My Brave Pony: Starfleet Nemesis

by Scipio Smith

Tactical Ingenuity

Tactical Ingenuity

Rainbow Dash tucked her hands behind her head as she floated on top of a cloud hovering gently not far above New Ponyville. She could feel the heat of the sun upon her face, and the breeze from the east caressing her cheeks.

She sighed in contentment as she closed her eyes and let the world pass over her.

"You were right, Rainbow, this is relaxing," Twilight murmured from the next cloud over.

Rainbow chuckled. "You had no idea what you were missing without those wings, did you?"

"No," Twilight said, a touch of melancholy entering her voice. "No, I really didn't."

Rainbow opened one eye and glanced at Twilight over the top of her sunglasses. "Stop it."

Twilight looked at her. "Stop what?"

"That. I brought you up here to relax, not to brood."

Twilight's brow furrowed. "I know. But can I just interrupt the relaxed atmosphere just long enough-"

"Can't you just lie back and let your troubles fly away?" Rainbow asked. "Does this not make you want to just take a nap? Soak up the sun? Feel the air?"

"This will only take a minute," Twilight said defensively.

"You're working too hard," Rainbow Dash replied earnestly. "You're stressing yourself out too much, it isn't healthy.

"I've got a lot to be stressed about right now."

"I know, but it doesn't mean that you shouldn't take a break every once in a while."

"Please?" Twilight asked. "I only want to ask you one question."

Rainbow sighed. "Okay, go ahead."

"What's your opinion of Starfleet as fliers?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow blinked. "That's it? They suck. Now close your eyes and-"

"Why do you think that is?"

"That's a second question."

Twilight gave her a Look.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "You can't turn it off, can you? Listen, Twilight...everypony appreciates what you're trying to do...but..."

"But no one but me believes it will work," Twilight finished for her.

"They just don't want it to," Rainbow declared. "You can reach out to them all you want, but they will never be willing to meet you halfway, or any part of the way that doesn't involve you coming over to there side. You can't change them, Twilight. You just...you can't. They're just too different from us."

"I'm sure that back in the old days my ancestors said the same thing about yours," Twilight said. "And now look where we are."

"Okay, if I was an egghead like you I'm sure I could pick a dozen holes in that argument, but of course you know that I can't because I'm not," Rainbow said in a disgruntled tone. "I'm worried about you, Twilight."

A smile pricked at the corners of Twilight's mouth. "Anything in particular?"

"I'm worried that..." Rainbow struggled for the right words. "I'm worried you're getting in too deep with them. With Lightning, with the Grand Ruler, with the whole of Starfleet. I don't want you to get hurt."

"You sound like my parents warning me off a coltfriend they don't like," Twilight said, with laughter in her voice. "But it's sweet, and I really do appreciate it."

"Aren't you worried?" Rainbow demanded. "They keep demanding more and more of you and they never give anything back that I can see. Aren't you worried that eventually they'll ask for everything you are?"

Twilight looked down at the ground beneath them. "It's true. Though I always expected it to be a slow process, and it is. And I understand what you're saying, but no, I'm not worried. Because I've got you. You and everypony else taking care of me, while I try and take care of Equestria."

A faint blush rose to Rainbow's cheeks. "Yeah, well... I try my best."

"Now," Twilight said. "Why don't you think that the average Starfleet warrior is a very good flier?"

---

Major Cerise Wonder, sometimes known as the Magenta Lance of Starfleet, sometimes as the Last Survivor of Dagna Two, and sometimes (never when she was within earshot) as the Butcher of Crystallia, sat at her new desk in her new office and sipped from the steaming cup of coffee at her right hand.

"Mm," she muttered "This is pretty good. Is this real coffee?"

"Yes, ma'am," her adjutant, Senior Lieutenant Havoc, murmured from where he sat at a second, smaller desk at a right angle to Cerise's own. Currently he was disassembling a large crimson crossbow, and once he was done he would put it back together again. Havoc had done it eight times already this morning. "Two sacks arrived last night. A welcome home gift from Captain Shaina."

