//------------------------------// // Sub-Orbital Velocity // Story: The Fallen Star People // by MrPants1100 //------------------------------// The Fallen Star People Chapter 2: Sub-Orbital Velocity “Come on girls, I think it landed somewhere over here.” Scootaloo pushed another branch out of her way as she beckoned for the two slow-poke crusaders to follow. As far as camping trips go this one was shaping up to be Scootaloo’s favorite. Spending time with Rainbow Dash, the promise of flying lessons tomorrow and a chance at her mountaineering cutie-mark made all this pretty good, but the shooting star made it great. She couldn't help but be excited when she thought about it, the adventure, the mystery, the look on Spike’s face when he finally was going to win that bet he had with Applejack once they told him about how it exploded, twice. Ponies say if you wish upon a shooting star your wish will come true, and Scootaloo was sure this was a wish granting one. Her wish was to be as cool as Rainbow Dash and then the shooting star just happened to fall were she could get it. Coincidence, maybe. Chance to be awesome, definitely! She could practically taste that cutie-mark. “You sure about this Scootaloo?” Sweetie said, “I’m not sure we’re supposed to be out this far.” Applebloom nodded in agreement. “Oh don’t be such sissies. If we turn back now there’s no way we’ll get our cutie marks in…uh… meteor…uh…” Scootaloo paused and tapped her hoof to her chin. “Meteorology?” Applebloom suggested. “Ya, that! I was going to say that.” Scootaloo lied. “No, it’s not meteorology. Meteorology is weather studies, I think.” Sweetie’s voice trailed off as she contemplated the confusing scientific naming convention. “Weather? What’s that got to do wit’ meteors?” “I don’t know. But that’s what it means.” Sweetie replied. Scootaloo was glad that for once she was not the one in the middle of one of Sweetie Belle’s arguments over vocabulary. At least they had continued on without too much delay. She had a sneaking suspicion that Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Rarity would not be so happy that they went off by themselves. But it would be so worth it when they found the meteor! Scootaloo could hardly contain herself. I wonder what it’ll be like. Probably a big glowing star in a crater. Maybe they’d get in the paper, for something good for once. Or maybe Princess Luna would thank them for finding one of her shooting stars and give them all metals. Or maybe they’d all become famous meteor hunters after they got their cutie marks. As the girls got closer to where they assumed the crash site to be the full moon rose and painted everything in its pale light. The path was difficult to find and many faces were slapped by springing branches. “It’s getting late. Maybe we should turn back.” Sweetie Belle said with growing concern. “Yah, Sweetie’s right maybe we should go. I don’t think we’re goin’ find this thing tonight.” “Nah, I just know we’re getting really close now. We’ll get our meteorology cutie marks for sure,” Scootaloo said as she moved another branch, “We just gotta go a little further.” “I told you it’s not meteorology,” Sweetie Belle huffed, “Were you even listening?” “Alright so if it’s not meteorology then what-“ “Hey, do ya’ll smell that.” Applebloom interrupted. The other crusaders stopped and smelled the air, then wrinkled their noses in disgust. It smelled like somepony had thrown a tire on a bonfire. As they turned around trying to find the source they all focused on a dense patch a bushes they had been avoiding. “Oh, what is that smell? It’s horrible.” Sweetie Belle whined. “Ah think it’s coming from the other side of these bushes.” “Come on, I think we’re getting close now.” Scootaloo said before swiftly diving into the foliage. “OK, we’ve been at this fer too long. I think we need to head back now Scootaloo.” Applebloom scolded. “What’s that, scaredy-cat? I can’t hear you over all the shooting stars I’m finding.” Scootaloo mocked from behind the leaves. “Hey, wait up.” Applebloom said before wading into the plant. “Do you see it yet, girls?” Sweetie Belle said after a moment, with no response she resigned to get sticks in her mane and moved in after her friends. It was a tangled mess inside the maze of vines and leaves and took a few minutes to navigate towards the smell of burning grass and chemicals. The girls struggled to make their way through and had to go single file in a few places. After a minute or two Scootaloo was able to pop her head out the other side and see the object of their adventure. “I told you it was this way. I think I found…whoa.” “What was that? I think I got braches in ma’ ears.” Applebloom joined Scootaloo and stooped dead. “Do you see it yet…girls…hello.” Sweetie Belle said before finding an open space to stick out her head and saw what had memorized her friends. “Whoa-So awesome-What is that?” All three said as they gapped in awe at what was defiantly not a meteor. Small fires burned and cast faint red light around the clearing as a silver glow reflected off the top of the structure. It was a giant white bird-like oddity propped up by three poles going to the ground. A shiny dome-like protrusion sat at the skinny end while two smoldering