Star Trek Online: Sacrifice - Part II

by Admiral Wyatt Stone

Chapter 10: Wastelanders to the Stars

"Never saw things..... Going so right."

Happy Endings.

They are something we all want to have, something we love, and for some, they are bound to happen. Sometimes, they don't, but when they do, they're cherished highly.

I was happy that I had defeated the forces of Red Eye, that I had freed the Equestrian Wasteland of tyranny with the fall of the Enclave. I was satisfied that I had erased the land of taint and given the world a chance to heal. I was pleased to have removed the cloud cover and give back the sun to Equestria, and I was happy that the ponies of the land once again had a place to live in peace.

Though it wasn't the ending I'd wanted, I'd given up so much of myself to let my friends and others to have the lives they deserved. And with the second fall of Red Eye and J'ula's alliance crippled, I'd saved so many more lives and given them the chance to live in peace.

But the way I expected things to go was more satisfying than I could have ever imagined...

---------

I snacked on a brightly colored, delicious cupcake from a tray Pinkie Pie made as my friends and I enjoyed the party, music being played by the ship's holographic DJ.

After beaming back to the Harmony, I went to my quarters and contacted Daniels about our victory. He was proud of me for succeeding in my mission, of course, but he was disappointed to hear that J'ula escaped our grasp during the battle. After the mission debriefing, I asked if I could have my friends as fellow agents aboard the Harmony, showing him our efforts and records to help convince him. After a moment of examining my friends, he approved the idea, though suggested that I help train them in the holodeck for the initiation lessons, much like my own during my recruitment.

After our chat, my friends and I all returned to the bridge, having fun in Pinkie Pie's surprise party as we chatted at one of the tables in the room.

"That was an awesome fight we had back there!" Calamity said excitedly as Velvet replied.

"Well, it was dangerous, but I'll admit I couldn't help but enjoy it a little."

"We all did." Steelhooves said as he looked to me, his helmet off so he could join in eating the cupcakes. "And I must say, Littlepip, your command skills aboard the Chestnut we're impressive. I'm surprised Daniels hasn't given you a command of your own."

"I wouldn't blame him, honestly, it kinda felt awkward to order you guys around." I replied to the unmasked Applejack's Ranger as Xenith spoke to me.

"I would disagree. Twilight has her own ship and gives orders to her friends, but she doesn't feel shy or strange about it." I nodded as she was right, Twilight didn't hesitate to lead her friends and crew around the galaxy, but from her story, I think Starfleet Academy helped build that part of her.

"And hey, Ah don't feel offended, starship crews need t' work t'gether t' get the job done." Calamity added as Velvet spoke up.

"Indeed, and we're all still friends when we do it."

I nodded as Applejack came up to us, sitting with us as she spoke. "Enjoyin' the fun, everyone?" We all nodded as Steelhooves spoke up.

"Yes, and it's never been better since you came here." The orange mare raised an eyebrow at that, Steelhooves blushing as he continued. "Oh, I didn't tell you about what I was going to tell you earlier. You see, Applejack, in my universe, you were my wife."

I tried to stifle a laugh as Applejack blushed, eyes wide at the revelation. She brushed her mane with her hoof and replied after steadying herself. "Uh, well, that makes this meeting more interesting."

Steelhooves gave a somber expression as he spoke again. "I know, I'm from somewhere that has been torn by war, I lost my friends, my family... myself." His expression brightened as he continued. "But if it weren't for Littlepip and my friends, I wouldn't have done what I had to save our home. I probably would've been a corpse on the ground especially if it wasn't for her."

Applejack smiled as she looked at the green stallion, all of us smiling as she spoke. "Well, that sounds like a lot to go through after... what was it, 200 years?" We all nodded as she continued. "And I'm glad you've found a new place in the world after that."

My armored friend nodded as he replied. "Thank you, and it's also good to be with friends like these." He said as another pony called out, Applejack standing up as she had to leave.

