//------------------------------//
// Interlude: Homecoming 
// Story: Battlestar: Celestia 
// by Lunar Soldier 
//------------------------------//

Post-Equus arrival, day 121
17:38 hours, Canterlot Standard Time
Bridge, Caprica

        “Mr. Wind Burst?”

        “Yes, Captain Frude?”

        “Take us down.”

        “Aye, sir,” the Second Lieutenant said as he spun back toward his console. A few command prompts later, the Caprica was on a course to a large clearing just outside of Ponyville. “We’re on our way down, cap’n.”

        Mark reached for the microphone. “All hands, for the next hour or so… brace for turbulence.”





        Atop her castle, Twilight’s vision focused on the western horizon and to the clearing where the Caprica would be offloading her crew. A part of her was tense with the excitement of being able to see the ship comparatively sized with her surrounding environment. The other part was fearful that such a behemoth was soon going to be hovering over her small section of kingdom and subjects. Twilight had told the community of Ponyville what was coming, knowing full-well they were still a panic-y lot.

        And I’ll never understand why, Twilight thought as she gazed down to the gathering crowd of ponies at the clearing. We used to have about one disaster per week. You’d think they’d expect it by now.

        A twinkle on the horizon focused her thoughts. “Guards,” she called out to the two pegasi posted at her door. They entered her chamber and joined her on her balcony. “It’s time.” 





        “Firing bow thrusters to reduce speed,” Wind Burst called out. Mark watched as their forward velocity fell rapidly. “Three hundred… two hundred… one hundred… fifty… we’ve arrived over the target point.”

        “We’re holding steady,” Des reported as she read her own holographic readouts.

        “Very well,” a tired Mark said. He picked up the shipwide broadcast mic. “All hands, make your way to the loading bays. As soon as the loading pads hit the ground, do try to clear off quickly. Welcome home. Caprica Actual, out.” The bridge began to clear as the staff moved to exit.

        Spitfire stopped when she saw Mark not joining them. “Aren’t you coming, too?”

        “No,” he answered. “Gotta keep a dangerous creature like me contained.”

        She gave a disapproving sigh, before fluttering up and giving him a quick kiss. “Call me, if you get lonely.”

        “I will,” he said as she turned to leave.





        Twilight watched from the ground as the great spaceship loomed ominously above. The gathering was relatively calm, comprised mostly of family members anxiously awaiting their family’s reunification. A loud clank was heard, and the princess saw the lifts begin to lower. Three minutes passed before they finally reached the ground, the ponies moving to step off and run to their waiting loved ones. 

        She looked for Mark, but saw he was nowhere to be found. The lifts began to retract, as Twilight spotted Spitfire, taking flight to meet her in air. “Was he not coming?” she asked when she caught up to the pegasus.

        “No,” Spitfire replied. “I think he needs some time.” The two mares hovered and watched as the Caprica retreated back into the evening sky.