It has been sometime since Lyra was inside a Republic Naval Cruiser. Well, Praetorian Class frigate1 to be precise. The last time she was onboard a spacecraft so large was when she first arrived on Republic space. However, she barely recalled what the ship looked like as she was only a filly at the time.
Still, the experience was still amazing. All around her were dozens of Republic starships. When compared to the Omega, these were much more compact, appearing to fit only one pilot at most. No doubt these ships were made for war, but not all the ships looked the same. A few of the ships were modeled differently for reasons she didn’t know. Alas, she wasn’t a specialist on warships. As strange as some of these ship models were, it wasn’t in her place to question it.
“Remarkable. Simply, remarkable.”
Turning her head, Lyra stood by and watched as her mother stared at the Republic’s military might. She and the others had come on board via the Omega and had just got off Hider’s ship. Almost immediately, she and the royal guards that stayed behind fawned over the military vessels inside. Though Pegasi such as Platinum were more ecstatic than the others.
It had been hours since the meeting with the Senate had ended. Her kin were up and about, ready for the trip home. They didn’t leave Coruscant right away, however, as the Navy needed some time to prepare their fleet. A bit too long if Lyra had to be honest. Although it did give everypony some much needed rest, a six-hour wait may have been too much.
“Honey, do you happen to know how fast these ships can go?” Platinum asked her daughter, to which Lyra shook her head in response.
“They are about as fast as my baby when I put it in full-throttle, if not faster. Not surprising given that these are military grade ships and all. How else would the Republic compete with the Mandalorians if they didn’t have quality ships like these.”
From behind Platinum Impact approached Hider Louhun, who had joined the two ponies in their little journey through the hangar bay. He had forgone the formal attire he wore back at the Senate meeting and returned to his usual Smuggler apparel. Though his decision to wear such clothing caused many Republic personnel to gape at him.
“Why am I not surprised? You of all people should know too well about the capabilities of these machines,” said Platinum as she stared at Hider with narrow eyes. “I suppose all of these ships are made for aerial combat?”
“Most of them are, yes, but not all of them. If you take a look at a pair of ships on the right over there, you’ll notice that their designs stand out among the rest. That’s because those ships are a bomber-class unit. They are specifically built to destroy enemy cruisers.”
“You mean ships that are as big as the one we’re on now?” asked Lyra in surprise. When Hider nodded in response, her jaw slacked. “Just how much firepower do those things have?”
“A lot of firepower, kid. And if used right, they can even destroy entire city planets like Taris or Coruscant. Though that’s unlikely given their planetary defenses.”
Platinum frowned. “And the Mandalorians have fighters capable of such destruction as well?” she asked, albeit somewhat hesitantly. Her reaction became even worse as Hider answered with a nod. “Sweet Celestia. I dread what would happen to our cities if the invasion of those barbarians went uncontested.”
“Well, try not to think about it, alright? With the Republic Navy at your side, I’m sure things will turn out okay. And besides, there’s no way that millennia old Princess of yours won’t go down without a fight. Still confused how she’s that old, but still, I doubt she’ll just sit back and let the Mandalorians take her cities,” Hider replied.
Platinum shook her head. “As much as I appreciate your compliment on our monarch, I highly doubt she can stand up against an army that size alone,” she said, solemnly. “Speaking of which, I believe the other ponies should have reached Equestria by now.”
“Well, they did leave several hours ahead of us. So, it is possible, mom,” replied Lyra. “I hope they didn’t run into any trouble. Last thing we want is to create a nationwide panic.”
“Panic is never a good thing, but I’m sure the public will be happy to hear that their space expedition team is okay,” remarked Hider.
“The public does not know about this expedition,” Platinum bluntly replied, surprising both Hider and Lyra. Realizing that they needed answers fast, the guardsmare went on to explain that only the Princess and a few high-ranking members of the Royal Guard were aware of the discovery of the old Republic ships. There were a few exceptions to that rule, such as Lyra’s father and Cotton Swirl; but Princess Celestia believed that Equestria, nor their entire world, was not ready for such powerful technology yet.
