//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: What the future holds // Story: Luna of the Stars // by thatoneguy911 //------------------------------// The cold, hard, metal flooring pressed uncomfortably against princess Celesia's once clean, white fur. The young pony had no idea where she was, as the enclosed space she had been tossed into had no windows. She was completely oblivious to how much time she had actually spent cooped up in there, though it felt like an eternity. Her stomach constantly cried out in pain, it was unclear to her just how long she had been going without food. Princess Celestia would spend the great majority of her time crying, sleeping and banging on what she could only assume was the door, desperately hoping for somepony... Anypony, to hear her cries. At first, the little filly was too terrified to even attempt to garner any sort of attention. She feared that the monsters would come back to hurt her. Unfortunately, her stomach started to get the best of her, as the fear of going hungry started to outweigh the fear of the aliens. Banging against the hard steel wall, her hooves started to sting from the constant abuse. The harsh sounds echoing through the small room hurt the filly's sensitive ears, though she no longer cared at this point. Her cheeks have been soaked for as long as she could remember, her eyes bloodshot from all of the crying. “P-Pl-Pleeeaaasssseeee! L-Let m-me ouuutttt!~” She pleads, though deep down she had slowly given up hope of being rescued. Slumping to the floor feeling defeated, Celestia hides her face between her hooves and sobs. She just wanted to go home, have a palace cooked meal, hug her parents, hear another one of her hoofmaiden's stories she used to tell and play with her baby sister. She couldn't wrap her head around why this was happening to her. She couldn't remember ever being rude towards the aliens, so why did they hate her so much? Was it because she was a princess? Her father once sat her down and warned her that there may be ponies out there who wouldn't like her very much because of her title... Though she never imagined that she'd be taken away like this. Feeling herself grow colder, Celestia curls up into a tiny ball, shivering and sobbing to herself. Darth Arculeen felt cold. It wasn't the temperature around him that had caused his numbness, but his own body. Ever since docking with the Imperial fleet, only pain filled his memory. There was much he couldn't recall, his thoughts clouded by the crippling pain in his chest. Two figures continued to plague him; the monarchs of the pathetic Ponii species. They had put the Darth in this position, and the thought insulted him. Arculeen had fought countless battles in the name of the Empire, slain horrific monsters from every corner of the galaxy, even killed a great many of the Jedi Order, though it was one of those creatures who had finally crippled him. It wasn't simply their mastery of the force that had bothered the young Sith, it was how they seemed to innovate it. Never in his life had he seen a creature manipulate the force in such a way. It wasn't dark, nor was it light; it simply was. His eyes shoot open as the whirring sound of cybernetics comes to life. Observing his surroundings, it became clear very quickly that Arculeen had still been in the medical bay. For how long, he couldn't recall, which worried him. Closing his eyes and concentrating, he was relieved when he found that the Ponii child was still alive, though she was fading, likely due to hunger or thirst. Knowing that he could waste no more time, Arculeen attempted to stand up, but his progress was halted by something. A yet unseen object yanked at his right shoulder blade. Something felt wrong, that being that he couldn't feel anything at all. Opening his eyes once again to observe his hindrance, his worst nightmares had come to fruition. Several tubes linked his clearly mechanical looking chest to the hospital bed. Had his injuries truly been that severe? A new found fury ignited in the young Sith's eyes; this was an insult he would not stand for! He would not be put out of commission because of some alien scum! He had been mutilated by the Ponii king, and the more the realization sunk in, the more Arculeen wanted to kill something. With the strength of an angered force user behind him, Arculeen rips free from the medical station, many of the tubes disconnecting, and some snapping clean in two. Sparks ignite from the tubes, and an alarm is immediately sounded. The room changes from a metallic grey to a crimson red as several sirens begin to sound. Several footsteps could be heard rushing towards him as the Darth struggles to his feet, stumbling forward as best he could. The medic bay door slides open, as several Imperial doctors rush towards the crippled Darth; an Imperial officer leading the group. The officer was your typical Imperial standout; tall, fit and orderly, with a clean shaven face to match his flawless grey uniform, his badges displayed proudly. The officer opts to speak first, raising his hand to the Sith apprentice. “My Lord, please! We are under orders from Darth Macious, you are not to leave the medical bay until-” Darth Arculeen had little patience at the moment for the man's prattling. With a simple wave of his hand, the officer is sent crashing into an adjacent wall, knocking over several trolleys of medical equipment. Both of the doctors immediately back off, stepping away from the enraged dark lord. Neither of them fancied the idea of becoming the enraged Sith's next punching bag. Arculeen wasn't pleased