• Published 19th Sep 2012
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Homeworld: Equestria - hiigaran



Finding himself in an uncharted system, the Captain of a military vessel ends up on a strange planet

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5: Flagship

The double doors to one of Shipyard Nabaal’s several conference rooms swung open, as two figures entered and approached the large central table where each Captain of the fleet sat. The seven seated Captains merely stared at Soban’s companion, some with open mouths, some muttering inaudibly to each other.

Captain Soban cleared his throat. “Gentlemen, I would like to present Princess Luna, co-regent to the ponies of Equestria. Princess, may I introduce Captain Nabaal of the Shipyard Nabaal, Nasiif and Paktu of the battlecruisers Masmak and Liir, Malik and Amra of the destroyers Nar-Durg and Gwalior, and Hajod and Malkar of the flak frigates Iifrit and Paaura. Unfortunately, Fleet Command S’jet cannot attend in person, but I’m assuming she’s with us via comms?”

Karan S’jet’s soothing voice resounded throughout the room. “You assumed correct, Captain. Please sit. You hold answers to a myriad of questions. Welcome, Princess Luna. I must admit this is highly unorthodox, but given recent events, I believe you have every right to be present. Now Captain, I think I speak for everyone when I ask why a pair of keepers were pursuing you, and for that matter, how you managed to not only survive the encounter, but defeat them with a single ship.”

“If it’s all the same, Fleet, I think it would be best if I started my long and complicated story from the beginning,” Soban began. “These last few months have been a mixture of interesting, mystifying and frightening experiences. I arrived alone, as the sole vessel in the system, and the sole occupant of my own severely crippled ship. Long story short, I made landfall and met the locals. Some volunteered themselves as my crew, after the discov—”

“You let an unknown alien race control your vessel?” Captain Hajod spoke up. “You allowed them access to Hiigaran technology, and quite possibly tactical data? Why of all the irresponsible, idiotic—I should throw you into the brig, myself!”

Many of the Captains murmured in agreement. “As much as I hate to admit it, Captain Hajod is right,” Captain Amra spoke up. “Forget a dishonourable discharge, you could be court-martialed for your—”

“What if I told you that with their help, we have unravelled a mystery we scarcely knew existed?” Soban interrupted. “What if I told you our information on the Progenitors, and Sajuuk in particular, is incomplete or incorrect?”

Silence was the only reply. Captain Soban paused for a moment, allowing the gravity of his words to sink in.

“Fleet Command, do you notice anything out of the ordinary?” he continued. “Are your senses telling you anything? Do you feel something … Odd?”

Karan hesitated. “I’m not sure if I fully understand your question, Captain.”

“I think you do, ma’am. I also think you do not believe it. What accompanied every arrival of Bentus? Or Makaan’s flagship? You felt something every time they were relatively close in proximity, didn’t you?”

“I hope you aren’t implying—”

“That’s what I said when it was suggested to me. Your body and mind is directly linked to the core you inhabit, so you can feel the presence of the other hyperspace cores, can you not? So I ask again, are your senses telling you anything?”

Karan let out a long sigh. “Yes. I feel the presence of a fourth core.”

The effect was almost instantaneous. The seven Captains in front of Soban either gasped or became dangerously wide-eyed. Nobody said anything for what felt like minutes. Nobody knew what to say.

Soban decided to continue. “I’m afraid that’s not all, either. There is strong evidence to suggest a total of six cores exist.”

Captain Nabaal nearly choked on a glass of water. “What—what evidence would that be?” he coughed and spluttered.

“Assuming the bridge computer of Manaan wasn’t damaged, I have multiple entries outlining this evidence, plus more, in detail. Worse still, the retrieval of the fourth core ended in near disaster. A group of movers attacked us as we approached—”

“Wait, wait, wait. You’re telling me a single flak frigate took on several movers?” Captain Malkar interjected, raising an eyebrow. “Captain, I find it hard to believe that along with defeating a pair of keepers, you have been using a plain old Hiigaran frigate. No offence to your abilities, but I seriously doubt anyone is that good a Captain or pilot.”

