Broken Bonds

by keithsterling

Chapter 9

~At the impact site-Area 4~

Slowly, Daimyo Harmonia Strife and the crew of ‘The Ardor’, the patrol class warship, climb out from the debris of the shattered vessel after setting off a controlled explosion to escape the damaged bay. Created sturdier than a Terran Alicorn, the Celestial Alicorns survive with minor injuries and some broken bones. A soft pop is heard from the cargo bay of the patrol ship as the remaining marines emerge from the bay.

“My Lord! Something is coming from the west. A large number of them.” The Celestial Alicorn stallion calls to Harmonia.

“Those are choppers; a primitive flying machine used by these Terran ponies to move around, if they don’t have wings. Celestial Alicorns, let’s vanish. We can’t let the inhabitants find us. Especially a Terran Alicorn mare named Princess Celestia Silverlight. Her foals is just as powerful as Imperial Celestial Alicorn is.” Harmonia exclaims as every single Celestial Alicorn disappear from sight.

First to land was the chopper belonging to the Solar Empire, followed by the chopper from the New Lunar Republic and Crystal Empire. The last to land was the chopper from the Friendship Kingdom.

As the chopper from the Principality of Dream Valley comes in for a landing, the pilot in the helicopter spots a transparent figure quickly getting away from the crash site.

“Your Imperial Highness. This debris could be a patrol class warship!” the chopper pilot calls as theTerran Alicorn mare sticks her head into the cockpit.

“What makes you say that, pilot?” the Terran Alicorn Mare inquiry as she looks at the pilot.

“As we were coming in for a landing, Your Imperial Highness. A transparent figure flew off towards the east away from the crash site. If it was anyone else, the other pilots would have said something about it. But they didn’t.” The pilot reports as the chopper lands.

From the side of the helicopter steps a Terran Alicorn mare wearing a light grey, form-fitting space suit. This was Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight. She was followed by her daughter a second Terran Alicorn mare named Duchess Shimmering Diamond Silverlight. Soon the two Terran Alicorns are joined by a third Terran Alicorn, Ophelia’s youngest daughter, Pharaoh Jamila Nebula. She informs her daughter that it might be a crashed patrol class warship.

“What mother? A crashed patrol class warship from which Imperator Alicorn Star Sector?” Jamila inquiry as she blinks with surprise upon hearing the news.

“That’s what we need to discover, Jamila. So search the entire vessel for marks of which Star Sector this warship is from. You, Shimmer, the other lands will most likely send a handpicked investigation team inside the ship. when they deem it safe. I want you to be on that team. Head to the computer core and download all data in the core. then wipe it clean. it’s best these Terran Ponies don’t learn that Celestial Alicorns exist.” Ophelia explains to her daughters as they both shake their heads.

Its several weeks later and the alien wreckage was deem safe for a thorough search of the derelict vessel. As predicted, each land agreed to allow a handpicked exploration team into the alien wreckage to search it for clues. Quickly, Duchess Shimmering Diamond Silverlight volunteers as a Field Scientist. Soon more field scientists volunteer for the exploration team. With the team now full, the ten member Exploration Team assembles at the base camp to gear-up to enter the wreckage.

At 10 o’clock in the morning that same day, the Exploration Team gains entrance to the derelict vessel. The eyes of nine members of the Exploration Team blink with surprise. The first area they entered is filled with numerous squares and strange looking steel boxes with some kind of numeric keypad on the face. Knowing that all of the steel boxes in the forward bay are harmless cargo pods, Shimmer allows the exploration team to try and crack the code on the pods. She then quietly slips away from the exploration team and enters the main cargo bay.

‘By the first star. these pods in the main cargo bay are weapons pods. With the number of weapons here, you can arm a small platoon of Troopers.’ Shimmer thought as she discovers the unlocked pod containing Imperator Alicorn explosives. She quickly calls up her MCV and deactivates all of the security protocols on all the cargo pods aboard the ship.

‘I better make this quick and download the computer core. ” Shimmer thought as she quickly inputted her imperial command code into the numeric keypad revealing a hidden ladder to the main deck of the patrol class warship.

A short climb later, Shimmer emerges on the main deck of the patrol class warship. The main deck seems largely intact with damage confined to the weapon systems, wormhole generator and engines. She knows that those systems are standard targets for aerospace bombers armed with proton torpedoes trying to sink the vessel. She climbs over some rubble, blocking the hallway to gain access to the Life Support system room. She, once again, inputs her imperial command code into the numeric keypad and the hatch slides open. Once in the room, Shimmer does a quick assessment of the instruments and finds all systems functioning.

