EPISODE THREE
Lightning was five years old and running through the lands of chaos and destruction of his home planet, Harmonius.
Explosions, fires, and devastation were everywhere, and the sight of all the corpses of his people freaked him out so much.
Then the sound of wicked laughter made him turn round, and he saw her—Serpentari, the great evil responsible for the destruction of his planet.
“Hello lunch!” she hissed while licking her fangs.
Poor Lightning, defenseless and powerless, could only scream in horror, only to be safely pulled away by his mother who ended up taking the hit for him.
“Mama!!” he cried.
“Run… Lightning… Save yourself!” she called to him.
The poor little colt dashed over to his dying mother, as the planet began to quiver and crumble.
Serpentari saw this as her chance to flee, and she left through a space warp portal.
The portal began to close, and the mother knew the only way to save her son. “Remember… my dear… your mother will… always love you!” she said through tears, and shoved him through the portal, sending him to a nearby planet.
That’s when Lightning saw Harmonious explode, destroying everything he ever had or knew.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOO….!!!”
…Then he awoke-- bolting upright in bed in a frightful gasp.
“Lightning?” Starla said in a sleepy, groggy voice.
Lightning caught hold of himself, “I’m okay.”
His wife felt sad for him. She knew he had another nightmare, and she couldn’t blame him. It was one of those things that would never go away.
Twinkle’s baby cry was heard from outside in the hallway. Starla was about to get up, but Lightning insisted on doing it himself. “You’ve been up and down plenty.”
His wife smiled thankfully and went straight back to sleep.
Lightning got out of bed and headed for the nursery to tend to his daughter. It was just a diaper emergency.
After he changed her, he sat with her in the rocking chair and rocked her peacefully. As he did, and looked down at her sweet little face, he couldn’t help but think back to his past on Harmonius.
“I’ve sure come a long way, and I’ve changed a lot.”
He was still thinking about it the next morning at breakfast. Starla was feeding Twinkle a bottle of baby formula, while Shining Light, as a big boy, ate his cereal all by himself.
As Lightning gazed at his family, he felt warm inside.
His wife looked up at him and asked, “Something on your mind?”
“Hmm… No, not really. Why?”
Starla giggled, “Because you just poured milk on your pancakes, and syrup in your cocoa.”
Lightning saw and he felt embarrassed.
“Silly Daddy.” chuckled Shining Light, and the family had a good laugh, and all this only made Lightning feel even warmer, even after he left for work.
Way out in space, a lone small spacecraft rocketed through the cosmos. It was white with medical symbols on it, almost like an ambulance.
Inside the cockpit, the lone driver wore a strong spacesuit with an opaque helmet hiding her face.
Suddenly, without warning… WHAMM!! Her ship was struck by a stray ice meteor she hadn’t seen coming, causing her engines to stall, and she herself to fall unconscious upon slamming her head into the steering.
Her ship was going out of control, but fortunately, it was passing by a nearby, which had Starfleet Forces living there and protecting the populace, and they spotted the damaged craft.
“We got a crasher!”
“Let’s go get it!”
A group of ponies, donning their spacesuits to protect them, flew out and caught the damaged craft, and slowly began to guide them down to the planet.
The craft was horribly damaged beyond repair, but the unconscious driver would survive.
“Let’s get her helmet off.”
Upon doing so, the troops were surprised. It was a space alicorn just like they were. She had a soft pale-yellow coat, a cherry red mane, but no armor, ID-Number, and stranger still, according to magic scans, although she was an alicorn, she had no magic in her at all.
“We’ve found a stray.”
“We better report this to United Equestria.”
That day, Lightning was leaving Ponyville Town Hall after having meetings with officials to discuss written and field tests for other cadets and officers who sought promotion.
“Thanks for your help, Mayor Mare.”
“It’s my pleasure, sir. Some of these cadets are most deserving of a promotion.”
Lightning agreed, “I can think of one of them in particular.”
He referred to Swift Star, who had been a fine Lieutenant for the past year and a half. Always working well at his assigned watches and posts and helping to maintain the peace, as well as offering his assistance in battle once in a while.
“Oh, here he comes now.” said Swift.
“Oh, Commander, thank goodness I ran into. I could use your help at the front door.”
“What is it?”
Swift led Lightning to the front door where two ponies-- one mare, and one stallion-- holding signs of mean-spirited slanders towards Starfleet.
Lightning rolled his eyes and could already tell what the trouble was.
“We got rights!” snapped the stallion. “Me, my gal here, and all our friends outside. We don’t like your laws, your rules, and we just plain don’t like you Starfleeters in the first place.”
