“Duis amicitiae fides.”

-Official creed of the Adeptus Spatium, unofficially known as Starfleet

Are we truly alone in the universe? This question has been asked among the more inquisitive of those on the world of Equis, and in the kingdom of Equestria, specifically. In a world of powerful creatures, magic, and endless possibilities, that is the undying, ultimate question. By an odd twist of fate, however, there is life out there...and it resembles Equis’ own, but not as they know it…

Within the unexplored universe beyond Equestria, there is a world known simply as “Solaris”, which resembles Equis in some ways, and in others not. Notably, the primary inhabitants are ponies that walk upright and have strange (at least to your average Equestrian) appendaged paws known as ‘hands”. They are known as ‘Solarans’, and for many millennia, they have lived in peace under the watchful yet benevolent eye of an alicorn who refers to himself as the Grand Ruler. His coat is as white as the blinding snow, his mane and tail as black as the darkness he defends his subjects from. On his forehead rests a single golden horn, though it resembles three due to the crown he wears to signify his rule. His back possesses a mighty wingspan, that of Celestia and Luna combined, and his armor the color of his horns. Some have considered him a god due to this, but the Grand Ruler has disagreed with this in the past, and continues to disagree with it now. But, one asks themselves, who exactly is the Grand Ruler, and what part does he play in Solaris’ history? Let us take a trip into the distant past, and see how the world of Solaris began…

It is unknown where the pony who would become the Grand Ruler came from. Some say he was an immortal demigod born before time immemorial, while others say he came from Equis. Whatever the reason, he came to a barren world; one where nothing grew and unending flatlands dominated. His solution was to use his magic to create water and fields of green, and afterwards, create the first Solarans, numbering 100,000 in all. From there, the species grew and prospered under his leadership, establishing an Imperium encompassing a million worlds and protected by an organization officially called the Adeptus Spatium but called Starfleet by its people, on account of its spacefaring technology. The Grand Ruler eventually bore a son, named Horus.

Horus was very different from his father. While the Grand Ruler founded his empire on an altruistic and accepting trifecta of friendship, Horus saw other races as weak, and the policy of “friendship” as pathetic. Rather, he favored strength, viewed teammates as tools to be used, and regarded emotions (especially love) as sickening. The Grand Ruler, while accepting of his son’s differing beliefs at first, slowly grew more concerned as Horus grew more deranged and nihilistic, with the latter gaining a following amongst the more extreme nationalists of the Imperium. The tensions grew worse until Horus declared war on the Grand Ruler, igniting a bloody and needless conflict between the Grand Ruler, Horus and his mad cult, and two other factions: the Infestatio, a hive mind of bug creatures led by Queen Pinsar, and the Machina, a mysterious group of pony-like artificial intelligences. After nine long years of fighting, the Grand Ruler used his most powerful spells to banish Horus and his followers within a distant moon: Tenebris. Legend still holds, however, that Horus will return, and that he will take over the universe lest he is stopped.

That was 10,000 years ago.

“Huh.” the white-coated brown-haired alicorn said as he closed the book in front of him. “I’ve read every history book in the Imperial Palace, and not one has given the details of Father’s war with Horus!” The young pony in question was Prince Lightning Dawn, son of the Grand Ruler, and heir to the Noble House of Lux, and by extension the entire Solaran Imperium. He resembled his father in many ways: white coat, sole golden horn on his head, eyes as brown as the finest royal chocolate. However, while the Grand Ruler’s hair was black, Lightning’s was the hue of his eyes. Currently clothed in a white vest with his Cutie Mark emblazoned on the right breast pocket, golden trimmings (it was the royal color after all) and black dress pants, Lightning placed the book on the table in front of him and sighed. “Where’s the action? I want details, not a summary.” he complained, his voice echoing in the massive halls of the Palace’s library. “How’re you doing up there, Titania? Find anything on Starfleet officers?”

After a moment, she came down from the shelf she had been looking through, falling to the floor of the library and landing on her feet in front of him. Titania stood, a few books clutched in her arms. She smiled serenely, sitting across from him. Titania wore a dark red dress with a long, flowing skirt, white gloves, and black shoes. Her eyes were sea green, her skin was very pale, and she had dark red hair that reached the center of her back. She, unlike Lightning, had no wings, fur or Cutie Mark, and lacked a horn. Titania was not a Solaran. Rather, she was a member of a race known as ‘Faeries’, or ‘Fae.’ She was the Crown Princess of the Land of Nevernever, where her kin dwelled in lush forests and sprawling, lavish cities. Her parents were King Oberon and Queen Mab. The Fae had a very unusual sense of morality compared to Solarans, and were often the subjects of stories told to disobedient children. ‘Don't disrespect your elders, or the Keepers will take you, and leave a faerie child in your bed!’ the nannies and grandparents of Solaris would tell rebellious youngsters.

Of course, these tales were more than just tools of discipline. The Fae really did steal children, turning them into servants in the Land of Nevernever. Titania herself had many ‘Changelings’, as they were known, at her beck and call while she lived in the royal palace. There was no love between master and slave; such concepts were meaningless to Faeries, who viewed love and compassion as passing fads, not meaningful values. Titania herself had murdered several Changelings after she grew bored of them. Lightning, for his part, had never understood his best friend’s morals, but he knew the Fae reputation and watched his words carefully around Titania. She never lied, for the Fae were unable to, but she was quite skilled at creative truth telling. Many foolish Solarans had made pacts with the Fae in the past, only for it to bite them hard in the end. To the Fae, only the exact words of the deal mattered, not the spirit of them.

“I did not find any.” Titania said softly. “I lost interest. Rather, I found these.”

She set down the books she had grabbed, revealing they were books of fairy tales, told to young children. Lightning looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “Fairy tales? What would I need these for? I’m a trainee of the Adeptus Spatium, not an old grandfather.” he said. He saw that look in her eyes: one of mischief and adventure, and realized exactly why she’d brought down these books.

“They aren't for you, yungkine.” Titania said. The last word was in the Fae tongue, and meant ‘young child.’ At first, it had offended Lightning that she called him a child, but after she told him how old she really was, it made more sense. “They are for me.”

