~An hour after docking at Sigma Fortress~
Waiting in the small park of the Sigma Fortress, wearing a green polo shirt and canvas colored, stretch jean with dark brown casual slip-on shoes was Royal Shogun Justice Silverlight. Walking toward him, was a gorgeous imperator Alicorn mare attired in a crimson red, top of the knee length dress and black wedge sandals on her dim, gray, bare feet. Folded on her back were her silver metal wings. This mare was Galactic Knight Erato Aureola.
“E-E-Erato is that you?” Justice said his voice quavering as he laid his cobalt blue eyes on this gorgeous equine mare holding a champagne colored clutch evening bag in her hand.
“W-W-What’s wrong Justice?! Am I not dressed right, M-M-maybe I misunderstood what you told me???” Erato said her voice quivering as she couldn’t figure out why Justice had a shocked look on his face.
“(Walking up to her) No, you are dressed fine, Erato. It’s just, I forgot what a gorgeous mare you are. Most of the time, I see you in that space suit you must wear as a uniform. I do love this dress you are wearing.” Justice said admiring as Erato shyly chuckles into the back of her hand.
Over the next few hours, the two Celestial Alicorn equines enjoy each other’s company after enjoying a very nice dinner at a restaurant on the recreation deck. They catch a flick at the small cinema on the same deck. Justice and Erato end their evening at the same place it started, in the small park.
“I really enjoyed spending shore leave with you, Justice. I thought I would never again spend any time with you after ‘IAS Wisdom’ disappeared many years earlier.” Erato comments as it sparked a memory forming in Justice’s mind.
Suddenly, the broken pieces of a fractured memory pull together in Justice’s mind. The image that forms was him on the bridge of a large science class vessel as alarms, sirens and bells sound throughout the bridge. His eyes can barely focus as the bridge is bathing in flashing red lights and his grandmother Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight yelling “Brace for impact!”
“Justice! Justice! It’s me Erato! What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” Erato said in a panic as Justice opens his eyes to find Erato kneeling on the ground, holding him in her arms with the tears in her eyes.
“Erato, what happened?” Justice said a bit confused wondering why Erato was crying.
“When I mentioned that the ship disappeared, your eyes rolled back into your head and you collapsed.” Erato explains as she wipes away the tears from her olive green eyes with the back of her hand.
“I did? Anyway let’s take a walk, Erato.” Justice suggested as Erato unbuckled and removed her wedge sandals from her feet.
After walking further into the park, Justice and Erato arrive at a children’s playground in the park. Normally, these swings in the playground can’t support the weight of a full grown Imperator Alicorn adult, but Justice and Erato are young adult Imperator Alicorns despite them being billions of years old. Sitting in the swing next to Erato, lost in his own thoughts was Justice.
“Come on Justice talk to me?” Erato said concerned as she buried her five-toes in the sand underneath the swing she was sitting on.
“The ship didn’t disappear Erato, It crashed. I know the whole crew survived the accident.” Justice explained as Erato’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise.
“What!?” Erato exclaims
“So the Imperial Princess is alive!” Erato said dumbfounded with the shocking news.
“Yes, as well as my sisters and mother, plus my aunt too.” Justice explains as Erato’s breath catches in her throat.
“That’s wonderful news, Justice. So the royal family didn’t die!” Erato said excited as she sensed that Justice was a bit depressed over something.
“I have known you for a long time, Justice. I can sense something is troubling you. What is it?” Erato inquiry placing her hand on his knee.
“I also remembered that I have foals on the planet . They belong to me and Celestia. Two mares and one stallion.” Justice explains as Erato has an amused smile on her snout.
“You are a father! That’s quite the news, Justice, to think I thought you would never find a suitable mate for yourself. But I am glad you proved me wrong. But there’s more.” Erato said cocking her head to one side.
“All the time I spent with you, Erato. help me to regain my memory. I developed feelings for you, Erato Aureola.” Justice said honestly as Erato’s chest becomes heavy.
“As flattered as I am, Justice. it could never be, we’ve been together for too long. I see you as my very best friend. I would like to keep it that way. Besides, you are a married stallion with a family on a planet. I know my friend would never turn his back on his mate like that because he didn’t marry that mare just because he had to, he married her because he loves her.” Erato said encouraging as Justice kisses her on her cheek.
