//------------------------------// // Stargem // Story: Eve Equestria // by AnnonyMouse //------------------------------// Eve Equestria 09 Stargem Rarity's mind seemed to float in a strange space, data flowing all about her. Her senses slowly returned to her mind as she became aware of many strange senses. Opening her senses, Rarity felt the urge to gasp, but her body felt strange, yet somehow comforting. She looked around, space in every direction. "Where am I?" She wondered to herself. Her voice sounded strange. It hadn't come from her mouth, but seemed to just happen, like when she was thinking to herself. The odd thing is, she KNEW she'd just spoken out loud. Not to far away, relatively, she could see a moon. It felt like she was drifting on space. She tried to look at her hoof, but... "Where's my body?" She spoke to nobody in particular. She really wasn't expecting an answer. "Am I... dead?" Rarity wanted to frown, but couldn't feel her muscles. Still, she could feel power flowing through her being. Data flowed before her mind. An image of a ship became apparent. It was her ship. The Friend Ship. No... It was not her ship. Not anymore. Rarity... She WAS the ship. "Oh no... no no no. This cannot be happening." She panicked for a few moments before mentally berating herself. "No, panic will not help me figure out what's happened to me." She focused inward, and found she could see inside the ship... inside HERSELF. She focused on the bridge, hoping to see the pod, with her clone body inside it. The bridge was empty of the hideous green and black capsule. "No... not... here?" The mare-turned ship shut her eyes for a moment, then counted backwards from ten. Once she'd forced herself into a calm state once again, she started checking over her systems. They were all there, save the data analyzer. That had been replaced with a hull repair system. The self destruct system was also not present anymore, or at least, disconnected from her control. That didn't bother her in the least. The last thing she wanted to do was to blow herself up. "Alright, all systems are check. Everything is in good shape, though I am certainly a mess inside." Indeed, furnishings had been thrown about, and currently, she had no idea how to go about fixing that problem. To make matters worse, she didn't have any drones in the bays. That made sense, since she had deployed every single one of them in the battle. The battle. Rarity started to remember and felt a shudder run through her hull. She's released every bit of magic into the ship, even to the point where her mind had merged into the systems. Had that been what had happened? She was no longer in her body, so it made sense that was what happened. Her sensors detected something. Or was it her 'senses'? This was both new and confusing to her. Rarity focused her attention on the incoming ship. She watched as a capsule dropped out of warp. Once the warp bubble collapsed, the pod started toward her. Was it going to board? She wouldn't allow that. She targeted it and locked her weapons on the pod, her engines and thrusters powering up. "Identify yourself." "Holy shit! There is someone in there." A young female voice spoke out. "Uh, you see, I'm called Star Mist. I detected your ship when I came by here a few hours ago." "That does not explain why you were about to try to dock." Rarity huffed. "Weeeelll... You see, you don't often see a Statios abandoned in space, right? I thought I'd just, you know, claim it as salvage. I knew I should have dropped a claim beacon." "This ship was never abandoned. I suggest you turn around and leave. I really don't want to have to shoot you." Star Mist sighed. "And I just got to New Eden from Equestria too... I was hoping I could score a really awesome ship, not the little corvette that I was given." "W-wait. You're Equestrian? Star Mist, you're a unicorn, aren't you?" Star Mist stammered. "W-what? How did you know? I've been mostly avoiding the heavily populated systems because humans are sorta scary, you know?" "Dock in the cargo bay, NOT the capsule dock." Star Mist muttered something to herself. "Why?" "So I can get you safely back to a space station. You're a foal for coming out here in just a pod." "Who are you? Are you a pony too?" "I.... no. I am not a pony." "Oh? How do you know... wait. Are you one of the humans who was visiting Equestria a while ago?" Rarity paused. She knew humans had tried to reach Equestria. "No. I gained my information from other sources." Star Mist nodded. "Oh, ok. Well, I can head back to where I parked my Corvette. Oh hey, have you seen Equestrian corvettes?" "No, I have not. Till now, I was unaware that Equestrians had left their space." "Oh, it's only been a few days since we started coming here. I got my cutie mark already. For my whole life I just couldn't find it. Now I have an awesome shooting star on my flank. I was MEANT to travel the stars." Rarity wondered how many ponies had come to this savage, cruel galaxy. "How many?" "Um, one on each flank?" "No, how many ponies." "Oh, um, five that I know of. We were, um... kinda released from jail? I got into a lot of trouble trying to get my cutie mark and got tossed into Canterlot's prison for sneaking into places I shouldn't have