Knowledge that a violent group of Gargantian’s had managed to get aboard the space station had every Space Ranger within range of helping Star Command on edge. It was a fact that even if Star Command was a safe place to keep Fluttershy, it wouldn’t be the safest place forever if everyone and their grandma was gunning for her.
The Galactic President wasn’t anywhere near capital planet at the moment and the Grand Councilwoman would be taking one of the Alliance Armada’s vessels to come to Fluttershy. The tall old lady was coming armed to the teeth with the most trusted soldiers under her command and a well tested crew that could work well under pressure. The Councilwoman figured she’d need them what with the highly visible assassination order on a first contact being that was of a peace brokering species.
Speaking of pressure, a large headed woman sat in a ship and was currently gathering a portion of an asteroid field to make a move on Star Command with it.
-
Fluttershy and Roller were escorted to the hangar and a lot of Space Rangers were on the lookout for any more tiny intruders or big trouble. Mira had split off from the group to check up on the repairs for her armor and XR had to go print out a few files to hand to his dad. It kind of bothered the pony that so many beings would throw their lives away to protect her to the best of their abilities.
After they were into the hangar good and proper, Fluttershy had stopped to ask what species one particular Space Ranger was. The ranger in question had four legs, an upper humanoid torso and strangely she didn’t have a nose, but did have short dark blue hair in a style reminiscent of Twilight’s. She also had one large central eye, moderate sized mouth and her arms end in three fingers. All of her body below the long thin neck was inside a suit made specifically for her anatomy and in particular her skin was a lighter shade of blue then her mane and her eye was an icy color. She didn’t remind Fluttershy of Tirek one bit; as such she didn’t fear the interesting looking stranger.
“Oh her, that’s Betina Bucks-a-ton. She’s a Cyclocentaurian, must be one of the closest things to you genetically on all of Star Command at the moment. Her race tends to always have hyphenated last names which are always prophetic to how their entire family acts. In particular everyone in her family is either entirely rowdy or erm… yeah, I’d rather not think about that.” Booster saw a blush appear on Fluttershy’s cheeks, he felt his own cheeks turning vibrantly purple at the other thing Betina’s family was known for.
“Yo Booster, how’s the life of a ranger treating you? I see your still in good spirits and that you’re still one of the top rangers around. It’s good to hear your teammate made it back in one piece, wouldn’t want a big lug like you reduced back to a heroic janitor in a fit of depression.” Apparently Betsy had seen them staring and trotted over. “Just came over to say that Plasma and Petra say hello and that Sally is wondering when your team is going to drop by Cosmo’s again. It’s been a while and she’s a bit worried after hearing Mira was MIA.”
“That’s nice, thanks Bets. Tell them I said hello too if you meet them before I do.” The centaur nodded at Booster and threw off a half salute before cantering off.
“She seems nice.” It was just an observation, still though Fluttershy couldn’t help but noticed the temporarily raised tail around Booster. After a moment a fierce red color broke out throughout Fluttershy’s entire face, if that meant anything like it did on a pony then Booster was apparently attractive to the alien centaur.
“Oh she is… nice to hear that Plasma and Petra are still together on the same team. Fraternizing in the work place is not forbidden as long as you can prove that you can keep a clear head, really hard to do though if you’re too busy worrying about someone you love.” Shaking his head Booster continued onward, he saw something going on around Fluttershy’s ship. There sure were a lot of LGM’s he wondered what they were doing to it. “Hey guys, what’s going on here?”
“Ooh, the pilot is present. We are repairing this ship of the True Claw!” One of the little green men answered with a cheery voice.
“The Claw…” All the other green men intoned in unison as they picked at various parts of the ship and were working on it, they made sure it would have the same general shape and controls while adding a few of their own innovations.
“The True Claw’s technology is infused with another’s in this ship, it is very intriguing and we are willing to upgrade it for you for free. You will get it back; we assure you it will be working better than ever. Tell us, how did you meet The Claw?” The little green man had apparently stopped working so he could be a spokesperson for Fluttershy. The others in the mass of green three eyed childlike critters all were crawling around the Head Hunter with looks of fascination clear in their eyes.
