Long Road Home
In the stillness of jump space, full of its strange lights that belied understanding despite untold years of study, the mind tended to wander into strange places. Figments of past exploits and phantoms of days long gone. Perhaps it was the very nature of jump space, the solemnity, the solitude that drove any sentient creature to seek the refuge of their own minds.
Winter Reverie had stayed on the bridge, making sure that the supplies and refits were all organized and under way. Soon though, he found himself dozing in his command chair. Confident that Crystal Flourish could handle the rest, however not yet ready to retire, he let himself relax in the throne. It wasn’t the most comfortable of places, nor the quietest, but years of endless combat alerts had trained him to get what sleep he could.
Beat the drums of War!
He started awake as a part of his heart wrenched in remembered pain. The lilac pegasus turned to him in concern and signed.
‘Bad dreams?’ Reverie rubbed his eyes and exhaled.
“It’s been a long time since those days at the school, huh?” Twenty years in fact. Twenty long years of conflict.
‘You know it never really goes away. What they did, what they made us do.’ She fluttered.
“I know, I know. We burned it to the ground and still that wasn’t enough. If I close my eyes for too long it’s like I’m back in the games or one of the quiet rooms.” He shuddered. “I don’t know, maybe there was another way, a better way.”
‘We’ve been over this, you know what happened wasn’t your fault. None of it was. You didn’t make all those horrible things happen. You stopped them from happening any further. On the eve of the Republic’s rise, you set the both of us free. Down with Celestia, remember?’
“Yeah, down with Celestia.” Winter looked around and saw the rest of the bridge crew pointedly not paying attention to the half audible conversation. It was something learned early in any ensign’s career to be aware of your commanding officer’s mood.
“Down with Celestia!” He shouted to those who hadn’t already retired since he had cancelled full combat stations.
“Ave Nox!” They answered. Hail to the night.
“It’s just, if I had been paired with you from the beginning then maybe…” They had been down this path before, playing out all possibilities over and over between them. It was something they shared, something that bound them inextricably together.
‘Yes, but I was put in your army eventually, and that’s what mattered.’
“I know, I know, you can play the ‘what if’ game forever. It doesn’t do any good now to dwell on what we may have done differently. Hindsight being clearer and all that. So, how are we doing?” His thoughts were leading him down an uncomfortable avenue and there was still work that needed to be done.
‘Minor injuries from shifting cargo during our rather abrupt departure, nothing serious. It’s going to take a little work to get those jammed torpedo tubes functional again. The loading crews did the best they could with the time they had. Hell Lance turret two reports they need to recalibrate their whole focusing line, Circuit is already on it. And the Void generators could use a few fresh circuits after our brief skirmish. Those two outdated Fireflies we got should be enough spare parts to get the other three Corsairs working again.’ Her display flashed in a rapid series of updates.
‘Acrylic says that a lot of the munitions are a little scrambled and that it’ll take about a day to get the magazines sorted out. So far it looks like we’ve at least gotten the basics out of the way, slugs, missiles, torpedoes, focusing crystals for the Hell Lances and point defense cannons. Sadly Consortium didn’t have any grapeshot, those shield breakers would have been nice.’
“Can’t have everything. Did we have enough time to get that water cycling done?” Although the ship’s onboard recycling systems could theoretically operate with ninety-nine percent efficiency for several years, some undefinable characteristic made water go stale after so long with microscopic electron shifting despite filtering.
‘About half-way. We’ve still got plenty of fresh fuel cells which is one thing we did not successfully restock on. Ah yes, Nightingale just sent that she should be able to get about eleven Pylons out of the special material.’ Creating the highly advanced arcane teleportation focuses required certain rare trace elements and also a special blend of gemstones that were hard to come by. The Vengeful Omen was equipped with a moderately sized machine shop for the Corsairs and for limited self-manufacturing of expendable weaponry so the Pylons were easy to produce so long as they had the necessary components.
“Damn, last time we were able to get enough for over forty. I assume most of our munitions are standard fare?”
