UEG-RD MISSION MAR-21-2508
Mission No. 52
STATUS UPDATE...

UEG-RV HOOK LINE EN ROUTE TO PEACE SYSTEM...
PRIMARY ASSETS
===> RAINBOW M. DASH: CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER
===> RARITY BELLE: COMPUTER SPECIALIST
===> APPLEJACK A. APPLE: ENGINEERING AND SHIP SPECIALIST
===> FLUTTERSHY BREEZE: MEDICAL OFFICER (TEMP. ASSEST)

DIRECTIVE A: LOCATE COLONY VESSEL UEG BON VOYAGE
DIRECTIVE B: DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR COMMUNICATIONS BLACKOUT

**********

NOTES:
*Bon Voyage is captained by Captain Star Tracker
*Largest Colony Vessel in United Equestrian Government Navy
*Twenty Third voyage
*No questionable records tied to vessel or Captain
*Suspected communications relay failure
*Ship schematics attached (BonVoyageSchm.pdf)
*Planet Onyx also dark. Possible communications relay failure as well

ASSEST NOTES:
*Medical Officer Fluttershy Breeze is searching for her brother, Zephyr Breeze
*Zephyr Breeze is not a priority
*MO F. Breeze will be returned to her unit after repair mission is complete. Non-negotiable
*As per protocol, Medical Corps Supervising Officer Abigale Redheart has attached medical, psychological, and performance records ([FBreeze-Profile.zip])

“Fluttershy... It's me... I know we don't talk much, but I don't know who else to talk to. I don't know how I'm supposed to... It's just all wrong. All of it. It wasn't supposed to be this way and now... Now I don't know what else to do.”

The audio log dies out from static, taking the voice of a terrified stallion with it. Watching the audio log from a hologram projected from a small device on her shoulder is a thin, yellow pegasus mare with a long pink mane and tail. Her blue eyes are wet, her throat is tight and hot, and her body is shaking to where the chair bolted to the floor is vibrating. She wishes she could see her brother's face, but all she has is the audio file.

The one and only audio file.

It has been so long since she has seen Zephyr Breeze that there have been days where she’s forgotten what he looks like, and the same goes with her parents. But the voice she has heard does not sound like her brother. Zephyr Breeze has always been mellow, go with the wind, dopey kind of pony, and the only time he really gets excited is when he plays with someone's mane or mixes drinks. Fear is just not in Zephyr's nature.

But this voice is terrified. Every time she replays the audio, she hears the hopelessness, sees the tears, sees him tremble. Someone or something has him scared, and when she got the message she did not hesitate or hold any reservations in convincing her superior to allow her to join the team that has been assigned to investigate the Bon Voyage, a ship that she knew he took as part of the United Equis Government's initiative to colonize other worlds.

“For the love of Pete, will you stop playing that!?” says an aggravated stallion.

Fluttershy looks up, seeing her temporary team at a round table, holding card with either card holders or magic, and the middle of the table is taken up by a pile of fish shaped crackers, bite sized candies and gum.
The stallion that made the comment is a muscular unicorn with a gray-blue coat, a pale blue mane slicked back, and blue eyes, and he is not fazed by the dirty looks he’s getting.

“Leave her be, Moon. She’s just worried ‘bout her brother,” says an earth pony mare with a heavy Ozark accent. She is orange with a thick blonde mane ad tail, and she is by far the largest mare Fluttershy has ever seen. Not that she is fat, but just the combination of height and muscle mass has put this pony above the average mare. Applejack Apple, is her name… Or maybe not. Fluttershy forgot to ask and is now too scared to ask after being on the ship for two weeks. She also has an empty bank for the poker game she is a part of.

“Really? She’s been playing that thing on loop ever since she got here, and she hasn’t said a word to us!” says the unicorn, Moonlight ‘Moon’ Aura, and adding with a sharp glare directed to Fluttershy, “What’s the matter? You don’t like us or something?”

“She probably doesn’t like you. You are a pain in the ass,” comments another mare; this one has blue fur and a rainbow mane and tail, which seems only possible through a meticulous dye job. She is also the smallest and leanest of the group, and Fluttershy knows her name is Rainbow Dash. Easy to remember, and for some reason the medic finds herself looking at this mare. A lot.

“You would know about pains in the ass,” replies Moon with a smirk.

Rainbow Dash flips him off with her feather, and Applejack points at a corner.

