Since ponies were fist born they have asked themselves: "Are we alone? Are we the only thing on this vast planet?". Well, they probably didn't say those exact words, but you get the idea... ANYWAYS, ponies found the answer to that question when they met the griffins to the east, but the question still remained, albeit slightly tweaked: "Are we alone in this universe?". Now, today in the year 1012 ANMM (After Nightmare Moon) ponies might be able to answer that question.
Science finally caught up with magic, and, for the first time in equestrian history, began to surpass it. The Equestrian Space Administration was founded by Princess Luna. Griffins, Zebras, Ponies, and even a few Dragons came together in the name of exploration, contributing to the massive project of building a starship. The weapons came from the Griffins, The sublight engines coming from the Zebras, and the FTL drive came from Equestria. This new ship stood at 15 meters tall and 30 meters long, a speck compared to equestrian zeppelins, and was called the ESAV Starswirled.
Today I look up to the stars, I know my dream of space travel has finally become a reality. And with my self proclaimed "friends" along with me. I sit at my station in engineering waiting for the countdown to begin.
Our crew consists of a wide variety of people, a dragon, griffins, ponies. The crew is split into six different groups, command, medical, security, science, and lastly, my devision, engineering. Command is split between six different ponies: Twilight Sparkle, our captain, Spike the Dragon, the first officer, Rainbow Dash, the armory officer and head of security, our helmspony, Derpy Hooves, the communications officer, Rarity, and Vinyl Scratch, our operations officer. Medical is much smaller, made up of only three ponies: Fluttershy, our chief doctor and xenobiologist, Lyra Heartstrings, nurse #1, and Bon Bon, Lyra's best friend and nurse #2. I've already mentioned our chief of security, Rainbow Dash, but I have yet to tell you the names of the other members of the security force. They are called: Caramel, security #1, Thunderlane, security #2, Amethyst Star, and last but not least, security #4 and a griffin, Gilda. Science is made up of three people as well: our xenobiologist, whom I've already mentioned, our stellar cartographer, Noteworthy, and Applejack, the best botanist Equus has to offer. Engineering, my section, is the largest group on the ship, composed of seven ponies: myself, the chief engineer, Nebula Blaze, Starlight Glimmer, our teleporter chief, the deflector controller, Octavia Melody, Sunburst, Engineer #1, Flim and Flam, the leading experts on magic-technology and engineers #2 and #3, lastly we have Minute, deflector #1. There are a few other jobs on this ship of ours: moral officer, Pinkie Pie, the cargo officer, Moondancer, and the trade officer, who works closely with the cargo officer, Twinkleshine.
We've all had months upon months of training for this mission, a mission that would go down in the history books like the tale of Hearths Warming. The entire planet of Equus was watching us now, the sound of low humming as the FTL drive powers online, a sound only trained professionals could hear. Finally after what felt like hours of waiting the flight crew gives us the green light; we are ready to go to space.
"People of Equus! I, Princess Luna of Equestria, wish the best of luck to the bold ponies, griffin, and dragon that will be paving the way to the future, a future amongst the stars!" announced the Princess of the Night. "We will honor the bravery and sacrifice of these people by counting down to the future." ended Luna.
"As Princess of the Sun, I second that statement and hope that this mission will bring us into a new era of peace and prosperity and inspire generations of people to follow in the footsteps as explorers and pioneers! Let us prepare for their heroic mission by sending them prayers to whatever deity you believe in and giving them your solace and wisdom! Now let us cheer for these people as they begin this new era! HUZA!"
"Huza." I murmured half-heartedly, while the rest of the ship and the world sang "HUZA!" in chorus. My eyes began to tear up as positive emotions surged through me. The day I had dreamt of since I was a small colt had finally arrived, and I was accompanied by other people who call me friends. I could almost imagine the viewing stands and the mission control room, with people from all over the world gathered in those stands, Dragon Lord Ember, King Gurter of Griffinstone, Grand Caesar Zircon III of the Zebra Lands, Princess Cadence, Prince Shining Armor, and their child, Flurry Heart, and Iron Fortitude, leader of the minotaurs. The only race that wasn't present was the Changelings, who were still hiding inside their borders. Soon we would be in space, and the heralds of a new era.
"Lauch sequence initiated: Ten" Began Director Whooves. My heart begins to beat.
"Nine" I look at my engine and smile.
"Eight" My pulse speeds up.
"Seven" I close my eyes to protect them from the oncoming "G" forces.
"Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, ONE! Liftoff!" The thrusters begin to push us up into the sky, our atmospheric engines kicking in and propelling us forward and up. The ship rattles as we break the sound barrier. The ship ceases its shaking as we exit the atmosphere and fly into space.
"Welcome space everyone." says Captain Twilight over the intercom "Equus, we made it, I repeat, we made it!"
"Operation New Horizons is a go!" radioed the Director "Good luck out there everyone! Oh, and Nebula, I'm keeping your seat warm for you" said Director Whooves. "Now you know you mission, but, as a reminder, you're to head over to the Alpha Centaur system, after that you are to go find us a suitable colony world and start a colony. Whooves out."