“Do you mean the Chozo?” Fluttershy tilted her head slightly and all the LGM’s perked up at hearing the magic word, the name of a supposedly extinct race that the Galactic Federation kept finding ruins of. It was perplexing as Fluttershy didn’t know the Chozo personally, but these little green aliens had obviously held them in high esteem given the bright looks on all their faces.
“Yes, The Claw, you have seen them? They are one of the grandest of races to ever traverse the universe. They are almost as great as the Star Nomad’s themselves, one of whom once visited our world and we haven’t seen one in years since.” Despite what the LGM said, Fluttershy didn’t get her hopes up, the fact that they saw a Star Nomad meant that finding one wasn’t a pipe dream at all. The only problem was catching up to one to ask them for help as they sounded like they moved around constantly.
“Well I only saw one in a dream, because some of my friends dreamed of them.” It was at this time that Fluttershy’s mind went back to the little hatchling Dachora that shot out of its egg like a cannon, it had been so adorable after it hatched. She wondered what it was doing right now and if it was happy.
“Did ‘The Claw’ see you in this dream?” The LGM asked of Fluttershy he was smiling at her.
“Yes, it looked directly at me and a friend of mine, but what does that have to do with…” Pausing Fluttershy noted she was the center of attention in a mob full of little green men.
“She has been seen by The Claw!” The LGMs all gave off a coo of excitement. “The Claw, they are not only of the physical, but are of the spiritual as well! They can see many things that others cannot and their nature is far more than one would first think. You are special; we shall help you, all you need to do is ask it of us. We all are of a shared agreement to assist you already, now we are even more determined to lend you our aid.”
“I was wondering what you were doing to the Head Hunter, that’s the ships name. I kind of needed something from it… oh dear; I hope you haven’t broken anything.” Because Fluttershy had no idea how she would even begin fixing the ridiculously advanced technology, heck she had little in the ways of understanding how it exactly functioned in the first place and it certainly didn’t run on magic like Twilight wanted to think it did. It was only because she could read griffon script that she had learned how to pilot it with her hooves without the need of having manipulating fingers like most other races she was seeing moving throughout the hangar.
Science was certainly powerful and that’s why ponies hadn’t discovered space travel yet, ponies tended to focus on the more towards solving problems with magic than with science. Even the Aldebaran people had a great grasp of magic and yet they needed science to develop those defense robots and their ships. It was just a good thing that their memory stones made sure that they were never truly alone even as they traveled that vast loneliness that was space and it was something they had long before space travel was a thing. Aldebaran jewelry was not only beautiful, but also exceptionally functional as it helped them focused their full magical might.
“We have left most of your things alone, we have also avoided touching your supplies of food and water. We are repairing and making your cargo loading bay better, it should be in running order when we have finished. We are also installing a security system so the ship can be locked and unlocked by you; as we have noticed it lacks security.” The LGM was exceptionally cheerful as he continued to talk to Fluttershy. “What is it that you need from the ship? One of us will retrieve it for you.”
“It’s long and silver, it’s a weapon and I needed to have Booster look it over in case it’s illegal… um is the ship itself illegal in any way?” Fluttershy hadn’t thought about it, but the ship itself had two powerful plasma beam cannons and a high impact missile delivery system. Fortunately it hadn’t been loaded when Fluttershy got the ship or she might have accidentally fired one by now, she at least knew how to fire a missile if she had one. She noted that a few of the LGM’s were looking over the Fox’s Arwings from a distance, but didn’t comment on it as they weren’t currently taking pieces of their ships apart like they were for Head Hunter.
“Ah yes, the ship is equipped with high caliber plasma beam cannons and has an unloaded rack for an unknown high powered weapons delivery system. You’re ship is completely legal, if barely as the technology other than what ‘The Claw’ has put in place was somewhat suspect. We have already removed said suspect components. Is that the object you speak of? It is an ionizing particle projection rifle; we know a Space Ranger needs to see it to verify its legality, we can only guarantee the legality of your ship great one. We vouch for the honor of the one seen by ‘The Claw’.” One of the LGMs besides the spokesperson came out of the top of the ship holding the rifle above his head as he walked towards them. He handed the rifle over to Fluttershy who took it in her bat wing. “We will be done with your ship in a few days; it will take us a while to make the necessary upgrades so that it can be of better use to one such as you. Is there any other thing you need of us great one?”