"I'll have to remember to thank her for that," Cerise said quietly. Real coffee was in short supply - so was sugar, come to that - due to a rebellion in the Mareibees system where much of the Unicornicopian Empire's production was located, so short that the ordinary public couldn't access to it for love or money and had to make do with inferior substitutes like dandelion or chicory. Emerald Shaina, as Captain of the Royal Guard, had access to the limited supplies of the real thing, and apparently she had decided to share a little of it around.

I'll have to do more than thank her. I'll have to make it up to her somehow.

Havoc looked at his watch. "Captain Dash is late, ma'am."

"I know," Cerise said softly. "We'll see what her explanation is when she arrives."

Major Wonder was a space pony with a pink coat and a golden horn rising out of her dark pink mane. She had been told since the unification of their realms that she bore a striking resemblance to the Equestrian Princess Cadance; on the fifth mention of this Cerise had taken it sufficiently seriously to cut her long mane down to an untidy birds-nest on top of her head.

It was not that she disliked Princess Cadance - in fact the princess had saved her life once, and impressed Cerise greatly - but she had no desire to be seen as the kind of officer who would cultivate a resemblance to a member of the Royal Family in order to advance herself.

Plus, Cerise had to admit that vanity played a role in her decision. She didn't want to 'look like' anyone. She wanted to remembered as herself; for good...and for bad.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, ma'am?" Havoc asked. He was an amber space pony with a golden mane that was girlishly long, albeit tied up behind his head right now to stay out of the way of the crossbow.

It was a bit late now if it wasn't, but rather than say that Cerise tried again to ease her adjutant's concerns. "Her flight skills are excellent, her speed is unmatched over short distances and impressive over long ones, and list of accomplishments speaks for itself. I can't think of anyone better to command the airborne element."

"Her record also says that she's insubordinate, bull-headed and hard to work with," Havoc replied.

"She worked well enough with Princess Twilight," Cerise said.

Havoc looked at her. "And that's what this is really about, isn't it?"

Cerise sighed. "This was Princess Twilight's plan, I'm just carrying it forward. I think one of her comrades should be here for it, don't you?"

"Even if it means getting her involved in-"

"Yes," Cerise replied, before Havoc could say what she might be involving Rainbow Dash in. This was not Conva, who knew who might be listening?

But something is going on in the military and I am going to find out what. And when I do, having an Equestrian hero on my side might come in handy.

There was a knock on the door. A loud, firm and aggressive knock.

Cerise smiled. "Ah, I think our new airborne commander has arrived. Come in!"

---

Rainbow Dash stood fuming outide Major Wonder's office for a good five minutes before knocking on the door, mostly because she wanted to put her fist through the the door instead of tapping on it.

There was not a single thing about this that she didn't hate. Her friends had split up across the world or even beyond it, and she didn't know if the next time she saw any of them would be at their funeral. Would she have to listen to Lightning Dawn give an inane speech over Applejack's pyre, like he had Twilight's? Would there even be anything left of Rarity to burn?

As she contemplated the separate ways down which they had all gone Rainbow could not help feeling that she had let all her friends down. She was Loyalty, she was supposed to stand by and protect her friends. But how could she protect Pinkie in Zebrica, or Fluttershy while she was in the clutches of the ogre she called husband.

Rationalky, Rainbow knew there was nothing she could have done. Emotionally she felt like the most abject of failures.

I watched Twilight run headlong into battle, and I didn't do a thing to stop her. And in that battle she was lost to us.

I watched Fluttershy walk down the aisle and I didn't do a thing to stop her, either. Now she's trapped, chained to that...and there's nothing I can do about it any more.

I watched Pinkie ride away on the train and I let that happen too; will something terrible happen to her as well?

Rainbow's heart was full of fear, not for herself - the bitter irony that she, fiercest and boldest of them all, had the easiest assignment, had not escaped her - but for her friends and for New Ponyville. What would become of all of them?

Why couldn't we have stayed together? We were always at our best together, don't they get that? It's as if they want to weaken us.