‘There I do have good news. While most of the hard ammo is your average mix of lead and tungsten, Consortium did include a few dozen high explosive torpedoes and those interceptor missiles are very state-of-the-art. The rest are what you would find typical, smart targeting but nothing exceptional about the payload. There’s a fair bit that still needs doing but most of the heavy work should be done before we exit into Hyperion.’
There was nothing that could harm the ship in jump space, and they would be in transit for at least six days until they reached Hyperion. From there they would continue coreward to the muster point in the Rakus system, and from there to the heart of the Lunar Republic.
“Detail the appropriate work teams if you please, I’m going to go check with Rosethorn and see what all we managed to take aboard and what we left behind.” Crystal nodded her soft lilac head and quickly typed out his orders and sent them to the appropriate officers throughout the ship. Commander Reverie was confident in the abilities of his crew and the capabilities of his ship and knew that things were well in hoof.
With a groan and a stretch followed by a chain of popping joints, Winter heaved himself out of his command throne stiffly. Although the temptation to put more comfortable cushions on the chair was enticing, he knew that it would make falling asleep on the bridge too easy a thing when he needed to get real rest and be sharp for combat. His team was likely assisting in their areas of expertise around the Omen, so the Commander decided to pay Rosethorn a visit.
Although he knew that the ship’s systems would have been updated soon with a list of the supplies they had taken on, he had always preferred to see everything with his own eyes. Space-faring ran deeply in the unicorn’s blood, and often a personal look gave greater insight, greater estimation of what they really had available to them. It was also good for the crew to see him calm after a battle. It tended to soothe the general mood and post-skirmish nerves.
He knew Rosethorn would be directing the efforts of stowing and cataloguing their intake of goods because that’s what he would have been doing if the mantle of command had been on her shoulders instead of his. Well, she may have had one ulterior motive. Over the years he had learned what made an effective power armor squad, what personalities were volatile together and what meshed. Carefully designed exercises and drills established strong bonds between the members of the squad.
It was essential for the effective and efficient function of such a unit. Operating power armor for all three branches of ponykind required intensive training and an immense skill-set. Oftentimes exceptional individuals came with rather eccentric personalities that if a superior officer was not careful rubbed the wrong way. Every member of a power armor squad had to work together like well-oiled cogs.
When they were able to respond without thinking to each other’s cues and motions, they came together as a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Winter Reverie had served briefly in a squad that did not mesh together, that did not trust or anticipate the actions of the rest. While as fearsome as half a dozen ponies with the armor plating of mobile weapon platforms were, mistakes were made, mistakes that cost lives.
Members of a power armor squad had to drill together, live together, eat, breathe, joke, and know each other more intimately than their own mothers. Of course sometimes this worked a little too well and relationships between ponies sprang up. And while not strictly against regulations within equal rank, it was generally looked down upon.
While a navy captain may look at Winter and see him too strict or perhaps too familiar, an army colonel would call him lax and remiss in his duties. As Commander, that strange double-headed hydra, he had to be flexible, familiar, and temper himself with a hard will. He had to have certain boundaries, lines he could not cross. His squad and his crew needed to understand that first and foremost, when under fire from the enemy, orders were orders and were to be executed without hesitation.
That was his expectation, and his conduct reflected that.
A pair of crewponies carrying crates stopped to salute him. He returned it and kept walking down the darkened halls. Though it wasn’t standard, some Lunar Republic navy warships tended to keep their lighting on a lower key. It calmed strung-out combat troops, and made it harder for enemy boarding parties to see. Though in many ways the perpetual twilight was a sign of respect to their beloved princess. This was Winter Reverie’s preference and any crew that had an issue with it soon found themselves transferred to other ships.
Luna was sacred to the Commander and many who served under him. It was an open secret that he and all the members of his power armor team had well-read copies of the Divinus Noctis, or the Divine Night. It deified the princess of the moon, exonerated her many aspects as the keeper of dreams and sacred lady of the living stars. It also denounced her sister as the betrayer. Even Nightmare Moon and her shattered dream of eternal night are touched on in poetic verse and elegantly written prose.
