Two Empires Under the Sun

Darth Vader's Personal Flagship "Executor"

Three years after the battle of Yavin.

The Dark side was weakening. Darth Vader's hate had kept him alive through some of the worst the galaxy had thrown at him. But even his hate couldn't overcome his son Luke. Vader reminisced about their battle in cloud city, how instead of joining the dark side, Luke had thrown himself to death, only to survive and escape Vader's reach.

Yes... Vader could feel the balance of the force changing. For many years the darkside ruled. But now his son was bringing the Jedi's light back into the galaxy. The Emperor had ordered Vader to kill his son if he refused the dark path, but his hate had not been strong enough to do that, even now.

A swish of opening turbolift doors drew Vader from his meditating. An imperial Officer strode in, a human male like all of the Empire's minions. He did a polite bow and waited for Vader to face him. He never did.

"What is it?" Vader Demanded.

"The Emperor has ordered to speak to you my lord." The officer said quickly. No doubt wanting to get out of Vader's personal chambers as quickly as possible.  And as though it were an afterthought the officer added. "In person."

That changed things greatly. What did The Emperor have to tell Vader that he couldn't tell him over Holo-Net communications. Had his son been found? "Tell the caption to make for Imperial Center. I want my shuttle ready to depart as soon as we break Corescant's atmosphere."

"Yes my lord." The officer said, turning around and making his way off to the bridge.

Darth Vader sensed his master's call in his mind.

'You have been troubled my friend. You think of your son do you not Lord Vader?' The Emperor said to his apprentice.

'Yes Master. I have received your orders, we are underway to Imperial Centre now.'

'I'm pleased to hear that. I sense you wonder why I have asked you to abandon your search for the rebel fleet.' Darth Sidious's clouded out Vader's own thoughts about Luke. He felt only anxious to know what his master wanted him to do.

'I have.'

'Patience old friend. You must trust me, that I have my reasons. Clear your mind for what's ahead Lord Vader.'

Vader could almost picture the smile on his masters face. The reassuring grin that had won him the galaxy. The Dark Side may have been wounded, but it was far from dead.

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Forunner Installation 00 "The Ark"

5 years after the Human/Covannant War

Sand swept over a sea of dunes blown by an artificial wind.

John didn't remember the place being so sandy, but then again there were many parts of the Ark he hadn't seen. The giant pedaled artificial world had been built by the Forunner's to remotely detonate the Halo Array from outside the galaxy itself.

John would know. He had stopped The Covenant from firing the Halo Array and killing all sentient life in the galaxy. Since then he had largely missed out on galactic affairs. But he did know The Covenant had been disbanded, some still believed that firing the Halos would ascend them into the afterlife as gods. Others had  simply been trying to rebuild after the war.

The UNSC faced little opposition now and was actively trying to upset the fragile situation with the disbanded Covenant. John couldn't blame them much after what The Covanat had to human worlds. But he wanted no part of it. He'd saved humanity, whatever came afterwards was out of John's control. He only wanted one thing, to reach his destination.

The not-wind blew John's cloak and sent it whipping back behind him. He had worn the cloak over his armor since leaving UNSC controlled space. He was too recognizable in his battered green Mjolnir armor. He drew a deep breath through his helmet's filtration, and stared ahead into the setting sun. A shimmering blue figure stood out there, calling his name.

John sighed, he knew it wasn't her. It was all in his head. He'd been unsure about his sanity for awhile now. Visions of his past, present and future? John had seen himself walking across the very desert terrain he saw now all around him. Traveling to some forunner relic still standing above the dunes. Seeing her there didn't help him feel any better about his sanity. Why was he all the way out here? What was he trying to find? John didn't know.

The only way was forward, it was the only direction John was ever meant to walk.. It had been a vision that had brought him here in the first place, perhaps seeing her meant John was on the right path. Or that he was completely insane. Chief sighed to himself, and picked up his pace. He had long ago given up trying the sensible thing. His heavy armored boots sunk into the sand with each step forwards, making his traverse labored and slow. John didn't care. He had all the time in the world to walk, and he still had a long way to go.

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Equestria, Ponyville Library

Twilight ran excitedly downstairs. Tonight was a special night. The five planets in their solar system would all be visible in the night sky to any patient observers. And if Twilight was anything she was patient.

"Spike hurry up! I asked you to pack my telescope and starmaps an hour ago." The purple Mare said as she reached the bottom of the stairs. Spike had been napping on the couch and woke startled at the sound of Twilight's voice.

"Oh.. Twilight I was just resting my eyes. Honest!" The baby dragon pleaded.

Twilight sighed she could never be mad at him for long. Besides it was way past his bedtime anyway.

"Why don't you go to bed Spike." She magically lifted her telescope and folded maps into a waiting wagon. "I can manage it if you're too tired."

Spike suddenly jumped up form the couch, alert and awake as can be.

"Oh no way twilight! I promised you I'd help you write down and record the planets motions for your essay." Spike suddenly put on a bravado that wasn't in his voice before. "As a Dragon, I am bound by honor to keep my word. Even if I need to stay up all. *Yawn* night."

Twilight fashioned the wagon harness to herself and levitated spike onto her back.

"Come on my little white knight. If we don't hurry we might be to late to record everything." Twilight said.

"Right! record everythAAHHHH" Spike was cut off as Twilight lifted her wings to take flight. She flew close enough to the ground to keep the wagon from flying away itself, but fast enough to cover a great distance. Twilight was still thrilled by the sensation of flying, and she had gotten considerably better then she was before. Heck with enough practice, Twilight felt she could be racing with RainbowDash.