"Sorry 'bout leaving, I gotta go help him out." As she started to walk, she stopped right next to Steelhooves as she whispered for a moment. I couldn't make out what she was saying, but I was certain of the answer as the orange mare trotted away after she was done, Steelhooves winking victoriously at me as he had just struck a date with the mare he loved.

I smiled at my friend before looking to Velvet Remedy, the charcoal mare smiling as she spoke. "Well, if this is time for some revelations, then I have one of my own to share, specifically with you." She looked to Calamity as she finished, her husband raising an eyebrow as he replied.

"What d' ya need t' say?" My friend asked as Velvet smiled, moving her head closer to the rust-colored Pegasus as she spoke.

"I was in my new quarters and I was fixing myself up when I decided to check, and it's a positive." She smirked playfully as she continued, our eyes widening as she revealed the news. "Calamity, when we have shore leaves, will you try not to do target practice when the baby is with us?"

Calamity sat shocked for a moment, his jaw wide before shifting into a smirk, my best friend hovering up as he spoke to Velvet, his voice loud enough for all to hear. "Yer pregnant?! Velvet, ya just made mah day even more excitin'!" He picked up his wife as the two hovered together, kissing as I heard a few cheers around us, myself joining in as my friends rejoiced in their moment. For a moment, I thought I could see Calamity's eyes well with tears as he set his wife back down, himself sitting after.

I smiled, my own eyes watering as I said, "I'm so happy for you guys! Where are you guys gonna go for your break?"

Xenith smiled as she recommended a location for the soon-to-be parents. "I believe a trip to a planet called Risa would be most fitting after all we've been through."

I thought about that as my friends nodded in agreement. Risa was considered one of the best vacation spots in the galaxy, how could we resist? Though, the couple would need a ride to get there... and I thought of the perfect one.

I smiled sheepishly as I spoke to my friends. "I think I know the perfect chariot for you two to get there, but it'll need some fixing up to do. Calamity, Steelhooves, will you help me upgrade the Tortoise once the party's over?"

The two looked at each other as Velvet looked at me with her mouth slightly open, the two stallions nodding as Calamity answered me. "We'd be happy t', just how much work d' we need t' d' t' get her fixed up and flyin'?"

"Oh, just the basic stuff for now, we can add all the other stuff later." My friends nodded as I continued. "And besides, I plan to make her our return craft when we head down to the surface."

"Great idea, Ah bet it'll be a hell of an entrance as we get Homage and her team back home." I nodded in agreement as I spoke again.

"Yep, but for now, let's enjoy ourselves. I could eat a whole cake after our mission today!" We all laughed as we sat at our table, eating more of our food as we spent the night having fun with our crew.

(_______)

A bright light flashed over Junction Town, our newly upgraded shuttle slowly descending as we started to land. The sky-tank was still similar in appearance to its previous look, but it's armor was mostly a light grey color, two yellow lines and a single green one in between them going along the sides of the ship. Under the lines was the text, "S.S. Tortoise, NX-23".

We saw the citizens of Junction Town all walked out to the edge of the town, looking at our small transport as it touched the ground. Gawd and her daughter Regina were holding pistols at the ready should the pilots try to attack the crowd. I turned away from the window as the back of the Tortoise opened, allowing us out. I led my friends and Daniels out of the ship as everyone in the crowd looked at us, their faces beaming with joy at our arrival.

Silver Bell grinned wildly as she spoke aloud. "Miss Littlepip! You and your friends are back!" I smiled at the filly as the crowd let out small cheers and cries of happiness at our appearance, my friends and Daniels joining me as Gawd spoke up.

"Hey Lil'Pip, who's your friend?"

"He's my boss." I said as Skydive spoke up from my group, hovering in the air.

"We've taken care of the Star Forge, everyone. We've won!" The Wonderbolt cheered as the crowd joined her, Blackjack trotting up to us as she spoke to the crowd.

