The inside of the Republic shuttle was cramped; it hadn't been designed to accomodate so many. Twilight found the most uncomfortable thing wasn't the lack of space but rather the shape of the seats. Her tail was pressed against her back as she sat. Clearly the chairs were meant for bipeds. But not all beings in the galaxy had two legs, so Twilight was surprised that there weren't other accomodations that would suit her and her friends. She moved her tail over to the side a bit and finally felt comfortable. The shuttle lifted off shortly afterward and the compartment became dark except for a small light above the cockpit door.
Sgt. Brazon Exeter pulled a holocummicator off his forearm bracer and threw it on the floor. The disk sprang to life as it landed, a blue figure erupted from its certain eye and materialized into the form of the CO of Donair Squadron, General Bersara Tethra.
"Balmorra is falling apart. While the Empire has been pushed off of it thanks to the combined efforts of Jedi, Special Forces, privateers and the local resistance, the planet's environment has been ravaged to pieces. Warfare, weapons research, demolition have all taken their toll. Before Equestria joined, Balmorra was slated to become the next member of the Republic. The native population though was... shall we say, divided on the decision." the general explained.
"What exactly do you mean by 'divided' general"? Twilight asked.
"Balmorra's natives include humans, aliens, the normal sort but also Collicoids. Large, savage insects that have a penchant for technology. We've had negotiations with the Collicoids before but not on Balmorra and they've never displayed anything but hostility on the planet itself. With the Imperials gone, they're lashing out against the other species on the planet. Citizens are leaving in droves and most of these people fought the Imps alongside us. These were people that wouldn't leave their homes when the Sith came and brokedown their doors, now they're fleeing for the Outer Rim because of bugs."
Applejack huffed. "Sounds like these critters just can't get along with their neighbors."
Twilight was still a bit perplexed. "You said we've had negotiations with them before. Is it possible the Republic can solve this peacefully now?"
The general shook her head. "Previous relations with the Collicoids were dealings involving technology and weren't related to Balmorra. This planet is their home, they think they're defending it against the other species. They don't see a difference between the beings and droids that defended them and the ones that invaded. Because it's not a Republic planet yet, they haven't declared war against us but the Republic has a vested interest in seeing this planet become a member. We need to get the Collicoids on our side, one way or another if we're going to repair the damage to the planet."
"So that's why you're sending us. To get them on our side?" Twilight asked.
"In a manner of speaking. The Collicoids learned about the incident on Voss and the Equestrian Relief Project. They've agreed to allow us to provide Equstrian relief if we demonstrate to them our methods before hand," the general said.
Rainbow Dash chuckled and relaxed her hooves behind her head. "I knew it. We're galactic legends already," she said with a satisfied smile.
Applejack grinned. "I think it's a little more complicated than that, 'Miss Galaxy'. They want to see how we do things before we do 'em, they don't quite trust us yet." While the ponies were making a splash in galactic politics already, there were still too many species that weren't certain of the new arrivals.
"Exactly, Applejack. The Collicoids are wary of outsiders but they see Equestria as a potential to gage whether or not they should join the Republic. Make no mistake, this planet requires immediate attention if it is to be stabilized. Your shuttle is en route to a Collicoid nest on Balmorra near Gorinth Canyon. Your orders are clear: you're representing both the Republic and Equestria and you're to provide the Collicoids with examples of Equestrian relief, demonstrate how magic can be used to repair their planet and improve the lives of their citizens."
"What support will we have on this mission?" asked Rarity.
"We're keeping the shuttle on standby and we've got a cruiser in orbit. Besides that, we can't provide any intel on what you're getting into. The Collicoid nest runs deep underneath the surface of Balmorra and we our censors can't penetrate that far down. Hostilities are not expected but we will have your exit vector locked just in case things get hot," the general said.
"I'm sure the buggies won't cause any problems," Pinkie said confidently. "But if they want to party, we'll be sure to give them a par-tay!"
The image of the general smiled. "I'm sure you will. Best of luck to all of you. And may the Force be with you." The projector clicked off and the image disappeared.
Pinkie turned to the others. "What's 'the Force' again?" she asked.
Twilight thought about that question for a moment. "I'm not sure. I think it might be this universe's magic."
"We could certainly use more magic," Rarity added. "Especially if we'll be facing... bugs."
"Nah, we'll be fine," Rainbow Dash said. "We've got Fluttershy. She'll be able to handle any kind of aliens that come our way."
Fluttershy was silent. Whether she agreed or disagreed, she didn't say and her expression remained blank. The interior of the shuttle became silent as it began its landing approach.
