The Galactic Empire discovers an odd star system in the outer rim. Tasked with scouting the planet, Scout Trooper TS-588 and her partner made unintentional first contact with a new alien life form. Ponies.
The Galactic Empire discovers an odd star system in the outer rim. Tasked with scouting the first planet in the system, Scout Trooper TS-588 and her partner TS-571 make unintentional first contact with a new alien life form.
Light Star Cruiser Valentine Unregistered Star System 18th Imperial Exploration Division
Grey metallic walls, sleek black floors and panels holding the personal belongings of Imperial troopers next to flat bunks with precisely folded sheets. An Imperial Barracks. The steady hum of a light cruiser's engines just a few decks below combined with the occasional muffled screaming of a docking TIE fighter patrol as background noise drowned out the steady marching of crewmen carrying on with vital tasks to keep the vessel operational at peak efficiency. TS-588, A scout trooper in the Imperial Navy, was laying awake in their bed and staring at the ceiling. It was regulation to undress and wear only their armor's body glove when resting, but it was nearly time for TS-588 to join her fellow scout trooper on a planetary run. Orbital scans could only provide so much information for the fleet, thus making her role in the Empire a vital but thankless job.
"Trooper TS-five-eight-eight, report to the hangar bay for deployment." The slightly bored noise of an Imperial officer spoke over her personal communication system.
Taking a deep breath to fight off lethargy, TS-588 heaved herself from the bottom bunk, normally reserved for her partner, and moved towards the door of the barracks. "Understood command, moving." She replied with equal practiced enthusiasm.
Her armor was about as form fitting as it was mass produced. Blaster fire would leave black scorch marks, so rather than repair the damaged armor, she would be issued pristine white armor the moment she had recovered in the medbay from any incursion. It was cheaper to replace armor than it was to train another trooper after all. Creating an armor that would prevent death by blaster fire was good enough for the Empire, as most enemies that were left to fight were more focused on the tide of troopers behind the fallen one than finishing off someone like TS-588. The Scout Trooper variant of armoring was designed with mobility in mind, as she was supposed to travel at high speeds atop specially manufactured Speeder bikes to survey as much land as possible, and to avoid return fire if spotted.
Moving through the flawless halls of the cruiser Valentine was easy, as most crew were busy making preparations for the more elite Stormtroopers that would be next in line after the scouting reports had come through. TS-588 wasn't entirely sure what the purpose of scouting this unknown world was, but the officers seemed very focused on doing their jobs correctly for once, which usually meant that someone higher on the food chain was breathing down their necks. TS-571 was waiting for her in the main hangar, already loading his speeder bike into the Imperial Transport that awaited them.
With the expeditionary force consisting of only two TIE transports and a light cruiser, the Empire wasn't expecting any trouble so far away from the main sightings of Rebel forces, as they were on the opposite end of the galaxy. What had attracted the Empire's attention to this particular system was the inexplicable orbit of the system. A medium sized planet was at the center of the system, with the much larger sun orbiting the planet. When such a planet was discovered, rumor aboard the ship was the Emperor himself took interest with it, and tasked an admiral to chart the planet himself.
Naturally, the Admiral decided they had better things to do with their time than follow the Emperor's commands, and tasked a fleet captain to perform the task for them. Now, we find TS-588 and TS-571 loading their scout speeders into an Imperial Transport.
"You remember to bring your blaster this time, Eighty Eight?" TS-571 asked brightly, the trooper mask he wore distorting his voice as he made final checks of his own chest pockets. "I'm never gonna forget that time on Ord Mantell when that rebel blasted you in the chest 'cause you left your blaster on your bed."
"Yeah, well did you make sure your bike has a power cell in it, Seventy One?" TS-588 countered, patting the blaster that was holstered to her right hip. "Be a shame if you had to drag your speeder back again like that time on Tatooine."
Seventy One pointed a black gloved finger sharply at Eighty Eight, "Hey, that was one time, and we got out fine didn't we?"
Eighty Eight chuckled, pushing her own speeder bike up the loading ramp of the transport. "Yeah, but I'd rather not get yelled at by Lieutenant Krandel again. He wasn't too happy about your deals with the jawas."
"Still better than you getting blasted off of your speeder by a kid, Eighty Eight." Seventy One snarked, his helmeted head lifting like he was giving a smug grin behind it.
"Troopers." The formal bark of an Imperial Officer announced. "You are set to depart in three minutes. Secure your speeders and prepare for departure."
The two scouts swiftly turned towards the hangar's floor to salute the officer that had escaped their notice. "Yes sir."
"Trooper TS-five-seven-one," He continued, pointing towards his hip, "Your blaster is at half charge. You will recharge it before your departure."
Seventy One glanced a look down to his blaster, and the light on the back was a solid yellow. A groan escaped his mask as he returned to attention. "Yes, sir. Right away."
"Trooper TS-five-eight-eight, you are issued one Long Range E-11 blaster rifle for this mission. You will not fire upon any life forms unless ordered to, understood?" The officer continued, un-slinging a cumbersome looking rifle from his shoulder and presenting it to her.