“True. Technically it was the same frigate, but with one or two, uhh … upgrades. As I have discovered, unicorns are capable of performing extraordinary feats. Those are the ponies with horns on their heads, by the way”—Soban gestured at Luna’s—“and as a result, I am sitting in front of you all because Manaan had a shield around it. One that could prevent the passage of anything harmful to a vessel. In addition to a shield, Manaan could teleport itself instantly. Believe it or not, these ponies wield the power of magic.”

Several Captains snickered and laughed at the hilariously childish claim. Soban merely turned towards Luna, who practically read his mind. In a flash of light, she appeared on the other side of the table behind the other Captains. As quickly as it came, the laughter died out, before Luna reappeared beside Soban.

“Let the research teams figure out a more appropriate name,” he said, folding his arms with a smirk. “As far as I’m concerned, I will refer to it as magic until it is called otherwise.”

“So are we to assume this … magic, was the reason you defeated the keepers?” Fleet Command enquired.

“Indeed it is. The Princess threw the moon at them.”

Captain Nabaal nearly choked on another glass of water.

“Please tell me you meant that in some figurative manner, Captain,” Nasiif responded. “And someone take that glass away from Elohim already!”

“Gentlemen, I ask that you direct your attention to the moon behind you.” Grinning, Soban turned to Luna. “Princess, might I ask for a demonstration?”

Grinning, Luna’s horn sparkled in a lighter shade of her coat. The other Captains focused on the distant moon, which began to spin rapidly on its axis, sending particles from its surface into a cloudy ring around it, before halting abruptly and rotating in the opposite direction. Shortly after, it returned to its original state, leaving seven stunned Captains hunched over with their mouths agape.

“Kiith’s blood, what have you stumbled in to, Soban?” Captain Malik recovered first. “I don’t suppose you have anything else up your sleeve that would require us to change our pants now, do you?”

“Well, there is one final thing. These six hyperspace cores aren’t what they appear to be. Their primary function is neither to facilitate long range transportation, nor to act as a power plant. Their purpose is deeper than that. Deep beyond my ability to comprehend it. I should have another Manaan entry that tries to explain this, but half the time, I didn’t even know what I was talking about.”

“Where do we go from here then, Captain?” Amra leaned forward expectantly.

“I thought it would be obvious. We need to find the other two cores.”

Captain Hajod rolled his eyes. “Oh yes, I’m loving this plan already. Exactly how are we going to search an entire galaxy? Do you have even the slightest clue of where to start looking?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. I think.”


Soban and his fellow Captains emerged from the conference room, leaving Princess Luna alone with Fleet Command. Captain Hajod grumbled at Soban. “I don’t care if it’s the only lead you have. Your plan is filled with holes and flawed on so many levels, I don’t even know where to begin.”

Free for a couple of hours, Soban followed most of the other Captains towards the mess deck, situated on the port side of the vessel, overlooking the Shipyard’s resource collector drop-off zone. He gave the surly officer a smirk. “Look on the bright side. You don’t have to come along with me if you don’t want to.”

“Yeah, you’re not going to get rid of him that easily,” Malik commented. “He’s right, though. You’d be a fool to even consider travelling there without a few flak frigates.”

“This is a mission of peace. What kind of message do you think we will send if we arrive with a large fleet of warships?”

“I’m just saying, if you’re going to go in with a few capital ships, you might want to consider the significant number of fighter craft they will most certainly have, especially given their fanatical nature,” Malik warned. “No matter, plenty of time to refine the plan.”

Captain Soban remained deep in thought as they walked through the mess deck towards the open buffet. Military cuisine was most certainly not among the list of things he missed.

“Something tells me Fleet Command has another idea,” he spoke up again. “I suspect I won’t be seeing my marine frigate again, either. Tea?”

“Any partic—no thanks. Any particular reason why?”

