Rise of The Solar Empire

Darth Critious felt his connection with Mitch breaking, as if Luna’s very presence had disrupted the flow of energy. Feeling his connection to the human snap, an intense pain blasted through his mind, almost like a burning sensation that seared his skull. He screamed in agony. While writhing on his bed, he fell off, his hands gripping his burning cranium.

Hearing the door hiss as it opened, a medical unit came over to him. One female earth pony extended a hoof to help, but he slapped her away, making the others stay back.“Do not touch me.” After the pain had subsided, he sat up, and looked at them, “What are you looking at, I am fine.” They didn’t leave, “GO!” He yelled at them, and he turned to his bed, hauling himself into a standing position. But one remained, her hooves behind her back, her coat was  a pale gray-purple, and she was a unicorn. “What are you still doing here?” Darth Critious spat.

“Her majesty, Empress Solious, has requested an audience with you.” She said said.

“And why does she need to request one? She is my master.” He replied.

Critious walked over to her, and then around her, “She is my empress, it is not my position to question her.”  She said, unwavering in her stance and her face unmoving.

What is your Identification tag?” He asked her.

“TGH-6487.” She answered, almost all of the troops in the imperial military, aside from a hoofful of high command officers, were cloned troops made from the Royal Guard’s finest troopers, with genetic samples taken in secret of course, and bred to be loyal to the empire.

“Very good, where does she want me to meet her?” The human asked, standing in front of her, she was half a hoof shorter than him, and most ponies, even the ones much taller than him, harbored a fear of him, but he didn’t, she looked at him with confidence, and an unwavering gaze.

“Detention block, level six.” she relayed her instructions.

“Thank you, now if you would please accompany me to the empress.” Darth requested, “Please wait outside while I dress myself,” she exited the room, and Critious put his armour and cape on, and then the twosome left, her following a hoof behind his cape

Rushing to catch up with him, she asked, “Um,why?”

He ignored, and replied with his own question. “What is your name?”

She seemed puzzled, “I already told you, TGH-648-”

He interrupted, “No, your name, not ID tag.”

“The troops call me ‘Manila Velvet’.” She answered, “Junior archivist for the empire.”

The name seemed familiar, and so did her face, then he stopped and turned to her, “You wouldn’t happen to be cloned from Twilight Velvet’s genome, would you?”

“Actually, 3.86 of my genetic make up came from her, the rest was from the standard imperial clone genome.” Manila said, that was not uncommon, occasionally the cloners would mix in another pony’s genome to give each pony more diversity and specialized for specific tasks, as well as to give each one a unique personality.

They walked past the elevators, and Manila tried to alert him of this. But before she spoke up, he could sense in her mind what she was thinking, and replied before she could. “I know I passed it, but it’s only one level.” They approached a flight of stairs, and an imperial battalion was marching up the stairs, “Teleport to the lower level, I will meet you there.” He climbed over the railing, and jumped down, with Manila next to him. “Hello.” And the two proceded down the hall to the Empress, her figure towering over two hooves above his head, just under three if one included her black horn that came from a small hole in the cowl’s hood. Both Darth Critious and and Manila knelt before her

“Rise.” She said, and they followed her down the hall, stopping at one detention cel, but she turned slightly, “Leave us archivist, what is to come you will not wish to see.”

“Yes my Empress.” And then she left, with two guards at her side. He watched her walked away.

“Now, my apprentice, you you know who is in this cell?” She asked, it seemed like an odd question.

“Yes,” He said, eyes filling with hate.

“Good, good.” She said, “Now, enter, draw on your hate for strength.” Then the door opened, inside was Flash Sentry, asleep. “After you finish with him, take him to the hangar bay, use him when you go to Canterlot.” She lay her hoof on his shoulder. “And if you bring me Twilight Sparkle, you shall be rewarded, and bring him back, I have further use for him.”

“It will be done my liege.” Critious said, a dark smile across his face.

He could see Flash was dreaming, “....*Snore*..Nngh, no, Twilight, I said the blu…*Snore*....” Hearing him say Twilight’s name nearly sent him into a fury.

