A Galactic Goodwill Tour

by Richforce

Chapter 4

Earth Year: 1186

“Twilight we can’t have her on this mission!” Rainbow Dash. She was talking with Twilight at a private office at Cape Coltnaveral the location of the Untied Species Space Attainment Program Site (the acronym was unfortunate).

“I know you two have had problems in the past…” Twilight responded.

Rainbow frowned. “Problems?! Lightning Dust almost got you killed and now you’re trusting her to fly a multi-million bit rocket?!”

“That was a long time ago and with you commanding the mission she’s the best pilot we’ve got. She changed Rainbow.”

“But not for the better. Sure she follows orders but she always has an attitude about it and never works with anyone! She calls it preferring to fly solo.”

“Some of those things could have been said about you once upon a time.”

Rainbow flared her wings. “But that isn’t the worst. I heard her talking with some guys over at this tavern, she had maybe a few ciders too many and she told them was that the only reason she volunteered for this mission was because…she thought there would be nothing left after that.”

“You mean she intends to sabotage everything?”

“No not like that, I think she’s convinced herself that something’s going to wrong and we’ll never make back to Equus. I don’t think she’d do it on purpose, but an attitude like that tends to make such doubts a self-fulfilling prophecy. Do I dislike her personally? A little, but I’m mostly thinking about the good of the mission here. Can’t you scrub her and put someone else in?”

Twilight sighed while looking out the window to the twin rockets that suspended the spacecraft Harmony Three between them. “If the launch wasn’t two days away I’d consider it, but we simply do not have time to bring the alternate up to speed. Sure he knows how to fly but not how to work with you, Sprocket or Moon Dancer. If we changed up now we’d lose our launch window and we’d have to wait months for another. It wasn’t just you being my friend that got you to be the mission leader, your tenure as a captain in the Wonderbolts has shown you could get others to work together in spite of their problems and perhaps overcome them. I just asking you to do the same for Lightning Dust, for her sake as well as the mission.”

“Not everyone can accept friendship Twilight.”

“I know, but if we don’t try they never will.”

Rainbow sighed “Ok, I’ll try talking to her. At the very least I can keep her in line until the mission is over.”

“That’s all I’m asking for.”

“Let’s go over the mission one more time,” said Rainbow. “Just so I can keep everypony on track.”

“Because of Virtue’s data we’ve learned magic can only be used a little past the orbit of our moon. The purpose of this flight is to try to determine how far the mana field actually goes, once we do that we should be better prepared to head to the asteroid with the bunker. Not only that you’re going to launch a telescope to get a better view of the universe and a probe to the Trojan asteroid the astronomers have located at the L4 point and have designated RS883.”

“Yeah, why couldn’t they name it something cooler?”

“The probe we’ve called Destiny will take a few months to get to RS883 and return with samples, if we’re lucky we may even get some the substance Virtue mentioned and use it to speed things along. It exists here on Equus but only in our own genetic structure, even if was ethical to extract it wouldn’t be useable for space travel. We need that bunker.”

“Then we get whatever stuff there is in the bunker and use it to travel to the next star over and HOPEFULLY figure out what to do from there.”

“Look at the bright side if it weren’t for the information we got from Virtue this we’d still be conducting test flights and we’d have a LOT further to go.”

“You have nothing to worry about Twilight,” Rainbow said puffing out her chest. “With me in charge we can handle anything!”

+++

That night six old friends were wishing one of their own luck.

“Now Rainbow please try to be careful,” said Fluttershy. “You’re going to be so far away and none of us will be able to help you this time.”

“Hey, I have Moon Dancer to help me,” said Rainbow Dash. “And this spacecraft is state of the art, so with me in charge what could go wrong?”

“Words like that make me think you’re jinxing yourself,” said Rarity. “There’s a fine line between confident and overconfident.”

“Come on girls!” said Pinkie Pie. “We’re here to congratulate Rainbow, not get super worried over her!”

“Pinkie’s right,” said Applejack. “The whole world’s gonna remember her name forever!”

“Speaking of forever didn’t we all have something for Twilight?” asked Rainbow.

“Oh, of course,” said Rarity as she levitated something out of her bag. It was a simple gold chain with a gold heart hanging from it. “You may want to open it.”

Twilight opened the heart shaped Bangle and found a smaller version of the painting that once hung in her castle.

“Over the last few years we all realized that you’re going to be around a lot longer than the rest of us,” said Applejack.

“And we didn’t want you get lonely,” said Pinkie Pie.

“So this a little reminder that no matter how far apart we are,” said Fluttershy. “We’ll always be in your heart.”