“Go,” orders Applejack.

“Ooh, you got Mama Jack mad,” snickers another unicorn stallion, which brings others to giggle. He has a charcoal coat, a messy gray mane and tail, and blue eyes. Comet Tail might be his name. “By the way, I’m calling your bluff, Mama Jack. Raise!”

Comet pushes a few packs of gum to the center, and Rainbow Dash holds up her hooves and locks her eyes on the table with an irritable frown.

“I can give orders just fine!” says Rainbow Dash. “… Go to the corner, Moon.”

Moon throws his cards into the pot of goodies. “I fold this round, anyway.”

Moon trots towards a dark corner and sits on a chair with sign above it, reading, “DUNCE.”

If Fluttershy has counted correctly, that would be ten times in two weeks this has happened.

“Why don’t you join the game?” asks a unicorn mare with a Canterlot accent. She has a light gray color, sparkly blue eyes, finely curled purple mane and tail, and light blue eye shadow, and even Fluttershy must admit she is a beautiful pony with her elegant build and perfect posture. Fluttershy also remembers her name being Rarity Belle, but just like with Rainbow Dash, she finds her fascinating to look at. Why this pony chose rescue instead of modeling will forever be a mystery. Also, she has the largest bank.

“HEY!” barks Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy jumps in her seat and blinks as she shakes in her seat.

“Rarity asked you a question,” says Rainbow Dash.

“N-No thank you,” stammers Fluttershy.

“That only took ten seconds,” says Rainbow Dash.

“Hey, come on, Dash. Be nice. She’s got a lot on her mind,” says Applejack.

“We all do,” says Rainbow Dash. “Evaluations are coming up, we’re at the bottom, we've got to babysit a newbie, and dinkus over there is being an ass.”

“I can buy you in, if you want,” suggests Rarity while Rainbow Dash rants.

“No thanks,” says Fluttershy quietly.

“She can take Moon’s place,” says Comet, smiling at Rarity.

“NO!” yells Moon.

“Am I the only one that cares about our evaluation!?” yells Rainbow Dash.

This brings the group to laugh at Dash’s expense, and as they laugh, the door opens and two more pegasus stallions walk in. One is absolutely huge with bulging muscles larger than Fluttershy’s torso, towers over Applejack, and has bleached white colored fur, red eyes and very tiny wings. The tiny wings are a good indication of how this pegasus got so beefy. The other is the perfect stallion; not too big, not freakishly muscular, and has bright golden eyes, soft gray mane, and a dark gray coat with an amazing set of wings. They are Roid “Snowflake” Rage (former) and Thunderlane Hurricane (latter).
Thunderlane passes Rarity, and they exchange quick nuzzles before Thunderlane takes a seat next to her, either oblivious or ignoring the hostile stare Rainbow Dash is giving him. Roid, on the other hand, goes straight to a cabinet and starts pulling out a collection of protein shake mixtures.

“Gear is good. Inventory is good. All we’re doing now is waiting,” says Thunderlane.

“That shouldn’t be too much longer,” says Applejack.

Rainbow Dash holds up her hoof with an annoyed snarl, and Applejack leans back, away from her.

“Sorry ‘bout that,” says Applejack.

Rainbow Dash shakes her head. “Okay, so with the gear and inventory good to go, and our destination only an hour away, I need to make some announcements.”

“Can it wait after the game, or…?” Comet’s voice drifts off from the mixed bag of looks he’s getting, so he clears his throat and lays his cards down. “I’ll wait.”

“Good,” says Rainbow Dash. “So, here’s the recap. Fluttershy is only here because she’s looking for her brother. However, Fluttershy, I cannot stress this enough. He’s not a priority. We’ll get on the ship, ask around, but the mission is first. Understood?”

Fluttershy nods.

“After the mission is done, and you do your little reunion, you’re going back to your station, and we’ll be running on Applejack’s time since she’s fixing the thingy that needs fixing,” continues Rainbow Dash.

“I’ll take my time,” says Applejack with a smile.

“I also need to run diagnostics,” says Rarity.

“We’ll get to that when we get to that,” says Rainbow Dash.

Suddenly, a ding echoes in the room, bringing everyone to look at the intercoms located at the corners of the room.

“Attention, this is Captain Trotter speaking,” says a stallion. “We will be reaching the Peace System in ten minutes. Repeat. Arrival in ten minutes. Suit up and meet up on the bridge. Over and out.”