“Well can you download some maps of the Galactic Alliance into my universal map? It would be really helpful in helping me find my home planet if I remember where I’ve been, so I know where I’m going next.” Fluttershy said as she looked over the energy weapon that was still scratched from where swords had been slammed into it in her desperation to protect herself by using it to block the deadly bladed weapons from flaying her alive. She shuddered at the memories of sharp edged metal stars being flung at her.
“Ah, you mean that! So you search for home as you are lost, we understand and respect such a goal as we too feel need to return to Venus when we wish to be closer to the unified mind. Even the independent thinkers of our race feel the need to reconnect every once in a while. We are saddened to hear that you are lost, but we are happy that you are not lost in hope.” The LGM pointed to three other LGMs that were wearing Star Command armor instead of the blue clothes the others had, they were part of the special LGM taskforce that actually went into the field. They were currently looking over the universal map Fluttershy had with awe. “If you need to find your home, then we will try to do our best in helping you. They will download full maps of the Galactic Alliance and as much explored space as possible. Sadly we have yet to meet another one of your race on any planet in the alliance systems.”
“Can you point me to the nearest Star Nomad?” The sad look the little green man gave Fluttershy told her all that she needed to know. “You don’t know where one currently is do you?”
“No none of us do, but it would have been fortuitous had we the information on where one is. A Star Nomad can find any planet in the universe, even the ones they have yet to visit in their eternal travels.” The LGM received a hug from Fluttershy and she patted him on his little antenna making him blush slightly, he smiled up at her.
“Thank you, for trying to be helpful. Um… is your entire race um… are all of you male?” She understood that they were called Little Green Men as a race, but she still wanted to know. It’d be like what became of the Aldebaran people, she wanted to know if there were Little Green Women or were they were always like this. Either way they were still adorable intelligent little beings considering they didn’t need a translation device to understand her.
“Yes, we are all men and we normally reproduce asexually if that is something that you wished to know about us. We accept your thanks and are eternally grateful to have met you. May you continue to be a shining beacon; ‘The Claw’ would not look your way without there being a grand light shining forth from you.” The LGM hadn’t heard Fluttershy say anything about needing to stop taking it apart or adding things to it, he took that as permission to continue what they were doing. He waddled off to continue overseeing making more little changes to the Head Hunter.
“They sure are nice little guys aren’t they? Fixing your ship up for free, golly a lot of people would charge a lot just to have the LGMs fix or upgrade some of their stuff. They are really innovative little guys for being connected like they are, they built XR after all. Come on, we have to go test that weapon.” As Booster led Fluttershy and Roller away, the pony was rather silent and thoughtful.
Fluttershy had met beings who had likely seen a Star Nomad within her lifetime, all she had to do was find him or her and then ask them for help. It would be easier once she got her ship back from whatever the LGMs were doing to it, she hoped they didn’t cause too much of a mess tinkering around with Head Hunter.
“You know, I’ve got to ask. I’ve heard the LGMs mention this ‘Claw’ thing a few times. What was it like to actually see one? The way the LGMs go on about it, it’s practically a religion for them.” In fact, Booster had never heard the LGMs go into length about anything having to do with ‘The Claw’ before. Apparently Fluttershy had seen one and thus they were willing to talk openly with her about it, they seem to think she’s special because she saw one in her dreams. Well Booster knew she was special before the LGMs said that she was, she did help out Mira and the people of Janet Rhizome after all. Who knew the planet was a living being? It had certainly surprised Booster to hear that the planet and moon were both sentient.
“It was really strange; it was this ancient bipedal feathered being. When it looked at me in the dream it was like it could actually see me and my friends, like it knew I was there despite the dream in question being a memory of an animal called a Dachora.” After all the coincidences having to do with the elements of harmony, Fluttershy didn’t believe that it was a coincidence anymore that the Chozo had looked directly at her and Luna. Especially not after hearing what the LGMs had to say about it, that Chozo hadn’t looked at something behind her… it had actually seen her and Luna.
Fluttershy softly hummed the tune that the Dachora had sung before that memory with the Chozo had played out, a nearby working LGM turned to stare at her with something approaching a high level of reverence. It left her wondering why that tune was so important if it got that kind of recognition. Was that circle that had an S in it a symbol of the Chozo? She looked at the winged symbol on Boosters armor, more specifically the wings of the symbol itself with suspicion.
