The rescue of a stranded crew member on a deserted planet
In the year 2022, Neighsay took a new job as an interplanetary missions director after retiring from the EEA. Starting in 2037, two explorations on a deserted planet called Soria have gone successfully, in an attempt to determine how it became uninhabited three years prior. The year is now 2042. Twelve days into their mission, a dust-storm has forced Twilight Sparkle, Flurry Heart, Rainbow Dash, Ocellus, Cadence, and Thorax, the crew of Astro III to abort their mission early. They must launch before the ascension rocket tips over, in order return to their orbiting spacecraft, the Cosmos. During the storm, Flurry is struck by a communication dish that breaks off of the habitation facility, and thrown out of sight. Without time to look for her, and with the rocket on the brink of falling down, the crew presumes her as dead and escapes just in time. Now, Flurry must find out how to contact them and get rescued.
During the preflight procedures, Flurry Heart turned on a camera to give a live broadcast before the crew set off on their mission.
"Hello everyone in Equestria, I am Flurry Heart. My mom and I, along with the rest of our crew are about to set out for Soria on Astro III, here on the Cosmos. We are just going though the final stages of preparation before we break out of orbit. I will be giving you a tour as I speak.", she said over the camera.
"As you can see, the living quarters are built inside a massive wheel that slowly rotates to create artificial gravity. I will now show you the different modules and the other members of the crew. I am in the laboratory now, but we have a gym up here so that we don't lose muscle mass and bone density. I feel no need to show where we sleep, but some of the crew is in the fourth part of the wheel. This part serves as a recreational area. As you can see, my mom is our commander. Thorax is our doctor. Ocellus is new to space travel, and is learning about what being an astronaut involves. She is also our botanist, so we can study the soil on Soria. Aunt Twilight keeps an ear to the radio in case of any emergency. Last but certainly not least, Rainbow Dash was nominated to be our pilot.", Flurry explained as she maneuvered throughout a large round portion of the Cosmos and then through the rest of the craft. As she moved through the ship, the crew members waved to all who were watching the tour.
Flurry was also wearing a headset, so that if anyone on the ground had a question, she could answer it or carry it to someone else.
"Flurry Heart, this is Sunburst. What's cooking for supper for you up there tonight?", he asked.
"Steak is on the menu tonight. It is very juicy.", she replied.
"I hope you have a safe trip, Sweet Pea.", Shining Armor said to Flurry.
"Thank you Dad. We will try.", Flurry responded.
Everyone said their final goodbyes, and the transmission was ended with two words.
Rainbow Dash was checking the ascent rocket to make sure it was not damaged by the last dust storm. Then, a call came from Cadence.
"Satellites show another storm approaching. This one is much worse. It is coming straight towards us with a force of 8,600 Newtons.", she reported.
"What's the abort force?", Flurry asked.
"Abort force is 7,500 Newtons, sweetheart. Anything more than that would cause the rocket to tip over.", Twilight explained calmly.
"Are we scrubbed?", Ocellus asked.
"We could wait the storm out.", Thorax indicated.
"Prep emergency procedures.", Cadence said after thinking for a bit.
"Mom...", Flurry started.
"We're scrubbed. That's an order, young lady. Do not argue with me.", Cadence scolded.
Without hesitating, Cadence, Flurry Heart, Ocellus, Thorax, and Twilight Sparkle put on their suits and walked into the airlock. As she depressurized the area, Cadence radioed her crew.
"Visibility is almost zero. Home in on my suit if you get lost.", she instructed.
Rainbow had already started to power up the rocket, but it was starting to tilt rapidly.
"Commander, we're reaching an angle of 9 1/2. That is dangerously close to the tipping point. Eight minutes till launch."
The walk to the rocket was arduous, due to how hard the wind was blowing. They were 3/4 of the way there when the communication dish broke off the lab. Flurry Heart was smacked in the helmet and thrown out of sight.
"FLURRY HEART!!", Cadence cried.
Thorax checked Flurry's vitals, but they were offline.
"Her suit isn't responding.", he said sadly.
"We're almost at the tipping point.", Rainbow shrieked.
"Get on the rocket, now." , Cadence ordered.
Everyone else followed her up the ladder and boarded the ascent craft. Pushing the launch button, they took off and docked on the Cosmos.