"Yep, and we've got some newbies for the Arbu jail!" Red Eye, Dawn and her second in command trotted up behind her with scowls, the trio in shackles as the crowd scowled back at them.

I heard one member of the crowd cry out with glee as I looked to Red Eye. "They've got Red Eye here for us! He's so screwed now!" My nemesis only gave me one last look as Regina flew to us, two other griffons with weapons in their claws as the daughter of Gawd spoke.

"My boys and I will take them away to Arbu, if you're okay with that." I nodded as the trio of griffons landed around the prisoners as they all moved, one of the guards shoving Dawn with his gun as he ordered her to keep pace. Those three would be away for a long time, and wouldn't be getting out for as long as my friends and I lived.

As I looked to Gawd, Homage joined us as the griffon spoke. "Well, you've done quite the effort getting them all here! I take it you fought them on the Star Forge?"

"Red Eye only, the other two were on his ship, which is now gone." I replied as Gawd smirked, impressed at our efforts with stopping J'ula.

Daniels walked up next to me as he spoke to the crowd, all of them listening as he praised my friends and I. "Yes, thanks to the efforts of Littlepip and her friends, we've stopped what could've been the most devastating conflict the Alliance ever would've faced." His next words brought a moment of frowns from the crowd, but they rose back to smiles as he finished. "Unfortunately, J'ula has escaped, and is still out there planning her next move. But for the most part, her alliance has been shattered with the fall of the Star Forge, and you are all safe."

The crowd became silenced as my teacher I first met back at the S.P.P. looked to me, Twilight's crew walking out of the Tortoise as he spoke. "If it weren't for you, Littlepip, we all would've fallen to J'ula's army and this planet would've been destroyed. All of us, your friends and the people of Junction Town, as well as many other countless lives, are in your debt." The crowd cheered as Twilight walked up to me and my friends, each of us having a small charm with a pink crystal heart placed around our necks as the princess spoke.

"My friends felt we should also show our thanks, you all earned these." She then turned to the crowd as she continued. "As the Princess of Friendship, I present to our heroes a symbol of our gratitude, the Equestrian Pink Hearts of Courage!" The crowd cheered and applauded as my friends and I bowed to Twilight, Applejack trotting up to Steelhooves as we rose a moment later.

As we stood before the crowd, I smiled as I spoke to everyone. "Thanks, but I think my friends deserve the most appreciation here. I wouldn't have been able to destroy the Star Forge and arrest Red Eye if it weren't for you guys. In actually, I owe you all for your help, and I could've done it with out you."

My friends all smiled as Calamity replied. "That's the magic o' Friendship fer ya, old pal."

As the crowd applauded once more I heard Jet speak up as she and her team joined up with Skydive in the air. "Hey Daniels, are you going to tell them all about the news?"

The human nodded as he looked to us, the crowd silencing as he spoke to us. "Yes, about that. My buddies at HQ have finished the upgrades on the Victorious and have deployed her in orbit, and after witnessing your skills aboard the starship Chestnut, I believe I've found the perfect choices for her crew."

My friends and I all gasped as we heard the news, we were getting our own ship, not to mention the ship was a former enemy ship being used for good now! I beamed with excitement as the crowd gasped in surprise before cheering again, my friends and I hugging as Homage trotted over.

"Well, I guess this is it, then. I'd love to join in, but the Wasteland needs it's DJ." I nodded as we looked into each others eyes, the crowd's applauding added to the cheering as we kissed. I was going to be heading into space with my friends, but my lover had to take care of her own home. As we broke our kiss, I nodded to Homage as I replied to her.

"I understand. Can you get our frequency while we're gone? I'd love to show you all our vacation spot."

Homage smiled as she said, "No frequency can get out of this mare's grasp." We smiled again as Blackjack and her group of friends trotted up to us, all of them smiling as we faced them, the white unicorn speaking to us.

"The Wasteland will need someone to help protect it while you all go exploring. I'm no Littlepip, but I think this place can manage with us here."

