Year 2250.

With the creation of small but high capacity battery in 2020, it had become possible for engineers to create new technologies. Just in ten years after this technological revolution electricity became free of charge, as one simple battery could produce electricity for an entire town for fifty years. So, villages started to become towns, towns grew into cities, cities grew into megacities which had an average population of five million people.

Of course, humanity needed resources to create technologies. As their planet was almost out of resources fifty years after the revolution, everyone understood that they need another planet to dig for resources. In 2071 planet Mars was colonized, factories were build, quarries and mines were dig.

Back at their home planet, cities grew, oceans were covered by floating cities, ecology was completely destroyed. Megacities could provide its populations with fresh air, however it has become impossible to live on Earth anywhere else.

So, the new Earth Government decided to move half of Earth's population to Mars. It helped, though people were not satisfied at all. The living conditions on Mars were not suitable for them.

Mars population blew up starship ports in their protest, demanding better living conditions. Large ships couldn't land anywhere but in starship ports, which quickly destroyed the economy, leading to hunger and illnesses on Mars.

Somewhere on Earth, 13:00, 13.05.2253

I slowly opened my eyes. All of my body hurts, the view is blurry. I remember nothing but a moment of pain. Bonding thoughts together...

I slowly inhaled, coughed a few times. I shook my head. A sharp pain went through it as if something was cracking my skull. I made a short cry in pain.

"Hey, he's awake!" someone yelled above me. Seems to be a man. His words made my brain hurt even more. "Doctors, quick!"

I heard that somewhere right to me a door opened. I turned my head and saw two men in lab coats. They quickly walked to me. One of them, the tall old man with short gray hair, waved his hand in front of me.

"Hey, buddy, are ya awake?" he asked. I tried to say anything but only wheezed. I closed my mouth and made a small nod.

"Good," the man said. "I am doctor Richard. It has been a week since you were brought here. You were in pretty terrible condition, my friend."

I tried to move myself and felt Richard's hands on me. He pushed me back with little force.

"No, no, you must not move," he paused. "Unless you want to hurt yourself, of course."

I made another small nod. Time to think now. Where am I? How could I possibly been here for a week? What happened to me?

"Questions later, buddy," the doctor said as if he's read my thoughts. "Yeah, I know you want to ask some questions. You want to know where are you and what happened to you, right?"

I smiled weakly and nodded.

"Well, if you smile, you're alive," Richard made a short laugh. "Well, buddy, let's not keep you waiting, shall we?"

I nodded.

"Alright," the doctor said, moving a small chair to the operating table I was lying on.

"So, you're in number one Earth Hospital. You were brought here a week ago, you were in really, really terrible condition. You're lucky one, did you know that?"

"A week ago you were on a mission when somebody attacked you. They used a grenade and almost killed you. The grenade destroyed lower part of your body, ripped off your left arm, damaged your head, piercing your throat in process, and destroyed your right arm's bones. I don't know how you survived, don't ask me that."

"Well, we had to fix you, so now you're a cyborg. Look at yourself now."

I nodded and lifted my head up. I lifted my right arm and saw that fingers on my hand were pointed as if my hand was a claw.

I slowly turned my head and locked my eyes on my lower body. The lower part of my stomach was protected by metal, it replaced my hips. However, I couldn't see my legs clearly. The doctor moved himself to my legs and lifted my right leg so I could see it. Well, at least it looks better than the original, huh. It seems I've seen those legs before... Oh, remembered! That old cartoon serial, Star Wars, the Cone Wars! Or Clone Wars? I've certainly seen those legs, they were the legs of... Hmm... Oh, right, Darth Maul! Never have thought that I would have these as mine.

"I was kinda inspired by old cartoon serial, and I know you like it too, so I made you legs you'll certainly like, buddy," Richard made a short laugh. "Rise, Darth Maul, the son of Dathomir!"

I laughed at his joke.