that his master knew of his injuries, though he wasn't entirely surprised. Macious was very adamant about keeping a close eye on Arculeen, especially when entrusted with a mission of this caliber. The Sith merely hoped that Macious remained ignorant of the status of his 'cargo', otherwise his plan would fall flat before it was even set in motion. Clenching his fists, Arculeen decided it wise to face one problem at a time, as his eyes made contact with one of the medical staff. “You! Explain the extent of my injuries! I wasn't made aware that I would be receiving cybernetic enhancements. I expect you to be extremely thorough in your retelling.” His tone was aggressive and somewhat threatening. Nearly shaking in his own shoes, the doctor steps forward, not daring to meet the Sith's gaze directly. “M-My Lord... Your injuries required immediate surgery, as you are no doubt aware. Your rib cage had been nearly powderized during the fighting, and both your left and right lungs were punctured in several places. Really, it was a miracle that you could even move, let alone walk yourself to the medical bay... That is of course, before the internal bleeding, and the-” After that point, Arculeen couldn't help but let his mind drift away in his own thoughts. His injures were much more serious than he had originally thought; the force had truly been with him that day, otherwise he would surely be dead. The reasoning behind the cybernetics had become clear to him as well, as his organic ribs were likely far beyond repair. It wasn't an ideal fate, though he was at least glad to still be alive. The dark apprentice speaks up, likely cutting off the rambling doctor. “How long was I in surgery?” He asks, impatiently. He knew that it couldn't have been too long, as the Ponii Princess had not succumbed to starvation; still, it would put him at ease to know an exact amount of time. The doctor hesitates for a moment. “You have been under for two days, though in all fairness my lord... You shouldn't even be awake right now. It's baffling really... Please, you need time to rest, we still have to optimize your implants...” The doctor is almost instantaneously dismissed by the Darth, who opted to simply push his way past him. The second doctor did little to stand in his way, and the Imperial officer had been knocked out cold. “There will be time for that later, doctor. Right now, I must speak to my master.” He states as a matter of fact. He would hear no objections from the two conscious men behind him. As he barged his way out of the medical bay into the main corridor system, it would dawn on him that he was wearing nothing to conceal his upper half, thus exposing his cybernetics to all onlookers. The Sith notices a few workers and soldiers brave enough to steal a glance at him, though as humiliated as he was with his injuries, he mostly ignored them. He had greater things on his mind, such as if his master had located the Ponii. He needed answers, and he would waste no time in returning to his ship... A flash of blue illuminates the ship's small bridge, revealing the holographic figure of Darth Macious. Arculeen doesn't bow in face of his master, and in turn is met with a hostile gaze from the elder Sith. Looking down on his wounded apprentice, he would be the first to break the silence, his voice surprisingly soft considering his expression. “It would appear that you have survived my young apprentice. Many amongst the medical staff assured me that you would not live; nevertheless I sensed that the force was still with you. Now that you have dragged your broken body before me, perhaps you may regale me with an explanation. Tell me, how did my greatest apprentice fail so spectacularly that he had nearly gotten himself killed?” The last few words soured as they left the master's lips. It was clear that he wasn't pleased, though he had not given it away if he had knowledge of the Ponii child or not. Though it was not clear, it still relieved the apprentice in a way, even though the weight of his failure had begun to sink in. It was a blatant shot at his pride, though he had to stay focused. “My master... It would appear that we have underestimated these creatures.” Arculeen keeps his eyes glued to the floor, his cybernetics whirring slightly in the background. Macious growls as his fists clench tightly. “No, you have underestimated the aliens; I merely overestimated your own abilities. It is a mistake I will not make again.” He barks back bitterly. It was a hard pill to swallow, being chastised by an old man hiding behind a holographic image; the younger Sith wanted to lash out at his master, but instead he decided to stay silent. Macious continued his chastising. “I specifically recall telling you not to underestimate those aliens! I suppose this means that you have returned empty handed. Tell me, have you brought me my new apprentices, or have you proven yourself to be a complete failure?” What was left of Arculeen's heart skipped a beat. Macious has no clue about the Princess aboard his ship. He may have failed the old man, and returned a cripple... Though the young, broken Sith could take solace in one thing; he didn't know. His plan to overthrow the old bastard could finally move forward. Though this would prove to be quite the hit to his pride, Arculeen was willing to be temporarily humiliated if it meant his plans would go smoothly. Looking to the ground looking ashamed, the apprentice breaks his silence after a few moments. “The Royal family was decimated by the Imperial fleet... All of them.” He responds bluntly, hoping that Macious