“Previously on Starfleet Magic…”
After determining the details of Project: Darkness, the heroes rallied all their forces across the galaxy into a massive army and ready to make an attack on Titan’s forces. Meanwhile Titan finally was able to revive himself and began to form the Dark Star, and also he sent Starlight Glimmer on a mission back to United Equestria… and sent his henchmen on a possible mission of betrayal.
EPISODE TWENTY-THREE
On Planet Kallan, Princess Avyanna had already explained to her entire empire of the situation and that everyone was to cooperate as ordered.
While her fleet of pilots and warriors were most confused, and some were even outraged, if it mean keeping their princess out of trouble and saving the galaxy… they had no choice.
The fleet of scout ships, cruisers, and weapons were all prepped up as well as the warriors.
“Assemble yourselves!” Avyanna ordered to her guards and people “Starfleet will be arriving here nay second.”
Mayne made his inspections of the order.
“Straighten your stance!
Tuck in that chest!
You there… look serious!”
Soon, the space warp opened at the end of the long carpet at the palace gate, and Grand Ruler Celesto and Queen Celestia arrived, along with Lightning, Starla and the entire unit.
The royal fanfare sounded to announce the arrival of their guests, and all the soldiers marched straight up to Avyanna and bowed to her.
She bowed back to them. “I am pleased that you made it here safely.”
Grand Ruler thanked her and said “…I suggest we forgo the formalities and get straight into business at once.”
“Of course…” agreed Avyanna.
As everyone was escorted into the palace, the rest of the unit were astounded by their surroundings.
“So this is what Kallan looks like.” said Spike.
Rarity looked up and down the palace and considered, “Well, the size it perfect, but it could use a better coloring than steel gray, and charcoal black.”
The others all sighed.
“What? It doesn’t hurt to think about it.”
“I still can’t believe we have to trust them.” Applejack said to herself to avoid being heard. “But I guess we just got to bite the apple whole to win this war.”
All the others silently thought this way too, but so far Avyanna had made any attempts to violate her end of the bargain, especially when she was willing to treat everyone to a small banquet of refreshments after their long space voyage.
“I assure you, there is no trick involved.” she said to everyone.
Celestia and Grand Ruler used their powers to rightfully determine the food and drinks were safe… which they were.
The unit was properly thankful, but it was time to get down to matters.
“My army is prepared as agreed.” said Avyanna “They are your disposure and awaiting your orders.”
“Good…” said Grand Ruler. “Let us go over the details.”
Even as a child he still had the power to extend his magical mane to show mapped out regions of space.
He focused on an area near the center of the galaxy, provided to him from the observatories.
“Right here… The Dark Star is forming in this region, and the Shadow Planet is right near it so that Titan may maintain control of his creation.”
As the briefing went off, it was established that while not much was known about the Shadow Planet, not anyone had a clue what it was capable of doing other than traversing through space.
“Knowing Titan, he’ll probably have that place loaded with defenses.” said Lightning “He assembled his army from all across the galaxy just as well did.”
“Is it possible they may have advanced fighting machines as well?” asked Mayne.
“Highly doubtful.” replied Celestia. “Titan will want to save power and spare very little to full create the Dark Star, but we can’t take any chances.”
The first phase of the plan was simple enough.
The Kallanains would send a squad of remote-controlled scout ships to draw out Titan’s forces and their defenses on the planet… following which, the Starfleet forces would team up with the Kallanians and send manned ships, cruisers, and fighters to break through and infiltrate the place.
“Since the Shadow Planet cannot be connected magical pathways,” said Ayvanna “All fighters will take refuge within Kallanian star cruisers and prepare to drop down.”
“…And after that?” asked Krysta.
A long silence followed as everyone looked back and forth with concern at one another, until Rhymey spoke up…
“Once we infiltrate the enemy line,
It’s anything goes, form your view or mine.”
Fluttershy agreed with him and added…
“Monsters and bad guys galore,
Many surprises, terrors and more…
Sorry if I wail and groan,
But the fact is: once there… we’re on our own.”
A lot of fighters sighed.
“We’ll have to divide our resources up.” suggested Buddy. “Some of us can hold the monsters back while others investigate and try to locate Titan.”
