~Canterlot Royal Castle~
~4 Days after the Battle~
The day was bathed in sorrow and silence over Canterlot as the day went on, most of the townsponies being gathered at the Castle under Princess Celestia's word. The battle had taken away over hundreds of thousands of lives on both sides of the fighting, and, while the taste of victory could be felt afterwards, many had felt the cold breeze of defeat once the sphere was destroyed. About four days after the tragic events, the Universal Defense branch was finally passed, with Nom Carver of the New Republic and Captain Ryder of the Tempest showing their support, but today in Equestria, there was nothing but tears and mourning within the castle, Starlight's friends were all informed of her passing shortly after returning from the Preserver sphere, Sunburst, Night Glider, Party Favour, and their friends had nearly dropped to their knees upon hearing of the murder, and quickly showed up to express their friendship with Starlight before her passing. It was in the castle of Canterlot where the funeral was held, over two dozen rows of 6 seats for each filled the room, Twilight and her friends sitting in the front left row, while Starlight's friends, Trixie, Sunburst, Night Glider, Party Favour, Sugar Belle and Double Diamond were all seated in the front right row and Thorax and Discord chose to stand by their side. Lyra, Bon Bon, Moon Dancer and the others were all seated in the rows behind them, tissues held in their hooves as they listened to the words spoken by each pony when they were called up, and last but not least, behind them was Wyatt and his crewmates sitting behind the rest of their friends. Sunset was standing in front of the podium, speaking to the crowd of Twilight's student as the crowd listened. Near the podium was Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadence and Shining Armor with Flurry Heart, standing near the coffin that held the deceased unicorn within it.
Almost all of Starlight's friends had already spoken their speeches of their friend and were sitting to hear the others who hadn't, and the only one who was left to speak was Twilight, who was sitting near her friends. After Sunset had stepped away from the podium, Applejack nudged the Princess to tell her it was time for her speech. Readying herself, Twilight got up from her seat and slowly walked to the podium, placing one of her hooves on the top of it before she began. "Thank you all for your kind words, it comforts me to know that my student had more friends than she'd thought. Starlight was one I'd known ever since I'd met her in Equal Town, where my friends and I had also met Double Diamond and the others." She looked to them, the four ponies smiling through their tears as the Princess continued. "When she became my student, I'd taught her all I had learned in Friendship, and with those skills, she made so many friends that I can't count all of them up. And when she helped out during the Terran attack and the past temporal incidents, she had never given up no matter what challenge came at us. And...." She stopped as she started to tear up again, but kept her composure as she continued.
" ...4 days ago..... that all shattered at once, Noye, believing that he was changing history for a better cause ended her... and all of my friends saw it, I saw it. I watched my student suffer and die right in front of my eyes, my friends, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Thorax, and... even her best friend Trixie, we all were forced to watch her fade away as we broke down before continuing on with the mission, and... I think that that sight will haunt me for the rest of my life. I... I know that we all wish we could've saved her, I wanted to save her, but I believe that she wouldn't want us to stop because of her, she would want us to keep fighting, to continue on with our lives while we have it. Starlight died defending the timeline... and the best we can do to honor her memory is to preserve history as it is, whatever the price may be. And.... as Wyatt had taught me a long time ago, we shouldn't think of Starlight, nor any of the dead being gone from us, but that they're watching over us as their souls soar the heavens beyond." After Twilight had stopped, the crowd applauded her words, hooves and hands smacking together as they all looked to Twilight. For a moment, Twilight could see Chrysalis starting to shed a tear as she spoke once more before stepping off. "Starlight Glimmer will be missed."
She stood off the platform to sit with her friends as Celestia walked up to the platform and spoke. "I believe we've said all we can for Starlight... for now she should not think of sorrowful ones, but of more pleasant and peaceful memories with her. There are refreshments in the dining room next door, if you'll follow us, please." The crowd stood up and waited for the royalty to pass them all before they followed them out the doors, many of them speaking to each other as they walked.
Twilight and her friends were speaking with Wyatt and his crew when Sunburst and the others walked to them, staying by their side as Twilight spoke. "Oh, Sunburst, I hope I didn't start to break you down with my words, I almost did myself." She said before Sunburst replied to her.
"It's alright, I... I actually let it all out back when you first told me and the others, Starlight and I were old friends since foalhood." Sunburst said as he wiped his eyes to erase the tears before Trixie spoke.
"I think I feel the same way, even when serving Starfleet, I felt Starlight was a sister to me, and losing her had broken me down, all of us." As the magician finished, another voice spoke to the conversing group of friends.
"I understand your pain, everyone, but I believe there is a chance of hope for Starlight." Agent Daniels said to the group, who turned their heads to see him as they all walked.
"Agent Daniels! How'd you get here?" Miolii asked the temporal officer before he answered her.
"I'd managed to enter after conversing with the guards to witness the funeral, I'd been waiting for everyone to finish their speeches before I'd speak with you all. I also wanted to inform you that your friends, Nom, Ree, Ramjet and the others sent their condolences for your friends."
"Thank you, Mr. Daniels, and you wanted to talk about what?" Trixie asked as Daniels answered the mare.
"About Starlight, you see, the timeline works in so many different manners, and with what's to come, I believe Starlight may yet return to us at some point."