"Yes sir." She replied, walking down the loading ramp of the transport to acquire the rifle. "Are we expecting any trouble?"
"Information is your job, TS-five-eight-eight." The officer immediately replied with annoyance, "However, orbital scans have revealed what appears to be a primitive hamlet. Your transport will touch down in a nearby forest and you will proceed along the coordinates you've been briefed upon. If the locals prove to be hostile, you will report back after achieving a safe distance."
TS-571 nodded. "That's what the blaster is for, I take it?"
The officer glared at Seventy-one, causing the scout to return to attention. "Yes, trooper." Looking upwards to the hangar bay control center, he waved his hand in a tight circle before addressing the scouts once again. "You have two minutes. Make ready." The troopers barely had time to acknowledge the officer's order before he was walking away, off to perform more menial tasks that the higher officers wouldn't bother themselves with.
"Well, that went well." Seventy-one sighed, drawing his blaster and pulling out the power cell. "Better than our last drop, at least." he added, sticking the cell into a nearby charger in the ship. "Still, how did I not notice my blaster was half empty?"
"Could be the Corellian wine we had last night." Eighty-eight smirked behind her helmet. "Not as good as the stuff from Dantooine, but still."
"Do you have everything ready?" The transport pilot asked while leaning from their chair. "We're launching in thirty."
The troopers finished the last of their checks and secured themselves into the folding drop seats that retracted from the transport's walls. "Ready sir." Eighty-eight replied.
Seventy-one retracted the power cell from the wall and returned it to his blaster before sitting down. "Ready."
"Alright you two, get ready for launch." The pilot replied, pressing a few final buttons as the ship's communications sprang to life with clearing codes and official chatter. "Time to do some exploration."
Equestria Ponyville Twilight's Castle
"Did I ever tell you how much I love star-gazing?" Twilight Sparkle asked idly, peering into her specially made telescope at the night's sky. "I mean, I liked it before I met Luna in person, but now that I'm able to spend more time with her as a part of my duties now, it just has so much more meaning!"
The princess's company, the very tired pegasus named Rainbow Dash, was sprawled out on several pillows nearby. "You've only told me like a hundred times, Twilight." She tiredly replied, trying to hide a yawn. "Is there any reason you wanted me to be up so late tonight? Applejack wants some help with her orchard tomorrow and I have to get up really early if I want to be there on time."
Twilight gasped, knocking her telescope askew. "I completely forgot about that! I didn't mean to keep you so long, Rainbow." She apologetically smiled. "You can go home if you want; I'm going to be out here for a while."
"You sure? Don't you have a meeting with somepony tomorrow too?" Rainbow questioned, pulling herself from the soft embrace of multiple pillows.
"Eh... they decided to cancel it. Apparently the Saddle Arabian council doesn't like the cold air all that much." Twilight sheepishly replied. "Hey, honest oversight I guess." She added, looking back into her telescope.
"Well, good luck with tomorrow then. I'm gonna go... hit the hay." Rainbow Dash yawned, readying herself for flight.
"Wait a minute..." Twilight whispered, her stance changing to one of interest. "That's not a star..."
Mid launch, Rainbow Dash's interest was nudged ever so slightly. "What do you mean? Of course it's a star. That's all there is up there."
"Rainbow, I think this 'star' or whatever it is, is headed for the Everfree forest!" Twilight excitedly pointed out, bouncing on her hooves. "Oh, I hope it's a meteor!"
Rainbow Dash breathed a heavy sigh while rubbing her eyes with the side of her hoof. "Alright, Twilight. Let's go and look at the meteor."
Twilight's smile was wide. "Really? But what about Applejack?"
"Knowing you, you'd probably get yourself into trouble if you went alone. I'm sure Applejack will understand." Rainbow joked while blinking away tiredness. "Lead the way to the exploding meteors, Twilight."
Imperial Transport IN-3912 Landing Site Aurek Mission Time: 00:02:00
"Got your helmet on?" Seventy-One joked at his speeder's engine roared to life, causing it to hover just a meter off of the transport's deck.
"You have your blaster charged?" Eighty-Eight shot back, activating her own speeder. "Just hope whatever we find isn't going to be like those Ewoks from Endor. Had enough of rope coming out of nowhere and catapulting me from my speeder."
Hopping onto their speeders and making a final equipment check, Seventy-One scoffed. "Had enough of them to last me a lifetime."
A quick crackle inside of the trooper's helmets announced the communications coming from the cruiser above. "Come in scout team."
"Communications clear." TS-571 replied. "Landing successful and beginning route."
"Understood scout team. Report any unusual activity." The officer from above ordered.
"Acknowledged." TS-571 replied, and the communications channel scratched out. "Like we've ever not reported that."
"Lead the way, team leader." TS-588 offered, pointing an upward palm to the dark trees ahead of them. "Just be sure to not travel too fast, or you might get up close and personal with the foliage again." She added with a chuckle.
