Broken Bonds

by keithsterling

Rating: everyone
Tags: Rarity, Science Fiction, Princess Celestia, Alternate Universe, Anthro, Princess Luna, Drama, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Princess Cadance
Length: 28078

This a transition story from the Shatter Realm Chronicles storyline to Secret and Lies storyline

The final curtain closes at end of the Crystal War with the arrest of Princess Flurry Heart Sparkle for usurping the Throne of Love and the Crystal Empire from Grand Princess of Love Blueberry Swirl Silverlight. The land of Equestria enters a time of peace with the return of the three missing Princesses after nine years of disappearance. Quickly, each Princess teams up with their respected student to help rebuild and heal the wounds inflicted on the pony population of Equestria from the Crystal War.

Princess Celestia Silverlight teams up with her elder daughter, Grand Princess of the Sun Aurora Silverlight to bring about a sense of normalcy to the pony population by restoring harmony to the land. Next, Princess Luna Silverlight teams up with her nephew Grand Prince of the Moon Somnus Silverlight to restore the peace and calm that the night brings about for the population of Equestria.

Before Princess Cadence Sparkle could help restore the Land of Equestria and the power of love the land once had. She had one important thing she had to do before joining with her student Grand Princess of Love Blueberry Swirl Silverlight. In Blueberry’s office, at her Royal Canterlot Hospital, Cadence removes her collar, tiara and sandals from her body. She knelt on the ground in front of her stunned student. In that very moment, Cadence recited a heartfelt and emotional apology, begging her former student to forgive the Mother of Princess Flurry Heart Sparkle….the pony that did her harm.

Cadence continues to weep on all fours. The kind heart that was cruelly torn out of Blueberry by Cadence’s daughter when she killed that Crystal Maid forcing her to leave the throne, begins to heal. Blueberry kneels down in front of Cadence and wraps her arms around her former teacher. The words Cadence was hoping to hear came forth from Blueberry and she forgives her. As Blueberry helps Cadence to her feet, she retrieves her tiara and presents it to Cadence. She humbly asks for the original Princess of Love, Cadence Sparkle, to assist her in rebuilding the Crystal Empire, not only for Equestria, but all those that died in the Crystal War.

Meanwhile in a distant Star Sector, a reborn Imperator Alicorn stallion fights to piece together his fragmented memories of his former life with his terran Alicorn mate on the M-Class planet. After dying on the planet, his soul went back to the stars. It started to pulsate giving off a strong energy. It attracted the attention of Empress Galaxy Cosmos the All Mother of her Imperator Alicorn species. She decided to nurture this star herself to maturity hoping to create a powerful Shogun to take control of a newly form Star Sector Military Force.

Over the next few space cycles, the star started to grow under the watchful eye of the Empress. Upon seeing the figure that the star was forming, it started to resemble her missing Great Grandson Justice Silverlight. She quickly transferred him to a Regenerating Tube in the hope of restoring his memories so she could hope to learn the fate of her missing royal family. A few months later, Justice emerged from the regenerating tube fully healed but his memories were muddled due to the special chemicals used in the Regenerating tube. All Justice could remember was that Empress Galaxy Cosmos was his Great Grandmother and ruler of the Infinity Star Sector.

This was a commission done for me by wonderful artist name Margony on Deviantart.
www.deviantart.com/margony

Published 2019-04-13 23:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2019-10-13 00:50:44 UTC

Chapter 1

It’s the following day after her initial visit with her only daughter Princess Flurry Heart Sparkle in the Canterlot City Prison. A depressed Princess Cadence Sparkle walks aimlessly through the Grand Royal Palace wondering how her only daughter fell so far down, that she no longer is worthy to be considered a successor to the Throne of Love or the Princess of Love title. But the heartbroken Cadence has one glimmer of hope.

That glint of hope is her very own student Grand Princess of Love Blueberry Swirl Silverlight, the youngest daughter of her adoptive aunt Princess Celestia Silverlight.

‘In my absence, Blueberry took hold of the reins of Rulership of the Crystal Empire and the Throne of Love. Granted, she was doing that till my own daughter Flurry Heart was old enough to take over rule of the Crystal Empire, but that was never to be. It’s hard to believe that when I started to teach Blueberry about the power of the heart. she would become this strong of a presence in both Kingdoms of Equestria. But that’s the nature of her parents. The wise Princess Celestia and the loyal Prince Justice. Two ponies with their very presence could have united the land of Equestria for years to come.’ Princess Cadence thought, watching from a balcony, overlooking the palace garden as Grand Princess Blueberry tries her best to catch a quick breath before several advisors rush her with several documents for her signature as the ruling Princess of the Crystal Empire.

“Oh, Cousin, there you are.” A familiar mare’s voice said behind Cadence as she walks off the balcony into the internal hallway of the Grand Royal Palace. She comes down the opposite side of the hallway, wearing a white long sleeve button front blouse; rinse distressed wash relaxed fit jeans and navy blue slip-on boat shoes was Princess Alysia. On her back was a black mini backpack.

“Hello Alysia, were you looking for me?” Princess Cadence inquires as Alysia shook her head.

“I am, cousin. I am hoping you will accompany me to check out a new spa in Canterlot. Great grandmother Ophelia asks me to check out this new spa for Galaxy Corporation and a possible investment in the services.” Princess Alysia explains as Princess Cadence looked at her a bit puzzled.

“Who is Galaxy Corporation? And how is Great Grandmother Ophelia part of it?” Princess Cadence inquiry as Princess Alysia remembers that her cousin, just like her grandmother and grand aunt, just awakened in this time.

“Before the Crystal War started, many Noble families started to build large corporations in this new Equestria using their family fortune to begin. Many of these corporations lost a lot of money when the Crystal War ended. Like most of the Noble families, the Silverlight Unicorn family built a large corporation and survived the end of the Crystal War by investing in privately owned businesses around Equestria. The Galaxy Corporation is the largest capital investment firm in Equestria and Great Grandmother Ophelia Silverlight is the president of the corporation.” Princess Alysia explains to Cadence.

“I see Alysia, that sounds like fun. sure I’ll accompany you to that new spa in Canterlot. That’s what I need right now sometime away from the Palace.Let me go get my purse and we can head out.” Princess Cadence comments as she runs back to her bed chamber to get her handbag.

A few hours later, both Princess Cadence and Princess Alysia are enjoying all the services at the Golden Rose Spa in Canterlot. Cadence was partaking in a soothing herbal soak in one of the warm water tubs. Alysia, wearing one of the spa robes, leaves the room to get the rest of the paperwork from the owner so she can send it to her great grandmother Ophelia. She will read it over and decide if the Galaxy Corporation will invest in the Golden Rose Spa.

‘I hope great grandmother will invest in this spa. It would be kind of fun to return to the spa as a normal customer. this was really enjoyable.’ Alysia thought as she was making her way back to the room with Cadence.

“Huh!” Alysia exclaims as she walked pass an open door, looking in on one of the more luxurious rooms in the spa. Lying on one of the cushioned beds was a unicorn mare wearing a spa robe. Her face was covered by a warm towel. But what got Alysia’s attention was the three embroidered blue diamonds on the robe. The unicorn mare moved her head and a moderate indigo blue mane was’ revealed and Alysia knew who the unicorn mare was.

“Is that you Miss Rarity?” Alysia inquired as the unicorn mare’s ears move forward toward the voice.

“Huh? Is that young Princess Alysia. Who just said my name?” Rarity answers as she pulls the towel off her face and smiles.

“So it is you, Miss Rarity.” Princess Alysia said friendly as she hugged her.

“Now darling. I have’s known your family since your grandfather Justice was alive. so just call me Rarity. not Miss Rarity.” Rarity said correcting as Alysia sits down on the cushioned bed next to her.

“What are you doing back in Canterlot, Rarity?” Alysia inquiries as Rarity chuckles into her hand

“Since re-opening the Exquisite Fashion house in Ponyville, I have had time to go visit my Carousal boutiques around Equestria. My fashion house is waiting on a huge back order of textiles since the end of the war. I’ll make the Canterlot Carousal Boutique the last one to visit. So I can take a few days off before heading home to get back to work.” Rarity explains as she crossed her legs and gestures away one of the spa worker.

“So what is the young princess doing here at Golden Rose Spa? And did you come alone?” Rarity inquiry wondering who came with Alysia as she checks the nail polish on her foot.

“I am checking out this Spa for my great grandmother, she ask me to visit it for a possible investment and I am not here alone I brought Cadence with me to check it out.” Alysia answers as Rarity’s eyes widen with surprise upon hearing the name she said.

“Alysia? Did you just say Cadence is with you?” Rarity said a bit puzzled.

“Yes I did Rarity.”Alysia answers as she touches her forehead to check for a high fever.

“You don’t have a fever. But how can Cadence be with you darling. She had been missing for nine years.” Rarity said still a bit puzzled as she doesn’t believe that Cadence is with Alysia.

“You think I am lying, Rarity (sob) But I am not lying. You said yourself you have known my family for a long time since my grandfather was alive. You know I would never lie to you, Rarity.” Alysia said a bit hurt her ears droop as Rarity gets an idea.

“I know you would not lie to me. But still darling, it’s hard to believe that Cadence is back and has not contacted Princess Twilight to tell her. But I have an idea, take me to see Cadence.” Rarity suggested as Alysia agrees to take her to see Princess Cadence.

Back in the warm water tub room, Princess Cadence has finished her long herbal soak. She feels so much better now. In the room, Cadence has finished toweling herself off and was putting on the spa robe when the door opened. Half expecting to see Princess Alysia walking into the room, she was taken totally by surprise when Rarity enters the room followed by Alysia.

“Alysia! I thought I told you not to tell any pony that I am back in Equestria. Till I am ready.” Cadence said a bit upset at Alysia for telling Rarity.

“No, your highness do not be mad at Alysia. I dragged the information out of her. She didn’t tell me anything.” Rarity said calming the situation and trying to protect the young Princess from Cadence.

“Oh you did? Did she mention that her grandmother Celestia and her great aunt Luna are back as well.” Cadence replied as Rarity’s jaw drops when she stated that Celestia and Luna are back too.

“Alysia when were you going to tell me that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are back along with Cadence?” Rarity exclaimed as Cadence chuckle into the back of her hand knowing it was only a matter of time that every pony knew that the three missing princesses are back.

“I am sorry Alysia; I thought that you told every pony about my return and the return of your Grandmother and your great Aunt.” Cadence apologetic as she hugged Alysia with her arms and wings to say she was sorry.

Its a few moments later in one of private lounges in the Golden Rose Spa. The three mares continue to talk to each other. The vid phone on Alysia’s MCV rings. She gets up to answer it and walks out of the lounge, leaving Cadence and Rarity alone till she finishes the phone call.

“Rarity be straight with me did my sister-in-law Twilight and her Friendship Assembly not lift a finger when my daughter forcefully took the Throne of Love from Grand Princess of Love Blueberry?” Cadence inquiry hoping the story that was told by Grand Princess Aurora to her was not true.

“Unfortunately your highness, that story is very accurate. the magic we used to send the friendship assembly on a Friendship mission never signaled that there was trouble in the Crystal Empire between Princess Flurry Heart and Grand Princess Blueberry. It was not till Flurry Heart declared war on Equestria that we took notice of the trouble in the Crystal Empire. But by that time, it was too late to do anything to help.” Rarity said dishearten as she wipes away a single tear from her cheek.

“After the declaration of war on Equestria, the Friendship assembly broke into factions over not lifting a finger to stop this war from happening. Applejack, because of her pride and headstrongness refuses to see alternate solutions to stop the war. That set off Rainbow Dash’s loyalty toward Equestria, calling Applejack a traitress. being called traitress set off her honesty. The two of them fought back and forth with words. Fluttershy, Pinkie pie and I stayed out of the mess. Twilight’s rational thinking causes her to start losing it and suggested that the friendship assembly overthrow the Royal foals of her mentor Princess Celestia and take out her niece Princess Flurry heart and rule Equestria ourselves.” Rarity explains displeased at the suggestion that the crazed Princess Twilight thought of.

It’s late evening of that same day after running into Miss Rarity earlier in the day at the Golden Rose Spa. Alysia called her Grandmother and Great Aunt asking them if they would mind if Miss Rarity would come to see them. After talking with them for awhile, they agreed to Alysia’s request and Alysia invited Miss Rarity to have a casual dinner at the Palace. Rarity was elated. It’s been ages since she was last at the Palace and was invited for dinner with the royal family.

The conversation during dinner was Rarity asking Celestia, Luna and Cadence how they have adjusted to this new Equestria. The three old Alicorns credited Celestia’s Granddaughter Princess Alysia in helping them adjust to this new life in this new Equestria.

The acclaim from her Grandmother, Great Aunt and Cousin caused Princess Alysia to blush. As her Father, her mother and Aunts couldn’t help but have a huge smile on their snouts so proud of the future ruler of Equestria. After finishing dinner and a few hours visiting with the royalty, five members of the Royal family retired to bed. While Grand Prince of the Moon Somnus Silverlight and his aunt Princess Luna Silverlight headed to the throne room to begin a long evening court session. With that, Grand Prince Somnus asked his daughter to have the chauffeur and her company Miss Rarity back to her hotel.

In the back of the hover limousine, Rarity sits across from Princess Alysia. She notices that Alysia was lost in her own thoughts, so she slips her foot out of her black comfort pump and touches Alysia’s knee with it.

“Huh?” Alysia exclaims as she felt Rarity’s barefoot touch her knee and snap her out of her train of thought.

“What are you thinking about, darling?” Rarity inquiry as she withdrew her barefoot from Alysia’s knee and crossed her legs.

“The friendship Assembly.” Alysia answered as Rarity blinks with surprise.

“Why are you thinking about them, Alysia?” Rarity inquiry a bit puzzled.

“In Equestria there are three Kingdoms. Equestria itself, the Crystal Empire and Friendship Kingdom. Without one of the three, there is no Equestria. Relationship with the Crystal Empire has improved with the arrest of Princess Flurry Heart Sparkle and the return of Princess Cadence Sparkle. Now my aunt Grand Princess Blueberry is no longer stressed about her Crystal Ponies being hurt by Cadence’s daughter. Cadence is now helping Blueberry re-build Crystal City.” Alysia explains as Rarity signs to herself.

“With exception of you, Miss Rarity. Relationship with Equestria and the Friendship Kingdom have remained unchanged since Princess Twilight Sparkle and Friendship assembly didn’t come to the aid of the Royal Foals when Crystal Empire fell to Flurry Heart. as of right now, in order to unite all the lands, we need all three Kingdoms working together to heal all the wounds that the Crystal War inflicted on all the ponies living in Equestria.” Alysia explains worried as Rarity once again places her barefoot onto Alysia’s knee.

“Now you don’t worry yourself your Highness. Trust Miss Rarity and your friend. I am working really hard with the help of Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie to try to repair the relationship with the Friendship Assembly and the Royal Foals. As shy as she is, Fluttershy is talking to Rainbow Dash repeatedly about repairing the relationship with the Royal Foals. While at the same time Pinkie Pie is talking to Applejack about the same thing. When I get back to Ponyville, I have a meeting with Princess Twilight about an unrelated incident. After that, I’ll talk to her about repairing the relationship with the Royal Foals. I am hoping that I don’t have to use the knowledge of your grandmother, Great Aunt and cousin’s being back to help. Because that’s my ace in the hole with Twilight.” Rarity explains as Rarity’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise as Alysia grabs her ankle and places her finger against the sole of her foot.

In her hotel room at the Canterlot mansion, Rarity dials a number on her MCV vid phone. It rings once and the face of Alysia’s Grandmother, Princess Celestia Silverlight answers the call.

“Good evening Miss Rarity. do you have something to tell me?” Celestia inquiry

“I do Your Highness. I kind of told Alysia a little white lie about the talks with other members of the Friendship Assembly. The truth is, Your Highness the talks are not going well with other members of the Friendship Assembly. There are still very hard feeling between the Friendship Assembly and the Royal foals. as I found out, the Royal foals are willing to patch things up with the Friendship Assembly. But Princess Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Applejack are not. When the Royal Foals didn’t believe that they didn’t know about the incident, It caused them to believe in the rule of the Royal foals to be shaken and they have not forgotten that.” Rarity explains as Celestia gives a very deep sigh.

“Understood Miss Rarity. Keep trying to talk with other members of the Friendship Assembly. I grant you the right to tell Princess Twilight that we have returned, as your last move to get the talks moving once again.” Celestia comment

“Yes, your highness. But what about Alysia? I don’t like lying to her like that. The Silverlight unicorn family has helped me anytime I asked. to lie to a member of that family, it hurts. I hope you understand Your Highness.” Rarity’s voice is a lifeless monotone as she wipes a tear from her cheek with her hand.

“I do Miss Rarity. my late husband’s family always has that effect on those that they call friend.” Celestia comment as she hangs-up the vid-phone.

Chapter 2

It’s the afternoon, of the follow day in Ponyville, as Rarity waves down a hover cab to make her way to the Castle of Friendship for a meeting with Princess Twilight Sparkle. She is wearing Royal blue business skirt suit with black pumps. Dangling from her shoulder was a brown crossbody bag, holding her personal possessions. It took a few minutes for the cabby to make it to the Castle of Friendship after passing through the security check point. After reaching the castle, Rarity points her MCV at the Cabby’s screen and sends the payment to the computer.

