MLP: Dragonfire: Maiden Flight
"For generations, we've wandered the stars, searching for a place where we can all live in harmony. We don't know when that day will come, but we know this: as long as there is discord in the universe, we will fight. I serve on board The Celestia, and tonight, we ride. Quarter-Tech Mark Dragonfire: Division M6. You can call me Spike."
As the last of his words were transcribed from speech to holographic text, Spike saved the file of his new journal and closed the window on his multi-tool gauntlet and grabbed the last of his equipment. Fitting the helmet over green hair, with a few snaps it locked into place around his neck and a few commands to his gauntlet made the interior layers of the suit uncomfortably snug, thankfully the outer layers, armoring, and harness would prevent any sort of mishaps before the rest of the crew.
A quick glance around the empty locker room reminded of the absence of any other male crew for this mission. Some guys might call him lucky, but knowing who was captaining personally, he knew he was more likely cursed.
Over the speakers and into his suit's feed and displays "Quater-Tech Mark "Spike" Dragonfire: report to launch area Cor-36-Ex."
"I'mma comin'! No need to shout or rush! Yeesh!" Spike said with carefree levity and exited the locker room which led straight to his destination where the newly dubbed Celestia where, of a large gathering, only eight would actually be serving on board.
"How long it's been since we lost our original home, only I and my sister can remember anymore and we can say even the first second we were forced from its soils and out from the sky, from the moment we were exiled to the heavens, it was already too long." The ethereal, pale, and statuesque namesake of the new vessel spoke over the crowds. "I will be honest with you, my subjects, my soldiers, my friends, my family: we are in dire straits, but this small ship, named in my honor shall be our beacon to a new home. Tonight, myself and our small and brave crew leave The Canterlot and begin a grand journey to seek out a new place for us to at last call home than remain vagabonds amongst the stars! Tonight: Equestria begins its rebirth!"
Spike slipped in discreetly through the crowd as the masses cheered, and casually slipped up between Celestia and the captain as though he had always been there.
"Spike!" The captain hissed. "You're late! What were you doing in that locker room for so long?!"
The rainbow haired pilot snarked with a teasing grin: "Probably giving himself a taste test of the fantasies he thinks he'll live out on board."
If she wasn't subtle enough her hand gesture made most of the crew who saw it, Spike included, whap the hotshot on the backside of the head in a flurry of hands and telekinetic smacks.
"Heheh, totally worth it." She said with an infectious bravado that made Spike smile a bit.
Now relaxed again, Spike looked over the crew and thought back on the files Celestia had given him, such an odd mishmash of personalities and temperaments. Had she really made the right choice to cram all eight of them into something as small as corvette?
It wasn't his place to judge exactly, but he was going to be stuck with them for who-knows-how-long. A conversation for later, at the moment, Celestia was introducing each member of the crew to the gathered crowd, and Spike's half-distracted mind only picking up nicknames and positions.
"Applejack", "chief engineer" and the woman who would be Spike's direct superior, and thus the only 'chief' on the ship who technically had a genuine subordinate.
"Rainbow Dash" the ship's pilot and head of security, also supposedly an ace pilot of the Pegasus Zero Frame Mobile Armors (Which they somehow crammed into the corvette's hold) and a talented driver. (Also somehow crammed in the hold.) In otherwords, the woman he was could to be cleaning up after most as a quarter-tech.
"Fluttershy", ship's medical officer. The one who looked most uncomfortable with this whole thing and who's psych profile would have made Spike seriously doubt Celestia's judgement if not for her outstanding records.
Next on the list was "Pinkie Pie", who's job description seemed to fall into a lot of weird things, chef, morale officer, ship psychologist, and continued in a myriad of schizophrenic directions. (Including electronic warfare specialist)
Yeoman and Quartermaster "Rarity", a rather stunningly beautiful woman seemingly picked straight out of the civilian ranks and instantly boosted to an officer status. The confidence she held herself with almost made you think she was not just up for the job and more, but had managed to earn it.