been going." "Hmm, you sound like an explorer." Rarity swung herself around, her cargo bay hatch opening, swallowing the tiny capsule. She shut the hatch and aligned to the nearest station. "I would love to help you, but I don't think I can." Star Mist popped open her hatch and emerged. Rarity focused her security cameras onto the young mare. She was too old to have just recently gotten her cutie mark. But she could see the shooting stars that adorned her hind end. A soft yellow coat, bright white mane and tail streaked with orange. Piercing blue eyes. Star Mist was quite pretty. And she was a Unicorn. That in itself could be problematic. "So... can we, I dunno, meet?" "No. I feel you should stay where you are. It's safer for all involved. I don't want to accidentally shoot you for some misunderstanding." "Oh, ok, that's a good idea. The debriefing that Mr. Jafrak gave us was pretty in-depth, and scary at times." "Jafrak is okay?" Rarity was relieved. "I haven't seen him in... well, I don't know how... waaait a moment. Debreifing?" "Yea. He's the Ambassador for New Eden in Equestria, as well as Chief Science Advisor to the Sparkle Magi-tech division." "He's in Equestria? How do I get there? I need to see him." "I'd LOVE to show you the way, really, but the problem is, the wormhole gate is only opened when somepony or other creature is banished." "Banished?" Rarity didn't like the sounds of that. "Isn't sending you into space for your crimes a little too harsh?" "Well, I sorta did kill a few ponies." She grinned, her horn lighting up, magic focusing on the doorway's control panel. Rarity scowled and tried to focus her own magic to counter this unicorn's. She felt her magic flow as she wished. Star Mist's magic was countered, and the young mare was thrown back. "Ow, what the hay? How's you counter my magic? I've never seen any human tech ever do that before." "You... you're a murderer?" Rarity growled angrily. "Yea, so? There's murderer's all over the place. I've already been murdered once by some guy in a crazy fast ship. Then I woke up in a new body, got myself a new corvette, and headed back out into space. I like your ship, and I think I WILL be taking it." Rarity sighed. It was not like this pony would actually be killed by her next action. She opened the cargo hatch into space, and deactivated the forcefield. Star Mist was sucked out into hard vacuum. Rarity frowned, took aim with one laser turret, and evaporated the pony before she could suffer a death that Rarity was all too familiar with. "Well now..." She closed the hatch, launched her probes, and activated her cloak as she entered warp to a moon on the far side of the star system. "Time to see if I can find a way back home." ... Rarity sat just on the entry side of the stargate, her cloak timer ticking down as she scanned the surrounding system. Ulren was a one point zero hisec system, and was rather busy. Lots of ships coming and going. Breaking the cloak, she aligned to one of the stations and entered warp. After a few minutes, she dropped out and saw the station. It looked like no other station she had ever seen before. It looked simply amazing. A large, flat disk with a massive dome overtop. Below was the docking bays. Within the dome looked to be a living, thriving ecosystem with a city at the center. Farmland, forests and even a couple small lakes were easily spotted as well. Rarity scanned it and was amazed to detect not only humans, but ponies, griffins and even a few dragons were present. But it was the massive living ring of trees a few hundred kilometers away that caught her attention. It looked like a stargate, but it seemed to be inactive. Rarity set her approach to the station. "Unidentified Stratios, please identify yourself." Rarity felt like she wanted to smile. "Equestrian space station, this is Friend Ship. Requesting permission to dock." She sent out her identification code. "Identity not confirmed. Please identify." "Rarity Stargem, of Equestria." "Impossible. Rarity Stargem is dead." Rarity growled a little. "Repeat, this is Rarity Stargem. Requesting communication link to Equestria." "Repeat. Rarity Stargem is dead. Denied." "Look, could you please relay a message to Princess Twilight Sparkle or one of the Royal Sisters." "Denied. Our cans are detecting no living entities aboard your ship. Are you remote controlling it from some other location?" "Negative. I AM Rarity Stargem." "You are not. She is D.E.A.D. Dead." "You are starting to piss me off. Let me speak to whoever is in charge of this station." "Denied." "Why?" "You have not properly identified yourself." Rarity shuddered slightly in annoyance. "Darling, please understand, the reports of my death are somewhat exaggerated. If you may connect me to whoever is in charge, I can confirm my identity." "Who is this?" A new voice barked over the com. "Rarity Stargem. Sending confirmation code, again." "This code is invalid. The Capsuleer known as Rarity Stargem has been confirmed to have died at the hands of the Amarr Empire, with physical evidence to back it up." "Of course they would send you my body... Listen, I'm here, IN this ship." Rarity's patience was being ground down severely now. "When I say IN this ship, I mean literally. My