Lightning then cut in with, “…And my Enticorn; he’s trapped somewhere on that planet too.”
“Let’s not forget the main thing.” said Applejack “We’ve got to try and destroy the Dark Star before it gets any stronger.”
Rainbow was already sweating bullets just thinking about how dangerous the star would be by the time they actually set out.
The planning continued long into the Kallanian night.
Elsewhere, there was more planning going on…
The Spider-Base was nearing its destination, and Starlight could see United Equestria coming into view, and her anger was already boiling.
“I’ve returned…” she said to herself “And I’m not leaving this time until I get what I want; my revenge.”
She was so fixated on Celestia and her potential destroying her, she had no idea that Celestia was far, far away on the other side of the galaxy.
…Her henchmen didn’t realize this either, nor did it concern them.
They were all hanging together in a quiet area of the ship.
“There will be no mistakes this time…” said Specter. “That little brat is going down.”
Razor and Waverline already knew of the plan, and suddenly, Starlight burst into the room.
“Making yourselves useless as usual I see.” she sneered at them.
Razor contained the urge to go at her at once.
“Let’s go…” said Starlight “We’re going down there and we’re not coming back until Celestia’s blood is on my shoulders.”
“Yes, Miss…” said Specter “Wherever you go, we follow.”
“Totally.” agreed Waverline.
“Uh… yeah-yeah… we’re with you.” said Razor.
Starlight didn’t feel convinced, but the villains all prepared to head down. Half the army of Darquines would be joining them, and the remaining few would stay on the ship to carry out Starlight’s orders…
Little did she know, Specter was in cahoots with the Darquines, and he told them to follow his orders and wait for his signal to turn the tables on Starlight once and for all.
In New Canterlot Palace, the ponies in the observatory were panicking.
“The Spider-Base is back!”
“Starlight Glimmer has returned!”
Princess Luna could see through a telescope herself. “Sound battle-stations-- worldwide alert!”
The warning alarms sounded all across the planet alerting the civilians, the lockdown was now in effect, prompting everyone to head into their homes or the nearest readied shelters.
Many of the sentries were also taking their places out in the fields and all over the towns and villages to intercept anything, and Krysta’s fairies remained on standby just in case…
Soon, every street everywhere was bare except for the soldiers and allies, and the barriers appeared around the buildings.
From in the New Ponyville hospital, Swift saw everything, and maintained his post in guarding Pinkie and Apple Spice.
“Starlight is back…?” he muttered softly. “What is she doing back here? Celestia is gone.”
Pinkie and Spice gawked at one another, but there was hardly anything they could do about it.
Back at the palace, Goldwin came up to Luna and reported, “All the streets are clear, and everybody’s ready.”
Luna nodded, and then there was a bright flash coming from outside, followed by a loud voice calling out “CELESTIA…!!”
“Starlight Glimmer!” grumbled Luna.
Cadance and Shining Armor were already rushing down the halls with a swarm of guards behind them, heading for the front gates.
The barriers still only stopped things from coming in at the palace, not going out.
They both transformed…
“Go-Go Ninja!”
“Mask of Saber!”
They and their team arrived in the field to see Starlight and her team standing ready.
Saber spoke severely to Starlight telling her, “If you’ve come looking for Celestia, you’re too late; she isn’t here.”
Starlight snuffed “Ha! A likely story, you’re just trying to defend her because she can’t bear to show her “childish” face before me.”
Saber and Cadance, and all the fighters were infuriated by such insolence.
“It is true Starlight!” Luna called to her from the window. “Even as we speak, my sister and our forces are on their way to bring down your evil master, Lord Titan, for good.
We know about the Dark Star, and it will be stopped.”
Starlight shook her head still refusing to believe it. “Even if that were true-- which it can’t be-- there is nothing you can do. The Dark Star and Lord Titan cannot be stopped!”
Deep down she was starting to wonder if maybe Celestia really wasn’t here, which only made her angrier at making this long trip for nothing.
“If I cannot destroy Celestia now, then the least I can do is destroy all of you!” she paused. “Yes…! Destroy all of you the same way she took my parents away from me!”
“Starlight, listen to us!” Saber tried to tell her, but Starlight had already called to her forces “…Attack!!”
