E-27 C The journal of a pioneerby a guy with many hatsChaptersLunar activityThe messageDecisionsLunar activityMy ship slowly approached the moon of E-27, a small barren rock not suitable for life, but the perfect place to get a look at the planet. I reached around the cabin of my ship and found my recorder, "Hastings: E-27. On approach to first moon. Will return with analysis." I felt my thumb slip off the button, "Dear god it looks like Earth's...." My words conjured up bad memories, which I quickly forced back down. I needed to focus and thinking about Earth wasn't going to help. No I needed to focus on landing safely. My mind flashed back to the videos of early space flight, we've come a long way since then but we can still screw up just as bad. My heart started racing as I entered the minute gravity of the moon, the entire ship giving a soft bounce as I landed. I leaned back in my chair and let out a deep breath as the engines shut down. I looked around the empty fields of grey as I found my helmet. A quick twist and a loud rush of air later and I was ready. I slowly vented the air from the cabin, the loud rush of air sounded like a typhoon. Once it was done I slowly opened the cabin. As it opened I slowly undid any bindings and straps as I prepared to take my first steps on this new world. The gravity was greater than I had expected, enough to keep me from bouncing as I touched down, but not enough to hold down an atmosphere. I wondered how the gravity was compared to our old moon. Once again I pushed the memories away. I had a job to do. I slowly walked around to the cargo port on my ship and started laying out surveying equipment, "Hi." A girls voice caught me off guard. I whirled around and jumped back. "Holy hell!" I screamed, slamming my back against my ship. Not ten feet away sat a small navy horse, sitting on her haunches and staring at me. "Hi!" She chirped with a massive smile, "Who are you?" The creature asked with such genuine innocence that I was momentarily drawn away from the fact I was on a dead moon. "How...what..." I looked over to the planet below, "Did you- no...without a helmet..." My brain was racing, trying to piece together what was going on, "How can I even hear you!? No air! I must be damn crazy!" The creature cocked her head, stood, and started walking over, "I'm Luna...or Nightmare moon...I can't really remember. What's your name?" My panic started to subside as the girls curiosity proved too childish to be harmful. This was by no means first contact for the human race, but given our first contact, we've been instructed to be extremely cautious, "Hastings...my name is Hastings." She gave me a quick smile. "Are...are you all alone out here?" I asked, scanning my surroundings with a bit more care. Once my eyes landed back on the creature- this Luna, she had dipped her head down and was staring sulkily at her hooves. "She sent me here cause I was bad...like a big timeout." She pouted. I pushed off my ship and back onto my feet, "Who? Who sent you up here? Are there more of you?" "Mmmhmm"- She stuck a hoof towards the planet -"Down there. And she sent me up here for being bad...my sister I mean...I was being mean to ponies so she sent me up here." I felt myself swallow, "Alone?" She sunk her head back down, "Yeah...well until you showed up!" She brightened up quickly, trotting over and pacing a circle around me, "You'll be my friend right?" My mind was still littered with questions, but this might just be a way to get them answered, "Sure kid..." I eased my posture, "I'll be your friend...anyone that can understand me is alright in my book." I slowly walked towards a small pile of rocks and sat down, "So...how did you get up here?" The tiny girl trotted over and sat on her haunches near my feet, "I don't remember...something bright...then I woke up here...all alone." She stared at the ground, her eyes twitching left and right. Before too long I could see tears forming around her eyes, "I...I didn't mean it...." She croaked out before a soft whimper, "I didn't want to be bad." I was dumbstruck, this was alien life, sitting a few inches away from me. But it was also a little girl, crying right at my feet. I felt around my helmet and flipped up the opaque visor, "Hey...kid." I reached out and tipped her chin up. She recoiled a little before letting herself relax, "How long have you been up here?" She wiped her face with a foreleg and looked back to the planet, "I see that mountain over there..." She pointed to a prominent mountain range that tore across the planet's surface, "Every night...I lost track...but I see it a lot." She started breaking down again, "I don't like it up here...I don't like being alone!" She started stomping her hooves, "I don't wanna be here anymore!" I stopped her tantrum by pulling her over and squeezing her against my suit, "It's okay...it's alright." "No! No no no no no!" She beat against my chest with her hooves, "It's not fair! I didn't want to be mean but the voice told me to!" I did the only thing I could do, pulled her tighter, "I'm sorry....I really am sorry, but you're not alone right now. I won't leave you yet...I promise." I could feel her stop pushing away with her hooves, "Really? You won't leave? You promise?" I pulled her tighter, "I promise." I couldn't feel a thing through my suit, but the sight of my hands interlaced with her mane gave me a warm feeling in my chest, "I mean it." I slowly let her go. She took a step back and smile. I reached over and let my hands clear her eyes, "Come on...I still have work to do, maybe you can help." I slowly walked her back to my ship, lifting her into it and getting back to work as she watched from above. "Hey...what is all that?" I stuck a scanner into the soft regolith, "Science stuff...I'm looking for a new home and this might just be it." The girl gave answered with an extremely wide grin, "You wanna live up here with me!?" My smile faded quickly, "I- I meant down there...but I'm sure I could visit!" Her smile damped but didn't fade, "You'd better!" She started giggling as I set the machines in order, "Hey...what's this?" She floated a folder out of my ship and over to me. It took me a moment to realize how she was doing it. Even then I was still a bit amazed. "Telekinesis...wow." I watched in amazement as she set the folder into my hands, "That's...wow." A soft blush grew on her face. Luna quickly dipped below the edge of the cockpit to hide it, "Oh uh- This tells me what to do...I don't really need it anymore...but-" My mind raced back to a trick my dad taught me, "You uh...ever make a paper boat?" She shook her head wildly, "What's that?" I smiled and took a piece of paper out, "Come here and I'll show you." She hopped down and trotted over, folding her legs and watching intently as I folded the paper. Even through the gloves I could still make one with ease, "There, see? It's like a boat...or-" I sat the paper creation on her head, "-a hat." Her eyes lit up as she felt around the paper hat, "Wow! I never had a hat before!" I felt myself grinning hard, the moment reminded me of the time I spent with my dad before he passed, "They're...they're fun right?" I asked with a fake laugh. "Yeah- oh....Mr. are you alright? Why are you crying?" I quickly snapped back to reality, blinking hard to clear my eyes, "It's nothing...just remembering something...someone." She lowered her head again, giving me a few quick nods, "I understand...I don't like remembering either...but it's okay." She walked over and tapped my visor, "We're friends now so it's okay." In a moment of weakness I wrapped my right arm around her and pulled her close, "Yeah...it's okay. I'm okay...are you okay?" "Yeah! I have a friend now, I'm super okay!" I could see her pressing her cheek against my helmet and nuzzling it, "A new best friend?" "Sure kid." I slowly let her go again, "Best friends." I flipped down my visor to hide my face. With it hidden I plopped her back down in my ships cabin and went back to my tools, "If you're tired you can go to sleep...you look kind tired." "No-" She was cut off by a loud yawn, "Okay...maybe a little..." She giggled. Things quieted down as I finished with my equipment. Readings were excellent, fresh water, clean air, low radiation, low seismic activity, moderate temperature. Everything was nominal. With my readings done I packed up my stuff and crawled into the cabin. The girl had curled up on my seat and was snoring lightly. I squeezed myself under her and repressurized the cabin. The loud hiss woke the girl up, "What happened?" She looked around and caught me taking my helmet off, "Oh...you have a mane too..." She noted groggily. I ran my gloved hand through my hair, "Heh...maybe a little." The girl wasted no time in crawling up my body and running a hoof through it, "It's nice. Oh...and thanks for letting me stay in