Location: Stratusburg, Equestria
Golden Flare focused his grip on his sabre's controls as he looked out to the ground below, examining the area that was once Stratusburg. Shortly after getting to know everyone from Canterlot, not to mention meet the newly retired Royal Sisters in person, Flare and his friends took to the air as they began their journey to their target. Twilight and her friends were offered a ride in the two Gladius dropships they had brought down to the planet, while Flare, of course, took to the skies in his newly changed Sabre in order to guard the task force alongside with the two trident gunships that came just as the team was getting underway.
The land below Flare and his allies was not as prosperous as the old town of Stratusburg, from what Sky Stinger and Vapor Trail had explained, after the tragic discovery of the burning remnants of the town, the broken town was cleaned up and rebuilt into a memorial, with only a mere few security buildings and dirt roads built around it to ensure that no one violates the site for whatever reason. Said security were initially concerned about the incoming Forge ships heading into the area, but with some swift convincing from Twilight and the two wonderbolt pegasi who formerly lived here, they permitted them to travel over the memorial.
Flare seemed to frown at the sight before him, reminded of the once prosperous town he lived in years ago as he spoke into the comms. "It's so different than before, I... I almost feel like I'm someplace else."
"I know Flare, I didn't think that this place would be fixed up so fast." Sweet Star replied on a small screen on his control panel as he looked down to her.
"You still remember which is where, Flare?" Aegis asked his maker as he took another look out into the land, trying to remember where his old home was before spotting an area near one of the security stations below the fleet.
"If I recall, there was a house I lived in that sat near where that station was, to the right of it, I think." Flare answered his friends as he looked around further, trying to remember more of the town before spotting another area.
His words were halted as Star said them for him. "And there's where the hospital was before the attack."
Looking down to the right of his ship, he saw another familiar spot he attended on that fateful day. "And there's where the park used to be." Looking up further, he noticed the large memorial built where the train station used to be. It made sense to place it there, since everyone evacuating from the wedding was in that train when it was hit. Flare seemed to cringe upon remembering that horrid image of the train being shot at, seeing his wife being sent flying into the rubble of a damaged building. The memory made Flare mumble to himself, unaware he was being heard. "Oh, Swifty... I'm so sorry I couldn't save you."
"Something bringing ya down, Flare?" Sky Stinger asked through the comms on screen as he sat next to Vapor Trail aboard one of the two Gladius dropships within the task force.
Flare shook his head as he took notice of his words. "Oh, no, sorry. I just... I think I was seeing a ghost."
"I feel the same way, this place hasn't been the same since that attack years ago." Vapor replied back as Flare thought of another thing to pass the time while en route to the location of the UJU tech nearby.
Then, remembering what Sky and Vapor told him about back at the Everfree, he looked ahead of his ship before saying, "So, you said you two were from here?"
"Yeah, and fortunately for us, we'd moved out by the time the town fell." Sky said with a hint of thankfulness in his voice, but that was swiftly replaced by Vapor's added words.
"Unfortunately, the rest of our families didn't. We got letters telling us of what happened, and," Vapor sounded like she was on the verge of tears as she tried to finish her story. "...W-We were devastated that day, seeing the papers after hearing about the disaster didn't help either. I didn't even want to come out and talk to anyone." Then, hearing a faint nudge over the chatter, Vapor finished with, "But Sky was there for me."
The stallion in question responded to his friend's claim in a stern tone. "We were all we had left, after that attack, we hung out together more, and after our little situation with the Wonderbolts, we uh... " Sky seemed to chuckle as he thought of his bonding with Vapor at the academy before continuing. "I think Twilight would say we've become more than friends since then."
Flare raised an eyebrow as Rainbow Dash spoke up through the comms as well. "Yeah, I'd love to chat with ya on that when we get back."
The stallion smirked mischievously as he replied back to the cyan mare, "Well, if we live through this, I suppose I wouldn't mind, that is, if your friends over there don't either."
There was a moment of silence, implying to Flare that Sky and Vapor were looking to Rainbow in a scolding manner. He imagined Rainbow looking disappointed at them as she replied. "Okay, okay, I won't spill it."