The Darquines rushed forth, and the henchmen followed.
The fighters had no choice but to rush into action to defend the palace.
“Guards, take aim!” called Captain Shaina, and the guards on the battlements powered up their weapons.
“Fire…!”
The cannons and magical blasts fired. Some of the Darquines got hit and were blown to bits, but others still dashed forth prompted the guards to rush to the attack.
“…Like that’s going to stop us.” hissed Waverline.
“DISTORTION FORCE”
The guards all scattered about avoiding the blasts.
“Here I come…!” called Razor “FLY CUTTERS”
Luna used her magic to conjure a wall of dark aura to intercept the blades, and once she lowered it, the guards, Cadance and Saber rushed forth.
“Not this time…!” Starlight sneered, and she launched a burst of light from her horn up into the sky, signaling the Spider-Base…
The Darquines complied, and began to shoot the laser cannons.
“Hey!! Look out!!” shouted Saber as giant burning pulses came shooting down from the sky, striking the ground and making big explosions which knocked many of the fighters off.
“They’ve repaired their lasers!” cried Luna.
More beams shot down making more explosions, and small tremors, shaking the people in their homes.
Luna was forced to signal more soldiers standing by in the nearby areas to come and assist.
Swarms of troops came rushing over in a heartbeat, ready to combine weapons and powers to fire up at the alien ship.
“Oh, no you don’t!” shouted Starlight, and she cast her magic, trapping the soldiers within barrier domes.
“Now it’s our turn.” said Specter, and his comrades agreed.
“DARK WALL OF WIND!”
“FLY CUTTERS!”
“DISTORTION FORCE!”
Combining their powers, Specter began to rush about attacking more of the soldiers.
“Let’s get him!” said Saber to Cadance.
His wife agreed and rushed off with him.
Cadance leapt out into the open and kept dodging Specter as he came forth.
“I’ll see if I can get him.” Saber called as he twirled his chain to lasso him, but the chain just bounced harmlessly off the spinning blades.
“Nice try!” Saber called and he rushed in to bash him, but Saber got out his sword and used it to intercept and push back in a struggle.
“STRIDENT BLAST!” he fired his energy, and at such close range it made a huge explosion that threw both himself and Specter across the field and crashing down hard.
Cadance dashed over to him and helped him up. Could she speak, she would have scolded him for putting himself in danger like that.
“…At least it worked.” Saber said to her.
Then the two looked up and saw Starlight leaping in for them, forcing them to dodge her high-kick.
A swarm of knights came to assist the couple, but though she was outnumbered, Starlight’s skilled fighting made her topple them all with such ease, until it came to Saber and Cadance.
Cadance swiftly punched and kicked, while Starlight blocked her every incoming strike, but Cadance’s ninja speed got the best of her and she got punched hard in the face, sending her towards Saber, lassoed her with his chain, holding her down.
“Listen to us! You’ve got to hear us out!” he bellowed at her, trying once again to tell her what she needed to know.
“There’s nothing you can say that I want to hear!!” thundered Starlight, and she signaled the Spider-Base to open fire again, targeting Saber.
He was forced to let her go, and he barely evaded the blast in time.
The blast was so massive that Starlight was nearly caught in it herself.
“WATCH WHERE YOU’RE AIMING!!” she screamed up at the sky.
The henchmen saw this too.
“Now?” asked Razor.
“Now!” hissed Specter.
The trapped soldiers beat at and blasted at the barriers that held them in and were soon breaking free. Soon, Starlight and her team would outnumbered far greater than anything they could handle.
Starlight called to the henchmen “Don’t just stand there, stop them!”
The henchmen hesitated, and snickered at one another.
“What are you doing?!” thundered Starlight “Destroy them!”
“I’ve got a better idea…” hissed Specter “…We’ll destroy YOU!!” and he fired a powerful blast at her, striking her hard, much to the surprise of all the fighters as they watched Starlight skid across the field.
The henchmen then leapt off after her.
“What are they doing?” wondered Luna.
Far, far away in New Ponyville Hospital, Swift felt a sickening turn go through him.
“What’s wrong?” asked Spice “Are you feeling okay?”
Even in her non-usual self, Pinkie could tell, “Looks like he can tell something’s wrong out there; like I did with my Pinkie Senses.”
