Stolen Memories: Path to Reconnection

Location: BIC transport ship, High Bascule

The ship Pulled out of Hyperspace above the Icy surface of Mygeeto. A small crackle of static followed by the captain’s voices came forth from the ships comm system.

“We have entered Mygeeto’s atmosphere and will be landing in approximately 20 minutes.”

Applejack walked through the halls towards engineering. She had been assigned to the ship as part of her training. Her current mentor and senior engineer, Ratchet, was to teach her how Nova crystals can be processed into strong power sources and weapons for Equine warships.

Becoming a military engineer wasn’t what she planned to be doing, but the stability was something much needed. After two back-to-back wars, the Galaxy found itself lacking in ships and this was her way of doing her part. She reached a hoof up to her neck and stopped when she found nothing there. She didn’t wear her necklace anymore, it wasn’t needed any longer, though she still had it. She closed her eyes and thought longingly about it, a gold band with a large orange gem in the center. The gem itself was shaped like an apple, just like her cutie mark.

“Lost Lieutenant?” a male voice asked.

Applejack’s eyes shot open to reveal a dark blue Unicorn Pony. He was wearing black engineer barding, much like her own, and a pair of tinted goggles hung around his neck. Adorning his muzzle was a large scar starting from his left eye and ending at the right corner of his mouth. His cutie mark was that of his namesake. This was her mentor, Ratchet.

“Please don’t call me that. Ah' ain’t a soldier anymore.”

“Ha-ha… sorry Applejack, did you need something?”

“Yeah actually, Ah wanted t’ know more about what we’re here t’ pick up, the Nova crystals.”

“Anything specific?”

“Yeah, just what makes ‘em so great anyhow? What makes them better than other weapon systems?” Ratchet lifted his goggles from his neck and let them rest across his forehead.

“Follow me Applejack; it’s better to show you.”

Ratchet led Applejack deeper into the engineering deck towards the defense cannons. They passed several crewmen dutifully making preparations for landing, making sure the loaders were ready, and organizing the cargo bay. Applejack and Ratchet continued onward until Ratchet stopped in a room past the cargo bay that looked like a workshop of sorts. Several tabletops were strewn with an assortment of tools and small devices. Lining the walls were power cords and cells of all sizes and variations. But the most distinct object was one Applejack did not recognize. Ratchet took note of the look on the confused mare’s face and walked over to the object and bumped it with his right hoof.

“This here is a power converter attached to a miniature convergence array.”

The look on Applejacks face didn’t change; she rubbed the back of her head and looked directly at Ratchet, her eyes urging him to continue, still not understanding.

“Oh right, ahem, anyways this converter is a scaled down model of those used in the primary guns on a BIC capital ship. As you know, most of our technology is infused with magic. Nova crystals react differently to our magic than they do other power sources. And when our converters are set to the right power level…”

Ratchet activated the converter which began to direct energy to the convergence array. The array had six Nova crystals in it aligned with four at the base of the array, two above the four and one larger crystal at the front. The first four crystals illuminated with a soft green glow as a low humming noise filled their ears.

The humming sound increased as four small beams of prismatic light shot from the crystals and converged into the next two. The light got brighter as the two beams arced out and connected with the last large crystal in front. Next there came a loud booming sound as a much larger beam of energy that shattered the light spectrum creating a rainbow aura around the firing point, was propelled out of the last crystal into any energy shield set up on the far side of the room.

Upon contact, rather than a standard blaster bolt, the beam exploded violently against the shield overloading the emitter and destroying it, the shockwave of which blew Applejack’s Stetson off her head. The effect and unique creation of the blast gave it the appearance that the beam was being followed by a rainbow. Applejack walked over to where her hat lay and scooped it up, placing it back where it belonged.

“…We get a form of a particle weapon.”

“Boy that sure was somethin’.”

“Yeah, and this one is only one fiftieth of what a capital ship’s cannons can fire.” Applejack laughed to herself it looks like a sonic rainboom, just replace RD with energy she thought remembering a certain cyan Pegasus.

“And there you have one of the trademark creations of the Boreas Industries Corporation, the p0n13 Particle Cannon.” Applejack shook free the thoughts from her mind and turned back to the dark blue stallion.

“It’s quite a sight different than what Republic ships are equipped with.” She observed.

Back when she was a soldier Applejack served primarily on ships of the Republics design that were armed with standard Turbolasers.

“But what gives the beam that there rainbow effect?”

“Simple, our magic refracts through the crystal differently than light or electricity would, giving it its unique power and appearance.”

“Ah' see.”

“But even these weapons don’t make us invincible, the Mandalorians can attest to that.” Sparks said as he unconsciously went to touch his scar. He caught himself halfway through the motion and stopped, placing his hoof back on the floor.

“Whaja say?”

“It’s not important; I’m heading back to engineering. I’ll see you planet side.” Ratchet said rather bluntly before leaving the room. Applejack stood in the center of the workshop. Ah' didn’t know he fought in the Mandalorian wars she thought he must be carrying quite a burden.

Applejack found her way back to her quarters on the crew deck. She shared this room with her older brother Big Macintosh, who volunteered to accompany the crew as security. She sauntered into the room towards her footlocker. Among the contents of the locker was one that stood out, her Element of Harmony. She took in her hooves and just held it. The way she held it made her feel that if she put it down she would lose it, just like every other time she held it. Applejack found her strength and put it back in the locker and went to leave but found herself face to face with her brother.

Big Mac was fully dressed in his armor, leaving only his head uncovered. Mounted on his right side just above his shoulder was a large repeating blaster.

“Ya’ll expecting trouble brother?”

“Eeyup.”

