To the Stars

by Jay David

The Runaway

Now, given that they were a scientific vessel, meant for study and exploration, it came as no surprise that there would eventually be a day when they had to do something that some on their ship would consider dull or even outright boring. Today was just such a day, as the Phoenix was tailing an asteroid, at least as large as their ship if not more so. They'd picked it up on their scanners a while back and had been following it ever since, taking as many readings as they could. The size, its composition, the speed it was travelling at and so on. Every minute detail about the rock was being documented, and for a certain pilot, that was not exactly the most thrilling of activities. "So...I'm hoping someone's gonna tell me something cool about this thing at some point," Rainbow remarked.

Twilight, adjusting her glasses as she turned in her chair, smiled to her fellow crewman, oblivious to the monotony she was experiencing. "Oh, certainly! If these readings are to be believed, that asteroid has an iron quantity at least twenty percent higher than other asteroids of that size. This could be a new record!"

Rainbow blinked to her, then rolled her eyes. "Wow, more iron than other asteroids. Good for them," she replied sarcastically.

Sunset smiled to her pilot. "I know these aren't exactly the most glamorous of assignments, Rainbow, but there's always value to be had with them."

Rainbow looked to her with scepticism. "Name one."

Instantly, Sunset gave her answer. "Well, if we're able to learn details like the asteroid's speed, flight patterns and so on, we'll know if there's a risk to any local inhabited planets. That foreknowledge could help us prepare them for the impact, or even evacuate them if the worst should come to it."

After a brief bout of embarrassment, Rainbow cleared her throat. "Yeah...well...I guess that's important."

Sunset was rather pleased with herself for schooling her eager pilot about the importance of their missions, but she had little time to really enjoy that feeling as her attention was soon drawn to Rarity. It was, by no means, an unusual thing to see her hard at work at her station, listening in on all the various signals and broadcasts they could pick up out here. Yet something in particular seemed to be gripping her attention more than usual today. After a while, the captain finally bit. "Rarity? Something wrong?"

"I'm not sure," the communications officer replied. "I keep getting tiny bits and pieces. It's not some degraded message, it's definitely something recent. But there's a lot of interference for some reason."

Twilight looked over to her. "Probably our proximity to the asteroid. There's so many minerals and the like in there that us being close to it is going to hamper messages in or out of the immediate area."

Rainbow smirked to her. "Shall we add that to the list of things we've learned about it?"

Twilight smirked back, but while Sunset did appreciate the somewhat reconciliatory exchange between them, Rarity's concern weighed on her. After a while, she glanced up to the ceiling. "Pinkie. Anything you can do to clear things up?"

"You got it, boss!" the now-chipper AI replied.

Twilight raised an eyebrow to her commander and friend. "Should we be more worried about the fact that our ship has a personality now?"

Thinking on that, Sunset gave a small shrug. "I say we play it by ear."

After a moment of waiting, there was a bleeping sound, followed by Pinkie speaking up again. "Wow, that was a doozy! But you can probably make things out better now, Rarity!"

Though still uncertain about the new way the computer was talking to her, Rarity nevertheless maintained that famous politeness of hers. "Thank you, dear." Listening in for a few seconds on that same signal, Rarity's eyes widened, and she span in her chair to look to Sunset. "It's a distress call!"

Immediately, the mood on the bridge changed, and Sunset took on a look of utter seriousness as she focused her gaze straight ahead at the viewscreen. "From who? And where?"

Rarity turned to her panel again. "Getting it up now."

After pressing a few more buttons, she looked on along with everyone else at the aforementioned viewscreen, which now flickered to life. Now, they looked at the image of what was clearly the cockpit of a small vessel, though what, they couldn't say. Piloting it was, to their surprise, a young man. Far younger than any of them, with short blue hair, clad in a predominantly brown outfit. He was looking panicked, pressing buttons frantically. "Hello?! Is anyone out there?! My name is Gallus! I need help!"

Getting up from her chair, Sunset stepped forward. "This is the Phoenix! We read you, Gallus!"

The boy's head jerked towards her, though his eyes squinted. "I can hear you, but my image screen's busted. Can you help me?"

"What's your situation?" Sunset asked.

Gallus glanced around, as if worried about something, then took a breath before speaking what was on his mind. "I...I need asylum. Please!"

That certainly wasn't what they were expecting to hear, but Sunset could feel the fear in his voice, and so looked to her pilot. "Rainbow, take us out from the asteroid. Find that ship!"

"You got it!" Rainbow replied.

Twilight, though disappointed that they were abandoning their scientific mission, nevertheless got to her own work, glancing at her scanners, which now lit up after they were far enough away from said asteroid. "Captain! I'm getting a reading! He's not too far from us!"