The New Lunar Republic was a free nation, and such beliefs were allowed much to Princess Luna’s embarrassment and public denouncement of such a religion. Ever since the Divinus Noctis had surfaced, it had rapidly propagated the many interstellar networks. Although many Republic officials would never admit it, the immigration rate from the Solar Empire nearly tripled after the book crossed the lines. Many Imperial propaganda specialists had tried unsuccessfully over the years to either quash or put out their own book on the divine nature of Empress Celestia.
It was part of Luna’s very nature that engendered a sense of mystery, an allure to those who looked up at the skies and saw the great void and the beauty it held. The Divinus Noctis simply gave voice in written word to those feelings. Winter Reverie was very protective and secretive about his faith for many reasons. He feared the judgment of others, of their rejection. Yet, if faced with hostility, he would lash back with a zeal that was almost frightening to behold.
The unicorn often filled the interminable wait during jumps between star systems with study and meditation. Whenever he thought of Celestia the tyrant and her atrocities, a deep abiding rage was kindled in his heart. Reading from the Divinus Noctis soothed his burning blood and calmed his boiling mind. Obviously, attending one of Celestia’s obedience schools had not had the desired effect.
Nothing gave him greater pride and joy as when ponies came to him with questions about the text or dilemmas of faith. It warmed his soul to provide guidance and assuage worries that he too had felt. For others, Reverie was a stalwart steward, always patient and willing to listen to anypony. As Commander he could be trusted with their confidence and already was a figure to which bring matters of military importance. The extra duties it often entailed more work, but the morale of his ship and her crew was something he extended the same diligence with which he did everything else.
Striding down the corridors of the Vengeful Omen, he returned every smile and every salute.
When not between Viola’s legs or in combat, Rosethorn spent a fair amount of her time in or about the ship’s galley and storerooms. Sweetness was one of her biggest vices. She could not resist anything sugary, confectionery, or syrupy. Of all of them she had likely been the most excited of all to have docked at Tartarus Station and restock her reservoir of cakes and candy. Acrylic and Nightingale would often tease by calling her ‘Icing Rose’. It just so happened that taking stock of their intake also coincided with seeing what new goodies had been brought on board.
The red pegasus was joyfully breaking open a large container when Winter walked into the storeroom. It would take quite a bit of work to have the whole ship organized again. The rushed nature of their departure from the station had insured that everything not bolted down was flung all about. Due to the fact that most of the items traded were in the process of being loaded, virtually everything was scattered about. The room was fair sized but crammed wall to wall with shelves and mounted containers.
Winter Reverie climbed over a pile of ration bars to help his second with the crowbar she was fighting with. Other ponies in their royal purple uniforms were working on other crates or sorting the spilled contents of ones that had broken open. She gave him muffled thanks as her mouth was preoccupied with the metal bar. With a little telekinetic assistance the top of the crate opened with a metallic groan and a pop.
Rosethorn let out a squeal of delight and practically dove into the open shipping crate. She came back out with a wrapped slice of cake and gobbled down the whole thing in three swift bites, moaning in pleasure at her icing topped delight. He smiled at her antics and forgot his worry in the merriment of the moment.
***
“Jump exit successful, scanners clear of immediate threat. Friendly battlegroup detected Five AU starward. Composition: Battleship, two heavy cruisers, five hunter-killers,” Called the watch-stander.
Winter Reverie smiled at the mighty Lunar Republic ships.
Battleships were the powerhouse, the backbone of any major fleet. Only the mammoth dreadnought class could claim greater tonnage but they numbered very few. Although somewhat slow in terms of mass-to-thrust, nearly nothing else sailed the stars that could match a battleship’s armor and guns. It was their duty to use their powerful shields to screen the smaller, weaker vessels; absorbing punishment and dishing it back out with serried banks of heavy gun batteries. In a stand up one-on-one fight, little could stand in their way save for other battleships.
