//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: Broken Bonds // by keithsterling //------------------------------// A moment later, Ulysses was approached by a superb looking, white colored, Celestial Alicorn mare with pale pink mane and tail. Her 6ft 1in equine figure was attired in an Imperator Alicorn designed nano-suit that shifted colors periodically from camouflage to standard olive green. On her back were silver bio mechanical bird wings. This Celestial Alicorn was Galactic Technician Penelope Resonance, the combat medic for this small platoon of marines and Ulysses’ wife. Unlike her husband, who did as Daimyo Harmonia Strife ordered, eventhough it went against his very values, she never liked being under the command of Daimyo Harmonia Strife. If this mission didn’t come up, she would have left him and returned to her home in the Infinity Star Sector. “Ulysses?” Penelope said casually as stress lines formed on Ulysses’ brow. He slams his fist on the limb of a tree, breaking it. “Save it, Penelope,I know what you are going to say. This was a stupid plan and you trapped us on this alien planet with no way home!” Ulysses said sourly as it caused tears to run down Penelope’s cheeks. “No Ulysses, If this mission didn’t come up I would have left you and returned to my home in the Infinity Star Sector and become a civilian doctor.” Penelope said as his eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “Penelope?” Ulysses exclaimed as he looked at his downcast mate. “Ever since we were assigned to the Dark Star sector, you have become just as cruel as the Daimyo. You follow her orders without question; a loyal servant, even if it goes against your very values, I can’t live like that; I am Light Celestial Alicorn and a Doctor. When I bonded with you, you were not that way.” Penelope said her voice cracking “I know Penelope, but there was very little I could do, she was our ruler. I am Galactic Knight, sworn to protect any Sector I am assign to. But I had a plan during this mission. We were going to hijack the patrol class warship and take it back to the Infinity Star Sector and surrender to the Empress. To face any punishment for the evil I did in the name of Dark Star Sector.” Ulysses explains as Penelope stood up and walks up to him to hug him. A moment later, the rustling of leaves underfoot behind Ulysses and Penelope grabs both their attention, using her hide in plain sight ability of her Celestial Alicorn form. Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight emerges from the bushes behind them with her bio mechanical jewelry studded wings partially extended from her back. She spotted the smoke plume rising from the campfire on her way back to the Principality of Dream Valley and went to investigate. That’s when she found this dispirited small platoon of Marines sitting around the campfire and she spoke to the group for several minutes learning as much as she could. “Greetings Lord and Lady Resonance, I am Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight. The Avatar of the All Mother of our People.” Ophelia said in a pleasant tone of voice as she curtsies to them. “Your Imperial Highness! Please forgive our surprise. We thought we were the only Celestial Alicorns on this planet.” Penelope exclaims as their breath catches in their throat as both of them quickly kneel and lower their heads in respect to the Avatar of their Creator. “Please rise Children of the Stars, It’s not by choice you find this Celestial Alicorn colony on this planet. Our large Science Class Vessel crashed many space cycles ago. This planet was so primitive when we crashed, we became stranded. We had to wait for the planet to catch up to us. So we established this colony.” Ophelia explains as the two Celestial Alicorns reel with astonishment with the news. “Your Imperial Highness, was a Galactic Technician Sylvie Solstice part of your Science crew aboard the vessel?” Penelope inquired as Ophelia thought for little while. “Why, yes she was, why do you ask?” Ophelia inquiry “She is my mother. When we learned that ‘IAS Wisdom’ disappeared we feared the worst.” Penelope explains hopeful as the small platoon of Marines followed the Imperial Princess to the Principality of Dream Valley. Later that evening, Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight stands in her throne room at the Eternal Palace in the Capital City of Chimera listening to Galactic Knight Ulysses Resonance confess to all the crimes he did in the name of the Dark Stars sector as a Marine commander. Pacing back and forth in the hallway, outside the Throne room with her mother, was Galactic Technician Penelope Resonance, the wife of Ulysses. Both ponies spoke on behalf of Ulysses making a case that he was doing what he was told. Slowly, the throne room door opens, out steps Galactic Knight Ulysses Resonance, his face glazing with shock. “What happened, Ulysses?” Penelope inquiries “Her Imperial Highness, will not charge me with any crimes. She tells me it will serve no purpose to charge me for following orders of Daimyo Strife. But if I want to clear my conscience, I must serve her with the same loyalty as I did for Daimyo Strife and I agreed.” Ulysses explains as Penelope’s heart leaped in her chest. As Sylvie watched Ulysses and Penelope leave, she turns on her heels and walks into the throne room to see Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight. “I thank you Ophelia for not charging my son-in-law with any crimes.” Sylvie said thankful as she bows to the Imperial Princess. “Sylvie, I had a reason for my decision.” Ophelia comments as Sylvie blinks with surprise. “That is ? Your Imperial Highness?” Sylvie inquiry wondering “My children from the large science class vessel need protection, most of the crew of ‘IAS Wisdom’ are Galactic Technicians and great thinkers of the Imperator Alicorn society. But none of my children know how to handle an energy weapon, with the exception of the hand full of Galactic Knights that were part of the crew and my family. There’s no way this colony will survive without an established military. If we were in our home star sector, I could simply get Galactic Knights from the academy.” Ophelia said her voice cracking as tears roll down her cheeks, splashing on top of her red painted toenails of her bare feet. “A mother should never underestimate her children. We might be great thinkers, but we are all Celestial Alicorns. We believe in the Avatar of the All Mother and what she stands for.” Sylvie comments as she sets something on the ground before leaving the throne room. As Ophelia hears the door close behind her, a dark blue bubble forms around the object on the ground and floats it into her hand. She gasps and in her hand was a custom made Pulse Pistol. Even her adept eyes can see this design is far superior to the original design and so much easier to operate for anyone that is not trained at a military academy. Over the next few months, the Principality of Dream Valley establishes a military using Galactic Technicians who don’t want to be sitting behind a desk or studying endless hours. These candidates become the toughest and smartest of any army in the Coalition of Equestria. Even the two most powerful armies in the Coalition the New Lunar Republic and Solar Empire have great respect for them. ~That same morning, after reuniting with Justice: Royal bed chamber~ Tears streak Celestia’s white cheeks from the great gales of laughter induced by her husband tickling her large feet mercilessly. Earlier, Celestia and Justice argued over her telling every pony that Justice was back. But to keep the argument from getting heated with his wife, Justice proposed a simple test. All she had to do was endure something. With her pride at stake, always winning any argument no matter what, she agreed to Justice’s proposal. With a shrewd smile on his snout, Justice suggests a tickle test that she would have to last for an hour. A chill ran down Celestia’s back. With a determination to win, she shook his hand in agreement. Before she could change her mind, he told her the test will be on her feet. A second chill ran down Celestia’s back and she quickly tried to back out of the test, but Justice reminded her she is a Princess of her word. Caught by her own words she had no choice but to go along with the tickle test on her feet. As Justice held her hand while walking her over to their bed to begin the test, a huge smile formed on her snout unbeknownst of her husband. “Justice! I can’t take any more. You win hehehe! I will tell no one about your return. I promise ahahahahah!” Celestia called as he helped her to sits up and kiss her on her lips. “You know Celestia. You are a horrible liar.” Justice commented as she playfully chuckles knowing that he caught her. “When did you know?” Celestia inquiries wondering as she wraps her arms around her legs, looking at her husband in front of her. “Those arguments that you used will never change my mind ‘no matter what’, meant I would have to force you, it was kind of a giveaway. I have known you for a long time, Celestia. You like talking it out.” Justice comment as he stretched his wife’s legs out and rested them on his lap, before beginning to massage her perfectly shaped plush bare foot. “Oh, Justice, you know me too well.” Celestia comment as she kisses him lovingly on his cheek. “But since you brought up the subject, why do you want me to keep your return a secret? It would be a great celebration for the Solar Empire; the return of my beloved husband Emperor Justice Silverlight. Right now, the Coalition of Equestria needs the benefit of the loyalty you represent. My wisdom can only go so far.” Celestia said with a hitch in her voice as Justice wiped away tears with his fingers before gently caressing her cheek with the back of his hand. “Think about this, my beloved. I died several years ago as a unicorn, not to mention, I am not a terran pony. How would your subjects react to a Celestial Alicorn, an alien species, ruling them? You say yourself there’s still some bitterness among the pony population of Equestria towards Royalty. Even though our foals have repaired most of the damages, it still persists.” Justice explains as a wounded look forms in Celestia’s eyes as tears, once again, runs down her white cheeks. “Justice please! (Weeping) I need you (weeping) I told no pony this, it took me several months to even begin to write up, the Discord Accord. I couldn’t bring myself to break up Equestria, like this. Even though it was my only and final, option. My military was stretched so thin that even completely loyal troops turned against me. During that time Luna and I discussed this plan for hours. Her argument was to believe in our