Sunset nodded to her, then looked back to Gallus. "We'll be with you as fast as we can! Just hold on!" Gallus seemed relieved, opening his mouth to say something. Sadly, he was unable to do so, as there was a sudden, violent shaking of the image, wherein he yelped with pain. The screen blacked out, and Sunset stepped forward, concerned. "Gallus!"

Rarity, looking to her own screen, shook her head. "It's no use, Sunset!" The message has cut out!"

Rainbow, frowning, began to put even more vigour into her piloting. "That's it! I'm giving her all she's got!"

They all knew that the message wasn't far enough to warrant using Travel-Space, and as such, Rainbow put the Phoenix at her top speed, so much so that there was actually a slight shaking throughout the vessel, even in spite of the dampeners that were supposed to prevent such a thing. Naturally, this caused Sunset to receive a message from her Chief Engineer, whose voice was now calling to her through her bracer. "What in tarnation's goin' on up there?!"

Sunset spoke back into her forearm. "A distress call. There's a kid out there in danger and we need to get to him."

That was all Applejack needed to hear, and after a brief pause, she spoke again. "I'll coax as much outta these engines as ah can give ya!"

With that, her message ended, but it was here when Sunset realised that there was a second crewmate she needed to speak to, and so pressed another button on her bracer. "Bridge to medical bay. You read me, Fluttershy?"

"Loud and clear, Captain!" The doctor replied.

"Get ready," Sunset warned her. You're probably going to have a patient shortly."

"Understood," Fluttershy answered before cutting out.

Taking a breath, Sunset looked to Twilight. "Anything?"

Twilight nodded back to her. "The ship should be in range now."

Looking ahead, Sunset saw that she didn't even need to give the command, as the image of the vessel in question had already been put up on the screen. This was when the bridge crew received their second surprise of the day. For while it was indeed a small fighter craft, and one in pretty bad shape, its design immediately caught their attention, with predominantly grey colouring and having been styled to look like some sort of predatory bird. "Is that...a Gryff ship?" Rarity remarked.

Twilight adjusted her glasses. "It...certainly looks like one."

Rainbow, looking over her shoulder, spoke with an uncharacteristic degree of concern. "Er, don't Gryffs famously not want anything to do with outsiders like us?"

Sunset understood her concerns, but a sudden spark from the side of the limp and lifeless ship caught her attention, and she quickly resolved herself. "We can deal with that later. Right now, we need to get that kid out of there!"

"His shields are down!" Twilight called out after reading her scans again.

Sunset nodded, understanding her meaning, before speaking up. "Get a teleport lock on him. Send him to the medical bay!"

The order was carried out instantly, with everyone frantically working at their panels. Unfortunately, they seemed to be on a ticking clock, as the condition of the ship was rapidly deteriorating, with further sparks appearing all over. Eventually, and perhaps inevitably, it finally gave in. The vessel utterly shattered, bursting apart like an explosion. The Phoenix was close enough to get hit with a few small pieces of debris, but nothing to worry about. What was worrying however was the status of the boy. "Gallus?" Sunset asked with hesitation.

Looking back to her, Twilight smiled. "We've got him. Fluttershy just sent word."

Sunset breathed a sigh of relief, then looked to her scientist again. "You have the bridge."

Twilight nodded to her, and then all watched their captain head to the bridge's elevator. Once inside, and after requesting the right level, Sunset passed the time by thinking on the situation. If this was indeed a Gryff, and one that wanted out of their territory, she and her crew might have just opened a can of worms for themselves. But the more immediate problem was more prominent in her mind, and as soon as the elevator doors opened, she was out, heading right for the medical bay. Once there, she got down to business. "How is he?"

Gallus was there, lying on the medical bed, with Fluttershy watching over him. The doctor didn't turn to look to her leader, as her new patient had been knocked out cold by his recent exploits, and so was hard at work scanning him with her bracer before heading over to her primary medical station. "He's unconscious, but he's clearly been through a lot. I can't tell how long he's been travelling for, but he's exhausted and borderline malnourished."

Folding her arms, Sunset gave a solemn nod as she regarded the youth. "Makes sense. We're a long way from Gryff territory. And that ship of his didn't look like it was meant for long distance."

Looking back to her, Fluttershy was now holding a small, silvery device. "A little pick-me-up. It's no substitute for a good meal, but his body needs some vital nutrients quickly." She gently placed the device against the boy's neck, pressing a button. There was a brief moment of quiet, after which his eyes started to slowly open. He looked around before eventually seeing Fluttershy, who smiled warmly to him. "Don't worry. You're safe."