As Rarity sets foot into the Castle of Friendship’s vestibule, standing in the center of the room with her arms crossed was a beautiful 5ft 5in purple Alicorn mare with a moderate sapphire blue, moderate violet and brilliant rose streaks mane and tail. She was attired in a green short sleeve sheath dress with her princess’s regalia. On her bare feet were gold pumps. This Alicorn mare is Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship.

“Oh Twilight dear. I am sorry for being late for our meeting.I had to take my car into the shop for repairs. The darn thing broke down earlier this morning.” Rarity apologetic as Princess Twilight’s eyes narrowed with suspicion towards her.

“How was your visit to the Grand Royal Palace in Canterlot, Rarity?” Twilight asked with suspicion in her voice.

“What? Were you spying on me, Twilight, while I was in Canterlot? That’s not fair, Twilight.” Rarity said defensively, hoping she didn’t know about the return of the Princesses.

“I don’t call it spying. I call it keeping an eye on my court, to keep them safe.” Twilight replies

“Keeping an eye on your court, what is the difference, Twilight. You secretly had someone watch me without my permission. that’s called spying anyway you look at it and that’s not fair, your highness.” Rarity, ticked off a bit with being spied on

“Besides, I was invited by Princess Alysia Ara Silverlight for dinner. I ran into her at a new spa in Canterlot. Do you remember Princess Alysia, the Great Granddaughter of Archduchess Ophelia Silverlight? The Archon of the Silverlight Unicorn Family and President of Galaxy Corporation? The Corporation that loaned you bits to rebuild Ponyville after the end of the Red Claw War.” Rarity says. With that, Twilight drops the subject and strolled her way to the throne room followed by Rarity to begin their meeting.

Meanwhile, back in the Grand Royal Palace in Canterlot, Princess Alysia walks down the hallway toward her Grandmother Celestia’s bed room in an older part of the palace. She was attired in a black short sleeve; mesh ruffle shoulder top and laced up crop jeans. On her barefeet were white sneakers. A moment later, she arrives at a double wooden door with a carved stylized sun design on it. She knocks on the door a few times.

“Grandma, Are you in?” Alysia calls as she continues to knock on the door

In the room, sitting on a slate colored wingback chair was Princess Celestia wearing a light blue short-sleeve shirt dress. She was busily painting her toenails that rested against a slate colored ottoman in front of her. Upon hearing the first knock on her bed chamber door, her horn glowed with her psychic energy. Slowly, the bed chamber door opens allowing Alysia to enter.

“I am here Alysia. Please do come in.” Celestia says friendly as Alysia walked over to her grandmother’s chair. Celestia turns her cheek toward Alysia who gently kisses her.

“You wanted to see me, Grandma?” Alysia comment as Celestia bends down close to her toes and gently blows on the nail polish to dry it a little quicker.

“A little bird told me you are worried about the Friendship Assembly and Equestria.” Celestia comment as she touches the nail polish on her toes to make sure it was not wet. With it dry, she sets her foot on the ground.

“Miss Rarity told you, Grandma.” Alysia answered as Celestia shook her head. She brings her other foot up and rests it against the ottoman.

“Yes, she did. I gave her my vid-phone number to keep me up to date with Twilight.” Celestia explains as she begins to paint her toe nails with the light pink polish she had in her left hand.

“But.” Alysia said cut short by her Grandmother.

“But nothing Alysia. You are far too young to be worried about something like that. When the time comes that you rise to the throne of Equestria. you will look back at your youth and see nothing but a worried young mare. Enjoy your youth. because if you have some of my blood in you. that age will become fleeting.” Celestia explains as the polish on her toes is dry, she asks Alysia to fetch her bronze colored strap sandals from her wardrobe.

After putting her sandals on, Celestia walks over to Alysia and embraces her Granddaughter in her arms and wings. For as long as she had lived, she never thought she would ever have foals of her own and a granddaughter to call her own. If she didn’t disregard social traditions for Equestrian Royalty and follow her heart, this outcome would have never happened.

“Besides Alysia, Cadence told me about a wonderful warm herbal soak she enjoyed at the Golden Rose Spa. If you don’t mind; would you take me to that spa so I may experience it myself?” Celestia asks as she floats a brown monogram heritage hobo bag off her dresser onto her shoulder.

“Grandma, do you think the spa ponies at Golden Rose Spa will survive seeing you in a spa robe?” Alysia inquiries teasing as it took a few minutes for Celestia to figure out what her grandchild was implying from her comment.

“The mares, of course, as for the stallions, not so much. It’s kind of a curse to have this breathtakingly beautiful figure at my age.” Celestia joking as she laughs jubilantly with the thought of her body killing the stallions at the spa. With that, Celestia and Alysia head out of the Palace to spend their first day off together.

~Back at the Castle of Friendship in Ponyville~

“Twilight when did you become more stubborn than Applejack! I just asked you to consider talking to the Royal foals again!” Rarity said sharply, her face flushed with indignation as she storms out of the Castle of Friendship.

For the next few hours, Rarity walks around Ponyville aimlessly till the black high heel pumps on her feet scream at her to stop walking. Figuring her poor sore feet wouldn’t survive a walk back to her Carousal Boutique on the other side of Ponyville, Rarity heads straight to her Exquisite Fashion house just a block from her present location. As she neared the Exquisite Fashion house, she typed some numbers on her MCV and pointed it at the door. A moment later, she hears a very soft click so she walks into the building. As she thought, the building was empty because her employees had finished their days work and headed home.

The heels on her shoes clicked loudly in the colossal structure, full of bolts of textiles that lined the walls. At the end of the warehouse level, Rarity climbs up a short flight of wooden stairs to the office level of the building. She reaches into her purse and pulls out a small gold key and inserts it into a lock on a door with an ornate gold plank that reads ‘Rarity’ on it. She turns the key in the lock, with a low click the door opens and she enters. In her medium size office, Rarity reaches down and removes her pumps tossing them and her purse onto a nearby sofa.

She padded, barefooted, over to her wooden desk and sits down on the chair behind it. She rests her elbows on the desk and places her hands on either side of her head. Then she let out an aggravated scream.

“Did thy meeting not go well Miss Rarity?” A familiar mare voice inquiry from the deep shadows in the room

A moment later, emerging from the deep shadows in the room was a dark blue Alicorn mare with a moderate sapphire blue with grayish Persian blue outline mane and tail. She was attired in an orange dot short-sleeve shirt dress with black wedge sandals on her feet. On her shoulder was a brown leather zip hobo bag. On her head, behind her horn, was a black brim derby hat with a pair of sunglasses on her snout. She was carrying several small shopping bags in her hands from various shops from the Ponyville shopping district. One of those bags was from her Carousal Boutique.

“I see you were able to master your psychic energy, your highness.” Rarity comments as the alicorn walks over to the sofa to sit down. She drops the shopping bags on the ground next to her placing her purse on the sofa.

“I can take all the credit for mastering my psychic power. Somnus helped me greatly in that endeavor. Luna will be fine, Rarity, it’s my first day off.” Luna explains as she floats one of Rarity’s pumps over to her.

“I ask again, Rarity, did thy meetings not go well?” Luna inquires as she places the pump down next to her foot, to see if the style of shoe would look good on her feet.

“To tell you the truth Luna, it could have gone better. Twilight’s pride took a hard hit when the royal foals didn’t believe that the Friendship assembly didn’t get alerted to the trouble in the Crystal Empire.” Rarity explains as Luna reaches into the Carousal Boutique shopping bag and pulls out a shoe box from it.

“What about the others, Rarity?” Luna asked as she removed her sandal and replaced it with the black high heel pump from the box. She stuck her foot into the air and twisted her ankle from side to side a few times.

“I have not spoken to Fluttershy or Pinkie Pie for awhile. But we have plans to meet for lunch this week away from the Castle of Friendship. I will then ask how their talks are going with Rainbow Dash and Applejack.” Rarity explains as Luna put the other pump on and walks around the office trying them out.

“Understood, Rarity. Continue your efforts to convince all the Friendship Assembly members to reopen talks with the Royal Foals. Since waking up in this time, I have felt a sense of foreboding. Something doesn’t feel quite right. It feels like a storm is building. When the Crystal War ended, it set something else off.” Luna said mysteriously as she replaced her sandals on her feet.

With that, Luna picks-up all her shopping bags from the ground and begins to charge-up her horn with her moderate cobalt blue psychic aura. When the psychic energy reaches its peak, she fades into the deep shadows of Rarity’s office and disappears. Rarity is once again alone in her office at the Exquisite Fashion House.

A moment later, Luna emerges from the deep shadows of one of the many hallways in the Grand Royal Palace. Leaning against one of the columns in the hallway was a handsome light blue, Alicorn stallion with a crimson red mane and tail. He was attired in a papaya colored, long sleeve, twill checked dress shirt and dark, pebble colored, classic, flat-front pants. On his feet were black leather dress boots.

“Well?” Luna exclaimed as she spotted the Alicorn stallion standing in front of the column, waiting for her with his wings folded on his back.

“Hello Auntie, how was your first shopping trip in the new Ponyville?” The Alicorn stallion inquires as he took hold of Luna’s shopping bags for her.

“Let’s not speak here, Somnus. Let’s speak privately in my bed chamber. I would like to sit down and rest for awhile.” Luna suggested as Somnus followed his aunt down the hallway carrying her shopping bags for her. In her bedroom, Somnus watches Luna unpack and hang-up the clothing in her wardrobe. When the last item, a shoe box, is placed in a drawer, she closes the wardrobe.

She walks over to a small seating area in her large bed chamber with two, slate gray wingback club chairs and a single ottoman. She plops down on one of the wingback club chairs, using her telekinesis ability; she drags the ottoman over to her. At which time, she once again reaches down and removes her sandals. Upon putting her feet on top the ottoman, she lets out a sigh of relief. She gestures Somnus to join her in the seating area to talk to her.

“On my way home from my shopping excursion in Ponyville, Somnus. I spoke for a little while with Miss Rarity about other members of the Friendship Assembly.” Luna comments as Somnus sits down in the chair in front of his aunt’s barefeet on the ottoman.

“What did she tell you, Auntie?” Somnus asked, resting his chin on the knuckles of his hands.

“She told me that the talks with other members of the Friendship assembly are not going well.” Luna answers as Somnus let’s out a loud aggravated snort from his nostril and places one of his fingers on top of Luna’s big toe and slowly moves it back and forth.

“That is very dire news, auntie. I didn’t want to worry you my dear auntie.” Somnus says sorrowful as Luna looks a bit puzzled.

“Worry me? Worry me about what, my dear little Somnus? I have told you over and over again. When it’s just me and you alone talking to each other. I will not tell any ponies what you said to me. that I promise to you.” Luna says reassuring as she rubs the back of Somnus’s hand with her foot to get him to open up to her.

“Now please my little Somnus. tell me what you are worried about?” Luna asks with a gentle and patient voice as she continues to rub the back of Somnus’s hand with her foot. She only stops when she senses that he’s about to open up to her.

“Since the end of the Crystal War, Auntie I have felt a sense of foreboding.” Somnus said looking at the banner of a crescent moon on a dark purple background hanging on Luna’s wall, her symbol.

“I, too, have felt that sense of foreboding; my dear little Somnus. since waking up in this time. I push the feeling aside because I was overjoyed to reunite with you and your sisters after discovering that I vanished nine years ago with your mother and cousin.” Luna explains as Somnus kneels on the Ottoman that Luna’s feet occupy.

“The sense I was getting, my little Somnus, was a building storm.” Luna replies

“No, not a building storm, Auntie, a well formed hurricane. the end of the Crystal War set something in motion that should have never been set in motion.” Somnus said correcting as he sat down on his legs and his chin sunk dejectedly into his chest.

“For some reason you are not telling me everything you have sensed, my little Somnus, Why?” Luna inquiries as she lifts Somnus’ chin up with her foot and gives him a reassuring glance.

“I am barely able to understand the rest of my senses, Auntie. They’re so confounding and confusing.” Somnus said sourly as she realizes she never got a chance to teach him how to filter his senses to form a full picture of his vision.

“Its fine Somnus. just tell me what your senses are telling you and let me be the judge of that.” Luna said encouraging as she pulled her feet off the ottoman and sat down with him.

“My senses are telling me, Auntie. That the kin of my father have quite a lot of answers to this foreboding. But at the same time, those answers are well hidden behind a lock of an unbreakable door. I fear, if I open that door, it will change the perception I have towards my father’s family and who I am.” Somnus said his voice cracking as the blood drains from Luna’s face.

“Now I understand your misgiving, Somnus , about sharing this information with me. Truth be told, my little Somnus, there’s still much we don’t know about your Father’s family. So let’s gather together the main Royal Family and have a family meeting about this. Lets hear from everyone and see if they want to proceed with trying to open that unbreakable door to get answers about this.” Luna suggested as she padded barefooted out of her bed chamber. She wanted to gather together the main royal family for a meeting before they turned in for the night.

Chapter 3

Later that same night, the members of the main Royal Family gathered together in one of the small sitting rooms within the Grand Royal Palace after Princess Luna and Grand Prince Somnus called for a family meeting. In the room, the various members of the main royal family take their seats on various pieces of furniture around the room. Being the eldest of the family, Princess Celestia has been appointed the head of this family branch of the Silverlight unicorn family. She reaches down, removes her sandal and proceeds to use it like a gavel to bring the family meeting to order. As the talking dies down, Celestia looks toward her sister and her son that are standing together in front of the fireplace in the room.

“Alright sister. you and Somnus asked me to call this meeting of the main Royal Family so I did as you asked, now, please sister, tell the family why you wanted to have this meeting.” Celestia said diplomatically as she sat back in her chair and crossed her legs.

“Thank you sister, the reason I asked you to call this family meeting was because since the end of the Crystal War. Somnus and I have been sensing a strange foreboding in the air, like this was just the beginning of something bigger.” Luna explains as the faces of each family member glaze with shock.

As the family slowly digests the statement made by Princess Luna, Grand Prince Somnus observed his older sister Grand Princess Aurora stealthily move a little bit closer toward their mother’s position, at which time their mother covertly gestures her hand towards Aurora telling her to stop were she is. The mysterious movement by his older sister towards their mother caused Somnus to gently step on his aunt’s bare toes to get her attention as she stood next to him in her barefeet. Luna quickly turns toward Somnus and he whispers something into her ear.

“Sister and niece? Somnus tells me you might have something to say about the strange foreboding?” Luna inquiries as Celestia and Aurora know they have been caught by a Solar Guard special operative.

“Alright, you are right, sister, we do.” Celestia answers as Aurora kneels down next to her mother’s chair.

“Aurora and I have sensed the same thing as you and Somnus have. a strange foreboding in the air, but what is strange about it. It feels like the strange foreboding is hailing from beyond the stars. In an area where no pony has gone before.” Celestia explains as she looks into the clear blue sky through a bay window in the room.

~A year earlier near the end of the Crystal War~

Meanwhile in the ice fields of the Crystal Empire, a week before the fall of Princess Flurry Heart Sparkle and the Crystal City, a gorgeous 5ft 10in greenish-blue unicorn mare with a cerulean mane and tail stroll towards a small ice cave far from the Crystal Palace. She is dressed in a black long sleeve, woven blouse, deep ocean blue bootcut jeans and brown Riding boots. This unicorn mare is Royal Advisor Rose Eventide, the brains behind the throne of Princess Flurry Heart Sparkle.

“Such a stupid and self-glorifying little Alicorn (chuckles)” Rose said sarcastically as she continues to make her way to the ice cave.

“(chuckles) her highness Princess Flurry Heart Sparkle. I would love to see her face when they hand her over to the combined forces (chuckles).” Rose said coldly as she presses a hidden button on the side of the cave wall.

“But what burns me up is that I was outplayed by the Grand Princess of the Sun Aurora Silverlight. I never figured that the spell that I cast on her mother, her aunt and cousin in the previous timeline when this Equestria was still in the middle ages/steam ages would expire this soon and reawaken the three missing princesses in this timeline.” Rose said sourly as a small sliding door opens, revealing a short steel hallway with two steel doors in the wall.

“But I should have guessed that would have happened, considering that teenage Princess Flurry Heart Sparkle didn’t have the experience to cast that alter time spell, she used. that threw her Equestria into this altered future age. But it’s not all that bad. I can now reunite with my small space fleet. They should all be docked at Concord Habitats in my dark star section of space awaiting the return of Daimyo Harmonia Strife. The Lord of the Dark star Sector.” Rose explains as she presses a control panel on the wall next to the steel door.

The steel door slides open, revealing the cockpit of a long-range shuttlecraft. Through the opening steps, a drop-dead, gorgeous 6ft even, midnight blue, Imperator Alicorn mare with a rust colored mane and tail walks into the cockpit. Resting on her back were silver, bio-mechanical, feathered bird wings. She was dressed in a gray form-fitting space suit. On her bare feet were knee high boots. This is the true form of Daimyo Harmonia Strife.

~back to the present infinity star sector~

Looking out the window, in the command center/throne room of the Infinity palace at the darkness of space was a majestic looking, dark blue, Imperator Alicorn stallion with a crimson red mane and tail. His 6ft 5in athletic equine figure was encased in a form-fitting orange red space suit. Resting on his back were gold, bio-mechanical, feathered bird wings. His cobalt blue eyes were haunted by some inner anxiety. This Imperator Alicorn Stallion was Royal Shogun Justice Silverlight.