The heavy cruisers were slightly thicker and blunter compared to the Vengeful Omen’s sleek Assault Cruiser chassis. Their role was long-range fire support with their flexible banks of turreted guns and prodigious torpedo stores. Although faster than a battleship, the Omen could still leave them behind in a heartbeat. They traded speed for armor, shields, and range. Enough heavy cruisers could carve a destructive swathe through enemy lines while incurring little damage of their own.
The battleship Winter respected for its power, the cruisers for their punch, but it was the hunter-killers that the Commander felt the most kinship with. The hunter-killer chassis was a unique staple of the Lunar Navy, bridging a unique gap between destroyer and normal cruiser and providing screening for larger vessels that only they could. Despite years of attempted espionage and explored wrecks the Solar Empire had yet to come up with an adequate response to the shark-like predations of the HuKs. Too often, Empire ship captains dismissed the smaller ships as simply beefed up destroyers. They rarely lived to see the error of their ways.
The design had been unveiled at the start of the war in Luna’s surprise offensive to devastating effect. Like a school of piranha, Huks could coordinate to rip apart much larger prey or slice apart ships of equal tonnage with ease. Early in the war the Republic had not nearly had the shipyard capacity as the Empire did, so being able to produce such ships with low cost and short construction time had been essential.
There were three key points that made the hunter-killer such an effective tool of war. They in fact had no individual jump drive installed. Instead they relied on larger vessels to piggyback themselves across the void. Once in system, their battle rider clamps disengaged and allowed them free roaming. This lowered their weight and their cost of production while significantly raising their mass-to-thrust ratio and number of weapon hardpoints. It had been a huge innovation in terms of ship design. That was not all the secrets the deceptive ships had however.
Being so light and maneuverable had simultaneously allowed and required a different kind of structure to allow the ship to function both under stress from riding a fellow ship and fighting with the armor of a light cruiser. The solution was to use a heavier allow and unique skeletal framework for the ship. It was built around a heavy spinal section running the whole length of the vessel and multiple ‘ribs’ holding together the body made of extremely flexible alloy. In a ship with normal drives, being weighed down like that would make a battleship or cruiser extremely sluggish and virtually a sitting duck in void combat.
What it meant was that they could go on fighting even after suffering damage that would have been catastrophic to its Solar Empire counterparts. There were past instances where hunter-killers had been stripped of nearly eighty percent of their armor, their guts open to the void, and still gone on fighting. It was an honorable position among the Republic forces however most regular naval personnel saw the crews of the HuKs as just a little crazy.
During one of the first engagements in the war, a HuK with a large compliment of Shadowbolts actually used its battle rider clamps to latch onto an enemy battleship and board it, cutting through the enemy hull with shaped explosives. The Shadowbolts had stormed the ship and turned the whole thing into a mobile weapons platform and at the conclusion of the battle had taken the intact ship back to Republic lines and had it refitted for their own navy to use. From that point on, part of the training of crew for a Republic hunter-killer included all aspects of boarding and ship takeover.
Riding on the success of the HuK design, the Assault Cruiser had been drafted as a complimentary ship to the close range strafing and boarding of the smaller destroyer-cruiser hybrid. Sadly, the design had been effective, but not cost efficient enough due to the high amount of expensive materials and necessary to adequately crew it. So while the several dozen produced were not decommissioned, no more were built. A full power armor squad was simply too much to have on such a small ship, most users being delegated to dreadnoughts for protection detail from enemy power armor squads. The massive fortresses were just too valuable to risk otherwise.
There had been many times when Winter had wished he had started his career in the Lunar Navy aboard a HuK, but would not have traded his own first experiences for anything. Catching himself reminiscing, Reverie cleared his mind and focused.
Hyperion was the designated system where the Vengeful Omen was to link up with sister ships of the republic before heading to the military mustering point in the Rakus system. Rakus was a primary rallying point on the Lunar Republic lines and once they reached there they would have officially crossed the border. From there it was a relatively easy path to the throne world.
Hyperion was a sparsely populated system, having been a battlefield for some time, the small colony on the lone habitable world having suffered repeated invasion and bombardment from both sides. The small orange sun weakly cast its life giving radiation on the small, nearly frozen sphere. Mostly just skirmishes and patrol clashed occurred from time to time but larger scale conflicts were known to transpire with the proximity of Rakus.