here...the outside gets really cold sometimes." A harsh realization hit me, this girl was not only alone, but unsheltered. "Sure...it's no big deal...." She smiled before resting her cheek on my own and letting her chin ride my shoulder, "Still...momma always said to be nice to ponies." Her words caught me off guard, but the gesture was well received. "Hey kid...I'm going down there tomorrow...do you want me to take you back?" "Mmm'mmm...I was a bad pony...bad ponies get timeouts. Besides...Celestia would be mad. I don't want her to be mad at my friends anymore." My heart sank as she fell asleep atop me. With her sound asleep I pondered the feasibility of starting a colony here. Half way through my joyous thoughts I was reminded of the colonial policy. Natives would be subjugated or terminated. If there were more like her down there they would be- I cut my thoughts short and leaned back in my chair. I would have more time to figure this out after some sleep. I dimmed the cabin lights and drifted away. The messageI woke up after a night of horrid dreams, most having to do with the creature laid against my chest. I had taken a gigantic risk even getting close to her, yet I did so much more. But what could I do, could I have just left her alone out here, I probably should have. Thinking about it now was hindsight, I needed to focus on what happens next, and judging by the fact that the tiny thing is still curled up on my chest, I'm going to say I'm mostly safe. I took in my surroundings as I prepped to go back outside. The girl stirred as I pulled my helmet back on, "No..." She wrapped her hooves around my helmet and pulled herself tight against me, "Not yet...I don't wanna go back outside yet." I wrapped my arm around her as I started to depressurization, "I'm sorry...but I have to go for a little bit." I popped the cabin open, lifting the girl in the paper hat over my shoulder and landing softly on the lunar surface. I set her down, a little wobbly at first but she evened out, and went to check my instruments. Rotational speed...adequate, gravity...livable, oxygen percentages...nominal. This was it, this was what we needed. I felt a smile grow over my face. A new home for billions of people, "This is amazing...." "What is?" The girl walked over and sat next to me, "Equestria?" I looked at the girl, "Is that what you call it? All I have is a code...E-twenty seven." She cocked her head, "What the hay does that mean?" I flipped up my visor, "If I remember right...fifth planet from the sun is E...system number is twenty seven. I think...it's been a long time since they told me." "Since who told you?" I had started to pack up my equipment, but I stopped cold as she questioned me, "...A man named Cain...my leader." I pulled my equipment free of the ground and started packing it up, "He sent people like me all over, he told us: find us a new world, or die trying." A sudden realization hit me, how long had I been traveling?! I dropped some equipment and ran to the ship. I pulled myself into the cockpit and pulled up the engine diagnostic. "Fuel reserves minimal...no...no!" I kicked the console, "No damn it!" "Mister?" a navy mane popped onto the side of my cabin, "What happened?" "Fu-" I stopped myself. I braced myself on the edge of the cabin, "God no...this is it." I felt a rush of sorrow cake my being. This was it...they weren't going to come for me if I don't give them a planet. Cain said it himself, "I will not risk the lives of our race for the lives of you...understand what you are getting yourselves into here. When we find a planet I am committing every ship, every crew, every man, women, and child: to taking it for ourselves! If you can make it back...then do so, but understand I am not about to waste time sending ships to unfit planets. If any of you want to back out...now's your chance." My panic overcame me, "Mister are you okay? Please be okay." The girl climbed up onto my ship and inside the cabin, "Don't be sad...I'm here." She forced her way into my hand and nuzzled it, "Don't be sad...please?" My heart slowly crawled out of my chest. This girl had no idea...not a clue. I ran my hand through her mane, ending by letting it pull through my fingers, a pale blue dot sitting behind it. I was safe...I had what they wanted, they would come and save me! I brightened up as I leaped from the cabin, "I'm alright...I'm gonna be alright!" I screamed to myself, scooping the tools up and packing them away, "I-" "Mister...Hastings?" She girl tapped my leg, "Are you alright...you were sad...but now you're really happy. It's kinda scary." My gut sank. Even if I was gonna make it, I couldn't stay up here. If my engines die that's it for me, no more air, no more life.... "Kid...I...I know I said I wasn't going to leave but..." I knelt down next to her, "I promise you...I promise I'll come visit." I pulled the confused filly agaist me, "Please don't hate me...but I have to go." I could feel her chin fall onto my shoulder, "I don't...I don't hate you...you're my friend...I don't wanna hate my friend." She croaked out on the verge of tears. I slowly held her back, examining her slowly moistening eyes, "It's okay...I'm used to being alone...and...you said you'll visit." I felt my face twitch. I quickly went to pull my visor down, stopped by a hoof on my faceplate, "Kid I...I'm sorry." I pulled her tight against me, "I don't want to leave you alone up here...but I can't stay up here too long...I'll die." Things got quiet. I ignored it and focused on the soft body with the paper hat, "So you're going down there? To live with the other ponies?" I looked behind me at the planet below, "I think that's the only way...but I promise you, I'll come back." I let her go and walked to the rear of my ship. Popping the cargo hatch once again, I found an thermal blanket. I quickly pulled the blanket free of the scientific equipment and shook it out. I walked back to the crying girl, draping the blanket over her and carrying her to a safe distance, "I promise I'll be back...some day...I'll be back." I set her down and darted off. The girl cried out a final time, "Tell her I'm sorry...if you see her...tell her I'm sorry!" I didn't bother wasting any time pressurizing the cabin and simply started the engine. Dust kicked up all around me as I lifted off. I slowly started towards, what the scanners noted as, a populated area. Where there's life...there's food. I caught a final glimpse of the girl, paper hat stuck tight to her head, blanket wrapped around her. "I'll come back...I promise." "Entering atmosphere...and-" A felt a heavy thud resonate through my ship, "I'm in. Perfect." I mumbled to myself as I drew closer and closer to the surface. A large clearing seemed a good a place as any. I counted down as I reached the planet's surface, "...Two...one, and down." I let out a deep breath as I landed. After a short repressurization to help pop the cabin, I was free. I checked some final readings before turning my helmet and pulling it off. A warm breeze rushing across my face. A new home at last...so many years drifting...so many wasted opportunities. "Halt!" A commanding voice caught me off guard once again, this one sending a different kind of panic through me. "What in the name of Equestria are you!?" I went to turn around, only to have myself shoved against my ship, "Salem Hastings: Pioneer!" I yelled. "What are you!?" The voice commanded. "Human: Pioneer!" I slowly felt something draw breath past my head. "And why are you here?" The voiced seemed to be calming. "To find a home for my people!" The voice gave a quick laugh, "A home? Do you not have a home already?" "No...we don't." The voice immediately stopped laughing. I felt the grip on me relax, "Face me." I obeyed. in front of me stood a fully grown horse, a good foot taller than myself, "Where did you come from little thing?" I stared at the white beast, "Earth...more recently your moon." I pointed up to the sky, "I...I came down to-" The mare's eyes shot wide as she telekineticly picked me up and slammed me into my ship, "The moon!? You came from the moon!?" She asked as if unsure of her own question. "Yes! There was-" I was cut off by another round of being battered. "Why did you go there!? What did you do!?" the white mare repeatedly slammed my agaist my ship, "Answer me!" I winced from the pain, "Measurements- I took measurements!" "And!?" The mare leaned in over me, staring me down, "Did she send you!?" My mind flashed back to the girl on the moon, "Yes! She sent-" Once again I was cut off by being slammed, this time into the ground. I was quickly pinned beneath her hooves, "Why!? She said-" "I banished Nightmare moon, I will not let her flunkeys pollute Equestria!" She slowly increased her pressure on my head, "She said- ah- she said to tell her...sorry-" The weight stopped. My head was splitting from the