“...You want me to read these to you.” Lightning concluded.

“No.” She said, her tone amused. “I mean to read them myself. I wish to see just how much, or little, your kind knows about mine.”

“Go ahead.” Lightning said. “I’m too old for this kind of thing anyway.”

As Titania read, a bird flew in through an open window nearby. She reached out with one hand, and the bird landed on one of her fingers, chirping. Titania smiled, gently stroking the bird’s little head. The Imperial Palace, though resembling a massive gray mountain, was a low-orbit starship, a city unto itself and the de facto capital of Solaris, measuring an indeterminate amount of miles from one end to the next. Anyone in the Palace, however, would have no idea it was in orbit, considering the abundance of animal and plant life.

Titania, after admiring the bird for a few minutes, grew bored with it. Rather than shoo the harmless creature away, however, she gripped its neck with two fingers and twisted, snapping the bird's neck in one fluid motion. The song it had been singing went silent, and she tossed it out the window it had entered through. Lightning stared at her blankly, his eyes wide.

“T-titania...you killed that innocent little bird…” he said, his voice a terrified whisper. Even after 13 years of knowing her, he still feared the fairy with good reason. He had told others in the past, about three years previously, that he was friends with a fairy. They had, naturally, assumed Titania was a ‘good’ fairy, with one of his artist friends even painting Lightning and her together. Since she hadn't met Titania, and had sent the painting as a gift, the Faerie was depicted as a little sprite with insect wings. Titania had been...well, offended was a mild way of putting it, and woe to anyone who offended one of the Fae. Titania, on that very day, placed a curse on the unfortunate Solaran who painted the picture.

Lightning still remembered his screams...oh, by Lux...his screams...He’d had nightmares for weeks afterwards. Titania had never admitted to doing it, but everyone knew she had. However, the Grand Ruler had forbidden any punishment, for if the King and Queen of Nevernever caught word that their daughter had been detained and punished by mortal authorities...it would lead to war with the Fae, and that was simply not an option. Lightning Dawn had agreed with his father that war with the Fae wasn’t needed, especially considering how close he and Titania were. This had gotten laughs and wink-wink-nudge-nudges from several senior Starfleet members. Lightning had not been amused, especially considering how true the ‘wink-wink-nudge-nudging’ was. Titania had been even less amused. By the end of that week, though only she knew it, every officer that had laughed had lost their children to Fae Keepers, who replaced them with false children crafted in the Land of Nevernever.

“Yes, I did.” She said to him, sounding completely unfazed by it.

“...T-That’s fine. I...I have no problem with it.” Lightning stammered, getting up. “I’m going to get some air. Enjoy those books, Titania.”

“I shall do my best.” She replied. A few minutes later, however, she joined him outside. He noticed that usual ‘lustful’ look she gave him, but ignored it, trying to focus his mind on other things. Namely, his dreams of being the leader of his own Starfleet team. They looked so cool with their color-coded uniforms and advanced weaponry, he had told his father as a colt.

“Daddy, will I ever be a Starfleet officer?” he had asked.

“Lightning, you can do whatever you set your mind to, but don't expect it to come easy. None of the things worth doing in life are easy. You will have to work hard, but someday, you will do great things, and Starfleet will welcome you.”

“...Daddy? Is it true that friendship is a Starfleet officer’s greatest weapon?”

“The recruitment officers will say yes, but that is a lie. At least, it is a partial lie. Your greatest weapon, Lightning, is your mind. If you use it well, nothing can stop you.”

“Wanna know what I set my mind to? Being the greatest officer and ruler ever, just like you, Daddy!”

This had made his father laugh. “Oh, you will. I know it! Lightning Dawn, the greatest officer ever trained by Starfleet!”

Lightning smiled at the memory. He was 18 now, all grown up, his father had said on his birthday. If only his mother had been there to celebrate with them. Titania, for her part, had done her best to make his birthday great. She had missed the mark in a few areas, but she had tried. Her gift to him had been a flute, hand-crafted in the palace she had lived in for some of her entire life. He had thanked her, and had been practicing for a while now. The memory of his birthday had triggered another one: his mother’s disappearance. This was no euphemism either. She had just...left without a trace. His father refused to talk about it, and Titania, whom he had asked on a whim one day about his mother’s fate, had said, unable to merely keep silent, “She is not dead. Beyond that, I cannot say.”

Lightning had shrugged it off, but he had thought differently. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that on his fifth birthday, his mother had disappeared, and Titania had mysteriously appeared afterwards. She had been, or at least, appeared to have been, his age when she showed up, though she did not act as innocent as one would expect from a child that young. From there, she had grown up alongside him, and became his closest friend.

Lightning, lost in his thoughts, did not notice Titania come closer and kiss his cheek. He was close to her in more ways than one, as stated before, but he felt no romantic feelings for her. Neither did she for him. They were merely ‘friends with benefits’ as the common saying was. Titania didn't love him in any sense, for love was irrelevant to her kind. She felt affection for her parents, and they for her, but it was not love in the same way Solarans viewed love. Love for the Fae was a brief feeling, something that was tried out for a short time, then discarded. Many Fae had fallen in love with Changeling servants, only to kill their ‘beloved’ a week later, then forget she or he ever existed. Titania’s relationship with Lightning was, for lack of a better term, casual and with no strings attached. Grand Ruler Lux had been...wary when he’d found out this arrangement, and warned Lightning to be careful.

Titania smiled pleasantly at Lightning, before noticing he wasn't paying any attention to her. This offended her slightly, as she hated being ignored. She flicked his chin to draw him out of his reverie. “Oh? Hmmm? Sorry, Titania. I was just thinking. Spaced out, if you’ll pardon the pun.”

“It is alright.” She said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

“W-were you just kissing me?” he asked, rubbing his cheek and feeling the cold spot where Titania’s lips had been. “I-I mean, I have no problem with it…”

“I was, yes.” She said, her eyes full of the same mischief he had seen earlier. Lightning didn’t answer, but returned the kiss in the same spot: on her cheek. Titania smiled again.

“I do enjoy that feeling.” She said.

“You mean when I kiss you?”