wouldn't call out his bluff. Thankfully, the Sith Lord at least appeared to believe his words. This caused Arculeen to smile on the inside, though he made sure that he didn't show it. Macious' already foul expression twisted and gnarled into one of complete and utter resentment. “I should have told the medical staff to let death claim you. If it wasn't for your past services, I would kill you myself. It would bring me great pleasure, in light of this monumental disappointment.” If Arculeen lacked any sort of self-control, he would have lashed out at his ‘loving master’. How dare he belittle the Sith in such a way. For years, Arculeen has proven himself the better of hundreds of foes, spilling blood all across the galaxy in the name of this waste of skin. Perhaps the only thing clinging the young warrior to his sanity was the promise that soon, he would take his rightful place; standing above Macious’ still fresh corpse, with his boot firmly planted against his throat. For now however, he must simply grovel, as humiliating as it was. “Master, I…” Arculeen attempted to say something to explain himself, though his Lord would hear none of it. He had already deemed his apprentice a failure before he left surgery. With a sharp tone of voice, the elder master interrupts him. “Get out of my sight! I only afford you a second chance because the Force is still with you. If you fail me again, I will delight in watching the life leave your eyes.” Without another word Arculeen heeds his master’s order and turns to leave the room. The very moment that the hologram dispersed, was the moment that Arculeen’s expression soured. Clenching his fists tightly, the disgraced Sith swore right then and there that the reign of Darth Macious was living off borrowed time. Five hours have passed since Videl’s ship narrowly escaped the iron tight grip of the Imperial Fleet, and the Padawan was exhausted to say the least. Her eyes practically refused to stay open, though the young woman wouldn’t let herself slip into unconsciousness. It was doubtful at this point that any ships were still following them, though the cautious part of her continued to monitor the scanner, just in case a straggler managed to hunt them down. C-2 had managed to calm down the baby shortly after their escape, she was now resting. Videl had given her droid leave to power down until the baby awoke once again, though in truth, she simply wished for silence. It gave her time to reflect on the day’s events, hopefully process it all. One face kept plaguing her mind; the face of her Master. Dabith had always been there for Videl, for as long as she could remember. He has been her mentor and friend, and even rescued her from dying at a very young age. Now Master Dabith has saved Videl’s life on many occasions, and Videl liked to think that she had saved him once or twice, though one particular memory stood out amongst all the rest. When she was only a child, years before joining the Jedi Order, Videl was living a harsh life on the planet Whiea. The human population was in the extreme minority on Whiea, and because of this Videl was accustomed with interacting with aliens. The system is on the very edge of Republic space, leaving Whiea wide open to pirates and raiders. The Republic fleet would often be spread much too thinly to spare any ships, so the Jedi Order took responsibility for the relief effort. Unfortunately however, the Jedi were much too late to save Videl’s village… To this day the memories of that day still haunt the Padawan, occasionally clawing at her mind, leaving her with many sleepless nights. The screams of the ones she came to know echoed through the night, as the buildings around her continued to burn. Everyone was being slaughtered, and there was nothing that the young Videl could do other than lock herself away in a cellar. The raiders killed and burned everything that they came across; she believed it was merely by a stroke of luck that she managed to slip by unnoticed. It had been unclear to her at the time just how long she spent alone, wandering the deserted wastes of her former home; she could only remember ever moment of every day being cold, alone, and terrifying. She was too young to process why such a thing would happen, and fending for herself proved to be difficult. She though that she was surely going to die, that was, until a hooded stranger came to the wastes. At first, Videl believed him to be another one of those men, coming back to hurt her. Her old hiding spot however, proved fairly ineffective to the newcomer, as he tracked her down with relative ease. It was almost as if some unseen power was guiding the man to the young child; of course, Videl now knows that the Force brought them together, but at the time it baffled her little mind. His name was Dabith, only a Jedi Knight back then, and he was the kindest person that Videl had ever met. The Jedi Knight Dabith rescued Videl from the wreckage of her home planet, bringing her with him to Coruscant. It was clear that Dabith wasn't solely doing this out of the kindness of his heart; the Knight was the one who discovered that Videl was indeed Force sensitive. She was adopted by the Jedi Order, under the teachings of Dabith, and he trained her to the best of his ability... No, more than that. He had filled the void that her parents death had left. Truly, Videl liked to think of Dabith as her father, even if she never actually told him. Tears begin to wet the Jedi's cheeks as the realization had finally set in. She had not had time to grieve, and adrenaline had pushed the thought's of her master's death