Even the fact that Fluttershy had not been given an assignment was more curse than blessing. Rainbow was certain that Rhymey would keep her as confined as possible, like the maiden in a fairytale imprisoned by a beast. Certainly he would not allow Rainbow Dash to see her, old friends or no. For a moment Rainbow entertained the fantasy of rescuing Fluttershy from her cruel circumstances, like a knight vanquishing the monster, but a moment's sense reminded her that it was not to be. Rhymey had friends in high places, and while Rainbow Dash might once have said the same...Queen Celestia's name didn't mean so much as it used to, not when you stacked the name of the Grand Ruler up against it. Rainbow didn't like it, but it was the truth. If the Grand Ruler said one thing and Celestia said the other, then...everyone knew whose word would stand. And regardless of what he had done in Sugarcube Corner Rainbow had no confidence in Lightning to take the part of Rainbow or Fluttershy over his right-hand stallion Rhymey.

Rainbow made a noise that was half sigh, half growl. She would have to bear it, as she was having to bear everything else.

At last, Rainbow mastred her swirling emotions and hammered on the door.

"Come in!"

Rainbow pushed open the brown wooden door into Major Wonder's office.

Rainbow's first thought as Major Wonder rose to her feet was that she looked like Princess Cadance with a golden horn and a bad haircut. And different eyes. The major's eyes were also blue, but Cadance's warmth was missing from them. These eyes were ice.

Major Wonder stared at Rainbow. It was only when the other pony in the room coughed that Rainbow realised she was waiting for a salute.

Begrudingly, Rainbow gave it, then watched as Cerise Wonder returned it and sat down.

Rainbow scowled. "Executive Captain Rainbow Dash reporting for duty, ma'am."

"Good morning, captain," Cerise said, her voice mellow and her tone neutral. She sounded casual, even a little disinterested. She looked down at the paperwork spread across her desk, rather than at Rainbow. "I expected you a little earlier."

Rainbow's scowl deepened, and she said nothing.

Cerise let the silence reign briefly before she looked into Rainbow's eyes and said, "If you have an explanation, Captain, now's the time."

"I was saying goodbye to a friend," Rainbow replied sharply. "She get packed off to Grevyia this morning."

Cerise held her gaze for a moment. "I see. I don't think there was any harm done, but don't make a habit of it."

Rainbow snorted.

The other pony - a stallion with a long, golden mane who was putting a crossbow together like it was a jigsaw or something - coughed loudly.

Cerise's lips twitched. "Allow me to introduce Lieutenant Havoc, my adjutant."

Rainbow looked at him. "Hey."

Havoc slammed the last piece of his crossbow into place. "Captain."

"The lieutenant," Cerise continued. "Doesn't believe that you're a good fit for this unit. He doesn't believe you can work under me. Certainly that seems to be a problem some of your commanders have had. But not others."

"I've got no problem following a leader I respect, major," Rainbow Dash replied. "But the person has to earn my respect. Their rank won't do it for them."

Cerise stood up and turned away from Rainbow Dash to look out of the window. Starfleet Headquarters as located in a wing of the palace, and the view out over New Canterlot was quite something. Nothing compared to Old Canterlot, obviously - although a few ponies had done a good job rebuilding the old style in the appropriately name Old Town, Rainbow had to admit - but even so, the towering glass-and-steel skyscrapers were a sight to see. They were so big you could hardly miss them.

"You respected Princess Twilight then?" Cerise asked. "For the mare, not for the crown?"

Rainbow gritted her teeth. "Yes." She hoped that would be the end of that line of questioning. She didn't want to talk about Twilight with these people.

"As it happens, I respected her too," Cerise murmured, still not turning aside from the window. "She and Princess Cadance saved not only my life but also the planet. Have you heard this story?"

Rainbow shook her head. "Twilight didn't like to brag about the things she'd done."

"A trait worthy of a true hero," Cerise said, almost to herself. "I was, until recently, the commandant of the prison planet Conva. During the Changeling War a changeling prisoner managed to escape, overpower and impersonate me, taking over the facility and using the prisoners to construct a giant weapon aimed at United Equestria. Princesses Twilight and Cadance, along with Captain Lightning Dawn, rescued me and destroyed the weapon. She was...very impressive."

"With all due respect I don't need you to tell me how wonderful my best friend was, ma'am," Rainbow snapped, loading the last word with all the insubordination she could muster. "I remember that just fine. Now, if there's nothing else."

"What would you say is the greatest weakness of Starfleet?" Cerise demanded, turning back from the window to face Rainbow Dash again.

