//------------------------------// // Other Side // Story: My Little Pony: Exiles of the Empire // by Hikarikurai24587 //------------------------------// Chapter Twenty Four: Other Side A clone sat in the Medbay under the watchful eye of one of the Clones who became a traitor. One of the so called “Bad Batch”. He glanced around wondering why they were all in there. There was no point in keeping them alive. The clone sighed as he glanced around at his brothers, seeing them all keeping a watchful eye on their single guard. He looked at the clone sitting next to him before asking. “What do you think they’re planning?” "Couldn't be anything good I'm sure of that. These no good traitors are nothing but trouble." The clone responded looking back. The first clone nodded his head as he kept his eye on Tech. He wasn’t sure why they were left alive. It was obvious that their lives didn’t matter, he shifted to get into a better position to keep an eye on the door. “I hear that Skywalker led the assault.” the clone said folding his arms across his chest as he leaned back. "That is correct." Tech said, eyeing some nearby monitors and typed away. The clone shot Tech a glare before looking at the one next to him. The clones began to whisper around them, most about the stories that they heard. Tech stopped what he was doing and looked around at the clones. "You aren't dead because we want to save you, help you. Do you really think that the Jedi you served under for so long and grew strong bonds with would actually do what the Emperor claims they did?" “We don’t, but it was either settle down or keep serving.” another Clone spoke up, an older clone his armor damaged. Signs that he served in the Clone Wars. “These younger ones haven’t really met the Jedi.” "You aren't aware of this, but every single one of you has a chip placed in their brain created for the sole purpose of serving the now Emperor when the time was right. We're going to do what we can to bring you, my brothers, back to normal." Tech said as he moved back over to the monitors. The older clone shook his head as he sat back down when the door slid open. Most of the clones had heard about Equestrians, about their planet, about those that fled, but they had never seen one before. She walked  with a firm grace as she surveyed them with her turquoise eyes. Her mane was moving on its own with stars shining brightly within it. A deep set frown was on her face as if trying to figure them out before she turned to Tech speaking to him softly. Tech nodded, his head still facing the monitor as he was typing away. He spoke something to her in return but the clones couldn't make it out. “I don’t like this, Bomber.” the clone mumbled under his breath as two more ponies walked in. They didn’t have the horn nor the wings of the one currently talking to Tech. Yet a hat was placed on their heads as they looked at the first Equestrian. "I don't either Flare but what can we do? They have us restrained." The clone next to Bomber said as he showed himself trying to break free but to no avail. Flare frowned but the one talking to Tech looked in their direction and he shifted to hide Bombrer’s hand movements. One of the Equestrians approached them, setting down the bag and greeted them politely. “Hello, my name is Nurse Tenderheart, I heard there was injured here. How are you two feeling?” "Like I want to break free from these restraints and take you traitors out!" Bomber yelled, trying to break free once again. Tenderheart backed away from them huffing as Flare glared at her as well. Her reaction no one was expecting. Her hoof went between the restraints before yanking it downwards so she was looking Bomber in the eye as she spoke. “Listen to me, I was brought here to treat the injuries of all of you. Now settle down and behave before I have to get creative. Either way you get treated, do you understand me?” All eyes in the room was on Tenderheart and Bomber. Bomber had a shocked expression on his face as he quickly mumbled. “Yes ma’am!” “Good.” Tenderheart said before releasing the restraints as she turned to address the entire room. “That goes for the rest of you as well. Our main purpose here isn’t to cause anymore injuries, but to treat them. I do not want to hear a single word towards us unless it is about said damage to your bodies. No comments about traitors or anything of the sort towards us. If you want to say it to your comrades please do so in a low voice, we need to keep our focus.” The clones nodded their heads as Tenderheart looked at Flare and Bomber one more times asking. “Are there any injuries I should be aware of?” “No ma’aam.” Flare stated glancing over at Bomber. Bomber wanted to say something sarcastic but knew not to mess with Tenderheart so he just shook his head in response. Tenderheard smiled before fishing through her bag holding up two sweets handing it to them saying. “Thank you, now these are for you, I have to continue.” Flare took them both as Tenderheart moved on passing one over to Bomber but not unwrapping his. “I wasn’t expecting her to be so strong.” “I wasn’t expecting her to give us these sweets, she think we’re kids or something?” Bomber remarked but he happily snacked on it anyway. Flare looked at it as he twirled the treat between his fingers