“Is that so?” replied Lightning.
Swift then said, “As you can probably tell, they want to bring their whole community in here and protest, and I already explained to them they may not, especially given their intentions. Security is already holding them back.”
“You got no right to kick us out.” insisted the mare. “This is a public place, and you guys are bullying and pushing us again like you always were.”
Lightning, unmoved by her whining told her and her friend straight, “As I’m sure the Lieutenant has just explained to you, you may have the right to protest and demonstrate, but, as I’m sure you probably intend to do, -- interfere with people’s businesses, blocking hallways, bathrooms, elevators.
That is breaking the law, it is not permitted, and if you attempt to do so, you will face charges for it.”
The bad ponies were disgusted. “Just more examples of Starfleet bullying. Why we ever let you punks into our world is beyond me.”
Mayor Mare herself threw in her own two cents. “I wouldn’t sell it short. Laws like these existed in Equestria long before Starfleet came. If you have a problem or you wish to demonstrate and protest, you will do so within the law and not disturb the peace, or as the Commander has said, you will be punished for it.”
Realizing their defeat, the two protesters picked up their signs and prepared to leave.
“Nothing but jerks and brainwashing bullies.” sneered the mare.
“More like doing our jobs and trying to protect you.” protested Swift.
“From what?” mocked the stallion.
“…Yourselves.”
The ponies stuck their tongues out in insult and then left.
Swift sighed, “Always with haters. Why do they do this?” There was no real answer to this. “I’m sorry I got you two in this.”
“Don’t be,” replied Mayor. “I don’t want my Town Hall to be overrun with these hooligans and delinquents who think they’re above the law.”
Lightning agreed, “And you were having a problem with them, and so you called for backup as is the code. You did the right thing.”
Swift smiled proudly. Then he checked his watch, “My shift’s over. I better get to the library and study for the tests.”
Lightning could see it in Swift’s eyes. “He really wants to be promoted, but he’s trying too hard. That could slow him up.”
Mayor Mare agreed.
Lightning left the building and saw those nasty protestors banding together, waving their slanderous signs, and hooting and chanting that Starfleet was no good.
Fortunately, no one seemed to care or notice and brushed them off as “Fools.”
“Quit hassling Starfleet.”
“They’re good guys.”
“Maybe you all ought to have better respect.”
This angered the protesters, still believing that the majority was brainwashed or just acting this way to avoid trouble.
Lightning didn’t bother with them as long as they weren’t breaking the law severely.
“It just never ends.” he grumbled.
Still, he was pleased that the majority of the populace was for Starfleet, respected them.
Some ponies even waved to him and greeted him in the streets.
“Good afternoon, Commander.”
“How goes it, Commander.”
…to which Lightning waved politely.
This made Lightning think back to his childhood on Harmonius again, and how things weren’t always like this.
No major cities, everyone just lived in stone houses and temples.
There was no magic. There were no major vehicles, or things of major exactment, but at least everyone was blissful and friendly.
“I really have come a long way.” he said to himself. “I wonder what the people of Harmonius would think if they saw me now?”
There was no sense in him thinking of the past, seeing as his planet was long gone and everyone on it long gone too.
Suddenly, Krysta appeared. “Lightning.”
“What’s up?”
“You better come to the palace immediately. There is something you will not believe!”
When Lightning got to New Canterlot Palace, he was brought straight to the sickbay where a rescued pony lay in a hospital bed.
Lightning nearly fainted at the very sight of her. “Blitzy…? Blitzy Heart?”
The pony gazed at him strangely. “Who are you?”
Tears were flowing down Lightning’s cheeks. “It’s me… Lightning Dawn.”
The mare’s eyes lit up “…Lightning?”
He nodded at her, and she burst into tears, “WOW!!” and they both embraced in a warm hug crying into each other’s soldiers.
“I can’t believe this!” sobbed Lightning. “I just don’t…”
“…You’re alive!” cried Blitz. “Lightning, I… I don’t believe it.”
The hospital staff couldn’t understand it. It was like seeing two lovers reunited, but it was a beautiful sight to behold.
“So, you do know her.” said Krysta.
Lightning nodded, “Krysta, this is Blitzy Heart. I knew her on Harmonious. She was my very best friend.”
Many flashbacks were shown…
Lightning was very little, and he was playing with Blitzy all the time-- in playgrounds, climbing trees, and going on picnics with the families.
Lightning even gave her a flower he had picked once.
“Wow.” said Krysta.
Blitz looked around. “Where am I? What planet is this?”
“This is the planet United Equestria,” said a voice. Everyone turned and saw Grand Ruler and Celestia coming in.