“Do ya ever not expect trouble?”

“Nnope.”

“In any case, Ah’m glad yer here Big Mac.”

“Ah' couldn’t let you go alone AJ, Ah' know this aint easy for ya.”

He was right; anypony with eyes could see that Applejack was nervous. She never was good at hiding things from her friends and family, heck she couldn’t even fool strangers.

“Thanks Big Mac, now come on we got a shipment t' pick up.”

Mygeeto, Surface

From the shadows of the spaceport lurked a lone Griffon, the feathers on her head were slicked back and on the ground next to her sat a military grade backpack. She was clad in yellow light armor and ready for combat, watching the skies with bated breath.

“I’ve got a visual on the Bascule. It should be touching down any minute now. Are the men ready?” a distorted voice crackled to life from the Griffon’s communicator.

“Of course Veeta, now your job is clear, move up, meet our inside man, plant your charges and claim my prize. I want that necklace!”

Mygeeto, Spaceport

An hour had passed before the spaceport staff finished their inspection of the ship, taking Ratchet with them. Then another two before Ratchet and the crew took care of the shipment and were ready to take off and head back to Equis.

Applejack didn’t know what she was expecting, but it wasn’t what she got. She thought that she would be learning on site, but that was not the case. Rather Ratchet was going to wait to get back to the ships refinery before showing her any more. Suffice to say, it was a boring venture. The checking, double checking and then finally a triple checking of the shipping manifest before they were satisfied.

Applejack, Ratchet and Big Mac began walking back to the ship. The Bascule was nothing special, just an average mid-sized transport ship, semi triangular in shape. When viewed from above it looked like a triangle on top of a hexagon. Adorning its stern were three large engines, while the bow supported several small blaster cannons for defense on either side.

“Well that was all kinds of borin’.”

“Sorry about that, no one said you had to help me with the shipment you know.”

“Help? Hardly. Ah’d say watched is more like.”

“Well, either way it’s better than staying on the ship.”

She couldn’t disagree with that statement. Even if she was no help here, getting off the ship really helped steady her wrecked nerves. Applejack was raised in the large open fields of Ponyville back on Equis, so being in the confined halls of ships in the cold void of space just couldn’t compare to the wide open skies and fresh air of her home.

The trio rounded the last corner to their designated landing area, the Bascule closing its cargo bay doors, its shipment fully loaded inside. From the periphery of her vision Applejack saw a yellow blur flying away from the spaceport. Was that a Pegasus? She thought. Can’t be, too big, tail’s not right. Griffon maybe? Now what in the hay would a Griffon be doing way out here? Applejack’s thoughts were interrupted when the loading ramp came into view.

“Alright, now let’s get to the ship’s refinery. I can show you ho-” Ratchet was interrupted as a massive explosion tore through the bridge of the Bascule. Screams of terror and panic spread throughout the landing area as two more explosions ripped through the ship’s hull from below the cargo hold and crew deck, ending the lives of all inside.

The groaning of the bulkheads and heat of the flames overwhelmed Applejacks senses. She instinctively threw her right foreleg up in an effort to shield herself from a final explosion emanating from the open ramp of the Bascule. Big Macintosh stepped in front of his sister, trying to shield her from the blast, the force of which sent Big Mac careening into Applejack. Applejack attempted to regain herself, her mind racing to understand the event that was transpiring around her. Her vision was blurry and her ears were ringing. Ratchet ran to her side and began shouting, the look on his face one of absolute shock, the blood running down his face from a deep cut above his left eye burning its image into Applejack’s brain. His words came out as low mumbling sound while a heavier booming sound which she recognized as an emergency klaxon thundered throughout the spaceport.

Applejack felt no pain from any wounds, at least not yet. All she felt was the crushing weight of her big brother laying on top of her. Big Mac lay unmoving across her body as she struggled to squirm her way out from under him. Her senses still had not returned but she could feel her heart trying to break free from her chest. But then she felt warm, very warm…..and wet. She looked up as Ratchet was trying to roll Big Mac off her to see that his armor had been torn away and his chest had been partially blown open, blood flowing out at an alarming rate.

It was here that Applejack panicked, she screamed in horror and scrambled in a mad dash to get out from under her brother. She looked up to see Ratchet disappear out of the spaceport. She took her fallen brother’s hoof in hers as her tears fell upon the ground, lightly diluting the pool of blood quickly surrounding them both.

Surviving Ponies and the native Muun rushed back and forth helping survivors and putting out small patches of flame, while emergency ships flew in and began spraying the wreckage with water. Ratchet returned with a first aid kit in his mouth, he dropped in front of Big Mac and threw it open. He reached and pulled out some Kolto from within and immediately slapped it on the massive gash in Big Mac’s chest.

Applejack’s words were stuck in her throat, it was no long term solution but what Ratchet had done helped her brother immensely. Tears streamed down her face as she pulled Ratchet into a hug. He let her cry on his shoulder for a few minutes before a medical crew took Big Mac away for proper treatment. The medics said he was in critical condition and survival was unlikely but Ratchet’s quick application may have increased his odds substantially. Later as the smoke was clearing from the wreckage and the heat went down to non-threatening levels, Applejack, Ratchet and many other began combing the remains for possible survivors and anything salvageable.

“Who would do this?” Applejack asked, her voice slightly cracking.

“I don’t know, but whoever it was must have something against the BIC or maybe Ponies in general, why else attack us? We are such an insignificant target, what could they gain from this?” As Ratchet was speaking, Applejack uncovered the remains of her quarters on the crew deck. She found her footlocker, dented and scorched but intact. She opened it and was greeted with…..emptiness. It was gone.