Slowly, and with Fluttershy ready to help him, Gallus sat himself upright. There was a long quiet, in which he took in his surroundings. Realising that he was a away from the deadly situation of his old ship, he looked to be relaxing somewhat. Then, his eyes met Sunset's. "Are you...in charge here?"

Sunset smiled, nodding and stepping forward. "Captain Sunset Shimmer. Welcome to the Phoenix."

Gallus exhaled deeply, like a great weight had been lifted from him. Then, he tensed up again, as if having remembered something. "Please! I know I said it already...but I need asylum!"

Fluttershy looked to her captain, and Sunset herself folded her arms and thought long and hard before answering him. "Gallus...I need to know what it is you need protection from."

Though still nervous, the boy nodded, acknowledging that point. "We Gryffs...our empire hasn't been in great shape for a while now. And things..." He grimaced. "Things have only gotten worse. There's been a call." He hesitated, but only for a moment. "Conscription. Anyone who can carry a laser rifle."

Sunset's frown deepened. "Child soldiers."

Gallus looked away, clearly uncomfortable with talking about this, which Sunset naturally understood. For a while, the captain walked away, looking at some of Fluttershy's instruments before speaking up again. "Gallus, I'm sorry you and those like you have found yourselves in this situation. What's happening back at your home is abhorrent." Finally, she looked back to him. "However, you have the right to know that I am no diplomatic representative. Granting asylum isn't something I can do without consulting the higher-ups. You're welcome to be here on our ship, but for right now that's the most we can do."

It was a harsh truth, but also one the boy seemed to accept, nodding slowly. "Okay, I...I can live with that right now. As long as I'm not home."

Sunset wanted to ease his discomfort further, but was soon prevented when her bracer beeped at her. "This is Captain Shimmer, go ahead," she spoke into it.

"Captain, you're needed on the bridge," replied the clear voice of Rarity.

"What's happened?" Sunset asked.

"It seems our young friend has some...visitors."

Immediately, Gallus scampered backwards, holding his knees to his chest as panic appeared on his face. "They've found me!"

Fluttershy rushed to his side, placing her hand on his shoulder to clam him. "Don't worry. We promise that nothing bad is going to happen to you."

Sunset appreciated what she was trying to do, but a part of her quietly resented her making a promise she herself wasn't sure they'd keep. Still, one problem at a time, as Sunset spoke again into her bracer. "I'm on my way." And on she went, leaving their new arrival with Fluttershy. Though suspecting that she'd have to deal with something like this, Sunset still found it irritating that she had to go all the way back to the bridge after having left it so short a time ago. Still, it was by no means a long journey, and after reemerging from the bridge's elevator, she saw the new image on the viewscreen. It was another Gryff ship, but far larger and more dangerous-looking. It was at least the size of the Phoenix, if not more so. Though something about it seemed off to her. "Report," she commanded.

"A Gryff warship, Ma'am!" Rainbow replied. "And a pretty angry-looking one too!"

That much couldn't be denied, Sunset thought to herself. "What's its status?"

Turing in her chair, Twilight gave her analysis. "From our readings, it seems to be a fairly old model. At least a century old, in fact."

Sunset folded her arms. "Guess Gallus was right. Their empire must be in pretty dire straits if they're pulling out museum pieces like that." After a pause, she looked to Rarity. "Hail them."

"No need, Captain," Rarity answered. "They are hailing us."

Sunset figured as much, letting out a sigh. After another short moment of hesitation, she nodded. "On-screen."

The image on the viewscreen changed, revealing what was likely the bridge of the opposing ship. Much like Gallus' fighter, this one seemed fairly ramshackle in its design, with pipes billowing steam and an overall grimey look to it. Dead centre though was an old man in a central command chair. His skin was saggy, one eye was blinded by a scar and he leaned heavily on a cane. Before Sunset could even get her first words out, the man spoke first. "Where is he?!"

Recognising that this was likely the tone she'd have to deal with, Sunset still maintained that famous Equis professionalism. "I am Captain Sunset Shimmer, of the Equis vessel Phoenix. Who might I be speaking to?"

The Gryff captain, placing both hands on the top of his cane, took on a prideful look. "You, Missy, have the honour of speaking to Gruff, patriarch of House Gruff, of the mighty Gryff Empire!" No sooner had he finished saying that when, all of a sudden, a loose bit of pipe fell down from the ceiling behind him. Looking over his shoulder briefly, he soon looked back to Sunset. "...Ignore that!"

Sunset already didn't like the guy, but also knew there was protocol to follow. "How may we be of assistance?"