A moment later, a captivating, ageless, light blue Imperator Alicorn mare with an imperial red mane and tail walks up behind him and rest her gloved hand on his shoulder. Her elegant athletic 6ft 12in figure was encased in a form-fitting mineral green space suit. Sitting on top of her head behind her horn was a jeweled imperial tiara. Resting on her back, were the most beautiful jeweled, bio-mechanical, feathery bird wings of her species. This Imperator Alicorn mare was Empress Galaxy Cosmos, the All Mother of the Imperator Alicorn species and Supreme Ruler of the Imperator Alicorns, as well as, Justice’s great grandmother.

“Are you still trying to put together all those fractured memories, great grandson?” Galaxy inquiry as she runs her snout through Justice’s mane in a loving gesture.

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.” Justice answers as Galaxy looks over to her great grandson piercingly.

“What have I told you Great Grandson? How do I want you to address me?” Galaxy said sourly as she snorted loudly at her Great Grandson.

“I mean, Great grandmother.” Justice said nervously as Galaxy kisses Justice’s horn before kindly gesturing him to leave the throne room as she had some royal business to perform.

Waiting outside the throne room were two Imperator Alicorn mares. The first mare was a lovely looking, Spanish gray colored mare with a black colored mane and tail. Her 6ft 2in athletic equine figure was encased in a deep pink colored space suit. A pair of silver bio-mechanical feathery bird wings was folded on her back. This Imperator Alicorn mare was Galactic Knight Urania Corona an Imperator Alicorn Aerospace fighter ace.

The second mare was a stunning looking, dim, gray bodied mare with an orange yellow colored mane and tail. Her 6ft 2in fit equine figure was encased in a periwinkle colored space suit. A pair of silver bio-mechanical feathery bird wings were folded on her back. This Imperator Alicorn mare was Galactic Knight Erato Aureola an Imperator Alicorn Aerospace fighter ace. Both mares serve Justice’s shogunate as fighter pilots.

“You two don’t have to follow me around, wherever I go.” Justice said bluntly as the two mares looked at each other before politely laughing.

“Unfortunately, Lord Silverlight, Empress Cosmos. Your great grandmother has ordered us to keep an eye on you. till all your memories return.” Urania said as Erato shook her head.

With that, the three Imperator Alicorn equines climbed into the turbo lift and took it down to deck three, the recreation deck of the citadel class large space station. The deck of the space station is one full deck filled with all kinds of entertainment for the personnel working at the Infinity Palace. An advanced holographic sky simulates night and day, as well as the seasons. At the center of the deck is a large green area with trees, flowers and park benches. Within the park are three tennis courts and a recirculating fountain.

In the park, Justice sat on a bench with Galactic Knight Erato Aureola. Shortly before, walking into the park, Galactic Knight Urania Corona was called down to ‘the stellar eclipse’ to settle a dispute between several Aerospace fighter pilot squadrons assigned to the carrier. Before leaving, Urania asked Erato to stay with him as she’s been knows him the longest and are friends.

“Justice? If there’s anything I can do to help speed up the recovery of your fractured memories. Just ask. We both come from the same star nursery.” Erato said placing her gloved hand on his knee.

“I know, you and Urania are trying to help me recover my fractured memories, but it’s still just a jumble of images and feelings. That don’t make senses to me.” Justice said frustrated as Erato touches the side of his face with her hand.

“Please Justice, don’t get frustration, Urania and I are here for you.” Erato said caring as she calms Justice’s frustrating down with her gentle touch on his face.

Suddenly, the broken pieces of a fractured memory pull together in Justice’s mind. The image that forms is a white mare’s hand with a gold ring on her fourth finger of her left hand, caressing his cheek and saying ‘I am here forever with you my husband’.

“Erato! I have a wife somewhere out there . I am a married stallion.” Justice exclaims pointing toward the star ways.

“That’s very good Justice. Let’s concentrate on that wife of yours. Search through your fractured memories. Tell me something about your wife? ” Erato inquiry as Justice concentrates on the memories.

“She’s some kind of royalty, the ruler of a land.I believe her title is Princess, she has ruled that same land for one thousand years.” Justice explains as Erato snickers under her breath.

“My Justice, you are starting out fairly young.” Erato says jokingly as Justice snorted at her.

“What do you mean, fairly young, you’re the same age as me, two billion years old or two billion and half years old, you old Alicorn.” Justice said boldly as Erato snorts back at him.

“I don’t count the half year old, Justice.” Erato said sarcastically punching Justice on his arm hard.

“Ouch!” Justice exclaims rubbing his arm with his hand after Erato punches him.

“Forget about that for now. Let’s continue building on that memory. What else can you remember about your wife?” Erato inquiry as she begins to get excited with Justice reforming his lost memories.

“She’s what we call a terran Alicorn.” Justice comments as Erato removes her glove exposing her red nail polish on the nails of her hand.

Suddenly, the broken pieces of a fractured memory pull together in Justice’s mind once again. The image that forms this time is the same white hand with light pink nail polish and that same mare’s voice saying ‘Up until I met you, Justice. I would never have my nails painted on my hands or feet. because it was improper to show individuality. But you brought out that missing mare hood that I long forgot. Thank you’

“When I first met my wife. she was a prim and proper Princess. Her nobles did not want her to show she was a normal mare. I saw she was more than just a figurehead, she was a very special mare.” Justice explains as he held Erato’s hand and looked at her painted nails.

“I must ask Erato; do you paint your toenails?” Justice inquiry as Erato blushed with the question.

“I do, why do you ask Justice?” Erato asks wondering as she pulled her hand away.

“For some reason my wife, painted her toenails herself and let no one near her feet. Except me.” Justice comment as Erato’s olive green eyes blinked with surprise.

“Do you paint them yourself or let someone else do it, Erato?” Justice inquiry as Erato gasps.

“I do it myself.” Erato answers

“Why?” Justice asked

“I am very ticklish on my feet, any slight brush against the soles of my feet, will cause me to laugh. So I paint my toenails myself, is that why your wife paints her own toenails; because she’s ticklish?” Erato comment as Justice shook his head a few times as more of his memories return.

“So, let’s recap, Justice. You married a Princess mare on some kind of planet. she’s been ruling that same land for one thousand years, when you first met her, she was a prim and proper Princess. So you must have spent a lot of time with her before hand to notice that change in her. It sounds like she’s ticklish on her feet. so she paints her own nails. Her nobles most likely didn’t like the idea of you marrying her, But she did it anyway.” Erato explains as Justice grabs the side of his head with his hands.

Suddenly, the broken pieces of a fractured memory pull together in Justice’s mind forming a complete memory. The image that forms was an ageless, beautiful, white, Alicorn mare with a golden blonde mane and tail. She stood 6ft 5in with a perfectly shaped figure that stretched down to her large pristine feet. A loving smile formed on her snout as the gold ring formed on her finger.

“My wife’s name is Princess Celestia Silverlight. The ruler of the land of Equestria on the planet and you are right, Erato, she is very ticklish on her feet. During quiet days at the Grand Royal Palace when we were alone. I would remove one of her sandals as she slept on the lounge chair on her balcony during the warm days of summer. I would run my finger down her sole causing her to shoot into the air. She would snort at me for tickling her, but soon forgave me for doing it. I served as her personal guard before I married her.” Justice explains as Erato noticed that Justice was trying to recall another memory.

“Justice don’t push yourself. let’s meet Urania at a restaurant to eat on the deck so we can tell her what you remembered and she can help us figure out the rest of your memories. Right now we now know your wife’s name is Princess Celestia Silverlight, that’s a great start.” Erato said as Justice and Erato leave the park to met Urania for a bite to eat.

~Back in Equestria~

Standing alone in the small sitting room where the family meeting took place, looking out a small window toward the starry night sky was Princess Celestia Silverlight. She was playing with a strand of her golden blonde mane hair and chewing on her lip. A moment later, Grand Princess of the Sun, Aurora Silverlight pitter-patters into the room, barefooted, as her brother Grand Prince of the Moon, Somnus Silverlight has taking over night court.

“Good evening mother, why are you still in here?” Aurora ask as Celestia turn to face her elder daughter.

“I really don’t know, Aurora, something keeps telling me to look toward the starry night sky. As if my spirit is looking for something out there, it might be nothing, Aurora. but still something is trying to reunite with my spirit out there.” Celestia explains, floating her heart shaped pendant out of her dress and up to her lips, before placing a loving kiss on it and floating it back into her dress.

“But, anyway, was there something you wanted to talk to me about, Aurora?” Celestia inquiry as Aurora sits on an armrest of a nearby sofa.

“What is your take on that family meeting we had, mother?” Aurora asked

“My take is that your father’s family has a lot of answers, but we don’t know the questions to ask; Best we can do, is just talk to them. I have been invited to the Silverlight Stable for a private tea party tomorrow with your grandmother Countess Shimmering Diamond Silverlight. I’ll see what I can learn from her about this strange foreboding we’ve been sensing, Aurora.” Celestia explains as the two mares leave the sitting room and walk back to the private living area of the palace.

Chapter 4

Its a few weeks later, 350 meters long Imperator Alicorn designed carrier class warship glides through a star-formed nebula on the border of Horsehead Nebula Star Sector on routine patrol. In the cavernous belly of this steel space ship, divided by levels, were numerous Aerospace fighter crafts of different styles. The flight crew moves about each level effortlessly doing routine maintenance on the crafts as the pilot lends a hand to maintain their crafts to be battle ready.

In the Captain’s quarters, on the bridge deck of ‘The Stellar Eclipse’ carrier class warship, Royal Shogun Justice Silverlight looks through a porthole as the stars zoom by. After his Great Grandmother, Empress Galaxy learned that her great grandson Justice regained some of his memories, she felt that by sending him on his routine military duties, it might spark more of his memories to return and bring him closer to regain all of them. A moment later, chimes ring on the door of the Captain’s quarter getting Justice’s attention.

“Come in!” Justice calls as the sliding door whooshes open.

Walking through the door, was an alluring cool, gray, colored imperator Alicorn mare with a red orange mane and tail. Her toned 6ft 2in equine figure was attired in a peach colored form-fitting space suit with knee high boots on her bare feet. Folded on her back were silver bio-mechanical feathered bird wings. This Imperator Alicorn was Galactic Knight Clio Quasar, an Imperator Alicorn Space Forces Specialist and Justice’s first officer aboard the ‘Stellar Eclipse’.

“Good evening Justice. May I join you?” Clio inquires politely as she bows to Royal Shogun Justice.

“You may Clio. Did great grandmother ask you too?” Justice asks as Clio walked over to the food replicator in the Captain’s quarters and passes her hand in front of the holo camera to bring up the holographic keyboard.

“She did, Want a drink Justice? The stuff we get out of the food replicator on the ship is not as good as we get back at the Infinity Palace. But it’s passable.” Clio comments as she types in her selection.

A moment later, two short, squat glasses appear before two ice cubes fall into the glasses and fill with apple cider. She carefully carries the two glasses over to the desk Justice is sitting behind and sets it down. She walks over to a nearby sofa and sits down on it and crosses her long leg over the other.

“Like Urania and Erato, I want to help you, regain your memory.” Clio explains taking a sip of her apple cider.

“But why? I want you to tell me the truth Clio.” Justice asked, taking a sip of the apple cider.

“The truth is, you took chances on an Imperator Alicorn born from a weak star. I might not be able to use my Eternal magic that effectively. But I still can offer my best to the Imperator Alicorn cause, because of you and your Grandmother allowing us to prove ourselves. I am eternally grateful, that’s the reason I want to help.” Clio explains as Justice has a smile on his snout.

“I knew that already, Clio. But it’s always fun trying to make you cry. as tough as an Imperator Alicorn mare that you are.” Justice comment as Clio politely chuckles into the back of her hand.

“But anyway, Clio, all I really need is some company right now. What do you say, number one?” Justice asks pointing the top of his glass towards Clio.

“So far, this routine space patrol has been very quiet and uneventful. So why not, It’s been a while since the two of us. Had a quiet drink together, Captain.” Clio comment as she walks back over to the food replicator and created an ice cold pitcher of apple cider for them to drink while they talk.

Meanwhile, 3 parsec (light years) from the current position of ‘The Stellar Eclipse’ a squadron of five NF 6R Reconnaissance Nova Fighter skirt the border of the Dark Star Sector as they make their way through an asteroid field just touching the borderline of the sector.

Leading the recon squadron, in her custom made NF 6R Reconnaissance Nova fighter was Galactic Knight Calliope Spirals, the third ace pilot assigned to Justice’s shogunate. She just currently returned from a long range recon operation in a distant star sector, after hearing that Royal Shogun Justice Silverlight returned.

As the squadrons come out from behind a large iron asteroid, a blip appears on the canopy hud system. The onboard recognition/identification program identifies the blip as long-range shuttlecraft heading into the Dark Star Sector. The squadron set course to intercept the long-range shuttlecraft before it can enter the sector. Within 1parsec (light years) of interception, the long-range shuttlecraft, a squadron FF 4I interceptor falcon fighters, burst out from the other side of the border and engages the recon squadron.

Meanwhile back aboard the ‘Stellar Eclipse’ on the bridge, Royal Shogun Justice Silverlight and first officer Clio Quasar assume command of the vessel.

“Erato take a full squadron of VF 5A assault vortex fighters to assist the recon squadron, your squadron should make it and engage those fighter and buy time for the recon squadron to break free from the enemy engagement.” Justice orders as a full squadron of fighters shoot out of the carrier on their way to the battle.

“Urania takes a small flight of WF 1MP assault/combat Wasp fighter and escort the recon squadron back to the ship, tell them to land in docking bay two and then you take your flight to the battlefield to help mop-up.” Justice orders as a small flight of fighters shoot out of the carrier.

~one hours after the enemy engagement~

In the Captain’s quarters, aboard the ‘Stellar Eclipse’, Galactic Knight Urania Corona, Galactic Knight Erato Aureola and Galactic Knight Clio Quasar wait for the arrival of another Aerospace fighter pilot. As the door slides open, in walks a charming carbon gray colored, imperator Alicorn mare with an avocado green mane and tail. Her athletic, 6ft 2in equine figure was attired in a pine glade green colored, form-fitting space suit with knee high boots on her bare feet. Folded on her back were silver bio-mechanical feathered bird wings. This Imperator Alicorn was Galactic Knight Calliope Spirals, an Imperator Alicorn Aerospace fighter pilot ace.

“Your report Calliope, if you please?” Justice asks as Calliope shook her head.

“My squadron was coming around the back side of a large iron asteroid when, off my right wing, my radar picks up a blip, it identified it as a long-range shuttlecraft, we changed course to intercept the shuttlecraft. Within one parsec of the vessel, a squadron of fighters from the Dark Star Sector engaged my squadron and the rest, you know, My Lord.” Calliope explains as she bows after finishing her report.

“Understood, Urania, Erato and Calliope, you three have not taken your sleep period. So, I order you three to turn in for the night. I will not take no for an answer, understood?” Justice ordered as Urania, Erato and Calliope leave the Captain’s quarters and head to their own quarters to sleep.

“Talking about a sleep period, you are passed your own sleep period, Justice.” Clio comments as she yawns.

“I’ll turn in after I dismiss you, Clio, plus, it seems, you too, are past your sleep period, number one.” Justice comment as Clio shook her head in agreement. With a wave of his hand, Justice dismisses Clio and she leaves to head to her quarters to sleep.

~in the dream dimension~

In the dream dimension, a familiar 6ft 3in, dark blue, Alicorn mare with a moderate sapphire blue mane and tail, attired in a flowing gown makes her rounds in the dimension. Her bare feet pitter-patter softly across the clouds. She stops momentarily to peer into someone’s dream, looking for any sign of a nightmare making trouble in the dream. Suddenly, Luna senses a new dreamer entering the dream dimension. She makes a beeline to the area where the new dreamer is.

“J-J-Justice, how can this be?” Luna said her voice cracking as she peers through the opening in the dream and saw Justice fast asleep in a bed.

Without a second thought, she jumps through the opening of the dream and finds her spirit form standing in the awakening world next to Justice’s bed. She reaches out with her ghostly hand and caresses his cheek as tears streak her snout. Quickly, Luna senses the opening back to the dream dimension is weakening, if she doesn’t go back, her spirit form could never reunite with her real body. Before returning to the dream dimension, Luna kisses her fingers and touches Justice’s lips with them, leaving a bit of dream dust on his lips.

“Huh?” Justice exclaims sitting up in his bed as he reaches up and cleans the dust off his lips. He rubs the dust between his fingers wondering how it got there.

‘Dream dust? How do I know what this dust is called? Wait, I think another terran Alicorn told me about it, she’s somehow related to my wife, Celestia Silverlight.’ Justice thought as he fell back to sleep finishing his sleep period.

The afternoon of the following day, the routine patrol has, once again, become quiet and uneventful. Several Aerospace fighters are down for repairs after the fighting with the Dark Star sector squadron Urania, Erato and Calliope have been removed from the active duty roster till their ships are fixed. So, Justice has invited the three aces and his first officer to his quarters for drinks and to talk with them about what happened during his sleep period.

“Are you sure you didn’t dream it, Justice?” Calliope said sipping her apple cider.

“Now Calliope, the three of us here knew Justice for a long time. but not as long as Erato did. So there’s no doubt that he didn’t make it up.” Clio said taking a sip of her apple cider.

“But anyway, Justice, can you refresh my memory. What is dream dust?” Urania inquiry taking a sip of her soft apple cider.

