Falling from the Stars

by Wannabe Scholar

Chapter 2

“Sir, we’re getting a signal!” an officer exclaimed, using one good arm to work one of the Ziost Frost’s working terminals. “It’s a Republic shuttle from the planet!”

Sergeant Rendar, towering over the officer, stared down. “Are you sure?” he asked with his deep voice. “It might be faulty sensors.”

The officer, almost frightened by the Sith soldier’s black heavy armor and superior height, replied, “N-no, sir, I’m sure. Our long-ranged sensors are knocked out for now, but our short-ranged sensors just picked a shuttle.”

“Very well,” Rendar said. “I’ll report it to the general.”

“Um, sir,” the officer paled a little, “perhaps, the general should have her space. She’s not in a good mood.”

She rarely was, but Rendar kept that to himself as he held his helmet under his arm and turned to leave. He barely made a few steps when a small, thin man–an officer, as determined by his gray uniform–strode up to Rendar. “Sergeant, is something the matter?” he spoke with a posh tone and regarded Rendar with a nod.

“Commander Needa,” Rendar nodded back, trying to be polite. “I have some news for the general.”

“Best if you tell me, sergeant,” Needa said, glancing over to the general. “She seems to be preoccupied.”

Rendar’s eyes trailed down he walked the long and slightly dent gray floor of the Ziost Frost’s bridge. The small, yet intimidating, form of General Jade glued her eyes to the window and wrapped a red strand of hair around her finger. No doubt, she was forming a plan of some sort.

Rendar, slightly defeated, looked back at Needa. “Well, we just received a report about a Republic shuttle heading for the planet’s surface.”

Needa seemed surprised. “Not their ship, just a shuttle? I thought the Republic would come here, if they wanted to talk about terms.”

Rendar pointed out, “They haven’t offered any terms yet, commander. They can’t with the comm down.”

“And they don’t trust us,” cut in a clearly ticked voice of a woman, “just as you apparently don’t trust me to handle this, commander.”

The two men almost jumped and turned around to see Eliza cutting in between the two. Eyes glaring at him, Needa’s trembling hand tugged at his collar, and he stammered whilst he collected himself. “W-well, considering our situation, I-I thought it would be better if I… I mean if you…”

Eliza raised a hand. The commander fell silent immediately, and Eliza turned to Rendar with a less piercing gaze. “Sergeant, your thoughts?”

Rendar looked at Eliza, through his black bangs. “Well, general, the planet would serve as neutral ground, if there were any talks, and it’s possible the shuttle’s departure could be a call… or a trap,” he said, somewhat hesitantly at the end.

The general pondered for a moment, then she said, “Sergeant, prepare a crew. I want to see this for myself.”

“General,” Needa interjected with some courage, “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea. Many of our soldiers are still in the med bay and…”

“Some are good to come along,” Eliza retorted sharply. “Anyway, I’ll be leading the mission, so you don’t need to worry.”

“… Yes, general,” the commander said, defeated.

“Then, get a team in the hangar by one hour, commander,” and Eliza turned and left with her cape flowing behind her.

Once General Jade was out the door, Needa allowed himself a sigh and adjusted his officer’s cap. “I’m not sure how we’ll survive this,” he said, more to himself.

“Everything will be fine, commander,” Rendar assured, though his stoic expression did not change. “It won’t be long until we return home.”

Rendar was given a snort. “If only. The ship is in worse shape than you think. Just look,” and Needa gestured to some of the ruined terminals.

The sergeant didn’t need to look. Unlike the other terminals that had been ruined by the sudden hyperspace jump, these ones were crushed to pieces. As for who did it, Rendar remembered a Sith general thrashing away, redirecting her anger for another’s mistake.

“I’m going to kill that son of a Hutt!” she had yelled before crushing at the terminals.

The memory caused Rendar’s hand on his helm to tremble a little. He was used to seeing angry Sith, and General Jade always had a temper, but seeing her like that was… surprising, to say the least. No one was in her wrath, since the medics the medics to some of the injured.

“We just have to trust the general. She has never steered us wrong before,” Rendar managed to say, then saluted. “By your leave, commander.”

“Yes, sergeant,” Needa said quietly, his voice distant.

