Author's Note

This is dialogue heavy. Whew. But here it is! In time for Christmas! And soon, we'll have a new cover image!

Chapter Eighteen

Hunter stood at attention in the Throne Room, awaiting word from Twilight or anyone. With all the action recently, Hunter thought, I’m quite on edge. He thought back to his life before, where he simply looked at things. Now, he was involved with interplanetary politics, children problems, Force problems, and trouble with friends. Friends… Hunter sighed and thought of all the people here that thought of him as a friend. It was a far cry from when he was on his ship. There was Blazer, who he wish he could lay to rest. There was his commander, who didn’t care about Hunter in the least. He probably thought I was an inferior product. Hunter stared at the floor, feeling the burden and pressure build up.

“Credit for your thoughts?” A familiar voice asked. Hunter turned to see Bob.

“Just thinking about all that has happened. It hasn’t been long, but we’re very different, aren’t we?” Hunter asked.

Bob laughed. “You’re still a bit of a stick in the mud. But you’re getting better.” Bob patted Hunter on the shoulder. “You should get some rest. Being thrown around by a Force ghost can take it out of you.”

Hunter shook his head. “Sorry, got to be ready for anything. And that means staying on guard.”

“This place is made out of guards, Hunter. You could throw a stone in any direction blindfolded and hit a guard.”

“They have my duty and I have mine.”

“Your duty is to ensure her safety. Having her in the most secure place on the planet does that.”

Hunter sighed and shook his head.

Bob patted him on the back. “Get some rest, trooper. You’re doing a great job.”

Hunter laughed. “Positive reinforcement from a droid. And I’m taking it. What has the galaxy come to?”

Bob scoffed. “I’ll have you know that I’ve been programmed with over 6 million forms of positive reinforcement to give to patients.”

“Really?”

“Nah. But just take the help from a friend.”

Hunter sighed. “Friends…”

Hunter walked out of the throne room. Friends… is that what I have now? What’s changed?

Hunter suddenly found himself in a garden area. He looked up at the night sky. It’s coming back. The questions. Hunter sat down on the grass and looked down at his gloved hands. Do I really care about my duty that much?

He thought back to his time aboard his ship. Doing the same thing over and over again in the same amount of time. He did his work, but it didn’t really matter. He did his duty per instruction.

But here, he threw himself into a fight where, he had little to no concern for himself. He worried about these ponies, these friends of his. Why do I get along with these creatures, but not my brothers? Why do I push them away?

“Why do you push them away, Hunter?” Hunter turned his head to see Princess Luna land gracefully next to him.

Hunter tried to get up, only for a hoof to stop him.

“Please,” Luna said. “Let us talk as friends.”

Hunter shook his head. “I don’t know why I’m having trouble right now.” He brought his knees to his chest. “I have so many conflicting feelings right now. And that hasn’t happened since-”

“Since your creators tried to destroy those feelings.”

Hunter nodded. “And I’m looking like such a pathetic excuse for a soldier right now. Normal clones don’t have this issue. Why do I?”

Luna chuckled. “Perhaps it’s because you’re special?”

Hunter scoffed. “Special huh?”

“Yes,” Luna replied. “Consider this, would you have stood by and watched someone you knew was attacked by Discord?”

Hunter shook his head.

“Would any clone do that?”

Hunter nodded.

“Now, what happened when it was Dinky? Did you let duty control you and protect her?”

Hunter stared at the ground. He remembered all the feelings he felt when Dinky was under attack. Fear, anger, and many other emotions all mixed up that lead to one conclusion. “I did it because I cared about her.”

Luna nodded. “And if it was Twilight Sparkle?”

“I’d have the same reaction. But why didn’t I feel this way when Blazer was sucked out into space?”

Luna tapped her hoof to her chin. “Perhaps you didn’t feel a strong connection with him as you do with everypony here?”

Hunter shook his head. “But my brothers- I should be- I should-”

Luna placed a hoof on Hunter’s back. “Hunter, being friends or family isn’t just about blood. It’s about experience. What did you do with Blazer, or with your other brothers?”

Hunter held a hand to his head. “We performed mundane duties.”

“How much interaction was there?”

“Little to none.”

“Who do you know better? Dinky, or Blazer?”

“Dinky.”

Luna smiled. “These ponies are your friends. And they think you’re their friend as well.” Hunter looked up.

“They do?”

“They do. Do you want to see?” Luna asked.

“How?”

“We’d pop into their dreams. Just as observers.”

Hunter looked up at the sky and then back at Luna. “I don’t want to intrude, I just-”

“You just want to see if you’re their friend.” Luna stood up. “We can’t see all of your friends dreams, as they are not asleep yet. But we can look at some of them.” Luna gave a hoof to Hunter, who cautiously took it. As he was pulled up, the world around him changed into an ethereal plane.