When asked by Lyra on how they kept everything a secret, Platinum told of an underground hangar bay underneath a large mountain. It was an ideal location given that the nation’s capital is sitting at the peak of said mountain and it was where the Princess resides. “We left Equestria at the dead of night, as it is unlikely that any pony would be up at that time. Though to play it safe, Princess Celestia did cast an invisibility spell on the ship.”
“That worked?” asked Lyra.
“Correct. And before you ask, no I wasn’t expecting her spell to work out either. I was just as surprised as you were when the ship went invisible before my naked eye.”
Hider burst out laughing. “Wow. You ponies are chalk full of surprises. With those magical abilities of yours, I’d bet you’d fit right in with the rest of the galaxy.”
“Integration is the least of our concerns, Louhun.”
“Whatever. In my opinion, it probably would’ve been best that you and the Princess told the public about your discovery. But who am I to judge?”
“It’s not just ponies who populate our planet, Louhun. There are other creatures as well. Griffons, Yaks, Hippogriffs. And don’t get me started on our Changeling nemesis.”
Hider blinked. “Wait a second… you have those too?2”
“Excuse me?”
Lyra sighed. “Mom, Hider, please! Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. My master says we are supposed to meet someone here in the hanger.” Turning her head, the young mare skimmed across the room for any sign of said important person. But given that nearly everyone around her was wearing Naval uniforms, she couldn’t tell who this person was.
It wasn’t until she heard the sound of an unfamiliar voice calling her name. Ears flopping, she looked into the direction of said voice and saw a blue-skinned Twi’lek running toward her. She tilted her head. That alien appeared familiar.
“Ah, there you are, Padawan Heartstrings,” said the Twi’lek who appeared to be out of breath. “I’ve been running around the entire hangar looking for you. But this place is so big. To my embarrassment, I got lost in my search.”
“We don’t care about your excuses, solder,” said Platinum sternly. “Speak! Who are you and why do you need my daughter?”
The Twi’lek flinched. “Oh, right. I nearly forgot that there are military personnel among you ponies. Uh, my apologies ma’am... err, Captain. I am Sergeant Dabrato. I was ordered by Admiral Karath to retrieve you and Padawan Heartstrings. There is an important meeting on the bridge, and he’d like you both to attend.”
“What does he want to talk about?” asked Hider.
“Just a sitrep on what is going to happen when we reach the pony planet. And before you ask, Captain Louhun, the Admiral wants you and your crew to attend the meeting.”
“Ugh, seriously? Son of a kriffin’… why does he need me to attend? He’s just going to use that opportunity to chastise me for being a deserter!”
“He said that you are needed for the battle plan, sir,” the Twi’lek answered. “The Admiral wasn’t specific as to why he needed you but given that you currently have one of the fastest ships in the sector and a very skilled pilot, he figures you’d play a critical role in our fight against the Mandalorians.”
Hider bit his lip. “Great. I should’ve figured that old geezer would drag me into his wild schemes. But he at least recognizes me as the great pilot that I am.”
“Uh, I guess?” replied the Twi’lek as he scratched his left tendril in confusion. “Sheesh, what’s with this guy? Sounds like he and the Admiral are on bad terms.”
“Whatever issues Hider has with his family is a personal matter. It’d be best that you stay clear away from it,” said Lyra while attempting to copy her mother’s stern militaristic voice. She wasn’t anywhere close, but it did earn a prideful smile from her mother. “By the way, sir, you look familiar to me. Have we met before?”
“Oh, yes, I am Sergeant Dabrato, ma’am. We met briefly on the snowy mountain plains of Alderaan during our brief skirmish with the Mandalorians. After the battle, I was quickly transferred to Coruscant to be a part of Admiral Karath’s Naval team.”
“Oh, I see! You were that Twi’lek we met while we were fleeing the stronghold!”
“Correct! I’m glad that you finally recognize me. Anyways, you should probably gather your companions. I still need to show you all your living quarters before we head to the bridge.”
“On it,” replied Platinum. Placing the tip of her right hoof into her mouth, the mare let loose a loud whistle that echoed across the hangar bay. Although it did cause quite the stir amongst the Republic officers, it did get the job done as the ponies within the vicinity fell in line almost immediately.