weight, "She said...if she saw "her" tell her sorry...that she was sorry." She stepped off of me, "L-Liar! Nightmare Moon would never-" I picked myself off the ground, "She called herself Luna. She was just a little girl." I was unable to stand the pain, falling on my back and facing the sky, "She told me to tell her sorry...I don't know who...but she said to say sorry." I blacked out. I woke up being carried somewhere, "What happened?" I asked the air. "Be quiet...we have much to discuss but not out in the open." I scanned my bobbing view. Shorter versions of the mare were staring at me as I passed. They looked to be about six foot, horses with some strange features. What was most striking was the colors, bright pastels blurred in my hazy vision. The ponies looked repulsed by me, was this first contact for them? Can't be...the mare on the moon... My thoughts faded as I once again drifted off into the void. DecisionsI woke up in some strange stone room, "Good...welcome back." I swung my head around the room, landing on the mare from before. The mare sat a few feet away, laying splayed out on a large cushion. She slowly stood up and walked over, "I feel I, Princess Celestia, must...apologize. My actions might have been a bit...abrupt." She sat next to me, "Your colors...and you said you were from the moon...I made assumptions." I just stared at her, the pain in my back slowly coming back, "Well your assumptions nearly killed me." I looked down, I had been sat on a large cushion just like her's. I pushed off and stood, "How about you tell me where I am." I asked coldly. The mare's smile faded into a deep frown, "I brought you into the old castle of Equestria...it's isolated, not far from where I found you." "On that note, how did you find me?" I leaned on the wall to steady myself. The headache I had suffered yesterday was slowly seeping back into reality. "You flew out of the sky in a noisy machine, what kind of leader would I be if I didn't investigate." She tried once again for a laugh. I gave her none, "Listen to me human, the moon may seem simple to you. But there is something up there...something that I hold amongst my greatest failures." "The girl?" She was caught off guard, "She was not a filly! She was-" I cut her off, "What was up there was a little girl! Maybe eight or nine." I walked over in a moment of bluster, "What is she to you!? Who is she!?" The mare was taken aback by my sudden verbal assault. She slowly lowered her head, "Nightmare Moon...an amalgamation of evil and jealousy that overtook my sister lo-" "A little girl, the amalgamation of evil!? Are you on meth!?" "Human let me-" I pushed her back a smidgen, "No, there is no way that little girl is any sort of threat to you! You calling her evil is just wrong!" The mare narrowed her eyes, "Do you wish to see the devastation she wrought?" The mare quickly stood, "Follow." She started walking out. I held my head as I trundled after her. Little by little the stonework seemed to fade into a bright sea of white. After a few moments my eyes adjusted, revealing ruined archways and broken buildings, "This was her doing." The mare walked me through the town, "We had to abandon the castle and move the capitol. Everything you see is her doing." The grounds were awash with broken stone and cracked earth, "You're telling me a little girl did all of this?" The mare shook her head angrily, "No filly. She was a full grown mare, is, a full grown mare. This filly Luna you speak of may exist, but understand, in another form she is a vile beast." She stared up at the sky, "My very own sister...I had to banish her to the moon." She lowered her head back to me, eyes slightly glassy, "What you've met is no more than part of her." "Part of her- I don't- that doesn't make any sense!" I screamed. "Luna was still locked away somewhere inside Nightmare Moon, perhaps what was left of her became seperated-" I shook my head, "Enough, it doesn't even matter. Where the hell is my ship!?" The mare refused to make eye contact, "I don't know why I expected you to have sympathies...follow me." She started off towards the edge of the grounds, several ponies slowly accompanying us as we walked, "Guards...they won't hurt you." "Shut up...I don't know why you think I give a damn after what you did to me." I was ready to call this in and send the message to Cain with no quarrel. My ship slowly came into view, parked in a small clearing with ponies surrounding it. I ran over as some younger ones were playing in the cabin, "Get the hell out!" I managed to grab one and hold her at arms length, "Who's idea was this!?" "No! Ah no no no!" The girl kicked and flailed in my grasps, "Monster! Monster!" I cringed at her words, slowly letting her go. She bolted off behind a shrub once she was free, "Monster?" I mumbled to myself. "Forgive them...you're the first of your kind in Equestria." Celestia walked slowly over, "Here is your ship...do you plan to lea-" "Yes." I cut her off with cold steel in my voice, "I'll find some other half of the planet to wait on." "Wait on? Hold! Explain." The princess yanked me out of my ship, but I managed to grab my beacon before being pulled over, "What do you mean wait?" I let my thumb rest on the confirmation button, "Exactly what I said...wait." She slowly put me down, "I press this button...my people start towards this planet on mass. You remember when I said we were looking for a home...well guess what: yours fits the bill." I pressed the button. I had about twenty hours to call it off if I so chose, but after how I've been treated I see no problem taking this planet from her. "What did you just do?" Celestia asked with a slightly worried tone, "I have no problem housing you or your people if you would merely ask!" I turned back to her, "Twelve billion? No...you won't be housing a damn thing...by the end of this, you'll be lucky if there are any of you left." She ducked her and and got into an aggressive stance, "I will end you human...I will protect my subjects!" I slowly marched over to her, "So you can stop a ten kg shot? You can stop a gun the size of an apartment block? I don't think you get it." I stared her down, "We've been wandering for forty years. We lost our planet sixty years ago. We started off with thirty billion in our system, now what we have left numbers just over twelve billion." "Billion, twelve billion?!" She asked with a growing panic to her voice, "Tell them no! Equestria cannot handle-" "This planet will handle us just fine...you however, your people...sorry to say I don't think there is gonna be enough room." Celestia levitated me up, "Call them back now!" She slammed me against my ship. "Go ahead and kill me! I sent the message, killing me won't solve a damn thing now!" She stared at me, eventually seeing the truth in my words and setting me down, "Then we are finished? You've killed us?" "I haven't killed a thing, I won't have to-" I felt something tug on my leg, "What!?" I screamed, turning to a small filly at my feet. She shrank away from my yell, "I just...we...I'm sorry, we saw your thing and we...sorry." She slunk away. A sudden bout of self hate flooded over me, "I-" I looked around to see a large group of younger horses watching from the bushes. The group slowly grew as more and more ponies entered the scene, "What the hell do they want?" "If you're leaving...if..." I turned as the princess started struggling with her words, "Will you go back to the moon? If this is truly the end...and Luna is...if she is there. Tell her I'm sorry for everything I did. I'm sorry I couldn't stop it before it happened." She started sobbing, "How long...?" I took a moment to think, "I don't know how you measure time...rotations just about the same as earth so...two years?" This served only to deepen her sadness, "And when they come?" I slowly relaxed my posture, "If you cooperate, you'll all be sterilized to avoid population growth, if you resist...you'll all be killed or taken as...I'd say slaves...but pets seems more accurate." I took a few steps away from her to give her some room, "We lost three billion in one settlement attempt...after that...our leader said we weren't about to take any chances." I could feel the crowd around me growing, "Even if you comply...the best you can hope for is to die out naturally. Even then...there is a lot of hate for aliens right now...a lot of people hurt, and those scars don't fade." The princess collapsed to her stomach, "I'll have to watch my subjects die...watch as little by little my people die out." "What?" I asked with a growing worry. "I'm not normal...not like them. An average ponies might live to be a hundred...I have been alive for nearly a thousand years. Luna's banishment was...seven hundred years ago...Discord's was..." I let her trail off. That little girl has been up there, alone, for seven hundred years? My