to the back of her mind. He was gone... She would never see him again. The more she thought about it, the more she just wanted to slink away into the abyss. She felt alone, and frankly, it scared her. In the midst of her grief however, a new thought began to slink into her mind, pushing it's way forward and demanding it be heeded. The baby, Princess Luna. Engaging the auto pilot and removing herself from her seated position, the Padawan's legs began to burn from sitting down for a lengthy period of time. Slowly making her way over to the supply room, which for the moment was a make shift nursery, she peeks though the entryway. Inside, bundled up on the table, the dark blue Ponii was at peace, slumbering as if nothing had even happened. Stepping inside and approaching the sleeping child, Videl could feel her heat jump. The sight of Luna, so pure and innocent, filled the Padawan with a new found light. They were so similar in certain ways; both the Jedi and the Princess had their homes and families viciously taken from them, even if Luna will grow up with no memory of it. Luna was more than likely the last living member of her species, and would need to look to others to guide her. It was at that moment that Videl came to a decision. She would teach this child in the ways of the Force, and raise her as if she had never lost her real mother. The little Ponii would never need to be alone. Videl would make Dabith proud... After what seemed like endless hours of crying, Princess Celestia's hunger and loathing eventually began to give in to exhaustion. She had no idea how long it had actually been since she tried to sleep, and the idea of slipping away into nothing was staring to sound much more appealing to the young filly. Resting her completely soaked cheeks against her arms, she tried to ignore the harsh cold of the ground and the unbearable stinging pain in her stomach. A sudden noise rudely interrupts Celestia's attempted slumber, as a sudden wave of fresh air fills the once stuffy room. Nearly jumping out of her own fur, the Princess screams and turns to face the source of the noise. The door had finally opened, though the sight that greeted her was less than ideal. A tall, imposing figure in a grey uniform. This one was different from the monsters that captured her, this one actually had blue eyes; albeit tiny ones. On the surface, he didn't seem as dangerous as the others, though Celestia couldn't help but be mortified at the creature. She backs as far away as the cramped space would allow her, as she started shaking uncontrollably. “W-Who a-a-are y-you...” The terrified white filly barely manages to spit out the sentence. The imposing figure merely stares down at the helpless child, before reaching for something in his coat pocket; was it a weapon? Was he going to hurt her? Celestia closes her eyes, preparing for the worst. A soft thud on the ground, and curiosity demanded that the filly opened her eyes. At her hooves, was a small green block, it almost looked mossy. “Eat.” The tall figure instructs in a stern voice. At that moment, Celestia wasn't concerned about it being some sort of trick, she was only concerned about filling her empty belly. Picking up the strange green square, she takes a bite; and immediately regrets it. This was hooves down, the single worst tasting thing that Celestia had ever eaten. It was like taking a bite out of chalk, and washing it down with dirt. Her face contorted as she drops the square. “EEEWWW! That’s disgusting!” The Alicorn filly complains as the tears quickly return to her eyes. This seemed to anger the alien in front of her. “You're eating Imperial rations you little brat, and you're lucky I’m even giving you that! Eat it or starve, I don't care either way!” This forced a little jump out of Celestia. She wasn't used to being talked down to like this, normally if she didn't like a meal, she only needed to say so and the cooks would bring her something different. Still, as disgusting as it was, Celestia couldn't ignore her aching stomach any longer. She continues to nibble on the block of stale rations, tears falling gently down her face as she chewed. The filly didn’t dare look up at the mean alien. Kneeling down, the man in grey offers the filly a hoof sized, metal object. It looked a lot like that thing that some of the guards back home would drink out of. “Drink.” He instructs once again. Celestia was slightly more hesitant to accept his offer this time around, though the rations were extremely dry... Taking the flask, she closed her eyes and took a sip, expecting it to be something gross again. To her pleasant surprise, it was cold, refreshing, crystal clear water. With all of the reassurance she needed, the Alicorn greedily chugged down all of the water, smiling for the first time in forever. The man waited patiently for the small white child to finish eating, taking the flask back. Finally mustering the courage to look the creature in the eyes, she speaks up. “So... Who are you? Can you please take me home now? I miss my family...” Her voice was just barely over a whisper, though filled with a twinge of hope. This caused the stranger to smile, though it was unlike any smile that Celestia had ever witnessed. It didn't imply that he was happy, or kind; but that he was going to say something sadistic. “My name is Arculeen.” He replies simply. Celestia thought that Arculeen was a strange name, though her manners dictated that she merely smile and return the favor. “Nice to meet you. My name is Princess Celestia of Equestria.” She says sweetly, nodding her head. Arculeen merely