Rainbow's magenta eyes narrowed. "Is this a trick? I say something and then you ream me out and try and make me feel stupid?"

"An unreceptive attitude to innovation and original thought, that's certainly one answer," Cerise said. "Though I actually thought you would bring up our subpar aerial capability."

Rainbow shrugged. "Yeah, you suck at flying, but I didn't think you cared."

Cerise sat down again. "It's true that Starfleet's tactical doctrine places very little emphasis on the use of air power. We have wings, but we load ourselves down with so much armour that many warriors can barely get off the ground, let alone fly swiftly or maneuver with any agility. When we do use the air, we use machines for transport, and rely on landing to fight rather than fighting from the air. It is also true that few officers see anything wrong with this situation." She reached into one of the draws of her desk and produced, with the air of a conjurer pulling a rabbit out of a hat, a hefty hand-written document which she placed before her.

"This paper was written by Princess Twilight Sparkle not long before her death," Cerise explained. "In it she outlines her proposals for a new type of unit, which would better integrate Unicornicopian and Equestrian strengths to achieve greater efficiency and combat performance. She pays particular attention to the aerial element, with ideas to use pegasi and a few light-armoured space ponies to form an aerial strike force capable of fighting in the air as well as moving swiftly ahead of the ground element to seize tactically important positions. There are other parts to her submission, but I confess that it was that aspect in particular that caught my eye. It's a problem that I've noticed before, but this is the first time I've come across such an elegant solution to our airborne problem."

"If it's so elegant then why is it with you?" Rainbow asked. After all, Cerise Wonder was only a major. She had no real power to do anything with Twilight's paper no matter how much she liked it.

"Ma'am," Havoc growled.

Rainbow grinned. "You don't have to call me ma'am, Lieutenant."

"That's enough," Cerise said firmly. "The reason I have this paper is that I dug it out of the archives, were it had been stuffed to gather dust."

Rainbow's eyes widened. They didn't even bother to read it? A part of Twi's legacy and they just...threw it away?

"As you pointed out, an unreceptive attitude to innovation," Cerise said dryly. "But, once I got transferred to Starfleet HQ, I found this paper and I decided to do something with it. Command has agreed to give me a company to see how Princess Twilight's ideas work in practice. And that's where you come in, Executive Captain.
"Princess Twilight's paper assumes that she would command this new unit, and assigns positions for all of her friends. Obviously she can't lead now, and I wasn't successful in getting most of her comrades assigned to this unit. But I was able to get you, because when push came to shove you were the one I wanted most. I want you to command the airborne element. Are you interested?"

"Do I have a choice?" Rainbow asked.

"Certainly," Cerise said. "You can say no, and I'll get you a desk job filing pay reports and signing off expenses. Or you can serve with me and carry on your friend's work. You can put another stone on Princess Twilight's legacy, and prove every ossified, set-in-their-ways admiral in Starfleet wrong when they said that this would never work." She smiled. "It's up to you."

Rainbow hesitated. It seemed a little strange to her that Twilight would bother to write a paper on tactics, considering that she had never liked to fight. On the other hand, it did make sense of that conversation they'd had on why Starfleet didn't have any good fliers. And...yes, that would explain it. Rainbow was willing to bet that Twilight's interest wasn't really in improving battlefield efficiency, but in getting space ponies in the same unit as pegasi and forcing them to work together. Another of her schemes to bring them closer for the sake of Equestria.

You never gave up on it, did you, Twi. You never stopped working for it.

Well, if you didn't give up then I guess I can hardly give up on you, can I?

Rainbow Dash nodded. "I'll do it."

I may not like the way that we've all been split up like this. In fact I don't like it. But if I have to be here I may as well do something worthwhile.

"Good," Cerise said. "Then report to the Campus Martial tomorrow morning at 0730 hours. Unless you have any more friends you need to say goodbye too?" She raised one eyebrow.

Rainbow stiffened. "No, ma'am." Though maybe I should have said goodbye to Fluttershy, since I don't think I'm likely to see her again.

"Then that's all for now, dismissed," Cerise said, giving a salute.

Rainbow returned it sloppily, and strode out of the room.

She had intended to slam the door behind her, but somehow didn't quite feel the need.