mouth went horridly dry, "I need to go...I..." I felt my hand tighten around the beacon, "I need to think. I need to ask someone something." I turned away from the princess and hopped into my ship. I didn't bother letting them clear out, a little rush of air wouldn't do anything to them. As quick as I had landed, I was slowly exiting the atmosphere of the earth-like planet. A different look at the moon saw a large horse head inlayed through craters and scars. I quickly dipped into its gravity and started scanning the surface for life. After an hour I found her and settled down, "Luna!? Luna!?" I ran over to her and scooped her up, "Luna...how would you feel...about..." I shook my head and just ran back to my ship. "Mister where are we-" Luna tried to argue but I cut her off with a loud tsk. A few moments later and I pushed us back into E-27's atmosphere, "Luna...do you...do you love your sister?" "Yes? I- ah!" She curled up in my lap, holding her hooves against her head, "Ow! Owwie!" "Luna!?" I yelled looking over her. "Ow...that was weird...are we-" She stopped as she looked out the cabin window, "Equestria!? But- I-" "I to see something." I muttered as I brought us back down in the same clearing. I quickly spotted a bright white missile flying beside me. "Celestia! That's Tia!" She pressed her hooves against the cabin as she watched her fly. I quickly brought us down and popped the cabin. Luna quickly scrambled out and watched as Celestia landed nearby, "Celestia!" Luna bolted over to her. "Luna?" Already on the verge of tears Celestia let her body fall limp. Luna quickly scrambled under her chin and held her up, "Luna is it...you're back?" "Celestia I missed you!" Luna latched onto her face, "I'm sorry I was bad...I didn't want to be bad but I was and-" Her verbal tirade was quickly cut off by a white leg pulling her against Celestia's chest. "Luna...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I've missed you too. I've missed you so much." Celestia peered over Luna, towards me, "Why human? To mock me?" "No...." I pulled the beacon out of my suit pocket. I let my hand clench around it, "I needed to see for myself." I let my hand lazily gesture towards Luna, "Like I said...I found her on the moon. How many of your people are there?" I went straight to the point. Her eyes darted around a bit, "In all of Equestria...several million." My mind when into overdrive as I weighed my options. I could save my people, I could be a hero. But I'd be condemning a people...an entire species to death. There were other pioneers, but I had what we needed...I hadn't been recalled yet, "Luna..." I called her over. She peaked her head over Celestia's hooves, "Mister?" I licked my lips a few times, "Do you love your sister? Is she a good person?" She gave me an incredible smile before nuzzling Celestia's chin, "I love her more than I love...uh...the moon! She's the- ah ow ow ow!" "Luna!?" Celestia watched as she held her head once again, "Oh Luna no..." She pulled her tight before looking at me, "She can't stay here...the rest of her, the rest of Nightmare Moon is still on the moon." "Celestia!" I snapped her out of her worried trance, "What is my name?" She looked confused, "Hastings?" "What is my race?" "Human." "What am I?" This took her some time, "A pioneer?" I took a deep breath, "For the human race above all others, we will find a home"- I held down the buttons on the beacon, "But this isn't it." The beacon gave a loud whirl and turned off, "It's everything we needed...but...I can't hurt this girl anymore...I won't." I pulled Luna away and set her pained form in my ship, "If you...if my race finds yours again...treat them well." "Wait!" Celestia pulled me back, "Did you just-" "There are others looking...I'm sure they'll find somewhere better. I don't think I could live with myself if I hurt someone this little girl cares about. I can't even imagine what centuries alone must be like, and I couldn't live with knowing I made it worse." "Will you...where will you go?" Celestia asked, visibly shaken from my actions. "You won't see me again...I failed my mission...even if I tried to keep looking I'd just end up drifting off into space-" "Human...I...one human...we could care for one human." She walked over, "One...kindhearted, selfless person." I just stared her down, "I failed. And..." I looked back at my ship, "This isn't my life to live, living here...it's not for me. I've made my choice. Besides...I won't be alone in the end." Celestia took a few moments before realizing what I meant, "Human don't you need air to-" I nodded, "Then- I see...but...you could live here saf-" I shook my head and walked back to my ship, "Like I said...this isn't my life. I gave my life to my mission, and I failed. Don't argue...maybe I'm just being stupid...but it's my decision. I've made a few questionable decisions before...giving up a perfect planet, hugging a little moon born girl, taking this job in the first place...I'm full of questionable ideas, and I'm not about to change. And I think she needs me a lot more than you do." I crawled back into the cabin and got into place, "Hastings...Salem, you've done so much to and for me. You've done in hours...what hundreds couldn't do in decades...humans will have a friend should their need be practical." I just nodded and pulled the hatch shut. Once again I took off, "Celestia?" Luna murmured in a haze, "Where are we...where are we going?" "Back home." The words warning: fuel minimal. Kept flashing on the screen. Even as I turned the engine off for the final time the words were burned into the screen. I stepped back onto the Lunar surface with a soft thud, quickly setting Luna down and pulling a medical kit from inside the ship, "You're gonna leave again aren't you?" Luna asked quietly as I walked over to where she had set the blanket down. "You said you'd come back...and you did. You even brought Celestia!" I quickly laid down next to the blanket and searched the medical bag, a piece of paper floating out as I did, "Hey Luna..." I grabbed the paper, "Do you remember how I folded that hat?" Her eyes went wide as she felt around her head, "Oh no! I-" I gave a quick laugh as I held the paper out for her, "Do you think you could do it?" She beamed at me as she took the paper in her magical grip, "I sure can!" She laid down on the blanket and quickly started folding it. I took the moment to mix a few medicines into a poisons slurry of opioids. I wasn't about to die from starvation or suffocation...and at least this way it would be painless. "Got it!" Luna popped back into view with a new paper hat, perfectly folded and perched on her head, "Uh, mister what are you doing?" I started to set everything in place, setting the syringe through my suit and into my arm, "Luna...you..." I pressed the plunger down, "You don't deserve to be alone...no one deserves to be alone." I could feel the drugs going to work, numbing my body and leaving me stupid, "I failed them...but I can...maybe I can make it...I'm sorry...Luna...Maria...mom, dad, I tried to save her..." I could tell Luna was shaking me. "Mister!? Mister are you okay!? What happened!? Mister-" I finally realized who she reminded me of... "Maria jump! You have to jump!" "Salem I'm scared! Salem where's mom, where's dad!?" "Maria jump! Maria please...I don't want to lose you too!" The beacon chirped wildly, "Any and all able bodies pioneers are to head to the following coordinates," A series of numbers and letters rang from the dust covered machine. Luna slowly walked over to the long abandoned ship. She levitated it over and set it with Hastings' body. A collection of paper hats sitting all around him, now joined by the chattering beacon. Luna did as she had each night since he went to sleep, and laid next to him, chin on his chest, eyes searching in vain across the solid blue visor. She spent days at a time, folding paper boats and floating them out into space. She missed Hastings, but she always remember him as her best friend. Even as she changed back into Nightmare Moon, even when she returned to Equestria. Even after her return to Princess Luna. She remembers the man how had stayed with her for hundreds of years. Keeping her company and becoming her best friend, just by being there. As she acclimated to life, she realized just how important he had been. She had a friend, more than a subject, more than family, she had a friend. A friend that she could never truly repay, but a friend that never asked for anything in return. Salem Hastings did his duty, to protect and preserve the lives of those he deemed worthy of protecting. In the end he had done his service to humanity, and was honored with each and every non returning pioneer. In the capitol of humanities new home sits a memorial: In loving memory of the Hasting family: George, Diana, Cain, Salem, and Maria. Those who gave their lives for humanity entire.