“Wow, that is some whistle,” said Hider as he rubbed the inside of his right ear.
“Y-yes, it was,” followed up Dabrato who was staring at the guard captain with wide eyes. “I can see why she earned such prestige amongst her kind.”
“Hold on a second. Where are Chessk, Sweetie, and T3-G4?” asked Lyra. “I haven’t seen them since we left the Omega. Did they run off somewhere?”
Hider quickly tapped the young mare on the shoulder and pointed to his left. Immediately, Lyra saw her two companions moving toward them. As they got closer, however, she heard the loud, tacky beeping of T3-G4. She didn’t understand what the droid was saying, but it sounded as if it were upset with something.
“Hey, what’s with the tin can?” asked Hider as Geefour continued to rave with its loud beeping.
“It’s complaining about the noise we heard a short while ago,” answered Chessk. “To the droid, it sounded like a screeching mynock.”
“That’s awfully specific,” replied Sweetie Drops. “And what’s a mynock3 anyway?”
“Nasty little bat creatures that feed on electrical energies. Particularly those that power starships like these. And not only that, they are also known for their loud screeching and their innate ability to survive the vacuum of space.”
Platinum flinched. “The machine is comparing me to a bat!” she shouted, earning the chuckles of several ponies in the group. They quickly shut themselves up as the guardspony gave each and every pony a stern glare. However, that did not stop Cotton Swirl. The rambunctious mare just couldn’t stop laughing.
“I’m so sorry!” replied the crackling mare who tried, yet failed, to hide her laughter. “I don’t mean to be rude… but hearing the robot comparing Platinum’s whistling to a screeching bat is probably the funniest thing I’ve heard in a long while.”
Platinum’s eye twitched as she scowled at the laughing mare. “Cotton, you better apologize right now! Or else I’ll smack you upside the head so hard that horn of yours will come clean off!”
“Ladies, please! Let’s not get ahead of ourselves now,” said Sergeant Dabrato as he tried to calm the situation down. Eventually, with the help of Lyra, he was able to calm the two mares and give a brief introduction on who he was. “Okay, let’s not waste any more of the Admiral’s time. If you would all please follow me, I’ll show you all to your living quarters and then we’ll head for the bridge.”
“Can all of us attend the meeting or does Admiral Karath only want the Captain and her daughter to join?” asked a pony from the group just as they began to follow the Twi’lek.
“I am certain he’ll welcome you lot as some of you ponies have military experience. Although his opinion may not be the same when it comes to the civilians in your group.”
“What? Why not?” shouted Cotton Swirl. “Equestria is my home too! Surely I can also take part of this meeting of this so-called meeting of yours.”
“Military personnel only, Cotton. We’ll fill you in when everything is over,” replied Platinum bluntly, which only irritated the unicorn mare. But before they two ponies could squabble again, Chessk stepped in between the two and put an end to their petty argument.
“Thanks, Chessk,” said Lyra. Without saying a word, the Trandoshan simply nodded back at the mare.
And tensions began to de-escalate, the entire group followed the Sergeant to a large metal door. It opened almost immediately, revealing an elongated hallway that was covered in crisp white paint. Impressive, at least to the ponies. Hider and Chessk on the other hand weren’t too amazed by the ship’s interior, and T3-G4 cared little about it. Rather, the droid gave off rebuking buzzes and whirls to every utility droid that passed by them.
“Can you please do something about that droid of yours?” asked Sergeant Dabrato as he grew irritated Geefour’s callous behavior toward every passing droid.
Lyra stared at the Twi’lek in shock. “Wait, you understand droid binary?” she asked.
“I do, yes. Soldiers like me are required to learn droidspeak before we get sent out into the field as we work with droids almost every day.”
“Yep. That’s how I learned binary, kid. From being a cadet at the Republic Navy,” exclaimed Hider, to which Dabrato glared at him in return.