However, Flurry Heart was not dead. She was knocked unconscious by the dish. Unfortunately, her suit battery was knocked loose when she hit the ground. Oxygen was still pumping, and she was nowhere close to running out. She woke up slowly, and realized she was left behind. After getting back inside the habitation facility, she took off her suit and broke down in tears. After calming down, she began to examine what had to be done in order for her to get rescued. She knew that the dish was her only hope of getting word to her comrades that she was still alive. Being the crew's tech specialist, she had repaired the dish twice already. Looking over maps of Soria, she found the next landing site at a huge crater that was 300 miles away. Right now, she had to focus on notifying her crew, so she got the dish repaired over the course of three days. The crew was already a large distance from the planet, so they would have to turn around. Soon, Flurry managed to match the radio frequency for the Cosmos. Before speaking on the headset, she hooked a heart monitor to herself to show that she was alive.
45,000 miles away on the Cosmos...
"Twilight, something freaky is going on with my monitor over Soria.", Thorax called.
"That's strange. What do you see?", she responded.
Thorax indicated that he was seeing vital signs for Flurry Heart, which caused everyone to go speechless. No-one at Mission Control in Canterlot was aware of this, because Flurry had been able to broadcast it only to her crew. Cadence had Twilight disable the protocols that allowed Canterlot to guide the ship by remote control. In other words, they were committing mutiny. Flight Director Neighsay immediately called the crew and demanded what was going on.
"WHAT THE HAY ARE YOU DOING?, he hissed.
"My daughter is alive. We are rescuing her.", Cadence replied.
"IRRELEVANT. EVEN IF FLURRY HEART IS NOT DEAD, YOU MUST CONCENTRATE ON RETURNING HOME SAFELY.", Neighsay yelled back.
"Nopony gets left behind, Neighsay. I will not let my precious niece die. We will return. I promise.", Twilight spoke up.
Realizing that Twilight was telling the truth, Neighsay set a new mission into effect for rescuing Flurry Heart.
Soria...
Flurry received a call from her crew while driving the crew's rover to the next site.
"This is Twilight, we are coming for you Flurry."
"Thank you for coming back, Aunt Twilight. I am on my way to the Astro IV landing site.", Flurry called back.
After arriving at the site, Flurry began to power up the ascent rocket. After she had put on her space suit, her crew took remote control of the rocket. She passed out during launch, but quickly regained consciousness. She was in a spot where it was impossible to dock on the Cosmos, but the EVA suits were built with small thrusters on the backpack. Informing her crew of the situation, they formed a plan. Twilight and Ocellus put their suits on and Twilight attached an MMU to hers. Opening the airlock, Ocellus readied a tether line.
"Hook me up.", Twilight instructed.
Ocellus did as she was told, and Twilight maneuvered her way towards the capsule that her niece had used. Unfortunately, the line ran out, and Flurry Heart had to improvise. She had an idea.
"Our EVA suits are built with thrusters on the backpack. I can use those to reach you, Aunt Twilight."
Twilight relayed the information to Cadence, and it was decided that her niece was right.
"You're clear to proceed.", Twilight informed her niece.
Flurry Heart opened the hatch on the capsule and jumped out. Using the thrusters, she moved herself closer and closer to her aunt. However she was flying too fast and couldn't grab Twilight's hoof. Luckily, she managed to wrap her hooves around the tether line. Twilight spun around and pulled herself towards Flurry Heart. Eventually, Flurry stretched her hooves out and grabbed her aunt as if she was hugging her.
"I got her. Ocellus, pull us in.", Twilight cried cheerfully.
"Canterlot, this is Cosmos actual. WE GOT HER!!", Cadence reported happily.
Neighsay and his team began clapping and cheering.
The news was immediately sent all over the world that Flurry Heart had been successfully rescued.
Cosmos, above Soria...
Once the airlock was sealed, Twilight, Flurry, and Ocellus took off their suits. They opened the inner hatch and Flurry started hugging the rest of her crew mates.
Ten months later...
The crew of Astro III arrived back in orbit around Eqqus and the capsule arrived with the crew of Astro IV. After switching places, the capsule was jettisoned and sent into reentry. The recovery team was already dispatched on the Celestial Sea with helicopters in the air. Two minutes after the helicopters took off, the capsule's reentry parachutes opened, and the capsule splashed softly into the water. The crew members were reunited with their families after being extracted from the capsule.