chuckled darkly at this. “Tell me, Princess. How can one be a princess to a kingdom that no longer exists?” He looks her dead in the eyes, a twisted sense of satisfaction radiating off of him. At first, Celestia didn't quite understand what he was saying. “W-What do you m-mean?” She tilts her head slightly. Arculeen stands up, crossing his arms and scoffing at the child's stupidity. “I mean, your home has been obliterated. Every single member of your species is dead, save for you. Every friend you ever made, your family, all gone. I killed your father myself.” His words drove into Celestia's heart like a cold, unforgiving dagger. The pain that the young filly had been feeling cramped up in this room absolutely paled in comparison to the emptiness she was feeling at this moment. As the realization slowly began to set in, Celestia felt as if the world had suddenly stood still. All of the faces that she had grown to know and love, were slowly fading away. She would never see any of them ever again; She was alone. In the midst of this realization, Celestia hadn't even realized that she was already openly sobbing. Turning away from the man that told her these awful things, she curls up and continues to cry harder than she had ever cried. A strange sound broke through the sobbing, and the tiny room was suddenly illuminated by red. The former princess didn't care. “Can you use the Force?” Arculeen asks, his voice low and imposing. Despite the tone of his voice, Celestia wouldn't acknowledge his question in the slightest. She had lost so much, and she wasn't in the mood for questions; especially coming from him. He obviously didn't take kindly to this, as Celestia was suddenly yanked into the air by her mane. Yelping in pain, Celestia was shocked to realize that the man wasn't touching her, at all; it was like she was being picked up by nothing. Arculeen holds out his strange red blade, the heat made Celestia uncomfortable. “I will NOT ask you again! Can you use the Force?!” He yells at the distressed filly. The grief that she had only moments ago been feeling, was quickly replaced by fear and confusion. “I-I d-d-do-don't k-know what that is!” She stutters. Remembering his battle with the royal family, Arculeen remembers how they manipulated the Force. Enraged, he uses his free hand to grab Celestia's horn, tugging on it hard. This caused the filly to cry out in pain. “THIS! Can you use this?!” He yells in her face, completely losing his patience with the child. “YES!” She responds sharpy, crying and screaming in pain from his constant yanking. Releasing her, the Alicorn filly drops to the ground, yelping once again. Stepping forward, Arculeen holds out the bright red object. “You loved your family, didn't you? I took them from you, and locked you in a room to die. Take this from me, take your revenge! Strike me down, I will not defend myself.” Celestia looks up at him with confusion. She didn't understand why he was asking for her to attack him, and for obvious reasons she was cautious. What if this was another trick? What if he was only going to hurt her again? The impatient look on his face was more than enough to push those thoughts from her mind, she wasn't prepared to anger him again. With a pained grunt, her horn lights up with a faint golden glow, as the metallic hilt of the weapon was also consumed by the aura. This intrigued Arculeen greatly, who allowed the child to take his weapon. Spreading his arms wide, it appeared as though he was ready to take the strike. Looking directly at the red light, Celestia wasn't sure if she should really do this. Sure she was angry, starved and depressed, but could she really hurt anypony? Even a cruel alien. As she contemplated her decision, she remembers his earlier words. He killed her father, and everypony else that she had ever known, this may have been her only chance to get back at him. This filled her heart with a fire that had previously remained hidden. She was furious, and she was going to make him pay! Closing her eyes and screaming at the top of her lungs, the filly strikes at Arculeen with his own weapon. A mighty clash could be heard, and when Celestia opened her eyes, she saw that Arculeen had blocked the blade with another, slightly shorter blade. “So... Beneath that pitifully soft exterior, lies a festering pool of anger. This is good, I was beginning to think that I was wasting my time.” Extending his free hand, Celestia is launched into the wall and held there by some unseen magic. The blade she had previously been using fizzled out into just the hilt, and flew back safely onto Arculeen's belt. He lets out a deranged laugh. “What's the matter? Did you honestly believe you could kill me? You aren't strong enough to end my life.” Celestia stares back, she wasn't crying like she had been, she was scowling. “Though one day, you might be. Until then however, I own you. You are mine. I will train you, and you will carry out my will. I am your master, and you are my apprentice.” He states as a matter of fact. Celestia felt frustrated. She wanted to hurt him so badly, but she couldn't even move. She wanted to hurt him, like he hurt her. “I HATE YOU!” She screams with a fury, her eyes glowing a bright white. Arculeen smiled slightly, this alien truly did have potential. Turning away, he releases her from his hold and makes for the door. “Good, use that hate. It will serve you well.” He responds, seemingly unimpressed by her show of anger. Charging for the door, Celestia tried to get at the taller creature, the door shut in her face, the cold steel greeting her once more.