“All right Urania. Dream dust is special dust that can only be found in the Dream dimension, only those familiar with dream dimension can freely pass through the veil. Someone related to my wife can freely pass through the veil into the dream dimension. For some reason, I can recall that the relative was showing someone else that’s related to me and my wife how to pass into dream dimension to help.” Justice explains as he took a drink of soft apple cider from his glass.

“Last time you completed a memory, Justice. it was sparked when you saw my painted nails on my hand. so like I told you then, search your fractured memories for something that relates to your wife. if I am able, I’ll do it to help you, Justice.” Erato said as all three mares agreed to help.

“First officer, report to the bridge for a priority communiqué from the Horsehead Nebula Star Sector.” The ship’s loudspeaker blasts through the corridors as Clio stands up and leaves Justice’s quarters to head back to the bridge.

“Pilot Calliope and Pilot Urania, please report down to the flight deck.” The ship’s loudspeaker blasts through the corridors as Calliope and Urania stand up and leave Justice’s quarter to head down to the flight deck. As the two mares leave Justice’s quarters, Erato couldn’t help but laugh. She is, once again, left alone with Justice to help him regain his memory.

“Well Justice, it looks like it will be me again trying to help you regain your memory.” Erato said as she walks over to the desk and sits down on a nearby sofa.

“There’s no one better than you, Erato. to help me regain my memory.” Justice comment as Erato blushes a bit.

“So let’s get started, Justice. Like I said, searches your fractured memories for something.” Erato said with a soothing voice to relax Justice’s mind so he could concentrate on his memory.

Suddenly, the broken pieces of a fractured memory pull together in Justice’s mind. The image that forms was a dark blue, barefoot with tangerine colored nail polish. The foot belongs to a 6ft 3in, dark blue, terran Alicorn mare with a moderate sapphire blue mane and tail. Justice couldn’t make out any facial features of this mare as this image is hidden in shadows.

“Erato! Please remove your boots. that other relative is another mare. I seem to recall, most of the time, she was barefooted when she entered the dream dimension.” Justice explains as Erato pulls both her boots off revealing a pair of dim gray, bare feet with red nail polish.

“Great work, Justice. now, concentrate on my bare feet, use them to reconstruct some of your broken memories. if you need to, I’ll let you handle my feet.” Erato said her voice constricted at let Justice handles her feet, but if it will help him remember, she will endure it for him.

With that, Justice stands up and walks over to the sofa that Erato was sitting on. He reaches down and swings her legs onto the sofa. In the palms of Justice’s hands sat an almost perfect shaped pair of dim gray, bare feet. For Erato’s height (a tall mare) her feet are quite average sized, with some weight on them. Justice slowly and methodically traced the outer edge of her right foot with his finger.

She bites down on her lips to prevent the release of laughter. She did promise herself that she would endure it for him. Erato’s face turns a bright red, as he traces the outer edge of her foot with his finger. Justice stops and sets her foot back down on the sofa cushion, allowing Erato to exhale.

“Justice, why did you stop?! If it helps you regain your memories, I would endure it.” Erato said in a brisk, business-like tone of voice.

“I can’t do that, Erato. If that means hurting you. you are my friend.” Justice says apologetic as Erato stretched over and kisses him on his cheek to thank him.

“That’s the exact reason I am allowing you to touch my feet, because I am your friend. We’ve been through a lot together, his is nothing compared to some of the things we have been through. You have been at my side for a lot.” Erato explains as it sparks a memory.

Suddenly, the broken pieces of a fractured memory pull together in Justice’s mind. The image that forms this time is the same dark blue Alicorn mare wearing purple colored body armor with a fin shaped helmet on her head and a pair of boots on her feet. She is asking “can your team get into the fortress unseen to rescue thy sister?” and Justice answering “Yes, your highness.” As Justice comes out of his memory, he finds himself staring at the beautiful face of Erato.

“What happen Justice? Did you remember something?” Erato inquiry placing her feet on the ground next to the sofa.

“I did, Erato, that other mare is my wife’s younger sister, Princess Luna Silverlight and now I know why she is barefooted when she enters the dream dimension. She is the Princess of the Night and Dreams, which means to enter, the dream dimension, she must be asleep. if you are in bed, you wouldn’t be wearing shoes to bed.” Justice explains as the door into his quarters opens and in walks Clio who gasps upon seeing Erato’s barefeet.

“I hope I am not interrupting something between you two.” Clio said teasing as it causes Erato to blush a bit embarrassed.

“I just received a report about a heavy gamma ray storm in the area that ‘The Stellar Eclipse’ will pass through on patrol, that size of storm will wreak havoc with our instruments. So I set course to the Sigma fortress in Horsehead Nebula Star Sector. I don’t know how long it will take for the storm to end, will you allow the ship’s crew some shore leave at the space station, Captain?” Clio inquiry as Erato gapes in stunned silence.

“After encountering the dark star sector, I think that’s a great idea, Clio, to give the whole crew shore leave at Sigma Fortress space station makes it so, number one.” Justice said as Clio bows.

“One more thing, Erato. Do not tire out the Captain. This patrol is not even half way done.” Clio comments as Justice grabs Erato around her waist to keep her from attacking Clio for what she was implying.

“Justice! Let me go! I swear on the first star! I am going to kill that first officer of yours!” Erato said savagely as Justice uses all his strength to keep her from breaking free from his grip.

Chapter 5

~An hour after docking at Sigma Fortress~

Waiting in the small park of the Sigma Fortress, wearing a green polo shirt and canvas colored, stretch jean with dark brown casual slip-on shoes was Royal Shogun Justice Silverlight. Walking toward him, was a gorgeous imperator Alicorn mare attired in a crimson red, top of the knee length dress and black wedge sandals on her dim, gray, bare feet. Folded on her back were her silver metal wings. This mare was Galactic Knight Erato Aureola.

“E-E-Erato is that you?” Justice said his voice quavering as he laid his cobalt blue eyes on this gorgeous equine mare holding a champagne colored clutch evening bag in her hand.

“W-W-What’s wrong Justice?! Am I not dressed right, M-M-maybe I misunderstood what you told me???” Erato said her voice quivering as she couldn’t figure out why Justice had a shocked look on his face.

“(Walking up to her) No, you are dressed fine, Erato. It’s just, I forgot what a gorgeous mare you are. Most of the time, I see you in that space suit you must wear as a uniform. I do love this dress you are wearing.” Justice said admiring as Erato shyly chuckles into the back of her hand.

Over the next few hours, the two Celestial Alicorn equines enjoy each other’s company after enjoying a very nice dinner at a restaurant on the recreation deck. They catch a flick at the small cinema on the same deck. Justice and Erato end their evening at the same place it started, in the small park.

“I really enjoyed spending shore leave with you, Justice. I thought I would never again spend any time with you after ‘IAS Wisdom’ disappeared many years earlier.” Erato comments as it sparked a memory forming in Justice’s mind.

Suddenly, the broken pieces of a fractured memory pull together in Justice’s mind. The image that forms was him on the bridge of a large science class vessel as alarms, sirens and bells sound throughout the bridge. His eyes can barely focus as the bridge is bathing in flashing red lights and his grandmother Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight yelling “Brace for impact!”

“Justice! Justice! It’s me Erato! What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” Erato said in a panic as Justice opens his eyes to find Erato kneeling on the ground, holding him in her arms with the tears in her eyes.

“Erato, what happened?” Justice said a bit confused wondering why Erato was crying.

“When I mentioned that the ship disappeared, your eyes rolled back into your head and you collapsed.” Erato explains as she wipes away the tears from her olive green eyes with the back of her hand.

“I did? Anyway let’s take a walk, Erato.” Justice suggested as Erato unbuckled and removed her wedge sandals from her feet.

After walking further into the park, Justice and Erato arrive at a children’s playground in the park. Normally, these swings in the playground can’t support the weight of a full grown Imperator Alicorn adult, but Justice and Erato are young adult Imperator Alicorns despite them being billions of years old. Sitting in the swing next to Erato, lost in his own thoughts was Justice.

“Come on Justice talk to me?” Erato said concerned as she buried her five-toes in the sand underneath the swing she was sitting on.

“The ship didn’t disappear Erato, It crashed. I know the whole crew survived the accident.” Justice explained as Erato’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

“What!?” Erato exclaims

“So the Imperial Princess is alive!” Erato said dumbfounded with the shocking news.

“Yes, as well as my sisters and mother, plus my aunt too.” Justice explains as Erato’s breath catches in her throat.

“That’s wonderful news, Justice. So the royal family didn’t die!” Erato said excited as she sensed that Justice was a bit depressed over something.

“I have known you for a long time, Justice. I can sense something is troubling you. What is it?” Erato inquiry placing her hand on his knee.

“I also remembered that I have foals on the planet . They belong to me and Celestia. Two mares and one stallion.” Justice explains as Erato has an amused smile on her snout.

“You are a father! That’s quite the news, Justice, to think I thought you would never find a suitable mate for yourself. But I am glad you proved me wrong. But there’s more.” Erato said cocking her head to one side.

“All the time I spent with you, Erato. help me to regain my memory. I developed feelings for you, Erato Aureola.” Justice said honestly as Erato’s chest becomes heavy.

“As flattered as I am, Justice. it could never be, we’ve been together for too long. I see you as my very best friend. I would like to keep it that way. Besides, you are a married stallion with a family on a planet. I know my friend would never turn his back on his mate like that because he didn’t marry that mare just because he had to, he married her because he loves her.” Erato said encouraging as Justice kisses her on her cheek.

The friendship between Justice and Erato began with a tragedy. The two first met at the Omicron Military Institute Academy in the Hercules Cluster Star Sector. The O.M.I.A is the largest Space Station in the star sector used to train all Imperator Alicorn candidates wanting to join the military and enter the service. Their Knight Candidate Justice Silverlight met Knight Candidate Clotho Aureola the older sister of Knight Candidate Erato Aureola.

During a routine training mission something went horribly wrong with the Aerospace fighter that Knight Candidate Clotho Aureola was piloting. It went haywire, killing the pilot when it crashed. The officials at the Omicron Military Institute Academy didn’t tell Knight Candidate Justice Silverlight any details of the accident involving his girlfriend Clotho knowing that it would bring the eye of Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight as well as Empress Galaxy Cosmos to look into the accident at the academy.

Left in the dark with his girlfriend’s accident at the academy, Knight Candidate Justice became depressed. Erato, Urania, Calliope and Clio decided to tell the Imperial Princess and the Empress what they knew about the accident knowing full well, that they will be thrown out. The three mares said the officials knew the Aerospace fighter that Knight Candidate Clotho Aureola was piloting was unsafe and shouldn’t be in the field, but they did it anyway.

The Empress came down hard on the Academy for hiding the truth from her and punished the officials in the cover-up. In the wake of this scandal, the three mares that blew the whistle on the officials were dismissed from the academy. As they waited at the shuttle port to be transported back to their family’s habitats Justice approached the group along with his great grandmother the Empress. She asked the group where they thought they were going. The group told her they were going home after being dismissed from the Academy. The Empress told the group the dismissal was lifted and they could continue training at the academy with no fear. But they had to promise, upon graduation, they would serve in her great grandson’s shogunate for their career which they agreed to do.

~Two weeks later after departing from the Sigma Fortress~

Justice sits in his quarters aboard the ‘Stellar Eclipse’ in front of his hyper waves transmitter talking to his heartbroken Great Grandmother Empress Galaxy Cosmos via royal hyper wave transmission to her personal quarter in the Infinity palace.

“Is there anything I can say to convince you not to go along with this foolish plan of your Great Grandson. There’s no guarantee that your terran alicorn wife did stay loyal to you?” Galaxy said her voice a lifeless monotone as she fights to stay in control of her emotions.

“I know that Celestia would never do something like that to me. I married her because I loved her and no other reason, Great Grandmother Galaxy. So I must believe that and return to her.” Justice said as tears began to streak Galaxy’s light blue cheeks, knowing that this might be the last time she speaks to her Great Grandson.

“All right, Justice do what your heart tells you. but remember this my dear Great Grandson. you will always be part of me. because it was your mother that plucked a star from my heart to create you. know that my eternal sight will watch you and the first star will guide you. farewell till we meet again.” Galaxy said as she dissolves into tears turning off the hyper wave transmitter.

~A few hours later on the empty flight deck~

After all the flight crews turn in for their scheduled sleep period, Justice snuck onto the flight deck to commandeer a long-range shuttlecraft from the main hangar deck. He knows that ‘Stellar Eclipse’ would pass within 10 parsec of the Planet of Sol, the planet his terran alicorn wife lives on with their foals. Due to being untrained in piloting any kind of spacecraft, Justice fears he will miss his opportunity to reunite with his Princess, if he can figure out how to fly this shuttlecraft.

As frustration begins to set in, the cockpit door whooshes open, standing in the door, holding a duffel bag over her shoulder was Galactic Knight Erato Aureola. She has already activated her Imperator Alicorn pilot body armor with her helmet. She kicks open a small compartment in the back wall of the cockpit and stores her emergency pilot kit.

“Erato?” Justice said surprised

“Unless you have learned how to pilot this shuttlecraft in the last few minutes, Justice, you are going to need me to fly this shuttle.” Erato said knowing as she gestures Justice out of the pilot seat before beginning her pre-flight check list.

Before Justice could log an objection, the cockpit door whoosh open once again and in walks Galactic Knight Urania Corona. Like Erato, she has already activated her Imperator Alicorn pilot body armor with her helmet. She kicks open a small compartment in the back wall of the cockpit and also stores her emergency pilot kit.

“Urania?” Justice said shocked once again

“This bucket of bolts is a two mare’s job and you hardly qualify as a mare, Justice. So sit back and let the fairer sex get you back to that terran Alicorn mare you love.” Urania comments as she takes the co-pilot seat and begins her pre-flight check list. As Erato completes her pre-flight check list, she taps the side of her helmet, extending a small mic beside her mouth.

“Clio, everything is ready aboard the shuttle. Begin pre-launching preparation.” Erato said over the radio as she switched on the speaker in the cockpit as Clio asked her to.

“You might not know this Justice, but you have changed the life of the whole crew of this carrier class warship, by being our shogun and friend. Now it’s time for your crew to help you reunite with that terran Alicorn mare you love. May the first star bless you in your journey.” Clio said heartfelt as she switched off the radio to the shuttle before she begins to cry.

As the shuttle slowly glides down the long runway toward the forward launching catapult, standing on either side on the catwalks of this cavernous ship was the entire crew of ‘the Stellar Eclipse’ with their metal wings fully extended from their backs. As the shuttle passed them, they would close their metal wings and bow in respect to their shogun.

Once the shuttle was locked in place on the launching catapult, the outer doors of the carrier opened up to the darkness of space. Inside the shuttle Erato, Urania and Justice buckled themselves into their seats as the blast shields cover the tough, transparent bubble of the cockpit canopy. In the next instance, the three Imperator Alicorns are thrown back into their seats as the catapult launches the shuttle at incredible speed towards the opening. Once the shuttle is clear of the carrier both pilots’ activate the friction brakes system to slow down the shuttle.

“Gravity normalizing, all life-support functions activated, engaging main engine start up, three-two-one, engine engaging. Retracting blast shields, now.” Erato said as she takes control of the shuttle.

As the blast shield retracts, a wondrous site greets their eyes. Sitting above the shuttle was a 2,832 meters long Imperator Alicorn designed command class warship the ‘IAS limitless’ the main command ship of the entire infinity star sector space fleet ; captained by no one other than Empress Galaxy Cosmos, Justice’s great grandmother. As the small shuttle comes around the right broad side of his huge warship several small laser turrets raise into place and fire. When the shuttle enters the wormhole, the two warships activate their own wormhole generators to head back to the infinity palace.

In the wormhole tube, the blast shields, once again, lower into place, tossing the cockpit into an eerie red glow causing the three Imperator Alicorns’ eyes also to glow in an eerie green light. Slowly, the Alicorns unbuckle their seat belts and the two pilots shed their Imperator Alicorn pilot body armor.

“Hey, Erato let me take the first shift. if you don’t mind.” Urania comment as Erato suddenly yawns.

“Sure Urania. I am beat, I spent the previous night putting all my affairs in order. So Clio didn’t have to do anything for me.” Erato explains as she stood up and walks to one of the four passenger accommodations in the back of the shuttle to sleep.

“Oh, Justice, if you don’t mind, may I speak to you. I have a few questions I want to ask you.” Urania asked as Erato chuckled under her breath as the cockpit door whooshes open as she approach.

“Sure, Urania.” Justice answered

“Now you two behave yourselves. Mother is going to bed now.” Erato said teasing as Urania stuck her tongue out at Erato and Justice politely laughed as the door closes behind her.

“So what do you want to know?” Justice ask

“Oh, first off, is your son single?” Urania asks catching Justice completely by surprise with the question.

“My son? Oh you mean Somnus. You know I haven’t a clue? When I died, he was close to stallion hood. so I have no clue if he is single. If not, I hope he found a wonderful mare for himself. That son of mine has a dark side due to his inherited Imperator Alicorn heritage. His mother has no idea about that. I died before I could tell her.” Justice explains as Urania check the instruments for the right exit coordinate, before returning to talk with Justice.

“What about your daughters?” Urania asked

“I didn’t know you were like that, Urania.” Justice said teasing as Urania snorted at him angerly.

“Anyway my daughters. I have two. My oldest, Aurora and my youngest, Blueberry. I can’t tell you too much about my youngest, because she was still a foal when I died, as for my oldest Aurora. She is undoubtedly the most proficient in the use of her mother’s day magic ability. She, most likely, reached Goddess level magic by now. If that’s so, she could undoubtedly be able to tap into our Imperator Alicorn Eternal Magic ability. which could put her on the path of going even beyond her mother.” Justice explains as Urania gives a startled gasp with the news.