Raising a black armoured arm, he slammed his forearm don onto Flash’s stomach, jolting him out of sleep, before he could react, Critious grabbed his throat and slid him across his bed, and into the wall. Critious choked Flash, and slid his back up against the wall. All the helpless pagasi could do was make a series of gurgling chokes and struggle, until the decided to lessen his grip, and pulled him to his face, “What tower is Twilight Sparkle in?”

“Wh-what?” The pegasi asked, but in response, Critious slammed his forearm into Flash Sentry’s chest.

“WHERE IS SHE!” Critious yelled in his face.

Flash tried to cover his face, “N-north T-tower fo-4,” He stammered. In response, Critious slammed his fist into Sentry’s head, knocking him unconscious, grabbing his mane, he dragged him along the floor, leaving a small bloody trail behind them.

Many imperial troops looked at him with puzzled expression, and when Critious reached the hanger, two Imperial Guards stood by, and took the pagasi when Critious approached.

“Um sir, what do we do with him?” One guard asked.

Taking his seat in the cockpit beside Day Flight, said, “Just make sure he stays alive.” Turning to the main console, a projection of StarBlaze appeared, “Are all the preparations for my attack made?”

“No my lord,” Critious raised an eyebrow, it was not common place for StarBlaze to fail. “All we need is to move the guards, and Twilight’s friends to their positions, Princess Luna and Celestia have been more troublesome than we had envisioned.”

Critious growled quietly, “Just make sure that everything is ready by the time I arrive with the battalion, I have waited too long for this.”

StarBlaze bowed to him, “I understand my lord, it will be done.” The projection ended, and Darth gave the command to launch.

“All troops, move out.”

“..it will be done.”  StarBlaze tuned off the projector, and stood up. Walking down the hall, BroadShield came over to him.

“So , what’s the news?” The eager unicon said. “Not that I’m in a hurry to destroy this castle, its just this RoyalGuard armour is a bit tight.” He magically pulled on his shoulder pad

All around them, Imperial Guards in disguise were suiting up into RoyalGuard's armour. He turned to Commander BroadShield. “I know. I’m not fond of these armour’s either. Alert all posts we are under attack but not until, the battalion is here, who do not want the princesses to know of our true intentions.”

“So, where do you want me to go?”

StarBlaze put on his helmet, his silver main plume coming out the back, and shaking his head to straighten it out. “Use your imagination.” BroadShield, one of the brightest guards, was stupefied. The Imperial Captain groaned, rolling his eyes, “Go to the north tower, call to the guards when you can see the fleet.”

He saluted his commanding officer, “Sir yes sir.” Taking his blaster from the weapon rack, he went to the north tower.

Captain StarBlaze began walking down the hall, heading towards the main royal chamber. Behind him, an ImperialGuard earth pony trooper came, saying, “Sir, do you want us to retrieve the targets from their chambers?”

   “No,” The captain could tell the trooper was surprised without needing to see his face. “We do not want them to know our our true intentions until they are powerless to stop us. Retrieve them after BroadShield says the fleet is approaching.” StarBlaze stood in front of the troopers, who were all chattering about the upcoming attack, and he tried to get their attention. After he couldn't, he fired his blaster into the air, the loud shot snatching their attention, the shot would not be heard by the RoyalGuards as the imperial troops had special barracks that were separate from the castle. “Everyone, the time of the grand plan is at its rise.” StarBlaze delivered, “Tonight, our Empress Solious is sending us and, Dark Lord Critious, to retrieve Twilight Sparkle,” He looked all around the room, the ponies’ eyes fixed on him. “And today, we move towards the Grand Plan, and I assure you, we will succeed, for today, we are no longer bound to a false allegiance to the royal sisters,” He rallied the troops before their attack, many began cheering and shouting, “We shall destroy this castle, and take this world, and our grand Empress shall rise to her rightful power.Today, we claim victory, in the name of The Grand Solar Empire!” He said, and the assembled troops cheers loud enough that StarBlaze was sure that the Empress herself heard them. “Now my comrades, to arms, we strike the Princesses and Elements of Harmony tonight.”The crowd still cheering, his voice lowered. “Today, we destroy Equestria.”