Her group nodded in agreement as Skydive added, "This place will need a good flight squad as well, so we'll stay here and help too!"

"Thank you guys. You all stay safe down here." They nodded Daniels, Twilight's crew, my friends and I all made our way back to the Tortoise, but stopping as we heard the amber mare from the Wasteland Crusaders call out after us.

"Lil'Pip!" She said as she stopped in front of me, holding a box full of familiar looking items on her back as I levitated it all in my magic. "Yer clone over at the S.P.P. told us t' give these t' ya when ya got back."

I smiled as I looked into the box, they we're all the things I'd been given over the course of my adventure in the Wasteland, Calamity's old black, damaged hat, Orb #8, the Ministry Mare statuettes, the ashes of the deceased filly from Friendship City, the Fluttershy Orb Velvet Remedy gave me, and the drawing that Silver Bell gave me.

"Thanks." I said as I looked up to the amber mare once more. "You all take care of yourselves here."

"Will do!" The mare replied as Velvet Remedy's phoenix Pyrelight took advantage of the distraction and flew over to her friend, who squeed as the bird landed on her back.

"Pyrelight, you want to come with us?" My friend asked as the glowing phoenix nodded happily, the two joining us again as we continued inside the ship. The crowd started cheering "bye"s and "Good luck"s to us, our group entering the Tortoise as I waved one final time to the people of Junction Town before joining my friends.

As the door behind us closed, I sat with my friends as Calamity tapped the new helm console installed on the Tortoise, the ship lifting a moment later and flying up into the night sky.

As we watched the retrofitted sky-tank fly through the clouds, I heard Rainbow Dash speak up behind us with a smile. "Well, it was fun having you guys along with us, I can't believe you guys are going to fly your own ship!"

"Yeah, it's been an honor. I'm happy that we'll be seeing each other again, though." I replied as I heard Twilight speaking up as well.

"Definitely, and I hope you don't mind, but Admiral Stone, Captain Na'Zev and I will all be going with you to Risa as well, we could use a break ourselves."

"Cool! The fun will be quadrupled with you guys!" As I finished my reply to the Princess of Friendship, Daniels tapped my shoulder, myself turning to face him.

"I forgot to mention that during the upgrade process, we thought it would be best to change the name of the ship to something we thought would be fitting for you and your crew." I raised an eyebrow at him before Calamity cried out with excitement, my friends and I walking up to him as we saw the new ship.

"There she is!" The ship was mostly the same in shape, save for the addition of two unique nacelles in the shape of horseshoes being held on the two aft fins of the ship, green and pink lights sporting all over them. The hull's color was a light grey and had still had some black on the edges of the ship. There was also a symbol that consisted of a yellow crescent and red lines going along the hull, above the symbol read the ship's name:

"C.R.V. Lightbringer"

My friends and I grew wide smiles as we marveled at the ship, she was beautiful, and I couldn't wait to see what she looked like on the inside as we slowed down, the Lightbringer's shuttlebay doors opening as we entered our ship.

(||||||)

The turbolift doors opened to reveal a sweet looking bridge, the walls were light grey and had a large window for us to see out of. On the window were several green colored screens, each showing data regarding the status of the new ship. There were several consoles around the room, three on each side and four around the captain's chair. All of it was made of metal, of course.

"Warp engines online." The purple alicorn said as she sat at her station, her horn fixed as she moved a lever in her magic.

"Weapons and shields on standby." The green alicorn said as she stood at her new wall console.

"The Canterlot Republic Vessel Lightbringer is ready for departure on your order, Captain." The blue alicorn said as we entered the bridge, taking in the room as we went to our stations.

Calamity smirked as he looked at his new helm console. "Oh, Ah like how this baby looks!"

"This will be easy enough to operate." Velvet Remedy said as she examined her new console, Pyrelight squawking softly as she looked at the buttons. It was the one behind Calamity's.

"This weapons console is very impressive." Xenith said with a smile as she admired her console, which was placed to the forward left side of the chair.