"Well, buddy, enough jokes, time to get to business," the doctor said. "Try to stand up."

I nodded, turned to the right and put my feet - or whatever they are now - on the floor. I could feel the pressure I make on the floor, yet I couldn't feel the temperature. I slowly stood up with my hands on the operating table. It was pretty easy, though I couldn't feel whether I stand right or not. Well, at least I'm not falling on the floor.

"Now, buddy, try to walk around," Richard said, standing up from his chair. Well, he's almost two heads lower than me.

I slowly made a few steps. It felt different with these legs. And they increased my height. I was two meters three centimeters tall, now I am at least two and a half. It feels different.

"Yeah, that's good. Now, try to jump."

I did as I was told and almost hit the ceiling. My jump height was increased with new legs too.

"Excellent! Try to grab this bucket on the floor, buddy. With your leg, of course."

Well, new functions with these legs will come in handy. I succeeded in grabbing that bucket, but I accidentally broke it.

"Oh, well, you sure need to get better control of your legs, buddy," Richard said, looking at what's left of that bucket. "I think there's no need to check your arms."

I nodded. I lifted my hands to my eyes, clenched and unclenched my fists.

"Well, if everything's alright, you can go home. If you know the way out of here to your home, of course."

I nodded again.

"Good! Your metal won't get rusty, so you are able to take a shower, buddy," the doctor said. "Oh, wait! Here's a cloak with hood for you. It will make you less noticeable, not counting your height."

I took the cloak and put it on. It covered all of my body, preventing anyone seeing my cybernetic implants. Time to go back home, I guess.

Ten minutes later.

Finally, I'm at home! Well, my home isn't very big, in fact, there is only one small room. It had a small window, a bed and a table near it, a vending machine with food and water. There was also a mirror on the wall just in front of exit.

I looked at myself. My usually long white hair was shaved as was my beard. My eyes are red and slit-pupil, my skin is very pale. Yes, I'm albino. Not just an albino, but mutated one. My father used to,work at the nuclear power plant. He met my mother there. Years of work at the plant haven't passed without consequences. After I was born my eyes were already slit-pupil. With them, I can see much better in the dark.

After I became six years old, I was sent by my parents to the BFA. BETTER fighter Academy. I had been training for fourteen years there. I became excellent with guns, swords and many other kinds of weapons. After I'd got my diploma, I've stared to work for various people. I was known for my fighting skills, so I was often used as an assassin.

Oh, memories of the past. Let's get back to my house.

Of course, I had a safe where I store some of my belongings: passport, money, photos, phone, my laser sword.

What's laser sword, you may ask? Well, it used to look like a laser combat knife. In 2110, these kind of knives started to be produced for military. I remade one of these knives, turning it into a deadly, red-bladed weapon. I increased the length of the blade, now it is one and a half meters, fitting my giant height. Why is the blade red, you ask me? Well, my eyes' color is red, so why not?

The blade can cut through almost any, the efficiency depending on material's density.

Suddenly I saw a piece of paper on my table. Yes, we still use paper. We, course, have a technology to store more information but it is possible for anyone to steal it using hacks, so I and my boss prefer paper.

I walked to my table and picked up the paper and read it.

To Nikolay,

As soon as you get this letter, go to my office. I have a special task for you.

Boss.

Sigh. Well, no rest for me, I think. Time to get back to business.

I took an electric lighter from my table and ignited the paper, turning it into ashes. No one must know.

I threw the ashes out of the window, closed it, and went outside my house into the street, closing the door behind me.

The megacity I live in is one of the biggest. But since the Earth Government decided to move half of Earth population to Mars, the city became almost abandoned. Many shops closed, most of apartments are empty. Of course, there is still five hundred million people living here, but I live on the outskirts of the megacity.

I looked around. There were no one around. I put on the hood of my cape and went down the street.

