Flight of the Avali: Season 2

They were in orbit over a planet designated Jabba Weiner A.

Now, under Dandy’s direction, they were going to go in two separate teams. One, would actively search out the planet for any ores or caves, and if they found access to the underground they’d alert the other team right away.

The second team would scour the surface for anything of note.

The first team consisted of Dandy, Ayaka, and Femati.

The second team consisted of Starlight, Einuli, Twilight Sparkle, Suzy, Spike, Rainbow Dash, and of course Maud.

Einuli had made some emergency tranquilizers incase Maud attempted anything, handing one syringe to each of the other team members.

“Alright, Einuli, we’ll need the Manipulator.” Dandy said. “Team two, you’re to explore the surface of the planet. Do NOT go underground. If you find anything of interest, please… do alert us right away, and mark it out on the map.” He explained. “And Maud. You’re a danger to us all. Stay with the group or you will be abandoned. After all the shit you’ve caused so far… Trespassing, property destruction, assault…”

“Calm down Dandy.” Einuli said.

“You’re lucky I even brought you along. Let alone, lucky I didn’t defend myself.” Dandy snorted. “Now. We’re all going to be beaming down at once. Everyone ready?”

“Yeah!” Was the resounding answer.

“Good. Brace for touchdown.” Dandy hit a single button and the entire group was beamed down to the surface of the Lush Planet.

Now, more then a few of them had never seen another planet, and were expecting the absolute worst.

But, they were all surprised by the peacefulness of the planet, it was incredibly lush and verdant.

“Wow… this is… amazing.” Twilight mumbled.

“It’s beautiful.” Starlight gawked, looking around at the bright blue sky.

“It really makes me want to see more…” Rainbow Dash murmered.

“S-so there’s more planets out there like this?” Spike asked.

“With an nigh endless amount of stars, and with the even more endless amount of planets… infintesimally small chance that this is the only planet like this. Yes. There are millions more.” Einuli laughed, throwing the manipulator to Dandy. “Already got the storage container you had marked inside it. Just pop that sucker down, and begin work.”

“Alright. Don’t wander too far.” Dandy said as team one got to work.

Team two left the camp site, going out to explore a small area around the beam site.

“How big is this planet?” Applejack asked.

“It’s a smaller one. Meaning we’ll just need to get some hoverbikes down here when the camp is set up and we’ll be good to explore the surface.” Suzy said. “Don’t want to overwhelm you all on your first day.” She chuckled.

“It seems just like Equestria. Are there going to be any new geological features on the planet?” Maud asked.

“We don’t know.” Einuli sighed. “We haven’t been to this planet before.”

“Then why come to some unknown planet? Do you have a death wish or something?” Maud questioned. “And, if it’s peaceful why co-”

“Bandits, cultists, monsters, Canibal Floran… there’s dangers everywhere. Despite that… despite what we risk losing every single fucking day.” Einuli motioned to his missing hand and damaged wing. “Despite that, there’s a thrill to the unknown. You find new things, meet new races and species, see new things. If you wanted something known and safe, you should have stayed the fuck back in Equestria, not barged onto my home and ship, beat down the door to my science lab, there by making sure it’s useless for genetic research… and then attacked one of my friends, and damaged the controls for my ship. But, here you are. Questioning why we’re here. Just go the fuck back up to the ship and quiet down if you want to leave. We won’t miss you.” He growled angrily. “You’ve been nothing but a nuicense since you showed up.” He turned and walked away from her.

“What’s his problem?” Maud asked.

“His problem? HIS PROBLEM?!?” Rainbow Dash growled. “It’s you. I’ve seen you and Pinkie do some dumb shit in the past… but this… you’re really lucky Dandy didn’t obliterate you. He had full right to when you smashed his head into the ship controls. You’re lucky Einuli didn’t just force you out of the ship permently. He could have… and now, you ask what the fuck his problem is? He nearly sacrificed his life to make sure all of us…” Dash waved her arms, thereby motioning towards everyone else in the group. “All of them and Celestia could escape a hell hole that nearly killed us! He doesn’t expect that anypony will treat him differently… like it’s just normal to be willing to die for those you barely know…” She trailed off for a moment. “But, I’ll be fucking damned if I let you treat anypony else like absolute garbage, only fit to do what you want.”

Spike had to step inbetween Maud and Dash as he saw she was reaching for her new machine pistol. “Calm down Dash…”

“You didn’t see him the day after he woke up. Before all of this happened… he was at least trying to be friendly, to be happy. Hell, I think he was happy. I won’t say it’s because of me… I met him too late to claim that. It was more than likely thanks to Twilight. She led him to the rest of us. Now, you threatened him and his friends, barged on a mission to gather resources so they could fully repair their ship… You know the only reason I’m givng you the courtesy of talking right now? Because you’re Pinkie’s sister. I do not like you. Not after what you’ve done the past two days. You’re only on this mission to tag along, to get your ‘rock’ samples. So, shut the fuck up, and stay the fuck back. I don’t care how physically strong you are. You haven’t seen shit in Equestria… Tirek, The Changelings, Nightmare Moon, Discord, even Starlight? They didn’t want to commit genocide. Sure, they were ‘evil’ but shit out here… shit that we’ve never seen? That’s true evil. Things that can’t be reasoned with, or stopped by ‘friendship and harmony’. I had never taken a life until that battlecruiser… and now. If it means protecting others. I’ll take more. I don’t like having to… I don’t think I ever will. Hell… I felt sick for days after that…”

“We all did…” Twilight muttered.

“Yeah.” Applejack nodded.

“You don’t really get over it.” Suzy said. “Not unless you dehumanize yourself… and just become a killer.”

“Maud… you only know of rocks, minerals, and crystals. Don’t try to pretend like you’re going to be of any use to us. You aren’t. None of us had a choice of you coming along. And if I did, I sure as hell wouldn’t have said yes.” Dash growled. “Now, shut the fuck up. And stay the fuck back. If you do that, I might just give you a second chance to prove you aren’t just some fucking bully who uses force to get what she wants. Understand?”

Maud glared at Rainbow Dash, the silence was nearly deafening, and it seemed like the entire planet had just stopped making a single sound.

“Fine.” Maud finally spoke. “I’ll keep out of your way.”

“Good.” Rainbow Dash stated, “I’m going to go check to see how far Einuli went. The rest of you can come when you’re good and ready.” She took off to look for the Avali.

“Wow…” Starlight finally said.

“She cares about him.” Maud pointed out.

“Thanks, captain obvious.” Spike sighed. “We already knew that, what with how often she’s been by his side since her augmentation surgery.”

Maud was utterly quiet now though, simply waiting for what the others were going to do next.

“Lets… go find them.” Suzy sighed, “Follow me, if the map-” She paused. “Twilight, can you fly too?”

“Yeah, why?” Twilight asked.

“You two are the perfect scouts then. The mapping sensors on Dash’s suit is mapping out everything she flies over. I-it’s fucking amazing!” Suzy said happily. “Less work for more ground coverage! It means less time until we get a decent area mapped out!”

“I’ll get to work on that then!” Twilight shot up into the air, beginning a grid-like flying route to cover as much area as possible as she tried to move with the group who were on their way to where Einuli and Dash were.