tubes rested above what looked like solid wings swept back in flight. The whole things looked like a massive bird or fish with its sweeping curves and single tail fin sticking up in the back. Black tile smoked on the underbelly of the machine and no doubt added to the noxious smoke that nasty-ed up the air. Perhaps the most notable thing about it however was a protrusion on the underbelly directly below the black bubble thing on top. It was about the size of a kitchen sink with two bars running down both sides and a flat mirrored side pointing out. The weird thing about it was that it had a glowing red light near the flat part revolved slowly sweeping the clearing a methodical circle. “What is that thing?” Sweetie Belle asked breaking the silence after a full minute. “I-I don’t know. What about you, Scootaloo. What do you think it is?” Scootaloo slowly turned to face her fellow crusaders. Her eyes were lit up and of the dinner plate variety. With a smile that would be at home on Pinkie she said without hesitation. “Aliens.” … “What?” Both crusaders said at once. “It’s got to be aliens. That’s their spaceship. We are going to be so cool!” Applebloom and Sweetie Belle became worried for their friend’s mental health. Maybe she had hit her head one too many times while on her scooter. Or maybe it was all those comics that came out after Luna’s return, the ones about ponies on the moon coming down to enslave Equestria. After having the subject brought up, in great detail, by Scootaloo for show and tell in class one day, the two crusaders knew just how far fetched the idea was. But then again, they were looking at what might be an alien spaceship. “Well, no use in sitting around. I’m going to go make first contact!” Scootaloo squeed and made to rush out to the ship. “Wait! It might be dangerous.” Applebloom grabbed onto to Scootaloo’s tail and kept her from breaking out of the bush. “Dangerous? Ha.” Scootaloo laughed and made to leave the bushes again. “It’s not like it’s going to bite me, come on Applebloom.” “But what about-,” Sweetie Belle was stopped by a sudden rustling in the bushes a few feet away. “Oh no! It’s the aliens. Hide!” She yelled before ducking back into the bush. The bushes parted and out came the alien itself. It was short, very short. Its head came to about one of the crusader’s bellies, but its long ears were nearly as long as its body was tall. There was death hidden behind its cute black eyes and its long whiskers twitched with crazy alien power. Its powerful legs could probably let it jump over the tallest building in Manehatten, and it had a little fluffy tail just for show. “AAAHH!” Scootaloo screamed, “Alien!” … “Scootaloo, that’s just a little bunny-rabbit.” Scootaloo slowly poked her head out of the bush. “You’re not scarred of rabbits are you, Scootaloo?” Applebloom mocked. “N-No. Of course not.” The pegasus in question said with a blush. “Aw, it’s so cute. Hey there little fellow, what are you doing out here?” Sweetie Belle said as she reemerged from the bush. “I can’t believe that a lil’ bunny-rabbit’s got you so worked up Scoots. You should have seen the look on your face,” Applebloom laughed. “Shut up. I was not scarred!” “Were to.” “Was not!” At this point the rabbit chose to ignore the ponies and continued its investigation in the case of “What the heck just landed in my backyard” and gave a few hops out towards the spaceship. The crusaders were so caught up in their ‘debate’ that they did not notice until Sweetie Belle spoke up. “Where are you going bunny, it’s dangerous.” The others glanced away to see that the rabbit had made it out into the clearing about four feet in front of the bush-line. It paused for a moment as the crusaders turned towards it. The rabbit shrugged and gave one final hop before something unexpected happened. As the crusaders watched the rotating thing on the bottom of the ship suddenly spun around to face the rabbit and with an electric tone connected the creature’s head to itself with a beam of red light. Within a second of the connection the rabbit landed for the last time and promptly exploded. One moment the bunny been a perfectly passable mammalian ball of fluff, and the next it made a sound like frying eggs and a lit firework. A circle as big around as a loopdy-hoop around and behind the former bunny burst into flame and joined one of the many fires surrounding the clearing. Bits of smoldering rabbit rained down and littered the area while the fires emitted a new smell into the noses of the crusaders. It took them all a moment to fully realize what had happened. The improvised campfire flickered and cast new shadows across their faces. The death ray under the ship continued to spin. And the girls screamed. They screamed loud enough to shake the smoke laden air and they bolted as fast as they could away through the bushes. Plants that took minutes before were burst through in seconds as the crusaders ran from the grizzled corpse of the woodland creature screaming the whole way. ********************************** Back in the clearing the cockpit had evacuated its air and broke open along a seam in the middle. The machine inhaled a gasp of air as the two pieces moved to allow access to the interior. Digital read-outs