"That tree wasn't there before, and you know it." Seventy-one grumbled, revving the engine of his speeder and launching himself noisily from the transport's hold. Eighty-Eight was close behind, and they quickly discovered that the dense forest of their landing site was too much for even their speeder bikes to keep up with the elevation changes alone. Near miss after rotten log, the two had been on their speeders for not twenty seconds before they realized the viability of speeders in these woods.
"Alright, plan B?" Seventy-One sighed, swinging their leg around the chassis of the bike to land with a soft squish on the mossy forest floor. "Eugh. That better not get in my boots."
Eighty-Eight followed suit, pulling her speeder next to her partner's and disengaging the engine. "Well, so much for the bikes this time around. I just hope the entire planet isn't as dark as this place."
"Hey, the flowers are nice though. Not like Felucia where everything would try to kill us." Seventy-One pointed out, gesturing to a patch of blue flowers nearby.
"Yeah, let's not take any chances. It might look pretty, but so did those flowers on Taris. How long did you spend in the bacta tank because of them again?" Eighty-Eight countered, pulling her partner away from the flowers.
"Oh, yeah." Seventy-One gulped. "Never doing that again."
Everfree Forest Location Unknown
"Twilight, do you see them?" Rainbow Dash whispered, hiding alongside her friend in a nearby bush. "What are they saying?"
"I don't know!" Twilight hissed, "It sounds like they're speaking gibberish to me."
"Well you're the princess, why don't you cast a spell on them or something?" Rainbow suggested, nudging Twilight.
"Because casting spells on ponies we don't know is rude? Not to mention it could be disastrous for relations between Equestria and another nation we haven't seen before." Twilight countered, upset with the inability to speak with these strange newcomers but trying her best to figure out a plan.
"Well, maybe we should just walk up and say 'Hi'." Rainbow offered, "They don't look that tough. Minotaur have way bigger muscles than they do."
"What if they're not friendly?" Twilight worried. "I don't want to hurt them."
"You befriended Thorax, didn't you? I think if you can befriend a changeling, you can make friends of anypony." Rainbow Dash replied confidently.
"That was mostly Spike, Rainbow. I thought Thorax was trying to trick him in the beginning." Twilight reminded Rainbow, growing more nervous. "Maybe we should bring everypony else?"
"Twilight, you're the Princess of Friendship. If anypony can make friends with these two, its gotta be you!" Rainbow insisted, giving Twilight a shove from the bush and out into the open.
"Rainbow!" Twilight quietly hissed in panic. Looking from the bush towards the two white and black figures, she noticed that they looked a lot scarier from the front than they did from behind. She really hoped that they were wearing helmets, and that their faces weren't even more terrifying underneath.
"A...uh... Hello!" Twilight unintentionally stuttered. She had faced far worse things than two tall creatures that looked like skinny armored minotaur, but what worried her the most was the fact that she might have to defend herself if anything was misunderstood between them. It was like meeting the Yaks all over again.
Imperial Scout Group Auresh Unregistered Planet
"Is... that what I think it is?" Eighty-eight wondered aloud, her voice filtered through her mask with processed clicks and scratches. "Because it looks like a really colorful quadruped, covered in fur, with a horn and wings."
The troopers shared a look of confusion for a moment, and drew their blaster pistols in unison. "I'm pretty sure that thing was talking with something else in the bush." Seventy-one added, the two troopers spreading apart from one another with their blasters trained on the very noisy creature in front of them.
"Think it's hostile?" Eighty-Eight asked, moving on the creature's right side as it sat on the ground while looking between the two with unsteady vocalizations. "This thing might be somebody's pet from the hamlet nearby for all we know."
Seventy-one was moving around the creature's left side, presenting it only a single opportunity to lash out at one of the troopers. "Well, it hasn't leapt on one of us yet. It could be trying to figure out what we're doing."
"Think it deserves that much credit? Something pushed it from that bush. Look at the grass." Eighty-Eight pointed out, a free hand gesturing to the slowly recovering trampled grass.
"Must mean there's two of them, then. Stun setting?" Seventy-one suggested.
Eighty-Eight adjusted a dial on her blaster, causing the power cell to switch colors from a red to a light blue. "Hate this setting. Uses way too much of the cell, you know?"
"Yeah, but we don't use it that much, do we?" Seventy-one countered, adjusting his own blaster. Both troopers then leveled their blaster pistols at the purple creature between them, angled downward so that any crossfire would impact the ground and not themselves.
"Hey, I'd rather stun someone's pet than kill it. Don't need any more rebels popping up on account of us blasting their kids' best friend." Eighty-eight reasoned. "On three?"
"One..." Seventy-one began, "Two..."
Before the final count, the troopers were interrupted by an angry growl coming from a nearby tree. Distracted by the sudden threat, the two troopers closed in on each other and pointed back to back at the surrounding forest.
"You just had to ask if it was hostile, didn't you?" Seventy-One whispered, scanning the nearby trees. "I swear, if this planet is anything like--"
"Hey, listen for movement and don't panic." Eighty-eight ordered, sweeping her vision around and looking for movement.
Seventy-one felt a tug on his boots and nearly had a heart attack, pointing the blaster directly in the purple creature's face. It had placed what looked like a hoof on his foot and was looking up at him with concern and very wide eyes. "Don't do that to me!" He shouted to the creature, kicking it away and refocusing on the treeline surrounding him.
