Ad Astra

by Merchent343

Chapter Three

---

//-- To: Councilmember Set Form
//-- From: NSDF Commander [Redacted]
//-- Subject: I told you so

As much as I hate such useless phrases, I did tell you that the captain would complete her job efficiently. With the Earth Ponies denied further basing, and with ourselves firmly entrenched on the planet, the second phase of our operation can begin. Captain Astral Mist and the Council are clueless as to the nature behind these moves. I should be untraceable: IF we are found out, the blame will be directed onto lower members of our staff.

You worry too much.

By the Grace of the Night,
NSDF Commander [Redacted]
2,116 ANM

THIS COMMUNICATION IS CONFIDENTIAL. ANY SHARING OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION IS TREASON, AND PUNISHABLE BY EXECUTION. PRIVATE COUNCIL MESSAGE TRAFFIC IS ONLY TO BE INTERCEPTED IN THE MOST DIRE OF TIMES.
//-- [End]

---

Captain Astral Mist finally relaxed as their ship entered its' geostationary orbit above Equestria. Even if the planet was a damned barren wasteland, covered in ash and ruined cities, with its' seas drained of much of their water, it was still their home.

She had chosen to take the long way back, as activating the Stellar Drive put everypony in the ship on edge. Not that she would know personally, as she had yet to walk among any of the crew that were not bridge officers of key personnel. However, being the Captain of the vessel had its' privileges: All news tricked up to her, as she was the one considered the most 'reliable' by the crew. How that came about was a mystery that Astral Mist had no answer to.

"We have electronic contact with Refueling Station Alpha, Captain." Her first officer said.

"Excellent." She said, "Dock it with it and refuel our ship. Arrange for shuttle transport to the surface for us and our crew. We all deserve a break after three weeks of travel."

"... Ma'am, RSA is currently reporting that they are still undergoing testing. They state that they cannot accommodate any traffic."

"Send them our ship name, weapons' load, and tonnage specifications, and reaffirm our intent to dock." Astral ordered, her eyes narrowing.

"... RSA has grant permission to dock immediately. They are currently located five centiseconds of adjustment away."

"Proceed to dock." Astral said, letting a small smile show on her face.

The ship shuddered as their thrusters worked overtime to reorient the ship. Although they were in a geostationary orbit, the RSA was in their own orbit farther north-east, relative to the planet. As such, readjusting took only a few centiseconds, and the speck of light slowly grew into a recognizable shape.

It was massive, no doubt about it. The Vengeance herself was precisely 208 meters long, and it was currently the largest vessel in Nocturne service, at least for the next few days. The station dwarfed even that. At the center was a massive, bell-shaped command and habitation center that was four hundred meters across. The arms that radiated out from it, three of them in total, each boasted a dozen smaller stalks for ships to attach to, and those extended out for nearly a kilometer each. The entire central area was dominated at the top by a massive Local Gravity Generator. Those generated a brief - but intense - gravitational field, allowing them to 'guide' a ship into a docking slot.

"RSA states that they are taking control." Her first officer said once they drew near.

"Allow them to do so."

The ship's Artificial Gravity weakened briefly, before quickly rebooting and coming back online. Their massive ship slowly turned as they were slowed down and guided towards the end of a docking army. Astral Mist watched this part with a pit in her stomach: Any wrong moves, and her ship would suffer quite the impact.

The failure did not happen, and the ship slowed to a halt, a brief shudder running through the hull as the docking clamps magnetically attached.

"We're docked, Captain."

"I can see that, First Officer." She dryly noted. "All crew dismissed."

---

Captain Astral Mist nervously looked around the small shuttle as it wound its' way through the subterranean towers of City One. While she trusted the pilot completely, getting a notice to appear in front of the Council before she had even disembarked her ship was unnerving. Doubly so were the pair of Fightercraft flying escort for her shuttle, both of them carrying very real ordinance, as could easily be seen by anyone who knew what to look for.

All of Nocturne's cities were built underground, having been constructed this way since far before recorded history: Over three thousand years of development. As a result, they escaped mostly unscathed in the warfare that had turned Equestria into a wasteland. On the negative side, they were almost eternally dark aside from the lights of the city, a light mist often formed and hampered long-range vision, and they were a nightmare to navigate.