Flare let out a hearty laugh as he heard Rainbow's words, Sky and Vapor joining in too as they enjoyed their teasing of Rainbow. As he settled himself, Flare looked to one of the trident pilots before asking, "Anyhow, we should get back to business. Tam, what's the status of the sector scan?"
The comms were silent for a moment, but the officer in question answered not long after. "From what I can tell, the signature seems to be coming from that mountain up ahead, and fortunately for us, I've detected a cave near the base of it."
Flare's eyebrows raised as he remembered where this cave was. "I think I know where that might be. Everyone, follow me."
"Copy that, Lieutenant." Tam and several other officers replied back as Flare flew his ship in front of the others, taking the lead as he began to descend towards the mountain to his right.
The trip was silent for a good few minutes, with the group nearly reaching the cave entrance below them. However, Flare's ears perked upon hearing an alarm on his controls, as well as Sweet Star's panicked cry. "Flare! Watch out!"
Not wasting a second, Flare immediately rolled his ship upwards into the air, narrowly dodging an incoming missile as it flew under him before it struck the ground, spraying dirt all over the place. Looking around, Flare could see his attacker, a Komplex troop dropper flying past his allies and up into the air. Something was different about the ship, however. The long tail that held the drop pods was missing, replaced by a much smaller engine attachment behind it.
As Flare flew around and gave chase to the large gunship flying away from him, Flare heard chatter from his teammates, Tam's words being the most audible to him as he kept his eyes on the gunship. "Surprise attack, everyone! Take them out!"
Flare didn't reply as he turned to Aegis, "Get me a lock on!"
"Got it, boss!" The little bot replied as he did his work, Flare keeping his ship behind the scorpion as the long awaited beep sounded. "Now!"
Pressing the triggers, Flare fired a missile at the gunship, which tried to shake Flare off to avoid the missile, but failed as the missile hit it seconds after being fired.
As the Komplex gunship burned to the ground below, Flare flew into the sky before turning his ship upside down. Looking down, Flare could see another one of the same ship flying at one of the tridents, firing it's guns at it as Flare took the ship down for a dive. As he dove down at the gunship, Flare fired his laser cannons at it, a few of them striking the two cannons on the sides of the ship's fuselage, leaving only the two wing cannons and the ship's cockpit-mounted chin cannon left working.
Diving under the damaged trident, Flare began his chase after the second Komplex ship, Aegis speaking to him as he focused his grip on the joysticks. "Getting a lock-on, just a sec!" Trying to avoid it's pursuer, the Komplex ship flew for a large, natural arch near the mountain, firing two missiles at it before speeding through it. As the missiles struck the arch, Flare went full throttle under it, narrowly avoiding the broken rocks above his ship as he kept chase after the gunship.
"Let's give ya a hand there, Goldy!" A familiar voice said as one of the trident gunship's turrets fired at the incoming scorpion, which turned away from it's target as Flare kept up. The stallion could see some smoke coming from the ship's underbelly, indicating it had been hit by the trident nearby.
As it started to slow down, Flare heard Aegis call out to him. "Now!" As soon as he said that, Flare pressed the triggers once more, another missile shooting out towards the enemy craft as it tried to evade. The maneuver turned out to be futile as the projectile struck the large vessel, which exploded in a bright, purple-hued blaze as Flare flew through the fireball.
Steadying his ship, Flare heard Applejack speak through the comms from one of the Gladius escorts. "Yeehaw! That's some nice flyin' there, Flare!"
"Thanks, Applejack." The stallion replied with a smirk before hearing another voice, one he hadn't ever heard before in his life as he steadily gripped his controls.
"Enough with this futile endeavour!" A deep, menacing voice said as Flare looked around, eyes widening as he spotted another ship, one he saw earlier at the start of his mission here.
"Komplex wasp ahead! Evasive maneuvers!" Flare warned over the comms as the newcomer sped towards him, Flare rolling around to dodge the incoming laser fire as the attacker flew right past his ship.
As the wasp sped into the sky for a dive attack, Flare sped upwards as well, looping around to fly the other way before taking the ship straight up again. Taking aim, Flare fired at the incoming wasp above him, which returned the favor as it flew straight at him, Flare once again narrowly avoiding contact with his opponent's hull as it flew downwards.
"Golden Flare, do not engage that ship! I repeat, do not engage!" One of the trident pilots ordered before the turrets on the two gunships fired upwards, attempting to hit the diving Komplex commander but to no avail.