Twilight had tears in her eyes as she levitated the locket around her neck. “Thank you girls, I’ll treasure it always.”

“Better get going,” said Rainbow. “I have to be quarantined for a full day before launch, Twilight you should come wish the rest of us luck as well.”

“My pleasure, after all Moondancer is my friend too.”

+++

The day of the launch arrived and Cape Coltnaveral was filled with creatures who were eager to witness history being made. Twilight’s friends had found some reasonable seats among the crowd.

“It’s too bad Discord couldn’t come,” said Pinkie. “This is just the sort of thing he’d love to put just a little crazy into.”

“Which is why it’s better that he isn’t here,” said Rarity. She was wearing a large sunhat and sunglasses for the occasion. “This the sort thing we don’t want him messing up.”

“Discord has just been…distant lately,” said Fluttershy. “I think this whole Precursor thing has gotten him questioning his place in the universe. Still he makes tea usually.”

“Hmm,” said Applejack looking towards a trio of familiar looking mares. “I’m sorry did you say something?”

“Applejack,” said Rarity. “I know she’s your little sister but Applebloom’s a grown mare now with an interest in stallions. Our former Cutie Mark Crusaders are old enough to make their own choices, so you should trust that she’ll make good ones.”

“I know, it’s just what do we know about this fella? Will he treat her right or…?”

“She says he makes her happy,” said Fluttershy. “That should be enough for now.”

“T-minus fifteen minutes until ignition,” said a voice over the loudspeakers.

“Oh, it’s almost time!” said Pinkie.

+++

In the royal box Princess Twilight was sitting with royals from all over the world. “Well, it’s out of my hooves now,” Twilight said to Princess Celestia. “Soon it will all be up to our astronauts and those in Operation Control. At least I hope I won’t need to get anyone to work together this deep into project.”

“Twilight you did exceptionally well,” said Princess Celestia. “This is just as much for you as it is for them. Relax and enjoy it.”

“Indeed,” said Luna. “I have much to thank you for in this as well. Many have come to like the night in order to ponder what may be beyond those stars. I don’t think anypony could have done better.”

“Thank you,” said Twilight. Around then Princess Cadence and Shining Armor came into the box, at their feet was a small little pink Alicorn with a Pink and blue mane. “Shinny, Cadence glad you could make it! And is that Flurry Heart? She’s getting big!”

“Hi auntie Twilight!” said the little princess. “Looks like there’s a lot of people here.”

“Yes and they all came to see the launch, isn’t that amazing? They’re going into space just like Smash Fortune.”

“I wanna see it too! VROOOOM!”

“Now sweetie,” said Cadence. “Come sit with mommy and daddy ok?”

“Ok, catch me daddy!”

Flurry slowly flew into the waiting embrace of Shining Armor. “That’s my little girl.”

Twilight felt warm at the sight of the loving family. Flurry Heart was the first natural born Alicorn in over two thousand years since Celestia and Luna themselves. The royal sisters had taken her birth as a good sign that the continued health of the planet was ensured.

“Uh, Princess?” Twilight heard behind her.

Twilight turned around to see a griffin wearing jeweled regalia. “Oh Queen Gilda.”

“All this time and I’m still not used to being called that,” said Gilda. “I was just selling scones, I never guessed that the library would have a genealogy that would link my family to King Guto. Anyway I really hope that this mission goes well, for obvious reasons.”

“Don’t worry Gilda,” said Twilight. “Rainbow and her crew have spent the past few years training for this moment, whatever comes their way they can handle it.”

The loudspeaker spoke again. “T-minus ten minutes until ignition.”

“Hear that?” said Twilight. “Soon our friends will make history!”

“Hooray for space!” said Flurry.

+++

“Is everypony as psyched as I am?!” Rainbow Dash said aboard Harmony Three.

“I will be once I finish these calculations for the probe release,” said Moon Dancer.

To Moon Dancer’s side sat a yellow earth pony with a mark of two interconnected gears. “I’m doing one final systems check,” said Sprocket. “I’d like for this to get us back home too.”

“I’m sure you’re excited Lightning,” said Rainbow Dash. “I mean we’re enough alike…”

“No, we’re nothing alike,” said Lightning Dust. “And the while the launch might be exciting, it’ll be my last hoorah.”

“Nothing’s going to stop us with me in charge! So get that into your thick head!”