“Yes. Not the emotion, or lack thereof, but the way your lips feel on my skin.” Titania replied. Lightning couldn’t help but smirk.

Meanwhile, a guard had entered the Grand Ruler’s throne room. It was immense, surrounded by a maze of twisted passages, all alike, and ornately decorated with engravings of Solaran legends and historical events. The room itself was furnished in the royal colors of gold and red, with a marble floor in the same color scheme. In the center was the legendary Golden Throne, an advanced piece of technology that Grand Ruler Lux himself had built millennia ago. The guard, dressed in the typical Starfleet uniform of colored spandex-like armor (in this case, blue) with a pattern of white diamonds, removed his helmet with a solemn look on his face.

“Your Highness...I come bearing an omen.”

“Do not waste your breath, Guardsmen.” The Grand Ruler said. “I have already felt what you have come to tell me about. Any Solaran with the slightest bit of magic intuition would have to be brain-dead not to feel the tremors coming from where Horus is sealed away.”

“What are we to do, your Majesty?”

“Contact Ms. Aquila. Tell her that she needs to gather her companions and be prepared for whatever is coming.”

“What of your son, Prince Lightning Dawn? He is surely in danger as well.” the officer pointed out.

“He is with Titania.” Grand Ruler Lux said simply. “She will protect him.”

“Understood.” the officer said, leaving the throne room and taking out a small communicator. “Officer Andromeda Aquila, this is Officer Brass Bolt. Do you read? Over.”

A brief silence, before she responded, her tone rather irritated, “Yes, I read you, Bolt. This had better be good. I was in the middle of teaching a class.”

“The Prodigal Son returns. I repeat, the Prodigal Son returns. Over.”

“...Fuck.” She said. “I'll get my team together. Out.”

The line went dead.

“By the Gods, Andromeda…” Brass Bolt muttered. “Be safe.”

Down on the surface of Solaris, the sun shone brightly on the city of Spectropolis, the de jure capital of the planet where the main offices, barracks, and training quarters of the Adeptus Spatium were located. The city itself was a marvel of Solaran engineering, a practical utopia of gleaming chrome buildings, air-suspended roads, and the most advanced technology around.

Andromeda Aquila, who was hurrying along one of the roads, did not have time to stop and take in the sights. She needed to find the other members of her team as quickly as possible. She was a young pegasus mare, around her mid 20’s, with a coat the color of a moonless midnight. Her mane and tail were a straight blonde, her eyes sea-green emeralds. Currently she wore long, faded blue jeans and a gray tank top that accentuated her moderate curves. On the right, just above the corresponding breast, was the symbol of her Cutie Mark: the constellation Aquila for which her family was named. Andromeda, in stark contrast to everyone she knew, hated having a Cutie Mark. She felt the whole concept was foolish. Why should a mark determine where a Solaran will go in life? This view made her unpopular, with many viewing her as crazy. Her friends, however, understood her viewpoint, and let her have it. Besides, she didn’t complain about it all that much.

She was losing her train of thought, she realized. She had to find her teammates, and she knew exactly where to look: their usual hangout, the Palette Bistro. Andromeda ran there, throwing the doors open and entering.

“We have to get ready, right now.” She said to her teammates as she entered, her tone making it clear the situation was dire. The bistro was rather quaint, decorated in black and white checkerboard tiles, with candlelit tables. Walter Peindre, an orange earth pony dressed in red, with an artist’s beret and paintbrush as his Cutie Mark, pushed his horn-rimmed glasses up to his face, his blue eyes wide.

“You sound worried, Andromeda.” he said, his slight Golden Fields accent evident in his speech. “What’s the matter?”

Sitting across from him was a yellow unicorn with dirty blonde hair and slight beard stubble on his chin, dressed in a flannel jacket, ratty jeans, and a white T-shirt, his Cutie Mark emblazoned on both pockets of the jacket: a guitar and pen. His name was Bridge Cappella, and he had been sitting at his laptop, a cup of tea on one side, and an issue of the infamous comic book Rabbichoso on the other, typing up his latest story in the Grognak the Barbarian series for the Fanastitales pulp magazine.

“Yeah,” Bridge said, taking a sip of his tea. “You don’t usually sound this...what’s the word?”

“Terrified.” Walter chimed in.

“Yes, thank you, Wally.” Bridge said, enjoying the frustrated look on Walter’s face. “But seriously, Annie, what’s going on?”

“If you two would shut the fuck up for five seconds, I would tell you.” She snapped. “The Prodigal Son has returned.”

This caused everyone in the restaurant to look at her abruptly, even the doo-wop house band that Blueberry Crepe had hired some months ago, Ruben and the Jets. The doors to the kitchen burst open, and a blue earth pony, dressed in the typical chef’s uniform, stepped out. His name was Blueberry Crepe, and he was owner and head chef of the Bistro. He was aged, around his 60’s or so, and he had once been a Starfleet officer, having retired to open a restaurant some years ago. While not well-known outside of Spectropolis and the surrounding area, he’d become a local celebrity thanks to his skills in the culinary arts.

“Miss Aquila…” he said. “D-did you just say he has returned?” His tone was shaky, insistent, and scared out of his wits.

“We don't have time for this bullshit.” Andromeda said, her tone angry and frustrated. “Walter, Bridge, get your asses in gear and meet me at our usual rendezvous point. Get moving.”

With that, she hurried out of the restaurant. Bridge did as Andromeda had ordered, heading to the library where they usually gathered for missions. Walter told Blueberry to put it on his tab, and followed Bridge out the door.

Titania, meanwhile, had sensed something was very, very wrong. She didn't know what, exactly, but the feeling was there, all the same. Lightning felt it too, and had asked his father if his fears were confirmed. “...Has my brother escaped Tenebris?”

“Yes.” The Grand Ruler had replied. “Stay with Titania. Do not leave her sight.”