“My admiral spoke about you, Hider Louhun. He said that you abandoned your duties as a cadet and became a smuggler.” The Twi’lek scowled. “I am not sure why anyone would throw away their lives in favor of becoming a criminal, but it is not my place to judge. From what I’ve heard, you didn’t choose to become a Navy cadet.”
“Oh, really? And what else did my uncle say about me?”
“Nothing that concerns you, Captain,” replied Dabrato as the group came across a large door to their left. “This door right here leads to the ship’s crew quarters. It’s pretty big and we have a lot of bunk beds available for use.”
“Are they twin sized beds?” asked Hider. The Twi’lek answered with a nod. “Appreciate the offer, but no thanks. I’ll just sleep on my ship till we get to the pony planet.”
Chessk glared at Hider. “Are you seriously being this picky over a twin sized bed?”
“Hey, my ship is docked right here on this freight cruiser. There’s no point in sleeping on a puny bed when my baby literally has a much larger queen-sized one!”
Dabrato rolled his eyes. “Ugh, fair enough. You can stay on your ship. But you’ll need to stay alert when we get to our destination,” he warned. “I suggest that you connect your comm-link with ours so that our crew can notify you when we’ve arrived.”
“Deal. I’ll get it connected after the meeting with my uncle.”
“Speaking of that meeting, is everypony planning on attending with me and my daughter? Or do some of you prefer to stay here instead?” shouted. Platinum. “If any of you plan on backing out, raise your hooves now. Because once the meeting starts, I’m not letting any pony leave the facility.”
Not a single pony raised their hooves. Everypony was keen on attending this crucial meeting. Of course Cotton Swirl wanted to attend, but Platinum and Sergeant Stalwart Shield said no. The latter escorted her into the crew quarters, telling his Captain that he’ll stay behind to keep her company. Platinum objected, but her Sergeant insisted that he’d do this.
Respecting Sergeant Stalwart’s decision, the group continued along the ship’s long white hallway until they eventually reached another large door. When it flung open, a dimly lit room was revealed and a vast array of computers that lined up together in rows. At the far end of the room was a large window, showing the black void of space. Standing next to it was Lyra’s master and the Fleet Admiral Saul Karath.
Both men turned to face the newly arrived group. “Admiral Karath! I have brought over our guests just like you asked,” shouted Sergeant Dabrato as he saluted before his superior.
“Thank you, Sergeant. You are dismissed,” ordered the Admiral as he and Master Darran approached the group of ponies. He then eyed at both Padawan Heartstrings and her mother. “Greetings, equines. I am Fleet Admiral Saul Karath4. I will be your commanding officer during our fight against the Mandalorians.”
Platinum, as well as all of the guard ponies saluted before the Fleet Admiral. “Good day, Admiral. It is an honor to finally meet you.
Saul smirked. “Likewise. It is good to see that our military traditions are one in the same despite our differences.” He then glanced toward Hider, giving the former criminal a stern look in the eye. “Perhaps you might learn a thing or two from these equines, nephew.”
“If you are trying to guilt trip me after abandoning the Republic Navy, it’s not going to work, uncle. You of all people should know by now that I don’t regret my actions,” rebuked Hider as he met his uncle’s glare with one of his own.
“I am not accusing you of ill will, nephew. I’m just disappointed that you had to go through such methods to become your own man. If you would’ve told your parents outright that you didn’t want to join the Navy, then perhaps your path down the criminal underworld might not have happened. Nevertheless, it pleases me that you are here. And that you kept your oath to Padawan Heartstrings here despite your desire for payment.”
Hider sighed. “Yeah, well, abandoning my smuggling career did have its perks; but kriff, the credits I earned are nothing compared to what I earned before. I’ve maintained my baby for years, but she’s gonna need more than just a simple monthly tweaking.”
“If it's upgrades you want, then I can provide you with the funds and handymen you need. Just promise me you’ll use those excellent flying skills to fight on behalf of the Republic today. And if not for the Republic, then for your companion and her kin.”
“Way ahead of you, uncle,” said Hider with a roll of his eyes. T3-G4 let loose a bleep, but the former criminal scolded the droid and told it to shut up.