Gruff frowned. "Don't play innocent with me, girlie! We know you have him! Now hand Gallus back over to us!"

"We received a distress call from this area," Sunset explained. "Gallus' ship was in bad condition, and as you can no doubt tell from the debris floating around, if we hadn't arrived when we did, he'd likely be gone right now."

Gruff calmed, but only by the smallest of margins. "Where is he now?"

"He's being treated by our doctor. I assure you, he's being well looked after."

"Fine," Gruff reluctantly conceded. "Patch him up and send him over." Here though, Sunset remained silent, as she weighed her options in her mind. Gruff, seeing the lack of response this time around, pressed the issue. "Is there a problem, human?"

There was no getting around it, Sunset knew. So, she began to explain things. "Gallus...has requested asylum."

But, rather than provoking anger or insult, her words merely caused a boisterous laugh on the part of Gruff. "Ha! I always knew that boy had a screw loose!" After calming down, he spoke with his usual tone. "Don't you worry, I'm sure they'll fix that about him once he's in a unit."

Slowly, Sunset's eyes narrowed. "Then you're saying that what he told us was true? He and others of his age are being coerced into your military?"

Here, Gruff finally spoke as though he'd been insulted. "Coerce? I promise you, there is no finer life than to risk oneself for the glory of the Gryff Empire!"

"Last I heard, your empire wasn't engaged in war. So who, exactly, are you trying to defend against?" Sunset asked, trying to understand the situation.

"Anyone!" Gruff answered firmly. "Our empire's surrounded on all sides by people like you who don't know how to keep their noses out of our business! And if we have to put a gun into the hands of every man, woman and child we have to guard every inch of our borders, then that is what we'll do!" He leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've had quite enough of talking to a bunch of Equis upstarts. Now hand Gallus over!"

The mood was tense, and many among the bridge crew had taken to looking to Sunset, curious and worried about what might happen in the next few moments. As for Sunset herself, she felt the all-too common problem that those in the position of captain were said to have. That the whole world felt like it was pressing on her shoulders, and that her choice might make it turn. In the end, she knew her choice. But really, she knew what her choice was before this conversation even started. "...No."

Silence fell, and Gruff slowly morphed into a look of disbelief. "I beg your pardon? What do you mean no?"

"I cannot carry out your demand and return Gallus to you," Sunset clarified.

"Why not?!" Gruff demanded to know.

"...Because I have granted his request for asylum."

Gruff looked like he was barely able to control himself, with his hands shaking as they held onto his cane. His breathing became heavier, and after a while he looked to her with pure venom. "You...will regret that choice. If you hold one of our kind away from us, don't think for one moment that won't be answered!"

Sunset had heard enough, and took on a more serious look. "I understand and appreciate your dislike of the situation. But if what you're proposing is violence then I strongly urge you to reconsider." She gestured around herself. "What you see here is the latest creation of the Equis shipyards. The top of the line ship of the fleet. We may not be a warship, but we are still considerably more advanced than the vessel you currently command." Her eyes narrowed. "So, Gruff of House Gruff...do you believe that you would win if it actually came to blows between us?"

Being a man of considerable pride, even the unwarranted sort, Gruff was unwilling to conceded anything that Sunset had said to him. Instead, and after careful and reluctant consideration, the old man eventually leaned back into his command chair. "This won't be the last you'll hear of us."

With that, the message cut out, leaving only the exterior shot of space, wherein the Gryff warship was seen turning. The danger had passed, at least for now, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Sunset, for her part, was thinking over everything that had just happened when, to her side, she heard Rarity clear her throat to gain her attention. "Um...shall I send word to Command about what's happened, Ma'am?"

Slowly, Sunset nodded, then kept her voice to a whisper as she spoke what was on her mind. "The Council are not going to be happy with me when they hear about this."

Comments

[nightshroud96]

Seeing Gallus makes me wonder if the rest of the Young Six will show up?
Like Smolder?

[raven618]

I like your take on the griffins. They have the classic Klingon warrior PRIDE! But they're also flat broke, scrounging up whatever they can get their talons on. A very interesting antagonist.

[TasermonsPartner]

So the Griffons have a mentality similar to the Romulans, but unlike the Romulans, who are more-or-less a technological match to the Federation, the Griffons are far less so.

...I'm not sure if that makes the situation better or worse. An opponent that knows they're outclassed will often resort to dangerous or unconventional tactics.

[ghostcyclone02]

Rainbow blinked to her, then rolled her eyes. "Wow, more iron than other asteroids. Good for them," she replied sarcastically.

"I dunno Rainbow, sounds pretty metal to me!"