“Is this-?”

“Yes.” Luna said. “This is where dreams are from.” Luna motioned all around her. “Here, you can see whatever you want to see of a creature. Their drive, their fears, their love, their hatred, their happiness, or their sorrow.”

Hunter turned his head, seeing images all around him. “It looks so real.”

“Your mind is finding a way to formulate the images. But for right now, we’re looking at a select few.” Luna swiped her hoof, sending many images away, leaving only a select few. “Let’s go for one of your younger friends, Scootaloo.”

Hunter shook his head. “The only time I’ve met her is when she stole the walker.”

“But you made an influence on her, did you not?” Luna and Hunter became enveloped in life and found themselves in the sky. Hunter stared at the ground.

“How are we not falling?”

Luna chuckled. “It’s a dream, Hunter. Roll with it.”

“Okay… so where’s Scootaloo?” As Hunter asked, a blue and an orange blur sped past them. The blurs stopped, revealing Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo.

Scootaloo looked to be several years older. “THAT WAS AWESOME!” She cried.

Rainbow nodded. “I’m proud of you, kid! You’re awesome!” Scootaloo smiled. Hunter could see pure bliss in her current form. She was accomplished.

Hunter smiled. “She looks happy.”

Luna nodded. “Indeed. But as you know, this is a dream. Reality has a tendency to-” At that moment, the sky turned black. “Shift.”

Hunter looked over at Scootaloo, who wore a face of pure fear.

“SCOOTALOO!” A voice boomed. Everyone turned their heads to a giant pony wearing what appeared to be a lab coat. “YOU KNOW YOU CAN’T FLY.”

Scootaloo shook her head. “No! Please! I just want to fly! I just-”

“Kid.” Rainbow interrupted. “You know you don’t belong up here. Not with those wings.”

Scootaloo turned her head to her back and gasped. Her wings had become nothing but bone.

Hunter looked closely at them. “They look… brittle.”

Luna sighed. “She has a rare condition. Because of how weak her wings are, she’ll never be able to fly. A whole part of who she is will never see its full potential.”

Hunter looked back at Luna. “Aren’t there other ways for her to take to the air?”

“She could learn how to fly a balloon. But I doubt that would satisfy her.”

“Don’t you have anything faster?” Hunter asked.

“We don’t.” Luna then smiled. “But you do.”

Hunter nodded. “My ship.” He looked back over at Scootaloo who was slowly falling into nothingness. But she was stopped. She was suddenly sitting in a chair. More specifically, a pilot seat. She was inside Hunter’s ship. In a chair next to her was Hunter.

“Ready to fly, kid?” Dream-Hunter asked.

Scootaloo looked around the cockpit and smiled. “YEAH!” Scootaloo pressed forward on a pilot stick and made the ship fly.

Hunter shook his head. “The ship doesn’t go that fast.”

Luna smacked him lightly. “Shush. It’s a dream.” She looked back up at the ship. “As soon as Scootaloo saw your ship, she was filled with hope. Hope that can propel her through the stars!”

Hunter nodded. “I suppose a sublight drive could help her too.”

“The question is, ’can you help her?’”

“How could I help her?”

“You could teach her how to fly.”

Hunter shook his head. “I’m not the best one to teach her. But…”

“But?” Luna asked.

“Well, there is a simulator she could use. I think there’s one on board.”

“Why would that be there?”

“The ship can also be used as a troop transport. Should the pilots both be incapacitated but the ship in working order, pilots could brush up their skills in the simulator to be good enough to fly back to a Republic base.”

“So, could Scootaloo learn to fly?”

Hunter looked at Luna. “Why are you so invested with the kid?”

“I look after all my subjects. And I’ve met Scootaloo. She is a good child.” Luna sighed. “Please help her, Hunter.”

Hunter looked back at Scootaloo, who was enraptured with the sights of space. But, he thought back to children’s robbery of the walker. Are they responsible enough? Hunter shook his head back to reality.

“I’d be willing to give her a chance. But, she has to prove that she’s serious.”

“If there’s one thing that filly has, it’s determination.” Luna smiled. “Thank you for at least entertaining the idea.”

Hunter nodded. “Is there anyone else I should see?”

Luna hummed. “Well, Pinkie Pie is having a dream of you and your brothers dancing while cleaning out a chimney. ‘Step in Time’ I believe the song is called.”

Hunter shook his head. “I know that Pinkie likes me enough. I guess, being on better terms with everyone would be better.”

“Then you should take heed of their interests and go about conversing with them. Create a level where bonding can take place.”

“I’d also like to become a better soldier.” Hunter thought back to his training. “My training was very sparse, unfortunately.

Luna smiled. “Perhaps training with our guards could help. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to help.”

Hunter nodded. “That would be nice, but that’s not it. I feel like I could do more.”