The intercom crackles off and the team immediately jumps into action, leaving their poker game as it is, frozen in time until they return.

Several minutes later, Fluttershy finds herself on the bridge of the Hook Line with Rainbow Dash’s team. The bridge is relatively bare, with just enough seats for the two pilots and captain, and barely enough standing space for the team. Each seat has its own computer terminal and the bridge has a large window that is giving everyone an unobstructed view of streaks of white and blue zipping past them like the lights of a tunnel.

Everyone on the team is now wearing their Advanced Chitin Suit. Why it is called a “Chitin Suit” rather than literally anything else is beyond Fluttershy, but it is what it is. The suits are as follows:

Rarity’s ACS is simple, light weight, white in color with gray pads that blends nearly perfectly with her colors, and has a small computer attached to her hoof.

Applejack’s suit has a thick dark blue under layer with strips of metal covering her limbs, spine, and ribs. She also has a sealed container on her saddle with a wrench and hammer painted over it and an old Stetson hanging off the back of her neck instead of on her head.

Rainbow Dash, Thunderlane, Roid, Moon, and Comet are wearing heavy ACS’s composed of dark padded under layer with plates of metal stitched to them, and on their hooves are two glowing orbs. One pale blue and the other dark blue. And they are also wearing battle saddles that have machine gun attachments with boxes of ammo and medical packs.

Lastly, there is Fluttershy. She is wearing a thin white and red striped ACS and her six medical boxes are secured on her saddle, which include quick stitch kit, medical foam, burn gel, gauze, pain pills, and adrenaline. She also has a Medical Assessment Device, which is a small cylindrical device that shares a spot on her shoulder next to the holographic displayer, and it is connected to her brain via a chip so she can keep her hoofs free. Speaking of which…
Fluttershy looks at Rainbow Dash, and the MAD turns on with a green glow and a pair of thin lines move up and down and side to sign on the pegasus.

SUBJECT: RAINBOW MARIAN DASH
VITALS: NORMAL

She moves to Rarity.

SUBJECT: RARITY BELLE
VITALS: NORMAL

Last is Applejack.

SUBJECT: APPLEJACK ASHLEIGH APPLE
VITALS: NORMAL

She proceeds to check the rest of the team and finds that they are all okay, all with various, but otherwise healthy, vitals.
And right as she finishes, the circular door to the bridge slides open and a green unicorn stallion with a cropped white and silver mane enters, wearing a sharply creased dark blue uniform with gold bands on his shoulders and cuffs. His golden badge reads: TROTTER.

Upon his arrival he goes straight towards Rainbow Dash while everyone snaps to attention and salutes.

“At ease,” says Captain Trotter immediately.

The group relaxes and the captain stops in front of Rainbow Dash.

“I want this repair mission quick,” says Trotter. “In. Out. Done. Evaluation is coming up and I don’t want to be the laughing stock again.”

Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes. “Well, you should talk to her then.” She points at Applejack. “I'm just the gal with the gun. She's the one with the toolbox.”

“You’re in charge, so we share the blame if this is gunked up. That said,” Trotter looks at Applejack. “Make the repairs quick.”

“I ain't gonna make any promises,” says Applejack. “When I fix something, I fix it right. Besides, we haven't gotten any signal from the ship or the colony, so I reckon we got a mass relay failure that can take days to fix. Assuming they didn’t do something dumb to it.”

“Great,” grumbles Trotter. He then looks at Fluttershy. “As for you? Since you're a medic make sure they don't hurt themselves.”

Fluttershy nods and Trotter looks at the lights zipping by them.

“How much longer?” asks Trotter.

“ETA... Now,” says the first pilot, Gage Meter.

The white and blue lines disappear and a dark planet floating in front of a blood red star appears. Seeing this brings a shiver up Fluttershy's spine, and Applejack whistles impressively.

“Ain't that something,” says Applejack.

“It looks... unfriendly,” says Rarity.

“That will be Onyx for you,” says Trotter. “It comes with being in a locked rotation. But it is a good staging point for other colonization efforts.”

“Yeah, yeah, that's nice, but where is the Bon Voyage?” asks Rainbow Dash.

“We were only able to jump to its last known location,” says the second pilot, Joystick. “It should be close, though.”

“You mean right there?” asks Applejack.