Lunar activityMy ship slowly approached the moon of E-27, a small barren rock not suitable for life, but the perfect place to get a look at the planet. I reached around the cabin of my ship and found my recorder, "Hastings: E-27. On approach to first moon. Will return with analysis." I felt my thumb slip off the button, "Dear god it looks like Earth's...." My words conjured up bad memories, which I quickly forced back down. I needed to focus and thinking about Earth wasn't going to help. No I needed to focus on landing safely. My mind flashed back to the videos of early space flight, we've come a long way since then but we can still screw up just as bad. My heart started racing as I entered the minute gravity of the moon, the entire ship giving a soft bounce as I landed. I leaned back in my chair and let out a deep breath as the engines shut down. I looked around the empty fields of grey as I found my helmet. A quick twist and a loud rush of air later and I was ready. I slowly vented the air from the cabin, the loud rush of air sounded like a typhoon. Once it was done I slowly opened the cabin. As it opened I slowly undid any bindings and straps as I prepared to take my first steps on this new world. The gravity was greater than I had expected, enough to keep me from bouncing as I touched down, but not enough to hold down an atmosphere. I wondered how the gravity was compared to our old moon. Once again I pushed the memories away. I had a job to do. I slowly walked around to the cargo port on my ship and started laying out surveying equipment, "Hi." A girls voice caught me off guard. I whirled around and jumped back. "Holy hell!" I screamed, slamming my back against my ship. Not ten feet away sat a small navy horse, sitting on her haunches and staring at me. "Hi!" She chirped with a massive smile, "Who are you?" The creature asked with such genuine innocence that I was momentarily drawn away from the fact I was on a dead moon. "How...what..." I looked over to the planet below, "Did you- no...without a helmet..." My brain was racing, trying to piece together what was going on, "How can I even hear you!? No air! I must be damn crazy!" The creature cocked her head, stood, and started walking over, "I'm Luna...or Nightmare moon...I can't really remember. What's your name?" My panic started to subside as the girls curiosity proved too childish to be harmful. This was by no means first contact for the human race, but given our first contact, we've been instructed to be extremely cautious, "Hastings...my name is Hastings." She gave me a quick smile. "Are...are you all alone out here?" I asked, scanning my surroundings with a bit more care. Once my eyes landed back on the creature- this Luna, she had dipped her head down and was staring sulkily at her hooves. "She sent me here cause I was bad...like a big timeout." She pouted. I pushed off my ship and back onto my feet, "Who? Who sent you up here? Are there more of you?" "Mmmhmm"- She stuck a hoof towards the planet -"Down there. And she sent me up here for being bad...my sister I mean...I was being mean to ponies so she sent me up here." I felt myself swallow, "Alone?" She sunk her head back down, "Yeah...well until you showed up!" She brightened up quickly, trotting over and pacing a circle around me, "You'll be my friend right?" My mind was still littered with questions, but this might just be a way to get them answered, "Sure kid..." I eased my posture, "I'll be your friend...anyone that can understand me is alright in my book." I slowly walked towards a small pile of rocks and sat down, "So...how did you get up here?" The tiny girl trotted over and sat on her haunches near my feet, "I don't remember...something bright...then I woke up here...all alone." She stared at the ground, her eyes twitching left and right. Before too long I could see tears forming around her eyes, "I...I didn't mean it...." She croaked out before a soft whimper, "I didn't want to be bad." I was dumbstruck, this was alien life, sitting a few inches away from me. But it was also a little girl, crying right at my feet. I felt around my helmet and flipped up the opaque visor, "Hey...kid." I reached out and tipped her chin up. She recoiled a little before letting herself relax, "How long have you been up here?" She wiped her face with a foreleg and looked back to the planet, "I see that mountain over there..." She pointed to a prominent mountain range that tore across the planet's surface, "Every night...I lost track...but I see it a lot." She started breaking down again, "I don't like it up here...I don't like being alone!" She started stomping her hooves, "I don't wanna be here anymore!" I stopped her tantrum by pulling her over and squeezing her against my suit, "It's okay...it's alright." "No! No no no no no!" She beat against my chest with her hooves, "It's not fair! I didn't want to be mean but the voice told me to!" I did the only thing I could do, pulled her tighter, "I'm sorry....I really am sorry, but you're not alone right now. I won't leave you yet...I promise." I could feel her stop pushing away with her hooves, "Really? You won't leave? You promise?" I pulled her tighter, "I promise." I couldn't feel a thing through my suit, but the sight of my hands interlaced with her mane gave me a warm feeling in my chest, "I mean it." I slowly let her go. She took a step back and smile. I reached over and let my hands clear her eyes, "Come on...I still have work to do, maybe you can help." I slowly walked her back to my ship, lifting her into it and getting back to work as she watched from above. "Hey...what is all that?" I stuck a scanner into the soft regolith, "Science stuff...I'm looking for a new home and this might just be it." The girl gave answered with an extremely wide grin, "You wanna live up here with me!?" My smile faded quickly, "I- I meant down there...but I'm sure I could visit!" Her smile damped but didn't fade, "You'd better!" She started giggling as I set the machines in order, "Hey...what's this?" She floated a folder out of my ship and over to me. It took me a moment to realize how she was doing it. Even then I was still a bit amazed. "Telekinesis...wow." I watched in amazement as she set the folder into my hands, "That's...wow." A soft blush grew on her face. Luna quickly dipped below the edge of the cockpit to hide it, "Oh uh- This tells me what to do...I don't really need it anymore...but-" My mind raced back to a trick my dad taught me, "You uh...ever make a paper boat?" She shook her head wildly, "What's that?" I smiled and took a piece of paper out, "Come here and I'll show you." She hopped down and trotted over, folding her legs and watching intently as I folded the paper. Even through the gloves I could still make one with ease, "There, see? It's like a boat...or-" I sat the paper creation on her head, "-a hat." Her eyes lit up as she felt around the paper hat, "Wow! I never had a hat before!" I felt myself grinning hard, the moment reminded me of the time I spent with my dad before he passed, "They're...they're fun right?" I asked with a fake laugh. "Yeah- oh....Mr. are you alright? Why are you crying?" I quickly snapped back to reality, blinking hard to clear my eyes, "It's nothing...just remembering something...someone." She lowered her head again, giving me a few quick nods, "I understand...I don't like remembering either...but it's okay." She walked over and tapped my visor, "We're friends now so it's okay." In a moment of weakness I wrapped my right arm around her and pulled her close, "Yeah...it's okay. I'm okay...are you okay?" "Yeah! I have a friend now, I'm super okay!" I could see her pressing her cheek against my helmet and nuzzling it, "A new best friend?" "Sure kid." I slowly let her go again, "Best friends." I flipped down my visor to hide my face. With it hidden I plopped her back down in my ships cabin and went back to my tools, "If you're tired you can go to sleep...you look kind tired." "No-" She was cut off by a loud yawn, "Okay...maybe a little..." She giggled. Things quieted down as I finished with my equipment. Readings were excellent, fresh water, clean air, low radiation, low seismic activity, moderate temperature. Everything was nominal. With my readings done I packed up my stuff and crawled into the cabin. The girl had curled up on my seat and was snoring lightly. I squeezed myself under her and repressurized the cabin. The loud hiss woke the girl up, "What happened?" She looked around and caught me taking my helmet off, "Oh...you have a mane too..." She noted groggily. I ran my gloved hand through my hair, "Heh...maybe a little." The girl wasted no time in crawling up my body and running a hoof through it, "It's nice. Oh...and thanks for letting me stay in here...the outside gets really cold sometimes." A harsh realization hit me, this girl was not only alone, but unsheltered. "Sure...it's no big deal...." She smiled before resting her cheek on my own and letting her chin ride my shoulder, "Still...momma always said to be nice to ponies." Her words caught me off guard, but the gesture was well received. "Hey kid...I'm going down there tomorrow...do you want me to take you back?" "Mmm'mmm...I was a bad pony...bad ponies get timeouts. Besides...Celestia would be mad. I don't want her to be mad at my friends anymore." My heart sank as she fell asleep atop me. With her sound asleep I pondered the feasibility of starting a colony here. Half way through my joyous thoughts I was reminded of the colonial policy. Natives would be subjugated or terminated. If there were more like her down there they would be- I cut my thoughts short and leaned back in my chair. I would have more time to figure this out after some sleep. I dimmed the cabin lights and drifted away.