“I don’t know, to be honest,” Soban said, concerned. “After everything I’ve said, I doubt I will be reprimanded for that whole crew thing, but still, there is a—”

“Whoah, easy on the sweet stuff! I think you got your sugar-to-tea ratio reversed there!” Malik mocked Soban, who helped himself to his fifth spoon.

“Wha—oh, right. I’ve been meaning to cut back on that.”

Soban and Malik sat alone along the windows, watching a trio of resource collectors zip back and forth between the Shipyard and the nearby asteroids.

“So what have I missed while I was away?”

Malik shrugged. “Not much. A few minor Vaygr incursions here and there, but they are practically suicide runs. Turanic Raider activity has risen, but they seem to be targeting anything other than us. Just watch, in a few weeks the Galactic Council will probably ask us to help police the outer rim.”

“Yeah, that’s going to turn out well.” Rolling his eyes, the sarcasm practically oozed out of Soban. “Despite everything, I find it hilariously ironic that the Raiders demand a place on the Council, yet still terrorise the trade routes. Good luck to them.”

“You know,” Captain Malik spoke between mouthfuls of food. “We had a memorial planned for you at the end of next month.”

Soban chuckled. “How touching. A lovely little service commemorating my life, with a bunch of flowers around a portrait of me, huh?”

“Not enough flowers in the galaxy to distract people from your ugly mug, Melarn.”

“Coming from the guy who’s more bloated than a Vaygr Shipyard?” Soban shot a sly grin at Malik.

Captain Malik stared back for a few seconds, before the two of them burst out laughing. “You sure don’t pull any punches, huh? You win this—”

“Captain Malik, report for deployment at hangar 2. Captain Malik, deployment at hangar 2,” a droning voice over the PA system announced.

“Eh?” Malik stared at the loudspeaker in the ceiling. “I wasn’t aware I was scheduled for deployment. Damn, I hoped we would have a few hours to catch up. Perhaps another time, then. See you ‘round, Mel!”

Soban remained at his table for the next hour, preferring isolation while staring out into space and tuning out the chatter of the other officers around him. Though he was a warship Captain at heart, the thought of commanding a two kilometre-long construction facility such as this shipyard had always fascinated him. Not that he would ever admit it to anyone, but Soban grew weary of charging headfirst into combat. Still, the fact that the pinnacle of mobile Hiigaran manufacturing was one of the most sluggish, defenceless vessels around made Soban feel better about his current position. All that empty space for docking and construction guaranteed these expensive vessels would never hold their own on a battlefield.

Although there was still half an hour before Soban was to report back at the conference room, he decided to return regardless and wait outside. As he sat nearby, he could hear a heated argument between Fleet Command and Captain Paktu. Though their voices were muffled, Soban could piece together most of the dispute.

“Absolutely ridiculous, Fleet!” Captain Paktu’s furious voice met Soban’s ears. “I had my name down ever since the project was conceived!”

Fleet Command responded, mildly irritated. “Captain, you will mind your volume in the presence of our guest.”

“I don’t care if she’s a recruit, or the creator of our sand-cursed galaxy! This is completely unfair!”

“Enough! You are acting like a child, Captain. What difference does it make if you wait a few more months?”

“Everything! It’s about having the honour of being the first to—”

“Honour? If your service has been about something as petty as honour, I suggest you rethink your position in our fleet. Look past your Kiith for once, Captain. Dismissed.”

The doors slammed open as Captains Paktu and Nasiif emerged, the face of the former appearing as if someone had drawn the meanest looking frown on a beetroot. Paktu stopped in his tracks and glared at Soban momentarily before storming off again, muttering something about ‘Karan’s pet’.

Captain Nasiif remained still, watching the walking temper-tantrum disappear around the corner. He shook his head and faced Soban. “Don’t worry about him, he’ll get over it. Go on in, Fleet is expecting you. Congratulations, by the way.”

“Huh?”

Nasif simply winked. “Best if I don’t spoil it for you. Good luck!”

Captain Soban hesitantly entered the conference room, as Nasiif disappeared after Paktu, whose raging voice could still be heard echoing nearby. Shutting the doors behind him, Soban found Luna alone at the table and sat down opposite to her.