The pain inside of Swift only grew larger, and while he couldn’t prove it, his mind was telling him it had to do with Starlight!
Starlight looked up and saw her henchmen looming over her and looking ready to attack again.
“What are you doing?!” she yelled “You dare to attack your leader?!” to which the henchmen snickered…
“We are the servants of Lord Titan!” hissed Waverline.
“You were just along for the ride.” added Razor “…But guess what… Ride’s over.”
Starlight’s eyes widened “You were planning on betraying me all along?!”
Specter glared at you, “You’re one to talk. You’re a disgrace to the forces of evil, as such by your poor leadership and lack of initiative and discipline!
If you don’t believe us, ask Lord Titan yourself.”
Hearing this, Starlight couldn’t believe her ears. Titan called her his “Number-One Apprentice.”
Finally, it clicked inside her head-- why Titan had let her come back to the planet. He never intended for her to return, and practically chucked her out.
“No…!” she cried “No! That’s ridiculous! After all I’ve done for him! After all that he taught me!”
She paused long and hard, and finally, something inside her gave a sickening snap which hammered the truth into her. “…Argh!!”
The henchmen could only loom over her looking ready for the kill.
While all this was going on…
After much planning and preparing, the Kallanian starships were on their way, traveling on magical pathways to speed up the journey.
Onboard the main mother ship, Avyanna was most impressed by how fast they were going, as this was the first time she had traveled on a pathway.
“So this is why you don’t use starships.” she said.
Grand Ruler nodded at her, “It’s faster and more convenient.”
Then he called to the helm, “…Prepare to disembark from the path.”
The pilots nodded and worked the controls.
All the ships steered off the path, but because they were protective alloys the teleportation energies of space didn’t affect them.
Now that the fleet was nearing their destination, they kept a fair distance from the Shadow Planet, yet from where they were, they could practically see the Dark Star forming in the vast distance.
Grand Ruler’s blood began to boil. “…Titan.”
The Kallanians had their own score to settle with Titan as well.
“Prepare to launch the remote ships.” said Grand Ruler.
“You heard him!” Avyanna called to her “His majesty is in command, so do as you’re told.”
The workers obeyed and prepared to launch the fleet.
“This is it…” said Celestia “No turning back now.”
Grand Ruler held her hand. Deep down he felt as nervous as she did, but he kept strong and ready.
Down below, the Starfleet unit had been prepping themselves up for their own attack, once the ship could get in closer when the warning alarms sounded and a voice over the intercom called “Prepare to launch remote ships. Prepare to launch remote ships.
Fighting forces… standby for battle-stations.”
“That’s our que.” said Applejack.
“Ah yeah…” Rainbow said as she cracked her knuckles “…Been waiting to get into the good stuff.”
Her enthusiasm was noticed by all the other fighters, when really she, like the rest, was nervous deep down for the battle that lay ahead.
“We may have done all this planning, but there’s still so much we may not be ready for.” said Dyno.
Myte nodded, “Well, at least we’ll have some idea when those ships go out there.”
“They’re about to launch.” hollered Krysta.
Everyone huddled over the view portholes to watch, and the little scout ships zoomed out from the launch bay, as well as from other star cruisers near the mother ship.
Soon, a massive fleet of unmanned, remote-ships were bound for the evil planet up ahead…
While on the Shadow Planet, Titan had spent all his time admiring and watching over the formation of the Dark Star.
By now, the energy had formed the object large enough to be considered a small meteorite. Soon it would be big enough to be a moon, and then it would grow larger than the planet itself… but all in time.
Suddenly, he could feel something as he looked over his shoulder, and his eyes narrowed.
A monster came up to him and asked, “…What is it, your lordship? You seem disturbed.”
Titan couldn’t doubt it as he thought to himself, “They’re coming… just as I expected they would.”
He hesitated for a moment or two, with the monster calling to him… “Sire…? Sire…?”
Titan turned swiftly to face him and instructed the monster, “Prepare the army…” he then looked off into space “…We’re about to have guests.”
The monster trusted his master, and bowed to him before dashing off to assemble every monster force on the entire planet.
As the fleet of scout ships moved in closer, everything they saw was beamed back to the cruisers via their cameras.