She points towards a long, balloon shaped ship with four fins on the back, each with a cylindrical engine. The red light from the star reflects off the white paint of the ship, and near its nose is a green wreath surrounding a crossing sun and moon as its sigil, and next to the symbol is: UEG BON VOYAGE.

It is also completely dark.

“There it is,” says Trotter.

“Why is it dark?” asks Rarity.

“I don't know. But whatever the reason, that can't be a good sign,” says Applejack.

Fluttershy's ears droop as she puts her hoofs to her mouth, and Trotter places his hoof on Gage Meter’s shoulder.

“Get us close and hail them,” says Trotter.

“UEG Bon Voyage, this is UEG-RV Hook Line responding to your distress call. Respond,” says Gage Meter.

Nothing.

Fluttershy is feeling sick, now.

“Try again,” orders Trotter.

“UEG Bon Voyage, this is UEG-RV Hook Line responding to your distress call. Respond,” says Gage Meter.

Again. Nothing.

Trotter frowns. “Boost the signal and try again.”

Gage Meter adjusts the dial on his control panel. “UEG Bon Voyage, this is UEG-RV Hook Line responding to your distress call. Please respond.”

Nothing.

Tears are flowing down Fluttershy's cheeks and her insides feel like they are being sucked inside a black hole.

“Something isn’t right,” says Rarity. “Are we receiving any kind of signal?”

“We are getting one signal, but I can’t make it out,” says Gage Meter.

Rarity approaches Gage’s station and leans over, eyes flicking left and right as she reads the various lines of data and wavelengths on the screen. Several seconds later, she looks at Trotter.

“Somepony must be on the ship. That is an encrypted live broadcast,” says Rarity.

“Then why aren’t they answering?” says Trotter.

Fluttershy looks at Applejack when the big pony’s lips twitch, and she looks at Rainbow Dash when the team leader makes a loud yawn.

“It’s probably nothing,” says Rainbow Dash. “These ships always have a constant encryption signal going so we can track them.”

Rarity shakes her head. “No, this is different. It’s very… advanced.”

“Whatever it is, find out when you get on the ship,” says Trotter.

“That ain’t the mission, though,” says Applejack.

“And neither is a family reunion,” counters Trotter, glancing at Fluttershy, who shrinks back. “But she’s still here. Joystick, get the bay door open and get us inside”

The second pilot nods and types a command on his terminal, and a large, rectangular slot with black and yellow stripes on the side of the Bon Voyage slowly opens while their ship is covered in a sparkling white aura. As the bay door opens, a blue sheen with streaks of white zipping to-and-fro cover the opening, shielding the interior from the void. With that going on, Trotter sighs and paces in circles, and Rainbow Dash puts her hoof on Applejack’s shoulder, having to tilt her head up so she can look her in the eyes.

“Meet me at the ramp when you are ready to go,” says Rainbow Dash, and to the others, “Security, let’s go!”

Applejack nods, Rainbow Dash pats her shoulder and leaves the bridge with the rest of the security ponies without another word. After that comes a tense silence.

“Steady as she goes,” mutters Joystick as the Hook Line gets closer to the opening.

Fluttershy pushes herself into the wall and cringes as the ship’s nose presses against the shield. The white aura crackles and the Hook Line slips through without trouble. Without the barrier, Fluttershy can see the details of the dock, despite it being dimly lit by weak orange lights and swirling red lights. She sees the grated stairways, walkways, and smaller parked elliptical shaped ships tethered down. As well as tipped over toolboxes, scattered clothes and items around broken luggage and blood splattered on the floor and walls, with a door broken open as if something pushed out from the center. Next to the broken door is a crudely painted symbol. A double helix.

Fluttershy’s blood freezes, and Applejack goes to the window, ears drooped, and brows scrunched. Meanwhile, Rarity puts her hoof to her mouth and Trotter, while looking out the window, activates his communicator, bringing Rainbow Dash’s face to appear on a holographic projection.

“Dash, something went down on this ship. Probably a pirate raid,” says Trotter. “Go in heavy and find Captain Star Tracker.”

“Roger that,” says Rainbow Dash.

“Lowering the legs,” says Gage Meter.

Metallic clangs and whirs echo in the bay, and there is a short but sharp jolt as the ship’s landing legs press on the floor. A few seconds later, there is a loud thud that shakes the ship, making Fluttershy flinch again.

“You are now free to move about the ship,” says Joystick.