The messageI woke up after a night of horrid dreams, most having to do with the creature laid against my chest. I had taken a gigantic risk even getting close to her, yet I did so much more. But what could I do, could I have just left her alone out here, I probably should have. Thinking about it now was hindsight, I needed to focus on what happens next, and judging by the fact that the tiny thing is still curled up on my chest, I'm going to say I'm mostly safe. I took in my surroundings as I prepped to go back outside. The girl stirred as I pulled my helmet back on, "No..." She wrapped her hooves around my helmet and pulled herself tight against me, "Not yet...I don't wanna go back outside yet." I wrapped my arm around her as I started to depressurization, "I'm sorry...but I have to go for a little bit." I popped the cabin open, lifting the girl in the paper hat over my shoulder and landing softly on the lunar surface. I set her down, a little wobbly at first but she evened out, and went to check my instruments. Rotational speed...adequate, gravity...livable, oxygen percentages...nominal. This was it, this was what we needed. I felt a smile grow over my face. A new home for billions of people, "This is amazing...." "What is?" The girl walked over and sat next to me, "Equestria?" I looked at the girl, "Is that what you call it? All I have is a code...E-twenty seven." She cocked her head, "What the hay does that mean?" I flipped up my visor, "If I remember right...fifth planet from the sun is E...system number is twenty seven. I think...it's been a long time since they told me." "Since who told you?" I had started to pack up my equipment, but I stopped cold as she questioned me, "...A man named Cain...my leader." I pulled my equipment free of the ground and started packing it up, "He sent people like me all over, he told us: find us a new world, or die trying." A sudden realization hit me, how long had I been traveling?! I dropped some equipment and ran to the ship. I pulled myself into the cockpit and pulled up the engine diagnostic. "Fuel reserves minimal...no...no!" I kicked the console, "No damn it!" "Mister?" a navy mane popped onto the side of my cabin, "What happened?" "Fu-" I stopped myself. I braced myself on the edge of the cabin, "God no...this is it." I felt a rush of sorrow cake my being. This was it...they weren't going to come for me if I don't give them a planet. Cain said it himself, "I will not risk the lives of our race for the lives of you...understand what you are getting yourselves into here. When we find a planet I am committing every ship, every crew, every man, women, and child: to taking it for ourselves! If you can make it back...then do so, but understand I am not about to waste time sending ships to unfit planets. If any of you want to back out...now's your chance." My panic overcame me, "Mister are you okay? Please be okay." The girl climbed up onto my ship and inside the cabin, "Don't be sad...I'm here." She forced her way into my hand and nuzzled it, "Don't be sad...please?" My heart slowly crawled out of my chest. This girl had no idea...not a clue. I ran my hand through her mane, ending by letting it pull through my fingers, a pale blue dot sitting behind it. I was safe...I had what they wanted, they would come and save me! I brightened up as I leaped from the cabin, "I'm alright...I'm gonna be alright!" I screamed to myself, scooping the tools up and packing them away, "I-" "Mister...Hastings?" She girl tapped my leg, "Are you alright...you were sad...but now you're really happy. It's kinda scary." My gut sank. Even if I was gonna make it, I couldn't stay up here. If my engines die that's it for me, no more air, no more life.... "Kid...I...I know I said I wasn't going to leave but..." I knelt down next to her, "I promise you...I promise I'll come visit." I pulled the confused filly agaist me, "Please don't hate me...but I have to go." I could feel her chin fall onto my shoulder, "I don't...I don't hate you...you're my friend...I don't wanna hate my friend." She croaked out on the verge of tears. I slowly held her back, examining her slowly moistening eyes, "It's okay...I'm used to being alone...and...you said you'll visit." I felt my face twitch. I quickly went to pull my visor down, stopped by a hoof on my faceplate, "Kid I...I'm sorry." I pulled her tight against me, "I don't want to leave you alone up here...but I can't stay up here too long...I'll die." Things got quiet. I ignored it and focused on the soft body with the paper hat, "So you're going down there? To live with the other ponies?" I looked behind me at the planet below, "I think that's the only way...but I promise you, I'll come back." I let her go and walked to the rear of my ship. Popping the cargo hatch once again, I found an thermal blanket. I quickly pulled the blanket free of the scientific equipment and shook it out. I walked back to the crying girl, draping the blanket over her and carrying her to a safe distance, "I promise I'll be back...some day...I'll be back." I set her down and darted off. The girl cried out a final time, "Tell her I'm sorry...if you see her...tell her I'm sorry!" I didn't bother wasting any time pressurizing the cabin and simply started the engine. Dust kicked up all around me as I lifted off. I slowly started towards, what the scanners noted as, a populated area. Where there's life...there's food. I caught a final glimpse of the girl, paper hat stuck tight to her head, blanket wrapped around her. "I'll come back...I promise." "Entering atmosphere...and-" A felt a heavy thud resonate through my ship, "I'm in. Perfect." I mumbled to myself as I drew closer and closer to the surface. A large clearing seemed a good a place as any. I counted down as I reached the planet's surface, "...Two...one, and down." I let out a deep breath as I landed. After a short repressurization to help pop the cabin, I was free. I checked some final readings before turning my helmet and pulling it off. A warm breeze rushing across my face. A new home at last...so many years drifting...so many wasted opportunities. "Halt!" A commanding voice caught me off guard once again, this one sending a different kind of panic through me. "What in the name of Equestria are you!?" I went to turn around, only to have myself shoved against my ship, "Salem Hastings: Pioneer!" I yelled. "What are you!?" The voice commanded. "Human: Pioneer!" I slowly felt something draw breath past my head. "And why are you here?" The voiced seemed to be calming. "To find a home for my people!" The voice gave a quick laugh, "A home? Do you not have a home already?" "No...we don't." The voice immediately stopped laughing. I felt the grip on me relax, "Face me." I obeyed. in front of me stood a fully grown horse, a good foot taller than myself, "Where did you come from little thing?" I stared at the white beast, "Earth...more recently your moon." I pointed up to the sky, "I...I came down to-" The mare's eyes shot wide as she telekineticly picked me up and slammed me into my ship, "The moon!? You came from the moon!?" She asked as if unsure of her own question. "Yes! There was-" I was cut off by another round of being battered. "Why did you go there!? What did you do!?" the white mare repeatedly slammed my agaist my ship, "Answer me!" I winced from the pain, "Measurements- I took measurements!" "And!?" The mare leaned in over me, staring me down, "Did she send you!?" My mind flashed back to the girl on the moon, "Yes! She sent-" Once again I was cut off by being slammed, this time into the ground. I was quickly pinned beneath her hooves, "Why!? She said-" "I banished Nightmare moon, I will not let her flunkeys pollute Equestria!" She slowly increased her pressure on my head, "She said- ah- she said to tell her...sorry-" The weight stopped. My head was splitting from the weight, "She said...if she saw "her" tell her sorry...that she was sorry." She stepped off of me, "L-Liar! Nightmare Moon would never-" I picked myself off the ground, "She called herself Luna. She was just a little girl." I was unable to stand the pain, falling on my back and facing the sky, "She told me to tell her sorry...I don't know who...but she said to say sorry." I blacked out. I woke up being carried somewhere, "What happened?" I asked the air. "Be quiet...we have much to discuss but not out in the open." I scanned my bobbing view. Shorter versions of the mare were staring at me as I passed. They looked to be about six foot, horses with some strange features. What was most striking was the colors, bright pastels blurred in my hazy vision. The ponies looked repulsed by me, was this first contact for them? Can't be...the mare on the moon... My thoughts faded as I once again drifted off into the void.