and physical user interface moved aside to give freedom of motion to a figure in a pressurized and armored flight suit. First Lieutenant Robert Davids stood up for the first time on the alien world. From behind his seat he drew out emergency supplies clearly labeled “FOR TERRESTRIAL USE ONLY: MATERIALS NOT SUITABLY FOR MICRO-GRAVITY”. He chuckled to himself. Both he and the Sol Federation probably thought it was a waste of space six months ago to supply the mission for such emergencies. He was never supposed to touch ground throughout the engagement and certainly wasn’t supposed to crash land on an unknown planet. At least someone thought he might, heaven forbid, actually use any of the survival training he got on Earth and for that he was thankful. But then again, the idea of ‘survival gear’ was to extend a downed pilot’s life until help arrived, not very reassuring when your distance from help is measured in parsecs. A 9mm survival pistol went to his hip while a 20mm Personal Direct Energy Assault Weapon went on his back mounted holster. He could use a gun and he could use a laser, but with the way his day had been going he did not trust himself outside the 10 meter kill radius of his fighter. And even the eight week personal weapons training period did not leave him with much confidence. He brought the laser up into his shoulder, the cheek rest made a tap against his mirror black helmet. Aiming at what looked like a pinecone 15 meters away he squeezed the trigger. With a sizzling pop the pinecone vanished into ash. Satisfied he secured the weapon and made his way to the ground. “First Lieutenant Davids on ground prepared to pursue subjects of interest. Monet, do you copy, over?” Static filled the line for a few moments. Lt. Davids began to panic. “Monet, do you copy, over?” … “Damn it, pick up. Lieutenant Davids to The F.S.S. Monet, do you co-“ “Alright! We hear yah! Quit yer’ bitching already! In case you forgot we’re still dealing with the situation up here.” Oh thank God! Until that moment he had not realized how beautiful Captain Blake’s voice was. Her sweet Irish syllables seemed to lose their slightly pretentious tones and became like the voice of an angel singing him to safety. “It’s great to hear you captain. I am on the surface and ready to for orders.” … “Captain…?” “Oh, sorry about that,” Captain Blake said with sarcasm dripping from her voice. “We’re still a bit busy trying to deal with the astrophysics of this fucking insane solar system. So excuse me if I’m a little too busy to be telling you what to do on a planet you’re not supposed to be on!” She coughed once quickly. “Ahem, uh, sorry. You’re not hurt are you?” “No, ma’am. Entry was rough, landing was nominal if a little rustic.” He pushed through the bush and continued to walk towards where those screaming animals went. “Ah, good. Well then. Ah, you said something about the fauna acting odd, right? I think I will leave the course of action up to you. Just remember to shoot anything big before it eats you, wouldn’t want you to really die after that tricky aero braking would we?” “No ma’am. I will investigate the life forms here at a safe distance and report-“ “Now on a more serious note,” Blake said cutting him off. “I was serious when I said I had more pressing matters up here. So unless you find The Draconis or are about to get eaten or some combination of the two I don’t want to hear it. Report back in an hour, and stay alive. Monet out.” … “Yes, ma’am.” Lt. Davids ended his transmission and continued into the night after the three creatures that didn’t get burned up by Magdalene. Something about them made him want to investigate and see them up close. Perhaps it was his inner scientist excited about a whole new biosphere, or his inner adventurer ready for a quest. Or maybe it was the fact that they were the only living things he knew of that weren’t hurdling away at two kilometers a second over the other side of the world. *************** “Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo!” “Applebloom, where are yah!?” Applejack called. “Gosh darn it. We never should’ve let them go running off on their own.” The two ponies pushed through the underbrush. Moonlight illuminated the ground around them but offered little visibility until Rarity lit up her horn. The once peaceful setting turned sinister as the Whitetail woods took on a more Everfree aesthetic. Branches reached out and snagged in hats and manes and roots stuck out to trip hooves. Nothing for a pair of grown mares with extra light and experience in frightening situations, but for three lost little fillies it might be too much. “I do hope the girls are all right. You don’t think they could have wandered too far off do you?” Rarity’s voice was pleading as she asked Applejack. “I hope not. They probably just went off a bit and lost track of time. I know Applebloom has good enough sense to stay out of trouble,” Applejack said as she rounded another large tree. “Yes, I think you’re right. They’re most definitely fine. The girls know how to stay safe and out of trouble of course.” It took the two a few moments before they realized just how wrong the previous sentence was. … “Maybe we should pick up the pace a little,” Applejack said with