"Alright, I'm setting it to kill. Screw wasting charge on the wildlife." Eighty-Eight stated, adjusting the settings on her blaster.
"On the left!" Seventy-one shouted, a loud blast projecting a blue circle of energy towards the figure that was leaping out of the forest. The creature lit up from claw to snout with a flash of light and collapsed on the forest floor in a heap, breathing heavily with its face in the dirt.
"Do I even want to know what that thing is?" Eighty-Eight asked, pointing her blaster at the creature's head. "It's like a Kath Hound made of plants."
"Well, just kill it and lets move on. Whatever this other creature is doesn't seem like its much of a threat." Seventy-one replied with a steadying breath, holstering his blaster.
A loud blast and a bolt of red energy lanced its way through the wooden creature's head, causing it to splinter into smoking pieces of lumber all across the area.
"Eugh, I think I got sap on me." Eighty-eight complained, swiping some greenish-brown from her shoulder armor. She was about to holster her blaster when a field of lavender encompassed the entire device and ripped it from her hands. Seventy-One was in a similar situation, as his pistol was also taken from his holster as the two tried to regain their balance from the sudden action.
"What the?" Seventy-one asked rhetorically, searching his holster for his blaster before finding that the purple creature had stolen both of their weapons, and was pointing them directly at himself and his partner.
"Whoa there, take it easy!" Eighty-Eight asked, her hands up and fingers open. "Don't get too hasty with those things, okay?"
"Did that thing just take our blasters?" Seventy-one asked in confusion, his hands raised as well. "How is that possible?"
The purple creature didn't seem too happy with their blasters, and before the scouts could say a word of protest, their pistols were crumpled into a wad of metal and ruptured power cells and unceremoniously dumped onto the ground. The troopers shared a look of helmeted confusion before returning their attention to the small thing in front of them.
"Okay, so, you're better with animals; You try to talk to it." Seventy-one insisted, gesturing with his head towards the purple thing.
"Really, you want me to talk to this thing? It just turned our blasters into scrap metal. I think we shouldn't try to annoy it anymore than we already have." Eighty-eight countered, taking a step away from the creature.
Before she could move another step, both Eighty-eight and Seventy-one were wrapped in fields of lavender energy and lifted from the ground. Trying to maintain balance was a futile act, as all they were able to do was drift aimlessly in the grip of this tiny creature and await whatever fate it had in store for them. What they didn't expect was another creature to join this one, especially one that had a rainbow for hair.
"So." Eighty-Eight asked while floating upside down. "Are we going to report this as unusual activity?"
Outskirts of Primitive Hamlet Mission Time 00:32:47
"Hey Eighty-eight, do you still have that E-eleven on you?" Seventy-one asked, currently holding onto his helmet to prevent it from falling off. The two scout troopers were still listing lazily above the ground and wrapped in a field of energy from the purple creature and the rainbow one constantly chattering.
"Yeah, but I don't want it to get turned to scrap like our blaster pistols. What's your plan?" Eight-eight replied while looking over their shoulder to ensure their rifle was still in place.
"Well, these creatures didn't know our blasters were a threat until we used them, so maybe they don't know what your E-eleven is yet. If they let us go, or there's a chance to use it when they're distracted, we should blast our way out of here and report back." Seventy-one shrugged, his head now upright. "Unless there's a whole village of creatures like purple over here."
"The rainbow one is chattering to the purple one a lot, so maybe the purple one is their leader?" Eighty-eight guessed, swinging herself around to get a better look at the second creature. "This one only has wings, so maybe its like a second in command?"
Seventy-one scoffed, "Yeah, and they got a government and a princess to lead them like Naboo." He then pointed with his arm to the approaching cottage, "Look at this place. I doubt they have running water, let alone a unifying leader."
"Hey, the Ewoks had leaders and they make a mess out of Endor by just existing. Those tribals didn't have whatever this energy field is either, so lets just hope we aren't on our way to a chopping block." Eighty-eight pointed out.
"If it comes down to it, we can set a distress communication and deal with a cranky lieutenant. I don't plan on dying to small colorful quadrupeds today, even if we're scrubbing manifolds for a month." Seventy-one grumbled.
"Come to think of it, why haven't we killed off all of the Ewoks on Endor?" Eighty-eight thought aloud. "If they cause so much trouble, why not get rid of them?"
"They keep out the other critters and wildlife where ever they set up, so they're the lesser evil. Ewoks aren't interested in power cables and blast doors, but some of the animals have a deathwish when it comes to generators." Seventy-one explained. "Besides, who knows what these things must be keeping in check, right?" he added, pointing to the purple creature.
Outside of Fluttershy's Cottage Ponyville Outskirts 6:00 AM
"Do these two ever stop talking? Their voices are giving me a headache." Rainbow Dash complained, giving the thinner of the two giants a glare of annoyance.
"We're almost to Fluttershy's, and if anypony can talk to these two it would be her." Twilight explained. "Maybe she can tell us what they're saying?"