“B-but Father! This is my chance to prove I can be a great Starfleet officer!” Lightning had begged, though it was no use. When Grand Ruler Lux gave an order, that was it. He and Titania sat together in the garden they had been in since exiting the library, the latter keeping watch for anything suspicious. Lightning crossed his arms like an impotent child, frustrated. He began thinking of when he’d started his training, shortly after his 12th birthday, and he had requested ‘the meanest, most tough, most hard-headed senior officer in the Adeptus Spatium’. The Grand Ruler had been surprised, but had given Lightning exactly as he requested: Cortland Andrus, a rather old stallion who had led his team until the day he died, Lightning remembered.

His train of thought was interrupted by Titania’s voice, as serene as ever, “Lightning, you need to hide.”

“Wait...hide? Why?” Titania didn’t respond, for he soon got his answer: a shadowy alicorn, dressed in black robes and a hood, his crimson red eyes peeking out from under it. Next to him were three figures: a slim, pale, redheaded pegasus with long, claw-like nails, blue eyes and ruby-red lips, an earth pony that looked incredibly musclebound, with no mane and a blood-red zig zagged tattoo across his right side, and a unicorn. Or rather, a living shadow that resembled a unicorn.

“Cassiopeia, Kratos, Erebus.” the alicorn commanded, his voice low. “Capture my brother, Prince Lightning Dawn of House Lux. But do not harm the fairy.” He looked at each of them. “I will be off to see my dear old father.”

“Do not flee, cowardly bastard of Lux.” Titania said, her serene tone now cold and hateful. “You and I will have words.”

“Oh? And what will they be, Princess of the Fae? Friendship is magic?” Horus mocked.

“My lord…” Kratos whispered. “I am not the smartest of your followers, but it is not safe to mock the Fae. Ask Erebus.”

Erebus, in the distant past, had, in a fit of arrogance, mocked Queen Mab. The curse she put on him was the reason he was now a living shadow.

“I am aware of Erebus’ brush with the Fae.” Horus said. “I do not care. All I care about is destroying this pathetic Imperium and their message of ‘friendship’.”

“Hear me now, Horus.” Titania whispered, the air around her beginning to crackle with arcane power. “I am Titania, Princess of Nevernever. In the past, I have been named Knife of the Fae, the Hungering Shadow, the Mistress of the Wild Hunt, the Witch Queen. The blood of Mab and Oberon flows through my veins, and I am gifted with more power than a pathetic, childish bastard like you could possibly understand. I will give you one chance to give up your petty crusade. If you do not...I am certain Mother and Father will be most pleased when I bring them your head.” Her tone sent chills up Horus’ spine, but his hubris and ego prevented him from running away willingly.

“Petty? My goal is not petty. Friendship...teamwork...love...all sickening. As a Fae, I honestly expected you to agree with me, Titania. Spite makes right.”

Titania spent a moment considering it. “You are correct in a sense.” she admitted. “Love is meaningless to Fae. As is friendship, at least in the way Solarans understand it.”

“Do elaborate. What does that mean, ‘in a sense’? I am absolute. There is no ‘in a sense’, fairy.”

Titania bristled at his tone. The hubris Horus displayed made her angry. Very, very angry. Her hand shot out, wrapping around his throat. She lifted him into the air, conjuring an ethereal sword in her other hand.

“The Fae, unlike you, can actually care about other beings. I care about Lightning Dawn. None of you will touch him.”

Kratos looked at Cassiopeia, terrified. On one hand, he wanted to obey Horus’ orders to not harm Titania. On the other, he wanted to aid his master in battle. What to do…

Horus struggled to get free, a wet gargle-choking sound emanating from his hood. “Let...me...go…”

Titania didn't. Instead, she asked, “Why do you want me unharmed? How do I fit into your plan?”

“You do not.” Horus said, black sparks erupting from his fingers. “It is the Prince they are after. He will make an excellent ally.” He was interrupted, however, by a golden beam of magic hitting him square in the chest, knocking him backwards. Kratos and Erebus turned to see an enraged Lightning Dawn, his fists and teeth clenched, his body hunched, and his horn glowing.

“Do. Not. Hurt. TITANIA!” he shouted, leaping at Kratos with a raised fist and hitting him in the lower jaw. He turned to Cassiopeia, and attempted to kick at her. Cassiopeia laughed mockingly, blocking the attack with contemptuous ease.

“You put on a good show, whelp, but you are not as strong as your father.” She said before throwing him aside. Lightning grunted, managing to catch himself and sliding onto the ground.

“You’re right. I’m not as strong as my father. But you know what? I BELIEVE IN MYSELF! JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM!?” he yelled before his horn lit up again and he used his wings to spin in a corkscrew motion, striking at the mare like a drill. Cassiopeia dodged casually, snorting.

“I think you're the idiot who turned his back on two dangerous enemies.” She told him, just before Erebus struck at Lightning from behind as he was attempting to attack her again. Lightning let out a grunt of pain, dizzy from spinning around two times in a row. Disoriented, he got up, and looked at all four of the intruders. Realizing he was outmatched, he did the only sensible thing he could: run like his life depended on it. And in fact, it did.

Before he could even turn, an object flew over his shoulder, embedding itself in the stomach of Kratos. It was an arrow. The musclebound earth pony fell, clutching his stomach as he bled out onto the floor. Lightning, still a bit dizzy, turned to where the arrow had fired from to see a pegasus mare in full green Starfleet uniform, along with a blue-suited earth pony mare, a pair of stallions, suited in red (another earth pony) and yellow (a unicorn) respectively, and what looked like a pair of brown-clad twins: a unicorn stallion and pegasus mare respectively. “A...Starfleet team?”

“I'll give you all the autographs you like later, kid.” The pegasus mare in green said. She held a rather deadly looking bow. “Right now, you need to get the Hell out of the way.”

The mare in blue took out a whip laced with poison, cracking it as she looked at Erebus and Cassiopeia. “Looks like Mama needs to punish you bad kids.” she said, before charging at the latter. Cassiopeia met her charge, and a fight began.

Andromeda, who held the bow, let out a sigh. “Damn it, one of these times, her charging in is going to get her killed.”

“Lux damn it, Rosebud…” sighed the mare in brown. “I’ll handle this. Bridge, Walter, get the kid out of here!”

“Aye aye, Trini!” the two stallions saluted, picking Lightning up and running out as fast as they could. The prince in question was elated that a Starfleet team came to his rescue, willfully ignoring the danger he was in. Bridge looked at Walter, an expression of determination underneath his helmet.

