Knights of Old Equestria:
Prologue - Darkness Falling
“Twilight? Twilight! Is it done?”
“Yes,” she said panting, recovering from using her battle meditation, “But the fight is only getting started.” Turning to the captain of the ship, “Tell the fleet to engage Revan’s flagship, set us on a collision course. We need to get close.”
“Yes ma’am,” the captain said and Twilight noticed a hint of fear in his voice. He had a right to be afraid, for all intents and purposes, this was a suicide mission. The Republic could not risk losing another one of its fleets to Revan’s unstoppable war machine, so a plan was devised to initiate the construction of a smaller fleet that would be sizable enough to attract the Dark Lord’s attention. This fleet was disposable, if the ships made it out of the battle in one piece they would be deemed as heroes. If not, then their deaths would be mourned but given little attention. Twilight hated this plan, hated to see lives wasted so cavalierly, but it was necessity. Taking a deep breath, Twilight prepared for the task at hand.
“Set engines to 100% burn, sound collision alarm. Brace for impact.”
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The fleets moved closer together, like pawns in a game of Dejarik. Orders were initiated, and the Republic ships formed into a spear, with Twilight’s ship at the head. The Sith took advantage of this vulnerable position, sending frigates and fighters to surround the Republic ships on all sides and begin their assault. The Republic mostly disregarded these threats, focusing only a few turbolasers on the incoming swarm of fighters and destroyers. Once the Republic ships were in range, all power diverted from engines and port or starboard deflector shields directly to all front facing battery placements. The Republic ships began firing salvo after salvo at the flagship in hopes of damaging the shields enough to allow Twilight’s strike team to board the ship.
Guided with the help of Twilight’s battle meditation, the ships led a valiant approach to the flagship.
Impacts on the outer hull were visible, telling Twilight the time for action was at hand. With a nod to her fellow Jedi, they ran to the hanger to their carefully constructed, well-armored, transport.
The Jedi strike force of two Republic troopers and six Jedi, including Twilight, rushed to their carefully planned positions in the smaller ship. Activating the sub-light engines, the ship gained height. It sat there, poised like a snake ready to strike, waiting for Twilight to give the command.
“Starlight, get us on that ship,” Twilight told the Jedi pilot.
“Yes ma’am,” Starlight said a moment before the crew was pushed backwards in their seats by the rapid acceleration.
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Moving and ducking through the fight, Republic fighters attempted to escort the transport, aptly named The Final Hope. The transport had limited offensive capabilities, it was designed for speed and agility, traits that it flaunted in its maiden voyage.
“Sith Interceptors approaching from the forward vector,” one of the Jedi in charge of navigation told Twilight.
“Get Captain Iron Shield on fleetcom and tell him to destroy those ships!” Twilight responded.
“Aye-aye.”
Breathing heavily, Twilight watched on screen as the Interceptors moved closer and closer to their target. Grinding her teeth, Twilight began muttering to herself and to an invisible Captain Iron Shield, Captain, you better get your flank down here before we’re dust. First salvo from the fighters, classic Sith strategy, before Sith got into lethal range they usually opened fire with a preliminary salvo in the hopes that one of the shots would meet with its target, wounding it.
“Evade that attack, keep as much distance as you can from those fighters until the captain and his ships can take care of them.”
Starlight gave an affirmative grunt as she took the ship into a nosedive. Descending fast through the conflict, Twilight saw the true chaos and destruction of the battle. Two Republic ships were gutted from bow to stern and smoldering remains were adrift in the vacuum. Twenty thousand souls, lost in the blink of an eye. Clearing the tears from her eyes one thought crossed her mind, Revan must be stopped.
“Did somepony call for some back-up?” a voice like a guardian angel sounded through the intercom. One by one, the blips on the radar representing the Sith Interceptors disappeared.
“Thank you Captain, will you please escort us to the flagship?” Twilight sighed.
“It’d be my pleasure ma’am,” he paused and added, “Twi could you do me a favor?”
Wondering Twilight asked, “What is it?”
“Kick Revan’s ass up there, for all of us.”
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The transport breached through the Sith hangar doors, crashing and sliding into everything. The Sith in the hangar were still recoiling when the Jedi were already upon them. Not even at a complete stop, the Jedi opened the ship’s airlock and leaped high out of the crashing ship. Most of the Sith had no idea what was happening until it was too late. Joining the fight, Twilight rushed into a group of three Sith troopers. She cut two of them down with the first swing of her purple colored lightsaber, then using the momentum from the first attack, wheeled around and drove the blade of the lightsaber through the trooper, killing him instantly.
Sliding the lightsaber from the dead Sith, she turned her attention to the squad of elite Sith troopers most likely sent by Revan herself to dispatch Twilight and the rest of her team. Making good use of the Shien technique, Twilight fended off the blaster fire from the troopers while moving closer into range. As Twilight got closer to the squad, she evaded the first five blaster bolts, batting away the sixth, she spun around, channelled the force into a tidal wave of energy, and swept them away like dust from a broom. At this point the rest of the strike team finished disposing of the remaining Sith guards, who were no match for Jedi.
Running back to the ship, Twilight went to help the two Republic troopers still stunned inside the transport. These soldiers were hand picked especially for the mission, and Twilight would be hard pressed if she lost them.
“Thanks ma’am,” the troopers responded.