“By the first star! This computer core room has been destroyed!” Shimmer exclaims hotly as she was able to force the door open with her Celestial Alicorn strength. Inside the room, scattered about was the shattered pieces of the large crystal data cube that makes up the memory matrix. It breaks under her booted foot as she moves around the room.

“The good news is that the terran ponies can’t recover any data from the memory matrix of this vessel. I can assume when the engines were hit, the shockwaves from the explosion shattered the Crystal.” Shimmer comments to herself as she makes her way to the Captain’s Quarters to recover written captain’s logs for the vessel.

~an hour later~

“Huh?” Shimmer exclaimed when she heard the sound of talking from the next room. She figures that the rest of the Exploration Team found a way to open the emergency ladder access from the main cargo bay and are now on the main deck.

Now trapped on the main deck of the vessel, Shimmer quickly uses her ‘hide in plain sight ability’ to hide from the rest of the exploration team and quickly realizes that there’s no way to get back to the lower deck.

The emergency ladder access is just big enough for one pony to climb up from the cargo bay one at a time. Thinking fast, Shimmer searches the outer walls of the Captain’s quarters and finds a small button. She presses it, revealing an air lock to the outside. Once inside the air lock, the door behind her closes.

Meanwhile, outside on the patrol class warship’s hull, Celestial Alicorn Engineer Jamila Nebula swings on a well secured rope examining every inch of the ship looking for any type of marking from one of the Infinity Star Sectors.

“Huh?” Jamila exclaims as she notices a part of the hull opening on top of the vessel. She runs along the side of the hull and leaps in the air using her wings to guide herself, landing safely just above the opening. Using her enhanced sight of her disguised Celestial Alicorn form, Jamila spots a transparent figure exiting the opening.

“Sister! What in the first star are you doing using this vessel emergency escape hatch? Just be happy it’s on the unseen side of the ship! Do you know how many questions would be asked if one of these terran ponies saw this hatch open and nobody came out of it?” Jamila said annoyed as transparent Shimmer turns toward her sister.

“I am sorry, sister. but I had no choice but to use the emergency escape hatch in the Captain’s quarters. The crystal in the computer core shattered when the ship was sunk. I went to the Captain’s quarters to recover the written ship’s log.

By the time I found it, the rest of the Exploration Team was on the main deck of the ship.” Shimmer explains as she hands the log to her sister who quickly stashes the book into a satchel on her side.

“And by the way, sister, this vessel was carrying a complement of troopers in the cargo bay. My best guess is a small platoon.”Shimmer’s voice constricted as Jamila’s breath quickens with the news.

“Well sister, that explains why I saw so many weapon pods being removed from the cargo bay, The Solar Empire ear marked all the weapon pods in the cargo bay, while the New Lunar Republic ear marked all the armor pods in the cargo bay. As for the Crystal Empire, they are going to salvage all the instruments aboard the ship. While the Friendship Kingdom salvages the engines and power sources. Our mother was able to ear mark the cargo pods with the explosives in it.” Jamila explains as Shimmer quickly flies down to the bottom of the ship.

~It’s two weeks later~

In the research and development lab of the Solar Empire Science Complex in the Capital City of Canterlot, a beautiful looking byzantium purple colored hybrid Alicorn/ Siren mare with a baby blue mane and tail walks about her lab looking at a few notes on her MCV. Her slender 5ft 5in equine figure was attired in an white skirt uniform of the Solar Empire Military Science corps. On her bare Byzantium purple feet were white pumps. This hybrid Alicorn/ Siren mare was Captain Athena Silverlight, the youngest granddaughter of Empress Celestia Silverlight and head of the Solar Empire Military Science corps. A moment later, the doors are opened by her grandmother Empress Celestia, carrying a large case with her.

“Grandma! What brings you to my lab?” Athena inquiry as Celestia hugs her youngest grandchild in her arms and wings.

“Greeting Athena, I have a small project for you.” Celestia comment, setting the large case on a nearby table, opening it and revealing what looks like very advanced weaponry.

“We believe these things are some kind of very advanced weaponry. See what you can adapt from these weapons to our armory, Athena.” Celestia explains as she taps her hand on the long rifle in the case.

“Oh, Athena.” Celestia exclaims

“Yes, Grandma?” Athena reply

“I think the other lands will call on you soon, Athena. As the Solar Empire Military Science corps is most technically advanced in all of Equestria, to help with their own projects.” Celestia comment as Athena giggles at her grandmother.

“They have already, Grandma.” Athena comment gesturing with her hand toward all of the wooden crates in one corner of the room with markings from every land in Equestria.

“I see Athena!” Celestia exclaims surprised with all the crates.

