STAR WARS / FiM: Realms of the Heavens

by Tathem_Relag


Chapter Forty-One: Hemorrhaging, Information

Canterlot Castle
12:16 P.M.

Celestia frowned at the walker. “How did this happen? I didn’t authorize rebuilding any of these.”
Orramas’s broad grin turned crooked. “I’m a diplomat, Your Majesty. I can be very convincing when I want to be.”
“I don’t want my little ponies to be using tools of mass murder. It’s disgusting, it’s immoral, it’s –”
“Absolutely necessary,” Orramas cut her off. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but it’s true. You can’t win this war with spears. And even if you do, I’m not sure how many of your subjects will still be alive at the end of it. Like it or not, you’ve been dragged into the modern galaxy, and you must either adapt or die.”
Celestia continued glaring at the AT-ST, but Twilight circled it enthusiastically. “I can’t believe it! A real, working walking machine to study! I can’t wait! How do you humans come up with these things?”
Orramas chuckled. “Our species has had civilization for over two hundred thousand years. I’m sure you’d have invented such things by that point, too. Now, before we start, I’ll give you a brief overview of the All Terrain Scout Transport. I know the Inquisitor introduced you to most of our vehicles during your tour of the base, but I want to make sure you know everything you need to. Designed on Rothana during the Clone Wars and mass-produced on Balmorra, the AT-ST is the primary armored vehicle used by Imperial peacekeeping forces. It can reach a velocity of ninety kilometers an hour on even terrain, though it has to move considerably slower on uneven ground to maintain its balance. Its weaponry consists of twin chin-mounted laser cannons with a maximum range of two kilometers, an E-Web heavy repeating blaster on the port side with a maximum range of seven hundred fifty meters, and a Dymek DW-3 concussion grenade launcher on the starboard side with a maximum range of three hundred seventy-five meters. At eight point six meters tall, it has a significant height advantage over infantry, and its 9095-T8511 grade durasteel armor protects it from all small arms fire. However, it’s vulnerable to heavier weapons, relegating its use to anti-infantry operations and support for larger, more durable vehicles. The cockpit holds room for two hundred kilograms of cargo, a commander, a pilot, and a gunner, though the normal crew consists of only the pilot and gunner. The pilot sits on the starboard side and controls the legs and head, while the gunner sits on the port side and controls the weapons systems. I, of course, will be taking the position of commander for this inaugural test. Do you wish to be the pilot or the gunner, Your Majesty?”
It didn’t take her long to decide. “The pilot,” she replied. She was far more interested with how the thing worked than its killing potential.
“Of course, Your Majesty.” Orramas looked up at the walker’s head. “Ahoy, Toy Box! Away the ladder!”
The AT-ST crouched down, the top hatch opened, and a red-brown unicorn with a lab coat and a mad grin on his face popped his head out as a rope ladder tumbled down. “Welcome aboard, Princess!” he called.
With an almost childlike look of fascination, Twilight flew up to the hatch and followed him inside the walker. As Orramas pulled himself up the ladder, Celestia told him, “I still don’t like you teaching ponies to use such lethal weapons.”
He slipped in the opening and grabbed the hatch. “Duly noted,” he replied before sealing it. Celestia turned away, shaking her head.
Twilight looked around the cockpit, clapping her hooves together in glee. “Oh, this is so exciting! A chance to finally learn how your technology works!”
“Settle down, Your Majesty,” Orramas chuckled. “You don’t want to accidently hit a switch and level the castle, do you?”
She went rigid. “I could do that?”
“Well, no. The weapons all have their safeties on. But it got you to sit still, and there’s plenty of other ways you could kark us over by bumping into something. The only reason I’m willing to get in here with two untrained crewmen is because I know you can grab the walker with the Force and keep us from falling if you mess up the leg controls.”
Twilight laughed nervously. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, I guess.”
Orramas pointed to various things in the cockpit. “Okay, so this gauge shows you the gyroscopic stabilizer that lets the walker stay upright with only one foot on the ground. If it goes into the red in either direction, we’ll tip over, so you can’t let us sway too much. These two gauges show the pressure on each leg. Again, don’t let them go into the red, or the hydraulics will break. The control column to your right controls the right leg, and the left column, the left leg. The displays in the center show –”
“Wait a minute,” Twilight interrupted with a frown. “I thought you were a diplomat. How do you know so much about this?”
“Diplomacy is just my specialization, remember? Imperial Intelligence likes to train its operatives for any and all contingencies. We aren’t exactly easy to replace, you know.”
“Oh. I guess that makes sense…”
“So, as I was saying…”


3:37 P.M.

