Stardust Protocol

The machine roared as it floated above the floor. It had a long body with long fins, tipped with red lights, attached to it's back. A dark, black glass covering shielded the glowing engine as it spun rapidly. Stronghoof stood on the flat area in the middle, with his hooves on the controls.

The red and orange Flameblitz, belonging to the orange mare, Fireburst, floated on the right side of Gearbreaker. It was short on the front and long on the back. The extra long fins protruding from the front and angled backwards gave it a comet-like look.

Cobalt Wing, on Wingdust, floated on the left. It resembled an elongated sphere, with it's cabin composed of white cables and a flat base.

The hangar doors opened, revealing a long runway. All three machines roared as they sped off towards the horizon. Gearbreaker, which got it's name for 'being so fast, it breaks the gears', obviously, took the lead, leaving Flameblitz and Wingdust competing for second.

The genetics lab had a different atmosphere than the higher levels. Instead of white and gray with a blue light, it was black and green. The high security sector was located on the lowest level of the facilities.

The unicorn Strange and the earth pony Alpha watched from above, behind a railing, whilst wearing hazmat suits, as the ponies working below finished the moving procedure. The containment tube was filled with a clear liquid.

With the moving procedure completed, Alpha turned around to look at the screens above.

The race had moved deeper into the city. The ponies on the sidewalks watched the three machines speed through the streets.

New Canterlot City, the spaceport, was a lively place. Everyday, there were ships departing and arriving. Mostly exploring the solar system and exchanging cargo between the multiple outposts connecting to the ground below. The city itself was a collection of domes and structures spread across multiple floors. Most ships have multiple decks, so the actual spaceport sections were somewhere in the middle.

New Canterlot City was also home to the United Equestria Corporation HQ and the ODD's facilities.

Wingdust had already been left in the... dust. Gearbreaker and Flameblitz now competed for who will be the winner. A lap around the city - that was the race. Whoever finishes first, wins.

Both machines were at a stalemate. Flameblitz, then Gearbreaker. Gearbreaker, then Flameblitz. Whoever was going to win, this was gonna be close.

She wasn't kidding when she said 'modifications', Stronghoof thought to himself, noting the stalemate. If he wanted to win, he would have to push it. And you bet he did.

This was typical of him, always pushing himself, trying to find his ultimate limit. Where he couldn't push it anymore, if he tried, he would hurt himself. Gearbreaker made an unusual sound, like something jammed. Stronghoof looked at the console. Something was jamming. It was the dynamo, the engine. It spun so fast, it started wearing down.

Gearbreaker might actually break her gears.

Strange leaned back into the office chair, looking into the large monitor on the wall. He moved his hoof to the armrest and pressed a button to change the view. He didn't notice how Alpha came into the meeting room and sat into the chair beside him.

"What happened, Strange?" He spoke, "You're not the fun loving, eccentric stallion I remember anymore."

The unicorn didn't respond.

"Do you remember how I got you out of that boring librarian job?"

Strange turned his chair around, "I'm uneasy. I'm concerned about my findings in the examination."

"You're just being paranoid."

Strange looked at Alpha with uncertainty, pondering about what he should say. The truth was, that he didn't trust Alpha's decision as much as he believed.

"I just... don't know anymore," he replied worriedly and turned his chair back round to face the screen.

He pressed the button a few more times, when it turned to the race which was going on at the moment. Strange watched thoughtfully for a few moments before jumping out of his chair unexpectedly.

"Is he mad?! I keep telling him Gearbreaker is too fast for her own good!"

Strange rushed out of the meeting room into the hallway and sped towards the exit. A pony was getting ready to ask him something, but Strange whizzed past her, not letting her finish.

Gearbreaker's engine rumbled without rhythm as she left Flameblitz in the dust. Stronghoof's victory was at hand when, suddenly, a crack was heard and the engine's rumbling started to die down until it stopped all together. Gearbreaker slowed to a halt and dropped the inches it was floating above the ground.

Stronghoof slowly stepped off the machine and put his hoof on the warm glass, covering the engine.

"Sorry, girl. I pushed you too hard," he whispered quietly as he watched Fireburst pull over behind Gearbreaker.

The mare jumped off of her machine, "What happened?"

"I pushed it too hard this time," Stronghoof replied calmly, "You weren't kidding about the 'modifications'."

The stallion looked down to the ground as Fireburst came closer and put her hoof around his neck onto his shoulder. The mare pushed his head up to face her.

"So Gearbreaker broke, not such a big deal. You can't win them all, remember?" She spoke sympathetically, before bringing her head closer.

Stronghoof pulled his head away and took Fireburst's hoof off his shoulder silently.

A dark blue blur appeared in the distance, floating closer. It continued to get bigger until the shape of wings were visible. Slowly, Cobalt Wing came into view, flying towards them. The pegasus decreased altitude and dropped on his hooves a few meters away from the two earth ponies and walked closer.

"So I've been thinking about renaming Wingdust," He said with a smirk.

The two earth ponies couldn't help but laugh at Cobalt Wing's predicament. The pegasus joined in until the laughter was interrupted by the humming of an engine. He turned around to see who was coming. He squinted into the distance and made out a floating shape. As it got closer, the pegasus could make out the details.

It was a long, hexagonal platform with two red pods on the sides. Three more pods protruded from the front in a trident pattern. A large pod on the back housed the engine. On the machine, a white unicorn stood, with his hooves on the large console.

"Uh. You might be in trouble, Stronghoof," The pegasus spoke as the other machine came to a halt.

The stallion, which piloted the machine, "I kept telling you, but you never listen, do you?" He said to Stronghoof.

Stronghoof nodded slowly, "Come on guys, let's get Gearbreaker out of here."

Stronghoof looked down onto a console. Gearbreaker's schematics were loaded at the moment, while she was having her damages scanned.

"So, how does it look?" A bored Stronghoof asked.

Strange sighed.

"Well... You only managed to break the engine..."

"So, no pro..." The stallion started a sentence but was interrupted.

"But that engine is a complicated magical mechanism, it'll take weeks for me to repair."

"Great," Stronghoof replied sarcastically and moved over to a chair to sit on.

"But don't worry, I wont tell Hea..."

"STRONGHOOF!!!" A deep, booming voice interrupted as Heavy barged in through the door.

"Crap," Strange managed to mutter.

"YOU'RE GONNA GIVE ME A HUNDRED LAPS ROUND THE TRAINING COURSE!"

"But, sir. I..." Stronghoof attempted to dodge the workout bullet.

"NO BUTS, SOLDIER! NOW!"

In the lowest level of the city, the genetics lab remained silent. Rows of containment tubes filled the room, some rested on the ground, some were embedded into the floor, while some were suspended from the ceiling.

The tube holding the organism recovered from the meteorite was ominously empty. It was filled with a clear liquid just a few hours ago, but, now, it was gone.

Suddenly, the glass of the tube began to crack. Slowly, the crack became large enough for the creature to escape. A transparent blue goo dripped out of the crack. It stretched onto the ground and squirmed out of the crack entirely.

It begins.