-
Fluttershy wasn’t the best shot in the firing range, which also doubled as a training room for Space Rangers. Her weapon had been approved as a item of self defense owned by ambassador Fluttershy, it was still hard for her to think that she was so important to her entire race and not just her few close friends that she sorely missed.
It was kind of sad that the only reason why they had use of this training room at the moment was because the Gargantian’s had taken down a lot of trainees. Fluttershy tried not to think about it as she got some more target practice and to test the limits of her rifle, it had infinite ammo from what the nearby LGM running the training room told her. The LGMs explanation for the rifle was that it recycled energy from what it fired to not lose any energy at all, the only problem was that it overheated really fast if fired too rapidly and if it melted down it wouldn’t be able to ever fire again. Most of which Fluttershy already knew, it was both efficient and sturdy in design.
“Hey, you’re not a bad shot. Where’d you learn something like that?” It sounded like an innocent question to Booster, one that led to a not so innocent answer.
“I learned to shoot while I was on my back fighting for my life with near fatal injuries.” It was said in a dour tone that made the Space Ranger flinch, Fluttershy really didn’t feel like reliving that anytime soon and repressed the memory with extreme prejudice.
“Oh… I’m sorry.” Booster rubbed the back of his head feeling self conscious that his question obviously brought out some bad memories.
“It’s okay; I’m mostly over it and hope I never have to go back to that place.” After a moment Fluttershy finally relaxed her slightly angry look, she had survived so there was no point in thinking on it further.
As they were about to leave the training room, alarms began blaring all around Star Command causing Fluttershy to huddle to the floor with her hooves above her head. The four mercenaries that had been talking amongst each other as they watched Fluttershy interact with others were suddenly alert and had their beam weapons out of their holsters.
“This Commander Nebula, we just nearly got hit by an asteroid. Wherever you are Fox get your team to your ships, you’re robot just shot up a large the incoming piece of rock and I have a feeling I know who sent it our way. I’m even getting reports of a small asteroid field coming right at us, all Rangers we’re going to code brown weather.” The reaction of Commander Nebula had received from everyone was immediate; every Space Ranger was running around Star Command immediately preparing for something. “Mira, XR, Buzz, one of you find Booster and help him protect ambassador Fluttershy. And bring her here to central command while you’re at it. If this is Gravitina we’re dealing with, we need to come up with a plan to knock her out like yesterday!”
Roller revved wondering what all the loud noises and flashing red lights meant, it sounded bad. Fluttershy eased his worries by rubbing the top of his carapace with a hoof, the rangers didn’t need him running around wild again.
“I think it’ll be okay Roller, just stay near me and be my big strong protector that I know you are.” It was getting to the point that Fluttershy was making it sound like a comment about the weather that a lot of beings were out to kill her for just existing. She hadn’t done anything personally to them, but it didn’t seem to matter if she hadn’t and she was learning to accept that a lot of unscrupulous people would kill her in a cold manner.
“Booster, is this the first contact ambassador!” He was tall and he looked well muscled, he even had a dimpled chin which was pretty wide and pronounced. He came up to them running and stopped to look at Booster who had been said to be escorting Fluttershy around Star Command.
“Yes sir Buzz, Fluttershy here is perfectly safe… well at the moment at least. You know Gravitina is going to try to get both you and her at the same time right?” Why the super villainess Gravitina had her heart set on Buzz was one of the few things Booster had trouble understanding, on the other hand he could completely understand Buzz’s sudden need to shudder involuntarily.
“Right, okay little lady we need you to follow us. My names Buzz Lightyear, I wouldn’t hold it against you if you or your people don’t want to be a part of the alliance after having to deal with all the assassination attempts on your life that have yet to happen.” With that the two started leading Fluttershy back to where Commander Nebula was. As they walked Buzz added an extra comment. “Even then I hope that we can at least be friends, even if your people don’t join the alliance. Thanks for getting Mira back to m… us… in one piece.”
“I just hope that we can be friends too.” Even though it was likely he couldn’t understand what Fluttershy had just said as he didn’t have a translator, he certainly got the gist of it judging by his smile and she felt herself smiling in turn.