“Wow. And here I thought we were going to have a shouting contest between those two,” said Sweetie Drops.
“Indeed, creamy one,” replied Chessk. “It may not look like it at first, but Admiral Karath does seem to care deeply for his nephew.”
“It’s rude to talk about others behind their back, you know. Wouldn’t want to leave this ship on bad terms with a Republic Fleet Admiral, do you?” scolded Master Darran. Both Chessk and Sweetie shook their heads. “Then I’d advise that you leave family matters to Hider and the Admiral. Their relationship is none of your concern.”
“Yes, Master Jedi!” said the now flustered Trandoshan. “I will leave our ship captain alone.”
“Same,” replied Sweetie Drops.
“Good. Because we need to discuss our plan against the Mandalorian threat,” said Master Darran. He then tilted his head toward the Fleet Admiral. “Admiral Karath, you mentioned you have something in mind regarding the upcoming fight?”
“I do, yes. But I won’t discuss it until our other guests arrive,” replied the Admiral.
“Other guests?” asked Lyra.
Suddenly, the bridge exit door flung open, revealing yet another Republic Naval officer. Lyra immediately recognized this person. It was Lieutenant Dodonna. The woman she met back on Ord Mantell and again on Dantooine. She wasn’t alone either. To the Padawan’s shock, two people dressed in Jedi attire were flanking the woman at both sides. “Sir, I brought the Jedi task force you requested,” said the Lieutenant.
“Good,” replied Admiral Karath. “Now we can get this meeting started.”
Master Darran frowned. “What is the meaning of this, Saul?” he asked with disdain.
“I do not know what you mean, Master Jedi. Surely, given the gravity of the situation, you’d accept the help of your fellow Jedi.”
“That is not what I meant, Admiral.”
“Be at ease, Master Darran. We’re not here looking for a fight,” said the Jedi flanking Lieutenant Dodonna’s right. Stepping forward, the Jedi removed the hood of his robes, revealing not only a man’s face, but a person that Lyra knew.
“Jordan!” the mare cried out.
“Who?” asked Hider.
“The man that my Padawan told you about back on Coruscant,” Darran explained while still expressing a bit of disdain in his voice. “So, you and your companion here were the ones that I sensed when we first boarded this ship.”
Lyra frowned “Wait, you knew these Jedi were here, Master?” she asked with a puzzled expression. “I don’t understand. If two Jedi were here, how come I didn’t sense anything at all?”
“Hah! You see, Jordan. I told you she wouldn’t be able to sense us!” shouted the other robbed Jedi, causing Lyra to tilt her head. How strange. She could tell this Jedi was male given the tone of his voice, but that wasn’t what bothered her. It was the fact that he personally took pleasure in her failure.
Master Darran shook his head, seemingly unimpressed with the still robbed Jedi’s attitude. “I’m not going to make excuses for Lyra for the mistakes she made, but you of all people should know why I chose her,” he replied, sternly. “Your snarky attitude hasn’t changed one bit, Luka. Nor has military experience changed your desire to do better than my Padawan.”
Lyra gasped as the second Jedi removed his hood, revealing his face to everyone. The man, who was just as young as Jordan, stared at Lyra and gave off a boastful smirk, causing her to wince. Standing six feet tall with a face that attracted many girls, both human and alien alike, was Luka Emira. Another clanmate of hers during her Initiate days.
“And you of all people should know, Master, is that I was supposed to be your Padawan! Not her!” exclaimed Luka.
Master Darran said nothing. He merely shook his head in displeasure as the Serennian Jedi glared at him in anger. In response to his silence, Luka shouted at the Jedi Master again as a means to get his attention, but Darran didn’t take the bait. Rather, he allowed the arrogant Jedi’s anger to fester, forcing Admiral Karath to kick the young man out of the bridge.
“Until he calms down, I do not want that brat on board my bridge! Understood!” berated the Admiral. Jordan and Lieutenant Dodonna nodded their heads solemnly and escorted Luka out of the room.