"Yeah, well she's not gonna be happy about..." Rainbow Dash yawned, "How early it is."
"She's actually already awake. She has a lot of animals to care for, and some of them get up really early. She had me help a few times." Twilight explained, knocking three times on the door to Fluttershy's cottage with her hoof. "I just hope she isn't out in the fields right now, or we'll have to sit with these two until she comes back."
Rainbow Dash groaned loudly, "Do I have to stick around for that? I'm already going to be late to help Applejack at this rate and I want to get in maybe ten minutes of shut eye before I have to work. You've handled a lot worse than these two by yourself."
"I'm sure if you explain everything to Applejack she'll understand, Rainbow. Just let her know what happened and get some rest. I've got this under control." Twilight smiled reassuringly, giving her friend a pat on the back before the colorful Pegasus took to the skies with a quick thanks.
The two white and black giants seemed to take notice of this, because Twilight couldn't hear them talking anymore. They were floating in awe, trying to straighten each other out by holding on to one another at arms length. This made Twilight realize that she hadn't been focusing on keeping them vertical, and it was probably what was causing them to talk so much. Using her magic, she re-orientated the two giants to be head up and feet down, while still floating above the ground. The two giants looked to her and nodded, scratching out what sounded like thanks with their strange voices.
"Fluttershy?" Twilight called out to the door, knocking on it again. "I need your help!"
Primitive Dwelling Mission Time 00:37:14
"Did you see that!?" Seventy-one gushed with awe. "How did that thing move so fast?"
"That shouldn't be possible!" Eighty-eight agreed. "Our speeders can't even reach that speed! You'd have to bring a TIE fighter for something like that, and they're way too small a target to hit."
"You know what this means?" Seventy-one replied with quiet realization. "We're still scouting, and now we're getting intel on the locals for the fleet. Technically, we're doing our jobs!"
"Chew on that, Lieutenant Krandel!" Eighty-eight quietly cheered with a closed fist towards the sky, trying not to spook the purple creature below her.
The creature knocked on the entrance to it's dwelling a third time, now revealing a light yellow creature that peeked through the doorway with sensitive blue eyes. It's voice was far softer than the other two's had been, and its eyes were wide with caution when it stared at the scout troopers.
"Think that's purple's mother?" Seventy-one joked, hitting Eighty-eight on the shoulder with the back of his hand while pointing to the new creature.
"No, it doesn't have a horn. Maybe its the jailer?" Eighty-eight returned sarcastically, also lightly hitting Seventy-one.
"With eyes like that? No, can't be." Seventy-one replied. "Maybe its their doctor? It seems a lot more likely."
"Who knows, Seventy-one. Maybe yellow here is their cook." Eighty-eight joked, looking down at the yellow creature.
It seemed shy, but after some chattering between the two creatures it slowly emerged from its home and walked carefully towards the two troopers.
"What's it doing?" Seventy-one asked rhetorically. "Taking measurements?"
"Measurements?" Eighty-eight questioned.
"Yeah, like for when you're butchering a Nerf. What cuts make the best meat..." Seventy-one replied, only half joking.
Before Eighty-eight could reply, the yellow creature made soft cooing noises, drawing closer to Seventy-one with an outstretched hoof. The two troopers shared a nervous look, and the small winged yellow thing continued to make soft, non-threatening noises to them.
"Oh...kay, this is wierd." Seventy-one stated. "Are you feeling strangely at peace with the world right now?"
"Um... yeah." Eighty-eight replied, checking themselves for anything out of place. "This doesn't feel right. Is it messing with our minds?"
The soft noises continued, and the yellow creature used its wings to hover at eye level with both troopers, with a smile across its face that worried the them.
"Uh oh, that doesn't look good. Smiles are never good when it comes to aliens." Eighty-eight worriedly announced, trying to pull herself away from the creature.
The creature's smile vanished, and it redoubled its efforts to coo at Eighty-eight. The trooper was already alarmed at this point, the proximity driving her to further alarm.
"Get away from me, alien!" Eighty-eight shouted, kicking with what strength she could on the yellow creature, sending it backwards into what looked like a box of straw.
Fluttershy's Cottage
"Fluttershy!" Twilight shouted, running after her friend towards the hay bale she had been launched into. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Fluttershy replied hazily. "I didn't know they were so strong, Twilight. They could have really hurt you if you didn't hold them in your magic." She added softly, holding her head. "I probably scared them, too."
"What should we do with them?" Twilight asked, still holding the two giants out of arms reach. "We can't really just let them go, can we? What if they wander into town?"
"I tried to talk with them, but I couldn't understand anything they were saying." Fluttershy replied with a pout. She pulled herself from the hay bale with some assistance by Twilight, and pulled some straw from her hair with her mouth before setting it on the ground. "Maybe they're hungry?"
Looking at the two giants, who were once again talking quickly, Fluttershy gained an idea. "I know! Maybe Spike can help us."
Twilight was skeptical. "Spike? What could he do?"