Lowering his hand, Rendar turned around to leave. He stopped and took a short glance to the silent commander. When Needa looked away, his face showed concern. It was a look Rendar had seen before, and it now made the sergeant wonder about his own words. There was nothing to be done. Only hope for the best.

Rendar turned back to his path and strode out of the bridge, leaving the commander alone in his silence.

---

They were still up there. The two objects floated in front of the moon with no worry of wind or weather directing them away from their position. It was unthinkable, unnatural even, to be remaining in the sky without being subjected to the laws of nature. Whatever they were, they certainly were not dragons. Not even they were as huge as the behemoths floating above.

“Councilor? Councilor?”

Councilor Pansy turned from the sky to the stallion beside her. It was an Earth Pony–with no wings that Pansy possessed nor a Unicorn’s horn–as grey as his armor. “Yes, corporal?” Pansy asked with a voice as soft as her face.

The steady, unusually high-pitched, tone answered her. “You’ve been staring at that for a while now, councilor.”

“Sorry,” Pansy said, brushing aside her flopping orange mane. “How long?”

“Ten minutes, I think.”

Stars, that was long. “I see,” Pansy removed her hoof from the battlement to the wooden plank. “I guess I let my mind wander a little longer than I thought, huh?”

A concerned look grew under the corporal’s helm. “Councilor, you need to be careful, especially with those things up there. Nopony else’s around to look out for you.”

“I will fine,” she assured, then paused. “If it helps, you could go back to sleep.”

“I could,” Pansy’s guard said with a slight smirk, “but the captain wouldn’t be happy if he found you by yourself.”

“And I can’t leave you alone,” were the unspoken words.

Cheerful as the corporal tried to be, Pansy’s yellow muzzle sunk into a frown. She didn’t say anything at first, keeping her thoughts to herself. It took Pansy some more time before she voiced them: “Are you scared, Herp?”

The familiarity took the stallion by surprise. Still, he replied softly for nopony else to hear other than Pansy: “Yes, I am,” Herp’s yellow eyes rose up. “I’m no Pegasi or Unicorn, but seeing those things, it’s… unsettling. It’s some kind of bad omen.”

To that, Pansy sighed inwardly. It was the same thing she heard throughout the fort. Everypony was scared, she included, and nothing seemed to ease their minds. “Sorry to bother you with this,” Pansy said.

Herp sighed, this one of slight annoyance. “You need to stop apologizing,” he said. “It doesn’t help a councilor of Equestria. The problem’s up there, not down here.”

The words brought a small surge of confidence, and a smile finally spread on Pansy’s yellow muzzle. “I guess not.” Pansy rested her head on the corporal’s shoulder. “Thanks, Herp.”

Herp’s muzzle went from grey to red. “Y-your welcome, Councilor,” Herp muttered, feeling the orange lop of mane and her scent brushing on his face. He wanted stay like this for a little while longer and enjoy it…

“Corporal Hooves,” a deep baritone spoke.

Herp snapped his back straight to attention, the warmness gone and the cool air was back. He whirled around with Pansy to see another Pegasus in shimmering silver armor and a pair of wings keeping him hovering nearby the battlement. Wary eyes watched the Pegasus land and furled his red wings against his side.

Golden eyes focused on Herp. “Weren’t you supposed to be at the south wall?” the Pegasus inquired, rather authoritatively.

“Y-you’re right! I’ll head over there, sir!” And with a salute, Herp rushed for the stairs.

Just as Herp left the battlements, Pansy frowned to the Pegasus. “Captain Red Fire,” she told him, “the corporal had my permission to remain at my side. He was there as my guard.”

“And a shoulder to lean on?” the captain retorted.

She returned it with narrowed eyes. “That’s private.”

The golden eyes flinched a little, and Red Fire relaxed his posture. “I apologize. I meant no disrespect, Councilor,” he humbly bowed his helmet.

Pansy mimicked the captain’s tone. “I understand. Any word from the capital?”

“None, as usual,” Red Fire responded as he trotted to the edge. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a telescope. “Commander Hurricane’s must be busy with whatever the rest of the council keeps throwing on him… no offense.”

“Hurricane’s no longer a commander,” she reminded him with pained patience.