"Derpy," said Twilight "Set course for Alpha Centaur."
"Aye, aye Captain!" said the navigator as she punched in the coordinates.
"Nebula, is the engine ready for a jump?" asked the captain.
"It's DRIVE not engine, but yes the drive is spooled and ready for light speed" answered Nebula. "Ms. Hooves, go to light speed." ordered the captain. "Yes ma'am!" responded Derpy as she brought the Starswirled into light speed.
Chapter 2: The Final Frontier
Space, the final frontier. To explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no one has gone before. That is our mission.
Day 1 Of The Voyage Of The ESAV Starswirled
We entered the Alpha Centaur system without a hitch, only to find an inhospitable desert planet and some lifeless moons of a gas giant. Though one good thing did come out of the Alpha Centaur system, it proved that my engine works and it provided a chance to study a planet other than our own. Alpha Centaur 3, as we call it, has an unusual core composition, made of solid iron and NICKEL. NICKEL! Nickel is almost as rare as diamond on Equus and this planet's Celestia forsaken core is made of the stuff! Anyways, we're moving on to the next system, which is call the "Maia Myriad" system. Long range scans show that the temperature of the star in that system is over twice the amount of heat our star has.
Day 3 Of The Voyage Of The ESAV Starswirled
We are currently in deep space. The Maia Myriad system was a complete bust, the sun was too hot, three of the planets were seas of magma, the heat made a plasma relay overload, I could go on and on about how horrible that system was, but I don't want to keep you here that long. Our next stop is the Furud Majoris system; I can only hope it's not as bad as the last one...
Day 4 Of The Voyage Of The ESAV Starswirled
We've just entered the Furud Majoris system, and a few of the planets look promising, a little cold, but promising...
Behind The The Moon Of Furud Majoris IV On A Nova Kid Pirate Ship
"Sir!" yelled the gas bag who was working the tactical console. "A ship just entered the system! It's a... um... I don't really know what it is captain."
"Full power to shield and weapons!" ordered the Nova Kid Captain. "I don't care what they are, but we will be stealing wheat and barley and all the other grains! Now bring us out of our hiding spot and within weapons range! ARRR!!!".
"Aye sir!" responded the same nova kid who also worked the helm.
The Bridge Of The ESAV Starswirled
"Captain! An alien ship just appeared on our sensors!" said Vinyl Scratch from her place at operations.
"Alien?!" asked Captain Sparkle with more than a little excitement in her voice "Hail them Rarity!"
The blue face of an unknown species appeared on the viewscreen. It had what looked like a brand in place of a face and an eyepatch that seemed to be there only for decoration and what look like what a foal's version of a pirate hat. "YARRR!!!" Yelled the gas bag. "They be tiny colorful horses!!".
"Ahem. My name is Captain Twilight Sparkle of the equestrian starship Starswirled. We come in peace.".
"Hmmm... With a voice as pretty as that I've decided only to steal HALF of you grain." said the Nova Kid Captain.
"Steal our grain? Oh, that would explain the eyepatch and hat... You're pirates!" said Twilight Sparkle.
"Aye! And we be the best space pirates this side of Maia Myriad! Now! Surrender you grain or have ye ship be crippled!" responded the Nova Kid as ended the transmission.
"Rainbow!" yelled our captain "Full shields! Bring the weapons online!".
"Shields at full! " responded Rainbow Dash as the first assault of laser fire rocked the Starswirled "Returning Fire!". The "Spitfire" and "Soarin" class cannons hummed to life as purple bolts of magic and energy lanced towards the pirate ship and struck their shields causing one of their engines to explode. The nova kid ship responded with a barrage of fire that brought down our shields and struck the "Soarin-class" cannon, destroying it. "Captain! One of our cannons is offline! we've got hull breaches on decks three, four, and five!" yelled Rainbow "we have to jump!".
"Not yet! We can hold own!" snapped Twilight "fire cannons of his weapons systems". The remaining cannon fired and struck home on one of the pirate's weapon emitters. This prompted the Nova Kid to return fire, their laser hitting the remaining cannon and destroying it.
"Captain!" yelled Nebula over the comm " we've taken damage to the FTL Drive! We have to jump now or we'll be stuck here!". No sooner had the chief engineer spoken the pirates beamed most of the Starswirled's grain supply.
"Yar!! Ye have been honorable and worthy opponents and I hope that one day we might be on friendlier terms, but, for now, I be thanking you for the grain little horses! Now I must take my leave!" said the nova kid captain as Twilight gave the order to make a random jump.
Unknown Location
"I want a full report commander." said Captain Sparkle.
"We've lost FTL capability and the main cannons are completely unsalvageable" responded Nebula " there is good news though, the planet we're currently orbiting is exactly what we're looking for. I believe we should make a landing attempt with our teleporter down as well.".
"Very well." said the captain
As Twilight trotted on to the bridge she said "Vinyl. Put us into blue alert, we're going in for a landing. Derpy, do you think you can land us safely?".
"Aye captain. There's a large clearing that should he able to fit us." responded our helmspony.
"Good, bring us in for a landing." ordered Twilight