“I guess you heard our little dispute then, Captain?” Fleet Command’s voice returned.

“Not that much, ma’am. What’s going on?”

“Princess Luna and I have spent the better part of an hour in negotiations over several key topics. However, I’ll spare you the details of all but those that are relevant to you. Today, we begin our trading relations with the nation of Equestria. The Princess has agreed to transfer possession of the fourth hyperspace core to us, for technology, resources, and ships. We both agreed it was a fair trade. However, the conditions for this trade was what resulted in the argument you heard. Princess?”

Luna faced Soban. “After the encounters we have had during your visit, it has become clear we need an edge in defending ourselves against further attacks. I cannot guarantee the safety of my subjects with the shining jewel of my night sky forever, and even so, I cannot safely do so within the vicinity of our planet. We have no use for the hyperspace core, so we have offered it to your people, in exchange for the means to start our own fleet. In doing so, your people will assist in training soldiers of our choosing and providing us with all necessary designs for different vessels.”

Soban chuckled. “You must be a pretty impressive negotiator to get some of our ships, Princess. Good for you! Doesn’t Princess Celestia have to approve this as well, though?”

“The agreement, once approved by all relevant parties, is to provide the nation of Equestria with the means to start their own fleet,” Fleet Command clarified. “Once our latest vessel design has been tested, ownership will be transferred to the Equestrian military, along with a single resource collector. The transaction will occur within the next few days, assuming no complications. Hiigaran crew will remain aboard the vessel temporarily for training purposes.”

“You’ve designed a new ship?”

“Several, actually. Our research division came up with them shortly after your disappearance, in response to a growing Turanic Raider threat across several territories. Along with new designs, existing capital ships have undergone upgrades to allow for a more mobile fleet, plus a more robust defence against hostiles. You will be provided with the necessary documentation outlining the changes in further detail shortly.”

“Sounds impressive, but where do I come in with all of this?”

Princess Luna spoke up. “We need a Captain for our flagship.”

Captain Soban nearly choked on a glass of water.


The Captain relaxed in one of Canterlot’s grand orchestra halls, lost in a mixture of classical Equestrian music and his own thoughts. In the last few days since the keeper incident and the negotiations between Luna and Karan, things back in Equestria had changed considerably.

Materialising beside the Princess of the night near the castle, he was almost completely swarmed with his relieved crew. Blurs of pink, dark-blue and purple tackled Soban to the ground, in one of the most brutal hugs the Captain had ever experienced. Gasping for air, he found Pinkie, Nova, Firelance and Twilight all on top of him.

Word of the victory against the keepers surged throughout Canterlot, and the prospect of Equestria’s new space program elicited excitement in ponies of all ages. Demand for telescopes rose sharply, as the elderly sat on their porches and balconies and looked up at the wonders of the universe. Fillies and colts coaxed their parents into submission, to obtain scale models of the famous Manaan, or to Captain Soban’s horror, an action figure of himself.

Perhaps news spread too quickly. As it travelled like wildfire to neighbouring cities, so too, did it travel across borders to far-off lands. The Equestrian government was thrown into turmoil, with outrage from the multiple surrounding nations. Diamond dogs, dragons, mules, griffons, and even a representative of the changelings, collectively accused the Princesses of forming an unfair, exclusive alliance with a powerful alien race. Equestria had seemingly become an overnight target for all manner of conspiracy accusations.

In an effort to soothe relations, Captain Soban had stepped in to assist with handling the delicate issue. Though ownership of the flagship was to be purely Equestrian as per the agreement with the Hiigarans, Soban recommended the Princesses allow a more multicultural crew complement. Having other species aboard would go a long way in placating any concerns each nation might have had.

Due to unforeseen complications, in part from Soban’s ignorance of other nations, only one species made the cut: Griffons. The thieving stereotype of diamond dogs barred them almost immediately. Dragons were prone to rapid and dangerous growth spurts. Mules, while filling ground-based positions, lacked many qualities for a ship-board environment. As for changelings, after a recent incursion in Canterlot, any chance they had aboard an Equestrian military vessel were long gone.