“I don’t mean like we’re going to die or something like that. I’ve spent my whole life pushing as hard as I could, in the wrong direction as Spitfire might say, trying to follow in my uncle’s hoofsteps. His name is Wind Rider, you SHOULD remember him. In time though I realized it wasn’t the speed I liked, it was the thrill I got by getting better just by trying harder than I ever had before. But then I tried doing my own rainboom, no matter what steps I took or how reckless I was with myself I could never get past that barrier. I realized that there was a point no matter how hard I pushed I wouldn’t be able to push my limits any further. This launch is the only way I can experience that speed, to do something that would be remembered. After that nothing will really matter anymore.”

Rainbow looked straight into Lighting’s eyes. “Do you know what it takes to make a sonic rainboom? I had to pull it off twice before I could figure it out. It’s not just speed or fearlessness, I realized that since I was thinking of a friend it was like that friend’s magic was pouring into me enabling me to ignore the barriers in my own mind. Friendship is magic and without that nopony could do a rainboom.”

“So you want me to make some friends, pull it off and end up with the exact same problem? No thanks, no this will be my last hurrah.”

“Guys help me out here!”

“Still calculating,” said Moon Dancer.

“Hang on,” said Sprocket. “We may have a problem with zero-g toilet.”

“T-minus five minutes until ignition.”

Rainbow slunk back into her chair. “Hooray for space.”

+++

“Five, four, three, two, one, ignition! We have lift off for Harmony Three!”

The rockets shot up further and further into the sky leaving everyone watching breathless. In the rocket the crew were experiencing the thrill and speed of the launch. A few minutes in and the initial fuel tanks at each rocket’s tips detached and fell back to Equus.

On the ground the ship began to look smaller and smaller until it was difficult to see it at all. On the rocket the sky began to become a darker and darker blue until it turned black and the stars started to peak out. Below them the curvature of the world could be clearly seen as the sun slipped past the horizon. The rockets had shut down before the first stages detached and started falling back though the atmosphere. The engine on the capsule ignited and provided thrust on the long journey beyond moon and back.

“Operation Control,” said Rainbow Dash. “This is Harmony Three; main engine has begun its burn. Shutdown in twenty minutes, we are under way for the L2 point.”

“Copy that Harmony Three.”

Rainbow started to smile as she saw Moon Dancer and Sprocket smile as they floated above their seats in weightlessness.

“Floating, big whoop I’ve been doing that since I was a filly,” said Lighting. “Course is stable so wake me up when something exciting happens.”

Rainbow sighed. “This is going to be a long couple of weeks.”

+++

Days later the ship was at the L2 point and maneuvered to point back to Equus.

“Fascinating,” said Moondancer. “I had thought my magic wouldn’t work at all. Instead it appears Equestrians and other Equinites utilize an energy field to change the mass of an object. Somehow this energy interacts with mana and that interaction is what produces magic. I could write a paper on this! Someday scholars will be reading something I wrote!”

“I’ll read it,” said Lightning. “If I have trouble sleeping.”

“Rainbow,” said Sprocket. “Do you have the firing timing for Destiny?”

“Already sent to its computer.” Rainbow then pressed a button. “Operation Control this is Harmony Three we are preparing to launch Destiny over.”

“This is Operation Control,” a voice over the radio said. “We are monitoring the trajectory over.”

“Ok, this is it. Preparing to release in 3…2…1…”

A hatch opened and the probe drifted out before firing an engine and went off into space.

“Destiny is underway,” said Rainbow.

“Confirmed Harmony Three. Operation Control is getting telemetry from the probe.”

“Roger Control, Harmony Three out,” Rainbow turned to the crew. “Moon Dancer if you are done with your experiments can you begin…”
Suddenly klaxons began sounding and a red light was flashing from a panel.

Lighting Dust looked at the screen near the red light. “Radar’s picked up something small, it’s almost on top of us!”

Rainbow moved to the radio. “Operation Control do you read?”

“Copy that, it just came out of nowhere. Standby for instructions.”

“That thing hits us it’ll do some damage,” said Sprocket.

“Can you maneuver us out of its way?” asked Moondancer.

“No time!” said Lightning. “Brace yourselves!”

The ship shook violently and the lights changed to a low red to save power.

“I need a damage report Sprocket!” said Rainbow.

“Long range radio’s out,” Sprocket said. “We lost two solar panels, control to the booster rockets is severed and the engine’s…”

“The engine is what?” asked Moon Dancer.

“Main engine is critically damaged.”

Rainbow asked the question on everypony’s mind. “How critical?”

“It’ll only work for about five minutes until it burns out completely.”

“You mean we can’t get home before we run out of oxygen?!” said Lightning.

“Hey I told you as long as I’m in charge nothing is going to stop us from getting home!” said Rainbow.

“Well we still got maneuvering thrusters so we have a shot, a long shot but it’s still a shot,” said Sprocket.