Stopping his ship's thrusters for a moment, Flare spun the ship around in a loop before reactivating the engines, boosting downwards after the elite fighter as it flew past the two tridents below.
"We'll handle that ship, Flare, take care of the guys behind us if you can!" Another voice said through the comms before Flare looked upwards, three more sabres were making their way down to his friends' position. But they weren't alone either, as two scarabs came down after them as well, firing red laser bolts at the two ships.
Flare steadied his grip before turning towards the enemy newcomers, both of them breaking off their pursuit of the two allied ships as he began his own chase after one of them. Firing his laser cannons, Flare kept up his pursuit on the scarab until a few of the bolts scraped the engine just enough for it to fail. As the tail of the ship began to emit a trail of smoke, Flare broke off from the doomed fighter before he hissed in alertness at the second incoming attacker. With no time to think, Flare rolled to his left as the scarab passed him, it's now opened wings closing as it's attempt at slicing his ship apart failed.
Pressing a button on his controls, Flare turned his ship at the turning Komplex craft, pressing the trigger and firing another missile at it just as it began to fly at him. Despite not getting a lock on his target, the missile hit the fighter just before it could evade in time. Turning away from the now burning fighter, Flare turned his ship back around to face his allies, who were shooting at the incoming wasp as it tried to evade the laser fire ahead of it.
Keeping his focus on the attacker, Flare spoke to Aegis behind him. "Get me another lock, buddy."
The robot did so without another word as Flare sped after the wasp, getting right behind it as the aft turret on the back, shot at him. Flare rolled around the shots as he tried to keep up his pursuit of the elite, grunting as he heard his partner's words. "Ready!"
Dodging another flurry of laser bolts, Flare growled in anger as he fired the missile. "This one's for Stratusburg, butcher!"
As the missile fired from his fighter, Flare broke off from the ship as he waited for the missile to strike, but this one wouldn't let it hit. Speeding away from Flare as well, the stallion's ears perked as his opponent replied back to him.
"Ah, so you are a survivor of that pitiful habitat from long ago?" Flare's eyes went wide as the wasp turned around back towards the task force, speeding right towards them as the enemy pilot continued. "You seem to think I am such easy prey for your kind? Well, allow me to show you the costs of your folly."
Tam's voice was one of fear as he spoke over the comms. "Vey, look out!"
The pilot of the other gunship didn't even have a chance to reply as the wasp flew past her trident, Flare's missile hitting her ship as she screamed into the channel. The screams quickly died down to static as Vey's ship fell to the ground below, crashing in a bright ball of fire as the Komplex commander flew upwards again, dodging the incoming laser fire from the other Forge ships as the ship's pilot spoke once more.
"Do you feel proud of yourself now, rodent? Does that sight make you feel as helpless as your colleagues down there were when my subordinates slaughtered them like the pests they were?"
As he heard those words, Flare felt a hateful blaze burn in his heart, he was infuriated at this murderer who insulted his wife, along with all those who had died on that fateful day, and he wasn't about to stand for it.
How dare you?! He thought in his head as he saw the wasp turn around towards him, the pilot laughing as he spoke once more.
"Unfortunately for you, you won't be able to learn from this for long." As the ship began to speed up towards him, it was immediately stopped by a bright, pink magical aura surrounding it, holding the ship in the air.
Turning his ship towards the wasp, Flare could hear Twilight speak up through the comms. "Flare! Take the shot! I can't hold him forever!"
"What?!" The Komplex commander said in surprise as Flare sped towards him. Enraged by his enemy's words, Flare screamed into the comms as he fired at the elite starfighter, scrapping it's dorsal section as well as destroying the turret at the back of the ship.
As Flare sped past the damaged craft, he could hear his opponent growl in anguish as he looped back around, preparing for another volley. Rather than continue shooting at him, however, the Komplex craft instead sped upwards as the magical aura dissipated, freeing the fighter from it's grip.
"Perhaps I misjudged your kind, insect, I had not expected such capabilities from them." The Komplex pilot scoffed as he continued. "No matter, you may have won your precious UJU tech from us, but it will be ultimately for naught!" As he sped away from the area and into the sky, Flare flew up after his smoking fighter as he finished his monologue. "Soon, Golden Flare, you and your lackey will see why we, the Komplex are, and will always be, immortal!"
