The year is 3347, the two great factions, the New Lunar Republic, and the Celestial Empire, have been comrades in arms against the Menataur, Griffin, and Changeling axis. The two sides have been in a catastrophic and deadly stalemate for nearly two years. But it was not always so.
The New Lunar Republic and the Celestial Empire did not exist over one hundred years ago. The people of these two weakened powers were once part of a great and united government. The Equestian Star Federation. A great and powerful state that once reached the span of over half the galaxy. A state that was just, fair, and united under the cause of exploration and peace. However, all great empires must fall...
In the year 3214, the Equesrian Star Federation reached a breaking point, disagreements between key members in the Star Federation Parliament, as well as the dual monarchy between Princess Luna and Princess Celestia led to seperation of the once great house. The two states that branched from this once great federation became known as the New Lunar Republic, led by Princess Luna and her loyal followers and conglomerates from the Federations deep space colonies. The other state became known as the Celestial Empire, led by Princess Celestia and the great and wealthy houses of the federations planetary sector governors.
The secession of these great powers from the Federation was first taken to just be a battle of wits, and that neither party planned to keep up what many viewed to be a thoughtless string of actions by parlimentary leaders. However, in the year 3220, disaster struck. Near the borders of the New Lunar Republic's nearest sector to the Celestial Empire, a small cargo vessel carrying raw supplies for the New Lunar Republic's new star fleet was mistaken for a military vessel by nearby patrolling Celestial Imperial Navy vessels. Due to blatant mistakes made by both senior officers and command of the Celestial Imperial Naval Ship Horizon, the small NLR vessel was fired upon. The reasons stated in later reports would be stated as “Tresspassing of NLR Military vessel on Celestial Empire borders”
It would be later found that the officers and crew had miscalculated their position, and had in fact been tresspassing into New Lunar Republic space.
Outraged by what was now taken as a senseless act of military agression, Princess Luna and the leaders of the New Lunar Republic declared war on the Celestial Empire on the 23 of August, 3220. What would follow would be over one hundred years of bloody conflict.
The New Lunar Republic took the Celestial Empire completely by surprise. It's new and advacned star fleet swept across CE controlled space at speed that had never been seen before. Employing new technologies and capabilities that were once thought to be just theories.
However, although the New Lunar Republic's starfleet was vast, the Celestial Empire was able to keep them at bay with sheer manpower. The Celestial Empire's ground forces were vast, and their ability to hold their own in space after the initial surprise by the New Lunar Republic Navy caused both sides to eventually fall into a bloody stalemate.
Few ever thought that the war would end, and that these were the end times. When brother fought brother, sister fought sister, and machine battled machine in the ultimate fight for supremacy among the stars. But our tale does not end here.
In the year 3340, an encrypted and secret communique reached the offices of Princess Celestia. It was from Princess Luna. Within the message was a plea for peace. Both sides had grown weary of war, and both sides had lost so much. To continue in such fasion would lead to certain destruction for both sides, with no hope of recovery. Luna also detailed how she could no longer bear to cause harm to the people of the Celestial Empire, a nation whose people had once been hers as well.
The message fell upon an open heart, and Celestia communicated back almost instantly. It was agreed then, in secret, by the leaders of the two most powerful states in the galaxy, that a peace project was to be undertaken. The building of two sister ships, using shared technologies and knowledges, to create, in the name of peace, the most mighty fighting vessels ever seen. It was the plan of the sisters to unite the might of their nations once more, into a singular nation of peace and prosperity. But all in due time. After the comunication between the sisters stopped, military operations on both sides were scaled down to the point of nothing more than high alert. The attacks stopped, planetary and colonial attack warning sirens sounded no more, and the people of both sides drew hope and caution from the eerie silence.
Thus was the conceiving of the New Lunar Republic Ship Valiant, and the Celestial Imperial Naval Ship Steadfast. Symbols of hope and prosperity to be built and unveiled when the time was right. Production on the vessels took place almost immediately after communications from the two sisters reached their conclusion. The vessels would be constructed in secret, even from the two nations own military and government leaders. The only ponies who knew of the project were the two sisters, and those that they appointed to work on them. Their plans made in secret, both sides settled down and waited for the right time.
The moment came on the 30th of January, 3345. The people of the two nations were dumbstruck when a sudden governmental conference took place directly on the border between the NLR and the CE. Both leaders were present, standing side by side, and speaking in unison the creed of the Equestian Star Federation.