Blitz couldn’t believe her eyes. “Your… Your majesty?”
He nodded at her. “Glad to see you’ve come out of it.”
Blitz found herself stuttering in confusion, “But… this can’t be. I can’t be… I’m with Starfleet?”
Everyone noted a sense of displeasure in her voice, and Blitz finally noticed Lightning’s uniform-- all his ribbons and fancy medals, and even his sash showing he was “Supreme Allied Commander.”
She was so overwhelmed that she just fainted hard onto her bed.
“Blitz?” cried Lightning.
“She’s alright…” the doctor assured him, and then he motioned for Lightning to back away so he could treat her.
Lightning moved away from the bed, but almost found it hard to keep on his own feet. He felt dizzy, astounded, and really mixed up.
“All this time… I thought I was the sole survivor of Harmonius-- the last of my kind, and now just out of the blue…!”
He was starting to lose his breath a little. “Take it easy.” said Celesita. “I’m sure this is all overwhelming for you.”
Grand Ruler agreed, “In the meantime, we’ll do all we can for her, but I’m afraid her ship was damaged beyond repair.
We were able to salvage all her belongings though.”
Laying on a table were all kinds of medical equipment, both regular and space-type.
Blitz even had a special identification.
“She’s a space doctor.” said Krysta.
“I’ve read about them,” added Lightning. “They are intergalactic medical experts, usually of fortune. They wander ceaselessly through the cosmos helping to answer calls for help with all sorts of cures and techniques, provided that their fee is well-met.
They’re always on the move because of their services being needed anywhere are any time.”
The gang reviewed the ship’s log, which was kept in a simple journal, as well as a star-map.
“Galloping Galaxies! She’s been around…!”
Grand Ruler agreed, “She’s even been to some places in Unexplored Space. This is fantastic information.”
“She really has been,” Celestia said as she looked through the lists of aliens and other creatures Blitz had helped. “I think it’s more fortunate that we found her. We could use a pony like her in our communities.”
Lightning and Krysta didn’t feel so optimistic about that, especially not Lightning.
He was asked to remain at the palace, but Lightning asked if his family could come over so Blitz could meet them too.
Their majesties agreed, and Krysta teleported everyone over.
The family was put up in a special room with a crib so Twinkle Star could have her nap. Shining Light was napping too, giving Starla a bit of a break.
Lightning had told her everything.
“I can’t believe this…” she said. “I can’t begin to imagine how shocked you must’ve been.”
“In all honesty, I think that was the easy part.” said Lightning. “I haven’t seen her in ever so long, and I thought I’d never see her or any Harmonian pony again.
She’s obviously made something of herself, and that’s amazing.”
He paused long,
“But…?” Starla said for him.
“Well, you remember the history of my ancestors:
Groups of ponies were instructed by Grand Ruler Celesto to venture forth into space in hopes of discovering new planets for races like ours to live it-- the help with over-population, to help those who lost their planets, or to live away from large amounts of danger.
My ancestors discovered the planet that would one day become Harmonius. Wanting to keep away not just from Starfleet, but all forms of war entirely. They wished to live only in peace and harmony.
Blitzy and I never knew of Starfleet, our ancestors never told their children, preferring to keep the world exactly as it was. Free of danger, pure, quiet, and clean…
…And that was what led to its ultimate downfall and destruction!”
He envisioned the planet blowing up before his eyes again, and his younger self screaming in horror at the sight.
“NOOOOOOOOO…!!”
He caught hold of himself, squeezing his cape in his fists tightly.
Starla could see where he was coming from now. “You think she’ll be indifferent Starfleet, and you for it.”
Her husband nodded. “The ways of the Harmonian Pony are never battle and warfare, but she obviously grew up differently than I did. She didn’t become a fighter; she chose to save lives in a different way, and that’s still impressive.”
He hung his head low, “But I really want to reconnect with her. I mean, it’s so wonderful that she’s alive and seeing her again.”
He summoned his courage to go and meet with Blitz, telling Starla to stay with the children for a moment.
Blitz was put up in a room down the hall from his own after she had recovered from her fainting. Her injuries were minor.
Still, even in a big, lavish room in a grand palace like this, she didn’t know what to think. She was already given the bad news regarding her ship, but that wasn’t what bothered her most.
There was a knock at her door.
“Come in…”
Lightning entered, “Hey.”
She felt her insides turn. “…Hi.” She said in an awkward tone.
Lightning stepped in, but he didn’t seem to want to leave the door. He was trying to think carefully of what to say to start things up.
“Sorry about your ship.”
“It’s okay.”