ponies’ hearts. So I did, but then that one day, everything changed. During the Summer Sun Celebration, in the Friendship Kingdom, there was an attempt on both our lives. If your Solar Guard unit was not there to protect me and Luna, they would have succeeded. After the attempt, I wrote up the Discord Accord and called a Princess Summit to be held in Canterlot that following month.” Celestia said her voice a lifeless monotone. The door to her bed chamber is suddenly opened by a white bodied unicorn, a mare with brown mane and tail, wearing a black skirt suit and black pumps on her bare feet. “Oh! Excuse me, your imperial Majesty. I didn’t know you were in here. But here are the papers you wanted me to bring to you. Your daughter told me she is still working on the remaining paperwork. She will talk to you about it later.” The unicorn mare said as her face glazes with shock on spotting Celestia sitting on her bed as if she just woke up from an afternoon nap. “Miss Inkwell? Do you not see two Alicorns in this room?” Celestia inquired as Miss Inkwell smiled spastically looking around the room several times trying to find the other Alicorn Celestia was talking about. “Mmm, I have some work to finish. If you would excuse me, Your Imperial Majesty.” Miss Inkwell exclaims as she tripped over her own feet trying to leave the bed chamber before Celestia could ask again. “Huh? What is going on, Justice? Why did my assistant not see you? You are sitting right in front of me!” Celestia said a bit puzzled as Justice chuckles rubbing the puffy balls of his wife’s foot with his thumbs. “It’s one of my Celestial Alicorn natural abilities; we call it Hide in Plain Sight. It’s a handy skill to have for an alien species that enjoys exploration. We use this skill to study our subjects up close and personal.” Justice said as he bends back and forth her perfect shapely toes to loosen them. “Then why can I see you?” Celestia inquiry questioning as she brought her other foot out from behind Justice’s back and places it on his lap, so he can rub her other foot as well. “My best guess, Celestia because you are my mate. A Celestial Alicorn has never been mated to a different species in all our history. So, this is a new experience for a Celestial Alicorn to be mated to a Terran Alicorn. So I really don’t know the long term effects of it. But there’s one thing I can say for sure, it’s possible for two different species to have foals. Our foals are proof of that.” Justice explains as Celestia beams fondly with her husband’s explanation, kissing him softly on his cheek. “Does your species have magic powers like Luna and I do?” Celestia inquires creating a magic gold orb in the palm of her hand before making it disappear. “Of course we do. My species calls it. Eternal Magic.” Justice comments as she gasps with the name. “Eternal Magic! As in Forever Magic.” Celestia comments her face glazes with shock. Suddenly, Celestia is enveloped in a strange otherworldly magic aura that seems to come from the very end of time. She is soon surrounded by a totally black veil of nothingness. Next, pin points of stars begin to appear across the black veil enveloping her. Soon, many planets of various sizes form in front of her. Throughout the black veil, wondrous seas of stars and galaxies travel across the nothingness at incredible speed. She watches as various colors of comets speed by her on its eternal path. Celestia’s breathe catches in her throat as her husband has transformed into a living constellation of a four-legged Alicorn stallion. “For centuries the Mother Constellation has traveled from dimension to dimension, stopping only temporarily to rest and create life. Some life lived on, other lives killed themselves. As her traveling ended, she settled in this dimension and created her Celestial Alicorn children. Unknown to the Mother Constellation, she implanted curiosity in her children. We become explorers and want to learn about this dimension from our space stations. We searched and discovered wondrous things in this dimension.” Justice said his voice haunting and ethereal as a thought came to Celestia’s mind that could break her heart. “You have never been a test subject, Celestia. My intentions have always been pure toward you. I truly wanted to be your mate, in you; I saw things that I lacked. You shared your life with me, be it good or be it bad, you shared it.” Justice explains as Celestia’s face flushes and tears come to her pale magenta eyes. “How did you know?” Celestia inquires her voice soft and low as a bright comet streaked by in front of her snout. “My ethereal form loses the ability to speak; the only way to communicate with you is telepathic. I read your doubt in your mind. That’s why I answered your question before you asked it.” Justice answers as he reverts back to his solid form and his Eternal Magic ability expire, returning them to the Royal Bed Chamber in the Grand Royal Palace of the Solar Empire. “Eek!” Celestia exclaims as Justice ran his fingers down Celestia’s exposed large white feet sitting on his lap. “Oh, Justice! You are the only stallion that can ruin a tender moment like that by tickling my feet. But I guess that’s what your wife would expect from you, it doesn’t matter. Come to think of it, I am going to have you all to myself from now on.” Celestia comment as she lays her head down on his lap.