“Thank me by completing the mission,” she ordered.
“Yes ma’am.”
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Making her way through the ship, Twilight approached the bridge. But as she plainly saw it would be no easy task. Hoof picked guards were waiting for the strike force at the entrance to the bridge, there was only one way through. Twilight held her lightsaber close to her, in a state of meditation, she cleared her mind and ignited her lightsaber. The dark Jedi charged at their assigned targets, while the troopers in back took cheap shots at the team. The strike force was organized in the same way, swords up front, blasters in back. The sith charged at her, taking leaps and bounds toward her, but Twilight stood calm and let them come.
Twilight was not defenseless as her opponents perceived, all the while she was focusing on the panels that lined the room looking for structural weaknesses and exploiting them. By the time the enemies got close, Twilight sprung the trap, crushing her opponents. Satisfied that her foes were dispatched, she turned to assist her allies only to see Night Wing, a dear close friend of hers, being run through with a crimson lightsaber. His body fell, lifeless, Twilight’s blood ran cold. The Sith warrior turned and gave Twilight the most twisted, evil smile possible. Trying to control her emotions, Twilight ran at the Dark Jedi, focusing all her concentration on one single force power. Twilight leaped, but instead of attacking with the lightsaber as the warrior thought, Twilight slammed her hoof onto the floor with all her might creating a shockwave of force energy that forced the warrior airborne. A look of shock appeared in the warrior’s eyes as Twilight then directed a blast of force into his chest, throwing him into a wall and killing him.
Twilight looked around to see the battle, most of her companions had disposed of their opponents. Only Starlight was still in the midst of combat with one of the Republic Troopers. As the rest of the Jedi and Twilight were about to join in the conflict, Dark Jedi assassins uncloaked their stealth field generators and surrounded Starlight. Poised and ready to strike, Twilight was stopped by Starlight’s voice, “Twilight, you can’t fight them all. Get to the bridge, I’ll hold them off!”
Twilight wanted to stay and fight, but her life and the lives of her allies would be wasted and the Republic would fall. Grudgingly, Twilight told the rest of her companions to make their way into the bulkhead to the bridge.
“We can’t leave her out there!” the remaining Republic trooper told Twilight.
“I don’t want to, but we have no choice,” Twilight sighed.
“We always have a choice! I’m staying out here and fighting!” said the trooper.
“Oh no you’re not, that is a direct order soldier!” retorted Twilight. To stop further resistance, Twilight picked the trooper up with the force and threw him as gently as she could into the bulkhead. Running inside as well, Twilight turned one last time to look at her friend. In her last moments, Starlight looked at Twilight and called out, “GO! I won’t let them get through! Get Revan! Save the Republic!” Twilight turned and closed the door, taking the time to lock it from the inside. Sounds of battle could still be heard from behind the door, followed by a large explosion that shook the ship. Twilight then heard only silence coming from the other side of the door.
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“Beyond that door is Revan,” Twilight said to the rest of her companions. “I don’t know if we will make it out of here alive, but we are the Republic’s last hope for survival. May the force be with us.”
The other Jedi nodded in a salute, mourning the recently departed and the soon to be departed. One of the Jedi broke the silence, “Let us go, the sooner this is over the better.”
The door opened and the companions spilled out onto the bridge. Five enemies, five of us. The three remaining Jedi faced their particular targets while Twilight rushed to face Darth Revan. If Darth Revan noticed her, she did not show it. Before she could get all the way into attacking range, she was interrupted by a Dark Jedi. The Sith put himself directly between Twilight and her target, she would need to kill him to get to Revan. The Sith attacked first, causing Twilight to reel back in defence. They exchanged blows, neither gaining the upper hand. The Sith was a wall of defence, not allowing Twilight to gain any sort of ground. Twilight may have been cut down if it were not for the Republic trooper that charged past.
“Get over here you bastard!” the Trooper called to Revan. This distracted the Sith enough for Twilight to gain the upperhand. The trooper had no chance against Revan, gurgling was heard soon after as Revan took the life from the poor trooper’s body. Still using the distraction to her advantage, Twilight attacked and with three quick blows, she killed the Sith.
The Jedi, each having defeated their target, came to meet up with Twilight and stood ready to fight Revan. “You can’t win, Revan!” Twilight said to Revan, mainly for her own sake and not for Revan’s. In response, Revan only laughed. Her armored black horn was visible, sticking up from her mask. She shifted her lightsaber into a defensive stance and prepared for the Jedi to attack.
The Jedi stiffened and prepared to strike, but before they could a large explosion shook the ship throwing Twilight to the ground violently. She looked around at the extent of the damage, her allies were all dead or mortally wounded. Revan was still alive but barely, Twilight felt a sense of empathy come over her and she made a split second decision, she saved Revan’s life.
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“Who are you?” said the Jedi Master standing on the podium.
Revan laughed mockingly, even though she was bound and momentarily blocked from the force. “I am Darth Revan. Dark Lord of the Sith, the conqueror of the Republic. I am the greatest force user in history. I am what you fear,” she concluded, sneering through her mask.
“No, you are not. Not anymore.”
Revan felt something similar to nails being driven into her skull. She screamed a blood curdling scream as she felt herself slowly drifting away, her mind slowly becoming separate from her body. And then there was darkness...