Despite the many nations that had been turned away, the impossibility of a pony-griffon alliance was enough to quell the unrest. It was no secret the tension between ponies and griffons created a counter-productive environment, and as such, the probability of a planet-wide joint-military takeover was minuscule. While the Captain had his concerns, he believed it could work out, provided the crew were drilled and disciplined to Hiigaran standards.

Thus, the selection process began for the two hundred members of the yet-to-be-named flagship. Engineers, gunners, repair crew, bridge crew, cooks, medics, scientists and tacticians, would all serve aboard the vessel. In addition, several hundred extra candidates would ultimately be trained to accommodate the inevitable expansion of the fleet.

While it was highly probable most crew would be selected from existing military branches, the training would nevertheless be extensive, unlike the bare-minimum crash-courses Captain Soban provided for his crew aboard Manaan. At Soban’s request, the crew of Manaan would be allowed to serve aboard the flagship if they so wished. None declined.

Captain Soban could hardly believe these events unfolded within the span of a single week. A nation he had once thought of as primitive and immature, albeit fun and interesting, had shown an astounding ability to plan, organise and make progress in such short notice.

The applause of several hundred ponies tore Captain Soban away from his thoughts, as the string quartet finished their final piece of their performance with a duet from the violist and cellist. Eventually, Soban joined the long file of ponies making their way out, while his accompanying friend trotted alongside, humming to one of the tunes of the quartet.

Soban gave his companion a sidelong glance. “I still find it amusing that you of all ponies would be in to this style of music, Firelance. You struck me as more of a … I don’t know, electro-dance type.”

Firelance grinned sheepishly. “Heh, it’s just my thing. Normally I don’t attend the concerts, but after you described the type of music you enjoyed, this seemed like the closest thing. Was also the perfect excuse for me to grab some tickets.”

“Pity Nova cancelled at the last minute. What happened to him, anyway?”

“Ahh, probably one of his kids got sick or something. Seems to happen once every few weeks.”

“Well I hope he realises he’s not going to be able to look after his kids for several days on end. Once we find ourselves up there”—Soban pointed skywards—“we won’t be able to return to Equestria on a whim.”

“Speaking of which, when are we going to explore the stars? Flying around here was fun and all, but I’d love to get up close to the sun, go through the heart of a nebula or weave through asteroid fields.”

“All in due time, my friend. The flagship should arrive either tomorrow or after tomorrow, and once we have a list of crew members, we can begin the training. After three or four months, everypony should be fully qualified for their posts, give or take a few months, depending on what specific jobs each member will have.”

“Four months? But I wanna go now!”

“Relax, Firelance. There will be a Hiigaran crew with us during the initial stages of the flagship’s service. You will all learn in the field, so in all likelihood, we should be good to go as soon as the selection process is complete.”

The two walked through the busy streets of downtown Canterlot to a small block of flats where Firelance resided. Left without a ship, Soban immediately moved in with an insistent Firelance, at least until the flagship arrived. Though it was a dark, minuscule, one-bedroom apartment, Soban had no objections to sleeping on the couch. Except, perhaps, seeing the creepy smile on a certain goldfish’s face while dozing off.

Soban barely shut the door, before catching a bottle of cider Firelance hurled his way.

“Cheers!” Firelance clinked his own bottle against Soban’s. “So I heard you folks don’t have a name for the flagship yet.”

“I don’t think anypony has even considered a name for it at this stage,” Soban mused, sinking into an armchair opposite to Firelance.

“Well? Got any ideas? I say we name it the Pride of Equestria!”

Soban shook his head. “Been done already. Besides, not only is it cliché, but you guys didn’t build it, so that name seems unsuitable. Personally, I’d name it Tiir, after the capital of our planet, Kharak.”

“Bah! Enough with your weird ship names. What the hay is a Manaan, anyway? And I thought your planet was Hiigara?”