“I’ll get the prince to Grand Ruler Lux’s throne room. You handle the threats if they come for us.” he said. “Deal?”

“Deal.” Walter said, nodding. “Good luck.”

They sent their separate ways. Andromeda, meanwhile, had lost track of her team in the carnage that erupted after Rosebud charged into combat, and had no idea who was where.

“I need a headcount!” she shouted into her communicator. “All of you who are still conscious, say so!”

“Roger that!” Nitro, the unicorn in brown, reported.

“Praesenti!” came Trini’s voice as she fought against Erebus with punches and kicks.

“I’m escorting the prince to his daddy’s room!” Bridge reported.

“Mama’s punishing the kids!” shouted Rosebud excitedly.

“Keeping watch for Bridge.” Walter reported.

Speaking of Bridge, he was close to the Throne Room of the Inner Palace. Lightning was excitedly trying to chat him up, to no avail. Before Bridge could reach the doors, they opened, and the Grand Ruler emerged, clothed in full battle armor.

“Get Lightning Dawn inside the Throne Room, lock the doors, and do not let anyone in until I return.” he commanded, striding past Bridge towards where the rest of his team fought Horus and his lackeys.

The chaotic battle, which neither side seemed to be winning, was interrupted by a booming voice, the voice of Grand Ruler Lux. “HORUS!” he shouted. The hooded alicorn halted the battle, and all was silent as he calmly walked up to his father.

“Ah, hello, Papa.” he said with a faux-jovial tone. “Have you reconsidered my demands to reform the Imperium?”

“Reconsider this.”his father said coldly, before his fist slammed into Horus’ chin. He was knocked several feet back, getting up and charging a dark arcane attack.

“When will you realize that friendship is pathetic and that the individual has all the power?” he growled before firing a black beam of energy at Lux. When the light died down...the Grand Ruler was completely unfazed, and very angry. What followed could only be described as the most brutal case of fatherly discipline in history. Lux spent the next several minutes beating his wayward son within an inch of his life, leaving Horus a bloodied, exhausted wreck.

“Spite...makes...right...the power...of hate...is the only thing...that matters. Why, why...whywon’t you realize that?” the former Prince groaned.

“If I, even for a moment, consider your wretched views, Horus, that means you win, and I will nevergive you the satisfaction.” Lux responded.

“Wretched...petty...your words mean nothing. Friendship, teamwork, believing in yourself...all disgusting things to live by. I am right. You are wrong…”

“Begone, Horus, my wayward son. Begone, and may you never return.” The Grand Ruler said gravely.

“You’re going to banish me again? Typical Lux. It will take another 10,000 years for me to escape, you know.”

It was Titania who spoke next, spitting on Horus. “By my right as the Princess of the Fae, I curse you, Horus, son of Lux. From this day until your last, you will never know peace, never know happiness, never know satisfaction. You, and those who serve you, will always be hounded by enemies, no matter where you go or where you try to hide. So I have spoken, so shall it be.”

The last four words were repeated by Horus, who had no choice in the matter. He and his minions were involuntarily teleported back into the eldritch depths of Tenebris, cursed forever. Lux sighed.

“I wish things had turned out differently, my son…” he whispered softly, before turning to Andromeda and her team. Lightning and Bridge rejoined them a few minutes later.

Lightning hugged his father, tears in his eyes. “Father...I’m sorry...I disobeyed and fought Horus’ minions…”

“Lightning...I am not angry with you.” Lux said softly. “You did very well.”

“B-but I disobeyed. I tried defending Titania, and nearly got myself killed…”

“You defended a friend, and managed to use a power I did not think you would be able to wield until you were much older. Both things have made me proud of you, my son.”

“...Thank you, father. But what’s going to happen now? Horus is defeated, right?”

“Unfortunately not. The seals of his prison are much weaker now. In time, he will escape once again. Until then, he will plot, and scheme, and send out agents to carry out his wishes. Starfleet will be dealing with many dangers in the weeks and months to come. They will need brave, strong officers to weather the storm.”

“Does that mean…?” Lightning asked, hope in his voice.

“Yes.” his father confirmed. “You are, as of now, an official officer of Starfleet. You will be training under Andromeda Aquila, the pegasus mare with the bow.”

Lightning nodded. “I don’t mind her leading the team instead of me. The title of leader is earned and not given, like you always say.”

Andromeda spat. “Great. This is just fucking swell. Saddle me with the damned rookie, that's bloody dandy.”

“Don’t worry.” Rosebud said. “I’m sure he’ll fit in nicely with our team.”

“Besides,” said Bridge. “You should feel honored. Not only is this the Prince of the entire Imperium you’re training, but he’s enthusiastic as all get out.”

“I don't care that he's the Prince. As far as I'm concerned, all of these royal types can take their fancy titles and shove them.” Andromeda spat. Trini awkwardly pointed at the Grand Ruler.

“Erm...Annie…” Lightning tried holding his laughter. It was not out of malice, but genuine amusement.

“Oh, she can say what she likes.” Lux responded. “The honesty is refreshing. However, I am sorry to say that training my son is not an option, Andromeda. I am ordering you to do it.”

Andromeda narrowed her eyes. “Very well. I will train him, but I will do it my way.”

“Awesome!” Lightning shouted enthusiastically. “Let me go pack my stuff!” And with a beat of his wings, off he went.

“Well, this is certainly going to be interesting.” said Walter, smirking.

“I will be coming along, as well.” Titania said, her tone once again calm and serene.

“...Wow…” said Bridge. “A real fairy.”

“I always imagined they’d be the size of insects and have wings.” Rosebud said. “No offense to you, of course, Princess Titania.”

“Oh, no offense taken.” Titania said. “You are hardly the first to make that assumption, and it is not entirely wrong. There are creatures like that in the Land of Nevernever. They are known as sprites, and are a delicacy among Fae.”

Rosebud looked at her. “You eat sprites?!”

“Yes.” Titania said, her tone still perfectly calm. “As I said, they are a delicacy. I personally pluck the wings off first. They tend to scream when you do that, but pain makes the sprite taste better, I've learned.” Rosebud merely smiled awkwardly.