“More?” Luna asked.

“I can’t put my finger on it. But the more I perform duties of a soldier, and less that of a map navigator, I feel myself becoming more.”

“You were made to be a soldier. Perhaps that part of you is working now.”

Hunter shrugged. “Must be.” Hunter looked back at the ship Scootaloo was flying in. “I suppose back-up wouldn’t hurt either.”

“Didn’t your Republic say it couldn’t spare anyone?”

“Not a major force. But a few troopers could help. And that might make all the difference.”

Luna smiled and patted Hunter on the back. “Call them tomorrow. I’m sure they’d hear you out.”

Hunter nodded. “I’ll talk to them then. But Luna, I just wanted to thank you.”

Luna smiled and shook her head. “To be honest, when I first started talking to you, I had a few ulterior motives.”

“And what are they?”

“I’ll reveal one. It’s because of your friend. I murdered him.” Luna stared into space. Thinking of that act brought shame to her.

“It’s not your fault.” Hunter patted Luna on the back. “Blazer and I knew the risks going into this job. We could lose our lives at any moment.”

“You shouldn’t think of yourself as something expendable. Soldiers who do that find themselves closer to death.”

Hunter shook his head. “It’s just us accepting inevitability. We die. All of us do at one point or another.”

“Barring immortals like myself?” Luna asked.

“I’ve seen you hurt, Luna. I don’t know if you’re immortal or not, but you can still suffer from injuries.” Hunter cracked his knuckles. “And pain is something we soldiers have to stop.”

“You want to stop people from dying?”

“Dying is natural. What Dooku is doing isn’t a war of independance. It’s murder. Worlds that don’t join his cause suffer his wrath, and those world’s that oppose him suffer worse.” Hunter looked out into the void of dreams. “And this world. It’s peace. It’s something I- the Republic cannot afford to lose.”

Luna listened intently. Hunter had proven time and time again that he cared for people. But here, to have him proclaim what his heart says, proved to Luna that she could trust him. “Hunter, we’ll work with you to stop this man called, ‘From the Rear’!”

Hunter stared at Luna. “What did you call him?”

Luna stared dumbfounded at Hunter. “Forgive me, but I suppose Twilight’s spell might not be working. His name is, ‘“Dooku”’? Correct?”

Hunter nodded.

“Well,” Luna continued, “in Hortughese, ‘Dooku’ roughly translates to, ‘From the Rear’.”

“So basically-”

“Poop, yes.”

Hunter chuckled. “Well, that explains why Pinkie Pie laughed at his name. I doubt the House Dooku considered what their name would be in Equestria.”

“So, House Poop?” Luna laughed.

“Yes.” Hunter laughed a little harder, but quickly regained his composure. “But there’s something you must understand about Dooku. He is not an opponent to take lightly.”

Luna frowned. “What has he done?”

Hunter sighed. “It’s best if I show you. You can project my thoughts, right?”

Luna nodded. “Prepare yourself.”

Hunter shut his eyes and thought back to all the reports he read about Dooku’s actions. All the battles he participated in. All the declared actions he made across the galaxy. His visions became Luna’s vision. Everywhere around her, she could see what Dooku had done. Murdering, maiming, creating a path of destruction and chaos throughout the galaxy.

She saw the construction of a device that destroyed planets. And another that sucked the living magic out of life itself. The weapons he tested on civilian populations. The deception of peace talks. And the betrayal he committed towards the Republic, being a former Jedi.

“Darkness has captured his heart.” Luna looked away in sadness. The visions stopped.

Hunter looked at Luna. “He’s not going to stop until he meets his end goal.”

“And that is?”

“I can’t say. But, I’m sure it’s nothing good.” Hunter looked out into the void. “His Confederacy has to be stopped.”

Luna tapped her hoof against her mouth. “What are they rebelling against in the first place, Hunter?”

“They disagree about the Republic’s policies, the decisions it has made, and corruption within the ranks.”

“It seems to me those are legitimate grievances, Hunter.”

“It’s not a perfect system, but if all the galaxy has to have a say in it, it’s the best chance we have.”

“Democracy. To be honest, Celestia and I have been wondering how to approach the Republic. We have multiple nations and species on this planet. We cannot speak for all of them.” Luna created visions of several creatures in front of Hunter. She pointed first to a creature that looked to be a mix between a bird and a lion. “This is Griffon. Their species is an aggressive one, that has a militaristic culture.”

Hunter grunted. “Will they attack the Republic when they come?”

Luna shook her head. “While they are militaristic, it is just in their culture. Most Griffons take their honor very seriously.” She then pointed to what appeared to be a larger pony. “This is a Horse from Saddle Arabia. Their culture is a progressive one. Based on economy and religion. The core of their religion is the peace achieved through balance of work and fun.”

“Sounds like they would be interested in the business opportunities the Republic could provide.”