"Well, He could send a letter to Princess Celestia for us while we take care of these two giants, and maybe she's seen something like these two before!" Fluttershy explained excitedly. "Maybe they're just lost, and from a really far away place and trying to get home?"
"I don't know if we should get Princess Celestia involved with this, Fluttershy. I'm a Princess myself now, and I'm supposed to be able to handle things like this on my own." Twilight reasoned, unfolding her wings. "That's what these were for, remember?"
Fluttershy was a bit disheartened at that. "Oh, Twilight. We can't handle everything on our own, and this is something she might have experience with. She's been around longer than anypony; maybe she can speak with them?"
"Well who's gonna watch these two while I run to Spike? They don't seem that well behaved..." Twilight cautiously replied, staring sideways at the floating giants behind her.
"I think I can manage, Twilight. Maybe they were upset because they're being held by your magic?" Fluttershy offered sensitively. "I think when they're on the ground again, they might feel more comfortable."
Twilight's ears folded back with epiphany. "Oh." She grumbled, before smiling apologetically to the two giants. "My mistake."
"You can bring them inside, and I'll see if they want something to eat." Fluttershy suggested, walking slowly back to her cottage's front door in order to hold it open. "I won't be alone with them long; I know you're a good flyer now, Twilight."
"Well, you should've seen what they did to a Timberwolf..." Twilight shuddered. "I know they're predators, but still... One moment it was there, then it was on the ground... and they just..."
"Twilight, If I know anything about animals, is that some animals eat other animals to survive." Fluttershy explained. "I don't hold anything against the giants for defending themselves, even if it was hard to watch."
"You're right." Twilight sighed, "Just be careful, okay?" She added, unfurling her wings once again and releasing her magical hold on the two giants, sending them to the ground with the unexpected drop and causing a cloud of dust from the impact. "I'll be right back!"
Outside Primitive Dwelling Mission Time 00:47:18 Status: Dusty
Both troopers yelped with surprise from their sudden release, landing on their rear ends and receiving a small jolt from the impact. As soon as they had recovered, they jumped to their feet, backing away from the yellow creature.
"Blaster time?" Eighty-eight asked, her right hand already reaching for the E-11 long rifle on her back.
Seventy-one's hand reached out to Eighty-eight's chest plate. "Not yet. We don't know what they're doing. If they make a move, go for it. For now, just keep the blaster ready."
Eighty-eight slowly pulled the long rifle from her back, pointing the barrel of the blaster to the ground for safety. "Well, it's your call team leader." She replied with doubt.
Keeping his hands in front of him and trying to appear as non-threatening as possible, Seventy-one slowly approached the yellow creature standing at the doorway to its home. "Hey there, tiny thing. We're not gonna hurt you, alright? Take it easy..."
The yellow thing gave Seventy-one a raised eyebrow of confusion for his efforts, and made soft cooing noises while pointing to the inside of its home.
Eighty-eight raised a free hand to her mask, making an effort to stifle the filtered laughter coming from her communicator. "Hey, I think you got married to a critter here, Seventy-one."
Seventy-one swiveled on his heels to point at Eighty-eight. "Don't you dare say something like that, Eighty-eight. It might come true, and I'll throw you out of an airlock the second we get back on the cruiser for it."
"And I'll come back from deep space to haunt you for all time." Eighty-eight countered playfully, cautiously approaching the doorway to the small home. "Think they got the holo-net in here?"
"I really doubt it, Eighty-eight." Seventy-one chuckled. "At best they'd have re-runs of Nal-Hutta info-mericals."
Following the yellow creature into their home through the small doorway, the two troopers were stunned by the amount of wildlife inside of the dwelling. Avians, mammals, reptiles and others that they had no classification for were scurrying around the inside of the home. There were tiny houses built specifically for some of the flying creatures, and others had small pillow buildings that reminded the troopers of sandbags. One small, fuzzy and white creature in particular looked very unhappy to see them. It seemed like its arms were crossed, and it was tapping its leg on the floor while giving the troopers a sour expression.
"Get a look at that critter, Seventy-one." Eighty-eight pointed out. "Remind you of anyone?"
Seventy-one's helmet swiveled to where Eighty-eight was pointing and had to pull away almost immediately; scattered giggles emitting from his communicator. "Pfft, it's like a tiny Krendel!"
The creature didn't take kindly to their behavior, walking up to the laughing trooper to stomp down on his foot.
"Ow!" Seventy-one yelped, giving a very aggressive response by knocking over the small creature with a shove from his injured foot. The creature flopped over on their back a few feet away, causing the yellow creature to rush between them.
Fluttershy's Cottage
"Oh no!" Fluttershy blurted, placing herself between the giants and Angel Bunny. "Are you okay, Angel?" She asked worriedly, her attention split between the two newcomers and her bunny friend.
Angel was very upset, brushing off their ears from gathered dust and dirt from the giant's boots. He shook a small paw at the two giants before hopping away to safety. Fluttershy was now faced with the possibility that these two giants might cause more problems, and one of the ways she knew that would calm down angry creatures was giving them food.
