Anyone Play Elite: Dangerous? A full-scale Milky-Way galaxy with a navigation mechanic that is truly what space simulation gaming always should have been. Too bad it requires a robust back-end to simulate at the scale it does. I'd love to build a single-player game off the concept, but with classic empire-building gameplay to drive goals. But we still get some stunning visuals. Either ships, or space itself.
This is part of a concept I imagine where Rarity gets herself in a little over her head, and has to make her way in the galaxy before she can make her way home. Her first Frame Shift.
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“You're lucky,” the human commented idly as he passed through the security door to the hangar. “Most people don't get called to meet Emperor Duval in person. Usually it's just some liason passing a message along with orders. Orders typed up by some secretary with a digital signature.”
Rarity did her best to shrug as she followed her chauffeur. Weeks working cargo loading having taught her to move briskly if she wanted to keep up with the gate of the longer-limbed beings.
“What can I say Darling?” she responded to his conversational tone in kind. “I'm just-”
And then she got a look at the pilot's ship.
“Oh my...”
The human stopped, turning back to look at the unicorn as she tilted her head, examining the large vessel for several seconds. Rarity honestly didn't know spaceships could look the way this one did. Her time on the station was spent staring at the flank-end of giant pizza-boxes and shapes better suited being made by the students in Ms. Cheerilee's class. But this...
“Imperial Clipper,” the human said. “A bit difficult to get one's hands on, but gorgeous none-the-less.”
“I'll say,” Rarity continued in an awestruck voice. The curves, smooth and glossy finish to the metal, highlights in all the right places. If the ships were clothing, most of what Rarity had helped load to this point would be muddy work boots, and this 'Clipper' was a Gala Dress. If the inside was anything like the outside – and in rarity's recent experience that tended to be the case – she was in for a treat.
With an excited skip in her step, Rarity quickly trotted forward, passing the human as she headed towards the boarding steps on the front gear.
“I simply MUST see the interior,” she spoke hastily. Behind her, the pilot laughed a little.
On board, Rarity was not disappointed. The theme of graceful curves and accent lighting remained, joined by molded rubber trims and an emphasis on interior space. It was flying luxury.
“Absolutely gorgeous,” she agreed to the pilot's earlier statement. “If only I were back home... I've ideas for an entire new line of dresses.”
“And here I thought you didn't even wear clothes,” the pilot joined her on the deck, making his way towards the control seat. “You wander around without the slightest hint at modesty.”
Rarity rolled her eyes, having gotten that same response out of every human she'd had longer than five minutes of conversation with... Which considering most found her interesting and adorable enough to try and prolong a conversation as much as possible, was everyone.
“Dear,” she began, trotting towards the second seat. “Just because I don't wear clothes, doesn't mean I DON'T WEAR CLOTHES.”
A glance at the chair made for human ergonomics ilicited a snort of annoyance from the mare.
“After all, a lady must accessorize properly... And how do you expect me to sit in this seat?”
“As best as you can,” the pilot replied with a glance. “I was told I was transporting an alien to Kamadhenu. I wasn't told I was going to accommodate her in the cabin or that I would have to worry about making them comfortable. I'm just a package guy.”
“Well,” Rarity huffed. “So much for a comfortable trip then.”
“Don't worry,” the pilot tried to sooth the unicorn as he strapped himself in. “The Dynasty rides pretty smooth. You shouldn't have to worry. Even if we get interdicted, the Clipper is the fastest ship in use.”
“What do you mean, 'interdicted',” Rarity asked.
“Nothing for you to worry your cute alien face about,” her chauffeur smirked. “Now I suggest you at least hold on to the chair until we're clear. The ride's smooth, but it's not without a few predictable bumps.”
“Right,” Rarity shook her head and grabbed the side panel of the seat she stood next to. A second later, there was a jolt as the ship's platform began sliding forward. After a second, it stopped, jolting again as it began ascending into the docking bay proper. Once in place, Rarity felt the platform lock through her hooves. Her pilot went through several checks speaking into a commlink and informing dock control of their immediate departure.
“Departing in five...” he informed her.
Not that many seconds later, there was a jolt, and Rarity felt the deck rise against her hooves.
“SHIP RELEASED.” a loud, posh feminine voice announced from seemingly everywhere. “ENGINES ENGAGED.”
The pilot made swift and smooth motions as the vessel began to move forward through the station with a gentle hum.
“LANDING GEAR RETRACTED.” the informative voice commented.
Rarity examined her surroundings outside the ship for the first time as they crossed the bay. They were inside some kind of cylindrical space, docking platforms on the floor, walls and ceiling. To the untrained eye, it was a mess of boxes and glowing holographic numbers. But she recognized the simple layout quickly enough... Though placing things on the ceiling seemed a bit... Odd?
“Looks like someone didn't get out of the mail slot fast enough,” her pilot suddenly commented, pointing at what Rarity was certain used to be one of those 'pizza box' ships spinning gently to one side.
“Oh my,” the unicorn brought a hoof to her muzzle in shock. “Do you think the poor dear's okay?”
“Maybe,” the pilot shrugged. “Maybe not. Everyone gets stuck in the mail slot at least once. Expensive mistake, and they use lethal force to clear it.”
Rarity bit her lip in anxiety. What if they got stuck, the 'mail slot' didn't look very large.
However, thankfully, her human pilot made no errors slipping through the entrance to the docking bay and passing into open space. Not for the first time, Rarity found herself looking around in awe. Before her was effectively the night sky with a planet lazily floating about in the distance. She'd seen it from her sleeping quarters on the station, but never where it wasn't moving constantly thanks to the rotation of said station.