Trotter looks at Applejack. “Fix whatever is broken fast. This place is already giving me the creeps.”

“Yes, sir,” says Applejack. She looks at Rarity. “Time to get to work, hun.”

Rarity nods and quietly exits the room, and Applejack follows her, stopping when she sees Fluttershy has yet to leave her spot by the wall. In fact, Fluttershy has yet to move a muscle. She is completely frozen, and her eyes will not leave the symbol painted on the wall next to the door.

“If ya don’t get moving Dash’ll tear ya a new hole,” says Applejack. “And I think we got plenty already, so up and at ‘em.”
Fluttershy swallows, and shakily follows Applejack out of the room. She stays close behind Applejack when they go down the brightly lit hallway, the sounds of their steps bouncing off the metal and the doors sliding open without them touching. Once they reach a spacious room with a pair of lights on either side of a sealed ramp, Fluttershy sees Rainbow Dash is in front of the security team with Rarity at the back.

“Good, everypony is here,” says Rainbow Dash. “There’s been a change in the mission. Applejack is still going to repair the ship’s communications relay.”

Applejack nods.

“And our guest of honor-” Rainbow Dash points at Fluttershy, bringing all eyes to her, thus making her slink down a bit “-is still going to be looking for her brother.”

The team looks at Fluttershy and she shrinks back even further.

“We can ask around, maybe Captain Star Tracker can page him or whatever when we find him, but your primary job is to give us band aids and kisses on our boo-boos,” says Rainbow Dash.

The group chuckles, with someone making a cat call, and Fluttershy cheeks and ears burn bright red while Applejack pats her on the shoulder sympathetically.

“However, Captain Trotter has said that it looks like pirates attacked the ship and wants us to investigate a weird signal. Signal stuff will be Rarity’s job and we'll make sure there aren't any pirates hanging around,” continues Rainbow Dash, bringing everyone to a heavy silence and their attention back on her. “So, we’re going to be on guard and do what we can to help, and if we find pirates still lurking around, we follow protocol.”

Moon raises his hoof with a knowing smile. “But, Commander, what if the pirates resist arrest?”

“The usual. Shoot to kill and make a good report out of it while I butter up command with sweet talk.”

The group chuckles, and Fluttershy shifts uncomfortably in her spot, and gets a little more anxious when Comet looks at her and puts his hoof to his mouth for a shushing motion.

“And when we’re done, we’ll have drinks on me at Sparkle Station!” says Rainbow Dash. “Thunderlane, push it.”

Thunderlane pushes a red button on the wall. The lights flanking the ramp begin swirling and the security detail readies their battle saddles. Gears roll and the ramp inches down until it comes to a stop, its thud echoing in the chamber. With the ramp down, Comet and Roid exit first, followed by Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, then Thunderlane and Moonlight, and at last, Rainbow Dash. The group spreads out, keeping a protective perimeter around Applejack, Rarity and Flutterhy while they scan the area. The lights from their weapons illuminate the blood on the floor and walls, as well as the bullet casings on the ground and a severed hoof laying in a pool of blood next to a broken vent grate.

“I already don’t like this,” says Thunderlane.

“Move up,” orders Rainbow Dash.

The group heads towards the broken door and stop when Comet shines his light through the opening. The other side is dimly lit, and with the bodies in the way Fluttershy can’t see much, so she looks at the double helix painted by the door.

“UEG Rescue Division! Anypony there!?” hollers Comet.

Silence.

Fluttershy has yet to look away from the double helix.

“UEG Rescue Division! Any friendlies!? Respond!” yells Comet.

Again, nothing. Comet looks at Rainbow Dash, and she nods.

“Be careful,” says Rainbow Dash.

Comet nods and goes through the broken door, his light sweeping across the area, and Roid walks after him. The two lights sweep the area while the rest keep their perimeter, and Fluttershy forces herself to look away from the symbol, flinching when Applejack puts her hoof on her shoulder.

“I’m sure your brother is fine,” says Applejack. “Pirates generally don’t get far into a colony ship.”

Fluttershy nods and looks at the lights in the next room.

“Clear!” says Comet. “But brace yourselves. This room is fucked.”

The rest of the group files into a spacious lobby with benches, more scattered papers, clothes, and other pieces of luggage. And directly in front of them, painted in blood over a mural of the Bon Voyage flying through a starry space, is one word:

FORSAKEN

Author's Note

Another old story that I found and polished and decided to post just because.