"I'll be right back, okay? I'm going to make you something to eat... although I'm not sure if you do eat with mouths like that." She nervously stated, pointing to the giant's smooth white faces. "Maybe they're a mask?" She added to herself, already walking off.
What would a giant eat? Thought Fluttershy. Well, maybe they'd like something to drink? Every animal needs water, so maybe I'll make them tea!
Primitive Hovel Mission Time: 00:53:17
"Well, looks like the critter is distracted with something." Eighty-eight pointed out. "You gonna need a week in a bacta tank for that, Seventy-one?" She added jokingly, pointing to her partner's foot.
"Hey, that thing might be tiny but it packs a lot of power in that body." Seventy-one replied defensively. "You try getting kicked by it and see if you're so jolly afterward."
"Think we should have a look around?" Eighty-eight asked, taking in the sights of the small hovel. "Might be able to find out something about the natives."
"I think we've found out enough already. They can fling us around with some kind of energy, and their animals hurt like a Ronto." Seventy-one grumbled, nursing his foot. "If you want to upset these things, go right ahead. I'm going to take a seat in one of these tiny chairs and hope that it doesn't break under my weight."
Eighty-eight watched her partner walk around the small table in the center of the room to loom over a tiny couch near the far wall. Still holding her rifle in one arm like a cradled child, she covered the communicator on her helmet with the other hand just in case Seventy-one did break the couch. "Careful there, big boy." She teased, her voice muffled by her hand. "Wouldn't want to upset the missus."
Seventy-one turned to glare at Eighty-eight through his helmet, causing a scene for only a moment before he unceremoniously dumped himself onto the small couch. Flinching in anticipation of a wooden snap, Eighty-eight was only slightly disappointed when the couch didn't break into a mess of splinters.
"See, I'm not that heavy." Seventy-one sarcastically jeered. Tapping his armored chestplate, he added "It's all that high speed traveling and intense 'running-from-blaster-fire' workout routines, you know?"
At that moment, the yellow creature returned with a wide plate holding what looked like a container and several cups of liquid. Standing in the room and looking between the two troopers, it seemed confused as to why they were apart from another. It then made soft cooing noises again, motioning to the table as it set down the plate.
"Well, don't leave a critter waiting, Eighty-eight." Seventy-one motioned to his partner with an upturned hand. Pointing to the couch opposite him he added, "It's clearly time for food!"
Eighty-eight tilted her helmet sideways with skepticism. "Or it could be trying to poison us. How do we even know we can drink whatever that is?" She asked, pointing her free hand at the liquid.
"We could do the old taste test." Seventy-one replied, taking up the tiny cup with his comparatively large hand. His fingers wrapped around the outside of the cup entirely, and the handle would've been fit for his gloved pinkie finger. "You know, just an officer's ration."
"You're insane, Seventy-one." Eighty-eight sighed, making her way around the couch to join her partner. Tapping the side of her helmet, the visor swished upwards to reveal her face in the same moment that Seventy-one had done the same. "If we die, I blame you and your stomach."
"Why of course, my dear." Seventy-one replied in his best imitation of a smug and snooty Imperial Officer. "Only the finest Corellian wine for you." He added, offering one of the tiny cups to Eighty-eight.
The two troopers clinked their cups together through small openings between their fingers and looked to the small creature sitting opposite to them. Sharing a look of worry, Eighty-eight asked "Why is it looking at us like that?"
Fluttershy's Cottage
Fluttershy was staring wide eyed at the two giants. She was right that they had been wearing masks, but she hadn't been expecting what was underneath. Almost squished faces, free of hair, tiny eyes, small noses, thin lips, and brownish skin. They were adorable!
"Well, we've been sitting here long enough. Time check?" Seventy-One asked while setting his tea cup down on the table between himself and the yellow creature that still enjoyed their own cup.
Primitive Hovel Mission Time: 59:58
Eighty-Eight jumped from the small couch underneath her, grabbing her helmet and rifle in the same movement. "Long enough. We're overdue for the next waypoint."
Seventy-One took his partner's tea cup and set it down next to his own, taking his helmet from the table with a smile. "It's been pleasant, yellow creature, but we have work to do."
Moving for the door and doing their best not to step on obstructive animals, the two scout troopers reached the door just in time to have it fly open with a gust of wind. Critters ducked for cover from the force of the door's opening, and the path was obstructed by the purple leader and what appeared to be its friends. The flying blue one made an appearance as well, though it seemed grumpy.
"We really don't have time for this." Seventy-One commented, attempting to gently move the purple one to the side.
The creatures stood firmly in their path with mixed expressions. A white one seemed interested in them, and an orange one was more confrontational. The two troopers shared a masked look of exasperation and sighed loudly through their helmet's speakers.
"Should we give it the old 'Imperial Password'?" Eighty-Eight suggested, gesturing to the purple one in their path and moving her finger closer to the blaster's trigger.
"That's not going to go down well with the locals. I think we should--" Seventy-One had replied before being interrupted by a distinctive chirp and scratching noise in their helmet.
"Oh great," Eighty-Eight groaned, "It's the Lieutenant."
Holding their left hand to the side of their helmet, the two troopers joined the incoming communication.