“Lay it on me,” said Rainbow.

“Ok, we can use the booster rockets in place of the main engine but the shutdown timing has to be precise. Too soon it won’t be enough to get us home in time, too late and thrusters won’t be able to compensate to make a safe reentry.”

“But if control to the boosters is severed…” said Moondancer.

“Then a couple of someponies will have to get out there and activate them manually.”

“You mean on the boosters?” said Lightning.

“Yes, each booster has a manual ignite/shutdown button and a manual ejection mechanism for when the boosters do their job. Timing between the two rockets shutdown must be less than five minutes or we won’t be able to correct in time.”

“Got it, Lightning you go out and work the port side booster,” said Rainbow. “I’ll work on the Starboard.”

“We have some time,” said Moondancer. “But not any to dawdle. Go suit up and we’ll try to help from in here.”

+++

About fifteen minutes later the two pegasi had left Harmony Three for the cold abyss of space. Each went their separate ways to one of the rockets.

“Ok, once you are on the rocket there should be a grey hatch towards the nose,” said Sprocket over the radio. “You’ll need to open it using a lever.”

“Suit’s gripper is working fine,” said Rainbow Dash testing out the robotic attachment on her foreleg.

“Mine checks out too,” said Lightning Dust.

“While you are out there be sure to check the boosters for damage,” said Moondancer. “If they are too damaged to fire then this whole plan is shot to Tartarus.”

“Roger that, making my way to the panel,” said Rainbow.

Using her wings to grab rails that ran along the craft and a tether to keep from drifting off Rainbow made her way along the craft’s “wing” to the booster rocket. As she came to the panel she saw it was opening and closing on its own.

“This hatch has a mind of its own,” she said. “I see a yellow button behind it. I think I should be able to press it and turn the thing on."

“Don’t try it unless you are sure you can time it right and do it fast, that hatch can close with enough force to hold tight and not let go.”

“Should be no problem for me, Lightning how are things on your end?”

“The hatch is closed and normal,” Rainbow heard Lightning say over the radio. “But a panel nearby is missing and a hose is loose and just finished shooting out some sort of liquid.”

“Lightning this is very important,” said Sprocket. “What color is that hose?”

“Dark blue, it’s not the fuel line is it?”

“No, that’s the line from the coolant tank. If the flow stopped than that rocket doesn’t have any coolant left and it changes what you have to do. Once you press the button behind that panel you’ll have to move back to the port side wing and pull the emergency release lever when the commander shuts her booster off. Without that coolant pulling a long enough burn will overheat the booster, you’ll have to eject the rocket before it explodes and takes us with it.”

“So compared to a hatch clamping my hoof off like Rainbow no pressure.”

“Is this the time for jokes?” said Moondancer.

“Just makes what we have to do less scary,” said Rainbow.

“Alright opening my hatch now,” said Lightning.

“My hatch seems to have a two second interval between opening and closing. If I use my wing I should be able to make it.”

“If your wing gets caught it’ll rip open your suit!” said Moondancer.

“Don’t worry I’ve got this, see the timing on the video feed Sprocket?”

“Yes ma’am. We’re in position and the clock is set, we have a margin of error but not a whole lot so try to get it on the first go. The rockets should burn for about one minute optimally and up to a minute forty five at most. Ignition in 3…2...1…now!”

Dash darted her wing just in time to press the button. The rockets fired and Harmony Three picked up speed. “Great job Lighting,” Rainbow said.

“Something has come up,” said Lightning. “Don’t risk the shutdown just dump the rocket then get over here.”

“Why?”

“No time to explain. Once you’ve ejected the rocket get over here.”

Rainbow moved to the release lever and pulled it with the robotic gripper. The distance to the rocket’s flame was closer than she would have liked when the thing shot off but was safe enough.

“Lightning why haven’t you ejected the rocket?!” said Moondancer.

“Yeah that thing that came up, the hatch unexpectedly clamped shut on my hoof before I could reach the button, the lever isn’t working.” The crew had a creeping sensation of dread come upon them. “Dash, you have to release the rocket with me on it.”

“ABSOLUTELY NOT!” said Rainbow. “This gripper can…”

“The hatch is still trying to close, that won’t be enough.”

“I went over these systems a hundred times and a hundred times again!” said Sprocket. “If I look over the.”

“I’m sure you’d find something if you had the one thing we don’t have enough of, time. Besides of all of us I’m the one we can most afford to lose. Dash can fly you guys home and me… well it’s not like I have a lot waiting for me back home.”

“There are ponies who WILL miss you, like Wind Rider and your parents!” said Moondancer. “Don’t put yourself down like that.”