The group gave confused gasps as Pinkie Pie spoke. "But we won't be seeing Noye for a bit as far as we can see, and who knows when we stop that party pooper!"
Daniels chuckled slightly at Pinkie's statement before he responded. "Perhaps, but there's always a possibility that at whatever time we stop Noye at, Starlight's death will be prevented, and she'll be alive and well afterwards." The group looked puzzled for a moment before Wyatt spoke to his time-travelling friend.
"I can believe it, who knows, maybe that battle we last faced him at will be the second to last one for Noye, or maybe something else will come out of it.... so no matter what, let's hope for the best to come." Twilight smiled at the Admiral's statement before Creepybloom spoke to Daniels.
"Well, Ah know Ah've just met y'all, but I want to help too. Do ya think there's something Ah can help out with?" Wyatt then smiled as he looked to the filly and answered.
"I have a place on the Kali that I think you'd like, especially since it's on the bridge, and I always like having a new member of the family. And I hope Daniels can agree with me." He looked to Daniels, who nodded to his request for Creepybloom. The filly smiled in excitement as the group murmured to each other as they walked, listening to each other's stories and trying to make the rest of the day a good time as they neared the dining room...
~Equis Orbit, 8 hours later~
The Equestria sat in orbit above Equis as it set itself still near the new starbase that was finally finished, it resembled a Federation fleet starbase, but one of the two Federation symbols was replaced with the Equestrian flag's symbol, with a curved pink paint mark going around the two symbols. Near the starbase were several drydocks, one of them containing the unfinished Star Trotter prototype that awaited to be launched upon completion. In Twilight's ready room, the Princess stood near the window of the room, gazing out at the stars outside the ship before a beep snapped her back to reality. She turned to the door and spoke. "Come in." The doors opened to reveal Sunset, along with her friends, and Spike's counterpart, who entered the room as Twilight spoke once again. "Oh, Sunset, I thought you were getting ready to head back home, what brings you here?"
Sunset seemed to be holding back an ecstatic smile as she spoke. "Well, Twi, I think we're officially star trekkers now, 'cause something awesome happened earlier today."
"Really? What was it?" Twilight asked before her friend answered her.
"Wyatt said that while I do have a role back at Canterlot High, he sees me as Starfleet material for what happened back at the Preserver sphere, and he's gotten a ship ready for me and my friends!" Twilight almost seemed to burst out with excitement at her friend's news, but she calmed down in order to keep the crew at stations as she replied.
"That's awesome, Sunset, we'll be sailing the stars together, keeping the universe safe in our ships from now on!" She said as she smiled before curiosity demanded another question. By the way, Sunset, what ship is it?"
"Well, from what the Admiral told me, it's supposed to be one of the ships that got damaged back at the Archive battle a few days ago, but she's been fixed up and is ready for service." Twilight smiled before Sunset grew a frown as she asked, "And... it all seems a bit much to take in for the day, do you think I'm ready, Twilight?"
Twilight nodded to her friend before she answered. "I know you are, but if you ever need help, don't hesitate to contact me for help, I'm always there for you."
"Thanks, Twilight, and believe me, it won't be about trying to learn how to fire a photon torpedo by using the con-" Sunset was cut off as another beep came from Twilight's desk. The Princess then walked over to tap the comms panel on the table before Flash's voice came up.
"Sorry to bother you, Twi, but Wyatt says he needs us all on the bridge, it's urgent." Twilight looked to Sunset and spoke to her before turning to the table and speaking to it as well.
"It looks like your skills are about to be tested, Sunset. We'll be right there, Flash. Sparkle out." After turning off the console, the group then made their way back through the doors to the bridge, the doors shutting as they entered and stood near Rarity and Sweetie Belle while Twilight sat down and tapped on her comms panel on the armrest of the chair. "What's the problem, Wyatt?"
"Ah, sorry to disturb you, Princess, but I've gotten a message from Agent Daniels, it looks like we have more trouble on our hands and hooves today, Temporal Command has sent out a distress signal, and we need to head there right away!"
"Understood, we're ready, and Sunset's about to head to her ship too, should she come as well?"
"Only if Sunset's okay with it, other than that, I have nothing to object." Twilight looked to Sunset, who nodded and spoke to her friend before tapping her combadge.
"No problem, Twi, we're right behind you." Tapping her combadge, she spoke one last word before she was surrounded in a transporter beam. "Energize."
After Sunset and her friends had beamed to the bridge, Twilight turned to her comms panel and spoke again. "I believe it's settled, then, she's with us on this. We're right behind you, Admiral!"
"Thanks, we're about to head out now, stick with us. Stone out!" The comms cut out before Twilight looked to Dash, who spoke to her as soon as she focused on the speedster pegasus.
"Warp drive is ready on your word, Twi!"
"Punch it!" The four ships, the Amarillo, the Kali, the Equestria, and the newly re-christened Shimmering Light, a kitbashed Eclipse intel cruiser, growled with power as their nacelles glowed in a bright blue. A portal opened and the four ships zapped through the vortex, the portal closing shortly after and leaving the shipyard to it's work. While combat was dragging away time from the three commanders, soon they'd put an end to this nonsensical bloodshed across time and space, and their reward would, if nothing more, hopefully be able to voyage the stars in peace once more....