mind and magic are infused into the ship itself." "Impossible. There's no way to do that." "Magic Darling. I've learned it breaks quite a few rules of the laws of physics, meta-physics and quantum physics." Some hushed muttering was heard on the other end of the com. "Are you serious?" The gruff voice demanded. "Very serious my dear. Now, may I dock or be patched through to someone who can identify me properly?" "Patching you through to the Throne of Stars." "What is it this time Ashen." "You have a communication from one Rarity Stargem. Or so she says." "Impossible. She's dead. Her remains had been returned to Equestria on diplomatic request." "Princess Luna? It's me, Rarity. I'm still here. Still alive... well, somewhat." Luna instantly recognized the voice. "R-Rarity? How is this possible? Did you somehow transfer into a new body, even after your link was severed?" "I'm sorry Princess, but it is difficult to really explain. I have no organic body anymore. I literally AM a ship now." "I must see this for myself. Proceed to the Gate. Be warned though, any hostile acts will be punishable through deadly force." "Thank you Princess Luna. I can't wait to finally return home, even as I am now." She turned toward the gate and kicked in her afterburners. She watched as a small wormhole, just large enough for the Stratios to pass through opened. With a metaphorical smile, she entered. Rarity was finally home. ... Princess Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash rushed off the shuttle and into the massive Keepstar's docking bay. "Where is she?" Twilight was looking around frantically, then spotted a ship bearing familiar colors and cutie mark. "That's her ship, it has to be." She gleefully ran toward it, ignoring the dock workers, some human, and a mix of other races from her own world. As she approached, with her friends in tow, a landing ramp extended from the side of the ship and the airlock doors hissed open. "Rarity? Are you there Sugarcube?" AJ called out once they actually entered the corridor in the ship. Rainbow Dash snorted as she looked up and down the hall. "Somehow I doubt it. This place is a mess." "Hello Applejack, Rainbow Dash. I missed you all so much. Please, do not be alarmed with my absence." Pinkie Pie looked up at the security camera, swaying back and forth, watching as it followed her. "I know you can see me. Oh, we're totally going to have to have a welcome home and totally back from the dead party. I have so much to do to get it ready." "I'm afraid I will not be able to attend, unless you have it about this ship." Rarity's voice sounded bittersweet. "Why is that?" Twilight asked. She'd only been told that Rarity had finally returned, and that she was docked at the Temple of the Two Sisters. "Because... what you are looking at, is all there is left of me." Twilight blinked a few times. "What do you mean?" "I died Twilight. I didn't recover and come back in a new clone body." "W-wait. What? Then how are you... wait... You... you ARE this ship now?" Twilight and the other girls all paled. "Yes, I am afraid so. Still, I am happy to finally be home, even if I am as you see me now." "How is this possible?" Fluttershy asked meekly. "Are you a... a g-g-ghost now?" "No. My mind is part of this ship, the Friend Ship." She giggled a little. "In a very horrible battle, I used magic. More magic than I had ever thought I could ever use... My mind, I think I merged my mind, my soul and my magic into this ship. But somehow I was still connected to my physical body. When it finally died, I became fully aware, here, as you see me now." Twilight paled. "This is bad... very very bad. I've read news that ships get destroyed all the time. What happens if you get destroyed." "There's a simple fix for that." A familiar voice joined the ponies. Rarity felt a pleasant jolt in her systems."Jafrak? Oh my dear. I am so happy to see you again. How have you been faring?" "Well, I'm the Ambassador here now. As well as chief science advisor to Princess Twilight's magi-tech division." Jafrak smiled and patted the wall. "I see you've put on some weight. Your butt's really gotten big." "Jafrak, how could you say that about a lady." She huffed while her friends all giggled. Jafrak chucked as well. "In all seriousness Rarity, I can get you back to your old self real quick." "How?" Five ponies and one ship asked in surprise. Jafrak grinned. "How about we all take a little trip to my personal citadel. I moved her into this region after a whole lot of things happened. Rarity, I'll give you the co-ordinates once we get up to the bridge." "Please, you know the way." Rarity was feeling absolutely giddy. Once the six were on the bridge, Jafrak input the location of his Citadel. Moments later Rarity took off so smoothly that only looking out the bridge's view-port, that anyone knew what was happening. Undocking from the massive citadel, Rarity aligned to her destination and took warp. Rainbow Dash had jumped into the captain's chair and buckled herself in, shutting her eyes. "I hate this part. Why does it always have to feel like this?" "At least you're not going all loopy and trying to fly out the window and flushing yourself out the airlock like the first five times." Pinkie