Right next to him was his long time friend, the one person he certain she was up for this "Twilight Sparkle", the ship captain and science officer. Despite the earlier trouble, the two regarded eachother with a fond smile.
One that faded when Spike looked at the still-speaking Celestia, her very presence both uplifting, but the knowledge of her role on the ship keeping Spike's mood low.
Sensing this, she briefly turned and smiled to the young man before looking back on the crowd and finishing her speech.
"And so, it is with great pride and confidence I leave my sister Luna to watch over Canterlot in my stead, and with a heavy heart, yet one filled with great hope, we leave you." She spake and allowed the applause to sink in until security guided everyone away.
"Time for the maiden voyage party!" Pinkie squealed with delight while jumping up and down.
"Pinks, might wanna save that for once we're at least on the ship, nevermind actually flying." Spike teased.
"But if we wait until we're flying, then Celestia won't-" Pinkie stopped dead in her tracks with a sudden sadness while Celestia laughed.
"It'll be fine. I'll still be with all of you the whole way. Now come, time is of the essence with our mission, every moment we spend here is one that will not be spent plowing fields for farms or terraforming."
"Heh, real farmin', huh? Not any o' all this hydroponics 'r biodome crap? Now yer makin' me think we're goin' off ta heaven." Applejack joked as they began to step aboard The Celestia.
"Well in a way we really are. Away from this dreary space station slowly drifting through the void."
"And out there amongst the stars." Rainbow Dash added in awe.
"Actually, haven't we been among the stars this whole time?" Fluttershy asked.
The conversation trailed off in silence as they reached a small, cramped alcove in the back of the bridge, within was a highly elaborate looking reclined chair with numerous wires and locks hanging from it. The sight of it made Spike sick.
With a blithe happiness Celestia stepped towards it. "Welp, time for my job-" Spike could stop himself from grabbing her wrist.
"... Celestia... Please, isn't there another way?" He found himself asking.
She just gave him a warm look. "Oh, Spike, of course you would bring this up now." She hugged him and kissed him with warm lips on his cheek and stood up. "You all need to remember I'll be right here, but there is no other easy way to do this. My contribution to this journey will not be as large as any of yours, nor as important, but it must be. If I do not carry the burden of empowering the systems and A.I. then this ship will not even travel a few lightyears before puttering out." With her long reach, she pulled the crew into her embrace. "You all do me so proud, I have watched many of you grow up, I have known your parents and their dreams for each of you, and I can tell you you all exceeded their expectations and mine."
Letting go, Celestia took her place on the seat and was locked into place by restraints and hissed as the unseen needles began to push into her spine while others hooked into her wrists, a final bar with a single crystal hooked around her forehead and soon shined gold. "Remember, my little ones, I will be right here..." Celestia reassured as her seat sank into the floor and became a tomb, her voice resonated from herself, in their minds, and from the ship's speakers. A stasis field encased her with a flicker before the integration pod doors and the floor bulk heads buried Celestia for the remainder of this journey.
After a somber silence, Twilight spoke up: "We have our orders: everyone to your posts, prepare to cast off!" The whole group scrambled, Spike included as The Celestia's doors closed and the final system checks were made.
"Reactor room here! All systems 're go!" Applejack announced.
"Life support systems are optimal." Fluttershy confirmed.
"Stealth systems and sub-systems are okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie said chipperly.
"Captain, all systems are green." Rarity confirmed as twilight took her seat, gesturing Spike to stand next to her.
"Helmsman?" She called to Rainbow Dash.
"Captain?"
"Bring me those stars."
"Aye aye."
Author's Note
As mentioned before and shall be mentioned again, this is simply a one-shot experimental story. It may or may not one day become something bigger, for now I merely hope this inspires you. It's actually several months old and has been sitting on my Google Docs drive for a bit now after I wrote it up for 4chan's /mlp/ not long after April Fool's itself.
Of course, I also have not kept tabs on if others have done something with the Dragonfire spinoff so maybe I'm a bit late to even inspire.