“Manaan is the name of a well-known Kiith. As for Kharak, it was our home planet after we were exiled many millennia ago. Three hundred million people died in a planet-wide extermination a few thousand years later when we left to reclaim our homeworld.”

“Ouch. Well, this has become a little … awkward.”

“Don’t worry about it. It was among the most detestable, despicable crimes committed in the history of our galaxy, but that’s exactly what it is. History. Nothing we can do to change it.” Soban furrowed his brow, quickly changing the topic. “So, don’t like our names, huh? Well I suppose it seems fitting to use a more Equestrian name.”

“A’ight, now we’re getting somewhere! How about … Luna’s Wrath?”

“Inappropriate name for a flagship. A warship, perhaps, but not the flagship. Makes Equestria, and Luna in particular, sound violent. Also, a tad cliché.”

“How about Love?” Firelance snickered.

Soban laughed. “Well it would certainly make for some interesting communication towards aggressors … ‘This is the flagship Love to all hostile vessels. You will stand down or face the consequences!’ Actually, I’d pay good money to see the looks on the faces of those aboard said vessels.”

“Ooh, I got it! How about the flagship Ursa Major?”

“Ursa Major?”

“Yeah, it’s this giant bear thing that’s purple and see-through. Got loads of star patterns on it and stuff. Read up about them after some prick of a mare came waltzing down the streets, banging on about how she defeated or banished one. Or something like that, anyway. Doubt anyone believed her,” Firelance snorted.

“Hmm, well I’m out of ideas. Ahh, whatever, I’ll figure out a name later.”

Firelance downed the second half of his bottle in one go, slamming it on the table and jumping up. “It’s too damn quiet here. Need a bit of music.” Rummaging through his collection of vinyl records, he scanned their covers, before finally settling on one. “Ah, this will do nicely!”

The soft vibrato of a cello filled the tiny living room, as the Captain raised an eyebrow at Firelance. “More strings? Let me see that collection of yours”—he flicked through the records —“… Classical … Classical … String Quartet … Cello solo … The Best of Oct—wait a second, these all have that same musician in common. Come to think of it, I remember seeing her at the concert, too. Looks to me like you have an unhealthy obsession with her,” Soban smirked.

“I—Well, pfft, nah!”

“You’re blushing, Firelance,” Soban lied.

The flustered pegasus placed a hoof to his cheek. “I am?”

Soban succumbed to hysterical laughter. “Nope, but you are now.”

Firelance grumbled, glaring at the Caption briefly, before making his way to the fridge to browse through his collection of adult beverages. “You’ve cleaned me out of cider. Wanna beer?”

“Sure, why not? Can’t say no to a free— … You hear that?”

“Hear wh—yeah. What the hay is that?”

“Sounds like a gunship corvette. Come on, let’s go. No, forget the beer, hurry up!”

Soban scanned the skies for the origin of the noise. A small ship roughly forty metres in length approached the castle of Canterlot. Soban and Firelance followed, as the corvette-class vessel circled the grounds and set itself down.

The gunship, which ironically had no weaponry due to extensive modifications for atmospheric operations, had already drawn a sizeable crowd for the Captain and Firelance to squeeze past when they finally arrived. A single Hiigaran pilot conversed with the Princesses.

The pilot offered his salutations upon noticing the approaching Captain. “Flight Lieutenant Pahad, sir. I have orders to transport the Captain of the Equestrian flagship aboard his vessel. If you will come with me, we can depart immediately.”

“Understood, Lieutenant. I—” Soban cut himself off upon sighting the overly enthusiastic Firelance jumping beside him. “He can come too, right?” he pointed.

“I—err, of course,” the pilot hesitated. “Shall we?”

“I don’t suppose you have the capacity for two extra passengers, do you?” Luna asked.

“Sorry ma’am, only three seats aboard. This isn’t a drop-ship, I’m afraid.” The Lieutenant replied.

“Oh, we don’t need seats. We will be fine,” Luna insisted, partially dropping her public mannerisms amidst her own excitement.

