fixed to the captain’s pupils, causing starlight to awkwardly stare back, as if he was being challenged, though this is how all his crew addressed him and to one another. Still another aspect of the ship he had the burden of dealing with.
“Lieutenant,” The Captain said firmly, attempting to shake away the nauseous feeling of being startled.
“Sir, ‘The Crusader’ has not complied with Imperial Law subsection 225 and provoking suspicious rebellious activity by not replying to your transmission. However, they have moved and are proceeding to flee, what are your orders, captain?”
Starlight took the news in, sucking air through his teeth. It was times like these the burden of his position weighed upon him the most, to make a decision.
“What is the position of their ship currently?” Starlight asked.
“Their movement appears to be downwards, our radar scans show that they are heading in close proximity of the ship.”
The captain raised a hoof to his brow, stroking the white forehead that lay beneath. Starlight shook his head, failing to suppress a groan, the officer standing in front of him totally unfazed by it.
“And I thought today was going to be a quiet day…” He muttered.
“Pardon, sir!” The lieutenant said uncomfortably loudly.
“Nothing,” Starlight settled.
There was a moment of awkward silence as the officer stared blankly at Starlight, waiting for his next command.
“Man the canons and prepare the battle stations, make sure they don’t escape,” The captain sighed, reciting it for the thousandth time he thought he must have said it.
‘Always the Republic ships; never wanna go down without a fight.’
“Aye Aye, Captain,” the grey colt replied saluting, then turning and marching away back to his station.
Once the pony was out of eyeshot Starlight returned his gaze back to bridge, the ponies beneath him still worming themselves around the office area like ants. He perched his hooves back up on the banister once again.
‘God damn it’.