The friendship between Justice and Erato began with a tragedy. The two first met at the Omicron Military Institute Academy in the Hercules Cluster Star Sector. The O.M.I.A is the largest Space Station in the star sector used to train all Imperator Alicorn candidates wanting to join the military and enter the service. Their Knight Candidate Justice Silverlight met Knight Candidate Clotho Aureola the older sister of Knight Candidate Erato Aureola.
During a routine training mission something went horribly wrong with the Aerospace fighter that Knight Candidate Clotho Aureola was piloting. It went haywire, killing the pilot when it crashed. The officials at the Omicron Military Institute Academy didn’t tell Knight Candidate Justice Silverlight any details of the accident involving his girlfriend Clotho knowing that it would bring the eye of Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight as well as Empress Galaxy Cosmos to look into the accident at the academy.
Left in the dark with his girlfriend’s accident at the academy, Knight Candidate Justice became depressed. Erato, Urania, Calliope and Clio decided to tell the Imperial Princess and the Empress what they knew about the accident knowing full well, that they will be thrown out. The three mares said the officials knew the Aerospace fighter that Knight Candidate Clotho Aureola was piloting was unsafe and shouldn’t be in the field, but they did it anyway.
The Empress came down hard on the Academy for hiding the truth from her and punished the officials in the cover-up. In the wake of this scandal, the three mares that blew the whistle on the officials were dismissed from the academy. As they waited at the shuttle port to be transported back to their family’s habitats Justice approached the group along with his great grandmother the Empress. She asked the group where they thought they were going. The group told her they were going home after being dismissed from the Academy. The Empress told the group the dismissal was lifted and they could continue training at the academy with no fear. But they had to promise, upon graduation, they would serve in her great grandson’s shogunate for their career which they agreed to do.
~Two weeks later after departing from the Sigma Fortress~
Justice sits in his quarters aboard the ‘Stellar Eclipse’ in front of his hyper waves transmitter talking to his heartbroken Great Grandmother Empress Galaxy Cosmos via royal hyper wave transmission to her personal quarter in the Infinity palace.
“Is there anything I can say to convince you not to go along with this foolish plan of your Great Grandson. There’s no guarantee that your terran alicorn wife did stay loyal to you?” Galaxy said her voice a lifeless monotone as she fights to stay in control of her emotions.
“I know that Celestia would never do something like that to me. I married her because I loved her and no other reason, Great Grandmother Galaxy. So I must believe that and return to her.” Justice said as tears began to streak Galaxy’s light blue cheeks, knowing that this might be the last time she speaks to her Great Grandson.
“All right, Justice do what your heart tells you. but remember this my dear Great Grandson. you will always be part of me. because it was your mother that plucked a star from my heart to create you. know that my eternal sight will watch you and the first star will guide you. farewell till we meet again.” Galaxy said as she dissolves into tears turning off the hyper wave transmitter.
~A few hours later on the empty flight deck~
After all the flight crews turn in for their scheduled sleep period, Justice snuck onto the flight deck to commandeer a long-range shuttlecraft from the main hangar deck. He knows that ‘Stellar Eclipse’ would pass within 10 parsec of the Planet of Sol, the planet his terran alicorn wife lives on with their foals. Due to being untrained in piloting any kind of spacecraft, Justice fears he will miss his opportunity to reunite with his Princess, if he can figure out how to fly this shuttlecraft.
As frustration begins to set in, the cockpit door whooshes open, standing in the door, holding a duffel bag over her shoulder was Galactic Knight Erato Aureola. She has already activated her Imperator Alicorn pilot body armor with her helmet. She kicks open a small compartment in the back wall of the cockpit and stores her emergency pilot kit.
“Erato?” Justice said surprised
“Unless you have learned how to pilot this shuttlecraft in the last few minutes, Justice, you are going to need me to fly this shuttle.” Erato said knowing as she gestures Justice out of the pilot seat before beginning her pre-flight check list.
Before Justice could log an objection, the cockpit door whoosh open once again and in walks Galactic Knight Urania Corona. Like Erato, she has already activated her Imperator Alicorn pilot body armor with her helmet. She kicks open a small compartment in the back wall of the cockpit and also stores her emergency pilot kit.
“Urania?” Justice said shocked once again
“This bucket of bolts is a two mare’s job and you hardly qualify as a mare, Justice. So sit back and let the fairer sex get you back to that terran Alicorn mare you love.” Urania comments as she takes the co-pilot seat and begins her pre-flight check list. As Erato completes her pre-flight check list, she taps the side of her helmet, extending a small mic beside her mouth.