“I must admit, I’m impressed,” Orramas said, climbing out of the AT-ST. “It takes most people three months to learn to pilot an AT-ST, not three hours. And those guys walk on two legs all the time!”
Twilight chuckled as she followed him out the hatch. “Well, I have some practice. I had to learn how to walk on two legs when I was in the human world.”
Orramas raised an eyebrow. “The human world?”
“Yeah. Though I guess you wouldn’t call it that. Really, the humans there aren’t much like you – or, most of your type of human, at least. They act a lot more like ponies. Look a bit more like us than you do, too. They aren’t all tan, and they’ve got bigger heads and eyes.”
“I wasn’t aware you had interplanetary travel,” Orramas said, looking perplexed, “much less interstellar travel. And I fail to see why visiting a world inhabited by near-humans would require you to walk on two legs.”
“Interdimensional travel,” Twilight clarified. “It’s magic-based, not technology-based. When somepony goes through the Crystal Mirror, they get turned into a human. That universe’s version of a human, that is. I… don’t actually know why. Just one of those weird aspects of switching what laws of physics you’re working with, I guess.”
Orramas paused halfway down the ladder, his eyes wide. “You can travel interdimensionally?!
“You mean, you can’t?”
“Well, yes, we can – it’s how we subvert the light speed barrier, by going to a parallel universe where it doesn’t apply.” He climbed the rest of the way to the ground. “But every civilization we know of that’s developed interdimensional travel in the past has been a galactic superpower. Still, considering your power in the Force, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.”
“What I don’t understand,” Twilight replied as she followed him back inside the castle, “is why you call magic ‘the Force.’ ‘Force’ is an entirely separate physics concept, whose value is found by multiplying an object’s mass by its acceleration.”
Orramas gave an extravagant shrug. “How should I know? Force-users do and say what they will. They use all sorts of strange terms. Ashla, Bogan, Potentium…”
Twilight stumbled, her eyes wide. “Wait, did you say ‘Bogan’?”
Orramas frowned. “Yes, I –” His expression morphed to mirror Twilight’s. “Oh. Oh.
“What do you know about it?”
“Not much, I’m afraid.” Orramas’s face contorted in concentration. “We don’t really pay much attention to Malen’s rants about the Force. None of it matters to us beyond the fact that he kills anyone who acts disrespectful, so we all just nod and look thoughtful. He knows we’re faking it, of course, but he doesn’t care so long as we play his little game.” He went silent for several seconds. “Bogan… I recall him saying something about ‘the dark moon’ and ‘the ancient dark,’ but that’s about it. I’m sorry. I never thought I’d ever need any of his ramblings.”
Twilight sighed. “It’s fine. At least it’s something to go on. I haven’t been able to find anything about it in even Star Swirl’s books. Now I know for certain that Malen brought it here, and that it was intentional.”
The two came to Orramas’s room, and he gave her a sharp salute. “Your Majesty, if you don’t mind, I’d like to freshen up. The close quarters of a cockpit don’t exactly promote a nice aroma.”
“Oh, sure. I could probably use a bath, too. Let me know if you remember anything else, okay?”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
Orramas closed the door and stood still until the sound of hooves on marble faded away. Then he let out a long sigh. “You can come out now, Malen. I know you’re here. I may not be Force-sensitive, but I recognize that chill in the air, the lengthening shadows. Just get this over with.”
A cruel laugh rippled through the room. “So eager to meet my blade, are you?”
“It’s not as if there’s anything I can do to stop it. I knew what would happen when I came here.”
“And yet, you still chose to do so.”
“There was no ‘choice.’ This was the only thing I could do. You know that.”
The room again echoed with laughter. “Ah, the foolishness of the Force-blind. It is only the weak who allow their destinies to be of anything other than their own making. The strong choose; the weak obey.”
“Really? I was under the impression that you serve the Emperor.”
“He is the strongest; therefore, I obey… for now.”
“I’m sure he’d be interested to hear that.”
“You think he doesn’t know? It is the way of the Dark Side. But small, weak men like you… you are nothing but pawns, to be used and discarded as whim and necessity demand. You are nothing.
“Enough!” Orramas snarled. “I won’t stand here and be insulted. We both know what you’re here for. Do it. I’m ready.”
“Very well. But there is someone else who wishes to speak with you first.”
“What in Chaos are you –?” Orramas’s holocomm started chirping. He answered it, and the image of a man flickered to life.
“Hello, you disgusting traitor.”
“Dav! Wha–?”
“Don’t ‘Dav’ me, filth!” Aerin spat. “We aren’t friends. Not anymore.”
“Sir, please, I –”
“Shut up! I’m not interested in your excuses. How many good men have died because of you? How many widows and orphans have you made?”
“Dav, I had to! Fluttershy is my –”
“I said shut up! I can’t believe you’d betray the Empire and humanity itself for some vile nonhumanoid schutta. You make me sick. But I’m not calling to tell you exactly what a sorry excuse for a person you are. I just wanted to see the look on your face as you died.”
“Dav, you don’t –” Orramas was once more cut off as an agonizing heat erupted in his gut. A voice dripping with dark pleasure hissed in his ear.
“The Emperor sends his regards.”