Let me tell you the story of this city. Long time ago, in twenty first century, it used to be Moscow, the capital of long gone country Russia. Why is it gone, you ask? Have you never read New History Book?

Well, in the middle of twenty first century, all big countries, such as Russia, USA, China, India and many other countries created new alliance - United World. Ten years after all countries were united under UW willingly or not.

The new government, later named Earth Government, had about a hundred members, each one represented a country. There are only twenty people in the government, and they are unknown. Every speech is spoken through the Announcer White. No one have ever seen the Announcer, but everyone know his voice. Voice of a strong man. Yet, he is not emotional in his speech.

To me, this political stuff doesn't really matter. EG can provide us with food, water, air, and that's what we need. Just a bunch of people on Mars are complaining. I don't even know why couldn't they just move their asses and help to reconstruct Mars Megacity. All they can do is complain! Ugh, stupid pieces of...

Ahem.

Well, I am not interested in becoming a politician. My job is much simpler: to do all the dirty work. Assassinations, blackmailing, threatenings - that's what I do. Yes, it is dangerous and illegal, but I don't care. I receive a lot of money for this job, so who am I to complain?

An hour later, at the office.

I knocked the door. A second later it opened, letting me in. I entered the small room. My boss was sitting at the table, he was typing something on a PDA.

A few words about the room. It is well-lit room with white walls, wooden floor and gray ceiling with a lamp. Only a table and an armchair were present in the room, right in its centre.

"Hello, Nikolay," he said, looking at me. He wore a blue coat and pants of same color. He was a tall man with short black hair, green eyes, bushy eyebrows. A small scar could be seen on his right cheek.. "I am glad you've recovered."

"Thank you, mr. Steel," I said to my boss. My voice was like before but with one little exception. My voice was more electronic as if I spoke through vocoder. "Why did you call me?"

"You are going to Mars, Nikolay. You must assassinate three people. They are the leaders of rebellion on Mars."

Mr. Steel handed me three photos. First one showed me a bearded man, he was in his late sixties. His skin was dark, his hair was long and almost white, his eyes were gray. The second photo showed me a woman, probably thirty years old. She had shoulder-length blond hair, her skin was white, her eyes were green. The last photo showed me a man, he was the youngest. He had no hair, his skin was tanned, his eyes were brown.

"Those three has destabilized the world. They are a nuisance which must be terminated before it's too late. You must be fast and stealthy. Make sure no one will ever find any of them. You spacecraft is ready in the hangar. And here's your new PDA."

He handed me a PDA.

"You can mount it in your left arm."

I did as I was told. The screen of PDA flashed for a few seconds, then text started to appear on it.

USER: Nikolay Black

=================================

OBTAINING_BIOLOGICAL_DATA

=================================

DATE_OF_BIRTH: 07.07.2230.

GENETIC_DISEASES: none

CURRENT_DISEASES: none

=================================

OBTAINING_COMPLETE

HEALTH_CHECK_HAS_BEEN_INITIATED

=================================

BODY_STATE:

    HEAD: implants_detected/damaged

    CHEST: implants_detected/damaged

    RIGHT_ARM: artificial

    LEFT_ARM: artificial

    STOMACH: implants_detected/damaged

    REAR: artificial

    RIGHT_LEG: artificial

    LEFT_LEG: artificial

TOTAL_STATE: medical_care_required.

=================================

HEALTH_CHECK_COMPLETE

=================================

GLOBAL_NETWORK_CONNECTION

• ESTABLISHED

GPS_CONNECTION

• ESTABLISHED

CONNECTING_TO_PRIVATE_NETWORK

• ESTABLISHED

    LOGIN: nikblack

    PASSWORD: *************

• ACCESS_GRANTED

RECEIVING NEW DATA

• INFO_UPDATED

=================================

The screen turned off. Well, with all the data with me, I can go.