"Troopers TS-588 and TS-571, you are overdue for your reconnaissance. Reports show that you haven't moved in some time. What is your status?" Krandel questioned over their communication links. The creatures that blocked their path began talking to each other in quiet, higher pitched tones and with seemingly worried expressions.
"We were... impeded by the wildlife, Lieutenant. The local population has basic understanding of structures and lives in a communal gathering. We didn't want to upset the locals, and they insisted that we-" Seventy-one explained, before he was again interrupted.
"You are not diplomats, Troopers. You are scouts. You provide intelligence, not inter-galactic relations. Extricate yourselves from the situation as carefully as you can manage and resume your operation." Krandel ordered firmly, his tone as biting over the commlink as it was in person. "Provide a situation report immediately."
Seventy-One took a deep breath to calm himself before re-engaging his commlink and continuing. "Yes Lieutenant. Additional observations thus far are as follows..."
Doorway to Fluttershy's Cottage
"Who are they talking to?" Rainbow Dash loudly whispered. "And why are they holding their head like that?"
"Maybe they have some kind of..." Twilight trailed, her face scrunching with uncertainty, "...Distant communication spell in their helmets?"
"Maybe we should get out of their way. They don't seem the friendly type to me." Applejack interjected. "They got what looks like armor on, and whatever it is they got in their hands doesn't look that helpful for talking."
"We can't let them leave, what if somepony else finds them or they damage the town?" Twilight reasoned with a worried tilt. "When I found these two with Rainbow Dash, they were about to be attacked by a manticore. They came out of the Everfree Forest without a clue to what was around them, and now they're just going to walk off again to who knows where!"
"They seemed pretty nice while we waited for you, Twilight." Fluttershy pointed out with a raised hoof. "I think they even said a 'thank you' for the tea."
"You gave them tea?" Rainbow Dash asked incredulously.
"It would've been rude to drink tea without offering them any." Fluttershy explained politely. "Besides, the giants are very cute."
Rainbow covered her face with a hoof. "You think everything is cute, Fluttershy."
"You remember the parasprites?" Applejack added. "Now I don't think these two are gonna go around eating everything, but that doesn't mean we should be careless."
The giants had apparently finished their garble and scratchy talk with their helmets. Looming over the group of ponies and attempting to gently shove their way through the group, Twilight stood firmly in their path.
Primitive Hovel Mission Time: 1:04:30
Eighty-eight shook her head, pointing the barrel of her blaster towards the group and flicking a switch on the side of her blaster. "You gotta love impatience, right? Sure, let's order the troopers to stun the locals, that'll win hearts and minds."
Seventy-one placed his hands on his hips, longing for his own pistol that had been scrapped. "One thing at a time, Eighty-eight. We have to get our speeder bikes and finish our route. We're not diplomats, after all. We're troopers." He added mockingly.
"On three?" Eighty-eight suggested, preparing the rifle as the crowd became more vocal and confused as to what was going on.
Seventy-One crouched low to be eye level with the creatures. In a higher toned and parental voice that was somewhat defeated by his helmets speakers, he cooed "Alright, come close and listen you bunch of colorful nerfs. Daddy Seventy-one has a story to tell all of you." Waving his hands closer to draw the crowd in, he continued. "Once upon a time, in a galaxy far far away, there was a group of colorful idiots that didn't understand how blasters work."
"One." Eighty-eight blurted, her rifle beginning to emit a low hum as the battery cells switched output to a lower setting.
"They all gathered around two Imperial Troopers with wide eyed stares and innocent expressions and looked right into the barrel." He added, pointing to the barrel of Eighty-eight's blaster. "Yeah, right there. Can you see it? There's something down the length of it if you look close enough."
The creatures gathered around suspiciously, peering into the slim metal tube that was nearly finished charging. "Two." Eighty-eight announced.
"Then, after the creatures all looked at each other with confusion, they huddled together to try and figure out what the Imperial Troopers were trying to get them to do, just like you're doing now!" Seventy-One added with a mockingly sweet voice someone would use for children. "They wrapped their alien limbs around each other like a huttball team, chatting away and tried very hard to come up with an idea."
"Three." Eighty-Eight finished with bored tonality. "You finished with your story, Seventy-one?"
"The taller trooper pointed to his friend's barrel, which was glowing now, and said a whole load of sweet sounding gibberish that the aliens couldn't understand, and then he nodded to his partner, giving her the signal to..." He trailed, rolling his hands in a circular motion towards the group of colorful creatures.
With a loud blast of electricity that rang out in a circle, the creatures were struck as a whole group. Their bodies jerked around for a moment before they fell into a fuzzy pile on the hovel's wooden floor, gently breathing and otherwise unharmed. More importantly, they were all wonderfully unconscious and no longer barring the trooper's path.
Eighty-eight slung her rifle on her shoulder. "Do you always have to tell a story like that? I still remember the first time we did that to the Jawas on Tatooine."
Seventy-one mocked an insulted tone. "Hey, it worked. The things are out of our way, their hair is frazzled and ridiculous looking, and nobody died. Another glorious day in the Empire."