saying. “Maybe, or she’s just used to kids so she has them on her. Why are they doing this?” “Don’t ask me, your guess is as good as mine.” Bomber said, rolling his eyes. Flare sighed as he glanced around shaking his head. “This doesn’t make any sense, though we don’t know much about these Equestrians… well other than the name and that there are those who are harboring the…..” Flare glanced at Tenderheart choosing his next words carefully. “Escapees. What’s their angle? Their goal in all of this?” Bomber shrugged when he glanced over at the older clone from earlier who was just staring at the two of them. “Got something you wanna say to us old Eagle?” Eagle chuckled before speaking. “You two are some of the best chatterboxes I have ever seen. I can answer one of your questions just from observing them. These Equestrians don’t have an angle, their goal is the same as ours. Survival. They are far from home with technology that is probably far more advanced than what they have. Even out this far there was no sign of Equestrian colonies and I haven’t seen anything like them before.” “Well it’s not like we can do much else except talk so what do you expect?” Bomber said in return before looking back to Flare. “I don’t know, I’m used to people shooting at us or hurling insults towards us.” Flare replied watching as another nurse walked past them. She was a lighter blue color instead of the light yellow of Tenderheart. She glanced at them before saying. “Well one thing you should know about Equestrians, we’re a peaceful folk, very friendly.” Bomber didn’t know exactly how to respond to that as all he really knew about was fighting. Flare glanced down at his own hands as the Equestrian walked away. Once she was out of ear shot he mumbled. “I think we should behave for now, see what we can learn.” “Whatever you say, I’m just itching to get back into some action.” Bomber replied, looking away. Flare nodded his head knowing the feeling. He was looking back at the third Equestrian in the room who was keeping an eye on them all. She hadn’t said a word to them keeping close to Tech. Judging from her appearance Flare began to speculate her importance to the society. Tech seemed to hold some respect for her, which was odd for a member of the “Bad Batch” to show respect for anyone who didn’t prove themselves. It was hours since the Equestrians had left the medbay and Flare was starting to feel anxious. Their only guard was Tech, though Wrecker did poke his head in once in a while just in case he was needed. Flare was nervous about where they were being taken. What would be done to them once they reached their destination. Eagle didn’t seem nervous at all, but this didn’t seem to calm his nerves. The door slid open revealing the Jedi that had been the one to claim the vessel. Behind him was his apprentice carrying a plate with large amounts of food on it that seem to be stacked so high that it could fall. It didn’t as he managed to set the plate of food on a nearby table. Bomber still looked unsettled being here, though he knew at this point anything he would try to do would be fruitless so he just pretended not to notice everyone. “I brought food, in case all of you are hungry.” the apprentice said, a different species than the Equestrians, having  a more reptilian appearance. The Jedi, Flare recognized, as General Skywalker. The apprentice’s voice pulled Flare out of his thoughts before he could even continue that. “I’m not sure if you guys have had nachos before, but according to… I’ve been known to make some of the best.” Eagle's eyes laid on Skywalker as he called out. "You used to be his apprentice, weren't you?" He sat up to get a bit more comfortable. "Kenobi's." “Yes, I was.” Skywalker replied, his breath hitching for but a moment as his apprentice flew up to take the plates from his hands. "He was a good General, the finest I think I would ever serve. I'm not sure if he still lives after all that happened but, I wish I could apologize. I was there that day...as a paratrooper on Utapau." Eagle remarked as he slightly shifted his eyes away. Skywalker sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck before his hand dropped. A sign of remembering that day, the day the Order went out. "I was definitely under the influence of the...whatever Tech said earlier. But that day for some reason I felt a desire to protect my general so I got Cody to stop the search claiming that there was no way he survived. I like to think he did…" Eagle sighed as he tried to look at Anakin straight in the eyes. Anakin smiled saying. “Thanks for that. Look, I’m going to be honest with all of you, we’re going to try something to remove all the chips in your heads. If you still want to serve the Empire after all of this, I’m sure that the Equestrian leaders can figure someplace to put you guys. However these people need your help; They lack soldiers, protectors, warriors, people who can aid them with things they have very little knowledge on.” "I have been living with the same nightmare ever since the order went out, I thought that I was just as guilty as the rest of my brothers so I served the Emperor. But seeing you, and being here I want to think that I can make a difference, atone for my sins. If you will have me." Eagle responded, his