Stardust Protocol

The central core was downright huge. A massive column held the energetic sphere suspended in the center of the chamber. Cords, cables and wires were plugged into the core and twisted around the column. Blue energy coursed out of the core and across the surface of the column, to the walls of the space and into the tunnels providing access to the central core's massive chamber.

Stronghoof stared with awe at the massiveness of the core. The sheer amount of energy it produced was obvious, as electricity arced around the inside of the orb. Haven pulled him out of his trance:

"Impressive, isn't it?"

"That's an understatement," Stronghoof replied, his eyes never moving away from the core, "So where are those Dimensional Cores?"

"There," Haven pointed his hoof at one of six energetic prisms floating atop magically suspended platforms. Blue beams of energy emanated from the prisms and shone into the core.

Stronghoof shifted his gaze to the blue prism, "Couldn't we just destroy the central core?"

Haven shook his head, "No. They would reformulate the entire structure to repair any damage done. We need to destroy all, or most of them."

"Right," Stronghoof nodded, "How are we going to-"

His words were interrupted by Haven floating outside the ship, his wing-tentacles flowed around his body. Haven flew towards one of the cores, whilst Stronghoof maneuvered the ship closer to him. The creature landed onto the platform and moved his tentacles to hover over the prism. With a short burst of white light, the prism deactivated; it turned gray and the beam connecting it with the core broke. The magical suspension of the platform also failed and it plummeted to the floor of the chamber.

Haven fell with the platform. Quickly, he held the prism in his mana field; a white, inner glow on his horn and sparkles around the object. The sound of the platform making contact with the floor echoed through the chamber. Growls, rattles and buzzes acknowledged the vibrations caused by the impact.

"They're coming," Haven whispered, whilst shifting his gaze between the largest tunnels.

White shapes emerged from the darkness, steadily increasing in numbers until a whole swarm filled the chamber. One by one, they lunged at Haven. Blue streaks emanated from their wings, which were attached to their frontal claws. Haven dodged the first few attackers, then hurried back to the ship.

The shapes shifted their gaze towards the ship and then lunged towards it.

"Come on, Haven..." Stronghoof whispered.

The airlock opened and Haven returned to his seat.

"Strap in," Stronghoof spoke before slamming his hoof into the accelerator and being pushed back into his seat.

The ship sped into the group of shapes, splitting it up. The individual shapes were thrown back towards the walls of the chamber, but quickly recovered and continued their assault. The ship hurdled towards the core, but Stronghoof managed to steer out of the way before it was too late. The few shapes that didn't react fast enough, though, crashed into the core and disintegrated with a white flash.

A few didn't hit the core, but missed the ship. Whilst some predicted Stronghoof's move and latched onto the ship's hull. The ship shook as the shapes clawed at the metal. Stronghoof attempted to shake them off, but their claws were stuck deep into the plating.

"I can't get them off," Stronghoof turned to Haven, "Can you take control of the ship?"

"I will try."

With that, Stronghoof unstrapped himself from his seat, then leaped towards the airlock, letting himself float towards it. Haven floated out of his seat and into the pilot's. He placed his tentacles onto the controls. The ship was affected immediately and shook. Stronghoof slammed into the airlock's door, but quickly recovered from the impact.

"Careful," he cautioned Haven.

He opened the airlock's door and floated inside, before closing it. The airlock was rather cramped, but it could fit two fully grown ponies. Stronghoof placed his hoof on the touch panel; the air inside the airlock began venting. Moments later, a beep was heard, signifying that the airlock has finished depressurising. The outer door opened, allowing the stallion to exit the shuttle.

Stronghoof floated out of the airlock and used his suit's hoof-rockets to balance himself out. He made his way to the top of the ship, where the shapes had latched on. The ship swayed as Haven struggled to keep it steady.

"If only I had claws," Stronghoof remarked, "Let's see if the mana blades work, though."

He lifted his right forehoof. There, near the edge of the hoof, was a small elevation. Before long, a transparent, blue blade came out of it.

"Strange, you never cease to amaze me. All right, female dogs, let's do this," Stronghoof taunted, before lunging into the shapes.

He used the suit's hoof-rockets for a boost, as he pointed his blade forward. It cut into and through the head of one of the shapes. Blood trickled out of the cut on both sides. Stronghoof pulled his blade out then kicked the shape off the unsteady ship and watched it float away, dead. Then, he looked at the other shapes.

"Damn, I'm gonna need some extra help," he remarked and activated his other hoof-mounted blade, before lunging at the shapes in the same manner as before, using his hoof-rockets for a boost.

The blades cut through the shapes with ease, sending blood floating in their wake. Some of the blood found it's way on Stronghoof's suit and the tan metal gained red stains. He balanced himself with his hoof-rockets, leaving burn marks on the plating of the ship, to survey the damage; nothing too serious, thankfully. He looked up at the advancing swarm.

"I should have brought weapon attachments," he whispered to himself, looking at the gray attachment rails on his suit.

He contacted Haven inside the ship via the com-link in his suit's helmet:

"We need to get out of here. Over," with that, he dropped the connection and made his way to the airlock.

The shapes chased the ship through the dark tunnel as it tried to escape. Stronghoof remained focused with his flying. Haven's horn obtained it's signature inner glow and, a moment later, an escape port began opening in front of them.

"Come on. Come on," Stronghoof whispered as if he attempted to coax the hole to open faster, whilst the ship strayed dangerously close to the wall.

The port opened just enough for the ship to get out. Quickly, Haven dropped his concentration and let the hole close. A group of shapes managed to get out, but a few weren't so lucky; they were crushed by the closing port.

The shapes changed tactics; they began firing balls of plasma at the ship from their mouths.

"They can shoot plasma, too?!" Stronghoof exclaimed as he watched the blue fireballs pass by.

A shot hit the airlock door; the ship shook violently, followed by a warning beeping.

"This is not good," Stronghoof said as he looked over the instruments; the navigational systems were damaged and the engines were losing power.

Stronghoof prepared for the inevitable, as the ship strayed ever so closely to the surface. The shapes latched onto the hull once again. Stronghoof pressed a button on the panel in front of him and opened a com-link recording channel.

"What are you doing?" Haven inquired curiously.

"Saying my goodbyes, just in case," Stronghoof responded and turned to watch the planet grow as the ship approached it, "I have been told family comes first, so to my parents: I love you and thank you for everything you've done for me. To my teammates in the Orbital Defense Division: Cobalt Wing, I've always enjoyed your company. Be it on duty, or on break. You've always made the day worth it. To Strange: Your inventions never cease to amaze me. Take good care of Gearbreaker, I'm leaving her to you."

The ship neared high orbit.

"To Lieutenant Heavy: We may have our differences, but you're the best captain the ODD could ever wish for. I wouldn't have it any other way. And, finally, Fireburst," Stronghoof's heart skipped a beat when he mentioned her name, "I love you. Stronghoof out."

The recording ended.

"Do you really mean those things?" Haven asked.

"Yes. Every last word," Stronghoof responded without shifting his gaze.

The planet's gravity soon took over and pulled the ship towards the surface.

"Your people have some interesting traditions," Haven commented.

"Eeyup."

Were the last words, before the ship was engulfed in flames...

"Hold on."