“More... Ideas,” she commented quietly. The human ignored her, turning the ship about as they rumbled along. A small display he was messing with showed thousands of small dots arranged in a spiral pattern that he quickly sorted through, selecting something and closing the window.
“Course plotted,” he announced. “It'll be about thirty jumps to Khamadenu and I'll be dropping you off Couper Hub. Should be no more than an hour, assuming no idiots think they can chase down a clipper. So sit back and enjoy. This is the best part of the ride."
With that, the human reached out and pressed a button. There was a small, but distinct beep.
“FRAME SHIFT DRIVE CHARGING,” the informative Princess Luna wannabe announced. At the same time, Rarity felt the rumble of something deep and powerful begin to build in the deck below her hooves. The sound worried her for a moment, but the human seemed undisturbed by it, so she chose to accept it as normal.
A moment later, the sound reached a creshendo and the information voice popped on again.
“FOUR.”
“THREE.”
“TWO.”
“ONE.”
As the voice counted, the rumble turned into a high pitched whine that reminded Rarity of Pinkie Pie learning she was throwing a birthday party for some VIPs for the first time. It was accompanied by a sound like that of tearing paper, and a light show in front of the ship that looked as if the world around them was being pulled into a black point.
“ENGAGE.”
'BAM!'
The world snapped, rushing past them in an indescibable blur. One moment they were in space, the next they were... Somewhere else. Lights zipped past, strange clouds drifted by, and Rarity could swear she heard whispers on the edge of her hearing. The ship itself rocked slightly like a carriage caught in turbulence, but it wasn't anything the unicorn couldn't handle.
No sooner was Rarity getting used to this sight then there was a second loud crack followed by a winding-down kind of noise.
And a star flying right at her face.
“YEEK!”
Rarity dove behind the chair as if it could protect her from the giant fireball.
It took a few seconds further before she realize she hadn't been thrown into a sun, and that the human was laughing like Rainbow Dash after a particularly nasty prank.
“Tha-ha-ha-hat... Reac-tion,” he shook. “What, have you never done a frame shift before?”
Rarity took a few more seconds to get her heart under control, shooting the pilot an annoyed glare before she answered.
“Last time I was on board a ship,” she snapped. “I was stuck in the cargo hold for hours. I didn't know what was going on, or that it was so... surprising.”
“You get used to it,” the human replied as he too calmed down. “After a while, the whole thing just becomes routine.”
“Indeed,” the Unicorn slowly retook her position. “So long as we don't get cooked to a cinder, I'll take your word for it.”
“Just to warn you, we're going to get closer to that star. So don't panic on me again, it's safe.”
“What ever for?” Rarity asked honestly as the ship seemed to zip forward, making the huge object seem smaller and closer than it really was. Suddenly there was a click and a strange sound as the pilot pulled the ship level with the horizon of the blazing inferno.
“FUEL SCOOPING,” Not-Luna announced.
“It's how we refuel between jumps,” the pilot informed Rarity. “FSD Hyperspace jumps eat fuel by the ton. Luckily, we can pick it up by the ton as well just by skimming the corona of a star while in supercruise. Without fuel scoops, getting anywhere in space would be a lot more troublesome and painful.”
“FUEL SCOOPING COMPLETE.”
The clipper pitched up again, aligning itself with a marker projected on the canopy glass as they began to accelerate away from the star with a telltale hum.
“FUEL SCOOP, DISENGAGED.”
Click-beep.
“FRAME SHIFT DRIVE CHARGING.”
Rarity watched the information displays this time as the rumble built. The ship reached its crescendo once more, and then like before, reality seemed to warp before it snapped past them, dumping them once more into the strange not-space that would be more at home as Discord's back yard.
After about fifteen seconds of this, the ship returned to what Rarity could only assume was the real world with a crack, a star once more racing at them. But this time, the unicorn stood her ground, watching as just as soon as it appeared, the giant ball of flame slowed to a halt a distance in front of them.
“Nothing to it,” the pilot commented idly, taking the ship towards the star ahead.
“FUEL SCOOPING.”
Rarity said nothing, opting to watch the process. Part of her mind wondering why they were staring at a sun and not going blind from how bright it should have been.
Once finished, the ship pulled out, aiming into the void before the same announcement, the same countdown, and the same un-space zipped past them. Once the shock wore off a bit more, Rarity realized just how simple the procedure really was to the human. Jump, fuel, charge, jump. Each instance, they covered the distance between stars, a distance she didn't care to comprehend, even if she could.
As they flew away from one star, Rarity watched as little white dots in the distance drifted by. The void in front of them faded from a wall of black with a few white dots, to a vivid canvas of color and light, showing off the galaxy beyond in a manner that would put one of Luna's night skies to shame.
The jumps blurred together. They were moving with a speed no Equestrian before her could comprehend. If Twilight were here, she'd likely be talking the Unicorn's ear off about the energies and technologies that must be required. It was enough to overwhelm any pony.
But at the same time... At the same time, it was beautiful.
“So many ideas,” Rarity muttered quietly to herself, admiring a planet as it closed in on them and growing in size to fill the viewport.
Then the ship shook.
'BANG!'
Rarity nearly jumped out of her fur as a giant, sphear-ended cylindrical shape suddenly appeared in front of them with a sound like that of a sonic-rainboom.
“And, arrived,” her pilot announced casually as the ship made noises akin to spinning objects winding down. Rarity brought her free hoof up to her chest to still her beating heart once more. She glanced around, wondering where the time went. Was that really an hour? How far had they gone? How fast had they been going?
Another part of the unicorn's mind had a completely different question in mind.
Could they do that again?