Avyanna and her gusts and crew viewed everything from the mother ship bridge.
The Shadow was coming closer and closer into view, but all anyone could really look at was the Dark Star forming.
“In all my travels and discoveries, I have never seen anything like it before.” said Grand Ruler.
Everyone else felt the same way.
The computers were able to scan the star from that distance, but the readings were positively incredible and almost baffling beyond words.
Celestia checked the readings. “Incredible.” she exclaimed under her breath. “It has near-identical mass and power sources of a star, yet all these differences…
It gives no heat…
No light…
It has some gravity as it forms and getting stronger, but it’s still unfathomable.”
“It is composed of negative energy.” said Mayne “Naturally; it would be different than a regular star. Who knows what else it is capable of when it reaches full power?”
The alarms sounded.
“What is it?” asked Avyanna.
One of the pilots looked up and pointed at the viewports, “It’s an invasion. We’re being attacked!”
Everyone could see a swarm of large flying monsters of all shapes and sizes were heading straight for the scout ships.
Lightning and the others could see it all down below too.
“Looks like the welcome wagon’s here.” said Artie.
Rainbow also noticed, “Hey, they’re flying in space. Shouldn’t they be teleporting to some random place?”
Lightning shook his head, “We have no ways of knowing what goes on down on that planet. They must’ve discovered some way to erect special spells to protect themselves, like invisible spacesuits.”
Then there was an announcement over the ship intercom for the pilots to prepare to launch manned ships for in case some of the monsters broke though and tried to attack the cruisers.
“Shouldn’t we go with them too?” asked Starla.
“You heard the orders.” said Lightning “We’ve got to get ready to drop down on the planet, so we have to save our strengths.”
Fluttershy watched as the brave Kallanian pilots boarded their crafts and prepared to head out, but knowing they were rushing into certain death turned her stomach.
“I say,
Are you okay?” asked Rhymey.
His wife shook her head and said…
“It just doesn’t seem fair, dear.
We let them run off, and we stay here.”
Lightning sighed, and it pained him to tell Fluttershy but, “Fluttershy, you know as well as we all do that it’s what they’re trained for, and just like us they’re willing to give their lives if they have to… we all are.”
“I’m afraid I agree with Lightning.” said Rarity “I loathe this as much as you, Fluttershy, but we’re only doing what we can to ensure the plan works.”
Spike nodded, “We all hate to just sit here idly while they do some of the work, but the job we’re going to go through is even harder and more dangerous.
But they’re doing what they’re best at, just as we are.”
Fluttershy had to convince herself, but she still didn’t like seeing the Kallanians just fly out like that. It still felt like they were just sending out pawns to do their dirty work and be sacrificed.
“It’s okay…” Lightning whispered, though the expression on his face proved he didn’t like it much either, but the plan was laid and orders were orders.
Starla wrapped her arms around him softly, sharing her painful feelings with his.
The pilots launched out, and the main ship itself prepped up its weapons to intercept and attack.
The ship-mates who were remote controlling the scout ships were ready and waiting the order.
“…Attack!” ordered Grand Ruler.
The controllers fired their ships laser blasts straight at the oncoming monsters, forcing them to break formation and they began to return fire using either their own magic, fire balls, or whatever weapons they had.
This forced the controllers to take evasive actions.
“They’ve broken formation!” shouted a controller.
“Return fire!” ordered Mayne.
The controllers complied and fired their lasers again.
Some of the monsters got hit, but hardly were damaged-- they weren’t ships after all, but shooting at them did slow them up, and while multiple hits on the same target would destroy them…
…Those brutes just kept on coming and started to return fire, shooting the scout ships down one-by-one.
One of the monster leaders signaled to the forces in back, “…Get in there, and head for the main ships!”
The swarms complied and rushed past the scout ships.
“Hey look!” one of them called “They’ve got another fleet coming for us.”
The manned ships all flew in formation, and began to fire upon the enemy.
Many of the monsters were hit, but many more still remained.
Those creatures continued to come forth, and a few actually sliced through the ships, making them spark, and explode, killing the pilots within.
“Their coming straight for us!” cried Celestia.
Grand Ruler turned to Avyanna and nodded at her.