The Imperial troops began to take their weapons, and exited the barracks, taking up their positions around the castle, preparing to attack.

Walking out of the barracks, Luna’s night began to creep across the sky, the sun began to fall below the horizon.

“INVADING FLEET, SIX MILES DOWN SOUTH!” BroadShield yelled to RoyalGuards, his eye in a telescope, collapsing it. “Sound the alarms, we’re in for an all out attack.” Several guardsmen ran to their weapons and to the rest of the castle to warn them. Muttering to himself, “Yes ponies, run to your demise.” He walked out, weapon in hoof, passing scrambling guardsmen, and slowly walked out of the guard tower. He exited the castle while guards were dashing about, pushing the door open, he saw Captain StarBlaze, and the rest of his quad waiting. “Greetings captain.”

“Commander.” He replied.

Several metres away, Darth Critious walked out of his shuttle, his left hand tightly gripping the blue mane of Flash Sentry, using it to drag his body across the steps. His freshly beaten mouth mumbled, “Please don’t kill me, please don’t kill me.” On the steps of Canterlot Castle, Captain StarBlaze stood waiting. He bowed before his master, “Greetings my lord.”

“Captain, move the artillery batteries into position, I want no royal scum surviving this assault.” The lord of darkness said.

“Then why do you have that one?” BroadShield asked smartly, pointing at Flash  with his heavy blaster.

“The Empress wants him alive, and I enjoy the feeling of my fists on his bones.” Hr replied with nothing short of hatred. “Where are those artillery batteries captain?”

“O-on their way sir.” The captain said, he did not fear many, but he did fear Darth and the Empress. “Artillery units move in, and let them have it.”

Several loud blasts came behind them, and three large, glowing red objects leaving a trail behind them, impacted the wall of the castle. Each shot exploded on contact, the ground shook violently as the castle walls crumbled.

Critious smiled and laughed darkly, “Yes, YES! Fire at will comander Trigger.” Another volley of shots impacted the wall. Turning to BroadShield, “You may remove those Royal armour, you have no use of them.” BroadShield removed his armour and revealed his Imperial outfit beneath it. “Good, now go destroy the royal guards, kill them at their po-” Critious was interrupted when a guard, a royal one, opened the door.

“Commander, we ne-” He froze when he saw Darth Critious, BroadShield pulled out his pistol and shot the guard in the head, killing him instantly.

The diseased guard’s head rolling to Critious’s feet.“I believe the princesses need you, shall we go see them?” The garrison followed the dark lord, and their superior officers into the castle.

BroadShield too the lead, one guard coming up to them, “I know the princesses want me, I’m on my way to see them.” The guard walked past them, and BroadShield shot him.

The troop battalion Critious brought marched after them, firing on the royal guards frantically trying to escape, Critious ran ahead, hacking and slashing like a ninja. It amazed both Imperials and Royal alike how nimbly he could leap around while holding Flash Sentry, and occasionally using him to smash guards. Dropping him to the floor, Critious ordered two imperials to carry him. Flash’s voice spoke up, “You, you monster.”

“I do not deny my true identity.” Critious admitted, He knelt to him, holding the bottom of Flash’s face in his hand.

“You won't succeed.” He said weakly.

“Oh, is that so?” Darth Critious asked. “And who, pray tell, is going to stop me?”

“Twilight,” He said, obviously either not knowing of Critious’s power, of being faithful in Twilight. “Sparkle will.”

Critious scowled. “Is that so, take a good look at me,” He thrust his face into Flash’s “I am what has become of one of her friendships, I loved her so fiercely, and look what became of me. SHE made ME this way.” In his infinite rage, Critious made a fist, Critious hit Flash, knocking him out, the feeling of his teeth break under his impact gave Critious a sense of twisted joy. Critious now took the lead, jumping from royal to royal, stabbing, slashing and slicing them till there was one left. The lone guard dropped his weapon and raised his hooves in surrender. “Good, smart soldier.” Critious electrocuted him, shocking him with atomic blue lightning from his fingertips. Then grabbing his chest plant, and lodging his neck in his arm, snapping his neck in one, swift motion, many imperials cringed from the sound of bones snapping, dropping his body to the floor. Critious snapped his fingers, and the imperials brought Flash to him. He pulled his hair, causing him intense pain.