hand moving to his head in a salute. Flare looked between the two before looking down just as Anakin returned the salute. The apprentice was standing there holding up a plate of the nachos. He accepted the plate carefully as the apprentice walked away. Flare wasn’t sure what he was going to do, fighting to protect the Republic was all that he was trained to do. It was all that he had ever known, even if it was the Empire now. However he had noticed that they only had a handful of clones, a Jedi, a Jedi Padawan, and two pilots. Flare glanced at Bomber as another plate was held up. Forgetting the warnings of the nurse Bomber stood up in a rage. "Chips? The Jedi something to respect?! It's all a lie, every bit of it! They don't deserve our help, they deserve what all the other traitors got!!!" Anakin was about to say something as the door slid open. Tenderheart walking in saying. “We’ve arrived. Celestia will be arriving….” Her eyes landed on Bomber as the apprentice backed away. She blinked a few times asking. “Did I come in at a bad moment?” Flare wanted to facepalm at their bad luck. Eagle held out his arm to try and stop Bomber but he tried to make a run for it. The apprentice began to move after him as Tenderheart spun around and kicked back with her hindlegs, her hooves slamming into Bomber’s shins. Flare saw a visible wince on the apprentice’s face as a crack filled the air. Flare noticed that it was the armor that made the sound, having absorbed most of the damage but shattering under the force of the kick. Bomber felt the shock throughout his body as he fell to the ground unconscious. Flare watched as Tenderheart began to nudge him out of the way. Once the door was cleared did it open revealing another Equestrian with a rather colorful mane. “Hey Anakin, Celestia’s on the bridge, she wants them all there.” she spoke before glancing at the unconscious Bomber before looking back at Anakin. “Do I even want to know?” "It's best we just get him while he's unconscious. As for the rest of the clones we should have them bound as a precaution as we take them over to her." Anakin replied looking down at the Equestrian. She nodded her head as she looked behind her. “I just hope this works, not that I’m doubting the Princess it’s just this would have worked so much better if we had the Elements of Harmony.” “I don’t think the Elements would have worked with an object causing what’s going on.” the apprentice said as Flare decided to eat the food on the plate. He needed to gain more information. If there was a chance that they could take control of the ship it would be useful. However with Eagle siding with Skywalker it would be a lot harder. The “Bad Batch” walked in ready to escort the clones. The group made their way to Celestia on the bridge. Wrecker carrying the unconscious Bomber and laid him in front of her. "He's all yours." Flare looked at Celestia, she was taller than the Equestrians even taller than the one who visited the room with the Nurses. Same species of Equestrian though, with the horn, wings, and the mane that flowed without a single breeze present. She had a gentle look on her face as she stood in front of the binary suns shining through the window. She made no speeches as a glow surrounded her horn, a pale gold. Her wings spread as she began to focus, magenta eyes glowing white. A large bird-like creature flying out of the sun towards them. Flare closed his eyes as it passed through the ship and through him. Any wounds he had sealing shut, but his mind began to feel light. The normal heaviness in his mind fading causing him to stagger. Even though he was unconscious, Bomber experienced a dream where he was back in the Clone Wars, at the time Order 66 was about to occur. He felt a certain freedom, something he felt he forgot as he stood there looking at the battle before him. The Jedi fighting the battle droids, and the call coming through to the Clones to carry out the order. He threw his comlink at the ground as he cried out. "I will not do it! I will not betray my General!" A shrill cry echoed in the area, the memory changing as a large bird shining like the sun flew overhead. The Jedi glancing up at it as two massive wolves walked past the Battle Droids. One a light gold with pink, dark blue, and green mixed in its fur. A strange star upon its head, a metallic gold color. The other was pale grey with purple mixed in, red eyes, the same star-like symbol upon its chest, white but lighting up pink within its fur. Both watched him, the light gold one calmly while the greyish one licked its chops. Bomber watched the spectacle in confusion, yet he felt a sense of calmness around him. A peace he never felt before. “Awaken.” the golden wolf spoke, a calm female voice, as it watched him with green eyes. Bomber awoke from being unconscious as he looked at Celestia, her appearance seeming almost angelic to him. Celestia smiled before looking over at Skywalker saying. “I think that did it, perhaps we should rendezvous with Twilight’s Vigil before we get anymore questions as to our presence here. Commander Rex can only stall for so long.” "You really are something, your majesty. And yes, you're right." Anakin responded back with a smile. Celestia nodded relaxing for a single moment and she collapsed.