“...I’m a botanist. A-are you allergic to flowers, by any chance?”

“No, I am not. I am also not going to eat you. Relax, yungkine.”

“Fae language.” Nitro recognized. “I’ve always been fascinated with the supernatural, Princess. May I ask what your relationship is with Lightning Dawn is?” Trini began giggling. “Quiet, sis! It’s not that kind of relationship!” her brother nearly shouted.

“It is.” Titania replied. “At least, occasionally. As for you, botanist? I will eat you, if you catch my meaning, but only if you ask politely.”

Rosebud blushed, though it wasn’t obvious due to her red fur. Nitro and Trini’s eyes widened. “Wait, you mean…?” the former asked. “I thought Fae weren’t sexually active.”

“We are, sometimes. Sex and love are not always intertwined, so Fae can enjoy the former without worrying about the latter. Of course, like all things involving emotion, it is more of a passing fancy than something cherished. Love, compassion, and similar concepts are curiosities for the Fae, not things we value.”

“So you have very...alien morals, for lack of a better term.” Bridge concluded.

“I assume you have all heard the tales of children being stolen in the dead of night, yes?” Titania asked.

“Yeah…” said Trini uneasily.

“The Keepers you were warned about are very real, and do, indeed, steal children away. They become creatures known as Changelings.”

Grand Ruler Lux knew of Changelings, but not the ones Titania was referring to. That was long, long ago...but it was not time to reveal his secrets just yet.

Titania continued, “The children brought to Nevernever by the Keepers are not gently cared for. Instead, they are tortured, mind, body and soul, until they break, allowing us to rebuild them as we desire.” Everyone grew uneasy and afraid at Titania’s descriptions.

Lightning Dawn, meanwhile, sat in his chambers, packing his things into a trunk carved with the creation of Solaris. Once he finished, returning to the others, he walked in to see all of them listening to Titania speak about the relationship between Changelings and Fae.

“Consider, for instance, a Fae who believes that he has fallen in love with a Changeling, and she loves him in turn. One day, though, that will all fall apart, a house of cards whirling in a callous wind. The Fae might grow to hate the Changeling's pandering attentions. Or maybe the Fae will one day ask a simple favor — "Please, my dear, pass me the salt" — and in the Changeling's hesitation the Fae sees gross disobedience. And so he snaps her neck, wondering at the sounds that gurgle up from her collapsed trachea. Soon thereafter, he remembers the burbling of the honeyed brook outside his home, and he returns to his own little world, managing to never think twice about how easily he killed his ‘love.’”

Nitro was disgusted yet fascinated, Bridge was writing down notes, Walter was busy sketching a picture of Titania as he listened, Trini held onto Rosebud for dear life, and Andromeda had a disturbed expression on her face, but said nothing.

“Well...ummm…” Lightning said, interrupting Titania’s story. “I’m all packed and ready to go.”

“Go?” The Grand Ruler asked. “You're not ‘going’ anywhere.”

“B-but I thought I was going to the surface…” Lightning said, confused.

“No.” his father said. “Not yet. You must train first.”

“Train? But how? I don’t have a morphing device, nor a weapon.”

“You do, rookie.” Andromeda said. “Your most dangerous weapon is what's between your ears.”

“My mind?”

She nodded. Titania, meanwhile, had noticed Walter sketching her. She did not object to what he was doing. She was as prone to pride as most of her kin, and enjoyed the attention. “And done.” he concluded. Unlike Lightning’s artist friend, Walter had decided to create an accurate photorealistic sketch. Titania looked it over, nodding in approval.

“Very good work.” She said.

“Thank you.” Walter said. “Artistry is my passion, you know.”

Lightning, meanwhile, had gotten into a fighting stance, and his horn began to glow as he focused his energy. “LIGHTNING...BLAST!” he called out as a crackle of energy burst forth through his horn. Andromeda walked over to Lightning, before swatting him hard on the back of the head. “Ow! What was that for?”

“Don't call out your attack, you fucking moron.” She snapped.

“But you and I both know that’s how magical attacks work. It acts as an incantation.”

“Yes, but you don't have to shout. You will be attacked before you finish if you do that. Instead, you must say it in your mind, or, if you must speak aloud, whisper.”

Lightning nodded, charging up his attack once again, silently thinking the name Lightning Blast before it fired again, this time, hitting one of the Palace’s walls. Unfortunately, this blast was much weaker.

“The unfortunate side effect of reciting the words in your head is that, unless you have put much time and practice into doing it, your attacks don't do much.” Andromeda informed him.

“So, it takes some time to master, I’m guessing?”

“Yup.” She responded. Lightning nodded again, to signal Andromeda he was taking in every word she was saying. Deciding to try the second approach she mentioned, he charged his magic once more, before whispering the attack name. This time, the attack was more powerful, but it was clear he hadn't had any practice with it. Raw power, Lightning would learn, would often be unable to match experience. Lightning merely grinned widely at the sight of the attack being more powerful this time, and he began giggling like an excited schoolfoal at the prospect of his attacks blasting his foes away. This made Andromeda sigh.

“Look, kid, you're excited. I get it. Really, I do. But if don't put a lid on this enthusiasm, you'll get yourself killed.”

“Y-yes, ma’am…” Lightning said. Gosh, she was pretty, he observed. Focus Lightning! This isn’t time to gawk at beautiful mares, especiallyones you’re training under!

Andromeda turned to Titania, who was idly filing her nails. “I've noticed you do not seem at all concerned with the return of Horus, beyond the fact that your friend here may be hurt.”

“Your observation is correct.” The Faerie said calmly. “I am, indeed, unconcerned. You mortal creatures live such short lives. You are born, you age, you breed, you grow old, and, inevitably, you die. What care I that the Prodigal Son has taken it upon himself to cut your short lives even shorter?”

“...Your morality is neither black nor white, nor grey.” said Bridge, reading his notes. “It’s a sort of...blue-orange. That is, to say, it’s very, very weird.”

“Your artist friend is most fortunate he did not choose to depict me as a sprite. The last Solaran who made that mistake regretted it dearly. Lightning knows whom I speak of.”