"Come back here, you cold-blooded space fiend!" Flare yelled at the Komplex commander as he sped away, preparing to give chase as he heard Sweet Star call out to him.
"Flare, get back here! Well deal with him later! Please!" Star wasn't the only one to lend their thoughts over.
"Flare, return back to the squadron, that's an order!"
Looking up at his fleeing opponent, Flare took a breath as he replied weakly. "...Right. We've already given him enough trouble for the time being." With that, Flare looped back around before speeding downwards towards his allies, the two Gladius dropships preparing to make a landing as Flare neared the ground.
Slowing his ship down, Flare leveled his sabre with the ground as the landing gear extended out from the ship, touching the ground moments later as the cockpit bounced slightly from the recoil.
Opening the cockpit window, Flare stood up and climbed out of his ship as Aegis hovered out with him. Looking to his left, Flare saw Sweet Star, Twilight and her friends galloping over to him, all of them looking to him in concern as Rarity asked him, "Are you alright, Flare?"
"Yeah, just a bit... frustrated." The stallion replied as he removed his helmet, Aegis setting it into the sabre's cockpit as Fluttershy spoke up.
"Who was that back there?" The girls all looked to Sweet Star as she answered for Flare.
"We're both a little hazy on that, but judging by that voice, I'd say he's one of the Komplex commanders."
"And the one who caused the attack on Stratusburg four years ago." Twilight and her friends gasped in shock as Pinkie Pie spoke up next.
"Does that big meanie have a name? I mean, "Komplex Commander" seems kinda silly and bland."
Flare looked to the ground as he replied to the pink party pony. "Yeah, they do. I read a battle report from Forge Commander Dex about his conflict with the Komplex near the Virgo Defense Perimeter. Apparently, him and one of his recruits faced off against some other leader who, as far as we know, goes by the title, "The Truth"."
The girls seemed to share Flare's dumbfounded expression as Rainbow Dash spoke up. "So, judging from what that other guy said, I'm guessing he's something along the lines of... "The Immortal"?"
"Oooohh!! That sounds fancy!" Pinkie said as Flare nodded in agreement before speaking up.
"Alright, I guess that will be what we call him from now on." Sweet Star and the others all shared their nods of agreement as Tam walked over to the group.
"Flare, we've got a few weapons up in the dropship. I'd recommend getting one if we're going into that cave."
Twilight raised a hoof as she offered her thoughts. "That sounds wise, who knows what we'll find in there."
"Besides that UJU gear yer lookin' for." Applejack said as Sandbar and his friends trotted over to the group.
"Mind if we tag along, professor?" The young stallion asked as Gallus and Smolder took to the air before the latter spoke up.
"After what just happened back there, I think it's time we lend a claw for you guys."
"You might want someone like me with you too!" Ocellus said as she shapeshifted into her dragon disguise she used back when she first attended the school of friendship, a light brown dragon with whitish-tan scales and brown hair and gray horns.
Tam was about to say something, but stopped as he looked to Twilight for her confirmation. Looking to the cave, then back to the students, Twilight made her decision. "As long as you promise not to try anything crazy in there..."
The students saluted to the Princess of Friendship before Smolder spoke up. "Ya got it, Professor."
"Great!" Twilight said with a smile as she looked to Flare, who returned the gaze as she spoke to him. "You sure you'll be able to go on after what just happened up there?"
Flare smirked as he answered the purple alicorn's question. "I'll keep at it until I'm dead, Twilight."
Rainbow laughed a little at Flare's response as Aegis flew into the middle of the group with an eager expression. "I think it's best if I come too, I can translate some of the UJU KON's language and texts if we need to."
Flare and Sweet Star smiled at their robot friend as the former replied. "That sounds perfect, just stick close to us while we're in there."
"You got it, boss!" Aegis replied with a digitized smile before floating up next to Flare, who trotted over towards the Gladius dropships as the rest of the group followed after him.
"Alright, let's get ourselves geared up, there might be traps in there!" Flare said as he picked out a light laser rifle from the racket, Twilight and the others doing the same as they prepared for their descent into the UJU temple beneath Stratusburg.