“Oh please don’t kill me.” Flash mumbled, blood coming from his mouth, obscuring his voice.

Critious growled, and said “If I wanted you dead, and I do, you would be, but I have other uses for you.” The pure malice in his voice silenced the beaten pony. the door they stood in front of was locked. Pulling the pegasi’s head up to his, he asked, “How do you propose we enter?” Critious already knew how we would, but it brought him pleasure to see Flash’s eyes widen in fear. Then Critious threw Flash into the door, smashing it to pieces, a cloud of dust forming.

Stepping through the destroyed doorway, several imperial troops took positions beside him, aiming their blasters at the ponies in the room. Surveying the room, Critious asked, “Which one of you is Twilight Sparkle?” He grinned, sensing her fear.

The sound of shelling jolted Mitch out of sleep, Polaris was still by his bedside, weapon in his hooves. The door was thrown open and a RoyalGuard, fear in her eyes, “We are under attack, Princess Celestia wants all guards at battle positions and civilians to the royal chamber.” She didn’t stay long enough for their response.

Mitch and Polaris looked at each other, Mitch stood up, still dressed in normal clothes, he had not changed, and he was glad he didn’t. ”Where are you going?”

The NightGuard  responded, “Luna instructed me to protect you, and that is what I intend to do.” He grabbed Mitch’s arm, and the two began to go to the royal chamber.

Pushing open the doors, Mitch saw that Captain StarBlaze and Princess Celestia were absent. He searched frantically for Twilight Sparkle, he found her and saw that she was surrounded by her friends, and two guards, but before he could Polaris grabbed his shoulder.

“Take this,” He held out his blaster pistol, “You may need this more than I, if the fighting gets here.” The human accepted it and nodded to the guard before him and several others were going to depart to fight. Mitch walked over to Twilight and the ponies part to let him near her, he stood in front of her, blaster raised and hands shaking, he never held a weapon before in his life, and now he was going to need to fight for his friend’s, and his lives.

Suddenly, as the assembled ponies followed Zodiac, the door was destroyed, wooden splinters flying through the air. The impact from the door knocking everyone to the floor. “Which one of you is Twilight Sparkle?”

Mitch saw a dark figure with a red lightsabre-like device, and he stood up. Several RoyalGuards ran at him, firing, but were cut down by his sabre. Protecting Twilight Sparkle, who was thrown several feet away, and was also getting up, he fired at Darth Critious, who reflected the blast back at Mitch. The blue laser impacted his shoulder, and Mitch was  knocked to the floor in pain. “Mitch!?” Twilight rushed over to him to see if he was ok, he was, but his shoulder was badly injured by the laser blast. Darth Critious began attacking the rest of the guards, killing them mercilessly, and his troops gunned down the guards that were on the floor. Darth Critious jumped over to them, and was about to bring his sabre down on them, when an atomic blue sabre saved them.

Its wielder was Silver Screen, whose knee struck Critious in the stomach and threw him backwards telekinetically.

Silver went to the guards, and fought them, their shots missing him as he used his sabre on them. “You waiting for an invite, GO!” Pointing to the stairs.

“We have to get out of here. Quick, help me up.” Mitch said, and Twilight helped him to his feet. The rest of her friends followed them as they tried to escape up the stairs, troopers firing on them as they did.

“Go, I’ll cover you.” Silver said, reflecting the lasers back at their attacks. Critious was helped to his feet by StarBlaze.

They ran up the stairs, hearing Silver Screen’s hoofsteps behind them, and the sound of lasers being reflected back. Silver Screen cut their weapons in half and kicked them down. Guards tumbled down the stairs, obscuring the way for troopers to get up the stairs.