The alicorn cringed at remembering what had happened..ye Gods...that was horrifying.

Bridge stared at Titania, blinking once or twice before awkwardly coughing. “I’m an artist too, you know. Not like painting or drawing, but I’m a writer and musician. Wally and I are cousins, believe it or not.”

“Yes...distantcousins.” the orange earth pony clarified. “Have either of you heard of the Grognak the Barbarian stories?”

“My father used to read them to me at bedtime!” Lightning said excitedly.

“Well, Bridge here is the writer. Well, current writer, anyway. He took over from the previous one when he retired about...oh, a year or so ago.”

“Took the pen name too.” Bridge said, a small grin on his face. “Pulp stories are the best kind.”

“Yeah, if you like trashy escapist garbage.” Walter muttered.

“I have little interest in such things, I am afraid.” Titania said. “When you have lived as long as I have, there is much that passes by without being noticed.”

“...He also reads Rabbichoso.” Rosebud said sweetly. “I think those comics are kind of cute, really.”

Andromeda snorted. “Rabbichoso? Really?”

“What?” Bridge asked. “They’re strangely good, what can I say?”

“What’s Rabbichoso?” Lightning asked.

“Porn.” Andromeda said bluntly. “Cutesy and cartoonish porn.”

“That was only, like, issue eight.” Bridge scoffed.

“Oh, I'm sure you enjoyed that particular issue.” She replied, snorting again. “How sticky are the pages of your copy of issue eight, I wonder?”

Before Bridge could say anything, Walter interrupted. “Would you like to know what I think of Rabbichoso? It’s badly written, poorly drawn, and the only reason people read it is because of Night Star’s faaaaascinating life story!”

“Isn't she a stripper or something?” Andromeda asked, laughing a bit. “It's something like that.”

“Nope.” said Bridge. “Just a unicorn who lives at home with her mother.”

Andromeda snorted for a third time. “Oh, right. I don't know much about the series. I just know that the reason people are interested in Night Star is not because she has an interesting personality.”

“As much as this conversation fascinates me, can we get back to training?” Lightning asked impatiently.

“No.” Andromeda said bluntly. “We're all just shooting the shit here, and I'm sure you have many, many questions about Starfleet. Now is the time to ask.”

“OK...what’s the deal with the color-coded spandex?” Lightning asked. “I’ve always wondered that.”

Andromeda thought about it. “You know, I've never thought about it all that much. These uniforms keep us alive, and that's all I really need to know.”

Lightning turned to his father, the answer not satisfying him. “...It isn’t spandex, is it?” he concluded.

“No. Spandex wouldn't be able to withstand attacks from the threats Starfleet officers face. The material in the uniforms looks and feels like spandex, but is much more durable.”

“So, it’s like a stretchy metal alloy?” Nitro asked.

“Duh. Even I knew that.” Trini said. The Grand Ruler nodded in agreement.

“Next question, kid.” Andromeda said.

“Why are the three core tenets friendship, kindness, and teamwork? The last two I can understand, but friendship? It sounds a bit cliche.”

“Honestly? The last one is the only tenet that matters.” She replied.

“So there are some that don’t believe in friendship and kindness?”

“Kindness has no place in war.” Andromeda said. “All it does is cloud judgment and prevent leaders from making hard moral choices.”

“And friendship?” Lightning asked.

“Friendship is, along with your mind, an excellent weapon to have in war.” said Rosebud. “It shows that in times of need, those closest to us can lead us to victory. That’s just my take on it, anyway.”

“I prefer to exploit it.” Andromeda said. “That's how you get captives to talk. You torture their friends in front of them until their resolve breaks.”

“...You’re no hero…” said Lightning.

“Oh, she is.” said Bridge. “Not all heroes are gonna be paragons of virtue.”

“Who are you to judge me?” Andromeda snarled at Lightning. “I didn't grow up in a palace, wanting for nothing. I grew up on the streets. I had to fight for my entire life to get where I am now. I have been fighting this war of mine since I turned 10. I had to steal, lie, cheat, hurt and kill to claw my way up the cruel ladder that is life. I'm not a virtuous hero. I don't need to be. Good is not all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes, the good choice is not the nice one, kid. So, again I ask: Who are you to judge me, when you have never been forced to make the same choices I have?”

“I...I can’t answer that.” Lightning said. “I don’t have one.” She reminded him of Cort, that old bastard.

Andromeda nodded once. “Good. At least you admit you cannot provide an answer.”

“You remind me of Cortland Andrus, Commander Aquila.” Lightning said. “Have you heard of him?” The others’ jaws dropped.

“D-did you just say, ‘Cortland Andrus?’ As in, that Cortland Andrus?” Walter asked.

“Ah, old Cort.” Andromeda said fondly. “That salty old bastard…”

“So, you knew him?” Lightning asked.

“Knew him?” Nitro asked. “Buddy, he trained Andromeda’s aunt. And she’s one of the greatest Starfleet officers we know!”

“Is that true?” Lightning asked Andromeda, curious. Andromeda nodded.

“It is, indeed.” She confirmed.

“I trained under him too. On my request. For about three years, anyway.” Lightning boasted.

“And yet, you don't seem to have learned very much.” Andromeda said dryly.

“...” Lightning said nothing.

Andromeda could sense that the other members of her team didn't approve. “What?” She asked.

“Go easy on him, Andie.” said Walter. “He’s still a wet lump of clay. Mold him carefully yet firmly.”

“Yeah.” said Nitro. “He won’t learn anything if you go drill sergeant on him. Remember when I first joined your team?”

“He also won't learn anything if he gets disemboweled on his first mission.” Andromeda snapped.

“So you’re only being a hard-ass because you need to be?” Lightning asked. “I respect you for that.”

“See?” Nitro said. “He gets why you’re being abrasive, at least.”

“Care to jam your head even further up his ass, Nitro?” She asked him dryly. “You don't need to baby and kiss up to him.”

“...I will shut up now, ma’am.”

“Good.” She said.

“How, exactly, do your weapons work, ma’am?” Lightning asked. “Are they powered by magic as well?”