Lyra frowned. It saddened her to see her fellow clanmate like this. Luka was a skilled Jedi, no doubt. However, his desire to be better always got in the way. While there is nothing wrong with self-improvement, the passion burning in his heart only drew concerns of many. Because of this, Luka was the last Initiate in their clan to be chosen as a Padawan.
“Jeez, talk about temper issues,” said Hider as he watched a duo of Republic officers escort Luka out of the bridge. “What’s that guy's deal anyway? He sounded like he had a grudge against Lyra.”
T3-G4 let loose a loud blur, which heard a nod of approval from Chessk. “I concur. And he seemed rather pleased to hear that our little Jedi failed to sense him and this Jordan fellow,” said the Trandoshan.
“Hey, I didn’t think there’d be any more Jedi besides me and my Master, alright!” countered Lyra, which was followed up with a frown. “As for who that Jedi was, that’s Luka Emira. He, Jordan, and I were all part of the same Jedi Initiate clan several years ago. Out of all of us, Luka was the most skilled with the lightsaber. So skilled, that many Jedi Masters believed that he’d be chosen to be my Master’s Padawan learner.”
“But I refused and chose Lyra instead,” Darran explained. “Luka is skilled, that much is true. In fact, he outclasses my Padawan in terms of lightsaber combat. But he’s quick to anger, and his passion to become the best there ever was clouds his judgement.”
“So, he’s jealous because you chose my daughter instead of him?” asked Platinum as an angry scowl form on her lips.
“Correct. Lyra may not be the best when it comes to saber combat, but I saw the potential in her. Despite her lack of combat skills, I saw a young lady who was not only attuned to the Force, but also bright and disciplined. It’s because of these traits that I chose her to be my student. The first in her clan to become a Padawan learner.”
Suddenly, a round of applause erupted among the group of ponies. Whether they were applauding Master Darran for his speech or Lyra for her accomplishments, it didn’t really matter that much to the two Jedi. “If you are all done clapping, I suggest that you allow the Admiral to take the floor,” said Master Darran. “He and the other admirals had composed a battle plan and would like to share it with you all.”
“Thank you, Master Jedi,” replied Admiral Saul Karath. Walking over to a nearby computer table, he pressed a button that caused a holographic image of a planet to appear.
“Is that… our home?” asked Sweetie Drops.
“Correct, Private. In the coming battle against the Mandalorians, we will be engaging our enemies in an environment none of you have experienced,” the Admiral explained. “The battle for your home planet will not be won by armies marching on land. Rather, we shall face our foe in the depths of space.”
“Wow. A space battle, huh?” A smile cracked on Sweetie’s lips as a small chuckle escaped her breath. “Jeez. The sci-fi nuts I know back home would be hyperventilating right now if they heard this.”
“Who cares about a bunch of nerds fawning over a dogfight in space. What I want to know is how you intend to get us to rendezvous with our Princess,” said Platinum.
“You’ll have to rely on my nephew for that,” answered the Admiral. “His ship is large enough to fit all of you and it is fast. Faster than some of the starfighters on this fleet. His main priority will be to take you home first then rejoin the battle when he’s done.”
Hider sighed. “Giving me orders already? Sheesh. You really don’t waste time, do you uncle? Fine, I’ll do it. Just make sure you tell your soldiers to keep those Mandalorians off my back, alright?”
“Of course, nephew. You have my thanks.”
“I just hope it’ll be nighttime in Equestria when we arrive,” said one pony from the group. “If the public were to witness a flying ship coming out of nowhere, it might cause a panic. I doubt that even Princess would be capable of calming the masses in a short amount of time.”
“If it happens, so be it,” replied Chessk. “It was a mistake for you ponies to keep space travel a secret. Better to let the public know rather than keep your people in the dark.”
“Are you just saying that because of what happened between you and your cousin?” asked Sweetie Drops.
“Perhaps.”
“I could care less about the Princesses decision. The sooner we get you equines home, the better,” replied the Admiral. He frowned. “You primitive equines are simply not ready for this fight. It’ll be best that you stay out of the way and let the Republic handle it.”
Platinum winced. “Are you saying we’re nothing but a distraction to you, Admiral?”