“That is unbelievable Justice; your oldest daughter reaching an Imperator Alicorn Eternal Magic level. despite being born a terran unicorn. Truly the Infinity Star Sector Royal family is a very powerful entity.” Urania comment as Justice stands up and heads to a room to sleep.

Chapter 6

~Two hours since emerging from the Wormhole tube~

“We are entering the area of the last contacts with IAS Wisdom, according to what you remember Justice. Do you remember any coordinates before the accident?” Urania inquiries as Erato slows the shuttle to give Justice time to remember.

“XV47 is the only thing I can remember before the accident.” Justice comments as Urania calls up the holo screen and holographic keyboard. She begins typing in numbers and letters that Justice remembers.

Slowly, a holographic star map floats in midair in front of the three Imperator Alicorns. With the last number typed, a cursor comes up and quickly locks onto a small blue planet. The onboard recognition/identification program identifies the small blue planet as an M-class planet called Sol. The program has no other information about how old or what’s on the planet. It only reads that it would have been updated after the return of a scientific expedition to research it.

“That’s the planet! That’s where Equestria is!” Justice exclaims as Urania and Erato gulp simultaneously.

“Equestria! The land that your wife rules !” Urania exclaims as Justice shook his head.

“So that means that your foals are a Princesses and Prince. So that makes you, Prince Justice Silverlight.” Erato said shocked as Urania begins to set course to Sol.

~Entering the atmosphere of the planet of Sol~

“The high magnetic field from the planet is screwing up the magnetic compass and is throwing off the auto pilot systems. Urania, try switching it off.” Erato orders as Urania draws her vibro-blade and drives it into the auto pilot system.

“Auto pilot system is off line.” Urania said as Erato quickly grabs hold of the controls with both her hands.

She fights to stay in control of the shuttle as it plummets through the planet’s atmosphere toward the ground. Quickly the three Imperator Alicorns activate their combat body armor. The ship will not survive, but they will. Suddenly a red beam strikes the shuttle and deploys the friction brakes quickly slowing the out of control shuttle.

“Imperator Alicorn long range shuttle, the principality of Dream Valley has a control beam on your ship which will guide you to the Capital City of Chimera.” A familiar mare voice said over the radio as Justice grabs the mic.

“Mother! It’s Justice!” Justice exclaims as the mare’s voice gasps.

“J-J-justice, It can’t be, If you are truly my son, What is my full rank in the Imperator Alicorns.” The mare asked reluctantly

“Royal Duchess Shimmering Diamond Silverlight, for short, Shimmer. But you only allow grandmother to call you that, all others call you, Your Grace or Commander.” Justice answers as he hears crying over the radio.

“See you soon, baby. Shimmering Diamond out.” Shimmer said as she switches off the radio.

As the shuttle passes through a mountain pass into a very fertile valley, below them is a bustling Imperator Alicorn designed modern city. As the control beam on the ship is switch off, Erato retakes control of the shuttle and makes a picture perfect landing on the runway of a military airbase.

As the shuttle rolls to a stop, two automated coolant bots spray foam on the shuttle to cool it down and disburse the radiation on the skin of the shuttle. With that, a guidance bot hooks up to the shuttle’s front tire and pulls it into a nearby hangar. Once in the hanger, a rolling staircase is pushed into position in front of the wing. Slowly, the side hatch on the shuttle opens up and out steps Justice, Erato and Urania.

Waiting at the foot of the staircase was an imposing looking, 6ft 10in dark blue Imperator Alicorn mare with a crimson red mane and tail. Her athletic figure was encased in a Malibu blue slightly below the knee length dress. On her Bare feet were black heeled sandals. Resting against her back were her gold bio-mechanical feather bird wings. This Imperator Alicorn mare is Duchess Shimmering Diamond Silverlight and Shogun Justice Silverlight’s own mother.

Waiting with her at the foot of the staircase was a magnificent looking, 6ft 11in, morning blue Imperator Alicorn mare with a pink mane and tail. Her athletic figure was encased in an emerald green below the knee length dress. On her perfect bare feet were gray strap sandals. Resting against her back were her gem-studded gold bio-mechanical feather bird wings. This Imperator Alicorn mare is Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight, ruler of the Principality of Dream Valley and Justice’s Grandmother. As Justice set foot on the ground, his mother runs up to him, hugs and kisses him, as tears streaks her cheeks.

“I should have guessed you two would be with my grandson. Erato and Urania. two of the four most loyal mares aboard the ‘Stellar Eclipse’ my grandson’s carrier. what about Calliope and Clio?” Ophelia inquiries as she walks passed her crying daughter to talk with the mares that came with Justice.

“Yes, Your Imperial Highness.” Urania and Erato both say in unison, bowing to the Imperial Princess.

“As for Calliope and Clio, your Imperial Highness, They stayed with ‘the Stellar Eclipse’ just in case that Her Imperial Majesty must deploy the vessel. as you know, Shogun Justice Silverlight only picked the very best for his shogunate. Aboard that vessel, are numerous Fighter pilot aces. Leading them is Calliope and Clio, his very best aboard the vessel.” Erato explains as they are soon joined by Shimmer and Justice.

Shimmer’s eye make-up is a mess from crying but she is still a very imposing Imperator Alicorn mare with her beautiful gold bio-mechanical feather bird wings folded on her back. Her hand is resting on Justice’s shoulder as she joins her own mother, the Imperial Princess, with Urania and Erato to talk.

It’s an hour later at the Silverlight stable in the Capital City of Chimera. Justice lets out a long sigh, standing on the outside landing looking at the well manicured garden of his family’s mansion home in the Principality of Dream Valley. Suddenly, he hears the sound of clicking heels coming up behind him.

As he turns around, emerging from the interior hallway of the mansion was an angelic looking 6ft 6in, dark blue, young adult Imperator Alicorn mare with a venetian red mane and tail. Her athletic figure was encased in a sapphire blue skirt uniform. On her head, behind her horn, was a sapphire blue peaked cap. On her bare feet were black pumps. Resting against her back were her silver bio-mechanical feather bird wings. This young adult Imperator Alicorn mare is Military police officer Seer Silverlight and shogun Justice Silverlight’s younger sister. Tears fill her cobalt blue eyes upon seeing her late brother standing before her.

“Justice!” Seer exclaims losing her pumps on her feet as she runs up to her brother and hugs him.

“Greetings little sister, my you have grown into quite a good-looking and well built mare.” Justice comments as he accidentally bumps Seer’s chest with the back of his hand.

“EEK! Justice what the hay are you doing?” Seer said sourly as she leaps backward to protect her chest from being bumped again.

“I am sorry, Seer. I didn’t mean to touch your chest like that.” Justice said a bit embarrassed as he chuckles under his breath.

A moment later, emerging from the interior hallway of the mansion, comes an impressive looking, 6ft 8in, dark blue, young adult Imperator Alicorn mare with a scarlet red mane and tail. Her athletic figure was encased in a sapphire blue skirt uniform. On her head, behind her horn, was a sapphire blue peaked cap. On her bare feet were black pumps. Resting against her back were her silver bio-mechanical feather bird wings. This young adult Imperator Alicorn mare is Military police Sergeant Serena Silverlight and shogun Justice Silverlight’s older sister.

“If you tried something like that on me, Justice. I would knock out your teeth, dear brother.” Serena said giving a warning as Justice hugged his big sister very carefully.

“I have no doubt, you would do that, Serena. Believe or not, I have missed my big sister.” Justice said caring as she returned his hug.

With that, Justice invited his sisters to taking a walk through the well manicured garden of their family’s mansion home. As Seer was about to retrieve her pumps, Serena shook her head and simply removed her pumps from her feet and set them with Seer’s shoes on a stone bench on the landing. Then she joined Justice and Seer on the concrete path that weaves through the garden. As the group reached the center of the garden, both Serena and Seer sit down on the edge of a fountain. Justice sits down on a stone bench in front of his sisters.

“This is not the Equestria I remember, sisters. What happened?” Justice inquiries as his sister’s faces become etched with sorrow.

“You are right, Justice. this is not the Equestria your remember, After the end of the Crystal War with Princess Flurry Heart Sparkle and her Crystal Empire, Equestria was once again at peace. We thought the peace would last this time. But then an anti-Royalty and Separatists movement started to occur across Equestria. Because Princess Flurry Heart Sparkle started the Crystal War. Many of the pony population called for dissolving the long standing monarchy and replacing it for a new government.” Serena explains as her eyes are haunted by some inner pain.

“Your wife, Princess Luna, Princess Twilight and Princess Cadence tried to smooth over the discord in the pony population by giving them more rights than they deserved, by doing that, it just allowed the more militant members of the movement to start wars with any slight provocation. These wars turn into feuds which stretched the overworked Royal army to its breaking point.” Serena said her voice wooden and distant and then turns it over to her sister Seer.

“With the overworked Royal Army at their breaking point, your wife called a Princess summit, she asked mother to be the moderator for the summit as the Principality of Dream Valley was already independent.” Seer said as their mother Duchess Shimmering Diamond Silverlight arrives at the fountain. She is wearing a standard ice blue skirt uniform with black pumps. She giggles when she notices that both her daughters were barefooted. She remembered seeing two pairs of pumps on a stone bench on the landing when she came out for some fresh air.

“Hello you three, what are you talking about?” Shimmer inquired sitting down on the bench next to Justice. Not wanting to be different, Shimmer slips her feet out of her pumps and pushes them under the bench she was sitting on.

“Greetings mother, I was asking what happen to Equestria? Seer was going to tell me about the Princess summit.” Justice comments as Seer and Serena giggled when their mother removed her shoes and remained barefooted.

“Allow me, Seer.” Shimmer said as Seer shook her head.

“The Princess Summit lasted for three days straight, it was bitter sweet for me to moderate. Luna really didn’t want your wife to hold the Princess Summit. Because she knew more or less what your wife’s plan was for Equestria, on the second to last night of the summit, a royal palace guard came to my chamber and dropped off a paper from your wife. The guard told me Princess Celestia wants me to read it over and present at the morning meeting.” Shimmer explains creating a bottle of water with her Eternal magic for her to drink. After taking a drink, she continued.

“After reading over the paper. I took a walk in the Grand Royal palace to clear my head and collect my thoughts. That’s when I found Luna; her eyes bloodshot from crying. I asked her if she knew about this. She told me it was the worst case scenario plan, the Discord Accord, to restore harmony in Equestria. Equestria will be broken into four lands, each ruled by one of the Princesses. The lands are the New Lunar Republic ruled by Luna, Solar Empire ruled by Celestia, Friendship Kingdom ruled by Twilight and Crystal Empire ruled by Cadence. Plus, numerous small independent kingdoms. Drifting Sand, Dream Valley, Diamond Empire, Side Saddle, Golden Dawn, Dark Star, Blacklight and Barbary Island. Plus Independent Chimera Security Services, who your sisters work for.” Shimmer explains as the family stand-up and heads back to the Eternal Palace for dinner.

After dinner, Justice is standing alone in one of the small lounges in the Eternal Palace. He is thinking about what his mother and sisters told him about the events up till he returned from Infinity Star Sector after his death. A moment later, Lady Erato Aureola walks into the room wearing a deep pink, finely made, mid-knee length dress with black strap sandals on her dim gray bare feet. Folded on her back were her silver bio-mechanical feather bird wings.

“You sent for me, Lord Justice?” Erato said politely bowing her head before picking it up to look at Justice.

“I can’t believe how much Equestria changed after I died. I feel partly responsible for the trouble I caused my own wife, Erato.” Justice said depressed as Erato sighed softly.

“Justice stop this, you didn’t cause this trouble, it was those anti-royalty and separatists movements that caused grief for your wife, Not to mention, Princess Flurry Heart Sparkle for starting the Crystal War.” Erato said reassuring as she placed her hand on Justice’s shoulder cheering him up.

“I thank you, Lady Erato.” Justice said thankful as he hugged his friend Erato.

“You are welcome, Justice. Maybe you can help me, Your grandmother told me and Urania we must have a living form metamorphosis, to hide our bio-mechanical feather bird wings. I can’t decide between a unicorn or pegasi. what do you think?” Erato asked as she joins Justice on the sofa in the lounge.

“When I was alive, working for my wife as her personal guard, my most loyal friend was Elite Scout Anita Stormchaser. she was a pegasi mare. I just learned she died during the Crystal War. She was a wonderful ally and dear friend. much like you, Erato. if you don’t mind, could your living form be a pegasi mare, to honor her.” Justice said with admiration for his lost friend and wonderful ally as Erato shook her head.

Erato slowly charged her horn with her Eternal Magic. When it was fully charged, she releases her magic, transforming herself into a dim gray pegasi mare with a charcoal, gray colored mane and tail. Folded on her back were charcoal gray feathered bird wings.

“How is this Justice?” Erato inquires as Justice hugged her.

Meanwhile in Canterlot at the Grand Royal Palace, Empress Celestia Silverlight sits in her office looking out a window trying to do her Solar Empire paperwork but is fully distracted by a familiar and loving energy emanating, maybe, from the Principality of Dream Valley. A moment later, Grand Solar Princess Aurora Silverlight, Celestia’s elder daughter, walks into the office carrying several papers from the recent daily court session.

“Mother!” Aurora said her voice booming snapping her mother out of her daydream.

“Huh?” Celestia exclaims noticing her daughter standing in front of her desk with more official documents for her to sign.

“Have you finished signing your name to the last batch of official documents, mother?” Aurora said brisk and business-like as she sets the next batch of official documents on top of her desk.

“No!” Celestia said sourly as she spread her wings and flew out through an open window before Aurora could object.

Celestia glides through the clear blue sky of what use to be a united Equestria. She arrived at a life size statue of an anthro looking, handsome unicorn stallion wearing the dress uniform of her elite guard unit the Solar Guard. She lands and sits on a patch of grass in front of the statue for a little while to catch her breath. On the pedestal it reads, Prince Justice Silverlight beloved husband and father. She flaps her wings till she reaches the statue’s stone lips and kisses it. Several of her red lip stick prints decorate the stone lips of her husband’s statue. When Celestia gets overwhelmed with her duties as the Solar Empress, she flies to her husband’s statue and just sits in front of the statue and talks to him.

chapter 7

Celestia glides through the clear blue sky of what use to be a united Equestria. She arrives at a life size statue of an anthro looking handsome, unicorn, stallion, wearing the dress uniform of her Elite Guard Unit the Solar Guard. She lands and sits on a patch of grass in front of the statue for a little while to catch her breath. On the pedestal it reads:

Prince Justice Silverlight beloved husband and father

She flaps her wings until she reaches the statue’s stone lips and kisses it. Several of her red lip stick imprints decorate the stone lips of her husband’s statue. Whenever Celestia gets overwhelmed with her duties as the Solar Empress, she flies to her husband’s statue and just sits in front of it and talks to him.

“Well my love, I’m back again, our daughter insist on trying to overload me with paperwork.” Celestia said joking laughing to herself as she reaches up and removes her imperial tiara from her head. She holds it in her hands as a tear splashes on it.

“It’s not what you think, my love. It’s just, I miss you. You seem to know when I must take a break from ruling, you would grab my hand and take me through a magic portal you created. It would bring us to this very spot: with a picnic blanket set for lunch. You would sit me down on the blanket, remove my shoes and tiara, you would set them on a small, flat stone casing a shield on them, that wouldn’t allow me to retrieve them until I was truly relaxed.” Celestia explains as she recreates the exact scenario for herself.

“This one event would lead to a one sided, heated, argument with you. I would yell and scream that you didn’t care that I was the ruling Princess of Equestria. you just wanted my land to fall to pieces, because I didn’t do my job. The truth, is you cared more about my well being and mental clarity, than me being the ruling Princess.” Celestia explains her face long as she touches the shield with her hand causing it to lower, so she could retrieve her items. With her items in hand, she spreads her wings and flies back to the palace to continue working.

A moment later, Justice seems to appear out of nowhere from behind his statue. He makes his way over to the stone pedestal where the flat stone sat. In front of the pedestal, was a small area of sand. Justice crouches down on the outside of the sand pit. In the sand pit, were the impressions of his wife’s large, but perfectly shaped, bare feet.

Since being reborn Justice lost his connection to his wife’s heart. The simplest way to re-connect would be making physical contact by a kiss. But Justice’s Great grandmother accidentally implanted doubt about his wife’s faithfulness and now he’s not sure. He holds his hand over his wife’s foot impressions making a tentative connection with his wife’s heart. It’s just enough to keep track of her at anytime. While on her way back to the palace, Celestia has a strange feeling come over her.

“Huh?” Celestia exclaimed puzzled as she felt a dormant connection with her heart reinvigorate in her.

‘Some pony is trying to make a connection with my broken heart, I can’t let that happen.’ Celestia thought.

She flew back to her husband’s statue, at great speed, and flapped her wings to remain in midair as she scanned the whole area looking for the pony that was trying to make a connection with her heart. Once back in the area of the statue, the connection started to get stronger; this caused Celestia to gently float down to the ground, clutching her chest. Once her toes touched the ground, she sunk all the way down, letting go of her golden sandals.

“Please! Please! Whoever you are!? Stop trying to make a connection with my heart! I will never betray my marriage vows to Justice! He sacrificed so much for me! And I did the same! Leave my heart alone!” Celestia screams as her voice degenerates to a childish whimper.

