My ship bounded through the Warp. It was my custom ship, gifted to me for my loyalty during the Horus Heresy. It was also currently hooked to a heretical war ship chartered to an unknown location. I sat at my console, cleaning my bolter. I was very low on supplies so I was trying to maximise its efficiency, but the techpriests knew how to treat her when I last went to get her serviced and her spirit was purring like a cat while I cleaned her.
My consoles all hummed quietly allowing me to finish without an interruption. I reassembled my bolter and mag-locked it onto my back. As if the Emperor himself willed it to wait until I finished cleaning, my consoles started beeping. I threw on my helmet and walked to the bridge. The consoles all flashed and beeped about twenty things, all of which were about how I was getting jettisoned from the ship. I started plotting a course for where to exit the warp, but I was well cut off from the Imperium. I started thinking of maybe accepting the Emperor as a god before deciding now was not a time for theology. My ship tumbled and fell out of warp travel. I started trying to gain my bearing by finding an inhabitable planet. If I could survive long enough, perhaps the Imperium would come to me. I set all my scaanners to finding worlds nearby witch could support me. I sat back and started a digital journal entry, the scans might last long enough for me to write a bit about my life.
I had just finished summing up my minor role in the Horus Heresy when the console chimed. There were three planets on the list so I sat back and started reading through them. The first was a small planet, barely big enough to support human colony. I thought it would make a poor choice for a semi-permanent home. I must admit, I was scared for a moment. I calmed myself, trying to remember that I had to chose one soon. I didn't trust my ship after an emergency warp jettisoning. The next planet was like Terra long ago. There were signs of at least semi-intelligent life. I put it aside and went to the last planet. It was huge and had many forests. The problem was it's atmosphere was well-removed from earth. I couldn't allow my senses to dull on such a long-term mission and with it's atmosphere oxygen would be a problem. I started checking the second planet's geography.
I looked over the notes on the second planet. I dropped my jaw. I read them again, this time much more carefully, the damned facts were there, and it broke all of them. I looked at some readings from the local star. My face tightened. A retirement was out of the question now started readying myself for war. A planet that was geocentric was rare enough. This one was special though. I strapped on my armor. This one had it's sun held in place by massive amounts of warp energy. I plotted a course and started to descend into the unknown.
My ship slowly landed in the only clearing of a massive tree field. My inner scientist noticed the trees all had apples, long extinct since they only grew well on Terra itself which is to mechanized to allow crops. I brought out my bolter and began scanning for the forces of chaos. My armor started compiling a map to aid me in the battle that I felt was inevitable. I was surprised when I saw a xeno casually walk forward. It was shaped as if a horse, only smaller and even seemed sentient. It was staring wide-eyed at my ship. “What in tarnation is this thing doin’ in mah apple field!?!” I smirked under my helmet before slowly retreating under the trees. My red armor wouldn’t hide me well, but it might let me observe the xenos actions. It walked up to my ship and I cocked my bolter. The spirit sensed my need of quiet and muffled the sound excellently. The xeno simply stared for a moment before reaching a conclusion. “HELLO? YA’LL AROUND HERE GUYS? I RECKON’ I COULD USE SOME HELP!” As if on cue a smaller blue xeno soared through the air. I was surprised to see that this one was a horse too. Only, it had wings. I settled to watch some more.
“Yo, AJ what the hay did you do this time?” The blue pony said glancing back at my ship.
“Ah don’t rightly know. This thing fell outta the sky and made a lotta racket, but it seems tah not do anything.” I continued my deduction and thought these to be scouts. I was reminded of the beginning of Hourus's fall and the humans who refused to kill all xenos they saw, I stopped that thought. I didn't have supplies for an unneeded war. if they were peaceful I would have to compromise and live with them. I shook off the thought and scared them allowing my booming voice to command their attention.
“TINY XENOS, YOU ARE NEAR MY SHIP. WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?” I was surprised by the response from both the xenos. The blue one landed and started looking around for whoever talked, seemingly more confused than scared. Meanwhile the orange xeno jumped back before trying to respond.
“Ya’ll are on my property, ya hear? If ah’m near your ship it’s because your ship is on mah land. So come out and introduce yourself before doin’ all this crazy magic to scare us.” I started to smirk, these xenos had a way about them. As if they never had to fight for a meal. I started a subtle scan. The accented voice disturbed my thoughts. "Ah said for ya'll to introduce yahself. Now get to introducin'!" It's stance changed, it seemed ready to kick something. I pushed my luck with diplomacy. Emperor damn the consequences.
“Hello small xenos. I am Crucius Marx of the Blood Ravens. You are standing beside my ship The Pursuit of Knowledge and I am here to help this world.” It wasn’t a lie. Anything tainted with chaos I would kill, which would help this world. I also still pointed my bolter at them, better safe than sorry. The blue xeno jumped up and started staring at my visor. She tapped my helmet with a hoof before flying back and talking.
“AJ this thing is made of metal.” My smirk evolved into a grin. Even if I had to kill these xenos they were funnier than a Slaaneshi
“No, no tiny xenos I am simply wearing armor.” I stopped actively aiming my bolter at them. If it was a chaos trap I had already sprung it. I laughed. A scary sound to the xenos if their sudden jump behind my ship for cover was any sign. I didn't like the thought of the xenos put out of my sight. I checked the results of my scan. Both of the xenos had an innate warp ability, though neither seemed adept at using them. I looked at the facts laid before me. These xenos hadn't attacked me. That was good. They seemed not to trust me, but the feeling was mutual. I decided to take the chapter motto to heart. If knowledge was power then I need to gain knowledge I needed a Librarium. I needed to at least fake being polite to gain entrance to the nearest source of knowledge.