Her shuttle descended sharply, slowing down at the same time, before coming to halt on a surface. As she was the only one inside of the craft, Astral Mist was able to exit as soon as the shuttle's ramp dropped. The cool underground air was humid and wet, filled with the sounds of a moving city, even though the platform she landed on was likely several miles above the 'ground'.

What did surprise the Captain was the platoon of Nocturne Investigative Services, the elite arm of the Council, waiting for her. In front of them stood a figure that she recognized quite clearly.

"Councilmember Grey Task." Astral Mist greeted, bowing herself before the stallion, as one would do before a superior.

"Captain Astral Mist." The councilmember replied, "Please, stand, and walk with me."

The slightly confused mare followed the councilmember off of the platform, with four of the NIS soldiers forming up to their sides. As they entered a long, white hallway, Astral Mist's suspicion began to stir.

"Sir, forgive my boldness, but is there any reason the Council wished to see me?" She asked out of curiosity.

"Yes there is, my young Captain." The councilmember replied, chuckling. "You've had quite the busy patrol, and we voted that it would be best for myself to brief you on new developments."

"Then why are we not in the Councilbuilding?" Astral Mist asked, pursuing her thoughts.

"The matter will become evident in just a moment, Captain." The councilmember said. "Your incident ignited tensions with the Earth Pony Coalition, although that was due to happen anyway. They can't prove a thing, but they are set in their ways, and war is an inevitability."

"Haven't we been at war, sir?" Astral asked as they turned a corner, the guards still at their sides.

"Yes, and no. We haven't been at war with them because it hasn't been convenient to declare it. However, your incident highlighted the need for further ship production. The Vengeance will be going without you, Captain, along with the three other, newly-constructed ships."

"You're taking away my command, sir?"

"And giving you a new one." The councilmember stopped before a grey door, the biometric systems inside identifying him and sliding it open. "Lieutenant Commander Astral Mist, I would like to present to you the NIS Temperance."

The site that greeted her was awe-inspiring. In the middle of the massive room, surrounded by hundreds of workers flying around it, was an absolutely massive spacefaring vessel. A Warship nearly three hundred and sixty meters long, and a gargantuan testament to Nocturne engineering.

"How long have you been building this?" Astral Mist asked in shock.

"Three months, most of it designing." The councilmember said as he walked towards it. "It has been shrouded in secret, and the crew are all NIS veterans. What we lack, however, is a suitable captain, one with the creative flare and experience to pull off the victories we desperately need.

"We at the council could never agree. One Captain was deemed too close to another councilmember, and another was half-Pegasi. Yet even more promising ones were never deemed reliable. Lieutenant Commander Astral Mist, do you accept this command on behalf of the Council, to fight for Nocturne's future?"

Astral Mist's eyes burned with held-back tears. She was not supposed to be this emotional. It was forbidden, not worthy of her rank. She could never...

A single tear escaped her eyes.

"I accept, and I shall fight." Astral Mist said with barely-concealed joy and wonder, only guessing at what might come in the future.

Author's Note:

Well, this is my first Author's Note for this story.

I just have to remark on several things. For one, yes, the various subspecies of ponies are distrusting and often hateful when it comes to their relations. Each views the other as somehow responsible for the death of the Solar Princesses (Celestia and Luna). The event itself took place over an entire generation ago, and there are very few adults who survived from that time who know the full story, much less those who are willing to tell it. It has been reduced to the level of myth.

Likewise, in this universe it is not frowned upon for one of the particular subspecies (in this case, the Bat Ponies) to keep what they call prisoners, what are in reality little more than glorified slaves. With the deaths of the Solar Princesses, old hatreds had quickly ignited, sending the various subspecies of ponies into open fighting. All sides believe the others to be inferior, and are waging little more than a war of annihilation on one another.

Comments

[Lord Death]

if you want help in brainstorming and fitting this story into a mostly built universe PM me your skype...i am absalutely loveing this so far

[Merchent343]

4976642

As a few notes:
> This story is quite literally in a universe of its' own. This will become far more apparent over time.
> My Skype is kind of openly on my profile because reasons.