Luna then pointed to a grayish animal that was hunched over. “This is a Diamond Dog. Their species mainly stay underground and mine different materials that they sell to different buyers around the world.”

“It sounds like their skills would be valuable to the Republic.” Hunter looked at Luna. “For the right price?”

“For the right price.” Luna pointed to a pony with black and white stripes. “This is a Zebra. They don’t hail from any one place.”

“They’re nomads?”

“Yes, and quite mystical. Dealing in potions and magics that some of our best scholars cannot master. If you come across an ailment that conventional medicine can’t cure, it’s the Zebra you should seek.”

“Interesting. Perhaps the Jedi could speak to them if they aren’t too forward about approaching the Republic.”

Luna smiled. “I wouldn’t worry. If you gave them a new place to go, they would be grateful.” Luna pointed to a creature standing upright with horns.

“What in the Force?”

“That, is a Minotaur. They are a business-centric society. Status is very important to them.”

“So, they would want to represent Equestria when the time came?”

“They would like their presence to be known, yes.”

“Alright then. Any other species I should know about?”

Luna shook her head and showed off many different species in front of Hunter. “A lot of these creatures have very few numbers and like to keep to themselves. They won’t be concerned about representation.” She pointed to a very large lizard. “The Dragons, while numerous, prefer to stay in their mountains, and dislike involving themselves in other’s affairs.” Luna frowned and made all the images disappear. What took their place appeared to be a dark pony with holes in its legs.

“What the hell is that?”

“That, Hunter. Is something everyone in Equestria has come to fear.” Luna sighed. “The Changelings.”

“Wait, you have Changelings here too?”

Luna shook her head in disbelief. “Wait, what?”

“We have a few species of shapeshifters in the galaxy. Although, not much else is known about them.”

“Have they tried to take down your Republic?”

“Shapeshifters who were hired assassins. But there was never an agenda to my knowledge.”

“Your Changelings sound like an absolute dream compared to ours.”

“Believe me, detection is very tricky sometimes. We do have something that can scan for them, but that takes about ten minutes to tell us that a shapeshifter is there a few minutes after that to tell us where one is.”

Luna shook her head. “How do you detect them?”

“Our sensors already detect lifesigns. If one lifesign changes into something else, say like a pony to a griffon, we can detect that.”

“And if it’s a pony to a pony?”

“Same thing. Your vitals are going to be different from Twilight Sparkle’s for example. After that, the trick is tracking them.”

“Is there anyway that you can test for a Changeling?”

“People did use to do blood tests, but a regular scan can find what we’re looking for.”

“I hope we can use those scanners. Our Changelings can cause a large disruption.”

“What do they want?”

Luna sighed. “In short, they want ‘love’. Or whatever biological response is responsible for it. They crave it, Hunter. Enough to overturn a nation. They need it, but they go about getting it in a rather violent way.”

“Oh, is that all?”

Luna looked surprised. “Is that all?”

“Well, the thing is, we have a few species that feed on the emotion of love as well. It sounds like these Changelings are empaths.”

“Empaths?” Luna asked.

“Yes. A basic empath can feel the emotions of another being. Some empath’s feed on the emotions of others. But, scientists actually found a way to grow love.”

“That sounds impossible.”

“When I say it like that, yes. But scientists used rather basic cloning to create beings that our just emotional beacons for empaths.”

Luna looked horrified. “You breed people as food?!”

Hunter shrugged. “Initially, but those clones now have rights now. More than I can say for a majority of my brothers. In any case, the empaths that need emotion get it, those emotion producers lead normal lives, and no one is starving or fighting.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad actually.”

“I’m sure you can put in an order for them.”

“Yes… YES!” Luna cried. “We can create peace with the Changelings! Thank you, Hunter!”

“Well, if I wasn’t going to tell you, someone would. To be honest, I’m surprised.”

“Surprised?” Luna asked.

“Most species would jump to eliminate something like your Changelings.”

“I see.” Luna said sadly. “That is something I fear.”

“Eliminating the Changelings?”

“No. That the people of Equestria would develop that mindset. It frightens me.”

Hunter patted Luna’s back. “I wouldn’t worry. There are very few species that have kept to peace for so long like you.”

Luna smiled. “Alas, the time has come. I shall get you awake.”

Hunter nodded. “Alright. Thank you, Luna.”

“And thank you, Hunter. I look forward to creating a new age with you.”

Hunter laughed. “I’m hardly the guy to do that.”

“You may not have a choice, Hunter. Sometimes greatness is thrusted upon people.”

Hunter looked out towards the void and saw it slowly dissipate. He felt his body go light, as if he were falling in a pool of water. He found himself on the ground where he was, feeling well rested. He stood up and took out his rifle. He marched back towards the throne room, ready for a new assignment.