---

"I like her," Cerise said, when Captain Dash had left. "She reminds me of myself, back I was a young punk who didn't care what impression she made."

"Was?" Havoc asked.

Cerise chuckled. "I've mellowed a little with age."

"Of course you have, Major," Havoc replied. "Do you really think she'll do?"

Cerise considered for a moment, then gave a nod of the head. "Yes. I think she'll do nicely."

---

Rainbow Dash bowed her head and exhaled deeply.

Call me in here only to tell me to come back tomorrow morning to start work. Figures. Starfleet all over.

It also left her with the problem of what to do for the rest of the day.

It wasn't as though she had any friends to hang out with.

Stay safe, everypony.

She considered what she might do to pass the time. She might have called on Queen Celestia, if only to pay her respects, but that would doubtless involve explaining how she had come to be assigned to a Starfleet unit based out of New Canterlot, and they had all agreed not to burden the queen with their problems. Nor did she have any friends in the city, aside from the princesses, whom she couldn't talk to. There was Sunset Shimmer; but she had been Twilight's friend, not Rainbow's own, and she was too close to the princesses besides.

Not to mention the fact that Rainbow really wanted to do something strenuous to work off all the stress that had been building up between her shoulder blades ever since Lightning had given them those orders. The fact that Major Wonder had been slightly less uncool than Rainbow had expected didn't mean that she didn't still want to punch somebody.

Rainbow wandered down one of the many sterile grey corridors of HQ, looking out at the blue sky over the city below.

A smile spread across her face.

Oh, what the hay. It's been a while since I've just flown anywhere for the fun of it.

And I am being put in charge of a flying squad. I guess I should make sure that I've still got it.

And so Rainbow opened the window and leapt out, spreading her wings as she soared into the skies above. And in that moment she forgot about Starfleet, she forgot about Lightning Dawn, she forgot about the Grand Ruler, she forgot about absolutely every one of her problems as she lost herself, for the first time in too long, in the pure joy of flying at speed.

---

"Welcome to home sweet home, my dear,
You'll never need to leave it, have no fear."

Rhymey smiled charmingly as he waved his arms to encompass the space of the apartment in New Canterlot that they would now share. Or at least, it was probably intended to be charming. Fluttershy found that, coupled with his words, it rather worried her a little.

"But what if I want to leave?" Fluttershy asked, her voice trembling a little as she said the words.

A look that was equal parts bafflement and affront crossed Rhymey's yellow face.
"Why should you want to go anywhere,
When I won't be any place but here,
Except for when I'm out and about,
But you'd never find me, without a doubt."

"I know," Fluttershy said, hoping that conceding the point would make him more receptive in his turn. "But, um, what if I want to spend some time with... with, well, um, with ponies who aren't you?"

Rhymey's brow furrowed in abject confusion.
"Why should you want to do that, my dove?
After all, am I not your true love?
Why should you want other company,
When you can spend all your time with me?
Just what are you planning to do,
And with what other ponies? Who? Who?"

Fluttershy looked away. "Well, Rainbow Dash has-"

"I don't want to hear the name Rainbow Dash," Rhymey shouted.
"She's such a brute: vile, rude and brash!"

"You're wrong!" Fluttershy cried, stamping one foot on the ground as she raised her head to glare at her husband, anger at the slight done to her friend overcoming her timidity. "Rainbow Dash is brave and faithful and she's always been a good friend and you have no right to say anything like that about her!"

Rhymey's face darkened, and his eyes narrowed as she advanced swiftly upon Fluttershy, backing her against the wall of the apartment and boxing her in with his arms.

"No right, no right? I've every right!
To do anything within my might.
And as for you, my dear, my wife,
Don't cause me any marital strife.
You wed me, you entered in my power,
And I may throw you from the highest tower,
If that's my wish. Anything I want
To do, I shall, for like a plant
You're my possession. Therefore,
The name of Rainbow Dash I'll hear no more,
From you, nor any other of those friends,
The feeble wretches with whom you'd spend,
Your days, or rather waste them to the end.
With me all future days you'll stay
To amuse me in the games I like to play.
Do I make myself quite clear,
Or must I have a doctor clean your ear?"