The Lieutenant looked uneasily at Soban. “Captain?”

“Go on Lieutenant, they know how to take care of themselves.”


“There she is, Captain,” the Lieutenant announced, gesturing towards a large object surrounded by several smaller escort vessels. “The supercarrier-class flagship.”

It was only then, as the tiny corvette approached the primarily blue-grey behemoth from above and behind, that Captain Soban fully took in the aesthetic details of the flagship, most of which had been omitted from the more technical specifications he had received aboard the Nabaal.

Based on the battlecruiser chassis, the supercarrier had the same long and flat rectangular appearance, slightly tapering from the centre to the forward section. The major distinction between the supercarrier and a battlecruiser was its capital ship production facility, located to the front, port side of the vessel, where warships as large as destroyers could be constructed and released laterally. The positioning of this facility created a highly asymmetrical appearance to the supercarrier.

As the corvette aligned itself to approach the hangar from the starboard side entrance located between the engine section and the frigate production facility, Soban noted that while most of the weapons normally mounted on a battlecruiser were stripped away, the pair of dual ion cannon turrets located centrally on the dorsal and ventral sections remained.

Princess Celestia admired the vessel from the rear of the gunship. “Astonishing. Absolutely astonishing. I find myself lost for words.”

As they passed through the entrance and made their final turn astern the supercarrier towards the hangar bay, the occupants of the gunship corvette prepared to disembark, as it approached one of the tightly packed landing zones.

“Bit difficult to move around in here,” the Lieutenant commented, aligning the corvette with the couplings that would suspend the vessel mere metres above another already docked gunship. “The engineers managed to barely quadruple the hangar space from the original battlecruiser design to allow twenty fighter or corvette-class squads to fit in here. Armour is a little thinner as well, to compensate for the—”

“Yeah, I read the file, Lieutenant. So, will you be giving us the grand tour inside, as well?”

“Negative, Captain. I’m just the delivery boy. Your tour guide is probably waiting on the other side.”

Soban, Firelance and the Princesses remained in the gunship’s cabin until the connecting walkway slid over and attached to the clam-shell doors of the gunship, equalising the pressure between the two sections. Emerging single-file across the narrow passage, the group passed through another pair of airtight doors to be greeted by Captain Malik.

“Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Captain Malik,” he started, a cheeky grin plastered on his face, as he examined the four arrivals. “On behalf of Hiigara, I would like to welcome you aboard this supercarrier-class vessel. Please direct your full attention to me, as I explain the safety features aboard this multi-hundred-thousand ton command-ship. When the seat-belt sign illuminates, you must fasten—okay I’ll stop now.”

“I see your sense of humour hasn’t improved.”

“Better than yours, Mel. Come on, you’re going to love this ship!”


Hours passed, as the small group inspected every section, every deck and every feature of the flagship. From the automated construction and repair systems at the front, to the engineering section that dealt with the seven large ion drives and the latest Hiigaran-made hyperspace module, the flagship amazed and wowed Soban and the Princesses and left Firelance drooling at the prospect of working with one of the ion cannon turrets.

The tour finally ended at the bridge, which to Soban’s relief had been redesigned from the highly vulnerable side-mounted version almost every Hiigaran vessel used, and moved to just ahead of, and under the dorsal ion cannon turret.

“So, what do you think, Captain?”

“Is she fully operational?”

“Pretty much. Our guys are just waiting to train your crew.”

“You shall have them in three days, Captain Malik,” Celestia replied. “Our crew selection concluded earlier this morning, so they should transfer over in due time.”

“Wonderful! In that case, I can brief you all on the plan to assess the flagship for mission suitability. Just a few quick tests to verify everything is in order and to give you and your crew a level of familiarity as part of their training. If you’ll follow me, I can—oh wait, I almost forgot, your flagship is still nameless. Have any of you come up with a name for her?”

Celestia and Luna glanced at each other, before facing Soban. “It’s your decision, Captain,” Celestia said.

“Harmony. Her name is Harmony.”