As the Vengeful Omen coasted serenely from natural formed gravity well of the system’s jump point her commander’s hoof was inches from tapping his communication tab when the incoming indicator flashed. That was fast. He tapped the ‘accept’ icon.
“This is the battleship Indomitable accompanying heavy cruisers Spirited and Solitaire. Transmit recognition codes and confirm identity.” Reverie snorted quietly in derision of the transmitter’s haughty tone and sent his own reply. At least they were to the point.
“Commander Reverie aboard the Vengeful Omen here, sending codes for virtual conference.”
“Codes received, preparing.” Winter always hated this part. He marched out of his bridge into the adjoining virtual conference room down the hall. It was a simple compartment with a table large enough to seat six actual ponies but the whole space could expand exponentially with digitally represented images of assembling soldiers on other ships. He called up the interface imbedded in the table and fiddled with a few personal settings before sitting back to wait.
First to show up was a large blue unicorn stallion in a perfectly starched and pressed dress uniform that looked like it had been laundered only moments before. Only a few moments later two others, a soft pink mare and a rather young looking charcoal stallion appeared as well. The conference software extended the table as the hunter-Killer commanders appeared as well. Like Winter Reverie most HuK commanders were split rank, holding standing both in the navy and the army. Many either stayed aboard their cruisers and retained their second class rank or advanced into the navy proper and relinquished their military titles in lieu of more prestigious commands. Leadership of a HuK was considered by many to be a test of mettle for captaincy, so many young officers started there.
The software automatically organized them by rank and seniority and the stallion was right up front, followed by the heavy cruiser captains, then the HuK commanders further back.
“It’s about damn time you showed up. What kind of ship are you running, Commander Reverie? There are indications of non-regulation modifications to your vessel and your hull looks like it was knitted by my grandmother.” The Commander fixed the battleship captain with a level stare. Sensing the direction of his gaze, the conference program automatically called up a brief summary of the pony’s rank, seniority, ship specifications, and notable citations.
Winter Reverie focused on two details, that of the date of his current issued rank and the certificate of graduation from a highly accredited naval academy. Clearly, this stallion was from a noble family, having circumvented the normal rise through the ranks by attending a high class school, netting him a high station right out through family connections and political clout. Often this made such purebreds sticklers for regulations and rules.
The Commander of the Vengeful Omen did have one very special ace up his armored sleeve however.
“I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of serving with you before, captain. You are?” The pearly white stallion drew himself up and puffed out his chest.
“I am Pertinent Pedigree the third, captain of the battleship Indomitable. I have served in her majesty’s navy for nigh on a decade now and senior member of this battlegroup.” All of this information was of course visible to Winter Reverie who had learned after many years of wheeling and dealing with such types to handle such encounters swiftly and resolutely. He also noted the scathing glares the two heavy cruiser captains gave him.
“Have you been apprised of the situation by Admiral Blueberry?” Winter kept his tone neutral.
“Of course, we are to meet up with you here and await further instruction.” Pedigree stated smugly, assuming he was still in control.
“Assembled member of the Republic, what I am about to tell you is not to leave this conference. Do you understand?”
“And who are you to give us orders such as that?” Challenged the battleship captain. He had the same access to information that Reverie did and still he insisted on this. The stallion had simply assumed that he was the ranking officer through dint of his status as a noble. Granted, his title as a commander was slightly misleading.
“Captain Pedigree, I am now the senior officer in this system. If I am not mistaken you records state you holding your rank for five years, am I correct? I have held equivalency as Colonel-Captain for eight.” Whatever outraged response the unicorn was about to spout died in his throat.
“Colonel-Captain? Eight years?” He sputtered. The other assembled officers either carefully schooled their expressions or were quietly smirking to themselves. Reverie took a moment to savor the look on the noble’s face before continuing.