DecisionsI woke up in some strange stone room, "Good...welcome back." I swung my head around the room, landing on the mare from before. The mare sat a few feet away, laying splayed out on a large cushion. She slowly stood up and walked over, "I feel I, Princess Celestia, must...apologize. My actions might have been a bit...abrupt." She sat next to me, "Your colors...and you said you were from the moon...I made assumptions." I just stared at her, the pain in my back slowly coming back, "Well your assumptions nearly killed me." I looked down, I had been sat on a large cushion just like her's. I pushed off and stood, "How about you tell me where I am." I asked coldly. The mare's smile faded into a deep frown, "I brought you into the old castle of Equestria...it's isolated, not far from where I found you." "On that note, how did you find me?" I leaned on the wall to steady myself. The headache I had suffered yesterday was slowly seeping back into reality. "You flew out of the sky in a noisy machine, what kind of leader would I be if I didn't investigate." She tried once again for a laugh. I gave her none, "Listen to me human, the moon may seem simple to you. But there is something up there...something that I hold amongst my greatest failures." "The girl?" She was caught off guard, "She was not a filly! She was-" I cut her off, "What was up there was a little girl! Maybe eight or nine." I walked over in a moment of bluster, "What is she to you!? Who is she!?" The mare was taken aback by my sudden verbal assault. She slowly lowered her head, "Nightmare Moon...an amalgamation of evil and jealousy that overtook my sister lo-" "A little girl, the amalgamation of evil!? Are you on meth!?" "Human let me-" I pushed her back a smidgen, "No, there is no way that little girl is any sort of threat to you! You calling her evil is just wrong!" The mare narrowed her eyes, "Do you wish to see the devastation she wrought?" The mare quickly stood, "Follow." She started walking out. I held my head as I trundled after her. Little by little the stonework seemed to fade into a bright sea of white. After a few moments my eyes adjusted, revealing ruined archways and broken buildings, "This was her doing." The mare walked me through the town, "We had to abandon the castle and move the capitol. Everything you see is her doing." The grounds were awash with broken stone and cracked earth, "You're telling me a little girl did all of this?" The mare shook her head angrily, "No filly. She was a full grown mare, is, a full grown mare. This filly Luna you speak of may exist, but understand, in another form she is a vile beast." She stared up at the sky, "My very own sister...I had to banish her to the moon." She lowered her head back to me, eyes slightly glassy, "What you've met is no more than part of her." "Part of her- I don't- that doesn't make any sense!" I screamed. "Luna was still locked away somewhere inside Nightmare Moon, perhaps what was left of her became seperated-" I shook my head, "Enough, it doesn't even matter. Where the hell is my ship!?" The mare refused to make eye contact, "I don't know why I expected you to have sympathies...follow me." She started off towards the edge of the grounds, several ponies slowly accompanying us as we walked, "Guards...they won't hurt you." "Shut up...I don't know why you think I give a damn after what you did to me." I was ready to call this in and send the message to Cain with no quarrel. My ship slowly came into view, parked in a small clearing with ponies surrounding it. I ran over as some younger ones were playing in the cabin, "Get the hell out!" I managed to grab one and hold her at arms length, "Who's idea was this!?" "No! Ah no no no!" The girl kicked and flailed in my grasps, "Monster! Monster!" I cringed at her words, slowly letting her go. She bolted off behind a shrub once she was free, "Monster?" I mumbled to myself. "Forgive them...you're the first of your kind in Equestria." Celestia walked slowly over, "Here is your ship...do you plan to lea-" "Yes." I cut her off with cold steel in my voice, "I'll find some other half of the planet to wait on." "Wait on? Hold! Explain." The princess yanked me out of my ship, but I managed to grab my beacon before being pulled over, "What do you mean wait?" I let my thumb rest on the confirmation button, "Exactly what I said...wait." She slowly put me down, "I press this button...my people start towards this planet on mass. You remember when I said we were looking for a home...well guess what: yours fits the bill." I pressed the button. I had about twenty hours to call it off if I so chose, but after how I've been treated I see no problem taking this planet from her. "What did you just do?" Celestia asked with a slightly worried tone, "I have no problem housing you or your people if you would merely ask!" I turned back to her, "Twelve billion? No...you won't be housing a damn thing...by the end of this, you'll be lucky if there are any of you left." She ducked her and and got into an aggressive stance, "I will end you human...I will protect my subjects!" I slowly marched over to her, "So you can stop a ten kg shot? You can stop a gun the size of an apartment block? I don't think you get it." I stared her down, "We've been wandering for forty years. We lost our planet sixty years ago. We started off with thirty billion in our system, now what we have left numbers just over twelve billion." "Billion, twelve billion?!" She asked with a growing panic to her voice, "Tell them no! Equestria cannot handle-" "This planet will handle us just fine...you however, your people...sorry to say I don't think there is gonna be enough room." Celestia levitated me up, "Call them back now!" She slammed me against my ship. "Go ahead and kill me! I sent the message, killing me won't solve a damn thing now!" She stared at me, eventually seeing the truth in my words and setting me down, "Then we are finished? You've killed us?" "I haven't killed a thing, I won't have to-" I felt something tug on my leg, "What!?" I screamed, turning to a small filly at my feet. She shrank away from my yell, "I just...we...I'm sorry, we saw your thing and we...sorry." She slunk away. A sudden bout of self hate flooded over me, "I-" I looked around to see a large group of younger horses watching from the bushes. The group slowly grew as more and more ponies entered the scene, "What the hell do they want?" "If you're leaving...if..." I turned as the princess started struggling with her words, "Will you go back to the moon? If this is truly the end...and Luna is...if she is there. Tell her I'm sorry for everything I did. I'm sorry I couldn't stop it before it happened." She started sobbing, "How long...?" I took a moment to think, "I don't know how you measure time...rotations just about the same as earth so...two years?" This served only to deepen her sadness, "And when they come?" I slowly relaxed my posture, "If you cooperate, you'll all be sterilized to avoid population growth, if you resist...you'll all be killed or taken as...I'd say slaves...but pets seems more accurate." I took a few steps away from her to give her some room, "We lost three billion in one settlement attempt...after that...our leader said we weren't about to take any chances." I could feel the crowd around me growing, "Even if you comply...the best you can hope for is to die out naturally. Even then...there is a lot of hate for aliens right now...a lot of people hurt, and those scars don't fade." The princess collapsed to her stomach, "I'll have to watch my subjects die...watch as little by little my people die out." "What?" I asked with a growing worry. "I'm not normal...not like them. An average ponies might live to be a hundred...I have been alive for nearly a thousand years. Luna's banishment was...seven hundred years ago...Discord's was..." I let her trail off. That little girl has been up there, alone, for seven hundred years? My mouth went horridly dry, "I need to go...I..." I