//------------------------------// // An Era of Peace // Story: Voyages of the Lightbringer: Episode 5: Breaking the Mirror // by Admiral Wyatt Stone //------------------------------// I brushed a hoof through my mane as I looked to Red Eye, the stallion finishing on his explanation about his new alliance as my friends and I listened. As we were treated for the injuries in our mission to the Ragnarok, the escaping Terran starships were disabled and taken into orbit around Equus by the U.S.S. Stratus and her escorts. As for the remains of that giant starship, the recovered pieces were sent to the surface for the Resistance to make use of. Shortly after the clean-up process, we decided to beam down to the Resistance base at Neighvarro for a debriefing on the matter. Red Eye was saddened by the loss of Homage in the fighting, but he was glad that we had succeeded in destroying the Black Book and my counterpart's ship. As for her and her friends, they were being held in the Fillydelphia prisons. Stern would ensure that they would never be able to escape from that place under her watch. "And with these Imperial ships being dismantled for our use, as well as the recovered debris from the Ragnarok, we can clean this mess up a lot easier." Red Eye said as I lifted a bottle of Sparkle Cola to my lips, taking a sip from it as I faced him. "Yeah, and hopefully, with everyone now united under a common goal, this place can be restored to it's former glory." I replied to the cyberpony as he gave a smirk to us. "Indeed, it reminds me of a saying Captain Chekov had gotten from a.. colleague of his some time ago: In every revolution, there is one man with a vision." I smiled in understanding as he took a drink of his Sunrise Sarsaparilla, myself raising a hoof to speak. "And about a few of our allies, I had wanted to take Kage and Knight Lemonade back with us to our universe. After what they've been through, they could have better lives there." The stallion nodded in understanding before replying. "I would say they deserve a better fate than here, but unfortunately that's not my decision." We all frowned as we took in his answer, but looked up to see Chekov heading over to us as he spoke. "Actually, I'm sure that we could make that work." He then took a seat next to us before continuing. "We may have to make a cover-up story regarding their absence, and your new friends will both have to take a history session, but I'm confident in the fact that they'll manage." I gave a thankful smile as I looked at the former Terran Captain, my friends growing smiles of their own as I replied. "Thanks, Captain, we all owe you one for this." "It's my pleasure." He said before standing up, a TTF officer walking towards him as he said, "As much as I'd like to stay and chat, I've got another assignment to take care of. I hope we can see each other on the field again one day." "I'm sure we will, Sir. Safe travels up there." I replied to Chekov as he turned to head over to his allies behind him, the trio speaking to each other as I returned my gaze to Red Eye. "And it appears that you all have duties to take care of as well." I nodded as we all stood up, myself picking up my drink in my magic before the stallion continued. "I thank you all for your efforts here, without you, we would all be slaves to an empire of conquerors and tyrants." He lifted his forehoof to me before finishing. "And Littlepip, can I ask you of one thing before you depart?" "Definitely." I replied before the cyberpony gave his request. "Don't let Equestria fall without a good fight." I smiled to him as I answered. "I won't." With that, my friends and I left him to head back to the nearby elevator, it's doors opening to let out a pair of Enclave pegasi mares before we passed them. As we all entered the large, square-shaped space, the doors shut before the floor jumped slightly. As the elevator took us back to the surface, I looked to Velvet and Calamity as I spoke to them. "Well, this has been quite a day, hasn't it, everyone?" The two lovebirds nodded in agreement as Steelhooves spoke up. "Not only that, but hopefully with Red Eye and the Enclave leaders taking up leadership in the Resistance, they can prevent another war like the one two centuries ago." "We can only hope, Steelhooves. We can only hope." I replied to the Applejack's Ranger as I looked up to the window revealing the morning sky of Equus, a trio of armored pegasi flying over us as the elevator came to a stop. As the doors opened, we all trotted out to see the three Enclave flyers turn around in our direction before slowing to hover in front of us. "Hey, Calamity, Ah see y'all are headin' out!" Commander Pride said as he looked to his brother, who chortled as he replied. "Ayep, mah