The Pomum system was a small system that orbited a large red star, hence the name. The Armada of the Imperial Navy sat in high orbit above the planet Pomum Dulce, a scenic little green marble with large fields of rolling prairies. The language in which the planet had been named was long since dead so the apple clan, as Applejack called it, always referred to their homeworld as Sweet Apple. They spread out in a wide deployment to cover as much ground as possible. Applejack had no shortage of stories of fighting off slaver raids on her farm, much that they'd been brushed up on ad nauseum on this voyage, so they knew pirates must have operations in the area. The knights of Strike Team Sparkle prepared for deployment.
Rarity asked, "Alright Applejack, since you're the resident expert, where's a good place to. . ." She turned and saw that Applejack was not in the room. "Applejack?"
S.P.I.K.E. poured Twilight a cup of tea and chimed in apathetically, "She just deployed."
Rarity made an incoherent noise of disbelief and rage. "Without orders?!" They looked and saw that yes, one single drop pod had deployed.
Rainbow Dash gave a toothy grin. "Oh she wants a race does she."
Twilight sipped her tea and quipped, "Then you'd better move if you want to beat Pinkie Pie."
Rainbow snapped her head around and saw that Pinkie was indeed no longer in the room. They looked on the view screen and saw that Pinkie was already in her suit, boosting towards the planet below. She dropped a depth charge behind her for a firework effect and waved with her giant hand. "Mother FUCKERY!" Rainbow barked as she sprinted for the launch bay.
She managed to use her suit's boosters to catch all the way up with Applejack's drop pod, and she knocked on it several times out of spite. She saw Pinkie's suit far down below and set her boosters to maximum to try and catch up. She closed the distance quickly and unexpectedly passed her. Pinkie had completely shut down her boosters. Rainbow grinned. "Hah! Too fast for ya Pinkie?" She called over her suit's communicator.
Instead of seeing Pinkie's big pink curls and smiling face, she saw Rarity's sneering grimace. "Dash. . . Where do you think you're going?"
Rainbow eased off the throttle only slightly. "What? We're going to see Applejack's family. Aren't we?"
Rarity rolled her eyes. "Yes and where exactly on this planet do they live? Hrmm?" Rarity purred with sarcasm. Rainbow stopped dead in her tracks. Then and only then did it occur to her that only Applejack knew where exactly on this big green dirt ball they were hurtling towards was her family orchard. Pinkie Pie came alongside sheepishly and called. "Yeah, I didn't think this through either." They both had to wait and trail behind Applejack's drop pod.
Applejack had been so excited that the second she saw her homeworld she couldn't wait any longer and jumped in the first drop pod she came across. She hit the dirt and the canister opened up directly onto Twilight and S.P.I.K.E. enjoying their tea, a shimmering bubble of psychic energy keeping the rich topsoil that Applejack's pod had tossed up from falling into it. Applejack stepped out slowly and rubbed an arm in embarrassment. "Oh yeah. . . Rahght. Y'all can teleport."
The two mechs that had followed finally landed with an earth rending thud and both knights slowly made their way to the others. "Now what have we learned about deploying without orders?" Twilight cooed teasingly.
Each hung their head in shame and muttered like scolded children. "We're sorry Viceroy."
Their chastisement was cut short by a single large caliber round plinking off of Applejack's drop pod, and a deep voice calling out over a loudspeaker. "Ah told y'all sons a bitches never to come back round these parts!"
Pinkie and Rainbow Dash made to bolt back to their mechs, and Twilight began to glow, but Applejack let out a deafeningly loud, "YEEEHAAAW!!!" That left all of them wincing.
The voice called out questioningly. "Applejack?!" Suddenly a giant industrial walker started stomping towards them at top speed. Applejack bolted towards it and the three remaining women just stared in confusion. When the big green walker came into view they saw it had a giant chainsaw mounted to one of its mechanical arms, a flamethrower on the other, and its cockpit was surmounted by two larger caliber turrets. When the walker was within two steps of stomping on Applejack it stopped on a dime, and a large blonde haired man leapt out with a loud, "YEEEHAW!"
Applejack jumped bodily into the man's rather large arms and he spun her around like a ragdoll. "BIG MACINTOSH!" Applejack cried, tears in her eyes. "Sheeyoot dontcha reconahze yer own kin when ya see em?" And she picked him bodily up in a crushing embrace.
"Well shit sis! All ah heard was a crash in the lawn and a whole heapin helpin a robots standin there, ah thought we was under attack from them no good varmints on the other sahde a the hill there!" Big Macintosh said grinning.
Applejack began to drag him by the hand towards the landing site. "Well come on! Lemme introduce ya to the gals!" They all met in the middle and the landing party bowed reverently. "This here's Pinkie Pie, she's a mineral worlder." Applejack whispered, "And completely nuts." She gestured to Rainbow Dash. "This here's Rainbow Dash, she's mah bestest buddy." She reached an arm around Rainbow's neck and gave her a noogie. "This here's S.P.I.K.E. he's one a them ghosts in a shell, and THIS." She gave a grand sweeping gesture towards Twilight. "Is Twilight Sparkle." She nudged her brother. "Y'all know, the Viceroy."
