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// Tripped at the Finish Line 
// Story: My Little Space Empire: Mechs are Magic 
// by Wheezyandbreezy 
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Applejack leaned idly against an I beam waiting for her mech to be refueled and reloaded. In the five years of ceaseless, fruitless searching she'd wasted no small amount of ammunition on asteroids, training drones, and empty space. She had spent every sober second of those five years with one goal in mind, she had to find Rainbow and clear her name. 

That was all that mattered to her. She'd tried and failed to save Fluttershy, she had to know. It didn't matter that Rainbow had taken up with Pinkie Pie and the separatists, it didn't matter that Twilight would probably have Rainbow executed on sight, it didn't matter that Rainbow had more than once tried to kill her in the rare instances they found each other in the massive expanse of the Solar Empire. All that mattered was that the woman she loved was hurting, and Applejack had something she needed to show her.

The five years since the attack on Terra had been the darkest in Imperial history. Every once in a while in its thousand year existence a separatist movement had cropped up, a system or two breaking away for a few years, but nothing like this. Terra was perpetually under siege from an invisible enemy that could strike at any moment without warning. The throne world had been fortified a thousand times over in response. Its gleaming towers were interspersed with macrocannons disguised as buildings, armories were established every few miles in cities, children practiced evacuation drills at school. 

The mood in the empire was that of a nervous prisoner on death row waiting for the sound of footsteps in the hall that would spell death. Trade suffered at the idea that at any time a fleet of cloners would appear out of nowhere and seize their entire cargo, not to mention the crews and passengers. Convoys had to be reestablished just to make merchants feel safe enough to cross the galaxy. Twilight's military was stretched razor thin trying to keep up as much trade as possible, but it was never enough. The military budget had to be increased to even more than its prewar percentage, and with the recession in the Imperial economy every citizen felt the bite of the tax increase.

Celestia was heartbroken to see so much progress lost so soon. It was even worse than before Twilight's crusade. What was the worst for Celestia however, was seeing her beloved Twilight so broken. In the rare instances that they spoke she barely said a word. She never stayed at a planet long, the Imperial fleet would arrive in system, spray a wide arc with lascannons and crack missiles to see if they hit anything, then, after it never did, they would take on supplies quickly, then be off for the next system.

The number one thing the fleets always needed were new recruits, Twilight had become cold and cruel in the five years of ceaseless hunting, so desertions were so high that at times entire ships had to be recrewed. Rarity could handle most day to day operations of the fleet, but it took some of the strain off of her mind when someone else physically performed the task. 

Twilight spent most of her time standing on the prow of the Damocles staring out into the void, searching, hunting, hoping against hope to find her. If she could just get a hint at where Rainbow Dash was then she'd be able to find her mind there and then she'd have them, yet in five whole years of searching they'd only had three pitched battles, all of which wound up the same way. They'd drop into a system already being attacked by the cloners, the cloners would fall into a fighting withdrawal, then would vanish into the void without a trace.

Twilight groaned at the fact that unless Rainbow streaks were seen across the battlefield, then Applejack wouldn't even bother mounting up. She would chase Rainbow all over the sky then after they disappeared she would just limp back to the ship, reload, refuel, and be right back out chasing training drones. In all of this misery Rarity thanked her lucky stars for her little S.P.I.K.E.y wikey, she would've been completely alone without him. They spent their days tending to the fleet, watching Applejack train, and idly discussing more pleasant matters, it was a strained existence.

Twilight, despite always having the exact same dream, slept every sixteen hours. It was the only way she could see her again, if only for a moment. Twilight dreamed of hearing waves crashing on the beach and the salty smell of the sea filling her nostrils. She rose and knew she wanted to see someone, someone that she loved, someone that loved her. She walked naked onto the beach and saw an enormous machine standing there. On top of the machine was the woman she'd been looking for and her heart warmed at the sight. The woman stood there, in the late morning sun, her long pink curls flowing behind her in the breeze.

Twilight knew she wanted to be close to that woman and stretched her long wings out to fly to her. She felt her love grow as she neared the woman on the mech. She hovered mere feet from the woman when she turned around. Twilight's dream turned to a nightmare as she saw her face. It was drawn and Twilight could see she'd been crying. It broke her heart to see the woman she loved so sad. She began to reach out for her when suddenly the woman drew her sword and slashed at her. She tried to fly away but wasn't fast enough and the blade caught her across the eye.

Twilight's eye snapped open and she rocked forward into a sitting position as she screamed. "PINKIE NO!" Then as always the memories would come flooding back in. That had been five years ago. Her scars had already faded and the bridge of her nose had a crease from her eyepatch. Pinkie was still out there. Twilight was still alone. Rarity had been walking the halls aimlessly when she heard Twilight scream in desperation. She knew exactly what was happening. Rarity had always had the delicacy to turn off the security cameras and microphones in Twilight's room, but every crewman on the Damocles could physically feel when Twilight woke up every morning.

Rarity couldn't stand it anymore and without thinking burst into the room. She saw Twilight sitting up in her bed, her face in her hands, her sobs coming heavy and loud. Twilight's ascended state meant that her memory was crystal clear, and every time she remembered anything, she remembered as if it happened yesterday. Rarity slowly crossed the room in a mix of mortal terror and heart breaking sorrow. She never knew what Twilight might do in her emotional states so she knew she was in very real danger as she crossed the room and sat gently on the large bed.

"Twilight." Rarity gently took Twilight's hands away from her face and held them softly. "I beg of you, you mustn't keep doing this to yourself." 

Twilight sniffled miserably as spoke. "I- I just. . . " She leaned forward and wrapped Rarity in a tight hug. "I just miss her so much" She sniffled again. "In the dream I remember what it was like to be loved, if only for a moment."

Rarity blushed slightly and her heart rate increased. She leaned back and looked Twilight in her one remaining eye still filled with tears. Rarity's face was mildly fearful, but set with determination. "But you are loved Twilight." She inhaled deeply to prepare herself mentally then leaned forward and planted her lips on Twilight's. The Viceroy's one remaining eye shot open in surprise. She tensed slightly but didn't pull away. Her heart sank in her chest, she still loved Pinkie with all her heart, but her body had needed this for so long.

Rarity felt that Twilight wasn't going to pull away and kissed her more deeply. She slowly reached a hand up to Twilight's breast and heard a small moan escape her lips. Finally after all these years, Rarity was finally getting what she wanted. Finally Twilight was accepting her. She mentally shut and locked the door, then slipped out of her uniform. Twilight was completely dead inside, whereas Rarity felt vindicated excitement, she only felt guilty pleasure.

Rarity explored Twilight's body and kissed her up and down her neck. Twilight felt a heat build in her face as Rarity worked. Rarity could feel Twilight tensing beneath her hands and grinned. "Do I do it as well as she did?" Escaped Rarity's lips. Twilight's eye snapped open glowing brightly and Rarity was sent through the wall.