Exodus

Everything was going according to plan.

Admiral Argo allowed himself a satisfied smile as his ships formed up into a battle line to await their Federal opponents. Argo's strike craft attacks had dealt a respectable amount of damage to the approaching enemy fleet. A single ship had been crippled and rendered completely useless, courtesy of Primaris squadron, who were so far living up to their almost legendary reputations in battle. The rest of the Federal fleet had suffered more superficial damage, and were making good speed in an attempt to close the distance quickly and engage their Imperial foes before the strike craft were rearmed.

"Plot a simultaneous firing solution!" This was the most dangerous part of fleet to fleet combat. The opening salvoes of each fleet would decide the course of the battle, and could very well guarantee its outcome if substantial damage was inflicted on the enemy fleet before it could return fire. "I want all fire focused on those Federal battleships!"

Argo turned, strode down the length of his bridge and barked orders left and right, the undisputed master of his domain.

"Launch all fleet strike craft on my order only!" He paused and walked over to a a bank of consoles controlling the ship's scanners. "I want the enemy flagship identified. On the double!"

Celestia and Luna stood to the side of the bridge, silently observing the proceedings and leaving military matters in Argo's capable hooves.

Celly? I've never been in a battle before. Luna frowned, her anxiety plain on her face as she projected her thoughts to Celestia.

Father chose Admiral Argo for his ability. We could not be in more qualif- Celestia started to reply, only to be cut off by Luna's exasperated mental groan.

I know. I told father to pick him. Silence reigned for a few uncomfortable moments before Luna mentally spoke again. Celly, what are we doing here? What did father intend for us to do? What purpose do we possibly serve if there are ponies like Argo already leading this fleet?

We are our father's daughters.  Celestia replied as firmly as she could, though Luna could pick out the uncertainty and anxiety lurking in the back of her mind. We will do our duty as best we can.

What have we done so far? Celestia could sense her sister's frustration at her own perceived uselessness.

Sister, there will come a time when we will be needed. I know that. But right now, the most qualified pony for the job is Argo. I say we leave this matter to him for now. There will be plenty of other opportunities to prove our worth.

Assuming that we survive this battle. Luna's flare of anger had faded to be replaced by grudging submission.

Assuming that we survive. Celestia agreed, allowing a hint of fear to shine through to Luna's mind. Then her tone turned slightly mischievous. Take heart, little sister. Our magic will allow us to drift endlessly through space, should the worse comes to pass.

You're being upsetting, Celestia. Stop it. Luna loosened up a little, her sister's poor attempt at humor lightening her mood by a tiny fraction.

So unsociable, dear sister.

Shining Sky slowly unbuckled her restraining harness and slid out of her seat. The equines around her were too preoccupied with their own fear to notice or care about her leaving, allowing her to silently step over to the exit. A burst of telekinesis overloaded the bulkhead lock and allowed her to leave without tripping the emergency alarm.

Once free, she ran down the dark maintenance corridor at full speed. As her hooves thundered on the perforated steel floor, she turned her thoughts to the mysterious voice.

Voice? Are you there?

Silence reigned. Shining Sky's anxiety and nervousness skyrocketed. What if the voice had been a fear induced figment of her imagination? Were years of tireless, social life destroying work finally catching up to her? She could be thrown in the brig just for leaving the safe room without authorization! Her academic career could be destroyed!

Just as Shining Sky's paranoid train of thought threatened to reduce her to a gibbering wreck, the voice responded, an amused peal of laughter preceding it.

My little pony, you are far too easy!

Shining Sky ceased quivering and took several seconds to acclimatise to the idea that her actions so far hadn't been for naught.

You aren't making this decision any easier. I could just go right back into that safe room and take my chances. Shining Sky tought angrily as she steadied her hooves and stood up straight.

Except that you won't, because you need me. The voice was coy, as if it was privy to information that Shining Sky was not. I know that, because I can actually see the battle going on outside.

Shining Sky looked around at the tiny steel corridor cutting her off from the rest of the ship, as if noticing it for the first time.

You don't want to know exactly how bucked you are.

Silence for a few seconds.

