The war has been over for ten years. The Equestrienne, administered from the planet that gave ponykind its birth, spans hundreds of worlds over thousands of light-years. But peace has come at a cost. Princess Celestia is dead, and her sister, stricken with grief, has been missing since the end of the war. Twilight Sparkle, Equestria's mother of technological innovation, has been forced to take the reins of a nation deep in mourning.

Now the past returns to haunt the present. Can Princess Twilight Sparkle ever hope to fill the gaping hole her mentor left behind?

Editing and pre-reading by Luna-tic Scientist
Image copyright Ars Technica

Please note: Termination Shock shares no continuity with Nectars.