She agreed and called to weapon ops, “…Full Pattern Fire!”
Lasers and missiles began to fly from different points of the ship, striking the oncoming monsters hard, harming them to the point of cripple, and still they wouldn’t back down!
“What is with these brutes?!” sneered Avyanna “They won’t back down no matter what we throw at them.”
Grand Ruler had his suspicions. “It’s Titan… They’re all willing to fight for him no matter how much they have to suffer, or how many of them be destroyed.”
“…You are quite correct, Celesto.” echoed a sinister voice that made everyone look up and around at.
Lightning’s features hardened, “…Titan!”
He was using just a teensy bit of magic to communicate with the fleet.
Avyanna and Mayne hated to hear the sound of that voice again, but it was only his majesty that Titan seemed to address.
“In many ways, you and I have always been alike; we send out our best soldiers in certain danger do our work for us so we can achieve what we desire, even willing to risk their lives and safety.”
“You’re wrong!!” bellowed Grand Ruler “You and I are nothing alike, you fiend! We fight for different reasons.”
“I second that!” snarled Celestia, but Titan only snickered, “Really? That still does not change the facts that you are risking lives. Just look at your fighters, they’re not even of your own race.”
A few more scout ships were struck and destroyed, and two more manned ships, killing the pilots.
Grand Ruler could hear their screams over the radio, and they all struck him hard in his conscience-- his old leader’s pain for being responsible.
This brought on Celestia’s pain as well-- remembering all the soldiers she had lost in her days.
Lightning and the others were beginning to feel the same as well.
“Like I said to you, Celesto…” hissed Titan. “We are much alike… always sending others to their doom for our own sakes.”
Grand Ruler looked as if he was sinking deeper into a well of despair and regret.
“Darling, don’t listen to him!” said Celestia “He’s trying to throw us off by guilt-tripping us.”
Her husband held his head up high and he held his wife’s hand with bravery and care.
“You’re not going to break us down, Titan! You say we’re the same, and in ways we are…
Our soldiers are willing to risk themselves to fight, but the reason they fight is what makes us different, and that very difference is what we’ll use to strike you down and end your Project.”
The other fighters all ignored Titan’s bullying as well and their determination was now stronger than before.
Suddenly, the ship rocked about as the monsters shot at it from outside, making some of the people slip and fall about…
…And Titan could only mock them some more. “You think you can stop me?” he paused and laughed “…Don’t you think you should try and reach me first?”
He said no more, not wanting to waste his power.
The ship was shot at and rocked about again.
“Shields are depleting!” hollered Mayne “They will not sustain much longer.”
“Divert all non-essential power.” ordered Grand Ruler.
“Would it not be easier if you infused the shields with magic?” asked a shipmate.
“Still your tongue.” snapped Avyanna. “It was already explained, our ships may not be able to handle such powers without modifications. We will carry on as we are.”
So they kept on shooting at the monsters, injuring them, and blowing maybe one or two to bits, but the army and their forces were still coming and continued to shoot down the remote scout ships.
“We’ll never break through like this!” Artie as he saw more ships blow up.
Fluttershy and Rarity couldn’t bear to see any more of the manned ships go down.
Rainbow was starting to lose her patience and really wanted to get out there and teach those monsters a lesson.
“I can’t take it anymore!” she groaned.
The ship rocked again as it got shot at from outside.
“I can’t take much more of that either!”
Many of the others were starting to share her anxiety, especially Lightning.
Were they just going to stay there and watch idly while more of their allies got shot down, and then the cruisers would be shot down themselves?
As for Titan, he was beside himself with evil glee. With every passing second, the Dark Star grew larger and more powerful than ever.
He began to chuckle softly, which slowly became loud and wicked maniacal laughing.
His victory seemed most assured.
To Be Continued…
In our next episode: Starlight is fully betrayed by her former henchmen and blown clear across United Equestria again, and who should care for her again but Swift Star whom tries to persuade her to take Titan down, while the fleet is finally breaking through and begins the assault on the Shadow Planet, which may end up being harder than they planned.
Will Starlight finally come to her senses? Will our heroes gain the upper-hand?
Don’t miss the next exciting episode of “Starfleet Magic!”
(Next Episode: “Part 3: The Empire Strikes Forth”)