Slowly, the connection to her heart begins to fade. Celestia gets to her feet and walks over to the sand pit. She blinks her eyes with surprise. In the sand were impressions of her bare feet. She figures whoever was trying to make a connection to her heart was using the innate magic that leeches out of her body. She must sending excess magic energy from her body through her feet into the ground to prevent anyone from being shocked. Knowing that, in one fluid movement, Celestia opens one of her wings and sweeps it across the sand pit covering her foot prints with more sand.

As Celestia disappears into the distance, Justice, once again, reappears and walks over to his wife’s dropped sandals and picks them up. As he lifts them up, he can sense that the sandals are just covered with his wife’s day magic energy from being worn when she released excess magic energy.

‘With these sandals I now have an unlimited source of Celestia’s day magic energy.’ Justice thought as he flew off in the direction of the Principality of Dream Valley.

Unknown to Justice, watching him fly off from the statue, was Celestia. She was flapping her wings in mid-air to hold her position. She was on her way back to her husband’s statue to retrieve her dropped sandals. Because, like him, she knew that her sandals were covered with her day magic energy. She also knew that a solid connection can be made to her heart by using innate magic in her sandals; an outcome she fears most of all.

“Who is that male Alicorn? Is he the one that’s been trying to make a connection to my heart? If that’s true, this could really test my marriage vows to my beloved Justice. If he’s just as powerful as I am, I-I-I could break my marriage vows and forsake Justice, NO!” Celestia’s voice shrills with horror as tears stream down her cheeks.

“Celestia stop this! (Shaking her head back and forth) When I made my wedding vows to Justice, I did it because he love me. Not to gain respect or position, because there was none. He love me and I love him. Whoever you are, Alicorn, my heart will stay faithful to the stallion that put the wedding ring on my finger (playing with the ring on her finger) Prince Justice Silverlight. Hear me Alicorn! My heart belongs to Prince Justice Silverlight!” Celestia scream as loud as she can toward the mysterious male alicorn that now possesses her magic endowed sandals.

“Say What?” Justice exclaims as all the energy contained in his wife’s sandals disburses in the air, leaving him holding just a plain pair of Gold heeled sandals worn by his wife Celestia.

‘Hmm, I have a feeling that Celestia has stayed truly faithful to me. Plus, I feel I should return her sandals to her. When I reunite with her, why not tonight when she is in bed. Come to think of it would be kind of fun to tease those wonderful pristine large feet of my wife.’ Justice thought with a mischievous grin as he flies back to Dream Valley to wait for nightfall.

As the six evening bells ring in the clock tower in the central spire of the Grand Royal Palace signaling the conclusion of this day’s Imperial Court Session, the large golden doors of the Imperial Throne Room shut. A moment later, the smaller doors into the Grand Princess’s throne room open, a fanfare sound signals the beginning of the Grand Princess’s Evening Court Session. From the side exit of the Imperial Throne Room, an exhausted Empress Celestia Silverlight trudges her way to the second floor of the Grand Royal Palace, back to her room.

The worry that plagued Celestia’s mind (the Alicorn that stole her magic endowed sandals) has long since vanished. The current trouble was the unreal demands by those separatists’ ponies.

‘Those arrogant separatists’ ponies, are making unreal demands of the Solar Empress and the Solar Empire. It’s no hay off my nose. From Luna’s and my own Intelligence Bureau, the separatists movement is falling apart. After that unsuccessful coup d’état that damaged several villages, the movement got a black eye. The ponies that gave them the black eye were my own foals. Somnus held back the Royal Army troops and ordered them not to assault the village, even though the separatists army was taunting them to attack, Aurora coordinated with her little sister Blueberry to secretly bring needed supplies into the village for the ponies to survive a protracted siege. In the end, the separatists army was trapped between a rock and hard place, the villagers on one side and the royal army on the other side. So in an attempt to regain control of village, they burned several buildings. This act broke the pony’s back and the villagers allowed the Royal Army to attack, end the siege, instead of leave the destroyed village, the Royal Army helped to rebuild it.’ Celestia thought as she changed into her night gown and went to bed.

As the small gold bells on Celestia’s clock chimed midnight, the light curtains that covered the opening onto her balcony gently blew open, as if pushed by a breeze. But that’s not possible, as no wind was scheduled at that time of the night. In the moon lit bed chamber, two solid red eyes appeared and scanned the room. It picked up a huge heat signature lying on a warm mattress whose temperature has remained unchanged. The eyes move towards the heat signature switching from red eyes to glowing green eyes. Through the green tint of the eyes, lying on the bed, was Celestia. Her chest rose and fell as she slept peacefully in her bed. A single tear formed in one of the green eyes as an unseen hand begins to stroke Celestia’s cheek. This causes a smile to form on Celestia’s snout and she speaks.

“Home late again, my love. You are going to work yourself to death and leave our family without a father and I without a husband. You know how much I love you.” Celestia said affectionately as she rubs her cheek against the back of an unseen hand.

“I know Tia, please forgive me.” Justice reply as Celestia chuckles under her breath.

“Now come to bed, my love. I have had a very hard day of court. I need something to snuggle up to.” Celestia said as her eyes shot open in surprise remembering that her husband had died a few years back.

Upon seeing the two green eyes in the darkness, looking at her, she spreads her wings and shoots straight for her bed chamber door to make her escape. Suddenly magic bindings form around her prefect figure, locking her arms to her side and the wings on her back. Next, magic bindings locked her bare ankles together as her horn becomes magically stasis locked. Knowing that his wife would rather negotiate for her freedom than fight, he doesn’t gag her but instead, floats her down onto the bed and sitting her on the edge, in front of him.

“I am going to assume you are not part of any of anti-royalty or separatists groups. Because you didn’t gag me and kidnap me, you are willing to negotiate for my freedom. So I will not call for the guards. Unless you do something that deems that call.” Celestia said diplomatic as the eyes move up and down.

“Very good, my captor, now the communication lines are open to negotiate.” Celestia said pleasantly as the eyes moved closer to her. She felt unseen fingers touching the nails on her toes. A second later, one of her red bottles of nail polish, floats off her dresser and gently taps on the same toe.

“In all my years of negotiating, these are the strangest negotiations I have ever. But if you’re asking if I have nail polish on my toes, I do.” Celestia answers as she winces as the bindings are slowly becoming uncomfortable.

“I have a request captor, could you break the bindings from around my arms and ankles. They are become uncomfortable. I promise I will not escape. I am a princess of my word.” Celestia said pleasantly as all the binding disappears from her body and the stasis lock on her horn is broken.

“Huh?” Celestia exclaimed as she felt her leg being lifted up and her heel being placed in, what felt like a cupped hand. A moment later she felt an unseen hand rubbing her ankle to make it feel better, continuing on the other ankle.

“I thank you, captor, my ankles feel better now. For some reason, I feel you are not here to hurt me. Please enlighten me, why are you here?” Celestia inquires as she felt her left hand being lifted up and a finger touching her wedding ring.

“My wedding ring? Yes, I am a married mare (the eyes begin looking around the room) if you are looking for my husband, he passed away. When I married him, I made a solemn promise to him I would stay faithful to him, no matter what.” Celestia said her heart breaking once again, but she quickly composes herself not wanting to lose her strong position in these negotiations with her captor.

“Tell me about him?” A male voice asked in Celestia’s head, sounding so familiar. But for some reason, the voice was trying to mask its true vocal pattern.

“I don’t know, captor, why you are trying to disguise your voice from me. But you have done what I have asked of you. So I’ll let that slide.” Celestia said forgiving as she reaches over to a framed picture from off her nightstand. She kisses and hugs the picture before turning it around toward the green glowing eyes.

“The stallion in this picture was my husband Prince Justice Silverlight, He was a wonderful and caring unicorn stallion (tears forming). He cared more about my well-being than anything else (tears begin running down her cheek). A workaholic like me, sometimes forgets to rest (the tears begins running faster down her cheek). But Justice made sure that. I-I-I rested (Soon the tears run down her cheek as a river).” Celestia said as she dissolves into tears. Suddenly she feels an unseen hand touch the side of her cheek. It felt warm and deliberate as if trying to take away the sadness.

“This is not my Celestia, My Celestia would never cry like this, She knew that our hearts would always reunite, Because she believe true love transcends time itself.” The familiar stallion voice said profound as Celestia quickly dries her tears.

“What do you mean, my Celestia?” Celestia inquiry as if a veil was pulled away from her eyes and revealing to her, Her husband Prince Justice Silverlight, his strong hand resting against her cheek.

As Celestia’s initial shock wears off, Justice slowly gets to his feet, and followed by her (even in her barefeet) she was the same height as her husband and was able to wrap her arms and wings around him in a very loving embrace.

The following morning, Celestia rolls over in their bed, her stomach in knots when she sees Justice’s side of the bed empty. Fearing that she dreamt all of it, she becomes heartbroken. Soon she notices steam billowing from their private bathroom. She leaps to her feet and runs over to the bathroom door and she looks into the bathroom. Standing in front of the fog covered mirror was Justice. He was drying his crimson red mane with a towel, while a towel was wrapped securely around his lower half.

She couldn’t help but admire the toned look of her husband’s perfect figure. Celestia gaped in stunned silence, fused to her husband back were two gold disks that attached to an unknown metal superstructure that was shaped like a pair of bird wings. Each feather that made up the wings looked like it was made out of a very delicate gold leaf. It moved as though it was natural bird wings. Before Celestia could say another word, the door slams shut, hitting her on her snout. She backed away from the door as it opened again. From the bathroom steps, Justice, he is wearing a pair of jeans in his bare feet and shirtless showing off his defined chest.

“When did my wife, become a peeping mare?” Justice said in a huff as Celestia scooted backward on the ground till she traps herself in a corner of their bed chamber.

“Celestia what is wrong with you?” Justice inquiry as he reaches out to touch Celestia who slaps away his hand in fear.

“You can’t be my husband, Justice. but at the same time I can feel that warmth and my heart telling me you are my husband, Justice. Still you were a unicorn stallion when I buried you, Now you are an Alicorn, Who are you?” Celestia said in utter confusion doubting her own senses.

“I have always been your husband, Justice. I put that wedding ring on your finger and gave you three foals of your own, yes, you did bury me as unicorn. But that was only a disguise to hide my true form, this form is an Imperator Alicorn or if you like, a Celestial Alicorn. I fell in love with a very lovely Terran Alicorn who faced so many hardships, I want to face those hardships with her and be at her side.” Justice said very tenderly as he stood Celestia up and kissed her.

“Your form might have changed but your heart has not. That’s what I love about you, my dear husband, Prince Justice Silverlight.” Celestia said loving as she returned his kiss and hugged him.

Chapter 8

~Two Hours after Enemy Engagement~

Slowly, the Imperator Alicorn long range shuttle, glides into the shielded docking bay of the mid-sized, steel, spheroid shaped space stations orbiting a Neutron Star at the center of the Dark Star Sector (The Shadow Palace). As the landing gear lowers, the shuttle makes a picture perfect landing on the deck of the docking bay. Rolling to a stop, two automated coolant bots spray foam on the shuttle to cool it down and disburse the radiation on the skin of the shuttle. Once finished, a rolling staircase is pushed into position in front of the wing. Slowly, the side hatches on the shuttle open up and out steps Daimyo Harmonia Strife.

As she descends the staircase, a ruckus and rowdy cheer goes-up from the gathered Imperator Alicorn military personnel that now fill the docking bay. As the cheering dies down Daimyo Harmonia Strife is approached by a majestic looking, amber colored, Imperator Alicorn mare with an orange/pink mane and tail. Her athletic, 6 ft even, equine figure was encased in a form-fitting orchid colored space suit with knee high boots on her bare feet. Resting on her back, were black, metal, bio-mechanical, feathery bird wings. This Imperator Alicorn mare is Warlord Callisto Le Fay the commander of the Dark Star military and Seneschal of the Dark Star Sector.

“Welcome home, my Lord, .I hope your long imprisonment didn’t dull your senses?” Callisto comments as she bows to Harmonia.

“I see you sensed the Alter Time spell that was cast by an inexperience teenage Terran Alicorn filly and sent that robotic long range shuttle to pick me up on Sol. I thank you, Warlord Callisto.” Harmonia said grateful as Callisto stood back up and stood beside Harmonia.

“It was my pleasure, my Lord. The effects of that Alter Time spell caused no lasting effects in Imperator Alicorn Space. It was a minor annoyance as the timeline in Imperator Alicorn Space is unchanging.” Callisto explains as the two mares take the turbo lift to the command center on deck 2 of the bridge deck.

As the turbo lift stops on deck 2, the two mares get off the elevator and walk down a long steel hallway heading towards the command center. Finishing her shift in the central communications block was a glamorous looking fire brick red colored, Imperator Alicorn mare with a charcoal black mane and tail. Her striking, 6 ft even equine figure was encased in a form-fitting peach, orange colored space suit with knee high boots on her bare feet. Resting on her back were black metal, bio-mechanical, feathery bird wings. This Imperator Alicorn mare is Galactic Knight Thalia Rill the newest Communications Engineer at the Shadow Palace.

As Harmonia and Callisto pass Thalia, she bows to them in respect to their higher rank then she continues on her way to the turbo lift, taking it down to the bridge deck crew quarters to begin her first rest period. The door whoosh open on to her private quarters. The moment the door whooshes closed the black colored wings on her back fade and are replaced with silver wings.

‘How I hate bowing to that Warlord mare of the Dark Star Sector. But, I must stay undercover as an Infiltration Operative for the Infinity Star Sector and Empress Cosmos. And keep my eyes on the politics of the Dark Star Sector and subvert Warlord Callisto Le Fay commands.’ Thalia thought as she sat down on the edge of her bed resting her chin in her gloved hands.

‘But that other mare with Callisto. Looked like Daimyo Harmonia Strife, the ruler of the Dark Star Sector. If it is, I must taper back my subvert activities with the Daimyo now back.’ Thalia thought as she stretched out on her bed in her quarters.

“Galactic Knight Thalia Rill, report to the War Room to run the holographic tactics table for a war council.” The loudspeaker blared in the corridors outside her quarters.

Quickly, her silver wings changed back to black wings and she quickly makes her way to the war room on the third floor of the bridge deck. It takes her only a few minutes to arrive on the third floor of the bridge deck, but she arrives an hour later for her assignment to run the holographic tactics table for the war council. The reason for her lateness was that she was told by security to strip, so they could do a thorough search of her as the Daimyo, Warlord and all of the Shoguns were in attendance at the War Council. Thalia takes her position behind a holographic computer work station in one corner of the room and is handed by the Daimyo a crystal data cube. She inserts the crystal data cube into the work station after covertly making a copy of the data when she was handed the cube.

For the next few hours, Thalia goes about her assignment, running the holographic tactics table for the war council. During the meeting, the Daimyo, Warlord and Shoguns speak in codes as dictated by protocol as they plot strategies and tactics using the provided information on the Crystal data cube that Harmonia gave to her. Being trained in cryptography Thalia easily understood what the war council was talking about, but without the context of the Crystal data cube provided by Harmonia, it was all gibberish.

As the war council comes to its conclusion, as, dictated by protocol, Thalia was dismissed first and, as before security tells her to strip, so they could do a thorough search of her, once again. She re-dresses in the upper part of her space suit, followed by sourly grabbing her knee high boots from the guard’s hand. She walks back to her quarters in her barefeet.

~It’s an hour after the War Council in Daimyo’s Quarters on the second floor of the bridge deck~

“Harmonia? What makes you think that the plan you proposed to your war council would benefit the Dark Star Sector in the least. This plan seems to be a way to save face for you. After a young terrain Alicorn out played you.” Callisto comments, questioning the validity of her plan to start a war on the planet of Sol.

“I mean, my lord, That insignificant Planet of Sol is light years out of our sphere of influence. Not even the Empress and her Infinity Star Sector is interested in that unowned Milky Way Sector, If she was, she would have sent an Imperator Alicorn to establish a Palace in the Sector to bring it under Imperator control, But she didn’t.” Callisto comments her voice strained taking a sip of Apple Cider from her glass.

“Unless, My lord. That Planet of Sol has something special about it, It’s a waste of our space fleets resources. Those resources could be better used against the war with the Eagle Nebula Sector. That fairly young and aggressive Imperator Daimyo from the Eagle Nebula Sector, has slowly been chipping away at our northern border with skirmish tactics.” Callisto explains her face flushed with indignation.

“If that northern border falters, it’s a straight shot to our manufacturing sector, If that sector falls, The Dark Star Sector is effectively dead, It would take several space cycles to rebuild our manufacturing sector in a new location. During that time, our provision sector would be targeted next and cause wide spread hunger. we have already experienced several uprisings in the smaller habitats on the periphery, those habitats have allied themselves with the Infinity Star Sector. In other words we can’t forcefully take those habitats back without going to war with the Empress and her Infinity Star Sector. Going to war with her means fighting the whole Royal Battle fleet. No way can Dark Star Battle fleet stand-up to that kind of firepower. Not to mention, the other Star Sectors would join the war against us.” Callisto explains as her eyes rake the room several times before her face hardened.

“I can easily replace you, Warlord Le Fay, with another Shogun who will not question my orders. Do I make myself clear.” Harmonia said threatening as Callisto slams her glass down on her desk and storms out of the quarters.