"And this should help me in fixing the ship up, I can even send repair nanites to any part of the ship!" Steelhooves said as he examined his console behind my seat on the left side, removing his helmet to marvel at it with his own eyes.

As my friends started working on their new consoles, I sat in the command chair. It was very comfortable, I almost felt like I wouldn't get up for a while as I relaxed in it.

"How did you three get here?" Velvet asked her alicorn friends as the blue one responded to her.

"We were brought here by the one called Daniels to assist on this ship." The tall mare looked to me with a smile as she continued. "She needs a good crew after all."

I smiled back, looking to Velvet Remedy as she pulled out a new dress with her magic, Pyrelight jumping into the air as my friend put it on. It was similar in shape to the Stable uniform, but it was black and had two red and yellow lines going along the uniform. I raised an eyebrow as I asked her, "Where'd you get that? It looks nice."

"I had Xenith help me redesign the legionnaire uniform while you all worked on the Tortoise." Velvet said as she posed in the newly-made dress. "How do I look?"

Calamity whistled as he gave his answer. "Ya look perfect, honey."

I smiled as I turned to face the large window in front of us, the stars visible through it as Calamity turned to me and asked, "What's the order o' the day, Cap'n?"

I ignored my friend's question as I stared at the vastness of space, we were the first people in the Equestrian Wasteland to go into space, and we'd now be the first to lead the world of Equus back to its former glory, not to mention into a new era of peace and exploration... Just like the Alliance's first power, the United Federation of Planets, did in its youth.

I ceased my stare as Pyrelight squawked at me, myself shaking my head as I replied to Calamity. "Sorry, I was just looking... out there."

My friends all looked to the window as they saw the view. "Ayep, Ah don't blame ya, we're part of the start of somethin' bigger than us."

"And we're all on a new mission now." Velvet said as Xenith joined our monologue.

"To explore strange, new worlds..."

"To seek out new life and civilizations..." Steelhooves said as I finished us off.

"And to boldly go where no one has gone before." We all stared at the view for a moment, thinking of all the wonders we would discover out there as Calamity's console beeped, the rust-colored Pegasus tapping it as Twilight spoke.

"Our fleet is ready to depart, are you all ready over there?" My friends and I all spoke simultaneously as we replied.

"Yes, your Highness."

I heard Twilight chuckle as she spoke to us. "Guys, please, you can call me Twilight, remember?"

We all joined the chuckling as I replied for us. "Yeah, sorry. We're still getting used to it."

"Don't worry, I felt the same way when I became a princess." The Princess of Friendship said as we all faced the window, the Chestnut, Stratus, and the Harmony forming up with us as she finished. "We're ready on your word."

As I got comfortable in my chair, I looked to my friends, each of them looking to me with smiles as I smiled as well before facing the window. As I spoke, I pulled out the two drawings I had gotten from Silver Bell and the colt I had saved earlier, putting them on the two open spots in between the front and back wall consoles. "As friends, as family.... let's see what's out there. Engage."

As Calamity tapped his console, Velvet spoke up as she pulled out a small chip, inserting it into her console as Pyrelight re-balanced herself. "Oh, I almost forgot! I found this old 21st Century Earth song in the Harmony's library before we left, I think it will fit our moods as we depart."

As the song played through the ship's intercoms, the Lightbringer and it's escorts all fired a blue beam of energy at a single point in space as a wormhole opened. I smiled as I recognized the song from my history lessons.

It was "Faith of the Heart".

My friends, Calamity, Velvet Remedy, Pyrelight, Steelhooves, and Xenith all smiled along with me as the Lightbringer flew into the portal with it's escorting ships, the blue vortex surrounding us as we made our way to Risa. After all that I went through in this adventure, I was happy that I was once again with my friends, and that we were all working together as part of the great goal of exploring the stars. And we were once again a family, one that would stand strong as our faith in the magic of friendship held us all together.

{-THE END-}