“Clio, everything is ready aboard the shuttle. Begin pre-launching preparation.” Erato said over the radio as she switched on the speaker in the cockpit as Clio asked her to.
“You might not know this Justice, but you have changed the life of the whole crew of this carrier class warship, by being our shogun and friend. Now it’s time for your crew to help you reunite with that terran Alicorn mare you love. May the first star bless you in your journey.” Clio said heartfelt as she switched off the radio to the shuttle before she begins to cry.
As the shuttle slowly glides down the long runway toward the forward launching catapult, standing on either side on the catwalks of this cavernous ship was the entire crew of ‘the Stellar Eclipse’ with their metal wings fully extended from their backs. As the shuttle passed them, they would close their metal wings and bow in respect to their shogun.
Once the shuttle was locked in place on the launching catapult, the outer doors of the carrier opened up to the darkness of space. Inside the shuttle Erato, Urania and Justice buckled themselves into their seats as the blast shields cover the tough, transparent bubble of the cockpit canopy. In the next instance, the three Imperator Alicorns are thrown back into their seats as the catapult launches the shuttle at incredible speed towards the opening. Once the shuttle is clear of the carrier both pilots’ activate the friction brakes system to slow down the shuttle.
“Gravity normalizing, all life-support functions activated, engaging main engine start up, three-two-one, engine engaging. Retracting blast shields, now.” Erato said as she takes control of the shuttle.
As the blast shield retracts, a wondrous site greets their eyes. Sitting above the shuttle was a 2,832 meters long Imperator Alicorn designed command class warship the ‘IAS limitless’ the main command ship of the entire infinity star sector space fleet ; captained by no one other than Empress Galaxy Cosmos, Justice’s great grandmother. As the small shuttle comes around the right broad side of his huge warship several small laser turrets raise into place and fire. When the shuttle enters the wormhole, the two warships activate their own wormhole generators to head back to the infinity palace.
In the wormhole tube, the blast shields, once again, lower into place, tossing the cockpit into an eerie red glow causing the three Imperator Alicorns’ eyes also to glow in an eerie green light. Slowly, the Alicorns unbuckle their seat belts and the two pilots shed their Imperator Alicorn pilot body armor.
“Hey, Erato let me take the first shift. if you don’t mind.” Urania comment as Erato suddenly yawns.
“Sure Urania. I am beat, I spent the previous night putting all my affairs in order. So Clio didn’t have to do anything for me.” Erato explains as she stood up and walks to one of the four passenger accommodations in the back of the shuttle to sleep.
“Oh, Justice, if you don’t mind, may I speak to you. I have a few questions I want to ask you.” Urania asked as Erato chuckled under her breath as the cockpit door whooshes open as she approach.
“Sure, Urania.” Justice answered
“Now you two behave yourselves. Mother is going to bed now.” Erato said teasing as Urania stuck her tongue out at Erato and Justice politely laughed as the door closes behind her.
“So what do you want to know?” Justice ask
“Oh, first off, is your son single?” Urania asks catching Justice completely by surprise with the question.
“My son? Oh you mean Somnus. You know I haven’t a clue? When I died, he was close to stallion hood. so I have no clue if he is single. If not, I hope he found a wonderful mare for himself. That son of mine has a dark side due to his inherited Imperator Alicorn heritage. His mother has no idea about that. I died before I could tell her.” Justice explains as Urania check the instruments for the right exit coordinate, before returning to talk with Justice.
“What about your daughters?” Urania asked
“I didn’t know you were like that, Urania.” Justice said teasing as Urania snorted at him angerly.
“Anyway my daughters. I have two. My oldest, Aurora and my youngest, Blueberry. I can’t tell you too much about my youngest, because she was still a foal when I died, as for my oldest Aurora. She is undoubtedly the most proficient in the use of her mother’s day magic ability. She, most likely, reached Goddess level magic by now. If that’s so, she could undoubtedly be able to tap into our Imperator Alicorn Eternal Magic ability. which could put her on the path of going even beyond her mother.” Justice explains as Urania gives a startled gasp with the news.
“That is unbelievable Justice; your oldest daughter reaching an Imperator Alicorn Eternal Magic level. despite being born a terran unicorn. Truly the Infinity Star Sector Royal family is a very powerful entity.” Urania comment as Justice stands up and heads to a room to sleep.