In orbit the knights of Strike Team Sparkle stood shoulder to shoulder in their mech units between Terra, and an entire fleet of warships. They had no idea how they were going to stop them. All they knew was that their friend, and their sovereign were down there, and they were the only things standing between them and annihilation. They desperately hailed as many ships as they could but more often than not to no avail.
Rarity hailed the Damocles. "This is Sir Rarity of Strike Team Sparkle assigned to the I.N.S. Damocles ordering an immediate stand down!"
A seasoned voice responded. "This is Admiral Davenport of the I.N.S. Damocles to Sir Rarity. We have immediate orders from the Viceroy to fire on the Imperial palace and stop a rogue Celestia from resuming her reign of terror."
Rarity pleaded with the Admiral. "Charles! Clearly something is wrong! Please! I beg of you! At least wait for verification!"
The Admiral didn't respond for a long while. A glimmer of hope shone in Rarity's heart for just a moment. "Sorry ma'am. Every second we argue is a second longer that Luna has to contain Celestia. We can't risk her returning to tyranny."
"OH FUCK YOU CHARLES!" Rarity screamed and cut the connection. Several ships believed the hails and pleas, but several ships descended into lower orbit and assumed firing positions.
Pinkie Pie pulled her pink curls in desperation and screamed. "What do we do?! WHAT DO WE DO?!"
Rarity had no more choice. She took careful aim at the ship who's macrocannons were already warming up and fired. She closed her eyes with regret and pulled the trigger. Her mechs rifle tore straight through the bridge and scuttled the ship instantly. It broke apart in a crackle of blue flame as it's atmosphere ignited. It started at the bridge and spread to the bow and stern. That was it. The Solar civil war was begun.
**********************************
Twilight burst into the throne room and horror greeted her. She saw her liege, her mentor, her best friend, beaten broken, and bloodied, laying on the floor against her throne. Celestia even in her most tender moments had always shone with a greatness that pierced to the heart of all who beheld her. Now she appeared a wreck of a woman, her long ethereal hair stilled and matted with blood. Her face was bruised and bleeding from the eyes. Her expression, not one of anger or pain or even desperation. It was of loss. Celestia lay there a broken woman. She had been so shocked by Luna's betrayal that she hadn't resisted.
Twilight walked towards her like in a nightmare. Every step she took towards the fallen idol, the farther away she seemed. She bent down to try and touch the mangled form when a blast of cold psychic energy hit her in the side painfully, knocking her across the room. Twilight had the wind knocked out of her and she gasped and coughed for air. She painfully got to all fours and tried to get her breath back. She saw through eyes clouded with pain that someone was walking towards her. She felt herself lifted up and saw her. Luna. The Lunar Viceroy. Luna looked on her like a meddlesome child interrupting a solemn occasion. She flung Twilight out of the throne room like she was discarding a piece of trash.
"These people." Twilight heard her say to Celestia. "They've always loved you. Even when you were glassing their cities and imposing your will they loved you. I've never understood it." She raised a hand to deliver the coup de grace. "I didn't think it'd be this easy. I guess all these centuries of being worshipped like a goddess has made you weak. Goodby sis~" She was cut off by Twilight flying back in and slashing her hard with her sword. Luna flew straight through a stained glass window featuring herself challenging Celestia.
Twilight landed beside Celestia and pulled an arm over her shoulder. "Come on! We have to get out of here, they're gonna nuke us."
Celestia didn't rest her weight on Twilight and she gently pulled her arm back down. "Go." Was all she said.
Twilight stared aghast at what she'd just heard. "Celestia." she whispered in dismay. Twilight was knocked through a wall by Luna flying back through the broken window. She was glowing like the full moon and radiated fury. Twilight cried out in pain as she stopped, but quickly turned and slashed at the Viceroy. Her eyes glowed and she grit her teeth as she slashed wildly at her attacker. Luna flew away from her and Twilight put herself between the Viceroys. Her breathing was labored and she could barely stand, but she was too angry to die just yet.
Luna called out in a cold commanding voice. "Be gone Twilight Sparkle. Do not meddle in the affairs of your betters."
Twilight cried. "Luna stop this! This is murder!"
Luna gave a mirthless laugh. "Was it murder when your beloved sovereign turned the shining city of Manehattan to glass and ash because they refused to bow the knee to her? Or how about the millions of others she slaughtered by her own hand during the unification wars Twilight? Were those murder?"
Twilight was aware of Celestia shifting behind her. "Twilight, she's right. I've never faced justice for what I've done."
Luna finally grew angry. "And yet she's the one touted as a goddess. She's hailed as the founder of the Solar Empire. The empire that WE BUILT! Together! And she adds to it more worlds day by day Twilight! She lusts for power still. I'm going to end this. I'm going to do what I should've done a thousand years ago."
Celestia spoke, "Twilight. Go. Serve my Sister. I'm sure she'll rule the empire better than I ever did."
Luna laughed, this time with a spiteful mirth. "No sister, not an Empire. No. I shall found a new government. One where it's laws shall not be decreed by fiat. I shall establish a Republic. And usher in a glorious new age of liberty and security. Planets will be free to join or leave as they see fit. And I will rule over it by consent! Do you not see Twilight? The empire has failed. It's devolved into a corrupt cesspool of merchants controlling worlds and pirates scraping up what's left! Celestia has led us all into ruin."
Twilight didn't answer. She merely held her sword out in front of her in the same stance as when she sparred. All that mattered was her liege lord was in danger and she was her vassal. "I pledge my life to your service, and on my honor I swear that I shall secure your realms, or I shall die in the attempt." Twilight's breath slowed. "That was the oath I took." Twilight glared at Luna. "Do you remember your oath Luna? You swore an oath in blood to uphold the constitution of the Solar Empire. A constitution your citizens presented YOU WITH. A tyrant often uses fair words to topple governments and seize power, but if you cannot hold faith with an oath how can you think you are fit to found a government?!"
Luna ground her teeth. "I WILL NOT BE TAUGHT MY BUSINESS BY AN IMPUDENT CHILD!" and she loosed a wave of psychic fury at Twilight.