“If you would, my grandchild.” Celestia said suggesting looking toward the crates.

“I will keep you up to date with the other lands projects, Grandma, the other rulers have asked me to keep them up to date as well, I figure no land wants to be surprised.” Athena comment as Celestia kisses her grandchild on her cheek before leaving the laboratory to let Athena study the Alien technology.

In a short two years, the Solar Empire Military Science corps, under the direction of Captain Athena Silverlight, made several technological advancements using the recovered Alien technology. With the initial research and development notes done by the Solar Empire, each land handed the findings over to their own Science corps to continue the research and development of the Alien Technology for their own technological advancements. This allowed Athena and her corps to concentrate more on the advanced weaponry that her grandmother Celestia recovered. From those breakthroughs, was born the most powerful particle beam cannon ever in Equestria nicknamed ‘The Solar Fury’.

Slowly, one by one, each of the core lands made breakthroughs in their respected science disciplines using the Alien Technology. In the New Lunar Republic her scientists developed stronger and lighter armor plates that could be mounted on armored vehicles or worn as personal armor. From this breakthrough, was born the nano-suit combat versatility system. This combat versatility system became the mainstay for all the lands military that combined with the Solar Empire’s energy weapons breakthroughs allows each land to maintain a standing military without any additional costs.

Not wanting to be outdone, the Crystal Empire and Friendship Kingdom teamed up to advance the science of avionics. From this breakthrough the aerospace fighters were born. These fighters used the most abundant resource in the Crystal Empire, which was the crystals, to power the fighters.

Watching the Crystal Empire and Friendship Kingdom joint press conference was a chocolate brown colored, angelic looking, Celestial Alicorn mare with a copper colored mane and tail. Her shapely 6ft 10in equine figure was attired in a medium blue skirt uniform with black pumps on her bare chocolate brown feet. Folded on her back, was a pair of silver bio mechanical feathered bird wings. This Celestial Alicorn mare was Galactic Technician Sylvie Solstice the Director of the Pillars of Creation Institute, the super science wing of the Infinity Star Sector. After the large science class vessel crashed on the Planet of Sol, Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight ordered her science wing to begin to try to repair the damaged vessel.

Soon, the Pillars of Creation Institute discovered that this planet didn’t have the raw materials or science knowledge to even start the most basic of super scientific theories. They informed the Imperial Princess that they must wait for the Planet to catch-up to their technological level. A moment later, the holo-phone on Sylvie’s MCV rings. Soon the holographic head of the Imperial Princess springs to life in front of her.

“Restart project ‘Stellar Wind’, if you would, Miss Solstice.” Ophelia asked as Sylvie shook her head.

“Right away, Your Imperial Highness. May I make a request about the Project?” Sylvie asked

“You may.” Ophelia answered

“Would you allow me to taper back the size of the project. if we begin building a large science class vessel, it will bring unwanted attention on us. plus this primitive tech level will take some time to adapt to our super tech level to make it safe. I mean, a safe Wormhole generator prototype.” Sylvie explains as Ophelia sighs softly.

“Very well, Miss Solstice. What do you propose?” Ophelia ask

“I propose building a small long range shuttle craft crew by four Celestial Alicorns. Much like the one that flies around the Infinity Star Sector. That way, we can keep the project secret from the other lands and allow us to work on adapting the technology to the prototype.” Sylvie explains.

“Procede, Miss Solstice.” Ophelia orders as Sylvie shook her head.

~five hours after the crash~

It’s been five hours since the patrol class warship was forced to crash on the planet of Sol after a betrayal executed by Warlord Callisto Le Fay to take control of the Dark Star sector from ego driven Daimyo Harmonia Strife. Now the troops brought by Daimyo Harmonia Strife to start the war on the planet of Sol have become disillusioned with the lack of a plan B from Harmonia and the loss of all their equipment. This disillusion has caused a serious rift between the less loyal marines and loyal ship crew to Harmonia to fracture.

Nestled in a quiet area of a forest, on a ridge, overlooking a little used mountain pass, was the disillusioned small platoon of Imperator Alicorn Marines brought to the planet of Sol by Harmonia. After breaking all alliances with the crew of ‘the Ardor’, the Marines decided to head into the mountain to hid and figure a way to return to the stars. Leaning against a tree in the makeshift campsite, trying to figure out a plan, was a handsome white colored Celestial Alicorn stallion with a turquoise colored mane and tail. His 6ft 1in equine body was attired in an Imperator Alicorn designed nano-suit that shifted colors periodically from camouflage to standard olive green. On his back were silver bio mechanical bird wings. This Celestial Alicorn was Galactic Knight Ulysses Resonance, the commander of this small platoon of marines.