Both xenos looked around the ship before shuffling out from behind it, and looking at me. “If ya’ll are wearin’ armor, then ya’ll must be a guard. What are yah doin’ so far from the princess?” I slowly tried to figure out this confused orange xeno. I decided the only cure for my confusion was to question everything.
“I’m sorry before we continue this conversation I have to find a way to stop calling you “xeno”. Could I bother to ask a name or two, one from each?” The blue xeno perched on my ship before stretching like a feline.
"Sorry man, I thought you’d recognize me. I’m Rainbow Dash.” The orange xeno perked up and shot a disapproving glance at Rainbow Dash.
“Don’t mind her none, she’s got a bad case of cockiness. Ah’m AppleJack, call me AJ if yah wanna.” I looked both of them up and down, if I needed to know something one of them would probably know.
“If you’ll excuse me, but I’m not from here. Do you perhaps have a Librarium or somewhere where I could learn about this land?” Rainbow bolted up and jumped on my helmet.
“How about a trade Marxie-boy? I give you directions to the town Library, and I get to ride on your head and nap ‘til we get there.”
“Well, seems fair enough to me.” I shrugged and tried to watch for any aggressive movements. Neither xeno seemed on edge.
“Alright then. Just go towards the town and it’s the big tree in the middle.” I waved at AppleJack before heading towards the nearest settlement from my ships scans. Rainbow dash perched on my helmet taking a nap. I almost threw her off. A xeno on my head seemed to be the last thing I wanted. I couldn't bring myself to do it. She was just lying there, taking a nap. I ignored her, letting her sleep on my head.
The trip was both short and uneventful. We reached the town within an hour and I garnered quite a few stares. I didn't like being surrounded by xenos. I sucked it up, none of them seemed to be interested in me besides as an oddity. I reached the tree and tilted my head. Rainbow Dash started sliding off. "Whoooo." She screamed and slipped of my helmet. She glared up at me. My hand instantly went to my bolter. "What the buck man, I was just sleeping on your head and then BAM i was slipping off." I slid my gauntlet off my bolter before responding.
"Well, I reached the library, and now I don't know what to do. Maybe, you would like to help?" I tried my best to sound polite, but the sight of an indignant blue, rainbow maned pony was rather hilarious. Rainbow Dash deflated at that. She started to stare at the ground.
"Yeah, I guess so." She perked up as a thought hit her. "Hey, maybe the new Daring-Do is in." with that she trotted up to the door and walked in, She didn't even bother to knock.
I was halted in the doorway by my helmet squawking in my ear. There was a psyker in here. Not just any psyker, but an extremely powerful psyker. I started moving slowly and drew my bolter. Rainbow dash was staring at the bookshelf looking for a Daring-Do, whatever that was. I slowly ascended the staircase, following my helmets readings. At the top of the staircase was a purple xeno. I thought of her as this worlds librarian, keeping the knowledge of the planet safe and controlled, while trying to learn it all personally. I then noticed she was the center of all my warnings. I brought my bolter to bear on it. I was barely a pound of pressure from firing before I hesitated. I thought maybe these xenos could be like humans. My thoughts were halted as the psyker grabbed hold of me. "I just damned myself."
"Wait- you can speak?" The purple xeno looked at me as if I was an affront against nature. I felt the warp powers recede from around me as I was deposited gently on the ground. The purple xeno looked me up and down."By Celestia, what are you anyways?"
I smiled and set my bolter on my shoulder. "I am Crucius Mark of the Emperors space marines. I am stranded here without a way home. In accordance with my chapter doctrine I must gain knowledge on this land. May I ask for some assistance?"
The xeno looked me up and down. "I-I guess so. I don't have much in the way of recent history, but "An Unabridged History of Equestria" has all the history up to one hundred years ago. Also, before I give you some books I have to get some info about you." A stack of paper about three feet high appeared beside her and I felt my guts shift as she brought out a quill. I swear that chaos itself shuddered when she started asking questions.
An hour later I had learned more about Equestrian history from the librarian (Whose name I learned was Twilight Sparkle) than the book. I had set up in the back corner of the library. I kept an eye on everything that walked in. I started reading the history book Ms.Sparkle passed me and started learning the language. The language was simple and was decoded in less than an hour, but my studies got cut short.
Twilight Sparkle cantered into the room. "Hey Marx, you have a place to stay, right?" she looked genuinely worried. A realization hit me. These xenos were nice. They didn't act nice to further their own goals. They legitimately cared for others. The warming of my heart put a smile on my face.
"Of course I do Ms.Sparkle. My ship is located in the middle of an apple farm." Her expression went to shock rather quickly.
"No way Marx. No debates, we can get you a house with some help. The nearest construction pony owes me a favor. I'll call it in and get you to design the general layout. How does tomorrow sound?" She looked like she thought that up while saying it, but I didn't complain. I was more than likely stranded her for at least a century or two. Might as well make it into an experiment seeing if xenos really can be peaceful.
Ms.Sparkle, I think I'd like that a lot. Now if you'll excuse me I must return to my ship. I have to check some things." I departed swiftly, barely hearing her goodbyes before closing the door.