“You are different a Warlord Callisto Le Fay. you can see what would happen if Daimyo Harmonia Strife takes even a small portion of the Dark Star Battle Fleet to satisfy her ego. This entire Dark Star Sector will fall and who would be blamed for the collapse, You!” A mysterious mare voice said through the ear piece in her ear as she presses the side extending a mic to her mouth.

“You are probably the one that’s been inciting rebellion in the periphery habitats.” Callisto said hotly as the mysterious mare voice giggles.

“I can’t take all the credit for that. Being forced into a food shortage and heavy taxes, It kind of makes the population a bit upset, All they need is an alternative to rebel. That’s all I do.” The mysterious mare voice said with a little bit of pride in her voice.

Slowly, Callisto makes her way down the corridor using the transmission to track down the source of the message at a door into someone quarters. She draws her standard pulse pistol from her holster. The moment she enters the room she begins to cough as smoke fills the room. She quickly calls for the fire crew who quickly extinguish the small fire and renders the room safe.

As Callisto searches the empty room, she discovers a holographic computer inoperable for many space cycles (years). So this lead was a dead end. Watching her through the security cameras from the safety of her own quarters was Galactic Knight Thalia Rill who was wearing her nightgown as she was going to turn in for her sleep period. She was going through the copy of the crystal data cube with Harmonia’s plans on it.

‘Damn that mysterious mare is right. if the Dark Star Sector falls, it’s my head on the block and not Daimyo Harmonia Strife. She will simply make her escape from the Dark Star Sector and leave her Sector to be defeated. Her ego is so big that being out played by a lower life young terran alicorn mare really stings her ego. But as of right now, I have the loyalty of all but one patrol class warship from the Dark star Space Fleet Group. But that’s easily remedied. Maybe I should relent and allow Harmonia to take that loyal patrol class warship with her. To begin that war she wants.' Callisto through as she assume a posture of superiority and quickly communicated with her loyal Shoguns and called a secret meeting with them.

~An hour later~

Holding position just outside the main docking bay of the Shadow Palace was ‘The Ardor’ 198 meters long patrol class warship, the smallest of the Imperator Alicorn designed warships. It sacrifices firepower and defense for speed and maneuverability, making it ideal for skirmish tactics when deployed in small groups. The one weakness of this patrol class warship is that a small fighter craft from the carrier class warship can sink them fast if caught by surprise. The ace pilots of ‘the Stellar Eclipse’ a carrier class warship within Royal Battle fleet have racked up several sunken patrol class warships victories. This makes those ace pilots the most feared Aerospace fighter pilots in all of Imperator Alicorn Space.

A moment later, from the shielded docking bay, a 20 meters long, wingless, shuttle craft glides across to the ‘The Ardor’ ferrying Daimyo Harmonia Strife to the patrol class warship that will take her back to the Planet of Sol. As the shuttle craft lands in the small docking bay of the ship, four, wasp class, aerospace fighters, take their position around the patrol ship to escort the warship to the Planet of Sol.

At which time, they will assist Harmonia in the attack on the Planet of Sol. Unknown to Harmonia, their shogun gave them a different order from Warlord Callisto Le Fay. They are to sink ‘The Ardor’ and let it crash on the Planet of Sol; if they survive, the ship will be so badly damaged and no way to return to the Dark Star Sector. To accomplish this mission, each fighter has been armed with a single proton torpedo, held in the belly of a fighter, replacing the multi-missile system of the standard load out.

As the shuttle craft returns to the space station, the engines of five vessels start up and begin to move toward the wormhole points to open up to the Planet of Sol. Using a pirate point, and watching from a small observation deck during her break was Galactic Knight Thalia Rill; her contacts on the docking bay have told her that the four fighters have been armed with a single proton torpedo to sink the ship once it reaches the Planet of Sol.

~two hours since emerging from the wormhole tube~

“My Lord, we just exited the Wormhole portal, Planet of Sol is in front of us, Now setting reentry planetary coordinates.” The patrol ship pilot reports as he begins to set the coordinates.

“Understood Pilot! Begin entering planet’s atmosphere.” Harmonia ordered sitting in her seat.

As the patrol class warship enters Sol’s atmosphere, the two lead aerospace fighters open a wormhole escape portal and exit the atmosphere before reappearing back in space. Suddenly, the ship is rocked with an explosion. The two following aerospace fighters’ fire their single proton torpedoes, taking out the engines before opening a wormhole portal to escape the atmosphere. To finish the job, the two lead aerospace fighters launch their single proton torpedoes destroying the navigation and wormhole generator. Watching on the main view screen of the command center/ throne room of the Shadow Palace was the new Daimyo Callisto Le Fay of the Dark Star Sector. A ruckus and rowdy cheer goes-up as the patrol class warship containing Daimyo Harmonia Strife disappears into the atmosphere of Sol.

“Dark Star Sector forces! The ex-Daimyo Harmonia Strife is no longer the ruler of the Dark Star Sector! The Dark Star Sector is now ruled by Daimyo Callisto Le Fay, Long live La Fay!” Callisto exclaims as the cheer echoes through the Shadow Palace.

“Begin, bring, on-line the rest of our Battle Fleet. ‘The Singularity’ carrier class warship will be sent to the northern border, to protect the manufacturing sector from the Eagle Nebula Sector.” Callisto orders ‘The Singularity’ carrier class warship wormholes to the Northern border to defend the manufacturing sector from the Eagle Nebula Sector aggression.

“The remaining Patrol Class Warships. Begin spreading throughout the sector on maximum patrol duties. Report any aggression toward the Dark Star Sector to your shogun.” Callisto commands as the Patrol ships begin worm holing in every direction.

At that same time, passing through the Dark Star Sector, on a regular intergalactic trade route was ‘The Shell Star’, a medium sized, trade vessel captained by Free Trader Melissa Star Glow, a member of The Virgo Cluster Trading Company based in the Infinity Star Sector. In the cockpit of ‘The Shell Star’, a bare, green, foot flips a toggle switch with her toes turning on a secret communication line.

“Galactic Vanguard Melissa Star Glow reporting to the Infinity Palace, Dark Star Sector patrol ships are on the move from the Shadow Palace, Your order, Your Imperial Majesty?” Melissa reports over the secret communication lines as she looks over her cargo manifest on her MCV.

“Continue on your current assignment, Galactic Vanguard Star Glow. The Galactic Vanguard assign to the Shadow Palace, Just informed me of a major power shift within the Dark Star Sector Daimyo Harmonia Strife has been deposed by Warlord Callisto Le Fay. Callisto is now the new Daimyo of the Dark Star Sector.” Galaxy answers as Melissa gives a startled gasp with the news from the Empress.

“Understood, Your Imperial Majesty. Galactic Vanguard Star Glow returning to current assignment. Over and out.” Melissa said flipping off the toggle switch with her toes once again.

~Back on the Planet of Sol a few minute later~

Gliding through the clear blue skies of the old Equestria, making her way back to the Capital City of Canterlot, in the Solar Empire, was Empress Celestia Silverlight. She just finished an inspection tour of a new factory just opened in the City of Aubade, a mile from the capital city.

“Huh?” Celestia exclaims watching a huge meteor shower rain down on an uninhabited part of the continent.

Her eyes widen in alarm as huge pieces of debris breach the atmosphere of the planet, heading toward the uninhabited part of the continent. As it impacts the ground, a bright flash engulfs the uninhabited part of the continent in blinding light. Only a moment later, helicopters from every land lift off and head toward the impact site to investigate the debris. A second later, Celestia hears a loud whistle grabbing her attention. From the side opening of the helicopter of the Solar Empire was her eldest daughter Grand Solar Princess Aurora Silverlight. Once her mother is safely inside the helicopter Aurora closes the side door.

Before long, the helicopter from the Solar Empire catches up to the two lead helicopters. The first lead helicopter belongs to the New Lunar Republic. Through the side window, they can make out the shapes of President Luna Silverlight and Moon Knight Somnus Silverlight. The second lead helicopter belongs to the Crystal Empire. Through the side window, they can make out the shapes of Princess Cadence Sparkle and Solar Princess Blueberry Swirl Silverlight. Soon the helicopter from the Friendship Kingdom catches up to the three lead helicopters and through the side window they can make out the shapes of Princess Twilight Sparkle and member of the Friendship Assembly.

Chapter 9

~At the impact site-Area 4~

Slowly, Daimyo Harmonia Strife and the crew of ‘The Ardor’, the patrol class warship, climb out from the debris of the shattered vessel after setting off a controlled explosion to escape the damaged bay. Created sturdier than a Terran Alicorn, the Celestial Alicorns survive with minor injuries and some broken bones. A soft pop is heard from the cargo bay of the patrol ship as the remaining marines emerge from the bay.

“My Lord! Something is coming from the west. A large number of them.” The Celestial Alicorn stallion calls to Harmonia.

“Those are choppers; a primitive flying machine used by these Terran ponies to move around, if they don’t have wings. Celestial Alicorns, let’s vanish. We can’t let the inhabitants find us. Especially a Terran Alicorn mare named Princess Celestia Silverlight. Her foals is just as powerful as Imperial Celestial Alicorn is.” Harmonia exclaims as every single Celestial Alicorn disappear from sight.

First to land was the chopper belonging to the Solar Empire, followed by the chopper from the New Lunar Republic and Crystal Empire. The last to land was the chopper from the Friendship Kingdom.

As the chopper from the Principality of Dream Valley comes in for a landing, the pilot in the helicopter spots a transparent figure quickly getting away from the crash site.

“Your Imperial Highness. This debris could be a patrol class warship!” the chopper pilot calls as theTerran Alicorn mare sticks her head into the cockpit.

“What makes you say that, pilot?” the Terran Alicorn Mare inquiry as she looks at the pilot.

“As we were coming in for a landing, Your Imperial Highness. A transparent figure flew off towards the east away from the crash site. If it was anyone else, the other pilots would have said something about it. But they didn’t.” The pilot reports as the chopper lands.

From the side of the helicopter steps a Terran Alicorn mare wearing a light grey, form-fitting space suit. This was Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight. She was followed by her daughter a second Terran Alicorn mare named Duchess Shimmering Diamond Silverlight. Soon the two Terran Alicorns are joined by a third Terran Alicorn, Ophelia’s youngest daughter, Pharaoh Jamila Nebula. She informs her daughter that it might be a crashed patrol class warship.

“What mother? A crashed patrol class warship from which Imperator Alicorn Star Sector?” Jamila inquiry as she blinks with surprise upon hearing the news.

“That’s what we need to discover, Jamila. So search the entire vessel for marks of which Star Sector this warship is from. You, Shimmer, the other lands will most likely send a handpicked investigation team inside the ship. when they deem it safe. I want you to be on that team. Head to the computer core and download all data in the core. then wipe it clean. it’s best these Terran Ponies don’t learn that Celestial Alicorns exist.” Ophelia explains to her daughters as they both shake their heads.

Its several weeks later and the alien wreckage was deem safe for a thorough search of the derelict vessel. As predicted, each land agreed to allow a handpicked exploration team into the alien wreckage to search it for clues. Quickly, Duchess Shimmering Diamond Silverlight volunteers as a Field Scientist. Soon more field scientists volunteer for the exploration team. With the team now full, the ten member Exploration Team assembles at the base camp to gear-up to enter the wreckage.

At 10 o’clock in the morning that same day, the Exploration Team gains entrance to the derelict vessel. The eyes of nine members of the Exploration Team blink with surprise. The first area they entered is filled with numerous squares and strange looking steel boxes with some kind of numeric keypad on the face. Knowing that all of the steel boxes in the forward bay are harmless cargo pods, Shimmer allows the exploration team to try and crack the code on the pods. She then quietly slips away from the exploration team and enters the main cargo bay.

‘By the first star. these pods in the main cargo bay are weapons pods. With the number of weapons here, you can arm a small platoon of Troopers.’ Shimmer thought as she discovers the unlocked pod containing Imperator Alicorn explosives. She quickly calls up her MCV and deactivates all of the security protocols on all the cargo pods aboard the ship.

‘I better make this quick and download the computer core. ” Shimmer thought as she quickly inputted her imperial command code into the numeric keypad revealing a hidden ladder to the main deck of the patrol class warship.

A short climb later, Shimmer emerges on the main deck of the patrol class warship. The main deck seems largely intact with damage confined to the weapon systems, wormhole generator and engines. She knows that those systems are standard targets for aerospace bombers armed with proton torpedoes trying to sink the vessel. She climbs over some rubble, blocking the hallway to gain access to the Life Support system room. She, once again, inputs her imperial command code into the numeric keypad and the hatch slides open. Once in the room, Shimmer does a quick assessment of the instruments and finds all systems functioning.

“By the first star! This computer core room has been destroyed!” Shimmer exclaims hotly as she was able to force the door open with her Celestial Alicorn strength. Inside the room, scattered about was the shattered pieces of the large crystal data cube that makes up the memory matrix. It breaks under her booted foot as she moves around the room.

“The good news is that the terran ponies can’t recover any data from the memory matrix of this vessel. I can assume when the engines were hit, the shockwaves from the explosion shattered the Crystal.” Shimmer comments to herself as she makes her way to the Captain’s Quarters to recover written captain’s logs for the vessel.

~an hour later~

“Huh?” Shimmer exclaimed when she heard the sound of talking from the next room. She figures that the rest of the Exploration Team found a way to open the emergency ladder access from the main cargo bay and are now on the main deck.

Now trapped on the main deck of the vessel, Shimmer quickly uses her ‘hide in plain sight ability’ to hide from the rest of the exploration team and quickly realizes that there’s no way to get back to the lower deck.

The emergency ladder access is just big enough for one pony to climb up from the cargo bay one at a time. Thinking fast, Shimmer searches the outer walls of the Captain’s quarters and finds a small button. She presses it, revealing an air lock to the outside. Once inside the air lock, the door behind her closes.

Meanwhile, outside on the patrol class warship’s hull, Celestial Alicorn Engineer Jamila Nebula swings on a well secured rope examining every inch of the ship looking for any type of marking from one of the Infinity Star Sectors.

“Huh?” Jamila exclaims as she notices a part of the hull opening on top of the vessel. She runs along the side of the hull and leaps in the air using her wings to guide herself, landing safely just above the opening. Using her enhanced sight of her disguised Celestial Alicorn form, Jamila spots a transparent figure exiting the opening.

“Sister! What in the first star are you doing using this vessel emergency escape hatch? Just be happy it’s on the unseen side of the ship! Do you know how many questions would be asked if one of these terran ponies saw this hatch open and nobody came out of it?” Jamila said annoyed as transparent Shimmer turns toward her sister.

“I am sorry, sister. but I had no choice but to use the emergency escape hatch in the Captain’s quarters. The crystal in the computer core shattered when the ship was sunk. I went to the Captain’s quarters to recover the written ship’s log.

By the time I found it, the rest of the Exploration Team was on the main deck of the ship.” Shimmer explains as she hands the log to her sister who quickly stashes the book into a satchel on her side.

“And by the way, sister, this vessel was carrying a complement of troopers in the cargo bay. My best guess is a small platoon.”Shimmer’s voice constricted as Jamila’s breath quickens with the news.

“Well sister, that explains why I saw so many weapon pods being removed from the cargo bay, The Solar Empire ear marked all the weapon pods in the cargo bay, while the New Lunar Republic ear marked all the armor pods in the cargo bay. As for the Crystal Empire, they are going to salvage all the instruments aboard the ship. While the Friendship Kingdom salvages the engines and power sources. Our mother was able to ear mark the cargo pods with the explosives in it.” Jamila explains as Shimmer quickly flies down to the bottom of the ship.

~It’s two weeks later~

In the research and development lab of the Solar Empire Science Complex in the Capital City of Canterlot, a beautiful looking byzantium purple colored hybrid Alicorn/ Siren mare with a baby blue mane and tail walks about her lab looking at a few notes on her MCV. Her slender 5ft 5in equine figure was attired in an white skirt uniform of the Solar Empire Military Science corps. On her bare Byzantium purple feet were white pumps. This hybrid Alicorn/ Siren mare was Captain Athena Silverlight, the youngest granddaughter of Empress Celestia Silverlight and head of the Solar Empire Military Science corps. A moment later, the doors are opened by her grandmother Empress Celestia, carrying a large case with her.

“Grandma! What brings you to my lab?” Athena inquiry as Celestia hugs her youngest grandchild in her arms and wings.

“Greeting Athena, I have a small project for you.” Celestia comment, setting the large case on a nearby table, opening it and revealing what looks like very advanced weaponry.

“We believe these things are some kind of very advanced weaponry. See what you can adapt from these weapons to our armory, Athena.” Celestia explains as she taps her hand on the long rifle in the case.

“Oh, Athena.” Celestia exclaims

“Yes, Grandma?” Athena reply

“I think the other lands will call on you soon, Athena. As the Solar Empire Military Science corps is most technically advanced in all of Equestria, to help with their own projects.” Celestia comment as Athena giggles at her grandmother.

“They have already, Grandma.” Athena comment gesturing with her hand toward all of the wooden crates in one corner of the room with markings from every land in Equestria.

“I see Athena!” Celestia exclaims surprised with all the crates.

“If you would, my grandchild.” Celestia said suggesting looking toward the crates.

“I will keep you up to date with the other lands projects, Grandma, the other rulers have asked me to keep them up to date as well, I figure no land wants to be surprised.” Athena comment as Celestia kisses her grandchild on her cheek before leaving the laboratory to let Athena study the Alien technology.