friends an' Ah have t' go an' help out the others back home. Sorry we couldn't stay longer." The rust-colored stallion gave an apologetic look to Pride as he spoke. "Aw, dun worry 'bout that, brotha. Mah boys an' Ah have a job t' do too." He laughed lightly before continuing. "Hey, before y'all go, can ya say hi to Windsheer an' the others up there fer me?" "Ya can count on that, partner." Calamity answered with a smile before Pride spoke once more. "Thanks, y'all have a fun trip back, now." He gave a smirk before he turned and sped off into the sky, his wingmates following suite as we continued on our path to the Tortoise, the large star-tank standing on it's small landing legs as it awaited us. (|||||||) The turbolift stopped slowly as the doors opened, Pyrelight flying up to us as we started to enter the bridge. Velvet let out a laugh as she recovered from the shock of her pet bird appearing so suddenly before speaking. "Pyrelight, you shouldn't scare us like that when we enter the room. Besides, we were only gone for half an hour." The bird looked down in shame of her actions, but looked back up to her unicorn friend as she pet her on her back. I held back a chuckle as I trotted over to my seat, Calamity doing the same as I looked to Andromeda. "So Andromeda, how're the repairs going?" "We'll need a little more time to fix the hull breaches, but for now we should be fine." The alicorn answered as Xenith trotted over to her console and sat at her seat. I then turned to see Strawberry Lemonade and Steelhooves, who returned my gaze as the latter spoke up. "Littlepip, if you wouldn't mind, may Strawberry Lemonade stay aboard with us? She feels that we could use another officer to help with security." "Gladly, we'd love to have you aboard with us, Strawberry." I said with a smile as the mare in question replied. "Thank you, Captain. I won't let you down." The two armored ponies then trotted around me to Steelhooves' console, both of them standing in front of it as I heard a beep from Calamity's console. The pegasus took a look at it before turning to me. "The Discovery's hailin' us, 'Pip." My friend said to me as I looked to him. "Onscreen." I said to him as he turned to his console and tapped a few buttons on it. A moment later the screen shifted to show Captain Patel in her seat, Rainbow Dash and Gilda standing at her sides as the former spoke. "Hope you don't mind the call, we just wanted to say thanks for helping us out." I smiled at the former Ministry Mare as I replied. "Not at all, Ma'am. We're glad to have put an end to this whole mess." "As are we." Patel said as she stood from our seat, looking to me as she continued. "When Captain Tilly betrayed us back at Pahvo, we weren't sure about our future once we got back to our universe. But when the Terran Task Force stepped in to save us, I felt we could start over and make a new name for ourselves." She gave a thankful smile to us as she finished. "And after what's happened today, I think we've regained our faith in ourselves." I nodded in agreement as I replied to the rogue Terran commander. "I'm sure you all will, and we're glad to have had a hoof in helping you out." I sat firm in my seat as I spoke to Patel once more. "Take care, Captain." "You too." Gilda said for the trio on the screen as the signal cut out, the image of the Discovery and the Stratus appearing once again as I looked to Velvet Remedy. "Velvet, are we all set for departure?" The charcoal-grey mare examined her console before replying to me. "The deflector dish is at full power and in working order, the Stratus and Discovery are ready to head out on our word." "Excellent." I said to her before turning back to Calamity. "Calamity, set course for Equus, we've got a friend of ours to take home before going to our next job." The stallion worked at his console for a moment before turning to me. "We're all ready on yer word, Lil'Pip." "Take us out." I ordered as my friend turned to his console with a smirk before doing his work, myself looking to the viewscreen as a blue light appeared from the front of the ship. As a blue beam shot out from the Lightbringer, a blue portal appeared in front of us before the ship jerked forward, moving towards the portal. As we entered the portal alongside the Stratus, Jokeblue trotted over to me with a PADD in her hoof, I took hold of it in my magic as she spoke. "That there has all the data regarding our next assignment." The blue mare said to me as I examined the information, then lowered the tablet down before replying. "The Great Bloom, huh? Well, that shouldn't be much trouble to deal with." I said with a smile as I faced the screen once more, the blue vortex spinning around the Lightbringer as we made our way back to our home.