felt my hand tighten around the beacon, "I need to think. I need to ask someone something." I turned away from the princess and hopped into my ship. I didn't bother letting them clear out, a little rush of air wouldn't do anything to them. As quick as I had landed, I was slowly exiting the atmosphere of the earth-like planet. A different look at the moon saw a large horse head inlayed through craters and scars. I quickly dipped into its gravity and started scanning the surface for life. After an hour I found her and settled down, "Luna!? Luna!?" I ran over to her and scooped her up, "Luna...how would you feel...about..." I shook my head and just ran back to my ship. "Mister where are we-" Luna tried to argue but I cut her off with a loud tsk. A few moments later and I pushed us back into E-27's atmosphere, "Luna...do you...do you love your sister?" "Yes? I- ah!" She curled up in my lap, holding her hooves against her head, "Ow! Owwie!" "Luna!?" I yelled looking over her. "Ow...that was weird...are we-" She stopped as she looked out the cabin window, "Equestria!? But- I-" "I to see something." I muttered as I brought us back down in the same clearing. I quickly spotted a bright white missile flying beside me. "Celestia! That's Tia!" She pressed her hooves against the cabin as she watched her fly. I quickly brought us down and popped the cabin. Luna quickly scrambled out and watched as Celestia landed nearby, "Celestia!" Luna bolted over to her. "Luna?" Already on the verge of tears Celestia let her body fall limp. Luna quickly scrambled under her chin and held her up, "Luna is it...you're back?" "Celestia I missed you!" Luna latched onto her face, "I'm sorry I was bad...I didn't want to be bad but I was and-" Her verbal tirade was quickly cut off by a white leg pulling her against Celestia's chest. "Luna...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I've missed you too. I've missed you so much." Celestia peered over Luna, towards me, "Why human? To mock me?" "No...." I pulled the beacon out of my suit pocket. I let my hand clench around it, "I needed to see for myself." I let my hand lazily gesture towards Luna, "Like I said...I found her on the moon. How many of your people are there?" I went straight to the point. Her eyes darted around a bit, "In all of Equestria...several million." My mind when into overdrive as I weighed my options. I could save my people, I could be a hero. But I'd be condemning a people...an entire species to death. There were other pioneers, but I had what we needed...I hadn't been recalled yet, "Luna..." I called her over. She peaked her head over Celestia's hooves, "Mister?" I licked my lips a few times, "Do you love your sister? Is she a good person?" She gave me an incredible smile before nuzzling Celestia's chin, "I love her more than I love...uh...the moon! She's the- ah ow ow ow!" "Luna!?" Celestia watched as she held her head once again, "Oh Luna no..." She pulled her tight before looking at me, "She can't stay here...the rest of her, the rest of Nightmare Moon is still on the moon." "Celestia!" I snapped her out of her worried trance, "What is my name?" She looked confused, "Hastings?" "What is my race?" "Human." "What am I?" This took her some time, "A pioneer?" I took a deep breath, "For the human race above all others, we will find a home"- I held down the buttons on the beacon, "But this isn't it." The beacon gave a loud whirl and turned off, "It's everything we needed...but...I can't hurt this girl anymore...I won't." I pulled Luna away and set her pained form in my ship, "If you...if my race finds yours again...treat them well." "Wait!" Celestia pulled me back, "Did you just-" "There are others looking...I'm sure they'll find somewhere better. I don't think I could live with myself if I hurt someone this little girl cares about. I can't even imagine what centuries alone must be like, and I couldn't live with knowing I made it worse." "Will you...where will you go?" Celestia asked, visibly shaken from my actions. "You won't see me again...I failed my mission...even if I tried to keep looking I'd just end up drifting off into space-" "Human...I...one human...we could care for one human." She walked over, "One...kindhearted, selfless person." I just stared her down, "I failed. And..." I looked back at my ship, "This isn't my life to live, living here...it's not for me. I've made my choice. Besides...I won't be alone in the end." Celestia took a few moments before realizing what I meant, "Human don't you need air to-" I nodded, "Then- I see...but...you could live here saf-" I shook my head and walked back to my ship, "Like I said...this isn't my life. I gave my life to my mission, and I failed. Don't argue...maybe I'm just being stupid...but it's my decision. I've made a few questionable decisions before...giving up a perfect planet, hugging a little moon born girl, taking this job in the first place...I'm full of questionable ideas, and I'm not about to change. And I think she needs me a lot more than you do." I crawled back into the cabin and got into place, "Hastings...Salem, you've done so much to and for me. You've done in hours...what hundreds couldn't do in decades...humans will have a friend should their need be practical." I just nodded and pulled the hatch shut. Once again I took off, "Celestia?" Luna murmured in a haze, "Where are we...where are we going?" "Back home." The words warning: fuel minimal. Kept flashing on the screen. Even as I turned the engine off for the final time the words were burned into the screen. I stepped back onto the Lunar surface with a soft thud, quickly setting Luna down and pulling a medical kit from inside the ship, "You're gonna leave again aren't you?" Luna asked quietly as I walked over to where she had set the blanket down. "You said you'd come back...and you did. You even brought Celestia!" I quickly laid down next to the blanket and searched the medical bag, a piece of paper floating out as I did, "Hey Luna..." I grabbed the paper, "Do you remember how I folded that hat?" Her eyes went wide as she felt around her head, "Oh no! I-" I gave a quick laugh as I held the paper out for her, "Do you think you could do it?" She beamed at me as she took the paper in her magical grip, "I sure can!" She laid down on the blanket and quickly started folding it. I took the moment to mix a few medicines into a poisons slurry of opioids. I wasn't about to die from starvation or suffocation...and at least this way it would be painless. "Got it!" Luna popped back into view with a new paper hat, perfectly folded and perched on her head, "Uh, mister what are you doing?" I started to set everything in place, setting the syringe through my suit and into my arm, "Luna...you..." I pressed the plunger down, "You don't deserve to be alone...no one deserves to be alone." I could feel the drugs going to work, numbing my body and leaving me stupid, "I failed them...but I can...maybe I can make it...I'm sorry...Luna...Maria...mom, dad, I tried to save her..." I could tell Luna was shaking me. "Mister!? Mister are you okay!? What happened!? Mister-" I finally realized who she reminded me of... "Maria jump! You have to jump!" "Salem I'm scared! Salem where's mom, where's dad!?" "Maria jump! Maria please...I don't want to lose you too!" The beacon chirped wildly, "Any and all able bodies pioneers are to head to the following coordinates," A series of numbers and letters rang from the dust covered machine. Luna slowly walked over to the long abandoned ship. She levitated it over and set it with Hastings' body. A collection of paper hats sitting all around him, now joined by the chattering beacon. Luna did as she had each night since he went to sleep, and laid next to him, chin on his chest, eyes searching in vain across the solid blue visor. She spent days at a time, folding paper boats and floating them out into space. She missed Hastings, but she always remember him as her best friend. Even as she changed back into Nightmare Moon, even when she returned to Equestria. Even after her return to Princess Luna. She remembers the man how had stayed with her for hundreds of years. Keeping her company and becoming her best friend, just by being there. As she acclimated to life, she realized just how important he had been. She had a friend, more than a subject, more than family, she had a friend. A friend that she could never truly repay, but a friend that never asked for anything in return. Salem Hastings did his duty, to protect and preserve the lives of those he deemed worthy of protecting. In the end he had done his service to humanity, and was honored with each and every non returning pioneer. In the capitol of humanities new home sits a memorial: In loving memory of the Hasting family: George, Diana, Cain, Salem, and Maria. Those who gave their lives for humanity entire.