Because it's a lot.

Fine. Shining Sky groaned with frustration as she began running down the hall. How do I free you?

Well, that part is easy. Just destroy the asteroid containing my prison. Getting the means to do so however... You'll have to be creative for that, my little pony.

Thanks. That's really helpful.

Now what kind of student just wants the answers given to her? I expected more from you. The voice replied, playful and not the least bit reproving.

Shining Sky found an exit and stumbled through it into a deserted corridor. She then realized that she hadn't formulated a fully coherent plan.

How am I going to destroy that asteroid? I can't go to the admiral! He'll ignore me and throw me in the brig! Shining Sky's mental voice grew frantic as her paranoid imaginings threatened to crash back into her conscious mind.

So don't. What's the problem?

The problem is that only the admiral can authorize the gun crews to destroy your prison!

Very well, my little pony. If you want my suggestion, I'd say that the hangar bay contains the answer. You know how to fly, don't you?

Shining Sky paled at the implication of breaking even more rules than she already had and No I don't know how to fly!

Oh, my mistake. I just thought that you would, having read so many books on the subject.

How did you-

And read through the blueprints of every single ship in Imperial service. And read every military training manual you could get your hooves on. And-

You can read my memories?

Same way that I can read your mind. Comes as part of neat little package, you see. Come now, surely the princesses wouldn't allow the pony who saved the fleet from certain destruction to be punished for something as trivial and unbearably dull as a rule.

I'm not stealing a ship!

Oh, okay then. I guess you should just stay exactly where you are and wait for The Ark to explode. I'll just sit in my asteroid and drift through space for eternity, no big deal.

The voice was surprised when Shining Sky began galloping towards the bridge.

Didn't you say that the admiral would throw you in the brig for wasting his time?

I can go to the princesses. They'll at least listen to me. I can try to convince them that you're real.

For a few seconds, the only audible sound in the corridor was that of her hooves ringing across the steel floor plating.

Stealing a ship would have been far more entertaining. You should steal a ship.

The warships of the Exodus fleet were briefly illuminated by a blinding flash of light as their weapons discharged, sending hundreds of missiles, laser bolts and railgun projectiles at their Federal opponents, who had formed into a staggered battle line as they approached. Specialized turrets mounted on each Federal vessel targeted and eliminated as many oncoming warheads as they could, but their considerable efforts barely managed to make an impression on the storm of Imperial munitions threatening to engulf the Ninth fleet.

Explosions wracked the three battleships at the core of the Federal formation. Hundreds of laser bolts overloaded their energy shielding, allowing missiles to detonate and shatter armor plating while railgun projectiles the size of watermelons tore their way through hulls. Two light frigates unlucky enough to be in the way of the Imperial munitions intended for the battleships were utterly destroyed, the stress inflicted on their structures enough to shatter and reduce them to ruined space hulks. Shrapnel and partially incinerated corpses filled the void in between ships.

Undeterred by their losses, the Ninth fleet pressed on and answered the Imperial gunfire with a firestorm of their own. Armor piercing shells and megalaser bolts the size of cars hit home throughout the ranks of the Exodus fleet, powering through energy shields to incinerate and smash through armor.

Strike craft screamed from each fleet's hangar bays and towards their targets like bloodthirsty specters. The distances between each fleet shrunk with every passing second as the Federal fleet attempted to crush their Equine foes through brute force and sheer weight of numbers.

A shudder rippled through The Ark as a megalaser bolt slammed into the side of the ship, burning through meters of armor plating and sending streams of liquefied metal gushing into space.

Better hurry, my little pony. Clock is ticking.

Shining Sky's only response was a series of ragged gasps as she forced her tortured legs onward towards the bridge. Her lungs and back burned and ached with exhaustion, a scholar's lifestyle proving lacking in its dismissal of physical exertion. This was the most that she had ever exercised in her life, and she felt like keeling over and dying. But the prospect of saving the fleet from destruction (As well as the prospect of a galaxy shaking scientific discovery for her alone) kept her going, injecting determination into her movements and preventing her from stopping.