growing unease. “Quite right. Best not to dally.” The two mares moved in earnest and called louder hoping to find the crusaders quickly. “These woods are fine fer little fillies and all. I jus don’t like that all that been going on tonight.” “Yes, that frightful meteor and then those Timberwolves. I don’t think they would have come this far but I don’t want to take that chance.” “Yah, they couldn’t come this far. Them Timberwolves are dumb, but I don’t think they’d be stupid enough to run all this way from the Everfree on account of some silly old shootin’ star.” “Yes, they probably-“ At that moment both mares’ blood froze in their veins. The howl of wolves could be heard in the distance. They both stopped and strained to pinpoint were the sound came from, and if it was followed by the sound of any fillies. Their mission suddenly became far more imperative. Applejack slowly turned to Rarity, “I think we better move a lot faster now.” Rarity nodded and the two galloped of to save the little ponies. ************* Scootaloo ran. She didn’t think. She just ran. The two other crusaders were right behind her as she sprinted in the direction most opposite the death-ray-machine. All three crusaders were silent, save for their panting and frantic hoof steps, their screams having died a while ago. Now they pushed further through the woods with all the speed they could muster. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom hoped Scootaloo knew where she was going and that they soon would be back at camp, but neither thought to check. The thought of the rabbit and the aliens were on the forefront of their minds. Try as they might to quell their fear their minds created questions and images faster than their hooves could outrun. Poor little bunny. Why did the aliens murder it? It was so cute…And then it died! What if it comes for us?! With these thoughts the crusaders pushes on into the night wanting nothing more than to see their big sisters and hug the fear away. Thus far running did little to ease memory and the shock of the discovery of the alien craft and the witness of their first murder. Eventually though they could run no further and Scootaloo slowed to a canter. Then a trot. Then stopped, and all three stood at the edge of ditch and panted for a few moments. “I think…that we…need to go back to camp.” Applebloom chocked out between breaths. “I think you’re right,” Scootaloo agreed. … “Well?” Applebloom asked. “Lead the way.” “What? I don’t know where it is. Weren’t you keeping track of where we were?” “No! I was following you.” “Well I wasn’t leading! I was just running away!” Scootaloo practically screamed as the seriousness of their situation began to sink in. It was at that moment that Sweetie Belle began to cry in long wailing sobs. “Oh, it’s ok Sweetie Belle. Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash are probably on their way right now to find us. We’ll be back at camp in no time.” Applebloom sat next to her friend and wrapped her in a hug. “*Sniff* I know….It’s just….That poor bunny,” Sweetie Belle stopped crying long enough to say before beginning to softly cry again. Scootaloo, though not broken down, was not doing much better. This part of the woods looked different from any they’d seen on their way to the crash site, or at camp, or even on their way up to the camp in the first place. She knew they had been running for a while, but they couldn’t have gotten too far away from camp…right? “Girls, I think we’re lost.” Sweetie Belle began to cry again. “Well maybe,” Applebloom shot a glare at Scootaloo. “But my big sis’ can’t be too far away. I’m sure they’ll find us lickity-split.” Scootaloo wanted to believe that, but she had a nagging feeling that they were in more trouble than they thought. “I think we need to wait here,” Sweetie Belle said. “I don’t want to run anymore and get more lost.” The others nodded and sat together in a small circle, waiting to be rescued. They were silent for a few minutes save for quiet sniffling coming from more than one crusader. Each one thought about their predicament as they shivered against the cold. After a while Sweetie spoke up. “I feel bad for that rabbit.” “Yah, it was a cute little rabbit before…you know.” Applebloom’s ears flattened as she spoke. “I wonder why the aliens killed it. I mean it didn’t do anything besides look at their spaceship,” Scootaloo said before going very quiet. “You don’t think it’s coming after us do you?” She asked, fear in her voice. The girls became deathly quiet as they realized the sounds of the forest had changed. It seemed as though the trees held their breath in anticipation for what would happen. As the girls intently listened to the night for sounds of death wielding monsters they became aware of a slow set of footsteps coming closer. They looked over to where they came from, near the direction of the ship, was this the alien?! Two glowing green eyes appeared from behind the leaves and a stench filled the air. A Timber wolf emerged from the bushes and howled. Sweetie Belle screamed and fell over backwards. In an instant the Timber wolf pounced and snarled barring teeth and made to snap up the filly. Applebloom and Scootaloo were screaming and running from the wooden nightmare before they saw their friend about to be eaten. “NO!” Scootaloo shouted as she changed direction and charged at the wolf. She slammed into its shoulder and the two of them tumbled down the steep sides of the ditch and into the gully below. Scootaloo shook her head to clear her thoughts. When she looked up the Timber wolf had recovered and gave a bone chilling howl before leveling its head at the frightened filly. Once again Scootaloo was running. This time, however, she ran with danger right on her tail. She pushed her limbs as fast as they would go as she screamed at the top of her lungs for dear life. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom could only watch on in horror as the Timber wolf chased down their friend. What were two little fillies to a Timber wolf besides lunch? “Somepony HELP! Do something!” Sweetie Belle shrieked. “Run, Scootaloo, run! It’s gaining on you!” With death just feet away Scootaloo did the worst thing imaginable at the moment. A pair of roots washed out to stick above ground formed the perfect catch for a little orange hoof and she tripped and fell flat on her face sending a twinge up her hind leg. She tried to pull against the roots but they twisted and held firm as the other wooden danger slowly approached. The wolf, sensing that its prey could no longer run, took its time to approach the helpless filly. Its green eyes filled with wolf-y mirth as it made its way to a lucky meal. If the wolf could form coherent thoughts it would probably thank that strange skylight for driving it to the noisy and delicious looking pony pups, he might have to start hunting this area more if these things were so easy to find. Scootaloo watched in horror as the wolf approached with teeth exposed and lips parted to eat the little pony. This is the end. I’m really going to die! She thought as the Timber wolf was only a pony length away from consuming her. For the second time that night an animal did something strange. One moment the wolf was ready to feast on the flesh of the little pegasus and the next its neck erupted into flame. It seemed confused for a moment until the strange fire cut up like a knife and its head fell to the ground crackling with fire. The rest of the wolf’s body staggered and slumped to the ground. It stayed for only a moment as its natural healing magic tried to put the splintered and burnt pieces back together. With trembling movements the wolf slowly pulled thorny paws under its body and tried to push itself up into a standing position. It was unable to. Fire erupted out of its chest and moved in long sweeping streaks of crimson up and down the length of the wolf. Segmented pieces of animal and charcoal stayed together for a short moment before collapsing in a makeshift campfire. The last parts of its anatomy broke apart and became unrecognizable. The wolf stayed down. In their own way Timberwolves are majestic creatures of the forest. They are blessed with bodies adept at repair and reconstruction. Because of this they are feared hunters and masters of their ecosystem. They have no fear of predators or worry of attack. But despite, and perhaps because, of their intriguing wooden beauty fire poses a great threat to them. This wolf was not special. Its body burned like any firewood, serving only to cast light to the area. None of the crusaders moved and hardly drew breath for half a minute. Scootaloo was in total shock. The wolf was dead and she was not. It was the second death she had seen today. Of all the things that could possibly happen this was the strangest possible thing. She stared at the smoldering smoking remains of the wolf as the fire burned itself to embers in the wet wood. The light was fading by the time she became conscious of another creature. By the time she had come to her senses the sounds of the newest arrival had stopped just short of her. Scootaloo looked towards what probably was another Timber wolf. She was strangely calm after all she had been through. She thought it was funny. There she was with no Timberwolves chasing her and no threat of danger for so long and then she just let another monster walk right up to her. It was so silly not to notice yet another Timber wolf sneak up on her. Didn’t she learn her lesson? Well whatever it was, it was good at hiding. Even now it eluded her gaze behind two glistening white tree trunks. Well, no use in running now that it’s seen me. Might as well get it over with. But it is weird, I mean where is it? I know I heard it walk up, but it just disappeared behind… Scootaloo refocused on the ends of those tree trunks and then looked up. And up. And up. Finally at the top of the massive creature she meet the gaze a filly about her age looking back. The filly’s face was framed by a shiny black bowl in a circle around her. As Scootaloo looked on the filly’s expression changed from scarred to confused, mirroring her own expression. No, wait that’s an actual mirror. Great, after all that I’m going to get eaten by The Faceless Phantom. Before she could develop that idea the creature took one long step forward and pointed a tube it carried down at her. Suddenly the night lit up in heat and light and the last thing Scootaloo heard was the crackling burn of a death ray.