“It is for the prosperity of all that we venture forth into the black abyss of space, to expand and discover the opportunities that shall lead our people to peace. It is for the good of all that we hold our leaders accountable for their actions, so that they may lead our people with open hearts and gentle hands. It is in the name of peace, that we go forward like a breath exhaled from the great earth, to lead all into an age of prosperity, an age of discovery, an age of opportunity, an age of friendship. This we all do swear upon our sacred honor, In the name of peace.”
Throughout the galaxy, silence fell. Both sides suddenly saw a face of their leaders they had never seen before. It was then that the sisters looked upon each other truly for the first time in over a century, and embraced.
Thunderous applause rang out throughout the galaxy, the Equestian Civil War was over, and a peace treaty was to be signed the very next week, and the two ships, the NLRS Valiant, and the CINS Steadfast would make their maiden voyages to bring the two leaders to the ancient Equestian Star Federation's political center space station to sign the treaty. Although this treaty would not unite the NLR and the CE immediately, it would lay the groundwork for the two great houses to eventually become one again.
February 5th, 3345. The two sisters boarded their vessels, and the two sister ships began their first voyage. However, unlike the warships of the past hundred years, these ships were not setting a course for battle, but one of peace.
At 1800 hours on the 5th of February, 3345, the two ships met in the Harmony Sector, and within minutes both ships had docked at the once great political hub of the Equestian Star Federation. The station had not been used in a century, and it's lifeless husk had floated in space without purpose. Both ships fired power couplings from their hulls in unison, and the cables were guided into the sockets of the station. With a surge of energy, the station had life once more, to fufill the purpose it was made for. Both leaders walked into the central parliament room with nothing but a small honor guard, as was old Equestian Star Federation tradition. The sisters sat and waited as the scribes of each nation came and assembled the treaty. And when the final moment came, the sisters signed in unison. With the final stroke of a pen, the Equestiran Civil war was over.
Applause rang out once more from the people of the two great nations, and in the moments after the treaty was signed, the sisters looked upon each other with smiles on their faces, and hope in their eyes.
It was then that a small CINS support friggate exploede outside the grand viewport of the station. The great leaders were dumbstruck, and they gazed unbelievingly at the destruction of the vessel. Almost immediately, Celestia rounded on Luna. Luna feverishly denied the involvement of the NLR, to the point of tears. It was then that a call came over the stations intercom. Unknown ships were being detected on their scanners, an entire envasion fleet had arrived.
For you see, beyond the fringes of Equestian space, dark powers had been watching and growing, brooding until the moment was right. The Menetaur, Griffin, and Changeling axis had attacked. When this was realized, another volley was fired upon the station itself. Thankfully most of the barrage missed, however, a single shell was able to penetrate the stations kinnetic dampeners, and crippled the CINS Steadfast docking mechanism. The Steadfast could not try to disengage from the station without the risk of severely damaging the station, and possibly killing everyone aboard.
When Luna realized what had happened, a force of anger never seen in her before boiled to the surface. Without hesetation, she made her way back to the Valiant, and ordered it to remove itself from the station and engage the enemy.
Within minutes, the massive ship had brought itself to bear with the enemy fleet and launched it's entire compliment of fighters. At the order of Princess Celestia, all Celestial Imperial Naval vessels were to assist the Valiant. These measures were just a distraction, as Luna ordered the main armament of the Valiant powered up. The massive plasma weapon that took up the ships whole bow section, simply known as the Magic Cannon. Three minutes into the engagement, the cannon was ready, and all equestrian forces were ordered out of the danger area. With the final order, the cannon was fired, and half of the enemy fleet was immediately vaporized. All other ships in close proximity of the beam were severly damaged. With half of their fleet decimated by a single ship in only a few minutes, the enemy fleet went into full retreat.
It was then that a communication was sent to the ESF station. The Menetaur, Griffin, and Changeling empires had banded together, known as the Outland Federation, and were declaring war on the New Lunar Republic, and the Celestial Empire.
With this new threat now presenting itself, the equestian people of the two great nations became one again. Although not in name, but as comrades in arms. The New Lunar Republic and the Celestial Empire banded together.
What follows is the story and history of this war.
What follows is Harmony and Strife: The Final Battles For Equestria.