“I guess,” Red Fire’s voice trailed while he looked through the telescope.

Pansy found it harder to withhold her tongue, wanting to give the captain a couple more words of warning. She held back, knowing that she was far from the capital. A councilor of Equestria Pansy was, but Red Fire was in charge of the fort. She was just a guest.

“How is everypony?” Pansy asked to keep herself busy.

“Busy.” Red Fire studied the terrain through his telescope. “All of the guards are still at their posts now, and the scouts are resting after their mission. I don’t know how long it will be before we need… Wait, what’s that?”

Pansy’s ear flickered up on the sudden change in tone. “What is it?”

Red Fire handed the telescope to her. Staring through lens, Pansy saw it. A long white nose stuck out in front, and a pair of wings stuck out of the back, sloping downwards. The wings did not flap, yet it somehow flew through the air, soaring above a canopy of trees.

“Do you see it?” she heard Red Fire.

“I do. It’s flying over for the Everfree Forest,” Pansy remarked.

“Guards, gather the scouts to the courtyard!” Red Fire shouted over the battlement’s edge, while she put the telescope down and walked away. “Where you are going Councilor?”

“Getting my armor, captain,” Pansy responded without looking away.

“Councilor, you’re hardly …” the captain began, but Pansy cut him off.

“…the right pony for this?” She turned to face him. “Whatever that thing is, you will need a pony who knows how to talk with it. As a Councilor of Equestria, I am the only one in this entire fort who can do that.”

Red Fire stared at Pansy for a long moment. “Very well,” he conceded.

Pansy nodded, and, with a flap of her wings, she flew over the battlements, diving down to the courtyard as the fortress went on high alert.

---

Ren did his best to keep a firm footing, feeling the shuttle jostle while it descended through the tree tops. The others tried to keep still as well, either sitting down or holding onto the handles above their heads. They all radiated off with unease and anxiety, which was no surprise to the Jedi Master. He hid his own feelings to not worry his soldiers and Padawan.

The thrusters wheezed and the legs creaked open from the outside before they touched ground. When the shuttle jostled upon landing, a wave brushed up against Ren’s mind, taking him by surprise.

Now, Ren let his unease show.

Elara’s voice spoke off to the side. “Master, did you…”

“Yes,” Ren nodded without looking at her to see her expression or know her thoughts. He had felt it in the sky, but so close to the ground, it was stronger than ever. For Elara, who was not attuned like he was, to feel it meant this presence, whatever its source, was far stronger than he anticipated.

“Pilot,” Ren called to the front, “did you notice anything?”

At the cockpit ahead, the pilot studied his controls. “There was a structure nearby. Rather primitive,” he remarked. “Seemed like some kind of outpost.”

“Master,” Elara called to her master once again, “maybe that’s what we sensed.”

Ren did not reply to that, his mind quickly switching back and forth. This was not what he had intended. He had not known about this fortress, or the source of the presence. Still, nothing was attacking nor was there anything else, so maybe he still could…

“General, detecting several lifeforms approaching. They’re airborne,” came from the pilot.

Ren withheld a sigh. He would have to delay his meeting, after all. “Open the door, pilot. Everyone stays here… including you.” Ren ordered, turning to his pupil.

He felt the denial before it showed up on Elara’s face. “But master, you might need help,” she said. “Who knows what might be out there?!”

“That’s why you’re staying here,” Ren reasoned, just as the door opened. A flood of cool air entered and dim moonlight grazed his face. “I need someone to guard the shuttle in case we need to leave… and in case I don’t come back.”

This time, there was no retort or argument from Elara. Ren turned around and stepped out of the shuttle. His feet touched grassy ground and dirt, and he went on his way, not noticing Elara’s silent stare at his back.

Author's Note:

Alright, that's chapter 2. As always, please let me know what your thoughts are. I tried to capture what's happening on the Sith's side and for other ponies (more will show up in the future).

If there's anything that feels out of place, please let me know (it wouldn't be a surprise, I did kinda rush through some parts). Thanks.

-W.S.

Comments

[treegrowth]

interesting, I'll be following ya.

[Wannabe Scholar]

6890222 Thanks for that. I'll try to fix it.

-W.S.