She rounded a corner and came face to face with a heavily armored and fully armed Imperial marine, who reared up in surprise at Shining Sky's sudden appearance.

"What the hell are you doing out of your safe room, lady?" The marine shouted, causing Shining Sky to stumble backwards onto her hindquarters.The marine's cohorts turned at the sound of his voice, and began advancing towards Shining Sky, who was frantically trying to catch her breath, menacingly.

"I'm...I am... member of fleet *gasp* council. I need to see...need to see the princesses." Shining Sky keeled over, her lungs burning from the effort of speech.

"Why?" The marine asked, his voice overflowing with suspicion. He took a few steps towards Shining Sky, the shotgun mounted on his shoulder pad ready to be used at a moment's notice.

"Information I...have." Shining Sky took a deep breath and forced herself to speak properly. "Information that could turn the tide of the battle, which the princess needs to know! Please!" Shining Sky put on the most pitiful, pleading puppy dog eyes that she could muster. This, when coupled with her heavy breathing and disheveled features, conspired to make her look like a leering, wide eyed imbecile.

The marine snorted with derision and pulled out a riot baton. "I think its time for you to go. Civilians are prohibited from entering the bridge during battle. Get back to your safe room."

Shining Sky frowned and grit her teeth in frustration, before noticing that the lift to the bridge was right behind the troublesome marine and his squad. Shifting her eyes back to the marine in front of her, she gave him a forced smile as her horn began to glow.

"Sorry about this." With a loud pop, she disappeared from sight.

"Plot a firing solution! Target those enemy frigates before they close in!" Admiral Argo shouted, his hooves clenching one of the bridge railings as chaos ran free in the space outside. Lasers, missiles and cannon shells zipped through the void in between ships, leaving explosions and storms of shrapnel in their wake. A second broadside had devastated the Federal fleet, leveling the battlefield a little by disabling several of the smaller ships within it. The battle was still more than precarious, with more than half of Yeung Gao's strike craft slipping past and striking the Exodus fleet from the rear, forcing The Ark's strike craft to return and protect the fleet from harassment. As Argo watched, a predator fighter zoomed past the bridge window, chasing a Federation Warhawk with flames trailing from its engine. The predator's autocannons let loose a withering burst of fire, ripping off one of the Warhawk's wings and causing it to veer off uncontrollably, eventually burrowing into the side of an Imperial frigate and detonating.

"Sir! The enemy fleet is moving into a pincer formation!" A nearby ensign shouted, his hooves hammering on the battle map's console. Admiral Argo brought up the battle map in his eyepiece, examining the situation with a critical, experienced eye. Sure enough, Yeung Gao's frigates were fanning out to flank and enclose the Exodus fleet, with his assault cruisers and battleships forming the solid core of his battle line.

"Redirect strike craft and disrupt the starboard arm of the enemy pincer! Shift the battle line accordingly to face the rest of the enemy fleet!" At Argo's order, the strike craft wheeling around the Exodus' fleets warships peeled off and streaked towards their targets at full speed. Anti strike craft turrets on each warship swiveled in their mounts and picked up the slack, destroying Warhawks in mid flight with computer controlled precision.

The Exodus fleet rotated and adjusted their positions, forming into a battle line facing the rough semi circle formed by the Federal fleet. Then, the three battleships at the core of the Federal formation halted and rotated ninety degrees in place, presenting the full force of their firepower to the Exodus fleet. Argo swore as he realized Yeung Gao's ploy. By moving to match the Federation battle line, the Exodus fleet had presented larger targets, allowing Yeung Gao to use the superior firepower of his battleships to his advantage.

"Fleet orders!" Argo shouted. A nearby communications officer hammered at his console and patched Argo's voice to the captains of the Exodus fleet. "All power to forward shields! Disable all non essential systems and have engineering overload your reactors! Whatever happens, we have to weather their fire!" All over The Ark, lighting was turned off. The bridge was plunged into darkness, before being illuminated with red emergency lighting.