“I am, yes!” Saul rebuked. “Frankly, I don’t understand the Senate’s decision to allow you equines to come on my ship and be a part of this fight. It’s too dangerous. You may be part of your nation’s military, Captain, but by no means does that make you ready for what’s to come. To be honest, I would’ve preferred that we left ponies behind on Coruscant first. But orders are orders. If I have to deal with you lot myself, then so be it.”
The ponies stared at the Admiral in shock, appalled by his choice of words. “Did he just curse out loud, twice?” asked a random mare from the group.
“Really, Corporal Woolie? That’s what you are worried about?” replied Platinum Impact.
“Well, yes, but… the cursing, it’s…” The mare fumbled her words as all eyes fell upon her. Seeing this, the mare’s cheeks turned bright red. “Please excuse my rambling, Admiral. I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”
Admiral Karath rolled his eyes. “I will never understand why you equines are so stingy with your choice of vocabulary.”
“It is what it is, Admiral. Distractions cast aside; do you have anything else you’d like to say?” asked Master Darran.
“Nothing more, really. Unless the equines have anything else to say, our meeting is just about finished,” replied the Admiral. Saul waited patiently for the ponies to speak up; however, when nopony said nothing for a whole minute, he pushed the same button on the computer again, causing the holographic image of Lyra’s home to dissipate. “Well, if no one else has anything left to say, then I guess this meeting is adjourned.”
“Wait a second!” shouted a stallion from the group. His outburst caused everyone to look at him directly in the eye, including Lyra. “Forgive me, Admiral. I did not mean to shout like that but hear me out! I am Sergeant Halberd from the Captain’s platoon. And before you adjourn this meeting, there is one last thing you should know about our home.”
The Admiral raised a brow. “Oh, really? Do go on, Sergeant. I’m all ears.”
“The Mare on the Moon,” replied Halberd.
“The what?” Lyra asked. She really didn’t understand what this stallion was trying to say, but the pale looks on everypony’s face made her realize that something was up. “Um… was there something wrong with my question? I’m sorry if I don’t recall any fairy tales from back home, but can somepony please explain who this Mare on the Moon is?”
“Are you serious, Lyra? You don’t know the tale of the Mare on the Moon?” Sweetie asked, bewildered by her friend’s lack of knowledge.
“No, I don’t! Who is she? And why are all of you looking so pale when the Sergeant mentioned her?”
“I’d like to ask the same thing,” said Admiral Karath. “Keeping secrets is something I very much dislike, especially when a mission is on the line. So, spill it out equines. Who is this Mare on the Moon, and explain why you didn’t tell anyone about this until now?”
Platinum sighed. “It’s not like we didn’t want to tell you, Admiral. It’s because we don’t know if you’ll believe us or if she’ll play a part in the battle.”
“Oh, really? Then please, do go on, Captain. Explain why this Mare in the Moon is causing you so much worry.”
The Captain nodded as she proceeded to tell everyone about Equestrian history and the rise of the two Royal sisters, Princesses Celestia and Luna. A millennia ago, there were two rulers of Equestira. One ruled during the day while the other ruled the night. These two ponies, or alicorns as Platinum described it, brought peace and harmony to their land.
But as time went on, the populace grew to adore only the solar Princess while her sister was cast aside. In Luna’s perspective, nopony appreciated her night. She did everything she could to gain the adoration of her suspects: throw festivals, create meteor showers, anything that she could do to get ponies to pay attention to her. But despite all her efforts, she was ignored. And to make matters worse, when she brought her concerns to her sister, the Solar Princess made the same mistake as her subjects by casting her young demoralized sister aside.
Filled to brim with jealousy, the enraged Lunar Princess staged a rebellion against her eldest sister. By enlisting the help of Bat ponies, Luna dubbed herself as Nightmare Moon and waged a rebellion against her sister and the entire pony populace. The result was a civil war that Equestria had never seen. Thousands died. And to make matters worse, Nightmare Moon endangered the entire land by threatening to cast everlasting night on Equestria.