“As I was saying, what I am about to tell you is considered of vital importance to the safety of the Republic. While operating behind enemy lines disrupting commerce and intercepting trade, my crew and I came across a disturbing piece of information regarding enemy research and development.” He paused to make sure they were all paying attention while Pedigree subsided to simply glaring at him.
“We found empirical evidence of a Foehammer.” Winter Reverie gave them a moment to let that information sink in. “The Foehammer Protocol is now in effect. This battlegroup will make its way first to the Rakus system where we will transit further coreward. The information is stored solely aboard the Vengeful Omen and will stay there until safe dissemination and debrief can occur.”
“How sure are we that it’s a genuine Foehammer?” asked the soft pink captain of the Spirited.
“Yes, Captain Tulip, I was part of the boarding team that discovered it. I can confirm its veracity as the genuine article. My tech specialist decrypted it and he agrees with my conclusion. We used the emergency relay nodes to contact command immediately.”
“So that means they probably know we have it.” Added the charcoal stallion. Winter Reverie nodded.
“Correct, Captain Shield. We took a quick detour through the Hel system and stopped at Tartarus station to restock on ammunition and essential supplies. While docked we were attacked by Imperial troopers. There were a few ships waiting for us, but nothing major. However, prior to leaving the system, we sighted a small battlegroup led by a Wonderbolt battleship.” A ripple went through the assembled naval ponies.
“That only confirms it then.” Said the captain of the Solitaire.
“Ha! Then we wait here and strike the bastards when they least expect it.” Added Pedigree. With the prospect of battle, the unicorn’s demeanor changed. Winter could respect that much at least.
“As much as I would love too, the Foehammer takes precedence. The Admiral ordered us to make best possible speed coreward and that’s what we’re going to do. This information has to reach our side.” He gazed one by one at the officers, meeting each of their stares. “This is bigger than all of us. More important than a kill, even a Wonderbolt. Believe me, as much as I would love to send the bastard on our tails straight into this sun, every citizen of the Republic is now counting on us to get this home.” Perhaps because he had seen it with his own eyes that imbued a certain sense of urgency to his tone. Those gathered around the virtual table all nodded in understanding.
“Set course for the Rakus jump point at best possible speed. The Vengeful Omen will catch up roughly two AUs from the jump point. The enemy battlegroup was a good distance behind us when we jumped and I’d like to keep it that way. Dismissed.” They all saluted (pedigree grudgingly so) and their images winked out of existence as they exited the program.
Winter Reverie sighed in relief, grateful for there only being one noble pony among the battlegroup. He made his way back to the bridge and sat back down in his command throne.
‘Everything go alright?’ Asked Crystal.
“As well as could be hoped. Full burn towards the Rakus jump point, please. We’ll join up with the rest of them along the way. We’re faster after all.”
***
After an interminable wait of several days, the Vengeful Omen was among her sister naval ships and the enemy battleship and escorts flashed into existence. The Wonderbolt lead formation seemed content to follow the Omen at a stately pace. They didn’t seem to be in any hurry to catch up, content simply to wait and watch.
That made Winter Reverie worry more than anything, their cool doggedness, their lack of haste. Did they not care that the Republic was about to unlock a terrible secret? Or had the leader only been informed that it was sensitive intelligence and not the actual content? Did they not know? Or did they simply know something the Republic soldiers didn’t?
Either way, Commander Reverie felt great relief when he ordered his ship and those of the battlegroup to jump.
(Author’s notes: Okay guys, a good half of this was written in a Monster induced spree of writing split between studying for my finals so I apologize if any of it is not up to standards. Don’t worry, much space combat coming in next chapter! Also, because I enjoy these things, at the end of various chapters I’ll pose questions either pertaining to Sci-fi lore or possible secrets. The reward for which will be the appearance of you or your OC as the captain of a ship of your choice and name featured in the story! So, it will be revealed soon, but what is the Foehammer? The first one to guess correctly gets the reward! I’ll also pose this as a blog tagged to the story so look for stuff there too!)
(I’m also really wishing that FimF carried over italics right now. Please let me know if there are any glaring errors!)