Big MacIntosh reflexatorily dropped to one knee. "Beggin y'all's pardon yer majesty. Didn't rightly know to be expectin royalty."
Twilight blushed deeply. Crowds and parades were one thing, but it was still uncomfortable on an individual level. "Oh no. No, that's not necessary. Please. Rise." She levitated Big Macintosh onto his feet. "You're the family of the woman who fought an entire fleet to save my life. I'm very honored to meet you Mr Macintosh." She bowed low.
Big MacIntosh grinned. "Well ain't that raght n friendly like. Well pleased to meet'cha Ms. Sparkle. Well y'all come on in, meet the family."
They turned as a group to walk to the farmhouse. Twilight teleported S.P.I.K.E. back onto the Damocles with instructions to send out recon teams into the surrounding system to gather Intel. They made their way to the farmhouse and as they approached they saw a young woman about fourteen glare at them and speed away in a four wheeler utility vehicle. Applejack called out after her, but the girl didn't stop. Big Mac sighed, but didn't explain her actions.
Twilight idly bent her will towards the disappearing shape and saw a mix of resentment and terrible sadness lingering in her. They arrived at the farmhouse and a young woman with high curly hair came out, a short rifle strapped to one leg, but a welcoming smile on her face. "Mac sweetie? everything o~" She saw the giant wings and ethereal hair and all the blood drained from her face. "Oh my stars!" She whispered as she fell heavily to one knee.
Big Mac helped her up. "Now huney, she's a friend."
Applejack looked dumbfounded from her brother to the woman she didn't know. "Huney?"
Both Big Macintosh and the woman blushed. "Eeyup." Big Mac chuckled as they presented small golden bands on their left hands. "Last fall."
Applejack almost brained herself as she put her augmetic hand to her forehead. "Well tan mah hide. Howdy new sis!" She gave the woman a crushing hug.
Big MacIntosh gently but firmly separated them. Easy now Sugarbelle, gotta be gentle with. . . " He couldn't finish the sentence for bashfulness.
Applejack looked between the two and her smile grew until it nearly split her head in two. "Big MacIntosh you dog!" She chuckled to herself. "Well I bet Granny gave her no end a grief before she consented to let y'all get hitched. SAY!" Her face beamed with excitement. "Where is Granny? She nappin somewhere?"
The young couple's faces fell. "Yeah. She's fallen asleep alright." Big Mac answered sadly.
Applejack's eyes widened. She took an unstable step back. "No. . ." Was all she could utter.
"Eeyup. Last winter after a scrap with the slavers. We won, but her old heart couldn't take it." Big MacIntosh said and gently squeezed a forlorn Sugarbelle.
Applejack's tears finally surmounted the barrier as she turned and ran out the door. She sprinted to the harvester. She took off as fast as the big bulky industrial unit could stomp. Twilight saw in her mind where she was going and flew above her as she went. They wound up in a corner of the large orchard, which was more a monocrop forest than a farm. Twilight saw four headstones neatly lined up next to each other under a large dead tree. One of the headstones was now illegible, two were faded, but one was polished, new, and freshly carved. There was a bundle of dead dried apples blossoms laid on it, and its grass had barely taken root.
Applejack leapt out of the harvester and collapsed on the ground in front of the grave weeping bitterly. Twilight landed gently beside her and stood next to her in silence for a long while. She stared at the grave and for the first time Celestia's words rang with an uncomfortable tone. "And what will you do then Twilight?" She knew that someday Pinkie would die. But standing there. Seeing her best friend weep for her loss. It hit close to home.
"Twahlaght, just go. Please." Applejack gasped between sobs.
Twilight knew she didn't like being seen crying, but she wasn't sure Applejack should be alone in this state of mind. "Are you sure?"
Applejack half turned and Twilight could see the helpless misery on her face. She could only mouth the word "please." Twilight embraced her gently then slowly rose into the air. She glared hard and sent a telepathic message to the young woman who'd been watching them. " I doubt now is a good time for that." With that done she flew away, she felt like Pinkie Pie needed a reminder about how much she loved her.
Applejack lay on her knees, her head bent all the way to the ground with sorrow. "I'm sorry Granny. I'm sorry. Ah shoulda been here. I'm so sorry. . . Ah shoulda been here."
"Yayah ya should've" a spiteful voice called out.
Applejack's head popped off the ground and saw her younger sister Applebloom glaring at her. For just a moment Applejack had a distraction from her misery. She smiled and held out her arms to her baby sister. "Apple.~" She was startled to see Applebloom back away as from a dangerous animal. "Applebloom! What's~"
"Y'ALL ABANDONED US!" The young woman screamed at the top of her lungs. Tears started to stream down her face. "IF Y'ALL HAD BEEN HERE SHE WOULDN'T A GONE! SHE'D STILL BE HERE!" She turned sharply and ran. Applejack weakly scrambled to get feet, but by the time she had started after her sister Applebloom was already on her four wheeler and was speeding off. Applejack glared and ran back to her harvester. She stomped after her, having to scramble and weave through trails through the trees too small for her big bulky mech unit.
