Back In The Dome:

“I… I-is it all broadcasting?” Starlight could barely choke out.

“Yep… every word, every sssight.” Femati nodded. “It’s… going to be a hell of a time sssaying we’re bad now.”

“Gods… if anypony is stupid enough to call you such… I’m pretty sure they’ll be run out of any towns they’re in.” Starlight muttered.

“How… how soon do you think they’ll be back?” Luna asked.

“Wrong quessstion.” Femati stated, glancing back towards Luna. “There’sss a high probability they won’t come back.” She sighed, “They’re sssupporting four newbiesss. And both Nightbloom and I aren’t with them. They’re lacking ssseriousss manpower. Unlessss sssome of them have got an ace in their sssleeve… It’ll just be Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dasssh, and Celessstia that return. The othersss will gladly give their livesss to ensssure that.”

“Then… what about you and Nightbloom?” Starlight asked.

“I’ll evacuate you all from the ship. Leave Nightbloom and his stuff down with you guysss… and make sure thossse fuckersss don’t leave thisss sssysstem.” Femati said, typing a few things onto the console. “You’ll all get a hell of a ssshow.”

The worst part is she sounded serious.

“Wait… y-you’re going to…”

“Yep.” Femati nodded.

“And just abandon Nightbl-”

“He’ll sssurvive. He’ll fit much better in with your sssociety. Plussss, you could alwaysss ussse a good sssmith, right?” Femati joked. “I’m a sssoldier. Your world is at peace. I’d just bog you all down.”

“No yo-”

“Look. Thossse idiotsss are my family. If they die. I go out with them. Plain and sssimple.” Femati stated. “You’ll have Celessstia returned to you safely. And, the piratessss will be dead. Win-win. Right?”

“That’s… not…” Luna muttered.

“You live in your own little world. It’sss different out here. You live and die by your friends and family… and all of us are running from sssomething. Me? I’m trying to run from a group of Floransss that want me more than dead. Chotl, and Oxocol? They’re running from the Kluex adherents. Sssuzy? Ssshe lost everything when Earth was consssumed. Dandy owesss money to the wrong people, and had to leave. Einuli… well, you already know hisss ssstory.” She trailed off for a moment. “We’ve got thingsss we hide. Ssso don’t go telling any of usss what we are, or aren’t. It’ll end up with you sssuffering becaussse of it.”

“I learned that the hard way…” Luna sighed quietly.

“I’m sure you did.” Starlight scoffed quietly. “Femati… if they reach the teleporters… what are their chances of survival?”

“Eighty.” Femati said. “That’sss if they can hold off an entire ship full of mutantsss and Floran who’d want to tear into ssssomething flessshy.” She smirked. “I’ve ssseen ssstupider ssshit happen to ussss.” She laughed. “Ssso ssscratch that eighty, and make it ninety.”

“Well… if stupid shit happens to you all the time, I can’t wait to see what abomination of reality gets thrown at them…”

“They’ll get lossst and find the Bridge. I mean… hey if they do, they can not only hack the teleportersss but set off the core asss well! Win-win for usss! Plusss it’ll be easier to de-” Femati paused, turning the mic to herself. “Guysss, don’t go to the Teleportersss, fight your way to the Bridge. They won’t expect it. They’ll probably be securing the teleportersss and it’d be sssuicide to russsh them.”

The radio was silent. “Change of plans, we’re taking the bridge.” Dandy’s voice was heard. “Prepare to move out!”

“Ninety five now.”

Author's Note

A really short chapter, next one though... oooh boy you guys got a big one comin. I hope you like last stands and boss fights...