Half an hour later

Here's my spacecraft. It is  RL-34 Cargo Carrier. It has a main rectangular body - twelve meters long, six meters wide, and three meters high. There are three drives in the back: two main drives D-2 and one spacetravel superdrive, model D-S.

There are three wings, one wing on the main body, two wings attached to both sides of the main body. The wings themselves are shaped in form of rectangular trapezoid, angled side to the front.

When the spacecraft is flying wings are unfolded, they represent upside down Y.

While the spacecraft is not flying wings are folded, resembling a trident with its side dents' ends pointing at middle dent's end.

The cockpit is rectangular trapezoid. The angle between the main body and cockpit is 140. The cockpit has a large toned visor in its angled surface. There is only one seat, and it's for a pilot. There is an automatic door leading to the main body, right behind pilot's seat. The pilot is able to turn autopilot on, then he can rest, sitting in the main body. It has a small room with a bed, sink, and a toilet. The rest of room is often filled with many crates.

My spacecraft has some updates, such as three plasma cannons mounted on each wing. There was also a repainting done. My spacecraft is almost entirely black, having a wide red stripe across the cockpit to the back of main body.

Suddenly I heard footsteps in the hangar. I turned around and saw three men. All of them wore dirty jeans, dirty T-short and a pair of combat boots. Two of them had pipes in their hands, the last one holding white laser knife.

"What do you need?" I asked them. They were five meters away from me.

"Fancy starcraft you have here, mate," the one who held a laser knife said. "It seems you're rich if you could buy this. Gimme your bank card and everything needed to use it and we'll let you go."

"And why do you think I will give it without a fight?"

"There are three of us and you're the only opposition here. Your giant height won't be a problem," he chuckled. Well, he is right, I'm only one. "And stop using that vocoder, it won't make you any more dangerous."

I took the hilt of my laser sword in my right hand. I groped the switch, ready to turn on the laser.

"Yeah, right, gimme dat card, you won't need it anymore," the one who spoke chuckled again.

I lifted my left hand and took off my cape, revealing my cybernetic body. I turned the switch on my sword on, causing the laser to emerge from the hilt in the form of a blade. It was quietly buzzing, yet the buzzing was louder than man knife's one.

Man's eyes widened in surprise when I have already stabbed him through the heart. I pushed his now lifeless body away. I jumped at the second man, punched him in the face, sending him flying. The last man lifted his pipe to strike, but I was faster. I cut his hand off, causing the pipe to fall. He screamed in pain, moment after I cut off his head, putting him out of his misery.

"Mercy, please!" the last one alive cried. "Please!"

"Mercy?" I asked him.

"Please! I must find food for my wife and children! They're starving!"

"You must have thought about this before joining that man over there," I said, walking to the last man. He closed his eyes and bowed his head. I lifted my sword, ready to strike.

"I am sorry," he said. That stunned me. No one have ever said that before death. I was usually cursed. "You are right, I must have thought."

I lowered my sword, hesitating. Should I kill him or not? At the one hand, he wanted my rightful property. Well, I didn't have it anyway, but they would likely kill me if I was not who I am. Hmmm...

Whatever, no one paid me for killing him, so why should I? I turned the switch off, laser disappeared back into the hilt. I walked to my cape, picked it up and put my sword in one of inside pockets. I put on the cape, walked to my spacecraft, pushed a button on its side. The side opened, allowing me to enter the spacecraft. I stopped and looked back. There were no signs of that man.

Interesting, how did they get in here without anyone noticing?

I was sitting in the cockpit. The seat is not as comfortable as I wanted, but who am I to complain? It was not designed for cyborgs, that's for sure.

I turned on the switch, starting the engine. Quite buzzing filled the cockpit. I turned on the radio.

"This is Black, permission to take off," I said in the microphone.