“We don’t have time to argue! Look, I know there are ponies who consider themselves my friend and I probably should have been a better one. But when you get down it I’m the one stuck here and there is no other way, you guys know it and I know it.”

Rainbow came to the release lever. “I’m sorry Lightning,” she said with tears in her eyes. “I wish we could have become real friends.”

“That…was nopony’s fault but mine. Just don’t remember me like this, remember me like I’m going to be in a little while. I’m going to be riding on the back of a rocket in outer space, how much cooler can it get than that?! Sure beats lying in some hospital bed wondering what might have been.”

“Goodbye Lightning,” said Moondancer. “I’m proud to say that I’ve known you.”

“Thanks for giving us a chance,” said Sprocket. “We won’t waste it!”

“I know this probably doesn’t mean anything now,” said Rainbow as she readied the lever. “But I’m glad to have known you and you’ll always be a Wonderbolt in my book.”

“Thanks, now if you’ll excuse me the biggest rush of my life is waiting for me and I don’t want to miss a second of it.”

Rainbow pulled the lever and the rocket shot off. After hearing Lightning whooping over the radio Rainbow snapped it off. The sorrowful Pegasus hurried her way back inside Harmony Three and threw the helmet off tears streaming off her face.

“Lightning really did save us…” said Moondancer.

“No she didn’t!” said Rainbow. “She just got stuck and I had to send her off to die!” Rainbow took a deep breath. “How long?”

“A few minutes,” said Sprocket. “Still she must be having the time of her life. Still we’re not out of this, with only five minutes of the main engine and maneuvering thrusters we only got about a forty-five percent chance of getting a good re-entry angle. I better start the calculations…

The klaxons sounded again as the red light went off at the radar panel.

“What now?!” said Rainbow. “We’re getting hit again and all that was for nothing?!”

Sprocket checked the radar “I don’t believe it.”

“What!?”

“Something was coming our way but, it’s changing course on its own. At this rate it will intercept with Lightning’s rocket before it explodes.”

“One of our probes?!” asked Moondancer. “Something we can use to repair the ship?”

“Whatever it is we should be able to see it out of the portside window.”

Rainbow Dash moved over and gasped. It was a ship slightly smaller than the Harmony Three craft with a curved appearance and two wings along its sides. It was unlike anything on the designs she had seen.

“Definitely not one of ours.”

+++

Earth Year: 2183

“Princess Twilight!” Commander Lightspeed said over the intercom.

Twilight was snapped out of her story and saw the Celestia’s Majesty had come out of FTL.

“Yes commander.”

“You better come to the CIC. We just linked with a com buoy and got news you should hear from the captain.”

“We’re on our way,” Twilight then tuned to Gusto. “I think you should come too.”

As they were walking down the hallway Gusto spoke. “That was first time wasn’t it? When an equinite ever saw an alien?”

“Yes, it was,” said Twilight.

“I can’t imagine what it must have been like for her. To find out how much bigger the galaxy was right after she thought she lost a friend like that.”

“Rainbow Dash never could find out the right words to describe it. But then she was more worried that it was heading for Lightning Dust for who knows what reason. Did they want the rocket not knowing it was going to explode?” They got onto the elevator and started going up. “Or was it just simple curiosity and they going to watch Lightning Dust’s final moments like she was a bug in a jar?”

The elevator stopped and opened up to as the CIC was in wild with a panicked activity.

“Ah Princess, you’re here,” said Captain Stargazer.

“What is so urgent?”

“We just got word that a human colony, Eden Prime, was attacked about four hours ago.”

Twilight felt her heart tighten. “How bad was it?”

“Very bad, but the big news is that this isn’t just some slaver raid.”

“Why do you say that sir?” asked Gusto.

“The attackers weren’t Batarians or even Krogan. They’re Geth.”

Author's Note:

Bonus Codex Entry

Griffins: Griffins are mammalian/avian hybrids with a proud tradition as merchants, explorers and soldiers. Their natural curiosity and boldness has made them well suited for space travel establishing the first Equinite off world colonies on the moons of Keythong only three years after first contact. Their aggressive leanings often have led a number to join both the military of the Turian Hierarchy and more recently the Blue Suns mercenary group.

Griffins, like Pegasi, have their nervous systems attuned so their naturally occurring biotics allow them to reduce their own mass to the point of becoming capable of flight in low to mid gravity environments or increase their mass to keep footing in even the most intense winds. This specialization renders them unable to use standard biotics as it would require undoing generations of instinct. The only exceptions are the Touched who while capable of both are banned from Equus.