Then the bridge lift opened. A black unicorn strode out, confident and completely sure of herself. Then she stumbled on a step and sprawled on the ground ungraciously with a clatter. None of the bridge staff noticed her entrance, discipline forcing them to remain focused on the battle. The two princesses standing to the side of the bridge however, trotted over and stared down at the unicorn with confusion.

The unicorn glanced up to see her two monarchs, bathed in red light, staring straight into her eyes with unreadable expressions on their faces. She involuntarily quailed and attempted to make herself as small as possible under their gazes.

You've come all this way to be scared into inaction? For shame! The voice spoke forcefully, all trace of friendliness and amusement gone, replaced with a reproving, authoritative tone. At its words, Shining Sky straightened and shakily got to her hooves. With a burst of determination, she looked back at the two princesses and explained herself.

"Your majesties, I think I might have found a solution to our problems."

Allow me to introduce myself. The voice left Shining Sky and entered Celestia and Luna's unprepared minds, causing them to start with fright. Celestia, recognizing the characteristics of mindspeak, turned her initial fright into outrage as she replied.

What is the meaning of this? Who and what are you?

I am your friendly neighbourhood cosmic entity. The Jovians call me Reh'namok. The voice had assumed its usual amused tone, but had injected it with an ounce of severity and gravity as it spoke to Celestia. This is why you should help me.

And that is why, as an ancient enemy of the Jovian people, I intend to destroy the Federal fleet currently assailing you, solving your whole...death problem and also having my own long overdue revenge. The voice had, in fact, not explained anything at all, but had immediately jumped to its conclusion after its introduction.

Celestia, however, was far too pragmatic to look a gift horse in the mouth. She decided that she would rather not hear the story while her people teetered on the brink of destruction.

And what is the condition for your aid? Celestia asked, unwilling to abandon caution despite what the voice offered.

The only condition, my dear Celestia, is that you free me from my prison and allow me my freedom. The voice grew theatrically sorrowful as it spoke. Oh, how I have longed for the simple joy of walking on my own two feet after such an unbearably long time...

"Enemy fleet preparing to fire!" An ensign shouted at admiral Argo, who slammed his hoof onto the battle map control panel in frustration. "Brace for impact!"

You should make your decision soon, Celestia. The battle seems to be slipping out of your hooves even as we speak.

Celestia glanced at Luna, who had heard the entire 'conversation' through her mental link with her sister. Luna frantically nodded, the first hints of fear breaking through her carefully constructed facade of serenity. Celestia came to a decision, the frantic desperation evident in Luna's body language enraging her with sisterly protectiveness. She would not let any more of her people come to harm. She would do whatever it took to survive.

Trotting over to a nearby gunnery console, she gently pushed the ensign manning it aside with a burst of telekinesis. The protest on the ensign's lips faltered and died as he saw his princess take his place.

Where? An image of an asteroid field to the rear of the Federal fleet flashed into Celestia's mind. The image zoomed in one particular asteroid, holes from stray gunfire revealing its hollow and unusual structure. With her telekinesis, Celestia frantically maneuvered the console joystick, centering the crosshair on the asteroid field at maximum magnification. She stabbed a button with her hoof and the targeting computer took over, maneuvering the railgun into position and making micro adjustments to account for the movements of its target.

"Your majesty, what are you doing?" Argo shouted, rage plain on his features as he witnessed Celestia's actions. Celestia glared at him, determination and steel evident on her face and in her voice.

"Do not challenge me, admiral."

The railgun fired, propelling a high explosive shell towards the asteroid at supersonic speeds. The targeting computer estimated several seconds to impact.

The Federal fleet opened fire, a solid wall of metal and barely contained energy erupting from its weaponry.

The projectile hit home, shattering its target. Celestia, Shining Sky and Luna held their collective breaths. Nothing happened. For a few agonizing seconds, the Federal gunfire tore its way through space unimpeded, nothing appearing to halt its progress or to defend the Exodus fleet from certain destruction.

Crewponies and captains alike closed their eyes in prayer. Admiral Argo stood firm, watching the coming onslaught with a dispassionate eye, as if he'd been expecting such a death for years.

The leading megalaser bolt impacted an Imperial frigate with a splat, coating its prow with bright red paint.