Twilight soon found herself outside the edge of town and onto Sweet Apple Acres property, where her friend AppleJack had set up a site for Twilight to stargaze. The site was a large inclined hill that had been stripped of apple trees, it offered an unobstructed view of the sky, and was probably the highest point in the whole orchard.

Twilight spotted her friend first. AppleJack was waiting for them at the top of the hill as planned. She had set up a picnic table with various snacks and a full keg of cider. Rainbow would be so envious of Twilight right now. Twilight's wings snapped shut as she landed at the top of the hill. She kicked out with her back hoofs to slow the momentum of the wagon, digging her forehooves into freshly plowed dirt.

The wagon grinded to a halt and Twilight felt Spike leaped off her back and saw him start kissing the ground.

"Whoo doggy. You sure came in here fast, even carrying all that weight! You sure you're not a farm pony at heart sugercube?"

AppleJack said, a mug of cider already in her hoof.

"Canterlot born and raised." Twilight said. "But I think at heart I'm a Ponyville pony."

"Just don't forget about us here when you go off to rule Equestria." Applejack said.

Applejacks comment caught Twilight off guard. Sure she was a Princess now, but rule Equestria? Twilight had thought about her future sure. But she didn't think she had the heart to leave all her friends behind. "I would never do that AppleJack."

"Ah know you wouldn't. Sorry I said that, I've been drinkin and well thinkin... Ah well never you mind this silly old mare. Lets get your stuff set up Twil, ah never really looked through a telescope before."

AppleJack was backtracking hard, but twilight didn't press the matter. "Its Okay AJ. And don't worry spike is being a GentleDragon and setting everything up. Right Spike?" No answer. "Spike?"

Twilight saw the baby dragon face down beside her, snoring loudly into a puddle of mud he had landed in.Twilight sighed and began the work of assembling her telescope with AppleJack.

A short time latter, Twilight had set up all the star maps and began to use them to find the planets in the night sky. AppleJack stood to the side, looking distantly into orchard below them.

"Ouuuu, I found it!  Deus Equestris!"

"Deus who now?" Applejack asked.

"Come see for yourself" Twilight said, making room for her friend to come over and look into the eyepiece.

AppleJack complied and gasped at the sight of the blue-green gas giant.

"Is that really up there?" The Orange mare asked, still transfixed on the eyepiece.

"Sure is! Neat huh? It's a Gas Giant that orbits closer to the sun then we do. It whips around the sun so fast it atmosphere is basically on fire!" Twilight geeked.

"You say that like it's a good thing Twi. I don't think anypony would like walking outside and baking from a light breeze."

"It's just so interesting to me. There are so many different types of planets in our solar system. And I'm gonna see them all tonight."

"Ah got a feeling I'm not as good at this astronomy stuff, as I am applebuckin. Ah can hardly tell all that just by looking at a little orb in the sky" Applejack peeked up from the eyepiece and wandered over to the picnic table. "Feelin thirsty partner?"

Twilight looked from her charts back at her friend. She could study and hold her cider. Twilight was just as free spirited as any other pony. "Okay sure, fill a mug up for me."

Applejack returned with Twilight's mug, and two slices of apple pie from the table.

"Now don't drink it to fast, or you might start seeing stars in a different way." Applejack warned.

Twilight took the mug and pie from her friend with a gracious nod. She sniffed the cider first. Apples, what else?

And took a small sip to test the flavor. It was sweet, it still gave twilight a burning sensation in her throat, but it tasted so good going down she didn't even care. She soon found her mug half full and stopped herself from drinking it to fast, as applejack had warned. Twilight settled down on the ground and took a bit of her pie. It more then complimented the fruity cider.

"This stuff is really good AppleJack. I've never had a hard drink this sweet before." Twilight complimented.

"Well shoot Twi. What did ya exspect I'd have fermented for mahself? No redneck moonshine made here. Yes manm, only the best  at Sweet Apple Acres.":

See, she could work and have fun, it was just multitasking. Which she thought herself very good at. A few hours past, and Twilight continued her search for planets in the sky. She had spotted five of the seven planets when she had her forth mug of cider. She was beginning to feel very tired.

Applejack was starting to feel it to, she was layed down on her back. Watching twilight work and sometimes making conversation.

"Hey Twi?" Applejack stood up to say.

"Yeah?"

"You ever wonder if anypony else is up there?"

"I guess. It's possible there Is life on other planets."

"Ah was just laying here, wonderin what its like up there. Maybe somepony up their is wondering what it's like down here."

"Yeah... Do you think we will ever meet them?" Twilight said.

"Ah Hope so. Don't you?" AppleJack looked Twilight in the eyes waiting for her response. But Twilight never got a chance to answer.

The dark night sky suddenly erupted into flaming light as three fire balls seamed to separate and trail off in different directions. Twilight and AppleJack were stunned by the sudden event. All they could do was watch as three flaming trails in the sky fell closer and closer to the ground. Eventually they lost sight of two meteors over the horizon and gasped in terror as the third meteor starting descending directly at Sweet Apple Acres. Before either of them could react, the third meteor slammed into the orchard, tossing trees up like they were toothpicks. The vibrations from the crash on impact made Twilight's insides feel like mush, and she was sure she could see the orange glow of fires starting up in the canopy of the apple trees. The two friends glared at each other in mutual shock.

"What in the hay was that?" AppleJack asked her.

"A meteor,l but I've never seen one that big that didn't get burnt up in the atmosphere." Twilight answered.

. "Quick speaking in fancy Twi! We gotta put out those fires quick. I anit loosing a whole field because of some damn space rock." AppleJack's tone was deadly sober now.

Twilight and AppleJack raced away in the direction where the meteor had fallen. Leaving two pieces of unfinished applepie, and one sleeping dragon behind.