Lightning could still feel the coldness deep inside her coming for him, but he managed to approach her anyway.
“Is something wrong?”
Blitz shut her eyes tightly, and then admitted, “I just can’t believe… You’ve been alive all this time, but… how… how can you be part of Starfleet-- much less the commander.”
“Well, it’s a very long story…”
Blitz didn’t know if she really wanted to hear it or not, and just came straight to the point. “Have you really forgotten who you were, where you came from, and how you were raised?”
Lightning began to feel his patience wearing, but he stayed strong. “I never forgot about Harmonius. I think about it all the time, and all always be haunted of the day it blew up, how I lost everything I knew-- my family, my life, my home…”
Blitz couldn’t believe him, “But why align yourself with Starfleet? Why get involved in battles, and danger, and all the things that Harmonian Ponies never stood for?
What kind of life is that to lead?”
Rather than answer her about that, he merely asked her “Do you really hate Starfleet? Do you think it’s really all that bad?”
Blitzty didn’t even hesitate, “Yes… I do. I hate everything about it. I can’t see how any creature would want to join such a force when all it causes is suffering, misery, destruction, and even deaths.”
She paused and looked out the window and explained her story.
“My mom and dad were wonderful on Harmonius. They were both medicine ponies, and I wanted to be just like them, even at a young age.”
She even had flashbacks of the time she, Lightning and other little playmates of their loved playing Doctor, or Hospital, and other things.
“When the planet was attacked, my parents were killed right before my eyes. I never saw anything so horrible.
Worse, I backed into an open space warp which flung me out into space. I slipped off the pathway and was teleported to an unknown planet.
I was found and adopted by an elderly couple of aliens who happened to be Space Doctors always on the move.
They trained me in the ways of intergalactic medicine and helped me find a new life for myself-- to help others and heal them from their ailments.
We toured the cosmos, living off our earnings. We answered many calls for help, and sadly, many of those calls came from Starfleet outposts that had wounded soldiers that suffered in battle.
I saw all those horrible images of all the fighting, suffering and destruction, and I hated every sight of it-- all that senseless fighting, and needlessly putting themselves in harm’s way.
True, it gave us more patients to treat and more money to make, and every good doctor can’t refuse someone in need.
Then, when my folks passed away, and I inherited everything from them, I set out to carry on the work I did, which also included tending to more Starfleet calls. It seemed those were my best and only jobs, and while I was obligated to help and I needed the money, I still couldn’t stand it.
Starfleet is just so… so… I couldn’t even find the words. They were all over the galaxy, even on worlds where I wouldn’t expect to find them. It’s like they were taking over-- invading other worlds and forcing their ways on the beings of the planets.”
She had a good long pause. “Thankfully, all the Starfleet posts respected my wishes and never referred me to The Grand Ruler. Space Doctors have their own rights and freedom, and they aren’t obligated to stay.
I couldn’t bear it if I had been found and brought me to Unicornicopia-- Starfleet’s Central Base where the danger was by the milestones.
I was free to go wherever I wanted.”
Lightning found this story to be both interesting and upsetting.
He had to ask, “You don’t want to stay here in United Equestria?”
Blitz answered right away. “I want to leave here as soon as I can,” then she turned and grabbed his hand “…And you’re coming with me.”
Lightning was flabbergasted. “What?!”
“You’re a Harmonian pony; you don’t believe here with Starfleet. Let me remind you of what you used to be.”
Lightning couldn’t believe what he was hearing!
“Just a moment!” called a voice from the door.
The two turned round and saw Starla standing there with her hands on her hips.
“Starla?” said Lightning. “Were you listening outside the door?”
“No, but the windows were open, I could hear you. I didn’t mean to snoop, but I was worried things wouldn’t go well, and it’s lucky I did.”
“Excuse me, but who are you?” asked Blitz.
Lightning walked over to Starla. “Blitzy Heart, this is Starla Shine; Supreme General and second-in-command to me.
…My wife.”
“Huh?” cried Blitz, and the couple held up their hands exposing their wedding rings.
“You’re married?” Blitz asked in total disbelief.
“Yes, for five years now.” replied Lightning “And what’s more, we have two children.”
Blitzy stood frozen and stiff with shock. This was just too much for her to take. First Lightning aligned himself in the life of a fighter, and became the lead officer, and now he was married to a fighter and fathered children too?!
“I think maybe we should go now.” said Starla.
Her husband agreed. It was clear to him now that Blitz was in a bad state of mind.
The couple walked down the hall, leaving Blitz to contemplate alone in her room.