Upon hearing this tale, Lyra tilted her head. This fable, it’s as if she heard of it before. A long time ago in fact when she was a mere filly. Closing her eyes, she slowly began to recall her father telling a similar tale as a bedtime story. Though he didn’t mention anything about a civil war, the mention of ponies fighting each other for dominance seemed like a ridiculous notion.
Regardless, she continued to listen to her mother’s tale. Eventually, the story finished with Princess Celestia reigning in on her sister’s rebellion. Using the artifacts known as the Elements of Harmony, Nightmare Moon was soundly defeated. But she wasn’t killed. The Solar Princess couldn’t bear to kill her own sister, so she did what she thought was right, by banishing her to the moon.
“So, let me get this straight. There is a millennia old Princess who is currently residing on the moon who happens to be a tyrant that caused a bloody civil war in an effort to usurp her sister from the throne,” said Hider as Platinum concluded her tale. The former smuggler twitched. “I don’t mean to be rude, but that sounds like complete bantha fodder.”
“I know it’s hard to believe but what I’m telling you is the absolute truth,” exclaimed Platinum. “Our Princess confirmed it herself. Her sister, the same one that tried to overthrow her a millennia ago, still resides on the moon to this very day!”
No response came from the Fleet Admiral. He didn’t even bother to look at the ponies directly, preferring to stare at the empty void of space in front of him. Master Darran was strangely silent as well. The only reaction the ponies got from him was a rub of his chin.
Lyra curled her lip. She wanted to say something but given the situation, she didn’t know what to say or believe. The Mare in the Moon is a fairy tale told to colts and fillies. There was no way that this legend was real, right?
The awkward silence was eventually broken when Master Darran finally spoke up. “This Mare in the Moon. Do you think she might pose a threat to both sides?” he asked, shocking almost everyone in the room.
“You… you believe us?” asked Platinum Impact.
“You believe them!” shouted Hider.
The Jedi Master shook his head. “Not necessarily. I do think that the idea of an individual surviving on the moon is ludicrous. However, the Force says otherwise. You are not lying, Captain Impact. And neither of your compatriots.”
“So, the Force is saying that they are telling the truth?” asked Chessk.
“It’s not just the Force, my friend. The truth can also be found just by listening to the Captain’s words. Not once did she ever stutter during her tale. The way she spoke, it was genuine and honest. However, words alone cannot sway an entire group of people. Just like how some Jedi use the Force to prove its existence to the masses, the only way to determine that the Mare in the Moon story is real is by seeing the mare herself.”
Admiral Karath sighed. “So, the only way of knowing whether or not this mare exists is to visit the planet ourselves?” he asked. Master Darran replied with a nod, which only irked the Admiral even further. “Would you Jedi be able to use your powers to sense anything in the depths of space?”
Lyra tilted her head. “Well, a skilled Jedi in the Sense abilities might be able to pinpoint any life forms. Though it may be difficult to do out in the middle of space.”
“Yeah, I guess floating through the empty void of space would make it difficult for any Jedi to sense anything out there,” replied Hider.
“Not to mention we don’t understand the full capabilities of equine magic,” Darran followed up. “For all we know, it could be similar to the Force or something greater in power. If this Princess Celestia is powerful enough to move an entire star, then it is possible that she has enough power to exile her sibling to the moon.”
Rubbing his forehead in frustration, the Admiral let out another sigh. “Then I suppose we’ll just have to take these equine words for granted,” he said, earning the sigh of relief of everypony. “I still think the whole tale is a load of bull, but I’ll take the word of a Jedi Master over a pack of talking animals.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” shouted Private Drops but was immediately scolded by Platinum for shouting back at a superior officer. When she was finished, they were dismissed by Admiral Karath. There wasn’t much to talk about anymore so almost everypony left the bridge to tour the rest of the ship.
Lyra joined them too, but she couldn’t stop thinking about Nightmare Moon. Is she real? Was she more than just a story? Frankly, she didn’t know. It’s just like Hider said, it sounds ridiculous. But the Force provides many mysteries that even the Jedi Masters don’t know.
Perhaps this Nightmare Moon does exist. If she does, Lyra could only pray that this mare won’t become a problem.