"Permission granted," feminine replied. Hangar ceiling opened, allowing me to take off. I held a button on my helm, making my spacecraft fly up. I turned on a switch, unfolding wings. When I was high above the hangar, I pulled the helm and flew higher with speed of two thousand kilometers per hour. Skyscrapers passed by as I flew higher and higher, picking up speed. A minute later I was in stratosphere, stars and moon could be already seen. I turned on the autopilot and sat back on my seat, resting.

I turned on the radio to listen to some news.

"Hey there, people!" a man's voice said from the radio. "It's me, T-Dog, and you're listening to Galaxy News radio!"

"Rebellion on Mars is still raging! People have blown up a spacecraft facility. What will EG do about that?"

"There are reports about marauders and other criminals on Earth. Half of Earth cities are now abandoned, so there are lots of stuff to steal. Police is working hard on it."

"Attention to all space travelers! Amount of space storms has been increased! And, if you don't know what a space storm is, I'll tell ya. It's the worst thing in the galaxy. Well, no one really knows anything about it. It appeared in the middle of twenty second century. If you see that space around you is blurry, then it's time for you to turn around and fly away. If you'll be too late, the storm will tear you apart. You have been warned."

I turned off the radio. Boring.

Suddenly something caught my attention. I looked outside the spacecraft and saw something I wish I didn't. The space around me is very blurry. Aw shit, are you kidding me?

I turned off the autopilot, pulled the helm, turning around. Suddenly the spacecraft shook. I looked at the main monitor and saw that my right drive is displayed red. That means I'm in a big, very big trouble.

My spacecraft started spinning. Oh damn, work, piece of crap! Why is this happening now?!

My spinning speed is increasing and I can't do anything about that! Well, if I still had pants, I would have shit them.

I don't want to die here, but I have no choice.

Farewell, Earth. Farewell, Mars.

I woke up and found myself still in the pilot seat. Uh, my head hurts. I rubbed the back of my head with my right hand. I looked at the hand and saw blood on it. It seems I hit something with the back of my head. Darn.

I shook my head, focusing my eyes on the helm. I looked around and out of spacecraft. It was pretty dark outside. It seems I've landed somewhere in the...

Forest?

Wait, what? Forest? There are no trees on Mars nor Earth but in zoos. What the f...

Wait, wait. Inhale, exhale. Time to get out of the spacecraft.

I stood up and pushed the visor, opening the cockpit. Emergency exit, yeah. I exited the spacecraft and put my feet on the grass. Where am I?

I looked around and found out that my spacecraft is not as damaged as I expected it to be. Right drive is damaged, but wings are folded as if I landed here, not crashed. If I get that drive to work, I would be able to fly. But first, I must look around and find put where I am.

The trees are dark, as if someone adjusted their brightness to low. They look... Well, not friendly.

I looked back in the cockpit and took my cloak out of it. Well, it is not damaged, it can still be worn. I put it on.

Suddenly I heard a howl. Wolves? They are extinct! Sound imitation? More likely. Whoops, not an imitation.

I saw a wolf walking out of the bushes right in front of me. Wait, what? Wolf is made of wood? Whaaaat?

Have I taken drugs?

Anyway, it seems very dangerous. I put out my sword and turned its switch on, laser emerged from the hilt. The wolf growled, then lunged at me. It is fast, but I am faster. I cut off its head, dodging. After its head fell off, the wolf shattered into pieces. I turned around and succeeded in stabbing the second wolf which was ready to eat me. Eat this, wooden bastard! That wolf shattered into pieces as well. Nothing but a pile of leaves and sticks.

I looked around. No more wolves here. I turned the laser off and put my sword back in the cloak. Time to get out of this forest.

Five minutes later I was at the edge of the forest. I saw a village. Medieval village, I might add. And a damn huge castle made of... Glass? Crystals? Whatever, but it is so huge. And it looks like a tree. I have never seen anything like that. Have I taken drugs or is this really happening to me?

Am I in the past? Am I in the future? Or am I in complete different dimension?

My head hurts. Damn, I better not think of this. Calm down, Nikolay.