“The nerve of her!” Starla grumbled “She really wants you to leave all this-- your life, your friends, your family?”
Lightning sighed, “I was afraid something like this would happen. She’s really changed.” He paused and then refigured, “…Or maybe she never had. She still has the heart of a Harmonian pony. She really doesn’t like battles or fighting of any kind.
She just doesn’t understand Starfleet the way we do or knows the things we know about why it even exists.”
“I think she means to cause us trouble.” said Starla.
“Well, I don’t think we have to worry too much about that. I don’t want to leave. I’m proud of my life here, and I’m especially proud of you, and our family. I could never desert all that.”
His wife smiled, “And I’m proud of you too.” she wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him into a deep kiss.
…Unbeknownst to them, Blitzy was peeking through her door and saw them.
Seeing the couple in their embrace really made her angry with Lightning. She was completely convinced, “She’s got him brainwashed; this entire Starfleet world does.”
She began to envision Lightning when he was a colt, and a normal Harmonian Pony; playing freely, having fun, and just enjoying the blissful peace, which all faded into him as she saw him now-- a snarling, spiteful, pushy fighting machine blowing things up, and hurting others for glory.
Anyone would tell her she was overly exaggerating, but she remained convinced.
“He’s no Harmonian Pony. He’s… I don’t know what he is, but I can’t let this happen to him. I’ve got to convince him that he doesn’t belong here, then I can get him out of here and make him what he used to be.
But how?”
Suddenly, as she looked out her window, she could see a ruckus going on in the village.
One pony who was a supporter of Starfleet was being harassed and pushed around by another pony who was against the force, and they would have gotten into a heated physical brawl had one of the royal knights-- a female Space Alicorn-- on patrol not broken them up.
“That’s enough!” the knight bellowed, and using her mighty strength, she kept the two away from one another.
“Hey! Lay off!” yelled the protestor. “This is none of your business.”
“Well, I’m making it my business.” the knight insisted. “It’s my job to maintain the peace.
Now, one at a time, who started the fight?”
“He started it!” balked the protester.
“I did not!” protested the supporter.
“I said “one at a time!” snapped the knight.
Another pony from the crowd came over to her. “Excuse me, ma’am.” she said politely, “I saw what happened and I can tell you exactly what went on.”
She explained how the supporter was minding his own business, when the angry protestor came along grumbling aloud and slandering Starfleet. “He was saying rude things, “Starfleet are jerks.” and “Everyone else is stupid for supporting them.”
The protester had a guilty expression, which said he did all that.
“Go on,” said the knight.
The mare went on saying about the supporter. “He was just sitting on the bench waiting for the bus-coach to come, and he heard the rude things and all he said was. “I don’t think so. I Starfleet are okay.”
“Really, that’s all I said.” confirmed the supporter. Then he glared angrily at the protester, “Then he starts going all postal on me and said “You’re a retard!” and he came right over calling me more names, and when I told him to leave me alone, he jumped on me. I didn’t want to fight and I didn’t raise my fists or anything.
I was just trying to defend myself.”
The knight glared at the protestor. “Well, it looks to me like someone doesn’t know how to control their temper.”
She let the two ponies down.
“Can I go now?” asked the support.
“Yes, sir, you can go.”
Then she spoke severely to the protestor, “You can go too, but know this; I’m letting you off with a simple warning: the next time you pull a stunt like this, you’ll spend the next 6 months in jail.”
The protestor was furious! “I am so sick of you Space Ponies pushing us all around like this. I’m just a simple-minded guy who voices his opinion on all this jazz and lies told to us by overlords like you.”
The knight said nothing. She just kept staring at him blankly, and then she watched him address the crowd of ponies who witnessed the whole thing.
“I’m splitting this scene, and I’m having nothing to do with these pushy bullies! Now who’s coming with me.”
He was pretty much whining and begging for support of his protest to the force, but sadly for him, all he got was a bunch of angry stares from the people.
“You’re all fools!” he shouted, and then stomped away leaving everyone else to go about their business.
While Blitzy heard him shouting-- he was loud enough-- she hadn’t heard the entire conversation and already got even more wrong ideas of how to make Lightning leave the force.
(Promo)
In our next episode: Pyron and Glaciea begin to fit in well with the community and start to learn the joys of peace and non-aggression. Meanwhile, Flareous and Blizzord, demand the returning of their children and request Starfleet fight for their respective forces, unleashing more chaos should they refuse.
Will Pyron and Glaceia be forced to surrender? What will our heroes do about the wicked kings?
Don’t miss the next exciting episode of “Starfleet Magic!”
(Next Episode: “Warm Welcome, Cold Rejection”)