Back at the farmhouse Twilight leapt back from the small kitchen table and snapped to her feet. She roared commands in her knight's minds. "Pinkie, Rainbow mount up! Now! Fluttershy!" The mech trooper had been idly chatting with Rarity and was startled off of her seat when she heard Twilight's voice in her mind. "Suit up and go to these coordinates NOW!" Fluttershy suddenly knew exactly where to be and rushed for the launch bay. "Rarity I need eyes on the ground here! S.P.I.K.E. send down some tea for our hosts." S.P.I.K.E. blinked a few times in surprise at the abrupt change in tone and urgency, but made to do as he was ordered.
Applebloom had ridden at breakneck speed through the orchard, her hair full of leaves and twigs, her face bleeding from a thousand small branches whipping her as she flew by. She made a mistake in her haste. She had unintentionally rode straight towards a clearing where Applejack's harvester would have no trouble closing the distance. Applebloom didn't care, she rode with the blind passion of youth.
Applejack burst into the clearing and from her elevated position in her harvester could see disaster on the horizon. Coming low and fast were a dozen or more slaver skimmers darting right at Applebloom. It hit her like a felled tree, they had seen Pinkie's and Rainbow's mechs, and they were coming to steal them. Applejack called out at the top of her lungs for Applebloom to turn and run, but she wouldn't listen, she drove straight on. She crested the slope of the land and suddenly saw the danger she was in.
Two of the skimmers slowed to intercept, but the rest went on at full throttle, there was always room for another cute young woman on the auction block. Applejack leaned on the control sticks, but she'd already been running at full speed. She looked in horror at the two slavers tracking her sister. She thought about using the harvester's guns, but Applebloom was too close and was moving back and forth trying to avoid the slavers; she couldn't risk taking a shot.
Applejack willed the machine forward, but Ol Bessie was never fast, even in her prime, and she was a few harvests past her hay day. Two skimmers set their sights on Applejack, they recognized that harvester as the thorn in their side that had thinned their numbers so many times. They loosed a spray of automatic fire at Ol Bessie. Applejack raised the harvester's loading arms to protect herself. All outer rim harvesters were modified to handle offensive capabilities, but they weren't armored like combat mechs.
Applejack felt Ol Bessie's stomping tread become more and more shaky. They had hit her hydraulics and her leg's were starting to bleed out. Applejack cursed and slammed at the controls, the harvester was dead in the dirt. Applejack looked and saw the Slavers were on Applebloom. They'd latched on to her four wheeler. She had to spray wildly at the skimmers that were circling in like sharks. She loosed sprays of burning napalm at them but it only served to give them smoke cover to work behind. She felt a blast from behind her and Ol Bessie collapsed in a roar of screaming metal. Applejack hit the ground hard and was only barely not flung from the cockpit. All she could think in that moment of smoke and fire and rage, was "How did I make the same mistake twice?" In five years of military service and countless actions, she'd still not learned to watch her rear.
A skimmer stopped mere feet from Applejack. She painfully lifted her head and saw straight down the barrels of the skimmer's nose guns. She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth. She heard an earth rending crunch. After an eternity of clenching she opened her eyes and saw a giant blue boot. Her eyes trailed up the leg and saw a giant blue hand reaching out for her.
Rainbow carefully picked Applejack around the waist with a giant blue thumb and forefinger and lifted Applejack into her cockpit. Applejack took exactly one second to enjoy being saved by the woman she loved, then she remembered her little sister's mortal peril and looked desperately around the battlefield for Applebloom.
She saw Pinkie Pie expertly toss three grenades and hit three skimmers that were all flying in three different directions. She saw Fluttershy land from orbit with one skimmer under each foot. Twilight Sparkle was in full Viceroy mode and was floating several yards in the air blasting deep gouges into the rich Dulcean soil. She finally spied Applebloom being dragged along by two slavers. She grinned for a split second when she saw her baby sister knee one of them in the groin.
All at once the battle was stopped by an earth rending howl from the tree line. Several trees were knocked over as a twenty foot tall bipedal horned monstrosity came barreling out of the orchard and loped heavily towards the two slavers. The knights all trained their weapons on the snarling beast that was charging towards Applebloom, but Applejack lurched forward in the cockpit and shouted for joy. "WINONA!!!" They all looked at her in shock and confusion. The Dulcean Plains Terror grabbed the two slavers one in each of its giant clawed paws and smashed them together like a giant child playing with its toys.
The battle for all intents and purposes ended, Applejack called out for the giant monster to come and it stomped heavily over on its stubby back legs and knuckled hands. It lifted her bodily into the air and placed her on its large leathery torso. The two made joyful noises as it rolled back and forth on its back. Twilight and Rainbow face palmed and Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy joined the ag worlder in being rolled around by the gentle giant.