Fluttershy nodded. "I understand," she said. I understand what a fool I was, and what a mistake I made.

Rhymey smiled at her, and once against Fluttershy thought that it was supposed to be charming.
"That's very good. I'm glad we got that sorted out,
Now I must leave you for awhile, I am going out."

He strode to the door, but paused in the doorway.
"Do try not to get too sappy,
I only want to see you happy."

He shut the door, and Fluttershy was left alone.

She sank to her knees on the light pink carpet, and let out a wordless sob as she put her head in her hands.

"Oh, what have I done?" she murmured.

Many times she had wondered why she had married him, her hateful husband. But he had seemed so gallant once, and so dashing. He had literally fallen from the stars to sweep her off her feet. He had seemed so sensitive then, so shy like her, the way he had gotten so frightened by the merest kiss. She had thought that he might be her soulmate, the pony who understood her like nopony else. She had even thought that, while his friends might have been a little stern, a little hard-edged, a little cruel, that he was different. That he wouldn't hurt her.

How wrong she had been. But the worst part was that he didn't think he was hurting her. He honestly thought that he was doing the right thing by locking her away, by keeping her from her friends, by terrifying her.

"What am I going to do?" she asked the empty air.

Of course, there was nothing she could do. She was all alone. She wasn't even allowed to see Rainbow Dash, and they would be living in different buildings - married officers lived in a different apartment block to single officers - so there wasn't even the possibility of a chance or secret meeting.

And the worst part...the worst part was that she still loved him. Her shining knight fallen down from the stars. She couldn't bring herself to hate him completely. And when she remembered the way that he had been, when she remembered the way that he had wooed her...she still loved him. Celestia help her but she loved him. She would do anything to have that Rhymey back again, instead of the one who beset her now. The Rhymey who was kind and considerate, the Rhymey who was shy and delicate. The Rhymey who understood her like no other. If she could have that Rhymey back again...but she didn't know how she might do such a thing.

If she had been brave like Rainbow or Applejack, she could have defied Rhymey and forced the issue. If she had been Rarity, she could have charmed him over to her side. If she had been Twilight, she could have won an argument with him. If she had been Pinkie she could have defused his anger with laughter.

But she wasn't like any of them. She wasn't brave or intelligent or faithful or wonderful. She was just Fluttershy, the least of them.

Her friends. Her five stars of shining light. Stars that had gone out in her sky now, and left only blackness behind.

"Help me, Twilight," Fluttershy called out. "Please, I need you."

Comments

[Alchemystudent]

Some comments.

I don't know why, but I really liked Cerise Wonder and her character. Reminds me of Roy Mustang for some odd reason. Strange, since I was reading her voice in my head with the voice of Riza Hawkeye, and it fit somehow. I just loved how Twilight's plan wasn't so much battle stadgety, but making it so that they have to fight together. Its almost like she took her own experience (being thrust into a hero sequence with five mares she hardly knew) and put it to use here.

Fluttershy, I won't lie, I was geniunely scared that Rhymey was gonna hit her. But what you just wrote and did was so much better, making her feel less than pony and more like an object. It geninuenly give the feeling of dread withing the material.

[Celestias Paladin]

Clingy? Gee I wonder who he could be, getting himself a Section 8. Good to see that there are Unicorpians that thing something is rotten.

6570724
Same here, I am getting a Mustang vibe from her. And yes Rhymey is a right bastard. I having to keep one of my OCs (Flutter's uncle) from killing him in my mind.

[Scipio Smith]

6570724
6571176

Cerise is a Mykan OC, she appears in one chapter of SFMII, but yes I did base my take on her and Havoc on a sort of genderflipped Mustang and Hawkeye (when she becomes Grand Ruler all male officers will be shirtless).

[Celestias Paladin]

6573625
Lets hope you treat her better than Mykan. If I remember correctly the original series is rather sexist, which could explain quite a bit of why Cerise and Twilight weren't being listened to.

[Scipio Smith]

6573877

Well, in Twilight's case there's the racism as well, but yeah.

[Celestias Paladin]

6573975
That too.

[DerpymuffinAuthor]

STOP MAKING ME CRY! PLEASE I BEG OF YOU!

[Titan Commander Sebaste]

Why that no good.....