In a short two years, the Solar Empire Military Science corps, under the direction of Captain Athena Silverlight, made several technological advancements using the recovered Alien technology. With the initial research and development notes done by the Solar Empire, each land handed the findings over to their own Science corps to continue the research and development of the Alien Technology for their own technological advancements. This allowed Athena and her corps to concentrate more on the advanced weaponry that her grandmother Celestia recovered. From those breakthroughs, was born the most powerful particle beam cannon ever in Equestria nicknamed ‘The Solar Fury’.

Slowly, one by one, each of the core lands made breakthroughs in their respected science disciplines using the Alien Technology. In the New Lunar Republic her scientists developed stronger and lighter armor plates that could be mounted on armored vehicles or worn as personal armor. From this breakthrough, was born the nano-suit combat versatility system. This combat versatility system became the mainstay for all the lands military that combined with the Solar Empire’s energy weapons breakthroughs allows each land to maintain a standing military without any additional costs.

Not wanting to be outdone, the Crystal Empire and Friendship Kingdom teamed up to advance the science of avionics. From this breakthrough the aerospace fighters were born. These fighters used the most abundant resource in the Crystal Empire, which was the crystals, to power the fighters.

Watching the Crystal Empire and Friendship Kingdom joint press conference was a chocolate brown colored, angelic looking, Celestial Alicorn mare with a copper colored mane and tail. Her shapely 6ft 10in equine figure was attired in a medium blue skirt uniform with black pumps on her bare chocolate brown feet. Folded on her back, was a pair of silver bio mechanical feathered bird wings. This Celestial Alicorn mare was Galactic Technician Sylvie Solstice the Director of the Pillars of Creation Institute, the super science wing of the Infinity Star Sector. After the large science class vessel crashed on the Planet of Sol, Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight ordered her science wing to begin to try to repair the damaged vessel.

Soon, the Pillars of Creation Institute discovered that this planet didn’t have the raw materials or science knowledge to even start the most basic of super scientific theories. They informed the Imperial Princess that they must wait for the Planet to catch-up to their technological level. A moment later, the holo-phone on Sylvie’s MCV rings. Soon the holographic head of the Imperial Princess springs to life in front of her.

“Restart project ‘Stellar Wind’, if you would, Miss Solstice.” Ophelia asked as Sylvie shook her head.

“Right away, Your Imperial Highness. May I make a request about the Project?” Sylvie asked

“You may.” Ophelia answered

“Would you allow me to taper back the size of the project. if we begin building a large science class vessel, it will bring unwanted attention on us. plus this primitive tech level will take some time to adapt to our super tech level to make it safe. I mean, a safe Wormhole generator prototype.” Sylvie explains as Ophelia sighs softly.

“Very well, Miss Solstice. What do you propose?” Ophelia ask

“I propose building a small long range shuttle craft crew by four Celestial Alicorns. Much like the one that flies around the Infinity Star Sector. That way, we can keep the project secret from the other lands and allow us to work on adapting the technology to the prototype.” Sylvie explains.

“Procede, Miss Solstice.” Ophelia orders as Sylvie shook her head.

~five hours after the crash~

It’s been five hours since the patrol class warship was forced to crash on the planet of Sol after a betrayal executed by Warlord Callisto Le Fay to take control of the Dark Star sector from ego driven Daimyo Harmonia Strife. Now the troops brought by Daimyo Harmonia Strife to start the war on the planet of Sol have become disillusioned with the lack of a plan B from Harmonia and the loss of all their equipment. This disillusion has caused a serious rift between the less loyal marines and loyal ship crew to Harmonia to fracture.

Nestled in a quiet area of a forest, on a ridge, overlooking a little used mountain pass, was the disillusioned small platoon of Imperator Alicorn Marines brought to the planet of Sol by Harmonia. After breaking all alliances with the crew of ‘the Ardor’, the Marines decided to head into the mountain to hid and figure a way to return to the stars. Leaning against a tree in the makeshift campsite, trying to figure out a plan, was a handsome white colored Celestial Alicorn stallion with a turquoise colored mane and tail. His 6ft 1in equine body was attired in an Imperator Alicorn designed nano-suit that shifted colors periodically from camouflage to standard olive green. On his back were silver bio mechanical bird wings. This Celestial Alicorn was Galactic Knight Ulysses Resonance, the commander of this small platoon of marines.

Chapter 10

A moment later, Ulysses was approached by a superb looking, white colored, Celestial Alicorn mare with pale pink mane and tail. Her 6ft 1in equine figure was attired in an Imperator Alicorn designed nano-suit that shifted colors periodically from camouflage to standard olive green. On her back were silver bio mechanical bird wings. This Celestial Alicorn was Galactic Technician Penelope Resonance, the combat medic for this small platoon of marines and Ulysses’ wife. Unlike her husband, who did as Daimyo Harmonia Strife ordered, eventhough it went against his very values, she never liked being under the command of Daimyo Harmonia Strife. If this mission didn’t come up, she would have left him and returned to her home in the Infinity Star Sector.

“Ulysses?” Penelope said casually as stress lines formed on Ulysses’ brow. He slams his fist on the limb of a tree, breaking it.

“Save it, Penelope,I know what you are going to say. This was a stupid plan and you trapped us on this alien planet with no way home!” Ulysses said sourly as it caused tears to run down Penelope’s cheeks.

“No Ulysses, If this mission didn’t come up I would have left you and returned to my home in the Infinity Star Sector and become a civilian doctor.” Penelope said as his eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

“Penelope?” Ulysses exclaimed as he looked at his downcast mate.

“Ever since we were assigned to the Dark Star sector, you have become just as cruel as the Daimyo. You follow her orders without question; a loyal servant, even if it goes against your very values, I can’t live like that; I am Light Celestial Alicorn and a Doctor. When I bonded with you, you were not that way.” Penelope said her voice cracking

“I know Penelope, but there was very little I could do, she was our ruler. I am Galactic Knight, sworn to protect any Sector I am assign to. But I had a plan during this mission. We were going to hijack the patrol class warship and take it back to the Infinity Star Sector and surrender to the Empress. To face any punishment for the evil I did in the name of Dark Star Sector.” Ulysses explains as Penelope stood up and walks up to him to hug him.

A moment later, the rustling of leaves underfoot behind Ulysses and Penelope grabs both their attention, using her hide in plain sight ability of her Celestial Alicorn form. Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight emerges from the bushes behind them with her bio mechanical jewelry studded wings partially extended from her back. She spotted the smoke plume rising from the campfire on her way back to the Principality of Dream Valley and went to investigate. That’s when she found this dispirited small platoon of Marines sitting around the campfire and she spoke to the group for several minutes learning as much as she could.

“Greetings Lord and Lady Resonance, I am Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight. The Avatar of the All Mother of our People.” Ophelia said in a pleasant tone of voice as she curtsies to them.

“Your Imperial Highness! Please forgive our surprise. We thought we were the only Celestial Alicorns on this planet.” Penelope exclaims as their breath catches in their throat as both of them quickly kneel and lower their heads in respect to the Avatar of their Creator.

“Please rise Children of the Stars, It’s not by choice you find this Celestial Alicorn colony on this planet. Our large Science Class Vessel crashed many space cycles ago. This planet was so primitive when we crashed, we became stranded. We had to wait for the planet to catch up to us. So we established this colony.” Ophelia explains as the two Celestial Alicorns reel with astonishment with the news.

“Your Imperial Highness, was a Galactic Technician Sylvie Solstice part of your Science crew aboard the vessel?” Penelope inquired as Ophelia thought for little while.

“Why, yes she was, why do you ask?” Ophelia inquiry

“She is my mother. When we learned that ‘IAS Wisdom’ disappeared we feared the worst.” Penelope explains hopeful as the small platoon of Marines followed the Imperial Princess to the Principality of Dream Valley.

Later that evening, Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight stands in her throne room at the Eternal Palace in the Capital City of Chimera listening to Galactic Knight Ulysses Resonance confess to all the crimes he did in the name of the Dark Stars sector as a Marine commander.

Pacing back and forth in the hallway, outside the Throne room with her mother, was Galactic Technician Penelope Resonance, the wife of Ulysses. Both ponies spoke on behalf of Ulysses making a case that he was doing what he was told. Slowly, the throne room door opens, out steps Galactic Knight Ulysses Resonance, his face glazing with shock.

“What happened, Ulysses?” Penelope inquiries

“Her Imperial Highness, will not charge me with any crimes. She tells me it will serve no purpose to charge me for following orders of Daimyo Strife. But if I want to clear my conscience, I must serve her with the same loyalty as I did for Daimyo Strife and I agreed.” Ulysses explains as Penelope’s heart leaped in her chest. As Sylvie watched Ulysses and Penelope leave, she turns on her heels and walks into the throne room to see Imperial Princess Ophelia Silverlight.

“I thank you Ophelia for not charging my son-in-law with any crimes.” Sylvie said thankful as she bows to the Imperial Princess.

“Sylvie, I had a reason for my decision.” Ophelia comments as Sylvie blinks with surprise.

“That is ? Your Imperial Highness?” Sylvie inquiry wondering

“My children from the large science class vessel need protection, most of the crew of ‘IAS Wisdom’ are Galactic Technicians and great thinkers of the Imperator Alicorn society. But none of my children know how to handle an energy weapon, with the exception of the hand full of Galactic Knights that were part of the crew and my family. There’s no way this colony will survive without an established military. If we were in our home star sector, I could simply get Galactic Knights from the academy.” Ophelia said her voice cracking as tears roll down her cheeks, splashing on top of her red painted toenails of her bare feet.

“A mother should never underestimate her children. We might be great thinkers, but we are all Celestial Alicorns. We believe in the Avatar of the All Mother and what she stands for.” Sylvie comments as she sets something on the ground before leaving the throne room.

As Ophelia hears the door close behind her, a dark blue bubble forms around the object on the ground and floats it into her hand. She gasps and in her hand was a custom made Pulse Pistol. Even her adept eyes can see this design is far superior to the original design and so much easier to operate for anyone that is not trained at a military academy. Over the next few months, the Principality of Dream Valley establishes a military using Galactic Technicians who don’t want to be sitting behind a desk or studying endless hours. These candidates become the toughest and smartest of any army in the Coalition of Equestria. Even the two most powerful armies in the Coalition the New Lunar Republic and Solar Empire have great respect for them.

~That same morning, after reuniting with Justice: Royal bed chamber~

Tears streak Celestia’s white cheeks from the great gales of laughter induced by her husband tickling her large feet mercilessly. Earlier, Celestia and Justice argued over her telling every pony that Justice was back. But to keep the argument from getting heated with his wife, Justice proposed a simple test. All she had to do was endure something. With her pride at stake, always winning any argument no matter what, she agreed to Justice’s proposal. With a shrewd smile on his snout, Justice suggests a tickle test that she would have to last for an hour. A chill ran down Celestia’s back.

With a determination to win, she shook his hand in agreement. Before she could change her mind, he told her the test will be on her feet. A second chill ran down Celestia’s back and she quickly tried to back out of the test, but Justice reminded her she is a Princess of her word. Caught by her own words she had no choice but to go along with the tickle test on her feet. As Justice held her hand while walking her over to their bed to begin the test, a huge smile formed on her snout unbeknownst of her husband.

“Justice! I can’t take any more. You win hehehe! I will tell no one about your return. I promise ahahahahah!” Celestia called as he helped her to sits up and kiss her on her lips.

“You know Celestia. You are a horrible liar.” Justice commented as she playfully chuckles knowing that he caught her.

“When did you know?” Celestia inquiries wondering as she wraps her arms around her legs, looking at her husband in front of her.

“Those arguments that you used will never change my mind ‘no matter what’, meant I would have to force you, it was kind of a giveaway. I have known you for a long time, Celestia. You like talking it out.” Justice comment as he stretched his wife’s legs out and rested them on his lap, before beginning to massage her perfectly shaped plush bare foot.

“Oh, Justice, you know me too well.” Celestia comment as she kisses him lovingly on his cheek.

“But since you brought up the subject, why do you want me to keep your return a secret? It would be a great celebration for the Solar Empire; the return of my beloved husband Emperor Justice Silverlight. Right now, the Coalition of Equestria needs the benefit of the loyalty you represent. My wisdom can only go so far.” Celestia said with a hitch in her voice as Justice wiped away tears with his fingers before gently caressing her cheek with the back of his hand.

“Think about this, my beloved. I died several years ago as a unicorn, not to mention, I am not a terran pony. How would your subjects react to a Celestial Alicorn, an alien species, ruling them? You say yourself there’s still some bitterness among the pony population of Equestria towards Royalty. Even though our foals have repaired most of the damages, it still persists.” Justice explains as a wounded look forms in Celestia’s eyes as tears, once again, runs down her white cheeks.

“Justice please! (Weeping) I need you (weeping) I told no pony this, it took me several months to even begin to write up, the Discord Accord. I couldn’t bring myself to break up Equestria, like this. Even though it was my only and final, option. My military was stretched so thin that even completely loyal troops turned against me. During that time Luna and I discussed this plan for hours. Her argument was to believe in our ponies’ hearts. So I did, but then that one day, everything changed. During the Summer Sun Celebration, in the Friendship Kingdom, there was an attempt on both our lives. If your Solar Guard unit was not there to protect me and Luna, they would have succeeded. After the attempt, I wrote up the Discord Accord and called a Princess Summit to be held in Canterlot that following month.” Celestia said her voice a lifeless monotone. The door to her bed chamber is suddenly opened by a white bodied unicorn, a mare with brown mane and tail, wearing a black skirt suit and black pumps on her bare feet.

“Oh! Excuse me, your imperial Majesty. I didn’t know you were in here. But here are the papers you wanted me to bring to you. Your daughter told me she is still working on the remaining paperwork. She will talk to you about it later.” The unicorn mare said as her face glazes with shock on spotting Celestia sitting on her bed as if she just woke up from an afternoon nap.

“Miss Inkwell? Do you not see two Alicorns in this room?” Celestia inquired as Miss Inkwell smiled spastically looking around the room several times trying to find the other Alicorn Celestia was talking about.

“Mmm, I have some work to finish. If you would excuse me, Your Imperial Majesty.” Miss Inkwell exclaims as she tripped over her own feet trying to leave the bed chamber before Celestia could ask again.

“Huh? What is going on, Justice? Why did my assistant not see you? You are sitting right in front of me!” Celestia said a bit puzzled as Justice chuckles rubbing the puffy balls of his wife’s foot with his thumbs.

“It’s one of my Celestial Alicorn natural abilities; we call it Hide in Plain Sight. It’s a handy skill to have for an alien species that enjoys exploration. We use this skill to study our subjects up close and personal.” Justice said as he bends back and forth her perfect shapely toes to loosen them.

“Then why can I see you?” Celestia inquiry questioning as she brought her other foot out from behind Justice’s back and places it on his lap, so he can rub her other foot as well.

“My best guess, Celestia because you are my mate. A Celestial Alicorn has never been mated to a different species in all our history. So, this is a new experience for a Celestial Alicorn to be mated to a Terran Alicorn. So I really don’t know the long term effects of it. But there’s one thing I can say for sure, it’s possible for two different species to have foals. Our foals are proof of that.” Justice explains as Celestia beams fondly with her husband’s explanation, kissing him softly on his cheek.

“Does your species have magic powers like Luna and I do?” Celestia inquires creating a magic gold orb in the palm of her hand before making it disappear.

“Of course we do. My species calls it. Eternal Magic.” Justice comments as she gasps with the name.

“Eternal Magic! As in Forever Magic.” Celestia comments her face glazes with shock.

Suddenly, Celestia is enveloped in a strange otherworldly magic aura that seems to come from the very end of time. She is soon surrounded by a totally black veil of nothingness. Next, pin points of stars begin to appear across the black veil enveloping her. Soon, many planets of various sizes form in front of her. Throughout the black veil, wondrous seas of stars and galaxies travel across the nothingness at incredible speed. She watches as various colors of comets speed by her on its eternal path. Celestia’s breathe catches in her throat as her husband has transformed into a living constellation of a four-legged Alicorn stallion.

“For centuries the Mother Constellation has traveled from dimension to dimension, stopping only temporarily to rest and create life. Some life lived on, other lives killed themselves. As her traveling ended, she settled in this dimension and created her Celestial Alicorn children. Unknown to the Mother Constellation, she implanted curiosity in her children. We become explorers and want to learn about this dimension from our space stations. We searched and discovered wondrous things in this dimension.” Justice said his voice haunting and ethereal as a thought came to Celestia’s mind that could break her heart.

“You have never been a test subject, Celestia. My intentions have always been pure toward you. I truly wanted to be your mate, in you; I saw things that I lacked. You shared your life with me, be it good or be it bad, you shared it.” Justice explains as Celestia’s face flushes and tears come to her pale magenta eyes.

“How did you know?” Celestia inquires her voice soft and low as a bright comet streaked by in front of her snout.

“My ethereal form loses the ability to speak; the only way to communicate with you is telepathic. I read your doubt in your mind. That’s why I answered your question before you asked it.” Justice answers as he reverts back to his solid form and his Eternal Magic ability expire, returning them to the Royal Bed Chamber in the Grand Royal Palace of the Solar Empire.

“Eek!” Celestia exclaims as Justice ran his fingers down Celestia’s exposed large white feet sitting on his lap.

“Oh, Justice! You are the only stallion that can ruin a tender moment like that by tickling my feet. But I guess that’s what your wife would expect from you, it doesn’t matter. Come to think of it, I am going to have you all to myself from now on.” Celestia comment as she lays her head down on his lap.