“It depends on the weapon. My bow hardly requires magic. Shooting someone in the throat with an arrow is not an arcane feat. Rosebud over there coats her whip in poison. It makes your strikes pack quite the punch, doesn't it, Rose?”

“Yessiree, Andromeda!” Rosebud replied.

“...And his weapon?” Lightning asked, gesturing to Walter. “It looks like a giant paintbrush.”

“That, Prince, is where you’re wrong. It’s disguised as a paintbrush.” Walter elaborated, pulling out a rather large katana. “But it is one of the deadliest handheld weapons known to ponykind.”

“Indeed, it is.” Andromeda agreed. “He can cut through enemies like paper with that blade.”

“But why a paintbrush?” Lightning questioned.

“It avoids suspicion, of course.” Walter replied. “After all, if I were to actually use a paintbrush as a melee weapon, I would not be taken seriously as a soldier.”

“Show him your weapons.” Andromeda said to the members of her team that hadn't spoken yet. Bridge pulled out a sword that looked like something a knight out of a fairy tale would use, Trini activated a small burst of flame with her horn, and Nitro created two small fireballs using heating devices in his gloves.

“Wow…” Lightning said, astonished. “Those two can use pyrokinesis?”

“Well, Trini can.” Bridge explained. “Nitro has to use heating devices.”

“So, really, the only ones here who use magic extensively are Trini and your Fae friend.” Andromeda said.

“Technically, Lightning’s now part of the team too, so should we include him?” Trini asked.

“No.” Bridge said. “I’m sorry, but no. He needs to learn to use his newfound power properly first.”

Andromeda nodded. “I think, for now, we should focus on getting him trained, as well as preparing for whatever our enemies do next.”

She turned to the Grand Ruler. “Is our little base still in working order?”

He nodded. “Yes. It is just as you left it, and has been stocked up with everything your team needs to be able to stay there when necessary.”

“Good.” she said. “Let's head there, team.”

“Am I coming too?” Lightning asked.

“I said ‘team’, didn't I?” She replied. “As much as I may not like it, you are part of my team now. So, yes, you are coming.”

“WHOO-HOO! Let me go get my stuff!” Lightning cheered.

“Uhhh, Lightning...” His father said, gesturing to the suitcases Lightning had already brought out.

“Oh, sorry.” he said, grabbing his suitcases. “I will miss you, father. So much…”

“I'll still see you, Lightning. You won't be going very far.” His father reassured him. “Go on, now. Go with your new team.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” Lightning said. “Ready to start the rest of our lives, Titania?” Unfortunately, this went over his companion’s head.

“This will hardly take the rest of my life. It may, however, take the rest of yours.” She said. “Come, now. Your team is leaving.”

“Andromeda!” The Grand Ruler called as they were heading out. “Keep my son safe.”

“I will do my best.” She replied. With that, they departed, descending towards the surface of Solaris.

Many miles away, there sat a moon in orbit. By all accounts, it resembled a perfectly ordinary moon: cold, grey and devoid of life. However, the saying goes that appearances can be deceiving, and the moon of Tenebris was no exception. Beneath the surface was an incomprehensible, twisting landscape of eldritch geometries overcast by a perpetually dark and stormy sky. Bodies of astronauts and Starfleet officers who had been foolish enough to venture close to the moon poked out of the ground, reduced to skeletons long ago. Overlooking all of this was a castle, a dark and imposing fortress whose existence, much like the rest of Tenebris, could not be explained; from within sat Horus, on a throne of flesh, blood, and bones. He was displeased with his failed assault on the Imperial Palace of Solaris, and ruminated in his own nihilistic, sociopathic thoughts. What was he to do next? Grand Ruler Lux had grown even stronger than he in the ten thousand years since the war, and to add insult to injury, that foolish bastard spawn of his had been able to unlock the ancient Power many years too early.

The Fae Princess was yet another unexpected problem. He could not simply kill her; to do so would invite retribution from King Oberon and Queen Mab. That brought his mind back to his initial inquiry: what was he to do? He couldn’t risk assaulting the palace again, much less Solaris itself. Perhaps, however, he could use a technique he learned from his old allies the Infestatio; that was, sending one of his agents at a time to carry out whatever misdeeds he wished. The barriers were certainly weak enough. Calling his High Priestess Cassiopeia to his side, Horus gave a devilish grin.

“Gather the materials for the Golem Ritual. We’re going to be making monsters.”

Cassiopeia grinned as well, bowing. “Gladly. It will take several days to form the first one, but compared to the 10,000 years we have been sealed away, it will seem like nothing. It will be done, my Lord.”

With that, she rose, leaving to do as she was commanded.

Author's Note

And...scene.

Apologies for the length, but while I intended this as a prologue and have the first two "episodes" deal with the Titan plot, I realized how both impractical that would be (much like in Mykan's original) and how non-unique it seemed. So, deciding to bring my friend from FanFiction Gojirafan237 on board, we decided to not only condense but streamline the main idea of Starfleet Magic's pilot, changing things around so that they would make more sense (for example, what reason did the series of events in "Evil's Return, Parts 1 and 2" exist other than to rip off the first two episodes of FiM?) and introduce some characters (specifically the counterparts of Dyno and Mite, Nitro and Trini) earlier than they did in canon. This is what TVTropes refers to as "Adaptation Distillation", and distill we did.

Something else you may have noticed is that Lightning is not made immediate leader of the team, as well as being related to the Grand Ruler. There are two respective reasons for each.

1) To me, it doesn't make any sense that a new Starfleet recruit such as Lightning Dawn is made leader of an already existing team, other than showing off his Special Snowflake Syndrome and his place as protagonist. This is why I decided to make Andromeda (Starla's counterpart) leader instead; it not only makes the story stand out more, but also averts the sexist caricature Starla was in the original.

2) The reason Lightning Dawn is related to the Grand Ruler is because it makes not only more sense seeing as they resemble one another, but also eliminates the cliched "dead parents/genocide" backstory Lightning had in the original. He's also related to Titan's counterpart Horus because I felt that would make an interesting dynamic between the three.

In any case, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter, and I welcome any constructive feedback so that I can improve as a writer.