As troopers tried to move the piled up troopers from the stairs, Critious telekinetically threw them to the side, watching as Silver Screen knocked more down.

Silver Screen jumped off the wall, catapulting himself over to his human counterpart, running alongside him.

“You’re certainly a lot braver than me.” Mitch said to Silver, who had caught up.

“Oh most definitely, my father was a guardsman.” He said, running along side them, his sabre retracted. They had cleared many hall entrances before long, but were still in the same straight hallway.

Suddenly Applejack yelled in pain, a laser blast had hit her leg.

“Excellent work, SharpShot.” Came one of the imperial snipers.

Applejack fell to the floor, and Pinkie Pie tried to help her up. “Go, I’ll be alright. I’m ah comin’ ” She hobbled along after them, losing ground with each step.

When Critious cleared the first hallway, many of Celestia’s troops were positioned in the other halls, ready to fire on him, but he slaughtered them before they had the chance.

His sabre sliced through their armour, killing them, he began hacking off limbs, slashing their chest open, cutting them in two, and so on. Their laserfire was reflected back at them, and more were killed as they arrived, a feeble attempt by the princess of the sun to save her student and her friends. Walking down the hall, he found Applejack on the floor, crawling her way out, he walked to her and her heard StarBlaze say, “Applejack, do you honestly believe you will escape this?” Before his shot silenced her short scream.

Critious did not look back, he walked towards his quarry, knowing his link with both Silver Screen and Mitch would guide him to her.

Mitch gasped as he ran, and his glasses began to fog up, he was not out of shape, but he certainly wasn’t the most fit human there was, Silver Screen was no better off. He fell to the floor, And Mitch followed suit, both were gasping loudly, Mitch’s side was stinging from the running, and his lungs burned.

“Come on Mitch, This is no time for a break!” Rainbow Dash said, hovering in the air.

“Easy for *gasp* you to say, Miss ‘I-Can-Do-A-Sonic-Rainboom’!” Silver Screen spat, his breathing slightly faster than normal and very shallow.

Mitch, though his vision was blurred, saw the condensation was starting to clear, and he noticed somepony was missing. “Where’s Rarity?”

A muffled scream came from the hall, and they saw Darth Critious holding her, one arm around her neck, and the other by her head, his sabre aimed at her temple. “Certainly took you long enough to notice. She was quite easy to apprehend, though not quite as easy at that worthless pony Flash Sentry.”

“Unhoof me this instant you militaristic brute!” Rarity said, flailing, punching him in the stomach to try and free herself, but only making her situation worse. His grip tightening on her neck.

“How about ‘no’.” He said to her, before turning to Twilight Sparkle, “Unless she and the human, Mitch, come with me.” He pressed his sabre’s handle into her ham forcefully. “What do you say, after all Spike, you did say she had a beautiful mind, care to put that hypothesis to the test?” He knew they picked up on his meaning, and the ponies tried to talk her into his demands, each one louder that the last. The discussion went on for several seconds, until Critious had enough, and spoke louder, “AND TIME IS UP!” Extending his sabre through her head, the white unicorn fell to the floor, her brain incinerated by the blade.

Spike ran over to her, then at Critious, who, after Spike charged at him angrily, was thrown out a window by the dark emotioned human. Pulling Fluttershy over to him telekinetically, he locked her neck in his arm, saying, “Now, come with me, or she dies, I think this time I’ll snap her neck, snap it like a twig, make sure she doesn't feel a thing. I’m not a complete monster after all.” He said it into her ear, hearing her adorable little voice. “Well Twilight, do we have accord?”

She remained silent for several seconds, then answered. “Yes, I’ll come with you, just don’t hurt my friends.”

He released the beyond terrified Fluttershy, who went back to the safely of  her friends, Mitch hugging her to comfort her, murmuring kind, calming words to her. “You have word, they will not be harmed,” He bowed before her, and gestured for her to follow with Mitch. Turning back he aimed a verbal attack at her, “Unlike you, I actually keep my promises.”Seizing her wrist, he pulled the purple unicorn through the castle corridors.