Suddenly I saw six creatures moving towards me from the village. Two of them had flashlight on their heads. Or was their heads glowing? What are they?

Horses? No, too small. Ponies? That's right. Brightly colored ponies. Orange, pink, white, lavender, cyan, yellow. And one of them, the cyan one one with rainbow mane is flying. Duh, I'm sure on drugs, there is no more explanation for that.

I turned around and ran to my spacecraft. I'm sure those ponies headed here. I hid behind the trees and stood still, waiting for them to appear. Are they hostile, or friendly?

Three minutes later all the ponies were near my spacecraft. Now I can see them clearly. The orange one had blond mane and a hat upon its head. Strange. The pink one had messy darker pink mane. The white one had blue curly mane. And a horn. The lavender one had dark blue mane with streaks of pink and purple. It also had a horn and wings. Pegasus plus unicorn equals... What? Unisus? Pegacorn?

Whatever.

The cyan one had rainbow mane. And it had wings. The yellow one had pale pink mane, and wings. Brightly colored ponies. Well, if I died, I'm not in hell.

And all of them have tattoos on their butts. Or should I say, flanks? The orange one had three red apples, the pink one had three balloons, the white one had four cyan diamonds, the lavender one had big pink star and a few white stars, the cyan one had a white cloud with rainbow lightning, the yellow one had three butterflies.

"Look at that!" the lavender one pointed her hoof at my spacecraft. Wait, they can talk? Unexpected, totally unexpected. My mind is blown up, totally destroyed and thrown aside.

"It looks like an aircraft," the cyan one said. "And there are sticks and leaves around it! Somepony got out of the aircraft and fought timberwolves. It seems he or she fought at least fully grown wolves. And it seems he or she survived."

"Look, there is blood in the cockpit!" the lavender pony caught my attention once again. "And a bloody clawprint on the glass!"

"Was it a dragon?" the yellow one asked in trembling voice.

"Dragons don't need planes to fly, silly," the pink one said, bouncing to the spacecraft. "And it's too small for grown ups and too big for baby dragons like Spike."

"You have a point, Pinkie" the lavender one agreed. Pinkie? Unusual name for a pony. "So who was in there? And where is he or she now?"

"Right behind you," I said, walking to them from behind. All of them jumped in surprise, the cyan one crashed in the tree. The lavender one hid in the cockpit, the orange one turned around, the white one fell on the ground unconscious, yellow one hid in the cockpit too, the pink one turned around.

"Who are you?" the lavender one asked, peering out of the cockpit.

"I can ask you the same question and even more questions," I said. Inhale, exhale. Stay calm. You don't need to be sent to asylum, don't you? Inhale, exhale. "Who are you and where am I?"

Everyone named themselves. Very unusual names.

"You are in Equestria," the lavender one said. Was it a horse pun? Duh.

"Alright... Well, I'm Nikolay Black. Glad to meet you, I guess?" I said, walking closer to them. The lavender one flew out of the cockpit and landed right in front of me. It seems she is the tallest one of them, but her head is not even on the level of my chest.

She raised her hoof. Should I shake it? I slowly raised my hand and shook her hoof.

"I have never seen a creature like you, Nikolay," Twilight Sparkle said.

"Because I have never been here before," I replied. "In fact, I don't even know how could I appear here."

"Don't get me wrong, but what's under your cloak?" Rainbow Dash one interrupted. I took off the cloak, revealing my cybernetic parts. Every pony gasped in unison.

"I never have thought that cyborgs are real," she said. "Awesome!"

"I never have thought that brightly colored, talking ponies with tattoos on their flanks are real," I said.

"Well, why don't we talk in a place more suitable for discussion?" Rarity suggested. She is conscious now. Everyone agreed to her suggestion.

"So let's go to my castle, I think," Twilight said.

"A big crystal building in the village?" I asked, she nodded. Well, I have no choice anyway. It seems I've stuck here for some time.