Pie replied as she stared out the window. "Six, it was the first six times." Applejack smirked. "Seems RD here, and almost every other Pegasus can't stand bein' in space." "Shut it AJ... Nothing feels right up here. I can't tell which way is up or down, even with this fake gravity." Fluttershy, oddly, didn't seem at all bothered. "I'm alight with it." She smiled softly. Dash fumed, crossing her forelegs. "Rub it in why don'tcha?" "Oh, I'm sorry Dashie. I didn't mean it like that. I'm just not a good flier, so I don't have the same instinct you do." "Yea, whatever. Oh, I can feel us slowing down." "How astute of you Rainbow. We are dropping out of warp now." Rarity chimed. When the Astrahus came into view, Rarity almost felt a flutter in her heart, if she had one, it would have. "Good to be home, isn't it Rarity?" "Yes, it does feel good to be back, even though my true home is back in Ponyville." "About that." Twilight hung her head. "After you were confirmed deceased, a monument was erected in your honor." "What? Oh, yes, because I died... I've died a few times actually." The security cameras all locked onto Jafrak. "And the first two times was your fault." "Hey, I already admitted to that. But think about it, if I hadn't done what I did, then you wouldn't be here now. Right?" A sheepish grin crossed his face. "I guess that is true. Now, hold on. We're docking." ... Jafrak and five mares stood in front of a clone vat. Rarity's body, minus a cutie mark, floated in the fluids. "Is this going to work?" Twilight asked. "Have I ever steered you wrong with my scientific expertise?" "That one time when you told me that the Electrolytic Capacitor Unit wasn't holding a charge. I couldn't feel my horn for a few minutes." Twilight replied flatly, before bursting into giggles. "It was a funny though." "Heh, it was funny. Now, let me work my magic. Rarity? Are you ready?" "Absolutely darling." Jafrak grinned like a mad scientist as he hit the sequence of keys on the control console. A soft hum was heard, along with a gasp from Rarity, then static from the com. After a few moment, the ponies and human all holding their breaths, Rarity's cutie mark re-appeared on her hindquarters. Though Rather than four sided diamond, they were now star shaped, all three of them, on each side. A swish of what looked like magic flowed among them. "Cutie mark metamorphosis? I've only heard theories that such a thing was possible." Twilight's eyes shone as she watched Rarity's own eyes open. A smile crossed Rarity's lips. She tried to speak, but only let out a few bubbled, then looked annoyed as she hit the release button. Once free of the goo, and the vat opened, Rarity bolted at Rainbow Dash speeds for the shower. "Whoa." Dash blinked. "I'm taking she really need a shower." "AND A GOOD GROOMING, THANK YOU RAINBOW!" The magical space unicorn yelled back as she started up her shower. She then poked her head out for a moment. "I'm home girls. It's good to see you all again with my own eyes. Now, pardon me, I need to shower before this stuff dries." ... Rales leaned back in his chair. A new age had come to New Eden. Alien races now joined humanity among the stars. "Some day, Equestria will fall. I just hope I live long enough to see it happen." He looked out the window from his new office and growled. He was now in charge of handing out level one delivery missions to rookie pilots. Rales was not a happy man. ... Star Mist dropped the corpse of a capsuleer that had just about to board his ship. She grinned, looking at the new Triglavian ship that had come into circulation not that long before Equestria had joined the rest of space. "I can't wait to see what this Vedmak can do." She grinned. "And then I will hunt down Rarity and make her pay for spacing and blasting me the way she did." ... Two pirates, alone in a C1 wormhole, sat at a table in their small space hab. "You know, maybe we should have been nicer and maybe Jaf would have given us the location of a hole out of here." "Ya spoutin nonsense mate. We got a whole wormhole all to ourselves now." "Yea, and no way to gather resources since that bitch swiped out Venture." "Could be worse." "How so?" "Ya could see them space dolphins again." ... Rarity felt like herself again. It was a wonderful feeling indeed. Better yet, her family knew she was alive, as she was now sitting in her childhood home, in the loving embrace of her parents and little sister. She had never felt better... But she couldn't stay. The stars called to her now. It was part of who she was, and would forever be. "Mom, Dad, Sweetie Belle. I wish I could stay, I really do, but I am not the mare I once was. My eyes have been opened to a whole new galaxy of infinite possibilities." She hugged them tight once again. "I will, however, come home from time to time. Oh the stories I will have to tell you all." Sweetie Belle loosed her hug and looked up at Rarity. "Do you think one day I will be able to join you in space?" "It is a very dangerous place Sweetie. I've changed a lot since I was taken from home." She smiled softly and kissed Sweetie's forehead. "But I will always be Stargem. Rarity Stargem." Her cutie mark twinkled in the lamplight of the cozy cottage. The end, and new beginnings.